Monthly Archives: February 2022
Ozark Season 4 Part 2 Gets a Premiere Date, Teaser Trailer, and Poster
Netflix has released a new teaser trailer and poster for Ozark Season 4 Part 2, announcing that the second half of the final season will premiere on April 29.
The trailer for Ozark Season 4 Part 2 notes that "the end arrives sooner than you think" as it teases the conclusion of the dark and suspenseful Netflix crime drama that stars Jason Bateman as Martin "Marty" Byrde and Laura Linney as Wendy Byrde, a married couple who are entangled with local criminals in the dangerous business of money laundering.
The end is near. Ozark's final episodes premiere April 29. pic.twitter.com/WWBPFmlXlY
— Netflix (@netflix) February 23, 2022
As well as the trailer, Netflix released a poster for the final episodes of the show, presenting a foreboding atmosphere that will likely follow Marty and Wendy as they climb to the top of Navarro's empire and find another opportunity to get out of the Ozarks, only to discover that "some past sins won't stay buried and the most dangerous threats come from blood."
The fourth and final season of the Emmy Award-nominated family crime drama consists of 14 episodes that have been split across two parts, with each volume consisting of 7 episodes. The two-part release for Ozark's concluding chapter follows a finale format that has previously been used for big critical TV hits such as Breaking Bad and Mad Men.
Ozark Part 1 premiered on January 21, 2022, following the show's Season 3 finale almost two years earlier. IGN rated the third season of Ozark an 8 out of 10, noting that series creators Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams "left the story open for an intriguing new chapter," having effectively expanded the Byrde family's criminal saga in the penultimate season.
The final season of Ozark is once again executive produced by showrunner and writer Chris Mundy, together with Jason Bateman, Mark Williams, John Shiban, Patrick Markey, Bill Dubuque, and Laura Linney who is co-executive producer. The series stars Julia Garner, Sofia Hublitz, Skylar Gaertner, Charlie Tahan, and Lisa Emery, amongst others.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Marvel Releases the ‘Spider-Man Pointing’ Meme… in Live-Action
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home!
Spider-Man: No Way Home may have teased the Spider-Man pointing meme, but it looks as though Marvel actually shot their own version of it.
Celebrating the upcoming release of No Way Home on 4K UHD and Blu-ray, Marvel has unveiled a rather cool image of all three Spider-Men stood facing each other, pointing – mirroring the classic meme.
Of course, we got THE meme. #SpiderManNoWayHome swings home on Digital March 22 and on 4K UHD & Blu-ray on April 12!
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) February 23, 2022
Pre-order now: https://t.co/RNWdKiZJMp pic.twitter.com/JxPwYaaBVQ
The original meme is a still image from the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon in which two people in Spider-Man costumes are shown pointing at each other.
The episode, “Double Identity” depicts a chameleon-like criminal who is impersonating the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But Marvel’s version features the three different Spider-Man actors – Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire.
By now, the secret’s out – all three Spider-Men appeared in No Way Home after Doctor Strange cracked open the multiverse with a spell to help Peter Parker. And in some of the MCU's best cameos, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire came to his aid.
But while this is the first time we’ve seen the classic Spider-Man meme with all three big-screen Spider-Men, there was a version that appeared in the movie… and it was all Andrew Garfield’s idea.
“It kind of happened naturally on that scaffolding scene with Peter 1, Peter 2, Peter 3,” said Garfield. “I remember having a lightning bolt and running into set and telling [director] Jon [Watts], ‘I got it, I got it!’”
Spider-Mans. #SpiderManNoWayHome THEY DID THE THING! pic.twitter.com/hJBf8Lym78
— Ryan Leston (@RyanLeston) February 23, 2022
Of course, we saw this meme represented in another Spider-Man movie too, with Into The Spider-Verse's post-credits scene. That movie saw Spider-Man 2099's Miguel O'Hara transported into the universe of the original cartoon, re-enacting the scene.
Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker, along with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their own versions of Spider-Man. They’re joined by Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jon Favreau.
Jon Watts directed the movie from a script by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, based on characters created by comic book legend, Stan Lee.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Marvel Releases the ‘Spider-Man Pointing’ Meme… in Live-Action
Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home!
Spider-Man: No Way Home may have teased the Spider-Man pointing meme, but it looks as though Marvel actually shot their own version of it.
Celebrating the upcoming release of No Way Home on 4K UHD and Blu-ray, Marvel has unveiled a rather cool image of all three Spider-Men stood facing each other, pointing – mirroring the classic meme.
Of course, we got THE meme. #SpiderManNoWayHome swings home on Digital March 22 and on 4K UHD & Blu-ray on April 12!
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) February 23, 2022
Pre-order now: https://t.co/RNWdKiZJMp pic.twitter.com/JxPwYaaBVQ
The original meme is a still image from the 1960s Spider-Man cartoon in which two people in Spider-Man costumes are shown pointing at each other.
The episode, “Double Identity” depicts a chameleon-like criminal who is impersonating the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. But Marvel’s version features the three different Spider-Man actors – Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire.
By now, the secret’s out – all three Spider-Men appeared in No Way Home after Doctor Strange cracked open the multiverse with a spell to help Peter Parker. And in some of the MCU's best cameos, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire came to his aid.
But while this is the first time we’ve seen the classic Spider-Man meme with all three big-screen Spider-Men, there was a version that appeared in the movie… and it was all Andrew Garfield’s idea.
“It kind of happened naturally on that scaffolding scene with Peter 1, Peter 2, Peter 3,” said Garfield. “I remember having a lightning bolt and running into set and telling [director] Jon [Watts], ‘I got it, I got it!’”
Spider-Mans. #SpiderManNoWayHome THEY DID THE THING! pic.twitter.com/hJBf8Lym78
— Ryan Leston (@RyanLeston) February 23, 2022
Of course, we saw this meme represented in another Spider-Man movie too, with Into The Spider-Verse's post-credits scene. That movie saw Spider-Man 2099's Miguel O'Hara transported into the universe of the original cartoon, re-enacting the scene.
Spider-Man: No Way Home stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker, along with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their own versions of Spider-Man. They’re joined by Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Jon Favreau.
Jon Watts directed the movie from a script by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, based on characters created by comic book legend, Stan Lee.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Activision CEO Eligible for Over $22m in Stock Bonuses if Work Culture Improves Enough
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick could be given $22 million in stock if he improves the company's culture under Microsoft ownership.
One section of a regulatory filing spotted by Axios states that Kotick – who reportedly kept alleged internal sexual assault and harassment allegations from the board for years – will receive the bonus if he achieves "transformational gender-related goals and other commitments".
Kotick announced in October 2021 that he was intending for his base salary to be reduced from $875,000 to a California miniumum of $62,500 until progress was made after a group of shareholders and more than 1,000 employees called for his resignation over the allegations.
Activision Blizzard's Workplace Responsibility Committee, that was set up in November, will determine when the company has made "appropriate progress" towards the achievement of its goals.
These include: launching a new zero-tolerance harassment policy, increasing the percentage of women and non-binary people in Activision Blizzard’s workforce by 50%, investing $250 million to accelerate opportunities for diverse talent, waiving arbitration of individual sexual harassment claims, and increasing visibility on pay equity.
The filing also adds to the ongoing conversation around Kotick's future at the company as it states his contract could be extended by 12 months past its current March 2023 expiration.
Microsoft initially stated that Kotick would remain in his position following the acquisition but later said it was unconfirmed, before the Wall Street Journal reported that Kotick is set to leave when the deal closes.
Kotick reportedly told senior managers in November, however, that he would consider stepping down if he couldn't quickly fix the ongoing problems at Activision Blizzard, though the new $22 million incentive may have changed his mind.
Microsoft president Brad Smith commented earlier this month that the company will make sure it has "the right people in the right position," though Kotick is also guaranteed $15 million of "golden parachute compensation" if Microsoft fires him without cause.
The same regulatory filing also revealed that Microsoft approached Activision Blizzard just three days after the initial report on Kotick was published.
For a full breakdown of the Activision Blizzard controversy, take a look at IGN's timeline of events that began in July 2021.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.
Thumbnail credit: J. Emilio Flores/Corbis via Getty Images
Activision CEO Eligible for Over $22m in Stock Bonuses if Work Culture Improves Enough
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick could be given $22 million in stock if he improves the company's culture under Microsoft ownership.
One section of a regulatory filing spotted by Axios states that Kotick – who reportedly kept alleged internal sexual assault and harassment allegations from the board for years – will receive the bonus if he achieves "transformational gender-related goals and other commitments".
Kotick announced in October 2021 that he was intending for his base salary to be reduced from $875,000 to a California miniumum of $62,500 until progress was made after a group of shareholders and more than 1,000 employees called for his resignation over the allegations.
Activision Blizzard's Workplace Responsibility Committee, that was set up in November, will determine when the company has made "appropriate progress" towards the achievement of its goals.
These include: launching a new zero-tolerance harassment policy, increasing the percentage of women and non-binary people in Activision Blizzard’s workforce by 50%, investing $250 million to accelerate opportunities for diverse talent, waiving arbitration of individual sexual harassment claims, and increasing visibility on pay equity.
The filing also adds to the ongoing conversation around Kotick's future at the company as it states his contract could be extended by 12 months past its current March 2023 expiration.
Microsoft initially stated that Kotick would remain in his position following the acquisition but later said it was unconfirmed, before the Wall Street Journal reported that Kotick is set to leave when the deal closes.
Kotick reportedly told senior managers in November, however, that he would consider stepping down if he couldn't quickly fix the ongoing problems at Activision Blizzard, though the new $22 million incentive may have changed his mind.
Microsoft president Brad Smith commented earlier this month that the company will make sure it has "the right people in the right position," though Kotick is also guaranteed $15 million of "golden parachute compensation" if Microsoft fires him without cause.
The same regulatory filing also revealed that Microsoft approached Activision Blizzard just three days after the initial report on Kotick was published.
For a full breakdown of the Activision Blizzard controversy, take a look at IGN's timeline of events that began in July 2021.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.
Thumbnail credit: J. Emilio Flores/Corbis via Getty Images
Playing Elden Ring in Co-op Is Much Easier Than We Thought
FromSoftware has made playing Elden Ring in co-op much easier than in its previous games – and easier than the previous network test made it seem.
Elden Ring features a system broadly similar to Dark Souls, Demon’s Souls, and Bloodborne, in that you must first use a consumable item to open your world up and allow co-op allies to visit you. However, rather than demanding a semi-rare item that you must scour the world for, Elden Ring uses an item that can be crafted from incredibly common materials.
This item - called the Furlcalling Finger Remedy - is made using two Erdleaf Flowers, a plant that grows, at least in the opening area of the game, all over the place. This means that within the first few hours of Elden Ring you can create many, many Remedies, and thus be able to frequently summon allied players with ease.
As ever, offering help is easier than requesting it; you simply create a summon sign using the infinitely reusable Tarnished’s Furled Finger. Those using Furlcalling Finger Remedies can then see those signs and summon you into their world.
In Dark Souls, Demon’s Souls, and Bloodborne, you must use an item (Humanity/Ember, Stone of Ephemeral Eyes, and Madman’s Knowledge respectively) to allow your character to summon co-op allies. Dying stops you from doing this, and so on particularly difficult bosses you can easily burn through several of these items as you try over and over to score victory. While Elden Ring uses pretty much this exact same system, making Furlcalling Finger Remedies so easy to acquire notably changes the way players can approach co-op.
In the Souls games and Bloodborne, these items are best held onto in anticipation of boss fights, as they are the moments you’ll want another sword by your side. But with it simply being a case of bashing two common flowers together in Elden Ring, up to four people could happily just explore the world of The Lands Between, with the host player not being too upset about using resources to make that happen. And it’s a world perfectly suited to co-operative adventure; it’s so much larger than any other FromSoftware game that there’s value in traveling and discovering new things together.
Furthermore, Elden Ring allows you to summon NPC allies without the use of a Remedy. Simply find their golden summoning sign (usually just outside boss encounters) to bring them along for the ride.
Elden Ring is not a co-operative game in the traditional sense, but this small change to FromSoftware’s usual approach does mean that it’s easier than ever to play it as a co-op game. This will no doubt be a fantastic thing for those less experienced with Souls-like games; the ability to summon friends and play together makes the world less daunting and perhaps a little easier to progress through.
For more Elden Ring, check out our 10/10 review, as well as the game's unlock times and FromSoft's promise that difficult optional bosses will be hidden in the world. They sound like the perfect thing to try co-op for. Our Elden Ring guide is already in progress, but will grow when the game is released, helping you across The Lands Between.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Playing Elden Ring in Co-op Is Much Easier Than We Thought
FromSoftware has made playing Elden Ring in co-op much easier than in its previous games – and easier than the previous network test made it seem.
Elden Ring features a system broadly similar to Dark Souls, Demon’s Souls, and Bloodborne, in that you must first use a consumable item to open your world up and allow co-op allies to visit you. However, rather than demanding a semi-rare item that you must scour the world for, Elden Ring uses an item that can be crafted from incredibly common materials.
This item - called the Furlcalling Finger Remedy - is made using two Erdleaf Flowers, a plant that grows, at least in the opening area of the game, all over the place. This means that within the first few hours of Elden Ring you can create many, many Remedies, and thus be able to frequently summon allied players with ease.
As ever, offering help is easier than requesting it; you simply create a summon sign using the infinitely reusable Tarnished’s Furled Finger. Those using Furlcalling Finger Remedies can then see those signs and summon you into their world.
In Dark Souls, Demon’s Souls, and Bloodborne, you must use an item (Humanity/Ember, Stone of Ephemeral Eyes, and Madman’s Knowledge respectively) to allow your character to summon co-op allies. Dying stops you from doing this, and so on particularly difficult bosses you can easily burn through several of these items as you try over and over to score victory. While Elden Ring uses pretty much this exact same system, making Furlcalling Finger Remedies so easy to acquire notably changes the way players can approach co-op.
In the Souls games and Bloodborne, these items are best held onto in anticipation of boss fights, as they are the moments you’ll want another sword by your side. But with it simply being a case of bashing two common flowers together in Elden Ring, up to four people could happily just explore the world of The Lands Between, with the host player not being too upset about using resources to make that happen. And it’s a world perfectly suited to co-operative adventure; it’s so much larger than any other FromSoftware game that there’s value in traveling and discovering new things together.
Furthermore, Elden Ring allows you to summon NPC allies without the use of a Remedy. Simply find their golden summoning sign (usually just outside boss encounters) to bring them along for the ride.
Elden Ring is not a co-operative game in the traditional sense, but this small change to FromSoftware’s usual approach does mean that it’s easier than ever to play it as a co-op game. This will no doubt be a fantastic thing for those less experienced with Souls-like games; the ability to summon friends and play together makes the world less daunting and perhaps a little easier to progress through.
For more Elden Ring, check out our 10/10 review, as well as the game's unlock times and FromSoft's promise that difficult optional bosses will be hidden in the world. They sound like the perfect thing to try co-op for. Our Elden Ring guide is already in progress, but will grow when the game is released, helping you across The Lands Between.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Elden Ring Has a Detailed Tutorial Dungeon For New Players
Elden Ring offers what is probably FromSoftware’s best ever introduction for new players, thanks to an optional tutorial dungeon located just before you enter the main world of The Lands Between.
The Souls studio has what could charitably be called a patchy history when it comes to teaching you how to play its games. A few messages on the ground to explain basic attacks, guards, and parries is pretty much all you usually get in its action-RPGs, with everything else taught through experimentation, failure, and usually a lot of help from other players.
Elden Ring’s tutorial dungeon is a different story. Called the Cave of Knowledge, this optional series of chambers introduces Elden Ring’s fundamental mechanics one by one. Starting with the use of Sites of Grace (similar to Souls’ Bonfires), it goes on to cover familiar things such as light/heavy attacks, weapon skills, and blocking, as well as new mechanics such as the Stakes of Marika checkpoint system, guard counters, and how to best use long grass and stealth to overcome your enemies. Each system is explained by a pop-up window that offers much much more transparent detail than FromSoftware has typically done in the past.
This tutorial culminates in a boss fight. However, unlike other FromSoft ‘tutorial’ bosses such as the Asylum Demon or Iudex Gundyr, this is not the actual first boss of the game; it’s essentially a generic training enemy to introduce you to the concept of big health bar boss fights. Completing the Cave of Knowledge will reward you with a new gesture, so there’s a small reward for even seasoned FromSoft veterans.
In execution, there are similarities to Dark Souls 2’s Things Betwixt, which offered a more comprehensive tutorial zone than other Souls games via its collection of optional training chambers. But the concept of Things Betwixt is combined with Sekiro’s more direct teaching approach with the use of pop-up directions, creating something that feels distinctly like a crash course for Elden Ring.
It’s the most new player-friendly introduction that FromSoftware has produced for a Soulslike game so far, and possibly a recognition that Elden Ring stands to be the company’s biggest hit with players from beyond the traditional Souls community. Plus, if you really want the old-school, no hand-holding approach, you can skip it entirely.
For more from Elden Ring, check out our glowing review. If you're concerned about surviving, you can always use the easier than ever co-op system to explore the game with friends. Our Elden Ring guide is already in progress, but will grow when the game is released, helping you across The Lands Between.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Elden Ring Has a Detailed Tutorial Dungeon For New Players
Elden Ring offers what is probably FromSoftware’s best ever introduction for new players, thanks to an optional tutorial dungeon located just before you enter the main world of The Lands Between.
The Souls studio has what could charitably be called a patchy history when it comes to teaching you how to play its games. A few messages on the ground to explain basic attacks, guards, and parries is pretty much all you usually get in its action-RPGs, with everything else taught through experimentation, failure, and usually a lot of help from other players.
Elden Ring’s tutorial dungeon is a different story. Called the Cave of Knowledge, this optional series of chambers introduces Elden Ring’s fundamental mechanics one by one. Starting with the use of Sites of Grace (similar to Souls’ Bonfires), it goes on to cover familiar things such as light/heavy attacks, weapon skills, and blocking, as well as new mechanics such as the Stakes of Marika checkpoint system, guard counters, and how to best use long grass and stealth to overcome your enemies. Each system is explained by a pop-up window that offers much much more transparent detail than FromSoftware has typically done in the past.
This tutorial culminates in a boss fight. However, unlike other FromSoft ‘tutorial’ bosses such as the Asylum Demon or Iudex Gundyr, this is not the actual first boss of the game; it’s essentially a generic training enemy to introduce you to the concept of big health bar boss fights. Completing the Cave of Knowledge will reward you with a new gesture, so there’s a small reward for even seasoned FromSoft veterans.
In execution, there are similarities to Dark Souls 2’s Things Betwixt, which offered a more comprehensive tutorial zone than other Souls games via its collection of optional training chambers. But the concept of Things Betwixt is combined with Sekiro’s more direct teaching approach with the use of pop-up directions, creating something that feels distinctly like a crash course for Elden Ring.
It’s the most new player-friendly introduction that FromSoftware has produced for a Soulslike game so far, and possibly a recognition that Elden Ring stands to be the company’s biggest hit with players from beyond the traditional Souls community. Plus, if you really want the old-school, no hand-holding approach, you can skip it entirely.
For more from Elden Ring, check out our glowing review. If you're concerned about surviving, you can always use the easier than ever co-op system to explore the game with friends. Our Elden Ring guide is already in progress, but will grow when the game is released, helping you across The Lands Between.
Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.
Spider-Man No Way Home Blu-ray Release Date Finally Announced
Spider-Man: No Way Home finally has its Blu-ray release date, with the film swinging into our living rooms on April 12 in the US, and April 4 in the UK. Preorders for the film on 4K UHD and Blu-ray have been live for some time, but fans should be pleased to know they can get their hands on the film, alongside a hundred of minutes of extra content or deleted scenes, come this April.
If you're just looking to watch the film again at home, digital download purchases for Spider-Man No Way Home will also be available from March 22. Both sets of news were announced by Marvel on Twitter, alongside a great reference to the famous pointing Spider-Man meme.
Where Can I Preorder Spider-Man No Way Home on Blu-ray
Preorders are currently live for Spider-Man No Way Home on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital download. We've listed the relevant preorder pages for Amazon below, including both the UK and the US. The film will cost $29.99/ £24/99 in 4K UHD, and $19.99/ £14.99 on Blu-ray.
Spider-Man No Way Home UK Preorders
Spider-Man No Way Home Deleted Scenes
Spider-Man: No Way Home DVD and Blu-ray release will include over 100 minutes of bonus footage – and that seemingly includes some additional scenes from some of the coolest cameo appearances. Insider Amit Chaudhury recently revealed that the upcoming Blu-ray release would include all new content alongside, making this another perfect reason to pick up the film to watch again.
When Is Spider-Man No Way Home Out on Blu-ray?
Spider-Man No Way Home will be available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 12 in the US, and April 4 in the UK. Marvel announced the release date on Twitter, alongside a reference to the famous Spider-Man meme.
Of course, we got THE meme. #SpiderManNoWayHome swings home on Digital March 22 and on 4K UHD & Blu-ray on April 12!
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) February 23, 2022
Pre-order now: https://t.co/RNWdKiZJMp pic.twitter.com/JxPwYaaBVQ
Robert Anderson is a deals expert and Commerce Editor for IGN. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter.