Monthly Archives: March 2022

Disney’s Snow White Set Reportedly Catches Fire During Shoot

A fire has broken out on the set of Disney’s live-action Snow White.

The stage at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom was under construction when a tree caught fire on Tuesday 15th March, resulting in a blaze on set. The local fire & rescue service arrived at the scene at 3:13 pm.

Although the dramatic scenes were caught on camera, it looks as though filming had yet to begin. “No filming was underway,” a source told Variety. The fire is believed to have happened at the Richard Attenborough stage in Pinewood Studios, with a video of the dramatic blaze appearing on Twitter.

“It was just mental,” an eyewitness told The Sun. “I didn't see it start but I was told first a tree went up. By the time I got there the flames were massive, going right up to the ceiling. Then bits of the set started falling into flames and the thatched cottage started lighting up.”

As you can see, the flames quickly engulf the tree before spreading to a nearby thatched cottage which would have been used in the film. It’s currently unknown what caused the fire, but no casualties were reported as a result, and no actors were on the set at the time.

Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service confirmed: “At the height of the incident, 12 appliances and crews were in attendance.”

“Thames Valley Police and South Central Ambulance Service also attended to support the multi-agency response to the incident,” they confirmed. “The incident response was scaled back at around 7 pm.”

According to the Fire & Rescue Service, a fire crew remained at the scene overnight to monitor for hotspots. It’s currently unknown how this will affect production.

Disney’s Snow White has been in the works for some time and will star West Side Story actress Rachel Zegler as the iconic Disney princess. The Evil Queen will be played by none other than Wonder Woman star, Gal Gadot. The Amazing Spider-Man's Marc Webb is directing the Snow White live-action remake.

Songwriting duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul will write new music for the film, while some classic songs from the original animated movie, such as “Heigh-Ho”, “Someday My Prince Will Come”, and “Whistle While You Work” will remain.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

J.K. Simmons On How Commissioner Gordon’s Role Will Change After Zack Snyder’s Justice League

While many fans were upset when J.K. Simmons didn't get a ton of screen time as Commissioner Jim Gordon in Justice League, the actor has confirmed he will be a much bigger part of the upcoming Batgirl film.

As reported by SlashFilm, Simmons was speaking to Discussing Film and he began by sharing his excitement over getting the call to return to the role of Commissioner Gordon, despite not really knowing what is going on with all this multiverse business.

"I'm still not sure I understand all the various multiverse aspects of, you know, DC or Marvel ... But yeah, I was completely surprised and very happy obviously," Simmons said. "I had a lengthy phone call sort of having the story laid out for me before I even saw a script, and it was actually way back in the middle of the summer I think that they first came to me and approached me about doing it. I just finished my part, they have several more weeks of shooting to do."

He also spoke on his expanded role in Batgirl, which would make sense considering he is the father of Barbara Gordon a.k.a. Batgirl.

"It's much more than I got to do in my brief stint as Commissioner Gordon in Zack Snyder's film," Simmons said. "And really, it was fun because it was a completely different side of Commissioner Gordon.

"All that we saw in the little snippets of Zack Snyder's Justice League, in either the original or in Zack's brilliant, expanded cut, it was just Commissioner Gordon being business-like and needing Batman's help. In this film, I think I'm allowed to say since it does center on Batgirl, we see much more of Commissioner Gordon at home."

Lastly Simmons took the time to praise Batgirl directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, saying they were like "two-year-old Weimaraners, who have been pent up in the back of a station wagon all day and somebody just let them loose."

"Dude, those guys are crazy! I don't know how they do it, and they had been shooting for four weeks or so by the time I joined," Simmons said. "I met them via Zoom, and I was under the L track outside of my boxing gym in Chicago when we first spoke. They just bring such an energy.

"I've already compared them to a couple of, like, two-year-old Weimaraners, who have been pent up in the back of a station wagon all day and somebody just let them loose. The energy and the passion that they bring for making movies was a really fun energy to be around and then the fact that they also really know what they're doing is a nice part of the overall experience."

Batgirl is set to be released on HBO Max in 2022 and will also star Leslie Grace as Batgirl/Barbara Gordon, Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Brendan Fraser as Garfield Lynns/Firefly, and Jacob Scipio in an unknown role.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Elden Ring Has Already Sold 12 Million Copies Worldwide

Elden Ring is off to an incredibly strong start as it has already sold 12 million copies worldwide since its February 25 release date.

FromSoftware and Bandai Namco shared the news in a press release, stating that Elden Ring has sold more than one million copies in Japan alone and 12 million copies worldwide as of March 14, 2022. These sales are "derived from distribution figures of the package version and sales figures of the downloadable versions."

"It's astonishing to see just how many people have been playing Elden Ring," FromSoftware President and CEO/director Hidetaka Miyazaki said. "I'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of the entire development team. Elden Ring is based on a mythological story written by George R. R. Martin. We hope players enjoy a high level of freedom when adventuring through its vast world, exploring its many secrets and facing up to its many threats. Thank you for your continued support."

President and CEO of Bandai Namco Yasuo Miyakawa also shared some words in celebration of Elden Ring's success, saying this is only the beginning for the brand new IP.

"Much effort was placed into creating ELDEN RING so that we could exceed the expectations of our fans worldwide," Miyakawa said. "In like manner, we will continue our efforts in expanding the brand beyond the game itself, and into everyone’s daily life. We will continue to create enjoyment and fulfillment through entertainment, so that we can come closer and connect to our fans around the world."

For comparison, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - FromSoftware's previous game - sold two million copies in 10 days. Bloodborne, which was only released on PS4, sold over 1 million copies within two weeks of its launch back in 2015.

In 2015, Famitsu revealed that Dark Souls, Dark Souls with the Artorias of the Abyss expansion, Dark Souls II, and the remastered release Scholar of the First Sin had sold over eight million copies worldwide. For context, Dark Souls 2 was released on March 11, 2014.

Dark Souls 3 was Bandai Namco's fastest-selling title in its history and it sold over three million copies about a month after its worldwide release in April 2016.

In our 10/10 review of Elden Ring, we said that it is a "massive iteration on what FromSoftware began with the Souls series, bringing its relentlessly challenging combat to an incredible open world that gives us the freedom to choose our own path."

For more, check out our extensive Wiki guide that will help you survive in the Lands Between, how it is Europe's biggest new IP since The Division, and where it already ranks on our list of the top 10 open-world games of all time.

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Genki’s Waveform Earbuds Connect to Two Consoles at the Same Time

Human Things, the team behind Genki products such as the Shadowcast, launched a new Kickstarter project: a pair of wireless earbuds that will allow you to connect to two consoles simultaneously.

As noted on its Kickstarter page, the Genki Waveform uses Human Things' new DualStream technology which allows the earbuds to output audio from two separate devices concurrently.

So, for example, if you wanted to use these with your Nintendo Switch and wanted to start a voice chat from the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, Genki Waveform would allow you to connect to both without having to toggle between one device over the other.

Although Nintendo released Bluetooth support on the Nintendo Switch last September, performance varies depending on the headset/earbuds you are using.

Of course, the Nintendo Switch is not the only console you can pair the Waveform to; Human Things confirmed that the Waveform is compatible with all Bluetooth-pairable devices. This includes other game consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Genki Waveform also features adaptive noise cancellation, "ultra-low" latency, and promises a battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge. Human Things also confirmed that the Waveform's case supports wireless charging.

Although Genki Waveform has surpassed its funding goal of $50,000, you can still back the project on Kickstarter until April 15. Pledging $199 to the Kickstarter project nets you one pair of Waveform earbuds.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Genki’s Waveform Earbuds Connect to Two Consoles at the Same Time

Human Things, the team behind Genki products such as the Shadowcast, launched a new Kickstarter project: a pair of wireless earbuds that will allow you to connect to two consoles simultaneously.

As noted on its Kickstarter page, the Genki Waveform uses Human Things' new DualStream technology which allows the earbuds to output audio from two separate devices concurrently.

So, for example, if you wanted to use these with your Nintendo Switch and wanted to start a voice chat from the Nintendo Switch Online mobile app, Genki Waveform would allow you to connect to both without having to toggle between one device over the other.

Although Nintendo released Bluetooth support on the Nintendo Switch last September, performance varies depending on the headset/earbuds you are using.

Of course, the Nintendo Switch is not the only console you can pair the Waveform to; Human Things confirmed that the Waveform is compatible with all Bluetooth-pairable devices. This includes other game consoles such as the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Genki Waveform also features adaptive noise cancellation, "ultra-low" latency, and promises a battery life of up to 30 hours on a single charge. Human Things also confirmed that the Waveform's case supports wireless charging.

Although Genki Waveform has surpassed its funding goal of $50,000, you can still back the project on Kickstarter until April 15. Pledging $199 to the Kickstarter project nets you one pair of Waveform earbuds.

Taylor is the Associate Tech Editor at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Dune 2 Script ‘Mostly Finished,’ Will Include More IMAX Footage

We're a step closer to Dune: Part 2 becoming a reality, as Dune Director Denis Villeneuve confirmed to Collider that full preparations are underway on the sequel and that the screenplay is "mostly finished".

"The screenplay is finished mostly, but it's always a work in progress," Villeneuve said. "It'll be a work in progress until final cut, but I will say it's solidified. I have a script in my hands. We are in prep right now."

The first Dune was praised for its amazing imagery, and it seems we can expect an even greater emphasis on that in the sequel, with Villeneuve confirming plans to shoot even more IMAX footage for Part 2.

"Definitely. [Cinematographer] Greig Fraser and I — we fell in love with this format, and definitely there [will] be — even probably more — IMAX footage in this movie. Definitely."

Dune: Part 2 was officially announced shortly after the original's box office success last year. The movie is set to premiere on October 20, 2023, exclusively in movie theaters. Filming on Dune 2 is set to begin later this summer.

While specific details on what Dune: Part 2 will entail are light, we have been getting casting news about the sequel. This week, we learned Elvis star Austin Butler will play the villainous Feyd-Rautha, and we know Florence Pugh is in talks to play Princess Irulan. The casting would be a reunion for Pugh and Dune star Timothée Chalamet, who starred together in 2019's Little Women.

Even with the filmmakers focusing on production for Dune: Part 2, they are no doubt keeping one eye on awards season. Dune was nominated in 10 different Academy Awards categories, including Best Picture.

For more on Dune 2, check out what to expect from the Dune sequel. Or, check out why Dune won IGN's best movie of 2021 award.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Dune 2 Script ‘Mostly Finished,’ Will Include More IMAX Footage

We're a step closer to Dune: Part 2 becoming a reality, as Dune Director Denis Villeneuve confirmed to Collider that full preparations are underway on the sequel and that the screenplay is "mostly finished".

"The screenplay is finished mostly, but it's always a work in progress," Villeneuve said. "It'll be a work in progress until final cut, but I will say it's solidified. I have a script in my hands. We are in prep right now."

The first Dune was praised for its amazing imagery, and it seems we can expect an even greater emphasis on that in the sequel, with Villeneuve confirming plans to shoot even more IMAX footage for Part 2.

"Definitely. [Cinematographer] Greig Fraser and I — we fell in love with this format, and definitely there [will] be — even probably more — IMAX footage in this movie. Definitely."

Dune: Part 2 was officially announced shortly after the original's box office success last year. The movie is set to premiere on October 20, 2023, exclusively in movie theaters. Filming on Dune 2 is set to begin later this summer.

While specific details on what Dune: Part 2 will entail are light, we have been getting casting news about the sequel. This week, we learned Elvis star Austin Butler will play the villainous Feyd-Rautha, and we know Florence Pugh is in talks to play Princess Irulan. The casting would be a reunion for Pugh and Dune star Timothée Chalamet, who starred together in 2019's Little Women.

Even with the filmmakers focusing on production for Dune: Part 2, they are no doubt keeping one eye on awards season. Dune was nominated in 10 different Academy Awards categories, including Best Picture.

For more on Dune 2, check out what to expect from the Dune sequel. Or, check out why Dune won IGN's best movie of 2021 award.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Adds a Young James T. Kirk

Another actor will take up the mantle as James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds announces Paul Wesley will be the latest actor to sit on the captain’s chair.

Paramount+ has announced Paul Wesley has been cast as James T. Kirk in the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. That’s right, Strange New Worlds’ second season is already in development even though the first season is set to premiere on May 5, 2022.

Wesley has appeared in shows such as The Vampire Diaries and the Netflix miniseries Medal of Honor. He is the latest actor to take on the role of the Star Trek captain alongside William Shatner from the original series and Chris Pine in the 2009 movie reboot.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery as well as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, which explains Kirk’s appearance. His future crewmate Spock (played by Ethan Peck) is already set to appear in Strange New Worlds alongside Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount in Star Trek: Discovery and Strange New Worlds) and Nyota Uhura (played by Celia Rose Gooding).

Strange New Worlds will follow the crew of the USS Enterprise, led by Captain Pike, as they explore the galaxy decades before the events of the original series. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the latest Star Trek series joining Paramount+’s growing Trek universe alongside shows like Discovery, Picard, and Lower Decks.

While Wesley will take over the role of Kirk on Paramount+, Pine is set to reprise his version of the role alongside the rest of the JJ Abrams reboot cast in a new Star Trek Movie from WandaVisiond director Matt Shakman.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 Adds a Young James T. Kirk

Another actor will take up the mantle as James T. Kirk. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds announces Paul Wesley will be the latest actor to sit on the captain’s chair.

Paramount+ has announced Paul Wesley has been cast as James T. Kirk in the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. That’s right, Strange New Worlds’ second season is already in development even though the first season is set to premiere on May 5, 2022.

Wesley has appeared in shows such as The Vampire Diaries and the Netflix miniseries Medal of Honor. He is the latest actor to take on the role of the Star Trek captain alongside William Shatner from the original series and Chris Pine in the 2009 movie reboot.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery as well as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, which explains Kirk’s appearance. His future crewmate Spock (played by Ethan Peck) is already set to appear in Strange New Worlds alongside Christopher Pike (played by Anson Mount in Star Trek: Discovery and Strange New Worlds) and Nyota Uhura (played by Celia Rose Gooding).

Strange New Worlds will follow the crew of the USS Enterprise, led by Captain Pike, as they explore the galaxy decades before the events of the original series. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the latest Star Trek series joining Paramount+’s growing Trek universe alongside shows like Discovery, Picard, and Lower Decks.

While Wesley will take over the role of Kirk on Paramount+, Pine is set to reprise his version of the role alongside the rest of the JJ Abrams reboot cast in a new Star Trek Movie from WandaVisiond director Matt Shakman.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Mark Hamill Gives His Blessing To Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Young Luke Skywalker

Young Luke Skywalker will appear in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the actor portraying the character just got a huge pat on the back from a franchise legend.

On Twitter, Luke Skywalker himself — Mark Hamill — retweeted a post about Grant Feely, the young actor who will play Luke in the upcoming series. In the tweet, Hamill said, "Grant Feely looks like a perfect Luke Skywalker and I am wishing him all the very best! #TheForceIsWithFeely"

It's rare for the Luke Skywalker character to be played by anyone other than Hamill, so a blessing from the original Luke himself is certainly a big deal. Even in The Mandalorian, the showrunners synthesized Luke's voice using old clips of Mark Hamill, rather than recasting the role.

We don't entirely know what Luke's role will be in the show. Earlier this week, we learned that early versions of Obi-Wan's script featured Obi-Wan and a young Luke Skywalker on the run from Darth Maul, before the plot changed to avoid similarities to The Mandalorian. In our Obi-Wan trailer breakdown, it appears Obi-Wan will lure Jedi-hunting Inquisitors away from Tatooine to protect Luke from falling into the Empire's hands.

For more on Obi-Wan, check out our piece on what happens to a Jedi when there's no Jedi order. Or check out how Mark Hamill has played a secret role in every Star Wars movie since 2015.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.