Monthly Archives: March 2022

She-Hulk: Mark Ruffalo on Passing “The Banner” To Tatiana Maslany

Longtime Hulk actor Mark Ruffalo had some kind words for She-Hulk actress Tatiana Maslany earlier this week, and seemed excited to pass the "Banner" to a new star.

"Tatiana Maslany is frickin' legendary as the She-Hulk," Ruffalo told Access Hollywood at a premiere event on Monday. "I'm passing the banner onto her. There's some really good, funny, cool, long, long scenes between the professor and her. We've never really seen the Hulk interact with people the way he does in that show. It'll be really interesting."

Maslany of course takes on the role of She-Hulk/Jennifer Walters, cousin of Bruce Banner, and the series is due out sometime in 2022. Bruce Banner/Ruffalo takes on a mentor role for Walters as she comes to terms with her newfound Hulk powers. Ruffalo's comments suggest that Bruce Banner will play a significant role in She-Hulk's rise to superhero stardom, rather than a mere cameo for the actor.

She-Hulk is just one of many Marvel properties coming down the pipe. We've got a new look at Oscar Isaac as Moon Knight, the limb-stretching Ms. Marvel, and even X-Men '97, a revival of the original X-Men cartoon series.

Unfamiliar with She-Hulk's comic book origins? Our deep dive into the character explains everything you need to know.

(Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images)

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

Prime Video SXSW 2022 Will Host The Boys Installation, Panels, Parties, and More

The Prime Video SXSW 2022 event line-up has been officially unveiled, and it includes a real-life 'VoughtLand' based on The Boys.

Prime Video will kick off SXSW this year with an experience that will allow fans to indulge in the world of Superheroes as The Boys Season 3 comes to life through a VoughtLand installation, where "guests can enter the VoughtLand castle to find Queen Maeve's Inclusive Kingdom" at 604 Driskill Street, Austin, Texas, from Friday, March 11 - Monday, March 14.

Attendees can also grab a bite to eat at the show's in-universe restaurant Vought A Burger, kick back at Homelander's Red, White, and Booze Bar, or take a ride on Starlight's Carousel of Dreams as part of the immersive fan experience — which also features a separate Superstars event at the same location themed to Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

Additionally, Entertainment Weekly has reprised their partnership with Prime Video to co-host a party inside the SXSW Blue Room Studio at the Driskill Street venue on March 12. The event will celebrate the Superheroes and Superstars theme, giving a further spotlight to The Boys, with a guest list that features a mix of talent, influencers, and industry insiders.

Fans of The Boys may also want to make their way to the Austin Convention Center, Ballroom D, between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 12, as Karl Urban, Laz Alonso, Karen Fukuhara, Jessie T. Usher, Chace Crawford, Jensen Ackles, and executive producer Eric Kripke will be fronting a panel all about the Emmy award-nominated series.

Going under the title "The Boys are Back! Inside Prime Video's Hit Series," the star-studded panel will dive into the intersections of superhero and celebrity culture, the zeitgeist-shattering epic moments that redefined the genre, and offer up insights on how The Boys has navigated key moments of cultural inflection while subverting expectations.

Outside of The Boys, there will be hourlong Q&A panels with the cast and creators of Undone on March 12 (Ballroom EF, 2:30 p.m.), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks on March 15 (Room 16AB, 2:30 p.m.), as well as a fireside chat with Upload creator Greg Daniels on March 11 (Ballroom EF, 2:30 p.m.), and a keynote with Lizzo on March 13 (Ballroom D, 1:00 p.m.).

Prime Video's SXSW screening slate includes multiple showings of Emergency, Master, and the two-part documentary The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks, plus a host of other parties and pop-ups that you might want to add to your schedule — if there's space alongside all of The Boys activities that are happening ahead of the show's highly anticipated third season.

The Boys Season 3 will premiere its first three episodes worldwide on Prime Video on June 3, 2022, with the remaining five episodes airing every Friday through July 8.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Prime Video SXSW 2022 Will Host The Boys Installation, Panels, Parties, and More

The Prime Video SXSW 2022 event line-up has been officially unveiled, and it includes a real-life 'VoughtLand' based on The Boys.

Prime Video will kick off SXSW this year with an experience that will allow fans to indulge in the world of Superheroes as The Boys Season 3 comes to life through a VoughtLand installation, where "guests can enter the VoughtLand castle to find Queen Maeve's Inclusive Kingdom" at 604 Driskill Street, Austin, Texas, from Friday, March 11 - Monday, March 14.

Attendees can also grab a bite to eat at the show's in-universe restaurant Vought A Burger, kick back at Homelander's Red, White, and Booze Bar, or take a ride on Starlight's Carousel of Dreams as part of the immersive fan experience — which also features a separate Superstars event at the same location themed to Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.

Additionally, Entertainment Weekly has reprised their partnership with Prime Video to co-host a party inside the SXSW Blue Room Studio at the Driskill Street venue on March 12. The event will celebrate the Superheroes and Superstars theme, giving a further spotlight to The Boys, with a guest list that features a mix of talent, influencers, and industry insiders.

Fans of The Boys may also want to make their way to the Austin Convention Center, Ballroom D, between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 12, as Karl Urban, Laz Alonso, Karen Fukuhara, Jessie T. Usher, Chace Crawford, Jensen Ackles, and executive producer Eric Kripke will be fronting a panel all about the Emmy award-nominated series.

Going under the title "The Boys are Back! Inside Prime Video's Hit Series," the star-studded panel will dive into the intersections of superhero and celebrity culture, the zeitgeist-shattering epic moments that redefined the genre, and offer up insights on how The Boys has navigated key moments of cultural inflection while subverting expectations.

Outside of The Boys, there will be hourlong Q&A panels with the cast and creators of Undone on March 12 (Ballroom EF, 2:30 p.m.), The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks on March 15 (Room 16AB, 2:30 p.m.), as well as a fireside chat with Upload creator Greg Daniels on March 11 (Ballroom EF, 2:30 p.m.), and a keynote with Lizzo on March 13 (Ballroom D, 1:00 p.m.).

Prime Video's SXSW screening slate includes multiple showings of Emergency, Master, and the two-part documentary The Kids in the Hall: Comedy Punks, plus a host of other parties and pop-ups that you might want to add to your schedule — if there's space alongside all of The Boys activities that are happening ahead of the show's highly anticipated third season.

The Boys Season 3 will premiere its first three episodes worldwide on Prime Video on June 3, 2022, with the remaining five episodes airing every Friday through July 8.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Elden Ring Is the UK’s Biggest Non-FIFA or COD Release Since 2018

Elden Ring is the UK's biggest game launch outside of FIFA and Call of Duty since 2018.

Its first week on the market outperformed the launches of Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Horizon Forbidden West according to physical and digital sales data from GSD, as reported by gamesindustry.biz. In fact, it's the biggest non-FIFA or Call of Duty launch for the UK since Red Dead Redemption arrived in October 2018.

Horizon dropped down to second place this week, followed by FIFA 22, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Elden Ring has dominated the gaming conversation since it launched on February 25, growing in popular day after day on Steam and becoming one of the best reviewed games in modern history.

Some wackier stories have come out as well, such as a player using the Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit controller to defeat a boss and a streamer's Twitch chat taking control while he slept. It's even got its own candy.

In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring 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."

To make those choices with the best available information, check out our guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Elden Ring Is the UK’s Biggest Non-FIFA or COD Release Since 2018

Elden Ring is the UK's biggest game launch outside of FIFA and Call of Duty since 2018.

Its first week on the market outperformed the launches of Cyberpunk 2077, Halo Infinite, Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Horizon Forbidden West according to physical and digital sales data from GSD, as reported by gamesindustry.biz. In fact, it's the biggest non-FIFA or Call of Duty launch for the UK since Red Dead Redemption arrived in October 2018.

Horizon dropped down to second place this week, followed by FIFA 22, Grand Theft Auto 5, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

Elden Ring has dominated the gaming conversation since it launched on February 25, growing in popular day after day on Steam and becoming one of the best reviewed games in modern history.

Some wackier stories have come out as well, such as a player using the Nintendo Switch's Ring Fit controller to defeat a boss and a streamer's Twitch chat taking control while he slept. It's even got its own candy.

In our 10/10 review, IGN said: "Elden Ring 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."

To make those choices with the best available information, check out our guide that features everything you could ever hope to know about Elden Ring, including collectible locations, boss strategies, and more.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Kraven the Hunter: The Entire Cast of Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Movie (So Far)

Sony's Spider-Man Universe movie Kraven the Hunter has found a number of major actors to star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's titular character.

Kraven first debuted in 1964's The Amazing Spider-Man #15, making him one of many iconic Spider-Man characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. That issue depicts Kraven as the half-brother of fellow Spider-Man rogue The Chameleon. The two siblings join forces to lure Spider-Man into the open and kill him, but Spidey proves too wily for their tricks.

The Kraven movie is set to be released in theaters in January 2023 as part of Sony's Spider-Man universe, alongside the Venom franchise and Jared Leto's Morbius. The seminal comic storyline from Kraven's Last Hunt is reportedly being used as a basis for the film, which is directed by J.C. Chandor from a script by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk.

Keep reading for a rundown of who's in Sony's Kraven the Hunter cast — and don't forget to bookmark the page, as we'll be updating this article with all-new casting announcements.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter

Sony's film adaptation of Kraven the Hunter has found its lead star in Aaron Taylor-Johnson who has signed a multi-film contract to play the classic comic character, per THR. He takes on the role of one of Spider-Man's oldest enemies in the upcoming solo movie, playing a skilled hunter who sets his sights on Spidey after conquering all other prey in the animal kingdom.

Taylor-Johnson is an MCU veteran, having previously played Pietro Maximoff, better-known as Wanda's brother, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. His most recent film credits include starring as Archie Reid in The King's Man and stepping out as Ives in Tenet. He's also playing one of the main assassins in the David Leitch-helmed action-thriller Bullet Train.

Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon

Fred Hechinger has been cast in the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film and is rumored to be playing the titular antihero's brother Chameleon, per Deadline. The character is a major antagonist from Marvel Comics, in which he is regarded as a master of disguise, capable of impersonating anyone, including the likes of Captain America, Bruce Banner, and Spider-Man.

Outside of HBO's The White Lotus, Hechinger is perhaps best known for his roles in Netflix's The Woman in the Window, Tom Hanks' News of the World, and a recurring role in the Fear Street trilogy of horror films. He's also currently starring in Hulu's Pam & Tommy as infamous pornographer Seth Warshavsky, and the upcoming Pale Blue Eye, starring Christian Bale.

Russell Crowe

Oscar-winner Russell Crowe has also jumped into the Spider-Verse in an undisclosed role, though The Hollywood Reporter suggests that "many of the main characters are said to be Kraven's family members." A likely contender for Crowe would be that of Nikolai Kravinoff, the father of the eponymous Spider-Man villain and his half-brother Chameleon.

Kraven the Hunter will mark Crowe's second Marvel role on the big screen, as he will soon be seen playing Zeus in Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. Crowe is also appearing in several other movies, including Apple and Skydance's The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and his self-directed thriller Poker Face, in which he will star alongside Liam Hemsworth.

Ariana DeBose as Calypso Ezili

At the beginning of March, Deadline reported that West Side Story star Ariana DeBose had become the latest addition to the Kraven the Hunter cast. Her role has not yet been confirmed, though unnamed sources have reportedly indicated that she will be playing Calypso Ezili, an unyielding sorceress and a long-time love interest of Kraven's in Marvel Comics.

DeBose earned worldwide recognition for her scene-stealing role as Anita in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-nominated West Side Story adaptation. Her other recent credits include Netflix's The Prom and the Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon! She will next appear in Matthew Vaughn's Argylle, starring opposite Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Keep checking back here for all the latest casting updates for Kraven the Hunter. And check out all of the other Spider-Man movie spinoffs currently in development too.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

Kraven the Hunter: The Entire Cast of Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Movie (So Far)

Sony's Spider-Man Universe movie Kraven the Hunter has found a number of major actors to star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson's titular character.

Kraven first debuted in 1964's The Amazing Spider-Man #15, making him one of many iconic Spider-Man characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. That issue depicts Kraven as the half-brother of fellow Spider-Man rogue The Chameleon. The two siblings join forces to lure Spider-Man into the open and kill him, but Spidey proves too wily for their tricks.

The Kraven movie is set to be released in theaters in January 2023 as part of Sony's Spider-Man universe, alongside the Venom franchise and Jared Leto's Morbius. The seminal comic storyline from Kraven's Last Hunt is reportedly being used as a basis for the film, which is directed by J.C. Chandor from a script by Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, and Richard Wenk.

Keep reading for a rundown of who's in Sony's Kraven the Hunter cast — and don't forget to bookmark the page, as we'll be updating this article with all-new casting announcements.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff/Kraven the Hunter

Sony's film adaptation of Kraven the Hunter has found its lead star in Aaron Taylor-Johnson who has signed a multi-film contract to play the classic comic character, per THR. He takes on the role of one of Spider-Man's oldest enemies in the upcoming solo movie, playing a skilled hunter who sets his sights on Spidey after conquering all other prey in the animal kingdom.

Taylor-Johnson is an MCU veteran, having previously played Pietro Maximoff, better-known as Wanda's brother, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. His most recent film credits include starring as Archie Reid in The King's Man and stepping out as Ives in Tenet. He's also playing one of the main assassins in the David Leitch-helmed action-thriller Bullet Train.

Fred Hechinger as Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon

Fred Hechinger has been cast in the upcoming Kraven the Hunter film and is rumored to be playing the titular antihero's brother Chameleon, per Deadline. The character is a major antagonist from Marvel Comics, in which he is regarded as a master of disguise, capable of impersonating anyone, including the likes of Captain America, Bruce Banner, and Spider-Man.

Outside of HBO's The White Lotus, Hechinger is perhaps best known for his roles in Netflix's The Woman in the Window, Tom Hanks' News of the World, and a recurring role in the Fear Street trilogy of horror films. He's also currently starring in Hulu's Pam & Tommy as infamous pornographer Seth Warshavsky, and the upcoming Pale Blue Eye, starring Christian Bale.

Russell Crowe

Oscar-winner Russell Crowe has also jumped into the Spider-Verse in an undisclosed role, though The Hollywood Reporter suggests that "many of the main characters are said to be Kraven's family members." A likely contender for Crowe would be that of Nikolai Kravinoff, the father of the eponymous Spider-Man villain and his half-brother Chameleon.

Kraven the Hunter will mark Crowe's second Marvel role on the big screen, as he will soon be seen playing Zeus in Taika Waititi's Thor: Love and Thunder. Crowe is also appearing in several other movies, including Apple and Skydance's The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and his self-directed thriller Poker Face, in which he will star alongside Liam Hemsworth.

Ariana DeBose as Calypso Ezili

At the beginning of March, Deadline reported that West Side Story star Ariana DeBose had become the latest addition to the Kraven the Hunter cast. Her role has not yet been confirmed, though unnamed sources have reportedly indicated that she will be playing Calypso Ezili, an unyielding sorceress and a long-time love interest of Kraven's in Marvel Comics.

DeBose earned worldwide recognition for her scene-stealing role as Anita in Steven Spielberg's Oscar-nominated West Side Story adaptation. Her other recent credits include Netflix's The Prom and the Apple TV+ series Schmigadoon! She will next appear in Matthew Vaughn's Argylle, starring opposite Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Keep checking back here for all the latest casting updates for Kraven the Hunter. And check out all of the other Spider-Man movie spinoffs currently in development too.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.

The Batman Director Matt Reeves Would Feel ‘Lost’ Helming a Marvel Movie

The Batman director Matt Reeves said he would feel "lost" at the helm of a Marvel movie.

Speaking to Variety, Reeves said he wouldn't be able to work with a franchise where so many elements were already established and interconnected.

He said: "I have such respect for [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige and also for the [Marvel] filmmakers, but to be honest with you, I just don’t know how I would make my way through that.

"There has to be some level of discovery for me, where I have some freedom to find my way. If I have to come into something that’s already set too firmly, then I think I would get lost. And I don’t think they would be happy with me either."

That's perhaps what drew him to The Batman, a solo film with no ties to the wider DC universe. Reeves said he was reluctant to get into superhero films in the first place but knows that's where the industry is heading.

He said, "The industry has changed so dramatically that if you’re going to make a movie that’s going to be in movie theatres, you’re not making anything that isn’t recognizable IP."

“That’s just where the audience has gone. I’m not saying that I’m happy about that. I’m just saying it is what it is."

Good for the industry or not, Reeves has certainly found critical success with The Batman. In our 10/10 review, IGN said the "violent, thrilling, darkly beautiful take on The Batman more than justifies its place in the franchise’s canon."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

The Batman Director Matt Reeves Would Feel ‘Lost’ Helming a Marvel Movie

The Batman director Matt Reeves said he would feel "lost" at the helm of a Marvel movie.

Speaking to Variety, Reeves said he wouldn't be able to work with a franchise where so many elements were already established and interconnected.

He said: "I have such respect for [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige and also for the [Marvel] filmmakers, but to be honest with you, I just don’t know how I would make my way through that.

"There has to be some level of discovery for me, where I have some freedom to find my way. If I have to come into something that’s already set too firmly, then I think I would get lost. And I don’t think they would be happy with me either."

That's perhaps what drew him to The Batman, a solo film with no ties to the wider DC universe. Reeves said he was reluctant to get into superhero films in the first place but knows that's where the industry is heading.

He said, "The industry has changed so dramatically that if you’re going to make a movie that’s going to be in movie theatres, you’re not making anything that isn’t recognizable IP."

“That’s just where the audience has gone. I’m not saying that I’m happy about that. I’m just saying it is what it is."

Good for the industry or not, Reeves has certainly found critical success with The Batman. In our 10/10 review, IGN said the "violent, thrilling, darkly beautiful take on The Batman more than justifies its place in the franchise’s canon."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale.

Gang Heist $330,000 Worth of Netflix Equipment From Lupin Set

A gang of masked thieves ambushed the set of the Netflix heist drama Lupin, stealing $330,000 worth of equipment.

According to Variety, the heist took place on February 25 in a neighbourhood in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris, while filming was underway on Part 3 of Lupin with Omar Sy, who plays gentleman thief Assane Diop on the series. Production was abruptly interrupted when approximately 20 people broke onto the set after throwing mortar fireworks, per AFP.

An estimated $330,000 worth of equipment was reportedly stolen from the set during the robbery, prompting production on the upcoming season to briefly pause, with filming resuming again a few days later, on February 28, after Netflix confirmed the cast and crew were "safe and there were no injuries" from the incident, which is now under investigation.

Sy appeared on stage at the César Awards in France to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the hit comedy Intouchables just hours after the robbery had taken place. The Lupin heist follows another reported incident that saw thieves make off with more than $220,000 worth of props from the set of Netflix's The Crown, which is currently filming its fifth season in the UK.

Lupin previously made headlines in October of last year when it was reported that a thief had robbed an oratory in Italy, using the "slick and confident techniques" of Lupin's central protagonist as a source of inspiration for his crimes. The thief admitted that he had closely studied Diop, the lead character in Lupin Part 1 and Part 2, which arrived on Netflix in June.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.