Monthly Archives: April 2022
Stardew Valley Creator’s Haunted Chocolatier Will Have Boss Battles
Haunted Chocolatier is taking a much more action-focused approach compared to Stardew Valley, and we're now learning that the game will even include boss battles.
In an episode of Reason Livestream (via PC Gamer), Haunted Chocolatier and Stardew Valley developer Eric Barone showed off a new song from the game, titled "Bee Boss". The song is a catchy tune that definitely gives off beehive vibes, but the reveal also serves as the first confirmation we've seen that boss battles are coming to Haunted Chocolatier.
In addition to bosses seemingly being present, there is a larger emphasis overall on combat in Haunted Chocolatier. We previously learned that Haunted Chocolatier's combat is being remade from scratch compared to Stardew Valley's, with Barone saying, "Haunted Chocolatier has a greater focus on combat, so it needs to be very fun, satisfying, and engaging, while also appropriately fitting into the big picture."
In Stardew Valley, combat took place in the mines, where players would descend deeper into the mine to find tougher enemies and better rewards. However, there weren't many options for players to choose how they wanted to approach combat. Barone is working on upgrading the combat for Haunted Chocolatier, introducing a shield/stun mechanic, among other new gameplay features.
Haunted Chocolatier was revealed last October. The game is a top-down pixel-based simulation, with a focus on sweet treats as opposed to Stardew's farming and ranching. We don't know when the game is coming, as Barone has said "it will be a while" before the game is done. As of now, PC is the only confirmed platform. For comparison, Stardew Valley also initially launched on PC, before making it to consoles long after release.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Hearthstone’s New Core Set Brings Back The Original Reno, Brann, Elise and Sir Finley Cards
Blizzard today announced that the next year of Hearthstone will be known as The Year of the Hydra. It will commence on April 12 (April 13 in ANZ) with the release of Hearthstone's newest expansion, Voyage to the Sunken City, and will see three sets leave the Standard format - Ashes of Outland, Scholomance Academy and Madness at the Darkmoon Faire. It's going to be a massive shakeup, and not just because the card pool will be significantly smaller for Standard players, but also because the game's foundation - the Core Set, which is free for all players to use - will be radically different to The Year of the Gryphon's.
Last year's Core Set was 235 cards, but for The Year of the Hydra, the set will expand to 250 cards. In terms of changes, 57 cards are rotating out, and 72 cards are coming in. I'll get to some of the most significant returning cards in a minute, but first, it's worth pointing out that 11 cards are getting buffs or having previous nerfs reverted. Execute is back to one mana (from two), for instance, while Nourish is returning to five mana (from six). Equality, meanwhile, is two mana once more (after spending time at both three and four mana), which means the classic Equality + Consecrate board clear costs six mana again. The changes are all pretty significant and indicative of how powerful the Voyage to the Sunken City cards are projected to be, as well as how Hearthstone's cards have grown more powerful in general. You can see the full roster of updated cards in the slideshow below.
Many of the cards being added, meanwhile, have been deck-defining, highly played or key tech choices in the past, so have the potential to really help shape the new meta in The Year of the Hydra. In neutral, a few of the returning cards that really jump out are the original League of Explorers: Reno Jackson, Brann Bronzebeard, Elise Starseeker and Sir Finley, not to mention Doomsayer, Murloc Warleader, Tar Creeper, Lifedrinker, Wild Pyromancer, Sea Giant, Primordial Drake and Mossy Horror. Each class also gets some powerful new (old) tools. Hunter, for instance, sees the return of Houndmaster Shaw, Animal Companion, Springpaw, Cloaked Huntress, Marked Shot and Candleshot. Priest, meanwhile, gets a selection of stone cold classics sure to drive non-Priest players mad, including Lyra the Sunshard, Northshire Cleric, Radiant Elemental, Lightbomb, Murozond the Infinite and Drakonid Operative. You can see the full Core Set in the slideshow below to get an idea of each class' foundation.
For those who want to see the changes at a glance, here's a list (via Blizzard) of the Core Set changes.
57 Cards Rotating Out
Neutral: Arcane Anomaly, Argent Squire, Cogmaster, Young Priestess, Mini-Mage, River Crocolisk, Toxicologist, Brightwing, Earthen Ring Farseer, Flesheating Ghoul, Ice Rager, Injured Blademaster, King Mukla, Spider Tank, Stoneskin Basilisk, Baron Rivendare, Gurubashi Berserker, High Inquisitor Whitemane, Barrens Stablehand, Clockwork Giant
Demon Hunter: Ashtongue Battlelord, Warglaives of Azzinoth
Druid: Enchanted Raven, Landscaping, Menagerie Warden, Nordrassil Druid, Ancient of War
Hunter: Webspinner, Lock and Load, Scavenging Hyena, Headhunter’s Hatchet, Bearshark
Mage: Water Elemental, Mirror Entity, Fallen Hero, Coldarra Drake
Paladin: Holy Light, Pursuit of Justice, Guardian of Kings
Priest: Crimson Clergy, Shadowform, Lightspawn, Temple Enforcer, Natalie Seline
Rogue: Bladed Cultist, Patient Assassin
Shaman: Windfury, Unbound Elemental, Draenei Totemcarver, Earth Elemental
Warlock: Dread Infernal, Possessed Villager, Enslaved Fel Lord, Ritual of Doom
Warrior: Warsong Commander, War Cache, Warsong Outrider
72 Cards Coming In
Neutral: Zola the Gorgon, Sir Finley Mrrglton, Brann Bronzebeard, Elise Starseeker, Reno Jackson, Murloc Warleader, Mistress of Mixtures, Acolyte of Pain, Doomsayer, Beaming Sidekick, Gorillabot A-3, Tar Creeper, Lifedrinker, Wild Pyromancer, Sea Giant, Plated Beetle, Azure Drake, Twilight Drake, Escaped Manasaber, Primordial Drake, Mossy Horror, Faerie Dragon, Vulpera Scoundrel, Cobalt Scalebane, Injured Tol'vir
Demon Hunter: Metamorphosis, Wrathscale Naga, Flamereaper
Druid: Fandral Staghelm, Earthen Scales, Wrath, Living Roots, Mounted Raptor, Ancient of Lore
Hunter: Houndmaster Shaw, Animal Companion, Springpaw, Cloaked Huntress, Marked Shot, Candleshot
Mage: Kalecgos, Pyroblast, Blizzard, Pyromaniac, Explosive Runes
Paladin: Flash of Light, Amber Watcher, Bronze Explorer, Ragnaros Lightlord
Priest: Lyra the Sunshard, Northshire Cleric, Radiant Elemental, Lightbomb, Drakonid Operative, Murozond the Infinite
Rogue: Tess Greymane, Buccaneer, Hench-Clan Burglar
Shaman: Krag'wa, the Frog, Far Sight, Flametongue Totem, Maelstrom Portal, Bloodlust
Warlock: Voidwalker, Imp Gang Boss, Abyssal Enforcer, High Priestess Jek'lik, Darkshire Librarian
Warrior: Darius Crowley, Shield Block, Bloodhoof Brave, Bash
11 Cards Getting Updates (Buffs/Nerf Reversions)
Neutral: Gorillabot A3 costs 3 mana; Azure Drake has 5 Health
Demon Hunter: Feast of Souls is 1 mana; Wrathscale Naga has 2 Health
Druid: Nourish is 5 mana
Mage: Kalecgos is 9 mana
Paladin: Equality costs 2 mana; Bronze Explorer has 3 Attack
Warlock: High Priestess Jek’lik has 5 Health
Warrior: Execute is 1 mana; Darious Crowley has 5 Health
Today's announcement also saw the remaining cards revealed for the Voyage to the Sunken City set. We've now seen all 135 and it's shaping up to be one heck of a set, with big impactful Colossal minions that take up multiple board spaces, the new Naga tribe with their interesting spell synergies, the ability to sink cards to the bottom of your deck then Dredge them back up, and generally interesting directions for almost all the classes, whether we're talking about Murloc Warlock, the return of Mech Mage or the rise of Multicaster Shaman. You can see all the cards below.
Our Voyage to the Sunken City begins on April 12 (April 13 in ANZ), and promises to kick off an exciting year. You can find out more about the set and the team's plans for the year ahead over at Hearthstone's official site.
Cam Shea has worked at IGN since before the before times and has been following Hearthstone since it was first announced. When he's not playing games he's mixing records.
T-Rex Arms May Have Evolved to Be Short For Protection During ‘Feeding Frenzies’
The massive and fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex may be the most recognizable dinosaur of all time, but it has long been the butt of jokes due to its tiny, seemingly pointless arms. But according to one paleontologist, there may have been an important evolutionary purpose behind the reptile's stubby forelimbs.
In a new study published in Acta Palaeontologia Polonica, Kevin Padian, professor of integrative biology and curator at the University of California's Museum of Paleontology, theorizes that the T-Rex's arms evolved to be short so as to reduce the chances of accidental dismemberment during feeding frenzies.
While it's often assumed that tyrannosaurids hunted solo, more recent evidence indicates that many of them may actually have hunted in packs. That being said, when it came to feeding time, the animal's humongous jaws and razor-sharp teeth could do some pretty serious damage to anything caught in its path.
Padian suggests in his report that "during group-feeding on carcasses, limb reduction was selected to keep the forelimbs out of the way of the jaws of large conspecific predators, avoiding injury, loss of blood, amputation, infection, and death.”
Speaking to Berkeley News, Padian elaborated on his hypothesis, saying, “What if several adult tyrannosaurs converged on a carcass? You have a bunch of massive skulls, with incredibly powerful jaws and teeth, ripping and chomping down flesh and bone right next to you. What if your friend there thinks you’re getting a little too close? They might warn you away by severing your arm. So, it could be a benefit to reduce the forelimbs, since you’re not using them in predation anyway.”
For many years, it was assumed that the T-Rex's tiny arms were merely an evolutionary holdover, much like a human's wisdom teeth or the wings on certain species of flightless birds. Over the years, however, some paleontologists have begun to theorize that the T-Rex's short forelimbs could also have evolved to aid them in tipping over other large dinosaurs, holding a mate in place, or gnashing at prey in close-quarters.
Although he doesn't presume that his new hypothesis is the final word on anything, Padian is also unconvinced that any previous suggestions are viable, stating that they are "untested or impossible because they can't work."
“And none of the hypotheses explain why the arms would get smaller," he said. "The best they could do is explain why they would maintain the small size. And in every case, all of the proposed functions would have been much more effective if the arms had not been reduced.”
Padian expects that he can strengthen his theory greatly by studying fossil bite marks in existing specimens in museums across the globe.
It's not the only T-Rex theory we've heard recently – some scientists now posit that T-Rex was actually three different species. As for the rest of us, we'll probably be doing most of our T-Rex research by watching Jurassic World Dominion later this year.
Billy Givens is a freelance writer at IGN.
The Witcher Is Getting an Official Cookbook
Nerds' Kitchen and Ten Speed Press are releasing an official Witcher cookbook.
Fully trademarked by CD Projekt Red, the book will feature 80 recipes that promise a new level of immersion into the Witcher universe.
Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka of Nerds' Kitchen (and its subsidiary Witcher Kitchen) have created the cookbook to emulate the foods that protagonist Geralt may encounter while hunting monsters on the path.
Take a culinary journey through the Continent with The Witcher Cookbook — created by Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka of @WitcherKitchen & @NerdsKitchen, it includes 80 mouthwatering recipes inspired by the world of The Witcher games!
— The Witcher (@witchergame) March 31, 2022
Pre-order now: https://t.co/RG8os78PRS pic.twitter.com/QPvEK4ipKH
The included recipes are all inspired by various areas of The Witcher 3 including baked fruits from White Orchard, snacks from the markets of Oxenfurt, and a meal of fresh fish and mulled ciders from Skellige.
The cookbooks official synopsis describes them as "meticulously-researched, immersive recipes that give fans a taste of the distinct flavours a witcher might sample as he travels the countryside.
"These dishes celebrate local and seasonal ingredients while adding unique twists that form a culinary map of the Continent and beyond."
The Witcher Cookbook isn't due to be released for a while, with a hardcover version pegged for October 25 this year.
It joins a growing list of incoming Witcher projects including the Netflix show's third season, the Gwent spin-off Project Golden Nekker, and the new Witcher game that CD Projekt Red announced last month.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
The Witcher Is Getting an Official Cookbook
Nerds' Kitchen and Ten Speed Press are releasing an official Witcher cookbook.
Fully trademarked by CD Projekt Red, the book will feature 80 recipes that promise a new level of immersion into the Witcher universe.
Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka of Nerds' Kitchen (and its subsidiary Witcher Kitchen) have created the cookbook to emulate the foods that protagonist Geralt may encounter while hunting monsters on the path.
Take a culinary journey through the Continent with The Witcher Cookbook — created by Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka of @WitcherKitchen & @NerdsKitchen, it includes 80 mouthwatering recipes inspired by the world of The Witcher games!
— The Witcher (@witchergame) March 31, 2022
Pre-order now: https://t.co/RG8os78PRS pic.twitter.com/QPvEK4ipKH
The included recipes are all inspired by various areas of The Witcher 3 including baked fruits from White Orchard, snacks from the markets of Oxenfurt, and a meal of fresh fish and mulled ciders from Skellige.
The cookbooks official synopsis describes them as "meticulously-researched, immersive recipes that give fans a taste of the distinct flavours a witcher might sample as he travels the countryside.
"These dishes celebrate local and seasonal ingredients while adding unique twists that form a culinary map of the Continent and beyond."
The Witcher Cookbook isn't due to be released for a while, with a hardcover version pegged for October 25 this year.
It joins a growing list of incoming Witcher projects including the Netflix show's third season, the Gwent spin-off Project Golden Nekker, and the new Witcher game that CD Projekt Red announced last month.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Abandoned Director Explains Tweet Takedowns, and How the Prologue Is a Whole Separate Game
Hasan Kahraman, director of controversial indie game Abandoned, has reiterated that it has not been canceled, and said more content will come this year – including the game's Prologue, which will be a paid, standalone project.
Speaking to IGN's Destin Legarie, Kahraman explained that the recent decision to delete a number of tweets relating to the game's future plans was a mistaken attempt to keep information about the game relevant and up to date – but it instead led to rumors that the still-mysterious horror game was cancelled.
"I did not see that coming," he explained. "I didn't think that the community would respond that way. Basically, the tweets were deleted because some of the concept has changed, and I figured maybe just deleting the tweet and then tweeting more relevant information would be a better idea – which was actually not a good idea. I have learned now just to keep them. Even if the information or concept changed, just keep the older information because people eventually will see for themselves what the difference is and then see what's more actual."
Kahraman's studio, Blue Box, was forced to put out a statement saying that the game was still in development, and apologized for the lengthy silence around new information. The team said it had "underestimated our development roadmap" and delayed the reveal and release of the promised Prologue.
However, Kahraman says that Prologue is still planned for this year, and explained a little more about it for IGN. He made clear that it will be a paid, standalone game, not just a demo. It will come with a full set of PlayStation trophies, including a Platinum trophy – and it's being made to help fund the main game:
"The Prologue is not a demo. People keep saying it's a demo. It's not a demo. It's actually a standalone game, right? It has a price tag. It's low because it's probably about an hour, two hours of gameplay. But yeah, it's a reasonable price tag. It's not really that much. But the revenue collected from the Prologue will actually be used to fund the development for Abandoned, right? So, we're actually self-funding the game with the revenue collected from the Prologue. So, that's why we want to release the Prologue first."
Kahraman also explained more of what the Prologue will be as a playable product: "It's not an early access, but it's more like an... It's actually more like an opportunity for gamers to get introduced to the story of the game, to the gameplay, because it's different. It's our version of saying, 'This is what we believe how a realistic survival shooter should be like.' It's actually a good way to showcase the visuals of the game. I don't claim to be a AAA developer, but what we do is we spend time making sure the environment looks realistic and that it actually... With Unreal Engine 5's power, that we can actually deliver something that is close to real life, to the real thing, right?"
Alongside the Prologue, Kahraman said that the team has plans to add new content for Abandoned's long-dormant Realtime Experience App throughout 2022, and that, "sometime after the Prologue, we will actually start releasing, bit by bit, more footage, more trailers of the base game."
Kahraman, perhaps understandably at this point, didn't say exactly when any of this new content would arrive, and explained that he's in something of a dilemma about how to reveal the game.
"The reason why people haven't seen anything of the game yet, any development of the game yet, is because simply, and to describe it in one word, is that I'm scared. I'm not going to lie. The reason why I'm scared is because it's a personal work. It's something personal. I'm not working for Ubisoft. I'm not working for a AAA publisher who tells me what to do, who basically tells me what game I should make. It's something personal. And the development progress, not everyone might get it because gamers don't see, don't understand what 'in development' means. Gamers don't care about that.
"The gamers only care about what they're seeing at that moment. And I'm between these two choices where I either [...] decide to actually show some development [now], the progress, to share with the world the development progress of Abandoned – and between the choice of whether I should wait just to do a proper reveal. I'm still in between choices because if I do the first scenario, I'm afraid that people might be... It's just scary. That's just basically what I'm trying to say. I'm confused if I am going to eventually show development footages of the game, that it's a matter of presentation of how you present it to the world. And that's where I'm looking at right now. If I'm able to present it in a good way, then I might put it up on Twitter, yeah."
Kahraman and Blue Box have garnered deadlines thanks to heavy suggestions that the studio was a front for a new Silent Hill game. There was even an Internet conspiracy that Kahraman wasn't a real person, forcing himself to post a video to prove his own existence. Missed trailer launches and other marketing snafus have only contributed to doubts around Blue Box and Abandoned.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Abandoned Director Explains Tweet Takedowns, and How the Prologue Is a Whole Separate Game
Hasan Kahraman, director of controversial indie game Abandoned, has reiterated that it has not been canceled, and said more content will come this year – including the game's Prologue, which will be a paid, standalone project.
Speaking to IGN's Destin Legarie, Kahraman explained that the recent decision to delete a number of tweets relating to the game's future plans was a mistaken attempt to keep information about the game relevant and up to date – but it instead led to rumors that the still-mysterious horror game was cancelled.
"I did not see that coming," he explained. "I didn't think that the community would respond that way. Basically, the tweets were deleted because some of the concept has changed, and I figured maybe just deleting the tweet and then tweeting more relevant information would be a better idea – which was actually not a good idea. I have learned now just to keep them. Even if the information or concept changed, just keep the older information because people eventually will see for themselves what the difference is and then see what's more actual."
Kahraman's studio, Blue Box, was forced to put out a statement saying that the game was still in development, and apologized for the lengthy silence around new information. The team said it had "underestimated our development roadmap" and delayed the reveal and release of the promised Prologue.
However, Kahraman says that Prologue is still planned for this year, and explained a little more about it for IGN. He made clear that it will be a paid, standalone game, not just a demo. It will come with a full set of PlayStation trophies, including a Platinum trophy – and it's being made to help fund the main game:
"The Prologue is not a demo. People keep saying it's a demo. It's not a demo. It's actually a standalone game, right? It has a price tag. It's low because it's probably about an hour, two hours of gameplay. But yeah, it's a reasonable price tag. It's not really that much. But the revenue collected from the Prologue will actually be used to fund the development for Abandoned, right? So, we're actually self-funding the game with the revenue collected from the Prologue. So, that's why we want to release the Prologue first."
Kahraman also explained more of what the Prologue will be as a playable product: "It's not an early access, but it's more like an... It's actually more like an opportunity for gamers to get introduced to the story of the game, to the gameplay, because it's different. It's our version of saying, 'This is what we believe how a realistic survival shooter should be like.' It's actually a good way to showcase the visuals of the game. I don't claim to be a AAA developer, but what we do is we spend time making sure the environment looks realistic and that it actually... With Unreal Engine 5's power, that we can actually deliver something that is close to real life, to the real thing, right?"
Alongside the Prologue, Kahraman said that the team has plans to add new content for Abandoned's long-dormant Realtime Experience App throughout 2022, and that, "sometime after the Prologue, we will actually start releasing, bit by bit, more footage, more trailers of the base game."
Kahraman, perhaps understandably at this point, didn't say exactly when any of this new content would arrive, and explained that he's in something of a dilemma about how to reveal the game.
"The reason why people haven't seen anything of the game yet, any development of the game yet, is because simply, and to describe it in one word, is that I'm scared. I'm not going to lie. The reason why I'm scared is because it's a personal work. It's something personal. I'm not working for Ubisoft. I'm not working for a AAA publisher who tells me what to do, who basically tells me what game I should make. It's something personal. And the development progress, not everyone might get it because gamers don't see, don't understand what 'in development' means. Gamers don't care about that.
"The gamers only care about what they're seeing at that moment. And I'm between these two choices where I either [...] decide to actually show some development [now], the progress, to share with the world the development progress of Abandoned – and between the choice of whether I should wait just to do a proper reveal. I'm still in between choices because if I do the first scenario, I'm afraid that people might be... It's just scary. That's just basically what I'm trying to say. I'm confused if I am going to eventually show development footages of the game, that it's a matter of presentation of how you present it to the world. And that's where I'm looking at right now. If I'm able to present it in a good way, then I might put it up on Twitter, yeah."
Kahraman and Blue Box have garnered deadlines thanks to heavy suggestions that the studio was a front for a new Silent Hill game. There was even an Internet conspiracy that Kahraman wasn't a real person, forcing himself to post a video to prove his own existence. Missed trailer launches and other marketing snafus have only contributed to doubts around Blue Box and Abandoned.
Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Morbius: Jared Leto’s Method Acting Process Included 45-Minute Bathroom Breaks
Jared Leto is infamous for his wild method approach to acting, and that apparently didn't change much while shooting Morbius. In a new interview with Uproxx, director Daniel Espinosa confirmed the rumor that Leto’s process included limping to the bathroom on crutches to stay in character.
Asked about rumors of Leto’s lengthy bathroom trips during the interview, Espinosa answered with a simple, "Yes.” It was in reference to reports that Leto would frequently stumble with crutches to and from the bathroom, leading to extended periods of downtime for the production.
In Morbius, Leto plays Michael Morbius, who suffers from a rare blood disease that devastates his body. Because of this, the character requires crutches to move about – something Leto decided should carry over to his bathroom breaks.
This resulted in trips to the bathroom taking up to 45 minutes, leading the production team to strike a deal with him that included transporting him back and forth in a wheelchair. But despite the inconvenience, Espinosa seems to feel that Leto's dedication was just part of the job.
"I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life," Espinosa said. "Even though he's alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it’s people’s processes."
"All of the actors believe in processes," he continued. "And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be."
Of course, this isn't the first time Leto has been accused of strange method behavior on the set of his films. While shooting his role as Joker in Suicide Squad, the actor allegedly engaged in some incredibly unhinged acts, which included sending his castmates wildly inappropriate items like condoms, anal beads, and even a dead hog.
Unfortunately for Espinosa and Leto alike, the actor's commitment to the character of Michael Morbius didn't translate to a particularly well-received film. Morbius currently sits at a paltry 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the second worst-rated Marvel film behind the Fantastic Four reboot.
In our Morbius review, we said, "Morbius is unspectacular in ways that waste the potential of what could be an intriguing hybrid of sinister horror and superhero thrills."
Billy Givens is a freelance writer at IGN.
Morbius: Jared Leto’s Method Acting Process Included 45-Minute Bathroom Breaks
Jared Leto is infamous for his wild method approach to acting, and that apparently didn't change much while shooting Morbius. In a new interview with Uproxx, director Daniel Espinosa confirmed the rumor that Leto’s process included limping to the bathroom on crutches to stay in character.
Asked about rumors of Leto’s lengthy bathroom trips during the interview, Espinosa answered with a simple, "Yes.” It was in reference to reports that Leto would frequently stumble with crutches to and from the bathroom, leading to extended periods of downtime for the production.
In Morbius, Leto plays Michael Morbius, who suffers from a rare blood disease that devastates his body. Because of this, the character requires crutches to move about – something Leto decided should carry over to his bathroom breaks.
This resulted in trips to the bathroom taking up to 45 minutes, leading the production team to strike a deal with him that included transporting him back and forth in a wheelchair. But despite the inconvenience, Espinosa seems to feel that Leto's dedication was just part of the job.
"I think that what Jared thinks, what Jared believes, is that somehow the pain of those movements, even when he was playing normal Michael Morbius, he needed, because he’s been having this pain his whole life," Espinosa said. "Even though he's alive and strong, it has to be a difference. Hey, man, it’s people’s processes."
"All of the actors believe in processes," he continued. "And you, as director, you support whatever makes it as good as you can be."
Of course, this isn't the first time Leto has been accused of strange method behavior on the set of his films. While shooting his role as Joker in Suicide Squad, the actor allegedly engaged in some incredibly unhinged acts, which included sending his castmates wildly inappropriate items like condoms, anal beads, and even a dead hog.
Unfortunately for Espinosa and Leto alike, the actor's commitment to the character of Michael Morbius didn't translate to a particularly well-received film. Morbius currently sits at a paltry 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the second worst-rated Marvel film behind the Fantastic Four reboot.
In our Morbius review, we said, "Morbius is unspectacular in ways that waste the potential of what could be an intriguing hybrid of sinister horror and superhero thrills."
Billy Givens is a freelance writer at IGN.
Squid Game Director Reveals ‘Much More Violent’ Next Film
Squid Game Director Dong-hyuk Hwang is set to make "another controversial film" that will be even more violent than Squid Game.
As reported by Variety, Hwang is working on a film called Killing Old People Club, an adaptation of a novel by Italian essayist Umberto Eco.
“It will be more violent than Squid Game,” Hwang said adding he might have to hide from old people after the movie releases.
The new project doesn't mean Hwang is departing the Squid Game universe. Squid Game season 2 is already in the works, with Hwang saying he hopes to see season 2 on Netflix by the end of 2024. Netflix has also said "The Squid Game universe has just begun", along with Hwang revealing he's already talking with Netflix about Squid Game season 3.
Squid Game was the hottest new television series of 2021, becoming the biggest series launch in Netflix history. It was also a critical hit, winning IGN's award for best TV series of 2021. The show follows a group of contestants who compete in a series of deadly children's games for a chance to win life-changing money.
For more on Squid Game, check out IGN's exclusive on the inspiration behind Squid Game's iconic tracksuits.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.