Troy Baker has revealed how the birth of his son helped him understand Joel’s controversial decision at the climax of The Last of Us Part 1, and talked about his ongoing wish to play Daredevil during an at times emotional appearance at the Milan Games Week in Italy.

In a recording of the interview, Baker — who voiced protagonist Joel Miller in The Last of Us Part 1 - explained that he was at a “disadvantage” to the game’s writer and creative director Neil Druckmann when it came to relating to Joel’s decisions.

Warning: This section contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part 1

Upon being asked if Baker would have made the same decisions as Joel, the actor replied that, “When we were making part one I was at a disadvantage to Neil, because Neil was a father. I was acting. This was a very real possibility for him — what do I look like in the event that I lose my daughter.”

Specifically, Baker was referring to Joel’s decision to save Ellie at the climax of the game, by preventing Firefly scientists from performing a fatal operation on her that could have led to a cure for the cordyceps infection that was destroying mankind. In the time since making the game, Baker became a father.

“And I have a son, and I don’t know what I would look like if I lost him," explained Baker. "But I do know that if I had the opportunity to save him I would do anything. I would do anything to save him. So people have asked me, why would Joel do that when he could have saved the world, and my answer to them is always this — he did, he did save the world. It’s just that the world was that girl, and that’s it.”

In the same interview, the voice actor revealed that certain elements of the game, such as Joel’s wish to be a singer and Ellie’s longing to be an astronaut, came from conversations that he and Ashley Johnson had with Druckman on set.

Baker also spoke more about his wish to work on a Daredevil game in the future.

“I’ve said this a lot, I am a huge Daredevil fan," said Baker. "What Charlie Cox did for the show was amazing, and I had the opportunity to talk to him about it, and I told him what his performance of Daredevil meant. I want to either A — play Matt Murdock in a game, or I want to direct the game.”

According to Baker, Batman and Daredevil are his longtime comic book loves, and his wish to be involved in a Daredevil game is based at least partly on the hero’s blindness.

“Either way, because, the reason why we play games is because that character can do something that I can’t. What does that game look like when I can do something that the character can’t? That is what really intrigues me about making that game, and it would be a big challenge for me as an actor, to be able to play someone who was not sighted.”

“I’ve already played Batman, now I just need to play Daredevil, we’ll see.”

A live-action adaptation of The Last of Us is set to air on January 15 2023 on HBO, and will see Pedro Pascal step into the role of Joel Miller, while the Game of Thrones actress Bella Ramsey will play Ellie. Check out IGN's coverage for trailer breakdowns, and to find out why Ramsey was encouraged not to play The Last of Us Part 1 before filming the adaptation.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

After months of back and forth between employees and management, Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios – not to be confused with Hogwarts Legacy developer Avalanche Software – has published a public apology to its employees for its mishandling of a controversial hire.

The full statement can be read here under the section titled "Our Journey", and includes the following:

There have been times when we’ve had more to learn than we realized, and reflecting on where we’ve been is an important part of our journey forward.

We’re sorry we haven’t gotten things right every time.

During those times, the tireless work of Avalanchers who dedicate their attention and effort to improving the company has been invaluable.

The progress we can celebrate today is thanks to the compassion and convictions of our employees. To all Avalanchers who have spoken up throughout the years, engaged in our DEI efforts, and helped us throughout this journey, we want to say this:

Thank you for your contributions. You have our deepest respect, and we are grateful to you.

While Avalanche didn't go into the specific reasons for adding this apology to its website, IGN has spoken to a number of sources familiar with the situation at the company over the last few weeks, and who have shared more details on how Avalanche got here. According to their accounts, Avalanche's apology comes more than a year after the company hired a high-level individual who had been publicly accused of inappropriate workplace behavior toward female employees at his former company. IGN has verified the public allegations against the employee in question, but is choosing not to identify him here.

But while our sources say this person's hiring was the catalyst of their frustration, their real conflict ultimately became less with the individual in question and more with the company itself. They say that Avalanche management and HR repeatedly avoided engaging with their concerns about the company's hiring processes, dismissed feelings of discomfort from those in the company who had experienced workplace harassment in past jobs, and ignored requests for transparency on how Avalanche planned to keep employees safe going forward.

Now, over a year later, our sources tell us that Avalanche's willingness to acknowledge the matter at all is due to an overwhelming internal pushback against perceived attempts to downplay a situation that made many internally feel unsafe and unheard.

A Rumbling Avalanche

Our sources say the individual in question was hired in 2021 into a project leadership role within Avalanche Studios, a subsidiary of Nordisk Film with offices in Stockholm, New York, Malmö, and Liverpool.

Almost immediately, multiple employees raised concerns with the studio’s leadership and HR over the hire, but sources say those concerns were not acted upon. At one point, employees were allegedly reassured by leaders that they would not have to work directly with this person due to remote work and his status as a contractor – which in itself was considered unusual given his leadership role. However, our sources tell us these promises were later broken in 2022 when he began to work in the office, including holding one-to-one meetings with female employees and attending company events. This person was eventually promoted, prompting another wave of frustration from employees who did not feel their concerns were being heard by management or HR.

The individual eventually resigned in mid-2022, but sources say the lack of transparency around his hiring and the company's unwillingness to acknowledge employee concerns remained a source of agitation within the studio. In October, one employee approached Avalanche leadership on behalf of a group of employees to ask the company to apologize, but no action was taken.

Matters came to a head on November 9 when an Avalanche employee posted a message in a work Slack channel saying they were "no longer comfortable with the ethical implications of selling my labor to Avalanche Studios Group." The message, which was reviewed by IGN, specifically tagged Avalanche CEO Pim Holfve and invited employees to email the poster on their personal email for more information on the situation.

This prompted a company-wide email from Holfve later that day, in which Holfve emphasized the company's "zero tolerance" policy, and attested that Avalanche had in fact done a background check on the employee after the issue was raised internally. The background check, he says in the email reviewed by IGN, included the results from a third-party investigation at their previous workplace.

"The person has since left their contracted position with us, but the person chose to do so for project reasons only," the email continues. "Their decision had nothing to do with the accusations from their previous workplace.

"There have been no claims and no suspicion of any misconduct by the person during their time at Avalanche Studios Group." [Emphasis Holfve's]

The email concludes by promising to open an investigation of Avalanche's hiring practices led by a third-party legal company, and encouraging employees to continue raising concerns to HR and Holfve himself via existing internal channels.

On November 14, Avalanche management conducted a town hall meeting for which employees were encouraged to submit questions. Rather than answer them live, the company promised to distribute a Q&A with answers to selected questions several days later. IGN has viewed the Q&A, which sheds light on the nature of many employees' concerns, which our sources also echoed. In particular, employees voiced questions about the lack of scrupulousness in the hiring process that led to this person being brought on in the first place, why the numerous reports of discomfort didn't result in action or even acknowledgment, and the general lack of transparency from management throughout. As one of the questions in Avalanche's vetted Q&A read: "The most common question is why the concerns expressed by Avalanchers were not acted on when they were brought to managers or HR managers, asking, 'why do we not listen to our co-workers' experiences?'"

IGN has also viewed emails from the days that followed the town hall from Holfve and chief human resources officer Signe Svensson. Much of Holfve's email reiterates points from the Q&A and his previous email, but the overall tone is more contrite.

"Yesterday evening, a few Avalanchers reached out to me and Signe to share their experiences from the past year. They shared that they had not felt comfortable, and not felt heard. It saddened me to hear these accounts. No one should have to feel like this about their workplace, least of all at Avalanche.

"I can honestly say that your concerns have not reached me in the past year, and I did not know about them, or I would have acted on this information. For that, I'm really sorry. Had I known those things when yesterday's email was written, I would have apologized right there in the email - of course."

In a second email from Holfve sent a few days later, Holfve notes that his "own understanding of the events has also evolved over the last few days, and new facts have surfaced," adding that he has since learned that "there were concerns raised regarding [the employee's] leadership style going against our values and code of conduct."

"All of this highlights a number of flaws in our processes. For this, we are truly sorry. I said it to everyone on Thursday, and I'm saying it again today: we fucked up."

Holfve also repeats a refrain he'd maintained through past emails of urging employees to use internal channels such as Avalanche's whistleblower system, or by approaching him or the CPO directly. He also urges employees not to speak to media outlets about the situation, saying that "external attention would not expedite things."

Svensson's email announces to employees that Avalanche is contracting with independent DEI investigation group Gender Balance to look into the processes that led to this situation and help the company make changes to avoid it in the future. According to the employee Q&A, Gender Balance's involvement is the direct result of employee feedback. While Avalanche had initially set out to engage a legal firm, employees pushed back, urging the company to work with an organization focused on building good anti-harassment and anti-discrimination practices. The company's diversity, equity, and inclusion committee suggested Gender Balance specifically, with Gender Balance's website claiming it not only investigates harassment reports, but recommends measures "that take more than the legal side into account." The investigation began on November 21.

The Q&A also notes that Microsoft, with whom Avalanche has partnered on upcoming co-op open world game Contraband, was made aware of the situation. "They have not expressed any concerns with how we are handling what's come to light on our end."

IGN has reached out to Xbox for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.

Change in the Wind

Multiple sources told us that over the course of this conflict, a large number of Avalanche's 500 employees have voiced their displeasure with Avalanche's handling of the situation. Those same sources added that they had each heard from others in the company who were deeply uncomfortable, but did not feel safe speaking out against management.

Update 11/28/2022 10:08 am PT: Avalanche responded to IGN's request for comment just after the publication for this piece. While the company declined to answer our specific questions, the spokesperson pointed us to the statement on the website and reiterated the points in Holfve's emails regarding its background check of the individual in question, as well as its apology for not taking action sooner.

"We’re committed to learning from our mistakes and doing much better in the future," the response reads. "To this end, we are implementing concrete steps to review and improve our processes. This includes a formal investigation that is being led by an external partner to gain clarity on the dynamic of events and identify the flaws in our processes. We’re also ensuring that our values and code of conduct are reflected in our everyday interactions, and engaging in meaningful dialogue with our employees. This is to ensure that we are creating the truly inclusive, sustainable, and welcoming workplace that all Avalanchers deserve."

Original story continues below:

Several people we spoke to expressed frustration that it took this long and this much effort to get Avalanche to take action. One source IGN spoke with again this morning called the public statement "underwhelming", saying they had expected more.

Others told IGN they hoped a public acknowledgment of some kind would serve to set an example for the industry at large. One source, who we briefly spoke with again after the apology was published, said they were feeling optimistic, and hoped this and the other actions taken by the company in recent weeks would ultimately ripple into the culture of other games studios in the region.

"They say a rising tide can lift all boats," they concluded. "This looks like sea change to me."

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

CD Projekt Red has confirmed that its Unreal Engine 5 remake of 2007's The Witcher will be fully open world.

Revealed during its third quarter financial results, CD Projekt Red briefly mentioned its announcement of The Witcher Remake, saying that it will be a "story-driven, single player open world RPG".

The studio had previously only confirmed that it would be another "full-fledged" Witcher game, but as the original is not open world, there was still speculation whether or not the remake would resemble the 2007 version or something closer to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.

CD Projekt Red didn't say anything else about the new game, reiterating its point made in October that "it's gonna be a while until we can share more details."

"The Witcher is where it all started for us, for CD Projekt Red. It was the first game we made, ever, and it was a big moment for us then. Going back to this place and remaking the game for the next generation of gamers to experience it feels just as big, if not bigger,” added studio head Adam Badowski at the time.

The original Witcher saw Geralt adventure around the Temerian capital of Vizima, a location briefly visited in The Witcher 3. While players could only access the royal castle in the third game, however, the entirety of Vizima, its outskirts, and more will be opened up in The Witcher remake.

Each of these areas was broken up as a different level in the original and, for the most part, once one had been completed players couldn't go back. With the remake though, it appears that all of these areas will be connected, and players can walk in and out of Vizima the same way they do Novigrad in The Witcher 3.

In our 8/10 review of the original, IGN said: "The Witcher really is a good game and one that PC RPG fans will surely enjoy. It combines some entertaining and fast-paced combat with a well realized world and pretty decent story that branches and can end in three different fashions."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has confirmed that the new DC film universe will be linked to future video games that exist in the same canon.

As reported by Eurogamer, Gunn was asked on Twitter if the DCEU (which now seems to be rebranded as just the DCU) will incorporate more forms of entertainment down the line, to which he replied, "yes, most definitely.

"The DCU will be connected across film and TV (and animation)," he added. When another fan asked if there are plans for games to be connected to the DCU too, Gunn replied plainly: "Yes."

Yes.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) November 27, 2022

Nothing else was said, but it does confirm a trend away from Marvel's strategy of building a shared universe across its films and a separate one across its games. We do know that Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran begun work on an eight to ten year plan for DC films, TV shows, animation, and more, however, meaning we'll likely see a game or two materialise in this time too.

The upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game won't be part of this universe, however, as developer Rocksteady Studios has already confirmed it's part of the Arkham world that includes Arkham Asylum and Gotham Knights.

Only time will tell exactly how the DCU's shared universe plan will turn out, but it could lead to some interesting crossovers such as Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam appearing in a video game, or a video game-first character moving on to star in a movie.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

The rarest card in Magic: The Gathering's pricey Anniversary Set has a pull-rate of one in every 410 packs, meaning players would need to spend more than $100,000 on average to find one.

Statistics provided to IGN by Magic: The Gathering drafting website DraftSim show that one retro Black Lotus card - a reprint of the most coveted trading card of all time - is present in exactly $102,897 worth of booster packs.

Wizards of the Cost is only selling the Anniversary Set as a $999 product containing four booster packs with random cards. Despite the high price, however, the Black Lotus (alongside every other card) is only a proxy version and therefore can't be used in tournament play, and it's currently unknown if they will be worth anything to collectors.

Normal versions of each retro card, which feature a modern Magic: The Gathering style compared to the classic look, are also available at a slightly increased rate, but this version of the Black Lotus is still only available in every 95 booster packs (so 96 given they're four per set), meaning $23,976 worth.

These packs are completely random though, meaning players may pull a Black Lotus after buying one set at $999 or may not even pull one after dropping the $100,000. Using binomial distribution to calculate the risk, DraftSim shows there's still a 36% chance of not getting a normal Black Lotus after 96 packs and a 1% chance of not getting the retro after opening 410 packs.

The Anniversary Set caused frustration for Magic: The Gathering players when it was announced in October, with YouTuber PleasantKenobi saying what's claimed to be a "celebration" of the game only reinforces fan concerns that Wizards of the Coast are sacrificing its quality for the sake of making big money.

Analysts agree, as earlier in November the stock price of Wizards of the Coast's parent company Hasbro dropped nearly 10% after Bank of America criticised its handling of the trading card game.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Developer Offworld Industries has announced Starship Troopers: Extermination, an upcoming 12-player PvE first-person shooter for PC that's inspired by the cult-classic 1997 sci-fi film. It's due to launch into Early Access sometime in 2023. Take a look at the announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

Starship Troopers: Extermination promises squad-based, large-scale battles against the bugs you remember from the movie. You'll play as a trooper in the elite Deep Space Vanguard as one of three playable classes: Assault, Support, and Defense. New perks and gear will unlock as you progress in the persistent class progression system.

More details: Extermination will have a Titanfall-like ping system for easier player-to-player communication in the middle of a firefight, while tougher bugs will start swarming as the threat level increases. You'll also need to build and maintain your own defenses – erecting walls, ammo stations, lookouts, and more.

A huge five-zone map promises a scale of grandeur as you battle five different bug types. Check out the first gameplay teaser and some exclusive concept art below:

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

The Gran Turismo racing series could make the leap from PlayStation to PC according to series' creator Kazunori Yamauchi.

As reported by PC Gamer, Yamauchi told GTPlanet at the Gran Turismo World Finals that developer Polyphony Digital would consider bringing the racing franchise to PC, saying "yes, I do think so", when asked if it was a possibility.

However, the PlayStation exclusive series would only make the leap if they thought that a port could be developed to meet their standards.

"Gran Turismo is a very finely tuned title," said Yamauchi. “There are not many platforms which could run the game in 4K/60p natively, so one way we make that possible is to narrow down the platform. It’s not a very easy subject, but of course, we are looking into it and considering it."

PlayStation has brought a number of first party and console exclusive games to PC since 2020 including titles from the Horizon and God of War series. It also plans to continue its hybrid console and PC strategy going forward, and may even be working on its own PC launcher, at least according to files found in the PC version of Spider-Man Remastered.

IGN awarded Gran Turismo 7 a 9/10 when it was released earlier this year, noting that “with gorgeous graphics, a fantastic driving feel, and racing options galore, it’s the best the series has been since its dominant PlayStation 2 era."

The series is also set to make the leap to the big screen in 2023 with a live action movie based on the exploits of Jann Mardenborough, who became a real world racing driver after winning a series of Gran Turismo tournaments.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

When James Gunn approached Kevin Bacon to join The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, he didn’t have to pitch very hard. Bacon had one response: I’m in.

“I didn't really read the script,” Bacon recently tells IGN in a new interview. “I just said, ‘Oh yeah, that sounds great.’ In fact, I don't even know initially if I knew if I was playing myself. I'm trying to remember, because it's been quite a few years since the idea first arrived. It took some time to get it off the ground because of COVID and other kinds of things. But yeah, I was thrilled when I read the script and then when he later on told me that I was also going to sing, I was like, ‘This is really fun.’

In The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Kevin Bacon stars as… Kevin Bacon. The 40-minute seasonal special, which releases today on Disney+, is an extended payoff for a joke from the original Guardians of the Galaxy in which Peter Quill [Chris Pratt] praises Kevin Bacon as a “great hero” and describes Footloose as a movie that “teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.”

"My jaw dropped"

When Bacon first saw that scene, he says his “jaw dropped” because he didn’t know that it would be in the movie. He remembers how strange it was to hear himself name-dropped out of nowhere in the midst of an MCU movie.

“If you can imagine sitting there in a dark theater and all of a sudden hearing yourself name dropped in that kind of way, it's a very, very, very strange experience, but cool,” Bacon says. “I mean, I loved it, because I love the movie and there is something that's kind of symbiotic about the whole thing, because James really loves music, and Footloose was a music-based movie. And I walked out of the theater and called my wife and I said, ‘I'm going to go back and see this movie. It's a great movie, and there's a little surprise in there for you, you'll see.’"

Bacon’s wife, Kyra Sedgwick, also happens to be in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, albeit as a voice-only cameo.

Bacon says he ultimately had a great time making The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, likening the entire experience to a company Christmas party. He even got to meet Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, calling him “very sweet.”

“A lot of these people have been a part of it for years and years and years, starting with one, and now they were in the middle of shooting [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3], and we stopped… or they stopped and paused to do the special,” Bacon says. “And it was as though you'd been working in an office all year, and all of a sudden you had the Christmas party. That was the vibe on the set, so everybody had a blast, and most of all, me.”

Ironically, The Guardian’s the Galaxy Holiday Special was shot in the Spring, wrapping up production in May. Many of the sets were pulled directly from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, saving Marvel a large amount of money and making the special possible. In a separate interview, Gunn described writing the special as incredibly easy compared to the much more emotional Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

"James Gunn is a powerhouse"

Gunn himself is nearly finished with the MCU, taking a position as DC Studios co-lead roughly five months after the holiday special finished filming. Asked for his reaction to Gunn’s new position, Bacon said he’s not surprised.

“James is a powerhouse,” Bacon says. “He's just got a great voice and a great eye, and he's super smart and obviously makes very, very successful movies. I was thrilled to hear that he got his new gig. That's basically what I said, ‘I'm thrilled to hear about your new gig.’

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special ends with Bacon performing a rock-and-roll carol alongside the Old 97s, who are an alien band in the world of the MCU. Bacon praised them as “fantastic,” saying that “all the music in the movie makes it great.”

“When I got the script, [Gunn] had referenced all the tunes, so I immediately made myself a playlist just to feel the vibe of the whole thing and listen to it a lot,” Bacon says. “And it's great, and I love the Old 97s song. It's really hard to write a new Christmas song, and I think it's got a really nice combination of sweetness and sentimentality without being a corny take on Christmas. And it rocks, and I loved it.”

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now available. You can read our full review here, which we praise for delivering “all the Christmas cheer, sentiment, catchy musical numbers, and laugh-out-loud moments you could ask for in a quick 43 minutes.”

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

When James Gunn approached Kevin Bacon to join The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, he didn’t have to pitch very hard. Bacon had one response: I’m in.

“I didn't really read the script,” Bacon recently tells IGN in a new interview. “I just said, ‘Oh yeah, that sounds great.’ In fact, I don't even know initially if I knew if I was playing myself. I'm trying to remember, because it's been quite a few years since the idea first arrived. It took some time to get it off the ground because of COVID and other kinds of things. But yeah, I was thrilled when I read the script and then when he later on told me that I was also going to sing, I was like, ‘This is really fun.’

In The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, Kevin Bacon stars as… Kevin Bacon. The 40-minute seasonal special, which releases today on Disney+, is an extended payoff for a joke from the original Guardians of the Galaxy in which Peter Quill [Chris Pratt] praises Kevin Bacon as a “great hero” and describes Footloose as a movie that “teaches an entire city full of people with sticks up their butts that dancing, well, is the greatest thing there is.”

"My jaw dropped"

When Bacon first saw that scene, he says his “jaw dropped” because he didn’t know that it would be in the movie. He remembers how strange it was to hear himself name-dropped out of nowhere in the midst of an MCU movie.

“If you can imagine sitting there in a dark theater and all of a sudden hearing yourself name dropped in that kind of way, it's a very, very, very strange experience, but cool,” Bacon says. “I mean, I loved it, because I love the movie and there is something that's kind of symbiotic about the whole thing, because James really loves music, and Footloose was a music-based movie. And I walked out of the theater and called my wife and I said, ‘I'm going to go back and see this movie. It's a great movie, and there's a little surprise in there for you, you'll see.’"

Bacon’s wife, Kyra Sedgwick, also happens to be in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, albeit as a voice-only cameo.

Bacon says he ultimately had a great time making The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, likening the entire experience to a company Christmas party. He even got to meet Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, calling him “very sweet.”

“A lot of these people have been a part of it for years and years and years, starting with one, and now they were in the middle of shooting [Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3], and we stopped… or they stopped and paused to do the special,” Bacon says. “And it was as though you'd been working in an office all year, and all of a sudden you had the Christmas party. That was the vibe on the set, so everybody had a blast, and most of all, me.”

Ironically, The Guardian’s the Galaxy Holiday Special was shot in the Spring, wrapping up production in May. Many of the sets were pulled directly from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, saving Marvel a large amount of money and making the special possible. In a separate interview, Gunn described writing the special as incredibly easy compared to the much more emotional Guardians of the Galaxy 3.

"James Gunn is a powerhouse"

Gunn himself is nearly finished with the MCU, taking a position as DC Studios co-lead roughly five months after the holiday special finished filming. Asked for his reaction to Gunn’s new position, Bacon said he’s not surprised.

“James is a powerhouse,” Bacon says. “He's just got a great voice and a great eye, and he's super smart and obviously makes very, very successful movies. I was thrilled to hear that he got his new gig. That's basically what I said, ‘I'm thrilled to hear about your new gig.’

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special ends with Bacon performing a rock-and-roll carol alongside the Old 97s, who are an alien band in the world of the MCU. Bacon praised them as “fantastic,” saying that “all the music in the movie makes it great.”

“When I got the script, [Gunn] had referenced all the tunes, so I immediately made myself a playlist just to feel the vibe of the whole thing and listen to it a lot,” Bacon says. “And it's great, and I love the Old 97s song. It's really hard to write a new Christmas song, and I think it's got a really nice combination of sweetness and sentimentality without being a corny take on Christmas. And it rocks, and I loved it.”

The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is now available. You can read our full review here, which we praise for delivering “all the Christmas cheer, sentiment, catchy musical numbers, and laugh-out-loud moments you could ask for in a quick 43 minutes.”

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN as well as co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Have a tip? Send her a DM at @the_katbot.

Indiana Jones 5 star Harrison Ford didn't think a fifth film was necessary but ended up happy with how it turned out.

Speaking to Empire, Ford said he felt Indiana Jones already had his moment but the new film's script offered an interesting way to extend the character.

"I didn't feel it was necessary to do another one," he said. "I just thought it would be nice to see one where Indiana Jones was at the end of his journey.," adding he would take it on "if a script came along that I felt gave me a way to extend the character."

Despite his doubts, however, Ford appears glad to have shot Indiana Jones 5, even if filming was difficult at times (like when he injured himself during a fight scene on set).

"It's full of adventure, full of laughs, full of real emotion. And it's complex and it's sneaky," Ford said of the film. "The shooting of it was tough and long and arduous, but I'm very happy with the film that we have."

The difficulty was perhaps increased by director James Mangold wanting to use only practical effects, revealing that he turned down proposals to use CGI studios early in the film's production. Indiana Jones 5 finally wrapped filming in February 2022 and will premiere next year on June 30.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.