Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Delayed Until 2023
Sony’s hotly-anticipated sequel to its animated smash-hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has been delayed until June 2, 2023. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was previously set to hit cinemas on October 7, 2022.
The company also noted that while “Part One” has been ditched from the film’s title it still remains the first dose of a two-part experience. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Part II is scheduled to arrive on March 29, 2024.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will now arrive just over a month ahead of Madame Web, the newest addition to Sony’s expanding Spider-Man Universe. Described as the origin story of a clairvoyant with psychic abilities that allow her to see within the spider world itself, Madame Web will land on July 7, 2023. While the specifics of the movie remain mostly a mystery, it's reportedly set to star Dakota Johnson as the titular Madame Web. Who is Madame Web? IGN has you covered.
Sony has also put a date on The Equalizer 3, which star Denzel Washington confirmed was on the cards earlier this year. The Equalizer 3 will arrive on September 1, 2023.
Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can chat to him on Twitter @MrLukeReilly.
Disney World In Florida Likely Losing Privilege It’s Had For 55 Years
Disney World could potentially become a little less magical if Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has anything to say about it.
This Wednesday, the Florida Senate passed a bill that would abolish the taxing district that gives Disney special privileges of self-government in its theme park. Disney has held this right for over 55 years.
Florida’s Republican-led House is likely going to approve the measure and then it would move to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s desk, where he has openly supported the bill.
If passed, the bill would remove their special classification on June 1 of next year. Disney has been self-governed since 1967 and is able to collect taxes, adopt ordinances, and provide emergency services. If the bill passes, they’ll lose these current rights.
The attack on Disney comes in the wake of the magical giant’s opposition to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. This controversial law prevents teachers from incorporating anything related to sexuality and gender in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms.
Disney’s criticism of the new law occurred when the company vocally opposed Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Law. The company was silent upon its first introduction, but after pushback from employees, leadership in Disney came out against the law.
If its special status is stripped away, Orange and Osceola counties will likely acquire oversight of the 25,000 acres of land Disney currently controls.
Casey David Muir-Taylor is a freelance writer for IGN.
Nicolas Cage Reveals Why He Turned Down Lord of the Rings and Matrix Roles
Imagine, if you will, a world in which Nicolas Cage had played Aragorn or Neo. That could very well have been our reality, had the actor not firmly had his priorities in order. He is one of the most recognizable leading men in Hollywood… and the face of some of the most memorable memes on the internet.
But, before all that, Cage is a father and a family man.
"First and foremost... there's no version of Nic Cage in reality that doesn't want to spend time with his children," Cage told People.
"There's no version of Nic Cage that didn't put family first over career. I turned down Lord of the Rings and I turned down Matrix because I didn't want to go to New Zealand for three years or Australia for three years because I needed to be home with my son Weston, that's a fact."
Cage has two sons, Weston, 31, and Kal-El, 16. The actor and his wife Riko Shibata are expecting a baby later this year.
Cage went on to describe his acting ethos, and how he tries to never take himself too seriously.
"I always say to myself, 'I never had a career, only work.' What I mean by that is sometimes — and I won't mention names — but when you get into this career-minded perception of one's self it can be a slippery slope, and it can lead to things where you start believing in your own mythos and you start taking yourself way too seriously," he said.
Cage has a new project, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, debuting in theatres tomorrow, where he will star alongside Tiffany Hadish and Pedro Pascal. Elsewhere, Cage's Reddit AMA recently became a wholesome internet moment, and he also shared the villain he would like to play in a future Batman movie.
Blogroll Image Credit: Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
Khayl Adam is a freelance writer at IGN.
Alternate Thor: Love and Thunder Poster Released Featuring Natalie Portman
The debut trailer of Thor: Love and Thunder was released just a few days ago to the delight of Marvel fans. Not only does it show Thor having an existential crisis, but it also gives us our first glimpse at Natalie Portman as Mighty Thor, wielding Mjolnir. Now, we’ve been given another look at her version of the fabled superhero in a new poster tweeted by the official Marvel account.
In the new poster, Jane raises the signature, magical hammer as she stands on top of a mountain calling lightning from above. She is adorned in her own version of the armor. It isn’t the first time we’ve seen her wearing it, though. It was originally revealed last summer on a t-shirt worn by the crew after filming wrapped. The armor featured in both the poster and trailer looks quite similar to the one we saw last June.
The one is not the only ⚡️ (via Natalie Portman IG) https://t.co/NyoXbSPkZ4 pic.twitter.com/JoGudfEiEv
— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) April 20, 2022
The poster is a direct reference to a similar one that highlights Chris Hemsworth who is also calling forth the power of lightning. His poster features the tagline “The One And Only.” The new poster showcasing Jane as Mighty Thor, however, pokes fun and says “The One Is Not The Only.”
Fans will be able to see Natalie Portman take on the role of Mighty Thor in Thor: Love and Thunder when it releases on July 8, 2022. In the meantime, fans have Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to look forward to in just a few weeks.
Casey David Muir-Taylor is a freelance writer for IGN.
Overwatch 2: Blizzard Devs ‘Upset And Annoyed’ By Delays
On November 1, 2019, Blizzard revealed Overwatch 2 at that year’s Blizzcon. After almost three years, the highly-anticipated sequel will finally be receiving a beta next week. Recently, developers behind the game have expressed their displeasure with its lengthy development.
In an interview with USA Today, lead hero designer Geoff Goodman detailed how the team had a plan in place for the development of Overwatch 2.
“We talked about it, way back,” he said. “We talked about how we were going to, on the production side, develop Overwatch 2 alongside Overwatch.”
Unfortunately, this plan was derailed by the game’s many delays.
“I think the whole team was kind of upset and annoyed a bit with the timing of how everything got delayed. Goodman added, “There were a lot of reasons for it, it wasn’t just one thing.”
According to the interview, these delays came from production costs.
“It is a pretty constant topic for everything in the game, actually, production costs,” Goodman said. "I mean, Blizzard is not really a studio that is shackled to dates but that doesn’t mean we’re completely free from all concerns of production costs and time.”
Goodman says the hardest part of the delays was not being able to share ideas with the players. “It’s hard for us to have these ideas that we want to get out there, big changes, and we’ve sort’ve locked ourselves away a little bit.”
Goodman also mentioned how excited the team is to be once again putting out new content for players to enjoy such as a reworked Orisa and the game’s new PvE content.
Overwatch 2 comes at a time when Activision Blizzard is battling several controversies, including unionization and ongoing lawsuits. It is currently set to release on PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch, with the closed PVP beta available on PC on April 26. The full game does not yet have a firm release date, though with PvE and PvP being split, the competitive mode figures out to be sooner than the cooperative mode.
"I’m ready for us to rise above what’s happened and grow from it, don’t turn the corner and turn a blind eye to it, just be better," senior hero design Brandon Brennan says. "Get these games into the player’s hands and get them to be excited about something from us for once. I do think we’re approaching that moment, it at least feels that way to me."
Brendn Bell is a freelance writer for IGN
The Next Fast & Furious Movie Is Called Fast X
The next Fast and Furious is officially titled Fast X.
As is often the case with Fast and Furious news, Vin Diesel posted an image to Instagram (below) with what appears to be the new film's logo. Being called Fast X would make sense given it's the tenth mainline film.
Diesel included the caption "Day 1", indicating that production has begun, but didn't give much else away about the next entry in the franchise, which already spans more than two decades.
Diesel revealed last week, again through his Instagram, that Marvel's Brie Larson had joined the Fast and Furious cast. While her role hasn't been confirmed, Diesel said Larson will bring something that fans have unknowingly longed for.
He said in the post: "You have no idea how timeless and amazing she will be in our mythology. Beyond her beauty, her intellect... her Oscar, haha is this profound soul who will add something you might not have expected but yearned for. Welcome to the family Brie."
She's one of three big-name newcomers coming to the series as Aquaman's Jason Momoa is confirmed to be playing the film's villain while The Suicide Squad's Daniela Melchior is also joining the family.
Fast X will be the first half of a two-part finale for the franchise and will arrive in theaters on May 19, 2023.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Jackass 4.5 Is Coming Next Month, and We’ve Got a Painful First Clip
Netflix has announced that Jackass 4.5 will premiere on May 20, and has offered fans a sneak peek of one of the scenes that didn't make it into Jackass Forever.
The first clip of Jackass 4.5, shared on Twitter by Netflix, shows the franchise's thrill-seeking pranksters taking part in a challenge called "The Swingset Gauntlet." The aim of the game is for those in the inflatable animal costumes to travel along a walkway that is riddled with danger, as the rest of the crew delivers breakneck boots from the playground swings.
Get ready for more stunts and stupidity with Jackass 4.5, an all-new feature film featuring the whole crew! Here’s a small taste of what you can expect when it premieres May 20 on Netflix...
— Netflix (@netflix) April 19, 2022
This is the Swingset Gauntlet! pic.twitter.com/IdJDl10mnk
Jackass 4.5 will serve as an extension of Jackass Forever, the fourth feature in the anarchic series, just like other entries in the franchise have received ".5" releases after a mainline film's debut. The new installment will consist of behind-the-scenes footage, never-before-seen stunts, hilarious outtakes, and interviews with the cast and crew members.
Jackass Forever punched its way to the top of the box office during its opening weekend, more than doubling its production budget of $10 million by earning $23 million in ticket sales. It eventually went on to gross over $80 million worldwide, marking a triumphant return to the big screen for the Jackass crew who've had to grab the gauze on more than one occasion.
The film once again brings together Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Wee Man, Chris Pontius, Dave England, Danger Ehren, and Preston Lacy and sees them undertaking outrageous stunts that no one should try at home. IGN awarded Jackass Forever a 9 out of 10, praising the final chapter in the most chaotic saga for providing "a hilarious last hurrah for its original crew."
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Sonic Origins: Fans Aren’t Happy With Locked-Off DLC Content
Sonic Origins' release date and editions were announced earlier today and fans aren't happy with the amount of locked-off DLC, including the game's 'Hard Missions', camera controls on elements of the main menu, and character animations while playing music.
The remastered collection of Sonics 1, 2, 3, and CD has announced 8 pieces of content not included in the standard edition, and spread across a number of different editions and DLC packs..
According to the Sonic Origins website, hard missions, mirror mode being unlocked, and even certain animations and music are all locked behind DLC packs from launch.
Not even the most expensive Digital Deluxe Edition automatically comes with everything, as fans will also need to preorder the collection in order to tick off every piece of DLC.
Fans have voiced their concerns on Twitter, with @MShenjosh saying Sonic Origins feels "like a fighting game with their DLC", while @RobotFaker_ said they "don't like the digital deluxe stuff SEGA keeps pulling."
Another user, @XxJuan_776xX, said: "Evidently it's impossible to put everything into one version of a game these days. They always have to get every penny out of us."
That Sonic Origins "digital deluxe" nonsense makes me glad that I just have the Steam version of Sonic 3 and Sonic 3 AIR.
— Zeether (@Zeether77) April 20, 2022
The Standard Edition of Sonic Origins retails at $39.99 and doesn't come with any extras, but players who preorder will get 100 bonus coins, mirror mode unlocked, and the letterbox background for free.
A Premium Fun pack comes with the inclusion of hard missions, the letterbox background, character animations in the main menu, camera controls over the main menu islands, and character animations during music islands.
Another piece of DLC, the Classic Music pack, comes with additional music tracks from the Mega Drive and Genesis games.
The Digital Deluxe Edition, which retails at $44.99 includes most of these extras, but as mentioned players will still need to preorder the game to gain instant access to Mirror Mode plus the bonus coins and letterbox background.
Sonic Origins will be available on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, Nintendo Switch, and PC on June 23.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Kim Kardashian Threatened to Sue Roblox Over a Fake Sex Tape Game
Kim Kardashian threatened to sue Roblox after a game claiming to offer an unreleased sex tape appeared on the platform.
Roblox, a gaming platform with countless player-made games, featured one that used Kardashian's face as clickbait while claiming to have unseen footage of a sex tape featuring the star.
On the latest episode of The Kardashians, as reported by Polygon, Kardashian's six-year-old son Saint saw the advertisement and showed it to his mother, who later said "I have all the time, all the money, and all the resources to burn them all to the f**king ground."
Roblox has since banned the developer of the game and denied its platform ever featured the sex tape.
A spokesperson said: "The referenced video was never available on our platform. We have strict moderation and policies to protect our community, including zero tolerance for sexual content of any kind which violates our community rules.
"The text reference to the tape that got around our filters was quickly taken down and fortunately visible only to an extremely small number of people on the platform. We also swiftly took down the associated experience and banned the community developer involved with the incident."
Kardashian described the incident to her ex-husband Kanye West in the episode, saying: "It's not okay, it's not, on Roblox. Saint was on Roblox yesterday and a f**king thing popped up, and he started laughing and was like 'mommy look', and it was a picture of my cry face. It was a game that someone made on Roblox and it said 'Kim's New Sex Tape' when you clicked on it."
It's far from the game's first controversy. Roblox was sued for $200 million last year over unauthorized song use, has seen a user banned and sued for posting terrorist threats, and has notably seen a number of mass shooting recreations hosted. Roblox Corporation rolled out an ID verification service to help protect younger users.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Thumbnail Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for ABA
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Gets Release Window, New Gameplay
Developer Tribute Games and publisher Dotemu have announced that TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, the upcoming spiritual successor to the classic late-'80s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game and NES port, will be released this Summer for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch. They have also confirmed that the voices actors who played the Turtles in the classic 1987 animated TV series will return for this game. Furthermore, Dotemu has confirmed that a physical release will be made available alongside the usual digital marketplaces and that a digital soundtrack will be on offer too. And to top it all off, we have 10 minutes of new gameplay to show off, consisting of the first two stages. See that video above.
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge was announced just over a year ago. It isn't a direct sequel to the legendary four-player co-op arcade game (nor its beloved NES port), but it's being made as if it would've come out then, complete with its pixel-art graphics. And when it releases this Summer, you'll hear the familiar voices of Cam Clarke (Leonardo), Townsend Coleman (Michelangelo), Barry Gordon (Donatello), and Rob Paulsen (Raphael).
For more on Shredder's Revenge, don't miss the recent behind-the-scenes video as well as more exclusive gameplay.
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.