UPDATE: Colin Farrell also appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live this week, during which time he said of his role as the Penguin in The Batman that "we are still in the process of just finishing the design, the aesthetic of the character.” Farrell said he begins filming three weeks -- he had told Ellen DeGeneres in the story below that he begins filming in two weeks -- and praised filmmaker Matt Reeves' screenplay for The Batman, deeming it "a really, really beautiful, dark, moving script, really gorgeous." Our original report from Jan. 22nd follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] The internet was abuzz recently when photos of Colin Farrell sporting silvery grey hair surfaced online, leading many to suspect that's what Farrell might look like as the Penguin in The Batman. As it turns out, Farrell hasn't even started filming The Batman yet and has already dyed his hair dark since those paparazzi photos went viral. Farrell appeared on Ellen on Wednesday where he said he recently finished filming a BBC movie in the Arctic, which is reportedly called The North Water. He explained the silvery hair was simply him trying out a new hair color after wrapping the BBC film and that he'd gone through a few other colors before dyeing his hair back to its normal dark color after those photos came out. It appears Farrell gained weight for the BBC film, judging by the personal videos he showed DeGeneres from the set. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-batman-cast-every-actor-and-character&captions=true"] Farrell revealed that he's headed to London in two weeks to start filming The Batman. He referred to his role as "Oz Cobblepot, I'm playing a character known as the Penguin." We can assume that wasn't Farrell simply shortening Oswald Cobblepot's name as director Matt Reeves recently tweeted Farrell's casting with the hashtag #Oz so it appears that's how the iconic DC Comics supervillain will be referred to in the movie. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/19/ranking-the-batman-movie-villains"] Colin Farrell's latest film, The Gentlemen, opens in North America this weekend. We weren't fans, saying in our Gentlemen review that "there’s no high to be found from this new Guy Ritchie joint."

Trigger, the animation studio behind anime like Kill la Kill and Little Witch Academia, released the first trailer for its upcoming series, BNA: Brand New Animal. The anime is set to stream in Japan exclusively on Netflix, though there’s no word yet on whether it will be coming to the U.S. BNA: Brand New Animal is about an alternate 21st Century where animal-humans are real and live alongside regular humans. Michiru, who lived as a normal human, one day turns into a tanuki-human. [caption id="attachment_229136" align="alignnone" width="1230"] Source: Trigger[/caption] She flees and takes refuge in “Anima City” where animal-humans can live in peace. There she meets others like Shirou, a wolf-human who hates humans. You can watch the first trailer for the show here, though it’s currently only available in Japanese. IGN reached out to Netflix to ask whether BNA: Brand New Animal will be available to stream in the United States, but we didn’t hear back from the company in time for the publication of this story. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflix-spotlight-january-2020&captions=true"] Netflix has been ramping up its anime offerings, including hosting streams for other Trigger anime like Little Witch Academia and Kill la Kill. Check out IGN’s full list of best anime to stream on Netflix here, including Neon Genesis Evangelion and One-Punch Man. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Star Trek: The Next Generation fans can expect to see another familiar face in Star Trek: Picard's second season. Star Patrick Stewart has invited Goldberg to reprise her role as the sage bartender Guinan in Season 2. Stewart made the gesture during an appearance on The View, which is co-hosted by Goldberg. The actor, who plays Jean-Luc Picard, made it clear he wasn't merely wishing for Goldberg to return, but formally passing along an offer from executive producer Alex Kurtzman and the producing team. Goldberg happily accepted, which seems to confirm she'll indeed be appearing in Season 2. [caption id="attachment_2291353" align="aligncenter" width="1400"] Goldberg as Guinan and Stewart as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.[/caption] You can see a clip of Goldberg and Stewart's conversation on The View's official Twitter feed. In response to Stewart's offer, Goldberg told her audience, "I've said it on this show before, but Star Trek was one of the great experiences from the beginning to the end. I had the best, best, best time." Ever the gentleman, Stewart responded, "It was wonderful having you, and we cannot wait to have you with us again one more time.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-picard-the-essential-treks-to-take-before-the-show&captions=true"] This news serves as our first taste of what's to come in Season 2, which was officially greenlit in January 2020, just ahead of the show's January 23 premiere. Previously, Deadline reported Season 2 will be 10 episodes in length. For more on what to expect from the newest Star Trek series, find out which Trek timeline Picard takes place and which version of Data could be appearing in the show. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/13/why-seven-of-nine-blames-picard"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

SPOILERS AHEAD for Star Wars Rebels. [poilib element="accentDivider"] A brand-new trailer for the seventh and final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars has been released and, while it gave us another glimpse at some of our favorite characters (Ahsoka!) from the show that hasn't aired since 2014, it also appears to show a young Kanan Jarrus from Star Wars Rebels. Spotted by those like @ThomasLHarper on Twitter around the 25-second mark, viewers can catch a glimpse of a young Padawan standing next to Jedi Master Depa Billaba. As was revealed in Star Wars Rebels and expanded upon in works like the comic series Star Wars: Kanan - The Last Padawan, that boy was named Caleb Dume and would grow up to take the name Kanan Jarrus following the tragic events of Order 66. During Order 66 on the planet Kaller, Master Billaba sacrificed herself to save Dume and he ended up meeting a smuggler named Janus Kasmir. He was forced to hide that he was a Jedi and had to learn to live as a fugitive to survive in a world where Jedi were being openly hunted. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/22/star-wars-the-clone-wars-final-season-official-trailer"] Dume went so far as to abandon his name and past, and thus became Kanan Jarrus. While he was lost in his purpose for a while, he eventually ran into a Twi'lek female named Hera Syndulla and the rest, they say, is on Disney+. Seriously, go watch Star Wars Rebels. While we don't know if we will see or learn more about Caleb Dume besides this one cameo, it is pretty clear that this final season will venture into the timeline of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. What's even more, it appears we will see scenes from Episode III played out in animation form, as you can see below from @ImmortalSoldier.

I don't think I'm ready to go relive it all again#StarWars #TheCloneWars #CloneWars pic.twitter.com/E8JPlrbmE6

— Chris (@ImmortaISoldier) January 22, 2020

There are other small Easter Eggs in this trailer that hint at the ROTS timeline, including the shot of Anakin and a seemingly-pregnant Padme holding virtual hands by @Sithreeepio. We know Anakin didn't find out she was pregnant until the third film, so this would indicate the timelines will be crossing. This also backs up previous statements by both Dave Filoni and Pablo Hidalgo in 2015 who had hinted that, before its cancellation, there were plans for Star Wars: The Clone Wars' final episodes to have taken place after Revenge of the Sith. It won't be long until we all find out the truth when we return to our favorite galaxy far, far away for Star Wars: The Clone Wars final twelve episodes on February 21, 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Motorola's upcoming foldable Razr phone now has a release date. The Verge reports that the new Razr will launch on February 6, after it was originally supposed to come out on December 26 last year. Preorders for the phone will be available through Verizon, Walmart, and Motorola's website beginning on January 26. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/14/new-motorola-razr-smartphone-is-nostalgia-that-costs-1500-ign-now"] The original Motorola Razr is one of the most iconic early cell phones of all time, and the new model marks the first Razr phone to hit the market since the Droid Razr brand debuted in the early 2010s. The Motorola Razr was announced back in November, and it will join a growing group of flip phones with modern smartphone technology. The new Razr does fold in half like old flip phones, but this model comes with a full 6.2 inch HD display. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=motorola-razr&captions=true"] Plus, when the Razr is folded shut, a 2.7 inch touch screen on the front allows you to view notifications, access the camera, and more. The phone will cost $1,500 at launch. For more, you can read all the specs for the new Motorola Razr. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Logan Plant is a news writer for IGN, and the Production Assistant for Nintendo Voice Chat, IGN's weekly Nintendo show. You can find him on Twitter at @LoganJPlant. .

Netflix has announced that a new anime film called The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is in the works. The team behind this new movie includes Netflix's The Witcher's producers Lauren Hissrich and Beau DeMayo, and Studio Mir, the renowned Korean animation studio behind The Legend of Korra and Voltron: Legendary Defender. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/16/the-witcher-why-season-2-wont-premiere-until-2021-ign-now"] The logline for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf is "The world of The Witcher expands in this anime film that explores a new threat facing the Continent." No cast details were given, but it's pretty safe to assume that Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf himself, will most likely be present to handle whatever this nightmare may end up being. Who knows? He could be the one having the nightmare, or maybe he IS the nightmare. This news follows Netflix's other announcement that The Witcher is tracking to be its most-viewed first season ever, with 76m member households streaming the new series through its first four weeks of release. There is no release timing for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, and it is yet unclear if it will arrive before or after the return of Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri in season 2 of Netflix's The Witcher in 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-witcher-explaining-all-the-characters-and-who-plays-them&captions=true"] For more on The Witcher, read on why Netflix decided to adapt the books and not the games, how Yennefer's season 1 story was created, and six other videos games that we think would be awesome Netflix shows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Valve has responded to fan questions about why the voice actor for Alyx Vance was recast for upcoming VR game Half-Life: Alyx, stating that the studio was looking for a “different direction”. Discussing the game on Reddit as part of a Half-Life: Alyx AMA, Valve said “We worked with Merle [Dandridge] at the beginning of HL:A development, but in the end, felt we wanted to go in a different direction. We love Merle, her work in Half-Life 2 was instrumental in bringing Alyx to life, and we hope to work with her again in the future.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/21/half-life-alyx-reveal-trailer"] Mere Dandridge voiced Alyx Vance, Gordon Freeman’s key companion, in Half-Life 2 and its two episodic expansions. As the only person to voice the character, Dandridge’s vocals have become iconic for one of the most recognizable women in games. As such, many players were disappointed to learn that she won’t be reprising the role for Half-Life: Alyx, in which Vance is the protagonist. Valve has offered no further explanation beyond this, which has left many people in the Reddit thread frustrated. It is currently unclear why Valve wished to go in a different direction, or even what that direction is. Theories tend to land around the idea of Valve wanting a younger voice as Half-Life: Alyx is a prequel and thus features a younger Alyx, but without further comment from Valve it is unclear as to the studio’s intentions. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=half-life-alyx-first-screenshots-4k&captions=true"] Alyx will this time be played by Ozioma Akagha. Her father, Eli Vance, has also been recast, with James Moses Black stepping into Robert Guillaume’s role. This change, however, is due to Guillaume having passed away. Other details from today's Reddit AMA include how Half-Life: Alyx will support a variety of accessibility options such as one-armed play, left-handed mode, and the ability to play the game seated. Valve also revealed how the development team for Half-Life: Alyx is the biggest the company's ever had at "around 80 people." During the AMA the developers also confirmed that Half-Life: Alyx is "done", and that the team are confident that it will release this March. Hopefully that's not another game on the delay pile, then. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

The Xbox Series X ports have been seemingly revealed in a new leak. Photographs of the front and back of the console were posted to NeoGAF and circulated on Twitter. If the item in the images is indeed a genuine Xbox Series X prototype, then it tells us a little more about how we will be using Microsoft’s new gaming powerhouse. Running down the center of the back of the console is a series of seven ports, which act as the receivers for a variety of cables. If you’re unfamiliar with any of the holes and shapes in this little black box, then let us be your guide.

@IdleSloth1984 @blueisviolet @XcloudTimdog pic.twitter.com/qmVlhTTaqi

— Doug - XBOX SERIES X (@Doug_DragoX) January 22, 2020

Which ports are included in the Xbox Series X prototype image leaks?

At the top we have one labelled S/PDIF (Sony/Phillips Digital Interface), which is the port for an optical cable. This is a fairly common interface in the current generation of consoles, and is used for audio. If you use a soundbar, for instance, you may choose to wire it into your Xbox Series X through this port. To the right of the optical port are two USB Type-A ports, labeled with the SS 'SuperSpeed' insignia that indicates they are 3.0 high-speed ports. Another one of these USB ports is located on the front of the console (albeit it not labeled with the SS logo, and thus potentially the slower 2.0 variant), bringing the USB count to 3. These will be used for a wide variety of peripherals, such as controllers, charging cables, and wireless headset receivers. Below the USB ports on the rear of the console is an Ethernet port, which will be used to hardwire the console into a home network. If you’d rather not risk the lag of a wireless wi-fi connection, then using an Ethernet cable directly into your router will be the best option here. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/xbox-series-x-reactions-and-analysis-unlocked-423"]

What is the mysterious Xbox Series X port in the photos?

To the left of the Ethernet cable is a more curious port; a long, narrow slot with a line drawn next to it and no recognizable insignia. While it may look a bit like a memory card reader, it is more likely to be the slot for a diagnostics report device, as noted by technology website Thurrott. As this is a prototype console, it makes sense that Microsoft would want to hook the Xbox Series X up to another device in order to analyse its performance. It’s impossible to truly clarify if this is indeed the port’s true purpose without an official Microsoft source stepping forward, but it seems possible that this slot will not be present on retail versions of the Xbox Series X. Below this mystery slot is a HDMI port. Importantly, the Xbox Series X features just a single HDMI, which will logically be of the ‘Out’ configuration. The Xbox One features both ‘In’ and ‘Out’ HDMI slots in order to facilitate its ‘All In One’ entertainment features, such as TV pass-through. By scrapping the HDMI In port for the Xbox Series X, it appears that Microsoft is planning to abandon the entertainment hub idea of the Xbox One with its new console. Finally, a small power cable port can be seen to the right of the HDMI port, labelled with a small Xbox logo. It’s unclear yet if the Series X will require a large power brick as part of its power cable, but it seems likely considering the size of the console in this photo; it seems a neat little box with little room for a power supply unit. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=xbox-series-x-reveal-images&captions=true"]

Will the Xbox Series X have an USB C port?

Missing from these ports are any USB C connectors, which were at one point rumored. That leak was debunked by AMD, and the lack of their presence on these images provides a little extra potential credibility to their legitimacy. But do remember: these photographs could very well be fake and offer no real information. Until Microsoft officially reveals photographs of the back of the console, it’s impossible to know how real these photographs are. It could easily be a 3D printed shell created by an enthusiast. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

According to its developers, Valve's much-anticipated VR spin-off, Half-Life: Alyx is being polished and bug fixed, and is playable in its entirety – and they really don't think it'll be delayed, no matter what you've heard about the dreaded 'Valve Time'. Speaking in a Reddit AMA, an official account wrote: "With the exception of some tweaks to the absolute final scene, the game is done. Lots of us at Valve, as well as playtesters, have played through the entire game multiple times. "Right now we're primarily polishing and fixing bugs, which is where we'd hope to be at this point in the development cycle. We're confident we'll hit our intended release. (We let the Valve Time happen before we announced the game.)" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=half-life-alyx-first-screenshots-4k&captions=true"] One user went on to ask if gameplay videos would be released before HL:A's March 2020 launch, to which the team replied: "Yes, it's our plan to release gameplay videos in the leadup to launch. Our intention is to use these to showcase not just gameplay elements, but also VR-specific elements like different movement options." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/21/half-life-alyx-reveal-trailer"] We don't know a great deal about the game beyiond what was shown in the reveal trailer (above). However, we do know that it will be single-player only, that it takes place between Half-Life 1 and 2, and that it's about the length of Half-Life 2. That's been enough to sell a lot of people on the game anyway - Valve's Index VR headset is sold out in every region it's sold in, bar one. You can get up to speed with the story pretty easily right now, as the entire Half-Life Collection is currently free. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's UK Deputy Editor, and the original Valve logo still haunts him a bit. Follow him on Twitter.

Ninja Theory, the developer behind Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Heavenly Sword, and DmC: Devil May Cry, has announced that it has begun development on a new game that it calls Project: Mara. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/13/senuas-saga-hellblade-2-reveal-trailer"] “Project: Mara will be a real-world and grounded representation of mental terror,” said Ninja Theory in a press statement. “Based on real lived experience accounts and in-depth research, the goal is to recreate the horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible. Project: Mara will be an experimental title and a showcase of what could become a new storytelling medium.” It seems Project: Mara will draw upon similar influences to Hellblade, which was based on in-depth research into psychosis. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-big-xbox-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] In addition to Project: Mara, Ninja Theory is also working on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 - another game that will likely explore mental trauma - as well as the multiplayer brawler Bleeding Edge. The developer is part of Xbox Game Studios, and so will release as first-party Xbox exclusives on Xbox consoles and PC. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter.