Monthly Archives: May 2020
PGA Tour 2K21 on Course for August
2K has announced the recently unveiled PGA Tour 2K21 will be teeing off on August 21, 2020 for PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia, and PC via Steam. 2K first revealed the game with a short teaser trailer last week.
Developed by Canadian-based specialist sports game outfit HB Studios, PGA Tour 2K21 will see HB’s The Golf Club series transform into a fully 2K-branded franchise alongside the publisher’s leading NBA series.
The rebrand will feature 15 licensed PGA Tour courses, each scanned using “cutting-edge technology”. Like The Golf Club series, it will also feature a custom course designer.
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Cover athlete Justin Thomas will be joined by 11 other pros and the game will feature a wide range of licensed golf equipment and gear. 2K is also promising “broadcast-style presentation with state-of-the-art graphics, dynamic cutscenes, and a seamless replay system”, plus play-by-play commentary from veteran golf broadcaster Luke Elvy and former pro Rich Beem.
“Golf is hotter than ever with celebrities, athletes, and musicians playing the game and sharing their experiences on social media every day,” said 2K marketing VP Chris Snyder alongside the announcement. “Our goal is to create the most authentic golf simulation experience ever, and HB Studios brings that authenticity in PGA Tour 2K21, which is a true 2K game in every sense, incorporating realism, depth and fun that appeals to golf aficionados and casual fans alike.”
HB’s The Golf Club was released in 2014, and was followed by a sequel in 2017. The third instalment, however, saw HB partner with 2K; The Golf Club 2019 Featuring the PGA Tour was launched in 2018.
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Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office and, back in 1965, Sports Illustrated said he was going to be the next Arnold Palmer. You can find him on Twitter sporadically @MrLukeReilly.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Cut from EVO, Likely Due to Online Performance Issues
The lineup for EVO 2020 has been revealed, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is missing from the roster.
EVO Online will replace the physical competition this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that isn't the only major change, with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate cut from the lineup, most likely due to issues with the game's online performance.
Smash is an EVO staple, and while the organizers haven't commented on the games omission, it's believed that it may have been too difficult to run an online Smash tournament due to the game's lacking netcode.
You can watch the lineup announcement video below, which teases five weekends of fighting games, with games like Dragonball FighterZ, Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V: Championship Edition leading the lineup.
The tournament will also feature four open online tournaments and run from July 4th to August 2. Signup and event info will be revealed soon, with more details available on the official Evo website. The full line-up for the competition is as follows:Introducing Evo Online! pic.twitter.com/ecf8gxNGUW
— EVO (@EVO) May 14, 2020
- Under Night In-Birth Exe: Late
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Tekken 7
- Street Fighter V: Champion Edition
- SoulCalibur VI
- Granblue Fantasy: Versus
- Samurai Shodown
- Skullgirls Encore
- Mortal Kombat 11
- Killer Instinct
- Them's Fightin' Herds
GTA 5 Will Seemingly Be The Next Free Game On The Epic Games Store
A deleted tweet suggests that GTA V will be the next free game on the Epic Games Store.
If you head over to the Epic Games Store site, you can see a mystery game window, which we're set to learn more about later today. However, after rumours swirled yesterday, a deleted tweet from the Epic Games Store Twitter account all but confirmed that GTA V will be today's mystery game.
Luckily, Twitter user Wario64 caught the tweet before it was deleted, and you can see the advertisement in full below. According to the tweet, you'll be able to grab the game for free until May 21, and keep it forever.
GTA V is already available on PC via Steam and the Rockstar Games Launcher. It's not clear just yet what additional content the game will arrive with - we'll be sure to hear more about that when the news is revealed officially later today. This follows the news from late April which saw GTA V leave Xbox Game Pass, being replaced by Red Dead Redemption 2 on May 7. If you're looking for a reason to get into GTA V some seven years after its release, check out our review, where we called it a "preposterously enjoyable, landmark game." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/04/18/grand-theft-auto-5-pc-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Tweet ad is deleted, so here you go pic.twitter.com/3oja0C3418
— Wario64 (@Wario64) May 14, 2020
Past Characters, Even Dead Ones, Will Return for Mission: Impossible Sequels
Spoilers ahead for the Mission: Impossible movies!
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The seventh and eighth installments of the Mission: Impossible franchise will bring back past characters -- even those who perished in the previous films.
"Any character, dead or alive, is fair game to return," director Christopher McQuarrie revealed during an appearance on the Light the Fuse podcast (via THR).
Indeed, Mission: Impossible 7 and 8 will see the return of former IMF head Eugene Kittridge (once again played by Henry Czerny) from the original 1996 film. (In his tweet announcing Czerny's casting, McQuarrie warned, "There is no escaping the past...")
In addition to series star Tom Cruise, the next M:I sequels also bring back Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, and Vanessa Kirby.
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On the podcast, McQuarrie went on to say that he's already cut a flashback scene involving a now-dead character because it didn't suit the movie he was making.
But do McQuarrie's comments mean Henry Cavill's M:I - Fallout bad guy August Walker could return? Or perhaps Alec Baldwin's Alan Hunley, who also died in Fallout?
Or is the plan to dig even further back in the series to the likes of Ethan's mentor-turned-enemy Jim Phelps (played by Jon Voight) or any of Ethan's teammates who also died in that first movie?
Maybe the next two sequels will also see Jeremy Renner reprise his role as IMF Agent William Brandt, who appeared in Ghost Protocol and Rogue Nation? Time will tell.
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Mission: Impossible 7 was poised to shoot a major sequence in Italy when that country went into lockdown and production on the Tom Cruise film was shut down indefinitely. With the resumption of filming still unclear, Paramount has changed the wide release of Mission: Impossible 7 from July 23, 2021, to November 19, 2021.
Mission: Impossible 8, previously scheduled for wide release on August 5, 2022, has now been pushed to November 4, 2022.
Popeye: Genndy Tartakovsky’s Animated Movie Back in Development
Filmmaker Genndy Tartakovsky's long-gestating CG-animated Popeye movie is reportedly back in development at a new home. Tartakovsky was previously attached to direct Sony Pictures Animation's feature film version of the classic comic strip character but exited the project in 2015.
IGN has confirmed that Sony Pictures Animation is no longer developing a Popeye animated movie.
According to Animation Magazine, Tartakovsky has teamed with King Features to bring the animated movie to life. King Features owns the Popeye brand along with other such classic cartoons and comic strips as Betty Boop, Flash Gordon, The Phantom, Beetle Bailey, and Mandrake the Magician.
No word yet on what stage of development Tartakovsky and King Features are at with their version of the spinach-munching, cantankerous sailor man.
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Popeye, as depicted in Genndy Tartakovsky's test footage.[/caption]
Sony released proof of concept footage from Tartakovsky's Popeye back in 2014. "It's not a clip, it's not a trailer, it's nothing from the actual movie," Tartakovsky said at the time. "It's just something that kind of represents what we wanted to do."
You can view Tartakovsky's Popeye test footage here.
Tartakovsky directed three entries in the Hotel Transylvania franchise for Sony Pictures Animation. He's earned both Emmy and Annie Awards during his career, with his credits including Star Wars: Clone Wars, Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Primal.
Popeye, as depicted in Genndy Tartakovsky's test footage.[/caption]
Sony released proof of concept footage from Tartakovsky's Popeye back in 2014. "It's not a clip, it's not a trailer, it's nothing from the actual movie," Tartakovsky said at the time. "It's just something that kind of represents what we wanted to do."
You can view Tartakovsky's Popeye test footage here.
Tartakovsky directed three entries in the Hotel Transylvania franchise for Sony Pictures Animation. He's earned both Emmy and Annie Awards during his career, with his credits including Star Wars: Clone Wars, Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, and Primal.We’re Stoked for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’s Return
BEYOND! On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien to talk about the biggest PlayStation news of the week, including the return of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Unreal's impressive Unreal Engine 5 PS5 tech demo, and much more.
Watch the latest episode of Podcast Beyond! below, and be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
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Be sure to read all of the first details about Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2, watch and learn more about the Unreal Engine 5 tech demo, and check out the latest on the PS5.
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Download or listen to the show on these platforms:
Podcast Beyond! is live every Wednesday. For the latest on PS5, check out the PS5 full specs list, why we're excited about PS5's 3D audio focus, an analysis of what teraflops really mean for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and check out images of the allegedly PS5 dev kit and controller.
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Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
Doom Patrol Season 2 Release Date Revealed By HBO Max
HBO Max has announced the release dates for its upcoming slate of original shows and movies, covering the streaming platform's first three months after its May 27 launch date.
While HBO Max will launch with a number of original shows including Anna Kendrick's Love Life, a new batch of Looney Tunes cartoons, and The Not Too Late Show with Elmo, WarnerMedia has revealed the HBO Max schedule through early August, including the release date for Doom Patrol Season 2, and the first of four hourlong Adventure Time specials: Distant Lands - BMO.
Read on to learn what's coming to HBO Max in summer 2020.
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Looney Tunes Cartoons is an all-new series from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished Looney Tunes characters. Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. Marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven, and visually vibrant stories. The new series will include 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that vary in length and include adapted storylines for today’s audience. Fans can also look forward to holiday-themed specials. Looney Tunes Cartoons is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and features a talented group of voice cast members including Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman, and Bob Bergen. Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) and Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!) serve as executive producers.
Love Life, the first full-length scripted series to star Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick, is about the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we're with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever. This fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series is from creator and co-showrunner Sam Boyd (In a Relationship) and is produced by Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment. The series will follow a different protagonist’s quest for love each season, with each half-hour episode telling the story of one of their relationships. Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, A Simple Favor) stars in the first season along with Zoë Chao (Downhill, Strangers), Peter Vack (Someone Great, The Bold Type), Sasha Compere (Miracle Workers, Uncorked), and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Another Year). Kendrick serves as an executive producer alongside Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Bridesmaids) and Dan Magnante (Someone Great). Sam Boyd, who wrote the pilot and directs, also executive produces with co-showrunner and executive producer Bridget Bedard (Transparent and Ramy).
Elmo is the host of his very own talk show and he's going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with an all-new, celeb-studded talk show series. This brand-new "primetime" series brings familiar Sesame Street friends like Elmo, Cookie Monster, celebrity guests, and laughs the whole family can enjoy. Elmo will interview guests such as fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver, comedian John Mulaney, New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander, actress Blake Lively, and award-winning musical acts Lil Nas X and The Jonas Brothers. The Not Too Late Show with Elmo is produced by Sesame Workshop.
Pulling directly from the underground ballroom community, voguing teams (aka “houses”) must compete in unbelievable balls and showcase sickening fashion in order to achieve “legendary” status. The cast includes MC Dashaun Wesley and DJ MikeQ as well as celebrity judges Law Roach, Jameela Jamil, Leiomy Maldonado, and Megan Thee Stallion. From Scout Productions, Emmy Award winners David Collins (Queer Eye), Rob Eric (Queer Eye), and Michael Williams (Queer Eye) serve as executive producers. Jane Mun (People’s Choice Awards, MTV Music Awards, America’s Best Dance Crew) and Josh Greenberg (Lip Sync Battle, Sunday Best, America’s Best Dance Crew) serve as executive producers and showrunners.
Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), and first reported by the New York Times, On The Record presents the powerful, haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon (collaborator on hit records by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Estelle and Kanye West, and Whitney Houston) as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault. The documentary, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, chronicles not only Dixon’s story but that of several other accusers – Sil Lai Abrams, Sheri Sher – delving deeply into the ways women of color's voices are all too often silenced and ignored when they allege sexual assault; as well as the cultural forces that pressure them to remain silent. On The Record is produced by Dick and Ziering’s Jane Doe Films with Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, and Jenny Raskin for Impact Partners, Regina K Scully for Artemis Rising, Ian Darling for Shark Island Institute, and Abigail Disney for Level Forward serving as executive producers. The creative team includes producers Jamie Rogers and Amy Herdy.
Craftopia is an epic kids' crafting competition show, hosted and executive produced by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki aka (LaurDIY). Creating and demonstrating crafts to over 8.9 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, LaurDIY has been deemed the “millennial Martha Stewart” by Forbes. On Craftopia, 9 to 15-year old contestants put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio. After racing to fill up their carts with inspiring materials from the studio “store,” crafters meet larger-than-life challenges, making truly inventive and amazing creations in order to take home the ‘Craftrophia.’ Craftopia is executive produced by Rhett Bachner and Brien Meagher for B17 Entertainment.
Karma takes sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid, away from parents and the normal comforts of home, to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare, will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change, and patience are the path to becoming the Karma Champion.
Return to the Land of Ooo and beyond in Adventure Time: Distant Lands. Based on the animated series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, these four breakout specials explore the unseen corners of the world with characters both familiar and brand new. The first of these specials is BMO, which follows the lovable little robot on a new adventure. When there's a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there's only one hero to call, and it's probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!
Following the defeat of Mr. Nobody, the members of the Doom Patrol now find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff’s toy race car track. Here they begin to deal with their feelings of betrayal by Niles Caulder aka The Chief (Timothy Dalton) while confronting their own personal baggage. And as each member faces the challenge of growing beyond their own past traumatic experiences, they must come together to embrace and protect the newest member of the family: Dorothy Spinner (Abigail Shapiro), Niles’ daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world. Season 2 of Doom Patrol will also premiere on DC Universe on June 25, in addition to streaming on HBO Max.
Esme and Roy are best friends — and the best monstersitters in Monsterdale! The animated series from the makers of Sesame Street will bring little viewers into a colorful world where even the littlest monsters can overcome big challenges together.
Search Party is a comedic thriller about a group of privileged, self-absorbed twenty-somethings whose search for a long-lost missing friend leads them down a dark and shocking path of no return. Seasons 1 and 2 of the series will be available on HBO Max at launch, May 27th. Season 3, premiering June 25th, finds the gang swept up in the trial of the century after Dory (Alia Shawkat) and Drew (John Reynolds) are charged for the semi-accidental murder of a private investigator. As Elliott (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner) grapple with whether or not to testify as witnesses, the friends are pitted against each other and thrust into the national spotlight. Dory’s sanity begins to fracture, and it becomes increasingly clear that the group may not have brunch together again for quite some time.
From JG Quintel, creator of the Emmy Award-winning Regular Show comes Close Enough, a surreal animated comedy about a married couple, their five-year-old daughter, and their two divorced best friends/roommates all living together on the east side of Los Angeles. They’re navigating that transitional time in your 30s when life is about growing up, but not growing old. It’s about juggling work, kids, and pursuing your dreams while avoiding time-traveling snails, stripper clowns, and murderous mannequins. Their life may not be ideal but for now, it's close enough.
Expecting Amy is an unfiltered three-part documentary that shows the struggle, strength, and ambition that has made Amy Schumer one of the singular comic voices of all time. It takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Schumer battles through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while documenting the formation of a comedy special. Schumer continues touring to prepare for the taping in Chicago that she isn't sure she will be able to execute. It focuses on pulling the curtain completely back on her marriage to husband Chris Fischer, and the journey to his diagnosis on the autism spectrum. From hospitalizations to going out in front of a crowd of thousands, to quiet moments at home with her family, Schumer shares it all. Beginning the day she found out she was pregnant, through the birth of her child, she showcases her incredible journey on the road, revealing the challenges of pregnancy, marriage, and the execution of creating a stand-up special.
Patriarch Binh Ho and his wife Hue Ho immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. The power couple has built a multimillion-dollar bank, a real estate development company, and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain on their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues.
From creator Myke Chilian, Tig n’ Seek follows an upbeat and eccentric 8-year-old boy named Tiggy and his cat, Gweeseek. Tiggy not only works at the Department of Lost and Found, finding lost items all throughout Wee-Gee City, he lives there too. Though he tries to help his friends whenever he can, his over-eagerness and neurotic quirks often lead to chaos in the Department. Tiggy’s partner and best friend is his cat, Gweeseek. She’s a graceful, friendly kitty who appears to be a normal cat, but is also capable of inventing extraordinary gadgets to help her friends in times of need.
There are nearly nine million dogs in Britain – but finding the right homes for them isn’t always easy. Set inside a rural British Dog Rescue Centre famous for its commitment to matching homeless dogs with new owners, The Dog House bears witness to the joy, comedy, and pathos of the human-dog dating experience. Each episode records the arrivals of unwanted pets complete with heart-rending tales of abandonment. At the same time, they tell stories of families, couples, and singletons, all carrying their own baggage of poignant and touching backstory and hoping their lives might be transformed by the introduction of a new four-legged friend. The climax of each story is the theatre of the meet.
Set in 1989, this comedy follows the journey of Sammy Cooper, a fabulously wealthy London housewife who is forced to return to her hometown in Newcastle, Australia. In coming home, Sammy must revisit her past and the events that led her to flee as a teenager years ago.
Based on Simon Rich’s 2013 New Yorker novella, An American Pickle stars Seth Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1920 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family. One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present-day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel can’t even begin to understand.
This schedule will be updated as more HBO Max release dates are announced.
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Looney Tunes Cartoons (Release Date: May 27)
Looney Tunes Cartoons is an all-new series from Warner Bros. Animation starring the cherished Looney Tunes characters. Looney Tunes Cartoons echoes the high production value and process of the original Looney Tunes theatrical shorts with a cartoonist-driven approach to storytelling. Marquee Looney Tunes characters will be featured in their classic pairings in simple, gag-driven, and visually vibrant stories. The new series will include 80 eleven-minute episodes, each comprised of animated shorts that vary in length and include adapted storylines for today’s audience. Fans can also look forward to holiday-themed specials. Looney Tunes Cartoons is produced by Warner Bros. Animation and features a talented group of voice cast members including Eric Bauza, Jeff Bergman, and Bob Bergen. Pete Browngardt (Uncle Grandpa) and Sam Register (Teen Titans Go!) serve as executive producers.
Love Life (Release Date: May 27)
Love Life, the first full-length scripted series to star Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick, is about the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we're with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever. This fresh take on a romantic comedy anthology series is from creator and co-showrunner Sam Boyd (In a Relationship) and is produced by Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment. The series will follow a different protagonist’s quest for love each season, with each half-hour episode telling the story of one of their relationships. Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect, A Simple Favor) stars in the first season along with Zoë Chao (Downhill, Strangers), Peter Vack (Someone Great, The Bold Type), Sasha Compere (Miracle Workers, Uncorked), and Lesley Manville (Phantom Thread, Another Year). Kendrick serves as an executive producer alongside Paul Feig (A Simple Favor, Bridesmaids) and Dan Magnante (Someone Great). Sam Boyd, who wrote the pilot and directs, also executive produces with co-showrunner and executive producer Bridget Bedard (Transparent and Ramy).
The Not Too Late Show with Elmo (Release Date: May 27)
Elmo is the host of his very own talk show and he's going to bring you some (not-too-late) fun with an all-new, celeb-studded talk show series. This brand-new "primetime" series brings familiar Sesame Street friends like Elmo, Cookie Monster, celebrity guests, and laughs the whole family can enjoy. Elmo will interview guests such as fellow late-night hosts Jimmy Fallon and John Oliver, comedian John Mulaney, New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander, actress Blake Lively, and award-winning musical acts Lil Nas X and The Jonas Brothers. The Not Too Late Show with Elmo is produced by Sesame Workshop.
Legendary (Release Date: May 27)
Pulling directly from the underground ballroom community, voguing teams (aka “houses”) must compete in unbelievable balls and showcase sickening fashion in order to achieve “legendary” status. The cast includes MC Dashaun Wesley and DJ MikeQ as well as celebrity judges Law Roach, Jameela Jamil, Leiomy Maldonado, and Megan Thee Stallion. From Scout Productions, Emmy Award winners David Collins (Queer Eye), Rob Eric (Queer Eye), and Michael Williams (Queer Eye) serve as executive producers. Jane Mun (People’s Choice Awards, MTV Music Awards, America’s Best Dance Crew) and Josh Greenberg (Lip Sync Battle, Sunday Best, America’s Best Dance Crew) serve as executive producers and showrunners.
On the Record (Release Date: May 27)
Directed and produced by Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering (The Hunting Ground, The Invisible War), and first reported by the New York Times, On The Record presents the powerful, haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon (collaborator on hit records by Method Man and Mary J. Blige, Estelle and Kanye West, and Whitney Houston) as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual assault. The documentary, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews, chronicles not only Dixon’s story but that of several other accusers – Sil Lai Abrams, Sheri Sher – delving deeply into the ways women of color's voices are all too often silenced and ignored when they allege sexual assault; as well as the cultural forces that pressure them to remain silent. On The Record is produced by Dick and Ziering’s Jane Doe Films with Dan Cogan, Geralyn Dreyfous, and Jenny Raskin for Impact Partners, Regina K Scully for Artemis Rising, Ian Darling for Shark Island Institute, and Abigail Disney for Level Forward serving as executive producers. The creative team includes producers Jamie Rogers and Amy Herdy.
Craftopia (Release Date: May 27)
Craftopia is an epic kids' crafting competition show, hosted and executive produced by YouTube influencer Lauren Riihimaki aka (LaurDIY). Creating and demonstrating crafts to over 8.9 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, LaurDIY has been deemed the “millennial Martha Stewart” by Forbes. On Craftopia, 9 to 15-year old contestants put their imaginations to the test and make their crafting dreams come true in a magical studio. After racing to fill up their carts with inspiring materials from the studio “store,” crafters meet larger-than-life challenges, making truly inventive and amazing creations in order to take home the ‘Craftrophia.’ Craftopia is executive produced by Rhett Bachner and Brien Meagher for B17 Entertainment.
Karma (Release Date: June 18)
Karma takes sixteen contestants, ranging in age from 12 to 15, completely off the grid, away from parents and the normal comforts of home, to solve puzzles and overcome physical challenges, with the laws of karma setting the rules. This adventure competition series, led by YouTube host Michelle Khare, will test the mental and physical stamina of its young contestants as they unravel how their social actions impact their success in the game. Focus, giving, humility, growth, connection, change, and patience are the path to becoming the Karma Champion.
Adventure Time: Distant Lands - BMO (Release Date: June 25)
Return to the Land of Ooo and beyond in Adventure Time: Distant Lands. Based on the animated series Adventure Time created by Pendleton Ward and executive produced by Adam Muto, these four breakout specials explore the unseen corners of the world with characters both familiar and brand new. The first of these specials is BMO, which follows the lovable little robot on a new adventure. When there's a deadly space emergency in the farthest reaches of the galaxy, there's only one hero to call, and it's probably not BMO. Except that this time it is!
Doom Patrol: Season 2 (Release Date: June 25)
Following the defeat of Mr. Nobody, the members of the Doom Patrol now find themselves mini-sized and stranded on Cliff’s toy race car track. Here they begin to deal with their feelings of betrayal by Niles Caulder aka The Chief (Timothy Dalton) while confronting their own personal baggage. And as each member faces the challenge of growing beyond their own past traumatic experiences, they must come together to embrace and protect the newest member of the family: Dorothy Spinner (Abigail Shapiro), Niles’ daughter, whose powers remain a mysterious but real threat to bringing on the end of the world. Season 2 of Doom Patrol will also premiere on DC Universe on June 25, in addition to streaming on HBO Max.
Esme and Roy (Release Date: June 25)
Esme and Roy are best friends — and the best monstersitters in Monsterdale! The animated series from the makers of Sesame Street will bring little viewers into a colorful world where even the littlest monsters can overcome big challenges together.
Search Party (Release Date: June 25)
Search Party is a comedic thriller about a group of privileged, self-absorbed twenty-somethings whose search for a long-lost missing friend leads them down a dark and shocking path of no return. Seasons 1 and 2 of the series will be available on HBO Max at launch, May 27th. Season 3, premiering June 25th, finds the gang swept up in the trial of the century after Dory (Alia Shawkat) and Drew (John Reynolds) are charged for the semi-accidental murder of a private investigator. As Elliott (John Early) and Portia (Meredith Hagner) grapple with whether or not to testify as witnesses, the friends are pitted against each other and thrust into the national spotlight. Dory’s sanity begins to fracture, and it becomes increasingly clear that the group may not have brunch together again for quite some time.
Close Enough (Release Date: July 9)
From JG Quintel, creator of the Emmy Award-winning Regular Show comes Close Enough, a surreal animated comedy about a married couple, their five-year-old daughter, and their two divorced best friends/roommates all living together on the east side of Los Angeles. They’re navigating that transitional time in your 30s when life is about growing up, but not growing old. It’s about juggling work, kids, and pursuing your dreams while avoiding time-traveling snails, stripper clowns, and murderous mannequins. Their life may not be ideal but for now, it's close enough.
Expecting Amy (Release Date: July 9)
Expecting Amy is an unfiltered three-part documentary that shows the struggle, strength, and ambition that has made Amy Schumer one of the singular comic voices of all time. It takes viewers behind-the-scenes as Schumer battles through an extraordinarily difficult pregnancy while documenting the formation of a comedy special. Schumer continues touring to prepare for the taping in Chicago that she isn't sure she will be able to execute. It focuses on pulling the curtain completely back on her marriage to husband Chris Fischer, and the journey to his diagnosis on the autism spectrum. From hospitalizations to going out in front of a crowd of thousands, to quiet moments at home with her family, Schumer shares it all. Beginning the day she found out she was pregnant, through the birth of her child, she showcases her incredible journey on the road, revealing the challenges of pregnancy, marriage, and the execution of creating a stand-up special.
The House of Ho (Release Date: July 16)
Patriarch Binh Ho and his wife Hue Ho immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. The power couple has built a multimillion-dollar bank, a real estate development company, and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain on their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues.
Tig n' Seek (Release Date: July 23)
From creator Myke Chilian, Tig n’ Seek follows an upbeat and eccentric 8-year-old boy named Tiggy and his cat, Gweeseek. Tiggy not only works at the Department of Lost and Found, finding lost items all throughout Wee-Gee City, he lives there too. Though he tries to help his friends whenever he can, his over-eagerness and neurotic quirks often lead to chaos in the Department. Tiggy’s partner and best friend is his cat, Gweeseek. She’s a graceful, friendly kitty who appears to be a normal cat, but is also capable of inventing extraordinary gadgets to help her friends in times of need.
The Dog House (Release Date: July 30)
There are nearly nine million dogs in Britain – but finding the right homes for them isn’t always easy. Set inside a rural British Dog Rescue Centre famous for its commitment to matching homeless dogs with new owners, The Dog House bears witness to the joy, comedy, and pathos of the human-dog dating experience. Each episode records the arrivals of unwanted pets complete with heart-rending tales of abandonment. At the same time, they tell stories of families, couples, and singletons, all carrying their own baggage of poignant and touching backstory and hoping their lives might be transformed by the introduction of a new four-legged friend. The climax of each story is the theatre of the meet.
Frayed (Release Date: July 30)
Set in 1989, this comedy follows the journey of Sammy Cooper, a fabulously wealthy London housewife who is forced to return to her hometown in Newcastle, Australia. In coming home, Sammy must revisit her past and the events that led her to flee as a teenager years ago.
An American Pickle (Release Date: August 6)
Based on Simon Rich’s 2013 New Yorker novella, An American Pickle stars Seth Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1920 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family. One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present-day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel can’t even begin to understand.
This schedule will be updated as more HBO Max release dates are announced.
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David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.Only Bruce Wayne Can Afford This Amazing but Expensive Joker Statue
While DC has never been shy about merchandising the Batman franchise, 2019's Joker movie has been a rare exception to that rule. Until now, anyway. Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is finally being immortalized as a collectible statue. The catch is that you'll need Bruce Wayne levels of money to afford it.
This Joker statue is a collaboration between Prime 1 Studios and Blitzway, as part of their Museum Masterline series. The statue features an accurate likeness of Phoenix's Arthur Fleck inspired by the iconic stair dancing scene in the film. The statue is sculpted at 1:3 scale, meaning it clocks in at a whopping 28 inches tall. It has a price tag to match, too, with an MSRP of $1299.99 (not including shipping, which tends to be pretty expensive for these massive Prime 1 statues).
Is it worth paying well over a thousand bucks for a Joker statue? Check out the slideshow gallery below and decide for yourself:
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The Museum Masterline: The Joker statue features a mixed-media outfit and several interchangeable hands, along with nine prop pieces that can be added to the display base. Statues pre-ordered directly through Prime 1 will include an extra prop in the form of a clown mask that can be attached to Joker's face.
The statue is currently slated for a Q2 2021 release and should be available soon to pre-order directly through Prime 1. The statue is also available for pre-order through Big Bad Toy Store and will likely be available through Sideshow Collectibles as well.
Phoenix recently won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Batman's nemesis, making him the second actor after Heath Ledger to win an Oscar for playing Joker. But despite widespread critical acclaim (including a 10 rating from IGN) and despite Joker crossing the billion dollar mark at the box office, a sequel doesn't seem terribly likely. Even Phoenix's costar Zazie Beetz questions the need for a Joker 2, though she believes director Todd Phillips would approach the sequel "tastefully."
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What do you think of this incredibly detailed, incredibly expensive Joker statue? Will you be preordering one? Let us know in the comments below.
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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Anne Rice’s The Vampire Chronicles TV Series Coming to AMC
AMC Networks has acquired the rights to Anne Rice's two iconic supernatural book series, The Vampire Chronicles and The Mayfair Witches, the company announced Wednesday. The deal includes 18 titles from both franchises, including Interview With the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, The Queen of the Damned, and The Witching Hour, seemingly paving the way for an interconnected TV universe in a similar vein to The CW's Arrowverse or AMC's The Walking Dead.
Under the deal, AMC Networks will hold the rights to develop films and TV shows related to the properties "for its own television networks and streaming services under the AMC Studios umbrella, as well as external partner licensing, with Anne Rice and son Christopher Rice serving as executive producers on all series and films," the company announced in a press release.
Writer Rolin Jones (Friday Night Lights, Boardwalk Empire) will be involved with developing the Rice books for television.
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“There is no shortage of content in today’s competitive environment, but proven IP that has captivated millions of fans around the world is something very special and rare, and that is what Anne Rice has created,” said Sarah Barnett, president of AMC Networks Entertainment Group and AMC Studios, in a statement. “These remarkable stories and characters are massive in their appeal and we are privileged to take over stewardship of these legendary works and collaborate with a talent like Rolin Jones to find ways for new generations of fans to experience these worlds.”
“It’s always been my dream to see the worlds of my two biggest series united under a single roof so that filmmakers could explore the expansive and interconnected universe of my vampires and witches,” said Anne Rice. “That dream is now a reality, and the result is one of the most significant and thrilling deals of my long career.”
The Vampire Chronicles has had a tortured journey to the screen worthy of its protagonist, Lestat: Paramount TV and Anonymous Content acquired the rights to The Vampire Chronicles back in 2017, setting up an adaptation of The Vampire Chronicles at Hulu with Bryan Fuller involved as executive producer in 2018, but Fuller left the project soon after. Hulu passed on developing the series altogether in December 2019, with Variety reporting that Rice and her son Christopher were looking to package The Vampire Chronicles with The Mayfair Witches as part of a larger deal.
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AMC is already in the business of franchise-building, having extended its breakout drama Breaking Bad into an equally successful spinoff with Better Call Saul, in addition to expanding The Walking Dead universe with spinoffs Fear the Walking Dead and upcoming The Walking Dead: World Beyond, along with three movies centered around Andrew Lincoln's Rick Grimes.
Per AMC, the full list of titles included under the deal are The Vampire Chronicles Series: “Interview with the Vampire,” “The Vampire Lestat,” “The Queen of the Damned,” “The Tale of the Body Thief,” “Memnoch The Devil,” “The Vampire Armand,” “Pandora,” “Vittorio the Vampire,” “Blood and Gold,” “Prince Lestat,” “Prince Lestat and the Realms of Atlantis,” and “Blood Communion: A Tale of Prince Lestat;” The Lives Of The Mayfair Witches Series: “The Witching Hour,” “Lasher,” “Taltos;” and The Vampire Chronicles/The Lives Of The Mayfair Witches Crossover Novels: “Merrick,” “Blackwood Farm” and “Blood Canticle.”
Which of Rice's books are you most looking forward to seeing adapted? Weigh in below.
New Mutants Gets Another New Release Date So Enjoy This One While it Lasts
The New Mutants has been rescheduled for an August 28, 2020 release. This marks the fifth release date the X-Men universe title has had in two years.
The movie was originally slated to hit theaters April 13, 2018 before it was pushed to February 22, 2019. The New Mutants was later postponed to Aug. 2, 2019 and then to April 3, 2020 -- almost exactly two years after its original release date. Its release was then yanked due to the coronavirus.
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Will the new August 28 release date stick? Honestly, who knows given the ongoing pandemic and the slow re-opening of movie theaters worldwide. When The New Mutants is released we know it will be the cut that director Josh Boone intended.
Deadline reports that Disney still intends on releasing the Fox acquisition theatrically rather than on their streaming services Disney+ or Hulu. Although Disney brass have suggested some smaller titles will now pivot from theatrical releases to digital debuts, The New Mutants won't be among them.
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As Den of Geek recently explained, 20th Century Fox had existing cable rights deals in place for some of their titles at the time Disney acquired Fox, which precludes The New Mutants from being shifted to Disney-owned streaming platforms.
The New Mutants is rated PG-13 and stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Blu Hunt, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga, and Alice Braga.