Monthly Archives: June 2022

Top Gun: Maverick Is Officially Tom Cruise’s Highest-Grossing Movie Ever

After earning more than $800 million at the global box office, Top Gun: Maverick has officially become Tom Cruise's highest-grossing movie of all time.

As reported by Variety, Top Gun: Maverick soared past Mission: Impossible - Fallout's $791 million to claim the #1 spot on Cruise's resume, and it still has some runway left to go as it heads into its fourth week in theaters and inches closer to the coveted $1 billion milestone.

Top Gun: Maverick's current global total sits at $806.4 million, with $422.2 million of that coming from North America.

In its debut during Memorial Day Weekend, Top Gun: Maverick earned $160.5 million domestically. It continued to earn $90 million and $51 million domestically in its second and third weekend, respectively, and looks to face off against newcomer Lightyear and Jurassic World: Dominion, the latter of which is set to enter its second weekend.

In our Top Gun: Maverick review, we said that it "is good ol' cheesy as hell, silly-heroic entertainment with mile-high enthusiasm — a welcome throwback to simpler cinematic times."

For more, check out our explainer of Top Gun: Maverick's ending, how the film's breathtaking practical effects were achieved, and how one shot could only be filmed once because the set blew away.

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. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

EA Boss Andrew Wilson Got a $20m Pay Cut Last Year, But It’s Complicated

EA CEO Andrew Wilson took a pay cut last year at the behest of shareholders, and we finally know by about how much: a whopping $20 million. But, as with most executive pay scenarios, the intricacies of Wilson's pay are not quite that simple.

In the previous year, 2021, Wilson earned $39.2 million between his base salary of $1.25 million and a bundle of various stock awards, grants, and other types of extra compensation that are typical for top executives. But the EA board of directors was under pressure to reform those numbers. A 2020 "say on pay" vote by shareholders had indicated that only 26% of the company's shareholders were happy with the current pay schemes, after similar votes in previous years had indicated overwhelming support for executive pay.

The wave of displeasure was at least partially instigated by CtW Investment Group, an organization that over the years has taken a number of companies to task over high executive pay, including EA and Activision Blizzard. The organization accused EA of "developing a special award grant addiction," noting how much of Wilson's compensation was based on massive bonuses. And indeed the following year, a $30 million stock grant was awarded to Wilson in 2021 to help "retain and motivate" him.

While the shareholder 'say on pay' votes are non-binding, they do take the temperature of the shareholders, and upsetting an overwhelming number of them is sure to have consequences. So for 2022, EA opted to skip a number of Wilson's usual major bonuses. While his base salary technically increased from $1.25 million to $1.3 million, absent certain bonuses, he earned $19.9 million total in fiscal 2022, a nearly $20 million drop from 2021, according to EA's filing.

We don't know yet what Wilson will make in the current fiscal year, which for EA began in April of this year. The company will hold another vote this year in August, which will allow its shareholders to express their satisfaction, or not, with how it's reformed its pay structure. And it has reiterated its commitment not to grant any special equity awards to executive officers through 2026, though there are still plenty of other ways for top brass to receive significant salaries. For instance, he received a $30 million stock grant in 2021, and an $18 million this past year, both of which made up the bulk of his pay each year and could be increased again in future years.

A report earlier this year compared gaming executive compensation back in 2020, at which time Playtika CEO Robert Antokol was the highest-earning CEO at $372 million. Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick brought in $154.6 million that year, and Wilson made $34.7 million. For comparison, that same year EA median employee compensation was $123,935. Per its 2021 report, that median lowered last year to $115,569.

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

EA Boss Andrew Wilson Got a $20m Pay Cut Last Year, But It’s Complicated

EA CEO Andrew Wilson took a pay cut last year at the behest of shareholders, and we finally know by about how much: a whopping $20 million. But, as with most executive pay scenarios, the intricacies of Wilson's pay are not quite that simple.

In the previous year, 2021, Wilson earned $39.2 million between his base salary of $1.25 million and a bundle of various stock awards, grants, and other types of extra compensation that are typical for top executives. But the EA board of directors was under pressure to reform those numbers. A 2020 "say on pay" vote by shareholders had indicated that only 26% of the company's shareholders were happy with the current pay schemes, after similar votes in previous years had indicated overwhelming support for executive pay.

The wave of displeasure was at least partially instigated by CtW Investment Group, an organization that over the years has taken a number of companies to task over high executive pay, including EA and Activision Blizzard. The organization accused EA of "developing a special award grant addiction," noting how much of Wilson's compensation was based on massive bonuses. And indeed the following year, a $30 million stock grant was awarded to Wilson in 2021 to help "retain and motivate" him.

While the shareholder 'say on pay' votes are non-binding, they do take the temperature of the shareholders, and upsetting an overwhelming number of them is sure to have consequences. So for 2022, EA opted to skip a number of Wilson's usual major bonuses. While his base salary technically increased from $1.25 million to $1.3 million, absent certain bonuses, he earned $19.9 million total in fiscal 2022, a nearly $20 million drop from 2021, according to EA's filing.

We don't know yet what Wilson will make in the current fiscal year, which for EA began in April of this year. The company will hold another vote this year in August, which will allow its shareholders to express their satisfaction, or not, with how it's reformed its pay structure. And it has reiterated its commitment not to grant any special equity awards to executive officers through 2026, though there are still plenty of other ways for top brass to receive significant salaries. For instance, he received a $30 million stock grant in 2021, and an $18 million this past year, both of which made up the bulk of his pay each year and could be increased again in future years.

A report earlier this year compared gaming executive compensation back in 2020, at which time Playtika CEO Robert Antokol was the highest-earning CEO at $372 million. Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick brought in $154.6 million that year, and Wilson made $34.7 million. For comparison, that same year EA median employee compensation was $123,935. Per its 2021 report, that median lowered last year to $115,569.

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

The Flash: DC Reveals Very Unsettling Cover Art Featuring Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen

DC Comics has solicited the first issue of The Flash: Fastest Man Alive, a new limited series that serves as a prequel to the upcoming DCEU movie. But whatever excitement fans might be feeling about that project is being drowned out by a very unsettling cover image.

In a neat bit of DC synergy, the first issue of the series boasts a variant cover drawn by none other than The Flash director Andy Muschietti. Unfortunately, the composition of said cover is more than a little head-scratching:

Muschietti proves he has some artistic chops in addition to his directing skills, particularly with one version of the cover revealing the uncolored pencil art he delivered to DC. However, the content of said cover gives plenty of reason for pause. We see Miller's Barry Allen seemingly caught off-guard and sans clothing, trying to don his new Flash costume while Ben Affleck's Batman battles Girder in the background. Or maybe Barry is purposely mooning Girder? Either way, how Barry came to be roaming the streets of Central City naked is anyone's guess.

This somewhat racy cover art certainly seems poorly timed in light of Miller's recent legal and PR troubles. Following a series of arrests and public incidents in Hawaii, the actor is now embroiled in a scandal involving accusations of grooming and psychological intimidation. According to Rolling Stone, Warner Bros. recently held an emergency meeting to discuss Miller's future with the studio.

As for the comic itself, Fastest Man Alive will shed light on the deepening Barry Allen/Bruce Wayne dynamic leading up to the new movie. The series is written by Kenny Porter and drawn by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. DC's solicit text teases:

Race through the streets of Central City in this lead-up to the hotly anticipated blockbuster The Flash! After Barry’s adventure with the Justice League, he’s determined to become a truly skilled and inspirational hero. As a new threat emerges in Central City going by the name of Girder, Barry turns to Batman for advice on training to master his powers. Can the Dark Knight help show the Scarlet Speedster a way to defeat this metallic menace, or will the Flash be crushed by Girder’s strength?

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1 will release on September 13, 2022, with the movie currently slated for release on June 23, 2023. Until then, you can read up on the new Flash footage IGN saw at CinemaCon 2022.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Flash: DC Reveals Very Unsettling Cover Art Featuring Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen

DC Comics has solicited the first issue of The Flash: Fastest Man Alive, a new limited series that serves as a prequel to the upcoming DCEU movie. But whatever excitement fans might be feeling about that project is being drowned out by a very unsettling cover image.

In a neat bit of DC synergy, the first issue of the series boasts a variant cover drawn by none other than The Flash director Andy Muschietti. Unfortunately, the composition of said cover is more than a little head-scratching:

Muschietti proves he has some artistic chops in addition to his directing skills, particularly with one version of the cover revealing the uncolored pencil art he delivered to DC. However, the content of said cover gives plenty of reason for pause. We see Miller's Barry Allen seemingly caught off-guard and sans clothing, trying to don his new Flash costume while Ben Affleck's Batman battles Girder in the background. Or maybe Barry is purposely mooning Girder? Either way, how Barry came to be roaming the streets of Central City naked is anyone's guess.

This somewhat racy cover art certainly seems poorly timed in light of Miller's recent legal and PR troubles. Following a series of arrests and public incidents in Hawaii, the actor is now embroiled in a scandal involving accusations of grooming and psychological intimidation. According to Rolling Stone, Warner Bros. recently held an emergency meeting to discuss Miller's future with the studio.

As for the comic itself, Fastest Man Alive will shed light on the deepening Barry Allen/Bruce Wayne dynamic leading up to the new movie. The series is written by Kenny Porter and drawn by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz. DC's solicit text teases:

Race through the streets of Central City in this lead-up to the hotly anticipated blockbuster The Flash! After Barry’s adventure with the Justice League, he’s determined to become a truly skilled and inspirational hero. As a new threat emerges in Central City going by the name of Girder, Barry turns to Batman for advice on training to master his powers. Can the Dark Knight help show the Scarlet Speedster a way to defeat this metallic menace, or will the Flash be crushed by Girder’s strength?

The Flash: Fastest Man Alive #1 will release on September 13, 2022, with the movie currently slated for release on June 23, 2023. Until then, you can read up on the new Flash footage IGN saw at CinemaCon 2022.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Tom Holland’s Uncharted’s Streaming Debut Will Be On Netflix In July

Uncharted will make its streaming debut on Netflix on July 15. According to What's On Netflix, the film adaptation of the popular series will debut in the United Stated first, with other regions to follow.

The release is part of a deal that will also see the heavily-memed Morbius and the more respectable Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 hit the service. Netflix is expected to carry Uncharted for 18 months before it departs for one of Disney's services, likely Hulu.

Uncharted released in February and has proven to be a hit, grossing more than $400 million at the box office. Successful as it was, though, reception was mixed, with IGN's own review describing it as a "safe but serviceable sampling of a new globe-spanning adventure."

Uncharted stars Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake and Victor "Sully" Sullivan. It's an adaptation of Naughty Dog's popular series on PlayStation, which has helped to define third-person action-adventure games for more than a decade.

While Uncharted heads to streaming, Sony is working on more live-action adaptations of its various properties, including Ghost of Tsushima and Gran Turismo. Meanwhile, Netflix recently hosted Geeked Week, with plenty of announcements of its own.

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.

Tom Holland’s Uncharted’s Streaming Debut Will Be On Netflix In July

Uncharted will make its streaming debut on Netflix on July 15. According to What's On Netflix, the film adaptation of the popular series will debut in the United Stated first, with other regions to follow.

The release is part of a deal that will also see the heavily-memed Morbius and the more respectable Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 hit the service. Netflix is expected to carry Uncharted for 18 months before it departs for one of Disney's services, likely Hulu.

Uncharted released in February and has proven to be a hit, grossing more than $400 million at the box office. Successful as it was, though, reception was mixed, with IGN's own review describing it as a "safe but serviceable sampling of a new globe-spanning adventure."

Uncharted stars Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg as Nathan Drake and Victor "Sully" Sullivan. It's an adaptation of Naughty Dog's popular series on PlayStation, which has helped to define third-person action-adventure games for more than a decade.

While Uncharted heads to streaming, Sony is working on more live-action adaptations of its various properties, including Ghost of Tsushima and Gran Turismo. Meanwhile, Netflix recently hosted Geeked Week, with plenty of announcements of its own.

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.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power Will Get An ‘Exclusive Early Look’ At San Diego Comic-Con

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is getting an "exclusive early look" at San Diego Comic-Con as Amazon brings the anticipated series to the convention, which will be an in-person event for the first time since 2019.

The event will include a panel intended to introduce fans to the show's cast, which stars Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, and a multitude of other characters.

Prime Video didn't reveal who exactly will be at the event, but the press release mentions that "creators and stars" will be in Hall H, meaning that showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are likely to be on hand. Prime Video may also show new footage from the series — a common occurence at events like these.

In development since 2017, The Rings of Power will focus on the Second Age — the misty period around the Last Alliance of Elves and Men shown briefly at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. With its huge cast and sprawling setting, Rings of Power is one of the most expensive shows ever made, with just one season reportedly costing a cool $465 million to make.

Prime Video has been gearing up for Rings of Power's September 2 release date with a Super Bowl trailer and character photos. Everyone seems to have a take on Rings of Power, including George R.R. Martin, who hopes that it will do well (but also wants the Game of Thrones prequel to do better). Meanwhile, Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen somehow forgot that it exists.

We'll no doubt learn a lot about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power when San Diego Comic-Con kicks off on July 21.

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.

Lord of the Rings: The Rings Of Power Will Get An ‘Exclusive Early Look’ At San Diego Comic-Con

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is getting an "exclusive early look" at San Diego Comic-Con as Amazon brings the anticipated series to the convention, which will be an in-person event for the first time since 2019.

The event will include a panel intended to introduce fans to the show's cast, which stars Robert Aramayo as Elrond, Morfydd Clark as Galadriel, and a multitude of other characters.

Prime Video didn't reveal who exactly will be at the event, but the press release mentions that "creators and stars" will be in Hall H, meaning that showrunners and executive producers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are likely to be on hand. Prime Video may also show new footage from the series — a common occurence at events like these.

In development since 2017, The Rings of Power will focus on the Second Age — the misty period around the Last Alliance of Elves and Men shown briefly at the beginning of The Fellowship of the Ring. With its huge cast and sprawling setting, Rings of Power is one of the most expensive shows ever made, with just one season reportedly costing a cool $465 million to make.

Prime Video has been gearing up for Rings of Power's September 2 release date with a Super Bowl trailer and character photos. Everyone seems to have a take on Rings of Power, including George R.R. Martin, who hopes that it will do well (but also wants the Game of Thrones prequel to do better). Meanwhile, Aragorn actor Viggo Mortensen somehow forgot that it exists.

We'll no doubt learn a lot about Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power when San Diego Comic-Con kicks off on July 21.

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.

Disney’s Hercules Getting Live-Action Movie Helmed By Guy Ritchie

Guy Ritchie is a long way from his days making English gangster movies like Snatch. These days he's helming movies like Disney's live-action Aladdin, which managed to gross more than a billion dollars when it released in 2019.

So what's next? How about a live-action Hercules?

Deadline reports that Ritchie will be taking the reins of Disney's next live-action adaptation, which will be produced by the company runs by Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo. The studio is currently in the process of hiring writers for the project.

Originally released back in 1997, Hercules was one of the latter day entries in the so-called Disney Renaissance, with Tate Donovan starring as the titular hero as he joins the Prometheus Academy. Danny DeVito also starred as Phil, a surly satyr who trains aspiring heroes, and James Woods as Hades, the villain of the piece.

It's the latest in a string of live-action Disney adaptions including Beauty & The Beast and Mulan. A Little Mermaid adaption is also slated to release in 2023.

As for Ritchie, he hasn't left action movies behind entirely. According to Deadline, he recently shot an untitled action movie with Jake Gyllenhaal that was sold to MGM and Amazon.

With Hercules still in need of a script, we probably won't see a release until 2024 at the very earliest. While you wait, check out our list of the 25 Best Disney Animated Movies and the best movies on Disney Plus.

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.