Geek News Brief

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Paul Wesley cast as James T. Kirk for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Paul Wesley has been cast in the iconic role of James T. Kirk for the second season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The announcement comes ahead of the season one premiere this May.

Strange New Worlds follows Captain Christopher Pike, Science Officer Spock, and Number One as they explore new worlds around the galaxy. Their adventures predate Captain Kirk’s ever stepping foot aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise.

Doctor Who’s TARDIS added to Fortnite’s creative mode

BBC Studios has announced that Doctor Who’s TARDIS has landed in Fortnite. However, the crossover is not an official collaboration with the game. Instead, the playable space can be accessed in the game’s Creative mode.

When the mysterious Reality Virus causes the TARDIS to appear on the island, players must help repair it by finding the parts to fix the Dynamorphic generators.

The game starts on the TARDIS Landing Site where players will find the TARDIS and start their quest to gather the Dynamorphic Generator Crystals from around the hub island in order to repair it. Special rewards and surprises will keep players on their toes along the way.

Players interested in learning more about the Doctor’s world can head to the Doctor Who Museum. Here, there’s more info about the famous friends and foes of the Doctor, including the Cybermen, Daleks, Weeping Angels, K-9, and the TARDIS.

To visit the Doctor Who island in Fortnite, use the Island Code 3610-1396-4646.

Netflix’s Resident Evil series arriving in July

Netflix has announced that their upcoming live-action Resident Evil series will debut on July 14th.

Set in the year 2036, the series takes place 14 years after a deadly virus caused a global apocalypse. Jade Wesker fights for survival in a world overrun by the blood-thirsty infected and insane creatures. In this absolute carnage, Jade is haunted by her past in Raccoon City, by her father’s chilling connections to the Umbrella Corporation but mostly by what happened to her sister, Billie.

Ms. Marvel premieres on Disney+ on June 8th

Ms. Marvel, one of several MCU shows coming to Disney+ this year, will premiere on June 8th. The series centers around Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American from New Jersey who idolizes her world’s superheroes, especially Captain Marvel.

A new trailer arrived along with the release date announcement, which shows more of Kamala’s altered cosmic powerset for the series. This has been a point of debate since it was first revealed, as Ms. Marvel’s polymorphic abilities in the comics are closer to the Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards than the cosmic abilities shown in the trailer.

The source of her powers also appears to be tied to mystical bracelets instead of her comic book power origin of being an Inhuman. However, making her powers cosmic and making this bracelet potentially of alien origin ties the character even closer to Captain Marvel, whose sequel movie will also bring Ms. Marvel to the big screen.

Harley Quinn spin-off series for Kite Man in the works

A spin-off series of HBO Max’s Harley Quinn, titled Noonan’s, is currently in the works.

At SXSW, Warner Bros. executive and Harley Quinn series co-creator Patrick Schumacker teased the new show. Since Schumacker specifically said it was in development, things are still subject to change.

Noonan’s would follow Kite Man as he buys Noonan’s Bar, an infamous hangout spot for hitman and henchman of Gotham.

Schumacker added that, “He tries to run the bar by himself but it doesn’t turn out so easy. We have Harley and Ivy appear in the first episode, but after that we have different goons and villains appearing every episode like Lex Luthor and Bane. It will be kind of like ‘Cheers’ for supervillains.”

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

HBO Max orders The Batman’s Penguin spinoff to series

HBO Max has given a straight-to-series order to a spinoff series for The Penguin, which will see Colin Farrell reprising his role from The Batman as one of Gotham’s legendary mob kingpins.

Penguin picks up where the movie left off in regards to the character. Reeves said of the announcement, “Colin exploded off the screen as the Penguin in The Batman, and having the chance to thoroughly explore the inner life of that character on HBO Max is an absolute thrill. (We) are so excited to continue Oz’s story as he grabs violently for power in Gotham.”

Gotham PD spinoff of The Batman shifts into Arkham-focused series

A planned Gotham PD spinoff series of The Batman has been put on hold. The film’s director Matt Reeves had been attached to the project since July 2020.

Reeves said his drama would’ve acted as a prequel to The Batman. “The series was going to be kind of like Prince of the City, where it was going to be year one because the movie is year two, and I wanted it to be the first appearance. But it wasn’t going to be a Batman story. It was going to be about this corrupt cop, and it was going to be about how the worst gang in Gotham were the GCPD. And Bruce would have touched paths with Gordon. It would have been someone to measure him against, but it would be a battle for his soul.”

However, Reeves recently said that the show has shifted focus to Arkham Asylum, the home of many of Batman’s rogues’ gallery. “The GCDP thing, that story has kind of evolved. We’ve actually now moved more into the realm of exactly what would happen in the world of Arkham as it relates to coming off of our movie. It’s like a horror movie or a haunted house that is Arkham. The idea of, again the way that Gotham is a character in the movie, I really want Arkham to exist as a character, so that you go into this environment and encounter these characters in a way that feels really fresh. And so in our work on Gotham, that story started to evolve, and it started feeling, ‘Wait, we should really lean into this.’ And that’s kind of where that’s gone.”

Warner Bros. delays Black Adam, Flash, and Aquaman 2

Warner Bros. has shuffled the release dates for several upcoming movies, including Black Adam, The Flash, Aquaman 2, and Shazam 2.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Flash are both being pushed from 2022 to 2023 due to pandemic-related production delays with visual effects. So now, Aquaman 2 will release on March 17, 2023 while The Flash will arrive on June 23, 2023.

Black Adam is being pushed back 3 months to October 21, 2022, while DC League of Super-Pets will step into Black Adam’s original slot on July 29, 2022.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the only movie that will arrive earlier than planned, with the sequel moving up from June 2, 2023 to December 12, 2022.

Raymond Lee cast as lead for Quantum Leap reboot

A reboot of the 1990s sci-fi drama Quantum Leap is on the way at NBC, and Raymond Lee has been cast as the lead for the series. He will play Dr. Ben Seong, a spiritual successor to Scott Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett from the original series.

Ben is both a scientist and a man of faith. He’s a world-renowned physicist working on a time-travel project known as Quantum Leap. In the reboot, it’s been 30 years since Dr. Beckett stepped into the Quantum Leap accelerator and vanished. Now a new team has been assembled to restart the project in hopes of understanding the mysteries behind the machine and the man who created it.

Will Forte and Lana Condor join Coyote vs. Acme

Will Forte and Lana Condor are now set to join John Cena in Warner Bros.’ upcoming animated hybrid movie Coyote vs. Acme.

The film follows Wile E. Coyote, who decides to hire a billboard lawyer to sue the ACME Corporation after their products have failed him too many times. Forte will play the billboard lawyer representing Wile E. Coyote, while Cena’s lawyer is Forte’s former boss representing ACME. It’s currently unknown what role Condor will play in the film.

Coyote vs. Acme will hit theaters on July 21, 2023.

Isle of the Dead announced as a Negan and Maggie spinoff of The Walking Dead

AMC has announced a six-episode series order for Isle of the Dead, a spinoff of The Walking Dead set to star Lauren Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan reprising their respective roles as Maggie and Negan.

Isle of the Dead will be set in Manhattan and follow Negan and Maggie exploring a New York City that takes on a very different meaning when viewed through the lens of a zombie apocalypse.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Marvel’s Netflix shows move to Disney+ in the US on March 16th

Disney+ has confirmed that Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, The Punisher, and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will become available to stream on the service starting March 16th.

According to Disney, when opening the service for the first time after that date, all subscribers in the U.S. will be prompted to update their Parental Controls. This includes the option to select content rating restrictions for each profile as well as to add a PIN to lock profiles. Those that choose to keep their settings the same will continue to enjoy Disney+ as they always have within a TV-14 content rating environment, with the option to make changes at any time.

John DiMaggio WILL return for Futurama revival

Good news everyone!

Three weeks after the announcement that Hulu’s Futurama revival would possibly return without the original voice of Bender, it’s now been confirmed that John DiMaggio has closed a deal to reprise the role of the foul-mouthed robot.

DiMaggio said in a statement: “So damn grateful for the love and support of fans and colleagues alike during this whole time (especially my wife, Kate), and I cannot wait to get back to work with my Futurama family. #Bendergate is officially over, so put it on the back of a shelf behind Xmas decorations, or maybe in that kitchen drawer with all of the other crap you put in there like old unusable crazy glue, or maybe even put it in a jar you save farts in. Whatever floats your boat, I don’t care, you get the picture. I’M BACK, BABY! BITE MY SHINY METAL ASS!”

Chris Hemsworth reportedly playing the villain in Furiosa prequel

While it’s been known that Chris Hemsworth would play a role in the upcoming Furiosa prequel, new reports are suggesting that he’ll portray the film’s villain.

A recent episode of the podcast Blank Check with Griffin and David featured author Kyle Buchanan, who wrote the book Blood, Sweat, & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road. During the episode they briefly discussed the progress of Furiosa, which has been experiencing major delays since it was announced in 2015. Buchanan dropped a tidbit saying that “They have Chris Hemsworth as the villain, who I heard was called Dr. Dementus.”

The news has not yet been confirmed by the production. If true, this will have Hemsworth facing off against Anya-Taylor Joy, who will play the film’s titular protagonist.

Pokemon Scarlet and Violet head to Switch in late 2022

The Pokemon Company has announced two new mainline titles, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, which are expected to launch sometime in late 2022. Developer Game Freak said the games would offer an “open-world adventure” for players to discover.

They also revealed the three starter Pokemon: Sprigatito, the capricious, attention-seeking grass cat Pokemon, Fuecoco, the laid-back fire croc Pokemon that does things at its own pace, and Quaxly, the earnest and tidy duckling Pokemon.

Ariana DeBose joins Sony’s Kraven the Hunter

Ariana DeBose has joined the cast of Sony’s Kraven the Hunter movie, which is set to star Aaron Taylor Johnson in the titular role. While unconfirmed, sources say that DeBose will play Calypso. Calypso is a voodoo priestess who utilizes magic potions as well as being an occasional partner and lover of Kraven.

The film is set to be released theatrically on January 13, 2023.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Street Fighter 6 announced

Capcom has officially announced Street Fighter 6 with the debut of a teaser trailer. The teaser features Ryu and Luke, a key DLC character appearing at the end of Street Fighter 5.

Aside from the announcement itself, Capcom only said it would have more news coming in the summer of 2022.

Along with the Street Fighter news, the company also revealed Capcom Fighting Collection, a new 10-game compilation with titles including Darkstalkers: The Night Warriors, Red Earth, and Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition. That collection will arrive on June 24th.

Paramount+ planning new TMNT villain movies and Transformers series

Paramount+ has revealed a new slate of original kids and family programming, including a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles CG-animated movie series, and a Transformers: Earthspark animated series.

Nickelodeon Animation is following the release of the upcoming TMNT theatrical film with a series of exclusive movies for Paramount+ beginning in 2023. Each will center on one of the property’s storied villains in never-before-told tales.

Also set on Paramount+ and Nickelodeon is Transformers: Earthspark, which follows a new species of Transformers who must find their place and purpose among Autobots, Decepticons, and the human family who adopts them.

Paramount might be working on a new Star Trek movie

After several starts and stalls, the next Star Trek movie might be gearing up to begin production by the end of the year. Paramount and JJ Abrams have announced that they’re hard at work on the new film that will feature their original Kelvin timeline cast.

However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the announcement came as a surprise to the actors and their representatives. Sources told the outlet that teams for the cast were not aware of the announcement of a new film, much less that they would be included in the deal. Regardless, the studio’s hope is to begin filming in the fall in order to achieve a December 22, 2023 release.

Back in 2018, Paramount had initially planned on making a Star Trek 4 that included a time travel team-up between Chris Pine’s James T. Kirk and his late father played by Chris Hemsworth. However, both Pine and Hemsworth reportedly pulled out of that project over money issues. As far as we know, this new film is not the same script as new writers have been hired since that movie was conceived.

Olivia Munn, Danny Ramirez, and Jessie T. Usher join Tales of the Walking Dead

The upcoming anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead is continuing to add to its cast.

According to Variety, Olivia Munn, Danny Ramirez, and Jessie T. Usher have all joined the cast of the series set in The Walking Dead universe. They join the previously cast Daniella Pineda, Terry Crews, Parker Posey, Poppy Liu, Anthony Edwards, and Jillian Bell.

Nintendo shutting down 3DS and Wii U eShops in March 2023

Nintendo has announced that it’s shutting down the eShops for the Wii U system and 3DS family of consoles in late March 2023. That means that after that date, you won’t be able to purchase any content from the shops, download demos, or redeem download codes for those systems. The shutdown process will start much earlier than next March though, as you won’t be able to add funds to your eShop account starting on May 23rd, 2022.

After the eShops officially shut down, you can only use them to redownload any content you already own and to install software updates. Nintendo added that this is part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time.

PlayStation Plus and Xbox Gold free games for March 2022

Here are the free games for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Gold members for March.

Starting on March 1st, PlayStation Plus members will awaken on the shores of a mysterious island in Ark: Survival Evolved and outpace the competition in Team Sonic Racing for PS4, as well as wield a blade and perform amazing parkour feats in Ghostrunner for PS5. In addition, team up and take on fearsome, supernatural foes in Ghost of Tsushima: Legends for both PS4 and PS5.

Xbox Gold members can join a girl and her dog on their rafting journey in The Flame in the Flood, show off your style in Street Power Soccer, embark upon light or dark campaigns in Sacred 2 Fallen Angel, and find the Krabby Patty secret formula in SpongeBob’s Truth or Square.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Walton Goggins cast as lead for Amazon’s Fallout TV show

Walton Goggins has been cast as the lead for Prime Video’s series adaptation of the video game franchise Fallout.

While full details about Goggins’ character have not been revealed, he is believed to be playing a Ghoul. In Fallout, ghouls are mutated humans who experienced prolonged radiation exposure amid the nuclear war.

Amazon originally announced the series in 2020 with Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy of Westworld behind the creation of the show.

Peacemaker renewed for Season 2 at HBO Max

James Gunn has confirmed that Peacemaker has officially been renewed for a second season at HBO Max.

Gunn had previously shared that a renewal was likely thanks to the first season’s impressive viewing numbers. Aside from Peacemaker’s next adventure, Gunn is also developing another TV series spinning out of the events of last year’s The Suicide Squad, though the headlining character for that series currently remains a mystery.

Stranger Things Season 4 will release in two parts

In an open letter to fans, Stranger Things series creators the Duffer Brothers revealed when new episodes will debut on Netflix, along with more news on the future of the show.

The letter reveals that Season 4 of Stranger Things will debut in two parts, with Volume 1 arriving on May 27th and Volume 2 on July 1st. The reason behind the decision is that Season 4 is nearly twice the length of any past season.

The other major piece of news announced is that Season 5 of Stranger Things will be its last. The creators had a story arc in mind from the beginning, and Season 5 will see their vision reach its planned conclusion.

Netflix is making a BioShock movie

Netflix is teaming up with 2K and Take-Two Interactive for a film adaptation of the BioShock series.

The streaming service released no further details, other than that the movie will be produced by 2K and Vertical Entertainment, a production company that’s worked on big studio horror films over the past 20 years.

Previously, director Gore Verbinski was attached to a big-budget film adaptation, however that fell apart around 2010.

Paramount announces Sonic 3 and Knuckles spinoff series

While Sonic the Hedgehog 2 hasn’t yet released, Paramount has announced that Sonic 3 is already in development. In addition to a third movie for the franchise, a spinoff series following Knuckles is in the works for Paramount+ with Idris Elba continuing his role from the sequel, which will hit theaters on April 8th.

John Cena set to star in Coyote vs. Acme for Warner Bros.

John Cena has closed a deal to star in Coyote vs. Acme, a live-action/CG hybrid feature film from Warner Bros. centered on the classic Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote.

Wile E. Coyote is the silent and cunningly inventive animal who is endlessly foiled in his attempts to capture the Road Runner. He is aided in his attempts by devices mail-ordered from Acme Corporation, which never quite work the way they’re supposed to.

The feature will tell the story of a down-on-his-luck human attorney who takes on Wile E. as a client in his suit against Acme over its defective products, only to discover that his boss at his former law firm is representing Acme.

Cena will play the former boss in the feature, which seems like part courtroom drama, part family comedy.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Netflix’s Marvel series are leaving the streamer as rights revert to Disney

Netflix’s Marvel series, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, The Punisher, Iron Fist, and The Defenders, are leaving the streamer on March 1st.

Netflix’s license for the shows is expiring, with the rights now reverting to Disney. The company hasn’t revealed where the shows will end up just yet, but even with the more mature take on its characters, it seems likely that Disney+ is the logical destination.

In addition to Disney regaining control of the existing episodes of each series, Kevin Feige has indicated that there is a possibility to revive or reboot some of the shows.

Hulu orders a Futurama revival with most of the cast returning

After months of negotiations, Hulu has finalized a deal for 20 new episodes of the cult animated sci-fi comedy Futurama, set to premiere in 2023. In addition to original creators Matt Groening and David X. Cohen returning, the majority of the voice cast is also set to come back, including Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr, and David Herman.

Missing from the list is John DiMaggio, who voices the robot Bender among half a dozen other characters. The role is currently being recast ahead of the first table read. The decision was made after DiMaggio’s negotiations with the studio came to a standstill, though there is a desire on both sides to have him rejoin the cast and reprise his role.

For Futurama, whose 20 new episodes are expected to run in two batches, this marks the third revival. Previously, it was revived for 4 direct-to-DVD movies, and then at Comedy Central for an additional three years.

Disney+’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series will premiere in May

Disney has revealed that its limited-run series Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on May 25th.

The series is set 10 years after the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, which saw Ewan McGregor’s Jedi knight Kenobi go into hiding after the fall of the Galactic Republic. Hayden Christensen is also set to return to play Darth Vader.

The Wolf Among Us 2 arrives in 2023

The revived Telltale Games team has announced that its long-awaited sequel to The Wolf Among Us will arrive in 2023. The Wolf Among Us 2 is set six months after the first season, and promises plenty of drama when a new case for Bigby Wolf gets the NYPD involved.

In 2019, LCG Entertainment resurrected Telltale after the studio’s collapse the year prior and revitalized the project. AdHoc studio is now developing the project, which is made up of previous Telltale employees, including those who worked on the original game. The studio has confirmed that the new game will make use of the Unreal engine as opposed to the engine previously used for the series.

Uncharted’s Nathan Drake is coming to Fortnite

Uncharted’s Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer are making their way to Fortnite. Even before Epic Games was able to make the announcement, the community solved the riddle and revealed the crossover trailer.

The Uncharted collaboration launches on February 17th, one day before the Uncharted film premieres in theaters. A new in-game item, Drake’s Map, will come to the game the following morning. These act like the Chapter 1 treasure maps, leading players on a hunt for buried “treasure,” or loot for your inventory.

The Nathan and Chloe skins will allow you to play as either the film versions of those characters or their Uncharted 4 counterparts.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Dakota Johnson in talks to play Madame Web for Sony’s Spider-Verse

Sources have reported to Deadline that Dakota Johnson is in talks to star in a Madame Web movie for Sony’s expanding Spider-Verse.

In the comics, Madame Web is depicted as an elderly woman with an autoimmune disorder and thus connected to a life support system that looked like a spider web. Due to her age and medical condition, she never actively fought any villains. For that reason, sources have stressed that it’s possible the project could turn into something else. Insiders say that due to her psychic sensory powers, she is essentially Sony’s version of Doctor Strange.

The Orville moves Season 3 premiere to June 2nd

Hulu has announced that the Season 3 premiere of The Orville has been pushed back to June 2. The new season was previously set to kick off on March 10.

Series creator and lead Seth MacFarlane said on Twitter: As occasionally happens, our show has been repositioned amidst the ever-changing television schedule landscape, which means that the wait will be just a bit longer. We’ve always promised you a television experience that will make it worth the wait, and we’re not wavering on that. We understand the frustration you’re feeling over more delays, so we want to give you a little taste of what’s to come.

Along with the statement, MacFarlane revealed a sneak peek of Season 3 footage, including the show’s new main titles.

In the meantime, make sure to check out my podcast Quantum Drive, in which we discuss every episode of The Orville, available on all podcast platforms.

Tales of the Walking Dead reveals its cast

AMC has announced the initial cast for Tales of the Walking Dead, their next spinoff series set in The Walking Dead universe. Anthony Edwards, Parker Posey, Terry Crews, Poppy Liu, and Jillian Bell have all been tapped to star in the episodic anthology series.

Each one-hour standalone episode of Tales of the Walking Dead will focus on both new and established characters set in the world of the original series, which is set to premiere this summer on AMC and AMC+.

Rockstar confirms that Grand Theft Auto 6 is in active development

In a recent Grand Theft Auto community update, Rockstar confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently in active development.

The update from Rockstar reads: “With the unprecedented longevity of GTAV, we know many of you have been asking us about a new entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. With every new project we embark on, our goal is always to significantly move beyond what we have previously delivered — and we are pleased to confirm that active development for the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series is well underway. We look forward to sharing more as soon as we are ready, so please stay tuned to the Rockstar Newswire for official details.

On behalf of our entire team, we thank you all for your support and cannot wait to step into the future with you!”

Donald Faison likely to be playing Booster Gold on Legends of Tomorrow

Donald Faison is set to appear in the season 7 finale of DC’s Legends of Tomorrow as an unnamed mystery character seeking fame, fortune, and glory. While the character’s name is being kept under wraps, the provided description strongly suggests that Faison will be playing the time-travelling Booster Gold.

The official description reads: The Legends first encounter this character at a different phase of his career whose golden years are in the rearview mirror. He is a good guy deep down; his ego is looking for a boost that only fame, fortune, and glory can provide. While he claims to have been recruited to work for a mysterious time organization, he wasn’t offered much of a choice in the matter. As an unauthorized time traveler with high-profile aspirations, he developed a mischievous streak and cuts a few corners along the way to achieving his dreams. He knows all about the Legends of Tomorrow and finds them inspiring because they are the kind of heroes who started at the ground floor, as opposed to inheriting their powers from an alien planet, a spider bite, or wealthy parents. But the big question is whether his respect for the team is going to be able to help the Legends out of hot water or get them into hotter water!”

Writer hired for Dungeons & Dragons TV series

eOne has closed a deal with Red Notice filmmaker Rawson Marshall Thurber to creatively oversee a flagship live-action television series based on Dungeons & Dragons. Thurber will write and direct the pilot script as well as executive produce the hourlong project.

Adapting Dungeons & Dragons for television has been a big focus for eOne following the company’s acquisition by Hasbro. The flagship live-action series is expected to serve as a cornerstone of the TV universe as it continues to expand.

Thurber commented on the news via Twitter, saying, “Boyhood dreams do come true.”

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Sony is acquiring Destiny studio Bungie

Sony is acquiring Bungie, the studio behind Destiny, in a deal worth $3.6 billion. Bungie will join the Sony Interactive Entertainment family, which already includes Insomniac Games, Naughty Dog, Guerrilla Games, Sucker Punch Productions, and more.

According to a statement from Bungie CEO Pete Parsons, the company is positioning the acquisition as the start of a new era, one focused on global multimedia entertainment, not just games. The studio will retain creative control over its franchises and continue to develop for multiple platforms, not just PlayStation.

Sony Interactive Entertainment’s CEO Jim Ryan also said that there are definitely more acquisitions coming in the company’s future, and that Sony’s goal is to deliver more live, online, multi-platform experiences.

James Gunn is developing another Suicide Squad spin-off for HBO Max

James Gunn has confirmed to Deadline that he’s working on another TV show for HBO Max that will be a spinoff of The Suicide Squad, though he can’t currently say what that will be.

When asked for more information, Gunn added, “It is connected to this universe, and I don’t think it will be the same genre as Peacemaker. It won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker, but it will be in the same universe.”

In addition, he also mentioned that there’s a really good chance we’ll be seeing a second season of Peacemaker, saying that it’s doing extraordinarily well and they just need to cross some Ts and dot some Is.

American’s McGee’s Alice is being developed for TV

Radar Pictures has secured the rights to American McGee’s Alice, the action-adventure game from EA, and has attached X-Men writer David Hayter to adapt the property for television.

Designed by American James McGee, the video game property includes the games Alice and its sequel Alice: Madness Returns, which are both twisted takes on Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

The TV adaptation will begin after Alice returns from the trip through the Looking-Glass. Her house is burnt down and her parents have died in the fire. Alice is the only survivor of the terrible accident. Afterward, she gets locked up inside a mental institution and is slowly wasting away there before she is summoned to Wonderland again by the White Rabbit. But this time it’s a Wonderland gone seriously bad and gory. The only chance for Alice to restore her peace of mind and find out more about the death of her parents is to fight through Wonderland and free it from the evil powers.

No broadcaster or streaming platform has yet acquired the drama series.

Wordle has been purchased by the New York Times

Wordle, the once-a-day word game that has reached massive popularity since launching in October, has been purchased by the New York Times.

The Times did not disclose the exact terms of the Wordle acquisition, though it stated in a press release that it paid in the low-seven figures. On Twitter, Wordle creator Josh Wardle stated that while it’s been incredible to watch the game bring so much joy to so many, he’s found the experience a little overwhelming since he’s maintaining it by himself. The game will eventually move to the New York Times site, where it will be free to play for everyone, and win streaks will likely be preserved.

Halo TV series to premiere on Paramount+ this March

Paramount+’s live-action Halo series will debut on the streamer on March 24th. The series stars Pablo Schreiber as video game icon Master Chief.

First announced back in 2013, the Halo series spent years in development hell before ViacomCBS announced last year that the show would premiere on Paramount+ instead of Showtime, as previously planned.

The creatives behind the series say Halo draws on the nearly twenty years of mythology and lore that has sprung out of the popular franchise. It will dramatize an epic conflict between humanity and an alien threat known as the Covenant while weaving deeply drawn personal stories with action, adventure, and a richly imagined vision of the future.

Masters of the Universe movie moves to Netflix with Kyle Allen as lead

The long-awaited live-action Masters of the Universe movie from Mattel Films has landed at Netflix with Kyle Allen set to play the hero He-Man.

The movie will be directed by the Nee brothers from a screenplay they wrote with Shang-Chi scribe David Callaham.

The Masters of the Universe lore centers around an orphan named Adam, who discovers he is a prince destined to be the savior of a far-away land and must quickly learn how to use his power to save his home from the evil Skeletor.

This most recent adaptation was previously in development at Sony, where at one point Noah Centineo was tapped to play the sword-wielding hero.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Respawn is making three more Star Wars games

EA has announced that Respawn Entertainment is making three more Star Wars games. The studio is working on a follow up to its hit 2019 action-adventure title Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, though it’s not clear if the upcoming game is a direct sequel.

A second title is a first-person shooter being overseen by a former Star Wars Battlefront producer. In addition, a strategy game produced by Respawn is on the way from Bit Reactor, a new third-party studio headed up by a developer who previously worked on the XCOM series.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will arrive on April 5th

Two years after it was originally set to release, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga will finally arrive on April 5th. The long-awaited title from TT Games adapts all nine movies in the Skywalker Saga, and you’ll be able to choose which trilogy to start with.

There are new combat mechanics, including ways to string attacks together and defend yourself with counter moves in styles tailored to your favorite characters. Players will experience fresh blaster mechanics, with an over-the-shoulder perspective with a third-person aiming reticle, and a cover system. As expected, there will be a ton of lightsaber action, space dogfighting, and many opportunities to use Force powers.

Many levels will have multiple paths to explore and you’ll be able to take on side missions. Class-based abilities are upgradable and there are more than 300 playable characters to unlock. There’s also a Mumble Mode, which will replace intelligible voice lines with mumbling, for those who prefer their LEGO games in the classic style.

Murderville comes to Netflix on February 3rd

Netflix has announced and debuted the first trailer for Murderville, a procedural crime improv comedy which is produced by and starring Will Arnett. Arnett plays Senior Detective Terry Seattle, who every day faces a new murder to solve with a celebrity guest star as his partner.

The catch is, the guest stars aren’t given a script. As they assist Terry clue by clue, they have to improvise their way through the case. In the end, it’s up to these celebrities alone to name the killer.

Based on the BAFTA award-winning BBC3 series Murder in Successville, the Arnett-led comedy will feature celebrity guests Conan O’Brien, Marshawn Lynch, Kumail Nanjiani, Annie Murphy, Sharon Stone, and Ken Jeong.

Murderville premieres on Netflix on February 3rd.

Blizzard announces new survival game set in a new universe

Blizzard is getting into a new genre with the announcement that it’s working on a survival game. It seems that the project is in the early stages of development, so don’t expect any footage anytime soon.

The job posting from the company says that the survival game will be a place full of heroes we have yet to meet, stories yet to be told, and adventures yet to be lived. A vast realm of possibility, waiting to be explored.

The one detail that was confirmed is that the game will be available on PC and console. With the recent acquisition of Blizzard by Microsoft, that could mean it will be console-exclusive to Xbox, but that remains to be seen.

PlayStation Plus and Xbox Gold free games for February 2022

Here are the free games for PlayStation Plus and Xbox Gold members for February.

Starting on February 1st, PlayStation Plus members will be able to step into the octagon in EA Sports UFC 4 and storm the castles in Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep: A Wonderlands One-shot Adventure for PS4, as well as build parks in Planet Coaster: Console Edition for PS5.

Xbox Gold members can uncover a murderous conspiracy in Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse, run, jump, slide, or dash with Aerial_Knight’s Never Yield, fight back against terrorists in Hydrophobia, and fight against spiders, bugs, and more in Band of Bugs.

Tobey Maguire & Andrew Garfield explain why they returned for Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spoiler warning if you haven’t yet seen Spider-Man: No Way Home.

In a recent interview with Deadline, both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield revealed why they decided to return for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Maguire recalled his meeting with Marvel’s Kevin Feige and producer Amy Pascal, saying, “In that conversation, the intention, the kind of love and celebration of these movies and what it meant I think to Amy and Kevin was apparent, and to me, when artists or people who are steering the creative process have a kind of authentic, genuine intent of celebration and love, it just was so apparent in both of them, that I just wanted to join that. And I’m a big fan of Tom and those movies and Andrew. So, it was definitely intriguing, but yes, I was also going, ‘well, what are we going to do?”

Apparently, getting Maguire onboard was also a big selling point for Garfield. Once he knew his predecessor had joined the film, Garfield was game as well.

“Well, I was just waiting to see if Tobey was going to do it, and if Tobey was going to do it, then I was like, well, I have no choice, you know? I follow Tobey to the ends of the Earth. I’m a lemming for Tobey. But that was sincerely a big part of it when I was approached about it, and again, it’s similar to what Tobey was saying. It was like, oh, the intention feels very pure here, it actually feels like a great creative idea and a great creative story.”

Garfield added, “It wasn’t like they were just asking us to come and say hi and then leave again. But actually, have our presence being in service to Tom, being in service to Tom’s journey and where he is as Peter Parker, and I love the destiny feeling of the multiverse expanding in this film, and actually, without Tobey’s Peter and Andrew’s Peter being present for Tom’s Peter at this very moment, he may not become the Peter Parker that he’s supposed to become…Getting three Spider-Men together could go one of two ways, and I think it’s a testament to these guys that it went the way that it went, which was a brotherhood, which is just beautiful.”

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Microsoft is acquiring Activision Blizzard

Microsoft has announced plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for a price of $68.7 billion. The deal would make the combined entity the third-largest game company by revenue and would put titles like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush under their umbrella. Part of the deal includes plans by Microsoft to add Activision Blizzard games to Game Pass.

The buyout is expected to close no later than June 2023 if regulators and Activision Blizzard shareholders greenlight the move. The board of directors for both companies have already approved the deal.

Microsoft didn’t say how many Activision Blizzard games would be Xbox-exclusive on consoles, or Windows-exclusive on computers.

The Cuphead Show to premiere on Netflix on February 18th

Netflix has revealed that The Cuphead Show will premiere on February 18th, along with debuting a brand-new trailer. Fans of the game will quickly recognize the 1930’s-influenced art style and the cast of characters for the 12-episode series.

The show is described as a character-driven comedy series following the unique misadventures of the lovable, impulsive scamp Cuphead and his cautious but easily-swayed brother Mugman.

The voice cast includes acting veterans Tru Valentino and Frank Todaro as Cuphead and Mugman, with Wayne Brady in the role of King Dice.

Star Trek shows get premiere dates and renewals

Paramount+ has revealed new season premiere dates and additional season pickup orders across the service’s Star Trek Universe series.

Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for a fifth season. Season 4 will return with new episodes on Thursday, February 10th.

Season two of Star Trek: Picard will premiere on Thursday, March 3rd and a third season in currently in production.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a second season ahead of its first season debut, which will premiere on Thursday, May 5th.

Star Trek: Lower Decks will return in Summer 2022 with a 10-episode third season, and has also been renewed for a fourth season.

Star Trek: Prodigy will conclude the first half of its first season on February 3rd, with the second half of season one available starting later in 2022.

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings show gets a title

Amazon has revealed the title of its upcoming Lord of the Rings Series. The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will premiere on the streamer this September 2nd.

Showrunners J.D. Payne & Patrick McKay said in a statement, “This is a title that we imagine could live on the spine of a book next to J.R.R. Tolkien’s other classics. The Rings of Power unites all the major stories of Middle-earth’s Second Age: the forging of the rings, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the epic tale of Numenor and the Last Alliance of Elves and Men. Until now, audiences have only seen onscreen the story of the One Ring – but before there was one, there were many… and we’re excited to share the epic story of them all.”

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse will change art styles in each dimension

In an interview with Collider, Chris Miller and Phil Lord discussed the visual changes that we’ll be seeing in Across the Spider-Verse.

Miller said, “The idea that we’d be going to different dimensions really opened up an opportunity artistically to have each world have its own art style, and to be able to push the folks at ImageWorks to develop a way to have each dimension feel like it was drawn by a different artist’s hand. Seeing the development of that stuff is breathtaking, and really, it’s the reason we keep doing it, because it’s so hard to get it right.”

Lord added that their goal is always to push animation in directions it hasn’t gone yet on every project.

The CW developing Justice U for David Ramsey

Justice U is a new series in development for The CW’s Arrowverse, with David Ramsey’s John Diggle set to lead the pack.

In the new series, after years of fighting alongside masked heroes, Diggle embarks on a new mission to recruit five young meta humans to live undercover as freshmen at a prestigious university. There he will oversee their education and train them to become the heroes of tomorrow.

In addition to starring in the series, if it is picked up to pilot, Ramsey will also direct.