Geek News Brief

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Amazon Prime developing a Mass Effect TV series

According to Deadline, Amazon Studios is nearing a deal to develop a series based on Mass Effect, the best-selling sci-fi video game franchise from Electronic Arts.

While no details have been released, Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke told the outlet that due to the recent success of Wheel of Time, it’s continuing to invest in fantasy genre of all kinds.

Mass Effect rumors had been floating around for some time now, with EA recently stating that it’s not a matter of if, but when a TV series based on the game will be made.

Fortnite Chapter 2 will end on Dec. 4th with a big event

Fortnite will soon see the end of its second chapter. Chapter 2, which started all the way back in October 2019, will wrap up with a one-time-only in-game event called The End at 4pm eastern time on December 4th.

A post from Epic Games reads, “With The Convergence complete, The Cube Queen prepares her endgame for the Island and nothing will ever be the same. Grab your weapons and fight the ultimate destroyer of all reality.”

If you have any Bars or Battle Stars, use them before the end of the season, since they won’t carry over to Chapter 3. Starting on November 30th, character services and exotic item trades will be discounted in Bargain Bin Week. If you have any remaining quests you want to complete, you’ll want to get those done as soon as possible as well.

Squads of up to 16 players will be able to experience The End together. The event playlist will open at 3:30pm, so join early to grab a spot. Since Epic is ending the season a day earlier than planned, everyone who logs into the game before it wraps up will receive a 225,000 XP bonus. Those who take part in the event will also unlock a special Loading Screen and Wrap.

Agatha All Along gets a Grammy nomination

Agatha All Along, the song from Episode 7 of Marvel Studios’ hit series WandaVision, has been nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Song Written for Visual Media.

The song, which quickly became an internet sensation, was written by songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who previously penned Oscar-winning songs for Frozen and Coco. The song previously led to one of WandaVision’s Emmy wins, with the couple songwriters taking home the award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Netflix is developing a Power Rangers universe of movies and series

Netflix is developing a Power Rangers universe of interconnected films and series.

eOne’s Michael Lombardo teased that an update may be revealed soon, saying, “Since we set up Power Rangers with Jonathan (Entwistle), we pitched really a whole-world approach. It’s not just one show, it is shows followed by films, and some kids’ programming. We have found a great writing partner for him and they are off. Knock on wood, Netflix is excited, we’re excited, and we hope to have some news soon.”

Netflix also recently picked up the rights to the second season of Power Rangers Dino Fury, the current incarnation of the long-running franchise. However, the new interconnected Power Rangers universe will be separate from all of the films and TV shows that preceded it.

Blade Runner series in development from Ridley Scott

Blade Runner director Ridley Scott has confirmed that a TV show based on the sci-fi classic is in development.

He said in an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today that, “We’re already into having written the pilot for Blade Runner, and the bible. So already presenting Blade Runner as a TV show, which should probably be the first 10 hours.”

Scott didn’t provide any insight about who’s involved with the series or how it ties into his movie or the sequel, which was released in 2017.

Epic Games buys Guitar Hero’s Harmonix to create musical journeys in Fornite

Epic Games has acquired Harmonix, the studio behind music games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Fuser. While the studio stated that they’ll be working with Epic to bring their unique brand of musical gaming experiences to the Metaverse, their immediate plans are to create musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite.

In the meantime, Harmonix says it will continue to support its existing slate of games. That means Rock Band players can continue to look forward to new DLC and Fuser players can expect the studio to continue hosting events. Additionally, any game that’s currently available through Steam will continue to be sold through Valve’s storefront.

Street Fighter’s Ryu, Chun-Li, and Akuma are coming to Brawlhalla

Street Fighter characters Ryu, Chun-Li, and Akuma are making their way to Ubisoft’s free-to-play platform fighter Brawlhalla.

Their arrival coincides with an in-game event featuring a new mode called Street Brawl, which adopts Street Fighter’s health bars and adds other aesthetic effects inspired by Capcom’s fighting game franchise. All three fighters are available to use in Brawlhalla right now.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Star Wars: Ahsoka casts Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren

Sources have confirmed to Variety that Natasha Liu Bordizzo has been cast as Sabine Wren for the Disney+ series Star Wars: Ahsoka.

Wren was first introduced to the Star Wars universe in the animated series Star Wars Rebels. She is a young Mandalorian and a weapons expert, particularly when it comes to explosives. She is also known for her love of graffiti and is a dropout of the Imperial Academy of Mandalore. After the fall of the Empire, Wren and Tano struck out in search of their missing friend, Ezra Bridger.

Scarlett Johansson is producing a “top secret” movie for Marvel

Kevin Feige has revealed that Scarlett Johansson is producing a “top secret Marvel Studios project.” He also confirmed that the movie in question would not be related to Black Widow.

Feige said, “Scarlett has lent her talent and star power to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade. That she’s chosen to play a key part in it for so many years, I am extremely grateful for. Working with her has truly been one of the most memorable and rewarding collaborations of my career.”

Feige didn’t share any additional details about Johansson’s next MCU project, but presumably, it’s a film that hasn’t been announced yet.

Netflix’s Arcane gets renewal for second season

Riot Games’ League of Legends animated series Arcane has been officially renewed for a second season at Netflix. Stars Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Katie Leung are set to reprise their roles for season two, which is currently in production.

Arcane follows the origins of popular League champions sisters Jinx and Vi as they seek to reunite. Overcoming the world of Arcane is a dark power that brings on violence and chaos, and threatens to keep the sisters apart.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Warner Bros. announces Smash-like fighter MultiVersus

Warner Bros. has announced MultiVersus, a Super Smash Bros-like fighter that brings together characters from various WB-owned properties like Justice League, Adventure Time, Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, and Game of Thrones. The game is set to release in 2022 for consoles and PC, and will be free-to-play.

MultiVersus will support 1v1, 2v2, and 4-player free-for-all matches, set on stages themed around the characters available in the game. A partial roster has been revealed, with more characters to be announced, and each one will be voiced by familiar actors, such as Kevin Conroy as Batman, John DiMaggio as Jake the Dog, and even Maisie Williams as Arya Stark.

The currently announced roster includes Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Shaggy, Bugs Bunny, Arya Stark, Jake the Dog, Finn the Human, Steven Universe, Garnet, Tom and Jerry, and Reindog, an original character debuting in MultiVersus. Along with unique ability sets, each character will get customization through perk loadouts, skins, and emotes.

As a free-to-play game, MultiVersus will be supported by in-game purchases. What those purchases are remain to be seen, but the trailer shows what appears to be a battle pass system that’s likely to include cosmetics.

The game will support cross play and cross progression across all of its supported platforms, which include PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Series S & X, and PC.

Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender series casts Uncle Iroh, Gyatso, and Zhao

Netflix has added three more actors to the cast of their Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

Paul Sun-Hyung Lee will play fan favorite Uncle Iroh, a retired Fire Nation general and the wise and nurturing mentor to his hot-headed nephew, Prince Zuko.

Lim Kay Siu will play Monk Gyatso, a kind and caring Air Nomad who is the guardian, father figure, and best friend to Aang.

Ken Leung will play Commander Zhao, a scheming and ambitious Fire Nation military officer who’s eager to leverage an unexpected encounter with a desperate Prince Zuko to advance his personal goals.

A new Earthworm Jim animated series is in development

A new Earthworm Jim animated TV series is in development from Interplay Entertainment, which owns the rights to the game franchise.

Like the games, the series would follow the adventures of the titular Jim, a worm in a futuristic robotic suit who fights evildoers. The series will also bring in new characters as they navigate the galaxy, where each planet is home to a race of anthropomorphic animals. Jim’s ultimate quest is to find his true home among the stars: a near-mythical planet called Earth.

The Batman: The Complete series coming to Blu-ray

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has announced the Blu-ray release of The Batman: The Complete Series. The remastered collection will arrive on February 1st, 2022 on Blu-ray and Digital in the United States and in Canada in a Blu-ray only format.

The series premiered in 2004 on Kids’ WB before shifting to Cartoon Network for subsequent seasons. The new collection includes all 65 episodes along with a long list of special features including quizzes and featurettes.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Bandai Namco announces Dragon Ball: The Breakers

Bandai Namco and developer Dimps have announced Dragon Ball: The Breakers, a new game with an intriguing gameplay twist for the Dragon Ball franchise. It’s an asymmetrical online multiplayer game, where players fight to survive in 1v7 matches.

This is a vast departure from previous Dragon Ball games, leaning closer to other asymmetrical titles like Dead by Daylight, Evolve, and Friday the 13th. In Dragon Ball: The Breakers, seven Survivors will try to outwit, outsmart, and outlast the player assuming the role of the Raider. Players in that role can choose either Cell, Buu, or Frieza, who are overwhelmingly more powerful than the other players. The underpowered Survivors, which include the shapeshifting pig Oolong, must hide, use gadgets, weapons, and power-ups, or disguise themselves among the environment.

Survivors who find the Super Time Machine can escape the realm known as the Temporal Seam, where they are trapped, to win.

Dragon Ball: The Breakers is coming sometime in 2022 to PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Series X, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

LeVar Burton to host Trivial Pursuit game show

LeVar Burton may not be the next host of Jeopardy, but his love for quiz shows has landed him another gig: Trivial Pursuit.

The Star Trek and Reading Rainbow star will host a new Trivial Pursuit TV game show that is being produced by game maker Hasbro and Entertainment One. A network is not yet attached. Burton’s involvement, however, should make the series easy to sell, especially given the fan support he had when he guest-hosted on Jeopardy.

Burton said of the announcement, “Trivial Pursuit is one of the best-known brands in the gaming universe. I am thrilled to have partnered with Hasbro and eOne to bring this beloved game to market as a premium show for television.”

Phil Spencer strongly hints that Elder Scrolls VI will be an Xbox and PC exclusive

Xbox chief Phil Spencer has given the strongest hint yet that Elder Scrolls VI won’t be coming to PlayStation. Since Microsoft bought Bethesda earlier this year, questions have been swirling around platform exclusivity for ongoing franchises, such as Elder Scrolls, Doom, and Fallout.

Spencer previously noted that exclusivity would be decided on a case-by-case basis. Now, in an interview with GQ, Spencer strongly hinted that, like next year’s Starfield, Elder Scrolls VI will be locked to Xbox consoles, PC, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Spencer said, “It’s not about punishing any other platform, like I fundamentally believe all of the platforms can continue to grow. But in order to be on Xbox, I want us to be able to bring the full complete package of what we have. And that would be true when I think about Elder Scrolls VI. The would be true when I think about any of our franchises.”

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Sylvester Stallone is returning for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Sylvester Stallone has confirmed that he is returning to the MCU for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

In a post on Instagram, Stallone shared two behind-the-scenes process videos. They show him using a machine that captures his facial expressions so the filmmakers can duplicate them if the actor isn’t around.

His character, Stakar Ogord, also known as Starhawk in the comics, was introduced in an early scene in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as a high-ranking Ravager.

Twitch is now available on Switch

Twitch has officially released an app for Nintendo Switch, meaning you can now watch the livestreaming service on the console. The free app offers the same core functionality as Twitch on other consoles, including on-demand videos.

Unfortunately, while you can watch Twitch on the console, you can’t broadcast from it. You’ll still have to route video through a PC if you’re more interested in creating content than watching it.

But hey, if you ARE interested in watching someone on Twitch, feel free to come check me out at twitch.tv/theroblogan. Maybe even drop a follow while you’re there.

Square Enix reveals Spider-Man’s outfits for Marvel’s Avengers

Square Enix has revealed not only the look of Spider-Man in Marvel’s Avengers, but also highlighted some of his alternate costumes that will be available.

For the PlayStation exclusive event, Peter Parker will form friendships with Ms. Marvel and Black Widow in his civilian identity as he tries to help them take down AIM. However, Spidey’s relationship with the Avengers may not be as easy to manage. While his comic book and MCU counterparts have been Avengers, this appears to be the first time that the Spidey of this world has joined the team.

In addition to his default look for the game, the company shared multiple alternate costumes, including a classic suit that inspired their new design, the Bugle Boy Suit featuring jeans, a sweater vest, and his costume mask, the Secret War Suit from that limited series, the Spider-Armor Mark I Suit based on the design from Web of Spider-Man #100, the Spider-Armor Mark III Suit also referred to as the Ends of the Earth suit, and the Noir Suit with its black leather trench coat, haphazardly stitched mask, and aviator goggles.

Spider-Man will be added to Marvel’s Avengers on PS4 and PS5 on November 30th.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

All the Marvel shows from Disney+ Day 2021

Disney+ unleashed a huge amount of Marvel news for Disney+ Day, providing updates on 12 different shows.

Here’s the rundown:

Moon Knight, starring Oscar Isaac as Marc Spector, a complex vigilante who suffers from dissociative identity disorder. The multiple identities who live inside him find themselves thrust into a deadly war of the gods against the backdrop of modern and ancient Egypt. Moon Knight will debut next year.

She-Hulk, starring Tatiana Maslany as Jennifer Walters, a lawyer who specializes in superhuman-oriented legal cases. The show will welcome a host of Marvel characters to the series, including Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Tim Roth’s Abomination. She-Hulk will arrive in 2022.

Ms. Marvel, starring Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, a 16-year old Pakistani American from Jersey City. Kamala is an aspiring artist, an avid gamer, and a huge fan of the Avengers, Captain Marvel in particular. She’s always struggled to find her place in the world, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Ms. Marvel will premiere in the summer of 2022.

Echo, starring Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, is a live-action spinoff of the upcoming Hawkeye series.

Ironheart, starring Dominique Thorne as Riri Williams, a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.

Agatha: House of Harkness, starring Kathryn Hahn returning as her character from WandaVision.

Secret Invasion, a series starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull Talos, who met one another in Captain Marvel.

Season 2 of Marvel’s What If… ?, in which The Watcher returns to meet new heroes and explore more strange new worlds in the MCU’s multiverse.

Marvel Zombies, an animated series that reimagines the Marvel Universe as a new generation of heroes battle against an ever-spreading zombie scourge.

I Am Groot, a series of original shorts exploring Baby Groot’s glory days growing up, and getting into trouble, among the stars.

X-Men ’97, an animated series that explores new stories in the iconic ‘90s timeline of the original series.

Spider-Man: Freshman Year, an animated series that follows Peter Parker on his way to becoming Spider-Man in the MCU, with a journey unlike we’ve ever seen and a style that celebrates the character’s early comic book roots.

Baymax! series get first trailer

Disney has revealed that a new Big Hero 6 spinoff show titled Baymax! will be coming to Disney Plus in Summer 2022.

Alongside the reveal, Disney also shared a short teaser for the series, which shows off Baymax as he attempts to save the world, one patient at a time. While little has been revealed about the show’s plot, it seems as if it will follow the character as he attempts to help ordinary citizens to better their lives across the city of San Fransokyo.

From slowly attempting to master the skills of a coffee shop barista to delivering a lengthy speech on the applications of band-aids to a group of school children it seems that Baymax might have his work cut out for him.

Boba Fett arrives in Fortnite on December 24th

Epic Games has announced that the bounty hunter Boba Fett will arrive in Fortnite on December 24th, the weekend before The Book of Boba Fett debuts on Disney+. Epic hasn’t said much more about the crossover, but judging by the teaser art the studio shared, Fett’s partner Fennec Shand will also make an appearance.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron movie delayed

Rogue Squadron, the Star Wars feature project due to be directed by Wonder Woman filmmaker Patty Jenkins, has been delayed.

Jenkins and writer Matthew Robinson have been developing the movie for Lucasfilm for over a year, with the goal of starting production in 2022. However, sources have told The Hollywood Reporter that the producers and filmmaking team came to the realization that Jenkins’ schedule and other commitments wouldn’t allow for the window needed to make the movie within that timeframe.

As a result, Rogue Squadron has been taken off the production schedule. The hope is that once Jenkins’ fulfills her previous commitments, she’ll be able to return to the project.

Disney+ will allow you to watch 13 Marvel films in IMAX format

Disney+ has announced that it’s adding an expanded IMAX aspect ratio for 13 Marvel titles on November 12th, the company’s advertised Disney+ Day. The IMAX aspect ratio will look up to 26% taller than the typical widescreen format, so the horizontal black bars will almost disappear during scenes shot in IMAX.

The new feature, being referred to as IMAX Enhanced, isn’t delivering the large film format’s true aspect ratio, which is more square. But, as evidenced by Zack Snyder’s Justice League, this version will make better use of your screen’s viewable space.

The full list of Marvel movies to receive IMAX Enhanced format are:

New Among Us update includes a store, achievements, and roles

Among Us has released a hefty update that includes new roles for Crewmates, achievements, and a storefront with cosmetics.

The new storefront is full of hats, skins, pets, visors, nameplate panels, and bundles that include multiple cosmetics. Playing the game gives players XP, pods, and beans. Beans are free-to-play currency that unlock store items, but players can also spend real money on stars for immediate unlocks.

Cosmicubes, which are branching cosmetic trees, can be purchased with beans or stars, and the contents within can be unlocked by using pods that are earned through gameplay.

New roles were revealed including the previously announced alien Shapeshifter who can disguise themselves as Crewmates. Crewmate roles include the Scientist, who can check on crew vitals at any time, the Engineer who can use vents, and the Guardian Angel, which is a dead crewmate who can save allies from getting one-hit killed by Impostors. These roles can be customized in the settings or disabled for those who don’t like them.

Konami pulls Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3 from digital stores

Konami is removing Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 from digital storefronts for the time being due to licensing issues, making them no longer available to purchase at this time. The publisher said it’s working on renewing the licenses for select historical archive footage used in-game. Along with the individual games, Konami is also pulling bundles that include either game.

It’s unclear when both games will return to stores, or whether Konami will keep the footage in question, but the company has called the removals a temporary decision and said it will work towards making these products available for purchase once again.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Spider-Man comes to Marvel’s Avengers as a PlayStation exclusive

Crystal Dynamics has finally revealed when Spider-Man will arrive in Marvel’s Avengers video game. The webslinger will join the PS4 and PS5 versions of the game on November 30th as a PlayStation exclusive.

There will be a hero event to accompany Spidey’s debut. After discovering AIM’s plan to make its Synthoid army unstoppable, Spider-Man teams up with the Avengers to tackle the threat. Unfortunately, Crystal Dynamics hasn’t yet offered a proper look at its take on the hero.

The studio initially said it would add Spider-Man early this year, but that didn’t pan out. Along with Spider-Man, an update later this month will add more cosmetic items (including outfits inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe), a new type of enemy called Echoes and a Klaw raid. The resource and gear upgrade systems will also be reworked and the power level cap will be increased.

Jenna Dewan’s Lucy Lane returning for Superman & Lois

Jenna Dewan is set to reprise her role as Lucy Lane for the upcoming second season of Superman & Lois. The actress, who will be credited as a recurring role, appeared as the sister of Lois Lane on Supergirl during the first season of the CBS turned CW drama. This will be her first time back in the Arrowverse since 2016, and will mark the first time that Lucy and Lois Lane have shared the screen in this continuity.

Chloe Zhao confirms a cameo in an Eternals post-credits scene

Spoiler warning if you haven’t yet seen Marvel’s Eternals.

Like most Marvel movies, Eternals contained two additional scenes throughout the end credits. The second of these features Kit Harington’s Dane Whitman approaching and opening a case that reveals a sword inside. As he prepares to touch the sword, Dane says, “I’m sorry, I have to try.” He’s then interrupted by the voice of an offscreen character who says, “Sure you’re ready for that, Mr. Whitman?”

In an interview with Fandom, director Chloe Zhao confirmed the identity of this voice as Mahershala Ali’s Blade, making this the official debut of the daywalker in the MCU. What this means for the future of Blade’s story remains to be seen.

Host: Rob Logan [Twitter] [Twitch]

Gael Garcia Bernal cast as Werewolf by Night for Marvel’s Disney+ Halloween special

Golden Globe winning actor Gael Garcia Bernal has been set to lead the cast of Marvel’s werewolf-focused Halloween special that will air on Disney+.

While details about the project are being kept strictly under wraps, individuals with knowledge say the character may be based on Werewolf by Night, a name used by two separate Marvel characters.

Daniel Dae Kim cast as Fire Lord Ozai in Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender

Daniel Dae Kim has joined the cast of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series.

Kim will play Fire Lord Ozai, the ruthlessly driven leader of the Fire Nation who demands that everyone live up to his impossible standards, especially his teenage son, Prince Zuko. Ozai’s drive to conquer and unite the world under firebender rule is a family burden – he believes that it’s his destiny to finish a war started by his ancestors.

Kim is no stranger to the Avatar franchise, as he provided the voice of General Fong in the series and video game, as well as Hiroshi Sato on The Legend of Korra.

Gal Gadot to play the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action Snow White

According to Deadline, Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot is in final negotiations to play the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action adaptation of Snow White.

Rachel Zegler is set to play the titular character, with Marc Webb directing.

While casting for Snow White was long and thorough, studio execs always had their eye on Gadot for the role that started it all when it comes to classic Disney villains. Gadot was also intrigued at the opportunity of joining stars like Angelina Jolie and Cate Blanchett, who previously played iconic villains from the Disney vault. After scheduling was worked out, a deal closed this week.

Skyrim is getting a board game

Just in case you were running out of ways to play Skyrim, Modiphius Entertainment has announced that they’re working on The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – The Adventure Game. This new version of Skyrim is a tabletop board game that will allow you to revisit Tamriel’s frozen north as an agent of the Imperial Blades. You can play either by yourself or with up to three other friends.

The narrative-driven game will ship with two campaigns made up of three chapters. Modiphius says each one should take about 90 to 120 minutes to complete. Provided you don’t get distracted by side quests and exploration, you can expect your initial playthrough to take about 12 hours, in which you can “save” your progress at any point and pick up where you left off. With a deck of about 600 cards, no two sessions should play out exactly the same.

While the physical edition is the company’s focus, Skyrim – The Adventure Game will have a demo version coming soon to Tabletop Simulator on PC.