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That isn't true. By all accounts it was testing pretty well when they did private screenings. via Deadline: TLDR: The budget for the movie almost doubled due to COVID stuff, and releasing it in theaters would mean putting even more money into advertising. The new regime didn't feel like it was a big "blockbuster/tentpole" movie, which is what they want to focus on releasing now. They'll do a tax write-down, recoup some of that money, but in doing so means it'll never see the light of day (unless someone leaks it - but never officially released).

Warner/Discovery has cancelled the Batgirl movie. It's already filmed and everything. No plans to put it straight to DVD or even on HBO Max. Fuckin' wild, they spent almost $100m on this and it featured Michael Keaton as Batman.

If anyone is wondering - previously not shown in any footage or screenshots but included here are Hangman Page, Thunder Rosa, Abadon and Yuka Sakazaki. I can't remember if Moxley has been show yet or not. Bigger versions of said screenshots:

I'm still waiting for Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart to be added to either the Extra or Premium tiers (or both).

Incase anyone didn't read the Bloomberg article: Industry analysts expect it to be released anywhere from April 2023 to March 2024, but Rockstar developers that were interviewed were skeptical. The Latina main character won't be the only playable character. She's one half of a pair, the story is based off Bonnie & Clyde. They're being cautious not to "punch down" at marginalized groups, unlike previous GTA games Has been in development since 2014, in some form or another. Rockstar wanted to include large portions of North & South America, but had to be "reeled in". The new map is a fictionalized version of Miami, and will update over time after release adding new missions and cities "on a regular basis". Rockstar leadership hopes this will lead to less crunch as they enter the final months before release. Other things relating to Rockstar office culture: more producers were hired help to avoid crunch, contractors were made full-time employees, removal of abusive employees, new mental health & leave benefits, staff is more flexible with their time

Destin Daniel Cretton is directing Avengers: The Kang Dynasty according to Variety. Presumably he'd be directing Secret Wars, since I can't imagine they aren't 1) filming these two movies back to back and 2) how weird it would be to switch out directors if they are doing them back to back. But maybe the Russos return for Secret Wars, even though Feige says they aren't. But, still - Shang-Chi 2 is unannounced, but a sequel was greenlit shortly after it premiered. He's also attached to a Disney+ show about Xu Xialing's Ten Rings, and an executive producer on a Wonder Man show for Disney+ too. He's gonna have a real busy few years coming up.

There’s still plenty of room left in Phase 6 for the Eternals. The only “new” stuff in Phase 5 was Daredevil, Captain America and Thunderbolts.

Within six months of each other, too. So much for Kang being a TV villain 😝

Phase 4 ends with Wakanda Forever. Phase 5 movies are Guardians, Ant-Man, Captain America: New World Order, Blade, Thunderbolts and the Marvels.

Marvel Studios Animation panel at SDCC was yesterday, and a lot of news came out of it. I'll update this post today (eventually) with anything about Disney+ live action MCU shows, if they announce anything (an if nobody beats me to it - but feel free, I'll be at work when the panel is happening today). I suspect it'll mostly be movies, but I'm betting they'll announce the Werewolf by Night special for Halloween directed by Michael Giacchino. I don't think it was at this panel, and it's on the Disney Channel proper (and also D+ too apparently), but holy shit Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur has an incredible voice cast. Cobie Smulders (as Maria Hill), Laurence Fishburne (as the Beyonder), Alison Brie, Andy Cohen, Daveed Diggs, Maya Hawke, Jennifer Hudson, Method Man, Wesley Snipes, Omid Abtahi, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Michael Cimino, Indya Moore, Craig Robinson, Gideon Adlon, Pamela Adlon, Anna Akana, Ian Alexander, May Calamawy, Wilson Cruz, Asia Kate Dillon, Luis Guzmán, astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, Josh Keaton, June Diane Raphael, Paul Scheer and Tajinae Turner. Good fuckin' lord. EDIT: Phase 4 (D+) ends with She-Hulk. Phase 5 (D+) is Echo, Ironheart, Secret Invasion, Loki Season 2, Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again (18 episodes, Spring 2024)

If anyone here has a PS4 or PS5, today is the last day to claim a free trial for Apple TV+. Not for current subscribers obviously, but if you're like me and have already had a free trial in the past - guess what, that doesn't matter! I had a year free through Apple for buying a new iPhone last year, it ended earlier this year, and I just claimed the trial like 10 minutes ago. PS5 owners get 6 months, and PS4 owners get 3 months.

I will not tolerate Life Is Strange 1 slander around here, sir!

She did an AMA today where she addressed that last bit:

I don't know about non-US residents, but because today (and yesterday) are Amazon Prime Day(s), they have PS5 compatible internal SSD expansion cards on sale. I grabbed a WD_BLACK 1TB (w/ heatsink) for $113 - it's usually $160. But I also had $250 worth on Amazon giftcards because of my birthday last Sunday, so any price would have been okay really. I just lucked out and Prime Day was two days later.

Ms. Marvel is definitely the tale of two shows, one where everyone pretty much loves Kamala, her friends, her family, that entire world. And then there was the two or so episodes with the Clandestines chasing her and nobody really cared (but Red Dagger is cool). Luckily, the bad parts were only for two episodes, and even those episodes weren't entirely bad. It's just that the villains sucked, but it was ultimately to get us to the place we needed to be. More detailed thoughts in spoiler tags. But man, I loved every episode pretty much. I'd honestly rank this finale among the best they've done for the D+ shows. Only one that immediately comes to mind as being as enjoyable was Hawkeye. But I'm so, so, so bias because I just love Kamala Khan so much. Announce a second season at ComicCon, you fucking cowards. I need more.

I think this phase is going to alienate a lot of people because it's not going to all come together for a big team up film and there's no over-arching storyline connecting them all. In addition to what's mentioned above, you've also got Captain Marvel, Fury, Kamala, Monica, the Skrulls, Kree, etc. all doing their own stuff in The Marvels and the Secret Invasion show. Characters will crossover and be involved in arcs, but we aren't going to get an Avengers 5 or whatever for a long time. And honestly, that's how it should be right now. There isn't an Avengers team. Thor is doing his own thing, Captain Marvel is teaming up with Monica & Kamala, Nick Fury has a story likely set before and after the Marvels (and before, during and after the Blip), Hawkeye is effectively retired but a mentor to Kate Bishop, Captain America just took up the mantle, Hulk is helping She-Hulk, no clue what they'll do with T'Challa but there's going to be a new Black Panther, Dr. Strange isn't in our dimension, etc etc. Phase 4 and probably even Phase 5 is a rebuilding phase, with slightly interconnected but largely individual storylines, and has a lot of the Phase 1-3 heroes mentoring or teaming up with the next generation. Is that satisfying for people? Maybe not. But I don't mind it. I don't think you can do Infinity War/Endgame and then just immediately move into the next big storyline. We need some air after those 10 years.

Rockstar has dropped all plans for remakes of Red Dead Redemption, GTA IV and a planned current-gen version of Red Dead Redemption 2. The reasoning is "all hands on deck for GTA6". I really, really wanted a RDR1 remake. Goddamnit.

Moon Knight is almost entirely disconnected from the MCU outside of like, three or four references/easter eggs to the larger MCU world. Ms. Marvel won't enhance anything in Love & Thunder. There's a VERY small Valkyrie reference in the first episode, but it's not going to improve the experience of the movie or anything. The reference is (you can safely click this)

One thing I didn’t catch on my original viewing until I saw it on another board:

I dunno, I really liked it, but I'm super easy to satisfy when it comes to these MCU movies. I'm not looking for anything other than a good time and to continue the connected universe, and it did that. Christian Bale's Gorr was fucking terrifying and awesome and I loved it.

King of Colosseum 2 surprisingly holds up for a game from the early 2000s. It's basically a 3D Fire Pro, though. No real "season" or story mode to speak of, just facing the entire roster of a given promotion to unlock stuff is the main mode, but that somehow manages to be fun. I guess the first game actually has a career mode, though? I need to put Red/Green in and merge them and give that a go eventually. But, for now, I'm enjoying going through the NOAH roster with Kawada on Hard difficulty. But, when I was a kid, the games I really remember loving were Super WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and WWF RAW, all for the Super Nintendo. I loved Smackdown 2: Know Your Role for the seemingly never-ending career mode. I have no memory of any of the RAW vs Smackdown games, even though I know I bought them every year. Since 2K has taken over, I remember being really into the one with CM Punk on the cover, 2K19 and 2K22. Oh, and I do remember the Legends of Wrestling games being fun as hell to play. I'm actually looking to pick those up now that I have a PS2 again. I think those games were the first ones where I actually fantasy booked and wrote down match cards I wanted to book and play. Really though, from the time I found Promotion Wars/EWR up until that 2K game with Punk on the cover, my time with wrestling games were spent pretty exclusively just playing the aforementioned booker sims. That was always more fun to me back then. Somewhere during that time period, Spike released Fire Pro Wrestling Returns for the PS2, and I searched all over my tiny ass little hick town for it before finding it in a Dollar Tree of all places. I actually still have that same copy, and was playing it just a week or two ago. TLDR: My favorites/holds a special place in my heart are: King of Colosseum 2, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, Legends of Wrestling 1 & 2, WWF Super WrestleMania, WWF Royal Rumble, WWF RAW, Smackdown 2: Know Your Role, the 2K game with CM Punk on the cover (13?), 2K19 and 2K22.

I loved it too, but everything after the Partition stuff felt really rushed. New character MCU television shows really need more than 6 episodes. I know WandaVision got more because they were like sub-30 minute episodes, but why these shows can't get an actual full run is beyond me. Or the shows that they want to have a S2 of at least. I understand having 6 episodes for a limited series like Falcon & Winter Soldier. But everything before all that I just mentioned was fan-fuckin'-tastic. I loved it. Mehwish Hayat/Aisha is stunningly beautiful, and Fawad Khan is really fucking handsome. Kamala's nani had some good genes, goddamn.

In case anyone didn't want to watch that video, and they also live under a rock, GoW: Ragnarok is out on November 9th. The collector's edition and Jötnar edition were revealed too: Standard: If you buy the PS4 version and you eventually want the PS5 version, that'll be an extra $10. Otherwise, it's just the base game and nothing else. I'm sure it'll be $59.99 and $69.99 respectively for the PS4 and PS5 versions. Digital Deluxe: the full game, Darkdale armor for Kratos & and Darkdale attire for Atreus, Darkdale handles for the Blades of Chaos and the Leviathan Axe, digital soundtrack, digital artbook, avatar set and a PS4 theme. NOTE: the armor and handles are also unlockable through the game, so they aren't exclusive Collector's Edition: comes packaged in a Knowledge Keeper’s Shrine box, includes everything in the Digital Deluxe edition, in addition to the full game (digital voucher), a steelbook, two 2" Vanir twins "wooden" toy carvings, a Dwarven dice set and a 16" replica of Mjölnir Jötnar Edition: comes packaged in a Knowledge Keeper's Shrine box, includes everything in the Digital Deluxe edition, in addition to the full game (digital voucher), a steelbook, 7" vinyl with two songs from the soundtrack by Bear McCreary, Falcon/Bear/Wolf pin set, Draupnir ring, Brok's dice set, Yggdrasil cloth map, two 2" Vanir twins "wooden" toy carvings, and a 16" replica of Mjölnir No prices given, and presales go live on the 15th. I'm sure the two expensive editions will piss people off, since no physical game is included. I still think the best course of action is to offer a Physical and Digital version of stuff like Collector's editions. I believe Horizon did that? Or maybe it was all digital too, I can't remember. Anyway - 20 minutes later, Forspoken moved its release date to January 24th, 2023. They claim the game is done and they're just polishing it, but the internet talk~! is that they moved it because of God of War releasing a month later.

We simp for Aisha in this house.