An adaption of the 2003 true crime thriller ‘The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America’ by Erik Larson has been in out of development limbo since the book’s publication. The project got some new life in 2019 when it was picked up by the streaming service Hulu for a TV production with ABC Signature. Keanu Reeves (John Wick) had been tapped to star.
It was reported that Reeves departed the project in October 2022 with the director Todd Fields leaving shortly thereafter. It has been confirmed that Hulu is following suit, choosing not to release the series.
“The devil was in the details, apparently: Hulu has decided not to move ahead with The Devil in the White City,” Deadline reports. “The long-gestating limited series was to tell the story of Daniel H. Burnham, a demanding but visionary architect who races to make his mark on history with the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and Dr. H. H. Holmes, America’s first modern serial killer and the man behind the notorious “Murder Castle” built in the fair’s shadow.”
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (Titantic) and director Martin Scorsese (The Departed) are attached to the project as executive producers.
DiCaprio purchases the film rights in 2010 and was originally set to write a script with screenwriter Billy Ray (Richard Jewell) with Scorsese directing before it was announced it would be developed into a television show.
ABC Signature is shopping it around for production on another streaming service or network.
The book was published by Crown Publishers and has since won several awards including the 2003, San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, 2004 Edgar Award (Best Fact Crime), 2004 Book Sense Book of the Year Honor Book, and was included in the 2009 ALA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (History & Cultures).
GoodReads explains that, “Author Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with such drama that readers may find themselves checking the book’s categorization to be sure that ‘The Devil in the White City’ is not, in fact, a highly imaginative novel.”
They add, “Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair’s construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor.”
The OST is pressed on “Three Headed Vinyl.” In other words, it’s a golden yellow vinyl. The artwork on the cover by Greg Ruth is worth the $35 price tag alone. Expect Godzilla Vs. King Ghidorah is to arrive this June.
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
Photo Credit: Mondo
The Hogwarts Legacy – Original Video Game Soundtrack is spread across three golden LPs and contains over thirty tracks. This is not a limited edition release and will ship around July. The 3XLP collection will only set you back $50.
Side A
Overture to the Unwritten
House Cup Finale
Fig’s Search
A Proper Hogwarts Welcome
Potting Mandrakes
Seeking the Keepers
Side B
Ranrok’s Rage
A Lost Friend
Everybody Grab a Broom
All Roads Lead to Hogsmeade
Anticipating Rookwood
Side C
Miriam’s Memory
Grasslands Vivarium
A Fitting New Home
Isadora’s Pain
See You After Class
Hog’s Head Jig
Side D
Guardians Awaken
Accio!
Legacy of Magic
Ruins of a Noted Seer
Side E
A Portrait of Love
The Greenhouse
Ollivander’s Wand Shop
Coastal Vivarium
The Four Houses
You’ve Made Your Choice
Side F
Soaring Over Hogwarts
Haven
The Halls of Hogwarts
The Room of Requirement
Niamh’s Lullaby
Tresspassers
Tribute
Looking for more soundtracks? Check out last week’s vinyl announcements here.
The addictive city-building simulator Cities: Skylines is getting a sequel. The long-awaited next-gen follow-up has been announced via a trailer on the game’s official YouTube channel. Unfortunately, the trailer does not show gameplay footage but alludes to exciting prospects.
The trailer’s narrator mentions the player will shape and change the future. The cities we create may be more than a series of tiny moving objects and arbitrary needs that must be filled with water, sewage, and electrical utilities. Perhaps Cities: Skylines II will allow us to create an actual living, breathing ecosystems. The video’s description says we should “get ready for a new epic scale in the most realistic city builder – ever.”
One thing I’ve come to expect from pie in the sky games announcements is never to expect the pie ever to land on my plate. So while I’m sure the team behind the game is trying to outdo the previous installment, I’ll hold onto my money until I see how well this thing runs and how much better it is than the original. I hope it delivers.
Cities: Skylines II will launch sometime this year on PS5, and XBOX Series X. XBOX Game Pass subscribers will find the game available for download, hopefully on day one.
“If you can dream it, you can build it. The highly acclaimed hit Cities: Skylines is now revolutionizing the city-builder genre again. The sequel to one of the best-selling management games of its decade is coming in 2023. Get ready for a new epic scale in the most realistic city builder – ever.”
The original City Skylines is available on most major platforms, including Nintendo’s Switch, XBOX, and PlayStation.
Why EA and Maxis haven’t produced a new SimCity in a decade is a mystery. The publisher has been milking The Sims franchise for years. Maybe there’s not enough DLC to squeeze when it comes to a city simulator? Oh, that’s right. So EA went the mobile app route with SimCity Build It.
Speaking of SimCity, remember when a gaming journalist made the incredibly stupid claim that the game could not be modded to operate offline? Larry Bundy, Jr. remembers:
Federal Reserve governor Christopher J. Waller was scheduled to speak during a conference call with Mid-Size Bank Coalition of America (MBCA) last week. However, Mr. Waller could not talk about 2023’s economic outlook and inflation because someone managed to get into the Zoom meeting and started spamming pornographic material.
According to stories on PC Mag and Yahoo! News, there were over 200 people on the Zoom call when a user named Dan took control of the apps sharing tool and started to upload photos of a sexual nature. Maybe Dan was in the right meeting, and the other 200+ folks accidentally joined the wrong call. It happens to me all the time.
Within minutes of Dan blowing his load, so to speak, MBCA had terminated the teleconference calling the reason “technical difficulties.”
The executive director of MBCA, Brent Tjarks, commented on the awkward event saying, “We were a victim of a teleconference or Zoom hijacking, and we are trying to understand what we need to do going forward to prevent this from ever happening again. It is an incident we deeply regret. We have had various programs and this is something we have never had happen to us.”
Thankfully, Zoom condemned “Dan” for being a naughty boy. Whether or not the Justice Department will investigate the event and charge someone in the hijacking hijinx is unclear. What is certain is that MBCA and the Federal Reserve won’t allow anyone to screen share without permission in the future.
Like Microsoft Teams and other teleconference apps, Zoom is susceptible to attacks and unintentional oversharing. But, thanks to people being unaware of their mics being unmuted or their webcams being turned on, coworkers all over the globe have gotten to see and hear things they wish they hadn’t. Well, unless you’re a pervert, then you’re grateful for these embarrassing gaffs.
April Fools marks the day when 8 Amazon Go locations will shut down. The locations affected are Seattle, San Francisco, and New York. So did Amazon bite off more than it could chew with these cashier-free high-tech food stores?
Currently, there are 29 Amazon Go locations, primarily located in major cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco. However, the stores were undoubtedly designed for atomized individuals, cutting out nearly all human-to-human interactions while out in public.
According to Geekwire, an Amazon spokesperson said the decision was made after the company assessed a “portfolio of stores and [made] optimization decisions along the way.” The exact reason why these stores were being shuttered wasn’t stated; however, with San Francisco’s rise in crime over the past few years, it’s not surprising that half of the stores closing down are in that city.
Unsurprisingly, two of the stores in Seattle had already been closed before the announcement. Now, Amazon is just making it official. However, this doesn’t mean the company is stopping the Go store rollout. Assumingly, the same spokesperson who confirmed the closures also went on to say, “We remain committed to the Amazon Go format, operate more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the U.S., and will continue to learn which locations and features resonate most with customers as we keep evolving our Amazon Go stores.”
With rumored layoffs and an announcement that the tech giant was looking to cut back on remote workers, it’s hard to have faith in Amazon right now. Could it be spreading itself too thin?
Have you tried an Amazon Go store? With more convenience stores using similar technology to cut back on employees, would these new stores quickly be outpaced by long-established retailers investing in new tech? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
The pilot of the Divine Beast, Vah Rudania, is the latest Hyrule Champion to join the First4Figures line of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild statues. Daruk the Goron is here. He’s happy. He’s husky. His backside is a little exposed.
Don’t worry; there’s only one Daruk statue this time. First4Figures didn’t make six different variants. They even gave this single statue an LED light feature! Daruk is currently available for pre-order at a reduced “early bird” price of $159.99. This discount will last until April 3rd; after that, he’ll be priced at $169.99. The estimated release date is during the fourth quarter of 2023.
Photo Credit: First4Figures
Photo Credit: First4Figures
Photo Credit: First4Figures
Photo Credit: First4Figures
Photo Credit: First4Figures
Photo Credit: First4Figures
●Sheikah Eye symbol featured on the base
●Two (2) Light-up LED modes (Static and Animated) for the base
●Limited edition numbering on the bottom of the base and packaging
●Authentication Card
●Rechargeable battery with USB-C Cable
●Special Premium deluxe box packaging
In case you didn’t get all four Divine Beasts before facing Calamity Ganon, check out the cut scene from the climax of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild below. By freeing all the Divine Beasts, they take nearly 50% of Ganon’s life bar away during the final battle. Trust me, it helps.
However, doing the quests for each Divine Beast can be a pain in the backside. Oh, and Nintendo is still claiming videos of gameplay. That’s nice. Why is Nintendo so behind the times when it comes to streaming?
What did you think of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Will you be picking up the sequel? Let us know in the comments section below.
Disney is exploring new intellectual properties following their acquisition of 20th Century Fox through another one of their subsidiaries Marvel Entertainment. They are launching a new comic book imprint based on 20th Century Studios that is being billed as an off-shoot of Marvel in March 2023 with a familiar science fiction title as their debut series.
“The new imprint will kick off with PLANET OF THE APES #1, on sale April 5, shortly followed by Marvel’s upcoming ALIEN and PREDATOR comic book series. Fans will see the 20th Century Studios comic book imprint reflected on PLANET OF THE APES, ALIEN and PREDATOR covers beginning with PLANET OF THE APES #1, ALIEN #1, and PREDATOR #2 in April and moving forward,” Marvel said on their website.
They continued, “Marvel Comics’ new imprint will draw upon 20th Century Studios’ award-winning and pop culture-defining franchises that have reached millions of fans around the globe, including iconic franchises like Planet of the Apes, Predator, Alien, and more.”
Marvel previously had titles based on Alien and Predator but they were released under their main banner, but they will soon fall under the 20th Century Studios imprint.
Marvel editor-in-chief said in a statement, “Ever since we announced our Alien and Predator comics, we hoped to create a special space within our comics line to go even bigger and bolder and keep building on the iconic moments from these properties that we all know and love. This 20th Century Studios comics imprint, in collaboration with our friends at 20th Century Studios, is the perfect way to do that.”
20th Century Studios President Steve Asbell added, “We’ve had a blast working with C.B. and his team and, as lifetime Marvel comics fans, it’s an honor to be a part of such an enduring creative legacy.”
“We think fans will love the fresh takes on these beloved, iconic movies,” Asbell continued.
They also revealed the cover for Planet of Apes #1:
The first issue of ‘Planet of the Apes’ will be available for purchase is Monday, March 6.
After what feels like a year’s worth of waiting, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem trailer is finally here. The animation style Paramount Pictures went with certainly looks familiar, which may be a turnoff to some who didn’t like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
The best thing I can say about the trailer is that the teenage Turtle brothers act like kids. They’re still learning and making mistakes, apparently. This could allow for some much-needed character development that we haven’t seen in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie in some time.
Then again, Mutant Mayhem could be a string of stupid random jokes or, worse yet … TikTok memes. We won’t know for sure until August.
The cast appears to be pulling in several classic characters from the comics, ’80s cartoon, and toyline. Leatherhead, Baxter Stockman, Wingnut, Superfly, Ray Fillet, and Genghis Frog will all appear in some form. Jackie Chan was recently announced to be the voice of Master Splinter, too. Meanwhile, John Cena is voicing Rocksteady, and Seth Rogen is cast as Bebop.
The brothers are played by Brady Noon (Raph), Nicolas Cantu (Leo), Shamon Brown, Jr. (Mikey), and Micah Abbey (Donny). Donatello definitely sounds like the youngest of the brothers and will probably be the butt of a lot of the humor.
TMNT: Mutant Mayhem is directed by Gravity Falls writer Jeff Rowe. It’s based on a script written by Brendan O’Brien, who also penned Neighbors and its sequel.
Synopsis: “In Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, after years of being sheltered from the human world, the Turtle brothers set out to win the hearts of New Yorkers and be accepted as normal teenagers through heroic acts. Their new friend April O’Neil helps them take on a mysterious crime syndicate, but they soon get in over their heads when an army of mutants is unleashed upon them.”
Months ago, the toys for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem were teased online, but we were forced to remove images of them.
Sentai Filmworks and HiDive are bringing the anime sports film ‘Tsurune: The First Shot’ from Kyoto Animation to the United States for a limited theatrical run. The movie is a spin-off set in between the archery anime ‘Tsurune’ and its sequel series ‘Tsurune: The Linking Shot.”
“Don’t miss the gorgeous film from Kyoto Animation only in theaters,” HiDive said on their website. “Sentai and HIDIVE are proud to present Tsurune the Movie: The First Shot in theaters on April 9 & 10, 2023 for a limited-time, special engagement. Minato Narumiya, along with his friends in the school kyudo club, return for this motion picture event.”
The movie is directed by Takuya Yamamura who co-wrote the script with Michiko Yokote. It has its premiere in Japan on August 19, 2022. Masaru Yokoyama scored the movie.
“When Narumiya Minato joins Prefectural Kazemai High School, he is quickly invited to join the archery club by the club’s advisor, Tommy-sensei. His childhood friends Takehaya Seiya and Yamanouchi Ryohei swiftly agree to join, but Minato is hesitant at first. Because Minato is the rare student with experience in archery, Tommy-sensei orders him to give a demonstration, which Minato does… except his arrow doesn’t hit the target. It is revealed that Minato has developed a terrible dysfunction regarding archery.”
The ‘Tsurune’ anime and film are based on a series of light novels written by Kotoko Ayano and illustrated by Chinatsu Morimoto. It has been published by KA Esuma Bunko since 2016.
It feels like a long time has passed since we followed the travels of Din Djarin and little Grogu in a galaxy far, far away. But with the return of The Mandalorian on Disney Plus, we’re about to get more Mando and Grogu goodness. Although, a lot has happened in the Star Wars galaxy since the mic drop ending from Season 2 of the show. Not only are Din and Grogu back together, but a few other things have gone down that fans may want to be caught up on beforehand.
While it’s not necessary, it’s recommended that fans watch the two episodes of The Book of Boba Fett that featured Din Djarin specifically. They’re basically a prologue to the events of The Mandalorian Season 3 and will ease you back into this story and section of the Star Wars galaxy. Going from the end of Season 2 to the premiere of Season 3 will be jarring to some viewers without the context of what happened in The Book of Boba Fett. But if you decide to just go into Season 3, then you’ll be fine if you can accept the missing prelude.
The Mandalorian Season 3 begins with Din and Grogu saving the Armorer and her faction of Mandalorians on a new planet, during a ceremony to give a youngling their helmet and take the creed. After some review of why Din is no longer considered part of the clan, he is granted permission to travel to Mandalore with Grogu and repent for removing his helmet in the previous season, allowing him to be considered Mandalorian once again. However, the planet was devastated by the Galactic Empire and is considered by many to be a dangerous place to visit, with the possibility of Din not finding atonement there. To prepare for the trip, Din and Grogu visit Greef Carga, played once again by Carl Weathers, to get help. But as usual, distractions get in the way and will cause the Mandalorian to get a little sidetracked and set up a new adventure ahead.
The start of the season is filled with both action and a decent setup for what could be exciting for many Star Wars fans. A lot of things needed to be addressed in relation to where everyone is now after the time that passed since the ending of Season 2. Luckily for everyone, it’s not dragged out or made to feel rushed, but instead has enough to get viewers situated before things kick into high gear for later in the season. While we only see a few key characters here, there’s a big chance we’ll see more along the way in later episodes.
Greef Carga becoming the head of High Magistrate on the planet Nevarro is very interesting because it not only sets up the conflict for later in the episode but also shows a side of the Star Wars galaxy we seldom get to see. Things are getting better under new management for Nevarro, rather than worse or deflated like most other places within Star Wars stories. But this also puts Greef, and Din Djarin by association, at odds with pirates that cause trouble, leading to some tense moments and neat space fights with Din’s modified N-1 Starfighter.
We get to see his ship in action at the start of the episode when rescuing the Mandalorians with the Armorer, but it really gets to move toward the end of the episode. The space chase is the level of quality we like to see with The Mandalorian when the special effects really start to work out, not to mention a lot of the alien costumes and makeup for otherworldly enemies and allies.
The biggest elephant in the room for The Mandalorian Season 3 was how the series would address the absence of Cara Dune, played by Gina Carano in the first two seasons. The unfortunate reality is that no matter how things would go, not everyone was going to be happy with it. It’s a messy situation that puts the show in a weird position, especially with Star Wars fans who care a lot about the canon of the franchise. Luckily the status of Cara Dune isn’t harped on, nor is it addressed without taste or class. In a conversation with Din Djarin, Greef mentions that Cara Dune was recruited by special forces after her work in capturing Moff Gideon at the end of the previous season, meaning that the New Republic has her out in the galaxy fighting more of the remnants of the Empire.
It’s a small line of dialogue, but it does enough to work out the situation as best as the show can. It addresses things without giving Cara Dune a lackluster conclusion or sad outcome because of everything behind the scenes and outside of the show. This leaves things open for a revisiting of the character down the line should things go that way.
We also get a lot of other Star Wars nods and fan service that many will be intrigued by. The same conversation with Greef and Din also brings up that Moff Gideon is being held by the New Republic for war crimes, which may come into play later on in the season. But the biggest thing that will have Star Wars fans excited is the appearance of the Purrgil when Din and Grogu make the jump to hyperspace. Longtime fans of Star Wars Rebels will remember the introduction of the Purrgil, which are giant space whales that travel between systems through hyperspace.
With Grogu being a Jedi and attuned to the force, he can see the giant space whales outside of the ship while Din Djarin is asleep. Some viewers may not know what the Purrgil signifies and write it off, but fans of Rebels will believe that this could be one of many references to the animated show that could be significant in the upcoming Star Wars Ahsoka series for Disney Plus. For this story, it’s a completely irrelevant detail, but for the universe of Star Wars, it points to big things over the horizon.
For a start to Season 3, The Mandalorian is beginning on the right foot with a little bit of everything for Star Wars fans. Those who watch the series will be happy to see Din and Grogu back together again, while other hardcore Star Wars fans following the franchise will be excited at the promising things to come. While this premiere episode is not as strong as some of the better episodes of the previous two seasons of The Mandalorian, it is still a good return to this part of the Star Wars galaxy. If things keep going well, we might be heading towards another great season for The Mandalorian in an ever-expanding galaxy far, far away.
