Home Blog Page 328

Check Out This Shadowy Peek at Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Cast

Mike Phalin
-
0
Check Out This Shadowy Peek at Eli Roth’s ‘Borderlands’ Cast

Yes, the Borderlands movie is a thing, and more and more proof has appeared that this isn’t a fever dream. Yes, it is being directed by Eli Roth. There’s no way of getting around it. This thing is happening.
All across Twitter, silhouetted images have been popping up, teasing the game’s characters as portrayed by some big-name actors. As of now, we’ve been able to see the following:

  • Cate Blanchett as Lilith
  • Ariana Greenblatt as Tiny Tina
  • Florian Munteanu as Krieg
  • Kevin Hart as Roland
  • Jamie Lee Curtis as Dr. Tannis
  • Claptrap voiced by Jack Black.


The shots let us pick out some details that match the characters’ various appearances throughout the game series. Thankfully Claptrap looks like Claptrap and not some over-stylized monstrosity like the goombas in the Super Marion Bros. movie. I’m glad to see details like Lilith’s hairstyle are present. Even without seeing the accompanying info, it’s clear that it’s her.
When we see the characters in full is a mystery. With E3 just around the corner, expect to see something then. It would be cool to see the games’ voice actors VO some lines for the actors just for fun.
Regardless, there’s some serious talent in that cast. Will they match their video game counterparts, though? The art style and voice acting in the games gel quite well. That’s going to be tough to replicate on the big screen. Roth does have the ability to make outlandish stuff work on film, I must admit. If this thing goes balls-to-the-wall with zero f’s given, it may just work.
Don’t expect Borderlands to hit until 2022.
What are your thoughts on this adaptation of the game? Who would you have cast in these roles instead of the current roster? Since this film will not be directly tied to the established lore and timeline, who would play Handsome Jack? Let us know in the comments.

For the Emperor! So Many Warhammer Games Are On The Way!

Mike Phalin
-
0
For the Emperor! So Many Warhammer Games Are On The Way!

Warhammer is one versatile property. From Age of Sigmar to 40k, nearly every type of video game can wear a Warhammer skin. We’ve seen FPS, RTS, TBS, and even card games delve into the worlds created by Games Workshop. That isn’t going to stop any time soon.
I’m not kidding. So many video games based on the various Warhammer game systems are about to hit the market.
With it, the Warhammer Skulls event has come with the announcement of many new games set within the Warhammer universe.
Over on the official XBOX website, there’s a recap of what was revealed during Skulls. There are new titles, expansions, and sequels. I wasn’t expecting so much to be announced, honestly. It’s a lot to budget for. Some of the titles have just launched, too!
The titles that appeared in Warhammer Skulls were the following:

  • Warhammer 40,000: Lost Crusade
  • Warhammer: Vermintide 2 – Chaos Wastes
  • Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
  • Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Storm Ground 
  • Necromunda: Hired Gun 
  • Blood Bowl 3
  • Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector
  • Warhammer: Chaos & Conquest 
  • Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soul Arena 
  • Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower
  • Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood, Teef
  • Talisman: Digital Edition

Ready to see the teasers, trailers, and gameplay videos? Here ya go!

New games aren’t the only things announced. Several existing Warhammer games will be getting expansions. The franchise will also make an appearance in a few non-Warhammer games:

  • Space Hulk: Tactics – New Genestealer Skins
  • Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor – Skulls In-game Event
  • Warhammer Combat Cards – New to Windows PC
  • World of Tanks: Blitz – Space Marine Tanks
  • World of Warships – 40k Chaos & Imperium Ship Skins

No sequel or remaster of Space Marine, though. I love that game. It’s simple, bloody, and so much fun to replay.
Coinciding with all these announcements, XBOX is having a massive sale on Games Workshop titles. Click here to see all the deep discounts.

The Importance of Being Ernest Documentary on Kickstarter

Sarah Leone
-
0
The Importance of Being Ernest Documentary on Kickstarter

An upcoming documentary will finally tell the definitive story of actor/comedian Jim Varney and his most iconic character, the lovable know-it-all Ernest P. Worrell.

On May 25, 2021, The Importance of Being Ernest launched its Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a feature-length documentary that will explore the life of Jim Varney and the evolution of Ernest P. Worrell. Originally conceived as a commercial pitchman in 1980, the Ernest character launched Varney to national fame as the star of a film series and an Emmy-award-winning TV show bearing his name.

New York filmmaker David Pagano has teamed up with Daniel Butler (veteran writer and actor of the Ernest film series) and writer Justin Lloyd (Varney’s nephew and author of the biography of the same name) for this new film venture. Using their intimate connections to Varney’s private and professional life, they will craft a celebration of the late performer’s work and the lasting legacy of the Ernest character—a legacy that continues more than 40 years after the character’s inception and 20 years after Varney’s untimely passing.

Jim Varney and Justin Lloyd circa 1983.
Photo courtesy of the Varney Family Collection.

The documentary will feature archival footage, cast and crew interviews, and never-before-seen material to tell the full story of Jim Varney and Ernest on screen and serve as a definitive behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Ernest franchise and Varney’s career. Additionally, the filmmakers are working to preserve fragile archival footage, interviews, and other Jim Varney media to safeguard the memory of this beloved American icon for future generations of fans.

Pagano’s motivation to make the film comes from the duality of the classically trained, highly-intelligent Varney and the bumbling, eccentric Ernest whom he so masterfully portrayed. “Jim Varney lived and breathed acting. For as goofy of a character as Ernest was, Jim still played him with depth and consideration, and his talent made the world believe Ernest was a real person.”

For Daniel Butler, the film is an opportunity to learn more about his friend and coworker.

“There is so much that we are learning about Jim Varney and Ernest P. Worrell in the research for this documentary. It’s just amazing how much I didn’t know about a man I worked with for 15 years.”
-David Butler

The Importance of Being Ernest is currently in pre-production, and the Kickstarter fundraising campaign for the documentary runs through June 25, 2021. If you would like to support the Kickstarter campaign, click here. You can also watch the Kickstarter video on YouTube.

This love letter to a tremendously talented actor looks as though it will be a great watch. I very much look forward to seeing it. He was a staple in our house and he always made us laugh! Know what I mean?

Did you grow up watching Jim Varney as Ernest? Do you have any fond memories?

Source: Kickstarter & Being Ernest Film Website

Tubi Signs Exclusive Deal With Cohen Media Group, Adding 80 New Films

Jacob Airey
-
0
Tubi Signs Exclusive Deal With Cohen Media Group, Adding 80 New Films

After its acquisition by Fox Entertainment, the ad-supported streaming service Tubi has worked to rapidly increase its library of film and television. That has included an exclusive deal with Cohen Media Group that adds over eighty films to their selection.
Tubi’s Chief Content Officer Adam Lewinson said in a press release, “Tubi has always been a destination for premium independent-minded content and we are proud to be the exclusive AVOD home to this beloved slate of award-winning titles.” He added, “Our collaboration with Cohen Media makes available some of the most compelling storytelling in contemporary and classic cinema free to our viewers.”
Cohen Media Group Senior Vice President Robert Aaronson echoed those sentiments.
“We are thrilled to partner with Tubi as the first AVOD destination for a selection from our catalogue. Their recognition of the prestigious quality of the Cohen Media Group content is confirmation that we are in the right hands,” he said.
The release continues, “Tubi will be the exclusive free streaming home to such award-winning titles as James Ivory’s ‘Howards End,’ starring Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Vanessa Redgrave, and Helena Bonham Carter; Julie Dash’s modern classic ‘Daughters Of The Dust’; Agnès Varda and JR’s collaboration ‘Faces Places’; and Deniz Gamze Ergüven’s acclaimed ‘Mustang.'”
The added titles include dramas and international films: ‘3 Hearts,’ ‘Blancanieves,’ ‘Breathe In,’ ‘Capital,’ ‘Chinese Puzzle,’ ‘Churchill,’ ‘Come What May,’ ‘Confession of a Child of the Century,’ ‘Corridor of Mirrors,’ ‘Daughter of the Nile,’ ‘Daughters of the Dust,’ ‘Delicacy,’ ‘Diary of a Chambermaid,’ and many more.
Comedy films such as ‘A Fish in the Bathtub,’ ‘Between the Lines,’ ‘Dancing with Crime,’ ‘Get Out Your Handkerchiefs,’ ‘Godard Mon Amour,’ ‘It Happened Tomorrow,’ and ‘May in the Summer’ will be included.
New thrillers include ‘Cast a Dark Shadow,’ ‘Dementia,’ ‘Double Lover,’ ‘Jet Storm,’ ‘Lured,’ ‘Sudden Fear,’ ‘Swerve,’ ‘The Awakening,’ ‘The Last Diamond,’ ‘The Last Passenger,’ and ‘Wanted for Murder.’

The Long Awaited Atari VCS To Hit Retailers On June 15, 2021

Mike Phalin
-
0
The Long Awaited Atari VCS To Hit Retailers On June 15, 2021

After delays and bouts of radio silence, the long-awaited Atari VCS console will be available to the general public on June 15th, 2021. Please clap…
We saw the announcement over at ComingSoon.net. The system will launch with two SKUs. One is $299 and comes with only the console—the $400 model ships with both the retro controller and the more modern XBOX-esque gamepad.
Each console will come with a large library of classic Atari arcade and 2800 titles while also featuring an optional paid subscription to AntSteam. This service allows browse and play games from a massive library. The titles range from retro console titles to arcade titles to classic PC games. AntStream is also available for PC, Mac, Android, Amazon, GooglePlay, and Linux.
The early adopters, aka the backers, who received the consoles a couple of months ago didn’t seem overly impressed. This was partially due to the system’s underperformance when pitted against last gen consoles and the serious lack of games outside of classics and AntStream.

If you haven’t heard much about this system since it blew through the original crowdfunding goal years ago, that’s not too surprising. Unlike Sony and Microsoft, Atari is only a shell of its former self.
The name is more or less branding. It no longer commands the respect it once had in the early 1980s and late 1970s. Not to mention, companies that licensed the Atari brand have a very spotty track record of keeping the retro icon’s name clear of controversy. Does anyone remember the Atari Gameband? Click here to see that mess.
I may be overly negative, but I have a good reason. I make a living analyzing potential risks involved with new technology, primarily on an integration level. I see demos of new tech all the time, and researching the company behind those innovations is part of the job.
When I see weirdness and conflicting info in the specs or marketing, red flags instantly go off. There was a lot of that during the Atari VCS’s development.
So, before you decide to drop $299 or $400 on this console, please do some research. Whether you look up reviews of the backers’ consoles or dig deeper into the quirks of the Kickstarter campaign, there is a lot to consider before parting with your money.
Luckily the campaign didn’t “cut n’ run” as Stop Drop Retro thought; it does look like it is fumbling and stumbling out of the gate. Maybe Atari can capitalize on the scarcity of the XBOX Series X and PS5? We’ll see.

The VCS in both the bare bones, and two-controller version will be available via the official website, Best Buy, and GameStop.
[Source: ComingSoon.net]

DC Comics Announces ‘Batman: The World’ Anthology Series

Jacob Airey
-
0
DC Comics Announces ‘Batman: The World’ Anthology Series

Batman has never shied away from going international. From battling the NKVDemon in Russia during the Post-Crisis era to recruiting allies for Batman, Inc. during the New 52, the Dark Knight has taken his crusade out of Gotham City and around the world in the DC Universe.
DC Comics has announced that the Caped Crusader will go international once again with the anthology series ‘Batman: The World,’ which will feature artists and writers from around the world.
According to a press release, “This September, DC takes Batman’s war on crime worldwide in a new hardcover anthology, Batman: The World. This 184-page book is a first-of-its-kind publishing event, featuring Batman stories by top creative teams from across the globe, taking place in their home countries. Batman: The World launches worldwide on Tuesday, September 14, 2021—just in time for Batman Day 2021 (Saturday, September 18, 2021). The complete anthology will be localized to the following international territories: North America, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Russia, Poland, Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, China, Korea, and Japan.”
The anthology will launch with the story “Global City” by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Lee Bermejo, the team behind ‘Batman/Death Blow.’ In this tale, “Batman reflects on his time in Gotham, protecting his city and its inhabitants from all manner of threats. But when he looks beyond the bridges, alleys, and skyscrapers, the Dark Knight realizes that the call for justice knows no borders, as there are wrongs to be righted everywhere. Their story sets off a series of tales chronicling Batman’s past and present, stories told by some of the best-known international voices in comics.”
DC publisher and chief creative officer Jim Lee said, “Batman has grown into a true pop culture icon, known the world over.”
He added, “’Batman: The World’ is DC’s way of showing fans everywhere that Batman is more than a character; Batman is a phenomenon that transcends languages and borders.”

‘Arrow’ Star Stephen Amell Returning For A ‘Code 8’ Sequel

Jacob Airey
-
0
‘Arrow’ Star Stephen Amell Returning For A ‘Code 8’ Sequel

‘Arrow’ star Stephen Amell and his cousin Robbie Amell are returning for a sequel to the science fiction film ‘Code 8.’
Deadline confirmed that ‘Code 8: Part 2’ will also see the return of director Jeff Chan to helm the project.
“We’re beyond thrilled to get the team back together and bring more of the Code 8 universe to our very passionate fans. We know this is a sequel that will push the story to new heights,” Chain explained.
‘Code 8’ was crowdfunded through Indiegogo, raising $2.5 million from more than 35,000 backers. It rose to become the second-largest crowdfunded original film of all time. The Amells co-produced the film, making it with XYZ Films. The movie was distributed on Netflix where it became one of their top 10 films upon release.
Taking place in an alternate future, ‘Code 8’ follows a desperate young man possessing special powers clashes with a police force after committing a petty crime.
‘Code 8: Part II’ will follow “the journey of a teenage girl fighting to get justice for her slain brother at the hands of corrupt police officers. After becoming a witness to the cover-up, she becomes a target and enlists the help of an ex-con (Robbie Amell) and his former partner-in-crime (Stephen Amell). Together, they face a highly regarded and well protected police sergeant who will use every tool to prevent himself from being exposed.”
“There’s nothing better than working with family and friends,” Robbie Amell told Deadline. “’Code 8′ was the embodiment of that. I can’t wait to get back to work on the sequel.”
“’Code 8′ is an incredibly personal and special project for all of us,” Stephen Amell agreed. “We built the world in the first one and now we’re ready to blow it out!”
Previously, ‘Code 8’ was going to receive a spin-off to air on Quibi, but following the streaming service app’s closure, the series appears to be in limbo.

First Ever Video Game Gets Approved by the FDA

Sarah Leone
-
0
First Ever Video Game Gets Approved by the FDA

Over the years, video games have been the subject of much debate on how it makes a difference in children and teenagers. Will it teach them addictive behaviors? Will they become anti-social? Will it destroy their brain cells?

What if video games were used for medical purposes?

One particular company is using the gaming technology specifically as a medical tool to help kids who have certain medical conditions.

Last year, on June 15th, 2020, Akili Interactive made history when the FDA website  announced that it permitted marketing of the first game-based digital therapeutic device to improve attention function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

On May 26th of this year, Akili Interactive, maker of EndeavorRx, the first and only prescription video game treatment, announced $160M in combined equity and debt financing. Akili is a pioneer of a new class of medicine and treatments that are not only effective and clinically-validated but that deliver amazing experiences to patients. Akili also closed a credit facility for up to $50M with Silicon Valley Bank that provides for an optimal capital structure.

“Akili set the bar high when we set out to challenge the status quo of medicine in 2011. Since then, we’ve developed a completely new treatment category that has the potential to help hundreds of millions of people living with cognitive impairments,” said Eddie Martucci, PhD, Akili’s co-founder and CEO. “This latest round of funding enables us to take another meaningful step towards delivering on this promise to patients, and fully realize the potential of digital treatments. Beyond treating disease, digital therapeutics of the future will be data-rich, adapt to the unique needs and preferences of each user, deliver amazing experiences, and even integrate into our everyday lives. We look forward to continuing to make the future of medicine a reality for patients.”

EndeavorRx Trailer:

The EndeavorRx app is a digital treatment indicated to improve attention function as measured by computer-based testing in children ages 8-12 years old with primarily inattentive or combined-type ADHD who have a demonstrated attention issue and should be considered for use as part of a therapeutic program.

Evaluated in over 600 children with ADHD across 5 clinical studies over a 7 year period, the EndeavorRx treatment uses sensory stimuli and simultaneous motor challenges designed to target areas of the brain that play a key role in attention function.

On the EndeavorRX website, you will find step by step instructions on the process of a child being prescribed this video game.

The schedules are set for how many weeks or months this video game will be prescribed, depending on the needs of the child. They do stress that this video game prescription is not meant to replace any sort of medication the child may be on, but to instead work in combination.

Here are three testimonial videos:

This could be another fun way for someone with ADHD to develop skills that are more challenging to overcome. What do you think? Do you think you would consider looking into this for your child?

Source Photos & Info: EndeavorRx, YouTube, Akili Interactive, FDA

Dark Horse Comics To Make The Jump Into Video Games

Mike Phalin
-
0
Dark Horse Comics To Make The Jump Into Video Games

Dark Horse Comics published some of the greatest comics of the 1990s. The Mask, Star Wars, Hellboy, and Aliens. So many memories. Oh, how I miss the days when Disney didn’t own everything, and Dark Horse published stuff that enhanced the IPs rather than burying it.
Can Dark Horse do to gaming what it did to the comic book industry? Well, we’re about to find out. The publisher has announced that Dark Horse Games (DHG) is the company’s official digital and gaming arm. Yes, the comic book publisher with several beloved IPs in its pocket is going to start making and publishing games!

Dark Horse Games (“DHG”) is the games and digital division of Dark Horse Comics.

Our mission is to bring joy and entertainment through Dark Horse Comics’ portfolio of over 425 story driven, diverse and unique worlds and characters, by bringing them to games.

Popular and well-known evergreen IPs include Hellboy, Frank Miller’s Sin City and 300, Umbrella Academy, Polar, Lady Killer, Emily the Strange, Usagi Yojimbo, Resident Alien, and many more.

We believe key partnerships with top game companies for our popular IPs is the optimal path to create the best gaming experience for players. DHG is in active discussions with the world’s top gaming companies to develop games with our IPs to be released over the next several years and across all platforms (mobile, PC, console, and cloud).

DHG’s first party games will focus on refreshing older and less established IPs as gaming first IPs. DHG will produce and release multimedia projects in conjunction with our games. DHG is in active discussions with the world’s top game co-development studios and content production studios.

I am genuinely excited to see what becomes of this. Remember when that Sin City game was canceled years ago? Remember when we only got one Mask game for the 16-bit consoles? Remember that bad Hellboy game on Playstation? DHG can now fix all those mistakes! Maybe. Let’s hope.

Telltale’s Batman and EA’s Battlefield 4 Are Free On Prime Gaming

Mike Phalin
-
0

Did you know that your Amazon Prime subscription also gets you free games? Yup. Prime Gaming throws you a few bones each month. Did you also know that you can subscribe to a Twitch channel for free? You could be a buddy and subscribe to mine. Throw me a bone.
No. Don’t do that. I hardly ever stream. I do, however, suggest you check out Sophia Narwitz’s channel if you want to see someone actually play a game rather than sitting in a hot tub.
What you really should do is check out the free games you can get this month. Two of the bigger names include EA’s Battlefield 4 and Telltale’s Batman series. The only caveat with Battlefield is that you’ll also have to download the EA platform known as Origin. I’ve used it a few times. It isn’t bad, just necessary.
Battlefield and Batman aren’t the only titles that are free with Prime right now. Check out the nine other games you can get below.


Free games and subs aren’t the only perks. There’s also a ton of loot available for various other games, including Fall Guys, GTA Online, Warframe, and Smite, to name a few. Here’s a screenshot of some of what’s on offer right now:
About Prime Gaming:

With Prime Gaming (included with your Prime membership) unlock instant access to tons of exclusive content for your favorite games, a rotating collection of free PC games, and a free Twitch channel subscription…each and every month.

If you’re going to sign up for Prime, a lot of the loot for games requires you to log in to either your Steam, Origin, Ubisoft, XBOX, Switch, or Playstation account. So, get ready to link a bunch of accounts to a bunch of other accounts to take advantage of the free stuff.

1...327328329...355Page 328 of 355
Clownfish TVAction FiguresToysAnime NewsRetroMoviesVideo GamesComic Books

Copyright © WebReef Media, a subsidiary of Clownfish Studios LLC.

Close Subscribe Card
Clownfish TV

Clownfish TV

6,733 Videos

Subscribe 621.0K