Sony Playstation is bringing the franchise of “murder mysteries and courtroom dramas” to the PS4. The game console is adding ‘The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles’ to their catalogue of video games.
According to a post on the Playstation Blog, the new addition will be a combination of two of the fan-favorite video games.
“Rewind the clock to the courtrooms at the turn of the 20th century with two amazing games in one,” they write. “This collection contains The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures and The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve, both being released for the first time outside of Japan as part of this collection. Set at the turn of the 20th century Japan and England, Chronicles introduces a robust cast of quirky and unusual characters, with tons of drama, comedy, and mystery. Get ready to crack some of the wildest legal cases in the world of fictional courtrooms.”
Previous Ace Attorney entries had Phoenix Wright as the legal-eagle, Chronicles will focus on his ancestor Ryunosuke Naruhodo.
“Much like previous games, Ryunosuke will also investigate criminal cases with his comrades, such as his legal assistant Susato Mikotoba, and overeager detective Herlock Sholmes,” the entry continues.
“While retaining the classic investigations and trials gameplay, new features have been added to the mix incorporating more variety to investigations and courtroom battles,” they add. “For example, the Dance of Deduction gameplay has you working together with Herlock Sholmes, identifying contradictions in the detective’s overeager (and usually incorrect) logical deductions to uncover new facts about the case.”
The game will feature two new features. The first is called Summation Examination, which will allow you to reconnect with the jury if they start to doubt the innocence of your client. The second is an optional “Story Mode” which allows you to watch the adventure. You’ll be able to toggle it on and off during gameplay.
‘The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles’ will also feature bonus content including alternate costumes and will be released July 27th.
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Is Coming To PS4
Anson Mount On Star Trek Fandom, Episodic Nature On ‘Strange New Worlds’
‘Hell On Wheels’ actor Anson Mount made his debut as fan-favorite character Captain Christopher Pike in season two of ‘Star Trek Discovery.’ Fans praised his performance as the first captain of the USS Enterprise.
Anson Mount discussed his role and the reaction from viewers in an interview with Collider.
“Honestly, I’ve never felt such embrace from a fan base, on anything I’ve done,” he said. “It is really night and day, and I’m very thankful to everyone with Gene Roddenberry and CBS, and Alex [Kurtzman] and Akiva [Goldsman] for putting a huge amount of trust in me to be able to do it.”
Mount also revealed that Goldsmith assumed the show was about Pike before realizing that it was about the USS Discovery and wrote in the captain.
“Akiva is so busy in his film career that he didn’t need to add a TV show, but he wanted to do Discovery,” he explained. “All he had heard about was that it was going to be a pre-Kirk show, so he assumed it was a show about Captain Pike. He gets in the writers’ room and he’s like, ‘Wait, what?! This is a different show. Okay, all right. We can play with this, but we’ve gotta do another show.’ So, he was lobbying for it and lobbying for it and lobbying for it. I got lucky enough to be cast in the role for Season 2 of Discovery, and they didn’t tell me any of this, thank God, because I would have been far too nervous. I just thought it was a one season gig and that was it.”
‘The Virtuoso’ actor also explained how the show is a return to the Star Trek format of being episodic in nature.
“Well, I think that Star Trek is, by nature, episodic. Now, that doesn’t mean that Star Trek can’t be other things,” Mount said. “Star Trek can be a lot of things, as we’ve seen in every iteration of it. But classic Trek is really founded on the big idea of the week, and the big idea of the week needs room to breathe. In serialized structure, you’re trying to take care of so many relationships that there doesn’t tend to be a lot of room for that. Now with that said, I think Discovery does a phenomenal job with that structure and I was very fortunate to be a part of it. Normally, serialized is my taste, as an actor, but this really felt like it needed to be episodic.”
Ethan Peck and Rebecca Romijn join the cast Science Officer Spock and Number One, reprising their roles from ‘Star Trek Discovery.’ It was announced in March that the series had entered production.
Leaked ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ Photos Reveal Knuckles The Echidna Prop
A sequel to the 2020 film ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ was inevitable after the success of the SEGA video game adaption. A title teaser for the upcoming follow-up was released in March, allowing fans to speculate about plot details, possible character appearances, and Easter eggs from the games.
A series of leaked photos from fan e-zine Tails’ Channel shows the set and seems to confirm at least two appearances. The pictures revealed props resembling Sonic’s longtime flying fox sidekick Tails and his “friendly nemesis” Knuckles the Echidna. While Tails was widely expected to have a role in the plot, this seems to confirm the appearance of the strong-willed guardian of Angel Island and its Master Emerald.
The leaked photos also teased the return of Sonic’s human allies Sheriff Tom Wachowski and his veterinarian wife Maddie, played by James Marsden and Tika Sumpter respectively.
Here's a look at the #SonicMovie2 filming at Fort Langley today. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles props were seen; Marsden and Sumpter present as well. #SonicNews pic.twitter.com/YlrsNZlvVy
— Sonic the Hedgehog News & Updates · Tails' Channel (@TailsChannel) April 20, 2021
Another photo reveals a connection to ‘Sonic Adventure 2,’ with squad cars marked with SA-2. This is possibly a reference in a car marked ‘G,’ reminiscent of the Guardian Units of Nations, an organization formed to stop the threat of Dr. Robotnik and Sonic’s rival Shadow the Hedgehog.
G.U.N makes an appearance in these new #SonicMovie2 set photos. Images via @yvrshoots #SonicNews pic.twitter.com/8DzgKkcckE
— Sonic the Hedgehog News & Updates · Tails' Channel (@TailsChannel) April 19, 2021
Several photos also reveal how Fort Langley village in Canada is being transformed into Green Hill, a town that has a striking resemblance to the “Green Hill Zone” level featured in the Sonic the Hedgehog video games.
This ain’t no Hallmark movie ! #SonicTheHedgehog filming in #FortLangley #JimCarey pic.twitter.com/ZrlBUNSMo1
— Debbie (@Cleosmahm) April 19, 2021
There was also a released video of Jim Carrey taking flight as the villain Dr. Robotnik, Sonic’s most recurring adversary in the video game franchise. Carrey is reprising the role from the first film.
Take a look: Doctor Robotnik (reportedly actor Jim Carrey in the video) takes flight during #SonicMovie sequel filming in Fort Langley, BC. #SonicNewspic.twitter.com/oyslITcirp
— Sonic the Hedgehog News & Updates · Tails' Channel (@TailsChannel) April 20, 2021
It has been confirmed that Tim Folwer is returning to direct with Ben Schwartz returning to voice Sonic. ‘Horton Hears a Who’ Colleen O’Shaughnessey will voice Tails for the Paramount Pictures production.
The two-tailed fox made his first appearance in the 1992 SEGA Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and has been Sonic’s consistent sidekick throughout the game series. Knuckles made his debut in the third entry to the original Sonic franchise.
LEGO To Release Large R2-D2 Set (75308) On May 1st
A new R2-D2 is coming from LEGO on May 1, 2021. Standing at 12.5″ tall, this large R2-D2 set will feature 2,314 pieces, as well as opening compartments, a retractable mid-leg, a rotating head, and Luke Skywalker’s lightsaber hidden in his head.
The set also comes with a display stand (you build it) as well as an information plaque, a R2-D2 droid figure and a Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary LEGO brick.
I love the back of the box as it has Luke Skywalker on it! You get Anakin and C-3PO on the box as well!
But how much will it cost? This set will run you $199.99.
What comes with it?
On the LEGO site they gave us a list of what is included in this set:
- Build and display this fantastically detailed, new-for-May-2021, LEGO® brick model of an iconic character from the Star Wars™ saga: R2-D2 (75308).
- Authentic features include a retractable mid-leg, rotating head, opening and extendable front hatches and adjustable periscope, plus a lightsaber hidden in a compartment in the head.
- Includes a buildable display stand with an information plaque, LEGO® Star Wars™ R2-D2 LEGO droid figure and a special Lucasfilm 50th anniversary LEGO brick.
- This premium-quality set is part of a series of collectible LEGO® Star Wars™ build-to-display models.
- Offering a challenging and rewarding build, this 2,315-piece set makes an awesome birthday present, holiday gift or surprise treat for any Star Wars™ connoisseur and LEGO® Star Wars lover.
- Measuring over 12.5 in. (31 cm) high, 7.5 in. (20 cm) wide and 6 in. (15 cm) deep, this collectible, brick-built R2-D2 model makes an impressive centerpiece in a home or workplace.
- Thinking of buying this set for a Star Wars™ memorabilia collector who is new to LEGO® building? Don’t worry. It comes with clear instructions so they can tackle this complex build with confidence.
- Collectible LEGO® Star Wars™ sets for adults are designed for discerning hobbyists who enjoy DIY projects to disconnect from their day-to-day lives in a mindful, creative and fun way.
- LEGO® components meet rigorous industry standards to ensure compatibility and a simple, secure connection every time.
- LEGO® bricks and pieces are tested in almost every way imaginable to make sure that they satisfy stringent global safety standards.
There are several opening and closing compartments:
Luke’s lightsaber handle is also included:
The special edition comes with special Lucasfilm 50th Anniversary pieces:
If you are interested in this set, you can purchase it on May 1st HERE.
The Superhero Imagination of Stan Lee Continues to Live on
In 2018, the world mourned the loss of a man who had change the way we see Superheroes. Before he completely dove into the superhero world, superheroes had a tendency to be flawless, idealistic characters who’s main point was to save the day and do good. Stan Lee kept the idea of saving the day and doing good. But then he did something that, at the time in the 1950s, was considered unique. He gave his characters flaws and imperfections, whether it be worrying about everyday life, having a temper, or a physical illness. Here the characters were struggling with things that we could all relate to on different levels, and yet they still rose to fight for something bigger than themselves.
From that concept developed the characters we know and love today. Some of the characters are Thor, Iron Man, Daredevil, Spider-man, and Doctor Strange.
It seemed as though Stan Lee was always creating something new. Right up to weeks before he died, he was working on new stories with other creators. When he suddenly passed away, out of respect to Stan Lee, many felt it was the right thing to do to hold off on continuing to publish work started under him. Now, two years later, we are starting to see the projects come to life.
The first one is a Kickstarter project of a webcomic called Backchannel. From the co-writer of Backchannel, Tom Akel:
“In 2015, when working with Stan and the team at POW! on another project, we sort of stumbled into an idea that Stan had developed – a new hero, Tom Tanner, who while dealing with very modern familial problems had also discovered incredible new abilities. Tom’s powers and the themes of the story made it a perfect choice to become the first webcomic created by Stan Lee.
Soon after, Andie Tong, who had previously worked with Stan and POW! on The Zodiac Legacy, came on board, then Sean Lee from Komikaki Studios and Taylor Esposito, and later Omi Remalante, and after what felt like an eternal development period but in hindsight wasn’t, we launched Backchannel in October 2018.
Then, just 8 weeks in, Stan passed, and so we paused.
But, to paraphrase his immortal words, we have the power to finish this story and the responsibility to do so. And that brings us to today.”
The Kickstarter, run by Rocketship, went live on April 19th. And within 24 hours the campaign was fully funded. If you would like to support it or just take a look, you can check it out here:
The second project is the very last property Stan Lee created before passing away. He teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger to create a fun animated series for children to enjoy. Schwarzenegger plays a former superhero named Arnold Armstrong, who finds himself a kindergarten teacher, teaching kids how to use their superhero powers and learn lessens about health, exercise and anti-bullying.
“This is a deeply personal project for me and I am so pumped to introduce it to the world. Not only has it allowed me to bring to life the work of the fantastic Stan Lee, but the series also touches on subjects I’ve spent my life working on, from health and fitness tips and anti-bullying messages to inclusivity and diversity. It brings me great joy to share that messaging with kids in a way that is vibrant, dynamic and most important – fun! It’s an honor to have worked with Stan Lee and I know he would be proud of the message we’re delivering.” -Arnold Schwarzenegger
Watch the trailer here:
Genius Brand recently announced the 26 episode series airs on April 23rd, celebrating the premier with two episodes, only on Kartoon Channel. After that, it will air one episode per week. You can watch Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten on Kartoon Channel which is available on most streaming devices such as Apple, Android, Roku, and Amazon. Click here to see full options of where to watch this series.
Stan Lee’s influence is still being felt today, as new content born from his imagination continues to come to life, for all generations.
Indie Comic Publisher Mad Cave Studios Signs Film And Television Deal
Mad Cave Studios, known for publishing comic books such as the fantasy series ‘Battlecats,’ medieval noir ‘Nottingham,’ and cyberpunk adventure ‘RV9,’ has signed on with Echo Lake Entertainment to represent their IPs for film and television deals.
This deal will not only encompass their comic book franchises but also their young adult imprint Maverick, which includes such titles as the romantic comedy ‘Needle and Thread.’
Echo Lake Entertainment Head of Management said in a press release, “With a deep bench of high-quality stories across many genres, Mark and the team at Mad Cave have put together an impressive organization.” He added, “We are excited to represent them as they create great material for years to come, and we look forward to helping them bring these stories to life in film and TV.”
Mark London, CEO of Mad Cave, echoed those sentiments.
“For Mad Cave, it’s an honor to be collaborating with Echo Lake Entertainment,” he said. “Now, our diverse portfolio of over 30 properties will have an experienced and knowledgeable team to support and drive their growth into television, film, and animation. Thanks to the increase in streaming platforms and the world’s insatiable desire for entertainment, we can think of no better partner than Echo Lake to help Mad Cave properties transcend into new forms of media.”
He elaborated further on Twitter.
Today is an amazing day for (Mad Cave Studios) and the whole team,” London tweeted. “A million thanks to all our fans and supporters. This couldn’t have happened without you. Epic things are coming, folks. Stay tuned.”
Today is an amazing day for @MadCaveStudios and the whole team. A million thanks to all our fans and supporters. This couldn't have happened without you. Epic things are coming, folks. Stay tuned. https://t.co/KddG6BMfzs pic.twitter.com/sUiaCBFfVE
— Mark London (@MarkLondonMCS) April 20, 2021
Mark London founded Mad Cave Studios in 2014, saying that the indie comic publisher is “driven by madness and committed to quality.” Their imprint Maverick claims to “be an authentic and inspiring universal story of personal struggle where anyone can find themselves within the pages.”
Echo Lake Entertainment co-produces such television shows as Hulu’s ‘The Great’ starring Elle Fanning and Netflix’s ‘All The Bright Places’ starring Justice Smith.
‘Disgusting,’ James Corden Decries Move To Create European Super League Soccer
‘The Late Late Show’ host James Corden is a known fan of European football also known as soccer, particularly the England-based West Ham United club.
During a Monday monologue, Corden shares his very passionate and pointed thoughts on the news that twelve soccer clubs plan to disrupt the traditional merit-based soccer leagues by establishing a so-called Super League that would play with a different schedule. The late-night host called the move, ‘disgusting.’
“The truth is, this whole thing, making this move, these teams, these owners are killing, they will kill hundreds of other football teams that compete with them and have competed with them many times over the years, disregarding the fan bases of those teams and disregarding the fan bases of their own teams who are devastated too,” the ‘Cats’ star said. “I’m heartbroken by it, genuinely heartbroken by it. I’m heartbroken because the owners of these teams have displayed the worst kind of greed I’ve ever seen in sport.”
The Hollywood Reporter notes that Corden acknowledged his American audience “don’t care” about soccer leagues, but that these soccer clubs bring communities together.
“It’s hard to express how much these communities rely on football, not just financially, which is considerable, but football is like a focal point of a town’s hopes and dreams. That’s what it is, you know,” he explained. “And these dreams, they’ve just been shattered not just in Britain, all across Europe. And the reason these dreams have been shattered and discarded is so that a group of billionaires can buy themselves a bigger boat, or a second boat.”
“Football is a working-class game where anyone can beat anyone on their day, and it’s that that makes it incredible, it’s that that’s made it the global force it is today,” he continued.
Corden said that this deal will happen due to the greed of the club owners, saying, “Don’t ever forget that it was them, those owners. They took something so pure and so beautiful and they beat the love and the joy out of it and they did it for money. They just did it for money. And it’s disgusting.”
You can watch the clip below:
Could New Product Placements Be Coming To Classic Films?
It is hard to forget the giant Hello Kitty Pez dispenser in ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp’ during a car chase or the blatantly obvious army of products from Triumph motorcycles to Verizon in ‘Jurassic World.’
Product placements have been commonplace in television and cinema for generations, but more could soon be retroactively added to some of your favorite classic films.
The BBC reports that there are some advertisers who are interested in using digital technology to place a logo or ad in a movie. The effort would prove seamless as it has been tried successfully in television and movies previously from such companies as UK advertising firm Mirriad.
“We started out working in movies,” Mirriad chief executive Stephan Beringer explains. “Our chief scientist Philip McLauchlan, with his team, came up with the technology that won an Academy Award for the film ‘Black Swan.'”
He continued, “The technology can ‘read’ an image, it understands the depth, the motion, the fabric, anything. So you can introduce new images that basically the human eye does not realize has been done after the fact, after the production.”
It will not just affect films, but also music videos says Red Light Management managing director James Sandom. His company represents singers and musicians in the United Kingdom. He opined that singers will “leap” at the revenue that product placements being digitally added to their music videos will bring.
“The opportunity to carve open a new revenue stream is rare, and the ability to retrospectively use existing content and build new content with it in mind is exciting,” Sandom said.
While the move to replace Yul Brynner’s cigarette from ‘Port Of New York’ with a can of soup (as shown above) may seem lucrative to some, the suggestion does not come without its detractors.
Film critic Anne Billson told the BBC that digital advertisers could create a PR and copyright claim nightmare for some.
“I would be interested in finding out about the legal angle vis-à-vis digital reworking of a copyrighted work, or whether the advertisers would have to buy the film before they tampered with it,” she said.
“It also calls into question the role of the production designer, who has put a lot of thought into the look of something, only for some random advertiser to come along at a later date and spoil it with changes or additions that might be anachronistic, or that might not mesh with their other carefully considered design choices.”
[Source: BBC]
Shaun Escayg Dumps Marvel’s Avengers, Returns to Naughty Dog
Square Enix’s troubled ‘Avengers’ game is taking more punches to the gut than The Blob. Unlike the obese mutant, however, the game in question may not be able to withstand a new barrage of bad news.
Via GameSpot, we learned that the creative director of last year’s ‘Avengers’ game had left his post to return to Naughty Dog. Shaun Escayg has dumped Black Widow to go join up with Abby. Trading in Thor’s hammer for Abby’s golf club, I see.
Happy to be back with the Dogs! pic.twitter.com/0xcKIwFUkW
— Shaun Escayg (@ShaunEscayg) April 19, 2021
Escayg had been with Naughty Dog during the original ‘The Last of Us,’ acting as the lead cinematic animator. He also wrote and directed the ‘Uncharted’ spin-off game ‘The Lost Legacy.’
What was the straw that broke and had Escayg return to Naughty Dog? That’s not clear. No ill will was present as he stated, “Marvel’s Avengers is in good hands.” Maybe greener grass. Or maybe it was time to join the winning team.
Let’s hope that is true. The AAA title featuring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes hit the market with a bit of a thud. The game sold about 3 million copies but failed to recoup its $200 million budget. This led to a small player base further shrunk by a mediocre post-campaign grind fest.
Further expansions and story content is coming, and PS4 owners have yet to receive their exclusive Spider-Man DLC. Given the amount of time that has passed, will these carrots be enough to keep players coming back?
Did you play Marvel’s ‘Avengers’? What are your thoughts on the game? Did it hold your interest, or did your copy end up at a GameStop? Let us know in the comments.
[Source: GameSpot]
The Mitchells vs The Machines: Special Premiere Event Ahead of it’s Netflix Release
Last year, Sony Animation’s 21st theatrical film The Mitchells vs The Machines was set to be released on October 23, 2020. But, as with everything else, it was to be postponed into the next year. The movie was renamed Connected. But after it was bought by Netflix earlier this year, the movie title reverted back to The Mitchells vs The Machines.
In March, Netflix announced the movie would be released on April 30th. But you may not have to wait that long to watch it. Netflix has teamed up with a theater company called Little Cinema. They specialized in an immersive theater experience, which were massive successes. When everything began to shut down last year, Little Cinema had to find a creative way to keep up with engaging with the audience, even if they were not physically there. After a week of planning and preparing, they took the immersive concept to the digital platform, which received critical acclaim from Vanity Fair. From that first digital experience, Little Cinema had developed a way to give Hollywood virtual red carpet events for new movies and specials. After things start to settle down from the pandemic, it will be interesting to see if the entertainment industry continues to use this digital platform, instead of the red carpet high profile events.
On Netflixs’ part, they hold on average 20 premiere events per month through Little Cinema. Other companies who also use Little Cinema include WarnerMedia, Paramount Pictures, and Amazon, to name a few.
On Monday afternoon, The Mitchells vs The Machines social media pages announced a special premiere event will be held on April 24th, for those who sign up for RSVP access. Spots are limited, so sign up as soon as you can if you want to see the movie before April 30th.
Hey, you're part of the family! Come hang out with us at the World Premiere event for #TheMitchellsVsTheMachines.
RSVP here: https://t.co/srpX5Jsz7c pic.twitter.com/gIXrTnBXxW
— The Mitchells vs. The Machines (@MitchellsMovie) April 19, 2021
Here is the trailer for The Mitchells vs. The Machines:
I think it looks like a fun movie, so I’m looking forward to watching it this Saturday! Will you be watching it early, or are you content enough to wait until the official release date on April 30th? Let me know!
