Home Blog Page 41

Head Back To The Future With The New Flux Capacitor Replica!

0

Factory Entertainment has more high-end prop replicas coming to the market. This time it’s the Flux Capacitor from Back to the Future. Doc Brown’s invention that makes time travel possible will cost you, though. $1,199.99.

Unfortunately, FE doesn’t provide a video of the Flux Capacitor in action. Why is this important? Because the last 1:1 replica we saw was from Diamond Select. It was priced at a couple of hundred dollars (far more now if you can find one), and it wasn’t screen-accurate in the least.

The DS version was the wrong color, and the LED lighting effects strobe instead of being in sequence. VideoBob covered this a few years ago.

It’s also worth noting that the FE version currently available for pre-order looks like a much darker-colored enclosure than the actual prop. Odd considering one of the selling points is how accurate this thing is supposed to be:

The Factory Entertainment team studied high resolution film footage from the series, scoured every available printed resource, and consulted with the foremost experts on the prop to create a 1:1 scale replica that is truly accurate. It features screen-accurate lights and sounds, as well as remote-controlled AC or battery operation for maximum display flexibility.

Thankfully, MCE captured footage of the Flux Capacitor in action at this year’s SDCC. Is it worth $1,199.99?

For an extra $300, you can get the Signature Edition of the famous prop signed by Christopher Lloyd. Only 300 of this version will be available, and they’ll ship in “early 2024.”

Sticker shock? Yeah. There are replicas elsewhere that are far less expensive. Nothing about the Flux Capacitor besides the enclosure should cost you more than a couple hundred dollars. Check Etsy if you want one on a budget.

[Source: Factory Entertainment] [Source: Factory Entertainment]

National Cinema Day 2023 Brings $4 Tickets to Theaters

Going to the movies can get pretty expensive nowadays. The costs of movie tickets for any new film released in theaters can range from around $10 for a standard digital movie, to as high as $15 or more for IMAX and Dolby screenings. And that’s before getting anything from the concession stand, which only jacks up the price even further. But an upcoming national event for one day will allow everyone to visit the movie theater for a cheap ticket price. Going to a double feature sounds like a great idea when you’re getting tickets for what feels like a steal.

On Sunday, August 27th, 2023, movie theaters around the United States will be celebrating National Cinema Day. For that day only, more than 3000 movie theaters will be selling movie tickets for all releases at just $4 a ticket. This includes all formats and all releases that are currently in theaters, as well as a few classics getting a new theatrical run. The national event is to promote and encourage people to attend theaters, as well as celebrate many of the big releases that have been coming out recently.

Jackie Brenneman, the president of the Cinema Foundation, shared some thoughts with Variety about the upcoming event and how it will benefit theaters and everyone who loves going to the movies. “Following the rousing success of the first annual National Cinema Day, we welcome everyone to join us for the communal experience of one of America’s favorite pastimes… movie going… We look forward to gathering at the movies and celebrating an exciting slate of new releases and classics, from beloved family favorites and outrageous comedies to thought-provoking dramas and thrilling adventures. There’s something for everyone.”

This isn’t the first time an event like this is taking place. It’s actually the second annual National Cinema Day following the success of the first one to take place in 2022. During the first National Cinema Day, approximately 8.1 people attended went to the movies, according to the National Association of Theater Owners. This resulted in the highest attendance at the movies in 2022. Events like this that bring about sales for new releases are bound to attract more people who are looking to save in their households.

For 2023’s National Cinema Day, movie fans can get a chance to see new releases like TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, the Gran Turismo movie, and even the Barbie movie and Oppenheimer on the big screen. Luckily for those curious about it, the National Cinema Day event will include all film formats at participating theaters. So if you missed your chance to be part of the Barbenheimer craze, you can do so with a very nice discount. Although this event is happening in the midst of the ongoing WGA and SAGAFTRA strikes happening in Hollywood, it doesn’t affect movies that are already in theaters. Luckily those who have been on strike are not asking for anyone to boycott watching movies in theaters.

What do you think of National Cinema Day? Will you be watching anything fun on the big screen during the event? Should movie theaters have more promos and events that offer discounts on tickets? Let us know your thoughts about everything in the comment section down below!

Iron Man, Thor, And Captain America Get The Spotlight In New Marvel Pull List

0

Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America are getting the highlight in the new Marvel Comics pull list. Tony Stark is getting a new stealth armor to deal with the Hellfire Club. Thor explores his immortal side. Captain America concludes the Sentinels of Liberty story arc. All of this and more is given the spotlight.

“Gerry Duggan and Juan Frigeri’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN (2022) #9 will also usher in Tony Stark: Black King of the Hellfire Club! Feilong and the Stark Sentinels have beaten Iron Man and robbed him of his armor. But Tony isn’t without his resources: his father’s membership to the Hellfire Club and his new Stealth Armor,” Marvel said on their website. “Then, Al Ewing and Martín Cóccolo give the God of Thunder the “Immortal” treatment for IMMORTAL THOR (2023) #1! In Norse myths, they called him Thunderer. Vuer has he been called, and Hloriddi. The Gods know him as Asgard’s King, keeper of Mjolnir, hero of the tales. When injustice grips the Earth and ancient powers bring down the sky, he fights for those who cannot—and when the tale is done, we will know what that cost him. This is the story of the Immortal Thor.”

They add, ” Captain America takes his final stand against the Outer Circle in CAPTAIN AMERICA FINALE (2023) #1 by Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly, and Carmen Carnero! Using information gathered from friends on the inside, Steve Rogers sets his sights on releasing the world from the Outer Circle’s influence and ending the Century Game for good. The explosive conclusion to the groundbreaking story of SENTINEL OF LIBERTY is here—and you won’t want to miss it!”

They revealed the full pull list online:

New Comics

  • BLACK PANTHER (2023) #3
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA FINALE (2023) #1
  • DAREDEVIL & ECHO (2023) #4
  • DEADPOOL (2022) #10
  • FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL (2023) #1
  • IMMORTAL THOR (2023) #1
  • INVINCIBLE IRON MAN (2022) #9
  • JEAN GREY (2023) #1
  • MARVEL UNLEASHED (2023) #1
  • MOON KNIGHT: CITY OF THE DEAD (2023) #2
  • PLANET OF THE APES (2023) #5
  • REALM OF X (2023) #1
  • STAR WARS: DOCTOR APHRA (2020) #35
  • STORM (2023) #4
  • THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2022) #32
  • VENOM (2021) #24
  • X-FORCE (2019) #43

New Collections

  • AVENGERS EPIC COLLECTION: THE GATHERING
  • INFAMOUS IRON MAN BY BENDIS & MALEEV
  • IRONHEART: THE SAGA OF RIRI WILLIAMS
  • MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 25 HC
  • MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN BY SALADIN AHMED
  • STAR WARS: THE HIGH REPUBLIC PHASE II VOL. 2 – BATTLE FOR THE FORCE

Marvel Unlimited

  • BLOODLINE: DAUGHTER OF BLADE (2023) #4
  • CAPTAIN AMERICA: SENTINEL OF LIBERTY (2022) #12
  • FANTASTIC FOUR (2022) #7
  • GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (2023) #2
  • MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN (2022) #6
  • PLANET OF THE APES (2023) #2
  • PREDATOR (2023) #3
  • RED GOBLIN (2023) #4
  • SHE-HULK (2022) #13
  • SPIDER-MAN 2099: DARK GENESIS (2023) #3
  • STAR WARS: BOUNTY HUNTERS (2020) #34
  • VENOM (2021) #19
  • X-FORCE (2019) #40
  • X-MEN (2021) #22
  • HULK ANNUAL (2023) #1

These titles will be released in print or digital on August 23, 2023.

The Final ‘Demon Slayer’ Arc May Be Adapted Into Anime Films

0

Fans are waiting patiently for season four of the dark fantasy anime ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba,’ which is expected to adapt the “Hashira Training Arc” from the manga by Koyoharu Gotouge. The final storyline, known by fans as the “Infinity Castle Arc,” was expected to lead into the fifth season, but a new rumor suggests that the Japanese animation company Ufotable, the studio behind ‘Demon Slayer,’ is considering cutting it into films instead of episodic television.

“As for Season 5, it is expected to cover the final battle. However, according to a leaker, Ufotable may not release weekly episodes and instead opt for multiple movies of Demon Slayer,” Dexerto reported. “The Final Battle arc is divided into “The Infinity Castle and Sunrise Countdown arc.” As such, it spans 69 chapters, making it the longest arc in the series. According to the usual pacing of the series, this many chapters should be covered within 22-24 episodes.”

The leaker could be found on X:

“ANIME MOVIE “Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba – Mugen-jō Hen (The Infinity Castle Arc),” the post says. “Announcement Soon.”

It is worth noting that no anime has concluded its series with a collection of five films. Movies are usually set between arcs or are recut versions of the anime. ‘Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’ was originally released as a film before Ufotable extended it with a season of episodes that expands the story. The film was a huge success, so it is not out of the realm of possibilities. That being said, at the time of this article’s writing, film versions of “Infinity Castle Arc” has not been confirmed.

Anime Senpai cautions fans, “However, fans should await the official announcement, as the studio might be working simultaneously on Season 4 and the films, especially considering how profitable the first two films have been.”

While season 4 of ‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ has been confirmed to be adapting the “Hashira Training Arc” but there has been no release date at this time.

Animated Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Cybersix’ Is Getting A Blu-Ray Release

0

‘Cybersix’ is a 1999 animated series that was a co-production between the Japanese animation studio TMS Entertainment and the Canadian entertainment company Network of Animation. It is a sci-fi thriller about a cyborg who had to take out monstrous creations to survive but becomes a hero to the populace.

Discotek Media is giving the series a new home video release with a special edition Blu-ray box set. It will feature all thirteen episodes, the original pilot, and commentaries from the original staff. It has a planned release of October 31st, 2023, but it is currently available for pre-order on the Right Stuf Anime website.

You can watch the original opening theme song below:

The cast includes:

  • Cathy Weseluck as Cybersix / Adrian Seidelman
  • Michael Dobson as Lucas Amato & Fixed Ideas
  • Scott McNeil as Data-7
  • Terry Klassen as Dr. Von Reichter
  • Andrew Francis as Julian
  • Alex Doduk as José
  • Janyse Jaud as Lori Anderson, Elaine, & Grizelda
  • Brian Drummond as Yashimoto
  • L. Harvey Gold as Terra

Wikipedia describes the synopsis as follows,

“Von Reichter is a surviving member of Schutzstaffel in World War II. He works on experiments in South America, creating the Cyber series of artificial humanoids with super strength and agility. The 5000 original Cybers became servants, mimicked human emotions and making their will. When they disobey orders, Reichter orders them all to be destroyed. After the death of Cyber-29, Reichter transfers his brain into the body of a panther, Data-7. Cyber-6 (Cybersix) is one of the survivors, who escapes and arrives in the city of Meridiana. She disguises herself as school teacher Adrian Seidelman, after the real one is killed in a car crash. Cybersix defeats monsters called “Fixed Ideas” – humanoids of the Techno series – in order to drink the green sustenance liquid contained within them. Along the way, she meets an orphaned boy Julian, Reichter’s cloned son José, and high school teacher Lucas Amato.”

‘Cybersix’ is based on a 1991 Argentinean comic book series that was published in the magazine ‘Skorpio.’

Charles Martinet Stepping Back as Voice of Mario for Nintendo

For many people who grew up with Nintendo games in the 90s, the voice of Mario has always been done by Charles Martinet. Since the release of Super Mario 64 on the Nintendo 64 back in 1996, Charles has portrayed the voice of the iconic character, going on to voice Mario and many other characters in various Super Mario games. For Nintendo fans, there is no other more fitting to play the voice of Mario in any game released by Nintendo. But it looks like that will be coming to an end, as Nintendo announced a coming change that marks the end of an era.

In a post released by Nintendo over Twitter, the company released a statement announcing that Charles Martinet will be stepping back from voicing Mario in future games. In addition to that, Charles will instead be moving into a new role as a Mario Ambassador. As far as what that new role might mean, no details were given. Nintendo went on to praise the work they’ve done with Charles over the years in many video games starring the red and blue plumber.

“It has been an honor working with Charles to help bring Mario to life for so many years and we want to thank him and celebrate him…” Charles himself went on to retweet and share a short message about the announcement shortly after it went live. “My new Adventure begins! You are all Number One in my heart! #whooohooo!”

Although it hasn’t gone live just yet, Nintendo did say that Charles would be releasing a special video discussing everything, which will include Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto. Hopefully, the video will give some insight into what comes next for Charles Martinet as Mario Ambassador. Following the announcement, no details about who might be the next one to step into the shoes as the voice of Mario. After the announcement, it was confirmed that Super Mario Bros. Wonder will be the first Mario game from Nintendo that will not have Charles Martinet doing the voice of Mario.

Since the release of Super Mario 64, Charles has been the voice of Mario in nearly every video game release from Nintendo that included Mario. This includes spin-offs of the Mario series like Luigi’s Mansion, as well as other major releases from Nintendo like the Super Smash Bros. games. Charles was also the voice of other Mario series characters like Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and many others.

What do you think of the news about Charles Martinet stepping back from doing the voice of Mario in Nintendo games? What was the first Super Mario game that you ever played that had Charles doing the voice of Mario? Tell us everything down below in the comment section and let your voice be heard!

Dell Slapped With $6.5M Fine For False Advertising

0

Have you ever wondered if the “deals” you see on Dell’s website are real? If you’re a customer of the PC company in the Land Downunder, then you might have been scammed.

Thankfully, this scummy behavior appears to be centralized in Australia. Although, the practice is probably being implemented all over the place.

A report from Ars Technica has informed us that Dell’s Australian branch is expected to pay almost $6.5 million for a fine resulting from “making false and misleading representations on its website about discount prices for add-on computer monitors.” The number of monitors sold using this slimy tactic wasn’t small, either. The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) claims 5,300 Dell monitors underwent misleading price fixing.

Dell has been accused and found guilty of tricking customers into thinking that the “slashed” prices they found while purchasing PCs were not, in fact, the actual price of the monitors.

Image Credit: ACCC

To be fair, that looks like one heck of a deal. I would have probably picked up a new monitor if there was such a huge alleged discount. No wonder Dell was able to dupe so many customers.

As a long-time Dell customer, I’ve noticed weirdness with the company’s prices here in the States. Deals appear to be oddly arbitrary, and the same item can sometimes change price on a daily basis. While this may be y normal thing, I sometimes wonder how often a monitor, laptop, or desktop’s price is overly inflated to make a “deal” seem better than it really is.

The most considerable discount I’ve seen on monitors over the past few years has been roughly $300 on older models. Maybe I’ve been tricked, too?

Have you experienced any strangeness when it comes to Dell’s sales and prices? Let us know in the comments section below.

[Source: Ars Technica]

GTA V AI Mod Taken Down by Take-Two

Mods for popular video games are a common occurrence, with fans creating their own additions for the games they love to play. But some mods for specific games tend to be more ambitious than others. As is the case with mods that are made for games like Grand Theft Auto V, which can get pretty interesting and impressive. But not everyone is a fan of mods, specifically, the companies that publish the games they are made for. And one mod may have gone a bit too far for publisher Take-Two.

A mod for Grand Theft Auto V called Sentient Streets was recently the focus of ire from Take-Two. The mod in question uses AI technology to generate conversation dialogue for NPCs found in the game, which can change up a lot of the conversations you hear while roaming around. The mod was created by YouTube user Bloc and attracted a lot of attention after being reported by various gaming websites. This got the attention of Take-Two and was taken down from YouTube.

The creator of the mod was very disappointed by the actions of Take-Two, sharing a blog post after videos of the mod in action were hit by a DMCA takedown. “Yesterday, Take-Two Interactive hit my channel with a copyright strike about my video on GTA V mod and YouTube removed the video immediately without giving me any chance to explain myself. The reason for this takedown shown by Take-Two Interactive on YouTube was that I used their software (Grand Theft Auto V) in the video. No one from Take-Two Interactive contacted and ask me anything prior to this, they just took down the video out of nowhere.”

Despite being reached out for comment by various outlets, Take-Two has not given any statement about the mod takedown. It’s not the first time a Grand Theft Auto game has had some controversy related to fan projects and mods surrounding it. In the past, the company has gone as far as to send private investigators out in pursuit of taking down fan mods. With the Sentient Streets mod, the involvement of AI may have been the sticking point for Take-Two.

“Perhaps this occurred automatically, but the evidence suggests a deliberate manual DMCA takedown request from them… I also didn’t get any response back. It looks like they are just attacking the mod from all fronts… Knowing that large corporations can issue strikes based on arbitrary reasons, which can cause your work to go in vain in moments, is also discouraging, to say the least…”

What do you think of Take-Two going after fan mods for Grand Theft Auto V? Do you think the involvement of AI with this fan mod could’ve been what prompted the company to act quickly? Do you still play GTA V now on any platform? Let us know your thoughts about everything in the comment section below!

Overwatch 2: Director Responds to Steam Review Bombing

Overwatch 2 has had many ups and downs since its release. The community of Blizzard fans who frequently boot up Overwatch 2 has been vocal on a number of issues about the game, including the new Invasion content and Season 6 updates. Since going live, many players have taken to forums and Steam threads to voice their opinion about the game, which resulted in a wave of negative reviews and comments. Despite the backlash from the Overwatch community, Blizzard has been silent and given no response. But that changed on Friday with an unexpected response from an unlikely source.

Aaron Keller, the director of Overwatch 2, finally shared a response to the overwhelming backlash and negative reviews of the game on its Steam page, shared on the official Overwatch blog. The number of reviews shared on there from fans led to Overwatch 2 garnering a “mostly negative” display and becoming one of the most negatively reviewed games on Steam to date. Aaron’s statement touched on what it’s been like seeing the response from the community and how much he understood why it was happening.

“…Although being review-bombed isn’t a fun experience, it’s been great to see lots of new players jump into Overwatch 2 for the first time. Our goal with Overwatch 2 has been to make the game more accessible than ever for more people than ever before. Many of the reviews on Steam mention the cancellation of the much larger component of PvE that was announced in 2019 as one of their primary reasons for dissatisfaction with the game. I get that. That announcement was about an ambitious project that we ultimately couldn’t deliver…”

Aaron went on in the blog post to discuss some stats about the game since launching Overwatch 2, as well as how the team learned much when launching some of the latest new content. “If we can’t turn back the clock, then what can we do? We can keep adding to and improving Overwatch 2. That is how we move forward. This means more maps, heroes, game modes, missions, stories, events, cool cosmetics, and features – an ever-expanding, evolving, and improving game. This is the future of Overwatch. One where we will continually create and innovate on what is making the game great now for the players who are playing now.”

For many, there was a lot of disappointment with Overwatch 2 after PvE content that was initially planned was canceled. Much of the excitement about the launch of the sequel was the potential for PvE content to become a big deal among players. But despite changes being made, a lot of people continue to play Overwatch 2 online, even with so many negative reviews of the game being passed around. Hopefully, things will change going forward as more content is released and Overwatch 2 receives more updates. With any luck, it’ll change the outlook of it to the community who are still very passionate about the game.

What do you think of Overwatch 2 and the statement from the game’s director? Do you still play Overwatch 2 online? What kind of things do you want to see Blizzard add to the game? Let us know your thoughts down below in the comments!

A Premium Stay Puft Marshmallow Man Figure Stomps Ashore In 2024

The next Ghostbusters film may be on hold indefinitely as the writer’s strike continues, but that won’t stop the collectibles from hitting the market! Today we learned about an upcoming premium Stay Puft Marshmallow Man figure from Star Ace!

Standing roughly 12″ tall, this manifestation of Gozer features some items we don’t typically see in Stay Puft figures: a fabric tunic and an interchangeable cross-eyed angry face. Was this face even in the 1984 classic? Stay Puft’s alternate head looks like it came from the recently released short film rather than the first Ghostbusters movie.

Regardless of the optional head, this Stay Puft Marshmallow Man looks good. Hopefully, it won’t suffer from the discoloring problem we saw with the Mattel version years ago.

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man may be pre-ordered for $153.99 directly from Star Ace or for $194.99 from the Big Bad Toy Store. He is expected to come ashore during the fourth quarter of 2023.

Crafted with utmost attention to detail, this soft vinyl rendition of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man captures the essence of the mischievous and larger-than-life character. His legs, arms and head rotate allowing for multiple poses. The figure features the mixed media elements of the fabric collar and necktie and standing at an impressive 30cm tall this figure is a fun and authentic look at the classic movie monster.

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man will come with the following:

  • Two pairs of interchangeable hands
  • Interchangeable jolly and angry heads
  • Fabric sailor’s tunic

For more Ghostbusters merchandise, check out our coverage here!

Let us know what you think about this new collectible below.

[Source: Star Ace] [Source: Big Bad Toy Store]
Close Subscribe Card