Rian Johnson is back on the case. Peacock announced Tuesday that the filmmaker will serve as creator, writer, and director on the streaming service's mystery series Poker Face. Natasha Lyonne is attached to star and executive produce. The streamer has ordered 10 episodes. "I'm very excited to dig into the type of fun, character-driven, case-of-the-week mystery goodness I grew up watching. It's my happy place," Johnson said in a statement. "Having Natasha as a partner in crime is a dream, and we've found the perfect home at Peacock." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/10/knives-out-review"] With Poker Face, Johnson is officially doing a double-dip into the mystery genre. The director is also currently developing a sequel to his 2019 whodunit Knives Out, with Daniel Craig likely to reprise his role as Detective Benoit Blanc. Additionally, Johnson reportedly confirmed last month that his original Star Wars trilogy is still in the works, which would bring The Last Jedi director back to that galaxy far, far away. No official dates have been announced yet for the project. Johnson is also no stranger to the television landscape. Though Poker Face will be his first foray into writing a television series, he has previously directed episodes of Breaking Bad and Terriers. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-to-watch-on-peacock&captions=true"] Lyonne is best known for her recent work as the star and co-creator of Netflix's time loop comedy series Russian Doll, which recently entered production on Season 2. NBCUniversal launched Peacock last July. In our review, IGN gave Peacock a 6, calling it a "solid streaming service [with] glaring features missing that most platforms have had for years." [poilib element="accentDivider"] J. Kim Murphy is a freelance entertainment writer. (Photo by Christopher Jue/Getty Images)

Marvel Comics is kicking off a new limited series in June 2021 called The United States of captain America. And with June being Pride Month, it's only fitting that comic will introduce readers to the first LGBTQ+ character to take up the Captain America mantle. Written by Christopher Cantwell (Doctor Doom) and drawn by Dale Eaglesham (Fantastic Four), The United States of Captain America focuses on four heroes who have served as Cap at one point or another - Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes and John Walker. The four heroes will embark on a cross-country journey to track down Steve's missing shield. Along the way, they'll meet a number of ordinary Americans who have been inspired by Cap's example to help their communities. That's where new hero Aaron Fischer comes in. [caption id="attachment_2486963" align="aligncenter" width="2054"] Art by Nick Robles. (Image Credit: Marvel)[/caption] Aaron will debut in issue #1's main story and also star in a backup feature written by Aaron Trujillo (Dodge City) and drawn by Jan Bazaldua (X-Force), both of whom also created the character. As an openly gay man and the self-proclaimed "Captain America of the Railways," Aaron has made it his mission to protect runaways and the homeless, even if he doesn't exactly have the powers or resources of Steve Rogers. “Aaron is inspired by heroes of the queer community: activists, leaders, and everyday folks pushing for a better life,” Trujillo said in Marvel's press release. “He stands for the oppressed, and the forgotten. I hope his debut story resonates with readers, and helps inspire the next generation of heroes.” “I want to thank Editor Alanna Smith and Joshua Trujillo very much for asking me to create Aaron,” Bazaldua said. “I really enjoyed designing him, and as a transgender person, I am happy to be able to present an openly gay person who admires Captain America and fights against evil to help those who are almost invisible to society. While I was drawing him, I thought, well, Cap fights against super-powerful beings and saves the world almost always, but Aaron helps those who walk alone in the street with problems that they face every day. I hope people like the end result!” [caption id="attachment_2486962" align="aligncenter" width="2733"] Art by Jan Bazaldua. (Image Credit: Marvel)[/caption] Future issues of The United States of Captain America will continue to include backup stories from different creative teams that flesh out new heroes introduced in the main story. Look for issue #1 to be released digitally and in print on June 2. In other recent comic book news, IGN learned how Black Adam will transform the Justice League in DC's Infinite Frontier, and Marvel is teasing the start of a major new X-Men event in June's Planet-Size X #1. Check out the video below to learn more about what Marvel has planned in 2021: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/01/04/what-to-expect-from-marvel-in-2021"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The motion controls for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on Switch will be "smoother" and "more intuitive" than they were in the original Wii version, according to Nintendo. Nintendo posted the claim on Twitter alongside a video demonstration of the motion controls in action, which shows the right Joy-Con being used to slash Link's sword and the left to raise his shield. As previously announced, the motion controls will be optional in the upcoming Switch version, as Nintendo has added a new button-only controller scheme. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-hd-screenshots&captions=true"] The implementation of mandatory motion controls in the original Wii version of Skyward Sword has long been divisive among Zelda fans. IGN's Skyward Sword review called the controls "a revelation," praising their "responsiveness and intuitiveness," while others were less impressed, often citing unresponsiveness, inaccuracy, or a general contempt for motion controls. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD will be released for Switch on July 16 alongside new special edition Joy-Cons designed to resemble the Hylian Shield and Master Sword. Elsewhere in the kingdom of Hyrule, Breath of the Wild 2 director Eiji Aounuma said fans can expect "new information" on the highly anticipated sequel later this year. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/17/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-hd-nintendo-switch-announcement-trailer"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

This week in Red Dead Online, claim the Outlaw Pass No. 5, take advantage of the new Wheeler, Rawson, and Co. Club, and much more.

Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train has been set for a North American theatrical release on April 23. Aniplex of America and Funimation have revealed distribution plans for Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in North America. The action-packed anime will be arriving in theaters in the US and Canada on April 23. Audiences will have the opportunity to watch the movie in 4DX and on IMAX screens, and the feature will also be available in both English dub as well as subtitled. Tickets will go on sale from April 9. There's no word yet on any potential distribution plans for Demon Slayer: Mugen Train in other territories, however, the movie will be made available on digital video storefronts such as Apple TV, Microsoft Store, Vudu, Google Play, PlayStation Store, and Amazon on June 22. Pre-orders will begin on April 26 on Apple TV, Microsoft Store, and PlayStation Store. [caption id="attachment_2486923" align="alignnone" width="720"] Image credit: Koyoharu Gotoge / SHUEISHA, Aniplex, ufotable[/caption] Set after the events of the 2019 anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train picks up with Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke as they embark on a new mission. Together with one of the most powerful swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, they investigate the mysterious disappearance of over 40 people aboard the Mugen Train. "We are thrilled to be bringing Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train to theaters in North America," said Shu Nishimoto, president of Aniplex of America. "The support from fans worldwide has truly been the driving force behind the series, and we can't wait for everyone to experience the next chapter in Tanjiro's journey as a Demon Slayer." "Demon Slayer's record-breaking box office sales in Japan have elevated the series—and anime itself— to a new level," added Colin Decker, CEO of Funimation Global Group, in his statement accompanying the announcement. "It is a truly global-scale franchise, and we're honored to be the home and distributor of the film in many territories worldwide." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/26/demon-slayer-kimetsu-no-yaiba-official-trailer-english-dub"] Directed by Haruo Sotozaki from a story by Koyoharu Gotoge, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train broke multiple records when it opened in Japan on October 16, 2020. It became the fastest movie to achieve over $100 million at the Japanese box office, having reached that figure after only 10 days in theaters. It also set the record for the highest-grossing IMAX release in Japan. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train currently stands as the highest-grossing anime and Japanese movie of all time, having grossed an estimated $368M in Japan. The R-rated anime adventure managed to surpass Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away to earn the coveted ranking. It's also enjoyed further success in Australia and New Zealand, where it opened at No. 1 last month. The movie is a direct sequel to the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba anime series directed by Haruo Sotozaki and produced by Ufotable. The series tells the thrilling tale of a young man in search of a cure for his sister, who has been turned into a demon after their family was viciously slaughtered by demons. It won Anime of the Year at Crunchyroll's fourth annual anime awards last year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=top-10-most-anticipated-anime-of-2021&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

It's a big month for Xbox Game Pass additions for a number of reasons -- one of which is that Xbox RPG fans without Nintendo Switch systems can finally play Octopath Traveler. Xbox announced today that Octopath Traveler would be joining Xbox Game Pass for both console and PC (sadly not Cloud) starting March 25, having previously only been available on Nintendo Switch at launch, then on PC and Google Stadia in subsequent years. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/07/12/octopath-traveler-review"] Octopath Traveler first launched in 2018, and follows the story of eight adventurers with eight distinctive stories, who ultimately come together to stop the threats faced by their world of Orsterra. We awarded the game a 9.3 in our review at launch due to its beautiful style and excellent take on turn-based combat. It has since spawned a mobile prequel (though it's only out in Japan so far) and a new console game in the series is said to be in the works as well. It's a big month for new Game Pass titles, with Octopath Traveler joining games like Outriders, Undertale, Nier Automata, Star Wars: Squadrons, and Yakuza 6: Song of Life on the service in the coming few weeks. A few games are on their way out as well, including Hyperdot, Journey to the Savage Planet, and Machinarium. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Jade Raymond has started Haven Entertainment Studios, an independent company in Montreal that will be working on an unannounced new IP for PlayStation. Announced on PlayStation.Blog, Raymond wants this studio to "create worlds where players can escape, have fun, express themselves, and find community." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-ps5-games&captions=true"] Raymond recently left Google, where she was leading the now-shut down Stadia Games and Entertainment first-party studio. Prior to Google, Raymond helped create such titles as Assassin's Creed and Assassin's Creed 2 and founded and led both EA's Motive Studio and Ubisoft Toronto. As Raymond took stock of her career over the past few years, she knew she needed to "get back to what I love doing most, and do so in a way that gives our team the freedom to explore, inspire, and create." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/02/23/ea-motives-jade-raymond-on-the-dice-red-carpet-dice-2018"] "And so today I’m announcing Haven, an independent studio where many of the talented game developers I have worked with for years (and love dearly!) are coming together to do what we are most passionate about," Raymond said. "It’s time for us to refocus on GAMES in a place where we can practice our crafts without any barriers or impediments. We want to create worlds where players can escape, have fun, express themselves, and find community. We want to pour our passion into a project. We want to make something wondrous for people to experience. Because we believe in the power of games to bring joy to people’s lives. And Sony does, too. Their commitment to excellence is unmatched. It’s why I couldn’t be happier for their backing and support." The name Haven was chosen because Raymond wants this to be a "haven for developers," and while she has nothing more to reveal about this unannounced IP, the team is already hard at work on the project. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/05/ps5-xbox-series-x-a-rocky-first-100-days-next-gen-console-watch"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

EA has promised to clamp down further on racist and other offensive content in FIFA, and is developing new technology to tackle in-game offences. Eurogamer published a report today which outlines how players have circumvented FIFA 21's naming filters to display offensive club, player and commentary names in the game's Pro Clubs mode, with some examples seen by Eurogamer alluding to far-right groups and promoting racist ideology. Players can report these offences in-game but many players have reported that such names are still prevalent in the game. Since the launch of FIFA 21, EA told Eurogamer that it has already banned over 9000 accounts and issued over 25 thousand warnings relating to offensive in-game content. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/06/fifa-21-review"] EA's full statement sent to Eurogamer outlines its current strategy and how it plans to improve upon it, by implementing new technology in the coming months to tackle this issue. "Both Electronic Arts and EA Sports are committed to making our games and experiences fun, fair and safe for everyone. We filter user-generated content in areas such as in-game chat and EA  Account, player and team names, to block profane text that might be used to demean or harass." "Under our Positive Play Charter, our teams are focused on improving in-game reporting and moderation tools, along with a players' ability to report any offensive content at ea.com/report," the statement reads. "This helps ensure that when people don't play by the rules, there are easily accessible channels to report problem players or inappropriate content. We take all reports seriously and regularly action against our findings. Since the launch of FIFA 21 we have banned over 9000 accounts and issued over 25,000 warnings or suspensions as a result of inappropriate or offensive content," it continues. "We're committed to continuously advancing our tools and solutions to address new challenges, including more intelligent monitoring and mitigation technology that will be released in the coming months." In other FIFA news, EA is currently investigating allegations that an employee sold rare Ultimate Team items for real money. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Wizards of the Coast has announced that Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on June 22, 2021. Alongside the release date, IGN is proud to share an exclusive dev diary from Tuque Games that reveals more details about Dark Alliance and how the project came to be. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/16/dd-dark-alliance-making-dark-alliance-episode-1"] Jeffrey Hattem, Tuque Games' studio head and creative director, explained how the team began making their dream Dungeons & Dragons game before Wizards of the Coast even agreed to let them officialy do so. "We were like, why not approach Wizards of the Coast to see if we could do a Dungeons & Dragons game," Hattem said. "The response I got back from WotC was… they just wanted to shut us down basically. They didn’t want us to make a Dungeons & Dragons game, but we wanted to make one. So, we pivoted. We’re not going to work on a pitch, we’re going to make this game as if we’re going to make this game and let’s just go. YOLO.” At the start, the game shared a lot of similarities with Diablo, including it being a top-down, action RPG. However, it quickly evolved to something much more grand. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/16/dd-dark-alliance-hands-on-gameplay-impressions"] "At that point it was a top-down, action RPG," Hattem continued. "You would gather up with your friends, you would smash monsters, grab loot, and progress, but it was missing something. It wasn’t taking the characters, taking the Forgotten Realms, and rendering them to the level of fidelity that I wanted as a player.” The team continued to build their dream D&D game, and the industry began to take notice. The team received six different offers from six different publishers to make the game a reality, but Wizards of the Coast ended up becoming the publisher for the game after it saw its potential. It even doubled the budget and tasked Tuque Games to "go bigger." Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will feature real-time combat and dynamic co-op gameplay, and will pit the "the infamous Drizzt Do’Urden and his legendary companions – Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar – against some of the most iconic monsters from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Frost Giants, Beholders, and White Dragons roam the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale in search of the Crystal Shard— and it’s up to the companions to muster the strength to stop them from claiming and using it to destroy their home." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-dark-alliance-first-gameplay-screenshots&captions=true"] Fans can pre-order Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance beginning today at select retailers for $39.99 USD. There will also be a Digital Deluxe Edition for $59.99 USD that includes the upcoming expansion 'Echoes of the Blood War' and the Lich weapon set. All pre-orders will receive an exclusive in-game Beholder weapon set at launch. For more on Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, check out our preview impressions for the upcoming game and the game's reveal from The Game Awards 2019. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Wizards of the Coast has announced that Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will be released on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC on June 22, 2021. Alongside the release date, IGN is proud to share an exclusive dev diary from Tuque Games that reveals more details about Dark Alliance and how the project came to be. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/16/dd-dark-alliance-making-dark-alliance-episode-1"] Jeffrey Hattem, Tuque Games' studio head and creative director, explained how the team began making their dream Dungeons & Dragons game before Wizards of the Coast even agreed to let them officialy do so. "We were like, why not approach Wizards of the Coast to see if we could do a Dungeons & Dragons game," Hattem said. "The response I got back from WotC was… they just wanted to shut us down basically. They didn’t want us to make a Dungeons & Dragons game, but we wanted to make one. So, we pivoted. We’re not going to work on a pitch, we’re going to make this game as if we’re going to make this game and let’s just go. YOLO.” At the start, the game shared a lot of similarities with Diablo, including it being a top-down, action RPG. However, it quickly evolved to something much more grand. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/16/dd-dark-alliance-hands-on-gameplay-impressions"] "At that point it was a top-down, action RPG," Hattem continued. "You would gather up with your friends, you would smash monsters, grab loot, and progress, but it was missing something. It wasn’t taking the characters, taking the Forgotten Realms, and rendering them to the level of fidelity that I wanted as a player.” The team continued to build their dream D&D game, and the industry began to take notice. The team received six different offers from six different publishers to make the game a reality, but Wizards of the Coast ended up becoming the publisher for the game after it saw its potential. It even doubled the budget and tasked Tuque Games to "go bigger." Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance will feature real-time combat and dynamic co-op gameplay, and will pit the "the infamous Drizzt Do’Urden and his legendary companions – Catti-brie, Bruenor, and Wulfgar – against some of the most iconic monsters from the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Frost Giants, Beholders, and White Dragons roam the frozen tundra of Icewind Dale in search of the Crystal Shard— and it’s up to the companions to muster the strength to stop them from claiming and using it to destroy their home." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dd-dark-alliance-first-gameplay-screenshots&captions=true"] Fans can pre-order Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance beginning today at select retailers for $39.99 USD. There will also be a Digital Deluxe Edition for $59.99 USD that includes the upcoming expansion 'Echoes of the Blood War' and the Lich weapon set. All pre-orders will receive an exclusive in-game Beholder weapon set at launch. For more on Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, check out our preview impressions for the upcoming game and the game's reveal from The Game Awards 2019. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.