The Batman and Mission: Impossible 7 are amongst several film and television productions that are to be given the green light to resume filming this summer. The UK government announced on Sunday that a limited number of essential individuals working on major productions will be allowed to be part of an exclusive group who are exempt from quarantine rules, so long as those travelling to the country live and work in controlled "bubbled" environments, which only includes their production and accommodation locations, per The Hollywood Reporter. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/13/how-coronavirus-delays-are-impacting-2020-movies-ign-now"] The Batman had been filming for almost seven weeks when production was halted for an initial two-week period due to safety concerns amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, while the cast and crew of Mission: Impossible 7 were forced to postpone a shoot in Italy as the country went into lockdown to help reduce rising infection rates. "The world's biggest blockbusters and high-end TV shows are made in Britain," said Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden. "Our creativity, expertise and highly successful tax reliefs for our screen industries means that we are an in demand location that in turn delivers a great return for our economy. We want the industry to bounce back and exempting small numbers of essential cast and crew from quarantine is part of our continued commitment to getting cameras rolling safely again. This is welcome news not just for film lovers but the thousands employed across the screen industries and the sectors it supports." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] Apart from The Batman and the Mission: Impossible sequels, other major film productions that were originally halted in the UK include the third Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them installment, Disney's live-action retelling of The Little Mermaid, and Universal's Jurassic World: Dominion, which is set to resume filming at Pinewood Studios this week after an almost four-month hiatus. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Turtle Rock Studios, the creator of Left 4 Dead, has shown off concept art for its upcoming co-op zombie game, Back 4 Blood. Revealed on Twitter, the image shows off a ramshackle human settlement, surrounded by fortifications and traps. Check it out below: When Back 4 Blood was revealed, Turtle Rock explained that the game will be a "next-gen cooperative FPS" where "you’ll be able to shoot up a lot of zombies like in Left 4 Dead," but with "a whole lot of new stuff in Back 4 Blood which makes it unique." The image could suggest a game in which defense is as important as escape, and where players will be attampting to force zombie hordes into traps as well as into firefights. However, Turtle Rock has offered no new details about the game, so this is all speculation for now. Back 4 Blood is scheduled for release on PC, Xbox One and PS4 (although in 2019, a release on other platforms was said to not be out of the question). No release date has been set. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.  

Ennio Morricone, the Italian film composer whose symphonic scores spanned across all genres, including spaghetti westerns, romance and thrillers, has died aged 91. Morricone died early Monday in a Rome hospital after suffering complications from a fall that caused a hip fracture, his lawyer Giorgio Assumma told Italian news agency ANSA, per Variety. The musical maestro composed more than 400 scores for cinema and television, as well as over 100 classical works. He first rose to prominence in the 1960s while collaborating with director Sergio Leone on his spaghetti westerns. Together, they created timeless masterpieces, with Morricone's score to The Good, the Bad and the Ugly still considered to be one of the most influential soundtracks in history. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/06/01/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-gunfight"] Over his long-spanning career, Morricone was nominated six times for Oscars in the Best Original Score category for his work on Days of Heaven, The Mission, The Untouchables, Bugsy, Malena, and The Hateful Eight. In 2007, he was presented with the Academy Honorary Award in recognition of "his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music." In 2016, he received his first competitive Academy Award for his score to Quentin Tarantino's film The Hateful Eight, for which he composed 50 minutes of original music. His additional achievements include three Grammy Awards, three Golden Globes, and six BAFTA Awards, amongst many other accolades that he collected for his glittering filmography, which includes over 70 award-winning films. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/12/07/the-hateful-eight-my-life-story-clip"] Shortly after the sad news of Morricone's death broke, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte tweeted: "We will always remember, with infinite gratitude, the artistic genius of the Maestro Ennio Morricone. It made us dream, feel excited, reflect, writing memorable notes that will remain indelible in the history of music and cinema." In a further tribute to the prolific composer, director Edgar Wright wrote on Twitter: "Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must-see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend. He hasn't been off my stereo my entire life. What a legacy of work he leaves behind. RIP." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The developer behind LA: Noire The VR Case Files is once again working with Rockstar on a new open-world VR game. In a Linkedin announcement, Australian developer Video Games Deluxe said “Having finished the critically well received L.A.Noire: The V.R. Case Files we are now gearing up for a new project, a AAA open world title in VR for Rockstar,” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/10/la-noire-the-vr-case-files-review"] “2020 marks our 7th year of working exclusively for Rockstar in Sydney and we are excited to taking on this ground breaking project,” it added. The announcement promotes the opening of several different job vacancies, including senior programmers, engine programmer, designer, and animator, all at the company’s Sydney studio. Each one refers to an “open world AAA VR project”, although the details in the listings does not give away any further details. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-rockstar-game-review-ever&captions=true"] With only these limited details, it’s unclear if Video Games Deluxe is working on a VR version of an existing Rockstar game, as it did with L.A. Noire, or if this will be an original IP. With GTA 5 recently announced for PS5 there’s demonstration that Rockstar is interested in further expanding the reach of their current Grand Theft Auto. Perhaps VR could be that avenue. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

Naughty Dog, the studio behind The Last of Us Part 2, as well as Abby's voice actor Laura Bailey and director Neil Druckmann, have responded to the online harassment and death threats they have received following the game's release. Laura Bailey took to Twitter on July 3 to share some of the horrible messages she has received since The Last of Us Part 2 was released on June 19, 2020. Alongside images of some of the responses, Bailey said "Man. I try to only post positive stuff on here... but sometimes this just gets a little overwhelming. I blacked out some of the words cuz, ya know, spoilers. Side note. Thank you to all the people sending me positive messages to balance it out. It means more than I can say." The response was overwhelmingly positive, and rightfully so, with many around the industry and beyond showing support for Bailey. So much so, she responded by thanking all those who did. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] "Damn," Bailey said. "The amount of encouraging responses to this... I've always believed that good people far outweigh the bad. Thanks for reminding me of that today." Earlier today, July 5, Naughty Dog took to Twitter to condemn "any form of harassment or threats directed towards our team and cast." "Although we welcome critical discussion, we condemn any form of harassment or threats directed towards our team and cast. Their safety is our top priority, but we must all work together to root out this type of behavior and maintain a constructive and compassionate discourse." An hour later, The Last of Us Part 2's director Neil Druckmann shared some of the hate he has been getting. "You can love or hate the game and share your thoughts about it," Druckmann said. "Unfortunately too many of the messages I've been getting are vile, hateful, & violent. Here are just a handful of them (feel it's important to expose.) Trigger Warning: transphobic, homophobic, anti-Semitic, etc." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] The shining light in all this darkness is the support from those around the internet that has drowned out all this hatred. There is simply no place for it. Unfortunately for all the haters, The Last of Us Part 2, besides setting a new gold standard for accessibility in games, has become the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive ever. In our review of The Last of Us Part 2, in which we gave it a 10/10, we said it "is a masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way." [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 who wishes people would be better. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Naughty Dog, the studio behind The Last of Us Part 2, as well as Abby's voice actor Laura Bailey and director Neil Druckmann, have responded to the online harassment and death threats they have received following the game's release. Laura Bailey took to Twitter on July 3 to share some of the horrible messages she has received since The Last of Us Part 2 was released on June 19, 2020. Alongside images of some of the responses, Bailey said "Man. I try to only post positive stuff on here... but sometimes this just gets a little overwhelming. I blacked out some of the words cuz, ya know, spoilers. Side note. Thank you to all the people sending me positive messages to balance it out. It means more than I can say." The response was overwhelmingly positive, and rightfully so, with many around the industry and beyond showing support for Bailey. So much so, she responded by thanking all those who did. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] "Damn," Bailey said. "The amount of encouraging responses to this... I've always believed that good people far outweigh the bad. Thanks for reminding me of that today." Earlier today, July 5, Naughty Dog took to Twitter to condemn "any form of harassment or threats directed towards our team and cast." "Although we welcome critical discussion, we condemn any form of harassment or threats directed towards our team and cast. Their safety is our top priority, but we must all work together to root out this type of behavior and maintain a constructive and compassionate discourse." An hour later, The Last of Us Part 2's director Neil Druckmann shared some of the hate he has been getting. "You can love or hate the game and share your thoughts about it," Druckmann said. "Unfortunately too many of the messages I've been getting are vile, hateful, & violent. Here are just a handful of them (feel it's important to expose.) Trigger Warning: transphobic, homophobic, anti-Semitic, etc." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-reviewed-games-of-2020&captions=true"] The shining light in all this darkness is the support from those around the internet that has drowned out all this hatred. There is simply no place for it. Unfortunately for all the haters, The Last of Us Part 2, besides setting a new gold standard for accessibility in games, has become the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive ever. In our review of The Last of Us Part 2, in which we gave it a 10/10, we said it "is a masterpiece that evolves the gameplay, cinematic storytelling, and rich world design of the original in nearly every way." [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 who wishes people would be better. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

LEGO has announced new LEGO ART sets that allows builders to craft LEGO posters of Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Darth Maul, Iron Man, the Beatles, and Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe. Each set will cost $119.99 USD and has multiple building options, with each set allowing up to three different posters to build. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lego-art-sets-star-wars-iron-man-the-beatles-andy-warhols-marilyn-monroe&captions=true"] For example, the Star Wars The Sith set allows builders to build either Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or Darth Maul. Additionally, if three sets are purchased, an "ultimate Darth Vader wall piece" can be crafted that combines all three picture options. The Marvel Studios Iron Man set allows for the MARK III, HULKBUSTER MARK I, or the MARK LXXXV to be built. Once again, if three sets are purchased, an "ultimate Iron Man piece" can be created. The Marilyn Monroe set has four unique color options to build and The Beatles set allows for LEGO posters of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to be built. Buying multiple of these sets won't create an "ultimate" piece. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/24/lego-star-wars-the-skywalker-saga-announcement-trailer"] Each set has near or over 3,000 pieces and comes with an accompanying soundtrack with interviews and stories related to each set. On the official LEGO website, each set has a release date of September 1, 2020, except for Iron Man which says coming soon. If this isn't enough LEGO Star Wars for you, be sure to check out the 10 LEGO Star Wars sets based on the upcoming game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and some even unlock exclusive content. [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 who wants an LEGO ART R2-D2 set. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

LEGO has announced new LEGO ART sets that allows builders to craft LEGO posters of Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, Darth Maul, Iron Man, the Beatles, and Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe. Each set will cost $119.99 USD and has multiple building options, with each set allowing up to three different posters to build. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=lego-art-sets-star-wars-iron-man-the-beatles-andy-warhols-marilyn-monroe&captions=true"] For example, the Star Wars The Sith set allows builders to build either Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, or Darth Maul. Additionally, if three sets are purchased, an "ultimate Darth Vader wall piece" can be crafted that combines all three picture options. The Marvel Studios Iron Man set allows for the MARK III, HULKBUSTER MARK I, or the MARK LXXXV to be built. Once again, if three sets are purchased, an "ultimate Iron Man piece" can be created. The Marilyn Monroe set has four unique color options to build and The Beatles set allows for LEGO posters of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to be built. Buying multiple of these sets won't create an "ultimate" piece. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/24/lego-star-wars-the-skywalker-saga-announcement-trailer"] Each set has near or over 3,000 pieces and comes with an accompanying soundtrack with interviews and stories related to each set. On the official LEGO website, each set has a release date of September 1, 2020, except for Iron Man which says coming soon. If this isn't enough LEGO Star Wars for you, be sure to check out the 10 LEGO Star Wars sets based on the upcoming game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, and some even unlock exclusive content. [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 who wants an LEGO ART R2-D2 set. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

With the news that Michael Keaton is now in talks to reprise his role as Batman three decades later in the upcoming Flash movie, appearing alongside Ezra Miller's Barry Allen, comes a new wave of fan appreciation for Keaton's portrayal of the Caped Crusader. And in re-watching Tim Burton's 1989 Batman and 1991 Batman Returns, eagle-eyed viewers are once again noticing the fun Flash Easter egg in Batman Returns that appears during a third act yuletide costume ball that both Keaton's Bruce Wayne and Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle attend. The Flash part is best seen here in this video breakdown by DayToDayWithJay on YouTube... [youtube clip_id="CD3FrmS3-Lc"] In the background of Bruce and Selina's dance scene is a guy dressed up like the Jay Garrick Flash, complete with the Hermes helmet, along with a hooded partner in a red mask, which could be a nod to Jesse Quick. In Tim Burton's two Bat-flicks, Keaton's Batman often took a backseat to the villains, whether it was Jack Nicholson's Joker or Batman Returns' Penguin, Catwoman, and Max Shreck. But as Tim Burton put it in an old interview, that was always the point of his Batman - to have an "average looking guy" who kept to the shadows. With Keaton reportedly joining The Flash movie, here's a list of possible DCEU movie characters that could also pop into the Flash film for a cameo. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

With the news that Michael Keaton is now in talks to reprise his role as Batman three decades later in the upcoming Flash movie, appearing alongside Ezra Miller's Barry Allen, comes a new wave of fan appreciation for Keaton's portrayal of the Caped Crusader. And in re-watching Tim Burton's 1989 Batman and 1991 Batman Returns, eagle-eyed viewers are once again noticing the fun Flash Easter egg in Batman Returns that appears during a third act yuletide costume ball that both Keaton's Bruce Wayne and Michelle Pfeiffer's Selina Kyle attend. The Flash part is best seen here in this video breakdown by DayToDayWithJay on YouTube... [youtube clip_id="CD3FrmS3-Lc"] In the background of Bruce and Selina's dance scene is a guy dressed up like the Jay Garrick Flash, complete with the Hermes helmet, along with a hooded partner in a red mask, which could be a nod to Jesse Quick. In Tim Burton's two Bat-flicks, Keaton's Batman often took a backseat to the villains, whether it was Jack Nicholson's Joker or Batman Returns' Penguin, Catwoman, and Max Shreck. But as Tim Burton put it in an old interview, that was always the point of his Batman - to have an "average looking guy" who kept to the shadows. With Keaton reportedly joining The Flash movie, here's a list of possible DCEU movie characters that could also pop into the Flash film for a cameo. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-flash-movies-possible-dceu-cameos&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.