Following MCU star Anthony Mackie's criticism of Marvel movies for lack of diversity, and his desire to use his status as the co-lead of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to push for more diverse representation on Marvel Studios' projects, Tessa Thompson, who will reprise her role as Valkyrie in Thor: Love and Thunder, thinks that Phase 4 will more fully embrace those ideals. As part of Variety's Actors on Actors series, Thompson and Ramy's Ramy Youssef spoke about the topic and why it's so important to the fandom at large. "I think in this next phase of Marvel, we're really talking about what representation looks like in those spaces," Thompson explained. "Because the truth is these movies travel globally in such huge ways and if you can represent people that are of color, if you can represent people with disabilities, if you can represent the LGBTQIA community inside of these films, it's a pretty big deal." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=endgame-where-the-hell-were-these-characters-when-the-avengers-needed-them&captions=true"] "There's millions and millions of people, particularly young people, that show up to the cinema," Thompson continued. "And I think if you can show them something that looks like them, they feel valued. Particularly inside of these narratives of the comic books, that's what it's all about. It’s that our differences make us special." "I'm really excited that we're able to continue to push the bounds of that and that I'm able to do that with Valkyrie, because there's so many cool queer characters in the comic books and they should have a place on-screen." Since the onset of COVID-19, the MCU's Phase 4 schedule has been reshuffled a few times. The latest iteration has Thor: Love and Thunder opening February 11, 2022. Ragnarok director Taika Waititi will return for the film and has promised to "double down" on the craziness. Thor: Love and Thunder will feature Natalie Portman's Jane Foster as Thor and Christian Bale as a yet-to-be-revealed villain. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/13/thor-love-and-thunder-breaking-down-taika-waititis-crazy-clues-ign-now"] [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.

HBO Max has swapped out the theatrical cut of Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice for the three-hour Ultimate Edition. In an Instagram post, the streaming service posted: "The full 3-hour Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is now streaming exclusively on HBO Max. Put that long weekend to good use." The jam-packed Ultimate Edition of Dawn of Justice includes a ton of axed story moments and character beats. Lois Lane becomes a more pivotal character when Lex Luthor's plot to frame Superman in explored more thoroughly. We see Superman asking Gotham citizens about Batman, Lex communicating with Steppenwolf, Jena Malone's Jenet Klyburn, and learn that Lois' "camera man," who met his gruesome end in Africa, was Jimmy Olsen. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"] HBO Max was going to pull Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, and more DC films from its rotation on July 1, but after blowback from fans the company has expanded these films' run through December 2020. It was recently announced that Zack Snyder's "Snyder Cut" of Justice League will finally be completed in order to air on HBO Max in 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&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.

HBO Max has swapped out the theatrical cut of Zack Snyder's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice for the three-hour Ultimate Edition. In an Instagram post, the streaming service posted: "The full 3-hour Ultimate Edition of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is now streaming exclusively on HBO Max. Put that long weekend to good use." The jam-packed Ultimate Edition of Dawn of Justice includes a ton of axed story moments and character beats. Lois Lane becomes a more pivotal character when Lex Luthor's plot to frame Superman in explored more thoroughly. We see Superman asking Gotham citizens about Batman, Lex communicating with Steppenwolf, Jena Malone's Jenet Klyburn, and learn that Lois' "camera man," who met his gruesome end in Africa, was Jimmy Olsen. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=best-superhero-directors-cuts-you-can-stream-now&captions=true"] HBO Max was going to pull Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, Wonder Woman, Suicide Squad, and more DC films from its rotation on July 1, but after blowback from fans the company has expanded these films' run through December 2020. It was recently announced that Zack Snyder's "Snyder Cut" of Justice League will finally be completed in order to air on HBO Max in 2021. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&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.

Shia LaBeouf really got his chest and torso heavily tattooed for Suicide Squad director David Ayer's new movie The Tax Collector. "He's one of the best actors I've worked with, and he's the most committed to body and soul," Ayer told /Film (via Newsweek). "He had a tooth pulled on Fury, and then on Tax Collector, he got his whole chest tattooed. So he kind of goes all in, and I've never known anyone that committed." The Tax Collector sees LaBeouf play "Creeper," the right hand man and best friend of Bobby Soto's protagonist, David. One of the tattoos on LaBeouf's torso reads "Creeper," which sparked much speculation whether it was real when paparazzi photos of a shirtless LaBeouf surfaced online last year. [caption id="attachment_2375823" align="alignnone" width="720"] Shia LaBeouf as "Creeper" in The Tax Collector. (Credit: RLJE Films)[/caption] In The Tax Collector, David and Creeper collect debts owed by local gangs to the crime lord Wizard. Their lives and business are upended when Wizard's old rival returns to L.A. from Mexico looking to take over. As you can see from the trailer below, LaBeouf appears very steely and intense in the role. Heavily tattooed characters are nothing new for a David Ayer film, as most notably seen in his adaptation of DC Comics' Suicide Squad that featured Jared Leto's Joker and his infamous "damaged" forehead tattoo. In recent months, Ayer has revealed morsels of new info about Suicide Squad, such as whether Joker intended to push Harley Quinn out of a helicopter, if an "Ayer Cut" of Suicide Squad would be easy to complete, that most of Jared Leto's Joker footage "remains unseen," and how Deadpool turned Suicide Squad into a comedy.

Check out the world premiere trailer for The Tax Collector! In Theaters, VOD and Digital August 7th and Oct 26th for the rest of the world! #thetaxcollectormovie @cedarparkent @rljefilms pic.twitter.com/pZkgKRy49Q

— George Lopez (@georgelopez) July 2, 2020

Shia LaBeouf, meanwhile, explored what makes him tick as a human being and an actor in last year's autobiographical film Honey Boy, which won him rave reviews. LaBeouf both scripted and played a version of his own father in the indie drama. Viewers can see more of Shia LaBeouf's Creeper (and his real tattoos) when The Tax Collector -- which also stars Cinthya Carmona and George Lopez -- debuts in theaters, on digital, and On Demand on August 7.

Shia LaBeouf really got his chest and torso heavily tattooed for Suicide Squad director David Ayer's new movie The Tax Collector. "He's one of the best actors I've worked with, and he's the most committed to body and soul," Ayer told /Film (via Newsweek). "He had a tooth pulled on Fury, and then on Tax Collector, he got his whole chest tattooed. So he kind of goes all in, and I've never known anyone that committed." The Tax Collector sees LaBeouf play "Creeper," the right hand man and best friend of Bobby Soto's protagonist, David. One of the tattoos on LaBeouf's torso reads "Creeper," which sparked much speculation whether it was real when paparazzi photos of a shirtless LaBeouf surfaced online last year. [caption id="attachment_2375823" align="alignnone" width="720"] Shia LaBeouf as "Creeper" in The Tax Collector. (Credit: RLJE Films)[/caption] In The Tax Collector, David and Creeper collect debts owed by local gangs to the crime lord Wizard. Their lives and business are upended when Wizard's old rival returns to L.A. from Mexico looking to take over. As you can see from the trailer below, LaBeouf appears very steely and intense in the role. Heavily tattooed characters are nothing new for a David Ayer film, as most notably seen in his adaptation of DC Comics' Suicide Squad that featured Jared Leto's Joker and his infamous "damaged" forehead tattoo. In recent months, Ayer has revealed morsels of new info about Suicide Squad, such as whether Joker intended to push Harley Quinn out of a helicopter, if an "Ayer Cut" of Suicide Squad would be easy to complete, that most of Jared Leto's Joker footage "remains unseen," and how Deadpool turned Suicide Squad into a comedy.

Check out the world premiere trailer for The Tax Collector! In Theaters, VOD and Digital August 7th and Oct 26th for the rest of the world! #thetaxcollectormovie @cedarparkent @rljefilms pic.twitter.com/pZkgKRy49Q

— George Lopez (@georgelopez) July 2, 2020

Shia LaBeouf, meanwhile, explored what makes him tick as a human being and an actor in last year's autobiographical film Honey Boy, which won him rave reviews. LaBeouf both scripted and played a version of his own father in the indie drama. Viewers can see more of Shia LaBeouf's Creeper (and his real tattoos) when The Tax Collector -- which also stars Cinthya Carmona and George Lopez -- debuts in theaters, on digital, and On Demand on August 7.

Fortnite will be showing We The People, a "series of conversations that advance the dialogue around race in America with prominent BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) voices in business, sports, media, music, and entertainment," this Saturday, July 4, in its Party Royale mode. Presented by ØPUS UNITED, We The People will have its first showing on Saturday, July 4, at 6:46am PT/9:46am ET/2pm BST, and it will re-air every other hour for the 24 hours following the first show. We The People is hosted by CNN's Van Jones, and will feature such guests as former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue Elaine Welteroth, The Atlantic's Jemele Hill, rapper/songwriter/visionary Killer Mike, and hip hop musician Lil Baby.

Join us at the Big Screen this Saturday, July 4 at 9:46 AM ET / 8:46 AM CT for a special presentation.

OPUS United presents We The People, a series of conversations hosted by @Vanjones68 featuring @jemelehill, @ElaineWelteroth, @killermike and more.https://t.co/yX21Zg26Jg pic.twitter.com/AFW0RMiaoQ — Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 3, 2020

Jones and each guest will be "speaking about how to change systemic racism in media, culture, and entertainment." To be part of this discussion, make sure to launch Fortnite before the showing you wish to join. Players will need to start the Battle Royale game mode, enter the Party Royale playlist, and then head to the Island's Big Screen. We The People appearing in Fortnite's Party Royale mode is another special event that follows showings of Christopher Nolan's films Batman Begins, Inception, and The Prestige, as well as an immersive Travis Scott concert/experience. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/24/full-fortnite-x-travis-scott-astronomical-concert"] [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.

Fortnite will be showing We The People, a "series of conversations that advance the dialogue around race in America with prominent BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) voices in business, sports, media, music, and entertainment," this Saturday, July 4, in its Party Royale mode. Presented by ØPUS UNITED, We The People will have its first showing on Saturday, July 4, at 6:46am PT/9:46am ET/2pm BST, and it will re-air every other hour for the 24 hours following the first show. We The People is hosted by CNN's Van Jones, and will feature such guests as former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue Elaine Welteroth, The Atlantic's Jemele Hill, rapper/songwriter/visionary Killer Mike, and hip hop musician Lil Baby.

Join us at the Big Screen this Saturday, July 4 at 9:46 AM ET / 8:46 AM CT for a special presentation.

OPUS United presents We The People, a series of conversations hosted by @Vanjones68 featuring @jemelehill, @ElaineWelteroth, @killermike and more.https://t.co/yX21Zg26Jg pic.twitter.com/AFW0RMiaoQ — Fortnite (@FortniteGame) July 3, 2020

Jones and each guest will be "speaking about how to change systemic racism in media, culture, and entertainment." To be part of this discussion, make sure to launch Fortnite before the showing you wish to join. Players will need to start the Battle Royale game mode, enter the Party Royale playlist, and then head to the Island's Big Screen. We The People appearing in Fortnite's Party Royale mode is another special event that follows showings of Christopher Nolan's films Batman Begins, Inception, and The Prestige, as well as an immersive Travis Scott concert/experience. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/24/full-fortnite-x-travis-scott-astronomical-concert"] [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.

Horizon Zero Dawn has an August release date for Steam and Epic Games Store, and a trailer show off the improvements.

Horizon Zero Dawn has an August release date for Steam and Epic Games Store, and a trailer show off the improvements.

Star Wars: Squadrons will let players choose how 'realistic' they want their Star Wars experience to be, with customisation (including that on other players' ships), HUD elements, and advanced mechanics all optional. Speaking to IGN Japan, creative director Ian S. Frazier went into detail on a number of the upcoming starfighting game's mechanics, repeatedly making clear that players will have a choice on the experience they're looking for. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/18/star-wars-squadrons-gameplay-reveal-and-overview-trailer-ea-play-2020"] On customisation, for instance, it's been previously confirmed that the game's multiplayer modes will allow both ship exteriors and cockpits to be decorated. Frazier explains that every bit of flair - including cockpit toys and added holographic elements - has been designed to look as though it could exist in universe, but he understands that even that may not feel right to some fans. “Some players aren't going to want to see any of that,” admits Frazier. “It won't matter how plausible it is, they just want to keep it to exactly what we’ve seen in the films, no more and no less, and we totally get that. And so we have an option in the game to hide everybody else's cosmetics. So if you flip that on, then all of a sudden, if you want to put a racing stripe or whatever on your own TIE Fighter, you'll see it, but everybody else's is just going to look like a normal boilerplate TIE Fighter for you.” Similarly, the game's first-person perspective means that the game's cockpit readouts have been designed to offer all necessary information to the player. However, the game will add extra on-screen elements to help orient players, but these too can be switched off for those who want the full in-cockpit flight experience: "When you start the story," explains Frazier, "we ask if you want the standard experience - which we’d expect most players to take - or a hardcore mode, which gets rid of a bunch of UI that helps you localize yourself in space, and makes you rely entirely on the readouts in the cockpit. So for the folks that are newer to the genre, I’d expect them to play standard, and for the folks that have tonnes of flight experience, they might want to try that out.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/23/ea-wants-to-double-down-on-making-star-wars-games"] Similarly, the game's more advanced mechanics can be tweaked to players' tastes. For instance, Squadrons includes a power management system that allows players to choose how best to utilise their starship’s engines, weapons and shields. “By default, we keep that relatively basic,” says Frazier. “If I hit a button, I will instantly max a given system. Our more advanced players could turn that into advanced power management, and they're individually managing pips of power from one system to another. But that's not the experience that we give to an average new user." Star Wars: Squadrons will offer a single-player campaign as well as two multiplayer modes (with both online and AI options). It comes to PS4, Xbox One and PC (via Origin, Steam and Epic Games Store). It will be released for $39.99 USD on October 2. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Daniel Robson is Chief Editor of IGN Japan. Follow him on Twitter at @NoMoreDaniels. Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News.