Chiwetel Ejiofor has confirmed his return as Mordo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Ejiofor told Screen Rant the news while doing press for his upcoming movie, The Old Guard. The Mordo actor expressed his enthusiasm to return to the MCU, and says production might start soon. "We're hoping to start pretty soon [on production for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness] is what I can tell you," Ejiofor said. "So, you know, as soon as possible. We're all really excited to get going and to get cracking with it. I can't wait." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] Ejiofor was first rumored to return as Mordo in January. The website that published the Ejiofor rumor also says that it believes Clea and Brother Voodoo are a part of the film, but that is not confirmed at this time. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was recently delayed to March 2022 after the release dates of Black Widow, Eternals and Shang-Chi were pushed. Shang-Chi is currently set to open on Doctor Strange's original release date of May 2021. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/14/what-is-doctor-strange-2s-multiverse-of-madness"] Evil Dead and Spider-Man director Sam Raimi has confirmed he will take over directing duties on Doctor Strange 2 from the first film's director, Scott Derrickson. Plot details are still scarce on Doctor Strange 2, but the showrunner of the Loki series is supposedly working on the script. Producer Kevin Feige has already said that the Loki series will be tied directly to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/06/phase-4-marvel-movies-and-series-should-have-always-been-this-way-what-to-watch"] In the world of the MCU, Agents of SHIELD is currently airing its final season and after that is The Falcon and the Winter Soldier on Disney+ in August. However, the production on that series was shut down due to COVID-19, and it's not clear if it will make its original release schedule. Black Widow is currently set for theaters on November 6 and WandaVision will drop on Disney+ in December. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who is very excited to see Doctor Strange 2.

Microsoft has announced that it will be permanently closing all of its retail stores, while four physical locations in London, NYC, Sydney, and Redmond will be re-imagined as Microsoft Experience Centers. Microsoft announced the news and said that "the company’s retail team members will continue to serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely providing sales, training, and support." Microsoft has told The Verge that no layoffs will result from today's decision. Microsoft closed its retail stores in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had yet to re-open them. Since then, there focus has obviously shifted to its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com and the stores on both Xbox and Windows PC, which "reach more than 1.2 billion people every month in 190 markets." “We deliberately built teams with unique backgrounds and skills that could serve customers from anywhere. The evolution of our workforce ensured we could continue to serve customers of all sizes when they needed us most, working remotely these last months,” Microsoft Corporate Vice Pesident David Porter said in a statement. “Speaking over 120 languages, their diversity reflects the many communities we serve. Our commitment to growing and developing careers from this talent pool is stronger than ever.” In April, Microsoft explained its plan to take care of its employees in this changed world we are living in, saying how many employees had already shifted to remote work and had how it had continued to "provide regular pay for team members through the pandemic." This news arrives in the same year as the launch of Microsoft's newest console, the Xbox Series X, which is expected to be released in Holiday 2020. [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.

Netflix has shared an inside peek at The Cuphead Show in a new video that offers fans a closer look at the show's animation style. The streaming giant invited fans to take a behind-the-scenes look at the "intricate, nostalgic design" of the animated series in a new teaser shared on Twitter. The short video showcases character concept art for Cuphead (Tru Valentino) and his brother Mugman (Frank Todaro), together with Fleischer-style scenes that have been created to tell the tale of Cuphead, who is described as a "lovable scamp."

Take an inside peek at the intricate, nostalgic design of The Cuphead Show! pic.twitter.com/EF0kpAi973

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) June 26, 2020

The show's "ragtag tribe of enthusiastic artists and animators" provide an insightful commentary over the footage, with the team sharing details of everything involved in the creative process, from character creation and storyboarding to the role of the voice actors. The video concludes with another look at the official poster for the series, followed by a "coming soon" title card. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/18/6-games-that-should-be-netflix-shows-up-at-noon"] "Reimagining the Fleischer style with these incredibly relatable siblings is gonna be pretty fresh and new," executive producer CJ Kettler promised in one clip, while art director Andrea Fernandez suggested that the show would "bring you back to the wonder of childhood." Similarly to its video game counterpart, The Cuphead Show will follow the unique misadventures of the world's colourful characters through 1930s-style animation, however, it will not be a retelling of the game. The character-driven comedy will be hand-drawn, though not entirely to paper this time, and not by Studio MDHR themselves, but rather Netflix's own in-house animation studio. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=cuphead-sketch-work&captions=true"] Netflix's The Cuphead Show does not have a release date yet, so, for now, you'll have to stick to playing the game. In our review of the Cuphead game, we praised both its incredible hand-drawn graphics and its meticulous co-op challenge. Though it originally released as an Xbox One game and a PC game, it has since been ported to Nintendo Switch and, as IGN exclusively reported, it's also on the way to Tesla vehicles as well. It has sold over 4 million copies so far. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

From the backyards of the American suburbs to a fantasy world where dwarves, fairies, and dragons are real, the new book Dwarf Story promises to take readers on a journey where homework and cell phones collide with a mystical turf war. Yeah, it must be Wednesday! Written by Professor W.W. Marplot, Dwarf Story tells the tale of middle-school student Arty, who stumbles upon "an ax-swinging, bearded, sweaty warrior Dwarf." Soon he and his friends realize that all manner of magical creatures has converged on their everyday lives, which of course leads to an adventure as the kids follow the clues in an attempt to figure out the mystery behind these critters. "And also," the book's logline reminds us, "whether you can give aspirin to Pixies." According to Waxing Gibbous Books, Professor Welkin Westicotter Marplot, of Coillemuir, Scotland, "is a collector of esoteric tales of global wisdom and curator of ancient manuscripts. He is a recluse and, as he claims, has been collecting and collating adventure and fantasy stories for over a century." Today we've got a free sample of Dwarf Story for you to check out. The book, which is available for pre-order now, will be released on June 30. Read on for the excerpt, and check out the cover below as well! Dwarf Story is available for pre-order now and will be released on June 30 as both an e-book and in paperback. And for more on W. W. Marplot and Dwarf Story, head to the official site right here.

The Last of Us Part II has officially sold through over 4 million copies as of June 21, 2020, making it the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive ever. Senior Vice President of PlayStation Worldwide Marketing at SIE Eric Lempel took to PlayStation.Blog to reveal the milestone, all but confirming that The Last of Us Part 2 has surpassed Marvel's Spider-Man as Sony's fastest-selling exclusive for the PlayStation 4 in its first three days. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/20/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2"] Neil Druckmann, Vice President of Naughty Dog and Director of The Last of Us Part II, also shared a message with fans of the post-apocalyptic game we called a "Masterpiece."

"We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part II and shared their experiences with us over the last week," Druckmann said. "We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways. Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible. We’ve also been so inspired by your creativity — whether it’s your gorgeous Photo Mode shots, jaw-dropping gameplay GIFs, or the songs you’ve recorded using Ellie’s guitar. " "The Last of Us Part II was made possible thanks to the efforts of the hundreds of talented and passionate developers here at Naughty Dog. We can imagine no greater honor than seeing that same passion mirrored by the people playing it. Thank you for helping us reach this amazing milestone."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-review-screenshots&captions=true"] For more on The Last of Us Part 2, which was also the fastest-selling boxed PS4 game in the UK, read Druckmann's comments on how there are "no plans" for DLC for The Last of Us Part 2 and check out 14 brilliant details in the sequel to the 2013 classic. [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.

The Last of Us Part II has officially sold through over 4 million copies as of June 21, 2020, making it the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive ever. Senior Vice President of PlayStation Worldwide Marketing at SIE Eric Lempel took to PlayStation.Blog to reveal the milestone, all but confirming that The Last of Us Part 2 has surpassed Marvel's Spider-Man as Sony's fastest-selling exclusive for the PlayStation 4 in its first three days. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/20/14-brilliant-little-details-in-the-last-of-us-part-2"] Neil Druckmann, Vice President of Naughty Dog and Director of The Last of Us Part II, also shared a message with fans of the post-apocalyptic game we called a "Masterpiece."

"We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part II and shared their experiences with us over the last week," Druckmann said. "We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways. Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible. We’ve also been so inspired by your creativity — whether it’s your gorgeous Photo Mode shots, jaw-dropping gameplay GIFs, or the songs you’ve recorded using Ellie’s guitar. " "The Last of Us Part II was made possible thanks to the efforts of the hundreds of talented and passionate developers here at Naughty Dog. We can imagine no greater honor than seeing that same passion mirrored by the people playing it. Thank you for helping us reach this amazing milestone."

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-part-2-review-screenshots&captions=true"] For more on The Last of Us Part 2, which was also the fastest-selling boxed PS4 game in the UK, read Druckmann's comments on how there are "no plans" for DLC for The Last of Us Part 2 and check out 14 brilliant details in the sequel to the 2013 classic. [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.

Square Enix has revealed that The World Ends With You has become an anime project, and is currently in the works.

A newly-created TWEWY "The Animation" Twitter account notes that a full reveal of the project is coming during Anime Expo Lite on Friday, July 3 at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern (that's July 4 at 2am UK / 11am AEST).

Anime Expo Lite will be a free livestream this year - it previously teased a collaboration with The World Ends With You during its key art reveal back in late May. You can check out the full TWEWY "The Animation" website here, which features a countdown and a glimpse at the 104 building, an iconic set piece from the 2007 Nintendo DS game, set in the Shibuya ward in Tokyo.

”The Animation”https://t.co/n6wDYuZhLg#TWEWY#すばらしきこのせかい

— すばらしきこのせかい The Animation 公式アカウント (@TWEWY_PR) June 25, 2020

If you've never heard of The World Ends With You before, it's a one-off Square Enix RPG with a massive cult following. The game breathes Shibuya youth culture and was worked on by Final Fantasy and Kingdom Heart's character designer Tetsuya Nomura. Characters from the game have featured in Kingdom Hearts games since its release, such as 3DS spin-off Dream Drop Distance. A port of the game was revealed in early 2018 and has since launched on the Nintendo Switch. You can check out our review of the port here, which we called "simultaneously a good port and a bad one." If you need some more convincing, here's an opinion piece detailing why you should care about The World Ends With You. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Square Enix has revealed that The World Ends With You has become an anime project, and is currently in the works.

A newly-created TWEWY "The Animation" Twitter account notes that a full reveal of the project is coming during Anime Expo Lite on Friday, July 3 at 6pm Pacific / 9pm Eastern (that's July 4 at 2am UK / 11am AEST).

Anime Expo Lite will be a free livestream this year - it previously teased a collaboration with The World Ends With You during its key art reveal back in late May. You can check out the full TWEWY "The Animation" website here, which features a countdown and a glimpse at the 104 building, an iconic set piece from the 2007 Nintendo DS game, set in the Shibuya ward in Tokyo.

”The Animation”https://t.co/n6wDYuZhLg#TWEWY#すばらしきこのせかい

— すばらしきこのせかい The Animation 公式アカウント (@TWEWY_PR) June 25, 2020

If you've never heard of The World Ends With You before, it's a one-off Square Enix RPG with a massive cult following. The game breathes Shibuya youth culture and was worked on by Final Fantasy and Kingdom Heart's character designer Tetsuya Nomura. Characters from the game have featured in Kingdom Hearts games since its release, such as 3DS spin-off Dream Drop Distance. A port of the game was revealed in early 2018 and has since launched on the Nintendo Switch. You can check out our review of the port here, which we called "simultaneously a good port and a bad one." If you need some more convincing, here's an opinion piece detailing why you should care about The World Ends With You. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The Last of Us Part 2's director, Neil Druckmann has made clear that there are 'no plans' for DLC after the game's launch. Speaking during a spoilercast for the game on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, Druckmann was asked about whether the new game would follow the original's lead with a Left Behind-style story DLC. "No, with Last of Us I think we had some season pass or something that said ahead of time we have some story DLC - no there's no plans for that." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] This doesn't discount a multiplayer take on the game, like The Last of Us' Factions mode, as we've previously heard that that will be released as a standalone game of some kind. The wording of the original announcement - which said "when and where it will be realized is still to be determined" - could suggest the mode will arrive on PS5. We awarded The Last of Us Part 2 a full 10/10 review, and we called it "a masterpiece worthy of its predecessor". If you've finished the game recently, both Podcast Beyond! and the IGN UK Podcast have recorded full spoilercasts on their feelings about the game. [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.

The Last of Us Part 2's director, Neil Druckmann has made clear that there are 'no plans' for DLC after the game's launch. Speaking during a spoilercast for the game on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, Druckmann was asked about whether the new game would follow the original's lead with a Left Behind-style story DLC. "No, with Last of Us I think we had some season pass or something that said ahead of time we have some story DLC - no there's no plans for that." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/12/the-last-of-us-part-2-review"] This doesn't discount a multiplayer take on the game, like The Last of Us' Factions mode, as we've previously heard that that will be released as a standalone game of some kind. The wording of the original announcement - which said "when and where it will be realized is still to be determined" - could suggest the mode will arrive on PS5. We awarded The Last of Us Part 2 a full 10/10 review, and we called it "a masterpiece worthy of its predecessor". If you've finished the game recently, both Podcast Beyond! and the IGN UK Podcast have recorded full spoilercasts on their feelings about the game. [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.