Fewer Marvel Movies Would Make Each One More Special, Lost Creator Says
Marvel should release fewer movies, says Lost creator and MCU fan Damon Lindelof.
During an interview with Vulture, the 49-year-old filmmaker explained why he thinks Marvel should release fewer films to make the experience more special.
“This is a business,” he said. “It’s an industry. And if you make a couple of great Marvel movies, the instinct is, ‘We need to make more Marvel movies, and we need to expand this.’ And I have this sort of interior feeling of like, ‘Wow, I wish they made less because it would make each one that came out a little bit more special. But I watch all of them… People don’t want things to end. I do.”
It’s difficult to argue against it — especially when you look at what Marvel has released this year.
2022 has already been the year of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arriving in November. If we’re including TV projects, we’ve seen Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel already, and still have She-Hulk: Attorney at Law later this month along with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special soon to follow.
That’s a massive 7 MCU projects in one year. And Marvel’s upcoming Phase 5 and 6 slate shows no sign of slowing down.
“It’s always going to be hard because once you’ve got someone’s attention, you want to keep it,” said Lindelof calling the idea of potentially letting go of something as "antithetical" to the way we're wired.
Of course, Lindelof sees the big picture. But it’s hard not to agree with him.
“I don’t begrudge them the right to keep it going,” added Lindelof. “I’ve made prequels and sequels and reboots, so I can’t be a hypocrite and say, ‘God, come up with an original idea.’ Meanwhile, I’m making two Star Trek movies and Prometheus.”
Want to read more about Marvel’s upcoming projects? Check out what’s coming up in the MCU’s Phase 5 as well as why Phase 6 is the biggest ever.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Fewer Marvel Movies Would Make Each One More Special, Lost Creator Says
Marvel should release fewer movies, says Lost creator and MCU fan Damon Lindelof.
During an interview with Vulture, the 49-year-old filmmaker explained why he thinks Marvel should release fewer films to make the experience more special.
“This is a business,” he said. “It’s an industry. And if you make a couple of great Marvel movies, the instinct is, ‘We need to make more Marvel movies, and we need to expand this.’ And I have this sort of interior feeling of like, ‘Wow, I wish they made less because it would make each one that came out a little bit more special. But I watch all of them… People don’t want things to end. I do.”
It’s difficult to argue against it — especially when you look at what Marvel has released this year.
2022 has already been the year of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arriving in November. If we’re including TV projects, we’ve seen Moon Knight and Ms. Marvel already, and still have She-Hulk: Attorney at Law later this month along with the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special soon to follow.
That’s a massive 7 MCU projects in one year. And Marvel’s upcoming Phase 5 and 6 slate shows no sign of slowing down.
“It’s always going to be hard because once you’ve got someone’s attention, you want to keep it,” said Lindelof calling the idea of potentially letting go of something as "antithetical" to the way we're wired.
Of course, Lindelof sees the big picture. But it’s hard not to agree with him.
“I don’t begrudge them the right to keep it going,” added Lindelof. “I’ve made prequels and sequels and reboots, so I can’t be a hypocrite and say, ‘God, come up with an original idea.’ Meanwhile, I’m making two Star Trek movies and Prometheus.”
Want to read more about Marvel’s upcoming projects? Check out what’s coming up in the MCU’s Phase 5 as well as why Phase 6 is the biggest ever.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Middlemost Post: Exclusive Season 2 Clip Featuring Tony Hawk
Nickelodeon has released a clip from the upcoming episode of Middlemost Post, featuring iconic skateboarder Tony Hawk as "Hawk Man," which will air on Thursday, August 11 at 2:00 p.m. (ET/PT)
Here's how Nickelodeon describes Hawk's character: "Hawk Man is Mt. Middlemost’s resident daredevil…or at least was before one of his stunts went sideways. Now, with Parker’s help, this Evil Knievel will find the courage to face his fears and regain the fire to attempt his biggest jump ever!"
IGN can exclusively reveal the clip from "Hawk Man" in the video below or at the top of the page:
In a press release from Nickelodeon, Hawk had this to say about voicing Hawk Man for Season 2 of Middlemost Post:
"I’m excited to be voicing the character Hawk Man in Middlemost Post! It’s important to share that not everyone can be perfect all the time, and I hope that Hawk Man can inspire kids to face their fears and challenges through perseverance and determination."
What did you think of the clip? Let us know in the comments.
And for more on the world of entertainment, check out who's been cast as Henry and Sam in HBO's adaption of The Last of Us, our Prey breakdown and ending explained, and everything new to Netflix in August.
David Griffin is the Senior Editor, Features and Content Partnerships for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
Black Adam Director Explains Why Dwayne Johnson’s Titular Character Is the DC Universe’s ‘Dirty Harry’
Black Adam director Jaume Collet-Serra has compared Dwayne Johnson's titular antihero to Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry, underscoring how his character differs from other DC superheroes.
In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Collet-Serra explained how Black Adam - whose real name is Teth-Adam - is built differently from other DC superheroes, hinting that he operates with his own sense of justice and morality just like Clint Eastwood's iconic badass Dirty Harry. He said he spoke to Johnson early on about the similarities between the two characters and their approach to seeking vengeance.
"Systems were corrupt, so you had criminals taking advantage," he said. "You needed a cop that would cut through the bullsh**, and basically do what needs to be done. That's very much in line with Black Adam and his way of thinking. I think that's appealing to pretty much everybody. Everybody knows how the world sometimes is not fair, and you need people that break the rules to even out the playing field."
Being a rule-breaker and having phenomenal abilities could be a dangerous combination, as Johnson admits that Adam is blessed with "incredible superpowers from the gods that rival Superman." However, he isn't restrained by a strict ethical code and will turn to brutality and violence without delay, potentially making him one of the fiercest forces to be unleashed in the DC universe.
"Superman won't kill anybody. There's a code that he lives by and he honors," Johnson asserted, noting one of the key differences between the two DC characters. "Black Adam has a unique code of ethics too. He will not hesitate—and I like to have a little fun when I'm explaining this—to rip somebody in half. Literally, he'll grab someone by the neck and by the thigh and then rip them up, tear them apart."
Black Adam is certainly not your usual hero. Starting life as a comic book villain and nemesis of popular DC superhero Shazam it looks as though Johnson's portrayal of the classic DC character will veer more into antihero territory, and he says that will bring DC into a new era — one that features the Justice Society of America represented by Atom Smasher, Hawkman, Cyclone, and Doctor Fate.
"It's not your typical superhero movie where a guy wants to be a superhero and gets the powers, and then you spend 50 minutes trying to figure out how the powers work," Collet-Serra said of Black Adam's big screen debut. "This is a movie where you introduce Black Adam right away, and then throughout the movie, you slowly peel back the onion and reveal what happened."
Black Adam is scheduled to be released on October 21, 2022, and it might be worth sticking around for the credits as the film reportedly include a post-credits scene that will introduce "a new element" to Johnson's place in the DC universe. It's currently unknown what the footage will reveal, but it could be essential viewing as Johnson has previously teased a Black Adam cinematic universe.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Kirby’s Dream Buffet Releases Next Week
Nintendo's Fall Guys-style party game, Kirby's Dream Buffet, will be released next week on August 17.
The game was only announced last month with a summer 2022 release window but Nintendo confirmed via a tweet (below) that the game is already right around the corner.
A new trailer was also released alongside the release date announcement, and it shows off some of the costumes and colours available to unlock through playing the game. Players can also customise their starting podium after unlocking new options and even be granted new stages.
Pack some snacks and hit the tracks! #KirbysDreamBuffet is coming to #NintendoSwitch 17/08!
— Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) August 11, 2022
Watch the latest trailer to find out what delicious delights that await you. pic.twitter.com/IxjK6vuw7s
Alongside a handful of other new gameplay clips, the trailer also shows off the local multiplayer modes. Kirby's Dream Buffet can be played both in split-screen and between multiple Nintendo Switches in the same room.
The game sees players race downhill against others either locally or online as they aim to eat as many strawberries as possible and pick up speed as they grow.
This will be the second Kirby game to be released for Nintendo Switch this year, with Kirby and the Forgotten Land having launched in March. Nintendo had promised a variety of other Kirby announcements were coming as the franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2022, and Dream Buffet appears to be one of them.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
NBA 2K23 Perfectly Simulates 1980s Basketball With the Jordan Challenges
NBA 2K23 is seeking to perfectly simulate the look, feel, and action of 1980s and 1990s basketball by recreating superstar Michael Jordan’s most iconic moments in the Jordan Challenges.
These include Jordan’s game-winner in the 1982 NCAA National Championship, “the shot” over the Utah Jazz that won him his sixth and final NBA title in 1998, plus other signature match-ups from his career against the likes of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and the Bad Boy Pistons.
The challenges won’t be played on modern NBA courts, or even on classic courts with modern commentary, as each moment features a complete overhaul of the visuals and sound to recreate the broadcast coverage at the time.
Gameplay will also change to match the more physical era of basketball, meaning what feels like a foul in modern-day NBA 2K may not be called as one in these challenges. A heavier focus also falls on the post and mid-range game, and players will seek to make cuts to the basket more instead of spotting up for a three-point shot like they do today.
“The Jordan Challenge is an immersive experience unlike anything NBA 2K fans have seen, completely rebuilding the challenges from 2K11 and adding five new moments,” said Erick Boenisch, VP of NBA development at 2K and Visual Concepts.
“Our team took everything into consideration when constructing this game mode, from the arenas, the players, the uniforms, the broadcast, and the play style of the era have been accounted for in an effort to give fans a truly authentic 1980s playable experience.”
Jordan graces the cover of NBA 2K23’s aptly named Michael Jordan Edition and the limited Championship Edition, while Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird feature on the WNBA edition and Devin Booker appears on the standard.
The game will be released on September 9 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series, and Nintendo Switch. It’s also coming to PC, though this is still the last-gen version despite significant fan outcry.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Id Software is Bundling Multiple Versions of Doom and Other Games Together on Steam
Doom and Quake developer id Software is bundling multiple versions of its games together on Steam to make finding and buying them a little less confusing.
The developer explained in a blog post that it will no longer list several copies of the same game on Steam but instead include each version under the one main title.
Doom II, for example, was previously available in four different forms: Doom II, Doom II (Enhanced), Master Levels for Doom II, and Final Doom. Following the change made on August 10, however, all of these games will be included simply under the Steam listing for Doom II.
Ultimate Doom has been rebranded as Doom (1993), and the same consolidation treatment has taken place for Doom 3, plus Quake II and Quake III Arena. Id Software has also updated its collections so that the Classic Bundle now includes Doom (1993) through to Doom 64 and the Franchise Bundle includes these plus the modern day Doom (2016) and Doom Eternal.
"Spanning across multiple decades, id Software’s library of work is as vast as it is full of amazing games," the post said. "However, this means a number of the id’s offerings have been released or reiterated in ways that can make our digital storefronts a touch confusing.
"Rather than write out the differences between Final Doom, Ultimate Doom and just Doom, we’re consolidating our Steam library of titles. For those id Software experts that do know all the variations of our games released on Steam, bear with us as we simplify how our games appear so that newcomers have an easier time."
The different versions that have been delisted as a result of the consolidation will still be available to those who've already purchased them but will no longer appear on Steam's storefront.
The latest Doom game, Doom Eternal, is arguably one of the series' best as IGN said it was amazing in our 9/10 review. The original game, meanwhile, has been modded into a number of weird and wacky devices, as the game has now been played on a McDonald's kiosk, on Twitter, a pregnancy test, and even within Doom itself.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
Andor Showrunner Talks How Writing Bourne Has Influenced the New Star Wars Show
It turns out that Star Wars: Andor and The Bourne Identity have a lot in common. During an interview with Total Film, Andor showrunner Tony Gilroy explained how his work on the Bourne franchise inspired his upcoming Star Wars show.
Discussing his work on the Bourne films (on which he wrote the screenplays for the first four, as well as directed The Bourne Legacy) Gilroy said, “I had been trying to get people to make an acoustic action movie, because action movies had gotten so bombastic in the ’80s, they were just enormous. So, when Bourne came along, we went way down to nothing.”
The Bourne Identity saw Matt Damon step up as Jason Bourne – a highly-trained former assassin whose amnesia hid a clandestine conspiracy within the CIA. It was a huge hit, spawning multiple sequels, and it was all about going back to basics.
"It was about making it real,” said Gilroy. “Keeping someone you really understand and really care about in a place that you understand the geography of, with stakes, is much more involving than a guy on a train with 15 machine guns and a helicopter coming down. That aesthetic, that idea, does carry over to Andor because we are on the ground with these people, so that everything that we do has an intimacy and an acoustic nature to it within the grandeur of Star Wars.”
Gilroy was also scriptwriter for Star Wars: Rogue One, and you can see similar thinking here. The Star Wars spin-off introduced the rebel pilot and intelligence officer, Cassian Andor, and with a rag-tag crew assembled from the far reaches of the galaxy far, far away, there’s no doubt that this was a film about the people on the ground.
Now, it looks as though Andor will take that concept and run with it.
“It’s an adventure story,” he explained. “It’s one man’s odyssey through the center [of the story] and then all these peripheral characters surrounding him and spinning around. I mean, God, it’s looking to be entertaining. It’s heavy material, heavy things are happening, but it’s an adventure story, too.”
Whether or not we’ll see Andor take on a thrilling speeder bike chase or take down a target with nothing but a credit chit remains to be seen. But if it’s anything like the Bourne movies, we’re in for a real treat.
Want to read more about Andor? Find out why the loveable droid K-2SO won’t be in the prequel series, and find out which period of galactic history Andor will cover.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Scream’s Neve Campbell Talks Leaving Franchise Over Pay: ‘I Couldn’t Walk on Set Feeling Undervalued’
Scream star Neve Campbell has shed light on her decision to leave the widely popular slasher franchise, admitting that salary negotiations triggered her departure.
In a new interview with People, Campbell addressed her decision to cut ties with the Scream franchise and not return to reprise her role as Sidney Prescott in the upcoming sixth installment. The actress explained that she received an offer that she felt "did not equate to the value" she has brought to the franchise for the past 25 years, so she decided to stand her ground and step back from the next movie.
"As a woman in this business, I think it's really important for us to be valued and to fight to be valued," Campbell said, further explaining the reason behind her exit. "I honestly don't believe that if I were a man and had done five installments of a huge blockbuster franchise over 25 years, that the number that I was offered would be the number that would be offered to a man.
"And in my soul, I just couldn't do that," added Campbell, who currently stars in The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix. "I couldn't walk on set feeling that — feeling undervalued and feeling the unfairness, or lack of fairness, around that."
Campbell has starred as Sidney in every installment of the franchise to date, including this year's Scream, which was released in January. She admitted that it was "sad" to walk away but it was the best decision for her, adding: "I love these movies. I love Sidney. I love this franchise; I'm so grateful for it. But at the same time, I really just couldn't bear the idea of walking onto [the sixth film] and feeling undervalued."
The actress revealed in June that she would not be returning for Scream 6 despite reuniting with the cast on the fifth movie. "Sadly I won't be making the next Scream film," she said. "As a woman, I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream. I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise.
"It's been a very difficult decision to move on," Campbell added. "To all my Scream fans, I love you. You've always been so incredibly supportive to me. I'm forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years."
While Campbell won't be subjected to Ghostface's next round of terror, Jenna Ortega will be back as Tara Carpenter alongside Courtney Cox who is reprising her role as Gale Weathers, a character that she has played in every iteration of the film series so far. Hayden Panettiere will also be making a return as Kirby Reed, a fan-favorite character from Scream 4, who Ortega says will "redeem herself" in the next movie.
Production on Scream 6 is currently underway, as the film is slated to be released early next year. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing the movie from a script written by James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick. Vanderbilt is also serving as a producer alongside Paul Neinstein and William Sherak. Kevin Williamson is executive producing with Gary Barber, Peter Oillataguerre, and Chad Villella.
Campbell, on the other hand, will next appear in Peacock's live-action video game adaptation of Twisted Metal. She has joined the cast alongside Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Thomas Haden Church, and Will Arnett. There's no word yet on when the series will be released, but reports have suggested that Sony is going to revive the Twisted Metal video game series to further bolster the TV project.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
Elite: Dangerous Director David Braben Steps Down as Frontier CEO After 28 Years
Elite: Dangerous director and founder of Frontier Developments David Braben has stepped down as the company's CEO after holding the role for 28 years.
As reported by GI.biz, Braben will remain as the studio president and founder but will be replaced in the CEO position by chief creative officer Jonny Watts. He will still be a highly influential figure at the developer, however, as Frontier said Braben is still an "executive director" and will "retain his leadership and vision for Frontier's strategic direction".
"Frontier is very important to me and I am delighted to be able to pass on my CEO responsibilities to the exceptionally talented Jonny Watts, who I know will do a terrific job," Braben said.
"He has the perfect combination of creative leadership and gaming vision to build on the excellent momentum in the business. I am looking forward to my new role at Frontier, and this change enables me to focus on our longer-term strategic opportunities."
Watts was credited as a key figure in the company's recent successes including unaudited record revenue of £111 million in FY 2022. He's also been at the company for a significant amount of time, originally starting in 1998 as a software developer before rising through the ranks and eventually becoming CCO in 2012.
"I am excited to step up and lead Frontier into the next chapter of our growth," Watts said. "We have an amazing team and an exceptional culture of high-quality creativity and inclusivity. I’m looking forward to working with David and the wider Board to take us to still greater success."
Braben became a British game developer star back in 1984 when he co-designed the original Elite with Ian Bell. In 1994 he set up Frontier Developments, and the studio's first game was Frontier: First Encounters, a direct sequel to Frontier: Elite 2. Braben would then return to the series in 2014 for the ongoing Elite: Dangerous. But Braben's tenure as CEO at Frontier has produced more than just the Elite series; the studio is also well known for theme park simulation games including RollerCoaster Tycoon, Zoo Tycoon, Jurassic World Evolution, Planet Coaster, and more.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
