How the Mandarin Could Be the New Version of Shang-Chi’s Father
Marvel's martial artist superhero Shang-Chi is headed to the big screen in 2021. Not only will Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu as the titular hero, but it'll also finally make good a long-dangling MCU plot threat by introducing Tony Leung as the one, true Mandarin.
While it might seem strange to pit Shang-Chi against a villain most commonly associated with Iron Man, this choice backs up a popular theory that the Mandarin will be depicted as Shang-Chi's father in the MCU. Here's why we think that theory will come to fruition in the new movie.
Marvel Comics' Mandarin
Wolfenstein’s Story Explained
With Wolfenstein Youngblood on the horizon, what better time than now to take a look back at the story of BJ Blazkowicz, and see how Terror Billy earned his nickname and reputation as a Nazi Killing badass, and how we’ve gotten to where we are today.
Here's a breakdown of the plot in Machine Games' two mainline Wolfenstein games, The New Order and The New Colossus.
An Alternate Reality World War 2
The year is 1946, World War 2 is in full effect, and the tide of the war is starting to shift in favor of the Nazis thanks to their sudden and dramatic leap in technology. We're talking near impervious metallic killing machines, robot dogs, death lasers, and all other forms of nastiness.
Mad Max Sequels Are Going to Happen, Says Director George Miller
George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road sequels and Furiosa spinoff are still "going to happen," despite the director's ongoing legal dispute with Warner Bros.
"There are two stories, both involving Mad Max, and also a Furiosa story," Miller said when asked about the status of the sequels by IndieWire. "We’re still solving, we’ve got to play out the Warners thing, it seems to be pretty clear that it’s going to happen."
Miller's production company, Kennedy Miller Mitchell, sued Warner in 2017 after the distributor refused to pay out a multimillion-dollar bonus. The bonus was to be paid if Fury Road's final cost came in under $157 million USD. While it ultimately exceeded that budget, Miller's company claims that was only due to "substantial changes and delays" created by Warner.
Pokemon Masters’ Microtransactions Don’t Seem Too Intrusive
Pokemon Masters is a collaboration between DeNA (Fire Emblem Heroes, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp), Game Freak, and The Pokemon Company that seems to be working surprisingly well. As Pokemon Masters is a free-to-play game, I expected to see a potentially annoying gacha system paired with even more annoying currencies that moderate progression, but was instead met with a cool way to get to better know characters from across the Pokemon universe all in one place — of course, while also battling Pokemon.
Pokemon Masters is an unconventional Pokemon game, but it’s one I’m certainly glad exists. In it, you’ll be able to play what seems to be an interesting story mode where you’ll challenge trainers in three on three battles to earn five badges in an exclusive League reserved for Pokemon Masters on the manmade island of Pasio. It comes complete with its own Pokemon Professor, new villainous squad, and new special battle mechanics that can only be performed in this area. Playing alongside NVC host and resident Pokemon Master Casey DeFreitas, we got to see what DeNA’s next mobile game has to offer all us Pokemon Trainers, and for a mobile game, we were impressed with what we were shown in an hour and more excited for its August 29 release.
How Seven of Nine Connects to Picard
CBS All Access dropped a photon torpedo bombshell at San Diego Comic-Con with the announcement that the Borg characters Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) and Hugh (Jonathan Del Arco) will be appearing on the upcoming series Star Trek: Picard. The series, which of course features the return of Sir Patrick Stewart in the title role (and will also bring back Brent Spiner as -- apparently -- Data, Jonathan Frakes as Riker and Marina Sirtis as Troi), will obviously play into Jean-Luc Picard’s own dark history with that feared cyborg race.
It’s a surprising development because the casting of Ryan is the first major crossover between The Next Generation cast and Star Trek: Voyager (although the Next Gen films did feature a couple of cameos with characters from its sister show). So let’s look at the history of Hugh, Seven of Nine and Picard as well and consider how their paths could be converging in Star Trek: Picard.
Marvel’s X-Men Relaunch Lists All Omega Level Mutants
Marvel Comics kicked off a new era of the X-Men with the release of House of X #1 by writer Jonathan Hickman and artist R.B. Silva, and it’s clear that this issue was all about setting the table for what’s to come. One way the comic establishes this new landscape for mutantkind is a series of informational pages, and while that may sound dry, they’re actually packed with noteworthy details. One page in particular from Xavier’s files is all about Omega level mutants, listing all known mutants of that esteemed power level, the nature of their abilities, and where their loyalties lie.
First, the page starts with the definition of an Omega level mutant: “A mutant whose dominant power is deemed to register -- or reach -- an undefinable upper limit of that power’s specific classification.”
Rutger Hauer, Blade Runner and Batman Begins Actor, Dies
Rutger Hauer, the prolific, multilingual Dutch actor renowned for his roles in movies like Blade Runner, Batman Begins, Ladyhawke, The Hitcher and The Rite, died on July 19 in his home in The Netherlands at age 75. The news was confirmed by his publicist (via Variety), who said Hauer's funeral was held today.
Hauer enjoyed a long and successful acting career both in the Netherlands and abroad. Her made his acting debut in the 1969 TV series Floris, before rising to prominence in 1973's The Turkish Conspiracy and 1975's The Wilby Conspiracy (his English language debut).
Hauer's career truly exploded thanks to his role in 1982's Blade Runner, where he played sympathetic android villain Roy Batty. In particular, Hauer's iconic "Tears in Rain" soliloquy remains one of the most iconic scenes in science fiction. Hauer also gained further popularity in the US thanks to 1985's Ladyhawke, a medieval fantasy movie where Hauer and Michelle Pfeiffer play tragic lovers forever separated by a cruel transformation curse.
The Best Couples in Video Games
A few years ago, we wrote about all of our absolute favorite couples in video games, but in a span of five years, a lot of things can change. So we've updated our list to include more of our favorite couples, from casual games to more serious RPGs, and to celebrate the growing representation of interractial and LGBTQ+ representation. Flip through our gallery below to check out all the couples we love, or keep scrolling to read.
Alexios or Kassanda, and literally everyone - Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Marvel’s X-Men Relaunch Tips the Balance of Power
House of X #1 changes the relationship between the X-Men and the rest of the Marvel Universe in a major way. Read on to learn just how drastically this new series is changing the status quo
Warning: this article contains spoilers for House of X #1!
The X-Men's New Home
Art by Pepe Larraz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)
The X-Men are used to being an endangered minority in the Marvel Universe, but House of X shows a mutant race finally consolidating its power and gaining a new foothold on the global arena. Professor Xavier has created a new home for mutantkind on Krakoa the Living Island. This island serves as a brand new mutant nation, something previously attempted by Magneto with Genosha and Cyclops with Utopia. Xavier seems to think he can succeed where his friends failed, partly by reaching out to other world leaders and encouraging them to officially recognize the sovereignty of the new mutant nation.
AEW Will Begin Competing with WWE in October
Ahead of Cody and Brandi Rhodes' appearance as part of the TNT panel at today's session of the Television Critics Association summer press tour, All Elite Wrestling and TNT have officially announced the premiere date for AEW's upcoming weekly show.
AEW will begin airing its two-hour weekly matches on TNT on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 8 p.m. ET to 10 p.m. ET.
The matches will take place in different cities across the nation each week on Wednesdays, starting in Washington, D.C., at the famed Capital One Arena. Ticket pricing and on-sale date for the televised live event will be announced on Monday, July 29, at 12 p.m. ET via AEW’s social media platforms.
Founded by President and CEO Tony Khan, AEW is headlined by Cody & Brandi Rhodes, The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson), Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, Chris Jericho and Jon Moxley. The roster is also filled with incredibly skilled competitors including Nyla Rose, Awesome Kong, Dustin Rhodes, Jungle Boy, Dr. Britt Baker, MJF and SCU. In addition to being in-ring talent, Cody, The Young Bucks and Kenny Omega also serve as EVPs with Brandi Rhodes serving as Chief Brand Officer. Legendary commentator Jim Ross will anchor the weekly announce team.