Looking Back at the Birth of the MCU on Iron Man’s 10th Birthday
It's crazy to think that the Marvel Cinematic Universe turns 10 today, but there you have it: The first film in the series, Iron Man, was released on this day in 2008! Of course, the MCU has only grown and evolved in the years since, and it's probably safe to say that no one could've anticipated how popular the franchise would become, how sprawling its stories and characters would be, or the effect that Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor and the rest would have on Hollywood at large.
For me, I could never have imagined that the comics I read as a kid would become the epic big-screen adventures we have today, and I'm sure many of you reading feel the same. So to help celebrate the occasion of Iron Man's release date, we figured we'd take a look back at some of our favorite coverage of the MCU over the past 10 years. Read -- and watch -- it all below!
Steam Adds Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Support in Latest Beta
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller support has been added to the latest Steam Client Beta.
An announcement on Steam's website explains the controller, which has worked with PC via Bluetooth since launch, will now be supported by Steam but at the moment this is restricted to the beta client.
To access the Steam Client Beta, you'll need to opt-in via your Steam Account settings in your current client and restart Steam. You'll then need to go into the Controller Settings page to enable the option for the 'Nintendo Switch Configuration Support' the same way you would for PS4 and Xbox controller support.
How God of War’s Combat Has Evolved Over 13 Years
The God of War games have always been known for their incredible combat. Well, that and extravagant moments of extreme violence, but it was the combat that put it in the company of Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, and Bayonetta as some of the best action games around.
God of War PS4 took a lot of huge risks. One of those was dramatically changing that combat system, to the point where it really doesn’t look anything like a God of War game. But once you really dig into it, you’ll see that it’s built of the same incredible and fundamental core of the previous games.
Note that we have to go into some late-game content, so spoilers ahead.
Swamp Thing TV Show in the Works for DC Streaming Service
Swamp Thing will be getting his own show in 2019 on DC Universe, the upcoming streaming service from DC that launches later this year.
DC unveiled the name of the streaming service earlier today, and has now revealed further details on Swamp Thing, a script-to-series order that will be written by Mark Verheiden (Falling Skies, Netflix's Daredevil) and Gary Dauberman (It), that will premiere next year.
The initial format will be a "one-hour drama" but if the script is well received, it will be picked up for an entire series.
A Movie About Young Donald Trump Is in the Works
A film about a young Donald Trump is in development.
Variety reports the movie, titled The Apprentice, will center on a young Trump's rise to power and how he set himself on the path to become the 45th President of the United States.
Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman will pen the screenplay, which will be in the perspective of President Trump's many early influences, including his lawyer Roy Cohn. Amy Baer will produce through her company Gidden Media, with Sherman serving as an executive producer.
“As a journalist, I’ve reported on Donald Trump for more than 15 years,” Sherman said. “I’ve long been fascinated by his origin story as a young builder coming up in the gritty world of the 1970s and ’80s New York. This formative period tells us so much about the man who today occupies the Oval Office.”
How the Success of Black Panther Could Pave the Way for Asian Heroes (OPINION)
It’s been a long time coming, but Hollywood is finally giving diverse superheroes the time to shine on the big and small screens – and it’s paying off.
Television series featuring African American leads like Luke Cage and Black Lightning have been critical hits thus far for Marvel and DC. Meanwhile, African hero Black Panther is a bona fide pop culture phenomenon, raking in more than a billion dollars at the box office and captivating millions of moviegoers across the globe.
Beyond the praise and financial success, these shows and films have served as beacons of hope for communities that aren’t often authentically represented on screen. Black Panther, Black Lightning and Luke Cage have paved the way for black superheroes in 2018 and, in doing so, have allowed traditionally underserved pop culture fans to feel seen. However, there’s a lot of work left to be done, and one billion dollar blockbuster can't make up for decades of marginalized audiences being ignored by the entertainment industry.
Simpsons Creator Responds to Apu Controversy
The Simpsons creator Matt Groening has weighed in on the Apu controversy.
The show has been criticized for how it dealt with the outcry over the stereotypical portrayal of Apu Nahasapeemapetilon in the recent episode, "No Good Read Goes Unpunished." Speaking to USA Today, Groening briefly shared what he thinks of the recent backlash.
"I’m proud of what we do on the show," Groening said. "And I think it’s a time in our culture where people love to pretend they’re offended."
Ryan Reynolds Still Hasn’t Seen the Final Cut of Green Lantern
Ryan Reynolds still hasn't watched the full version of his 2011 Green Lantern movie.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Reynolds revealed the final cut of the DC film has eluded him for seven years. “Look, I’ve never seen the full final version of Green Lantern," Reynolds said. "I saw a very late stage rough cut of the film."
Reynolds stars as Hal Jordan in the movie, which was panned by both critics and audiences upon its release. The actor doesn't have a definitive reason for avoiding Green Lantern, but he did make sure to mention the film's quality isn't why.
MoviePass Brings Back Movie-A-Day Monthly Plan
MoviePass is bringing its movie-a-day monthly plan.
Variety reports the $9.95 monthly subscription package is returning after MoviePass briefly removed the plan from its site. Since April 13, new customers were only able to sign up for the $29.95 three-month plan, which reduces the viewing policy to just four films a month. The three-month plan also includes a free trial of iHeartRadio’s All Access on-demand streaming package.
At the time, the company's CEO Mitch Lowe wasn't sure if the one-a-day movie viewing policy was ever going to return, but Lowe made it clear the company always planned to return to that system.
DC Streaming Service’s Name Revealed
The official name for DC's upcoming streaming service has been revealed, along with the official logos for its exclusive series.
Per DC Comics, the digital service is called DC Universe. It promises to offer unlimited access to the live-action Titans show, the third season of Young Justice, dubbed Outsiders, and the Harley Quinn animated series. There's a Swamp Thing series in development as well. Check out the logos for all four shows in the image gallery below.
DC Universe will make its debut sometime this year, however the subscription price has yet to be revealed.
Titans will headline the service, which is being written by Akiva Goldsman (Star Trek Discovery), DC Entertainment president Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl). The drama will follow Dick Grayson as he leads a band of new heroes featuring Starfire, Raven, and more. Check out every character confirmed for Titans so far.