Opinion: Apple vs the FBI Affects Us All
Apple and the FBI are at war, and it’s been a long time coming. Yesterday, Apple took a public stand against the United States government by denying the FBI backdoor access into iOS, the software that powers the world’s 1 billion iPhones and iPads. I’m ecstatic that Apple is making a stand for our privacy, and in doing so has reignited the privacy debate we’ve let simmer. Even if you don’t like Apple’s products or have nothing to hide, you should care about this case as it will define what privacy means in the eyes of the law, which will affect all of us.
Vinyl Renewed for Season 2 by HBO
Just days after the first episode aired, HBO has renewed Vinyl for its second season, HBO programming president Michael Lombardo announced today. Created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Richard Cohen, and Terence Winter, Vinyl explores the "sex- and drug-addled music business of the early 1970s."
Vinyl's two-hour premiere was an "impressive spectacle," according to IGN's Matt Fowler. It's the "dawn of punk, disco, and hip-hop," when Richie Finestra—played by Bobby Cannavale—realizes he must save his company, but is hoping to do so without "destroying everyone in his path."
Oliver Wilde, Ray Romano, Jack Quaid, Ato Essandoh, and James Jagger also star in Vinyl's first season.
Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro Talk Collaboration, Horror
Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro have spoken openly about their plans to collaborate in the past, and the duo is still very interested in partnering on something.
Kojima reaffirmed his enthusiasm for working with del Toro, saying "of course" he'd love to work "on a game, a movie, I don't care, we'll do it."
Guillermo del Toro said he's done with game development "except with this man," referring to Kojima. "I'll do whatever the fuck he wants."
"I feel extremely free right now," Kojima said. "I'm trying to make a big, very edgy game with a small team...I have to do something that's exactly what I want to do."
Rumor: Samsung Galaxy S7 Goes on Sale on March 11
Fans of Samsung's Galaxy smartphones may have a new reason to look forward to next month, provided today's rumor proves to be true.
As reported by TechRadar, citing a "trusted retail source," Samsung's Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will both hit retail on March 11, nearly three weeks after they're officially announced this weekend in Barcelona, Spain.
"The Galaxy S7 is officially being announced on Sunday and pre-orders will go live on the website probably by 8pm GMT, 9pm CET that evening," said TechRadar's source. "The actual on sale date is going to be March 11, so those who pre-order should get their phones that day or maybe the day after."
Is This a New Ghostbusters Ecto-Cooler Hi-C Can?
Ecto-Cooler Hi-C, a citrus drink inspired by the Ghostbusters films, might be making a comeback and there’s a reported prototype can up for sale.
According to an eBay listing, the Ghostbusters Hi-C Ecto-Cooler can is a “super rare item never offered on eBay before”.
The eBay seller, Rkv-ent, claims the can belongs to a friend “who used to work for a marketing company” and received the item recently. This would point to the possibility of a re-release of the drink to tie into the upcoming Ghostbusters movie reboot.
Christian Bale Saddles Up for Hostiles
It was announced today that Oscar winner Christian Bale has officially signed on to star in Hostiles, a western which will reunite him with Out of the Furnace writer-director Scott Cooper. Filming begins in July.
Cooper will also produce the Waypoint Entertainment-financed film alongside and John Lesher, with whom he previously worked with on the Whitey Bulger crime drama Black Mass. Ken Kao (Knight of Cups) is also producing.
Cooper's version "is a re-imagining of a manuscript by Oscar®-winning screenwriter Donald Stewart, which was written some thirty years ago."
Here's the official plot synopsis:
"Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary Army captain, who after stern resistance, begrudgingly agrees to escort a dying Cheyenne war chief and his family back to tribal lands. Making the harrowing and perilous journey from an isolated Army outpost in New Mexico to the grasslands of Montana, the former rivals encounter a young widow whose family was murdered on the plains. Together, they must join forces to overcome the punishing landscape and hostile Comanche tribes that they encounter along the way."
How Disney Movies Changed Before You Saw Them
A ton of people work behind-the-scenes to create Disney animated films, but at the core you need to begin with an appealing story. And often, even if you have a good hook, it takes work figuring out all the details and what the right path is to go down.
The next issue of Disney twenty-three, the magazine available exclusively to Gold Members of D23, the Disney fan club, has an article focused on the Disney “story trust,” formed in 2006 by Ed Catmull and John Lasseter, as they became president and chief creative officer at Walt Disney Animation Studios.
The spring issue of Disney twenty-three.
The Dark Tower Casts Mad Max: Fury Road’s Abbey Lee as Tirana
Sony’s adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower has reportedly found its female lead.
Deadline reports Mad Max: Fury Road’s Abbey Lee is set to star as Tirana in the film opposite Idris Elba, who was rumored to be up for the lead role of gunslinger Roland Deschain back in December. Matthew McConaughey will star as the villain from the book, William Padick, aka he Man in Black.
Streets of Rage 2, Binary Domain Available for Free on Steam
As part of SEGA's Make War Not Love 3 event, three more games have become available on Steam for free. The company is now offering Steam keys for Streets of Rage II, Binary Domain, and Condemned: Criminal Origins. SEGA will send keys to players who enter their email on the Make War Not Love website, but only until the next three unlock.
Jet Set Radio, Golden Axe, and Hell Yeah! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit were previously available for free to SEGA fans. The next three games—which look to be unlocking in a couple days—are Gunstar Heroes, Renegade Ops, and Vikings: Battle for Asgard.
Kojima Still Hopes to Work With Norman Reedus
Kojima still hopes to collaborate with The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus.
Speaking to IGN at DICE in Las Vegas, Kojima said, “I don’t know when, but it definitely would be great to work with him again.”
Kojima also referenced the recent meeting with Reedus that he posted a photo of on Twitter, explaining, “I’m a fan of Norman, and he’s an extremely nice guy. And last year he was worried, so I went up with him and told him, ‘everything is fine. I became independent. I’m doing my own thing now.’”