Ghost in the Shell Casts Hannibal’s Michael Pitt as Villain
Contrary to prior reports suggesting Sam Riley would play the villain in the live-action Ghost in the Shell movie, Hannibal and Boardwalk Empire actor Michael Pitt has reportedly joined the cast as film's big bad.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pitt will star as The Laughing Man, the iconic villain fans of the manga know all too well as the extremist leader who's hellbent on twarting the efforts of Hanka Robotics.
Michael Pitt in Hannibal
X-Men: Apocalypse Star Olivia Munn Reveals New Standee
A new standee for X-Men: Apocalypse has been unveiled.
Olivia Munn, who stars in 20th Century Fox's mutant-centric flick as Psylocke, shared a photo of the new standee in a post on Instagram.
Munn also stopped by IGN's San Francisco office today to showcase her sword-swinging skills on Up At Noon.
The amazing @oliviamunn shows us some of her skills pic.twitter.com/jjzUpSPd71
— IGN (@IGN) February 4, 2016
Ethan Hawke Talks Regression and Emma Watson
We recently spoke with actor Ethan Hawke about his newest film, Regression, which opens Friday, February 5. The story follows a police officer (Hawke) who investigates a possible satanic cult in Minnesota and their involvement with a young woman (played by Emma Watson).
Hawke offered insights into not only this film, but his process and some of the upcoming projects he's most excited about.
IGN: Regression is a film that is inspired by true events. Did you spend time looking into the reality behind the story?
Ethan Hawke: You know, in truth, I know they say that, and there are several instances of which they refer to when they say that, but I could never find a true event that this was really... I mean, it's based on true events the same way The Crucible is. You know what I mean? I mean, there's all kinds of…
Game Scoop!: Is The Witness a Stealth Metroidvania?
Welcome back to Game Scoop!, IGN's weekly video game talk show. This week we're discussing The Witness, Hearthstone, Far Cry Primal, and more. Watch the video above or download the podcast below.
Download Game Scoop! Episode 376
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Apple to Allow Broken iPhone Trade-Ins
Apple has updated its Reuse and Recycle iPhone trade-in program to allow customers to receive credit for damaged iPhone 5s and iPhone 6/6 Plus devices. 9To5Mac reports that iPhones with "damaged displays, cameras, and buttons" are "within reason."
Apple hopes that the program will encourage users to upgrade their phones, rather than simply repair the screen. The going rates for a trade-in, sources told 9To5Mac, are "$50 for a 5s, $200 for a 6, and $250 for a 6 Plus." Trade-ins aren't completely new for the company, as only undamaged iPhones were previously allowed.
Star Wars: Bloodline Novel Reveals Why Leia Distrusts the New Republic
An upcoming Star Wars novel will shed more light on why Leia abandoned politics for the Resistance military.
USA Today reports that Star Wars: Bloodlines will fill in some gaps between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens. It establishes that Leia actually was a leader in the New Republic, and gained a seat on the Galactic Senate. However, during the course of the novel she starts to see a new generation of leaders that that refuses to learn from the past of the Empire. One new character, Ransolm Casterfo, is described as Leia's political opposite and even likes to collect old Imperial propaganda.
Mattel and Hasbro Reportedly in Merger Talks
Toy makers Mattel and Hasbro are said to be in talks to merge businesses.
Mattel and Hasbro are arguably the most well known names in the toy business, and they're currently the two largest manufacturers of playthings on Earth. A merging of the two behemoths of fun would create the world's biggest toy company.
According to Bloomberg, citing people "familiar with the matter," the current merger rumors represent a will-they, won't-they ballet the two giants have been dancing since last year.
Details of the potential transaction were not readily available, Bloomberg said, with its sources saying the deal might not happen at all.
You Can Watch Puppy Bowl XII in VR
Animal Planet is introducing virtual reality support in the best possible way—with puppies. With the big game approaching quickly, the company is getting fans pumped up with a sneak peek into the practice arena during the Puppy Bowl.
Those with access to VR goggles, like Google Cardboard or Samsung's Gear VR, can find Puppy Bowl XII videos through the DiscoveryVR app, Samsung Milk VR, or on Animal Planet's YouTube page. As of writing, there are four choices: Marley making his move, three dog tug-of-war, run and scrum, and a free-for-all highlight reel.
Is Thanos the Villain in Marvel’s Civil War II?
Marvel has revealed new covers for Civil War II #0 and their two Free Comic Book Day specials. If these covers are to be believed, a certain Mad Titan could have a prominent role to play in Marvel's upcoming crossover event.
Civil War II #0 is a prologue to the core mini-series and will be written by Brian Michael Bendis and drawn by Olivier Coipel. Check out the cover below:
Art by Olivier Coipel
Photos of Young Superman From Supergirl
Superman will appear on Supergirl when the next episode airs on February 8. The episode, For the Girl Who Has Everything, has Kara trapped in a fantasy world that puts her back at home on Krypton, with her family. New photos from the episode give a first look at the young Superman.
The episode is a riff on the classic Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons comic, For the Man Who Has Everything. Executive producer Andrew Kreisberg spoke at the Television Critics Association press tour about the TV adaptation, and said he'd been pitching the idea since he signed on.