Patton Oswalt Joins MST3K Reboot
The MST3K Kickstarter has far exceeded its goal, and so new cast member announcements continue to trickle out of the Satellite of Love. On the show's Kickstarter page, co-creator Joel Hodgson announced Patton Oswalt will be joining the cast.
Oswalt, who is a self-professed fan of the show, will play the son of TV's Frank, TV's Son of TV's Frank.
TV's Frank, played by Frank Conniff, joined the cast in season 2 after the unexpected departure of show founder Josh "J. Elvis" Weinstein. However, Coniff will not be joining the reboot as a major character, nor will former Mad and voice of Crow T. Robot Trace Beaulieu.
Neil deGrasse Tyson on Millenium Falcon vs. Starship Enterprise
Neil deGrasse Tyson was quick to answer when asked whether he’d choose Star Wars’s Millennium Falcon or Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise.
A fan submitted this question to Tyson’s National Geographic show, Star Talk, and Tyson answered with what he knows best—science. "The Enterprise," the astrophysicist answered. "There’s no question." Watch for yourself in the video below.
The Enterprise, he says, is much more real than Han Solo's Millennium Falcon. The Millennium Falcon is part of Star Wars’s "fantasy storytelling," he says, and the fact that the Enterprise has a staff—folks to man the "warp drives and photon torpedoes" makes the ship "fake-real," while the Millennium Falcon is just "fake-fake."
McQuarrie Confirms He’s Back to Direct M:I 6
Mission: Impossible -- Rogue Nation filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie is set to become the first director to helm two installments in the spy film series.
McQuarrie confirmed on Twitter today that he's returning for Mission: Impossible 6. There were previously reports earlier this month that McQuarrie was talking with Paramount about writing and directing the next installment.
Star Wars Rebels Renewed for Season 3
Star Wars Rebels, Disney's animated addition to the planet-hopping sci-fi franchise, has been renewed for a third season.
Set between the first and second film trilogies, Rebels settles on a cast of characters kicking off the Rebel Alliance first seen in A New Hope.
"The show continues to tell fun, heartfelt, exciting new Star Wars stories week after week, and it’s beloved by fans of all ages," wrote Lucasfilm Senior VP of Development, Kiri Hart in a press release.
Hart's statement is backed up by the show's viewing numbers. Rebels is the second most-watched show on Disney's child-oriented cable channel, Disney XD. It's also the station's number one series among adults, with more than 48 million viewers worldwide.
Out This Week: Xenoblade Chronicles X, Rainbow Six Siege
With so many new games and movies coming out, it can be hard to keep up. Lucky for you, IGN is here to help with a weekly round-up of the biggest releases each and every week. Check out the latest releases for this week, and be sure to come back next Monday for a new update.
Note: The prices and deals compiled below are accurate at the time we published this story, but all are subject to change.
Why Han Solo Doesn’t Shoot First in Star Wars
Star Wars creator George Lucas is defending his decision to change up Han Solo's encounter with Greedo in Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope.
Originally, Han shot Greedo first in the Star Wars film, but Lucas altered the scene with the Special Edition release of the movie in 1997. As such, Han blasts Greedo after the Rodian bounty hunter takes a shot at him first.
Lucas told the Washington Post that he revised the scene because Han isn't a murderer. He explained: "Han Solo was going to marry Leia, and you look back and say, ‘Should he be a cold-blooded killer?’
Slimmer MacBook Air May Be Announced at WWDC 2016
Apple will reportedly be unveiling a new line of MacBook Air models at its Worldwide Developers Conference next year.
According to Taiwan's Economic Daily News (via MacRumors), Apple's new MacBook Air will release in 13 and 15-inch size options and offer a slimmer design. No mention of an 11-inch version was made, however.
The report also claims the new laptop will be "fully redesigned" inside, equipped with completely new internal components.
Earlier this year, Apple released a super-light MacBook, leading many to believe the company would be phasing out the MacBook Air. If this new report proves true, however, Apple may be looking to position its 12-inch MacBook as its most portable option, with the 13 and 15-inch MacBook Air models serving as a slightly larger alternative.
New to Hulu for December 2015
To get you in the holiday spirit, Hulu's December listings feature a ton of...Friday the 13th movies?
Seriously. Yeah, all the Paramount Friday the 13th movies will be available, as well as Dr. No, Interstellar, Good Morning Vietnam, Young Sherlock Holmes, The Crying Game, and more. Also, remember that Hulu is now available with a commercial-free option.
Note: Titles with an "*" are available with a subscription to the Showtime premium add-on.
December 1st
IGN SPOTLIGHT
- Dr. No (1962)
4 Times Hunger Games Merch Totally Missed the Point
The Hunger Games is a series about a futuristic dystopia in which a dozen impoverished city-states are enslaved by a totalitarian government whose sole purpose is perpetuating their own lavish and superficial lifestyles.
The Capitol maintains control over the twelve districts by holding a yearly televised event called The Hunger Games, in which two tributes (children between the ages of 12 and 18) from each district must battle to the death. This barbaric contest serves as entertainment for the citizens of the Capitol as well as a grisly reminder of the terrifying power the central government has over the twelve districts.
The story is essentially an allegory for the way America relies on cheap labor from countries like China and India, and how we glorify violence in our games, movies, and television while turning a blind eye to the very real warfare and famine that is often a direct result of our own greed.
Mario Kart 8 Is Coming to Disney XD
Nintendo's Wii U-exclusive kart racer is making its way to Disney XD in a new show called Clash of Karts: Mario Kart 8.
The show features "eight of America's best young gamers" who will compete alongside various YouTube personalities, including Andre of Black Nerd Comedy, AtomicMari, Strawburry 17 and SethBling, in a one-hour Mario Kart 8 competition.
Clash of Karts: Mario Kart 8 will air this coming Saturday, December 5, at 8pm PT/ET on Disney XD.
Earlier this year, Nintendo announced it was pursing licensing deals with other companies, both within the realm of video games and through external partnerships. It appears this new television deal with Disney XD is a result of the company's new efforts.