Cardy, Joe, and Dale are here to run through the five best things they each did over the Christmas break. We've got superheroes, detectives, murders, and metaverses among many other topics. The Endless Search also makes its glorious return as well as a borderline heated debate about what the best British crisp is.

Want to get in touch? Why not let us know what the best Christmas present you received this year was. Feel free to sling us an email at ign_ukfeedback@ign.com.

IGN UK Podcast #626: The 15 Best Things We Played and Watched Over Christmas

• IGN UK Podcast #625: The Big 2022 Preview
• IGN UK Podcast #624: Alternative Movie and TV Awards 2021
• IGN UK Podcast #623: Alternative Game Awards 2021
• IGN UK Podcast #622: Sucking on Chocolate is Wonderful
• IGN UK Podcast #621: West Side Story of Bungalow Bill

Justice League star Ben Affleck has confirmed that his appearance in The Flash will mark his final outing as DC’s Batman, and that it includes his favourite scenes playing the character.

During an interview with the Herald Sun, the 49-year-old Batman revealed that he won’t be playing the iconic superhero role for much longer.

Following a “very, very, very hard experience” filming Justice League with Joss Whedon, Affleck admits that the pressures of the role led to a relapse in drinking, which then led to him pulling out of his planned Batman solo movie. However, he also stated that doing reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League as well as filming scenes for The Flash “put a really nice finish on my experience with that character”.

Ben Affleck has long been expected to appear as Batman in The Flash – the upcoming DC superhero movie expected to adapt the Flashpoint comic book series. It appears that making that final appearance was a lot of fun:

“I have never said this – this is hot off the presses – but maybe my favourite scenes in terms of Batman and the interpretation of Batman that I have done, were in the Flash movie,” he revealed. “I hope they maintain the integrity of what we did because I thought it was great and really interesting – different, but not in a way that is incongruent with the character.”

Of course, with production still ongoing, Affleck isn’t sure whether his favoured scenes will make the final movie, or what form they'll take. Nevertheless, he’s more than happy with his contribution.

“Who knows?” he added. “Maybe they will decide that it doesn’t work, but when I went and did it, it was really fun and really, really satisfying and encouraging and I thought, ‘Wow – I think I have finally figured it out’.”

The Flash will see Ezra Miller reprise his Justice League role as Barry Allen/The Flash, with Kiersey Clemons returning as Iris West. Sasha Calle will star as Supergirl, alongside both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, playing their own versions of Batman. Michael Shannon and Antje Traue are also expected to reprise their Man of Steel roles as General Zod and Faora.

The Flash will debut in theaters on November 4, 2022.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Justice League star Ben Affleck has confirmed that his appearance in The Flash will mark his final outing as DC’s Batman, and that it includes his favourite scenes playing the character.

During an interview with the Herald Sun, the 49-year-old Batman revealed that he won’t be playing the iconic superhero role for much longer.

Following a “very, very, very hard experience” filming Justice League with Joss Whedon, Affleck admits that the pressures of the role led to a relapse in drinking, which then led to him pulling out of his planned Batman solo movie. However, he also stated that doing reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League as well as filming scenes for The Flash “put a really nice finish on my experience with that character”.

Ben Affleck has long been expected to appear as Batman in The Flash – the upcoming DC superhero movie expected to adapt the Flashpoint comic book series. It appears that making that final appearance was a lot of fun:

“I have never said this – this is hot off the presses – but maybe my favourite scenes in terms of Batman and the interpretation of Batman that I have done, were in the Flash movie,” he revealed. “I hope they maintain the integrity of what we did because I thought it was great and really interesting – different, but not in a way that is incongruent with the character.”

Of course, with production still ongoing, Affleck isn’t sure whether his favoured scenes will make the final movie, or what form they'll take. Nevertheless, he’s more than happy with his contribution.

“Who knows?” he added. “Maybe they will decide that it doesn’t work, but when I went and did it, it was really fun and really, really satisfying and encouraging and I thought, ‘Wow – I think I have finally figured it out’.”

The Flash will see Ezra Miller reprise his Justice League role as Barry Allen/The Flash, with Kiersey Clemons returning as Iris West. Sasha Calle will star as Supergirl, alongside both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, playing their own versions of Batman. Michael Shannon and Antje Traue are also expected to reprise their Man of Steel roles as General Zod and Faora.

The Flash will debut in theaters on November 4, 2022.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home!

After appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it looks as though Andrew Garfield would return to the role of Spider-Man once more, but only "if it felt right".

During an interview with Variety, the 38-year-old former Spider-Man revealed that he would consider returning to the iconic Marvel role under the right circumstances.

“I mean, yes, definitely open to something if it felt right,” he said. “Peter and Spider-Man, those characters are all about service, to the greater good and the many. He’s a working-class boy from Queens that knows struggle and loss and is deeply empathetic. I would try to borrow Peter Parker’s ethical framework in that, if there was an opportunity to step back in and tell more of that story, I would have to feel very sure and certain in myself.”

Andrew Garfield first suited up as our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man back in 2012, with his most recent stint as a cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, after finally getting what they wanted in No Way Home, fans want to see even more of his webslinger back on the big screen.

Recently, the hashtag #MakeTASM3 (as in, 'Make The Amazing Spider-Man 3') began trending on Twitter, with fans eager to see Garfield finish off his own Spider-Man trilogy. But with the multi-dimensional crossover in No Way Home originally planned as a post-credit scene, would Marvel be interested in putting resources into a franchise that has long been killed off? Of course, Sony has its own, somewhat separate universe of Spider-Man villains, so there's always a chance of a Garfield Spidey appearing there.

Whether he returns again or not, Garfield seems thrilled that he was able to return to play the character at all in the era of the MCU.

"I am so grateful," he told Variety. "I’m just really, really grateful that I got to tie up some loose ends for the Peter that I was playing. I love that character and I’m grateful that I got to work with these incredible actors, this incredible director, and Marvel in conjunction with Sony. It was joyful, and a feeling of closure for me. There was so many unanswered questions for my Peter, where we left it. I got to step back in and get some healing for him. And also really supporting [Holland’s] Peter, and honoring his character completing that trilogy, not distracting or detracting from it."

It’s no secret that Spider-Man: No Way Home is now Sony’s highest-grossing film of all time, having scored a massive $257 million opening weekend. It’s these kinds of numbers that may well convince Marvel and Sony that additional Spider-Man movies have legs. Whether or not that means Andrew Garfield will return, however, remains to be seen.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home!

After appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it looks as though Andrew Garfield would return to the role of Spider-Man once more, but only "if it felt right".

During an interview with Variety, the 38-year-old former Spider-Man revealed that he would consider returning to the iconic Marvel role under the right circumstances.

“I mean, yes, definitely open to something if it felt right,” he said. “Peter and Spider-Man, those characters are all about service, to the greater good and the many. He’s a working-class boy from Queens that knows struggle and loss and is deeply empathetic. I would try to borrow Peter Parker’s ethical framework in that, if there was an opportunity to step back in and tell more of that story, I would have to feel very sure and certain in myself.”

Andrew Garfield first suited up as our friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man back in 2012, with his most recent stint as a cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Now, after finally getting what they wanted in No Way Home, fans want to see even more of his webslinger back on the big screen.

Recently, the hashtag #MakeTASM3 (as in, 'Make The Amazing Spider-Man 3') began trending on Twitter, with fans eager to see Garfield finish off his own Spider-Man trilogy. But with the multi-dimensional crossover in No Way Home originally planned as a post-credit scene, would Marvel be interested in putting resources into a franchise that has long been killed off? Of course, Sony has its own, somewhat separate universe of Spider-Man villains, so there's always a chance of a Garfield Spidey appearing there.

Whether he returns again or not, Garfield seems thrilled that he was able to return to play the character at all in the era of the MCU.

"I am so grateful," he told Variety. "I’m just really, really grateful that I got to tie up some loose ends for the Peter that I was playing. I love that character and I’m grateful that I got to work with these incredible actors, this incredible director, and Marvel in conjunction with Sony. It was joyful, and a feeling of closure for me. There was so many unanswered questions for my Peter, where we left it. I got to step back in and get some healing for him. And also really supporting [Holland’s] Peter, and honoring his character completing that trilogy, not distracting or detracting from it."

It’s no secret that Spider-Man: No Way Home is now Sony’s highest-grossing film of all time, having scored a massive $257 million opening weekend. It’s these kinds of numbers that may well convince Marvel and Sony that additional Spider-Man movies have legs. Whether or not that means Andrew Garfield will return, however, remains to be seen.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

After a year of silence, Amazon is opening the vault on some details for the upcoming Fallout TV series. In a new report, we've learned that the series based on the post-apocalyptic RPG is set to begin production later this year.

Deadline reported the production time and revealed Jonathan Nolan is set to direct the series premiere. Nolan is the co-creator of HBO's Westworld, which shares some similar dystopian themes with the world of Fallout.

Additionally, Captain Marvel Writer Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Portlandia and Silicon Valley's Graham Wagner will serve as the series showrunners. There is still no word on the cast or the plot for the Fallout show.

The Fallout TV series was first announced in 2020, with Nolan and Joy attached to the project. We also know that Fallout developers Bethesda Game Studios will be involved with the show, and series director Todd Howard is on board as an executive producer.

Fallout is an RPG video game franchise that takes place in the aftermath of a nuclear war. The franchise started as an isometric RPG series, but Bethesda transformed it into a first-person RPG juggernaut after acquiring the IP in 2007.

Fallout's unique take on Americana and Bethesda's bold first-person interpretation of the series has made it one of the most popular and beloved western RPG franchises.

For more on the Fallout TV show, check out our picks of the best Fallout stories for Amazon's new show.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

After a year of silence, Amazon is opening the vault on some details for the upcoming Fallout TV series. In a new report, we've learned that the series based on the post-apocalyptic RPG is set to begin production later this year.

Deadline reported the production time and revealed Jonathan Nolan is set to direct the series premiere. Nolan is the co-creator of HBO's Westworld, which shares some similar dystopian themes with the world of Fallout.

Additionally, Captain Marvel Writer Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Portlandia and Silicon Valley's Graham Wagner will serve as the series showrunners. There is still no word on the cast or the plot for the Fallout show.

The Fallout TV series was first announced in 2020, with Nolan and Joy attached to the project. We also know that Fallout developers Bethesda Game Studios will be involved with the show, and series director Todd Howard is on board as an executive producer.

Fallout is an RPG video game franchise that takes place in the aftermath of a nuclear war. The franchise started as an isometric RPG series, but Bethesda transformed it into a first-person RPG juggernaut after acquiring the IP in 2007.

Fallout's unique take on Americana and Bethesda's bold first-person interpretation of the series has made it one of the most popular and beloved western RPG franchises.

For more on the Fallout TV show, check out our picks of the best Fallout stories for Amazon's new show.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

The upcoming Battlestar Galactica movie from X-Men veteran Simon Kinberg is still lightyears away, but we now know the film will take place in the same universe as the Battlestar Galactica reboot coming to Peacock.

Speaking to Collider, Kinberg said he is in "constant communication" with Sam Esmail, the executive producer of the Peacock series. "In terms of the situation with Sam and the show, I can't say too much about it other than there is synergy between the two enterprises and constant communication between us," Kinberg said.

"We've become close and been having a really good time together and there will be, for lack of a better phrase and it's an overused phrase, a shared universe."

This indirectly confirms that the movie will also be a part of the universe that Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica series takes place in because we previously learned that the Peacock series would tell a new story in that same universe. Unless plans have changed, it seems both projects will continue the mythos of the beloved 2004 show.

The Peacock series doesn't yet have a release date. The last we heard, Michael Lesslie is on board to write and executive produce the series. Lesslie was the showrunner for AMC's The Little Drummer Girl, and writer for the Assassin's Creed movie.

As for the movie's progress, Kinberg says it's still a long way away, adding that they are hoping to find a director for the project this year.

"It's a megillah, humongous film and the prep will be a very long prep period so I would imagine even if we attached a director today it would take six, nine months to prep this movie properly," Kinberg said. "So at the earliest, we'd be shooting at the end of this year. We'd probably be shooting at the beginning of next year."

It's been a long road for the Battlestar Galactica film reboot, with rumblings of its production going back to 2009, when Moore's series ended. In 2020, we learned Kinberg would write and produce the film. Kinberg has been part of the X-Men film series since 2006.

And, speaking of Kinberg, the filmmaker recently commented on the future of the X-Men coming to the MCU, saying Marvel producer Kevin Feige, "knows what he's doing with the MCU."

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

The upcoming Battlestar Galactica movie from X-Men veteran Simon Kinberg is still lightyears away, but we now know the film will take place in the same universe as the Battlestar Galactica reboot coming to Peacock.

Speaking to Collider, Kinberg said he is in "constant communication" with Sam Esmail, the executive producer of the Peacock series. "In terms of the situation with Sam and the show, I can't say too much about it other than there is synergy between the two enterprises and constant communication between us," Kinberg said.

"We've become close and been having a really good time together and there will be, for lack of a better phrase and it's an overused phrase, a shared universe."

This indirectly confirms that the movie will also be a part of the universe that Ron Moore's Battlestar Galactica series takes place in because we previously learned that the Peacock series would tell a new story in that same universe. Unless plans have changed, it seems both projects will continue the mythos of the beloved 2004 show.

The Peacock series doesn't yet have a release date. The last we heard, Michael Lesslie is on board to write and executive produce the series. Lesslie was the showrunner for AMC's The Little Drummer Girl, and writer for the Assassin's Creed movie.

As for the movie's progress, Kinberg says it's still a long way away, adding that they are hoping to find a director for the project this year.

"It's a megillah, humongous film and the prep will be a very long prep period so I would imagine even if we attached a director today it would take six, nine months to prep this movie properly," Kinberg said. "So at the earliest, we'd be shooting at the end of this year. We'd probably be shooting at the beginning of next year."

It's been a long road for the Battlestar Galactica film reboot, with rumblings of its production going back to 2009, when Moore's series ended. In 2020, we learned Kinberg would write and produce the film. Kinberg has been part of the X-Men film series since 2006.

And, speaking of Kinberg, the filmmaker recently commented on the future of the X-Men coming to the MCU, saying Marvel producer Kevin Feige, "knows what he's doing with the MCU."

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

Star Trek: Picard has been forced to shut down production following a COVD-19 outbreak that has seen more than 50 crew members test positive for the virus.

As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, production is said to have been on pause since Monday. The show reportedly hopes to resume filming early next week.

COVID-19 has been wreaking havoc across Hollywood since fear appearing in early 2020. Vaccines and other measures raised hopes that the entertainment business could return to something resembling business as usual in 2022, but the emergence of the highly-contagious Omicron variant has forced productions to reevaluate.

The pandemic has forced further delays and other problems, with John Wick 4 among the movies to get pushed all the way into 2023 despite filming already being completed.

Star Trek: Picard last aired in early 2020, with Season 2 set to premiere on Paramount+ in Febuary. Star Trek: Picard is currently filming Season 3, which is expected to release in 2023.

Star Trek: Picard follows the adventures of Jean-Luc Picard as he comes out of retirement to solve new mysteries and battle forces threatening the Federation. In his review of Star Trek: Picard, reviewer Scott Collura called Season 1 "uneven," with a "rushed climax and some head-scratching moments." However, "thematically it all ties together quite nicely."

Kat Bailey is a Senior News Editor at IGN