Netflix’s Maya and the Three: Exclusive Clip and Release Date Reveal
Netflix has announced the release date for its upcoming animated series, Maya and the Three, which is set to premiere globally on Friday, October 22, 2021.
IGN can exclusively reveal a clip featuring Zoe Saldaña's Maya, which you can watch in the video below, or at the top of the page. Here's how director, executive producer, and co-writer Jorge R. Gutiérrez describes the scene:
"This clip is from the first time our Eagle Warrior Princess Maya (Zoe Saldaña) faces Acat (Chelsea Rendon), the goddess of tattoos, in our epic fantasy world. Inspiration for this fight came from everything like Street Fighter 2, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill, Ninja Scroll, and a chola fight I saw in Tijuana."
Gutiérrez went on to talk about what inspired him to create the series. "Maya and the Three was very much inspired by the warrior women in my life (my wife, sister, and mother) and my love of fantasy films, books, and video games," Gutiérrez told IGN. "I always dreamt that if the camera went a bit more south they would eventually get to people that looked like us. Our event series is all these fantasy dreams coming true for me."
Here's how Netflix describes Maya and the Three: "In a fantastical world, where magic turns the world and four kingdoms rule the lands, a brave and rebellious warrior princess named Maya is about to celebrate her fifteenth birthday and coronation. But everything changes when the gods of the underworld arrive and announce that Maya's life is forfeit to the God of War — a price she must pay for her family's secret past. If Maya refuses, the whole world will suffer the gods’ vengeance."
Be sure to stream Maya and the Three when it debuts on Netflix on October 22, 2021. And for more Netflix, check out everything new to Netflix in September, our review of Lucifer Season 6, and the biggest fall TV titles dropping later this year.
David Griffin is the TV Streaming Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.
The Artful Escape Review – Nowhere Nephew
The Artful Escape is a visual treat--a platforming journey that takes players on a journey from Earth to the galaxies beyond and renders every location with gorgeous care. Evoking a variety of influences, from the artist Charlie Immer to the bright aesthetics of Lisa Frank, The Artful Escape captures the sheer cinematic thrill of watching your helicopter explode in a Call of Duty mission or falling off a cliff in a Naughty Dog set-piece, but transplants the action to a voyage that goes far beyond the realm of the real. It’s gentler, too, telling a story about learning how to be who you really are, and not who someone else expects you to be. There’s no violence to be found here; just easygoing platforming, low-pressure musical riffing, and adventure gaming that goes heavy on the dialogue and omits the puzzles entirely.
As the game begins, you are Francis Vendetti, a teen in a leather jacket, chunky boots, and eyewear that could be steampunk goggles or the perfect circle glasses that John Lennon made iconic. Francis is sitting on a bench on a cliff and the first prompt we see instructs us “To strum a folk ballad about the toil of a miner’s life, hold X.” It’s immediately pretentious, and that’s intentional. Francis is the nephew of Johnson Vendetti, who is a legend in the world of The Artful Escape. In Calypso, the small town where Francis has lived his whole life, his uncle is a hometown boy who made good. But “Press X to sing about miners” is not who Francis is at all. It rings hollow (and it should) because Francis is attempting to be someone he isn’t. But his first performance as a musician is scheduled for tomorrow, and Francis will be expected to perform that false identity for everyone he knows. Francis will grow as a character over The Artful Escape’s six-hour runtime, but this gameplay will remain the same. You spend a lot of time in this game holding X to strum on your guitar.
Then Francis meets Violetta, a punky girl with a bad attitude and an Edna Mode haircut. Violetta seems to see something in Francis and tells him to seek out Lightman's--ostensibly a store in Calypso. But Francis has lived in Calypso his whole life and knows there’s no such place. Doesn’t matter--Violetta is off and Francis heads home to get some sleep before his concert the next day. It turns out Francis didn’t need to find Lightman’s. Instead, Lightman, an aging musician voiced by Carl Weathers, comes to him, taking Francis to a spaceship called The Lung and sweeping him up in an intergalactic voyage. He promises Francis will be back in time to play his concert.
Continue Reading at GameSpotThe Artful Escape Review – Nowhere Nephew
The Artful Escape is a visual treat--a platforming journey that takes players on a journey from Earth to the galaxies beyond and renders every location with gorgeous care. Evoking a variety of influences, from the artist Charlie Immer to the bright aesthetics of Lisa Frank, The Artful Escape captures the sheer cinematic thrill of watching your helicopter explode in a Call of Duty mission or falling off a cliff in a Naughty Dog set-piece, but transplants the action to a voyage that goes far beyond the realm of the real. It’s gentler, too, telling a story about learning how to be who you really are, and not who someone else expects you to be. There’s no violence to be found here; just easygoing platforming, low-pressure musical riffing, and adventure gaming that goes heavy on the dialogue and omits the puzzles entirely.
As the game begins, you are Francis Vendetti, a teen in a leather jacket, chunky boots, and eyewear that could be steampunk goggles or the perfect circle glasses that John Lennon made iconic. Francis is sitting on a bench on a cliff and the first prompt we see instructs us “To strum a folk ballad about the toil of a miner’s life, hold X.” It’s immediately pretentious, and that’s intentional. Francis is the nephew of Johnson Vendetti, who is a legend in the world of The Artful Escape. In Calypso, the small town where Francis has lived his whole life, his uncle is a hometown boy who made good. But “Press X to sing about miners” is not who Francis is at all. It rings hollow (and it should) because Francis is attempting to be someone he isn’t. But his first performance as a musician is scheduled for tomorrow, and Francis will be expected to perform that false identity for everyone he knows. Francis will grow as a character over The Artful Escape’s six-hour runtime, but this gameplay will remain the same. You spend a lot of time in this game holding X to strum on your guitar.
Then Francis meets Violetta, a punky girl with a bad attitude and an Edna Mode haircut. Violetta seems to see something in Francis and tells him to seek out Lightman's--ostensibly a store in Calypso. But Francis has lived in Calypso his whole life and knows there’s no such place. Doesn’t matter--Violetta is off and Francis heads home to get some sleep before his concert the next day. It turns out Francis didn’t need to find Lightman’s. Instead, Lightman, an aging musician voiced by Carl Weathers, comes to him, taking Francis to a spaceship called The Lung and sweeping him up in an intergalactic voyage. He promises Francis will be back in time to play his concert.
Continue Reading at GameSpotLost in Random Review – Six Appeal
Lost in Random makes a poor first impression. The overly dark and dreary opening areas are disjointed, rushing through the setup in a confusing and off-putting manner. It feels like you've been dealt a dud hand. Persist, though, and the cards start falling into place. The deck-building strategic layer gradually settles until it successfully blends with the core action of the combat, and the world eventually reveals a much more interesting, brighter, more colorful and character-filled side. Lost in Random overcomes a rocky start to tell a genuinely affecting tale of friendship, sibling bonds, and the cruelty of inequality.
The world of Random is ruled by a capricious Queen who determines the fates of her subjects with a roll of the dice. Ones are left to labor in the working-class slums while Sixers are whisked off to the Queen's castle in the clouds, their newfound societal elevation relieving them of the burden of ever again interacting with the poor. Even is a young girl living in Onecroft when her older sister, Odd, rolls a six and they become separated. Even is rightly suspicious of the Queen and so sets out to rescue her sister.
Even quickly recruits a companion, Dicey, and learns how to fight by playing cards and rolling a dice--and yes, before you say anything, the game uses "dice" not as a plural but as a singular. Combat is the heart of this action-adventure, and it takes a bit of getting used to. Even can't attack enemies without first playing a card that grants her an ability, but to be able to play a card at all she must first collect enough crystals to be dealt one. When she has cards up to a full hand of five she can roll Dicey and play a number of cards equal to the number on the dice. What at first feels like a lot of unnecessary complications soon comes together to offer plenty of clever tactical and strategic choices.
Continue Reading at GameSpotLost in Random Review – Six Appeal
Lost in Random makes a poor first impression. The overly dark and dreary opening areas are disjointed, rushing through the setup in a confusing and off-putting manner. It feels like you've been dealt a dud hand. Persist, though, and the cards start falling into place. The deck-building strategic layer gradually settles until it successfully blends with the core action of the combat, and the world eventually reveals a much more interesting, brighter, more colorful and character-filled side. Lost in Random overcomes a rocky start to tell a genuinely affecting tale of friendship, sibling bonds, and the cruelty of inequality.
The world of Random is ruled by a capricious Queen who determines the fates of her subjects with a roll of the dice. Ones are left to labor in the working-class slums while Sixers are whisked off to the Queen's castle in the clouds, their newfound societal elevation relieving them of the burden of ever again interacting with the poor. Even is a young girl living in Onecroft when her older sister, Odd, rolls a six and they become separated. Even is rightly suspicious of the Queen and so sets out to rescue her sister.
Even quickly recruits a companion, Dicey, and learns how to fight by playing cards and rolling a dice--and yes, before you say anything, the game uses "dice" not as a plural but as a singular. Combat is the heart of this action-adventure, and it takes a bit of getting used to. Even can't attack enemies without first playing a card that grants her an ability, but to be able to play a card at all she must first collect enough crystals to be dealt one. When she has cards up to a full hand of five she can roll Dicey and play a number of cards equal to the number on the dice. What at first feels like a lot of unnecessary complications soon comes together to offer plenty of clever tactical and strategic choices.
Continue Reading at GameSpotAlan Wake Remastered Is Ditching the Original’s Product Placement
With brand deals for the 2010 cult classic Alan Wake long since expired, the title's upcoming remaster will not feature its predecessor's iconic product placements when it launches on October 5.
According to an article by Screen Rant, Remedy is set to strip the game of its real-world products when it releases next month. With brand deals having since expired for the title, a PR representative for Alan Wake Remastered confirmed that the remaster will be replacing its partnership-sponsored advertisements with generic in-universe branding.
Aside from its otherworldly tone and cult classic status, the original release of Alan Wake also became known (less lovingly) for its high number of brand deals. Product placement in the psychological thriller managed to creep its way into everything from background environment models to the title's core gameplay elements. When exploring the quaint mining town of Bright Falls, fans will likely remember the Verizon billboards that stood proudly along the game's forest-lined streets, even after darkness fell.
The title didn't stop there, however, as a number of core gameplay elements also brought with them exclusive brand tie-ins. From searching far and wide for Energizer branded batteries as a vital source of power for Alan's torch to including vehicles manufactured by Ford and Lincoln, players were never far away from encountering a familiar corporate logo in the game.
The inclusion of real-world products in Alan Wake is one that divided its fanbase. While some players balk at the idea of real-world products being pushed on consumers during a time of escapism, others found it gave the title grounding and relatability. In a Reddit thread detailing Remedy's decision to replace the old branded products with in-universe advertisements, one fan seemed particularly repulsed by the thought of using anything but Energizer batteries to power their torch:
To see more from the upcoming remaster, make sure to check out the title's recent trailer, which debuted at this month's PlayStation Showcase. It'll be interesting to see – if there is an Alan Wake sequel on the way – whether that game gets the same generic branding, or if the real-world advertisements return.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
Report: The Batman Spinoff Series for HBO Max Will Focus On Penguin’s Rise In the Underworld
A spinoff series of The Batman is reportedly in development for HBO Max, and it's set to revolve around The Penguin.
Variety reports that Colin Farrell, who is set to play the villain in Matt Reeves' The Batman, has been approached to star in the series, but a deal has not been made yet.
Reeves, along with The Batman Producer Dylan Clark, would reportedly be involved as executive producers. The report says the show would dive into The Penguin's rise to power in Gotham.
We'll get to see Farrell's portrayal of the classic Batman villain, as well as Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader himself, when The Batman comes to theaters on March 4, 2022. However, Farrell has said Penguin only appears in "five or six scenes" of the film. Other stars include Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.
The Penguin is a longtime member of Batman's rogues gallery and he was portrayed by Danny DeVito in 1992's Batman Returns. He's called the Penguin for his appearance, and in the comics the Penguin character has evolved into more of your typical crime boss/gangster. Rather than terrorize civilians, the Penguin in the comics uses his family's wealth to fund his criminal empire and nightclub business.
We won't have to wait long to get another glimpse at the movie, as a new trailer for The Batman is set to debut at this year's DC FanDome, which begins on October 16.
For more, check out everything we know about The Batman. Or, check out the first image from John Cena's Peacemaker show coming to HBO Max.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
Report: The Batman Spinoff Series for HBO Max Will Focus On Penguin’s Rise In the Underworld
A spinoff series of The Batman is reportedly in development for HBO Max, and it's set to revolve around The Penguin.
Variety reports that Colin Farrell, who is set to play the villain in Matt Reeves' The Batman, has been approached to star in the series, but a deal has not been made yet.
Reeves, along with The Batman Producer Dylan Clark, would reportedly be involved as executive producers. The report says the show would dive into The Penguin's rise to power in Gotham.
We'll get to see Farrell's portrayal of the classic Batman villain, as well as Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader himself, when The Batman comes to theaters on March 4, 2022. However, Farrell has said Penguin only appears in "five or six scenes" of the film. Other stars include Jeffrey Wright as Commissioner Gordon, Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth, and John Turturro as Carmine Falcone.
The Penguin is a longtime member of Batman's rogues gallery and he was portrayed by Danny DeVito in 1992's Batman Returns. He's called the Penguin for his appearance, and in the comics the Penguin character has evolved into more of your typical crime boss/gangster. Rather than terrorize civilians, the Penguin in the comics uses his family's wealth to fund his criminal empire and nightclub business.
We won't have to wait long to get another glimpse at the movie, as a new trailer for The Batman is set to debut at this year's DC FanDome, which begins on October 16.
For more, check out everything we know about The Batman. Or, check out the first image from John Cena's Peacemaker show coming to HBO Max.
Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.
No Time To Die Will Be the Longest James Bond Movie To Date
It turns out there might actually be no time to die, at least if No Time To Die's runtime has anything to say about it. That's because No Time To Die will be the longest James Bond movie to date, clocking in at a whopping 163 minutes, or 2 hours and 43 minutes, as reported by IndieWire.
This nearly three-hour runtime places No Time To Die above Spectre's 148 minute runtime, which previously held the record for longest James Bond movie. Before it, Daniel Craig's first outing as Bond in Casino Royale held the title with its 144-minute runtime.
While this runtime is the longest ever for a James Bond movie, it doesn't reveal too much more other than the fact that Craig's final go as the famed superspy will be a long one (and hopefully a good and proper goodbye to his character too).
For reference, Craig's 007 movies have hovered around the 2 hour and 20 minute mark, save for Quantum of Solace, which clocked in at about an hour and 45 minutes. No Time To Die is 15 minutes longer than Spectre, which was the longest James Bond film to date until now.
No Time To Die will be released exclusively in theaters on October 8. While waiting to watch its full 163-minute action-packed story, read about the popular fan theory director Cary Joji Fukunaga recently dispelled and then watch the final trailer for No Time To Die. Read about why you shouldn't expect a James Bond TV series from Amazon after the company's recent $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM after that.
Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. He is very excited for No Time To Die and hopes it's as good as Skyfall, the best Craig-led 007 movie. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.
No Time To Die Will Be the Longest James Bond Movie To Date
It turns out there might actually be no time to die, at least if No Time To Die's runtime has anything to say about it. That's because No Time To Die will be the longest James Bond movie to date, clocking in at a whopping 163 minutes, or 2 hours and 43 minutes, as reported by IndieWire.
This nearly three-hour runtime places No Time To Die above Spectre's 148 minute runtime, which previously held the record for longest James Bond movie. Before it, Daniel Craig's first outing as Bond in Casino Royale held the title with its 144-minute runtime.
While this runtime is the longest ever for a James Bond movie, it doesn't reveal too much more other than the fact that Craig's final go as the famed superspy will be a long one (and hopefully a good and proper goodbye to his character too).
For reference, Craig's 007 movies have hovered around the 2 hour and 20 minute mark, save for Quantum of Solace, which clocked in at about an hour and 45 minutes. No Time To Die is 15 minutes longer than Spectre, which was the longest James Bond film to date until now.
No Time To Die will be released exclusively in theaters on October 8. While waiting to watch its full 163-minute action-packed story, read about the popular fan theory director Cary Joji Fukunaga recently dispelled and then watch the final trailer for No Time To Die. Read about why you shouldn't expect a James Bond TV series from Amazon after the company's recent $8.45 billion acquisition of MGM after that.
Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. He is very excited for No Time To Die and hopes it's as good as Skyfall, the best Craig-led 007 movie. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.