Yearly Archives: 2018
The Coen Brothers’ Netflix Series Is Now a Movie
Joel and Ethan Coen's Netflix Western anthology series has now turned into a feature-length movie.
Per Variety, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, announced last year as a six-part miniseries, is now a 132-minute film. It will debut at the Venice Film Festival in late August/early September, before hitting theaters and premiering on Netflix just in time for awards season.
The film will maintain the original show's anthology format, telling six distinct tales about the American frontier, though plot details are being kept under wraps for now.
Marvel Just Did the Unthinkable With Thanos
Marvel's latest crossover event Infinity Wars just pushed Thanos in a very unexpected direction.
Warning: this article contains spoilers for Infinity Wars Prime #1!
Infinity Wars features a new cosmic conflict centered around the Infinity Stones, all of which are currently located on Earth. Naturally, Thanos was poised to be a major player in this storyline, given his past history with the Infinity Stones and his role in the recent Avengers: Infinity War movie. But while Thanos does indeed play a major part in this issue, he doesn't make it out alive.
Facebook Wants Interactive TV Over Prestige
At the 2018 Television Critics Association summer press tour, the execs behind Facebook Watch outlined their strategy for competing in the growing digital streaming market - and it's very different from every other TV platform.
According to Fidju Simo, Vice President of Product at Facebook, "We imagine every genre of television reinvented for an interactive experience." One of the ways Facebook Watch hopes to create a more communal way of watching content is through its Watch Party platform, which gives Facebook members the ability to watch their favorite videos together with family and friends.
The platform will be free to the consumer. All a viewer needs is a Facebook account and an internet connection to watch. One of the shows Facebook is currently working on is a singing competition where users can nominate their friends and vote on performances through the platform. No release date has been announced.
HBO Boss Says Network Won’t Change Following Merger
HBO programming president Casey Bloys has promised the network won't change direction, despite Warner Media chief executive John Stankey recently saying otherwise.
Earlier this month, Stankey said HBO would have to "alter and change direction a little bit" following Time Warner and AT&T's recent $85.4 billion merger. However, it seems this might no longer be the case as Bloys confirmed HBO will continue to deliver the same type of quality programming it's known for.
“There are no plans to dilute the HBO brand in favor of programming," Bloys said during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. "AT&T has been very complimentary of what we do."
IGN Beyond Ep. 552: Features PS4’s 6.00 Update Should Have
BEYOND!
With talk of a closed beta for the PlayStation 4's upcoming 6.00 firmware update, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Tina Amini, and Max Scoville to discuss what features and updates they'd love to see made to the PS4.
Additionally, the cast talks all about the Spider-Man for PS4 updates revealed at San Diego Comic-Con over the weekend — including that sweet Spider-Man PS4 Pro — Guacamelee 2's release date and the deluge of Metroidvanias we're facing, and answer your questions. And to help dive a little deeper into No Man Sky's NEXT update, Jonathon is joined by Tom Marks and Barrett Courtney to discuss whether the big changes will have them returning to the Hello Games experience.
How Netflix Is Updating Profiles with Stranger Things and Luke Cage
Netflix is updating profiles in a few big ways.
As detailed on Netflix's recent blog post, the streaming service is adding over 100 new profile icons based on characters from popular original shows such as Stranger Things, Luke Cage, Orange is the New Black, Queer Eye, Fuller House, and plenty more.
New Netflix profile icons, via YouTube.
Heads Up: You Can Preorder Subscriptions to Nintendo Switch Online
Nintendo's paid online service doesn't have a concrete release date, but you can now buy a prepaid subscription and prepare yourself for the inevitable.
A 12-month Nintendo Switch Online subscription is available for $19.99 at Amazon right now, while a 3-month Nintendo Switch Online subscription is available for $7.99. The product page says Amazon will email you once the service is available.
During its earnings report in April, Nintendo said it planned to reveal more details on its Switch online service in early May. One of Nintendo's biggest announcements regarding the Switch's online service is its cloud saves for Switch games. No further, concrete details were given at the time, other than an acknowledgement of the Switch cloud saves future existence.
Chris Hardwick Returning to Talking Dead
Chris Hardwick will be returning as host of Talking Dead and Talking with Chris Hardwick, IGN has learned.
AMC has issued a statement about reinstating Hardwick following the host's suspension after allegations of abuse from Hardwick's ex-girlfriend, Chloe Dykstra, were published in a Medium post without mentioning Hardwick by name.
“Following a comprehensive assessment by AMC, working with Ivy Kagan Bierman of the firm Loeb & Loeb, who has considerable experience in this area, Chris Hardwick will return to AMC as the host of Talking Dead and Talking with Chris Hardwick. We take these matters very seriously and given the information available to us after a very careful review, including interviews with numerous individuals, we believe returning Chris to work is the appropriate step," the statement reads.
HBO Boss Says Westworld Is ‘Not for Casual Viewers’
HBO programming chief Casey Bloys addressed Westworld Season 2's fan backlash, saying the show is "not for casual viewers."
During the Television Critics Association summer press tour, Bloys was asked what he thought of the “widespread backlash” the show received for being too complex in its sophomore run. With its several Emmy nominations, including one for Best Drama, Bloys isn't too worried about the supposed negative fan reaction.
“I’m not sure I would agree that the backlash was ‘widespread,'” Bloys said. “We’re thrilled about the Emmy nominations. What I love about Westworld is that the people who love it really love it.
Paladins is Now Free on Nintendo Switch
Last month, Hi-Rez Studios launched Paladins: Champions of the Realm for the Nintendo Switch. The hero shooter, which shares many similarities to Overwatch, is free-to-play on other platforms, but at the time of its release on Switch was only available through purchase of the Founder's Pack for $29.99.
At the time of its release, the developers stated that a free-to-play version would be available later this summer, and apparently, that time is now. Players can now enjoy Paladins for free on Nintendo Switch by downloading the free version from the eShop.
As we initially reported, Paladins supports cross-play between the Nintendo Switch and Xbox One versions, though cross-play with PlayStation 4 users is still unavailable. The hero shooter runs at 60 frames per second on Switch and is regularly updated with new content. The most recent update added a new Champion, a new map, and numerous bug fixes.