Yearly Archives: 2020
James Bond Producers Don’t Want the Next 007 to Be a Daniel Craig Copycat
James Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson have said that they're looking for Daniel Craig's successor to "reimagine" the role of 007.
In an interview with Total Film, Broccoli, a longtime producer of the franchise, confirmed that the team had not yet found an actor to fill the soon-to-be vacant James Bond role, though she expressed her confidence in finding the "right person" to step into the tuxedo after Craig's final outing as 007 in the 25th Bond film, No Time To Die, which is now scheduled to hit theaters in 2021.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/05/16/theres-only-ever-been-one-james-bond-a-007-nerds-chronology"]
"I always say: you can only be in love with one person at a time. Once the film's come out, then some time will pass, and then we'll have to get on to the business of the future. But for now, we just cannot think about anything beyond Daniel [Craig]," Broccoli said. "It will have to be reimagined, in the way each actor has reimagined the role. That's what is so exciting and fun about this franchise; the character evolves. Eventually, when we have to think about it, we'll find the right person."
Admittedly, Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G. Wilson haven't yet determined who the "right person" for the iconic role will be, however, Broccoli revealed that she is standing firm in her earlier casting opinion that 007 could be played by a person of colour, but not a woman. "He doesn't need to be a white man. Not as far as I'm concerned," Broccoli reiterated. "We should create roles for women, not just turn a man into a woman."
With Daniel Craig suiting up to play James Bond for the fifth and final time, the rumour mill has been in overdrive with speculation about who will succeed him in the role of 007. Tom Hardy was the most recent name to hit the headlines but, without official confirmation, he joins a slew of stars that have been erroneously labeled as being "the next James Bond." You can find the rest of those names in our gallery below:
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Craig has portrayed the 007 agent on-screen since 2006's Casino Royale. He reprised the role in 2008's Quantum of Solace, 2012's Skyfall and 2015's Spectre, all of which have collectively grossed more than $3.1 billion at the worldwide box office. In light of that success, the Bond veteran had a few words of wisdom to pass onto his successor, as he recently advised the next actor to not "f**k it up."
On his forthcoming assignment, Craig's Bond will have his peaceful retirement from active service interrupted when Felix Leiter tracks him down in Jamaica, seeking help to rescue a kidnapped scientist. The mission will set Bond onto the "trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology." It has already been speculated that Rami Malek's supervillain could be a rebooted version of Dr. No.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a little while longer to find out, as the release date for the 25th Bond film has been pushed back for the second time due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. No Time To Die will now be released in April 2021, a year after it was originally set to hit the big screen so that it can hopefully be watched by a worldwide theatrical audience.
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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Has You Play Both Male and Female Eivor by Default
The default character setting for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has you play as both male and female versions of Eivor, with the gender changing at different points of the story.
In a series of promotional videos called “Unleash Your Inner Viking” published here on IGN, it was revealed in Chapter 2 that there are actually three choices for Eivor when starting the game: Female, Male, or ‘Let the Animus decide’. The Animus, of course, is the machine that allows a person to experience the past through the use of genetic memory.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/assassins-creed-valhalla-unleash-your-inner-viking-chapter-2-open-world-customization"]
Let the Animus decide is the default selection. “The Animus will represent the stronger female or male memory-stream, depending on its current strength,” says the tool tip.
Clarifying the system on Twitter, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt, said: “It means "Let the Animus decide" is canon. And both characters will appear at various points when you choose this option. So both are canon.”
In an interview with IGN back in July, McDevitt confirmed that players would be able to play as both male and female versions, and that players could switch at anytime. “You can go into the Animus layer of our game,” he said. “There's an option to change the memory stream. To explain why would spoil a long-running secret, but I will say that the whole reason for why you can switch [Eivor’s gender] back and forth fully embraces the often overlooked science fiction nature of our series.” Part of that ‘secret’ appears to be that the Animus selects Eivor’s gender based on the ‘strength’ of the genetic code in the memory stream. Quite how that works in-universe is yet to be made clear, but it may be similar to how Odyssey explained its gender choice by the genetic material for Leonidas’ heir containing degraded and imprecise DNA. Using this system makes both male and female Eivor canon. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-ubisoft-forward-screenshots&captions=true"] As for in-game, the default setting will change the player character model and voice for Eivor at specific points of the game. Players will still be able to choose a permanent gender at the start of the game, and - as McDevitt had previously told us - switch genders at any time using the Animus menu. For more from Ubisoft’s historical series, check out our exclusive preview of the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla tie-in comic book. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.It means "Let the Animus decide" is canon. And both characters will appear at various points when you choose this option. So both are canon.
— Darby McDevitt (@DarbyMcDevitt) October 13, 2020
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Has You Play Both Male and Female Eivor by Default
The default character setting for Assassin’s Creed Valhalla has you play as both male and female versions of Eivor, with the gender changing at different points of the story.
In a series of promotional videos called “Unleash Your Inner Viking” published here on IGN, it was revealed in Chapter 2 that there are actually three choices for Eivor when starting the game: Female, Male, or ‘Let the Animus decide’. The Animus, of course, is the machine that allows a person to experience the past through the use of genetic memory.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/13/assassins-creed-valhalla-unleash-your-inner-viking-chapter-2-open-world-customization"]
Let the Animus decide is the default selection. “The Animus will represent the stronger female or male memory-stream, depending on its current strength,” says the tool tip.
Clarifying the system on Twitter, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Narrative Director, Darby McDevitt, said: “It means "Let the Animus decide" is canon. And both characters will appear at various points when you choose this option. So both are canon.”
In an interview with IGN back in July, McDevitt confirmed that players would be able to play as both male and female versions, and that players could switch at anytime. “You can go into the Animus layer of our game,” he said. “There's an option to change the memory stream. To explain why would spoil a long-running secret, but I will say that the whole reason for why you can switch [Eivor’s gender] back and forth fully embraces the often overlooked science fiction nature of our series.” Part of that ‘secret’ appears to be that the Animus selects Eivor’s gender based on the ‘strength’ of the genetic code in the memory stream. Quite how that works in-universe is yet to be made clear, but it may be similar to how Odyssey explained its gender choice by the genetic material for Leonidas’ heir containing degraded and imprecise DNA. Using this system makes both male and female Eivor canon. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=assassins-creed-valhalla-ubisoft-forward-screenshots&captions=true"] As for in-game, the default setting will change the player character model and voice for Eivor at specific points of the game. Players will still be able to choose a permanent gender at the start of the game, and - as McDevitt had previously told us - switch genders at any time using the Animus menu. For more from Ubisoft’s historical series, check out our exclusive preview of the Assassin’s Creed Valhalla tie-in comic book. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.It means "Let the Animus decide" is canon. And both characters will appear at various points when you choose this option. So both are canon.
— Darby McDevitt (@DarbyMcDevitt) October 13, 2020
Monster Hunter Trailer: Exclusive First Look at the Video Game Movie
IGN Premiere is rolling out a full week of Monster Hunter movie content, including the exclusive trailer debut. Check back Thursday to learn what we found out on the set of the video game movie and then read our exclusive interview with director Paul W.S. Anderson on Friday.
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The monsters have arrived. Watch our exclusive domestic trailer debut for Monster Hunter, the upcoming film adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise, in the player below.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this Screen Gems release stars Milla Jovovich as Captain Artemis who, along with her elite military unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta), Josh Helman, and Jin Au-Yeung), finds herself transported from our world to a dangerous otherworldly realm full of unknown terrors.
There, Artemis and her team run afoul of such frightening beasts as high-flying Rathalos and sand-dwelling Diablos, while also crossing paths with The Hunter (Tony Jaa), a fearsome fighter who helps teach Artemis how to survive in the world of Monster Hunter.
Feast your eyes on the exclusive domestic trailer for Monster Hunter below:
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/14/monster-hunter-exclusive-official-trailer"]
In addition to Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa, Monster Hunter also stars Ron Perlman as the Admiral, a character who debuted in the game Monster Hunter: World.
The Admiral’s one-time partner, Meowscular Chef, is one of the less threatening creatures to appear in the Monster Hunter movie. Unfortunately, neither character appears in this first domestic trailer.
Beyond Rathalos and Diablos, the trailer also includes our first look at a virtual bestiary of Monster Hunter creatures such as Apceros and Nerscylla.
Sony's Screen Gems also released the latest poster for Monster Hunter today, which features Jovovich wielding the Dual Blades. You can check it out in the gallery below:
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=monster-hunter-movie-images&captions=true"]
For more coverage of the film, check out our exclusive photos of Milla Jovovich’s Artemis as well as a ravenous Rathalos, learn why Monster Hunter’s hero comes from Earth, and discover which cute creatures make it into the Monster Hunter movie.
Monster Hunter opens in December.
Monster Hunter Trailer: Exclusive First Look at the Video Game Movie
IGN Premiere is rolling out a full week of Monster Hunter movie content, including the exclusive trailer debut. Check back Thursday to learn what we found out on the set of the video game movie and then read our exclusive interview with director Paul W.S. Anderson on Friday.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
The monsters have arrived. Watch our exclusive domestic trailer debut for Monster Hunter, the upcoming film adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise, in the player below.
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this Screen Gems release stars Milla Jovovich as Captain Artemis who, along with her elite military unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta), Josh Helman, and Jin Au-Yeung), finds herself transported from our world to a dangerous otherworldly realm full of unknown terrors.
There, Artemis and her team run afoul of such frightening beasts as high-flying Rathalos and sand-dwelling Diablos, while also crossing paths with The Hunter (Tony Jaa), a fearsome fighter who helps teach Artemis how to survive in the world of Monster Hunter.
Feast your eyes on the exclusive domestic trailer for Monster Hunter below:
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/14/monster-hunter-exclusive-official-trailer"]
In addition to Milla Jovovich and Tony Jaa, Monster Hunter also stars Ron Perlman as the Admiral, a character who debuted in the game Monster Hunter: World.
The Admiral’s one-time partner, Meowscular Chef, is one of the less threatening creatures to appear in the Monster Hunter movie. Unfortunately, neither character appears in this first domestic trailer.
Beyond Rathalos and Diablos, the trailer also includes our first look at a virtual bestiary of Monster Hunter creatures such as Apceros and Nerscylla.
Sony's Screen Gems also released the latest poster for Monster Hunter today, which features Jovovich wielding the Dual Blades. You can check it out in the gallery below:
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=monster-hunter-movie-images&captions=true"]
For more coverage of the film, check out our exclusive photos of Milla Jovovich’s Artemis as well as a ravenous Rathalos, learn why Monster Hunter’s hero comes from Earth, and discover which cute creatures make it into the Monster Hunter movie.
Monster Hunter opens in December.
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Review – Making Tracks
There's an old truism in gaming circles that Nintendo is a toy company at its core. This is both praise and critique, expressing a sense of wonderment over the company's ability to tap into childlike playfulness and bafflement at some of its esoteric hardware decisions. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit may be the purest recent expression of the "Nintendo as toy company" ethos. For one, it revolves almost entirely around an actual toy: a tiny camera-equipped go-kart that you race around your real-life house. But more broadly, it behaves the way the simplest toys do, by giving back only as much as the effort you put into creative play.
That's because the core pillar of Mario Kart Live is making your own tracks. The game comes with four numbered gates that help define your track. These are made out of unfolding cardboard, like the natural evolution of Nintendo Labo. Once you've laid down your track and any real-life objects as hazards, you need to run through it once, pace-car style, before starting the race. Choosing the main Grand Prix mode populates your Augmented Reality (AR) track with four Koopaling opponents, and then you're off to the races.
Once you're actually in a race, it operates like any other Mario Kart game. You keep your eyes on the screen--watching your real-life kart is a surefire way to lose--and you see visual effects like Item Blocks and virtual hazards littering the track. And while the kart actually moves relatively slowly in its slowest setting, it actually looks reasonably fast on-screen with the camera set so low to the ground.
Continue Reading at GameSpotMario Kart Live: Home Circuit Review – Making Tracks
There's an old truism in gaming circles that Nintendo is a toy company at its core. This is both praise and critique, expressing a sense of wonderment over the company's ability to tap into childlike playfulness and bafflement at some of its esoteric hardware decisions. Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit may be the purest recent expression of the "Nintendo as toy company" ethos. For one, it revolves almost entirely around an actual toy: a tiny camera-equipped go-kart that you race around your real-life house. But more broadly, it behaves the way the simplest toys do, by giving back only as much as the effort you put into creative play.
That's because the core pillar of Mario Kart Live is making your own tracks. The game comes with four numbered gates that help define your track. These are made out of unfolding cardboard, like the natural evolution of Nintendo Labo. Once you've laid down your track and any real-life objects as hazards, you need to run through it once, pace-car style, before starting the race. Choosing the main Grand Prix mode populates your Augmented Reality (AR) track with four Koopaling opponents, and then you're off to the races.
Once you're actually in a race, it operates like any other Mario Kart game. You keep your eyes on the screen--watching your real-life kart is a surefire way to lose--and you see visual effects like Item Blocks and virtual hazards littering the track. And while the kart actually moves relatively slowly in its slowest setting, it actually looks reasonably fast on-screen with the camera set so low to the ground.
Continue Reading at GameSpotPS5’s Fan Is Why the Console Is So Big, Says Sony Engineer
A Sony engineer has revealed that the size of the PS5's cooling fan is responsible for the console's large stature.
The explanation comes via an article from Japan's Nikkei Xtech, which features an interview with PS5 Mechanical and Thermal Design Engineer, Yasuhiro Ootori. PlayStation fans will know Ootori from the recent PS5 disassembly video.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/07/ps5-teardown-official-hardware-deep-dive"]
The article notes that the size of this cooling fan determined the size - especially the thickness - of the PS5. The 45mm fan ensures air is sucked in from both sides of the console to cool both mainboard, known as the "A side" and "B side". According to Ootori, even though the "B side" does not have the main System on a Chip installed on it, it will still generate heat similar to that generated by the PS4's System on a Chip, and so needs airflow to stay cool.
The PS5 is equipped with a 120mm diameter, 45mm thick double-sided intake fan, which makes the console thicker than the both PS4 and PS4 Pro.
The article also notes that Ootori considered using two separate, smaller cooling fans to make the PS5 smaller, with one fan for each side of the mainboard. Ultimately though, Sony found that it was more costly and that controlling two cooling fans is more difficult than focusing on one.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ps5-teardown&captions=true"]
When Sony first published its PS5 teardown video, it was clear that Sony is focusing on keeping the PS5 cool and quiet. However, this information for Ootori clarifies that the airflow needed for both sides of the mainboard is the key factor in that thick fan and thicker console design.
In other PS5 news, Burger King has teamed up with PlayStation to give fans a chance of winning the next-gen console via a Scratch to Win promotion.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
PS5’s Fan Is Why the Console Is So Big, Says Sony Engineer
A Sony engineer has revealed that the size of the PS5's cooling fan is responsible for the console's large stature.
The explanation comes via an article from Japan's Nikkei Xtech, which features an interview with PS5 Mechanical and Thermal Design Engineer, Yasuhiro Ootori. PlayStation fans will know Ootori from the recent PS5 disassembly video.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/10/07/ps5-teardown-official-hardware-deep-dive"]
The article notes that the size of this cooling fan determined the size - especially the thickness - of the PS5. The 45mm fan ensures air is sucked in from both sides of the console to cool both mainboard, known as the "A side" and "B side". According to Ootori, even though the "B side" does not have the main System on a Chip installed on it, it will still generate heat similar to that generated by the PS4's System on a Chip, and so needs airflow to stay cool.
The PS5 is equipped with a 120mm diameter, 45mm thick double-sided intake fan, which makes the console thicker than the both PS4 and PS4 Pro.
The article also notes that Ootori considered using two separate, smaller cooling fans to make the PS5 smaller, with one fan for each side of the mainboard. Ultimately though, Sony found that it was more costly and that controlling two cooling fans is more difficult than focusing on one.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=ps5-teardown&captions=true"]
When Sony first published its PS5 teardown video, it was clear that Sony is focusing on keeping the PS5 cool and quiet. However, this information for Ootori clarifies that the airflow needed for both sides of the mainboard is the key factor in that thick fan and thicker console design.
In other PS5 news, Burger King has teamed up with PlayStation to give fans a chance of winning the next-gen console via a Scratch to Win promotion.
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Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.
Microsoft’s The Initiative Hires Two Former Naughty Dog Staff
Microsoft’s secretive AAA studio, The Initiative, has added more former Sony first-party studio employees to its ranks. This time the new employees are an ex-Naughty Dog animator who worked on the Uncharted series and both The Last of Us games, plus one of Naughty Dog’s former technical directors.
Lee Davis, formerly Naughty Dog’s Head of Melee Animation, has been appointed as The Initiative’s Lead Gameplay Animator. Lauren Garcia, who was previously Naughty Dog’s Character Shading Technical Director, is now Senior Shading Technologies at Microsoft’s self-described “AAAA” developer.
Garcia announced his new position on Twitter, while Davis’ appointment was spotted on LinkedIn by Twitter user Klobrille.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/25/xbox-series-x-official-optimized-for-xbox-series-x-trailer"]
Both Davis and Garcia worked on The Last of Us: Part 2, which was critically acclaimed for both its animation and the visual fidelity of its characters. Davis also worked on Uncharted 2, Uncharted 4, and the original The Last of Us.
Davis and Garcia are the latest additions to The Initiative, and not the first from a major Sony studio; back in 2018 the developer hired former God of War producer Brian Westergaard. Alongside these ex-Sony developers are staff who previously worked at Crystal Dynamics and Bungie. These latest hires point to The Initiative potentially looking to replicate the high standards of animation found in Naughty Dog’s games.
What The Initiative is working on is currently unknown, but earlier this year there were rumours that the studio is developing a reboot of Perfect Dark.
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Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.