Yearly Archives: 2020
Vince McMahon Considered Holding WrestleMania 36 in an Empty Stadium
Before the decision was made to not only made to keep WrestleMania around this year, amidst the COVID-19 landscape, but also change venues to the emptied-out WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Chairman Vince McMahon reportedly was still thinking about using the original location, Tampa's massive Raymond James Stadium.
According to Sports Illustrated, "staying at Raymond James was at one point a consideration," though naturally the show would have been held with 70 to 80 thousand empty seats.
For "for reasons outside of [Vince's] control," the course was altered and everything, including WWE's regular weekly TV tapings, were shifted to the Performance Center.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/02/the-10-best-wrestling-games-of-all-time"]
WrestleMania 36 will be the strangest WWE PPV in history, as not only has the roster lineup changed due to the pandemic, but the show itself has now been pre-taped and spread out over two nights.
With 16 matches split up into two parts -- April 4 and April 5 -- the main marquee matches are reportedly being divvied up as follows:
Part 1, April 4
- Braun Strowman) vs. Bill Goldberg
- Shayna Baszler vs. Becky Lynch
- John Cena vs. "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt - Firefly Funhouse Match
- Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins
- Drew McIntyre vs. Brock Lesnar
- Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley
- Edge vs. Randy Orton - Last Man Standing Match
- The Undertaker vs. AJ Styles - Boneyard Match
Persona 5 Royal Review – Ideal And The Real
In the three years since Persona 5's original release, I've thought about it almost every day. Its lavish style gracefully captures its spirit of rebellion and breathes life into its dynamic combat system. The evocative, banging soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the emotion of each moment. The downtime spent in Tokyo with your friends brings you closer to each of them, invigorating your fight for what's right. All those qualities feed into a bold story that unapologetically puts its foot down against the injustices that reflect our own society.
The extended version, Persona 5 Royal, brings the heat all over again. But beyond a plethora of superb gameplay refinements and features that improve an already-rich RPG comes a momentous new story arc seeded within the original narrative and paid off in full by the end. It delivers something genuinely surprising, leading to awe-inspiring moments and emotional conclusions that recontextualize what I thought the game was. Through its lengthy 120-hour runtime, Persona 5 Royal proves itself as the definitive version of a modern classic.
The minute you start P5R, you're given the fantastic in media res introduction that brilliantly showcases the ride you're in for--and provides a glimpse at the Royal-exclusive character Kasumi. After this teaser, you're brought to the chronological start of the story that then walks you through the events that lit the fire inside our protagonist (aka Joker) and kicked off his journey as a virtuous trickster. The opening hours may take some time to pick the pace back up, but by easing you into the game's systems, you're set up for the rest of its flow.
Continue Reading at GameSpotPersona 5 Royal Review – Ideal And The Real
In the three years since Persona 5's original release, I've thought about it almost every day. Its lavish style gracefully captures its spirit of rebellion and breathes life into its dynamic combat system. The evocative, banging soundtrack perfectly encapsulates the emotion of each moment. The downtime spent in Tokyo with your friends brings you closer to each of them, invigorating your fight for what's right. All those qualities feed into a bold story that unapologetically puts its foot down against the injustices that reflect our own society.
The extended version, Persona 5 Royal, brings the heat all over again. But beyond a plethora of superb gameplay refinements and features that improve an already-rich RPG comes a momentous new story arc seeded within the original narrative and paid off in full by the end. It delivers something genuinely surprising, leading to awe-inspiring moments and emotional conclusions that recontextualize what I thought the game was. Through its lengthy 120-hour runtime, Persona 5 Royal proves itself as the definitive version of a modern classic.
The minute you start P5R, you're given the fantastic in media res introduction that brilliantly showcases the ride you're in for--and provides a glimpse at the Royal-exclusive character Kasumi. After this teaser, you're brought to the chronological start of the story that then walks you through the events that lit the fire inside our protagonist (aka Joker) and kicked off his journey as a virtuous trickster. The opening hours may take some time to pick the pace back up, but by easing you into the game's systems, you're set up for the rest of its flow.
Continue Reading at GameSpotStar Wars: Mark Hamill Shares Heartfelt Letter to Fans
With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker capping off a saga more than 40 years in the making, Mark Hamill has penned a heartfelt letter to fans thanking them for their devotion to the Skywalker Saga.
Hamill tweeted out a photo of his letter, which is being included as part of The Complete Skywalker Saga Blu-ray set. You can read the full letter below:
Hamill's letter is all the more touching given that it pays tribute to the late, great Carrie Fisher and refers to the franchise as "George's faraway galaxy." He also reflects on how drastically Lucas' early plans for the original film changed, referencing the mouthful of an original title "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: Star Wars."
The letter is just one of many perks included in The Complete Skywalker Saga. The 4K Ultra HD version (which is exclusive to Best Buy) features a whopping 27 discs, covering all nine of the numbered Star Wars movies along with many hours of bonus features. Those discs are contained within a special art book featuring concept art spanning all three trilogies.
Even months after its release, we're continuing to learn more behind-the-scenes details about The Rise of Skywalker. The newly released The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sheds light on axed storylines and a tank-like version of BB-8, while Anthony Daniels told IGN C-3PO nearly had a bigger role in Episode IX.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-exclusive-preview-of-the-art-of-the-rise-of-skywalker&captions=true"]
For even more on the final Skywalker Saga movie, find out why we think the documentary, The Skywalker Legacy, helps redeem Episode IX.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Hamill's letter is all the more touching given that it pays tribute to the late, great Carrie Fisher and refers to the franchise as "George's faraway galaxy." He also reflects on how drastically Lucas' early plans for the original film changed, referencing the mouthful of an original title "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: Star Wars."
The letter is just one of many perks included in The Complete Skywalker Saga. The 4K Ultra HD version (which is exclusive to Best Buy) features a whopping 27 discs, covering all nine of the numbered Star Wars movies along with many hours of bonus features. Those discs are contained within a special art book featuring concept art spanning all three trilogies.
Even months after its release, we're continuing to learn more behind-the-scenes details about The Rise of Skywalker. The newly released The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sheds light on axed storylines and a tank-like version of BB-8, while Anthony Daniels told IGN C-3PO nearly had a bigger role in Episode IX.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-exclusive-preview-of-the-art-of-the-rise-of-skywalker&captions=true"]
For even more on the final Skywalker Saga movie, find out why we think the documentary, The Skywalker Legacy, helps redeem Episode IX.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.Star Wars: Mark Hamill Shares Heartfelt Letter to Fans
With Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker capping off a saga more than 40 years in the making, Mark Hamill has penned a heartfelt letter to fans thanking them for their devotion to the Skywalker Saga.
Hamill tweeted out a photo of his letter, which is being included as part of The Complete Skywalker Saga Blu-ray set. You can read the full letter below:
Hamill's letter is all the more touching given that it pays tribute to the late, great Carrie Fisher and refers to the franchise as "George's faraway galaxy." He also reflects on how drastically Lucas' early plans for the original film changed, referencing the mouthful of an original title "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: Star Wars."
The letter is just one of many perks included in The Complete Skywalker Saga. The 4K Ultra HD version (which is exclusive to Best Buy) features a whopping 27 discs, covering all nine of the numbered Star Wars movies along with many hours of bonus features. Those discs are contained within a special art book featuring concept art spanning all three trilogies.
Even months after its release, we're continuing to learn more behind-the-scenes details about The Rise of Skywalker. The newly released The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sheds light on axed storylines and a tank-like version of BB-8, while Anthony Daniels told IGN C-3PO nearly had a bigger role in Episode IX.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-exclusive-preview-of-the-art-of-the-rise-of-skywalker&captions=true"]
For even more on the final Skywalker Saga movie, find out why we think the documentary, The Skywalker Legacy, helps redeem Episode IX.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Hamill's letter is all the more touching given that it pays tribute to the late, great Carrie Fisher and refers to the franchise as "George's faraway galaxy." He also reflects on how drastically Lucas' early plans for the original film changed, referencing the mouthful of an original title "The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, as taken from the Journal of the Whills, Saga I: Star Wars."
The letter is just one of many perks included in The Complete Skywalker Saga. The 4K Ultra HD version (which is exclusive to Best Buy) features a whopping 27 discs, covering all nine of the numbered Star Wars movies along with many hours of bonus features. Those discs are contained within a special art book featuring concept art spanning all three trilogies.
Even months after its release, we're continuing to learn more behind-the-scenes details about The Rise of Skywalker. The newly released The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker sheds light on axed storylines and a tank-like version of BB-8, while Anthony Daniels told IGN C-3PO nearly had a bigger role in Episode IX.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-wars-exclusive-preview-of-the-art-of-the-rise-of-skywalker&captions=true"]
For even more on the final Skywalker Saga movie, find out why we think the documentary, The Skywalker Legacy, helps redeem Episode IX.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.Ant-Man 3 Reportedly Hires Rick and Morty Writer
It seems as though Rick and Morty writer and co-producer Jeff Loveness might be behind the script of Ant-Man 3.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Loveness, who's best known for his work on shows like Ricky and Morty and Jimmy Kimmel Live, has already begun penning the latest script for the Ant-Man sequel.
While Loveness is best known for his comedy writing, he's not new to the Marvel Universe, having been behind comics featuring characters such as Spider-Man, Groot, and even Captain America.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/12/the-mcus-infinity-saga-ranked"]
News of Ant-Man 3 first came from actor Michael Douglas revealed he'd be reprising his role as Dr. Hank Pym when filming is set to commence in 2021.
Star Paul Rudd and director Peyton Reed are also both expected to return to work on the third installment, despite Rudd's initial concerns that there may not be an Ant-Man 3 without fan help.
News that work is progressing on Ant-Man 3 is welcome in light of Disney's latest round of release date changes. Black Widow is being pushed to November 2020, causing a chain reaction of delays across Marvel's Phase 4 lineup.
Check out the slideshow below for the latest MCU release schedule:
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Ant-Man 3 Reportedly Hires Rick and Morty Writer
It seems as though Rick and Morty writer and co-producer Jeff Loveness might be behind the script of Ant-Man 3.
According to The Hollywood Reporter Loveness, who's best known for his work on shows like Ricky and Morty and Jimmy Kimmel Live, has already begun penning the latest script for the Ant-Man sequel.
While Loveness is best known for his comedy writing, he's not new to the Marvel Universe, having been behind comics featuring characters such as Spider-Man, Groot, and even Captain America.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/12/the-mcus-infinity-saga-ranked"]
News of Ant-Man 3 first came from actor Michael Douglas revealed he'd be reprising his role as Dr. Hank Pym when filming is set to commence in 2021.
Star Paul Rudd and director Peyton Reed are also both expected to return to work on the third installment, despite Rudd's initial concerns that there may not be an Ant-Man 3 without fan help.
News that work is progressing on Ant-Man 3 is welcome in light of Disney's latest round of release date changes. Black Widow is being pushed to November 2020, causing a chain reaction of delays across Marvel's Phase 4 lineup.
Check out the slideshow below for the latest MCU release schedule:
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-cinematic-universe-every-upcoming-movie-and-tv-show&captions=true"]
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Hope Corrigan is an Australian freelance writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
IGN to Launch Summer of Gaming Event in June
IGN is proud to announce our new Summer of Gaming event, a global, digital event set to begin this June to bring you the latest news and impressions around upcoming games and the next generation of console hardware.
IGN will be collaborating with a number of partners for the Summer of Gaming, including 2K, Square Enix, SEGA, Bandai Namco, Amazon, Google Stadia, Twitter, Devolver Digital, THQ Nordic, and more. Expect more details in the coming weeks. The event will include live broadcasts and on-demand programming featuring IGN's editorial coverage of the work of game developers from around the world.
With E3 2020 cancelled, IGN has a suite of programming planned to kick off in early June. It includes publisher presentations with IGN pre- and post-discussions, remote developer interviews, hands-on demos and preview impressions, gameplay, and news segments recapping the biggest announcements.
Audiences at home around the world can participate as well, sending in reaction videos, voting on favorite announcements, and more.
IGN’s global coverage spans 112 countries and 25 languages and aims to ensure that fans can enjoy this incredible digital experience regardless of what device or platform they use. IGN’s live programming can be accessed on any one of IGN’s more than 20 platforms, including desktop, mobile, OTT, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mixer, Twitch, Snapchat Discover, TikTok, and more.
"With the next generation of console gaming kicking off later this year and gamers eager to learn more about what games they’ll be playing on their new hardware, our online event will be a key moment for publishers and developers to connect with the audience worldwide," Peer Schneider, Chief Content and Product Officer at IGN, said in a statement alongside the announcement.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x-full-spec-analysis-next-gen-console-watch"]
“More and more people are turning towards video games for entertainment and escapism. Last week we saw new records for traffic across all of our platforms — we’re excited to bring this Global, Digital Event to our audiences and partners- as this will be an event not to be missed,” Yael Prough, EVP and General Manager at IGN, said in a statement as well.
IGN will bring you more information on the event in the weeks to come, but stay tuned for all the latest on our Summer of Gaming.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
IGN to Launch Summer of Gaming Event in June
IGN is proud to announce our new Summer of Gaming event, a global, digital event set to begin this June to bring you the latest news and impressions around upcoming games and the next generation of console hardware.
IGN will be collaborating with a number of partners for the Summer of Gaming, including 2K, Square Enix, SEGA, Bandai Namco, Amazon, Google Stadia, Twitter, Devolver Digital, THQ Nordic, and more. Expect more details in the coming weeks. The event will include live broadcasts and on-demand programming featuring IGN's editorial coverage of the work of game developers from around the world.
With E3 2020 cancelled, IGN has a suite of programming planned to kick off in early June. It includes publisher presentations with IGN pre- and post-discussions, remote developer interviews, hands-on demos and preview impressions, gameplay, and news segments recapping the biggest announcements.
Audiences at home around the world can participate as well, sending in reaction videos, voting on favorite announcements, and more.
IGN’s global coverage spans 112 countries and 25 languages and aims to ensure that fans can enjoy this incredible digital experience regardless of what device or platform they use. IGN’s live programming can be accessed on any one of IGN’s more than 20 platforms, including desktop, mobile, OTT, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Mixer, Twitch, Snapchat Discover, TikTok, and more.
"With the next generation of console gaming kicking off later this year and gamers eager to learn more about what games they’ll be playing on their new hardware, our online event will be a key moment for publishers and developers to connect with the audience worldwide," Peer Schneider, Chief Content and Product Officer at IGN, said in a statement alongside the announcement.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/20/ps5-vs-xbox-series-x-full-spec-analysis-next-gen-console-watch"]
“More and more people are turning towards video games for entertainment and escapism. Last week we saw new records for traffic across all of our platforms — we’re excited to bring this Global, Digital Event to our audiences and partners- as this will be an event not to be missed,” Yael Prough, EVP and General Manager at IGN, said in a statement as well.
IGN will bring you more information on the event in the weeks to come, but stay tuned for all the latest on our Summer of Gaming.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.
Disney Plus Sets June Premiere Date for Artemis Fowl
Disney announced Thursday that Artemis Fowl, previously slated for theatrical release, will now premiere exclusively on their streaming service beginning on Friday, June 12.
Director Kenneth Branagh said in a statement:
“Artemis Fowl is a true original. In challenging times, a twelve year old criminal mastermind is one heck of a travelling companion. Smart, funny, and cool as mustard, he’ll take you to new worlds, meet unforgettable characters, and mix magic with mayhem. His own family is everything to him, and (although he’d never admit it), he’d be as proud as I am that families around the world will now be able to enjoy his first amazing screen adventures together, on Disney +.”
Our original report from April 3rd follows.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Disney is making major changes to its upcoming slate of theatrical releases. Perhaps the most surprising shift involves Artemis Fowl, which will now bypass movie theaters entirely and instead debut on the Disney+ streaming service.
This is the latest setback for director Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the YA fantasy novels. After spending years in development hell at Disney, Artemis Fowl was originally scheduled to release on August 9, 2019, before being pushed back to May 29, 2020. Disney will reveal the new streaming release date at a later time, suggesting that May 29 release is no longer in the cards.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"]
Artemis Fowl is the most significant example yet of a major 2020 movie shifting from a theatrical release to streaming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In March, Universal revealed Trolls World Tour, The Invisible Man, The Hunt and Emma were all headed to video on-demand. Meanwhile, other blockbusters like Onward, Birds of Prey, and Sonic the Hedgehog had their theatrical runs cut short and pivoted to VOD releases.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and when it'll be safe to reopen movie theaters in the US, it is doubtful Artemis Fowl will be the last example of a major 2020 blockbuster switching to streaming. Disney's New Mutants (which was supposed to be released on April 3) seems another likely candidate for VOD as Disney curiously did not provide a new release date for it in their announcement Friday.
For more on the pandemic's growing effects on the entertainment industry, check out our breakdown of every film and TV project delayed so far, and learn why AMC is facing major financial troubles as a result.
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/02/artemis-fowl-official-trailer"]
And to prep for Artemis Fowl's long-awaited release, here's how you can bundle Disney+ and Hulu.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.