Yearly Archives: 2020

Watch the Intense Opening Credits for Al Pacino’s Hunters

If you're looking for another blood-soaked action series with comic book sensibilities while you're waiting for Season 2 of The Boys, Amazon is likely hoping that its new Al Pacino-fronted thriller, Hunters, makes it onto your watchlist. Centered around a group of Nazi hunters in 1970s New York, led by Pacino's Meyer Offerman (who recruits Logan Lerman's naive young comic book aficionado, Jonah Heidelbaum, to the cause), Hunters was created by David Weil, who was inspired by his grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, to tell a fantastical but all-too relevant tale about a young Jewish kid who is able to reclaim power from his oppressors. "She would tell me stories about her time during the war. And as a young kid, five, six years old, hearing those stories, they felt like the stuff of comic books and superheroes. And as I got older I struggled with that feeling of birthright: What was my responsibility now to continue her story? So many Holocaust survivors are no longer with us and that community is growing smaller and smaller by the year," Weil pointed out during Amazon's presentation at the Television Critics Association winter press tour. "And so for me this was a love letter to my grandmother. It was a quest to don that vigilante cape in the face of rising antisemitism in the world, racism, xenophobia. It was a desire to shed light on hidden crimes and hidden truths. And it was also kind of a desire to create a sense of catharsis and wish fulfillment for a young Jewish kid growing up on Long Island who wanted to see superheroes who looked like him on screen." IGN has an exclusive sneak peek at the show's stylized opening credits, showing Meyer's band of hunters set against the Nazi leaders who have infiltrated US society, including those played by Dylan Baker and Lena Olin. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/20/amazons-hunters-watch-the-intense-opening-credits"] The cast also includes Jerrika Hinton, Josh Radnor, Carol Kane, Tiffany Boone, Greg Austin, Louis Ozawa, Kate Mulvany, and Saul Rubinek, and was executive produced by Jordan Peele through his Monkeypaw Productions banner, alongside executive producer Nikki Toscano and Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, who directed the first episode. Pacino also shared what attracted him to the TV series when speaking to critics: "There’s an originality in this show and it’s somewhat eccentric. And all of a sudden you’ll see it from certain angles... There are a lot of elements in it that catch you off guard, and that’s part of the interest. It holds your interest because you never know when a joke is going to come," he said. "That was what really appealed to me when I read it, that there was this element [that] things are not what they seem." Watch the red-band trailer for Amazon's Hunters below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/13/amazon-prime-video-hunters-red-band-trailer"] Hunters will release all 10 episodes of Season 1 on Friday, February 21 on Amazon Prime Video.

Fans Made a ‘Hot Coffee’ Mod for Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 now lets PC players grab a cup of “Hot Coffee,” if you catch my drift. But if you weren’t around for the halcyon days of 2005 then strap yourself in, because this is kind of funny. The mod is a reference to the infamous “Hot Coffee mod” from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. It’s a mod that allowed players to take control of the protagonist CJ as they have sex with one of his girlfriends. The encounter was originally designed as a minigame but the developers eventually decided to keep the content hidden. It would not be unlockable at all through gameplay. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-rockstar-game-review-ever&captions=true"] Instead, it took until a year later in 2005 when San Andreas released on Windows that modders were able to unlock the previously blocked content. While the mod is decidedly un-sexy and awkward, it created a pretty big scandal, and San Andreas became rated AO for Adults Only. Unlike the San Andreas mod, the Hot Coffee mod for Red Dead Redemption 2 isn’t unlocked content the devs kept hidden, but a deliberate homage. The mod lets players take control of Arthur Morgan during his boozy trip to the saloon where he can woo one of the patrons and take them back to a hotel room. Like in San Andreas, the Red Dead Redemption 2 version of the mod is also not sexy, and all characters involved are clothed, and the voice lines are just generic ones from the game repurposed for the mod. Although the mod is clearly a joking reference to an older era of Rockstar Games, the developer and publisher Take-Two are reportedly unhappy with it. One of the modders confirmed to PCGamesN that they were contacted by Take-Two to take down the mod. This isn't surprising considering Take-Two had to settle with the FTC following the fallout of the hot coffee mod, and later versions of the game completely removed the content. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/10/17/red-dead-redemption-2-pc-trailer"] There was some question about whether or not Red Dead Redemption 2 would support mods on PC ahead of its release, but Rockstar declined to comment on the matter. But it appears now that the PC version can support mods, even if the developers don’t approve of them. While we won’t link to the mod, it’s not hard to find with a little help from the internet. Meanwhile, check out IGN’s Red Dead Redemption 2 review and Red Dead Redemption 2 wiki for more of our coverage. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Everything Coming to Disney+ in March 2020

Since we last dropped our new to Disney+ list, there have been some big reveals from the streamer. Disney CEO Robert Iger revealed the release windows for The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, The Mandalorian Season 2, and WandaVision, which are all dropping later this year. Disney also debuted a sizzle reel giving us a first look at the new Marvel shows, including Loki. In March, Disney+ is offering four new episodes of Star Wars: The Clones Wars, Black Panther, G-Force, and more! Check out the slideshow gallery below for a spotlight of some of the most notable March Disney+ offerings, followed by the full list: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=disney-spotlight-march-2020&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Sunday, March 1

  • Doctor Dolittle 2
  • Ice Age

Wednesday, March 4

  • Black Panther

Thursday, March 5

  • Bedtime Stories

Friday, March 6

  • The Finest Hours (Returning Title)
  • Three on the Run
  • Diary of a Future President: Episode 108 - “Matters of Diplomacy”
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode 703 - “On the Wings of Keeradaks”
  • Marvel’s Hero Project: Episode 118 - “Genius Gitanjali”
  • Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Episode 204 - “Pandoran Wedding”
  • Shop Class: Episode 102 - “Justin's Biggest Fan
  • Disney Family Sundays: Episode 118 - “Zootopia: Bracelets”
  • One Day At Disney: Episode 114 - “Kris Becker: Animal Keeper”

Friday, March 13

  • Wicked Tuna (S3-8)
  • Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks (S1-6)
  • Zorro - Second Series (S1)
  • Stargirl
  • Diary of a Future President: Episode 109 - “State of the Union”
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode 704 - “Unfinished Business”
  • Marvel’s Hero Project: Episode 119 - “Astonishing Austin”
  • Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Episode 205 - “Made for Loving You”
  • Shop Class: Episode 103 - “Ramps & Champs”
  • Disney Family Sundays: Episode 119 - “The Muppets: Pom Poms”
  • One Day At Disney: Episode 115 - “Leah Buono: Casting Director”

Sunday, March 15

  • G-Force
[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/03/marvel-studios-disney-plus-big-game-spot"]

Tuesday, March 17

  • Big Hero 6 The Series (S2)

Friday, March 20

  • I Didn’t Do It (S1-2)
  • Playtime with Puppy Dog Pals: Puppy Playcare (S2)
  • Vampirina Ghoul Girls Rock! (S2)
  • Diary of a Future President: Episode 110 - “Two Party System”
  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode 705 - “Gone With a Trace”
  • Marvel’s Hero Project: Episode 120 - “High-Flying Hailey”
  • Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Episode 206 - “Wedding GOALS!”
  • Shop Class: Episode 104 - “Bridge or Bust”
  • Disney Family Sundays: Episode 120 - “Winnie the Pooh: Flower Pots”
  • One Day At Disney: Episode 116 - “David Muir: World News Tonight Anchor”

Wednesday, March 25

  • A Wrinkle in Time

Friday, March 27

  • Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Episode 706 - “Deal No Deal”
  • Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings: Episode 207 - “Te Amo, Mi Amor, Again!”
  • Shop Class: Episode 105 - “Boulder Bash”
  • Be Our Chef: Episode 101 - “Bibbidi Bobbidi Bon Appetit”
  • Disney Family Sundays: Episode 121 - “Ratatouille: Chef Hat”
  • One Day At Disney: Episode 117 - “Morgan Pope: R&D Imagineer”
[poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

PlayStation to Skip Another Major Games Event Over Coronavirus Concerns

PlayStation, as well as Facebook Oculus, have both announced they will not attend this year’s Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, California over concerns for COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. PlayStation and Facebook will both be pulling out of GDC this year due to concerns over COVID-19. In a statement to IGN, Oculus says that the company will be “removing our booth footprint and are advising all employees to refrain from travel during the show.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=2020-platform-exclusives&captions=true"] In a statement to IGN, PlayStation offered a similar statement to the one it issued after announcing that Sony would be pulling out of PAX East. “We have made the difficult decision to cancel our participation in Game Developers Conference due to increasing concerns related to COVID-19… We felt this was the best option as the situation related to the virus and global travel restrictions are changing daily. We are disappointed to cancel our participation, but the health and safety of our global workforce is our highest concern. We look forward to participating in GDC in the future.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/07/next-gen-console-watch-how-powerful-ps5-xbox-series-x-may-be"] GDC will continue as planned without Sony and Oculus, and spokespeople for the event issued the following statement regarding COVID-19 to IGN:
The GDC team is following developments around the Novel Coronavirus closely as we take the health and safety of our game development community very seriously. Following the strict quarantine laws put in place by the US government and guidance from the Department of Public Health, WHO and CDC, which has seen us put in place enhanced on-site measures, we are confident that the Game Developers Conference will follow in the footsteps of other large and successful international events taking place at the Moscone Center. As always, we thank the GDC community for their support and look forward to welcoming back those who haven’t been able to join us this year.
GDC will enact “enhanced on-site measures” per U.S. quarantine around coronavirus to host GDC in San Francisco. “We are also continuing to follow the latest CDC and WHO guidance, following in the footsteps of other large international events that are taking place successfully at the Moscone Center.” This is the latest major game event to be impacted by COVID-19 following the Taipei Game Show and PAX East. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Crunchyroll’s Mascot Gets Limited Edition Clothing Line

Crunchyroll is probably best known as an anime streaming service, but it also sells physical goods related to anime and the anime lifestyle. The newest addition to the Crunchyroll Loves line of limited-edition clothing is the Crunchyroll x Kinfold capsule collection, featuring Crunchyroll mascot Hime and her cat Yuzu. Take a look at the gallery below to see designs and apparel coming to this new, limited line: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=crunchyroll-x-kinfold-streetwear-line&captions=true"] There's a hoodie, two long-sleeve and one short-sleeve t-shirt in the line, which will be available for purchase from Crunchyroll beginning February 27. At the end of last year, Crunchyroll released a Junji Ito line of streetwear featuring art and designs from the master of horror manga himself. Similarly to the other Crunchyroll Loves capsule collections, this one is "limited in quantity, and the items "will not be restocked once they’re sold out." If you're in the market for some more pop-culture clothing, the newly-launched IGN Store doesn't have any anime (yet?), but there are tons of officially licensed designs from NintendoMarvelDCHarry Potter and more for you to check out. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Seth Macy is IGN's tech and commerce editor and just wants to be your friend. Find him on Twitter @sethmacy.

HBO’s Westworld: Season 3 Trailer Teases Huge Direction Change

The long-awaited third season of HBO's science-fiction series Westworld is debuting on March 15, and HBO has released a new trailer that sheds much more light on the plot of Season 3. Check out the new trailer below or click here: The trailer reveals more about Aaron Paul's character Caleb, the most significant new addition to the cast. It appears Caleb will be drawn into Dolores' (Evan Rachel Wood) war for freedom as she and her fellow androids venture outside into the human world. Meanwhile, Thandie Newton's Maeve looks to be a major antagonist in Season 3. We also see other familiar faces like Jeffrey Wright's Bernard Lowe, Tessa Thompson's Charlotte Hale and Ed Harris' Man in Black. Interestingly, it appears at least part of Season 3 will still take place inside of Westworld. The Westworld sets actually burned down in late 2018 when the Paramount Ranch was decimated by the Woolsey Fire, but it appears that damage is being used to the show's advantage in Season 3. Other new cast members in Season 3 include A Black Lady Sketch Show's Lena Waithe, Black Swan's Vincent Cassel, We Are Who We Are's Scott Mescudi, Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Marshawn Lynch, The Newsroom's John Gallagher Jr., Stumptown's Michael Ealy, and Sons of Anarchy's Tommy Flanagan. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=westworld-season-3-teaser-trailer-gallery&captions=true"] Back in 2018, Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy discussed how this newest season will be a "radical shift" from what came before, which certainly seems borne out by this new trailer. For more on Westworld, be sure to check out Westworld Awakening - a VR game where you play as a self-aware host, a behind the scenes look at season 2, and why the Man in Black's story is Westworld's greatest tragedy. [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.

Fan Response to Biomutant Game Status Statement is Positive

Yesterday, Swedish developer Experiment 101 delivered an update to fans telling them that work on the upcoming action RPG Biomutant continues. And despite the recent silence, the devs are committed to delivering Biomutant despite not wanting to disclose a release date at this time. And the fans are pretty okay with that. In its first tweet since September 9, 2019, Experiment 101 informed fans that Biomutant has not been canceled. “We know many of you are wondering if the game is still in development. Let us assure you that we’ve never been working harder and more focused on it than now!” Experiment 101 wrote. Biomutant never had a firm release date, and at some point, the developers pushed the game back from its 2019 release year to 2020. And without an update from the devs since September of last year fans were wondering if the game was still in development. But the news that the game is still alive arrived as welcome relief to fans. “Thank you for the update, anything is better than nothing. One of my most anticipated games of 2020,” wrote one fan on Twitter. “Happy to hear from you! I for one will be happy to try out the game whenever it will be released,” said another. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/13/biomutant-collectors-edition-trailer"] The reason why the developer’s update means so much to the community is because of the prolonged silence. On the r/Biomutant subreddit, one of the top posts is from four months ago asking specifically, “When is the game coming out? Why is the developer so quiet?” So the update is the long-awaited answer to those questions, though there’s still no release date. But even the update was met with appreciation. “I personally prefer this over the No Man’s Sky approach,” is the headline of one of the top subreddit topics since Experiment 101’s update and references Hello Games’ rocky launch and numerous post-launch fixes. “The Biomutant team should take the time they need so they don’t have to do anything like that.” [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/02/20/biomutant-official-gameplay-teaser-trailer"] Biomutant is an upcoming action RPG by a team of former Avalanche developers and published by THQ Nordic. Players can customize an animal protagonist and explore an open world using kung fu and various weapons. Biomutant features branching storylines and the build of your character will impact their playstyle. So for example, a heavier character will move more slowly but hit more powerfully. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=all-the-big-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] Without a firm release date, Biomutant is still tentatively scheduled to be released sometime in 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Borderlands Movie To Be Directed By Eli Roth

Eli Roth is set to helm the forthcoming Borderlands movie, based on Gearbox's hugely popular shooter video game series. In a press release on Thursday, Lionsgate announced that Roth will be joining producers Avi Arad and Ari Arad, together with executive producers Randy Pitchford and Strauss Zelnick, on the highly anticipated project. Elsewhere, Erik Feig is said to be overseeing development while Craig Mazin is the person responsible for the latest draft of the screenplay. [ignvideo url="http://www.ign.com/videos/2015/08/28/a-borderlands-movie-is-coming-from-lionsgate-ign-news"] "I'm so excited to dive into the world of Borderlands and I could not be doing it with a better script, producing team, and studio. I have a long, successful history with Lionsgate – I feel like we have grown up together and that everything in my directing career has led to a project of this scale and ambition," Roth said in a statement. "I look forward to bringing my own energy, ideas, and vision to the wild, fun, and endlessly creative world of the game. Randy Pitchford and everyone at Gearbox have been incredibly supportive of my ideas – it really feels like a perfect storm of creators coming together.  We are out to make a new classic, one which the fans of the game will love, but also one which will find new audiences globally." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"] As a director, Roth is best known for his gruesome horror work on the likes of Cabin Fever and Hostel. In recent years, he helmed the Keanu Reeves-led home invasion thriller Knock Knock, the reimagining of the 1974 revenge thriller Death Wish, and the fantasy-adventure film The House with a Clock in its Walls. Borderlands is rumoured to be going after an R-rating, as the studio aims to "make the movie with the same in-your-face attitude that has made the series a blockbuster mega-franchise." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.