Star Trek franchise boss Alex Kurtzman has revealed that two more live-action shows are set to beam on to the small screen as part of his five-year plan for the ever-expanding Trek universe. According to TrekCore, Kurtzman shared his outlook from the captain's chair, as he discussed the roster of Star Trek projects currently in development, including two new series outside of Discovery, Picard, and Section 31. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/20/a-look-at-the-world-of-star-trek-picard"] "There are two more live-action shows that haven't been announced yet," he reportedly said at the CBS All Access Star Trek: Picard press tour. Kurtzman remained as tight-lipped as an Aldebaran shellmouth over the focus of these two new projects; though a Starfleet Academy series and a limited series based around the classic Wrath of Kahn story were previously rumoured to be part of the expansion plan. Elsewhere, Trekkies have been petitioning for an Anson Mount-led Captain Pike series ever since his temporary role as the USS Discovery captain at the beginning of Star Trek: Discovery's second season. Consequently, a solo spin-off series may also be a contender. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/06/captain-pike-returns-in-this-star-trek-short-treks-first-look"] Stepping away from speculation, Star Trek producer Heather Kadin also shared an update on the Georgiou-centric Discovery spin-off series, Section 31, which is in active development, saying it's "a huge priority; Michelle [Yeoh’s] character [Georgiou] is so unique, and you've never seen that before." This follows the recent transmission that Star Trek: Picard has officially been renewed for a second season ahead of its debut later this month. "We're thrilled to announce plans for a second season before the series' debut, and we are confident that Star Trek fans and new viewers alike will be captured by the stellar cast and creative team's meticulously crafted story when it premieres on Jan. 23," Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content for CBS All Access, said in a recent statement. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-picard-photos&captions=true"] For more on Picard before the season one premiere, check out our viewing guide of the essential Treks to take before the show, discover the name of Picard's canine companion in the upcoming series, and read more about how Picard fits into the Trek timeline. Alternatively, read all about the Star Trek TV spin-offs we would love to see in the expanding universe. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Dungeons and Dragons developer Wizards of the Coast has announced Explorer’s Guide to WIldemount, a new roleplaying book in collaboration with Critical Role’s chief creative officer and dungeon master Matt Mercer.

The 304-page sourcebook will be released on March 17 -- available for preorder -- and details the continent of Wildemount, the setting of Critical Role’s second campaign, alongside introductory adventures and plot seeds to begin your own adventures in the Critical Role world.

In addition to the setting, the Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount book introduces new player options, including subclasses like the Echo Knight fighter subclass, the Dunamancy school of magic, and new magic items and monsters to throw at your adventurers.

“Dungeons & Dragons has had such a massive, positive impact on nearly my entire life, and I am ever inspired by the endless creativity I see it spark in so many others across the world,” said Matt Mercer, Dungeon Master of Critical Role and lead writer on the guide. “To have been able to work with Wizards of the Coast to bring my world to life as an official campaign book is nothing short of surreal. I can't wait to see what other DMs and players create within my world to make it their own!”

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“Critical Role is a great example of why Dungeons & Dragons has been popular for over 45 years: a group of friends getting together, telling stories, and making each other laugh,” said Nathan Stewart, VP of Franchise for Dungeons & Dragons. “We’re thrilled D&D fans and Critters alike can now enjoy playing in Matt’s world, as brought to fifth edition in this lovingly-crafted book.”

The Critical Role team also successfully kickstarted Critical Role: The Legend of Vox Machina animated series that absolutely obliterated its $750,000 funding goal in less than an hour, before climbing to over 11 million dollars by the campaign’s end, and an eventual two-season series order from Amazon Prime Video.

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If you can’t wait for the Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount to jump into Critical Role’s world of Exandria, you can get your feet wet with the Critical Role: Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting book written by Matt Mercer and James Haeck based on the setting of Critical Role’s first campaign.

[poilib element="commerceCta" json="%7B%22image%22%3A%7B%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F01%2F13%2FWildemount1578934544100.jpg%22%2C%22styleUrl%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fassets1.ignimgs.com%2F2020%2F01%2F13%2FWildemount1578934544100_%7Bsize%7D.jpg%22%2C%22id%22%3A%225e1ca114e4b09195bc997374%22%7D%2C%22url%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fr.zdbb.net%2Fu%2Fbl7y%22%2C%22title%22%3A%22Dungeons%20%26%20Dragons%3A%20Explorer's%20Guide%20to%20Wildemount%22%2C%22store%22%3A%22Amazon%22%2C%22additionalInfo%22%3A%22%22%2C%22ourPick%22%3Afalse%7D"]

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Brandin Tyrrel is a Senior Editor at IGN. You can find him on Unlocked, or chat over on Twitter at @BrandinTyrrel.

The Academy has announced the nominations for the 92nd Oscars, and Joker leads the pack with 11 nominations. Joker is up for almost a dozen awards, including the prestigious categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Cinematography. It is closely followed by Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood, The Irishman, and 1917 – all of which have been awarded 10 nominations each. Avengers Endgame has been nominated for just a single award - Visual Effects - while Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is up for 3 in technical and score categories. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/31/joker-review"] The nominations in full are as follows:

Best Picture

• Ford V Ferrari
• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Joker
• Little Women
• Marriage Story
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood
• Parasite

Directing

• The Irishman
• Joker
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood
• Parasite

Actor in a Leading Role

• Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
• Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood
• Adam Driver, Marriage Story
• Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
• Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Actress in a Leading Role

• Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
• Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
• Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
• Charlize Theron, Bombshell
• Renée Zellweger, Judy

Actor in a Supporting Role

• Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
• Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
• Al Pacino, The Irishman
• Joe Pesci, The Irishman
• Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood

Actress in a Supporting Role

• Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
• Laura Dern, Marriage Story
• Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
• Florence Pugh, Little Women
• Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Adapted Screenplay

• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Joker
• Little Women
• The Two Popes

Original Screenplay

• Knives Out
• Marriage Story
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood
• Parasite

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Cinematography

• The Irishman
• Joker
• The Lighthouse
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood

Animated Feature Film

• How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
• I Lost My Body
• Klaus
• Missing Link
• Toy Story 4

Original Score

• Joker
• Little Women
• Marriage Story
• 1917
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Original Song

• I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away, Toy Story 4
• (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again, Rocketman
• I’m Standing With You, Breakthrough
• Into The Unknown, Frozen II
• Stand Up, Harriet

Production Design

• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In… Hollywood
• Parasite

Film Editing

• Ford v Ferrari
• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Joker
• Parasite

Documentary Feature

• American Factory
• The Cave
• The Edge of Democracy
• For Sama
• Honeyland

Documentary Short Subject

• In The Absence
• Learning To Skateboard In a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
• Life Overtakes Me
• St. Louis Superman
• Walk Run Cha-Cha

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International Feature Film

• Corpus Christi (Poland)
• Holy Land (North Macedonia)
• Les Misérables (France)
• Pain and Glory (Spain)
• Parasite (South Korea)

Makeup and Hairstyling

• Bombshell
• Joker
• Judy
• Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
• 1917

Visual Effects

• Avengers: Endgame
• The Irishman
• The Lion King
• 1917
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Costume Design

• The Irishman
• Jojo Rabbit
• Joker
• Little Women
• Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood

Animated Short Film

• Dcera (Daughter)
• Hair Love
• Kitbull
• Memorable
• Sister

Live Action Short Film

• Brotherhood
• Nefta Football Club
• The Neighbors’ Window
• Saria
• A Sister

Sound Editing

• Ford V Ferrari
• Joker
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Sound Mixing

• Ad Astra
• Ford v Ferrari
• Joker
• 1917
• Once Upon a Time In... Hollywood

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Syfy is developing a new limited series, titled The League of Pan, following the adventures of Peter Pan, Wendy Darling and The Lost Boys in their later years. Per Gamespot, Syfy is putting their faith, trust, and a whole lotta' pixie dust into the new series, which will serve as a "thrilling and mysterious" sequel to the original Peter Pan story, picking up with the fabled characters after ten years on the mainland. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/05/29/peter-pan-exclusive-clip-from-65th-anniversary-edition"] "Now grown up and estranged, Wendy Darling and The Lost Boys must return to Neverland to face a new evil that threatens the very existence of the magical place they once called home, reigniting bitter rivalries and unearthing twisted secrets from their past. The fantastical series explores the painful truths of growing up and the realization that 'going home' is never quite as simple as you think," the series description reads. Brian McCauley Johnson will write and produce the fantasy-drama series, described by Bill McGoldrick, President of Original Content for NBCUniversal, as "an original take on the classic," setting the limited series in "uncharted lands, making for new adventures and showcasing these characters like you've never seen them before." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-disney-animated-movies&captions=true"] This isn't Syfy's first flight to the mystical island. In 2011, the channel aired Neverland, a miniseries that presented itself as a prequel to the classic fairytale. Other notable live-action adaptations of J.M. Barrie's beloved story include Steven Spielberg's Hook and Joe Wright's recent prequel, Pan, which provided an alternative origin story for the characters. The League of Pan is just one of several new series currently in the works at Syfy, as it was recently announced that they had placed a straight-to-series order for a live-action Chucky spinoff series from Don Mancini, the writer and director of the original Child's Play horror franchise. The release dates for The League of Pan and Chucky have yet to be announced. Stay tuned to IGN for all of the latest details. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The Bloodborne modding community has discovered a boss fight that was removed from the final game and shown it off in a gameplay video.

As DualShockers reports, the Bloodborne mod community has been delving into the game’s files for the past several months to get a greater understanding of the Loran Cleric.

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This enemy only appears in the Loran chalice dungeons in the final game. However, there are hints in the game’s files that developer FromSoftware planned at one point for the Loran Cleric to also show up in the Forbidden Woods, Old Yharnam, and Upper Cathedral Ward.

Back in March 2019, the modding community showcased that the Loran Cleric has a super rare and powerful area-of-effect attack. The Cleric raises its staff and slams it into the ground, sending out a circular wave of fire that damages everything in its path and that causes the PS4 to drop frames.

This was the first sign that there was more to the Loran Cleric than meets the eye. Sure enough, with a bit more digging, the modders discovered a variant called Fort that was originally planned as a boss before being cut.

Using a jailbroken PS4 and DSTools (a level editor mod for FromSoftware’s games), that boss fight has now been restored, although a lot of the AI is missing, so it only spins on the spot and sends out fireballs as well as that devastating ring of fire attack.

The Bloodborne community is still very active despite the game approaching five years since it was released - some members even held a month-long Halloween event in 2019.

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FromSoftware released Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice last year and is now working on Elden Ring, which was written with the help of George R. R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame.

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Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Nintendo has filed for a new trademark for the Mario & Luigi brand, despite the studio that develops the series - AlphaDream - having closed last year. Reported by LetsGoDigital (via Eurogamer), Nintendo of America has filed for the new trademark in South America through the Argentina trade mark office. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2016/01/20/mario-luigi-paper-jam-video-review"] The description attached to the filing includes notes of “computer game cartridges; game memory cards; computer game software; video game memory cards; interactive entertainment software to play video games; covers for mobile phones”, indicating that it covers pretty much everything that could come out of the Mario & Luigi brand. The Mario & Luigi games are RPGs developed by AlphaDream. The series’ future was put into uncertainty last year when AlphaDream filed for bankruptcy and was forced to close. Since then, Nintendo has made no official comment on its intentions for the RPG series, so fans have been uncertain as to if there would be more games. This trade mark filing could indicate plans for further releases, or could simply be an act to re-secure the trademark if it were about to lapse in South America. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-nintendo-switch-games&captions=true"] While it’s unclear as to what will happen in the future for the Mario & Luigi series, Mario and Luigi themselves will naturally remain a key part of Nintendo’s games. Last year saw the releases of Super Mario Maker 2, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, among others. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. You can follow him on Twitter. 

Cyberpunk 2077 has been 'demade' inside PS4's exclusive creative toolbox Dreams, in the style of a PlayStation 1 game.

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YouTuber Bearly Regal has released a new video that showcases his demake of Cyberpunk 2077 in Dreams, called Cyberpunk 1997. Textures are made with pixel art for that authentic old game feel, while characters and objects are sprites that rotate to always face you.

At first, the game is played in first-person as you wake up in your futuristic apartment. The apartment is fully customisable and acts as the game’s hub, where you can customise your character, accept missions, and analyse and boost your stats.

There’s also a personal armoury where you can grab your equipment before heading out to do missions. The only gun on show so far is the 9mm Vindicator - a standard issue for police officers, which is your character’s occupation in the world of Night City.

Bearly Regal then shows the market area outside of the apartment where you can buy and sell goods from vendors. The number of citizens wandering around the market changes depending on the time of day. You can talk to some of them to be sent on quests while others have unique items.

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The final part of Cyberpunk 1997 that’s shown off is the rest of the city, which you drive around in a police car from a top-down view, resembling the early Grand Theft Auto games.

Bearly Regal explains that Night City is under martial law due to a spike in gang activity. You can choose to intervene with any character breaking curfew or the law. The world and story is said to adapt to your playstyle, whether you stick to your permitted duties or take the law into your own hands.

Bearly Regal made his own tech inside Dreams in order to piece together Cyberpunk 1997, and you can see him explain how it all works in a development video.

He has also previously made a Metal Gear Solid HD remake in Dreams, as well as a Death Stranding demake.

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Dreams is due to come out on February 14, 2020 for PS4. Developer Media Molecule has said before that it wants games made inside Dreams to be published beyond the PS4. So you never know, maybe this Cyberpunk 2077 homage could come to other platforms one day.

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Chris Priestman is a freelancer who writes news for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

HBO has announced that Westworld will be returning for its eight-episode third season on Sunday, March 15, 2020 at 9pm ET/PT. Alongside the date reveal, HBO released a new teaser that shows certain Divergence points in our history, beginning with the Hong Kong Protests and the "Impeachment of the 45th President of the United States." However, it also goes into the future and ends with an Unknown Divergence on February 27, 2058.

03.15.20 #Westworld pic.twitter.com/AVLWy5z1DW

— Westworld (@WestworldHBO) January 13, 2020

Season 3 will see Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores, Jeffery Wright's Bernard, and Tessa Thompson's Hale in the real world following the events of the season 2 finale which aired in June of 2018. Joining the above three and such others as Emmy-winner Thandie Newton, Ed Harris, and Luke Hemsworth will be Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul who appears to be a construction worker by day and criminal by night. Other new cast members 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. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/21/how-leaving-westworld-changes-westworld-in-season-3-comic-con-2019"] Westworld's third season got a nearly three-minute trailer during San Diego Comic Con and we've broken down every part of it as well as what role we think Aaron Paul's character will play. Back in 2018, Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy discussed how this newest season will be a "radical shift" from what came before. 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. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=westworld-season-3-teaser-trailer-gallery&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

A group of Minecraft modders known as the Floo Network has recreated basically the entirety of the Harry Potter universe, and the results are quite magical. Filled with plenty of places to explore and puzzles and quests to fulfill, players can visit some of the most recognizable Harry Potter locations like Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and much more. For what is essentially a Minecraft mod, the whole project looks surprisingly fleshed out. Aside from merely exploring, players will be able to fight enemies, trade in Diagon Alley, scavenge for loot and supplies, and even explore parts of London. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=igns-top-25-modern-pc-games&captions=true"] Players will even be able to visit the Quidditch Field and play a game or two with friends. Further, a lot of the locations in the Minecraft Harry Potter mod are interactive, like the Grand Staircase, where all the stairs are continuously moving. Additionally, there are a couple of puzzle rooms where players will have to use their wands to shoot at a target or cast a spell to move objects around in order to solve the mystery. Around four years ago, the group released a similar mod that was far less interactive and expansive, and a few years ago decided to relaunch the project with new ambitions. "This current project has been in the works for around two years, and has become gradually more ambitious along the way," one project lead, who goes by the username Wednesday Frog, told IGN. " If you count the old map as part of the project it's been closer to seven years." Wednesday Frog told us that their inspirations were drawn from their love for Harry Potter and Minecraft, and they've even visited some of the filming locations to make their digital world as accurate as possible. "Hogwarts itself was very complicated, said Wednesday Frog. He continued, "Since the castle layout changes a lot throughout the film series, it isn't very consistent." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/02/13/minecraft-pocket-edition-review"] However, despite some complicated builds, the team says that their love for Harry Potter, Minecraft, and their fans have encouraged them to keep going. "The inspiration to continue was the support and kind words from all the Harry Potter fans who enjoyed what we'd made a long time ago, and the knowledge that we could expand and improve the whole thing a lot with the experience we had gained over the course of the first version of the map." At launch, players will also be able to visit places like Privet Drive, The Great Hall, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, the Green House, the Chamber of Secrets, Hagrid's Hut, and much more. Floo Network has not announced an official release date for the Harry Potter mod, but told us that they are aiming to release it to the public by the end of January. In the meantime, players can play as Baby Yoda in Minecraft thanks to the work of a dedicated fan. Further, there have been rumors that the Vatican may be getting its own Minecraft servers, in order to launch a friendlier place to play. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

CBS All Access’ Star Trek: Picard has been renewed for a second season, before the first season even premieres on January 23.

Julie McNamara, executive vice president of original content for CBS All Access, made the announcement on Sunday as part of a Television Critics Association presentation.

“We’re thrilled to announce plans for a second season before the series’ debut, and we are confident that ‘Star Trek’ fans and new viewers alike will be captured by the stellar cast and creative team’s meticulously crafted story when it premieres on Jan. 23,” McNamara said in a statement.

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Reports of a season 2 being in development were all but confirmed back in December, thanks to Deadline. Those early reports indicated that season 2 would be 10 episodes long, but CBS has yet to confirm that much.

Terry Matalas, writer on 12 Monkeys, Nikita, and two episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise, is set to join as executive producer on the series.

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Star Trek: Picard will follow the continuing adventures of the former captain of the USS Enterprise, Jean-Luc Picard, as played by the iconic Sir Patrick Stewart, 20 years after the events of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He’ll be joined by a cast of new (and plenty of returning) faces, including Jonathan Frakes’ Riker, Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine, Brent Spiner’s Data, Marina Sirtis’ Deanna Troi, and others.

IGN spoke with Sir Patrick Stewart about Star Trek: Picard at Comic Con, where he revealed the name of his canine companion.

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If you want to know more about Star Trek: Picard before the show premieres later this month, check out our rundown of the Star Trek: Picard timeline and how it lines up with every other series and movie. Seven of Nine actor Jeri Ryan also shared how her character has resonated with people with autism.

You can check out our Star Trek: Picard hub page for even more previews and news, or check out our review of CBS All Access to see if it’s worth subscribing.

[poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/red shirt for IGN.