A fourth Mafia game, titled Mafia: The Old Country, was officially unveiled at gamescom Opening Night Live today as the ceremony's big closing announcement. It's set to arrive in 2025 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam.

It'll take place in Sicily in the 1900s, although we didn't get a lot of information outside of that. More details will be revealed in December, likely at The Game Awards.

Are you ready to commit your life to this family?

Get ready to play Mafia: The Old Country | #gamescom2024 pic.twitter.com/79GcCB1a2c

— Xbox (@Xbox) August 20, 2024

"Uncover the origins of organized crime in Mafia: The Old Country, a gritty mob story set in the brutal underworld of 1900s Sicily," reads the trailer's YouTube description. "Fight to survive in this dangerous and unforgiving era, with action brought to life by the authentic realism and rich storytelling that the critically acclaimed Mafia series is known for."

It marked a massive and generally unexcepted reveal to close out gamescom Opening Night Live. A new Mafia game had been hinted at in the past, but this is the first official unveiling of The Old Country.

2K Games started the Mafia series all the way back in 2002, followed by Mafia II in 2010 and Mafia III in 2016, the most recent mainline Mafia game. Mafia III was also the first to be developed by 2K's Hangar 13, which also developed the remake of the first Mafia game, Mafia: Definitive Edition, in 2020.

Hangar 13 General Manager Roman Hladík and Head of Production and Media Director Tomáš Hřebíček previously confirmed that the studio was working on an "all-new Mafia project" in 2022, with Hladik saying at the time, "While it's a few years away and we can't share anything more right now, we're really excited to keep working on this beloved franchise and to entertain our players with new stories."

We're still awaiting more information, of course, but the reveal of its setting will no doubt get fan theories spinning. In the meantime, check out our roundup of everything announced at gamescom Opening Night Live.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Shattered Space, the highly anticipated upcoming DLC for Bethesda's Starfield, will officially be releasing on September 30.

The announcement was made today at gamescom Opening Night Live, where it was also revealed that a new vehicle, the Rev-8, will be made available in a free update tonight. We got to see the vehicle in action in footage unveiled at gamescom, showing off some fun world exploration.

Shattered Space, too, got a brief tease in the footage, although it didn't show too much outside of a darker tone, with much of the focus begin on the Rev-8.

Shattered Space got its first trailer back in June during the Xbox Games Showcase, and it'll focus on a mysterious new faction called House Va'Ruun. "Investigate a frightening cosmic threat, explore a new planet, and find unique weapons, spacesuits, and gear in this all-new adventure," Starfield's official website explains in a page dedicated to the Shattered Space expansion.

Bethesda confirmed it was working on the story expansion in 2023, but we've been waiting for a release date since then. It's set to arrive both on Xbox and PC.

We gave Starfield a 7/10 when we reviewed it last year, writing at the time that it "has a lot of forces working against it, but eventually the allure of its expansive roleplaying quests and respectable combat make its gravitational pull difficult to resist."

For more from gamescom, check out our roundup of everything announced at Opening Night Live.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Warning: The below article contains full spoilers for last night's House of the Dragon Season 2 finale.

Last night’s House of the Dragon Season 2 finale had its biggest cameo yet: Daenerys Targaryen. Well, sort of, at least.

Obviously, Daenerys hasn’t been born yet in the world of House of the Dragon, but fans got a glimpse at the Game of Thrones favorite via a weirwood vision from Daemon in the Season 2 capper. The image of Daenerys, with her three freshly hatched dragon eggs – a different perspective of the scene from Game of Thrones’ Season 1 finale – has quickly become one of the most-talked-about moments from the episode.

The vision also included another image familiar to Game of Thrones fans in the Night King, as well as a glimpse at Brynden Rivers, or the Bloodraven, a character crucial to Targaryen history. During a virtual Q&A with press on Monday, House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal was asked about the vision, the decision to pull in Daenerys, and if we should take this as confirmation that she was indeed the Prince Who Was Promised.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN RETURNS #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/pdrYyMAcP4

— westerosies (@westerosies) August 5, 2024

In a wide-ranging answer, Condal explained that the decision came from the need for “some sort of interconnectivity,” and that interconnectivity is the dragons: “We don't know how the events play out in this history, but we do know that at the end of it, there are no dragons left in the world until they're reborn to Daenerys in the end. And I think that is the interconnectivity,” he explained.

But he also touched on an idea that has been explored, as he explained, in media including Harry Potter and Star Wars: the philosophy of “the chosen one, the one who is going to save us from everything, the light-bringer, the Prince Who Was Promised.”

“(We’re interested in) how those ideas are interpreted in George's world, which is, as we know from all the storytelling that he has taken us through to date, that these things are very rarely black and white and 'one thing or the other,' and often can be cautionary tales for how ideas like this are interpreted by people in power,” he said. “Remember that Game of Thrones, a Song of Ice and Fire, House of the Dragon in many ways, or Fire and Blood in many ways, are warnings about the perils of power and people in power, and particularly I think in this world, absolute power. So I will say, we're very interested in how those things play out in this world and how once somebody is given, as we've seen Rhaenyra be given this football to run with that – ‘my father chose me, I was the Prince Who Was Promised, it must be me, this dragon rider was delivered to me’ – and how that's going to see itself manifested over the course of this war."

Moderator Joanna Robinson then asked if there was ever a thought to include Jon Snow in that vision as well. Condal responded that it’s “just a more complex idea,” and the focus instead was to focus on that interconnective tissue that is the dragons, and also how Daemon interprets that vision.

"In the world where we meet Daenerys, and she's staring across the Narrow Sea at her lost empire, there are zero dragons,” he explained. “So again, the connectiveness between this family and the family to come. And Daemon's seeing something [where], we know who that is, but Daemon has no idea. That could be his future daughter with Rhaenyra, who has three dragons right now. He doesn't know, but he is sensing that ‘this was something that was shown to me for a specific reason.’ We know Rhaenyra is already running with this idea of the Prince Who Was Promised; if Daemon also believes that is Rhaenyra, as we've seen him say to her in High Valyrian in Episode 8, there's a very interesting thing that can be done with his interpretation of that.”

“So for that reason, I think it was important that it was Daenerys, the image,” he concluded. “We are not trying to make any kind of specific interpretation of a prophecy that has yet to be revealed by its author. And that is George's world and George's space to tell that story. I think we're more interested in playing with the character drama that lives in and around that imagery."

Condal touched on a number of things in the hour-long press conference, including why the Battle of the Gullet wasn’t in Season 2 and the number of seasons they’re currently committed to. For more, check out our review of last night’s finale, where we wrote, “as a mid-season episode it would be glorious, but as finales go, 'The Queen Who Ever Was' is all setup and no payoff.”

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Warning: The below story contains some spoilers for House of the Dragon Season 2, including last night's finale.

House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal is aware some fans are disappointed with the largely lacking-in-action Season 2 finale, but he has a message of assurance: the Battle of the Gullet is coming, and it'll be huge.

During a virtual Q&A with press on Monday, the day after Season 2's highly anticipated finale aired, moderator Joanna Robinson asked Condal a multi-part question about the Battle of the Gullet, why it wasn't included this season, and fantasy battles in general. While the finale clearly set up the massive naval battle from George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood (as IGN breaks down here), the finale is largely devoid of action, especially when compared to Season 1's capper that saw Aemond's dragon Vhagar kill Lucerys and his dragon Arrax. It led to many fans and critics calling the episode "anticlimactic," and IGN's own review said it was "all setup and no payoff."

Condal gave a long response to the question, which both touched on the challenges of making a big-budget production like House of the Dragon and what fans can expect for Season 3.

It seems like we have a release date for Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, if a recent X/Twitter post from GameStop is to be believed.

This afternoon, the retailer posted the trailer and pre-order link to Snake Eater, saying the MGS3 remake will arrive on November 17. The post, which you can also see a screenshot of below, is still live as of press time.

As some have pointed out, though, that November 17 date is a bit of an odd one, as if it's indeed November 17, 2024, it'll release on a Sunday. On the other hand, it would be fitting, considering it would mark exactly 20 years after the original Metal Gear Solid 3 released. It's in line, too, with a previously announced release window, as PlayStation had it listed as a 2024 game in a trailer at the beginning of this year.

IGN has reached out to Konami for comment.

Metal Gear Solid Delta was one of the many games to get a spotlight at yesterday's Xbox Showcase but, much to the disappointment of fans, a release date was not revealed with the new trailer then. We first learned about Metal Gear Solid Delta in May 2023.

Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater is said to be a faithful remake of MGS3, so much so that Konami isn't even planning on recording new voice lines for it. Despite that, the Delta symbol in the name of the remake (stylized as Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater) is meant to highlight "'change' or 'difference' without changing structure," Konami previously explained.

For more, check out everything that was announced at yesterday's Xbox Showcase.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Sorry, Swifties — it appears Taylor Swift isn't in Deadpool & Wolverine after all.

That news comes via an Entertainment Weekly report today, which claims to have confirmed that Swift won't be in the MCU blockbuster. It may seem a little silly to report on who won't appear in Deadpool & Wolverine, but rumors that the pop star would be playing Dazzler in the film have been running rampant for months.

The rumors date all the way back to September 2022, when fans noticed that the Deadpool & Wolverine announcement trailer was filmed in the same house where Swift filmed her All Too Well: The Short Film. They picked up again in October 2023, when Swift was spotted with stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, as well as director Shawn Levy, at a Kansas City Chiefs game against the New York Jets. Some even thought the apparent glimpse at Ladypool in the most recent teaser may be Swift.

And, as EW notes, IMAX recently debuted a Deadpool & Wolverine for Best Friends Day that showed the two title characters wearing friendship bracelets that have become associated with Swift's Eras Tour.

Levy has played coy when asked about the potential of a Swift cameo in the past. When asked about it in an October 2023 interview with the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Levy said, "Literally, I feel like, oh wow, I went to a football game a couple weeks ago and I had a really good time with friends and I am thrilled to be talking about other things," stopping short of either confirming or denying.

Still, even without Swift, Levy has said that Deadpool & Wolverine will be a bevy of cameos, at least one of which has already been confirmed. We'll have to wait and see what else Deadpool & Wolverine has in store when it debuts on July 26.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Abubakar Salim, the founder of Surgent Studios and creative director of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, issued a strong statement today addressing harassment both he and his studio have faced since the release of Tales of Kenzera in April.

In a five-minute video posted to X/Twitter (which you can watch below), Salim opens by saying he didn't want to address the harassment, and that he's dealt with assertions that he didn't "deserve the opportunit[ies]" he got from the beginning of his career: "No, it was simply because I'm Black, and I've turned my other cheek and just kept doing my thing," he says.

A needed message. pic.twitter.com/oJaJEeZd61

— Abubakar Salim (@Abzybabzy) May 31, 2024

Salim is also an actor known for roles in Assassin's Creed Origins, Max's Raised by Wolves, and an upcoming part in Season 2 of HBO's House of the Dragon. He goes on to say that he can brush off some of the comments, but "when there's a constant barrage of them, it's exhausting." And, when it came to Tales of Kenzera in particular, the situation reached "a fever pitch," especially as the game was roped into ongoing harassment campaigns targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts on social media.

"Don't get me wrong, there's been so much amazing and beautiful support for this game. The fact that it's inspired so many people and touched, you know, so many lives, it was one of our goals from the outset — to have this positive impact, right?" Salim says. "But at the same time, we are being faced with constant targeted harassment from people who see diversity as a threat. From people who look across the vast landscape of modern media and decide that anything that doesn't speak to them or centers around them is unnecessary and inauthentic."

"And look," he continues, "there's always a reason why diverse stories can't exist. You know, it's always either we're doing it the wrong way or it's just there to tick boxes and it's just beginning to feel like there is no right way. You know, these exclusionary rules continue to stack up and the goalposts continue to shift until, you know, me, my studio, people who look like us, just sit down, be quiet and just accept the fact that you're outsiders. But I won't do that."

"If there are people who aren't like you in a game, I want you to know that game is still for you," Salim continues. "You know, if the characters are a different race or a different gender or you know, a different ideology or different perspective, that doesn't mean the game isn't for you. It can still be for you."

It's that philosophy, Salim says, that inspired him to set Tales of Kenzera at a more affordable price than many other games, going for $20 across Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. But the harassment, he continues, has spurred him to make the price of the game even lower to try to make it more accessible to a larger audience.

He announces that, starting today, the price of Tales of Kenzera will be lower than $15 on Switch, giving Nintendo a shoutout for "acting fast on this."

"I'm working with the team in bringing this discount to all platforms and it's gonna start from now to until the end of June because, you know, it just means so much to me, man," he says.

"I believe this is just one way that I can show you how serious I am about this," he says. "Games are for everyone. Diverse games, they're not about taking something away from you. They're about adding something new because there's room for all of us."

Salim's statement comes at a time where the games industry has seen an uptick in harassment on social media, spurring the International Game Developers Association (IDGA) to issue a statement on the matter in March. At the time, the organization said it was "deeply concerned about the increased harassment of historically marginalized developers and those advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives."

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is a side-scrolling action game that follows a young shaman named Zau as he embarks on capturing spirits of three monsters as offerings to Kalunga, the God of Death, so that he may revive his father. Salim has been open about the fact that the game was inspired by the death of his own father, and in our review, IGN called it a "touching love letter from a grieving son to their deceased father, told in clever and moving allegories about sending restless spirits to the afterlife, that helps it stand out in the pack."

In his video today, Salim concludes by sending a message to other developers who have told personal stories that "uplift the marginalized and underrepresented."

"Your work is so important, so important today," he says. "Whether you realize it or not, you are actually setting an example for the next generation of developers, of creators, of artists, just take that in. Keep doing what you're doing. Thank you."

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Although Legendary's Monsterverse was expected to continue following Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, we just got our first apparent confirmation of another film in the franchise.

According to a report from THR today, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings screenwriter Dave Callaham has been tapped to write the script for Godzilla x Kong's follow-up. Funny enough, this isn't Callaham's first go at everyone's favorite reptilian kaiju; the writer has a "story by" credit on Gareth Edwards' 2014 Godzilla film.

As THR notes, Callaham is known for being particularly skilled at action scripts, with recent credits including Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Mortal Kombat, Wonder Woman 1984, and a rewrite on 2015's Ant-Man. He also worked on the upcoming live-action Masters of the Universe movie, which just recently got a June 5, 2026 release date.

Jeff Bridges will be playing a classic monster, and he's bringing a couple of other big stars with him.

Bridges, Dave Bautista, and Bryan Cranston will all star in Grendel, the various Hollywood trades announced today, with Robert D. Krzykowski on board to direct. The live-action film, adapted from John Gardner’s 1971 novel of the same name, hails from The Jim Henson Company, and its Creature Shop will be handling the practical effects.

Bridges will be playing Grendel, while Bautista is set to play Beowolf and Cranston will play King Hrothgar. They join Sam Elliott as The Dragon, Thomasin McKenzie as Queen Wealhtheow, Aidan Turner as Unferth, and T Bone Burnett, who will also provide original songs for the movie, as the Shaper.

After Helldivers 2 was removed from Steam for 177 countries following the recent PlayStation Network account-linking debacle, fans have been eagerly awaiting updates, especially after Sony reversed course on the account-linking decision. A couple updates did come in today — but not ones that fans were hoping for.

Firstly, Helldivers 2 added the Baltics to its restricted countries, as recorded on its SteamDB page. But, more significantly, Ghost of Tsushima has also been restricted in countries where PSN is not available, leading to the same purchase restrictions as Helldivers 2.

Both games are now restricted in Etstonia, Lithuania, and Latvia in addition to the 177 other games on the list.

Helldivers 2 purchase restrictions were updated to add Baltics.

Furthermore, Ghost of Tsushima now has the same purchase restrictions. pic.twitter.com/TbXjHzCfwb

— SteamDB (@SteamDB) May 10, 2024

The development comes just days after Ghost of Tsushima developer Sucker Punch clarified the situation on PSN account-linking on the Director's Cut's upcoming PC release, which is set to launch on May 16. The studio said on May 5 that a PSN account would be required for Legends online multiplayer mode and to use the PlayStation overlay, but not for the single-player portion.

Today's development seems to confirm worries that the PC version would not be available in countries where PSN is not available, especially as Helldivers 2 appears to be an exception to its account-linking rule.

Firefighters were called to the scene last night after part of Oregon's Timberline Lodge, the hotel made famous by Stanley Kubrick's 1980 horror classic The Shining, broke out in flames.

According to The Oregonian, the fire broke out at approximately 9:30 p.m. last night, forcing guests at the hotel to evacuate. The Clackamas Fire Department posted a number of updates on X/Twitter as the situation played out, calling it a "3-alarm commercial fire."

Firefighters are on-scene of a 3-alarm commercial fire at the historic Timberline Lodge. Crews are working to extinguish the fire. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/cHV7cPDIWM

— Clackamas Fire (@clackamasfire) April 19, 2024

Luckily, no injuries have been reported, and the Clackamas Fire Department posted another update last night that the situation was declared "under control" at 11:12 p.m. The fire was contained to the roof and attic, and the U.S. Forest Service will be conducting the subsequent investigation.

The fire at Timberline Lodge was declared under control at 11:12 p.m. The fire was kept to the roof & part of the attic, & didn’t spread any further. Crews are clearing the scene. The U.S. Forest Service will be conducting the investigation with the help of federal resources. pic.twitter.com/IRoTpyB0WV

— Clackamas Fire (@clackamasfire) April 19, 2024

To cinephiles, the Timberline Lodge is best known for providing the exterior shots of the iconic Overlook Hotel from The Shining, based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. It starred Jack Nicholas as Jack Torrance, a writer and recovering alcoholic who takes a job overseeing the Overlook Hotel in its off-season. The spirits of the hotel, however, take over Jack and turn him against his family.

To locals, the Timberline Lodge has served as a cozy mountain getaway, as well as a tourist attaction. Per the hotel's website, The Shining "used aerial shots of Timberline as part of its opening scene. Film of the exterior of Timberline Lodge was used for some establishing shots of the fictional Overlook Hotel throughout the movie."

The Timberline Lodge was first built in 1933, and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1977. And, thanks to the quick work of firefighters, it remains standing today, despite last night's major fire.

Thumbnail credit: Clackamas Fire Department on X/Twitter

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Disney's live-action Space Mountain movie just got its first major update in years, as THR reports that Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec are on board to write.

The duo is best known for Netflix's live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, as well as Prime Video spy series Citadel. The last update we heard from the Space Mountain movie came back in 2020, when it was revealed that Obi-Wan Kenobi writer Joby Harold was on board to write the film. Harold remains a producer.

Space Mountain is Disney's latest swing at adapating one of its Disney park attractions into a feature film following the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean series, as well as 2021's Jungle Cruise starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Its most recent ride adaptation came last year with The Haunted Mansion, although that was one of a number of Disney films that found itself struggling at the box office last year.

Mad Max: Fury Road was praised for continuing the series' tradition of high-octane desert action sequences, and it sounds like upcoming prequel Furiosa is well on track to live up to that.

Director George Miller's longtime producing partner Doug Mitchell hinted at one particularly in-depth action scene in a new interview with Total Film (via GamesRadar), saying the film "has one 15-minute sequence which took us 78 days to shoot." He added that it required nearly 200 stunt workers on set daily.

Unfortunately, we didn't get many more details on that sequence could entail, at least not from Mitchell. However, star Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays a younger version of the title character that Charlize Theron originated in 2015's Fury Road, teased a little bit more about what leads up to it.

"George and I would have these big conversations about why this particular set-piece was so long," Taylor-Joy told Total Film. "It’s because you see an accumulation of skills over the course of a battle, and that’s very important for understanding how resourceful Furiosa is, but also her grit."

Taylor-Joy added that it's "the longest sequence any of us have ever shot": "On the day we finished, everybody got a 'Stairway To Nowhere' wine!"

Grab the Fiona (or Donkey!) to your Shrek, because the one of Hollywood's best sequels (yeah, I'll say it) is headed back to theaters for a limited time.

Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation announced today that 2004 classic Shrek 2 is headed back to theaters on April 12 in honor of its 20th anniversary. The companies didn't reveal how long the theatrical run would last, but tickets are currently available for pre-order on Fandango from late April 11 through April 18.

AMC Theaters also announced that tickets would be available for just $5. Cinema, as they say, is back.

It's the 20th anniversary of Shrek 2! 🎉 For a limited time, see it at #AMCTheatres for just $5! 🎟 - https://t.co/Sy23tgfh5h pic.twitter.com/FxFWIllXrZ

— AMC Theatres (@AMCTheatres) March 8, 2024

While today marks the first official confirmation of Shrek 2's re-release, news had previously leaked via Government of Alberta in Canada, of all places. The government's film body rated a trailer for "Shrek 2 re-release" on February 22.

Shrek 2 was originally released on May 19, 2004, a few days after premiering at the Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the prestigious Palme d'Or. Riding the wave of glowing reviews and goodwill from its 2001 predecessor, it earned a whopping $928 million at the worldwide box office, becoming the highest-grossing animated movie ever at the time (it was eventually surpassed by Toy Story 3). It also scored Academy Award nominations for Best Animated Film and Best Original Song (Counting Crows' "Accidentally in Love").

It is also, in this humble writer's opinion, the absolute best Shrek movie, leaning on similar absurd humor from the first film while expanding its world, introducing fun new characters (Puss in Boots! Fairy Godmother!), and showing off some improved animation. For the record, the OG Shrek also absolutely rules, as does 2022's Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (which, to be fair, I'm not counting as a main Shrek movie).

Tickets for the Shrek 2 re-release are now available for pre-order.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Hollywood awards seasons usually have their fair share of controversies. Whether it's notable snubs or wild events that take place during the ceremony, there's rarely a shortage of subjects to sustain the discourse.

But one particularly ruff scandal this year revolves around Messi, the breakout star of this year's awards season. Messi also happens to be a border collie who plays a prominent role in Best Picture nominee Anatomy of a Fall. And apparently, despite stealing the hearts of everyone from Ryan Gosling to Billie Eilish on the awards circuit, he will not be at this Sunday's Academy Awards.

As video game adaptations continue to ramp up, it looks like Watch Dogs will be one of the next titles to get the treatment.

Deadline reports today that studio New Regency is developing an adaptation of the Ubisoft property. Sophie Wilde, who broke out in A24's hit horror movie Talk to Me, is in talks to star, with French filmmaker Mathieu Turi on board to direct and Christie LeBlanc writing.

No plot details were shared beyond the fact that the film "is set within the universe of Ubisoft’s blockbuster video game franchise," per Deadline. Each Watch Dogs game takes place in a fictionalized version of a real city, following a different hacker protagonist who inevitably gets wrapped up in the criminal underworld (and the rival hackers) of their respective location.

The Wire alum Wendell Pierce has joined James Gunn's Superman as Daily Planet editor-in-chief Perry White, according to a THR report today.

Perry, of course, has a close relationship to Clark Kent and Lois Lane as their typically tough but fair boss, a hard-charging journalist with strong ethical standards. Superman/Clark Kent will be played by David Corenswet in this film, alongside Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.

A character actor with a long list of credits, Pierce is perhaps best known for his role as Detective Bunk Moreland in HBO's acclaimed series The Wire from 2002-08. He also had a long stint on USA Network's Suits (which has recently become a breakout streaming hit) from 2013-19. As of late, Pierce can be seen playing James Greer in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan.

When I interviewed voice actor Eric Bauza on February 27 about the grassroots campaign to help save Coyote vs. Acme, of which he’s been a prominent voice in, he asked me when the story would publish – which isn’t unusual, but in this case, he’s specifically asking due to the rapid pace at which this insane industry story moves from day-to-day.

“What if we hang up this Zoom and suddenly everyone knows, ‘oh, by the way, it's going to be in theaters nationwide’ ?”

Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but he was right: in between my interview with him and this story publishing, there was indeed a development, with star Will Forte posting a heartfelt message after getting to see the movie himself.

"When I first heard that our movie was getting 'deleted,' I hadn't seen it yet," Forte wrote. "So I was thinking what everyone else must have been thinking: this thing must be a hunk of junk. But then I saw it. And it's incredible."

Forte’s own comments are in line with the filmmakers who have gotten to see it, with everyone from Scott Pilgrim Takes Off co-creator BenDavid Grabinski to Everything Everywhere All at Once directors The Daniels singing its praises after it was unceremoniously shelved by Warner Bros. last November. That shelving was the beginning of an ongoing saga that continues to this day, leading to a fan and industry campaign to save the film from permanent cancellation (which, according to reports, unfortunately looks likely at this point). Or, as Bauza points out, it’s made Coyote vs. Acme “the most-talked about film that no one's seen.”

Bauza’s a longtime Looney Tunes vet who estimates that he voiced around 10 characters in the movie, from Bugs Bunny to Daffy Duck to some of Roadrunner’s “beep beep!” noises (but not, as some headlines have suggested, Wile E. Coyote, who doesn’t talk). And, if you’re active in film and animation spaces on X/Twitter, you might also know he’s been on the frontlines of #ReleaseCoyoteVsAcme, that aforementioned campaign to save the film from deletion.

And yes, Bauza has seen Coyote vs. Acme – and yes, he loved it.

“I went to almost all of the test screenings that were here in LA and people loved it,” he tells IGN. “And I'll tell you why: it's because it was just a simple story. I have been with these characters for almost 20 years now. It's kind of amazing. I voiced Marvin the Martian, and I've been a part of these guys in feature films, TV shows, preschool shows, commercials, shoe endorsements. I've seen them used in all sorts of ways. And Coyote vs. Acme was one of those first times [where I], and at least me as a fan, witnessed this kind of fun simple story about this guy that we know never gets his way and how is it going to work out? And I thought it was great for any Looney Tunes fan and any cartoon fan, they would've totally enjoyed it.”

In our interview, Bauza reflected on the crazy past few months Coyote vs. Acme has seen as it was shot, shelved, put on the market, and then seemingly shelved again.

In a calendar switch up, it appears that The Crow remake is stepping into John Wick spinoff Ballerina's summer 2024 release date.

Deadline reports today that Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, has been delayed a year from from June 7, 2024 to June 6, 2025. According to the report, John Wick director Chad Stahelski, who recently struck a deal with Lionsgate to have creative oversight of the franchise, is working with Ballerina director Len Wiseman to include some additional action sequences.

That leaves the release date free for The Crow to swoop into, with it now reportedly set for June 7, 2024. Obviously, that means we're not far away from the long in-development remake, which first started development all the way back in 2008. Along the way, it's gone through potential stars including Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, Jack Huston, and Jason Momoa, in addition to a number of directors and even studios.

Brie Larson is many things: an Oscar winner, an MCU star, and, perhaps most famously, a gamer.

While that last part is mostly a joke, Larson's love of games - especially Nintendo games - is well documented. It's something she's talked about extensively on her YouTube channel, which she launched by showing off her Animal Crossing: New Horizons island back in 2020. (She admits that it's been awhile since she's visited said island, and she's a little "scared" to check on it now: "I think there's a lot of passive aggressive neighbors.")

So, it makes sense that Larson would appear at a Nintendo preview event for the upcoming Princess Peach: Showtime! as a celebrity spokesperson, where she sat down with IGN's Brian Altano to talk about Peach and her love of games in general. In fact, looking back to when she started gaming, she says those are her "earliest memories."

"I don't think there was ever a time I've lived without them, like, from a baby," she says. "There was always a Nintendo console. My earliest memories are trying to figure out games. We had Super Mario, we had Little Mermaid, and we had a volleyball game and Duck Hunt."

And, even though it's been awhile since Larson checked on her New Horizons neighbors, she's long been a fan of Animal Crossing. Recalling some particularly formative gaming memories, the actress says the first game in the series, released on the GameCube in 2001, was the first title that spawned "a lot of desire and competitiveness with my sister."

"That was the one where my mom actually had to create real rules, like you have to finish your homework and then you can play because we were just so into it, unlike any other game at that time," she remembers.

As for her favorite game of all time, she used to say The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild took the crown. However, its sequel, Tears of the Kingdom, might take the title, although Larson says she still needs to finish it.

"I'm really taking my time, I'm not trying to blast through it," she says of Tears of the Kingdom. "I'm putting a lot of time into it because I just love it so much."

And, like any good Nintendo gamer, she has her Smash Bros. and Mario Kart mains. For the former, it's usually Zero Suit Samus (fitting, then, that she previously asked Nintendo to cast her as Samus in a movie), while she also dabbles in Kirby and Pikachu. For Mario Kart? Luigi (even if she was "spooked" by Luigi's Mansion as a child).

Spotlight on Peach

Larson made a point, however, to talk about the real star of the hour: Princess Peach. In fact, when we ask what Nintendo character should be the next to get their own game, she playfully pushes back, saying, "That's all you're going to talk about? Why won't we talk about Peach?"

"Peach. Peach 2. Peach 3," she adds.

When asked if she wants a Princess Peach: Showtime! trilogy, she says, "Of course I do. Yeah. Just to start with. I'm putting that out there."

"I'm really just rooting for Peach," she continues. "I've watched her my entire life and I always knew that she contained multitudes and she was just waiting a little bit to show us what she had, and now she's here with her adorable little friend."

"That's the thing with games," she continues. "...It's just that games are limitless and that's what I love about them."

She quickly gets sidetracked, however: "Sorry, I'm just staring into Princess Peach's eyes. I mean, how can you not love them? She's magnetic. With her heart bangs? Come on."

Understandable.

Princess Peach: Showtime! arrives on Nintendo Switch on March 22, 2024.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

The upcoming Jurassic World movie may have found its director: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story's Gareth Edwards.

THR reports that Edwards is in talks to take the helm after negotiations previously fell through with David Leitch, the filmmaker behind movies like John Wick, Deadpool 2, and Bullet Train. Per the report, Universal and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners are "moving fast" to nail down creative appointments, especially considering it's already announced a July 2, 2025, release date.

Should the deal go through, it would mark a return to franchise filmmaking for Edwards. Before he took on the critically acclaimed 2016 Star Wars spinoff, he also directed the 2014 Godzilla reboot. His most recent film was sci-fi epic The Creator this past summer, his first original movie since his 2010 debut, Monsters.

“I never meant to do IP,” Edwards told me in an interview last year. “I honestly thought what I would do with my career, if I had one, is my own ideas, one after the other. And then I just got offered this amazing, lottery-winning thing of getting to do Godzilla, teleporting straight to the Super Bowl final.”

The new Jurassic World movie was first revealed in January, with David Koepp - who co-wrote the screenplay for the 1993 original Jurassic Park, as well as its sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park - serving as writer. Spielberg will also serve as an executive producer through Amblin Entertainment.

Little else is known about the new Jurassic World, including the official title. What we do know, though, is that it's said to be a fresh take on the series with new characters. Thus, Jurassic World's Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard aren't expected to return, nor are the original trilogy's Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, and Laura Dern.

IGN has reached out to Universal for comment.

Thumbnail credit: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.

According to various reports today, Disney and Sony have struck a deal that will have the latter take over Disney's physical media production moving forward.

DigitalBits first broke the news today, followed by reports on Variety and Deadline. Per the Deadline report, the deal takes the form of a licensing agreement in which Sony will "market, sell, and distribute" Disney's new and catalog releases on DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra DVD in the U.S. and Canada, as well as taking over manufacturing. According to Variety, Disney will continue to handle its own digital media. It's unclear if the deal will lead to layoffs in Disney's physical media department.

And, in news that DigitalBits reports is directly related, the Disney Movie Club will also come to a close this summer. Various customers reported being sent notices that informed them that the last day to order from the subscription-based service would be May 20, 2024.

"We have made the difficult decision to close the Disney Movie Club," reads the announcement. "We will miss the opportunity to serve cherished Disney fans like you!"

Welp. Big Physical Media news today as Disney announces they’re closing the Disney Movie Club. Can’t say I’m too unsurprised given the lack of releases lately. Still very disappointing. Wish they’d utilized it better the last couple years. So much wasted potential. pic.twitter.com/WaHRqRf3iR

— Dave Lee (@daveleedwnundr) February 20, 2024

Disney Movie Club was launched 23 years ago, and offered subscribers exclusive access to Disney's physical media library.

The news comes as physical media continues to find itself in a decline in the streaming era. Best Buy, for example, plans to phase out its DVD and Blu-ray sales this year, while Netflix mailed out its final DVD rental last September.

Still, the demand for physical media still very much exists, especially in an industry where streaming exclusives like Willow have been completely removed from the platform they were made for, effectively eliminating any legal way of viewing them. Christopher Nolan is among those who've said the current situation is "scary for filmmakers," even as physical copies of his own movie Oppenheimer sold out at various retailers.

IGN has reached out to both Disney and Sony for comment.

Thumbnail credit: Getty Images

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.