Month: February 2020

The Matrix 4: Everything We Know About the Sequel

Just when you thought the machine uprising was over, The Matrix franchise is returning to theaters. The Matrix 4 is in the works, and everyone from director Lana Wachowski to star Keanu Reeves is returning for the sequel.

Before you don your shades and trench coat and head to the theater, here’s everything we know about The Matrix 4 so far, from the release date to the confirmed cast to what little has been revealed about the plot.

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The Matrix 4 Cast and Crew

While the first three Matrix movies were directed by the Wachowski sisters, only Lana Wachowski is returning for the latest sequel. She’s also producing the film and co-writing the screenplay alongside David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon, her co-writers from the Netflix series Sense8. Other Matrix veterans on the crew include producer Grant Hill and storyboard artists Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce.

Several actors from the original trilogy will return for The Matrix 4. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss will reprise their starring roles as Neo and Trinity, respectively. This is despite the fact that both characters died during the events of The Matrix Revolutions. Jada Pinkett Smith is reportedly in talks to reprise her role as Niobe, and Lambert Wilson has confirmed he’s in talks to again play the villainous Merovingian, schedule permitting.

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Not every main actor from the original trilogy is returning, however. There’s been no word on Laurence Fishburne returning as Morpheus, even though the producers are said to be casting younger versions of both Neo and Morpheus. Wachowski approached Hugo Weaving about coming back as Agent Smith, but due to Weaving’s schedule conflicts, Smith has since been written out of the story.

The Matrix 4 will introduce a number of new actors alongside these returning favorites, though no roles have been confirmed yet. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman) and Jessica Henwick (Marvel’s Iron Fist) have been cast in leading roles, while Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) has also been confirmed to appear. The cast also reportedly includes Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter), Priyanka Chopra Jonas (Quantico) and Sense8 actors Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt and Eréndira Ibarra.

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Earlier rumors pointed to Creed’s Michael B. Jordan starring in a Matrix reboot or a prequel focused on a younger Morpheus. Whether or not there was any truth to those rumors, Jordan doesn’t appear to be involved with The Matrix 4.

Release Date

Though its existence was only confirmed in August 2019, The Matrix 4 already has an official release date. It’s even arriving sooner than you might think. The Matrix 4 is set to hit theaters on May 21, 2021.

Amusingly enough, that happens to be the release date of another action movie sequel starring Keanu Reeves. John Wick: Chapter 4 is debuting the same day, leading many fans to demand May 21 be officially declared Keanu Day. Most likely one or the other of these films will shift release dates before 2021, but it does speak to Reeves’ resurgent popularity lately.

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Is it Officially Called The Matrix 4?

Currently, the fourth Matrix movie has no official title and is being referred to simply as The Matrix 4. We assume Warners will reveal a different title for the sequel down the road. Neither of the previous Matrix sequels relied on numbering (with part 2 being The Matrix Reloaded and part 3 The Matrix Revolutions), so presumably the fourth movie will follow a similar naming scheme. The Matrix Reborn, maybe?

Is There a Matrix 4 Trailer?

There’s currently no trailer or even a teaser poster for The Matrix 4. With filming set to begin in San Francisco in February 2020, it’s likely going to be a while before fans see any official glimpses of the new movie. We’d expect Summer 2020 to be the earliest the studio will release any footage, with a teaser trailer possibly debuting at San Diego Comic-Con or attached to a major summer movie like Wonder Woman 1984 or Tenet.

However, it could just as easily be late 2020 before we get our first look at The Matrix 4. Warners didn’t release the first Wonder Woman 1984 trailer until December 2019, barely half a year before that film’s release date. They may opt to keep The Matrix 4 under wraps for as long as possible.

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What is the Plot of The Matrix 4?

Very little is known about the plot of The Matrix 4, other than that it takes place after the events of The Matrix Revolutions. Revolutions ended with a fragile new peace being established between humanity and its robot overlords, so presumably The Matrix 4 will reveal whether that peace held or if a new war has broken out between man and machine.

Given that Reeves is back, it’s safe to assume Neo will somehow return despite sacrificing his life to stop Agent Smith’s takeover of the Matrix. The same goes for Moss’ Trinity, who also died shortly before the final battle between Neo and Smith. It could be that Neo and Trinity left their physical bodies behind and now live on solely through The Matrix, with allies like Niobe plugging back into the Matrix to track them down. The fact that Weaving was approached to return as Agent Smith suggests the Agents will continue to serve as antagonists and enforcers of the machine regime.

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The absence of Fishburne’s Morpheus raises questions about that character’s fate, particularly in light of rumors about Warner Bros. casting a younger Morpheus. Will the character be killed off between movies, a la Marcus Chong’s Tank? And will the young Morpheus/Neo scenes be flashbacks, or will those characters somehow be rebooted in a new version of the Matrix?

Interestingly, the now defunct MMORPG The Matrix Online previously explored the fallout of Revolutions. Given that the Wachowskis endorsed the game’s storyline, The Matrix 4 could wind up treating The Matrix Online as official series canon. This would explain Morpheus’ absence, as he was assassinated during one of the first major story events in the game. The Matrix Online introduced other plot points that could be used in the new movie, such as fragments of Neo’s code being scattered across the system and a civil war erupting between Zion loyalists and a group of humans aligned with the machines.

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The Matrix 4 Development Details

It’s been nearly two decades since the original Matrix trilogy wrapped up, and the Internet has been inundated with rumors of reboots, prequels, sequels and spinoffs ever since. We cover the full history of those Matrix rumors here, but here’s a quick breakdown of the news surrounding The Matrix 4 specifically:

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

The Last of Us Part II ‘Remade’ as PS1 Game

Ever wonder what The Last of Us Part II might look like if it came out in the 90’s on the original PlayStation 1? Ponder no further, as an enterprising “demake” game developer has created just such a thing in Dreams, Media Molecule’s stunningly versatile game creation tool.

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Created by Bearly Regal in Dreams.

Created and posted to YouTube by Bearly Regal, who also remade Cyberpunk 2077 as a PS1 game, The Last of Us Part II PS1 demake is an amusingly accurate recreation of game design and graphics from a bygone polygonal era. Even better, Bearly Regal has added a somber guitar soundtrack to the whole thing, and even included the strained cries of the blind clicker zombies, who themselves are now just gangly-looking, pink humanoid blobs.

Check out the video in the tweet below from The Last of Us series creative director Neil Druckmann for a quick glance at the “PS1” version of The Last of Us Part II, or check out the full six-minute video on Bearly Regal’s channel.

The video demonstration shows off a, well, much blockier version of Ellie wandering through the weedy Seattle suburb streets and houses that we’ve seen in previous actual demo footage of the real The Last of Us Part II. There, Ellie is hunted by a group of human scavengers. In this PS1 remake, we simply see Ellie traverse around a couple of homes and streets before a pack of clickers happen upon her, where she then slowly crawls her way to safety.

One similarity we noticed was Ellie’s ability to clamber out onto the porch roof of one house, giving her a higher vantage point over the scene. It’s similar to a sequence from a previous demo, where Ellie manages to shoot one enemy human from afar before firebombing and blasting her way through two others from the porch roof. Appropriately enough, the clickers don’t seem to find Ellie unless she makes too much noise.

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Bearly Regal has become known on YouTube for his “remakes” of major games in Media Molecule’s Dreams, including a PS1 “remake” of Death Stranding, as well as various other recreations of games in LEGO Worlds.

Naughty Dog vice president and The Last of Us series creative director Neil Druckmann retweeted Bearly Regal’s trailer, highlighting how much he enjoyed the music the Dreams creator added.

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If you’re hungry for more The Last of Us Part II, you can check out our extensive impressions of the most recent gameplay demo. Don’t forget that pre-orders for The Last of Us Part II’s collector’s edition are up, so get yours before it’s gone.

If by some strange circumstance, you’re not excited for The Last of Us Part II, here’s every other PS4 game coming out in 2020 that we’re excited to play.

My Hero Academia: Season 4, Episode 16 Review

This review contains spoilers for My Hero Academia Season 4, episode 16, “Win Those Kids’ Hearts,” aka episode 79 overall. To refresh your memory of where we left off, check out our review of MHA Season 4, episode 15.

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Until now, Season 4 of My Hero Academia has neglected some of its most endearing protagonists in favour of focusing on the villain Overhaul and the hero duo of Deku and Lemillion. While there is nothing inherently wrong with that, it’s refreshing to finally have the spotlight shine on Todoroki and Bakugo, arguably the two most compelling members of Class 1-A. This excitement makes it all the more disappointing, however, when “Win Those Kids’ Hearts” turns out to be a slow and uneventful mess.

This episode is not without its merits, with themes that are intriguing and worth exploring. Todoroki and Bakugo are on their provisional hero licence training course, with Endeavor and All Might watching over them. A group of delinquent and out-of-control kids have been let loose, untamed by their teacher, and it is up to Todoroki, Bakugo, and a few members of Shiketsu High School to get through to these kids and, as the title explains, win their hearts.

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This premise is solid. It leans into what My Hero Academia does best: show the multifaceted aspects of heroism and what it means to be good, to be a worthy and successful hero. Todoroki and Bakugo are both students who struggle with self-expression, with promoting confidence and assurance. They are two very different characters with similar flaws: they might be heroes with noble intentions and aspirations (yes, even Bakugo), but they don’t have a brand; an image. As pro heroes, they would not inspire faith in the citizens they would be duty-bound to protect.

And so, their task of getting through to a class of delinquent, vindictive, and wayward children is an intriguing one that should really lend itself to some interesting hurdles. And getting over those hurdles could lead to some great character growth that will take them one step closer to true heroism. The problem, at least for this episode – since there’s still more to come, is that all we have right now is that premise. It is slowly and clumsily set up, with dialogue and plotting that make it unclear exactly what is happening. And when the episode’s events get properly underway, it suffers from near cringe-inducing pacing issues.

It’s an episode that isn’t particularly eventful. But that shouldn’t be an issue; My Hero Academia often excels at still making its slower and more introspective episodes pack an emotional punch and feel like they’re worth your time. This episode lacks any of that. Instead, it seems to be paranoid about its own uneventfulness, and so relies on constant dizzying cuts that shift the action from character to character for no reason and for fear of having the audience become bored. It also suffers some dreadfully lazy comedy and corner-cutting animation throughout.

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“Win Those Kids’ Hearts” is an insecure episode, despite having a really excellent concept that it just fails to execute on. The idea of learning to be a layered and complex hero who must be able to inspire trust in people is a great one. It’s reminiscent of how, in Mockingjay, winning the war proves to be as much about propaganda as it is about actual fighting and strategizing. Being a hero here is about how you tackle ordinary people as well as villains and monsters. It’s a great approach to storytelling that amounts to nothing in its execution. But there is still more to come, so here’s hoping this plot thread finds its groove.

The presence of Endeavor is a stand-out aspect to this episode, however. The theme of hero branding is heavy-handedly but effectively doubled down on in the episode’s crowning moment: a discussion between Endeavor and All Might in which Endeavor admits that, even though he is now in the number one spot and he is stopping an enormous number of crimes, the frequency of criminal acts is still rising because the “symbol of peace” is gone. It’s Endeavor coming to understand that heroism isn’t merely about actions, but also about ideas; about branding and spreading a philosophy that permeates the very culture we live in.

All Might was the number one hero not because he was the strongest but because he was an embodiment of purity, goodwill, honesty, truth, justice – all of the things which the average person respects and admires in a hero. Endeavor coming to understand that at such a late stage in his career is a powerful emotional blow that really lands, and, in many ways, it saves the episode. It reinforces the theme and makes it clear to us what the stakes are for Todoroki and Bakugo. That said, pretty much every other scene in the episode still feels awkward and lazy in its execution.

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How Is Han Alive in Fast and Furious 9?

We don’t know how he’s back, but he’s back, baby! Yes, Han Lue (alias “Han Seoul-Oh”) returned to the Fast and Furious franchise, appearing the final beats of the Fast 9 trailer that recently dropped.

Though there’s a lot to enjoy, and marvel at, with regards to the Fast and Furious franchise — like how it went from an action series about street racing to basically becoming the A-Team franchise that the A-Team movie never manifested to now being such a bonkers cinematic universe that fans easily foresee its heroes venturing into space at some point — Sung Kang’s Han has remained one of the saga’s most endearing, and enduring, characters. Which means a lot when you consider that we all watched him die back in the third film, 2006’s The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

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HAN LUE

So here’s what all went down. Tokyo Drift — after Vin Diesel had bowed out of 2 Fast 2 Furious, and both Diesel and Paul Walker nixed a third installment — took us over to Japan where we followed Lucas Black’s Sean as he made a fool of himself on the drift racing scene. Overseas, Sean met honorable thief Han (who, through humorous happenstance, might be the same “Han” Sung Kang played in Justin Lin’s 2002’s crime drama Better Luck Tomorrow). During a chase scene through the streets of Tokyo, Han wrecked his 1997 Mazda RX-7 and died in a fiery explosion.

As a way to connect Tokyo Drift more directly to the two previous films however, Universal brought Diesel in for a cameo right at the end (Diesel did this in exchange for getting the rights to do one more Riddick movie) and in that scene it was revealed that Diesel’s Dom Toretto had been good friends with Han before his death.

Then, in one of the most major instances of the Fast franchise being glorious Retcon Royalty, it was decided that the fourth, fifth, and sixth Fast and Furious films — Fast & Furious, Fast Five, and Fast & Furious 6 — would take place before Tokyo Drift. With this move, Han could be a part of Dom’s crew. This made Han, who was the most enjoyable part of Tokyo Drift (and to many, the only thing worth salvaging from that story), a full member of the franchise while also oddly placing Tokyo Drift as the movie that takes place last (until the story eventually caught up to it with Han’s death in the tag at the end of 6).

A set of character posters for the F9 cast was revealed a few days ago when the trailer was first teased, and now a new poster featuring Han has been added:

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Han then becam a full (past tense) member of Dom’s crew, where he fell in love with Gal Gadot’s Gisele, who made her first appearance in Fast & Furious (the fourth film). The two became a fan favorite pairing and in Fast & Furious 6 they were both considering leaving the criminal world behind for a shot at a peaceful life together. But when she died at the end of that film (Or did she? SHE ONLY FELL 20 FEET! JUSTICE FOR GISELE!), Han sadly and solemnly returned to Japan…where he then met Sean and wound up dead himself.

And in a huge retcon twist, the end of Fast & Furious 6 introduced Jason Statham’s Deckard Shaw (brother of the sixth installment’s villainous Owen Shaw, played by Luke Evans) and revealed that HE was the one who killed Han. Yes, Deckard was driving a car that rammed into Han’s Mazda – as revenge against Dom for capturing, and injuring, Owen.

With this move, which set up Statham’s Deckard Shaw as Furious 7’s Big Bad, the franchise’s timeline caught up to Tokyo Drift (which, again, had served as the narrative’s furthest future point for six movies) and was proceeding forward in the true “present.”

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JUSTICE FOR HAN  … AND THE REDEMPTION OF SHAW

Despite the fact that Sung Kang seemed to be just fine bowing out of the franchise at the end of Fast & Furious 6 (see below), fans had a small #JusticeforHan movement going for years. At first because it seemed like a great character had died unceremoniously in service of a much lesser character (Tokyo Drift’s Sean) and then because it was revealed he’d been done in by a villain, Deckard Shaw, that the saga quickly sought to redeem and turn into a good guy.

After Deckard was the main adversary in Furious 7, he lived to become an uneasy ally in The Fate of the Furious (F8) – and was even forgiven by Diesel’s Dom at the end of the film. That’s right. Dom, Han’s best friend in the world, was now totally cool with the dude who murdered Han. The #JusticeforHan hashtag movement was at a fever pitch. Deckard was now getting spun off into his own side franchise, with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Fast and Furious character, Luke Hobbs (who joined the series in Fast Five), and it became super important for the story to find way to basically erase all the awful things Deckard had done in the sixth and seventh movie.

In Hobbs & Shaw, they dug into Deckard’s past and basically told us that everything we’d learned about him was a lie. He hadn’t turned on his own men while part of British special ops. He’d been the one who was turned on. He was a decorated soldier who’d been framed. He wasn’t a nasty villain after all.

But guess what? This m-effer still killed Han. Hobbs and Shaw could tweak Deckard’s dossier all it wanted to, but it couldn’t change the ending of Fast & Furious 6. And nothing in F8 or Hobbs and Shaw (even Deckard’s fight scene on a plane while holding a baby) couldn’t explain why Dom would forgive Deckard.

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Justin Lin, who’s now returned to the Fast franchise after directing four films in a row, Tokyo Drift through Fast and Furious 6 (James Wan and F. Gary Grey took the reins for Furious 7 and F8), has now officially brought Han back – the character he created for Tokyo Drift (or maybe Better Luck Tomorrow) and then curated and cared for over the next three films. Talking to EW, Lin said: “When I left after Fast 6, I really thought that was it, like, there’s no more Fast stories I can tell. From then on, I would travel and just meet people and fans of the franchise, and they would tell me why they love the franchise so much and just share their stories. Then two years ago, I woke up with an idea for the new chapter.”

“Along the way,” Lin added, “I hadn’t seen the other two movies, and I was at a Q&A for Better Luck Tomorrow and someone brought up ‘Justice for Han,’ and so all these things were kind of working together.”

“Obviously, I have a very personal connection to the [Han] character,” Lin explained. “To be able to go through that journey with Han…when I left, I felt it was appropriate and I felt like we were putting the character to bed, but it’s because of some of the things that happened that didn’t quite make sense to me, and so I felt like if I was going to come back, I really wanted to explore why. I think it’s really up to us to bring him back and explore it throughout the themes that we’re all used to.”

Now that Han is alive…is Deckard Shaw finally, fully, redeemed?

HOW IS HAN ALIVE?

Han’s alive? How is this possible?

Look, we’re now at a point in the Fast franchise where Han’s return is an easy-peasy explanation. It would be one of the least crazy things this series has done. Even Michelle Rodriguez’s Letty was once killed off and brought back! All they had to do was go back and show us that she’d been pulled from the wreck we thought she’d died in.

The same could happen here, obviously. It could be as simple as showing us Han crawl out of the overturned Mazda before it blows up. Or some new character rescuing him from it. Maybe it was John Cena’s Jakob Toretto, Dom’s young brother (as revealed in the new trailer)?

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Or…and this was a theory that popped up after last summer’s spinoff, Hobbs and Shaw…what if Han is now part machine?

Yes, folks, there was a strong #CyborgHan movement after it was revealed in Hobbs and Shaw that the organization Eteon exists. Eteon — run by a mystery character who has some connection to Luke Hobbs (his dad?) — is a terrorist group specializes in “transhumanism.” It’s soldiers are enhanced and improved with cybernetic and mechanical implants. Could Han’s return tie into Eteon? Is Han back as a result of robotic design? Yes, it would mean the core Fast saga would be dabbling in the side story set-up in Hobbs and Shaw, but it could happen!

What are your theories on how Han is back and what this mean for Shaw? Let us know in the comments!

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Unlock Locke and Key’s First 10 Minutes By Watching IGN’s Premiere Fan Event

IGN is teaming up with Netflix to bring Locke & Key fans into the action for the long-anticipated show’s premiere in Los Angeles on February 5th. And even better, if you tune in, you’ll get a chance to watch the first 10 minutes of the series premiere days before it debuts on Netflix.

We’ll be streaming live from the Locke & Key premiere at the Egyptian Theater from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. PT on Thursday, February 5th. You can watch this live stream on IGN.com’s homepage, IGN’s YouTube, IGN’s Facebook and IGN’s Twitter page.

IGN’s Terri Schwartz, Joshua Yehl, and Akeem Lawanson will be interviewing the cast and creative team behind the IDW adaptation, with everyone from showrunners Carlton Cuse and Meredith Averill, to comics creators Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, to the Locke family themselves – including Darby Stanchfield, Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, and Jackson Robert Scott – stopping by.

In the spirit of Locke & Key, we have a special unlockable component to this live fan event: Throughout the stream, we’ll be dropping three clues that will help you get early access to the first 10 minutes of the Season 1 premiere. Be sure to tune in live to get more details about how to access the first 10 minutes of the series several days ahead of its Netflix release.

You can rewatch the trailer for Netflix’s Locke & Key below:

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And we want your questions too! This is not your normal red carpet live stream; since loyal comic fans have championed for Locke & Key to be brought to the screen for so many years, we want to make sure you have the chance to participate in the conversation even if you can’t physically make it to the premiere itself. In addition to the ability to watch the first 10 minutes early, here’s how you can have a chance for your question to be asked during IGN’s livestream:

  • Option 1: Leave a comment addressed to a specific actor or member of the creative team in the comments section of this article up through February 4th at 11:59 p.m. PT.
  • Option 2: Take part in our live chat on IGN.com on our homepage during the live stream. The pre-show kicks off on February 5th at 6 p.m. PT, and the live show begins at 6:30 p.m. Our producer Nick Limon will be in the chat curating the best questions for hosts Terri Schwartz and Joshua Yehl to ask live on the air.

Here’s the full list of talent we’ll be chatting with, so be sure to think up your best questions for a chance to see them presented to the cast and producers live:

  • Carlton Cuse – Showrunner/EP
  • Meredith Averill – Showrunner/EP
  • Joe Hill – EP/Locke & Key Co-Creator
  • Gabriel Rodriguez – Locke & Key Co-Creator and Illustrator
  • Connor Jessup – “Tyler Locke”
  • Emilia Jones – “Kinsey Locke”
  • Jackson Robert Scott – “Bode Locke”
  • Darby Stanchfield – “Nina Locke”
  • Bill Heck – “Rendell Locke”
  • Laysla De Oliveira – “Dodge”
  • Thomas Mitchell Barnet – “Sam”
  • Sherri Saum – “Ellie Whedon”
  • Coby Bird – “Rufus Whedon”
  • Steven Williams – “Joe Ridgeway”
  • Petrice Jones – “Scot”
  • Asha Bromfield – “Zadie”
  • Jesse Camacho – “Doug”
  • Griffin Gluck – “Gabe”
  • Hallea Jones – “Eden”
  • Genevieve Kang – “Jackie”
  • Kevin Alves – “Javi”
  • Felix Mallard – “Lucas”

An adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s comic book series of the same name, Netflix’s Locke & Key comes from creative team Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House). Set in the aftermath of the mysterious death of their family patriarch, Locke & Key picks up when the three Locke siblings and their mother move into their father’s ancestral home, Keyhouse. But the house — and its hidden secrets — are much more than they appear, as the Lockes begin to uncover when they find mysterious keys with magical powers.

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Locke & Key debuts worldwide in its entirety on Netflix on February 7th. For more on Locke & Key, check out our spoiler-free review of Season 1 and learn everything you need to know about the source material graphic novel.

Mission Impossible: Henry Czerny Returning as Kittridge for Next Two Films

The Tom Cruise Mission Impossible franchise has lost many operatives over the years, not just to death but to mysterious saga exits — like Jeremy Renner’s William Brandt, Maggie Q’s Zhen Li, and Paula Patton’s Jane Carter. Though it’s still a franchise with a lasting memory. Enough to bring back Ethan’s ex, Michelle Monaghan’s Julia, for 2018’s Fallout anyhow.

Now the series, which is the middle of shooting both its seventh and eighth installments back to back (written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie, who helmed both Rogue Nation and Fallout), is going all the way back to Brian De Palma’s 1996 film to bring back an original face from Ethan’s distant past. Check out McQuarrie’s Twitter post from today…

That’s a picture of Henry Czerny as Kittridge from the first film – the franchise’s first director of the Impossible Mission Force and the voice behind the Ethan’s “this message will self-destruct” orders. With the image is the hashtag #MI7MI8, indicating that Kittridge will be part of both films!

Kittridge served as a big obstacle for Ethan in the first movie as he believed Ethan was the mole behind the sabotage of his own team. The two of them met face to face in a restaurant and when Ethan realized he was about to be apprehended, he blew up a giant fish tank to escape.

Visual effects supervisor of the Mission Impossible films, Todd Vaziri, posted this as well…

Genre fans will have most likely seen Henry Czerny recently in 2019’s Ready or Not where he played the cultist patriarch of a tabletop gaming dynasty who attempts, with the rest of his family, to kill his son’s new bride. He was also in HBO’s 2018 miniseries Sharp Objects, starring Amy Adams.

Czerny joins the already cast additions of the MCU’s Hayley Atwell and Pom Klementieff, along with Joker’s Shea Whigham and the X-Men saga’s Nicholas Hoult.

Mission: Impossible 7 is slated for release on July 23, 2021, while Mission: Impossible 8 is set for release on August 5, 2022.

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Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Report: Platinum May Be Announcing a Kickstarter for The Wonderful 101 on Switch and PS4

The Wonderful 101 may be getting a second chance at life, thanks to rumors of an upcoming PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch port.

An initial report from GameXplain shared a video theorizing that the old Wii U title, The Wonderful 101, would be ported to current gen consoles. The theory was backed up today by Liam Robertson (via EuroGamer) of DYKGaming.

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According to Robertson, The Wonderful 101 developers, PlatinumGames, pitched the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 port to multiple publishers, but failed to find an interested party. In lieu of this, Platinum is expected to announce a Kickstarter aimed at gaining enough support to port the game to new platforms.

Adding fuel to the speculation fire, Platinum Games posted a tweet featuring Hideki Kamiya, director of The Wonderful 101 (and Bayonetta, Okami, Devil May Cry). Notice the timestamp on the computer behind Kamiya reading 1:01, and the Switch to his left.

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While none of this has been confirmed by Platinum at the time of writing, Robertson shared that fans could expect an announcement as early as Monday, February 3.

The Wonderful 101 released on the Wii U in 2013 and is an action-adventure hack and slash. In the game, players must explore different levels and recruit citizens to join their team of superheros. Further, as more superhero citizens join the fight, players can use a unique feature, known as “Unite Morphs” to turn into various objects and defeat enemies.

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PlatinumGames already has a working relationship with Nintendo, as it released Astral Chain as a Switch exclusive last year and is expected to port Bayonetta 3 to the Switch later this year.

The Wonderful 101 is one of the Wii U games that we could like to see ported to the Switch, be sure to check out some other games we are hoping for as well. In the meantime, if you need a refresher on the game, check out our review of The Wonderful 101.

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Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

Daily Deals: Animal Crossing Preorder, Pokemon Sword and Shield Discounted, Last of Us II Art Book

The weekend of deals is kicking off with two strong offers: Pokemon Sword and Shield are both discounted to $50, while Animal Crossing New Horizons has a preorder credit of $10 at Best Buy. Other great deals on home goods, kitchen products and technology can be found below, in what is sure to be another great weekend of deals.

Out 3/20: Preorder Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing Edition Today for $299.99

This is, in my opinion, the best looking Switch out there. Every part of the Switch has been themed. The Joy-Con controllers are a pastel blue and green, the back of the Switch is embossed with an Animal Crossing design, and even the dock has a full color Animal Theme decal. I already own a Switch and for the first time I’m jealous of anyone who gets a hold of this one. RIght now, it’s only available at select vendors.

Pick up Pokemon Sword or Shield for $49.99 at Amazon

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If you’re itching to catch some Pocket Monsters, now’s your chance. Either version of the latest Pokemon game is on sale at Amazon for $49 currently, a cool $10 discount off the usual price.

New Price Drop: 40% Off The Art of Last of Us Part 2 Deluxe Hard Cover Edition, Now $54.99

lastofuspart2artThis just in! Starting today the Deluxe Edition has dropped from $89.99 down to $53.99. For those of you who have already preordered, Amazon will automatically adjust the price. The Art of Last of Us Part 2 is a 200-page full color hard cover art book from Naughty Dog and Dark Horse that includes an exhaustive collection of original art and creator commentary. The Deluxe Edition includes a gallery quality lithograph, slipcase, and exclusive cover.

Out 3/20: Preorder Animal Crossing for Switch, Get $10 in Best Buy Credit

This is the only deal available right now for preordering the hottest Switch game of 2020 so far. You’ll need a MyBestBuy membership to get this free credit, but it’s free to sign up.

11% Off the Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller, Now $159.99 (Compatible with Upcoming Xbox)

xboxelitecontrollerAmazon is offering a Prime exclusive discount of about 11% off, dropping the price from $179 to $160. This is very likely the nicest first party controller you can buy. This professional-grade controller features adjustable tension thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, wraparound textured grips, interchangeable thumbsticks and paddle shapes, and includes a USB Type C cable with charging dock. It boasts up to 40 hours of battery life and can be used for both the Xbox and PC and will supposedly work with the next gen console too.

Newest Apple AirPods 2 Wireless Earphones for $129

It’s a bitter fight to the end to get Apple to drop prices on their very popular Apple Airpods. Today, the AirPods have dropped 20% off down to $129, which is the lowest price that we saw on Black Friday. These are truly wireless earphones with no cord connecting the two ear pieces. It also includes a charging case. The AirPods Pro adds in active noise cancellation and throws in a wireless charging case.

Transformers Action Figures On Sale

Several new Transformers action figures have gone on sale. None of them are over $20 s grab them all without even breaking a sweat.

Darkest Dungeon Discounted at the Nintendo eShop

darkestdungeonIf you’re like me and have been waiting a long time for a discount on Darkest Dungeon, it’s finally here. This game has been out for a while, but it’s still one of the best RPGs available for the Switch. Warning: it’s a challenging game.

King of Monitors: Open Box Dell Alienware AW3418DW 34″ 3440×1440 1900R Curved 4ms 120Hz GSYNC IPS Panel Gaming Monitor for $569

This is an open box like new item, but Buydig is also throwing in a free extended 2-year warranty. If you’re looking for the ultimate beast in gaming monitors, the Alienware AW3418DW should be a tops on your list. Specs include a 34″ 3440×1440 curved IPS panel display with super wide viewing angles and 99% sRGB coverage, 4ms response time, NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and RGB lighting. This is my primary monitor and I absolutely love it, both for work and for games.

Get Verizon Fios Gigabit Internet $79.99/mo + $100 Visa Prepaid Card + 3 Years of Free Router Rental + Free Disney Plus Subscription

This sponsored deal is brought to you by Verizon FIOS.If you’re eligible for FIOS, Verizon’s fiber optic internet service, then you have access to one of the fastest internet services available at a price that traditional cable and DSL companies simply can’t compete with. Once you’ve had a taste of fiber, there’s no turning back. This internet only deal gives you blazing fast near-gigabit 940/880Mbps internet speeds.

Refurbished 2nd Generation Nintendo Switch “V2” Model for $259 at Walmart

This is a refurbished model sold from Walmart direct (not a marketplace vendor). That means it’s probably going to look completely brand new, and worst case scenario it’s easy to return it at your local Walmart store. Gamestop and Amazon are currently selling pre-owned units for $280. This is the V2 model with about 2 hours longer battery life than the original.

Grab a Ninja Foodi 6.5 Quart Pressure Cooker for $179 at Walmart

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For a limited time you can grab this handy 6.5 quart pressure cooker, with a ton of great built-in features for only $179 at Walmart.

Sunbeam Heated Blanket for $15 at Walmart

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There isn’t much better than the comforting warmth of a nice heated blanket on a cold night. Now you too can have that feeling, thanks to this amazing discount on the giant 60″ x 50″ heated blanket at Walmart.

Get a Magic Bullet Blender for $20 at Walmart

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The Magic Bullet blender is the perfect device for someone looking for a quick and easy solution to mixing up drinks and other small menu options. At $20, it’s one of the cheapest and most reliable kitchen appliances you can grab this weekend.

24-Count MyProtein Delicious Peanut Butter Cookies with 18g of Protein Each for Only $35

Make sure to add TWO of the 12-count packs and apply the coupon code in your shopping cart. Each delicious cookie packs in a massive 18 grams of whey protein.

More Deals From Today:

  • Avatar The Last Airbender: Complete Series for $25 on Amazon
  • HP Pavilion GTX 1660 Ti Gaming Desktop for $599 at Walmart
  • Logitech G Pro Tenkeyless RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $79.99 on Amazon
  • 2×12-Count MyProtein Protein Cookies for $35 at MyProtein (use code “COOKIE25“)
  • 3×2.2lbs Whey Protein Powder for $31.98 at MyProtein (use code “VIP32“)
  • Monopoly Frozen 2 Edition Board Game for $8 on Amazon
  • Oculus Quest VR Headset for $399 on Amazon
  • Newest Generation Apple iPad 10.2″ 128GB WiFi Tablet for $329.99 on Amazon
  • Sony PS4 DualShock Controller in Black for $39.99 at Walmart
  • Sony PS4 DualShock Controller in Glacier White for $39.99 at Walmart
  • Sony PS4 DualShock Controller in Green Cambo for $39.99 at Walmart

Video Game Deals:

Alan Harris, the Actor Behind Star Wars Bounty Hunter Bossk, Has Died

Alan Harris, the actor responsible for multiple minor (but no less significant) Star Wars roles, including the lizard-headed bounty hunter Bossk in The Empire Strikes Back, has died.

SYFY Wire obtained a comment from Harris’ appearance manager, stating that the actor had been dealing with undisclosed health problems but “loved and lived every moment to the fullest.”

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Cathy Munroe, who similarly played the bounty hunter Zuckuss in Empire Strikes Back, issued a statement, saying Harris was “an incredible courageous man” whose “legacy will live on and he will always be fondly remembered.”

Harris is most widely known for playing Bossk, the Trandoshan bounty hunter who joined Boba Fett and several others (including the robotic IG-88) in the hunt for Han Solo. That was far from Harris’ only Star Wars role, though. According to the actor’s IMDB page, the man also portrayed a member of Leia’s Rebel escort, as well as a Bespin security guard who can be briefly seen helping transport a frozen Han Solo. He also played an uncredited role as a stormtrooper in Return of the Jedi. Harris also doubled for Anthony Daniels as C-3PO. All this would make him one of the few actors outside of the core cast to appear in all three of the original trilogy movies.

Bossk, the Trandoshan bounty hunter, from The Empire Strikes Back. As played by Alan Harris.
Bossk, the Trandoshan bounty hunter, from The Empire Strikes Back. As played by Alan Harris.

Harris also got to play the role of a vervoid, a plant-like humanoid alien, over the course of several Doctor Who episodes. When the Star Wars prequel trilogy finally rolled around, Harris returned to double as the actor Terence Stamp, who played Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum.

Though his acting career mainly comprised of playing an extra, Harris managed to do it in some of the biggest franchises and films in Hollywood. His IMDB page also lists minor credits for Flash Gordon, The Shining, Superman, and A Clockwork Orange.

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Harris spent much of his retirement on the convention circuit, where he proved popular among diehard Star Wars fans, sharing stories of his time on Empire Strikes Back.

Original Boba Fett actor Jeremy Bulloch shared a statement on Facebook reflecting on his friendship with Harris, according to the Boba Fett Fan Club Twitter page.

“We were so sorry to hear about Alan Harris – he was one of the nicest guys we have met – and he was so modest and so very good with all the fans – he will be greatly missed,” a statement from Jeremy and wife Maureen Bulloch read.

Harris was 81 years old.

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Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.