Month: February 2020

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Reboot in Development

Ryan and Andy Tohill, the directors of the 2018 thriller The Dig, have been hired for a reboot of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise.

The Tohills will direct the film from a script by Fede Alvarez and Rodolfo Sayagues, the writers of the 2013 Evil Dead reboot and Don’t Breathe. Alvarez expressed his enthusiasm for the Tohills in a statement to Variety.

“The Tohill’s vision is exactly what the fans want,” Alvarez said. “It’s violent, exciting and so depraved that it will stay with you forever.”

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Variety reports that Legendary Pictures acquired the rights to the Texas Chainsaw franchise around autumn 2019. Alvarez and Sayagues were signing a deal to produce movies for Legendary through their own production company at that time, and the Texas Chainsaw reboot was announced as one of their projects. Chris Thomas Devlin was said to be writing the script, according to Deadline.

It was first reported by Bloody Disgusting in August 2018 that Legendary Pictures was vying for the rights to the franchise. That report said that Legendary wanted to develop a TV series and reboot the film franchise.

The Tohills may have only directed one movie before, but Ryan Tohill has a recent history in Hollywood. Ryan Tohill’s IMDb credits him on various TV and movie prop teams including Game of Thrones, Krypton and Philomena.

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The last Texas Chainsaw movie was 2017’s Leatherface, which acted as a prequel to the original 1974 film. It was released on DirecTV a month before a limited theatrical release that grossed less than $1 million worldwide, according to The Numbers. In our review of Leatherface, we said it was “the worst Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie ever.”

This reboot will be the ninth Texas Chainsaw movie to be released in theaters. We think the franchise would work great as a video game. And if these reboots aren’t satisfying you, then visit the gas station from the first Texas Chainsaw movie for some delicious BBQ.

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Petey Oneto is a freelance writer for IGN who thought Philomena was awesome. PHILOMANIA!

Birds Of Prey: All The Comic Book References You Missed

Harley Quinn's big adventure is packed full of hidden comic book easter eggs and references. Did you catch them all?

Harley Quinn’s big adventure is packed full of hidden comic book easter eggs and references. Did you catch them all?

The wait is over. Harley Quinn’s brand new movie, Birds of Prey is now in theaters after a long and winding road through production–and it turns out, good things really do come to those who wait. Birds of Prey might actually be the best modern DC movie yet, bringing home an eccentric, addictively high-energy street-level Gotham City story populated by characters we absolutely loved.

But, of course, as with any comic book movie, it also came jam-packed with plenty of shout-outs, references, and Easter Eggs to the books it’s based on. It even managed to weave in some DCEU shout-outs in there as well, for the fans looking for a bit more shared universe continuity mixed in with all the chaos. Want to see exactly how this movie ties into Suicide Squad? We’ve got you covered. Curious as to how The Joker figures in? We’ve got you there as well. But before you dig deeper into the meat and potatoes, check out these 20 references peppered in through the movie and see which you were able to catch.

Ubisoft Confirms Five AAA Games Planned for Release in Late 2020, Early 2021

Ubisoft will release five new AAA games in 2020-2021, with three of them getting released by the end of this year and two being released in early 2021. And none of them will be Beyond Good and Evil 2.

“We have evolved our organizational structure in recent months in order to strengthen our focus on high-potential titles, and we are very excited about the idea of releasing five new AAA games in 2020-21,” said Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot during the Q3 FY2020 investor call.

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During the Q&A portion, Guillemot followed up on that statement by confirming, at the least, that Beyond Good and Evil 2 is not one of the five planned AAA games set to be released this year.

Ubisoft previously announced, then delayed a slate of AAA games including Watch Dogs Legion, Rainbow Six: Quarantine, Gods and Monsters, and there have been reports that Ubisoft is working on a new Assassin’s Creed game supposedly based on Vikings.

That’s four games that could fit neatly into Ubisoft’s AAA plans for the year. And there are also projects like Skull and Bones that have been delayed indefinitely which could complete the release calendar.

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As for when players will see any combination of these games, Guillemot revealed that three of the five games will be released in Q3 FY2021, or the period between October to December 2020, and the other two games releasing between January and March 2021.

For more check out IGN’s demo impressions of Watch Dogs Legions from E3 and Gamescom.

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Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Locke And Key Comic Box Set Steeply Discounted At Amazon

If you open Netflix this weekend, you’ll probably come across a new show called Locke and Key. Season 1 of the fantasy-horror series went live today, with all 10 episodes available to binge. Comic book readers will likely instantly recognize the series, as it’s adapted from one of the very best comics of the 21st century. The show diverges from Joe Hill’s original comics, removing some of the more frightening elements in favor of lighthearted fantasy. With that said, it’s definitely worth checking out the comics whether you enjoy the show or not. Amazon has the Locke and Key Slipcase Set on sale for $65.62, roughly $35 off its list price.

The Slipcase Set contains the six main Locke and Key stories
The Slipcase Set contains the six main Locke and Key stories

The Locke and Key Slipcase Set compiles the six main volumes in the comic series (984 pages in all):

  • Welcome to Lovecraft
  • Head Games
  • Crown of Shadows
  • Keys to the Kingdom
  • Clockworks
  • Alpha and Omega

After Rendell Locke is brutally murdered, newly widowed Nina and her three kids–Tyler, Kinsey, and Bode–move to Rendell’s childhood home in Lovecraft, Massachusetts known as Keyhouse Manor. They soon learn that Keyhouse is much more than a home; it’s filled with doors to other dimensions and an ominous being that’s seeking the key that Rendell died protecting. Locke and Key’s gripping story is told in non-chronological order, jumping from the present to the past throughout.

The comics are genuinely frightening, which isn’t surprising considering that Hill is responsible for some of the best modern horror fiction, including Heart-Shaped Box and NOS4A2.

The Slipcase Set contains most of the Locke and Key comics, but not all. A seventh volume, Heaven and Earth, released in 2017 and features three new one-shot stories and other one-shots from “The Golden Age” arc that take place in the past. Last year, Joe Hill revealed a new six-issue arc in the series called World War Key, and earlier this week he announced a new one-shot called Pale Battalions.

For those who have already read the comics, make sure to check out our breakdown detailing the biggest changes in the show. After you watch Episode 1, see how many of these Easter Eggs you noticed.

Now Playing: What Is Locke & Key? | Comics Behind The Netflix Show Explained

Crash Bandicoot Mobile Game Allegedly Leaks

King, the Activision-owned developer responsible for such mobile titles as Candy Crush, appears to be gearing up to release a Crash Bandicoot endless runner.

As reported by Eurogamer, @JumpButtonCB and @Motwera on Twitter uncovered a listing, that has since been removed, for this Crash Bandicoot mobile title that will allow players to “Run, Jump and Slide” and “Build & Grow Your Base.”

The artwork allegedly leaked from Brazilian Facebook ads and shows a game that is very similar to 2011’s mobile hit Temple Run, albeit with Crash’s iconic bop crates and wumpa fruit.

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Kotaku grabbed a screenshot of this new game’s description, before it was removed, from an app store testing company called Storemaven, and it states players will team up with Coco and Aku Aku to defeat Dr. Cortex.

The game’s story description is as follows; “Dr. Neo Cortex dispatched mutagen henchmen across the multiverse to enslave all dimensions. With the help of his spirited sister Coco, Crash must strike and base Cortex’s minions back to their own worlds!”

IGN reached out to King, and a representative gave us the following comment; “At King, we’re always trying and testing new game concepts for mobile platforms. Since becoming part of the Activision Blizzard family, we’ve been looking at ways to work together to create even more great gaming experiences for our network of players. Currently, we are exploring opportunities to bring Activision IP to the mobile platform.”

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This would be the third recent Crash Bandicoot game following 2017’s N. Sane Trilogy and 2019’s Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled. Crash Team Racing also won our Best Racing Game of 2019.

Activision has found success with these remasters, which also included the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and plans to release “several” more in 2020.

Alongside those, Call of Duty: Mobile had the largest mobile game launch in history, so it makes sense to see Activision continue trying to tap into the mobile market with its most popular franchises.

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Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can’t wait and is so excited he just can’t hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Birds Of Prey Has Mild Box Office Opening

Birds of Prey, DC’s first coming book movie of the year, did not have a great opening night. And it looks like it’s not going to do well at the box office over its opening weekend either.

According to Deadline, the Thursday night preview made $4 million. Birds of Prey is projected to see $12.6 million for Friday and $33 million for the entire weekend. That’s not a great start for the movie.

Comparatively, last year’s Shazam made $5.9 million on preview night, and ended up grossing $365 million worldwide. And while it did release in April–when people are more likely to go to the theaters–the film was rated PG-13, which has a much broader audience than Birds of Prey’s R rating. October’s Oscar-nominated Joker–which was also rated R–made $96 million on its opening weekend, and had a total global gross of over $1 billion.

Over on GameSpot’s sister site Metacritic, Birds of Prey has a score of 60 out of 55 reviews, 33 of which are positive, 20 mixed, and two negative. While, critically, the film is doing alright, the hype and excitement for the movie just doesn’t seem to be there for the mainstream audience.

In GameSpot’s review of Birds of Prey, Meg Downey said, “It’s the sort of kinetic, high energy romp that comes with built-in replay value, and proves exactly why Harley Quinn has become such an endearing, beloved character in the pop-culture pantheon. If this is the direction the DCEU is headed, the future’s looking bright.”

For more on Birds of Prey, find out more about the ending of the movie, whether or not Joker is in the movie, and the connection to Harley’s first appearance in Suicide Squad.

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The Next Chapter of Marvel’s Epic X-Men Relaunch Starts Here

The next major phase in Marvel Comics’ X-Men relaunch is on the horizon, and it all starts on Free Comic Book Day 2020.

Marvel just revealed two new titles being offered for this year’s FCBD event – Free Comic Book Day 2020: X-Men #1 and Free Comic Book Day 2020: Spider-Man/Venom #1. Both books will offer a taste of things to come this summer as Marvel prepares for major storylines involving the X-Men and Spider-Man families.

Free Comic Book Day 2020: X-Men #1 cover by Pepe Larraz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)
Free Comic Book Day 2020: X-Men #1 cover by Pepe Larraz. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)

FCBD 2020: X-Men #1 features a lead story reuniting House of X writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Pepe Larraz. Marvel’s press release teases this story “will lead into a game-changing summer for all of X.” House of X and sister series Powers of X recently introduced sweeping changes for the X-Men franchise, paving the way for a line-wide relaunch dubbed “Dawn of X.” The various new X-Men books have been exploring this new status quo and the challenges facing Professor Xavier’s new mutant nation of Krakoa.

This FCBD issue looks to be the start of the next major phase of Hickman’s multi-year plan for the franchise. We don’t yet know what that involves, but it could mean a brand new wave of X-Men comics all building out of a major instigating event. War between humanity and mutantkind, perhaps? Will the futuristic Sentinel Nimrod be born in Moira MacTaggert’s tenth life cycle? Will Mister Sinister betray the mutants of Krakoa once more? Anything is possible in this new X-Men era.

For now, all we know is the cover teases a story featuring veteran X-Men Magik, Storm, Rogue, Nightcrawler and Wolverine. Marvel also revealed this issue will feature a second story from writer Tom Taylor (DCeased) and artist Iban Coello (Venom) that acts as a prelude to another upcoming X-book.

Free Comic Book Day 2020: Spider-Man/Venom #1 cover by Ryan Stegman. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)
Free Comic Book Day 2020: Spider-Man/Venom #1 cover by Ryan Stegman. (Image Credit: Marvel Comics)

As for FCBD 2020: Spider-Man/Venom #1, Marvel promises two new stories designed to weave together plot threads from the monthly Amazing Spider-Man, Venom and Black Cat books. Last year’s FCBD 2019: Spider-Man #1 acted as a prologue for the Absolute Carnage crossover, and we wouldn’t be surprised if this issue sets the stage for a followup, as the symbiote god Knull makes his way closer to Earth.

Absolute Carnage writer Donny Cates and artist Ryan Stegman will handle the first story, with Black Cat writer Jed MacKay and Amazing Spider-Man artist Patrick Gleason handling the second story.

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DC also revealed its ambitious plans for FCBD 2020. DC will release Generation Zero, which features the Wally West Flash becoming the new Doctor Manhattan. These books, along with numerous other FCBD releases from a variety of publishers, will be made available on Saturday, May 2.

This isn’t the only new X-book in the works at Marvel. Juggernaut will soon return to the spotlight with a new miniseries and a new costume. For more on 2020’s biggest comic book releases, check out our most anticipated comics of the new year.

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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.

ROH World Champion PCO Knows How To Bring Honor Back To Wrestling

Although he’s now in his 50s, Ring of Honor‘s PCO is at the top of his game right now, even though he’s had a very long career in professional wrestling. And now that he’s the World Champion, the legendary wrestler wants to elevate the sport again, and he has a few ideas of how to do it.

Between WWE, AEW, ROH, TNA, and non-televised promotions, there is a lot of choice within wrestling right now. Many have called this era an independent renaissance. However, there are those that feel the sport has lost its touch with the fans. PCO has been involved in professional wrestling since the late ’80s, but his career really kicked off in 1994 when he joined WWE as one part of the tag team The Quebecers. Considering he’s been involved in the sport for three decades, he’s seen a recent decline in audience appeal in wrestling.

Photo credit: Ring of Honor
Photo credit: Ring of Honor

“We need not to lose track of the fact that we’ve got [to] create an attachment with the spectator, with the staff, and what’s going on in the ring,” PCO told GameSpot. “You need to have more exposure, and you need to create that bound with the crowd. They’ve got to view you, attach to the character and to the wrestler. You want the audience [to] get involved with the character, to get involved emotionally in what we’re doing. I think the evolution [of wrestling] is great, but we have to keep the fans getting evolved emotionally.”

“That’s the thing that’s maybe missing that now. Because, wrestling is popular and then there’s more wrestling companies that pay good money to the wrestlers. It feels like the business is very, very healthy right now. It’s in a good state. We need to create something that’s very crazy. A crazy atmosphere, where they cut the electricity or the lights, where you come in and be apart of something that gives you goosebumps from the beginning until the end, and that you’re in something very special. I think we felt that in the industry with [Hulk] Hogan, with Steve Austin, with The Rock, with the NWO. I think we need to recreate an atmosphere like that. That’s my goal.”

PCO has put his words into action already. During the NJPW/ROH crossover event, G1 Supercard, in Spring 2019, PCO had an extremely elaborate entrance featuring an electric chair. Additionally, his Frankenstein character is one of the most interesting currently in the promotion. As far as ROH goes, he’s on the right track to bringing back something special to wrestling.

At the upcoming ROH event Free Enterprise, on February 9, PCO will join his fellow Villain Enterprises member Marty Scurll to take on Rush and NWA World Champion Nick Aldis in the PPV’s main event. The PPV is free to stream for HonorClub members.