Author: Trafficblast

New On HBO Max March 2021: Godzilla Vs. Kong, Zack Snyder’s Justice League, South ParQ Vaccination Special, And More

This March on HBO Max, the rubber hits the road on a pair of movies you’ve likely been hearing about and following for quite a while. You probably don’t even need us to say this, but the next month brings both Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Godzilla Vs. Kong. There are, of course, other bright spots worth designating as appointment television as well–let’s get into it.

To work our way backwards through next month, on March 31, the highly anticipated monster movie Godzilla vs. Kong will hit the streaming platform. The movie is also hitting theaters, but for those who are still observing quarantine HBO Max is obviously the preferable way to catch it. We’d tell you the movie’s plot so you have an idea of what to expect, but what’s to know? It’s freakin’ King Kong and Godzilla beating on each other. This is the fourth movie in MonsterVerse, following Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (2017), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019).

What you may need a little bit of a refresher on, however, is Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which comes to HBO Max on March 18. It’s been many, many years since Snyder had to step away from his version of the film before Joss Whedon stepped in to take over–which means it’s also been many, many years of fans on the internet asking for Snyder’s version to see the light of day. Well, Snyder has made no secret of the fact that he is getting his way–a recent interview clocked his reshoots at costing at least $70 million. But what’s gotten lost in the mix a bit is what the heck this movie is about. Its official synopsis: “Determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions.”

Then, on March 11, South Park returns with a vaccination special titled South ParQ Vaccination Special–it’s another hour-long episode about recent events, and a companion piece to last year’s Pandemic Special. As with the previous special, this episode exists as a standalone bit of content that is not part of Season 24–which has yet to be announced.

You can also check out what Disney+, Hulu, and Shudder have in store next month.

New to HBO Max in March 2021

March 1:

  • 10 Years, 2012 (HBO)
  • A Mouse Tale, 2012 (HBO)
  • Adventureland, 2009 (HBO)
  • Assault On Precinct 13, 1976 (HBO)
  • Assault On Precinct 13, 2005 (HBO)
  • Bandits, 2001 (HBO)
  • Barefoot, 2014 (HBO)
  • Blade, 1998
  • The Brothers Grimm, 2005 (HBO)
  • Bowfinger, 1999 (HBO)
  • Cesar Chavez, 2014 (HBO)
  • Charlotte’s Web, 2006 (HBO)
  • CHiPs, 2017 (HBO)
  • Constantine, 2005
  • The Doors, 1991 (HBO)
  • Dr. Dolittle 2, 2001 (HBO)
  • Dream House, 2011 (HBO)
  • Driving Miss Daisy, 1989
  • Eulogy, 2004 (HBO)
  • Fierce People, 2007 (HBO)
  • Final Analysis, 1992 (HBO)
  • Final Space, Seasons 1-2
  • Finding Neverland, 2004 (HBO)
  • Gloria, 2014 (HBO)
  • Going In Style, 2017 (HBO)
  • Gone, 2012 (HBO)
  • Hard, Season 2 Premiere (HBO)
  • Hellbenders, 2013 (HBO)
  • Henry Poole Is Here, 2008 (HBO)
  • House Arrest, 2012 (HBO)
  • Immigration Tango, 2011 (HBO)
  • Jungle Master, 2014 (HBO)
  • Just Before I Go, 2015 (HBO)
  • The King’s Speech, 2010
  • Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man, 2006 (HBO)
  • Live By Night, 2016 (HBO)
  • The Lost Boys, 1987
  • Machine Gun Preacher, 2011 (HBO)
  • Malice, 1993 (HBO)
  • Man On A Ledge, 2012 (HBO)
  • Miss Sharon Jones!, 2015
  • No Se Aceptan Devoluciones (AKA Instructions Not Included), 2013 (HBO)
  • Ocean’s Eleven, 2001
  • Ocean’s Thirteen, 2007
  • Ocean’s Twelve, 2004
  • One More Time, 2016 (HBO)
  • Our Brand Is Crisis, 2015 (HBO)
  • Parental Guidance, 2012 (HBO)
  • Pitch Perfect, 2012 (HBO)
  • Princess Kaiulani, 2010 (HBO)
  • The Quiet Ones, 2014 (HBO)
  • The Raven, 2012 (HBO)
  • Red Dragon, 2002 (HBO)
  • Repentance, 2014 (HBO)
  • The River Wild, 1994 (HBO)
  • School Dance, 2014 (HBO)
  • Secretary, 2002
  • Shadows, 2021 (HBO)
  • Stand Up Guys, 2013 (HBO)
  • Super Capers, 2009 (HBO)
  • Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, 2005
  • The Undocumented Lawyer, 2021 (HBO)
  • Unforgettable, 2017 (HBO)
  • The Voices, 2015 (HBO)
  • Veronica Mars, 2014
  • Wedding Crashers, 2005
  • Wiener Dog Internationals, 2017 (HBO)

March 3

  • Hunter x Hunter, (Dubbed, episodes 100-148) (Crunchyroll Collection)

March 4

  • Persona: The Dark Truth Behind Personality Tests, Max Original Documentary Premiere

March 5

  • No Matarás (Aka Cross The Line), 2021 (HBO)
  • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 (Dubbed, episodes 14-25) (Crunchyroll Collection)

March 6

  • 12 oz. Mouse, Season 3
  • Lost Resort
  • Rocky, 1975 (HBO)
  • Rocky Balboa, 2006 (HBO)
  • Rocky II, 1979 (HBO)
  • Rocky III, 1982 (HBO)
  • Rocky IV, 1985 (HBO)
  • Rocky V, 1990 (HBO)

March 8

  • The Investigation, Limited Series Finale

March 9

  • Ballmastrz: 9009, Season 2
  • COVID Diaries NYC, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

March 10

  • YOLO: Crystal Fantasy

March 11

  • Genera+ion S1A, Max Original Premiere
  • South ParQ Vaccination Special
  • Tig n’ Seek, Season 1B Premiere

March 12

  • Isabel
  • Nuestras Madres (Aka Our Mothers), 2021 (HBO)
  • Tigtone, Season 2

March 13

  • Speed, 1994 (HBO)
  • Three Busy Debras

March 14

  • Allen v. Farrow, Documentary Series Finale
  • Messy Goes to Okido

March 15

  • Infomercials

March 16

  • Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma, Season 5 (Dubbed) (Crunchyroll Collection)

March 17

  • Superman: The Animated Series

March 18

  • Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Max Original Film Premiere

March 19

  • A Tiny Audience, Season 2 Premiere (HBO)

March 20

  • Beverly Hills Cop, 1984 (HBO)
  • Beverly Hills Cop II, 1987 (HBO)
  • Beverly Hills Cop III, 1994 (HBO)

March 22

  • Beartown, Limited Series Finale

March 23

  • Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel, (HBO)

March 26

  • Hotel Coppelia, 2021 (HBO)

March 27

  • Tina, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

March 30:

  • The Last Cruise, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

March 31

  • Godzilla vs. Kong, Warner Bros. Film Premiere, 2021

Spider-Man 3: Tom Holland Responds To Rumors About Tobey Maguire And Andrew Garfield Cameos

Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has responded once more to the rumors that the previous Spider-Man actors–Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire–will have cameos in the next film.

Holland told Jimmy Fallon that he’s read the Spider-Man 3 script from start to finish and it doesn’t mention them. That being said, he said Garfield and Maguire are not involved “at the moment,” which suggests this could change in the future.

“It would be amazing if they were because they haven’t told me that yet. And I am Spider-Man,” he said. “I’ve read the script from beginning to end. So it would have been a miracle if they could have kept that from me. At the moment, there is no cameo from the two boys.”

His comment about “at the moment” is intriguing given that Holland said in another interview that the script for Spider-Man 3 is in flux.

It’s rumored that Spider-Man 3 will involve some kind of multiverse, which is part of the reason why the speculation about Garfield and Maguire endures. And for what it’s worth, it’s been reported that Alfred Molina’s Doc Octopus and Jamie Foxx’s Electro, who exist in different Spider-Man universes, will appear in Spider-Man 3.

Earlier in February, Holland said Maguire and Garfield will not appear in Spider-Man 3, though he also couched his comment with the fact that this is the plan right now, and that things could change.

In other news, Holland and other actors from Spider-Man 3 recently teased fake titles for the next Spider-Man movie, including “Phone Home,” “Home Slice,” and “Homewrecker.” The film–which officially has no name–is slated to hit theaters in December 2021.

How WandaVision Sets Up Captain Marvel 2

Marvel’s WandaVision may be all about the titular couple, but Marvel fans know new MCU character Captain Monica Rambeau is destined for the spotlight one day soon.

Monica is set to appear in Captain Marvel 2 and will co-star alongside Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers and the soon-to-be-introduced Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan played by Iman Vellani. Monica has a long history in the comics as a powerful and important superhero, and what we’re seeing in WandaVision is just the beginning of her MCU journey. IGN spoke with actress Teyonah Parris about how her role in WandaVision creates a new superhero and sets the stage for her next MCU appearance in Captain Marvel 2.

Warning: full spoilers for WandaVision ahead!

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=wandavision-cast-and-characters&captions=true”]

Setting Up Captain Marvel 2

While there are many, many fan theories about WandaVision, there’s one particular scene in Episode 5 featuring Monica that left fans buzzing with speculation. As Monica talks with Randall Park’s Agent Jimmy Woo and Kat Dennings’ Dr. Darcy Lewis about Wanda’s growing powers, a passing mention of Captain Marvel triggers an unexpectedly troubled look on her face.

You’ll remember the child version of Monica from the Captain Marvel movie set in the ‘90s looked up to Carol Danvers because she was a superhero who was best friends with her mother in the Air Force and affectionately referred to her as Lt. Trouble. But it seems something changed in their relationship over the years. Monica gets lost in thought at the mere mention of Carol, and that moment is a hint at what’s to come, according to Parris.

“I think that we know Monica will be in Captain Marvel 2 with Carol Danvers and Kamala Khan. So I think there’s space there for us to further investigate what’s happening with those two,” she said.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/21/wandavision-episode-7-the-real-villain-finally-revealed-mcu-canon-fodder”]

The going fan theory on why Monica might not be so happy with Carol has all to do with Monica’s mother, Maria Rambeau. As Episode 4 of WandaVision showed in horrifying fashion, Monica was snapped away by Thanos and returned in The Blip, only to learn that in the intervening five years her mother passed away from cancer. It could be Maria only got cancer in the first place because Carol exposed her to dangerous radiation with her powers. Maybe Carol encouraged Maria to go on more space missions and that’s how she got exposed to too much cosmic radiation. Or perhaps Monica is upset with Carol for not being there for her sick mother while she was Snapped out of existence. Either way, the thinking is Monica blames Carol for her mother’s death.

As you can see, there are are plenty of reasons for Monica to have beef with Carol, and now we know Captain Marvel 2 will address that drama. While Parris’ tease of Monica’s future is small, it does paint a big picture about the dynamic between the leading ladies of Captain Marvel 2. Young Ms. Marvel idolizes Captain Marvel, whereas Monica will be critical of her. This could allow the upcoming sequel to deliver a character study of Captain Marvel, dissecting the hero’s triumphs and flaws to better define where she stands in the pantheon of the MCU, while also establishing what makes the other two Marvel-ous ladies unique.

Watching Monica Evolve Into a Superhero

Before Monica confronts Carol in Captain Marvel 2, she has to help Wanda put an end to the Maximoff Anomaly in WandaVision. Though we witnessed Monica gain new super powers in Episode 7 thanks to a third trip through the Hex, her best tool to help Wanda may be something else entirely. Having just suffered a tragic loss herself, Monica is able to empathize with Wanda and understand what she’s going through after the loss of Vision.

“I think when she sees Wanda and realizes what’s happening, I do think that this parallel experience of grief is what is drawing her to be more compassionate with Wanda,” Parris said of her character.

Acting Director Hayward and pretty much everyone at SWORD considers Wanda a threat that needs to be neutralized, so it speaks volumes about Monica that she’s choosing to address the situation with compassion instead.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=wandavision-all-the-marvel-and-tv-easter-eggs-in-every-episode&captions=true”]

That’s not to say that Monica’s powers won’t come in handy. In the comics, her ability to manipulate all kinds of energy on the electromagnetic spectrum gives her the power to fly and blast villains into next week. She’s considered one of the more powerful Marvel superheroes, and she’s been the leader of the Avengers to boot.

But before any of that materializes on screen in the MCU, Parris emphasized how it was her goal to first introduce audiences to who Monica Rambeau is as a person.

“What I wanted to do was go to the source material to find out who this woman was,” she said. “And for me, Monica is ambitious, she’s compassionate, she’s a leader, and she’s also pretty funny in the comics.”

With so much lore behind the Monica Rambeau character in the comics, there’s certainly plenty of material for her to chart a course into the future of the MCU, but right now Parris is focused on enjoying the moment.

“I’m excited for her future,” she said. “I don’t know what will happen, but even just in this moment, I’m grateful and excited and can’t wait for you guys to see what else we have in store because it’s not over yet.”

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Want more on WandaVision? Check out why they decided to revisit the Blip, a theory that finds one simple answer for every mystery in the show, and a breakdown on the big, red villain fans think is really pulling the strings.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Joshua is a Senior Editor and Producer of Features at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Star Wars are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

Martial Arts Expert Reacts To Yakuza Kiwami’s Fight Scenes

Yakuza Kiwami’s fights are bombastic displays of flashy martial arts, so what does an actual martial artist think of them? Emon closely examines the bone breaking fight between Kazuma Kiryu and Akira Nishikiyama, and explains whether the moves are legal in professional fighting such as UFC, Kickboxing, and MMA.

Emon also details the practicality of moves like leg locks, palm heel strikes, and the real-life traumatizing nature of breaking someone else’s limbs in a fight.

Interested in seeing Emon breakdown another game? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

Star Wars: Republic Commando Launches For PS4, Nintendo Switch This April

Star Wars: Republic Commando, the hit first-person tactical shooter, is coming to PS4 and Nintendo Switch on April 6 with developer Aspyr handling the port.

The shooter will feature reworked controller support, which Aspyr says will help make the over 15-year-old game feel more akin to what players expect from a first-person shooter today. The PlayStation Blog post doesn’t mention any other enhancements to the game’s visuals and sound, so it’s unclear if any other remaster work is being done. The new version will cost $15 on both platforms.

Aspyr does mention in the post that the game will launch with full Trophy support, including a platinum Trophy for those looking to add to their collection. This will also be the first time the game is playable not only on PS4, but also PS5 with backwards compatibility. Republic Commando is playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series S|X already through backwards compatibility, too.

Star Wars: Republic Commando puts you in control of a deadly squad of four clone troopers during the Clone Wars between Episode II and III. You’re able to issue commands to your squad to perform tactical actions such as taking cover and providing covering fire, as well as breaching through secured doors and searching areas for enemies.

The game was well received when it launched in 2005, with GameSpot’s Republic Commando review reading, “The campaign offers nonstop action from start to finish, making the game easily one of the most enjoyable and memorable Star Wars experiences in recent memory.”

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

Pixar’s Sea Monster Fantasy Luca Gets First Poster, Trailer Arrives Tomorrow

The first poster for Pixar’s new movie Luca has been released. The film hits theaters on June 18, and the first trailer will be released tomorrow, February 25.

The Luca poster shows the movie’s titular main character, a boy who lives in a small Italian seaside town, floating in a beautiful blue sea and looking up at the sky. But if you look below the surface, you’ll notice something strange about him. Check it out below:

The film focuses on the friendship between Luca and another boy named Alberto during one summer on the Italian Riviera. But the two boys share a secret–they are both sea monsters from an aquatic world deep in the ocean. Luca is directed by Enrico Casarosa, who previously worked in the art department on the Pixar movies Coco, Up, and Ratatouille. No cast has been announced for the movie yet, but hopefully we’ll find out more when the trailer arrives this week.

In a statement released by Pixar when the movie was first announced last year, Casarosa spoke about his personal connection to the film. “This is a deeply personal story for me, not only because it’s set on the Italian Riviera where I grew up, but because at the core of this film is a celebration of friendship,” he said. “Childhood friendships often set the course of who we want to become and it is those bonds that are at the heart of our story in Luca. So in addition to the beauty and charm of the Italian seaside, our film will feature an unforgettable summer adventure that will fundamentally change Luca.”

In related news, Disney’s animated fantasy Raya and the Last Dragon will be released next month. The film will be a simultaneous release with theaters and Disney+ Premium Access, and it arrives on March 5.

Pirates Of The Caribbean Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Joins Game Company Skillz’s Board Of Directors

Veteran movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer, known for producing the Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure films, has joined the board of directors for another game studio.

Bruckheimer is now a board member at Skillz, a mobile games platform company that recently announced a game jam with the NFL to create more arcade-style football games.

In a statement, Skillz pointed out that this is Bruckheimer’s first board of directors position for a publicly traded company; Skillz went public back in December.

It’s not Bruckheimer’s first board member position for a game company, however, as Bruckheimer is also a member of the ZeniMax board of directors. Bethesda marketing boss Pete Hines confirmed to GameSpot on Wednesday that Bruckheimer remains on ZeniMax’s board.

“Skillz puts the excitement and competitive drama of esports into the hands of billions of people around the world,” Bruckheimer said. “And I’m excited to join the company defining the future of interactive entertainment.”

Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise said in a statement that he’s excited for Bruckheimer to join the Skillz board to help the company “reach and engage his biggest audience yet.”

Bruckheimer opened his own game company, Bruckheimer Games, in 2007. The studio’s directive was to come up with game ideas and then have other people develop them. Bruckheimer Games closed in 2013 after releasing no games.

According to Skillz, mobile gaming is poised for lots of growth in the future, projected to reach $150 billion in revenue by 2025. In related news, Activision Blizzard has said mobile is the company’s biggest platform by revenue, which is why it’s bringing more games to mobile.

Electronic Arts also sees a lot of growth potential for mobile, a category that is already bigger and more important than console and PC.

Star Wars Republic Commando Coming To Nintendo Switch and PS4

Port pioneers Aspyr will bring Star Wars Republic Commando to Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on April 6.

The 2005 tactical shooter game is heading to modern consoles, allowing a new generation to experience another side of the Clone Wars. The game follows an elite squadron of genetically modified clone troopers who embark on specialized missions during the conflict – and asks players to control the squad alongside traditional first-person shooting.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/24/star-wars-republic-commando-official-announcement-trailer-ps4-nintendo-switch”]

Aspyr’s press release mentions that the game will feature modernized controls and will be “a single-player experience,” so don’t expect the PVP multiplayer modes from the original game to feature. It will be released for $14.99 (UK and AU prices unavilable at time of writing).

The game originally launched on the Xbox and Microsoft Windows, so this will mark the first time the game has been playable on a PlayStation or Nintendo console. The game is already available on the Xbox platform via backwards compatibility, and PC via Steam.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=star-wars-republic-commando-ps4-screenshots&captions=true”]

We reviewed Star Wars: Republic Commando upon its original release, scoring it an 8.2 and calling it a “good, fun ride.” In other Star Wars game news, check out our article covering every IGN Star Wars game review.

It was recently revealed that Ubisoft is working on a story-driven open-world Star Wars game using The Division’s engine. This comes as Star Wars games have been brought under the Lucasfilm Games banner, which also includes Bethesda’s upcoming Indiana Jones title.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Valheim Player Makes Sauron’s Tower And It Is Huge

While most Valheim players are still likely valuing form over function while building their bases, the early access survival-crafting game has been out long enough that some truly impressive creations have started to spring up. One of the most imposing of the lot has to be this replica of Sauron’s tower or Barad-dûr, built by modders Rynborg and Thangel, as picked up by PCGamesn.

The tower has been uploaded to Nexus Mods, meaning players can easily place the same construction in their own world by downloading the files, along with the AdvancedBuilding and Forever Build mods.

An accompanying YouTube video gives a tour of the Valheim version of Barad-dûr, which includes not just the tower, but its accompanying fortress as well. The construction is crowned by a version of the Eye of Sauron cobbled together from torches and bonfires.

Other fan builds in Valheim so far include a replica of Skyrim’s High Hrothgar and, looking decidedly more out of place in the viking-inspired world, a Millenium Falcon base. Barad-dûr is the first replica project to be uploaded to Nexus Mods for public use, though other pre-made buildings for modders are available including historically-inspired structures such as viking meadhalls and longhouses.

If you’re still struggling to build even a basic dwelling, check out our beginners guide to Valheim.

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

GameStop CFO Jim Bell Has Resigned

Jim Bell, who served as the chief financial officer and executive vice president at GameStop has resigned from both roles and will depart on March 26, Gamasutra reports. No reason has been given for his departure.

GameStop announced Bell’s departure in a press release, noting that he had seen the company through the trying times of the COVID-19 pandemic. During much of his time at the company, GameStop was carrying out an ongoing transformation plan as it struggled to compete with the dominance of software game sales and online retailers like Amazon.

While the company saw a boost from the release of a new generation of consoles, the increasing focus on diskless consoles bodes poorly for the future of traditional games retailers. The company has now closed hundreds of stores and more dramatic changes are seemingly in store, with ecommerce-favoring investor Ryan Cohen now on the board of directors.

The outgoing CFO also oversaw the company’s finances during a Reddit-led stock market upheaval that saw GameStop’s stock price rocket to over $400 and then settle back to $50 over the course of one tumultuous week. The company itself was unable to capitalize on the sudden rally due to regulatory concerns.

The press release states that senior vice president and chief accounting officer Diana Jajeh will step up as interim CFO if a permanent hire hasn’t been made by the time of Bell’s departure on March 26.

Now Playing: What The Heck Is Going On With GameStop