Author: Trafficblast

HBO Max Adds Adds Disclaimer For Blazing Saddles With “Proper Social Context”

HBO Max has added a disclaimer that will automatically play before any viewing of the 1974 classic comedy film Blazing Saddles. The satirical Western is typical of madcap comedian and film director Mel Brooks, in that Blazing Saddles swings wildly, broadly, and has been long understood by critics to not shy away from potentially offensive content in pursuit of making a laugh and also a point.

Similar to the additions HBO Max made to Gone With the Wind earlier this summer, the new three-minute disclaimer preceding Blazing Saddles features Turner Classic Movies host Jacqueline Stewart “ensur[ing] the film was put into the proper social context,” according to a comment provided to The Hollywood Reporter.

Blazing Saddles’ racist language and bigotry is put into stronger context for viewers. Stewart, in the new intro, explains: “As the storyline implies, the issue of race is front and center in Blazing Saddles. And racist language and attitudes pervade the film. But those attitudes are espoused by characters who are portrayed here as explicitly small-minded, ignorant bigots. The real, and much more enlightened perspective, is provided by the main characters played by Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder.”

The introduction also provides further insights into behind-the-scenes information about the film, including how Richard Pryor was considered for the role of the sheriff, but distributor Warner Bros. felt the comedian’s controversial stand-up and history with drugs made him unsuitable for casting.

This is the latest in a number of moves this summer by TV networks and streaming services to course-correct for previous releases featuring racist elements or portrayals. The Office, Community, Scrubs, 30 Rock, and many others are just a handful of recent examples of shows setting a new trend in entertainment.

Now Playing: 8 Best Shows And Movies To Stream For August 2020 – Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video

Mission Impossible 7 Production Gets Hot, In The Worst Way

Mission Impossible 7 is back in production, after coming to a halt in February during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, production recently had a major issue as a motorcycle burst into flames, and it wasn’t intended.

An action sequence that took six weeks to prepare and is one of the priciest stunts ever filmed in the UK–coming in at £2 million ($2.6 million USD)–had a major setback as a motorcycle caught fire, according to The Sun.

“This has been a massive challenge to stage and has cost a fortune, not to mention weeks and weeks of construction,” an unnamed source told the newspaper. “But when it came to the big day, it went horribly wrong.”

A stuntman riding a motorcycle was supposed to ride up a ramp, leap off the bike, and land in a safe, cushioned area, while the bike crashed into the ground closeby. However, that’s not what happened.

According to The Sun’s source, the tires on the bike were extremely hot from the ride, and when the bike crashed into the landing zone, the cardboard it was made of caught on fire In turn, the bike caught fire as well, and the smoke was so bad that a nearby airfield had to close. Luckily, no one was hurt.

The source also said that MI7 star Tom Cruise is furious with the whole ordeal.

Hopefully, this isn’t another major setback for the film, as the release date has already been pushed back to November 19, 2021 because of the global pandemic.

Now Playing: 8 Best Shows And Movies To Stream For August 2020 – Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video

Preorder the V for Vendetta Exclusive Giftset Bundle Now

V for Vendetta, the iconic film adaptation of the popular Alan Moore graphic novel of the same name, which features Hugo Weaving as the enigmatic revolutionary called “V,” now has an exclusive gift set available for preorder.

While details have not officially been revealed yet, and no estimated delivery date for the bundle has been set, the preorder page is live on Amazon now, so you can show your love for V and the revolution and obtain this bundle when it is released.

V for Vendetta Exclusive Giftset

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Brian Barnett writes wiki guides, deals posts, features, and much more for IGN. You can get your fix of Brian’s antics on Twitter and Instagram (@Ribnax).

What Halo Infinite’s Delay Means For Xbox Series X’s Launch | Generation Next

This is Generation Next, GameSpot’s dedicated show all about the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Each week we’ll be digging deeper into the biggest news stories, chatting to developers making games for the new consoles, and just getting really dang excited about the future of gaming.

This week, the gang (Lucy James, Xbox Xpert Jordan Ramée, and PlayStation Pro Tamoor Hussain) tackle Halo Infinite’s last-minute delay to 2021, Xbox Series X’s release window, and having to pay to upgrade current gen games to next gen.

They also discuss the best games you need to play before next gen rolls around. And yes, obviously Tamoor picked Bloodborne. Join us every Friday on youtube.com/GameSpot for more Generation Next!

Ryan Reynolds Launches Spoof Streaming Service With Just One Movie

Ryan Reynolds has launched his very own streaming service with just one movie in its library, as part of a marketing campaign for Mint Mobile.

Reynolds, who bought an ownership stake in Mint Mobile last year, announced the launch of his spoof streaming service on Twitter a few days ago when he posted an ad for Mint Mobile+, an all-new platform that offers “80 minutes” of “bingetastic unoriginals” to stream in “2003 DVD quality.”

The platform is free for everyone to access at mintmobileplus.com, however, streaming options are extremely limited as the site only has one binge-worthy title in its catalogue: Foolproof, Reynolds’ 2003 movie, co-starring Kristin Booth.

Don’t fret though, because Foolproof is branded as an all-rounder, with a featured spot in every single category on the platform, including “Original Originals,” “Kind of Originals,” and “Unoriginal Originals.” Unsurprisingly, the movie also appears in every slot of the site’s “Top 10.”

“Two minutes after launch and our crack data team has already determined Mint Mobile+ should probably be shut down by the weekend,” Reynolds tweeted shortly after the launch. “We’ll go back to focusing on premium wireless.”

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This isn’t the first time that Reynolds has mocked one of the movies in his back catalogue. Earlier this month, the actor re-edited Green Lantern and cut it down to a 27-second version of the movie with very little actual footage from the original release. Instead, he found a way to insert Hal Jordan into the ending of 2017’s Justice League.

While Reynolds’ Green Lantern won’t appear in The Snyder Cut, which will debut on HBO Max next year, fans haven’t seen the last of the Emerald Knight in live-action. HBO Max is developing a Green Lantern series that will boast “cinematic production values” and will feature the ring slinger’s archenemy Sinestro. So watch this space… or, you know, you could always go and watch Foolproof.

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Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The Department of Truth: Exclusive Preview of New Conspiracy Thriller

Batman writer James Tynion IV has teamed with Dying Is Easy artist Martin Simmonds for The Department of Truth, a new conspiracy thriller comic that should appeal to anyone with a fondness for The X-Files.

Image Comics has provided IGN with several exclusive pages of character designs for the new series. Check those out, along with a preview of the first issue, in the slideshow gallery below:

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Department of Truth focuses on a protagonist named Cole Turner, a conspiracy nut who discovers every one of his favorite conspiracies is actually true. From the existence of Bigfoot to the truth behind the JFK assassination to the world being run by a cabal of lizard people, there’s no difference between fact and fiction in this bizarre universe. But why has the titular organization been covering up these conspiracies for centuries, and what is their end goal? That’s the crux of Tynion and Simmonds’ new series.

“I’ve always loved conspiracy theories. I think we all do,” Tynion told IGN. “It’s a part of human nature to want to understand the ‘secret truth’ behind the truth, and I grew up eating up all sorts of movies, and TV shows, and cartoons that dug into the people behind the people. I always lost my mind when they’d say things like ‘Classified five levels above the President,’ and I can’t tell you how many books I had on my childhood bookshelves about UFOs and Cryptids, and all sorts of the unsolvable mysteries of the world, and the mysterious people who kept all those things mysteries. But it wasn’t until my adult life that they really started to scare me. It wasn’t until I saw people I knew swayed by the irrational that I really saw their power.”

Tynion continued, “Department of Truth is a book written to explore those modern fears, and explore them through modern conspiracies that are growing and changing the world we live in today. And yes. It’s got plenty of UFOs and Cryptids, and all the conspiracy touchstones you could hope for. Every issue of Department of Truth explores a different conspiracy through the lens of this twisted world I’ve created with Martin Simmonds. A world in which the more people believe in one truth, reality changes to match that belief. Which is literally true in the book, but figuratively true in real life. Truth has always been frighteningly subjective, and this series is looking to tap right into the heart of that.”

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“The Department of Truth is an ambitious concept, and as such, pushed me to take a different artistic approach to past projects,” said Simmonds. “Moving away from a digital process and instead focusing on using traditional media, plus some collage and photography elements, has meant I can try various analog approaches to the artwork, which I hope will make for an interesting aesthetic.”

The Department of Truth is an ongoing series, with the first issue priced at $3.99 scheduled for release on September 30.

In other recent comic book news, Cyberpunk 2077: Trauma Team is getting an exclusive bundle from Dark Horse Direct, while DC has finally revealed the release date for the long-awaited Black Label series The Other History of the DC Universe and kicked off a new Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel set before Superman murdered the Joker.

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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.

Marvel’s Avengers Beta Opens Further This Weekend, New Patch Notes Detailed

Marvel’s Avengers is expanding its beta to more platforms and players this weekend, and a new patch addresses some of the feedback that has come from the first round. Crystal Dynamics also gave an idea of issues it’s aware of and others that it is currently working on.

According the official patch notes, the 1.3.0 patch addresses several matchmaking issues and crashes, and fixes some bugs revolving around particular heroes. It also notes that for Xbox One players, you may run into issues if your NAT type is on a higher setting.

The studio is working on reducing screen shake and fixing a bug that would spawn multiple heroes. In its Known Issues subsection, Crystal Dynamics suggests workarounds if you’re having trouble with accessing content beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, how to use Black Widow and Iron Man’s gear, and more.

Last weekend the beta was exclusive to PS4 players who had pre-ordered. The early access is one of PlayStation-exclusive perks including the eventual addition of Spider-Man. This weekend it will expand to all PS4 players, while also going live for PC and Xbox One pre-orders. A full open beta across all platforms will follow next week. In a tweet, the official game account also acknowledged that the high volume of beta registrations is leading to delays. If you plan to play on PC, check out the recommended PC specs.

Check out the full beta patch notes below, and for more details, check out our Marvel’s Avengers pre-order guide.

Marvel’s Avengers Beta Dates

  • PlayStation 4 open beta: August 14-16.
  • Xbox One, PC pre-order beta: August 14-16.
  • Open beta for all platforms: August 21-23.

Marvel’s Avengers Beta Patch 1.3.0

General

  • Various crashes and game becoming unresponsive fixed
  • Save game optimizations

Matchmaking

Characters

  • Character Selection improvements
    • Fixed the issue where you couldn’t select or change Super Heroes
  • Companion respawn improvements
  • Hulkbuster
    • Fixed the issue where the screen would turn black when another Super Hero would use the Hulkbuster
    • Various other improvements

Missions and War Zones

  • Mission Summary improvements
    • Fixed issues with the Abomination fight
  • Missing strongbox fixes

We’re continuing to address other issues that have been brought up and have other fixes planned for launch on September 4. Here is a list of known issues that we’re still actively working on.

Feedback/In-progress for Future Patch

  • Infrequent occurrence of multiple Super Heroes spawning
  • Reduction in screenshake

Known Issues

Missions, HARM Challenges, War Zones and Drop Zones

  • If you cannot progress past the Golden Gate Bridge, please close the app, open notifications on PS home screen, and launch the game again once the beta is fully downloaded.
  • If you cannot progress in a mission, open the Options menu, and select Reload Checkpoint.
  • UI
  • Depending on settings, some UI elements may not appear properly.
  • Some icons and elements are not final.
  • Cosmetic gameplay rewards may not unlock properly.

Heroes and AI Companions

  • Once you have unlocked Iron Man and Black Widow, you must select them in the Select Hero / Companions menu to equip their Level 6 starting gear.
  • Open select Hero / Companions menu to assign specific heroes to assist on supported missions.
  • Spend time advancing each Hero to keep the most efficient and effective Strike Team.

PC Pro-Tips

You can find important PC information, including a performance tuning guide, on Steam:

Now Playing: Marvel’s Avengers – Official Beta Trailer

GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers.

IGN UK Podcast #552: Playing Alan Wake 10 Years Late

Cardy, Joe and Matt are here to dissect the great corporation war of 2020 between Epic and Apple. But don’t worry they get back onto the usual nonsense like which Cyberpunk 2077 life path is most like Elijah Wood’s in Green Street, Agent 47 whispering naughty words into his victims ears and finally, the best velvet in games is revealed. Plus, Matt has been playing Outriders while Joe and Cardy are getting round to Alan Wake in preparation for Control’s upcoming DLC.

A PG Tips edition of Endless Search is played and of course, some of your feedback.

Remember, if you want to get in touch with the podcast, please do: [email protected].

IGN UK Podcast #552: Playing Alan Wake 10 Years Late

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Rare Super Mario Bros. Game’s New Owner Is Taking An Unconventional Approach

An investment platform is planning to sell ownership shares in a rare copy of Super Mario Bros., which it has valued at $150,000. The particular version of the game is a sealed 1987 “hangtab” edition rated at a near-perfect 9.8 A+ by Wata Games, one of only 14 factory-sealed copies in existence according to the video game grading company.

Purchased by Rally for $140,000 in a private sale, the company plans to sell 3000 individual shares in the game, starting on August 21. Each $50 share purchased will give investors partial ownership and the option to sell their shares in Rally’s own marketplace. If the price of those shares plummet, Rally will liquidate its investment in the game and pay owners out, according to a decision made by their advisory board.

When Super Mario Bros. isn’t kept secure in a temperature-controlled vault in Delaware, Rally plans to display the game in their Soho museum in New York, or loan it out to other museums around the country where it will be on show.

“Over the last year or so we’ve heard from our members and have observed the industry grow, and it’s clear that there is a community that believes in both the financial and emotional value of these games and wants access to invest in them,” Rally VP of Operations Fitz Tepper said to Ars Technica. “We’ve seen this demand from asset classes already on the platform, like sports memorabilia, trading cards, or collector cars and are now thrilled to add video games to that list.”

Rally plans to invest in more rare video games in the near future, with titles such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros. 3, and a limited-edition version of Halo: Combat Evolved in the crosshairs of the company.

This isn’t the only rare sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. that has been in the news recently, as last month saw a new record set for the public sale price of an individual game, earning its seller $114,000.

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