Author: Trafficblast

Autobots and Decepticons are not going to stop fighting anytime soon. Multiple reports confirm today that Paramount and Hasbro are working on two new Transformers movies that are being produced concurrently.

One of the movies is being written by Army of the Dead writer Joby Harold, who also worked on John Wick 3. The other is being penned by James Vanderbilt, whose credits include The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2, the Adam Sander/Jennifer Aniston Netflix movie Murder Mystery, and the David Fincher film Zodiac.

According to the stories by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, the new films aim to “build out multiple storylines” as they “expand the Transformers universe.”

Deadline reports that Vanderbilt’s movie is based on the Beast Wars spinoff that focuses on robots that transform into animal-like robots.

There is no word on who may direct the new Transformers films or who might star in them. It sounds like very early days for both projects.

The Transformers movie franchise started in 2007 with a big-budget, action-packed film directed by Michael Bay and starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. Sequels followed in 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2017.

The latest instalment is the 2018 spin-off Bumblebee starring Hailee Steinfeld and directed by Travis Knight. A lower-budget film, the movie scored the highest average review scores in franchise history but made the lowest amount of money ($468 million).

In total, the Transformers franchise has made more than $4 billion worldwide, so it’s no surprise to learn that Paramount and Hasbro are keen to continue making more entries.

After years of pre-production hang-ups and casting changes, The Batman has finally begun filming, with director Matt Reeves tweeting the first clapboard from day one on set. The clapboard also gives us our first glimpse of a potential logo for the film–although there’s no confirmation that this is the logo or typeset that will be used in promotions for the film when it releases.

On day one, the production filmed scene 17 of The Batman.

Umberto Gonzalez, a film reporter for The Wrap, is reporting that The Batman is using the Unreal Engine to “provide on-set visual information,” which likely means it will be used to generate temporary CGI elements to give cast and crew a better idea of what the final shot will look like. It is not clear what his source on this information is.

The Batman has been in the works for a long time. Ben Affleck, who played the character in Batman vs. Superman and Justice League, was originally attached to write and direct the film, but he dropped out in January 2017, saying that he still intended to star in the movie. When Matt Reeves signed on to direct, he also said that he would not use Affleck’s script.

Then, in January 2019, Affleck finally dropped out as Batman, and it seems that Joe Manganiello’s Deathstroke is no longer in the film either. It’s taken a long time for the film’s production to begin, and it’s currently unclear what its connection to the wider DC film universe is.

The final script was co-written by Reeves and Mattson Tomlin, who is also working on the Mega Man movie. The Batman will star Robert Pattinson as Batman, Zoë Kravitz as Catwoman, Colin Farrell as The Penguin and Paul Dano as The Riddler.

Matt Reeves’ previous director credits include Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Let Me In, and Cloverfield.

Netflix has announced a new improv comedy show from comedian Bert Kreischer. The show, which is called Cabin, sees Kreischer heading to a remote cabin in the woods to try to purify his soul and get some much-needed relaxation. The way in which he goes about cleansing his body and mind is far from conventional, however.

“Joined by his celebrity friends, Bert attempts bizarre therapy techniques, intense physical challenges, and ridiculously improvised encounters with nature. Bert attempts to cleanse his ‘mind, body, and soul’ at breakneck pace with often disastrous results,” reads a line from the show’s description.

Cabin is an adaptation of the Canadian TV show ” Les Pêcheurs” from Martin Petit. A release date was not announced.

A long list of other comedians and actors are set to appear in the show, including Anthony Anderson, Bobby Lee, Caitlyn Jenner, Chris D’elia, Fortune Feimster, Joel McHale, Kaley Cuoco, Leah Remini, Nikki Glaser, Tom Segura, and Whitney Cummings.

Netflix also confirmed that Kreischer’s next comedy special, Hey Big Boy, will debut on March 17. This is his second Netflix comedy special, following 2018’s Secret Time.

Kreischer’s real life served as the inspiration for the Ryan Reynolds movie National Lampoon’s Van Wilder. He later transitioned to comedy, and he is perhaps best known for his story, The Machine, which documents his trip to Russia and how he allegedly helped the Russian mafia rob a train.

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The United States and China have agreed to terms on a new trade agreement that will seemingly prevent the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X from becoming more expensive.

The two nations signed the Phase One agreement earlier this month, and it means that Trump’s proposed 25 percent tax on electronics made in China and shipped to the US will not go forward. The proposed tariffs might have made the new PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles more expensive.

The Entertainment Software Association, which represents the US video game industry’s interests with lawmakers, said it feels encouraged by the signing of the accord.

“We are encouraged that the Administration suspended the implementation of tariffs on video game consoles and controllers,” a spokesperson told Polygon. “These tariffs would have significant implications for our industry, which boasts a trade surplus for the American economy. Tariffs will erode innovation, decrease job opportunities for American workers, and increase prices for consumers.”

In a rare move, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo released a joint statement opposing Trump’s tariffs. A 25 percent price increase in consoles to match the tariff cost would “likely put a new video game console out of reach for many American families who we expect to be in the market for a console this holiday season,” the companies said in their letter.

For its part, Nintendo was already reportedly preparing itself for the tariffs by moving manufacturing out of China for its new Switch Lite console. Nintendo is also said to be producing a Switch Pro model for release this year, but that is only a rumour for now.

Sony told fans to expect the PS5 price to possibly increase as a result of the tariffs, while Microsoft said the price of Xbox Series X would depend on what happens with China.

While video game consoles and controllers won’t be subjected to the higher taxes, tariffs on materials made in China for tabletop games are still going forward. The executive director for the Game Manufacturers Association told Polygon that “many” raw materials needed to make tabletop games are facing the higher tariffs. The organization hopes to see these tariffs rolled back.

The PS5 and Xbox Series X are slated to launch this holiday, though pricing has yet to be confirmed. Keep checking back with GameSpot for the latest on everything you need to know about the next-generation consoles.

Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, has received a making-of documentary. The 28 minute film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – A Love Letter to Making Movies, comes on the back of a lengthy Oscar campaign, and is clearly made with film fans in mind.

The documentary features footage from the film intercut with quotes from people who worked on the movie, including several members of the cast, such as Kurt Russell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, and Brad Pitt. The documentary is also notable for containing footage of Luke Perry talking about Tarantino and the movie. Perry tragically passed away at 52 before the movie’s release.

It’s not the sort of documentary that yields real insight or never-before-heard anecdotes (the story of Tarantino’s inspiration for the film that we’ve previously covered is touched upon again here), but it’s a fun watch for fans.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood received 10 Oscar nominations, and Brad Pitt is generally considered as the frontrunner for the “Best Supporting Actor” award for his performance. The movie also has a reasonable shot in most of the major categories it was nominated in, including Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture.

Quentin Tarantino’s next project isn’t announced yet, but it probably won’t be the Star Trek film he has previously talked about doing. He’s also discussed the possibility of releasing a four-hour cut of this latest film.