Amazon’s Lord of the Rings TV Show Sets Creative Team – IGN

Amazon has announced the creative team for their big-budget Lord of the Rings TV show.In addition to previously announced showrunners J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, director and executive producer J.A. Bayona (The Orphanage, Jurassic Park: Fallen Kingdom), and executive producer Belén Atienza, the Lord of the Rings series has added executive producers Lindsey Weber (10 Cloverfield Lane), Bruce Richmond (Game of Thrones), Gene Kelly (Boardwalk Empire) and Sharon Tal Yguado.

video loading...

The show has also firmed up its writers room with writer/executive producer Gennifer Hutchison (Breaking Bad); writer/executive producer Jason Cahill (The Sopranos) writer/executive producer Justin Doble (Stranger Things); consulting producers Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones) and Stephany Folsom (Toy Story 4); producer Ron Ames (The Aviator); writer/co-producer Helen Shang (Hannibal), and writing consultant Glenise Mullins.

Kate Hawley (Suicide Squad) has also joined the series as costume designer, in addition to Star Wars: The Last Jedi’s production designer Rick Heinrichs, visual effects supervisor Jason Smith (The Revenant), Tolkien scholar Tom Shippey; and renowned illustrator/concept artist John Howe.

“This team is our Fellowship – assembled from around the world, all walking the road together to try and accomplish something far greater than any of us could on our own,” said McKay and Payne in a statement. “We feel humbled and extremely lucky to be surrounded by such inspiring and talented women and men.”

[widget path=“global/article/imagegallery” parameters=“albumSlug=8-shows-that-could-be-the-next-game-of-thrones&captions=true”]

“As our journey into Middle-earth begins, we are in excellent hands with J.D. and Patrick at the helm, with this incredible team of talent that they’ve assembled,” said Jennifer Salke, Head of Amazon Studios. “The depth and breadth of the experience of this writing and production team is truly awesome, with a real respect for and knowledge of Tolkien lore. We’re so happy to have them on board and to see this exciting series start to come to life.”

No cast for Amazon’s Lord of the Rings has been announced yet, but Markella Kavenagh has reportedly been tapped for a mystery role.

Despite rumors and theories the series might focus on a young Aragorn, the Lord of the Rings TV show’s story will take place in the Second Age, but the plot itself is still under wraps. Here’s all Amazon will say about it so far: “Set in Middle-earth, the television adaptation will explore new storylines preceding J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring.”

Amazon Game Studios is also developing a Lord of the Rings MMORPG that is separate from the plot of the TV show.

video loading...

Tamarin Seeks To Rekindle The Spirit Of Classic 3D Platformers

When looking at Tamarin‘s debut trailer, fans of classic 3D platformers from the Nintendo 64 will know the type of game they’re in for. Coming from Chameleon Games, the self-published throwback platformer is a tribute made in collaboration with former developers from Rare. Aiming to recapture the same stylings of games from yesteryear, Tamarin channels the same vibe found from games like Donkey Kong Country 64 and Jet Force Gemini, the latter of which showed somewhat of a darker edge to Rare’s 3D action-platformers.

Taking on the role of the titular Tamarin, a new-world monkey that resembles a squirrel, you’re tasked with defending your home from bug-like invaders seeking to take the land for themselves. This conceit entails exploring different levels and areas of your homeland, while also utilizing weapons acquired from the invaders to fight back. While this concept seems to be treading on well-worn ground, that’s a part of the appeal that game director Omar Sawi is going for.

We recently had the chance to speak with the development team working on this throwback 3D platformer. During our chat, Sawi talked about his collaboration with former Rare level designer Richard Vaucher and lead composer David Wise, and how it pushed them to approach this throwback a bit differently.

No Caption Provided

“So yeah, I started the game and what I wanted was for it to not be too much in one box,” said Sawi. “Rare had these games that were very cute and charming. Yet some other platformers and shooters they made felt different. Tamarin is trying to capture a bit of that spirit. We’re trying to have something that doesn’t necessarily cater just to kids, but also has a wider appeal and has a bit of an edge to it.”

In recent years, there have been several games that have sought to emulate the same style and atmosphere from classic Rare games. These games include 2017’s A Hat in Time and Yooka-Laylee–the latter of which was developed by Playtonic Games, a collective of former Rare developers. Whether it’s the upbeat musical tracks or the somewhat self-aware humor, these games often try to evoke nostalgia for an era that reveled in exploring a colorful world filled with knick-knacks and other collectibles. And Tamarin is no exception.

Wise, who’s worked on games like the original Battletoads and the Donkey Kong Country series, is also responsible for one of the most iconic themes of the Super Nintendo music library: Donkey Kong Country 2’s Stickerbrush Symphony. While working on Tamarin, Wise spent time revisiting themes from Rare’s earlier years and has a particular view on why people still have an attachment for these this style of games.

“There are certainly still people that like the kind of nostalgia element to it,” Wise said. “It can remind them of when they were a bit younger, and jumping back into games like that. Hopefully, Tamarin can take it a little bit further, as it’s revisiting the genre and stretching it a bit more. I think there’s a lot to be said for that kind of thing at the moment. Again, there are only so many styles of game. So it’s nice to jump in and jump out of different styles and different genres. I’d say both myself and [Banjo-Kazooie composer] Grant Kirkhope are very fortunate in the fact that we’ve made a lot of games. We’ve been making music for so long; it’s almost like we’ve set the expectations for the genre [of platformers]. Fortunately, a lot of people look to our style of music to evoke a kind of video game feel, which has worked out quite well for us over the years.”

Former Rare level designer Richard Vaucher also chimed in, adding that there’s an appealing quality to the setting of Tamarin. A clear focus the developers had when making Tamarin was that they wanted to keep things interesting for players looking for a more familiar experience.

“With Tamarin, we’re mixing different kinds of Rare games,” Vaucher said. “It’s adding a bit of variety to that familiar experience, and not just sticking to one type of game in terms of style. I guess for my part; it’s mostly about the visuals, or like players discovering the new environments, and seeing what they think of the animations of the main character. But in my view, it’s about the exploration [of that world]. I’m quite excited to see what players make of it, like discovering the new levels and seeing what’s there.”

No Caption Provided

Set for release this year, Tamarin wears its influences on its sleeve, trying to emulate what classic Rare did best during the SNES and Nintendo 64 eras. We’re still in the dark about how much variety is to be had in Tamarin’s adventure. However, it does look to keep its focus on bringing back that particular charm from yesteryear. Considering how much Rare’s imprint on the platforming genre has endured over the years, perhaps there’s still room for more experimentation with this particular genre.

Daily Win: Free PS4 Game – Enter for a Chance to Win One Piece: World Seeker for PS4 – IGN

Today we’re giving away One Piece: World Seeker for PS4. To enter into this sweepstake, fill out the form below. You must be at least 13 years old and a legal U.S. resident to enter. Today’s sweepstake will end at 11:59 p.m. PDT. Entries entered after this time will not be considered.

To use the entry form, you will need to sign into a Google account; this is to ensure one entry per person. Please enter your IGN username and an email address so we can contact you if you’ve won. Don’t worry, we won’t sell your information. Winners must respond within 72 hours. If you can’t see the embedded form, go here.

video loading...

Play as Luffy and discover an all-new island and story in One Piece: World Seeker. Use Luffy’s Gum-Gum powers to swing, jump, bound and stretch all over the new island to uncover new sights and defeat enemies. And of course, all of your favorite One Piece characters make their own appearances too!

PS4 cover art for One Piece: World Seeker.

Today’s Daily Win is a physical copy of One Piece: World Seeker for PS4.

Don’t have a PS4? Check back tomorrow to enter for a chance to win a copy of One Piece: World Seeker for Xbox One.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal US residents in the 50 U.S. & DC. 13+. Void where prohibited. See Official Rules here. For more, check out our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Thank you to the Bandai Namco Entertainment team for providing today’s game!

Nintendo Replacing Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Fire Emblem Heroes’ Male Byleth’s Voice Actor Following Allegations of Abuse – IGN

UPDATE (7/27/19) – Nintendo had confirmed to USgamer that it will be re-recording and replacing the lines for Fire Emblem: Three Houses

‘ male protagonist Byleth following the allegations of abuse.”After assessing the situation, we decided to re-record the character’s voiceovers in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Fire Emblem Heroes with another actor. The new voiceovers will be included in a future patch,” Nintendo of America says.

Original story from July 26, 2019, follows.

Chris Niosi, the voice actor of the male protagonist Byleth in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and Fire Emblem Heroes, has been replaced in Heroes following allegations of abuse that have recently surfaced.

As reported by USgamer, Niosi still remains the voice of Byleth in Fire Emblem: Three Houses for the Nintendo Switch as of this writing, but Zach Aguilar has replaced him in Fire Emblem: Heroes.

We have reached out to Nintendo as it has yet to comment or confirm that this was the cause of the change, but this move does follow a Twitter thread and Tumblr post that allege that Niosi has, among other things, been abusive and has broken many Non-disclosure agreements in the past.

video loading...

Niosi has responded and apologized on his own Tumblr, and it remains to be seen if Aguilar or another actor will replace him in Three Houses in a post-launch patch.

This isn’t the only high-profile game to see a voice actor change, as Judgment’s Kyohei Hamura voice actor, Pierre Taki, was replaced following an indictment of drug use.

Fire Emblem: Three Houses released on the Nintendo Switch today, July 26, and in our review we said that it “offers an incredible amount of choice, and a story that deserves to be viewed from more than one angle.”

Every IGN Fire Emblem Review Ever

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 really wishes people would just be better. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst.

Daily Deals: Batman Beyond Complete Series Limited Edition Blu-ray Is Below $90 – IGN

We bring you the best deals we’ve found today on video games, hardware, electronics, and a bunch of random stuff too. Updated 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Preorder Batman Beyond Complete Series Limited Edition for $89.30 Right Now

Originally priced at $99, this set was $118 this morning and then the deals gods opened up their arms and sprinkled an additional savings down on us. This is an awesome set: it has the full series, as well as the Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker movie, all on Blu-ray and all in high-definition. There’s also a metallic Funko Pop, lenticular art cards, and it all comes in a styling case.

Preorder Darksiders Genesis Nephilim Edition at Amazon

If you’re a Darksiders fan, this bundle is for you. Throw down a preorder for the Nephilim edition and you’ll receive the premium box, an art book, official soundtrack, stickers, the Strife figurine and the Darksiders board game!

Buy Fallout 76 or The Last of Us: Remastered for $15 and Get $15 in Amazon Credit

All Amazon Prime members can sign up for Twitch Prime for free. Now until July 26, Twitch members get a $15 Amazon Credit when you buy Fallout 76 or The Last of Us Remastered, which drops to $14.99 in cart. You’re essentially getting either game for free.

Preorder the Star Wars Black Series Boba Fett Premium Electronic Helmet at Walmart for $119.99

Did you want to be Boba Fett as a kid? Do you still? Then don’t you worry, the time for you to live out your dreams is now, as you can preorder this electronic helmet from Walmart and start your bounty hunting adventures.

Get 3 Free Months of Kindle Unlimited Membership (Was $9.99 Per Month)

You must be logged into your Amazon Prime membership account to see this deal. If you’re a regular digital ebook reader, this membership is highly recommended. Kindle Unlimited gives you access to over 1 million Kindle eBooks and over 20,000 digital comics. This deal is typically for new subscribers only, but there have been reports that it has worked for people who have previously subscribed but are not current members.

Grab the Logitech C920 Webcam for 60% off ($39.99)

Are you looking for a new webcam, or maybe starting out your budding streaming career? Well, the C920 is as solid an option as you can find, and now it’s 60% off!

Preorder Marvel’s Avengers for $49.94 at Amazon

Amazon is really getting ahead of the curve on this one! You can preorder Marvel’s Avengers, slated to come out next May, for only $49.94! Preordering now will also grant you future Beta access.

Purchase Fire Emblem Three Houses Seasons of Warfare Edition for Switch for $99.99

The latest Fire Emblem title is out now, and the superior “Seasons of Warfare” Edition is in and out of stock. This edition includes the game, steelbook case, soundtrack, hardcover artbook, and 2020 calendar. Note: The Seasons of Warfare edition is rapidly coming in and out of stock, so check back often to see if it’s available.

50% off RoboForm Everywhere Subscriptions (New Users Only)

This sponsored deal is brought to you by RoboForm.

If you’re still using the same password (or a variant of the same password) for every site you visit, you’re putting yourself at risk. With so many sites experiencing data breaches, it’s all but guaranteed that someone’s going to uncover your login info one day—and if you use the same credentials across multiple sites, those thieves could have access to a whole lot of your sensitive personal data. A good password manager can help protect you by randomly generating unique, strong passwords for each of your accounts, and automatically entering them for no-hassle logins. RoboForm Everywhere allows you to sync your password manager across all of your devices. You also get cloud backup, priority 24/7 support, web access, secured shared folder, and more.

Preorder Doom Eternal on PS4 for $49.94

The Doom hype is strong today, so if you feel the urge to preorder Eternal, the next game in the franchise, why not save a few dollars along the way!

HP OMEN 15t Intel Core i7-9750H 6-Core 15.6″ 1080p 144Hz IPS RTX 1070 Laptop for $1399

This sponsored deal is brought to you by HP.

The OMEN is HP’s premium line and build quality is superior to anything else you’d find at this price range. The base config is fine, but in my opinion this deal gets so much better if you upgrade to the GeForce RTX 2070.

  • Click Here
  • Click on “Customize & Buy”
  • Select Processor and Graphics – i7-9750H + RTX 2070 8GB (+$580)
  • Select Display – 15.6″ FHD 144Hz IPS 1920×1080 (+$70)
  • Price should show up as $1399.99

Nintendo Switch and Your Choice of Mario, Zelda, or Splatoon Game for $329 (Originally $374)

This deal is actually better than Amazon’s Prime Day deal. You’re getting the Switch console for $299 and a AAA title for $30. Choose from Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Splatoon 2, or Super Mario Party.

Grab Shadow of the Tomb Raider for $18.74 at Amazon

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is another currently being super discounted at Amazon. Use the coupon code listed on the page to bring the total price down to the lowest it’s ever been for this product.

Grab Devil May Cry 5 for $29.99 (50% off) at Amazon

Devil May Cry 5 is the best in the franchise, and now you can get it for half price. Click to activate the coupon when you buy it on Amazon to receive the game at the lowest price it’s ever been.

Pick up Resident Evil 2 for $29.99 (50% off) at Amazon

Continuing the trend with Amazon and cheap games, you can grab Resident Evil 2 for 50% off, so long as you activate the coupon code listed on the store page.

New Dell Back to School PC Deals with Gift Cards

Dell has kicked off some great Back to School deals on laptops and desktops. You’ll receive your gift card within a few weeks after your item ships and carries a 90-day expiration. It can be used on gaming consoles, video games, monitors, electronics, TVs, PCs, and more.

$400 Off ASUS ROG STRIX Intel Core i5-9300H 6-Core 15.6″ 1080p 120Hz IPS Laptop with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD, and GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, Now $899

This laptop is completely decked out for under $1000. You get the newest 9th generation 6-core processor, a 1080p IPS display with 120Hz refresh rate, a whopping 512GB of fast SSD storage, and a GeForce GTX 1660 Ti video card that is faster than a GTX 1060.

Nintendo Switch and NBA 2K19 for $299 (Was $329)

A new Switch bundle has surfaced! If you’re a fan of sports games, you will enjoy the fact that you can buy a Switch and get a copy of the most popular sports game for free. NBA 2K20 isn’t out until September 6, so tide yourself over with this IGN rated 8.5/10 predecessor.

Preorder The Latest Joy-Con Colors for your Nintendo Switch

If you’re itching for a new way to spice up your Switch, then you can head over to Amazon and throw down a preorder for the newest colors to be added to the Joy-Con library.

Out August 2: 15% off Madden NFL 20 for PS4 or Xbox One, Now $50.94

The new 2020 iteration of the only NFL video game out there is available in less than 2 weeks. Both Amazon and Walmart are offering 15% off if you preorder it beforehand. For any of who play Madden NFL religiously, this is pretty much a no brainer. Madden NFL 19 scored an 8.9/10 and we expect another solid effort from EA.

$700 Off the OVERPOWERED Intel Core i7-8700 GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Desktop with 32GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 2TB HDD, and 2yr Warranty, Now $1499

You won’t find a PC with better specs under $1500, period. Along with one of the most powerful video cards available, you’re getting an Intel Core i7 6-core processor, more RAM than you will ever need, and ample amounts of both SSD and hard drive storage.

30% Off 55″ LG 55UK6090 4K Smart HDTV, $349.99

This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen for a big 55″ LG 4K TV. It even has Smart TV functionality and you get it delivered to your door for free.

50% Off 50″ Sceptre 1080p HDTV, Now $179.99

If you don’t need 4K or built-in Smart TV functionality, then this TV’s value can’t be beat. Let’s face it, even most of us who do own 4K TVs primarily watch 1080p or lower content. Also, you can always pick up an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Chromecast for a superior Smart TV experience than an integrated solution.

Lowest Prices on LG OLED TVs at PCMag Shop

Use code “SAVE50”

PCMag Shop has some incredible prices on LG B8 OLED TVs and they come with full manufacturer’s warranties. LG OLED TVs are still considered the best TVs you can buy, with virtually perfect black levels, high contrast ratio, and wide color gamut, all of which measure up to best-in-class picture quality. The B8 is the “budget” model and the E8 is top of the line.

50% Off Bose SoundSport Wired In-Ear Headphones with Mic for Android or Apple, Now $49.95

These headphones retail for $99. This is your cheapest ticket to getting in on the signature Bose sound. The SoundSport features Bose TriPort technology, stay-fit ear hook design, sweat resistant finish, and inline mic and remote.

$700 Off the OVERPOWERED Intel Core i7-8700 GeForce GTX 1070 Gaming Desktop with 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD, 2TB HDD, and 2yr Warranty, Now $699

For under $700 you’re getting an Intel Core i7 6-core processor and GeForce GTX 1070 video card, which is more than capable of taking on all of your PUBG, Fortnite, or Apex Legends needs and then some. You also get free 2-day shipping.

$1,000 Off the HP Omen X Intel Core i7-7820HK GeForce GTX 1080 Slim Compact Desktop (Portable) with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD, Now $1199.99

Search the model number (P1000-025se) and you can verify the specs, even at HP direct. In fact, although Walmart is the storefront, this desktop will be shipped from HP directly. This is a great price for a powerful desktop that’s compact enough to bring to your LAN party.

Grab the Whalen Payton 3-in-1 TV Stand for $99 (Normally $179) at Walmart

Everyone needs a good stand for their home, and this unit is perfect, particularly when it’s on sale! The center neck can hide cords, while the open design means it’s easy to access your devices while also allowing for plenty of ventilation for those hot electronics.

New Dell HDTV Deals with Gift Cards

Dell kicks off a new week of TV deals. You will find both value-minded and uber high end options available. Not only are these TVs marked down to the lowest current prices you’ll find anywhere, they all also include a gift card that can be used on almost anything at Dell.com, including consoles, monitors, VR headsets, games, video cards, and PCs. The gift card carries a 90-day expiration.

4K Smart HDTVs:

Premium 4K Smart HDTVs with True HDR:

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Ending Explained, Easter Eggs and Influences – IGN

Quentin Tarantino’s new movie Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is not only a work of historical fiction mixing real-life figures like Sharon Tate, Charles Manson, Bruce Lee, and Steve McQueen alongside the fictional co-leads played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, it’s also one giant Easter egg to the filmmaker’s many cinematic and pop cultural influences (and even to his other films).With all that in mind, let’s break down the film’s twist ending, its many Easter eggs, and influences.

Needless to say then, be mindful of SPOILERS ahead for the film and for history (?!), starting with …

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Gallery

Ending Explained

Obviously, Sharon Tate and her friends didn’t escape the Manson family in real life. Tate, her three guests, and another friend were all killed. Their killers were caught and incarcerated.

As Tarantino has fashioned a work of historical fiction, he has — as he also did with Inglourious Basterds, where Hitler died before he really did — once again foisted a fantasy “Hollywood ending” onto a historical tragedy.

In doing so, Tarantino gives Sharon Tate the extended life and screen career reality denied her. And thanks to Rick and Cliff’s (and Brandy’s!) killing of the Manson family members, Tarantino also opens the door for Rick to enjoy a more fruitful second phase of his acting career than he’s so far had. It’s a true Hollywood ending for both the real and the fictional characters in Tarantino’s film.

video loading...

Who Inspired Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth?

Tarantino recently revealed that Brad Pitt’s badass stuntman Cliff Booth is indeed inspired by a particularly dangerous old timey stuntman, who he wouldn’t name but who intimidated even other tough guys and stuntmen back in the day.

Cliff possibly murdering his wife on a boat and getting away with it echoes the rumors that have swirled around actor Robert Wagner and the death of his wife, screen star Natalie Wood, for the last few decades.

The relationship between actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double/best friend Cliff Booth is directly modeled on the friendship between Burt Reynolds and stuntman-turned-director Hal Needham, both of whom are now deceased. Like Rick, Burt Reynolds was a TV western actor who struggled to catch a break in films before becoming a sought-after big screen actor after starring in Deliverance. Reynolds was to have played George Spahn — the real-life elderly owner of the delaptated movie ranch where the Manson family resided — In OUATIH but passed away before shooting his scenes. (He was replaced by Bruce Dern.) Had he lived to film his role, Reynolds’ inclusion would have been a direct nod to his and Needham’s influence on the film.

video loading...

Like Cliff, Needham, who directed Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit, was a war veteran who became a stuntman and doubled for the star of a hugely popular TV western. In Cliff’s case, it was Bounty Law, starring Rick Dalton as Jake Cahill. Needham doubled for Richard Boone, who played the wandering gun-for-here Paladin on Have Gun, Will Travel.

One other inspiration for Rick might be Clint Eastwood, who found stardom on the small screen as Rowdy Yates on Rawhide before, several years later, finding big screen success thanks to starring in a series of classic spaghetti westerns from director Sergio Leone.

It should also be noted that one of the victims of the Manson family was Hollywood stuntman Donald Shea, which could speak to why Tarantino depicted a scene where stuntman Cliff becomes suspicious of the hippes his old pal George Spahn invited to live on his ranch.

All the Real People in It

Sharon Tate and the other targets of the Manson family — Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojciech Frykowski — depicted here are obviously all real people, as were Manson himself and his followers Tex Watson, Susan Atkins, and Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian, the latter of whom became a cooperating witness at trial but is shown in the movie as fleeing before the crimes begin. (Ditto Dakota Fanning as Manson follower Squeaky Fromme.) Obviously, the fates of all the aforementioned people differ greatly in real life than what transpired in the film.

Unless you’re brand new to the planet Earth, yes, Bruce Lee was a real guy, the greatest martial artist-star of his time (arguably, of all time). Lee is depicted in the film, by Mike Moh, during his time starring as Kato on The Green Hornet. And, yes, he really did train Sharon Tate in karate when she was co-starring in the Dean Martin spy spoof The Wrecking Crew.

Homeland’s Damian Lewis plays Steve McQueen in one scene set at the Playboy Mansion. McQueen, like Rick Dalton, began as the star of a TV western about a bounty hunter — Wanted: Dead or Alive —before he became a movie star and pop culture icon thanks to films like The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt, and The Great Escape, which Rick fantasizes about starring in instead of McQueen at one point.

Timothy Olyphant and the late Luke Perry also play real people in the movie. Yes, Lancer was a real TV series and the actors they play — James Stacey and Wayne Maunder — were real. The last shot we see of Olyphant in the film, driving off on his motorcycle, is also a harbinger of the tragic fate that lay in store for Stacey (he lost two limbs and his girlfriend was killed in a motorcycle accident when they were hit by a drunk driver).

video loading...

Also real? The TV series The FBI that Rick films a guest spot on as the bad guy of the week.

The Mamas and Papas’ Michelle Phillips and Mama Cass pop up during the Playboy Mansion scene.

With his silver mane and oversized glasses, Al Pacino’s Marvin Schwarzs appears to be patterned after legendary Hollywood talent agent Lew Wasserman.

One of the spaghetti westerns Rick stars In is said to have been directed by Antonio Margheriti, a real-life filmmaker who Tarantino is a fan of … enough so that this isn’t his first mention in a Tarantino movie. Speaking of which …

Nods to Tarantino’s Other Movies

Antonio Margheriti is also the filmmaker whose name is used by Eli Roth’s character in Inglourious Basterds when they sneak into the Nazis’ film premiere.

Rick’s commercial for Red Apple cigarettes during the end credits is also a nod to the cigarette brand that has appeared in other Tarantino films such as Pulp Fiction and The Hateful Eight.

Tarantino vets Michael Madsen, Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, and Bruce Dern all pop up in small roles here. Another Tarantino vet, Tim Roth, had his role in the film end up on the cutting room floor.

video loading...

Let us know what you thought of Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood and its ending, Easter eggs, and many references in the comments below!

Now Streaming Monster Hunter World Game Help Live – Let’s Prepare for Iceborne – IGN

After a long hiatus, we’re back with another live Monster Hunter World

Boot Camp stream in preparation for Iceborne! If you’ve got questions, hop into the Twitch live chat, because we probably have answers.

Casey DeFreitas, our Monster Hunter World wiki guide lead, started this series to answer any questions you might have about Monster Hunter World, so get involved in the chat and have some fun.

Today we’re going through some of the best Event Quests to do leading up to Iceborne’s launch, and since almost every Event Quest is available, there are quite a few!

Would you like more guide-lead game help streams like this one? Let us know in the comments below!

Casey DeFreitas is an editor on the wikis team at IGN. She is incredibly passionate about Monster Hunter World and posts about it all the time on Twitter @ShinyCaseyD.

The 20 Biggest Movies To Watch In Fall & Winter 2019

You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.

Please use a html5 video capable browser to watch videos.

This video has an invalid file format.

Sorry, but you can’t access this content!

Please enter your date of birth to view this video

By clicking ‘enter’, you agree to GameSpot’s
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Picard: 7 Star Trek Characters We’d Love To See Return

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Is “Very Similar” To Sekiro, Confirms Respawn

Though Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was well into development before the release of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Respawn has confirmed its upcoming game is “very similar” to From Software’s title. Fallen Order lead combat designer Jasen de Heras takes comfort in that comparison.

“I thought it was pretty badass, and a little comforting to know that you could make this type of game without a stamina bar,” he said in an interview with Edge magazine, according to WCCFTech. “They let you attack, they let you roll, they do all this for free–and then the AI will tell you if you’re doing the correct thing. It just confirmed to us that you don’t have to limit everything the player does; let them have a little more agency, and then let the AI give them a slap on the wrist or a punch in the face. It was a positive thing for us to know there was a game that was similar to ours. Very similar.”

The comparison to From Software’s most recent game makes sense, as Respawn turned to the studio’s older games as inspiration for Fallen Order. “I’ve been a huge From Software fan since King’s Field,” Fallen Order game director Stig Asmussen said. “I mean, King’s Field II is one of my favorite games ever. But it’s not about you liking a game, and trying to make that game yourself. It’s more, ‘What can we learn about what’s fun about it?'”

In our time with the E3 2019 Fallen Order demo, we saw numerous mechanics and features inspired by From Software’s games–including checkpoint idols to upgrade your abilities, the loss of all in-game currency upon death, and challenging but fair combat. However, when it came to traversal mechanics, Fallen Order took most of its inspiration from Metroid Prime, with Force powers and droid upgrades acting as the lock-and-key mechanisms for exploration. “Metroid absolutely served as an inspiration for us,” Fallen Order lead level designer Jeff Magers told Game Informer. “What the Metroid-style level design does for us is somewhat [of] a way to give the player guided exploration. A ton of freedom within the world, but at the same time we can deliver really handcrafted moments and really focus on the moment-to-moment.”

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is scheduled to release on November 15 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.