Efforts have been underway for a very long time to make a Halo movie, with the likes of Neill Blomkamp, Peter Jackson, and Guillermo del Toro all attached to the project during various stages of production on a film that would never come out. Some new details about del Toro’s version has now come to light, and it sounds pretty wild.
Paul Russell, who came up Halo’s title and was an artist at Bungie for years, shared a new detail from del Toro’s movie script with IGN. He said del Toro had an idea to give Master Chief a twin brother who was evil.
“Master Chief had a twin brother, and the twin brother sided with The Flood, and then the end of the movie was going to be brother against brother,” Russell said.
Russell said he heard this from veteran Halo writer Joseph Staten. “Del Toro was pitching this to Joe at his house,” Russell said. “He was punching Joe on the arm and going, ‘And they’re brothers! And they’re going to fight at the end!'”
Del Toro was working on this Halo movie script with D.B. Weiss, who went on to head up HBO’s Game of Thrones. Del Toro ultimately stopped working on Halo to produce Hellboy 2 instead.
Giving Master Chief an evil twin brother is a pretty extreme idea, and it surely would have elicited some strong reactions from Halo fans. Microsoft is known to be protective of the Halo canon.
Blomkamp, who was also attached to direct a Halo movie at one point in time, said one of the issues he had was that he wasn’t given creative control.
“If I was given control, I would really like to do that film,” Blomkamp said. “But that’s the problem. When something pre-exists, there’s this idea of my own interpretation versus 150 other people involved with the film’s interpretation of the same intellectual property.”
Blomkamp and Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson were prepared to begin shooting the Halo movie, and when it fell apart, they made District 9 instead–it was a big hit.
Gears 5 is getting a next-gen upgrade, and it’ll launch alongside a big new update, bringing new content to the game on all systems (including Xbox One). It’ll feature a New Game+ mode, and–strangely–the option to switch Marcus Fenix with actor Dave Bautista for the entire campaign.
IGN reports that on November 10, this update will not only unlock the next-gen version for current owners and Game Pass subscribers, but it’ll also add these new features.
New Game+ will introduce the following changes:
New difficulty levels (Ironman and Inconceivable)
New character skins and weapon skins (you can use any you’ve unlocked in multiplayer)
Mutators (such as big head mode)
New achievements
Furthermore, all of your Jack upgrades will carry across, so you won’t be starting back at square one. Ironman will be a classic “permadeath” mode, where you only get one life, whereas Inconceivable is just a bit harder than what’s available now.
The most curious change is the ability to swap Marcus Fenix for Batista, Dave Bautista’s character in the WWE, complete with newly-recorded voice lines. While it will likely sap away some of the resonance of Marcus’ place in the franchise, the game’s principal lead producer, Zoe Curnoe, says that this is the result of a “fan campaign on Twitter.” Clearly this is something people wanted.
Changes to multiplayer and visual upgrades will also be coming to the game on this date–you can see all the details in IGN’s preview.
The Xbox Series X and S launch November 10. Another new Gears game will be coming to consoles for the first time on this date–Gears Tactics, previously released for PC.
This is the last episode of New Releases before Halloween, which means it’s time to get spooky as we take a look at the week’s biggest games. If you like traditional horror, you can check out The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope. Meanwhile, Watch Dogs: Legion offers a dystopian take on near-future London. You can go further into the future with Ghostrunner, or take it back to the ’80s with Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues. Finally, Nintendo Switch owners can get their hands on Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
Ghostrunner — October 27
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Ghostrunner is set in a post-apocalyptic future where you’ll have to scale the ever-changing Dharma Tower. It’s a first-person game, so you’ll be all up in your enemies’ faces as you run along walls, dodge bullets, and slice up bad guys with your cyber katana. The game will be on PS5 and Series X/S as well, so you can claim a free next-gen upgrade if you pick it up this week.
More Ghostrunner Coverage:
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues — October 27
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Cobra Kai: The Karate Kid Saga Continues
Based on the current Cobra Kai Netflix series, this beat ’em up game lets you side with either Daniel-san or Johnny Lawrence. No matter which side you choose, you’ll still be able to explore LA, level up, and play as a whole team of karate champs. There are nearly 30 missions to complete, all based on the modern show.
Watch Dogs: Legion — October 29
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch
Watch Dogs: Legion
Legion is set in a dystopian near-future London where the Albion military company has taken over. Fortunately, your DedSec agents are ready to take the city back, and you can recruit any character in the game to your cause. With a full resistance army on your side, you can carry out missions in the open world however you see fit, whether you choose to go in with stealth or guns blazing. The current-gen version is out this week, but the next-gen version will indeed be an Xbox Series X/S launch title.
More Watch Dogs: Legion Coverage:
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope — October 30
Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC
The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope
The most traditional horror game of the week is Little Hope, from the studio that brought you Until Dawn and Man of Medan. Like in those games, you’ll be making choices that totally change the direction of the story and determine who survives. Based on a true story, Little Hope is set in a New England town full of ghosts from colonial witch trials.
More The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope Coverage:
Pikmin 3 Deluxe — October 30
Available on: Switch
Pikmin 3 Deluxe
Pikmin 4 is apparently still in development, but for now, we’re getting this re-release on Nintendo Switch. Deluxe includes the original game, all of its DLC, and a new set of side missions for Olimar and Louie. There are also new co-op options for exploring the planet together with a friend. You can try a free demo now and transfer your save data to the full game if you have a good time.
More Pikmin 3 Deluxe Coverage:
The next episode of New Releases will take a look at the hottest games of November. Get ready–it’s gonna be a massive epsiode thanks to the next-gen console launches. The PS5 and Series X/S are upon us!
Like many other games, Epic’s battle royale game Fortnite is celebrating Halloween with some spooky DLC. Available now in the game’s item store are a series of outfits and other items inspired by the iconic movie Ghostbusters.
You can see a selection of these items in the image below–they include outfits for your character and special gliders and axes themed around the famous movie series. As with Fortnite’s other special items, these will likely only be available for a limited time.
This isn’t the only way that Fortnite is celebrating Halloween. The game is currently hosting a “Fortnitemares” event that offers numerous challenges to complete to earn special rewards. For lots more, check out GameSpot’s guide for how to complete the challenges.
The newest James Bond film, No Time To Die, has been finished and ready to go for months now, but MGM has delayed it numerous times due to COVID-19. A report from Bloomberg stated that MGM pitched the streaming rights to Netflix, Apple, and Amazon, but so far, no deal has been reached, and it sounds like that may never happen.
Separately, Variety reported that MGM offered a one-year license for No Time To Die for $600 million. Additionally, MGM is said to have considered releasing the movie on its own through a paid video-on-demand option, similar to how Disney handled Mulan.
However, Deadline reported that neither Netflix, Apple, nor Amazon came back to the table with even half of the reported $600 million one-year license fee. Additionally, the site reported that 007 series producer Barbara Broccoli “flatly nixed the deal.”
The reason? Money, it seems. Deadline reports that No Time To Die could generate $1 billion or more if it’s released in a “healthy” theatre market. While some cinemas have reopened around the world, many remain closed, and even in markets where they are open, people may not want to visit a theatre anytime soon.
All of this leads to a tricky situation for MGM regarding when to release No Time To Die. The site also reminds us that the 007 franchise typically skews older in terms of its target demographic, and people in that age group may be less inclined to visit a theatre during a health crisis.
The studio has delayed the movie multiple times already, and its new release date is April 2021. Go to Deadline to read the full report. According to Variety, MGM has already lost as much as $50 million due to the delays for No Time To Die.
Leaked photos from the set of the Uncharted movie have already provided a glimpse at Mark Wahlberg’s character, Sully, from the video game action film. Now, however, Marky Mark himself has released a video of himself in what appears to be his Sully outfit.
The leaked photos from a Berlin shoot in September showed Wahlberg and Nathan Drake actor Tom Holland filming a scene together. However, Wahlberg did not have a moustache in that scene. Perhaps the Uncharted movie will include a storyline about when Sully got his stache.
In addition to Holland and Wahlberg, the Uncharted movie stars Antonio Banderas, Sophia Ali, and Tati Gabrielle. The film doesn’t follow the story of any of Naughty Dog games, but instead it’s a prequel focusing on a young Nathan Drake.
The Uncharted film is the first project from PlayStation Productions, which is Sony’s new entertainment arm focused on bringing the company’s game franchises to film and TV. The unit is also working on a Last of Us TV show with HBO.
Pokemon Sword and Shield‘s Crown Tundra DLC sends you on an expedition around the titular arctic region to investigate a number of Pokemon legends, including one revolving around the Legendary giants Registeel, Regirock, and Regice. You’ll need to catch all three of them before you can encounter the DLC’s two new Regis, Regieleki and Regidrago, but they’re all sealed away in shrines scattered around the Crown Tundra. Here’s what you’ll need to do to enter the shrines and catch the Regis.
How To Get Registeel
The first shrine you’ll likely come across houses Registeel. The Steel type’s shrine is located in the Giant’s Bed just outside of Freezington, making it hard to miss.
Before you can enter the shrine, you’ll need to open the door by cracking the following riddle: “Let ring the piercing note that will wake the giant of steel.” Although this hint is quite vague, all you need to do to open the door is whistle by pressing the left stick in. Note that you can’t be riding your bike when you attempt to open the door, as pressing the stick in that situation will cause you to ring its bell rather than whistle, which won’t work.
Once you’re inside the ruins, you’ll need to wake Registeel by stepping on each of the dots adorning the floor. Once all the dots have been illuminated, interact with the statue at the far end of the room and you’ll initiate a battle with Registeel. Don’t worry if you inadvertently knock Registeel out before catching it; you can simply illuminate the dots again to initiate another battle.
How To Get Regirock
Deeper in the Giant’s Bed is another shrine, this one housing the Legendary Regirock. As before, you’ll need to solve a riddle before you can gain access to the ruins: “Let the first Pokemon hold a never-changing stone.” Simply equip the first Pokemon in your party with an Everstone and interact with the door to open it. After you’ve entered the ruins, you’ll need to once again illuminate all the dots on the floor to awaken and battle the Legendary Pokemon.
How To Get Regice
Regice’s shrine lies deep in Snowslide Slope, and to break the seal on its door, you’ll need to “walk together with a living crystal of snow.” To do this, set a Cryogonal as the first Pokemon in your party so that it follows you around on the field. If you don’t have a Cryogonal in your collection already, you can find one easily enough in any snowy areas around the Crown Tundra.
How To Get Regieleki And Regidrago
Split-Decision Ruins, where you awaken either Regieleki or Regidrago
Once you’ve caught Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, you can gain access to the fourth and final shrine, which is located in the eastern corner of the Crown Tundra in Three-Point Pass. Have all three Regis in your party when you interact with the door and you’ll gain access to the ruins.
Once you’re inside, you’ll notice that this shrine is a little different from the previous ones. For one, you can only choose one of the new Regis to catch, so you’ll need to think carefully before you awaken the giant as your choice is permanent. Once you’ve decided whether you want Regieleki or Regidrago, illuminate the dots on the floor according to the pattern on its face and interact with the statue at the end of the room to awaken it.
Regieleki
There are many other Legendary Pokemon lurking around the Crown Tundra, including the DLC’s regal mascot Calyrex, which you’ll need to reunite with its loyal steed as part of your expedition. You can learn more about the expansion’s other new features and Pokemon in our roundup of everything we know about the Crown Tundra. If you’ve just bought a Sword or Shield Expansion Pass, here’s how to get to Crown Tundra and access the new content.
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has finished filming, and its star Simu Liu has shared a powerful message to honor the moment.
As reported by TheWrap, Liu wrote the message in a private Facebook group, saying that it will be “impossible for Hollywood to ignore us after this.”
“That’s a wrap on SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS!!!!!!!! Nine months from now we will break records and make history as the first superhero movie to feature an ALL-ASIAN cast that kicks so much ass it’s not even funny. Well – that’s a lie, actually, it’s quite funny too.”
“For all of us who hate hated the colour of our skin, or been made to feel less than because of it; NO MORE. This is OUR movie, and it will be IMPOSSIBLE for Hollywood to ignore us after this. I’ll see you then. But probably sooner actually because i’m always on here lollll. LET’S FUCKING GO.”
Liu also posted an image of himself on his Facebook account with Shang-Chi director Destin Yori Daniel Cretton to celebrate the moment, saying, “We made a baby!!! We can’t wait to introduce him to the world in 9 months… #WRAPPED”
Cretton also posted an image to honor this milestone, saying, “WE. ARE. WRAPPED!”
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 9, 2021 following a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
