BAFTA 2021: Film Awards Postponed to April 11, Temporarily Changes Eligibility Rules

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has pushed its 2021 Film Awards ceremony to April 11, exactly two weeks before the Oscars, which will now be held on April 25 in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Along with this announcement, BAFTA outlined some temporary changes to the eligibility requirements for the upcoming 2021 edition of the annual Film Awards, in recognition of the closure of UK cinemas, and subsequent studio delays in theatrical release calendars.

The new rules establish that any titles that were on theatrical release when cinemas closed and therefore had their theatrical release curtailed, will be eligible regardless of the number of qualifying screenings that they had during that period.

Furthermore, titles whose confirmed theatrical release date would have fallen during the global cinema shutdown will be eligible for entry if their release shifted to an approved commercial VOD platform since several studios offered titles to consumers on-demand.

A complete list of the temporary changes for the 2021 ceremony, can be found here.

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BAFTA confirmed that these adjustments have been implemented to “ensure that titles which had an intended theatrical release are not penalised due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on cinemas.”

Marc Samuelson, Chair of the Film Committee, said in a statement: “We have pushed back by two months to give all films the best possible chance to be released and considered properly. As cinemas gradually re-open we know that the major releases will dominate screens. Relaxing the scale of theatrical release required, including releases on VOD in some cases, and pushing back the date of the Awards should help the smaller, independent, documentary, foreign language and particularly the British films to be seen in good time for EE British Academy Film Awards in 2021.”

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This announcement comes shortly after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences officially confirmed that the 93rd Academy Awards had been postponed two months, shifting from February 28, 2021, to April 25, 2021.

To relive the current year’s awards season, check out our complete list of 2020 Oscar Winners and BAFTA Film Award Winners.

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

DC FanDome: WB Announces ‘Immersive Virtual Fan Experience’ to Replace Comic-Con

With San Diego Comic-Con 2020 canceled and replaced by the virtual Comic-Con@Home, Warner Bros. announced on Tuesday a separate DC-themed, online-only convention. Dubbed DC FanDome, this free “immersive virtual fan experience” is a 24-hour-long event to be held on August 22.

Fans will be able to log in and see new announcements and trailers for a variety of upcoming DC movies, TV series, comics, and video games.

Virtual panels will feature interviews from the cast and creators of many current and upcoming DC projects, including Wonder Woman 1984, The Batman, The Suicide Squad, Black Adam, the various Arrowverse shows and, yes, even the recently confirmed Snyder Cut of Justice League.

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Given that this event looks to be taking the place of DC’s Comic-Con panels this year, we’re expecting to see new footage from some of these projects, along with casting news and other announcements. That could include early teaser trailers for Matt Reeves’ The Batman and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad or the reveal of the long-rumored next game in the Arkham series. We could also see The CW using DC FanDome as an opportunity to reveal the new lead actress for Batwoman: Season 2 (assuming the role is cast by that point).

DC FanDome will be accessible at DCFanDome.com. The site will be built around a Justice League-themed experience called Hall of Heroes, with the site being divided into five main portals. Those include DC WatchVerse (the hub for virtual panels and screenings), DC YouVerse (a showcase for cosplay and other fan-created content), DC KidsVerse (focused on family-friendly interactive games), DC InsiderVerse (full of behind-the-scenes videos for comics, movies, games, theme park attractions and consumer products), and DC FunVerse (featuring a comic reader app, downloadable activity kits and an exclusive digital storefront).

The site will even play host to a virtual party called Blerd & Boujee House, a followup to Comic-Con 2019’s Blerd & Boujee boat party.

“There is no fan like a DC fan,” said Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO of Warner Bros. “For more than 85 years, the world has turned to DC’s inspiring heroes and stories to lift us up and entertain us, and this massive, immersive digital event will give everyone new ways to personalize their journey through the DC Universe without lines, without tickets and without boundaries. With DC FanDome, we’re able to give fans from around the world an exciting and unparalleled way to connect with all their favorite DC characters, as well as the incredible talent who bring them to life on the page and screen.”

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DC FanDome will officially begin at 10am PT on Saturday, August 22. The event will run for 24 hours and is open to DC fans all over the world. The DC FanDome site will even offer multiple language options, including Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.

What do you most hope to see at DC FanDome? A trailer for The Batman? A new DC video game? Let us know in the comments below.

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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.

Planet Coaster Coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X

Planet Coaster: Console Edition will launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X during Holiday 2020. It will arrive for Xbox One and PS4 on the same day.

Developer Frontier hasn’t offered specifics on what the next-gen versions of the game will offer, other than to say that they are “enhanced”. Check out some first screenshots below:

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We learned that Planet Coaster was coming to console at last year’s XO19 event – at the time it was scheduled for a Summer 2020 release, but that’s been pushed back.

We awarded the PC version of Planet Coaster an 8.5/10 review, calling it “just about everything I could have asked for in a modern resurrection of the theme park sim genre – and then some.”

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox Controller Contains a Neat Easter Egg

The Cyberpunk 2077 Xbox One controller features a neat little Easter egg, with a QR code that, when scanned, sends you to a track from the upcoming game’s soundtrack.

As reported by UglyDucklingTaken on Reddit, scanning the code found on the back of the controller now takes you to an unlisted YouTube video of ‘The Ballad of Buck Ravers’ by in-game band SAMURAI (as performed by real-life band Refused). Two other SAMURAI tracks are available to listen on the Cyberpunk 2077 channel, but this was previously unreleased. You can try it for yourself using the image below:

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It seems to be a recent change – before release, the same QR code would take those who scanned it to a pre-order page for the game. However, multiple commenters on the YouTube listing began saying the QR code took them to the video around a week ago.

It’s not the first time CD Projekt Red has hidden references in plain sight – the game’s 2018 E3 trailer included hidden messages with details about the game, and the Game Detectives Wiki lists numerous other ARG elements that have been quietly ongoing in the years since announcement.

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Cyberpunk 2077 will be released for PC, Xbox One and PS4 on September 17, and will come to Stadia by the end of 2020. It’s all but certain to come to PS5 and Xbox Series X, after CD Projekt Red confirmed that the game would support Xbox Smart Delivery upgrades.

We’ll learn more about Cyberpunk 2077 at the Night City Wire news broadcast on June 25, which you can watch as part of IGN’s Summer of Gaming.

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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Warframe’s TennoCon 2020 Has Been Delayed

Digital Extremes’ showcase of all things Warframe, TennoCon, has been delayed from its original date of July 11. The event, which has already gone digital-only, has now had its date moved to August 1.

While a reason for the delay hasn’t been specified, the Digital Extremes blog post explained that “changing the date will allow us to put on the best possible show remotely and deliver the magic of TennoCon to you, our worldwide community!”

TennoCon is the latest in a number of gaming events that have been delayed, many of them in respect to continuing protests around the Black Lives Matter movement in the USA and worldwide. These include the PS5 reveal and Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City Wire showcase.

The good news in this for Warframe players is that Baro Ki’Teer will still visit for the original July 11 date, while making a second appearance on the new August 1 date. Players who purchase the TennoCon digital pack will have access to his full inventory on both occasions.

The submission deadline for Warframe’s TennoCon Community Art Show has also been extended to July 10, where artists and cosplayers can submit their works for a chance to be featured.

Warframe is currently free-to-play on PC and current-gen consoles, and has already been confirmed for a next-gen release with a PS5 version.

Now Playing: Warframe: Feeding The Monster

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New Lord Of The Rings Game Announced For Mobile

Yet another Lord of the Rings game is on the way. Following the new game based on Gollum and Amazon’s Lord of the Rings MMO, NetEase and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have announced The Lord of the Rings: Rise to War. A mobile strategy game, Rise to War is set in the Third Age of Middle-earth.

The game aims to be “visually stunning and completely faithful,” NetEase said in a press release. The game will feature “iconic characters and locations” from The Lord of the Rings, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King. It’s set in the Third Age, which is a 3000-year period that culminated with the defeat of Sauron at the end of the War for the Ring.

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“This adaptation will unlock new opportunities for players to explore the iconic settings and characters of Middle-earth while utilizing their strategic skills in battle,” WBIE’s David Haddad said in a statement.

Rise to War is not the first Lord of the Rings game set during the Third Age. Electronic Arts developed adaptations of The Two Towers and Return of the King, while the company also released The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age.

A promo image for Rise to War shows the city of Minas Tirith under siege by Sauron’s forces. No release date for the game has been announced.

In other news, WBIE owner AT&T is reportedly looking to sell the company, with EA, Take-Two, and Activision reportedly interested in pursuing a purchase.

Now Playing: GameSpot’s Play For All – What To Expect

Operation: Tango Will Let You And A Friend Save The World Together Next Year

Operation: Tango has been announced, and a gameplay trailer has been released to show how it works. It’s a two-player asymmetrical game in which one player is an agent and the other is a hacker, and the two must work together to progress.

The trailer, below, shows how the agent will be out getting their hands dirty, dodging turrets and sneaking through levels. The hacker needs to assist them, unlocking doors, taking control of cameras, and making sure that things go smoothly.

It looks like the two styles of gameplay on offer here will be very different from one another, and that both players will need to communicate to succeed. On the game’s Steam page, it says that you won’t be able to play without a microphone.

According to the trailer, the stakes are nothing less than the well-being of the world. There will be multiple levels to play through, each offering unique challenges and Hollywood-inspired moments.

The game is coming to PS4, Xbox One, and PC in 2021.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Now Playing: Operation: Tango – Official Reveal Trailer

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Ghostbusters Zoom Reunion Reveals New Behind-The-Scenes Secrets

After the pure delight that was the Reunited Apart Lord Of The Rings Zoom reunion, Josh Gad has done it again, gathering a good part of the original Ghostbusters cast for a socially distanced hangout. The call included Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, Ivan Reitman, and Jason Reitman, who all proceeded to spill their guts on Ghostbusters secrets.

While the full half hour video is worth a watch, some of the highlights, as picked up by EW, include director Ivan Reitman talking about how many people had a fixation on adding dogs–like John Candy, who was originally offered the part of Louis Tully.

“I sent the script, the very first script, to John who didn’t really get it. He kept wanting to play him with a German accent with a couple of dogs, big German Shepherd dogs,” Reitman explained. “I said, ‘I think that’ll be confusing given that dogs that are already on the roof. I don’t think we can bring more dogs.'”

Sigourney Weaver also decided dogs would be a part of her role, albeit in a different way. “I was really willing to become a dog for the whole show,” Weaver said, describing her audition for Reitman. “So he looked quite reluctant, I kept going and howling and growling.”

Reitman added, “The wonderful thing Sigourney said at the audition was, ‘You know, I read the script and it’s very funny but really, my character should become a dog at some point.’ And we didn’t have that yet, it was Sigourney’s idea.”

Jason Reitman, Ivan’s son, was also a part of the call, as he’s set to be the director on the new Ghostbusters sequel, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. All of the cast included in the Zoom call will be returning for Afterlife, which will be releasing on March 5, 2021 after a COVID-19-related delay.

Now Playing: Ghostbusters: Afterlife – Official Trailer

Nintendo Surprise Launches Free Switch Game About Jump Rope

Nintendo has released a new, free game on the Switch Eshop without any prior warning. It’s called Jump Rope Challenge, and you play it by using two Joy-Con controllers, which you hold as though they were the handles of a jump rope (or “skipping rope” for those of us in Australia).

Two players can play together, each using just one Joy-Con, and the game is aiming to be as simple as possible, challenging you to jump 100 times a day. There are no tutorials and the menus are very simple, so don’t expect a fitness regime on par with Ring Fit Challenge–but it’s also totally free.

The game was developed internally at Nintendo Japan by a small team of developers working from home. It’s designed to give players a quick, easy form of exercise without needing to leave the house.

Jump Rope Challenge is available until the end of September; the game is, for whatever reason, intended as a limited-time release. Download it now so that you can keep it forever, like players who still own a PlayStation 4 with P.T. installed.

GameSpot has officially kicked off Play For All–a celebration of all things gaming. Join us as we bring you the summer’s hottest news, previews, interviews, features, and videos, as well as raise money for COVID-19 relief efforts and Black Lives Matter with the help of our friends from around the gaming world. Check out the Play For All schedule for more.

Now Playing: Biggest Nintendo Switch Exclusives Of 2020 So Far

Nintendo’s Jump Rope Challenge Is Available Now on Switch

Nintendo has announced and released Jump Rope Challenge, a free simple game that uses a pair of Joy-Con to allow Switch owners around the world to virtually jump rope anywhere without a jump rope.

Revealed by Nintendo’s Twitter, Jump Rope Challenge can be downloaded now, for free, on the eShop and was created by a few Nintendo developers who were working from home in Japan and wanted to “add quick and fun physical movement into their daily life.”

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Jump Rope Challenge will be free until September 30, and it also allows for a friend to join in on the jump roping fun with another set of Joy-Con.

However, it is important to note that Jump Rope Challenge is not compatible with Nintendo Switch Lite.

Prior to this surprise announcement, Paper Mario: The Origami King was one of the only upcoming Nintendo-developed games that have been officially announced with a date for the immediate future. Following its July 17 release date, much of Nintendo’s plan is unknown, so it’s a small treat to have this smaller new experience from Nintendo themselves.

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We know it is working on much-anticipated games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and Metroid Prime 4, but those have yet to receive any release dates or release windows.

There have been reports of a Super Mario remaster collection that would include such games as Super Mario 64, Super Mario Galaxy, and Super Mario Sunshine, but those are only rumors as of this writing.

Put together Jump Rope Challenge and Ring Fit Adventure, and Nintendo is doing its part to keep you in-shape during the stay-at-home policies due to COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.

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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 loves Nintendo and its randomness and hope it never changes. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.