Woody and Buzz aren't the only famous movie dolls returning to the big screen this summer. The long-awaited Pixar sequel Toy Story 4 hits theaters on June 21, and it will be joined that day by the horror reboot Child's Play, featuring iconic killer doll Chucky. A new Child's Play poster has now been released to mark the movies' shared release date.
The poster shows Chucky as he walks away from another scene of slaughter. Unfortunately his victim seems to be poor Woody, the cowboy star of the Toy Story movies. Check it out below, as tweeted by IMDB:
Child's Play stars Aubrey Plaza (Legion), Brian Tyree Henry (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), and Gabriel Bateman (Light's Out), plus Mark Hamill as the voice of Chucky. It's directed by Lars Klevberg, who has also helmed the upcoming horror movie Polaroid. The second trailer for Child's Play was recently released, and you can also check out our ranking of every movie in the Child's Play series.
In a recent interview with Nightmarish Conjurings, Klevberg talked about the new movie's twist--Chucky can now control electronic devices. "I think that every good horror movie connects to its generation," he said. "Right now, we all trust devices like Alexa to control all the electronics in our homes and to help organize our life. But what if that device took on a human form and could walk around? Then it would be something completely different and our film is just taking that concept to another level."
Confusingly for fans, there's also an unconnected Child's Play TV show being developed for SyFy, simply titled Chucky. It's produced by series creator Don Mancini, and follows on from the 2017 movie The Cult of Chucky.
Origin Forme Giratina may no longer be available in Pokemon Go, but some new Legendaries have taken its place in the hit mobile game. The Lake trio from Pokemon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum--Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie--have begun appearing around the world--and this time, you won't need to battle them in Raids.
Unlike most of the other Legendaries to appear in Pokemon Go, Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren't available as Raid bosses; rather, the Legendaries are spawning in the wild like typical Pokemon. However, as befits their status, the Pokemon are quite rare, so the odds of running into one are fairly low.
Moreover, it appears that each Pokemon is currently only available in a specific part of the world. According to Serebii, it seems Azelf is only appearing in America; Mesprit is available in Europe; and Uxie is currently spawning in Japan. Just as in the mainline games, the Legendaries are also reportedly appearing near bodies of water.
It's unclear how long the new Pokemon will appear in Go, but Legendaries typically hang around for approximately a month before Niantic cycles them out for new Pokemon. With the reports that each one is only available in a certain area, it seems likely that the Legendaries will swap regions before they leave the game entirely.
Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie aren't the only Legendaries currently available in Pokemon Go. Groudon has also returned to the game for a limited-time as one of the game's Earth Day bonuses. On top of that, Ground-type Pokemon are spawning more frequently than normal, and Shiny Diglett is appearing for the first time. However, these Earth Day bonuses will only be live until May 2.
Shiny Meltan is also appearing once again Pokemon Go until May 5; be sure to check out our guide on how to catch one while it's still available. Meanwhile, Pokemon Go's next Community Day is scheduled for Sunday, May 19. The featured Pokemon this month will be Torchic, the Fire-type starter from Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.
Following a leak or two, Valve has now formally debuted its virtual reality hardware solution, named Valve Index. The official site promises high-fidelity VR with superior comfort and control. Pre-orders begin on May 1, and pricing has been announced for the full set along with the a la carte pieces of it.
The centerpiece of the VR kit is the headset, which boasts two 1440x1600 RGB LCDs, promising more pixels and less screen door effect than OLED displays. It also runs at 120Hz (with optional 90Hz and 144Hz modes) for higher framerates. Valve promises a greater field-of-view than other devices, and the headset itself sports two off-ear near-field speakers to balance comfort and sound quality. It also has an adjustable head band for head size, ear placement, and angle, and swappable face pads for sharing the kit. Finally, the headset has room for expansion and mods with cameras and a front expansion slot.
A pair of custom-built controllers strap onto your hand and respond to natural movements like throwing or dropping held objects. Valve boasts that each controller has 87 sensors to help determine your movements and intent. The grip input helps determine how you're holding objects and finger tracking, and the controllers sport a full range of standard buttons along with a track button. A pair of base stations have a 160º x 115º field-of-view range, and are expandable to up to four stations.
The full Valve Index set costs $1,000, while the headset and controllers alone are $750. The headset is the most expensive single part at $500, and a pair of controllers are $280 by themselves. A single base station costs $150. Each of these are planned to ship by June 28, 2019.
This gives PC users another option for their VR support, as the race for headset dominance continues with other companies like Facebook and HTC having gained a following with their own devices. Consoles are looking to support VR as well, and Sony has hinted that its next console will continue to support PSVR.
The eighth and final season of HBO's Game of Thrones was one of the most anticipated TV events of recent years, and last weekend, Episode 3 finally delivered the Battle of Winterfell. Fans have waited a long time for this epic confrontation, and as a result, the episode has smashed viewing records.
HBO states that the episode, titled "The Long Night," delivered 17.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode in the show's history. This figure includes replays and streaming; in terms of on-air viewing, the episode drew an audience of 12 million across two airings on Sunday night. The previous record was held by Episode 1 of Season 8, which was watched by a total of 17.4 million viewers earlier this month. "The Long Night" was also the longest Game of Thrones episode ever, clocking in at 82 minutes.
While these figures make Season 8 the most popular to date, the show has been a ratings hit from the very start. The show is HBO's most popular series of all time and the most watched scripted show on TV. There are three episodes remaining in Season 8--Season 4 airs next Sunday, while with the final one hits on May 19.
Despite the huge viewings figures, "The Long Night" received a mixed response from some critics and viewers. In his review, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau argued that the episode "subverted all our expectations in the worst ways possible. We expected some real, impactful main character deaths in this episode, and it turned out the stakes weren't nearly as high as we thought. We expected some payoff for things Game of Thrones has spent seven seasons setting up, and the reality is much of it was simply pointless."
Although Game of Thrones is nearing the end, there is a prequel spin-off on the way. X-Men: First Class' Jane Goldman will serve as showrunner and has developed the story with George RR Martin, who wrote the original novels. Earlier this year it was reported that the show will start filming early this summer. However, another potential spin-off, from Game of Thrones writer Bryan Cogman, is no longer happening.
As those living in Japan enjoy the annual week-long vacation period known as Golden Week, those of us living in other parts of the world are enjoying some perks of our own in the form of game deals across several digital stores. The PlayStation Store and Steam have both launched Golden Week sales recently, and now Nintendo is getting in on the fun with a publisher sale from Nippon Ichi Software, the developers behind games like Disgaea and Phantom Brave. It's a small sale, with only 18 games, but there are some decent deals here worth checking out.
Disgaea 1 Complete and Disgaea 5 Complete are marked down--the classic strategy RPGs are currently selling for $40 and $30, respectively. Disgaea 1 Complete has been remastered to match the quality of Disgaea 5 for the Nintendo Switch, with improved sprites, character portraits, and backgrounds, as well as a new playable character and a few other UI tweaks. Disgaea 5 Complete comes with all DLC content, including eight bonus scenarios and more characters and classes.
You can grab Yomawari: The Long Night Collection for just $30 on Switch; the bundle includes both Yomawari: Night Alone and Yomawari: Midnight Shadows. Each game has a unique story, but in both you'll play as young girls making their way through a bizarre, spooky rural Japanese town at night. Another solid deal: The Longest Five Minutes, a game about a hero who loses his memories in the last five minutes of a final boss fight, which is available for 50% off ($20).
Nintendo's Golden Week Sale is running through May 7 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET / 3 PM GMT (1 AM AET on May 8), so you have about a week to claim these deals. According to an NIS America blog post, the sale is available in the US, Europe, and Australia Eshops (prices may vary).
Gearbox is soon giving fans another look at its upcoming loot shooter, Borderlands 3. The developer is livestreaming a "worldwide gameplay reveal" tomorrow, May 1, starting at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET, which will showcase "the first hands-on gameplay of Borderlands 3."
Gearbox hasn't shared many details about what the stream will entail, only that fans will be able to potentially earn some in-game loot by watching Twitch streamers play the game via a new Echocast extension. The stream will be broadcast on the Borderlands website and Twitch channel. You'll also be able to tune in right here on GameSpot and watch the stream above.
Borderlands 3 Gameplay Reveal Stream Start Times
10 AM PT
1 PM ET
6 PM BST
Borderlands 3 had long been rumored, but Gearbox officially announced the title last month in a rather...memorable livestream presentation during PAX East 2019. A few days later, the developer shared another trailer for the game. This one introduced its cast--including its four new playable Vault Hunters--and confirmed its released date: September 13, 2019.
The latest Borderlands 3 trailer also gave us our first look at the game's antagonists, the Calypso twins, and confirmed a handful of returning characters. You can read more about the upcoming game in our roundup of what we know about Borderlands 3.
While Avengers: Endgame hasn't even been in theaters for a full week, many people are speculating about the future of the MCU. In fact, GameSpot already has a few villains we think the Marvel heroes should fight next. But did the end of Endgame actually drop hints at what's coming next? Get ready for some speculation.
This is your final warning for spoilers.
According to Reddit, there is a huge reveal in the background during the final moments of Endgame. In the scene where we see Ned Leeds and Peter Parker reunited at a high school, there is a school administrator greeting the students, high fiving them. According to the poster, the actor playing that role is Ben Mendelsohn. In Captain Marvel, he played the Skrull Talos, disguised as SHIELD's high-ranking member Keller. Could this be Keller or Talos disguised as Keller?
In the comics, Skrulls disguised themselves as humans and launched an all-out attack in the story Secret Invasion. The Skrulls even had sleeper agents, aliens disguised as humans the didn't know they were invaders. Could this quick shot be a hint at what's coming? It's hard to make out if the man in the shot is Mendelsohn, as it's obviously been taken from someone's phone in a movie theater, but that's not the only possible hint at what's coming.
In what seems like a throwaway line early on in Endgame, Okoye is talking to Black Widow via holograms, and Okoye mentions there was an earthquake under the ocean. At first, we all thought this was nothing, but GameSpot's Meg Downey reminded us that Wakanda has had a long-time feud with Atlantis and its leader, Namor. Could this line of dialogue be a clue as to what's coming next? Could the next Black Panther or Avengers movie be a battle against Atlantis?
At this point, we know a little about what's happening with Phase 4 of the MCU, but there haven't been many official announcements about what's coming next. Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 2, but it will actually close out Phase 3.
By Anonymous on Apr 30, 2019 08:30 pm Sonic is back behind the wheel in Team Sonic Racing, which releases in May for PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch.
Kart racing games are back, baby. By the time Team Sonic Racing launches on May 21, it will have been almost seven years since the last game in the series, Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, graced our consoles. In that time, only one kart racing franchise of note has stuck around: Mario Kart.
Compare that with the glory days of the early 2000s and you can see the contrast: Looney Toons Racing, Toy Story Racer, Digimon Racing… I could go on, but you get the point. Around this time, every major franchise had a kart racing spinoff, and while these attempts persisted half-heartedly into the early 2010s--ModNation Racers and LittleBigPlanet Karting, we hardly knew ye--the genre has all but died off save for Nintendo's frontrunner, which continues to dominate. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling game on Nintendo Switch with nearly 17 million copies shifted. Mario Kart 8 was also the best-selling game on Wii U with 8.5 million units sold.
That's all well and good, but it's a five-year-old game, and there's only so many times I can go round Mario Kart Stadium (and only so many times I can bear getting hit by a blue shell). I need some new challengers.
Luckily, Sumo Digital and Beenox are entering the fray with their own respective kart racers: Team Sonic Racing and Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled. They're each their own experiences, of course, but it's encouraging seeing more developers and publishers greenlight these kinds of projects. As Mario Kart's success shows, there's a huge audience for kart racing games out there.
Derek Littlewood, studio design director at Sumo, agrees. "I don't think the market for great karting games has ever gone away," he tells me. "I think part of the success we had with a game like [Sonic & All Stars Racing] Transformed was … because it was a cracking game, but it was also because those people were there, and they wanted that game. And they didn't have Nintendo systems and they weren't playing Mario Kart. [Transformed] did really well on Nintendo systems as well, which just says even those people who are playing Mario Kart are still saying, 'I want more of this.'"
Still, it's strange--though pleasing--to see two big names in the genre returning so close to one another: Crash Team Racing's remaster will launch just exactly a month after Sonic's new car-focused adventure. That's before you get to Mario Kart Tour, Nintendo's first mobile kart racer, which is also scheduled to launch this summer.
Of course, each game offers different flavours, and Team Sonic Racing's distinguishing features offer a surprising amount of depth. The game is centered around team play--even if you play alone, you're put into a team with two other Sonic heroes. Each team member contributes to a shared ultimate meter, which when filled can be activated to accelerate your team and sharpen up their handling. You fill the ult meter by performing team-oriented actions, such as helping them up when they spin out--passing close to them will get them back in the race more quickly--or slipstreaming behind teammates to gain a small boost.
This focus, Sumo says, was decided by Sonic Team head Takashi IIzuka, who wanted a game he could play with his kids where they could all contribute to a shared success. Littlewood, however, says Team Sonic Racing isn't just family-friendly fodder: "I think the unique thing that the team play allows us to do is make the game more accessible for less skilled players, because you can play with someone who is better than you at the game, and they can help you be better at it, rather than you always competing with each other. But at the same time, we've added a lot of depth to the different team actions and team play in general that allow high-level players to get more out of it."
Sumo clearly believes this is enough to set Team Sonic Racing apart from its competition. The inclusion of such iconic characters also helps, of course, but there's no doubting TSR's team play and kart customization, which allows you to tweak the stats of each character to make them quicker or easier to handle, for example, provide a decent amount of depth. The different classes--speed, technique, power--and their respective strengths of speed, handling, and offroading, do the same.
Tracks are a joy to race around, too, with some beautifully diverse styles and different optimal routes depending on which class you opt for. Sonic, for example, is best staying on smoother roads and racing in straight lines wherever possible. Tails, as a technique character, can slalom around obstacles, but Knuckles is best equipped to power straight through them.
However, at the preview stage at least, Sonic Team Racing lacks the shine of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Power-ups don't feel quite as fun to play with, and handling is currently less satisfying thanks to a somewhat loose-feeling drift. There is a story mode--which is the justification for excluding non-Sonic characters after Transformed--but is a text-based narrative much of an attraction for players, or would they rather skip it and get back to the racing?
I'm skeptical the game can unseat Mario Kart as the reigning champion of the kart racing genre, but perhaps overtaking Nintendo isn't the point. "For people who are fans of that kind of game, they each offer something different," says Littlewood. "The moment-to-moment gameplay of our game is different enough from Crash or Mario Kart that we don't really think about it in terms of competition. In my mind they have completely different pace and feel. We're happy there's more for fans to play."
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed, like Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing before it, contained a number of characters from outside the Sonic universe. Wreck-It Ralph, Football Manager Man, and others all battled for racing supremacy with the titular blue hedgehog and his friends, but the next game in the series, Team Sonic Racing, eschews these supplementary characters.
"The reason we [dropped non-Sonic universe characters]," explains Sumo Digital's studio design director, Derek Littlewood, "was so we could dive into the Sonic universe in more depth, and tell a canon Sonic universe story, with our team adventure mode. That was very important for us.
"It was a difficult decision for us, but we feel like that was the right direction to go in. Because it's allowed us to create a very new kind of unique experience for Team Sonic Racing that I think people won't have had with the previous titles."
The move has other advantages, too. Ben Wilson, designer on Team Sonic Racing, says it has made team interaction more viable: "Because this game's set in a universe with characters who have relationships already, it's let us do a dialog system where they're on track and they're yelling at each other, and they have familiarity with each other and make references to history, which we wouldn't have been able to have done really [had other franchises' characters been present]. Or at least, not in as smooth a way. So it's let us do some additional stuff as well."
Later in the interview, Littlewood says many members of the Sumo team are "old-school Sega fans [who] are really keen to continue doing the All-Stars aspect of the game." When pressed by GameSpot on whether there's more All-Stars content in the pipeline, Littlewood was coy: "There's nothing we have to announce, or even anything that is currently on the cards. But it's something that we would love to be able to go back to."
May is almost upon us and Microsoft has announced a new slate of Xbox Game Pass titles joining the subscription line-up over the course of the month. As usual this initial burst of announcements covers the first half of May, with more announcements likely to come later and fill out the remaining days.
First, on May 2, Game Pass subscribers will get access to Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus. The first-person shooter inserts you deep into Nazi-occupied America with a cast of colorful characters at your side. That same day the service will also add Wargroove, the retro turn-based strategy game reminiscent of Advance Wars.
On May 9, the service will add the resource management sim Surviving Mars and Tacoma, the sci-fi narrative adventure game from the makers of Gone Home, along with the MMORPG Black Desert. The strategy RPG For the King is being added as well, and while it officially launches on May 10, Game Pass subscribers get it three days early on May 7. As detailed in a separate announcement, the rogue-like Descenders will also leave early access and launch on Game Pass (and Steam) on May 7 as well.
Finally, on May 16, Game Pass will add tough sci-fi Souls-like The Surge along with the notably more family-friendly Lego Batman 3.
This month will also get a little bonus benefit outside of the slate of included games. Rocket League, which is already included in Game Pass, is launching an Xbox Customization Pack with in mid-July. Game Pass members get the pack early, and free.
Xbox Game Pass is an all-you-can-eat subscription service for $10 / £7.99 / AUD $10.95 per month, offering full game downloads. This is separate from Xbox Live Gold, which just outlined its own free games for the month of May. The two also recently got an "Ultimate" bundle that packages them together. If you haven't tried out Game Pass yet, you can sample it for cheap for a limited time. The offer gives you 3 months for just one buck.
Despite how surreal the idea of a live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie may seem, it is in fact happening and inevitable. If the numerous cast confirmations haven't been enough to convince you that we will soon live in a world where a wide-eyed blue hedgehog that runs fast will inhabit the same space as real human beings, the newly released trailer certainly will.
The trailer, which you can watch above, gives us a nice overview of the story. As you might expect, it's a familiar tale of Sonic going up against Robotnik, who is up to no good in San Francisco. This time, though, the bad doctor appears to be affiliated with the military G-men investigating what's up with the blue hedgehog. He's also surprisingly sassy for an evil doctor, and the end of the trailer teases a more familiar look for him.
Although Sonic will be brought to life via CGI, the beloved character is being voiced in the movie by Ben Schwartz, who is a seasoned voice actor having appeared as Dewey Duck in the new Duck Tales Show and Rutabaga Rabitowitz in Bojack Horseman.
Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik, meanwhile, is being played by Jim Carrey. In the games, he's portrayed as a mad scientist, an archetype that Carrey has played numerous times across his illustrious career. In an interview, Carrey said that that the Sonic movie will appeal to families, but will also have an edge to it. "I made sure that there are some winks and nods, and edgy things that are still acceptable to both age groups," he explained.
James Marsden, who is known for his recent work in HBO's Westworld, will also be in the film as a state trooper who catches onto Sonic's super speed. The new trailer shows him forming a buddy relationship with the speedster and getting into hijinks.
The Sonic movie is being directed by Jeff Fowler (Gopher Broke), with Deadpooldirector Tim Miller producing. It is set for release on November 19, 2019; it was originally expected to premiere in 2018 before being delayed.
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who recently won an Oscar for Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse, have signed a new deal with Sony that's reportedly worth $100 million or more.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lord and Miller will work on a lot of new and different projects as part of the nine-figure overall deal. This includes creating and producing new comedy and drama projects of their own and supervising others. They will also work on a number of TV shows based on Sony's Marvel characters, including Spider-Man and related villains, as well as Venom, Morbius, Black Cat, and Silver Sable. All of the characters from Into the Spider-Verse may also get their own spinoffs that Lord and Miller may work on.
"This is a significant milestone for our television business, having the opportunity to work with two of the most creative forces in the industry in both our film and television businesses," Sony Pictures Television chairman Mike Hopkins said in a statement. "Building on our strong IP and creating new franchises has been a key focus for SPE, and the best way to do that is to invest in remarkable storytellers like Phil and Chris."
Lord and Miller already had an extensive working relationship with Sony, as the pair directed Sony's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, and The Lego Movie, before producing Into the Spider-Verse.
Outside of Sony, Lord and Miller were announced as the directors of the Star Wars spinoff Solo, but Lucasfilm fired them and brought in Ron Howard.
"Together we aim to make groundbreaking work of the highest quality and integrity, and to place that work in convenient proximity to your eyeballs and earholes, wherever you may be," Lord and Miller said in their own statement.
Avengers: Endgame is finally in theatres, and it brings about an end to storylines and narrative arcs that started a decade ago.
One major storyline has been the Infinity Gauntlet narrative that's been the driving force of the interconnected stories thus far with the evil Thanos . Jim Starlin, who created Thanos (and Gamora and Drax) and also wrote the Infinity Gauntlet comic, has now shared his thoughts on Avengers: Endgame and Thanos's fate.
SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS ENDGAME FOLLOW BELOW
Speaking to IGN, Starlin said he was "amazed" and "flabbergasted" by the events of Endgame. "The up and downs that you have on it. There's some really heartbreaking moments mixed in with a lot of really funny little instances here and there," he explained.
Thanos is killed twice in Endgame; once by Thor, who lops his head off, and a second time--for good--when Tony Stark wields the Gauntlet and snaps Thanos out of existence. Starlin remarked that he was particularly impressed by the way actor Josh Brolin performed Thanos's final moments, when he accepted his fate and sat silently, awaiting his doom.
"His final moments in the movie I think are just priceless," Starlin said. "His demeanor once he realizes what's happening, I think that's just one of those little moments in film that everyone is gonna remember. It's like acceptance and taking it like a man, you know? I thought that was perfectly played."
Also in the interview, Starlin said the character Gamora in the Marvel movies is above all the closest representation of what he created in the comics.
