While WWE's sports entertainment programming is totally predetermined, mixing athletic feats with storylines and choreography, there's just something interesting about hearing all the backstage rumors about each show. More often than not, these rumors are totally bunk, but most wrestling fans enjoy knowing more about what's going on backstage, even if the info isn't 100% accurate.
Things are sure to get chaotic when WWE's PPV Hell in a Cell comes to the WWE Network and PPV on Sunday, September 16. This year's event will be hosted by the AT&T Center in Dallas, Texas, and the show will begin at 7 PM ET / 4 PM PT with a Kickoff Show starting one hour prior. There will be multiple title matches and at least two confirmed Hell in a Cell matches at the show.
So far, there aren't any huge rumors leading into Hell in a Cell yet, but WWE programming still has to get through this week's episodes of Raw and Smackdown to push forward, which is usually when the rumor mill really starts moving. Below, you can see the latest rumors for the upcoming PPV. If you'd like to know more, check out the updated match card for the show.
As rumors get confirmed or debunked, we'll keep you updated.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte have been battling back and forth on Twitter, and Charlotte posed the idea that their match should be a Hell in a Cell match. As of this writing, that would make three of the event's matches contested inside the cage.
The AT&T Center has revealed some of the card for the PPV. One match has not been confirmed by WWE, and the card is always subject to change. The new addition is Rollins & Ambrose vs Ziggler and McIntyre for the Raw Tag Team Championships.
Shawn Michaels may be coming out of retirement for the next Saudi Arabia show on November second, according to Wrestling Observer. Apparently, he would be involved in a tag match.
Make sure to come back to GameSpot on Sunday for live coverage of Hell in a Cell.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's private Blackout beta is now live for some players. The beta has officially kicked off on PS4 today, September 10, giving those who've pre-ordered the title their first chance to go hands-on with the new battle royale-inspired mode before Black Ops 4 launches next month.
As previously detailed, the beta supports up to 80 players and can be played either solo, in duos, or in four-player teams called quads. As in Fortnite and PUBG, players skydive onto a large island at the start of a match and compete to be the last one remaining, seeking out and collecting weapons and other gear, battling other players, and avoiding environmental hazards like zombies while the battlefield gradually shrinks in size.
In keeping with the spirit of Black Ops, Blackout features numerous callbacks and elements from previous installments in the series. The island, which developer Treyarch claims is 1,500 times larger than Nuketown, is made up of many areas inspired by previous Black Ops maps, and players can play as a number of returning Black Ops characters, such as Reznov, Mason, Woods, Ajax, and Seraph. Players will also be able to find and use many weapons and pieces of equipment taken from past Black Ops games.
The Blackout beta will be open exclusively to PS4 players until 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on September 14, at which time it will also open to Xbox One and PC players who've pre-ordered Black Ops 4. PC players who have a Battle.net account will be able to jump in to the beta beginning September 15. The beta concludes on all platforms at 10 AM PT / 1 PM ET on September 17. You can read more details about the Blackout beta here and watch us try it out in the video above.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches for PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12. Among other new features, the game introduces signature weapons--cosmetic gun variants you'll be able to unlock by completing challenges. Activision is releasing the title in multiple editions; you can learn more about each in our Black Ops 4 pre-order guide.
Since the beginning, the central conflict in the Assassin's Creed series has been freedom vs. control. For the most part, we've been placed on the side of freedom and fought to give others the right to choose how they want to live. Ironically, we haven't had much choice in how we go about it, and have repeatedly followed a controlled narrative in each entry that forced us to kill certain characters, spare others, and react to the world in a specific way.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey changes that and delivers an unprecedented level of freedom in its combat and dialogue. The game even allows you to choose your romantic partner, personal allegiance, and which people deserve to die--including normal civilians and several of the assassination targets.
In the opening eight to ten hours of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, our travels through ancient Greece introduced us to a large supporting cast of characters, gave us our first taste of Odyssey's naval combat, and allowed us to experience the effects of choosing certain dialogue responses over others. We got a pretty comprehensive idea of the differences in combat and how the introductory skills in Odyssey work too, as we played through the game's opening hours with Alexios as a powerful melee fighter and bow wielder, and then again with Kassandra as a speedy and stealthy assassin who relied on small daggers.
As we played through Odyssey's opening chapters, we noticed the game repeatedly go out of its way to give the player the ability to choose. Kassandra and Alexios may be its protagonists, but the next Assassin's Creed is all about you living your own odyssey. For the most part, it works, but some of the new innovations suffer from solely focusing on the player's needs and not those of the game's characters.
New Skills Are Unlocked Quickly And Make Fights More Fluid
You level up and unlock new skills fairly quickly at the start of Assassin's Creed Odyssey, giving you plenty of opportunities to experiment with new abilities. At the start, the only abilities available to you will be different types of archery shots, melee attacks, and stealth skills. The higher end abilities that sheath your blade in fire or perform other seemingly magical attacks are locked until you progress a certain ways through the story.
Like Assassin's Creed Origins, the use of these skills runs on an adrenaline meter. However, adrenaline fills a lot faster in Odyssey, so it's easier to chain together many skills in a row to pull off devastating combos in combat or stealthily slice your way through an enemy compound in mere moments.
Kassandra and Alexios do not use shields, so the shield bashing skills from Origins are gone. However, plenty of Bayek's other abilities make a return, including using a special vision to sense and tag enemies through walls or controlling the trajectory of an arrow after you've fired it into the air.
The new skills are way more fun, though. Spartan kick deals tons of damage and is a good way of putting some space between you and a powerful enemy. Ubisoft has even nicely stationed several foes alongside the edges of cliffs or towers in the early areas whose sole purpose seems to only be to stand there until they're sadisticly kicked into oblivion. Compared to Bayek, Kassandra and Alexios have a lot more creative stealth skills as well, including a particularly effective one that allows you to throw out a knife into a person's back and immediately appear behind them to finish them off before then throwing the knife into another target. It's like Kassandra/Alexios are teleporting from one enemy to the next, but the game describes it as them being so fast and sneaky that enemies can't keep track of them.
Instead of putting all your points into new skills, you can also spend them on upgrading your existing ones too. For example, the teleporting knife throwing skill only chains up to two targets at first, but you can use additional points to raise that number. And if you don't like the skills you've unlocked or upgraded, Odyssey lets you respec your protagonist at any time.
Romancing Someone Can Be A Little Creepy
In our time with the demo, we only found one person we could flirt and start a relationship with. Her name is Odessa and she's a direct descendent of the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer's Odyssey. Odessa is attracted to both Kassandra and Alexios so you'll be able to romance her regardless of which character you choose.
Romance in Odyssey plays out a lot like the romantic storylines in Mass Effect: Andromeda. One of the dialogue choices for when you meet someone you can romance will have a little heart next to it. Clicking that choice causes Kassandra/Alexios to flirt with that person. Do it enough times and the game transitions into a scene where both characters are intimate. It's very straightforward and easy to do if you want to romance someone, and just as simple to avoid it if you don't want to.
The problem with romancing Odessa, is that you have to be a huge creep to "woo" her. If you choose to romance Odessa, you have to continue flirting with her and pushing for her to have sex with you while she's asking you to help her gather medicine for her dying father or pleading with you to save her life from some men who want her dead. And when you do help her and she finally agrees to have sex with you, you can ask if she wants to go again. She resists--saying she's tired from the sex you both had literally seconds prior--but she appreciate your advances and you can then offer for her to serve on your crew so she can find the meaning in her life she's been desperately seeking. She's then available to help you in boarding parties during naval combat.
Forging the relationship feels very formulaic and unnatural. There are cute moments--especially at the start--but the overall experience leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It's a moment where Odyssey's message of this being a journey for the player gets in the way of the gameplay. The Odessa romance is purposely built for you to have the girl if you want her, and dispose of her if you don't--you can literally leave her locked in a cage on an island. By the end, we didn't feel like we'd formed a loving connection with a special person; rather we'd chosen to recruit someone who felt indebted to us. Hopefully there are other romantic storylines in Odyssey that feel a bit more like actually falling in love.
Shaping The Protagonist's Words Can Create Amusing Consequences
Despite having the choice of choosing what Kassandra or Alexios can say to someone, the dialogue in the game has been structured to fit a specific archetype. Kassandra and Alexios are hot-headed, stubborn, and very opinionated so all of their dialogue choices reflect that. When an annoying woman is badgering the protagonists about finding her stolen wood, they can either ask her to be patient with a hint of annoyance in their voice or angrily yell at her and tell her to shut up while they go get her wood. Both answers are technically the same--in both instances Kassandra and Alexios are getting tired of being badgered about getting this woman's wood they already agreed to find--but the player decides whether or not the protagonist should keep their emotions under control.
There are a few moments where you'll be able to use dialogue to solve problems. For instance, you can help a praying woman by having the protagonists speak out and pretend to be the god Hermes. It's hilarious how easily the woman believes in the ruse, but it convinces her to return home to her family. You can continue the charade by following her home and leaving the gold she was praying for on her doorstep.
During the demo, we also got to see how our dialogue choices can affect the game's story. Not all of the choices in Odyssey lead to the result you think, and you'll have to be careful. A positive action does not always yield a positive response. Early on in the game, we learned about some plague victims. After investigating the situation, it seemed like the civilians in quarantine were clean, so we allowed them to return to their lives. It wasn't until much later--after we'd sailed away from the island--that we learned the plague had spread from those civilians and killed more people. Ubisoft informed us that had we allowed the guards to continue detaining the quarantined citizens against their will, the plague would have ended.
Another surprise was the lack of complete censorship in Odyssey's dialogue. Although a few words--like "mercenary" and "hello"--are spoken in the native tongue, the protagonist and the other characters they meet all freely swear without being censored by the Animus. We've never heard an Assassin's Creed protagonist drop so many f-bombs before. It's a little jarring at first but we quickly got used to it, and it occasionally makes Kassandra/Alexios' angry outbursts a little funnier.
Naval Travel Is Tedious
Naval travel is so slow in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. From a historical sense, it's understandable that Odyssey's protagonists wouldn't have access to the same technology seen in Assassin's Creed 3, 4: Black Flag, and Rogue, so their vessel would be slower than Ratohnhake:ton's Aquila, Edward's Jackdaw, and Shay's Morrigan. That doesn't change how annoying it is when it comes time to sail on a longer voyage, and it certainly doesn't help that the ocean lacks the same vibrant life and activity that made exploring so enjoyable in Black Flag. After playing the mandatory naval missions, we steered clear of the optional ones.
Naval combat is still pretty fun, although you'll often be ramming into and sinking ships in the beginning of the game instead of boarding them. If you do choose to only wound a vessel and leap aboard, an army will no longer follow after you. A few sailors might join you, but you'll mostly be on your own. If you want a boarding party, you'll have to recruit people for the job--in a similar style to Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain. You find someone you want to recruit, knock them out with a Spartan kick or melee takedown, and then abduct them. When they wake up, they can be assigned as an officer within your crew.
Officer recruitment is another unfortunate example where Odyssey's mission to cater to the player has a negative effect on the gameplay. It would have been nice to have specific missions devoted to acquiring officers--similar to Assassin's Creed 3's assassin recruit missions--so each member of your crew had a bit more personality. But again, your crew's story and their choices don't matter, it's yours that does. It's also a little weird that everyone you kidnap is just okay with serving under you, even if just prior to being knocked out you killed every one of their fellow soldiers. Apparently, no one you abduct has a family who misses them either.
Like the weapons and gear you find, each potential officer has a rarity level and extra attributes. For example, a common enemy archer we recruited increased the number of arrows our ship could fire by a tiny percent and he brought a small contingent of soldiers with him when he joined us while boarding an enemy ship. Meanwhile, Odessa--who's very skilled with both a bow and sword and considered a rare character--increases our ship's arrow barrage damage by a significant amount, remains by our side while on enemy ships, attracts a sizable boarding party, and can kill most sailors in just one to two hits. At the start, you can only assign one officer, but if you choose to upgrade the size of your ship then you'll be able to pick up to four.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey releases on October 5 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. The game comes with certain in-game bonuses depending on where you pre-order it from and what edition you buy, of which there are quite a few.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of controlling Spider-Man in the new PS4 game is the steady flow of new skills, upgrades, and gadgets to incorporate into your superhero repertoire. Peter Parker is a capable combatant from the start but he can move faster, hit harder, and protect himself from harm more easily if you take the time to dress him for success. Understanding when and how to use your gadgets is a great first step in the right direction.
Let's breakdown each of Spider-Man's gadgets, and look at some examples of when you should put them into action.
The Web Shooter is the most important tool in your kit, and one that you will use most-often throughout the game--unlike other gadgets, an empty Web Shooter only needs a few seconds to recharge. At its most basic, a single web shot is an effective means of momentarily staggering an enemy. A few consecutive shots can also be used to ensnare a target and make them available as a weight to swing around and knock over other enemies, or, if an enemy is close to a wall, a few shots will attach them to it. You'll have fun if you tinker with Spider-Man's more advanced gadgets, but if you're alert enough, you could simply get by with the Web Shooters alone--they're that effective.
Impact Web
The next step up f is the Impact Web gadget. Think of this as a weapon that fires a condensed blast from your standard shooters, one powerful enough to instantly knock back and web up a bad guy. You can only hold a couple of shots until you upgrade the gadget, but even with those added rounds it's not something you can spam on a regular basis.
When fully upgraded, the Impact Web can deploy a blast that causes the initial target to spread Spidey's web to any other enemy they come into contact with. Consider facing a crowd of enemies and treating them like bowling pins just waiting to be knocked down. Do this, and follow-up with a ground-pound attack (unlocked in the skill tree) to add insult to injury. You can also grab hold of the impacted enemies and use them as a projectile to harm or momentarily disable any other nearby enemies.
Spider Drone
The Spider Drone is a handy little sidekick that can float nearby Spider-Man and stun enemies with a beam of electricity. It is a great tool to activate if you find yourself surrounded by enemies, either to open a window of time for an escape, or, to give you a fighting chance of taking on the entire group.
Electric Web
From a tactical standpoint, the Electric Web gadget is one of the most useful and simple-to-understand of the bunch, perhaps only second to the standard Web Shooters. Like the Spider Drone, the Electric Web can stun enemies, but you get to manually pick your target.
The best part? Any enemies standing nearby your initial target will become stunned as well. It's not the only gadget for the job, but if you see a crowd of enemies running at you or simply standing by while you move about unnoticed, the Electric Web is a handy way of gaining the upper hand before entering the fray. After a few upgrades, you'll be able to stock extra electric ammo and enjoy a shocking arc that jumps farther away from your initial target.
Web Bomb
Just like the Electric Web, your Web Bomb gadget is great for crown control (it explodes webs that trap enemies within a small area) though it has a couple of distinct advantages to keep in mind. Unlike the Electric Web, you don't need to fire a direct hit. Simply aim at the environment and the Web Bomb will detonate after a few seconds and entrap anyone that comes close.
More importantly, there are many skills that allow you to manipulate webbed enemies to your advantage, compared to enemies that are simply stunned. A well-placed Web Bomb gives you plenty of vulnerable bad guys to grab with your webbing and swing around to give yourself some breathing room.
Upgrades for the Web Bomb will grant you more ammo, and increase the size of the web explosion.
Trip Mine
If you know an enemy is patrolling a specific route and want to catch them at just the right location, Spider-Man's Trip Mine is the perfect solution. Essentially, when an enemy comes close enough, the mine will explode and ensnare them.
The logical place to put a mine is on the ground or a wall, but consider that they will also stick to enemies and your opportunities get a bit more interesting. An activated mine on an enemy will essentially grab the nearest person and slam them into the original target. It's how you unlock the 'Hug It Out' trophy, and it's worth a laugh the first few times you do it.
Concussive Blast
The Concussive Blast is a useful gadget that emits a powerful sonic wave, causing nearby enemies to tumble backwards. It's useful in a lot of scenarios, but none more so than when fighting on a rooftop. A flick of your wrist is all it takes to send enemies flying over the edge, instantly knocking them out of combat.
Suspension Matrix
One of the best parts of playing as Spider-Man is controlling his antics in mid-air, and that's precisely why the Suspension Matrix is not just a useful gadget, but a fun one to boot. An enemy off the ground is also a vulnerable enemy, and with the quick press of a button you can not only zip up to your next target, but also set yourself up for a new set of combos, such as a series of melee attacks and a final web-grab-and-toss motion that sends them careening into their buddies.
(Spoilers ahead for both the game and Avengers: Infinity War.) If you're still a little raw after the brutal ending of Avengers: Infinity War, then seeing this suit in action in the PS4-exclusive Spider-Man title may either make you very happy (yay this costume is great and I can pretend everything is OK with Peter Parker) or very, very sad (oh god it just reminds me of that last scene with Tony Stark MY FEELINGS). Either way, the Iron Spider suit stands as one of the most visually striking in the game, and it makes swinging through the skyscrapers of New York just that little bit cooler.
Unsurprisingly, this suit's power mimics the one seen in the movie, and sprouts four mechanical arms from Spidey's back when activated. Within the game, these arms add extra power to Spidey's attacks, allowing you to bust through even the strongest enemies' defenses (including shielded foes and those pesky brutes), as well as hit multiple enemies at once. When you're surrounded and need a quick way to land some hits regardless of the enemy types around you, this suit's Iron Arms power is a lifesaver.
The Iron Spider Suit unlocks about two-thirds of the way into the game, and when looking at the suits list, it's the 17th you'll have access to. The first thing you'll need to do to nab the Iron Spider is reach level 31. After that, you'll need to have four crime tokens accumulated, as well as three base tokens and three challenge ones. Once you have those, then Stark's hopefully-not-final creation for young Peter Parker is yours for the taking.
If you're not a fan of the white spider logo costume you've probably seen Spidey rock in most of the pre-release videos and images of Marvel's Spider-Man for PS4, then never fear. Not only does the game feature more than 20 alternate suits (check out our full list of suits coming soon), but it also features the webslinger's popular Tony Stark-created suit featured in recent big screen films like Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The Stark Suit--as it's referred to in the game--is actually one of the first ones you'll have access to. That's a huge plus, as not only is this suit one of the most aesthetically awesome costumes Spidey's worn in either the comics or in movies, it also unlocks what is probably one of the most useful powers in the game: Spider-Bro. Initiating Spider-Bro releases a small drone that flies around Spider-Man and zaps enemies with electricity, rendering them temporarily paralyzed and making them easy pickings. The effect lasts for a decent amount of time as well, meaning Spider-Bro can easily become your favorite crowd control move in the entire game.
Unlocking the Stark Suit is pretty straightforward. If you've just started the game and are looking at a mainly empty list of boxes in your suits menu, the Stark Suit is actually eighth on the list. You'll need to be level 10 to get the chance to unlock it, but once you're there, you'll also need a few of the tokens you've likely already been collecting around New York--specifically, one base token, one research token, and three crime tokens.
And the high tech Stark Suit isn't the only one from the Homecoming movie featured in the game. If you recall, the Peter Parker in that movie started his crime fighting wearing a simple red hoodie and blue pants, and that simple homemade suit can also eventually be unlocked and worn in this PS4 Spidey title. This suit doesn't have a specific power that it comes with, and will probably take you a while to achieve, as you'll need to find every backpack hidden throughout the game.
Marvel's Spider-Man is out exclusively for PlayStation 4. Check out of all of our recent coverage around the game, including:
While you've been swinging through the buildings of New York City in Insomniac's Spider-Man, what was supposed to be a love story for the ages has turned into one of the saddest easter eggs of all time.
Tyler Schultz reached out to Insomniac back in May, wanting to propose to his then-girlfriend in a "big way." Marvel's Bill Rosemann and Insomniac both replied to Schultz and made the proposal idea a reality. Right now, there's a marquis sign that reads "Maddie, will you marry me?" hiding in the corners of the city.
Unfortunately, according to Schultz, Madison did not wait. In a vlog, Schultz details how to find the easter egg and claims his girlfriend left him just weeks before he could pop the question.
"I'm actually kind of happy it's in this game," Schultz says in the vlog. "A lot of people, when I told them how I was going to propose to her, I don't think they understood that there was a literal piece of this game that anybody can go to."
Jacina Chew, Insomniac's art director for Spider-Man, offered Schultz her condolences in a reply to the sad tale. She's offered to change the sign in a future update.
Insomniac and Marvel's Spider-Man is filled to the brim with other Easter eggs too, so make sure to check out our favorites. For even more (hopefully less sad) Spidey news, head on over to our Spider-Man hub.
With Monster Hunter: World out now on PC, it's roster of monsters can finally grow. In the PC version's first update, the Deviljho has entered the fray.
Among a number of other bug fixes, this first update includes the first Deviljho mission. The update also includes the Deviljho weapons and Vangis α and β armor sets. It will start invading six and seven-star missions, as well as high-rank missions once "??? Rathian" has been completed.
This update also includes a few other goodies. A specialized tool called the Dragonproof Mantle and a new DLC Astera 3 Star Chef Coat outfit for the handler. The handler's outfit appears to be the only paid piece of this update.
For more details on this update about bugs and the rest of its fixes, head on over to the Steam page. For more on this monster-slaying title, check out our Monster Hunter: World hub.
The Conjuring series has become one of the most successful horror franchises of the past decade and it keeps getting bigger. The Nun is the fifth movie in the interconnected Conjuring universe and it has scored the biggest opening to date, comfortably taking the top slot on this weekend's box office chart.
The movie scored an estimated $53.5 million in its first three days in the US. As Box Office Mojo points out, this is even higher than The Conjuring's $41.8 million take in 2014 and is the second highest September opening of all time. Like all the movies in the series--which also includes Annabelle and its prequel--The Nun was made on a modest budget, in this case, a reported $22 million. With an estimated worldwide weekend take of $131 million, we can expect plenty more movies in the series.
The week's second highest new entry was the revenge thriller Peppermint, which marked Alias star Jennifer Garner's return to the action genre. Despite largely negative reviews, it debuted with a respectable $13.3 million weekend gross and entered the chart at No.3. The hugely popular romcom Crazy Rich Asians dropped to No.2, after spending three weeks at the top and boasting a US total of $136.2 to date.
Mission Impossible: Fallout remains strong at No.6 in its seventh week of release; with a worldwide gross $726.6 million, the movie is now the most successful in the entire series. Elsewhere, the shark thriller The Meg slipped to No.4 and the acclaimed thriller Searching moved to No.5, with Disney's Christopher Robin, Operation Finale, Alpha and BlacKkKlansman making up the rest of the Top 10.
You can see the full Top 10 list for the September 7-9 US box office below, as compiled by Box Office Mojo.
In case you can't smell what Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Rampage) is cooking, let him fill you in. He's currently working on a Fast & the Furious spin-off with Jason Statham (Spy, The Meg) titled Hobbs and Shaw, and the former wrestler-turned-actor has shared the film's first set photo.
Taking to Instagram, Johnson posted a photo of Statham--his "partner in heavy crime and fun"--and director David Leitch (Deadpool 2, John Wick) to the photo-sharing social media platform. There, Johnson called Leitch a "visionary" and a "badass director," stating he's "ready to evolve the franchise in exciting and fresh new ways." This comes as no surprise considering Leitch's recent comments about the film.
Leitch told Collider in an interview in May 2018 that he wants to have his own take on the Fast & the Furious franchise. "It will definitely have elements of the original DNA, but it is more drifting into Shaw's spy world and Dwayne's agent world and, obviously, we want to build on their relationship, their conflict, their banter," Leitch said. It seems the film will be more muscles than cars but don't worry: Johnson's Hobbs and Shaw set photo features a souped-up-looking car, potentially indicating that fast cars will still make an appearance, regardless of how furious Hobbs and/or Shaw get.
This Fast & the Furious spin-off stars Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprising their roles from the core franchise as Luke Hobbs and Deckard Shaw. According to Screencruch, Hobbs and Shaw will see the duo get over themselves--and each other--to take down a common threat: Idris Elba (The Dark Tower, The Mountain Between Us), playing an undisclosed role. Vanessa Kirby (Jupiter Ascending, Mission: Impossible – Fallout) has also been cast in the film, but her role remains unspecified.
If you're in London in two weeks, maybe you can meet up with Hobbs--I mean, Statham for some "pancakes, tequila and ass kickin's." And, of course, all fanfare is on Johnson, and we can definitely smell what he's cooking.
Hobbs and Shaw is scheduled to hit in theaters on August 2, 2019.
Apple's much-anticipated iPhone event is coming on September 12, and based on the (rather convincing) rumors out there, it could be one of the biggest launches for the company's mobile offerings yet. Top of mind is, of course, the successor to the iPhone X, reportedly called the iPhone XS. The rumors indicate there will be at least two versions: the iPhone XS, which will be 6.1 inches and will be the more affordable model, and the iPhone XS Max, which will be a whopping 6.5 inches (the biggest iPhone yet).
GameSpot's sister website, CNET, will have full coverage of the event, featuring several longtime Apple watchers and coming to you live from the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California. The pre-show begins at 9AM PT / 12PM ET / 5PM BST, with the main event kicking off at 10AM PT / 1PM ET/ 6PM BST. You can watch the livestream of CNET's coverage here, where they'll also have a liveblog of all the big announcements.
Nothing has been confirmed by Apple, but 9to5Mac has shared tons of details about the new iPhones, including a new second-gen 5.8-inch model and rumors of an updated Face ID and improved rear camera. We may also learn about a new generation of Apple Watches, iPad Pros, and possibly get a first look at the successor to the Macbook Air. Here's what Apple is rumored to be announcing:
This week, players will have their first opportunity to try Call of Duty: Black Ops 4's new battle royale-style mode, Blackout, thanks to a private beta session Activision is hosting on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. Alongside the launch of the beta, the publisher has shared some new details about the mode, revealing more about its map, selection of playable characters, and the kinds of items and vehicles you'll encounter as you fight to be the last player or team remaining.
As previously confirmed, the Blackout beta will support up to 80 players--20 players fewer than Fortnite and PUBG, the two games that helped popularize the battle royale genre, support. However, developer Treyarch says the final player count is still subject to change and may be tweaked before launch based on the feedback it receives from players during the beta session.
The Blackout beta can be played either solo, in duos, or in four-player teams called quads, and it drops players on an island that's approximately 1,500 times larger than the classic Nuketown map. Players begin each match by gliding down to the island using a wingsuit, and in typical battle royale fashion, once they land they must scrounge for weapons and tools as the battle arena gradually shrinks in size.
Blackout features a selection of playable characters taken from the Black Ops series' history, including Reznov, Mason, Woods, Richtofen, Takeo, Ajax, Battery, Seraph, and more. The island is likewise comprised of areas based on previous Black Ops maps, such as the aforementioned Nuketown, Firing Range, Hyrdo, and more. On top of having to contend with other players, some areas of the map also feature hordes of zombies to make each match more unpredictable and challenging.
During a game of Blackout, you'll be able to find and wield an assortment of classic Black Ops weapons and equipment like the Cordite, MOG-12, and Vapr-XKG. Special weapons such as the War Machine grenade launcher and Annihilator pistol will also spawn on the map, as will an assortment of attachments, defensive equipment like the razor wire, and even scout equipment such as a remote-controlled recon car and the Sensor Dart, which can be fired at an area to reveal nearby players. Players will also be able to pilot various land, sea, and air vehicles.
The private Blackout beta kicks off first on PS4 on September 10; it then opens to Xbox One players on September 14. The console beta will only be open to those who've pre-ordered a copy of Black Ops 4. All PC players with a Battle.net account will be able to participate in the beta starting September 15, but those who've pre-ordered the title will get access to it 24 hours early.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 launches on PS4, Xbox One, and PC on October 12. On top of Blackout, the game features a variety or new and returning multiplayer modes, as well as an expanded Zombies experience. The game also introduces signature weapons--cosmetic gun variants you'll be able to unlock by completing challenges.
Season 3 of Daredevil isn't going to be all sunshine and lollipops. It seems like the titular character is in a very dark place right. Those who have already binged all 10 episodes of Season 2 of Iron Fist got a special surprise after the credits wrapped up in the season finale. A 30-second clip featuring Daredevil played--for those who didn't skip past the credits--which is undoubtedly a teaser for the upcoming third season of the Netflix series.
In the teaser, Matt Murdock--wearing the same mask he dawned in Season 1--is in a confessional, talking to a priest. "I once believed that justice could be found in a court of law, even in the light of day, but I was fooling myself," said Murdock. "Darkness only responds to darkness. And the truth is, I'd rather die as the devil then live as Matt Murdock."
Murdock hasn't had the easiest go of things in recent years. He's battled and defeated The Hand through the two seasons Daredevil and one of the Defenders, he's been beaten to a bloody pulp on multiple occasions, and he's been emotionally conflicted with being reunited--and then losing--the love of his life, Elektra. It seems this has taken its toll on the hero of Hell's Kitchen, but does this mean that his life as Murdock is no more?
Netflix has been extremely tight-lipped about the upcoming season. An air date has not been announced, but we do know Season 3 will drop this year. Back in January, a fan did see the new season in production and spotted Vincent D'Onofrio reprising his role as Kingpin. The picture posted online has since been taken down. And that's all we know right now; however, there is a Daredevil panel at October's New York Comic-Con, so surely we will learn more then.
Daredevil Season 3 should arrive sometime before the end of 2018.
We're now well into the second half of 2018, and so far it's been a mix of huge hits, critical smashes, and inevitably, a few disappointments. Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2,Incredibles 2, and Mission Impossible: Fallout have smashed records, and while Solo: A Star Wars Story proved to be a commercial disappointment, there's still plenty of excitement for next year's Episode IX, which is now in production.
All the big summer movies might have been released, but there's still loads to look forward to in the rest of 2018. There DC's Aquaman and the Transformers spin-off Bumblebee, plus the return of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl in the Spider's Web. The first of Sony's Spider-Man spin-offs arrives in the shape of Venom, we'll find out if there's life in the Predator franchise, and the classic Halloween series returns just in time for, well, Halloween. Once we hit the fall, the big awards-season movies start arriving too, with films such as First Man, Widows, and If Beale Street Could Talk sure to get plenty of Oscar buzz. So here's what you can look forward to over the rest of the year...
Lizzie
Lizzie Borden is one of the most notorious figures in American crime; in 1892 she was tried and acquitted of the axe murders of father and stepfather. The new movie Lizzie is based on this case, with Chloe Sevigny as the title character, a young woman who lives in terror under the domineering control of her stepfather, played by Homeland's Jamey Sheridan. Kristen Stewart plays a maid who comes to work at the Borden family home and befriends Lizzie, and it's a safe bet to assume that things get pretty dark from there. Sevigny and Stewart always deliver impressive performances and with Channel Zero's Craig William Macneill directing, this looks like a compelling blend of intense drama and dark true-crime thrills.
Release date: September 14
The Predator
Although the original Predator is an '80s action classic, the movies that have followed have ranged from interesting but flawed (Predator 2) to completely terrible (Alien vs Predator). The Predator is writer/director Shane Black's attempt to get the franchise back on track. Black's impressive resume ranges from writing Lethal Weapon to directing Iron Man 3, and as a young actor he even had a role in original Predator. Black himself has said that he only agreed to make the film if he could do it on a big, blockbuster scale, while still delivering the sci-fi horror goods. The first trailer arrived in May, and it looks like it will give the fans exactly what they have been hoping for.
Release date: September 14
The House with a Clock In Its Walls
After a brief diversion into action territory with this year's Death Wish remake, Eli Roth (Hostel, Cabin Fever) returns to the genre he is best known for with this gothic fantasy. It's an adaptation of the much-loved 1973 novel of the same name about a young orphan boy who helps his uncle and a friendly witch find a magical clock with apocalyptic powers. This is a more family-friendly slice of gothic chills than Roth's usual brand of gruesome horror, and the impressive cast includes Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, and Kyle MacLachlan.
Release date: September 21
Hold The Dark
Jeremy Saulnier's gripping thrillers Green Room and Blue Ruin proved that he is one of the most exciting young directors around, and Hold The Dark looks like it will continue his hot streak. It's a Netflix original, meaning anyone with a subscription to the streaming service will be able to watch it next month. It stars Westworld's Jeffrey Wright as a retired tracker who is hired by a young mother to hunt the wolves that killed her young son. There is, of course, a lot more going on than that, so expect a seriously intense and violent--but unmissable--experience.
Release date: September 28
Night School
Girls Trip was one of 2017's most successful comedies and provided the hugely talented Tiffany Haddish with her breakthrough role. Night School sees Haddish reunite with Girls Trip director Malcolm D Lee and teams her with Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle star Kevin Hart, who also co-wrote the screenplay. Haddish plays a teacher at a night school, who has some rather unorthodox methods to make her sure her adult students pass their exams. Hart is one of these reluctant students, and while the film doesn't exactly look subtle, it does look damn funny.
Release date: September 28
Venom
Although the deal between Disney and Sony has ensured that Spider-Man is currently part of the former's Marvel Cinematic Universe, the movie right to the character ultimately remain with Sony. As a result, the studio is launching its own interconnected universe of characters from the canon of Spidey comic-books. Venom is first up; it stars Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, a photographer who ends up with superpowers after he is taken over by the alien parasite of title. It's directed by Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer, and the impressive supporting cast includes Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson, and Riz Ahmed.
Release date: October 4
First Man
Given Neil Armstrong is the most famous astronaut ever, it's surprising that he's never had his own biopic until now. First Man is set between 1961 and 1969 and tells the story of Armstrong's preparations for his history-changing journey to the moon. It stars Ryan Gosling as the man himself and is helmed by Gosling's La La Land director Damien Chazelle. The impressive cast also includes Claire Foy, Kyle Chandler, Jon Bernthal, and Pablo Schreiber.
Release date: October 12
Johnny English Strikes Again
While it's unlikely that a third Johnny English film was high on anyone's most-anticipated movies list for 2018, the previous two spy spoofs were major box office hits, earning more than $320 million worldwide. Johnny English Strikes Again sees Mr. Bean actor Rowan Atkinson return as the inept superspy, who this time must thwart a master hacker. As the first trailer reveals, English travels to France with his loyal sidekick Bough to track his enemy down--and also launch missiles at French cyclists. Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson co-stars, alongside Olga Kurylenko, who appears to be parodying her role in the 2008 James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.
Release date: Fall 208.
Halloween
The Halloween series might be one of longest-running and most profitable horror franchises in movie history, but most fans would agree that every entry hasn't necessarily been a good one. The last time Michael Myers stalked the screen was in Rob Zombie's hugely divisive remakes a decade ago, but now, on the 40th anniversary of John Carpenter's original movie, the killer also known as The Shape is back. Plot details for this latest Halloween are under wraps, but it's got an impressive pedigree. It's directed by acclaimed indie auteur David Gordon Green and produced by Blumhouse Films, which has scored major successes in recent years with the likes of Get Out, Paranormal Activity, and the Purge movies. Original star Jamie Lee Curtis returns, and if that wasn't enough, Carpenter himself is creatively involved and providing another iconic soundtrack. Could this be the Halloween reboot that finally gets it right?
Release date: October 19
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Disney's series of live-action fairy tale adaptations has proved to be box office gold over the past few years, and this is the studio's latest offering. While the title might not be as recognisable as The Jungle Book or Beauty and the Beast, expect it to make serious money this fall. It's based on the classic 19th century fairytale and stars Keira Knightley, Helen Mirren, and Morgan Freeman, with Mackenzie Foy in the lead role as Clara, a young girl who is pulled into a mysterious, magical world on Christmas Eve.
Release date: November 2
Bohemian Rhapsody
This biopic of Queen legend Freddie Mercury has been in development for many years, with various directors and stars attached to the project. Even when the cameras started rolling the problems didn't stop--director Bryan Singer was fired by the studio during production, to be replaced by British filmmaker Dexter Fletcher. But the movie is now finished and set for release in November. Mr. Robot star Remi Malek takes on the role of the iconic frontman, and it charts the rise of the band through the '70s to their world-conquering success in the '80s. It's produced by the band, and the trailer suggests that it might be more a celebration of the music than a look at the darker side of Mercury's life. But it looks like an absolute must-see for Queen fans.
Release date: November 2
Suspiria
David Gordon Green's upcoming Halloween reboot/sequel isn't the only late-70s horror classic getting a remake from an acclaimed director in 2018. Dario Argento's supernatural masterpiece Suspiria has been updated by Luca Guadagnino, the Italian filmmaker behind last year's Oscar-nominated Call Me By Your Name. This is a tale of a ballet school run by ancient, evil witches, and it stars Dakota Johnson and Chloë Grace Moretz as students who uncover the school's dark secrets. Argento's original movie is noted for its incredible visual style and thunderous soundtrack; Radiohead's Thom Yorke is providing the score for the remake, and hopefully Guadagnino will deliver something just as stylish.
Release date: November 2
Overlord
There were rumours earlier this year that this JJ Abrams-produced World War II horror film would form the next part of the Cloverfield universe. After all, 10 Cloverfield Lane and this year's The Cloverfield Paradox started life as unconnected movies with different titles before being rewritten to form part of Abrams' loose sci-fi series, so it wouldn't be surprising if he had the same thing in mind for Overlord. Abrams has subsequently denied this is the case, and the first trailer revealed last week certainly seems to point to this being a standalone movie. Either way, it looks like a suitably scary movie in which a squad of US soldiers are forced to parachute into occupied France, where they encounter a group of Nazis performing some terrifying experiments.
Release date: November 9
The Grinch
The classic Dr. Seuss story How the Grinch Saved Christmas was adapted into a hit Jim Carrey movie 18 years ago, and a new animated version hits the screen in November. Doctor Strange and Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch will provide the voice of the Holiday-hating title character, and the first trailer arrived last week. The movie was actually meant to be released last year, but the trailer is colourful and fun and the movie will hopefully be worth the wait.
Release date: November 9
The Girl in the Spider's Web
Although David Fincher's 2011 adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo was a commercial disappointment, the lead character, Lisbeth Salander, is returning to the screen. The Girl in the Spider's Web is based on the first Salander novel written by another author (Larson died in 2004), and stars The Crown's Claire Foy as the iconic hacker, taking over from Rooney Mara. Despite the change of actress, the movie is set to be a similarly dark tale of crime and revenge. Salander is described as "the girl who hurts men who hurt women," and the recent first trailer gives us a brutal taste of what to expect when it arrives in November.
Release date: November 9
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
The Harry Potter series might have finished in 2011, but the wider movie universe goes from strength to strength. The success of 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them led to the announcement of a further four movies, the first of which arrives in November. Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander, with Jude Law as the young Dumbledore, who enlists the help of Newt to help defeat the dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). David Yates directs once more, from a screenplay by Potter creator JK Rowling.
Release date: November 16
Instant Family
Mark Wahlberg was last seen running, jumping, and shooting people in the action thriller Mile 22, but his next movie is a lot more light-hearted. It's a comedy in which he and Rose Byrne (Insidious, Bridesmaids) play a couple who decide to foster three siblings, with predictably chaotic results. The movie reunites Wahlberg with his Transformers: The Last Knight co-star Isabela Moner, who will next be seen playing Dora the Explorer.
Release date: November 16
Widows
Ocean's Eight isn't the only high-profile heist movie coming our way in 2018. Widows is the latest film from Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave) and is written by Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn. The movies focuses on four women whose husbands are killed in a failed heist, who then decide to finish the job themselves. It's based on a British TV show of the same name from the 1980s, and the star-studded cast includes Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, and Get Out's Daniel Kaluuya. Films like 12 Years and Shame proved that McQueen can deliver prestigious, acclaimed dramas, so hopes are high that he is equally adept at making edgy crime thrillers.
Release date: November 18
Creed 2
While most thought that the legendary movie boxer Rocky Balboa had finally hung up his gloves, the 2015 spin-off Creed not only gave the character one of his finest movies, it paved the way for director Ryan Coogler to get the job of directing Marvel's wildly successful Black Panther. Coogler won't be back for the sequel, but star Michael B. Jordan is, once again playing the son of the original movies' Apollo Creed. Rocky creator and star Sylvester Stallone is back too, as both co-star and co-writer. Steven Caple Jr. directs this time, and it's rumoured that Creed 2 will bring back another iconic character from the original series--Rocky IV's Russian powerhouse Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).
Release date: November 21
Robin Hood
Ridley Scott's 2010 version of the the Robin Hood myth wasn't a critical or commercial success, but that hasn't stopped yet another version of the story heading to screens in 2018. This time we have a younger Robin, with Kingsman star Taron Egerton in the lead role. The cast also includes Jamie Foxx as Little John and Rogue One's Ben Mendelsohn as the Sheriff of Nottingham, and it's directed by TV director Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror). The first trailer is suitably action-packed, but we'll find out in November if this Hood is any good.
Release date: November 21
Ralph Breaks the Internet
The 2012 animated comedy Wreck-It Ralph was a critical and commercial hit, and the sequel arrives in November. It focuses on the arcade game villain-turned-hero of the title, who this time enters the internet after the arcade his game lives in goes online. John C. Reilly is the voice of Ralph, with Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Taraji P. Henson, and James Corden also part of the voice cast.
Release date: November 21
If Beale Street Could Talk
It was always going to be hard for director Barry Jenkins to follow his acclaimed, Oscar-winning drama Moonlight, but If Beale Street Could Talk looks like he might have made something just as good. Based on the classic novel by James Baldwin, the film is set in Harlem of the early '70s, and focuses on a pregnant woman who must race against time to free her wrongly-imprisoned boyfriend from jail. The fantastic first trailer was recently released, and the movie looks every bit as powerful and stylish as Moonlight. Expect lots of awards buzz for this one.
Release date: November 30
Mortal Engines
While Peter Jackson's first post-Hobbit directorial effort is yet to be revealed, he is heavily involved with this upcoming sci-fi adventure. Jackson produces and co-writes alongside his regular collaborator Fran Walsh, while Christian Rivers--who has worked with Jackson since his early horror days--makes his directorial debut. Mortal Engines is an adaptation of the first of four YA novels written by Philip Reeve and is set in a post apocalyptic steampunk world where motorised cities-on-wheels are at war with one another. As you'd expect from Jackson, it all looks truly spectacular, and if the storytelling matches the level of visual invention, it should make a lavish treat this Christmas.
Release date: December 14
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is easily one of our most anticipated films of the year. Produced by Lord and Miller of The Lego Movie fame, and starring Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, Jake Johnson as Peter Parker, and Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, Spider-Verse will take us into the, well, spider-verse. That means Spider-folks from various parallel universes will make appearances, from Spider-Man Noir (played by Nicholas Cage) to Spider-Ham, a cartoon pig in a Spider-Man outfit, voiced by comedian John Mulaney. It's not just the humorous cameos we're looking forward to, though, as Into the Spider-Verse overall looks like one of the coolest Spider-Man movies ever made.
Release date: December 14
Aquaman
The DC universe has had a bumpy ride so far, with only Wonder Woman connecting with both audiences and critics. But there's every reason to be hopeful that Aquaman could do the same. Director James Wan is a skilled genre operator, whether delivering crowd-pleasing horror (Saw, The Conjuring) or blockbuster action (Furious 7), and there's a killer cast that includes Patrick Wilson, Willem Defoe, Nicole Kidman, and '80s action icon Dolph Lungren, plus Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Amber Heard as Mera. Wan recently debunked the rumour that the film would be overstuffed with multiple villains, and promises an "emotional and powerful" origin movie.
Release date: December 21
Bumblebee
The future of the Transformers franchise might be uncertain, but we're definitely getting at least one more movie. The spin-off Bumblebee arrives in December and will focus on the earlier adventures of the much-loved yellow VW Autobot. It's set in California in the 1980s and stars Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) as a young woman who finds Bumblebee in a trash heap. WWE star John Cena also features in the cast, and the recent trailer suggests that this is going to be a more family-orientated movie than the main Transformers series. It's directed by Travis Knight, who previously helmed the Oscar-nominated animated movie Kubo And The Two Strings.
Release date: December 21
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