jake108 | Geekscape

Taika Waltiti to Direct ‘Thor: Ragnarok’

by jake108October 2, 2015

After facing tough competition, Taika Waltiti has earned the job for the third installment of the franchise. Waltiti is best known for his work on the vampire flick, What We Do in the Shadows (2014), which he co-wrote and co-directed. Aside from that, Waltiti has also directed five episodes of The Inbetweeners and a feature, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016).

Thor Ragnarok is set to release July 28, 2017.

Marvel Developing TV Comedy ‘Damage Control’

by jake108October 2, 2015

You read that right. Marvel is going ahead with a comedy television project titled, Damage Control. This 30-minute single-camera show will follow a group of underpaid and overworked cleanup crew that presumably goes around cleaning up after our Avengers and Agents of Shield. Think this plot is too ridiculous? Well, Damage Control ran as a comic series in 1989.

The show will produced by Ben Carlin, of Daily Show fame, and David Miner. Miner has been involved with both Brooklyn Nine-Nine & Parks and Recreation. No news on casting yet. This marks the second Marvel spin-off show that’s in the works. Damage Control will run on ABC.

Check Out Halo 5’s New Live Action Teaser!

by jake108September 28, 2015

It looks like 343 and Microsoft are trying to capture the magic that was Halo 3’s live action marketing campaign. Their newest teaser for Halo 5 depicts an announcement regarding Master Chief’s death…but we all know he’s still alive. It’s worth noting that the events that seemingly killed Master Chief take place on October 27, 2560. October 27, 2015 is Halo 5‘s release date.

Watch the teaser below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SENJV2_XuLM

We’ll have to wait a little while longer to see just what the event is, be through another teaser or a campaign mission. In any case, the excitement is ramping up.

Halo 5 is set to release October 27, 2015!

Geekscape Recaps: Fear the Walking Dead – ‘Cobalt’

by jake108September 27, 2015

With the penultimate episode of season one out of the way, it’s looking like we’re going to get a heavy dose of action next week. Still, this week we got a new character and a ton of build up for this season’s climax. So let’s get to it!

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

The episode opens up with the downtown camp we’ve been hearing about since last episode. The people in the cages are presumably tagged as threats to both the safe zones and downtown camp. The clinic seems to be located inside a high school gym. The clinic is down to three doctors after the two best were sent on an evacuation order. It’ll be interesting learning where this evac center is located since it seems to be reserved for people with a higher role in society – more on this later.

Meanwhile, back at the safe zone, Daniel and Ofelia decide to take one of the military personal hostage with the hopes of getting some information and eventually using him for a potential trade. I can’t say this is the smartest idea for the Daniel and Ofelia to do, but they’re definitely running out of options. This was evident by the time Daniel decided take the torture route. After the torture, Daniel was able to learn exactly what the military has planned.

Some other interesting military tidbits we should be aware of is how stretched the military is. One sergeant told LT. Moyers that some of his men had been awake for fifty hours. Either Moyers is grossly misusing his soldiers, or there’s just not enough to go around. Honestly, it’s probably both.

We get a further dose of what exactly the military does when they leave the safe zone. Most of the action takes place while Travis takes a ride along with LT. Moyers into Downtown Los Angeles. During these sequences, Travis is exposed what the world has become outside the safe zones. After a brief battle inside a library, Moyers fails to return to the humvee. The real answer as to what exactly happened to Moyers is up for debate. Regardless, the people who had once reported to him have no interest in continuing their duty.

Perhaps the best addition to the series is Victor Strand. Strand seems to have a good understanding of how the world is going to work post-apocalypse. It’ll be interesting to see him and Nick team up for the inevitable escape from the downtown facility. His actions next episode will probably establish Strand as an integral character to the series.

By the end of the episode, we are all familiar with “Cobalt.” In the next episode, we’ll presumably see the start of the extermination of all civilians in the safe zone. I can’t imagine all the soldiers will follow their orders and kill civilians, so we may end up seeing a coup of some sort, which will also be coupled a large force of walkers. Below, you’ll find evacuation orders that coincide with Cobalt:

That’s all for next week! Did I miss something? Don’t be afraid to comment! See you next week!

Check out next week’s promo and a sneak peek!

Geekscape Recaps: Fear the Walking Dead – ‘Not Fade Away’

by jake108September 20, 2015

It’s another Sunday and we’re in for another night of FTWD analysis! This episode, we got a run down on the effect the military has the neighborhood and how the rest of the outside world might be coping. Hint: It’s not great.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

We’re nine days into the quarantine and power outage. It seems like the neighborhood and our characters are trying to preserve any sense of normalcy they can, or at least trying to. The most pressing matters seem to be a lack of medicine, telephone lines, and fluctuating electricity. Though, the people are receiving rations, which means some sense of order still exists.

The neighborhood our characters find themselves in seem to be one of twelve safe zones. It would also seem that the military either thinks they do have the upper-hand, or they’re lying to the public about how bad it really is. If you’re interested to see where the other safe zones are in the area, take a look at this map pulled from the second screen experience:

The public seems to grasping on to anything to prevent losing their minds. A biblical verse, Revelations 21:4 pops up at least twice this episode. I’m honestly not sure if it’s just a really popular verse to recite during the zombie apocalypse, or if the same person is going around posting the same verse around town. It’s probably both. For those of you who would like to know what the verse is, you can find it here:

“And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away.” Revelations 21:4

As the episode goes on, Madison begins to have her second guesses as well. This is fueled further by the case of the mysterious light reflection in the dead zone. I had hoped we’d see some character additions, but, well, the person(s) in that house didn’t seem to make it through the episode.

The military was made to be the villain a few times this episode. Their most ominous military action was of course taking Griselda and Nick away via trucks. They also did not honor their commitment of allowing Daniel, her husband, to go with her. It seems reasonable to remove a dying person away from the secured location. After the abduction, Lisa tells the military doc that Nick isn’t a “threat,” but Nick is taken anyway. I assume a “threat” is anyone who is tagged as a high probability of becoming a walker.

It’s hard to say what will show up next week. However, it’s easy to think that we’ll get more of the same next week. More military drama, more family drama, and maybe a potential rebellion. I can only hope this military vs. the people thing doesn’t last the rest of the season. We’ve already been there before in other shows. With any luck, we’ll see our characters leave the neighborhood for good next week!

Did I miss something? Have any questions? We’re here to help! Don’t be afraid to comment!

‘The Witness’ Gets a Trailer + Release Date!

by jake108September 17, 2015

From the creator of Braid comes this puzzle game set to release on both the Playstation 4 and PC. After watching the trailer, I couldn’t help but see some similarities to Myst. See for yourself:

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit comes from creator Jonathan Blow:

When we started making this game, I figured it would have between 8 and 12 hours of playtime. As it happens, the game we’ve finally built is around 10 times as big as that: if you are a completionist who wants to wring every last drop out of the game, you might expect to play for 80 hours, or possibly 100.

You can read more about what Blow had to say here. The Witness releases January 26, 2016.

New ‘Tomorrowland’ Trailer is Everything We Loved About ‘Tomorrowland’

by jake108September 17, 2015

For those who have seen Tomorrowland, you’ll find that this trailer strikes right at the heart of the film. For those of you who missed out, well, you’ll get to see a different side to what Tomorrowland was all about.

Tomorrowland was a different kind of movie that obviously didn’t sit well with everyone. I know it, and Disney obviously knows it too. Take a look at their press release below:

While industry competitors at the Walt Disney Studios had hoped to curb the apocalyptic trend started by the 1984 groundbreaking classic ToxiCosmos, their big-budget, hopelessly optimistic attempt from Director Brad Bird, Tomorrowland, was met with box office indifference from a public that very firmly knows what it wants. Now, after more than a decade absence, the ToxiCosmos franchise returns.

Tomorrowland releases on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digitally October 13!

Geekscape Recaps: Fear the Walking Dead – “The Dog”

by jake108September 13, 2015

It’s been a couple of weeks since we last had our dose of FTWD. While the second episode of the series didn’t end on a major cliffhanger, I admit, the fate of Los Angeles has been looming in the back of my mind for a few days now. If you’re like me, then luckily for us, we got to see what’s happened since the riots that broke out at the end of the last episode!

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead

Look, I don’t know about you, but I’d be pissed if I knew cops were shooting zombies. I mean, I’d be flipping cop cars, vandalizing stores, and starting fires. But that’s just me. What we know for sure is that there are walkers present in the riots and people are actively being turned during the violence. It’s because of the violence that Travis and company are forced to escape the barbershop.

This is where some of the more interesting details were heard on Travis’ radio. Eleven states have declared a state of emergency and the FAA is getting ready to ground all flights – more on this later. This is coming right before we see how the hospital is checking in, and, well, they’re not so great. It would appear that major city hospitals are all comprised by walkers at this point. The state of the hospitals wouldn’t be able to hold up for long with a fluctuating power grid.

Aside from the violence, we get a little more into some of the family drama. It’s sprinkled throughout episode, but the most significant part came when Alicia saw a walker up close for the first time. After vehemently denying that her boyfriend ended up becoming a walker, Alicia was forced to reconcile with the current events. However, I must point out that this character was on track to attend California Berkley, yet she’s been treated and made ignorant of what’s been going on. I get that the mother is trying to shield her daughter from some of the more gruesome aspects, but she couldn’t possibly think she could hide it forever. I would think that a lack of information is what’s going to get a lot of people killed.

Toward the end of the episode, Nick looks into the air and sees one plane flying erratically. This is possibly linked to the spin-off show that’s set to tie into FTWD. By now, the FAA should have grounded all flights. This plane, however, probably left before the notice to ground all flights was sent out. This also means that the cockpit must be compromised since it’s still in the air.

Now, with the military present, it’s clear the government has some idea as to what’s going on. This also means that California was probably one of the eleven states to declare a state of emergency. It’ll be interesting to see how the military controls the situation. I’m guessing it’s not gonna be great.

For those of you interested, here’s Executive Order S-21 pulled from AMC’s second screen experience:

Comments? Did I miss something? Don’t be afraid to comment! See you next week!

Arrow: Our First Look at Diggle’s New Costume!

by jake108September 3, 2015

After being heavily hinted at toward the end of last season, we now have our look at Diggle’s new costume.

Aside from wanting to block out Professor Xavier’s telepathy, Diggle’s costume looks like it has some light armor and bears some resemblance to DC’s Guardian:

It is reported that we’ll in fact see Diggle’s new costume in the season four premiere. Executive producer Andrew Kriesberg had this to say:

“You’ll see him take on a leadership role on Team Arrow in Oliver’s absence, but Damien Darhk is going to prove to be much more than he can handle on his own, and that’s when Oliver is brought back to help.”

We also know that the big baddie for this season will be Damien Darhk, who is leading H.I.V.E. What’s even more interesting is that Darhk is said to be behind the murder of Diggle’s brother. Season four can’t come soon enough!

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Blues and Bullets’

by jake108September 3, 2015

Blues and Bullets is unlike many of the games you’ll find in the marketplace today. A Crowd of Monsters have stumbled upon a recipe that presents gamers with a unique and twisted experience.

Blues and Bullets is an episodic adventure in which you take on the role of retired detective Elliot Ness as you attempt to solve a disturbing case of missing children, some of which delves into some occult territory. The game’s noir art style helps push the game to another level and keeps players engaged in the world. There are several sequences during episode one that left me wanting to explore more of the world. The game offers up some items aside from the main case left for curious gamers to discover or interact with. These interactions sometimes reveal some more backstory while others give more life to the world. And let me say, if you play this game, you will get drawn into it.

Story is an aspect in video games that I hold above all else. It’s difficult for me to get through a game if I’m not invested in the story or its characters. Blues and Bullets manages to establish a small cast of characters that are easy to keep track of while you navigate the case and their backstories. Fans of something like True Detective, especially season one, will find investigating the case in Blues and Bullets is right up their alley. With violence and narration added to the mix, Blues and Bullets reminded me of some good times in Max Payne 3.

The shooting mechanics in the game are simple enough that gamers who aren’t familiar to third or first person shooters will be able to get through just fine. The same goes for crime scene investigations. The game makes the investigation difficult enough so that solving certain clues feels like an accomplishment, but is easy enough to prevent gamers from getting too frustrated. Also, if you look hard enough, you’ll see small movie poster easter eggs that foreshadow the game’s plot. However, if you look closely, you’ll see a shout out to the true master detective himself: Batman.

Each decision you make through the story will have repercussions through the story. This is one of the game’s best features. Sure, it increases replayability, but what’s more exciting is the prospect of talking about you decisions with friends who played through it themselves. Don’t worry, you’ll also be able to compare all of your decisions with what the rest of the community picked. Since there’s only one episode out, there aren’t any major repercussions besides the different lines of dialogue and further insight to the character’s backstories.

One of my favorite aspects of the game is the musical score. Often, the music was a big part of my immersion into the story. Coupled with the camera movements, Blues and Bullets feels cinematic throughout episode one.

Overall, Blues and Bullets is a fantastic start to this episodic series that shows a lot of promise. I’m excited to see the direction A Crowd of Monsters take with the story and how much darker it’ll get. With Halloween just around the corner, Blues and Bullets is hitting the marketplace just at the right time.

Blues and Bullets is available now on the Xbox One and Steam!

Watch the ‘Halo 5 Guardians’ Opening Cinematic!

by jake108August 31, 2015

PAX wrapped up their event today with the debut of Halo 5‘s opening cinematic. Watch it below!

Guardians takes place after the events of Spartan Ops in Halo 4. If you haven’t at least read up on what happened during Spartan Ops, you’re going to need to if you don’t want to feel confused at the start of Halo 5. This cinematic contains a ton of action, which is something we haven’t really seen since Halo Wars. Hopefully, this is something we can expect more of throughout the game.

Overall, this was a nice introduction to Fireteam Osiris. However, I’m getting a little tired of all this attention on Spartan Locke. Hopefully we’ll get more of Master Chief and Blue Team as we near the release date. In any case, I can’t wait to see what comes next!

Halo 5: Guardians releases October 27, 2015.

Voice of Professor Zoom Cast in ‘The Flash’ Season 2!

by jake108August 31, 2015

Here’s an interesting bit of news:

Tony Todd, of Candyman fame, has been cast as the voice for Professor Zoom in The Flash‘s second season. Showrunners have also confirmed that Zoom will in fact show up in the second episode of the season, Flash of Two Worlds. It would also appear as if Todd’s voice will be used for the remainder of the season, regardless of who is cast as Zoom for later episodes of the season.

For those avid DC fans out there, Todd’s name should sound familiar as he has lent his voicing talents to both Young Justice and Batman The Brave and the Bold. Since there’s no casting to represent Zoom in his physical form, we can expect that his face be obscured in some way.

Let the speculation begin!

‘Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes’ Announcement Trailer!

by jake108August 31, 2015

Just in time for Star Wars Battlefront and Star Wars: The Force Awakens comes another EA video game installment for mobile devices.

I’ve always fallen victim to mobile games that involves some level of collecting. Since this game will be released sometime during the holiday season, I expect we’ll see some new character additions from The Force Awakens. Other than that, I’m sure the avid fan will spot a few familiar faces from various Star Wars installments.

Geekscape Recaps: Fear the Walking Dead – ‘So Close, Yet So Far’

by jake108August 31, 2015

We’re here for another episode of FTWD, and I have to say that this episode was a little better than last week’s pilot. Luckily for us, the dosage of family drama and angst was toned down, but only a little. The episode title perfectly summed up tonight’s events as our set of characters seemed to be on the brink of getting out of the city the entire time, but were ultimately faced with some overwhelming obstacles.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead!

This episode picks up just about where we left off last week. The family is again in disarray amidst the impending zombie apocalypse. Unfortunately, not a lot happened this episode. The episode was action heavy and we got a glimpse of what Downtown Los Angeles was like just before the full-scale outbreak. Other than that, it’s everything fans of The Walking Dead can expect.

One thing that did stand out this week was how prevalent “the virus” was for the second straight episode. This illness was heavily hinted at last week, but it seems to have little to do with the walker-plague we saw in TWD at the prison. By my count, there was maybe one confirmed walker who was turned simply because they died from the virus. That was Mr. Dawson. More on him later.

At first, it was looking as if Alicia’s boyfriend, Matt, was succumbing to the virus when it was revealed he had been bitten. Why he didn’t call 911 or seek medical attention after being bitten is beyond me. My only guess was he was bit at home and passed out or…

Regardless, I have to admit I felt a bit anxious in some of the sequences in downtown Los Angeles. Making viewers anxious is something the folks behind TWD and FTWD seem to be good at. This is supplemented by the lack of knowledge the people seem to have about what’s really going on. This was hit on again by Nick after returning home from killing a walker.

It’s a shame that one of the people who was keen on the current events eventually turned. That was Mr. Dawson, who I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of next episode. His eerie cough foreshadowed what became of him. However, he and the police officer can’t be the only ones packing up getting ready to go. By the end of the episode, it would seem like the freeways are hopeless and roads leading in and out of the city are closed. Just take a look at this traffic map posted to AMC’s FTWD second screen experience:

With the next episode being two weeks away, I hope the show picks up the pace and shows the family navigating through society’s demise. This episode was a good start and it will be interesting to see just how the military and/or national guard deals with this crisis. If I’m being honest, Jericho did an excellent job of showing the demise of life as we know it and I would love it if FTWD incorporated some of the elements Jericho (spoilers) had when hinting at news of surviving cities, political leaders, and the rise of new nations. We can dream, can’t we?

That’s all for this week! Did I miss something? Having anything to add? Don’t be afraid to comment!

‘Borderlands’ Movie is Heading to a Theater Near You!

by jake108August 28, 2015

You read that right! Lionsgate announced today that a ‘Borderlands’ movie is in the works with Avi Arad attached as a producer. Arad is no stranger to big-budget movies as he has also served as a producer for Iron Man, Spider-Man, and X-Men.

Lionsgate has emerged as a major creative force in the global marketplace with an incredible portfolio of brands; our partners at Gearbox have pioneered and cultivated an iconic property; and Avi and Ari Arad are two of the most successful producers of action franchises,” Take-Two Interactive Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This alliance is ideally positioned to create a bold, provocative, no-holds-barred motion picture phenomenon that will delight ‘Borderlands” current legions of fans and captivate moviegoers around the world.

So now comes the question: What do YOU want to see in a ‘Borderlands’ film adaptation?!

Geekscape Recaps: Fear the Walking Dead – “Pilot”

by jake108August 24, 2015

Fear the Walking Dead, the first spin-off series of The Walking Dead premiered last night. If you’re not an avid fan of The Walking Dead, fear not! This new series has a new cast, new setting, and little boundaries as to what direction the showrunners want to take. The city in peril this time is Los Angeles, which should make for some good fun. There are plenty of crazy things happening in East LA to begin with. Adding zombies to the mix, well, I’d probably just hang around El Chucho for safety.

WARNING: Spoilers Ahead!

The pilot starts with Nick Clark waking up in what appears to be a church-turned-drug-nest. Chris wanders around the church looking for his girlfriend Gloria when he stumbles upon her eating someone face. He promptly runs out of the church and is hit by a car. Civilians crowd around him and we now establish that FearTWD takes place shortly before the outbreak encompasses Los Angeles.

Early in the episode, not much happens besides establishing our new set of characters. There are some hints here and there as to each character’s personal history and their professions, something we never got right away with most of TWD’s characters. We also get a couple of hints at what’s to come, specifically with principal noticing an increasing number of student absences due to illness. This is interesting considering that we know very little on what caused the initial outbreak. We do know that in TWD, some walkers died of a flu before turning. These walkers were easily identified by their eyes.

Continuing on this subject, we got our first good look at what a walker looks like during the initial outbreak. Despite the “sickness” that’s spreading throughout the city, it does not appear this situation and the walker flu we saw in TWD are related. The most telling piece of evidence is all in the eyes.

Furthermore, Calvin looked more like Morgan’s wife after she turned. It’s possible that we’ll be seeing lot of walkers like this due to the fact that their flesh isn’t necessarily rotting…yet.

Early in the episode, Madison catches a student bringing a knife to school because he’s afraid of, well, zombies. The student also mentions that there are reports in five states. In fact, the school is a significant host to foreshadowing what’s to come. Everything from the student, the principal who cares about the school’s attendance, to the lesson on man versus nature. Travis, who is teaching a lesson on Jack London, goes on to state that “nature always wins.”

Going to the freeway sequence, I found it interesting that Madison tries to use her cell phone. Is it possible there was something more involved to keep the public from calling out? If so, why was the helicopter able to keep their feed going long enough to get footage to get onto the internet? By the next morning, all of the kids were watching the incident on their phones. The news break even prompted the district to shorten the school day entirely.

In any case, reports have been popping up on the internet. The kid being able to deliver the stat that there have been cases in five states is evidence of this. As more and more cases are seen in Los Angeles, it’ll be interesting to see how people prepare for the city’s doom.

Literary Reference!

When Nick’s mom and Travis visited the shooting gallery (the church), they found a book Nick had been reading. Winesburg, Ohio is a collection of twenty two stories mostly centered around one protagonist, George Willard. It was written between 1915 and 1916. Many of the stories deal with isolation and loneliness, both of which attribute to what Nick is going through. Furthermore, the stories reflect on Willard’s increasing independence, culminating with his departure from the town itself. In FearTWD, it’s clear Nick and his family will have no choice BUT to leave.

That’s all for now! Think I’ve missed something? Don’t be afraid to comment! See you next week!

D23 2015: Colin Trevorrow Set to Direct ‘Star Wars Episode IX’

by jake108August 15, 2015

One of the many announcements at D23 included the news that Colin Trevorrow would be at the helm in Star Wars Episode IX. The Jurassic World director is no stranger to franchise films but also has experience with smaller productions, such as Saefty Not Guaranteed.

Executive producer Kathleen Kennedy says Trevorrow is a perfect fit for this film, citing his success with Jurassic World. Kennedy further states that the folks at Lucasfilm are “thrilled to have such an incredible talent as Colin join our family and step into the Star Wars universe.”

Trevorrow had this to say about the project:

“This is not a job or an assignment. It is a seat at a campfire, surrounded by an extraordinary group of storytellers, filmmakers, artists and craftspeople. We’ve been charged with telling new stories for a younger generation because they deserve what we all had—a mythology to call their own. We will do this by channeling something George Lucas instilled in all of us: boundless creativity, pure invention and hope.”

Trevorrow certainly has his work cut for him. He will head to Lucasfilm this year to start pre-production on Episode IX, which will also conclude the third trilogy of the Star Wars films.

D23 2015: New ‘Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens’ Poster Revealed!

by jake108August 15, 2015

We have our first real look at a Star Wars The Force Awakens poster and it is glorious:

The poster obviously invokes a sense of nostalgia, mostly due to Drew Struzan‘s artwork, along with some new details for those of us staying away from descriptions and spoilers, namely details regarding Finn. Those keen on the details will also notice at least two suns, with another possible sun located in the bottom left. Could it be possible Jakku is actually Tatooine? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

D23 2015: ‘Star Wars’ Disney Theme Park Announced!

by jake108August 15, 2015

D23 has gotten off to a fantastic start this Saturday with several announcements regarding the Star Wars franchise. Perhaps one of the most exciting of the bunch was the announcement of a Star Wars theme park set to open at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Disney chairman Bob Iger described the park as a place where guests can “truly become part of their favorite Star Wars Stories.”

This new theme park is also being hailed as the largest single-themed expansion to date. These new lands will also be occupied by droids, aliens native to the setting you’re in, Tatooine’s cantina, and a Millennium Falcon ride.

“These new lands at Disneyland and Walt Disney World will transport guests to a whole new Star Wars planet, including an epic Star Wars adventure that puts you in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance.”

– Bob Iger

Iger also promises that “nothing in the land will be out of character or stray from the mythology.” Obviously this is good news for any Star Wars fan. There’s no word on when the 14-acre park will open, but you can count on us to keep our ears open!

New Details Emerge on Han Solo Stand-Alone Film

by jake108August 13, 2015

Han Solo has a special place in every Star Wars fan’s heart. So when Disney announced a film based on Solo’s character in his early years, we became ecstatic even though we didn’t exactly know what we were in for. Thankfully, Executive Producer Kathleen Kennedy has offered a few tidbits about the film!

“We’re not introducing you to a 10-year-old Han Solo,” Kennedy remarked. “He’ll definitely be probably in the high teens, low 20s.” This sounds great! Following the canon the prequels set, that would mean the Clone Wars have ended and the rise of the empire is in full swing. Maybe we’ll see some of the events that shaped Han into becoming a full-fledged General for the rebellion.

Learning from past mistakes, Kennedy had this to say about rehashing old stories told in the existing films:

There’s got to be a reason for [the stand-alone film] to be. And obviously the thing that Star Wars has always done so well is it doesn’t spend a lot of time [explaining] the stories that have come before. We don’t want to do that either. We don’t want to spend time going back and answering a lot of questions that, quite frankly, I don’t think people want answered.

Where was she when midi-chlorians became a thing?!

I think the key here is that we are identifying an event or events in Han Solo’s life that gives you some idea of who he is and why he is the character we have all known to love.

So far, this Han Solo stand-alone film sounds like everything we want, and a little more. There’s no news on casting yet, and that’s okay. The film isn’t slated to release until May 2018. Until then, we can expect at least three Star Wars feature films, including Episode VIII.

‘The Flash’ – First Look at Jay Garrick!

by jake108August 11, 2015

We have our first look at one of the most anticipated characters on this season of The Flash!

Granted, it’s not as up close and clear as we’d like it to be, but this tribute to The Flash #123 is pretty great! I doubt the show will take any more cues from that issue other than this iconic staging. As you can see above, The Flash returns October 6th at its regular time.

Matt Ryan’s ‘Constantine’ is Heading to Star City!

by jake108August 11, 2015

You read that right. After months of rumors, we are rest assured Matt Ryan will reprise his role as Constantine in the next season of Arrow. That certainly adds another layer of excitement, especially for those who were fans of the ill-fated series on NBC.

https://twitter.com/amellywood/status/631210584327892996

Before we get too excited, it looks like Ryan will only reprise his role in one episode next season. I’m sure we can all speculate that Constantine will have something to do with the Lazarus pit from last season. Check out what Matt Ryan had to say about the news below:

The Trench Coat is being dusted off. #Constantine #Arrow @CW_Arrow @amellywood looking forward to it. #thisfall pic.twitter.com/fROWx4RJ9o

— Matt Ryan (@mattryanreal) August 11, 2015

What would be more exciting is if Constantine himself had a hand in bringing Caity Lotz’s Black Canary back from the dead just in time for Legends of Tomorrow. We’ll have to wait and see!

Arrow premiers October 7th!

Watch the New ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ TV Spot!

by jake108August 10, 2015

Disney has decided to premiere The Force Awakens‘ first TV spot in South Korea, and it does not disappoint.

There’s a few new shots to look out for, as well as some new music. Hopefully we lay off the TV spots until we get closer to December. Regardless, this was a nice treat.

‘True Detective’ Season 2 in Review

by jake108August 10, 2015

That’s it! The second season of True Detective has wrapped up into a nicely packaged entertaining experience. Many disliked this season as a whole and attribute their resentment to the confusion they felt throughout the eight episodes. Luckily for you, you can lay off the True Detective recaps after this week. Let’s get started.

Warning: Spoilers ahead!

When the second season of True Detective premiered, I didn’t expect critiques this polarizing. One thing I’ve found to be true in people who disliked season two is that they seemed to have adored season one continually compared the two with each passing episode. I believe this to be the first mistake when looking at this season of True Detective. With this season having an entirely new cast, set in an entirely new location, with an entirely different story, I feel that we should take this season as a standalone piece, just as it is presented. There’s no fun in rehashing elements of the first season. For those of you who found this season to be a little too confusing, I understand. Looking at it objectively, there were a few instances where I could see viewers could have a hard time navigating the all of the plot points and names. However, with a little digging, anyone could figure out what was going on. Isn’t the challenge of solving the mystery one of the reasons why we tune in to True Detective in the first place?

Still, anyone who found themselves almost completely lost should have enjoyed this episode a lot more than any of the others that came along this season. Omega Station wound up all of the mysteries that we’ve been presented with and took care of significant lose ends. For example, we finally go a resolution on Caspere’s murder, the definitive story behind the diamonds, and the crow’s head. Some of the smaller questions, such as why Caspere owned a crow’s head in the first place, is left up to the viewers to interpret their own answer.

Each of the four leads got their resolutions and completed their arcs, with Ani having the most drastic change in character. Aside from the Caspere investigation, this season was also a story about people trying to find their way in a world where odds are stacked against them. It seemed throughout the season that each of the four main chracteres were struggling with their journey in becoming a good person. There’s several instances in which Velcoro demonstrated that he wants to be a better man for his son. Woodrugh makes a similar statement to his fiancé in the car as he drives her to the motel in episode 7. In the car, Woodrugh remarks that he’s just “trying to be a good man.”

Frank echoes this desire too in trying to provide a life free from crime for his wife, Jordan. This was especially evident in the scene that took place at the train station in which he promised to see her in two weeks or less. For Ani, the journey to becoming a good person was plagued by her traumatic childhood. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried, she could never escape the anger that her childhood left her with. This was made clear through her relationships with her sister and father. By the end of the season, Ani had made peace with who she was and embraced it. This is especially clear towards the end of the season finale when we see her holster her knife.

Each of these characters were constantly moving towards this goal of redeeming and it wasn’t just limited to the leads. This attribute extended to minor characters, like Ani’s father and sister. Everyone was running away from their past and on a journey to find their identities. This concept of journeying was also juxtaposed with Caspere’s investigation having a lot to do with the high-speed rail system. Some of the most significant scenes took place at landmarks that had to do with transportation. In the season finale for instance, we had the pivotal scene that took place in a newly built Anaheim train station.

This season also contained some supernatural elements, most notably in the form of the dream Velcoro had at the start of episode three. If you think back to the dream, Velcoro’s father sits across the table from him and tells a story of how Velcoro is running through the woods with tall trees. His father also mentions that the people chasing Velcoro are giants. This was ultimately how Velcoro would meet his end, trees and all.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this season of True Detective. There were some minor things that bothered me throughout the season, such as Woodrugh’s death, but the season as a whole proved to be satisfactory in the end, even without the storybook ending.

Still have lingering questions? Sound off below! A third season of True Detective is still unconfirmed, however, if there is a third season, we’ll be back with episode recaps!

Keiynan Lonsdale Cast as Wally West in ‘The Flash’!

by jake108August 5, 2015

Actor Keiynan Lonsdale becomes the newest addition to The Flash family and is set to play Wally West. You should know, Wally West is set to be a series regular and will not appear in just an episode or two. As we all know, Wally is a nephew to Iris West. However, since we haven’t seen or heard of any siblings belonging to Iris, we can suspect the relationship to change a little. It’ll be interesting to find out how they go about this and even more interesting to see if Flash and Kid Flash take on Professor Zoom.

You can watch the The Flash‘s San Diego Comic-Con sizzle reel below. Season two is set to premiere October 6 at 8 pm!

‘Star Wars Battlefront’ Releases Fighter Squadron Gameplay Footage!

by jake108August 5, 2015

We have yet another gameplay trailer straight from the skies in ‘Star Wars Battlefront’. One of their new modes promises up to twenty players in a single match as they try to complete objectives and stay alive. Watch the gameplay below!

The appearance of the both the Millennium Falcon and the Slave I makes me think that players will also work towards being able to become a hero upon their next respawn. We’ll have to wait for more details. In the meantime, check out our hands-on first impressions!

‘Legends of Tomorrow’ Casts Casper Crump as Vandal Savage!

by jake108August 4, 2015

We finally have the actor who will portray the immortal villain. As fans know, Savage will be the main villain the ‘Legends’ will face while skipping through time. What’s new is Savage is set to appear in Arrow/Flash crossever episodes BEFORE appearing in the ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ run during Arrow‘s and Flash‘s midseason break.

Fans should be excited to see just how the ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ is set up within the first few episodes of Arrow and The Flash.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MubNoWQiSc

Gamescom 2015: ‘Dark Souls III’ Gameplay Reveal Trailer

by jake108August 4, 2015

Along with the flurry of announcements today, Dark Souls III had its gameplay debut. Fans of the first two games know what to expect from the franchise, and this gameplay trailer does not disappoint.

Dark Souls III continues to push the boundaries with the latest, ambitious chapter in the critically-acclaimed and genre-defining series. As fires fade and only embers remain, journey once more into a world filled with more daunting and colossal enemies and environments. Players will be immersed into a world of epic atmosphere and darkness through faster gameplay and amplified combat intensity. New to the series are the Battle Arts attacks. You’ll be able to deliver powerful attacks that will break through enemy defenses. Each weapon will have its own unique Battle Arts.

Dark Souls III is set to release in 2016!

Gamescom 2015: ‘Mad Max’ Trailer!

by jake108August 4, 2015

Coming off the release of Mad Max: Fury Road, Mad Max promises to bring the world we’re familiar with into a living and playable world. The game seems to blend Max’s tormented past and over-the-top action pretty well.

The game’s story is a stand-alone piece and will not tie into Fury Road. Mad Max also has a tormented video game past of its own. You may remember the first announcement trailer that promised a game coming to last-gen consoles. Obviously that never happened, and the game has since been reworked into what we see above. Regardless, Avalanche Studios seems to have found their way to the game’s completion!

Mad Max is set to release September 1, 2015.

Gamescom 2015: Elite Dangerous Gameplay Trailer

by jake108August 4, 2015

Have you ever wanted to explore our galaxy with a 1:1 ratio in customizable ships with friends? Elite: Dangerous might be the game for you. Elite: Dangerous is a space epic MMO where you and your friends can travel the galaxy, collect minerals, buy ships, and start dogfights in the middle of an astroid field. Players make their own stories and are free to explore when and how they want.

The latest gameplay footage of Elite: Dangerous for Xbox One, the definitive massively multiplayer space epic. Starting with only a small starship and a few credits, players do whatever it takes to earn the skill, knowledge, wealth and power to survive in a futuristic cutthroat galaxy and to stand among the ranks of the iconic Elite.

The game is available now on Steam and the Xbox One.