We Talk To Tira Herself, Chelsea Islan, About Being The Next Indonesian Bumilangit Superhero

From the world of Indonesia’s superheroes Bumilangit Universe, Tira tells the story of Suci, an inspirational stuntwoman stricken with a death curse. To free herself, she must find and defeat nine evil people who possess ancient dragons, only to discover that someone close to her is the evillest of them all. Produced by acclaimed filmmaker Joko Anwar and directed by Zahir Omar, Tira features Chelsea Islan in the title role.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar, we were lucky enough to interview Tira lead actress Chelsea Islan. This article has been edited for clarity.
What do you think of the rise of the superhero genre in Indonesia?
Chelsea Islan: So far, I’m very proud of the progress in Indonesia. We’re progressing more and more, and we can see from movies like Gundala and Sri Asih, that the CGI is out of this world. I’m amazed by the cinematography in Indonesian movies, which has produced a variety of different films.
This is a real breakthrough and a new genre that will bring Indonesia’s name to the international level.
What is like working with Malaysian director Zahir Omar?
Chelsea Islan: It’s been an honour working with Zahir Omar because he’s really patient and he’s a really caring director. I had so much fun during the shoot and it’s been a blessing to everyone in the team because Zahir really, really takes care of all of the crew and he gives space for all the actors and actresses to transform into the character.
Because it’s not an easy process becoming the character itself, but he guides us throughout the way, along the way, and I’m really excited to work with Zahir.
What were the stunts like and did you get injured?
Chelsea Islan: During training, I wore a sling, so I was thrown around and there were a lot of extreme physically-demanding action scenes that I’ve never done before. Because of that, there were some scenes I couldn’t perform myself, so Disney and Bumilangit provided a stuntwoman for me.
I also learnt a lot from the stuntwoman, as did the rest of the cast, to the point that there were stunts that we wanted to perform ourselves, which included a high 9-meter jump stunt sequence. Of course, we did get cuts and bruises but there were no serious injuries.
Training only lasted for two months, while the shooting took 66 days. The training consisted of choreography and also script-reading sessions with the cast and crew. But because it’s mostly a lot of action, there was a lot of physical training.
Can you tell us more about your character, Suci (the name of the character’s human identity, Tira is her superhero name)?
Chelsea Islan: Tira will be teaming up with Godam in a new movie, Godam & Tira, next year. However, the Tira series will focus on Suci’s journey in becoming Tira. Suci is actually a normal human, who’s a student and stuntwoman who must free herself from a curse. That journey will see her getting superpowers.
What attracted you to the role of Suci?
Chelsea Islan: That’s a good question. I believe that Suci is a different kind of superhero. She doesn’t have any superpowers at all and I see that this is the most human superhero. That’s why I am attracted to the role of Suci, because I want people to see that superheroes are not always heroes but they can a human being too.
What do you think Tira’s role would be in an Avengers-like Bumilangit movie?
Chelsea Islan: I think an Avengers-like Bumilangit movie is at least 3 years away, since we’re still in the midst of introducing each individual hero. As for Tira’s role, she’s likely more of someone who would rush into the fray with enthusiasm.
Who would you like to see Tira teaming up with from the Bumilangit universe?
Chelsea Islan: Probably someone who’s already been introduced, like Sri Asih.
What is Tira’s weakness?
Chelsea Islan: What she fears the most is acrophobia, the fear of heights. Suci, or Tira, is afraid of heights due to a past trauma.


Hololive VTubers Suspended After Calling Taiwan A Country

Virtual YouTuber agency Cover Corp have announced that VTubers Akai Haato and Kiryu Coco will be suspended for three weeks from any livestreaming activities.
Why?
According to the official statement:
“It was determined that both had divulged confidential YouTube channel analytics information on their respective live streams, used said data for their own purposes and made statements that were insensitive to residents of certain regions.”
In addition to the above statement, Cover Corp also issued a separate statement on its bilibili account stating that the livestream does not represent the views of the company and that they “firmly supports the One-China principle.”
It looks like the only mistakes that these VTubers made were simply mentioning that Taiwan was a separate country from China, which is a sensitive and controversial idea in the latter. The aforementioned One-China movement supports the reunification of Taiwan and China as a single entity.
For more details and information on who or what the VTubers are all about, head on over here to our guide.


Here’s Why The Death Of Marvel Netflix Is A Good Thing

Fans are currently lamenting the death of the Marvel Netflix universe, which was recently officially confirmed by the streaming giant. The gargantuan rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave birth to TV shows based in the same world and setting, with ABC’s Agents of SHIELD launching in 2012, followed by the Netflix’s Daredevil several years later in 2015.
The MCU Connection Was Superficial At Best
See any of The Defenders in there?
The Marvel TV’s division back then, fresh off the historic overwhelmingly well-received debut of The Avengers, was promoting these shows with the mantra, “It’s All Connected.” This initially excited fans, as the movies and TV shows, could take place in the same universe, lending its limitless potential for crossovers.
Unfortunately, that same mantra ultimately led to nothing but one or two occasional references to the movies. Examples include showing a newspaper clipping of the Battle of New York from The Avengers, or mentioning what happened in Sokovia.
That’s the best they could do? The characters in Marvel Netflix can’t even mention any of the characters from the movies by name. Sure, they can refer to Hulk as the “big green guy” or Captain America as “the guy with the shield” but those are the most explicit references to the larger universe that Marvel Netflix could muster.
Marvel Netflix’s superficial connection to the MCU was disappointing to fans who were expecting a deeper and more natural crossover like in the comics. This is where the upcoming new Marvel shows on Disney+ comes in, as those will be able to connect with the MCU in ways that Marvel Netflix simply couldn’t.
Marvel Netflix Crumbled Under Its Own Lofty Ambitions
There was an idea… Nope.
When Marvel Netflix was originally announced, fans were stoked to learn that not only will we be getting a Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist series, but also that all of these will culminate in an Avengers-styled crossover called The Defenders. Fast-forward two years later, and The Defenders turned out to be a miserable failure of epic proportions.
The Hand was laughable and ridiculous antagonists, and the writing was extremely bad. Fans were already reeling from the disaster that was the first season of Iron Fist earlier that year, and The Defenders only made it worse. From that point on, Marvel Netflix spiraled downhill into a ditch it wouldn’t be able to escape.
Let’s be honest, the only good seasons of Marvel Netflix were the first seasons of Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and The Punisher. Subsequent seasons were terrible because it became clear that the writers had no idea what to do with the characters. It didn’t help that all of them suffered from the Netflix syndrome of horrible plot pacing, where it felt like five episodes worth of storyline being stretched to ten.
As a comic book fan, I also thought that Marvel Netflix’s biggest flaw was that it didn’t really go as far as I like into the source material. In comparison with the CW’s DC Arrowverse (which is currently teasing its most ambitious crossover yet this year with Crisis On Infinite Earths), it feels like the Marvel Netflix is ashamed of its roots and instead went with the gritty and realistic route.
If it’s not properly connected to the MCU or even daring enough to adapt more content directly from the comics, what’s the point of the Marvel Netflix universe? It’s a drab and dark universe which fell apart due to bad planning and writing, as well as the unwillingness to explore its full potential. What a shame.
Disney+ Could Be A Fresh Start For Marvel TV
The saviour of Marvel TV?
I’m still skeptical about the new shows announced for Disney+, which as of right now includes a series starring Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and his adventures on Midgard, as well as another starring Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier and Anthony Mackie’s Falcon with a buddy-cop vibe.
However, at least these new shows won’t have to mince words about being connected to the MCU, and can fully commit to the idea of taking place in the same universe. No longer will we have to ask about how Thanos’s Decimation snap in Avengers Infinity War will affect the shows, as the creative synergy will probably be more apparent this time around.
At the very least, Disney+ could be a clean slate for Marvel TV to establish a new identity. They should take a page from the new DC Universe in building its own exclusive and independent interconnected TV universe which began with Titans (it’s streaming on Netflix and here’s why you should watch it). Right now Marvel TV is a hodge-podge of different networks and quality-varying shows like Hulu’s Runaways, Freeform’s Cloak & Dagger, and ABC’s Agents of SHIELD, which is a far cry from the cohesiveness that was promised in the beginning.
Good riddance, Marvel Netflix, you won’t be missed, with the lone exception of perhaps Daredevil. Let’s hope your replacement will help Marvel TV rise again and clash toe-to-toe with DC again.


PS5 Won’t Be Compatible With PS1, PS2 & PS3 Games

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO and President Jim Ryan recently confirmed that the PlayStation 5 will be compatible with “99 percent” of PS4 games. While that may be good news for PlayStation fans, what about games from older generations like the PS3, PS2, and PS1?
In a recent interview withÂ FamitsuÂ (as translated byÂ Siliconera), Ryan clarified that the PS5 will not be compatible with PS3, PS2, and PS1 games.
When asked about the titles from consoles of previous generations, Ryan said:
“We keep in mind the engineering specialized for the PS5, as we produced the device. In the midst of that, the PS4 already has 100 million players; we thought they ought to want to play PS4 titles on the PS5 as well indeed, so we included compatibility with the PS4. While implementing that, we also focused our efforts on taking in the high-speed SSD and the new controller DualSense at the same time.So, unfortunately, we could not achieve compatibility with those formats.”
A recent patentÂ earlier this year hinted at the possibility that PS3, PS2, and PS1 games could potentially be emulated on PS5 via cloud streaming like Google Stadia or Xbox’s Project xCloud. However, it seems like it remains just a patent that never made it to the final product.
Currently, the only way to play PS2 and PS3 titles on PS4 is viaÂ PlayStation Now, a game streaming service that also allows players to download certain games to play when offline.
While PS Now includes a sizable number of playable PS2 and PS3 titles, there is currently no way to play PS1 titles on the PS4. Sony has previously confirmed that PS Now will be compatible with the PS5, but no other details have been revealed as of yet.
During the PS5 Showcase, Sony also announced the PlayStation Plus Collection, which gives subscribers on PS5 access to several of the PS4â€™s best games, which includes Bloodborne, 2018â€™sÂ God Of War,Â Uncharted 4, and more.

In case you missed it,Â check out ALL the games from the recent PS5 Showcase, orÂ head on over hereÂ to find out the official price and release date for the PS5.


SpiderHeck Releases 2 New Game Modes For Beta

SpiderHeck, the non-stop co-op brawler from developer Neverjam and publisher tinyBuild, has spawned two new game modes, ‘Parkour’ and ‘Map Editor’, onto PC via Steam. The game has just released two new game modes called ‘Parkour’ and ‘Map Editor’ that are sure to blow your mind!
In SpiderHeck, you get to battle it out with other spiders using crazy weapons like grenades, laser cannons, and particle blades that can slice through anything. You can choose to play cooperatively with friends or go all-out in a free-for-all to see who comes out on top.
And if that wasn’t enough, the new ‘Parkour’ mode takes the excitement to a whole new level with some seriously ridiculous aerial acrobatics. And, wait for it, the ‘Map Editor’ mode lets you create your very own maps and play on new ones designed by other gamers.
If you’re interested in trying out the game with your friends, you can fill out a form to receive additional Steam keys.


Happy 40th Anniversary, Richard Donner’s Superman

Some things never age well, this I know. Movie remakes exist for a reason; to sell an age-old idea to a new audience in hopes they pick it up and share it with their children and descendants. Some remakes work well: The Fly and The Thing in the 80s worked like a charm by elevating beyond its predecessor’s intention.
Other ideas make you wonder that if they’re done just because of a quick cash-in. And perhaps some ideas aren’t meant to be adapted too many times with the same storyline and origin story told in different in media res-like ways. Like Superman.
As much as I want to like Man of Steel, it’s hard to defend it because of what follows. Batman v Superman is a dreary and terrible mish-mash of comic book ideas in movie form, while Justice League faltered until its redeeming third act where it’s re-enacting a Justice League cartoon adventure. All those films failed to live up to the original template that is the 1978 Richard Donner-directed Superman film, and also the second one before he got kicked out of the project.
The films are, to put it bluntly, a pair of classics that go together like peanut butter and marshmallow cream. The cinematic flutternutter combo of awesomeness if you will.
The Man Behind The God Mask

No movie can cement itself into greatness unless its lead is perfect. And Christopher Reeves pretty much was Superman.
The actor behind Superman was, in a word, picturesque. His charisma, his dual lives in the films, his stature, and his mannerisms; all of them amount to a dignified and compassionate soul. If you want movie escapism in the late 70s and early 80s, he’s pretty much the guy that personified it, especially in a time where all that Nixon and Vietnam stuff happening.
Sure, that didn’t affect me; I wasn’t even born in the late 70s. But just watching him strut his stuff, catch Lois Lane (Margot Kidder) from falling to her death, and being the all-around foil against Lex Luthor and Zod, and then realizing America’s history coinciding with this film’s release; I now understand.

It also helped that the supporting cast, the main villains, and the love interest were all laid out perfectly and were the benchmark for all future epic superhero films to surpass. Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Ma Kent, Pa Kent, space dad/hologram Jor El; they help forge our hero to get accustomed to being human in their own ways and remind him that he needs to guide humanity as a saviour while also be grounded.
I mentioned the bad guys earlier; Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor is surpassed only by Clancy Brown’s VO in the animated series, but you can’t deny how diabolical and comical he can come across. In the first film, you get to see the method behind the madness. General Zod basically steals the scenes of the second film thanks to Terence Phillips’ pretty over-the-top acting.

Not many leading ladies can be as quick-witted and as snappy as the city-bred Lois Lane, the perfect foil to the meekish Clark Kent and the benevolent demigod Superman. From her entrance in the Daily Planet to even the climactic controversial bit -where you can believe a man can rewind time by spinning the earth backwards- she oozes charm and puts up a convincingly tough act in surpassing the male majority of her workplace.
She’s the girl everyone wants to get; the sassy damsel who takes no s*** from anyone. Other Lois Lanes did succeed over what she established, but being the first leading lady in a superhero film that we gave a damn about? That’s quite an honour to the late actress.
The best part? I don’t see actors when Christopher Reeves and Margot Kidder played their parts. I saw Superman and Lois Lane on Technicolour.Â The flying scene, the interview, to the last few scenes; they lived out and created scenes meant to be stored for film history.
And oh man the flying scene where the both of them are in the air. While the sequels just rinse and repeat the moments ad nauseum, the build-up and execution of one of Superman’s iconic scenes is pure bliss and a lovely respite for the two leads to develop their romance further. Even the most hardcore fans and jaded comic book reader will feel a little tingley and warm inside when they see this scene played out in its entirety.
Superman and Superman II were earnest in their delivery and presentation, but it didn’t mean much unless the John Williams theme and score came into play. It’s so iconic with its established leit motif and progression that it was faithfully reinterpreted by Shirley Walker in the animated Superman shows in 1996. Hans Zimmer tries to deviate a bit from the material to make it a bit more edgey for Man of Steel, but you can’t deny the optimism and feel-good melody contained in the original theme.

You’ll Believe A Man Can Fly
At the end of the day, it’s never about the superhero’s look; it’s about what he does. What defines him is his actions. And the film that understands those actions and frames them as monolithic.
Speaking of which, the Marvel films wouldn’t be where they were, even all the way to the R-rated Blade, if it weren’t for Superman and Superman II. We wouldn’t even be getting a Batman film in 1989 from Tim Burton that starred a then-unassuming Michael Keaton if it weren’t for the success of Richard Donner’s masterpieces.

The DNA for a superhero film -the epic score, the big-budget production, a solid lead who looked and played the part, and the comic strip panel vibe that only directors can envision- is all laid out by the Man of Steel’s movie debut that mattered.
A shame that the 3rd and 4th Superman films, the Superman Returns sequel, and the Henry Cavill-led Superman films don’t live up or even exceed the first two. Though to be fair, Man of Steel did come close among all the other Superman films in existence.
There Is Hope, In A Form Of An “S”

Remember when I said that Superman’s story on film doesn’t translate well as time goes by? Well, that was a half-truth. In the DC Animated universe and the DC Animated Film canon, they work very well.
I’d go as far as to say that last year’s Death of Superman hammered home what made Superman work; his determination and the fact he doesn’t give up. When his Justice League pals are down for the count, he comes in and saves the day at the cost of his own life. That’s just who he is: he puts himself at risk for others for truth and justice.
Long story short: the Richard Donner/Richard Lester Superman duology are landmark superhero films that every director and producer keep to heart if they want to make a superhero film of their own. The backbone of your Marvel and DC extended cinematic universe nonsense, if you will. Even if you feel that the magic is lost in the recent live-action Superman-involved movies, the animated fares will calm you down.
The true Man of Steel, at least in live-action form, will still live in our hearts to convince our inner child. To aspire us to at least be like this ideal shaped in a man wearing blue tights with an “S” on his chest.


PUBG Update 23.1 Patch Notes

Big things are coming to PUBG with the upcoming Update 23.1. They’re changing up the blue zone speed, tweaking the loot table, introducing a brand new season pass, and fixing some pesky bugs.
If you’re excited to check it out, you won’t have to wait long – the update is set to drop later this month on both PC and consoles. But if you can’t wait, you can always give it a go on the test servers. Keep reading for a rundown of everything that’s in store!
The patch for Update 23.1 is expected to go live at different times, depending on your location. PC players can anticipate the update from 11–12 April, while console players can expect it from 19–20 April.
With this update, there are some exciting changes to the general ruleset for normal matches. The Blue Zone will move slightly faster during Stages 1-3, and more items will spawn overall, including ARs, DMRs, SRs, helmets, vests, backpacks, and scopes. Motor Gliders and more vehicles will also spawn, including four-wheeled vehicles that will appear more frequently.
In addition, there’s a brand new season to check out with Season 23. It introduces Deston to the map pool and brings a sunny weather condition for 64 players. Unfortunately, the Red Zone, Security Keys, and Tactical Gear won’t be available. But there are new rewards to earn, including animated PUBG ID Emblems, ranked parachute skins, and medals.
There are some exciting gameplay changes too! To add more emphasis to the effects of headshots, the helmet will now eject on impact if the headshot lands and the helmet’s durability is reduced to 0. Ascension Rope Attachment and Base Jumping Parachutes are now standard equipment on every map, and maps will be rotated weekly, starting with this update.

PUBG Update 23.1 – All changes and fixes
This patch for Update 23.1 is scheduled to go live at the times below, which are subject to change.

PC

PT: April 11, 5:00 PM – April 12, 1:30 AM
CEST: April 12, 2:00 AM – 10:30 AM
KST: April 12, 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Console

PT: April 19, 6:00 PM – April 20, 2:00 AM
CEST: April 20, 3:00 AM – 11:00 AM
KST: April 20, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Normal match
The general ruleset for normal matches has been updated.
These changes affect Erangel, Miramar, Taego, and Deston.

Phase

The Blue Zone during Stages 1-3 now behaves similarly to ranked mode and now moves slightly faster than before.

Items

More items will spawn overall.

Mainly ARs, DMRs, SRs
Helmets, vests, backpacks
scopes

Motor Gliders have been added to Taego, Vikendi, and Deston.

Vehicles

More vehicles will spawn overall.

The spawn rate of the most important vehicles like e.g. B. Four-wheeled vehicles have been adjusted so that they now appear more frequently among all spawned vehicles.

Some vehicles spawn at fixed locations.

Adjusted other systems such as aircraft routes and final circle location to match rankings.

Ranking
Season 23

Deston has been added to the map pool.

Number of players: 64
Weather: Sunny
The Red Zone, Security Keys, and Tactical Gear are not available.
Fixed vehicle spawns have been added.
The O12 and MP9 are now available.

The leaderboard will be reset after live server maintenance.
You can find your final level from the previous season on your career page.

Season 22 rewards
Below you can see the rewards you received based on your final tier from the previous ranked season.

Tier

Season 22 Rewards

Bronze
Bronze PUBG ID Emblem

Silver
Silver PUBG ID Emblem

Gold
Gold PUBG ID Emblem
Ranked Parachute Skin

Platinum
Animated Platinum PUBG ID Emblem
Ranked Parachute Skin
Platinum Medal

Diamond
Animated Diamond PUBG ID Emblem
Ranked Parachute Skin
Platinum, Diamond Medal

Master
Animated Master PUBG ID Emblem
Animated Master Nameplate
Ranked Parachute Skin
Platinum, Diamond, Master Medal

Top 500
Bonus rewards for Top 500 players:Animated Top 500 PUBG ID Emblem
Animated Top 500 Nameplate

The Parachute Skin and Medals are permanent rewards.
The rest of the rewards that can be earned are only available for the duration of a single Ranked Season.
The rewards can be found in your inventory at the start of Season 23.
Once Season 23 ends and server maintenance begins, all rewards apart from the Parachute and Medal will be removed from your Edit Profile page.

Items

Added zone grenades to Taego and Deston.
Added folded shields to all maps.
Added emergency pickups to Erangel, Miramar, and Taego.
Added motor gliders to Taego and Deston.

Gameplay

To increase the satisfying feeling of a landed headshot and add even more emphasis to the effects, we’ve added a new visual effect that ejects the helmet on impact.

If a headshot is landed with a weapon and the helmet’s durability is reduced to 0, it will be discarded.

The Ascension Rope Attachment and Base Jumping Parachute are now standard equipment on every map.

Removed the Ascend Rope Attachment and Base Jumping Parachute icons that occupied their own slots.
Base jumping parachutes can be used at any time and on all maps.
The ascent rope attachment can be used anywhere that ascent ropes are attached.

Since the Base Jumping Parachute is now available everywhere, the Emergency Parachute has been removed from Miramar and Haven.
If you lose connection before jumping off the plane, you will now automatically follow the player with the following number.

Example: If you are player: in 4, you follow player: in 1.
If you have previously decided to follow someone, continue to do so.
If you reconnect while still on the plane, you will automatically follow someone.
Only players who have not yet jumped off the plane can be followed.

Map plans
Starting with this update, the maps will now be rotated weekly, increasing the chances of encountering your favorite map. We will be announcing the weekly map rotation schedule and update period here. Also, we are preparing a notification in which we will state our ideas about the updated map rotation system. Keep an eye out for the April 2023 Map Service Plan announcement for more details!
Additionally, the ranked map pool now includes Deston.
Please note that PC players can anticipate map changes every Wednesday at 2 AM UTC, while Console players can expect the same every Thursday at 7 AM UTC.
In “Random Map” regions, each map has the same 20% chance of being selected.

(PC) Test Server

Normal Match: Miramar / Deston / Vikendi

Region AS: Squad
Region NA: Squad – FPP

Live Server – Normal Match

Week 1: Erangel / Taego / Deston / Sanhok / Paramo

PC: April 12 ~ April 19
Console: April 20th ~ April 27th

Week 2: Erangel / Miramar / Vikendi / Sanhok / Karakin

PC: April 19 ~ April 26
Console: April 27 ~ May 4

Week 3: Erangel / Taego / Deston / Sanhok / Paramo

PC: April 26 ~ May 3
Console: May 4th ~ May 11th

Week 4: Erangel / Miramar / Vikendi / Sanhok / Karakin

PC: May 3rd ~ May 10th
Console: May 11th ~ May 18th

Week 5: Erangel / Taego / Deston / Sanhok / Paramo

PC: May 10 ~ May 17
Console: May 18 ~ May 25

Live server ranking

Ranking: Erangel ( 30% ) / Miramar ( 30% ) / Taego ( 30% ) / Deston  ( 10% )

World

The 6th Anniversary Festival Decorations have been removed from Erangel, Miramar, Vikendi, and Sanhok. We want to thank you all for the heartwarming birthday wishes!

Modes
LABS: Intense Battle Royale
The adrenaline-pumping mode returns with new updates!

Three new Vikendi areas have been added.

The Blizzard Zone is not available.

Three new Sanhok areas have been added.
Added the AUG to the AR Weapon Crate.
Service period

PC

PDT: April 12, After live server maintenance – June 13, 5:30 PM
CEST: April 12, After live server maintenance – June 14, 2:30 AM
KST: April 12, After live server maintenance – June 14, 9:30 AM

Console

PDT: April 20, After live server maintenance – June 21, 6 PM
CEST: April 20, After live server maintenance – June 22, 3 AM
KST: April 20, After live server maintenance – June 22, 10 AM

E-Sports mode
As previously announced , we are aligning eSports mode settings with ranked mode to give you a more exciting eSports experience.

Added Taego and Deston.

Follows the ranked ruleset
Only global rule set available.
Perspective: FPP, TPP
Minimum required number of players: 10
Maximum number of game ends: 100 (default 64)
Maximum number of players in a team: 4 (default 4)

Sanhok has been removed.

UX/UI

The interact function when equipping special vehicle skins has been improved.

To make it easier to select the desired skin from the list after pressing the “Limited Interact” button, you can now do the following:

PC: Mouse Click, Enter Key, Interact Key (F), Limited Interact (H)

(PC) A new “Toggle” option has been added to the voice chat settings.

Press the T button to enable/disable voice chat. The key assignment can be changed in the settings.
A “Mic Muted” icon has been added and is now visible to your teammates.
The “speaker muted” icon has been removed from your teammate list.

(Console) The “Mic Muted” icon appears when your voice chat input mode is disabled and is displayed to your teammates.

Lobby

Changed the default lobby from the Vikendi theme to the default airplane theme.

Survivor Pass: The Big Score
Have you ever had to say goodbye to a pass because you couldn’t reach the maximum level before it expired? We understand how frustrating this can be. We want to help you enjoy the pass to the fullest. We have therefore decided to make some adjustments to the Pass XP system.
Get the maximum level in the new Survivor Pass: The Big Score and become the ultimate vault cracker.

For a smoother levelling experience, the XP gained from playtime and weekly missions has been increased in relation to the total XP.

The maximum XP you can earn through daily play has been significantly increased.
XP from daily missions has been reduced slightly.

More information on this can be found in the upcoming April shop update announcement.

Workshop
Chest

The Hunter’s Chest and Archivist’s Chest have received new item sets.

PGC 2022

Performance

Improved in-game climbing performance.
Memory usage has been optimized by compressing and adjusting in-game sound quality. To improve memory efficiency, only the sounds required for each mode and map are now loaded.
(Epic Games, Kakao) A game file integrity check now appears when corrupted files are detected when opening the client.
(Console) Fixed the stuttering when opening the in-game inventory for the first time.

(PC) Fixed the stuttering when opening the in-game inventory with a controller.

Bug fixes
Gameplay

General bug fixes in the game.
Fixed an issue where the flames would not spawn on the ground depending on the height at which Molotov cocktails explode.
Fixed an issue where the weather information was not showing up in the custom game session list for a custom game with the setting “Haven – Sunset”.
Fixed an issue where you could zoom in on a pan with a mountain bike and a dirt bike.
Fixed the issue where the sound of the Porter and Pony Coupe would suddenly turn quieter when viewed from a certain perspective.
Fixed an issue where the motor glider would sometimes not show up in the right place or at all in the deathcam.
Fixed an issue where the connection to the game would sometimes drop when climbing the stairs.
Fixed incorrect FPP perspective when carried.
(Console) Fixed an issue where the Limited Interaction button for equipping vehicle skins would not work if the Interaction, Reload/Interaction, and Limited Interaction buttons are mapped to the same buttons.

World

At Deston; Taego, and Miramar Fixed collision, texture, performance, and general issues.
Fixed the issue where the security key can no longer be obtained via inventory, through interaction, or by using drones after dropping it in a dumpster.

UX/UI

Fixed an issue where the Go to Shop button was disabled when presets 3 through 5 were disabled.
Fixed the issue where the interaction UI would prioritize an item over the teammate being knocked out on an item.
Fixed an issue where both the revive and carry buttons would appear when knocked out and holding a self-AED.
(PC) Fixed an issue where certain players would show up in leaderboards across different regions at the same time.
(PC) Fixed an issue where the wrong interaction interface was displayed after changing the Limited Interaction button.

Items & Skins
Clipping issue: graphics displayed outside the visible part of an image/object.

Fixed an issue where the White Tiger – Pan skin was displayed upside down in Hideout > Weapon.
Fixed the issue where the female character’s arms become transparent in FPP when the “Doomsday Hoodie” is removed.
Fixed the clipping issue on a female character’s bottom when Ailee’s jacket was equipped with PGC 2021 Chaos Trooper boots.
Fixed the clipping issue on a female character’s bottom when equipping Ailee’s jacket with JENNIE’S BLACKPINK leggings.
Fixed the clipping issue when equipping “PGI.S Tactical Pants” with Vikendi Winter Sports – Boots/Shoes “Retro-Rewind”.
(PC) Fixed an issue where the Pillar Security – Helm (Level 1) looks different when equipping the skin.


MSI GAMING Amps eSports with Newest Store in Malaysia!

When MSI GAMING announced it was opening its very first Flagship Store in KL, no one would imagine it would be a two-storey concept of awesome.
While it had been open to fan-events for weeks, the MSI GAMING Flagship Store in KL – the biggest in the world – just celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a whole day of eSports excursions. It’s parked outside the main entrance of Low Yat Plaza, making a very hard to miss landmark.

For MSI GAMING fans, this is a dream come true. For gaming and eSports enthusiasts, the new double level store is a testament to the massive success videogames hardware is in the consumer space.
As for MSI GAMING, it is the best time to toot its horn and really thumb its nose at naysayers and rivals. It is also the Taiwanese PC hardware maker’s way to reaffirm its efforts for all gamers that are supportive of the brand when it made the big push into the gaming notebook space.

Of course, this isn’t all about gaming notebooks as MSI GAMING also peppered its new Flagship Store with the latest in hardware and peripherals. All these are placed around the ground floor area next to the high-spec driving simulator, demo zones, and peripheral test spots.
The biggest showpiece on that ground floor is the virtual reality (VR) sector. A designated corner has been specially built to fit a raised platform, with just enough walking space and packing tonnes of sensory equipment, for the VR experience. Enabling this is the MSI VR One Gaming Backpack and the HTC Vive.

Amusingly, the platform is big enough for two folks as proven when Sam Chern, Corporate Marketing Director, MSI GAMING Global, and HenryÂ Chung, Notebook Sales and Marketing Director, MSI GAMING Malaysia, used it for the press conference.
Running a close second to that is the Matrix Display monitor array that MSI has setup with its latest flagship gaming desktop PC, the MSI Vortex.

The most interesting aspect of the store is on the first floor of the MSI GAMING Flagship Store. Here, the entire floor is used for one thing only: eSports events. Be it for training, exhibition matches, casual gaming, or out-and-out ranked fights, the store is more than ready to play hosts.
With a giant MSI GAMING Tribal Dragon logo that dwarfs the entire area, it is a literal gamers den with stacked tables that can be configured for any tournament setting. The hardware and peripherals used, undoubtedly, are the latest and greatest from MSI GAMING.

Anyone keen to use this zone are more than welcomed to call in and ask. MSI GAMING is ready to take on any gamer event as the equipment used have been optimised for all popular titles and user-types: casuals, enthusiasts, and hardcore.
“Southeast Asia is our biggest market so it is only right that we picked this region as the launchpad for our first ever, and now the worldâ€™s largest, flagship store for MSI GAMING. We chose Malaysia as it has the largest fan-base for our brand. So we’re here to reinforce our commitment to our fans and encourage them to celebrate their passion for MSI GAMING. With our first floor offering, we are now deeper with our association in eSports. It is an explosive marketplace and that is where we want to be,” Chern shared.

This is a huge step up for MSI GAMING as it had always been seen as a hardware supplier for these events. Now it wants to play host as well – a very good move for the eSports space.
Chern came to the MSI GAMING Flagship Store opening, along with his senior executive colleagues from MSI Global, to officiate the ribbon cutting ceremony. Included in this momentous occasion are folks from Low Yat Group and SNS Network, both major supporters of the development of this MSI GAMING landmark, Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA.

From Malaysia’s perspective, MSI GAMING will be doing a lot more with its new storefront. Chung added: “With eSports, we know what we can and cannot do. For this new flagship store, it will focus on augmenting the space with a wholesome location that is very familiar with the fans and enthusiasts. MSI GAMING will have weekly tournaments being organised for fans, gamers, and eSports enthusiasts alike. Keep in mind that, while all are welcomed to host similar events, priority goes to our MSI GAMING fans and partners who need the facilities as and when necessary.”
More details on these tournaments can be found at the MSI GAMING Facebook Page.
(Picture Credit: MSI GAMING)


Disney+ Launches In South Korea, Hong Kong & Taiwan This November

At the companyâ€™s Q3 earnings call this morning, The Walt Disney Company announced that Disney+ will launch in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan sometime in November 2021. Disney+ Japan will also be expanded to feature additional general entertainment content in October 2021.Â
The streaming service is already currently available in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.
The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific President Luke Kang said:
â€œThe response towards Disney+ across Asia Pacific has exceeded our expectations, as consumers seek diverse entertainment content and are drawn to our portfolio of brands and franchises.
We are pleased with the subscriber growth and partnerships forged in markets, and look forward to engaging with more consumers across the region through unparalleled storytelling, creative excellence and cutting-edge content delivery.â€
In Thailand, the streaming service has topped app store charts since its launch on 30 June 2021, and in Indonesia and Malaysia, it sits as a leading SVOD (subscription video on demand) service.Â
Disney+ offers an impressive selection of films and episodes of content from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and Star, which includes a growing stable of local and regional content.
The streaming service is home to exclusive Disney+ Originals content and specials, including Marvel Studiosâ€™ WandaVision, Loki and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier; Star Wars series The Mandalorian; Disney and Pixarâ€™s Luca, National Geographicâ€™s Secrets of the Whales, along with Hamilton and more.
For a list of what to watch on Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, head on over here.
If you havenâ€™t, you can check out my previous breakdown and easter egg articles forÂ WandaVisionÂ Episode 1 and 2,Â Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5,Â Episode 6,Â Episode 7,Â Episode 8Â andÂ Episode 9.
ForÂ The Falcon And The Winter Soldier, you can check out my previous breakdowns for Episode 1,Â Episode 2Â andÂ Episode 3,Â Episode 4,Â Episode 5Â andÂ Episode 6.
For previous breakdowns ofÂ LokiÂ episodes, check outÂ Episode 1 here,Â Episode 2 here,Â Episode 3 here,Â Episode 4 here,Â Episode 5 hereÂ andÂ Episode 6 here.
Courtesy of Disney+ Hotstar Malaysia, we were recently lucky enough to be the only Malaysian media to participate in a roundtable interview withÂ Marvelâ€™s What Ifâ€¦?Â Executive ProducerÂ Brad Winderbaum, Head WriterÂ AC Bradley, and DirectorÂ Bryan Andrews. You can check out that interview byÂ heading over here.


Life By You Is The Sims Made By Paradox, The Crusader Kings Folks

Not content with making their detailed and expansive answer to Maxis’ SimCity, Paradox Interactive and its developer Paradox Tectonic are now throwing their hats into the life simulation circuit.
Both Paradox companies have announced a new life simulation titled Life by You, and it’s basically their version of The Sims: a seemingly detailed and incredibly life-like iteration of the then-uncontested genre, with massive Creator Tools and options along with major mod support. Life by You will be out in Early Access for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) on 12 September for US$39.99. The game will be in Early Access for 12 months, though that is subject to change depending on the games’ development process and status.
Key features & trailer below:
Features

Play in an Open World: Live life with no loading screens. Strike up real-language conversations. Drive or bike to the countryside. Discover and complete quests to unlock new experiences.
Expand your Creativity: Make your own in-game content through mods. Utilize a variety of deep Creator Tools. Change the gameplay anytime. Life is yours to make.
Take Direct Control: Drag and drop your humans into their place – or drive them directly in third-person mode. Live the life of one or tell the stories of many. Climb a career ladder. Fall in love. Raise a family.
Tell Stories Through Conversations: Every real-language conversation is generated based on your human’s unique situation. You can even craft your own conversations in-game.
Design Your Own World: Build your humans’ dream homes or businesses from scratch. Furnish them from top to bottom, inside to outside. Drag, demolish, and rearrange entire towns.
Create Fully Customized Humans: Design your families in the Human Creator, including deep personality and character traits. Style and restyle your humans at any time.


Netflix Reveals 2023 Movie Lineup & Release Dates, Including Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon

Netflix has released a new trailer showcasing their movie lineup and release dates for 2023. There are several movies featured in the trailer, including Extraction 2, Murder Mystery 2 and more. However, the (arguably) biggest and most anticipated movie is Zack Snyder’s next film for the streaming giant, the science fiction film, Rebel Moon.
The synopsis for Rebel Moon reads:
When a peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, they dispatch a young woman with a mysterious past named Kora to seek out warriors from neighboring planets to help them take a stand.
It stars Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Doona Bae, Ray Fisher, Staz Nair, with Charlie Hunnam and Anthony Hopkins and more.
Rebel Moon will premiere on 22 December 2023.
Check out the rest of the lineup below:
JUNG_E [Non-English title] (January 20)
In 2194, a civil war among those who survived the Earth’s catastrophe breaks out. A war heroine Major Jung-e goes into a coma after a serious injury, and her family is forced to donate her brain data to ‘Next Generation Lab’. Next Generation Lab uses Jung-e’s data to make an AI robot, and using that robot, the lab continues to conduct war simulation. During the simulation, Seo-hyun, daughter of Jung-e, participating as the robot research team leader, learns her mother’s secret through repeated experiments.
DIRECTOR: Yeon Sang-ho
WRITER: Yeon Sang-ho
CAST: Kim Hyun-joo
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: South Korea
YOU PEOPLE (January 27)
When a rideshare mix-up in LA brings Ezra Cohen (Jonah Hill) and Amira Mohammed (Lauren London) together, the two find themselves connecting over a shared love of streetwear and music. As they fall in love, their relationship is tested by their respective families: Ezra’s progressive and semi-woke parents (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny) and Amira’s unyielding yet concerned parents (Eddie Murphy and Nia Long) who inject themselves into their lives mercilessly. Kenya Barris’ feature film directorial debut is a modern love story set amidst clashing cultures and interfaith relationships.
DIRECTOR: Kenya Barris
WRITERS: Jonah Hill and Kenya Barris
PRODUCERS: Kevin Misher, Jonah Hill, Kenya Barris
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: David Hyman, Matt Dines, Hale Rothstein, Alison Goodwin, Mychelle Deschamps, Andy Berman, Charisse Hewitt-Webster
CAST: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Sam Jay, Elliott Gould, Travis Bennett, Molly Gordon, Rhea Perlman, Deon Cole, Andrea Savage, Mike Epps, Emily Arlook, Alani La La Anthony, Bryan Greenberg with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Eddie Murphy
PAMELA, A LOVE STORY (January 31)
An intimate and humanizing portrait of one of the world’s most famous blonde bombshells, Pamela, a love story, follows the trajectory of Pamela Anderson’s life and career from smalltown girl to international sex symbol, actress, activist, and doting mother.
DIRECTOR: Ryan White
PRODUCERS: Jessica Hargrave, Brandon Thomas Lee, Julia Nottingham Garbus, Jon Bardin, Nell Constantinople
TRUE SPIRIT (February 3)
When the tenacious young sailor Jessica Watson (Teagan Croft) sets out to be the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world, many expect her to fail. With the support of her sailing coach and mentor Ben Bryant (Cliff Curtis) and her parents (Josh Lawson and Academy Award winner Anna Paquin), Jessica is determined to accomplish what was thought to be impossible, navigating some of the world’s most challenging stretches of ocean over the course of 210 days.
BASED ON THE BOOK by Jessica Watson
DIRECTOR: Sarah Spillane
WRITERS: Sarah Spillane, Rebecca Banner, Cathy Randall
PRODUCERS: Debra Martin Chase, Susan Cartsonis, Andrew Fraser
CAST: Teagan Croft, Cliff Curtis, Bridget Webb, Vivien Turner, Stacy Clausen, Todd Lasance, with Josh Lawson and Anna Paquin
BILL RUSSELL: LEGEND (February 3)
The definitive documentary about the life and legacy of NBA legend and civil rights icon Bill Russell from award-winning director Sam Pollard (MLK/FBI). The film features exclusive interviews with Bill before his passing in 2022 as well as access to his sprawling personal archives. From the humblest of beginnings, Russell went on to lead each and every one of his basketball teams to championships — two back-to-back NCAA titles, a Gold Medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, and 11 championship titles in his thirteen-year career as a Boston Celtic (his last two as the first Black Head Coach in NBA history). Features interviews with family and friends as well as Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more.
DIRECTOR: Sam Pollard
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Larry Gordon, Ross Greenburg, Mike Richardson, Charles Rosenzweig
SUBJECTS: Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
YOUR PLACE OR MINE (February 10)
Debbie and Peter are best friends and total opposites. She craves routine with her son in LA; he thrives on change in NY. When they swap houses and lives for a week they discover what they think they want might not be what they really need.
DIRECTOR: Aline Brosh McKenna
WRITER: Aline Brosh McKenna
PRODUCERS: Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, Reese Witherspoon, Lauren Neustadter, Aline Brosh McKenna
CAST: Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Jesse Williams, Zoë Chao, Welsey Kimmel, Griffin Matthews, Rachel Bloom, Shiri Appleby, Vella Lovell, with Tig Notaro and Steve Zahn
WE HAVE A GHOST (February 24)
Finding a ghost named Ernest haunting their new home turns Kevin’s family into overnight social media sensations. But when Kevin and Ernest go rogue to investigate the mystery of Ernest’s past, they become a target of the CIA.
BASED ON THE SHORT STORY: “Ernest” by Geoff Manaugh
DIRECTOR: Christopher Landon
WRITER: Christopher Landon
PRODUCERS: Marty Bowen, Dan Halsted
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Christopher Landon, Korey Budd, Geoff Manaugh, Isaac Klausner, John Fischer, Nathan Miller
CAST: David Harbour, Jahi Di’Allo Winston, Tig Notaro, Erica Ash, Jennifer Coolidge, and Anthony Mackie
ADDITIONAL CAST: Faith Ford, Niles Fitch, Isabella Russo, Steve Coulter
LUTHER: THE FALLEN SUN (March 10)
In Luther: The Fallen Sun — an epic continuation of the award-winning television saga reimagined for film — a gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. The film also stars Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis and Dermot Crowley, who returns as Martin Schenk.
DIRECTOR: Jamie Payne
WRITER: Neil Cross
PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, David Ready, Neil Cross, Idris Elba
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Dan Finlay, Brendan Ferguson, Miki Emmerich, Kris Thykier, Priscilla Parish
CAST: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis, Dermot Crowley
THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT (March 17)
When Peter (voiced by Noah Jupe), who is searching for his long-lost sister named Adele (voiced by Pixie Davies), crosses paths with a fortune teller in the market square, there is only one question on his mind: is his sister still alive? The answer, that he must find a mysterious elephant and the magician (voiced by Benedict Wong) who will conjure it, sets Peter off on a harrowing journey to complete three seemingly impossible tasks that will change the face of his town forever and take him on the adventure of a lifetime. The Magician’s Elephant is based on Two-time Newbery Award winning author Kate DiCamillo’s classic novel.
DIRECTOR: Wendy Rogers
WRITER: Martin Hynes
PRODUCER: Julia Pistor
CAST: Sian Clifford, Pixie Davies, Natasia Demetriou, Dawn French, Brian Tyree Henry, Noah Jupe, Aasif Mandvi, Mandy Patinkin, Miranda Richardson, Cree Summer, Lorraine Toussaint, Benedict Wong
MURDER MYSTERY 2 (March 31)
Now full-time detectives struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground, Nick and Audrey Spitz find themselves at the center of an international abduction when their friend the Maharaja is kidnapped at his own lavish wedding.
DIRECTOR: Jeremy Garelick
WRITERS: James Vanderbilt
PRODUCERS: Adam Sandler and Allen Covert for Happy Madison, Jennifer Aniston for Echo Films, Tripp Vinson for Vinson Films, James Stern for Endgame Entertainment, James Vanderbilt
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Barry Bernardi, Kevin Grady, Kyle Newacheck, Tim Herlihy, Beau Flynn, Julie Goldstein, Lucas Smith
CAST: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Adeel Akhtar, John Kani, Mark Strong, Mélanie Laurent, Jodie Turner-Smith, Kuhoo Verma, Enrique Arce, Tony Goldwyn, Annie Mumolo, Zurin Villanueva
A TOURIST’S GUIDE TO LOVE (April 27)
After an unexpected break up, a travel executive accepts an assignment to go undercover and learn about the tourist industry in Vietnam. Along the way she finds adventure and romance with her Vietnamese expat tour guide when they decide to reroute the tour bus in order to explore life and love off the beaten path.
DIRECTOR: Steven K. Tsuchida
WRITER: Eirene Tran Donohue
PRODUCERS: Rachael Leigh Cook, Joel S. Rice for Muse Entertainment
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jim Head for Head First Productions and Lydia Storie for Muse Entertainment
CAST: Rachael Leigh Cook, Scott Ly, Missi Pyle, Ben Feldman, Glynn Sweet, Alexa Povah, Jacqueline Correa, Nondumiso Tembe, Andrew Barth Feldman, Morgan Dudley, Quinn Trúc Tr?n, Ns?t Lê Thi?n
THE MOTHER (May 12)
A deadly female assassin comes out of hiding to protect the daughter that she gave up years before, while on the run from dangerous men.
DIRECTOR: Niki Caro
WRITERS: Misha Green, Peter Craig
PRODUCERS: Jennifer Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith Thomas, Benny Medina, Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, Marc Evans, Misha Green
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Molly Allen
CAST: Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick, Gael Garcia Bernal, Paul Raci, Lucy Paez
EXTRACTION 2 (June 16)
Chris Hemsworth returns as Tyler Rake in Extraction 2, the sequel to Netflix’s blockbuster action film EXTRACTION. After barely surviving the events of the first movie, Rake is back as the Australian black ops mercenary, tasked with another deadly mission: rescuing the battered family of a ruthless Georgian gangster from the prison where they are being held.
BASED ON: The Graphic Novel “Ciudad” By Ande Parks, From A Story By Ande Parks, Joe Russo & Anthony Russo, With Illustrations By Fernando Leon Gonzalez
DIRECTOR: Sam Hargrave
WRITER: Joe Russo
PRODUCERS:Joe Russo, Anthony Russo, Mike Larocca, Angela Otstot, Chris Hemsworth, Patrick Newall, Sam Hargrave, Eric Gitter, Peter Schwerin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Benjamin Grayson, Steve Scavelli, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely, Jake Aust
CAST: Chris Hemsworth, Golshifteh Farahani, Adam Bessa, Daniel Bernhardt, Tinatin Dalakishvili
THEY CLONED TYRONE (July 21)
A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (Boyega, Foxx and Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper.
DIRECTOR: Juel Taylor
WRITERS: Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier
PRODUCERS: Charles D. King, Stephen “Dr.” Love, Juel Taylor, Tony Rettenmaier, Kim Roth, Jamie Foxx, Datari Turner
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Mark R. Wright, Jack Murray, Monte Lipman, Dana Sano
CAST: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, Teyonah Parris
HEART OF STONE (August 11)
Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot) is an intelligence operative, the only woman who stands between her powerful, global, peace-keeping organization and the loss of its most valuable — and dangerous — asset.
DIRECTOR: Tom Harper
WRITERS: Greg Rucka and Allison Schroeder
PRODUCERS: Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, along with Mockingbird’s Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn, and Pilot Wave’s Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Patty Whitcher, Tom Harper, Greg Rucka
CAST: Gal Gadot, Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt, Sophie Okonedo, Matthias Schweighöfer, Jing Lusi, Paul Ready
LIFT (August 25)
An international heist crew is recruited to prevent a terrorist attack, and must pull off the heist on a plane mid-flight.
DIRECTOR: F. Gary Gray
WRITERS: Daniel Kunka, Emerald Fennell, Simon Kinberg
PRODUCERS: Kevin Hart and Bryan Smiley for HartBeat Productions; Matt Reeves and Adam Kassan for 6th & Idaho; Simon Kinberg and Audrey Chon for Genre Pictures
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: F. Gary Gray, Brent O’Connor, Patricia Braga
CAST: Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, with Jean Reno and Sam Worthington
ADDITIONAL CAST: Viveik Kalra, Yun Jee Kim, Burn Gorman, Paul Anderson
DAMSEL (October 13)
A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.
DIRECTOR: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo
WRITER: Dan Mazeau
PRODUCERS: Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Chris Castaldi
CO-PRODUCER: Emily Wolfe
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Millie Bobby Brown, Robert Brown, Dan Mazeau, Zack Roth, Sue Baden-Powell
CAST: Millie Bobby Brown, Angela Bassett, Robin Wright, Ray Winstone, Nick Robinson, Brooke Carter, and Shohreh Aghdashloo
PAIN HUSTLERS (October 27)
Upon losing her job, a blue-collar woman struggling to raise her daughter takes a job at a failing pharmaceutical start-up, only to get involved in a dangerous racketeering scheme.
DIRECTOR: David Yates
WRITER: Wells Tower
PRODUCERS: Lawrence Grey, David Yates
CAST: Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, Andy Garcia, Catherine O’Hara, Jay Duplass, Brian d’Arcy James and Chloe Coleman
THE KILLER (November 10)
After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.
DIRECTOR: David Fincher
SCREENPLAY BY: Andrew Kevin Walker Based on the graphic novel series “The Killer” written by Alexis Nolent (a.k.a Matz) and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, originally published in the French language by Editions Casterman
PRODUCER: Ceán Chaffin, p.g.a.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Alexandra Milchan
CAST: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Sophie Charlotte and Tilda Swinton
A FAMILY AFFAIR (November 17)
A surprising romance kicks off comic consequences for a young woman, her mother and her movie star boss as they face the complications of love, sex, and identity.
DIRECTOR: Richard LaGravenese
WRITERS: Carrie Solomon and Richard LaGravenese
PRODUCERS: Joe Roth, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Alyssa Altman
CAST: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Liza Koshy and Kathy Bates
LEO (November 22)
Actor and comedian Adam Sandler (Hotel Transylvania, The Wedding Singer) delivers signature laughs in this coming-of-age animated musical comedy about the last year of elementary school – as seen through the eyes of a class pet. Jaded 74 year-old lizard Leo (Sandler) has been stuck in the same Florida classroom for decades with his terrarium-mate turtle (Bill Burr). When he learns he only has one year left to live, he plans to escape to experience life on the outside, but instead gets caught up in the problems of his anxious students – including an impossibly mean substitute teacher. It ends up being the strangest but most rewarding bucket list ever…
DIRECTORS: Robert Smigel, Robert Marianetti, David Wachtenheim
PRODUCERS: Happy Madison
CAST: Adam Sandler, Bill Burr, Cecily Strong, Jason Alexander, Rob Schneider, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler, Jackie Sandler, Heidi Gardner, Nick Swardson, Nicholas Turturro, Robert Smigel, Jo Koy, Stephanie Hsu
LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND (December 8)
A family vacation on Long Island is interrupted by two strangers bearing news of a mysterious blackout. As the threat grows more imminent, both families must decide how best to survive the potential crisis, all while grappling with their own place in this collapsing world.
BASED ON THE NOVEL: “Leave the World Behind” by Rumaan Alam
DIRECTOR: Sam Esmail
WRITER: Sam Esmail
PRODUCERS: Sam Esmail, Chad Hamilton, Julia Roberts, Lisa Gillan, Marisa Yeres Gill EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Barack and Michelle Obama, Tonia Davis, Daniel M. Stillman, Nick Krishnamurthy, Rumaan Alam
CAST: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la, Farrah Mackenzie, Charlie Evans and Kevin Bacon
REBEL MOON (December 22)
When a peaceful colony on the edge of the galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, they dispatch a young woman with a mysterious past named Kora to seek out warriors from neighboring planets to help them take a stand.
DIRECTOR: Zack Snyder
WRITERS: Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, Shay Hatten
PRODUCERS: Deborah Snyder, Wesley Coller, Zack Snyder, Eric Newman
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bergen Swanson, Sarah Bowen, Shay Hatten, Kurt Johnstad
KEY CAST: Sofia Boutella, Djimon Hounsou, Ed Skrein, Michiel Huisman, Bae Doona, Ray Fisher, with Charlie Hunnam and Anthony Hopkins as the voice of “Jimmy”. Also starring Cary Elwes, Corey Stoll, Jena Malone, Fra Fee, Cleopatra Coleman, Alfonso Herrera, Stuart Martin, Staz Nair, Sky Yang, Rhian Rees, E. Duffy, Charlotte Maggi
RELEASE DATES TBD:
CHUPA (Spring 2023)
While visiting his family in Mexico, teenage Alex gains an unlikely companion when he discovers a young chupacabra hiding in his grandpa’s shed. In order to save the mythical creature, Alex and his cousins must embark on the adventure of a lifetime.
DIRECTOR: Jonás Cuarón
SCREENPLAY BY: Sean Kennedy Moore & Joe Barnathan & Marcus Rinehart
STORY BY: Sean Kennedy Moore & Joe Barnathan & Marcus Rinehart & Brendan Bellomo
PRODUCERS: Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, Michael Barnathan
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: G. Mac Brown, Anna Barnathan Barry, Brendan Bellomo
CAST: Demián Bichir, Evan Whitten, Christian Slater, Ashley Ciarra, Nickolas Verdugo, Adriana Paz, Gerardo Taracena, Julio Cesar Cedillo
KILL BOKSOON [Non-English Title] (Spring 2023)
Boksoon leads a double life — she is both a mother of a teenage daughter and the legendary professional killer at the top-tier killing agency MK. Caught in between the mission of killing someone and the mission of raising someone, Boksoon refuses to complete an assigned mission and is thrown into an inevitable fight.
DIRECTOR: Byun Sung-hyun
WRITER: Byun Sung-hyun
CAST: Jeon Do-yeon, Sul Kyung-gu, Kim Si-A, Esom, Koo Kyo-hwan
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: South Korea
HAPPINESS FOR BEGINNERS (Summer 2023)
Helen (Ellie Kemper) has always lived her life as far from the edge as possible. Finding herself newly divorced and a little lost, Helen decides she needs a reset and signs up for the “Adventure of a Lifetime!” The adventure is a backcountry survival course hiking the Appalachian Trail with a group of oddball strangers. From the beginning, Helen’s plan to be the best hiker is tested and she finds more than just herself in the wilderness.
BASED ON THE NOVEL: “Happiness for Beginners” by Katherine Center
DIRECTOR: Vicky Wight
WRITER: Vicky Wight
PRODUCERS: Geoff Linville, Berry Meyerowitz, Vicky Wight
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Katherine Center, Jeff Sackman, Larry Greenberg
CAST: Ellie Kemper, Luke Grimes, Nico Santos, Blythe Danner, Ben Cook, Shayvawn Webster, Esteban Benito, Gus Birney, Julia Shiplett
THE PERFECT FIND (Summer 2023)
Will a forty-year-old woman with everything on the line — her high-stakes career, ticking biological clock, bank account — risk it all for an intensely lusty secret romance with the one person who could destroy her comeback, for good?
DIRECTOR: Numa Perrier
WRITER: Leigh Davenport
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY: Tia Williams
PRODUCERS: Glendon Palmer, Gabrielle Union, Jeff Morrone, Codie Elaine Oliver, Tommy Oliver
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Stuart Ford, Miguel A. Palos Jr., Linda McDonough, Holly Shakoor Fleischer, Melissa Jones, Leigh Davenport and Matthew Myers
CAST: Gabrielle Union, Keith Powers, Aisha Hinds, DB Woodside, Janet Hubert, Alani “La La” Anthony and Gina Torres
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT (September 2023)
After missing her flight from New York to London, Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) meets Oliver (Ben Hardy) in a chance encounter at the airport that sparks an instant connection. A long night on the plane together passes in the blink of an eye but upon landing at Heathrow, the pair are separated and finding each other in the chaos seems impossible. Will fate intervene to transform these seat mates into soul mates?
BASED ON THE NOVEL: “The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight” by Jennifer E. Smith
DIRECTOR: Vanessa Caswill
SCREENPLAY BY: Katie Lovejoy
PRODUCERS: Matt Kaplan
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Max Siemers, Matthew Janzen, Jennifer E. Smith, Christopher Foss, Mark Lane, Haley Lu Richardson
CO-PRODUCER: Aubrey Bendix
CAST: Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips
NYAD (Fall 2023)
The remarkable true story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, who, at the age of 64, became the first person to complete the “Everest of swims,” a 53-hour, 110-mile swim from Cuba to Florida through dangerous open ocean without a shark cage.
DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin
WRITERS: Ann Biderman, Julia Cox
BASED ON: The Book “Find A Way” by Diana Nyad
PRODUCERS: Andrew Lazar, Teddy Schwarzman
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bill Johnson, Jim Seibel, Michael Heimler, Vanessa Humphrey, Julia Cox, D. Scott Lumpkin
CAST: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Ethan Jones Romero, Luke Cosgrove, Jenna Yi, Eric T. Miller
PLAYERS (Fall 2023)
Chicago sportswriter Mack (Gina Rodriguez) has spent years devising successful hook-up “plays” with best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.) and their crew, but when she unexpectedly falls head-over-heels for one of her targets (Tom Ellis), they all must learn what it takes to go from simply scoring to playing for keeps.
DIRECTOR: Trish Sie
WRITER: Whit Anderson
PRODUCERS: Marc Platt, Ryan Christians, Ross Dinerstein
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Stuart Ford, Miguel A. Palos Jr., Linda McDonough, Holly Shakoor Fleischer, Melissa Jones, Leigh Davenport and Matthew Myers
CAST: Gina Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., Tom Ellis, Joel Courtney, Liza Koshy, Augustus Prew
SPACEMAN (Fall 2023)
As an astronaut sent to the edge of the galaxy to collect mysterious ancient dust finds his earthly life falling to pieces, he turns to the only voice who can help him try to put it back together. It just so happens to belong to a creature from the beginning of time lurking in the shadows of his ship.
BASED ON THE NOVEL: “Spaceman Of Bohemia” by Jaroslav Kalfar
DIRECTOR: Johan Renck
WRITER: Colby Day
PRODUCERS: Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin, Peter Kiernan, Michael Parets, Tim Headington, Lia Buman, Max Silva
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ben Ormand, Johan Renck, Barry Bernardi
CAST: Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, Paul Dano, Kunal Nayyar
THE ARCHIES [Non-English Title]
The Archies, a feature film adaptation of the comics will be produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India and will premiere exclusively on Netflix. A live action musical set in 1960’s India, the film will be directed by Zoya Akhtar. The film has the iconic gang of The Archies at the centre of it and perfectly matches the youthful energy, hope and excitement of the sixties. A musical experience bursting with youth, rebellion, friendships, first loves and everything young adult, it still promises to have something for every generation.
DIRECTOR: Zoya Akhtar
WRITER: Reema Kagti, Zoya Akhtar & Ayesha Devitre
PRODUCERS: Tiger Baby/ Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti,Graphic India/ Sharad Devarajan, Archie Comics
CAST: Mihir Ahuja, Dot, Khushi Kapoor, Suhana Khan, Yuvraj Menda, Agastya Nanda and Vedang Raina
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: India
BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER.
Every Christmas Jackie sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte feel like a lump of coal. When a twist of fate lands Charlotte and her family on Jackie’s snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, she seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend’s life can’t possibly be that perfect.
DIRECTOR: Mary Lambert
WRITERS: Charles Shyer, Todd Calgi Gallicano
PRODUCED BY: Brad Krevoy
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Steve Berman, Bryan Bordon, David Wulf, Charles Shyer, Todd Calgi Gallicano, Eric Jarboe, Jimmy Townsend, Amanda Phillips
CAST: Heather Graham, Brandy Norwood, Matt Cedeño and Jason Biggs
CARGA MÁXIMA (Overhaul) [Non-English Title]
In the first Brazilian action movie on Netflix, Roger is a truck racing driver who starts driving for a cargo robbery gang in order to keep his team. Once inside the crime, he will have to fight hard to get out.
DIRECTOR: Tomás Portella
WRITER: Leandro Soares
PRODUCERS: Caio Gullane, Fabiano Gullane, Rodrigo Castellar
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ana Saito, Ariene Ferreira, Daniela Aun, Rodrigo Castellar
CAST: Thiago Martins, Sheron Menezzes, Raphael Logam, Milhem Cortaz, Evandro Mesquita, Paulinho Vilhena
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Brazil
CHAKDA ‘XPRESS [Non-English Title]
The film is inspired by the incredible story of one of the fastest female pacers in the history of world cricket, Jhulan Goswami as she moves up the ladder, despite the countless hindrances, to fulfill her only dream: to play cricket.
DIRECTOR: Prosit Roy
WRITER: Abhishek Banerjee
PRODUCERS: Karnesh Ssharma (Clean Slate Filmz)
CAST: Anushka Sharma, Renuka Shahane, Anshul Chauhan, Kaushik Sen, Mahesh Thakur
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: India
CHICKEN RUN: DAWN OF THE NUGGET
Having pulled off a death-defying escape from Tweedy’s farm, Ginger has finally found her dream — a peaceful island sanctuary for the whole flock, far from the dangers of the human world. When she and Rocky hatch a little girl called Molly, Ginger’s happy ending seems complete. But back on the mainland the whole of chicken-kind faces a new and terrible threat. For Ginger and her team, even if it means putting their own hard-won freedom at risk – this time, they’re breaking in!
DIRECTOR: Sam Fell
WRITERS: Karey Kirkpatrick, John O’Farrell, Rachel Tunnard
PRODUCERS: Steve Pegram, Leyla Hobart
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Lord, Carla Shelley, Karey Kirkpatrick, Nick Park
CAST: Thandiwe Newton, Zachary Levi, Bella Ramsey, Jane Horrocks, Imelda Staunton, Lynn Ferguson, Josie Sedgwick-Davies, David Bradley, Romesh Ranganathan, Daniel Mays and Nick Mohammed
CHOOSE LOVE
Cami Conway has it all. She’s got the job she wants and is headed towards engagement, marriage and kids with her wonderful boyfriend, Paul. And yet. She feels something is missing. Cami faces a kaleidoscope of tempting but tough choices: from serious ethical dilemmas to the frivolous “Truth or Dare.” What she chooses depends wholly on you, the viewer. But be careful! Things don’t always play out like you think!
DIRECTOR: Stuart McDonald
WRITER: Josann McGibbon
PRODUCERS: Robyn Snyder and Deborah Evans, Mel Turner, Axel Paton, Josann McGibbon
CAST: Laura Marano, Avan Jogia, Jordi Webber and Scott Michael Foster
THE DEEPEST BREATH
World Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival
A champion freediver trains to break a world record with the help of an expert safety diver, and the two form an emotional bond that feels like fate. This heart-stopping film follows the paths they took to meet at the pinnacle of the freediving world, documenting the thrilling rewards — and inescapable risks — of chasing a dream through the silent depths of the ocean.
DIRECTOR: Laura McGann
PRODUCERS: John Battsek, Sarah Thomson, Jamie D’Alton, Anne McLoughlin
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Bart Layton, Ben Cotner, Emily Osborne
CO-PRODUCER: Robert Ford
MAESTRO
Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.
DIRECTOR: Bradley Cooper
WRITER: Bradley Cooper, Josh Singer
PRODUCERS: Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Bradley Cooper, Fred Berner, Amy Durning
CAST: Bradley Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Maya Hawke, Matt Bomer, Sarah Silverman
MONKEY MAN
An unlikely hero emerges from prison to take on a world enmeshed in corporate greed and eroding spiritual values, seeking revenge from those who took everything from him many years ago.
DIRECTOR: Dev Patel
WRITERS: Dev Patel, John Collee
PRODUCERS: Dev Patel, Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee, Jomon Thomas, Samarth Sahni, Christine Haebler, Anjay Nagpal
CAST: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley
THE MONKEY KING
The Monkey King is an action-packed family comedy that follows a monkey and his magical fighting Stick as they team up on an epic quest where they must go head to head against gods, demons, dragons, and the greatest enemy of all, Monkey’s own ego!
DIRECTOR: Anthony Stacchi
PRODUCERS: Peilin Chou
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Stephen Chow
CAST: Jimmy O. Yang, Bowen Yang, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Jo Koy, Ron Yuan, Hoon Lee, Stephanie Hsu, Andrew Pang, Andrew Kishino, Jodi Long, James Sie and BD Wong
NIMONA
A knight is framed for a crime he didn’t commit and the only person who can help him prove his innocence is Nimona, a shape-shifting teen who might also be a monster he’s sworn to kill. Set in a techno-medieval world unlike anything animation has tackled before, this is a story about the labels we assign to people and the shapeshifter who refuses to be defined by anyone.
DIRECTORS: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
PRODUCERS: Roy Lee, Karen Ryan, Julie Zackary
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Robert L. Baird, Megan Ellison, Andrew Millstein
CAST: Chloë Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang
THE OUT-LAWS
Owen Browning (Adam Devine) is a straight-laced bank manager about to marry the love of his life, Parker. When his bank is held up by the infamous Ghost Bandits during his wedding week, he believes his future in-laws who just arrived in town, are the infamous Out-Laws.
DIRECTOR: Tyler Spindel
WRITER: Evan Turner, Ben Zazove
PRODUCERS: Happy Madison; Adam Devine
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Isaac Horne
CAST: Adam Devine, Pierce Brosnan, Ellen Barkin, Nina Dobrev, Michael Rooker, Poorna Jagannathan, Julie Hagerty, Richard Kind, Lil Rel Howery, Blake Anderson
REPTILE
Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life.
DIRECTOR: Grant Singer
WRITERS: Screenplay – Grant Singer & Benjamin Brewer And Benicio Del Toro, Story – Grant Singer & Benjamin Brewer
PRODUCERS: Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Thad Luckinbill
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Benicio Del Toro, Rachel Smith
CAST: Benicio Del Toro, Justin Timberlake, Eric Bogosian, Alicia Silverstone, Domenick Lombardozzi, Frances Fisher, Ato Essandoh, Michael Carmen Pitt, Karl Glusman, Matilda Lutz
RUSTIN
Bayard Rustin, the brilliant strategist behind 1963’s momentous March On Washington and close advisor to Martin Luther King, Jr., dedicated his life to the tireless quest for racial equality, human rights, and worldwide democracy. But as an openly gay Black man, he was all but erased from the civil rights movement he helped build. Directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Tony Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Colman Domingo, Rustin illuminates the life of this unsung hero, a man whose influential work as an activist changed the course of history.
DIRECTOR: George C. Wolfe
SCREENPLAY BY: Julian Breece and Dustin Lance Black
STORY BY: Julian Breece
PRODUCERS: Bruce Cohen, Tonia Davis, George C. Wolfe
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Higher Ground’s Barack & Michelle Obama, Mark R. Wright, Alex G. Scott, David Permut, Daniel Sladek, Chris Taaffe
CAST: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Glynn Turman, Audra McDonald, Aml Ameen, Gus Halper, Johnny Ramey, CCH Pounder, Michael Potts, Carra Patterson, Adrienne Warren, Bill Irwin, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jeffrey Wright, Lilli Kay, Jordan-Amanda Hall, Jakeem Dante Powell, Ayana Workman, Grantham Coleman, Jamilah Nadege Rosemond, Jules Latimer, Maxwell Whittington-Cooper, Frank Harts, Kevin Mambo
SHIRLEY
Shirley is the intimate portrayal of trailblazing political icon Shirley Chisholm, the first Black Congresswoman and the first Black woman to run for President of the U.S, and the cost of accomplishment for Shirley herself. This film will tell the story of Chisholm’s boundary-breaking and historic presidential campaign, based on exclusive and extensive conversations with family, friends and those who knew her best.
DIRECTOR: John Ridley
WRITER: John Ridley
PRODUCERS: Anikah McLaren, Elizabeth Haggard, Regina King, John Ridley
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Jeff Skoll, Ted Gidlow
CAST: Regina King, Lucas Hedges, Christina Jackson, Michael Cherrie, Dorian Missick, Amirah Vann, W. Earl Brown, with André Holland and Terrence Howard
UNTITLED WES ANDERSON/ROALD DAHL FILM
Wes Anderson’s adaptation of several Roald Dahl short stories including “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.”
DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson
WRITER: Wes Anderson
PRODUCERS: Wes Anderson, Steven Rales, Jeremy Dawson
CO-PRODUCERS: Octavia Peissel, John Peet, Alice Dawson
CAST: Benedict Cumberbatch, Ralph Fiennes, Dev Patel, Sir Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, Asa Jennings
VICTIM/SUSPECT
World Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival
Investigative journalist Rae de Leon travels nationwide to uncover and examine a shocking pattern: Young women tell the police they’ve been sexually assaulted, but instead of finding justice, they’re charged with the crime of making a false report, arrested, and even imprisoned by the system they believed would protect them.
DIRECTOR: Nancy Schwartzman
PRODUCERS: Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Alice Henty, Nancy Schwartzman, Amanda Pike, Rachel De Leon
CO-PRODUCERS: Tracy Elizabeth Jarrett, J. Daniel Torres
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Carolyn Hepburn

Check out the trailer below:


Revenant Esports Adds Filipino Coach, Pro To VALORANT Squad

So, it looks like Revenant Esports has just made a cool move to strengthen their VALORANT team by hiring a new coach from the Philippines. His name is Chris “Pro” Martir and he’s got some serious experience in the Filipino region as a former professional Counter-Strike player and more recently, as a professional VALORANT player with South Built Esports.
Now, he’ll be stepping into the role of head coach at Revenant Esports, helping the team to analyze their gameplay and perform at their best in the ongoing VALORANT Challengers 2023: South Asia Split 2 in New Delhi. With two Filipino players on the team already and a few more in the South Asian VALORANT scene, Pro’s familiarity with the players will definitely be an asset.
Revenant Esports’ VALORANT roster consists of:

Shailesh “blackhawk” Dalvi
Kasif “Paradox” Sayyed
Enrico “Ching” Perez
Joshua “JoshS” Miles Santos
Sahil “1TaPGoD” Duble
Tejas “rite2ace” Santosh Sawant

Rohit Jagasia, Founder and CEO of Revenant Esports, said that the team’s synergy has been a major focus, especially since they weren’t able to compete in Split 1 of the VALORANT Challengers South Asia. With Pro’s help, they’re hoping to build that synergy and perform at their best.
Revenant Esports has already played one match in the VALORANT Challengers, winning 2-1 against MLT Esports. Their next game will be against reigning champions Orangutan on 12 May at 7:00 PM (IST), and you can catch the action live on the Nodwin Gaming YouTube channel. So, if you’re a fan of VALORANT, be sure to check it out!


The Studio Ghibli Lucasfilm Project Is Star Wars-Related

Yesterday, Studio Ghibli teased that they’re working with Lucasfilm (the company responsible for making Star Wars and Indiana Jones. amongst others) on a mystery project. However, a new tweet has probably confirmed that the project will be related to Star Wars.
The tweet features legendary Studio Ghibli founder Hayao Miyazaki in the background, with a figure of Master Yoda seen clearly in the picture.

pic.twitter.com/31jDkRIXTL
— ??????? STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) November 11, 2022

There are currently no details yet, but with frequent updates like these, we’ll probably find out sooner than later.


Here’s How and When You Can Get Overwatch League Team Skins in Your Game

Fancy showing off your allegiance in the Overwatch League during your daily round of Overwatch? Of course you do. Just like how sports fan are able to display their favorite sports teams’ colors in day-to-day setting, Overwatch players are now able to do the same when playing with the the introduction of League Tokens.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9g0Jr1-0XA&w=560&h=315]
Just like typical sports teams, merchandising play a huge part in generating revenue for Overwatch League teams and you can now help support your favorite team financially by not only purchasing real world jerseys which will go on sale in a couple days time, but also getting their in-game colors. Starting early 2018, the home team skin colors for all 12 Overwatch League teams will be available for purchase, for all 26 heroes in the game.
To help track the purchases and account the funds generated to the appropriate teams, the Overwatch League introduced League Tokens which can only be used to purchase Overwatch League skins.Â Overwatch League Commissioner Nate Nanzer added that for the first month within rolling out the system, all players on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will be given enough League Tokens to purchase their first Overwatch League team skin. Of course if you intend to purchase more skins, you are required to purchase the League Tokens with real cash.
With the uproar related to post-game expenditure and stat-inducing lootboxes going about, theÂ  Blizzard and the Overwatch League has taken a very smart move to not only dodge the bullet, but also show everyone else the right way to implement microtransactions into their game without breaking it.
Unsure which team skin to purchase? Then take a gander at the slideshow below, which shows off all home team colors in the Overwatch League.

				Florida Mayhem

				Philadelphia Fusion

				San Francisco Shock

				Shanghai Dragons

				London Spitfire

				New York Excelsior

				Boston Uprising

				Dallas Fuel

				Houston Outlaws

				Los Angeles GLAdiators

				Los Angeles Valiant

				Seoul Dynasty

The Overwatch League pre-season kicks off this Thursday, 7th December before the inaugural season kicks off in January 2018. For all news, analysis and coverage of the Overwatch League, keep it locked on to Kakuchopurei.com


Yoodo Announces New Esports Roster For PUBG Mobile, Tekken 7, & Street Fighter V

Yoodo Malaysia is stepping up their esports involvement by recruiting a roster of new esports athletes.
First up is a refresh to Malaysiaâ€™s most popular PUBG Mobile esports team; Yoodo Gank, with two new additions, including popular streamer Fredo (Ahmad Fuad Razali) and the 2019 PUBG Mobile National Championship winner Jumper (Muhamad Izzrudin Hashim).
Along with team captain ManParang (Aiman Amirul) and Draxx (Abdul Azim
Ikromi Abdul Rashid) they now constitute the new Yoodo Gank line-up for PUBG Mobile.

Yoodo Head Chow Tuck Mun said:

“Yoodo Gank has been unstoppable since we signed them on as part of our mission to develop and empower Malaysian esports talent.
They have been on a winning streak at local competitions, national-level tournaments and even represented Malaysia on the global level.
With Fredo and Jumper on board, we are sure Yoodo Gank will soar to greater heights.”

In addition, Yoodo is announcing their foray into the competitive esports fighting game sphere, starting with Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V. Partnering with local esports team management organisation Flash Vision Esports, they have formed a new team, Yoodo FV.
Yoodo FV will feature ten Tekken 7 players and six Street Fighter V players.
Tuck Mun added:

â€œWhen it comes to gaming, the arena is vast. In our effort to further empower local talents, we want to cover all corners of gaming.
Adding Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V to our belt felt like a natural step to diversify our investment in esports and give our users even more to root for.
Weâ€™ve signed on some star players â€“ some of them have even represented Malaysia in the recent 2019 SEA Games!
Yoodo is proud to be supporting these players and giving them a bigger platform.
We canâ€™t wait to see them shine.”

The Tekken 7 players under Yoodo FV are:

Muhammad Zarif Aiman (ZABA)
Abdul Rahim bin Abdul Shukor (Fate)
Ahmad Tarmizi bin Mohamad Fozi (Koman)
Abdul Manap (Shinato)
Ahmad Zaharin bin Ahmad Muwarni (Arenz)
Alan Chan Kai Lun (Catharsis)
Vincent Heng Jia Yuh (VH)
Lim Jit Liang (Bryanlolwut)
Raja Kamarol bin Raja Hizad (Raja Ki-Charge)
Muhammad Rozaidi (MADRUSH)

Meanwhile, the Street Fighter V players under Yoodo FV are:

Max Ng Suk Sian (Kofmaster)
Kenny Wong Kai Fong (H-Tail)
Randy Foo (DublexCity)
Mohamad Syafiq Jaffery (Exalmer)
Muhammad Adam bin Mohd Roslan (SuperJunior)
Mohd Rozaimie Bin Mohd Roslan (Ijaiyen)

Both the Tekken 7 and Street Fighter V teams are managed by Mohd Aliffa bin Mohd Isa (aLeouf).

Besides that, Yoodo is also the Official Digital Telco for the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League MY/SG (MPL-MY/SG) Season 5, as well as the Official Digital Telco for the upcoming ESL MY Championship 2020 â€“ Call of Duty: Mobile Season 1.


Singapore-Made Action RPG Ghostlore Gets March 2022 Release Date

Need an old-school Diablo fix, but from talented indie developers from Malaysia’s neighbours down south? Look no further than Ghostlore.
The indie action RPG title from developers Andrew Teo and Adam Teo now has a set release month. Ghostlore will be out for PC (Steam) on March 2022, so add it to your wishlist if you like how it looks.
The game features not only clicking slashing action against hordes of Southeast Asian demons, but also detailed item & character customization, crafting and food, a Tetris-like glyph system to power up your ghost hunters, and randomly-generated stages and maps.

Ghostlore is a Diablo inspired ARPG that celebrates Southeast Asian culture, which is underrepresented in games.
? Detailed item & character customization? Crafting & food? Tetris-like glyph system? Procedurally generated mapshttps://t.co/4d7h86bwbd#AquatikLovesIndies
— Ghostlore ? OUT NOW!! (@Ghostlore_game) February 6, 2022

Ghostlore also happens to be one of our most-anticipated games of 2022. Check out the full list here.


Destiny 2: Beyond Light Expansion Slated For September

Bungie is clearly not done with Destiny 2, even if it’s been years. And with the devs finally out of Activision’s grasps, they can get busy with the plans they want.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light is the title of the latest expansion for loot-and-shoot shooter RPG Destiny 2.Â The new area Guardians will get to explore is called Europa: the birthplace of the Exo. Also, that one character from the first Destiny who came and went, the Exo Stranger, returns here to be the point character in this DLC.

You fight a new big Fallen boss named Aremis who uses new Dark powers and is seeking revenge against the Traveler (that giant globe the Guardians like yourself protect) for separating her race and people. Or something like that; it’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to Destiny’s lore.

That’s not all: Bungie also announced two upcoming expansions. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen will be out 2021 while Destiny 2: Lightfall will be out 2022. Basically, the Bungie team are making sure the Destiny ship is steering in the right course after the mess that was post-Destiny 2 release and its slew of updates back in 2017.

Bungie are also making sure they don’t want players to start all over with their progress since Destiny 2 while also keeping players well-fed with gameplay, dungeon runs, and events. Just before a new expansion, Bungie will be releasing past content and past DLC via its Destiny Content Vault program, all accessible for players free of charge. So anyone who hasn’t played past strikes in Destiny like Sepiks Prime and raids like the Glass Vault will get to do that in the next few months.
This also means that there won’t be a Destiny 3 for a very long while. Which is fine; a game like Destiny relies more on expansions and content for the long game much like an MMO or online-only title. To release a sequel with a new engine and such would be madness.
And just to prove that Bungie is the gift that keeps on giving, they’re releasing a new dungeon called Prophecy later today. The level should be playable in Destiny 2 for all platforms supporting the title.
Destiny 2: Beyond Light will be out on 22nd September 2020.


Cloud Still Looks Good In Drag In These New Final Fantasy VII Screenshots

Square Enix have released a bunch of new Final Fantasy VII Remake screenshots – 37 of them, to be exact.
The screenshots cover characters like Tseng and Don Corneo to locations like Wall Market and Corneo Colosseum. There are also a couple of pics of the Summon Leviathan.
There are a few Honeybee Inn-related screenshots too, which include pics of not just the location, but Tifa and Aerith in their respective blue and red dresses. There’s also Cloud with his fake braids, who looks really looks like he doesn’t want to be there.
You can check out some of the screenshots below…

… and see the rest of them here.
In our impressions of the Final Fantasy VII RemakeÂ demo, we wrote that “Being a part of a larger trilogy or even a â€œsomething-logyâ€ may make some astute JRPG fans feeling a little disillusioned at this turn of events, especially if all theyâ€™re getting is just Midgar.
“Though to be fair, itâ€™s still quite a wild ride so far especially with a solid reiteration of the combat and a lot to explore. No doubt anyone who hasnâ€™t even touch or heard of the original Final Fantasy VII or just played bits of it will be enamoured if the few hours of gameplay here is indicative of the full game.”
I haven’t played the demo myself due to the lack of a PS4, but just seeing these screenshots make me wish I could experience the game myself. PC release please, Square Enix.


Tekken World Tour 2019 Finals Set In Thailand, Features US$185k In Prizes

Good news, Tekken fans! The Tekken World Tour is now in its new season thanks to new info from Bandai Namco. For a span of a year, Tekken players will earn points from tournaments all around the world to qualify for the finals set in Bangkok, Thailand.
The prize winnings are quite large: about US$185,000’s worth. The winner of the entire tournament league will win US$30,000 of that amount. Of course, the tournament will be facing a few more changes.

The TWT will establish two more levels of competition to classify its events alongside the Challenger tier: Master+ and Dojo.
Master+ is the high-level version, owned by the Evolution Championship Series. This tourney will award the most points to winning players.
Dojo is the amateur league title of sorts, awarded to tournaments that weren’t part of the TWT last year. Depending on how many players attend a tournament, a Dojo tourney can reward winning players with various amounts of seeding points.
This segmentation is to make sure that every Tekken player gets a shot at the finals; Master+ are for the high rollers while Dojo is for the players who can’t afford to travel worldwide.
To reduce “travel fatigue” for players, this year’s TWT will restrict the number of tournaments that will count towards a player’s global ranking. A competitor’s 10 best placings will determine their overall score.
The tournament’s reach will expand to new places like Taiwan, South Africa, Dubai, and Toronto. Full schedules are listed here.Â

Here’s a statement from Twitch esports product manager Richard Thiher, whose company will be streaming the event (via Kotaku):

“Community is at the core of competitive gaming and theÂ Tekken 7Â fandom. For 2019, Bandai Namco and Twitch wanted a sound way to integrate and recognize both the worldâ€™s largest fighting game tournament and the many smaller grassroots tournaments found in cities across the globe, thus the inclusion of Evo and creation of Dojo events.
We would like as many top performingÂ TekkenÂ players as possible to have the opportunity to qualify for theÂ TekkenÂ World Tour Finals.”

More info will be disclosed today on Bandai Namco’s YouTube channel. In the meantime, check out the trailer below:


Flintlock The Siege Of Dawn Is A New Action RPG With Gunpowder & Magic

A44 Games and Kepler Interactive recently gave a behind the scenes look at their all-new action RPG, Flintlock The Siege Of Dawn. Featuring interviews with world-leading game developers, the latest video shares a glimpse at the adventure that awaits players.
Introducing the world of Flintlock are A44 Games CEO and Game Director, Derek Bradley, Game Design Lead, Jimmy Bicknell, COO and Casting Director, Audrea Topps Harjo and Senior Game Designer, Jarratt Gray.
With the return of old gods once missing for aeons, the door to the afterlife deep within the City of Dawn has been opened. Bursting out from within, their army of undead threaten the existence of mankind. Set within a rich Flintlock fantasy inspired world that combines black powder and technology with dark magic and old gods, the balance of power is finally disrupted. Equipped with newly discovered black powder technology, humanity stands a chance at overthrowing the once unrivalled power of the gods for the very first time.
Alongside Nor Vanek, a member of the coalition army, and her mysterious companion Enki, players will embark on an epic journey of vengeance, gunpowder and magic as they lead humanity’s final siege.
If this game is anything like GreedFall, it’s certainly be one to look out for. We’ll never get enough of unique single-player action RPGs, especially with the stauration of action RPG MMOs like Genshin Impact and Final Fantasy XIV.
Flintlock The Siege Of Dawn will be available later this year for PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, PC (via STEAM® and Epic Games Store®), Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One – available day one with Xbox Game Pass. For more information visit www.playflintlock.com


The Last Dance Director On Jordan, LeBron, The GOAT Debate, Krause, & More

Over the past few weeks, non-fans and basketball followers alike have been transfixed with Netflix’s sports commentary ‘The Last Dance‘ which highlights Michael Jordan’s final season at the Chicago Bulls. The series not only chronicles what transpired in the background whilst providing an insight into the inner-workings of the most dominant basketball franchise of the nineties, it also touched on the human aspect of everyone involved.
In a recent interview with series director Jason Hehir, we dug deep into the mystique surrounding who is arguably the greatest athlete to ever played in the NBA. We also ask whether the series has done justice not only for Jordan but the people around him as well.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Z9JtNcCWY&w=560&h=315]
Word on the street is that Jordan agreed to the production of The Last Dance on the same day LeBron James won the 2016 Championship with Cleveland. Often lumped into the GOAT conversation alongside Jordan and the late Kobe Bryant, certain sectors suggested that The Last Dance was a response to put an end to that Jordan – LeBron – Kobe debate once and for all. Hehir responded:

“I wasn’t there when he greenlit [this documentary] or his participation in this documentary. But the idea that he would have greenlit it because of LeBron James would indicate that there was some level of insecurity involved in his decision and Michael is the least insecure person I have met in my life.

“So I think it’s a fun conspiracy theory and a fun hypothesis, but I don’t think it’s true.”
Responding to how the series would sway opinions when it comes to the GOAT debate, Hehir had this to say: “I don’t mean to sound disrespectful when I say this but ‘I don’t care’. We told the story of the Bulls dynasty through the lens of the 97/98 season and Michael Jordan was the main character of that dynasty.”

“We told the story of how the Bulls evolve from a mediocre team that couldn’t even fill half their stadium in 1984 to one of the most significant pop culture phenomenons on planet Earth in 1998. That was the story I was interested in telling.”

“So if people want to argue about Michael, Lebron, Kobe and Bill Russel; that’s their prerogative. “

Hehir remarked that one of his biggest challenges in the making of The Last Dance was ‘De-mythologising Jordan’. “[But] to a certain extent, thatâ€™s what I try to do in any story that I want to tell. Thereâ€™s always more to learn about any human being. And thereâ€™s a lot more to learn about people who are perceived as mythological.

“So the paramount concern to me is always to humanise these people. To de-iconise them. To make them into human beings and not bronze statues.”

Mythic
Speaking of de-mythologising, we also touched the opposite end of the spectrum – de-demonizing a figure. This pertains specifically in relation to Jordan’s – and to a certain extent, most of the Bulls squad’s – turbulent relationship with then General Manager Jerry Krause.

While Krause has been instrumental in bringing together the pieces of the puzzle which ultimately resulted in a super team consisting of Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and Coach Phil Jackson, he has also been vilified for his role in “dismantling the Bulls dynasty”.
“I think that we accurately depicted Jerry’s actions,” Hehir said “personality and the reasons why there was this strife between the locker room and the front office. At the same time, I feel a debt of responsibility to tell Jerry’s story as accurately as we can. And since he is no longer with us, we have to use archival footage to do that. I wanted to give him as much of a voice as we can give him for his side of the story and we have gone to great pains to do so.”

“I also think that by the end of this series, you’ll see people giving superlative praise to Jerry Krause that seem very unlikely outside of the series. I think that my respect for Jerry Krause and the Chicago Bulls respect for Jerry Krause would be reflected by the time you finish watching the entire documentary.”

The Last Dance is now streaming on Netflix, with episodes 5 & 6 most recently aired earlier this week. The remainder of the episodes are as follows:

Thursday, 8th May- EP 107 / 108
Thursday, 15th May – EP 109 / 110


Rockstar Now Has Its Own PC Game Launcher

Joining companies like Ubisoft and EA, Rockstar Games has now released its own digital launcher for its PC games. It’s bare-bones right now, but it looks alright for a launch product.
The launcher is basically a Rockstar version of Blizzard’s Battle.net, layout and all. It even features cloud saving and automatic updates.
Right now, there are six games for sale:

L.A. Noire
Bully: Scholarship Edition
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto V
Max Payne 3
Grand Theft Auto III

If you sign up now, you’ll get a free copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for free. Something tells us that Red Dead Redemption will make its way onto PC exclusively for this launcher. Guess the company isn’t a fan of both Steam and Epic’s sales cut that isn’t in its best interest.
So will we be seeing theÂ Manhunt and Midnight ClubÂ games on this launcher anytime soon?