June 2023 Watchlist

Microsoft has ended its long-standing $1 trial offer for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. The company is now exploring different marketing promotions for new members. The trial period, which allowed people to sign up for a month before the full Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription kicked in, was a popular way to recommend the service to friends or family members. Microsoft is also expanding its Friends & Family plan for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which lets users share benefits with up to four other friends or family members for a monthly fee. The plan is currently available in Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, Hungary, Israel, and Sweden, and could be expanded further in the future. Recently, Microsoft also opened up its PC Game Pass subscription to 40 new countries, bringing the total number of markets where it’s available to 86.

29 Maalis 20231min

Liv Tyler is set to return to Marvel Studios in the upcoming film, Captain America 4. She will be reprising her role as scientist Betty Ross, the daughter of General Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross. Tyler last appeared in a Marvel film in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, and fans have been eagerly anticipating her return to the franchise. The upcoming film will also feature several other familiar faces from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Carl Lumbly as Isaiah Bradley, Danny Ramirez as Joaquin Torres, and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns/The Leader. Harrison Ford will also be joining the cast as General Ross. Directed by Julius Onah and written by Malcolm Spellman and Dalan Musson, Captain America 4 is currently filming in Atlanta and set to be released on May 3, 2024. Anthony Mackie will be taking on the role of Captain America for the first time on the big screen, following his portrayal of Sam Wilson/The Falcon in several previous Marvel films and the Disney+ series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Tyler is best known for her work in Armageddon, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and HBO’s The Leftovers. Her return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe is sure to be a highlight for fans of both the actress and the franchise. Source: THR

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Lionsgate executive Joe Drake announced that the John Wick spinoff movie, The Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas, is scheduled to be released in the spring or summer of 2024. The film will follow a young female assassin seeking revenge for the murder of her family and is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and the latest 2023 installment. The film is directed by Len Wiseman and written by Emerald Fennell, with Keanu Reeves and Ian McShane reprising their roles. In addition, Lionsgate is also working on The Continental, a prequel series about the origins of The Continental New York’s manager Winston and loyal concierge Charon. Following the release of John Wick: Chapter 4, the director and Reeves plan to take a hiatus from the franchise. Source: Deadline

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Ubisoft has announced that it will not be participating in this year’s physical E3 event, despite previously committing to attending. The company will instead hold its own Ubisoft Forward Live event on June 12 in Los Angeles. In a statement to VGC, a spokesperson for Ubisoft said that while E3 has fostered unforgettable moments throughout the years, the company has decided to move in a different direction. With three months to go, no major company has been officially announced as attending E3 2023, and both Nintendo and Xbox have already confirmed that they will not be participating. The revamped event is due to take place in June at its traditional venue of the Los Angeles Convention Center.

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28 Maalis 20231min

Atari has announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Night Dive Studios, a video game development and publishing company, for a purchase price consisting of an initial consideration of $10 million, payable in cash and Atari shares. Atari also announced that it plans to issue €30 million ($33.9 million) worth of convertible bonds in order to meet its capital needs for its growth strategy and debt refinancing. Night Dive’s expertise in restoring, optimizing, and publishing classic video games, and its proprietary KEX engine, which makes classic games playable on modern hardware, will help enrich Atari’s library of owned IP, leverage Night Dive’s proprietary technology, and support Atari’s retro-focused growth strategy. Source: GamesRadar

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Apple is reportedly planning to spend $1 billion a year to release movies in theaters as part of an effort to increase its profile in Hollywood and bring more subscribers to its streaming service. This would be a substantial increase compared to previous years, as most of their original movies have been exclusive to their streaming service or given limited theatrical releases. The move would give Apple movies more traditional theatrical rollouts in thousands of theaters across the country for at least one month. One of the potential releases is Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which is expected to be co-distributed by Apple TV+ and Paramount in theaters later this year.

27 Maalis 20231min

Paramount Global, the rights holder for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is developing a new video game adaptation of The Last Ronin graphic novel. The Last Ronin video game will be a third-person action role-playing game, similar to Sony’s God of War titles, and will focus on a single character, the lone surviving turtle Michelangelo seeking justice for his fallen comrades. The game will be developed by an unnamed studio and is expected to target an older audience. While the game is a few years off from release, fans can expect more details on The Last Ronin and other TMNT games in the coming months and years. Additionally, TMNT will soon be featured in a Roblox game and a new animated feature film called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Source: Polygon The Last Ronin Comic

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