Geek Freaks Headlines

Get ready to take on iconic monsters like the Rathalos and Great Jagras in the real world as Pokemon Go developer Niantic and Capcom team up to release Monster Hunter Now. This real-world action RPG mobile game, set to launch in September 2023 on iOS and Android devices, will allow you and your friends to battle monsters with your favorite weapons as you walk around your neighborhood. The game will be accessible to newcomers and veterans alike, with a closed beta set to begin on April 25. Players can register for the beta on MonsterHunterNow.com and will be able to battle monsters with the Sword and Shield, Great Sword, and Light Bowgun. Similar to Pokemon Go, Monster Hunter Now will have players encountering monsters as they walk around in the real world. However, battles take place as an action RPG that is reminiscent of the console version. Players will be able to use taps and flicks to take down massive monsters with their favorite weapons, and up to four friends can join in on the fun. The battles themselves will last up to 75 seconds and aim to be as fun and chaotic as traditional Monster Hunter battles. Players can choose to battle in vertical or landscape modes and rewards from battles will be resources and monster parts that will let players create and upgrade gear. Monster Hunter Now will also feature your Palico companion and the Paintball mechanic. The Palico, cat-like creatures, will accompany each player on their adventures and will be able to utilize the Paintball mechanic to tag a monster so that you can finish the battle later on. In addition, Palicos will hunt monsters even when you’re not playing the game and will tag them with Paintballs so you can challenge them later. The game will encourage players to get out and walk around their hometowns, and monsters will spawn around Wayspots/landmarks, which will offer players resources when found. Monster Hunter Now will be a free-to-play game with items to purchase at an additional cost, promising a “good balance” between the free and enhanced experience. The game has been in development for four years and is set to offer a new and exciting way to experience the world of Monster Hunter.

18 Apr 202347s

The live-action "Knuckles" series starring Idris Elba has finally assembled its cast, according to Variety. Alongside Elba, Adam Pally is set to star as Wade Whipple, reprising his role from the "Sonic the Hedgehog" film franchise. The series takes place between the events of "Sonic the Hedgehog 2" and "Sonic the Hedgehog 3," and will feature Knuckles training Wade as his protégé. Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt, Scott Mescudi, and Ellie Taylor will also recur in the series, while Rory McCann and Tika Sumpter will guest star, with additional casting to be announced at a later date. Production is currently underway in London, with John Whittington serving as head writer and executive producer, and Jeff Fowler directing the pilot episode and executive producing the series. The "Sonic the Hedgehog" film franchise has been a commercial success, with the two films earning over $405 million at the global box office. The upcoming "Knuckles" series is set to continue the story between the second and third films and promises to offer an exciting adventure for fans of the iconic video game character. The series boasts a talented cast and creative team, including Elba as executive producer, and is sure to be a must-watch for fans of the franchise. While there is still much to be revealed about the upcoming series, fans can look forward to more updates as production continues.

17 Apr 202337s

Amazon’s $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM, one of Hollywood’s most storied studios, in March 2022 was largely driven by MGM’s extensive film and TV catalog, which spans nearly a century. Since the acquisition, Amazon Studios has been sifting through MGM’s library to identify initial titles for film and TV development. Some of the titles that have been identified include Robocop, Stargate, Legally Blonde, Fame, Barbershop, The Magnificent Seven, Pink Panther, and The Thomas Crown Affair. Each title is being approached differently, with some being steered toward film, some toward TV, and some getting both movie and TV treatments. Amazon Studios is in active early conversation about Legally Blonde, both for a movie and a potential TV series, sources said. There already had been on-and-off efforts to get a third Legally Blonde film off the ground for the past five years. Amazon has similar plans for Stargate. We hear both film and TV installments are considered, with a movie likely going first. Robocop is also being talked about for film and TV, with a TV show possibly first, Deadline hears. Additionally, sources said that Amazon Studios is actively developing TV series based on Fame, Barbershop, and The Magnificent Seven. Sources said there are also discussions about a Thomas Crown Affair movie and a Pink Panther movie, which could be animated. A Poltergeist project also is a possibility down the road. Identifying and developing MGM’s IP has been slow going so far. Some of that has been by design, as the new owners want to be thoughtful about the process given the great legacy of the titles involved. Some of it has been by necessity given the complexity of some of the underlying rights that have been taking months to untangle. Cynthia Waldman, who has spent more than 20 years combined at the company and is now Head of Library Rights in her fourth stint at MGM, is responsible for sorting through the complexity of rights. The job of Waldman is to act as an entertainment archeologist, helping producers figure out the intricacies of rights to projects they are interested in adapting. The Robocop sci-fi action franchise centers around the futuristic adventures of Alex Murphy, a Detroit, Michigan police officer, who is fatally wounded in the line of duty and transformed into a powerful cyborg, brand-named RoboCop. The first film premiered in 1987, followed by two sequels, Robocop 2 in 1990, Robocop 3 in 1993, and 2014’s Robocop, a remake of the 1987 film. However, the process of sorting through the complex rights issues and identifying which titles to develop has been slow going. As Cynthia Waldman, Head of Library Rights at MGM, works to untangle the ownership and financing history of these titles, it remains to be seen which projects will ultimately make it to the screen. One thing is certain, though: with the talent already expressing interest in these properties and Amazon’s track record of successful original content, these adaptations have the potential to be must-watch entertainment for fans both old and new. #AmazonBuysMGM #ClassicMovies #FilmCatalog #TVSeries #LegallyBlonde3 #StargateMovie #RobocopSeries #TheMagnificentSevenRemake #PinkPantherAnimatedMovie #ThomasCrownAffairRemake #PoltergeistProject #EntertainmentNews #AmazonStudios #MGMStudio

15 Apr 202358s

Warner Bros. Discovery has announced that it is dropping the “HBO” part of its streaming service’s name and renaming it “Max” to reflect a mix of new content from Discovery+ and other original series. The company made the announcement during a press event where it revealed a slate of upcoming projects and three new versions of Max. The first two plans will align with existing HBO Max pricing, and the third, “Max Ultimate,” will expand to up to four streams and include 4K content. The Max Ultimate tier will have an expanded catalog of content available in 4K Ultra HD, including movies such as “The Dark Knight Trilogy,” “Harry Potter,” and “The Lord of the Rings,” as well as Warner Bros. movies released this year and in the future. The new Max platform will be easier to use with simplified navigation and more personalized features. It will feature a more prominent experience for kids, with a new default kids’ profile for new subscribers along with accompanying parental controls. The rebuilt Max will launch in the U.S. on May 23, featuring more than 40 new titles and TV show seasons every month. JB Perrette, president, and CEO of global streaming and games for Warner Bros. Discovery, explained the thinking behind the rebranding, saying that they wanted to honor and embrace the “most iconic, trailblazing brand in entertainment,” HBO, and not push it to the breaking point by forcing it to take on the full breadth of this new content proposition.

12 Apr 202359s

Lofi Girl, a popular YouTube channel known for its relaxing music stream, recently introduced a new friend and a new stream, which fans are calling “Synthwave Boy.” The mystery began when Lofi Girl’s Twitter account teased something outside her window, leading fans to a distant building that blinked Morse code directing people to a non-existent website. Lofi Girl and her cat later vanished, sending fans into a frenzy until a new stream cropped up on the same channel, leading up to the reveal of Synthwave Boy. Fans of the stream’s relaxing vibes are excited about the new addition. QuakeCon, the annual convention celebrating Doom, Quake, and other Bethesda games, is returning to Grapevine, Texas, from August 10 to 13 for its first in-person event since 2019. The convention will focus on the fan-favorite BYOC event, which has been upgraded with four days of round-the-clock gaming, community events, meetups with friends, and the annual esports finale of the Quake World Championships. The event will be ticketed-only and limited to pre-registered BYOC guests, with no General Admission or exhibit hall. More information about the event will be available soon. #lofigirl #synthwaveboy #quake

12 Apr 202359s

The Ahsoka series trailer at Star Wars Celebration Europe generated buzz, with fans debating whether the lightsabers wielded by new villains Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati were orange or red. Creator Dave Filoni confirmed they are orange but a unique shade, indicating a complex arc for these characters beyond their initial villainous appearance. The orange lightsabers may suggest a different method of connecting to the Force than the Jedi or Sith, exploring the gray areas of the Force. The Ahsoka series may delve further into these possibilities and expand on the concept of Force users outside traditional teachings. #AhsokaSeries #StarWarsCelebration #Lightsabers #OrangeBlades #GrayJedi #ForceUsers #DaveFiloni #NewVillains #BaylanSkoll #ShinHati #FanPoll #ExploreTheForce #TheJediAndTheSith #SoloSeries #KyberCrystals

12 Apr 202356s

Marvel fans are eagerly anticipating the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel, The Marvels, which promises to bring new allies to Brie Larson’s Carol Danvers, a.k.a. Captain Marvel. In the film, Carol has taken revenge on the tyrannical Kree and reclaimed her identity, but she soon finds herself facing unintended consequences and a destabilized universe. Together with Ms. Marvel’s Iman Vellani and WandaVision’s Teyonah Parris, who play Kamala Khan and Captain Monica Rambeau, respectively, Carol must navigate an anomalous wormhole and learn to work together to save the universe as “The Marvels.” Directed by Nia DaCosta, The Marvels is set to hit theaters on November 10, 2023.

11 Apr 202359s

The highly-anticipated animated adventure film based on the iconic video game franchise has exceeded all box office expectations, grossing $204.6 million in the domestic market and $377 million globally during its debut weekend over Easter. Director James Mangold, known for his work on Logan and Indiana Jones 5, has confirmed that he is writing the script for DC’s Swamp Thing. Fans of the Star Wars animated show, The Bad Batch, can rejoice at the news that the show has been officially renewed for a third season. #starwars #mario #movies #movie #boxoffice #success #sequel #director #DCcomics #StarWars #animatedshow #renewal #excitement

11 Apr 202352s