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Aaron Rabin is set to write Universal Pictures’ film adaptation of Square Enix and Avalanche Studio’s bestselling video game franchise, ”Just Cause,” TheWrap has exclusively learned.

“Blue Beetle” director Ángel Manuel Soto, who just wrapped production on Amazon MGM’s “The Wrecking Crew,” is attached to direct.

Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, producers of action films “The Fall Guy,” “Bullet Train,” “Nobody” and “Violent Night,” will produce through 87North’s first-look deal with Universal.

The team behind “Tomb Raider” and Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog” will also be producing via Story Kitchen’s Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson, with Dan Jevons executive producing.

Debuting in 2006, the video game series follows the adventures of Rico Rodriguez, an operative for a fictional U.S. covert agency sent to destabilize and overthrow oppressive regimes. “Just Cause” is well regarded for its wide-open sandbox environments, over-the-top action and humor.

A live-action film adaptation of the video game “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” is in the works before the game even launches.

Variety has learned exclusively that game developer Sandfall Interactive is teaming with Story Kitchen to develop a film version of the game, which will be published by Kepler Interactive. The game is due to be released on April 24 on Xbox, Playstation, PC, Steam, and Epic. It was recently showcased on Xbox Developer Direct and was featured on DualShockers’ Top 10 Most Anticipated Indie Games of 2025 as well as the cover of “PC Gamer” and “Edge Magazine.”

“We’re thrilled to collaborate with Sandfall Interactive to bring the rich, immersive world of ‘Expedition 33’ to the big screen,” said Story Kitchen founders Dmitri M. Johnson & Mike Goldberg. “The game’s compelling narrative and complex characters provide a solid foundation for a cinematic experience that will resonate with both gamers and moviegoers alike.”

“Clair...

Disney+ has ordered to pilot a series based on the acclaimed book from Louis Sachar, “Holes,” an individual with knowledge of the project told IndieWire. The project will be a new take on the story, this time gender-swapping the characters to make it about a teen girl sent to the desert to toil away in the dirt.

The Disney+ series will be a project of 20th Century Television’s and will be executive produced by Drew Goddard via his Goddard Textiles banner, with Alina Mankin serving as writer and EP and Liz Phang serving as showrunner and EP.

No cast was announced.

Sachar’s “Holes” from 1998 was previously adapted into a 2003 Disney film starring Shia Labeouf, which made $71 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. The novel too sold millions of copies and won the Newbery Medal for children’s literature as well as the National Book Award. It tells the...

Since we can’t seem to get any news on GTA 6 other than leaks and rumors, fans have been left to just speculate details. And since the hype for the game is the highest it’s ever been, there are a lot of different discussions going on.

Fans patiently wait for GTA 6. | Image credit: Rockstar

One fan has recently suggested that Rockstar Games should include the ability to hang onto moving vehicles in GTA 6. It would be much like Tom Cruise’s iconic stunt in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Something like this wouldn’t be a defining feature of the game but a neat one regardless.

This Particular Fan Suggestion Could Be Perfect For GTA 6

In Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Tom Cruise performed one of his most dangerous stunts, hanging onto an Airbus A400M military plane as it took off at 5,000 feet. The actor performed the stunt himself with...

Fly Me to the Moon, Scarlett Johansson’s upcoming rom-com, deals with moon landing conspiracy theories. However, when Johansson was asked about any conspiracy theories she personally believed in, the actress had a wild choice for a favorite one.

Scarlett Johansson in Captain America: The Winter Soldier || Marvel Studios

It has been long rumored that Dolly Parton has full-sleeved tattoos on both her arms, something that Scarlett Johansson is fascinated by. Speaking with People Magazine, the Avengers: Endgame alum revealed that she had put some thought into it, wondering if it’s true.

Scarlett Johansson does not consider herself a conspiracy theorist Scarlett Johansson in Lucy (2014) || Universal Pictures

Speaking with People when asked about a conspiracy theory that she finds particularly interesting, Scarlett Johansson mentioned that she preferred a theory that came out of Hollywood itself. She said:

I don’t know. I’m so not a conspiracy theorist. I’m like,...

Scarlett Johansson says work is progressing on Just Cause, Amazon’s upcoming thriller limited series, based on John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel, in which she stars and executive produces.

“It’s coming along…it’s being written,” she told Deadline at the New York City premiere of her new movie Fly Me To The Moon. “There was a little bit of a pause during the strike so some of the development, it was like everyone – we were in a holding pattern, but we’re now writing away.”

Just Cause marks Johansson’s first major foray into television. In a very competitive situation, the project initially landed Amazon in 2022 with a straight-to-series order for Prime Video.

In the TV adaptation, the book’s male protagonist, Miami newspaper editorial writer Matt Cowart, is undergoing a gender swap, with Johansson playing the series’ female lead Madison “Madi” Cowart, a struggling reporter for a Florida...

There is something charming, even enchanting, about Greg Berlanti’s Fly Me to the Moon. For one, the film is set in an era that looks to the stars as the last great exploration with unlimited possibilities. With the help of Shane Valentino’s production design, Lauren Rosenbloom’s art direction, and Mary Zophres’s costume design, Berlanti’s film drops the audience into another time and place.

The other is the relative newcomer Rose Gilroy’s script, an utterly delightful exercise in romantic nostalgia. Along with two lovely performances by Fly Me to the Moon’s leads, Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum (and a scene-stealing comic gem from Community’s Jim Rash), this makes for the type of old-fashioned escapism Hollywood tends to shy away from nowadays.

Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in Fly Me to the Moon (2024) | Image via Columbia Pictures

Suggested“I don’t know if that...

The Abandoned Engineering team investigates forgotten monuments and their hidden stories in this episode. They explore El Djem Amphitheatre in Tunisia, a colossal structure that once hosted violent and bloody spectacles. The team also examines Fort Amador, a former US military base in Panama, which was allegedly a CIA asset, and La Serra Ivrea, a […]

Abandoned Engineering: Operation Just Cause...

Not many third-person co-op looter shooters have come out lately. Some might agree that we are beyond the time when the genre was at its peak, and many titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have been disappointing. However, the whole premise of PvE looter shooters is entertaining in theory. Who wouldn’t want to shoot enemies with their teammates, provided the gameplay loop is rewarding enough?

Hence, I was genuinely excited at the prospect when I first discovered The First Descendant. It gave me Gears of War co-op PvE vibes with its gunplay and movement. It looked gorgeous as it was using Unreal Engine 5. I then booted into The First Descendant Early Access Preview the first chance I got, and I felt right at home, but I was also wondering why it felt so fresh.

The First Descendant releases on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and...

The games industry is on the precipice; so much is currently at stake, and the big corporations seem intent on barreling towards the edge without a thought about the potential fallout.

With so much news of studio closures and big buyouts that result in more studio closures, it feels like unique games are not being given the chance they deserve anymore, in favor of the big proven IPs getting the spotlight.

The Games Industry Feels Like It’s In Dire Straits

Hi-Fi Rush was a critical success and even came to PS5, yet Tango Gameworks was closed

The past year has been a difficult one for our beloved games industry. Many studios have been forced to close after lower-than-expected sales. Most recently up to the chopping block was Alone in the Dark developer Pieces Interactive, which was closed by Embracer Group.

Other notable and surprising closures include Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin,...

Tahmoh Penikett's career continued to flourish after he played Captain Helo Agathon in Battlestar Galactica. Penikett's post-Battlestar career includes roles in Dollhouse, Supernatural, and Devil in Ohio. The star also has also been cast in two upcoming feature film roles.

Battlestar Galactica star Tahmoh Penikett has appeared in quite a few projects since the end of the iconic television show. 2005's Battlestar Galactica was a reimagining of the iconic 1978 science fiction show of the same name, which spawned a wide-ranging multimedia franchise. Before appearing on the show, Penikett proved his sci-fi credentials by making one of his first-ever appearances on Stargate Sg-1 before appearing in a variety of Canadian television programs in the early 2000s, including Just Cause and Cold Squad.

Penikett joined the Battlestar Galactica cast for the 2003 miniseries that preceded the 2005 series, appearing consistently on all four seasons of the flagship show until it ended in 2009, though...

The upcoming Just Cause must avoid casting too young of an actor to prevent Uncharted's narrative issues. Holland's Nathan Drake did not capture his core characteristics, impacting Uncharted's story negatively. The actor who plays Rico Rodriguez must embody the role fully for a successful film adaptation.

The upcoming Just Cause movie should avoid one mistake made by the Uncharted adaptation that hurt the film's narrative. The announcement of Just Cause's arrival on the big screen could be promising as Square Enix and Universal Pictures team up to bring Avalanche Studios action-packed video game franchise to life. However, in order to tell a successful story, Just Cause should avoid one point of casting criticism Uncharted's film adaptation faced.

Just Cause shares many aspects of the Uncharted games, including its massive set pieces and competent protagonists. Even though Uncharted kept many of those basic elements, the film's...

If there’s one thing Rico Rodriguez from the Just Cause series is good at, it’s surviving. A fearless member of The Agency, Rico has been through harrowing firefights, car chases, and even ridden atop a warhead in an attempt to disarm the explosive.

But none of that would have been possible if the title itself didn’t manage to survive an event that has buried many titles even before launch. While the character is used to performing death-defying stunts, we now know that the title itself had to jump through several hoops to land on market shelves.

The Odds Were Stacked Against Just Cause 2 Fans may never have been able to cause chaos in Just Cause 2.

While it’s not ideal, some games tend to jump studios and publishers during their development cycle. This usually results in several changes being made to the game. Many times, the title...

Cast for movie adaptation of Just Cause must be younger than Antonio Banderas, who is too old for role of Rico Rodriguez. Character of Rico Rodriguez inspired by Antonio Banderas' El Mariachi, known for cool, fearless vibe and action heroics. Casting is crucial in video game adaptations, with the iconic Rico Rodriguez needing a young, energetic actor for future movie series.

The popular video game Just Cause is being adapted into a movie, but unfortunately, the perfect actor for the role of Rico Rodriguez is too old. Produced by Square Enix and Avalanche Studios, the video game Just Cause is an action-packed adventure reminiscent of James Bond crossed with a 21st-century Zorro. Thanks to Universal Pictures, the movie adaption will hit the screen in the not-so-distant future. Blue Beetle director ngel Manuel Soto is set to helm the adaptation, backed up by the producers of Fall Guy and Nobody, making it an exciting prospect.

In a surprising turn of events, the Just Cause franchise is reportedly getting a film adaptation, and whilst it may be one of the most obvious to adapt to the big screen, it’s been so quiet gaming-wise for the franchise, that many never expected it to happen.

Original franchise creator Christopher Sundberg weighed in on X, speaking to the irony of the film’s potential existence.

A Just Cause Film Has Been Talked About for Years

Just Cause is known for its bombastic action and visuals

Talk of a Just Cause film has been swirling for years, first cropping up around 2011. The long-running action franchise has seen four entries since 2006 and has remained quite popular over the years. 2015’s Just Cause 3 received positive reviews, while its 2018 sequel did not fair quite as well but was not received terribly.

SUGGESTED5 Forgotten Video Game Adaptations You Should Watch After Walton Goggins’ Fallout

Christopher Sundberg,...

Manuel Soto is slated to direct a Just Cause movie adaptation with the potential for success. Actors like Diego Luna, Oscar Isaac, and Javier Bardem could bring fresh perspectives to the character of Rico Rodriguez. Adam Rodriguez's experience in crime procedurals could help him bring depth and range to the action-packed role of Rico Rodriguez.

A Just Cause movie is finally in the works leading to questions about who could play Rico Rodriguez in the film. After years of attempting to adapt the video game, fans will finally see the story come to life. The Just Cause video game series from Square Enix and Avalanche Studios has garnered a sizable following and consists of four releases centering on the action-adventure protagonist, Rico Rodriguez. Initially released in 2006, Just Cause allows players to explore the open world and complete dangerous missions, making it the perfect addition to the golden age of video game adaptations.

Just Cause, an action video game, is getting a movie adaptation with Blue Beetle director ngel Manuel Soto. The production team includes 87North (John Wick), Story Kitchen (Sonic the Hedgehog), and Universal. Despite past challenges for developing the game series, there are promising signs for this attempt due to the director and production teams.

Action-adventure video game Just Cause is getting a movie adaptation from a DC superhero film director, with the production company behind John Wick also attached. The video game series focuses on secret agent Rico Rodriguez, who goes on various missions for the fictional country of Medici, landing on a new island for every game. A Just Cause movie adaptation has been kicked around Hollywood since 2010, with multiple actors and directors attached at various points throughout its development history.

Now, The Hollywood Reporter has stated Blue Beetle director ngel Manuel Soto is attached to an upcoming Just Cause film adaptation.

Director Ángel Manuel Soto (“Blue Beetle”) will next take on the 2006 Square Enix third-person shooter, video game adaptation “Just Cause”, to be produced by David Leitch and Kelly McCormick (“The Fall Guy”) for Universal Pictures:

“…secret agent ‘Rico Rodriguez’ travels to a country which is controlled by a dictatorship.

“Upon arrival, he goes on deadly missions with the main goal of ending the fighting between multiple factions across the island…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

A movie based on the Just Cause video game franchise has been in the works for years, but it’s gotten back on track with a new director at the helm. Ángel Manuel Soto (Blue Beetle) is set to direct the adaptation for Universal Pictures, with David Leitch and Kelly McCormick producing through their 87North banner.

Just Cause puts you in the shoes of Rico Rodriguez, a secret operative who is deployed to various fictional island nations to help overthrow tyrannical dictators who are backed by The Black Hand, a lethal mercenary group. With a variety of gadgets, such as a grappling hook and wingsuit, Rico zips, races, and shoots his way through various missions, which typically involve over-the-top explosives and creative stunts. It’s a lot of fun.

Created by Avalanche Studios, the first Just Cause game was released in 2006, followed by Just Cause 2 in 2010, Just Cause 3 in 2015, and...

A long-awaited video game adaptation now has new life. Universal Pictures has officially boarded the "Just Cause" movie, and the studio has some impressive talent behind the camera to make the project a reality. That starts with director Ángel Manuel Soto, best known for directing the DC superhero movie "Blue Beetle." The project has also added "The Fall Guy" director David Leitch and his producing partner (and wife) Kelly McCormick on board as producers with their company, 87North.

Universal has a longstanding relationship with Leitch, as the filmmaker made "Hobbs & Shaw" for the studio before stepping behind the camera for "The Fall Guy." He also very nearly directed the new "Jurassic World" film before Gareth Edwards took over. 87North has a first-look deal with the studio, so this partnership makes sense. Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg, and Timothy I. Stevenson are also on board as producers. As for Soto,...

Hit video game franchise Just Cause has gotten a new lease on life.

The video game from Square Enix and Avalanche Studios has landed at Universal Pictures with Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto set to helm the adaptation.

Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, the producing duo behind the studio’s The Fall Guy and Nobody, will produce through their 87North banner. The company has a first-look deal with Universal.

Also producing are Dmitri M. Johnson, Mike Goldberg and Timothy I. Stevenson of Story Kitchen. The team is already involved in the video game space with adaptations of the Tomb Raider and Sonic the Hedgehog titles.

Since its 2006 debut, the video game puts players on deadly missions as Rico Rodriguez, an operative who is a regime change specialist. Armed with a grappling hook and wingsuit, he goes on race-against-time missions to stop The Black Hand, a lethal mercenary group.

A...

Christofer Sundberg, who founded Avalanche Studios back in 2003, recently took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the Mad Max video game. In a candid tweet, Sundberg said that the game could have been significantly better if it had been allowed to follow its original creative vision.

He described the financial repercussions the team faced whenever they disagreed with any external demands from WB, which led to compromises that ultimately affected the game’s quality and overall vision.

These tweets were in response to George Miller’s original comment during the press tour of Furiosa, where he said that the original 2015 game didn’t quite meet his expectations.

Christofer Sundberg Shares What Went on Behind the Scenes During 2015’s Mad Max Game Mad Max (2015) game is canon to the Mad Max: Fury Road movie.

Sundberg revealed plenty of new information about the game’s challenging development after Miller stated that...

Anticipations regarding the new co-op heist from the Just Cause famed Avalanche Studios are rising day by day. This title is going to be perfect for you and the boys, as it supports up to eight players. Despite its announcement in 2021, there has been no solid update from the developers yet, so fans are disappointed.

Now the disappointment might get bigger, as Avalanche Studios might have put their hands on another “cutting-edge Aaa open-world game”. In the absence of any release news for Contraband, fans are not taking the news of this new title in a good way.

The Studio Behind Just Cause Puts Up a New Job Listing

Instead of pushing forward Contraband, the studio is now focused on a new open-world title.

Recently, the studio rolled out a job posting on its website for the position of a Gameplay Animator for a new Aaa title, first spotted by Geekinout.

Channing Tatum is becoming a 1960s NASA administrator for Apple.

The actor stars alongside Scarlett Johansson, who also executive produces the film, for Apple Original movie “Fly Me to the Moon.” Directed by Greg Berlanti, the feature is set against the 1960s space race, with Johansson playing an ad shark who falls for a by-the-book launch director (Tatum) while he prepares for a mission during the high-stakes backdrop of NASA’s historic moon landing.

Woody Harrelson, Ray Romano, Jim Rash, Nick Dillenburg, Anna Garcia, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, and Donald Elise Watkins round out the cast.

Rose Gilroy wrote the script based on the story by Bill Kirstein and Keenan Flynn.

Along with actress Johansson, Jonathan Lia, Keenan Flynn, and Sarah Schechter also produce, with Robert J. Dohrmann serving as an executive producer.

The project was first announced in 2022 with the title “Project Artemis.” Jason Bateman was set...

Ten years since “Under the Skin,” auteur Jonathan Glazer has reunited with muse Scarlett Johansson.

The collaborative duo first worked together on the 2014 sci-fi noir. Newly-minted Oscar winner Glazer, who recently helmed Best International Feature “The Zone of Interest,” directs Johansson in a Prada advertisement to promote the brand’s Galleria bag collection.

Johansson is captured struggling to recite lines from Shakespeare’s “Antony and Cleopatra” and “Macbeth” during a screen test. As tensions rise, Johansson’s frustrations give way to a memorable performance captured by the cameras on set, including her crying in exalted relief. The advertisement is mostly in black and white, but shifts to color as Johansson leaves the studio and sheds her actress persona to return to her real life; while carrying a Prada bag, she hails a taxi.

“The campaign is a celebration of technique, an ode to the mechanism of acting as the true...

Cord Jefferson already has his post-“American Fiction” project in the works.

Jefferson (“Watchmen”) will return to TV to write and executive produce the adaptation of John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel “Just Cause” for Amazon Prime Video. He’s up for it: “American Fiction,” culled from Percival Everett’s “Erasure,” was Jefferson’s first adaptation. We’d say it worked out.

This “Just Cause” will star Scarlett Johansson in the gender-swapped lead role, marking her first major television job. It’s a return to the material for Johansson, who as a 10-year-old starred in the 1995 feature film of the same name starring Sean Connery. Johansson was Connery’s daughter. That version also featured Blair Underwood, Laurence Fishburne, Ed Harris, Ruby Dee, and Kate Capshaw.

John Wells will co-write the series as well as executive produce. Johansson’s production company banner These Pictures produces the TV series adaptation. Variety first reported the news.

American Fiction filmmaker Cord Jefferson and writer John Wells have signed on to Just Cause, Amazon’s upcoming thriller limited series, starring and executive produced by Scarlett Johansson, Deadline has confirmed.

Jefferson and Wells will co-write the first episode and executive produce the series. John Wells Productions has joined as producer of the series.

Based on John Katzenbach’s 1992 novel, Just Cause hails from writer Christy Hall, Johansson’s These Pictures banner and Warner Bros. TV. In a very competitive situation, the project landed at Amazon Studios with a straight-to-series order for Prime Video.

In the TV adaptation, the book’s male protagonist, Miami newspaper editorial writer Matt Cowart, is undergoing a gender swap, with Johansson playing the series’ female lead Madison “Madi” Cowart, a struggling reporter for a Florida newspaper sent to cover the final days of an inmate on death row.

Emmy winner and Oscar nominee Cord Jefferson will write and executive produce the upcoming Scarlett Johansson limited series, which serves as her first major television role.

The “American Fiction” filmmaker has boarded the Amazon Prime Video adaptation of John Katzenbach’s novel “Just Cause.” Additionally, acclaimed writer John Wells has joined the project, co-writing the series with Jefferson, and will also serve as an executive producer.

“Just Cause,” first published in 1992, tells the story of Matt Cowart, a Miami reporter. In this adaptation, Johansson will portray a female iteration of Cowart, named Madison “Madi” Cowart. The narrative follows Cowart after receiving a letter from a death row inmate claiming innocence. The ensuing investigation not only casts doubt on the inmate’s guilt but also uncovers other hidden horrors.

This project marks the second adaptation of “Just Cause,” the first being a 1995 film featuring Sean Connery, Blair Underwood, Laurence Fishburne, Ed Harris,...

The third-person shooter genre is an odd part of gaming history. It’s much younger than you think, it’s dipped in and out of popularity over the years, and, culturally, it doesn’t necessarily enjoy the same mainstream renown that Fps games are typically afforded. There are times when you have to stop and really consider the third-person shooter to be its own genre.

Yet, the third-person shooter’s influence can be felt in so many aspects of the modern gaming industry. An important part of the evolution of true 3D gaming, third-person shooters quickly became a vehicle that allowed developers to experiment with how players were going to move through, interact with, and, yes, fight in increasingly complex 3D environments. Their cinematic style and chaotic action helped them stand out early on, and they eventually laid the foundation for the combat that so many modern titles rely on to some degree.

Derek Kolstad is an American screenwriter and film producer who is best known as the co-creator of the John Wick franchise, one of the most successful and acclaimed action series in Hollywood. He has also written and produced other action films and shows, such as Nobody, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Splinter Cell. In this article, we will rank his movies from the worst to the best, based on our personal opinion and some facts from his biography123.

6. The Package (2012) The Package Trailer

The Package is a direct-to-video action film starring Dolph Lundgren and Steve Austin. It was written by Kolstad and directed by Jesse V. Johnson. The film follows a courier who must deliver a mysterious package to a crime boss while being pursued by rival gangs and corrupt cops. The Package is a generic and forgettable action flick that wastes the talents of its lead actors.

Editor’s note: As SAG-AFTRA continues to encourage its members to both respect and support the guild’s Interim Agreements, Deadline has learned that the number of producers currently requesting permission to begin, complete and/or promote their films during the strike hovers around 1,400. Here, independent producer Michael Alden reflects on the process and questions why he’s still waiting for a thumbs up from SAG-AFTRA to spread the word about his latest film, a supernatural thriller starring Bruce Davison, Selena Anduze and Keith David.

***

As an independent feature film producer whose production company is SAG signatory, I produced and completed a feature film entitled The Last Call (aka From the Shadows) under the union’s Ultra Low Budget Contract.

My film is slated to be released on September 19. I was told by SAG that, with the strike, I would need an interim...

If you’re a fan of Mel Gibson’s classic action flicks, be sure to stream them before they leave Max at the end of August.

All four “Lethal Weapon” movies and “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome,” starring the late, great Tina Turner, will be leaving the streaming service. Luckily, you’ll have all month to watch them.

Watching the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” animated movie in theaters? Max has several films featuring the radical reptilians: the live-action “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze” (1991)

and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III” (1993), as well as the animated “Tmnt” (2007).

Kaiju fans will want to check out “Godzilla” (2014), “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” (2019), “King Kong” (1933) and “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island” (2012).

Finally, if horror is your thing, six “Hellraiser” films and “The Ring Two” make great summer scares.

Here’s everything leaving Max in August 2023

August 5

Hard Knocks:...

Grand Theft Auto 5 is often considered one of the best games of all time due to the unique experience that it offers, but it's not the only game to fulfill on some of its most engaging elements. From an immersive story that is constantly swapping between three protagonists, to a huge open world with unique places that players loved exploring, GTA 5 has a bit of everything. Nevertheless, most fans have already explored Los Santos, finished the story, and enjoyed most of the experiences that GTA Online has to offer. Although it can be hard to find a game as good as GTA 5, there are some noteworthy options for fans to sink their teeth into.

Fans of the Grand Theft Auto franchise have been given a sneak peek at what’s to come thanks to a variety of new GTA 6 leaks. While it’s unfortunate that content from the much-awaited sequel has been leaked,...

Dead Island 2’s best moments are also its most ridiculous. Discovering that you can acquire superpowers. Setting your feet on fire and dropkicking a horde of zombies into a pile of gasoline cans. Finding an axe that’s basically a flame thrower and a pistol that’s actually a rocket launcher. These are the kinds of moments that make Dead Island 2 feel special.

It shouldn’t be surprising that Dead Island 2 functions best as an absurd game. Most of Dead Island 2’s marketing has centered on its parody humor, silly characters, and over-the-top gore. By the time you actually finish Dead Island 2, though, you may be surprised to find that the game just isn’t ridiculous enough. For all its obvious attempts at embracing chaos, the fact of the matter is that Dead Island 2 spends too much time trying to be a much more conventional game.

Specifically, Dead Island 2 too often feels like Dying Light.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom features an excellent cast of talented actors, and many of the film’s most memorable faces went on to have very successful careers after the success of this project. Temple of Doom is the second entry in the Indiana Jones franchise, following the titular protagonist as he attempts to retrieve an ancient stone that’s been stolen from a village in India by a High Priest and his followers. Just like Raiders of the Lost Ark, the movie sees Jones embark on several dangerous adventures and thrilling chases in his pursuit of this treasure.

The Indiana Jones movies are among the most popular and influential of their genre. They were majorly responsible for the boost of blockbuster adventure movies throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, with Temple of Doom, in particular, pushing the series to bolder, more dynamic heights. While it isn’t as...

Exclusive: Lyrical Media has snapped up Sam Haysom’s short story Purgatory Games which Titans and Ash vs. Evil Dead scribe Bryan Edward Hill will adapt into a feature film.

In Purgatory Games, when a mysterious narrator receives a Usb drive from an unknown source containing videos and transcripts of six strangers trapped in an underground bunker with unusual rules to gain their freedom, an investigation begins into this secret, disturbing experiment. The project has been billed as Ring meets Squid Game.

The big screen take of the short story from the viral Reddit/NoSleep thread will be produced by Alex Black and Natalie Sellers on behalf of Lyrical Media with Brian Kavanaugh Jones and Fred Berger producing for Automatik. Hill and Gemma Levinson will also serve as EPs.

Hill is an African-American creator working across film, television, and comics. He has five features in various stages of active deep development including his own comic,...

If you ask most film fans, they’d probably say Nancy Meyers is the queen of the rom-com. Over the ‘90s and ‘00s, some of the most popular and well-reviewed romantic comedies were probably at least written, if not directed, by the filmmaker. Sadly, we haven’t had a new film from the writer-director since 2015’s “The Intern.” However, that’s about to change in a big, big way.

Read More: ‘Just Cause’: Scarlett Johansson To Star In Amazon’s Upcoming Streaming Series

According to THR, Nancy Meyers is teaming up with Netflix for her new romantic comedy film.

Continue reading Scarlett Johansson, Owen Wilson, Michael Fassbender & Penelope Cruz Eyed For Big Budget Nancy Meyers Rom-Com at The Playlist.

February ushers in a new slate of movies and TV shows making their way to HBO and HBO Max, from a slew of James Bond movies to the recently released Olivia Colman-led “Empire of Light” to, yes, the Puppy Bowl.

“The Terminator,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Footloose,” “Taxi Driver” and “The Silence of the Lambs” all mark notable library offerings this month, in addition to “Superbad,” “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” and “Eighth Grade.”

Despite HBO Max pulling a number of originals from its roster over the past several months, HBO Max originals premiering on the platform this month include a Dionne Warwick documentary, an adult European animated series titled “Poor Devil” and “Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special” based on the popular animated series.

HBO Max is also beefing up its sports offerings by streaming soccer matches featuring the U.S. national teams,...

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and HBO Max got the memo. With its list of new releases for February 2023, the HBO streamer is bringing a very special Valentine’s Day episode into the fold.

Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special premieres on Feb. 9 and finds Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy celebrating their first Valentine’s Day together. Consider this a fun little aperitif for the fast approaching Harley Quinn season 3 – which will feature none other than freshly-installed DC czar James Gunn. Other HBO Max original series this month include another C.B. Strike special on Feb. 6 and Spanish-language animated comedy Poor Devil a.k.a. Pobre Diablo on Feb. 17.

February also looks to be a jam-packed month for movies on HBO Max. February 1 sees the arrival of many appealing library titles like Birdman, Casino Royale, The Silence of the Lambs, and The Terminator. Later on HBO Max...

The selection of titles for HBO Max in February 2023 will include the continuation of hit TV shows, premieres of holiday specials, and Oscar nominees. HBO Max’s January 2023 additions kicked off the new year with the premieres of TV shows like The Last of Us, which broke HBO records for having the highest jump in viewership for its second episode, and the original series Velma. The month also brought The Menu (2022) and the John Wick franchise to the platform’s library, with plenty more classic films and new releases set to drop on HBO Max in February.

In February 2023, HBO Max will host the streaming premieres of two 2023 Oscar nominees: Sam Mendes’ drama Empire of Light (February 7), which earned Roger Deakins a Best Cinematography nod, and HBO documentary All That Breathes (February 7), which is up for Best Documentary Feature. Also coming to HBO Max in 2023 are the premieres of Harley Quinn: A Very Problematic Valentine’s Day Special...

The upcoming video game Dune: Awakening has just given potential players a look at the terrifying sandworms, along with what Arrakis will look like. The game, which is based on the groundbreaking sci-fi novel of the same name, will have a fully open world, and players will be able to explore Arrakis at their leisure.

Given that Arrakis is a whole planet, it could be one of the largest open worlds ever. But even before the current generation of consoles, developers were seemingly in competition over who could build the most interactive and biggest open world of them all.

The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (2015)

It's hard to believe that The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt is seven years old, as fans still talk about it as if it was released just yesterday. Fans could replay the whole game over and over and not once have the same experience. The...

Is the truth still out there? Do we still want to believe in 2022? Yes, says one pop culture fandom in particular, who even after facing many disappointments with the recent revival series, continue to clamor for more seasons of The X-Files. Creator Chris Carter may have wrapped up the four-part “My Struggle” saga that bookended seasons 10 and 11 but many folks still want more Fox Mulder and Dana Scully.

But despite the fact that the final episode of The X-Files (so far) ended on yet another frustrating cliffhanger, there has been virtually no movement on a season 12. Four years after Mulder and Scully said their goodbyes to television audiences (for the second time in this millennium), making another season of the hit paranormal drama seems easier said than done.

What will it take for The X-Files season 12 to get going and what’s stopped it from happening so far?

More X-Files Is in the Works,...

Square Enix started May off with a bang by announcing that the company sold Crystal Dynamics and Eidos Interactive, as well as those studios’ respective franchises, to Embracer Group. That umbrella organization already has its fingers in many game studios and franchises (such as Thq Nordic’s Darksiders and Deep Silver’s Saints Row), and this recent sale has only added more potentially valuable franchises to Embrace Group’s already sizable library.

Of course, this transaction raises obvious questions about what games Embracer Group actually gets out of the deal. As is often the case with these kinds of deals, the answers to those questions aren’t as straightforward as you might think.

Obviously, Square Enix franchises such as Final Fantasy were never on the table, and the announcement also states that Square Enix will retain ownership of Western-developed games such as Just Cause, Outriders, and Life is Strange. Of course,...

Jake Gyllenhaal is now attached to star in Prophet, a Studio 8 superhero pic to be directed by Extraction‘s Sam Hargrave.

The film based on the Image comic book from Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld is intended to launch a new franchise. It will center on John Prophet (Gyllenhaal), a man who gains superhuman strength after being conscripted by the Germans and subjected to scientific experiments during WWII.

Marc Guggenheim is penning the comic book adaptation, which Studio 8’s Jeff Robinov and John Graham will produce with Prime Universe Films’ Adrian Askarieh, Rob Liefield, and Brooklyn Weaver.

“It’s been a goal of ours to work with Jake and Sam for quite some time, so we’re very excited to finally be collaborating with them on this unique, action-packed genre film,” said Robinov, who serves as Studio 8’s CEO. “I...

Spoiler Warning: Do not read this story if you haven’t seen “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” currently playing in theaters.

Throughout “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” there are only a few small signs that the 25th feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is actually a part of it. As Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) navigate through modern San Francisco, they walk past posters signifying the aftermath of the “Blip” from “Avengers: Endgame,” when half the world’s population suddenly rematerialized. Later, when the duo first walk into an illegal fight club operating in a half-finished skyscraper in Macau, Wong (Benedict Wong) from 2016’s “Doctor Strange” is in the middle of a friendly sparring match with the Abomination from 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” — a teaser for the latter’s expected appearance in Marvel’s 2022 Disney Plus series “She-Hulk.” And,...

Scarlett Johansson, whose long-awaited solo Marvel movie Black Widow finally hits theaters and Disney+ next month, is being feted this fall as the 35th recipient of the American Cinematheque Award. After going with a virtual presentation last year for 2020 honoree Spike Lee, the organization’s marquee event returns to normalcy, with its November 18 ceremony taking place at the Beverly Hilton where it was held last in 2019, when Charlize Theron was the recipient.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that continues its year-round programming at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. After a year-plus shutdown due to the pandemic, the Aero just reopened June 10. The Egyptian, now under the purview of Netflix, is undergoing renovations before reopening as a venue both Netflix and American Cinematheque (on the weekends) will be using for their programming.

American Cinematheque board chair Rick Nicita announced Johansson...

With the debut of the teaser trailer for “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” on Monday, Marvel Studios has finally pulled back the curtain on the first major superhero movie backed by an American studio to star a predominantly Asian cast. Starring Simu Liu (“Kim’s Convenience”), directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (“Just Cause”) and written by David Callaham (“Wonder Woman 1984”), the film further expands the scope of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while breaking obscenely overdue ground for Asian representation on a blockbuster scale.

Not only was it gratifying to finally see Liu in action as Shang-Chi, the teaser also revealed some tantalizing new details about the movie. Here’s what we’ve learned.

Who is Shang-Chi?

Marvel Comics first introduced Shang-Chi in 1972 as a way to capitalize on the growing popularity of the popular TV show “Kung Fu”.

Eventually, he becomes a master of the martial art of kung fu,...

Derek Kolstad, the creator and writer behind the “John Wick” franchise of action movies starring Keanu Reeves, says he’s not involved with the upcoming fourth and fifth films in the series.

Kolstad was the sole writer on the first two “John Wick” films, and he shared a writing credit on “John Wick – Chapter 3: Parabellum” from 2019, which he shared with Shay Hatten, Chris Collins and Mark Abrams. But in an interview with Collider, Kolstad said the franchise got a little too big for him and that he wasn’t asked by the studio to return.

“No, it wasn’t my decision. When you think of the, contractually, of these things, the third one I shared the credit with any number of people, they didn’t have to come back to me, and so they didn’t,” Kolstad told Collider. “At a certain stage the studio will tell you, your creation is graduated,...

During their Square Enix Presents showcase, the company revealed new mobile titles for Just Cause, Hitman, and even Space Invaders! While all eyes were on the console reveals and debut for Life is Strange: True Colors, Square also revealed some upcoming mobile titles based on some fan-favorite franchises. Expanding the series, Just Cause: Mobile delivers […]

The post Square Enix Reveals Three New Mobile Titles appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..

Square Enix revealed during the Game Awards live-stream on Thursday that Just Cause: Mobile will release on Android and iOs devices next year.

Set in the adventurous world of the Just Cause video games that follow operative Rico Rodriguez on a race against time mission to stop a lethal mercenary group, the free-to-play action shooter will include a main story campaign where players take on the enemy organization Darkwater.

The mobile game will also offer 4-player co-op squad missions, a  30-person competitive multiplayer mode where teams of 10 go head to head; and a more difficult challenge mode, where high scores result in extra ...