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  • REPORT: ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Announcement On the Horizon

    REPORT: ‘Persona 5’ Spinoff Announcement On the Horizon

    Persona 5 was released in 2016 and since we haven’t had a new mainline entry to the franchise. Persona 5 Royal found its way into the market three years later but the pandemic has definitely left its impact with various productions being pushed back throughout many industries. Now, it almost seems like rumors have gone haywire for the franchise with a remake of Persona 3, the sixth entry supposedly dropping next year, and a new spinoff for the fifth entry.

    Not too long ago, a new website matching Atlus’ usual naming structure found its way online. P5T.JP hinted that something is happening and further added weight to the rumors of a potential spinoff existing in the first place. Now, a new update to the registration may be hinting that the official reveal is sooner than we think.

    As shared by Persona Central, the website domain received an update that matches what was seen with past entries before an official announcement was made. It moved to the company’s nameserver rather than the domain registry from Japan, Onamae and the timing would hint that it could be unveiled at the Summer Game Fest later next week.

    There were rumors that the Persona 3 Remake will be revealed at the Xbox Showcase on June 11th. It would be strange to showcase two games from the same franchise as it may overshadow, but going in with a spinoff at the biggest event only to surprise people with a remake of the game that technically started the day system it became famous for. It also seems fitting with the remasters getting showcased at an Xbox event as rumors have it Persona 6 will be a timed exclusive for PlayStation.

    Source: Persona Central

  • ‘Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth’ Devs Teasing Open World and Side Quests

    ‘Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth’ Devs Teasing Open World and Side Quests

    The wait still continues for the second entry in the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Titled Rebirth, there have been many questions on how they will continue the story beyond Midgard as our team of unlikely heroes heads out into the open world. While the original featured a fully open world, there was some concern that the remake would move further away from the original to tell a more streamlined story.

    Surprisingly, the developers started sharing some answers to questions on Twitter with the seventh seemingly lining up for Summer Game Fest, which may hint that we’ll have a trailer soon (hopefully). Still, the second question was if we’ll be able to travel through the open world, and the answer seems quite promising:

    Players will be able to journey across the wide and multifaceted world with . high degree of freedom, experiencing a myriad of different stories along the way.

    So, it seems like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth will allow players to travel across Gaia but the big question is how it might accomplish this. It’s been a while since we saw the first teaser and here’s hoping that the wait isn’t much longer. Square Enix is quite focused on Final Fantasy XVI’s release, and we might have to wait until afterward before they push their next major 2024 release. Who knows if they may also give us a Kingdom Hearts tease at some point in the near future?

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Nabs Biggest Opening Day of 2023

    ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Nabs Biggest Opening Day of 2023

    You read that correctly, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has opened to $51.7M on opening day, which makes it the biggest of 2023. Yes, it outgrossed Super Mario Bros.’ $31.7M Wednesday and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3‘s $48.1M. It’s not yet clear if this is a bit of a frontloading due to the animated film’s growing popularity since the release of Into the Spider-Verse, but it makes the third-best opening day for any Spider-Man movie. Only Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 at $59.8M and Spider-Man: No Way Home’s $121.9M are ahead of it.

    That’s not all, as it is also the third highest animated opening ever only beaten by the Pixar film Incredibles 2 at $71.2M and Finding Dory’s $54.7M. Either way, it is Sony Pictures Animation’s biggest opening day ever and about to become its biggest opening weekend. If the film does end up being a frontloaded film it might land at $113.5M but has a chance that strong word-of-mouth might push it towards $125M.

    As of now, 93% are positive with 82% recommending the film according to PostTrak, which is already a good sign. It also nabbed an A CinemaScore, which isn’t quite No Way Home’s A+ but still the score that gives superhero films strong legs moving forward. Even if the film ends up frontloaded, it’s still quite an accomplishment in just how big of a jump it is from the first film which highlights that films that don’t make the biggest mark on the box office have the potential to grow exponentially.

    The only other major release here is The Boogyman, which pulled around $11.5M, which is slightly behind its initial tracking. The counterprogram was a smart placement even with a PG-13 rating, but it seems all eyes are on Across the Spider-Verse for the weekend. The curious case will be how the films perform internationally, as The Little Mermaid wasn’t quite the performer some may hope outside of the States.

    Source: Deadline, Deadline, Twitter

  • ‘The Boogeyman’ Grades Out with a Terrifying Cinemascore

    ‘The Boogeyman’ Grades Out with a Terrifying Cinemascore

    Based on a short story by Stephen King, The Boogeyman was initially intended to release on Hulu before getting upgraded to a full theatrical release. While the film has not been a huge hit with critics, it is holding on to a Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes with a 60%. After opening night, however, its Cinemascore indicates it may have been better off heading straight to streaming.

    Opening night audiences have chimed in and given director Rob Savage‘s adaptation of King’s 1973 short a B-. That score puts it on par with recent horror and horror-ish films The Pope’s Exorcist and Renfield and combined with the projected $15M opening weekend box office take (it’s up against Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, for Pete’s or Miles’ sake) does not bode well for a long and successful theatrical run.

    Regarded as one of King’s more terrifying works of fiction, The Boogeyman tells the tale of a man named Lester Billings and his horrific history with the titular monster. While critics have praised the atmosphere of the film adaptation, they’ve been less bullish on the creative choices made jumping from page to screen, insisting something was lost in translation.

    You can read our review here and check The Boogeyman out for yourself in theaters.

    Source: Cinemascore

  • J. Michael Straczynski to Return to Monthly Marvel Comics

    J. Michael Straczynski to Return to Monthly Marvel Comics

    After a long hiatus from Marvel Comics following the controversial One More Day mini-series he co-created with Joe Quesada, J. Michael Straczynski has returned to writing a monthly ongoing series for the publisher. In an interview with Gizmodo, Straczynski revealed that he and artist Jesús Saiz, who most recently worked with Jason Aaron on The Punisher, will be the creative team behind the new Captain America series launching in September.

    The new book will launch following the completion of the current Cold War crossover series which is running between both of the publisher’s current Captain America titles, Captain America: Sentinel of Liberty and Captain America: Symbol of Truth. Straczynski‘s return to Marvel Comics, for whom he wrote ongoing Thor and Spider-Man solo books, is major news and, according to the writer, was a slow-developing process. “Like most things, the process was incremental,” said Straczynski of his return to monthly Marvel Comics. “It started when Wil Moss asked me to do a short piece for the big Thor anniversary issue, which ended up getting a fair bit of attention. Then he asked me to do a Thanos story for that big issue, which also drew a lot of eyeballs, which led to me writing yet another piece for Marvel Age 1000 coming out soon. During all this, Wil Moss asked if I’d write a six-issue mini-series that would be a bit of an Event.  I did so, it was a ton of fun for everyone involved, and Wil gave Alanna [Smith, Marvel comics editor] one of my scripts that involved Captain America.“

    While we all await news on just what that event that his six-issue mini-series might be, Straczynski reminded everyone that he’s always had Cap on the brain. “Alanna liked how I handled the character, and sends an email asking if I’d like to take over the monthly Captain America book…and that was pretty much the best thing ever, because I’ve always had a strong affinity for Cap, which is why I would sneak him into just about everything I wrote for Spider-Man and Thor.” Longtime fans of Marvel Comics will remember that Straczynski slipped Cap into Amazing Spider-Man #537 where the character gave one his most memorable speeches…one that made its way into Captain America: Civil War.

    As for what he has planned for Steve Rogers in the new book, Straczynski says “it’s all about servicing the main character first and foremost.” That’s going to entail tackling a period of time never before explored in depth in Cap comics: Cap’s early, transformative years. “One thing about Steve Rogers that’s never really been addressed is the period between when his parents died, and when he became Captain America. We’re talking about a sickly, skinny 17-year-old kid, trying to survive on his own for because he’s stubborn and independent, on the street for several years, hustling for any gig he can get, even if it’s bigger than he is, trying to afford food and a place to stay. So we will counterpoint a present-tense story in which Captain America faces off against a new villain of supernatural origin, with a story about his younger self, with both stories tightly interwoven.“

    By exploring those years, Straczynski hopes he’ll get at what makes Steve Rogers–not Captain America–tick. “Because there’s one other, key aspect to that period that we will be addressing. The years young Steve was on his own were the same years during which the American Bund – for all intents and purposes the Nazi Party in America – was growing very powerful in real-world New York, blocks from where he lived. They held public marches and rallies, harassed people, and spread hate, all part of an effort to get America on the side of the Nazis, a campaign that came to a head with the biggest Nazi rally on American soil in history, as tens of thousands of people, Nazis and Nazi sympathizers, crammed into Madison Square Garden to celebrate their dream of a thousand-year Reich.“

    And Straczynski hopes that by exploring that era, he’ll find in Steve the same type of motivation to be a hero that Peter Parker found after the death of his Uncle Ben. “We are going to put young Steve right into the middle of that real-life vortex, where despite terrible odds he will make a crucial difference at an even more crucial moment. For a young Peter Parker, the murder of his uncle Ben was a transformational event putting him on the path to becoming Spider-Man. This story will be equally transformational, putting a young Steve Rogers on the path to being the hero he eventually becomes.”

    It’s a novel pitch from Straczynski and one that could either go a long way in redefining the character or threaten to anger hardcore fans. See for yourself when Captain America #1 hits stores this September.

    Source: Gizmodo

  • ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Headed for a Huge Opening Weekend Box Office Take

    ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Headed for a Huge Opening Weekend Box Office Take

    Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has been one of the most anticipated films of 2023 and it looks like that’s going to translate into a monster opening weekend at the box office. With the film’s preview night generating a huge take, it’s now on track to have one of 2023’s best first weekends.

    The sequel to the 2018 hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Across the Spider-Verse took in a massive $17.3M which is nearly five times more than its predecessor. It also ranks as the second-highest preview night take for an animated film, falling in line behind the $18.5M Incredibles 2 earned. So far in 2023, only Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 has had a better first Thursday but not by much as the James Gunn sendoff took in $17.5M.

    The huge preview night plus the overwhelmingly positive reviews of the film now have it on pace for an opening weekend in the range of $115-$125M, up significantly from the earlier predictions of $75-$90M. For comparison’s sake, Into the Spider-Verse opened to just north of $35M in 2018. With the new film grossing nearly half that much on its first Thursday, this will be a fun film to track!

    Source: Deadline

  • Dwayne Johnson Announces His Fast Franchise Future Plans

    Dwayne Johnson Announces His Fast Franchise Future Plans

    After once swearing off any possibility that he’d return to the Fast franchise following a feud with Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson has had an about-face. Following his surprising cameo in a Fast X post-credit scene, The Rock has announced his full-fledged return to the series via his social media.

    “Your reactions around the world to Hobbs’ return in Fast X have blown us away,” said Johnson before revealing plans for a Hobbs solo feature film. “The next Fast & Furious film you’ll see the legendary lawman in will be the HOBBS movie that will serve as a fresh, new chapter & set up for FASTX: Part II.” It’s likely that the Hobbs film will pick up where the Fast X cameo left off and could see Johnson go toe-to-toe with Jason Momoa‘s flamboyant villain, Dante Reyes. Given that the two never got to work together in the DC Universe, should Momoa co-star in the Hobbs film it would mark the first time the two action stars worked together.

    As for his well-known feud with Diesel, Johnson assured fans that the two stars have moved on and are moving forward. “Last summer Vin and I put all the past behind us,” said Johnson of the famous beef he held against Diesel dating back to 2016. “We’ll lead with brotherhood and resolve – and always take care of the franchise, characters & FANS that we love.” As part of the terms of their resolved conflict, Deadline reported that Johnson’s Hobbs may also end up appearing in the 11th film in the Fast series as well.

    Source: Deadline

  • A New Name Joins the List of Actors Up for the Role of Kal-El in ‘Superman: Legacy’

    A New Name Joins the List of Actors Up for the Role of Kal-El in ‘Superman: Legacy’

    With production on James Gunn‘s Superman: Legacy tentatively slated to get underway in January 2024, the search for the actors and actresses who will fill the film’s key roles is well underway. In May, a list of potential frontrunners for the roles of Superman, Lois Lane and Lex Luthor emerged and while that list was stocked with talent, there’s been no official word of anyone landing a spot just yet. Now, a new report from Variety indicates that Gunn may still be looking for his Superman and that a new name has joined his list of candidates.

    The trade is reporting that model and actor Pierson Fodé, best known for a 280-episode run on The Bold and the Beautiful, may have caught Gunn’s eye and be among those up for the role of Kal-El. Fodé‘s self-taped audition included a “montage” of the small-town farm in Montana on which the actor grew up and it apparently gave off some Clark Kent/Smallville vibes that Gunn reportedly enjoyed.

    Landing what must be one of the most coveted leading roles in Hollywood would be a major step up the ladder for Fodé whose biggest film credits include a supporting role in Woody Harrelson and Kevin Hart‘s Netflix original The Man from Toronto. Variety reported that no decisions have been made and that everyone’s reps declined comment. Superman: Legacy is currently set to hit theaters on July 11, 2025.

    Source: Variety

  • Amy Pascal Confirms Development on Live-Action Miles Morales Feature Film

    Amy Pascal Confirms Development on Live-Action Miles Morales Feature Film

    As audiences prepare for the return on Miles Morales in his second animated feature film, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, word comes that Sony plans to bring the character back to the screen in a live-action project. At the red carpet premiere of Across the Spider-Verse, producer Amy Pascal confirmed with Variety that the project is one of many in development at Sony.

    “You’ll see all of it. It’s all happening,” said Pascal when asked if the protagonist of the Spider–Verse trilogy would make his way into live-action. Created in 2011 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Morales quickly became one of Marvel Comics most popular heroes. After originally becoming the Spider-Man of the Ultimate universe after the death of Peter Parker, Morales jumped into the mainstream/Earth-616 continuity in 2015’s Secret Wars and has remained a prominent part of the company’s line of comics since.

    It’s unclear just how far into development the live-action Miles Morales project might be at this time and if it’s a project that Sony is tackling solo or in collaboration with Marvel Studios. Spider-Man: Homecoming featured Morales’ uncle, Aaron Davis, played by Donald Glover, and what has been interpreted to be a reference to Miles. While that reference could ultimately just be an Easter egg, it’s probably in both studios’ best interests to work together to define Miles Morales’ live-action future as allowing him to interact with the already-established MCU characters would benefit his development the same way it has with Tom Holland’s Peter Parker. As exciting as the news of a live-action Miles Morales film is, however, it’s best to temper expectations until the project is much further down the development pipeline.

    Source: Variety

  • THWIP! WGA Strike Webs Up Development on ‘Spider-Man 4’

    THWIP! WGA Strike Webs Up Development on ‘Spider-Man 4’

    For the better part of a year, leakers and scoopers in every corner of the internet have promised the imminent release of news concerning the status of the fourth movie in Marvel Studios and Sony’s ongoing collaborative Spider-Man franchise. Lo and behold it seems they were correct as news has finally arrived!

    At the red carpet premiere for Sony’s highly-anticipated animated sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Amy Pascal confirmed that while there will still be a Spider-Man 4, the development of the film has been paused during the ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America. “Are we going to make another movie? Of course, we are,” said Pascal of the next Tom Holland-led adventure. “We’re in the process, but the writers strike, nobody is working during the strike. We’re all being supporters and whenever they get themselves together, we’ll get started.”

    What that means for the untitled fourth MCU-set Spidey flick remains to be seen but it probably won’t be making that oft-rumored Summer 2024 release date and even a projected 2025 release would be uncertain until some potential endpoint to the strike can be ascertained. At the very least, it’ll give Daredevil: Born Again stars Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio a nice respite following their year-long production on that ambitious streaming series before they step back into their roles in Spidey 4.

    Source: Variety