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Professional racing drivers are making a temporary jump to virtual racing as the motorsport world screeches to a halt while countries all over the globe attempt to limit the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Pro NASCAR, IMSA Sportscar Championship, and Australian Supercars drivers will be competing in a host of different events via iRacing. iRacing is a subscription-based PC racing simulator that has existing partnerships with a long list of real-world motorsport organisations and is favoured by professionals as the best in its class. [caption id="attachment_2322977" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] NASCAR in action in iRacing.[/caption] NASCAR has announced a new invitational series dubbed the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series. The series will feature competitors from the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as the truck series and other “NASCAR dignitaries.” NASCAR’s real events through until May 3 have currently been postponed. “Until we have cars back on track, the entire NASCAR community has aligned to provide our passionate fans with a unique, fun, and competitive experience on race day,” said NASCAR vice president of racing development Ben Kennedy. “Our long-time partners at iRacing offer an incredible product and we are excited to see how many of our best drivers will stack up in the virtual domain of competitive racing.” The series will feature Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Larson, and Christopher Bell and begins this Sunday, March 22 on the virtual version of Homestead-Miami Speedway. NASCAR notes the remaining race and broadcast details will be confirmed at a later date. [caption id="attachment_2322978" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] The 90-minute Sebring race will use GTLM class race cars.[/caption] In addition, North America’s International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has similarly announced that it will be hosting a virtual 90-minute, single-class iRacing shootout this weekend to mark the 12 Hours of Sebring. The real 12 Hours of Sebring was supposed be held this weekend but has been postponed until November. “IMSA is committed to delivering a realistic racing experience to our fans, competitors, and partners this weekend,” said IMSA president John Doonan. “Most IMSA drivers use iRacing or other simulators on a regular basis to sharpen their skills and prepare for upcoming races. This weekend, they will do it in front of an audience. We are grateful to iRacing and many of our other partners for creating this opportunity to entertain our loyal IMSA fans.” The entrants will include WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge drivers and the race will be streamed on iRacing’s Twitch channel and the iRacing eSports Network on YouTube. [caption id="attachment_2322980" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] iRacing added the ZB Commodore and Mustang Supercars in December 2019.[/caption] Finally, Supercars Australia has revealed it too will run a virtual racing series to fill the gap for fans, also using iRacing (which was the platform for last year’s Supercars Eseries). The series will be broadcast live on Fox Sports, Kayo, and Supercars.com, as well as Supercars’ social media channels and Twitch. The driver line-up is yet to be confirmed but Penrite Racing driver Anton De Pasquale is keen to get involved. “I’ll definitely put my hand up and take part because it’s something I do a bit of now anyway,” De Pasquale told Supercars.com. “I’ve got a sim at home which I have a bit of fun on and hang out with some mates and do that kind of stuff, and then we have the one at Erebus too which we take a bit more seriously and use for development and training with myself.” Supercars has pumped the brakes on the real series’ next three rounds (Tasmania, New Zealand, Western Australia) following the cancellation of last weekend’s Australian GP support races. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/07/04/f1-2019-review] This isn’t the only virtual racing attracting real-life drivers, either. Last weekend’s ‘Not the AUS GP’ (hosted by Veloce Esports with Codemasters’ F1 2019) featured McLaren F1 driver Lando Norris and Mercedes Formula E driver Stoffel Vandoorne amongst others, and RaceRoom Racing Experience developer Sector3 also recently announced its upcoming online ‘VIP Race’. Sector3’s race will feature drivers from the World Touring Car Cup, the BTCC, the GT Masters, and the WEC. The race is being broadcast this Saturday via YouTube. While the spread of COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on sports and resulted in a huge number of release delays and stalled productions, more importantly there are number of things you can do to stay safe during this pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Luke is Games Editor at IGN's Sydney office. You can find him on Twitter every few days @MrLukeReilly.

HBO's ominous tech-thriller Westworld is finally back--but given the show's infamously complicated timelines and dense, constantly evolving mythology (what, exactly, were the hosts trying to do back in Season 2, again?) it's safe to say we came into the premiere of Season 3 with some reservations. Dolores had finally escaped the park for real back in the finale, but what did that actually mean--and, perhaps more importantly, what was she actually trying to accomplish beyond carnage and violence?

The good news is we now have an answer to both of those questions, and they came refreshingly quickly for Westworld. There were no overlapping time-traveling narratives or baffling red herrings to speak of (so far at least), and we can't help but feel like the entire season is off to an incredibly strong start because of it. It's not that there aren't still bigger mysteries at play here--there are plenty, to be sure--but the pervasive sense that the show is more concerned with withholding information to keep Redditors on their toes than it is with telling a compelling story is thankfully nowhere to be found.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Westworld has finally returned on HBO. And true to form, the Season 3 premiere introduces a drastically different status quo while raising new questions about the hosts and the world in which they live. Assuming you stuck around after the end credits, episode 1 drops yet another bombshell with major ramifications. Check out our review of Westworld Season 3, episode 1, and then read on for a full breakdown of what's happening in this post-credits scene and what it means for Maeve. [poilib element="accentDivider"] [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=westworld-season-3-teaser-trailer-gallery&captions=true"]

Where Is Maeve?

The post-credits scene shows Thandie Newton's Maeve waking up in a World War II setting and with a '40s-style makeover to match. She appears to be stuck inside a new branch of the Delos Destinations park, one offering guests a chance to live out their fantasies battling German soldiers. This setting specifically looks to be an occupied city somewhere in continental Europe (France or Italy, perhaps?), with Maeve reprogrammed as part of some new scenario involving captive German soldiers. We've been expecting the debut of a WWII-themed park ever since footage was first teased in the Season 3 trailer released at Comic-Con 2019. We're assuming this park is called War World (Warworld?). Its debut seems aimed at ensuring at least part of Season 3 still takes place within a more traditional theme park setting, even as Evan Rachel Wood's Dolores ventures out into the real world. Unfortunately, dusting off Westworld itself isn't really an option, as the set was destroyed in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. However, the most recent trailer suggests we'll still see the torched remains of Westworld. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/14/westworld-season-3-episode-1-review"]

Which Host Pearls Did Dolores Bring With Her?

The biggest takeaway from this post-credits scene is the apparent confirmation Maeve wasn't among the host "pearls" Dolores stole when she escaped Westworld in Season 2. Those pearls, each of which contains the memories and programming of a different host, are at the crux of one of the biggest mysteries of Season 3. Who else escaped the park thanks to Dolores, and whose bodies are they hiding inside now? It would seem Maeve wasn't lucky enough to win her freedom and has instead been reprogrammed by Delos. However, given her confused reaction upon waking up in War World, we're guessing that reprogramming didn't really take. She seems cognizant of her true self and will almost surely begin finding a way to escape once again. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/westworld-the-story-so-far-recapped-in-6-minutes"]

What's Next for Maeve?

We assume Maeve's plight in War World will play out alongside the main plot involving Dolores and Aaron Paul's Caleb. She'll no doubt work to escape her new surroundings. She'll probably also bump into other familiar hosts who have also been reprogrammed for the new War World scenario. That should slowly clue viewers in as far as which hosts were taken by Dolores and which ones remain inside the park. It remains to be seen what Maeve's ultimate goal is, now that her daughter has found salvation of sorts in the Valley Beyond. Does she want to join Dolores in the outside world? Is she looking for some way of entering the host afterlife, even with the Valley Beyond being locked away? Of course, thanks to Season 2 and its big "Halores" twist, we can no longer be sure that a host's appearance corresponds to the brain within. We don't even know for sure this is actually Maeve and not a different host occupying her body. For that matter, there's always the question of when exactly this Maeve storyline is taking place. The first two seasons were notorious for playing around with our perception of time, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if Season 3 continues that trend. For more Westworld fun, check out our review of the Season 3 premiere and see the biggest mysteries fueling Season 3. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

Westworld returns to HBO for its third season this week, with the series pivoting from its Old West theme park setting -- as well as last season’s Shogunworld side trip -- to the “real world” of the show. With Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) having escaped the park at the end of Season 2, she is now ready to take on humanity on her own terms in a near-future version of Los Angeles, even while Bernard (Jeffrey Wright) is on the run, accused of the massacre that took place at the Delos park, and Maeve (Thandie Newton) finds herself in an unfamiliar world herself. IGN recently spoke with showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy about the changes they’ve made for Westworld Season 3, and what to expect as the season progresses. Read on for some highlights from the non-spoilery part of our chat (and check back next week for more)! [poilib element="accentDivider"] [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/westworld-season-3-episode-1-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The World Beyond Westworld

The first two seasons of the HBO series presented a near-future realm of amazing technology where lifelike androids could pass for human, but it was purposefully very limited in depicting the outside world beyond the Delos parks like Westworld and Shogunworld. Now, in Season 3, Nolan and Joy say it’s finally time to step outside the theme parks. “The question for the first couple seasons was, when are we?” says Nolan. “The question for the third season, now that the hosts have caught up a little bit, is where are we? What is the larger world that we're in? It's also rooted a little bit in the perspective of our protagonists. In the first season, Dolores is not aware that she's cascading through her own memories and conflating them with the here and now. In the second season, Bernard is trying to repair his own broken mind, which he's come to understand. He's deliberately scrambled himself to protect Dolores. In the third season, both Dolores and Bernard have a pretty good handle on where they are, and after a little bit of confusion Maeve figures out where she is pretty quickly.” [caption id="attachment_2319472" align="aligncenter" width="979"] Aaron Paul as Caleb[/caption] One of our main ways in to the bigger world of the show this season is through the new character played by Aaron Paul, Caleb. A construction worker who also takes on criminal jobs by night -- for the thrill as much as for the money -- Caleb offers a different perspective from the robots and rich folks of the first two seasons. “When we're coming to explore the world in the first episode, we are with someone who thinks he understands his world,” continues Nolan. “And Caleb's understanding of the world is not when is he, but it's more a question of who is he? So with the show from the beginning, we wanted to ground it in the perspective of its characters. And we also wanted to use every season as an opportunity to reinvent the look of the show, the feel of the show, tracking a group of characters that we've come to love and invest in, or hate and invest in, as they journey from one world to the other. So there's a formal quality to the show that we love playing around with a little bit.” [poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=Caleb's%20understanding%20of%20the%20world%20is%20not%20when%20is%20he%2C%20but%20it's%20more%20a%20question%20of%20who%20is%20he%3F"] For now anyway, the producers seem content to let Westworld play out in a more traditionally linear manner than it did in the first two seasons. But it sounds like that’s not going to last forever. “We're not cascading through time this season,” says Nolan before adding with a laugh, “We will almost certainly return to that idea. If you think of two standing waves meeting here in the middle, we're in the here and now for this season, and I can't imagine we'll stay there for long.” It wouldn’t be Westworld without a little time-jumping, after all! [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=tv-shows-to-watch-in-2020&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] For more on Westworld, check out our spoiler-free review of the first episode of Season 3, get caught up with our recap of Seasons 1 and 2, find out what’s new in Westworld this year directly from the cast, or check out our five biggest questions we have about the new season. And be sure to check back here next week for more from showrunners Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy… [poilib element="accentDivider"] Talk to Executive Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottCollura, or listen to his Star Trek podcast, Transporter Room 3. Or do both!

The category is: Syphilis. (Public Domain/)

What’s the weirdest thing you learned this week? Well, whatever it is, we promise you’ll have an even weirder answer if you listen to PopSci’s hit podcast. The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week hits Apple, Anchor, and everywhere else you listen to podcasts every-other Wednesday morning. It’s your new favorite source for the strangest science-adjacent facts, figures, and Wikipedia spirals the editors of Popular Science can muster. If you like the stories in this post, we guarantee you’ll love the show.

FACT: Syphilis may have had a major impact on fashion

By Rachel Feltman

Syphilis, while nothing to be ashamed of, is not what you’d call a glamorous condition. It starts with painless sores followed by a rash, but left untreated by antibiotics, the disease’s tertiary phase can cause unsightly bulbous growths, necrotizing ulcers, and hair loss, not to mention more pressing concerns like heart and neurological damage. According to some scholars, these unfortunate side effects didn’t necessarily leave sufferers cowering in the shadows—in some cases, fashion may have evolved to help hide the signs of late-stage syphilis.

The most commonly cited example of this is the powdered wig, which didn’t become the sign of polite society we see in period films until the influence of King Louis XIV of France. Historians note that the wigs were of middling popularity until this young king began to don them during the 17th century. Louis XIV started to lose his hair around age 17, so it’s not surprising that he turned wigs into a fashion trend. But it’s quite possible that his hair loss—and perhaps that of his cousin, King Charles II of England, who also loved a good powdered wig—was due to syphilis. In any case, the royal love of fussy wigs provided a great cover for the truly countless number of syphilis patients running around Europe at the time.

Another, slightly more controversial theory: That codpieces served to mask the otherwise suspicious bulge created by medicated bandages wrapped around genital sores. Not all historians buy this notion, and the codpiece’s remarkably short-lived period of popularity means we know precious little about them. Too bad shoving stuff down your pants didn’t stick around.

Finally, our third potential syphilitic fashion moment: Sunglasses. Because, well, where else are you going to put your fake nose? Listen to this week’s episode to find out more.

FACT: Italians invented the quarantine as we know it

By Eleanor Cummins

Religious leaders, country doctors, and public health officials have been isolating the sick to stop the spread disease for thousands of years. Leviticus, for example, describes the Mosaic law of isolation, which involved a rabbi checking in on the sick at periodic intervals until they (hopefully) recovered.

But the modern idea of “quarantine” comes from the Venetians, who in 1377, decided to isolate ships and their crews for 30 days to stop the spread of the Black Death. The idea was that if everyone aboard lived, they weren’t agents of disease and could come on shore. And if everyone aboard died, well… what can you do? Eventually, the Venetians extended this period to 40 days, which in the Venetian dialect is “quaranta giorni,” the term from which we get “quarantine.”

Things have changed since then. People aren’t typically stranded at sea—though the coronavirus cruise ships are a recent exception. And patients receive medical care in isolation. But the practice of quarantine has remained popular, from Hawaiian leper colonies to the treatment of New York City’s Typhoid Mary. And it’s not always applied fairly: as we’re seeing with the coronavirus today, racial bias often seeps in.

FACT: To some people, cilantro tastes like soap, cat urine, or even Christmas trees—but why?

By Claire Maldarelli

Not all food is created equal, especially as far as our taste buds are concerned. When I first learned that Julia Child had mentioned in a 2010 interview that she hated cilantro so much that she would pick it out of a restaurant meal and “throw it on the ground,” I knew the herb was worth investigating.

To me, cilantro tastes like bland little leaves. But as it turns out, to some people, the herb resembles anything from dirty feet to soapy water. In fact, the garnish conjures such ill will in folks that there’s a defunct-website-turned-Facebook-group aptly named ihatecilantro.com that, among other methods of herb-bashing, posts haikus expressing ill will towards this garnish.

Below is an enticing sampling, but be sure to listen to this week’s episode to hear a full rundown of how a combination of genetics and neuroscience can put a benign garnish onto an herb garden’s most wanted list.

Soak your dirty feet / In lemon water and drink. / Tastes like cilantro

Cilantro you stink / You taste like a Christmas tree / In my burrito.

If you like The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, please subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts. You can also join in the weirdness in our Facebook group and bedeck yourself in Weirdo merchandise from our Threadless shop.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the restaurant industry, Uber Eats is waiving delivery fees for over 100,000 independent restaurants across the US and Canada. It's the latest move by gig-economy businesses like Uber, Lyft an...

To keep up with a "significant increase in demand" due to the coronavirus outbreak, Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers in the US. As more people turn to online shopping in an attempt to stay home (and because grocer...

We asked a doctor if you should worry about packages containing coronavirus.

Japanese students are using Minecraft to enjoy their school graduation virtually, in spite of a coronavirus lockdown. Japanese schools have been closed for over two weeks due to COVID-19 and, with the Japanese school year ending in March, it's meant many students won't have their graduation ceremonies, according to SoraNews24. However, graduates from one elementary school found they could use Minecraft to create their own ceremony. Without any school or parental oversight, kids designed their own assembly hall, and gathered on a server to play out their graduation online. SoraNews24 translated the following tweets as: "They spent all day online together playing games and laughing. I’m glad they all had fun," and "The assembly hall is also really well made."

会場もすごくよく出来ている。 pic.twitter.com/HKjVCaOmOf

— 柏原周平 (@backyennew) March 14, 2020

Minecraft continues to be a great platform for people to let their imagination run free in all sorts of ways. This is just another example of how it's more than a game for people all around the world. It's only a matter of time until more creative ideas like these arise with various game events frequently being cancelled. Many companies are already planning digital alternatives as Microsoft announced earlier this month. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-2020-video-game-release&captions=true"] Other ways people are using Minecraft as a world parallel to ours include a recently created virtual library for fighting censorship. If you're looking for more Minecraft content, be sure to check out the Nether update and our Minecraft wiki for guides. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jeffrey Lerman is a Freelance News Writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @Snakester95.

Whether you’re working at home more because it makes more sense or situations, such as the current coronavirus outbreak, are forcing you to, there are issues to overcome.

Moving out of an office, where everything is planned and provided for you, can be a difficult step for many. Here, we aim to make things easier with our top tech hacks to stay healthy and sane when working from home.

Get a fitness tracker

Going to work gives your brain time to adjust from leisure time to work time. And, when you leave the office, you largely get to leave your work behind (or at least visual reminders of it). If you work from home, you don’t naturally get that commute and time for your brain to shift modes. Nor do you get as much exercise.

Having a routine is useful when working from home, rising at the same time each day, getting ready and then settling down to work. Many people find it handy to build in a false commute, too, such as walking around the block before starting work and after finishing it.

A fitness tracker or smartwatch can help. They’ll prompt you when it’s time to stand up and they track how active you’ve been, so you can make sure that you have an active life and aren’t vegetating away by not moving.

Get a comfortable workspace

Hand-in-hand with staying active comes the need to have a proper place that you can work. Lying back on the sofa may seem like the best way to work from home, but do this too often and for too long and you’ll soon find problems with your posture. And, working around the house can make it hardy to tidy away work at the end of the day, letting you get stuck constantly in work mode.

There are two important things here, then. First, you need an area in your home dedicated to work. Secondly, you need a comfortable work area.

Let’s take the first need. Having a dedicated work area means that you can ‘leave’ work when you’re finished, so your home doesn’t turn into an extension of the office. If you’ve got space, a proper desk in a separate room or spare bedroom makes sense.

If you don’t have physical space for a permanent desk, then you can buy folding desks that you can fold up and move out of the way, or stash out of the way in a room. Make sure that you have a comfortable chair, either a proper office one or decent dining room chair that lets you sit with your back straight.

The important thing is that you can either move your work away at the end of the day or have the ability to work away from it.

When it comes to setup, there’s no right or wrong, but if you have space and are working from a laptop, a stand that props the screen at the right angle and height is very important. If you can, invest in an external monitor that you can plug into your computer, as this will be easier to work from.

Laptop keyboards also aren’t the best for longterm working, so buy an external keyboard and mouse if you can, as this gives you more flexibility on where you place them and can make extended periods of work easier to get through.

Smart lighting can be your saviour

Offices are set up to have consistent lighting but our homes aren’t. Work from home on a bright day and your house may be flooded with light; an overcast day or working in the winter can leave you tapping away in a darkened room.

Lighting can be your saviour. Ideally, you want a light where you can change the colour temperature, where a bulb can go from a warm-yellow light (relaxing) to a bright blue colour (energising).

There are dedicated table lamps, such as the excellent (but expensive) Dyson Lightcycle. This model will adjust the colour of its light automatically based on your location, synchronising with your phone via Bluetooth.

 

Smart light bulbs can do this, too. The Philips Hue White and Colour Ambiance bulbs let you adjust colour temperature manually. The more modern bulbs are Bluetooth compatible, so you don’t have to buy the Hue Bridge, giving you the option to buy a single bulb and install it in a regular lamp where you’re working. LIFX Wi-Fi bulbs can change colour temperature automatically throughout the day, matching it to natural light.

Get a clock

Put a clock somewhere where you can see it clearly, such as the Amazon Echo Wall Clock that synchronises to an Echo smart speaker. You can use this, where possible, to start and stop work at regular times, so that your office life doesn’t encroach on your home life.

Don’t beat yourself up if you’re having a slightly unproductive period at home. At work, your day tends to be split up by meetings, chats, walking out to get lunch and all of the other little interruptions that take place day-to-day.

At home, there are far fewer distractions, so you typically get periods of great productivity where you get through loads of work, and periods where you naturally can’t knuckle down. When you’re feeling slightly less productive, take the time to do some admin, tidy up, reply to emails and do those little jobs that can build up. But, also take regular breaks and walk away from your computer, and grab a cup of coffee (we can’t recommend having a proper coffee machine enough).

Compare what you achieve at home to what you’d achieve in the office. If the two line up, then you’re all good.

Make sure you’ve got strong Wi-Fi

Given that you’ll rely on your broadband connection a lot, make sure that you’ve got decent Wi-Fi (or Ethernet) where you need to work. That will take out a lot of frustration in your day-to-day life. We can recommend the Netgear Orbi RBK50 as an excellent mesh system but check out our list of the best wireless extenders.

If your broadband is a bit dodgy, you may want a backup. Using a phone as a hotspot can work well, but make sure your plan supports this and you have enough data; a dedicated mobile hotspot is a good option otherwise.

Listen to music

Having some music on in the background can make your home feel less lonely and empty. You can listen on anything, but one of our best multi-room speakers can help you place your audio where you want it while you work.

Fix your heating

If you’re working at home, you need to make sure that your home is at a sensible temperature, so you can work in comfort. You’ll want to reprogramme your thermostat to give you warmth when you need it. A smart thermostat makes that easier and makes it quicker to turn up the temperature when you need it. You may also want an electric heater for a specific room, letting you just heat your workspace when required.

Keep in contact with people

One of the main benefits of going to work is human contact, giving you a chance to talk to other human beings. When working from home, it’s too easy to get into a situation where you end up communicating through Slack, Microsoft Teams or email. It really isn’t the same thing.

When possible, try and make calls with people, voice or video. You can make free video and voice calls between Amazon Echo devices, between Google Home devices, and using your laptop or phone with Google Hangouts or Skype.

If you’ve got an Amazon Echo speaker or Google Home speaker, you can also make free calls to UK landlines and mobile phones, too.

Use an air purifier

Air purifiers are a great way of keeping your indoor air clean and fresh, sucking out impurities in the air, including harmful particles and allergens, such as pollen. There’s been a lot said recently about air purifiers and viruses, but be careful what you read.

Some air purifiers, such as the Dyson Pure Cool range, say that they can capture PM 0.3 ultrafine particles and viruses. BlueAir is more specific, saying, “The HEPASilent filtration technology used in all Blueair air purifiers successfully captures 99.97% of airborne particles such as viruses and bacteria.

“According to testing carried out by the independent, accredited CAS Test Technical Services in China, the Blueair Classic 280i, removed the most common viruses and bacteria including H1N1 influenza A/PR8/34 with a clearance rate of over 99.99%, as well as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Aspergillus.”

Please note that if you’re buying an air purifier specifically for virus capture, they can only do so for airborne particles (viruses may still be active on surfaces or through visitors). And, you should also look at which viruses specifically are handled by a model of an air purifier, backed up with testing. For example, Blueair specifically states, “Blueair air purifiers have not been tested against Coronavirus and we make no claim to capture or remove 2019-nCov.”

In other words, air purifiers are a good way of keeping your home’s air cleaner but they’re not a miracle prevention cure for all ailments.

Keep clean

Working from home means using your home more, which means it will get dirtier. Regular cleaning with a decent vacuum cleaner can help, but if you’ve got a robot vacuum cleaner, schedule it to clean when you’re not working.

The post Top tech hacks when working from home appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

With folks practicing "social distancing" and "self-quarantine," many are now looking for TV shows and movies to distract themselves. While some people and publications have streaming/binging recommendations -- like James Gunn's 10 favorite underrated films to our own list of feel-good movies -- companies like Disney are releasing movies to digital early - like Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. With that in mind, a Marvel's Agents of SHIELD fan on Twitter suggested the Disney drop Season 7, the show's final 13-episode run, which is due out this summer, early for those staying indoors to binge. Here's the original tweet...

I’m just saying @abc, since we are all in self-quarantine, maybe you could drop us the final season of Agents of Shield a little early. Can’t hurt to ask! @clarkgregg @chloebennet @MingNa @YOSOYCORDOVA pic.twitter.com/LoZUHQrE9Y

— Chris Panico (@chris_panico) March 14, 2020

The tweet's tagging of SHIELD stars Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennet and Ming-Na Wen resulted in both Gregg and Bennet retweeting the message to their hordes of followers, showing support for idea of a Season 7 early release. All final episodes are finished as the series wrapped production of its seventh season back in July of 2019, just a few days after it was announced that Season 7 would be the show's last. Meanwhile, Disney has announced that it will temporarily shut down production on all of its upcoming Disney+ Marvel shows and films amid COVID-19 concerns. Disney has also shut down both Disney World and Disneyland in an attempt to prevent further spread of COVID-19. This is only the fourth time in history that Disneyland has been closed. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/14/westworld-season-3-episode-1-review"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

After permafrost at Gates of the Arctic National Park thawed, the landscape changed, allowing the Okokmilaga River to flow to the sea. (National Park Service Climate Change Response/)

This story was published in partnership with Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art, and culture.

For decades, the Inuit woman, a victim of the 1918 Spanish flu, lay buried in a mass grave under six feet of Alaskan permafrost. But when the frozen ground began to thaw in the 1990s, the Inuit town of Brevig Mission gave scientists permission to dig her up. Her ample body fat kept her lungs insulated against warmer temperatures, helping to preserve the fragments of the virus that lay within.

Thanks to this discovery, researchers were able to decipher the virus’s genetic blueprint, which recently allowed them to understand why the 1918 flu had been so lethal. They say their insights will help public health experts better prepare for the next pandemic.

This is potentially one small upside of a slow-moving disaster in the Arctic. Rising temperatures are melting permafrost, releasing huge sums of methane, a potent heat-trapping gas. But as the earth thaws, it also could reveal the origins of many diseases, such as scarlet fever or the coronavirus, helping scientists understand past outbreaks and cope with new ones.

“We can’t predict the future, but by understanding the past we have clues about what might happen,” says David Morens, a senior advisor to the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and co-author of a 2007 paper on the discovery of Spanish flu particles in Alaska. It took 10 years to determine the flu’s genetic makeup, he said, comparing their work to gluing together thousands of pieces of a shattered teacup. (Today, thanks to technological advances, the work would take mere days.)

Finally, in a study published last year, Moren’s team identified the gene in the 1918 strain that caused the disease to become so deadly. They also determined that the pandemics of 1957, 1968 and 2009 were caused by viruses descended from the 1918 strain.

“We now know that the 1918 virus was very close genetically to a bird virus that exists today,” Morens says.

Soldiers are treated for Spanish flu at a hospital in Camp Funston, Kansas in 1918. (National Archives/)

In another paper published last year, scientists detailed how their research could be used to develop a universal flu vaccine, which could provide protection against several different strains and obviate the need for an annual vaccination. These revelations are among the many secrets that lay beneath frozen Arctic ground.

“It’s like a time capsule. We have been studying them going forward, and now we are able to also go backward,” Morens says. “The more the Earth warms, the more sources of viruses will be revealed. It’s hard to know what we’re going to find, but my sense is that as we look for viruses and other organisms in newer places, we will find them.”

To be sure, this is a young research field. Scientists have only just begun to recognize the research potential of thawing permafrost. At some point, experts say, they may even find samples of ancient coronaviruses. If they do, virologists may learn a few things that would help them combat the current epidemic.

“Coronaviruses are everywhere,” says Robert T. Schooley, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California San Diego. “They are found in bats and other mammals, and these infected animals die and get buried in the frozen ground too.”

While there is a tiny danger that scientists resurrect dormant diseases buried underground, many researchers believe it’s worth the risk to better understand the origin of deadly illnesses. And they say the threats are remote when they take the right precautions. In the case of the Spanish flu, for example, the viral fragments were essentially dead. They could only be grown in a lab.

Among the many wonders to emerge from the Arctic soil are bacteriophages—viruses that kill bacteria. Scientists are studying them for their potential to thwart life-threatening antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Because each bacteriophage targets a different bacteria, every new strain discovered adds to the growing arsenal of treatments. Long-buried ones also provide hints about the nature of ancient bacteria that existed thousands of years ago.

“There are tons of bacteriophages, and they will be the same ones that were buried when the permafrost was first laid down. By studying them, it will tell us what bacteria they were able to kill during those times,” Schooley says.

Scientists also discovered a type of “giant virus” in a 30,000-year-old sample of Siberian permafrost. Though microscopic, it is huge compared to conventional viruses. Despite the fear-inducing name, the strain uncovered in Siberia is not a threat to humans.

Not every microbe buried in the permafrost is so benign, however. And while scientists are careful to contain deadly diseases, some may come to life on their own. For instance, the thawing of a 75-year-old dead reindeer carcass infected with anthrax is believed to be the cause of a 2016 anthrax outbreak in Siberia that sickened dozens of people and killed one child.

Workers produce smallpox vaccine. (Pan American Health Organization/)

While heat kills almost all viruses, some rare types, such as smallpox, could survive a thaw, according to Stephen Morse, an infectious diseases expert and professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. In 1980 the World Health Organization declared the disease had been eradicated, but melting permafrost could potentially bring it back.

“If it’s dry enough, it will do well in warm conditions, as it’s a pretty hardy virus,” Morse says. He adds that, previously, scientists couldn’t imagine smallpox returning from the grave, but rising temperatures have made it a distinct possibility. “The idea was far-fetched. But now, with climate change, it seems like it’s not an impossible scenario,” he says.

Climate change is causing permafrost to melt at an alarming rate. While Arctic permafrost currently covers an area larger than Russia, by the end of the century, it could shrink to an area smaller than Alaska, according to one estimate.

Frozen methane bubbles are capture in the Arctic ice. (U.S. Geological Survey/ Miriam Jones/)

“It is concerning because there is such a large amount of carbon,” says Janet Jansson, chief scientist for biology in the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s biological sciences division. She studies how largely dormant microbes trapped in the permafrost wake up when the ground melts. Those microbes start to gobble up decomposed plants and spew out planet-warming gasses.

That would be a serious problem, according to Robert Max Holmes, deputy director and senior scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. Arctic permafrost contains twice as much carbon as is currently found in the atmosphere. Even a little warming could liberate a vast store of buried carbon, he says.

“It has built up over tens of thousands of years, and that’s the big thing we should be worried about,” he adds. “Once that train leaves the station, it will be harder to put the brakes on. Once it starts, it will be hard to stop.”

The silver lining, however slim, is that melting permafrost could also lead to a host of new life-saving discoveries. Climate change is unlocking a vault of biological mysteries that may help scientists keep some of the deadliest diseases at bay.

“That environment contains lots of secrets,” Morens says. “As we change and release these things, it’s impossible to predict what surprises we might find.”

Our answers to some of the most common questions we’ve been getting about COVID-19. (Pexels/)

Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including travel advice, pregnancy concerns, and the latest findings on the virus itself.

Since the novel coronavirus began spreading throughout China in January, it has reached 104 additional countries and infected 109,577 people globally. So far, 3,809 people have reportedly died from COVID-19. To contain community outbreaks, countries have taken drastic measures like travel restrictions and are now contemplating audienceless sport matches.

Amid widespread panic, online misinformation has thrived—websites have claimed that hot baths and hand dryers can kill the virus. Some people have even placed face masks on their dogs, despite the fact that pets like cats and dogs likely can’t spread the virus to humans.

Part of the reason for this confusion is that the coronavirus currently circulating around the world is novel; not even experts have much to go on.

“We all wish that we had the answers, but in infectious disease epidemiology we are accustomed to operating in this uncertain space,” says Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. She has previously studied infectious disease like Ebola and MERS, all of which she says present similar challenges early on when definitive information is scarce; with any new virus, thorough scientific investigations take time. “It probably seems frustrating to readers, but this is one of the challenges of facing a new pathogen.”

Here are some of the most common questions we’ve been getting and what Rivers, and others, have to offer.

How do I know if I have the COVID-19 infection?

This illness usually looks like a common cold. Anytime between about two and 14 days after exposure, people usually get a fever and cough. People may also experience shortness of breath, Rivers says, though it probably doesn’t occur with most mild infections.

You should call your doctor if you develop symptoms after having close contact with an infected individual or visiting any area with ongoing community spread, according to the CDC.

Who is the most susceptible to infection?

The most common route people have caught the novel virus is through close contact (which is defined as anything 6 feet away or less) and droplets from the nose or mouth, Rivers says.

When infected, the demographics most at risk of severe illness are older adults and individuals with serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and lung disease, according to the CDC.

Reports from China, where the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated, could reveal how COVID-19 affects people by age. As of last month, only about 10 percent of China’s identified cases were in people under 30, and just two percent were individuals under 20. Three-quarters of cases have occurred within adults between 30 and 69 years old. People over 70 made up about 12 percent of cases.

The fatality rates also skew towards older populations. The highest is people aged 80 and up, of which 14.8 percent die from COVID-19. Eight percent of those 70 to 79 succumb to it, 3.5 percent of 60 to 69 year olds, and 1.3 percent of those 50 to 59. Below 50 and the fatality rate is below one percent. There were just 8 deaths total in people under 30, despite more than 4,500 cases in that age range.

Though women and men became infected at around the same rate, nearly two thirds of fatalities were male. This could reflect habits within China, Vox reported, because smoking is more common there with men than women.

For additional demographic-specific COVID-19 information, click here.

How long are people contagious for?

People with mild illness likely aren’t infectious after about 10 days, STAT reported based on Monday’s preprint study. (Several recent studies on the new coronavirus have yet to be peer reviewed, so some new information isn’t totally certain.) COVID-19 antibodies—which help people fight off the infection—likely develop between about five and 12 days. This rapid response by our immune systems could explain why the majority (around 80 percent) of cases don’t become severe. Researchers still don’t know what level of immune response is sufficient, Rivers says.

COVID-19 spreads most easily through close contact when people are at their sickest—though asymptomatic individuals may still infect others, the CDC reported. Health officials still aren’t sure if recovered people actually spread it, though people technically emit or “shed” the virus from their throats and feces, Some people tested positive several weeks after their recovery, two February studies found, though that didn’t necessarily make them infectious.

Where did the virus originate from?

The SARS-CoV-2 virus first appeared in Wuhan, China in late December 2019. The specific source is currently unknown, though many of the first COVID-19 patients had visited a fish and wild animal market. Researchers are now investigating the exact relationship between the virus and bats. It may have jumped from bats to an intermediary animal before reaching humans.

Pinpointing the origin could be important to avoiding high-risk situations in the future, Rivers says, yet it may not be worth obsessing over wet markets (which sell fresh meat, fish, and produce).

“I do not put a lot of stock in pinning down a particular moment,” she says. “So, whether it was the market I don’t know, but I think those kinds of stories are more allegorical than literal.”

How does it actually get into my body?

The SARS-CoV-2 virus most commonly enters the body through droplets from the nose and mouth, along with close contact. The disease can therefore easily spread in infected households and physical interactions like handshakes, Rivers says.

How does the novel coronavirus affect children?

As of February, people younger than 10 years old only counted for about 1 percent or 416 of China’s total 72, 314 total cases. Most infected children presented mild cold-like symptoms, which may contribute to underdiagnosis in youths. Yet kids can still contract and spread the virus to more vulnerable populations: A recent study on the Chinese city of Shenzhen reported a sharp increase in identified children’s cases, which could indicate COVID-19 easily spreads within families.

Can pets spread COVID-19?

Your pet likely can’t infect you with the virus—though they can catch it and test positive for weak levels of the novel virus, according to Hong Kong’s Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department. A Pomeranian living in Hong Kong may have caught the disease from its owner, though it didn’t show any symptoms.

There is no evidence that dogs play a role in the spread of this human disease or that they can become sick, the World Organization for Animal Health said. Pet owners should practice basic hygiene measures like “hand washing before and after being around or handling animals, their food, or supplies, as well as avoiding kissing, licking, or sharing food.”

Can it be transferred through food and drink?

Though there’s currently no definitive evidence, infected people who handle food could possibly pass on the virus (it’s been found in people’s stool and can spread through droplets from the nose or mouth). Yet the cooking process may kill the virus, infectious disease specialist Todd Ellerin said in a blog post.

Can you get COVID-19 more than once?

In February, rumors swirled about a Japanese woman who allegedly developed COVID-19 twice. Experts concluded that it was most likely a relapse rather than a second infection.

In general, reinfection seems highly unlikely: Most infectious diseases trigger a permanent immune response during recovery, Rivers says. If anyone were to get COVID-19 a second time, it’d be immunocompromised individuals—though, she says, that’d still be quite rare.

How long does the coronavirus live on surfaces?

New research suggests that the virus can persist in the air for about three hours and remain on some surfaces, like plastic and stainless steel, for up to two to three days. The timing seems to depend on the specific material, with shorter detection periods on cardboard (up to 24 hours) and copper (up to four hours).

Solutions that contain diluted bleach could effectively disinfect surfaces, though the optimal cleaning method is currently unknown. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean it can infect people. COVID-19 can only be proven to spread if it’s grown in a lab environment, which warrants more extensive study.

“There’s a difference between what’s possible and what’s the most likely route of transmission,” Rivers says.

For now, the CDC recommends disinfecting surfaces to lower the possible risk of infection.

Can I become infected when taking public transportation?

As mentioned above, the virus’ effect on surfaces, including stainless steel poles and plastic or fabric seats, is still unclear. However, it can definitely spread through droplets from the nose or mouth so standing on a packed train during rush hour could therefore pose a risk, particularly on longer commutes: Close contact (less than 6 feet apart) for at least 15 minutes with an infected person likely spreads COVID-19.

Currently, public transit authorities around the world are taking precautions like disinfecting vehicles and adjusting ventilation to prevent transmission, though it’s unclear whether these measures are effective.

Does the flu shot protect me?

There’s no direct advantage, Rivers says, because coinfection of both the flu and COVID-19 doesn’t appear to be common. Still, fewer flu patients could significantly lessen the burden on health care providers.

What should I do if soap and hand sanitizer are sold out?

As cleaning supplies fly off the shelves, some stores have begun to ration hand sanitizer and soap—which are extremely helpful in preventing COVID-19 infections. Though professionally manufactured products are ideal, it’s possible to make your own hand sanitizer until you can buy more.

Should I shave my beard to avoid infection?

Shaven or unshaven, beards probably have nothing to do with the disease’s spread. Last month, online misinformation led users to believe that the CDC recommended certain beard shapes over others to avoid COVID-19. The popular poster was not produced in relation to the novel coronavirus outbreak, but rather intended for professionals who require respiratory protection at work. For the average person, the CDC advises against face masks unless you’re already feeling ill.

Can it spread through feces?

Even after people stop showing symptoms, traces of the virus can appear in their feces. It’s currently unclear, however, whether this residue is infectious. You are far more likely to acquire or spread the virus through close contact and droplets.

Can handling cash give me COVID-19?

Again, we don’t really know how long the virus stays on surfaces and whether lingering residue can actually infect people. If you’re worried, perhaps switch to credit cards or Apple Pay (make sure to regularly disinfect your phone and your cards). And, as always, wash your hands.

Correction: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that staying within 6 feet of an infected person (not about 6 feet away from them) can increase someone’s chances of getting the virus.

Please don't freeze the entire chicken like this when you store this soup. There's a process. (Jenny Huang/)

Follow all of PopSci’s COVID-19 coverage here, including travel advice, pregnancy concerns, and the latest findings on the virus itself.

As humanity responds to the COVID-19 pandemic by canceling large events, working from home, self-quarantining, and locking down portions of countries where the virus has spread quickly, there’s a chance you might be stuck inside for a while. And you gotta eat. Canned food and other non-perishables are fine and all, but we’ve got two words that will absolutely change the game: Frozen. Soup.

Beyond the fact that soups are like warm hugs for your insides, freezing them allows you to transform quick-spoiling produce into a long-lasting food supply that’s easy to reheat. Just drop those savory blocks of soup-ice in a pot and let ‘em melt. Plus, cooking is an excellent way to pass the time when you can’t leave the house. Heck, get the whole family involved.

So we asked our good friends at Saveur to send us their favorite soup recipes. Now, we’re passing them on to you.

“Green” gumbo (gumbo z’herbes)

Traditionally, there's no meat in this gumbo, but you can use meat stock if you want. (Thomas Payne/)

A traditional dish for Louisiana’s Catholics during Lent, this meatless gumbo recipe serves 10 to 12 people. The ingredients are fairly standard, combining yellow onions, celery, a green bell pepper, and garlic with a sizeable amount of whatever leafy greens you have on hand. It’s one of Saveur food editor Kat Craddock’s favorites, and although it’s usually vegetable-only, she sometimes likes to sneak in a little andouille sausage or a smoked turkey leg.

Spring pea soup with leeks and herbs

This vibrant soup is excellent served warm or chilled, but we haven't tried it as a popsicle. (Thomas Payne/)

This simple soup contains exactly what is advertised: peas, leeks, and herbs. There’s a little more to it than that, of course, but not much. As a bonus, if you’ve been looking for a reason to use that bag of frozen peas that’s gone untouched for ages, you can use it here. Start to finish, it’ll take about two hours to make this recipe, and you’ll need a blender.

Caramelized onion, fennel, and mushroom soup

If you get bored of how this one tastes, just make it with different mushrooms. Problem solved. (Farideh Sadeghin/)

Another straightforward recipe, this one’s for the mushroom lovers. Yeah, you can use a pound of your favorite mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, portobello, whatever), but you can also amp up that earthy flavor with 8 cups of mushroom stock. If you’d rather not, or just don’t have any on hand, you can just use beef stock. Pour a little bit of white wine in there, too, while you’re at it.

Chickpea and pasta soup

This soup is a meal in and of itself. (Farideh Sadeghin/)

Adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe, this soup needs no accompaniments—it’ll fill you up on its own. If you’ve got canned chickpeas in your pantry, simply combine them with celery, a carrot, an onion, and a few ingredients. Then toss in some pasta. You might find it a bit thicker than the soup you’re used to—the pasta absorbs a lot of liquid—but you can add more stock to thin it out as it reheats.

Roasted chicken, corn, and saffron soup

It's hard to go wrong with chicken and noodles. (Matt Taylor-Gross/)

Chicken noodle soup is probably the first soup you remember eating, and you might think it’s hard to improve on something so loved. This recipe makes an old standard a little more fun. It’ll take two hours (you’ve got to roast a whole chicken), but when you’re done you’ll have enough for 8 to 10 people. If you’re not familiar with saffron, it’s a somewhat sweet spice that’s grown extensively in Spain and Iran, but can be purchased from a few growers in the U.S. as well as from international suppliers.

Carrot soup with ginger and leeks

Seasonally, this spicy carrot ginger soup is great in the winter, but who cares about seasons when you're stuck inside? (Katherine Whittaker/)

Get ready to puree some carrots—you’ll need a blender for this one. If you want to add a little heat to the soup, consider adding chopped hot red chiles or crushed red pepper flakes, but that’s totally optional if you like things on the mild side. Once you’ve got a nice, smooth base, add some cooked sausage to complete the dish.

Boeuf Bourguignon (Burgundy-style beef stew)

You might have to spend a little more time with this stew, but it's worth it. (Ingalls Photography/)

Most of the soups on this list so far have been heavily vegetable-based, but this one’s for the meat lovers. You will have to marinate the beef overnight, so make sure you’re prepared for that time commitment. Beyond its namesake ingredient, this stew has bacon, carrots, garlic, onions, and mushrooms. You can serve it with bread, too, but if you don’t have any, don’t worry—just eat it straight out of a bowl.

Chicken soup with rice, carrots, and kale

If you think food automatically tastes better when it's linked to a family member, you might like this soup. (Jenny Huang/)

This soup comes with a little bit of a story—it’s an adaptation of a soup that Saveur’s former editor-in-chief, Stacy Adimando, learned how to make from her grandmother. It’s a little more complicated than tossing a bunch of stuff into a pot, as you’ll need to cook and shred the chicken and make some rice, but this recipe transforms relatively simple ingredients into something Adimando says she simply “cannot live without.”

Eggs poached in tomato sauce (shakshuka)

For those who like to eat breakfast all day, or want to eat eggs for dinner. (Matt Taylor-Gross/)

Diverging a bit from what most you might consider soup, this hearty dish is a solid choice for any meal of the day. It’s a classic breakfast in Israel, and Craddock says it’s her go-to brunch for New Year’s Day because it’s so easy to prepare in advance. You don’t need a big pot for it either, just a 12-inch pan or cast iron skillet. Don’t poach the eggs before you freeze it, though—wait until you reheat the sauce and slide them just before serving.

Yucatecan turkey soup with lime (sopa de lima)

Charring the peppers, onion, and garlic before simmering them in the soup deepens the flavor of this take on the Yucatán's sopa de lima. (Jenny Huang/)

A popular regional specialty in Mérida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán, this deeply flavored soup combines turkey with peppers, onion, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and lime. If you can’t get your hands on a turkey leg, skinless chicken thighs work, too. It goes well with corn chips.

Rhode Island clam chowder

Digging up clams can be hard. Pouring them out of a can is not. (Jenny Huang/)

This recipe calls for fresh clams, but Craddock says canned clams and clam broth are acceptable replacements if you’re stuck inside due to a viral outbreak. It’ll also be a little easier to do so, as cooking with whole clams can be tricky—if you don’t clean them well enough, they’ll leave sand in your food. But when you can’t go outside and want a little taste of New England, any kind of clams in a savory broth made with potatoes, onion, and celery will do the trick.

Alphabet is building a website that will help people in the United States screen themselves for symptoms of COVID-19 and then, if necessary, direct them to drive-thru testing locations, President Donald Trump announced today. Users will be able to ty...

UPDATE - November 5, 2020: This story has been updated with the latest information available. Concerns over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) has led to the closure of Disneyland, the cancellation of E3, the suspension of the NBA and NHL seasons, the postponement of WonderCon, and many more events that have been either axed entirely or delayed until a later date. On top of this, many movies' releases have also been pushed back, a trend that began in March with the delay of Daniel Craig's final James Bond film, No Time to Die. All the studios have since followed suit, including Paramount, Universal, and Disney. Additionally, networks and studios have suspended or delayed filming on their major films and TV shows that were currently in production, and we also have a running list of all the shows and movies facing production delays at the bottom of this post. First, here's a quick look at all the movies that have been postponed (for far) in order to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Every Movie Release Date Delayed Because of Coronavirus

Fast & Furious 9

The biggest push back, so far, has been Fast 9's one-year delay. Universal has stated that the latest Fast & Furious franchise installment, which was originally set for a release this May, will now be released in April 2021. In a statement to IGN, Universal Pictures confirmed that "We are moving the global release date to April 2021, with North America opening on April 2."

No Time to Die

No Time to Die, James Bond's latest film, has been delayed until November 2020 "after careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical marketplace." The film will now be released in theaters on November 12, 2020, in the U.K. and on November 20, 2020, in the US.

Mulan

Disney announced in March that its live-action remake of Mulan had been indefinitely delayed from its original release date of March 27. It was then given a release date of July 24 and then August 21. However, on July 23 Disney announced that the film had been indefinitely postponed again due to the ongoing pandemic.

A Quiet Place: Part II

Just a week out from its release, writer-director John Krasinski announced on Twitter that A Quiet Place: Part II has been delayed. Paramount has rescheduled the sequel for September 4, 2020.

The Lovebirds

Paramount has pushed back its theatrical release for The Lovebirds, a romantic action-comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae that was scheduled to open April 3. Netflix has set a May 22, 2020 premiere date for the film.

The New Mutants

Sadly, after years of sitting on the shelf, and then finally getting a release date, The New Mutants' premiere has been postponed again. The film was due out on April 3, then pulled from the schedule, and now it has been rescheduled for August 28, 2020.

Antlers

Disney is also delaying the release of their Searchlight horror title Antlers, which was slated to open April 17. It now has a date of February 19, 2021.

Blue Story

Paramount's Blue Story, directed by Andrew Onwubolu, centers on two London youths whose lives are scarred by gang warfare. The film was to be released on March 20 but now is another title with no current date set.

Black Widow and the MCU

Marvel and Disney postponed the next MCU film, Black Widow, in March. It was previously scheduled for release on May 1 in the U.S. The first solo film for Scarlett Johanson’s Black Widow character, the film then went from a November 6 release date to its current May 7, 2021 spot. Those changes caused a cascade effect for the MCU movies. Essentially, what has happened as a result of Black Widow's delay is all of the current Marvel films also got bumped. Eternals moved to Feb. 12, 2021, which was Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ old date, and then again to May 7,2021. Shang-Chi went to May 7, 2021, which was Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' old date, and then shifted again to July 9, 2021. Doctor Strange 2 was first moved to Nov. 5, 2021, which was where Thor: Love and Thunder used to sit, but the good doctor was subsequently pushed again to March 25, 2022. The fourth Thor movie now will hit on Feb. 11, 2022. Meanwhile, Black Panther 2 still has its May 8, 2022 perch, and Captain Marvel 2 is now set for July 8, 2022, which the studio had previously claimed for a TBD title. Additionally, Disney has removed two films from its schedule (an untitled March 25, 2022, live-action movie and an untitled April 8, 2022, 20th Century Fox film). It replaced the Fox film with a Disney live-action film and has set "an event movie" for July 9, 2021... which was eventually dropped. Whew.

Spiral

The Saw franchise continuation/reboot starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson was slated to open May 15, but Lionsgate has postponed it a whole year to May 21, 2021. The horror film is directed by Saw series veteran Darren Lynn Bousman.

The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run

Paramount's The Spongebob Movie: Sponge On The Run had previously shifted from its original May 22 release date to July 31, but now the studio has pushed the animated film back another week to August 7, 2020.

Antebellum

Janelle Monáe stars in this mind-bending horror-thriller that appears to take place in both the past and the present. The film was slated to open April 24 but Lionsgate has now bumped it from that date to August 21, 2020.

The Forever Purge

The Purge 5, now titled The Forever Purge, was previously set for release on July 10, 2020, but is now unset and will be redated at a later time. The Forever Purge is directed by Everardo Gout, writer-director of the award-winning thriller Days of Grace.

Minions: The Rise of Gru

After Universal initially announced that they would be unable to finish the Minions sequel in tie for its original July 2020 release, the studio subsequently set a July 2, 2021 release date for it (yes, exactly a year from when it supposed to open). Universal also postponed Sing 2 to December 22, 2021 and has indefinitely delayed its screen adaptation of Wicked.

Trolls World Tour

The show goes on for this DreamWorks Animation sequel ... but in a different and very experimental way. Universal became the first major Hollywood studio to break the traditional window separating when a new movie release debuts in theaters to when it is available on-demand. The studio made its animated film Trolls World Tour available to consumers on-demand day and date with its original theatrical release date (April 10 in the US and UK).

Pixar's Soul

Disney postponed their Pixar Animation title Soul from its original June 19, 2020 date to November 20, 2020.

Infinite

The release of director Antoine Fuqua's sci-fi/action film Infinite, starring Mark Wahlberg and Chiwetel Ejiofor, has been rescheduled from August 7, 2020 to May 28, 2021.

Wonder Woman 1984

Wonder Woman 1984 shifted from its original June 5 release date to August 14. "We made Wonder Woman 1984 for the big screen and I believe in the power of cinema," director Patty Jenkins tweeted. "In these terrible times, when theater owners are struggling as so many are, we are excited to re-date our film to August 14th 2020 in a theater near you, and pray for better times for all by then." On June 12 it was revealed that the film had shifted again to Oct. 2, and then in September the film was pushed once more to Christmas Day 2020.

The Batman

The Batman has been pushed to Oct. 1, 2021. Star Robert Pattinson tested positive for COVID-19 in September, 2020, leading to the film's production being halted for the second time during the pandemic.

Top Gun: Maverick

Top Gun: Maverick was to have opened June 24 but will now hit theaters December 23 instead.

In the Heights

The big screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's acclaimed stage musical has delayed a whole year to June 18, 2021.

Malignant

Director James Wan's next horror film has been indefinitely postponed. Its original August 14 release date is now occupied by Wonder Woman 1984.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

The Ghostbusters sequel was supposed to hit in July of this summer but has been pushed to almost a year from now, on March 5, 2021.

Morbius

The Jared Leto-starring Marvel/Sony production is now set for March 19, 2021, bumped from its previous July 31, 2020, perch.

Uncharted

The eternally delayed adaptation of Uncharted is delayed once more. The Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg production was slated for March 5, 2021, and then October 8, 2021 but is now scheduled for July, 16, 2021.

Raya and the Last Dragon

Disney postponed the release of their animated film Raya and the Last Dragon from November 25, 2020 to March 12, 2021.

Untitled Sony Marvel Film

We're not sure what this mystery project is. Spider-Man 3? Venom 3? Morbius 2? Whatever it was, it went from a planned release date of October 8, 2021, to a TBD date now.

Spider-Man 3 and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2

Sony has moved its untitled Spider-Man: Far From Home sequel from July 16, 2021, to Nov. 5, 2021. And Sony Pictures Animation’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2 has been pushed from April 8, 2022, to Oct. 7, 2022.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Venom 2 has been delayed eight months, from October 2, 2020, to June 25, 2021. With the news of the delay, the film's full title was also released: Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Huh, one has to wonder who the bad guy will be in this one?

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway

Sony has also pushed the release date of the Peter Rabbit sequel to January 15, 2021. It was originally meant to arrive on March 27 in the U.K. and Europe and, most recently, in the U.S. in August.

The Tomorrow War

Paramount's The Tomorrow War -- a sci-fi/action movie starring Chris Pratt -- had been scheduled to open Dec. 25 but has been rescheduled for wide release on July 23, 2021.

Candyman

MGM and Universal’s Candyman reboot from writer-producer Jordan Peele and director Nia DaCosta, and starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman), has been pushed to a September 25, 2020 opening. Praise This, a romantic drama also from the studio, had previously held that date but now has a TBD release.

Jungle Cruise

The Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt adaptation of the classic Disney ride had previously held a July 24, 2020, release date. That has now gone to Mulan, which means Jungle Cruise has been bumped a year to July 30, 2021.

Indiana Jones 5

While Lucasfilm's Indiana Jones 5 technically doesn't even have a director at the moment (James Mangold is rumored to be in discussions to take the reins), it did have a release date of July 9, 2021. That has now been bumped all the way to July 29, 2022.

Free Guy

The Ryan Reynolds video game comedy from 20th Century Studios was slated for this past summer on July 3 but was moved to December 11. On November 5 it was removed from the release schedule entirely, with no new date attached.

Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile, director/star Kenneth Branagh’s sequel to Murder on the Orient Express, was rescheduled several times before being removed from the release schedule with no new date attached.

The Woman in the Window

Director Joe Wright's thriller The Woman in the Window, starring Amy Adams and Gary Oldman, was originally scheduled for May 15, 2020. It is currently undated.

The Personal History of David Copperfield

The Personal History of David Copperfield, starring Dev Patel, was moved to August 14, 2020 and, most recently, to Aug. 28, 2020.

The French Dispatch

Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch was to be released on July 24, 2020, but was moved to October 16 before being removed from Disney’s release calendar.

Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0

Evangelion 3.0 + 10.0 (also known as Shin Evangelion) has been delayed indefinitely from its planned June 27 release in Japan. An announcement post says: "As for the future release schedule, as soon as it is decided, we will inform you immediately on the "Evangelion" official website". The movie - the last in a series of four new Evangelion films - has no scheduled western release date.

Mission: Impossible 7 and 8

The Tom Cruise action perennial is also delayed. M:I 7 was expected to hit on July 23, 2021, but has been pushed to Nov. 19, 2021. And M:I 8 has gone from Aug. 5, 2022, to Nov. 4, 2022. Shooting on 7 was expected to start in Italy in February but was halted due to the pandemic.

John Wick: Chapter 4

The fourth installment of the John Wick action franchise was originally slated to hit theaters on May 21, 2021, but has been pushed back to May 27, 2022. John Wick 4's original 2021 release date would have seen it open against The Matrix 4, another highly anticipated sequel starring Keanu Reeves.

Tenet

Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated opus Tenet had avoided pushing its release date until just over a month before that planned debut. The film was intended to hit on July 17 but was moved to July 31, and then to mid-August, before being indefinitely postponed. The studio will re-release Nolan's Inception on July 17 instead to honor the film's 10th anniversary, with an extended sneak peek at Tenet attached.

Godzilla vs. Kong

Warner Bros. has postponed this monster mash from Nov. 20, 2020, to May 21, 2021.

The Matrix 4

The Matrix 4 has paused production in Berlin. The film, which was originally slated for a 2021 release, will now open April 1, 2022.

Star Wars

On July 23, Disney announced many changes in its release schedule due to the ongoing pandemic. That includes the next batch of Star Wars movies, which are now planned for December 22, 2023, December 19, 2025, and December 17, 2027. What exactly these films are about remains to be seen.

Avatar Sequels

James Cameron’s Avatar sequels have been getting delayed since long before the pandemic, and now it's happened again. Here's the new line-up of dates: Avatar 2 (December 16, 2022), Avatar 3 (December 20, 2024), Avatar 4 (December 18, 2026), and Avatar 5 (December 22, 2028).

Every Movie and TV Show Production Delayed

On top of these finished films getting their release dates pushed back, many projects currently in production have halted. The biggest projects that have halted production include the following:

• HBO has delayed filming on their series Barry and Succession.
• Filming on HBO Max's Friends Reunion Special has been postponed for at least two months.
• Pre-production on the Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg Uncharted movie has been delayed for six weeks.
• SNL has postponed its next three shows that were supposed to begin airing on March 28.
• Production on the fourth season of FX's Fargo has been postponed, and as a result the show's April 19 premiere date has also been pushed.
• The Matrix 4 has paused production in Berlin. The film will now open April 1, 2022.
• Amazon's Lord of the Rings TV series has suspended production for at least two weeks, in addition to suspensions on Wheel of Time and Carnival Row Season 2.
• The Witcher Season 2 has suspended production in London for two weeks, and Netflix has paused filming on all of its TV shows and movies in the US and Canada, including Stranger Things Season 4.
• Fantastic Beasts 3 was shut down on what was to have been its first day of production.
• Mission: Impossible 7
• Jurassic World: Dominion
• All of Marvel Studios' Disney+ shows that are currently in production, including Marvel's The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Loki, and WandaVision have been put on hold. Shows that are in pre-production will continue remote work. (Disney TV Studios, which includes ABC Studios, 20th Century Fox TV, and NatGeo, has also suspended production on 16 pilots and series, including Cynthia Erivo's Genius: Aretha.)
• Billy Eichner's Romantic Comedy Bros
• Ridley's Scott's The Last Duel
• Disney's Live-Action Little Mermaid
• Fox's Home Alone Reboot
• Disney's Peter Pan & Wendy
• Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley
• Disney's Shrunk
• Marvel's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Seven Rings
• Flint Strong
• Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Biopic
• ABC's Grey's Anatomy
• AMC has halted production on Fear the Walking Dead Season 6 until at least the week of April 13. Pre-production on Season 11 of The Walking Dead has also been delayed for a month, although the writers' room is still active and working on scripts.
• All Apple TV Plus Shows: See, Servant, For All Mankind, Lisey’s Story, Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet, The Morning Show, and Foundation
• FX's Y: The Last Man, Atlanta, Fargo, and Snowfall
• NBC has suspended or accelerated production on 35 scripted, unscripted, and syndicated shows and pilots, including Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., and Law and Order: SVU.
• Warner Bros. TV's The Flash, Riverdale, Lucifer, Supernatural, Batwoman, Young Sheldon, and an unspecified number of the studio's other 70+ shows and pilots have been suspended. WB released this statement: "With the rapidly changing events related to COVID-19, and out of an abundance of caution, Warner Bros. Television Group is halting production on some of our 70-plus series and pilots currently filming or about to begin. There have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on any of our productions, but the health and safety of our employees, casts and crews remains our top priority. During this time, we will continue to follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control as well as local officials and public health professionals in each city where our productions are based."
• ViacomCBS (which includes CBS, Paramount TV Studios, and Showtime) is not commenting on specific shows, but released a general statement: "Over the past few days, we began making decisions to temporarily postpone production on some of our pilots and current series. At this time, we are evaluating situations on a case-by-case basis, informed by the best information from health experts and government officials. Some productions may continue as long as they do not involve live audiences and/or environments that are considered at risk. The safety and welfare of our production team is our top priority." Production on globetrotting reality shows The Amazing Race and Survivor was previously suspended. (We're keeping an eye out for Showtime's Halo.)
• The Walking Dead: World Beyond has postponed its April premiere date.
• American Horror Story Season 10 has been delayed into 2021.

For more on this rapidly evolving situation, check out what a major movie studio executive told IGN about what to expect next for movies in 2020... [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/13/how-coronavirus-delays-are-impacting-2020-movies-ign-now"] Do you need an escape during these trying times? Here's a bunch of feel-good movies and shows you can stream right now. Keep it locked into IGN for all the latest news from the entertainment world regarding COVID-19. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

The Dyson 360 Heurist robot vacuum cleaner has just launched in the UK. It costs £799.99 − just as the Dyson 360 Eye did when it came out in 2016 − which makes it significantly more expensive than most other robot vacs on the market. According to Dyson’s design lead, aside from the bells and whistles of the Heurist’s new navigation and mapping system, one of the main things sets it apart from the competition is that it’s designed to clean more than just the floor.

“Filtration, the ability to separate the dust from the air, is incredibly important to us. We are entering a marketplace, with robot vacuum cleaners, where this doesn’t seem as important to our competitors,” John Ord told Trusted Reviews ahead of the Heurist’s launch.

“They are not really taking the dirt out of the air in the way that they should do … it’s important to us that we don’t let dust out of the back of the vacuum.”

Related: Best robot vacuum cleaners

One of the Heurist’s key features is its brush bar, which spans the full width of the machine. Many other robot vacuum cleaners instead rely on a pair of spinning side-sweepers instead.

“[With the Heurist] it’s not just that there is no dust on the floor, there’s no dust on any of the furniture either. So clearly my robot is cleaning my environment, and not just the floor,” Ord continued.

“We’ve found that with some of our competitors that have side-sweepers. We intentionally haven’t gone down that route, because we find that they tend to kick up the dust more than they sweep it into the right place. They’re quite good with large debris, they’ll tend to pull some types of debris into the path of the jaws, but they tend to chuck dust up in the air.

“We don’t do that. We’ve put a lot of effort into trying to get a full-width brush bar rather than having a small brush bar and side-sweepers. We think this is much more honest.”

In other words, Dyson considers the Heurist to be a primary vacuum cleaner, and doesn’t think the same of some of the alternatives on the market.

The Heurist also uses a filtration system that Dyson calls Radial Root Cyclone technology. According to the firm, it can capture allergens and particles as small as 0.3 microns. Ord says it’s the same as the filtration system inside the 360 Eye, because it quite simply didn’t need upgrading.

“I’ve done a bit of an exercise where I’ve stripped all of the filtration components out of our robot to try to get close to our competitors, and I would save 30% of our energy in order to get the same filtration as some of our competitors,” Ord said.

“Strip another robot vacuum and you’ll quite quickly see how seriously we take filtration.”

Since the 360 Eye’s release, Dyson says it has seen more robot vacuums from its competitors, such as the Neato Botvac D6 Connected, embrace a wide brush bar, and it believes that this will become a more and more common feature.

Related: Best steam cleaners

“A lot of other robot vacuums now are going for a D-shape where they can have a full-wide brush bar in the front,” Ord said.

“They’re picking up on the fact that we’ve created a message, which is that cleaning is important. Chucking dust in the air and redistributing dust is not a good thing. And as a result, our owners are requesting that, not just from our vacuum but from all of our competitors as well. And the market is moving in the right direction.”

The post "Chucking dust in the air is not good": What sets Dyson robot vacuum cleaners apart from the competition, according to Dyson appeared first on Trusted Reviews.

We finally learn a whole lot more about the Zhat Vash, synthetic life, Soji's family, and Rios's tragic past in Star Trek: Picard's eighth episode, "Broken Pieces." After the quick visit to Will Riker and Deanna Troi on Nepenthe, Jean-Luc and Soji are back aboard La Sirena and ready to make their way to Soji's homeworld. Everything is finally coming together, including the events on the Artifact, the Romulans' plans for synthetics, and the mystery of the Zhat Vash. And as always, there are a whole lot of references to Star Trek lore and history to give it all context.

From Seven of Nine's return to Rios's dabbling in Vulcan philosophy, we've got a whole lot of Trek Easter eggs in Episode 8. Here's everything we discovered that ties into various Trek series, including The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager.

1. Commodore Oh, The Romulan

We've been wondering what Commodore Oh's deal is since she was introduced as a Romulan operative back in Episode 1, although back then, she appeared to be a Vulcan. Turns out, she's not just working for the Zhat Vash, she's a member. We learn later that Oh is half Romulan and half Vulcan, which allowed her to attain her position as head of Starfleet Security without tipping anybody about her Romulan heritage. We know from past Star Trek series, especially The Next Generation, that Starfleet wouldn't have allowed anyone of Romulan descent into their ranks--and especially not at a high level. So Oh is more than a traitor, but a Romulan plant.

2. The Zhat Vash Secret

We kind of, sort of got a look at the overarching secret the Zhat Vash have been guarding for centuries--the one that's worth killing in order to keep. That secret is something known as the Admonition, a vision from an ancient alien society about how it somehow wiped itself out by creating synthetic life. The vision is so horrible and the destruction so profound that not everyone who witnesses the Admonition can even handle the knowledge, with Zhat Vash recruits often going mad or committing suicide immediately after learning the secret. It seems like there's more to the situation, though; another civilization creating synthetic life and then getting wiped out by it doesn't seem like much of a secret, really--and wouldn't the Zhat Vash be more apt to accomplish their anti-synth goals by sharing that information with others, rather than hiding it and doing a bunch of spy stuff? It seems like there's more here that hasn't been uncovered yet.

3. Data In The Admonition

There are a lot of quick shots hidden within the Admonition, but a key one is a look at one of the non-sentient Federation synths, whose face then transforms into the visage of Data. We know hatred of synthetics is the big thing driving the Zhat Vash, and that obviously extended to Data as one of the only sentient androids in existence, but his appearance here suggests that the Zhat Vash have been very worried about Data for a long while. Though Soji is referred to as the Destroyer by the Zhat Vash, it's probably more accurate to say that Data, as the progenitor of a new synthetic race through Bruce Maddox's work, is the real Destroyer.

4. Ramdha Killed The Borg Cube

One of the mysteries of Picard so far is the Artifact, the decommissioned Borg Cube the Romulans have been studying and salvaging for quite a while now. As Soji mentioned earlier in the season, nobody is quite sure what happened to the Artifact--it just stopped functioning one day, and the Romulans discovered it and took it over. Now we know that what really happened was Ramdha. According to Soji, Ramdha's ship was the only Romulan vessel known to ever be assimilated by the Borg. It was a Tal Shiar vessel, but it seems the crew might have been entirely Zhat Vash. Instead of becoming regular drones, it seems, the Romulans went mad when they were assimilated into the Borg race, since it combined them with synthetic life, the thing they hated the most.

Ramdha, on the other hand, had direct knowledge of the Admonition. According to Narissa, her despair about the Admonition filtered through the Collective when she was assimilated. Essentially, she hated synthetic life so much that those thoughts and feelings were sent to every other Borg in the Cube, which caused it to shut down. It sounds like a variation on what happened to the Borg on The Next Generation when Hugh returned to his Collective after discovering his individuality. When Hugh rejoined the other Borg, his individuality filtered out to all the other drones, which caused them to become individuals as well. That fractured the Collective, messing up everyone on the Cube, and giving rise to a whole separate Borg subculture that wasn't sure how to live or survive without its Collective.

5. A Subspace Link

A long-running Star Trek communication technology is subspace communication, which is what Picard asks for to contact Starfleet for help. Subspace is a feature of regular space that allows for faster-than-light travel--basically, it allows for communications over vast distances without waiting years for something like a radio signal to arrive. Starfleet mostly uses subspace for command communications with its ships, and there are relays throughout the Federation to help get subspace signals where they need to go as quickly as possible.

6. Deep Space 12

There are a whole bunch of Starfleet starbases scattered throughout the Federation, as well as the Deep Space stations, which are positioned out toward the borders of Federation territory. The most famous is Deep Space 9, of course, which was located close to Bajor and the Cardassian border. Picard and the La Sirena are headed for Deep Space 12, which sounds like it's closer to Romulan territory.

7. A Single Neuron

Raffi calls out Picard for his commitment to Soji when the pair finally make it back to La Sirena--as Raffi puts it, Picard built an entire heroic fantasy out of "one pissant little neuron." She's referring to the "fractal cloning" technique that apparently brought Soji and Dahj into existence. According to Agnes Jurati in Episode 1, Bruce Maddox was able to use a single positronic neuron from Data to recreate an entire positronic brain. So Soji and Dahj were created from Data, and from Raffi's point of view, it's Picard's loyalty to Data that's making him so willing to risk everything for Soji.

8. The Emergency Holograms Have Names

After Rios meets Soji, he shuts himself up in his quarters and activates all his crew holograms to run the ship in his stead. We learn that the holograms are all scans of Rios, and also have some information about his past--although much of it has been blocked or deleted by Rios, it seems. We also learn that the holograms have names related to their functions: Enoch for the Emergency Navigation Hologram, Emmit for the Emergency Tactical Hologram, and Ian for the Emergency Engineering Hologram.

9. The Conclave Of Eight Is A Place, Not People

Back in Episode 3, we saw a flashback of Raffi trying to convince Picard that the attack on Mars was the work of a Romulan conspiracy, someone she referred to as the Conclave of Eight. At the time, Raffi thought the Conclave was a group of conspirators, but with the help of Enoch, she comes around to the theory that the Conclave of Eight is an octonary star system--the place where the Romulans discovered the Admonition.

10. Regenerating The Borg Cube

The Borg are an incredibly dangerous threat throughout many Star Trek series, largely because they're so tough to kill. Borg drones are able to adapt to protect themselves against weapons like phasers and disruptors after a few shots, and their ships have a similar capacity. When a Borg Cube does take damage, it rebuilds itself, or "regenerates," since the entire ship is also a machine linked to the Collective. When Seven of Nine taps into the Cube's controls, she starts its regeneration in hopes of stealing it from the Romulans.

11. Data Vs. Humor

Picard spends some time explaining who Data was to Soji, and it becomes clear to her very quickly that Picard cared deeply for his android friend. They also had a lot in common, including the inability to express emotion well. In talking about Data, Picard also notes that he tried very hard to understand the concept of humor, but never quite got it. "Data never made anyone laugh on purpose," Picard says, although Data made a lot of attempts. In "The Outrageous Okona" in Season 4 of The Next Generation, Data even took lessons from a computer-generated comedian on the holodeck of the Enterprise, in hopes of figuring out how to make people laugh.

12. Yridian Tea

When the Emergency Hospitality Hologram explains to Raffi why his personality mirrors Rios's, he also explains that Rios deleted a lot of information and files from the holograms' database. Among the removals is the correct temperature for serving Yridian tea. The Yridians are one of the alien races in the alpha quadrant that have appeared a few times on Trek series over the years. On The Next Generation, a Yridian once tried to sell Worf information about his deceased father, Mogh. The race tends to be seen as untrustworthy, but apparently, they have a pretty decent tea.

13. Sarek And Existentialism

Rios has a bunch of books in his quarters, most of them on a philosophical theme about the meaning of life and death. Hemingway, Camus, and Kierkegaard are all represented, as well as a famous Star Trek figure: Sarek. That's the Vulcan ambassador who was father to Spock. Sarek has a history with Jean-Luc Picard, as well; during a diplomatic mission in the episode "Sarek" in Season 3 of The Next Generation, Picard and Sarek shared a mindmeld in order to help Sarek deal with a degenerative condition that was causing him to lose control of his emotions. That created a tight bond between the captain and the ambassador, which allowed Picard to later relate to Spock when he met him on Romulus in the Season 5 episode "Unification."

14. Rios's Starfleet Career

We also see the remnants of Rios's time in Starfleet in the footlocker he keeps in his quarters. Inside are Rios's uniform and the pips used to display his rank, as well as a photo of Rios with the captain of the Ibin Majid, Alonzo Vandermeer.

15. Seven The Borg Queen

Back on the Artifact, Seven of Nine and Elnor are trying to figure out how to escape from the Romulans and liberate the Borg Cube. Seven isn't a fan of the plan, but one way they can do it is for her to take control of the Cube and create a mini-Collective, activating the remaining Borg drones on the Cube who haven't been reclaimed yet. It means, basically, re-assimilating them into the Borg, something Seven is not excited about doing; as a former Borg herself, she knows how horrific being made a slave to the Borg can be, and she's not excited about being responsible for that.

16. Rios's Old-Timey Records

When Raffi talks to Rios, she finds him listening to a vinyl record of Ella Fitzgerald's "In My Solitude." Rios had a whole bunch of vinyl records in his Starfleet footlocker. What's funny is that, at this point in history, vinyl as a medium would be more than 400 years old, so those records might be ancient--Picard would probably say they belong in a museum.

17. "We Are Borg"

It's been a long time since Seven of Nine said one of the signature phrases of the Collective, and it's definitely just as chilling as it was on Star Trek: Voyager years ago.

18. Zefram Cochran And The Warp Threshold

The Admonition suggested to the Zhat Vash that there's a point in the development of artificial intelligence that acts as a threshold, and once that threshold is passed, it's too late to stop anything that might happen--including the creation of the Destroyer. Rios likens it to the creation of warp drive. In Star Trek: First Contact, the Enterprise crew saw humanity's first warp flight, conducted by a scientist named Zefram Cochran, when they traveled to the past. Cochran is a famous figure in Star Trek lore, because his warp flight ushered in humanity's era of space exploration and led eventually to the creation of the Federation. The crew likens Cochran to Noonien Soong, the cyberneticist who created synthetic life in Data and carried the Federation through the AI threshold.

19. The Borg's Transwarp Conduits

The Borg are able to travel even faster than Warp 10, something that's generally seen as impossible (although Warp 10 has popped up in a few different ways in various Star Trek series). To do that, the Borg use a network of "transwarp conduits" that let them use a part of subspace to travel great distances relatively quickly. A transwarp conduit was what allowed Voyager to return from the Delta quadrant at the end of Star Trek: Voyager, but the Federation doesn't really have a handle on transwarp technology in general.

20. "Annika Still Has Work To Do"

With the Cube liberated, Seven of Nine has full power over the small Borg collective she's created. A nervous Elnor asks if she's about to assimilate him, but Seven responds that "Annika still has work to do." Annika Hansen was Seven's human name before she was assimilated--despite being connected to her own Collective, Seven's human side is still asserting itself.

21. Ensign Picard And The Reliant

We've known a fair bit about Picard's past Starfleet assignments, especially his time on the Stargazer, the first ship he served on as captain. On the way to the transwarp conduit, Picard mentions the Reliant, the first ship he served on as an ensign.

22. Captain Marta Batanides

Before Alonzo Vandermeer was captain of the Ibin Majid, he served as first officer to Captain Marta Batanides. She was one of Picard's best friends in Starfleet Academy, and was present with him during the bar fight in which Picard was stabbed, which resulted in him receiving an artificial heart. Picard and Batanides actually even had romantic feelings for each other that they never explored, which we learned about in the Next Generation episode "Tapestry."

When it comes to Legends of Tomorrow, by far the weirdest show in The CW’s Arrow-verse, do rules ever apply? It seems not, thankfully. When a show like Legends of Tomorrow can travel through time, change historic events, and keep a chain-smoking master of the occult on the payroll, all bets are off.

Likewise, Supernatural has never had a problem getting silly. Over its 25 seasons, the characters on the CW series have visited a reality where their lives are a TV show, attended a convention that celebrated them, and been transported into a Scooby-Doo cartoon. So, in a way, it makes perfect sense that these two shows are crossing over.

Of course, when it comes to Legends of Tomorrow and Supernatural, a run-of-the-mill crossover just doesn't fit the bill. So, instead, the Legends are visiting... the set of Supernatural. The CW has released new photos of the March 24 episode of Legends, titles "Zari, Not Zari," and they show Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), Constantine (Matt Ryan), and Charlie (Maisie Richardson-Sellers) spending time with none other than Baby, Dean Winchester's beloved Chevy Impala from Supernatural.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

UPDATE: Universal Pictures has once again delayed the theatrical release of Fast 9, but this time not as dramatically as they did back in March. Fast 9 will now open May 28, 2021, which is Memorial Day weekend in the United States. F9 was previously slated to open April 2, 2021, after being delayed to that date from its original May 22, 2020 slot. Our original report follows. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Universal Pictures has announced that Fast 9, the Fast and Furious sequel originally set for a release this May, will now be released in April 2021, in response to actions taken around the world concerning the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Fast 9, the 10th film in the Fast and Furious franchise, was originally meant for a theatrical release on May 22, 2020. However, a statement from Universal Pictures sent to IGN confirmed that "We are moving the global release date to April 2021, with North America opening on April 2." Universal explained the reasoning behind the delay, saying "It's become clear that it won't be possible for all of our fans around the world to see the film this May." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/31/f9-fast-furious-9-official-trailer-1"] The full statement reads:

To our family of Fast fans everywhere,   We feel all the love and the anticipation you have for the next chapter in our saga.    That’s why it’s especially tough to let you know that we have to move the release date of the film.  It’s become clear that it won’t be possible for all of our fans around the world to see the film this May.    We are moving the global release date to April 2021, with North America opening on April 2.   While we know there is disappointment in having to wait a little while longer, this move is made with the safety of everyone as our foremost consideration.    Moving will allow our global family to experience our new chapter together.  We’ll see you next spring.    Much love, Your Fast Family

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=from-groot-to-dominic-toretto-vin-diesels-8-best-roles&captions=true"] Fans of the Fast franchise were particularly excited for Fast 9's release following the reveal of a major character's return in the debut trailer. Fast 9's director described why that character's return had to happen, while star Vin Diesel has continued to look toward the future of the franchise, having recently discussed whether Fast 10 could be split into two films. Just days ago reports suggested that Universal's Fast 9 and Disney's Black Widow wouldn't see delays due to COVID-19, and while Black Widow's release remains unchanged, Fast 9 is not the only film to see delays. In terms of other delays, A Quiet Place II was delayed a week before its release while No Time to Die was delayed to November 2020. IGN recently spoke with several film industry experts about the potential impact on the film industry of COVID-19. The NBA has also indefinitely suspended its season due to COVID-19, while the gaming industry has seen the cancellation of E3 2020 and a postponement of the Game Developers Conference. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond! and an avid member of the Fast Family. Talk to him about the series on Twitter @jmdornbush.

Kumail Nanjiani is this month's cover star of Men's Health Mag and for it, he recreated iconic shots from several films showing off the work he's done to get in shape for Marvel's Eternals. Specifically, Nanjiani climbed through air ducts, jumped rope, played some volleyball and grew some sideburns to recreate shots from Die Hard, American Psycho, Top Gun, and The Wolverine, respectively. You can check out those photos below. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=kumail-nanjiani-recreates-iconic-shots-from-movies&captions=true"] Nanjiani's ripped transformation was revealed last December and it comes by way of his upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in November's Marvel's Eternals. He said it was only possible because of his trainer and the resources of the largest movie studio in the world. "I never thought I'd be one of those people who would post a thirsty shirtless, but I've worked way too hard for way too long so here we are," Nanjiani said in an Instagram post. "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I found out a year ago I was going to be in Marvel's Eternals and decided I wanted to transform how I looked. I would not have been able to do this if I didn't have a full year with the best trainers and nutritionists paid for by the biggest studio in the world. I'm glad I look like this, but also understand why I never did before. It would have been impossible without these resources and time." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/08/03/marvels-eternals-movie-explained"] The world will see more of Nanjiani's work in Marvel's Eternals but for now, catch up on what to expect from the upcoming MCU entry. Nanjiani recently said it will be the "most sci-fi of all Marvel movies." You can also read up on how Avengers: Endgame sets up Marvel's Eternals. A trailer for Marvel's Eternals has not yet been released to the public, but you can read our break down of the first bits of trailer footage from last year's Brazil Comic Con. Marvel's Eternals will hit theaters on November 6, 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN who has decided he needs to be cast in a Marvel movie so he can get ripped as well. You can follow his current, non-ripped form on Twitter @LeBlancWes.  

It might soon be much easier and safer to determine if someone has been infected by the novel coronavirus. The team behind a Gates Foundation-backed project told the Seattle Times that it's preparing to deliver home testing kits for the virus to Seat...

A natural gas power plant can't always send excess energy into the grid, frequently leading to waste as the gas is flared or vented away. However, a plant in Dresden, New York thinks it has a solution: use that surplus to generate some digital cash....

Full spoilers follow for Star Trek: Picard Episode 7, “Nepenthe.” [poilib element="accentDivider"] One of the more surprising reveals in the ramp-up to Star Trek: Picard was that Jonathan Del Arco would be returning to the role of Hugh the Borg for the new series. Hugh was only seen in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation which aired almost 30 years ago, but the character had a distinct impact on fans as he allowed us to peer behind the veil of that villainous cyborg race. We liked Hugh. We really, really liked him! But much has changed for the character in the years since he had a glowing, mechanical eye and tubes coming out of his molded Borg suit. No, the Hugh of today is just a man with a tortured past -- and Del Arco wouldn’t have it any other way.

Finding the New Hugh

Almost three decades have passed not just for Del Arco but also for Hugh, and as such the character has changed quite a bit since when we last saw him in the TNG episode “Descent, Part II.” It was there that we first got a hint that Hugh’s future might be as a leader of ex-Borg drones -- now called xBs in the era of Picard. “I did a bunch of small things that were physical things to tie the two timelines together,” he says. “Obviously a lot of it was physically and emotionally [and] had to do with the fact that he was much more machine then than he is now. … I worked on creating some kind of connective tissue so when the fans saw it, it would be just enough. I didn't want it to be an overbearing, robotic thing because that would’ve been silly, or a copy or mimic of the speech pattern because, frankly, no one speaks the same as when they were 18 as when they're in their 40s or 50s, so I wanted it to be organic.”[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=I%E2%80%99ve%20changed%20as%20a%20person%2C%20Hugh%E2%80%99s%20changed%20as%20a%20person.%20We're%20still%20the%20same%20people%20inside."] Again, the time that has passed for the actor has also passed for Hugh, and Del Arco used that to his advantage. “I wanted to do a normal human evolution,” he says. “I’ve changed as a person, Hugh’s changed as a person. We're still the same people inside, but we developed ourselves. That was the challenge and it was really kind of one of the most fun slash scary things I've had to do as an actor, to kind of rediscover him.” [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=star-trek-picard-photos&captions=true"]

The Artifact and What Happened Since The Next Generation

As far as Hugh’s backstory between where we last saw him on Next Generation and where we pick up with him as the leader of the Borg Reclamation Project on the Borg cube known as the Artifact, Del Arco says that he did discuss it extensively with the writers of Picard. After Jean-Luc told him in "Descent, Part II" that he, essentially, could be a leader, Hugh took that to heart and took charge of the ex-Borg from that episode. Eventually, they became part of the Federation, and then when the cube that would become the Artifact entered the picture, Hugh was the Federation’s natural choice to make sure there wouldn’t be a “humanitarian crisis” on the vessel. [poilib element="accentDivider"] [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/01/23/star-trek-the-history-of-the-borg-timeline] [poilib element="accentDivider"] “It went from bad to worse on the cube,” he explains. “And so he's got a sense of, ‘Oh my God, we've been abandoned,’ because the Federation no longer has [influence there]. We agreed to sign up for this thing with a full backing and now we're kind of alone on the cube. And though he’s free on the cube, he's actually also a prisoner. So I really researched that -- the Holocaust and how even in the ghettos in the Holocaust, they had leadership which … had a higher ranking than the prisoners. And all that was really fascinating to me because there's a lot of gray area, and gray area is really fun to play with as an actor. Sometimes it’s just black and white. So he had this struggle in trying to keep the line, push back when you can. Obviously we see what happens to him. You know, there's a limit to how much you can push back.” Speaking of which…

The Death of Hugh

Ultimately, Hugh’s return also meant Hugh’s end, as he was killed by Peyton List’s Romulan baddie Rizzo in “Nepenthe” while trying to help his fellow xBs. Del Arco says that while he didn’t know of Hugh’s fate when he was first asked to return to the role, he found out early enough in the process to use it to inform his performance. “It's very liberating knowing that this is how it's going to end, because I just thought, ‘I've only got one shot at this now to really end this right and to really, like, go big or go home,’ he says. “Don't leave anything on the table in terms of my investment and my work. This role is so incredibly important to me for essentially a variety of reasons, from personal to professional, but I really wanted to take what they'd written and do it justice and make good choices, be rational and have them make sense and have them be in line with what I want the legacy of the character to be.” That Hugh spends his final episode and, indeed, his final moments with the Romulan Elnor (Evan Evagora) is surprising, and yet it works very well in the context of the episode as the two attempt to defy the Romulans who are running amuck on the Artifact. Indeed, Hugh gets a great final line when he says to Elnor, “I was that much of a hopeful fool again for a minute. Thanks for that.”[poilib element="quoteBox" parameters="excerpt=I%20think%20he%20saw%20a%20lot%20of%20himself%20in%20Elnor.%20Hugh%20used%20to%20have%20that%20sense%20of%20innocence%2C%20of%20righteousness."] “I was like, ‘This is Hugh’s last moment and I'm going to make some personal choices, and so I'll make them personal choices about how I want them to be,’” says Del Arco. “And I think there were a lot of things about Elnor that for me resonated as a gay man.” There certainly is a spark between the two characters in that moment. And while reps for CBS say that Hugh has not been identified as gay, Del Arco took his own experience as a gay man into consideration when playing that scene. “You know, I think he loved him,” he says. “I think in essence he might've been in love with him in the time that he was there. I think that the hope was really someone loves him. Someone who was idealistic. I think he saw a lot of himself in Elnor. Hugh used to have that sense of innocence, of righteousness. And all those things were hopeful to him, because he hadn't been in a space of hope for all this time. And I think for a minute he thought, ‘You know, I think me and the kid can go all the way with this. We could take the cube. We could save it.’ And there you go. It didn't work out.” And yet… could Hugh return someday despite his death? This is Star Trek, after all. Crazier things have happened. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Talk to Executive Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottCollura, or listen to his Star Trek podcast, Transporter Room 3. Or do both!

Netflix's new show is full of Easter eggs and references.

I'm Not Okay With This is a deeply nostalgic show, and despite being set in the present the show's teen stars seem to love all things '80s. There are plenty of references, Easter eggs, and nods towards other films and '80s icons in the series, as well as a nod or two to End of the F***ing World, which, like I'm Not Okay With This, is a Netflix adaptation of a Charles Forsman graphic novel by director Jonathan Entwistle.

The show follows Sydney Novak, an awkward teenage girl who recently lost her father. Alongside all the other usual teen dramas--pimples, awkward romantic feelings, troubles at school--Sydney has the added burden of a budding psychic power that manifests when she's angry.

In GameSpot's review of Season 1, we praised the show as another successful Netflix Original. "This is a show full of charming performances, fun '80s nostalgia, and a plot that leaves enough dangling to get us excited for more episodes."

Here are some of the references we've spotted in the series so far.

1. Stand By Me

It's not just the fact that one episode of the show is called Stan By Me--the clearest visual homage to Stand By Me is the train tracks that Sydney walks down throughout the movie. The bridge that runs through Brownsville is often in the shot as Sydney walks alongside the tracks, and it's hard not to think of the iconic bridge scene from Rob Reiner's classic film. Thankfully, I'm Not Okay With This contains no scenes of crowds vomiting en masse.

2. Heathers

In the first episode, Sydney is given a diary to write her thoughts in, and all voiceover narration throughout the series is framed as though they are her entries. Michael Lehmann's dark 1988 comedy Heathers used the same framing device, checking in on Veronica for "Dear Diary" voiceovers throughout the movie. That's not the only connection--both movies also escalate to murder.

3. The Breakfast Club

If you've seen The Breakfast Club--the first of three John Hughes classics on this list--then odds are you knew exactly where this show was going the moment Sydney, Dina, Stanley, and Brad were sent to detention. Although the characters don't quite line up to the geek/freak/jock/princess archetypes that gradually get unpacked and deepened over the course of the original movie, the show nails the angry principal character, at least. Of course, Sydney's psychic dilemma and the chaotic element of a fifth character (Jenny, who doesn't seem like a John Hughes fan), the I'm Not Okay With This version of events ends up being a lot more chaotic.

4. Sixteen Candles

Another John Hughes/Molly Ringwald collaboration, Sixteen Candles hasn't aged so well, and is a harder watch for modern audiences. But it's still a huge '80s movie, and I'm Not Okay With This pays homage to the film's ending with this shot. It's the same posing and angle as the iconic scene of Sam and Jake sitting together at the end of the movie--all that's missing is a cake with 16 candles in it.

5. Pretty in Pink

This one's not so much a visual reference as a performance. Wyatt Oleff's character, Stanley, is based heavily on Duckie, Jon Cryer's character in Pretty in Pink, yet another John Hughes movie from the '80s. "Obviously I don't want to just copy the character directly," he told Bustle, "but kind of basing it off of that, and having that kind of quirky sense of weird that is somehow cool, is really fun to channel." In the same interview, Sophia Lillis said that Molly Ringwald's characters from The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles were big influences on Sydney, too.

6. The End of the F***ing World

Rumors abound that there's a newspaper somewhere in I'm Not Okay With This that outlines the fates of James and Alyssa after the first season of The End of the F***ing World, Jonathan Entwistle's other Charles Forsman adaptation for Netflix. Decider claims to have seen the newspaper on a set visit, but we've yet to find it. There is another, blink-or-you'll-miss-it reference to the show, though--in the third episode, as Sydney rearranges her desk, you can see the acronym 'TEOTFW' scrawled on her notepad. It's a bit of a cheeky nod--we'll keep looking for that newspaper, though.

7. Carrie

Alright, so you probably didn't miss this one, because it's extremely blatant. The prom? The blood? The psychic powers? The end of Season 1 of I'm Not Okay With This could only look more like the end of Carrie if Sissy Spacek showed up. If you haven't seen the 1976 Brian De Palma film based on Stephen King's first novel (or the lesser 2013 remake), Carrie gets a bucket of pig's blood dumped on her by a group of bullies, and exacts brutal revenge with her psychic abilities. It makes Sydney's single exploded head look tame.

8. It

The third Stephen King reference here is also the loosest, but it's hard to imagine that the casting director of I'm Not Okay With This wasn't aware of the fact that Sophia Lillis and Wyatt Oleff starred in It Chapters 1 & 2 recently. The shot here reminds us of Derry, which was similarly small, industrial, and fond of murals--in fact, these two actors spent a lot of time in Chapter 1 hanging around a lake that looked a lot like this one.

9. Stanley's VHS Collection

Stanley's nostalgia extends to his VHS collection, which we get a good look at in episode 2. There are a few covers we can't quite make out, but we recognise plenty of classics on his shelves. There's Remember the Titans, Sister Act 2, Bring It On, The War, Rags To Riches, Permanent Midnight, A Family Thing, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, My Best Friend's Wedding, Can't Hardly Wait, and Erin Brockovich. The most obscure one we could identify was a Crunch fitness tape--Master Blaster with Bonus Workout, starring Billy Blanks and Tracy York. These are all real movies, but the comic Sydney picks up a moment later, NotMen, is a fictional spin on Spider-Man.

10. More VHS

Another shelf! Here we see Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Murphy's Romance, Dances With Wolves, Brown Sugar, The Cider House Rules, another fitness tape, and a lot of blurry VHS spines surely put in there to ruin us. Let us know in the comments if you recognize any of these VHS tapes from your own childhood.

11. Spider-Man

NotMen isn't the only fake comic in Stanley's collection. What could have inspired this book, which, Stanley notes, is about a man who gains powers after being bitten by a spider? That turns him into, if you will, a sort of spider-man? We'll leave this one up to the comic nerds.

12. Matilda

A young girl discovers that she has psychic powers that flare up, often against her will, when she gets angry. I'm not saying that I'm Not Okay With This is Matilda for teenagers, but I'm also not not saying that.

13. Bloodwitch

Before I'm Not Okay With This, Stanley's favorite group Bloodwitch was not a real band. It's a collaboration between singer Tatyana Richaud and Blur's Graham Cox, and the band has a full album on Spotify.They sound pretty good, too--no wonder Sydney and Stanley enjoyed listening to their album so much in episode 1.

14. Jessie's Girl

Rick Springfield's 1981 hit is one of Dina's favorite songs, as seen during the party she goes to with Sydney in episode 3. There's an obvious parallel here with the plot--like the singer, Sydney is jealous of Brad, and wishes she was dating his girlfriend. The song has been used in plenty of films before, like 2004's 13 Going On 30, where it springs up at a pivotal moment in the plot.

15. Here Comes Your Man

This song, from The Pixies' second album Doolittle, plays over Dina, Sydney, and Stanley getting ready for homecoming in the episode 7. It was written by band frontman Black Francis when he himself was a teenager, and In a 1989 issue of NME magazine (referenced on Wikipedia), Francis said that the song was about the feeling before an earthquake. "Everything gets very calm — animals stop talking and birds stop chirping and there's no wind. It's very ominous." Of course, because of the flash forward in Episode 1, the viewers know that something big and terrifying is coming--but this song is another clue.

16. The Killing Moon

Is there anything subtle about the use of Echo and the Bunnymen's The Killing Moon as Sydney walks out into the night, coated in Brad's blood? Perhaps not. But the song has a special relevance, as it opens the original, non-director's cut version of the teen cult classic Donnie Darko. The movie, which debuted in 2001, is also a rich repository of '80s nostalgia--and the kind of movie Stanley would probably love.

In a world where smartphones become more and more predictable, TCL keeps trying to reinvent the form factor of our everyday devices. The company has just showcased two new concept smartphones utilizing the increasingly popular flexible mobile displays - one is folding in three, the other is rolling underneath the body. The panels are developed by TCL-CSOT, the company's in-house screen division. The flexible AMOLED technology is now allowing a 10" tablet to fold into a 6.65" device with a 20.8:9 aspect ratio and 3K resolution. TCL has developed two different hinges - DragonHinge and...

There's a lot to be excited about when different entertainment mediums collide in just the right way. It was announced today that Sony Pictures has halted development on their The Last of Us movie adaptation...because a The Last of Us HBO series is currently in the works. Vice President of Naughty Dog, Neil Druckmann, and Craig Mazin, the creator/writer of HBO's award-winning Chernobyl miniseries (which IGN readers voted for as the Best TV Series of 2019) -- who's also the writer of the upcoming Borderlands movie being directed by Eli Roth -- are collaborating on an adaptation of The Last of Us for HBO. As project news goes, it feels like the perfect storm. While Naughty Dog is finishing up The Last of Us Part 2 for the PlayStation 4, which is set to be released later this year, the crucial first story of haggard Joel (Troy Baker in the game) and young Ellie (Ashley Johnson in the game) is being reworked for TV, presumably as a limited series (though nothing's been confirmed either way). Here's why this writer and this network mark the ideal jumping off point for this new story to unfold.

Joel and Ellie's Relationship

Is The Last of Us the first reluctant surrogate father-style story to grace our screens, be it in a movie, TV show, or game? No, of course not. Movies like True Grit, Paper Moon, and (most often compared to The Last of Us) Logan have explored this -- as have TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In games, Telltale's The Walking Dead, back in 2012, gave us something very similar with its characters Lee and Clementine. But still, The Last of Us' Joel and Ellie resonate strongly, and loudly, amongst this crowded "dystopian daddy/daughter dance" genre. [poilib element="accentDivider"] [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/07/the-last-of-us-2-ellie-and-joels-journey"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Sure, you could tell Joel and Ellie's story over the course of a two-hour movie, but you'd lose a ton of important intangibles in the process. With a TV series, given the game's story, they wouldn't even have to meet until the end of the first episode. Or it could even be held off until the second episode. When you're adapting a game, you have to take into account the amount of time players spend with these folks. Obviously, The Last of Us could be developed as an ongoing show. Ideally, especially since it was being turned into a single movie, a miniseries would be the best format. HBO, while known for their iconic game-changing shows, has also nicely corned the market in limited series too - like Sharp Objects, The Outsider, Watchmen (which is now being labeled as such, in retrospect) and -- naturally -- Chernobyl. Joel, whose personal tragedy we witness during the outset of the 2013 Cordyceps fungus outbreak, is a shattered soul. It's 20 years into this ravaged dystopian world and his personal care space is microscopic. Enter Ellie, a teen girl who Joel, after a series of violent happenings, must escort across the entire country. It's a relationship that takes time. Joel must find his heart again. Both of them must take turns caring for the other, doing seemingly impossible deeds in order to survive the wilderness, outlaws, and the Infected. And all of it culminating in a supremely twisted and emotional ending (if it keeps in line with the game).

Not Another Walking Dead

Yes, there are definitely similarities to The Walking Dead. Any scorched Earth zombie story is going to overlap. And we're not just talking about Walking Dead's Telltale games, but the long-running hit (even if it's not as big a hat as it used to be) TV series on AMC. So yes, it's a little unfortunate that there not only already exists a TV show that's very similar to The Last of Us in many ways, but that it's also been on for a solid decade. Nothing can be done about that though. The Last of Us must utilize what it's got and play to its strengths - namely Joel and Ellie. And the idea of a cure. That's right, a cure. A theme that The Walking Dead saga has never dealt with in any of its many iterations. The one thing that could help drive the AMC show to a close (though the comics didn't need it). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-15-best-horror-tv-shows-of-the-last-10-years&captions=true"] The Last of Us feels more vital in certain ways, with higher stakes to explore, because it's not just about the survival of the main characters but of humanity as a whole. Ellie is precious cargo. She gets bit by an Infected human and, after weeks, doesn't turn. Realizing that her blood might contain an anti-serum, a rebel group called the Fireflies need her transported to a lab in Salt Lake City. This creates a much different driving narrative than just a ragtag group of survivors constantly looking for shelter. Also, in order to skip over all of that shelter business, The Last of Us' story jumps 20 years ahead right out of the gate. The wasteland world is mostly settled now.

Clicker Bait

So, as those who've played the game know, The Last of Us doesn't deal in zombies in the traditional sense. Its world is still overrun with altered humans but they're victims of a fungal brain infection who now exist as predatory monsters. We know... not a huge difference. But also, the longer one of these "Infected" remains "alive" out there in the ruins of civilization, the more it mutates into a grotesque fungus beast. Eventually, in "Clicker" form, the victim's head is now just a giant open toadstool, making it so the creature has to track things using echolocation. At HBO, these bogeymen have the potential to become the new White Walkers of pop-culture. Some operate on a zombie level while the more advanced cases hunt you down like the monsters in A Quiet Place. All while making creepy, unsettling clicking noises like nightmare cicadas. Some you run from, others you creep past. They're truly a fiendish lot. [poilib element="accentDivider"] [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/31/hbos-chernobyl-series-is-the-summers-scariest-monster-movie"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

HBO's Chernobyl

Craig Mazin was only known for writing high-concept comedies for decades before HBO's Chernobyl hit. He penned the sequels to The Hangover along with Identity Thief and more. If not for Chernobyl, everyone would be wondering what the hell this guy was doing landing a gig adapting The Last of Us (aside from the fact that he's a huge fan of the game). But even though it stands as his only produced drama, Chernobyl made such an impact in 2019 that no one doubts Mazin now when it comes to being able to deliver scares and unleash terror. Since the danger in Chernobyl was, for the most part, invisible, the story utilized all of our senses to portray the burning poison that resided within the broken reactor. Banging pipes scared us. Shrieking radiation meters scared us. The darkness chilled us to the bone. It was, in a way, last summer's best monster movie. If we were just looking at Mazin's resume prior to 2019, you'd see a writer who was totally in tune with a game like Borderlands, given that franchise's trademark snark and ultra-violence. But with Chernobyl you can see a talent who can bring alive a terrifying trek into the dangerous unknown. Chernobyl operated on both macro and micro levels. On one hand, viewers saw a lot of Soviet government officials trying to contain a huge disaster. Then, in Episode 4, "The Happiness of All Mankind" (which IGN readers voted as the Best TV Episode of 2019), we took a break from that and delved into a fiercely harrowing story about soldiers tasked with killing all the stray animals in the abandoned neighborhoods. It was arguably the most mortifying part of Chernobyl, and a sign that The Last of Us TV series will be able to find the deeper pockets of nuanced trauma that fans will want to see. What do you think of the announcement that HBO will be adapting The Last of Us? Let's discuss in the comments... [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Fowler is a writer for IGN and a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow him on Twitter at @TheMattFowler and Facebook at Facebook.com/MattBFowler.

Remember Maximum Overdrive? The Stephen King-directed film where trucks and other machines come to life to attack us foolish humans? Well, now imagine that same plot – but applied to an animated film produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller. That film exists, friends, and it’s called Connected. This comedy follows a family who suddenly discovers cell phones, appliances, and other electronic devices are suddenly sentient – and out to take over the world. Watch the Connected trailer below.

Connected Trailer

Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the team who had a hand in The LEGO Movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and more, are together again to produce Connected, an animated comedy directed by Mike Rianda and written by Rianda and Jeff Rowe (who co-directs).

In the film, “When Katie Mitchell (voiced by Abbi Jacobson), a creative outsider, is accepted into the film school of her dreams, her plans to meet “her people” at college are upended when her nature-loving dad Rick (voiced by Danny McBride) determines the whole family should drive Katie to school together and bond as a family one last time. Katie and Rick are joined by the rest of the family, including Katie’s wildly positive mom Linda (voiced by Maya Rudolph), her quirky little brother Aaron (voiced by Mike Rianda), and the family’s delightfully chubby pug Monchi for the ultimate family road trip. Suddenly, the Mitchells’ plans are interrupted by a tech uprising: all around the world, the electronic devices people love – from phones, to appliances, to an innovative new line of personal robots – decide it’s time to take over. With the help of two friendly malfunctioning robots, the Mitchells will have to get past their problems and work together to save each other and the world!” 

Like I said: It’s like Maximum Overdrive. “It’s sort of a love letter to our imperfect human world, where it’s lovingly done but everything is kind of rumbly and a little bit wobbly,” Rianda told EW. “We wanted to show those imperfections, and we wanted to show them lovingly.”

“The big whiz-bang of the tech uprising [and] robot apocalypse makes for a lot of exciting action and comedy, but at the end of the day, the heart of this thing is this family,” Chris Miller said, and Phil Lord added: “It’s one thing to fight the robot apocalypse, and that’s kind of a fun premise. But it’s much more interesting to have your dad trying to teach you to drive stick during the robot apocalypse.”

In addition to the cast above, Connected also features the voices of Eric Andre and Olivia Colman. Look for Connected in theaters September 18, 2020.

The post ‘Connected’ Trailer: It’s Kind of Like ‘Maximum Overdrive’ For the Whole Family! appeared first on /Film.

Warner Bros. signed a huge deal with J.J. Abrams‘s Bad Robot production company – and now they have their first original film project. It’s called The Pinkerton, a supernatural in a Western setting written by Daniel Casey. Casey did a re-write on the Bad Robot-produced 10 Cloverfield Lane, and also wrote the script for Kin and co-wrote the upcoming F9. There’s no word on what the film is actually about, but the Pinkertons were a private security guard and detective agency established in the 1800s, so there’s a good bet the story involves that agency. Or it’s a film all about Weezer’s best album.

THR has the news on The Pinkerton, what little news there is. Per their report, “the project has been described as a supernatural revenge thriller in what sources say is a Western setting,” with a script via Daniel Casey. This is the first original film project from the deal between Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Many studios were vying for Abrams’s attention, and Apple even offered him $500 million. But Abrams and company took a $250 million deal from WarnerMedia instead. Why? Because Apple wanted Abrams to work exclusively for them – meaning the producer and filmmaker couldn’t work with other big studios. And that just didn’t work for the ever-busy Abrams.

I wish I could tell you more about The Pinkerton, but there simply isn’t more to tell. I’m sure someone, somewhere, is already speculating that this was a new Cloverfield movie, but that’s highly unlikely, since Cloverfield is a Paramount title. And besides, after the highly disappointing The Cloverfield Paradox, I have a feeling the Cloverfield brand is dead.

The Pinkerton agency has a rich history – both good and bad – the film can draw on. The agency served as security for Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War (the Secret Service wouldn’t start protecting the president until after Lincoln’s assassination). They also infiltrated unions to bust up potential strikes. And believe it or not, the agency still exists – sort of. They’re now known as Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations, Inc. d.b.a. Pinkerton Corporate Risk Management, a division of the Swedish security company Securitas AB. None of this is likely to be in the movie, but I have to fill this story out somehow, folks.

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