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Warning: Full spoilers for Zack Snyder’s Justice League follow… [poilib element="accentDivider"] Whether you're talking about extended fights scenes, a different aspect ratio, new character designs, or deleted scenes put back in their proper place, the Snyder Cut of Justice League is a substantially longer and more thorough film - one that aptly reflects director Zack Snyder's tonal template that began with Man of Steel and continued with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Now that Zack Snyder's Justice League is a reality and can be streamed in most territories on HBO Max, here’s a breakdown of how this new iteration of the film differs from Joss Whedon’s theatrical version of Justice League from 2017. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=justice-league-snyder-cut-all-the-known-differences-from-the-theatrical-version&captions=true"] Use the links to jump to a change or continue reading for more.

Jared Leto Returns as The Joker	Knightmare Cliffhanger
Deathstroke Differences	Darkseid
Aspect Ratio Difference	Music
New Steppenwolf Design and Story	DeSaad
The Entire Opening Has Changed	Banished Jokes
The Bruce/Diana Arc Is Gone	Final Fight and Time Travel
No More Russian Family	Superman Reshoots/Black Suit
The Flash/Iris West Scene Is Restored	Arthur and Volko Scene Restored
There’s Waaaayyy More Cyborg and Silas Stone	S.T.A.R. Labs Infiltration
Ryan Choi	Lois Lane Lost
Martha Gets Martian’d	Rated R Language
Extended Action Sequences	Batman Tech Side Quests
	Post-Credits Scenes

 

Jared Leto Returns as The Joker

While Jared Leto's Suicide Squad version of The Joker was thought to be a thing of the past, particularly in the wake of Joaquin Phoenix's Oscar-winning turn as the character in a solo standalone film, the actor returns to the role for the Snyder Cut of Justice League. Joker was a non-presence in the theatrical cut of the film. The character wasn’t even someone Snyder had originally intended to include. Leto’s Joker was added as part of the additional footage that Warner Bros. funded for the HBO Max streaming presentation. Joker now appears in a new dream/premonition sequence set on the ruined Earth after Darkseid has invaded the planet (as seen in Bruce Wayne's "Knightmare" vision in BvS). He's part of a team of survivors that includes Batman, Mera, Cyborg, Deathstroke, and the Flash. He taunts Batman about Robin's murder and makes everyone question whether it was a good idea to bring him along. The “we live in a society…” line from the trailer and Joker-as-Jesus photo released by Vanity Fair are not included.

Knightmare Cliffhanger

The “Knightmare” part of Justice League’s epilogue gives us a lot to chew on as it, once again, shows Darkseid’s forces having succeeded in conquering Earth. This particular Knightmare dreamscape was totally absent from Joss Whedon’s Justice League, which sort of left the Knightmare scenario from Batman v Superman in the lurch. It makes more sense now to have a follow-up to the Dawn of Justice dream since fans would have complete context for it with the reveal of Darkseid in this cut. So what does the Snyder Cut Knightmare segment contain? In the wake of Lois Lane’s death (which Batman failed to prevent), Superman’s somehow been corrupted by Darkseid and now serves him as an undefeatable annihilator. Most everyone has died in the wake of this attack, including Aquaman and Harley Quinn. Batman and a ragtag team of surviving heroes and villains scour the wasteland, trying to win the day while also avoiding Superman’s wrath. Bruce wakes up from this vision right as evil Supes spots them all. All of this, plus Bruce actually mentioning his time travel moment with Flash from Batman v Superman to the others earlier in the movie, works in service of the “New Gods” trilogy Snyder had planned.

Deathstroke Differences

Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke was first glimpsed at the end of the theatrical cut of Justice League where he was recruited by Jesse Eisenberg's Lex Luthor. He was originally supposed to be a villain in the solo Batman film starring Ben Affleck, but obviously that movie never happened. Now Manganiello returns as Deathstroke in the Snyder Cut, albeit in a different capacity than in the theatrical film. Not only does the Lex Luthor scene have a different dialogue exchange, with Lex revealing Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne, but Deathstroke additionally appears in the “Knightmare” future segment, rocking a mohawk and acting as an ally of Batman in the effort to stop Darkseid.

Darkseid

Uber-baddie Darkseid, played by Ray Porter, is a big part of Snyder’s Justice League. Always intended as the evil lurking behind the scenes, Darkseid is now a much more prominent fixture, motivating Steppenwolf's assault on Earth. After Diana saw him depicted in an ancient mural toward the beginning of Zack Snyder's Justice League, a flashback showed us Darkseid leading the Parademons against the Greek gods, humans, Atlanteans, and Amazons as his pre-Darkseid version, Uxas. In the theatrical cut of Justice League, a version of this sequence featured Steppenwolf instead of Darkseid, with Diana Prince telling Bruce Wayne it was Steppenwolf who had originally come to conquer Earth. Instead, Steppenwolf’s story now revolves around his plan to get back into Darkseid’s good graces, revealing to his former master that Earth contains the Anti-Life Equation. When Steppenwolf fails and is defeated by the Justice League -- complete with Wonder Woman decapitating him -- at the end of the film, Darkseid orders an all-out attack on Earth (and squishes Steppenwolf's rolling head). We last see Darkseid as part of “Knightmare,” approaching a grief-stricken Superman (who’s mourning over, presumably, Lois’ skeletal corpse). It’s the moment he turns Superman (with the Anti-Life Equation, possibly?). In the theatrical version, Steppenwolf is incapacitated by the Justice League but not killed by them, and is sent off Earth via a Boom Tube while being swarmed by his own Parademons.

Aspect Ratio Difference

[ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/02/18/why-the-justice-league-snyder-cut-isnt-widescreen]Justice League was released in 2017 with a 1.78:1 widescreen ratio. And though early reports claimed Zack Snyder’s Justice League would utilize a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, we now know that Snyder shot the film specifically for a full-frame look in 1.33:1. This aspect ratio is similar to that of IMAX screens, which the director fell for after shooting some IMAX footage for Batman v Superman. There's also a black & white version of the film that Snyder is calling the "Justice Is Grey" cut but there's no word yet on when or if that might be released.

Music

The score by Thomas Holkenborg (AKA Junkie XL), who was replaced by Danny Elfman for the 2017 theatrical release, is back. For the Snyder Cut, Sigrid's opening credits cover of Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows” that opened the theatrical cut (which Joss Whedon chose) is gone, as well as Elfman’s music, which at times strongly echoed his score to Tim Burton’s Batman films (which, combined with a now-axed line about fighting penguins, curiously tied Justice League into that particular franchise timeline). New Snyder Cut songs include a few tracks by Nick Cage and the Bad Seeds along with a song by This Mortal Coil. The theatrical version’s use of The White Stripes’ “Icky Thump” is also gone, replaced by Icelandic crooning (and some sweater sniffing).

New Steppenwolf Design and Story

Steppenwolf not only has a new look (and slightly altered voice from the theatrical version), but also a new motivation. In the theatrical release, Steppenwolf creating the “Unity” on Earth using the Mother Boxes was part of his own design. He was the villain and it stopped with him. If Darkseid was meant to be someone pulling the strings from somewhere else in the universe, it was never stated at all. With Darkseid reinstated into Snyder’s version, Steppenwolf is now trying to scorch all of Earth in order to pay off a debt to Darkseid, who banished him after an unnamed “betrayal.” Steppenwolf owes his former master 50,000 more worlds before he can be let back into the fold. This creates an emotional vulnerability for Steppenwolf that wasn’t present before, as well as better understanding of why Earth is a prized possession (it being the only planet that ever sent Darkseid packing).

DeSaad

Since there was no Darkseid in the 2017 Justice League, there were also no Darkseid minions. So his devious right-hand-man DeSaad wasn’t a thing. In Zack Snyder’s Justice League, DeSaad is Steppenwolf’s liaison to Darkseid - a middleman who makes sure his master doesn’t have to endure Steppenwolf’s pleading (or possibile failure). Peter Guinness voices DeSaad in the Justice League Snyder Cut and is featured in a few scenes where Steppenwolf attempts to report on his Earthly findings. He, along with Granny Goodness, are seen with Darkseid in the third act as they attempt to come to Earth during the Unity.

The Entire Opening Has Changed

The podcast kids filming Superman, Superman’s funeral, and the world mourning his loss are gone as the opening. These scenes represented a massive reshaping of the story for the theatrical cut. The theatrical version wanted to hammer home, at the start, that Superman was gone and the world was vulnerable. Batman kicks off the movie already knowing there’s an alien invasion, using a burglar’s fear to draw out a Parademon. A burglar, played by Mindhunter’s Holt McCallany, who does a ton of heavy lifting on the exposition front. None of this is a part of the Snyder Cut and we now start with Superman’s scream, upon his death, reverberating around the world and waking up the Mother Boxes (and giving Lex Luthor a glimpse of Steppenwolf). It then shifts to Bruce traversing Icelandic tundra in search of Aquaman, only knowing that he needs allies and not that there are actual aliens attacking the world.

Banished Jokes

One of the major things Zack Snyder wanted to do with his version of Justice League was to have the film reflect the darker, more serious tone of his previous movies, Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Warner Bros., with the Joss Whedon reshoots, tried to make the film echo the MCU’s product, which has more jokes and an overall less-grim vibe. No, not all of the film’s jokes are gone -- particularly, most of Barry’s silliness remains intact -- but humorous moments with most other non-Flash characters have been excised. Bruce doesn’t ask Arthur if he can talk to fish or mention his past battles with penguins. Barry doesn’t question what brunch is, Cyborg doesn’t say “booyah,” and Arthur doesn’t have that “Lasso of Truth” speech.

The Bruce/Diana Arc Is Gone

Though they both interact in the movie, and have a flirty, awkward hand touch moment while researching possible recruits, Bruce and Diana’s relationship is lessened in the Snyder Cut. In the theatrical version, the two of them share more moments together, from discussing lost loved ones to arguing about bringing Superman back. Bruce calls Diana out for sitting on the sidelines for too long because she feels “leaders get people killed,” culminating in a moment in the final battle when she decides to “lead” the others. In the Snyder Cut, the conversations around bringing Superman back are done more as a group, with Bruce telling the rest of them about how he saw Barry appear to him from the future. They then have to decide if bringing Superman back will help them win or actually start the end of the world. Or both

Final Fight and Time Travel

A good chunk of the final battle between the Justice League and Steppenwolf’s forces is now changed. Or restored, really. The orange-red sky in the theatrical release is now just a night sky, and added are moments involving Batman breaking through the zone’s barrier, Cyborg trying to connect with the Mother Boxes (while Diana and Arthur fend off Steppenwolf), and Flash racing around the area to achieve maximum charge. Some elements from the theatrical cut remain, like Bruce leading the Parademons away and Arthur surfing down a building, but the ending is all switched up with a rule-breaking time-reversal finish that undoes The Unity and blocks Darkseid and his demons from crossing over. Additionally, Snyder Cut’s Steppenwolf is finished off very differently, with a bit of overkill. Arthur stabs him, Superman sends him soaring, Diana chops his head off, and Darkseid crushes said head with his foot.

No More Russian Family

To add collateral damage stakes to the theatrical version, Joss Whedon created a Russian family that, for whatever reason, lived in a nuclear zone so toxic that Steppenwolf deemed it perfect for his vile headquarters. At first it seemed like they were the only ones who lived there, but in the end Flash and Superman are both put on rescue duty and save the family, and a building of other people, from the carnage. Anyway, all these innocent people living in the irradiated death zone don’t exist in the Snyder Cut. Instead the stakes are that the Justice League actually fails and Flash has to hit the rewind button to save the world.

Superman Reshoots/Black Suit

Most of Henry Cavill's scenes for Justice League were reshot by Whedon, with his Mission: Impossible - Fallout mustache digitally removed, as Supes' entire storyline was reconstructed for a lighter, less-intense film. The theatrical cut nixed Superman's black suit and changed everything from Superman's first battle with the Justice League upon being resurrected by the Mother Box to his role in the final battle against Steppenwolf to many other scenes throughout the film (including Superman meeting Alfred). As part of the added Super scenes in the Snyder Cut, we see Superman walking back through the Kryptonian ship, and the computer saying “The future has taken root in the present” (which, by the way, is also a line from one of Snyder’s favorite films, Excalibur). Does this mean that the Superman who was brought back is destined to become the “Knightmare” version?

The Flash/Iris West Scene Is Restored

A big Barry Allen scene cut from the theatrical version, featuring Kiersey Clemons's Iris West, is now back. In it we see Barry, scatterbrained and spread too thin, applying for a job at a dog groomer’s when an accident outside the store makes him race out and save Iris West from a runaway truck (which in itself pays tribute to Flash creator Gardner Fox). This sets Iris up for future appearances in the DCEU while also giving us a good introduction to Barry before we meet his wrongfully-convicted dad in prison. It also makes more sense to see this before his dad later chastises him for working too many jobs and wasting his life.

Arthur and Volko Scene Restored

Prior to his role in 2018’s Aquaman, Willem Dafoe appeared as Vulko in Snyder’s Justice League. His scene with Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry just never made it into the theatrical version. Yep, there are now a few more Atlantis-centric scenes in Snyder’s movie and the biggest is an exchange between Arthur and Vulko about Arthur’s non-allegiance to Atlantis and how Arthur should be the one to chase after the ocean’s enemies because it would have been his mother’s duty as Queen. And as a tease for the Aquaman movie that would follow, there are also a few lines about how Arthur’s half-brother, Orm, is lying to his people about who’s behind the kidnapping of Atlanteans, trying to start up a war with the humans on the surface. Also, the accent of Mera (Amber Heard) has changed between the two cuts.

There’s Waaaayyy More Cyborg and Silas Stone

Overall, it’s not just Cybrog’s origin story that was missing from the theatrical cut but also his integral role in the breaking of The Unity and the full scope of the abilities he’s been blessed/cursed with by the Mother Box and his father, Silas. "Cyborg is the heart of the movie," Snyder shared at DC FanDome. "Cyborg is the thing in the end that holds the team together in a lot of ways.” Victor Stone’s genius intellect, football prowess, strained father/son relationship, death, and resurrection are back in the Snyder Cut - along with Silas trying (a bit too late) to be a father to a boy who he’s now gifted with God-like powers (to either launch nukes or give a struggling, working mom a hundred grand). We also see Victor interact within his own internal operating system like it’s a form of virtual reality, where he’s able to walk around in his old Varsity jacket-wearing body. All of Victor's arc was shaved down to the bare minimum in Whedon's version. Silas Stone also faces a different fate in Snyder's version of the film as he intermittently, with Ryan Choi, develops a laser that can super-heat the Mother Box. The reason? So Silas could sacrifice himself to mark the artifact in case it ever got taken. Silas dies helping his son locate Steppenwolf’s base of operations.

S.T.A.R. Labs Infiltration

Cut either for time or because it didn’t contextually work anymore, the scene where Cyborg uses his powers to evacuate S.T.A.R. Labs wasn’t in the 2017 version. In the Snyder Cut, the entire Superman resurrection sequence is longer since the team has to first get inside the Kryptonian ship. Cyborg activates the lab alarm and Silas, after first attempting to call it off, realizes that his son hacked into the system. Silas then allows Cyborg and the others to enter. Knowing they’re doing something important. Silas and Cyborg share a nice nod, which will be the first and last time they amiably connect as father and son in the film.

Ryan Choi

Cut from the theatrical version, but added back into the Snyder Cut, is the S.T.A.R. Labs epilogue scene that names Silas' co-worker, a fellow scientist, as Ryan Choi - aka The Atom.

Lois Lane Lost

In the Joss Whedon version of Justice League, Lois Lane mourns the death of Clark, but doesn’t leave her job at the Daily Planet like she does in the Snyder Cut. She tells Martha that she only does small puff pieces because that’s all she could handle. In Zack Snyder’s version though, Lois doesn’t work at all, and visits the Superman memorial (just about?) every day, bringing coffee to the officer on duty there (played by Donner-verse Jimmy Olsen, Marc McClure - who is still actually in the Joss Justice League as this cop, just in a different scene).

Martha Gets Martian’d

The scene between Lois Lane and Martha Kent happens way earlier in the theatrical version (and differently too since they meet at Lois’ Daily Planet office). But that’s not the only difference. In the Snyder Cut, Martha is revealed to be Martian Manhunter - aka Harry Lennix’s General Swanwick. On top of this, the entire movie now ends with Martian Manhunter introducing himself to Bruce Wayne and then flying off.

Rated R Language

If you’ve ever wanted to hear Batman tell Joker “I will f***ing kill you” or Cyborg say “F*** the world,” then you’re in luck. The Snyder Cut not only spruced up the violence and restored more on-screen fatalities, but it also contains a handful of F-bombs.

Extended Action Sequences

Edited for time, and also maybe violence, many of the action scenes that wound up in 2017’s Justice League were shaved down. In the Snyder Cut, they’ve been restored - with more CGI blood even added to the mix. So Wonder Woman stopping the terrorists is longer (with way more bracelet bullet-blocking), Steppenwolf and his Parademons have a much bigger fight with the Amazons (and the Mother Box temple even crumbles into the ocean), Superman vs. the Justice League has some added bits, and the battle below Stryker’s Island Penitentiary is beefed up as well (and Batman doesn’t tell Flash to “save one person”).

Batman Tech Side Quests

There are a couple of Batman side stories in the Snyder Cut that weren’t in the Joss Whedon version. No, not Alfred getting fidgety over Diana making tea. Bruce, throughout the movie, is developing a new gauntlet that can absorb energy (he uses it to save himself from Superman’s heat vision) while also trying to fix a giant plane so it can fly (Cyborg gets it working). Neither mini-arc has a huge payoff, but they’re still included nonetheless.

Post-Credits Scenes

Whedon’s cut of the film included two post-credits scenes. One was the Lex Luthor/Deathstroke meeting, which has now been altered and included in the main film itself. In the Whedon version, it seemed to be setting up an Injustice League/Legion of Doom type team, but now it plays as more of a prelude to the Ben Affleck Batman solo film that never happened. The other scene has been completely cut from the Snyder version. That was the segment where the Flash and Superman took off on a race to find out who was the Fastest Man Alive (with brunch as the prize). Looks like we’ll never find out who won that race now… or, if the Snyder Cut is successful enough, will we…? What other differences are there between the two versions of Justice League? Let’s discuss in the comments! Editor's Note (3/18/21): This story has been updated with the latest information about the Snyder Cut.

Yesterday's DC FanDome virtual event dropped a ton of news, trailers, and interviews around the upcoming DC movies. And that included James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which saw the filmmaker and his cast assemble to discuss the kinda-sequel to the 2016 film. During that panel, we finally learned not just who Idris Elba is playing in The Suicide Squad (Bloodsport!?), but also about a bunch of other characters -- including the mysterious TDK, played by Gunn's real-life buddy Nathan Fillion. We don't know much about this character, other than that he appears to be a new creation of Gunn's... albeit one based on a very obscure, very weird player from DC Comics canon. Read on for what we know about TDK, and then also be sure to also check out all of DC FanDome's Biggest and Best Announcements... [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/22/7-minutes-of-batman-gotham-knights-gameplay"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Who Is TDK in The Suicide Squad?

Firefly and Castle’s Nathan Fillion reteams with James Gunn for The Suicide Squad after appearing in a cameo role in Guardians of the Galaxy as well as starring in Slither and co-starring in Super, all of which were helmed by the director. TDK is an original creation of Gunn’s, but we think we know who he's based on. Take a look at the character poster of TDK that was released yesterday: [caption id="attachment_2397414" align="aligncenter" width="756"] Nathan Fillion plays TDK in The Suicide Squad.[/caption] The character sports a fairly standard superhero look: armor, dramatic stare, piercing eyes, arms crossed, ready to do battle. But then you notice that, well, TDK's arms don't seem to be connected to his body! That's because TDK is rumored to stand for... The Detachable Kid! Rumors had indicated that this was Fillion's character's name, but now it's pretty clear that's what the TDK means. And diehard comics fans know that there's a precedent for a hero with this modus operandi, even if he went by a different name... Arm-Fall-Off-Boy! [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/the-suicide-squad-official-cast-reveal"]

Arm-Fall-Off-Boy Explained

Arm-Fall-Off-Boy -- yes, that's his actual superhero name -- dates back to 1989, and has made only a rare appearance here or there in the pages of DC Comics as far as we can tell. First appearing in Secret Origins #46, Arm-Fall-Off-Boy has the power to, yes, remove his limbs. He can then use said limbs as weapons to, you know, beat on folks. He tried to join the Legion of Super-Heroes but was rejected because... come on. What super-group would want this guy on their team? After one of DC's many continuity reboots, the character was renamed Splitter (and given the real name Floyd Belkin), but was still a wash-out in terms of trying to make it into the Legion. [caption id="attachment_2397436" align="aligncenter" width="944"] Arm-Fall-Off-Boy in Secret Origins #46.[/caption] The thing is, the Legion of Super-Heroes are from the far-off future of the 30th century, so for Gunn to use the actual Arm-Fall-Off-Boy doesn't quite make sense in terms of keeping to the canon of the comics universe. But then again, maybe he just decided to rename the Fillion character from the ridiculous Arm-Fall-Off-Boy to the catchier, if still ridiculous The Detachable Kid. (Fillion previously shot down rumors he was playing Arm-Fall-Boy.) Whatever the case, this character and his unique power set are certainly perfect for a James Gunn film. Based on the roster of characters coming in The Suicide Squad, TDK would seem to fit right in with the zanier side of the cast alongside folks such as Weasel, King Shark, The Thinker, and Polka-Dot Man. But then again, before Guardians of the Galaxy came out, a talking tree and a talking raccoon also sounded pretty ridiculous. And then we all cried when Groot died and Rocket mourned for him, so let's hold off judgment on how TDK will really be depicted until after The Suicide Squad is released, OK? [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-suicide-squad-whos-who-full-cast-and-character-reveals&captions=true"] For even more on the film, speculate with us on who Taika Waititi is playing in The Suicide Squad, check out the behind-the-scenes teaser from DC FanDome, and read up on the history of Idris Elba's character Bloodsport.

Selfie cameras have always been the biggest hurdle in the pursuit of the all-screen-front of smartphones. Bezels got thinner and thinner until they transformed into notches that eventually evolved into punch holes. The logical next step is an under-display front-facing snapper and ZTE is expected to introduce a working smartphone with the technology next Tuesday, September 1. This is a huge motivator for other companies, and Xiaomi has revealed it is also joining the race. A company VP shared on his Weibo profile that their third-generation solution is finally ready for mass production, as...

It’s my first day in Seattle. Ellie and Dina are exploring a side room of a ruined synagogue. As has happened with frequent regularity since the game’s start, I open up Photo Mode. Naughty Dog’s latest is quickly proving to be a treasure trove for the photographic eye.

I pan round to compose my shot, looking to capture expressions, body language. To work out the best position for lighting. In doing so I spot Ellie’s gaze seemingly drawn to a painting in the room. I can’t interact with it, there’s no dialogue attached to its presence. Yet her facial expression gives every indication that she’s mulling the artwork over. Could Naughty Dog really have created subtle reactions for everything in the game?

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Spoiler alert: This post contains story details about The Last of Us Part II

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The answer, in a way, remarkably, is yes. The illusion is carefully crafted from multiple game systems working simultaneously. All built to depict the most realistic rendering of in-game character models possible.

These models sit separate from the motion capture tech utilized to render real-world actors in-game for cinematics. When those end and gameplay begins, that’s when the careful handiwork coordinated between multiple teams in the studio kicks in.

Taking me on a tour of this is Keith Paciello, the studio animator who masterminded the in-game facial tech after his internal pitch was greenlit and who collaborated on numerous other animation processes.

“In that instance,” he explains during our video call after I describe the scene to him, “you as a player are aiming with the controller for Ellie to look at the painting, which is triggering a ‘look at target’ placed by a designer. On top of that, I animated small eye darts (saccades) within the character’s facial idles to try and indicate an overall thought process. So animated eye saccades sitting on top of the eye-aim, work together to create what looks like focus and thought process.”

It’s an example of that close collaboration between the different teams during development, but also helps highlight the work being performed by Paciello’s Emotional Systematic Facial Animation system. In simplest terms, it picks a facial expression from a range of nearly 20 different emotional states for any of the 25 key characters that are on-screen. That covers leads, co-op partners, enemies, even Infected to an extent.

Facial animation working in unison with eye movements, body language, breathing… all interlinked and triggered by script beats, dialogue, encounters or ambient moments, like Ellie seemingly being absorbed by a painting. The illusion of emotion is constructed with mathematical precision. “It brings a depth to the characters that we’ve never seen before,” says Paciello.

After 17 years working as an animator, nine of which have been spent at Naughty Dog and most recently working as Lead Cinematic Animator on Uncharted: Lost Legacy, Keith was already invested in finding the best way to visually capture a character’s feelings.

Yet the epiphany to create something groundbreaking for The Last of Us Part II came from, of all things, a single blade of grass.

“Everyone was stepping up their game for TLOUII,” recalls Paciello during our video call. “We were looking at and talking about how to make a blade of grass even better [in game]. In doing so, we panned up, and there was this blank face on the character. I was like, “Oh.” It was then I wondered how we could simply, across the entire game, add these emotional beats to the characters, so at any point, you can tell what that character is feeling.” 

Most of his development time would be spent solving that riddle. Using the Ellie facial model as a base, he started by sculpting expressions based on seven universally recognizable emotions: joy, sadness, fear, anger, surprise, disgust and contempt. Liaising with the dialogue team, they tagged emotions to be triggered at specific lines, building a solid foundation and allowing characters to smoothly transition from one to another. “We could emotionally pace out our characters from the absolute beginning of the game to the absolute end of the game and blend in and out of cinematics seamlessly.”

Paciello was then asked to support melee, fashioning realistic reactions for combatants. He also aided in animating the breathing system (“six animations, from small breathing all the way up to exhausted”) which would go to such lengths as to see characters switch from open to closed mouth breathing depending on their proximity to an enemy. “That was one of my favourite collaborations on the project,” reminisces Neil.

Outside of script-specific triggers, characters would also have a number of ‘neutral’ idle states with emotional overlays. He also brought his expertise to hand-sculpting poses for each character to match their emotional states. Some 40 poses for each of the 15-20 emotion sets. By the end of production, he’d totted up an impressive 15,000 individual, hand-sculpted poses.

That hard work was paying off. When the system was fully activated, positive feedback was universal: staff, playtesters, even Keith himself were finding a deeper emotional connection with the game’s cast during gameplay.

Paciello points to a pivotal moment when Ellie is at Joel’s grave as an example of the seamless transitions between cinematic and gameplay, “Flip the camera [after the cinematic ends] and you see that she’s still devastated,” he explains.”I talked to the character team to see if we could get the textures and make sure it looks like she was just crying, so everything blends together nicely.” 

Yet even with the system in place and working as it promised to, the teams continued to fine tune every scene, further polishing each character’s emotional state. Ellie’s obvious exhaustion during the Santa Barbara sequence was the subject of additional focus. “We didn’t know if you wanted to go with pain, because she’s just gotten punctured. Ultimately Neil was happy with the exhausted look.”

And certain scenes demanded additional, unique flourishes to reinforce key character beats. Ellie’s reaction to seeing the Tyrannosaurus Rex statue during a flashback “was specially made for that moment,” while for the climactic beach fight, Paciello went in and redid all of Abby’s emotional sets to give the scene the gravitas it deserved.

“We all learnt a lot from that,” says Paciello. “When I first got to it, Abby, being so emaciated, still looked savage. I talked to Christian and said ‘I’m going to duplicate all her emotional sets for melee and I’m going to make them all exhausted.’ That way you choose between fierce and exhausted, so maybe she musters up enough strength but after she throws [a punch], goes into her exhausted state.”

I ask Paciello if he has any personal favourite moments from the game that shows the system at work. Understandably, he quickly rattles off several (“Dina and Ellie’s conversation back and forth on horseback, or Lev and Abby. Yara, in the aquarium talking about Lev.”), but ultimately he comes back to that climatic beach scene. He sees it as the culmination of everything the teams had worked on and proof that the system had achieved its goal. As Ellie and Abby come to the end of their respective arcs in an explosive, exhaustive clash, the emotional scars are clearly etched on their faces.

“It made me really made me feel like, ‘Okay, we’ve really pushed it.’ It’s what I wanted, it’s what I dreamt of when I pitched the idea of the system.”

The death of actor Chadwick Boseman from cancer has shocked not just the film industry but the entire world. Boseman was a man and an artist in the prime of his life and career, the star of one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most significant films and biggest creative and commercial successes ... and now he's gone. Those who worked with Boseman, including the community of the MCU, have been sharing their condolences and thoughts on his death on social media. Marvel Studios saluted Boseman, promising: "Your legacy will live on forever."

Our hearts are broken and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever. Rest In Peace. pic.twitter.com/DyibBLoBxz

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 29, 2020

Marvel Studios President and Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige, who produced Black Panther, issued the following statement to IGN via Disney: "Chadwick’s passing is absolutely devastating. He was our T’Challa, our Black Panther, and our dear friend. Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible. He embodied a lot of amazing people in his work, and nobody was better at bringing great men to life. He was as smart and kind and powerful and strong as any person he portrayed. Now he takes his place alongside them as an icon for the ages. The Marvel Studios family deeply mourns his loss, and we are grieving tonight with his family." Marvel Studios co-president Louis D'Esposito and Walt Disney Company Executive Chairman each tweeted:

We are crushed. Marvel has lost a true superhero and friend, but our hearts are heaviest for Chadwick’s family. Chadwick was a singular force whose King T’Challa showed the world the power of good and the meaning of loyalty and friendship. Wakanda forever, my friend.

— Louis D'Esposito (@louisde2) August 29, 2020

We are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of #chadwickboseman -- an extraordinary talent, and one of the most gentle and giving souls I have ever met. He brought enormous strength, dignity and depth to his groundbreaking role of Black Panther; shattering myths and stereotypes,

— Robert Iger (@RobertIger) August 29, 2020

Joe and Anthony Russo, who introduced Boseman as Black Panther to the world in Captain America: The Winter Soldier and later directed him in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, posted this statement to social media:

Chadwick was such an elegant man with great integrity and tremendous talent. He inspired an entire generation to stand up and be king. Honor him by emulating him-show kindness and love to others. Share your talents in ways that impact. Always strive to be a light in the darkness. pic.twitter.com/8XRpRejnf7

— Russo Brothers (@Russo_Brothers) August 29, 2020

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler posted this lengthy, loving statement saluting Chadwick Boseman, saying in part: "I haven’t grieved a loss this acute before. I spent the last year preparing, imagining and writing words for him to say [in Black Panther 2], that we weren’t destined to see. It leaves me broken knowing that I won’t be able to watch another close-up of him in the monitor again or walk up to him and ask for another take." Tributes have also come in from Black Panther's Michael B. Jordon (Killmonger), Danai Gurira (Okoye), Winston Duke (M'Baku), Angela Bassett (Ramonda), Sterling K. Brown (N'Jobu), and Andy Serkis (Klaw):

View this post on Instagram

I’ve been trying to find the words, but nothing comes close to how I feel. I’ve been reflecting on every moment, every conversation, every laugh, every disagreement, every hug…everything. I wish we had more time. One of the last times we spoke, you said we were forever linked , and now the truth of that means more to me than ever. Since nearly the beginning of my career, starting with All My Children when I was 16 years old you paved the way for me. You showed me how to be better, honor purpose, and create legacy. And whether you’ve known it or not…I’ve been watching, learning and constantly motivated by your greatness. I wish we had more time. Everything you’ve given the world … the legends and heroes that you’ve shown us we are … will live on forever. But the thing that hurts the most is that I now understand how much of a legend and hero YOU are. Through it all, you never lost sight of what you loved most. You cared about your family , your friends, your craft, your spirit. You cared about the kids, the community, our culture and humanity. You cared about me. You are my big brother, but I never fully got a chance to tell you, or to truly give you your flowers while you were here. I wish we had more time. I'm more aware now than ever that time is short with people we love and admire. I’m gonna miss your honesty, your generosity, your sense of humor, and incredible gifts. I’ll miss the gift of sharing space with you in scenes. I’m dedicating the rest of my days to live the way you did. With grace, courage, and no regrets. “Is this your king!?” Yes . he . is! Rest In Power Brother.

A post shared by Michael B. Jordan (@michaelbjordan) on Aug 31, 2020 at 4:47pm PDT

pic.twitter.com/wzak5LB1pP

— Danai Gurira (@DanaiGurira) August 30, 2020

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“It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family. But what many don’t know is our story began long before his historic turn as Black Panther. During the premiere party for Black Panther, Chadwick reminded me of something. He whispered that when I received my honorary degree from Howard University, his alma mater, he was the student assigned to escort me that day. And here we were, years later as friends and colleagues, enjoying the most glorious night ever! We’d spent weeks prepping, working, sitting next to each other every morning in makeup chairs, preparing for the day together as mother and son. I am honored that we enjoyed that full circle experience. This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother...”thou aren’t not dead but flown afar...”. All you possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince.” #WakandaForever

A post shared by Angela Bassett (@im.angelabassett) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:43pm PDT

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How do I start to honor a man who I saw as a giant in many ways; with whom I thought I had so much more time...I am absolutely devastated by the loss of my friend and hero, Chadwick Boseman... I feel sick ... I’m in pain and I can’t belive he’s gone. Chadwick was a lightning rod for me... he gave me direction... when I saw “42”, I said, I could be like THIS guy. I knew I belonged because I could see myself in you... that’s what heroes do... they seem familiar because they make it possible for us to see our potential best selves demonstrated through them... Through seeing Chad’s work, I was able to say, “I could be just like you one day“ and when I saw you in person for the first time... at my audition for Black Panther, you acknowledged me and my dream by saying, “he’s ready”! Man, your words that day made me feel like my dream was finally real! Chadwick then proceeded to show us collectively everyday on set what it was to be a leading man. Not only through his work but by how he welcomed and created a space for all of us to feel safe, open and bold ... You even worked with me 1 on 1, on our scenes, so that we could get it right, well before the day of the filming ....Chadwick, Thank you! Chadwick, you are the best...you are me and I’m you and we are all one! Thanks for being someone I could look up to on and off screen ... your calm confidence was inspiring and exemplary. Thanks for sharing with me... you go ahead ...you did your job and did it well! You will NEVER be forgotten. Your heroism is now legend. We’ll carry the load and honor your legacy, the rest of the way! Bless King! #chadwickboseman #wakandaforever

A post shared by Winston Duke (@winstoncduke) on Aug 31, 2020 at 8:45am PDT

I don’t have words. Rest In Peace, Bruh. Thank you for all you did while you were here. Thank you for being a friend. You are loved. You will be missed. https://t.co/8rK4dWmorq

— Sterling K Brown (@SterlingKBrown) August 29, 2020

#WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/WEFHS8DvAU

— Andy Serkis (@andyserkis) August 29, 2020

Boseman was also honored by the extended MCU family, including Iron Man's Robert Downey Jr., Captain America's Chris Evans, Hulk's Mark Ruffalo, Thor's Chris Hemsworth, Spider-Man's Tom Holland, War Machine's Don Cheadle, Captain Marvel's Brie Larson, Nick Fury's Samuel L. Jackson, Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson, future Captain Marvel 2 director Nia DaCosta, Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds, future Blade star Mahershala Ali, Guardians of the Galaxy's Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi, The Winter Soldier's Frank Grillo, Daredevil and Luke Cage's Rosario Dawson, Guardians director James Gunn, Bucky Barnes' Sebastian Stan, Spider-Man stars Tom Holland and Zendaya, and Oscar winner Viola Davis, who starred with Boseman in Get on Up:

Mr. Boseman leveled the playing field while fighting for his life... That’s heroism. I’ll remember the good times, the laughter, and the way he changed the game... #chadwickforever @chadwickboseman pic.twitter.com/IFfCSmLrhR

— Robert Downey Jr (@RobertDowneyJr) August 29, 2020

I’m absolutely devastated. This is beyond heartbreaking.

Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create. I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship. Rest in power, King pic.twitter.com/oBERXlw66Z — Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) August 29, 2020

All I have to say is the tragedies amassing this year have only been made more profound by the loss of #ChadwickBoseman. What a man, and what an immense talent. Brother, you were one of the all time greats and your greatness was only beginning. Lord love ya. Rest in power, King.

— Mark Ruffalo (@MarkRuffalo) August 29, 2020

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Gonna miss you mate. Absolutely heartbreaking. One of the kindest most genuine people I’ve met. Sending love and support to all the family xo RIP @chadwickboseman

A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:40pm PDT

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Chadwick, you were even more of a hero off screen than on. A role model not only to me on set, but to millions of others around the world. You brought joy and happiness to so many and I’m proud to have been able to call you a friend. RIP Chadwick

A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013) on Aug 28, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT

i will miss you, birthday brother. you were always light and love to me. my god ... forever and ever ... https://t.co/9pORaKZuQN pic.twitter.com/awX3DiTVwn

— Don Cheadle (@DonCheadle) August 29, 2020

THANK YOU @chadwickboseman for all you gave us. We needed it & will always cherish it! A talented & giving artist & brother who will be sorely missed RIP

— Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) August 29, 2020

pic.twitter.com/Y8ZbFdpHCe

— Brie Larson (@brielarson) August 29, 2020

Rest in Power, my king.

— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) August 29, 2020

I want to be crystal clear: without Chadwick, and what he gave to his character, there is no Shang Chi. Period. My career rides on the coattails of a great man.

I wish I would have had the opportunity to tell him in person - but I'll fight for him always, my Eternal King. — Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) August 29, 2020

Crushed. It’s hard not to despair right now. pic.twitter.com/QkIKJTp9XC

— N O S ⋊ Ɔ I ᴚ ᴚ Ǝ ᗡ ⊥ ⊥ O Ɔ S (@scottderrickson) August 29, 2020

I’ll miss waiting to see what he does next. Rest in power. https://t.co/PkRjw4HKSF

— Nia DaCosta (@NiaDaCosta) August 29, 2020

Such a brutal loss. RIP, Chadwick.

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 29, 2020

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Peace King... Thank you for your extraordinary work, your exemplary character and leadership. Love you Brother.

A post shared by Mahershala Ali (@mahershalaali) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:25pm PDT

My prayers go out to Chadwick’s family and loved ones. The world will miss his tremendous talent. God rest his soul. #wakandaforever https://t.co/j5JWSeiqd5

— chris pratt (@prattprattpratt) August 29, 2020

I’m gonna have to tell Cy, Bowie and Zen that T’Challa has passed. What other king can I tell them about now? pic.twitter.com/AFEFxJOFd5

— Zoe Saldana (@zoesaldana) August 29, 2020

Devastating news. We lost a great one. Takoto mai rā e Āriki. #chadwickboseman

— Taika Waititi (@TaikaWaititi) August 29, 2020

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Rest In Peace brother. A wonderful human being taken too soon. Thank you for the legacy you leave behind. #chadwickboseman #king

A post shared by Frank Grillo (@frankgrillo1) on Aug 28, 2020 at 9:28pm PDT

Tears overflowing. You will forever be mighty and beloved. Thank you for sharing yourself so powerfully, beautifully and generously in this lifetime. We were lucky to have so much of you. Praying and sending love and many blessings to your family. #LegendsNeverDie #WakandaForever

— Rosario Dawson (@rosariodawson) August 29, 2020

I’ve had a hard time wrapping my head around this since last night. Not only that Chadwick died from colon cancer, but that he had it the entire time I knew him, & did the amazing work & lived the life he did during that time.

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 29, 2020

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Today is beyond devastating to comprehend. Just shock and pain...I was in awe of Chadwick, as an actor, in his commitment to the work and as a human. I looked up to him. The way he carried himself, how thoughtful and mindful he was, how generous...he elevated everyone around him. None of it makes sense to me. There was so much more coming from this man. It’s such a loss. Such a shame.

A post shared by Sebastian Stan (@imsebastianstan) on Aug 29, 2020 at 7:12am PDT

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Chadwick, you were even more of a hero off screen than on. A role model not only to me on set, but to millions of others around the world. You brought joy and happiness to so many and I’m proud to have been able to call you a friend. RIP Chadwick

A post shared by Tom Holland (@tomholland2013) on Aug 28, 2020 at 10:20pm PDT

Rest in great power. https://t.co/SDjVfJ9Lrw

— Zendaya (@Zendaya) August 29, 2020

Chadwick.....no words to express my devastation of losing you. Your talent, your spirit, your heart, your authenticity........It was an honor working beside you, getting to know you....Rest well prince...May flights of angels sing thee to thy heavenly rest. I love you! pic.twitter.com/6abglPBOsh

— Viola Davis (@violadavis) August 29, 2020

Boseman's Avengers co-star Scarlett Johansson released the following statement on his passing: “Chadwick was not only a deeply soulful and powerful actor, but he was such a kind, thoughtful, funny and gentle person. He brightened every ones [sic] day every time he walked into our hair and makeup trailer or on set with his beautiful smile.” Actor Josh Gad, who co-starred with Boseman in the film Marshall, posted this teary-eyed tribute to his late friend:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Josh Gad (@joshgad) on Aug 28, 2020 at 7:36pm PDT

Marvel's rival DC Comics also paid tribute to the fallen king, as did Aquaman actor Jason Momoa:

To a hero who transcends universes. Wakanda Forever. Rest in Power Chadwick. pic.twitter.com/F5YhIbK4wg

— DC (@DCComics) August 29, 2020

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all my aloha and condolences to his ohana. i’m truly gutted. what a wonderful spirit. i’m so sorry RIP REPOST FROM : @chadwickboseman It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman.⁣ ⁣ Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016, and battled with it these last 4 years as it progressed to stage IV. ⁣ ⁣ A true fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy. ⁣ ⁣ It was the honor of his career to bring King T’Challa to life in Black Panther. ⁣ ⁣ He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side. ⁣ ⁣ The family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. ⁣ ⁣ Photo Credit: @samjonespictures

A post shared by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) on Aug 28, 2020 at 7:55pm PDT

Harrison Ford, who starred opposite Chadwick Boseman in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42, released this statement honoring his co-star: "Chadwick Boseman was as compelling, powerful and truthful as the characters he chose to play. ... His intelligence, personal dignity and deep commitment inspired his colleagues and elevated the stories he told. He is as much a hero as any he played. He is loved and will be deeply missed." Former US President Barack Obama for using his gifts and power to inspire African-American children and give them someone to look up to:

Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain – what a use of his years. https://t.co/KazXV1e7l7

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 29, 2020

Dwayne Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, Jamie Foxx, Get Out director Jordan Peele, director Ava DuVernay, actor LaKeith Stanfield, pop star Mariah Carey, Marvel Comics writer and filmmaker Greg Pak, Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, and the iconic Billy Dee Williams all weighed in with tributes to Boseman:

Hard to hear about this. Rest in love, brother. Thank you for shining your light and sharing your talent with the world. My love and strength to your family. https://t.co/hNAWav7Cq8

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 29, 2020

What a gentle gifted SOUL. Showing us all that Greatness in between surgeries and chemo. The courage, the strength, the Power it takes to do that. This is what Dignity looks like. https://t.co/U3OOnJVS42

— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) August 29, 2020

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Please Jesus please... I know you know what’s best... but at this moment our hearts are writhing with so much pain... so to lose this beautiful black king renders me weak...please watch over his family and loved ones.... @chadwickboseman you have touched the lives of all of us... u will forever be remembered in the highest regard... REST IN POWER! our black king! Our black panther! /a>

A post shared by Jamie Foxx (@iamjamiefoxx) on Aug 28, 2020 at 8:05pm PDT

This is a crushing blow.

— Jordan Peele (@JordanPeele) August 29, 2020

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I don’t like to run to posting but you were always so solid and kind when we crossed paths. I wanna hold you up. Love to your family. Rest In Peace brother.

A post shared by LaKeith Htiekal Stanfield (@lakeithstanfield3) on Aug 28, 2020 at 7:26pm PDT

May you have a beautiful return, King. We will miss you so. pic.twitter.com/jdip3RHoXb

— Ava DuVernay (@ava) August 29, 2020

This is heartbreaking. Thank you for persevering through it all. You leave behind an incredible body of work and an inspiring legacy. Rest in power. Chadwick Forever. https://t.co/grXopcMLCq

— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) August 29, 2020

BLACK PANTHER wasn't just a movie. It was a society shifting event that opened a million minds and doors, and its success was driven by Chadwick Boseman's tremendous presence, spirit, and performance. Rest in peace.

— Greg Pak (@gregpak) August 29, 2020

In power

Eternally in power — Barry Jenkins (@BarryJenkins) August 29, 2020

This young man was a true hero. He taught an entire generation of young black children that no matter their background, to be the hero of their own story. He taught an entire generation of young white children that their hero’s don’t have to look like them. #ripchadwickboseman pic.twitter.com/9fuDQFGPFL

— Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) August 29, 2020

Spike Lee, who directed Boseman in Da 5 Bloods, and the film's distributor, Netflix, paid tribute to him:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Spike Lee (@officialspikelee) on Aug 29, 2020 at 5:53am PDT

A hero in every sense. Rest in power to Chadwick Boseman whose gifts will live on forever. pic.twitter.com/84KwX0N4D8

— NX (@NXOnNetflix) August 29, 2020

Warner Bros. and Major League Baseball also saluted Chadwick Boseman, who played the legendary Jackie Robinson in the movie 42:

Rest in peace, Chadwick Boseman. Thank you for the talent, inspiration, and passion you poured into this world. You will forever be remembered and in our hearts. pic.twitter.com/vyWsLShOLl

— Warner Bros. (@WBHomeEnt) August 29, 2020

We are devastated by the tragic loss of Chadwick Boseman. His transcendent performance in “42” will stand the test of time and serve as a powerful vehicle to tell Jackie’s story to audiences for generations to come. pic.twitter.com/8oU7QpdLSE

— MLB (@MLB) August 29, 2020

Huffington Post writer Matt Jacobs shared this snippet from an interview he did with Chadwick Boseman, where he asked about the physical demands of playing Black Panther. Jacobs had no idea Boseman was suffering from cancer the entire time, and Boseman's response is heartbreaking:

I interviewed Chadwick Boseman in 2017, and to think he was going through cancer while satisfying the physical demands of a Marvel movie...https://t.co/MAB1ZYdcGS pic.twitter.com/eLdear66IU

— Matt Jacobs (@tarantallegra) August 29, 2020

We will be updating this article as more tributes come in.

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IGN Premiere is rolling out two weeks of exclusive Bill & Ted Face the Music content, starting today with the very first clip from the film. Tune in all this week and next for more first-look content at the long-awaited return of these rockin' time-travelers. [poilib element="accentDivider"] After nearly 30 years, Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Theodore "Ted" Logan are back for more wacky adventures through time. In the 1989 original, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, the pals were just a pair of dopey teens looking for help on an all-important school report from a cross-section of historical figures (including Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joan of Arc, Socrates, Sigmund Freud, Ludwig van Beethoven, Genghis Khan, and Billy the Kid). The 1991 sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, saw the duo go to hell, befriend Death, and face off against their evil robot dopplegangers from the future in order to win the San Dimas Battle of the Bands. The through line in both Bill & Ted films is that, one day in the future, a song by Bill and Ted's band, Wyld Stallyns, will unite the world, an accomplishment so excellent that they are practically objects of worship centuries in the future. Now, in Bill & Ted Face the Music, the title characters confront middle-age and the reality that they still haven't written that song that they were told would unite the world. Indeed, Wyld Stallyns' heyday appears to have passed them by. What gives, dude? In our exclusive clip from the film -- which you can watch in the player above or in the embed below -- Bill and Ted (Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, respectively) are paid a visit by Kelly (Kristen Schaal), a messenger from the future who has come to San Dimas to take the duo on an important mission. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/08/18/bill-ted-face-the-music-exclusive-clip-ign-premiere"] Kelly, as the clip reveals, is the daughter of Rufus, Bill and Ted's time-traveling mentor in the original two movies. (George Carlin, who played Rufus, died in 2008.) Kelly instructs Bill and Ted if they don't come up with their song in the next several hours then the fabric of reality itself stands to be destroyed. Most heinous! The scene also includes Samara Weaving (Ready or Not) and Brigette Lundy-Paine (Atypical) as Bill and Ted's daughters Thea and Billie, respectively. Has the apple fallen far from the tree with these two? We'll have to wait and see when Bill & Ted Face the Music opens in limited theatrical release and On Demand on August 28. Bill & Ted Face the Music is directed by Galaxy Quest's Dean Parisot and written by the franchise's co-creators, Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. In addition to Winter and Reeves reprising their title roles, this third film also sees the return of William Sadler as the Grim Reaper, Hal Landon Jr. as Ted's dad, and Amy Stoch as Missy, Ted's stepmom. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=bill-and-ted-face-the-music&captions=true"]

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If you thought the Internet freaked out over Annabelle escaping from its occult museum (it didn't) wait until you learn about its reaction to Galactus being on his way. Social media exploded in cries of "Galactus!" -- the planet-consuming Marvel Comics villain -- on Monday when news spread of a heartbeat being detected in a mysterious cosmic gas cloud 15,000 light-years from Earth in the system designated S 433. "The cloud – which is otherwise unremarkable – seems to be 'beating' along with the rhythm of a neighbouring black hole, researchers say. As such, they appear to be connected to each other, the researchers write in a new journal paper," according to The Independent. "But it is not clear how the gamma-ray 'heartbeat' of the cloud can be connected to the black hole, which lies 100 light years away." While the actual science behind what might be causing the mysterious heartbeat is less fantastical than Galactus, that didn't prevent Twitter from exclaiming that the cosmic Marvel supervillain was on his way to make 2020 even more of a terrible year. Here are a smattering of "Galactus!" responses:

So September 2020 is Galactus https://t.co/Ta0LQvxrVK

— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) August 17, 2020

Great...not only is 2020 unleashing #Galactus on us, but it's the crappy movie cloud version... https://t.co/vx517FJZoo

— Nerd Truth (@NerdTruth) August 17, 2020

WHY DO WE LIVE IN THE SAME TIMELINE AS CLOUD GALACTUS OUT OF ALL GALACTUSES https://t.co/y6jVHaGWkC

— Grace (@GracefuISpider) August 17, 2020

OH SWEET Galactus is coming! https://t.co/JXuruO5sOX

— Al Creed (@AlCreed) August 17, 2020

Although depicted in Marvel Comics as a planet-sized armored humanoid form, Galactus was infamously portrayed as a sentient cloud entity in the 2007 movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. Look, it could always be worse than Galactus. It could be the giant diarrhea space cloud Parallax from Green Lantern. But, really, what is the deal with that cloud? One theory about this "heartbeat" is that the rhythm is tied to material drawn away by the black hole from the giant star orbiting it, matter shot out at high speed in two narrow jets. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/27/why-galactus-should-not-be-the-mcus-next-big-villain"] "Finding such an unambiguous connection via timing, about 100 light years away from the micro quasar, not even along the direction of the jets is as unexpected as amazing," said researcher Jian Li. "But how the black hole can power the gas cloud's heartbeat is unclear to us." For more on the classic baddie, who ranked #17 on our list of Top 25 Marvel villains, learn why Galactus shouldn't be the MCU's next big villain. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-top-25-marvel-villains&captions=true"]

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The end is near for Marvel's Agents of SHIELD, and with the two-part series finale closing in -- "The End is at Hand" and "What We're Fighting For," airing August 12 -- it's a swell time to take a closer look at Clark Gregg's Agent Phillip J. Coulson - the dutiful operative who bridged the gap as the MCU jumped from movies to TV. Yes, The Avengers' loss, Phil Coulson, became the touchstone for this long-running Marvel saga as the super agent was resurrected for the series and got to lead a new team on adventures that spanned time, space, and space-time. Battling Hydra cells, Kree tyrants, vengeful A.I.s, and even spirits from the Fear dimension, Coulson would eventually discover that "dying" was kind of his superpower, as the man would find himself brought back from the brink several times over the course of seven seasons. Here's a quick cataloguing of Coulson' close calls, comebacks, and upgrades. All the times Phil's been resurrected. Returned to us from beyond. Yanked back from the Big Dark. You get the idea. Obviously, spoilers follow for Marvel's Agents of SHIELD. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-agents-of-shield-the-many-lives-and-deaths-of-phil-coulson&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"]

The Early Years

We never saw Coulson before he was a SHIELD agent, but Captain Marvel gave us a glimpse of Phil as a young and bright agent trusted by Nick Fury. In this time, Coulson ran missions with Melinda May and Katherine Shane before, eventually, getting wrapped up in an alien tussle on Earth that involved the returned Air Force pilot Carol Danvers and a squad of Skrull scientists seeking her memories.

Avengers Initiative Phil

Coulson would remain an active SHIELD agent for the next decade, running more operations with Agent May and Peruvian soldier Camilla Reyes, all while assisting Fury with the Avengers Initiative. After Tony Stark rescued himself from captivity overseas, Coulson and Fury began aggressively recruiting superpowered beings including Bruce Banner, the newly-arrived Thor, and the newly-thawed Steve Rogers (whom Coulson had been a huge fan of since he was a kid). Along with SHIELD's Natasha Romanov and Clint Barton, the team banded together to stop Thor's stepbrother Loki from conquering Earth with an alien army. Coulson, however, would not survive the endeavor. He died after being stabbed with Loki's sceptor.

T.A.H.I.T.I. Phil

Created by Fury, and headed by Coulson, Project T.A.H.I.T.I. (Terrestrialized Alien Host Integrative Tissue I) was put in place in case a wounded Avenger needed to be healed. Using a Kree corpse, a drug called GH.325 was created that could bring people back from death (with side effects including writing strange alien symbols everywhere). After Phil's death, Fury would order him brought back to life using the drug. After seven operations, the doctors resurrected Coulson successfully, but the process was agonizing for him. Coulson's memory of the procedure was wiped, as were his memories of Project T.A.H.I.T.I. itself. As far as Phil knew, he was injured and then recovered in Tahiti. A magical place. Following this, Coulson would recruit a whole new team, including Agent May, Leo Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Grant Ward (boooo!), and a lone hacker named Skye (real name: Daisy Johnson). Over the next several years, they'd form a tight, family-like bond while running missions all over the world. Even one where they'd discover that SHIELD itself was filled with secret Hydra agents - including Ward and one of Coulson's former mentors, John Garrett. After that specific victory, Fury, who was still mostly in hiding, appointed Phil as the new Director of SHIELD.

Cyborg Phil

In order to stop Coulson's entire body from petrifying due to contact with a contaminated Terrigen Crystal (it's a...whole thing), then-SHIELD engineer Alphonso "Mac" Mackenzie chopped off Phil's arm to stop the spread of the malady. Agent Fitz then designed a cybernetic replacement for Phil that attached to the missing part of his left arm. Eventually, Fitz would replace the hand again, this time with a more lifelike prosthesis. In any form, Coulson's hand came with super strength (just ask Grant Ward, RIP) along with X-ray scanning and signal jamming capabilities (and maybe a laser finger, shhhh). Coulson could also project an energy shield with it, allowing him to act like his favorite hero of all time, Captain America.

Framework Phil

Created by Fitz, the Framework was a simulation training program that was expanded into a full virtual world by Holden Radcliffe, who used the Darkhold to do it. It was a place where one could "correct" their biggest life regret. When rogue A.I. Aida captured Coulson and other SHIELD team members, she placed them in the Framework, which became an Earth where Hydra ruled over everyone. Inside this virtual realm, Coulson "fixed" his past and never joined SHIELD so he could have an ordinary life. He was now a teacher (at Alexander Pierce High School) who felt occasionally guilty about teaching his students Hydra propaganda.

Ghost Rider Phil

In order to defeat and banish Aida to Hell, Phil actually briefly absorbed the Spirit of Vengeance and allowed himself to become the Ghost Rider, who was the only being capable of credibly facing Aida and blocking her regenerative abilities.

Phil's Second Death

Phil's stint as the Ghost Rider would have dire consequences, however, as he learned that the brief time he spent bonding with the Spirit of Vengeance had burned through the Kree DNA that had previously healed him and gave him a new life. With his time now dwindling down, Coulson spent his remaining time saving the Earth from annihilation and forming a romantic relationship with Melinda May. Coulson officially retired, turned the leadership of SHIELD over to Mac, and spent his remaining weeks in Tahiti with May. He died in his sleep.

Um...Sarge

Okay...so. Coulson died. He was dead-dead. So who was this Coulson look-alike in Season 6? Well Sarge, to Sarge's knowledge, was a long-lived alien who was leading a group of warriors that hunted parasites called Shrikes. Really though, Sarge, who had identical genetics to Phil Coulson, was called Pachakutiq - a non-corporeal entity from the Fear Dimension whose memories got all scrambled when it entered the accidentally cloned body of Phil (created by a monolith from the Fear Dimension). In the end, he looked like this... Pachakutiq and ancient entity Izel were ultimately defeated, dropped by Sarge's special, enhanced Shrike-killing sword.

LMD Phil

Season 7 saw the return of factory setting Phil Coulson, though he wasn't brought back to life in the regular Kree DNA way. Now he was a Life Model Decoy created by Fitz, Simmons, and Enoch using Chronicom tech. He was more or less the same Phil but with a self-awareness of his LMD existence, a subordinate role to Director Mackenzie, and a now-dissolved romantic relationship with May.

LMD Phil's Death

Realizing that self-sacrifice was his strong suit, LMD Phil took himself out, knowing he'd be able to come back, by blowing up the evil Chronicoms' time ship, taking all their Hunters out with the blast.

Phil TV

While in the '80s-era part of the team's time-travel adventure, Fitz and Simmons' future grandson Deke Shaw rebooted Coulson from a hard drive and put him into a TV screen, Max Headroom-style. From there, Coulson could advise Deke and Mac, but offer no physical support.

LMD Phil Part 2

Once Deke and Mac were rescued by the rest of the team, and back on Zephyr One, Coulson was given a brand-new LMD body. Just in time to square off against Nathanial Malick and his diabolical plan to throw the world into chaos by stealing Inhuman powers and give them to mercenaries. So what was your favorite Phil Coulson moment from over the years? Should he have ever stayed dead or was bringing him back over and over part of the fun? Let us know below! [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.

Warning: The following contains spoilers about the Agents of SHIELD two-part finale... [poilib element="accentDivider"] Agents of SHIELD has ended its seventh and final season, and we had a chance to speak to the cast of the long-running Marvel series about their feelings on shutting down the saga and where all the characters wound up when the series finale's credits rolled. At a Zoom roundtable shared with other outlets, IGN spoke to stars Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennet, Ming-Na Wen, Henry Simmons, Elizabeth Henstridge, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, Iain De Caestecker, Jeff Ward, and Enver Gjokaj, digging a little deeper into the series finale and where every member of the team ended up.

Chloe Bennet's Final Scene

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-agents-of-shield-series-finale-photos&captions=true"] Though the final episode, "What We're Fighting For," wrapped things up with the team all reuniting in a virtual world (sound familiar, 2020?) as holograms, that wasn't the final scene everyone filmed. In fact, Bennet shared how much she disliked her last day of filming. "I hated my last day," she said. "I'm going to be completely honest. I begged for our last day to be the one where we're sitting in the chairs together. Because of scheduling reasons we couldn't do that. My last day was actually the entire Quake fight and it's really hard to shoot physical things when you're emotional because you've got the exact opposite parts of your brain lighting up. And then my last last shot was just very SHIELD, which was me on a green screen, bored, with a bald cap floating in space. Looking dumber than you can imagine." "We'd already shot the [reunion scene] earlier on in the episode so I was kind of a wreck," Bennet added. "I was just broken open from those scenes and then to do the fights and have to lay on a green board, while bald, was pretty odd."

Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa

In the end, we found out that most everyone, except for Fitz (who retired), was still working for SHIELD in some capacity. But for Bennet's Daisy Johnson, her future also meant a new life with Gjokaj's Daniel Sousa. A relationship that took Bennet by surprise. "I was a little hesitant about a love interest," Bennet explained, "because [Daisy's] narrative was really about finding herself and her family and her relationship with Coulson and the SHIELD family. This one snuck up on me as Chloe as much as it did for Daisy I think. It's one of those things where you say 'Oh, she needed this.' Not in a way like 'she needs a man' but just the way that he compliments her so well. It felt perfect as an ending for her. It took a man out of time to come in and compliment her in this way and she was completely caught off guard by it." As for Gjokaj, joining the SHIELD squad was a dream come true. "Jed [Whedon] and Maurissa [Tancharoen] made it clear that they didn't want to reprise Sousa from the moment he left [Agent Carter]," the actor said. "They wanted to see that time had passed and that he'd continued to advance in the ranks and in his skills. They wanted to see more of a super agent." "I got to have the best of both worlds," Gjokaj added. "I got to continue that character on the trajectory he would have gone on if Agent Carter had gone on and then -- when I collected Marvel as a kid I loved the 'What If?' comics. This felt like such an amazing 'What If?'" Of course, not all of the show's ships wound up on a happy note. Fans of Coulson and May might be distraught over the two ending up apart. "I think the 'Philinda' fans are going to be a little bit sad about the outcome. Again," Wen laughed. "But you know what? We've seen this happen before. So don't be surprised if you see him resurrected again."

Agent of SHIELD's Finale Ending Explained

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-agents-of-shield-the-many-lives-and-deaths-of-phil-coulson&captions=true"] No one knew at the time when the series finale was shot (which was last summer) that virtual connecting would become the new normal in 2020. But that's how we left things on Agents of SHIELD. The actors all got to be in the same room but the characters were only there as holograms, as part of a video call, each having gone their separate ways. "I remembering thinking 'Oh, it's so sad that they're not together,'" Cordova-Buckley said. "It's so sad that they're now connecting technologically and not in the lab discussing what they're going to do next." Gregg likened the scene to the "Zoom nightmare-slash-reality" we all use to communicate with each other now. "So much of the show felt like life and art bled back and forth," he said. "Certainly saying goodbye to people you've been working with for years -- some for two, some for seven -- and checking in with them and knowing your lives are taking these different paths. On one hand: Thank God for technology for allowing you to do it, but also there's a real limitation to technology. That you're not there hugging. That you're not there in the way you'd like to be." "It was a tough thing to shoot because there were moments when we were realizing it was our final scene together as a group," Wen shared. "And then it was tougher still because we'd pause and one of us would leave. It's sort of like what the last scene was in Season 5, when we didn't know if we were coming back and we thought it was the end of the series. Knowing for sure though, now, that this was the series finale made it bittersweet." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/28/agents-of-shield-season-7-official-trailer-exclusive"]

Mack and Yo-Yo

When the roundtable topic switched to specific characters' fates, Cordova-Buckley expressed how happy she was for Mack and Yo-Yo. "We've seen them go through so much. They've sacrificed so much. They've given so much to the team. So for them to end up together but also be individuals -- like she's doing her own thing and he's in command -- it feels like the relationship has now settled for 'MackElena.'" As for Mack, the Director of SHIELD dons a trench coat at the end that definitely feels reminiscent of another famous Director. "Quite honestly, the original get-up -- and everything underneath like the pants and everything, I don't know if it was intentional -- was very similar to Nick Fury. And the powers-that-be were like 'let's nix that because we don't want to have any overlapping. We just want Mack to be his own Director.'"

Fitz and Simmons

For Henstridge's Simmons and De Caestecker's Fitz, the ending meant the two characters could finally find their "happily ever after." "We've been ripped apart so many times and so many tragedies have happened, and you talk about earning moments of happiness for them, and I think they definitely earned that happy ending," Henstridge said. "And it's also nice that they still have that conflict between them where Simmons is sneakily staying in the game a little bit and he's completely checked out for a while. They have their happily ever after but they still have that classic bickering. They're not perfect." De Caestecker mentioned how weird it felt returning to the group after being gone for so long (pretty much all of Season 7). "It was a bit bizarre," he said, "because I had a bit of time away. A huge part of that too is that [Fitz has] taken a bit of a backseat here as Simmons has gone off and done all the hard work." But what of their grandson, Deke? Not around for the final moments of the show, Deke's exit happened earlier when he agreed to be the one to stay behind in the alternate/altered timeline. A universe where he'll either be the leader of the remnants of SHIELD...or be a huge rock star. "We've been discussing this," actor Jeff Ward joked, "and I know [Deke's fate is] a blend of the two because imagine if you found out that Bruce Springsteen was actually the head of the FBI. Like, you'd never suspect it. So Deke's using his rock star persona as the ultimate 'hiding in plain sight' tactic to be running an international superhero policing ring. And then at night doing gigs, using various songs that he's ripped off and passed off as his own."

Coulson and Daisy's Final Goodbye

Coulson and Daisy's final interaction together is a sweet and supportive one. Daisy lets LMD Phil know that he's needed out in the world, finding promising young recruits for SHIELD, while she reflects on the moment that Phil first believed in her and how she's now used that to find a bond with her sister. For Gregg and Bennet, the relationship between their characters mirrors real life as well. "From the first interrogation scene with Skye, after we pulled her out of her van, there was just something different about Chloe Bennet," Gregg said. "And the way she has a realness and a fire to her as a performer. There are a lot of great actors to work with on that show but the through line of that relationship, that friendship, that family-type relationship...people say father/daughter, and it definitely has that in it, but I think like my relationship with Chloe it has so many permutations and it isn't that simple. Where she's helping and teaching and rescuing me as much as I'm doing that for her. For me, it was that part of the show where I grew the most as an actor and as a human." "I don't think most people have the privilege of having this type of dynamic relationship that you can't put into any sort of box," Bennet said. "It's only something you'd get in an environment like SHIELD." [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.

Ryan Reynolds has launched his very own streaming service with just one movie in its library, as part of a marketing campaign for Mint Mobile. Reynolds, who bought an ownership stake in Mint Mobile last year, announced the launch of his spoof streaming service on Twitter a few days ago when he posted an ad for Mint Mobile+, an all-new platform that offers "80 minutes" of "bingetastic unoriginals" to stream in "2003 DVD quality."

Every tech company needs a streaming service. So… introducing Mint Mobile +. The world’s most affordable streaming service! pic.twitter.com/lSMzeurKp8

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 12, 2020

The platform is free for everyone to access at mintmobileplus.com, however, streaming options are extremely limited as the site only has one binge-worthy title in its catalogue: Foolproof, Reynolds' 2003 movie, co-starring Kristin Booth. Don't fret though, because Foolproof is branded as an all-rounder, with a featured spot in every single category on the platform, including "Original Originals," "Kind of Originals," and "Unoriginal Originals." Unsurprisingly, the movie also appears in every slot of the site's "Top 10." "Two minutes after launch and our crack data team has already determined Mint Mobile+ should probably be shut down by the weekend," Reynolds tweeted shortly after the launch. "We'll go back to focusing on premium wireless." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/05/04/ryan-reynolds-responds-to-ign-comments"] This isn't the first time that Reynolds has mocked one of the movies in his back catalogue. Earlier this month, the actor re-edited Green Lantern and cut it down to a 27-second version of the movie with very little actual footage from the original release. Instead, he found a way to insert Hal Jordan into the ending of 2017's Justice League. While Reynolds' Green Lantern won't appear in The Snyder Cut, which will debut on HBO Max next year, fans haven't seen the last of the Emerald Knight in live-action. HBO Max is developing a Green Lantern series that will boast "cinematic production values" and will feature the ring slinger's archenemy Sinestro. So watch this space... or, you know, go and watch Foolproof. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=dc-extended-universe-every-upcoming-movie&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Google has been giving students — and their parents — a few helpful tools to make studying from home a bit easier. Back in May, it launched an augmented reality feature within Search that lets you view 3D anatomy models and cellular structures. And s...

Tim Sweeney finally made good on his word. Epic Games is suing Apple over anticompetitive practices, after a calculated act of disobedience forced the App Store to block Fortnite from the iOS platform. On August 13th, Fortnite developers introduced a...

Absolutely beautiful, and yes not very practical for watching movies. But is has to be said, that is gorgeous, Xiaomi announced a transparent OLED television, literally transparent. It uses a 120 Hz p...

With the launch of HBO Max back in May, the WarnerMedia streaming service launched a few original programs, but nothing that got people really excited about the new platform--aside from Elmo's late night talk show. However, coming this September, a new sci-fi series called Raised By Wolves will launch, and it may be just what the service needs.

Ridley Scott will executive produce the upcoming series, which arrives on September 3. Scott is the mind behind sci-fi classics like Blade Runner and Alien. During the CTAM 2020 presentation, the first trailer for Raised By Wolves was revealed, and it's pretty intense. Check it out below.

The 10-episode series--the first two of which Scott directed--takes place on an alien planet where human children are being raised by two androids. "As the burgeoning colony of humans threatens to be torn apart by religious differences, the androids learn that controlling the beliefs of humans is a treacherous and difficult task," reads an official synopsis.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Doctors advise you to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. This Raspberry Pi project will help make sure you’re doing it for that long.

Why America is afraid of TikTokMichael Schuman, The AtlanticA US Senator called it a Trojan Horse. President Trump reportedly wants Chinese owner ByteDance to sell it off to a buyer based in the States or to ban it entirely without having it change h...

Tom Cruise is going to head to space for an upcoming film--the first time a Hollywood movie has ever been shot outside of planet Earth--and he's now secured some serious money to do so. Deadline is reporting that Cruise, along with director Doug Liman and producers Christopher McQuarrie and PJ van Sandwijk, have secured a major production commitment from Universal.

The film, which currently has no script, will be funded for $200 million, the report says. Elon Musk and his company, SpaceX, will partner on the project too, and help get Cruise outside of the Earth's atmosphere.

It's possible that the project will ultimately go on to cost more money, since a production like this has never been done before. Cruise previously worked with Liman on Edge of Tomorrow and American Made. McQuarrie directed Cruise in the last two Mission: Impossible movies.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

In celebration of Pac-Man's 40th anniversary, Hasbro is releasing a new version of Monopoly that sounds pretty darn cool. The Monopoly Arcade Pac-Man Game comes with a tiny arcade cabinet that serves as the central mechanic for this new spin on Monopoly. And you won't have to wait long to pick up Pac-Man Monopoly; it releases this Saturday, August 1 at major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target for $30.

This version of Monopoly fittingly revolves around points rather than money. Each turn, two to four competitors move their player icon and the Ghost Token, with each movement tied to a die. The objective is to rack up points as you race around the board and accumulate Levels, all the while avoiding the Ghost.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson has shared a throwback video from 2016, which shows Benedict Cumberbatch visiting a comic book store dressed in his character's full costume. The behind-the-scenes footage, shared by Derrickson on Twitter, captures a "never before shown moment" of a previously-reported incident that occurred while taking a break from filming scenes for Marvel's Doctor Strange in New York.

Never before shown moment. While shooting in Manhattan right in front of a comic book store, I spontaneously suggested to Benedict that he go inside and he agreed. pic.twitter.com/ge2DcqWpu1

— N O S ⋊ Ɔ I ᴚ ᴚ Ǝ ᗡ ⊥ ⊥ O Ɔ S (@scottderrickson) July 28, 2020

"I'm about to walk into a comic store in Manhattan dressed as Doctor Strange, come with me," Cumberbatch says to the camera at the start of the clip, before proceeding to surprise customers with his grand entrance into the shop. Once inside the establishment, Cumberbatch shakes hands and exchanges a few words with the employees, who seize the opportunity to ask for a photo of him at the store, holding the Marvel Comics issue Doctor Strange: The Oath. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/08/14/what-is-doctor-strange-2s-multiverse-of-madness"] Cumberbatch is expected to make his next official appearance as the Sorcerer Supreme in Doctor Strange: Multiverse Of Madness. The film was initially scheduled for release next year, however, it has now been pushed back to March 25, 2022, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

AMD released its 2Q 2020 earnings results with record revenue, notebook and EPYC processor sales. The company also notched its highest desktop PC sales in 12 years.

Keanu Reeves joined director Francis Lawrence and producer Akiva Goldsman at Comic-Con@Home today to look back at the original live-action version of the Hellblazer himself for Constantine's 15th anniversary. It's hard to believe it's been 15 years since the DC character was first realized in live-action -- long before the DCEU was even a twinkle in Warner Bros. execs' eyes. The reunion panel was a lot of fun, with Reeves in top "the world loves you, Keanu" form. Several interesting tidbits were revealed during the session, including how the team talked a lot about making a sequel at one time. The Constantine 15th Anniversary panel was featured on IGN's Comic-Con@Home livestream. You can also check out our full Comic-Con 2020 panel schedule. Read on for the highlights from the Constantine panel, which was hosted and organized by Collider.com's editor-in-chief Steven Weintraub. Watch the Constantine reunion panel in its entirety below: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/25/constantine-15th-anniversary-official-panel-comic-con-2020"]

Constantine 2: The Sequel That Never Was

Goldsman recalled that during the making of the 2005 film a potential sequel was frequently discussed. "Yes, oh my God, yes," he said. "[It] endlessly came up. Boy, we wanted to. We wanted to make a hard R [rated] sequel, we wanted to ... I think we could probably make it tomorrow. Yes, we tried a lot of different ways to find [a way]. It was always, to the studios who made it, which was Village Roadshow and Warner Bros., a little bit of a feathered fish." Goldsman feels the studio didn't quite know what to make of the film's "oddness." "I do think [that] is one of the most lovely things about the film, the way it's equally comfortable in a character scene between Keanu and [co-star] Rachel [Weisz] as it is with demons flying, hurling themselves at a man who's going to light his fist on fire and expel them," he continued. "It's odd, right? It's not really action-packed. It just has a bunch of action. And this movie isn't exactly a thing, it's kind of a few things, which is what I think is beautiful about it. Those seem to get harder and harder to make. And even then, as much as we wanted to, and we've talked about it and we've had ideas... [sighs] I like that one where he wakes up in a cell and he has to identify the prisoner, that was Frank's idea, remember? And it was Jesus! ... Yeah, we talked about it!" Lawrence, who made his feature directing debut on Constantine, said that the creative team thought about a potential sequel or sequels more than the studio did. He thinks they always "loved it" more than the studio did, but the director is gratified by what he sees as an ever-increasing fanbase for the film in the years since it was released. "You know, the movie did fairly well," said Lawrence. "And this was also still a time when people sold DVDs, and so I think it did decently at the time. But it wasn't a knock-out success, and it also wasn't really sort of critically acclaimed by any means at the time. I mean, the kind of cool thing for me about this movie is just in the 15 years since it released, every time I do a movie and go out and travel the world and do junkets, I am signing Constantine DVDs more than any other movie that I've done. Over the years, different countries... people really, really love this movie. And I think that it's found a sort of a new life in a weird way." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2005/07/26/constantine-movie-trailer-constantine-trailer"]

Could Keanu Have Played a Blond, British Constantine?

The character from the comics is of course blond and British, which caused some small amount of controversy in fandom when the distinctly brunette and American Keanu Reeves was cast in the role for the movie. When asked during the panel whether or not there were discussions about Reeves maybe going with the blond hair and a British accent for Constantine, his answer was simple. "No, no," he smiled, without elaborating further. Lawrence confirmed that they never even discussed the matter. "And then I remember in costumes too the one other big change for the Constantine character was the coat," said the director. "And we did try the sort of Constantine coat and wound up going with the black one, which is different from the one in the comics and the graphic novels. We wanted to do what was right for what we were doing."

Constantine the Movie's Origins... With Nicolas Cage

Goldsman discussed how this was the project that helped him to break into producing. There had been a script "laying around that was really compelling," and so a package was put together with Tarsem Singh (The Cell, Immortals) as director and Nicolas Cage as star. Prep on the movie started, and then it stopped and then it "went to sleep for a while." Cage's involvement with the project ended when Singh parted ways with the studio. [caption id="attachment_2383039" align="aligncenter" width="1548"] Keanu Reeves impersonates the film going "to sleep for a while."[/caption] "And surely but slowly, the idea was durable enough -- like any interesting scripts -- to outlive whatever struggles it had," he continued. "And there was this video director who was really something." He's referring, of course, to Lawrence, who got his start as a director making music videos. By 2002, Reeves was also attached to the project, although he recalls that he wasn't familiar with the character at the time. "I hadn't read Hellblazer or seen any of the [creator] Alan Moore stuff in Swamp Thing," he said. "So I didn't know the character." The group laughed about how Reeves was "one of the gauntlets" that Lawrence had to pass to get the job on Constantine. Their meeting happened just days after Reeves had returned to the U.S. from Australia, where he had been shooting the Matrix sequels. "I really loved the script," continued Reeves. "And then I did some research on the character and I was, not hesitant, but I'm not English and I'm not blond. And the character is, and so I had to reconcile that, and part of that was what is the base of the character. What could I bring to the character? Why even do it? And it's such a beautiful character, this kind of humanitarian cynic. Tired, world-weary, tired of all the rules and morals and ethics and angels and demons, but still a part of it. And I loved his sense of humor." And Nic Cage got to play Ghost Rider a few years later anyway.

Other DC or Vertigo Characters

The team was asked during the panel whether or not other DC or Vertigo characters were ever considered. Vertigo Comics, of course, was DC's long-running imprint of adult-leaning titles that often had a more supernatural slant to them. Constantine was a key part of Vertigo back in the day. But Reeves jokingly took exception to this question. "Wait, you got Midnite, you got Chas!" he smiled. "What are you talking about?" Djimon Hounsou played Papa Midnite, a Hellblazer supporting character, and Shia LaBeouf played Constantine sidekick Chas Kramer in the film. But today's superhero films obviously are often focused on world-building and shared universes, a concept that was not prevalent on the big screen in 2005. Lawrence said that for as long as he was on the project, there was never any talk about bringing in other familiar faces. "The focus was on Constantine and Constantine's world," said the director. "So all the characters that surround him, but not weaving in the other kind of classic DC heroes."

Best Wrap Gift Ever

At one point during the panel, Lawrence whipped out the Holy Shotgun prop from the film, much to Reeves' delight. It turns out it was a wrap gift from Reeves to his director, and he actually had the props department make a replica of the piece from the shoot. Made of bronze, the gun weighs "probably 35 pounds." Unfortunately, when asked if he has the original, Reeves said he doesn't. Which sounds like the perfect reason to finally make Constantine 2... For even more on the world of DC, be sure to check out every upcoming DC movie.

This trash delivery robot is powered by a Raspberry Pi. It delivers any trash placed on the top basket directly into the trash can.

Major Android operating system updates have been a lot less fun in the last couple of years. Not only because the coronavirus robbed us of a proper reveal during Google I/O, but also because the company abandoned the tradition of sweet treat-themed names for Android 10 ‘Q’ and seemingly did the same Android 11 ‘R’ this year.

However, judging by new reports, it seems Google has been keeping the tradition alive internally. Apparently, Android R refers to Android Red Velvet Cake or RVC for short.

The word comes from Android VP of engineering Dave Burke, who spilled the beans in an interview with All About Android recently (via Droid Life). You can see it in the video below.

Now we’re just thinking Android 10 missed out on a dessert-based name because Google couldn’t come up with a Q sweet to follow Pie, Oreo, Marshmallow, Lollipop, KitKat, Jelly Bean, Ice Cream Sandwich, Honeycomb, Gingerbread, Froyo, Eclair, Donut and Cupcake.

Related: Best Android phones 2020

However, apparently that’s not the case either. According to Burke, they did the same for Android 10. It was called Quince Tart internally and would have been Queen Cake if the company hadn’t been such a spoil sport with Android 10.

Anyway, we’re calling it Android 11 Red Velvet Cake from now on. So there.

So what can we expect from Android 11 Red Velvet Cake when it arrives this autumn, probably alongside the Google Pixel 5 smartphone? Well, there’s a host of new features to look forward to. There’s distinct chat notifications, chat bubbles such as those we’ve seen in the past from Facebook Messenger, easier controls, dark mode scheduling, call recording, screen recording and some improved privacy settings.

The first public beta of Android 11 is already available, and it just so happens we’ve got a handy guide on how to install Android 11 here to help you out.

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“I shopped the Strip at Mahoney Creek only to see its windsocks voting in opposite directions.” (Julie Boatman/)

This story originally featured in the May 2020 issue of Flying Magazine.

My relationship with the mountains began on hikes with my family, camping trips up into the farthest corners of Glacier National Park that could be reached with a 7-year-old (me) and a toddling 4-year-old (my little brother) in close formation. We took what we could carry in our little packs—supplemented heavily with the resources my parents stuffed into their own.

Fast-forward to my early flight-instructing years in Colorado, where one of my greatest joys was introducing pilots to the high country—famously high-altitude airports like Leadville, Telluride and Aspen. The “real” backcountry beckoned, though, and about 15 years ago, I took a condensed, one-on-one mountain flying course with well-known backcountry instructor Lori MacNichol, through McCall Mountain Canyon Flying Seminars. The flights I made there cemented my love for the high country and, more so than that, provided me with a skill set that could be applied to much of my everyday flying.

Indeed, these lessons that the mountains bring to us know no gender, age or aviation background. So, when Christina Tindle from WomanWise Aviation Adventures dropped me a note on Twitter, asking my interest in joining them for an upcoming seminar in Cascade, Idaho, I was intrigued by two things: how flying with like-minded pilots would enhance my experience (or detract from it) and how much I would recall from my previous time flying into the Idaho wilderness.

A psychologist and counselor by occupation—and backcountry pilot—Tindle launched a series of seminars in 2011 with a fly-in to Smiley Creek, Idaho. In 2019, she conducted four events in Idaho and Colorado, focusing on backcountry flying but also touching on other areas of flight based on the requests of participants, including upset and recovery training, aerobatics, floatplane flying, and primary tailwheel instruction.

“These ­lessons the mountains bring to us know no ­gender, age or aviation background. ” (Julie Boatman/)

Setting goals

I knew this aviation seminar would be different when Tindle sent me a pre-event registration packet that included an overview with the quote, “If the shoe fits, you’ll dance a lot longer.” While the questionnaire accompanying the notes asked me to list standard items such as my flight time and recency of experience—and relative comfort flying in the backcountry—it also asked an open-ended question, “What do you want from your experience at WWAA?”

You could respond with a simple answer, or you could dive in more philosophically. Given that the registration form also noted that we would be formulating Life Flight plans, the intention with the question was clearly broader than simply probing our need to improve our confined-airstrip-landing skills.

Because I would be a speaker at the seminar, giving a presentation on coping with life’s “go-arounds” (often mistakenly referred to as “failures”), I left my answer generic, knowing I’d address the very topic I wanted to work on—extrapolating the confidence I’ve often gained from flying into my life on the ground—in my talk with the group.

A careful study of the terrain and airport ­information ­before you fly is critical—but takes on even more significance in the mountains. (Julie Boatman/)

Preparation and planning

Weather in Cascade in the third week of September can offer up anything from summer-like temps and density-altitude concerns to drizzly clouds and mountain-obscuring ceilings—or even a blizzard. I scheduled two days of instruction according to the forecast, knowing I could add an aerobatic flight or some tailwheel practice as the actual conditions allowed.

To balance the flying time, Tindle scheduled briefings from the instructor corps in the afternoons and evenings. For example, in one evening, Bob Del Valle of Hallo Flight Training (based in Priest River, Idaho) covered key concepts, such as engine failure after takeoff and accelerated stalls, as well as decision-making skills tuned to the environment in which we’d fly.

I spent my first day of flying with Fred Williams, an instructor who splits his time between Cascade and Reno, Nevada. He offered up his Kitfox with large-format tires for our flying—an airplane I’d flown only briefly with a friend in the more urbane environs of airpark-rich Florida.

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We briefed the flights in detail before launching, with a careful look at the airport diagrams and sectional charts, as well as the beta put together on each approach by a long list of experienced (and mostly successful) mountain pilots before us. Williams quizzed me on general concepts such as performance and high-country macro- and microweather to determine my background and review any areas I needed to address. Because my previous time flying in the true backcountry had been more than a decade ago (and different from flying at high-elevation yet improved airports in the Mountain West such as Santa Fe, New Mexico, or Steamboat Springs, Colorado), there was much ground to cover.

Understanding performance is paramount to mountain ops—whether it involves a new-to-you airplane, as was the Kitfox for me, or an old friend like the Cessna 182, which I would fly on day two. I looked forward to flying a made-for-the-mountains machine like Williams’ Kitfox, which has a 115 hp turbocharged Rotax 914 UL engine up front coupled with a Garmin G3X Touch integrated flight deck in the panel, about $150,000 as equipped. As a special light-sport aircraft, the Kitfox in this configuration keeps training costs reasonable while, at the same time, offering some of the latest technology and safety features.

We knew wind would likely become a factor after lunch—very common when flying in the mountains, regardless of the season—so we planned to keep a watchful eye on the wind vector shown on the G3X as we crossed passes on our way out and back.

“A Canyon Turn takes advantage of the fact that reducing airspeed decreases the radius of your turn.” (Julie Boatman/)

The practice area

Once briefed, we launched into blue and headed east to the practice area, in the valley hosting the Landmark, Idaho, airstrip (0U0). Before reaching the airport vicinity, Williams had me practice canyon turns in the broad valley, slowing down bit by bit to tighten them up. A canyon turn takes advantage of the fact that reducing your airspeed decreases the radius of your turn. If you execute a turn using a 30-degree bank at a near-cruise, density-altitude-adjusted groundspeed of 120 knots, the radius of your turn is 2,215 feet. At a speed near VA for many single-engine airplanes—say, 90 knots—you take up a lot less real estate, at 1,246 feet. If you can safely reduce your speed to 60 knots, that figure drops to 553 feet, and you can just about execute a 180-degree turn in 1,100 feet laterally. Use of flaps can help maintain a slower speed—making a huge difference when you contemplate a course reversal below canyon walls.

But those take practice to execute well. In Del Valle’s briefing, he had gone over the increased stall speed inherent with a turn of increased bank. With a bank angle of zero, let’s say your airplane has a stall speed (VS) of 60 knots. At 30 degrees of bank, that speed increases 10 percent to 66 knots; at 45 degrees of bank, it’s up to 72 knots. Because the Kitfox’s VS was much lower than 60 knots—try 49 mph with no flaps—we had a lot of room to play with, but still the smaller the bank, the less the chance we’d run into accelerated-stall territory. A good canyon turn is a balance of these aspects.

Surveying the strip—what some pilots call “shopping,” a term I first heard from MacNichol 15 years ago and in common usage among Idaho pilots—takes practice, too. Flying an extra traffic pattern gives you time to ferret out the details. Sometimes, you have to do this a lot higher than a standard traffic-pattern altitude, and you might not have sight of the strip during the approach until you’re on short final.

At Landmark, we had a relatively wide-open valley in which to maneuver as we gauged the status of its 4,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide surface. As we worked through the day, flying to Indian Creek (S81) and Thomas Creek (2U8), we would need progressively more-inventive ways to survey the landing site before making our approach. On day two in the 182, we would do the same with instructor Stacey Burdell, scoping the scene at Stanley (2U7), Smiley Creek (U87), Idaho City (U98) and Garden Valley (U88), consecutively.

Checking the actual weather against the forecast also proved most important, especially because of the winds at ridge-top level contradicting those at the surface—or even at the ends of the same runway. With Williams on day one, I shopped the strip at Mahoney Creek (0U3) only to see its windsocks voting in opposite directions. As much as I wanted to land there and tag another new strip in my logbook, we left it for another day. We bounced around enough on the way back to Cascade (U70) to validate my choice.

Most visitors to the Frank Church River of No Return ­Wilderness float or hike in, but flying yourself offers an unmatched perspective. (Julie Boatman/)

A stabilized approach

If you have this image of a backcountry pilot making crazy maneuvers to “make it” to a landing, dispel them from your mind right now. If you have any sense, you won’t accept anything less than a stabilized approach—and you’ll bail out early if you can’t maintain your airspeed and sight picture.

That said, the stabilized approach to a backcountry strip looks a little different than the one you might use in normal ops. This stems directly from the fact many mountain strips are one-way-in runways and have a “point of no return,” after which you must make the landing. A super-low-speed, power-off, short-field approach doesn’t offer the same margins for adjustment at the last minute that the backcountry approach does.

We practiced at Landmark—which has no point of no return because of its position in the valley—setting up a steep, low-power descent at a moderate rate, with full flaps in the Kitfox (think 30 degrees if you were flying a Cessna 172) and a speed at 1.2 to 1.3 times VSO, which correlates to about 55 mph indicated in the Kitfox. This configuration offers the ability to use more or less power if needed and modify the descent rate to avoid landing short—or long.

The key is to lock this in well before you reach your predetermined go-around point. If you don’t have the configuration in place and stable, you need to execute the go-around before that point of no return, or you risk everything. One of the approaches on day two was not well-stabilized, at Garden City, and it drove home the necessity of staying diligent about this practice—and being locked and loaded to go around if you’re too high and too fast at the key position, rather than forcing the approach.

Instructors Fred Williams and ­Danielle Maniere have fun in the Kitfox. (Julie Boatman/)

Life lessons

There’s an aspect of facing and conquering the unknown that carries over into the rest of your experience. The mountains are personal to me, and returning to them at a perfect time in my life, when I needed a shot of self-confidence, made all the difference in the world.

As weather drew in on day three, we bagged the airport activities for a hike into a nearby hot springs as the snow fell around us. The camaraderie was real as we navigated slippery rocks, and it would continue on in the aviation friendships I made that week. Our Plan B was just fine—and executing it reiterated the joy of taking advantage of life’s sharp turns. A disappointment became an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of a place we could access through general aviation. That’s another lesson that feels particularly poignant now as we face uncertainties ahead in life.

On the last evening of the seminar, the group encapsulated our plans for the coming days, weeks and months into concrete goals. Mine was simple: to keep flying. To keep exploring new places only an airplane can reach. To tap into that well of confidence-building stuff that only learning to fly has provided me. And that too is something every pilot can take away.

An approach into Garden Valley. (Julie Boatman/)

Mountain skills you can use every day

1. Pay attention to micrometeorology—and understand how fast the weather can change. In both the mountains and the lowlands, the environment immediately surrounding an airport can funnel winds and generate up- and downdrafts worthy of note, along with localized clouds and reduced visibility.
2. A stabilized approach is a safe approach. While you might use a different technique for your approach to a “normal” runway, setting a configuration and rate of descent to have in place by the time you’re at 500 feet agl—or higher—will stack the deck in your favor for a better landing.
3. Practice and plan for a go-around every time. In the backcountry, your go-around decision point might not be over the runway, or even on short final. Committing to a go-around plan, and knowing when you’ll trigger it, is vital. This holds true with every single landing you attempt.
4. The go/no-go decision continues throughout the flight. While you may consider the flight launched once you’re airborne, you’re always in a position to return to the place you just left, divert, or come up with some alternative to the plan you had in mind. This mental flexibility may very well save your life someday.
5. Take the right equipment. Save room (and weight) for a well-stocked flight bag—one that holds an extra layer of clothing, a hat, a first-aid kit, food and water, and other emergency supplies. Landing out, even in the flatlands, can leave you far from assistance.

Required reading

Two books guided my research, and a host of content online supports the topics they cover.

If there’s a primary textbook for flying in the high country, Mountain, Canyon, and Backcountry Flying by Amy L. Hoover and R.K. “Dick” Williams is it. Hoover has been flying the Idaho backcountry since 1989 and started teaching mountain flying in 1992 while working as a backcountry air-taxi pilot. She’s an original co-founder of McCall Mountain Canyon Flying Seminars. For the book she teamed up with pilot legend and author Dick Williams, who started training pilots in the backcountry in 1985. It’s available through Aviation Supplies and Academics.

For those who want their mountain flying in concise form, seek out a copy of Mountain Flying by Sparky Imeson, published in 1987 by Airguide Publications. Imeson, who ironically died in a March 2009 accident involving his Cessna 180 in the mountains, founded Imeson Aviation in 1968 at the Jackson Hole Airport in Wyoming. His wisdom—and the website, mountainflying.com—lives on, disseminating his vast knowledge of the techniques and decision-making critical to flying safely in the backcountry.

More aviation adventures

Tindle plans more WomanWise Aviation Adventures for 2020, though at press time they remain in flux because of general travel concerns in the spring, which we all hope to have dissipate by summer. Tindle said in March, “[I’m planning] September 6 to 10 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, for high-mountain flying, aerobatics and spin [training], and soaring, which is new. [Then it’s] October 25 to 29 in Moab, Utah, for backcountry flying, aerobatics and spin [training], and ballooning—also new.”

Check womanwiseaviationadventures.com for more details.

Also, look to Fred Williams’ Adventure Flying LLC for the wide range of flight training he provides in Cascade, Idaho, and Reno, Nevada, both in the Kitfox or in the aircraft you bring (contact Williams for details via advflying.com). Bob Del Valle offers instruction in Sandpoint, Idaho, as well as around Montana and Washington (halloflighttraining.com). Sam Davis offers instruction in aerobatics, as well as upset prevention and recovery, in the Heber City, Utah, area through Pilot Makers Advanced Flight Academy (pilotmakers.com).

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