Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order was released in November to mostly positive reviews and strong sales numbers, but the game's success was not always a sure thing. Game director Stig Asmussen said in a new interview that Lucasfilm--which controls the Star Wars franchise--was originally resistant to Asmussen's pitch for the game.In early meetings, the Lucasfilm team suggested that Respawn go a different direction and make a game using blasters instead of Lightsabers. The reason being was that Lucasfilm is very protective of Jedi in particular, Asmussen said."They weren't super comfortable with the idea," Asmussen said of his initial pitch for a melee-focused action game on the AIAS Game Maker's podcast. "I pitched, 'Hey what if we do a game about Jedi and Force powers, and they were not super comfortable with that. They threw it back and said, 'What about blasters and bounty hunters?' That's not the background of the team we've built; you might as well ask me and us to start building a racing game at this point. I don't think anybody's going to be happy with the results of that."What I came to learn is for them, Jedi is the Holy Grail. To make a game about Jedi, you gotta earn it. There was a little bit of a back and forth but they could see where I was coming from."Later in the interview, Asmussen mentioned that Respawn and Lucasfilm had numerous "fights" about creative decisions regarding Jedi Fallen Order. He said he understands Lucasfilm's position being the rights-owner of the Star Wars series. He also said recalled that Lucasfilm came back to him with a "hard no" on several different ideas. He said his team at Respawn became frustrated at times, but again, Asmussen said he understood that Lucasfilm has final say being the owner and controller of the Star Wars franchise. Asmussen said Lucasfilm was ultimately agreeable to the idea of Respawn making a game with a character who can use the Force but is not a Jedi, and that's what the team ended up making. The game's main character, Cal Kestis, is a Force-user who becomes a Jedi in the course of the game.The entire interview is incredibly in-depth and fascinating, offering an illuminating and insightful look into the origins of Jedi Fallen Order. It's available everywhere you can find podcasts, including Spotify. Info from Gamespot.com

During CES 2020, Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Jim Ryan unveiled the PlayStation 5 logo to a muted reception. But while the reveal of a logo isn't the bombshell some fans were hoping for, Ryan has said that there is more exciting news about the system around the corner, and some key pieces of information that have not been revealed yet.In an interview with Business Insider Japan, which has been translated by Gematsu, Ryan says that the PlayStation 5 will have unique features. He cites the improvements Sony has already announced, including 3D audio, haptic feedback in the controllers, and the addition of a solid state drive. But he also hints at features beyond these."There are still more unique elements for PlayStation 5 to come that separate it from previous consoles," Ryan says. "The ‘bigger differences’ have yet to be announced."This is a vague statement, but it means that we haven't seen the system's full range of possibilities yet, and that the system might be able to do things we're not anticipating--and that Sony is holding back features they consider even bigger than full backwards compatibility.Elsewhere in the interview, Ryan says that he does not believe that delaying the PlayStation 4's Japanese release was "a good idea" on reflection, and suggests that PlayStation 4 support will not immediately cease when the PS5 releases. "During the migration from PlayStation 4 to PlayStation 5, there will still be a great deal of PlayStation 4 users. That is very important and we have an obligation to those users." PS5 And PS4 News And Announcements PS5 Logo Revealed At CES 2020 When Is More PS5 Info Coming? A Look Back At PS4's Reveal Event Everything We Know About PS5's Price, Specs, Games, And Release Window PlayStation 5 Controller Patents Show Off Next Gen Design Changes PlayStation Controllers Explained, And What Could Be Next For PS5 Info from Gamespot.com

Disney's Aladdin (2019), which released in cinemas in May 2019, is now available on Disney's new streaming platform, Disney Plus. The film, which stars Will Smith as the Genie, Mena Massoud as Aladdin, and Naomi Scott as Jasmine, can now be watched by anyone who subscribes to the service.The movie, while not a classic on par with Disney's 1992 original, is pretty solid, and was received relatively well by many critics.Aladdin is the only new release on Disney Plus today, but there are still a few interesting releases to come during January. January 10 will see the release of Marvel's Runaways season 3, meaning that the whole series will be available. The same day will also see the season finale of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series releasing.January 22 will also herald the release of the first season of Bluey, an excellent children's show from Australia. The finales of Encore and The World According to Jeff Goldblum will air on January 24.Aladdin did well enough in cinemas that a sequel is being discussed. It is one of six Disney films released in 2019 to earn over $1 billion (soon to be seven thanks to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.) Disney Plus News What's New To Disney Plus This Week? Movies, TV Shows, And Originals Clone Wars Season 7 On Disney Plus: When Does It Air And What We Know About The Star Wars Series The Mandalorian Schedule: When Does Season 2 Release On Disney Plus? Disney Plus: 16 Essential The Simpsons Episodes You Need To Rewatch Right Now Info from Gamespot.com

There's a part in Wattam where your friend (an old-fashioned telephone) is crying because the sun took its receiver and is making a long-distance phone call. To solve this cellular problem, you have to gather all of your friends, stack them up, and climb on top of them so you can explain the situation to the sun and ask for the receiver back. Once you get up there, the sun gives it back and apologizes for the misunderstanding. The telephone says that it's okay, and then you carry on with your day.That might sound like a hallucination, but that's the heart of Wattam. It's a bunch of silly concepts and weird actors being constantly thrown into head-scratching scenarios that you have to solve. In this world, it doesn't really matter that everything is so bizarre. What matters is ensuring all of your friends are happy, and every character would do absolutely anything possible to make their reality a friendship utopia.Every character in Wattam is a vibrant random object that changes shapes, forms, and sizes the more you progress and interact with the world and its environment. The game starts with one character, but you meet plenty of new pals, and later in the game the screen becomes charmingly cluttered, like a kid dumped a bunch of their toys on the floor and didn't clean it up. Among the characters are trees that can gobble up others and turn them into a fruitified version of themselves, a toilet named Linda that can turn characters into poop, and a nose named Ronald that can sniff up characters that are buried underground. The characters always seem to be having fun, embracing the change and sometimes adopting new personas and using catchphrases to parody genres like action movies and whodunits. They treat each other like old friends and run around and play with each other even when you're not controlling them. Watching them all interact and utilize their powers together adds a sense of life to this zany world--it may be weird, but they have their own fascinating ecosystem going on.The main character is a green cube with a bowler hat named The Mayor. At the start of the game, The Mayor finds out about "Kaboom," the hidden power of its hat which launches everyone in the nearby radius into the sky in an explosion of laughter (the people love a good Kaboom). With your newfound ability and the strange charisma of a cube, it's your job to explore the world, learn its history, and keep everyone happy. Most of the time you're acting as a mediator, walking up to whoever is crying at the given moment, asking them a genuine "What's wrong?" and then solving their problems via a mini-game. It's tough work at times due to some pushback from awkward controls and sudden frame rate drops, but it never gets frustrating. You just look down and realize you're playing as a cool little apple who loves to dance and you finish the mission. It's also satisfyingly worth it at the end of each puzzle when you see your motley crew of inanimate objects cheering you on and having a blast together in this world you helped soothe.You can play as anything on the screen, and when you swap into a character, it changes the main instrument in the song that's playing in the background. Each character has their own designated sounds: If you switch to a plant bud you'll hear the theme with a xylophone, for example, and if you switch to a poop you'll hear fart noises. Each quirky object has a clear and thoughtful theme tune, and the soundtrack as a whole always has you grooving. Sometimes I'd take a break from the main story to swap to a character and just listen to how the songs sounded from their perspective. There's a jazz song on the soundtrack called "A Long Time: The Six Years" that has no business going that hard.Wattam is a collection of plotlines with objectives that can be completed in a few minutes, so each time you go back to the game it feels like a vastly different experience than what you were doing half an hour previously. One moment you could be running around as a miniature acorn, trying to find a spot to bury yourself, and the next you could be meeting a golden bowling pin that wants you to stack your friends to its exact height. It could so easily have been disorienting to be forced to constantly learn new mechanics and to always be playing the game in new ways every few moments, but Wattam isn't overwhelming. There's a sense of intrigue whenever a new character needs help, because whenever you help one, something in the game changes significantly--someone will gain a new power or maybe a mysterious staircase will emerge for you to investigate.While it's essentially an anthology of short mini-games, Wattam has an underlying plot that's revealed over the course of a few cutscenes. These stop all the tomfoolery to tell a story of the apocalyptic events that happened right before the start of the game; it's a surprising tonal shift but it still fits very well with Wattam's ethos. Wattam is cool because it isn't just eccentric for eccentricity's sake--it also has a message it wants to share. You meet a few characters that come in the form of scroll, a book, and a futuristic floppy disk that explain that message and why connections and bonds are so important in this world. While they aren't the deepest cutscenes in the world, Wattam's message inside of them is ultimately heartwarming and offers context to things you wouldn't think are connected.It isn't often that you play something that is so pure and unapologetically itself, but that's Wattam. I don't know if I'll ever play another game that makes me turn all of my friends into fruit so I can progress. It oozes passion, and it has an infectious enthusiasm that's present in each and every aspect of it. Wattam never takes itself too seriously, and that makes it easy to buy into its world and suspend your disbelief. While the gameplay is all over the place, Wattam is held together by themes of friendship and a cohesive soundtrack that actually leave you grinning long after you're done.Info from Gamespot.com

The sequel to James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi blockbuster Avatar has been in development for many years, and it's still nearly two years until it hits theaters. But while we're unlikely to see any footage the movie for some time, the first concept art has been released.The images were revealed by Cameron at the tech trade show CES in Las Vegas. They are views of the planet Pandora, with a focus on the its oceans. While specific plot details about the movie are under-wraps, we know that it will set in and around the sea, and there's no denying that this artwork is spectacular. Check the images out below, via the franchise's official Twitter feed:In the #Avatar sequels, you won’t just return to Pandora — you’ll explore new parts of the world.Check out these brand new concept art pieces for a sneak peek at what’s to come. pic.twitter.com/bfZPWVa7XZ — Avatar (@officialavatar) January 7, 2020Cameron was also at CES to announce a partnership with Mercedes-Benz and revealed the prototype for a very weird and futuristic-looking electric car, inspired by Avatar's visual style.The Avatar sequel hits theaters on December 17, 2021. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang will reprise their roles from the first movie, and will be joined by Kate Winslet, Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, and Jemaine Clement. Production on the live-action parts of the movie wrapped in November.There are also another three Avatar movies scheduled for 2023, 2025, and 2027 releases. However, Cameron has previously stated that the latter two films depend on the box office performance of the first sequel. The first Avatar held the record for the biggest movie of all time for nearly a decade, before it was finally beaten by Avengers: Endgame last year.In related news, the Avatar Twitter account recently confirmed that Ubisoft's new open-world Avatar game, which is being developed by The Division studio Massive, is still in the works. Ubisoft has been quiet on the project for a long time, so some wondered if plans were scrapped. The game was announced in 2017 and is currently known only as The Avatar Project. Info from Gamespot.com

Sony has shared its top downloads on the PlayStation Store in the US for the month of December, and it includes a few surprises. The sales charts cover the most downloaded PS4 games, along with the top downloads for PS VR, free-to-play games, and game expansions.A few of the top inclusions like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order make sense, as new big-budget holiday releases. Others are more surprising, like Star Wars Battlefront 2 appearing in the top five, likely thanks to the release of Rise of Skywalker and its associated DLC. Similarly, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt got an apparent bump from its Netflix series and made the top ten. We saw the same trend on Steam. Meanwhile, GTA 5 is perpetually a top-seller.Beat Saber was the top-downloaded PS VR game, possibly spurred on by its Game Awards win. Fortnite won the top-downloaded F2P game and mostly dominated the DLC chart, though the Celebration Update for Battlefront 2 had a sizable showing itself too. The December UK charts were largely similar, though GTA 5 topped the list and FIFA 20 finished in second place.You can check out all of the sales charts below.PS4 GamesCall of Duty: Modern WarfareGrand Theft Auto 5Star Wars Jedi: Fallen OrderNBA 2K20Star Wars Battlefront 2Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six SiegeThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntMadden NFL 20MinecraftMarvel's Spider-ManNeed for Speed HeatFIFA 20Red Dead Redemption 2God of WarUFC3Assassin's Creed OdysseyResident Evil 2The ForestRocket LeagueTom Clancy's Ghost Recon BreakpointPS VR GamesBeat SaberSuperhot VRJob SimulatorThe Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim VRArizona SunshineBatman: Arkham VRCreed: Rise to GloryAstro Bot Rescue MissionBlood & TruthUntil Dawn: Rush of BloodFree-to-Play GamesFortniteApex LegendsBrawlhallaDauntlessWarframeAmerica's Army: Proving GroundsDC Universe Online3 on 3 FreestyleMobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2H1Z1: Battle RoyaleDLC and ExpansionsFortnite - Polar Legends PackFortnite - The Wavebreaker PackStar Wars Battlefront 2: Celebration UpdateFortnite: Darkfire BundleFortnite: Save the World Standard Founder's PackRed Dead Online: One Time Special Offer - 25 Gold BarsDestiny 2: ShadowkeepDragon Ball FighterZ - Broly (DBS)Beat Saber - Green Day Music PackMortal Kombat 11 Kombat PackInfo from Gamespot.com

The upcoming Dr. Death series has found a home on the upcoming streaming service Peacock, as revealed in an interview with one of the stars of the show, Alec Baldwin.During Tuesday morning's episode of the Howard Stern Show, Baldwin briefly discussed the previously-greenlit series. It was revealed the show would be landing on NBC's upcoming streaming service Peacock, which launches this April.The story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch garnered national attention in 2018 with the Dr. Death podcast, hosted by Laura Beil--who will produce the new show. The series explored the life of Christopher Duntsch, a doctor who was nicknamed Dr. Death for the death of one patient and maiming of 33 others during his time when he was a practicing surgeon beginning in 2010.Baldwin is one of the stars of the series, playing spinal surgeon Dr. Robert Henderson, who worked with Duntsch. Dr. Death himself will be played by Jamie Dornan, who is mostly known for his work in the Fifty Shades movies playing Christian Gray.At this time, there is no release date for the upcoming series, and according to Baldwin, he's not allowed to say much about the show. Peacock has a few other series coming soon, including a Saved By The Bell revival, a Battlestar Galactica reboot, and possibly more from the world of The Office.Peacock combines the properties of NBC, USA Network, Universal Pictures, Dreamworks, Telemundo, and more, so there will be a wide collection of TV shows, movies, and original content.Info from Gamespot.com

Kentucky Route Zero will finally finish its story later this month. The fifth and final act will release on January 28. On that same date, developer Cardboard Computer will release Kentucky Route Zero: TV Edition, which compiles all of the acts and interludes into one package for console platforms: PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Everything from the TV version will be available through a Season Pass on Steam.A resolution to the point-and-click adventure game has been a long time coming. Kentucky Route Zero began its episodic release in 2013, and its most recent episode was put out in 2016. Fans have been waiting nearly four years for the story to be resolved, and it's finally almost here.Kentucky Route Zero follows a group of odd travelers on a secret highway underneath Kentucky. The series has been lauded for its graceful storytelling and compelling characters. The latest episode, Act IV, received a 9/10 in GameSpot's review."We're no closer to understanding the meaning behind this journey through Kentucky Route Zero, and it's hard to say if we'll even arrive at the point of it all during the game's fifth and final act," Justin Clark wrote. "But Act IV proves the journey is everything, and what people take from and give to each other--even in the most desolate, purgatorial version of America imaginable--still matters. It's heartening thinking about what other players might take away from the stories shared during our motley crew's time sailing Lake Lethe--and what it might spur them to do in the real world."Info from Gamespot.com

Destiny 2's Season of Dawn continues to roll out new content this week, with the addition of the quest for the new Exotic sidearm, Devil's Ruin. That's in addition to a legendary version of the Sundial activity to challenge you for greater rewards, and The Dawning holiday event that continues for another week--so you'll want to check the Dawning recipes to get the most out of baking treats.How To Get The Devil's Ruin Exotic SidearmThe quest you're looking for is called "A Moment In Time," and the reward you get for completing it is Devil's Ruin. The trouble is, Destiny 2 won't tell you where to go to get the quest when you log in after the weekly reset on January 7. The gun isn't waiting you with Banshee-44 like with the "Make Bows, Not War" quest. You'll have to work for this one.Luckily, you won't have to work very hard. To start the "A Moment In Time" quest, head to Mercury and complete a normal version of the Sundial activity. Your performance doesn't matter; just fight through to the end and claim your rewards. You should see the Devil's Ruin Exotic frame sitting at the top of the rewards screen when you wrap up the activity, which will be separate from the other Sundial rewards you earn for leveling up the obelisks around the solar system. Destiny 2 News And Guides Destiny 2 Devil's Ruin Exotic Quest Guide: Where To Find Every Timelost Fragment Destiny 2 EDZ Obelisk Bug: How To Activate The Obelisk Destiny 2 Riven Dawning Gift: Here's How To Give Cookies To The Raid Boss Destiny 2: The Dawning 2019 Recipes, All Cookie Ingredients, Gifts, And Rewards Guide Once you have the quest, head to Saint-14 to start it in earnest. You'll then need to head to the EDZ to complete a mission that requires you to find 10 collectible objects called Timelost Fragments, hidden throughout the Twilight Gap Crucible map. You won't have to find them during a match, thankfully, but it can be a bit tough locating each one, as some are cleverly hidden.Timelost Fragment LocationsThough they're not located in any tough-to-reach places, you might find yourself struggling for a bit to locate all 10 Timelost Fragments. They look like the broken bodies of destroyed robots--remnants from the famous Battle of Twilight Gap in Destiny lore--and as you find more and more, you'll trigger dialogue from Saint-14, Osiris, and even Lord Shaxx. Here's where to look for each of the fragments.Fragment 1: At The End Of The LineFrom where you spawn (on the "A" side of the map if you think of a match of Control in the Crucible), turn right and get on the rusty train track. The fragment is behind the block that ends the track.Fragment 2: In A Rock's ShadowAlso on the "A" side, check the rocks near the cliffside. You'll find a fragment leaning against the rock, obscured slightly by its shadow.Fragment 3: Outside Of "A"This fragment is just outside the entranceway to the "A" control point, on the ground level. Stay below the railway line and catwalks, then turn left and face into the structure to spot it.Fragment 4: Beside "B"Head down to the rusty section of the structure that juts out over the cliff and includes an elevator--the spot where the "B" control point is situated during a Control map. When you arrive, turn toward the "C" side of the map (opposite where you spawned) and look for the frame just outside the structure, against a box.Fragment 5: In The Shipping ContainerBack in the center of the map, hop up to the upper level. Look for a shipping container you can walk through, which includes a frame hidden inside.Fragment 6: At The Heavy Ammo SpawnJump back down to the ground level and head in toward the structure. You want to be inside at pretty much the center of the area, marked by a fairly large open area with a low ceiling. You'll recognize this as a place where Heavy ammo spawns during Crucible matches, and you'll find the fragment on the ground in the middle of the room.Fragment 7: Under The GunHead down toward the "C" side of the map, on the outside of the structure. You're looking for the big artillery cannon that shoots away from the wall of the city. The fragment is situated right under the barrel.Fragment 8: Beneath "C"From the big gun, head back into the structure toward the other side of the map. You're looking for an orange-lit room with lots of stairs, located near the "C" Control point. From this approach, you should spot the fragment with no difficulty, leaning against the wall near a staircase.Fragment 9: Between "C" And "A"Head up to the "C" control point from the orange room, then look through the hallway back toward the far end of the map and the "A" control point. Head through the door to enter another room with a crate in the center of it. Look around the left side of the box to find the fragment leaning against it. This one can be tough to spot because its coloring is very similar to the box, so keep your eyes peeled.Fragment 10: Near The Outside StairsHead back to "C" and walk toward the cliffside that the "B" Control point overlooks. If you're on the upper level, you'll exit out onto a rusty balcony with a staircase leading down. Take the stairs and turn right back toward the structure to find the fragment against the concrete wall. If you come at this location from the lower level, you should run right into the fragment.Claim Your Devil's RuinOnce you've collected all 10 Timelost Fragments, you're done--the Devil's Ruin will unlock automatically and won't require you to do anything more. Chill out, though, because the best part of this mission is the dialogue between three legendary Guardians: Saint-14, Osiris, and Shaxx. Their conversation is full of lore references and Destiny in-jokes, so you'll want to pay attention.Info from Gamespot.com

It seems bizarre that Nintendo hasn't released an official Nintendo Switch stylus in the almost three years that the console has been available. Sure, touchscreen-focused games aren't available in excess on Switch, but one of Nintendo's biggest 2019 games, Super Mario Maker 2, is certainly better with a stylus. Well, Nintendo is changing its tune--at least in the UK. Nintendo is now selling an official Switch stylus. Unfortunately, the affordable £6.99 stylus (just over $9 USD) is only currently available at Nintendo's UK store.Nintendo Switch official stylus See at Nintendo UK Store First reported by Eurogamer, it's obvious that Nintendo chose to release the stylus because of Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo Switch, which just launched on the UK Eshop on January 3. A North American release for the brain-training game that includes sudoku, math mini-games, and puzzles hasn't been confirmed--hence why the stylus is only available in the UK right now.This is the second time North American Switch owners are missing out on a Nintendo-branded stylus. Though not released for individual purchase, physical pre-orders for Super Mario Maker 2 included a Mario-themed stylus in Japan and the UK.While it would be nice to see Nintendo release a stylus for its US audience, you can always buy a third-party stylus that will work just fine. The new Nintendo stylus is rather rote as styluses go. I purchased the AmazonBasics universal stylus for $8 when Super Mario Maker 2 launched and have zero complaints. But if you're holding out for one emblazoned with the official Nintendo logo, it appears the waiting game will continue. Best Deals This Week PS4's Free PS Plus Games For January 2020 Announced This Fantastic Holiday Games Sale Ends Soon: Save On Control, Red Dead 2, And More PS Plus 12-Month Membership For PS4 Is $45 At Amazon PS4 Holiday Sale Round Two Starts Now: Huge Savings On 2019's Best Games A Trio Of Great PC Games Are Free Right Now Info from Gamespot.com

Nintendo has once again upped the number of courses you can share online in Super Mario Maker 2. Until now, players were able to upload a maximum of 64 levels to the game's online Course World hub, but that number has now been increased to 100.The upload cap has been raised to celebrate the game's latest milestone. According to Nintendo's official Twitter account, players have shared a staggering 10 million levels in the game to date.Thanks to the creativity of Makers around the world, there are now over 10 million playable courses in #SuperMarioMaker2! To celebrate, you can now upload up to 100 courses to Course World! pic.twitter.com/v23ALxyVAS — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 7, 2020When Mario Maker 2 first launched last June, only 32 levels maximum could be uploaded to Course World. Nintendo doubled that number the following month to 64. It's unclear if the company will raise the upload cap again in the future, although 100 should be more than enough for most players.Mario Maker 2's most recent update arrived last month and added a variety of new course parts to the game, including a Master Sword power-up. When Mario grabs this item, he transforms into Link from the Legend of Zelda, complete with his classic arsenal. Link can place bombs, fire arrows to hit far-off coins and switches, and use his shield to deflect objects.In addition to the Master Sword power-up, the update brought two more classic enemies (Pokey and Spike), new P Blocks, frozen coins, and a Dash Block for the Super Mario 3D World game style. It also added a new Ninji Speedrun mode that challenges you to race through new courses created by Nintendo. You can check out our impressions of the update in the video above.Info from Gamespot.com

Game of Thrones might have finished, but epic fantasy TV is going nowhere. Netflix released The Witcher last month, and HBO has the Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon on the way. But for many fans, the most exciting upcoming fantasy show is Amazon's Lord of the Rings series. Although it's yet to start production and no release date has been announced, Season 2 has already been greenlit, and now the series has found a new lead actor.As reported by Deadline, Robert Aramayo will take on the main role in the show. While details about Aramayo's character are currently unknown, the site states that he is a young hero named Beldor. Midsommar star Will Poulter was originally cast in the role, but he dropped out last month due to scheduling conflicts. Aramayo is best known for playing young Ned Stark in Seasons 6 and 7 of Game of Thrones and will also appear in the upcoming action prequel The King's Man.The new Lord of the Rings show is being written by JD Payne and Patrick McKay, with former Game of Thrones series producer Bryan Cogman joining the team in September. Jurassic World: Forbidden Kingdom director JA Bayona is set to direct the first two episodes of Season 1. The show will go on a 4-5 month hiatus after the first two episodes have been shot, to allow producers to evaluate the footage so far and work on scripts for Season 2.Lord of the Rings will be set in the Second Age, which is a 3,441-year period that covered major events like the forging of the Rings of Power, including the One Ring; the War of Sauron; the beginning of the Ringwraiths; and when Numenor the island sank into the ocean. Also, it was during the Second Age that the Elven city of Rivendell was developed and the great battle where men, elves, and dwarves fought together for the first time against Sauron.In other news, a new Lord of the Rings video game focused on Gollum is in development at Daedalic Entertainment, while a AAA online Lord of the Rings game is also on the way. Info from Gamespot.com

This year is going to be big for Warner Bros. as far as its superhero movies go. There is the Birds of Prey movie--which is more a Harley Quinn solo flick--releasing in February, and the highly-anticipated Wonder Woman sequel arriving this June.Some new images for Wonder Woman 1984 arrived recently, thanks to a tweet by the official Warner Bros. UK account. The image of Kristen Wiig--who plays Barbara Minerva in the upcoming film--had been previously seen, but everything else is new. You can check them out below and see Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman in all her glory.Wonder Woman using her lasso in a very '80s mall.Gadot reprises her role as Princess Diana and Chris Pine returns as Steve Trevor--who seemingly died in the first movie. In early December, the first trailer debuted during Comic-Con Experience in Brazil, and we got our first look at the villainous Maxwell Lord, played by Pedro Pascal. He and Wonder Woman have a very interesting history in the comics that we won't delve into, as there is a possibility it could spoil key moments in the movie.Joining them will be Robin Wright as Antiope and Connie Nielsen as Hippolyta. Patty Jenkins will once again return to direct WW84 featuring a screenplay by Jenkins, Geoff Johns, and Dave Callaham. Birds of Prey & DC News The Batman Director Reveals Which Iconic Character Colin Farrell Is Playing No, Really. Birds Of Prey And Suicide Squad Are "Not Connected" At All Joker Scores Multiple Golden Globe Nominations, Game Of Thrones Gets Only One Birds Of Prey's Opening Scene Debuts At Brazil Comic Con Birds Of Prey: Everything We Know About Harley Quinn's Return To the DC Universe Wonder Woman 1984 arrives in theaters on June 5.Info from Gamespot.com

Prolific action game developer Platinum Games announced that the Chinese tech giant Tencent has invested in the studio. While details about the capital investment remain unknown, Platinum confirmed that Tencent's invested money doesn't affect the developer's independence.Platinum's president and CEO, Kenichi Sato, said the investment will help "strengthen our foundation as a business and expand from game development into exploring self-publishing." Last year, Platinum revealed plans to self-publish two brand-new IPs, alongside the continued development of Babylon's Fall and Bayonetta 3. The studio also promised multiple announcements for later this year.Tencent placing money in Platinum Games marks another knot in a string of acquisitions and investments by the company. At present, the Chinese tech conglomerate has a hand in a number of video games studios, including Activision Blizzard, Epic Games, Riot Games, Ubisoft, and more.While Platinum nor Tencent has announced the investment amount, Sato assured that no amount of money will have any sway in company leadership. "This partnership has no effect on the independence of our company, and we will continue operations under our current corporate structure," Sato in the statement. "We also hope that this partnership can give us a wider global perspective, while still creating high-quality games that stay true to our name."The studio's last effort, 2019's Astral Chain, launched to extremely positive reviews. We awarded the action-adventure game an 8/10 in our Astral Chain review, saying, "Astral Chain's shortcomings don't overshadow what it does best. It's an incredible execution of a fresh take on Platinum Games' foundation, standing among the stylish-action greats. And its own anime-inspired swagger makes fights all the more exhilarating."Info from Gamespot.com

For fans of the comic book series Locke & Key by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez, there is only one month before the new TV show debuts on Netflix. And to get fans hyped for the new series, a trailer is arriving on January 8.The official Locke & Key Twitter account revealed a 10-second long teaser for the trailer, which you can see below. And it's pretty clear that the series will lean into its horror roots above everything else.Trailer unlocking tomorrow... pic.twitter.com/6KRVqaDQfF — Locke & Key (@lockekeynetflix) January 7, 2020The series will follow a widowed mother and her three kids who move into their ancestral home, known as Keyhouse, after the family's patriarch was murdered under mysterious circumstances. Their gigantic new home holds plenty of secrets, including keys the kids find that have mystical powers that could help them figure out who killed their father. However, there is also a powerful force after these keys as well.Check out the cast list below, as this story has a lot of key players, no pun intended.Locke & Key cast:Darby Stanchfield (Scandal) as Nina LockeJackson Robert Scott (It and It: Chapter 2) as Bode LockeConnor Jessup (American Crime) as Tyler LockeEmilia Jones (Horrible Histories) as Kinsey LockeBill Heck (The Ballad of Buster Scruggs) as Rendell LockeLaysla De Oliveira as DodgeThomas Mitchell Barnet as Sam LesserGriffin Gluck (American Vandal) as Gabe. Netflix News What's New To Netflix This Week? Movies, TV, And Originals What's New On Netflix In January 2020 Netflix's The Witcher: 36 Easter Eggs, References, And Other Tidbits You Might Have Missed Netflix's The Witcher Season 1 Ending Explained The Witcher's Confusing Timelines, Explained The series is executive produced by Carlton Cuse, Meredith Averill, Aron Eli Coleite, Joe Hill, Chris Ryall, and many others between Netflix, IDW, and the production companies Circle of Confusion and Take 5.Locke & Key arrives on Netflix on February 7, 2020.Info from Gamespot.com