Lord of the Rings was borne of the mind of British author J.R.R. Tolkien, but brought to life in the early 2000s by Kiwi director Peter Jackson. While the films and the first season of the upcoming show were shot in New Zealand, though, the series is heading back to its birthplace for Lord of the Rings Season 2, Variety reports.The as-yet-untitled series completed shooting this month and is now moving into post-production. For Season 2, though, the show reportedly will make the move to the United Kingdom in 2022."As we look to relocate the production to the U.K., we do not intend to actively pursue the Season One MoU five percent financial uplift with the New Zealand government or preserve the terms around that agreement," said Amazon Studios COO Albert Cheng. The first part of that statement is the important part--official confirmation from Cheng that the production is heading to the U.K.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Making fun of a place usually isn't the best way to get a job there, but it turns out that it worked swimmingly for comedian and actor Bill Burr, he revealed on the Your Mom's House podcast recently (via The Hollywood Reporter).Burr featured in an episode each of The Mandalorian Season 1 and Season 2 as mercenary Migs Mayfeld."I went to [director] Mike Binder's birthday and Jon [Favreau] was there, and he said, 'Hey, we're writing this thing. We kind of have you in mind. Do you want to do it?' And I said, 'I don't know, Jon. I have teased Star Wars people a lot.' He goes, 'I know. I listen to the podcast a lot. I think it would be funny if you got in it,'" Burr told host Tom Segura. "My wife was kicking me under the table and I was like, 'all right, I'll do it.'"Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

There's finally some good news in store for HBO Max subscribers--according to Vulture, the execs behind the platform are aware of the app's unpredictable instability, and are reportedly getting ready to do something about addressing it. An unnamed WarnerMedia exec has gone on record, promising that an entirely new app is coming."We're going to replace every single connected TV app in the next four or five months," said the exec. The upgraded app has been in development since late last year, and is expected to roll out to Roku and PlayStation users first (though no timeline was disclosed), with AppleTV coming before the end of 2021, while mobile and web-based apps are being slated for "early 2022."The same exec quoted above also promised it "will be wildly better than what's out there" and "just work better across the board." Of course, easier said than done--the real proof will be once customers have the app installed and use it at their leisure to pressure-test and watch content as they would normally. HBO Max has apparently blamed the recurring issues on complications from the ad-supported tier, distributing programming to non-English speaking markets, and that HBO Max was running on a retrofitted version of the old HBO Go and HBO Now services.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen) says there's a lot to look forward to in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. In a recent The Hollywood Reporter cover story, Abdul-Mateen--who plays Black Manta--is promising that the sequel is going to be bigger and better."I think the script is better than it was in the first one," says Abdul-Mateen. "It gives the actors a lot of good storytelling moments." Later in the article, he also adds that the 2018 predecessor movie in the franchise only gave "a small introduction to Black Manta and to some of his motivations. In this one, I get to exercise and breathe a little bit more. I'm showing some different colors with this one."Not much is known about the sequel, which began filming somewhere chilly in June and is currently scheduled for release on December 16, 2022. In addition to Abdul-Mateen's information here, we do also know about the returning cast: Abdul-Mateen as Black Manta, Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Arthur's Atlantean half-brother Orm AKA Ocean Master, and Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Sony has released the top download charts for PlayStation Network in July for both North America and Europe, and the top of the charts are dominated by heavy-hitters.On PS5, EA's FIFA 21 was the most-downloaded game in both North America and Europe. The professional football game was discounted in July in the lead-up to FIFA 22's release and the Euros were taking place that month, two factors that likely led to a surge in interest (and downloads).Moving to PS4, FIFA 21 was also the most popular game on PSN in Europe during July, though this was not the case in North America. Rockstar's enduringly popular Grand Theft Auto V climbed the charts to become the most downloaded game on PSN in North America for the month. This is not too much of a surprise, as GTA Online's very popular Los Santos Tuners update launched in July.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The first trailer for Prisoners of the Ghostland has been released. The post-apocalyptic action thriller stars Nicolas Cage, and it hits theaters and video on demand on September 17.Prisoners of the Ghostland is directed by maverick Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono, whose previous movies include the J-horror classic The Suicide Club and last year's Netflix movie The Forest of Love. Fans will know that Sono makes seriously strange movies, and from this first trailer, it definitely looks like he's found the perfect leading man.Cage plays a character named--yes!--Hero, who is given the job of entering the dangerous post-apocalyptic wilderness known as the Ghostland to rescue the granddaughter of a powerful man. Like the heroes of The Suicide Squad, Hero has explosive devices strapped to him in case he doesn't complete his mission--but it's not just his neck that they're attached to. The movie looks like a wild and surreal experience, with some strikingly strange imagery and costumes, over-the-top action, and Cage doing what he does best. Check the trailer out below:Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon, the spin-off from Yacht Club's breakout indie platformer, is coming this holiday season. The studio shared the release window as part of Nintendo's Indie World, along with more details.On Switch, Pocket Dungeon will get an exclusive feature that works with the Shovel Knight Amiibo. You can use it to call up a "familiar fairy friend"--likely Madam Meeber, the fairy companion who was summoned with an Amiibo in all four campaigns of the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.Shovel Knight: Pocket Dungeon, a new action-packed puzzle adventure with a dungeon-crawling twist from @YachtClubGames, is coming to #NintendoSwitch this winter. Can you dig it? #IndieWorld pic.twitter.com/PpN2mX9HyL — Nintendo UK (@NintendoUK) August 11, 2021Unlike the original Shovel Knight, though, Pocket Dungeon is an action-puzzle game with dungeon-crawling elements. As you make your way through puzzle-based dungeons you'll recover relics and fight bosses. You'll be able to select from up to 10 heroes in all with their own powers, and compete against a friend in battle.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Tetris Effect: Connected is coming to Nintendo Switch this fall. As revealed during today's Indie World presentation, the critically acclaimed puzzle game will launch on Nintendo's console on October 8, and it'll support cross-play.Originally released as a timed Xbox exclusive in November 2020, Connected is an expanded version of Tetris Effect, adding new competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes and other content. The Switch version supports local and online multiplayer, as well as cross-play, allowing you to play against Tetris Effect players on other platforms.Directed by Rez creator Tetsuya Mizuguchi, Tetris Effect originally launched on PS4 in 2018. The game was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release. GameSpot gave it a 9/10 in our Tetris Effect review and said, "[Tetris Effect] provides the foundation for a complex emotional journey that defies expectations. It's a vector for meditation. It's a driving force that pushes you beyond your presumed limits. It is the definition of awesome, and if you have an open heart and an open mind, you owe it to yourself to take the plunge and see why it's anything but 'just Tetris.'"Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

The Nintendo Indie World stream today introduced a metric ton of new indie games coming to Nintendo Switch in the coming months, but in some cases, you don't have to wait. Several games were surprise-released just after the stream concluded, including the anticipated sequel Axiom Verge 2.Axiom Verge 2 is a retro-styled Metroidvania created by developer Thomas Happ. It's the followup to Axiom Verge, the 2015 game which received generally positive reviews according to GameSpot sister site Metacritic. It had previously been slated for release in 2020, but was pushed back to this year. Happ previously teased that Axiom Verge 2 could sneak up on you, saying it will be "out before you know it." In that same post, he talked about the dual-dimensions mechanic in the game and how you'll manipulate areas across both.Alongside Axiom Verge 2, a handful of other indies are out today on Nintendo Switch. Necrobarista: Final Pour is a remastered version of the visual novel, with new story content and a Studio Mode to create your own stories. Other releases include the dungeon crawler dating sim mash-up Boyfriend Dungeon, the RPG Garden Story, and more. You can check out the full list of indies out today below.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Nintendo's latest Indie World showcase took place today, August 11, and we got a closer look at plenty of upcoming games for Nintendo Switch, some of which are out right now.The broadcast led off with a new Jet Set Radio-looking game called Bomb Rush Cyberfunk. You start as a nobody and set out to try to make a name for yourself in this stylish-looking game. It also features music from a "wide range of musical talent." Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is slated for release as a timed-exclusive on console for Switch in 2022.Put your mark on a sprawling metropolis as you paint, do tricks, and dance to new music from Hideki Naganuma when Bomb Rush Cyberfunk by @ReptileGames grinds onto #NintendoSwitch in 2022! #IndieWorld pic.twitter.com/DW0CTuEdrj — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) August 11, 2021Another game shown off during the broadcast was Toem: A Photo Adventure, which is a black-and-white top-down cartoon-style game. You stroll through locations inspired by Scandanvian landscapes as you take photos and listen to calm music. It sounds very zen. Toem: A Photo Adventure launches this fall.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Life Is Strange: Remastered Collection, an upgraded bundle of both Life Is Strange and Life Is Strange: Before the Storm, has been delayed to early 2022 due to the evolving challenges of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.In a Twitter statement, the Life Is Strange team said it wanted to alleviate the pressure the health crisis has put on development, especially as the studio is also putting the finishing touches on Life Is Strange: True Colors. Life Is Strange: Remastered Collection now launches sometime in early 2022 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.An update from the Life is Strange team pic.twitter.com/0nty0TFMYJ — Life is Strange (@LifeIsStrange) August 11, 2021While also announcing the delay, the development team said that Life Is Strange: True Colors' Wavelengths DLC will launch on September 30., some 20 days after the game's September 10 release. A bonus episode set prior to the events of Life Is Strange: True Colors, Wavelengths is available in the $70 Deluxe and $80 USD Ultimate editions of the game.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Diablo 2: Resurrected won't include a feature seen in the original game, though it may not be one you made use of or would have even realized was gone. TCP/IP multiplayer is going bye-bye, and Blizzard cites security risks as the reason you'll be limited to dedicated Blizzard servers when you play online. Buried at the bottom of a FAQ related to the game's open beta, Blizzard explained why the option, which allowed players of the original Diablo 2 to play multiplayer via LAN or other peer-to-peer connections instead of on official Blizzard servers, will no longer be included."TCP/IP support will not be available in the upcoming Beta or the final game," the blog post states. "After careful deliberation, we will no longer be supporting this option as we identified potential security risks and are committed to safeguarding the player experience."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Jeopardy has announced that both executive producer Mike Richards and neuroscientist/actor Mayim Bialik (The Big Bang Theory) will serve as the long-running game show's new hosts. The decision to select two hosts is part of the studio's plans "to extend the Jeopardy franchise to new platforms.""We are thrilled to begin the next chapter of America's favorite quiz show with Mike hosting our daily show and Mayim hosting new versions of Jeopardy," said Ravi Ahujga, chairman of global television studios and corporate development for Sony Pictures.Sony officially announces that Mike Richards and Mayim Bialik will be the new hosts - plural - of Jeopardy!, with Richards as the full-time host and Bialik hosting primetime and spinoff series. pic.twitter.com/usZU6xZA7k — Claire McNear (@clairemcnear) August 11, 2021Richards recently emerged as the frontrunner for the hosting job, though that selection quickly came under fire as he and other The Price is Right producers were accused by multiple models of harassment and discrimination. In a memo Richards sent to The Daily Beast, he states that the allegations were "employment disputes against the show" and how he's been characterized in these complaints "does not reflect the reality of who I am or how we worked together on The Price Is Right."Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Quentin Tarantino fans will soon be able to own one of the filmmaker's best movies on 4K UHD Blu-ray. Inglourious Basterds, the bonkers 2009 war movie, releases on 4K Blu-ray on October 12. Preorders aren't yet live, but this edition will also come with a Blu-ray disc and digital edition that can be redeemed on the Movies Anywhere platform.At this time, it's unclear if there will be any special editions of the 4K Blu-ray. Best Buy routinely has exclusive steelbook editions for many films, so it's certainly worth keeping an eye on if you collect Tarantino films. The 4K Blu-ray will come with a bevy of special features clocking in at more than two hours of bonus content.Inglourious Basterds 4K Blu-ray special featuresExtended and alternate scenesNation's Pride - original shortThe Making of Nation's PrideClip about the original Inglorious Bastards (1978) filmDiscussion with Quentin Tarantino, Brad Pitt, and Elvis MitchellConversation with Rod TaylorInglourious Basterds is set during World War II and has an all-star cast, including Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, and Diane Kruger, among others. The film is narrated by frequent Tarantino collaborator Samuel L. Jackson. Inglourious Basterds follows the plot to assassinate Nazi leaders. Pitt plays a Jewish American soldier who leads the charge to hunt down the Nazis, including Waltz's character Hans Landa.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com

Retro hardware manufacturer Analogue has restocked its inventory with a fresh supply of Super NT and Mega SG consoles. Designed for enthusiasts of an older era of gaming, the Super NT can play any game on a SNES cartridge while the Mega SG can handle any Genesis cart inserted into it. To complete the package, the digital analogue converter (DAC) that's designed for older displays is also on sale again.Both consoles were hot-ticket items when they first arrived, quickly selling out thanks to their ability to deliver quality retro gaming with accurate colors on high-definition screens when compared to other emulation options on the market. Both consoles have an attractive and compact physical design as well, which helped Analogue quickly sell out of available units when they first arrived on the market a few years ago.Mega SG -- $190Super NT -- $190DAC -- $80Analogue has limited purchases to two per customer per console, and all orders will ship by the end of the week.Continue Reading at GameSpotInfo from Gamespot.com