The Brand-New Assassin’s Creed Art Book Is Already Discounted
Clocking in just shy of 200 pages, this large volume includes an in-depth look at the weapons, characters, and environments of Assassin’s Creed Mirage. The hardcover art book was created by Dark Horse Books in collaboration with Ubisoft, and it should provide you with plenty of behind-the-scenes details as well as a better look at ninth-century Baghdad. Best of all, the book is seeing a nice discount to celebrate its launch, letting you snag it for just $41.
More Stories
Tron: Ares Will “Really Push Forward” Visual Effects, Star Cameron Monaghan Says
The upcoming Tron sequel, Tron: Ares, is still shrouded in secrecy–so much so that there hasn’t even been a teaser trailer yet. Former Gotham star Cameron Monaghan–who has also lent his voice and likeness to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Jedi: Fallen Order–has a co-starring role in the film opposite Jared Leto, who will portray the title character, Ares. Via Collider, Monaghan revealed why he felt drawn to the franchise after seeing the 1982 original film and its 2010 sequel, Tron: Legacy.
“I think I first saw the first Tron on a plane when I was younger,” recalled Monaghan. “It was an international flight. I remember watching the original, and I thought it was from the ’90s or something, because it was pretty amazing how a movie from that era could look that amazing, and utilizing computers the way they did.”
“Then I went to the Tron: Legacy premiere when I was 16 years old, and had just done my first movie for Disney at the time,” added Monaghan. “So, that was really cool getting to go to the El Capitan Theater in LA and seeing that on a big screen… That’s a movie that, I think, has now grown a cult fandom, in a similar way that the original Tron did as well, where people thought it was very technologically cool but it’s continued to grow… So I like that those movies have a number of years of separation between them. They don’t come out very often, and every time they do, they show a new era of technology and filmmaking.”
While Monaghan couldn’t share specific details about Tron: Ares, he did tease that the third film will also mark a significant step forward in visual effects.
“I think this one, in a very similar way, is going to really push forward what can be done, from a visual perspective,” said Monaghan. “I would sometimes even come in on days I wasn’t working, because that set was really amazing. A lot of the practical sets were pretty phenomenal, and I would love to go look at those as well.”
Unlike Tron: Legacy, Tron: Ares is a standalone sequel and none of the cast members from the original Tron or its sequel are currently expected to return. There was a previous incarnation of Tron 3 that would have continued the story from Tron: Legacy, but it was cancelled in part due to Legacy’s disappointing box office numbers. Joachim Rønning is directing Tron: Ares, and the rest of the cast includes Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Hasan Minhaj, Jodie Turner-Smith, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and Sarah Desjardins.
Tron: Ares will hit theaters on Friday, October 10.
Fallout Prime Video Series Soundtrack Is Up For Preorder And Already Topping Charts
The Fallout TV series is an unequivocal hit, earning positive reviews from critics and pulling in millions of viewers since launching on April 10. And, much like the games it’s based on, the Fallout TV series was accompanied by an impressive score, featuring hits from Nat King Cole, The Ink Spots, and other iconic artists. If you found yourself tapping your feet to the music, you might want to consider preordering the Fallout Original Amazon Series Soundtrack, which arrives on June 14 and features two gorgeous vinyl records along with a few collectibles.
The Fallout soundtrack is following a common theme for anything Fallout-related right now. Just as the games have seen a huge resurgence in popularity, the soundtrack has actually passed Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department on Amazon’s CDs and Vinyls charts. We’re not sure what the formula is for Amazon’s bestseller charts, but at least for a brief moment in time, Fallout has surpassed Taylor Swift, which just speaks to Fallout’s success.
$30
The Fallout Original Amazon Series Soundtrack includes 21 tracks across two discs. The vinyl themselves are works of art, offered in vibrant shades of yellow and blue. They also come with inserts and sleeves featuring Lucy (Ella Purnell) and The Ghoul (Walton Goggins), as well as a picture of The Brotherhood of Steel on the interior of the sleeve. Beyond the vinyl, you’ll get a free MP3 version of the album for digital use.
Not interested in the vinyl? You can pick up just the MP3 version for $9.49. The album can also be found on Amazon Music, which costs $10 per month and gives you access to millions of songs beyond the Fallout soundtrack.
If you don’t have a record player, Amazon is running nice discounts for you to peruse after preordering the upcoming album. Some of them are as cheap as $40, though you’ll also find discounts on premium models that typically retail for over $250. The Udreamer Vinyl Record Player Wireless Turntable is one of the lowest-priced options, as it’s on sale for just $38 (down from $70) when clipping the additional coupon on the store page.
Here are a few other record players for you to consider.
Best Record Player Deals
Deadpool & Wolverine Director Says Sequel Doesn’t Need Any Prior MCU Knowledge
Following the launch of original Marvel series on Disney+ in 2021, there have been more than a few fans complaining about the number of MCU shows to stay on top of, in addition to multiple movies per year. However, there’s only one Marvel Studios movie in 2024: Deadpool & Wolverine. And according to director Shawn Levy, you won’t need to watch any previous MCU show or movie to enjoy the sequel.
“I was a good student in school,” related Levy during an interview with the Associated Press. “I’ll do my homework as an adult. But I am definitely not looking to do homework when I go to the movies. I very much made this film with certainly a healthy respect and gratitude towards the rabid fan base that has peak fluency in the mythology and lore of these characters and this world. But I didn’t want to presume that. This movie is built for entertainment, with no obligation to come prepared with prior research.”
Ironically, the Time Variance Authority from Loki will be used in this film to explain how Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool gets a new mission in the MCU multiverse, as well as the introduction of a previously unseen incarnation of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Presumably Levy means that Deadpool & Wolverine will adequately explain the TVA without the need to touch on anything that happened in Loki.
While the film itself may be largely free of MCU lore, the callbacks to the previous X-Men movies were readily appearance in the most recent trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine. Lady Deathstrike and other previous X-Men movie villains appear to be working with the movie’s primary antagonist: Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin).
Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on Friday, July 26.
Knuckles Showrunner Teases More Sonic The Hedgehog TV Spin-Offs
2024 is shaping up to be a big year for the live-action Sonic The Hedgehog franchise. The Knuckles miniseries premiered on Paramount+ earlier this week, and Sonic The Hedgehog 3 is coming to theaters during the Christmas season. However, that may be far from the end of the road for Sega’s iconic characters. During an interview with GamesRadar+, Knuckles showrunner and executive producer Toby Ascher hinted at more Sonic spin-offs to come.
“We have a really good plan for the future of Sonic,” said Ascher. “As we grow these characters, what television has provided us with Knuckles is a moment to do a deep-dive character study into them. As we find stories we’re excited about, we’re going to hopefully continue to do this again.”
GamesRadar+ speculates that Shadow the Hedgehog may be the character next in line for a show. And Shadow is the logical pick. His live-action debut already happened in the mid-credits scene for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and Shadow is slated to have a major role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Keanu Reeves will provide the voice of Shadow in the upcoming film.
Beyond Shadow, there aren’t too many obvious choices for additional Sonic spin-off shows. Perhaps Rouge the Bat, Amy Rose, Blaze the Cat, or even Metal Sonic have solo potential. But we may have to wait a few years before any of those characters are introduced in the live-action franchise.
Sonic The Hedgehog 3 will hit theaters on Friday, December 20. Knuckles is now streaming on Paramount+.
See The Terrifying Facehugger That Weta Workshop Made For Alien Romulus And Never Sleep Again
The Alien franchise has some of the most iconic creature designs in all of film. From the Facehugger to the fully-formed Xenomorphs themselves, the monsters have gone through from being practical, to CGI, and now back to partially practical.
For Alien: Covenant, Odd Studios, and CreatureNFX provided the film’s makeup and animatronic creature effects, respectively. There were even actors wearing creature suits with animatronic heads used to portray the aliens on set, with CGI aliens used for elaborate shots. In the upcoming Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez brought on Lord of the Rings creature shop Weta Workshop for some fun practical effects magic.
On Twitter, Álvarez posted a quick video of a remote control Facehugger zooming around the set last summer.
Álvarez is pulling double duty as director and co-writer with Evil Dead collaborator Rodo Sayagues. The events of the film take place between Alien and Aliens, as there are 57 years between the two. It stars Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn, and Aileen Wu, with some of the technical crew from Aliens returning.
The film was originally scheduled to be released on Hulu, like the Predator prequel Prey, but was switched to a theatrical release right before filming began.
Alien: Romulus is scheduled to land in theaters on August 16, 2024.
Breaking Bad’s Giancarlo Esposito Considered A Hit On Himself For Insurance Money
Between Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Mandalorian, and even the short-lived Revolution, Giancarlo Esposito has positioned himself as an in-demand actor who excels at playing villains. However, he didn’t always enjoy such good fortune in his career. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s Jim & Sam, Esposito recalled a time in 2008 when he was near bankruptcy and so desperate for a way out that he considered placing a hit on himself to provide for his family with the insurance money.
“My way out in my brain was: ‘Hey, do you get life insurance if someone commits suicide? Do they get the bread?’ My wife had no idea why I was asking this stuff,” recalled Esposito via Variety. “I started scheming. If I got somebody to knock me off, death by misadventure, [my kids] would get the insurance. I had four kids. I wanted them to have a life. It was a hard moment in time. I literally thought of self-annihilation so they could survive. That’s how low I was.”
“That was the first inkling that there was a way out, but I wouldn’t be here to be available to my kids,” continued Esposito. “Then I started to think that’s not viable because the pain I would cause them would be lifelong, and there’d be lifelong trauma that would just extend the generational trauma I’m trying to move away from. The light at the end of the tunnel was Breaking Bad.”
Esposito’s role as Gus Fring on both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul was a transformational moment for his standing in Hollywood, and he’s been constantly working ever since. Ironically, Esposito had a starring role in 2017’s The Show, a movie in which he played a desperate man, Mason Washington, who contemplates committing suicide on a live TV show in order to provide for his family. In case of art imitating life, Mason also chooses to survive.
Parish, Esposito’s new drama series, is currently airing Sunday nights on AMC.