Come to the Pork Side, We Have...Pigs

If I asked you to name a popular app, which one would come to your mind first?  Or if I said "angry," would "birds" be the next thing you'd think of?

Lucasfilm Ltd and Rovio Entertainment Ltd are hoping so.

Following the huge success of the Star Wars version of Angry Birds, these two companies are coming together again to offer a sequel.  According to starwars.com, "Angry Birds Star Wars II will follow the story of the three prequel Star Wars movies, including the introduction of never-before-seen Angry Birds Star Wars characters."  One of the biggest changes to highlight is that you don't have to just play as Angry Birds.  You can also play villainous Pigs like Darth Maul and General Grievous.

Pork Side, anybody?

The original Angry Birds Star Wars has been downloaded over 100 million times since it debuted, and it has some pretty good ratings in various app stores.  Lucasfilm and Rovio are hoping that adding new characters (like young Anakin, Mace Windu, and Darth Maul) will continue the appeal of the sequel.  Plus the new game will also come with TELEPODS, an interactive system from Hasbro that works a lot like the Skylanders game for Nintendo: place a physical toy representation of one of the characters on the phone or tablet camera to scan it in, and then play as that character in-game.

Angry Birds Star Wars II will be released on September 19th alongside an expected storm of new merchandise, and if you went to San Diego Comic-Con this past week you likely saw the first demo of the game in one of the exhibit halls.

Watch out, Angry Birds.  The Pigs have Sith Lightning.




 - Edessa, signing off

Lost Planet 3

Ah, the first upcoming video game post of 2013. This will be a fun year... at least, if the movie and game lists have anything to say about it.

This week we're highlighting Lost Planet 3, the sequel to Lost Planet 2 which, in turn, was the sequel to Lost Planet. As though that was not very obvious... =)


Lost Planet is a sci-fi Action trilogy that takes place on the planet E.D.N. III.

And, of course, whenever a planet is called "Eden" it's always everything but a Garden of Eden.

Developed by Spark Unlimited and Capcom, and published by Capcom, "Lost Planet 3 introduces Jim, a rig pilot who leaves Earth to take on a hazardous but lucrative contract on E.D.N. III working for Neo-Venus Construction (NEVEC.) NEVEC's existing Thermal Energy reserve is running low, and the fate of the Coronis mission depends on the natural source of the energy supply being located. Realizing the opportunity for a huge pay-off and early ticket home, Jim braves the risk of the treacherous enviroment and threat of the indigenous Akrid. Acting as a home away from home and boasting an array of tools that can assist Jim on the field, the utility rig provides Jim's safety and is essential for not only his contract work but also his protection against the ever-changing climate" (IGN).

It's basically a survival game. Stay alive long enough to get the rare whatever and try really, really hard not to get blasted or eaten alive or frozen to death in the proccess.

According to IGN, Lost Planet 3 is not only a survival game. It also serves a secret-leaking function, revealing "new truths about the forboding planet and the colonial history of E.D.N. III." Players are also warned that the climate conditions on E.D.N. III are much harsher than they were in the last two Lost Planet games.

But even with the harsher conditions, Lost Planet 3 has much to offer both new and returning gamers.

The game is a mixture of both first person combat within Jim's utility rig and third-person shooter when he's running around on the surface of the planet. The Akrid - E.D.N. III's original alien species - are also "bigger and angrier and demanding a more tactical approach during combat" (IGN). For those who don't like to solo, Lost Planet 3 also offers a wide assortment of different multiplayer modes. And since the game was developed using the Unreal Engine 3, you can expect that the cutscenes and the in-game graphics will be beautiful to behold.

Plus Jim looks like a mix between Tim Allen and Nicholas Cage. I kid you not. I leave it up to you to decide whether or not that's a good thing.


DISCLAIMER!: Lost Planet 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB, though the target rating is T for Teen or above.

Lost Planet 3 will releasefor the XBox 360 on January 15th in the U.S. The exact date for the Australian, United Kingdom, and Japanese releases have not been confirmed yet, though it will also occur this January.




 - Edessa, signing off

Skylanders Giants

Bring on the Giants!

There are some days when I just really, really wish that I had a PlayStation 3 or an XBox 360 instead of my PSP.

True, my PSP is smaller and lighter with a built-in screen, so it's much more portable than a full-sized console. So that's a win there.

But there are quite a few games - like LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars, for instance - whose PSP editions are very watered down, so you don't get all of the levels or all of the content (which is all available on normal-sized consoles, by the way). That, and then there are a number of games that are only available on the larger consoles.

Like Skylanders Spyro's Adventure.

I've heard so many good things about this game, and I love the way it looks. The unfortunate thing is that I don't have a PS3 or an XBox or even a Wii, so I can't play it.

It's a big, fat bummer, and it's even more of a bummer when I find out that the new Skylanders sequel is releasing later this month.

I really gotta buy myself a full-sized console...

But for everybody else who does have a normal console, you really might want to check out this new game. It looks like it's just as much fun as the original!


Published by the ever-famous Activision and developed by Toys for Bob and XPEC, Skylanders Giants takes off where Spyro's Adventure left off.

The synopsis (courtesy of IGN): "The follow-up to the blockbuster Skylanders Spyro's Adventure, Skylanders Giants builds upon the breakthrough fundamentals of the first game, once again merging the physical and virtual realms with an innovative line of cross-platform toy figures that have 'brains,' which players everywhere can magically bring to life in the world of Skylands. This second installment of the franchise features a variety of new characters, new challenges and a thrilling new story-driven adventure."

I'm hooked. How about you?

The game introduces eight new playable characters (which are also toy figures), and they're twice the size of every other previous Skylanders character. It's called Giants for a reason, right? According to IGN, these giant characters' "in-game powers and abilites [also] reflect their colossal scale."

I'm thinking crushing and stomping are both going to have some part to play in these new characters' abilities. Skylanders, SMASH!

Some of the new Giants figurines are also coming with built-in lights that light up when they're around the Portal of Power. These characters also have some in-game benefits that the others don't and, best of all, they don't require batteries!

Besides the eight giant characters and the light-up figurines, the game is also introducing eight other regular-sized Skylanders that are all playable.

In addition to all of these figurines, Giants is one hundred percent compatible with the original Spyro's Adventure with all of your previous stats and customizations intact, new arenas, a new mode called Battle Mode, enhanced Elemental Zones, new Hero Challenges, and a bunch of other related features (information from IGN).

DISCLAIMER!: Skylanders Giants has been rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and older by the ESRB for Mild Cartoon Violence.

Giants releases to the U.S. on October 21st - October 19th if you live in the U.K. - for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and XBox 360.

And here's the official trailer from E3:

Oh, and one quick little thing before I'm done for today: if you follow HNED and like what we do, please consider showing your support by Liking us on Facebook! Not only can you show your support in this way, but you also get access to a lot of other film, game, Star Wars, and media industry news that I only post of Facebook (mainly because there's so much of it that I don't want to clutter up the blog). I update the HNED page every day with not only breaking news, but also contest news from other companies (mainly IGN), every HNED and Holocron post is linked on the page, and I also have special tidbits like Song, Picture, and Question of the Day. Click on the little Facebook icon over there to check out HNED's official page! *points to the left sidebar*

And to those of you who have already Liked HNED, thank you soooo MUCH! You're all so very awesome, and I really appreciate your continual support. You guys rock!




 - Edessa, signing off

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Hard to believe that this is actually Andy Serkis...

Planet of the Apes has always been a story that greatly interested me.

I mean, movies about ape-like aliens putting humans in zoos and taking over the world? That sounds pretty cool, if you ask me.

I've never seen any part of Planet of the Apes, but the story has still intrigued me. That, and I've always wanted to watch it so I can dissect the proposed worldviews, but I do that with every movie I see anyway.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is definitely high up there on my "To Watch" list, mostly because of Andy Serkis (that man is pure awesome genius!) but also because of the story and so I can dissect the worldview. And now that a sequel's being made, I find myself even more anxious to see Rise so I can see this next installment.


Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the sequel to 2011's Rise, a story that takes place not too long after tehe events of its predecessor. The synopsis (courtesy of Movie Insider): "The sequel, which continues the story of the original film, follows the apes on the path to emerge as society's new rulers."

That would be kinda strange, having a bunch of gorillas in Congress with human slaves who wait on their every whim.

This is when I could totally and very easily make a crack about the government.....

....but I won't. =)

Even in its early development stage, Dawn still has a nice handful of notable people attached to it.

Matt Reeves (Let Me In, Cloverfield) has taken over the directing chair, which was formerly inhabited by Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Escapist). Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver - both of whom wrote the Rise screenplay - are on hand again to write Dawn, and they have been joined by Scott Z. Burns (Contagion, The Informant!, Bourne Ultimatum).

What makes me really, really, REALLY excited, though, is that Andy Serkis is returning to play Caesar, the genetically enhanced main ape who is planning world domination. Serkis is a brilliant actor, particularly in the field of motion-capture (which explains how he is realistically able to play an ape without the use of a suit and fifty layers of make-up), and I just love to watch him act. He's probably my favorite actor, and I can't think of a single film of his that I didn't like.

Brilliant man. Just amazingly brilliant!

20th Century Fox is also distributing this sequel, as well as producing it alongside Chernin Entertainment.

Currently Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is in the Development Phase, when the script is finalized and casting and budgeting begin. The film is set for a May 23, 2014 nationwide release, but that could change over time. No worldwide date has been set yet.

Officially the film is not being filmed in 3D, but that hasn't been confirmed yet. Personally I think they should go ahead and film it in 3D. If they don't, they'll probably end up converting it later, so they might as well just do it now.

Besides, enraged apes taking over the world in 3D? I think I wanna see that.... =D


Do you think Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will be Good, Bad, or Ugly? Did you ever see the original Rise of the Planet of the Apes? If you did, did you like it?




 - Edessa, signing off

Jurassic Park IV, V, VI, and 3D

In my Senior year of high school last year I took a Worldview in Film class, an online course where my classmates and I were required to watch a broad range of films (from Mulan to The Matrix) and study the worldviews presented.

Even though I didn't like all of the movies I had to watch (The Village scared me so bad that I couldn't sleep for almost a week), it was still an amazing, eye-opening class.

There were quite a few movies I was excited to see, particularly Avatar and Jurassic Park. Avatar was a great film, but I found that Jurassic Park just left a sour, bitter taste in my mouth.

Sure, the story was pretty inventive, the visual effects were good for its time, it ran at a good clip, and the acting was superb. But watching the dinosaurs tearing at and eating their victims? Even the parts where it was implied that a character was being devoured alive was unsettling. The language was incredibly offensive to me as well.

But the most disturbing part was watching the two little children screaming in terror, getting electrocuted on electric fences, getting injured, being trapped in a crushed car and then thrown into one of the deep dinosaur pens, and generally running for their lives. My maternal instincts seriously overloading by the time the film (thankfully) ended, and I vowed right then and there to never make a movie where kids are put in danger like that. It really just broke my heart.

I know a lot of people won't agree with my thoughts on Jurassic Park, but that's perfectly fine with me. Personally I'm not hankering to see any of the other JP films, but Hollywood is counting on everybody else wanting to see more dino-chomping action, which explains why they're making three more films.

Yep, you read that right. Three more JP films are in the works, plus converting the first one into 3D.


Jurassic Park's IV, V, and VI - all of which are being distributed by Universal Pictures and produced by Amblin Entertainment and The Kennedy/Marshall Company - are all supposed to be a "new trilogy," according to Joe Johnston (who was formerly going to direct the project). Besides that, nobody really knows anything about what this "new trilogy" is going to be like.

Personally I'm guessing that it's going to be something along these lines:

1. Group of people find (or get trapped on) an island inhabited by dinosaurs

2. Group of people find they can't get off of the island, or that they have to do something before they can get off

3. Group gets on wrong side of the dinos

4. Group has multiple run-ins with various types of dinos, most of them bad

5. A lot of group members die in rather gruesome ways

6. Group finally figures out how to get off of island or find the thing they've been looking for

7. Group escapes island, all thankful to be alive

OR

7. Everybody dies. The end.

Yeah, I think that about covers it, don't you? =)

Steven Spielberg (as expected) is producing this new JP trilogy along with Kathleen Kennedy (the lady who took over Lucasfilm, Ltd., when George Lucas retired) and Frank Marshall (who has produced about forty-ish films, including War Horse and The Bourne Legacy).

John Sayles (Amigo, Silver City, The Alamo) and William Monahan (Edge of Darkness, Body of Lies, The Departed) are both writing the screenplay for JP IV. Aso on hand just in case a rewrite is needed are Rick Jaffa (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) and Amanda Silver (Rise of the Planet of the Apes).

As I mentioned earlier, Joe Johnston was originally going to be the director for this new trilogy, but that is no longer the case any longer. I'm thinking that maybe Spielberg should jump in and direct just because he can, but that's just my Imaginatrix having fun.

Laura Dern was formerly rumored to be starring in the film (she played Dr. Ellie Sattler in the other JP films), but she is no longer attached to the project. It might be fun if Sam Neill reprised his role as Dr. Alan Grant but, again, that's just because I happen to really like the way Neill acts. He was absolutely brilliant as Sir Bryan Gilbert in the 1980s version of Ivanhoe, which you should totally watch if you haven't already.

Besides this small handful of people, there are not many individuals currently working on JP IV-VI; however, the films are currently in the Concept and Development stages and will likely stay that way for a while yet. And since the original JP is being converted into 3D next year, I think there's a very strong possibility that these next three films will also be released in 3D when they hit theaters. I don't have any firm confirmation on that, but I really don't see why the filmmakers wouldn't just go ahead and do it.

And speaking of JP and 3D, if you like watching intelligent, scientifically-created dinosaurs chase and eat terrified people (well, that sounded really wrong... lol!) then you can head over to theaters nationwide on April 5, 2013, to watch it all in remastered IMAX 3D. No worldwide release date has yet been set.

Considering the fact the JP IV-VI are all still in the early phases of the filmmaking proccess, we don't have a theatrical release date yet. My estimation based on what I know of the industry and assuming that the whole proccess runs at peak efficiancy, I think IV could release sometime in 2014 or 2015. But that's assuming that everything moves at a swift pace. It could be closer to 2017 or 2018 by the time IV comes out, but right now there's really no way to know.


Do you think Jurassic Park IV, V, and VI will be Good, Bad, or Ugly? Would you like to see Spielberg directing this new trilogy? Did you like the original JP movies? And would you go see the first film when it re-releases in 3D?




 - Edessa, signing off

Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers

Please tell me I'm not the only person who wants to eat the castle....

Do you want to know what drives me nuts?

Ok, you probably don't, but I'll tell you anyway...


...Movies about food or movies that showcase really delicious looking food.

It's not that those movies are neccesarily bad plot-wise or acting-wise or anything. It's just because they make me want to eat!

Take Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, for instance. I saw that movie in theaters, and before a fourth of the film was over I was literally focused on how badly I wanted to eat the Jell-O castle, and the ice cream snow, and even the big evil gummi bears looked appetizing. And it wasn't like I was hungry or anything. Just seeing all of that food made me feel like I should be snacking on something, anything! It's such a curse because then I end up focusing on snacking instead of the movie. It drives me nuts!

Well, hopefully I'll remember to bring along some snack food if ever I see the Cloudy sequel.


Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers is a sequel to 2009's Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, which was loosely based on a children's book by the same title. Cloudy 2 will not be based off of the book's sequel, Pickles to Pittsburgh, but is following an original idea instead.

"Cloud 2 picks up where the first movie left off, with Flint Lockwood discovering that his evil machine which turns water into food is still operating and now creating mutant food beasts. With the fate of humanity in his hands, Flint and his friends must embark on a dangerously delicious mission, battling hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees, apple pie-thons, double bacon cheesespiders and other food creatures to save the world" (Movie Insider).

Didn't he do that in the first film?

I guess heroes never run out of humanity-saving missions...

Directing this Sony Pictures Animation film are Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, and this is a directing debut for both of them. The screenplay was written by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (both were also the screenwriters for 2011's Horrible Bosses).

Bill Hader (Turbo, Men in Black III, Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil, Hop) reprises his role as Flint Lockwood, the man who invented the evil turn-water-into-food-machine-that-is-now-threatening-the-world. Anna Faris (The Dictator, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel, Lost in Translation) also returns as weather reporter and Flint's love interest Sam Sparks. The rest of the cast includes James Caan (For the Love of Money, Elf) as Flint's father, Andy Samberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Benjamin Bratt, Terry Crews, Will Forte, and Kristen Schaal.

The film is currently in the production stage (meaning that they have begun filming) as of August 21, 2012. Cloudy 2 will be in theaters nationwide on February 7, 2014, and it will be available in 3D....which will undoubtably make my hunger paigns even worse....


Do you think that Cloudy 2: Revenge of the Leftovers will be Good, Bad, or Ugly? Do films concerning food make you feel hungry, too, or is it just me? =)




 - Edessa, signing off

Borderlands 2

A monster from "Borderlands 2"

Sometimes I wonder what the world would look like if there was no such thing as sequels.

Would such a world cultivate more original, creative ideas?

Or would that same world just fall prey to parodies?

It's an interesting issue to think about. Either way, sequels have been around for a long time, and sometimes they even surprise us by being even better than the original.

Whether Borderlands 2 will be such a game has yet to be determined, but considering the hype going around the Internet a lot of gamers are hoping that it will be just as good - if not better - than the original Borderlands.


Borderlands 2, like its predecessor, is a role-playing shooter, an action game developed by Gearbox Software and published by 2K games. According to IGN, "Borderlands 2 is the epic sequel to the ultimate four-player role-playing shooter loot fest. Combining incention and evolution, Borderlands 2 features all-new characters, skills, enviroments, enemies, weapons and equipment, which come together in an ambitiously crafted story. Players will reveal secrets, and escalate mysteries of the Borderlands universe as they adventure across the unexplored new areas of Pandora."

One thing I find incredibly interesting (or maybe annoying, I'm not sure yet) is that "Pandora" seems to be a favorite name for a lot of fictional places. Pandora was the name of the Na'vi planet in Avatar, for instance, but I digress...

According to the game's official IGN wiki, Borderlands 2 sports five distinct classes for players to choose from: Gunzerker, Assassin, Siren, Commando, and Mechromancer. All of these classes are very similar to the ones offered in the original Borderlands, and playable characters from the first game (Lilith, Brick, Mordecai, and Roland) all return as non-player characters (or NPCs). For more information on the classes, characters, vehicles, and equipment available in this sequel, you can visit this link: http://www.ign.com/wikis/borderlands-2

There are three versions of the game that will be available for purchase on the same day.

The Standard version is, of course, standard.

The Deluxe Vault Hunter Edition (one of two special edition packages) includes a Marcus Kincaid bobblehead, a copy of Inside the Valt: The Art and Design of Borderlands 2, a collectible sticker set, a map of Pandora, a digital comic download code, and downloadable in-game content. This set is selling for $100 U.S. dollars. Be aware that this particular version is reportedly on back-order from most suppliers, but I haven't checked to see if this is still the case.

The Ultimate Loot Chest (the second, and more expensive, special edition package) includes all of the items listed in the Deluxe Vault Hunter Edition, plus a collectible scaled replica of the red loot chests found throughout Pandora, a steelbook case, a Creatures of Pandora wide-format ID chart, a lithograph postcard set, field notes from Sir hammerlock, a cloth map of Pandora, and a numbered certificate of authenticity. This version is selling for $150 U.S. dollars

DISCLAIMER!: Borderlands 2 has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol.

Borderlands 2, in all three editions, will be available for purchase on September 18, 2012. You can also pre-order through stores such as GameStop or through online retailers like Amazon and eBay. The game will be available for the XBox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, and possibly the PlayStation Vita.




 - Edessa, signing off

New Super Mario Bros. 2

Gold is in for "New Super Mario Bros. 2"

Mario has been around for quite a long time. Arguably the most famous Nintendo character in the world, Mario first debuted in 1981 in the game Donkey Kong, an arcade game. Since then, the little Italian plumber has been seen in a little over two hundred other video games and, after selling more than 210 million copies as of 2009, the Mario franchise has become the all-time best-selling video game series.

With the newest Super Mario game releasing in about two weeks, the world's favorite plumber returns to do what he does best.


Published and devloped by Nintendo, New Super Mario Bros. 2 has a very familiar storyline: "Bowser has once again kidnapped Princess Peach, but this time, Mario has another objective. The Mushroom Kingdom is bursting with more gold coins than before. Each level is littered with gold as coins rain down from overhead pipes, trails of coins are left behind special gold enemies and gold pipes transport Mario into coin-filled caverns. It's up to players to collect as many coins as possible throughout their adventure" (IGN).

The game will record how many coins players collect throughout the game, and there are even some neat new gold tricks. For example, there's a ring that will turn your enemies into gold, and there's a Gold Flower that let's you transform virtually anything into coins. Raccoon Mario also returns to this game, so you can fly and gain access to secret areas. Additionally, this platformer also includes a two player co-op option.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be released on August 19th exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS. Players can purchase the game one of two ways: either through a retail store (such as GameStop) or as a download from the Nintendo eShop.

DISCLAIMER!: New Super Mario Bros. 2 has been rated E for Everyone by the ESRB for Comic Mischief.


Since Mario has been around for a little over thirty years, what do you think has contributed to his worldwide success?




 - Edessa, signing off

Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat Comes Back

Filmmakers have been adapting the wonderfully zany world of Dr. Seuss to the big screen for many years. Horton Hears a Who, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and even The Lorax are some of the stories that have been given the silver screen treatment. Considering the overall success of the Seuss-adapted films, can Universal pull off another hit with a sequel to 2003's Cat in the Hat?

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back

Distributed by Universal Pictures, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back brings back everyone's favorite black and white cat as he creates even more mischief. The synopsis (according to Movie Insider): "...the story will follow Sally and her brother, as they try to clean a stain on Mother's white dress left by the Cat, who snuck into the house to eat some cake. This time, he brings a bunch of smaller felines with him."

Mike Myers reprises his role as the titular Cat in the Hat. Kelly Preston, Spencer Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Dakota Fanning, and Sean Hayes also return to this sequel, which may just be a bad career move for all of them considering how horribly the original Cat in the Hat film fared (more on that later).

Currently the film is in the Concept stage, and no director or screenwriter has yet been hired. The release date is TBA, and I do not yet know if it will be available in 3D.


Do you think that The Cat in the Hat Comes Back will be Good, Bad, or Ugly? Did you like the original film?

I never saw the original Cat in the Hat, but from what I've read I don't really think I want to, either. Rotten Tomatoes (an online company that rates films based on critic reviews and audience reactions) gave The Cat in the Hat a very, very bad 11% Fresh rating. 149 reviews were compiled on the site, and the average rating was 3.2 out of 10 stars. Desson Thomson of the Washington Post called the film "About as creatively inspired as a giant hairball," while Rob Gonsalves of eFilmCritic.com asked, "Is Dr. Seuss rolling in his grave yet?" Probably the most harsh criticism came from Anton Bitel of Movie Gazette: "much of the film is padded out by the comic business of Mike Myers' cat, in a deeply flawed role falling somewhere between a stand-up dying on stage or an alcoholc clown harassing kids at a birthday party." Audiences didn't like the film much better. Only 41% of polled audiences liked it, giving it an average rating of 2.5 out of five stars.

If the original Cat in the Hat was that bad, I can't help but wonder what in the world Universal is thinking by wanting to make a sequel. Add to that, what in the world are stars like Dakota Fanning, Mike Myers, and Alec Baldwin doing by being part of the sequel of a very much hated earlier film?

Hollywood works in mysterious ways, but this is more baffling than anything. From my standpoint, I think The Cat in the Hat/The Cat in the Hat Comes Back is gonna be a family-film version of the Clash of the Titans/Wrath of the Titans flop.


In other film news...

...G.I. Joe: Retaliation will not be releasing June 29th as originally promised. The release has been pushed back to March 29, 2013, reportedly so Paramount can convert the film to 3D. Film critics think it's really because Paramount chickened out, thinking that their sequel would get lost among the other blockbusters releasing this summer.

...The Hunger Games will be available on DVD and Blu-Ray on August 18, 2012.

...Tickets for The Dark Knight Rises have been on sale since Monday. You can continue to pre-order your tickets for this last Christopher Nolan Batman film until the release on July 20, 2012




 - Edessa, signing off

Batman!

There have been a lot of really good game franchises over the years, but in my house the LEGO games win hands down. There's just something about running around a realistic world as a blocky peice of plastic and bashing up benches, rocks, and equally blocky bad guys that is just so much fun! That's why I'm greatly looking forward to the newest edition to the LEGO franchise: LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes.

The original LEGO Batman was released on September 23, 2008, and was the best LEGO game I had ever played (until LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars debuted, that is). So I'm greatly looking forward to taking up the Batman's black plastic cowl again in this sequel.

A screenshot, showing Batman, Robin, and Superman

B2: DC Super Heroes is an action adventure game that was published by Warner Bros. Interactive and developed by the ever-dependable Traveller's Tales. The synopsis (from IGN): "Heroes from the DC Universe join up the the Caped Crusader to root out evil in LEGO Batman 2: Superheroes."

According to the official website, "In LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes, the Dynamic Duo of Batman and Robin join other famous super heroes from the DC Universe including Superman, Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern to save Gotham City from destruction at the hands of the notorious villains Lex Luthor and the Joker...[The game] allows players to explore all new areas of Gotham City utilizing a variety of vehicles including the Batmobile and Batwing. In addition, they'll be able to fight for justice by mastering new gadgets and suits, such as Batman's Power Suit and Robins' Hazard Cannon, and using all new abilities including flight, super-breath and heat vision" (LEGO.com).

The game will be released on June 19, 2012, for the PC, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, PlayStation 3, XBox 360, and PlayStation Vita.

DISCLAIMER!: LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes has not yet been rated by the ESRB, but will likely be rated E or E10+.


For fans of the more "realistic" Batman games, the final chapter of Batman: Arkham City will be available for purchase at the end of this month. Adding more than two hours of additional gameplay, "Harley Quinn's Revenge sends players back into Arkham City to face their final challenge as they interchange between playing as both Batman and Robin. Utilize each of the characters' unique combat and investigative skills to uncover Harley's vengeful plan and shut the gates on the urban mega-prison forever. In addition to experiencing a new storyline, fans can explore new enviroments and face-off against Harley's all new gang of thugs" (IGN).

Teaser poster

This final chapter will be available on May 29, 2012, for the PlayStation 3 and the XBox 360.

DISCLAIMER!: Batman: Arkham City -- Harley Quinn's Revenge has been rated T for Teen by the ESRB for Alcohol Reference, Blood, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Tobacco, Violence.


And don't forget that the final Christopher Nolan Batman film, The Dark Knight Rises, will be in theaters nationwide on July 20, 2012. We'll see if actors Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway (as supervillains Bane and Catwoman) can rival Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight.









 - Edessa, signing off

National Treasure 3

I watched National Treasure for the third time last Saturday, and I still think it's such an awesome movie! But as I was watching it I couldn't help but wonder, "Is a third National Treasure in the works?"

A few minutes later and I found out that, yes, there will be a National Treasure 3.

Coming Soon!

NT3 is the sequel to 2007's NT2: Book of Secrets, which was the sequel to the original NT in 2004. The original film got a mere 44% Rotten rating from Rotten Tomatoes and was called "infantile," "sluggish," and "so completely okay it hurts" by various film critics. NT2, on the other hand, got off even worse. It recieved a not-so-nice 34% Rotten rating and many reviews that focused solely on its "lunacy." While I don't personally agree with any of those reviews or ratings, I do see that the plots of both films are really far-fetched.

But isn't that what makes it fun and entertaining?

Walt Disney Pictures is hoping to prove just that with a third NT film.

NT3 (no sub-title, yet) has been in the Pre-Production stage ever since May 16, 2010. Nicholas Cage, Jon Voight, Helen Mirren, Diane Kruger, and Justin Bartha are all reprising their former NT roles, with Gary Oldman rumored to be the bad guy. Jon Turteltaub, who has directed the last two NT films, is also rumored to return as the director. Screenwriters Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard (The Uninvited) are writing the script while Jon Turteltaub, Charles Segars, and the very famous Jerry Bruckheimer are producing the film.

The current plot synopsis for NT3 is: "Treasure hunter Ben Gates (Nicholas Cage) to return and once again set out on an exhilarating, action-packed new global quest to unearth hidden history and treasures" (Movie Insider). More of the plot will likely be unearthed sometime in Production, so I'll let you know if I learn anything new.

NT3 does not have an official theater release date, but it will likely be sometime in 2013 or 2014, depending on when the Production phase starts. As of now there are no plans to shoot the film in 3D, but that could change at any time as well.


Poll time, again: do you guys think that National Treasure 3 will be Good, Bad, or Ugly?




 - Edessa, signing off

Star Trek 2

While I am a big Star Wars fan, I also have a soft spot in my heart for Star Trek. After all, I was first introduced to sci-fi by watching ST with my dad. The Next Generation has always been my favorite of all five ST series, followed closely by Deep Space 9, but I've never really gotten into the original series with Captain Kirk and Dr. Spock.

Maybe the new ST  movie will change my mind.

In 2009, the eleventh Star Trek film was released to a total of 3,849 theaters and made $76.5 million in its opening weekend. That is quite a bit more than any other ST film has made on opening weekend. The closest contender in 1996's First Contact (one of my favorite movies because I just love Borg!), which made $30.7 million on its opening weekend.

For those of you who didn't see it, Star Trek "explores the early Starfleet careers of future Enterprise officers Kirk, Spock, Scotty, Amanda Grayson, Uhura, McCoy, Sulu, and Chekhov" (Movie Insider). Most people liked the film, and Rotten Tomatoes - an online company that rates films - gave the film a 95% Fresh rating after compiling a total of 292 reviews from critics. Polled audiences gave it a 91% Fresh rating.

Now J.J. Abrams, the director of 2009's Star Trek and the creator of the TV series Alias, is attempting to continue that success with a twelfth ST film.

A scene from Star Trek 2

Directed by J.J. Abrams and distributed by Skydance Productions, Star Trek 2 has been in production since January 15, 2012, in LA. All of the 2009 cast have reprised their roles, including Chris Pine as Captain Kirk, Zarchary Quinto as Dr. Spock, and Karl Urban as Bones. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the unnamed villain, though he might be playing the infamous Khan because Benicio Del Toro was formerly in talks to play that villain. The official plot has not yet been released by Skydance Productions, but Star Trek 2 will continue where Star Trek left off. ST 2 will also be filmed in 3D, and the movie will be in theaters nationwide on May 17, 2013. No worldwide date has yet been released.

Can ST 2 continue in the success of its predecessor, or will this be one of those films that was better left on the notepad? I guess we'll have to just wait and see.



So do you think that Star Trek 2 will be Good (3-4 stars), Bad (1-2 stars), or Ugly (so bad that it couldn't even get a dying star)? What do you think of the villain possibly being the infamous Khan?




 - Edessa, signing off