Category Archives: News

Xbox One launches today

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Exactly one week after Sony let loose PS4, Microsoft is replacing its aging console with Xbox One. And just like PS4’s release, gamers can expect a Day One patch to get the system working at full capacity and a brand new SmartGlass app for all your Xbox on-the-go and wireless slinging needs. Download the app today at iTunes and Google Play Store. Brush up on the hardware’s launch titles here.

The house that Bill Gates built is pimping their Xbox 360 successor to be the “one” stop destination for all your entertainment needs; for example, with its HDMI IN port you can run your cable box through the console and watch live TV while you’re gaming. It’s all exciting stuff but how will the new Xbox fare against the new PlayStation, a next-gen console that Sony built with hard-core gamers in mind first and entertainment needs later. Time, as they say, will tell.

So what are you waiting for? Jump ahead.

Update: Microsoft confirms that the Xbox One launch “was the biggest launch in Xbox history, with more than one million consoles sold through worldwide in less than 24 hours – surpassing day one Xbox 360 sales and setting a new record for Microsoft.”

“We are humbled and grateful for the excitement of Xbox fans around the world,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing and Strategy at Xbox. “Seeing thousands of excited fans lined up to get their Xbox One and their love for gaming was truly a special moment for everyone on the Xbox team. We are working hard to create more Xbox One consoles and look forward to fulfilling holiday gift wishes this season.”

‘Breaking Bad’ complete series comes in a barrel on November 26 (Alternate ending video inside!)

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On Tuesday, November 26 the complete box set of Breaking Bad releases on Blu-ray and DVD. Except it doesn’t come in a box but inside a collectible replica money barrel! In addition to all five seasons of the hit AMC drama, the set is packed with over 55 hours of bonus material including a two-hour documentary that chronicles the filming of the final eight episodes and, yes, an alternate ending.

Said ending has already leaked onto the Internet and you can watch it now after the break. However, don’t freak out just yet; the inspired bit is just that–it’s a parody that involves Bryan Cranston waking up next to his Malcolm in the Middle wife played by Jane Kaczmarek having experienced a nightmare that pretty much sums up the bulk of Bad. Cranston steps into Hal’s shoes and Kaczmarek doesn’t miss a beat as his former TV wife Lois. Leading up to the series finale many Breaking Bad fans imagined Vince Gilligan’s show to be a prequel to Malcolm whereby Walter White gets put into witness protection and lands on his feet in that sitcom’s household; or it was all a dream, Newhart style. Though that never came to fruition, this fun and quite funny “alternate ending” should do just the trick for fans with such wild imaginations.

The Breaking Bad barrel, which also includes a 16 page booklet with a letter from Vince Gilligan, a commemorative challenge coin designed by Gilligan, and a Los Pollos Hermanos apron, is up for preorder today at Amazon for $201.29. Jump after the break to view the full list of special features. Fill the stockings with the blue stuff this holiday season and get your Heisenberg-obsessed loved one a money barrel brimming with the best of Bad.

Update: A couple more videos are now embedded after the break. Vince Gilligan sets up shop with a webcam to unbox the Breaking Bad barrel, and in another clip stars Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul get ready to read the series finale script for the first time. Also provided is a link to watch Cranston & Paul read the final moments of the last episode together for the first time at Cranston’s place; it’s all part of the aforementioned two-hour documentary included in the barrel. Enjoy! Continue reading ‘Breaking Bad’ complete series comes in a barrel on November 26 (Alternate ending video inside!) →

PlayStation 4 launches today

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The next generation of gaming has finally arrived. Sony launches PlayStation 4 today, November 15. Whether you preordered the sleek, black console months ago or if you’re waiting on line at a retailer, the PS4 is ready for action right out of the box. However, you should note that the system requires a Day 1 update that activates many features such as the ability to log into the PlayStation Network and play Blu-ray movies; so make sure your Internet connection is running smoothly! Also, don’t forget that Sony has pushed out a PlayStation App available for free in the iTunes App Store and Google Play Store; it’s similar to Microsoft’s Xbox app in that it allows you to control the console’s menus, view your profile and trophies, and receive game notifications and invitations. One cool feature is that you can browse the PS Store on the go, download a full game and have it pushed to your PS4 so it’s ready to play when you get home.

A revealing video sits after the break. We’ve seen bits and pieces of PS4’s user interface, but now on launch day Sony is ready to dive in and show off some of the UI’s nooks and crannies. The nine minute clip previews the PlayStation Dynamic Menu (which replaces PS3’s Xross Media Bar) as well as a redesigned PlayStation Store.

So what are you waiting for? Greatness awaits.

Update: Two days after the PS4’s launch date, the company announced that it sold 1 million units during the first 24 hours after it became available on November 15 in the United States and Canada.

“PS4 was designed with an unwavering commitment to gamers, and we are thrilled that consumer reaction has been so phenomenal,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO at Sony Computer Entertainment. “Sales remain very strong in North America, and we expect continued enthusiasm as we launch the PlayStation 4 in Europe and Latin America on November 29. We are extremely grateful for the passion of PlayStation fans and thank them for their continued support.” Continue reading PlayStation 4 launches today →

TV reminder: ‘Almost Human’ premieres Sunday (11/17) at 8PM on FOX

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J.H. Wyman’s next TV show following the phenomenal sci-fi drama Fringe is Almost Human and it premieres across two nights starting this Sunday. Executive produced by J.J. Abrams (yes, it’s from Bad Robot), Almost Human is an “action-packed police procedural set 35 years in the future, when police officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.” The series will follow Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) and his android partner Dorian (Michael Ealy) as they investigate and attempt to solve crimes against a futuristic landscape. And don’t worry–a larger mythology is also at play here; Kennex survived a near-fatal attack and after waking from an 17-month coma he’s trying to put the pieces together.

Jump after the break to revisit the extended Almost Human trailer; down there you’ll also hear Wyman, Abrams, and the cast’s take on the sci-fi actioner. Look in the gallery below for a couple more cool posters.

With such a high pedigree supporting this series from the producers to the actors, it’s hard to imagine Almost Human not firing on all cylinders from the get-go. It premieres this Sunday, November 17 at 8PM on FOX; episode 2 follows the very next night on Monday the 18th at 8. With Bones relocating to Friday, Almost Human becomes the Monday @ 8PM anchor leading into Sleepy Hollow starting that night. I have a feeling Monday nights are about to get oh-so-sahweet.

Continue reading TV reminder: ‘Almost Human’ premieres Sunday (11/17) at 8PM on FOX →

TV reminder: ‘Raising Hope’ returns tonight (11/15) at 9PM on FOX

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The one and only Chance family returns to the airwaves tonight (11/15, disregard the incorrect date in the key art above) at 9PM on FOX with back-to-back new episodes titled “Déjà Vu Man” and “Burt Bucks.” Arrested Development‘s Jeffrey Tambor guest stars in the first half-hour. With Jimmy & Sabrina hitched and Hope getting older, I for one cannot wait to see what kind of weird stuff ensues in Raising Hope season 4. This show quickly gained a decent following thanks to its charm, wit, and most of all its quirkiness. From everybody at Howdy’s to Cloris Leachman’s senile Maw Maw, Raising Hope is the little sitcom that could and you should not forget it as it makes the transition to Fridays this fall.

‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ gets its 2015 release date

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The next installment in the Star Wars saga will release into theatres on December 18, 2015.

“We’re very excited to share the official 2015 release date for Star Wars: Episode VII, where it will not only anchor the popular holiday filmgoing season but also ensure our extraordinary filmmaking team has the time needed to deliver a sensational picture,” said Alan Horn, chairman of The Walt Disney Studios.

Despite a change in the writing department, Episode VII is on track for its now solidified 2015 release. Two weeks ago Michael Arndt stepped away from the film and director J.J. Abrams and consultant Lawrence Kasdan took over the screenplay duties. Recently Abrams opened up about the switch-up.

“It became clear that given the time frame and given the process and the way the thing was going that working with Larry in this way was going to get us where we need to be and when we needed to be,” he told Deadline. “Working with Larry Kasdan, especially on aStar Wars movie is kind of unbeatable.” He added, “Working with Michael was a wonderful experience and I couldn’t be a bigger fan of his or adore him more. He’s a wonderful guy and was incredibly helpful in the process.”

Mark your calendars, people. We get to revisit that galaxy far, far away in two years time.

[Via Star Wars]

The ‘Entourage’ movie is underway

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And with that tweet, creator Doug Ellin confirms that the long anticipated Entourage movie based on the hit HBO series is happening. According to Deadline, stars Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara and Kevin Connolly and producers Mark Wahlberg and Steve Levinson all have deals in place so that Warner Bros. can finally give the greenlit project life. And now we wait for one awesome trailer.

Disney & Netflix team up to produce four Marvel superhero series

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If ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t enough for Marvel fans, The Walt Disney Co. and Netflix are collaborating on four live-action series to air on the streaming service beginning in 2015. Each series will star a popular Marvel superhero: the first hero coming to the small screen is Daredevil, followed by Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage; click those links to learn more about each of them. A statement promises these four series will take Netflix subscribers “deep into the gritty world of heroes and villains of Hell’s Kitchen, New York.” Now get this: after the four, thirteen episodes series have aired they will culminate in “Marvel’s “The Defenders” mini-series event that reimagines a dream team of self-sacrificing, heroic characters.” It’s like what Marvel did in the movies with all those films leading up to The Avenges. This is neat stuff right here.

“This deal is unparalleled in its scope and size, and reinforces our commitment to deliver Marvel’s brand, content and characters across all platforms of storytelling. Netflix offers an incredible platform for the kind of rich storytelling that is Marvel’s specialty,” said Alan Fine, President of Marvel Entertainment. “This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of on-demand television and gives fans the flexibility to immerse themselves how and when they want in what’s sure to be a thrilling and engaging adventure.”

“Marvel’s movies, such as ‘Iron Man’ and Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’, are huge favorites on our service around the world. Like Disney, Marvel is a known and loved brand that travels,” said Netflix COO Ted Sarandos.  “With ‘House of Cards’ and our other original series, we have pioneered new approaches to storytelling and to global distribution and we’re thrilled to be working with Disney and Marvel to take our brand of television to new levels with a creative project of this magnitude.”

As Disney and Netflix begin work on this massive production, stick it here for the latest developments.

[Via Netflix]

FX renews ‘American Horror Story’ for a fourth season

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Ryan Murphy will continue to scare up viewers with a fourth installment of FX anthology series American Horror Story. The third season Coven is the most-watched season of AHS to date averaging 7.7 million viewers.

“Put simply, Ryan Murphy is a master television producer,” said FX head John Landgraf. “Time and time again he reinvents the form. What he, co-creator Brad Falchuk and their producers Dante Di Loreto, Tim Minear, Jennifer Salt, James Wong, Brad Buecker, Jessica Sharzer, Douglas Petrie, Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, Alexis Martin Woodall and the entire production team and cast responsible for the American Horror Story franchise have done is nothing short of extraordinary. Every year, they create a riveting and brilliant new miniseries. AHS: Coven is the best yet, and I have no doubt that the next installment will be even better.”

The 13 episode fourth season is set to debut in 2014. Though the season’s theme and stars are still being kept under wraps, Jessica Lange has publicly confirmed that she will return to the show to step into a new character’s shoes.

AHS: Coven airs Wednesdays at 10PM on FX.

AMC renews ‘The Walking Dead’ for a fifth season

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After clocking in a record breaking 20.2 million viewers for its season 4 premiere, it comes as no surprise that AMC is granting The Walking Dead a fifth season.

“We are very happy to make what has to be one of the most anti-climactic renewal announcements ever: The Walking Dead is renewed for a fifth season,” said AMC president Charlie Collier. “This is a show that has erased traditional distinctions between cable and broadcast. Its expanding base of passionate fans has grown every season, most recently – and most notably – with the season four premiere earlier this month, which broke viewership records for the series and became the biggest non-sports telecast in cable history. On behalf of the incredible team on both sides of the camera, thank you to the fans and here’s to more Dead.”

As of now, Scott M. Gimple will in fact remain the showrunner for next season. But the current season is still young and there’s plenty of time for him to go the way of Frank Darabont and Glen Mazzara, though it’d be nice for Dead to hold onto its showrunner for once.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9PM on AMC.

Fall TV updates: ABC gives ‘The Goldbergs’ & ‘Trophy Wife’ full season orders, cancels ‘Back in the Game’

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ABC has given comedies The Goldbergs and Trophy Wife full season orders; with the back-nine each Tuesday night sitcom will air 22 episodes this season. Averaging 7.5 million viewers and a 2.7 rating in adults 18-49 and 5.7 million viewers and a 1.9 rating, respectively,  The Goldbergs and Trophy Wife will live on at least through May and creatively speaking they deserve it. Both shows are consistently funny and highly relatable family fare.

Super Fun Night isn’t going anywhere. Averaging 7.4 million viewers and a 2.8 rating, the Rebel Wilson sitcom received an additional script order for four more episodes.

One ABC sitcom that didn’t make the cut is Back in the Game. Though the show has admittedly been getting better creatively with each passing week, the ratings failed to make a mark (it’s averaging 7.3 million viewers and a 2.1 rating, landing right between Goldbergs and Wife) and the network is cutting it loose–but not before letting its 13 episodes run all the way through. Note that the cancellation news comes after the alphabet network ordered an additional two scripts for the Bad News Bears-esque comedy; that’s typically a show of confidence from a network but in this case it didn’t pan out.

First look: ‘Sherlock’ returns this January

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Here’s your first look at Sherlock series 3! An ominous Sherlock watches John Watson as the good doctor grieves his friend’s (faked) death. How exactly did the super sleuth survive that great fall? The answer will be revealed when Sherlock returns to PBS on January 19, 2014. Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freedman return in three brand new 90-minute installments: “The Empty Hearse” (January 19), “The Sign of Three” (January 26), and “His Last Vow” (February 2).