Category Archives: News

‘SNL’ finds its new featured players for season 39

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Out with the old, in with the new, as the saying goes. It has been confirmed that SNL vets Fred Armisen, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis will not be returning to Studio 8H in September, and we know that Weekend Update host and head writer Seth Myers will be bowing out in the new year as he transitions to Late Night. Fresh blood is a needed this year as much as any and if recent reports prove true, Lorne Michaels has found his (potential) new stars.

Meet Beck Bennett, Kyle Mooney, Noël Wells, John Milhiser, and Michael Patrick O’Brien. The first four hail from the Upright Citizens Brigade, the well-established comedy house that fostered talent like Bobby Moynihan and Kate McKinnon. O’Brien, who might seem familiar to you, has been an SNL writer for four years now and he’s been featured in numerous sketches over the years in minor roles.

Thanks to the Internet, you can get to know the new SNL featured players by watching their sketches and improv on YouTube. Bennet and Mooney are part of a sketch comedy group called Good Neighbor; their video “Is my roommate gay?” is one to watch. You might recognize Bennet from those AT&T commercials with kids; fun fact: Lonely Island member and former SNL writer Jorma Taccone directs those spots. Wells is a great impressionist; watch her do Zooey Deschanel and Dana from Homeland. Milhiser can portray a wide range of emotions and like Mooney he’s great at being super weird; watch is encompassing acting reel and this subtle yet hysterical sketch called “Dress Code.” Thanks to his direct connection to SNL, O’Brien was able to make a really entertaining web series called 7 Minutes in Heaven and each episode features him improving with celebrities.

And there you have it. The four featured players coming to Saturday Night Live in its 39th season this fall. What do you think of the new crop of talent?

Gamescom 2013: Xbox One & PS4 launch titles revealed

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This week Cologne, Germany played host to Gamescom, one of the largest video games trade shows in the world. With next-gen systems in the pipeline, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Microsoft and Sony had a major presence at the show. Since the console makers already revealed their hardware at E3 in June, Gamescom was all about the, ahem, games.

Microsoft officially unveiled Xbox One’s launch lineup. As of August 19, there are 50 announced titles coming to Xbox One, 23 of which are hitting the marketplace day-and-date with the console’s holiday season release. Click those provided links to scan the lists, or simply jump after the break to do so. In addition to revealing the One’s games, Microsoft also spent time hyping its ID@Xbox initiative, or Independent Developers @ Xbox. Simply put, Microsoft is committed to helping indie devs achieve their goals of making games for Xbox One and it is striving to make the process as quick and streamlined as possible by making powerful tools and services available.

While Microsoft wasn’t ready to nail down the Xbox One’s release date, Sony upstaged them (again) by announcing that the PlayStation 4 will drop on November 15, 2013 in North America and on November 29 in Europe and Latin America. In terms of games, Sony isn’t saying which ones will launch alongside the console but it promises that 33 games will release before the end of the year, 18 of which are digital-download titles only. A grand total of 180 games are currently in development for the PS4. Jump after the break to see the launch window lineup. Sony also expressed its commitment to fostering indie devs by titles like FEZ (Polytron Corporation), Rogue Legacy (Cellar Door Games), and Supermagical (Tama Games). Also, Twitch is coming to PS4 to serve as another way for gamers to live stream their gameplay in addition to Ustream; and movies are in the works based on Digital Polyphony’s Gran Turismo franchise and Ubisoft’s upcoming Watch Dogs (see in-game pic above). Elsewhere, the PS Vita is getting a $50 price drop to $199 and the portable’s memory cards are falling in price as well. Over 25 new games are coming to Vita over the next 12 months.

Now since Gamescon is based on Europe, Microsoft and Sony made some exciting announcements for that far-away land. For example, MSFT says all pre-ordered consoles will ship with a free copy of FIFA 2014 because we all know how much Europeans enjoy their “football.” And on Sony’s end, “Magma Red” and “Wave Blue” color variants of the DualShock 4 controller will ship first in Europe and Latin America before eventually making their way to the States later this year.

The last piece of the next-gen puzzle is the Xbox One’s release date. As we await word from Microsoft, kick back and browse the launch lineups for the One and PS4 after the break! Continue reading Gamescom 2013: Xbox One & PS4 launch titles revealed →

Steve Ballmer to retire from Microsoft after 33 years with the company

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When Bill Gates stepped away from Microsoft in 2000 to pursue his humanitarian efforts, Steve Ballmer took over as CEO of the company. Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 as the tech company’s 30th employee. In a letter sent to all Microsoft employees titled Moving forward, Ballmer eloquently writes, “There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time.” Though Ballmer’s reign oversaw the widely maligned OS known as Windows Vista and the choppy launch of Windows 8 and Windows Phone, he notes that he is proud of what the company has achieved during his tenure. “We have grown from $7.5 million to nearly $78 billion since I joined Microsoft, and we have grown from employing just over 30 people to almost 100,000. I feel good about playing a role in that success and having committed 100 percent emotionally all the way.” There is no arguing that. Not at all.

As Microsoft is starting to transition into a devices and services company, Ballmer understands that new leadership with a fresh set of eyes is best for the Windows maker to move forward successfully. “We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”

Ballmer is set to retire within 12 months. Official MSFT PR and his letter to employees rest after the break. Continue reading Steve Ballmer to retire from Microsoft after 33 years with the company →

Ben Affleck is Zack Snyder’s Batman in ‘Man of Steel’ sequel

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At Comic Con Zack Snyder formally announced that a Man of Steel sequel is in the works and that it will pit Henry Cavill’s Superman against a new Batman. After completing Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, Christian Bale publicly stated that he has laid the cape and cowl down to rest. So who would step into Bale’s shadow to become the next Bruce Wayne?

Ben Affleck.

Yes, the man who once played the super hero Daredevil in the widely dismissed 2003 flick about blind lawyer Matt Murdock and who even dressed up as Superman as actor George Reeves in 2006’s Hollywoodland, Ben Affleck is Batman. After losing his way in Daredevil and Gigli, Affleck turned his career around by becoming a filmmaker and directing critically acclaimed movies like The Town and Argo. He also happened to star in those movies and if you ask me he did a fine job all the way around. But the question remains: can he step into a super hero suit and make viewers forget his ill-fated turn as the blind red crusader? The Internet reacted quite negatively to the news, but I say let’s give him a shot. As long as Matt Damon is Robin.

Warner Bros’ press release reads: Affleck and filmmaker Zack Snyder will create an entirely new incarnation of the character in Snyder’s as-yet-untitled project—bringing Batman and Superman together for the first time on the big screen and continuing the director’s vision of their universe, which he established in Man of Steel.

Snyder notes, “Ben provides an interesting counter-balance to Henry’s Superman. He has the acting chops to create a layered portrayal of a man who is older and wiser than Clark Kent and bears the scars of a seasoned crime fighter, but retain the charm that the world sees in billionaire Bruce Wayne. I can’t wait to work with him.”

Also, we now have a date for the Man of Steel sequel: July 17, 2015.

Rockstar reveals ‘Grand Theft Auto Online’

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As we inch closer and closer to the launch of Grand Theft Auto V the game gets even more exciting in its scope. In July gamers were formally introduced to actual gameplay and it was revealed how they will juggle three separate protagonists. Now Rockstar Games sheds light on the title’s online component dubbed appropriately enough Grand Theft Auto Online. It “takes the fundamental Grand Theft Auto concepts of freedom, ambient activity and mission-based gameplay and makes them available to multiple players in an incredibly detailed and responsive online world,” says Rockstar. GTAO is described as “a dynamic and persistent online world for 16 players that begins by sharing gameplay features, geography and mechanics with Grand Theft Auto V, but will continue to expand and evolve after its launch with new content created by Rockstar Games and the Grand Theft Auto community.”

In a video preview embedded above, you can see just how awesome this prospect really is. Imagine jumping into the fictional city of Los Santos with your friends, building a virtual community together and teaming up as a crew to execute major heists and other crimes you couldn’t get away with in the real world. Plus, the ability to create, share, and play across the Internet–an idea pushed by Media Molecule in LittleBigPlanet–is always welcome as it promises new online experiences all the time. And if Rockstar holds up their promise of pushing out new content and missions GTAO has the potential to be loads of fun with much replayability.

Grand Theft Auto Online turns on October 1, two weeks after GTAV‘s September 17 launch on Xbox 360 and PS3. Access to it comes free with every copy of GTAV. Now even though GTAO takes advantage of GTAV‘s performance engine, Rockstar is pressing that it is its own entity that will “grow and evolve into its own thing.” The developer is even toying with the idea of introducing older GTA worlds into GTAO; might the future hold an updated version of Liberty City for online players to roam around?

[Via IGN]

First look: Frank Darabont’s TNT drama ‘Mob City’

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Here’s a first-look at Frank Darabont’s upcoming TNT drama Mob City, formally known as L.A. Noir and Lost Angels. It’s an adaptation of John Buntin’s novel L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America’s Most Seductive City that tells the story of an epic battle between a determined police chief and a dangerous mobster inflames set in 1940s Los Angeles. This project is a bit of a Walking Dead reunion as it reunites the AMC series’ executive producer Darabont with stars Jon Bernthal (he played Shane) and Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale). Mob City also stars Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives), Ed Burns (Entourage), Jeremy Luke (Don Jon), Gregory Itzin (24), Robert Knepper (Prison Break), Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes) and Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans). Michael De Luca (The Social Network) and Elliot Webb (Alpha House) serve as executive producers with Darabont. An updated synopsis goes like this:

Mob City opens in post-war Los Angeles, home to glamorous movie stars, powerful studio heads and returning war heroes. But it’s also a city caught between a powerful and corrupt police force and an even more dangerous criminal network determined to make L.A. its West Coast base. Los Angeles Police Chief William Parker (Neal McDonough) has made it his mission to free the city of criminals like Ben “Bugsy” Siegel (Ed Burns) and Mickey Cohen (Jeremy Luke), the ruthless king of the Los Angeles underworld. Parker also won’t hesitate to go after anyone from his own police force who sells out honor and duty for the sake of a big payout. To carry out his sweep of organized crime, Parker sets up a new mob task force within the LAPD. Headed by Det. Hal Morrison (Jeffrey DeMunn), the task force includes Det. Joe Teague (Jon Bernthal), an ex-Marine who holds his cards close to his chest.

The pilot, written and directed by Darabont, airs Wednesday, December 4 at 10PM. Mob City will play out its initial season across six episodes.

Ryan Murphy discusses how ‘Glee’ will handle upcoming Finn Hudson tribute episode

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When Glee returns this fall it will do so without one of its biggest stars, Cory Monteith. The actor who played Finn Hudson on the FOX musical dramedy passed away last month due to a drug overdose. As Gleeks worldwide continue to mourn the young actor’s death, the producers behind the mega-successful series are hard at work on making a special episode that will address the character’s death. In an interview with Deadline, series executive producer Ryan Murphy shed some light on what viewers can expect. Following a Beatles tribute that spans across the season four premiere and second episode, Glee will say goodbye to Finn in the season’s third hour that will play as “a celebration of that character’s life,” says Murphy. Finn, in fact, will not die of a drug overdose in the show, and viewers may not even be privy to how he ends up passing away. Jump after the break to read the EP’s take on the upcoming tribute episode.

Glee returns September 26 on FOX. Continue reading Ryan Murphy discusses how ‘Glee’ will handle upcoming Finn Hudson tribute episode →

Katy Perry & Lady Gaga face off in battle of the new singles; Eminem reenters the game, too

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This week pop divas Katy Perry and Lady Gaga and famed rapper Eminem released new music for the first time in a long time.

Perry’s “Roar,” embedded above, is the lead single off her upcoming fourth studio album Prism due out October 22. Her last album Teenage Dream, which featured numerous radio hits like “California Gurls,” “Teenage Dream,” “Firework,” “E.T.,” “Last Friday Night,” and “The One That Got Away,” released nearly three years ago.

Gaga’s followup to 2011’s Born This Way (which included popular tracks like “Born This Way,” “Judas,” “The Edge of Glory,” “You and I,” and “Marry The Night”) is ARTPOP due out November 11. “Applause” is the first single off her new record and its lyric video is posted after the break.

Both “Roar” and “Applause” are worthy lead singles that will inevitably climb the charts. Though there’s some controversy surrounding Katy’s new tune (listeners quickly picked up that the back track sounds eerily similar to the one used in Sara Bareilles’ “Brave”), it does distance itself away from that other equally catchy and uplifting song enough that both can coexist and be enjoyed. (SoundCloud user MixmstrStel remixed the two songs together to grand effect.) Gaga’s “Applause,” in my opinion, is the weaker of the two singles and yet it still manages to make me anticipate her long-awaited new material.

Lastly, rap legend Eminem is back for another encore. Details are still being kept under wraps regarding Shady’s eighth album and followup to 2010’s Recovery; but fans can get a taste of what’s to come in Em’s new track “Survival.” The song promotes the next Call of Duty game Ghosts and it appears the game’s soundtrack. “Survival” will be part of the new record, but Eminem’s camp says fans can expect the rapper to drop the album’s true lead single soon. Listen to Eminem’s latest after the break. Continue reading Katy Perry & Lady Gaga face off in battle of the new singles; Eminem reenters the game, too →

TV reminder: ‘Breaking Bad’ returns

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Here we go. The final 8. After four and a half seasons of White White breaking bad, how will it all end?

In an interview with EW, Breaking Bad creator and mastermind Vince Gilligan shares what fans can expect. “As the movie title goes, there will be blood. To my mind, that’s not the most interesting thing. It’s the emotional moments and the character moments. We’ve got some stuff that I think is going to be truly satisfying and truly shocking and jarring. It does not always center on moments of violence…I have surprised myself at how much story there was left to tell and how quickly we tell it. You need to really settle down on the couch and pay close attention because it’s going to come at you fast and furious in the final eight episodes.”

On many occasions, without spoiling a thing, Gilligan has assured people that he and his writing staff are wholly satisfied by the ending. And although this statement may not completely quell your fears about how the series will wrap up, it sets my mind at relative ease because Gilligan has proved time and again that he can be trusted in terms of sheer storytelling.

In the end, Breaking Bad has been about a mild-mannered chemistry teacher afflicted with cancer transforming into a deadly drug kingpin; the protagonist becoming the antagonist. Gilligan has publicly stated that at some point he completely lost sympathy for Walter White. Whether or not you are still cheering for him, you will witness the remainder of his journey to the dark side as the final run of eight episodes begins Sunday, August 11 at 9PM.

Three things: One, a Breaking Bad after-show called Talking Bad hosted by Chris Hardwick will air after every episode. Two, Discovery Channel is airing a special edition of Mythbusters inspired by Breaking Bad where the hosts will test myths straight from the AMC series; it premieres Monday, August 12 at 10PM. And three, videos! Jump after the break to watch new promos, a recap, a gag reel, and sneak peeks at the Mythbusters-meets-Breaking Bad installment. Continue reading TV reminder: ‘Breaking Bad’ returns →

‘American Horror Story: Coven’ drops two creep-tastic teasers

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The third season of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story is coming soon and you know what that means: freaky teasers that are brief yet mesmerizing in their mystery are being released into the wild.

After exploring a murder house and an asylum, AHS: Coven takes us to New Orleans where we’ll witness a battle between Salem witches and voodoo practitioners. As it likes to do, the show will take place in present day as well as flashback to the past–in this case the 1830s. At the summer TCAs, EP Tim Minear shed some light on Coven‘s themes:

“Some of the bigger themes this year are oppression of minorities of all kinds, and within that idea, minority groups going after each other and doing the work of the larger culture. While there is a strong feminist theme that runs throughout Coven, there are themes of race and themes of oppression, and themes of family–especially mothers and daughters.”

Familiar AHS faces take on new characters in the upcoming season. Jessica Lange is a witch named Fiona and Sarah Paulsen is her daughter Cordelia. Newcomers Angelia Bassett and Kathy Bates play voodoo practitioner Marie Laveau and New Orleans socialite and serial killer Madame LaLaurie, respectively. Rounding out the cast are veterans Evan Peters, Lilly Rabe, Francis Conroy, Taissa Farmiga, Denis O’Hare, and Alexandra Breckenridge and newbies Gabourey Sidibe, Emma Roberts, and Patti LuPone.

The first teaser titled “Detention” has numerous women levitating up against white walls as an eerie rendition of “The House of the Rising Sun” plays in the background. (Anyone notice the legs in the fireplace?) After the break, watch the second teaser called “Pins & Needles” and prepare yourself for a nice little scare.

AHS: Coven premieres on FX this October.

Update (8/15): A third called “Staircase” is here, below. Continue reading ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ drops two creep-tastic teasers →

‘Phineas and Ferb’ crossover events with Marvel & ‘Star Wars’ coming soon

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Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor, and Hulk are teaming up with boy-geniuses Phineas and Ferb in a special Disney/Marvel crossover episode airing later this month. The official episode description goes like this:

In Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel, Spider-Man, Iron Man, Thor and Hulk stand powerless after being struck by Dr. Doofenshmirtz’s power-draining “inator.” Once the Marvel Super Villains – Red Skull, Whiplash, Venom and M.O.D.O.K. – find out that Dr. Doofenshmirtz is responsible for robbing the Super Heroes of their powers, they seek him out and together create mayhem in Danville. Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb do everything they can to restore the Super Heroes’ powers before the evil villains take over the world.

If you’re a big fan of Disney’s addicting and mildly sophisticated ‘toon about step-brothers with wild imaginations and Stan Lee’s superheroes, then you’ll definitely want to set your DVRs for Phineas and Ferb: Mission Marvel set to debut on Disney Channel Friday, August 16 at 8PM. Jump after the break to watch a preview and trailer for the upcoming crossover event.

In other P&F news, the animated series is playing host to Star Wars in 2014; for more details, pop after the break! Continue reading ‘Phineas and Ferb’ crossover events with Marvel & ‘Star Wars’ coming soon →

CBS renews ‘Under The Dome’ for a second season

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Under The Dome is coming back for a 13-episode second season and Stephen King, the author whose 2009 novel the CBS drama series is based, will pen the premiere episode when it returns in Summer 2014.

CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler on the renewal: “We’re excited to tell more stories about the mystery of the dome and the secrets in Chester’s Mill, and are thrilled to have the master storyteller himself, Stephen King, tell the first one of next season.”

In all, 17.8 million total viewers tuned into the series premiere in June and the show also proved its worth in the adults 18-49 demo landing a 4.6 rating. Though those numbers have dropped since, they still remain elevated at a level strong enough to warrant a second season; the most recent episode attracted a sizable audience with 11.4 million viewers and a 2.8 rating in the coveted demo. The show is performing solidly internationally and on Amazon where CBS has an exclusive deal enabling Instant Video subscribers to stream episodes four days after they air. In fact, Dome is the most watched series ever on Amazon’s streaming service.

All in all, Under the Dome is proving to be great summer fare and it’s showing the other networks that scripted TV can work outside the traditional September-to-May window. (FOX enters the fray next summer with new drama Gang Related and the return of 24.) The show’s got some kinks to work out (the character Angie, for example, drives me up a wall with her terrible decisions…and what exactly are Junior’s motives?) and the pacing and character development need to be accelerated. But the overall mystery of the dome and the secrets being spilled inside it have me intrigued enough to want to see more. I gladly accept a series renewal.

Under The Dome airs Mondays at 10 on CBS.