January has come and gone and as we fold into February it’s time to take a look at nine series/season premieres airing this month. Jump after the break for all the deets. Continue reading TV reminder: 9 premieres to look out for in February
Sonic & friends return in ‘Sonic Boom’ game, TV series & toy line
Sonic the Hedgehog is racing back into the limelight with a new video game, animated TV series, and a fresh toy line. It’s all being introduced under a new Sonic brand called Sonic Boom.
The game is being developed by Big Red Button Entertainment and Sanzaru Games for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, respectively, in collaboration with Team Sonic. According to a blog post, the game will “introduce exploration, combat and a new Enerbeam tether mechanic that will allow the Sonic Boom world to be discovered in totally unique ways.” A launch date for the title has not been announced yet.
The game serves as a prequel to the TV series which is also called Sonic Boom and is being co-produced by SEGA of America Inc. and OuiDO! Productions. The CG show is described as “an ensemble comedy consisting of 52 x 11-minute standalone episodes packed full of high-adrenaline action. Every episode starts from a small character-driven story and explodes into an epic tale of saving the world, robot battles and more.” Sonic Boom is schedule to premiere during the during the 2014/15 season on Cartoon Network.
The Sonic Boom franchise features classic characters like Tails, Knuckles, and Doctor Eggman but with a twist; their physical attributes have been updated–as you can see in the image above Knuckles has bulked up quite a bit and Sonic wears a brown scarf around his neck. Toy partner TOMY “will develop a comprehensive toy range across a broad number of categories including plush, action figures, RC, role play, vehicles and novelty.”
Sega’s John Cheng commented on the latest Sonic revival: “We want to ensure that the Sonic brand continues to evolve and appeal to new generations of Sonic fans and this different look introduces a fresh approach that will be at once both familiar and new to consumers. We are committed to supporting this initiative to provide great entertainment to fans for all aspects of their lives.”
Check out clips from the upcoming game and TV series after the break. The title looks extremely engaging and I’m excited to see how the development teams tap into the unique Wii U GamePad and 3DS’ functionality repertoire to control Sonic and friends. The show looks like a ton of fun. Scroll to the bottom of this page to view concept art from the game and the show.
[Via Sega] Continue reading Sonic & friends return in ‘Sonic Boom’ game, TV series & toy line
Microsoft names new CEO Satya Nadella
Bill Gates. Steve Ballmer. Satya Nadella. On February 4 Microsoft appointed its third CEO in its 40+ year history. Under Ballmer’s management, Microsoft couldn’t compete with the likes of Apple and Google on the mobile front (Windows Phone is in a distant third place in terms of adoption rate behind Android and iOS) and Windows 8 could not surge the waning sales of PCs. Additionally, Microsoft’s tablet entry the Surface didn’t make waves when it hit the market; Apple’s iPad and the many Android powered slates continue to dominate the field. So this past summer the enthusiastic Ballmer announced his retirement from the company after 33 years and over a five-month period Microsoft vetted various industry players to take over the coveted top position and in the end Mr. Nadella was named company Chief Executive Officer.
Nadella is no stranger to Microsoft; in fact he’s been with the company since 1992. As Executive Vice President of Microsoft’s Cloud and Enterprise group he oversaw the company’s move to the cloud and the development of massive cloud infrastructures supporting Bing, Xbox, Office and other services. Nadella, 46, was born in Hyderabad, India; like Bill Gates he has a background in computer science, and like Ballmer he also has a business background.
“During this time of transformation, there is no better person to lead Microsoft than Satya Nadella,” said Gates in a press statement. “Satya is a proven leader with hard-core engineering skills, business vision and the ability to bring people together. His vision for how technology will be used and experienced around the world is exactly what Microsoft needs as the company enters its next chapter of expanded product innovation and growth.”
“Microsoft is one of those rare companies to have truly revolutionized the world through technology, and I couldn’t be more honored to have been chosen to lead the company,” Nadella said. “The opportunity ahead for Microsoft is vast, but to seize it, we must focus clearly, move faster and continue to transform. A big part of my job is to accelerate our ability to bring innovative products to our customers more quickly.”
In addition to naming Nadella CEO, Microsoft also announced that Bill Gates, previously Chairman of the Board of Directors, will assume “a new role on the Board as Founder and Technology Advisor, and will devote more time to the company, supporting Nadella in shaping technology and product direction.”
Jump after the break to watch Gates welcome Nadella as the new CEO and get to know Nadella in a brief interview clip. Click here to learn more about MSFT’s new CEO.
[Via Microsoft] Continue reading Microsoft names new CEO Satya Nadella
Macintosh turns 30
The Macintosh was introduced to the world on January 24, 1984. This year the Mac turns 30 years old and Apple is celebrating this major milestone with a special new portal on their website featuring an interactive, nostalgic and knowledgeable Mac Timeline. You can scrub through every year from 1984 to 2014 and discover how the Mac has made such a significant impact in the world. There’s also a section called My First Mac and you can share your story with the Apple community and learn what people did with their revolutionary computers.
And it wouldn’t be a proper Apple celebration without awe-inspiring video to go along with it. Embedded after the break are three. In “Thirty years of innovation” creative types like Moby and Hans Zimmer wax poetic about the Mac and how it changed their lives and even more so the world. The next video is even more powerful; on January 24, 2014–on the Mac’s 30 year anniversary–Apple sent 15 camera crews armed with iPhone 5s’ all around the world and the end result is pretty incredible. Over 70 hours of footage was edited down to a 1 minute 27 second clip that acknowledges the sheer power and capability of modern technology. Watch it–along with a behind-the-scenes video narrated by director Jake Scott (son of filmmaker Ridley Scott)–after the break.
Truly remarkable stuff. Happy Birthday, Mac. Continue reading Macintosh turns 30
Super Bowl XLVIII: the commercials and the trailers
It was a blowout today as the Seattle Seahawks crushed the Denver Broncos 43-8 in Super Bowl XLVIII. And now that it’s over let’s check out my favorite commercials that aired during the telecast–it’s tradition after all and it’s all after the break. Alternatively, you can view all the spots on YouTube.
Update: The data is in and whaddya know–this year’s Super Bowl is another record breaker becoming the most-watched U.S. telecast of all time. A grand total of 111.5 million people tuned into the football matchup just beating the previous record-holding telecast that was the 2012 Super Bowl; that one attracted 111.34 million viewers. Continue reading Super Bowl XLVIII: the commercials and the trailers
JACK IS BACK! ’24: Live Another Day’ teased across 5 promos
24 fans were treated to quite the surprise today during the Super Bowl when FOX aired not one not two but five terrific teasers for the upcoming event series 24: Live Another Day. The network smartly sprinkled four 13-second clips briefly highlighting destruction and mayhem on the streets of London (watch them after the break); to the uninformed these spots were likely confusing because they didn’t specifically point out what they were promoting. Each of them, however, ended with a flash of the famous ticking clock–an unmistakable visual cue and sound for loyal 24 viewers. The four clips eventually culminated in a grand 48-second teaser finally revealing Kiefer Sutherland’s Jack Bauer fending off the off-screen baddies and protecting his partner in crime Chloe O’Brien. The former CTU analyst played by Mary Lynn Rajskub rocks a dark new look and it makes sense; at the TCAs produces shared that Chloe has since become an Edward Snowden-type who has “turned herself against the government.” She looks bad-ass; in fact, the entire teaser is bad-ass in all its destructive glory. FOX’s marketing team did a stellar job with the mysterious gradual reveal and as a longtime 24 fan I couldn’t be happier to see Jack and Chloe reunited for a new intense season set across the pond.
24: Live Another Day premieres May 5. Continue reading JACK IS BACK! ’24: Live Another Day’ teased across 5 promos
Stars & producers discuss what’s next on ‘The Walking Dead’
The Walking Dead returns next Sunday for the second half of season four and [spoiler alert] it’s time to deal with the aftermath of losing the prison and Hershel’s death.
“It’s going to be about how do you get everybody back together, how do we stay safe, and how do we find sanctuary,” says EP David Alpert in the first look video at the back eight episodes posted above. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, producers Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Nicotero, and Denise Huth, and many of the show’s stars also talk about the upcoming batch of episodes here.
“Everybody’s been separated and it’s a terrifying world that we inhabit, again,” Andrew Lincoln warns. The series is “moving into a much more psychological horror” he says and with a smirk he adds, “we’re jumping off the cliff in this back eight.”
The Walking Dead is back Sunday, February 9 on AMC.
First look: Inside ‘Bates Motel’s second season
Viewers don’t get to check back into A&E’s Bates Motel until March 3, but that doesn’t mean they can’t sneak a peek at what’s in store for season 2 right now. Click play to hear from stars Freddie Highmore, Vera Farmiga, Max Thieriot, newcomer Michael Vartan, and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin. Yes, there’s new footage, and yes, Norman and Norma are spooning in bed.
TV teasers: CBS’ ‘Extant’ & FX’s ‘The Strain’
Here are a couple tantalizing teasers to chew on. First up is Extant, a new original series from executive producer Steven Spielberg and starring Halle Berry. Extant is “a futuristic thriller about a female astronaut (Berry) trying to reconnect with her family when she returns after a year in outer space. Her experiences lead to events that ultimately will change the course of human history.” A bit vague, yes, but allow the teaser hanging above get your mind reeling. Extant joins another Spielberg-produced series, Under the Dome, when it debuts this summer on CBS.
Learn about vampire thriller The Strain after the break. Continue reading TV teasers: CBS’ ‘Extant’ & FX’s ‘The Strain’
Movie trailer round-up: ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West,’ ‘Lust for Love’ & ‘Maleficent’
From the makers of Ted comes A Million Ways to Die in the West. In addition to producing, co-writing, and directing the comedy, Seth MacFarlane stars alongside Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, and Neil Patrick Harris. This looks like a riot; let’s hope the extended red-band trailer doesn’t spoil the comedic punch. In theatres May 30. A synopsis:
Seth MacFarlane directs, produces, co-writes and plays the role of the cowardly sheep farmer Albert in A Million Ways to Die in the West. After Albert backs out of a gunfight, his fickle girlfriend leaves him for another man. When a mysterious and beautiful woman rides into town, she helps him find his courage and they begin to fall in love. But when her husband, a notorious outlaw, arrives seeking revenge, the farmer must put his newfound courage to the test.
Jump after the break to view more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘A Million Ways to Die in the West,’ ‘Lust for Love’ & ‘Maleficent’
Snyder’s Superman/Batman casts Lex Luther & Alfred Pennyworth
Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman sequel will reintroduce the Man of Steel’s arch-nemesis Lex Luther when it hits theatres in 2016. And no, the bald baddie won’t be played by Breaking Bad‘s Bryan Cranston but instead The Social Network‘s Jesse Eisenberg. A casting out of left-field it would seem, but Snyder is confident in the young actor.
“Lex Luthor is often considered the most notorious of Superman’s rivals, his unsavory reputation preceding him since 1940,” Snyder said in a statement. “What’s great about Lex is that he exists beyond the confines of the stereotypical nefarious villain. He’s a complicated and sophisticated character whose intellect, wealth and prominence position him as one of the few mortals able to challenge the incredible might of Superman. Having Jesse in the role allows us to explore that interesting dynamic, and also take the character in some new and unexpected directions.”
In addition to casting Eisenberg as Luther, Jeremy Irons joins the sequel as Bruce Wayne’s butler and mentor Alfred Pennyworth. This role was most recently and memorably filled by Michael Caine in Chris Nolan’s Batman trilogy. This time Alfred will serve a new Caped Crusader played by Ben Affleck. “As everyone knows, Alfred is Bruce Wayne’s most trusted friend, ally and mentor, a noble guardian and father figure. He is an absolutely critical element in the intricate infrastructure that allows Bruce Wayne to transform himself into Batman,” Snyder said. “It is an honor to have such an amazingly seasoned and gifted actor as Jeremy taking on the important role of the man who mentors and guides the guarded and nearly impervious façade that encapsulates Bruce Wayne.”
Also in the mix is Gal Gadot who will bring Wonder Woman to the big screen when the still untitled Superman/Batman flick enters theatres May 6, 2016.
‘SNL’ names Seth Meyers Weekend Update successor
Turns out Cecily Strong won’t be manning the Weekend Update desk alone now that Seth Meyers has signed off Saturday Night Live for Late Night pastures. Replacing Meyers and co-anchoring with Strong is Colin Jost (rhymes with most) who is also SNL‘s head writer. He’s one of the masterminds behind popular Update characters like Drunk Uncle, second-hand news correspondent Anthony Crispino, and Strong’s The Girl You Wish You Hadn’t Started a Conversation With at a Party. Jost has big shoes to fill, and it’ll be interesting to see his rapport with Strong in the coming weeks; can they pull off the perfect comedic timing that reigned during Jimmy Fallon and Tina Fey’s co-anchoring tenure?
[Via Deadline]