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Marvel's Iron Man is one of the smartest characters in the Marvel Universe - and he's also one of the shrewdest businessmen on Earth, so it's no surprise that the genius, billionaire, playboy-philanthropist would quite literally invent a lawyer for himself. As the CEO of Stark Industries, Tony is often beset by legal troubles; lawyers accompanying him everywhere he goes would not be seen as out of the ordinary. In the short story collection Iron Man: Titanium, the tale Railguns, Power Ties and Titanium Men, written by Adam Warren with art by Salva Espin and colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, introduces readers to Tony Stark's very own "Lawyer Armor."

At the start of the story, Tony Stark accompanies Pepper Potts (along with bodyguards and lawyers) to a public meeting in a new skyscraper; the young Chief Technological Officer of the company Designed Intelligence, Huang Qiaolian appears ready to announce the company's IPO before dozens of potential investors. Instead, she kidnaps all the attendees and holds them hostage through the use of the Titanium Man: a robot that can also deploy smaller versions of itself. To add insult to injury, Huang Qiaolian isn't from Designed Intelligence at all, but Advanced Idea Mechanics, or A.I.M.

Huang Qiaolin's plan is revealed as she ushers the hostages toward high-speed electromagnetic elevators. They're not elevators; they're mass drivers, designed to launch the cabins into orbit where they'll reenter the atmosphere and land near an A.I.M. ship. But Tony Stark has a plan; he stands in the middle of his two lawyers and  initiates a high-speed transformation sequence. The two lawyers disassemble and form around Tony, creating a new armor. "Suits-to suit conversation complete," he says - while Huang stands amazed that Stark was able to find a practical use for corporate lawyers.

Tony Stark is no stranger to hiding his suits in plain sight. The most famous of Tony's concealed armors is the "suitcase armor" popularized in Iron Man 2, but was seen much earlier in the comics. Unlike the film, the suit wasn't disguised as the briefcase; it simply hid Tony's collapsible armor within. The Extremis armor was the logical next step; Tony stored the undersheath of the armor inside his bones, and moved it outside his skin with a mental command.

Thanks to the Lawyer Armor, Tony was able to rescue Pepper Potts and the passengers inside the elevators, destroy the Titanium Man and defeat Huang Qiaolin (who was later revealed to be a Life Model Decoy). Stark's legal troubles worked to his advantage in this instance. Iron Man's reputation for palling around with an entourage allowed one more suit of armor up his sleeve.

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Chucky season 1, episode 1.

Chucky episode 1 saw the iconic villain unleash his unique brand of horror upon Hackensack, New Jersey — here's why he chose that town and how it ties to his origin. Since Don Mancini created him in 1988, the Brad Dourif voiced Chucky has rampaged through a variety of locations. In his human form, the serial killer was dubbed the Lakeshore Strangler and terrorized Chicago for years. After Charles Lee Ray transferred himself into a doll in Child's Play, he retained the same stomping grounds for a few more outings before moving on. Chucky subsequently targetted a distant Military Academy in Child's Play 3, went on a road trip in Bride of Chucky, and then resurrected in Los Angeles for Seed of Chucky.

After an extended hiatus, the titular doll returned for 2013's Curse of Chucky. Going on a more centralized murder spree, he picked off the extended Pierce family solely within the confines of their home. Cult of Chucky followed a similar formula, with the killer doll terrorizing the patients and staff of Harrogate Psychiatric Hospital. With the ending of Cult of Chucky, Mancini directly set up Chucky. In the process, he promised a much wider playground for every one of Chucky's movie forms to inhabit and unleash havoc.

With Chucky season 1, episode 1, "Death By Misadventure," the show has already begun to live up to that promise. The Child's Play franchise has been characterized by frequent reinventions and tonal shifts, so the choice to move to Hackensack, New Jersey allowed Chucky to continue that trend and embody classic genre tropes. The idea of a seemingly idyllic suburban town turned upside down by blood-soaked carnage is a staple of other horror franchises as Halloween or A Nightmare on Elm Street. By adopting it, Chucky checked off another box in demonstrating its franchise versatility and also set up the kinds of homages and knowing references Child's Play has become known for — all as the red-headed fiend picks off Chucky 2021's new and returning cast of characters one by one.

As teased in the closing moments of Chucky season 1, episode 1, "Death by Misadventure," Hackensack is also Charles Lee Ray's hometown. That fact was actually revealed during the aforementioned road trip in Bride of Chucky. Long before Chucky decided he loved ruining lives as an unassuming doll, he sought to return to a human body. In service of that quest, he aimed to retrieve an amulet that was buried with his human corpse. As the journey began, Chucky revealed his grave was in Hackensack, New Jersey. That's also where Chucky's own genderfluid (and somewhat murderous) child was born and a ripe place to expand his "cult" even further — currently through Jake (Zackary Arthur). As such, Chucky choosing that town as his target was not random. Instead, it was a homecoming that will give the latest chapter of the Child's Play movie/Chucky saga something of a full circle edge.

Only one episode into the Chucky TV show, it is next to impossible to determine his wider plan for Hackensack, New Jersey. As teased by Jennifer Tilly's Tiffany in the trailer, however, there definitely is one. Equally, it's unclear whether Chucky is being designed as an overall conclusion or if Mancini already has future outings in mind. There's always a chance Chucky will serve as both - wrapping things up but allowing him the potential to come back (as he always does). Using Hackensack as the setting would lend the show an element of a conclusion, with things ending where they effectively began and perhaps amid the descendants of some original victims. As much as Hackensack is the perfect place to finally tell Charles Lee Ray AKA Chucky's full childhood backstory, it's also the perfect locale for a final showdown that Chucky has built towards for over 30 years.

On Columbus Day, Meghan O'Toole King from The Real Housewives of Orange County revealed that she got married in a small ceremony to President Joe Biden's nephew, Cuffe Owens. The couple only made their relationship Instagram official on September 25, but their budding romance blossomed at a whirlwind speed. Meghan has moved on to bigger aspirations with her new husband, leaving fans to believe that all roads lead back to Bravo.

The Real Housewives of Orange County fans may not know that the mother of three has two marriages already under her belt. When Meghan was 22, she tied the knot with her University of Mississippi classmate Brad McDill. They were married from 2007 to 2011. Meghan then married Jim Edmonds in 2014. The MLB superstar swept her off her feet as fans watched their union unfold on the series. Sadly, in 2019, news broke that Jim cheated on Meghan when she was pregnant with their twins. Meghan was in a relationship with Christian Schauf and, most recently, her friend Will Roos.

The White House will officially have another family member to invite over for Christmas. Meghan spoke with Brides, sharing that she and her new husband, Cuffe, decided to tie the knot on October 11. The couple exchanged vows in the groom's childhood home in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The 37-year-old blushing bride told the magazine that their wedding was about two things, saying, "Our love for and commitment to each other, and our family—each of our families, and the new very large and very tight family that we were bonding together by getting married. That's it." Meghan channeled Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City as she wore an ivory blazer dress by Rasario and Dolce & Gabbana lace gloves.

Cuffe and Meghan first met over a dating app like most singletons nowadays. The newlyweds texted for a day or two before falling madly in love after a five-hour phone call. Both were smitten with one another, not leaving each other's side for weeks. The ceremony was small, with just 50 people, but the President and First Lady Jill Biden were in attendance. Cuffe's mother, Valerie Biden Owens, helped plan the secret nuptials and is the President's younger sister and close advisor. Meghan's three children from her marriage to Jim--Hart, Hayes and Aspen--were also in attendance.

Cuffe and Meghan will be honeymooning at Glacier National Park in Montana. The former star of The Real Housewives of Orange County is no stranger to the world of politics. Meghan once revealed that both her grandfathers were in the Missouri House of Representatives. Both of the newlyweds expressed their great love for one another, saying that they were thrilled they got to tie the knot on their own terms, surrounded by close friends and family.

Source: Brides

Recently retired Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden will be removed from Madden NFL 22 after hateful emails surfaced, with EA Sports announcing a near-future update will replace him in-game. The annual sports title launched in August and brought a number of improvements, with the majority of changes coming to the new-gen console versions of Madden 22. This included more realistic in-stadium atmospheres and better AI functionality through NFL Next Gen Stats, and the new Madden also customarily updated the current league player and coach rosters.

Perhaps the most significant improvement in Madden 22 is Dynamic Gameplay. This new system affects how the crowd reacts to situations, and spectators can even directly influence the action on the field, making home-field advantages into an actual game mechanic. For example, a loud roar might drown out a quarterback and make mistakes on the snap more likely. Players also have access to more endzone celebrations than previous entries, and there are additional broadcast packages for Madden 22 games.

On Wednesday, EA Sports revealed it will remove former Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden from Madden NFL 22 following offensive emails publicly surfacing. Gruden will be replaced with a "generic likeness" in a title update schedule to release "in the coming weeks." Gruden and the Las Vegas Raiders announced his resignation earlier in the week, following his use of misogynistic and homophobic language in a series of emails that have come to light. According to a New York Times report, Gruden made disparaging comments in reference to female referees and a homosexual player, and he also made offensive remarks about players protests and used a homophobic slur when speaking about NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The emails in question were sent between 2011 and 2018, and the league is also investigating other emails in which Gruden is alleged to have used a racist term when describing a player.

Prior to its promise to remove the controversial coach, EA Sports recently held the Campus Legends event in Madden 22. This introduced a series of iconic and historic college teams to the Superstar KO mode, along with a whole collection of former players. Current NFL players were also able to play on their former college teams as part of the event, which was a major draw for college football fans.

The fact that EA is removing Jon Gruden from Madden NFL 22 is not surprising. After all, the former coach has faced widespread condemnation from those inside and outside of the sport for his comments, and the publisher will not want to be associated with him. It's unfortunate the removal process won't be instant, but Gruden will soon be absent from Madden 22's virtual Las Vegas Raiders as he currently is from the real team.

Sources: EA/Twitter, Las Vegas Raiders/Twitter, New York Times

Diana: The Musical is controversial largely because it attempts to turn Diana's real-life into a fun romp without really acknowledging the tragedies of her life. Diana dances in a Madonna-style wedding dress, hoping to make Charles "a rocker." James Hewitt arrives riding a saddle and making double-entendres. This version of Diana is a resilient woman who wants to make her marriage work and tries to use the press to her advantage in doing so, with no proper recognition of the fact the real person is known to have suffered from depression, paranoia, and anxiety.

There are 21 songs in Diana: The Musical, and none of them really highlight the struggles that were a key part of her life. They attempt to touch on her postpartum depression and barely mention her eating disorder. It is well-documented that she was stalked by the press, and the film initially sets that up to be part of the plot, only to abandon it at the end. Many people still remember watching her funeral live on television, as well as the hardships she endured. With this all in a relatively recent timeframe, the decision to not recognize the struggles that are an integral part of Diana's life to many leaves the musical to be in bad taste, as it risks reducing crucial elements of her personal life down in order to add in more jokes.

This said, one of the reasons the film has been accepted by some is because she is such an iconic figure. This film plays with the image of Diana as the fun-loving celebrity some remember. Many want to think of the song "The Dress" in Diana: The Musical as truth. Diana was a fashion icon. She was known to be cheeky, once remarking to Tim Curry that The Rocky Horror Picture Show "quite completed [her] education." She loved pop music, and this is a film that pays tribute to that love. To this group, this film is a love letter to how Diana wanted to be seen, and thus doesn't need to fully reconcile with the darker parts of her struggles.

The problem with Diana: The Musical is that the legacy of Diana is a complex one, especially given the deep emotions many still have for her. There are those who think this fun film makes light of all the adversity Diana faced in her life. There are others who think Diana herself would have enjoyed this. Neither group seems completely happy.

The arrival of the Eternals could make the Avengers unnecessary in the MCU. In less than a month, Marvel Studios is debuting a brand new superhero team through Academy Award-winner Chloé Zhao's much-anticipated blockbuster, Eternals. Created by the Celestials, they were sent to Earth to protect humans from Deviants. The Eternals, some of Marvel's most powerful characters, have been in existence for thousands of years, but this is the first time that they will make their presence known.

MCU's main Eternals team is composed of 10 heroes, and Marvel Studios assembled a star-studded cast to play them. Thena (Angelina Jolie), Ikaris (Richard Madden), Makkari (Lauren Ridloff ), Phastos (Brian Tyree Henry ), Ajak (Salma Hayek), Sprite (Lia McHugh), Gilgamesh (Don Lee), Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), Sersi (Gemma Chan), and Druig (Barry Keoghan) initially operated as a unit. But after a couple of centuries, they decided to part ways, and they haven't reunited since then. Smart Hulk's (Mark Ruffalo) reverse snap in Avengers: Endgame inadvertently kicked off the mysterious Emergence, forcing the team to band back together. It's currently unclear what this new MCU tragedy entails, but it sounds quite serious, to the point that the Eternals are called back for duty.

Eternals has a lot to introduce, with a runtime that is longer than Infinity War, and given the looming introduction, once the titular heroes make themselves known after a long time in the shadows, there will be no turning back; they will become public personalities. This is good news for the MCU as it means that they can fully explore the characters moving forward, but not so much for the Avengers. The franchise's premiere superhero team is dubbed Earth's Mightiest Heroes, although admittedly the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame effectively made them galactic heroes. In any case, the Avengers' primary task is to keep Earth safe from threats. When the Eternals finally emerge from hiding, they can openly operate as the protector of humans, essentially taking over as Earth's go-to superhero team. This makes the Avengers unnecessary since the Eternals, with their various powers, could be more effective in the same job primarily because the cosmic beings are more powerful.

There's an argument that if the Eternals had revealed themselves from the beginning, the Avengers may have not even assembled at all. Instead of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) putting all his hope on the possibility that his individual recruits would work well together, he could've reached out to the Eternals when Loki's (Tom Hiddleston) invasion became clear. Relying on them is debatably a far less risky move because keeping humanity safe has been their mandate ever since. They're aware of their mission, and they are committed to accomplishing it regardless of the circumstances. On top of that, the Eternals have also been a team for thousands of years, so their camaraderie has been tried and tested which increases the chances of them defeating Loki, who is arguably the MCU's most important hero in phase 4, or any other adversary. From there, Fury could've simply sat back and let the Eternals function as Earth's defenders.

Inevitably, the Avengers and Eternals will cross paths in the MCU. When that happens, it's curious what kind of dynamic the teams would have with each other. While the cosmic beings know Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as revealed in the trailers for Zhao's movie, the Avengers are clueless about the other's existence. For what it's worth, it's currently uncertain who is the active Avengers on the heels of the Infinity Saga as each potential member is currently busy with their own adventures. So, in the meantime, it wouldn't help for the Eternals to take over Earth-defending duties while they sort their roster out.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto 3, Rockstar is offering all players a free t-shirt in Grand Theft Auto Online this week. GTA Online has become incredibly successful since it first launched, giving players the chance to explore the large open-world with friends and other users or compete in a series of multiplayer game modes. Extensive creation tools even allow fans to create their own content, such as iconic real-world racetracks in GTA Online races, and the online game has an active community of creators adding to the vast library of available content.

News of the free t-shirt comes just after Rockstar officially revealed that Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy is in development. The studio announced the remasters of Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas last week, announcing that the collection was "coming soon" to PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC. However, Rockstar did not reveal what graphical and performance upgrades would be included in the remaster or when exactly Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy will release.

Players will be able to get access to a free Grand Theft Auto 3 t-shirt in GTA Online to celebrate the game's 20th anniversary. Rockstar revealed the news in a press release, confirming that users simply need to log in to the online title to get access to the gift. The free Typeface Tee is just the first in a series of special commemorative cosmetic items that will be added to GTA Online over the coming weeks. In addition to the new clothing and liveries, GTA Online is also offering extra rewards in a series of game modes. These include Sumo, which offers triple rewards, along with Special Vehicle Work, Gerald's Last Play, and Gerald Contact Missions. Those last three modes will offer double bonuses to players up until October 20.

While Rockstar is releasing a remaster of the three classic games, the developer also confirmed that it would be removing the original GTA releases for sale on digital stores. That means that fans will not be able to purchase new copies of the original games and instead will be forced to buy Rockstar's remastered trilogy.

Considering that it is such a big anniversary for Grand Theft Auto 3, it makes sense that the company would want to celebrate the milestone in some form. The free t-shirt is likely just the first in a series of promotions for the classic title following the announcement of the remastered trilogy.

Warning: SPOILERS for Halloween Kills below

Actress Judy Greer has revealed which death scene from Halloween Kills she found to be the most vicious, accidentally spoiling one character's fate in the process. The killer Michael Myers has been on a gruesome rampage since 1978 when he first appeared in John Carpenter’s classic slasher Halloween. David Gordon Green helmed a direct sequel to the original film in 2018. Simply titled Halloween, an older but still traumatized Laurie Strode prepares to confront her would-be killer 40 years later. Michael’s reign of terror continues on October 15 when Halloween Kills hits theaters and streams on Peacock.

Halloween Kills will see the return of much of the cast from the first installment, including Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie, Judy Greer as her daughter Karen, and Andi Matichak as Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson. The film is set to pick up moments after the 2018 film left off, with the women rushing to the hospital to seek medical treatment for Laurie. In part one, Karen dismissed her mother’s seemingly put-on paranoia. Now that Karen has experienced Michael’s wrath firsthand, the pair’s estranged dynamic is certain to change in Halloween Kills. Unfortunately for Karen, she’s doomed to witness even more of Michael’s bloodlust as he tears through Haddonfield.

In an interview with Collider, Greer filled fans in on Michael’s grisliest murders in Halloween Kills, highlighting one in particular that made the actress shudder. One of the franchise’s more unlikeable characters, Cameron Elam, doesn’t appear to make it through Halloween night in the upcoming movie. Though Greer doesn’t get into specifics, the actress confirms that the death of Cameron, played by Dylan Arnold, is decidedly “gruesome.” She also points to Michael’s stamina, claiming that the scene feels longer than a few short minutes. Read Greer’s full response below.

“Dylan Arnold and I became friends and we live in the same neighborhood, and I saw this film and I saw his kill and I texted him immediately and said, ‘Your mother cannot watch this movie. I’m so sorry, and tell her I said hi, but there’s no way your mom can see this.’ He was like, ‘Noted.’ He hadn’t seen the movie yet and then when he did see it he was like, ‘Oh yeah, no, my mom can’t watch this movie.’ It was so gruesome. I mean, Michael killed [Arnold’s] character for like—it just went on and on and on.”

Dylan Arnold first appeared in Halloween in 2018, where he plays Allyson’s sleazy, cheating boyfriend. Although Greer spoils the fate of his character, it likely won’t feel like much of a loss for the Halloween fanbase. A Halloween Kills behind-the-scenes featurette teased the character’s death, but some fans assumed his inclusion in the video was a red herring. Now Greer confirms that Cameron indeed crosses paths with Michael in the upcoming film, and it doesn’t end well for Allyson’s ex-boyfriend.

Halloween Kills will introduce legacy character Lonnie Elam, also known as Cameron’s father. Lonnie first appeared in the original 1978 film as Tommy’s bully who liked to spook neighborhood kids about the boogeyman. While fans now know what’s in store for Cameron, viewers will have to wait to find out if his father will also have a run-in with Michael, or if the returning character will atone for his sins as a childhood bully. Audiences can see what’s in store for the Elam family in Halloween Kills this weekend.

Source: Collider

Google is making it easier to doomscroll through search results by automatically loading newer results as you get to the end of the page. Previously, when you got to the end of a page of Google search results, there was a big “See more” button at the bottom you could tap to, well, see more results. With continuously loaded results, you’ll be able to just keep on scrolling to see more.

Beginning today, continuous scrolling is starting to roll out to Google Search for most English searches on mobile devices in the US. Learn more: https://t.co/ulPL0EaKV0 pic.twitter.com/W0iwL3fdy6

Continuous scrolling does have some advantages; it’s a lot easier to see more results quickly if you don’t have to consciously make a choice to tap the “See more” button. I can’t say I’m looking forward to this change, though, since reaching the end of a Google search page was often a natural place for me to consider if I had learned enough or if I wanted to seek out more information. With continuous scrolling, it might be harder for me to pull myself away from the page, which is something I already struggle with while using social networks with endlessly loading feeds.

Continuous scrolling is starting to “gradually” roll out Thursday for “most English searches on mobile in the US,” according to a Google blog post.

Spotify is making it easier to get ahold of its first hardware device, the Car Thing, by opening up a waitlist to purchase the device that anyone can join starting today. The catch is that now the streaming service’s previously invite-only product is $79.99 when it used to be free with paid shipping and handling.

While Spotify will let anyone with an account sign up for its waitlist, whether free or premium, you do still need a premium account to actually use the device. Also, at its new $79.99 price, it’s worth re-examining what the Car Thing can do.

The Car Thing is not a standalone Spotify device. It connects to your phone over Bluetooth and uses a phone’s internet connection to stream and control playback on songs and podcasts from Spotify’s library. The Car Thing is also totally reliant on your phone’s Bluetooth, USB, or auxiliary cable connection to your car, which basically makes the device a glorified Spotify remote.

 AMD chips are having issues on Windows 11 and the latest OS update has made the problems even worse.

AMD and Microsoft previously revealed that Windows 11 was causing a reduced performance for AMD Ryzen CPUs for certain applications, with extreme cases seeing as much as a 15% performance hit.

Microsoft revealed a software update is in development to address these issues, but it looks like the very first Windows 11 update since launch has made the problem even worse.

TechPowerUp has reported that the latency is higher now. The Ryzen 7 2700X chip reportedly saw an increase from 10ns to 17ns when Windows 11 first launched. However, the latest Windows 11 patch (which launched on 12 October) made this problem even worse, seeing the latency reportedly skyrocket up to 31.9ns.

Latency is measured in milliseconds and measures how long it takes data to travel between the source and the destination, so a lower latency means a faster transfer. Seeing the latency increase so much could potentially cause noticeable performance slowdowns if your system uses a Ryzen processor.

Some rumours on Reddit are suggesting that the L3 cache issue will be addressed on 19 October. However, the core patch will need to be addressed by an AMD driver, which could come at the end of the month.

It seems that issues have been found specifically on Ryzen processors, with the recommendation now being that anyone with an AMD Ryzen processor should try and hold off on the Windows 11 update until all the bugs have been ironed out. Intel processors so far seem unaffected, but we’ll keep an eye on these developments just in case anything changes.

If you don’t use an AMD processor and want to test out Windows 11, you can check out how to download the latest OS. Just be aware that patches and fixes are still coming in, since Windows 11 is still in its infancy.

The Apple Watch’s diagnostic port has been a mysterious part of the wearable lineup since its first model, but the new Series 7 officially ditches the six-pin port entirely.

First noted by MacRumors, the lack of a port can be seen when you remove the bottom strap from an Apple Watch Series 7 — the company has removed the hidden plate and the port behind it. Intended for internal use for diagnostics, the port wasn’t officially acknowledged on Apple’s website or documentation. But the diagnostic port briefly hinted at the possibility of expanding the Apple Watch with hardware accessories.

The most famous of these was the Reserve Strap, which attempted to use the port for extending the battery life of the Apple Watch by incorporating extra batteries into a specially made band that would slot directly into the diagnostic port. The port actually offered faster charging than Apple’s own magnetic cable, too.

Unfortunately, Apple quickly blocked that capability and Reserve Strap (along with virtually every other attempt at harnessing the port for useful purposes). For the subsequent life span of the Apple Watch, it remained useful for its intended purpose: diagnostics for internal Apple use and repairs.

Of course, Apple still needs a way to do diagnostics on the Apple Watch, and appears to be replacing the mysterious port with an even more mysterious 60.5GHz wireless module that pairs with a magnetic dock capable of local data transfer for internal use. That’s led to some speculation that Apple is using the Series 7 as a test bed for a future portless iPhone that could use similar technology to replace cables for connecting to a computer. But if years of the useless diagnostic port have taught us anything, it’s that sometimes there’s no greater meaning or utility to be found in proprietary diagnostic tools.

The script for Blumhouse Pictures remake of The Wolfman starring Ryan Gosling is still in development says producer Jason Blum. The Wolfman is one of the most iconic of the Universal Monsters, having first appeared in the 1941 film starring Lon Channey Jr. In 2010, a remake starring Benenco Tel Toro in the title role opened in theaters after a very troubled production to negative reviews and was a box-office bomb.

After Universal attempted to relaunch their monster's property with the critical and box-office failure of 2017's The Mummy, they scrapped their plans for their cinematic universe called the Dark Universe. The studio decided to do stand-alone horror stories, the first being 2020's The Invisible Man, which was a box office and critical success. Hot off the success the studio reteamed The Invisible Man director Leigh Whannell and producer Jason Blum to do another monster property, The Wolfman, which had already secured actor Ryan Gosling for the lead role.

In an interview with Collider, producer Jason Blum confirmed they are still developing a script for The Wolfman. The successful horror producer says they are waiting on the script to be just right for star Ryan Gosling, one that the actor feels comfortable with. Ryan Gosling is very involved with The Wolfman as the film was green-lit from his pitch to Universal Pictures. Blum said:

"Wolfman, we are also working on the script, got to get the script, right. In that case, it's Ryan Gosling...But working on trying to get a script that he feels good about and comfortable about and excited about."

The Wolfman is one of many projects based on the Universal Monsters the studio has planned. Eternals director Chloé Zhao is developing a sci-fi western Dracula movie at the studio, while a separate Dracula project from Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman based on the side character Reinfeld is in development. Elizabeth Banks is set to direct The Invisible Woman, which has no connection to the already released Invisible Man. James Wan is working on a new version of Frankenstein. Meanwhile, Toy Story 4 Josh Cooley director has the live-action/animated hybrid Little Monsters which will be aimed at a younger audience.

Gosling's involvement with The Wolfman was a surprise to many, as the actor has tended to avoid big franchise IP-driven films in favor of character-centric stories like First Man or original properties like Drive and La La Land. Gosling has been considered for a number of high-profile films including The Lone Ranger, 2017's Beauty and the Beast, The Joker in Suicide Squad, and the Sinister Six film Sony was developing. Gosling did star in the lead role of Blade Runner 2049, a sequel to a highly influential film and Gosling himself has never expressed any disinterest in franchise films. Given he pitched The Wolfman to Universal, it appears he is very passionate about this particular project.

An Animal Crossing: New Horizons content creator has devised their own Squid Game contest within the Nintendo game. The YouTube streamer invited players to their island to take part in a series of Animal Crossing minigames, and while competitors weren't playing for their lives, they were playing for an impressive 99,000 Bell prize.

Netflix's Squid Game is one of the biggest shows of the year, engrossing viewers with its dark premise and narrative twists and turns. The Korean drama focuses on a series of competitive games in which players compete for a cash prize, with those eliminated from the games also losing their lives. The show has been a global success that has spawned countless fan-made video game recreations in releases including GTA Online, Roblox, The Sims 4, and of course, players have also been reimagining Squid Game in Animal Crossing.

Streamer and YouTuber Nikachu has created their own competitive Animal Crossing Squid Game, with seven of their viewers invited to their island to take part in three minigames. First is the "Red Light, Green Light" game seen in the first episode of Squid Game. In Nikachu's Animal Crossing version, Nikachu plays the ocarina as contestants try to reach a Face-Cutout Standee, with players eliminated if caught moving when the music stops. The second game pits teams against each other to pick flowers, while the final showdown puts a simple spin on the Squid Game itself, with players needing to push their opponent out of a square to win. The result is a hilariously cute take on the dark Netflix show, with Squid Game-inspired custom designs used throughout.

Watch the video on YouTube here.

A lack of gameplay is one of the biggest criticisms of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, but as the content creator has shown in their video, the game's tools can be used for player-made fun with the help of some imagination and inspiration. Other popular minigames that can be made for multiplayer madness in AC include treasure hunts where players have to search for a prize in an area filled with buried trash, as well as races, and obstacle courses. Nikachu's channel is filled with inspirational and hilarious videos perfect to reintroduce fun for Animal Crossing players who've grown tired of the core gameplay.

Fans of the game are hoping that November's new Animal Crossing content will help add more gameplay and more ways to enjoy the game. The update will welcome the coffee-loving NPC Brewster and his Roost Cafe to New Horizons for the first time, but could also add even more gameplay elements, items, and design tools to help creative players continue creating new and exciting ways to experience ACNH. An Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct is scheduled for this week and will announce what's coming to the game in the future.

Source: YouTube/Nikachu

Adult Swim Festival 2021 has announced its lineup, including a Rick and Morty panel and several musical performances. This is the latest in a run of exciting live stream festivals featuring huge announcements from popular properties. Just a few weeks ago, Netflix had its TUDUM event, which included the trailer drop for Stranger Things season 4 and the announcement that Chris Hemsworth would be returning for Extraction 2. On October 16, DC FanDome 2021 is poised to feature similar blockbuster announcements for its popular superhero projects.

This year's Adult Swim Festival will be the fourth annual iteration of the event, which includes live music performances in addition to panels and screenings. Last year, when the festival switched to a virtual format, the lineup included The Eric Andre Show, Toonami, and Run the Jewels. Back in 2019, the in-person event included a performance from Lil Nas X hot off the success of "Old Town Road," as well as a screening of a full episode from the then-upcoming Rick and Morty season 4.

This year's Adult Swim Festival will be live-streamed on the Adult Swim YouTube channel on Friday, November 12 and Saturday, November 13 with additional exclusives on HBO Max. This year, the musical lineup is huge, including Lil Baby, Karol G, 21 Savage, Flying Lotus, Alessia Cara, and Angel Olsen along with 19 additional artists. There will also be star-studded watch parties of 12 shows including Rick and Morty, Tuca & Bertie, Robot Chicken, and The Eric Andre Show. Check out the lineup poster below:

The Festival features some big-ticket panels this year. The Rick and Morty panel will find the series' cast competing to see "who is the Rickiest Rick in the multiverse," Squidbillies will be celebrating its final season with cast and crew, and Aqua Teen Hunger Force will look back at the storied history of the series which first aired in 2000. Also, the upcoming series Smiling Friends, about a company designed to bring happiness facing its greatest challenge, will be discussed by creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel. Last but not least, the animated series Blade Runner: Black Lotus will be featured in a panel exploring the long history of the property, which stretches all the way back to the 1982 Ridley Scott film and the 1968 Philip K. Dick novel it's based on.

Adult Swim Festival 2021 is more oriented toward having fun with existing and past properties. However, there are still certain to be big announcements coming during the panels, especially for Rick and Morty, which continues to be one of the network's most popular shows. Fans should also look forward to the full announcements of what stars will be attending the panels and watch parties because the options are truly endless.

Source: Adult Swim

Letitia Wright denies a report that claims she is expressing anti-vaccination views on the set of Black Panther 2. Following a few COVID-19 related delays, production of the sequel to 2018's Black Panther began in Atlanta this past June ahead of its July 2022 release date. Original director Ryan Coogler is returning along with writer Joe Robert Cole. However, the sequel had to be reworked considerably following the tragic passing of T'Challa actor Chadwick Boseman. The film will see Black Panther stars Angela Bassett, Martin Freeman, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Lupita Nyong'o, and Winston Duke reprising their roles.

There has been a lot of intriguing news coming out of the Black Panther 2 set as of late, including the revelation that Dominique Thorne will be making her MCU debut in the film as Riri Williams, a brilliant inventor who creates her own Iron Man suit, ahead of her upcoming Disney+ series, Ironheart. Letitia Wright, who will be returning as Shuri, was hospitalized in late August after suffering a minor onset injury, though she was able to return soon after. Earlier this month, Wright became embroiled in another controversy when The Hollywood Reporter claimed she was speaking out against the COVID-19 vaccine on set.

Now, Letitia Wright denies those claims in an Instagram post. The actress says it "saddens" her to have to address the report published by THR and went on to "honestly assert" that the claims made about her conduct on the set of Black Panther 2 are "completely untrue." Wright went on to defend her work ethic and say that her "main focus is always to do work that's impactful and inspiring." Read Wright's entire statement on Instagram below:

Click here to see the original post.

While Wright unequivocally denies the claims made by THR, she didn't clarify her actual beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine or whether or not she has been vaccinated herself. Wright has shared similar sentiments on social media, including a YouTube video that questioned the legitimacy of the COVID-19 vaccine. The report claims this resulted in her parting ways with her entire US team of representatives, though Wright didn't address that claim specifically.

Wright has since deleted that video from her social media, and this statement on Instagram is her first post since the controversy began. Though she has now denied claims about espousing anti-vaccine beliefs, the evidence is undoubtedly mounted against her. Disney will start requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for anyone working on their productions, though those already filming, like Black Panther 2, will be exempt from this mandate. While Wright could finish the rest of the film without further controversy, this could pose challenges for her future in the MCU.

Source: Letitia Wright/Instagram

Kurt Busiek is returning to Image Comics and bringing along his fan-favorite series Astro City and Arrowsmith. Fans can expect a new Arrowsmith miniseries beginning in January 2022 and an Astro City one-shot in March 2022 that introduces the new status quo of the upcoming series. Image also teased that the creator would be bringing more new comics such as Free Agents and another story in The Autumnlands series, as well as re-releasing some of his other popular titles.

Busiek is well-known in the comic book industry not only for his creator-owned projects but also for his work at the Big Two, including Avengers, The Marvels, Superman, and JLA. Arguably his biggest creator-owned series is Astro City, a superhero comic book that began back in 1995 at Image Comics before going through several other publishers, including Image's partner studio Wildstorm before eventually ending up in the hands of DC Comics and Vertigo. The series paid tribute to many iconic superheroes, notably including homages to characters like Superman (The Samaritan) and the Fantastic Four (Furst Family) while also exploring struggles superheroes could face in the real world. Then there was his fantasy title Arrowsmith, which began as a miniseries back in 2003 under the Cliffhanger imprint of Wildstorm.  The title took place during World War II with not just guns but also magic.

The official Image Comics press release expanded on a bunch of announcements related to Busiek's return to the publisher. First off, his Arrowsmith comic book returns with a six-issue miniseries called Arrowsmith: Behind Enemy Lines. It will begin in January 2022 and the original series, Arrowsmith: So Smart In Their Fine Uniforms, will be collected in hardcover for February 2022. The artist for the new miniseries will be Carlos Pacheco (Avengers Forever, Fantastic Four, Final Crisis).  In the new miniseries, Fletcher Arrowsmith will be behind enemy lines and a secret history will be unveiled.

“Stepping back into this universe at long last, and writing these characters again feels like coming home, and visiting with old friends—admittedly, old friends we do dangerous, stressful things to in the name of adventure," Busiek said. "And the art, by Carlos, Rafael, and Jose, is just astounding. Arrowsmith fans have been very patient, but have never been shy about letting us know they want more—and I can’t wait for them to see both the new series and the re-mastered original in the kind of hardcover edition we think it deserves.”

To kick off Astro City's return, Busiek will be joined by longtime Astro City collaborators Brent Anderson (Return of the Jedi), Alex Ross (Captain America/Iron Man), and Alex Sinclair (Harley Quinn), in a one-shot that will set up the new status quo for the upcoming series, meaning new characters and dangers will be revealed. Fans will also get to enjoyed brand-new collected editions that will allow them and newcomers to get ahold of the entire backlog of Astro City comics.

“Alex, Brent, and I have been planning this for a long time—we’re introducing a teen-hero team, The Jayhawks (and more), in the special, and setting off a mystery as important to Astro City as what happened to the Silver Agent or the story of the Broken Man. Alex has designed a cornucopia of new characters, and Brent is going to town on the artwork. It’ll be a very fun ride—and yes, longtime readers, we will get to the story of the N-Forcer, I promise!"

Kurt Busiek fans rejoice as there will be plenty of old and new titles of his to look forward to next year. In addition to the return of Arrowsmith in January 2022 and Astro City in March 2022, along with the back issues of those titles being bound in collected editions, several of his other titles will be re-released from Image Comics, with new ones on the horizon as well.

SOURCE: Image Comics

Marvel never asked actor Richard Madden to dye his hair blond or change his accent for his role in Eternals. Madden plays Ikaris, who has traditionally had blonde hair in his comic-book incarnation. Created by Jack Kirby in 1976, Ikaris is an Eternal, created by the Celestials thousands of years ago, gifted with superhuman abilities that are meant to protect and guide humanity. Ikaris' earliest appearance shows him with longish blonde locks and he is fitted with a blue-and-red costume with three circular-shaped designs on his chest.

Eternals is directed by Academy Award Winner Chloé Zhao and stars Madden, Gemma Chan, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Lauren Ridloff, Ma Dong-seok, Bryan Tyree Henry, and Barry Keoghan. The film takes place in the MCU's Phase Four series of films, which ushers in a new era for the franchise universe, introducing a bevy of new characters, which began with last month's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Eternals will be the first live-action realization of the characters in the MCU.

During the Eternals set visit in January 2020, Screen Rant and other venues were on-hand to talk to the filmmakers about the film, including producer Nate Moore, who gave some insight into the appearance of Ikaris in the film. In the live-action Eternals film, Ikaris is featured as a short-cropped brunette and sports a blue-and-gold costume, which similarly replicates the comics uniform minus the red trim. When asked if there was ever a time that they considered making actor Richard Madden go blond for the role in order to look more comics-accurate, Moore said that not only did they not ask him to dye his hair, but they also had him keep his accent, saying, "We did not ask him to go blonde. So he gets to keep essentially his natural hair and the Scottish accent which he was very excited about."

Madden previously cut his teeth on projects like HBO's Game of Thrones, Bodyguard, and Rocketman. Also joining Madden in the film is fellow Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, who played Jon Snow on the show and is playing Dane Whitman in Eternals, a character who eventually becomes The Black Knight. Snow was the "half brother" of Madden's Robb Stark, so the two actors have a strong history together on the mega-popular show. It's unclear if either of them will share screentime in Eternals, but it's a reunion nonetheless from a casting perspective.

Many comic-to-film adaptations change up appearances of characters and Ikaris is just another link in that chain. Ultimately, the blond hair feels less consequential to the character than the origin, powers, and performance, so it's easy to overlook that aspect that's lost in translation. Jack Kirby created a massive backstory for these characters, which is far more important than getting every color and hue lifted off the page and put on screen. With such a diverse and talented cast, Eternals is already primed to make a big splash at the box office and is sure to make these longtime comic characters household names, just as Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor did years ago.

The Radeon RX 6600 and RX 6600 XT are two of AMD's most affordable PC gaming GPUs, but which one is ultimately worth buying? While top-of-the-line graphics cards are a lot of fun to talk about, the reality is that most people aren't buying them. The vast majority of gamers are relying on low and mid-range cards to power their rigs. They may not be capable of the best graphics or highest frame rates, but budget GPUs are getting better every year.

Along with affordable options from Nvidia, AMD also understands the need for these types of GPUs. AMD launched the Radeon RX 6600 XT in July 2021. At the time, AMD was hailing it as its cheapest GPU launched during the year. A few months later in October, however, AMD one-upped itself with the even lower-priced RX 6600. Both graphics cards are compelling options for budget-minded gamers, but which is the best overall choice? Here's what you need to know.

As the nearly identical names imply, the RX 6600 and RX 6600 XT are very similar graphics cards. Both are powered by the same Navi 23 chipset, albeit with a couple of tweaks mentioned below. Each card also has the same 32MB infinity cache and 8GB of GDDR6 RAM. At the end of the day, both cards should be able to run most games at 1080p with very high graphics enabled (and even max graphics in some cases).

Looking a bit deeper, there are some clear advantages of the more expensive RX 6600 XT. The Navi 23 chip may be the same across both cards, but the RX 6600 XT delivers 32 compute units compared to the 28 of the RX 6600. It also has better clock speeds across the board, with the RX 6600 XT kicking out a 2359MHz game frequency and up to 2589MHz boost frequency. The RX 6600 clocks in at 2044MHz and up to 2491MHz, respectively. Gamers are also treated to faster RAM with the RX 6600 XT. It's capable of 16Gbps speeds and has a memory bandwidth of up to 256 GB/s, compared to 14Gbps and up to 224 GB/s on the RX 6600.

What does all of this mean for real-world use? In general, AMD says to expect a difference between 10 and 15 percent for the two cards. Running in 1080p at max settings, AMD shows the RX 6600 XT achieving 83fps in Cyberpunk 2077 while the RX 6600 gets 70fps. Forza Horizon 4 pulls in 137fps on the RX 6600 XT, but moving to the RX 6600, it goes down to 120fps. In a newer title like Resident Evil Village, the RX 6600 XT has 176fps compared to 145fps for the RX 6600.

And, of course, there's the price. At normal retail pricing, the RX 6600 XT costs $379 and the RX 6600 is a bit cheaper at $329. Based on the retail cost, it probably makes sense for most gamers to spend a little bit more for the RX 6600 XT. It has a more powerful chip, faster RAM, and delivers a better gaming experience across the board. On the off chance someone finds a unit in stock and priced as it should be, the RX 6600 XT is a fantastic little card.

Source: AMD

The latest adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune is making its way to the screen on October 22 when the film premieres in theaters and on HBO Max. The film features an incredible cast and epic science fiction story with warring factions, alien races, and political scheming. Including in this cast are Stellan Skarsgård as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, the leader of House Harkonnen and enemy of Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac), and his nephew, Glossu Rabban played by Dave Bautista.

Screen Rant spoke to Skarsgård and Bautista about bringing Dune to life.

Screen Rant: I'm curious what the biggest hook was for you in stepping into this world. Was it something about the character, was it a new challenge, or was it just a chance to work with director Denis Villeneuve?

Dave Bautista: For me, it was Denis. I really pursued this, because I was tracking Dune. I kept asking my agent, "When auditions would become available? When are they going to release these roles?" 

But I never hit up Denis personally, because I didn't want to be that guy. I didn't want to try to capitalize on our friendship, so I just waited and waited and waited - and finally, I got a phone call from him, and he offered me the role. I almost broke down; I was so emotional about it. Still, it's like, "Wow, this is crazy that I'm even here."

Stellan Skarsgård: For me, it was Denis as well. I admired him for so many years as a director and knew he would be wonderful to work with. Because I knew that he also was a very nice person. I don't want to work with geniuses that are assholes. 

But then I read the script, and there was barely anything in it. I mean, there [were] a few small scenes and stuff, but I didn't care, I wanted to do it anyway. But then I got fascinated by the idea of creating this monster and trying to make him feel human physically. He moved me, not in a prosthetic way, but in a very direct physical way. You could feel that, in all that fat, there was a lot of muscles underneath and all that stuff; the sensuality in how he moves. 

I'm really happy I did it because working with Denis is an experience any actor would think was absolutely fantastic.

This is obviously such a huge franchise, and there's another huge franchise that I'm a big fan of that Stellan is a part of. I don't know if you've heard, but ABBA released some new music. What do you need from me personally to make Mamma Mia! 3 happen? 

Stellan Skarsgård: I wish I could say. It took 10 years between Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! 2 - if it's going to take another 10 years, then I'll be dead. I'm worried we might not get there. But if they call, I will say yes immediately, because the experience of doing those two films was fantastic.

Dave Bautista: It's not going to be ten years. I guarantee you that people are on the phone; they've been anticipating this. And there is such a search for good entertainment, with all the new outlets that are constantly in search of media. I think there have been phone calls made, and Stellan will get a phone call when he gets home.

Stellan Skarsgård: Yeah, and hopefully you'll be in it, Dave. We talked about that. I want to dance with David on an island in Greece.