by Jonathan Weilbaecher, May 9 2012 // 1:30 PM
There are times in life where you want to do your best Darth Vader from Revenge of the Sith impression and just yell ‘NO!’ as goofily and as loudly into the air as you can. Right now is one such time, as one of the most highly anticipated games of the year has been pushed to next year.
Irrational Games has posted a statement on their website from BioShock: Infinite director, Ken Levine:
When we announced the release date of BioShock Infinite in March, we felt pretty good about the timing.
Since then, we’ve come to realize that some specific tweaks and improvements will make Infinite into something even more extraordinary. Therefore, to give our talented team the time they need, we’ve decided to move the game’s release to February 26, 2013. We wanted to let our loyal (and very patient!) fans know this as soon as possible.
This is equally horrible and great news. On one hand we have to wait four more months for a game we have already been waiting so long for. On the other hand what is four more months if we end up with a much better game. That conflicted feeling is no doubt running through many video gamer’s minds right about now.
The statement also mentioned BioShock: Infinite will not have a presence at the big summer gaming shows, so the next time we see the game it will be pretty close to done. Let the slightly longer wait commence.
Posted in: Announcements · News · Playstation 3 · Video Games · Xbox 360
Tagged: BioShock, Delay, Infinite, Irrational Games, Ken Levine, News, Playstation 3, Release Date, Video Games, Xbox 360
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Apr 17 2012 // 3:00 PM
Once the marquee mascot for the XBox generation of gamers, Master Chief has taken a step back in recent years. In hopes to regain the original glory of the FPS, Microsoft announced last year that they were moving a head with a brand new numbered Halo game.
Today Microsoft set Halo 4′s official street date, November 6th, 2012. This unsurprisingly puts one of the most anticipated games of the year in the middle of the juiciest video game release window. The real question now is can this 4th installment recapture the magic of the original trilogy?
FPS games have grown leaps and bounds since Halo: Combat Evolved rejuvenated the genre. Added to that, one of the original Halo’s greatest strengths was it’s story, and it will be hard for the developers to come back with a compelling and authentic Halo story based on where the franchise currently sits.
Of course that is all doom and gloom from a registered PlayStation fanboy. The truth of the matter is, if Master Chief is truly an iconic mascot in the same way Sonic, Mario, Link and Crash Bandicoot Kratos are than Halo 4 will be a rousing success, at least commercially. Heck, I will be rooting hard for this game myself, if for no other reason than to wash away that grimy layer of muck that is Gears of War being the 360s marquee exclusive.
Posted in: Announcements · Microsoft · News · Sci-Fi · Video Games · XBLA · Xbox 360
Tagged: Announcments, Halo, Halo 4, Master Chief, Microsoft, News, November 6th, Release Date, Video Games, XBox
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Apr 9 2012 // 2:45 PM
The recent trend of Fairy Tale re-imaginings is going to be around for at least a few more years as Disney announced today that one if its most intriguing in-development projects is moving full steam ahead.
Maleficent is a live action re-telling of the Sleeping Beauty story, but from the perspective of Maleficent herself, played very appropriately by Angelina Jolie. Originally the movie was being developed by Brad Bird and there was even a time when Tim Burton was attached to direct, but recently the project had been rather dormant.
That was until today’s announcement of course. Disney has confirmed that Robert Stromberg will be making his feature debut with this film, which is now set for an March 14th, 2014 release date. Stromberg is a production designer that was a major contributor on Avatar and has worked with Tim Burton and Sam Raimi in the past. With a resume like that it is a safe bet that the film will look stunning, and with Angelina Jolie still perfectly cast in the title role this film has much going for it.
There was a time when this project looked dead in the water, but this new niche sub-genre has been gaining a ton of momentum as of late. Even the poorly marketed Mirror Mirror ended up gaining some admirers. Hopefully re-done fairy tales has some more creative heft to it now that the Twlight aesthetic has grown so stale.
Posted in: Adaptation · Announcements · Deals and Dealmaking · Directors · Disney · Fantasy · Movies · News
Tagged: Angelina Jolie, Director, Disney, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Maleficent, Movies, News, Release Date, Robert Stromberg
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Apr 5 2012 // 1:30 PM
The Avengers is less than a month away, but the folks at Marvel Studios are thinking beyond to the second ‘phase’ of the Marvel shared Universe. There are already release dates scheduled for Thor 2 and Iron Man 3, and now Marvel has settled on it’s date for Captain America 2.
The second solo film staring Cap is set to release April 4th, 2014. This is an odd time to release a big budget blockbuster sequel to a well received film. Usually films like this come out in the Summer blockbuster season, or around Christmas when most people have lots of free time.
Our theory here at The Flickcast is that Marvel is hedging it’s bets with Captain America 2. The Hunger Games proved that you can still be a huge blockbuster in the spring, but expectations are limited in non-peak months. The truth of the matter is that Captain America has a limited worldwide audience, and that translated to the second lowest Marvel Studios box office performer.
Obviously the movie was a smash here in America, and Cap is an integral part of the Marvel Universe. So moving his film to the spring might help keep expectations in check, while still allowing the movie a chance for it to blow up internationally.
Whatever the reasons are, the next phase of Marvel’s shared universe is starting to come into focus. Baring a failure of The Avengers next month, all these new films should culminate in Avengers 2 some time in the future.
Posted in: Action · Adaptation · Announcements · Comics · Disney · Marvel · Marvel Studios · Movies · News · Sci-Fi
Tagged: April, Captain America, Captain America 2, Chris Evans, Comics, Marvel, Marvel Studios, News, Release Date, Spring
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Mar 1 2012 // 2:00 PM
The original Bioshock is a modern gaming classic. Proof that visual style and excellent storytelling are paramount qualities that can over come simple and semi-linear game play. Then the sequel came out and it sucked.
The hope is that Bioshock: Infinite can deliever the magic from the original, and everything we have seen to this point promises to do just that.
2k Games announced today that the much anticipated sequel is going to officially hit on October 16th, 2012. Setting up this marquee title in the early fourth quarter window that is becoming the premiere release season in the video game world.
One aspect of the upcoming game that has fans so excited is that it isn’t really all that much of a sequel. Bioshock: Infinite is not set in the underwater world of Rapture, but instead will take place in the flying world of Columbia. Such a dramatic change is hopefully going to help rekindle the since of awe and wonder that the original game had in spades.
The game will also be set in a different time period, actually going further back in time to a a full one hundred years ago, 1912, instead of the familiar late 1940′s of the first two games. We at The Flickcast certianly can’t wait to get our hands on this exciting new game.
Posted in: Announcements · News · Playstation 3 · Prequels and Sequels · Video Games · Xbox 360
Tagged: BioShock, Bioshock Infinite, Columbia, News, October 16th, Playstation 3, Release Date, Sequel, Video Games, Xbox 360
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Feb 10 2012 // 1:30 PM
Diablo is one of those franchises that exists in every gamers dreams. It was one of the classic Blizzard titles that has been long lost in the success of World of Warcraft and Starcraft, but there has always been hope that we would see a return to the action RPG franchise.
So a few years ago it was announced that Diablo 3 was officially on the way, and the world of video games seemed like a happier place. However, A funny thing happened on the way to Gamestop and the release missed an originally planed 2011 release window. Reports of an early 2012 release were heard, but alas we have at least a few more months to wait.
Activision announced in a recent financial report that Diablo 3 is currently expected for the middle of the year, killing any hope that we would see the game sooner rather than later.
That was not the only disappointing news for Blizzard fans in the report. The long awaited second part of Starcraft 2 and the next World of Warcraft expansion are on shaky ground for a 2012 release. Blizzard is only expected to ship one other title this year in addition to Diablo 3, meaning one or both of those two announced projects is going to be pushed to 2013.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Action · Activision · Announcements · Fantasy · News · Prequels and Sequels · Video Games
Tagged: Action, Activision, Announcments, Diablo 3, Diablo III, MMO, News, Release Date, RPG, RTS, Starcraft, Video Games, World of Warcraft
by Jonathan Weilbaecher, Feb 7 2012 // 2:00 PM
Ever since the beginning of the motion gaming movement we have been waiting for a game that lets us slice and dice with a lightsaber. Finally that dream is becoming a reality with the brand new game Star Wars Kinect, a motion based game that puts you in the Jedi army during the thick of the clone wars.
This game was originally meant to be released last year, but a release date has finally been confirmed for the long awaited project, April 3rd. And to celebrate the release a special edition Kinect bundle pack is being released with a 320GB R2-D2 themed 360, a C3-PO gold controller, a white Kinect and of course the game as well.
Additionally more details about what we can expect in the game have been released, including the new Duels of the Fate mode which pits you one-on-one against Sith baddies, cool. Also a Galactic Dance-Off where you can take on Darth Vader Dance Central style, much less cool.
Continue Reading →
Posted in: Action · Announcements · Microsoft · Movies · News · Sci-Fi · Star Wars · Tech · Video Games · Xbox 360
Tagged: Announcments, Kinect, Microsoft, Motion Controllers, News, R2-D2, Release Date, Special Edition, Star Wars, Star Wars Kinect, Video Games, Xbox 360
by Matt Raub, Jun 3 2009 // 3:19 PM
Tired of trying to remember when your favorite indie or big budget movie hits theaters, or which theater you can use that gift card you got last Christmas at? Well, look no further, because a site that has snuck by the radar is here to help.
Check out bigscreenbiz.com for all things in the world of movie business, including exactly who owns what chain and where (Like how far the reach of Bowtie Cinemas extends).
Also, if you’re a big classic theater fan (and what big movie buff isn’t?), theirs a whole list of classifieds for the movie nerd that wants it all, from movie memorabilia to theater decor to vintage popcorn makers.
So whether you’re interested in souping up your living room to look like a every film aficionado’s fantasy, or you’ve finally decided to live the dream and open your own indie reel house, check out bigscreenbiz.com for a few hours of interesting clicks.
Be sure to check out last week’s Weblink Wednesday: RunPee.com
Posted in: Filmmaking · Movies · Weblink Wednesday
Tagged: bigscreenbiz.com, Movie Theater, Release Date, Weblink Wednesday