TV & movies

The latest news and reviews of TV shows and movies.

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Amazon snaps up Critical Role animated series as a Prime exclusive
Amazon still isn't done scooping up internet darlings to fill its Prime Video catalog. The internet giant has obtained sole rights to stream two seasons of Critical Role's The Legend of Vox Machina, an animated series that set a record as Kickstarter's most-funded video project to date. The role-playing themed project racked up nearly $11.4 million in funding, blowing well past its original $750,000 goal. You'll still get to watch both the two-part opening special and the first season without paying for Prime Video, but venturing any further will require a subscription.
Hideo Kojima says his game studio may venture into filmmaking
In an interview with the BBC about his new game, Death Stranding, Hideo Kojima mentioned that his studio, Kojima Productions, will venture into filmmaking. This idea isn't exactly a surprising one; Kojima is famous for taking a film-like approach to game design while also being infamous for including lengthy cutscenes in his work. That said, filmmaking and game design are two different beasts. Kojima doesn't seem phased by this, though. "If you can do one thing well, then you can do everything well," he claims, seemingly bucking conventional wisdom.
Apple unveils trailer for TV+ movie 'The Banker' with Samuel L. Jackson
Apple has offered a look at one of its first few TV+ movies with a trailer for The Banker. The drama stars Anthony Mackie, Samuel L. Jackson, Nia Long, and Nicholas Hoult.
WhatsApp lets users watch Netflix trailers directly in the app
If you've ever been chatting on WhatsApp about a Netflix trailer and had to leave the app in order to watch it, WhatsApp has a new feature you'll appreciate. You can now watch Netflix trailers directly in WhatsApp. It's a simple change, but it could be useful for people who watch a lot of Netflix and plan watches with their friends and family.
Netflix's first scripted podcast is an offshoot of 'Daybreak'
Netflix's foray into podcasting will soon include its first scripted show. Variety has learned that Netflix is supplementing its apocalyptic zombie show Daybreak with a podcast, The Only Podcast Left, on November 7th. The six-episode program will tell the story of teens who decide to (what else?) make a podcast in spite of the grim situation. Showrunner and lead writer Aron Coleite is involved as an executive producer, so TOPL shouldn't stray too far from the themes of the main Netflix series.
PlayStation Vue is the canary in the cord-cutting coal mine
We knew this day would come. Sony will officially shut down PlayStation Vue on January 30th, 2020, following days of rumors and years of whispers about the longevity of the on-demand, OTT television service. PlayStation Vue offers a mix of live and streaming video starting at $50 a month, and it's currently used in 500,000 households in the United States, according to The Information. By comparison, Netflix has more than 158 million subscribers.
Sony will shut down PlayStation Vue in January 2020
The rumors of Sony ditching PlayStation Vue were true, at least to a degree. The company has announced that it will shut down its streaming TV service on January 30th, 2020. It attributed the decision to a pay TV industry that was "slower to change than expected" -- the field is still built around "expensive content and network deals," according to Sony.
HBO Max can't come fast enough for AT&T
If AT&T's convoluted TV streaming options didn't convince you that the company was struggling, maybe its Q3 earnings will. According to the latest earnings report, released today, the company's revenue dropped 2.5 percent, with Warner Media revenue falling 4.4 percent, in the third quarter. It lost 1.2 million premium TV subscribers, and AT&T Now lost nearly 200,000 subscribers.
A 'Hocus Pocus' sequel is in the works for Disney+
Variety reports Disney is developing a sequel to its 1993 comedy Hocus Pocus for its upcoming Disney+ streaming service. The original starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as a trio of sisters that were captured and executed in 1693 for practicing witchcraft in Salem, Massachusettes. The sisters come back 300 years later when they're brought back to life by a family that moves from the east coast city to California. At the moment, there's no word on whether the three stars will reprise their roles, though Variety notes Workaholics writer Jen D'Angelo will pen the sequel's script.
NBC is making a sitcom based on esports
The world of esports has exploded in recent times -- there are eye-watering sums of money involved, not to mention no end of gossip and drama -- so it was only a matter of time before it got its own TV show. According to Variety, NBC has picked up a show called The Squad – a multi-camera comedy about esports developed by Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki and executive producer Anthony Del Broccolo.
Apple TV+ adaptation of 'Foundation' will star Jared Harris and Lee Pace
Apple isn't cutting corners with its TV+ version of Isaac Asimov's Foundation. The tech giant has cast its first two stars for the show, choosing Chernobyl's Jared Harris (above) to play math genius Hari Seldon and Halt and Catch Fire's Lee Pace as the Emperor of the Galaxy, Brother Day. The show already had some pedigree behind it through showrunner David Goyer, who wrote Terminator: Dark Fate and is working on Netflix's The Sandman.
The ‘Silicon Valley’ season six trailer skewers the past year in tech
HBO released the trailer for the 6th and final season of Silicon Valley, and it feels like a real-life recap of the past year or so. Richard Hendricks, CEO of Pied Piper, testifies in front of lawmakers, mirroring Mark Zuckerberg's trainwreck appearances in Washington DC. And what would a parody of recent start-up culture be without a subplot focused on an ill-conceived festival?
Adidas readies an entire collection of Star Wars basketball shoes
If you're both a Star Wars fan and a hypebeast, the next month might a dream come true. Adidas is releasing an entire Star Wars x Adidas collection of basketball shoes starting on November 1st, catering to both your particular fandom and your footwear style in a bid to create buzz for The Rise of Skywalker. There are R2-D2 and Stormtrooper versions of the Nite Jogger, for instance, as well as a Pro Next 2019 with Light Side and Dark Side graphics on each half (above). You can expect more 'generic' Star Wars designs if you don't want to declare particular allegiances, although their bright colors (we've seen blue, green and purple so far) won't be subtle.
AT&T hikes TV Now prices by as much as $15 per month
Yes, AT&T is raising prices for its TV Now service for the second time this year -- and it's not a small hike. The telecom is notifying subscribers that the Plus tier will jump from $50 to $65 per month on November 19th, while the Max plan will leap from $70 to $80 per month at the same time. That makes the base service nearly twice as expensive as it was on launch in 2016, when it cost $35.
HBO Max will stream 'Spirited Away' and other Studio Ghibli movies
HBO Max will be the streaming home for movies from the legendary Japanese animation company Studio Ghibli. Classics including Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke and Howl's Moving Castle will be available to stream for the first time anywhere on the service.
Netflix is turning the classic comic book 'Bone' into a series
One of the comic book world's best-known series is finally coming to screens. Netflix has secured the rights to Jeff Smith's classic Bone, and intends to create an animated kids' series that covers the Bone cousins' trek through the desert. Smith touted the episodic format as "exactly the way" to adapt his work. The story unfolds "chapter by chapter and book by book," after all.
Showtime is turning the story of Uber into a TV series
It seems Showtime reckons the turbulent behind-the-scenes story of Uber is good fodder for a TV show. It's developing a limited series about the ups and downs of the ridesharing company. Billions co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien will write and produce the show, based on Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber.
Hulu revamp uses 'like' and 'dislike' buttons to personalize suggestions
Hulu is determined to improve its recommendations, and one of its biggest upgrades will seem remarkably familiar to some. It's adding Netflix-style "like" and "dislike" buttons to indicate that you'd either like to see similar titles or never to see a show again. The feature is available now both through the web as well as Amazon Fire TV devices, Chromecast, the Switch, the Xbox One as well as "select" LG, Samsung, Vizio and Android-powered smart TVs. More platforms are "coming soon."
The Panama Papers lawyers want to stop Netflix’s ‘The Laundromat’
Just days before The Laundromat is scheduled to arrive on Netflix, the lawyers portrayed in the movie have filed a defamation action against Netflix and are trying to prevent the film's release.
Ang Lee chases cinema’s 120FPS future with ‘Gemini Man’
Ang Lee is curious. That's why the Oscar-winning director has spent the past decade fighting against the limitations of cinema -- 2D screens and the 24 frames-per-second standard -- instead of just making sure-fire hits. With Life of Pi, he dove into elaborate 3D filmmaking and creating life-like digital animals. After the global success of that film, he set his sights on Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. That drama wasn't particularly well received by audiences or critics, but it allowed him to explore the uncanny realism of combining high framerates (HFR) of 120 FPS, together with 4K and 3D. Now with Gemini Man, Lee's latest film starring Will Smith (and his younger digital double), he's trying to bring his new vision of cinema to a mainstream action film.

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