Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment

An Elon Musk biopic will be directed by Darren Aronofsky

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We all knew it was just a matter of time before one of the world’s richest and most controversial men would get the biopic treatment and now it’s happening. Elon Musk is getting his very own movie, helmed by acclaimed director Darron Aronofsky and produced by A24, as originally reported by the Variety.

The film’s going to be based on Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography, which has received its share of unfavorable reviews, with outlets like the Los Angeles Times suggesting the author “mostly accepts Musk’s confident prognostications as gospel” and The Guardian calling it an “insight-free doorstop.” Not all reviews were that dire, of course, but many point to Isaacson’s book as being a clear example of the perils of access journalism.

Isaacson also wrote a biography on Steve Jobs, which was adapted into the 2015 film starring Michael Fassbender and directed by Danny Boyle. This movie ended up being an incredibly loose adaptation of Isaacson’s book, so we’ll see what Aronofsky does with the material. If anyone can put their personal stamp on things, it’s the director behind Mother!, The Whale, Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan.

This film’s still in early development, so there’s no writer attached yet and there have been no casting announcements. In a recent Reddit thread, commenters' top-voted casting picks for Musk were Nicolas Cage, Rami Malek, Jesse Eisenberg and Robert Downey Jr, as collated by Variety.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/an-elon-musk-biopic-will-be-directed-by-darren-aronofsky-162714444.html?src=rss

An Elon Musk biopic will be directed by Darren Aronofsky

Posted on by

We all knew it was just a matter of time before one of the world’s richest and most controversial men would get the biopic treatment and now it’s happening. Elon Musk is getting his very own movie, helmed by acclaimed director Darron Aronofsky and produced by A24, as originally reported by the Variety.

The film’s going to be based on Walter Isaacson’s authorized biography, which has received its share of unfavorable reviews, with outlets like the Los Angeles Times suggesting the author “mostly accepts Musk’s confident prognostications as gospel” and The Guardian calling it an “insight-free doorstop.” Not all reviews were that dire, of course, but many point to Isaacson’s book as being a clear example of the perils of access journalism.

Isaacson also wrote a biography on Steve Jobs, which was adapted into the 2015 film starring Michael Fassbender and directed by Danny Boyle. This movie ended up being an incredibly loose adaptation of Isaacson’s book, so we’ll see what Aronofsky does with the material. If anyone can put their personal stamp on things, it’s the director behind Mother!, The Whale, Requiem for a Dream and Black Swan.

This film’s still in early development, so there’s no writer attached yet and there have been no casting announcements. In a recent Reddit thread, commenters' top-voted casting picks for Musk were Nicolas Cage, Rami Malek, Jesse Eisenberg and Robert Downey Jr, as collated by Variety.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/an-elon-musk-biopic-will-be-directed-by-darren-aronofsky-162714444.html?src=rss

Netflix confirms Arcane season two won’t arrive until November 2024

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Arcane finally has a streaming date for its second season, two years after Netflix renewed the League of Legends-based series. The bad news? It'll arrive on the streaming platform in November... 2024. Fans will have to wait one more year before they can see the next installment of the story that centers around sisters and rivals, Vi and Jinx. Riot's former CEO Nicolo Laurent did say in an interview earlier this year that season two won't be ready until 2024. He explained that the company didn't expect the show to be so successful, so the developer, along with French animation studio Fortiche, started on the second season later than they should have. 

Last year, the show became the first streaming series to win an animated Emmy award, beating out more established rivals, such as Rick and Morty and What If...? Arcane was universally praised by critics for its storyline and animation, and it was also well-received among viewers, even those who don't play LoL. Arcane creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee said that the series was always going to be about Vi and Jinx even though the game has more than 150 champions. Their background as sisters who grew into bitter rivals with opposing stance, fighting for opposite sides, after all, make for an intriguing plot. "The fact that Jinx and Vi’s relationship is a bit of a mystery from the outset allows us to sort of satisfy both [fans of the game and new audiences]," Linke told Engadget. 

Netflix has released a very short teaser for the show's second season, but it'll likely publish longer trailers over the next few months as we get closer to its release date. Actors Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell are expected to reprise their roles as Vi and Jinx, respectively, along with Katie Leung as Caitlyn Kiramman. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-confirms-arcane-season-two-wont-arrive-until-november-2024-115019817.html?src=rss

Netflix confirms Arcane season two won’t arrive until November 2024

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Arcane finally has a streaming date for its second season, two years after Netflix renewed the League of Legends-based series. The bad news? It'll arrive on the streaming platform in November... 2024. Fans will have to wait one more year before they can see the next installment of the story that centers around sisters and rivals, Vi and Jinx. Riot's former CEO Nicolo Laurent did say in an interview earlier this year that season two won't be ready until 2024. He explained that the company didn't expect the show to be so successful, so the developer, along with French animation studio Fortiche, started on the second season later than they should have. 

Last year, the show became the first streaming series to win an animated Emmy award, beating out more established rivals, such as Rick and Morty and What If...? Arcane was universally praised by critics for its storyline and animation, and it was also well-received among viewers, even those who don't play LoL. Arcane creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee said that the series was always going to be about Vi and Jinx even though the game has more than 150 champions. Their background as sisters who grew into bitter rivals with opposing stance, fighting for opposite sides, after all, make for an intriguing plot. "The fact that Jinx and Vi’s relationship is a bit of a mystery from the outset allows us to sort of satisfy both [fans of the game and new audiences]," Linke told Engadget. 

Netflix has released a very short teaser for the show's second season, but it'll likely publish longer trailers over the next few months as we get closer to its release date. Actors Hailee Steinfeld and Ella Purnell are expected to reprise their roles as Vi and Jinx, respectively, along with Katie Leung as Caitlyn Kiramman. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-confirms-arcane-season-two-wont-arrive-until-november-2024-115019817.html?src=rss

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series gets its first trailer

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Five years in the making, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action remake is one step closer to gracing our screens. Netflix has released a new minute-and-a-half teaser that gives us a first look at the cast and key scenes. Plus, drum roll, please, we also finally have a release date: February 22, 2024.

At an event in June, all Netflix made public was a quick 37-second teaser showing the four nations' (Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads) symbols and that the show would come out in 2024. At the time, cast members discussed memorable parts of filming Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as haircut day, but now we get to see their transformation firsthand. The cast includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai and Ian Ousley as Sokka.

Despite a deeper look into the upcoming series, questions remain about how it will compare to the original. Back in 2020, co-creators of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, left the project. "I realized I couldn't control the creative direction of the series, but I could control how I responded," DiMartino said at the time. "So, I chose to leave the project. It was the hardest professional decision I've ever had to make, and certainly not one that I took lightly, but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity." He added that the show had "potential" but wouldn't align with his vision for it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-live-action-avatar-the-last-airbender-series-gets-its-first-trailer-104024809.html?src=rss

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series gets its first trailer

Posted on by

Five years in the making, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action remake is one step closer to gracing our screens. Netflix has released a new minute-and-a-half teaser that gives us a first look at the cast and key scenes. Plus, drum roll, please, we also finally have a release date: February 22, 2024.

At an event in June, all Netflix made public was a quick 37-second teaser showing the four nations' (Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads) symbols and that the show would come out in 2024. At the time, cast members discussed memorable parts of filming Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as haircut day, but now we get to see their transformation firsthand. The cast includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai and Ian Ousley as Sokka.

Despite a deeper look into the upcoming series, questions remain about how it will compare to the original. Back in 2020, co-creators of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, left the project. "I realized I couldn't control the creative direction of the series, but I could control how I responded," DiMartino said at the time. "So, I chose to leave the project. It was the hardest professional decision I've ever had to make, and certainly not one that I took lightly, but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity." He added that the show had "potential" but wouldn't align with his vision for it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-live-action-avatar-the-last-airbender-series-gets-its-first-trailer-104024809.html?src=rss

Turn 10’s Alan Hartman is the new head of Xbox Game Studios

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Microsoft's Xbox leadership is starting to take shape following the company's blockbuster Activision Blizzard acquisition. The new head of Xbox Game Studios is Alan Hartman, former boss of Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10, according to a LinkedIn post seen by Game Developer. "Thrilled to be representing such an elite set of game creators in my new role leading Xbox Game Studios!" he wrote. 

Hartman has led Turn 10 since 2005, with recent stints as corporate VP of Forza and Fable. He oversaw the release of Forza series games and the ForzaTech engine, which is used in both Forza Horizon and the upcoming Fable reboot. 

Hartman succeeds Matt Booty, who was promoted to president of gaming content and studios. Other execs recently changing positions include Sarah Bond, who became Xbox's first black president in its 22 year history. She reports directly to Microsoft Gaming president Phil Spencer. More shakeups could be coming with Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, as properties like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch and others now fall under the company's purview. Bobby Kotick remains as CEO of Activision Blizzard, but will step down at the end of 2023. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/turn-10s-alan-hartman-is-the-new-head-of-xbox-game-studios-095546957.html?src=rss

Turn 10’s Alan Hartman is the new head of Xbox Game Studios

Posted on by

Microsoft's Xbox leadership is starting to take shape following the company's blockbuster Activision Blizzard acquisition. The new head of Xbox Game Studios is Alan Hartman, former boss of Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10, according to a LinkedIn post seen by Game Developer. "Thrilled to be representing such an elite set of game creators in my new role leading Xbox Game Studios!" he wrote. 

Hartman has led Turn 10 since 2005, with recent stints as corporate VP of Forza and Fable. He oversaw the release of Forza series games and the ForzaTech engine, which is used in both Forza Horizon and the upcoming Fable reboot. 

Hartman succeeds Matt Booty, who was promoted to president of gaming content and studios. Other execs recently changing positions include Sarah Bond, who became Xbox's first black president in its 22 year history. She reports directly to Microsoft Gaming president Phil Spencer. More shakeups could be coming with Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, as properties like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch and others now fall under the company's purview. Bobby Kotick remains as CEO of Activision Blizzard, but will step down at the end of 2023. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/turn-10s-alan-hartman-is-the-new-head-of-xbox-game-studios-095546957.html?src=rss

SAG-AFTRA ends strike after securing a deal that protects members ‘from the threat of AI’

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The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has officially ended its strike, which lasted for nearly four months, after reaching a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. In its announcement, it said it was able to secure a contract "valued at over 1 billion dollars" and that it was able to negotiate "above-pattern" compensation increases, as well as "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI."

The union will release more details about the agreement after its national board looks it over on Friday for "review and consideration." However, generative AI became the sticking point that prevented both parties from being able to strike a deal earlier than this. According to a previous report by The Hollywood Reporter, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) wanted to make AI scans of Schedule F performers — union members earning more than $32,000 per TV episode or $60,000 per film — which they could then keep reusing without having to pay them again. Studios could even continue using the actors' likeness after they pass away without permission from the union or from their estate. Variety says AMPTP has agreed to adjust the language it used for AI in its proposal, which then presumably led to the tentative agreement. 

In September, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also officially ended its strike after securing a deal with AI provisions it approved of. Under the terms of its new contract, studios can't use generative AI to write or rewrite literary material, and anything it produces cannot be considered source material. Studios can't force writers to use generative AI software unless they want to, and they have to disclose whether materials handed over to a writer include anything generated by AI. Finally, the "exploitation of writers' material to train AI" is explicitly prohibited. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-ends-strike-after-securing-a-deal-that-protects-members-from-the-threat-of-ai-035253314.html?src=rss

YouTube will soon show visitors a personalized For You section on channel pages

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YouTube is adding a new For You section to creator channels. The TikTok-like feature will be personalized to each visitor, recommending content from a channel based on each viewer’s watch history. The company’s support account on X posted (via The Verge) about the upcoming feature, which launches on November 20.

Creators can prepare for the For You section by confirming their options before its release date. You can toggle the feature’s availability and change its settings in YouTube Studio by selecting Customization > Layout and then checking each of the prompts under the For You section. It allows you to toggle whether full-length videos, shorts and livestreams are available for the feature.

The company had already teased the feature in a May video posted to its Creator Insider channel, a hub where YouTube employees have “direct conversations” with YouTubers. In that clip, product manager Ann Katrin Kuessner framed the feature as an alternative to the static home page. “You’re trying to find a configuration that is one-size-fits-all since the channel page looks the same today for every person that visits it,” Kuessner said, summarizing a problem creators face. She said the feature’s personalization “will be especially effective if your channel has multiple topics, languages, or content formats.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtube-will-soon-show-visitors-a-personalized-for-you-section-on-channel-pages-213402443.html?src=rss