Marvel got as far as giving Mia Goth a wig to wear for its 1920s Blade movie idea, before the setting was scrapped and the project was placed on hiatus.
It's not the first time we've heard just how close Marvel's big Blade reboot, set to star Mahershala Ali in the title role, got to being made several years ago, but it is yet another suggestion that whatever happened to cancel the 1920s-set attempt happened very late in the process.
"The furthest that it got with me was... I flew to Atlanta and did a chemistry test with Mahershala," Goth said, speaking on the Josh Horowitz podcast. "I did a costume fitting and a wig fitting. I was very excited in the direction it was going and Mahershala had such an interesting take on it, he was great. And it just unravelled from there, unfortunately."
For its part, Marvel has said it still plans to make a Blade movie eventually, with Mahershala Ali in the title role, and Goth still attached. But the studio has also confirmed the movie's story would now be set in the present day, if and when the project actually does go back into production.
"I don't know what's going on with that," Goth said when asked about Marvel's plans for Blade going forward. "I think that they want to make it, and it's such an important film for them that they're taking their time with it. I really don't have any information, I don't know why it's taken the time it has. But we will see... we will see."
Marvel announced it was making Blade back in 2019, and confirmed that Mahershala Ali would feature as a new version of its infamous vampire hunter, previously played by Wesley Snipes. But, more than six years later, the project is still nowhere near filming, and there's a sense that Marvel is simply busy with other, bigger projects.
Following a mixed response to its most recent Multiverse Saga, Marvel is now focused on a series of sure-fire hits for the next few years, including two Avengers movies plus fresh outings for safe blockbuster fare such as Spider-Man and X-Men.
"We've landed on modern day," Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige said in an interview this summer, acknowledging that Blade's script had so far gone through "three or four" different incarnations, two of which were period pieces. "We didn't feel like, as we often do, you can have a good script and make it a great script through production," Feige continued, discussing why the project had been pushed back. "We didn't feel confident that we could do that on Blade, and we didn't want to do that to Mahershala and didn't want to do that to us."
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are finally both over for this year, which is good news for anyone who already secured a certified bargain, but bad news for anyone who missed out on the best deals.
Thankfully, there are a few top offers that are still holding out as we enter the final month of the year. And, honestly, these are pretty fantastic themselves, especially the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle deal for just $449 at Walmart ($50 off the MSRP, and $80 savings in total).
But, it's not just the immensely popular Switch 2 offer that we have to discuss, as there's plenty more for PlayStation and Xbox fans to get their hands on while the rest of these days remain available.
At least for now! Trust me when I say that these will likely expire very soon, so you'd better get a shift on to ensure you don't miss out (again!).
Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World for $449
Okay, we're still kicking things off with the obvious one. The Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle was already a top seller for Black Friday, but then Walmart went and dropped an extra $50 discount for Cyber Monday. And it's somehow still available!
Other major retailers price matched, and then sold out, but Walmart is still holding strong (at least for now). This is the best and only Switch 2 deal we're likely getting for at least another year, if ever. Pick it up ASAP, as I expect this will be gone incredibly soon.
Remember, stacking memberships up to 36 months is the best way to save on your yearly costs, and the most efficient way to avoid the Game Pass price hikes (from this year, and more than likely next year as well, the way things are going.
While we've seen some better deals on Game Pass in recent weeks, this is still the best deal going right now, and likely will be for the foreseeable future.
Switch 2 512GB Memory Card for $75
This is another one of the most popular items purchased by IGN readers during the Black Friday sale period, and it remains one of the best deals going since the sales ended as well.
It's your last chance to pick up it in the sale, and I even think this is a better deal that the $39 256GB card deal from Cyber Monday (that has since sold out).
PS5 Games Still on Sale
There's a handful of great PS5 games still on sale at Best Buy right now. My favorite is definitely on God of War Ragnarok, which is just $19.99, down from $69.99. 20 big ones for one of the best games ever made? You've got to be kidding me! We gave this a 10/10 when it came out, and I would stand by that rating with reviewer, Simon Cardy, as well.
There's also a few of my other favorite PS5 games still discounted, including Spider-Man 2, Astro Bot, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut, and Horizon Forbidden West. Check these out while you still can, as I expect Best Buy's sale will end soon.
Xbox Controller for $38 at Woot
This is the best Xbox controller deal going right now, and it's even better than the $40 dollar deal we were served up during the Black Friday sales.
While I'm still on the look out for a deal that matches the brilliant $33 offer that we had in early November, $38 is still a great price for one of the best gaming controllers going right now (especially for PC gamers).
PlayStation Portal for $179
$20 off the PlayStation Portal might not seem like a lot, well that's because it isn't, but it's still the first ever major discount we've gotten for Sony's cloud streaming device.
Plus, with all its new bells and whistles that allow PS Plus Premium members to stream games to it, this handy device just got a whole lot more relevant. Pick one up at a discount while you still can, is my advice, I can see these only continue to rise in popularity.
DualSense Controllers for $55
You can still save at least $20 on the standard DualSense controllers right now as well. This is the same deal as last year, but if you're looking for a new gamepad, and don't want to pay full price, it's your last chance to do so today.
My favorite deal is on the DualSense Gray Camo controller, down to just $55, and dropping from its original $75 list price at Amazon. But, there's loads of colors to pick from, simply choose your favorite!
$100 Off PS5 Consoles
Right, PlayStation consoles. They're $100 off even after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales have ended, but I expect this deal will be gone fairly soon as well.
Robert Anderson is Senior Commerce Editor and IGN's resident deals expert on games, collectibles, trading card games, and more. You can follow him @robertliam21 on Twitter/X or Bluesky.
GameStop has highlighted its recent payout of more than $30,000 for a rare Pokémon card as evidence that the chain's trade-in program offers fair value — while simultaneously admitting the card had actually been worth at least $3,000 more.
In its latest publicity stunt aimed at getting gamers' attention, GameStop issued a typically jocular statement on social media declaring its record $30,494.70 payout for a PSA 10 Holo Gengar was a "historic" moment for the company.
"Any trolls who publicly claim that GameStop trade-in values are bad are hereby factually and demonstrably incorrect," the chain wrote. "Any prior and ongoing objections to our trade values are now deemed without merit and factually invalid," it continued, while admitting the card had actually been worth $33,883 — several thousand dollars more.
To be fair to GameStop, the chain does not hide the fact it paid $3,388.30 less than what it describes as the "fair-market valuation" for the card. Indeed, the company simply states it handed over its payout "upon completion of all required inspection, verification, and compliance procedures" — processes, the statement appears to suggest, which come at some cost.
But many responses to GameStop's social media post have pointed to the chain still having "shorted" the card's owner, and suggesting the card would have reached a higher value at auction. Others have noted GameStop's own trade-in FAQ page states that the chain has a $1,500 upper limit for trade-in value, something that suggests this particular sale is something of an anomaly. IGN has contacted GameStop for more.
In its post, GameStop states its payout was executed "in accordance with the established terms and conditions governing the Power Packs Buyback Program," an offer that some customers have criticized for allowing the retailer to repeatedly make money from the same high-value cards.
An example of this would be a customer buying a $100 Power Pack (a blind box with a rough value of a $100) from GameStop and finding a card that is indeed worth $100 inside. If it's a card they don't want, GameStop offers an Instant Buyback offer that's worth 90% of the card's value minus an additional 6% commission fee. Here, the card seller gets $84.60 back, while GameStop retains a $100 card, which they can sell again for $100 — and continue to repeat the process.
"They're not speculating on card value," one fan wrote in a reddit thread on GameStop's scheme posted a few months ago. "They control the supply, the pricing tier, and the resale loop. It's vertical integration disguised as a loot box.
"PowerPacks aren't just about cards. The real edge is the buyback loop. On average, GameStop pays less than market for returned cards, then sells them again at full price. Every cycle is a profit opportunity. It's repeatable. Scalable. Efficient. And it doesn't rely on retail footfall or console cycles. PowerPacks might end up being GameStop's most profitable product yet."
Arrowhead has released Helldivers 2 update 5.0.0, which makes big balance changes that actually raise weapon damage — but there’s also an incoming message from High Command that has the community worried.
Update 5.5.0 arrives alongside the jungle-themed Python Commandos Warbond, which adds a number of fan-requested weapons including a minigun.
But it’s the incoming message from High Command — an in-universe tease from Arrowhead to the Helldivers 2 community on what’s in store — that has raised eyebrows.
“Super Earth has detected strange signals from previously unmonitored worlds on the Galactic map,” the message reads. “The Ministry of Intelligence is investigating the source of the signals. Helldivers, be vigilant and hold the high ground.”
What does this mean? Players aren’t sure, although speculation is pointing to something Illuminate related, given the mention of “unmonitored worlds.”
As for the patch, it makes a number of fixes, including for audio issues, XP modifiers, and several crashes, as well as more optimizations and improvements. The balancing changes raise weapon damage, and there are much-needed fixes to weapon FOV. The patch notes, courtesy of Steam, are below.
Decreased ergonomics penalty on magnifying scopes weapon attachments
The intent is to make magnifying scopes more a matter of preference by decreasing the penalty they impose on a weapon's ergonomics (low ergonomics makes the weapons muzzle follow the crosshair slower).
Some of the Pistol ammo balance update
The intent with this change is to make some of the pistol rounds weapons more effective after the last pistol ammo re-balance that did make them more of a close range weapon.
The pistol rounds re-balance general intent is to make them more effective at close range while not more effective at long range then for example assault or marksman rifles
2x Tube Red Dot
Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-3) to (-1)
4x Combat Scope
Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-6) to (-2)
10x Sniper Scope
Decreased ergonomic modifier from (-9) to (-4)
APW-1 Anti-Materiel Rifle is also effected by this change so it will get an increased ergonomics from 26 to 31
Primary weapons
SMG-37 Defender
Increased damage from 100 to 110
Increased durable damage from 20 to 22
SMG-32 Reprimand
Increased damage from 135 to 140
M7S SMG
Increased damage from 80 to 90
Increased durable damage from 16 to 18
VG-70 Variable
Increased durable damage 20 to 23
M90A Shotgun
Increased durable damage 15 to 20
Sidearms weapons
P-2 Peacemaker
Increased damage from 95 to 100
Increased durable damage 30 to 32
P-113 Verdict
Increased damage from 135 to 140
M6C/SOCOM Pistol
Increased damage from 110 to 125
Increased durable damage from 25 to 28
Enemies
War strider
Decreased force strength on grenade explosion from 50 to 30
Bile Spewer
Decreased force strength on artillery explosion from 50 to 30
Decreased force impulse on artillery explosion from 60 to 40
Stalker
Decreased force strength from 40 to 35 when a tongue attack hits the player
(Force strength is the value that decides if a player or enemy should stagger or ragdoll.)
Gameplay
Keybind options for quick weapon function:
New, unbound keybind options have been added for quickly swapping weapon functions (like changing fire modes or ammo).
The intent is to give players better ease of use, especially for weapons with multiple ammo types like the Halt, Autocannon, and the new "One Two" AR.
Updated First Person View (FPV)
We updated how First Person View (FPV) works with the intention of improving the aiming experience across different FOV settings (Field of view).
The intent is that the size and distance of the scope will be more consistent with different FOV settings.
We also updated how ergonomics works in FPV with the intent to make it more responsive.
Fixed instances of flickering textures in various city locations
Fixes
Crash Fixes & Softlocks
Fixed a rare crash that would occur when combat music would start
Fixed a rare crash that could occur during 'Nuke Nursery' mission
Fixed crash after hotjoining a game that just started where the existing players are using certain stratagems
Fixed a rare crash when enemies would fall through the ground
Fix rare crash on mission load
Weapons & Stratagem Fixes
Fixed an issue with the BR-14 Adjudicator, when aiming with the 10x scope on 200 m setting which would cause the model to disappear
Fixed a visual issue on VG-70 Variable during the reload animation when aiming down sights
Fixed a torso clipping issue with the CE-07 Demolition Specialist armor
Fixed pump-shotguns sometimes not showing a new shell being inserted on reload
PLAS-45 Epoch now correctly zooms in ADS mode, just like any other support weapon
Fixed display related to no ammo being shown for Infinite Ammo weapons
Fixed the VO (Voice Over) line for “no ammo” being played after pressing reload whilst using Infinite Ammo weapons
Fixed a small bug where supply packs were giving ammo without consuming a charge when dropped
Fixed a bug that locks stratagems after drowning while holding that stratagem ball
Fixed the red glow that would happen if the player would empty one or two magazines with MG-206 Heavy Machine Gun, M-105 Stalwart or MG-43 Machine Gun
Enemies
Factory Striders will no longer be launched to sky erratically when dying
Hellpods that hit Factory Striders will no longer remain in the air after the enemy dies
War Striders now detonate mines
Enemy presence around Cognitive Disruptor Towers is now cleared from the mini-map when the objective is completed
Added a medium-armored weak spot to the vents on the backside of the Bunker, AA, and Mortar emplacements. This was done so these structures behave similarly to other comparable defenses..
Miscellaneous Fixes
Fixed the terrain not being affected by explosions and the Entrenchment Tool (PS5 only)
Fixed a bug where the lights were missing/flickering on the Orbital Gatling
Fixed a thumbnail glitch in the Acquisition Center menu
Cryo-pods no longer clip into the Engineering Bay when playing the ship arrival cutscene
Fixed an armor gap affecting CE-27 Ground Beaker and CW-9 White Wolf whilst using the 'Draw!' emote
The UI will no longer show inaccurate objective info on the Mission Summary screen if the host has left the game
Fixed a bug whilst joining a non-host in a cross-play lobby.
Fixed the NPC technician’s neck sticking through their shirt
Mini-map fog of war effect while exploring caves no longer persists between missions
Soon-to-be Helldivers will no longer be stopped from progressing the tutorial if they die in the flag room
Fixed issue where the automaton grinder sludge would be affected by weathering even though it's sealed behind glass
Fixed an issue where a missile inside the Destroyer’s hangar was misaligned. This dangerous act of asymmetry has been corrected. The undemocratic ship operator responsible for this disgraceful display of inefficiency has been promptly re-educated in a high-orbit correctional facility. Glory to the Office of Corrective Deployment!
Helldivers will no longer be locked out of the GATER when trying to get into the driver's seat simultaneously
Fixed a bug with missing haptics when a controller disconnects or reconnects
Fixed an issue on a command bunker where there was a lack of collision
Optimizations
Optimized lights on Automaton VFX
Optimized physics of rock assets throughout the game to improve performance
Improved the way environmental effects such as sandstorms, blizzards, and acid storms apply their status effects for reduced impact on performance
Improved ADS weapon placement and behavior
Reduced the amount of camera clipping on weapons
Fixed texture details used for weapons while aiming down sights
Improved depth of field when ADS and whilst scopes are zoomed in
Fix for textures sometimes appearing low resolution even when memory is available (PC only)
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Death Stranding and Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima is well-known for his love of cameos — his games are full of them — but the developer is now making a cameo of his own in a very unexpected place: an animated Disney movie.
According to Mantaweb via Automaton, Kojima will appear in Zootopia 2 as a mole at the Zootopia Police Department. Officer Paul Moledebrandt — to use his full name — will be the director's first animated cameo and appears by way of a direct invitation from movie director and CCO at Walt Disney Animation Studios, Jared Bush.
"I've had many cameo appearances in live-action films and games, but this is my first experience dubbing for an animated theatrical film," Kojima said. "And it’s from Disney, of all places! What’s more, it’s the sequel to my favorite film, Zootopia! On top of that, I received an offer directly from director Jared Bush, so I was extremely honored and accepted without hesitation.
"I only took part in a small scene, but even at the time of recording, the production was incredibly well-crafted. Thanks to the illustrations, the recording went smoothly. I'm usually on the directing side, so I learned a lot from actually experiencing acting. I was reminded of how much attention the voice actors pay to basic things like turning pages in the script and noise."
In the western version of Zootopia 2, Officer Paul Moledebrandt is voiced by Josh Gad. Already it's an enormous hit, with a huge $556 million global opening at the box office. $156 million came in domestically during the Thanksgiving holiday (five day period), but it was internationally that Zootopia 2 soared with a whopping $400 million (China accounted for more than half that figure).
If you want to hear Hideo Kojima as Officer Paul Moledebrandt, you'll have to head over to Japan, where Zootopia 2 is set for release on December 5. IGN’s Zootopia 2 review returned an 8/10. We said: “Zootopia 2 sends ZPD’s first ever bunny-fox detective duo back onto the case of some of the weightiest issues we face as a society, and they brought all the animal puns with them.”
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.
Modder ‘nigeez’ has released a must-have HD Mod for Fallout 4 that aims to overhaul all of the game’s landscape textures. This mod will make F4 look better and sharper. As such, it’s a must for everyone who wants to replay it. The modder remade all the textures to look better while still keeping the … Continue reading Fallout 4 Got A Must-Have HD Landscapes Textures Overhaul Mod→
Paramount has announced a Sonic the Hedgehog spin-off movie that's set to launch in 2028, and fans believe the film will finally see Keanu Reeves' Shadow the Hedgehog step up as its star.
Currently titled "Sonic Universe Event Film," the movie has been given a December 22, 2028 release date on Paramount's upcoming movie calendar, according to Variety.
As Sonic fans will know, Paramount's schedule already includes another upcoming movie for the Blue Blur: Sonic the Hedgehog 4, which is set to debut on March 19, 2027, and properly introduce both Metal Sonic and Amy Rose. So, what will this subsequent spin-off be about?
Fans seem certain that Shadow the Hedgehog (last seen acting as an antagonist in 2024's Sonic the Hedgehog 3) is now getting a movie all to himself, following positive feedback to Reeves' portrayal of the spiny antihero and almost $500 million at the box office for his proper big screen debut.
A movie focusing on Shadow also simply makes sense, rather than one centered on any of the franchise's characters more closely aligned with Sonic. Shadow, of course, also previously starred in his own video game, a 2005 third-person shooter, which featured its own cast of side-characters. So, is this finally where we see Rouge the Bat?
As of now, Paramount is keeping schtum on all things Shadow and Rouge-shaped, perhaps unsurprisingly considering the fact it has Sonic 4 to launch first. Officially, it's yet to be confirmed whether this spin-off will indeed be a Shadow the Hedgehog vehicle, or whether Shadow will also be back for Sonic 4.
Each of the three Sonic films released to date have brought bigger returns for Paramount, with more than $1 billion now raked in for the trilogy. But the trio's box office pales in comparison to the $1.36 billion raked in by Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Movie. Interestingly, Paramount has no Sonic movie set to launch next year, leaving the field clear for Nintendo's sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
“Right now, we’re still thinking about what to make next,” Okamura said. “Since we created an opportunity (with MGS Delta) for new players to experience the Metal Gear series, I do want to continue with it.”
He continued: “It could be a remake, or we might challenge ourselves by creating a brand new game. The Metal Gear series is part of videogame history, spanning pixel art to cinematic presentation, and so each title requires a different approach to expressing and remaking it.
“We won’t apply the methodology used to make the recent MGS Delta to all other games in the series — rather we intend to find the best approach for each specific game.”
Okamura also touched on the amount of time it took for the team at Konami to be in a position to remake Metal Gear Solid 3. “Most of the original staff members had left and the team had been reorganized, however we gathered people together and finally arrived at the point where we could make MGS Delta. As a team, we are confident that we achieved a level of quality that not only preserves the appeal of the original but also that modern players could enjoy. We are currently working out concrete plans for what we are going to do next.”
However, when asked about the possibility of a Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots remake, Okamura remained cautious, saying: “the hardware back then required very specific designs to get the most out of the 3D technology that was available at the time, so MGS4 ended up with some pretty unique code. It seems like it would be quite a challenge to bring that into the present day.”
At the moment, 2008’s Metal Gear Solid 4, which ties up all the loose ends in Solid Snake’s story, is only playable on PlayStation 3. Based on the original game release order and rumors, a remastered port of MGS4 is expected to be included in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2, however Konami has yet to announce the official line-up for this second anthology of MGS games to be released on current gen platforms.
While Okamoto’s comments address a remake rather than a remaster, his thoughts on MGS4’s unique code may explain why it is taking Konami so long to release Volume 2. Okamura previously said that the team are taking their time on Volume 2 to avoid the performance issues that dogged Volume 1 at launch: “we’re going to do everything we can not to repeat that, but we just have to ask for everyone to give us time.”
Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.
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