The Fallout TV show is packed full of characters, factions, locations, and items familiar to any who has played the beloved RPGs. There are so many easter eggs to spot that we found 111 video game details in Season 1 alone. With season two heading to a fan-favourite part of the Fallout universe, New Vegas, naturally, a whole new flood of iconography is set to make its way from the games into the Prime Video series. So, we’ll be digging into each and every episode and picking out everything we’ve noticed that relates to the source material.

You can check out everything we found in episode one, but here, we’ll be taking a look at every video game easter egg and details we spotted in episode two of Fallout Season 2.

Characters, Factions, and Locations

This review contains spoilers for Fallout Season 2, Episode 2, “The Golden Rule,” which is available to stream now on Prime Video.

Last week I wondered if, by holding back the return of Maximus and the Brotherhood of Steel beyond the premiere, we’d have to spend a chunk of this week’s episode further recapping events and re-introducing ideas. Thankfully no such issues weigh down Fallout Season 2’s second chapter, “The Golden Rule,” which wastes no time not only expanding the scope of the Brotherhood, but also sowing the seeds of violent rebellion among its members.

Uneasy friction between factions is the defining factor of Fallout: New Vegas, the video game this season draws most heavily from, and it’s a great idea to replicate that in the movements of the Brotherhood, which turns out to be an uneasy alliance of multiple chapters rather than a unified force. Now conspiring with groups from the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Coronado, it’ll be fascinating to see how Quintus (Michael Cristofer) attempts to seize control of the Brotherhood from the Boston-based Commonwealth chapter – especially with the last-minute arrival of its liaison, Kumail Nanjiani’s Paladin Harkness.

The Elder Cleric’s first steps on that journey provide quite a spectacle. The circling vertibirds, spinning wind turbines, wide-angle desert shots, and Ramin Djawadi’s exceptional Brotherhood of Steel signature theme all combine to lend the reveal of Quintus’ new military base a little Dune-flavoured grandeur. Of course, Fallout can’t deliver all that with a completely straight face, so the base is Area 51 and there’s an alien hidden in the freezer – both among the episode’s funniest reveals. These sequences also never forget to emphasise that the Brotherhood’s incredibly imposing, efficiently violent, power-armoured knights are hilariously stupid. This episode is perhaps the best example so far of their child-like tendencies, with the warriors constantly beating each other up or fiddling with live plasma grenades.

With civil war brewing, it seems like the Brotherhood itself will have one of the season’s most significant storylines, rather than simply being the background fluff for Aaron Moten’s Maximus again. That’s not to say he’s been reduced to simply part of an ensemble, though. Now an obedient Brotherhood dog who’s totally numb to violence, he’s been crushed and reshaped by Quintus in the weeks that bridge each season’s events, so much so that the sneering Cleric finally admires him. Maximus has always been weak, unsure of what to do and easily manipulated, but it’s now clearer than ever that he has no control of who he is or his own destiny. Yes, he’s finally the knight he lied his way into becoming, able to kill a man twice his size, but none of it is his doing.

Maximus’ pathetic existence is made all the more tragic by the episode’s cold opening, which takes us back to his childhood in the ill-fated Shady Sands. Writer Chris Brady-Denton successfully captures the emotion of Maximus’ family saying their hurried goodbyes, knowing full well that they’re about to be nuked off the face of America. As the boy is bundled into the kitchen refrigerator (a tactic presumably taken from the Indiana Jones school of survival), his father reassures him that “you will be a good man.” How disappointed he’d be, then, to see what a spineless creature Maximus has become. The two time periods contrast perfectly, and establish the path down which Maximus must surely walk this season. It’s time to make dad proud.

Talking of proud dads, Shady Sands’ demise was, of course, the work of Hank MacLean. The flashback really does cement him as a truly evil piece of work, as this is the first time we get to see what the town had flourished into. Once little more than a few crop fields and buildings during the timelines of Fallouts 1 and 2, it became an incredible bastion of progress with access to clean water… and Hank took it all away in a flash. We always knew that he was motivated to do so because his wife and daughter ran away from his vault to live there, but Season 1 left the half-answered question of how the bombing was linked to Vault-Tec’s wider corporate plans. That question only gets more complicated now we’ve seen that the explosion was achieved through the use of the mind-control chips that Mr. House was testing in last week’s flashback. Hank, House, and Vault-Tec are all linked, but I don’t think the relationship between the three is as simple as the Season 1 finale’s board meeting made it seem – this will be a great mystery to be unpicked over the next few episodes.

Of course, anything with Kyle MacLachlan in it can’t be 100% sinister, and his mouse-testing trial-and-error montage is one of the episode’s comedic highlights. There’s so many fun details – the cheerful tune, the tiny rodent Vault-Tec office, the constant yo-yoing, and the perfect timing of each bursting mouse. And while it’s fun, it’s all in aid of showing how flawed the control-chip tech is. A similar trick is executed in the Shady Sands flashback, with the mind-controlled travelling trader repeating “Patrolling the Mojave almost makes you wish for a nuclear winter” on a never-ending loop. That’s a nod to the New Vegas video game, where budget restrictions meant dozens of characters across the wasteland would parrot the same line ad nauseum. But here, the meme becomes a smart, funny way to depict the tech’s deficiencies.

Also providing a few chuckles is Norm, who has found himself in charge of a gaggle of clueless middle managers after thawing the entire population of Vault 31 last week. In a smart recognition of how little screentime this storyline has, things move at a rapid pace, and the entire group are out on the surface before the credits roll. Norm’s story was a slow burn last year, and while it ultimately paid off, it did require patience as it built from frivolous distraction into one of the show’s key reveals. I’m pleased the momentum continues here, rather than being reset, and does so while still dropping a bunch of “idiot vaultie” jokes along the way. It fulfills the show’s more dedicated comedy needs without feeling inconsequential – something I hope the storylines of vaults 32 and 33, which are absent this week, will adopt when we rejoin them in later episodes.

As Norm sees the ocean and sky for the first time in his entire existence, his sister continues her long walk to find dad almost 300 miles inland. Slightly frustratingly, Lucy and The Ghoul are once again stuck in recap mode this week, as they go on a side quest that closely echoes the events of last season’s trip to the Super Duper Mart, where Lucy could have abandoned The Ghoul after he betrayed her, but instead gave him the life-restoring drugs he needed. It’s largely the same story here – Lucy is poised to leave him for dead after yet another bout of needless violence, but she promises to return for him, proving that she’s “nothing like” him in the process. The parallel between these two scenes is made all the more clear by having the duo’s original tiff in the “previously on Fallout” recap, and so once again it feels like this relationship is treading water… or perhaps it’s such an incompatible pairing that growth is impossible. Only with the entire season in the rear-view will we know if this sense of arrested development worked or not.

That’s not to say Lucy and The Ghoul don’t have any fun, though. Far from it. We have an enjoyably chaotic run-in with radscorpions, a quintessential Fallout monster brought to life with some top-notch visual effects. Also brought over from the games is the classic “choose between these two people in need” dilemma, in which Lucy must decide which dying person is most deserving of her final stimpack. Of course, to have Lucy pick the tunic-wearing woman, seemingly the obvious choice between a vulnerable mortal and a 200-year-old mutant, only for that choice to lead her right into the den of Caesar’s Legion, New Vegas’ cruellest faction, is a wonderful translation of the video games’ unforeseen consequences. Next week’s episode, where we’ll learn more of Lucy’s infamous captors, is sure to be a treat.

The second teaser trailer for Avengers: Doomsday is currently playing in front of Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters. This time, it’s Chris Hemsworth’s Thor who enjoys the spotlight, as he prays to his late father and seeks to reunite with his daughter Love (India Rose Hemsworth). Clearly, all is not well in New Asgard.

In fact, the biggest takeaway from this brief new footage is that Thor himself is mired in a newfound darkness. As far as we’re concerned, that can only mean good things for Doomsday. Thor is a character who needs a little darkness to balance out the levity, and it’s about time that Marvel remembered that.

Thor’s Inconsistent MCU History

Hemsworth’s Thor is certainly one of the most prominent characters in the MCU. He’s headlined no fewer than four solo films and played a key role in all four Avengers movies. Yet as often as Thor pops up in the MCU, Marvel seems to have a real problem with nailing down his characterization and striking a consistent tone with his adventures.

Look at how wildly different those Thor movies are in terms of style and voice. The original two are far more dramatic, even Shakespearean. That approach worked out pretty well for 2011’s Thor and much less so for 2013’s Thor: The Dark World. It helps that the former had a director of Kenneth Branagh’s stature at the helm.

But the franchise took a decidedly more comedic turn when Taika Waititi took over with 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi really leaned into Thor’s sillier side there. A lot of MCU fans seemed to connect with that approach, certainly, judging from the critical and commercial reaction. But even if Ragnarok proved to be the most purely entertaining Thor movie to date, it does raise the question of how silly is too silly. At times, the film undercuts its more dramatically weighty moments. Case in point, no sooner does Asgard explode into fiery ruin than Waititi’s Korg pops in with a goofy one-liner.

Ragnarok’s successor, 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder, doubled down on that approach, much to its detriment. Despite adapting some of Marvel’s absolute best Thor comics (Jason Aaron’s Thor: God of Thunder and The Mighty Thor), Love and Thunder squandered that material on a script that is far too inane and joke-y for its own good. Can a superhero movie become so silly that it’s no longer even funny? Yes, apparently.

Of Thor’s numerous MCU appearances, only one movie has really managed to nail his characterization and strike that critical balance between humor and pathos. That would be 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War. If Ragnarok undercut the drama in Asgard’s destruction, Infinity War at least explores the emotional fallout well. Hemsworth delivers his best Thor performance here, painting a portrait of a weary king trying to put a good face on things despite falling so fast and so far.

Even the sequel, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, struggled a bit in carrying that torch. For every scene that really dials in on Thor coming to terms with his absolute failure, there are three or four fat jokes. Still, it’s clear that directors Joe and Anthony Russo and screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely understand the character better than anyone in the MCU at this point.

Thor in Avengers: Doomsday

That’s one major advantage of the fact that Avengers: Doomsday is getting the majority of the band back together. The Russos are back in the directors’ chairs, and McFeely is co-writing alongside Loki’s Michael Waldron. The potential is there to finally right the Viking ship and restore Thor to the cinematic greatness he enjoyed in Infinity War.

If this new teaser is any indication, they’re well on their way to achieving that goal. The second teaser is similar in style to the first Steve Rogers teaser, striking a somber mood and dialing in on one character. We see Thor praying to his late father, Anthony Hopkins’ Odin, as he seeks to be reunited with his adopted daughter, Love.

“Of all the crowns, the kingdoms, the pride, I ask for none,” Thor says in his monologue. “Father, hear your son. I am not worthy of life, but still, I beg you to let the thread lengthen. Not for thunder, not for war… let me remain long enough to see my Love once more.”

Now this is a proper thunder god. The quips and the humor are finally gone, replaced by a father deeply committed to the singular mission of reuniting with his daughter. This is a Thor who has a regal quality, yet is humbled by his past failures and losses. The pained, grieving hero of Infinity War is finally back.

Obviously, we can only judge Hemsworth’s Thor so much by a single, minute-long teaser. We still don’t know exactly how Thor fits into the plot or what his exact beef with Robert Downey, Jr.’s Doctor Doom is (we can hopefully speculate more on that front when the rumored Doom-centric teaser hits next week). And, to be sure, Hemsworth is going to be jockeying for screen time with a massive cast of heroes. Will there even be room to give Thor the attention he deserves?

But this teaser is nothing if not an encouraging sign for Thor fans. After a big misstep with the most recent Thor film, things look to be getting back on track as the Odinson reunites with his Avengers buddies. And, with any luck, a few tears will be shed when Thor inevitably reunites with his wayward brother, Tom Hiddleston’s Loki.

Now bring on the next Doomsday teaser.

For more, see why we’re feeling discouraged by Chris Evans’ return in the first Avengers: Doomsday teaser.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Full spoilers follow for Pluribus Episode 9, “La Chica o El Mundo,” which is available now on Apple TV.

And then there was one! Er, two!

Finally, after nine episodes of being very lonely on opposite sides of the globe, Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) and Manousos Oviedo (Carlos-Manuel Vesga) have met face to face. And it did not go well at all. Big surprise.

But before we get to those two, “La Chica o El Mundo” (or “The Girl or the World”) begins with a look at Kusimayu (Darinka Arones), the Peruvian girl who is one of the 13 uninfected and who Carol met back in Episode 2. She’s the one who actually expressed interest in joining the Others, aka the Joined, and here we see that the hive mind has finally figured out how to make that happen. “We would never hurt you,” Kusimayu’s family and friends – or former family and friends? – tell her. And they don’t physically hurt her, to be sure. She simply inhales the live virus, which transforms her into one of them. So why is the scene so horrifying, then?

Spider-Man is one of the few Marvel heroes with a supporting cast and rogues gallery wide enough to support an entire cinematic universe. Or so execs at Sony thought when they launched their Spider-Man Universe of spin-off movies and TV shows. But now there are only a handful of projects left on that slate, the most notable of course being Tom Holland next live-action Spidey movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Meanwhile, Madame Web, Morbius, and Kraven came, went, and will never be forgotten, the Venom trilogy has run its course, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is getting another sequel after Across the Spider-Verse, and the Spider-Man Noir series is in the works with Nic Cage playing the title character.

While the latest word is that Sony is stepping on the brakes on new Spider-Man villain spin-off movies, there are still some projects moving forward (and several that are in limbo).

To help make sense of the various Spider-Man-adjacent projects in development, we're breaking down every Sony Marvel movie or show that's either been officially announced or rumored to be in the works. Check out the slideshow gallery below or scroll down to get the scoop on Spidey's cinematic future.

What Are the Next Spider-Man Spin-Off Movies and TV Shows Coming Out? 2026 Release Dates

Here's a quick bullet list of all the movies and TV shows that are in various stages of development:

• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (In Production) - July 31, 2026
• Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (In Production) - June 18, 2027
• Spider-Noir/Spider-Man Live-Action Noir Series (In Post-Production) - Date TBD
• Silk: Spider Society Series (Status Unknown/Possibly Dead)
• Untitled Female Cast Into the Spider-Verse Spin-Off (Status Unknown/Possibly Dead)

Read on for more details on each project.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)

Status: In Production

It was unclear after Spider-Man: No Way Home's release in 2021 when the next appearance of Tom Holland's wallcrawler would come. When Sony and Marvel made a new deal in 2019 to continue to share the character, which allowed No Way Home to be made, an MCU crossover film was also said to be part of that agreement. What that crossover film might be and what it's status is remains unclear, although it seems almost certain that Holland will appear in Avengers: Secret Wars at the very least.

In September, 2024, THR had the news that Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will be directing Spider-Man 4 with Holland returning as Peter Parker. Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers are writing the script and Kevin Feige is producing once again with Amy Pascal. That October, Holland confirmed that production would begin in Summer, 2025. A release date of July 31, 2026, has since been confirmed, and Stranger Things' Sadie Sink has been cast in an undisclosed but presumably major role.

During No Way Home's press tour, Pascal said that the thinking is that there will be at least three more Spider-Man films starring Holland. It should be noted, however, that has not yet been confirmed by Sony or Marvel.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (June 18, 2027)

Status: In Production

The third Spider-Verse film is called Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (dropping the Part One and Part Two from the Into the Spider-Verse sequels' titles that had previously been announced). Obviously Across the Spider-Verse, the second film in the series, leaves a lot of questions that will need to be answered in Beyond. Beyond the Spider-Verse was expected to be released on March 29, 2024, but in July of 2023, Sony changed several of its slate's release dates, including this film. It is now expected to be released on June 18, 2027. Learn more about the Spider-Verse here.

Spider-Noir/Spider-Man Live-Action Noir Series (Date TBD)

Status: In Post-Production

Following the announcement of Silk: Spider Society (see below), word came that Spider-Man Noir is the second series to come about from Sony and Prime Video's new partnership. The Spider-Man Noir series is a live-action show set in this Depression-era version of the Marvel Universe, though Peter Parker himself reportedly won't be the main character. Nic Cage has been confirmed to be returning as the character, who he voiced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, for the live-action show.

Previously called simply Noir, and more recently Spider-Noir, the show comes from Into the Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and 22 Jump Street writer Orien Uziel, who writes and executive produces. Steve Lightfoot (Netflix's The Punisher) was hired in December, 2023, as co-showrunner and executive producer with Uziel. Noir will debut in the U.S. on MGM+’s linear channel, followed by a global launch on Prime Video.

Silk: Spider Society Series

Status: Unknown/Possibly Dead

A more recent addition to Spider-Man's world, Silk is a heroine who was bitten by the same radioactive spider that gave Peter Parker his powers. Resurfacing after a decade spent locked in an underground bunker, Cindy Moon has followed the example of Spider-Man and become a costumed superhero. Cindy has actually made small appearances in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Avengers: Infinity War (played by Tiffany Espensen). But we assume the role will be recast for any new Silk project.

Silk was originally announced as a movie, but eventually evolved into a series that was meant to air on MGM+ and Prime Video (the first in a new partnership between Sony, MGM and Prime Video). Into the Spider-Verse's Angela Kang was to serve as showrunner, and the series would follow Cindy's origin story as she escapes imprisonment, comes to terms with her powers and seeks out her missing family. However, in May of 2024, Variety reported that the show was dropped by Amazon/MGM+ and that Sony would be trying to shop it to other buyers. There has been no word on the show since then.

Untitled Female Cast Into the Spider-Verse Spin-Off

Status: Unknown/Possibly Dead

An Into the Spider-Verse spin-off featuring an all-female cast was said to be in the works at one point, with Spider-Gwen expected to make her return. Other characters like Spider-Girl, Spider-Woman, Madame Web, Silk and even Black Cat might've been featured. Not much has been heard of this project since it was first revealed in 2018, however, and it seems likely to have died on the vine (web?).

Unrealized Spider-Man Spin-Off Projects

There has been a host of rumored or reported Spider-Man spinoff movies over the years that have never actually gotten made. Along with Venom, one of the earliest Spider-Man spinoff movies Sony pursued was Silver & Black, a team-up film featuring mercenary Silver Sable and master thief/occasional Spider-Man love interest Black Cat. While Sony went as far as hiring director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Secret Life of Bees) and dating the film for a February 2019 release, it was eventually canceled. Last we heard, the studio was reworking Silver & Black into solo movies for the characters, though it's unclear if there's any movement on these projects at this point. In 2020, reports indicated that Black Cat and Silver Sable might become TV projects for Sony instead.

Variety reported in March 2018 that director Spike Lee was in talks to direct a Nightwatch film, though Lee has since said he is not attached. The vigilante hero wears a durable nanotechnology costume that enhances his strength by stimulating his adrenal glands, but apparently is not capable of getting him out of development hell.

I have a bad habit of telling myself I am just browsing, then somehow ending up reinstalling a 100-hour RPG. This Christmas Eve of delights did not help my self control. There are some genuinely sharp discounts across every platform here, including a couple of games I happily paid full price for years ago and never regretted.

Contents

• Retro
• Nintendo
• Xbox
• PlayStation
• PC
• PC Gear
• LEGO

This Day in Gaming 🎂

In retro news, I'm celebrating the 26th birthday of SWAT 3, a cop-centric inspiration for the tactical CQC antics of your modern Rainbow: Six Siege. It sure had a strange path to becoming a shooter, however, as it's technically the seventh installment of Sierra's old-as-the-hills (or mountain, as it were) Police Quest adventures. From there, it morphed into an isometric SWAT tactics game, and then this: a po-po RoE shooter where, ideally, you'll arrest perps instead of installing blowholes in 'em.

While Sierra certainly wasn't the first to kick the door in on this sub-genre, the pretty peerless solo, co-op, and TDM offered here stacked up tighter than SWAT 3's more remembered rival of the day, Rogue Spear.

Aussie birthdays for notable games.

- SWAT 3: Close Quarters Battle (PC) 1999. Get

'- Fluidity (Wii) 2010.

- Halo: Spartan Assault (XO) 2013. Get

Nice Savings for Nintendo Switch

• Cyberpunk 2077: Ult. (-34%) A$79 This is the full redemption arc in one box, including Phantom Liberty. It runs better than it ever has on Switch hardware and the writing is still preem.
• Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Rem. (-19%) A$69 These remakes are pure nostalgia filtered through gorgeous modern pixel work. Old school systems, timeless charm, and surprisingly cosy pacing.
• Spyro Reignited Trilogy (-29%) A$49.90 Three PS1-era platformers rebuilt with real care. It is colourful, breezy, and still secretly demanding if you chase 100 percent.
• Everybody's Golf Hot Shots (-44%) A$39 Arcade golf at its most relaxing. Easy to play, hard to master, and dangerously good at making you say one more round.
• Ni No Kuni: WotWW (-33%) A$59.90 Studio Ghibli gorgeousness, heartfelt storytelling, and a battle system that rewards patience. Still one of the most charming RPGs of its generation.
• Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero (-21%) A$79 A love letter to Budokai Tenkaichi fans. Ridiculous spectacle, huge rosters, and exactly as subtle as a Super Saiyan entrance.

Games of the Moment
What's flying off shelves?

• LEGO Party - A$74
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds - A$79
• EA Sports FC 26 - A$79

Or gift a Nintendo eShop Card.

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Exciting Bargains for Xbox

• Sonic Frontiers (-76%) A$23.90 Messy but fascinating open zone Sonic. When it clicks, it really clicks, especially the soundtrack and boss fights.
• Monster Hunter Wilds (-64%) A$41.90 Capcom refining its loop yet again. Great onboarding, satisfying hunts, and that familiar just one more kaiju energy.
• Gotham Knights (-71%) A$32.20 Sure not the Arkham sequel I wanted, but a solid co-op brawler with a surprisingly earnest take on Bat family drama.
• Dead Space Rem. (-61%) A$43.40 One of the best remakes ever made. The atmosphere is oppressive, the sound design is evil, and it still absolutely holds up.
• Tiny Tina's Wonderlands Next-Level Ed. (-73%) A$30 Borderlands filtered through tabletop chaos. Goofy writing, flexible builds, and much better pacing than its predecessors.

Xbox One

• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (-92%) A$7.80 Spectacle dogfighting with melodrama to spare. It looks great, sounds incredible, and makes you feel like Mav'.
• Middle-Earth: Shadow of War (-71%) A$15.70 The Nemesis system still carries this. Orc rivalries, revenge arcs, and emergent nonsense you will talk about for years.
• Dying Light 2: Stay Human (-61%) A$39 Parkour first, zombies second. Night runs are still terrifying and the movement alone makes this worth a look.

Games of the Moment
A look at the top sellers

• EA Sports FC 26
• Silent Hill f - $109
• Borderlands 4 - $99

Or just invest in an Xbox Card.

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Pure Scores for PlayStation

• Gran Turismo 7 (-38%) A$78 A stunning celebration of car culture. Even if you are not a petrol head, the craftsmanship is undeniable. Phenomenal in VR.
• LEGO Horizon Adventures (-63%) A$21.90 Aloy gets the plastic fantastic treatment. It's light, funny, and everything clicks. Ha. Pun.
• Kena: Bridge of Spirits (-70%) A$17.90 Pixar looks with Souls-lite combat. Tough but fair, and emotionally sincere in a way few games attempt.
• Outer Wilds (-40%) A$18.50 One of the smartest games ever made. Do not read guides, just trust your curiosity.
• Lies Of P (-40%) A$51.10 A grim fairy tale Soulslike that absolutely earns its difficulty. Tight combat and exceptional art direction.
• Unicorn Overlord (-65%) A$33.20 Vanillaware doing what they do best. Strategy depth wrapped in absurdly detailed 2D art.

PS4

• Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (-92%) A$8.90 Same brilliant aerial action, still runs beautifully, still unforgettable. Brilliant in PSVR.
• Mega Man Battle Network Leg. Col. (-60%) A$36.40 Two collections in one. Deck building, grid combat, and pure early 2000s energy.
• The Messenger (-80%) A$4.90 A retro platformer that keeps reinventing itself. Funny, tough, and way smarter than it first appears.

Games of the Moment
What's in high demand?

• EA Sports FC 26 - $79
• Ghost of Yōtei - $99
• Silent Hill f - $119

Or purchase a PS Store Card.

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Purchase Cheap for PC

• Silent Hill F (-55%) A$52.60 A bold reinvention of the series, leaning hard into psychological horror and unsettling imagery.
• Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night (FREE) A$0 An actual free Metroidvania classic. If you claim nothing else this week, claim this.
• Disco Elysium: The Final Cut (-90%) A$5.60 One of the best written games ever made. I still think about its choices years later.
• Sea Of Stars (-40%) A$30.50 A modern love letter to 90s JRPGs with incredible music and art.
• Dead Cells (-56%) A$15.80 Fast, brutal, and endlessly replayable. Still one of the best action roguelikes around.

Or just get a Steam Wallet Card

Legit LEGO Deals

Just like I did last holiday season, I'm getting festive with the LEGO section. In Mathew Manor, my sons and I are again racing / rating 2025's batch of LEGO Advent Calendars. Basically, we open the City, Harry Potter, Minecraft, and Star Wars ones daily and compare the mini-prizes for "Awesomeness" and "Actual Xmas-ness". 2024's winner was the Lego Marvel one, but, weirdly, there's no 2025 equivalent. So it's anybody's race this year.

Here are the cheapest prices for the four calendars we're using. Score them yourself or just live vicariously through our unboxings.

• LEGO CIty Advent 2025 - A$59.95 $45
• LEGO Harry Potter Advent 2025 - A$59.95 $45
• LEGO Minecraft Advent 2025 - A$59.95 $45
• LEGO Star Wars Advent 2025 - A$59.95 $45

Some may say we are in a renaissance of video game adaptations as we've been treated to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a third Sonic the Hedgehog film, and TV series based on The Last of Us and Fallout, and will soon be getting adaptations of God of War, Mass Effect, and so many more. The best part? A lot of these look so much better than video game adaptations we’ve gotten in the past.

How many will actually make it through development and see the light of day remains to be seen, and only a fraction of these have actual release dates. But we're watching these projects, and we're tracking them!

For the purposes of this list, we classify a “video game movie” or "video game TV show" as an actual adaptation of an existing video game, so something like Wreck-It Ralph (which is just a movie about video games) wouldn’t qualify. They don’t have to be faithful adaptations – they just have to be based on a real game.

Click on through the slideshow below for a glimpse, or read on to find out about the biggest projects with definite details. And if you see something incorrect, missing, or in need of an update, let us know in the comments!

What Are the Next Video Game Movies and TV Shows Coming Out? 2026 and Beyond Release Dates

For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming video game movie and TV show adaptations:

Video Game Movies in 2025 and Beyond

• Return to Silent Hill (January 26, 2026)
• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 3, 2026)
• Mortal Kombat 2 (May 15, 2026)
• Resident Evil (September 18, 2026)
• Street Fighter (October 16, 2026)
• The Angry Birds Movie 3 (January 29, 2027)
• Sonic the Hedgehog 4 (March 19, 2027)
• The Legend of Zelda (May 7, 2027)
• A Minecraft Movie 2 (July 23, 2027)
• Five Nights at Freddy's 3 (TBA)
• Elden Ring (TBA)
• Call of Duty (TBA)
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (TBA)
• Ghost of Tsushima (TBA)
• Horizon Zero Dawn (TBA)
• Grow a Garden from Roblox (TBA)
• Helldivers 2 (TBA)
• The Sims (TBA)
• Martha Is Dead (TBA)
• Riders Republic (TBA)
• Gears of War (TBA)
• Sleeping Dogs (TBA)
• Phasmophobia (TBA)
• Death Stranding (TBA)
• Death Stranding: Mosquito (TBA)
• Days Gone (TBA)
• Dredge (TBA)
• Pokemon: Detective Pikachu 2 (TBA)
• Stray (TBA)
• BioShock (TBA)
• El Paso, Elsewhere (TBA)
• Split Fiction (TBA)
• Space Channel 5 (TBA)
• Comix Zone (TBA)
• Watch Dogs (TBA)

Video Game TV Shows in 2025 and Beyond

• Fallout: Season 2 (December 17, 2025)
• Devil May Cry Anime Season 2 (2026)
• The Last of Us: Season 3 (2027)
• Ghost of Tsushima Anime (2027)
• The Witcher: Season 5 (TBA)
• God of War (TBA)
• Far Cry (TBA)
• Mass Effect (TBA)
• Live-Action Tomb Raider (TBA)
• Beyond: Two Souls (TBA)
• Gears of War (TBA)
• Assassin's Creed (TBA)
• Splinter Cell: Deathwatch (TBA)
• Overcooked Reality TV Show (TBA)

The following titles have been reported to be in development in the past but their status is currently unknown and they may no longer be actually happening:

Announced Video Game Movies (Status Unknown)

• Mega Man
• Just Cause
• Duke Nukem
• Gravity Rush
• Dead by Daylight
• It Takes Two
• Sifu
• Slime Rancher
• Ark: Survival Evolved
• Pac-Man
• Streets of Rage
• Sniper Elite
• Toe-Jam and Earl
• Jak and Daxter
• Half-Life
• Saints Row
• Portal
• Yakuza
• Beyond Good & Evil
• Firewatch
• Metal Gear Solid
• The Division
• Just Dance
• Dragon's Lair

Announced Video Game TV Shows (Status Unknown)

• Horizon Zero Dawn
• A Plague Tale
• Nier: Automata: Season 2
• Disco Elysium
• Hunt: Showdown
• Alan Wake
• System Shock
• Grounded
• Life Is Strange
• My Friend Pedro
• Skull & Bones

The following are the most definite projects that are currently in the works.

Fallout: Season 2

Release Date: December 17, 2025, on Prime Video

The first season of Prime Video's Fallout series was a huge success. In our Fallout TV show review, we said, "A bright and funny apocalypse filled with dark punchlines and bursts of ultra-violence, Fallout is among the best video game adaptations ever made."

Fallout will be back for another season in December and it will bring us back to New Vegas, with familiar faces like Ella Purnell's Lucy, Walton Goggins' Ghoul, and the goodest girl Dogmeat alongside new faces like Justin Theroux's Mr. House and a 'crazy genius-type character' played by Macaulay Culkin.

Devil May Cry Anime Series Season 2

Release Date: 2026

Netflix's Castlevania showrunner Adi Shanker released a new anime series based on Devil May Cry in April, 2025. Season 2 was announced shortly thereafter, and now we know it will drop in 2026.

Return to Silent Hill

Release Date: January 26, 2026

Return to Silent Hill is the upcoming film based on Silent Hill 2 and is "a mythological love story about someone so deeply in love, they're willing to go to hell to save someone." The film will see Jeremy Irvine and Hanna Emily Anderson taking on the lead roles and a recent Silent Hill Transmission gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the movie. A first look at the terrifying Pyramid Head was also revealed earlier this year.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Release Date: April 3, 2026

September 2025's Nintendo Direct revealed the next Super Mario Bros. movie will be The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and we are very excited. A sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie must have been the easiest decision for Nintendo as was seen by over 168.1 million people worldwide and made over $1.349 billion at the global box office.

Mortal Kombat 2

Release Date: May 15, 2026

Mortal Kombat 2 will be released in theaters on May 15, 2026, and the synopsis teases that our "fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders."

Karl Urban plays Johnny Cage and Adeline Rudolph will be taking on the role of Kitana, and they'll be joined by Tati Gabrielle's Jade, Damon Herriman's Quan Chi, Martyn Ford's Shao Kahn, Desmond Chiam's Jerrod, Ana Thu Nguyen's Sindel, CJ Bloomfield's Baraka, Lewis Tan's Cole Young, Hiroyuki Sanada's Scorpion, Jessica McNamee's Sonya Blade, Mehcad Brooks' Jax, Ludi Lin's Liu Kang, Josh Lawson's Kano, Tadanobu Asano's Raiden, Chin Han's Shang Tsung, Joe Tsalim's Bi-Han, and more.

Resident Evil

Release Date: September 18, 2026

Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie will be bringing us back to Raccoon City in 2026 and recent images posted online have confirmed filming is underway in Prague. This likely means the film will be set prior to October 1998 and the events depicted in Resident Evil 3 for reasons we won't spoil here.

Street Fighter

Release Date: October 16, 2026

Street Fighter will be making its way to the big screen next year from Bad Trip's Kitao Sakurai. As for who will star in the film, a recent trailer revealed the following;

• Noah Centineo as “Ken Masters”
• Andrew Koji as “Ryu”
• Callina Liang as “Chun-Li”
• Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i as “Akuma”
• David Dastmalchian as “M. Bison”
• Cody Rhodes as “Guile”
• Andrew Schulz as “Dan Hibiki”
• Eric André as “Don Sauvage”
• Vidyut Jammwal as “Dhalsim”
• Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as “Balrog”
• Jason Momoa as “Blanka”
• Orville Peck as “Vega”
• Olivier Richters as “Zangief”
• Hirooki Goto as “E. Honda”
• Rayna Vallandingham as “Juli”
• Alexander Volkanovski as “Joe”
• Kyle Mooney as “Marvin”
• Mel Jarnson as “Cammy”

“Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury,” the official plot synopsis reads.

The Angry Birds Movie 3

Release Date: January 29, 2027

Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Rachel Bloom, and Danny McBride return as Red, Chuck, Silver, and Bomb for a third Angry Birds movies. John Rice (The Angry Birds Movie 1, Beavis & Butt-Head Do the Universe) directs from a screenplay by Thurop Van Orman (The Angry Birds Movie 2!).

Sonic the Hedgehog 4

Release Date: March 19, 2027

The Sonic movies are going strong (Sonic 3 is at the top of our best video game movies of all time list!), so it's no surprise that a fourth film is in the works. There aren't many details available about the project yet, but based on the Sonic 3 post-credits scene, expect Amy Rose and Metal Sonic to show up.

The Legend of Zelda

Release Date: May 7, 2027

The Legend of Zelda is officially getting the live-action film treatment and it's being produced by Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto and Avi Arad, chairman of Arad Productions and former founder and CEO of Marvel Studios.

The film will be directed by Wes Ball and will star Bo Bragason as Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link. and it's all being co-financed by Nintendo and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. Nintendo will be financing more than 50% of the movie and the theatrical distribution will be done by Sony.

"The Legend of Zelda follows Link, a young warrior destined to protect the magical kingdom of Hyrule from the forces of darkness," the official description reads. "The land is under threat from Ganon, a ruthless warlord who seeks the Triforce — an ancient relic said to grant limitless power. To stop him, Link must embark on a perilous journey, battling monstrous creatures, exploring treacherous dungeons, and solving intricate puzzles to uncover sacred artifacts that can aid him in his quest."

If, like us, you can't wait for The Legend of Zelda movie, be sure to check out that one time we predicted the film would eventually arrive via an April Fools' Day joke.

A Minecraft Movie 2

Release Date: July 23, 2027

Warner Bros. has officially confirmed A Minecraft Movie 2 will be released on July 23, 2027, and it makes sense as the original made over $957 million at the global box office. Will Jennifer Coolidge be back with her nitwit villager love interest? We can only hope!

Five Nights at Freddy’s 3

Release Date: TBA

A third movie in the popular series is said to be in development at Blumhouse Productions.

The Last of Us: Season 3

Release Date: 2027

After a stellar first and second season, HBO's The Last of Us will be returning for a third season on HBO and it looks to, as the games did, switch the focus to Kaitlyn Dever's Abby for a while. Co-creator Craig Mazin confirmed this new season will be longer than Season 2.

While you wait, be sure to check out our explainer of the ending of Season 2 and how it sets up this next part of the tragic tale of The Last of Us.

The Witcher: Season 5

Release Date: TBA on Netflix

Netflix’s The Witcher returned for its fourth season, and it did so with a new Geralt of Rivia as The Hunger Games’ Liam Hemsworth replaced Henry Cavill. You can watch all of those episodes now while knowing a fifth and final season is also in the works.

God of War TV Series

Release Date: TBA on Prime Video

Prime Video has officially announced that a God of War live-action series is in the works from Sony Pictures Television and PlayStation Productions. The show will follow the story that began in 2018’s God of War and will see Kratos and Atreus traveling to the highest peak in the nine realms of Norse mythology to spread the ashes of their late wife/mother.

At CES 2024, Sony confirmed writing was underway for the series. In October 2024, it was reported that Ronald D. Moore (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Battlestar Galactica, Outlander) had replaced the show's previous producers Rafe Judkins, Hawk Ostby and Mark Fergus as showrunner.

Far Cry TV Series

Release Date: TBA on FX and Hulu

Noah Hawley (Alien: Earth, Fargo, Legion) will be turning Far Cry into a TV series for FX and Hulu, along with It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob Mac (aka Rob McElhenney). Mac will also star in the series, which is in early days at the moment but is sure to be a major push for FX considering how much attention Alien: Earth received. Each season of the show will focus on a new setting, similar to the games.

Elden Ring

Release Date: TBA

A live-action Elden Ring movie is in the works from Ex Machina's Alex Garland, who will be directing and writing the movie. George R.R. Martin is on board as a producer. For those worried, Garland put together a 160-page draft script with 40 extra pages of images to convince Bandai Namco and FromSoftware to lead this project.

Call of Duty

Release Date: TBA

Activision and Paramount Pictures announced that Yellowstone creator Tyler Sheridan and Lone Survivor's Peter Berg are on board to lead the upcoming Call of Duty movie. Sheridan will write and produce and Berg will write, direct, and produce.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

Release Date: TBA

Even before Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was out, it was confirmed the game would be getting a film adaptation. Developer Sandfall Interactive has partnered with Story Kitchen to bring this to life, but we don't know much else at this point.

Mass Effect

Release Date: TBA on Prime Video

A Mass Effect movie adaptation was in the works at least as far back as 2010, though it never wound up happening.

In December, 2021, however, it was reported that Amazon was working on a deal to adapt the game as a TV series. It once again took a while, but in November 2024, it was confirmed that Amazon MGM studios had begun development on the TV version. Daniel Casey (10 Cloverfield Lane) will write and executive produce the show, while other producers include EA/BioWare's Michael Gamble, who's leading development on the next Mass Effect game, and Avi Arad, who was part of that initial movie announcement all those years back.

Ghost of Tsushima

Release Date: TBA

Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions are developing a film adaptation of Ghost of Tsushima that will be helmed by John Wick director Chad Stahelski. We don’t know much about the project that is set to adapt the story of the game, but Stahelski has confirmed he wants the movie language and cast to be Japanese.

Stahelski also mentioned he is looking at ways to "expand further" into sequels and TV. So, expect a lot of Ghost of Tsushima in the future!

Ghost of Tsushima Anime

Release Date: 2027

A Ghost of Tsushima anime is on the way from Sony and Aniplex and it is set to launch exclusively on Crunchyroll in 2027. Instead of adapting the main game, this anime will instead focus on the Legends co-op multiplayer portion that was added post-launch.

Horizon Zero Dawn Movie and TV Show

Release Date: TBA

Horizon Zero Dawn has had both a movie and a TV show in the works, but the TV show has had a bit of a rocky road. In July 2024, it was reported that the series was no longer moving forward at Netflix. It may show up again in the future, but it wasn't a great sign.

As for the movie, Sony announced at CES 2025 that a big-screen adaptation of Aloy's adventure is currently very early in production. A recent report said the movie is planning on filming in 2026 and releasing at some point in 2027.

Live-Action Tomb Raider (Sophie Turner Series)

Release Date: TBA

Phoebe Waller-Bridge's live-action Tomb Raider series for Amazon Prime Video is back after appearing to be dead, and it will in fact star Sophie Turner as the legendary Lara Croft. Production will begin in January 2026 and Chad Hodge has signed on as co-showrunner alongside Jonathan van Tulleken as director and executive producer.

Beyond: Two Souls

Release Date: TBA

PlayStation and Quantic Dream’s Beyond: Two Souls could be getting a TV series from original star Elliot Page. Reports indicate that Page’s Pageboy Productions has acquired the rights tor the project, which is said to be in early development.

Helldivers 2

Release Date: TBA

At CES 2025, Sony announced that the wildly successful Helldivers 2 would be adapted into a major motion picture from Sony Productions and Sony Pictures.

The Sims

Release Date: TBA

EA's long-running life simulation series The Sims is getting the big-screen treatment from Loki season 1 director Kate Heron and Margot Robbie's production company Lucky Chap. We have yet to learn anything else about the project, but it should be welcome news for fans nonetheless.

Riders Republic

Release Date: TBA

Ubisoft's extreme sports game Riders Republic is getting a film adaptation from Bad Boys for Life's Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. Ubisoft said it is "poised to be an electrifying action movie, delivering non-stop thrills, humor, and spectacular stunts on the snowy slopes of the Alps."

Gears of War Movie and Animated Series

Release Date: TBA

Netflix has partnered with The Coalition to develop a Gears of War live-action movie and an adult animated series. The movie will arrive first and, if these projects do well, there is “potential for more stories to follow!”

In March 2023, it was announced that the Gears of War movie will be written by Dune and Doctor Strange's Jon Spaihts.

Sleeping Dogs

Release Date: TBA

MCU star Simu Liu got fans excited when he said he was working with the rights holders to bring Sleeping Dogs to the big screen, and it turns out he is actually set to produce the film and play the lead role of Wei Shen.

Death Stranding

Release Date: TBA

Hideo Kojima's Kojima Productions has partnered with A24 to adapt Death Stranding into a live-action feature film.

"The film promises to delve into the mysteries surrounding the apocalyptic event called the 'Death Stranding', which blurred the lines between life and death, and brought forth nightmarish creatures into a world on the brink of collapse," the official synopsis reads. It was also confirmed it will "tell a story you haven't seen in that world."

Death Stranding: Mosquito

Release Date: TBA

A new animated film called Death Stranding: Mosquito is on its way and it's, according to Kojima and animation director Hiroshi Miyamoto, follows the story of a guy who sucks.

Days Gone

Release Date: TBA

PlayStation Productions is reportedly developing a film based on Days Gone with X-Men: First Class story developer Sheldon Turner. The producers are said to be eyeing Outlander star Sam Heughan to play Deacon St. John.

Dredge

Release Date: TBA

Dredge, the part creature collector and part eerie horror Lovecraftian fishing game, will be getting a big screen adaptation from Story Kitchen. The media company wants fans to think of this film as "The Sixth Sense on the water. A grounded atmospheric cosmic horror blend of HP Lovecraft and Ernest Hemingway."

Overcooked Reality TV Show

Release Date: TBA

A24 and Netflix will be bringing us a reality TV show based on the chaotic cooking game known as Overcooked. It is said to be an unscripted format show like Nailed It! and Floor Is Lava, and the kitchen will have crazy obstacles pop up to impede the chef's progress in crafting the perfect meal.

Pokemon: Detective Pikachu 2

Release Date: TBA

Legendary Pictures announced a sequel to Detective Pikachu in January 2019, two months before the original hit theaters. 22 Jump Street's Oren Uziel wrote a draft of the screenplay, and in 2023 it was revealed that Jonathan Krisel is directing and Chris Galletta is the latest writer to take on the follow-up.

Stray

Release Date: TBA

Annapurna has confirmed that a Stray animated movie is in development, and it comes from the studios new animated division that is led by former Disney Animation executives Robert Baird and Andrew Millstein.

BioShock

Release Date: TBA

There's always a lighthouse, and apparently there's always a BioShock adaptation in the works. After a previous attempt to bring the beloved first-person shooter to film form fell apart at Universal years ago, Netflix and Take-Two announced in early 2022 that a BioShock film adaptation is in the works for the streaming service. Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence is on-board to direct the film and Logan and Blade Runner 2049 writer Michael Green will pen the script for the story that will be “really true to the game itself.”

In October 2023, it was confirmed the was still in the writing stage but that the team was very optimistic about how the project was going, and in July 2024 producer Roy Lee said the film was still in the works but with a reduced budget.

El Paso, Elsewhere

Release Date: TBA

Strange Scaffold's third-person neo-noir shooter, El Paso, Elsewhere, is getting the big screen treatment, and LaKeith Stanfield is said to be in talks to star and produce the project alongside Lorenzo di Bonaventura's Di Bonaventura Pictures and Colin Stark. The film would follow protagonist James Savage as he navigates a monster-filled world and tries to stop his vicious ex-girlfriend and the demons he is battling inside.

Split Fiction

Release Date: TBA

Earlier this year, Story Kitchen was in the process of gathering a team together to work on an adaptation of Hazelight Studios' Split Fiction. Reports say Sydney Sweeney may star in the film, Wicked director Jon M. Chu will direct, and Deadpool and Wolverine's screenwriter Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are also on board.

Watch Dogs

Release Date: TBA

Ubisoft's Watch Dogs film began filming in 2024, more than a decade after it was first announced. We haven't heard much more since then.

Assassin's Creed TV Series

Release Date: TBA on Netflix

Netflix has announced that it will produce a live-action Assassin's Creed series, executive produced by Ubisoft's Jason Altman and Danielle Kreinik, which will be the first of multiple new projects. The live-action series will be an "epic, genre-bending live action adaptation." The collaboration will "tap into the iconic video game’s trove of dynamic stories" to create live-action, animated and anime series.

Unfortunately, the series lost Die Hard writer Jeb Stuart back in January 2023.

Splinter Cell Movie and Splinter Cell: Deathwatch TV Series

Release Date: Presumed Cancelled for the Movie, TBA for the Series

Back in 2012, it was reported that Tom Hardy was going to be starring as Fisher in a film adaptation of Splinter Cell, but we haven't heard any meaningful updates since around 2015 when Hardy said filming would begin in early 2016. As for the show, in 2021 Netflix gave a first look at what the animated series adaptation would look like. It's titled Splinter Cell: Deathwatch and Liev Schreiber will reportedly voice Sam Fisher.

Which of these video game movie or TV show adaptations are you most looking forward to? Let's discuss in the comments!

Note: This story was updated on 12/23/2025. It was originally posted on 10/21/2021.

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There are a bunch of big Star Wars projects in the works, like the Jon Favreau-directed The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, the confirmation of Ahsoka: Season 2, and a new Star Wars movie starring Ryan Gosling and directed by Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy. It's clear that there are still plenty of stories to tell in a galaxy far, far away.

From scoundrels to Jedi masters to bounty hunters, we've cooked up a list featuring all the upcoming Star Wars TV shows and movies. While some are locked and others are just industry reports that haven't been confirmed by Disney, one thing's for sure - there are passionate plans in the works to give us a lot more of Star Wars, whether it's a story centered on beloved characters or an entirely new cosmic adventure.

Click right through the scruffy-looking slideshow below to see what's coming, and a couple of "maybes" too...

What Are the Next Star Wars Movies and TV Shows Coming Out? 2026 Release Dates

For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows:

• Jon Favreau's The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie (May 22, 2026)
• Maul: Shadow Lord Series (2026)
• Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi (2026)
• Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027)
• Star Wars: Ahsoka Season 2 (In Development)
• Taika Waititi's Star Wars Movie (In Development)
• James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi Movie (In Development)
• Dave Filoni's Mando-Verse New Republic Movie (In Development)
• Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order Movie (In Development)
• Simon Kinberg's Star Wars Trilogy (In Development)
• Carlton & Nick Cuse's Star Wars Series (In Development)
• Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Movie (Status Unknown)
• The Mandalorian: Season 4 / The Book of Boba Fett: Season 2 (Status Unknown)
• Star Wars: Lando Movie (Status Unknown)
• Star Wars: Rangers of the New Republic TV Series (Presumed Canceled)
• Untitled J.D. Dillard/Matt Owens Movie (Presumed Canceled)
• Rian Johnson's Star Wars Trilogy (Presumed Canceled)
• Kevin Feige's Star Wars Movie (Canceled)
• David Benioff & DB Weiss' Star Wars Movies (Canceled)

Here are the Star Wars projects that are closest to becoming a reality (or at least appear to be) at the moment...

The Mandalorian & Grogu Movie (May 22, 2026)

Lucasfilm turned heads with the announcement of a Mandalorian spinoff movie separate from Filoni's Mando-Verse New Republic crossover film. Dubbed The Mandalorian & Grogu, this film will be helmed by The Mandalorian co-creator Jon Favreau. It's assumed the movie is taking the place of The Mandalorian: Season 4.

Filming wrapped at the end of 2024, meaning this will wind up being the first Star Wars project to hit the big screen since 2019's The Rise of Skywalker. The Mandalorian & Grogu has a May 22, 2026 release date.

Maul: Shadow Lord Series (2026)

The Star Wars franchise will remain in the post-Clone Wars, pre-A New Hope era for its next animated series, which focuses on the former Darth Maul as he seeks to rebuild his criminal empire in the age of the Empire. Lucasfilm teases the series will showcase Maul "plotting to rebuild his criminal syndicate on a planet untouched by the Empire." Sam Witwer will reprise his role as Maul. Look for it to debut on Disney+ in 2026.

Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi (2026)

The animated anthology series Star Wars: Visions is getting a miniseries spinoff called Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi. As the title suggests, this series will be a continuation of Production I.G.’s “The Ninth Jedi” shorts from Visions Season 1 and 3. It’s a natural choice, as there’s clearly far more story left to tell in this bleak yet adventurous take on the Star Wars mythos.

Star Wars: Starfighter (May 28, 2027)

The next Star Wars movie hitting theaters after The Mandalorian and Grogu is Star Wars: Starfighter, directed by Deadpool & Wolverine's Shawn Levy and starring the Driver himself, Ryan Gosling. The film is set roughly five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker, putting it further down the Star Wars timeline than any movie or show to date.

There are few details on what the film would be about, but Levy has been developing the project with scripter Jonathan Tropper since 2022. Tropper previously worked with the director on This Is Where I Leave You and The Adam Project. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the prospective movie would be unrelated to the Skywalker Saga and would be a standalone story.

Star Wars: Ahsoka Season 2 (In Development)

When Ahsoka: Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger, it was unclear whether those loose ends would be picked up in a second season or feed directly into Dave Filoni's Mando-verse movie. But Lucasfilm has now confirmed Ahsoka: Season 2. There's no release window yet, though the series likely won't return before late 2025 at the soonest.

Taika Waititi's Star Wars Movie (In Development)

Disney has confirmed that Thor: Ragnarok's Taika Waititi has been tapped to direct a live-action Star Wars movie. Waititi is also co-writing the film alongside 1917's Krysty Wilson-Cairns. Nothing else is known about the film yet, including when it's set in the Star Wars timeline or what release date it'll end up claiming. In 2021 Waititi revealed he's cracked the story for his movie, but the actual script is still in its early stages. In May, 2022, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said that this would be the next Star Wars film released, while in March, 2023, Variety reported that this could be the project that snaps up the currently empty December, 2025, release date on Lucasfilm's slate. In February, 2025, however, Kennedy confirmed that she still hasn't seen a finished script from Waititi, saying “if we ever do get a script from Taika, it’s going to be fantastic.”

James Mangold's Dawn of the Jedi Movie (In Development)

At Star Wars Celebration 2023, we learned that Logan director James Mangold is directing a movie about the very first Jedi Knights. Little is known about the movie, other than that it's set roughly 25,000 years before the other films and will be "biblical" in scope.

Dave Filoni's Mando-Verse New Republic Movie (In Development)

Dave Filoni will make the jump from Star Wars shows to the big screen. Filoni is directing a movie set after the events of Return of the Jedi. The film is said to tie together shows like The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy's New Jedi Order Movie (In Development)

Ms. Marvel's Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is directing the first Star Wars film set after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Daisy Ridley will return to reprise the role of Rey Skywalker, with the film focusing on Rey's efforts to rebuild the Jedi after the final battle with Emperor Palpatine. It's expected that other actors from the Sequel Trilogy will also return.

At various points in its development, Damon Lindelof and Justin Britt-Gibson, and then Steven Knight, were attached to write the film. However, all have since left the project. Still, reports indicate that Rey as a character is still a major priority at Disney. In January, 2025, George Nolfi (The Bourne Ultimatum) was the latest writer hired to script the film.

Simon Kinberg's Star Wars Trilogy (In Development)

Deadline reports that X-Men producer (and Star Wars Rebels co-creator) Simon Kinberg has been tapped to oversee a brand-new trilogy of Star Wars films. Kinberg will write the trilogy and produce alongside Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy. Deadline's sources give conflicting reports as to what the trilogy will actually be about, though. It may be a direct continuation of the Skywalker Saga, effectively making Kinberg the architect of Episodes X through XII. However, others claim the trilogy will focus on a new storyline, coexisting alongside other in-development projects by James Mangold, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Dave Filoni. IGN has since confirmed that the latter is the case.

Carlton & Nick Cuse's Star Wars Series (In Development)

Variety reports that Lost co-showrunner Carlton Cuse is developing a streaming Star Wars series with his son, Watchmen and The Leftovers writer Nick Cuse. That's virtually all we know about this mysterious project, as there's no word on the plot, timeline, characters, or other story details yet.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron (Status Unknown)

Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins was given the reins of a Star Wars theatrical film, which was originally slated to hit theaters in Christmas of 2023. Kathleen Kennedy teased, "This story will introduce a new generation of starfighter pilots as they earn their wings and risk their lives in a boundary-pushing, high-speed thrill ride. The legend of Rogue Squadron has been long beloved by Star Wars fans, and will move us into a future era of the galaxy."

However, as of November 2021 the film was no longer on the production schedule while Jenkins reportedly focused on Wonder Woman 3 (which has since been cancelled). Industry insider Matthew Belloni reported the film was the latest in a long line of Star Wars projects hampered by "creative differences." And in March of 2023, Variety reported that a source has stated that the film is no longer in active development. In April of that year, Kennedy told IGN the following: "Rogue Squadron, that definitely is something that we still talk about. Whether it's a movie, or whether it ends up being in the series space, that's definitely something."

The Mandalorian: Season 4 / The Book of Boba Fett: Season 2 (Status Unknown)

There's currently no word on a fourth season of The Mandalorian or a second season of The Book of Boba Fett. The announcement of The Mandalorian & Grogu may mean the former series has ended its small-screen run, and we're not holding our breath for more The Book of Boba Fett at this point.

Star Wars: Lando Movie (Status Unknown)

While Lucasfilm seems to have no plans for a sequel to 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story, Donald Glover's Lando Calrissian was supposed to get his own live-action series at one point. The project was announced in December 2020, and was being developed by Dear White People's Justin Simien. However, Simien eventually departed the project, with Glover and his brother Stephen Glover taking over as writers. And in the fall of 2023 Stephen revealed that Lando is now expected to take shape as a movie rather than a show.

Amidst a series of major delays at Disney, the release dates for the next two Star Wars movies now stand at May 22, 2026 (The Mandalorian & Grogu) and December 17, 2027 (title unknown). Additionally, a Star Wars title originally planned for December 18, 2026, was replaced by Ice Age 6 in November 2024.

Lucasfilm has also said there are several unannounced films in development. What could they be? Only time... and the Force... will tell.

Which Star Wars project are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments!

Star Wars Movies and TV Shows Released in 2024

• The Bad Batch Season 3 (February 21, 2024)
• Tales of the Empire (May 4, 2024)
• The Acolyte (June 4, 2024)
• Skeleton Crew (December 2, 2024)

Note: This story was updated on 12/23/2025. It was originally posted on 7/29/2021.

Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

It might be hard to keep Marvel's upcoming movie and TV slate straight -- it's a lot to absorb, we know, but the biggest news in recent memory is surely that Robert Downey, Jr. himself is returning to the MCU. No, not as Tony Stark, but rather as one of the most anticipated Marvel villains -- Doctor Doom!

How the former Iron Man could now be the Fantastic Four's greatest villain remains unclear at the moment, but we do know that he will be the centerpiece of the next Avengers movie: Avengers: Doomsday, which will apparently bring together the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, and even the X-Men (plus a bunch of other folks!).

Until we know more, all we can do is watch our newsfeeds and wait, and hope, and speculate about what's next for Marvel. Hey, that's how it works for us nerds! We've done our best to wrangle and rein in all of the many MCU movie and TV shows that are in the works in one easy place for you to reference and learn about what's next. From the movies to the Disney+ shows, here's a quick rundown of everything on the MCU horizon.

Come join us in the Multiverse and click on through the slideshow below for a glimpse (or read on for more)...

Marvel Phase 6 Movies/TV Shows and Beyond: 2026 Release Dates

For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming Marvel movies and shows:

• Wonder Man (January 27, 2026)
• Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (March 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)
• Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)
• X-Men '97: Season 2 (Summer 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)
• Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: Season 2 (Fall 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)
• Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)
• Vision Quest TV Series (2026)
• The Punisher Marvel TV Special (2026)
• Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027)
• Blade (Date TBD)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 2 (Date TBD)
• Armor Wars (Date TBD)

Here are some of the most definite Marvel movies and shows in the MCU's Multiverse Saga that are currently in the works...

Wonder Man (January 27, 2026)

Destin Daniel Cretton will executive-produce a Wonder Man series for Disney+, with Andrew Guest (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community, 30 Rock) serving as head writer. Wonder Man's real name is Simon Williams, and he has close ties to the Avengers and Vision in the comics. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Aquaman, Watchmen) will play the title character, while Sir Ben Kingsley will reprise his role as Trevor Slattery.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 (March 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)

Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 began production in New York City in February, 2025, right before the debut of Season 1. Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio continue their roles as Daredevil/Matt Murodock and Kingpin/Wilson Fisk, respectively, as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen continues to deal with the fallout of Season 1, including a major Daredevil character death and Fisk's ascension to mayor of New York City.

Executive producer Brad Winderbaum confirmed with IGN that Season 3 has also been greenlit. Production on Season 3 will begin in 2026, with the episodes likely hitting Disney+ in either 2027 or 2028. There's no word yet on whether Season 3 will continue the Mayor Fisk storyline or move in a different direction.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day (July 31, 2026)

Tom Holland confirmed he's donning the red and blue tights once again for a fourth live-action Spider-Man movie set in the MCU. The sequel will begin filming in Summer 2025 for a July 2026 release. Shang-Chi's Destin Daniel Cretton is directing this time around. We don't know much about the plot of the fourth movie yet, though Holland teased that the latest script "really lit a fire in me."

As for future solo films, during Spider-Man: No Way Home's press tour, producer Amy Pascal said that the thinking is that there will be at least three more Spider-Man films starring Tom Holland. It should be noted, however, that has not yet been confirmed by Sony or Marvel.

X-Men '97: Season 2 (Summer 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)

The first season of X-Men '97, the revival of the original X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s, continued right where that storyline left off. Original voice actors from the first show returned to their characters, including Wolverine's Cal Dodd, Rogue's Lenore Zann, Beast's George Buza, and more. The show was well-received by fans and will be back for at least two more seasons.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man: Season 2 (Fall 2026) & Season 3 (Date TBD)

With Season 1 concluding in February, 2025, after featuring the likes of Charlie Cox's Daredevil, Dr. Octavius, Chameleon, Speed Demon, Scorpion, Butane the Pyromaniac, Harry Osborn, Amadeus Cho, and many other familiar faces, a second and third season of the show have been confirmed to be in the works.

Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026)

The particulars of this film were in flux after Marvel has parted ways with Jonathan Majors in the wake of his being found guilty of assault and harassment. Will his character, Kang the Conqueror, continue to appear in the MCU in some way? It seems unlikely. Originally called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, we learned at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 that the next Avengers film is now called Avengers: Doomsday, and it will feature the return of Robert Downey, Jr. himself as Doctor Doom (somehow)! Avengers: Secret Wars will bring an end to The Multiverse Saga and Phase 6 of the MCU a year later.

In March 2025, Marvel revealed the full Doomsday cast via a livestream, with surprises including Channing Tatum's Gambit and a number of other fan-favorite X-Men. Following Marvel's latest delay, Avengers 5 will be released in theaters on December 18, 2026.

Vision Quest TV Series (2026)

Deadline reported in October, 2022, that a WandaVision spin-off called Vision Quest was in the works with a writers room opening up. The possibility of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) showing up on the Vision show was not ruled out in the report. Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas will oversee the Paul Bettany-led series, which is now expected to release in 2026.

The Punisher Marvel TV Special (2026)

Jon Bernthal's Punisher has been introduced to the MCU proper as part of Daredevil: Born Again, but that won't be the last time we see him. Marvel is currently developing a standalone special featuring the character, in the vein of the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Werewolf By Night. Bernthal is writing the special alongside We Own This City's Reinaldo Marcus Green.

Avengers: Secret Wars (December 17, 2027)

Avengers: Secret Wars will mark the end of both Phase 6 of the MCU and the entire Multiverse Saga that encompasses Phases 4, 5, and 6. It will arrive almost exactly a year after Avengers: Doomsday on December 17, 2027. It will also be the big screen adaptation of the beloved Secret Wars comic run that saw the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men team up to stop an unimaginable threat.

Blade (Date TBD)

Blade will be returning to the big screen, starring Mahershala Ali... or at least we hope he will. The thing is, besides a quick voice cameo in Eternals, we have yet to learn anything more about Ali's Blade. Marvel originally revealed a November 3, 2023 release date at SDCC 2022. Since then, however, the film has pushed back to February 14, 2025, as production reportedly halted due to Ali's dissatisfaction with the script and the departure of director Bassam Tariq. The date then shifted to November 7, 2025, and most recently the film was reported to be taken off the release calendar. But Marvel boss Kevin Feige says they're still working on the film, which after some back and forth, will now be set in the modern-day.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 2 (Date TBD)

At one point, Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed the first film, was said to be returning to write and direct Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 2. "We're in very early stages of brainstorming and figuring out what direction we want to go," he told IGN back in 2021. "But yeah, we'll be kind of simultaneously working on a lot of these things from now until we start shooting."

The thing is, the filmmaker eventually got the gig to direct Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which obviously took priority over Shang-Chi. Still, Shang-Chi will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, so another solo film is certainly still possible.

Armor Wars (Date TBD)

Don Cheadle could be back as James Rhodes -- War Machine -- for Armor Wars, which was originally designed to be a TV series on Disney+. The project was initially described as "a classic Marvel story about Tony Stark’s worst fear coming true: what happens when his tech falls into the wrong hands?" However, in September of 2022, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the project was being reshaped into a movie rather than a TV series. We haven't heard much about it since then, so it's possible this is one that winds up never coming together now that Disney and Marvel are easing back on how many MCU films and shows they make.

Marvel Movies and TV Shows Released in 2024

• Echo (January 9, 2024)
• Deadpool & Wolverine (July 26, 2024)
• Agatha All Along (September 18, 2024)
• What If...? Season 3 (December 22, 2024)

Note: This story was updated on 12/23/2025. It was originally posted on 7/29/2021.

With the rise of hybrid and portable consoles like Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam Deck, there has never been more demand from players to take their games wherever they are. While traditional consoles like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are still as popular as ever, Sony has come out with a portable device in recent years - the PlayStation Portal.

Equipped with an 8" 1080p display and a full gamepad with DualSense features, this is the ultimate device for any PS5 owner. Just ahead of Christmas, you can save 10% off the PlayStation Portal, which is one of the best last-minute gifts you can score this year for any gamer.

PlayStation Portal for $179.99

Paramount has ditched plans for a theatrical release of The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender in favor of an exclusive launch on streaming platform Paramount+.

The much-anticipated animated movie was due out in theaters on October 9, 2026. Paramount has now set Paramount+ as the exclusive home of Avatar Studios content, which means The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender and original series Avatar: Seven Havens are both coming to the platform.

Avatar fans who were looking forward to seeing the movie in theaters next year are already questioning the decision, which comes as a surprise in the context of huge box office success for anime films in 2025. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, for example, has grossed an incredible $774 million at the global box office.

Meanwhile, Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Dee Bradley Baker, Freida Pinto, and Ke Huy Quan join the previously announced cast of The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender, which includes previously announced Dave Bautista (a so-far unannounced villain), Eric Nam (Aang), Jessica Matten (Katara), Dionne Quan (Toph), Román Zaragoza (Sokka), and Steven Yeun. Yeun, of The Walking Dead and Invincible fame, plays Zuko.

Here’s the official blurb on The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender:

Avatar Aang, the world's last Airbender, learns of an ancient power that could save his culture from extinction. With the help of his friends, he embarks on a global quest to find it before it falls into the wrong hands and threatens to upend the peace they sacrificed everything to achieve.

And here’s the official blurb on Avatar: Seven Havens:

Set in a world shattered by a devastating cataclysm, a young Earthbender discovers she's the new Avatar after Korra — but in this dangerous era, that title marks her as humanity's destroyer, not its savior. Hunted by both human and spirit enemies, she and her long-lost twin must uncover their mysterious origins and save the Seven Havens before civilization's last strongholds collapse.

Avatar: Seven Havens consists of Book 1 (13 half-hour episodes) and Book 2 (13 half-hour episodes). Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko serve as co-creators and executive producers. We got our first image of the show at SDCC 2025, where Konietzko confirmed plot and character details.

The Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise is already hugely popular on Paramount+, where The Legend of Korra and Avatar: The Last Airbender are streaming. The original series ranked among Nielsen's Top 100 most-streamed titles during 17 of 139 weeks since its debut on the platform in March 2023.

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.

It’s no stretch to say I wouldn’t possess the privilege of having this job without Vince Zampella. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare changed the way I played games, interacted with them as part of a community, and made me think deeper about level and mission design than I had up to that point in my life. I was fifteen upon its release in 2007, and, although I had enjoyed playing games throughout my childhood up until then, nothing had a stranglehold on me quite like the rhythmic nature of the original Modern Warfare’s multiplayer. For hours on end, I’d run around the tight hallways of Vacant’s disused office block with a shotgun or sit cowardly waiting at one end of Crossfire, hoping someone ran across my sniper-scoped view. You see, I had also been firmly rooted in single-player until now, growing up on a mixture of point and click adventures and Grand Theft Auto (at far too early an age), but it was COD 4 that opened my eyes to this whole other side of gaming that I have grown to love in the years since. Thousands of hours of my life have now been lost to Call of Duty, Rainbow Six Siege, and Overwatch, and I have Vince Zampella to thank for that.

Of course, no one man makes a game of the scale of Call of Duty by themselves, but there’s no denying the impact that Zampella had on that particular series and the shooter genre in general over the past two decades. Long before Modern Warfare, unbeknownst to me, he had been shaping my video game tastes for years. A lead designer of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, he helmed EA’s signature WW2 shooter at a time when cinematic aspirations were a relatively new idea in the medium. Taking cues from Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, I’ll never forget the first time I played through its phenomenal Normandy landing sequence on Omaha Beach and how it evokes the terror of that scenario to full effect.

That philosophy would then be translated to the series with which Zampella will always be synonymous: Call of Duty (which, in Zampella’s own hilariously blunt words, only exists because “EA were dicks”). Its early entries were fantastic, with 2 being a particular favourite of mine back in 2005. I’d always had a fascination with this period in time, with my dad subjecting me to many, many WW2 films as a child — The Great Escape, The Longest Day, The Dambusters, A Bridge Too Far. I’d sit down in front of all of them on a Sunday afternoon (at, again, likely far too young an age), so it was only natural that once I reached my teens, I’d want to experience these battles and behind-enemy-lines missions for myself.

I’ll admit, then, that I was sceptical about Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in the run-up to its release. I’m someone who is naturally wary of change, and I was hesitant to trade in my trusty M1 Garand for an M16. I couldn’t have been more wrong, though, as it would almost instantly become my favourite shooter campaign I’ve ever played — with Titanfall 2, a later Zampella project, the only one to run it close. The way it took those movie-like aspirations into the present day was stunning, turning its lens from the likes of those films my father showed me to discoveries of my own, such as Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down and Body of Lies. The way it placed you in the action was unlike anything I’d played up until then, with the exhilarating opening to Crew Expendable and the explosive crescendo of Shock and Awe just two of its many highlights.

And then, of course, there’s All Ghillied Up, which turns each of the campaign’s ideas on its head at its halfway point, in what is still to this day one of video gaming’s most iconic levels. It’s no hyperbole to say that this is one of the missions that opened my eyes to what goes into video game design and what is possible when ideas are taken out of the box and given the freedom to be built upon. It’s such a delicate, balanced piece of work that runs like clockwork, even when you try to mess with its systems, that I couldn’t help but think about how it was constructed. The stealthy crawl for a haunting Pripyat is a masterclass in level design, and credit has to go to Zampella, who was Studio Head at developer Infinity Ward at the time, for encouraging and incubating such creativity.

Modern Warfare’s campaign is a landmark in its own right (among many other achievements, it’s also got one of the most memorable blockbuster sequences in gaming history), but when you also add to it, perhaps the most revolutionary multiplayer shooter pre-Fortnite, a package that would set the stage for a series to take over the world, is born. Call of Duty 4’s multiplayer is the first time I can remember engaging with video games online to a great extent. For my sins, I didn’t own an Xbox at the time, so I was late to the Halo party. Instead, Modern Warfare was my gateway into this world, as I began to hoover up anything I could to get better at the game, and watch clips at a skill level I knew in my heart I could never reach. I’d look up meta builds, which felt like a novelty at the time, and engage with wikis and guides on sites like IGN at a time when I had zero aspirations of one day being someone who would pen words there myself. The simple but effective loop of Modern Warfare’s multiplayer opened my eyes to all of this, with its moreish loop of levelling up guns and unlocking attachments, only to prestige and do it all over again, filling most of my after-school evenings. I simply could not stop playing, and didn’t want to, either.

Zampella’s influence on me would ring on long after his time on Call of Duty was done, though. After forming Respawn, his work on Titanfall saw its 2016 sequel reach, and some would argue maybe even eclipse, the heights of Modern Warfare’s campaign. The fluidity of its movement, the destructive joy of piloting its many mechs, and, of course, the level design of the likes of Effect and Cause and Into the Abyss are all-timers when it comes to single-player shooters. From that universe, Apex Legends would form. Still, my battle royale of choice captures that Titanfall mobility and combines it with a punchiness to its arsenal of weapons that few can match. And then there’s Star Wars. 2023’s Jedi: Survivor is one of my favourite games to come out in recent years, and fulfilled the promise of its original to fantastic effect, making me feel like I was playing a new Star Wars film, much like the original trilogy my dad also used to show me as a kid in between those WW2 epics. Incidentally, I had been floating the idea of replaying Survivor around in my head over the Christmas break. I now know, I definitely will be.

As I said earlier, no one person makes a game of the scale Vince Zampella would be a part of creating by themselves. But there is just no denying the impact that the legendary Call of Duty, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Titanfall, and Star Wars Jedi developer had on video games in the 21st century. Not only a pioneer when it comes to first-person shooters, but his drive to consistently create cinematic experiences is one that has permeated through the medium for decades now. On a personal level, I’m incredibly grateful. Not only because many of these games have been some of my favourites to play throughout my life, but because if it wasn’t for how much more engaged they made me in them, I likely wouldn’t be lucky enough to enjoy writing about them for a living. To Vince, I say thank you. I may never have got to meet you, but I have loved playing the games you helped create greatly, as I know so many millions of others have too.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

Christmas is magical, so buy Magic: The Gathering. Sorry, couldn't think of a better way to open up today's Daily Deals, so there you go. Terrible openers aside, there's some cracking bargains to be had on MTG Universes Beyond and proper, and I've compared pricing on a load of sealed products to make sure you're getting the best price. Additionally, you can see the best MTG gift ideas or more of IGN's gift guides for any last-minute shopping needs.

Here are the best gaming and tech deals available now, AKA the day before Christmas Eve!

TL;DR: Best Deals Today

The sweet spot seems to be getting a product on Amazon that is cheapest or at market value, as you're getting a bargain and should get it delivered before Christmas Day. If you are looking to get some MTG by then, I wouldn't wait around, as this is likely the final day to get something delivered before a round man breaks into your home, eats your food, and leaves you something nice under your tree. Let's get into it:

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MTG Cheapest at Amazon

Seeing MTG: Fallout Commander decks for under market value on Amazon right now is kind of surprising, considering Fallout Season 2 has dropped, but here we are. It's a cracking last-minute bundle for you and three loved ones to play a themed game of Commander.

Want to play Commander at a cheaper price point? The Bloomburrow Commander deck bundle is down to $124.98, which is great value.

If you really want to build out your Commander game, the Commander Masters Set and Draft Booster boxes are below market value right now too, at $447.20 and $366.47, respectively.

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MTG at Market Value on Amazon

Avatar: The Last Airbender Play Booster Box has dropped by $15 from its preorder listing and is in line with current secondary market listings on TCGPlayer. Surprisingly, the Collector Booster Box is also at market value on Amazon too, which is an MTG product that is usually well over the odds at the big box retailer.

MTG Cheapest at TCGPlayer

The crown for the overall best pricing on Magic: The Gathering sealed products however goes to TCGPlayer, that includes preorders for Teenage Mutant Turtles Play Booster Box and Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box.

The Chocobo Bundle is a nice deal at $173.79, which includes a 12-card Chocobo booster pack, a traditional art foil promo card, a borderless Final Fantasy scene card (there's 24 to collect), 32 FF landmark-themed Land cards, click wheel life counter and a Chocobo Edition card box.

Pokémon TCG Price Check

To be fair to Amazon, some of their pricing isn't far off market price, but then again they're being undercut by independent businesses and sellers that will likely have worse rates from distribution than Amazon. Read between the lines there.

So Phantasmal Flames ETB is $79.94 at Amazon, just shy of $4 more than TCGPlayers $76. Mega Evolutions Three Booster Blister is in a similar spot on Amazon right now too, $29.54 compared to $28.93 on TCGPlayer. But if you're after Mega Evolutions Boosters, i'd suggest going on TCGPlayer and buying single sleeved ones for $8.70 each instead.

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A lot is changing for DC's lineup of movies and shows in the years ahead. James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-CEOs of DC Studios, have a strategy for a more cohesive and interconnected lineup of content moving forward. It all starts with Chapter 1, dubbed "Gods and Monsters."

It can be very difficult to keep track of all the big changes at DC these days. And Gunn is always dropping updates and news it seems, including the surprise reveal of his Superman follow-up Man of Tomorrow! That's why we've put together this comprehensive list of everything currently in the works, as well as the major projects that have either been officially canceled or gone dormant.

Come join us in the reborn DC Universe. Click on through the slideshow below for a glimpse or read on for even more details...

What Are the Next DC Movies Coming Out? 2026 Release Dates

For those keeping track, here's the full lineup of upcoming DC movies and TV shows:

• Supergirl (June 26, 2026)
• Clayface (September 11, 2026)
• Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027)
• The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)
• Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (June 30, 2028)
• Lanterns TV Series (Early 2026)
• Mister Miracle Animated Series (In Production)
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold (In Development)
• Creature Commandos Season 2 (In Development)
• The Authority (In Development)
• Swamp Thing (In Development)
• Teen Titans Movie (In Development)
• Bane/Deathstroke Movie (In Development)
• Wonder Woman Movie (In Development)
• Waller TV Series (In Development)
• Booster Gold TV Series (In Development)
• Paradise Lost TV Series (In Development)
• Blue Beetle Animated Series (In Development)
• Harley Quinn and Other Animated Titles (In Development)
• Sgt. Rock (In Development)
• V for Vendetta TV Series (In Development)
• DC Crime TV Series (In Development)
• Constantine 2 (Status Unknown)

Here are some of the most notable projects that are currently in the works:

Supergirl (June 26, 2026)

The new DCU will also have a new Supergirl. Supergirl (previously titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow) is a movie based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely's comic. This Supergirl is one who spent much of her early life living on a fragment of Krypton that was dislodged in the planet's destruction, what Gunn describes as a "horrible situation where she watched everybody around her die." House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock plays Supergirl, and Craig Gillespie (I, Tonya, Cruella) directs the film.

Clayface (September 11, 2026)

A Clayface movie scripted by Mike Flanagan is moving fast at DC. Flanagan (The Haunting of Hill House, Doctor Sleep, etc.) previously voiced a desire to make a Clayface movie as a "horror/thriller/tragedy." However, due to his various TV commitments, he won't direct the film, with Speak No Evil's James Watkins expected to direct for a Fall, 2026, release. Tom Rhys Harries stars as the titular villain. Safran and Gunn promise a body horror picture that is R-rated as well.

Given Deadline's previous report that Clayface is one of the major villains debuting in The Batman Part II, and the fact that the Clayface movie is being produced by Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris' 6th & Idaho Productions, it had been assumed that this movie would be set in The Batman universe rather than the DCU. But Gunn has since said that it is in fact unrelated to The Batman Epic Crime Saga and is definitely part of the DCU. Presumably, those earlier reports of the character being in The Batman Part II will wind up not panning out at this point.

Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027)

We've known for a while that James Gunn is working on his first post-Superman movie in the DCU, but it seems like he won't be venturing too far from the beaten path. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav revealed on an investor call, "We're thrilled to share that James Gunn is already writing and preparing to direct the next installment within the 'Super-Family.'" Previously, Gunn told EW that his next project isn't exactly Superman 2, saying, "Is it a straight-up Superman sequel? I would not say necessarily."

Gunn surprised DC fans by tweeting out the title and release date of the film. Man of Tomorrow will hit theaters on July 9, 2027, almost exactly two years after Superman's release. The accompanying Jim Lee artwork suggests the film will focus on an alliance between David Corenswet's Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, as the two confront a common enemy (Brainiac? General Zod? Doomsday?). We wouldn't be at all surprised if the film also stars Milly Alcock's Supergirl, along with potentially other members of the Superman extended family (Steel? Superboy? Mon-El?).

The Batman Part II (October 1, 2027)

Of course The Batman Part II is in the works with Matt Reeves returning to write and direct and Robert Pattinson putting on the cape, cowl, and eyeliner (!) again as the Dark Knight Detective. The film is confirmed to have survived the recent turmoil at Warner Bros. Discovery, and Reeves has even signed a multi-year first-look deal with the studio. There's no word yet on what it will be about, so begin your Joker speculation now. The release date of the film has been pushed a couple of times now, first from October 2025 to October 2026, and then to October 2027. Filming is expected to begin in Spring 2026.

James Gunn has also confirmed that Pattinson will not be the DCU's version of Batman.

Dynamic Duo (Animated Robin Origin Movie) (June 30, 2028)

According to James Gunn, Dynamic Duo will tell the origin story of not one but two Robins -- Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. The film will be directed by Arthur Mintz, who's making the picture with his new animation studio Swaybox using a mix of animation, puppetry, CGI, and live-action performance. Huh.

Lanterns TV Series (Early 2026)

We're finally getting that oft-promised Green Lantern show. Lanterns is a high-concept detective drama in the vein of True Detective that revolves around Hal Jordan and John Stewart. Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) has been cast as Hal and Aaron Pierre (The Underground Railroad) has been cast as John.

Mister Miracle Animated Series (In Production)

Mister Miracle is the second animated series to be produced under the DC Studios banner, following 2024's Creature Commandos. The series will be helmed by showrunner and producer Tom King, who previously penned 2017's Mister Miracle comic. The animated series looks to be directly based on that comic, which deals with Scott Free's attempts to make sense of his reality during a destructive war between Apokolips and New Genesis.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold (In Development)

DC has confirmed that we'll have two cinematic versions of Batman going forward, as the DCU will get its own Dark Knight alongside the standalone movies of Matt Reeves' The Batman series. The Brave and the Bold looks to deal with the full Bat-family, centering specifically on Bruce Wayne's 10-year-old son Damian. The movie will draw heavily from Grant Morrison's Batman comics. It is unclear how the film will connect to the events of The Flash movie, if at all (probably not?), but that film's director, Andy Muschietti, was at one point confirmed to be directing The Brave and the Bold.

More recently, it seems that Gunn and Safran have put some distance between the project and Muschietti, with Gunn taking point on it. “Everybody knows I love Batman and it’s important to me so I’m working very closely with the writer on Brave and the Bold,” he told a group of reporters in February, 2025. Once the script is completed (it is not currently known who the writer is), Gunn and Safran said they will take it to Muschietti "and see if it's a fit for him."

Creature Commandos Season 2 (In Development)

James Gunn's latest band of misfit superheroes, the Creature Commandos, kicked off the new DCU with the first season of their animated series on Max, and a Season 2 is already in the planning stages. What the new version of the team will look like remains to be seen, though the Creature Commandos Season 1 finale did give us some hints...

The Authority (In Development)

DC's anti-Justice League were a big part of the initial announcement line-up that Gunn and Safran made back in 2023, but it seems like the project has been a tougher script to crack than they expected. The Authority is a group of powerful heroes who take a far more proactive approach to meting out justice, but Gunn said in February, 2025, that it's been “the one that's been the hardest, both because of the shifting overall story and because of getting it right in a world with The Boys and a world with all the things that The Authority influenced that came out after it.” The project is now on the “back burner,” he says.

Swamp Thing (In Development)

Swamp Thing may not have found much success on the short-lived DC Universe app, but DC was betting big on this lumbering monster for their new cinematic universe when they announced their plans for the new movie slate in 2023. The Swamp Thing movie was to explore the dark origins of Alec Holland's monstrous alter ego, with Logan and Indiana Jones 5 director James Mangold writing the script for the film.

However, more recently Gunn and Safran have said that Swamp Thing hasn't had much movement as Mangold was working on his Bob Dylan movie, A Complete Unknown. "We hope that he'll come back to Swamp Thing when he's ready, because again, that was one of those ones that we love him as a filmmaker, so we're happy to wait for him," said Safran. Gunn added that the main reason they pursued the project was because "James came to us with it, frankly."

Teen Titans Movie (In Development)

The Teen Titans are returning to live-action following the conclusion of Max's Titans series. As reported by THR, a new Teen Titans movie is in the works, with the screenplay being penned by Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow writer Ana Nogueira. It's unknown whether the movie is meant to be part of the DCU or a standalone project.

Bane/Deathstroke Movie (In Development)

The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that DC Studios is developing a villain-centric team-up movie featuring Bane and Deathstroke. The film is being written by Matthew Orton (Captain America: Brave New World). It's unclear whether the project is set in James Gunn's DCU, the world of Matt Reeves' The Batman, or an entirely standalone universe a la Joker.

Wonder Woman Movie (In Development)

Gunn recently confirmed to EW that a new Wonder Woman movie is in the works as part of the DCU, saying, "Wonder Woman's being written right now." The movie is a separate project from the previously announced Paradise Lost series. Presumably, Wonder Woman will reboot the franchise with a new lead actress rather than bring back Gal Gadot's Diana.

Waller TV Series (In Development)

This Peacemaker spin-off is intended to feature Viola Davis reprising the Amanda Waller role, with several other Peacemaker alums also returning. However, the series “has had a couple of setbacks" according to Gunn. Safran added that "Waller has been a bumpy road," so it remains unclear where the series stands at the moment.

Booster Gold TV Series (In Development)

The lovably goofy Booster Gold is getting his own series as part of the new DCU. Booster Gold will explore the character's impostor syndrome as he travels back in time and uses the technology of the future to make himself a present-day superhero.

Paradise Lost TV Series (In Development)

While a new Wonder Woman movie isn't on the immediate horizon, DC is moving forward with a TV series set on the island of Themyscira. Paradise Lost will explore the origins and political intrigue of Diana's home. The series is billed as the DC equivalent of Game of Thrones.

Blue Beetle Animated Series (In Development)

A Blue Beetle animated TV show is reportedly in development. Xolo Maridueña, who played the title hero in the live-action movie, says he'll be back to voice Jaime Reyes for the series.

Harley Quinn and Other Animated Titles (In Development)

Warner Bros. has a variety of animated properties in various stages of development as streaming series (in addition to their never-ending DTV animated movie releases). That includes a fifth season of Harley Quinn which debuted in January, 2025, on Max, a possible ninth season of Teen Titans Go!, a third season of Adult Swim/Max's My Adventures With Superman, Season 2 of Amazon Prime's Batman: Caped Crusader (from Bruce Timm, J. J. Abrams, and Matt Reeves), and upcoming series such as Blue Beetle, My Adventures With Green Lantern (featuring the Jessica Cruz Lantern), DC Super Powers, Starfire, and Mister Miracle.

Sgt. Rock (In Development)

After decades in development hell through various studio regimes and stars attached to it, it seemed like Sgt. Rock was finally coming to the big screen. DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran acknowledged the project was in development with Luca Guadagnino directing. Guadagnino (Queer, Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, Challengers) isn't exactly the first name you'd expect to hear for a Sgt. Rock movie so it made it an even more exciting prospect.

After rumors of Daniel Craig playing the title role in the WWII movie were shot down by Gunn, it was reported that Colin Farrell was cast instead. The project was to shoot in Summer 2025 for a Fall 2026 release but as soon as Sgt. Rock finally came together, the project fell apart. Still, Gunn has said that the film is still in development, though it remains to be seen who would star or direct if it happens.

V for Vendetta TV Series (In Development)

In November of 2025, Variety reported that Pete Jackson (not the Lord of the Rings luminary) is attached to write a TV series adaptation for HBO of Alan Moore and David Lloyd's acclaimed comic about a dystopic near-future where the anarchist known only as V battles the oppresive government. James Gunn and Peter Safran will executive produce the series, among others, if it moves forward beyond the writing stage.

DC Crime TV Series (In Development)

Another potential HBO show that is in early development is this fictional true-crime series which would feature Superman's Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo) "hosting." The DC supervillain Gorilla Grodd would be the focus of the first season (yes, the super-smart, talking gorilla). American Vandal mockumentary experts Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault would write, produce, and serve as showrunners if the prospective show gets the greenlight.

Constantine 2 (Status Unknown)

Keanu Reeves was reportedly going to reprise his iconic DC role at one point. A sequel to 2005's Constantine was in the news in 2022, with Reeves set to star and Francis Lawrence returning as director. The screenplay was being written by Akiva Goldsman, and Goldsman was also producing the film alongside Bad Robot’s J.J. Abrams and Hannah Minghella. Lawrence gave IGN an update on the project when we spoke to him in May 2025 for The Long Walk:

"Constantine 2 is a real thing. It is something that we have been working on and trying to crack and figure things out over the years. And with all the various regime changes and things at Warner Brothers and who has rights to DC characters/Vertigo characters and DC Dark and all that, the character of Constantine has kind of changed hands over the years, which became roadblocks for us. We now are past those roadblocks, and so Keanu and Akiva ... who I did Constantine and I Am Legend with, have an idea, and Akiva is actually writing a script. And I'm really excited about the idea, and Keanu is really excited about the idea, but we've all collaborated on it and he is off writing, and so fingers crossed we can really get that going. I think we're all super excited and this is definitely the closest we've been in the 20 years since the movie came out."

DC Movies and TV Shows That Were Released in 2024

• The Penguin (September 19, 2024)
• Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (September 21, 2024)
• Superman & Lois, Season 4 (October 7, 2024)
• Creature Commandos (December 5, 2024)

Note: This story was updated on 12/23/2025 with the latest DC movie news. It was originally posted on 7/29/2021.

Two iconic characters from Star Trek: The Original Series will appear in the final episode of the fifth and final season of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which actress Rebecca Romijn revealed had wrapped production this week.

Paramount+ announced Tuesday that Thomas Jane will play Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy and Kai Murakami will play Hikaru Sulu in the series finale.

They join Paul Wesley’s James T. Kirk, Ethan Peck’s Mr. Spock, Celia Rose Gooding’s Nyota Uhura, Jess Bush’s Christine Chapel, and Martin Quinn’s Montgomery “Scotty” Scott as the classic lineup of the USS Enterprise crew from The Original Series.

DeForest Kelley and George Takei originated the roles of Dr. McCoy and Mr. Sulu, respectively, while Karl Urban and John Cho played the beloved characters in the Kelvin Timeline films.

007 First light is delayed two months for “further polish,” developer and publisher IO Interactive has announced.

The James Bond adventure video game was due out March 27, 2026, but will now release on May 27, 2026. In a statement published online, IOI said the delay would ensure it was able to deliver “the strongest possible version at launch.”

It’s worth noting that 007 First Light’s new release date is just a day after Grand Theft Auto 6 was due to be released before its latest delay to November 19, 2026. Essentially, IOI has snapped up the release slot left vacant by Rockstar’s behemoth.

007 First Light was thought to have benefited from the GTA 6 delay, coming out at the time just two months before GTA 6’s prior release date. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz from last month, IOI CEO Hakan Abrak was asked about GTA 6 kindly getting out of 007’s way.

“It would be a lie not to say that obviously spring looks really good,” he replied. “I want to say in the same breath that GTA 6 is a welcome thing for the industry. I do believe a lot of gamers who maybe haven't played for a while will get into things again, and generally for the industry as a whole, I think that will be amazing.”

Clearly, GTA 6’s delay has given IOI even more room to breathe, and it’s snapped that extra time up to give 007 First Light the best chance possible of having a strong launch.

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.

Well, Anaconda must not have buns, because I don't want none of what Sony's funny-first reboot is laying down (the youths know who Sir Mix-a-Lot is, right?). Director Tom Gormican follows his Nicolas Cage in-joke-of-a-movie, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, with another meta-filmmaking comedy—but this one’s a ssstinker. It's concept over execution: a tantalizing idea that never seems to evolve past the thought bubble phase. 1997's Anaconda is beloved for its B-movie antics, practical reptilian effects, and a menacing lean into creature-feature violence. Gormican's spoofier update purposely ditches all that in favor of mainstream yucks, getting stuck in that horror-comedy purgatory where neither subgenre flourishes.

In the film, four Buffalo, New York, jamooks stuck living their best "B+" lives decide on a whim to independently reboot Anaconda. Lifetime background actor Griff (Paul Rudd) claims he's miraculously secured the legal rights, teeing up a golden opportunity. His best friend Doug (Jack Black) is a creatively unfulfilled wedding videographer wasting his talents. Their buddy Kenny (Steve Zahn) could use a distraction to help stay sober. Then there's Griff's hometown fling, Claire (Thandiwe Newton), who's newly divorced and ready for a shakeup. All four embark on the mid-life-crisis of a lifetime, heading into Brazil's Amazonian jungle for a three-week shoot—but they soon find themselves in Anaconda, for real.

Unfortunately, Gormican and co-writer Kevin Etten struggle to weave riverboat survival thrills into a Hollywood satire that roasts an industry obsessed with resurrecting intellectual properties. At the film's core is a wholesome message about creating art with the people you love, but subplots about illegal activities and trigger-happy thugs feel shoehorned in as runtime padding. Daniela Melchior flounders as the boat's sketchy captain, Ana Almeida, given how the film would run smoothly without her added baggage. Griff, Doug, Kenny, and Claire wrestle with enough existential depression about unhappiness and self-loathing to keep the central conflicts afloat, while Ana's eventual "moment" sinks and is immediately forgotten.

Laughs are hard to come by as ridiculous gags frequently impair snake-based tension, but the punchlines aren't all duds. Rudd is unsurprisingly charming as a D-lister who has to pull up his big-boy hero pants, while Black… well, I'm a mark for Jack Black doing Jack Black things, and here he's putting all that chaotic energy into a passion for indie filmmaking (although he’s handcuffed by his character’s straight man trappings). As these knuckleheads treat basic screenwriting tools as epiphanies, patting themselves on the back for adding identifiable themes, shades of King Kong (panicked film crew against monsters) or Ed Wood (low-talent filmmaker hijinx) peek out. Catastrophe strikes all the time on a no-budget film set, and the film's consistently funniest as Griff and Doug play fixer on the spot. When Anaconda is about inexperienced goofballs hoping to become the “white Jordan Peele,” driven by blind optimism and boundless enthusiasm, there’s something (fleeting) to enjoy.

But Gormican doesn't have an eye for terror, nor do his action sensibilities dazzle. That's a problem in an Anaconda reboot that starts with Ana speeding on her dirt bike from armed pursuers—a strange, confusingly vague cold open. It's supposed to serve as an introduction to the snake's ferocity but, between the uninspired computer graphics and choppy editing, serves more as a content warning of what's to come. Gormican reuses the same underwater constriction shots every time someone's killed, rapidly succumbing to the boring reality that Anaconda only has one trick in the horror department. No scene slithers under your skin, nor does any gruesomeness happen on camera to appease the PG-13 masses. Sure, the 1997 Anaconda has a rubbery snake prop, but I'd rather that be used than the lifeless pixelation on display.

Even worse, the stodgy comedy stylings of dopey Americans adrift in the Amazon are oftentimes lazy setups with pillowy payoffs. There isn't much thought put into jokes about Kenny's failed sobriety, Doug and Griff's arguing over who's the best driver, or Sony's desire to cash in on Anaconda. Don't get me wrong, Gormican had me howling at a few nostalgic callbacks (one ruined by trailers), and who doesn't love overt Jurassic Park homages, but the bread and butter humor? It's stale and uninspired, driving an even bigger wedge into an already fractured tonal blunder. Everything's comical for a few seconds, but overstays its welcome: Black running with a thought-to-be-dead warthog on his back, Selton Mello's way too passionate snake handler, bash-your-head-in callbacks to the original, even Rudd doing his patented pouty-faced jealousy routine.

Who is this reboot for, frankly? It strays detrimentally far from 1997's Anaconda, making a mockery of the beloved midnighter. It's also uninspiringly dry, leaning on low-hanging fruit in a script that begs for further development. The concept, "what if bozos trying to make Anaconda found themselves in Anaconda," is achieved at face value but hardly at full potential. For such an out-of-bounds idea, everything reads so generic. The potty humor, the "Back in Black" and "Kickstart My Heart" needledrops, the repurposed Hollywood pyrotechnics à la Tropic Thunder—it's all stock material repackaged anew.

Look, not all games can be great. In fact, many of them are not good, and some even fail to be simply okay. If you’re looking for all things good and great, then check out our list of the best-reviewed games of 2025. But this place, sadly, is not where they live. No, this is where I have the job of reminding you of all of the worst games we played this year. The ones that didn’t quite live up to expectations and received a score of five or below from IGN reviewers. Maybe you did enjoy some of these, and to that I say, all the power to you. Let us know in the comments which games featured on this list you did actually love playing. But before you scroll all the way down there, let’s talk about IGN’s worst-reviewed games of 2025.

5 - Mediocre

What better way to kick this off than with a welcome tour? A Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, to be exact. A collection of minigames and digital museum displays designed to give you a better idea of the tech powering your new Nintendo console, this one just ended up committing a criminal cardinal sin by Nintendo standards — it just wasn’t fun. Our review described this “interactive brochure” as “a muddled collection of quaint tech demos and boring factoids”. Not exactly the best way to get everyone excited about a new generation of hardware, was it? And it didn’t even come packaged with the console. A standalone purchase isn’t exactly the best way to deliver your new spin on a digital manual.

At least the tech being shown off in Welcome Tour is very impressive, though, which sadly couldn’t be said for Kaiserpunk. A city-builder that, unfortunately, suffered from significant performance issues at launch, ranging from “huge, save-killing bugs” to an interface that lacks “fairly basic functionality”, it provided unsolid foundations to build any metropolis on. If a fully-built sci-fi city is more your vibe, then maybe you could be tempted by Steel Seed, an action-platform dripping in neon. But when we tell you that it’s actually a “stealth action game cursed by mediocrity”, then maybe you’ll be less interested. Hence, the five out of ten rating, which stands for “mediocre” here at IGN. Along those lines, if “30 mediocre hours of dodge rolling and sword swinging” sounds appealing, then maybe you want to check out AI Limit. A “soulslike without any soul”, this one just lacked the sort of creativity you’d hope for in what’s become a fairly played-out genre these days.

Speaking of souls, Lost Soul Aside was a hotly anticipated PlayStation console exclusive this summer, which sadly didn’t quite live up to the hype. While it did come packed with some exciting combat, unfortunately, “repetitive story, derivative characters, and bland level design” couldn’t support it. Another game that fell foul of repetition was Full Metal Schoolgirl, which you may not instantly see as a negative when considering it's an action roguelike — a genre grounded in attempting the same objectives over and over again — but when you hear that after “a couple runs, you've pretty much seen it all”, that isn’t ideal.

Feeling like we’d pretty much seen it all before is exactly why we gave the Battlefield 6 campaign a score of five, too. As our shockingly handsome reviewer said, the single-player offering is a “safe, dull reimagining of what Battlefield once was, rather than a bold reinvention of what it could be”, and I, for one, agree with him. It’s a short string of missions that doesn’t embrace the chaos naturally created in Battlefield 6’s multiplayer, instead feeling like a relic of a bygone age of FPSs. We also gave this year’s Call of Duty Black Ops 7 campaign a less-than-shiny score, too, but it narrowly misses out on making this list due to us giving it a 6, because it at least tries to do something new, even if it isn’t very successful.

Now we head into the remaster, reboot, and reimagining section of proceedings. Yooka-Replayee aimed to bring the 2017 original into the modern day with some tweaks, but while improvements were made, we were of the opinion that “none of its changes do enough to bring it close to the 3D platforming standards of today”. Double Dragon Revive attempted to breathe new life into the classic side-scrolling beat ‘em up, but ended up feeling “less a miraculous resurrection and more like exhuming a shambling corpse”. Similar things could be said for Painkiller, a reboot of People Can Fly’s 2004 cult-favourite, which again fell short, instead playing like a “mediocre resurrection of a classic trying to put a new cover on an old book and hoping it still has some relevance 21 years later”. Shadow Labyrinth did at least attempt to take something incredibly old and do something new with it. Unfortunately, this gritty, Metroidvania reinvention of Pac-Man was deemed to be “largely dull,” with crimes ranging from “annoying checkpointing to the one-note combat”.

There is no shortage of checkpoints in racing games. Sorry, that’s the best segue I have for this one. Project Motor Racing is the most recent game we have on our list to score a five or below, as it failed to excite our reviewer, who said that “there are certainly glimpses of a competent racing sim here, but it is drastically unfinished”. On the other end of the racing spectrum was Wreckreation, not in terms of quality, as it also received a five, but in its very “arcadey” approach to action of four wheels. Disappointingly, it just didn’t reach the heights of the likes of its Burnout inspiration. Instead, “overflowing with ambition but ultimately plain and with no style to call its own, Wreckreation feels like a supermarket brand homage to a series of better arcade racers.”

Let’s head into fantasy corner now and take a look at those sword-swinging games that just weren’t quite sharp enough this year. Yasha: Legends of the Demon Blade was yet another action roguelite to come out in 2025, but one that didn’t leave much of an impression, thanks to “repetitive levels and a flimsy story”. Blades of Fire took an interesting approach to third-person action by placing an emphasis on creating your own bespoke swords through an involved blacksmithing process, which was admittedly quite good, but its “overly simplistic combat and a mediocre story mean it doesn’t forge a sharp enough edge to put its customizable weapons to good use”. And, finally, rounding out our list of games that received a review score of five from IGN this year, is Game of Thrones: Kingsroad. A microtransaction-riddled interpretation of George R.R. Martin’s world, in which the recreation of HBO’s visual style is admittedly impressively done, it’s unfortunately hampered “by an overly grindy, pay-to-win live service model, and both its combat and homestead management are too tedious to keep things interesting on their own”.

4 - Bad

Heading into the games that got a four, which represents “bad” on the IGN review scale, let’s stick with another beloved piece of fantasy literature that struggles to produce good video game adaptations. Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game was an attempt to “cosify” Tolkien’s world and asked the age-old question, “What if Animal Crossing, but Hobbits?”. The answer, sadly, was a resounding “no”, as we described it as “a promising idea that turned out dreadfully boring and extremely buggy”.

Arguably, no other game arrived with as heavy a thud as MindsEye did in 2025. The brainchild of former GTA dev, Leslie Benzies, this throwback third-person action-adventure was not only incredibly dull, but borderline broken. Sure, it looked like a blockbuster when viewed from a very specific, narrow angle, but on the whole, it failed to live up to any expectations that may have been held for it. “MindsEye’s flashy graphics and cinematics can’t hide its serious lack of substance and major performance problems”, says our review, and that tells you all you need to know.

To round things off, we have a handful of early access games that we gave a score of four to this year. These include Hyper Light Breaker, which we described as a “roguelite that currently feels hyper light on content and the wrong kind of broken”, and La Quimera, an “FPS version of a direct-to-video movie, with dialogue that is both poorly written and badly acted, middling combat, and an unfinished campaign”. Then there was EA’s reboot of Skate, which we called a “faithful facsimile of the incredible feel of the old games, but its mobile game-style progression, dud dialogue, and cutesy art style make its early access debut drastically inferior to the originals in all other ways”. Unfortunately for Hyper Light Breaker, similar responses from both other critics and players eventually led to developer Heart Machine bringing development to a close. As for the other two, they remain developing projects, so let’s hope that these games fix their respective issues and have a better time in 2026 in the run-up to their full launches.

And that’s it, all of the games that we at IGN scored a five or four out of ten this year. Believe it or not, nothing actually scored lower, so I’m glad to say there are no twos or threes to report this year. Did you actually love any of the games listed here? Let us know in the comments. For more, check out the best-reviewed games of 2025, and our game of the year awards.

Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.

I don’t know if you’ve heard about this, but some good movies came out this year. Did you see Ryan Coogler’s vampire epic, Sinners? Or Guillermo del Toro’s long-gestating passion project, Frankenstein? Or the hilarious but also heartbreaking afterlife dramedy, Eternity? You probably should have if you haven’t, but that’s not why we’re here. We’re here to talk about the other side of the coin – the 2025 movies that didn’t just fail to make the grade, but made falling on their faces an artform unto itself.

For this list, we’re namechecking movies that received a 2 or 3 on IGN’s review scale. Nothing got a 1 this year (praise be), and although we did see a few 4s, like The Electric State, Deep Cover, and Eddington, we decided to really scrape the bottom of the barrel. So if you want to know what movies to avoid (or perhaps seek out if you’re morbidly curious), let’s dive into IGN’s worst reviewed movies of 2025!

Atrocious Actioners

Jackie Chan is known across the globe as one of the best martial arts stars to ever grace the silver screen, but even legends don’t always bat a thousand. Panda Plan from director Luan Zhang is one of Chan’s worst films; he stars as a fictionalized version of himself who has to commit a heist to save zoo pandas from an army of mercenaries. With terrible VFX and lifeless fight scenes, Panda Plan was described as “little more than a poor imitation” of Chan’s previous films by IGN reviewer Chase Hutchinson.

But he wasn’t the only action star to come up short in 2025, with Jason Statham starring in the woeful David Ayer film, A Working Man. Based on the Levon Cade novel series from Chuck Dixon, A Working Man is a paint-by-numbers affair that doesn’t take advantage of Statham’s charm or physical skills. Reviewer Hanna Ines Flint said that Statham is “surrounded by a cohort of undercooked villains in what amounts to a colossal waste of an action film budget.”

Viola Davis also got in on the action with G20, an Amazon Prime Original from director Patricia Riggen. Starring Davis as United States President Danielle Sutton, G20 is a “terrorists versus the Prez” vehicle in the vein of Air Force One that unfortunately falls into many of the typical made-for-streaming movie traps. Reviewer Jesse Hassenger said that G20 was lacking in “exciting or well-staged action,” instead featuring “thriller cliches and unconvincing political details.”

In the same vein is Shadow Force, a bare-bones Joe Carnahan actioner starring Kerry Washington and Omar Sy that somehow received a theatrical release. This one is hard to describe, because the plot and characters are so thinly sketched that they might as well be composed on table napkins. Reviewer Devan Suber called Shadow Force “a movie as vague as its title,” adding that it “doesn’t give you any real reason to care about anyone or anything that happens onscreen.” Ouch.

Horrendous Horror

COVID-19 themed movies haven’t generally been widely loved, and Don’t Log Off didn’t change that trend. A screenlife movie in the same style as Searching, Don’t Log Off stars Ariel Winter in a story about a group of friends trying to figure out what happened to one of them that disappears from a video call. Reviewer Steven Nguyen Scaife found it repetitive and tiring, writing that “both the COVID-era setting and the computer-screen presentation of Don’t Log Off show flickers of promise, but this horror film has no clever ideas for using either one.”

Another gimmicky horror film came from social media celebrity Kris Collins and Celina Myers; House on Eden is a supernatural found footage movie that’s yet another uninspired knock-off of The Blair Witch Project. Reviewer Matt Donato was profoundly unimpressed, saying the film is “hapless and nonsensical in its structure” and is “built from blocks stolen from better and more accomplished movies.”

Further weak horror films from this year include I Heart Willie, a public domain Mickey Mouse slasher based on the Steamboat Willie animated short that Matt Donato said “flimsily sets up cheap flesh-flaying thrills that never stray far from convention,” and Ick, a sci-fi horror comedy about a science teacher who has to combat a parasitic alien plant that reviewer Shannon Miller said is “not remotely haunting enough to make for a decent horror movie or anywhere near funny enough to be a good comedy.”

I reviewed The Strangers - Chapter 2, the second in a planned trilogy of slasher films from director Renny Harlin. Despite Madelaine Petsch doing what she can in the lead role, the movie is devoid of tension, thrills, or emotional resonance. It might be marginally better than Chapter 1, but I described Chapter 2 as “ultimately just as slapdash as its predecessor.”

The biggest turkey in the horror category this year is Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, the latest video game adaptation to be lambasted by critics. The first film wasn’t that great either, but the sequel reaches new lows with a shoddy script penned by series creator Scott Cawthon that’s more concerned with spoon-feeding easter eggs to franchise fans than doing anything dramatically satisfying. It’s a shame, because director Emma Tammi (who returns from the first movie) isn’t an untalented filmmaker; her minimalist horror movie, The Wind, that she directed before becoming the custodian of the FNAF films, is a pretty decent spooky western. But her skills aren’t on display in Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, which Matt Donato described as a “bare minimum sequel.”

Star Trek to Nowhere

Holding the ignominious honor of being the only film rated a 2 by IGN this year is Star Trek: Section 31. Originally developed as a spin-off series from Star Trek: Discovery for Michelle Yeoh’s character, Philippa Georgiou, Section 31 was reworked into a movie after production issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ultimately, neither director Olatunde Osunsanmi or screenwriter Craig Sweeny wrangled anything of value out of the film, which is nominally about Georgiou as an evil-emperor-turned-secret-agent who joins a team of whoevers to recover a superweapon before bad guys can use it to destroy the universe… or something. It’s actually kind of hard to follow, but trying isn’t even worth your time, with reviewer Jordan Hoffman describing the film as “nothing but a lousy, uninteresting caper picture” that’s devoid of all the qualities fans expect from the Star Trek franchise.

Did you know this technically counts as the 14th Trek movie? I’m sure by this time next year, nobody but Paramount will even remember that.

What were your picks for the worst movies of the year? Vote in our poll and let's discuss in the comments.

Carlos Morales writes novels, articles, and Mass Effect essays. You can follow his fixations on Twitter.

Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is out now on VOD platforms after just three weekends in theaters.

Universal made the shock announcement that Blumhouse’s horror sequel would launch on digital platforms to buy or rent on December 23, 2025, just 18 days after its theatrical debut.

It was thought that Five Nights at Freddy's 2 had secured a box office win despite a critical mauling. In 2023, Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, which adapts the hugely popular video game series by Scott Cawthon, became the highest-grossing horror film of the year. Two years later, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 earnt a huge $109 million at the global box office during launch weekend. While that wasn’t as big as Five Nights at Freddy’s $160 million box office debut, it was enough to take the number one spot at the domestic box office with an impressive $63 million haul.

During its third weekend, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 grossed a further $8 million to reach $92.9 million domestically — that’s more than M3GAN, Get Out, The Black Phone, 28 Years Later, and Smile 2 managed. The film now has a global box office of $202 million.

Universal Pictures had said it expected continued box office momentum for the film, “fueled by strong social media buzz and word-of-mouth,” which makes today’s VOD launch all the more surprising. Perhaps Blumhouse and Universal are already satisfied with the film’s box office, which reportedly makes the movie profitable, and want to capitalize on holiday movie watching. While Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 remains in theaters for now, its box office is now likely to slow to a crawl.

Here’s the official blurb:

Dive deeper into the world of Freddy Fazbear at home as the dark and mysterious thrill ride now comes jam-packed with revealing cast interviews, a jaw-dropping look behind the scenes at how fan-favorite animatronics like Mangle and Marionette came to life on screen, and an exploration of the Easter eggs dotting nearly every scene of the new movie.

And here are the Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 bonus features when you buy the VOD:

• EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTH: THE CAST - Revealing interviews and behind-the-scenes footage highlight how actors develop their roles to fill the FNAF world with new mysteries, thrilling surprises, and fan-pleasing lore.
• BRINGING FREDDY & FRIENDS TO LIFE - Learn how stunt doubles and puppeteers advance animatronic terror to the next level.
• MANGLE MAYHEM - Witness Mangle come to life as a nightmarish, multi-limbed monstrosity.
• HIGH-STRUNG - Cast and crew reveal the multiple methods used to turn the Marionette into an eerie entity whose unique design and haunting movements are unlike any other animatronic.
• SENSORY OVERLOAD: EXPLORING THE SETS - Actors join the artists behind the production design to serve up details on the Easter eggs and game inspirations lurking inside the incredible sets.

Scream star Matthew Lillard, who plays William Afton, has already spoken about his hope that Five Nights at Freddy's 3 gets made. “Our hope is that we get to do three films. That’s always been the plan. Everything is dependent on how the movie does in theaters,” Lillard said.

Lillard was recently in the headlines for responding to an insult from Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill director Quentin Tarantino, saying "it f***ing sucks." With Five Nights at Freddy's 2 out the door, he’s set to reprise his role as Stuart "Stu" Macher in Scream 7, and will play a villain in MCU Disney+ show, Daredevil: Born Again Season 2.

IGN’s Five Nights at Freddy's 2 review returned a 3/10. We said: “Five Nights at Freddy's 2 gives sequels, video game adaptations, and gateway horror movies a bad name.”

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.

SteelSeries is behind many of the top gaming headsets. While its high-end Arctis Nova Pro Wireless and Arctis Nova Elite headsets are impressive, they are expensive, even when you manage to score a great discount. For a more affordable alternative, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 is worth your consideration. Now is the time to buy, too. The headset is cheaper than Black Friday. It’s nearly 40% off, costing you just $36.49. Chances are good you won’t see prices this low again for a long time. Be sure to grab this deal while you still can.

Save 39% on the SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Gaming Headset

Star Citizen developer Cloud Imperium Games has told fans that the Mark Hamill-fronted single-player space adventure Squadron 42 is still on track for a 2026 release date — and not to expect “a long, drawn-out marketing campaign” beforehand.

Founder and CEO Chris Roberts wrote in a blog post that CIG is focusing on quality and polish as it moves toward an internal beta milestone and, eventually, a full release for Squadron 42 at some point next year.

“We’re confident in the direction the game is headed and are fully focused on delivering,” Roberts said. “We know many of you are eager to play, and we’re looking forward to putting it in your hands. We don’t plan on a long, drawn-out marketing campaign as we’ve already done our share of trailers and gameplay previews. When it’s time, you (and the rest of the gaming world) will hear a lot more from us.”

All chapters are said to be fully playable from beginning to end, and “we’ve been playing through the game ourselves regularly,” Roberts added. “Squadron 42 is a large game, over 40 hours in length, and it’s becoming increasingly clear how special it will be once the remaining polish, optimization, and bug fixing is complete.”

He continued: “a big part of what makes this possible is the technology we’ve built at CIG over many years. The ability to move seamlessly from on foot, into a vehicle you can fly and move around inside, down to a planet or across star systems, all without loading screens, creates a level of immersion that’s very difficult to replicate. That combination of close-up interaction and galactic scale is at the core of what will make Squadron 42 so unique.

“Equally important is the quality of the content itself. From writing and performance capture to characters, environments, ships, lighting, sound, cinematics, and design, the level of care across the entire game is something I’m incredibly proud of. Combined with deeply interactive systems, it creates an experience that pulls you into the world and keeps you there.”

Roberts, known for creating the Wing Commander series also starring Mark Hamill, showed off a Squadron 42 demo back in 2024. It was heavy on flashy cutscenes, with CGI representations of Hollywood stars such as Gillian Anderson, Henry Cavill, Gary Oldman, and Mark Strong mixed with on-rails turret action in a huge space battle. The demo ended with a first-person shooter segment as the alien enemy boarded the player’s ship.

As for Star Citizen itself, Roberts described 2025 as “the Year of Playability” for the space sim.

“It was a year when more people played than ever before and spent more time in the ’verse than at any point in our history,” he said. “That momentum did not happen by chance. It came from a focused effort to improve quality of life, performance, and reliability, and to make the gameplay experience more engaging and rewarding to return to.”

Star Citizen is reportedly set for a full release sometime in 2027 or 2028, or as Roberts has put it, one or two years after the release of Squadron 42. No firm release window was offered in his latest blog post, but he did say next year will see the developer “continue improving stability and depth in Star Citizen while expanding and connecting core systems that shape how you play, from Engineering to Inventory, Crafting, Social Tools, and other foundational features, alongside expanding the playable universe itself.”

Star Citizen is considered one of the most controversial projects in all video games. Over the 13 years since its crowdfunding drive began, Star Citizen has been called many things including a scam by those who wonder whether it will ever properly launch. Its virtual space ships, some of which cost hundreds of dollars, are often the focus of criticism. Roberts is said to have confirmed he's raised just over $1 billion for Star Citizen from players so far.

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.

A human interest story in cinematic form, Song Sung Blue is more lukewarm than heartwarming despite its talented cast. Starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson as a married Neil Diamond nostalgia act, the film – written and directed by Craig Brewer of Hustle & Flow – is based on real events, but picks its moments in puzzling fashion. Alfred Hitchcock once said “drama is life with the dull bits cut out,” but Brewer seems to challenge that notion by doing the opposite, leaving the most intriguing bits of his story far off-screen.

Milwaukee musician Mike “Lightning” Sardina (Jackman), a recovering alcoholic formerly deployed to Vietnam, is middle-aged, divorced, and relegated to doing impressions of better artists on stage. His career stagnates until he meets and falls in love with Patsy Cline impersonator Claire Stingl (Hudson), an upbeat fellow divorcée with whom he soon concocts the Neil Diamond tribute band, Lightning & Thunder. The movie opens and closes with Mike, and follows the couple’s ups and downs through his eyes; however, Song Sung Blue can’t help but feel like it has the wrong protagonist.

When the story begins, many of Mike’s struggles are in his rearview, although he keeps his ongoing health problems close to the chest (no pun intended). Jackman’s performance is – despite his geographically unplaceable accent – incredibly charismatic and heartrending, as a concerned husband, father, and stepfather looking out for his family when things go south for Claire in ways better left unspoiled. However, there’s not much to him as a character beyond what he’s already been through. He’s occasionally cocky, but Claire, along with Mike’s friends and peers – played by a cavalcade of great character actors like Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi – are immediately forgiving of his ego. There’s no real tension or drama to anything he does, beyond the tragedies that end up befalling his spouse. Were their genders flipped, he’d be a perfectly serviceable and typical supporting biopic wife.

On the other hand, Hudson’s conception of Claire as a bubbly artist and mother to a teen and middle schooler is far more magnetic. Song Sung Blue is at its most interesting when it’s a story about her expectations, whether or not they can be met, and what happens when life throws violent curve balls her way. Hudson tries to transform all of this into a tale of a woman knocked back down by life until she finds the strength to pick herself up again with her husband’s help. Unfortunately, what remains of this story is mere bullet-point highlights; we often need to be reintroduced to Claire after time has passed and she’s already come to realizations about herself and how to approach the world, including stints in psychiatric wards and physical rehab clinics. To reduce these struggles to mere interludes may as well be dramatic malpractice.