Final Fantasy VII Was Released This Day 24 Years Ago

 

Today 24 years ago, SquareSoft (now Square Enix) released one of the most beloved, memorable, and influential Japanese RPG's ever to grace this planet in "Final Fantasy VII". 

Released for the original Sony PlayStation in January 31, 1997, the game put players in control of a young broody SOLDIER named Cloud Strife, who travels with a group of friends and unlikely companions as they try to save the planet from a mega-corporation that is draining its resources. The events of the game also put the party in conflict with a mysterious man named Sephiroth - whose ties to Cloud and his own agenda lead to the endgame that will decide the fate of their planet.

FFVII would become a phenomenon, selling 12.8 Million units during its peak and would be instrumental in building its own unique fanbase and universe - which would compose of various spin-offs and multimedia such as the sequel film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, the PSP prequel Crisis Core, and last year's long awaited Final Fantasy VII Remake. To say it is not short of an Epic Saga that remains timeless to this day is an understatment.

Happy 24th Anniversary, Final Fantasy VII!

ICYMI: Zack Snyder’s Justice League Releases on March 18

 

In case you missed the news, Zack Snyder has announced the official release date for his cut of Justice League - which is aptly titled “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”, and it will hit selected theaters and HBO Max starting March 18.

Here’s the official synopsis for the four hour long film:

In Zack Snyder's Justice League, determined to ensure Superman’s (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) aligns forces with Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) with plans to recruit a team of metahumans to protect the world from an approaching threat of catastrophic proportions. The task proves more difficult than Bruce imagined, as each of the recruits must face the demons of their own pasts to transcend that which has held them back, allowing them to come together, finally forming an unprecedented league of heroes. Now united, Batman (Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) may be too late to save the planet from Steppenwolf, DeSaad and Darkseid and their dreadful intentions.

Shin Ultraman First Teaser and Posters Revealed

One of the greatest Tokusatsu heroes of Japan and of all time is getting the “Shin” treatment and a new live-action film that reboots him for a new generation, as Tsuburaya Productions, Toho, and khara, Inc. team up to present the very first look at “Shin Ultraman” - the new modern reimagining of the giant hero of light called “Ultraman” who fights to defend Earth and the universe from giant kaiju and evil threats!

Check out this first teaser released, which reunites the “Shin Godzilla team of Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno of Evangelion fame!

Also released were these posters promoting the film.

 

 Commemorating the 55th Anniversary of the Ultraman franchise, Shin Ultraman will be released some time in 2021!

Netflix reveals the cast for The Sandman series

 

Get ready to view Neil Gaiman's world featuring Dream and The Endless in the small screen, as Netflix has revealed the cast for their upcoming series adaptation of "The Sandman" - based on the best selling DC Vertigo comic series of the same name. Tom Sturridge leads the cast as Dream, while Game of Thrones alums like Gwendoline Christie and Charles Dance join the cast, as does Sanjeev Bhaskar and Boyd Holbrook.

No release date has been given for The Sandman, but filming has already begun since October last year. It begins...

ICYMI: Marvel's "Heroes Reborn" Trailer sets the stage for the Summer 2021 Marvel Comics event

 

The question has been asked and Jason Aaron and Ed McGuinness prepare to deliver the answer... What If the Avengers never existed in the Marvel Universe? That's the setup to "Heroes Reborn" the new event carrying the same name as the 90's crossover event, and Marvel.com has the details as well as a trailer teasing that summer event.

The Phoenix Force will change the Marvel Universe once again, and we'll find out how it looks when the dust clears.

Heroes Reborn begins this May 2021.

Black Lightning Season 4 Poster shows the Pierce family all suited up

 

It's almost time to start the fourth and final season of "Black Lightning", as The CW preps to finish off the series with this final season. However, Jefferson Pierce's legacy will certainly live on in the Arrowverse, as his daughters Jennifer and Anissa are suited up together with their dad as Lightning and Thunder respectively!

Black Lightning will premiere its final season this February 8 on The CW.

ICYMI: Godzilla Vs Kong Trailer Unleashed

 At long last, the Monsterverse smackdown the world has been waiting for finally gets its first trailer, as Warner Bros. and Legendary have unleashed the "Godzilla Vs Kong" trailer - and you just need to see it to believe it and get hyped for what's coming to selected theaters and HBO Max soon!

Spot the MechaGodzilla easter eggs too in the trailer below!

GODZILLA vs. KONG - Official Trailer

Godzilla Vs Kong is coming soon to theaters and HBO Max!

ICYMI: Here's a look at the upcoming Collector's Edition for Resident Evil Village

 

Resident Evil Village finally has a release date, and the game is set to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC, AND the current generation consoles in the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One this coming May. However, Capcom also confirmed that several editions of the game will be out for fans to pre-order and get - including a Collector's Edition. featuring a map poster of the game's setting, a Trauma Pack that's also featured in the Deluxe Edition, a steelbook case, an art book, and finally a statue of longtime series protagonist Chris Redfield! All of these are contained inside a chest box - which is similar to the collector's editions of RE2 Remake and RE3 Remake.

You can read up more on the upcoming Collector's Edition via GamingBolt. Resident Evil Village will be released on May 7, 2021.

R.I.P Larry King - Iconic news anchor and talk show host passes away at 87

 

The world mourns the loss of a legendary talk show host and icon, as CNN itself reports that their very own Larry King of "Larry King Now" has passed away at the age of 87.

With a career that spans over six decades in television, King embodied the kind of news anchor that told you the news and facts straight. Conducting countless interviews, appearing in discussions, and winning awards through his years of service, his reputation and legacy extend beyond the news room - with his status as a popular culture icon also seen in thousands of programs and films.

R.I.P Larry, and thank you for giving us the news in both the analog and digital age.

Resident Evil Village arrives on May 7, 2021; PS4 and Xbox One versions confirmed, RE:Verse Multiplayer Announced

 

It's time to revisit the world of Survival Horror and celebrate 25 years of one of the most recognizable video game franchises in style, as Capcom has officially confirmed in their Resident Evil Showcase event that Resident Evil Village is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on May 7, 2021... As well as the PS4 and Xbox One! That's right, the game is officially getting ports for the current generation set of consoles, and there's also big news in the Collector's Edition and goodies - the former which has a Chris Redfield statue packed along with it!

Check out the new Gameplay Trailer below!

Resident Evil Village - 3rd Trailer

Capcom also revealed their big Multiplayer game surprise in RE: Verse - which is getting a beta testing soon and is coming as a freebie alongside RE Village.

RE:Verse Trailer

And there's the PS5 exclusive RE Village "Maiden" Demo that hits TODAY! Check out details via the PlayStation Blog!

Godzilla Vs Kong Poster Revealed, First Trailer drops this Sunday!

 

In just two months - The King of the Monsters will go up against the King of Skull Island, as Warner Bros. and Legendary’s long awaited “Godzilla Vs Kong” gets a theatrical poster to its name - and the very first teaser trailer is due this Sunday, January 23 in the US! The world will find out for the first time how this smackdown will go as the fourth film in the Monsterverse saga is about to be unleashed.

Because of the ongoing global pandemic, the film will be released simultaneously in selected theaters and will be availavle on HBO Max as well. The film is set for a March 26 release date.

Resident Evil 2 turns 23 years on this year of the franchise's 25th Anniversary

 

One of the best selling games in the original PlayStation era and undeniably one of the greatest sequels ever has turned 23 - on the same year that the entire franchise celebrates its 25th Anniversary no less.

On this day on January 21, 1998 - Resident Evil 2 aka Biohazard 2 was released for the Sony PlayStation - bringing a new kind of Survival Horror adventure into the series by making a sequel that was twice as big as the first and put the story two months later where the entire midwestern town of Raccoon City fell to the T-Virus and the zombie outbreak that came along with it. New protagonists were introduced in rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield - the young tomboyish sister of RE1's Chris Redfield - as both embarked on a journey to survive and escape from the city of the dead while dealing will all sorts of biohazardous monstrosities unleashed by the machinations of the Umbrella Corporation.

To say RE2 was a monumental success is nothing short of an understatement - the game was actually reworked from the ground up after the original build set for a 1997 released (dubbed by fans as RE 1.5) was scrapped. Capcom and the first game's director Shinji Mikami wanted to redo the entire concept, and with future Devil May Cry and Bayonetta creator Hideki Kamiya at the helm that would prove to be a smart and wise choice. The turnout of the game became phenomenal, and would lead to several more sequels and spin-offs - including a remake of RE2 itself which was released on January 25, 2019 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

What better way to celebrate indeed as we gear up for an RE Showcase with news for Resident Evil Village and the rest of the franchise! Happy 23 years, RE2!

 

Todd McFarlane Reveals Batman Beyond "JokerBot" BAF wave for MccFarlane Toys' DC Multiverse

 

In news that will certainly get A LOT of DC Multiverse collectors and Batman Beyond fans happy (as well as poor come the figures releases), Todd McFarlane went live on Facebook earlier to showcase the very first look at the upcoming Batman Beyond wave of figures -  namely Batman Beyond, Shriek, Batwoman Beyond, and Blight - that you can all collect to build the Jokerbot BAF action figure! Now unlike previous waves that were all released simultaneously, the Jokerbot/ Batman Beyond wave will be released by installments throughout 2021 - meaning each figure with a part will come on a scheduled date and month. For example - Batman Beyond will be released on April, while Shriek comes on June. Add Batwoman Beyond and Blight after that, and you'll have to get each one on the months to come.

As Batman Beyond recently turned 22 years old this month, this is very AWESOME NEWS. You can watch the exciting reveal from the Toddfather himself below.

Cyberpunk 2077 gets slashed down 50% off for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One

 

Looks like the Cyberpunk 2077 wheel is continuing to experience woes and problems following the numerous bugs and glitches that came with the game's release, as Comic Book Resources reports that the game is now 50% off for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - effectively making this one of the fastest games to go down in price just after a month of release. For the PS4 and Xbox One versions - the game now retails for $29.99 at Best Buy and Amazon. 

With the numerous complaints and bad press the game has gotten thanks to how it was promoted and then released without full transparency for the console versions, this was definitely coming as retailers are pressed to sell their copies of a game that was virtually "not finished" - despite the developers of the game telling CD Projekt Red that it was not ready for release. Even with free patch updates and DLCs coming and the game still somewhat playable to a few, the damage is done and it'll be a slow crawl to see this game fully fixed.

Cyberpunk 2077 is available for PS4, Xbox One, and PC - with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions coming in the near future.

ICYMI: Zack Snyder's Justice League is once again a 4 hour movie in HBO Max

 

Those looking forward to the "Snyder Cut" of Justice League are once again going to get a full serving instead of being divided into four parts, as Zack Snyder reveals that his cut aka "Zack Snyder's Justice League" will now be released as one full four hour movie instead of being cut and spread into four episodes in HBO Max.

Here's the tweet confirming the news from Snyder himself.

Zack Snyder confirms #ZackSnydersJusticeLeague will be 4 hour movie and not 4 episodes series. #TheSnyderCut opens March exclusively on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/GM2N0G0qkt

— What's On HBO Max (@WhatsOnHBOMax) January 17, 2021

Zack Snyder's Justice League will run at 240 minutes and will stream some time on March 2021.

Happy 90th Birthday, James Earl Jones!

 

One of the most talented and versatile actors in Hollywood is celebrating his birthday today, as Tony Award winner? Broadway actor, and the voice of Darth Vader himself James Earl Jones turns 90! With a distinguished career that includes appearances in Dr. Strangelove, Claudine, Conan The Barbarian, Coming to America, The Hunt for Red October, and voicing King Mufasa in The Lion King - Jones is known for his deep and distinguishable voice” that is instantly recognizable to those that hear him.

Jones is set to reprise his role as King Jaffe Joffer in Coming 2 America - the sequel to the 1988 comedy original which also has Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall back as well!

Happy Birthday Lord Vader, Your Highness, and Mufasa!

Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert team-Up for Batman: The Dark Knight miniseries this April

Tom Taylor is on a roll at DC Comics, and aside from handling the Injustice and DCeased books - he's set to take on Dick Grayson and his world this March with Nightwing #78. But apparently that's not the only project he's working on during the "Infinite Frontier" era of DC - as DC Comics has revealed through their April 2021 solicitations (via Newsarama) that Taylor is teaming up with artist Andy Kubert for a new Batman miniseries entitled "Batman: The Dark Knight"!

Here's the description of the book: 

An epic tale begins that will take Batman on a harrowing, action-packed European adventure in a new miniseries by superstar creators Tom Taylor and Andy Kubert! A horrific tragedy in the United Kingdom sends a very personal and deadly message to the Dark Knight—one that will draw Batman out of Gotham City to investigate! From the moment he lands in Europe, Batman will face a difficult investigation and unheard-of adversaries and find the assistance of a partner once more—all in the hunt for the villain known as Equilibrium! New villains! New allies! A thrilling overseas adventure begins for the Dark Knight, starting with an extra-sized 26-page debut story!

Batman: The Dark Knight will be a six issue miniseries and will begin this April!

Chris Evans may return as Captain America as star in talks for new Marvel project appearance

 

He can definitely do this all day, and it looks like Cap fans may see Chris Evans again - as Deadline reports that the Captain America Trilogy and Avengers films actor is in talks with Marvel Studios again to reprise his role as Steve Rogers/ Captain America in a future Marvel project!

According to the report, Evans is still in negotiations and may actually return as Steve Rogers in some capacity. While he got a pretty awesome ending and retired the stars and stripes to pass on his shield to Sam Wilson/ Falcon (Anthony Mackie)  - who will go on to star alongside Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) in "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier", Evans time as Steve Rogers/ Captain America could still factor into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a similar way that Robert Downey Jr. did for the other MCU films outside of Iron Man - namely the Avengers movies and Spider-Man: Homecoming. As Steve travelled back to the past to return the Infinity Stones to their rightful time periods - that leaves an opening for young Cap's return even if he grew old and had a happy life with Peggy Carter. Then again, it could be many other things now - since the Multiverse will be explored in "Phase 4" of the MCU with WandaVision and Doctor Strange 2.

Anything is possible at this point. All we have to do is wait and see how Cap returns.

Anthony Mackie talks about his Captain America future in the MCU and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier

 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns this year with the beginning of "Phase 4" with "WandaVision" premiering its first two episodes on Disney+ this January 15, but fans are also looking forward to the next couple of programs coming from Marvel Studios that are slated to hit Disney's streaming service - including "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" which reunites Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as Steve Rogers/ Captain America's pals Sam Wilson/ Falcon and Bucky Barnes/ Winter Soldier.

During an interview with The Jess Cagle Show, Anthony Mackie stated that while he got the shield from an elderly Steve Rogers at the end of Avengers: Endgame, he isn't quite Captain America yet and that will be explored in the upcoming series which also introduces John Walker/ US Agent as played by Wyatt Russell.

“No, we don’t know that yet,” said Mackie. “The show, the idea of the show is basically, you know, and at the end of Avengers: Endgame, Cap decided he was going into retirement and he asked me if I would take up the shield, but at no point in time, did I agree to or say that I would be Captain America. So the show walks the line of who is going to take up the shield and who’s going to be Captain America if Steve isn’t coming back.”

The Falcon and The Winter Soldier starts streaming on Disney + on March.

Indiana Jones Game is coming from Bethesda, MachineGames, and Lucasfilm Games

 

One of the most iconic characters of cinema and popculture is coming back to video games in a new project- as an Indiana Jones game has been announced by Bethesda, MachineGames, and the newly established Lucasfilm Games.

Check out the short teaser video released by Bethesda that pretty much sums up what being Indy is all about.

Indiana Jones Bethesda Game - Official Teaser

Set to be executive produced by Todd Howard himself, the new Indy game has no release date but it's said to be an original story featuring our favorite adventurer and professor of Archaeology. Stay tuned for more news when the developers release it in the future!

"Morbius" with Jared Leto has been delayed to October 2021 in the US

 

Looks like moviegoers and comic book fans will have to be patient and understanding of the latest string of film delays coming their way due to the ongoing global pandemic, as Variety reports that "Morbius" - the Spider-Man movie spin-off flick starring Jared Leto as scientist turned vampire Michael Morbius, has been delayed by Sony Pictures from its March 19 release date to October 8 in the US. While this is certainly disappointing to many, it's understandable and dependent if the global situation improves - as many theaters worldwide still remain closed to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Released almost exactly a year ago this time, here's the first teaser trailer for the film.

MORBIUS - Teaser Trailer (HD) Morbius is directed by Daniel Espinosa and also stars Matt Smith, Jared Harris, and Tyrese Gibson.

Street Fighter V: Champion Edition adds Garuda costume for Akuma

The Demon master of Street Fighter is getting a new costume to his name, as Akuma joins the list of fighters from Street Fighter V: Champion Edition who can unlock an Extra Battle crossover costume from Fighting EX Layer!

Check out the trailer of the new Garuda costume the Satsui no Hadou user will sport!

  STREET FIGHTER V x FIGHTING EX LAYER Garuda (2021) AKUMA Showcase Trailer!

The Garuda costume is available to unlock after beating Akuma in Extra Battle mode from January 12 to February 4!

ICYMI: Marvel Studios: Legends is now streaming on Disney+

 

As Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe prepares to begin with the arrival of "WandaVision" this month, Marvel Studios is offering a spotlight refresher course series on Disney+ beginning with Wanda Maximoff in the brand new "Marvel Studios: Legends" TV Series which you can see in the streaming service.

Check out the trailer below focusing on Wanda and Vision:

Wanda Maximoff & Vision | Marvel Studios: Legends | Disney+

Marvel Studios: Legends is now streaming, while WandaVision premieres on January 15.

ICYMI: Green Arrow and the Canaries not getting a show order from The CW

 Sad news arrives for fans of the Arrowverse who were looking forward to a continuation of Oliver Queen's legacy, as the spin-off show "Green Arrow and the Canaries" will NOT be picked up for a series order in The CW according to a report by Deadline.

The show - which would have explored Star City in the 2040's and follows Mia Smoak Queen (played by Kat McNamara) as she picks up the bow and arrow from her father to become the new Green Arrow, joined by Katie Cassidy and Juliana Harkavy as the two Black Canaries Laurel Lance and Dinah Drake to form the trio of heroines. A backdoor pilot episode focusing on the three was explored in the eight and final season of Arrow, but unfortunately The CW will not push through with the spin-off series.

The King of Fighters XV Official Trailer Released

 

Time to shatter all expectations and prepare for another installment in SNK's King of Fighters saga, as the company has finally unveiled the reveal trailer for "The King of Fighters XV" - which is a direct sequel to KOF XIV and features fan favorites like Kyo Kusanagi, Benimaru Nikaido, K', and Mai Shiranui returning along with the new main character -- Shun'ei.

Here's the reveal trailer for the game.

KOF XV｜Official Trailer (4K)

The King of Fighters XV will be released some time this year!

EVO Moment #37 recreated in fan animated clip

 

One of the most iconic moments in competitive fighting game history just got made into a pretty looking fan animated clip, as an animator by the IG handle name sueng_cheng has recreated "Evo Moment #37" - the Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike match between Daigo Umehara and Justin Wong which literally took the FGC/ Fighting Game Community by storm and has since become legend.

For comparison's sake, here is the original clip of the moment that came to be known popularly as the "Daigo Parry"

And then here is the animated feature, which uses voice overs from Street Fighter IV.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alain VU (@sueng_cheng)

 

Batwoman Season 2 Poster shows Ryan Wilder unmasked and wearing the suit

 

Premiering in over a week and literally setting "a new beginning" in the DC live action series set in the Arrowverse, The CW has released a brand new poster for the second season of Batwoman - which introduces Javicia Leslie as a brand new heroine in Ryan Wilder. Stepping in for the former Batwoman star Ruby Rose who played Kate Kane, Leslie is set to become a new kind of Batwoman protecting Gotham City and dealing with a new threat in the False Face Society.

If you missed it during the holidays, here's the trailer to Season 2.

Batwoman | Season 2 Trailer | The CW

Batwoman Season 2 will start airing on The CW starting January 17.

WandaVision is officially nine episodes, "Reality" TV Spot released

 

Set to premiere on Disney+ in less than two weeks, Marvel Studios and Disney have confirmed that WandaVision, the first Marvel Cinematic Universe TV Series that sets up Phase 4, is officially nine episodes long. That makes it an episode longer than a season of The Mandalorian - which had two sets of eight episodes on its first two seasons. The show will also run all the way to March, by which time the next series, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, will premiere around that same month as well.

Check out the new TV Spot released for the show - which is called "Reality".

Reality | Marvel Studios’ WandaVision | Disney+

WandaVision starts streaming its first episode on Disney+ on January 15.

The Mandalorian Season 2 Promo Art is all kinds of EPIC AWESOME

 

It'll be a long wait until we see Mando and The Child again after the events of the epic Star Wars TV Series "The Mandalorian" and that awesome ending to Season 2, but of course because of that series we are getting more spin-off shows set in the Star Wars Universe, including the first direct spin-off from this show in "The Book of Boba Fett" this December.

To tide us over at least, Disney and Lucasfilm have commissioned Australian artist Mark Raats to make one awesome banner poster that highlights more or less most of the key highlights and characters of Season 2 - and here it is c/o the artist's Twitter.

The Book of Boba Fett will premiere on Disney + on December this year.

WandaVision releases new character posters

 

With just less than two weeks to go until it premieres in Disney +, Marvel Studios has released a couple of new character posters for “WandaVision” - the first Marvel Cinematic Universe TV Series that will start off 2021 and show us what becomes of Wanda Maximoff and Vision after the events of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame - and what will very well set up the events of “Phase 4” of the MCU.

Check out the posters featuring Wanda, Vision, the adult Monica Rambeau, and Agnes.

WandaVision premieres on Disney + on January 15!

Pedro Pascal's first role for the unaired NBC Wonder Woman pilot resurfaces online

 

It's hard to believe that there was a time when Wonder Woman stood a chance of getting a brand new TV Series airing on NBC with Adrianne Palicki as the Amazon Warrior Princess, but it's even harder to believe that Maxwell Lord actor and "Wonder Woman 1984" star Pedro Pascal was actually a character in that unaired pilot... And the footage has resurfaced online courtesy of Reddit and posted on Comic Book Movie!

OTHER: TIL that Pedro Pascal was cast in an unaired Wonder Woman (2011) tv show produced by WBTV and DC entertainment for NBC. from r/DC_Cinematic

Pascal of course would go on to star in other bigger roles, including as Oberyn Martell in Game of Thrones and Din Djardin aka Mando in The Mandalorian! How things come full circle!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome 2021!

 

Farewell to one heck of difficult year in 2020. Here's hoping you're all well, safe, and continue to wear masks during these trying times.

Let's welcome 2021 with a bang and do things better and safer. HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL!