Two years ago, Finnish illustrator and designer Vesa Lehtimäki put out a 38-page hardcover book of photos of Lego-built scenes showing imagined scenarios on the snow planet Hoth. It was a delightful collection of pictures full of levity, depicting AT-AT Walkers kicking through fresh powder, snowtroopers on skis, and Chewbacca covered in snow. Today, Lehtimäki is back with an expanded collection of Lego Star Wars photography, titled Small Scenes from a Big Galaxy.

In addition to reprinting many of his Hoth-centric images, the new book adds sections set on Tatooine and Endor. Just like his previous self-produced effort, this larger collection has all the same meticulous detail and humorous staging that helped Lehtimäki’s Flickr account take off. There’s even a behind-the-scenes section where Lehtimäki explains his process—including a fantastic look at the tank he created for his infamous snowy Y-wing shot—and an appendix with information on the specific Lego sets he used to create the photos.

Above are some of the most stunning images from Lehtimäki’s latest collection of little Star Wars wonders.

These Star Wars Lego Scenes Are Flipping Amazing

What if the animated characters from your favorite Disney movies came to life in the form of your favorite celebrities? Well, Disneyland’s ongoing marketing effort has the answer. Click ahead to see some of Hollywood’s A-listers get transformed into live-action versions of their appropriate Disney counterparts.

Celebs Who Have Had a Disney Character Makeover

With 2015 coming to a close, you might be curious to see what you have to look forward to in the new year. From exciting new concepts to remakes of classic films, here are 20 of the most anticipated movies of 2016!

“The Revenant” (Jan. 8)
“The Revenant” is one of the most talked about movies in contention for the 2015–16 award season. From Academy Award-winning director Alejandro Ińárritu (“Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)”) and based on true events, Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Hugh Glass, a man struggling to survive and track down the hunter (Tom Hardy) who left him to die after being attacked by a bear. The haunting trailer has viewers everywhere wondering if this will finally be the project to win DiCaprio his long-awaited Oscar.

“Hail, Caesar!” (Feb. 5)
What’s better than a movie about making a movie? The Coen brothers’ latest film “Hail, Caesar!” boasts some of Hollywood’s most prominent actors including George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill, Josh Brolin, Tilda Swinton, and Channing Tatum. Brolin stars as the public relations “fixer” in charge of rescuing a kidnapped superstar (Clooney) and keeping the story out of the press.

“Deadpool” (Feb. 12)
Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson (aka Deadpool) in one of Marvel’s only R-rated superhero movies. The dark and sarcastic superhero is brought to life in the film after undergoing an experiment to cure his cancer. After the experiment goes wrong, Deadpool sets out to get revenge on the man who almost killed him.

“Zoolander 2” (Feb. 12)
Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson are reuniting early next year for the long-awaited sequel to the 2001 comedy “Zoolander.” They reprise their roles as Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald to put a stop to the person who is killing the “world’s most beautiful people.” Singers Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Demi Lovato all make cameos in the hilarious new film.

“How to Be Single” (Feb. 12)
It’s hard to find love in New York City! In the upcoming romantic comedy “How to Be Single,” Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, and Leslie Mann hilariously star as single women trying to navigate the complicated world of relationships.

“I Saw the Light” (March 25)
“Thor” star Tom Hiddleston plays singer-songwriter Hank Williams in the biopic of his life alongside Elizabeth Olsen as his wife Audrey. In addition to mastering his accent, Hiddleston sings many of Williams’ hits in “I Saw the Light.” Sony Pictures Classics originally intended to release the film in late November, but decided to push it forward to early 2016.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (March 25)
Another highly anticipated superhero film, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” pits two of the most beloved heroes against each other in a fight for justice. Henry Cavill and Amy Adams reprise their “Man of Steel” roles as Superman and Lois Lane, while Ben Affleck jumps on board as Batman in what is sure to have fans flocking to theaters.

“The Jungle Book” (April 15)
Walt Disney Studios is set to re-release the classic story of the boy who lives amongst animals, in a live-action/CGI version of “The Jungle Book.” Scarlett Johansson, Lupita Nyong’o, Bill Murray, and Idris Elba all lend their voices to the film, which is set to be released in mid-April.

“Snowden” (May 13)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as former CIA employee Edward Snowden, one of the most infamous men in modern American history, in the film based off of Luke Harding’s book “The Snowden Files.” The film was set to be released earlier this fall, but will instead be released in 2016, giving audiences something to look forward to in the new year. Could the film be an Oscar contender? We’ll have to wait to find out!

“Finding Dory” (June 17)
One of Disney/Pixar’s most beloved characters is getting her own sequel in 2016! “Finding Dory” is the highly anticipated sequel to the Oscar-winning 2003 film “Finding Nemo.” Ellen DeGeneres will return to voice the forgetful fish, who this time, sets out to find her family with the help of Nemo and his dad Marlin.

“The BFG” (July 1)
Based on the children’s book of the same name, “The BFG” is the story of the Big Friendly Giant, who unlike other giants, refuses to eat children. Steven Spielberg serves as director for this family-friendly film, which stars Bill Hader, Rebecca Hall, and Mark Rylance.

“Tarzan” (July 1)
If you think you know everything there is to know about Tarzan, you may want to think again. Director David Yates of the “Harry Potter” franchise is bringing the classic story to life in a new and exciting way next year. Alexander Skarsgård stars as Tarzan, who, after spending years in London, returns to the jungle to “investigate a mining encampment.” Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz, and Samuel L. Jackson round out the cast for what is sure to be a very different spin on Tarzan’s story.

“Ghostbusters” (July 15)
Who you gonna call? The reimagined and hilarious female cast of “Ghostbusters!” Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and “Saturday Night Live” stars Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones lead the cast of the cast of the new film, due in theaters next summer.

“La La Land” (July 15)
“Crazy, Stupid, Love.” stars Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are reuniting in “La La Land” next year. The film, from “Whiplash” director Damien Chazelle, tells the love story of a jazz pianist and an aspiring actor. “American Horror Story” actor Finn Wittrock also stars in the film alongside J.K. Simmons and John Legend.

“Suicide Squad” (Aug. 5)
“Suicide Squad” is one of DC Comic’s most anticipated films. But this time, the roles are reversed and the superheroes aren’t the ones in charge! “Suicide Squad” is the story of a league of super villains who are recruited by the government for a dangerous mission. The film stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and of course, Jared Leto as the Joker.

“Inferno” (Oct. 14)
“Inferno” is the newest installment of the book series by Dan Brown that brought audiences “The Da Vinci Code” and “Angels & Demons.” Tom Hanks is set to reprise his role as Robert Langdon, who wakes up in a hospital room in Italy with no recollection of how he got there. Ron Howard will also return to direct the third film in the series.

“Doctor Strange” (Nov. 4)
Benedict Cumberbatch plays the title character in Marvel’s upcoming film “Doctor Strange,” opposite Rachel McAdams and Tilda Swinton. The film follows a surgeon who is trained by a sorcerer to fight evil. Not much more is known about “Doctor Strange” at this time, but it will be the first Marvel movie to deal with the concept of magic.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (Nov. 18)
It will be an exciting year for “Harry Potter” fans when the prequel, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” arrives on the big screen. Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander, a writer in New York’s community of witches and wizards.

“Passengers” (2016)
Although the release date has not yet been announced, “Passengers” is already one of the most buzzed about movies of 2016. And with names like Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence on board, it’s sure to be a hit! The pair play passengers on a spacecraft headed to another planet. When Pratt’s sleep chamber is disturbed and he wakes up 60 years early, he makes the decision to wake up Lawrence’s character, Aurora.

“Silence” (2016)
How can you go wrong with a Martin Scorsese-directed film? “Silence” is the story of two Jesuit priests, played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, who face persecution after traveling to Japan to spread Christianity.

20 Exciting Films Coming Out in 2016

When it comes to geeky cat furniture, there’s a wide, wonderful world of Star Wars, Star Trek and gaming-inspired creations out there.

A massive Super Mario Bros. cat tree from MassihaProductions on Etsy now joins the lineup of Landspeeder cat beds and carpeted USS Enterprise cat trees.

We’ve seen Super Mario-related pet furniture before, notably a wall-mounted unit from CatastrophicCreations on Etsy. That model goes for an understated style and subdued colors for a modern-industrial appearance. The MassihaProductions cat tree has no pretenses about fitting in with your tasteful decor. It’s big, loud and proud.

The tree towers above most people at an impressive 7.5 feet (2.3 meters) in height. The tubes are fully functional, allowing your little furry Player 1 to crawl in and out of the brick and question-mark boxes. The front top panel lifts up to reveal a plush cat hangout area inside.

Sisal rope tied around the supports provides a claw-sharpening area for your fuzzball to get out its aggression. You will need to provide your own Koopas, piranha plants and Goombas.

If you think about it, cats and Mario have a lot in common. They both like to play with boxes, chase things, bop objects and show off their agility.

The $1,500 cat tree will only ship to addresses in the US (which will cost you an additional $100), but international retro-gaming fans can use it for inspiration for their own DIY builds.

Here’s a Super Mario cat tree for your Princess Purr

At long last, Microsoft has revealed the initial batch of Xbox 360 games that will be backwards compatible with Xbox One.

There are 104 Xbox 360 games that can now be enjoyed on the Xbox One, and it’s a mix of first party Microsoft titles, arcade games, and a selection of choice titles from various publishers like EA, Ubisoft and Square-Enix.

Some of the most notable games to make the list that weren’t previously confirmed are South Park: The Stick of Truth and two Lego games in the form of Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga and Lego Pirates of the Carribean: The Video Game. Bethesda’s open world RPG Fallout 3 joins the roster, as does Ubisoft’s popular Rainbow Six: Vegas franchise. Ubisoft also threw in the most popular entry from the Assassin’s Creed series, Assassin’s Creed II. From Square-Enix, you’ll be able to enjoy Just Cause 2 on your Xbox One ahead of the release of Just Cause 3. The original Borderlands is also backwards compatible, which should make the numerous fans of the franchise happy since the game wasn’t included as part of Borderlands: The Handsome Collection earlier this year.

You can read the full list of backwards compatible games over on Major Nelson’s official Xbox blog. It’s certainly a large list, but you may notice a few omissions. While the first Mass Effect was one of the first backwards compatible games announced, Mass Effect 2 and 3 didn’t make the cut. Many of the most requested games, like Halo: Reach, Call of Duty Black Ops and Red Dead Redemption, didn’t make this initial wave but will be coming in the near future. Updates to the list will be coming every month, starting in December. In addition, the two free Xbox 360 titles as part of the Games with Gold program will be backwards compatible with Xbox One moving forward.

All the games on the list will be available (if you already have the 360 games, of course) on Nov. 12 when the New Xbox One Experience dashboard updates goes live for all users. If you already have the update as part of the preview program, you should be able to enjoy these 360 games right now.

First 104 Backwards Compatible 360 Games On Xbox One Include ‘South Park: The Stick Of Truth’ And ‘Lego Star Wars’

The Best LEGO Sets of 2015: City, Star Wars, Jurassic World, Dimensions

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when one says Lego—expensive, right? Being a cult classic toy, Lego sets don’t come cheap. Even so, kids and in turn, their parents are lured by the magic of Lego. Enter funstation.in, a service started by Mumbai-based Kashyap Shah to provide Lego sets on rental basis.

The aha moment
Needless to say, Shah is a Lego enthusiast. But the aha moment came to him when he realised that in spite of Lego being a world-class toy, kids will play with it for not more than a week or two, which is why a rental service makes perfect sense. Funstation.in has more than 150 sets (128 being unique ones) with an MRP range of Rs. 1,100 to Rs. 37,500. These are rented out on a monthly basis for Rs. 300 to Rs. 3,700, with free shipping. For ease of use, the website segregates the sets into four broad categories based on MRP and level of complexity.

What do Lego loyalists say?
Shah is thrilled with the customer response. A while back, Vashi resident and mother of seven-year-old Ayush, Mrs. Shah had placed an order for a Star Wars Lego set on an e-commerce website. Shortly thereafter, she came across Kashyap’s stall at a fair in Bandra-Kurla Complex. On understanding what his concept was all about and realising that she could save Rs. 1,500 on the same set, Mrs. Shah made the switch to funstation.in. She says, “It’s not just the savings but the Lego toys that Kashyap delivers are sanitised and sealed neatly in a Ziploc bag. I know that I can go back to him for renting another set when my son gets bored with this one.”
Colaba resident and father of ten-year-old Husaina, Mr. Poonawala shares the same feeling about Shah and his venture. He says, “Funstation.in is a well-oiled set-up, which not only has a wide selection of toys but also impeccable service. I’m quite happy with Kashyap as he practises due diligence.” Poonawala is also glad about the time and space saved due to renting Lego sets.

Missing pieces
Shah seems to know his business well and has explained all terms and conditions thoroughly on the website. For example, there is no charge if a user ends up losing up to three Lego pieces; thereafter, charges apply. Shah plans to scale up his venture and take it pan-India. For now, he’s prepared for his stall at KidTown Fair 2015, which will be held this weekend at World Trade Center, Cuffe Parade. So, if you want to grab some of your favourite Lego sets, get in line as Shah concludes, “The Lego MINDSTORMS EV3, with an MRP of Rs. 37,500, is booked until March 2016!”

If you can’t buy Lego, rent it

LONDON — Severus Snape: good guy or bad guy?
If you said “bad guy,” J.K. Rowling wasn’t having it.

The Harry Potter author injected herself into a debate on Twitter of the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor — and regular Potter tormentor — after a user wondered why the adult Harry gave his child Snape’s name.

“Why did you pick Snape to name Harry’s kid after? I’m genuinely curious as he was nothing but abusive towards everyone,” queried @FrazzyJazzy7, a self-described Slytherin who says “Snape is my spirit animal.” (Snape was the onetime head of Slytherin house, archrivals of Harry’s .)

In a long response on Twitter, Rowling gave a full explanation of Harry’s decision: “There’s a whole essay in why Harry gave his son Snape’s name, but the decision goes to the heart of who Harry was, post-war.”

Rowling patiently — and sometimes exasperatedly — explained that Snape, played by Alan Rickman in the “Harry Potter” movies, was not all good nor all bad.

Rowling says Snape, like any other character, “deserves both admiration and disapprobation.”

Still, she couldn’t help but be amused at the emotion the discussion brought out in Potter fans.

“I’ve got to say this: you lot have been arguing about Snape for years. My timeline just exploded with love & fury yet again. Never change x,” she tweeted.

J.K. Rowling explains why Harry Potter names his son after Snape

The fantasy series “Harry Potter” which has captivated both young and old readers and moviegoers may have ended a few years ago, but the fans have not really gotten over the boy who lived. Apparently, it’s the same for its critically acclaimed author, J.K. Rowling, as years after the release of the last movie franchise, she is still talking about Harry Potter and his magical world.

To update millions of HP fans, the bestselling author revamped the official HP website last September. Those who constantly check the website to relive the story of Harry went crazy when she released a new story. It tells about the Potter lineage and how the first Potter earned gold through concocting magical potions.

Rowling also used her Twitter account to reach out to fans so that they are constantly reminded of the wizarding world. In August, she revealed in a Twitter post that among the thousand fan made theories she had read, there is one that she likes best; the theory says that Dumbledore is Death himself, and that he was the one who greeted Harry at King’s Cross as well as the one behind the death of Snape and Voldemort. In a different post, the writer apologized to fans for killing off Fred Weasley during the Battle of Hogwarts because she knows how much the readers loved the character.

Rowling uses social media to announce updates on the fictional characters over the years. In September 1, 2015, she revealed that Harry and Ginny’s son, James Sirius Potter is attending Hogwarts and that he has been sorted into Gryffindor. Fans all over the world went hysterical and the post got more than 200,000 retweets and likes.

Perhaps her biggest revelation yet since the end of the HP movie franchise is that HP did not really end. Just like our hero in the books, the story will live, not only in the hearts of its fans but in two new projects that are centered on the magical word. Earlier this year, Rowling announced two HP spinoffs; one is a London West End play entitled ‘Harry Potter & the Cursed Child’ which would talk about what happens to Harry’s youngest son 19 years after the battle of Hogwarts. The other is a movie prequel entitled ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’ Both are currently in the works and will both grace their respective platforms in 2016.

‘Harry Potter’ Author J.K. Rowling Teases Fans with HP Details and Updates Through the Years Including ‘Cursed Child’ and ‘Fantastic Beasts’

Hello everyone, and welcome to the week! It’s time once again for our look back at the noteworthy updates of the last seven days. What makes this week’s article stand out for me is the sheer number of games I love that updated last week. Why, there are even a couple of games that will probably end up on my Game Of The Year list included here! Of course, you can keep an eye out for updates yourself using AppShopper Social [Free], the watchlist in the TouchArcade App [Free], or by participating in the TouchArcade forums, but this weekly summary is here to fill in the things you might have missed. Let’s dig in!

Minecraft: Pocket Edition, $6.99 Redstone circuits! Not all of them, but some of them, and that’s big progress. On top of that, this version brings desert temples, bunnies, and new types of doors. Maybe you could use the Redstone circuits to operate doors that keep bunnies in desert temples? Look, I’m not going to tell you how to play, but I will make strong suggestions.

Angry Birds Rio, Free It’s kind of impressive that Rovio keeps rolling out content for a tie-in app with a movie that just about everyone has forgotten about. I think I’ve said that in an earlier Update Mondays, but hey, you try writing these every week for more than a year without repeating yourself. This update brings 20 new Treasure Hunt levels, 6 new bonus levels, and some nebulous “minor improvements”. I bet they’re bug fixes and performance improvements!

Vigil RPG, $1.99 Vigil‘s update is pretty small, but I like the game a lot, so I’m including it in here anyway. That’s the kind of thing you can do when you’ve gone mad with the power that writing a weekly update column brings. This update makes it so that you can heal up at a shaman’s hut instead of needing to go all the way back to the inn in the town. Let’s hear it for modern conveniences!

Galactic Keep, $3.99 Here’s another game I love, and in this case, the update is a spicy one! Now, at the moment, Galactic Keep only has one module, but there are plans for more. Many fans of the game are passing the time by replaying the existing module. Whether you’re playing for the first time or going through again, you’re sure to find the main addition this new version useful. You can now find Temporal Hubs on the map that allow you to switch characters at the cost of a bit of experience. Even better, you can stow items in there and retrieve them from any other Temporal Hub in any other location or module. Yes, permanent storage!

Templar Battleforce RPG Full Game HD, $9.99 Okay, you know the deal with Trese Brothers updates. There are too many things to list here, but the brief highlights include move path highlighting, remixed music tracks, and some new xeno enemy types. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Templar Battleforce in this column again soon, leaving me to once again try to pick a few things out of the 20 or so improvements that come each time. Thanks a lot, guys!

Sproggiwood, $9.99 So many great games in this week’s article, yeesh. Okay, so one of the things that bugged some people about Sproggiwood was that its controls were on the opposite side of the screen compared to many similar games. Well, as of this update, you can swap it over to the side you’re most comfortable with. The game also now supports controllers, if you’re the real buttons type of person. However you play it, just make sure that you do play it, okay?

Puzzle Craft 2, Free Okay, so here’s the deal with this update. You can now get some extra money by selling resources in all of your settlements, earn extra influence by helping people in old settlements, and score some runes by mastering royal quests. More ways to earn things all around, and that’s something I don’t think any Puzzle Craft player will say no to.

Sentinels of the Multiverse, $9.99 Mini-Pack 2 is now available, adding The Scholar, Miss Information, and The Final Wasteland to the game. If you already bought the Expansion Season Pass, you’re all set, but otherwise, it’s a $1.99 IAP for the pack. This update also includes a few bug fixes and UI improvements, such as the ability to easily share screenshots on social media. Think of the bragging rights!

CSR Classics, Free Okay, I should know better, but when I saw that Hot Rods had been added in this update, I couldn’t help but think of the Canadian answer to Slim Jim meat sticks. I seriously used to go through those things by the fistful, eating so many that I swore I’d name my first heart attack after them. I miss them dearly. Er, anyway, Hot Rod cars have arrived in CSR Classics, including the Chevy Bel Air, the Ford Model B, the Willys 77 Coupe, and more. You’ll have to excuse me for cutting this entry a bit short. I’m going to go eat a pound of salt and a bite of sausage to try and recapture my younger days.

KingsRoad, Free Are you just plain out of things to grind in KingsRoad? No? Well, too bad, because a new class promotion system has been added to the game. By collecting a special item from the arena, you can promote each class up to 100 times. Oh boy, that’s a big old nope from me, but I’m sure fans of the game are having a field day with that. Especially since you can earn some nifty player titles by doing enough promotions, giving you some fancy words to show off to other players. The things we do for fancy words, my friends, the things we do.

Ticket to Ride, $6.99 And here’s our controversial update of the week. Not long ago, Days Of Wonder made it known that they would be retiring a couple of the old iPhone Ticket To Ride apps in favor of making the iPad one universal. They did their best to make that a smooth transition for players, but let’s be honest, it’s never a great situation for people who own the “wrong” version. Anyway, they also did a major update to the game to go with the universal version, and even that is getting some blowback. The update includes asynchronous multiplayer, true cross-platform play, a new map, and an overhauled UI. It’s the latter that seems to be cheesing people off, for the most part, but I won’t pretend I know what it’s all about, because I don’t play this game.

Card Wars – Adventure Time Card Game, $3.99 Friends, I hope you’re ready for the deluge of Christmas updates, because I’m sure not. Oh well! Anyway, the sweaters are back, and so is the event where you can win some cool holiday-themed battle cards. This update also adds a couple of new hero cards to the Fionna and Cake map, and some new creatures and quests for both. The Fionna & Cake expansion is also temporarily on sale for $0.99, so if you’ve been waiting, now’s the time.

WWE Immortals, Free Through hell-fire and brimstone, it’s Kane! So, one of the weird things to me about the launch version of Immortals was in how some of the Superstars didn’t have gold versions. The Rock got his gold a while back, but the Big Red Machine was left hanging for a while. Well, that’s been corrected now, as gold Kane will be available in a future challenge or, as usual, right now in a very expensive early access pack. This update also features a special multiplayer season that offers up Survivor Series gear as a reward, but there’s only a few days left in that by now, so you’d best get on it if you haven’t already.

Vainglory, Free This update adds a new hero, Blackfeather, a powerful duelist. There are also some new hero skins for Cloud Raider Vox, SAWborg, and Death Metal Krul. Substantial improvements have been made to the friend system, and a bunch of balance adjustments, bug fixes, and tweaks have been made. Make sure to ask Eric or Andy all about them on the Mobcrush Stream. Tell them Carter sent you!

Mines of Mars, $4.99 Crescent Moon’s atmospheric mining adventure gets MFi controller support in its latest build, along with the ability to make manual saves. The notes also say that they’ve improved first time user experience, but I’m not sure what that means. I want to think it means that they mail a golden pony to your house if you’re a new player, but that can’t be right, can it? Well, we’ll probably never know.

Worms™ 4, $4.99 Another Christmas update for your mobile stockings, friends! Worms 4 has a new weapon, the Cracker Jack, three new season-appropriate outfits, and special Christmas gravestones. That last one is for all of the Dickens fans out there. The airplanes are looking a little like Kris Kringle’s sleigh, the music is a bit more jingle-bell-y, and even the Commanding Officer is getting into the spirit. And hey, here’s what every good little boy and girl asked for – bug fixes and improvements! How did you know, Santa?

AdVenture Capitalist!, Free Finally, an actual holiday-appropriate update! For all you Americans looking forward to Black Friday, you can warm up by joining in on the festivities in AdVenture Capitalist. The Black & Blue Friday event has you tapping away to earn unlocks that get you badges, Mega Bucks, and Gold. Wow, just like real capitalism! Why not check out the “holiday” from its sunniest side for once?

Shooty Skies – Endless Arcade Flyer, Free Nailing the gameplay is only one part of following in Crossy Road‘s shoes. You also need to deliver interesting updates with new characters, and it looks like Shooty Skies isn’t sleeping at the wheel on that point. The new version adds six new pilots, with two more you can unlock. There’s a new boss and some new bad guys, and a new $2.99 pilot pack that just gives you all of the new characters instead of having to fish in the prize machine for them.

Dash Quest, Free Hey, here are some neat new things for Dash Quest. There’s a new pet system that lets you level up and equip a companion to help you out and a new hero mode that has you playing a higher difficulty in pursuit of Epic Coins to exchange for new gear. There’s also a bunch of new content and a level cap increase to level 70. The developers have also done a job on the UI to make things look a little more visually consistent. Bug fixes? You bet!

Plants vs. Zombies™ 2, Free Oddly, Plants Vs. Zombies 2 isn’t going after Thanksgiving, nor is it quite ready for Christmas. Instead, we get a prehistoric-themed update that includes two primitive zombies, three primal plants, a new premium plant, and a whole bunch of dinosaurs. There’s also a special event running until November 30th called Food Fight. I’m… not sure why it’s dinosaurs and cave-zombies right now, but whatever. Dinosaurs are cool, no point questioning them.

MARVEL Future Fight, Free Jessica Jones is getting her time in the spotlight thanks to her new series on Netflix, and that means she’s making her way to some of Marvel’s games, too. She’s not the only addition to Future Fight, though. This update also includes four new uniforms for Daisy Johnson, Daredevil, Iron Fist, and Doctor Octopus. The new Daredevil suit is from the Netflix series, so true fans will sadly have to wait a bit longer for his Ben Affleck film togs. That Doc Ock uniform? None other than his Superior Spider-Man duds, with new six-star skills to go with it. Ten other characters have new skills, too, and every character’s level cap has been raised depending on its star ranking. As a fan of Superior Spidey, I’m going to give this game the coveted Update Mondays Most Spider-Mans Of The Week award this time around.

Cards and Castles, Free Okay, this one is a teeny-tiny update, but they can’t all be home runs. The new version of Cards And Castles adds some new items to the store, and a quantity selector for purchases in said store. I think the challenge now lays in how the developers go about maintaining balance without people who have bought cards feeling like the rug’s been pulled out from under them when card effects change. Well, we’ll see where things go from here, I suppose.

PAC-MAN, $4.99 Some new stuff for this odd version of Namco’s classic quarter-muncher, including a new daily gift system, some new mazes, and a few new maze packs you can buy via IAP. I know most of these mazes are stupidly unbalanced, but I kind of get a kick out of the fact that there is still new content being made for the original Pac-Man in 2015.

Super Boys – The Big Fight, Free You spoke, Mooff heard. This update re-works the controls based on player feedback, removes the energy system, raises the max star count to 12, and unlocks the Live mode earlier. There are lots of other bug fixes and tweaks to the game, so you might want to give it another look if you were turned off by some of its rough edges before.

Pyramid Solitaire Saga, Free Let’s play this week’s article off the stage with an update to our favorite narrative-based solitaire game, Pyramid Solitaire Saga. Somehow Helena and Kingsley have teleported from the US to Europe and are on their way back from there when they fly over Iceland and see a glowing Viking longboat. Holy smokes, friends. I never know what’s going to happen when this game updates!

That about wraps it up for last week’s significant updates. I’m sure I’ve missed some, though, so please feel free to comment below and let everyone know if you think something should be mentioned. As usual, major updates will likely get their own news stories throughout this week, and I’ll be back next Monday to summarize and fill in the blanks. Have a great week!

Update Mondays: “Minecraft Pocket Edition”, “Sproggiwood”, “CSR Classics”, “Galactic Keep”, and More

They’re a passionate bunch! Harry Potter fans took Twitter by storm on Friday, Nov. 27, after author and series creator J.K. Rowling responded to a fan question about the connection between the titular protagonist and polarizing character Severus Snape.

“Why did you pick Snape to name Harry’s kid after?” a fan asked. “I’m genuinely curious as he was nothing but abusive towards everyone.”

“Snape died for Harry out of love for Lily [Harry’s mother],” Rowling wrote in response to explain why Harry named one of his sons after the curmudgeonly Hogwarts professor. “Harry paid him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude.”

Fans of the fantasy series quickly jumped on social media to squabble over Rowling’s explanation and on Snape’s ultimate role in the beloved books and films.

Rowling, 50, chimed in 20 minutes later to marvel at her fans’ passionate responses.

“I’ve got to say this: you lot have been arguing about Snape for years,” she wrote. “My timeline just exploded with love & fury yet again. Never change.”

Later on, the British author returned to Twitter to weigh in once more.

“There’s a whole essay in why Harry gave his son Snape’s name, but the decision goes to the heart of who Harry was, post-war,” she wrote, referencing the fictional Second Wizarding War.

After attempting to leave the heated debate behind, Rowling checked back in only to find “the great Snape debate still raging,” so decided to add in a few final words.

“Snape didn’t die for ‘ideals,’” she wrote. The controversial professor was murdered by Lord Voldemort, who mistakenly believed he was the master of the immensely powerful Elder Wand. “He died in an attempt to expiate his own guilt. He could have broken cover at any time to save himself, but he chose not to tell Voldemort that the latter was making a fatal error in targeting Harry. Snape’s silence ensured Harry’s victory.”

J.K. Rowling Sparks Twitter Uproar After Revealing Harry Potter, Snape Connection

The cast and crew of Marvel’s “Ant-Man” discuss the power Michael Dougles brings to Hank Pym in a new featurette! Watch the featurette above and hear director Peyton Reed point out an important tattoo in a deleted scene below. Order your copy of “Ant-Man” now, currently available on Digital HD and out on 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, Digital SD and VOD December 8!

In “Ant-Man,” Hank Pym mentors Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) to help him embrace his inner hero and unlock the amazing abilities of the Ant-Man suit! Considering his impressive filmography, stars Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly and director Peyton Reed explain the feeling of working so closely with such a talented actor. Watch the video above to learn more about the experience!

In a deleted scene, Darren Cross (Corey Stoll) details a number of applications for the technology developed a Pym Industries thanks to his leadership. Reed provides commentary for this scene to explain why the scene didn’t make the theatrical cut of “Ant-Man” and points out a specific tattoo of an actor. Learn more about the tattoo from Reed and Rudd in the clip below!

Cast & Crew Discuss the Might of Michael Douglas in Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’

Earth’s Mightiest Heroes refuse to give in to Loki’s demand in a new clip from “Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!” Check out the clip below and get your copy digitally on December 11.

In “Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!,” the holiday season gets extra chilly as Loki and the frost giant, Ymir, plot to conquer the world. A team of Marvel heroes must stop the villains from stealing Santa’s power – if anyone can actually find the mysterious Mr. Claus. Fortunately, Rocket Raccoon and Groot are also hot on Santa’s trail. Heroes, villains, elves and cosmic bounty hunters collide in an epic quest that leave the fate of the holiday and the world itself in the balance. Check out a clip from the upcoming special above!

Pre-order your copy of “Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!” now! Stay tuned to Marvel.com for all the latest news and updates on Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

This wimp is no pushover, as the latest installment in the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” franchise sold 1 million copies worldwide in its first week on sale.

Nielsen Bookscan, which tracks about 80 percent of the US market, said it had sold just under 314,000 copies in its first week on sale, making it by far the No. 1 selling book in the US last week. Second place went to Stephen King’s “Bazaar of Bad Dreams,” which sold a robust 60,000 copies.

The serial chronicles middle schooler Gregory Heffley and his troubles with family, friends, and school.

Author Jeff Kinney, with 164 million copies in print, is a reluctant author, having first aspired to be a newspaper cartoonist, but it did not work out.

“That is actually a regret that I have, that it never worked out,” said Kinney.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that I became a bestselling author,” he said sitting in the bookstore that he owns and built in his home town of Plainville, Mass, midway between Providence and Boston.

With so much of its sales coming from overseas, Kinney did something rare and started his book tour overseas. A day after he spoke with The Post, he was jetting off to Madrid then to London, Lisbon and Paris before returning home for Thanksgiving.

His first US stop will be at his own bookstore the weekend after Thanksgiving — then it will be on to Athens, Istanbul, Bucharest, Amsterdam and Riga in Latvia. He’s already visited Tokyo, Beijing and Sydney, Australia.

In China, Kinney has more than 60 million books in print.

The hardcover book lists for $13.95. Don’t wait for the paperback to come out. Aside from the Scholastic edition available through the school book-fair market, there has never been a paperback sold at retail.

“I think if we had put the books out on newsprint, there would have been a different reaction,” said Kinney. There is a sort of weightiness to it. It asks that the books be taken seriously. Part of the conceit is that this is a kids’ diary.”

‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ boasts strong worldwide sales

Star Wars fans: the Force has been freed!

That’s right. As of 12:01 AM this Friday, April 10, you can stream Star Wars anytime you want. The original and prequel trilogies will be available for purchase on digital platforms like Amazon Instant Video, Google Play, iTunes, and Vudu. You can buy all six films individually, but some retailers are offering bundled deals.

Having the Star Wars films available on streaming gives fans the ability to watch these films whenever and wherever they want. There’s a big added literal bonus for hard core Star Wars nerds. Lucasfilm has released a list of all the potential bonus features and deleted scenes that are available. These include famous lost moments like Threepio unleashing the wampa on the Stormtroopers in The Empire Strikes Back, all the Rebel pilots cut from Return of the Jedi, and extra scenes from the prequel trilogy. There are also trailers, documentaries, and special effects reels. Of course, these press releases came with the caveat that not all retailers will have all of these bonus features. Which means, you might not get that extended take the of “Aunt Beru’s Blue Milk Scene.”

So, the question is: which platform is right for you? Personal preferences aside, here are what all the major streaming retailers are promising.

Amazon Instant Video’s Deal

Amazon is giving customers a sweet deal if they pre-order what they’re calling Star Wars: The Digital Movie Collection. You get all six films on streaming, plus unspecified bonus material, for $89.99. The films are individually available for purchase in either High Definition or Standard Definition for $19.99.

Google Play’s Deal

Google Play is offering the films individually for $19.99 or all six together for $99.00. However, they have also upped the ante (since their press release last night). You can pre-order the six films together for $89.99. Google Play is the only platform to confirm so far that you will get all 72 pieces of bonus content (and 12 are brand new to Star Wars fans). While it’s probable you’ll get the same content with the other platforms, it’s worth noting that Google Play is the only one so far to confirm it.

Vudu’s Deal

If you pre-order on Vudu, you save $10 on the bundle deal. This means you get all six films for $89.99. Vudu promises “all new digital extras,” but of course, isn’t explicit on which ones you get. (Maybe the famed Toschi Station scenes?) But, Vudu is sweetening the deal by offering an additional $10 credit to new subscribers. So, if this is your first Vudu purchase, you’ll not only get the best deal on the six films, but an extra $10 to spend on Vudu titles to boot.

M-GO’s Deal

You can also pre-order the six movie bundle at M-GO for $89.99, but all individual films are available for a slightly discounted rate of $19.77. That’s also the VOD platform’s nod to the year the original Star Wars was released. In fact, you can pre-order Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope for $14.99. In addition to these price cuts, M-GO is giving customers who purchase the whole bundle 1138 Rewards Points that you can redeem on future M-GO purchases.

iTunes’ Deal

At this time, iTunes doesn’t appear to be offering the films in any sort of bundle. You can pre-order each film individually for $19.99. iTunes also promises “never-before-seen footage and deleted scenes.” Maybe one of them will be a glimpse of a deleted scene from The Phantom Menace featuring Adrian Dunbar as the original Senator Bail Organa?!?!? So, why would you want to buy all the films outside of a bundle on iTunes? Because you have Apple TV. iTunes will be the only place Apple TV viewers can buy the films.

These deals are subject to change, and many are contingent upon pre-order.

Like what you see? Follow Decider on Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation, and sign up for our email newsletters to be the first to know about streaming movies and TV news!

‘Star Wars’ Is Coming To Streaming — Which Platform Is Right For You?

David Heyman, producer of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, says the movie is most comparable of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the fourth film in the original Harry Potter franchise.

Heyman notes that even though Goblet of Fire was directed by Mike Newell and the new film is from David Yates (who helmed the final four Harry Potter movies), it is Newell’s entry that comes closest to Beasts, reported Entertainment Weekly.

“Fantastic Beasts has got the charm of the fourth. It’s like the fourth. Mike talked about the fourth as being like an Indian musical and it’s not that, but it’s got the humour of of that film. It has the romantic comedy, that fish-out-of-water humour, that very human, natural character comedy.

“And now David is always looking for truthful, human moments, it’s never just a gag, he’s grounding (the storytelling moments) in a reality. Beasts is very funny, it’s got a big heart, and there’s darkness too,” Heyman said.

‘Fantastic Beast’ has charm of ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ says producer David Heyman

This month, the American children’s writer Jeff Kinney published the 10th book in his blockbusting Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Entitled Old School, it came out simultaneously in more than 90 countries, and within a single week had sold a million copies. With figures like this, Kinney need never have strayed from home and could have simply concentrated on writing the 11th book, but instead he decided to head out on tour to promote it even more. In the past two weeks he has visited Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Spain, China and Japan. This week it’s the UK, and then he’s on to other sundry European destinations, before heading on to South America.

“It’s Tuesday, right? At least, I think it is,” he says with a laugh, settling into his central London hotel suite, and sounding far perkier than someone carrying that amount of jet lag should. Given his astonishing sales record –the number of copies in print of Wimpy Kid now exceeds 164 million, there’s a film franchise and Time magazine has voted him among the 100 most influential people on the planet – you might expect Kinney to have superstar tendencies, albeit of the literary kind. But to call him unassuming would be to understate matters. Kinney, in his pressed shirt and ironed chinos, is almost vigorously ordinary and normal.

“I’m always worried kids will be disappointed when they come to meet the writer of their favourite book, only to find this middle-aged, average-looking guy,” the 44-year-old says.

Kinney’s early ambition was to become a newspaper cartoonist. While at university, he had created a comic strip about a socially maladjusted freshman called Igdoof, and spent several years trying to get his work syndicated. But, he says, “my drawings weren’t professional enough”. He started designing children’s websites, and in his spare time continued drawing, replacing Igdoof with a middle-school student by the name of Greg Heffley. And lo, Diary of a Wimpy Kid was born. It has probably worked so well because of its universality: we were all awkward kids, once. Written, as the title implies, like a diary – in handwriting – and full of simple yet sprightly cartoons, it’s more comic strip than novel, and follows the eternal travails of adolescent Greg, his family and friends. The latest story finds him attempting to unplug himself from the modern world – switching off phones and computers – with reassuringly calamitous results. As with the previous nine books, this one runs to a very precise 217 pages (Kinney likes order and uniformity), and children, as ever, are devouring it the way they do sugar.

But if his books are easy to read, Kinney insists they are torture to write. “I enjoy having worked, but I don’t enjoy the work,” he says. “It’s a grind. I can spend four hours trying to come up with a single joke” – his books are full of jokes – “and fail to write even one. And I spend up to 17 hours a day on the drawings. It breaks you down.”

He must surely be exaggerating here, if only because the man has cranked out 10 volumes in just eight and a half years. But if he struggles with the writing process, then he does enjoy the spoils of his efforts. He downplays giving talks alongside the Titanic director, James Cameron, and enjoying dinner with US presidents past and present, but will concede that his unexpected success has benefits.

The latest instalment in the ‘Wimpy Kid’ series

“I never expected to become wealthy, but I do like being able to make positive changes in my town,” he says. Kinney lives with his wife and two boys in Massachusetts, in a town called, perhaps appropriately for an Everyman, Plainville, where they live in a “regular” house and pursue a largely “ordinary” life. But he has built a soccer field for the local school, and a downtown bookshop called An Unlikely Story. “It’s become the cultural hub of the region, and that is very validating,” he says.

This has been his busiest year: he has written the screenplay for the fourth Wimpy Kid film, is planning two seasonal specials, and also a musical. The books, meanwhile, keep coming.

“I often debate whether to try and create something else or simply be happy with what I have,” he says. “But I always feel that when a cartoonist retires their characters, it leaves a hole in people’s lives. I don’t want to bring them to an end unless I have good reason to do so. And I don’t, yet.”

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Jeff Kinney has sold 150 million copies of his book

Ten years ago today, on November 18, 2005, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” officially released in theaters across the U.S., and there was much rejoicing.

But within two hours, a great cry had erupted from the Potter-loving masses. A cry of horror. A cry of outrage. A cry that would echo on the internet forever, because we still can’t believe that happened.

And by “that,” obviously, we mean the part immediately after Harry Potter’s name emerges on the binding list of Tri-Wizard Tournament competitors, when Albus Dumbledore comes raging down the stairs, grabs Harry by the collar, and bellows, “HARRY! DID YOU PUT YOUR NAME IN THE GOBLET OF FIRE?!!”

Of all the things that got lost in translation when “Harry Potter” made the move from page to screen, this is the one screw-up that fans are still talking about. It’s the gaffe that must not be named; the Voldemort of mistakes.

And today, in honor of the movie’s tenth anniversary, we’re taking a closer look at it.

• That’s definitely not how it went down in the books.

  

• Needless to say, this scene played out pretty differently in J.K. Rowling’s novel, where Dumbledore was described as asking the question calmly — and where he definitely didn’t pull that crazy shoulder-grabbing move, which probably terrified Harry and gave him a near-fatal case of shaken-wizard syndrome.

• But then, Movie Dumbledore was a lot more aggressive than Book Dumbledore, in general.

  

  Warner Bros

  Truth: The GOBLEDDA FIYAH moment was just the most egregious example of the wise old wizard being portrayed in a way that was wildly out of character. J.K. Rowling’s Dumbledore was ancient, wise, and always in quiet control (albeit infuriatingly vague at times.) Gambon’s Dumbledore? Much more shouty. Like, at least 5000% more shouty.

• How could this happen?!

  
• Warner Bros.

  The best-case scenario? Ignorance. Unlike Richard Harris (who played Dumbledore in the first two “Harry Potter” films before his death in 2002), Gambon has a personal policy against reading the books that he’s starring in adaptations of — which means he had no idea, going in, that Book Dumbledore was such a soft-spoken guy.

• But also, Gambon just didn’t really… um, care.

  
• Warner Bros.

  When asked about acting in the “Harry Potter” series, he famously replied, “I don’t have to play anyone really. I just stick on a beard and play me, so it’s no great feat.” (So basically, that’s not even Dumbledore we were watching. It’s just Michael Gambon in a prosthetic beard.)

• Potterheads do, though. They care. A LOT.

  Hundreds of tweets, thousands of reblogs, and at least one “DID YA PUT YA NAME IN DA GOBLEDDAH FIYAH” Facebook group later, Michael Gambon had better hope he never ends up stuck in an elevator with one of the millions of fans who will hold a grudge about this for the rest of their lives.

A Brief History Of The Worst ‘Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire’ Mistake Ever

A “Teen Wolf” fan favourite is set to return in Season 5B of the hit MTV series. Comedian and actor Orny Adams will rejoin Tyler Posey and other cast members in the upcoming Season.

“Teen Wolf” Executive Producer Jeff Davis confirmed the casting news to Teen Wolf News, where Adams is set to reprise his role as Coach Bobby Finstock. Davis mentioned that Adams’ return to “Teen Wolf” Season 5B was supposed to be a secret. “Last I heard from publicity they didn’t want to say anything,” he said.

However, Adams’ casting news was already revealed by actress Arden Cho, who plays Kira Yukimura in the MTV series. In a Twitter message that has been deleted, Cho wrote, “Orny Adams, good seeing you today!!! Jelly you got wrapped early to celebrate your birthday!!! Have fun! Happy Birthday!”

Teen Wolf News initially reported Cho’s Twitter post as a possible error on her part. However, the actress reached out to Teen Wolf News about the incident and clarified that “it wasn’t a mistake…”

She added, “I just asked him (Jeff) also to reconfirm.  I would love if you rephrase and really appreciate it because I try my best to always keep things under wrap and don’t want to spoil anything.”

Adams, who plays an economics teacher in “Teen Wolf” and Lacrosse coach, has been one of the regular characters in the MTV series.  The first half of Season 5 was the first time that he has been absent from the show. It was in March when Adams announced that he won’t be joining Season 5A because of schedule conflicts, Hypable reported. He explained then that some of his prior engagements, which couldn’t be cancelled, were in conflict with “Teen Wolf” filming.

Meanwhile, apart from Adams’ return in “Teen Wolf” Season 5B, new characters will also be introduced in the upcoming season.  “Teen Wolf” showrunner Jeff Davis has previously revealed that a new shapeshifter will be joining the series.  The new shapeshifter, or Skinwalker, is based on an old lore from Native America and actual legends from the Navajo people indicates that the creature can transform into animals and even steal the identities of other people.

The addition of the new shapeshifter and other characters, plus Adams’ Coach Finstock’s return to the series, hints of an exciting storyline for Season 5B of MTV’s “Teen Wolf.” There’s still a few months of waiting before fans can enjoy seeing the hit series on the small screen again.

“Teen Wolf” season 5B will premiere in the U.S. on Jan. 5.

‘Teen Wolf’ Season 5B updates: Tyler Posey’s character to reunite with Lacrosse coach; Orny Adams returns