by Stone Marshall | Dec 31, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News |
Now that Batman and Superman have properly met on the silver screen, the biggest superhero team-up that fans want to see is one between Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Although it now looks like Wade Wilson won’t actually have a cameo in Logan (contrary to recent rumors), that doesn’t mean that these two hard-to-kill badasses won’t meet each other at some point. In fact, THR’s Borys Kit recently took to Twitter to reveal that — while Deadpool won’t show up during the events of Logan — there’s the distinct possibility that these two X-Men icons will meet up on the big screen in another project.
That announcement should definitely have you excited — even if it’s a bit vague. To help make sense of the rumors, we have taken it upon ourselves to compile a list of ways in which Deadpool and Wolverine could realistically come together in the X-Men universe. Some of these involve the characters battling one another, while others involve them actually teaming up, but they’re all insanely cool ideas that fans would love to see. Without any further delay, let’s kick this list off with (arguably) the easiest method of bringing these two together.
Wolverine Cameos In Deadpool 2
At this point a Wolverine cameo in Deadpool 2 seems like the easiest and most straightforward way for The Merc With The Mouth to interact with our favorite clawed anti-hero. Hugh Jackman has made his desire to officially retire from the role of Wolverine incredibly clear over the course of the last year, so a cameo in the Deadpool sequel could allow him to honor that decision while still giving fans what they want. The original Deadpool already made numerous references to Hugh Jackman and Wolverine, so the groundwork has been laid for a quick appearance. As long as they don’t show the “ball fondle” referenced in Deadpool‘s opening scene, we will be fine with a simple cameo.
They Team-Up In An X-Force Movie
Although it’s beginning to look like 20th Century Fox wants to give the actual X-Men team a break for the foreseeable future — they don’t currently have a traditional X-Men movie slated for release — an X-Force movie is entirely plausible. A darker and more aggressive team of mutants, the X-Force is a violent ensemble of anti-heroes that includes Wolverine, X-23, Psylocke, Deadpool, and Cable — all of whom are willing to kill to get the job done. Most of the recent movies have already done the necessary legwork to introduce this team of characters in the near future, so an X-Force movie seems like a perfect opportunity to properly introduce the relationship between Wade Wilson and Logan in a logical and kick-ass way.
They Make Another Weapon X Movie
Weapon X is an aspect of the X-Men lore that has been addressed on the silver screen numerous times over the years, but it still hasn’t received a proper adaptation yet. The closest we ever came to a genuine Weapon X storyline was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and we all know how that turned out. In the comics, Wolverine and Deadpool are both products of the military research project, and their shared background has bonded them in several storylines over the years. Deadpool never specifically denied that Ajax’s workshop had any connection to Weapon X, so it’s still within the realm of possibility that a future X-Men movie could potentially explore Logan and Wade Wilson’s mutual connection to this shady organization.
They Fight Each Other In The New Mutants
Although Deadpool has become a loveable anti-hero in recent years, his debut appearance in the New Mutants lore gave him a far more villainous persona. With a New Mutants movie set to debut within the next few years, there is no better time to give the character a more sinister role and send him up against the team of young X-Men. The story could frame Hugh Jackman’s Logan as a side character (and mentor to the young team) who steps in to defend them when The Merc With The Mouth comes looking for blood. Admit it, you already know that the idea of watching these two characters hack pieces away from each other (and quickly regenerate) is a tantalizing prospect.
They Make Their Own Team-Up Movie
The entire “buddy movie” genre is predicated on the idea of putting two diametrically opposed characters together and seeing how it pans out. We’ve seen Riggs and Murtaugh in Lethal Weapon, and we’ve seen Lee and Carter in the Rush Hour series; now we think it’s time to give Wade Wilson and Logan the same treatment. Between Wolverine’s gruff exterior and Deadpool’s wisecracking persona, there are endless possibilities for story when we put this mismatched duo together and watch the sparks fly. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have proven that they have impeccable chemistry in real life, so it makes plenty of sense to produce a movie that capitalizes on their dynamic.
How do you think Wolverine and Deadpool should meet in the X-Men universe? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!
How Deadpool And Wolverine Could Team Up On The Big Screen
by Stone Marshall | Dec 30, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
2016 may have been a weird year for movies, but in the Marvel and DC worlds, fans were introduced to many new players. The DC Extended Universe brought in their versions of Batman, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn and more, while in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Black Panther and Doctor Strange were two of the more notable characters to be thrown into the mix. Granted, not all of these movies were well received, but if you’re a longtime comic book fan like myself, seeing new versions of heroes and villains on the big screen is a treat.
Looking ahead to 2017, there are a lot of other new characters who will be put in the spotlight, so we’ve gathered together the 10 people from the Marvel and DC universe we believe will steal the show. Some of these characters are new, while others haven’t had the proper amount of time to show off. Let’s kick this off with someone who’s familiar, yet fresh at the same time.
Baby Groot
Is it cheating to have someone who’s a smaller version of a major character we’ve already seen? Well, it’s totally worth it, because Baby Groot is absolutely fantastic! Granted, we already knew how adorable the tinier sentient tree thanks to Guardians of the Galaxy‘s ending, but now that he’s mobile again, he can be both adorable and dangerous to any enemies that get in his way. However, like his taller self, Baby Groot isn’t ranking high in the intelligence department. Nevertheless, judging by the reaction online, he’s one of the main things people are looking forward to in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Aquaman
Aquaman briefly appeared in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice earlier this year, but throwing a trident and quickly swimming away isn’t a lot to chew on. Justice League will be the first time the character is thrown into action, and we cannot wait. For decades, Aquaman has been the butt of jokes, but thankfully, his reputation has somewhat improved in recent years. We’re hopeful that Jason Momoa’s portrayal will continue the trend and impress moviegoers unfamiliar with the comics, especially once they see him controlling underwater life and tearing through Parademons.
Etta Candy
While her brief appearance in the Wonder Woman Comic-Con preview was fun, our first hint that Lucy Davis’ Etta Candy was going to be something special was the final scene in the most recent trailer. She made it clear that to the Amazon that women in the “outside world” rely on their principles first and foremost, but she isn’t afraid to a bit of fisticuffs should the occasion arise. Etta is obviously a woman who knows her way around early 20th century culture, but so far it also looks like she’s funny and sharp, so we’re looking forward to her being an excellent foil to the powerful, yet socially unaware, Diana.
Grandmaster
Grandmaster is one of the more obscure Marvel comics characters, but as an Elder of the Universe, he’s definitely one of the most important from a cosmic perspective. He’ll be introduced to the MCU next year in Thor: Ragnarok, and reports state he’ll be the one overseeing the gladiator battles that Hulk has been forced to participate in. That already sounds intriguing, but even better, Grandmaster will be played by Jeff Goldblum. This was one of our favorite announced castings in 2016, as Goldblum’s special brand of weirdness should be the perfect fit for playing an eccentric entity obsessed with games.
Mantis
Just like the main Guardians of the Galaxy were in 2014, Mantis is an extremely obscure Marvel character, but with James Gunn’s magic, she’s sure to become a fan favorite, too. Mantis popped up at the end of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2teaser trailer to show off her empathic ability, and obviously socially ignorant, she loudly revealed Peter Quill’s “sexual love” for Gamora, which Drax found “somewhat amusing.” This is a good indication that her naivety will be a prominent source of humor in the sequel, but not to worry, she’ll also prove key to helping this band of miscreants protect the galaxy.
The Flash
Like Aquaman, The Flash was introduced to the DCEU this year, and while Barry Allen got a little more to do thanks to his Suicide Squad cameo, Justice League will also be his first opportunity to truly shine on the big screen. Even with The Flash TV series currently enjoying popularity, we’re hopeful that Ezra Miller’s version of the Scarlet Speedster will be something special. Not only do his speed effects look cool, but his conversation with Bruce Wayne in the Justice League Comic-Con preview cents that he’ll be a welcome source of humor and lightheartedness in the midst of the superhero team’s conflict with Steppenwolf.
Hela
Malekith made for a painfully boring and generic villain in Thor: The Dark World, but we have a good feeling that Thor: Ragnarok‘s Hela will enjoy similar reception as Loki, one of the MCU’s most compelling characters. Hela has been one of the God of Thunder’s longest-running adversaries, and like her comic book counterpart, her MCU iteration will have control over the dead. That’s enough to make Hela a worthy antagonist for the third (and probably most destructive) Thor movie, but with Cate Blanchett taking the role, we’re practically guaranteed one of the best superhero movie performances of 2017.
X-23
Hugh Jackman’s time as Wolverine will conclude in Logan, but he won’t be the only clawed mutant receiving significant screen time. The third Wolverine spinoff will see the eponymous protagonist meeting a young girl named Laura, and while director James Mangold hasn’t confirm it, it’s clear she’s X-23 by her first name and two claws on each hand. Although she didn’t utter a word in the first Logan trailer, critics were impressed by her in the exclusive footage screened earlier this month, so it sounds like the cinematic X-23 will be just as fun to watch as her comic book counterpart.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie is one of those Thor characters who some fans have been dying to see in live action, and that will finally happen in Thor: Ragnarok. Played by Tessa Thompson, she will be Thor’s new love interest, but with her mighty sword and natural Asgardian abilities, she’ll likely be helping the God of Thunder and Hulk defend the Nine Realms from whatever Hela, Skurge and the movie’s other villains are plotting. Valkyrie is also already confirmed to return for more movies, so look forward to more of her superhero contributions in 2018 and beyond.
Vulture
Since Vulture was the second super villain Spider-Man ever fought in the comics, it’s appropriate he’ll be the main antagonist in Spider-Man: Homecoming, as Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is still early into his superhero career. Played by Michael Keaton, this version of Adrian Toomes will lead a gang that’s come into possession of advanced technology. In Toomes’ case, he’ll be terrorizing New York in a winged suit that effectively blends his classic look with a modern twist. More importantly, Keaton’s Vulture is ruthless and unafraid to do whatever’s necessary for him to make it to the top of the criminal underworld.
10 Marvel And DC Characters Who Will Steal The Show in 2017
by Stone Marshall | Dec 21, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News, Stone Marshall Book News |
“Microsoft Monday” takes a look back at the past week of news related to Microsoft. This week, “Microsoft Monday” includes details about Minecraft arriving on Apple TV, Dolby Atmos support coming to the Xbox One and Windows 10, the download speed increasing on the Xbox One, a roadmap for Cortana on IoT devices, the OneDrive for iOS update and much more!
Minecraft Arrives On Apple TV For $19.99
Minecraft / Image Credit: Microsoft
Back in October, Mojang announced that Minecraft will be coming to the Apple TV. And today Minecraft has officially arrived for the fourth-generation Apple TV at a price of $19.99.
“We’ve just released Minecraft for the slim black boxes. And, for a limited time, it comes with seven pieces of lovely DLC, giving you the chance to customize the fun to your liking. Minecraft: Apple TV Edition currently includes the Holiday 2015, Town Folk, and City Folk skin packs, along with the Plastic, Natural, Cartoon, and Festive 2016 mash-ups,” said Mojang’s director of creative communications Owen Jones in a blog post.
Minecraft for the Apple TV will also support the Ender Update. Unfortunately, it does not support Minecraft Realms or Xbox Live yet. But Mojang plans to add support for those platforms “in the near future.”
Dolby Atmos Sound Is Coming To Xbox One And Windows 10
Microsoft has announced that the Dolby Atmos surround sound technology will be coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs and tablets. What makes this announcement exciting is that Dolby Atmos is known for making gaming and video content sound extremely sharp and realistic.
“Xbox will be the first game console to feature Dolby Atmos and game developers are excited about using the new capabilities to make their games richer and more engaging. Atmos support for the Blu-ray app on Xbox is already available in Preview and will be released to GA soon – and we’re very excited now to offer Atmos support to games on Xbox One and Windows 10,” said Spencer Hooks, the Director of Gaming at Dolby Laboratories. “You’ll be able to experience Dolby Atmos in your home theater, assuming you have a Dolby Atmos enabled speaker system or soundbar. But you don’t need to have that kind of equipment – it will be possible to enable virtually any pair of headphones with the Dolby Atmos experience.”
Xbox Preview members can now access Dolby Atmos support on the Xbox One and Xbox One S through Blu-ray Bitstream pass-through. If you are an Xbox Preview member, you can set up the feature by making sure you have the latest Blu-ray player update under the “Updates” tab within the “My Games & Apps” section and then enabling “Let my receiver decode audio (beta)” under the “Disc & Blu-ray” settings page.
Xbox One Update Increases Download Speeds Up To 80%
In a recent Xbox One update, Microsoft substantially optimized the download speeds supported by the console. If you are on an Internet connection that is faster than 100Mbps, then you should see an increase of about 80%. On slower connections, game and app downloads should still see a boost of around 40%. The changes in the download speed depend on your ISP and connection configuration. But the download speeds won’t have as much of a boost if you are playing a game since the bandwidth is prioritized for that experience. The Xbox One update also includes optimizations to make downloads “more resilient to intermittent connectivity issues.” And the update contains performance improvements for wireless controllers and background music.
The Xbox One update includes optimizations to make downloads “more resilient to intermittent connectivity issues.” And the update includes performance improvements for wireless controllers and background music.
Microsoft Is Reportedly Expanding Cortana To Internet Of Things Devices
ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley noticed that Cortana will be coming to Windows 10 Internet of Things Core devices with displays, according to a slide presented at the WinHEC 2016 event in Shenzhen. The slide showed Cortana built into a refrigerator, a thermostat and a toaster.
“With upcoming Windows 10 Creators Update, Cortana will be available on Windows 10 IoT Core devices with displays,” says the slide. Windows 10 Creators Update is expected to arrive in March 2017. In the Windows 10 Creators Update, Microsoft is also adding “wake on voice from modern standby” and “far-field voice” with Cortana. This will enable hardware companies to build devices that can wake up Cortana with voice queries and it will be able to listen to people from different rooms.
Foley said that the Cortana on Windows 10 IoT Core will launch in English for the U.S. and U.K. markets first. And there are plans to roll it out in additional languages after that.
OneDrive For iOS Has Been Updated With Office Lens Feature And Instant Previews
OneDrive for iOS / Photo Credit: Microsoft
Last week, Microsoft released a OneDrive for iOS update with a few new features. Microsoft OneDrive for iOS now has the ability to preview Word, Excel and PowerPoint files within the app via the new instant previewers. Another new feature is the ability to digitize whiteboards, documents and business cards because the app now has Office Lens integration.
Microsoft Monday: Minecraft For Apple TV Arrives, Xbox One Download Speed Increases, Cortana For IoT
by Stone Marshall | Dec 21, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions |
We’re on Apple’s magical black box, just in time for the holidays
Do you own one of those fancy Apple TV devices? Maybe Santa has his elves cooking one up in their high-tech workshop?
If either of those are true, I bring good news! We’ve just released Minecraft for the slim black boxes. And, for a limited time, it comes with seven pieces of lovely DLC, giving you the chance to customise the fun to your liking. Minecraft: Apple TV Edition currently includes the Holiday 2015, Town Folk, and City Folk skin packs, along with the Plastic, Natural, Cartoon, and Festive 2016 mash-ups. It costs $19.99 and is rolling out in all regions as I type.
Apple TV Edition also includes the Ender Update. We’ve just posted about that on this very website!
One more thing – though Apple TV Edition doesn’t currently support Minecraft Realms or Xbox Live, we’ll update the game with those features in the near future.
Have fun, Apple fans!
APPLE TV EDITION RELEASED!
by Stone Marshall | Dec 15, 2016 | Awesome Book News |
Although 2016 is not quite over yet, it is time to turn our attention to next year and, specifically, the wonderful cinematic treats we have awaiting us.
There are returns for some much-loved comic book characters and a few movie debuts. There are plenty of sequels to get excited about too.
And we couldn’t ignore the massive film still to come this side of New Year’s Eve – Star Wars anyone?
So have a watch through the below and we’re sure they’ll leave you as excited as us about the movie year ahead. We’ll also update it as new ones emerge so do check back often.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- UK release date: 16 December 2016
- Director: Gareth Edwards
- Stars: Felicity Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk
Assassin’s Creed
- UK release date: 1 January 2017
- Director: Justin Kerzel
- Stars: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons
T2 – Trainspotting 2
- UK release date: 27 January 2017
- Director: Danny Boyle
- Stars: Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
- UK release date: 27 January 2017
- Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
- Stars: Milla Jovovich, Ali Larter, Iain Glen
The Lego Batman Movie
- UK release date: 10 February
- Director: Chris McKay
- Stars: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Ralph Fien
Logan
- UK release date: 24 February 2017
- Director: James Mangold
- Stars: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Boyd Holbrook
Kong: Skull Island
- UK release date: 10 March 2017
- Director: Jordan Vogt-Roberts
- Stars: Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
- UK release date: 24 March 2017
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Annabelle Wallis, Jude Law
Fast & Furious 8
- UK release date: 14 April 2017
- Director: F Gary Gray
- Stars: Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- UK release date: 28 April 2017
- Director: James Gunn
- Stars: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper
Wonder Woman
- UK release date: 2 June 2017
- Director: Patty Jenkins
- Stars: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Robin Wright
Spider-Man: Homecoming
- UK release date: 7 July 2017
- Director: Jon Watts
- Stars: Tom Holland, Michael Keaton, Robert Downey Jnr
War for the Planet of the Apes
- UK release date: 14 July 2017
- Director: Matt Reeves
- Stars: Andy Serkis, Woody Harrelson, Judy Greer
Justice League
- UK release date: 17 November 2017
- Director: Zack Snyder
- Stars: Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Henry Cavill
Best movies to look forward to in 2017: Here are all the top film trailers
by Stone Marshall | Dec 10, 2016 | Awesome Book News, Minecraft News |
The studio responsible for ongoing development of Minecraft is dipping its toes into the games journalism business, Mojang announced this week, re-launching Minecraft.net as a community hub dedicated to all things Minecraft -related. It’s not going to feature the world’s most objective coverage of the popular sandbox game but the new Minecraft site does show some promise.
It’s not clear what led Mojang to make the change, though the recent spate of publisher-owned blogs makes the news significantly less surprising. What is clear is that Microsoft and Mojang are doing what they can centralize discovery and distribution of new Minecraft content, regardless of whether it was created in-house or by a member of the Minecraft community. The new site will include snapshot announcements, patch notes and other developmental news. Mojang says it also plans to use the site to “[dig] into development secrets, inspiration behind our updates, DLC, game mechanics, and more.”
The studio also plans to use Minecraft.net to highlight community creations, including popular YouTube videos, Minecraft mods, new servers and even those who prefer channeling their love of Minecraft into physical art, like cosplay. Of course, seeing as it’s a company-run platform, we’ll also see plenty of Minecraft merch sprinkled into the mix. The studio even brought in Marsh Davies, known for his work at PC Gamer and Rock Paper Shotgun, to run the revamped site. Minecraft fans can currently read up on the inspirations behind the recently added underwater temple and one of the game’s most-popular world-generation tools.
Minecraft is currently available on PlayStation 3, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Wii U, iOS, Android and PC.
Be sure to check back with iDigitalTimes.com and follow Scott on Twitter for more Minecraft news throughout what’s left of 2016 and however long Mojang supports Minecraft in the years ahead.
‘Minecraft’: Mojang Launches Community Hub Featuring News And Fan Content
