Hasbro to Launch Its Own D&D Streaming Channel

Dungeons and Dragons

eOne, the entertainment company owned by Hasbro, responsible for the recent Dungeons & Dragons movie, has announced a new, 24-hour channel dedicated to D&D called Dungeons & Dragons Adventures. It will be free, supported by adverts.

No details on how to access the channel have been announced at this stage, but expect it to appear on the usual platforms. The channel will rely heavily on improvised, unscripted content. Streaming-based shows like Critical Role, Dimension Twenty, Oxventure, and Questing Time have already gained a cult following with type of show, using the game to structure free-form fantasy-themed stories.

One show planned is Faster Purple Worm! Kill! Kill! It will feature various celebrities and special guests playing a low-level game of D&D but with a focus on comedy. The show will feature D&D super-fan (and Scooby Doo’s own Shaggy) Matthew Lillard and Hollywood legend Jon Ciccolini in some capacity. A previous version of the show was launched as part of the D&D Live streaming event back in 2021. 

Similarly, a show called Encounter Party will be an actual-play D&D game that showcases the Forgotten Realms setting. (The same world that the recent movie is set in). Other D&D-themed shows, including the classic ’80s cartoon, will be on the channel.

A cooking show called Heroes Feast is also planned. The name of the show comes from a spell in the game, which inspired a bestselling cookbook. Popular online chef Mike Haracz from the Mike Does Stuff channel will host alongside co-host Sujata Day.

This is an interesting move from eOne, especially when you consider that shows such as Critical Role are showcasing more content that does not use the D&D brand. 

Dungeons & Dragons Adventures is expected to launch later this year, in the summer. 

Beetlejuice 2 Gets Official Release Date

No need to ask three times, because we have this (beetle)juicy bit of news ready and you only need to hear it just once. After over thirty years in development hell, Beetlejuice 2 not only is officially happening but “it’s showtime” on September 6th 2024, as the film will be released in cinemas.

Director Tim Burton is back behind the camera and returning to world of the recently deceased in one of his most beloved films, and this follow up will be penned by Wednesday scribes Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and the film has started shooting in London.

Michael Keaton is back as our favourite Bio-Exorcist who will surely have watched The Exorcist a good few more times by now! There is no word yet on whether many other original cast members are joining him in the sequel, although both Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder will be back as Delia and Lydia Deetz respectively, and will be joined by Wednesday and Scream star Jenna Ortega, who will star in this new film, and will be playing Lydia’s daughter. Other new cast members include Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and rather excitingly Willem Dafoe.

Plot details are of course vague as of right now, but expect striped sandworms and macabre aplenty, as the world of the dead is back on the big screen and Burton revisits one of his most iconic creations in September 2024.

We never thought we’d live to see the day! This news just made our millennium!

Exclusive: ENTER THE VIDEO STORE: EMPIRE OF SCREAMS Trailer

empire of screams trailer

Arrow Video takes us back to the days of the video shop with the eagerly awaited box set Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams, which is released on June 26th. You can check out the exclusive reveal of the unique trailer for the set below…

The 5-disc set of classic Charles Band movies will delight fans and will become an instant collectable.

The films included are:

The Dungeonmaster (AKA Ragewar)
Computer programmer Paul Bradford is sucked into a fantasy world by Mestema, a demonic sorcerer in search of a worthy opponent.

Dolls
Fresh from the one-two punch of Re-Animator and From Beyond, director Stuart Gordon takes a turn toward fairy tale Gothic. A group of strangers find themselves forced to seek shelter at the isolated home of an old toymaker and his wife, only to find that the puppets and dolls have a vicious life of their own.

Cellar Dweller
A comic book artist (Jeffrey Combs) with a penchant for the macabre takes inspiration from an ancient tome and unleashes an ancient evil. Arena presents the ultimate fight night event: man vs monster! In the far future of 4038, a short order cook becomes the first human in fifty years to compete in an intergalactic boxing event on the far side of the universe.

Robot Jox
Stuart Gordon directs Empire Pictures’ most ambitious movie yet, as men and women pilot giant machines in a gladiatorial battle to settle international disputes over territory.

Freshly restored for the digital era with a wealth of new and archival extras, these films have never looked better. No need for a time machine, these golden age video classics will send you back to the ‘80s!

Enter the Video Store: Empire of Screams is released on limited edition Blu-ray from Arrow Video. You can pre-order the set here: https://www.arrowfilms.com/blu-ray/enter-the-video-store-empire-of-screams-limited-edition/14539097.html

TUNNELS & TROLLS Revived by Rebellion

tunnels trolls rebellion

Classic roleplaying game Tunnels & Trolls is to get a new lease on life thanks to Rebellion, the renowned creative studio behind 2000 AD, Rebellion Publishing, and the Sniper Elite games.

First published in 1975 by Flying Buffalo as a more player-friendly alternative to Dungeons & Dragons, Tunnels & Trolls introduced roleplaying to new audiences through simpler mechanics. Now, almost 50 years after its original publication, the Rebellion Unplugged team is bringing Tunnels & Trolls into a new era. 

“Tunnels & Trolls is an unrecognised trailblazer in the games industry”, said Duncan Molloy, head of Rebellion Unplugged. “The team at Flying Buffalo responded to an entirely new medium by focusing on how roleplaying could be more approachable, more accessible, and more fun. So much of the modern era of roleplaying, from old-school hacks to streamlined systems to solo play, can directly trace its roots directly back to this series. We’re very excited to channel that spirit in bringing Tunnels & Trolls into the modern era.” 

“When I first discovered Tunnels & Trolls in the mid-1970s, I didn’t realise I was unlocking a life-long interest in fantasy roleplaying games, books, movies, and all things genre-based”, recalled Rebellion CEO and Creative Director Jason Kingsley OBE, “The game has remained with me throughout my life, and I can’t wait to see what the team have in store for it!”  

After the passing of Flying Buffalo founder Rick Loomis, the company was taken over by Webbed Sphere Inc. “We are very excited to see Rebellion expand this rich property”, added Jon Huston, president of Webbed Sphere. “As a long-time fan, I always felt that the Flying Buffalo roleplaying lines had such incredible potential.” 

As part of the acquisition, Rebellion has taken over Flying Buffalo’s entire line of roleplaying games, including the cult classic Citybook, Grimtooth, and the Mercenaries, Spies and Private Eyes series. The entire back catalogue of Flying Buffalo PDFs will remain available to purchase online, with future releases coming directly from Rebellion Unplugged. 

You can find out more here.

Digital TTRPG FABLECRAFT Kickstarter Launched

Indie gaming studio Riftweaver has officially launched the Kickstarter campaign for the highly anticipated Fablecraft, a digital-first TTRPG platform. Online tools for running tabletop roleplaying games are nothing new, but Fablecraft is targeted at making it very easy for new players. This is designed to be a hybrid between a traditional RPG and an online fantasy games rather than an adaptation of either.

Focused on collaborative storytelling, Fablecraft is a free-to-play system that will use interactive battle maps, digital dice and interactive art to allow game masters to run their adventures. The platform incorporates integrated video, audio, and text chat and can run on iOS, Windows, Android, and MacOS, allowing you to play online or IRL with a group of fellow adventurers. 

Visit the Kickstarter campaign HERE

Critical Role Showcases New Horror RPG

Fan favourite D&D show Critical Role has announced a new TTRPG show called Candela Obscura, an ongoing monthly horror drama, launching via Critical Role’s Twitch and YouTube channels on May 25th.

Each episode sends a team of investigators into danger as they use ancient knowledge to fight impossible horror. Each episode is designed to work as a standalone but forms a broader story. This mostly improvised horror drama will showcase a new TTRPG system; Illuminated Worlds. This is a new game system produced by Darrington Press, Critical Role’s game publishing company. The quickstart rules for this game will accompany the launch of the show, with full rules arriving later this year.

The cast for Candela Obscura includes Critical Role cast members Laura Bailey and Ashley Johnson alongside Robbie Daymond and Anjali Bhimani. Critical Role’s Matthew Mercer joins as the first chapter’s game master.

The TTRPG Illuminated Worlds is one of two games coming from Darrington Press this year. Illuminated Worlds has been created by Stras Ascimovic and Layla Alderman and is a d6 dice pool system designed for much shorter, arc-driven campaigns and flexible enough to be used with any type of setting.

The other system, Daggerheart, has been described as a fun and fresh update to the fantasy genre of RPGs, Daggerheart has been designed for long-term campaign play and character progression.

Candela Obscura will be our first look at Darrington Press’s new TTRPGs, and as such, will be keenly anticipated by the fans.

The trailer can be found here.

Candela Obscura Cast

Grogu and Rancor Team Up for May The Fourth

With May the 4th here, STARBURST is delighted to share a sneak peek at this adorable bit of Book of Boba Fett merchandise aimed squarely at younger fans.

Inspired by the season finale of the Book of Boba Fett, the Star Wars The Bounty Collection Taming the Beast Pack. features the extremely cute Grogu taking a quick nap with his new bestie, the Rancor Beast. You can almost hear the snoring.

This Star Wars multipack includes a 2.25-inch tall (5.5 cm) Grogu action figure and a 5-inch long (12.5 cm) Rancor Beast figure in super-cute sleeping poses. Plus, this Grogu toy also includes a soft blanket accessory, so he’s comfortable whilst snuggling against the huge monster.

Previous Grogu poses in The Bounty Collection have included a meditating Grogu and a Grogu sneakily grabbing an alien egg from its container. More May The Fourth reveals can be found via the Hasbro Pulse Livestream.

Ride the Worm with DUNE PART TWO Trailer      

dune 2 trailer

The eagerly awaited trailer for Denis Velleneuve’s Dune Part Two is here, and as expected, promises plenty of action and stunning visuals.

The second part of the epic Frank Herbert novel sees Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) unite with Chani (Zendeya) and the Freemen while seeking revenge against those who destroyed his family.

Dune Part Two also stars Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, and Javier Bardem. It hits cinemas on November 3rd.

dune 2 trailer

Exclusive: Check Out the Trailer for LITTLE BONE LODGE

little bone lodge trailer

Following its world premiere at Glasgow Film Festival, British thriller Little Bone Lodge is hitting digital platforms on May 22nd. We have the exclusive reveal of the trailer and the fantastic new artwork for the film below…

Official synopsis:

From Matthias Hoene, director of Cockneys Vs Zombies, and the producers of 47 Metres Down comes a twisty thriller that will chill you to the bone. During a stormy night in the Scottish Highlands, two criminal brothers on the run seek refuge in a desolate farmhouse. But after taking the resident family captive, they find the house holds even darker secrets of its own. Colour out Of Space star Joely Richardson (Nip/Tuck) plays the fearsome family matriarch who will stop at nothing to protect her kin and the shocking mysteries that surround their very existence. Also starring Neil Linpow, Sadie Soverall (Fate: The Winx Saga), Harry Cadby (Red Rose) and Cameron Jack (Emmerdale).

Signature Entertainment presents Little Bone Lodge on Digital Platforms from May 22nd.

GLADIATOR Sequel Enlists Pedro Pascal And Joseph Quinn

russell crowe in gladiator

Stranger Things breakout star Joseph Quinn and The Mandalorian and The Last of Us‘s Pedro Pascal have both joined the untitled Gladiator sequel from filmmaker Ridley Scott.

The Paramount project is a sequel to the 2001 Oscar-winning epic that followed Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), a former Roman general who became the victim of a coup by Caesar Marcus Aurelius’ son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Maximus is stripped of his ran, sold into slavery and forced to fight as a gladiator, all while Commodus orders the execution of Maximus’ wife and child. Fuelled by vengeance, Maximus quickly rises to become one of Rome’s fiercest and most famous gladiators, becoming a symbol of hope for Rome’s persecuted citizens.

Quinn and Pascal would join Paul Mescal, who will lead the movie, as well as Denzel Washington, Djimon Hounsou and Barry Keoghan. Connie Nielsen is set to return as Lucilla, the sister of Commodus.

The film will reportedly centre on Mescal’s Lucius, the son of Lucilla. Joseph Quinn will star as Roman Emperor Caracalla, and it’s not yet known who Pascal may play.

David Scarpa, who worked with Ridley Scott on All The Money In the World as well as their upcoming Napoleon movie, is penning the script. 

The Gladiator sequel is set to be released on the 22nd November 2024.