Dungeon Master and Uni The Unicorn come to Idle Champions

Fans of the 80’s Dungeons and Dragons cartoon will be delighted to learn that classic characters Uni the Unicorn and Dungeon Master have made a triumphant return to the world of gaming. This time as new playable characters for the cult hit game, Idle Champions. His enemies, including Tiamat and Venger, will also turn up in various Adventure Variants.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms is an officially-licensed Dungeons & Dragons strategy management video game uniting iconic characters from novels, campaigns, and shows into one epic adventure. It can play itself (it’s an idle game), but it’s more fun to actively manage the adventurers as they defeat various monsters.  Playable characters include Minsc and Boo,  Drizzt Do’Urden, Bruenor Battlehammer from R.A. Salvatore’s Forgotten Realms novels, Celeste from the Neverwinter MMORPG.

In order to celebrate their 100th character,  Codename Entertainment, the people behind Idle Champions, have made Dungeon Master available for a limited time as part of an event called The Running.  This event starts from April 27th at 8PM BST and runs until May 9th. (If you miss the event, don’t panic, he’ll still be available to players via The Time Gates.)

You’ll also be able to get a baby version of Uni as a familar in the game which will do some of the fighting for you. And a reskinned Dungeon Master in snazzy white ‘Archmagi’ robes can also be found.  Dungeon Master’s special gear includes D&D books and the roller coaster car from the cartoon.

We asked Codename Entertainment’s live service manager Chris Dupuis some cheeky questions:

Out of all the classic D&D heroes, why Uni and Dungeon Master?

We’ve introduced characters from throughout the D&D Multiverse. We have characters from novels, video games, TRPG books, D&D Livestreams, and even a collection of our own unique character creations. With the 100th champion, we wanted to do something special, so why not a character from a cartoon?

For so many of us, Dungeon Master was our first introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons. We had multiple options, but for our 100th Champion, Dungeon Master (and Uni, who came along later during the design process) just felt perfect given our audience and our game’s quirky style.

The D&D kids never made it home, will the Idle Champions?
We’ve gone to the depths of Undermountain, we’ve delved into the nine hells, and we’ve cracked into an ancient glacier. There’s always another adventure out there, and we’re excited to continue the ride!

If we have it our way, Idle Champions will be questing through the Sword Coast (and beyond) for many years to come. We love our motley crew of Champions and we want to continue to bring exciting, quirky, and fun adventures to our players for as long as they are along for the ride with us.

100 is a big number, what’s the next milestone?

Champion 101? Or maybe I should say Noipmahc 10! Seriously though. Along with the release of Dungeon Master, we’re releasing a fully localized version of the game; we’re so excited to introduce Idle Champions to a wider audience! We’ve translated the game into Brazillian Portuguese, French, German, Latin American Spanish, and Simplified Chinese.

As we continue further into 2022, we’re looking toward our next few Champions, some new systems that are in development for later this year, and our next interactive livestream adventure (Idle Champions Presents – Series 4) this fall!

BODIES BODIES BODIES Trailer: A Gen Z Murder Spree

Bodies Bodies Bodies comedy slasher trailer

The first trailer for A24’s dark comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies has just released, featuring a group of rich 20-somethings as they attend a hurricane party at a remote family mansion.

Halina Reijn directs from a script by Sarah DeLappe, and promises a fresh and funny look at backstabbing and fake friends during a party that goes very, very wrong. Assembling one hell of a promising cast, Bodies Bodies Bodies stars Amandla Stenberg (Dear Evan Hansen, upcoming Star Wars: The Acolyte), Borat Subsequent Moviefilm breakout star Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold (Industry), Chase Sui Wonders (On The Rocks, Daniel Isn’t Real), Shiva Baby‘s Rachel Sennott, Foundation‘s Lee Pace, and SNL comedian and actor Pete Davidson.

Bodies Bodies Bodies premiered at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival to rave reviews, and will release in cinemas on August 5th.

Check out the brand-new trailer and movie poster below: 

A24 film Bodies Bodies Bodies teaser poster

 

THE CIRCLE Sequel THE EVERY Being Adapted As Comedy Series

Dave Eggers’ 2021 dystopian novel about an Amazon-esque company, The Every is set to receive a television series adaptation over at HBO, Variety reports. The Every is a follow up to Eggers’ 2013 book The Circle, which was turned into a film of the same name starring Tom Hanks and Emma Watson.

The Every will be adapted as a half-hour comedy series by Rachel Axler (Veep, Parks and Recreation), and follows as the world’s largest tech company acquires the planet’s dominant e-commerce site (known as “the jungle”) to create the richest and most dangerous – and, oddly enough, the most beloved – monopoly ever known: The Every.

The Every by Dave Eggers - cover by McSweeney's

The novel centres on Delaney Wells, an unlikely new hire at the company. A former forest ranger and unwavering tech sceptic, she charms her way into an entry-level job with one goal in mind: to take down the company from within. With her compatriot, the not-at-all-ambitious Wes Makazian, they look for the Every’s weaknesses, hoping to free humanity from all-encompassing surveillance and the emoji-driven infantilization of the human species. But does anyone want what Delaney is fighting to save? Does humanity truly want to be free?

While that doesn’t exactly sound like a barrel of laughs, executive vice president of HBO Programming Amy Gravitt states: “In this equally terrifying and hilarious cautionary tale, Dave Eggers shows us the increasing cost of the frictionless life that technology enables. As he writes, ‘Nothing described herein actually happened, though much of it likely will,’ and what better starting point for an HBO comedy script?”

For now, we’ll just have to take her word for it.

CinemaCon Updates: Everything Coming Up At Sony

poster for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hand throwing peace sign

Sony kicked off this year’s CinemaCon in Las Vegas yesterday and unveiled first-look footage and news updates on its slate of upcoming titles – including the Brad Pitt-starring Bullet Train from John Wick filmmaker David Leitch, the historical epic The Woman King starring Viola Davis, and the much-anticipated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. 

Oscar Isaac as Miguel O'Hara in trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Sony brass also confirmed further instalments in a couple of its existing franchises, with Venom 3 and a Ghostbusters: Afterlife sequel officially greenlit.

Here’s everything we have learned so far:

– Bullet Train, the action thriller about Brad Pitt’s bucket hat-wearing, Tokyo-dwelling assassin sees readying for the famous “One Last Job”. Bullet Train will release July 29th, and new footage of the film’s opening was reportedly very well-received by audiences at Caesar’s Palace.

– The first trailer was unveiled for Gina Prince-Bythewood’s The Woman King, about the general of an all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey that existed until 1904 (Dahomey was one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries).
The Woman King was described as the “real-world Black Panther“, and will release September 16th in time for awards season. Viola Davis, who also attended the presentation, described the film as her “magnum opus”.

– Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Part II has been renamed as Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. 

– Across the Spider-Verse‘s will splash its adventure on an even bigger scale than expected!  Phil Lord and Chris Miller took to the stage before presenting the first 15 minutes of raw footage for the 2023 animation, revealing that the film will take place across six dimensions and has 240 characters in it – for comparison, the Oscar-winning Into the Spider-Verse was set in one dimension and had just 40 characters.

Shameik Moore as Miles Morales in trailer for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse

CinemaCon continues until Thursday 28th April, so expect further updates from us as the week progresses!

 

 

Dominic Brunt Enters Post-Production on New Werewolf Movie

dominic brunt post-production

Things have gotten hairy for celebrated actor/director Dominic Brunt (Evie) as he has entered post-production on his latest film, a werewolf horror thriller entitled Wolf Manor. The movie is described as being ‘full-throttle and gore-filled’, and was written by Pete Wild and Joel Ferrari.

The official synopsis is:

Shooting a vampire flick in an old, abandoned manor house should have worked like a dream, but the film crew are out of their depth, over schedule and desperate to get the shoot finished and go home. However, as the moon turns full, the nightmare begins. Blood flows and the body count rises as cast and crew meet the manor’s resident werewolf…

Wolf Manor stars James Fleet (Bridgerton), Jay Taylor (Misfits), Thaila Zucchi (Evie), Rupert Procter (Luther), and John Henshaw (The Keeper). The creature design was by Shaune Harrison, who has worked on Star Wars films, Game of Thrones, and much more. Makeup design is by Katie Wrigley and costume design is by Lance Milligan. The film is produced by Joanne Mitchell (Before Dawn) and exec produced by Pete Wild.

Dominic said of the film: “‘Wolf Manor does exactly what it says on the tin. A werewolf film with a rocket up its behind. Buckets of blood, beautiful countryside, a stellar cast and world-class prosthetics make Wolf Manor a wild ride and, (we humbly feel), it’s a worthy addition to the werewolf movie cannon.”

Wolf Manor is expected to be released to festivals later this year.

Sissy Spacek & JK Simmons Portal To Space In NIGHT SKY Trailer

JK Simmons and Sissy Spacek as the Yorks on deserted planet in Night Sky trailer

What if your old shed held a mysterious portal that transported you to a faraway planet? Such is the case for Irene and Franklin York (played by Oscar-winners Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons) in Prime Video’s new sci-fi thriller series Night Sky, which has released its first trailer ahead of release on May 20th.

Years ago, the Yorks discovered a chamber buried in their backyard which inexplicably leads to a strange, deserted planet. They’ve carefully guarded their secret ever since but, after all these years, Simmons’ character does begin to wonder: “Maybe it’s time we finally tell someone else.”

Sissy Spacek and JK Simmons in Prime Video series Night Sky

The situation grows more complicated when neighbours begin to suspect something is amiss and when an enigmatic young man (Chai Hansen, The 100) appears through the portal. The Yorks’ existence is quickly upended when the mysterious chamber they thought they knew so well turns out to be much more than they could ever have imagined.

Created by Holden Miller and Daniel C. Connolly, Night Sky also stars Adam Bartley, Julieta Zylberberg, Rocío Hernández, Kiah McKirnan, Beth Lacke, Stephen Louis Grush, and Cass Buggé.

All eight episodes of Night Sky will release May 20th on Prime Video. Watch the trailer below:

The Best Sports Gambling Movies Based In New York

gambling movies

Young and old, some of the most beloved and critically-acclaimed gambling movies of all time have been filmed here in the Empire State.

New York is the fourth most populous state in America, and New York City is home to several historic and iconic sports franchises, including the NHL’s Rangers, NBA’s Knicks, MLB’s Yankees and Mets and the NFL’s Giants and Jets.

In January, mobile sports betting went live in New York. Popular sportsbooks like BetMGM New York, FanDuel New York, Caesars New York Sportsbook and DraftKings New York have taken off in the Empire State. Some of these sportsbooks, including BetMGM, are offering risk-free bets for new customers.

Not even a full quarter of the way through 2022, the state of New York has already in more than $5 billion worth of mobile sports wagers.

Considering how much the sports gambling industry has taken off here, perhaps we’ll see several more blockbuster gambling films be set and filmed in New York in the not-so-distant future.

With that all said, let’s take a look at the three best popular gambling movies that were based in New York.

 

Uncut Gems (2019)

 

Billy Madison, Big Daddy and Mr. Deeds star Adam Sandler took center stage for this crime thriller.

Uncut Gems was directed by brothers Benny and Josh Safdie. Sandler plays the main character, Howard Ratner. The cast also includes Idina Menzel, Julia Fox and Lakeith Stanfield.

Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett also stars as himself, and his career with the Boston Celtics is a focal point of the film plot.

Ratner, who owns a jewelry store in New York City, has a gambling addiction problem that takes a toll on his personal life. He also puts himself in danger by getting involved with criminal loan-sharkers.

Uncut Gems received high acclaim from pundits. Fox earned a nomination for the Breakthrough Actor Award at the 2019 Gotham Awards, which Taylor Russell went on to win for her role as Emily Williams in Waves.

Aside from the high entertainment value, Uncut Gems also provides the audience with a warning as to how gambling addiction can take over and greatly damage one’s life.

The film greatly demonstrates the need for sports fans and gamblers to bet responsibly.

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Rounders (1998)

 

1998 was a great year for award-winning actor Matt Damon. Two of his most popular films, Saving Private Ryan and Rounders, were both released that year.

Saving Private Ryan performed much better at the box office and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. It’s probably a stretch to put Rounders in that category, but the film received very favorable reviews.

Rounders also stars Edward Norton (one of his breakout films), John Turturro, John Malkovich and Famke Janssen, known for her performance in the James Bond film GoldenEye.

Set in The Big Apple, the film follows the friendship of longtime friends Mike McDermott (played by Damon) and Lester Murphy (played by Norton). Having lost tens of thousands in a poker game, McDermott tries to learn from his mistakes and quits poker altogether.

But Murphy gets the two of them into trouble when he gets carried away with immense gambling habits. The two of them suddenly find their lives in danger, and now McDermott must find ways to get his professional and personal life back on track.

 

The Gambler (1974)

 

The cast for this popular ‘70s film includes James Caan (known for his role in The Godfather), Paul Sorvino (Goodfellas), Lauren Hutton (Paper Lion) and Broadway performing legend Morris Carnovsky.

The Gambler was directed by Karel Reisz and produced by Robert Chartoff and Rocky and popular producer Irwin Winkler.

Like Uncut Gems and Rounders, gambling addiction is a central part of the plot for The Gambler.

Caan’s character, Axel Freed, struggles with gambling as he tries to balance his professional life (a college professor) with his family. Freed finds his life in danger when he gradually racks up a debt worth tens of thousands of dollars from the mafia.

Caan received a nomination for the Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Drama at the 32nd Golden Globe Awards. Jack Nicholson won the performance for his role as J.J. Gittes in Chinatown.

A remake of the film (also titled “The Gambler”) was released in 2014. It starred Mark Wahlberg, John Goodman, Brie Larson and Michael K. Williams.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS Movie Gets Title!

Dungeons & Dragons movie official title poster

The upcoming Paramount and eOne Dungeons & Dragons movie will be called Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, it has finally been announced.

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley – co-directors of 2018’s hilarious Game Night and writers of Spider-Man: Homecoming – will direct from a screenplay which they co-wrote with Michael Gilio – itself from a story the latter developed with Chris McKay. Filming on the feature reportedly wrapped last summer, and the project is now in post-production.

The plot of the Dungeons & Dragons movie is being kept under wraps and, given that the original fantasy tabletop game offers limitless storytelling avenues, we won’t even venture a guess as to what the story might entail. The project has also attracted a star-studded cast, including Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Hugh Grant, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Chloe Coleman and Daisy Head.

A series adaptation of the classic RPG game, helmed by Red Notice director Rawson Marshall Thurber, is also in the works at eOne.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is set to release March 3rd, 2023.

PIG Director To Adapt Graphic Novel SABRINA

Cover of graphic novel Sabrina by Nick Drnaso

Pig filmmaker Michael Sarnoski is set to write and direct a feature adaptation of Nick Drnaso’s critically acclaimed graphic novel, Sabrina. 

New Regency and RT Features (a partnership which birthed both The Lighthouse and Ad Astra) are producing the film, based on the story of a grieving man whose girlfriend Sabrina goes missing. After moving in with his old friend – a recently divorced Air Force surveillance expert agent living on a remote military base – a grisly videotape is sent anonymously to news outlets that causes Sabrina’s disappearance to go viral.

It’s only a matter of time until the two men are targeted by vitriolic conspiracy theorists that threaten their sense of the truth and their faith in each other. The graphic novel, which has been described as “a perspicacious and chilling analysis of the nature of trust and truth and the erosion of both in the age of the internet,” explores the damage which these false narratives have on the lives of the victim’s friends and families.

This adaptation is unlikely to be Sarnoski’s next project however, as the up-and-coming director was previously tapped to helm an upcoming instalment of John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place franchise, so fans might be waiting a while to see Drnaso’s work hit the big screen.

 

 

Dragonlance and Spelljammer announced for D&D

Minsc and boo spelljammer

Wizards of the Coast  have announced a raft of new products for the world’s most played RPG, Dungeons and Dragons, as part of their D&D Direct (which can now be viewed on YouTube).

First off, the new D&D Movie will be called “Dungeons & Dragons – Honor Among Thieves” which will have a release date of March 3rd, 2023.

The big news is that Spelljammer: Adventures in Space will be the next new campaign setting. This setting mixes piracy and high-seas themes with space fantasy, which means it’s the D&D setting with big wooden ships in space.

The campaign setting will be a set of three books in one slip-case, each a 64-page hardcover book.

The Astral Adventurer’s Guide™: A campaign setting book that includes space-based character options, spells and magic items, deck plans and descriptions for spelljamming ships.
Boo’s Astral Menagerie™: Featuring over 60 creatures found in Wildspace and the Astral Sea, including astral elves, cosmic horrors, lunar and solar dragons, murder comets, and space clowns.
Light of Xaryxis™: An adventure for Dungeon Masters set in the Astral Plane and designed for characters of levels 5–8.

The set will also have a double-sided poster map of the Rock of Bral, an asteroid-city that can serve as both an adventure location and a campaign hub in the Astral Plane, as well as a four-panel Dungeon Master’s screen designed for use with the books in this set.

Lead Games Designer Chris Perkins has told the press that this book was a passion project of his that was produced during the pandemic.  The setting draws inspiration from a wide variety of sources, everything from classic RPG Star Frontiers to the Tobe Hooper movie, Life Force.  Those familiar with the previous versions of Spell Jammer may be interested to learn that Phlogiston, the ‘sea of space’ has been abandoned in favour of the Astral Sea. The concept of Realm Space (the local mystic space-sea for various D&D settings will be covered in another product, the forthcoming Spell Jammer Academy).  There will also be a soundtrack available for Spell Jammer.

Dragonlance is coming back to D&D later this year. They will launch two products; a battle game called Warriors of Krynn and a D&D adventure/setting book called Shadow of the Dragon Queen. The book will be a complete campaign, with setting specific information, races (such as Kender), Orders of Wizards and Knights and so on. The book will feature a lot of cameos for fans of the original 80’s game, but the focus is on the player characters. A major villain from Dragonlance features heavily in the book though Wizard’s have not confirmed which one it is. (Though Lord Soth didn’t appear in Ravenloft, so it seems likely he’ll be here.)

The two products will synergise with each other.  The new books will be set during the War of the Lance, the same period of time as the original Dragonlance books from the 80s.  It’s a new story and will feature some of the major villains from the War of The Lance storyline.  Scenarios and battles are designed so you can flip from epic battle mode to more traditional RPG styles.

The new Starter Set – Dragons of Stormwreck Isle has also been announced. It promises to have a few sneaky references to the classic Dungeons and Dragons Cartoon and has been stream-lined to be very accessible to new players. Though it’s not connected thematically to the other two starter sets, it does seem to be designed to capture young imaginations.

They’ve also announced a new range called Campaign Case. There will two types; the Terrain case will let you create a flat terrain/ dungeon and the create case will let you add monsters.  Speaking of miniature style things, Wizkids are producing a D&D themed skirmish game called  D&D Onslaught.