China Wins Worldcon Bid

For the first time in history, international science fiction event Worldcon is coming to China.

The vote for 2023’s Worldcon was held this week at the 79th Worldcon, Discon III in Washington DC USA.

China won with 2006 votes. The opposition, Winnipeg in Canada , only received 807. This year’s site selection has been rife with complications. Critical data was released whilst the voting was still happening and clarification sought as to the clarity of voting forms.

Criticism has been raised that this international event still has work to do to make the event accessible to the world.

The Chinese Worldcon will be held in Chengdu, a Chinese city famous for it’s hospitality. The win has been the result of very hard work from Chinese fandom, who have been attempting to bring Worldcon and the Hugo Awards to China for many years. Congratulations to the bid for their hard work and success.

The guests of honour will be

Robert J. Sawyer, Sergi Lukianenko and Liu Cixin.

BLUE BEETLE, THE LAST TRAIN TO NEW YORK & TOTO Announce Release Dates

Blue Beetle

Warner Bros’ tentpoles for 2023 and beyond have been announced: New Line’s Train to Busan remake, now titled The Last Train to New York, DC’s Blue Beetle, and the animated feature Toto will all be releasing over 2023-4.

Blue Beetle, the first DC film to centre on a Latino superhero (played by Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña), will hit screens on August 18th, 2023. The superhero film, which hails from Angel Manuel Soto and writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, follows a young teenagers who gains superpowers when he comes into contact with alien armour. Maridueña will portray the most recent version of Blue Beetle, introduced in 2006 as the Mexican-American Jaime Reyes. Much like Batgirl, the film was originally set to premiere on HBO Max, but will now start its run exclusively in cinemas. It now joins DC’s theatrical slate alongside Black Adam, The Flash, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

An English-language remake of the popular Korean zombie film, The Last Train to New York will be hurtling into cinemas on April 21st, 2023. Timo Tjahjanto directs from a script by Gary Dauberman, with James Wan producing the project.

Meanwhile, Alex Timbers’ Toto, an animated retelling of The Wizard of Oz from the famous dog’s point of view, will land in February 2nd, 2024.

 

 

 

 

Jon Hamm Returns To GOOD OMENS 2 As Angelic A**hole Gabriel

Jon Hamm as Gabriel in Good Omens 2

Good Omens indeed: Jon Hamm’s smug Archangel Gabriel is returning to the show’s second season, alongside David Tennant’s demon Crowley and Michael Sheen’s angel Aziraphale, an unlikely duo that teamed up to save the world from apocalyptic madness.

“Good Omens 2 just would not be the same without the astonishing Jon Hamm as Gabriel, everyone’s worst boss,” says Neil Gaiman, who is also back with director and co-showrunner Douglas Mackinnon. “The story that Terry Pratchett and I created all those years ago continues to take us from London’s Soho into Heaven and Hell. It’s a delight for me to bring back characters we loved (or hated) and bring in new characters, from the shiniest top floors of Heaven to the dankest basements of Hell, to love (or to hate, or to love to hate or hate to love). All of them are part of the strange and unusually beloved family of Good Omens.” 

Jon Hamm as Archangel Gabriel returning to Good Omens 2

Returning characters are also joined by new cast members, including Liz Carr (The Witcher, Silent Witness) as Saraqael, Quelin Sepulveda as Muriel, and Shelley Conn (Terra Nova) as a resident of Hell. The new season will expand beyond the original source material, since the Apocalypse was thwarted in season 1. As per the Good Omens 2 logline, the new season begins as Aziraphale and Crowley are getting back to easy living amongst mortals… until an unexpected messenger presents them with a surprising mystery.

Mackinnon adds that Hamm “joins us nearly halfway through production,” which hopefully means that the Amazon show will return in the latter half of next year.

 

 

Ben Schwartz Joins Nic Cage In RENFIELD

Ben Schwartz in Space Force season 1

Actor-comedian Ben Schwartz is the latest to join Renfield’s ensemble cast, the much-anticipated take on the mythology of Dracula. The Universal film has already cast Nicholas Hoult in the title role as the vampire’s henchman, R. M. Renfield, and none other than Nicolas Cage as Bram Stoker’s Count. Awkwafina, most recently seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is also on board in an unnamed role. Chris McKay (The Tomorrow War) is directing the project based on an outline from Robert Kirkman.

The plot to Renfield is being kept locked tight and six feet under for now, though the studio has described the project as a modern-day adventure story that is comedic in tone. Schwartz will next be seen in the Apple miniseries The Afterparty and in DC’s League of Super-Pets, as well as reprising his voice role in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 

 

Denis Villeneuve Directing Arthur C. Clarke’s RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA

Denis Villeneuve helming film adaptation of Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

Even as he’s getting to work on Dune Part II, filmmaker Denis Villeneuve is planning for the future; Alcon Entertainment has acquired the film rights to Arthur C. Clarke’s science fiction novel, Rendezvous With Rama, which Villeneuve is set to direct.

One of the cornerstones of the author’s work, which also includes A Fall of Moondust and The Sentinel – which in turn served as the basis for his 2001: A Space Odyssey screenplay –, the 1973 novel  is set in the 2130s. The story involves a cylindrical starship which enters our Solar System and becomes humankind’s first encounter with an alien spacecraft, told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship and attempt to unlock its mysteries.

Film rights to the novel were previously controlled by Morgan Freeman (with David Fincher attached to helm the project back in 2010), who will now produce with Alcon under his and Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment banner. This is set to be the latest in a successful series of collaborations between Villeneuve and Alcon, who have financed and produced Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049. 

LGBTQ-Themed Horror HYPOCHONDRIAC Announces Cast

Addison Heimann’s feature directorial debut, the LGBTQ+-themed horror-thriller Hypochondriac, has via Deadline announced a number of actors to be joining the project.

Heimann’s film sees young potter Will’s (Zach Villa, American Horror Story, Destroyer) life devolve into chaos when his mentally unstable mother (Marlene Forte, Knives Out, Fear the Walking Dead) re-enters his life and he begins exhibiting unexplainable symptoms, slowly losing function of his body while being haunted by the physical manifestation of his childhood trauma.

The cast also includes Devon Graye (Dexter), Madeline Zima (Showtime’s Twin Peaks), Chris Doubek (Bacurau), Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds), Adam Busch (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Leon: The Professional), Michael Cassidy (Army of the Dead, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice), Peter Mensah (Avatar), Yumarie Morales (The Shrink Next Door) and Debra Wilson (Moon Manor).

Production on Hypochondriac wrapped late last week, with Heimann posting to his Instagram account to share the news. “These past couple months have been a little rough for me mentally,” writes the director. “It turns out, making a movie about your mental illness can trigger some things!! Grateful for everyone, from inception to wrap, that has been on this journey with me, supporting me along the way.”

Expect to see Hypochondriac at upcoming film festivals, and stay tuned for a release date.

 

 

 

GOD COUNTRY Headed To Netflix From SWEET TOOTH Showrunner

God Country graphic novel to be adapted over at Netflix

Netflix has now boarded Legendary and AfterShock Media’s God Country, a film adaptation of Donny Cates’ fantasy graphic novel, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Co-creator and showrunner of the post-apocalyptic series Sweet Tooth (itself a series adaptation of a comic series) Jim Mickle will co-write and direct with Cates, who wrote the original six-issue miniseries with art by Geoff Shaw. Cates is perhaps best known for his work on Marvel’s Venom comics.

God Country centres on Emmett Quinlan, an old widower afflicted by dementia and prone to violent outbursts. When a tornado hits his West Texas town, Quinlan is rejuvenated thanks to an enchanted sword he discovers in the wreckage – but now he must use it to protect his family and what remains of the town against terrifying, otherworldly creatures seeking its power.

The upcoming film has been described as bringing “a Western aesthetic to the super hero genre,” with a cast and potential release date still to be announced. With Netflix money now backing the project however, we can expect it will be full steam ahead for Mickle’s latest.

 

Telenovela Style ZORRO Series Being Developed By Wilmer Valderrama

Guy Williams as Zorro with horse Tornado

Out of the night, when the full moon is bright, comes the horseman known as Zorro! NCIS, That ’70s Show and Encanto star Wilmer Valderrama is developing a television series based on the Disney western Zorro, which he is set to executive produce and star in as Don Diego de la Vega and his masked alter ego.

The show is set to be a reimagining of the Disney-ABC Zorro series that aired in the 1950s and which starred Guy Williams, Gene Sheldon, George J. Lewis, and Henry Calvin. It aired between 1957 and 1959 for 78 episodes, with an additional four hour-long special episodes releasing in the early ’60s.

Deadline reports that the series, which is in development for Disney Branded Television, will also be exec produced by Gary Marsh and John Gertz, the latter under the Zorro Productions, Inc. banner. President of Disney Branded Television Ayo Davis described the upcoming Zorro adaptation as a “reimagining [of the] Disney classic as a compelling period piece, set in Pueblo de Los Angeles, but told in a very modern telenovela style”.

Wilmer Valderrama, best known as Torres on NCIS, developing Zorro series

It would incorporate “richly drawn contemporary characters and relationships set against the action, drama, suspense, and humour of the original, iconic Zorro,” stated Davis. She adds that “Wilmer [Valderrama] shares our commitment to reflect the interesting and rich diversity of the human experience and we look forward to delivering a culturally relevant and entertaining story with definitional characters that will connect with our viewers for generations to come.”

For himself, Valderrama explained that “growing up, Zorro was the one character that made me, as a Latino, feel like I could be a hero. As an adult and a storyteller, I have a responsibility for the stories that I help bring to life. To partner with Gary and Disney to bring Zorro back into the family after 60 years and be part of the legacy for other children to know they too can be the heroes of their own stories is a dream come true.”

How long until Valderrama can carve a Z with his blade? Stay tuned.

 

GOTHAM KNIGHTS In The Works From BATWOMAN Team

The CW continues to develop its DC-inspired slate with Gotham Knights, a superhero drama from Batwoman executive producers Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux, alongside executive story editor Natalie Abrams.

The three creatives write the series based on the Gotham Knights comics characters by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The show tracks the aftermath of Bruce Wayne’s murder. In the wake of this loss, Wayne’s rebellious adopted son forges an unlikely alliance with the children of Batman’s enemies when they are all framed for killing the Caped Crusader. And as the city’s most wanted criminals, this renegade band of misfits must fight together to clear their names; all the while, Gotham is descending into the worst chaos it has ever seen. Can this mismatched team of fugitives stop running from the law and save their city?

Gotham Knights

It’s unclear who the “rebellious adopted son” in question might be, considering Wayne adopted a number of stray kids over the years. It could be Dick Grayson, who left the mantle of Robin in favour of becoming Nightwing, or Tim Drake, the third Robin. More likely however, is Jason Todd, who in the comics takes up the mantle of Red Hood after coming back from the dead. His anti-hero status would make for interesting dynamics with the children of the Bat’s enemies.

In any case, this new CW show will not be a spinoff of Batwoman, nor is it tied to the upcoming action role-playing Gotham Knights video game. The series would join a successful and expansive family of DC comics-inspired television series at The CW network, which currently includes The Flash, which is in its eighth season, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow which is in its seventh season, Stargirl, and Superman & Lois. Past shows have included Arrow, Black Lightning, and Supergirl. Another series titled Naomi is set to premiere on January 11th next year from writer and executive producer Ava DuVernay.

 

 

Push Gaming Launches Fire Hopper

fire hopper

The London-based games developer Push Gaming continues its streak of game launches this year and counts Fire Hopper as its latest addition to their slot collection. A beautiful countryside setting and a fire frog that might turn your money into gold. What more could you ask for right before Christmas.

High Volatility And Big Payouts

Like many other Push Gaming slots, Fire Hopper is considered a highly volatile game, making each spin even more exciting. Before we continue, let’s quickly brush up on this feature.

High variance, as it’s often referred to, means that a slot pays out less frequently, but if it does, the winnings tend to be on the higher side. If you’re a risk-taker that can survive a drought period, then high volatility slots guarantee the most fun with the highest potential reward. Keep in mind, though, that you might have to sustain several rounds with zero wins, so only players with a healthy bankroll or those that have good self-control should opt-in for high variance slots.

Instant Wins up to 1,000x Your Wager

When you think Push Gaming has ticked all boxes of a fantastic slot game, they come up with a big surprise. Unusual for these types of games, but Fire Hopper comes with an instant win feature of up to 1,000x your wager. When the frog symbol lands on the screen and an instant win symbol is in view, the frog will leap over to collect your win. If a multiplier is attached to the frog symbol, it will transfer over to the instant win amount. This way, you’re looking at wins up to one thousand times the money you’ve wagered that spin. And as the name suggests, the money is paid out instantly; no questions asked.

Fire Hopper Pays Out Big 

Push Gaming made sure that Fire Hopper is not only fun but also rewarding. As per their official website, the game boasts an RTP of 96.57%. The term RTP stands for Return to Player and describes the percentage a slot game pays out to its player for each $/£/€ 1 wagered. There are two important facts to note, though. Firstly, RTP is measured over time, typically thousands of spins, so the short- and mid-term return percentage can be much lower. Secondly, RTP may vary per casino depending on the market, so you should always check the real RTP rate. By the way, at the time of writing, the highest observed win on Fire Hopper has been 50,000x the amount wagered.

A Note About Online Slots

After all the bragging about big payouts and instant wins, it’s important to note that online slot games are purely based on luck. There is no magic trick to it, you cannot predict the next win, and the chance to walk away with a big win is much lower than losing it all. Playing online slots is a form of entertainment and not a means to earn money. It’s like the state lottery that you might play every Saturday; you most likely won’t win the jackpot, but if you do, it’s going to be a life-changing experience.