Disney+ August 2022 Schedule: Movies and TV Title Release Dates

Disney+ has revealed the full list of new movies and TV titles that will become available on the streaming service this coming August. This includes the highly-anticipated series debuts of Marvel Studios’ next superhero series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, starring Tatiana Maslany, and Lucasfilm’s newest Star Wars prequel series Andor, featuring the return of Diego Luna’s Rogue One character.

Next month will also see the streaming debut of Pixar’s latest animated film Lightyear, which features the voices of Chris Evans, Taika Waititi, and Keke Palmer. Lucasfilm’s newest animated special LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation will also be available for streaming.

RELATED: Ms. Marvel Executive Producers & Head Writer Discuss Big Reveal in Finale

Check out the full Disney+ August 2022 schedule below:

Available August 3

• Alice’s Wonderland Bakery (Season 1, 5 episodes)
• The Ghost and Molly McGee (Season 1, 5 episodes)
• Lightyear
• Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel – Premiere
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 3.02 “Into the Unknown”

Available August 5

• The Lion King (2019) (Sing-Along Version)
• The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (Sing-Along Version)
• Old Dogs
• LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation – Premiere

Available August 10

• Bluey (Season 3, 25 episodes)
• Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge (Season 1)
• I Am Groot – All Shorts Streaming
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 3.03 “The Woman In The Woods”

Available August 12

• Disney Summer Magic Quest
• Father of the Bride
• Father of the Bride Part II

Available August 17

• Meet Spidey and His Amazing Friends (Season 2)
• She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – Premiere (Episode 1)
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 3.04, “No Drama”

Available August 19

• Beauty and the Beast (1991) (Sing-Along Version)
• Beauty and the Beast (2017) (Sing-Along Version)
• Tangled (Sing-Along Version)

Available August 24

• Blackish (Season 8)
• Chibi Tiny Tales (Shorts) (Season 2)
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 3.05, “The Real Campers of Shallow Lake”
• She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – Episode 2

Available August 26

• Doc McStuffins: The Doc is 10!

Available August 31

• America’s National Parks (Season 1)
• Europe From Above (Season 2)
• Secrets of the Zoo: Down Under (Season 3)
• Andor – Episodes 1-2
• High School Musical: The Musical: The Series – Episode 3.06, “Color War”
• She-Hulk: Attorney At Law – Episode 3

The post Disney+ August 2022 Schedule: Movies and TV Title Release Dates appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Vengeance Review: B.J. Novak’s Smart Yet Sometimes Bland Debut Film

You may know B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard in The Office or for his brief roles in Inglourious Basterds and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. After all his success, he is ready to make his mark in many ways with his feature directorial debut. Novak writes, directs, and stars in Vengeance. In this dark comedy thriller, he portrays Ben Manalowitz, a journalist and podcaster traveling from New York City to Texas to investigate the death of a girl he hooked up with. This is an original, fascinating concept with some thought-provoking messages wrapped in a film that ultimately doesn’t have the staying power it could have.

If you have seen Novak’s work on television, you know his style: a biting, wry sense of humor mixed with a heart at the center of it all. The opening sequence features much of that, with Ben having a humorous conversation with a friend on a Brooklyn rooftop. As he tries to get his podcast off the ground, we get a look at his hookup lifestyle through a few fun moments before he gets a call in the night. The devastated voice of Ty Shaw (Boyd Holbrook) sobs through the phone, inviting Ben to the funeral of his late sister, believing Ben to be her boyfriend.

RELATED: Interview: B.J. Novak Talks Vengeance and Ryan Howard

A series of misunderstandings turn Ben into a fish out of water as he arrives in West Texas. Ty suspects that his sister was murdered, and he wants Ben’s help to get to the bottom of it. Ben seizes the opportunity to write a story about self-deception in the face of grief, and with that, we have our movie. The writing is sharp for much of the film, with Novak’s characteristic humor shining through in awkward situations that Ben tries to talk his way out of. What holds the film back is how the comedy is more likely to get you to chuckle rather than laugh out loud.

Much of the humor in this movie arises from the cultural differences between the characters. Despite its American setting, a New York journalist finds himself in a Southern culture entirely different from his own. Rather than humiliating the South for all its stereotypes, Novak writes a comedically cringe-worthy scenario where Ben finds himself in the middle of gun lovers, passionate sports fans, and Whataburger. The divide between Texas cities is written for comedic effect, and there is a lot for Texas residents, in particular, to get a kick out of.

The movie also has a fun group of supporting characters. Ben is introduced to the Shaw family, who play off Ben in hilarious ways. The relationship between Ben and Ty’s younger brother leads to some very heartfelt moments. Novak knew how to build the relationship between Ben and the family without slipping into cliché sentimental territory. The result works well despite Vengeance feeling emotionally empty on occasion.

RELATED: Vengeance Interview: Boyd Holbrook Talks Family Dynamic, Indiana Jones 5

Ashton Kutcher appears in his first film since 2014 in a supporting role as Quinten Sellers. He shines in the few scenes he is in, committing to the mysterious character. Holbrook gets a chance to show off his comedic chops in his role, as does much of the supporting cast. However, Novak has the most on his plate, juggling directing and portraying the lead role simultaneously, and he does an excellent job with both. However, we’ve seen much stronger directorial debuts from filmmakers. Novak does little to separate himself from the rest with a story that doesn’t have the emotional power it could have had.

Furthermore, the film’s final five minutes take a turn down a darker, unexpected route that doesn’t feel earned for the protagonist. The mystery isn’t as investing as it could have been, and the comedy isn’t as strong as Novak’s other work. However, Vengeance ultimately provides the story you want to see with a lot of commentary on American culture and human nature. This film has a lot to say about our perception of things and how our biases skew how we feel. The result is a little blander than it could have been, but it ultimately works as a smart, decently written debut from Novak.

SCORE: 6/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 6 equates to “Decent.” It fails to reach its full potential and is a run-of-the-mill experience.

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Disclosure: The critic attended a press screening for ComingSoon’s Vengeance review.

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Hulu August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates

The schedule for the new movie and TV titles coming to Hulu in August 2022 has been revealed, which you can view below. Along with it are the titles set to leave the streaming service next month. This includes the series debuts of new Hulu and FX originals including the biopic drama Mike starring Trevante Rhodes as Mike Tyson, the sports documentary series Welcome to Wrexham, and the psychological thriller The Patient. It also includes the return of the hit coming-of-age drama Reservation Dogs for its second season.

Next month will also see the world premiere of the upcoming Predator prequel titled Prey, which will be set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago centering around a fierce and highly skilled warrior who must face the biggest threat to her people.

RELATED: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is Receiving a Reboot

Coming to Hulu August 2022:

Available August 1

• Boruto: Naruto Next Generations: Season 1 (DUBBED)
• Cinderella and Four Knights: Season 1 (SUBBED)
• Uncontrollably Fond: Season 1 (SUBBED)
• 21 (2008)
• AKEELAH AND THE BEE (2006)
• AMERICAN ASSASSIN (2017)
• AQUI ENTRE NOS (2012)
• BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON (2011)
• BLACK SWAN (2010)
• THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT (1999)
• BLAST FROM THE PAST (1999)
• BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
• BOOK OF SHADOWS: THE BLAIR WITCH 2 (2000)
• BUCKY LARSON BORN TO BE A STAR (2011)
• BUGSY (1991)
• CAST AWAY (2000)
• THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK (2004)
• DAN IN REAL LIFE (2007)
• DESPICABLE ME (2010)
• DESPICABLE ME 2 (2013)
• DETROIT (2017)
• THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006)
• FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009)
• GANDHI (1982)
• GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)
• GHOSTBUSTERS II (1989)
• GOOD LUCK CHUCK (2007)
• GROUNDHOG DAY (1993)
• GULLIVER’S TRAVELS (2010)
• HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (2012)
• I FEEL PRETTY (2018)
• IN TIME (2011)
• JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI (2011)
• JUST GO WITH IT (2011)
• KINDERGARTEN COP (1990)
• THE LEISURE SEEKER (2018)
• MAN ON FIRE (2004)
• MEN OF HONOR (2000)
• MILES AHEAD (2016)
• THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN (1984)
• NINJA ASSASSIN (2009)
• NURSE 3-D (2014)
• THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION (1998)
• PAUL BLART: MALL COP (2009)
• PRETTY WOMAN (1990)
• SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL (1989)
• SHAME (2011)
• SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE (1999)
• THE SIXTH MAN (1997)
• SO I MARRIED AN AXE MURDERER (1993)
• SOURCE CODE (2011)
• SPIDER-MAN (2002)
• SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)
• SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)
• STEP UP REVOLUTION (2012)
• SURF’S UP (2007)
• SWIMFAN (2002)
• SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK (2008)
• TOWER HEIST (2011)
• VANTAGE POINT (2008)
• WANDERLUST (2012)
• WAR HORSE (2011)
• THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)
• WHAT A GIRL WANTS (2003)
• X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE (2009)
• YOU’VE GOT MAIL (1998)

Available August 3

• FX’s Reservation Dogs: Season 2 Premiere

Available August 4

• CMA Fest

Available August 5

• PREY (2022)

Available August 10

• Password: Series Premiere

Available August 11

• Trolls: TrollsTopia: Complete 7th and Final Season

Available August 12

• This Fool: Complete Season 1

Available August 13

• FX’s Children of the Underground: Compete Season 1

Available August 15

• Legacy: The True Story of the L.A. Lakers: Limited Series Premiere
• Love Revolution: Season 1 (SUBBED)
• THE CHINA HUSTLE (2017)
• THE HATE U GIVE (2018)
• JOURNEY TO THE WEST (2013)
• MONSTERS (2010)
• NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME I – EXTENDED DIRECTOR’S CUT (2013)
• NYMPHOMANIAC VOLUME II – EXTENDED DIRECTOR’S CUT (2013)
• RED CLIFF (2008)
• STAGE MOTHER (2020)
• WHAT JUST HAPPENED (2008)
• WHOSE STREETS? (2017)

Available August 16

• Hotties: Complete Season 1

Available August 17

• ON THE COUNT OF THREE (2022)

Available August 18

• Dragons: The Nine Realms: Complete Season 3
• INTERNATIONAL FALLS (2020)

Available August 23

• Yu-Gi-Oh! Sevens: Season 1B

Available August 24

• Blippi: Complete Season 4
• HOSTILE TERRITORY (2022)

Available August 25

• Mike: Season 1 Premiere
• Welcome to Wrexham: Season 1 Premiere

Available August 26

• DOC MCSTUFFINS: THE DOC IS 10! (2022)
• Little Demon: Season 1 Premiere

Available August 30

• FX’s The Patient: Limited Series Premiere
• Keep This Between Us: Season 1 Premiere

Available August 31

• The Croods: Family Tree: Complete Season 4

Leaving Hulu in August 2022:

Leaving August 10

• ALIVE AND KICKING (2016)

Leaving August 14

• THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)

Leaving August 15

• BEHIND YOU (2020)

Leaving August 16

• LOGAN LUCKY (2017)

Leaving August 19

• DAFFODILS (2020)
• UNACKNOWLEDGED (2017)

Leaving August 25

• DISOBEDIENCE (2017)

Leaving August 26

• CHAOS WALKING (2021)

Leaving August 31

• 30 MINUTES OR LESS (2011)
• THE 6TH DAY (2000)
• A RAISIN IN THE SUN (2008)
• THE AMERICAN (2010)
• AN EDUCATION (2009)
• BECAUSE I SAID SO (2007)
• BEWITCHED (2005)
• BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
• CABIN FEVER (2003)
• COUNTRY STRONG (2010)
• DEMOLITION MAN (1993)
• DESPICABLE ME (2010)
• DESPICABLE ME 2 (2013)
• DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO (1999)
• THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006)
• THE EXPENDABLES (2010)
• THE EXPENDABLES 2 (2012)
• THE EXPENDABLES 3 (2014)
• FREDDY GOT FINGERED (2001)
• GET LOW (2010)
• THE GIRL NEXT DOOR (2004)
• HOT FUZZ (2007)
• IN THE LINE OF FIRE (1993)
• INSIDIOUS (2011)
• MAID IN MANHATTAN (2002)
• MARGIN CALL (2011)
• MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE (2011)
• MONEY TRAIN (1995)
• MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS (2010)
• OPEN SEASON 2 (2009)
• PLEASE STAND BY (2017)
• THE POLAR EXPRESS (2004)
• PRETTY WOMAN (1990)
• RV (2006)
• SCHOOL DAZE (1988)
• SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET (1997)
• SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (2008)
• THE TAILOR OF PANAMA (2001)
• TAKEN (2009)
• TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY (2006)
• THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (1998)
• UNSTOPPABLE (2010)
• UNTRACEABLE (2008)
• VACANCY (2007)
• THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)
• WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S (1989)
• WHEN A STRANGER CALLS (2006)
• THE YOUNG VICTORIA (2009)
• YOUR HIGHNESS (2011)
• ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE (2005)

The post Hulu August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Midnight Suns Doctor Strange Gameplay Showcases the Ultimate Support Hero

Doctor Strange is up to bat for the ongoing series of gameplay videos showing off everything players need to know in Midnight Suns. Marvel’s Sorcerer Supreme is described as the ultimate support hero, using his magic to make his allies disappear from the battlefield, cast broad shields that let heroes resist incoming attacks,  generate resources from thin air, and summon fireballs from the sky to rain down on enemies.

RELATED: Midnight Suns’ Spider-Man Trailer Details Web Slinger’s Unique Move Set

Canadian YouTuber ChristopherOdd is at the helm of this gameplay video, going over three of Strange’s unique abilities and some strategies to best use the character effectively. Strange is meant to fit in with most squads thanks to his wide range of abilities, but his resource-generating passive means that he’ll fit best with characters with bombastic attacks that require that extra boost.

Strange also has the handy ability to restore combat items during a battle. These are additional cards players can bring in that give extra perks to a team of heroes. Some of the examples from the video include a Gamma Reversion Pulse that gets rid of status effects and a Reality Anchor that reduces knockback on a single hero. All of these items are just as themed appropriately to the Marvel Universe as each hero’s ability, and getting to use them more than once is quite a boon.

MORE: Everything Announced at the Annapurna Interactive Showcase 2022

This is the fourth character deep dive that developer Firaxis and publisher 2K Games have published to the official YouTube channel for Midnight Suns. You can check out the arsenal of Spider-Man, Captain America, and Iron Man so far, and more videos are on the way. As for the entire game, players still have to wait a little longer, as it launches on October 7 across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

The post Midnight Suns Doctor Strange Gameplay Showcases the Ultimate Support Hero appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Brett Goldstein Discusses Surprise MCU Role

Brett Goldstein is most famously known for his Emmy Award-winning performance in Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso, but recently, the actor appeared in a surprise role in Thor: Love and Thunder, a role the actor said he had to keep very secret.

RELATED:  Thor 5: Taika Waititi Reveals What Would Make Him Return as Director

For those unaware, Goldstein appears in the very last post-credits scene of Thor: Love and Thunder as Hercules, the son of Russell Crowe’s Zeus. In the scene, Zeus — who survived a lightning bolt through the chest from Thor — can be seen being tended to, while also seemingly sending out his son to track down and kill the God of Thunder.

Speaking to Variety at the Ted Lasso Emmy FYC event at the Maybourne in Beverly Hills, California, Goldstein recalled originally getting fitted for the outfit of Hercules, and marveling at just how “perfect” everything was. “I’ve never had anything fit me so well,” Goldstein said. “The shoes! I gotta tell you about the shoes. I got weird big feet, but the shoes were perfect. I put them on and they were perfect from the start. They fit me perfectly.”

RELATED: Thor: Love and Thunder Concept Art Shows Russell Crowe as The Devil

Goldstein’s Ted Lasso co-star Hannah Waddingham also spoke about the casting, revealing that while Goldstein initially kept things under wraps, he did ask her for help on deciding whether or not to take the role, something Waddingham said was a no-brainer for her.

“He said to me, ‘I’ve been offered this thing and was wondering if I should take it?’” Waddingham said. “I went, ‘Are you mental? Are you having a little bit of a moment?’ He was like, ‘Why?’ I went, ‘Are you seriously thinking you might not play Hercules for like three seconds?'”

The post Brett Goldstein Discusses Surprise MCU Role appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Netflix August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates

The list for the new Netflix August 2022 movies and TV titles has been revealed, which you can view below, along with the titles that are set to leave the streaming service next month. This includes the series debuts of new Netflix originals like the live-action series adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s  The Sandman and the Thai horror anthology School Tales the Series as well as the arrival of new seasons for Never Have I Ever, and Locke & Key.

Next month will also see the world premieres of the new Netflix films including the supernatural action film Day Shift starring Jamie Foxx, the South Korean action thriller Carter, and the musical film adaptation of 13: The Musical.

RELATED: Squid Game: The Challenge: Netflix Sets Reality Series Based on Korean Drama

Here’s What is Coming to Netflix in August 2022

Available August 1

28 Days

8 Mile

Above the Rim

The Age of Adaline

Battle: Los Angeles

Bridget Jones’s Baby

Bridget Jones’s Diary

Constantine

Dinner for Schmucks

Eyes Wide Shut

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Footloose (2011)

Hardcore Henry

Legends of the Fall

Love & Basketball

Made of Honor

Men in Black

Men in Black 3

Men in Black II

Miss Congeniality

Monster-in-Law

No Strings Attached

Pawn Stars: Season 13

Polly Pocket: Season 4: Part 2: Tiny Taste Adventure

She’s Funny That Way

Space Jam (1996)

Spider-Man

Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 3

Top Gear: Season 29-30

The Town

Woman in Gold

Big Tree City – NETFLIX FAMILY

Available August 2

Flight

Ricardo Quevedo: Tomorrow Will Be Worse – NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL

Available August 3

Buba – NETFLIX FILM

Clusterf**k: Woodstock ’99 – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Don’t Blame Karma! – NETFLIX FILM

Good Morning, Verônica: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES

Available August 4

Lady Tamara – NETFLIX SERIES

KAKEGURUI TWIN – NETFLIX ANIME

Super Giant Robot Brothers – NETFLIX FAMILY

Wedding Season – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 5

Carter – NETFLIX FILM

Darlings – NETFLIX FILM

The Informer

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie – NETFLIX FILM

The Sandman – NETFLIX SERIES

Skyfall

Available August 6

Reclaim – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 7

Riverdale: Season 6

Available August 8

Code Name: Emperor — NETFLIX FILM

Team Zenko Go: Season 2 – NETFLIX FAMILY

Available August 9

I Just Killed My Dad – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

The Nice Guys

Available August 10

Bank Robbers: The Last Great Heist — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Heartsong — NETFLIX FILM

Indian Matchmaking: Season 2 – NETFLIX SERIES

Instant Dream Home – NETFLIX SERIES

Iron Chef Brazil – NETFLIX SERIES

Locke & Key: Season 3 – NETFLIX SERIES

School Tales The Series – NETFLIX SERIES

Available August 11

Dope

DOTA: Dragon’s Blood: Book 3 – NETFLIX ANIME

Stay on Board: The Leo Baker Story – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Available August 12

13: The Musical – NETFLIX FILM

A Model Family – NETFLIX SERIES

Day Shift – NETFLIX FILM

Never Have I Ever: Season 3 – NETFLIX SERIES

Available August 15

Ancient Aliens: Season 4

Deepa & Anoop – NETFLIX FAMILY

Learn to Swim

Available August 16

UNTOLD: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist (2 Parts)

Available August 17

High Heat – NETFLIX SERIES

Junior Baking Show: Season 6 – NETFLIX SERIES

Look Both Ways – NETFLIX FILM

Royalteen – NETFLIX FILM

Unsuspicious – NETFLIX SERIES

Available August 18

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Season 3 — NETFLIX FAMILY

Inside the Mind of a Cat – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Tekken: Bloodline – NETFLIX ANIME

Available August 19

The Cuphead Show!: Part 2 – NETFLIX FAMILY

Echoes – NETFLIX SERIES

The Girl in the Mirror (Alma) – NETFLIX SERIES

Glow Up: Season 4 – NETFLIX SERIES

Kleo – NETFLIX SERIES

The Next 365 Days – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 20

Fullmetal Alchemist The Revenge of Scar – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 21

A Cowgirl’s Song

Available August 23

Chad and JT Go Deep – NETFLIX SERIES

Untold: The Rise and Fall of AND1 – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY (New episodes weekly)

Available August 24

Lost Ollie – NETFLIX SERIES

Mo – NETFLIX SERIES

Queer Eye: Brazil – NETFLIX SERIES

Running with the Devil: The Wild World of John McAfee – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Selling The OC – NETFLIX SERIES

Under Fire – NETFLIX SERIES

Watch Out, We’re Mad – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 25

Angry Birds: Summer Madness: Season 3 – NETFLIX FAMILY

History 101: Season 2 – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Rilakkuma’s Theme Park Adventure – NETFLIX ANIME

That’s Amor – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 26

Disobedience

Drive Hard: The Maloof Way – NETFLIX SERIES

Loving Adults – NETFLIX FILM

Ludik – NETFLIX SERIES

Me Time – NETFLIX FILM

Seoul Vibe – NETFLIX FILM

Available August 29

Under Her Control – NETFLIX FILM

Mighty Express: Season 7 – NETFLIX FAMILY

Available August 30

I AM A KILLER: Season 3 – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY (New episodes weekly)

Available August 31

Club América vs Club América – NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Family Secrets – NETFLIX SERIES

I Came By – NETFLIX FILM

Here’s What is Leaving Netflix in August 2022:

Leaving August 4

They’ve Gotta Have Us: Season 1

Leaving August 5

Screwball

Leaving August 7

We Summon the Darkness

Leaving August 9

Demonic

The Saint

Leaving August 10

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Leaving August 15

Endless Love

Selfless

Leaving August 20

The Conjuring

Leaving August 23

Young & Hungry: Seasons 1-5

Leaving August 24

The November Man

Wheel of Fortune: Seasons 35-37

Leaving August 25

Taxi Driver

The Visit

Leaving August 27

Wind River

Leaving August 30

In the Line of Fire

Leaving August 31

A Nightmare on Elm Street

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas

Agatha Christie’s Crooked House

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy

Cliffhanger

The Dark Knight Rises

The Departed

GoodFellas

Grown Ups

Halloween

Just Like Heaven

Kung Fu Panda 2

Major Dad: Seasons 1-4

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Mission: Impossible

Mission: Impossible II

Premonition

Public Enemies

Rise of the Guardians

Soul Surfer

Starship Troopers

Titanic

We Are Marshall

The post Netflix August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Jon Favreau Tried to Stop Russo Brothers From Killing Iron Man

Avengers: Endgame featured a ton of emotional moments, none of which were most emotional than the death of Iron Man at the end of the film. According to the directing duo the Russo Brothers, though, there was some pushback on the idea of doing that.

RELATED: Interview: Xochitl Gomez Reflects on Doctor Strange 2, Entering the MCU

Speaking in a new video for Vanity Fair where they break down some scenes from their films, the Russos spoke about trying to find the perfect way to end Robert Downey Jr.’s run as Iron Man when they were called by actor/director Jon Favreau, who tried to prevent them from killing off Iron Man.

“Part of the pressure came from Jon Favreau, who called us up after he read the script and said to us, ‘Are you guys really going to kill Iron Man?’” Anthony Russo said in the interview. Joe Russo then spoke up, confirming more of the story and recalling talking to Favreau on the phone to try and “talk him off the ledge.”

“He did. Yeah,” Joe Russo said. “And I remember pacing on the corner of a stage on the phone with Favreau trying to talk him off a ledge. Because he’s like, ‘You can’t do this. It’s gonna devastate people, and you don’t want them, you know, walking out of the theater and into traffic.’ We did it anyways.”

RELATED: Avengers 5 & 6: The Russo Brothers Will Not Direct Next Major MCU Films

Of course, the final product does feature Iron Man sacrificing himself to save the world, and despite the hard-hitting moment, the Russos still believe that it was the perfect ending for the character, who essentially got to have two separate endings in the film due to the first half of the film where he was shown with a happy family.

The post Jon Favreau Tried to Stop Russo Brothers From Killing Iron Man appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

HBO Max August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates

The full lineup for the new movie and TV titles coming to HBO Max this August 2022 has been revealed, which you can now check out below, along with the titles that are set to leave from streamer next month. This includes the highly-anticipated series debut of HBO’s first Game of Thrones spin-off prequel House of the Dragon.

Award-winning films such as David Lynch’s Blue Velvet, Randa Haines’ Children of a Lesser God, Gillian Armstrong’s Little Women, J.C. Chander’s A Most Violent Year, Alex Garland’s Ex Machina, Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast and more will also be available for streaming this August.

RELATED: The Idol Teaser Trailer Previews HBO Drama From The Weeknd & Euphoria Creator

HBO Max August 2022 Additions

Available August 1

A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charlie Swan III, 2013 (HBO)

A Most Violent Year, 2015 (HBO)

Amy, 2015 (HBO)

Barely Lethal, 2015 (HBO)

Belle, 2013 (HBO)

Biker Boyz, 2003 (HBO)

Blow Out, 1981 (HBO)

Blue Velvet, 1986 (HBO)

Bug, 2007 (HBO)

Cadillac Man, 1990 (HBO)

Charlie’s Angels, 2000

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, 2003

Chasing Papi, 2003 (HBO)

Children of a Lesser God, 1986 (HBO)

Chocolate City, 2015 (HBO)

Colors, 1988 (HBO)

Damien Omen II, 1978 (HBO)

Dark Places, 2015 (HBO)

Days of Being Wild, 1990

DC Showcases Short: Constantine – The House of Mystery, 2022

Enemy, 2014 (HBO)

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex but Were Afraid to Ask, 1972 (HBO)

Ex Machina, 2015 (HBO)

Fantastic Voyage, 1966 (HBO)

Fighting, 2009 (HBO)

From Hell, 2001 (HBO)

Garfield, 2004 (HBO)

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, 2006 (HBO) Extended Version

Gaslight, 1944

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, 1999

Ginger & Rosa, 2012 (HBO)

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, 2008 (HBO)

How to Talk to Girls at Parties, 2017 (HBO)

Industry, Season 2 Premiere (HBO)

Invasion of the Body Snatchers, 1978 (HBO)

Ivanhoe, 1952

Jeff, Who Lives at Home, 2011 (HBO)

Laggies, 2014 (HBO)

Late August, Early September, 1998

Lean on Pete, 2017 (HBO)

Life After Beth, 2014 (HBO)

Lions for Lambs, 2007 (HBO)

Little Men, 2016 (HBO)

Little Women, 1994

Locke, 2013 (HBO)

Love & Basketball, 2000

Man of the Year, 2006 (HBO)

Miles Ahead, 2016

Mississippi Grind, 2015 (HBO)

Mojave, 2015 (HBO)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, 2016 (HBO)

Mystic Pizza, 1988 (HBO)

Objective, Burma!, 1945

Obvious Child, 2014 (HBO)

Original Cast Album: Company, 1970

Out of the Past, 1947

Remember, 2016 (HBO)

Revenge of the Green Dragons, 2014 (HBO)

Slow West, 2015 (HBO)

Son of a Gun, 2014 (HBO)

Source Code, 2011

Stardust, 2007 (HBO)

Teen Titans Go, Season 7C

The Adderall Diaries, 2016 (HBO)

The Blood of a Poet, 1932

The Captive, 2014 (HBO)

The Devil’s Backbone, 2001

The End of the Tour, 2015 (HBO)

The Fault in Our Stars, 2014 (HBO)

The Field Guide to Evil, 2018 (HBO)

The Great Escape, 1963 (HBO)

The Last Word, 2017 (HBO)

The Notebook, 2004

The One, 2001 (HBO)

The Possession, 2012 (HBO) Extended Version

The Rover, 2014 (HBO)

The Spectacular Now, 2013 (HBO)

The Spiderwick Chronicles, 2008 (HBO)

The Testament of Orpheus, 1960

The Transporter Refueled, 2015 (HBO)

Thunderstruck, 2012 (HBO)

Transcendence, 2014 (HBO)

Trouble With the Curve, 2012 (HBO)

Tusk, 2014 (HBO)

Under the Skin, 2014 (HBO)

Whiplash, 2014

Available August 3

Belle, 2021

Available August 4

Sweet Life: Los Angeles, Max Original Season 2 Premiere

Available August 5

Belfast, 2021 (HBO)

Jesus Sepulveda: Mr. Tough Life, Comedy Special Premiere (HBO)

Available August 7

The Smiling Friends Go To Brazil, Special

Available August 9

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions, Season 17 Premiere (HBO)

Available August 13

The Princess, Original Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Available August 21

American Sniper, 2014

House of the Dragon, Series Premiere (HBO)

Available August 24

Katrina Babies, Original Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Available August 25

House of Ho, Max Original Season 2 Premiere

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, 2013 (HBO) Extended Version

Available August 26

Victor and Valentino, Season 3C

Wolf, 2021 (HBO)

Leaving HBO Max and HBO this August 2022:

Leaving August 2

300: Rise of an Empire, 2014

Leaving August 3

Aldnoah.Zero (Dubbed), 2014

Inuyasha, 2019

Mob Psycho 100 (Dubbed), 2019

Puella Magi Madoka Magica, 2012

The Promised Neverland (Dubbed), 2019

Leaving August 4

Top Gear, Season 26

Leaving August 6

Hard Knocks: The Dallas Cowboys, 2021 (HBO)

Leaving August 12

For A Good Time, Call …, 2012 (HBO) Extended Version

Leaving August 17

Top Gear, Season 27

Leaving August 26

Pure, 2020

Leaving August 27

Profugos, 2012 (HBO)

Leaving August 31

17 Again, 2009

2 Days in New York, 2012 (HBO)

42nd Street, 1933

A Cinderella Story, 2004

A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits, 2016

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song, 2011

A Mighty Wind, 2003 (HBO)

Admission, 2013 (HBO)

Adventureland, 2009 (HBO)

Airheads, 1994 (HBO)

Alan Partridge, 2014 (HBO)

Alex & Emma, 2003 (HBO)

Alex Cross, 2012

America’s Sweethearts, 2001

Another Cinderella Story, 2008

Army of One, 2016 (HBO)

Batman Begins, 2005

Beetlejuice, 1988

Being Flynn, 2012 (HBO)

Best in Show, 2000 (HBO)

Beyond the Black Rainbow, 2011 (HBO)

Birth, 2004 (HBO)

Blade, 1998

Blade II, 2002

Blade: Trinity, 2004

Bolero, 1984 (HBO)

Broadcast News, 1987 (HBO)

Bronson, 2009 (HBO)

Caddyshack, 1980

Charlie’s Angels, 2000

Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, 2003

City of God, 2003 (HBO)

Cloverfield, 2008 (HBO)

Cold Mountain, 2003

Danny Collins, 2015 (HBO)

Daphne & Velma, 2018

Deep Blue Sea, 1999

Defiance, 2008 (HBO)

Dennis the Menace, 1993

Dog Day Afternoon, 1975
Dolphin Tale, 2011

Dolphin Tale 2, 2014

Down a Dark Hall, 2018 (HBO)

Dracula Untold, 2014 (HBO)

Dumb & Dumber, 1994

El Cantante, 2007 (HBO)

Escobar: Paradise Lost, 2015 (HBO)

Fandango at the Wall, 2020 (HBO)

Fay Grim, 2007 (HBO)

Final Destination, 2000

Final Destination 2, 2003

Final Destination 3, 2006

Final Destination 5, 2011

Finding Neverland, 2004 (HBO)

Fool’s Gold, 2008

For Colored Girls, 2010 (HBO)

For Your Consideration, 2006 (HBO)

Free Willy, 1993

Free Willy: Escape from Pirate’s Cove, 2010

Friends With Kids, 2012 (HBO)

From Dusk Til Dawn, 1996

Fun Size, 2012 (HBO)

Gangster Squad, 2013 (HBO)

Get Carter, 1971

Getting Played, 2006 (HBO)

Gran Torino, 2008

Grumpy Old Men, 1993

Gun Shy, 2017 (HBO)

Hairspray, 1988

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 2002

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, 2010

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, 2011

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2005

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, 2009

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2007

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2004

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, 2001

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone: Magical Movie Mode, 2001

Horrible Bosses, 2011

How to Deal, 2003 (HBO)

Huracan (AKA Hurricane), 2019 (HBO)

I Give it a Year, 2013 (HBO)

I Spy, 2002

Impostor, 2002 (HBO)

Julie, 1956

Just Married, 2003 (HBO)

Kajillionaire, 2020 (HBO)

King Kong, 2005 (HBO) Extended Version

Klute, 1971

Kong: Skull Island, 2017

La Musiquita Por Dentro, 2019 (HBO)

Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace, 1996 (HBO)\

Lean on Me, 1989

Leap Year, 2010 (HBO)

Like Crazy, 2011 (HBO)

Los Cronocrimenes (AKA Timecrimes), 2008 (HBO)

Lost in Space, 1998

Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior, 1983

My Dog Skip, 2000

Mystic River, 2003

Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase, 2019

Nanny McPhee, 2006 (HBO)

National Lampoon’s European Vacation, 1985

National Lampoon’s Vacation, 1983

Not Easily Broken, 2009

Oblivion, 2013 (HBO)

Ocean’s Eleven, 2001

Ocean’s Thirteen, 2007

Ocean’s Twelve, 2004

Page One, 2011 (HBO)

Pale Rider, 1985

Pariah, 2011 (HBO)

Paulie, 1998 (HBO)

Point Break, 1991

Prime, 2005 (HBO)

Project X, 2012

Quigley Down Under, 1990 (HBO)

Rabbit Hole, 2010 (HBO)

Red Dragon, 2002 (HBO)

Red Sonja, 1985

Ringo and His Golden Pistol, 1966

Romeo Must Die, 2000

Roots (Mini Series), 1977

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, 2012 (HBO)

Serendipity, 2001

Sin Cielo, 2018 (HBO)

Son of Kong, 1933

Space Jam, 1996

Starship Troopers, 1997

Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, 2004

Super Fly, 1972

Taken 2, 2012 (HBO) Extended Version

Tales from The Darkside: The Movie, 1990 (HBO)

Tea for Two, 1950

The Amazing Panda Adventure, 1995

The Ant Bully, 2006

The Big Sleep, 1946

The Bridges of Madison County, 1995

The Brothers Grimm, 2005 (HBO)

The Dark Crystal, 1982

The Dark Knight, 2008

The East, 2013 (HBO)

The Extra Man, 2010 (HBO)

The Final Destination, 2009

The First Monday in May, 2016 (HBO)

The Fugitive, 1993

The Gay Divorcee, 1934

The Goodbye Girl, 1977

The Loft, 2015 (HBO)

The Man Who Would Be King, 1975

The Mask, 1994

The Outlaw Josey Wales, 1976

The Pelican Brief, 1993

The Raid 2, 2014

The Reader, 2008 (HBO)

The River Wild, 1994 (HBO)

The Town, 2010

This Must Be the Place, 2012

Tickled, 2016 (HBO)

Tom & Jerry: The Movie, 1993

Transformers, 2007 (HBO)

Transporter 2, 2005 (HBO)

Tweety’s High-Flying Adventures, 2000

Two Weeks Notice, 2002

Underworld, 2003

Underworld: Awakening, 2012

Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, 2009

Undisputed, 2002 (HBO)

Unforgiven, 1992

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, 2012

Valentine’s Day, 2010

Vanilla Sky, 2001 (HBO)

View From the Top, 2003 (HBO)

Wall Street, 1987 (HBO)

We Are Marshall, 2006

What Women Want, 2000 (HBO)

Young Man with a Horn, 1949

The post HBO Max August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Holt McCallany Joins Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two

As production continues on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two, Deadline brings word that Mindhunter star Holt McCallany has been tapped to join Tom Cruise in the eighth and final installment of the blockbuster spy action franchise. McCallany is set to portray the character of Secretary of Defense Anthony. This marks the second collaboration between Cruise and McCallany after starring together in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.

McCallany is best known for his role as Bill Tench in Netflix’s crime drama series Mindhunter. His film credits include appearances in Fight Club, The Losers, Gangster Squad, Sully Blackhat, and Nightmare Alley.

RELATED: Fight Club’s Chinese Release Gives 1999 Film a New Ending

Joining Cruise and Hayley Atwell in Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning are returning franchise alums Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep), Simon Pegg (Ready Player One), Ving Rhames (Pulp Fiction), Vanessa Kirby (Hobbs & Shaw), and Henry Czerny (Ready or Not) along with newcomers Shea Whigham (Joker), Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy 2, Avengers: Infinity War) and Esai Morales (La Bamba, Titans) who will replace Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) for the villain role.

Following the large critical and commercial success of the past two films, writer/director Christopher McQuarrie inked a deal with the studio to return to write and direct the next two installments.

Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One and Part Two will be released on July 14, 2023, and June 28, 2024, respectively.

RELATED: Mission: Impossible 8 Photos Tease Tom Cruise’s Latest Death-Defying Stunt

The Mission: Impossible franchise spans almost 25 years and six films, starting off with modest critical and major box office success in the first two films before launching its lead protagonist into grittier and more explosive stories, each film getting progressively better reviews than its predecessor, with the most recent installment, Fallout, earning the highest reviews for both the franchise and the action genre, currently maintaining a 97% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes while also acquiring the highest box office gross of the franchise at over $790 million worldwide.

The post Holt McCallany Joins Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two appeared first on ComingSoon.net.

Interview: Paul Sarker Talks About the Legal Side of Marvel Studios

ComingSoon spoke with Paul Sarker, a former Marvel lawyer and host of the Better Call Paul podcast. Sarker told us about what the Disney-Marvel merger was like, the sets he’s been to, and what inspired him to take up podcasting.

“Hosted by former Marvel entertainment lawyer Paul Sarker and entertainment enthusiast Mesh Lakhani, Better Call Paul will delve into the business and legal issues at play behind the glitz and glam,” reads the podcast’s synopsis. “This show takes you beyond the catchy headlines to find out what’s really at play behind the scenes and gives you an introduction to the business side of show business.”

Julia Delbel: You used to work for Marvel for a few years. Can you tell us a little bit about what you did to get everyone introduced to you?

Paul Sarker: Sure. So I started basically as a law student intern during my third year of law school. I went to NYU and, when I started, I worked on things like animation and licensing and promotions of the movies. So basically I was a baby lawyer, so I was kind of functioning between a paralegal and a lawyer. I was a student, [and] I think I had demonstrated some aptitude to handle things quickly, but I hadn’t really had a ton of legal experience. Which, in hindsight, was a great way to ramp up. Then when I started full-time, Disney bought Marvel and I worked on … my day-to-day responsibilities were licensing, corporate work, setting up entities, and keeping track of all that. There’s a lot of intercompany agreements. Working on marketing agreements for our films … at that point, Marvel was only making one movie every year or two, as opposed to now, they do three a year. So there was a significant ramp-up. Someone had to keep track of sort of the restrictions around the characters, you know, who could be used where, things like that. So I had to keep track of that too.

When you first started with Marvel as an intern, what was your perception of Marvel as a brand and as a company, or as whatever you saw Marvel as? What made you want to work with them?

I felt like they were on the rise. I was a fan of Marvel. I was a fan of the X-Men cartoon series because that was out when I was a kid and when I was in elementary school, I would watch that show. My older brother was a huge fan, and he had a lot of comics, so I was a fan of the content. And then, with the Spider-Man movies and X-Men movies, I knew that the movie side of things was really successful or had [the] potential to be. And then Iron Man came out when I was in my second year of law school. After a couple months of seeing Iron Man, I saw the internship posted for Marvel, so I decided [that] if they’re going to get into movies, then this could be a really cool opportunity. Plus going to NYU … in New York, there’s not as many entertainment opportunities as you might think as compared to sort of UCLA or USC or being in LA. So it was one of those right place, right time things.

I’ve heard that the Marvel internship you applied for had hundreds of applicants. Why do you think they chose you?

I think probably because I had stellar academic credentials. I had a full scholarship to Duke for undergrad. I was at NYU. I was near the top of my class, and I had just finished a summer internship with a very prestigious law firm. So those are probably the factors. But interestingly, I wrote them a cover letter and sent my resume for the internship and I never heard anything. I didn’t hear anything for like a week. Nothing like “thank you for applying.” So I just … normally when that happens, you just move on. But I decided to send a follow-up email a week later, and within five minutes of sending that email, I got a reply back, and they said, “are you available for a call?” And so the two people that I had a call with essentially were like “we weren’t sure if you were serious about applying,” because that was their take. “But if you are serious,” they basically said, “we’ll just stop our search and hire you.” So it was really cool.

Did they think you were too good?

No, I don’t think so. I just think, at the time, most people that were at sort of like these big prestigious firms would probably not go into something like “in-house” right away. So it was a little bit of an atypical thing, but they had very talented lawyers all along. So my boss was very well credentialed. There’s a lot of people in the company that were doing really well. So I don’t think they thought that, but I think when I went in, my resume [and] my credentials … maybe they portrayed me in a different way, but I think my personality … I met with everyone in the legal department, and I think once you check the academic boxes and then your personality’s a fit, then they were able to move forward. I’m sure now it’s much more difficult to do because it’s a much higher profile a. So it’s a very competitive thing, and it’s a numbers game, and I’m sure there’s a lot of talented people that weren’t able to get hired.

(Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

They wanted to hire you after the internship full-time, and the day you start, the Disney merger happens. Can you walk me through what the vibe was like when everything happened that day?

Yeah, that was really intense. So I didn’t know who Bob Iger was. I mean, I knew who he was as someone who followed Disney generally, and I knew he was a CEO and he started as a weatherman for ABC. And so I walked into work and I thought it was strange that there was this tall suave guy standing outside our office on fifth avenue at 8:50 in the morning in a suit. And it was Bob Iger. He was standing outside the office, he was on his cell phone and he said he was at Marvel today. And I thought that was a little bit strange. Then I walked in and did my normal routine. And my boss was like, “Hey, there’s a group of investors or theme park operators from Korea that are here today for a pitch meeting. Can you take them to a conference room and hang out with them for an hour? Because we have to make this announcement to the company.” And he didn’t tell me what the announcement was, but obviously, it was front-page news in the Wall Street Journal and at the time, so I knew it was happening, but they were asking me how long I’d been working there and I said, it was my first day and they were … I mean, there was obviously a language barrier, because I don’t speak Korean and they didn’t speak very much English, but they were just like, “this is nuts.”

After that meeting, everyone was kind of excited, a little bit apprehensive. Your company’s getting bought, which is great for people at the very top of the company. Sometimes it can have people wondering whether they’re going to get fired or laid-off or relocated sort of on the lower levels of the company. And Bob Iger actually spoke and said, “we bought you because we really like the brand. We like your IP. We’re not planning on changing anything. We just want to bring you into the family.” And so it was really exciting. At that point, once the deal is announced, you still have to merge the companies, finish the merger agreement, satisfy all the closing conditions, get all required governmental and other consents. And it was just a sprint from September to January when the deal closed.

For those four months, 50% of what I did was working on the merge. We had all these checklists. We had to work with outside counsel. We had antitrust government relations. We had to get consent for changing control from certain contracts. And it was really cool. After that, for the first year, year and a half, it was just integrating the new companies. Certain people got poached to go move over to Disney, certain people got relocated. My boss is one of them, and then he took me with him, so they moved me to LA. I started ramping-up on more Marvel Studios work. And it was really cool.

You also did the licensing with the products at Marvel. What was the weirdest one that you came across ot licensed while you were there?

So the weirdest one for the movies, because we would also do promotional partnerships and product placement and sponsorship agreements, I think for Avengers: Age of Ultron or iron Man 3, we did a milk sponsorship. There was a Chinese milk brand that ended up being in the movie, which I thought was a little weird. And my wife is Filipino now, but at the time I, I didn’t really know a lot about the Philippines, and we did a co-promotion with Jollibee, which is a very prominent [restaurant]. We have them here, but I don’t think we had them … maybe we had them in Southern California, but I didn’t know what it was. And they have this Chickenjoy, their product — it’s like a bucket of chicken. And so I think it was Captain America: The First Avenger with Jollibee, that was pretty cool. But the product stuff, it’s kind of standard merchandise licensing — t-shirts backpacks, whatever you see in your typical retail store or online with Marvel or Disney merch. That’s what I did.

Did you ever get to go on the set or do anything similar with any of the Marvel projects while you were there?

Yes, not commonly, like it’s not like I was on set all the time. So I started my career in New York. The first two and a half years I was in New York and then the latter three years, I was in LA. While I was there, we didn’t really shoot that much in LA. I mean we shot half of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in LA, most of Captain America: The First Avenger was shot in the UK. Thor, they did some location stuff — mostly location stuff — but they shot a little bit of Thor in LA. So they built the sets in LA. What else? Avengers, they shot all over the place, but they did a couple of days in New York, in Central Park, and near Grand Central. I was a production lawyer, so I had the production calendar, I was doing the location agreements and all the equipment stuff.

So I knew where they were going to be at any given time. And I wouldn’t necessarily create an excuse to go to set, but sometimes it would just happen that there would be a very important scene or a really important contractual provision that I would say, “well, it would really be better if I was on-set just to make sure that there were no issues.” And in particular, I think the coolest one was if you have seen Captain America: The Winter Soldier, there’s the opening scene they’re on this boat and Captain America parachutes down to this boat or he doesn’t even use a parachute. And that’s when they fight George St. Pierre. And so I was on set for that day because that scene, the location was very top secret.

It’s like a mobile rocket launch ship. And so there were very strict provisions about security and what could be shown and what couldn’t be shown. So I said, “it’s probably better if I’m there just to make sure that we’re in compliance,” and they were okay with it. When before I moved to LA, Marvel sent me to LA for two months back in 2009 when I first joined. And they took me around like the Thor sets and stuff like that, just to be friendly. And then occasionally when they were doing things on set, when I was in LA and they shot on set and near the office, things like testing to find out who would be Star-Lord, I would go and stop by for a couple of minutes, but I really didn’t have to be on set.

I know it’s different now and I know you’re not there now, but back when you were there, were those six film contracts that the actors signed the norm for them?

I don’t know the specific number. I think probably there was a range, whether six is accurate or whether that was the average, I really can’t say. But yes, I would say before I was there and while I was there, it was kind of the norm to do agreements with multiple options for films and also for television and for cameos in related franchises that fit our whole identity as an interconnected universe. You don’t want to have to recast frequently, so if someone appears based on … because what we’re trying to do or what they were trying to do is bring the comics to life in film and TV and digital. So in the comics, characters can appear in a lot of different story arcs and they’re interconnected.

So you might be reading X-Men and see Avengers being there or Guardians [of the Galaxy] or whatever. So there’s a lot of interconnectivity in the storylines in the comics. And then in order to replicate that on the big screen or the small screen, you need to have your actors appear in different forms of media. So that was why. And obviously, the sequel business or building film franchises and having a lot of sequels is something that Hollywood has gravitated towards because you’re not starting from scratch and reinventing your fanbase every film. So obviously you want to build in the ability to have the actors show up for sequel. There’s a raise or whatever, but you don’t want to have a fresh negotiation every time, typically, because then the price can get high really quickly.

You left Marvel during pre-production of Captain America: Civil War at the beginning of Phase Three. One thing about that movie that I know is interesting when the legal stuff is Spider-Man is in it, were you involved in any way with the talks that had to happen with Sony?

I wouldn’t say I was involved in the talks. The talks would happen at a very high level between, I’m sure, Kevin [Feige, head of Marvel Studios] and Amy Pascal at Sony, and maybe their deputies, and then my boss was probably looped in on the talks. Once there was a deal or the framework of a deal, then I got looped in to help paper it and draft the agreement that would amend things to enable the agreement that you’re discussing, and the collaboration around Spider-Man. But I was there as of a Scrivener, not really instrumental in it.

By the time you left Marvel, how did working for Marvel change your perception of the brand of the content?

You know, I was always a fan and I’m still a fan. I think part of me realized more of the business side of it. As I knew that they were successful and that they had been coming out of bankruptcy. So Marvel was in bankruptcy in late 90s, early 2000s, and it went from that to being bought by Disney for whatever, four billion dollars, 10 years later. And now they’re the most successful film franchise in the world. So I knew that they were really successful based on the strength of their brand and the fact that they make really compelling content that fans want to see. What I didn’t realize was how well-run and frugal they were. The person who bought Marvel out of bankruptcy is just a very good businessman because he’s really focused on controlling cost.

He ran the company with a very tight ship. And so I didn’t know how that worked or have any insight to that before I started working there. That focus on cost and being efficient, impacted every decision, every deal. Every day at the company was about trying to keep the bottom-line low. And I didn’t realize that, but looking back, that is one of the most important things in running successful businesses: spending less than you make and trying to keep that cost down, because Hollywood’s a fickle business. There’s no guarantee that every movie makes a billion dollars, right? And so Marvel’s had a lot of success, but what you want to do is be in a position where, even if you don’t have phenomenal success in terms of the box office, if your costs are low enough, you can live to fight another day.

That was an interesting side of things. The other thing is how nimble it was. Disney’s a huge company, and Marvel’s actually, relatively speaking, a very small company with very valuable IP and they could make decisions in a day or two days, about what to do creatively or what directions … whether there was something that didn’t work for them or problem-solving. I think that was a very fortunate thing to see because a lot of companies are more bureaucratic. Maybe that’s changed, but at the time, it was really fun.

So what inspired you to start the Better Call Paul podcast?

So Better Call Paul started in … well, the initial conversations started summer of last year. Since I left Marvel, I’ve been in law firms and I work on entertainment, but when you’re at big law firms, a large part of what you do is mergers and acquisitions and huge corporate transactions for big companies. And then within that, in the downtime or in between those deals, you can do content deals, distribution, whatever. So I’ve gotten into a lot of digital work, blockchain, NFT work, sports. So I started Better Call Paul because one of my clients was working on a podcast and I represented her. It was a pretty long negotiation. She’s not a lawyer, and the producer of the podcast, who was her good friend, was not a lawyer, but they were on opposite sides.

So it became a contentious deal. And once we worked through it, everything was all good. And she said, “Hey, you might want to meet my producer.” He’s an investor in another podcast that she did, he needs a lawyer. And so I met with him in Madison Square Park last summer. And we talked about what I did, the value add. At that time, Scarlett Johansson had just sued Disney for Black Widow. She claimed that there was a breach of contract because Black Widow was released on Disney+ at the same time, and it diminished her box office. I just gave him my off-the-record take of what I thought probably happened behind the scenes on that, and he thought that was really interesting and said, “Hey, would you be interested in doing a podcast about this sort of stuff?”

I thought it was really cool. I wanted to do podcasts in the past because, like I said, starting in 2018, I started doing a lot of podcast work and this was the right time [and] right place to do it. So I had to go to my law firm and I ran the idea by them. They were supportive, but they said they would have to approve every episode. So we started working through that process. Then start of this year, we did a couple practice runs, and then our first episode was February, Super Bowl Sunday. So it’s been really exciting because I do so many different things. I think the podcast, if you’ve listened to it or if you’ve seen it … it gives you an opportunity to understand a little bit about lots of different issues that are happening every day.

Things like sports or Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard, defamation, copyright infringement, the way streaming is growing, but also evolving, and NFTs. I do a little bit of that … actually I do a lot of it, but my practice has evolved as the industry’s evolved, and there’s different stuff happening every day, every week. And so that’s why I like the podcast. It enables me to share that and also stay up to speed on things that are happening.

What episode of Better Call Paul would you recommend to someone who’s never listened to the podcast before?

I think episode five, the Dua Lipa got sued for copyright infringement episode, is pretty good, but I really think you could pick the latest episode. This week we talk about BTS and their Disney deal, the week before Britney Griner, but I think all the episodes are great. I think for an intro because we’ve gotten better over time, I think after the first month we got into more of a flow, so episode five would be a good place to start.

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Prime Video August 2022 Schedule: New TV & Movie Release Dates

The schedule for the movie and TV titles coming to Prime Video in August 2022 has been revealed, which you can view below. This includes the series debut of the series adaptation of the sports drama film A League of Their Own as well as the U.S. premiere of the British comedy series The Outlaws Season 2.

Next month will see the premiere of Amazon Studios’ biographical survival drama Thirteen Lives starring Viggo Mortensen and Colin Farrell. The superhero film Samaritan starring Sylvester Stallone will also be available for streaming this August.

RELATED: Blade Runner 2049 Sequel Series in Development at Amazon

See below for a list of August titles available on Prime Video:

Prime Video New in August 2022

Available August 1

(500) Days Of Summer (2009)

1 Buck (2017)

16 To Life (2015)

3000 Miles To Graceland (2001)

5 Star Day (2011)

59 Seconds (2016)

A Dark Place (2019)

A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

A Night At The Roxbury (1998)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Aaron’s Blood (2017)

Absolution (2015)

Acid Horizon (2018)

Already Gone (2019)

Alright Now (2018)

Anguish (2015)

Annapolis (2006)

Any Day (2015)

Assimilate (2019)

Baby Boom (1987)

Backstage (2021)

Backwoods (2020)

Bad Frank (2017)

Bad Therapy (2020)

Basic (2003)

Battle Scars (2020)

Before Midnight (2013)

Big Brother Volcano (2017)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Clockstoppers (2002)

Courage Under Fire (1996)

Crossed the Line (2014)

Dating My Mother (2017)

Derek’s Dead (2020)

Disappearance (2019)

Don’t Click (2012)

Downhill Racer (1969)

Drive Me Crazy (1999)

Eadweard (2015)

Escape From Alcatraz (1979)

Everybody Loves Somebody (2017)

Evil Dead (2013)

Face/Off (1997)

Filth (2014)

Firewalker (1986)

Follow the Prophet (2010)

Fright Night (2011)

Un Gallo Con Muchos Huevos (2015)

Getting to Know You (2020)

Gonzo (2008)

Goodbye Butterfly (2021)

Grand Cru (2018)

Happy Yummy Chicken (2017)

Hardball (2001)

Here On Out (2019)

He’s Way More Famous Than You (2012)

I Am A Ghost (2014)

I Like Me (2019)

I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009)

Iceland Is Best (2020)

I’m Still Here (2010)

Impossible Monsters (2019)

International Falls (2019)

I’ve Got Issues (2020)

Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero (2016)

King Arthur (2004)

King Kong (1976)

King Of Knives (2020)

Kingpin (1996)

Leaving Las Vegas (1996)

Letter from Masanjia (2018)

Line of Descent (2019)

Lost Bayou (2020)

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound (2019)

Man from Reno (2015)

McLintock (1963)

Mermaids (1990)

Misma Luna (Under The Same Moon) (2008)

Mr. 3000 (2004)

Neil Young Heart of Gold (2006)

Never Heard (2018)

New Money (2018)

Obey (2018)

Once (2007)

Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)

One and the Same (2021)

Paradox Lost (2021)

Perfect Sisters (2014)

Pet Sematary (1989)

Prophecy (1979)

River’s Edge (1987)

Rockaway (2019)

Romy And Michele’s High School Reunion (1997)

Ronin (1998)

Safe Inside (2021)

Scary Movie 5 (2013)

Serpico (1973)

Single White Female (1992)

Soldiers of Fortune (2012)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

Star Trek Generations (1994)

Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

Step Up Revolution (2012)

Still Today (2020)

Surrogate Valentine (2011)

The Atoning (2017)

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

The Feels (2018)

The Haunting (1999)

The Hornet’s Nest (2014)

The Killer Elite (1975)

The Machinist (2004)

The Middle of X (2018)

The Missouri Breaks (1976)

The Saint (1997)

The Shootist (1976)

The Wrong Todd (2014)

The Yards (2000)

Thief (1981)

Tim & Eric’s Billion Dollar Movie (2012)

To Tokyo (2018)

Trail of Ashes (2020)

Trickster (2019)

Trigger (2020)

Two Ways Home (2019)

Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Tyler Perry’s Diary of a Mad Black Woman – The Play (2005)

Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail (2009)

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Undertow (2004)

Vampires Suck (2010)

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

Wayne’s World II (1993)

We Were Soldiers (2002)

Weepah Way for Now (2015)

White on Rice (2009)

Wild Honey Pie! (2018)

Writer’s Block (2019)

Wuthering Heights (1970)

Yinz (2019)

Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)

Game of Spy (2022)

Go, Diego, Go! (2006)

Cartel Crew (2019)

Lopez (2016)

Available August 4

All or Nothing: Arsenal (2022)

Available August 5

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Licorice Pizza (2021)

The Outlaws Season 2 (2022)

Available August 12

A League of Their Own (2022)

Cosmic Love (2022)

Available August 14

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (2022)

The Lost City (2022)

Available August 19

Making the Cut Season 3 (2022)

Todo Por Lucy Season 2 (2021)

Available August 20

Robocop (2014)

Available August 26

Samaritan (2022)

Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby (2022)

Available August 31

1900 (1977)

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Little Demon Trailer: Aubrey Plaza & Danny DeVito Lead FX Animated Series

FX has released the official trailer for Little Demon, FX’s upcoming adult animated series featuring the voices of Aubrey Plaza, Lucy DeVito, and Danny DeVito.

The trailer features 13-year-old Chrissy as she finds out that she’s the devil’s daughter after accidentally killing her bullies. It is scheduled to make its debut on August 25 on both FX and Hulu.

Check out the Little Demon trailer below:

RELATED: FX’s Atlanta Teaser Sets Premiere Date for Final Season

The series is created and executive produced by Darcy Fowler, Seth Kirschner, and Kieran Valla. It will be led by Lucy DeVito, Danny DeVito, and Aubrey Plaza with Dave Bautista, Mel Brooks, Rhea Perlman, Sam Richardson, Patrick Wilson, Pamela Adlon, and Michael Shannon to guest star.

“Little Demon will center around a reluctant mother and her Antichrist daughter as they attempt to live a normal life in Delaware 13 years after the Devil and the mother conceived a child,” reads the synopsis. “Throughout the series, the duo will have to deal with different monstrous forces, including Satan himself who is looking to gain custody of his daughter.”

RELATED: Welcome to Wrexham Trailer Previews Ryan Reynolds’ FX Sports Docuseries

Little Demon is produced by DeVito’s Jersey Films 2nd Avenue, ShadowMachine, and FX Productions. Executive producers are Dan Harmon, Aubrey Plaza, Lucy DeVito, Jake DeVito, Danny Devito, Monica Mitchell, Corey Campodonico, and Alex Bulkley.

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Exclusive Polly Pocket Season 4 Clip Shows Polly & Apple Puppin’

ComingSoon is excited to debut a clip from Polly Pocket‘s fourth season, which will debut on Netflix on August 1.

RELATED: Never Have I Ever Season 3 Trailer Teases Devi’s Newest Crush

The clip sees Polly and Pierce rescuing a stray Shiba Inu named Apple, who is in danger while stuck on a log that is approaching a waterfall.

“It’s a mouthful of fun as Polly, her family and friends cook, bake, and eat their way through Littleton,” reads the series’ synopsis. “From apple picking with adorable puppies to entering a cake baking contest with her dad, Polly will find big flavors and big adventure!”

Check out the exclusive Polly Pocket clip below:

RELATED: Fate: The Winx Saga Season 2 Featurette Sets Netflix Return Date

Polly Pocket stars Emily Tennant, Shannon Chan-Kent, Kazumi Evans, Rhona Rees, Ian Hanlin, Maryke Hendrikse, and Vincent Tong. The show debuted in 2018 and is currently on its fourth season.

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Troy Kotsur to Lead Disney+ Series About Deaf Football Team

Following his historic Oscar win for his performance in last year’s CODA film, Deadline brings word that Troy Kotsur has finally found his next project in the form of an untitled Disney+ series. Kotsur will be playing the coach of a deaf high school football team in the streamer’s next coming-of-age sports series, which will be based on a real-life football team from a California School for the Deaf.

RELATED: Coming-of-Age Sports Drama The Crossover Gets Series Order at Disney+

The unnamed project is being developed by Disney Branded Television and ABC Signature for Disney+ after successfully winning the TV rights to the inspiring story in a bidding war against other studios. The series will depict the team’s historical undefeated season and how it earned a spot in the California State Championship game for the first time in school history.

Kotsur is also set to executive produce along with Oscar winner and CODA co-star Marlee Matlin. The studio partners with the California School of the Deaf and the California Department of Education.

RELATED: Percy Jackson: Rick Riordan Teases Potential Release Date for Disney+ Series

It will be written and executive produced by Ben and Ron Shelton, with Kevin Falls serving as the showrunner. Executive producers Bert Salke, Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff, Rainn Wilson, Jack Jason, Bill Horberg, and Christina Lurie, with John Maucere co-producing as a consultant.

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Smiling Friends Season 2 Details & Trivia Revealed at SDCC Panel

A plethora of new information about Smiling Friends was revealed during the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, ranging from trivia about season one to intriguing details about the upcoming second season.

RELATED: Smiling Friends Special Sets HBO Max Release Date, Sends Pim & Charlie to Brazil

Pertaining to season one, fans learned a few neat tidbits about planned guest stars and scrapped concepts. Read all the details below:

• Kirk Douglas and Norm Macdonald were wanted guest stars.
• Originally Pim was the one who died in the finale, but Charlie having more of a lesson to learn made more sense. The episode’s pitch even had a drawing of a dead Pim on it.
• Mr. Frog was the first character made for the show, and isn’t based on any one celebrity. He is mostly based on writer Hunter S. Thompson’s daily schedule, which was filled with drug use and wild activities. 
• The Boss is partially based on John McAfee of McAfee Antivirus.
• Glep’s wife is named Marge Simpson canonically, even in the pitch bible, and the red-haired woman who dressed as a mouse in the Halloween episode is Charlie’s girlfriend.
• The town in Smiling Friends is an amalgamation of Philadelphia, Kansas, and Australia, where Zach and Michael grew up and lived.
• There was originally another member of the main group who can be seen in the pilot. He was a blue janitor whose gimmick was making things dirtier. He was dropped due to the lack of ideas the staff had for him, and because his lack of speech made him similar to Glep.
• There was a longer theme song that series co-creator Michael Cusack wrote, but despite being fully composed, it was cut to allow for more time to be spent on the stories of the episodes themselves.

Some additional details involving the upcoming second season were also revealed, which you can read below:

• It is unlikely that past clients of the Smiling Friends will return, and if they do, it would be with new problems. Smiling Friends co-creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack prefer to work on new characters and ideas.
• One of the characters could potentially become the President in a season two episode.
• The Boss’ house will be featured in season two.

RELATED: Why You Should Watch Smiling Friends, Which is Now on HBO Max

“Smiling Friends follows the employees of a small company dedicated to bringing happiness to a bizarre yet colorful world,” reads the official series synopsis. The series was created by Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel, two popular internet animators who also voice Pim and Charlie, respectively. Prior to Smiling Friends, Cusack also created the adult swim series YOLO: Crystal Fantasy.

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Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 Release Date & Time

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 is approaching, which means the end is just three episodes away.

Producers have reserved fireworks for the series’ grand finale, which will go down on Aug. 15. In the meantime, we saw that Jimmy McGill has already left his identity as Saul Goodman behind and goes by Gene Takovic nowadays.

When to Watch Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11

Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 11 will air on AMC and AMC+ at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Monday, Aug. 1. The next installment is called “Breaking Bad,” and was directed and written by Thomas Schnauz. Considering the episode’s meaningful name, it’s likely that some familiar faces from the original Breaking Bad series might pop up. Fans are already counting the days before Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul reprise their roles as Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, respectively. “The partners escalate their enterprise to new levels,” reads the brief synopsis for the next episode.

Better Call Saul stars Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill Rhea Seehorn as Kim Wexler, Tony Dalton as Lalo, and Jonathan Banks as Mike Ehrmantraut. Additionally, Michael Mando as Nacho Vargo and Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring.

RELATED: Better Call Saul Season 6 Episode 10 Recap, Theories, and Thoughts

“The final season concludes the complicated journey and transformation of its compromised hero, Jimmy McGill, into criminal lawyer Saul Goodman,” reads the synopsis. “From the cartel to the courthouse, from Albuquerque to Omaha, season six tracks Jimmy, Saul, and Gene as well as Jimmy’s complex relationship with Kim, who is in the midst of her own existential crisis. Meanwhile, Mike, Gus, Nacho, and Lalo are locked into a game of cat and mouse with mortal stakes.”

Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan created the critically acclaimed drama. Gould and Gilligan also serve as executive producers along with Mark Johnson, Melissa Bernstein, Thomas Schnauz, and Gennifer Hutchison.

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Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Explainer Video Breaks Down Upcoming Free Roguelite Mode

Ubisoft briefly showed off the surprise roguelite mode coming to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla during its anniversary stream in June when it revealed the next phase of the game’s general roadmap. That was more of a broad look, but now the company has released a more focused video, detailing what players will discover when they dive into Niflheim for Forgotten Saga when it drops for free on August 2.

The tips video explains how there are four levels to Niflheim that players will have to traverse to, presumably, fight Hela at the end. Each seems to have a different visual style, as well. While it doesn’t appear to have procedurally generated layouts (much like Far Cry 6‘s roguelite DLC), some paths crumble upon crossing them, lending it more replayability as it will take new runs to see other branches. Going straight to exit also might be easier, but doing so might leave behind a vital upgrade, which makes pathfinding an even bigger choice.

Upgrades are vital since users won’t have access to the gear from the main game and must attain it during their run. There are hidden buffs and secrets in addition to chests that yield perks or coins that the player can choose between. Coins can be spent at shops to also gain items.

RELATED: Ubisoft Skips June Showcase, Will Hold Event Later This Year

Some perks perish with Eivor, but others remain, which makes it a roguelite and not a roguelike. Weapons are randomized each time and aren’t persistent, but armor stays even after death. It appears as though there are two types of currency that let players pick their perks before starting, but Ubisoft didn’t detail that aspect. It also looks like dying may open up more story progression, as is the case with games like Hades, but that section of the video was a tad vague. Not all the side missions, which yield loot, can be completed in a single run, so users have to pick and choose what to do.

Ubisoft not only confirmed the aforementioned August date in the comments on the video (something that strangely wasn’t in the video, its description, or on the game’s social channels), but also stated Forgotten Saga will have its own trophies and achievements. As is usually the case, those will probably go live just a bit before the update comes out.

RELATED: Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök DLC Review: A Tiresome & Boring End of the World

Forgotten Saga will probably be part of the game’s final set of updates. Not only has it been out for almost two years and received many expansions and free updates over that long period, Ubisoft confirmed it plans to speak more about the “last episode of Eivor’s story” at the end of this year. The company is also holding a stream in September to speak about the “future” of the Assassin’s Creed series. That would likely be a good place to confirm the oft-reported Assassin’s Creed game that’s set in Baghdad. Said title was also reportedly the untitled game Ubisoft delayed alongside Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora.

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AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative Review: A Detective Masterpiece

Franchises often reach their peak during their second outing. Not only are these sequels a chance to improve upon what worked during the first go-around, but they also serve as an opportunity to be even more ambitious and bring in new talent for a fresh perspective on the project. AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative is another example of a series refining its core and achieving greater success as designer Akira Okada has stepped up to direct the follow-up to 2019’s cult classic, while original director Kotaro Uchikoshi has returned to write an incredible script that has all of his signature touches.

It is worth noting that while playing the initial detective tale isn’t required, as this tells its own stand-alone story and case that is unrelated to the first game, returning fans will get much more out of Spike Chunsoft’s adventure game. The eccentric cast of characters, at least those that survived the first game, largely return and it’s interesting fan service for series veterans to see how their futures have panned out. The game also adds in some character backstories that help explain some questions raised within the first title, as well, so it’s recommended to play AI: The Somnium Files before the sequel in order to get the most out of Nirvana Initiative (plus, it rocks).

The protagonist from the first game, the lovable pervert secret agent Date, takes a backseat role here as his adopted daughter Mizuki and his budding disciple Ryuki take over the playable roles. While Date’s adventure focused on a bunch of grisly murders that saw people getting their left eye removed, the sequel features an even grislier case as multiple halves of bodies have been discovered, spliced exactly down the middle on a molecular level. The “half body” case is solved over the course of two timelines set six years apart, which leads to one of the wildest stories in gaming history.

Uchikoshi’s games have a habit of having tremendous twists, alternate paths, distinctive characters, and plenty of juvenile humor. All of those boxes are checked here as Uchikoshi pens an incredible script that features a brilliant and well-constructed reveal, one that plays upon the player’s own assumptions as the story continues. Like the rest of his games, everything, as mind-boggling as it may seem, eventually locks into place and winds up being a tremendous ride. Coming up with these kinds of wild ideas is already impressive, but managing to tie them together in a way like this is doubly impressive. Nirvana Initiative is brilliant in its subversion of the genre’s normal story flow and cements the architect behind the Zero Escape series as gaming’s best writer.

And while the writing was also one of the strengths of 2019’s The Somnium Files, its multiple unique puzzle sections were slightly lacking. These parts took place in the subconscious thoughts of the detained called a Somnium (that are not totally unlike the dream sequences in Christopher Nolan’s 2010 film Inception), were quite difficult due to its time limit and the trial-and-error nature that it took to break said character’s mental locks. Without a walkthrough, these sections could potentially take multiple attempts, as they punished careless actions. Thankfully, there are additional difficulty settings this time around that allow players to enjoy the goofy incorrect actions and go at a less stressful pace. These added options really open up the puzzle areas and make them a definitive highlight rather than a burden.

Okada is also more confident with his game design this time around, as evidenced by the more inventive Somnium sections. One highlight is a parody of Pokémon Go, which has the player doing RPG-like battles and recruiting party members, while another is a chef cooking show that focuses on the insecurities of its participant. The gameplay is full of just as many surprises as the script itself, which makes reading through this detective story a delight from start to finish for the 25 or so hours it takes to complete.

Fans of older conspiracy theories and urban legends will find a lot to like within Nirvana Initiative since its story revolves around secret societies, real-life history, and the theory that the world is a simulation. It uses those out-there ideas topped with a grand helping of pseudoscience to create its one-of-a-kind narrative and fuel its ability to continually dole out surprises. Unafraid to break the fourth wall in ridiculous and serious ways, AI: The Somnium Files is a thematically consistent rollercoaster that will leave players thinking about its cast of characters and explored topics for long after the credits roll (with a wonderful musical number and dance routine, of course).

There are always high expectations going into a game penned by Uchikoshi, but AI: The Somnium Files – Nirvana Initiative fully lives up to the incredible potential of the original by delivering an unforgettable experience. With stellar puzzles that will test your deductive reasoning and a story that will leave you constantly amazed by both its reveals and the utter ridiculousness of its universe, this is one of the greatest video game stories ever crafted and is just as polished as the narratives seen in Zero Escape and Steins;Gate.

SCORE: 10/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 10 equates to a “Masterpiece.”  This is the rare release that transcends genre and must be experienced by all fans of the medium.

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Disclosure: The critic received a PlayStation 4 review copy from the publisher for our AI: The Sominum Files – Nirvana Initiative review. Reviewed on version 1.01.

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