resident evil Archives – We Got This Covered

What is Tamara Smart’s ethnicity?

Francisca Tinoco — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 17:19:46 +0000

Disney Plus’ Percy Jackson and the Olympians has found its Thalia Grace and she has got a mean resume in the world of fantasy media, including another Disney show. Tamara Smart will take over the role of the feisty daughter of Zeus, who’s ing Camp Half-Blood in season 2.

The casting choice is particularly special given Smart’s connection to the actor who played the king of gods in the first season of the show, Lance Reddick. The two played father and daughter before in the 2022 Netflix Resident Evil series, where the young actress gave life to a younger version of Jade Wesker, the daughter of Reddick’s character, Albert Wesker. They would have been reunited in Percy Jackson, but Reddick suddenly died in 2023 from coronary artery disease.

The two had talked about working together again in the future, Smart said in a statement released by Disney. “I feel his presence all around me and strive to make him proud on this exciting journey,” she added.

Where you may have seen Tamara Smart before

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At 19 years old, Smart’s career is already pretty impressive. She broke onto the scene at just 10 years old, playing one of the young pupils at the magical Cackle’s Academy, Enid Nightshade, in the CBBC adaptation of The Worst Witch, sharing the screen with Clare Higgins and another would-be star, The Last of Us‘ Bella Ramsey.

Smart went from main role to main role after landing Nickelodeon’s Are You Afraid of the Dark? in 2019 where she played one of the popular girls, Louise Fulci, and Disney’s Artemis Fowl film playing the lead’s best friend, Juliet Butler. She completed this fantasy/horror trifecta by leading another Netflix production, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, where she starred alongside Harry Potter‘s Tom Felton and Pose‘s Indya Moore.

I’ve also auditioned for some normal things, but I feel like fantasy’s just my thing. Maybe I am magical">Thalia, the author said Smart’s electricity reflected the character’s signature “punk” personality. “Tamara puts the ‘grace’ in Thalia Grace,” he gushed. We can’t wait to see her in action when Percy Jackson and the Olympians returns to our screens in 2025.

10 best zombie movies ranked

Carolyn Jenkins — Mon, 08 Jan 2024 20:41:53 +0000

For many, AMC’s The Walking Dead may have been the cultural turning point that started the zombie wave, but the genre has deep roots in cinema for decades past. Long before Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) picked up his Colt Python, the horror genre used zombies for real-life analogies.

The trend continues to this day, reveling in the fascination of the living dead. From the icon George Romero’s horror classics to more modern fare, viewers are always tempted by the metaphors of post-apocalyptic terror.

10. Resident Evil

Video game purists may balk at Paul W.S. Anderson’s 2002 film, but there is much to appreciate when you let go of what an unfaithful adaptation Resident Evil is. Anderson is the mad mind behind one of Sam Neill’s best films, Event Horizon. The visceral horror film is a masterclass in terrorizing your audience. Resident Evil doesn’t quite reach that level, but it is a compelling original story separate from the games.

After the nefarious Umbrella Corporation accidentally releases a contagious virus, it is a race against the clock to ensure it doesn’t spread. Part action film and part mystery, Resident Evil follows Alice (Milla Jovovich), who s the effort to stop the zombies as she pieces together her missing memories. The audience learns what is the truth and what isn’t in a film that the sequels failed to replicate. But the first one is a wild ride.

9. Pet Semetary (1989)

In regards to the adaptation of one of Stephen King’s scariest books, the term zombie may need to be taken with a grain of salt. The ghouls in Pet Semetary aren’t the brain-munching, slow-moving monsters we’re accustomed to. No, they are far worse. After Louis Creed (Dale Midkiff) moves his family to rural Maine, devastation rocks them unexpectedly. His young son, Gage (Miko Hughes), plays too close to the road one day and is hit by a truck. Unable to move past his grief, Louis buries Gage in the nearby pet cemetery, which has been known to raise the dead.

What follows is a story so scary that even the King didn’t want to see it published. Gage returns, but a mere shadow of who he was before. A ghoulish corpse of pure evil, Gage terrorizes the family until no one remains. This spin on zombification is an experiment of what grief does to a family and how sometimes it is impossible to come back from.

8. Zombieland

In 2009, zombie mania hadn’t quite taken ahold of pop culture, which is what made Zombieland so refreshing. Using a humorous tone to explore the genre, the film follows Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), one of the last people you would expect to survive a zombie apocalypse.

He does so by penning several rules to abide by to stay among the living. While Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) scoffs at the practice, these rules ultimately keep everyone alive. An irable addition to the horror-comedy pantheon, Zombieland uses the chemistry among the cast to tell an engaging and hilarious story.

7. Evil Dead II

The Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell partnership has become a classic in the eyes of horror fans and there is nothing better than the film that started it all. Evil Dead II is essentially a soft reboot of the first film but with more camp and a more concise story. Contributing to the horror trope of a cabin in the woods, the film commences as Ash Williams (Campbell) takes his girlfriend on what should be a romantic getaway.

Those who have seen the first film know that Linda is not long for this world. After reading from the Necronomicon, a host of Deadites are released taking control of bodies and making them dance. The evil power even takes hold of Ash’s hand, which he has to sever. As Ash says, the film is groovy.

6. Dawn of the Dead

George Romero’s zombie sequel might be a classic, but the remake from the mid-aughts has received cult classic status. An incomparable union between James Gunn and Zack Snyder as writer and director respectively, the film makes us anticipate a time when the two can team up again.

Taking place in contemporary (at the time) Milwaukee, Ana (Sarah Polley) finds herself with a ragtag group of survivors at a local mall. Over the months the group spends together, they form connections leading to a last-ditch effort to escape somewhere that is zombie-free. As you may expect from the writer-director duo, the film is equal parts humorous and devastating, with a killer (pun intended) soundtrack. Don’t sleep on this one. You won’t regret it.

5. It Comes At Night

The zombie movie for a nihilistic generation, It Comes At Night takes the zombie genre and makes the audience just as anxious as the characters. If that isn’t enough of a warning, be aware that this movie is not for the faint of heart. Not for the deadly virus that has corrupted the world, but the emotional trauma the family encounters.

Paul (Joel Edgerton) has learned how to survive by isolating himself and his family from the world. But after the death of his father-in-law, the family becomes more desperate. The arrival of Will (Christopher Abbott) throws everything into chaos as everyone involved wonders who they can trust. More a film about how far you are willing to go when put in dire situations, It Comes At Night uses the horror genre to its benefit.

4. Train To Busan

In recent years, Korean cinema has proven to be a hot contender in genre films, no more than Train To Busan. A proud zombie film, the events of the story make clever use of its surroundings.

As the title suggests, the film takes place mainly on a train from Seoul to Busan, which is probably the worst ride of all time. After the train departs, a zombie virus breaks out and the engers try to survive the ride. For beginners, the film is a great entrance into not only foreign films, but horror in general.

3. Shaun of the Dead

As only Edgar Wright can pull off, Shaun of the Dead is a proper love letter and parody of genre films. An obvious reference to Romero’s film, the British movie teams up Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in yet another priceless Cornetto Trilogy film.

The brilliance of Shaun of the Dead is its tongue-in-cheek humor, poking fun at how humanity is — to coin The Walking Dead phrase — pretty much dead already. Shaun sleepwalks through life, his relationship, and his job, before the zombie apocalypse forces him not to take things for granted. Pristine humor and editing are Wright’s hallmarks, and Shaun of the Dead does it better than most.

2. Night of the Living Dead

Acknowledged as the first zombie film to break into the mainstream, Night of the Living Dead spawned an entire genre. At a time when social commentary and self-reflection were not the order of the day, Night of the Living Dead is a cut-and-dry allegory for racism. A message that is sadly still relevant in modern times, you can’t deny the impact that the film had on the entertainment industry.

1. 28 Days Later

The precursor to all fast-moving zombie fare, 28 Days Later is beyond reproach. The film that combined the talents of Danny Boyle, Alex Garland, and Cillian Murphy — among many others — the film is a harrowing and realistic look at what makes an apocalypse so terrifying. Jim (Murphy) wakes up in everyone’s worst nightmare after landing in a coma following a bike accident.

Zombies have ravaged the world for a lunar month, and Jim quickly has to adjust to his new reality. Difficult choices have to be made in a society that no longer exists. 28 Days Later also depicts gross misuse of power, as Jim and his group are picked up by the military. A look into what could happen in that scenario, the movie foretold what a successful career everyone involved would go on to have.

The flop reboot of a 6-film saga followed months later by a flop small screen reboot canceled after just 43 days contains an outbreak on Netflix

Scott Campbell — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 08:11:03 +0000

Other than, you know, ending with a sixth and final installment quite literally called The Final Chapter, a reboot was always going to be the next course of action for the live-action Resident Evil franchise. Deciding to mount a dual-pronged assault on screens both big and small proved to be catastrophic, though, with Welcome to Raccoon City failing spectacularly in its mission statement.

There’s always an air of trepidation when a filmmaker and/or cast say something was made by the fans for the fans, which more often than not means barely anybody else is going to like it. That turned out to be right on the money with the seventh Resident Evil movie, which was pummeled by critics and fell woefully short at the box office.

Eight months later, and Netflix’s big budget TV series adapted from the iconic video game franchise premiered, and while it may have held onto the number one spot for a hot second, it was similarly crucified from the moment it arrived, causing the streaming service to pull the plug just 43 days later.

Naturally, whispers of yet another reboot are looming in the background despite Resident Evil cratering on film and TV twice in the span of a few months less than two years ago, but that’s sadly how the world works.

Either way, Welcome to Raccoon City has leaned into spooky season’s apex by convincing Netflix subscribers that its reputation is worth ignoring for the sake of an interminable undead shoot ’em up, with FlixPatrol naming it as one of the platform’s most-watched features on a global scale.

A terrible video game movie from a director that specializes in terrible video game movies avoids causing an international streaming incident

Scott Campbell — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 06:46:11 +0000

Based entirely on his track record of terrible video game adaptations, if you want somebody to direct a terrible video game adaptation, then Paul W.S. Anderson is your man. That might sound harsh, but the evidence is stacked sky high for everyone to see.

As much as 1995’s Mortal Kombat endures as a cult favorite so cheesy it could kill the lactose intolerant, it’s not very good as an example of cinematic excellence. You could technically count Alien vs. Predator as another seeing as the iconic extraterrestrials happened on consoles before it unfolded onscreen, while he directed four of Milla Jovovich’s Resident Evil outings, as well as writing and producing all six.

via Constantin Film

That highest-rated of any of those aforementioned titles on Rotten Tomatoes is the very first, with Mortal Kombat boasting a middling 47 percent score. Just behind it is Monster Hunter on 44 percent, which suffered the double-pronged devastation of bombing at the box office after failing to recoup its $60 million budget, and being yanked from Chinese theaters almost instantly after a throwaway joke managed to offend an entire nation.

Maybe one day Anderson will shock the world with a top-tier console-to-screen translation, but after eight attempts with nothing to show for it, that might not ever turn out to be the case. Either way, it’s Monster Hunter that’s been slaying beasts on streaming this week, with FlixPatrol revealing it to be one of the biggest hits on Prime Video, ViaPlay, and iTunes all at once, so at least people are still watching.

What to expect from the ‘Resident Evil 4’ Separate Ways DLC

David James — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 11:31:40 +0000

Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake landed with a bang three months ago. Though the previous three Resident Evil remakes have been top-tier gaming, many fans were wary about a reworking of the most popular and critically acclaimed entry in the series. After all, the 2005 original hadn’t aged that badly and we were worried that its distinctive high-camp horror atmosphere would be lost in translation.

We should have had faith, as Resident Evil 4 blew damn near everyone away with its incredible graphics, smart story tweaks, top-class sound design, and improved combat. Perhaps the only problem is that there’s not more of it, though this is something Capcom intends to rectify very soon.

Image via Capcom

In the closing moments of the game, Leon Kennedy and Ada Wong have an awkward chat as they say their goodbyes, with Leon g off with “I think we both know this is where we go our separate ways”. This is a direct reference to the original Resident Evil 4‘s Separate Ways bonus campaign, which arrived with the PlayStation 2 port in late 2005. If that wasn’t proof enough, dataminers have found references to it in the game’s files, so it’s absolutely coming.

What is Separate Ways?

Image via Capcom

Since I wrapped up the Remake I’ve had an itchy trigger finger, and with Separate Ways still not here, I decided to head back to the original (via the incredible Resident Evil 4 HD Project mod) and experience it for myself. This sees you step into the somewhat impractical high heels and stylish red dress of super-spy Ada Wong for a story that takes place in the background of Leon’s mission.

Ada’s five-chapter campaign broadly follows the same path as the core game, beginning in the Ganado-infested village, progressing through the castle, and finally stopping off at the island for the final showdown. We doubt that Capcom is going to stray too far from this formula, so expect the same broad progression when this DLC lands.

One of the most interesting aspects is seeing Leon’s campaign from an outside perspective, with Ada able to witness a (computer-controlled) Leon fighting Ganado from a distance in various scenes. She’s also responsible for ringing the church bell in the opening scenes, getting revenge for his awesome jacket being pinched, and finally delivering the rocket launcher key to finishing off the horribly mutated Saddler.

I had a blast playing through this mode, though after loving the Remake, I was itching to experience it with the vastly improved control system we got this year.

What might be added for the Remake?

Image via Capcom

Though Separate Ways reuses many of the environments seen in the core campaign, there are also some fun new additions. Most prominent is an action setpiece revolving around a docked battleship that Saddler presumably plans to use for his megalomaniacal plans. Under a tight time limit, you must man some enormous mounted guns to blast away parts of the ship before destroying it entirely. The explosive action is somewhat restrained due to being designed for PlayStation 2, though we expect this sequence will be ramped up and expanded upon to take advantage of what modern hardware can do.

There are also bound to be some story expansions beyond the original. We expect to see a lot more of Luis Sera in Separate Ways, as his secret mission was to deliver the Las Plagas virus sample to Ada in exchange for his freedom. We get a taste of their awkward interactions in the Remake, but perhaps we could see the pair teaming up for some brand-new action setpieces.

Ada also gets some very fun boss fights, one of which is unique to this campaign. We won’t go into too many details here, though like most of this mode, it puts some flesh on the bones of the core story and shows just how hard Ada was fighting for Leon behind the scenes.

Image via Capcom

It’s also possible that Separate Ways might reinstate some things cut from the Remake. We’d like to see the cablecar fight near the village make a comeback, particularly as Ada’s campaign takes her directly to this location. More ambitious would be the return of the cut U-3 boss, which Leon battles in the final third of the original game and which would make sense for Ada to destroy as part of her mission.

It’s also worth mentioning that there’s a whole other bonus mode, Assignment Ada. This is a short score-attack minigame in which Ada must track down virus samples with limited inventory space, a fixed loadout, and no save games. Given that all the elements for Assignment Ada will soon be in place, we’d love to see it as a bonus unlock after clearing Separate Ways.

Also of note is that Assignment Ada obliquely teases the events of Resident Evil 5, so if Capcom were being especially sneaky, it could use it to quietly confirm that the next remake is in early development.

When will Separate Ways arrive?

Image via Capcom

There’s no official release date but we suspect an official announcement isn’t too far away, though sadly there was no sign of it at the Summer Games Festival or any of the various hardware manufacturer showcases. There will probably be one more PlayStation Direct/Xbox Games Showcase over the summer, though the September Tokyo Game Show might be the most likely place for a full trailer.

Either way, we’re anticipating Separate Ways landing sometime over the fall and are eager to slide into that slinky red dress and show Las Plagas who’s boss.

The launchpad for a never-ending billion-dollar franchise that’s always sucked locks down a top streaming spot

Scott Campbell — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 07:33:40 +0000

While the earnings would obviously indicate that there’s a substantial audience there, recent history has nonetheless continued making a point of noting that maybe it’s for the best if live-action Resident Evil adaptations go away for a while.

Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich’s six-film stint as the figureheads of the franchise may have yielded a cumulative box office haul of over $1.2 billion to secure a place in the history books as the highest-grossing string of console-to-screen movies ever made, but let’s not overlook the fact that the highest-rated of them all holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 37 percent.

via Sony

And yet, reboot Welcome to Raccoon City arrived way too soon afterwards, only to go down in a ball of flames among critics, fans of the source material, and paying customers alike. Undeterred, Netflix got into the Resident Evil business with the resoundingly-panned series that was mercifully canceled after a single season, and yet there are rumors whispering that yet another reimagining is on the way sooner rather than later.

Having gone zero-for-eight in live-action so far in of acclaim, does anybody desperately need more Resident Evil adventures in their lives funded by Hollywood? Hopefully not, but FlixPatrol revealing that the 2002 original is currently one of the most-watched features on the Paramount Plus global charts does paint the unsettling picture that after more than two decades of mediocrity, there’s still a sizeable audience out there willing to dive back into the adventures of Alice and her never-ending battle against the infected.

The reboot of a reboot of a 6-film franchise with an axed TV series takes another entirely needless step forward

Scott Campbell — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 07:06:59 +0000

We all know what the definition of insanity is at this point, but the fact many fans of the Resident Evil franchise have been lamenting the realization they’ve never been given a worthy adaptation of the iconic video game series after 20 years and countless attempts possibly indicates that the property should be set aside and given some breathing space for once.

Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich may have orchestrated the highest-grossing string of console-to-screen translations of all-time after their saga racked up over $1.2 billion at the box office, but it would be an understatement to say that none of them were unanimously well-received.

via Constantin Film

Reboot Welcome to Raccoon City claimed to be the movie the die-hards had been waiting for and ended up cratering at the box office, before Netflix’s episodic effort found itself torn to shreds by critics, casuals, and longtime appreciators of the Resident Evil lore alike, which led to the panned show being canned after a single season.

That’s not a great track record, and not too long after it was rumored yet another reboot operating under the working title The Umbrella Chronicles was in early development, it seems to have taken a step forward towards production. The city of Sudbury – which was used as one of the filming locations for Welcome to Raccoon City – has been awarded $2 million by the provincial government for the aforementioned project, which is terrifying news.

Do we need yet another live-action Resident Evil? Absolutely not. However, it looks like we’re getting one anyway.

Latest Horror News: ‘It’ prequel ‘Welcome to Derry’ adds fresh faces as ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ snags the perfect release date

Chynna Wilkinson — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 03:00:00 +0000

You’re in for a real treat today, horror nerds. Some of the most anticipated projects of the year have filled out their crew and provided us with a release date… finally. And just when we thought 2023 couldn’t get any better, the horror genre continues to throw surprises our way. This year, we’re looking forward to The Nun 2, Saw X, The Exorcist, Insidious: Fear the Dark, and many more franchise sequels/remakes. We assume to see this energy follow through into 2024 as the horror genre continues to pick up the pace and shows no signs of slowing down. In just 24 hours, we’ve had exciting news regarding the It prequel series and the largely popular Five Nights at Freddy’s franchise, which will be receiving a live-action remake.

We aren’t overly impressed by another announcement, but we won’t spoil things just yet. You’ll have to read ahead to find out which of these pivotal announcements isn’t as stimulating as the rest. Snuggle under a blanket, pour yourself some hot cocoa, and buckle up for another charted adventure into the unpredictable world of horror.

After pumping out progressively horrible movies, it looks like ‘Resident Evil’ is getting rebooted… again

Image via Constantin Film

No disrespect to Milla Jovovich, who partnered with Paul W. S. Anderson to give us a faithful adaptation of the Resident Evil franchise back in 2022, but even across six appearances, she couldn’t save a dying breed. We won’t sugarcoat things; the Resident Evil live-action sequels get progressively worse, through no fault of Jovovich. Rather than truly exploring the RE lore and giving us the Jill, Claire, Leon, Chris, and Ada we deserved, the franchise chose to plot its own course, and while we respect that, it didn’t work out. And as if seven sub-par movies and a lackluster TV show weren’t bad enough, there’s talk of the Resident Evil franchise receiving yet another reboot — hot on the heels of the disaster that was Welcome to Raccoon City. Let’s just say we won’t be keeping our fingers crossed for this one, but maybe we’ll be proven wrong. And that’s a strong maybe.

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ picks the most fitting release date during a competitive Halloween season

Image via ScottGames

Five Nights at Freddy’s was already the leading franchise in the indie horror universe, so when it was announced that none other than Blumhouse would be bringing the widely popular video game to life, it would be an understatement to say that the crowd went wild. In fact, horror enthusiasts didn’t know what to do with themselves. FNaF has been the metaphorical Sun to our Earth, existing as the very orbital center of the indie horror world for the last near-decade. Although many have tried, none of its competitors have ever been held to such a high standard, not even the like-minded Poppy Playtime. As per Bloody Disgusting, we can confirm that Universal will be releasing Blumhouse’s untitled FNaF movie on October 27, 2023. Just in time for Halloween season. How perfect is that?

‘It’ prequel series ‘Welcome to Derry’ adds several new faces to the cast

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

After the roaring success of It Chapter Two, it wasn’t long before HBO jumped on the bandwagon of Stephen King’s live-action fortune. Originally, it was mere speculation that a prequel series was in development, but eventually, in February of this year, HBO announced that it was moving forward with the project — given the official title of Welcome to Derry. Due to be set long before the adventures of the Losers Club, details about Welcome to Derry are scarce, but Bloody Disgusting have confirmed that Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), and James Remar (Oppenheimer) will all appear in undisclosed roles. Additionally, Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs are onboard to helm the project, which will act as the origin story for Pennywise the Clown.

That’s all folks! Check back at WGTC daily for more breaking horror news.

Latest Sci-Fi News: ‘Star Wars’ hot take blames Jon Favreau for the lukewarm ‘Mandalorian’ season 3 as a ghastly 7-movie franchise leaps for another reboot

Jonathan Wright — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 03:00:00 +0000

The Mandalorian season 3 has come under fire for a story that features a whole lot of nothing and doesn’t really push the plot forward in any meaningful way. Now, with the latest episode drawing even more criticism for its unfocused gaze and pointless cameos, Star Wars fans are wondering if Jon Favreau has finally lost his mojo.

In other news, a consistently-panned movie franchise that somehow spawned six sequels and a television reboot is allegedly swinging for another unwanted resurrection, making its fans genuinely wonder if the studio even understands what they want from the story.

Meanwhile, a forgotten Alien sequel finds new success on streaming, even despite the fact that the movie’s own writer shunned it in every possible way.

Speaking of sequels with questionable prospects, Warner Bros. has seen fit to delay Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom by a few days, and though this move is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, fans have somehow interpreted it as the movie being in big trouble.

Check out all of these beats in today’s sci-fi roundup.

**The fandom clearly doesn’t want another Resident Evil reboot, but that has never stopped Hollywood before**

Image via Capcom

With the release of the Resident Evil 4 remake rekindling the hype for this long-standing Japanese horror franchise, rumors are circulating online about yet another live-action reboot after the disastrous Netflix series. Resident Evil has never been particularly successful on this front, spawning seven terrible movies that all got panned by the critics and barely thrived at the box office, but if this rumor about another resurrection turns out to be true, then Hollywood truly doesn’t understand when it’s time to stop.

According to the scuttlebutt, this new project is going ahead under the title of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, which once again alludes to the nefarious pharmaceutical organization behind the deadly virus that turns people into monsters.

**Is Jon Favreau to blame for the middling Mandalorian season 3? The community certainly seems to think so based on little to no evidence**

Marvel

Star Wars fans hailed Jon Favreau as the ultimate savior of the galaxy far, far away with the premiere of The Mandalorian a few years ago, but as has been proven time and again, all it takes for this community to turn its back on you is a single terrible outing. In that sense, Favreau has more than overstayed his welcome with the middling Book of Boba Fett miniseries, which is now being followed by the divisive third season of The Mandalorian.

Now, people are starting to accuse Favreau of losing interest and keeping the story going just to appease shareholders. Frankly, there’s no denying that The Mandalorian season 3 has been lackluster, but to put all the blame on Favreau when he’s doing his best to keep Star Wars alive on television might be a step too far.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is delayed for less than a week and the fandom loses its mind

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

While not every delay is a disaster in the making, cinemagoers have grown conspicuously pessimistic about a movie’s prospects whenever there’s a hurdle in production. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has already faced its fair share of doubters and naysayers due to all the drama surrounding Amber Heard, but now that we’re getting closer to the movie’s release date, fans are reminded of a grim possibility; that it’s entirely plausible for the sequel to be subpar on the merit of its own shortcomings.

Warner Bros. exacerbated these fears by pushing the movie’s release days by five days, so now a lot of people have concluded that Aquaman 2 is going to be another disappointment in the DCU’s long list of failed projects.

**Seeing Alien: Resurrection on streaming triggers our whiny Joss Whedon PTSD**

via 20th Century Fox

When Joss Whedon makes a bad movie, you have to sit through the terrible experience twice. The first is for when you actually watch the flick and realize that it’s a steaming bowl of horse dung. The second is when you spend the next couple of months listening to the man whine about how everyone but himself dropped the ball during production, in between rants explaining why his heaven-sent writing chops aren’t appreciated enough.

Alien: Resurrection is one such movie that got panned by the critics and shunned by Whedon himself on numerous occasions, but the sequel is nevertheless garnering renewed interest on streaming. More and more, it looks like streaming is turning into a playground where Hollywood’s greatest failures are granted a second chance.

A consistently terrible franchise that’s already spat out 7 movies and a TV show rumored for yet another reboot

Scott Campbell — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 07:35:04 +0000

The news that a brand new live-action Street Fighter movie was in development hardly led to an outpouring of excitement and enthusiasm given that both adaptations so far have sucked tremendously, so you can only imagine how people are feeling over the rumor that Resident Evil could be next in line.

While the original six-film saga spearheaded by Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich does rank as the highest-grossing video game franchise in history after raking in over $1.2 billion at the box office, none of them were received particularly well by critics. Not only that, but reboot Welcome to Raccoon City was a failure on every level, before Netflix’s short-lived series was canned after a single season following scathing reviews from critics and fans alike.

via Netflix

And yet, freshly-cut scuttlebutt from Geek Vibes Nation offers that the property is in line for another brand new reinvention, this time under the title of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. It’s nowhere close to being official at this stage, but seeing as we’ve already suffered through seven features and a terrible TV show in the space of 20 years, maybe it’s better to leave the Capcom favorite alone for a little while.

For some reason, though, Hollywood remains adamant that just because a certain IP fails over and over and over again, there’s still a chance it’ll come good eventually. Mileage varies on whether Resident Evil has ever been even so much as halfway decent, but its beginning to feel as if we’ll be stuck in the perpetual loop of reboots for at least a little while longer.

Ranking every version of ‘Resident Evil 4’

David James — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Capcom has a fine track record in remaking the Resident Evil series, with a pedigree stretching all the way back to its fantastic reimagining of the first game in the series on GameCube. In 2019 and 2020, the developer bowled gamers over with Resident Evil 2 and 3, but now it’s aiming to reach the stars with a Resident Evil 4 remake.

The 2005 original is generally considered the best in the series, regularly lands around the top of the greatest games of all time lists, and has a firm place in gamers’ hearts. It’s also been released on pretty much every possible piece of hardware you can imagine. So, with the remake about to blast, suplex, and spin kick its way onto modern consoles, let’s run through all previous versions of the game and sort the wheat from the chaff.

13. BREW 4.0 (2008)

(This blurry video is the best we could find)

In the late 2000s, mobile gaming was rapidly rising in popularity as phones grew more powerful. Capcom was eager to jump on board and decided that Resident Evil 4 would be a great fit, commissioning a Japan-exclusive port to Qualcomm’s obscure BREW 4.0 platform, which ran on the final generation of dumbphones prior to the iPhone. The end result is more a gaming curio than anything worth actually playing. This is more of a reimagining than a port, splitting the action into small discrete stages, telling the story through still images, and massively downgrading the graphics.

We have to applaud the ambition of squeezing any form of Resident Evil 4 onto a flip phone, but actually playing it looks like a nightmare.

12. iOS (2009)

That BREW 4.0 release would prove to have a long shelf-life, getting a port to the then-new iOS and the App Store in 2009. This has all the flaws of the flip-phone version, though with touch controls added and somewhat better graphics (though by modern standards it looks like one of those PSOne demakes of modern games).

It’s long been delisted from the app store, so unless you’ve got it installed on a creaky old iPhone 3 or 4, you can’t buy or play it. That’s probably for the best. This version also made it to the first iPad, where it’s slightly more playable on the larger screen, but still pretty rubbish.

11. Zeebo (2009)

We know what you’re thinking. What the hell is a Zeebo? Well, with mainstream game consoles notoriously expensive in developing countries like Brazil and Mexico, there was a gap in the market for an inexpensive online-only device for gamers on a budget. On paper, it makes sense. In practice? Well, let’s just say there’s a reason you probably haven’t heard of the Zeebo.

But it got a port of Resident Evil 4, using the iOS version as a base. It features all the same graphical and gameplay restrictions as that version, though at least you can play this version of it with a controller. With the Zeebo online service now long dead, actually playing this is next to impossible, though we kind of respect that it exists at all.

10. Android (2013)

Once again, the old iOS Resident Evil 4 rears its head, this time with a quick n’ dirty Android port. By the time this version hit Android, it’d been five years since the BREW 4.0 release, and the already creaky old port was showing its age. Even so, at least this late release comes with all the DLC added to the iOS version and vaguely higher-resolution graphics. Being an Android game makes it a teeny bit more accessible, though if you really want to blow away Ganados on your Android phone, a far better option is just to emulate the GameCube release and use a controller.

9. PC (2007)

Hooray! An actual version of Resident Evil 4 that’s recognizably what we all know and love. Unfortunately, the 2007 PC port came from a time when Japanese games on PC were afterthoughts at best. This port of Resident Evil 4 is based on the PlayStation 2 version and was released with no lighting engine, low-quality textures, a suite of new bugs and crashes, and does not mouse control for aiming.

A patch was released to fix the lighting and bugs, though as it’s since gotten a much better PC port (more on that below), this version is best left in the bad memories file.

8. PlayStation 2 (2005)

Resident Evil 4 was originally billed as a GameCube exclusive, with it coming as part of the ‘Capcom 5’ project intended to breathe new life into Nintendo’s purple box. Gamers back in the 2000s were as indignant about console exclusives as they are now, particularly as most prior Resident Evil games made it to Sony consoles. But, as it turned out, they didn’t have to wait too long, as the game arrived on PlayStation 2 less than a year after its GameCube release.

The PlayStation 2 was less capable than the GameCube, but while this version runs at a lower frame rate and has worse graphics, it acquits itself fairly well given the hardware limitations. This also came with the brand new Separate Ways campaign for Ada, which is arguably inessential but fun nonetheless.

7. GameCube (2005)

This is where it all started. We still picking this up for the purple box back in 2005 and spending a weekend immersed in Ganados-shooting action. Resident Evil 4 is one of the best-looking games on GameCube and, as it was designed for the idiosyncratic GameCube controller, plays like a dream on it.

The original version has long been superseded by more modern ports, though we still have a soft spot for it all these years later. Even now, it still feels like a GameCube game and is a sparkling example of what a talented developer could achieve on the console. Plus, this version got the iconic chainsaw controller, and that thing just kicks ass in every conceivable way.

6. PlayStation 3 / Xbox 360 (2011)

With a coat of HD paint, Resident Evil 4 had never looked better. In 2011 this was by far the best way to play the game, though there are still a couple of caveats that keep it from perfection. In a bizarre twist, the audio was worse than both the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions and often sounded notably compressed. Also, despite now being in HD, no alterations were made to any textures or environments, and what looked good on a CRT TV came across as blurry and indistinct over HDMI.

But it’s still a decent version of Resident Evil 4, though this is a lazy, no-frills port and we’d soon get better.

5. Switch (2019)

You won’t go wrong with the Switch version of Resident Evil 4. Being able to play this classic on the go is very welcome, and the Switch is more than capable of running the game without any frame-rate or graphical concessions. But there is one disappointing omission that keeps this from greatness.

The Switch JoyCons are fully capable of gyro/motion controls, though this port doesn’t use them at all. It’s a shame, particularly as the excellent Wii version showed how much fun it can be to ensure pinpoint accuracy. Even so, there’s nothing to sniff at here and as the Switch isn’t getting the Resident Evil 4 remake, it remains a fine way to experience Leon’s adventure on Nintendo hardware.

4. PlayStation 4 / Xbox One (2016)

This 2016 release is by far the most widely available to modern players and does the game proud. As you’d expect, it runs like a dream on eighth-generation hardware and, though the graphics are still somewhat dated, it’s gotten a mild HD scrub-up that takes it beyond the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. Other than that, there’s not too much to say. This is the game everyone loves in near-perfected form, is easily accessible to players (and works fine on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X), and is often available at a heavy discount.

3. Wii (2007)

Motion controls can be divisive at the best of times, but even hardcore Resident Evil 4 players it that this is a particularly great use of the Wii motes. Here, the laser sight is replaced by a targeting reticle controlled by the Wii mote, giving you the best possible accuracy. The only real frustration is that as this is a Wii game it’s not in HD, but as this incredible control scheme has never made its way to other versions we recommend trying it out at least once.

And, if you’re really not convinced by motion controls, you can also connect a GameCube controller and play it as it was originally released. Maybe these days this is something of a relic, but it’s still a bunch of fun.

2. PC (2014)

Capcom made amends for the terrible PC port with this fantastic PC port that does everything you’d expect from a modern release. But the original release isn’t the end of the story, as the modding community has taken this release way beyond the base version. Top of the pile is the jaw-droppingly comprehensive “Resident Evil 4 HD Project”, in which a team of truly dedicated fans has replaced every texture in the game with far superior new versions.

This was a titanic undertaking, with the modders even traveling to European locations to reshoot the original architectural features that the original game’s textures were based on. The HD Project is a true labor of love, and when we replay the original game, it’s where we go.

1. Oculus Quest 2 (2021)

By 2021, Resident Evil had already proved its virtual reality credentials with the terrifying PSVR port of Resident Evil 7. This goes way beyond even that, with Armature Studio (composed of many former of Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios) porting the game to Unreal Engine 4 and bringing the game to life like never before. The result is absolutely exhilarating and is almost worth the price of an Oculus Quest 2 to play it.

You now control the game in full VR, pulling your weapons off your hip and back, manually reloading during intense gunfights, and the puzzles now bristling with levers and buttons to poke at. Best of all, you can now move and shoot at the same time, which lets you realize your John Wick fantasies as you dismantle the Ganados with shotgun blasts and stylish headshots. As the enemy AI isn’t altered, this arguably dials the difficulty down, but it’s so fun it’s difficult to quibble.

The only flies in the ointment are some unnecessary minor censorship and the omission of the Assignment Ada and Separate Ways modes, but this breathes new life into a very familiar game and is a fantastic way to experience the story in a new way.

Whether the Resident Evil 4 remake can top even this remains to be seen, though the excellent demo bodes very well for the full release on Friday. Expect our thoughts on that very soon.

The Resident Evil 4 Remake lands on PC, Playstation, and Xbox on March 24, 2023.

Latest Sci-Fi News: Chris Pratt enters the chat as ‘Rick and Morty’ recasts while fans call for Dan Harmon to Justin Roiland on the scrapheap

Christian Bone — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 05:00:00 +0000

As you can’t have failed to notice, one of the most defining sci-fi TV series of the past decade has lost its co-creator and star. In a completely unsurprising move, in the face of his reputation taking a nosedive after domestic abuse charges and disturbing resurfaced DMs, Adult Swim has elected to part ways with Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland. And yet the popular animated show will continue. So who will replace Roiland as the voices of the two titular characters? Fans have some thoughts…

Rick and Morty recasting suggestions range from the absurd to the ingenious

Image via Adult Swim

The task of finding someone(s) new to take over from Roiland as Rick and Morty will be a mammoth-sized undertaking for Adult Swim, but at least the fans are helping them out by throwing some suggestions at the wall. Well, some of them are genuinely great ideas, such as fellow network star Michael Cusack, while others are instances of social media s being unable to contain their inner troll. Could Chris Pratt follow up The Super Mario Bros. Movie by being our new Rick and Morty? No, no he couldn’t.

R&M fans are ready for Dan Harmon to get the Justin Roiland treatment

Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for IMDb

Justin Roiland’s fall from grace has been so complete that there’s little in the way of diehard fans campaigning to get Adult Swim to rehire him. In fact, the exact opposite has happened. Rick and Morty viewers are calling for the network to completely clean house and cut ties with co-creator Dan Harmon at the same time. While not hit with the same severity of damning evidence as his former colleague, Harmon himself is no stranger to controversy and scandal after he itted to sexually harassment accusations in the past. It remains to be seen whether he’ll be sticking around for season seven or not.

The star of a cancelled Netflix series that nobody’s mourning valiantly attempts to defend it

Image via Netflix

Netflix has earned the ire of the internet many times over the past year for cancelling a beloved series before its time — from Warrior Nun to Inside Job. However, one decision that not a single soul shed a tear over was the news that Resident Evil wouldn’t be back for a sophomore run. Nonetheless, star Ella Balinska has stepped forward to defend the failed reboot of the post-apocalyptic video game universe, maintaining that it was “an amazing story” that she’s “super-proud” of. Good for her.

Rebel Moon star hypes up Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon as a beautiful, action-packed epic

Image via Netflix

One movie that’s risen up to catch the attention of genre fans everywhere is the erotic sci-fi horror Infinity Pool, coming out this week. One of the film’s stars, Cleopatra Coleman, just happens to also be part of another of the year’s big stand-alone sci-fi releases — Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon — which hits Netflix this December. Snyder faithfuls can rest assured this one will live up to expectation as Coleman is promising that it’s a “beautiful… epic” and she’s sure people will “really love the action.”

Beam back here tomorrow, sci-fi fans, as we bring you more of the latest news on Rick and Morty, Rebel Moon, and beyond.