Trailer Time: Blood Sucking Bastards

Well it has "Bastards" in the title so its probably awesome... just like us! Actually the trailer was kind of funny even if a lot of the jokes were predictable.

Bloodsucking Bastards takes audiences on a hilarious, blood-spattered roller coaster ride in the most terrifying locale of all: the American workplace. The film stars Fran Kranz as Evan Sanders, a low-level, dutiful employee stuck in a boring job at a soul-killing every corporation. Evan’s the kind of guy who does all the work and gets none of the credit, but at least he gets to spend his days with his beautiful co-worker/girlfriend Amanda (Emma Fitzpatrick) and his slacker best friend Tim (Joey Kern), so he soldiers on in the hope of one day getting his coveted sales director position.

Unfortunately, it all falls apart in one fell swoop when Amanda breaks up with him and Evan’s boss Ted (Joel Murray) hands his promotion to his college nemesis Max (Pedro Pascal). And it isn’t just their sordid past Evan has to deal with. After his fellow officemates start going through disturbing changes (which, paradoxically, make them better employees) and bodies begin to pile up, Evan learns the horrible truth: Max is a vampire. And even worse… a vamp with a plan.

Evan must find a way to stop the evil brewing amidst the cubicles, expose Max as the bloodsucking bastard that he is, and save his pals before his life and career go from dead-end…to just dead.

Directed by Brian James O’Connell and penned by the popular comedy troupe Dr. God and Ryan Mitts, Bloodsucking Bastards recently made its world premiere as the opening night film at the Slamdance Film Festival 2015.

Bloodsucking Bastards opens in select cities and on VOD beginning Sept 4. For more information about the movie, please visit www.bloodsuckingbastards.com

Trailer Time: Doctor Who - Season 9

Well... that's underwhelming. I don't watch Game of Thrones so I'm guessing the big "wow" moment was the reveal of Maisie Williams because the rest of it seemed pretty stock standard for Doctor Who. It's like because of Jenna Coleman's contract they're not willing to invest in a big story and so we're left with smaller, safer pieces. I did see that some people are already speculating that Williams is the new Jenny which would be kinda cool if they hadn't already ignored her character for several seasons. See you September 19th!

Trailer Time: Super Mansion

And this is why the superhero genre is dead. I'll admit that I'm not a fan of Robot Chicken so clearly I wouldn't have found this trailer for Super Mansion funny because it's the same team. It also comes off like The Awesomes or whatever that terrible Hulu cartoon from Seth "I Read Comic Books" Meyers is called. Maybe superhero movie fans will like it because these tired ass jokes will be new to them, but for me I'll take a pass. That and the last time I watched an original program on Crackle I quit half way through the movie and never went back... never.

SDCC 15: Insane Jane Coming To TV

As more and more comic book properties make their way to the big and small screen, they are simply going to have to make room for one crazy heroine. “Insane Jane,” based off the cult comic book from Bluewater/StormFront Productions is currently in development and has Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse alum Miracle Laurie attached as the eponymous Jane. The story of a deluded, yet-well-meaning heroine who believes she has super powers is being developed as a television series produced by Bohemia Group Originals & Miracle Laurie. Screenwriter Tracy Morse (Creature) has also signed on for the project.

“When Jane was introduced to me, I was floored!”said Laurie, “She is an actor’s dream, filled with complexity and laced with tremendous amounts of fun.  The moment I read the graphic novel, I felt connected to her.  I saw her vulnerable side; the girl that just wants to fit in, like we all do.  I saw the outrage she has at the injustice in this world.   And I saw the hope she has and the desire to do good, even if it means battling (and sometimes losing to) her own demons.”

The character made her debut in 2010 and added a unique take to the pantheon of superhero literature. She is described by original writer Zachary Hunchar: Take youthful energy. Add in some over-active imagination. Mix in some powdered donuts. Sprinkle it with delusional disorder and you get ... Insane Jane! She’s the kookiest action hero of the 21st century.

“Forget what you think you know about the super hero genre. What Miracle, Tracy and the folks at Bohemia Group are doing with Jane is simply off-the-charts cool,” said Darren Davis, President of Bluewater/ StormFront Productions. “I’m already setting my DVR to record some ‘must see TV!’”

Peter Paul Basler, Head of Production, Bohemia Group Originals added “We are poised to create something truly special with a live-action version of INSANE JANE!  We promise to create something that will leap off the pages of the graphic novel!  Look out!!"

The production has not yet secured a distribution deal, but anticipates several suitors given the original concept and the high quality of the content. The production is set to go before the camera later this year.

“The character is so dark, so damaged; yet magnetically endearing,” said screenwriter Tracy Morse. “She has no idea that often her ultimate nemesis is herself. Creating her world is like a tightrope suspended over a swimming pool filled with razor blades and marshmallows.”

According to the producers, one of the challenges is featuring a character with severe schizophrenia. There are great opportunities to provide commentary on how we treat and perceive people battling mental health issues. Even though the material is often done tongue in cheek or for comedic effect, the central principle is that Jane, despite her challenges, is not the joke.

StromFront Productions (formerly Bluewater Productions) also has film projects developing with Universal Studios and Paramount Picture and other studios for their titles "Nanny & Hank," "Legend of Isis," "10th Muse," and "Sinbad Rogue of Mars."

Insane Jane is in graphic novel form and can be purchased at comic book stores, bookstores and on Amazon. It is also available digitally on ComiXology Trajactory, Madefire, BitLit, ComiXology, DriveThru Comics, Google Play, My Digital Comics, Overdrive, Iverse, iTunes, Kindle, Biblioboard, ComicBin, Nook, Kobo and wherever eBooks are sold.

SDCC 15: Riverdale Moves From Fox To CW... Probably For The Best

Let's be honest, Fox would have cancelled this show after five episodes if that. CW will keep it on air for ten years or more... and is more in line with the demographic they're shooting for. From Archie Comics:

Just announced at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2015, Archie Comics released major details about the upcoming "Riverdale" live-action series.

Originally developed for FOX, “Riverdale”—a dark, twisty, one-hour drama based on the iconic “Archie” comic book characters, including Archie, Betty, and Veronica, as well as Josie and the Pussycats—is now set-up at The CW network, with the key players remaining the same: Warner Brothers is the studio, THE FLASH and ARROW chief Greg Berlanti is producing and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Archie's Chief Creative Officer, is writing the pilot.

"The CW is a perfect for for the vibe and tone of the Riverdale series," said Archie Comics CEO/Publisher, Jon Goldwater. "We couldn't be in better hands. Working with WB, Greg Berlanti and having Roberto involved has made this a dream project come to life. This is a major, major thing for this company."

As fans know, Aguirre-Sacasa is also the mastermind behind Archie's two bestselling and acclaimed horror titles, AFTERLIFE WITH ARCHIE and CHILLING ADVENTURES OF SABRINA. He is also a consulting producer on the “Supergirl” series.

The "Riverdale" news comes hot on the heels of the hugely successful sellout Archie relaunch, kicked off by a stellar debut issue from the powerhouse creative team of writer Mark Waid and artist Fiona Staples, which has been the buzz of this year's Comic-Con.

Another Superhero Summer

Summer is the traditional time of year where the movie studios roll out their biggest and most expensive productions. Every year, there is a race on to see which blockbuster can capture the public’s imagination and take some serious box office revenue. In recent years there’s been a move for superhero themed movies to take the top slot. Last year saw the incredible Guardians of the Galaxy take nearly $800 million worldwide in box office thanks to its great blend of action and humour. But what will be the superhero film that wins the honours in the upcoming summers?

X-Men Apocalypse

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g53Mh4gUEac

The X-Men franchise has been a huge global hit and has been key to making Marvel Comics a world-beating entertainment company.

Since the first X-Men film was released in 2000, there have been eight highly successful sequels and spin-offs that have helped the series become the thirteenth highest-grossing movie franchise of all time. And already rumours are building as to what we can expect from X-Men Apocalypse when it hits cinema screens on 27 May 2016.

The cast is expected to feature big names such as James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence as the main superhero characters. But the big attraction will undoubtedly be the Apocalypse villain who briefly featured at the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past and is rumoured to be the very first mutant. The Apocalypse character is thought to have emerged from ancient Egypt, so if you want to get a head start on the Egyptian superhero action, head to the Egyptian Cleopatra’s Gold themed slots at Uptown Aces for a taste of some ancient excitement!

Ant-Man

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdKf3MneyI

For those who can’t wait until 2016 for the next slice of Marvel action, then thankfully Ant-Man hits cinema screens this July.

Starring Paul Rudd as the petty crook who finds a special ant suit that makes him shrink in size, but greatly increase his strength, the film also features Michael Douglas as his mentor Dr Hank Pym, along with Corey Stoll as Ant-Man’s nemesis Yellowjacket.

And with a wonderful plotline in which our hero must save the planet through a highly imaginative heist, it looks like Ant-Man will be the next Marvel superhero to capture the public’s imagination.

Fantastic Four

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRoD28-WgU

And finally, just in case there was any doubt over whether Marvel owns the summer blockbuster season, the Fantastic Four franchise returns again on 7 August with the imaginatively titled Fantastic Four.

This reimagining of Marvel’s longest running superhero team is apparently based on the Ultimate imprint of the series, rather than the mainstream version, and as such seeks to offer a darker, and sleeker retelling of the superheroes in their battle against arch-enemy Doom.

SDCC 15: Ken Announced For Street Fighter V

I know this is a bit of a duh, but there's a lot of question marks for Street Fighter V so not really. Also apparently Ken is going to play differently from Ryu which is very interesting since they've always have been pretty similar. From Capcom:

Announced today during the annual Street Fighter panel at San Diego Comic-Con, a new character has joined the exclusive Street Fighter V roster. Ken, the master of the flaming Shoryuken, has just been confirmed and is now playable on the Comic-Con show floor (Capcom booth #215).  One of the key protagonists in the legendary Street Fighter series, Ken brings an array of new abilities to Street Fighter V, where his tricky mix-ups and flashy combos have the ability to bewilder opponents and deal huge damage. Ken joins the six previously-announced characters Ryu, Chun-Li, Charlie Nash, M. Bison, Cammy and Birdie, with plenty more new and returning characters still to come.

As a reminder, the first online beta program for Street Fighter V will be exclusive to PlayStation®4 players and will run for five days, starting from July 23 (6pm PDT) in North America/ July 24 (3am CEST) in Europe. In North America, those who pre-order the game through select retailers or through PlayStation™ Network (PSN) will be granted automatic access to the beta. In Europe and Asia, players interested in participating in the beta program can visit www.streetfighter.com and follow the various steps to sign up for a chance to join the fight! Additional beta programs will be taking place throughout the rest of the year and more details will be shared at a later date.

About Street Fighter V The legendary fighting franchise returns with Street Fighter V! Stunning visuals depict the next generation of World Warriors in unprecedented detail, while exciting and accessible battle mechanics deliver endless fighting fun that both beginners and veterans can enjoy. Challenge friends online, or compete for fame and glory on the Capcom Pro Tour.

Street Fighter V will be released exclusively for the PlayStation 4 and PC in Spring 2016. Through a strategic partnership between Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and Capcom, the next generation Street Fighter experience will offer cross-platform play that will unite fans into a centralized player base for the first time ever. The path to greatness begins here: RISE UP!

Nakatomi Plaza Comes To Life in Ultimate Die Hard Limited Edition Collection October 13th

Ever wanted to scale Nakatomi Plaza with John McClane, just like in the first Die Hard? On October 13, fans can do just that with the NAKATOMI PLAZA: DIE HARD COLLECTION! Featuring all five of the franchise’s action-packed films in a replica of the legendary Los Angeles tower, this limited edition collection is McClane-approved and like nothing you’ve ever seen before, making it the perfect gift for action and Die Hard fans everywhere. Every limited-edition set comes with all five films on both Blu-ray^™ and Digital HD as well as an explosive hour-long featurette that celebrates this iconic franchise with filmmakers and talent interviews. The Nakatomi Plaza also honors Hans Gruber and the vanquished villains from the series with collectible cards only found in the box set. And if that wasn’t enough, check out the 32-Page, behind-the-scenes book on all the secrets of the movies that even the most die-hard fans may not even know!

Alternate Views of NAKATOMI PLAZA: DIE HARD COLLECTION

NAKATOMI PLAZA: DIE HARD COLLECTION FEATURES:

• Blu-ray & Digital HD Versions
  • Die Hard
  • Die Hard 2: Die Harder
  • Die Hard: With A Vengeance
  • Live Free or Die Hard (includes Unrated Version)
  • A Good Day to Die Hard (includes Unrated Version)
• Blu-ray Bonus Disc: “Decoding Die Hard”
• 5 Exclusive Villain Collectible Cards

32-Page Behind-The-Scenes Booklet on the Franchise

Two Man Dutch Developer, Tangrin, Launches KYN on July 28

Tangrin, an indie development studio located in the Netherlands and leading indie game publisher Versus Evil have released a new game trailer for the upcoming action-RPG, Kyn, which will launch on July 28. The trailer gives players a glimpse of the challenges they can expect to face in this Viking-themed adventure as they unravel an unexpected story that will keep them guessing until the very end. Gamers that pre-order the game early will get the exclusive ‘Legendary Fire Master Set’. This pre-order bonus includes a full body armor set with chest guard and leg armor as well as a protective helmet with visor that can be equipped once your body stat reaches 20. Also included is the powerful ‘Eye of the Fire Axe’ that deals extra fire and weapon damage as well as gives you extra attack speed. This two handed axe can be equipped once your body stat has reached 45.

In Kyn gamers will get to control up to six different warriors in their party as they travel through fantasy world inspired by Viking myth and legend. Each warrior can be equipped with specialized skills and abilities depending on their playing style. Throughout their adventure gamers will be able to pick up valuable loot and craft useable items to help take down tough enemy opponents.  The game’s modern strategic combat system also allows gamers to slow down time to place their warriors in specific locations for a more tactical approach to taking down the tougher enemies and boss characters.

Kyn can be pre-ordered from: Steam, GOG, Gamers Gate, Direct to Drive, Green Man Gaming and Uplay. For more information about Kyn, visit: http://www.kyn-game.com/ To learn more about Versus Evil visit: http://www.vsevil.net

Disney Interactive Announces North American Release Date for Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition

Disney Interactive today announced that the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack, featuring the Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set, will be available in North America on August 30, 2015. The following will also be available at launch:

• Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set (Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano figures included) for players who choose to digitally download the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Software; additional standalone figures (Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Power Disc Pack
• Star Wars Rebels™ figures (Kanan Jarrus, Ezra Bridger, Sabine Wren, and Zeb Orrelios)
• Star Wars™ Saga Starter Pack
• Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out Play Set (Joy and Anger figures included) and additional standalone figures (Sadness, Disgust and Fear)
• Disney figures (Mickey, Minnie, Mulan, Olaf, Sam Flynn and Quorra)
• Tomorrowland Power Disc Pack

Additional Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Play Sets and figures will be available throughout the fall.

Fans who pre-order a Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack at participating retail stores will receive an early copy of the Toy Box Expansion Game, Toy Box Takeover, an action-adventure valued at $19.99, featuring multiplayer gameplay allowing players to use all of their favorite Disney Infinity characters across Star Wars™, Marvel, Disney and Disney•Pixar.

Toy Box Takeover is one of two new Toy Box Expansion Games available to play in Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition.  The second will be Toy Box Speedway, a kart-racing game, also set for release this fall. Toy Box Expansion Games unlock additional hours of gameplay inside Toy Box 3.0.  Players place a Toy Box Expansion Game Piece on the Disney Infinity Base to unlock pre-built games that instantly take them into the action, mixing and matching characters from across The Walt Disney Company and using unlocked toys and gadgets to complete missions.

Toy Box Expansion Game Overviews:

Toy Box Takeover

When Syndrome gets his hands on Merlin’s magic wand, it’s up to the player to stop him.  Using their favorite characters in Disney Infinity, they must battle across multiple worlds, such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Marvel’s Upper Manhattan, The Old West, or The Incredibles Volcano Lair to defeat the bad guys before they ruin the Toy Box forever. Players can complete missions with family and friends via two-player local co-op or four-player online.

Toy Box Speedway

Players can join their favorite Disney, Disney•Pixar, Marvel’s and Star Wars characters and vehicles in an action-packed kart-racer.  With nine franchise-themed tracks to choose from – Sugar Rush, Frozen, Tatooine, a classic Star Wars location, San Fransokyo, Agrabah, Monsters Inc., Halloween Town, Gravity Falls or Marvel’s Knowhere – they can choose from three different game modes including Time Trial mode, Race mode and Combat mode.   Players put their driving skills to the test as they attack opponents with gadgets and weapons and earn trophies across three challenge cups.

Rated E10+ by the ESRB, the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack available in North America on August 30, 2015 for $64.99, includes the Star Wars™ Twilight of the Republic Play Set, the Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Base, Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker character figures, and a web code card that unlocks content for PC and mobile devices.

Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition Video Game and Base are required to play the Toy Box Expansion Games.  Toy Box Takeover and Toy Box Speedway will be sold separately at the suggested retail price of $19.99 each later this fall.

All figures and Power Discs from the 1.0 and 2.0 editions of Disney Infinity will be compatible with Disney Infinity 3.0 Edition in the enhanced Toy Box 3.0.

SDCC 15: Capcom Revelas Panels And Booth Info

Capcom will be at San Diego Comic-Con this week (Booth #215, Hall A) with plenty of activities in store for fans including signing sessions, panels with special surprises, playable demos of Capcom’s upcoming games lineup, plus cool collectible merchandise available at the Capcom Store. Playable publicly for the first time at SDCC 2015 will be Resident Evil 0, a newly remastered version of the series’ origin story, and Mega Man Legacy Collection, featuring the 8-bit history of the iconic Blue Bomber. A playable demo of Street Fighter V, the newest entry in the legendary fighting game franchise, will also be available with a roster that features all of the currently announced characters, including the most recently revealed Cammy and Birdie. Other exciting Street Fighter V activities will take place on the tournament stage in the Capcom booth throughout the event. In addition to these three upcoming titles, fans will also be able to check out some of the most recently released Capcom games like the episodic thriller Resident Evil Revelations 2, hit stylish action game Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition and critically acclaimed action RPG Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate.

It wouldn’t be Comic-Con without panels! Two panels are planned for the event, where fans can expect some special surprises. Signing sessions for Street Fighter V with franchise executive producer Yoshinori Ono as well as other special guests will be hosted at the booth at various times throughout the show.

Please see below for additional information and full details can be found on the official Capcom-Unity blog at http://capcom-unity.com/.

PANELS · Street Fighter V Thursday, July 9 from 11:45AM - 12:45PM in Room 6BCF Capcom's  Street Fighter experts will share the latest news on Street Fighter V, which will include a special guest appearance from Yoshinori Ono (Executive Producer, Street Fighter franchise). Learn how you can earn big money and everlasting fame by competing in the Capcom Pro Tour culminating in the Capcom Cup Finals later this year. Plus, get a first look at all the must-have Street Fighter licensed goods in store for the rest of the year.

· World of Capcom Thursday, July 9 from 5:00PM - 6:00PM in Room 7AB The Capcom team will share the latest updates on all the new and upcoming Capcom games including Street Fighter V, Resident Evil 0 and more, plus sneak peeks at all the latest Capcom merchandise and licensing products coming your way soon. There will also be some exclusive first-looks and reveals just for SDCC.

Dynamite's Red Sonja and Vampirella Themes Debut For PS4

Video game consultancy powerhouse The Powell Group today announced that the PlayStation® store now offers themes for Red Sonja and Vampirella, intellectual properties published as comic books and graphic novels by Dynamite Entertainment. The PlayStation store has just added these exciting new PlayStation 4 (PS4) themes to their offerings, following the success of Red Sonja and Vampirella themes offered for the PlayStation3 (PS3). Red Sonja and Vampirella are long-standing comic book properties that have each been recently rebooted to wide acclaim. Vampirella is a raven-haired heroine who remains, even after 45 years of publication, one of the comic industry's leading ladies, due in no small part to Dynamite Entertainment's stewardship of the character. Since Vampirella's very healthy resurgence in 2010, Dynamite has published two volumes of a monthly series, several miniseries and one-shot specials, and crossovers with multimedia brands and comic book peers. The Vampirella franchise is a haven for writers and artists with a penchant for the macabre.

Red Sonja, known also as "The She-Devil with a Sword," is renowned as fantasy fiction's most prominent female character, formerly a swashbuckling ally of the Robert E. Howard character, Conan. Her early adventures in the Marvel Feature comic book series led to a successful ongoing Red Sonja solo series, a celebrated run of comics from 1976 through 1979. Dynamite Entertainment acquired the Red Sonja license in 2005 as their second-ever published title, arriving on newsstands to critical acclaim and a very receptive audience. Dynamite has since published over one hundred Red Sonja comic books, including crossovers with popular characters including Conan, Dejah Thoris (of Warlord of Mars), Vampirella, Spider-Man, and more.

The Red Sonja and Vampirella themes for PS4 allow users to view amazing art each time they boot up their game systems, and are available for purchase here:

https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-us/games/themes/dynamite-entertainment-red-sonja-theme-1/cid=UP2176-CUSA01679_00-TPGDEREDSONJA401

https://store.playstation.com/#!/en-us/games/themes/dynamite-entertainment-vampirella-theme-1/cid=UP2176-CUSA01679_00-TPGDEVAMPIREL401

"At The Powell Group, we pride ourselves in coming up with resourceful and creative ways to reach fans and implement alternative revenue streams for our clients," says Jay Powell, Founder and CEO. "Dynamite has a great depth of content and gorgeous artwork, making PlayStation themes an easy win."

SDCC 15: Dark Horse Signs First Look Deal With Universal Cable Productions

Universal Cable Productions (UCP) continues to expand its powerhouse producing talent and build upon the studio’s genre footprint by signing a first-look deal with legendary comic book publisher, Dark Horse Entertainment (“The Mask,” “Hellboy”).  The deal announced today will focus on developing and producing scripted programming from their extensive comics library as well as new material.   Discussions for the deal began at Comic Con in 2014 when Dark Horse introduced UCP executives to some of their top writers and artists. Over the last year, those conversations continued and have yielded multiple television projects with direct involvement from the comics creators. “Dark Horse Entertainment has an incredible roster of fantastical, witty and mind bending stories,” said Dawn Olmstead, Executive Vice President of Development, Universal Cable Productions. “Their brand has conquered multiple media platforms and boasts iconic books that have attracted the highest level of writers.  It’s going to be a wild and imaginative ride.”

UCP will collaborate with Dark Horse to bring their unique and fresh approach to the creative process. Together they will maximize Dark Horse’s network of talented comic creators and robust library of content to develop character driven concepts for television intended to resonate with their current fan base. Dark Horse President and founder Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg, SVP of Production, have enjoyed great success for the last two decades; no strangers to television, they also currently executive produce Syfy’s “Dark Matter”.

“As the landscape of narrative storytelling evolves, Dark Horse is thrilled to be working in the golden age of television with Universal Cable Productions. Their creative team has embraced the spirit of the Dark Horse brand and we’re proud to be partnered with them.” said Richardson.

Projects currently in development:

Harrow County - Emmy has always known that the deep, dark woods surrounding her home crawled with ghosts, goblins, and the restless dead. On the eve of her 18th birthday, she learns that she is connected to these creatures and to the land itself in a way she never imagined, for she is the reincarnation of a powerful witch who was put to death on the very day Emmy was born. For this reason, the townsfolk mean to kill her too. In order to survive, Emmy must embrace the unusual powers at her command.  This project is based on the brand new book written by Cullen Bunn (“The Damned,” “The Sixth Gun”) and illustrated by Tyler Crook (“Bad Blood”).

The Umbrella Academy - Nine years after parting ways, the estranged members of the Umbrella Academy, a dysfunctional family of superheroes with bizarre powers, must figure out how to work together to save the world. Created by Gerard Way (lead singer of “My Chemical Romance,” and writer of “The True Lies of the Fabulous Killjoys”) and Gabriel Ba (Daytripper); Bluegrass films is also attached to executive produce.

Back Up - In the near future, a new technology allows people to be backed up the same way we now back up our computers—but instead of protecting against drive failure, these backups protect against death. This project is based on a feature script by Tom Vaughn.  Kenny Golde is set to write and executive produce, Brad Anderson (“Zoo”, “Almost Human”) is in negotiations to direct.  Jim Wedaa is also attached to executive produce.

Concrete - After his subconscious is transplanted into a hulking stone body, Ronald Lithgow must come to terms with his new form and try to live a normal life.  This Eisner award-winning title is the opus of comics legend Paul Chadwick.

Dark Horse joins UCP’s leading producer line-up, including: horror icon Wes Craven; creator and executive producer of UCP’s critically acclaimed “Mr. Robot”, Sam Esmail; Gale Anne Hurd’s Valhalla Entertainment, BenderSpink; and Jason Blum’s Blumhouse Productions.

UCP’s extensive library of genre, fantasy and science fiction projects in the works include: with Syfy “Childhood’s End,” the first-ever adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s iconic novel starring Charles Dance, Mike Vogel and Julian McMahon; “Brave New World,” based on Aldous Huxley’s classic novel which is being developed alongside Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television; “The Magicians,” based on Lev Grossman’s popular trilogy; and Wes Craven’s “The People Under The Stairs,” based on the 1991 film; and “We Are All Completely Fine,” based on book by Daryl Gregory. And the mind-bending thriller pilot “Falling Water” with USA from executive producers Gale Anne Hurd (“The Walking Dead”) of Valhalla Entertainment, Blake Masters (“2 Guns”) and the late Emmy Award-winner Henry Bromell (“Homeland”).

24th Annual Anime Expo Break Attendance Records

The just-concluded 24th Annual Anime Expo (AX), presented by The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA), played host to over 90,500 lovers of Japanese animation and pop culture, July 2-5, 2015, at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Sneaking up in attendance right behind Comic-Con, this year’s show marked the biggest presentation in its history, taking every inch of the Los Angeles Convention Center for the first time. This year’s unique attendance to Anime Expo was counted at over 90,500, an increase of 10,500 attendees from last year, marking a 12% growth over 2014. Overall turnstile attendance exceeded 260,700, marking an increase from last year of 40,700, representing 18% growth over 2014.

AX 2015 presented more than 300 exhibitors for attendees, including such entertainment industry companies as HULU, Warner Bros. Japan, Crunchyroll, Sony Music, Sanrio, Aniplex, Sentai Filmworks, FUNimation, Daisuki, and many others.

Exhibiting video game companies included Capcom, SEGA, Namco Bandai, NIS America, Aksys Games, Atlus USA, Voltage, Koei Tecmo and Com2uS.

The show also hosted over 60 entertainment industry guests, including producers, directors, animators and other content creators of feature films, television and videogames, as well as performing music groups, singers and bands, including special guest appearances by Gene Simmons & Paul Stanley of KISS, and Japan’s # 1 pop music singing sensation, Momoiro Clover Z.

Marc Perez, Chief Executive Officer of SPJA, said, “Anime Expo 2015 has been our most successful event yet, and we want to thank everyone who attended. We wish to also thank all of our 1,600 volunteers for their hard work and amazing dedication to the promotion of Japanese culture. From registration improvements to entertainment programming, we produced the best AX yet. And we invite all of our fans to return next year for AX 2016 - our biggest celebration ever, which will mark our 25th event!”

Goliath: Motion Comic Trailer Teases a World At War Where Giants Roam

As Comic-Con draws near, we wanted reach out to you with a fantastic motion comic teaser trailer for the recently announced title, Goliath. Published by Viva Media and developed by Whalebox Studio, Goliath is built by a small team with big ideas and talent – and is slated for release on Steam (PC), Mac, and Linux in winter 2016. Goliath explores the concept of survival in a world of giants, dropping players into a world at war where massive monsters roam. Fortunately, players can build giants of their own! Survive and search the world to discover the materials needed to craft tools and weapons, including Goliaths – giant robotic suits that will help even the odds against the enormous creatures that rule the land!

In celebration of Comic-Con, today’s motion comic trailer release teases the title’s art style, mood, setting, and of course, one of the many gigantic Goliath’s players will pilot in this unique approach to survival and action-RPG genres. Along with this teaser trailer, screenshots and artwork are also available at the download link.

For more information about Goliath, please visit the game’s official site, as well as follow the game on Facebook and Twitter.

Anime Consortium Japan Announces Third Co-Production Anime Title Concrete Revolutio

Anime Consortium Japan Inc., the Japanese company for official anime streaming, announced today that CONCRETE REVOLUTIO, a new anime title co-produced by Anime Consortium Japan, will start streaming this autumn on DAISUKI.net. About CONCRETE REVOLUTIO:

Heroes.  Those who fight to protect the innocent. But who fights to protect the heroes? The Superhuman Bureau.

10 years after the worldwide hit TV anime Fullmetal Alchemist, the main staff (Director: Seiji Mizushima, Screenplay: Sho Aikawa, Character Design: Yoshiyuki Ito) is reunited again!

Additionally, many popular creators are participating in this project such as Noizi Ito (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), Hekiru Hikawa (Pani Poni), Ryo Hirao (Houkago Catastrophe), as well as mechanical designers known from their works for Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (Kanetake Ebikawa, Takayuki Yanase and more). Animation production is done by Studio BONES who have also created titles like Fullmetal Alchemist, Eureka Seven and many others.

CONCRETE REVOLUTIO debuts in October 2015 and will be offered as worldwide streaming (except for Japan) on DAISUKI.net. The streaming will come with multi-language subtitles in English, French, German, Chinese (Simplified & Traditional), Brazilian Portuguese, Neutral Spanish, Thai and Indonesian.

This new title will also introduce the fans to a brand new genre that one could call “Sci-Fi Hero Crossover”. This autumn, don’t miss CONCRETE REVOLUTIO, created by Japan’s top animation artists!

Official Website: http://www.concreterevolutio.com

MAIN STAFF Original Story: BONES/Sho Aikawa Director: Seiji Mizushima Screenplay: Sho Aikawa Character Creation: Noizi Ito, Hekiru Hikawa, Ryo Hirao, Character Design: Yoshiyuki Ito Mecha Design: Kanetake Ebikawa, Takayuki Yanase, Toshiaki Ihara, Hideyuki Matsumoto Mechanical pictures supervision: Ken Ohtsuka File arts: Hiroki Matsumoto Animation Production: BONES

MAIN CAST Jiro Hitoyoshi: Kaito Ishikawa Kikko Hoshino: Sumire Uesaka Emi Kino: Aki Toyosaki Fuurouta : Eriko Nakamura Hyouma Yoshimura: Tokuyoshi Kawashima Taishi Akita: Tetsuo Kanao

Daisuki.net to Announce Summer Line-up of Free Simulast Streaming

Anime Consortium Japan Inc., the Japanese company for official anime streaming, announced their line-up of anime titles to be streamed in the upcoming summer 2015 season: GOD EATER, THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS, Classroom☆Crisis, Durarara!!x2 Drift (Ten), Charlotte, WAGNARIA!!3 (WORKING!!3), Everyday Life with Monster Girls and Bikini Warriors. Streaming of all titles will be offered as simulcast immediately after the initial broadcast in Japan on DAISUKI (www.DAISUKI.net ) and on the DAISUKI app (for iOS and Android) for free with multi-language subtitles. The streaming quality will be 1080p HD for users with a free DAISUKI ID. New episodes of each series will be added every week. About GOD EATER:

The Far East, 2071.

The domain of the mad gods.

In the early 2050s, unknown life forms called “Oracle cells” begin their uncontrolled consumption of all life on Earth. Their ravenous appetite and remarkable adaptability earn them first dread, then awe, and finally the name “aragami”. In the face of an enemy completely immune to conventional weapons, urban civilization collapses, and each day humanity is driven further and further toward extinction.

One single ray of hope remains for humanity.

Following the development of “God Arcs”—living weapons which incorporate Oracle cells—their wielders are organized into an elite force. In a world ravaged by mad gods, these “God Eaters” fight a desperate war...

Streaming start: 7/12 (SUN), 11:30pm (JST) Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian (availability depending on area) Streaming area: World-wide (except for Japan, China) http://anime.godeater.jp http://GodEaterUSA.com

About THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS:

There are many idols with long-established talent agency 346 Production… And now the company is starting a new program, the Cinderella Project!

Girls leading normal lives… They are chosen to be aspiring idols and see another world for the first time in this Cinderella story.

Can they all climb the stairs that lead to the palace?

The magic begins now… The story of the popular anime series is still going on!

Streaming start: 7/18 (SAT), 0:30am (JST) Subtitles: English, Korean (to be added 3 days later for each episode), Traditional Chinese Streaming area: World-wide (except for Japan, China) http://imas-cinderella.com

About Classroom☆Crisis:

Fourth Tokyo--one of Japan’s new prefectures on Mars. Kirishina City, Fourth Tokyo’s special economic zone, is home to the Kirishina Corporation, an elite corporation renowned for its aerospace business. The company has been expanding its market share in various industries, while also running a private school, the Kirishina Science and Technology Academy High School. That alone would make it unique, but there’s also a high-profile class on campus.

Devoting themselves to their studies during the day, they then report to the company after school to take part in a crucial project, the development of prototype variants for rockets.

This is the Kirishina Corporation’s Advanced Technological Development Department, Educational Development Class, a.k.a. A-TEC. A-TEC’s chief, the young engineering genius, Kaito Sera, is also the homeroom teacher of the A-TEC students attending the academy, affectionately (?) known as the Raving Rocket Teacher.

The story begins with the arrival of a transfer student to A-TEC.

The A-TEC members are ready to welcome their new classmate, but the student in question is kidnapped en route to Mars. Determining that they themselves will have to be the ones to overcome this crisis, Kaito and the A-TEC students embark on an unprecedented rescue mission.

Streaming start: 7/4 (SAT), 4:30am (JST)

Subtitles: In North/Central/Latin America: English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese In Asia: English, Indonesian, Thai Streaming area: North America, Central America, Latin America, Asia (except for Japan, China, South Korea, India) http://www.classroom-crisis.com http://AniplexUSA.com/classroomcrisis

About Durarara!!x2 Drift (Ten):

DURARARA!! 2 is an anime adaptation based on the light novel series created by the author Ryohgo Narita. Takahiro Omori will once again be directing alongside many members from the previous series. The studio shuka will be responsible for the animation production and will be its first major project.

About DURARARA!! 2

“6 Months Later…We haven’t changed at all…  or it seems….”

Half a year after the turmoil that rocked the entire city of Ikebukuro? Peace has once again returned to the city and people are living each day normally. The high school students enjoy their days of youth as the strongest and most dangerous man of Ikebukuro works diligently. The informant plots a new scheme and the headless rider is pursued by the cops as she rides through the night…But soon this normal will be cut short by the abnormal. Slowly but surely, the unknown will seize the city and face an all- new storm.

Streaming start: 7/5 (SUN), 2:00am (JST) Subtitles: English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese (availability depending on area) Streaming area: North America, Central America, Latin America, Asia (except for Japan, China, South Korea, India) http://www.durarara.com http://www.durarara2usa.com/

About Charlotte:

Very few adolescent boys and girls have an onset of special abilities. Yu Otosaka is one such man who uses his ability unbeknownst to others in order to lead a satisfying school life. Then one day, a girl named Nao Tomori suddenly appears before him. Their encounter reveals the destiny for wielders of special abilities.

This is a story written by Jun Maeda (Angel Beats!, Clannad, Kanon) of those gifted youth and how they spend their days of adolescence...

Five years since the airing of the TV anime "Angel Beats!” a completely new original animation written and scripted by Jun Maeda begins here!

Streaming start: 7/5 (SUN), 2:30am (JST) Subtitles: English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese Streaming area: North America, Central America, Latin America http://charlotte-anime.jp http://AniplexUSA.com/charlotte

About WAGNARIA!!3 (WORKING!!3):

The story takes place in a certain family restaurant located in Hokkaido prefecture of Japan called WAGNARIA. Sota Takanashi is a high school student who ended up working part-time at this restaurant through strange circumstances along with his co-workers who are all more than a little eccentric.

Streaming start: 7/5 (SUN), 3:00am (JST) Subtitles: ［In North/Central/Latin America:］English, Spanish Brazilian Portuguese ［In Asia:］English, Indonesian, Thai Streaming area: North America, Central America, Latin America, Asia (except for Japan, China, South Korea, India) http://www.wagnaria.com http://AniplexUSA.com/wagnaria3

About Everyday Life with Monster Girls:

With the enactment of the ’inter-species interaction law’, interaction between species other than humans is now allowed in Japan. By accident, one girl after another from other species (the so-called Monster Girls) tumble into the protagonist’s house and so starts their living together... It appears to be an enviable situation like a harem, but in fact, ’deep interactions’ (♡) with other species are strictly prohibited by law...?!

It’s the start of a somewhat crazy life with cute but somewhat different Monster Girls...!

Streaming start: 7/8 (WED), 1:30am (JST) Subtitles: English Streaming area: Central America & Latin America (not available in some countries), Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines http://monmusu.tv/

About Bikini Warriors:

Fighter, Paladin, Mage and Dark Elf are the daughters of a legendary hero who once saved the country. By order of the king, the four daughters set off on a journey to save the world from destruction.

Odd encounters with the townspeople, fierce battles against monsters... and so their journey continues.

Will Fighter and her sisters succeed in saving the world?

Well, whatever, -you better look forward to the sexy antics of the four instead!

Streaming start: 7/8 (WED), 3:40am (JST) Subtitles: English Streaming area: Asia (except for Japan, China, South Korea) http://bikini-warriors.com/anime/

Godzilla Vinyl Wars Figures Coming From Medicom

Exclusive Godzilla Vinyl Wars (GVW) soft vinyl Sofubi figures from the MEDICOM Toy Corporation return in the July PREVIEWS catalog for fans to pre-order. This wave of GVW figures features two different incarnations of the world’s most famous kaiju, as well as another popular monster from Godzilla movies, and all are scheduled to release in comic book specialty shops in late September 2015. Godzilla Vinyl Wars is a collaboration between Japan's classic Sofubi manufacturers and cutting-edge toy maker MEDICOM Toy. Each release in GVW is a reproduction of a classic Toho Sofubi from the '60s through today, released legitimately for Western collectors for the first time ever.

The first exclusive, the Millennium Godzilla Sofubi, is based off the model of the monster from the 1999 film Godzilla 2000, also known as Godzilla: Millennium, the film thriller that prepared to bring the kaiju into the 21^st century. The bright green vinyl figure was originally released by the Japanese toy company M1GO.

The bright red Meltdown Godzilla Sofubi figure will have a special place in the collection of any Godzilla fan. This Sofubi depicts the kaiju from the scene in the 1995 film Godzilla vs. Destoroyah when Godzilla’s nuclear reactor heart goes into a meltdown, turning the king of the monsters into a giant red furnace.

The final Sofubi from this wave is popular Godzilla rival Hedorah the Smog monster. Hedorah, who first appeared in the 1971 film Godzilla vs. Hedorah, makes another appearance in GVW Wave 10 as a PREVIEWS exclusive with sludge-like appendages and bulging red eyes.

• Godzilla Vinyl Wars Millennium Godzilla Sofubi (Item Code: JUL152474, SRP: $60.00)
• Godzilla Vinyl Wars Meltdown Godzilla Sofubi (Item Code: JUL152475, SRP: $80.00)
• Godzilla Vinyl Wars Hedorah Sofubi(Item Code: JUL152476, SRP: $70.00)

Each hand-crafted, hand-painted Sofubi is exclusive to comic book specialty shops and available to pre-order at any comic shop from page 546 of the July PREVIEWS catalog. Find a shop at www.comicshoplocator.com.

McFarlane Toys and HBO Announce New Construction Line Based on Game of Thrones

McFarlane Toys, in partnership with HBO Global Licensing, announced today a new licensing agreement to bring the global television phenomenon Game of Thrones to the construction toy aisles this Fall 2015. In 2014, Todd McFarlane’s award-winning toy company, McFarlane Toys, revolutionized the construction brick aisle with its introduction of realistic and highly detailed construction sets. McFarlane Toys will add an artistic layer to each Game of Thrones brick piece, turning ordinary construction sets into realistic models of notable locations seen on the show. The new Game of Thrones construction sets extend McFarlane's high standards of artistic vision, realistic accuracy, and incredible detail the company is known for throughout the industry.

Todd McFarlane, CEO and founder of McFarlane Toys, said, “I'm very excited to work with HBO. They are a world-class network and Game of Thrones is one of the most visually compelling shows that I’ve ever seen.”

“We're thrilled to have the opportunity to create high-quality collectible construction sets based on this fan-favorite property. Both collectors and fans of this epic series can build their favorite scenes with this new product line,” McFarlane added.

Each Game of Thrones construction set will feature iconic environments with realistic sculpted pieces, along with multiple figures of fan-favorite characters.

McFarlane Toys will be unveiling the first look of this new product line, including the legendary Game of Thrones Iron Throne Room and Mother of Dragons construction sets, at International San Diego Comic-Con from July 8-12 at booth #2729.

The launch of Game of Thrones construction line will feature construction sets, expansion packs, and figure blind bags for fans ranging in price from $3.99 to $49.99 and will start hitting stores shelves in November 2015.

Construction Sets: MSRP $14.99-49.99 – Depicting the most outstanding moments from your Game of Thrones, including the Iron Throne Room, Mother of Dragons and Attack on the Wall, each set includes scene specific characters, stunning details and realistic accessories.

Construction Figure Packs: MSRP $9.99 - Starter packs featuring Houses Stark and Lannister with your favorite house armies, complete with house banner and sigil.

Construction Set Figures: MSRP $3.99 – Twelve buildable blind bag figures inspired by characters from Game of Thrones. Each 2-inch scale figure includes an environment base, and humans include articulated body parts.  Series 1: #1 Tyrion Lannister; #2 Jon Snow ; #3 Daenerys Targaryen; #4 Grey Worm; #5 Ghost; #6 Rhaegal; #7 Unsullied; #8 Crow; #9 Kingsguard; #10 Wildling (w/ Axe); #11 Wildling (w/ Spear) and  #12 Wight.

Viz and Anime Consortium Get Multi-Territory Media Rights For One-Punch Man Anime

VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has teamed with VIZ Media Europe S.A.R.L. (VME), the leader in Japanese Entertainment content in Europe, and Anime Consortium Japan Inc. (ACJ), the Japanese company for official anime streaming, to jointly announce the acquisition of the multi-territory media distribution rights for the anime series, ONE-PUNCH MAN. Announced earlier this year, the ONE-PUNCH MAN anime is based on a bestselling manga series, created by writer ONE and artist Yusuke Murata, about an average-guy-turned-superhero who packs quite the punch! Three content distribution companies will join force to manage the digital distribution, home media, merchandise, and TV rights to the newly produced anime series for their respective territories.

• VIZ Media will manage the master license for ONE-PUNCH MAN in North America, Latin America and Oceania, as well as stream the series in the U.S.
• VIZ Media Europe will oversee & stream the property for EMEA, including Russia
• In addition, ACJ will stream the subtitled version of the program in all above territories

Additional details about availability will be forthcoming.

“ONE-PUNCH MAN is a beautifully produced, action-driven series, and we will leverage our expertise in developing anime content across all major consumer formats with a savvy combination of proprietary and partner distribution channels to bring this series to audiences on the widest possible range of media devices and platforms,” says Brad Woods, Chief Marketing Officer, VIZ Media.

“We are very excited to bring ONE-PUNCH MAN to European audiences. Our extensive distribution and licensing infrastructure across the region will ensure that fans will be able to catch every episode localized for their countries and across an array of multimedia platforms and a variety of licensed goods ” says Pascal J. Bonnet, Senior Director TV Sales & Licensing, VIZ Media Europe

“We are very pleased to add ONE-PUNCH MAN to our anime digital media streaming service, and look forward to delivering this extraordinary superhero action series to our users around the world,” says Ririko Kubo, Sales Promotion Division, Anime Consortium Japan Inc.

VIZ Media also publishes the ONE-PUNCH MAN manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) under its Shonen Jump imprint. The series is currently serialized in VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP magazine, and full volumes are available digitally first in North America via the VIZ Manga platform and partner digital storefronts. The series launches in print in September.

ONE-PUNCH MAN was animated by the renowned Japanese studio, Madhouse, and helmed by famed anime director, Shingo Natsume, (Space Dandy, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos) and features character designs by Chikashi Kubota (From the New World, Robotics:notes). In the series, Saitama is a hero who only became a hero for fun. After three years of “special” training, though, he’s become so strong that he’s practically invincible. In fact, he’s too strong—even his mightiest opponents are taken out with a single punch, and it turns out that being devastatingly powerful is actually kind of a bore. With his passion for being a hero lost along with his hair, yet still faced with new enemies every day, how much longer can he keep it going?

Manga creator ONE began ONE-PUNCH MAN as a web comic, which quickly went viral and garnered over 10 million hits. Japanese manga publisher (and VIZ Media parent company) Shueisha eventually secured the publishing rights to the series which has sold more than 4.5 million copies to-date. In addition to ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE writes and draws the series Mob Psycho 100 and Makai no Ossan.

Yusuke Murata is a highly acclaimed and skilled manga artist best known for his work on the football series, EYESHIELD 21 (also published in North America by VIZ Media). In 1995, Murata won the prestigious 122^nd Hop Step Award for his series, Partner, and placed second in 1998 in the semi-annual Akatsuka Awards for Samui Hanashi.

For more information on ONE-PUNCH MAN or other anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com/opm/.