Year: 2021

With No Time To Die already a blockbuster at the global box office, James Bond continues to be incredibly popular after 60 years. Created by Ian Fleming, who wrote 15 novels and several short stories about secret agent 007, James Bond was already well-known when EON Productions released the first Bond movie, Dr. No starring Sean Connery, in 1961. Since then, James Bond has become the longest-running movie franchise in history, and the British spy's popularity continues unabated.

James Bond was conceived as a product of his era; the character was born in the 1950s from Ian Fleming's experiences as a naval intelligence officer during World War II. When Sean Connery first played 007 in the 1960s, he was an idealized man of his time: suave, irresistible to the opposite sex, but also ruthless and unafraid to use his license to kill as he saw fit. Connery set the mold for all of the James Bond actors who followed him but each one added to the mythos and to the character. George Lazenby was more laid back than Connery while Roger Moore played up his comedic charms for his seven films as James Bond from 1973-1985. Timothy Dalton brought back Bond's grit for the action hero era of the 1980s while Pierce Brosnan combined his predecessors into a fusion of wit, sophistication, and violence as a world-saving hero.

Daniel Craig's tenure as James Bond elevated 007's prestige to even greater heights. By playing Bond for 15 years, he's the longest-serving actor in the role, and arguably the most popular since Sean Connery. Craig also redefined the role of James Bond by breaking from Connery's mold while still honoring the character's tropes. No Time To Die is Craig's 007 swansong but the film is earning rave reviews and making bank at the box office despite being delayed several times due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It's frankly amazing that James Bond continues to be so popular 60 years after he first debuted on movie screens. The James Bond fandom now spans generations and every James Bond actor is someone's favorite 007. Yet beyond the suits, the martinis, the cars, the girls, and the action, there are deeper reasons why James Bond continues to be popular for the last 60 years, and likely for 60 more.

One of the most memorable moments in 1995's GoldenEye was when the new M (Judi Dench) dressed down James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and called him "a sexist, misogynist dinosaur... a relic of the Cold War." By the 1990s, this was indeed the public image of James Bond, which GoldenEye called out immediately. Criticism has been levied at 007 since the character's creation, that the spy is an immoral womanizer, an alcoholic, a gun-toting government lackey who is no hero, and just an empty suit.

However, James Bond has evolved through the decades and has been reinvented to suit each era and to fit the actor playing him. Sean Connery's James Bond was the epitome of 1960s swagger and, frankly, sexism, although George Lazenby tried to give Bond some romantic sensitivity. Roger Moore made James Bond a hero for the outlandish 1970s, not taking things too seriously. Timothy Dalton ushered in a huge change for Bond in the 1980s where Bond stopped smoking cigarettes because it was now public knowledge that tobacco causes cancer, and Dalton also drastically reduced Bond's womanizing. Pierce Brosnan then tried to bring back some of his predecessors' excesses but he was very much an all-purpose action hero for the 1990s.

Daniel Craig's James Bond found his incredible success by being different, and not just because Craig has blond hair. While Craig's 007 still drank vodka martinis and romances beautiful Bond Girls, his James Bond was a secret agent for today, a hero who would do whatever it took to do what's right regardless of the personal cost. As each of his films proved, Craig's 007 had the most well-rounded internal life, has suffered love and loss, and his movies delved into his origin so that audiences had a greater understanding of what makes James Bond tick than ever before.

With Daniel Craig's first Bond movie, Casino Royale, 007's producers took a huge gamble by delivering a total reboot of the Bond movie franchise, but it paid off royally. Casino Royale was a completely new beginning that severed ties with the loose but sprawling canon established by the Bond movies that began with Sean Connery and ended with Pierce Brosnan's 2002 Die Another Day. Instead, Casino Royale, with its black and white, ultraviolent opening sequence that showed Craig's 007 earning his license to kill, ushered in a completely new era for James Bond that was phenomenally successful.

The fact that Craig's James Bond had his own continuity saved his version of 007 and his movies. Audiences were free to discover James Bond all over again, and newer fans didn't have to worry about catching up on 20 prior movies to understand the secret agent and his adventures. Meanwhile, older Bond fans could revel in the changes Craig brought to the super spy while still maintaining the key tropes that make him James Bond. Craig's five Bond movies also embraced serialization, which is so popular in the Peak TV era, so that all of his films, from Casino Royale to No Time To Die, told a complete story about Craig's James Bond, with a definitive ending. As a result, Daniel Craig's James Bond canon comfortably exists alongside the original 007 continuity so that every Bond fan can enjoy each version of 007 without fretting over retcons or violations of established canon.

Daniel Craig's James Bond movies were also an ideal fusion of 007 nostalgia with modern moviemaking. When fans think of James Bond, they visualize a perfectly tailored suit, a Walther PPK handgun, a vodka martini, and an Aston Martin DB5. Ingeniously, instead of arriving fully-formed, Craig's Bond movies had 007 gradually earn all of his classic tropes, thereby making the old new again. For example, in Casino Royale, audiences got to see Bond invent his favorite martini, which he named after his love, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green). By Skyfall, a new M (Ralph Fiennes), Miss Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), and Q (Ben Whishaw) were introduced, completing Bond's classic supporting cast. 2015's Spectre even rebooted Bond's classic enemy, Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), and made their rivalry personal.

Every return or reinvention of James Bond's classic tropes helped make Craig's 007 movies feel more and more like the ultimate Bond, and audiences responded, not just with ticket sales but with a desire to mimic the Bond lifestyle. Craig's James Bond movies largely wiped away the negative stigma around 007 that he was a "misogynist dinosaur." Craig simply made 007 cool again, to men, women, and kids. All of this translated to Craig's Bond becoming a global sensation at the box office, while EON Productions' careful management of the 007 brand kept it from being diluted.

One of the greatest masterstrokes of James Bond's popularity is the incredibly careful and successful casting choices of each James Bond actor. Sean Connery was so perfect as Ian Fleming's master spy brought to life that he remains the standard all others are judged, but every Bond actor was ideal in his own way. George Lazenby had difficulty filling Connery's shoes but decades later, his lone 007 film, 1969's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, has been reconsidered and is now heralded as a top-level Bond film. Roger Moore's reinvention of 007 for the 1970s was wildly successful while Timothy Dalton brought Bond closer to Ian Fleming's original character and Pierce Brosnan's dashing and bold 007 was a huge hit in the 1990s. While they are all very different actors, they each made James Bond their own and contributed to 007's iconic status.

To be sure, Daniel Craig's success is instrumental in maintaining James Bond's popularity in the 21st century. Craig's films brought 007 into modern times and continuously deliver awe-inspiring action and spectacle, while Craig's version of Bond has a deeper, conflicted inner life that audiences connect with and leads James to rise to heroism time and again. Craig's British spy is immensely popular with both male and female audiences and, for this generation, Daniel Craig has become the definitive James Bond. The next actor to succeed Daniel Craig in the role after No Time To Die will certainly have a tough act to follow but, as 007 history has proven, James Bond will continue to evolve with the times and his popularity will likely continue for another 60 years.

Watching any meteor shower can be loads of fun, and thanks to the incoming 'Arids' shower, some people will have a spectacular opportunity to watch it make its first ever appearance on Earth. It's no secret that outer space is one of the most fascinating things around. It's a never-ending canvas of mystery and wonder. Whether it be planets in our own Solar System or galaxies millions of light-years away,  there's always something new to learn about the great beyond.

While deep space and research have to be left to the professionals, that's not to say the rest of us can't also make our own observations. A prime example of this is meteor showers. Throughout the year, numerous asteroids and meteorites hurtle through space, get sucked into Earth's atmosphere, and soar through the sky. If someone is in the right place at the right time, they can see these visiting space rocks with their very own eyes. Some are easy to miss, others are jaw-dropping, and there are multiple chances to see one for yourself.

Along with the many meteor showers that occur every single year, astronomers are now preparing for a meteor shower that's never been seen on Earth before. The shower is known as the 'Arids.' The name comes from the Ara constellation where the meteors originated, and while they were initially spotted by The SETI Institute on September 30, the inaugural shower isn't expected to peak until Thursday, October 7. Astronomers predicted the Arids shower all the way back in 1995 by studying ejected particles from Comet 15P/Finlay, but it isn't until now that it's been visible.

It's not very often people get to witness a new meteor shower being born, but with Arids, that's exactly what's happening. It's already been added to the IAU Working List of Meteor Showers — proudly carrying the code ARD and an identifying number of 1130. It remains unclear if and when Arids will return following its visit on October 7, but regardless, this is an incredible opportunity that shouldn't be missed.

For folks interested in watching Arids' grand debut for themselves, the bad news is that it will be fairly limited. The folks at Space.com confirm it'll only be visible from the Southern Hemisphere, with the best viewing locations including New Zealand, Argentina, and Chile. The shower will also be quite small and slow, meaning proper viewing equipment is a must to get the full experience. For anyone who does happen to be in those areas, look for the shower around 00:35 UT and 03:55 UT on October 7.

It is disappointing that folks in the Northern Hemisphere have to sit this one out, but it's also important to remember that this isn't the only meteor shower to keep an eye on. The annual Draconid shower is expected to peak early in the morning on October 8, offering a gorgeous view of additional space rocks. Whether you're in a position to watch Arids or Draconid, be safe, have plenty of time to get comfy, and enjoy the upcoming shows!

Editor’s Note: A lawsuit has been filed against Activision Blizzard by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which alleges the company has engaged in abuse, discrimination, and retaliation against its female employees. Activision Blizzard has denied the allegations. The full details of the Activision Blizzard lawsuit (content warning: rape, suicide, abuse, harassment) are being updated as new information becomes available.

Is World of Warcraft still worth playing in 2021? Blizzard's long-running MMORPG has certainly gotten up there in age, but the commitment to making changes to improve the game's overall experience, including the approach of Patch 9.1.5 for Shadowlands, has meant playing the game in 2021 is still worthwhile. In fact, the MMORPG seems to keep getting better - and, considering the last several years for context, it's definitely possible that Shadowlands is at least the game's best showing in its modern era, even with all the recent controversies surrounding Blizzard.

Answering whether or not World of Warcraft is worth playing can be difficult since the answer varies so dramatically based on what players want. With that said, those looking for hyper-specific, niche benefits to playing may not always find what they're looking for, even if the general consensus surrounding the MMO's overall gameplay is positive. There were plenty of players who enjoyed Warlords of Draenor, after all, despite that expansion's less-than-stellar reputation within the game's larger community. Ignoring the fact that there will inevitably be no unified opinion, however, the question of "is World of Warcraft worth playing in 2021?" can be broken down into two separate responses: one detailing whether new players will enjoy it, and one discussing the experience of returning veterans.

The answer to both those questions is yes, albeit each group may find World of Warcraft worth playing in 2021 for different reasons. World of Warcraft: Shadowlands reviews were positive, player engagement is waning but still strong, and the world of Azeroth is still very much alive. Here's why WoW is worth playing in 2021, regardless of a player's previous involvement with the MMORPG.

For new players, "is WoW worth playing in 2021?" boils down to "how hard is it to get into World of Warcraft in 2021?" The answer to that question has been "not very" for some time now, as Blizzard consistently worked to make its MMORPG more accessible to newer players. However, the massive overhauls that came with Shadowlands have set a high bar for the new player experience in WoW, making it easier than ever for beginners to start their adventures in Azeroth.

The Shadowlands release brought with it a completely revamped leveling system that makes World of Warcraft progression feel smoother and more meaningful. Blizzard reduced the inflated level cap to a much more reasonable 60, condensing the game's scattered abilities, talents, and upgrades into a much tighter path of progression. The result is each level earned feeling like a meaningful addition to a larger experience, and the game's introductory levels have also been streamlined, making what was once a daunting experience a much more digestible endeavor.

Finally - and perhaps most importantly - Shadowlands' level squish also fixed the game's story. World of Warcraft progression pre-Shadowlands wasn't necessarily a mess, but the result of years of expansions being stacked on top of each other (with tweaks that only directly considered whichever one was most recent) made for an uneven narrative. Players progressed through cool environments way too rapidly, often departing stories mid-way through because they'd out-leveled the adventure. Part of the reason WoW has been so successful over the years is the way it marries its storyline concerns to the way players progress to its endgame, and emotional investment in characters like Thrall and Jaina is hard to build when they're jumping in and out of the player's arc at seemingly random times.

Thankfully, Shadowlands introduced a much tighter narrative progression system, one that sees newer players guided through the story content that's most relevant to the new WoW expansion prior to engaging with it. If new players decide to reroll a character afterward, they'll be able to choose a zone to make their focus leveling, letting them stick to one story arc and see what it has to offer without feeling like their progression path is suboptimal or outright nonexistent. It's a welcome change and one that's likely had even veterans revisiting their favorite expansions with new characters just to relive iconic story beats.

For the most part, Blizzard has World of Warcraft down to a science, which is why WoW is still popular in 2021. Character arcs, class roles, itemization, and more have all been carefully honed over the years and are now implemented with mostly minor hiccups. If there's one thing that has seemed virtually unsolvable in World of Warcraft's long history, though, it's how to make the WoW endgame fun for the entirety of an expansion - if that's even possible. For veteran players, "is WoW worth playing in 2021?" is almost certainly a question that can only be answered by an assessment of its current endgame design.

How Shadowlands endgame feels probably depends a lot on a given player's reception to the Great Vault mechanic, but it's got some strong characteristics going for it. The Great Vault essentially provides a hub for endgame players that helps them sort out which content they're "meant" to be doing in a given week, giving players loot based on the content they did in the week prior. The Great Vault also gives players choices - the more content they complete in a given week, the more options they'll have with regards to the loot they acquire from the system, removing some of the frustration of reward gear not being a good fit for a player's needs.

The Great Vault also helpfully keeps track of what a character has accomplished that week, further reducing the frustration of missing out on one of WoW's endgame loot cycles. There are still some concerns over the Great Vault - like whether or not it's enough of a reward for those sinking in the most time - but by and large, the system is a new idea from Blizzard that's helped make the Shadowlands endgame more accessible without making it feel too simplified or mundane.

There's also Torghast, the World of Warcraft answer to rougelike dungeon exploration. Torghast mixes up the way endgame progression usually goes, randomizing more than just loot drops while also offering Torghast-specific character builds that grow more powerful the deeper a player gets in a run. Torghast hasn't been for everyone, and it can still be a vexing element of the game whenever runs go awry, but it's yet another addition to World of Warcraft's endgame content that has improved and diversified its experience.

Since Shadowlands launched last year, WoW has gotten bug fixes and balancing updates, including the most recent fixes to the Sanctum of Domination on September 24. Of course, the recent lawsuits and controversies surrounding Activision-Blizzard have likely diminished some of the goodwill players felt after Shadowlands' release, but looking at the game solely as an MMO, WoW still holds up incredibly well. In the meantime, fans are eagerly awaiting Patch 9.1.5, which will add a number of player-requested changes to WoW. For these reasons, World of Warcraft is still very much worth playing in 2021.

Nuclear Blaze is an upcoming 2D action platformer that puts players in the role of a firefighter tasked with putting out radioactive flames - and rescuing cute cats along the way. It is being developed by Deepnight Games, who impressed gamers with 2017’s corpse-possessing roguelike Dead Cells. Dead Cells would go on to inspire plenty of indie Metroid-like titles such as last year’s Forgone, and a DLC expansion subtitled Fatal Falls was released back in January.

Last month, Deepnight announced its newest 2D side-scrolling adventure Nuclear Blaze, which is currently set to launch on Steam on October 18. As a firefighter who is airdropped inside a secret underground military facility, players will have to explore Metroid-style levels as they work to extinguish constantly spreading fires by aiming their trusty fire hose in any direction they please, investigate the source of the ongoing inferno, and even engage in the time-honored firefighter’s tradition of rescuing cats. Nuclear Blaze features the smooth controls of Dead Cells (as designed by former Motion Twin associate Sébastien Benard), a designated “Kid Mode” for younger players, and multiple unique levels packed with hidden secrets and side-stories as players unravel the mystery behind the shady military complex.

Nuclear Blaze looks to be a fun take on the classic Metroidvania formula of exploring large maze-like dungeons packed with hidden secrets and Easter Eggs. This formula can also be seen in the critically acclaimed Metroid Dread, which will release on October 8th. Firefighting is a relatively unexplored profession among recent video games save for a few simulators, so this title will hopefully stand out from the Metroidvania crowd. Players will be able to strap on their fire hoses, put out a few loose flames and even rescue some adorable kitties when Nuclear Blaze launches on Steam on October 18.

Padma Lakshmi and Gail Simmons, host and judge of Bravo's Top Chef, took to the streets of Houston on a rainy Saturday as part of a mass nationwide women's march in protest of Texas' restrictive abortion law. Top Chef season 19 is currently filming in Houston, their second time in the Lone Star State in more than a decade, formerly filming in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. The new season will feature a panel of all-star judges made up of former Top Chef contestants, and Padma and Gail will be joined by judge and chef Tom Colicchio.

The abortion law by the State of Texas has been a controversial topic that has sparked the attention of celebrities and even the federal government. Senate Bill 8 (SB 8), as it is formerly known, outlaws abortions after six weeks of pregnancy with no further leniencies in instances of rape or incest. Some shows have decided not to film in Texas, including an upcoming show from the creator of The Wire. As of September 9, the Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas to prevent them from enforcing Senate Bill 8, claiming it violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.

The Women's March was held in major cities on Saturday, including Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Houston, where Top Chef's Padma and Gail led a large group of women shouting, "Our body, our choice!" in the march to City Hall. The duo took a break from filming to be a part of the protest, where they not only participated in the march but also spoke to a large audience. As reported by Houston's local news outlet, CHRON, Padma recalled her own personal experiences where her mother had to have an abortion at Planned Parenthood after sustaining severe injuries from a car accident. "At that time, not only could my parents not afford another child, but her body could not physically sustain another pregnancy," she said. "It's out of love for me that they made the difficult decision to do what was right for our family and it's out of love for my mother and all families that I stand here today, ready to fight." Padma also revealed that she was raped when she was 16 years old. "My only saving grace was that I didn't become pregnant," she said. "I know how sexual violence can make people feel powerless, and this bill is a knife in the heart to those very same people."

Gail shared that she had mixed feelings about filming the upcoming season of Top Chef in Houston due not only to the passing of SB 8 but also Texas' voting rights restrictions. However, she told the crowd that the people of Houston's stance on the bill contradicted that of the state's, and it was important to recognize that. "I know that Houston is a deeply diverse and vibrant place," said Gail. "I know that my beloved restaurant industry, let alone the women of Houston and all of Texas, need our support now more than ever and that personally choosing to back out of coming here would only serve to hurt the local people and the local economies that I set out in my career to uplift and stand behind."

Padma and Gail didn't come to Houston just to film Top Chef. These strong women used their voices to call upon local and national governments to stop SB 8 and to call out the Governor of Texas. The women were bringing the heat to the Women's March and calling on the state officials to pack their knives and go.

Source: CHRON

Universal Studios Japan has announced a partnership with The Pokémon Company for a mysterious new virtual reality experience. Nintendo currently has an attraction at Universal Studios Japan called Super Nintendo World, with plans to branch out to Universal's Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore locations by 2025. Unfortunately, these plans have been hindered by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which also forced Super Nintendo World to temporarily close its doors less than a month after its grand opening back in March.       

So far, Super Nintendo World’s rides and attractions have been primarily focused around Mario, with attendees riding the interactive Mario Kart rollercoaster, dining at the Toad Café, unlock exclusive Miitopia character costumes with special interactive wristbands, and even making pleasant conversation with fully-voiced characters like Princess Peach. However, there are plans for Super Nintendo World to branch out into non-Mario Nintendo franchises in the future, as evidenced by an upcoming Super Nintendo World Donkey Kong expansion based around the equally iconic character. Now, it looks like Pokémon could be joining the theme park fun soon, though it’s too early to tell.

On October 6, Universal Studios Japan announced it is entering a partnership with The Pokémon Company that will begin in 2022. So far, there are few details about what this partnership will bring (with no mention of any Pokémon attractions at Super Nintendo World in the release), but Universal Studios Japan’s announcement does mention plans to develop an interactive virtual experience that will “immerse guests into the world of Pokémon.” Both Universal Studios Japan President and CEO J.L. Bonnier and President and CEO of The Pokémon Company Tsunekazu Ishihara expressed excitement at this long-term deal between their companies.

This new partnership with Universal Studios Japan comes right as fans continue to celebrate the Pokémon franchise’s 25th anniversary this year. To commentate the milestone, Nintendo is releasing several Pokémon games on Nintendo Switch over the next few years, including the upcoming Pokémon Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl and the open-world Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Rumors speculate that there will be more major Pokémon announcements in 2022, so perhaps the details of the Universal Studios partnership will prove to be related to those reveals.

It's still too early to tell if the VR experience described by The Pokémon Company and Universal Studios Japan will be a part of Super Nintendo World or something entirely different, but the idea of exploring the vast world of Pokémon and interacting with its assortment of titular collectible creatures is certainly an exciting concept. It may take a while to see these plans come to fruition, though, as the newly announced partnership between The Pokémon Company and Universal Studios Japan doesn’t officially take effect until next year.

Source: Universal Studios Japan

The first image of the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts designs for the G-1 Autobots and Decepticons has been revealed. The Transformers live-action films, adapted from the cartoon and toy line of the same name, began in 2007 with the Michael Bay Transformers starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. Rise of the Beasts, which is currently filming, is the seventh film in the franchise, including the successful 2018 spin-off film Bumblebee. The film was written by Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters and is directed by Steven Caple Jr., who previously helmed Creed II.

The film is based on Transformers: Beast Wars, the cartoon series from the '90s. It's a prequel that will introduce several new characters to the live-action universe, including Rhinox and the "beast mode" Optimus Primal, a captain of the Maximals. Other beloved characters like Bumblebee and Optimus Prime will also be appearing. Rise of the Beasts will also explore how Optimus Prime became devoted to protecting humanity.

On his Instagram, Steven Caple Jr. posted a first-look image of the designs for the first-generation Transformers. The first image displays the Autobots, decked out in pastels with retro designs, looking not dissimilar to vehicles James Bond would have driven back in the day. The second image shows the Decepticons looking menacing with more muted, militaristic colors. Indeed, one design looks almost exactly like the evil truck in Steven Spielberg's Duel. Check out the images below:

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is set about seven years after the events of Bumblebee and follows two archaeologists who get mixed up in a war between the Maximals, the Predacons, and the Terrorcons. It's set in Brooklyn and parts of Peru, including Machu Picchu, as revealed in the Instagram post. The film will star Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Vélez, Tobe Nwigwe, and Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal. Transformers 7 will storm theaters on June 24, 2022.

This new glimpse at the Autobots and Decepticons continues the trend of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts pushing for more accurate interpretations of the original Transformers from the animated series. Caple focuses on brighter, poppier colors and sleek designs over the complicated CGI-laden work the Michael Bay films were known for. This is also in line with the style of Bumblebee, the more stripped-down tale that Rise of the Beasts directly follows on the Transformers timeline.

Warning! Spoilers ahead for Inferno #1

In Marvel Comics' new Inferno event, the X-Men's Wolverine can't escape reliving one of his most iconic deaths over and over again. The anti-mutant organization Orchis has grown too powerful with the return of the Sentinel Nimrod, though there's been very little the mutants of Krakoa have been able to do to stop them. While the island nation has been continually sending teams to try and destroy Orchis, none have been successful despite resurrecting and sending the same mutants with each attempt. This includes Wolverine, who's been stuck in a brutal loop experiencing one of his most brutal deaths multiple times over.

In this first issue of Inferno from Jonathan Hickman and Valerio Schiti, it's revealed that Krakoa has already tried sixteen times to destroy Orchis and Nimrod using a variety of means. While a few attempts have involved hiring assassins and sending the alien Brood to do the job, the majority have been the deployment of the same mutants over and over again. However, no matter what they've tried everything has failed. Nimrod has proven to be too powerful, able to counter all kinds of abilities and destroying the mutant teams with extreme prejudice. While Wolverine has been a part of the X-Force teams sent with every resurrection, the end result has never been pretty.

Inferno #1 depicts Krakoa's sixteenth attempt, seeing Nimrod defeating Domino, Omega Kid, and Wolverine as he's apparently done several times before. However, Nimrod sears all of the flesh from Wolverine's adamantium-covered bones, a nod to Logan's most famous death by Sentinel as seen in Days of Future Past. Furthermore, as Orchis reviews the footage of this latest incursion, it's revealed that they've been collecting Wolverine's skeletons of which they now have several thanks to Logan's vicious cycle of resurrection after continually experiencing one of the worst ways he's ever gone out in Marvel Comics' past.

While Krakoa has a store of adamantium they've been using to regraft the metal to Wolverine's skeleton whenever he needs to be resurrected, they must be running low of the nearly indestructible and rare metal. Logan's past skeletons continue to fall into Orchis' hands, and there's no telling what they might do with them going forward. It's certainly possible that it could all come back to haunt the former Weapon X with the upcoming X Lives/Deaths of Wolverine event. Perhaps Orchis finds a way to weaponize the adamantium skeletons down the line, forcing Wolverine to fight elements of his own past selves.

In any case, it's going to be interesting to see where Krakoa goes from here. Seeing as how the resurrected mutants have no memory of the incursions, it looks as though they're going to keep trying until they succeed (despite their inability to learn and adapt from their mistakes). All Krakoa knows is that Nimrod is back online and Orchis must be destroyed. As such, Wolverine seems determined to stop them at all costs, even if it means continually reliving one of his worst deaths ever.

Amazon has set a new release date for Hotel Transylvania: Transformania, days following the film's original release date. The fourth and final entry in the Hotel Transylvania franchise has had an interesting development. It is the first film in the series not directed by Genndy Tartakovsky. It sees Adam Sandler and Kevin James depart the project and Brian Hull and Brad Abrell take over their roles.

It is now the first film of the series not to get a theatrical release. The film had multiple release dates, including July 23, 2021, August 6, 2021,  and December 22, 2021. The film was set to open in theaters on October 1, 2021, but in August 2021, Sony Pictures sold the movie to Amazon Studios, where the film will be released on Prime Video due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Sony eventually gave Hotel Transylvania: Transformania release date to Venom: Let There Be Carnage, where it set the record for the biggest opening weekend of 2021.

Now it appears that Amazon has set a new release date for the film, as the studio announced that Hotel Transylvania: Transformania will release on the streaming service on January 14, 2022, in over 240 countries and territories on Amazon Prime Video. This will be the first time a film in the franchise has opened in January. Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke and Sony Pictures Animation President Kristine Belson said of the release date in an official press release:

Jennifer Salke: "The success of the Hotel Transylvania franchise over the years speaks for itself. Audiences around the world have fallen in love with the films created by the brilliant Genndy Tartakovsky, and the latest installment is the perfect ending to an incredible journey. We could not be more excited to work with Sony, Genndy, Jennifer Kluska, Derek Drymon, Selena Gomez, and the talented producing team to bring this funny, heartwarming film to our customers early next year.”

Kristine Belson: "The Hotel Transylvania franchise has been exceptional for Sony Pictures Animation, spanning nearly a decade and introducing the world to Genndy Tartakovsky's singular vision, and we’re so proud of what our extraordinary directors Jennifer Kluska and Derek Drymon have brought to this special property. These films have thrilled audiences and paved the way for so many artists working in CG animation, and now the family saga of Dracula and his daughter Mavis, son-in-law Johnny, and monster BFFs is coming to a close. We are thrilled to work with Amazon to bring this film to families everywhere.”

The news of the release date comes days after many parents and fans filled complaints on Amazon's social media, wondering where the film was on October 1, 2021, the film's original release date and one that was still present on the Sony website. Amazon spent $100 million to acquire the distribution of Hotel Transylvania: Transformnania from Sony Pictures, so it was not likely they would forget about releasing the film, and in the original announcement of the purchase, no mention was made about the release date, either staying on the October 1, 2021, slot or moving from it. Though now, it will not be available for families to watch over the Halloween season as many had planned.

Releasing Hotel Transylvania: Transformania in January is likely to upset and confuse many as the film is completed, and a Halloween adjacent release date seems ideal. Various streaming services have high-profile October releases to cash in on the month of Halloween, including Halloween Kills on Peacock and Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin on Paramount+. It would seem that Amazon Studios would want to have a high-profile release on their streaming service to draw viewers to their service.

Source: Amazon Studios

Apple has released a firmware update for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max that opens up new 'Find My' possibilities. Losing one or both of the relatively small earbuds can be easy to do and happens often. Losing AirPods Max is a bit harder, but when tucked in a bag or if they've slipped behind a cushion that can occur. Worse, if lost when away from home or the office, tracking down AirPods becomes more of an urgent challenge. Whichever gremlin causes the problem, it will be easier to locate them with the new firmware.

AirPods have always had the ability to be found via 'Find My Device' in the Find My app. However, as this tended to simply show a map location and play a sound, it isn't quite as robust as the AirTag or Bluetooth beacons. AirTag is Apple's newest item location tracker. A small round tag about the size of a bottle cap, AirTag features Bluetooth and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology along with a speaker, resulting in a wide range of tracking possibilities.

The new firmware for the AirPods Pro and AirPods Max will help users track these items down in the event they are misplaced, lost, or stolen, as explained by Apple. The update is rolling out and will automatically install so there is nothing the user needs to do. The new finding method appears quite similar to that of the AirTag, but uses a blue color theme rather than the green of the AirTag. To locate a missing AirPods Pro or Max, the user will be able to open the Find My app and tap the Items tab, then the AirPods to begin finding. The app will begin searching for the AirPods Bluetooth signal, in case they are nearby. The feedback is not precise since AirPods don't have UWB capabilities, meaning the screen may show far, near, or here if very close. A sound can be triggered at any time using the on-screen button that looks like a speaker icon.

With Apple's new firmware update for AirPods Pro and AirPods Max, these items can be found much easier than before. However, if the user is not currently at the map location shown, it might be a good idea to use 'Lost Mode.' Previously only available for the AirTag and other Find My items, which include some Bluetooth beacons and a few third-party devices, AirPods Pro and Max are also now able to use Lost Mode as well.

After tapping the AirPods in the Find My app, a map appears at the top showing general location and a panel below shows a few options for locating AirPods. Dragging this panel upward will reveal more options, including Lost Mode. There is an option to leave contact information, email or phone number, along with a message. If someone finds the AirPods, the information can be scanned and shown to the person that has the earbuds. The addition of AirPods Pro and AirPods Max in Find My Items is a nice upgrade that comes for free.

Source: Apple