For the last three decades, Michael Bay has exclusively worked on action movies for the big screen and a single flick for Netflix. But now, the storied director is in talks to helm his first-ever TV series, Barbaric.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix and A+E Studios are negotiating with Bay to bring him on board the adaptation of Vault Comics' Barbaric. The comic was created by writer Michael Moreci and artist Nathan Gooden, and it has premise that's right up Bay's alley. Barbaric follows a barbarian named Owen who is on a quest for redemption. His companion, a bloodthirsty demonic axe that can talk. The Barbaric comic turned out to be big hit for Vault, with over 500,000 copies sold to date.

The Hunger Games' Sam Claflin is already lined up to play Owen in the series, while Star Trek and X-Men icon Patrick Stewart will provide the voice of the axe. No other cast members were announced, but the series will be written and executive produced by Sheldon Turner. Some of Turner's earlier credits include X-Men: First Class and Up in the Air.

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A few years ago, Sony's hit video game series Uncharted got a live-action adaptation, and in case you missed it, a new Blu-ray steelbook edition is available as an early Prime Day deal. Normally $30, you can pick this fun adventure film starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg up for $21, and it comes with a collectible ring necklace.

See at Amazon Uncharted limited-edition steelbook Blu-ray

Based on the popular games developed by Naughty Dog, Uncharted chronicles the journey of Nathan Drake (Holland) as he goes from pickpocket to adventurer. Recruited by Sully (Wahlberg), Drake follows in his long-lost brother's footsteps to track down the diary of famed explorer Juan Sebastian Elcano and a potential treasure that could be worth billions. The only problem? Drake and Sully have some tough competition to deal with, as the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas) is also hunting for the treasure and will stop at nothing to get what he believes he is the rightful heir to. The Blu-ray comes with plenty of extra content, including documentaries and a breakdown of how one of the more impressive action scenes was created.

• Deleted and extended scenes
• Behind-the-scenes featurettes
• Becoming Nathan Drake
• Big action breakdown: C-17 Globemaster
• Charting the course: On set with Ruben Fleischer
• Never a dull moment: Stunts and action
• The Buddy System
• Villains, backstabbers, and accomplices
• Commentary with director Ruben Fleischer

While Uncharted got a mixed reception upon release, it still made off with over $400 million from the global box office. Development on an Uncharted sequel is moving forward, and most importantly, Wahlberg has mentioned that Sully will get to have his iconic moustache for the entirety of the sequel. Another film based on a PlayStation franchise to check out is Gran Turismo, and it has been discounted by almost 40% at Amazon. Normally $27, you can grab a 4K version of Gran Turismo for $16.40.

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Frontier Developments has announced Planet Coaster 2, a full sequel to its park-management sim that's scheduled to launch in Fall on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Planet Coaster 2 will have new waterpark-management gameplay where players can create lazy rivers, flumes, wave pools, and water coasters. To enhance the authenticity, players can also create things like sunbeds, changing rooms, and lifeguards.

The game has three game modes to choose from: Career, Sandbox, and Franchise. In Career mode, players will have to solve a variety of different scenarios with varying difficulties. Franchise mode sees players building their own global park network, while Sandbox mode lets them create parks without the stress of money or management.

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Square Enix didn't miss an opportunity to create some great Final Fantasy 16 merchandise when it launched last year, and for fans of the action-RPG, you can preorder a very nice collectible of the game's main cast. Inspired by promotional artwork, this new statue from the Square Enix store features Clive Rosfield, his brother Joshua, Jill Warrick, and best boy Torgal during happier times. This statue will be released in July 2025 and is priced at $298.

See at Amazon Square Enix Store Final Fantasy 16 statueGallery

In addition to recapturing the magic of that artwork, there are several really nice details on this statue. All the characters are beautifully painted, the rocks they're gathered around are intricately sculpted, and translucent materials have been used to recreate the water around them. If you haven't played it yet, Final Fantasy 16 is on sale for $44, and it'll will be coming to PC in the future.

If that's not enough Final Fantasy 16 for you, you can also check out the upcoming collectible action figures arriving soon. As part of the Bring Arts line, each figure has an impressive amount of articulation and detail, making them great for posing and displaying on your shelf. So far, you can get Clive, Torgal, and Jill alongside several of their allies and enemies, like Cid, Hugo, and Benedikta.

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We're just days away from Amazon Prime Day 2024, which is expected to bring huge price cuts on thousands of today's hottest products. But you don't have to wait to get some of the best movie and TV deals of 2024. Amazon and Target are running a gigantic buy two, get one free sale on Blu-ray films and TV shows through July 13. The sale encapsulates a little bit of everything--from box sets and 4K remasters to collector's editions and more, the B2G1 free event makes it easy to fill your home theater shelves for cheap.

Some standout deals include Mission: Impossible Six-Movie Collection (4K) for $61 (down from $84), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended and Theatrical (4K) for $73 (was $90), the Daniel Craig James Bond Collection (4K), Friday the 13th: Eight-Movie Collection (Blu-ray) for $36 (down from $48), and John Wick: Chapter 1 - 4 (Blu-ray) for $30. The Friday the 13th box set comes with a nice steelbook for display. As for John Wick, you can alternatively grab the 4K box set featuring the first three movies for $29 (was $45)--it's also included in the B2G1 promotion.

• Shop all B2G1 free movies at Amazon
• Shop all B2G1 free movies at Target

Keep in mind that these B2G1 free sales cover more than just Blu-rays. So if you can't find three films or TV shows that catch your eye, you can bundle them with board games, books, toys, and more. For example, a bunch of Zelda books are included in the event, as are From Software books featuring Elden Ring, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne.

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For decades, folks acted as though the graphic novel Watchmen, by Alan Moore, was somehow unadaptable. But clearly that isn't the case--the book was translated to the screen for the first time with the 2009 Zack Snyder movie, and the Watchmen universe was expanded with the HBO sequel series. And now it's time for another straight adaptation of the book, this time an R-rated, 2D-animated version split across two films. The first part, Watchmen Chapter 1, is landing on August 27, and you can preorder it on 4K Blu-ray now.

Watchmen Chapter 1 4K Blu-ray

Watchmen Chapter 1 is the first of a two-part adaptation of the Watchmen graphic novel. It's animated, which should make it easier to include some of the weirder aspects of the story than it was with the live-action film, plus splitting it into two movies theoretically allows for more time to flesh everything out.

And the cast is quite solid, mostly consisting of well known career voice actors like Kari Wahlgren, Yuri Lowenthall, Grey Griffin, Rick Wasserman,and Troy Baker--the last of whom voices Ozymandias. Alongside those folks, we've got some stars of the small screen lending their talents to the film as well: Bosch's Titus Welliver plays Rorschach, Perry Mason's Matthew Rhys is Nite Owl, and The Mandalorian's Katee Sackhoff is Silk Spectre.

The film hits both 4K Blu-ray and standard Blu-ray on August 27.

Order 4K Blu-ray at Amazon Order standard Blu-ray at Amazon

This is a particularly good moment for shopping for Watchmen-related stuff. Thanks to the huge simultaneous sales going on at Amazon, Walmart and Target, there's discounts on everything right now. So if you need a new copy of the book, or one of the variant editions, or the prequel comic, or whatever, pretty much all of it is on sale in some way or other.

And on top of the standard discounts, Target is offering Target Circle members a buy-two-get-one-free sale on most books, so that's a whole other rabbit hole to explore if you fall into that category or want to sign up. They've got plenty of Watchmen stuff on offer.

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As you continue to progress in Minecraft, one of your mid-game goals should be to start enchanting your items. This requires an Enchanting Table and Bookshelves, both of which require a simple Book to craft. If you need help making your first Book in Minecraft, check out the guide below.

Making a Book in Minecraft

The recipe for a Book only requires two materials, both of which can be obtained easily in the early-game. You can see the exact recipe for a Book below.

• One piece of Leather in the middle box of a crafting table
• Three pieces of Paper horizontally across the bottom row of a crafting table

The recipe for a Book

You can quickly acquire some Leather by killing several different livestock mobs, including cows, horses, donkeys, mules, and more. However, Leather also can be obtained as a junk item from fishing and can be crafted by using four Rabbit Hides. Regardless of how you get the Leather, set it aside and start the process of crafting Paper.

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You can now watch the legendary player "Let Me Solo Her" battle the final boss of Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree without taking a single hit. Best known for offering his prowess against Elden Ring's most brutal boss, "Let Me Solo Her" has turned his eye toward multiple fights within the DLC.

Spoilers below this point.

As he has made his way through Shadow of the Erdtree, the player has changed his name a couple times. At first, he changed it to "Let Me Solo Him" to battle Messmer the Impaler and then to "Let Me Solo Them" to combat Radahn, Consort of Miquella. He posted a video on July 9 showing a perfect run against the final boss. The video description reads, "Finally, the trilogy."

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The Skull Cavern is the second mine you can unlock in Stardew Valley and one of the best places to find Iridium, the most valuable ore. Unlocking the Skull Cavern will require you to not only complete the first mine found in the Mountains, but you will also need to complete one of the Community Center bundles or unlock via the Joja Mart development form.

How to unlock the Skull CavernThe Skull Cavern is a challenging mine filled with dangerous monsters, but the rewards are worth it.

The Skull Cavern is located in the Desert, but it also requires a special key to open it. The Skull Key can be found on floor 120 in the mines, which is the final floor of the mines. You unlock an elevator stop every five floors, so you will eventually make your way to the bottom.

With the Skull Key, you will need to repair the bus, which can take you to the Desert. There are two methods of repairing the bus. The first is by completing the Vault bundles in the Community Center. The Vault is unlocked by completing four bundles from other parts of the community center. The Vault bundles don't require specific items, but instead require a large amount of money. There are four bundles, totaling 42,500G. The second method is to outright buy it for 40,000G via the Joja Mart development, if you are doing that quest line.

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When Warner Bros. made the deep dive into streaming with HBO Max--later rebranded as simply Max--a lot of shows that you might have expected to be HBO Originals were shifted over as streaming exclusives. Now, The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy are the latest Max originals to buck this trend by being rebranded as HBO shows.

Via Deadline, The Penguin and Dune: Prophecy will both make their premiere on HBO later this year. Both series will also be available to stream for Max subscribers, they're just no longer exclusive to that platform. The Penguin is the first spin-off TV series from The Batman, and it will feature Colin Farrell reprising his role as the title character. Dune: Prophecy is a prequel series that takes place centuries before the events of the first two Dune movies.

Why is Warner Bros. Discovery moving most of Max's high-profile shows over to the HBO banner? First, it gives the series a chance to draw big ratings on HBO and potentially expand the viewership numbers. It also suggests that the HBO branding is still more powerful than Max's brand, especially since the streamer was overrun by a glut of Discovery's reality programming.

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A PC mod for Persona 4 Golden has been released that makes its graphics look like how they looked like on the original PS2 game. It's currently 40% complete and only covers the game's dungeons so far.

Gamebanana user BrawlerAce created the Fog Restoration mode in order to allow players to experience the visuals of the original Persona 4 through Persona 4 Golden. The latter is much more accessible due to it being on all platforms, where as the original is only available on PS2.

Right now, the mod focuses on the visuals of the game's dungeons and other fields in the TV World, as well as both normal battles and boss battles. It doesn't make any changes to the overworld yet, but the end goal is to eventually restore the entire game.

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Sony has revealed more details for the Concord early access beta, including global release times and the recommended hardware requirements for PC. The early-access period will be open to all PS Plus subscribers, although it was initially only open to people who had preordered the game. Progress will carry over from the early access beta to the open beta--but not the full game--and Sony says PS Plus subscribers can pre-download the beta now.

Concord beta rewards

All 16 Freegunner characters will be unlocked and available to play in the betas, and three game modes will be available across three maps: Clash Point, Trophy Hunt, and Cargo Run. Once the open beta begins on July 18, the mode Area Control will be added alongside a fourth map. There'll also be several rewards for players who join the betas, including a Frog weapon charm and the Star Flare in-game business card. Concord is currently scheduled to launch on August 23 for PC and PS5.

Concord Beta global release timesAustralians are going to have to stay up really late to play the Concord beta.

Early access weekend: July 12-14

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After hosting several smaller events earlier this year, The Outlast Trials is getting its first major post-launch update. Project Lupara is a free update coming on July 16 that adds a new roguelite mode, as well as a new map, missions, abilities, cosmetics, and another villain at the center of it all, who is likely to become as haunting as Mother Gooseberry and Sergeant Coyle. Several quality-of-life changes are coming with the patch, too. Here's everything you need to know about The Outlast Trials' Project Lupara.

New villain, map, and missions

The centerpiece of the update is Franco "Il Bambino" Barbi, the son of a New Orleans mob boss, with proclivities as disquieting and deranged as this series has become known for. Red Barrels studio has gone and given the "infantilized" Il Bambino a shotgun, which makes for a unique threat that the other melee-focused Big Bads of the game don't have.

Tying into the mobster via the game's story, the new Docks map will host a new Trial (main mission), as well as several MK-Challenges (shorter side missions). The game's final mission has also been given a makeover. It remains a solo experience, but now escalates in difficulty as you continue to release Reagents (player characters) into the world--essentially Prestiging your character. A new ending can be seen when you manage to escape, too.

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Few side-scrolling shooters have withstood the test of time quite like SNK's Metal Slug series. From soaking up coins on arcade screens to bringing that same frantic arcade experience to home consoles, Metal Slug has kept the genre alive and well with its unmistakable cartoonish charm wrapped around fast and frantic run-and-gun action.

Now, Metal Slug is heading to our mobile and PC screens with the release of Metal Slug: Awakening. Awakening isn't just set to be the most portable Metal Slug experience yet, it's also evolving the classic formula by revamping everything from the iconic visuals to the gameplay mechanics, multiplayer options, and more--all while retaining the core run-and-gun philosophy that has kept the franchise so popular over the last 28 years.

Metal Slug: Now in 2.5D!

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Over on Amazon, there are a lot of Blu-rays that have been discounted ahead of next week's two-day Prime Day sale, and many notable movies and TV shows are eligible for buy two, get one free. The catalog includes a great selection of Batman and Spider-Man media. Check out all of the super(hero) highlights below. In case you didn't know, Amazon's promotion is in response to the Target Circle Week sale's B2G1 free sale, so you can also save big on Blu-rays at Target through July 13.

B2G1 Free Batman Blu-raysBatman

• Batman: The Complete Animated Series (Blu-ray) -- $50 ($80)
• Batman Beyond: The Complete Series (Blu-ray) -- $33 ($36)
• The Batman (2004): The Complete Series (Blu-ray) -- $38
• Batman: The Dark Knight Trilogy (4K) -- $42.50 ($71)
• Batman: 80th Anniversary Collection (Blu-ray) -- $63 ($90)
• The Dark Knight (4K) -- $21.50 ($24)
• Joker (4K) -- $21 ($25)
• The Batman (4K) -- $15.50 ($34)
• Batman 1989 (4K) -- $22
• Batman Forever (4K) -- $18
• Batman: The Long Halloween Deluxe Edition (Blu-ray) -- $16.60 ($24)
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (4K) -- $25 ($34)
• Batman: Year One (4K) -- $16.50
• Batman: The Doom That Came To Gotham (4K) -- $27
• The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Collection BD (Blu-ray) – $18.30 ($30)

B2G1 Free Spider-Man Blu-raysSpider-Man

• Spider-verse Two-Movie Collector's Edition (4K) -- $66 ($120)
• Spider-Man: The Sam Raimi Trilogy (4K) -- $46 ($76)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (4K) -- $30 ($56)
• Spider-Man: Far from Home (4K) -- $18.60 ($31)
• Spider-Man: The New Animated Series - Special Edition (DVD) -- $9 ($15)

The idea of Michael Keaton starring as the Caped Crusader was surprising to say the least, but 35 years later, Batman (1989) is heavily regarded as one of the best Batman movies of all time. This 4K release captures all of that dark gothic glory, Jack Nicholson stealing every scene he's in as the Joker, and all of those wonderful toys, along with a stacked selection of extras chronicling just how this film came to be.

For something more modern, you can check out Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy. A heavily grounded take on Batman, these films were massive blockbusters upon release and look stunning in ultra-high-definition. Christian Bale was a terrific Batman, Heath Ledger's Joker was still incredibly unsettling, and we still wish we could go for a spin in that Batmobile. Shifting from cinema to television, there are also some excellent deals to check out here.

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Shelley Duvall, the girlishly bug-eyed, often portrayed as a neurotic, but whimsical actress has passed away at 75. Duvall received almost a dozen award nominations during her brief full-time career in Hollywood, including a Cannes actress award for Robert Altman's 3 Women. Her legendary stamina against Stanley Kubrick’s brutal directing techniques made her a star in the now-classic The Shining.

Variety confirmed with her partner Dan Gilroy that the actress died today in Blanco, Texas, just three hours from her birth city of Fort Worth. Gilroy also confirmed with The Hollywood Reporter that Duvall died in her sleep of complications from diabetes.

"My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she's free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley," Gilroy said.

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Publisher Arc System Works and developer Yuke's have announced Double Dragon Revive, the next entry in the Double Dragon series. It is due out sometime in 2025 for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

The game is a 3D revival of the series that debuted in 1987, so it's unclear right now whether this is a remake of a previous title or a completely brand-new adventure. Protagonists Billy and Jimmy Lee return, as well as enemies Roper and Abobo.

Players will be able to pick up weapons scattered throughout stages and use their surroundings to pull off gimmicks. The game's development is being overseen by a staff with experience on previous Arc System Works fighting game titles and is aiming to bring the series to the modern area with refined controls.

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By now, you're probably a little tired of looking at the plain black Xbox Series X console under your TV. Fortunately, there's an early Prime Day deal for third-party Xbox console covers from WolfBear that look great and add an extra layer of protection to your console. The wraps feature a water- and dust-resistant PU leather exterior and soft inner microfiber lining that covers almost the entire console, except for the heat vents. Best of all, thanks to the power of magnets, the wraps are easy to apply and attach securely. Plus, you don't have to worry about annoying air bubbles like with vinyl console wraps.

WolfBear's Xbox Series X wraps are available in multiple color and pattern options. The Starfield cover is particularly nice, as you get to convert your Xbox Series X into a module that looks like it came straight from a starship. It's normally available for $33, but you can grab it for just $27.36 when you click the coupon code on the Amazon store page. There are also camo and white versions on sale.

• Starfield Xbox Series X console cover -- $27.36 with coupon code ($33)
• Blue Camo Xbox Series X console cover -- $25.65 with coupon code ($30)
• Grey Camo Xbox Series X console cover -- $25.65 with coupon code ($30)
• White Xbox Series X console cover -- $29 ($33)

Xbox Series X console coversGallery

To add to your order, you can also save big on Xbox wireless controllers. These versatile peripherals are still the go-to devices for gaming on Xbox consoles, PC, or mobile devices, as they combine comfortable ergonomics with a durable design and are available in a wide range of colors.

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You can turn heads at the pool or beach this summer by sporting Princess Leia's bikini from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. The only catch is putting up at least $31,000 to purchase the seven-piece costume at Heritage’s July Entertainment Auction.

Variety reports the bathing suit isn't the only iconic film piece to buy, either. For example, Din Djarin's helmet from The Mandalorian on Disney+ starts at roughly $20,000, while Mjolnir from Thor: The Dark World has a current bid of $17,500.

Princess Leia is seen in the iconic bikini here from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

Heritage notes that Leia's bikini costume, which has actual "production wear," isn't the most expensive Star Wars item available at auction. A Y-Wing miniature from A New Hope that belonged to Gold Leader is beginning at a whopping $300,000.

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If you're a Lego fan and you're looking for a more "technical" build to get involved in, then you won't want to miss out on these deals on Lego Technic sets. Ahead of Amazon Prime Day, several of these fun sets have gotten a big discount. Lego Technic typically focuses on real-world objects like sportscars and aircraft, although there have been rare occasions where something more fantastical has gotten the Technic treatment.

Each set includes specialized pieces to drive home the authentic inspiration of these sets, like working wheels, suspension, gears, and even lights in select kits. For this sale, petrolheads can look forward to some display-worthy pieces, like the Nascar next-gen Chevrolet Camaro. This one has working steering, an opening hood, and even a V8 engine with moving pistons to construct.

Lego Technic Deals

• Lego Technic Firefighter Aircraft -- $80 ($100)
• Lego Technic Peugeot 9X8 24H Le Mans Hybrid Hypercar -- $160 ($200)
• Lego Technic 2022 Ford GT -- $96 ($120)
• Lego Technic Nascar Next-Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Technic Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Technic Bugatti Bolide Race Car -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Technic Lamborghini Huracán -- $40 ($50)
• Lego Technic John Deere 9700 Forage Harvester Tractor -- $32 ($40)
• Lego Speed Champions 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) -- $20 ($25)

Another great vehicle is the 2022 Ford GT, one of the best-looking cars of all time. Like the Camaro, it also has functioning parts like moving pistons, independent suspension on all wheels, and front-axle steering. For something elegantly European, the Lamborghini Huracán Tecnica is a wonderful expression of speed and it even features in the in-your-face green color scheme that the original car has. For something cinematic, Dom's Dodge Charger from the Fast and the Furious just got a big $40 discount. Normally $120, it's on sale for $80 at Walmart and is an imposing piece of plastic once fully assembled. For something different, you can also check out the wonderfully detailed firefighting aircraft, or build your very own John Deere harvestor tractor.

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