After a series of leaks and a week-long run exclusively in front of Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters, the Avengers: Doomsday teaser trailer confirming Steve Rogers / Captain America’s return is online.
Marvel officially released the teaser trailer today, December 23, with a Thor teaser trailer set to replace it in theaters this week. (The Thor teaser trailer leaked overnight, as this Captain America trailer had last week.)
As IGN had reported last week, the trailer begins with a figure on a motorbike pulling up to a familiar-looking 1950s house, which Marvel fans may recognize from Avengers: Endgame's closing scene. Inside the house, the figure is revealed to be Chris Evans' Steve Rogers, as he folds away his Captain America uniform and picks up a young baby. On-screen text then reads: "Steve Rogers will return in Avengers: Doomsday."
Steve Rogers was last seen living happily in the 1950s with Peggy Carter, having presumably completed his final mission of returning the Infinity Stones to their original places in the timeline. Doomsday may explain how Rogers managed to get back to the main MCU reality in order to hand his shield over (according to MCU time-travel rules, he should technically be in a new branch of reality instead).
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Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Yes, GTA 6 may still be a while away, but that gives us plenty of time to go back and replay all of those Rockstar games we’ve loved from the past, or even check out some that we may have missed. But which parts of the famed Grand Theft Auto developers’ library should you prioritise first?
Well, we’ve gone ahead and ranked our favourite Rockstar games. From school-yard antics to tragic tales on the American frontier, here are the 10 best Rockstar games.
10. Manhunt
For a studio that’s no stranger to causing controversy due to the contents of its games, arguably none of Rockstar’s negative press surrounding GTA has come close to the furore that followed Manhunt. A stealth-action horror game in which you play as a death row inmate forced into partaking in a series of snuff films for the disembodied voice of a pre-Succession Brian Cox, it maybe shouldn’t have been a surprise that it garnered horrified reactions from the mainstream media, resulting in it being banned in several countries.
But the controversy only tells half of the story, because Manhunt is a good game, and a singular one in Rockstar’s library (although we don’t talk about its inferior sequel). A disturbing satire of the USA’s fascination with violence, it's undeniably gnarly, but smartly psychological in its approach. Linear hallways create a very specific kind of tension that so many of the studio’s other works simply can’t due to their open-world nature. The result is tight, focused, and brutal action that works to horrifying effect. Well over 20 years old now, Manhunt has stuck long in the memory… although maybe that’s mostly due to how its stark box art staring out from store shelves scared the absolute crap out of me as a child.
9. GTA 3
Very few games have charted the future of game development quite like Grand Theft Auto 3. The open world of Liberty City plays host to a twisting story of gang warfare, drug running, and betrayal in the series' first 3D entry. To say it broke new ground is an understatement, and the additional dimension and shift to a street-level camera is only the start of it. The PlayStation 2 had seen nothing of the like in terms of an immersive city sandbox full of opportunity. Its bounty of side missions and minigames blended with a main story that allowed for Rockstar to flex its storytelling chops like never before, telling the tale of Claude’s search for the truth through a cinematic lens and an all-star cast to match the story’s mob movie-inspired ambition (The Sopranos alumni Frank Vincent and Joe Pantoliano included).
GTA 3’s slice of fictional New York may seem like a small map to wander around in these days, but gradually unlocking its three islands, each with its own East Coast flavouring, felt like a miracle at the time. Yes, the repetitive, simplistic mission design and less-than-desirable vehicle handling may not have aged anything close to gracefully since its 2001 launch, but an engaging story and compelling (if archetypal) characters are still there to be seen. It’s still worth playing today to see where the roots of what GTA (and a dozen other open-world games) sprouted from.
8. Bully
Bully has often been described as “GTA, but in a school”, and to an extent, that’s exactly what it is. By substituting shotguns for slingshots and muscle cars for go-karts, it hits the right spot for anyone looking to wreak havoc at a private New England boarding school instead of running drugs across a fictional Miami or Los Angeles. The source of that havoc is Jimmy Hopkins, a troubled 15-year-old with a history of educational expulsions. Tasked with navigating a year at Bullworth Academy, a variety of classroom minigames, various clique quests, and hallway politics all serve to tell Bully’s story – one full of teenage charm and typical Rockstar social commentary.
Skating or cycling around the academy and its suburban surroundings is a delight, with memorable landmarks like a colourful funfair or the looming Happy Volts Asylum filling a sizable map that changes mood with the seasons as the story unfolds. This world is the result of Rockstar adapting the GTA formula for an unfamiliar, unconventional setting – look a little closer, and you’ll see well-worn mechanics twisted to fit school life (for example, attending lessons late risks the fury of teachers and prefects, which is Bully’s version of the Wanted system).
Bully is admittedly a little janky to play today, thanks to a less-than-robust camera and over-reliance on quicktime events, but it's still a very fun time. And maybe if we’re really lucky, when Rockstar is done with GTA 6, we’ll get that sequel we’ve all wanted for almost 20 years now.
7. GTA 4
There’s a strong argument for Niko Bellic being the strongest of all the GTA protagonists – something I’d likely agree with. Whether all of GTA 4 stands as tall around him is up for further debate. 2008’s return to Liberty City took on the surprisingly bleak issues of the American Dream and what it means to be an immigrant in the modern Western world. It’s a story that delivers for the most part, providing a surprising amount of mature depth for a studio whose tales have historically been approached from a more pulpy angle. The city itself was a revelation for the time, packing a varied amount of detailed sights and sounds, even if in hindsight its visuals replicate the brown-grey blur that so many games from the Xbox 360 era suffer from.
It’s in objective design and general gameplay that GTA 4 is let down, though, which, for the most part, is a lot of driving people from A to B and assassinating single targets. Well, aside from the fantastic Three Leaf Clover bank heist mission, that is, which would go on to inspire the central hook of GTA 5. There’s no denying the longevity of Niko as a character, though, and the very real, grounded struggles he battles throughout his story. We certainly understand why he’d really rather go bowling with his cousin…
6. GTA Vice City
There are few video game locations as iconic as Vice City. Its neon-drenched roads, soundtracked by an all-timer collection of ‘80s hits, served as the setting for many people’s core memories of the PS2. Rockstar’s time-traveling trip back to the 1980s is anchored by protagonist Tommy Vercetti, played fantastically by Goodfellas’ Ray Liotta. Released only a year after the game-changing GTA 3, it’s remarkable how much of a step up Vice City achieved in just 12 months, not just in its star-studded cast and characterful storytelling, but also in the way its design injected life into every corner of its proxy Miami.
An engaging story filled with Scarface parallels brought with it a new sense of excess, which lent a blockbuster style to a series that was, in many ways, still finding its feet. Those early days are evident in the relatively shonky controls and dated mission design – during the campaign’s twilight hours, your attempts to wrestle control of businesses and balance money-making plates across the city don’t quite support the more ballistic ambition of the story. That doesn’t take away from Vice City’s overall charm, though; it remains a landmark piece of Rockstar history. And we can’t wait to go back to those beaches and clubs next year in GTA 6.
5. Max Payne 3
Rockstar decided to take Max Payne in-house for its third entry, having published the first two Remedy-developed games. Perhaps unsurprisingly, leaving Max’s Finnish creatives behind resulted in an entirely different tone, but one that is equally as thrilling. Gone are the pulpy comic book panels, melodramatic monologues, and moonlit greys of neo-noir New York, replaced by sensory overload thanks to blinding sunlight, dancefloor bullet ballets, and a now-synonymous soundtrack composed by Health. Building on the bullet-time foundations that propelled the series to success in a post-Matrix world, Max Payne 3 transports the tortured ex-NYPD officer to Brazil in the midst of a gritty gang war that leads to a larger conspiracy that’s bleaker than anything Sam Lake would have cooked up.
The decision to target societal ills reflects the difference between Rockstar and Remedy as developers – the former is always willing to take swipes at nations and their ingrained domestic problems, whereas the latter looks inwards for more cerebral tales of individual struggle. Both are valid, and both work in the world of Max Payne, which means all three entries are fantastic in their own way. They all share one thing in common, however: that unrivalled power trip of triggering that bullet time, leaping backwards through the air, and raining dual Uzi fire down on anyone standing in your way. Delicious.
4. GTA San Andreas
If the jump between GTA 3 and Vice City was big, then the chasm between Vice City and San Andreas requires industrial machinery to measure. In just two years, Rockstar had taken all of its previous Grand Theft Auto learnings, plus several huge swings, and blended them all together to concoct its first version of California. This vast (at least by PS2 standards) state is home to multiple cities that steadily unlock as you progress through its story. The road trip between them conveys a great sense of scale, as does the incredibly varied mission design and extensive cast of characters you meet during your tenures in each metropolis.
It isn’t just the sheer size that’s impressive, but also the gambles Rockstar took when it came to gameplay. San Andreas features elements pilfered from the RPG and life-sim genres, allowing you to sculpt your character and customise their appearance, adjusting their physique depending on how many weights you lift or Cluckin’ Bell buckets you feast on.
And then, of course, there’s CJ himself, a protagonist who lives on beyond the meme that follows him like a shadow. Authentically brought to life by rapper Young Maylay, his story is one of redemption and survival that pits him against some of the series' most memorable adversaries, chief among them being Samuel L. Jackson’s despicable Officer Tenpenny. It all comes together to make one of Rockstar’s greatest games, and the best GTA of the PS2 era.
3. Red Dead Redemption
Rockstar had been displaying cinematic ambitions for many years before Red Dead Redemption’s arrival in 2010, so it was only natural that it would one day tackle one of the most fundamentally filmic of genres: the western. Taking heavy influence from the likes of The Wild Bunch, Red Dead’s cross-continent tale of an outlaw coming to terms with being the last of his kind takes fan-favourite John Marston to Mexico and back as he hunts down his former mentor, Dutch Van Der Linde. It’s a more rural setting than we’d previously come to expect from a Rockstar open-world, allowing for those cinematic flourishes to take hold and present an impressive artistic achievement. Bustling city streets made way for dusty canyons, and a stunning Woody Jackson score filled the space once dominated by constant radio chatter.
Red Dead Redemption’s slower pace allows for the story to play out elegantly, with Marston’s near-invisible foe hanging menacingly in the background, patiently awaiting their memorable snow-covered face-off. Then there’s the ending, which I’d never spoil here for those who’ve never had a chance to witness it, but safe to say it's lived long in the memory as one of video games’ most impactful finales in the 15 years since.
The road to that point is paved by some admittedly fairly routine mission design and a lot of horse riding, but there’s still enough personality in its dead-eye shooting system and endlessly fun minigames (liar’s dice, here’s looking at you) to allow for Red Dead Redemption to age very gracefully. It lives on as one of Rockstar’s three finest achievements.
2. GTA 5
Grand Theft Auto 5 is a blockbuster in every sense of the word. Not just because of the colossal number of copies it’s sold, nor the amount of money it cost to make, but because of every aspect of its design. It wears excess proudly on its sleeve, reflected in the drive for money displayed by each of its three protagonists. This greed – itself Rockstar’s clearest criticism of capitalism and the obnoxious characters it produces – comes to a head in GTA 5’s signature heist missions, each a series of audacious action set pieces battling to upstage one another. These campaign highpoints blend in seamlessly with a Los Santos map bustling with life and teeming with charm – Rockstar’s signature humour oozes out of every sight and sound, from street corner billboards to radio station ramblings.
This sandbox has kept fans entertained ever since its construction in 2013, and thanks to the addition of GTA Online, it has expanded and improved consistently to this day. It’s created a whole new ecosystem for players to live in, take on increasingly complex heists, and even build race tracks that stretch and loop into the sky. It truly is its own ridiculous beast. But while it may be that expansive multiplayer mode that led to GTA 5’s enormous success, it’s Michael, Franklin, and Trevor’s story that has proven to have the most staying power, at least for us. It’s the best that a Grand Theft Auto campaign has ever been, and that has us excited to see how Rockstar will try to top it with GTA 6.
1. Red Dead Redemption 2
The culmination of all Rockstar’s work to date, Red Dead Redemption 2 took living, breathing video game worlds to the next level when it was released in 2018. The level of detail in its sprawling frontier is extraordinary, with every creature, both animal and human, reacting authentically to your every movement. This makes each interaction with these digital personalities feel astonishingly lifelike. This expertly crafted, turn-of-the-century western America is the stage for a whole host of memorable characters, both quirky and dangerous, but none stick in the mind as firmly as protagonist Arthur Morgan.
His journey represents the peak of Rockstar storytelling, displaying a level of complexity and nuance simply not present in any of the studio’s other games. The Van Der Linde gang’s trials and tribulations lead to a memorable set of dangerous missions thanks to the increasing desperation of its leader, Dutch. It’s a tale laden with standout chapters – a turf war between the Gray and Braithwaite families leads up to a manor house siege, a blockbuster bank heist in the major city of Saint Denis leads to an unexpected sojourn to the island of Guarma, and tensions between the native Wapiti Indians and American Army lead to flame-soaked shootouts. It would be hard to pick a single favourite from that list. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a vast, epic tapestry steeped in cinematic style, and the best game Rockstar has given us yet.
Simon Cardy is a Senior Editor at IGN who can mainly be found skulking around open world games, indulging in Korean cinema, or despairing at the state of Tottenham Hotspur and the New York Jets. Follow him on Bluesky at @cardy.bsky.social.
Arc Raiders is a multiplayer extraction adventure in which players scavenge the remnants of a devastated world. The main threat is Arc’s machines and, as developer Embark Studios puts it, “the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors.” But one Arc Raiders player, hell bent on killing relative newcomers, casuals, and those who have next to no loot or even none at all, has gone viral for killing others for sport — sparking a debate about what is and isn’t acceptable PvP behavior in the process.
Let’s start with a brief primer on how Arc Raiders works. You can play solo or in parties up to three, working as a team to progress through the game. However, other players are a constant threat, and while Arc Raiders’ explosive launch has seen a number of wholesome, viral clips of players coming together to help each other out, some players just want to watch the world burn.
Taylor "THump" Humphries, a retired American professional H1Z1 and Apex Legends player, who has taken it upon themselves to hunt down teams of players and kill them for, well, sport. In a clip viewed 4.8 million times so far on Twitter / X, THump kills a group of players, one of whom pleads: “we just started. I have nothing.” THump is then called “scum” and “a piece of s**t.” THump responds to say: “yeah, I killed every single one of you by the way.” He then laughs.
THump‘s post reads: “I love killing grown men that have jobs and children as they are trying to get 5 million credits for the expedition. Killing all teamers in solos, live now.”
I love killing grown men that have jobs and children as they are trying to get 5 million credits for the expedition. Killing all teamers in solos, live now.https://t.co/hiY3uPb3e7pic.twitter.com/ncHTgNMT1x
The post sparked a strong reaction from a large group of players, some of whom hit out at THump‘s actions, some of whom backed him up. “I come from a place where PvP is not optional,” THump said. “It’s a way of life. You want optional PvP go play WoW.” Then: “couldn’t imagine spending my Friday night getting mad at a random streamer on the internet enough to comment under his tweet because he killed people in a PvP game.”
“Another toxic streamer,” one critic posted. “You should try helping them instead, it might make you feel good about yourself for a change.” Another said THump was demonstrating “psychotic behavior.”
“I think there's something uniquely anti-social about people whose only enjoyment in games is ruining the fun of nice and friendly people,” said X / Twitter user Mizutamari. “There was always a difference between people who trolled guys that were yelling slurs or slamming keyboards and people who only trolled guys that were friendly and seemed to try and keep a happy disposition.”
In the months since Arc Raiders’ release, a sort of PvP etiquette has emerged. If you encounter another player and have no intention to PvP, call out that you’re friendly. It’s considered not cool to say friendly and act friendly then shoot, but of course that does happen. In Arc Raiders, PvP is always on.
In truth, this griefing debate has been around for as long as competitive multiplayer games have existed, but Arc Raiders has certainly brought it back to the forefront. Who cares if you pretend to be friendly then shoot to kill? It’s a video game, right? “Your fellow human who trusted you cares,” suggested redditor ilmk9396.
“It's a video game. You don't die in real life when your character dies,” countered MachinationMachine.
“There's a real person on the other end spending real time and effort playing the game and they trust you not to steal that from them after you say you're friendly,” responded ilmk9396. “They let their guard down and then you take advantage of that like a coward. Be a man and shoot on sight if you want the loot.”
Then, from MachinationMachine: “it's a competitive PvP videogame where you role-play as a ruthless post-apocalyptic raider. How is being honorable good role-playing?”
And so on, and so forth. But isn’t this exactly what Embark Studios had hoped would emerge from Arc Raiders? “In the end, only you decide what kind of Raider you are — and how far you’ll go to prevail,” reads the official blurb. Here, the developer is essentially handing over Arc Raiders to its community. Do what you feel is right, basically. The game is designed for tension. But is it designed for relentless PvP?
“The game is designed for you to work together, as there's typically enough loot in the environment to go around so that everyone can rise up and you can have a good time together, with the occasional PvP,” iNteg suggested. “The second lobbies only become about PvP you lose most of your playerbase who wants to enjoy the other aspects of the game and not just PvP. Going in with a mindset that it's only about PvP takes the charm and fun out of the game completely and also ruins the experience, you lose any sort of potential magic that could have happened because oop, see person must rat and gun them down without an interaction.”
This one isn’t going anywhere, and neither is THump. Undeterred by any potential backlash, he has doubled down on his playstyle, posting a similar clip with the comment: “love loading up Arc Raiders on Saturday night to show the blue-collar workforce of America what a real professional gamer looks like.”
Love loading up Arc Raiders on Saturday night to show the blue-collar workforce of America what a real professional gamer looks like. Live now with more skillhttps://t.co/hiY3uPb3e7pic.twitter.com/gw4UQDCTqI
And alongside another more recent clip, he posted: "Logging in with a full inventory of trigger nades and killing everyone trying to get re-looted after the expedition is a joy."
Logging in with a full inventory of trigger nades and killing everyone trying to get re-looted after the expedition is a joy. Trigger nades do NOT need a nerf! Livehttps://t.co/hiY3uPb3e7pic.twitter.com/DuaFRCGlUi
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe leaks appear to be continuing, this time with the second, Thor-focused Avengers: Doomsday trailer allegedly hitting the internet.
A number of Twitter / X accounts published a French-language version of the alleged trailer, although a number of those posts now have removal notices due to copyright claims.
Warning! Potential spoilers for Avengers: Doomsday and its second teaser trailer follow:
The trailer shows Chris Hemsworth once again playing Thor, this time with the short-haired look from the much-loved and hugely successful Thor Ragnarok. It focuses on Thor’s relationship with his adopted child, Love (Gorr the God Butcher's resurrected daughter in Thor: Love and Thunder).
Assuming this leaked trailer is accurate, what we’ve seen so far of Avengers: Doomsday does seem to have a heavy focus on children. The Fantastic Four: First Steps ended with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom appearing to kidnap Franklin Richards. The Steve Rogers / Captain America teaser for Avengers: Doomsday that emerged last week shows Chris Evans’ character holding a baby, presumably his child with Peggy Carter.
What does this all mean? The leaked trailer shows Love safe and sound at home with Thor, so there’s no suggestion here that Doctor Doom is after her, too. Fans certainly have their theories, one of which is that Marvel Studios is setting up the Next Avengers in some way. But it could just be nothing.
Meanwhile, the prayer Thor delivers in the leaked trailer has of course been translated into English. It suggests Thor is asking his father (Odin, played by Anthony Hopkins in the MCU) for the strength to defeat a new enemy and return to Love. It’s certainly a darker tone than we’ve seen from Thor’s recent MCU appearances, and some are wondering if they should prepare themselves for the character dying.
This isn’t the first time fans have suggested Thor will bite the dust in Avengers: Doomsday. In May, Chris Hemsworth released a Thor tribute video titled ‘Thank You! The Legacy of Thor,’ that included clips of the actor as Thor going as far back as an audition tape right up to his performance in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder. Some fans took it as a farewell video, or a wave goodbye to Thor. Hemsworth later insisted the video was “a moment of gratitude, and it wasn’t anything else.”
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Hemsworth said he became too wacky in Love and Thunder and the film suffered as a result, perhaps especially following Thor: Ragnarok, which became somewhat of a breakout success for the character by adding more comedy elements.
"I got caught up in the improv and the wackiness, and I became a parody of myself," Hemsworth said. "I didn't stick the landing." He can't forgive himself for the performance, Vanity Fair said, so feels he owes fans another film. Could Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars count as that film, or would Thor 5 be more appropriate as a goodbye?
Disney reportedly planned four separate trailers to be shown with Avatar 3 over the course of four weeks, in a move designed to encourage repeat viewings and keep audiences entertained with a series of big reveals. The expectation is the Thor trailer will hit theaters later this week, with speculation pointing to a Doctor Doom-themed trailer next week.
Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters December 18, 2026.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Stranger Things co-creator Ross Duffer has confirmed the runtimes for all Season 5 Volume 2 episodes, including the finale.
In a post on Instagram, Duffer confirmed the final runtimes for episodes 5-8, which takes us to the end of the decade-long Netflix series.
Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 2 episode runtimes:
Episode 5, Shock Jock: 1h 8m
Episode 6, Escape from Camazotz: 1h 15m
Episode 7, The Bridge: 1h 6m
Episode 8, The Rightside Up: 2h 8m
That means there’s only five hours and 37 minutes of Stranger Things left and it’s all over.
Ross Duffer has already outlined what to expect from Vol. 2. Episode 5 picks up moments after the end of Sorcerer. Frank Darabont directed this one, although Duffer said Shock Jock is “far darker, and far scarier” than Darabont's previous episode, Turnbow Trap.
Episode 6 was directed by Shawn Levy. “It’s the biggest episode of the three,” Duffer said, “and the performances make us cry every time we watch it.” It sounds like we might get a character death in this one, and based on the name, the episode will revolve around Holly and Max’s attempt to break free from the mind prison created by Vecna.
And finally, Episode 7 is called The Bridge, which the Duffer brothers co-directed with Levy. “Don’t want to say too much, but aside from the finale, it’s probably the most emotional chapter of the season,” Ross Duffer teased. More character deaths, perhaps?
"The finale. Theaters. New Year’s Eve," Duffer wrote in a social media post alongside a photo of the drawing Lucas and Max used to ask each other on a date in Season 4. "This is something my brother and I have dreamed about for years. If you don’t mind crying in front of strangers, GO. And if you’re in LA… maybe we’ll see you there."
Warning! Spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 follow:
The trailer picks up in the aftermath of the catastrophic events of Vol. 1 and the awakening of Will’s powers. Will (Noah Schnapp) and his mother, Joyce (Winona Ryder), have a heart to heart in which she reassures him the battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) isn’t over. Meanwhile, Holly (Nell Fisher) and Max (Sadie Sink) are trying to escape Vecna’s 1950s fantasy world, and they’re walking through strange doors to do it. Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), warns: “this whole time, everything we’ve ever assumed about the Upside Down has been dead wrong.”
Dustin and Steve (Joe Keery) are then seen looking at some sort of red, potentially interdimensional mass that is whirling around above them. Whatever this is, it seems key to understanding the true nature of the Upside Down, which Stranger Things co-creators Ross and Matt Duffer have promised to finally explain this season.
Elsewhere, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) calls on Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen), who she rescued from captivity in Vol. 1, to help her find and kill Vecna. We see shots of Vecna / Henry Creel in various states as the central characters become increasingly distressed. Briefly, we see Will use his new powers again, as evidenced by his eyes turning all white as they did at the end of Vol. 1.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
The Odyssey is officially described as a “mythic action epic,” an adaptation of Homer’s foundational saga, one of the major epics of ancient Greek literature, starring Hollywood heavyweights such as Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.
Ever since we got our first look at Matt Damon as Odysseus, the heroic king of Ithaca, Nolan’s film has faced questions about its historical accuracy — or inaccuracy, as some have put it. With the debut trailer, below, we have our best look yet at The Odyssey’s adaptation of Homer’s great work, and more points of contention.
GreekReporter was quick to point out various historical inaccuracies — while praising the movie for getting some things right — in not just the armor but the ships we see in the trailer. The website picks through everything from the helmets the Greek soldiers wear to Agamemnon’s imposing, all black suit. As one commenter joked: “Had no idea Ancient Greeks used Batman helmets and sailed in Viking ships. Seriously, how hard is it to look at the picture of what the real thing looked like?”
(Christopher Nolan is of course the director of the much-loved The Dark Knight Trilogy.)
Added another: “I'm not asking for them to make it historically accurate, but it's kind of jarring how it doesn't even look vaguely like something set in ancient Greece. In fact, this looks more like something set in Scandinavia during the viking age. Why is everyone wearing pants? Why are they on viking style long-ships rather than triremes? And why is everyone wearing black armor, like they're Batman or something?”
But does historical accuracy matter in a “mythic action epic?” In the trailer, we see what we believe to be the Cyclops, a giant, one-eyed monster, enter a cave in which Odysseus and his men are trapped. We see the dead rise from the ground to potentially attack Odysseus and his men. We’re expecting the movie to feature the deadly Sirens, enchanting bird-women whose irresistible songs lure sailors to their deaths on rocky shores. The Odyssey is a fantasy story with mythical creatures — it’s right there in the description (“mythic action epic”). Some argue that in this context, of course Nolan can and should take some creative liberties. This is not a documentary, after all.
This debate has moved on somewhat in the hours since the trailer’s release, with some complaining not about the historical accuracy of the armor we see the soldiers wear, but how natural the material looks. Agamemnon, played by Benny Safdie, is the focus of these complaints, with some saying his armor looks “flimsy” and “plastic.” One commenter said: “I think the issue people have isn’t really about historical accuracy and more about the costumes looking boring as s**t.”
this actually rules because agamemnon 100% would turn up to battle in a non-functional but cool looking helmet just to aura farm and then go home https://t.co/cW7ojVq8D3
“Nothing says Ancient Greece, quite like wearing black and brown,” said another. “Kinda crazy to wear those dark colors in one of the sunniest places in the world.” "It looks like a bunch of dudes cosplaying ancient Greece in Wales," added one fan. “A little colour wouldn’t hurt you, Nolan,” said another.
The discourse around The Odyssey will no doubt continue up until its July 17, 2026 release date. Each new trailer and promotional shot will fuel fan excitement as well as the ongoing historical accuracy debate. But perhaps there’s a more pertinent question that is getting lost in the wake of the debut trailer’s release: how on earth is Christopher Nolan going to fit the entire story of The Odyssey in just one film?
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
I went in intending to grab one thing and came out mentally justifying half a library refresh. That is usually how these weeks go. If you have ever told yourself you are absolutely done buying games this month, you are among friends here.
In retro news, I'm celebrating the Aussie birthday of a rare and expensive bird, the SNK Neo Geo CD. Released in limited numbers in Oz around the $600 ballpark ($1,299 in '25 bux), this bad boy delivered near-perfect arcade-quality games, though it was a "budget" alternative to the hilari-expensive, cartridge-based Neo Geo AES. Being CD-based marred this unit with lonnng load times, though the gruelling wait for Metal Slug, Samurai Shodown, and Fatal Fury was always worth it. Here's a shot of the beast I sold a kidney and a lung for. Laser: still going strong.
Mario Kart 8 Del. (-25%) A$59 Still the gold standard for pick up and play multiplayer, with immaculate track design and endless replay value thanks to its absurdly polished handling.
Minecraft (-27%) A$29 A creative sandbox that somehow keeps reinventing itself, whether you are building dream houses or falling into lava five minutes in.
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance (-60%) A$40.30 A far stronger version of an already excellent JRPG, with smarter pacing, added story paths, and punishing combat that demands respect.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age (-48%) A$41.30 Political fantasy with MMO inspired systems that still feel fresh, especially if you enjoy tinkering with party roles and gambits.
No Man's Sky (-60%) A$31.90 A redemption story turned content monster, now packed with systems, expeditions, and space weirdness worth getting lost in.
Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy (-37%) A$47 Courtroom melodrama at its finest, with absurd cases, great character arcs, and that unbeatable feeling of yelling objection.
EA Sports FC 26 (-55%) A$44.90 A slick presentation and refined match flow make this an easy recommendation if you play even semi regularly.
Assassin's Creed Shadows (-57%) A$47 Stealth focused Assassin's Creed with a strong sense of place and some genuinely smart systemic design.
Mafia: The Old Country (-48%) A$47 A moody crime story that leans into atmosphere over open world bloat, which I appreciate more every year.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (-61%) A$42.70 Bigger, bolder, and more confident than Fallen Order, with excellent level design and proper Star Wars swagger.
The Callisto Protocol (-69%) A$31.20 Visceral sci fi horror that looks incredible, even if it occasionally prioritises vibes over mechanical depth.
Diablo IV (-73%) A$30 The best the series has felt in years, especially now that seasonal updates have smoothed its rough edges.
Xbox One
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth (-70%) A$34.40 A joyful, heartfelt RPG that balances absurd humour with surprising emotional weight.
Unravel Two (-85%) A$4.40 A beautiful co op puzzle platformer that communicates warmth without saying a word.
Dave The Diver (-45%) A$16.40 Part restaurant sim, part deep sea adventure, and entirely impossible to stop playing once it hooks you.
Just like I did last holiday season, I'm getting festive with the LEGO section. In Mathew Manor, my sons and I are again racing / rating 2025's batch of LEGO Advent Calendars. Basically, we open the City, Harry Potter, Minecraft, and Star Wars ones daily and compare the mini-prizes for "Awesomeness" and "Actual Xmas-ness". 2024's winner was the Lego Marvel one, but, weirdly, there's no 2025 equivalent. So it's anybody's race this year.
Here are the cheapest prices for the four calendars we're using. Score them yourself or just live vicariously through our unboxings.
Adam Mathew is a passionate connoisseur, a lifelong game critic, and an Aussie deals wrangler who genuinely wants to hook you up with stuff that's worth playing (but also cheap). He plays practically everything, sometimes on YouTube.
Editor's Note: This article is brought to you Total Wireless.
If you’re looking to switch cellphone carriers, Total Wireless might be for you. It offers no contracts, no hidden fees, and unlimited data on all plans. Oh, and they also happen to be covered by Verizon’s 5G network, which is the most reliable in the nation, according to RootMetrics’ 5G data reliability assessments. What’s even better? You can score a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) for free with any Total Wireless plan for a limited time. With plans starting at just $40 per month for a single line, it’s a deal that might just be too good to pass up.
Get a Free Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) With Any Total Wireless Phone Plan
From now until January 7, or while supplies last, a Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) can be yours for no cost, and a trade-in isn’t required.
All you need to do is sign up for one of Total Wireless’ three 5G plan options, or if you’re already a Total Wireless user, activating a new line will also get you a free smartphone. That’s about $200 in potential savings. However, there’s a two-device limit per account, plus taxes and fees may apply.
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G might not enjoy as much hype as iPhone, Google Pixel, and Samsung Galaxy smartphones. Still, it’s a top-notch Android phone worth considering. In fact, it’s one of the only phones that comes with a stylus, which can be handy for notetaking, doodling, and even has some AI functions. Performance overall is solid, thanks to a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage, while the bright, sharp 6.7-inch display is a real standout. It’s hard to beat considering this phone could be completely free.
Total Wireless Phone Plan Options
All three of Total Wireless’ smartphone plans are eligible for the Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) promotion, including the lowest cost option, Total Base 5G Unlimited, starting at just $40 per month for one line. Each plan includes unlimited data, a 5G hotspot, and international calling and texting to select countries. Adding more lines to each plan can significantly reduce the monthly cost per line.
Opting for Total 5G Unlimited costs $55 for the first month and only $50 per month thereafter when using Auto Pay. With it, you’ll enjoy additional hotspot data usage, roaming in over 30 countries, a fourth line free, and a free 6-month Disney+ Premium subscription.
The highest-end plan, Total 5G+ Unlimited, offers unlimited hotspot data and a $10 long-distance credit in addition to everything the other plans bring. You can grab this plan for $65 the first month and then $60 per month after that with Auto Pay.
Other Total Wireless Phone Deals
The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) isn’t the only deal you can grab from Total Wireless. A Samsung Galaxy A36 5G could be yours for free with a new activation on a Total 5G Unlimited 3-month plan or higher. At a near $300 value, you’re in for some epic savings. If you’re in the Apple camp, you can get an iPhone 13 for only $50. All that’s required is switching to a Total 5G or 5G+ unlimited plan.
Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.
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