The studio behind the Postal franchise just announced that it will be publishing a brand new Postal game, to be developed by Goonswarm Games. Unfortunately, it even more recently announced it would be cancelling said game, due to accusations that Goonswarm had used generative AI in its development.

The game, entitled Postal: Bullet Paradise, was announced earlier this week on Wednesday with a reveal trailer and press release. It purports to be a "timeline-hopping, dystopian bullet heavne first-person shooter" set in the Postal universe, where players can select from 11 unlockable Postal Dudes from different timelines and, well, shoot people.

However, not long after the trailer debuted, Postal fans began pointing out that the game had a lot of hallmarks of assets made with generative AI. When we went to embed the trailer into this article for you to watch, our access to the video file had been cut off and the official version had been removed from YouTube. You can still watch it through the Steam page here and judge for yourself.

Checking in on the Postal subreddit, you can see some of the feedback. Fan spoint out that the pixel sprites' mouths "don't make sense", and elements such as shading and pixel placement are off somehow. They also point out that Goonswarm has almost certainly used generative AI in its games before (a close watch of this trailer has a number of pretty obvious indicators), making it likely it would do so again:

When accusations initially began flying, both Goonswarm and Running With Scissors denied the use of generative AI. As Goonswarm told PCGamesN in a statement:

No generative AI was used for the reveal trailer or for the game. All assets were created by our human artists using standard tools. We've already shared layered PSDs, work-in-progress files, and other materials to confirm this. Any mistakes or rough spots in those files are being misinterpreted as 'proof' of AI, but they simply reflect the normal, human art-creation process

Meanwhile, while Running With Scissors initially promised to investigate further, studio co-owner Mike Jeret angered the Postal audience further by not just vehemently denying there was generative AI in the game, but also using fairly strong language toward the accusers, referring to them as "ignorant assholes" and telling anyone who thought the game used generative AI to "excuse yourself from our Discord."

But finally, today, the publisher has taken a definitive stance. Running With Scissors announced it would be canceling the game entirely, saying that the audience feedback had caused "extreme damage to our brand and our company reputation" and that it no longer trusted the development team.

Here's Running With Scissors' statement in full:

After revealing Postal: Bullet Paradise, a title Running With Scissors was planning on publishing but not developing, we've been overwhelmed with negative responses from our concerned Postal Community. The strong feedback from them is that elements of the game are very likely AI-generated and thus has caused extreme damage to our brand and our company reputation.

We’ve always been, and will always be, transparent with our community. Our trust in the development team is broken; therefore, we've killed the project. We have a lot of good things coming (some you know and some you don’t).

Since forming Running With Scissors in 1996, we’ve always said that our fans are part of the team. Our priority is to always do right by the millions who support the Postal franchise. We are grateful for the opportunity to make the games we want to play, and will continue to focus on our new projects and updates coming in 2026 and beyond. We can’t wait to share more!

Fan feedback in response to this seems generally positive, with a number of people suggesting they were excited about the premise of the game and hoped it could be passed on to a different developer. Some are still hoping for an apology from Jeret for his language toward the community, but that has not yet manifested. IGN has also reached out to Goonswarm for an updated statement.

This is far from the first time the Postal games, which are essentially about various guys committing mass shootings, have been embroiled in controversy. The last mainline game, Postal 4: NoRegerts, released in 2022 to a rare 2/10 from us. Our reviewer said that "the comedy is lazy and embarrassing, the combat is messy and painfully unsatisfying, and it runs so poorly on high-end hardware that it can scarcely be enjoyed at all even by those just hoping for some campy shock humor." Running With Scissors has also released multiple spinoffs in recent years, such as 2022's Postal: Brain Damaged by CreativeForge Games and a 2023 April Fool's joke in POOSTALL Royale.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

GTA fans finally have their first look at Grand Theft Auto 5 character Michael in the Grand Theft Auto universe since the game launched back in 2013.

We can see Michael in the trailer for GTA Online DLC A Safehouse in the Hills, below. In the teaser for the upcoming expansion, which adds a luxurious new home for the most successful of online criminals to the online mode, a noticeably older, greying, Michael De Santa and his wife Amanda can be seen greeting a player at the front door of their fancy new Hollywood Hills crib. This is the first time that Michael, played by Ned Luke, has been seen in the Grand Theft Auto universe since GTA 5 launched back in 2013.

The update also settles any lingering questions around the canon ending for GTA 5, confirming once and for all that Option C, otherwise known as “Deathwish”, is how the story should end.

It now means that all three playable protagonists, with Franklin and Trevor being the other two, have appeared in GTA Online. Naturally, this means the “Deathwish” ending is now canon in Online’s version of Los Santos, as this is the only way that all three characters remain alive at the end of GTA 5’s final mission “The Third Way” — one of three possible last levels available depending on the player’s choice. For reference, “Something Sensible” is Option A, which leaves both Franklin and Michael alive, but kills Trevor, and “The Time’s Come” is Option B, resulting in Franklin and Trevor’s survival, but Michael’s death.

In all three possible endings, Franklin lives to walk the streets of Los Santos, so it always felt natural that he’d be a part of GTA Online, which takes place after the events of Grand Theft Auto 5. Trevor has also been present since 2013, giving the online protagonist missions and calling to berate them over the phone in his own peculiar manner, but this is the first time we’ve seen Michael’s face since.

Eagle-eared online players would’ve heard a small reference to the professional bank robber back in 2021, though, which, although it definitely alludes to Michael, didn’t 100% confirm he was still around. This occurs when Franklin is chasing two golfers through the Richards Majestic Studios film lot in the centre of the city. This is one of the places Michael works in order to achieve his Hollywood movie-producing dreams in the main game’s campaign. Franklin remarks, “I know one of the producers around here. I hope his ass ain’t work today…”, suggesting De Santa is still employed there after all this time.

It is curious that Rockstar has chosen to put Michael back into the world of GTA so many years after we saw him last, and it does beg the question of how long this was planned for, seeing as this update has dropped so close to GTA 6’s previous release date of November 19, 2025. Is this the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption developer saying their final goodbye to these characters before gearing up to unleash Lucia and Jason into the world in 2026?

How do you feel about the “Deathwish” ending being chosen by Rockstar as the canonical one for GTA 5? Let us know in the comments below. And, of course, for everything GTA 6, stick with IGN.

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.

Netflix's $85.2 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. will see the streaming service gain access to a vast vault of content — which, according to a new report, could be used as a potential "AI trove."

Speaking today on an investor call attended by IGN, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos repeatedly mentioned future "innovation" as one of the reasons why the streamer was so keen to own Warner Bros.' 102-year-old back catalogue, which includes movies in the Harry Potter and DC Comics franchises, as well as TV series such as Game of Thrones, Friends and The Big Bang Theory.

Now, insider sources have told The Hollywood Reporter that the subtext behind Sarandos' mentions of innovation was the huge boost to Netflix's AI plans that Warner Bros.' library of content could bring — both to train future AI models and to allow subscribers access to generate their own creations using licensed assets.

Viewed through this lens, the Netflix and Warner Bros. deal makes even more sense. For its part, Netflix has already built a finely-tuned content algorithm based on machine-learning and granular knowledge of its millions of subscribers. Warner Bros., meanwhile, has a enormous back catalogue of content that can be plugged in to Netflix's existing service — and used to create more content in future.

Netflix has long been accused of producing new TV series and movies designed by algorithm, using past viewing data to greenlight projects it can safely expect will be enjoyed by swathes of its subscriber base. Even on a base level, having access to Warner Bros.' catalogue will undoubtedly help Netflix's algorithm learn even more about its users' viewing habits, with such a large library now part of its own service.

But beyond that, content companies are clearly keen to experiment further with AI generation and offer licensed access to their own franchises as a premium feature. Last month, Disney boss Bob Iger stated that he expected to see user-generated AI content appearing on Disney+ in the near future, as part of what he described as one of "the biggest and the most significant changes — from a product perspective, from a technology perspective — since we launched the service in 2019."

The suggestion is that Disney will let its paying customers create videos using its licensed characters and share them with others via the platform — as a more official version of what happened when AI generation platform Sora 2 launched a few months ago and briefly allowed users to create mash-ups featuring Mickey Mouse, Pokémon, and Star Wars, before copyright rules were enforced.

Considering the vast back catalogue at Disney's fingertips, it's perhaps no surprise to see Netflix keen to obtain a similarly historic library for itself, as the streaming wars heat up further.

"Our mission has always been to entertain the world," Netflix's Sarandos said earlier today. "By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies — from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends — with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Fresh from announcing it has bought Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion, Netflix has confirmed the release date of the upcoming film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man in theaters as well as on the streaming platform itself.

The upcoming continuation of the story of the Shelbys makes its debut with a theatrical rollout in select theaters beginning on March 6, 2026, two weeks before it hits Netflix on March 20.

To coincide with the announcement, Netflix released a poster, below, showing star Cillian Murphy, who will reprise his role as Tommy Shelby, sitting on a horse with his eyes in shadow under the brim of his signature hat.

Noah Schnapp, one of the stars of the beloved Netflix hit Stranger Things, seemingly accidentally revealed two crucial spoilers during a recent episode of the Hot Ones YouTube show, which were promptly edited out.

Warning! Spoilers (we think!) for Stranger Things Season 5 follow:

Schnapp — alongside costars Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, and Caleb McLaughlin — appeared on an episode of Hot Ones Versus (the version of the iconic interview series that doesn’t feature host Sean Evans), where he dropped a couple bombs, namely that Vecna is controlled, or, as he put it, "is run" by the Mind Flayer, while recapping the entire series in just 30 seconds.

Trying desperately to condense the events of each Stranger Things season in half a minute, Schnapp also let spill that in Season 2, his character, Will, built the tunnels under Hawkins after he was kidnapped and possessed by Vecna in Season 1, something the show has yet to confirm.

As for the Vecna reveal, there is a little leeway here for Schnapp’s transgression. Technically, the notion that Vecna has been controlled by the Mind Flayer was first presented in the Broadway play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. In the theatrical exploration of the show, it is suggested that the Mind Flayer gave Henry Creel (played by Jamie Campbell Bower) his powers, which in turn led him to become Vecna. So if you’ve seen the play, you’d have at least a baseline knowledge of that idea — but most fans have not and were otherwise dark about the connection until now.

Despite Hot Ones editing the video pretty quickly, fans latched onto the spoilers and grabbed clips of the video before it was removed, which are now all over social media and Reddit.

said will built the tunnels and that vecna is run by the mindflayer… these are absolutely spoilers that accidentally slipped through 😭 https://t.co/SmbfBxEzbZ pic.twitter.com/PvpPDcchYx

— 🐰 (@c_tviz) December 2, 2025

“They Barbara Streisand-ed the Hot Ones video,” one fan wrote on the Stranger Things subreddit, to which another user replied, “Lol, that’s sorta funny considering they used a Barbara Streisand song about 'memories' in the show.”

“THEY CUT IT OUT I CAN'T BREATHE,” another person wrote on Twitter/X, while another fan remarked about the faces Wolfhard and McLaughlin make during the interview, suggesting that they realized Schnapp was airing out spoilers. “I didn't notice Finn and Caleb's faces, omg u might be right,” they wrote in response to a fan who shared the clip. “​​wow, that’s not subtle at all…” one tweet read. “someone’s getting the wrath of the internet.”

Of course, Schnapp may have simply got all this wrong, and his version of the events of the series may not be entirely accurate. But the fact his "spoilers" were edited out of the show does suggest Netflix isn't happy with them being out there.

Needless to say, we’ll see how this all shakes down in the next four episodes of Stranger Things, which will continue the three-drop release strategy. The first four episodes of Season 5 were released on Netflix for Thanksgiving and the next four will arrive on Christmas. The final episode of the series will drop both on the streamer and in theaters nationwide on New Year’s Eve.

Stranger Things Season 5 release dates:

• VOL 1 - November 26, 5pm PT
• VOL 2 - Christmas, 5pm PT
• THE FINALE - New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT

We’ve got plenty more on Stranger Things, including Ross Duffer’s call to arms for fans to turn off “garbage” TV settings before watching Season 5. And be sure to check out our Stranger Things: Season 5, Vol. 1 spoiler review to find out what we think of how the show is going.

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic and a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikonamerica.

It’s that time of the year when a flurry of new video game trailers and gameplay reveals are shown as part of the annual Game Awards. And while who wins Game of the Year will steal some of the headlines on December 11, a lot of the excitement also comes from the secrets and surprises that get unleashed in the form of new game announcements.

So we’re keeping tabs on what has been confirmed to make an appearance so far, what has been teased, and some of the pie-in-the-sky dream games we know deep down in our brains won’t be there, but our heart tells us there might just be a chance. Don’t worry, we’re not going to be quite as far-fetched as to say GTA 6 will be at The Game Awards, nor The Witcher 4, which CD Projekt Red has already confirmed won’t be. But that’s enough of that. Let’s head straight into what you can expect from The Game Awards 2025.

What We Know Will Be There

Regal. Inspiring. Thickness. No, not words often used to describe me, but the ones that accompanied Geoff Keighley’s social media post of a mysterious demon-covered monolith that appeared in the Mojave Desert last week. Theories have been flying out as to what it could be teasing, but much of that speculation has been debunked, with Diablo, God of War, and The Elder Scrolls 6 all supposedly not what it relates to. What do you think it is?

regal.inspiring.thickness pic.twitter.com/lY1duUcE1B

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) November 29, 2025

We do know that Resident Evil Requiem will be showing up on the 11th with a new look at the long-running horror series’ latest entry. Arriving early next year, rumours have been circulating ever since its original reveal that Resident Evil 4 hunk, Leon Kennedy, will make an appearance in Requiem. Is now the time for Capcom to confirm his inclusion?

A new playable character will be revealed for Invincible VS, though. The fighting game adaptation of the cult-favourite comic and animated TV show has garnered a lot of attention since its summer reveal, so who do you think this character will be? We’ll also get a good look at Exodus, the upcoming sci-fi action RPG from Archetype Studios, formed by former BioWare developers. With that sort of Mass Effect pedigree behind it, it's certainly one we’re looking forward to seeing a lot more of. We also know that a new Total War game will be revealed by developer Creative Assembly, following the series' 25th anniversary.

And finally, we know that one of the musical performances on Thursday night will be from Evanescence, who will be showcasing their song “Afterlife” from the Netflix adaptation of Devil May Cry. Would I prefer they did “Bring Me to Life” with Nathan Fielder dressed as an airline pilot on backing vocals? Yes, of course, but we can’t have everything in this world.

What Might Be There

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 broke the record for the most nominations of The Game Awards, and looks set to be one of the big winners of the night. Could we see a release date announcement for the upcoming free update that will add a new dungeon, among other treats? Who knows, maybe even a cheeky little shadow drop…

Another announcement we could see from one of the big nominees of the night is a wider console release for Hades 2. Currently only on PC and Switch, could one of 2025’s best games come to PS5 and Xbox?

Fallout Season 2 arrives on Amazon Prime Video on December 17, and given Geoff’s penchant for having stars of the big and small screen on stage at The Game Awards, we wouldn’t be shocked to see some combination of Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins arrive to give us a sneak peek of what’s to come.

Speaking of stars of the big screen, things don’t come much more cinematic than James Bond. 007 First Light is the upcoming action-adventure from Hitman studio IO Interactive, and it's shaping up very nicely, as you can read in my big preview. With it coming out in March 2026, surely we’re due for another hit on the Bond pipe soon. Could a big reveal, such as who the villain will be, or who is performing the game’s theme, be at The Game Awards? The stage certainly seems set for the latter to come with a live performance at the show.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, which is being helmed by Uncharted’s Amy Hennig, moved out of early 2026. The delay may mean that we’ll be waiting a little longer to play Captain America and Black Panther’s WW2 adventure, but is now the time for a full gameplay reveal?

Speaking of Marvel, Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine is due late 2026, and while we’ve had some teases of what it will look like in action, we’d certainly love to see more. As for other PlayStation exclusives, Housemarque’s Saros looks set to follow in the sci-fi shooter footsteps of breakout hit Returnal when it arrives in March. Again, we’d love to see more. And one PlayStation Studios game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, may well be a while off yet — if you think you’re playing this in 2026, keep dreaming — but seeing as it got its big reveal at last year’s Game Awards, it wouldn’t be a stretch to see a bigger look at Naughty Dog’s next project very soon.

On the Xbox side of things, could we finally get a good look at some Fable gameplay? Or maybe see Gears of War: E-Day in action? There’s also Forza Horizon 6 on the way next year, of which we’ve seen nothing but the smallest of teasers. We know it's set in Japan, so we would love to see just how beautiful Playground Games’ depiction of Tokyo is. Plus, let’s face it, driving games can never resist pulling out all of the stops and placing their cover car centre of stage at events like this.

It also wouldn’t be a Geoff Keighley show with a sprinkling of Hideo Kojima into the mix. The Metal Gear Solid creator is up for a few awards thanks to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, but might we also get a look at what is coming up next from him? Xbox horror exclusive OD: Knock continues to be teased as it conjures up unsettling memories of P.T, so we could see more of that. There’s also Physint, his PlayStation espionage action exclusive. That may well be far away at this point, but not beyond the realms of possibility for Kojima to tease further.

Another legendary developer, Ken Levine, continues to work away on Judas. It’s been over 12 years since he last released a game, 2013’s Bioshock Infinite, so who really knows if now is the time to finally give us a launch date for this one. I’m very excited about it, but I won’t let myself get carried away until I have any idea when I’ll actually be able to play it. Something I have already been able to play a little of is Phantom Blade Zero, a quite punishing sword action game from Chinese developer S-Game. It was originally meant to arrive in 2025, but could a release date finally be unveiled on the 11th?

And, finally for now. FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, has been very quiet ever since its initial reveal back in April's Nintendo Direct. Due for 2026 – and seeing Keighley has had several previous Hidetaka Miyazaki-related reveals at The Game Awards in the past – maybe now is the time for an in-depth look at exactly what this co-op action RPG is.

What We Can Dream Will Be There

Well, at least we don’t have to close our eyes and cross our fingers in hope of a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date anymore. But will Team Cherry tease DLC for one of 2025’s best games? Even I won’t go as far as to genuinely suggest that.

Another one of this year’s best games is Donkey Kong Bananza, which served as Nintendo’s big launch window 3D platformer. That may have come as a surprise to some who thought Mario would have that position nailed down. Could we see a new 3D Mario game announced at The Game Awards? It’s admittedly a long shot, but with the new Super Mario Galaxy Movie on the way next Spring, it sure would be nice to have a new game to play alongside it.

What might be more likely is a look at what Cory Barlog has been cooking up at Sony Santa Monica. A new game from the God of War director outside of that universe has been rumoured for a long time now, and it feels like we may be getting closer to seeing what it is. The Game Awards has a pattern of bringing back past winners of the Game of the Year award to tease their next projects. So this gives us a little hope here.

Following on from that train of thought, two recent recipients of the big prize have been Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3. The former’s creator, FromSoftware, may well bring The Duskbloods with them, as mentioned earlier, but what about a new single-player action RPG in the mould of what has made them so well-renowned? Bloodborne 2, anyone? I almost feel bad for mentioning it. As for Baldur’s Gate 3, developer Larian is surely now working on its next game, although seeing as BG3 did take many, many years to make, we won’t be expecting to play this one soon. Could we see a tease of what’s to come, though? Do you think it would be Baldur’s Gate 4 or something altogether different?

Baldur’s Gate’s original developer, BioWare, has its sights set on the stars, as the EA studio returns to the beloved sci-fi RPG series, Mass Effect. Could we be given a glimpse into where the story may be heading next? Or dare we even dream of some Mass Effect 5 gameplay? That may be a little too far, but I do like to dream.

And speaking of dreaming, I can’t not mention Half-Life 3. Rumours have been circulating over recent weeks that the long, long-awaited FPS sequel might actually be in development, with an announcement imminent. Could it actually be at The Game Awards? Geoff Keighley does have a long history with Valve, but these days it operates more like Rockstar does, with outside help rarely called on for its big marketing beats. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see Gordon Freeman pop up on that giant screen, but I won’t believe it until I do.

What would be your dream Game Awards reveal? Let us know in the comments below. Mine, as ever, would be a full Burnout reboot from the original Criterion team, but I may have to admit that I’m not living in 2005 anymore.

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.

Tim Cain, one of the creators of the original Fallout video game, has rejoined Xbox studio Obsidian Entertainment to work on a mystery project.

In a video published on his YouTube channel (which he's used to tell a lot of fun stories about the making of the first Fallout game), Cain said he was now a full-time member of staff at Obsidian, last seen releasing The Outer Worlds 2, Grounded 2, and Avowed. This means he’s not a contractor anymore, and so is not working at other studios, although there is a game set to come out at some point in the future that will have his name on it.

Cain wouldn’t say anything about the project he’s joined Obsidian to work on, and told fans not to even bother guessing what it is.

“I also can’t talk about the project I’m working on at Obsidian, just because that’s covered under NDA,” he said. “Don’t bother guessing. You’re not going to guess right. I would say that I’m probably a lot less retired now than I was before, so that whole video I have on being semi-retired, I guess I’m not.”

Cain last worked at Obsidian as a full-time employee on Pillars of Eternity and The Outer Worlds. He then moved to being a contractor, contributing to The Outer Worlds 2. Obsidian has yet to announce its next project. Last month, Obsidian developers said they were well aware that whenever the studio announces a new game, people ask where Fallout: New Vegas 2 is, but they also love how they’ve been able to create new IP and even release sequels to them.

Fallout Season 2 is set to hit Prime Video this December, and while Bethesda has a new Fallout: New Vegas bundle up its sleeve, there’s no word yet on a Fallout remaster or a Fallout: New Vegas 2 to capitalize on the surge of interest in the franchise. Obsidian is of course the developer of the much-loved 2010 RPG Fallout: New Vegas, so fans often wonder whether it will return to the setting for a sequel, especially given it’s now owned by Bethesda parent company Microsoft.

Obsidian, though, has focused on making brand new games, and it is prolific in doing so. It’s released Grounded (Grounded 2 came out this year), fantasy RPG Avowed (which came out this year), and sci-fi RPG The Outer Worlds (The Outer Worlds 2 came out this year). Pentiment, which came out last year, was another brand new game, although I wouldn’t expect a sequel to that any time soon.

Last month, the Fallout 3 remaster that leaked back in 2023 was said to be still in the works. In response to Bethesda development chief Todd Howard’s recent interview with GQ, in which he talked about The Elder Scrolls 6 still being some way off and “some other things we're doing” in the Fallout franchise, VGC reported that a remaster of Fallout 3 along the same lines as this year’s The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered is among them.

There are all sorts of rumors floating around about potential Fallout remakes, and certainly a growing expectation among fans that Bethesda will turn to its older Fallout video games to keep fans on-side while they wait for The Elder Scrolls 6.

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.

Last month, Avatar writer and director James Cameron set the cat among the pigeons when he revealed he was ready to walk away from the franchise if Avatar: Fire and Ash doesn’t make enough profit to convince Disney to bankroll Avatar 4 and 5.

The special effects-heavy Avatar films cost a huge amount of money to produce, but they have historically made billions of dollars at the box office. Avatar: Fire and Ash, due out in December, is expected to follow suit — and the pressure is on to deliver for Disney so Cameron can realize his vision and release Avatar 4 and 5 over the next six years.

Speaking on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, Cameron admitted he was feeling nervous about Avatar: Fire and Ash’s box office performance, and was mindful of the “forces” working against theatrical releases in 2025.

There’s the potential for “sequelitis,” Cameron noted. "People tend to dismiss sequels unless it’s the third Lord of the Rings film and you want to see what happens to everybody, which in my mind this is — this is the culmination of a story arc, but that may not be how the public sees it.”

And there’s the “one-two punch” of streaming and Covid, which means fewer people are going to the movies — 75% of the number in 2019, Cameron suggested.

When pressed on how much Avatar: Fire and Ash cost to make, Cameron wouldn’t be drawn into divulging a figure, only suggesting it was a lot of money, and so the movie will have to make a lot of money to turn a profit.

“It is one metric f**k ton of money, which means we have to make two metric f**k tons of money to make a profit,” he said. “I have no doubt in my mind that this movie will make money. The question is, does it make enough money to justify doing it again?”

As Netflix confirms plans to buy Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion, the streaming service has said it expects shorter theatrical runs for movies in future "to meet the audience where they are, quicker."

Today's announcement by Netflix that it will acquire the Harry Potter, DC Comics and Game of Thrones owner came with an acknowledgement that it plans to continue releasing Warner Bros.' films theatrically — at least, for now.

Speaking on a just-finished investor call, Netflix boss Ted Sarandos was asked how the company's plans for theatrical releases might change post-merger. And while Sarandos stopped short of confirming any concrete plans, the CEO made clear that he believed shorter theatrical windows were the future — and what consumers wanted.

"We've released about 30 films into theaters this year, so it's not like we have got this opposition to movies into theaters," Sarandos began. "My pushback has been mostly in the fact of the long, exclusive windows that we don't think are that user friendly."

Speaking about HBO's current output, which includes some movies released in theaters, Sarandos said the brand's content "includes a life cycle that starts in the movie theater" for some productions, "which we're going to continue to support."

"I wouldn't look at this as a change in approach for Netflix movies, or for Warner movies for that matter," Sarandos continued. "I think over time the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are, quicker. All those things we'd like to do. But I'd say right now you should count on everything that is planned as going to the theaters through Warner Bros., will continue to go to the theaters through Warner Bros."

Of course, Netflix has also released a small number of its own films in theaters, though wide releases are few and far between. The recent Frankenstein had a limited release, while KPop Demon Hunters got a short theatrical release only after it arrived and became a huge success on Netflix itself first.

"Netflix movies will take the same strategy as they have, which is some of them do have a short run in the theaters beforehand, but our primary goal is to bring first-run movies to our members, because that's what they're looking for," Sarandos confirmed.

"Up until now, this was not our business model," he concluded. "I've said that many times. We're acquiring a business that... it is part of the business model, and we're intending to continue with that."

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Introducing Silent Road, a first-person psychological horror game where you play a taxi driver working the night shift in a forested region of Japan known for an unusually high suicide rate and sights of supernatural phenomena. The further you get into the night, the scarier it gets. It's in development for PC.

Developer Endflame describes Silent Road as such: "What begins as routine work becomes a descent into psychological horror as passengers grow stranger, roads grow colder, and forces beyond the natural world draw closer. Through tense rides and disturbing encounters, you must uncover the mystery that haunts the forest before it consumes you completely." Take a look at the reveal trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.

You'll need to assist passengers with their very unsettling requests, navigate through haunting foggy roads, and uncover the mysteries on the road and beyond it.

Silent Road is due out in 2026. Wishlist it on Steam if you're interested.

Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.

Netflix has confirmed it has entered into a definitive agreement to buy Warner Bros., including its film and television studios, HBO, and HBO Max, in a deal worth $82.7 billion.

In a statement, Netflix said the buyout would be completed in Q3 2026. Post-acquisition, the streamer said that it still expected Warner Bros. movies to continue being released in theaters.

Celebrating its momentous acquisition of Warner Bros.' vast content vault, Netflix said the deal would bring its global reach and streaming capabililties to a century of movies and TV franchises, as well as the studio's biggest ongoing franchises. These notably include the DC Universe which is now being overseen by James Gunn, the Game of Thrones franchise which now has an expanded slate of spin-offs, and Harry Potter, which will soon be rebooted via an ambitious new TV series.

Netflix said it plans to add Warner Bros.' "deep film and TV libraries", as well as its HBO and HBO Max shows, to its own streaming service, which will mean the arrival of series such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory and House of the Dragon alongside countless movies, from Citizen Kane to this year's Superman.

At the same time, Netflix said it would also support theatrical releases for future Warner Bros. movies — but for which titles, and for how long? Today's announcement does not go into detail, and there will undoubtedly be questions on the extent to which Netflix will support Warner Bros.' theatrical output, after previously saying it wouldn't change its long-standing view on theaters versus streaming.

Word that Netflix was now a frontrunner in the race to buy Warner Bros. first emerged earlier this morning, following weeks of speculation around an imminent deal and significant interest from other parties, not least fellow Hollywood studio Paramount.

As yet, no specific mention has been made of Warner Bros.’ video games. The company owns Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm, Batman: Arkham maker Rocksteady, and Hogwarts Legacy studio Avalanche. Next year, Warner Bros. is set to release Traveller's Tales’ Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, while Rocksteady is believed to be back making a new Arkham title. As for Avalanche, following the breakout success of Hogwarts Legacy, a sequel now seems all but assured.

"Our mission has always been to entertain the world," said Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. "By combining Warner Bros.’ incredible library of shows and movies — from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favorites like Harry Potter and Friends — with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling.”

"Today’s announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most,” added David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. "For more than a century, Warner Bros. has thrilled audiences, captured the world’s attention, and shaped our culture. By coming together with Netflix, we will ensure people everywhere will continue to enjoy the world’s most resonant stories for generations to come."

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Fallout TV series star Walton Goggins has said he's not played the franchise's video games and is "not interested" in doing so — because it would upset his method for playing The Ghoul.

Goggins, who also portrays his character's pre-nuclear war counterpart Cooper Howard, told PC Gamer that he wanted to "believe" the show's Wasteland setting was real when going to work — a level of immersion that would be broken by seeing its original video game form.

"No, I haven't sat down to play the games," Goggins said. "And I won't. I won't. I won't play the games. I'm not interested.

"All of a sudden, I'm looking at this world from a very different perspective, and as something on a screen in which I am an avatar in," he reasoned, discussing why he hadn't played any of the Fallout series to date.

"I don't believe that I'm an avatar," he continued. "I believe The Ghoul exists in the world. I believe that Cooper Howard exists in the world. The best way that I can serve this world and serve the fans of this game, I think, is to go to work every single day and believe the circumstances that I'm presented with."

As part of the same interview, Ella Purnell, who plays former Vault-dweller Lucy MacLean, said she had spent some time playing Fallout 4 before shooting the series' first season as it "heightened the enjoyment and the experience" of then going on set and seeing the show's Vault set for real.

Aaron Moten, who plays Brotherhood of Steel soldier Maximus, meanwhile said he wanted to be "done with the work" before playing the games. "And who knows," Moten suggested, "maybe we'll be working on this so long that Bethesda will have a new Fallout number for us to jump into."

Could Fallout's TV series run long enough that the world gets a brand-new Bethesda game to play? It seems unlikely, since Bethesda is still years away from finishing The Elder Scrolls 6, which it intends to launch first. But rumors persist that Bethesda won't wait quite that long to launch something more for Fallout fans to play, with some form of remake expected.

Fallout's second season is set to begin airing from December 17, and will take a "fog of war" approach to how it juggles Fallout: New Vegas' various endings. A third season has already been confirmed, and is expected to begin filming next year.

Image credit: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage via Getty.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Nintendo fans are unhappy about a $30 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond amiibo figurine that lets you turn on your motorbike's radio.

As previously announced, the Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Samus amiibo unlocks a range of in-game features, including an energy shield that blocks 99 damage — limited to one use per day. But fan discussion has now centered on the fact this amiibo also unlocks a jukebox feature for Samus' Vi-O-La motorbike, which allows you to hear other themes from the game.

Amazon has revealed fresh details about the upcoming Prime Video Spider-Man spinoff series, Spider-Noir, and released new posters for the show.

Spider-Noir is a live-action series based on the Marvel comic Spider-Man Noir. It tells the story of Ben Reilly, played by Nicolas Cage, who is described as “an aging and down on his luck private investigator in 1930s New York, who is forced to grapple with his past life as the city’s one and only superhero.”

This is our first official confirmation that Cage is playing Ben Reilly as opposed to Peter Parker. In the Marvel comics, Ben Reilly, also known as Scarlet Spider, is a clone of Peter Parker/Spider-Man initially tasked with fighting him, but he eventually becomes an ally. Created by writer Gerry Conway, the character first appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man #149 (October 1975). Ben Reilly as the Scarlet Spider appears in 2023 animated movie Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, voiced by Andy Samberg.

Amazon said Spider-Noir will be available in both black and white and color, and released new posters, below, reflecting the difference in look audiences can expect.

Expect a release at some point in 2026, debuting domestically in the U.S. on MGM+’s linear channel, then globally on Prime Video the next day in more than 240 countries and territories thereafter.

The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Brendan Gleeson. Guest star cast includes Lukas Haas, Cameron Britton, Cary Christopher, Michael Kostroff, Scott MacArthur, Joe Massingill, Whitney Rice, Amanda Schull, Andrew Caldwell, Amy Aquino, Andrew Robinson, and Kai Caster.

Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) directed and executive produced the first two episodes. Oren Uziel (The Lost City, 22 Jump Street) and Steve Lightfoot (Marvel’s The Punisher, Shantaram) serve as co-showrunners and executive producers. Uziel and Lightfoot developed the series with the team behind Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Amy Pascal.

Speaking of Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third film in the animated trilogy, is currently set for release on June 18, 2027. Daniel Kaluuya, who played Hobart "Hobie" Brown / Spider-Punk in Across the Spider-Verse, is set to play the same character in Beyond the Spider-Verse (he’s also reportedly set to reprise the role in a Spider-Punk animated spinoff).

Marvin Jones III, who voices supervillain Tombstone in Into the Spider-Verse, is also set to reprise his role for Beyond the Spider-Verse. (He’ll play a live-action version of the character in next year’s MCU movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day, too.)

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.

Actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played Shang Tsung in the original Mortal Kombat movie as well as video game Mortal Kombat 11, has died aged 75.

The star of The Last Emperor, Memoirs of a Geisha, and The Man in the High Castle, died Thursday in Santa Barbara due to complications from a stroke, Deadline reported.

Tagawa famously played evil sorcerer Shang Tsung in the 1995 adaptation of the Mortal Kombat video game, becoming an instantly recognizable face for an army of fans. In the movie, Shang Tsung points to a helpless Liu Kang while holding his brother, Chan hostage, and declares: "your brother's soul is mine!" Tagawa would go on to make his 'Your soul is mine!' line an iconic part of Shang Tsung lore, and it has endured in the 30 years since. After the original Mortal Kombat movie, Tagawa went on to play Shang Tsung multiple times, including in 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11, where his voice and physical likeness was used — much to the delight of fans.

As Nintendo finally looks set to acknowledge a certain secret character's presence in Donkey Kong: Bananza, fans are taking the moment as further evidence of upcoming, unannounced Mario Kart World DLC.

As everyone who has completed Donkey Kong: Bananza will know, the game's final boss is King K. Rool (and if you haven't played the game yet, you should, it's great). While he's hinted at numerous times during the game, King K. Rool's reveal is kept as a late surprise — and Nintendo has hidden the crowned reptile from all of its marketing around the game. That is, until now.

Dataminers who have peered into the files of the Nintendo Today smartphone app have spotted that Rool will finally be acknowledged on December 15, when the scaled royal figure is set to star in the software's daily intro animation (as recorded and already visible via the Mario Wiki). And now, fans are putting Rool's reveal together with a certain other event happening in the very near future, along with some previous hints, to suggest we'll be seeing much more of the character very shortly.

Because, of course, next week is The Game Awards on December 11, and Nintendo has used the show to reveal some more minor announcements in the past — though, it has to be said, not for the past few years.

Netflix is reportedly just days away from buying Harry Potter, DC Universe, and HBO Max owner Warner Bros., after entering exclusive deal talks for the company’s studio and streaming assets.

TheWrap said Netflix offered $30 a share as part of the deal, which includes a $5 billion break-up fee. Despite Paramount being Donald Trump’s pick for the acquisition, it seems Warner Bros. has gone with the gargantuan streamer instead. Neither party has commented.

Assuming the deal goes through, Netflix would own everything from rival streamer HBO Max to Warner Bros.’ video games, and spark questions around the future of the DC Universe, its co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, and Warner Bros.’ commitment to theatrical releases for its movies.

Netflix remains steadfast in its streamer-first strategy, which means theatrical releases for its films are few and far between. Guillermo del Toro’s latest, Frankenstein, had a short theatrical run nationwide in October ahead of its November 7 premiere on the streaming platform, and global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters hit theaters after its explosive launch on Netflix. The final episode of Stranger Things Season 5 will drop in theaters simultaneously with its Netflix premiere.

Netflix has indicated it won't change its long-standing view on theaters versus streaming. “There’s no change in the strategy," CEO Ted Sarandos explained of the company’s policy on theatrical distribution during a recent earnings conference. "Our strategy is to give our members exclusive first-run movies on Netflix.” In fact, Sarandos went on to assert that KPop Demon Hunters only became a sensation “because it was released on Netflix first.”

Avatar director James Cameron recently warned against Netflix buying Warner Bros., expressing concern about the fate of theatrical releases if such a deal were to go through. While appearing on the The Town podcast, Cameron said: “Netflix would be a disaster. Sorry, Ted [Sarandos], but geez. Sarandos has gone on the record saying theatrical films are dead. ‘Theatrical is dead. Quote, unquote.’”

Cameron, at least, remains unconvinced that Netflix would truly commit to any meaningful theatrical distribution if it expanded. “It’s sucker bait," he said. "‘We’ll put the movie out for a week or 10 days. We’ll qualify for Oscar consideration.’ See, I think that’s fundamentally rotten to the core.

“A movie should be made as a movie for theatrical, and the Academy Awards mean nothing to me if they don’t mean theatrical. I think they’ve been co-opted, and I think it’s horrific.”

If Netflix does buy Warner Bros., it would potentially see HBO Max absorbed into the streamer, bringing upcoming shows such as House of the Dragon and the new Harry Potter TV series onto Netflix itself.

And what of Warner Bros.’ video games? It has Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm, Batman: Arkham maker Rocksteady, and Hogwarts Legacy studio Avalanche on its books. Next year, Warner Bros. is set to release Traveller's Tales’ Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.

Whatever the future holds, a dramatic change in the entertainment landscape is coming for Warner Bros. and all its IP. What will Netflix do with the DC Universe? Will the big decade-long plan for Superman and friends fall by the wayside as part of a pivot to streaming? Will James Gunn stick around to find out?

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.

Full spoilers follow for Pluribus Episode 6, “HDP,” which is available now on Apple TV.

HDP is people!

OK, most of us figured this out last week in “Got Milk” when Carol (Rhea Seehorn) was investigating what the Joined’s favorite drink actually was made of, culminating in that episode’s closing moment as she gasped like only someone who had just found a stockpile of frozen dead bodies could.

Yeah, a lot of us were off a bit in that it’s actually a stockpile of frozen dead body pieces that Carol unearthed, but all the same, the Joined are definitely pulling a Soylent Green and eating us. Only, because this is Vince Gilligan’s Pluribus, it’s not quite that simple. But it is darkly funny.

Of course – of course – instead of playing this revelation in a protracted, thriller-esque way, Gilligan and his team (this episode was written by Vera Blasi and directed by Gandja Monteiro) pull the rug out from under the viewer pretty quickly and squash their own big twist. “Yeah, no duh, HDP is people,” the show basically says. “You think we haven’t also watched the past 50 years of sci-fi movies!?”

And so enters John Cena. Not just John Cena, but a Joined John Cena. And he’s everything you could hope for. Charming, reasonable, informative… all while explaining the intricacies of why the Joined need “human derived protein,” or HDP – aka human flesh – for sustenance. And Koumba (Samba Schutte) cutting Carol off before she can even reveal her big news about the frozen bodies with a resigned “Is this about them eating people?” isn’t just funny; it’s also our first hint at how out of the loop Carol has been.

The dynamic between these two uninfected is interesting in that we can look at them as polar opposites, obviously: Carol the constant skeptic versus Koumba the willing dupe. But is it that simple? After all, it turns out that Koumba figured out the HDP thing before Carol did, and not just that but he and the other infected (sans Manousos in Paraguay of course) have been talking regularly about the situation, and in particular are concerned about the sudden, unexpected plight that the Joined are in (they’re going to starve eventually). It’s so easy to assume that the other uninfected are suckers just because they haven’t lashed out the way Carol has and because they’re so willing to go with the flow, but then it turns out that Carol in all her obstinance hasn’t really made any significant headway herself in any of this.

And then there’s the fact that the uninfected have purposely kept Carol out of the loop, voting (if not unanimously!) to not include her in their meetings. Koumba has been getting her videos, as presumably all of the others have as well – “they were very dramatic” – but nobody’s responded to them or even acknowledged them before now. It’s hurtful, so much so that Carol needs to take a powder in the bathroom before apparently getting blitzed on champagne and passing out for the night. But the truly sad part comes the next morning when she tells Koumba that she’s going to grab a suite in the hotel, only to register the look on his face: He doesn’t want her there. He’s a nice guy, but he has a life to live with his “lovelies” and there’s no room for Carol at all. “How you say? Check in now and then.”

Meanwhile, what kind of survival instinct do the Joined have if they’re willing to starve rather than eat, like, corn? Their mandate to not even eat plant life is limiting, to say the least. But then again, perhaps it’s the ultimate method of population control. As the human race dies off from hunger, eventually the planet would hit some kind of equalization point where enough, well, fallen apples or what have you could feed the relatively small amount of people left. I guess?

And then there’s Carlos-Manuel Vesga’s Manousos, who – wouldn’t you know it – doesn’t just watch Carol’s first video, but is so moved by it as to finally leave his Omega Man bunker and head out to, presumably, find her. He doesn’t even know that there are 12 other uninfected until he watches the video. This leads to one of the creepiest scenes in Pluribus to date, as Manousos encounters his mother on the street as she emerges from the shadows in the dead of night. It’s not something Carol has had to deal with yet, encountering people she knew in the Before Times, let alone family members. We’ve already established that she’s estranged from her own mother. But then again, that might be something Manousos and Carol have in common as he tells the woman, “You’re not my mother. My mother’s a bitch” before driving into the night.

Disney has been releasing more and more of its classic animated movies in 4K over the past few years. Some of these releases are timed with new live-action versions of the films, like what we saw with Lilo & Stitch this year, and other remastered favorites are now arriving in glorious Ultra HD simply because audiences are asking for them. If you're looking to add a few 4K Disney movies to your personal collection (or buy them as a gift for someone this year), I've rounded up every one you can buy right now.

Animated Disney Movies Available in 4K

Everything that has gotten the live-action treatment has received a 4K re-release. That includes The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Snow White, and Aladdin. Pretty much everything after The Princess and the Frog has also gotten a 4K release as well, so it's mostly the classics that are missing here. There's also the latest 4K release, The Emperor's New Groove, which is getting the treatment for its 25th anniversary.

The most notable exclusion of a 4K re-release, in my opinion, is Tarzan. I still listen to the soundtrack to that movie from time to time and it is just as good as the first time I heard it. Hercules is another suspicious omission, but since a live-action film is on its way in 2027, I'm willing to bet a 4K animated release will follow.

Pixar Movies Available in 4K

A lot more Pixar films are available in 4K than classic Disney movies. Pixar has released 29 movies and 26 of them are available to buy in 4K right now. The three missing films from this list are Toy Story 3, Cars 2 – although you can still technically buy these sequels for a massively marked-up price on Amazon – and Elemental. But Elemental was a Disney Club exclusive and sold out relatively quickly.

If you're hoping to buy a complete Toy Story collection, the good news is that a new movie is coming out and, most likely, a new box set will be released along with it. Toy Story 5 is set to arrive in theaters in June 2026.

What Is the Best Place to Buy 4K Disney Movies?

The overall best place to buy 4K movies is on Amazon. This is simply because it tends to have the largest selection available at any given time. In some cases, new releases, like Inside Out 2, will sell out at Amazon and only be available at other retailers like Walmart and Target.

Can you stream Disney movies in 4K?

If you have a Disney+ Premium subscription, you can stream some Disney movies in 4K on the platform. Not every animated movie is available in 4K on Disney+, but if it has been remastered digitally then there's a good chance you can stream it at that same quality.

Jacob Kienlen is a Senior Audience Development Strategist and Writer for IGN. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, he has considered the Northwest his home for his entire life. With a bachelor's degree in communication and over 8 years of professional writing experience, his expertise is spread across a variety of different pop culture topics -- from TV series to indie games and books.

The stars of HBO's new Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms were on hand at the CCXP convention in São Paulo, Brazil, today to promote the upcoming series. And during the chat, the show's star Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall, aka Dunk, seemed to let loose an interesting bit of George R.R. Martin trivia.

When asked by the panel moderators if he or his young co-star Dexter Sol Ansell (who plays Prince Aegon Targaryen, aka Egg) have gotten to meet the famed author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels. Claffey explained that Martin visited the set during filming, and when he did he told the actor what his favorite story is that he's written.

"It was awesome," said Claffey. "He came in to set that week and we got to talk to him and different things, and he told us that The Hedge Knight is his favorite thing he's ever written."

CCXP25 in Brazil is underway and the first major panel featured a brand-new look at HBO Max’s Game of Thrones spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Aside from dropping a new trailer, several of the new show’s actors were on hand to break down what fans can expect when the series debuts next year.

A journey far from the throne. #AKnightOfTheSevenKingdoms, a new #GOT series from George R.R. Martin, premieres January 18, only on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/eJf3gBPuOR

— HBO Max (@hbomax) December 4, 2025

Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall (also known as Dunk) said that his performance was inspired by Brienne of Tarth, played by Gwendoline Christie in the original series. Dunk was revealed recently by author George R.R. Martin to be Brienne’s ancestor.

When asked whether his performance was inspired by Christie’s portrayal of Brienne, Claffey confirmed that was the case. “I think so, yeah,” Claffey said. “I was a huge fan of the original series and I loved Gwendoline Christie as Brienne. She was amazing and there are a lot of aspects to Dunk's character that she shares.

“She's very chivalrous. She wants to do what's right. She just wants to be a knight, and she has the added complication of trying to be a knight who was a lady in Westeros. So she has a much harder job than Dunk did. But there is definite likeness.”

Is Ser Duncan the Tall Brienne of Tarth's grandfather?

Claffey then turned to his A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms co-star Dexter Sol Ansell - who plays Prince Aeogn Targaryen, also known as “Egg” - and dropped what could either be considered a Westeros family tree bombshell, or maybe just a sarcastic aside.

“Dexter actually got to work with Christie as well,” Claffey said - most likely referring to Ansell and Christie's appearances in 2024's Robin and the Hoods. “You got work with my granddaughter!”

Martin hasn’t specifically said that Brienne of Tarth is Ser Duncan the Tall’s granddaughter. But perhaps we’ll get that answer sooner rather than later when A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms premieres on HBO Max January 18, 2026.

When you're done here, check out how Claffey just revealed George R.R. Martin's favorite A Song of Ice and Fire story.

Michael Peyton is the Senior Editorial Director of Events & Entertainment at IGN, leading entertainment content and coverage of tentpole events including IGN Live, San Diego Comic Con, gamescom, and IGN Fan Fest. He's spent 20 years working in the games and entertainment industry, and his adventures have taken him everywhere from the Oscars to Japan to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Follow him on Bluesky @MichaelPeyton

World of Warcraft's housing feature launched this week for everyone who purchased the upcoming Midnight expansion early. Though the feature is still in its early stages, players (including yours truly) are already losing hours upon hours creating elaborate homes with the decor available. But Horde players in particular are really struggling to contend with one major issue: their house exteriors are ugly.

Okay, that's a little mean. If you play an orc, or are into the orc aesthetics of spikes, flames, haphazard metal plates, and slapdash wooden boards nailed on, the Horde exteriors are fine. The issue is that a lot of the Horde - namely, everyone who doesn't play an orc - generally prefers a less...grungey aesthetic. Alliance players also only get one exterior housing option, but their homes are fairly standard, inoffensive cottages that most people will find tolerable at worst.

Unfortunately for anyone unhappy with what's on offer, until Midnight fully launches, this is it. You can customize your exterior in various ways by changing up roof colors and chimney styles, but it's all in your faction's default aesthetic. Blizzard has promised that Night Elf and Blood Elf exteriors will arrive on Midnight's release, with more options planned for later on. But for now you're stuck with either a cottage or a spike shack one way or another.

Some players, like myself, are just trying to make the best of it with outdoor decorations. Here's my modest hut. You'd never know that inside is a cozy Shaman retreat, complete with a small magical library, a snug kitchen, and a stone altar dedicated in honor of the elements.

The latest Apple iPad just dropped to the lowest price ahead of the holiday season. Amazon is offering the 11th generation Apple iPad, featuring the A16 processor, for just $274.99 with free shipping after a $70 off instant discount. This is the same deal I saw during Black Friday. The price went back up after Cyber Monday, but it's back for a little while longer. Even if you don't need one yourself, these would make awesome gifts for just about anyone (kids included) for Christmas.

Apple iPad 11th Gen for $275 (Originally $349)

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 has confirmed the addition of something no video game has ever had before: a playable Primarch.

In Warhammer 40,000 lore, the Primarchs are genetically engineered, demigod-like warriors created by the Emperor of Mankind to lead the Space Marine Legions. They are immensely superior to other humans, possessing superhuman strength, speed, and intelligence, and each is designed to embody a specific trait or aspect of war, such as a master strategist or a stealth expert.

While Primarchs have appeared in Warhammer 40,000 video games before (Roboute Guilliman, primarch of the Ultramarines, and Mortarion, Daemon Primarch of the Death Guard Chaos Space Marines, have popped up), none has ever been playable in all the years Warhammer 40,000 video games have been around — until now.

Dawn of War 4 developer King Art Games has confirmed Dark Angels Primarch Lion El'Jonson is playable at one point towards the end of the story campaign, co-written by Black Library author John French (Dropsite Massacre, Cypher: Lord of the Fallen). This also confirms the Dark Angels as a second playable chapter of Space Marines in the game alongside Dawn of War veterans the Blood Ravens.

The new story trailer shows the Dark Angels turn up to help the Blood Ravens in the fight against the Orks and Nercons on the war-torn world of Kronus. We get a glimpse of The Lion, with his helmet on, at the end of the trailer.

Here’s the official blurb:

The trailer opens with a look at how the Blood Ravens under Captain Cyrus and Chief Librarian Jonah Orion have arrived in orbit over Kronus at the start of the game. After an intense orbital fight with the Warboss Gorgutz and his Orks, both factions find themselves planetside where Guzcutta — the second Ork Commander — is already waiting.

Elsewhere on Kronus, Technoarcheologist Potentia Delta-9 surveys the planet for its lost knowledge as the Chronomancer Thothmek begins the Necron’s invasion, awakening Kronus’ dormant tombs in their own search for secrets.

The Imperium’s forces are beset on all sides, their last stand losing strength and the lines on the verge of collapse… until, at the crucial moment, it becomes clear they are not alone: the Dark Angels arrive.

The Dark Angels are one of two factions of Space Marines in Dawn of War 4 and are a fully playable faction in all game modes. Here are the key points:

● During the Space Marines campaign, players will undertake missions in command of both the Blood Ravens and the Dark Angels, and they can pick which missions they want to play.

● The Dark Angels have their own, playable Commanders for the Space Marines campaign: Company Master Astoran and Chaplain Ezrael.

● The Dark Angels have their own unique identity and history. As Space Marines, they share core strategies, tactics, wargear, and weaponry, while still maintaining the distinctive flavor and abilities of their Chapter.

● While the Blood Ravens are often engaged in smaller conflicts that require tactical finesse and sometimes involve stealth, the Dark Angels deploy their full might to the biggest battlefields. Precision strikes vs. all-out war.

● As the story saga reaches its breaking point, Lion El’Jonson himself descends onto the battlefield, giving players, for the first time ever, the chance to wield the legendary might of a Space Marine Primarch in a climactic, unforgettable finale.

Ahead of today’s announcement, IGN interviewed Dawn of War 4 director Jan Theysen to find out everything you need to know about Lion El'Jonson’s arrival. Dawn of War 4 is due out on PC at some point in 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.