Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the latest Universes Beyond set for Magic: The Gathering, and it's out this week. If you’re already sold on meeting up with cardboard versions of the Heroes in a Half Shell, their friends, and their foes, then I've got some great news.

Crimson Desert is almost upon us, and we’re now getting a sense of what it is all about and how, exactly, this ambitious open world action adventure works. IGN’s recent Crimson Desert preview, for example, is packed with fresh details, and we even have a big interview with one of the developers. But one talking point that has emerged over the last day is Crimson Desert’s ‘fast forward’ button, which lets you speed through dialogue — and it turns out there are plenty of people who have a lot to say about it.

X / Twitter user Jake Lucky posted footage of fast forward in action, showing how it speeds up dialogue in cutscenes in a tweet viewed over 1.1 million times. “One of the features I really liked in Crimson Desert is you can fast forward through dialogue while still being able to understand the context, it's not a jump skip, but a time save,” Lucky said.

One of the features I really liked in Crimson Desert is you can fast forward through dialogue while still being able to understand the context, it's not a jump skip, but a time save pic.twitter.com/g3KiQVUxEE

— Jake Lucky 🔜 GDC (@JakeSucky) March 4, 2026

Some reacted negatively to the feature. “You're... playing an RPG, but you're happy you can skip dialogue?” said one person. “I'd like to play an FPS, but can we have a button that lets me skip the shooting?”

“Hey when you only got five hours to play it sure is nice, plus not every dialogue was something I needed the full story on (like rescuing a cat off a roof),” Lucky responded. “To each their own.”

Negative comments kept on coming, however. “Skipping dialogue in an RPG is kinda crazy, imo,” said another. “Unless it's a second playthrough.”

“If you need to ‘time save’ it means you're not really liking what you're playing....” another said.

However, there are some who are praising the feature, and highlighting other games have had similar features.

“People keep making fun of this. But I’ve played the game,” Swany Plays Games said. “When you die to a boss or need to reload a save, or want to do a second playthough. It’s nice to be able to skip dialogue…

“It isn’t ‘TikTok’ brain. When you have a game this big, you see a ton of repetitive cutscenes. You don’t need to watch the dialogue for a cutscene you’ve already seen seven times (for example turning in a bounty). I actually wish they had a skip button and not just fast forward. Having the option to skip or fast forward isn’t a bad thing.”

The mention of Crimson Desert as an RPG rekindles memories of a recent debate over how the game should be categorized. Let’s start with developer Pearl Abyss’ official description of its own game:

Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure game set in the beautiful yet brutal continent of Pywel. Embark on a journey as the Greymane Kliff and restore what has been lost. Explore uncharted lands, fight against threats that stand in your way, and discover the wonders the world has in store.

Pearl Abyss does not call Crimson Desert an RPG here. It’s an “open-world action-adventure” game. Will Powers, director of marketing at Pearl Abyss America, recently told fans not to expect RPG elements in terms of decision-making and choice and consequence as it relates to your character in Crimson Desert. The sheer amount of things to do in the world will facilitate the role-playing part of the game instead, which players will form through “head canon.”

“You choose the type of character you want to play as in terms of your progression within the systems in the game,” Powers explained. “And then through head canon you’re having this very different experience than other players because of the scope and scale of the game. You’ll be distracted by something, you’ll go on this quest line, you’ll have an experience that’ll be radically different than someone else, even though they’re playing the same game and the same canonical storyline that you both are going through.”

And after the debate over whether Crimson Desert is an RPG or not went big online, Powers himself explained why Pearl Abyss doesn’t want to call it an RPG, even though it’s perfectly happy for fans to do so.

“Open world questing and action sandbox for sure,” Powers tweeted. Then, in response to someone who said it should be made clear that Crimson Desert is not an RPG to avoid mismanaged expectations, Powers said: “honestly.... it's not my place to dictate someone else's experience. If because of good amount of RPG elements in the game, they want to call it an RPG... Sure. I'm just explaining why WE don't call it one.”

We’ve got plenty more on Crimson Desert, including Powers’ reaction to people who have accused Pearl Abyss of “hiding” console footage. Crimson Desert is due out March 19 priced $69.99. Pearl Abyss recently confirmed it does not contain a cosmetic cash shop nor microtransactions of any kind.

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.

If 2025 felt busy, 2026 is already shaping up to be a big year for the Pokémon TCG with the expansions it’s got coming up.

The Pokémon Trading Card Game is charging into its 30th anniversary year with the rest of the Pocket Monsters franchise, with a renewed focus on Mega Evolution, anniversary celebrations, and tightly curated sets designed to keep both collectors and competitive players fully locked in.

While the full year’s roadmap hasn’t been revealed yet, three major products are already confirmed, and they give us a very clear idea of what kind of year we’re in for.

Here’s everything we know so far about the confirmed Pokémon TCG releases for 2026, including when they launch, what makes them special, and where you can actually buy them right now.

Deal Alert: Perfect Order Booster Bundles Discount at Amazon

Mega Evolution: Perfect Order – March 27, 2026

If Ascended Heroes has set setting the foundation of what the Mega Evolution's expansions are going to look like, Perfect Order is certianly kicking things up a notch.

Arriving on March 27, 2026, the next expansion is going to be honing in on many of the Pokémon featured in the Legends: Z-A game.

Among the cards announced from the 120-card set so far, we know we’re going to be seeing many of the game’s starring Mega Pokémon; Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Mega Clefable ex; but also some surprising extra additions like Meowth ex.

If you're looking to secure the goods, your best bet is either TCGplayer or Amazon right now. Prices are rapidly dropping for ETBs at TCGplayer, while preorders for Booster Bundles are now live at Amazon, and they're listed for way under market price right now.

While the Booster Bundle deal I mentioned eariler is not quite as good a value as picking up the Booster Box at TCGplayer right now, including 36 packs for $228.80 market price (working out at $6.35 per pack), it's still a great deal for anyone who hasn't got a spare $200 to throw around, but still wants to get involved with the new set.

Funnily enough, while ETBs continue to drop in price, the booster box is actually on the rise, jumping from around $200 just last week to almost $230 now.

First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 1) – March 20, 2026

The International version is designed as a celebration of the bonds between Trainers and their First Partner. Each collection includes 1 Promo Booster Pack, where you can pull three of nine illustration rare-style promo cards.

Each of these cards feature stunning illustrations of beloved first partner Pokémon. You’ve got your classic Kanto friends - Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charmander. Then, we jump forward a few generations to Sinnoh, with Turtwig, Pipulp and Chimchar. Last, but certainly not least, we find ourselves in Alola with Rowlet, Popplio and Litten.

Available imagery seems to show the packs being a mixture of one Phantasmal Flames and two Mega Evolution, but we like to warn that the contents may always differ from unit to unit.

The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection can be bought now at Amazon for around $39, or from around $25-30 on TCGplayer at current market rates.

The Pokémon Company started releasing annual holiday calendars back in 2022, inspired by the Pokémon Countdown Calendar from 2008.

These products are surprisingly good value in the current TCG market, as well as for casual fans of the series in other forms. You can see the listing here at Amazon or scroll on for more details.

The 2025 Pokémon Holiday Calendar released on August 22 and initially retailed for $49.99 at Target before quicklly selling out. It's now available at Walmart for a pricier $64.99 or at Amazon for $69.

Black Bolt and White Flare - Released Jul. 18, 2025

Pokemon Pokopia is out now, and I loved it. I gave it a 9/10 for IGN, and one of the things I praised most highly about it was its story and the ways in which it leverages nostalgia for emotional impact. In the review, I didn't talk much about the specifics of that story, because I didn't want to spoil it for anyone.

But Pokopia has been released, and I have been unleashed. I need to tell someone about this story, because it's kind of unhinged! Pokopia, despite having a cute and wobbly exterior, is hiding (not very subtly) an extremely grim story, one of the darkest in the Pokemon universe so far. So if you're prepared to delve deep, deep into spoiler territory with me, get ready. We're gonna discuss Pokopia's full plot and ending and why it has massive implications for the franchise.

WARNING! I AM HOLDING NOTHING BACK. This article delves into full spoilers for the entirety of Pokemon Pokopia's story! Do not read unless you either do not care about spoilers, or have already finished the game! I'm SERIOUS!!!

By the time you roll credits on Pokemon Pokopia, you've likely sorted out the basic thrust of the storyline: humanity is gone. Entirely. As documented in the Hacker's Confessions, the Team R Grunt's journal, Someone's journal, and the Professor's diary entries, the Pokemon world is an empty ruin in Pokopia because of a massive climate disaster that seemingly affected everything: every region, every continent, everywhere. A group of scientists saw that disaster coming, and began making preparations to evacuate humanity...to space. And it sounds like they were successful. So yeah, every human who lived in the Pokemon world was sent to space sometime before the events of Pokopia, or else they likely perished in the flooding, drought, volcanos, and other mass devastation.

Meanwhile, most Pokemon were placed inside a computer system to effectively hibernate until the humans could come back and salvage the planet. And the intention was for humanity to come back. Except...there is a lot of evidence to suggest that it's actually been hundreds of years since they left. Hacker's Confessions #6 suggests that "even a slight deviation" from the plan could leave humans stranded in space for hundreds of years, saying that they built a failsafe so that if that happens, the system storing the Pokemon on the planet would "release the Pokemon most suited to those environments." Which seems to be exactly what's happening in Pokopia, as Professor Tangrowth explains up front that he hasn't seen a single human or Pokemon for ages, but all of a sudden they're appearing everywhere. Of course, Ditto is the first one to show up - as a Ditto, it's the best suited to every environment.

The "hundreds of years" theory is further supported by Someone's Journal #4, which documents the steady, unexplained rising of the ground in Saffron City into the air. It says that some scientists believe that "in a matter of centuries this area will be as high as a mountain, in terms of elevation." By the time we make it there as Ditto, those cities are the Sparkling Skylands, even higher than the mountains. Again suggesting multiple centuries have passed since humans left. That doesn't even get into how deep down the Pewter City museum is buried, or how long it would take for nature to overgrow Fuchsia City the way it has by the time we show up.

Assuming that's true, then something has gone wrong with humanity's evacuation plan, leaving them unable to easily return to the planet in a timely manner. At the end of the credit roll, we see the rocket manage to reach one human out in space, alone, and the Ditto plush in the window suggests it might be the player character Ditto's trainer. But that's impossible if hundreds of years have gone by. And it's unclear if this person is alone, has any ability to get back to the planet at all, or even understands the implications of the rocket reaching them. Multiple notes we pick up imply that any number of things could go wrong and leave humans stranded in space, never to return, and given that they didn't make it back in the appointed time, it's fair to assume something happened to prevent them.

What's even sadder is that Ditto, Professor Tangrowth, and their pals know none of this. They can't read. The notes we find are for the benefit of the players, but the Pokemon planet-side will just go on believing that humanity can come back one day if they just make the world nice enough. And, if you needed another reminder, this disaster has apparently impacted the entire world. Not just Kanto, but every region. So that leaves a world full of Pokemon, awkwardly mimicking the lives of humans as best as they can remember them, hoping for a reunion that may never happen.

Pokemon Pokopia is indeed about a Pokemon Utopia - an idealistic world where only Pokemon exist and are allowed to thrive. There's plenty here to meditate on, such as whether or not the climate disaster in Pokopia was caused by humans, or if the Pokemon will ultimately be better off without them. Some certainly seem to be happy they're gone (Mewtwo), some are fairly indifferent (Kyogre), while others, like Garbordor, actually thrive off of having humans around. And of course you have folks like Ditto who miss their human partners, and do not realize those human partners are almost certainly deceased by now. Pokopia is grim, guys. I cannot believe they let developer Omega Force get away with this!

This, of course, leads to plenty of questions about what this means for the larger Pokemon universe. Is Pokopia even canon? When does it take place? Is it in some kind of alternate universe, like the ones posited in games like OmegaRuby/AlphaSapphire? Is the Kanto region of Red, Blue, and Yellow inevitably headed for future destruction? Because look, if Pokopia is canon... humans are extinct. There is a version of the Pokemon universe where humanity took off and left Pokemon behind to take over. What does that mean for the world? Are there other universes where this didn't happen? Did...did humans take some of the Pokemon with them and colonize other planets?

We will likely never get the answers to any of these questions, as Pokemon games have a habit of dropping lore bombshells like this and then never really resolving them, though Pokemon Legends: Z-A did recently wrap up at least one loose thread from Legends: Arceus that really nagged at me. It also seems like Pokopia's devs are up for at least some ongoing support of the game, so maybe we'll get a final chapter at some later date.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go cry over the final cutscene for the 17th time. Ditto, buddy, I'm so sorry.

Wondering which Pokemon you'll be able to live alongside? Check out our list of all the Pokemon in Pokopia, and take a look at our Things to Do First in Pokopia guide to make the most of your first few days. To help you get started, we've also got a list of 17 things that Pokopia doesn't tell you, plus How to Raise the Environment Level and How to Raise Pokemon Comfort Level.

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

The current CEO of Build A Rocket Boy, Mark Gerhard, has announced further layoffs at the struggling UK development studio following the disastrous release of MindsEye, while doubling down on “organised espionage and corporate sabotage” claims.

In July last year, IGN reported that Edinburgh-based BARB had issued at-risk of redundancy emails to its around 300-strong UK workforce after MindsEye flopped at release. Soon after MindsEye came out, BARB said it was “heartbroken” over the issues players had faced with the game, and promised to release a series of patches to fix the significant performance problems, glitches, and AI behavior bugs.

Story-driven action adventure game MindsEye was initially designed to be a part of Everywhere, the ‘Roblox for adults’ creation platform led by former Grand Theft Auto design chief Leslie Benzies. BARB eventually switched to focus on MindsEye, but it has so-far failed to do the business for the company.

Back in July, Benzies told staff that the studio would bounce back and relaunch MindsEye, blaming its struggles on internal and external saboteurs, among other things. Now, in announcing even more layoffs are on the way, CEO Mark Gerhard said the studio had been investigating what he called “criminal activity” that took place around the launch of the game. Apparently that has resulted in “overwhelming evidence” of “organized espionage and corporate sabotage” affecting MindsEye. Gerhard did not share details because, as he put it, “this matter is moving toward prosecution.”

The layoffs announcement was made on Build A Rocket Boy’s LinkedIn page, and the comments from various people in the development community are critical of Gerhard’s statement, with one person calling it “incredibly rude,” and another “delusional.”

In January, Gerhard accused YouTuber Cyber Boi of “media manipulation, espionage, [and] sabotage,” and of “interference targeting” Build a Rocket Boy, as part of a cease and desist demand posted to the MindsEye Discord.

"It is profoundly disappointing to learn that certain BARB employees continue to leak confidential information to you, thereby betraying their colleagues, our studio, and the broader community we serve," Gerhard said.

"This letter serves as a formal cease and desist demand: You must immediately stop all activities related to receiving, disseminating, or otherwise utilizing any confidential information from BARB, as well as any further involvement in media manipulation, espionage, sabotage, or interference targeting our organization. Failure to comply will result in escalated legal action.

"Rest assured, you and your associates involved in this media manipulation cabal will be served with legal papers imminently, as BARB proceeds with complaints alleging criminal espionage, sabotage, and interference.

"You are all in very serious trouble."

Gerhard had hit the headlines ahead of MindsEye's launch for claiming there was a "concerted effort" by some to "trash the game and the studio," suggesting people were being paid or using spam bots to post negative comments. The boss of publisher IO Interactive, which makes the Hitman games, subsequently issued a denial.

Earlier this year, BARB said Benzies was on “well-earned temporary leave." A company spokesman told The Times: “He is simply taking a short, planned break following an intense period of work and will return shortly."

Gerhard, who had been BARB's co-chief executive, told staff at the time that Benzies was on “well-earned temporary leave to recharge after more than a year of working round the clock."

“He has our deepest gratitude and, with the leadership team and your support, I will guide us forward,” he added. Gerhard signed the email as “CEO.”

As for MindsEye itself, it’s still struggling for players despite a number of updates. At the time of this article’s publication, just 11 were playing the game on Steam, with a 24-hour peak concurrent player count of just 39.

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.

If you're looking for Blox Fruits codes, IGN has what you need! In this article, you'll find all the latest and working Blox Fruits codes in March 2026 that you can redeem for free rewards and bonuses, including 2x EXP for a set time, a title, and stat resets.

Active and Working Blox Fruits Codes (March 2026)

Below, you'll find all the active and working Blox Fruits codes that give you additional XP and the rewards you get for redeeming them:

• LIGHTNINGABUSE: - 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• KITT_RESET: 1x Stat Refund
• Sub2UncleKizaru: 1x Stat Refund
• SUB2GAMERROBOT_RESET1: 1x Stat Refund
• fudd10_v2: $2
• Fudd10: $1
• Chandler: $0
• Bignews: "Big News" in-game title (speak to The Title Specialist under the Cafe in the Second Sea)
• SUB2GAMERROBOT_EXP1: 2x EXP for 30 minutes
• Sub2Fer999: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• TantaiGaming: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• kittgaming: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Enyu_is_Pro: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Sub2CaptainMaui: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Magicbus: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Sub2OfficialNoobie: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• TheGreatAce: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• JCWK: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Bluxxy: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Axiore: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Starcodeheo: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• StrawHatMaine: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Sub2Daigrock: 2x EXP for 20 minutes
• Sub2NoobMaster123: 2x EXP for 15 minutes

How to Redeem Blox Fruits Codes in Roblox

To redeem Blox Fruits codes and get free rewards in Roblox, follow the steps below:

1. Open the Blox Fruits Roblox experience.
2. Click on the blue gift icon on the left-hand side above the Compass to open the Reward Codes menu.
3. Copy the code from this article and enter the code in the "Enter code here" box.
4. Double check it's inputted correctly and then click "Redeem!" to redeem the code.

Expired Blox Fruits Codes

Here are all the expired Blox Fruits codes that are no longer working and can no longer be redeemed:

• 1LOSTADMIN
• GIFTING_HOURS
• ADMINFIGHT
• BANEXPLOIT
• NOMOREHACK
• FIGHT4FRUIT
• WildDares
• BossBuild
• GetPranked
• EARN_FRUITS
• NOEXPLOITER
• DEVSCOOKING
• REWARDFUN
• ADMIN_STRENGTH
• THIRDSEA
• JULYUPDATE_RESET

Why Isn't My Blox Fruits Code Working?

If the Blox Fruits code you're trying to input isn't working, it's likely due to one of two potential reasons:

• There's a typo in the Blox Fruits code.
• The Blox Fruits code is expired.

When entering a code into Blox Fruits, ensure it's spelled correctly (for example, capital O and not 0 and vice versa) and that there are no accidental spaces before or after the code. The best way to ensure there are no errors is to copy and paste directly from our article.

If the code still isn't working, then it is probably expired and no longer working.

What is Blox Fruits in Roblox?

Blox Fruits is a Roblox experience inspired by the popular pirate anime One Piece, and is available on PC, console, and mobile devices. In it, you sail the seas as either a Marine or a Pirate to undertake various quests and find Blox Fruits that give you supernatural powers.

Meg Koepp is a Guides Editor on the IGN Guides team, with a focus on trends. When she's not working, you can find her adventuring around Eorzea in Final Fantasy XIV or making miniatures.

All eight episodes of Ted Season 2 debut on March 5 on Peacock.

As soon as Ted Season 2 starts you know you're on familiar ground, with phone sex lines and sperm-soiled tissues. The Bennett family might have had their emotional moments in the first season, but there's nothing like chronic masturbation to signal that the writers haven't gone entirely sentimental. The eight episodes whisk you through chronic teenage libido, marital shenanigans, fantasy roleplay, Bill Clinton, and the psychosexual terror of seeing little Ted running at top speed while sporting a bouncing, purple strap-on.

Max Burkholder, who plays John, is still the hormonal heart of the show. It's a rare actor who can play a teen boy who talks about jerking off constantly and is still ultimately loveable, but Burkholder has that superpower. Even when he's being at his most leg-humpingly horny, he's still ultimately a good guy. The character of Susan breaks out of her mom shell with Alanna Ubach delivering medium-rare middle-aged messiness without overdoing the cringe. Despite my best efforts, even Scott Grimes is winning me over with his portrayal of Matty Bennett, a man I would deliberately sprain an ankle to avoid seeing at a family wedding. I did and still do love Giorgia Whigham as Blaire Bennett, who continues to be the sarcastic voice of reason when one is required. Ted is Ted, and I should probably be worried about how normal a talking teddy bear seems to me now, but have you seen 2026 so far? Talking stuffed animals who smoke weed are the least of our worries.

Some of the jokes are starting to feel a bit repetitive, the novelty of a cute bear who cusses isn't quite what it once was after two movies and a season of a TV, and Ted is never one to miss out on the chance for a cheap laugh, but there are enough new story threads to pull you through any scenes that don't provoke a chuckle or two. I still enjoy a crass sex joke with the best of them, but I want to be surprised.

This season has range too, with single episodes swinging between light and heavy subject matter, juxtaposing a super-serious emotional moment with, say, Ted having a tube of Rolos shoved up his back alley. The first season didn't shy away from more difficult topics - the Christmas episode "Loud Night" was beautifully done - but this time around it feels like the writers had the comedic confidence to take on even weightier topics. The show might be based in the ’90s, but for better or worse a lot of the hot topics remain just as spicy today. It pays off too as the Bennetts feel more rounded, more like a real family, without it ever feeling like you've accidentally switched over to an after-school special.

On the lighter side, the absolute stand out is Episode 3, "Dungeons & Dealers." A loving poke at the world of Dungeons & Dragons, it sees the Bennett clan transported into a fantasy land as a mage, a fighter, a cleric, a thief and a bard. The segment takes its source material just seriously enough to be affectionate, but not strictly enough to feel like being stuck with your 15-year-old nephew who is compelled to give a lecture on the dual spellcasting controversy. It's got it all: taverns, riddles, a surprising use for urine. Burkholder is a genuine Dungeons & Dragons fan, as is episode writer Chelsea Davison, and it shows.

John is 18 years old in this series and graduates by the end, and it's hard to imagine the show being able to continue the careful balancing act between warm and fuzzy feelings and small and fuzzy bears who make jokes about jizz now that the kid isn’t really a kid and is out of school, facing the crushing but ultimately mundane routines of adulthood. That said, I'm absolutely ready to be proved wrong with a Season 3. The Bennetts have earned it.

Amazon just launched a Lightning deal that drops the price of the Hasbro Transformers Studio Series Revenge of The Fallen 3-Pack Converting Action Figure Set down to $69.49 with free shipping. It's currently selling for $125 everywhere else, including on Hasbro Pulse. At the time of this post, Amazon lists the set as 50% sold out, so you may want to hurry.

Transformers Studio Series Converting Action Figures

In 2025, AndaSeat released its most affordable gaming chair - the Andaseat Novis. The Novis looks and feels very much like a premium gaming chair but stripped down of any non-essential features. It's certainly comfortable enough to game on for hours on end. As part of its Spring Sale, Andaseat has dropped the price down from $250 to $219. Stack it with the 10% off coupon code "AndaIGN" and the final price ends up being $197.10. AndaSeat isn't as big of a name in the congested gaming chair market, but it does make high-quality gaming chairs. The Novis was well-reviewed by PCMag.

Andaseat Novis Gaming Chair for $197.10

Use 10% off code: AndaIGN

The Bride! is in theaters on March 6.

Frankenstein's lightning-streaked bride has been an enduring image on screen ever since James Whale, the director of the original 1931 Frankenstein film, committed her to celluloid in his campy 1935 sequel, Bride of Frankenstein. Whale's follow-up latched onto a subplot of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, involving the Creature's demand for a female companion, and it became not just a commercial hit but an enduring commentary on gender and sexuality. 90 years later, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! brings her back to life through a contemporary feminist lens, paying homage to both the Depression-Era classic and Shelley's 1818 novel. Yet as much as the actor-turned-filmmaker reassembles this Gothic horror story with themes of consent, gender violence and female agency, her movie manifesto is garishly stitched together.

As with Bride of Frankenstein, the film uses Mary Shelley as a framing device and casts Jessie Buckley in the dual role of the British author and the eponymous monster just as actress Elsa Lanchester did before her. But where the Bride arrives towards the end of that film, here she takes centre stage, and Buckley proves a formidable force. In shadowy, black-and-white close-up, she first appears as Mary, looming over proceedings like a devilish, rage-filled spectre seeking to course-correct "the paucity of a stifled mind" by continuing her creation story through a female subject. It's pretty bold of Gyllenhaal to have a fictionalised Shelley ridicule her own work and her own mind, but I guess she wouldn't be the first filmmaker to play fast and loose with the legacy of a British female author.

The film's Mary takes brutal possession of Ida (Buckley), an American woman living a hedonistic life, drinking and cavorting with gangsters in a Chicago speakeasy of 1936. Buckley lurches schizophrenically between the competing female minds, raving in Mary's clipped English vernacular and throwing drunken accusations at a mob boss called Lupino (Zlatko Burić), which leads to her inevitable downfall.

In comes Christian Bale's Frank, the 100-year-old Frankenstein's Monster of legend, in search of female companionship to combat his loneliness. He meets Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening), a scientist based on Bride of Frankenstein's Dr. Pretorious, whose gender swap from antagonistic "Father of creation" to quirky "Mother of creation" is barely drawn out beyond the blunt humour in her questioning of Frank and his carnal intentions for his mate. Still, she's "mad" enough to accept his commission, and once Ida is reanimated, the plot becomes an erratic mash-up of Bonnie & Clyde, Joker: Folie à Deux and Poor Things.

The Bride and Frank have an oddball dynamic; she's the black cat to his golden retriever energy, which offers some comedic charm. Suffering from amnesia, she's sceptical of his claim to her, knocks glass receptacles from tables when she doesn't get her way, and gets frisky at a "deprivation" disco. All the while, he gazes on adoringly; ready to smash some skulls if any gents get overfamiliar – which they do. Attempted rape as a plot device feels pretty hackneyed at this point, but given the overarching themes, it's unsurprising, albeit tedious. It's the violent catalyst for the two monsters to go on the run, murdering (sometimes accidentally) their way from the Midwest to the East Coast and back as a litany of subplots and side characters overwhelm the story.

The Bride's past relationship with crooked detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) is lazily shoe-horned in through late-stage exposition, while his more capable secretary and wannabe detective Myrna Mallow (Penelope Cruz) becomes a "woman vs the patriarchal workforce" trope. As The Bride starts to remember snippets from her life, her incoherent ramblings suddenly make her the unwitting poster child for female liberation. Cue spinning newspaper headlines saying "GIRLS RRRIOT" and ladies rocking ink-splotted lips and wild hair as they start pelvic-thrusting on car bonnets. It's a somewhat juvenile distraction from the emotional core of this story about a woman defining her identity on her own terms.

Frank's almost homoerotic affection for his favourite movie star, Ronnie Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal), fuels the monster's misguided romanticised ideals, but the script falls short of delving any deeper into the queer themes laced into the very Frankenstein films The Bride! takes major inspiration from.

Gyllenhaal clearly has an affection for that cinematic age and uses her modern lens to explicitly show scenes of sex, desire, violence and gore that would've never made it past the Hays Code censors back in the day. She also heightens the monstrous romance with a few manic dance sequences and hallucinatory movie scenes set against Karen Murphy's captivating steampunk Depression-era sets, with Sandy Powell's rebellious costuming marrying punk rock with classic ’30s styling. It's a gritty yet grandiose world, with impressively monstrous hair and make-up design, but the choreography and cinematography don't quite capture the swing time magic the film references, and coupled with the score, things hit more of an awkward rock-opera note than truly raging against the patriarchal machine.

The Bride! is guilty of overindulging in feminist buzzwords and girl power imagery; it even has Buckley's Bride jarringly screaming "Me too! Me too!" in the final act. But it never lives up to the radical display of female autonomy it promised. And therein lies the real tragedy.

Looking for a powerful ebike with the speed and range to meet your ambitious needs? Nowadays you can find a decent ebike for well under $500 if you know where to look (hint: it's not necessarly Amazon). For a limited time, AliExpress is offering the UrLife E20 750W 48V Electric Bike for a super low price of $288.36 after you apply $35 off coupon code "35USAFFS". The exact same bike currently sells for $470 ($360 plus $90 shipping) on Amazon.

The AliExpress marketplace seller "urlifeglobal" is the official manufacturer of these scooters and has plenty of reviews and sales to back up its reputation. Since they've already been shipped from overseas, any tariffs have already been paid for and you also don't need to worry about egregiously long shipping times.

UrLife E20 750W (1,000W Peak) 48V Electric Bike for $288

Lenovo is offering a great deal on an ultra-portable productivity laptop that can also do some light gaming. The Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 16" laptop, equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 5 CPU and RTX 5050 GPU, has dropped to $749.99 after you apply coupon code "LENOVOLOVE2". That's 50% off the original retail price and also includes free delivery.

3.8lb Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 16" Ultra-Portable Laptop for $750

For the first time in years, Apple has introduced a new MacBook in its laptop lineup. It’s the MacBook Neo, a colorful, lower-power computer that runs on the A18 Pro chip. It’s the cheapest MacBook on the market, with a starting price of $599. Apple is pitching it to students and people who mostly use their computers for non-demanding tasks like email, web browsing, and media streaming. MacBook Neo is available for preorder now starting at $599 (see it at Amazon) with four different color options. It ships starting March 11.

Preorder MacBook Neo

In lieu of a polished livestream of a heavily produced, pre-recorded announcement of new stuff, Apple spread out a series of announcements across three days of press releases that culminated in small, invite-only events in a few different cities this week. The biggest news from all of that: The company rolled out its first new Mac laptop product line for the first time since 2015’s plain MacBook. The MacBook Neo is a $599 laptop that comes in multiple vibrant colors and is powered by the chipset of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. It’s also one of the cheapest machines the company has ever released and it’s landed with impeccable timing, given the supply chain that feeds all of our tech is being gobbled up to feed the great AI beast.

We’ll get into the Neo, but that’s not everything Apple announced this week. We also saw new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros, the iPhone 17e, an M4-equipped iPad Air, and two new displays from the Cupertino Crusher. (I’m sorry, that’s a terrible nickname.) You won’t find a powerful new gaming laptop here, nor will the MacBook Neo make our list of budget gaming laptops, although that’s not necessarily for lack of oomph. The new MacBook Pros will be plenty powerful; it’s just that the industry, broadly, still doesn’t make games for Macs.

Lanterns is one of the big shows that will be part of the first phase of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DCU (which is officially called Gods and Monsters: Chapter One), and it’s being described as a detective drama that’s inspired by shows like True Detective and Slow Horses. That much is plainly apparent in the recently released Lanterns teaser trailer.

The series, which stars Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, is slated to debut on HBO Max in August 2026. We may still have a few months to wait, but we are starting to learn a lot more about the series and who else will be part of the show.

Let’s break down all the main cast and characters you need to know about so you’ll be ready for this adventure filled with Green Lanterns and more.

Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan

According to HBO, Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights, Godzilla vs. Kong) will take on the role of the “Lantern legend” known as Hal Jordan. He will work alongside John Stewart as an intergalactic cop, and the pair will be drawn into a “dark, earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

The teaser trailer establishes Hal as a very gruff mentor to John, one who's unafraid to throw his young charge in the line of fire if it means he'll learn on the job. Hal also seems to have no trouble playing the bad cop, as evidenced by him roughing up a suspect in interrogation and pulling out his ring.

We also catch a glimpse of Hal's rugged Green Lantern uniform in the trailer, one quite a bit different from the CG costume of the 2011 movie:

Hal Jordan was created by John Broome and Gil Kane and first appeared in Showcase #22 in October 1959.

Aaron Pierre as John Stewart

Aaron Pierre (Mufasa, Rebel Ridge) is John Stewart, a new recruit of the intergalactic cops known as the Lanterns. Stewart will team up with Chandler’s Hal Jordan in an effort to solve a murder that happened on Earth.

As the trailer reveals, John is still very much a rookie, having only been training under Hal for a couple of months. Hal tells his new partner, "Don't get hung up on the jewelry, junior. You're just a f****** substitute teacher. You aren't ready to get up in front of the class until the ring says you are." He then promptly throws himself out of their car, leaving John to literally fly or die. A dysfunctional relationship, to say the least.

We see John carrying his Lantern in one shot of the trailer, suggesting he will eventually have cause to use the new tools of his trade.

John Stewart was created by Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams and first appeared in Green Lantern #87 in December 1971.

Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner

After making his debut in James Gunn’s Superman and briefly appearing in Peacemaker Season 2, Nathan Fillion (Firefly, Castle) will return as Guy Gardner in Lanterns.

"He's a jerk,” Fillion said of his character to TV Guide. “What's important to know is, you don't have to be good to be a Green Lantern; you just have to be fearless. So Guy Gardner is fearless, and he is not very good. He's not nice, which is very freeing as an actor because you just think to yourself, what is the most selfish, self-serving thing I can do in this moment? And that's the answer.

"I think if he has a superpower, it might be his overconfidence, in that he thinks he could take on Superman. He can't!"

Guy Gardner has been around since 1968, as he was created by John Broome and Gil Kane and first appeared in comics in Green Lantern Vol. 2 #59.

Kelly MacDonald as Sheriff Kerry

Via Variety, Kelly MacDonald (Brave, No Country for Old Men) has joined the cast of Lanterns as Sheriff Kerry, a “non-nonsense woman deeply devoted to her family and close-knit town. Her resilience, shaped by a complex past that’s hardened her resolve, anchors her when the community’s secrets begin to surface.”

Kerry may be a love interest of Hal, but it's clear from the trailer that she has absolutely zero patience for Hal and John sticking their noses in the town's latest murder case.

Garret Dillahunt as William Macon

Via Deadline, Garret Dillahunt (12 Years a Slave, Raising Hope) is William Macon, who is described as a modern cowboy who is a “self-righteous, conspiracy-minded man who masks his ruthless ambition behind a charming and calculated facade.” Billy Macon is his son.

William Macon appears to be a new character created for Lanterns.

Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe

Poorna Jagannathan (The Night Of, Never Have I Ever) will be playing Zoe in Lanterns. She’s rumored to be the love interest of John Stewart.

Zoe appears to be a new character created for Lanterns.

Ulrich Thomsen as Sinestro

Actor Christian Bale, who played the lead in the 2000 American Psycho movie, was recently asked what he thought of the new American Psycho movie coming from Luca Guadagnino. "Whoever wants to give it a shot, give it a pop," Bale told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of his latest film The Bride in New York City. "I loved making it with Mary Harron so many years back. So many fantastic memories of it all. Bold choice of anyone to… I don't know if they're doing a remake or what... I don't know anything about it, but all the best to 'em. I like brave people."

Bale didn’t have any particular picks when asked as far as actors to play the iconic Patrick Bateman this time around, but it’s great to see him so open to another portrayal that might end up quite different from his own.

That said, casting has seemingly been a big undertaking for the project. When it was first announced in 2024, Austin Butler was set to star as Bateman — but a 2025 report claimed that The White Lotus star Patrick Schwarzenegger was up for the role. But, as of this writing, no one has officially been attached to the part just yet. It doesn’t seem to be for a lack of trying, though.

"A couple of high-profile actors, whom I can't name, have turned it down," Bret Easton Ellis, author of the 1991 novel on which the film was based, revealed last month on his podcast. "I think maybe because they don't want to be in the shoes of Christian Bale." To be fair, that makes a lot of sense. Bale’s performance is the stuff of legend, and it will probably prove a bit difficult to find an actor ready and willing to do something wholly different with their Bateman — which appears to be Guadagnino’s strategy here.

"From what I’m told, this movie is completely different from Mary Harron’s 2000 movie,” Ellis also shared on the pod. “It's a completely different take, and going to bear no resemblance to that movie."

It’s certainly the move, doing something completely different with the source material versus rehashing the same old thing. Plus, the book and the movie do have a lot of differences between them, so there’s tons of opportunity there to play around. The only other person officially attached to the project besides Guadagnino is The Bourne Ultimatum writer Scott Z. Burns, who also wrote Steven Soderbergh’s 2013 film Side Effects, and it’ll be interesting to see where he goes with this reimagining of a perverted classic.

Before it became a movie that launched Christian Bale into stardom, American Psycho was a critically acclaimed, darkly comedic novel about the poisonous power of the American Dream. And in January, IGN exclusively debuted a new preview of The Folio Society's American Psycho set, featuring new looks at the box design, endpapers, frontispiece, and replica business card.

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

With the release of DC K.O. #5, DC's latest crossover event has come to a close. The winner of the high-stakes superhero martial arts tournament has been crowned, leaving only one final battle between the new King Omega and the almighty Darkseid. And when the dust settles, it quickly becomes clear that DC has an even bigger Darkseid story in the works.

What happens in the finale of DC K.O.? We're going to break down this last, epic battle and the immediate fallout, but beware of spoilers for DC K.O. #5 ahead!

King Omega vs. Darkseid

DC K.O. #4 not only featured the first encounter between the Justice League and their counterparts in the Absolute Universe, it also ended on a big twist, with Lex Luthor betraying Superman to win the fighting tournament. As the final issue opens, Luthor is crowned King Omega, and he's clearly enjoying all the power that comes with the title.

However, Luthor's triumph is short-lived. Time Trapper (the evolved, intelligent version of Doomsday) intervenes and gives Superman a second chance to be the hero his universe needs. In his more enlightened state, Time Trapper realizes that his primary purpose isn't to destroy Superman, but to save him. And so he empowers the Man of Steel with both destructive Omega Energy and its polar opposite, the creation-rich Alpha Energy. Superman immediately returns to the battlefield as the true King Omega.

The first official trailer has arrived for HBO's Lanterns ahead of its debut in August 2026, and it features a flying Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and a John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) who is in training and waiting for his turn to wield the iconic ring.

Lanterns appears to be taking a much more grounded approach in a world filled with superheroes, as we don't really see any powers take center stage besides a few teases at what this pair can do. Instead, we get a look at the fraught relationship between the old veteran and the up-and-comer who is waiting for his time to shine.

The trailer reveals Jordan and Stewart have been together for about two months now, and Stewart hasn't been able to wear the ring yet.

"Don't get hung up on the jewelry, junior," Jordan says. "You're just a f****** substitute teacher. You aren't ready to get up in front of the class until the ring says you are."

What follows next is Jordan jumping out of the car before it speeds off a cliff, and Stewart needing to find a way to survive, which he does off-screen.

We then get a glimpse of the wider mystery at hand, which involves a murder in the American Heartland. It also includes Sheriff Kerry (Kelly Macdonald), who doesn't like these two getting in her way.

The rest of the trailer is filled with tension between the teacher and his student, a glimpse of Jordan's old suit, and even a tease of the other Green Lanterns, who Jordan believes are all aliens. Oh, and one is a "f*****' squirrel," who is most likely Ch'p from the comics.

"The Green Lantern's oath is to protect people," Stewart says. "We both know I do a better job of this than you."

"This is my job," Jordan responds. "As long as I'm alive, that ain't changin'. So, take a deep breath, junior."

"You're old. You're tired," Stewart says. "And your time is up."

Lanterns will arrive after Supergirl, and it's another way the DCU is expanding in 2026 and introducing new characters. And yes, it will also include familiar faces as Nathan Fillion will return as Guy Gardner in the series.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Audible has just unveiled a new subscription plan for 2026. The Audible Standard membership is $8.99 per month and includes a monthly credit you can use on anything from Audible's entire library. You'll also get unlimited access to a curated selection of Audible Originals and podcasts previously on Wonderly.

Audible's latest press release calls the new plan an accessible entry point for listeners. According to Audible's Chief Financial & Growth Officer, "The launch of our Standard plan reflects Audible's ongoing commitment to serving the diverse preferences and listening habits of story-lovers everywhere. By expanding our membership options, we're maximizing access for lighter listeners while enabling publishers and creators to reach new audiences."

The new Standard plan is about $6 cheaper per month than the Premium Plus plan and gets you the same amount of monthly credits. The main differences between the two plans are the extra benefits you get with Premium. According to Audible's subscription page, a Premium subscription will let you keep audiobooks even after you cancel and also unlock unlimited access to the Plus catalog. If you are only looking to subscribe for the monthly credit, the Standard plan is a great way to trade in those additional benefits to save some money.

Try Your First Month Free

Amazon has finally dropped the preorder for the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution—Perfect Order Booster Bundle, and it’s under market value. You can also grab discounted Pulse Explore Buds, which pair perfectly with the PS Portal. Plus, score over half off a high-capacity power bank, and Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition for PS5 is at its lowest price. Check out all the best deals for March 4th below:

TL;DR - The Best Deals for March 4

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Brandon Sanderson has been busy over the last few months. With the recent announcement that his Cosmere universe would be coming to Apple TV, Sanderson has been actively providing updates about his progress via Youtube. And yet somehow he's still found time to launch a massive new crowdfunding campaign that has already blown its goals out of the water.

The Hoid's Storybook Collection campaign went live on Backerkit on March 3 and its already raised over $5.7 million after a single day. The project's original funding goal was only $1,000,000 and the campaign is planned to run all the way through March 27.

Ubisoft has just released the first piece of concept art for Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, finally confirming its long-awaited remake that has been rumored for years.

The company included the image in a blog post that offers more detail on the blockbuster franchise's future — including word that post-launch support for Assassin's Creed Shadows was being wound down.

Ubisoft's focus is now firmly on the future, though the series' next all-new entry Assassin's Creed: Codename Hexe sounds like it's still some way off. In the meantime, then, Ubisoft has at last begun acknowledging its upcoming Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake, which is expected to arrive at some point later this year.

"Speculation around Assassin's Creed is not new, but it's worth repeating: 'Nothing is true. Everything is permitted,'" Ubisoft wrote. "Well, except in this case, some whispers have a little more wind in their sails. Keep your spyglass on the horizon. 🦜"

The project's official name, Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, was first spotted last December, when it popped up via a European ratings board listing. That sighting followed years of internal leaks that pointed to the project's existence, a boatload of fan speculation and even hints from the original game's lead actor.

Previous reports have suggested that Black Flag Resynced will be a substantial remake of the series' beloved piratical entry, with visual and gameplay upgrades that see the game closer in quality to last year's Assassin's Creed Shadows.

New story content will reportedly be added to flesh out more of hero Edward Kenway's life, though the game's modern day gameplay sections have apparently been excised — something that many fans aren't happy about. It will be interesting to see how Ubisoft handles the game's new ending — which previously tied together story elements from its historical and modern day narratives — in light of that change.

Officially, Ubisoft has only previously referred to Black Flag Resynced's upcoming arrival by acknowledging that there had been an unannounced game due to arrive before the end of its current financial year (on March 31). In January, however this game was then delayed into the coming financial year (ending March 31, 2027) due to the company's major recent reshuffle of teams, projects and studios.

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

HBO has cast three leading roles for Season 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is now in production in Belfast and Spain. Season 2 adapts “The Sworn Sword”, the second novella in George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series.

Set a few years after the events depicted in Season 1, Season 2 brings in a new cast of characters for Dunk and Egg (Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell, respectively) to encounter, most notably Lady Rohanne Webber, aka the Red Widow, and Ser Eustace Osgrey, two rivals locked in a bitter land dispute as a drought devastates The Reach.

Variety reports that British actress Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody, The Pale Blue Eye, Murder on the Orient Express) has been cast as Lady Rohanne Webber. In “The Sword Sword”, Lady Rohanne is believed to be an old witch responsible for the deaths of her four husbands, but she is, in fact, an attractive young woman with political savvy and ambiguous intentions.

When it comes to depicting the Joker, the only constant at DC Comics is the fact that everything changes. The Clown Prince of Crime is mercurial and always evolving, a fact that we're reminded of in Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez's Batman #7. This issue introduces one of the most startling revamps in the villain's decades-long history, suggesting that Joker may have finally regained his grip on sanity.

Read on to learn more about what happens in this issue, but beware of full spoilers for Batman #7 ahead!

Issue #7 sees Batman summoned to Arkham Asylum by one of Joker's secret messengers, much to the chagrin of Joker's new caretaker, Dr. Zeller. She reluctantly allows Batman to meet with the man she refers to as "Patient 10." Batman is immediately taken aback by seeing his old foe floating in a Darth Vader-style tank and hooked up to all manner of tubes and a mental stimulation device known as the Crown of Storms.

Joker reveals that Zeller has helped him in a way no other doctor at Arkham ever has. Her devices and treatments have granted him a certain degree of "clarity" for the first time since his original transformation. His body has clearly seen better days, but his mind is as close to healthy as it's ever been.