Mars’ landscape may be barren and dangerous to human life, but thanks to photos like this from NASA’s advanced rovers, that doesn’t stop it from looking any less stunning. Although humans have yet to set foot on Mars, robotics and other technologies have allowed astronomers to closely analyze the mysterious planet. Whether it be bleeding-edge telescopes, rovers, helicopters, orbiters, or something else, humans have found inventive ways to closely study a planet we’ve never actually visited.One such rover contributing to Mars exploration is Perseverance. Perseverance landed on Mars this past February with a simple yet ambitious goal — to traverse the planet searching for ancient life. People have long theorized that Mars was once home to alien lifeforms. If this is true, Perseverance will be the rover to answer that question once and for all. In just a few short months, Perseverance has already collected Martian rock samples, explored new areas on the planet, and more.Related: NASA’s Mars Orbiter Captures Mesmerizing ‘Blue Dunes’Another way Perseverance has kept itself busy is by capturing thousands of photos and sharing them with everyone to see. Wherever Perseverance goes, it takes tons of photos with multiple cameras, shares them with NASA, and NASA then uploads all of those RAW files for the world to browse through. One such photo is the one see above and below, depicting the vast landscape on Mars. This black-and-white image was acquired by Perseverance on September 28 at the local mean solar time of 12:58 using its Left Navigation Camera.Perseverance has shared countless photos of the Martian surface, but this one stands out as one of the most impressive yet. Unlike most pictures which are usually tight squares, this one is a wide panorama shot of Mars. Looking at the photo, there’s a lot on display. It highlights Mars’ rolling sand dunes, the sea of rocks scattered throughout those dunes, and detailed patterns in the sand left by wind and dust storms. All of this is set against the Martian sky, which appears eerie and haunting even without the iconic yellow glow.While this picture doesn’t necessarily reveal anything new about Mars, it’s yet another reminder of how beautiful and mysterious the planet is. It’s devoid of any life, has freezing temperatures, and is nothing but endless dust, rocks, and sand. Even so, it still manages to be extremely alluring. It remains unclear if Perseverance will be successful in its hunt for ancient life, but so long as it keeps taking photos like this, we’ll consider the mission a win.Next: Perseverance Rover Images Confirm Presence of Lake On Ancient MarsSource: NASAfrom ScreenRant – Feed https://ift.tt/3iMiEL1 https://ift.tt/3mwX6mI
Mars‘ landscape may be barren and dangerous to human life, but thanks to photos like this from NASA‘s advanced rovers, that doesn’t stop it from looking any less stunning. Although humans have yet to set foot on Mars, robotics and other technologies have allowed astronomers to closely analyze the mysterious planet. Whether it be bleeding-edge telescopes, rovers, helicopters, orbiters, or something else, humans have found inventive ways to closely study a planet we’ve never actually visited.
One such rover contributing to Mars exploration is Perseverance. Perseverance landed on Mars this past February with a simple yet ambitious goal — to traverse the planet searching for ancient life. People have long theorized that Mars was once home to alien lifeforms. If this is true, Perseverance will be the rover to answer that question once and for all. In just a few short months, Perseverance has already collected Martian rock samples, explored new areas on the planet, and more.
Another way Perseverance has kept itself busy is by capturing thousands of photos and sharing them with everyone to see. Wherever Perseverance goes, it takes tons of photos with multiple cameras, shares them with NASA, and NASA then uploads all of those RAW files for the world to browse through. One such photo is the one see above and below, depicting the vast landscape on Mars. This black-and-white image was acquired by Perseverance on September 28 at the local mean solar time of 12:58 using its Left Navigation Camera.
Perseverance has shared countless photos of the Martian surface, but this one stands out as one of the most impressive yet. Unlike most pictures which are usually tight squares, this one is a wide panorama shot of Mars. Looking at the photo, there’s a lot on display. It highlights Mars’ rolling sand dunes, the sea of rocks scattered throughout those dunes, and detailed patterns in the sand left by wind and dust storms. All of this is set against the Martian sky, which appears eerie and haunting even without the iconic yellow glow.
While this picture doesn’t necessarily reveal anything new about Mars, it’s yet another reminder of how beautiful and mysterious the planet is. It’s devoid of any life, has freezing temperatures, and is nothing but endless dust, rocks, and sand. Even so, it still manages to be extremely alluring. It remains unclear if Perseverance will be successful in its hunt for ancient life, but so long as it keeps taking photos like this, we’ll consider the mission a win.
Jango Fett was indirectly responsible for arming Asajj Ventress with her signature red-bladed lightsabers in Star Wars: Clone Wars. Fett and Ventress never met, but the latter killed many of Jango’s clones, who, in the Legends continuity, were his pride and joy, representing his Mandalorian legacy. The two legendary warriors were also, ultimately, pawns of Count Dooku and his Sith Master, Darth Sidious. Through the intricate machinations of Dooku, on behalf of Palpatine, Jango provided the Count with a pair of lightsabers which he later gifted to Ventress upon accepting her as his unofficial Sith Apprentice.The two properties that showcase these events are the 2002 video game, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and the 2003 Clone Wars animated series. Both are part of the Legends universe, which was designated the official Star Wars timeline by Lucasfilm before 2014’s continuity revamp. Like the ongoing mainstream canon universe, Legends told a comprehensive story that connected the original and prequel trilogy films and numerous comics, TV shows, video games, novels, and even spinoff movies. Bounty Hunter tells the story of how Jango Fett became the template for the Republic’s Clone Army, tracking down one of Dooku’s apprentices, Komari Vosa, who fell to the dark side and became the leader of the cult-like crime organization The Bando Gora. Jango defeats Vosa at the end of Bounty Hunter, and the insane dark side user is promptly executed by Count Dooku, aka Darth Tyrannus. Vosa’s now red-bladed lightsabers, whose curved hilts were patterned after Dooku’s weapon, were taken by Dooku following her death. Years later, Dooku would travel to Rattatak in search of a Sith Apprentice, as shown in Clone Wars. A local Rattataki and warlord, Asajj Ventress, proved herself to be more than worthy of Dooku’s teachings, and the Sith Lord gave her Vosa’s lightsabers as a gift to replace her two previous lightsabers, which Dooku destroyed during their brief duel. Thanks to Jango Fett, Vosa’s weapons were passed down to Ventress, becoming weapons of the Sith.It’s unclear when Komari Vosa built her curved-hilted lightsabers, but she fought Jango Fett’s Mandalorians on Galidraan with a single blue-bladed weapon that had a straight hilt. As the Bando Gora leader, the weapons closely resembled Dooku’s lightsaber, with similar hilts and red blades, generated by synthetic lightsaber crystals. The lightsabers could be linked together, forming a double-bladed lightsaber, similar to Darth Maul’s or Exar Kun’s. Asajj Ventress used the late Vosa’s weapons to kill numerous Jedi and clone troopers during the Clone Wars, as shown throughout the Legends-era Clone Wars multimedia project. Unlike his Canon counterpart, the Legends-era Jango Fett cared for his clones, and likely would have felt disgusted for inadvertently arming someone who killed so many of them. The connection between Dooku, Vosa, Jango, and Ventress demonstrates the depth of Palpatine’s schemes for galactic dominance. In one fell swoop, Jango Fett removed a liability to Dooku and Sidious, provided them with the ideal Clone Army, and supplied Dooku with weapons for his eventual Sith Apprentice.Komari Vosa has no counterpart in the canon timeline, so Asajj’s weapons in canon were presumably built by Ventress during her Sith training under Dooku. Ventress, whose background was changed in canon from Rattataki to Dathomiri, must have intentionally built them to reflect Dooku’s curved lightsaber and her fighting style, which blended Makashi and Jar’Kai. In the Legends-era Star Wars: Clone Wars, however, Asajj Ventress got her Sith lightsabers, indirectly, thanks to Jango Fett’s first mission for Count Dooku.
Jango Fett was indirectly responsible for arming Asajj Ventress with her signature red-bladed lightsabers in Star Wars: Clone Wars. Fett and Ventress never met, but the latter killed many of Jango’s clones, who, in the Legends continuity, were his pride and joy, representing his Mandalorian legacy. The two legendary warriors were also, ultimately, pawns of Count Dooku and his Sith Master, Darth Sidious. Through the intricate machinations of Dooku, on behalf of Palpatine, Jango provided the Count with a pair of lightsabers which he later gifted to Ventress upon accepting her as his unofficial Sith Apprentice.
The two properties that showcase these events are the 2002 video game, Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, and the 2003 Clone Wars animated series. Both are part of the Legends universe, which was designated the official Star Wars timeline by Lucasfilm before 2014’s continuity revamp. Like the ongoing mainstream canon universe, Legends told a comprehensive story that connected the original and prequel trilogy films and numerous comics, TV shows, video games, novels, and even spinoff movies. Bounty Hunter tells the story of how Jango Fett became the template for the Republic’s Clone Army, tracking down one of Dooku’s apprentices, Komari Vosa, who fell to the dark side and became the leader of the cult-like crime organization The Bando Gora.
Jango defeats Vosa at the end of Bounty Hunter, and the insane dark side user is promptly executed by Count Dooku, aka Darth Tyrannus. Vosa’s now red-bladed lightsabers, whose curved hilts were patterned after Dooku’s weapon, were taken by Dooku following her death. Years later, Dooku would travel to Rattatak in search of a Sith Apprentice, as shown in Clone Wars. A local Rattataki and warlord, Asajj Ventress, proved herself to be more than worthy of Dooku’s teachings, and the Sith Lord gave her Vosa’s lightsabers as a gift to replace her two previous lightsabers, which Dooku destroyed during their brief duel. Thanks to Jango Fett, Vosa’s weapons were passed down to Ventress, becoming weapons of the Sith.
It’s unclear when Komari Vosa built her curved-hilted lightsabers, but she fought Jango Fett’s Mandalorians on Galidraan with a single blue-bladed weapon that had a straight hilt. As the Bando Gora leader, the weapons closely resembled Dooku’s lightsaber, with similar hilts and red blades, generated by synthetic lightsaber crystals. The lightsabers could be linked together, forming a double-bladed lightsaber, similar to Darth Maul’s or Exar Kun’s.
Asajj Ventress used the late Vosa’s weapons to kill numerous Jedi and clone troopers during the Clone Wars, as shown throughout the Legends-era Clone Wars multimedia project. Unlike his Canon counterpart, the Legends-era Jango Fett cared for his clones, and likely would have felt disgusted for inadvertently arming someone who killed so many of them. The connection between Dooku, Vosa, Jango, and Ventress demonstrates the depth of Palpatine’s schemes for galactic dominance. In one fell swoop, Jango Fett removed a liability to Dooku and Sidious, provided them with the ideal Clone Army, and supplied Dooku with weapons for his eventual Sith Apprentice.
Komari Vosa has no counterpart in the canon timeline, so Asajj’s weapons in canon were presumably built by Ventress during her Sith training under Dooku. Ventress, whose background was changed in canon from Rattataki to Dathomiri, must have intentionally built them to reflect Dooku’s curved lightsaber and her fighting style, which blended Makashi and Jar’Kai. In the Legends-era Star Wars: Clone Wars, however, Asajj Ventress got her Sith lightsabers, indirectly, thanks to Jango Fett’s first mission for Count Dooku.
Learn how to create the best Great Axe build in New World, a two-handed weapon that excels in DPS and crowd control in PvP and PvE. As a two-handed weapon, the Great Axe has slower damage output, but it more than makes up for it with being able to attack two or more targets at once. Additionally, higher-level Great Axe perks have some self-healing options as well, making the Great Axe one of the best weapons in New World.Unlike weapons such as the Hatchet, Sword and Shield, or Spear, the Great Axe doesn’t have any ranged options for its Mastery Trees. Instead, its Mastery Trees are split into powerful single-target attacks and multi-target attacks. Both trees are excellent for damaging and crowd control, which is why the Great Axe is a useful weapon for both DPS-focused builds and Tanks Builds.The Reaper is the first Mastery Tree for the Great Axe, and it has abilities that focus on bringing enemies closer to the player and finishing them off quickly. The Mauler tree focuses on bundling enemies together and attacking them all at once. Although the Mauler abilities deal less damage than the abilities in the Reaper tree, they require far less precision to land attacks. A Great Axe is easy to craft, but it can also be earned by claiming New World Twitch drops from select content creators.These are the Great Axe abilities:Reap (Reaper): Extend the axe outward by 5 meters and pull enemies back in, dealing 110% weapon damage.Charge (Reaper): Charge 10 meters dealing 120% weapon damage after reaching a target.Execute (Reaper): A powerful overhead attack dealing 200% weapon damage. Deals 300% weapon damage to foes under 50% health.Maelstrom (Mauler): Fast-spinning attack that pulls targets inward and deals 110% weapon damage.Whirlwind (Mauler): Spin attack dealing 50% weapon damage to all nearby enemies. The user spins again if they land a hit, up to four times.Gravity Well (Mauler): Throw axe to create a vortex that pulls foes to its center for 3 seconds. The move ends with a burst dealing 125% weapon damage.The best Great Axe build uses Execute, Maelstrom, and Whirlwind, all perfect abilities for a New World Tank Build. Since the Great Axe does a great job of handling crowds, abilities like Whirlwind and Maelstrom are ideal for separating a few members and landing multiple attacks. Execute is a powerful move that should be used to finish off enemies, which is particularly useful when a couple of enemies are close to one another.
Learn how to create the best Great Axe build in New World, a two-handed weapon that excels in DPS and crowd control in PvP and PvE. As a two-handed weapon, the Great Axe has slower damage output, but it more than makes up for it with being able to attack two or more targets at once. Additionally, higher-level Great Axe perks have some self-healing options as well, making the Great Axe one of the best weapons in New World.
Unlike weapons such as the Hatchet, Sword and Shield, or Spear, the Great Axe doesn’t have any ranged options for its Mastery Trees. Instead, its Mastery Trees are split into powerful single-target attacks and multi-target attacks. Both trees are excellent for damaging and crowd control, which is why the Great Axe is a useful weapon for both DPS-focused builds and Tanks Builds.
The Reaper is the first Mastery Tree for the Great Axe, and it has abilities that focus on bringing enemies closer to the player and finishing them off quickly. The Mauler tree focuses on bundling enemies together and attacking them all at once. Although the Mauler abilities deal less damage than the abilities in the Reaper tree, they require far less precision to land attacks. A Great Axe is easy to craft, but it can also be earned by claiming New World Twitch drops from select content creators.
These are the Great Axe abilities:
Reap (Reaper): Extend the axe outward by 5 meters and pull enemies back in, dealing 110% weapon damage.
Charge (Reaper): Charge 10 meters dealing 120% weapon damage after reaching a target.
Execute (Reaper): A powerful overhead attack dealing 200% weapon damage. Deals 300% weapon damage to foes under 50% health.
Maelstrom (Mauler): Fast-spinning attack that pulls targets inward and deals 110% weapon damage.
Whirlwind (Mauler): Spin attack dealing 50% weapon damage to all nearby enemies. The user spins again if they land a hit, up to four times.
Gravity Well (Mauler): Throw axe to create a vortex that pulls foes to its center for 3 seconds. The move ends with a burst dealing 125% weapon damage.
The best Great Axe build uses Execute, Maelstrom, and Whirlwind, all perfect abilities for a New World Tank Build. Since the Great Axe does a great job of handling crowds, abilities like Whirlwind and Maelstrom are ideal for separating a few members and landing multiple attacks. Execute is a powerful move that should be used to finish off enemies, which is particularly useful when a couple of enemies are close to one another.
The Google Pixel 6 (top) and Pixel 6 Pro (bottom) | GoogleNew leaks from a marketing site appear to confirm that the camera for the Pixel 6 will have a new Magic Eraser feature, and the devices will apparently get five years of Android security updates (h/t 9to5 Google)According to reliable leaker Evan Blass, the Carphone Warehouse website was showing images of Google marketing materials for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (the images have since been taken down, but you can view the earlier versions of the Carphone Warehouse pages on the Wayback Machine here and here). Screenshots show the description for the previously leaked Magic Eraser, which will apparently be linked to Google Photos:Magic Eraser makes distractions disappear with a few taps. Remove strangers and unwanted objects in Google Photos, so the people and places that you capture remain the true stars. Much of what is in the latest photos has been leaked or confirmed already; the Pixel 6 camera will have a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens, and the Pixel 6 Pro will have a 48MP telephoto lens.And as Engadget noted, some of the copy on the leaked images (in the tiny, tiny fine print) references “Android security updates for at least five years from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US.” That would mean Pixel 6 devices would have protection into 2026.
The Google Pixel 6 (top) and Pixel 6 Pro (bottom) | Google
New leaks from a marketing site appear to confirm that the camera for the Pixel 6 will have a new Magic Eraser feature, and the devices will apparently get five years of Android security updates (h/t 9to5 Google)
According to reliable leaker Evan Blass, the Carphone Warehouse website was showing images of Google marketing materials for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro (the images have since been taken down, but you can view the earlier versions of the Carphone Warehouse pages on the Wayback Machine here and here). Screenshots show the description for the previously leaked Magic Eraser, which will apparently be linked to Google Photos:
Magic Eraser makes distractions disappear with a few taps. Remove strangers and unwanted objects in Google Photos, so the people and places that you capture remain the true stars.
Much of what is in the latest photos has been leaked or confirmed already; the Pixel 6 camera will have a 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultrawide lens, and the Pixel 6 Pro will have a 48MP telephoto lens.
And as Engadget noted, some of the copy on the leaked images (in the tiny, tiny fine print) references “Android security updates for at least five years from when the device first became available on the Google Store in the US.” That would mean Pixel 6 devices would have protection into 2026.
As Halloween fast approaches, several highly anticipated new horror movies are set to hit both the theatrical and VOD circuits between now and October 31st. Acclaimed genre filmmakers such as James Wan, Edgar Wright, David Gordon Green, Patrick Brice, Scott Cooper, and more have intriguing new horror tales to go with a solid mixture of international arthouse fare, broad Netflix originals, and everything in between. From eerie haunted houses, creepy creature features, and anthological period pieces to unnerving psychological thrillers and time travel chillers, this Halloween has plenty of cinematic streaming treats in store.Updated on October 9th, 2021 by Tanner Fox: As summer descends into autumn and windswept auburn leaves dance between carved jack-o-lanterns and tacky lawn decorations, horror becomes the hot topic among moviegoers. However, thanks to the various streaming services available, satisfactory scares abound and are no longer relegated to the theater.With cerebral artistic pieces and reboots to dormant franchises alike set to hit Netflix, Paramount+, and Amazon Prime Video before October is out, there’s never been a better time to get immersed in all things horror.Debuting on Netflix on October 6, 2021 is There’s Someone Inside Your House, a sadistic high-school slasher film from well-established horror director Patrick Brice (Creep, Room 104). Based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Perkins, the film tracks a masked killer stalking the senior class of Osborne High only to be met with resistance by a marginalized group of outcasts.What makes this story interesting is how the killer intends to expose the students’ deep-dark secrets before ending their lives, making for a subversive, unpredictable, and genre-defying story that Brice often enjoys telling.One of the more underrated horror anthology series of the past decade includes V/H/S, created by David Bruckner and Simon Barrett. Both men return for the upcoming 4th franchise entry, V/H/S/94, set to bow exclusively on Shudder on October 6. Set in 1994, the film concerns a police S.W.A.T. unit uncovering a cult conspiracy recorded on a grainy old videotape.The main draw of the film, aside from the promising premise and well-established brand name, is the collection of daring directing talent at the helm. Chapters will be guided by Barrett (Seance), Chloe Okuno (Slut), Ryan Prows (Lowlife), Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin), and Timo Tjahanto, the latter of which directed the scariest franchise chapter to date in V/H/S/2’s “Safe Haven.”Strange occurrences plague a Mexican-American family after they move to a quaint home in the California countryside, and an expectant mother must endure malignant horrors as her due date approaches. While it’s sure to introduce a few ideas of its own, director Ryan Zargoza’s Madres certainly seems to be taking a page or two from the Rosemary’s Baby playbook.Set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on October 8, Madres looks be a sinister thrill ride comparable to other classic haunted house horrors.One of a set of Blumhouse productions set to terrorize horror fans this October, The Manor is an upcoming offering from director Axelle Carolyn, who is perhaps best known for directing episodes of American Horror Story and The Haunting of Bly Manor.After an elderly woman moves into a nursing home, she is accosted by supernatural entities. Unable to prove that what she experiences is real, she must figure out a way to validate her sanity and escape before she meets a grizzly fate. The Manor is set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on October 8.An Argentinian psychological thriller set to boggle the minds of horror fans, Fever Dream is an adaptation of the short story Rescue Distance. Seemingly something out of the mind of horror auteur Ari Aster, the movie tells the tale of a fragmented family when a mother and son duo become the epicenter of unnatural happenings.This may be a dense and intentionally difficult work, but viewers who love to dissect and interpret films will absolutely adore Fever Dream. Set to debut on Netflix on October 13, it may not be destined for widespread appeal, but it will almost certainly find a fascinated film niche.Germany’s ominous Black Forest is the setting of Demigod, the new folk horror outing from writer/director Miles Doleac (The Dinner Party) due on October 15. The story concerns Robin (Rachel Nichols), a woman who returns to her birthplace at the sinister site following her grandfather’s death in search of answers.Aside from the foreboding forest setting, the film boasts an unsettling mixture of ancient head-hunting rituals and scary sacrificial customs with a personal story of a modern-day woman uncovering her cryptic past. With cult-favorite scream queen Rachel Nichols (P2, Inside) taking center stage, Demigod is worth bowing to when it opens this October.In addition to penning V/H/S/94, David Bruckner’s third directorial effort The Night House will open to the public on October 19. After proving his filmmaking skills in The Signal and The Ritual, Bruckner’s latest looks to be a deeply disquieting tale of a widow (Rebecca Hall) uncovering her deceased husband’s darkest secrets.The deliberately-paced, slow-burn horror film is already drawing rave reviews for Hall’s central turn, the brooding atmosphere of rural upstate New York, the tonal tension Bruckner is able to sustain, and the chillingly ambiguous finale.A Netflix exclusive set to debut on October 20, Night Teeth follows a hapless chauffer as he’s wrapped up in a blood-soaked supernatural thrill ride when the women he’s driving are revealed to be vampires.Though it doesn’t appear to be an out-and-out horror movie, Night Teeth will certainly be able to satisfy those looking for the perfect Halloween thriller. Starring Sydney Sweeny and Megan Fox, it’s sure to catch the attention of Netflix subscribers.Another Netflix exclusive, Hypnotic sees a woman suffering from general anxiety receive treatment from an enigmatic therapist. Unfortunately, he uses the suggestive powers of his practice to coax her into unconsciously performing strange and terrible acts. Now, she must get to the bottom of this strange plot before it’s too late.Stylish and cerebral, Hypnotic promises to have viewers scratching their heads until the credits roll—and likely for some time after that. The film also looks to be a breath of fresh air when compared to many of the more traditional horror movies debuting this October.Billed as a reboot of the popular found-footage series, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin removes the series from its Southern California roots, placing the preternatural panic in the heart of Amish country.A woman begins filming a documentary about her newly-discovered biological relatives only to uncover sinister tidings in the otherwise tranquil rural setting. Helmed by William Eubank, who is best known for 2020’s Lovecraftian undertaking Underwater, Next of Kin is set to be a return to form for the relatively wayward franchise.
As Halloween fast approaches, several highly anticipated new horror movies are set to hit both the theatrical and VOD circuits between now and October 31st. Acclaimed genre filmmakers such as James Wan, Edgar Wright, David Gordon Green, Patrick Brice, Scott Cooper, and more have intriguing new horror tales to go with a solid mixture of international arthouse fare, broad Netflix originals, and everything in between.
From eerie haunted houses, creepy creature features, and anthological period pieces to unnerving psychological thrillers and time travel chillers, this Halloween has plenty of cinematic streaming treats in store.
Updated on October 9th, 2021 by Tanner Fox: As summer descends into autumn and windswept auburn leaves dance between carved jack-o-lanterns and tacky lawn decorations, horror becomes the hot topic among moviegoers. However, thanks to the various streaming services available, satisfactory scares abound and are no longer relegated to the theater.
With cerebral artistic pieces and reboots to dormant franchises alike set to hit Netflix, Paramount+, and Amazon Prime Video before October is out, there’s never been a better time to get immersed in all things horror.
Debuting on Netflix on October 6, 2021 is There’s Someone Inside Your House, a sadistic high-school slasher film from well-established horror director Patrick Brice (Creep, Room 104). Based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Perkins, the film tracks a masked killer stalking the senior class of Osborne High only to be met with resistance by a marginalized group of outcasts.
What makes this story interesting is how the killer intends to expose the students’ deep-dark secrets before ending their lives, making for a subversive, unpredictable, and genre-defying story that Brice often enjoys telling.
One of the more underrated horror anthology series of the past decade includes V/H/S, created by David Bruckner and Simon Barrett. Both men return for the upcoming 4th franchise entry, V/H/S/94, set to bow exclusively on Shudder on October 6. Set in 1994, the film concerns a police S.W.A.T. unit uncovering a cult conspiracy recorded on a grainy old videotape.
The main draw of the film, aside from the promising premise and well-established brand name, is the collection of daring directing talent at the helm. Chapters will be guided by Barrett (Seance), Chloe Okuno (Slut), Ryan Prows (Lowlife), Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin), and Timo Tjahanto, the latter of which directed the scariest franchise chapter to date in V/H/S/2‘s “Safe Haven.”
Strange occurrences plague a Mexican-American family after they move to a quaint home in the California countryside, and an expectant mother must endure malignant horrors as her due date approaches. While it’s sure to introduce a few ideas of its own, director Ryan Zargoza’s Madres certainly seems to be taking a page or two from the Rosemary’s Baby playbook.
Set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on October 8, Madres looks be a sinister thrill ride comparable to other classic haunted house horrors.
One of a set of Blumhouse productions set to terrorize horror fans this October, The Manor is an upcoming offering from director Axelle Carolyn, who is perhaps best known for directing episodes of American Horror Story and The Haunting of Bly Manor.
After an elderly woman moves into a nursing home, she is accosted by supernatural entities. Unable to prove that what she experiences is real, she must figure out a way to validate her sanity and escape before she meets a grizzly fate. The Manor is set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on October 8.
An Argentinian psychological thriller set to boggle the minds of horror fans, Fever Dream is an adaptation of the short story Rescue Distance. Seemingly something out of the mind of horror auteur Ari Aster, the movie tells the tale of a fragmented family when a mother and son duo become the epicenter of unnatural happenings.
This may be a dense and intentionally difficult work, but viewers who love to dissect and interpret films will absolutely adore Fever Dream. Set to debut on Netflix on October 13, it may not be destined for widespread appeal, but it will almost certainly find a fascinated film niche.
Germany’s ominous Black Forest is the setting of Demigod, the new folk horror outing from writer/director Miles Doleac (The Dinner Party) due on October 15. The story concerns Robin (Rachel Nichols), a woman who returns to her birthplace at the sinister site following her grandfather’s death in search of answers.
Aside from the foreboding forest setting, the film boasts an unsettling mixture of ancient head-hunting rituals and scary sacrificial customs with a personal story of a modern-day woman uncovering her cryptic past. With cult-favorite scream queen Rachel Nichols (P2, Inside) taking center stage, Demigod is worth bowing to when it opens this October.
In addition to penning V/H/S/94, David Bruckner’s third directorial effort The Night House will open to the public on October 19. After proving his filmmaking skills in The Signal and The Ritual, Bruckner’s latest looks to be a deeply disquieting tale of a widow (Rebecca Hall) uncovering her deceased husband’s darkest secrets.
The deliberately-paced, slow-burn horror film is already drawing rave reviews for Hall’s central turn, the brooding atmosphere of rural upstate New York, the tonal tension Bruckner is able to sustain, and the chillingly ambiguous finale.
A Netflix exclusive set to debut on October 20, Night Teeth follows a hapless chauffer as he’s wrapped up in a blood-soaked supernatural thrill ride when the women he’s driving are revealed to be vampires.
Though it doesn’t appear to be an out-and-out horror movie, Night Teeth will certainly be able to satisfy those looking for the perfect Halloween thriller. Starring Sydney Sweeny and Megan Fox, it’s sure to catch the attention of Netflix subscribers.
Another Netflix exclusive, Hypnotic sees a woman suffering from general anxiety receive treatment from an enigmatic therapist. Unfortunately, he uses the suggestive powers of his practice to coax her into unconsciously performing strange and terrible acts. Now, she must get to the bottom of this strange plot before it’s too late.
Stylish and cerebral, Hypnotic promises to have viewers scratching their heads until the credits roll—and likely for some time after that. The film also looks to be a breath of fresh air when compared to many of the more traditional horror movies debuting this October.
Billed as a reboot of the popular found-footage series, Paranormal Activity: Next of Kin removes the series from its Southern California roots, placing the preternatural panic in the heart of Amish country.
A woman begins filming a documentary about her newly-discovered biological relatives only to uncover sinister tidings in the otherwise tranquil rural setting. Helmed by William Eubank, who is best known for 2020’s Lovecraftian undertaking Underwater, Next of Kin is set to be a return to form for the relatively wayward franchise.
What We Do In The Shadows reintroduces former amateur vampire hunter Derek as a confused new vampire – but how did he turn undead? In What We Do In The Shadows season 3, co-equal vampire council rulers Nadja and Nandor bicker about who gets to sit on the throne, Nandor’s familiar and bodyguard Guillermo convinces them to let him do it, as it solves the lack of a throne figure, and no one would recognize him behind the ceremonial robes.However, a problem quickly turns up as it is Guillermo who recognizes someone who’s fated for judgment: Derek, an amateur vampire hunter. After Nandor and Nadja sentence Derek to death, Guillermo puts his skills to use once again to free Derek. Guillermo then convinces Nandor and Nadja to spare Derek, on the condition that he works off his transgressions and gets training as a new vampire under Laszlo, who is too drunk to object the ruling.How did Derek end up becoming a vampire in the first place? In What We Do In The Shadows season 2, episode 3, Guillermo meets Derek as a member of an amateur vampire hunting organization. This could provide more clues regarding Derek’s vampiric origins.In the What We Do In The Shadows universe, the rules for siring a new vampire are highly similar to that of traditional western vampiric lore. A human must be drained of their blood, and then drink the blood of a vampire, which starts the undead transformation. After the new vampire first consumes human blood, only then will the transformation be complete. This was how Nadja turned the LARPer Jenna into a vampire in What We Do In The Shadows season 1, episode 2. The fact that it’s so easy to turn someone into a vampire is part of why Nandor’s familiar Guillermo is so frustrated that they haven’t turned him into one of them yet. However, while the process is easy to start, it’s not always quick. After drinking Nadja’s blood, Jenna spent several nights thinking that she’s sick, as Nadja never explained that her transformation has begun. This led her to eat food and then vomit it all out, as vampires cannot eat real food. It takes several nights for Jenna to finally feed on human blood and complete her transformation. This shows how vampires in the What We Do In The Shadows universe don’t always look after the ones they sire, which could be what happened to Derek. After drinking the blood of a vampire, Derek could have simply wandered off, which explains why he knows nothing about the rules that all vampires are supposed to follow.Derek appears in one of the first episodes that shows Guillermo’s vampire killing skills. While looking for virgin blood for his masters, Guillermo finds an organization called the Mosquito Collectors of the Tri-State Area, which turns out to be a secret organization of amateur vampire hunters. One of these hunters is Derek, who then joins Guillermo on an ill-fated mission to infiltrate a home that’s infested by vampires. While Guillermo manages to kill some vampires and escape with the other hunters, they leave many of the others behind, including Derek. In fact, Derek is missing in the rest of What We Do In The Shadows season 2, suggesting that he died. However, as he resurfaces as a fledgling vampire in season 3, it appears that instead of being killed, he was turned into a vampire after the encounter, and is now a recurring character in What We Do In The Shadows.What We Do In The Shadows season 3 is yet to dig deeper into Derek’s vampiric origins, leaving much room for speculation. As Derek’s last known encounter with vampires was during the botched hunting mission back in season 2, he was likely sired by one of the vampires that they encountered there. Unlike the home of the main characters of What We Do In The Shadows, which is shared by only 4 vampires, the home that Derek and Guillermo infiltrated was inhabited by more than 10 vampires. Derek could’ve been sired by any one of those vampires at any time during or after the mission. However, it seems that no one stuck around to teach Derek the most basic rules that he needs to follow in order to avoid the ire of What We Do In The Shadows’ vampire council. This means that Derek’s transformation is most likely an accident, and that his sire is unaware that they not only turned an amateur vampire hunter into a vampire, but also abandoned the poor creature.Meanwhile, another possible explanation is that Derek could’ve gotten his hands on a vial of vampire blood somewhere in the home. As Nadja shows when she turned Jenna into a vampire, some older vampires keep their blood in a vial when they intend to sire another. While it’s unlikely that Derek was turned knowingly, there’s a chance that in his scramble to escape, he could’ve found and kept one of these vials, and then later drank the contents.Derek is a returning What We Do In The Shadows character who is also likely to appear in more future episodes. This is because Laszlo, whom Guillermo convinced to be Derek’s lawyer during his vampire council trial, is also now in charge of teaching Derek the ways of the modern vampire. In order to work off his transgressions, Derek has also been enlisted by Laszlo to sell the overpriced pillows that his human best friend Sean needs to sell. If Derek becomes a recurring character in the show, the question of who created him, and how, will become even more important. It is rumored that when a vampire’s sire dies, then all the other vampires that they created will die as well. This is an idea that’s been tackled by What We Do In The Shadows season 3, and will likely continue to be explored as the show progresses.
What We Do In The Shadows reintroduces former amateur vampire hunter Derek as a confused new vampire – but how did he turn undead? In What We Do In The Shadows season 3, co-equal vampire council rulers Nadja and Nandor bicker about who gets to sit on the throne, Nandor’s familiar and bodyguard Guillermo convinces them to let him do it, as it solves the lack of a throne figure, and no one would recognize him behind the ceremonial robes.
However, a problem quickly turns up as it is Guillermo who recognizes someone who’s fated for judgment: Derek, an amateur vampire hunter. After Nandor and Nadja sentence Derek to death, Guillermo puts his skills to use once again to free Derek. Guillermo then convinces Nandor and Nadja to spare Derek, on the condition that he works off his transgressions and gets training as a new vampire under Laszlo, who is too drunk to object the ruling.
How did Derek end up becoming a vampire in the first place? In What We Do In The Shadows season 2, episode 3, Guillermo meets Derek as a member of an amateur vampire hunting organization. This could provide more clues regarding Derek’s vampiric origins.
In the What We Do In The Shadows universe, the rules for siring a new vampire are highly similar to that of traditional western vampiric lore. A human must be drained of their blood, and then drink the blood of a vampire, which starts the undead transformation. After the new vampire first consumes human blood, only then will the transformation be complete. This was how Nadja turned the LARPer Jenna into a vampire in What We Do In The Shadows season 1, episode 2. The fact that it’s so easy to turn someone into a vampire is part of why Nandor’s familiar Guillermo is so frustrated that they haven’t turned him into one of them yet. However, while the process is easy to start, it’s not always quick. After drinking Nadja’s blood, Jenna spent several nights thinking that she’s sick, as Nadja never explained that her transformation has begun. This led her to eat food and then vomit it all out, as vampires cannot eat real food.
It takes several nights for Jenna to finally feed on human blood and complete her transformation. This shows how vampires in the What We Do In The Shadows universe don’t always look after the ones they sire, which could be what happened to Derek. After drinking the blood of a vampire, Derek could have simply wandered off, which explains why he knows nothing about the rules that all vampires are supposed to follow.
Derek appears in one of the first episodes that shows Guillermo’s vampire killing skills. While looking for virgin blood for his masters, Guillermo finds an organization called the Mosquito Collectors of the Tri-State Area, which turns out to be a secret organization of amateur vampire hunters. One of these hunters is Derek, who then joins Guillermo on an ill-fated mission to infiltrate a home that’s infested by vampires. While Guillermo manages to kill some vampires and escape with the other hunters, they leave many of the others behind, including Derek. In fact, Derek is missing in the rest of What We Do In The Shadows season 2, suggesting that he died. However, as he resurfaces as a fledgling vampire in season 3, it appears that instead of being killed, he was turned into a vampire after the encounter, and is now a recurring character in What We Do In The Shadows.
What We Do In The Shadows season 3 is yet to dig deeper into Derek’s vampiric origins, leaving much room for speculation. As Derek’s last known encounter with vampires was during the botched hunting mission back in season 2, he was likely sired by one of the vampires that they encountered there. Unlike the home of the main characters of What We Do In The Shadows, which is shared by only 4 vampires, the home that Derek and Guillermo infiltrated was inhabited by more than 10 vampires. Derek could’ve been sired by any one of those vampires at any time during or after the mission. However, it seems that no one stuck around to teach Derek the most basic rules that he needs to follow in order to avoid the ire of What We Do In The Shadows’ vampire council. This means that Derek’s transformation is most likely an accident, and that his sire is unaware that they not only turned an amateur vampire hunter into a vampire, but also abandoned the poor creature.
Meanwhile, another possible explanation is that Derek could’ve gotten his hands on a vial of vampire blood somewhere in the home. As Nadja shows when she turned Jenna into a vampire, some older vampires keep their blood in a vial when they intend to sire another. While it’s unlikely that Derek was turned knowingly, there’s a chance that in his scramble to escape, he could’ve found and kept one of these vials, and then later drank the contents.
Derek is a returning What We Do In The Shadows character who is also likely to appear in more future episodes. This is because Laszlo, whom Guillermo convinced to be Derek’s lawyer during his vampire council trial, is also now in charge of teaching Derek the ways of the modern vampire. In order to work off his transgressions, Derek has also been enlisted by Laszlo to sell the overpriced pillows that his human best friend Sean needs to sell. If Derek becomes a recurring character in the show, the question of who created him, and how, will become even more important. It is rumored that when a vampire’s sire dies, then all the other vampires that they created will die as well. This is an idea that’s been tackled by What We Do In The Shadows season 3, and will likely continue to be explored as the show progresses.
The most important hire in the making of a James Bond movie is the casting of 007 himself, but the second most important is choosing a director. To pull off a great Bond movie, a filmmaker needs to have a fundamental understanding of what makes the character and his stories work, a unique take on the familiar formula, and most importantly, experience with directing action.When a new Bond movie is in development, the first few choices for the director’s chair might turn down the job, or suffer from creative differences with the producers.Updated on October 9th, 2021 by Colin McCormick: James Bond fans can finally rejoice with the release of No Time to Die. Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 had a lot of trouble getting to theaters including some director shakeups. It gets fans thinking about the Bond movies that might have been with some big-name filmmakers coming close to joining the franchise in the past. And of course, even with a new movie just hitting theaters, it’s hard not to look to the future and wonder what directors might take on Bond someday.Following the poor reception of Die Another Day, the Bond franchise was certainly looking for a way to add some new energy into the franchise. Interesting, Quentin Tarantino came close to being the director to do so.Tarantino reportedly met with the producers about an idea of adapting the first Bond movie, Casino Royale, and setting it in the 60s but with Pierce Brosnan returning as Bond. The producers instead decided to replace Brosnan and make Casino Royale with Martin Campbell directing.Looking at Chloé Zhao’s past movies, big-budget franchises wouldn’t seem to be in her future. However, her brilliant work in The Rider and the Best Picture-winning Nomadland certainly cemented her as one of the most important filmmakers right now.Zhao is now subverting expectations by jumping into the MCU to direct Eternals. She seems to be blending her naturalistic and indie filmmaking sensibilities with a blockbuster story. This is certainly an interesting new direction for Marvel and it could be a fascinating way to approach Bond as well.Steven Soderbergh is an incredibly versatile filmmaker with a wide range of movies throughout his career. He has directed indie dramas like Sex, Lies, and Videotape, fun capers like Ocean’s Eleven, and intense thrillers like Contagion. But to see him step into a Bond movie would have been exciting.Soderbergh confirmed that he was approached to direct a Bond movie which would have seemed to be during the Daniel Craig era. While Soderbergh admitted to being a fan of the franchise, disagreements over the direction of the movie caused him to walk away.Bong Joon-ho may have been introduced to most American audiences with his Oscar-winning movie Parasite, but he has long established himself as one of the 21st century’s best filmmakers. He is another versatile talent whose movies like Memories of Murder and The Host show his distinct style in very different stories. Joon-ho also has a talent for grounded dark humor in his movies that helps with his very intense stories. For him to bring the suspense and thrills he delivered in Parasite to a Bond movie would be a real treat for fans and something very new for the franchise.After the success of Dr. No made a Bond franchise viable, the producers were quick to start work on a sequel, From Russia with Love. According to Jalopnik, at one point in the movie’s development, Alfred Hitchcock was reportedly interested in directing.According to Collider, he was also later considered to direct Thunderball. Hitchcock is responsible for some of the greatest spy movies ever made, from Notorious to North by Northwest, so it would be interesting to see what he would’ve done with a Bond movie.Having won the hearts of millions of fans with the genre-lampooning Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy and proven himself as an action director with Baby Driver, Edgar Wright is a no-brainer to direct a Bond movie.After Danny Boyle quit No Time to Die, Wright was on the studio’s shortlist to replace him. As long as studio problems don’t arise as they did with Ant-Man, Wright could turn out a fantastic Bond film.Steven Spielberg was one of the first directors considered for The Spy Who Loved Me. According to The Independent, he’d always wanted to direct a Bond movie and even asked the producers for the opportunity. However, the producers had cold feet due to Spielberg’s lack of filmmaking experience (at the time) and the director already had his hands full with the pre-production on Jaws, so it didn’t happen.Spielberg later teamed up with George Lucas on Raiders of the Lost Ark because he saw it as an opportunity to create an American answer to James Bond.After directing two Mission: Impossible movies, and currently working on another two back-to-back, Christopher McQuarrie might not be interested in helming a Bond movie. A director can only make so many espionage-themed blockbusters before wanting a change of pace.But Mission: Impossible – Fallout blew moviegoers away with its massive action sequences and gargantuan scale. If McQuarrie could bring that to a Bond movie, fans would be in good hands.In any discussion of the greatest action filmmakers of all time, John Woo is likely to be one of the first names to come up. According to The Guardian, early in development on GoldenEye, the 007 producers wanted to hire Woo to direct, as the early drafts had a crazy number of action sequences and they wanted someone who could handle non-stop visceral action.Based on Hard Boiled, The Killer, and A Better Tomorrow, Woo was more than qualified. Although he was honored to be offered a Bond movie, Woo turned down the offer. The action scenes from the early drafts ended up being peppered throughout Pierce Brosnan’s subsequent Bond movies.Throughout the 2010s, Lynne Ramsay quietly emerged as one of the greatest filmmakers working today. Ramsay’s dark, character-focused movies like We Need to Talk About Kevin have proven her to be a formidable cinematic force.In particular, You Were Never Really Here is proof that Ramsay could direct a gritty, hyperviolent Bond movie that would make Casino Royale look like The Spy Next Door.According to Warped Factor, having been a huge fan of Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, Barbara Broccoli was eager to hire him to direct The World is Not Enough. However, when she saw Jackson’s supernatural comedy The Frighteners, she turned against his directorial style and changed her mind.Before Michael Apted was eventually hired to helm the project, Gremlins director Joe Dante was considered for the job.After he delivered genre thrills and shocking plot twists while keeping the tone grounded in Widows, there’s no doubt that Steve McQueen could make an incredible James Bond movie.McQueen’s introspective look at flawed characters could deconstruct the Bond mythos in a way that the outdated franchise is desperately crying out for.Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die, which was due to be released this April before the coronavirus pandemic pushed it back a few months, was initially set to be directed by Danny Boyle.Boyle later quit the project due to creative differences with the producers and he was replaced by True Detective’s Cary Fukunaga.Denis Villeneuve is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. His movies like Sicario and Blade Runner 2049 have been met with huge acclaim. He is also helming one of the most anticipated movies of the year with Dune.Villeneuve has a talent for making engrossing movies that grab the audience’s attention from beginning to end. It would be great to see him put those skills to work on a big-budget spy thriller like Bond. And with Villeneuve being very vocal about his desire to make a Bond movie, it feels like a very real possibility.Christopher Nolan’s latest movie, Tenet, is a spy thriller, and it looks like it’ll give fans an idea of how a James Bond movie directed by Nolan might play out. Fans also got a glimpse at what a Nolan-helmed 007 set piece would look like with the snowbound shootout in Inception.But it would be terrific to see Nolan being given carte blanche and IMAX cameras by the Bond producers to go wild with a standalone masterpiece hitting the familiar beats while having a larger Nolan-esque sense of profundity.
The most important hire in the making of a James Bond movie is the casting of 007 himself, but the second most important is choosing a director. To pull off a great Bond movie, a filmmaker needs to have a fundamental understanding of what makes the character and his stories work, a unique take on the familiar formula, and most importantly, experience with directing action.
When a new Bond movie is in development, the first few choices for the director’s chair might turn down the job, or suffer from creative differences with the producers.
Updated on October 9th, 2021 by Colin McCormick: James Bond fans can finally rejoice with the release of No Time to Die. Daniel Craig’s final outing as 007 had a lot of trouble getting to theaters including some director shakeups. It gets fans thinking about the Bond movies that might have been with some big-name filmmakers coming close to joining the franchise in the past. And of course, even with a new movie just hitting theaters, it’s hard not to look to the future and wonder what directors might take on Bond someday.
Following the poor reception of Die Another Day, the Bond franchise was certainly looking for a way to add some new energy into the franchise. Interesting, Quentin Tarantino came close to being the director to do so.
Tarantino reportedly met with the producers about an idea of adapting the first Bond movie, Casino Royale, and setting it in the 60s but with Pierce Brosnan returning as Bond. The producers instead decided to replace Brosnan and make Casino Royale with Martin Campbell directing.
Looking at Chloé Zhao’s past movies, big-budget franchises wouldn’t seem to be in her future. However, her brilliant work in The Rider and the Best Picture-winning Nomadland certainly cemented her as one of the most important filmmakers right now.
Zhao is now subverting expectations by jumping into the MCU to direct Eternals. She seems to be blending her naturalistic and indie filmmaking sensibilities with a blockbuster story. This is certainly an interesting new direction for Marvel and it could be a fascinating way to approach Bond as well.
Steven Soderbergh is an incredibly versatile filmmaker with a wide range of movies throughout his career. He has directed indie dramas like Sex, Lies, and Videotape, fun capers like Ocean’s Eleven, and intense thrillers like Contagion. But to see him step into a Bond movie would have been exciting.
Soderbergh confirmed that he was approached to direct a Bond movie which would have seemed to be during the Daniel Craig era. While Soderbergh admitted to being a fan of the franchise, disagreements over the direction of the movie caused him to walk away.
Bong Joon-ho may have been introduced to most American audiences with his Oscar-winning movie Parasite, but he has long established himself as one of the 21st century’s best filmmakers. He is another versatile talent whose movies like Memories of Murder and The Host show his distinct style in very different stories.
Joon-ho also has a talent for grounded dark humor in his movies that helps with his very intense stories. For him to bring the suspense and thrills he delivered in Parasite to a Bond movie would be a real treat for fans and something very new for the franchise.
After the success of Dr. No made a Bond franchise viable, the producers were quick to start work on a sequel, From Russia with Love. According to Jalopnik, at one point in the movie’s development, Alfred Hitchcock was reportedly interested in directing.
According to Collider, he was also later considered to direct Thunderball. Hitchcock is responsible for some of the greatest spy movies ever made, from Notorious to North by Northwest, so it would be interesting to see what he would’ve done with a Bond movie.
Having won the hearts of millions of fans with the genre-lampooning Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy and proven himself as an action director with Baby Driver, Edgar Wright is a no-brainer to direct a Bond movie.
After Danny Boyle quit No Time to Die, Wright was on the studio’s shortlist to replace him. As long as studio problems don’t arise as they did with Ant-Man, Wright could turn out a fantastic Bond film.
Steven Spielberg was one of the first directors considered for The Spy Who Loved Me. According to The Independent, he’d always wanted to direct a Bond movie and even asked the producers for the opportunity. However, the producers had cold feet due to Spielberg’s lack of filmmaking experience (at the time) and the director already had his hands full with the pre-production on Jaws, so it didn’t happen.
Spielberg later teamed up with George Lucas on Raiders of the Lost Ark because he saw it as an opportunity to create an American answer to James Bond.
After directing two Mission: Impossible movies, and currently working on another two back-to-back, Christopher McQuarrie might not be interested in helming a Bond movie. A director can only make so many espionage-themed blockbusters before wanting a change of pace.
But Mission: Impossible – Fallout blew moviegoers away with its massive action sequences and gargantuan scale. If McQuarrie could bring that to a Bond movie, fans would be in good hands.
In any discussion of the greatest action filmmakers of all time, John Woo is likely to be one of the first names to come up. According to The Guardian, early in development on GoldenEye, the 007 producers wanted to hire Woo to direct, as the early drafts had a crazy number of action sequences and they wanted someone who could handle non-stop visceral action.
Based on Hard Boiled, The Killer, and A Better Tomorrow, Woo was more than qualified. Although he was honored to be offered a Bond movie, Woo turned down the offer. The action scenes from the early drafts ended up being peppered throughout Pierce Brosnan’s subsequent Bond movies.
Throughout the 2010s, Lynne Ramsay quietly emerged as one of the greatest filmmakers working today. Ramsay’s dark, character-focused movies like We Need to Talk About Kevin have proven her to be a formidable cinematic force.
In particular, You Were Never Really Here is proof that Ramsay could direct a gritty, hyperviolent Bond movie that would make Casino Royale look like The Spy Next Door.
According to Warped Factor, having been a huge fan of Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, Barbara Broccoli was eager to hire him to direct The World is Not Enough. However, when she saw Jackson’s supernatural comedy The Frighteners, she turned against his directorial style and changed her mind.
Before Michael Apted was eventually hired to helm the project, Gremlins director Joe Dante was considered for the job.
After he delivered genre thrills and shocking plot twists while keeping the tone grounded in Widows, there’s no doubt that Steve McQueen could make an incredible James Bond movie.
McQueen’s introspective look at flawed characters could deconstruct the Bond mythos in a way that the outdated franchise is desperately crying out for.
Daniel Craig’s final Bond film, No Time to Die, which was due to be released this April before the coronavirus pandemic pushed it back a few months, was initially set to be directed by Danny Boyle.
Boyle later quit the project due to creative differences with the producers and he was replaced by True Detective’s Cary Fukunaga.
Denis Villeneuve is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. His movies like Sicario and Blade Runner 2049 have been met with huge acclaim. He is also helming one of the most anticipated movies of the year with Dune.
Villeneuve has a talent for making engrossing movies that grab the audience’s attention from beginning to end. It would be great to see him put those skills to work on a big-budget spy thriller like Bond. And with Villeneuve being very vocal about his desire to make a Bond movie, it feels like a very real possibility.
Christopher Nolan’s latest movie, Tenet, is a spy thriller, and it looks like it’ll give fans an idea of how a James Bond movie directed by Nolan might play out. Fans also got a glimpse at what a Nolan-helmed 007 set piece would look like with the snowbound shootout in Inception.
But it would be terrific to see Nolan being given carte blanche and IMAX cameras by the Bond producers to go wild with a standalone masterpiece hitting the familiar beats while having a larger Nolan-esque sense of profundity.
Penned by Joss Whedon and set on Earth after Alien Resurrection, Alien 5 is one of the biggest sequels never to see the light of day. The Alien franchise is a success by any barometer or metric, spawning 4 mainline installments and 2 prequel films, with the original Alien’s induction into the National Film Registry for historical preservation highlighting its cultural significance. All Alien installments center around the origins or activity of the iconic early Xenomorph, designed by legendary Swiss surrealist H.R. Geiger.The final film in the original series, Alien Resurrection, ended with Call (Winona Ryder) and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) floating towards a futuristic Earth after escaping the human/Alien hybrid. The poignancy of this moment should not be understated given Ripley’s continued desire to return home across the entire franchise, with Ripley 8’s statement to Call, “I’m a stranger here myself,” confirming the arduous 257-year journey she has undergone to reach that moment. Like Ripley before it, the Alien franchise has since been in stasis, with Alien Resurrection’s release almost 2 decades ago, the last of the original movie quartet.Related: Why Alien 7 Should Bring Back Resurrection’s Hated Hybrid VillainYet, it could have been so different if the purportedly finished script of Alien 5 had come to fruition. The Avengers’ Joss Whedon offered up a script designed to take the franchise back full circle, set 30 years after the Nostromo’s doomed journey back to mother Earth before a raft of complications put paid to his vision. Here’s why Whedon’s Alien 5 never happened and what the film would have looked like if it did.What immediately juts forward from Whedon’s Alien 5 concept is his understanding of the Alien franchise and his love of it. Whedon himself penned the script for Alien: Resurrection, providing several drafts before director Jean-Pierre Jeunet settled on an entirely different climax for the 4th Alien installment, seeing the Alien-hybrid sucked through a hole into space. Whedon has personally voiced his deep regrets at the final product presented by the flawed Alien: Resurrection movie, with his designs for Alien 5 looking to right many of the prior film’s wrongs.While plot details have only been released in a piecemeal fashion for Alien 5’s script, it is understood to take place on Earth in the immediate aftermath of Alien: Resurrection. Ripley and Call continue their descent to the planetoid, unaware that they are not alone following the explosion of the Auriga in typical Alien fashion. Alien 5 was designed to end the Alien narrative surrounding Sigourney Weaver’s iconic Ripley, with her homecoming after 257 years away from the planet designed to offer a sense of finality to the original movie series. Whedon’s decision to close Ripley’s loop shows he understands the importance of returning the Alien films to the human, tension-driven settings so oft provided by Ridley Scott. Watching John Hurt’s Kane choke at night in the mess hall after awakening from his ordeal delivers a visceral moment steeped in atmosphere and un-touched by complex creature-based scenes. In this way, the Alien 5 script’s premise promised to bring Ripley back to the fore and shy away from the frenetic and often incomprehensible action that marred Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.Several factors conspired to herald the downfall of Alien 5’s incubating production, with the script unable to muster a concerted effort at truly being considered for release. Whedon’s Earth-based script may have looked to usher in a return to the dazzling Ridley Scott Alien era, but its intent to close the story came at a heavy price. Sigourney Weaver’s approval of the script became a key component of the pre-production ritual for all direct Alien sequels – a grace ultimately denied to Whedon by Weaver. Weaver has cited many issues with Whedon’s handling of Ripley, stating that his vision of her return to Earth diluted the first Alien’s impact significantly. She also stated that, based on Whedon’s script, Ripley would lose her last shred of humanity and become a one-dimensional character, which ironically was something both Weaver and Whedon had wanted to avoid in Alien 5.Related: AVP: Requiem Proved Predator Had A Clearer Movie Future Than AlienHowever, Sigourney Weaver’s lack of approval was not the only factor in holding Alien 5 back from the races. Even as far back as 1998, 20th Century Fox had begun work on a “Frankenstein Meets Werewolf” concept that would look to pit Ridley Scott’s Alien against John McTiernan’s Predator in their original forms. James Cameron, who Fox had initially asked to help pen a 5th Alien installment (akin to his Aliens success), immediately distanced himself from the project, bashing it as something that would “kill the validity of the franchise.” Despite losing their man at the helm, the studio pressed on, eventually releasing Paul W.S. Anderson’s AVP: Alien vs. Predator in 2004. The release of AVP was the final nail in the coffin for Whedon’s shelved Alien 5 script, taking the Alien franchise on a less serious tangent and quashing Alien 5’s decidedly human concept in the process.While Joss Whedon’s vision for the canceled Alien 5 is unlikely to reappear, other incarnations are well underway for a fifth Alien movie. The Alien prequel, Prometheus, initially looked to be taking the franchise in a bold new direction, receiving the best reviews for an Alien installment since Aliens. However, its follow-up, Alien: Covenant, was released in 2017 to decidedly mixed reviews, causing 20th Century Fox to reassess their position on the overarching prequel narrative. Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019 altered the players in the Alien landscape, but perhaps not the linear franchise plan, after officially confirming at the 2019 CinemaCon that Alien sequels were in production.Gallingly for Joss Whedon’s alternate Alien 5, Sigourney Weaver’s stance also seems to have softened on Ripley’s potential narratives. At the 2014 Hero Complex film festival, Weaver stated, “Had we done a fifth one, I don’t doubt that her humanity would have prevailed. I do feel like there is more story to tell. I feel a longing from fans for the story to be finished. I could imagine a situation where we finish telling the story.” While there is no confirmed word on Weaver returning for Disney’s Alien projects, it is hard to imagine a Xenomorph story untethered to the iconic Ripley. Although Joss Whedon’s Alien 5 concept seems destined to gather dust somewhere, his notion of Alien 5 embracing its human element is one any future Alien franchise installments should embody.More: Why Alien’s Best Movie Future Brings The Xenomorphs To Earthfrom ScreenRant – Feed https://ift.tt/3Dljx50 https://ift.tt/3DqfpAH
Penned by Joss Whedon and set on Earth after Alien Resurrection, Alien 5 is one of the biggest sequels never to see the light of day. The Alien franchise is a success by any barometer or metric, spawning 4 mainline installments and 2 prequel films, with the original Alien‘s induction into the National Film Registry for historical preservation highlighting its cultural significance. All Alien installments center around the origins or activity of the iconic early Xenomorph, designed by legendary Swiss surrealist H.R. Geiger.
The final film in the original series, Alien Resurrection, ended with Call (Winona Ryder) and Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) floating towards a futuristic Earth after escaping the human/Alien hybrid. The poignancy of this moment should not be understated given Ripley’s continued desire to return home across the entire franchise, with Ripley 8’s statement to Call, “I’m a stranger here myself,” confirming the arduous 257-year journey she has undergone to reach that moment. Like Ripley before it, the Alien franchise has since been in stasis, with Alien Resurrection‘s release almost 2 decades ago, the last of the original movie quartet.
Yet, it could have been so different if the purportedly finished script of Alien 5 had come to fruition. The Avengers‘ Joss Whedon offered up a script designed to take the franchise back full circle, set 30 years after the Nostromo’s doomed journey back to mother Earth before a raft of complications put paid to his vision. Here’s why Whedon’s Alien 5 never happened and what the film would have looked like if it did.
What immediately juts forward from Whedon’s Alien 5 concept is his understanding of the Alien franchise and his love of it. Whedon himself penned the script for Alien: Resurrection, providing several drafts before director Jean-Pierre Jeunet settled on an entirely different climax for the 4th Alien installment, seeing the Alien-hybrid sucked through a hole into space. Whedon has personally voiced his deep regrets at the final product presented by the flawed Alien: Resurrection movie, with his designs for Alien 5 looking to right many of the prior film’s wrongs.
While plot details have only been released in a piecemeal fashion for Alien 5‘s script, it is understood to take place on Earth in the immediate aftermath of Alien: Resurrection. Ripley and Call continue their descent to the planetoid, unaware that they are not alone following the explosion of the Auriga in typical Alien fashion. Alien 5 was designed to end the Alien narrative surrounding Sigourney Weaver’s iconic Ripley, with her homecoming after 257 years away from the planet designed to offer a sense of finality to the original movie series. Whedon’s decision to close Ripley’s loop shows he understands the importance of returning the Alien films to the human, tension-driven settings so oft provided by Ridley Scott. Watching John Hurt’s Kane choke at night in the mess hall after awakening from his ordeal delivers a visceral moment steeped in atmosphere and un-touched by complex creature-based scenes. In this way, the Alien 5 script’s premise promised to bring Ripley back to the fore and shy away from the frenetic and often incomprehensible action that marred Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.
Several factors conspired to herald the downfall of Alien 5‘s incubating production, with the script unable to muster a concerted effort at truly being considered for release. Whedon’s Earth-based script may have looked to usher in a return to the dazzling Ridley Scott Alien era, but its intent to close the story came at a heavy price. Sigourney Weaver’s approval of the script became a key component of the pre-production ritual for all direct Alien sequels – a grace ultimately denied to Whedon by Weaver. Weaver has cited many issues with Whedon’s handling of Ripley, stating that his vision of her return to Earth diluted the first Alien‘s impact significantly. She also stated that, based on Whedon’s script, Ripley would lose her last shred of humanity and become a one-dimensional character, which ironically was something both Weaver and Whedon had wanted to avoid in Alien 5.
However, Sigourney Weaver’s lack of approval was not the only factor in holding Alien 5 back from the races. Even as far back as 1998, 20th Century Fox had begun work on a “Frankenstein Meets Werewolf” concept that would look to pit Ridley Scott’s Alien against John McTiernan’s Predator in their original forms. James Cameron, who Fox had initially asked to help pen a 5th Alien installment (akin to his Aliens success), immediately distanced himself from the project, bashing it as something that would “kill the validity of the franchise.” Despite losing their man at the helm, the studio pressed on, eventually releasing Paul W.S. Anderson’s AVP: Alien vs. Predator in 2004. The release of AVP was the final nail in the coffin for Whedon’s shelved Alien 5 script, taking the Alien franchise on a less serious tangent and quashing Alien 5‘s decidedly human concept in the process.
While Joss Whedon’s vision for the canceled Alien 5 is unlikely to reappear, other incarnations are well underway for a fifth Alien movie. The Alien prequel, Prometheus, initially looked to be taking the franchise in a bold new direction, receiving the best reviews for an Alien installment since Aliens. However, its follow-up, Alien: Covenant, was released in 2017 to decidedly mixed reviews, causing 20th Century Fox to reassess their position on the overarching prequel narrative. Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019 altered the players in the Alien landscape, but perhaps not the linear franchise plan, after officially confirming at the 2019 CinemaCon that Alien sequels were in production.
Gallingly for Joss Whedon’s alternate Alien 5, Sigourney Weaver’s stance also seems to have softened on Ripley’s potential narratives. At the 2014 Hero Complex film festival, Weaver stated, “Had we done a fifth one, I don’t doubt that her humanity would have prevailed. I do feel like there is more story to tell. I feel a longing from fans for the story to be finished. I could imagine a situation where we finish telling the story.” While there is no confirmed word on Weaver returning for Disney’s Alien projects, it is hard to imagine a Xenomorph story untethered to the iconic Ripley. Although Joss Whedon’s Alien 5 concept seems destined to gather dust somewhere, his notion of Alien 5 embracing its human element is one any future Alien franchise installments should embody.
Warning! Spoilers for Batman Beyond 2.0 #28In a world inspired by the beloved DC Animated Universe, Batman once got Batgirl pregnant. Not only is their past relationship scandalous to fans— it’s also infuriating to Dick Grayson AKA Nightwing, who was Barbara Gordon’s boyfriend at the time.Although some fans might forget that both Bruce and Dick had romantic relationships with Barbara during Batman: The New Adventures, audiences were enraged when Batman and Batgirl got together in the animated adaptation of The Killing Joke. At the time, many felt it was inappropriate for the two bat vigilantes to get together, especially when she had been long portrayed as a teenage sidekick. However, it turns out there has been an even bigger offense regarding their affair in Batman Beyond 2.0 #28, written by Kyle Higgins with art by Phil Hester and Craig Rousseau.Related: Batman: Reptilian Artist Asks Fans Why Comic is Being IgnoredWhen Barbara confronts Bruce in the Batcave, she reveals that she’s been pregnant for seven weeks. Assuming that it’s Dick Grayson’s child, Bruce is congratulatory, but she goes onto explain that he hadn’t been back in Gotham at that time. While Dick was away, Bruce and Barbara’s relationship became romantic and went in a direction they hadn’t planned. The moment adds new context for why Robin and Batman initially fell apart in the DCAU, as Dick went onto become Nightwing and distance himself from his Boy Wonder image. Based on their interaction, it seems like they’ve both acknowledged the mistake and will leave it in the past.The flashback to the New Adventures era of the timeline comes across like a deleted scene that the animation rating system wouldn’t approve to air. It almost fits in perfectly with the episode Old Wounds in which Dick Grayson disavows his Robin persona, punching Batman and abandoning the bat family for a time. However, Dick is more furious with him than fans had seen him before. After becoming aware of what had happened between Barbara and his surrogate father, he goes into a rage and overpowers Bruce. While it had been known that the bat family’s adventures ended in tragedy, as referenced throughout Batman Beyond, Barbara’s pregnancy was never an emphasized breaking point. Instead, Return of the Joker made it seem that Tim Drake’s demise brought the team to a definitive end.If Barbara and Bruce had a child together, it would have changed the course of the DCAU, and potentially rob Batman Beyond of its premise. The son or daughter of Batman and Batgirl would be a likely candidate to take over the mantle in the future as Gotham’s guardian. Terry McGinnis would’ve been out of a job if the city already had a Dark Knight by the time he was a teenager. Similar to Damian Wayne, the son that Batman had with Talia, Barbara and Bruce would be certain to raise a strong fighter.More: Identity Crisis: What You Need to Know About DC’s Controversial Storyfrom ScreenRant – Feed https://ift.tt/3mCtIvi https://ift.tt/3oMDNIJ
Warning! Spoilers for Batman Beyond 2.0 #28
In a world inspired by the beloved DC Animated Universe, Batman once got Batgirl pregnant. Not only is their past relationship scandalous to fans— it’s also infuriating to Dick Grayson AKA Nightwing, who was Barbara Gordon’s boyfriend at the time.
Although some fans might forget that both Bruce and Dick had romantic relationships with Barbara during Batman: The New Adventures, audiences were enraged when Batman and Batgirl got together in the animated adaptation of The Killing Joke. At the time, many felt it was inappropriate for the two bat vigilantes to get together, especially when she had been long portrayed as a teenage sidekick. However, it turns out there has been an even bigger offense regarding their affair in Batman Beyond 2.0 #28, written by Kyle Higgins with art by Phil Hester and Craig Rousseau.
When Barbara confronts Bruce in the Batcave, she reveals that she’s been pregnant for seven weeks. Assuming that it’s Dick Grayson’s child, Bruce is congratulatory, but she goes onto explain that he hadn’t been back in Gotham at that time. While Dick was away, Bruce and Barbara’s relationship became romantic and went in a direction they hadn’t planned. The moment adds new context for why Robin and Batman initially fell apart in the DCAU, as Dick went onto become Nightwing and distance himself from his Boy Wonder image. Based on their interaction, it seems like they’ve both acknowledged the mistake and will leave it in the past.
The flashback to the New Adventures era of the timeline comes across like a deleted scene that the animation rating system wouldn’t approve to air. It almost fits in perfectly with the episode Old Wounds in which Dick Grayson disavows his Robin persona, punching Batman and abandoning the bat family for a time. However, Dick is more furious with him than fans had seen him before. After becoming aware of what had happened between Barbara and his surrogate father, he goes into a rage and overpowers Bruce. While it had been known that the bat family’s adventures ended in tragedy, as referenced throughout Batman Beyond, Barbara’s pregnancy was never an emphasized breaking point. Instead, Return of the Joker made it seem that Tim Drake’s demise brought the team to a definitive end.
If Barbara and Bruce had a child together, it would have changed the course of the DCAU, and potentially rob Batman Beyond of its premise. The son or daughter of Batman and Batgirl would be a likely candidate to take over the mantle in the future as Gotham’s guardian. Terry McGinnis would’ve been out of a job if the city already had a Dark Knight by the time he was a teenager. Similar to Damian Wayne, the son that Batman had with Talia, Barbara and Bruce would be certain to raise a strong fighter.
Critics are divided on the movie The Many Saints of Newark, and many of the problems could have been avoided by using a miniseries format for the prequel. David Chase’s feature film provides viewers a glimpse into the backstory of The Sopranos, showing how a young Tony Soprano was mentored by Dickie Moltisanti. Unfortunately, the format of a two-hour movie leads to many plot points feeling rushed or unsatisfying, resulting in The Many Saints of Newark’s mixed reviews.Set decades before The Sopranos in the Newark of the 1960s and 70s, The Many Saints of Newark depicts Dickie’s rise through the DiMeo crime family, his turbulent relationship with his father’s young wife Giuseppina, and his abrupt death. The movie also introduces the character of Harold, a Black gangster who struggles to find a place amidst the racism of the mafia and the broader society. The Many Saints of Newark also includes glimpses of younger versions of several Sopranos characters including Livia, Junior, and Carmela.RELATED: Every Song In Many Saints Of NewarkAll of this is a lot to pack into two hours, and the film rushes through much of its exposition and leaves some core plot points unresolved. Many scenes, especially in the first half of The Many Saints of Newark, are very quick and establish a world without making it really feel lived-in. A limited series on HBO would provide greater time to introduce characters at a more measured pace without relying on awkward devices such as Christopher Moltisanti’s (Michael Imperioli) narration from beyond the grave. A larger story told across 6-10 episodes would have been a better format for the project, allowing it to fully flesh out its story and characters.The Sopranos has always had a sprawling mode of storytelling prone to digressions, perfectly suited for a serialized TV series. The Many Saints of Newark takes a similar approach, but without the time to explore storylines at its leisure. A miniseries could have provided a proper resolution for Harold’s storyline, and better develop important relationships and plot points like Junior’s feud with Dickie. It could also venture into the backstories of Sopranos characters like Carmela and Tony Blundetto, who appear only briefly in The Many Saints of Newark. A TV format would also better suit the strengths of The Many Saints of Newark’s writer David Chase and director Alan Taylor, both of whom are best known for their work on The Sopranos. Both men have been less successful in the film world, with Chase’s Not Fade Away and Taylor-directed blockbusters like Thor: The Dark World meeting muted response. The Many Saints of Newark’s box office returns suggest it will follow a similar path.The kind of long-form storytelling and unobtrusive direction that made The Sopranos such a classic TV show are harder to translate to the limited runtime of a feature film. Movie audiences also expect a greater amount of visual appeal and narrative resolution, whereas The Many Saints of Newark often feels like two TV episodes stuck together. A televised or streaming miniseries would have let Chase tell stories in the way he’s best at. A limited series, as opposed to an ongoing show like The Sopranos, would still allow The Many Saints of Newark to tell a deliberate and self-contained story from start to finish. While The Many Saints of Newark creates sequel possibilities, resolving its plotlines in a contained series would have provided more closure and avoided the bloat of modern cinematic universes. Ultimately, while The Many Saints of Newark has many strengths, it would have been a more satisfying narrative as a mini-series.NEXT: How The Many Saints Of Newark Connects To The Sopranosfrom ScreenRant – Feed https://ift.tt/3BzrNOA https://ift.tt/3DljciK
Critics are divided on the movieThe Many Saints of Newark, and many of the problems could have been avoided by using a miniseries format for the prequel.David Chase’s feature filmprovides viewers a glimpse into the backstory of The Sopranos, showing how a young Tony Soprano was mentored by Dickie Moltisanti. Unfortunately, the format of a two-hour movie leads to many plot points feeling rushed or unsatisfying, resulting in The Many Saints of Newark’s mixed reviews.
Set decades before The Sopranos in the Newark of the 1960s and 70s, The Many Saints of Newark depicts Dickie’s rise through the DiMeo crime family, his turbulent relationship with his father’s young wife Giuseppina, and his abrupt death. The movie also introduces the character of Harold, a Black gangster who struggles to find a place amidst the racism of the mafia and the broader society. The Many Saints of Newark also includes glimpses of younger versions of several Sopranos characters including Livia, Junior, and Carmela.
All of this is a lot to pack into two hours, and the film rushes through much of its exposition and leaves some core plot points unresolved. Many scenes, especially in the first half of The Many Saints of Newark, are very quick and establish a world without making it really feel lived-in. A limited series on HBO would provide greater time to introduce characters at a more measured pace without relying on awkward devices such as Christopher Moltisanti’s (Michael Imperioli) narration from beyond the grave. A larger story told across 6-10 episodes would have been a better format for the project, allowing it to fully flesh out its story and characters.
The Sopranos has always had a sprawling mode of storytelling prone to digressions, perfectly suited for a serialized TV series. The Many Saints of Newark takes a similar approach, but without the time to explore storylines at its leisure. A miniseries could have provided a proper resolution for Harold’s storyline, and better develop important relationships and plot points like Junior’s feud with Dickie. It could also venture into the backstories of Sopranos characters like Carmela and Tony Blundetto, who appear only briefly in The Many Saints of Newark. A TV format would also better suit the strengths of The Many Saints of Newark‘s writer David Chase and director Alan Taylor, both of whom are best known for their work on The Sopranos. Both men have been less successful in the film world, with Chase’s Not Fade Away and Taylor-directed blockbusters like Thor: The Dark World meeting muted response. The Many Saints of Newark‘s box office returns suggest it will follow a similar path.
The kind of long-form storytelling and unobtrusive direction that made The Sopranos such a classic TV show are harder to translate to the limited runtime of a feature film. Movie audiences also expect a greater amount of visual appeal and narrative resolution, whereas The Many Saints of Newark often feels like two TV episodes stuck together. A televised or streaming miniseries would have let Chase tell stories in the way he’s best at. A limited series, as opposed to an ongoing show like The Sopranos, would still allow The Many Saints of Newark to tell a deliberate and self-contained story from start to finish. While The Many Saints of Newark creates sequel possibilities, resolving its plotlines in a contained series would have provided more closure and avoided the bloat of modern cinematic universes. Ultimately, while The Many Saints of Newarkhas many strengths, it would have been a more satisfying narrative as a mini-series.
