Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix’s biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Wednesday.The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38 million), has become a worldwide sensation for Netflix since its launch less than a month ago.The dystopian drama has inspired countless memes, Halloween costumes of the ubiquitous green tracksuits worn by contestants and real world recreations of the various games. It has also sparked a debate within South Korea about toxic competitive societies and prompted new interest in the country’s culture and language around the world.”Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans — making it our biggest series launch ever!” Netflix posted on Twitter.The series reached that total in just 27 days, since its release on September 17, easily outpacing UK costume drama Bridgerton, which was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days.Netflix gives limited information on viewing figures for its platform and cuts the data it does provide in various ways. The 28-day debut figures it released for Bridgerton and other shows included any account that watched an episode for at least two minutes.Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told a tech conference in California last month said the streaming service was surprised by how popular Squid Game has become.”We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity,” he said.The series was so popular that South Korean Internet service provider SK Broadband sued Netflix to pay for costs from increased network traffic and maintenance work because of the surge in viewers.And a South Korean woman was in talks with the US firm about compensation after she was deluged with thousands of prank calls and text messages when her phone number was inadvertently highlighted as a key plot point in the series.Netflix has it would spend more than $500 million on content produced in South Korea this year.
Hit South Korean show Squid Game has officially become Netflix’s biggest original series launch, the streaming service said on Wednesday.
The nine-part thriller, in which cash-strapped contestants play childhood games with deadly consequences in a bid to win 45.6 billion won ($38 million), has become a worldwide sensation for Netflix since its launch less than a month ago.
The dystopian drama has inspired countless memes, Halloween costumes of the ubiquitous green tracksuits worn by contestants and real world recreations of the various games. It has also sparked a debate within South Korea about toxic competitive societies and prompted new interest in the country’s culture and language around the world.
“Squid Game has officially reached 111 million fans — making it our biggest series launch ever!” Netflix posted on Twitter.
The series reached that total in just 27 days, since its release on September 17, easily outpacing UK costume drama Bridgerton, which was streamed by 82 million accounts in its first 28 days.
Netflix gives limited information on viewing figures for its platform and cuts the data it does provide in various ways. The 28-day debut figures it released for Bridgerton and other shows included any account that watched an episode for at least two minutes.
Netflix co-CEO and Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told a tech conference in California last month said the streaming service was surprised by how popular Squid Game has become.
“We did not see that coming, in terms of its global popularity,” he said.
The series was so popular that South Korean Internet service provider SK Broadband sued Netflix to pay for costs from increased network traffic and maintenance work because of the surge in viewers.
And a South Korean woman was in talks with the US firm about compensation after she was deluged with thousands of prank calls and text messages when her phone number was inadvertently highlighted as a key plot point in the series.
Netflix has it would spend more than $500 million on content produced in South Korea this year.
image credit :huawei central Google Android 12 is the next operating system that comes with various new features. Android is open source and provides different types of customizations for the smartphone makers to customize Android and make it as a base of their custom software skin just like the Huawei EMUI.However, if you are coming from any phone such as Huawei, Samsung, and others, you may find that Pixel device has minimized and a limited amount of apps, that solely launched by Google. This clean and Google apps only user experience is called – Stock Android.But HarmonyOS is the next operating system that has entered on Huawei phones in China with the version HarmonyOS 2. Therefore, more and more device owners continue to upgrade over this new open-source operating system to ramp up HarmonyOS numbers to stand up against Android.Image Credit:huawei centralIn the past, we’ve compared different Android software including numerous types of software skins but this time, we’ll compare stock Android 12 vs HarmonyOS 2. For this HarmonyOS 2 vs Android 12 comparison, we’ll first dive into the quick settings feature of both of the software and see which one is the best.Stock Android 12 Quick Setting:Android 12 is powered by Material You, a new user interface design specially designed for the Android ecosystem. The Android 12 Quick Settings panel shows the same integrations. Once shipped downwards, you can access the quick settings and there are various tiles (quick tap buttons), that have a good amount of width to make sure that you don’t miss a tap.The brightness control and volume sliders also have now bigger sliders. However, the position of the brightness slider at the top should have been at the bottom side. You can also edit the Quick Settings options and add more into them or remove any if you want.image credit:HCHowever, a virtual power button is a lifesaver, and it’s presented on the Android 12, from which, you can tap on emergency, initiate a lockdown, turn off the device or restart it. You don’t have to press the physical key to do such actions.HarmonyOS:HarmonyOS comes with a new Control Panel, that has different types of mobile services in a single place, such as media controllers, connectivity, quick settings, super device, and smart connected device. You can manage these from a single place without a hassle.Image credit:HCTalking specifically about the quick settings, the HarmonyOS carries forward the EMUI 11 icons but polished them with better visibility and the design scheme of the HM OS software. Compared to the Android 12, you can check more of the quick switches on the same screen without any issues.The design of the HarmonyOS quick settings is very simple and subtle, which makes it easy to use. However, that power switch is also a required feature that Huawei should use to this new operating system, to save the phone’s physical power key.Source:HC
image credit :huawei central
GoogleAndroid 12is the next operating system that comes with various new features. Android is open source and provides different types of customizations for the smartphone makers to customize Android and make it as a base of their custom software skin just like theHuaweiEMUI.
However, if you are coming from any phone such as Huawei, Samsung, and others, you may find that Pixel device has minimized and a limited amount of apps, that solely launched by Google. This clean and Google apps only user experience is called – Stock Android.
But HarmonyOS is the next operating system that has entered on Huawei phones in China with the version HarmonyOS 2. Therefore, more and more device owners continue to upgrade over this new open-source operating system to ramp up HarmonyOS numbers to stand up against Android.
Image Credit:huawei central
In the past, we’ve compared different Android software including numerous types of software skins but this time, we’ll compare stock Android 12 vs HarmonyOS 2. For this HarmonyOS 2 vs Android 12 comparison, we’ll first dive into the quick settings feature of both of the software and see which one is the best.
Stock Android 12 Quick Setting:
Android 12 is powered by Material You, a new user interface design specially designed for the Android ecosystem. The Android 12 Quick Settings panel shows the same integrations. Once shipped downwards, you can access the quick settings and there are various tiles (quick tap buttons), that have a good amount of width to make sure that you don’t miss a tap.
The brightness control and volume sliders also have now bigger sliders. However, the position of the brightness slider at the top should have been at the bottom side. You can also edit the Quick Settings options and add more into them or remove any if you want.
image credit:HC
However, a virtual power button is a lifesaver, and it’s presented on the Android 12, from which, you can tap on emergency, initiate a lockdown, turn off the device or restart it. You don’t have to press the physical key to do such actions.
HarmonyOS:
HarmonyOS comes with a new Control Panel, that has different types of mobile services in a single place, such as media controllers, connectivity, quick settings, super device, and smart connected device. You can manage these from a single place without a hassle.
Image credit:HC
Talking specifically about the quick settings, the HarmonyOS carries forward the EMUI 11 icons but polished them with better visibility and the design scheme of the HM OS software. Compared to the Android 12, you can check more of the quick switches on the same screen without any issues.
The design of the HarmonyOS quick settings is very simple and subtle, which makes it easy to use. However, that power switch is also a required feature that Huawei should use to this new operating system, to save the phone’s physical power key.
As we approach the release date of the Google Pixel 6 Pro, it seemed like we knew everything there was to know about the upcoming Google phones. We’ve seen renders, spec sheets, even teardowns, camera samples, and pricing for some markets. What we’re learning now is that Google may go the way of Apple and make it more difficult to get the Pixel 6 Pro fixed, particularly the camera module.If a leaked page from the Google Pixel 6 Pro’s technical repair manual is to be believed, Google appears to be pairing a triple camera module to a unique device from the factory. The document states “RL rear camera is calibrated at vendor site to secure the image/video quality post repair.” This page was published to Repair.Wiki and the Wiki page mentions that a replacement module “is different from the production camera module that is paired to the original logic board.”This means that one may not be able to use the camera module from an existing Pixel 6 Pro and install it onto another device. It also suggests that a replacement module might need to be hard coded to work on another Pixel device. The same document says “If changing the logic board: ASP also needs to change the RL Rear camera has the ‘GEO’ mark. For the replaced Rear Camera from the original device, keep them, and RTV (Return To Vendor).”In a YouTube video, Louis Rossmann explains that since Apple has made camera module repairs with the iPhone 12 more difficult to perform outside of Apple’s authorized repair network, other vendors may see this as an opportunity to do the same. There’s no accusation that Google will make third party or DIY repairs more difficult, but the clues are leading in that direction. Still, this would have to be confirmed by actually taking apart two Pixel 6 Pro devices and swapping the camera modules to see whether they work or not.Rossmann wonders what the benefit is to pair a camera module to the logic board. The leaked document claims it is “to secure the image/video quality post repair.” but this statement is met with skepticism.
As we approach the release date of theGoogle Pixel 6 Pro, it seemed like we knew everything there was to know about the upcoming Google phones. We’ve seenrenders,spec sheets, eventeardowns,camera samples, andpricingfor some markets. What we’re learning now is that Google may go the way of Apple and make it more difficult to get the Pixel 6 Pro fixed, particularly the camera module.
If a leaked page from the Google Pixel 6 Pro’s technical repair manual is to be believed, Google appears to be pairing a triple camera module to a unique device from the factory. The document states “RL rear camera is calibrated at vendor site to secure the image/video quality post repair.” This page was published to Repair.Wiki and the Wiki page mentions that a replacement module “is different from the production camera module that is paired to the original logic board.”
This means that one may not be able to use the camera module from an existing Pixel 6 Pro and install it onto another device. It also suggests that a replacement module might need to be hard coded to work on another Pixel device. The same document says “If changing the logic board: ASP also needs to change the RL Rear camera has the ‘GEO’ mark. For the replaced Rear Camera from the original device, keep them, and RTV (Return To Vendor).”
In a YouTube video, Louis Rossmann explains that since Apple has made camera module repairs with the iPhone 12 more difficult to perform outside of Apple’s authorized repair network, other vendors may see this as an opportunity to do the same. There’s no accusation that Google will make third party or DIY repairs more difficult, but the clues are leading in that direction. Still, this would have to be confirmed by actually taking apart two Pixel 6 Pro devices and swapping the camera modules to see whether they work or not.
Rossmann wonders what the benefit is to pair a camera module to the logic board. The leaked document claims it is “to secure the image/video quality post repair.” but this statement is met with skepticism.
Adobe is bringing Camera Raw to the iPad version of Photoshop, and has demonstrated how it works in a hands-on video. Ryan Dumlao, senior product manager for Photoshop on iPad, shows how Camera Raw can be used to edit RAW and DNG photos directly imported from a camera — in this case a Fujifilm — or ProRAW files from the iPhone 12 Pro and 13 Pro.Camera Raw is a long-standing plugin that allows for advanced RAW image editing within Photoshop, and it’s also the technical basis of Lightroom’s processing engine. Dumlao’s video shows how you can edit various settings and exposure parameters within Photoshop, including importing the RAW file as a smart object for non-destructive editing that can be carried over to the desktop version. In his demo, Dumlao uses Photoshop features to perform tasks like removing individual tree branches and adjusting the color of a specific rope in his photo.While many photographers use Lightroom as their primary editing tool, adding Camera Raw to Photoshop for iPad will dramatically expand the photo editing capabilities for iPad owners who use Photoshop as a big part of their workflow. Adobe hasn’t announced exactly when the feature will be released, only saying that it’s “coming soon.”
Adobe is bringing Camera Raw to the iPad version of Photoshop, and has demonstrated how it works in a hands-on video. Ryan Dumlao, senior product manager for Photoshop on iPad, shows how Camera Raw can be used to edit RAW and DNG photos directly imported from a camera — in this case a Fujifilm — or ProRAW files from the iPhone 12 Pro and 13 Pro.
Camera Raw is a long-standing plugin that allows for advanced RAW image editing within Photoshop, and it’s also the technical basis of Lightroom’s processing engine. Dumlao’s video shows how you can edit various settings and exposure parameters within Photoshop, including importing the RAW file as a smart object for non-destructive editing that can be carried over to the desktop version. In his demo, Dumlao uses Photoshop features to perform tasks like removing individual tree branches and adjusting the color of a specific rope in his photo.
While many photographers use Lightroom as their primary editing tool, adding Camera Raw to Photoshop for iPad will dramatically expand the photo editing capabilities for iPad owners who use Photoshop as a big part of their workflow. Adobe hasn’t announced exactly when the feature will be released, only saying that it’s “coming soon.”
It is not available in China but Netflix’s global sensation Squid Game has already built up a huge following in the country, with fans dodging strict internet controls to stream the show and snapping up merchandise such as its unique outfits.The dystopian South Korean thriller has become the most popular Netflix series launch ever, the streaming giant said Tuesday, but it is unlikely to pass China’s censors because of its brutally violent content.Yet it is already a hit in cities such as Shanghai, where a crowd formed Tuesday at an eatery selling dalgona — the crisp sugar candy featured in one episode — with customers gathering at its Squid Game-themed sign to take photos.”People were sending jokes related to the show in group chats when I started watching,” a customer surnamed Li told AFP.”It’s rather fast-paced and therefore, quite thrilling,” the video producer said of the series.After buying the candy, Li and his friend filmed their attempt at a challenge from the show, where contestants try to cut shapes from the snack without cracking it.Squid Game features a group of society’s most marginalised and indebted people who are forced to compete in a series of children’s games until all participants are dead except one. The “winner” gets $38 million.As the show became an international hit, China’s ever-nimble manufacturers raced to tap into demand, with products — including the bright pink uniforms and eerie masks worn by anonymous guards — popping up across the giant online shopping platform Taobao.Vendor Peng Xiuyang told AFP his sales had spiked by around 30 percent thanks to demand for Squid Game merchandise.He had never heard of the show when a customer asked last month if he sold the masks — a plain black full-faced covering printed with squares, triangles or circles.But now vendors like him and plastics manufacturers in the eastern hub of Yiwu are all rushing to meet demand — from both domestic and international buyers.”Our customers are those who have seen the series and want to join in the trend,” he added.With Halloween coming up, the spine-chilling masks have become his most sought-after product.Illegal distributionThe lack of official availability has not stopped Chinese audiences from finding ways to watch the show — including easily available unofficial streaming sites or file-sharing.The piracy problem is so widespread that South Korea’s ambassador to China, Jang Ha-sung, recently told a parliamentary audit that he had asked Chinese authorities to take action.”Our assessment is that Squid Game, which is gaining global popularity, is being illegally distributed on around 60 sites in China,” Jang said, testifying remotely from Beijing.As fascination with the show swirls among China’s tech-savvy youth, the hashtag Squid Game got nearly two billion views on social media, and related topics have been trending for weeks.Users discussed how they would pass the challenges featured in the show, and wondered what a Chinese version of Squid Game would be like.But one user said: “It’s not like it would pass censors if we made such a show ourselves… if it were too violent, it would just get taken down.”For now, fans just want to have fun.A customer in Shanghai surnamed Yang said: “I’ve seen (the snack) being sold online, but it’s my first time finding it in real life.”
It is not available in China but Netflix’s global sensation Squid Gamehas already built up a huge following in the country, with fans dodging strict internet controls to stream the show and snapping up merchandise such as its unique outfits.
The dystopian South Korean thriller has become the most popular Netflix series launch ever, the streaming giant said Tuesday, but it is unlikely to pass China’s censors because of its brutally violent content.
Yet it is already a hit in cities such as Shanghai, where a crowd formed Tuesday at an eatery selling dalgona — the crisp sugar candy featured in one episode — with customers gathering at its Squid Game-themed sign to take photos.
“People were sending jokes related to the show in group chats when I started watching,” a customer surnamed Li told AFP.
“It’s rather fast-paced and therefore, quite thrilling,” the video producer said of the series.
After buying the candy, Li and his friend filmed their attempt at a challenge from the show, where contestants try to cut shapes from the snack without cracking it.
Squid Game features a group of society’s most marginalised and indebted people who are forced to compete in a series of children’s games until all participants are dead except one. The “winner” gets $38 million.
As the show became an international hit, China’s ever-nimble manufacturers raced to tap into demand, with products — including the bright pink uniforms and eerie masks worn by anonymous guards — popping up across the giant online shopping platform Taobao.
Vendor Peng Xiuyang told AFP his sales had spiked by around 30 percent thanks to demand for Squid Game merchandise.
He had never heard of the show when a customer asked last month if he sold the masks — a plain black full-faced covering printed with squares, triangles or circles.
But now vendors like him and plastics manufacturers in the eastern hub of Yiwu are all rushing to meet demand — from both domestic and international buyers.
“Our customers are those who have seen the series and want to join in the trend,” he added.
With Halloween coming up, the spine-chilling masks have become his most sought-after product.
Illegal distribution
The lack of official availability has not stopped Chinese audiences from finding ways to watch the show — including easily available unofficial streaming sites or file-sharing.
The piracy problem is so widespread that South Korea’s ambassador to China, Jang Ha-sung, recently told a parliamentary audit that he had asked Chinese authorities to take action.
“Our assessment is that Squid Game, which is gaining global popularity, is being illegally distributed on around 60 sites in China,” Jang said, testifying remotely from Beijing.
As fascination with the show swirls among China’s tech-savvy youth, the hashtag Squid Game got nearly two billion views on social media, and related topics have been trending for weeks.
Users discussed how they would pass the challenges featured in the show, and wondered what a Chinese version of Squid Game would be like.
But one user said: “It’s not like it would pass censors if we made such a show ourselves… if it were too violent, it would just get taken down.”
For now, fans just want to have fun.
A customer in Shanghai surnamed Yang said: “I’ve seen (the snack) being sold online, but it’s my first time finding it in real life.”
The Tales Of The Walking Dead spinoff anthology series has been greenlit and is coming to AMC in 2022. The network announced the spinoff series was in development back in 2020, but few details have been revealed since. The show was originally touted as featuring new and old characters from The Walking Dead universe, exploring narratives that will include both backstories and stand-alone tales.The spinoff was announced at the same time that AMC said it would pull the plug on the main series, The Walking Dead, with season 11, ending its run in 2022. The Walking Dead has been running on the network since 2010 and became a global pop culture phenomenon, creating a number of spinoffs already, including Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. In addition to those spinoffs, it was previously reported that Andrew Lincoln’s character, Rick Grimes, would be getting his own standalone movie trilogy, although the status of that project is still up in the air. Today, AMC announced that Tales of the Walking Dead is officially greenlit (via Variety) and that it will debut in summer 2022. The anthology series will, in fact, focus on new and existing characters from The Walking Dead universe and will debut with a six-episode first season on AMC and AMC Plus. The Walking Dead writer/producer Channing Powell will serve as showrunner for the series side-by-side with Scott M. Gimple, the chief content officer of TWD universe. Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios said that they see the potential for some rich storytelling akin to the type of anthology shows like Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. Here’s what he had to say about the project:“We see so much potential for a wide range of rich and compelling storytelling in this world, and the episodic anthology format of ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’ will give us the flexibility to entertain existing fans and also offer an entry point for new viewers, especially on streaming platforms. We have seen the appeal of this format in television classics like ‘The Twilight Zone’ and, more recently, ‘Black Mirror,’ and are excited to engage with fans in this new way, against the backdrop of this very unique and engrossing world.” In addition to the four The Walking Dead shows (and the Rick Grimes movies), AMC has previously announced that a Carol and Daryl spinoff show is in development with showrunner Angela Kang. The show will focus on The Walking Dead duo of Carol (Melissa McBride) and Daryl (Norman Reedus), who will presumably survive past The Walking Dead series finale to continue their misadventures in the zombie apocalypse. That spinoff is expected to debut sometime in 2023, which would put the Walking Dead universe at four continuing series, barring any cancellations before that time.With fans (as well as the cast) of the main series waning on the show and the series catching up to Robert Kirkman’s comic book series (which ended in 2019), it makes sense that it would fracture into multiple spinoffs. An anthology series is a great way to tell stories literally anywhere in The Walking Dead universe, as well as any time and with any character. The potential to see “dead” characters in a prequel-type story or even an alternate story where those characters lived is unlimited, as the format allows for all manner of exploration that can be connected or disconnected from the main narrative. In addition, the format could allow for even more crossovers between spinoffs and characters, making Tales of the Walking Dead the most interesting spinoff of the franchise to date.Source: Variety
The Tales Of The Walking Dead spinoff anthology series has been greenlit and is coming to AMC in 2022. The network announced the spinoff series was in development back in 2020, but few details have been revealed since. The show was originally touted as featuring new and old characters from The Walking Dead universe, exploring narratives that will include both backstories and stand-alone tales.
The spinoff was announced at the same time that AMC said it would pull the plug on the main series, The Walking Dead, with season 11, ending its run in 2022. The Walking Dead has been running on the network since 2010 and became a global pop culture phenomenon, creating a number of spinoffs already, including Fear The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. In addition to those spinoffs, it was previously reported that Andrew Lincoln’s character, Rick Grimes, would be getting his own standalone movie trilogy, although the status of that project is still up in the air.
Today, AMC announced that Tales of the Walking Dead is officially greenlit (via Variety) and that it will debut in summer 2022. The anthology series will, in fact, focus on new and existing characters from The Walking Dead universe and will debut with a six-episode first season on AMC and AMC Plus. The Walking Dead writer/producer Channing Powell will serve as showrunner for the series side-by-side with Scott M. Gimple, the chief content officer of TWD universe. Dan McDermott, president of original programming for AMC Networks and AMC Studios said that they see the potential for some rich storytelling akin to the type of anthology shows like Twilight Zone and Black Mirror. Here’s what he had to say about the project:
“We see so much potential for a wide range of rich and compelling storytelling in this world, and the episodic anthology format of ‘Tales of the Walking Dead’ will give us the flexibility to entertain existing fans and also offer an entry point for new viewers, especially on streaming platforms. We have seen the appeal of this format in television classics like ‘The Twilight Zone’ and, more recently, ‘Black Mirror,’ and are excited to engage with fans in this new way, against the backdrop of this very unique and engrossing world.”
In addition to the four The Walking Dead shows (and the Rick Grimes movies), AMC has previously announced that a Carol and Daryl spinoff show is in development with showrunner Angela Kang. The show will focus on The Walking Dead duo of Carol (Melissa McBride) and Daryl (Norman Reedus), who will presumably survive past The Walking Dead series finale to continue their misadventures in the zombie apocalypse. That spinoff is expected to debut sometime in 2023, which would put the Walking Dead universe at four continuing series, barring any cancellations before that time.
With fans (as well as the cast) of the main series waning on the show and the series catching up to Robert Kirkman’s comic book series (which ended in 2019), it makes sense that it would fracture into multiple spinoffs. An anthology series is a great way to tell stories literally anywhere in The Walking Dead universe, as well as any time and with any character. The potential to see “dead” characters in a prequel-type story or even an alternate story where those characters lived is unlimited, as the format allows for all manner of exploration that can be connected or disconnected from the main narrative. In addition, the format could allow for even more crossovers between spinoffs and characters, making Tales of the Walking Dead the most interesting spinoff of the franchise to date.
The archenemy of Thanos in Marvel Comics, Adam Warlock’s origin and powers will be an interesting story to see unfold in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Following a handful of rumors saying that The Revenant actor Will Poulter has been cast as the MCU’s Adam Warlock, Guardians on the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn confirmed the news. This means that years after being teased for the first time in 2014, the Golden Gladiator is finally set to cross paths with Star-Lord’s team and potentially become an MCU superhero.Like Nova, Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Adam Warlock is one of the most important characters in the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. In fact, he was the central figure in some of Marvel’s biggest crossovers in the 1990s, including Infinity Gauntlet. For these reasons, fans have been waiting for him to make a splash in the MCU for several years now. The first big tease of his arrival came in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy when a cocoon identical to his was spotted at the Collector’s museum. Then, Marvel went even further by introducing his gold-skinned race, namedropping him, and revealing his real cocoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.While this felt like clear setup for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn cast doubt on these theories by repeatedly pointing out that nothing was set in stone about Adam Warlock’s introduction. According to him, the teases were put in the movie to lay the groundwork for his eventual debut. Now, the mystery of whether or not he’ll actually show up has been solved, thanks to Will Poulter’s casting. And given his importance in the comics, Poulter’s appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may not be the last time audiences see him on the big screen. Here’s who Adam Warlock is in Marvel Comics, what his powers are, and what to expect from his MCU counterpart.Before getting the superhero codename he’s known for, Adam Warlock burst onto the scene in a Fantastic Four comic as Him, a powerful being genetically engineered by a group of evil scientists called the Enclave. After escaping from his cocoon to forge his own path, Adam tried to pick Lady Sif as his mate, thus leading to a heated showdown with Thor. Following his loss, Adam Warlock spent some time trying to gain a better understanding of who he is and his purpose in the world.While contemplating his future, Adam Warlock had a fateful meeting with the High Evolutionary, who gifted him the Soul Stone, named him “Warlock”, and send him off on a series of adventures. During this time, Adam Warlock befriended a group of children who taught him a great deal about morality and humanity. He also struggled to control the Soul Stone, which – much to his disgust – drained the lifeforces of his enemies. After beating the villain known as Man-Beast, Adam Warlock moved on to the next chapter of his life and began his storied rivalry with Thanos.A team-up with the Avengers and the original Captain Marvel led to Adam Warlock sacrificing himself and seemingly receiving a happy ending by finding a new life in the Soul Stone’s pocket dimension, Soulworld. Many years later, Marvel brought Adam back in a huge way, and made him its main protagonist in a number of Thanos stories, including Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Crusade, and Infinity War. It was ultimately Adar Warlock who spearheaded the heroes’ plan to beat Thanos and the acquisition of the fully-assembled Infinity Gauntlet. In the aftermath of the battle, Adam Warlock formed the Infinity Watch to protect the Stones and is still deeply connected to them today.Adam Warlock’s powers make him an immensely forceful being with abilities that put him on par with the highest tier of Marvel superheroes. In fact, he’s capable of engaging in prolonged standoffs with characters as strong as Thor. However, it’s worth noting that Adam Warlock’s physical strength isn’t quite on the same level as the God of Thunder, Hercules, and the Hulk. That being said, Adam Warlock’s powers easily make up for what little he lacks in that department. Adam can draw upon cosmic forces to enhance his strength, fly, project blasts of energy from his hands, and he can regenerate from fatal wounds by retreating to a new, self-made cocoon.Plus, with all the changes that Adam has experienced over the course of 50 years of comic book history, the character’s powerset has been revamped on numerous occasions, with some of the additions to his arsenal being teleportation, transmutation, and Quantum Magic, a form of magic that involves using the metaphysical energy around him. Among his greatest weapons was the Soul Stone, which had a vampiric effect on his foes.Obviously, several of Adam Warlock’s biggest stories have been taken off the table in the MCU by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. In the comics, he was instrumental to the Mad Titan’s defeat, but had no role whatsoever in the movies’ version of events. Unfortunately, there’s no room for his relationship with Thanos to be represented on the big screen now, but that doesn’t make Adam Warlock’s Phase 4 introduction pointless. His MCU storyline could incorporate other characters tied to him in the comics, such as the High Evolutionary, Man-Beast, and Adam’s evil counterpart, Magus.As for how Marvel brings him in, it’s expected that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will follow up on the second movie’s setup, which indicated that Adam Warlock’s first mission will be to seek revenge for Ayesha by going after the Guardians. Similar to the comics, Adam could begin questioning his place in the world and what it is he’s supposed to do. If so, he could abandon his mission and join up with Star-Lord’s team. In the comic books, the first phase in the Golden Gladiator’s life was a journey of self-discovery, and it makes sense that Marvel will lean in the same direction in the MCU. After all, Adam will essentially be an adult who was just born, so there will be a lot for him to learn and figure out in the span of just one movie.All things considered, there’s a good chance that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is only the beginning of Adam Warlock’s story. In addition to being a candidate for Guardians of the Galaxy 4’s team, Adam has a ton of potential for movies and shows outside the franchise. While his arc in Gunn’s movie could be about finding himself, his next appearances could serve as the next steps in his evolution toward becoming the MCU’s main cosmic hero. Adam may have missed the fight with Thanos, but he could still be the one who rallies the heroes of the MCU to victory in the next crossover film, possibly as an enemy of Annihilus, the Magus, or even Kang the Conqueror.
The archenemy of Thanos in Marvel Comics, Adam Warlock’s origin and powers will be an interesting story to see unfold in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Following a handful of rumors saying that The Revenant actor Will Poulter has been cast as the MCU’s Adam Warlock, Guardians on the Galaxy Vol. 3 director James Gunn confirmed the news. This means that years after being teased for the first time in 2014, the Golden Gladiator is finally set to cross paths with Star-Lord’s team and potentially become an MCU superhero.
Like Nova, Silver Surfer, and the Guardians of the Galaxy, Adam Warlock is one of the most important characters in the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. In fact, he was the central figure in some of Marvel’s biggest crossovers in the 1990s, including Infinity Gauntlet. For these reasons, fans have been waiting for him to make a splash in the MCU for several years now. The first big tease of his arrival came in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy when a cocoon identical to his was spotted at the Collector’s museum. Then, Marvel went even further by introducing his gold-skinned race, namedropping him, and revealing his real cocoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
While this felt like clear setup for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn cast doubt on these theories by repeatedly pointing out that nothing was set in stone about Adam Warlock’s introduction. According to him, the teases were put in the movie to lay the groundwork for his eventual debut. Now, the mystery of whether or not he’ll actually show up has been solved, thanks to Will Poulter’s casting. And given his importance in the comics, Poulter’s appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 may not be the last time audiences see him on the big screen. Here’s who Adam Warlock is in Marvel Comics, what his powers are, and what to expect from his MCU counterpart.
Before getting the superhero codename he’s known for, Adam Warlock burst onto the scene in a Fantastic Four comic as Him, a powerful being genetically engineered by a group of evil scientists called the Enclave. After escaping from his cocoon to forge his own path, Adam tried to pick Lady Sif as his mate, thus leading to a heated showdown with Thor. Following his loss, Adam Warlock spent some time trying to gain a better understanding of who he is and his purpose in the world.
While contemplating his future, Adam Warlock had a fateful meeting with the High Evolutionary, who gifted him the Soul Stone, named him “Warlock”, and send him off on a series of adventures. During this time, Adam Warlock befriended a group of children who taught him a great deal about morality and humanity. He also struggled to control the Soul Stone, which – much to his disgust – drained the lifeforces of his enemies. After beating the villain known as Man-Beast, Adam Warlock moved on to the next chapter of his life and began his storied rivalry with Thanos.
A team-up with the Avengers and the original Captain Marvel led to Adam Warlock sacrificing himself and seemingly receiving a happy ending by finding a new life in the Soul Stone’s pocket dimension, Soulworld. Many years later, Marvel brought Adam back in a huge way, and made him its main protagonist in a number of Thanos stories, including Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Crusade, and Infinity War. It was ultimately Adar Warlock who spearheaded the heroes’ plan to beat Thanos and the acquisition of the fully-assembled Infinity Gauntlet. In the aftermath of the battle, Adam Warlock formed the Infinity Watch to protect the Stones and is still deeply connected to them today.
Adam Warlock’s powers make him an immensely forceful being with abilities that put him on par with the highest tier of Marvel superheroes. In fact, he’s capable of engaging in prolonged standoffs with characters as strong as Thor. However, it’s worth noting that Adam Warlock’s physical strength isn’t quite on the same level as the God of Thunder, Hercules, and the Hulk. That being said, Adam Warlock’s powers easily make up for what little he lacks in that department. Adam can draw upon cosmic forces to enhance his strength, fly, project blasts of energy from his hands, and he can regenerate from fatal wounds by retreating to a new, self-made cocoon.
Plus, with all the changes that Adam has experienced over the course of 50 years of comic book history, the character’s powerset has been revamped on numerous occasions, with some of the additions to his arsenal being teleportation, transmutation, and Quantum Magic, a form of magic that involves using the metaphysical energy around him. Among his greatest weapons was the Soul Stone, which had a vampiric effect on his foes.
Obviously, several of Adam Warlock’s biggest stories have been taken off the table in the MCU by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. In the comics, he was instrumental to the Mad Titan’s defeat, but had no role whatsoever in the movies’ version of events. Unfortunately, there’s no room for his relationship with Thanos to be represented on the big screen now, but that doesn’t make Adam Warlock’s Phase 4 introduction pointless. His MCU storyline could incorporate other characters tied to him in the comics, such as the High Evolutionary, Man-Beast, and Adam’s evil counterpart, Magus.
As for how Marvel brings him in, it’s expected that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 will follow up on the second movie’s setup, which indicated that Adam Warlock’s first mission will be to seek revenge for Ayesha by going after the Guardians. Similar to the comics, Adam could begin questioning his place in the world and what it is he’s supposed to do. If so, he could abandon his mission and join up with Star-Lord’s team. In the comic books, the first phase in the Golden Gladiator’s life was a journey of self-discovery, and it makes sense that Marvel will lean in the same direction in the MCU. After all, Adam will essentially be an adult who was just born, so there will be a lot for him to learn and figure out in the span of just one movie.
All things considered, there’s a good chance that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is only the beginning of Adam Warlock’s story. In addition to being a candidate for Guardians of the Galaxy 4’s team, Adam has a ton of potential for movies and shows outside the franchise. While his arc in Gunn’s movie could be about finding himself, his next appearances could serve as the next steps in his evolution toward becoming the MCU’s main cosmic hero. Adam may have missed the fight with Thanos, but he could still be the one who rallies the heroes of the MCU to victory in the next crossover film, possibly as an enemy of Annihilus, the Magus, or even Kang the Conqueror.
Ubisoft’s Far Cry 6 includes a number of fun Easter eggs hidden throughout the game, with some hinting at a connection to the Assassin’s Creed universe. This entry in the Far Cry series places players in the role of Dani Rojas, a Guerilla fighter working with rebel forces to oust the oppressive dictator Anton Castillo. It’s a setup highly similar to previous Far Cry games, and fans’ enjoyment may vary if they were expecting a revolutionary change for the series. Those looking for another Far Cry experience should still find a lot to enjoy with Far Cry 6, however, especially when searching for all of the Easter eggs tucked around Yara.Many video game developers have a tendency to include Easter eggs in their games that reference past projects, other games in the industry, and forms of media outside of gaming. Ubisoft is no stranger to a good Easter egg, with Doctor Who’s TARDIS popping up in Assassin’s Creed Origins and references to The Shining, Star Wars and more in Watch Dogs 2. The developer also uses clever references to link their franchises together, and Far Cry 6 is the latest example of Ubisoft’s supposed efforts to create an expansive “Ubi-verse.”Far Cry 6 features a ton of Easter eggs for players to discover along the way, ranging from an obscure Jurassic Park reference to the potential appearance of a Far Cry 3 villain. The game also includes references to other Far Cry games and different Ubisoft franchises, including the Assassin’s Creed series. The Assassin’s Creed Easter eggs in Far Cry 6 appear to be more than just fun nods to the series, seemingly connecting the two in-game universes in interesting ways.While exploring Pino Crest on Far Cry 6’s expansive map, players should come across a series of underground bunkers running through the area. In one particular bunker is a note that lists a number of contraband items that Castillo’s forces have moved down into the bunker, including a “Golden Apple” artifact. This Assassin’s Creed Easter egg in Far Cry 6 is a direct reference to the Apples of Eden, which were pieces of Audi technology that fueled the war between the Assassins and the Templars.Another Assassin’s Creed Easter egg in Far Cry 6 pops up in the treasure hunt mission “Cache Money,” taking players to more bunkers within the Oasis Plains airfield. Another note can be found in the area that details a handful of items that are to be auctioned off, including a couple familiar to fans of Assassin’s Creed. The first item mentioned is an ancient spear that was “once broken, repaired many times,” which is certainly the Spear of Leonidas that Kassandra wielded in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The other item on the list is a “pair of ancient, concealed blades” that have the ability to be “extracted and retracted from gauntlets.” This Far Cry 6 Assassin’s Creed Easter egg is a clear nod to the Hidden Blades, which were the signature weapons for members of the Assassin Brotherhood.This isn’t the first time that a Far Cry game has established a connection with the Assassin’s Creed series, as Far Cry 3 included Abstergo boxes way back in 2009. It would be interesting to see Ubisoft actually take the leap and include something substantial like usable Hidden Blades in a Far Cry game, which isn’t necessarily out of the realm of possibility when considering the series’ penchant for over-the-top weapons like Far Cry 6’s Supremos. Linking Far Cry 6 to the Assassin’s Creed franchise opens up a number of possibilities for the two Ubisoft mainstays, and it would be interesting if the developer delivers a unique crossover game in the future.
Ubisoft’s Far Cry 6 includes a number of fun Easter eggs hidden throughout the game, with some hinting at a connection to the Assassin’s Creed universe. This entry in the Far Cry series places players in the role of Dani Rojas, a Guerilla fighter working with rebel forces to oust the oppressive dictator Anton Castillo. It’s a setup highly similar to previous Far Cry games, and fans’ enjoyment may vary if they were expecting a revolutionary change for the series. Those looking for another Far Cry experience should still find a lot to enjoy with Far Cry 6, however, especially when searching for all of the Easter eggs tucked around Yara.
Many video game developers have a tendency to include Easter eggs in their games that reference past projects, other games in the industry, and forms of media outside of gaming. Ubisoft is no stranger to a good Easter egg, with Doctor Who’s TARDIS popping up in Assassin’s Creed Origins and references to The Shining, Star Wars and more in Watch Dogs 2. The developer also uses clever references to link their franchises together, and Far Cry 6 is the latest example of Ubisoft’s supposed efforts to create an expansive “Ubi-verse.”
Far Cry 6 features a ton of Easter eggs for players to discover along the way, ranging from an obscure Jurassic Park reference to the potential appearance of a Far Cry 3 villain. The game also includes references to other Far Cry games and different Ubisoft franchises, including the Assassin’s Creed series. The Assassin’s Creed Easter eggs in Far Cry 6 appear to be more than just fun nods to the series, seemingly connecting the two in-game universes in interesting ways.
While exploring Pino Crest on Far Cry 6’s expansive map, players should come across a series of underground bunkers running through the area. In one particular bunker is a note that lists a number of contraband items that Castillo’s forces have moved down into the bunker, including a “Golden Apple” artifact. This Assassin’s Creed Easter egg in Far Cry 6 is a direct reference to the Apples of Eden, which were pieces of Audi technology that fueled the war between the Assassins and the Templars.
Another Assassin’s Creed Easter egg in Far Cry 6 pops up in the treasure hunt mission “Cache Money,” taking players to more bunkers within the Oasis Plains airfield. Another note can be found in the area that details a handful of items that are to be auctioned off, including a couple familiar to fans of Assassin’s Creed. The first item mentioned is an ancient spear that was “once broken, repaired many times,” which is certainly the Spear of Leonidas that Kassandra wielded in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey. The other item on the list is a “pair of ancient, concealed blades” that have the ability to be “extracted and retracted from gauntlets.” This Far Cry 6Assassin’s Creed Easter egg is a clear nod to the Hidden Blades, which were the signature weapons for members of the Assassin Brotherhood.
This isn’t the first time that a Far Cry game has established a connection with the Assassin’s Creed series, as Far Cry 3 included Abstergo boxes way back in 2009. It would be interesting to see Ubisoft actually take the leap and include something substantial like usable Hidden Blades in a Far Cry game, which isn’t necessarily out of the realm of possibility when considering the series’ penchant for over-the-top weapons like Far Cry 6’s Supremos. Linking Far Cry 6 to the Assassin’s Creed franchise opensup a number of possibilities for the two Ubisoft mainstays, and it would be interesting if the developer delivers a unique crossover game in the future.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for No Time To DieSeveral key elements of Safin’s plan in No Time To Die simply don’t make sense without the presence of the previous major Bond villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Although Blofeld does feature prominently in the narrative, it’s clear that he is playing second fiddle to Rami Malek’s Lyutsifer Safin. However, as a result of this reduced role, the film as a whole suffers and, ultimately, raises serious questions about the efficacy of Safin’s supposed master plan.After occupying center stage in 2015’s Spectre, No Time To Die sees Blofeld very much behind the scenes in a British prison. Although he is still running operations at the criminal organization, courtesy of a computerized eye carried around by colleagues, his power and influence has been reduced as a result of his incarceration. This is made clear when an attempt to use stolen nanobots to kill James Bond at a Spectre party inadvertently results in the death of Spectre’s entire leadership. It later becomes clear that Safin is behind the mix-up as part of his plan to exact revenge on Spectre for the death of his family. Eventually, Safin manages to successfully assassinate Blofeld via James Bond, after Madeleine Swann infects him with nanobots programmed to match Blofeld’s DNA.After executing his convoluted plan to kill Blofeld, Safin then focuses on finding a buyer for his stolen nanobot technology. This brings him into further conflict with Bond, who recognizes the potentially devastating impact of the so-called Heracles project. However, while programmable nanobots with the potential to kill anyone they come into contact with in seconds are undoubtedly scary, under closer inspection, the rationale for Safin’s supposed masterplan doesn’t hold up. Not only is it unclear why he hopes to eradicate so many people, but also what motivates him once he successfully kills the head of Spectre. Here’s why, ultimately, Safin’s plan in No Time To Die needed Blofeld to stand up to scrutiny.Initially, Safin’s plan to kill Spectre as an act of revenge makes a certain amount of narrative sense. After all, avenging the deaths of your family is a perfectly compelling reason to seek potentially world-ending technology. However, not only does the continuation of his plan make little emotional sense after he has succeeded in his earlier goal, but the coherence of the entire project quickly falls apart after even a minimal amount of examination.For example, it seems highly unlikely that an individual such as Safin, no matter what his resources or his level of influence, would be able to match the tools of a global criminal enterprise such as Spectre. After all, throughout the early story arc of the Craig era, Spectre was responsible for pulling the strings behind everyone from Le Chiffre to Raoul Silva – highlighting the extent of its power. The idea that a hitherto unknown villain with a mysterious backstory would be able to defeat the entire organization singlehandedly by persuading a single scientist to switch sides, therefore, seems extremely unlikely.What’s even more unusual is that Blofeld and Spectre, despite the clear and present danger that he poses to them, seem largely unaware of Safin’s true motivations. Despite working for Spectre as an assassin, Safin’s revenge plot seems to take everybody by surprise. The idea that such an individual would be able to operate in the criminal underworld, amassing the resources to build his own poison base, without Spectre discovering his real plan and the potential threat he poses to the entire operation seems to stretch credulity to the limit.Given the fact that Safin is both a new character to the franchise and seemingly lacks strong motivation once his revenge mission is completed, it seems that he may have worked more effectively as a supporting henchman, rather than a central villain. For instance, the idea of Spectre’s chief poisoner on the trail of James Bond at the behest of an incarcerated Blofeld may have helped the audience to overlook the obvious problems with incentive that emerge during the film’s second and third acts. This would have placed Safin alongside the likes of Jaws, Oddjob and Red Grant as iconic Spectre associates, rather than saddling him with the undue burden of carrying the whole movie.As it is, the film arguably begins to fall flat once the shadow of Spectre, which had previously defined so much of the Daniel Craig Bond era, completely disappears from the scene. Although Safin’s desire for revenge offers an interesting shade to his character, his early success actually undermines the groundwork laid for the organization by previous movies. As a result, turning Safin into a henchman would have been an effective way for No Time To Die to underscore the danger posed by Spectre, rather than reducing them to a sideshow easily eliminated by a single defecting scientist.By contrast, an alternative plot in which Blofeld was the real mastermind behind the nanobot plot would not only have served Safin’s character better, but would have been a far more compelling way to bring the entire Craig-era story arc to a close. Given the conflict between the two characters in previous movies, No Time To Die could have provided greater scope for exploring this compelling relationship. It’s easy to imagine, for instance, an alternative story arc in which Blofeld – with Safin’s help – attempts to exact revenge on James Bond from prison, perhaps with equally tragic results. This would have built on existing emotional tensions from the rest of the saga, rather than shoehorning in a new villain and starting again from scratch.Placing Safin as a secondary villain would also have allowed the film to continue a trend that has defined Daniel Craig’s Bond movies – namely, defying convention and pushing boundaries. Throughout the Bond era, henchmen have typically been two-dimensional caricatures that, despite iconic characteristics, have lacked proper development. Placing an actor such as Malek in this role would have allowed the film to do something genuinely radical with its supporting baddie, giving him his own compelling motivations. Placing him in the heart of the action without a genuinely compelling story behind his actions ultimately satisfies no one and represents a serious mistake for No Time To Die.One way in which the film could have incorporated both Safin and Blofeld would have been to alter Safin’s loyalties. It’s not inconceivable, for instance, that in a world where Blofeld is behind bars, a power struggle might break out at the top of the organization. In a bid to keep control of the group, Blofeld could therefore have recruited Safin to assassinate his rivals on his behalf.Ironically, this approach may also have tied in with Safin’s plan for revenge. Given Blofeld’s age, it’s extremely unlikely that he would have been in charge of Spectre when Safin’s family were killed at the request of the group. However, other high-ups within the organization may well have had a hand in the murders, providing Safin a compelling reason to team up with Blofeld. In this world, Safin as the liberated expert poisoner could have operated on the outside with Blofeld still holding the reins of power in jail. This would have helped alleviate one of the central problems with No Time To Die by providing two villains with competing and equally compelling motives, while also giving a villain as iconic as Blofeld his due.There’s no doubt that aspects of the movie provide a fitting swansong for Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond. However, for all of the exciting onscreen action, including Bond’s heartbreaking final sacrifice, it’s undeniable that Bond’s adversaries often fail to live up the rest of the film. With a few tweaks to the story, it’s easy to see how this problem could have been avoided. As it is, No Time To Die represents a missed opportunity – both for Rami Malek’s Safin and the re-imagined Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for No Time To Die
Several key elements of Safin’s plan in No Time To Die simply don’t make sense without the presence of the previous major Bond villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Although Blofeld does feature prominently in the narrative, it’s clear that he is playing second fiddle to Rami Malek’s Lyutsifer Safin. However, as a result of this reduced role, the film as a whole suffers and, ultimately, raises serious questions about the efficacy of Safin’s supposed master plan.
After occupying center stage in 2015’s Spectre, No Time To Die sees Blofeld very much behind the scenes in a British prison. Although he is still running operations at the criminal organization, courtesy of a computerized eye carried around by colleagues, his power and influence has been reduced as a result of his incarceration. This is made clear when an attempt to use stolen nanobots to kill James Bond at a Spectre party inadvertently results in the death of Spectre’s entire leadership. It later becomes clear that Safin is behind the mix-up as part of his plan to exact revenge on Spectre for the death of his family. Eventually, Safin manages to successfully assassinate Blofeld via James Bond, after Madeleine Swann infects him with nanobots programmed to match Blofeld’s DNA.
After executing his convoluted plan to kill Blofeld, Safin then focuses on finding a buyer for his stolen nanobot technology. This brings him into further conflict with Bond, who recognizes the potentially devastating impact of the so-called Heracles project. However, while programmable nanobots with the potential to kill anyone they come into contact with in seconds are undoubtedly scary, under closer inspection, the rationale for Safin’s supposed masterplan doesn’t hold up. Not only is it unclear why he hopes to eradicate so many people, but also what motivates him once he successfully kills the head of Spectre. Here’s why, ultimately, Safin’s plan in No Time To Die needed Blofeld to stand up to scrutiny.
Initially, Safin’s plan to kill Spectre as an act of revenge makes a certain amount of narrative sense. After all, avenging the deaths of your family is a perfectly compelling reason to seek potentially world-ending technology. However, not only does the continuation of his plan make little emotional sense after he has succeeded in his earlier goal, but the coherence of the entire project quickly falls apart after even a minimal amount of examination.
For example, it seems highly unlikely that an individual such as Safin, no matter what his resources or his level of influence, would be able to match the tools of a global criminal enterprise such as Spectre. After all, throughout the early story arc of the Craig era, Spectre was responsible for pulling the strings behind everyone from Le Chiffre to Raoul Silva – highlighting the extent of its power. The idea that a hitherto unknown villain with a mysterious backstory would be able to defeat the entire organization singlehandedly by persuading a single scientist to switch sides, therefore, seems extremely unlikely.
What’s even more unusual is that Blofeld and Spectre, despite the clear and present danger that he poses to them, seem largely unaware of Safin’s true motivations. Despite working for Spectre as an assassin, Safin’s revenge plot seems to take everybody by surprise. The idea that such an individual would be able to operate in the criminal underworld, amassing the resources to build his own poison base, without Spectre discovering his real plan and the potential threat he poses to the entire operation seems to stretch credulity to the limit.
Given the fact that Safin is both a new character to the franchise and seemingly lacks strong motivation once his revenge mission is completed, it seems that he may have worked more effectively as a supporting henchman, rather than a central villain. For instance, the idea of Spectre’s chief poisoner on the trail of James Bond at the behest of an incarcerated Blofeld may have helped the audience to overlook the obvious problems with incentive that emerge during the film’s second and third acts. This would have placed Safin alongside the likes of Jaws, Oddjob and Red Grant as iconic Spectre associates, rather than saddling him with the undue burden of carrying the whole movie.
As it is, the film arguably begins to fall flat once the shadow of Spectre, which had previously defined so much of the Daniel Craig Bond era, completely disappears from the scene. Although Safin’s desire for revenge offers an interesting shade to his character, his early success actually undermines the groundwork laid for the organization by previous movies. As a result, turning Safin into a henchman would have been an effective way for No Time To Die to underscore the danger posed by Spectre, rather than reducing them to a sideshow easily eliminated by a single defecting scientist.
By contrast, an alternative plot in which Blofeld was the real mastermind behind the nanobot plot would not only have served Safin’s character better, but would have been a far more compelling way to bring the entire Craig-era story arc to a close. Given the conflict between the two characters in previous movies, No Time To Die could have provided greater scope for exploring this compelling relationship. It’s easy to imagine, for instance, an alternative story arc in which Blofeld – with Safin’s help – attempts to exact revenge on James Bond from prison, perhaps with equally tragic results. This would have built on existing emotional tensions from the rest of the saga, rather than shoehorning in a new villain and starting again from scratch.
Placing Safin as a secondary villain would also have allowed the film to continue a trend that has defined Daniel Craig’s Bond movies – namely, defying convention and pushing boundaries. Throughout the Bond era, henchmen have typically been two-dimensional caricatures that, despite iconic characteristics, have lacked proper development. Placing an actor such as Malek in this role would have allowed the film to do something genuinely radical with its supporting baddie, giving him his own compelling motivations. Placing him in the heart of the action without a genuinely compelling story behind his actions ultimately satisfies no one and represents a serious mistake for No Time To Die.
One way in which the film could have incorporated both Safin and Blofeld would have been to alter Safin’s loyalties. It’s not inconceivable, for instance, that in a world where Blofeld is behind bars, a power struggle might break out at the top of the organization. In a bid to keep control of the group, Blofeld could therefore have recruited Safin to assassinate his rivals on his behalf.
Ironically, this approach may also have tied in with Safin’s plan for revenge. Given Blofeld’s age, it’s extremely unlikely that he would have been in charge of Spectre when Safin’s family were killed at the request of the group. However, other high-ups within the organization may well have had a hand in the murders, providing Safin a compelling reason to team up with Blofeld. In this world, Safin as the liberated expert poisoner could have operated on the outside with Blofeld still holding the reins of power in jail. This would have helped alleviate one of the central problems with No Time To Die by providing two villains with competing and equally compelling motives, while also giving a villain as iconic as Blofeld his due.
There’s no doubt that aspects of the movie provide a fitting swansong for Daniel Craig’s time as James Bond. However, for all of the exciting onscreen action, including Bond’s heartbreaking final sacrifice, it’s undeniable that Bond’s adversaries often fail to live up the rest of the film. With a few tweaks to the story, it’s easy to see how this problem could have been avoided. As it is, No Time To Die represents a missed opportunity – both for Rami Malek’s Safin and the re-imagined Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
The Book of Boba Fett points to a prequel problem in Disney’s Star Wars universe. Boba Fett’s return in The Mandalorian, season 2 was well-received, and the bounty hunter’s upcoming spinoff is hotly anticipated. While it promises to be an exciting journey for a fan-favorite character, the show becomes part of a larger issue when considered alongside the rest of Disney’s Star Wars slate.Between The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka, Disney is creating and hurriedly fleshing out a “prequel-to-the sequels” era. It’s been wildly successful so far, and in many ways gets Star Wars right. As evidenced by Ahsoka and Fett’s appearances in The Mandalorian season 2, these shows also promise to relate to one another. However, while these “prequel” offerings will likely be more favorably received than George Lucas’ prequel films, this Disney era may be just as questionable – for more problematic reasons.Disney’s sequel trilogy featured a stellar cast and had bright moments, but is otherwise largely thought of as an unorganized, poorly-planned mess. In light of that, Disney either needs to focus on narratives set after the Skywalker Saga or build up to the sequel trilogy’s story in a meaningful, deliberate way. Without those, Disney’s focus on the immediate post-Return of the Jedi era seems to be an attempt to quickly fix some of the sequel trilogy’s strangest plot holes (such as Supreme Leader Snoke’s clone origin) and to please disappointed fans. If that’s the case, it’s worth wondering if Disney’s Star Wars is heading into creative decay.It’s true that The Mandalorian connects to the sequel trilogy in a few ways, and it’s likely that The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka will find ways to do so as well. However, for these shows to truly help redeem the sequel trilogy, they must connect in a way that lends narrative, not just logical continuity. George Lucas’ prequels filled in the universe of the original trilogy, but did so in service of telling Anakin Skywalker’s tragic story, not to fix plot issues. This is a far cry from how The Mandalorian tangentially fills in gaps in sequel trilogy logic, like its hasty setup of Force healing to explain how Rey and Kylo Ren can force heal in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and its glimpses of the Empire’s first attempts at cloning. These revelations patch up holes in the sequel trilogy, but don’t make them more interesting viewing in the way a series or film about Kylo Ren abandoning his Jedi training for the First Order might.If the post-Jedi shows don’t add depth to the sequel trilogy, they must plant seeds for a post-Skywalker Saga timeline to avoid being simple fan service. Even if The Book of Boba Fett, The Mandalorian, and Ahsoka connect to each other, the stakes will feel lower and lower if audiences realize each story is irrelevant by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even Ahsoka, which promises to reintroduce both Jedi (by including Ezra Bridger) and a brilliant villain to the post-ROTJ timeline, is unlikely to affect a post-sequel trilogy galaxy – Ahsoka herself is implied to be deceased by Rise of Skywalker, and her likely adversary Grand Admiral Thrawn is completely absent from the trilogy.It’s also clear that Disney has been hesitant to commit to a post-sequel trilogy direction. Star Wars: Visions has proven the potential of the era, touching on the Force, lightsabers, and the future of the Jedi. However, it’s not canon, further hinting that Disney is afraid to take the saga in a new direction. Lucasfilm’s upcoming shows will surely please audiences. Without a larger plan, however, they may simply be safe bets and an appeal to nostalgia. Hopefully, The Book of Boba Fett will use the iconic character to grow the franchise in a meaningful way.
The Book of Boba Fett points to a prequel problem in Disney’s Star Wars universe. Boba Fett’s return in The Mandalorian, season 2 was well-received, and the bounty hunter’s upcoming spinoff is hotly anticipated. While it promises to be an exciting journey for a fan-favorite character, the show becomes part of a larger issue when considered alongside the rest of Disney’s Star Wars slate.
Between The Book of Boba Fett,The Mandalorian season 3, and Ahsoka,Disney is creating and hurriedly fleshing out a “prequel-to-the sequels” era. It’s been wildly successful so far, and in many ways gets Star Wars right. As evidenced by Ahsoka and Fett’s appearances in The Mandalorian season 2, these shows also promise to relate to one another. However, while these “prequel” offerings will likely be more favorably received than George Lucas’ prequel films, this Disney era may be just as questionable – for more problematic reasons.
Disney’s sequel trilogy featured a stellar cast and had bright moments, but is otherwise largely thought of as an unorganized, poorly-planned mess. In light of that, Disney either needs to focus on narratives set after the Skywalker Saga or build up to the sequel trilogy’s story in a meaningful, deliberate way. Without those, Disney’s focus on the immediate post-Return of the Jedi era seems to be an attempt to quickly fix some of the sequel trilogy’s strangest plot holes (such as Supreme Leader Snoke’s clone origin) and to please disappointed fans. If that’s the case, it’s worth wondering if Disney’s Star Wars is heading into creative decay.
It’s true that The Mandalorian connects to the sequel trilogy in a few ways, and it’s likely that The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka will find ways to do so as well. However, for these shows to truly help redeem the sequel trilogy, they must connect in a way that lends narrative, not just logical continuity. George Lucas’ prequels filled in the universe of the original trilogy, but did so in service of telling Anakin Skywalker’s tragic story, not to fix plot issues. This is a far cry from how The Mandalorian tangentially fills in gaps in sequel trilogy logic, like its hasty setup of Force healing to explain how Rey and Kylo Ren can force heal in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and its glimpses of the Empire’s first attempts at cloning. These revelations patch up holes in the sequel trilogy, but don’t make them more interesting viewing in the way a series or film about Kylo Ren abandoning his Jedi training for the First Order might.
If the post-Jedi shows don’t add depth to the sequel trilogy, they must plant seeds for a post-Skywalker Saga timeline to avoid being simple fan service. Even if The Book of Boba Fett, TheMandalorian, and Ahsokaconnect to each other, the stakes will feel lower and lower if audiences realize each story is irrelevant by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Even Ahsoka, which promises to reintroduce both Jedi (by including Ezra Bridger) and a brilliant villain to the post-ROTJ timeline, is unlikely to affect a post-sequel trilogy galaxy – Ahsoka herself is implied to be deceased by Rise of Skywalker, and her likely adversary Grand Admiral Thrawn is completely absent from the trilogy.
It’s also clear that Disney has been hesitant to commit to a post-sequel trilogy direction. Star Wars: Visions has proven the potential of the era, touching on the Force, lightsabers, and the future of the Jedi. However, it’s not canon, further hinting that Disney is afraid to take the saga in a new direction. Lucasfilm’s upcoming shows will surely please audiences. Without a larger plan, however, they may simply be safe bets and an appeal to nostalgia. Hopefully, The Book of Boba Fett will use the iconic character to grow the franchise in a meaningful way.
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