The Wolverine Casts Supporting Roles

The casting of supporting roles has reportedly begun for Fox's upcoming sequel The Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman. More importantly, the studio has brought aboard real Japanese actors to assume the roles.

While Fox has not revealed any details on the parts, they did confirm four new actors will be joining the film, according to SuperHeroHype:

Hiroyuki Sanada (Lost, Rush Hour 3, The Last Samurai) will play Shingen; Hal Yamanouchi (The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Push, Sinbad of the Seven Seas) is set for Yashida; and newcomers Tao Okamoto and Rila Fukushima will play Mariko and Yukio, respectively. Although none of these actors have much of a following outside of Japan, it is comforting to see that the studio seems to be pushing for a level of authenticity within the cast.

Meanwhile, the film's story remains tightly under wraps. However, what we know for sure is that the film is mostly inspired by Marvel's comic book arc by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller, wherein Logan, an outsider, finds himself in Japan.

The Wolverine is slated for a July 26, 2013 release, with James Mangold directing.

Source : ign[dot]com

All Races Playable in Next Guild Wars 2 Beta

ArenaNet has revealed that the Asura and Sylvari races will be playable in the next and final round of weekend beta testing for Guild Wars 2. Previously only the other three races, the Norn, Charr and Humans, were playable.

This updated beta test will run between July 20 and 22 and is accessible if you've pre-ordered ArenaNet's MMO. Guild Wars 2 is currently scheduled to launch on August 28. Check out screens of the Asura and Sylvari below.

We've played in the previous beta tests, and you can find plenty of video on the Guild Wars 2 object, and tons of information in IGN's Wiki.

Source : ign[dot]com

Galaxy Tab Not as Cool as iPad, Says Court

In a UK court ruling regarding a patent dispute between the Apple and Samsung, a judge ruled in favor of Samsung, but not before massively insulting them them. Judge Birss claimed that the two tablets in question (The Galaxy Tab and iPad) are not similar enough to side with Apple, because the Galaxy Tab isn’t as “cool” as the iPad. “They [the Galaxy Tabs] are not as cool,” Birss said in his ruling. “The overall impression produced is different.”

This lawsuit specifically targeted the design of three Samsung tablets. Apple claims that those tablets copy the iPad, and is currently suing Samsung in numerous countries, including the US. Last week Apple won an injunction to bar the Galaxy Nexus from being sold in the US, though Google has already changed the patent infringement on the smartphone.

“They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design,” Birss said. Samsung rebutted the ruling by stating, “Should Apple continue to make excessive legal claims in other countries based on such generic designs, innovation in the industry could be harmed and consumer choice unduly limited.” Apple released a statement saying, “This kind of blatant copying is wrong and, as we’ve said many times before, we need to protect Apple’s intellectual properties when companies steal our ideas.”

The ruling will remain in effect until Apple appeals the judgment, which they can do so within 21 days.

Source : ign[dot]com

Battleship to War with Blu-ray and DVD

Universal Studios Home Entertainment will bring Battleship, the loose adaptation of the popular Hasbro game, to Blu-ray, DVD and digital download August 28, 2012.

The big budget action film (theatrical review here), directed by Peter Berg (Hancock) and starring Liam Neeson, Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker and Rihanna, was not a major hit in the US, but did soak up some serious cash overseas for a worldwide box office total of over $300 million.

Battleship will come to Blu-ray presented in 1080p (2.40:1 aspect ratio) mixed in 5.1 English DTS-HD Master Audio. The disc will also include English DVS 2.0 and 5.1 DTS French and Spanish audio. The DVD will be presented in anamorphic widescreen with 5.1 English Dolby Digital audio, and optional 2.0 English and 5.1 French and Spanish tracks. English SDH, Spanish and French subs are available on both discs.

Bonus Features on Blu-ray and DVD:

• Preparing for Battle – Hear how Hollywood teamed up with the US Navy to transform a beloved board game into a big-screen blockbuster.


• All Hands on Deck: The Cast – Witness the actors getting into the military mindset and Navy veterans having their time in the spotlight in this salute to the people at the heart of the story.


• Shooting at Sea – Experience the crew taking on the daunting challenge of shooting on the open ocean on their “soundstage at sea.”


• All Aboard the Fleet – Cast and crew members share their experiences shooting on the ships, particularly the historic USS Missouri.

Bonus features exclusive to the Blu-ray will include the following:

• Alternate Ending Pre-visualization with commentary by Peter Berg


• The Visual Effects of Battleship – From ground-breaking water-simulation programs to cutting-edge motion capture, see how the team at Industrial Light & Magic pushes the boundaries of visual effects to bring the aliens to life.


• All Access with Director Peter Berg – Join director Peter Berg as he gives fans an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at the making of the movie.


• USS Missouri VIP Tour – Come aboard the historic “Mighty Mo” for an exclusive tour with director Peter Berg and actual Navy veterans as they reveal some of the coolest facts and amazing action that has graced the decks of this legendary ship.


• Commander Pete – Watch as director Peter Berg energizes the cast and crew with his endless enthusiasm and relentless good humor.


• DVD, UltraViolet and Digital Copy


• Universal Standard BD Features – pocketBLU, Advanced Remote, BD-Live and more


• Universal's Second Screen – Viewers can enjoy an innovative an interactive viewing experience, that allows them to control, interact and explore Battleship with groundbreaking features right on a networked tablet or computer, in synchronization with the movie on the television screen! While the movie plays, experience features such as:

- Alien Tech 3D Model Turntable Explosions: During the movie, 3D models of the aliens and the shredder become available to the user to view at various angles. For instance, as the user turns the Regent Alien, the armor flies off in parts and then re-assembles. (Exclusive to Second Screen.)

- All Access with Director Peter Berg: Viewers get an all access look at the making of the film featuring interviews with cast and crew.

- Flick View: Interact with the movie, move content from the Tablet to the TV screen, and compare storyboards, animatics, and other executing content by “Flicking” them from on their tablet to their TV screen, simply by gesturing their fingers upwards on their tablets.

Below is a sneak peak at what to expect from the Second Screen app:

Suggested retail for the Blu-ray is $34.98. Amazon's Blu-ray pre-order price is set at $24.99. SRP for the DVD is $29.98. Amazon's DVD pre-order price is $19.99.

Stay tuned for more news, and be sure to check back for a look at the Blu-ray in August.

"Mahalo, motherf..." Follow R.L. Shaffer on Twitter, Facebook andMyIGN for quotes, rants, reviews, news and more!

Source : ign[dot]com

Resident Evil 6 Features Four Hours of Cutscenes

There are going to be a few cutscenes in Resident Evil 6 - 4 hours and 15 minutes of them, to be precise. This information comes courtesy of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), which serves as the UK equivalent of the ESRB in the United States. Noting that Capcom's latest action/horror game features "strong violence and gore," the BBFC gave RE 6 an '18' (think 'M').

For comparison, Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 4 both feature approximately one hour of cinematics each, but there is an important distinction to be made here. Resident Evil 6 contains three separate main campaigns, with a fourth that somehow unlocks later on.

Capcom has publicly stated that the three main storylines are separately not quite as long as RE 5, but collectively they are considerably longer. Taking that into consideration, and dividing the content over the span of three or four cutscenes, and what might at first seem like an interactive movie might be a little less so.

Rich is an Executive Editor of IGN.com, and the leader of the network's Nintendo team. He also covers all things Assassin's Creed, Resident Evil, WWE and much, much more. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN, if you dare.

Source : ign[dot]com