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Adam Sandler's first Netflix-exclusive movie has its cast
If there's one thing that America loves more than Netflix, it's movies where Adam Sandler sits around in loungewear cracking wise with Kevin James. It was back in October that the streaming company decided to give the public what it needed, teaming up with the actor's production company to knock out four original movies. Now, just a few months later, The Wrap has learned the details about the first to roll off the production line.
Wave goodbye to Microsoft's original Kinect for Windows
Whether you think depth-sensing cameras will become the next big thing or fizzle out, one of the models that helped usher in the tech is set to be retired for good. The original Kinect for Windows will be phased out in 2015, nearly three years after Microsoft first introduced it. The sensor (which is nearly identical to the Xbox 360 model) was controversial with gamers from the get-go, but was embraced by the DIY hacking community and companies who used it for facial and motion tracking, among (many) other uses. Plenty of those folks still rely on the Kinect v1 for Windows, so Microsoft advised them to buy as many as they need, and soon, since it won't make any more after the current stock sells out. However, Microsoft will continue selling the Kinect v1 for the Xbox 360 online and in the Microsoft Store for the foreseeable future.
Netflix's first UK original is about the Queen and it's coming in 2016
It's been rumored for months, but Netflix has finally confirmed that it's working on its first original TV series from the UK. Given its origins, it should come as no surprise that the show is about none other than the Queen, exploring her relationships with some of Britain's most infamous Prime Ministers. Whether this heralds a future of possible UK-specific shows on the weather and crumpets remains to be seen, but what we do know is that it's called The Crown and will be based on a West End play called The Audience. It'll premiere as a 10-episode mini-season in 2016 and while the cast is still a closely guarded secret, Netflix revealed that Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours) is directing, Andy Harries (The Queen) is producing and Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) is one of the show's writers. Given their combined experience with royalty-themed movies, not to mention the six Academy Award nominations shared between them, it's fair to say this trio have a pretty good shot of delivering something you'll want to binge-watch with a fresh cup of tea.
Netflix's first show from the UK could be a £100m drama about the Queen
Netflix is going big on original programming: House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black are proof of that. However, no such content has so far come out of the UK. That could be about to change, after the streaming giant reportedly beat both the BBC and ITV to secure a new 20 episode biopic of the Queen, corgis and all. According to Broadcast Now, Netflix is on the verge of finalising a £100 million deal for the series, titled The Crown, which will centre on the Queen's "ascent to the throne at the age of 26, to the present day."
Hulu's original TV shows for 2014 are a mix of new series, new seasons and foreign transplants
Competing video-streaming services have discovered that just like other TV options before them, original and exclusive content is one of the best ways to attract new viewers. As a result, each one is building up a warchest of shows, and Hulu's plan to double the amount of original content it has starts with this new lineup for 2014. This year's highlights include the return of original series like The Awesomes and East Los High plus a few new shows including a reality-TV parody called The Hotwives of Orlando and supernatural comedy Deadbeat. The Behind the Mask documentary series that goes deep into the lives of sports mascots will also return, while Hulu reaches overseas for dramas like the original Swedish version of The Bridge and several BBC collaborations. These shows are meant to compete with Netflix's hits and give viewers a reason to pick Hulu's partially ad-supported streams over Amazon Prime -- a service that's also picking up soon-after-broadcast TV and launching its own series. Will they be successful? We don't know yet, but you can see a preview trailer after the break.
Tales producer: no plans for Xbox One, PS4, Wii U
Now that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo have all showed their hands, is the Tales series, which has seen several entries across this generation, making the next-gen jump anytime soon? Not according to Tales producer Hideo Baba, who told Joystiq that he doesn't have any current plans for the JRPG series on next-gen consoles. That's chiefly because he wants to release entries on the console most fans "want to play on." That, in his view, is the PS3. "Compared to the existing consoles like the Xbox 360 or PS3, the PS4 and Xbox One have much improved CPU, GPU, and memory," Baba told us, "So I think they [have] more potential, especially with visual effects. I'm afraid I don't have any plans to release for titles for the Xbox One or PS4, because my policy is to release Tales titles to the console which most of the fans want to play on." When asked about the Wii U, Baba said "Same as the Xbox One and PS4, I don't have any plans to release titles for the Wii U." Baba announced Tales of Symphonia Chronicles last week - a few days after quashing rumors of it as speculation. The HD bundle of Symphonia and Dawn of the New World is due in North America in early 2014, and is coming to the PS3. Speaking to Spong, Baba revealed he still sees the PS3 as the key console for the Tales series at present. "The reason why Xillia was released only on PS3 was because that is the console where most of the users want to play Tales games," Baba told Spong. "When more and more users decide to buy a PS4 and want the Tales series on that platform, that will be when we re-assess things."
Netflix original series 'Orange is the New Black' debuting July 11th
Despite having recently introduced the likes of Hemlock Grove and House of Cards, Netflix isn't standing still: it's boosting its original content with yet another production, Orange is the New Black. The new comedic drama series, created by Weeds' own Jenji Kohan, is set to start streaming to Netflix subscribers worldwide beginning July 11th. Similar to Netflix's House of Cards, Orange is the New Black consists of 13 episodes running at around 60 minutes -- however, the main story here won't be based on drama coming out of D.C., but rather a "world populated with unforgettable characters and no-holds-barred humor set against the backdrop of a women's prison." Be sure to peruse the PR after the break, where you'll find more particulars about the plot, as well as the full cast list.
Netflix's latest original series 'Hemlock Grove' is available for streaming
Netflix's original content assault continues today with the debut of Hemlock Grove, a "supernatural" series directed by Eli Roth. This series takes place in a small Pennsylvania town which has suddenly come down with a bad case of werewolf attacks. Previous releases Lilyhammer and House of Cards chased viewers interested in quirky foreign humor and political drama, respectively, so this series represents a bit of a shift. Later this year, the streaming service will debut Orange is the New Black from Weeds creator Jenji Kohan and the second season of Lilyhammer. Cards is also due for a second season, and sci-fi fans have Sense8 to look forward to in 2014. We'll see if its data-based approach to picking series has found another quality option in Hemlock Grove, however early reviews suggest that may not be the case for all viewers. Hitfix's Alan Sepinwall referred to it as a "streakbuster" between Cards and the upcoming season of Arrested Development, and a New York Times evaluation of the first few eps notes "it barely gets around to telling its story." Of course, it may just be targeted to viewers with different priorities, who will appreciate its style more than they did, and the company's algorithms are just waiting to dig those people out of the crowd. Whatever the case, with Netflix's characteristic all-episodes-at-once release schedule you can power through all 13 episodes and find out for yourself right now.
Disney adds a little originality with Toy Story: Smash It
Last time I spoke with Disney's Bart Decrem, I asked him about the company's plans to put out original mobile games. Lately, they've been on a bender of rebranded iOS hits, including Temple Run Brave, Monsters Inc. Run, and Where's My Perry?, which is a branded remix of Disney's own original Where's My Water? title. Decrem told me that the team had plans for original titles, but that when they had a hit franchise, "you invest in them aggressively and you evolve them aggressively." The team's latest iOS release, Toy Story: Smash It, is actually a pretty good compromise. Yes, the game is based on the popular Pixar series, and yes, it eagerly reuses characters, art and music from the three Toy Story movies. But unlike Disney's rebranded titles, Smash It isn't based on any game I've heard of, even if the gameplay is reminiscent of other catapult-style games like Catapult King and the old Wii title Boom Blox. As the various Toy Story characters, you hurl projectiles at other characters perched on block-based structures, trying to take as many down as possible. In the sense that it's not based on an existing game, it's kind of original, I guess? I'd still like to see Disney mix up their gameplay even more -- the company had such a big hit with Where's My Water? because they tried something completely new, and I haven't seen Decrem and company take a risk like that since. Meanwhile, if you want to play Toy Story: Smash It for yourself, it's out on the App Store now for US$0.99.
Netflix and DreamWorks to launch original show for kids in December
While Netflix is trying to lure in the grown-ups with the launch of House of Cards, it's not leaving kids without their own choice of original material. DreamWorks plans to follow up the July release of its animated movie Turbo with a Netflix-only series, Turbo FAST, in December. The episodes will arrive on the service roughly in line with DreamWorks' 2013 slate of movies, including Turbo. Young viewers may well be happy, but Turbo FAST and the larger DreamWorks deal could be that much more satisfying for Netflix itself -- they're potential foils to Amazon's multi-show plans that could keep some subscribing families from jumping ship.
Joystiq answers your Wii U questions via Wii U Chat
Keep track of all of Joystiq's Wii U launch coverage on our Wii U hub page! We decided to try out Wii U's video chat application the other day – handily referred to as Wii U Chat – and since we were chatting anyway, we figured we might as well answer some reader questions about the Wii U itself.Check out the video above, in which Joystiq Reviews Editor Richard Mitchell and Managing Editor JC Fletcher discuss the Wii U and, more importantly, draw funny things on each other's faces.
The Daily Grind: How important is intellectual property to your MMO?
MMOs began as online versions of your favorite games. Ultima Online brought the familiar world of Britannia to players online, allowing them to play with their friends or meet new ones. But EverQuest showed us that a fresh new world could succeed as an MMO, with future online games exploring both sides of the IP coin. It's nice to have a familiar world in which to play, as games like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, and Star Wars Galaxies have shown us. But fresh-from-scratch worlds are usually just as enticing. Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 seem to be doing pretty well for themselves. So which do you prefer? Does a familiar world matter to you, or do you reward originality? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Twitter rumored to be pitching in-feed video shows to studios
Twitter has been making a giant push for expanded tweets from content providers. It's only a short logical leap from that to Twitter providing the content itself, and that's exactly what AdWeek claims may well happen. Its unconfirmed tipsters have the microblog taking a page from YouTube by pitching Hollywood movie and TV studios on "several" original shows that would live in followers' feeds, including the seemingly inescapable reality show. While Twitter wouldn't have someone in the director's chair, it might still play a role by letting viewers affect the show as it's happening -- and of course, running ads. Silence is the only official response to the rumor from Twitter so far; don't plan your viewing schedule just yet, but do brace yourself in case Twitter breaks out a Horse ebooks cameo to boost ratings in mid-season.
Croon Audio's Original Bluetooth speakers promise not to creak while they're cranked
Odds are that we've all had a speaker system which can't take the heat: turn up the volume and there's an unintentional dubstep remix as the waaahs and wubwubs of distortion and vibration overtake whatever we actually meant to hear. Croon Audio is only just getting into speakers, but its Original system makes clean sound the order of the day: along with the retro, anti-distortion fiberboard design, the Bluetooth audio box has isolation cones at the corners that Croon hopes will leave any shake, rattle and rolling to Big Joe Turner and Bill Haley. That's good news for a small enclosure with two 15W drivers and a Class D amp inside. A 3.5mm jack still exists if wireless audio compression gets on the nerves as well. The speakers are already selling now in a classic black for $200, although $230 will net a slightly livelier gray or white, and $235 lands an attention-getting (if limited edition) red.
Amazon Studios adds first four original shows to its 'development slate'
Back in May, Amazon put a call out for budding screenwriters to submit their ideas for an original comedy or children's series. Now, four of the submissions have been marked up on the Amazon Series Development Slate, with more being added to a "consider" list. The chosen projects comprise three comedies, and one preschooler's show. By getting the Amazonian thumbs-up, the ideas receive $10,000 to extend the initial option, assistance to develop the script, and potentially a pilot episode. So, we might not be seeing them on our screens / displays just yet, but we're sure we're not the only ones paying close attention.
Apple I fetches $374.5K at Sotheby's auction, Steve Jobs Atari note goes for $27.5K
Here's an update for all the collectors of vintage Apple Computer-wares out there. If you'll recall, it was a few weeks back when Sotheby's announced it would auction off an Apple 1 motherboard, cassette interface and its BASIC programming manual, originally set to fetch upwards of $180,000. Just this week, the hand-built piece of computing history from 1976 was sold to one lucky phone bidder for an even more massive $374,500. As Apple Insider notes, the computer is one of six that's accounted for out of 50 that are likely still out there -- ensuring these will only remain for folks with deep pockets indeed. Past that, a hand-written note from Steve Jobs during his time at Atari was also on the auction block, garnering $27,500 even though it was only estimated to sell for less than half that price. Knowing the cost of collecting a premiere piece (arguably) from the fruits of Woz and Jobs, it certainly makes that new MacBook Pro with Retina display seem like a grand bargain in comparison. Details at the links below.
Apple I up for auction: buy a bit of Apple history for the bulk of your net worth
Attention Apple lovers: here's your chance to get your hands on an original piece of company history, but the past has proven that you better have a lot of extra cash lying around. Sotheby's auction house is offering a working Apple I computer, which is the original design that was built by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak back in 1976 -- by hand. It's expected to fetch between $140,000 - 180,000, and those dollars buy you a mobo, cassette interface and the original BASIC manual to get you programming partying like it's 1979. This isn't the first Apple I to hit the auction block, but with only 200 of the things in existence, the winning bidder will join the upper echelon of Apple enthusiasts. So, if you've got cash to burn and fancy yourself the ultimate fanboy, head on down to the source link for the full details. [Thanks, Deepa]
Amazon Studios expands into TV series, looks to load up on content for streaming
Amazon has had a content development division for some time but today it's announced plans to expand from just movies to developing (and distributing, via its Instant Video service) original comedy and children's series. The new focus follows the competition like Netflix and Hulu which have both dived headlong into developing original TV show-style content that mirrors the content consumers seem to gravitate towards on streaming services. According to the press release Amazon Studios is willing to option one "promising project" per month for $10k and pay $55k to a creator if their series is selected for distribution. Submissions of 22-minute pilot scripts for comedies and 11-minute pilot scripts for children's shows are being accepted, which Amazon will either option within 45 days or the creator can choose between pulling it back and leaving it up for community feedback. There's more info at the site or in the press release after the break, but just remember: if we see any series picked up about dashingly handsome tech bloggers and the fast-paced lives they lead, we're coming for our cut.
Prince of Persia source code freed from floppies, posted online
You wouldn't think it would take more than two weeks to extract some source code from a pile of 3.5-inch floppies and post it online, but getting files from 1989 to play nice with a MacBook Air is no simple feat. That's why we're so appreciative of Jordan Mechner, who put the time and effort into freeing his creation, Prince of Persia, from its magnetic prison. If you want to try and build the platforming classic for your own system, hit up the source link. Or, just wait for someone else to do it for you -- we're sure it wont take long for some friendly binary formats to hit the web.
The Daily Grind: What originally got you into MMOs?
Do you remember where you were when you first heard about the idea of paying $15 a month for a video game? How about when you finally accepted that it's actually cheaper than most of your other hobbies? Or how about when you signed up for your second concurrent subscription? Most of us have changed our game-playing (and paying) habits because of MMOs, and the beginning of that wasn't too far back. The transition usually started with a trusted developer (Blizzard, Sony) or IP (Ultima), but not all of us started at the very beginning. So that's where your stories come in. Tell us how you first got into MMOs. Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
