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Metro 2033 movie hopes to see the light of day
Metro 2033, the post-apocalyptic shooter from 4A Games set in Russia, actually isn't an entirely new concept. The video game is based on a pretty popular book by author Dmitry Glukhovsky. MGM has optioned the rights to the book and is now looking to adapt it into a film.The Hollywood Reporter says MGM snagged the rights and will have rookie writer F. Scott Frazier create a script. Little is known right now outside of Frazier and some production talent's involvement, so creative liberties may be taken. We're crossing our fingers for one scene where the protagonist accidentally uses some scrounged perfect ammo in his gun then gets mad at himself when he realizes its market value.
Amazon joins up with Epix, adds thousands of flicks to Prime Instant Video roster
Truth be told, Amazon's Prime Instant Video selection isn't the most comprehensive library on the net, but it's well on its way, thanks to a new licensing agreement with the Epix. The entertainment network, which partners with studios that include Lionsgate, MGM and Paramount, brings access to recent blockbusters like The Avengers, The Hunger Games and Thor, along with evergreen gems like Justin Bieber Never Say Never. Most importantly, it means Netflix is no longer the only subscription streaming home for those titles after its two year exclusive deal ran out. Amazon's streaming service, which includes thousands of movies and television shows, enables customers subscribing to Prime for $79 per year to stream content without additional monthly fees, in addition to benefits that include discounted shipping and a Kindle book loan program. The terms of the deal have not been announced, but the press release (available in full after the break) lists the partnership as a "multi-year licensing agreement," benefiting customers in the US.
Amazon Prime Instant Video gets MGM Studios movies and TV shows, dances with a few wolves
Amazon is building steam on its Prime Instant Video additions, as it's following new Paramount content just a few weeks ago with video from the MGM Studios stable. The new movies and TV shows mostly reach deep into the back catalog with classics like Dances with Wolves or the definitive spaghetti Western, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. A few more recent titles have crept into the collection, mostly in TV: if you're a fan of the Stargate universe, you're set. MGM video is folded into the $79 yearly Prime subscription and will let you relive Thirtysomething on a raft of devices, including your PS3.
Reuters: Apple in talks to stream films owned by Epix, no deal expected before September
It's reasonably well known at this point that Apple is looking to line up partnerships for some sort of a streaming video service. We've heard again and again that it's coming, so get ready to hum along with that 'ol tune one more time. Reuters is reporting that Apple has been in negotiations with Epix since earlier this year, hoping to secure access to films from Lions Gate, MGM and Paramount Pictures. There's no indication of when such a service might come to light, but Reuters indicates the company's current deal with Netflix, which expires on September 1st, could be a conflict (though that hasn't stopped Google TV in the past). So, no proper Apple-branded TV until the fall? Stay tuned...
MGM delivers 600 movies to YouTube and Google Play, gives you one more place to watch Robocop
With Robocop currently in rotation on both Netflix and HBO Go, you're probably wondering, "where else can I get my daily dose of media and cultural criticism delivered by a trigger happy law enforcement cyborg?" Well, YouTube and Google Play apparently. MGM has struck a deal with the folks in Mountain View to bring 600 of its titles to the streaming services, including the aforementioned dystopian-Detroit sci-fi classic. Of course, plenty of other top shelf titles will also be available to rent and purchase in the coming weeks -- including Terminator, Rocky and Rain Man. Unfortunately for those not in the northern portion of the western hemisphere the deal is only applicable to the US and Canada. This also means that, regardless of whatever struggles Google has had in the content distribution market, it now has four of the five major studios on board. Though, we wouldn't hold your breath for Fox.
Netflix, MGM strike licensing agreement ahead of launch in the UK, Ireland
When Netflix makes its debut in the UK and Ireland next year, it'll do so with MGM Studios by its side. Today, the two companies announced a new licensing agreement that will give Netflix exclusive regional streaming rights to "most first-run feature films from MGM." Included on that list of movies are The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, the prequels to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy and 21 Jump Street, among others -- all of which will be available across multiple platforms within one year of their theatrical release. Netflix will also stream a selection of catalog MGM titles, including Fargo, The Usual Suspects, and (snap) West Side Story. Netflix has yet to announce a launch date more specific than "early 2012," and exact pricing remains a mystery, but we'll be sure to let you know as soon as we hear more. In the meantime, you can find more details and delectable delights in the full PR, after the break.
Report: King of Kong director bringing back WarGames
Guys, we're just gonna be honest -- we kinda really love the MGM hacking classic, WarGames. Alongside Sneakers, it's right up there at the top of our list of best films about computers. And apparently it's getting a reboot from King of Kong director Seth Gordon. Gordon took a break from documentaries since his 2010 adaptation of NYT bestseller Freakonomics, most recently directing a handful of NBC sitcoms (The Office, Community) and a feature film, Horrible Bosses. He's currently working on two other films, and his IMDB page has yet to even note the supposed reboot in his list of work. Deadline claims to have gotten exclusive news about said reboot, though unfortunately few details are provided beyond the director and production studio. Lacking details aside, we're taking a wild guess that there'll be at least one joke referencing thermonuclear war.
Apple takes 4 percent of US digital video market, Netflix reigns
The NPD Group crowned Netflix the heavyweight champion of digital, video-on-demand services in a statement released earlier today. Between January 2011 and February 2011, Netflix accounted for 61 percent of all movies downloaded or streamed over the internet or offered on-demand through a cable or satellite television service. Cable giant Comcast took second place with about 8 percent of the market. Apple, with a share of 4 percent, found itself in a three way tie for third place with DirecTV and Time Warner Cable. NPD used its new VideoWatch Digital tracking service to calculate its latest numbers, which also found digital video now makes up one quarter of all home video volume. "Sales of DVDs and Blu-ray Discs still drive most home-video revenue, but VOD and other digital options are now beginning to make inroads with consumers," said Russ Crupnick, entertainment industry analyst for NPD. VideoWatch Digital's results were based on 10,618 surveys completed by US consumers age 13 and older. In the survey, respondents recognized electronic sell-through (EST) services like iTunes had the most "current releases available," but Netflix won the titles for "overall shopping experience" and "value for price paid." [Via AppleInsider]
Report: New Bond game moves ahead as film franchise is revived
Agent double-oh-seven is returning to the silver screen next year with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Her Majesty's most famous spy, and a report by Deadline claims that the film series' restart has led to a new James Bond game getting the ol' green light. The site makes no mention of who's developing -- or even if the game will tie into the film -- but we can count out Blood Stone dev Bizarre Creations, currently in the process of being shuttered by Activision, which holds the video game rights to all things 007. Wolfenstein and Singularity studio Raven Software was rumored as recently as last month to be working on a new, stealth-heavy Bond title (some supposed footage of which was later dug up). No matter who makes the game, we can only hope that it actually gets some, y'know, marketing -- unlike Blood Stone.
New Jim Brown interview talks Stargate Worlds
Fan website SaveStargate.org has posted the second part of its two-part interview with Jim Brown, one of the principle figures in the development of the troubled Stargate Worlds MMORPG. Alongside colleagues Todd Ellering and Daryl Wofford, Brown pitched the original idea for the sci-fi MMO to MGM way back in 2002, and went on to serve as the creative director at Dark Comet Games. The first part of the interview lays out the working relationship between the original team and controversial fundraiser Gary Whiting, as well as a bit of background on Cheyenne Mountain's troubles and the formation of Dark Comet. Part two touches on Brown's views regarding the current licensing situation, how close Stargate Worlds came to actually releasing, and what fans can do to make their voices heard for the future of the Stargate gaming franchise. "Let them [MGM] know you want Stargate games. That's the biggest thing. If CME can manage to succeed with SGW and SGR, that's great, and that means not only will you have those games to play, but there will be more that follow from other studios," Brown says.
Rumor: Raven Software working on stealth-based Bond game, follow-up to Wolverine 'on the backburner'
When it's not busy working on Activision's "largest digital offering ever" or making games with superhuman Nazis, Raven Software is allegedly working on another James Bond title for Activision. Bond fansite MI6 claims that the recently approved bankruptcy plan at MGM has allowed the unannounced Bond title to be "taken off hiatus," and says it's back in production at Raven. Additionally, the report alleges that the Bond title was one of two games being worked on by Raven -- a sequel to 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine is said to also have been in production, though that game is reportedly "on the backburner" currently. Given the recent death sentence handed to James Bond 007: Blood Stone by Activision (did you know that game was released, because it totally was) and the tumultuous story of Bond's 23rd film (said to now be back on track) -- not to mention Raven's ties to the very, very lucrative Call of Duty franchise and a recent thinning of the studio's staff -- we're a bit wary that the supposed stealth Bond will ever see the light of day. Regardless, we are totally, 100 percent confident in our unabashed excitement for the reignited Bond 23 plans.
Stargate Resistance servers to shut down Jan. 15, game no longer for sale
If you've been keeping the Stargate Resistance alive since it launched back in February, sadly, all hope is lost: The game will shut down on January 15, 2011. According to a recent missive on the game's site, the agreement between MGM, the owners of the Stargate license, and Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, the Resistance developer, expired earlier this month, and as a result the game is no longer being offered for sale to new customers. If there's a silver lining here, it's in the ability for existing players to keep up the fight ... until the inevitable end in mid-January. Cheyenne has had a rough year, filing for Chapter 11 shortly after launch of Stargate Resistance. While it's possible MGM and Cheyenne could strike a new agreement bringing the game back online, the chances appear to be slim to none. [Thanks, Robin]
Judge awards Stargate Worlds assets to Cheyenne Mountain, MGM terminates license [Updated]
The saga of Stargate Worlds took another interesting twist this week as an Arizona judge ended the legal battle over the assets of Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment. The company -- which is currently languishing under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection -- will retain control of all its game-related resources. The action settles a fraud complaint initiated by Cheyenne against Dark Comet Games and Fresh Start Studios, both formed by former Cheyenne employees looking to use company materials for the Stargate Resistance shooter released earlier this year. Though the ruling grants Cheyenne full control of its Stargate assets, completion of the long-suffering Stargate Worlds MMORPG is doubtful due to the recent expiration of the IP license from MGM Studios. Cheyenne founder Gary Whiting told the gaming blog Nerdvana that MGM issued a termination notice on November 3rd. While the notice doesn't affect Stargate Resistance, it does provide a huge obstacle for MCA Financial Group's bid to save the license for Stargate Worlds. MCA is a Phoenix-based company called in to supervise Cheyenne's restructuring under Chapter 11. [Update: Apparently, there's some discrepancy with what Nerdvana is reporting, or what Gary Whiting is saying. This blog post explains a bit more on how the judge actually didn't award full control of SGW back to Cheyenne.]
Netflix, EPIX deal is official; Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate movies start streaming September 1
Netflix streaming queue starting to look a little stale? It's working on that, and has signed a deal that brings EPIX's library of movies to Watch Instantly -- just not that instantly. If you're not familiar with EPIX, allow us to refresh you, it's a network launched last year by Paramount, MGM and Lionsgate that brings their movies home (though often unfortunately cropped and zoomed to 16x9) through a linear channel, video on-demand or internet streaming. Under this new agreement, movies from those studios can come to Netflix 90 days after they debut on the premium pay-tv and subscription VOD services. While that means streamers won't get access to Iron Man 2, The Expendables, or Dinner for Shmucks anywhere near day-and-date with their DVD or Blu-ray releases, those kinds of high profile flicks will show up and stick around with greater regularity than we've been used to. The companies haven't released further details, but rumors reported by the L.A. Times suggest licensing costs could reach $1 billion over the next 5 years. The first movies covered by the new deal arrive September 1, likely with flicks from the Star Trek, James Bond and Indiana Jones series (hopefully not Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) among them. Update: Analyst Dan Rayburn claims on Business of Video that Netflix won't be getting any EPIX movies in HD, so we asked Netflix VP of Corporate Communications Steve Swasey whether we could expect HD streaming movies with Movie Parties or if they would have Starz-like restrictions. The answer? "HD over time and no restrictions on Party Viewing." Take from that what you will.
Stargate Worlds site returns, but funding still tight
Over the weekend the Stargate Worlds site had planned a bit of maintenance which took their site offline on the 9th. From what we know now, the plan was that they would be migrating servers since they've been experiencing problems with their hosting. Many expected the site to be back up within a day or so - a normal time-frame for a DNS change and many cases of forum maintenance. When the entire site hadn't come back up by the 12th - and their Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites remained eerily silent - we decided to reach out to them and see how things were going.While we're glad to see that the Stargate Worlds web site is now back on line, the note that we received back from Timothy N. Jenson, President and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment was a bit disheartening. While the team remains optimistic, it indicates that they are continuing to have funding issues despite the news that they'd picked up new investors in the tail-end of August. For those interested in reading the full statement we received, we've included it behind the break.
Stargate Worlds makes its television debut
Stargate Universe premiered last night, and sharp-eyed fans may have gotten a glimpse of the long-promised Stargate Worlds MMO. SGU slipped the footage in as part of Eli Wallace's story.David Blue plays the character of Eli Wallace, a gamer who accidentally found his way into the Icarus program. "Some of his friends in the gaming world have told him that there is a puzzle in the game that can't be solved. So from Eli's point of view, that of course means that he has to solve it. He spends a month of his life working on this puzzle trying to figure it out and in doing so, ends up getting the attention of Stargate Command.", says Blue. The puzzle turns out to contain embedded code, and before he knows it, Eli finds himself aboard a spaceship, recruited to solve a much larger puzzle.The game that Eli is seen playing is none other than Stargate Worlds. News of this on the official site (the first update since May 26th), sparked some excitement among fans. However, it also left them wondering: does this mean hope for the game, or does it just mean the video clip was handy?
Verizon to offer Epix movie channel / streaming service on FiOS, VCast
TV channel / online service combo Epix has finally locked up its first distribution partner, Verizon's FiOS TV. Not a lot of details are available yet, but Viacom CEO Phillippe Dauman says it can offer the service a la carte, in bundles with broadband, and even plans a mobile VCast offering. We've already had a peek at the in-beta HD streams and saw a lot to like, with planned access on three screens and flicks from MGM, Lionsgate and Paramount locked up for years to come Epix is shaping up as a very formidable offering prior to its planned October launch.Update: Epix hit us off with the official PR (posted after the break) but here's the most important details - in the coming weeks, Verizon customers will be able to access a preview of the network, either through their VOD menu on the FiOS set-top box, or by visiting EpixHD.com and entering their account info.
Rumor: Stargate Worlds facing an August 1st deadline to raise capital
Stargate fans have long since been left wondering what's been going on with Stargate Worlds, but come August 1st -- or sometime soon thereafter -- their wait may finally be over. The rumor stems from a claim made by a recently departed employee who claims MGM has given Firesky until the beginning of next month to acquire funding or face having the licensed pulled.Apparently a group of doctors who could potentially invest up to $8 million are the game's last hope. However, the same ex-employee says there's little chance the deal will actually go through by the deadline. Shane Hensley, Firesky's director of new business development, has said that they're continuing to speak with investors -- including the doctors. While he also says they've never considered scrapping the project, he doesn't deny the claim, either.Ultimately, Hensley has hope but seems to be realistic about the situation, saying, "I doubt this will last much longer, but those who are here currently are amazingly dedicated and continue to make progress on our projects despite the circumstances." We'll keep you updated on any new progress, and hopefully there's a happy ending to all of this, even though our instincts are currently warning us to think otherwise.
Epix HD 720p movie streaming service eyes-on
After making sure there was a domain name locked down for Epix, the new premium movie network formed by Studio 3 Networks (Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM) it was all about taking advantage of an early peek at the 720p Flash powered site to see what a new generation of home movie distribution has to offer. The tech end (opening up to invited users this week for beta testing) is powered by Akamai's variable bitrate streaming streaming technology, delivering up to 3mbps HD video with stereo audio all the way down (6 different levels) to 500kbps encodes. Where it surpasses current online offerings from the competition is the ability, thanks to the aforementioned studio backers, to provide many of the recent movies you want to see. Our impressions of the service and a few more pictures of the interface are after the break.
Epix (and it's Hollywood backers) looking to shake up premium cable
Now that it finally has a name, the Viacom / Lionsgate / MGM backed Epix can finally be a bit more forthcoming about its plans as a premium movie channel to rival HBO, Starz and Showtime. Now the question is whether the new channel will get the $1.50 per subscriber fee it's asking from potential cable and satellite providers, which could make that planned fourth quarter launch dicier than first imagined. Still, the studios seem entrenched behind the idea of improving their prospects for profiting from their newest, hottest movies like Cloverfield, even in these economic times, so we wouldn't be surprised to see a very Big Ten Network-style standoff in the making.