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The return of Homestar Runner is imminent
Do you fondly recall anxiously awaiting a new installment of Strong Bad Email? Yeah, me too. Well, the creators of the Homestar Runner series of web cartoons are resurrecting the project following a popular April Fool's Day episode earlier this year. In an interview on The Jeff Rubin Show, co-creator Matt Chapman broke the news that he and his brother Mike are going to dust off the characters for some new content. After determining that the faithful were still eager for more -- even after the long hiatus -- the duo plans to start back up at a yet to be announced date, with a site redesign and a YouTube archive on tap as well. "Maybe it was a fluke just because it was the first one we've done... but just based on that alone, it was enough to make us want to give it a try again," said Chapman. With the rise of social media since the pair was last at it, here's to hoping Strong Bad makes the leap to Twitter. If you're not familiar, do yourself a favor and catch up before the new stuff drops.
PBS' Game/Show delves into video game violence
The latest episode of PBS' webseries, Game/Show, dives into the often-controversial topic of violence in video games. The episode briefly explores the history of violence within sports and other types of games, helping to explain why violent acts are depicted as often as they are in video games. Hosted by Kill Screen's Jamin Warren and produced by Kornhaber Brown, the series has just two other episodes. The first is devoted to analyzing the success of characters like Mario, Sonic and Link, while the other looks closer at the rise of "Let's Play" videos on YouTube.
The Guild season 5, episode 8 overrun with geeky cameos
<a data-cke-saved-href='http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/season-5-episode-8-social-traumas/y02ha7t9?src=v5:embed::' href='http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/season-5-episode-8-social-traumas/y02ha7t9?src=v5:embed::' target='_new' title='Season 5 - Episode 8 - Social Traumas'>Video: Season 5 - Episode 8 - Social Traumas</a> While perhaps not technically about World of Warcraft, web series The Guild certainly wears its influences on its sleeve, and if its fifth season is any indication, it's certainly become quite the phenomenon with the historically fickle geek crowd. This week's episode, "Social Traumas," is an event in and of itself, with cameos from a huge number of fan-favorite geek actors and personalities, from a pair of Dolls to a demigod. Check out the episode above, and see how many nerd points you get for recognizing the cameos (which we've conveniently listed for you after the break).
Warner confirms live-action Mortal Kombat digital series by 'Rebirth' director, coming this spring
Last summer's "unofficial" Mortal Kombat: Rebirth test footage has landed its director, Kevin Tancharoen, a job with Warner Bros. While Rebirth won't become a full-length feature film (you can't kill off Johnny Cage like that!), Warner apparently saw something in the imaginative re-imagination of its new aging fighting game franchise. As reported earlier this month, Tancharoen will helm a series of live-action Mortal Kombat digital shorts, which will be released in conjunction with the new game (launching April 19) "this spring through online digital retailers." Does that mean we have to pay for them? Warner teased that the digital series, to commence (crunch time) filming in Vancouver early next month, will provide "never-before-revealed insights" into the characters from the new game and its "universe," including Liu Kang and, of course, the beloved Johnny Cage (you see, Tancharoen?). The company will reveal further details shortly, including casting (and, hopefully, the fact that these webisodes will be totally, 100 percent free -- right Warner?). It's been reported that Michael Jai White will reprise his Rebirth role as Jax. [Pictured: Scorpion from MK: Rebirth test footage; full video after the break]
Gritty Mortal Kombat concept trailer getting a webisode series
Remember that super violent, Michael Jai White-fronted trailer for a Mortal Kombat film reboot that magically appeared on the internet last summer? Well, sadly, it failed to sell Warner Bros. on the prospect of turning the trailer into a full, proper film -- but that doesn't mean the project is totally dead. According to horror fan site Bloody Disgusting, director Kevin Tancharoen will begin filming a 10-part Mortal Kombat webisode series next month, following in the same gritty vein as last year's pilot. Other than Jai White's continued involvement as Jax, Bloody Disgusting didn't mention many other details about the series' storyline. We'd usually like a little more reassurance than that; fortunately for these webisodes, the bar for Mortal Kombat-based pieces of cinema is unimaginably low. Like, low. We're talking subterranean, people. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Rich Maloy's Big Crits web series makes its debut
WoW.com enhancement shaman columnist Rich Maloy (also known as Stoneybaby of Bighitbox) has been hard at work for months producing Big Crits, an unscripted web series that chronicles a new guild as they work through end-game raiding content. In Rich's own words: "I'm producing a new web series that will be the Real World (of Warcraft). The guild and the show are called Big Crits. It's a reality series about the interaction of people in an end-game raiding guild. The tagline is: Real people conquering a virtual world. The vision is simple: show how people from all walks of life work together to accomplish great things online." And now, at last, Big Crits has just released its premiere episode, with a second following closely behind later this week. Those who wish to follow the exploits of the Big Crits crew can check out the first episode above or on bigcrits.com, where new episodes should appear once a week.
The Guild strikes a deal with Microsoft, becomes a timed Xbox Live exclusive
The second season of the explosively popular online video series The Guild, which is a fictional story about the lives of a group of World of Warcraft players (and which was created by and stars Felicia Day, later of Doctor Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog fame), will be distributed by Microsoft. Each episode will appear first on Xbox Live, and will only be available through the show's website four weeks later.The entirety of Season One is now available on Xbox Live, according to Felicia Day's personal blog. The first episode of Season Two will start airing via the service tomorrow, November 25th. The show will remain free to viewers through all venues, and ad supported -- including product placement by Sprint. Microsoft will have its hands in the ad revenue, but will give Day free creative reign. Also, the second season will be shot in HD to accommodate the Xbox 360.Looks like the scrappy underdog TV series about MMO players has hit the big time, and we're cheering Day on. Next stop: movie deal, right? Fortunately, Microsoft's contract promises that Day will be free to shop around outside of the company for movie and TV deals.[Via Kotaku]
