HBO Max has uploaded another alternative DC Comics movie cut, but it won't brag about this one. As CBR and The Verge note, WarnerMedia comms executive Johanna Fuentes has confirmed HBO Max accidentally uploaded the censored TV version of the 2020 movie Birds of Prey. While it's listed as the R-rated version from theaters, play it and you'll get the same 'family-friendly' edit you'd see on TNT.
Fuentes promised that HBO Max would upload the R-rated movie, although she didn't provide a timeline. That uncensored take will be the only version on the service, the exec added, and it has been available for about a year.
It's not clear how the slip-up occurred. We've asked WarnerMedia for comment. With that said, HBO Max certainly isn't averse to foul language or violence. This is an embarrassing moment for a streaming provider still in its early stages, but it doesn't represent a sudden change of heart.
Or… counterpoint. We have a version of the film that airs on broadcast cable and the unedited version of the film for streaming which has been up for a year (which the original post on CBR noted). Will be updated on Max.
For the past few decades it’s been de rigueur for science fiction stories to be set in virtual worlds, from the early neon-lined stylings of Tron to the hedonistic pop cultural temple of Ready Player One. The stories once treated these places like a fantasy world on par with Middle Earth or Hyrule, but as we’ve edged closer to them existing in reality they’ve gotten a lot more humdrum, maybe even ordinary. With this shift we’ve seen the real and virtual worlds increasingly collide, and it’s that interconnection between the two that forms the core of the new anime film Belle, arriving in US theaters in January.
Belle is the latest movie from Mamoru Hosoda, the director who brought us time-travel adventures like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Mirai. But he’s also known for Summer Wars, a movie that posited a world where everything is connected in the virtual sphere, not just for play but also work, finance and healthcare. Back in 2009, this seemed like a bit of a stretch, but as companies like Google, Apple and Amazon have expanded the concept has become eerily prescient. Now Hosoda is once again tackling the divide between the real and virtual worlds with Belle, a film that splits its time between rural Japan and the computerized world of “U.”
Belle is the story of Suzu Naito, a “country bumpkin” living alone with her dad and still dealing with the trauma of losing her mom several years before. When a friend sends her an invite to U she finds it to be an escape from her trauma, a place where she is beautiful and can sing. Her first performance quickly goes viral, with the clip spreading rapidly and her phone blowing up with notifications in a sappy Dear Evan Hansen sort of way. She becomes a sensation, but her newfound fame goes off the rails when one of her concerts is interrupted by a player known only as “The Dragon.” Suzu/Belle becomes intrigued by the Dragon and begins an investigation into his identity, even as self-appointed vigilantes are working to track and expel him from U.
Studio Chizu
The world and technology of U are interesting, with access gained via an app and a set of special earbuds. The earbuds can apparently overlay sight as well as sound, and they build a person’s avatar using their biometric data. It’s certainly a leap ahead of the bulky VR headsets seen in Ready Player One, or just the “theater of the imagination” that a lot of movies and TV employ, where the virtual as an actual “space” with rooms and buildings and so forth only exists in the minds of the user. Here, it’s more like entering the Metaverse of Persona 5, complete with avatars that reflect a person’s true self.
In U there’s no “if you die in the game you die in real life,” but the biggest threat is still treated as such: to be “unveiled” is to lose your anonymity and have your true form revealed to the world of U, upon which a user will literally fade away from the virtual arena. It’s weird to see this used as a plot hook when real-life social media is overly concerned with real names and verified accounts, but this is a fantasy story, after all.
Studio Chizu
As such, it takes influence from other fantasy works, most notably Disney’s classic animated feature Beauty and the Beast. Both main characters are named Belle, and the design and temperament of the Dragon is very similar to that of the Beast; the mix of animals blended into one hunched, brooding creature, the mysterious castle with a squad of cutesy servant-sidekicks. There’s even a damaged portrait over the fireplace mantle! After years of anime fans complaining about American films “stealing” from anime (Kimba the White Lion, Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water and Perfect Blue), it’s funny to see an anime borrow so blatantly from the West. I can’t wait for the inevitable shot-by-shot comparison videos on YouTube; Belle even recreates the iconic ballroom dancing scene (notable at the time for its early use of CG).
There is nothing particularly groundbreaking about the animation in Belle, though it is certainly a gorgeous film. The world of U is shown as a city of sweeping towers populated by flying avatars. Animation allows the filmmakers to give each character a unique avatar, of whatever size or shape fits that person best. Suzu becomes a beautiful woman, but others are depicted as babies, fairies and cute animals. The Dragon stands out for being such a dark character, with bruises spread across his back like a fungus.
Where Belle really differentiates itself is how it melds our current internet reality with its future fantasy visions. In early depictions of virtual worlds they were always treated as a separate place that never interacted much with the real world, a “secret life” that users had so very different from their actual existence. As technology moves forward, we’ve largely found that to not be true; our virtual existence is dominated by social media and live-streaming and parasocial relationships, and all of these are generally accepted as part of our “real” lives these days.
So it is that social media is heavily entwined with spectacle in the world of U, with messages flying as fast and furious as their avatars fly through the computer-generated cities. It isn’t just a thing that “the kids” are into; the residents of U are seen to be an incredibly diverse mix of ages and races, as seen from their messages and videos. But there is still a sense that this space matters more to a particular generation: Context clues reveal that Suzu’s village is a victim of the demographic crisis in Japan, where the populace is aging up with not enough children being born to replace them. Suzu is very much alone a lot of the time in her village, with various chat rooms and the world of U serving as her one constant connection to other people.
Studio Chizu
In the end, it will be the other people in her real life that will push her to do what she needs to do to save the Dragon.The fantasy elements take a back seat to the fact that there are real people behind each avatar, and just as the service creates a look for them based on their personality, so are their problems in U are just reflections of their real life situations. And in that case, it won’t be Belle who can save the day, but an ordinary girl named Suzu Naito.
Spotify is testing a new feature called Discover that lets users scroll through a feed of vertical videos and skip or like them, much as you do on TikTok, TechCrunch has reported. The feature was spotted in the latest version of Spotify's beta iOS TestFlight build by Chris Messina, who tweeted that it appeared as a fourth icon in Spotify's iOS toolbar.
Discover looks to be a way for users to find new music in an intuitive, rapid way, by swiping up and down to move through the feed. You can tap on a heart to like the song, or hit the three-dot menu to bring up Spotify's standard information card about the song.
Not only that, @Spotify Discover is basically a pared down version of a TikTok-style feed of vertical music videos (likely using their canvas format) that you can like or skip.#NewSpotifypic.twitter.com/hpOEZ8v9bl
The format may use Spotify's Canvas format, Messina notes. That allows artists to create videos to go along with songs, rather than just static images, and appears on certain songs instead of the standard album art when you play a video. They can be in the form of standard video and mixed media, along with 2D and 3D graphics. In pitching the feature, Spotify tells artists that Canvas boosts key engagement metrics like sharing, adding to playlists and visiting profile pages.
Spotify confirmed to TechCrunch that it's testing the feature, but declined to share further details like how it would curate feeds. "At Spotify, we routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve our user experience," a spokesperson said. "Some of those tests end up paving the way for our broader user experience and others serve only as an important learning. We don’t have any further news to share at this time."
Spotify is far from the first platform to flatter TikTok through imitation. Instagram's Reels and YouTube Shorts are virtual clones of TikTok, and even Netflix recently introduced a TikTok-like comedy feed called Fast Laughs. It's not clear yet if Spotify's discovery feature will make it out of beta, but it looks like a useful way to find new music.
We'll get into Russia's demands for big tech below, but first — ahead of a four-day weekend for some — let's talk about streaming shows.
You’ve probably noticed by now that we’ve got a reboot problem. Nothing epitomizes that better than the live-action series remake for beloved anime Cowboy Bebop. Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar puts it into words well: “Netflix's remix is mainly in love with Cowboy Bebop. It wants to remind us of the anime.” But in the effort to show its affection, it all rings a little hollow by comparison.
GEOFFREY SHORT/NETFLIX
Devindra even gets a little brutal, criticizing the times when the show “looks worse than a cheap Doctor Who episode.” I know exactly what he means.
Cowboy Bebop is now available to stream on Netflix.
Reviews Editor Cherlynn Low untangles the myriad versions of Android to offer some insight into what you might be getting with Google’s latest mobile OS, Android 12. The standout change is definitely a new design that can tease color palettes from your favorite images, but like its rival, iOS, there are bigger shifts in privacy and how your data is being used.
After doing the same for Disney, Spotify has launched a Netflix hub, bringing all of the streaming service's soundtracks, playlists and podcasts into one place. While many of Netflix's soundtracks were already on Spotify, the new feature puts all content related to the service in one place.
That includes playlists and soundtracks from series and films like La Casa de Papel, Narcos: Mexico, Outer Banks, Squid Game and, ahem, Cowboy Bebop.
Epic Games has acquired Harmonix, the studio behind titles like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance Central and, more recently, Fuser. Epic’s vision for Harmonix involves the metaverse. In the immediate future, the two plan to create “musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite.”
No word yet on how many millions of dollars the acquisition cost.
The feature was previously scheduled to arrive before the end of 2021.
In an update to the official iOS 15 website that was spotted by MacRumors, Apple says that functionality will now arrive sometime in early 2022. Apple first announced the feature at WWDC 2021, pitching it as a tool to allow you to add your driver’s license or state ID card to Apple Wallet, just like you would a credit or debit card. Among the first locations to support the feature will be select Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints at some US airports.
The government wants more control over Apple, Meta, TikTok and others.
Russia’s telecom regulator Roskomnadzor has called on 13 foreign and mostly American companies to launch official Russian presences by 2022 so they can comply with a law that took effect July 1st. The list includes familiar tech names, like Apple, Google, Meta (Facebook), Telegram, TikTok and Twitter.
The law demands local offices for "internet companies" with over 500,000 daily users. Some of the companies already have offices, though, and it's unclear just what constitutes an official presence. Those deemed violating the law could face complete bans or limits on their ads, data gathering and money transfers.
Cowboy Bebop was like nothing else when it premiered twenty years ago. It was a neo-Western set in space; a noir thriller alongside the spectacle of martial arts action and John Woo-esque shootouts; an existential vision of a broken future where characters were forced to live with their shattered pasts. And on top of all of that, it was propelled by an iconic soundtrack that easily danced between genres. We didn't have much time in the Bebop-verse — just 26 episodes and a movie — so every second felt like a miracle. How could a live-action Netflix adaptation live up to that?
Simply put, it doesn't. While the original show was a love letter to cinema and pop culture, crafted by a creative dream team (director Shinichiro Watanabe, writer Keiko Nobumoto and composer Yoko Kanno), Netflix's remix is mainly in love with Cowboy Bebop. It wants to remind us of the anime, so much so that it replicates many iconic sequences shot-for-shot, but it doesn't latch onto what made it so special. It hums the melody, but has no soul. It's a hollow tune that's common to nostalgia-focused reboots, like Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and it almost always holds them back.
By almost every measure, I should hate Netflix's Cowboy Bebop with a passion. But, it's a testament to the talented actors involved that I don't. John Cho wouldn't be my first choice to play the impossibly cool Spike Spiegel (that would be Sung Kang, Fast and Furious's swagger king Han), but he makes a serious effort to replicate his charm. Mustafa Shakir easily carries Jet Black's irascible yet lovable nature. And Daniella Pineda's Faye Valentine is an absolute scene stealer.
But this talented group is failed by a confounding production, which often looks worse than a cheap Doctor Who episode. Some sets appear to be made out of cardboard and spray paint, nothing conveys the lived-in aesthetic the anime captured so well. There are flashes of visual brilliance, to be clear, but that mainly comes from digital effects that often replicate shots from the original series. At times, Bebop wants to replicate the live-action cartoon aesthetic from the Wachowski's under-rated Speed Racer. Then, at other times, it will just have a bright neon "PORN" sign in the background, as if that's enough to convey the seediness of a neighborhood.
Geoffrey Short/Netflix
So where did everything start going wrong? As with most nostalgia reboots, it usually comes down to the writing. Netflix's Cowboy Bebop was developed by Christopher Yost (Thor: Ragnarok, Star Wars Rebels) and includes genre talents like Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, Charmed). Their combined credits gave me hope that the show would be something more than a copycat of the anime, but instead it's a confusing mishmash of nostalgia worship and superfluous story additions.
Instead of being a mysterious cutthroat assassin, the villain Vicious comes across as a dull Eurotrash gangster. Instead of a haunting past based on the consequences of being overbearingly protective, Jet gets an estranged daughter and a ticked-off ex-wife. And perhaps most damningly, Spike's love interest Julia loses her mystique, and instead becomes another pretty damsel in distress. We've seen all of these storylines before, so instead of feeling like "a new genre unto itself," the bold proclamation the anime made in the middle of every episode, it all just feels like "been there, done that."
That's the same vibe I got while watching Ghostbusters: Afterlife. It starts out as an intriguing portrait of a struggling family, but eventually becomes bogged down by replicating almost every plot beat from the first Ghostbusters. It's still a fun and enjoyable film, but it's reverence for the past clearly prevented it from doing anything truly new. Watching that movie and Cowboy Bebop over the weekend made me genuinely worried about the future of pop culture. Are we just doomed to repeat the past, over and over again, to appease the fans?
Now, here's the thing: Despite all of the ways Cowboy Bebop fundamentally misunderstands its source material, it still ends up being a decently enjoyable sci-fi romp. And if you don't know what you're missing, it's easy to overlook the flaws as you soak in the talent of the cast, the strange yet familiar future filled with terraformed moons and planets, and the catchy Yoko Kanno tunes.
My one faint hope is that viewers who enjoy the live-action series will also check out the anime, which is also available on Netflix. I'm all for new viewers finding ways into existing properties. I just wish that didn't involve watering down classics to make them more palatable.
Epic Games has acquired Harmonix, the studio behind titles like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Dance Central and more recently Fuser. Financial terms have not been disclosed. Epic’s vision for Harmonix involves the metaverse. In the immediate future, the two plan to create “musical journeys and gameplay for Fortnite.”
Turn your speakers UP! @Harmonix, the makers of interactive music experiences including @RockBand, are joining the Epic Games family! Together we will explore new ways for people to enjoy music across the digital world. 🎸🥁🔊 https://t.co/YLFBtYFKKn
Viewed through that lens, Epic’s interest in the studio makes a lot of sense. Outside of frequent brand collaborations, Fortnite is at this point best known for its virtual concerts. In the last two years, a handful of major artists like Ariana Grande and Travis Scott have drawn a lot of interest to the game. In the latter case, for example, more than 12.3 people watched Scott’s performance concurrently.
In the meantime, Harmonix says it will continue to support its existing slate of games. That means Rock Band players can continue to look forward to new DLC and Fuser players can expect the studio to continue hosting events. Additionally, any game that's currently available through Steam will continue to be sold through Valve's storefront.
After doing the same for Disney, Spotify has launched a Netflix hub bringing all of the streaming service's soundtracks, playlists and podcasts into one place. While many of Netflix's soundtracks were already on Spotify, the new feature puts all content related to the service in one place.
Spotify launched some special material for the hub as well, including an enhanced album for the western movie The Harder They Fall and a refreshed content destination for La Casa De Papel. The latter also features a mobile-only character matching experience putting together La Banda characters and soundtracks.
Feature-wise, the Netflix hub goes beyond what Spotify offered for Disney, though the latter's content is more iconic thanks to soundtracks from properties like Star Wars and Toy Story 4. In a case of reverse synergy, Netflix will soon release a Spotify drama focusing on co-founders Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon, based on the non-fiction book Spotify Untold.
"Why doesn't Kojima just make movies?" It's a rhetorical question fans of Hideo Kojima have asked after every game since Metal Gear Solid. For better or worse, no other creator in the gaming industry has pushed the medium closer to film than Kojima. And after hinting his studio could venture into filmmaking, it's doing precisely that.
Per GamesIndustry.Biz, Kojima Productions has established a division dedicated to music, TV and film that will operate out of Los Angeles. Riley Russell, a former Sony Interactive executive, will lead the unit as it attempts to expand the cultural footprint of Kojima Productions.
"The new division will be tasked with working with creative and talented professionals in television, music and film, as well as the more familiar games industry," Russell told the outlet. "The team has as its charter, the goal of expanding the reach and awareness of the properties now under development at Kojima Productions, and to make them even more a part of our popular culture."
It's not surprising to see Kojima Productions expand beyond games. Kojima is known for his film-like approach to making games, and if you follow him on Twitter, you'll know he frequently tweets about his favorite albums and movies. The question now becomes how the studio plans to handle the expansion. Since reforming in 2015, Kojima Productions has released one game. You can push that number to two if you count the recent Director's Cut release of Death Stranding as a separate title. What would a film adaptation of Death Stranding look like? For that matter, what would an adaptation of any Kojima game look like? We may just find out soon enough.
Blade Runner director Ridley Scott has confirmed that a TV show based on the sci-fi classic is in the works. The filmmaker also mentioned in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Todaythat work is progressing on the Alien series.
"We've already written the pilot for Blade Runner.. and Alien has now been written for pilot"
"We're already into having written the pilot for Blade Runner, and the bible," Scott said. "So already presenting Blade Runner as a TV show, which should probably be the first 10 hours, and then Alien is a similar thing. Alien is now being written for pilot." A bible is a plan that screenwriters or producers put together to detail the world of a TV show beyond what's in the scripts, including information about the characters and plot.
Scott didn't provide any insight about who's involved with the Blade Runner series or how it ties into his movie or the sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which was released in 2017. An anime spinoff, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, debuted on Adult Swim and Crunchyroll this month. In addition, Westwood’s classic 1997 adventure game Blade Runner is being remastered. So, Blade Runner fans have plenty to look forward to.
Meanwhile, the Alien series was announced last December. Noah Hawley — who adapted another popular movie, Fargo, for TV — is the showrunner of the upcoming FX show. The series won't premiere until at least 2023, unfortunately.
After its first serious foray into e-commerce this past summer, Twitter has started testing a new live shopping experience. The feature essentially allows users to both watch a broadcast and shop at the same time. The first live shopping stream will debut on November 28th at 7PM ET when Walmart hosts a Cyber Week-themed livestream with Jason Derulo. The songwriter will spend about 30 minutes talking about a variety of products, including electronics and home decor.
“Livestreaming on Twitter gives businesses the power to engage with their most influential fans, and adding the ability to shop into this experience is a natural extension to attracting and engaging with receptive audiences,” Twitter said of the feature.
Twitter has also started testing a “Shopping Manager” it says will help with the merchant onboarding experience. Additionally, the company is expanding the availability of the “Shop Module.” First announced in July, the tool allows brands and businesses to add a carousel to their profile that can highlight a selection of products. Over the coming weeks, the company says it will roll out the feature to more merchants in the US.
Compared to other social media platforms, Twitter has been slow to embrace and add e-commerce features. The fact the company is now adding a host of shopping features suggests it sees e-eommerce as a big part of its future.
