Tuesday, June 1, 2021

Netflix's The Witcher Prequel, Blood Origin, Reportedly Casts A Familiar Villain From The Games

With Netflix's The Witcher season 2 preparing for a trailer and release date reveal, the company's creative team has been hard at work on a different sort of project with the prequel called Blood Origin. We've learned a little bit about the upcoming spinoff in the past, but it was recently revealed that a familiar villain from the games will also be sharing that anticipated spotlight. 

According to the folks at Redanian Intelligencethe same site that has given fans first looks at on-set photos of The Witcher season 2, Australia actor Jacob Collins-Levy is set to join the Blood Origin cast as none other than Eredin Breacc Glas. Name sound familiar? It should, especially if you've played the games. This Aen Elle elf became the commander of the elven calvary known as the Wild Hunt. As the King of the Wild Hunt, Eredin earned his role after killing his successor, effectively becoming the new leader that sought after young Ciri. 

The latest casting news is interesting, especially with our first look at the Wild Hunt itself with The Witcher season 2 earlier this year. With a different actor reportedly playing the King of the Wild Hunt in season 2 of the main Netflix show, Levy will be playing a younger version of the character in this prequel as the leader of the Red Riders. 

The new series is a six-part live-action spinoff to the ongoing main series that was an instant hit for the streaming service. Blood Origin will be helmed by Declan de Barra alongside showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. 

“As a lifelong fan of fantasy, I am beyond excited to tell the story The Witcher: Blood Origin,” mentioned executive producer Declan de Barra when the prequel was first announced. “A question has been burning in my mind ever since I first read The Witcher books – What was the Elven world really like before the cataclysmic arrival of the humans? I’ve always been fascinated by the rise and fall of civilizations, how science, discovery, and culture flourish right before that fall.”

“I am so thrilled to collaborate with Declan and the Netflix team on The Witcher: Blood Origin," added showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich. "It’s an exciting challenge to explore and expand The Witcher universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski, and we can’t wait to introduce fans to new characters and an original story that will enrich our magical, mythical world even more."

With Netflix's The Witcher season 2 back on track and Blood Origin on the way, there will be a lot of coins being tossed in the general direction of witchers in the coming months!


Are you excited to see even more The Witcher goodness on Netflix with Blood Origin? Any other familiar faces you'd like to see make a confirmed appearance? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!

Xbox Game Pass Adding Even More Games, Including For Honor And Darkest Dungeon

Last month, Microsoft revealed quite a few new games joining the Xbox Game Pass's evolving library. Now that it's June, the company has revealed even more titles that members can play at no additional cost. 

Like every month, Team Green shares new games that will be a part of the ever-growing library while also showing off what is on its way out to make more room. In addition to the 15 previous titles confirmed, here are what's on the horizon for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. That includes the previously revealed The Wild at Heart addition, which is a part of Xbox Game Pass starting today. 

What else is coming to Xbox Game Pass:

  • The Wild at Heart (Cloud) - Today
  • For Honor (Cloud and Console) - June 3
  • Backbone (PC) - June 8
  • Darkest Dungeon (Cloud, Console, and PC) - June 10

What's leaving: 

  • Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (Console) - June 15
  • Night Call (Cloud, Console, and PC) - June 15
  • West of Dead (Cloud, Console, and PC) - June 15
  • Wizard of Legend (Cloud, Console, and PC) - June 15
  • Observation (Cloud, Console, and PC) - June 15

For those that may still be on the fence about Xbox Game Pass, there are two options to be aware of before diving in. There is the standard Xbox Game Pass experience, which retails for $9.99. Then there is Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which retails for $14.99 and includes Xbox Live. Xbox Live offers its own perks, including free games every month. That being said, the Live online requirement has previously been removed, so the standard membership for Xbox Game Pass is a solid deal for those that may not be looking for additional freebies. 

We'll be learning more about what else is coming to Xbox Game Pass during the Bethesda hybrid showcase later this month. To learn more about that, you can check out our previous coverage here


Thoughts on the latest Xbox Game Pass additions and how this service continues to evolve? Sound off with those hot takes in the comment section below! 

Zombies Invade London With Watch Dogs: Legion Of The Dead Game Mode, Starting Today

Zombies have officially invaded London with the latest update for Watch Dogs: Legion. The new mode goes live today with update 4.5, and it's called Legion of the Dead. As the name implies, hackers from around the world must not just deal with the dangers of billion-dollar corporations but also shambling dead people that have no objective other than to simply kill. Sounds fun, right? 

We knew something new was on the way when Ubisoft first revealed the Watch Dogs: Legion roadmap that teased future expansions, new characters, and more. It looks like the studio was one of many to also have the undead on the brain because that's exactly what the latest hacking game has to offer. 

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IGN shared a first look at the new mode with over 21 minutes of gameplay footage to enjoy, as seen above. The PvE mode offers a rogue-lite experience for Legion players looking for something a little fresher to enjoy. Ironic that fresh means dead, but hey, it's a popular genre for a reason. 

Players can go it alone or pal it up with a co-op group of four. No matter how players choose to play, the objective is the same: get to the extraction point safely, no matter the cost. Like many zombie modes out there, you don't really seem to win; you just do a little bit better each time. Each run will task players with getting to the extraction zone while gathering as many supplies as they can along the way while strategically keeping each other - and themselves - alive. 

Watch Dogs: Legion Legion of the Dead goes live today with update 4.5, though it's important to remember that this game mode is in Alpha during this time. That also means that this mode is only available for PC at this time, though it will be coming to all platforms after the Alpha test has concluded.


What do you think of the Watch Dogs: Legion of the Dead gameplay shown above? Cool mode addition or waste of time? You decide! Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below, and tell us whether or not you'll be jumping into the fray. 

Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier Beta Starts Today

Back in March, Square Enix revealed the first Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier beta details and when registration would go live. Now that interested fans have registered for a chance to get their hands on the upcoming mobile adventure early, the First Soldier beta is ready to officially kick off. 

A lot of gamers still groan in disinterest when mobile games come into the conversation, regardless of the IP. That being said, director Tetsuya Nomura has previously revealed why Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier's battle royale prequel experience is important to the larger remake picture.

When the battle royale take was first announced, Nomura told fans that First Soldier is an attempt to widen the gaming audience beyond just dedicated players of the Final Fantasy franchise. "The First Soldier isn't limited to FFVII, but the long-lasting IP fanbase has been [fixed]. To be able to appeal to other fanbases has become an issue for us. I have a strong feeling that I can't get fid of the big sign 'FFVII' and I am developing Final Fantasy VII: The First Solider with the spirit of participating in the hottest genre as a full challenger." 

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He also promised fans that this wasn't some cheap cash grab for a mobile port, instead the team wanted to offer a visually stunning experience that pairs with the Final Fantasy universe flawlessly while also offering up something new. But, it is a mobile game, which means it won't exactly be everyone's cup of tea. For those interested, however, the Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier beta is available starting today and will conclude on June 7 on Android and iOS devices. 

While we await to see what fan feedback is regarding The First Solider, we can also prepare to learn more information information about Final Fantasy VII: Remake Part 2, Intergrade, and Ever Crisis in the coming months.


What are your expectations going into the Final Fantasy VII: The First Soldier beta? Are you interested in seeing the mobile battle royale take, or are you hunkered down waiting for Part 2 news for the Remake? Sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below!

Borderlands Movie Reveals First Look At Cate Blanchett As Lilith

Eli Roth's Borderlands movie has certainly built up an eclectic cast to bring some of Gearbox's most iconic characters to life. While we are likely still a ways off from an actual trailer showing off what's to come, we do have our first look at Cate Blancett as Lilith from the upcoming Borderlands movie, thanks to fellow cast member Jamie Lee Curtis.

Curtis took to Twitter to share a shadowed look at Lilith, saying, "Welcome to Borderlands and a secret BTS shot I took of Lilith, our legendary heroine, psycho blasting, vault hunting vixen with attitude." 

Director Eli Roth has taken on this project of bringing the world of Borderlands to the big screen with a cast teeming with talent and surprise character picks. Other confirmed actors for the upcoming film include: 

  • Ariana Greenblatt - Tiny Tina
  • Benjamin Byron Davis - Marcus
  • Cate Blanchett - Lilith
  • Charles Babalola - Hammerlock
  • Cheyenne Jackson - Jakobs
  • Édgar Ramirez - Atlas
  • Gina Gershon - Moxxi
  • Jack Black - Claptrap
  • Jamie Lee Curtis - Tannis
  • Janina Gavankar - Commander Knoxx
  • Florian Munteanu - Krieg
  • Kevin Hart - Roland
  • Steven Boyer - Scooter
  • Ryann Redmond - Ellie

As teased in the above Twitter post,  the upcoming Borderlands movie will star Lilith, played by Blanchett herself. This infamous outlaw has a past she's not ready for people to uncover, especially when she's forced to return to Pandora to find Atlas' lost daughter. To complete her latest mission, she must team up with some of the best of the best. That includes the adorably badass Tiny Tina, the annoying-yet-helpful Claptrap, and so many others. The upcoming movie, much like the games themselves, involves a few redemption arcs, some crass jokes, and a tenuous grip on sanity. The fate of the entire universe is in their hands; it's up to this group to band together and save the day. Again. 

With the Borderlands franchise having done wonders for the looter shooter genre, it will be interesting to see Roth's take on the famous Gearbox world. We don't have a release window at this time, but the movie itself has reportedly begun filming earlier this year in Budapest


Thoughts on the Borderlands movie cast so far? Any particular actor you'd rather see cast instead? Shout out those thoughts loud and proud in the comments below; we'd love to hear what you think!