Weird Mind News Room Episode 103: Feb 10th - 16th

 *A brave new world of music*

Hello again one and all to the newest weekly episode of my long running series of Weird Mind News Room where in this weeks episode that will also be coming out around the time of the day of Love (that I hope many will appreciate and if on your own, let me send a simple valentine from me (with the biggest of them of love going to one important girl in my life forever and ever<3)) where I will be delving into a week with a fair amount of new releases, some trailers to consume and a few pieces of news to talk about but let us not waste too long on intros as we have a bit to talk about and let us delve into the discussion of all things media for this week.

New Releases on your left

Movies:

Captain America Brave New World

On the start of the new releases is seeing a return of something that has been a bit of a dry spell from one side of things for a bit of time and that is with the realm of the Superhero movies (As yes there was films based on characters from DC and Spider-Man that would be classed in that era, they were more of the anti-heroes and villains they are focused on and instead we return to see a new take on the star spangled man with a plan and about to take on something bigger then they expected as Sam Wilson will take the mantle of the shield with the new MCU film of Captain America Brave New World. The film will see Sam finding himself in the crossfire of an international incident after meeting with president Thaddeus Ross where he must soon discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red. Reception of this first superhero outing of the year has been hit with a more mixed reception that while the performances (especially with Mackie having a big role to fill in this and Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross), visuals and action has garned much of the praise, the film has been hit with a mixed critique of Story elements being something we had seen before from Captain America Stories but more convoluted, messy scenes from extensive reshoots and a very weak main villain but may be enough to entertain overall and if you want to check it out for yourself then it is available to do so now in cinemas. 

 Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy

Now if the superhero affair is not the appeal and much prefer something with a bit more of a romcom fit to check out for a date night this Valentine / Galentine weekend then thankfully you are in luck as the iconic woman that writes in her diaries and has a dilemma with finding the right man is back for one more story with the new entry of Bridget Jones with Mad about the Boy. The new film will see Bridget finally having some luck in her life with a great job as a screenwriter, her family and a new boyfriend after the passing of an old fling, but the fact that he is over 20 years younger then her isn't the only thing  that is causing problems. Reception on this final entry of the series like the previous entry has been very well recieved and is currently the best reviewed in the series with praise for its humour, heart and the feel good vibes of the return of a character many have grown accustomed too over the course of 25 years coming to an end and if you are up for a a date night film then you can catch this new film out now in cinemas.

The Gorge

But if you are looking for something with a little more of both action and some sense of romance with a bit of a sci-fi horror appeal and wanting to stay in for a quiet night, then thankfully there is just the film for it as Scott Derrickson is bringing an all new film that has great dangers and the elements of longing love with the new film of The Gorge. The film follows 2 highly trained operatives are appointed to guard towers on opposite sides of the of a vast and highly classified gorge, protecting the world from a mysterious evil that lurks within and they must work together to keep the secret in the gorge while also finding a connection along the way. Reception on this new film has seen a bit of a mix but modest reception with praise to the concept, theme elements, cinematography and performances of the leads of MIles Teller and Anya Taylor Joy (with the former having a little bit of some mixed appeal) as well as a strong first half, the film does falter a little in the 2nd half once the focus is more of what lies below but still a solid entry all the same and if you want to see what lies in that gorge then you can catch this film now on Apple Tv+

Memoirs of a Snail

We then go on from action to the realm of animation for 2 films in the realm of animation as we have an all new film that has been making waves around the award season scene with a unique tale that may be seen as a form of coming of age with a little sense of relatability as we have the all new film of Memoir of a Snail. The film follows Grace Pudel, a small awkward, snail collecting, melancholic misfit learning to find the confidence within herself while dealing with the chaos and clutter of Everyday life. Reception on this new film has been very highly praised with praise to the stop motion animation style, the story being a sense of relatability and having a good sense of heart in its right place and well deserving of its nomination for an Oscar in a tough competition for Animation films this year and if you want to check it out for yourself then you can catch it out now in cinemas.

Witcher Sirens of the Deep

On the streaming side of animated films is with a new journey into a series that is nearly on par with Resident evil in the multiple forms of adaptations as we are joining Geralt on an all new quest with the new film of Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. The film will see the Witcher being hired to investigate a string of strange attacks on a seaside village where he will soon uncover an age old conflict between the humans and sea people that will threaten the war between the kingdoms. Reception on this new title has seen a more mixed reception from critics and more underwhelming from audiences that while some praise is going to the visuals and the returning performances of Doug Cockle as Geralt and Joey Batey as Jaskier and their banter, the rest of the film suffers from a story that is a little all over the place and some recognizable characters feeling a little less developed and more one dimensional, but if you are interested to see how this new story will play out then you can catch this new film out now on Netflix. 

Heart Eyes

Do you see romance as a form of a horror story, well maybe this new slasher film may appeal to your senses as a new killer is ready to kill some love with the all new film of Heart Eyes. The film follows a newly made couple who must deal with the terror and torment of a mask killer known as Heart Eyes, a masked maniac with glowing heart eyes on his mask that returns every Valentine's Day to terrorize unsuspecting couples and must stop them before he causes another bloody Valentine's. Reception on this new slasher film is surprisingly very well recieved with praise for its concept, simplicity and something that is seen as being goofy or half assed turning out to be well made in execution and if you are up for a more violent date night, then you can catch this new film out now in cinemas.

Sid Meier's Civilization 7

Now as on the case of the first of 2 video games for this week is with a focus that you have to wonder if you ever wanted to become an immortal being or had the power to change the course of history with people and concepts from the past and change them to how you see fit as the iconic series returns once again from the mind of Sid Meier's with the newest entry of Civilization 7. The game will see you take the reigns of the population of the planet throughout many points of history as you are tasked with one important goal of becoming empowered and building the greatest empire the world has ever known. Reception to this next entry like many from the series has recieved strong positive reception with the praise towards the concept, functionality and free reign to do whatever you see fit in changing civilization forever and if you are up for playing the title yourself you can do so now for PC/ MAC, PS4/5, XBOne / Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

And the last of the new releases for the week is seeing a return once again to one of the most iconic female protagonists in gaming history with another batch of updated classics as Lara Croft is back again with the Tomb Raider 4-6 remastered that will see you play through the stories of Last Revelation, Chronicles and Angel of Darkness as you shoot and blast your way through many dangers and secrets and uncover many deep treasures across the series and looking good while doing it (and the valentine who I feel would fit the character well). Reception on this remaster trilogy has seen a array of mixed reception as while the port does well in terms of options and package, the games in it, particularly 5 and 6 still have some of those issues in that new port, but if you want to continue more of her adventures then you can play this new title now on PS4/5, XbOne/ Series X/S, Switch and PC.

Trailers to view after the big Game

Thunderbolts*
So the first of the trailers for this week is the only trailer that I have gotten left to give a focus to from the recent Superbowl and it is another superhero affair from the MCU where instead of focusing on those that are more of the main heroes, we are getting ones that could be seen as Heroes but at more of a moral grey area and the ones that are called when the Avengers may not be available to assemble as we have recieved another new trailer for the upcoming expendable team of the Thunderbolts*. The film will follow a group of antiheroes getting themselves caught in a deadly trap set by Valentina Allegra De Fontaine and are forced into a very dangerous mission that could bring them redemption and be seen as real heroes if they work together as a team, if they do not try to kill one another in the process. So the likes of this one is unknown of how much will be affected from the recent Captain America film in how it will play into this but from what I have seen from all of these trailers is that they are some character that we have grown accustomed to from previous entries and from what they have shown gives some great hope and sense that it has that underdog story vibe to it that you hope will come out on top in the end and I am looking forward to it and I am sure will be worth a watch when the film releases into cinemas from May 2nd. 

How to Train your Dragon (Live Action)
The Next trailer for this week was first shown as a little TV spot at the big game but then was told a few days later the full footage will get unveiled as we have a new look for an upcoming Live action film soaring high above the lands that is not coming to us from Disney but rather from Dreamworks of all places as the realms of vikings and dragons are about to collide as we have recieved a new trailer for the live action remake of How to Train your Dragon. The film will follow the story of the original 2010 movie that will tell the story of Hiccup, the son of the Viking chief of the island of Berk who have a bit of a dragon problem and in the process of a recent attack, unexpectedly captures the fabled night fury dragon where he will soon befriend the dragon and name it toothless and will soon learn the secrets of all there is to learn about these species and change the course of Viking and Dragon history in the process. So in a lot of ways when it comes to this series, I have a bit of a mixed appeal back when they first came out where I think the first movie is great, the 2nd one was kind of disappointing IMO back in the day but may need to give another rewatch of and the 3rd was a solid finale of a trilogy and from the looks of this one is that they are going scene for scene with the original film and it gives a little concern of was this necessary or will there be more to this remake then first expected. The most I can say is that seeing those flying scenes from the original in IMAX or even 4DX will probably be worth the appeal for it but I guess we will see if soars of flails in the outcome when the film flies into cinemas from June 13th.

Until Dawn Movie
So we have both a superhero focus and another video game focus in both the first 2 sections this week as we have been given another new look at an upcoming video game adaptation that may be more in name only and not as much in the realm of the original games story as while a mystery and a getaway may sound nice, unforeseen horrors may await for many when you least expect it as we have gotten another new trailer for the upcoming adaptation of Until Dawn. The film follows Clover and a group of her friends who head off to a remote valley in search of her sister who had disappeared there a year ago. They are soon trapped in this location of a small cabin where they are horrifically murdered , only to find themselves back alive at the beginning of the same evening where it all began. Trapped in the valley they are forced to relive the nightmares over and over again with a different threat each time and more terrifying then the last and must try and survive until dawn to escape the horrors. Now in all fairness I feel in some ways that if they were to do the entire film as a scene for scene recreation of the game it would feel pointless to watch it but it also feels like the concept of the original game feels a little confusing for those that may watch it and expect this with the actual game if they decide to play it after and I feel the approach for this makes a fair bit of sense overall. I do have a bit of worry with the approach of the variety of horror tropes may overwhelm the film but from what they have shown it seems decent enough and the director himself is known for making some good horror movies in general so I will give it a chance, but I guess we will see how it all comes together when the film releases into cinemas from April 25th.

The Accountant 2
The last of the trailers for this week is with a follow up to a film that from what I can see here came out of nowhere and was kept very quiet for a long time but we never know what may pop up in new projects and this is one that the original film was a decently good first film and they are back to count finances and deal with business as we have recieved a trailer for the the surprise sequel to the Accountant. The film will see Forensic Accountant Christian Wolff teaming up with a federal agent and his estranged but highly lethal brother to track down mysterious assassins and get revenge for theri former associate who was killed by them. So the likes of this getting a sequel in all sense probably made sense in concept, though I thought the first film ended in a way that it all wrapped up nicely but I guess they had a good idea for a follow up so it could be worth a watch. While the trailer didn't fully blow me away heavily, I feel the full film may have more of an appeal with it all but I guess we will find out when the film releases into cinemas from April 25th.

News to escape the single blues

The State of a Play is a little bit of a mess
So we head into the realm of the news stories for this week and for this weeks starting story is with the sudden surprise unveiling of what will be the first of the Playstation State of Play events for this year and while I would say that this weeks one was a bit underwhelming, there is a few that we will enjoy seeing coming along in the next few weeks and let us delve into what was shown at this about 40 minute direct.

The event started off with a new launch trailer for the soon to be released of Monster Hunter Wilds coming out in 2 weeks time and gave a new look to get people excited as well as the first of the planned free DLC pieces coming in the spring and I am sure will be worth a return to this world in 2 weeks time to hunt down massive creatures across these vast lands.

The next title was a new entry from the long dormant Shinobi series with a new side scroller title with Art of Vengeance that has quite an appealing art style that I hope will see a wave of more and more games like this with cool art styles and fast action and we can see this play out on August 29th.

We then got a familiar gaming mascot coming back and hitting the speedways as we got the unveiling of a new Sonic Racing title that will consist of going through multiple warp rings and experiencing new ways of racing from cars, boats, planes and even to a return of the Sonic Riders series which seems like quite an appeal and while no release date has been given yet there is a planned network test starting on Feb 21st for people to try out for themselves.

Following the blue blur was a return to a series that had a bit of a comparison to another popular series with gathering strange creatures across the land was a new entry of Digimon with a new game in the story series with a new focus of going against something called the Time Stranger and I am sure will appeal to a lot of people in due time when the game releases sometime in the near future.

A new JRPG that didn't have a name for a while finally was unveiled with the title of Lost Soul Aside of a very action heavy adventure with mythical powers and other elements coming to the console very soon and will be worth to see how this will appeal in due time when it releases on May 30th.

We then got a brief focus to the next entries involving the long running series of the Like a Dragon series with a confirmed demo for Pirate Yakuza dropping after the event before its release next week and then the confirmation of the game crossing over with indie darling Dave the Diver for some new Holiday DLC coming out in the summer.

following those titles was a new expansion piece for the next entry of WWE 2K25 with the Park, we then got some all new look at the next entry of Borderlands with some more new all gameplay and less dialogue and in the process was confirmed to get a full state of play focused on this title in the spring and also an official release date of September 23rd this year, which has now gotten many fans of the company of Take2 to speculate of the release months for the next GTA title but lets not delve too deep into that.

We then got a new look at the story of the next Dark Pictures game of Directive 8020 which has a vibe of 4K Among Us just without the little bean people and we also got a release date for the title of September 30th this year, so just in time for Halloween.

we then return to the ongoing Indie game juggernaut of FNAF as we have another new game on the way with the next game of Secret of the Mimic that will see some new characters and focus, including more focus to a character we were introduced to in FNAF Security Breach Ruin DLC and we now have a date for starting this new job on June 13th this year.

we then got a look at the new Stop Motion horror FPS title of the Midnight Walk that has quite the Tim Burton aesthetic and appeal to it and will be worth a playthrough when the game comes out real soon from May 8th this year.

Now for a game I see as a mix of Inside with Octodad with a game of Darwin's Paradox as you play an octopus escaping a food processing plant and from a world overrun by Aliens and it seems like a goofy puzzle adventure and will be worth a try in due time sometime this year.

The only game to release on the day of the event was a new top down take on the classic series of Warriors with the game of Abyss that has you fight a massive armada as a one man army and could be fun to really go all beast mode and can now play it on console now.

We then go by the way of the sword as we got 2 pieces of focus to the series of Onimusha with a confirmed remaster of the 2nd game of the series from the PS2 coming out on May 23rd and then the new entry unveiled at the Game Awards was shown off with new footage of story and gameplay with a confirmed release sometime in 2026.

The after bringing up the info last week as a leaked release date, we got the confirmation of the Snake Eater remake coming out on August 28th and this new trailer shows off more of the great visuals and story of this entry and confirming we are getting that original games Ape Escape minigame as well and will be worth the thrill when it releases in the late part of the summer.

We then got a new look at a souls like game of Hell is Us of our protagonist in the hooded jacket and little drone companion travelling through a war torn town and taking down these creatures that look like the Spot from the Marvel comics and we will be taking the fight to them when it releases now on September 4th this year.

Then for one that got me excited of an announcement was the unveiling of the first DLC expansion for Lies of P as you head to a carnival in the midst of a snow storm season and take on some mysterious woman an her armada of enemies and we will see how it all comes about when the expansion releases this summer.

Then a game that has a unique gimmick and interesting art style is a game of Dreams of Another that has you use the world and art of the odd dot art and shoot them to create paths through the story rather then destroying things and its an interesting thing that has a confusing element but may be worth a try when it comes out later this year.

Then the next game from the PS4 to get a remaster (that is now Infamous 2nd son, First Light, KIllzone Shadow Fall, Knack or Bloodborne) is with the Zombie Horde Biker game of Days Gone that comes with all the expansions, updated visuals, new accessibility features and an all new endless horde mode and we will be seeing this release onto the console from April 25th this year.

Another one of the games that appealed to me from the announcement was another souls like or Hack n Slash with the game of Tides of Annihilation that has you play as one of the last remaining humans on earth as you fight and take down the demons and creatures in the remanant of a destroyed version of London and the game does look pretty rad (and the main character looks like someone important to me in this as well) and I am all for playing this when it releases sometime soon.

We were then given a new look at an upcoming Sci-fi FPS with Metal Eden that has a mix of either a story driven narrative or a multiplayer action shooter getting a focus and could be worth a try but we will see by its release on May 6th this year.

The 2nd last title for this direct was a new 3rd person FPS title of Mindseye that is made from the former head of Rockstar North of a soldier taking the fight into his own hands that also involves a bit of high speed chases and elements of AI interference and seems interesting anc could be worth a try when it releases sometime soon.

The final game that was unveiled was the only PlayStation Studios title announcement as we have recieved a new game announcement called Saros that is made by the studio behind the cool concept game of returnal that will have Actor and partner of Alanah Pearce of Rahul Kohli playing what looks like a special forces who is waging a war against a powerful entity known as Magnus and even if it is just a cinematic announcement trailer, it had some rad visuals and will be worth a try in 2026. And that brought the end of another mixed appeal of a State of Play, sure there was some I was expecting like the rumoured God of War trilogy or even a new look or release date announcement for Ghost of Yotei or Death Stranding 2 but I think for a few of them they were some good announcement and fine with some getting release dates for their projects but I guess we will see more of these down the line and will be worth a play real soon.

But I want to know your own thoughts on these announcements and what game from this State of PLay are you excited for and what were you hoping to see unveiled at this event? Let me know what you think down below in the comments and we can discuss them there.

A Director of a unique vision and a reign to stop the night king has a date and a return for more treasure
So this next story will not be as long as the last one but will be focusing on a mix of 2 release date announcements and a confirmation of another project on the way that I had mentioned not too long ago with a now confirmed development with some names attached making it but we can now get into what we are talking about this week and lets focus on what there is to see.

We start of this story with a focus to a return of a new film from a director with quite the unique approach to filmmaking and style that appeals to many and that is of course with director Wes Anderson as he has another new film on the way and it is coming out very soon as we got confirmed this week that his new title of The Phoenecian Scheme will be releasing this year with limited release on May 30th before opening nationwide on June 6th and will see an all star cast including Benico Del Toro, Michael Cera, Mia Threapleton, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Bryan Cranston and many more big names joing for another madcap story from this director. Now not much on story plot has been given but I am sure that in due time we will see the first of the footage and get a better idea of what it is to be expected but a new Wes Anderson film is always a positive in my eyes so we will see how it all turns out soon.

As for the other announcement of a release date is one more video game unveiling that was announced before the State of Play and that is with the new entry from FromSoftware is bringing out with the new Elden Ring NightReign also getting a release date for May 30th that will see you in a multiplayer title of gathering supplies and fighting enemies during the day and then when night falls will have you fighting a boss with a few other players in co-op and from what I have heard from the recent Networks test that some were invited to is that it is quite a unique and ambitious experience and will be worth a play through and I am sure down the line I may give it a try but we will see when that May 30th release draws near.
And as for the rumoured title I mentioned about 2 or 3 weeks ago it seems that it is no longer a rumour for a 2nd time and is actually going ahead as there is a sequel to the Goonies in the works. Now no word as to who will direct the film or star in it whether its the original cast coming back or an all new cast of characters, but we do know is that the film will be produced by Steven Spielberg and Chris Columbus znd the movie is being penned by Potsy Ponciroli who wrote for Old Henry, Still the King and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot so the likes of the writing is uncertain on its appeal but I am sure we will see in due time how it turn out. There is a bit of me that is excited for this sequel but also a bit that is very skeptical of wondering if this is necessary or not but I guess we can find out more and more when the film starts developing further and who will be involved but I guess we will see in due time of it all coming together.

But what are your thoughts on these brief stories, are you excited for a new Wes Anderson film, are you ready to take on the Night King and would you be down for a sequel to the Goonies? Let me know all your thoughts and opinions down below in the comments.

A young woman of Horror and a classic comic actor becoming part of big franchises
The final story for this week is with the usual array of focus to some casting news and we have another update of some additions to a film that has started production and we have a rumoured and finalized actor taking on a role already seen in film in recent memory for a new take on a franchise that feels like it doesn't really need it and also one or 2 names rumoured for another franchise but let us delve into these casting announcements now.

Yes it is another week and it is another announcement of some more new casting additions to the upcoming Christopher Nolan epic of the Odyssey as we have another 2 names joining the stacked cast that already consist of names like Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson and many more as on Friday this week we got the announcement that X Trilogy star of Mia Goth and Piano Lesson and Straight Outta Compton star Corey Hopkins have both been added to this growing cast of characters of this literature epic of epic battles and gods and all the cast so far has been top tier I think. Now of course like all the other cast members we really do not have any idea as to who they will be playing from the stories written by Homer but I am sure with the film entering production in Morocco and large practical sets like a Torjan Horse and giant 6 by 6 meter creature being built that we may see some idea of what characters these actors will be playing in due time but I am sure it will fit them well and in most sense may see a few more names joining this film in due time.

Next we are talking on a series that I feel feels a little bit unnecessary given the last adaptation is still recent (even if it started 20+ years ago) and that is with the planned series adaptation of Harry Potter for HBO Max. Now as of this moment we have no clear idea as to who is playing what character with the main trio not officially announced as of yet and some rumoured names floating about for some roles like Snape and Voldemort and for the basis of this casting is with the iconic wise old wizard of Dumbledore as while we had a rumoured name already with Mark Rylance, it may be a new name has appeared in recent days and could be near finalized as it was announced that actor John Lithgow has been in talk and maybe near final negotiations to play the headmaster of Hogwarts himself and in all sense I can see him do a good performance with this role as he has shown his range and emotion in the past in many projects (and in some sense there will be a bit of a weird experience where all I will hear is him playing Lord Farquad again in this role with his voice) so I could give it a chance. Again it is still a series that I feel sure could do with giving the full source material its chance of focus, but then again with peoples opinions on the IP's author and the original film series being still relevant in todays culture, I am not sure what to think of it all but I am sure we can see in due time as to what will come of this casting and the series in general.

As for one final casting rumour that is going around, we are heading back once more to the realm of superheroes and the MCU and talking about a team that has yet to be fully formed but are slowly starting to appear and that is with the planned film focused on the X-Men and the Mutants. Now it has been quiet for a bit and we have had a few names and characters already rumoured with Sadie Sink being eyes for Jean Grey, Harris Dickinson being rumoured for Cyclops and Julia Butters for Kitty Pryde, but we have another member of this team of heroes being in discussion going around this week and that is with the character of Rogue and there is 2 names that I have heard that were in talks though one may have been more of a fancasting but will not discredit it yet as it is reported that the character could be played by Substance star of Margaret Qualley or Victorious and Dynasty star of Elizabeth Gilles and in all sense either one of these actresses would appeal to me in that role as I have seen their work in a few things and they have shown their range and dynamics and would fit the character of this mutant very well. Now as I mentioned this just a rumour like all the other X-Men character rumours, so it may be wise to take these with a grain of salt for the moment but from the choices for these Mutants so far has been decent and hopefully the track record for them will continue until everything has been finalized in due time but we shall see down the line of this team fully forming.

But with all of that, I will like to know your thoughts on these casting stories and who do you see the 2 new additions play in the Odyssey, do you think Lithgow is a solid choice for Dumbledore and do you see either of these actresses work for Rogue or who else would you cast for this character? Let me know what you think of it all down below and we can discuss them there.


And with all of that out of the way, this ends the 103rd episode of Weird Mind News Room and I do hope you enjoyed this much longer discussion of an episode for this week in particular. But let me knwo what you think  about everything that was discussed this week down below and as always I hope you all stay being wonderful people and have a great day everyday doing many great things and I will see you all in the next episode :)

Take care, keep being you, signing off
Sam H :)

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