New Metal Gear Rising Teaser Released

Check out a live-action preview of the anticipated hack-and-slashing spin off!
Konami are slowly but surely teasing us with more and more hints towards their new project Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. The game takes place in parallel to the main franchise, focusing on Raiden's rise to power and infamy with the help of two bloody and dicing swords. Expect some visceral and thrilling narrative sequences, and judging by this live-action trailer a thriller/horror-esque storyline. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is set for release this Autumn, though don't be surprised if it's pushed back to 2013 at this slow rate.

Halo 4 Spin-Off Series Announced

Forward Unto Dawn Hits This Autumn!
Forward Unto Dawn, a new online live-action series running in parallel to the events of the upcoming sci-fi shooter Halo 4, has been confirmed to premiere this Fall. The series will focus on a marine who has been inspired by the Master Chief to join the UNSC Infinity, the hub for the extended co-op campaign and multiplayer modes and a spaceship that the Chief himself will come in contact with in the game's solo campaign. No further plot details have been revealed, but we do know that Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn will premiere on Machinima and Halo Waypoint this October.

Hulk Reboot Coming In 2015?

"Hulk? Smash."
If you've caught Avengers Assemble (5/5) yet, you'll know just how brilliantly it makes use of Mark Ruffalo in the guise of both Doctor Bruce Banner and the incredible Hulk himself. Marvel Studios producer Mark Gitter has confirmed today that if the raptorous applause Ruffalo's Hulk is getting from critics and audiences worldwide continues over the next few weeks, there will be a new standalone Hulk movie in the near future. Should this come to pass, then you can probably expect it to lead into Avengers 2 once Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2 have come and gone in cinemas, perhaps with another big Thanos tease to please the masses. Either way, expect a Hulk reboot in 2015 unless the tide changes!

UK Gaming Charts: April 23rd-29th

A radical shift in the runnings?
Radical Entertainment's new superhero thriller Prototype 2 has soared to the top of the charts this past week amidst otherwise identical-to-last-week competition. Here's the full chart list:
10. SAINT'S ROW: THE THIRD (8/10)
9. MARIO & SONIC 2012 (4/10)
8. BATTLEFIELD 3 (7/10)
7. TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 13 (8/10)
6. THE WITCHER 2: ENHANCED EDITION (REVIEW AFTER THE HIATUS)
5. KINECT STAR WARS (4/10)
4. MASS EFFECT 3 (10/10)
3. FIFA 12 (8/10)
2. FIFA STREET (8/10)
1. PROTOTYPE 2 (NEW, REVIEW AFTER THE HIATUS)

May 2012: The Release Dates

It's hard to believe we're already in 2012's fifth month, but a host of big releases help bring us back to reality!
Yep, it really is May. Wow. Still, the amazing surprise is lifted by the great feeling of seeing loads of huge entertainment releases heading our way. Who cares about the hiatus? You can still revel in what is easily one of the busiest periods for the entertainment industry in the whole of the fast-passing year of 2012!
TUESDAY 1ST- EVENTS: Call Of Duty: Black Ops II Reveal
WEDNESDAY 2ND- MOVIES: American Pie: Reunion
THURSDAY 3RD- SHOWS: Glee: Choke; House: The C Word; EVENTS: Game Informer's New Game Reveal
FRIDAY 4TH- MOVIES: Beauty And The Beast 3D; Sky Movies Premiere Kung Fu Panda 2; Red Riding Hood
SATURDAY 5TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK; GAMES: Fable: Heroes
SUNDAY 6TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK Results; EVENTS: The Hiatus Begins (This is not the final date, just a rough estimate)
MONDAY 7TH- DVDS: War Horse; Doctor Who: Ace Adventures
THURSDAY 10TH- SHOWS: Glee: Prom-A-Saurus; House: Post Mortem
FRIDAY 11TH- MOVIES: Dark Shadows; Sky Movies Premiere Super 8
SATURDAY 12TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK
SUNDAY 13TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK Results
MONDAY 14TH- DVDS: Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows; Underworld: Awakening
TUESDAY 15TH- GAMES: Diablo III
WEDNESDAY 16TH- MOVIES: The Dictator
THURSDAY 17TH- SHOWS: Glee: Alternate Reality Double-Bill; House: Holding On
FRIDAY 18TH- GAMES: Max Payne 3; MOVIES: Sky Movies Premiere Transformers: Dark Of The Moon; The Tempest
SATURDAY 19TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK
SUNDAY 20TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK Results
MONDAY 21ST- DVDS: True Blood Season Four; The Descendants
THURSDAY 24TH- SHOWS: Glee: Graduation; House: Swan Song Retrospective Episode; House: Everybody Dies
FRIDAY 25TH- MOVIES: Men In Black III; GAMES: Ghost Recon; Future Soldier; EVENTS: ON-SCREEN RETURNS!
SATURDAY 26TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK
SUNDAY 27TH- SHOWS: The Voice UK Results; BAFTA TV Awards
MONDAY 28TH- DVDS: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island; The Artist; Chronicle
WEDNESDAY 30TH- GAMES: Batman: Arkham City- Harley Quinn's Revenge
AND NEXT MONTH...Don't forget that June kicks off with a bang as Prometheus rockets into cinemas, and then we've got LEGO Batman 2, Steel Batallion: Heavy Armour, Rock Of Ages and of course E3 itself in the space of On-Screen's epic full comeback month!

Coming Up This Week: April 30th-May 6th

Exciting revelations are coming, a new comedy movie and the hiatus begins! (Sniff.)
Although the end of this week (May 6th) will see On-Screen go on a two and a half week hiatus, that doesn't mean there isn't still plenty to come from the blog and the world of entertainment in the next seven days! Indeed, this industry shows no signs of slowing down whilst the blog's temporarily away, so I'll be needing to pick and choose from the plentitude of news articles heading our way in the next couple of weeks to bring you the most up-to-date news coverage when we return on May 25th. Without further ado, then, here's everything you can expect to see this week...Oh, and if I may, IS IT REALLY MAY ALREADY?!!?
ON THE SHELVES- Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Iron Lady and Suits: Series 1 are this week's big DVD and Blu-Ray releases, so check them out over the hiatus if you didn't get chance to see them when they were at the cinema or on telly.
GAME ON- In terms of actual video games releases, the next seven days are pretty slim- there's just new FPS Sniper Elite V2, Fable Heroes and download port Back To The Future: The Game hitting shelves.
SWITCH ON THE TELLY- Wilson takes drastic measures to stop his cancer from causing him a slow and painful death in House: The C Word, while Rachel's NYADA audition fails and Coach Beiste needs help in Glee: Choke, the competition heats up in The Voice UK and Walden asks Alan to move out in Two & A Half Men: Mr Hose Says Yes.
AT THE MOVIES- Bar new comedy The Lucky One and 3D re-release Beauty And The Beast 3D there really aren't many big films this week for the Summer Of Film's all-star roster, so why not check out the cool newcomer below or better yet go and see the incredible Avengers Assemble or if you've got over the thrill of that then the near-equally brilliant The Cabin In The Woods?
AMERICAN PIE: REUNION- The boys are back for one last hilarious reunion as they get together for the mother of all parties...expect a raunchy, light-hearted comedy romp sure to bring a good number of laughs.
THE BIG GAMES REVEALED- Tuesday will see Activision's first trailer for their near-future FPS sequel Call Of Duty: Black Ops II, so look out for all the details on that right here. Plus, Square Enix are set to reveal a brand new video game tomorrow, and Thursday will see an exciting new game reveal from Game Informer!
THE BIG TRAILERS REVEALED- Hot on the heels of that AMAZING new trailer for Prometheus, we'll be getting brand new previews of The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man through the US premiere of The Avengers later this week too, so look out for those astonishing trailers very soon...
THE HIATUS BEGINS- And then there is of course the bad news...On-Screen will be taking its brief hiatus from a week today to three weeks this Friday. There may be a couple of posts in the weekends, but this will definitely signal a brief end to the news coverage from the blog for the time being. Enjoy the time off, good luck to those doing exams, and get prepared for an onslaught of exclusives when we return...
ON THE BLOG- But before that, though, we'll be bringing you reviews of the new episodes of Glee and House, along with In Time, Sucker Punch, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Derek, and providing you with first impressions on The Witcher 2 and a full look at what's coming up in May!

Joy Ride Turbo Announced

A controller based spin-off to 2010's Kinect racer has been announced...
Microsoft have confirmed the development of new XBLA title Joy Ride Turbo. A spiritual sequel of sorts to 2010's Kinect Joy Ride, the new game will feature over fourty new vehicles, new tournaments and new race tracks, along with supporting only Xbox 360 controllers rather than the motion peripheral. Little else is known about Turbo, but we can probably expect more news on the game as a brief segment from Microsoft at their E3 conference in June. Joy Ride Turbo is set for release this Autumn.

New Prometheus Trailer Released

Could June 1st possibly feel any further away?
20th Century Fox released a new international launch trailer for Prometheus on Channel 4's transmission of the American drama Homeland. This epic sci-fi thriller directed by Ridley Scott, who brought us Blade Runner and Gladiator, takes place within the Alien universe as a human crew on the ship Prometheus and their specifically-designed android companion David land on a mysterious planet to investigate the beginnings of humanity, only to discover a terrible secret that could lead to their race's end. In terms of big releases for the Summer Of Film, this is right up there in terms of my most anticipated upcoming flicks, and once you catch this simply amazing new trailer I wouldn't be surprised if you thought the same! Prometheus arrives in UK cinemas everywhere on June 1st.

First This Is 40 Trailer Released

This Christmas' big comedy previewed...
You may wonder why I've posted an image of promo art for Knocked Up when writing about the new trailer for This Is 40- the reasoning behind this is that the latter is a spin-off comedy to the former raunchy hit. We've got previous co-stars to Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann back for another supposedly hilarious flick due out later this year. However, I emphasise the word 'supposedly', as the video is pretty dull in all honesty, and actually contains very few laughs beyond raunchy sex gags and general innuendo. We'll see how the final spin-off turns out...This Is 40 is due for worldwide box office release on December 21st.

Glee: Dance With Somebody Review (5/5)

Somebody to love!
Well, we waited tiresome weeks upon weeks for Glee to finally bring us another killer episode, and with this week's Dance With Somebody we've got it. At first, this Whitney Houston tribute episode seems to be another shallow affair, with songs from the late pop icon thrust in no matter how great their context in terms of the storyline, and yet this episode quickly develops into an emotional and thus heartfelt romp for the New Directions that really begins to signal where the Glee club might head after graduation. Kurt and Blane's troubled romance in particular works brilliantly, especially with It's Not Alright But It's Okay rendered wonderfully by Darren Criss in a masterful music video, and on top of that we see many of the students begin to accept that for some of them, the end really is coming. It's something we all have to deal with, and certainly for many Year 12 followers of the blog (myself included in that age group), so perhaps that makes me a little more biased and empathetic towards the episode than some will be. Yet whether you're a Whitney fan or not, a budding adult or not, this is still a fast-paced and innovative musical romp that makes for a great (and for some of us particularly guiding) hour of viewing. Dance With Somebody serves as the perfect antidote to many of the dire uneventful time-fillers we've seen recently, and on a wider scale one of the best episodes of this season of Glee.

Josh Trank Confirmed For Fantastic 4 Reboot

Can this superhero reboot be a little more fantastic?
Marvel Studios and 20th Century Fox have confirmed that director Josh Trank will be involved in rebooting their Fantastic 4 film franchise. The acclaimed helmer has previously worked on the dark thriller Chronicle (2.5/5) and also appears to be connected to the proposed spin-off to the Spider-Man series Venom. For now, though, he'll be set to work on finding a new director (possibly himself?) and cast to breathe new life into this dead series, especially with the same threat as Amazing Spider-Man of having to convince viewers to see an origins story they watched just years before. The Fantastic 4 reboot is currently set for release in 2014.

New Portal 2 DLC Announced

Return to Aperture Science this Summer!
Valve have confirmed that a brand new DLC expansion is arriving for Portal 2 later this year. Following their 'Peer Evaluation' multiplayer download, the developers are now building a Level Creator and Editor for the game that will be available exclusively to PC and Mac users. There won't be any major DLC for the actual narrative as far as we can tell (for obvious reasons if you've played it), but you can probably expect some explanation for the new mode too. Portal 2's Level Editor DLC 'Perpetual Testing Initiative' will arrive on May 8th.

May 2012: Top 10 Most Anticipated Releases

Another of the busiest months of 2012 for entertainment...
You really will be seeing entertainment releases heading your way left, right and centre throughout May, that I can absolutely assure you. From sci-fi comedy returns to deadly shoot-a-thons, there'll definitely be something for everyone, especially as the Summer Of Film begins to kick into high gear and the number of new games coming out ramps up too!
10. DIABLO III- Blizzard Entertainment's online RPG has been one fans have been sorely craving for years now, so for it finally to get a worldwide release post-beta is very exciting indeed! (Tuesday 15th)
9. THE DICTATOR- Will Sacha Baron Cohen's latest comedy be his most controversial and outrageous escapade yet? We'll see, but one thing's for sure- The Dictator is guaranteed to provoke undignified, almost sadly disrespectful laughs. (Wednesday 16th)
8. FABLE: HEROES- Peter Molyneux has given the all-okay signal for this kiddie Fable spin-off to retail this month, meaning that fans can accumulate points for this September's Fable: The Journey by playing through a series of fun animated mini-game competitions. (Saturday 5th)
7. GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER- Tom Clancy followers have waited almost three entire years for the latest Ghost Recon video game shooter to ship. Now it's time, everyone is pumped to see just whether Ubisoft can live up to all the hype from the various E3 showings...(Friday 25th)
6. GLEE: GRADUATION- It's not the only programme on this list to reach a finale this month, but Glee's graduation episode promises to be a tearful yet memorable farewell to much-loved characters as they move on to pastures new and the New Directions head into a startlingly different direction! (Thursday 24th)
5. MEN IN BLACK III- It has been an entire decade since Tommy-Lee Jones and Will Smith rocked our screens as the Men In Black- can they retain the magic in MIBIII? There's only one way to find out, and I frankly can't wait to do so...(Friday 25th)
4. DARK SHADOWS- Although the track record of previous Depp/Burton collaborations has been sketchy to say the least, Dark Shadows looks like an absolutely ace fantasy-comedy thanks to its celebrity all-star cast and its comedic take on Twilight's vampire genre! (Friday 11th)
3. HOUSE: EVERYBODY DIES- So what exactly does the omnious title of this series finale mean? It isn't long till we find out, but no matter what happens expect one heck of a great moment of closure to the world's best medical drama. (Thursday 24th)
2. BATMAN ARKHAM CITY: HARLEY QUINN'S REVENGE- What with all of these massive releases, it's easy for even me to forget that a brand new story DLC is coming to Batman: Arkham City in the next few weeks. Reentering the world of my Game Of The Year 2011 is easily one of the most exciting prospects of the year in entertainment as a whole. (Wednesday 30th)
1. MAX PAYNE 3- Rockstar have constantly impressed us with games like Grand Theft Auto IV, Red  Dead Redemption and LA Noire, and thus I can't wait to see how they WILL revolutionise the linear shooter genre, a realm of video gaming that has been in desperate need of a reboot for some time now. Bring on one of the biggest contenders for Game Of The Year 2012! (Friday 25th)
And of course I'll be bringing you reviews of as many of these massive releases as possible straight after the hiatus ends!

April 2012: Best Release

It's been a great month, but only one release can assemble its way to the top!
There was always some doubt in my mind as to which entertainment release would claim the crown for being the best in its class this month, what with a stellar roster. Indeed, what with the releases of both The Cabin In The Woods and The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition (the April runner-ups), I thought we may have already found a winner just a couple of weeks in. However, it wasn't until yesterday evening that I had a definite knowledge of which product I would choose- it can only be Avengers Assemble. Such a masterpiece of a superhero movie cannot go unrewarded for bringing together its team of contrasting movie legends into a strong narrative and giving them all sufficient time in the limelight without letting them hog it for too long. I can't wait to see what Joss Whedon has up his sleeve next, because his two film releases this month are both up at the top of the list in terms of sheer quality. When it comes to choosing Film Of The Year, the challenge will have never been harder, with War Horse, The Muppets and this already cementing their places high in the ranks, and Prometheus, The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Great Gatsby still to come! And don't get me started on 2012's overall Best Entertainment Release...
JANUARY 2012- SHERLOCK: THE REICENBACH FALL (RUNNERS-UP: WAR HORSE; SHERLOCK: A SCANDAL IN BELGRAVIA)
FEBRUARY 2012- THE MUPPETS (RUNNER-UP: KINGDOMS OF AMALUR)
MARCH 2012- MASS EFFECT 3 (RUNNERS-UP: GLEE: YES/NO; THE HUNGER GAMES)
APRIL 2012- AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (RUNNERS-UP: THE CABIN IN THE WOODS; THE WITCHER 2: ENHANCED EDITION)

5 Books To Read In The Hiatus

Five novels that are most certainly worth your time...
Although this blog is primarily focused around entertainment broadcast to us through screens (hence the name), from time to time I like to recommend a few books that in my mind either beg your attention or need to be avoided when they're related to on-screen events or are simply of literary merit. As such, I have concocted a list of five great reads that it would be worth your while checking out while the blog is away for a couple of weeks. Here they are...
A MONSTER CALLS (5/5)- I would have placed Patrick Ness' sensational Chaos Walking trilogy on this list (well worth your time, especially with a big-screen adaptation on its way), but considering I'm anticipating you reading some of these in just the space of 2/3 weeks, I thought I'd go for Ness' more recent brilliant standalone novel A Monster Calls. Packed with heart and soul, this emotive drama is beautifully portrayed and illustrated in such a way that the reason for its listing on various teenage shortlists like Carnegie becomes obvious.
HARRY POTTER: PAGE TO SCREEN (5/5)- As I said earlier this year, in short Page To Screen is the ultimate page rendition of how the Harry Potter novels were made into feature films, a full and thorough analysis of some of the greatest adaptations of all time, and a fan's dream come to when put in collaboration with the new Studio Tour. More on THAT after the hiatus!
BETWEEN SHADES OF GREY (4.5/5)- Also on the Carnegie shortlist, Rua Septym's latest novel focuses on Lithuania in the years of the Second World War, its title alluding to whether hell is more suitable under the rule of Stalin or Hitler. It's a tad simplistic at times, but Between Shades Of Grey is definitely worth a read nevertheless.
MY NAME IS MINA (4.5/5)- Another Carnegie contender, this time in the guise of a prequel to the 1997 award-winner Skellig from David Almond. Despite the obvious connections to its 'inspiration', My Name Is Mina flourises in its characterisations and accessible narrative. You'll be surprised at just how much it makes you think about life and its meaning!
THE HUNGER GAMES (4.5/5)- Oh, you won't have heard of this one- it's about a girl, and a deadly competition...oh, you have heard of it? Joking aside, the book of The Hunger Games really is even better than the great movie adaptation, and deserves your time if only to lead you into the two other equally great sequels.

5 Shows To Watch In The Hiatus

It's the end for House next month...and there's more! (*SPOILER ALERT*)
Whilst the blog is away from early May (around the end of either the next working or full week, I'll keep you posted) to the 25th, there's still tons of great television for you lot to be keeping your goggles fixe on in the break. I've rounded up the Top 5 most exciting programmes for the blog's hiatus right here...
HOUSE- It really is nearly time for the final days of House to arrive, with just four episodes left until we reach the series conclusion Everybody Dies. Will those ominous words mean anything for Wilson's cancer, Thirteen's Huntington's or ultimately House's own life, or will there be unexpected survival? I cannot wait to find out! (May 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th)
GLEE- Another programme which has just four episodes remaining, albeit only for its current season rather than its overall status. We're on the way to Nationals with the New Directions now, meaning that we're stepping closer to see how the marraiges of Rachel and Finn and Will and Emma turn out along with the impending graduations that look to change Glee forever! (May 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th)
THE VOICE- Despite its low-key roots, The Voice UK is fast shaping up to be one of the biggest reality talent shows on television right now. Will.i.am, Jessie J, Tom Jones and Danny O'Donoghue are great hosts, and the line-up of contestants will continue to get slimmer as the competition really heats up this coming month. (May 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th)
THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW- Back for another round of humiliation and jaunts aplenty, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and of course Karl Pilkington are sure to provide us with a whole host of tear-inducing laughs when they return late in May. (May TBC)
TWO & A HALF MEN- And another show barreling towards its temporary climax! We've still got the plot arc of Evelyn and Lindsey's mother's romantic relationship to resolve, which should be interesting, and it'll be great to see how Jake's graduation plays out too. (May 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd)

Rayman Legends Announced

A sequel to one of 2011's best games is on its way!
Anyone who followed On-Screen last year should recall that I dubbed the fantastic Rayman Origins one of my favourite games of 2011. There truly was so much to talk about, from the dazzling visual showcase on behalf of Ubisoft Framework to the sheer variety of levels and gameplay on offer throughout the lengthy and challenging campaign. Now, Ubisoft Montpellier have confirmed that a sequel to the game is in development. Rayman Legends is confirmed to be headed for PlayStation 3, Nintendo WiiU, Microsoft Xbox 360 and the 3DS, and feature new, darker levels than ever before. The reveal was prompted by a leak of a marketing trailer which showed off some possible features of the WiiU console like a Skylanders character toy hub with which to shift and alter gameplay, although the publisher Ubisoft does warn that this is not necessarily indicative of the final console or the game itself. Still, keep an eye on Rayman Legends, as it may just be one to watch when it ships at some undesignated point in the 2012 Autumn Of Gaming!

Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes 2 Confirmed

Okay, so maybe the title will be a little less long-winded.
20th Century Fox revealed at CinemaCon this week that a sequel to last year's hit fantasy epic Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes is entering production this Summer. The first film focused on young intelligent ape Caesar's rise from friendly human companion to the leader of a national rebellion of primates against their captors and enslavers, and turned out to be one of the major surprise successes of 2011's Summer Of Film. There's been no definitive news yet on the plot of the next instalment, but we can probably at least expect a return from Andy Serkis to the role of Caesar and more of an emphasis on the disease that was starting to spread across humanity in the post-credits scenes, thus leading towards the inevitable downfall of our race and building towards the continuity of the original Apes films. Whether James Franco will return is another prospect entirely, yet I would doubt it based on how his character arc was left in Rise. 'Planet Of The Apes 2' (no official name has been given yet) will premiere in 2013.

Kick-Ass 2 Coming In 2013

More laughs and battles coming next year!
The author of the Kick-Ass comics Mark Millar has confirmed that a sequel to the 2010 film adaptation of his orignal graphic novel will commence shooting this Summer for release next year. "Kick-Ass 2 will film this Summer," he commented on his forums, "I expect there will be an announcement of some sort in the next week. Matthew Vaughn is co-writing and producing, Kick-Ass being a labour of love for him. He selected the perfect director last year and we're very happy. Trust him...he knows what he's doing." The second feature film is expected to follow a similar novel to Millar's penned sequel, whereby a team of super villains is formed to get revenge on Hit Girl for her feisty assault on Red Mist's father and his criminal organisation. Obviously Nicholas Cage won't be back this time around unless any flashback sequences are planned, but hopefully we'll see Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Please and Chloe Grace-Moretz all reprising their roles as the three leads in what promises to be one of the best superhero sequels around. Kick-Ass 2 is likely to release in Winter 2013.

EXCLUSIVE: Avengers Assemble Review (5/5)

The film-fan's verdict on one of the best movies of 2012...
"There was an idea," says Samuel L. Jackson's iconic Nick Fury midway through Avengers Assemble, "to bring together a remarkable group of people, so that when we needed them most, they could do the things that we never could." In terms of ambitious film premises for flicks released this year, there will probably never be another set-up that matches the sheer audacity and scale of Marvel's first superhero team up here, and indeed that fulfills the expectations of its audience with such bombast and so utterly completely as this. If there is one reason and one release alone that you head down to your local cinema in the next few weeks (and trust me, you will if you know what's good for you) to catch this breathtaking epic, it's this: Joss Whedon has managed to successfully unite Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Fury, Agent Coulson, Loki and the Hulk himself under one incredible storyline that leaves no character feeling underwhelmed and no plot element from fan mythology mishandled. Although it had been said before that Avengers would bring the thrilling experience of reading a comic-book to the big screen in such a way that non-believers would be encouraged to pick up a Marvel graphic novel, I didn't quite buy into it; I am happy to admit that I was wholly wrong not to do so. There are scenes throughout the film where we as an audience truly grasp the nature and relations of each of these iconic heroes, their pasts and everything they have had to leave behind to bring them to this moment, everything that they stand to lose if they should fail in this mission. Indeed, Whedon seems to have no qualms about introducing fatal, realistic and gritty concepts into his narrative about the lengths humanity will go to to prevent extraterresterial domination, and it stands as testament to the writer and director's talents in both fields that we never think too harshly into the implications of the moral dilemmas swiftly presented and remedied, mostly glazed over by his trademark humour and emotive drama. Each of the cast are clearly giving it their all, too: Chris Evans has a lot of potential in his portrayal of a war hero out of his time; Hemsworth proves his worth once again as a fast-rising star when his Asgardian legend Thor bursts back to Earth; Robert Downey Jr never steals the limelight yet gets his fair share of hilarious remarks and Mark Ruffalo has a bizarrely effective calmness about his showcase of Bruce Banner and indeed later the Hulk that might make him an invaluable asset come the inevitable Hulk reboot. Add to that Jackson's SHIELD commander (who gets much more screen-time than expected), Clark Gregg back in a bigger role as Coulson (seriously, get ready for a shock) and Gwyneth Paltrow in a few neat cameos as Pepper Potts along with Tom Hiddleston's amazingly empathetic antagonist Loki, and you've got a stellar cast line-up utilised to its absolute best. The team dynamic is every bit as disjointed as we might have hoped for what is essentially a 'team origins' flick, allowing for a good degree of the film's running time to be spent building up relationships and faith in one another before one of the biggest and best final battles we're likely to see played out in these twelve months of cinema. Naturally, there are one or two ever-so-minor plot holes, such as Loki and his allies' reasoning for attacking Earth (explained in some form), but that it seems that future Avengers sequels will deal with these is perhaps the most exciting element of the whole experience. It didn't seem possible, but there really are some massive story threads set up so that this disparate team of heroes can reunite once more in a few years' time, even though we see them go their seperate ways for solo vaunts come the film's denouement. It takes a truly masterful helm to accomplish all of this in the space of two and a half hours, and if we hadn't worked it out from The Cabin In The Woods, Joss Whedon is most definitely worthy of such a title. Thanks to this grand overlord of what is easily one of the best movies of the year, Marvel Studios has finally reached their full potential, creating in essence the perfect superhero movie that deserves a watch from even newcomers to the series. Instantly accessible and thrilling yet a comic-book fan's dream come true (stick around for the post-credits scene if you call yourself a diehard Marvelite), Avengers Assemble truly is Marvel's answer to The Dark Knight, laying down the gauntlet for all future superhero films and indeed all future flicks in general coming our way in the Summer Of Film and 2012 overall.

New G.I Joe: Retaliation Trailer Surfaces

Get another look at an exciting popcorn blockbuster!
While there were very few people craving sequels to The Expendables, Ghost Rider or Clash Of The Titans, we've got them this year, so perhaps it should come as no surprise that a trailer for the similarly unwanted successor to 2009's G.I Joe: The Rise Of Cobra has arrived. Retaliation sees the Joes sent out of commission by a Cobra terrorist plot, leaving the team to go on the run as secret agents and dark forces alike pursue their very existence. We can probably get ready for a movie every bit as audacious and unrealistic as Transformers and Battleship, but if you were one of the few who enjoyed the original then you'll likely get a kick out of this one too. G.I Joe: Retaliation arrives in cinemas on August 3rd.

N.O.V.A 3 Announced

iOS and Android gamers have a new FPS to look forward to...
Gameloft have announced the development of N.O.V.A 3. A sequel to the portable sci-fi shooter franchise that has proved a hit with handheld gamers, the new application sees hero Kal Wardin find his ship wrecked on Earth in the midst of an alien incursion in America. The FPS gameplay will reach its best this time around, especially with the HD visuals of the iPad 3 ready and waiting for a great developer like Gameloft to fully utilise., so fans can expect the most refined iteration of the series yet. N.O.V.A 3 is set for release later this Summer.

5 Films To Watch In The Hiatus

The movies you MUST check out whilst the blog's away!
Although I am going to delay the blog's hiatus a little bit later into next week to fit in a few more impending exciting bits of news and reviews, the hiatus is inevitably coming. What can you do to pass the time? Well, for one, you can try to catch as many of these five exciting films as possible before I pass verdicts on them once we're back...
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (4.5/5)- As anyone who read my world exclusive first review of this gripping, innovative horror will know, The Cabin In The Woods is really something to be savoured for its originality. Despite any reservations you might have about its fledging genre, give this one a try and you will not regret it! (Out Now)
BATTLESHIP (3/5)- Okay, I'll admit it: I have a soft spot for the predictable summer popcorn blockbusters like Battleship. This isn't anywhere near on a par with the epic scale of the Transformers trilogy, yet you'll still have a fun time with it if you have time and suspension of disbelief aplenty to spare. (Out Now)
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE (5/5)- Anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past four years will know that Marvel Studios have been building towards their blockbuster Avengers team-up for ages, and thankfully this epic finale really does live up to the hype. Bring on The Amazing Spider-Man and The Dark Knight Rises as competition, then! (Out Now)
DARK SHADOWS- You may not have heard much about Tim Burton and Johnny Depp's latest collaboration, and their recent efforts like Alice In Wonderland may not have set much of a high precedent to match. That said, Dark Shadows is looking like a fantastic fantasy comedy that packs all the punches with its celebrity cast to keep audiences such as yourselves both on the edge of your seat and in stitches. (May 16th)
MEN IN BLACK III- Finally we've got the return of the team-up of Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith as the Men In Black to kick start the Summer of Film. MIB3 is set to be a brilliant time-travel comedy full of laughs and thrills galore, and a neat finale to the iconic trilogy. (May 25th)

New Bond Film Coming In 2014

Skyfall is just the beginning, apparently!
As if it weren't enough to know that Daniel Craig will return to his role as James Bond later this year in Skyfall, the twenty-third movie starring Agent 007, MGM Studios has today confirmed that the film franchise will return for a twenty-four entry in two years' time. What's interesting about the announcement is that Craig was only technically signed on for three Bond films, and thus if he wants to Daniel can decide to hand over the reins to another actor (or actress?) in the next flick. It seems unlikely what with his enthusiasm for the series so far, but it's not unthinkable, and if it were to happen then speculation would be feverish as to who will come next. Skyfall is out on October 26th, while Bond 24 is set for release in Summer 2014.

UK Film Charts: April 16th-22nd

Battleships are still being sunk worldwide!
Clearly we British viewers are making the most of getting Battleship on the big screen an entire month before the US, since the summer popcorn blockbuster has topped the box office charts here for a second consecutive week. New releases Salmon Fishing In The Yemen, Gone and Lockout fared well in the Top Ten too, but nothing has yet shifted Battleship- well, until today...
10. GONE (NEW)
9. 21 JUMP STREET (4/5)
8. MIRROR MIRROR (TF: 2/5)
7. LOCKOUT (NEW, TF: 2/5)
6. THE PIRATES! IN AN ADVENTURE WITH SCIENTISTS (TF: 3/5)
5. TITANIC (TF: 4/5)
4. THE CABIN IN THE WOODS (4.5/5)
3. THE HUNGER GAMES (4.5/5)
2. SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN (NEW, TF: 3/5)
1. BATTLESHIP (3/5)

First Crysis 3 Trailer Released

Take a dive back into the most dangerous incarnation of New York ever!
Just recently, EA confirmed that CryTek will be bringing Crysis 3 to PC and consoles next year as one of the biggest first-person shooters of this generation. Now a full trailer for the upcoming threequel has been unveiled online, showcasing the new bow-and-arrow weapon technology and the futuristic prison-break esque storyline that forms the crux of the campaign. We're promised upgraded AI enemies and some of the most sumptuous game visuals around, so expect big things from this one just hinted at below...Crysis 3 is set for release in Spring 2013.

LEGO Film Confirmed For 2014

The pieces are building...
Warner Brothers has announced the release of an animated LEGO movie in the near future. The feature will be directed by 21 Jump Street's Phil Lord and Chris Miller, both of whom did great work with that comedy action romp (4/5) last month. No plot details on the film have been revealed as of yet, but given the success of the recent video game adaptations like LEGO Star Wars and Indiana Jones it's hard not to think that it'll all be to do with the trademark slapstick humour the toy franchise is becoming known for. We'll see the 3D LEGO movie hit cinemas in 2014.

The Muppets 2 Logo Debuted

Get your first look at the image you'll see everywhere next year!
Just a couple of months after the sensational Muppets movie (which got a mind-blowing 5/5 score here) hit British cinemas, we've now got the first official logo for its impending sequel online. The confirmed follow-up will take place as a comedy caper set after the events of the original, with Walter learning more about his role within the gang and Kermit leading the way into a new hilarious escapade. The logo shows Walter's hand making a sign to represent 'II', so the increased focus on Muppet characters over humans this time around! The Muppets 2 is due for release in Summer 2013.

Max Payne 3 Ships On Two Discs For 360

The news for Rockstar's latest shooter is heating up!
One of the small downsides to the inevitable blog hiatus that stars next week for me is missing out on the chance to bring you loyal followers reviews of some of the biggest entertainment releases around just days after release. When I do return, though, Max Payne 3 will be one of the first titles I'll deal with, specifically because Rockstar's new third-person shooter is looking to be one of the best games of 2012.  We've found out some exciting news about the game's 360 version, too: it will be shipping on two discs, the first containing the first half of what promises to be a massive single-player campaign and the full multiplayer modes and the second disc  the final missions of the storyline. It's rare that we need two discs to fit in all of the campaign content unless a game is huge (Mass Effect 3, The Witcher 2 and L.A. Noire being the most notable recent examples), so that is definitely very exciting news for us as gamers. The PS3 version will ship on one Blu-Ray disc, but we at least know we have a big undertaking in store here as per usual for Rockstar Studios. Max Payne 3 ships on May 16th, and you'll be able to see my full review shortly after On-Screen returns on May 25th!

Pixar News: Brave Trailer, New Movies Announced

Another look at one of the Summer Of Film's big sleeper hits, and more news on upcoming Pixar flicks.
Disney Pixar have this week unveiled a brand new trailer for their drama-adventure animation Brave. It's a bit of a mixed bag, signalling an emphasis on comedy and generic family tensions while critics are pleading cynics to wait for the movie's apparently innovative take on action-adventure once it gets past the early feminist stereotypes. They've also confirmed the release of a new animated comedy called The Good Dinosaur in 2014, a flick which will take place in an alternate reality where dinosaurs continue to live when the asteroid set for their extinction misses the Earth; a Mexican romp based around the Day of the Dead ceremonies and a mind-bending fantasy flick for 2015. None of these quite sound like they'll match greats like Toy Story, Up or Monsters Inc (and speaking of that one, its prequel Monsters University is still on course for a 2013 release), so we'll have to wait and see whether Pixar have something bigger up their sleeves to reveal in the next few months...catch the new trailer below; Brave is out on August 17th.

Wild At Heart Axed, Series Finale Confirmed

Life just got a little less wild.
iTV's African drama Wild At Heart will not return for an eighth season, the show's producers has confirmed. Since its launch back in 2006, the programme has gone from strength to strength commercially, and although many fans of the earlier runs would argue that the show hit its winning streak only with Amanda Holden playing a lead character in the first two series, it's still managed to stay in the public presence for some time now. It has been confirmed that Stephen Tompkinson and the gang will return to shoot a two-hour series finale in September for broadcast this Winter, so fans will at least get the courtesy of seeing the various character arcs wrapped up neatly one last time. We'll bid a fond farewell, then, to Wild At Heart- it's done admirably to get this far, warts and all.

Filling The Doctor Who Void: News Update

Is this the final end for Rory Williams? Plus John Simm ends the rumours!
The past fortnight or so hasn't been busy for Doctor Who news, so I thought I'd just give you a quick update on what's been going on in the filming stages and in the press:
POND DROUGHT?- Filming for Episode 5, the unnamed finale for Amy and Rory Pond, is continuing. From what we've heard from fans on site, the story involves the Weeping Angels sending Rory back in time (with a possible return from the older Rory a la The Doctor's Wife) to the 1940s and the Doctor and Amy racing in the TARDIS with River to discover his whereabouts in wartime New York. Of course, speculation is already mounting that the Statue of Liberty itself will be a Weeping Angel, but more intriguing rumours are surfacing that Rory will truly bite the bullet this time around, as filming took place with the Doctor staring sadly at some graves in a cemetary. That could mean Amy dies too, but in terms of the response of the kids' audience we may find that one companion's final death is more than enough...how the demise(s) could happen is still up in the air, though, so be prepared for thrills and tears aplenty!
SIMM IS NOT THE MASTER- Despite rumours to the contrary, former Master actor John Simm (who played the character in Utopia, The Sound Of Drums, Last Of The Time Lords and The End Of Time) has confirmed that he has no plans to return to Doctor Who. This isn't likely to be out of some hatred of the show- in fact, Simm expressed interest in returning last Summer- but more that Simm is a busy man and unless he somehow makes it into the 2013 Anniversary run then he simply is not likely to have time to come back. Don't count out a regenerated Master harrowed by his battle with the Time Lords back into the Time War though!
Unless there's any big Who news in the next few days, this feature will return after the hiatus to cover the final months leading up to a full trailer at ComicCon and Series Seven starting in the Autumn. Before all that, though, here's a brief outline of goings-ons in May...
COMING UP FOR WHO IN MAY
THURSDAY 3RD- DWM Issue 447 (New Details On Series Seven From Behind-The-Scenes); Doctor Who: Day Of The Cockroach Audiobook; Torchwood: Red Skies Audio Drama
MONDAY 7TH- Doctor Who: Ace Adventures DVD Box Set; Doctor Who: The Crimson Hand Graphic Novel Compilation
TUESDAY 29TH- Doctor Who: Trail Of The White Worm Audio Drama
THURSDAY 31ST- DWM Issue 448 (Even More New Series Seven Details- Episode Titles!)

New ACIII Special Edition Revealed

The battered and bruised UK retailer hits back with new pre-order exclusive DLC...
It's hard to deny that British video games retailer GAME have been going through a tough old time of it lately, what with the hundreds of stores closed in the wake of their close-run administration. Thankfully, it seems a more positive upturn may now have begun for the chain, as they have announced that they'll have first dibs on a UK pre-order exclusive edition of Assassin's Creed III on launch day. The Special Edition will package in the main game, along with a single-player mission dubbed A Dangerous Mission that involves a dangerous threat to the Revolution and a new weapon called the Flintlock Musket. While these will hardly be game-changing add ons, it's still a great sign to see the decreased sized retailer able to still offer exclusives to the limited number of customers they still have left on the high streets. Assassin's Creed III ships on October 30th.

TechTroid: Arkham City GOTY, DLC Announced

All the latest on Arkham City's final secret at TechTroid...
Rocksteady are bringing us a Game Of The Year edition of Batman: Arkham City and a new post-campaign story DLC pack called 'Harley Quinn's Revenge', they've confirmed. For all of the info on new missions, characters and the release dates for these two expansion projects, head over to my article on TechTroid via this link: http://techtroid.co.uk/batman-arkham-city-goty-edition-new-dlc-9386

BAFTA TV Award Nominees Announced

Find out who's up for the big titles at the year's biggest television awards ceremony!
The British Academy Of Film And Television Association's annual TV awards ceremonies are always entertaining and engaging, hosted by a likable celeb and oft letting viewers look back at the past year of drama and comedy on their small screen. Here are the nominees for the various categories at the 2012 awards, with my personal picks for each highlighted in yellow...
LEADING ACTOR: Benedict Cumberbatch (Sjerlock); Dominic West; John Simm; Joseph Gilgun
LEADING ACTRESS: Nadine Marshall; Romola Garai; Emily Watson (Appropriate Adult); Vicky McClure
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Joseph Mawle; Andrew Scott (Sherlock- Moriarty); Martin Freeman; Stephen Rea
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Anna Chancellor; Maggie Smith (Downton Abbey); Miranda Hart; Monica Dolan
ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE: Alan Carr; Dara O'Briain (Mock The Week); Graham Norton; Harry Hill
FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY: Jennifer Saunders; Ruth Jones (Stella); Tamsin Greig
MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY: Brendan O'Carroll; Darron Boyd; Tom Hollander (Rev); Hugh Bonneville
SINGLE DRAMA: Holy Flying Circus; Page Eight; Random; Stolen
MINI SERIES: Appropriate Adult; The Crimson Petal And The White
DRAMA SERIES: Misfits; Scott And Bailey; The Fades; Spooks
SOAP: Coronation Street; Eastenders; Holby City; Shameless
INTERNATIONAL: Borgen; The Killing; Modern Family; The Slap
FACTUAL: The Choir: Military Wives; Educating Essex; Our War; Protecting Our Children
FEATURES: DIY SOS; Hairy Bikers; The Great British Bake Off; Timothy Spall Somewhere At Sea
REALITY/FACTUAL: An Idiot Abroad; Made In Chelsea; Young Apprentice; Don't Tell The Bride
ENTERTAINMENT: Celebrity Juice; Harry Hill's TV Burp; Derren Brown; Michael McIntyre's Christmas Comedy Roadshow
SITUATION COMEDY: Rev; Mrs Brown's Boys; One; Friday Night Dinner; Fresh Meat
The live awards ceremony will air on BBC1 on May 27th.

Lionsgate Confirm Chaos Walking Adaptation

The makers of the Twilight and Hunger Games movies are back for their most ambitious project yet...
If you hadn't already heard of Patrick Ness' stunning Chaos Walking fantasy trilogy, it looks like you're about to hear a lot of surprising news: the first book in the series, The Knife Of Never Letting Go, has confirmed to be adapted into a movie by Lionsgate today. Yep fans, that means that in the next couple of years, Todd Hewitt's first daring adventure in a world where no secrets can be kept forever will find a place on the big screen for the first time! Charlie Kaufman (a renowned Broadway drama playwright) will pen the screenplay for the film, with author Ness overseeing the project as a whole alongside the currently unnamed director. Right now, there are no concrete details on the likeliehood of all three entries in the series being adapted into cinematic brilliance, but so long as Knife gets handled well, what with the success of Lionsgate's Twilight and Hunger Games adaptations it seems inevitable that The Ask And The Answer and Monsters Of Men will hit cinemas too not so long after. With Breaking Dawn Part 2 wrapping up everyone's favourite vampire saga this November, and Hunger Games getting its next full instalment in November 2013 (and presumably its two-part finale in Winter 2014 and '15), there's definitely a void beginning to emerge for Lionsgate that the filmmakers will want to fill as soon as they can with a new franchise, so expect The Knife Of Never Letting Go to hit cinemas sometime in 2014 short of a disastrous delay.

Uncharted 3 Game Of The Year Edition Announced

Return to 2011's best action-adventure shooter this Autumn!
Hot on the heels of Rocksteady's announcement of a Game Of The Year edition of Batman: Arkham City, Sony and Naughty Dog have revealed that a similar special edition of the brilliant Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception will retail later this year. This will basically mean that on top of the sublime campaign and online modes, you'll get all of the costumes and maps DLC packs released since the original game found its way to stores last Autumn. Expect more details on the project's new updates and features soon...Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception Game Of The Year edition is set for release this Autumn.

5 Games You Should Play In The Hiatus

We're not gone for long, but whilst we are, try out these top titles!
As followers of On-Screen will know, we're taking a brief three-week break starting May 1st and culminating on the 25th. As such, I want to leave you with recommendations of some of the biggest current and upcoming entertainment releases that you should try out whilst we're temporarily gone. Let's start with the Top 5 video games players should be getting ahold of before we return...
MASS EFFECT 3 (10/10)- The clear favourite in terms of longetivity, Mass Effect 3 has an ace sci-fi storyline that riffs on many of the greats brilliantly and above all it's a blast to play through despite the slightly disappointing ending. (Out Now)
THE WITCHER 2: EXTENDED EDITION- If you're in need of another epic role-playing fantasy game, though, The Witcher 2 is a sublime adventure packed with heart and thrills galore. (Out Now)
PROTOTYPE 2- It's time to find out what Alex Mercer has been up to, as a vicious new superhero infecyed by a virus wreaks havoc on New York with his powers, setting the stage for one of the most violent and profound conflicts in the history of the planet Earth...(Out Now)
MAX PAYNE 3- Rockstar are finally bouncing back with a new linear shooter that promises to shake up the entire third-person genre breathtakingly. Expect an engaging narrative, first-class action and above all some of the best visuals on PS3 and 360. (Out May 16th)
GHOST RECON: FUTURE SOLDIER- The latest adventure in the epic Ghost Recon third-person shoter series has been hyped up for some time now, but will it deliver? I've got a good inkling about it, and we'll know for sure on the day that the blog returns for good! (Out May 25th)

Coming Up This Week: April 24th-29th

Big Releases- ASSEMBLE!!!
It's the blog's penultimate week before our brief three-week hiatus, so it's only fitting that we've got a few massive releases to start sending us hurtling towards a brief rest period before we return for E3, the bulk of the Summer Of Film, so many world exclusives and so much more...trust me, though, there are still great things to come before May 1st!
AT THE MOVIES- Salmon Fishing In The Yemen, Ewan McGregor's compelling new comedy-romance, is out at cinemas now, so why not give that a try? Other than that, you could still catch Battleship, The Cabin In The Woods, Lockout, Mirror Mirror or The Pirates on the big screen, or of course this week's biggest entertainment release by far...
GAME ON- Other than this week's other big games release, there's a 'Classics'/'Platinum Hits' version of Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 and that's about it...good times, eh?
SWITCH ON THE TELLY- House faces a dilemma involving religion and hallucinations as the finale nears closer in House: Body & Soul, while the New Directions pay tribute to Whitney Houston in Glee: Dance With Somebody and the live shows begin in The Voice UK.
ON THE SHELVES- Check out an intriguing documentary based around World War Two with Winston Churchill & The Battle Of Britain, a worthwhile 4-disc DVD set.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE- It's time for Marvel's team of superheroes to get together for the ultimate battle, as Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye and the Hulk must work out their differences if they are to stop Loki and his seemingly invincible army. How will the road to the Avengers sequel solo movies and its full sequel start? Now is where it all really kicks off!
PROTOTYPE 2- Another interesting new video game to try out. Prototype 2 is the sequel to the flawed but fun 2008 original, sure to allow for some real blood-filled fun in the streets of New York as you face off against an all manner of deadly foes. I'll review this exhilarating sequel after the hiatus...
FIRST CRYSIS 3 FOOTAGE- CryTek and EA are about to give us our first look at one of the most exciting games of 2013. Will Crysis 3 be the best-looking console game of this generation? Find out in the first gameplay tomorrow.
ON THE BLOG- As well as rating Avengers Assemble, Derek, Doctor Who Revisitations 3 and Glee: Dance With Somebody, I'll be recommending the Top 5 movies, games and books you should catch over the course of the hiatus, plus bringing you full coverage on the week's biggest news reveals.
AND NEXT WEEK...Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 is revealed, American Pie: Reunion hits cinemas and the hiatus begins. It's the (very brief) end, but the moment has been prepared for...

No New Valve Games For E3

Rumoured sequels to Left 4 Dead, Portal and Half-Life aren't being announced just yet.
This'll just be a quickie. Valve Corporation have today confirmed that they will only be showing their currently announced video games- so that's DOTA 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive- at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo. That means that the big franchise sequels of Portal 3, Half-Life 3 and Left 4 Dead 3 that have been constantly speculated on by fans recently won't be shown in any format, a real shame considering Half-Life have been waiting for nearly a decade for the sequel to Episode Two. Still, we can expect more from Valve on their new projects via the Spike Video Game Awards (sure to hold a new trailer reveal from them?) and definitely the Game Developers Conference. E3 2012 will be held from June 5th-7th.

New House Finale Details Revealed

Find out some more snippets about the series climax...
We're just one month away from the broadcast of the final episode of everyone's favourite medical drama now. Yep, House: Everybody Dies is merely weeks away, so we'll soon be finding out what that omnious title means for Dr Greg and his teammates. As well as the new poster ad released here on the left, we've discovered today from Digital Spy that "[the title] will become clearer as we get closer to the finale. But it's certainly House assessing his life, assessing his future." Perhaps that means that Hugh Laurie's doctor will make it to the end of the series alive, perhaps not. Either way, we're promised that Thirteen and Martha will make cameos in the episode to point House on the way to 'the end' in some form, so look forward to that. House: Everybody Dies will air on Sky1 on May 24th.

UK Games Charts: April 16th-22nd

A stunning new RPG scores big!
Having played just a couple of hours of The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition, the 360-exclusive port of one of 2011's biggest role-playing games, I can tell you right now that it's really a title to consider picking up in the next few weeks if you have the cash. There are some gripes, sure, that I'll pick up in my review after the hiatus, but this really is a groundbreaking step forward for the genre that comes surprisingly close to matching even Mass Effect 3. It has topped the charts this week, and you can see the full list below...
10. CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 3 (6/10)
9. MARIO & SONIC 2012 (4/10)
8. THE ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM (10/10)
7. BATTLEFIELD 3 (7/10)
6. TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 13 (8/10)
5. MASS EFFECT 3 (10/10)
4. KINECT STAR WARS (5/10)
3. FIFA 12 (8/10)
2. FIFA STREET (8/10)
1. THE WITCHER 2: ENHANCED EDITION (IMPRESSION SCORE: 9.5/10, FINAL REVIEW SCORE TO BE CONFIRMED AFTER THE HIATUS!)

Guy Pearce Cast In Iron Man 3

A new guest star with an intriguing role to play...
Now that Avengers Assemble is just about out of the gate and into UK cinemas and The Amazing Spider-Man is less than three months from release, Marvel are preparing for their next big blockbuster superhero movie. This time around, we're getting Iron Man 3, the third entry in Robert Downey Jr's metallic franchise of action thrillers. It sounds like we're going back to basics this time around so as to explain why Tony Stark's avenging teammates can't come to the rescue, but a new casting in particular proves intriguing as to the sequel's storyline. Newly confirmed star Guy Pearce will play Warren Ellis, who was a key conspirator in the excellent Extremis storyline (which got a 4/5 in my review of its MGNC re-release) that forced Tony to look back to his roots in order to combat a new terrorist threat. Hopefully adapting this series should bring a new sense of freshness to the film that didn't feel present back in Iron Man 2 in 2010. Scarlet Johnasson will return as the Black Widow, though, so there hopefully should be some underlying elements of the narrative that tie in the ambitious premise for a budding Avengers sequel... Iron Man 3 begins shooting next month, and is due for release on May 3rd, 2013.

Kirby 20th Anniversary Collection Announced

A compilation of Kirby's greatest hits is coming!
The past few days have been an exciting period for video game announcements, and what with the build up to E3 things only promise to get more and more exciting. Nintendo have added to the news with the reveal of Kirby 20th Anniversary, a collection of the best video games starring the cute pink blob we all know and love. We haven't been told yet which classic games will feature in the compilation, but based on the Super Mario Greatest Hits 2010 collection we can expect a lot of love and passion to go into the package. Kirby 20th Anniversary is due out this Autumn.

New Super Mario Bros 2 Announced

The sequel to the DS' biggest platformer goes 3D!
Although it's hardly what you might call Nintendo fans' most clamoured-ffor announcement, the revelation that New Super Mario Bros 2 is coming to the 3DS this Summer can be taken as nothing but good news. The announcement was made on Nintendo Direct earlier this week, where it was revealed that the handheld console's 3D capabilities will be put to good use with the side-scrolling gameplay and that Mario and Luigi wil be just the first in a host of playable characters in the solo and co-op campaign. New Super Mario Bros 2 hits 3DS this August.

Amber Tamblyn Confirmed For House Finale

Another guest star for the series finale revealed...
Amber Tamblyn has confirmed that she will return in House: Everybody Dies this Summer. Tamblyn portrayed Dr Martha Masters in the first half of the seventh season, and departed the cast when her character found a new job in another medical department. She'll join returnees Olivia Wilde (Thirteen) and Kai Penn (Cutner) in the show's final episode, which is set to bring a resolution to each of the show's remaining loose plot arcs. The plot synopsis for the episode has yet to be revealed, but we'll see all the programme has to offer in its finale when Everybody Dies airs on May 24th.

God Of War: Ascension Announced

The legend begins again!
Sony Computer Entertainment have this week announced their new project God Of War: Ascension. The GOW series began in 2005 with the release of the original PS2 title, two sequels following to that in 2007 and 2010 for PS2 and PS3 and a host of PSP spin-offs layered along the way. This time around, the action takes place before any of those games, as the origins of Kratos and his thirst for bloodthirsty vengeance are revealed in his first epic and dangerous adventures. More details on the game are coming on April 30th and at E3; God Of War: Ascension will retail in 2013.

New Dark Knight Rises Trailer Confirmed

The Legend's End Is Just Three Months Away...
A quarter of a year might seem a long time away, but I've got a feeling that the next three months leading up to the release of superhero blockbuster finale The Dark Knight Rises will whiz by in a flash. To that end, it's all the more enticing to hear that a brand new trailer for the movie will be hitting our screens in the next couple of weeks. Warner Brothers have confirmed that the latest preview will play in front of The Avengers over in US cinemas- whether this means Avengers Assemble fans here in the UK will get the chance to see it ten days early remains to be seen, yet it's at least confirmation that on May 4th, all will begin to be revealed. Brace yourselves...The Dark Knight Rises debuts on July 20th.

Halo 4; Kingdom Hearts Release Dates Revealed

Find out when two of 2012's biggest video games are landing!
Microsoft Game Studios and Disney have confirmed the UK release dates for their new game titles Halo 4 and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance this week. The former is the first entry in the Reclaimer trilogy from new developer 343 Industries, while the latter is a continuation of the Disney-Final Fantasy blended saga that is now racing towards its third full instalment (surely coming to the 360, too?). Halo 4 will ship on November 6th, while Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is due on July 8th.