Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season Two Plot Synopsis Released

Source: Tumblr

They're back - but what's become of S.H.I.E.L.D. since we last saw the ruined organization?
ABC have today released an extended synopsis for the ongoing narrative of the second season of their detective drama Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. In continuing to explore the consequences of the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (specifically the impact its narrative had upon S.H.I.E.L.D., which suffice to say had seen better days come the credits), the latest series of the initially divisive small-screen Marvel Cinematic Universe project will simultaneously delve into increasingly intriguing plot arcs such as Skye's heritage and the potential for disgraced agent Grant Ward to redeem himself in some form.

Naturally, it's something of a shame to see that the plot précis in question doesn't exactly come jam-packed with new details regarding the early semi-procedural storylines of this Autumn's half-season, yet that shouldn't deter fans of the show (or the MCU as a whole) from giving it a look over right here, right now: "The world now views S.H.I.E.L.D. as untrustworthy, and it's Coulson's job to change that opinion. [...] Agent Melinda May [...] will continue to look after Coulson in the wake of the mysterious etchings he's been carving into walls. What do these etchings mean, and can Coulson be trusted? [...] Skye [...] discovered her origins as a 0-8-4 [in Season One] and that her parents were considered "monsters". Could Skye have darkness lying dormant inside of her? Also joining Coulson's core team is Lance Hunter (Nick Blood), a dashing mercenary sharp shooter with a quick wit. Since he didn't rise up through the ranks, does he have an ulterior motive for helping out the team? Who can Coulson trust?" Who indeed? Be sure to leave your thoughts on the matter at the usual social networking outposts...

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be back for its second season of high-octane missions on Channel 4 this Autumn (and on ABC a little sooner in the US - September 23rd, to be precise).

More Game of Thrones Season Five Character Details Announced

Source: Game of Thrones Wiki

How can we sum up this devastating news with any other word but...Hodor?
Regular guest star Kristian Nairn has today revealed new details on the narrative status of his character and two other key constructs in the much-anticipated incoming fifth season of HBO's cult fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Based primarily on the events of A Feast for Crows, the new run will once again star Peter Dinklage as Tyrion, Lena Headey as Cersei, Maisie Williams as Arya and all of the other stars we've come to know and love over the years - assuming they made it through the turbulent fourth series, of course.

Well, almost all of them. Nairn - who has portrayed the surprisingly multi-dimensional character of Hodor since Season Two, if our memory isn't playing tricks on us on this early Autumn eve - confirmed in an interview that Hodor, Bran Stark and Meera Reed will each return with a bang in Season Six, but no earlier. He said: "We have a season off and we have a year's hiatus, solely because I imagine our storyline is up to the end of the books." The increasingly beloved actor isn't wrong with regards to the speed with which executive producers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff have adapted the A Song of Ice and Fire novels that George R.R. Martin has written so far (for those who hadn't heard, his ongoing efforts to pen a sixth full instalment have spanned such an extensive period of time now that the writing process would probably make for a decent literary premise in itself), yet many of us were surely expecting Bran's storyline to overtake that of his printed counterpart next year or to diverge significantly from the path which was originally laid out in the novels, making this particular revelation all the more disheartening overall. Stay tuned for more on Season Five's returning, new and absent constructs as we move closer to its highly-anticipated broadcast.

Game of Thrones will return next Spring for a fifth series of Gothic and heartbreaking adventures on Sky Atlantic and HBO.

New Big Hero 6 Promotional Videos Released

Source: Gannett

Hiro and Baymax have already won us over with their sheer charm and innocence!
Walt Disney Animation Studios have this week released two new videos to promote their impending animated film Big Hero 6. A separate entity from the critically lauded Marvel Cinematic Universe, its central characters and narrative will nevertheless be loosely based on the core elements of the 2004 Japanese graphic novel of the same name (which was, incidentally, published by none other than Marvel Comics), striking up an uncanny resemblance to its source material which should immensely enamour fans of Stan (provided they're not hoping for Iron Man or Peter Parker to cameo, that is).

First up is a simultaneously heart-warming and hilarious two-minute clip taken direct from the makers of Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph's latest production; as you'll soon discover, the preview centres on protagonist Hiro and his instantly adorable pet robot Baymax as the former finds himself cared for by the latter in the midst of a comedically risk-free situation:

Once readers are done there, they'll find a similar number of chuckle-worthy gags awaiting them in the latest official TV trailer for the piece. Tragically, those of us 'lucky' enough to live in the U of K will have to wait two months longer than members of Marvel's fandom located in the US of A, but by the looks of it, the final product itself should more than justify our extended stay in a metaphorical purgatory.

Big Hero 6 bursts onto the big-screen this November 7th in the United States and on January 30th, 2015 here in Britannia.

Shazam Lead Star Announced

Source: We Got This Covered

Joining Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck amongst the DC Cinematic Universe's central players will be...
Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema have this week announced the identity of one of the lead stars of their upcoming superhero film based on DC's Shazam comic-book property. Reportedly going by the same name as its inspiration, this long-rumoured Darren Lemke-penned blockbuster will (according to New Line's Toby Emmerich) apparently differ from the countless other big-screen takes on Marvel and DC protagonists by exhibiting "a sense of fun and a sense of humour" whilst simultaneously retaining the "[real] stakes" which have served to elevate recent Marvel Cinematic Universe storylines to exceedingly high levels of critical acclaim that the production team of Blade and Daredevil could barely have dreamt of.

Although the news shouldn't come as a tremendous surprise to anyone who kept up with our San Diego ComicCon 2014 coverage last month, it's still a remarkable feat on Warner Bros.' part that they've managed to attach none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to the potentially-antagonistic role of Black Adam in the latest chapter of their aspiring DC Cinematic Universe. Johnson's arguably best known right now for his memorable (and hardly unaccomplished, it must be said) contributions to the Fast & Furious film franchise, but once his stint (the length of which has yet to be announced - bear in mind that the news itself originated through a post on the actor's Twitter account, an embedded version of which can be glimpsed below) as one of the world's lesser-known anti-heroes is done and dusted, we've got no doubt that the playing field will have changed dramatically on this front.

Shazam will (according to recent reports) conquer its demons at an auditorium near you in July 2016.

"Kneel at his feet or get crushed by his boot." My honor to become.. #BlackAdam #TheAntiHero #DCComics pic.twitter.com/Qk55eNf3R7
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) September 3, 2014

Weekend TV Reviews Round-Up: September 2nd, 2014

Source: Radio Times

A new term begins for David Walliams' Big School and the Doctor battles the Daleks (again!) as we deliver our verdicts on the weekend's telly.
As the eagle-eyed readers amongst you may well have noticed, we here at On-Screen strive to constantly find ways in which to innovatively deliver our content (whether it takes the form of news coverage, a review, a feature or something else entirely). To this end, today we're testing out a new feature which is aimed at recapping the UK TV programmes which aired here over the weekend and simultaneously evaluating their overall quality.

Perhaps we'll resurrect this feature on a weekly basis or perhaps it'll end up being remembered as a mere one-off, but it's worth a try if nothing else. Read on below to discover our thoughts on the second episode of Doctor Who Season Eight, Big School's season opener and (if you think you're up to it, that is) the very first instalment of the new series of The X Factor, all of which were broadcast on terrestrial networks between Friday, August 29th and Sunday, August 31st:

• BIG SCHOOL: WHICH WAY NOW? (Aired Friday, August 29th on BBC One) - Aptly enough, the title of this somewhat mediocre opening episode serves as a fitting summary of not only the divided loyalties of many of the characters who comprise the show's charming ensemble and their fears regarding the future, but additionally the status of the programme as a whole, particularly in light of its less-than-spectacular initial run and the 1.2 million drop in viewing ratings which seems to have occurred between Seasons One and Two. Whilst we'd love to proclaim that Big School has once again found its footing with "Which Way Now?", quite to the contrary, the programme couldn't have seemed less sure of itself on Friday night, rehashing visual gags such as Steve Speirs' increasingly desperate Geography teacher-turned-caretaker and the all-too-apparent inability of Daniel Rigby's somehow charismatic Music lecturer to produce a noteworthy single of his own. David Walliams and Catherine Tate's on-screen chemistry thankfully carried through, inducing chuckles and cringes aplenty from this reviewer, but aside from that strength and Philip Glenister's enduringly hilarious pronunciation of the word "Geo-graphy", the episode itself simply didn't carry much comedic weight. Evidently there's a new curriculum of post-watershed comedy in place on BBC One, but at this stage, it's proving just as ineffective as Michael Gove's game-changing syllabi. 3/5
• DOCTOR WHO: INTO THE DALEK (Aired Saturday, August 30th on BBC One) - Executive producer Steven Moffat's persistent claims that the new series of Doctor Who would act as a fresh start for the long-running programme are beginning to seem a bit rich now, quite frankly. Two weeks into the latest run and all we've seen so far are two classic antagonists utilized in equally uninspiring ways in order for the Moff to reassure those viewers who are struggling to come to terms with Capaldi's uncharacteristically-unhinged and apathetic (not to mention inconsistently portrayed, though we'd wager that's more a by-product of the increasingly flawed writing than of Capaldi's actorial talents) Time Lord that he is the same "good man" and the show is still just as ambitious as it was in its heyday. The possibility remains that our excursion to the supposedly mythical realms of Robin Hood in "Robot of Sherwood" next week will bring some surprises, yet for now, we're left with "Into the Dalek", an episode which was blatantly commissioned as a result of its (initially) alluring title rather than the potential of its core narrative. From "Genesis of the Daleks" - specifically its remarkably intelligent representation of the Daleks and the eschewed morality which led to their creation - to "Journey to the Centre of the TARDIS", the number of serials which were riffed on in one way or another (whether through Phil Ford's constantly-referential dialogue or Ben Wheatley's shockingly unaccomplished direction, the latter of which paid homage to classic serials aesthetically on numerous occasions) here was absolutely staggering, to the extent that this reviewer was left wondering if Doctor Who had anything new left to offer at this point in time (and space). Certainly, the romantic interplay which Jenna Coleman's Clara and Samuel Anderson's Danny struck up back at Coal Hill School was charming enough and might compel many viewers to stick around, but it was incredibly telling of the shortcomings of this particular tale that we were left disheartened by the notion of departing Coal Hill and heading off into the furthest reaches of outer space, not least as it meant putting up with the return of a band of adversaries who should arguably have been cast aside long before now.  Much as we'll always hold a special place in our hearts for Who, don't necessarily expect to see as many articles based around the show at On-Screen for the foreseeable future, as Moffat and company have a lot of work to do if they'd like us to take time out of our Saturday evenings for the programme in the weeks ahead. 2/5
• THE X FACTOR: EPISODE 1 (Aired Saturday, August 30th on iTV1) - Don't worry, this one won't take long. True to form, The X Factor returned not with a bang but with a tragic whimper two days ago, retaining all of the usual tiresome contestant backstory melodrama and behind-the-scenes 'squabbles' which we've come to hate in the years following the programme's inception. Not even the returns of Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole (don't get us started on the needless introduction of Mel B into the mix - in a word...why?) could ultimately redeem what turned out to be just as tedious and predictable a season opener as everyone with a fully-functioning brain had expected from the outset (if not moreso). Compared to this dross, even "Into the Dalek" seemed like an adequate enough watch (but don't feel as if that's meant to be a wholehearted endorsement of the latter episode by any means!). 1/5

For all the latest news, reviews and features on upcoming UK and US TV programmes, keep it locked at On-Screen in the weeks ahead.

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 Announced

Source: Gaming Bolt

Could we actually see some biblical content integrated into the product's storyline this time? Probably not.
Capcom have today announced the development of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 for release on both current-generation and next-generation video game consoles next year. Acting as a sequel to the surprisingly-beloved Resident Evil: Revelations, this much-anticipated third-person-shooter title was first teased at a recent Sony press conference via a concept art-centric teaser video (below), with its official reveal occurring on the interwebs just a few short weeks later.

For those who didn't receive the chance to play it on Nintendo 3DS, PC, PlayStation 3, Nintendo WiiU or Xbox 360 (if it wasn't already obvious, Resi fans really didn't have much of an excuse to skip it), the original Revelations' narrative intersected with the pre-established storylines of the fourth and fifth full instalments in the increasingly acclaimed horror franchise, delving further into the character arcs of classic protagonists Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine than ever before. Details on the trajectory that the follow-up's overall plot will take are few and far between at present, but with Revelations having earned itself a solid average critical score of 80% over on Metacritic, the sub-series at least has a strong foundation from which to build on in its latest iteration. Stay tuned to On-Screen for more details on the sequel's premise, new gameplay features and the implications it'll hold for the future of Resident Evil as and when they arrive...

Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will awaken from its deathly slumber on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC (sorry, WiiU owners - it looks as if Capcom needs to see more evidence of the hardware's potency before offering it a second chance) in early 2015.

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season Two TV Trailer Released

Source: Digital Spy

Dark times lie ahead for the last remaining members of a now-defunct secret organization...
ABC have this week released the first TV trailer for the upcoming second season of their detective drama Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Set several months after the events of the final episode of Season One ("Beginning of the End"), the new run's ongoing narrative will incorporate famous Marvel heroes and villains such as Mockingbird and Absorbing Man whilst simultaneously depicting the sustained ramifications of the re-emergence of Hydra and the untimely fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and its founding member Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson).

Around half of the preview clip comprises of recycled footage from the show's freshman season, with a particular emphasis on what transpired in "Beginning of the End" and the accompanying post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier instalments of the divisive series of (for the majority) procedural escapades. Once the new footage kicks in, though, it becomes abundantly clear that plenty has changed in the six months between seasons, not least the aesthetic representation of Skye (Chloe Bennett) and the recently-incarcerated Hydra sleeper agent Grant Ward (Brett Dalton), both of whom now seem to have thoroughly matured as a result of their turbulent recent experiences. A welcome voiceover from Director Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) reminds us that his team of not-so-merry, not-so-super heroes will persist in keeping the human race safe "even when they don't know it", although in truth, that seemed to be their modus operandi throughout Season One and as such, we're hoping for a bit more of a bold approach this time around if it's at all possible. That said, we're loving the oh-so-gritty tone of the programme's revamped logo - in the words of Doctor Who's Missy, we think we might keep it!

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will return for its high-octane second season this September 23rd on ABC and at a later date during the Autumn months on Channel 4.