LEGO Marvel's Avengers Teaser Trailer Revealed

Source: Xbox Live

Because who wouldn't want to relive Avengers Assemble and Avengers: Age of Ultron in brick form, really?
TT Games and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment have today premièred the début trailer for their recently-announced platforming video game LEGO Marvel's Avengers.

A spiritual successor of sorts to 2013's LEGO Marvel Superheroes, the umpteenth instalment in Traveller's Tales' long-running line of licensed adaptations of hit film franchises will render the events of both 2012's Marvel's Avengers Assemble and this April's Marvel's Avengers: Age of Ultron in the same brilliantly comedic slapstick light that has reaped the LEGO series such acclaim ever since its official launch with LEGO Star Wars a decade or so ago.

Unlike its immediate predecessor, however, this one's showing more signs of series fatigue than those who were expecting TT's next-generation renaissance to kick off here might have anticipated. Whereas LEGO Marvel Superheroes took players to Asgard, Asteroid M, the Raft and beyond, the inevitable result of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's two ensemble motion pictures largely confining their action to New York City and other identikit locations (the rather visually drab Hellicarrier included) appears to be that LEGO Marvel's Avengers could find itself somewhat lacking from the perspective of pure graphical inspiration.

Provided that the writing team can inject the correct level of unadulterated comedy and structural innovation into their narrative and game-play, chances are that the majority of consumers will still discover enough to love here to warrant a purchase, Given the calibre of products sure to be on offer next week at E3, however, not to mention the competition TT will face in the coming months as the Autumn of Gaming rears its release-packed head once more, coming out with a disconcertingly unoriginal preview of this ilk at this particular moment mightn't have been one of the developer's stronger conceits.

LEGO Marvel's Avengers assembles (literally, in this case) on Xbox One, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo 3DS and PC via UK retailers nationwide this Winter.

First Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Plot Synopsis Released

Image Source: Wikipedia

Ben Affleck's Caped Crusader has a bone to pick with Henry Cavill's Man of Steel, the reason for which is rooted in the latter's recent past.
Warner Bros. Pictures have today published the first official plot synopsis for their impending superhero crossover blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Better known to some diehard fans as the second instalment in DC Entertainment's counterpart to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Dawn of Justice picks up where Man of Steel left off in the Summer of 2013, depicting a monumental clash of the titans as the titular Dark Knight (now played by Gone Girl's Ben Affleck after Christian Bale's departure in The Dark Knight Rises) faces off against the Kryptonian protagonist (once again portrayed by Immortals' Henry Cavill) in the wake of the destruction caused by the latter hero's grudge-match with General Zod in Metropolis.

One would justifiably hope that the motivation behind this battle of pure brawn would be something more substantial than a Loki-esque manipulation conceived by these two behemoths' foes and sure enough, helmer Zack Snyder has come up with a meaty dilemma with which to power the unquenchable fury of both Affleck's allegedly wizened detective and Cavill's saviour-in-training. What's more, if hints of "a new threat" which could have far more dangerous implications for Metropolis and Gotham alike are anything to go by, then the confrontation which gives the piece its name could be little more than a set-up for a far greater war of the worlds (of DC).

Here's the full synopsis as promised: "Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City's own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis' most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it's ever known before." Given the foreboding tone of April's concise teaser trail, it's little wonder that we'll find the world contemplating its desired protector(s) come Dawn of Justice's opening sequence, but if nothing else, at least Metropolis appears to still be on its supposed "savior"'s side from the outset; now all that remains is for the remainder of DC's incarnation of the planet Earth to follow suit (or not, as the case may well be!).

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice brings Cavill, Affleck, Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Jessie Eisenberg (Lex Luthor), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Laurence Fishburne (Perry White) and a plethora of other big-screen A-listers together for a comic-book adaptation quite unlike any other on March 25th, 2016.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 Teaser Trailer Released

Source:ComingSoon.net

War comes to Panem for a second catastrophic time as the best-selling saga concludes this November.
Lionsgate have today unveiled the official teaser trailer for their upcoming dystopian fantasy motion picture The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 to the world at large.

Set directly after the events of last November's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, this much-anticipated final instalment's narrative chronicles the explosive final battle between Katniss Everdeen's ever-growing legion of vengeful rebels and the increasingly ruthless President Snow, whose tyranny only recently transformed Katniss' comrade Peeta into a seemingly psychologically warped shadow of his former self.

As has long been expected given the action-centric nature of the second half of Suzanne Collins' final Hunger Games novel, Part 2 looks set to boast far more in the way of high-octane set-pieces than its predecessor or indeed than either 2012's The Hunger Games or 2014's Catching Fire. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 proved way back in 2011 that more thrills can come at the expense of genuine heart, of course, yet based on this particular franchise's historical precedent (not to mention the sustained presence of accomplished thespians such as the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore and Game of Thrones veteran Gwendoline Christie in the aforementioned marketing material), there's ample reason to believe that an increase in the ante of proceedings won't so much weaken the overall piece as lend its storyline a much-needed sense of momentum akin to that clearly propelling Katniss into battle this time around.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 will launch its revolutionary campaign in UK cinemas nationwide (as well as across the rest of the globe) this November 20th.

The Flash Season One Episodes 20-21 Titles Announced

Image Source: Screencrush

Something primate this way comes (well, four weeks from now, at least)...
The CW have today confirmed the official title for the long-awaited twenty-first episode of their superhero drama The Flash's opening season at their dedicated WonderCon 2015 panel.

Following hot on the heels of "Who Is Harrison Wells?" (Episode 19) and "The Trap" (Episode 20) will apparently be "Grodd Lives", a 45-minute outing that - unless its title doth deceive its onlookers - should introduce one of protagonist Barry Allen's best-known foes, Gorilla Grodd, into the fray just before the Rogues make their fourth appearance in Episode 22 ("Rogue Air") and Oliver Queen returns to Central City in order to assist in dispatching the threat of Harrison Wells, aka the Reverse-Flash.

Quite frankly, it's about time too, since the aforementioned mind-warping primate's debut has been teased ever since Season One's opening quartet of episodes, hence why the vast majority of long-running series loyalists appear to be chomping at the bit for the character to appear at this point in time. Once an official plot synopsis for "Grodd Lives" appears in our inbox, rest assured that it'll appear here at On-Screen in its entirety faster than a speeding bullet, but until then, take a look at the following tweet from @FlashTVNews for all of the necessary proof regarding what's to come for DC's iconic Scarlet Speedster when his adventures resume in just over a week's time:

Episode 21 of #TheFlash is called "Grodd Lives."
— Flash TV News ⚡ (@FlashTVNews) April 5, 2015

After its fortnight-spanning hiatus, The Flash will return in the United States with "All Star Team Up" on April 14th via The CW, whilst here in the UK, Season One continues with "Tricksters" this Tuesday, April 7th on Sky1.

First Gotham Season Two Plot Details Announced

Image Source: Channel 5

For Jim Gordon, the quest to liberate the Gotham City Police Department from its darker strands is just beginning!
IGN have today relayed a handful of insightful narrative-centric details which were conveyed to the WonderCon 2015 audience regarding the second season of Fox's detective drama Gotham.

Based increasingly loosely on DC's Batman comic-book mythology, the series depicts the struggle of one Detective James Gordon to unmask the man behind the murders of Thomas and Martha Wayne before breaking the corruption at the heart of his police force by quelling a brewing crime war between two crime bosses - Carmine Falcone and Don Maroni - whose vengeful vendettas could otherwise tear Gotham apart before its soon-to-be infamous Dark Knight even has the chance to emerge.

Despite some optimistic members of the series' fan-base assuming in its early days that the aforementioned Caped Crusader known only as Batman would step in to assist Gordon in his efforts by Season One's denouement, thus bringing the programme some admittedly much-needed closure sooner rather than later, Fox commissioned a full second run earlier this year and in doing so heavily suggested that they're hoping for the GCPD to remain on our screens for some time yet. Regardless of our scepticism surrounding whether the show's producers can continue to create inspired story-lines for the rest of the run (let alone for 22 further episodes later this year), thanks to IGN, we've now received a relatively succinct overview of which members of the World's Greatest Detective's rogues gallery fans should expect to see plague Gordon and Bullock in the coming months:

• HUGO STRANGE - Originally introduced to the world in a 1940 issue of Detective Comics, this dangerously analytical professor of science and psychology will most likely be best known to On-Screen readers for his substantial presence in Batman: Arkham City's storyline, not to mention his acquisition of the secret which could have disgraced the Dark Knight had City played out differently: his true identity of Bruce Wayne. However Gordon and Strange's initial confrontation develops, one thing's for sure - the ramifications for the former party could be endless at best...
• TOMMY ELLIOT - The identity-shifting supervillain later known to the residents of Gotham City as Hush once went by the name Tommy Elliot, but of more significance was his sustained (albeit tense) friendship with Bruce Wayne in his early years. Expect the introduction of one of Batman's most persistent adversaries to have a similarly transformative impact on the last remaining Wayne's superheroic career to Strange's début in the lives of the GCPD team.
• CLAYFACE & THE MAD HATTER - Both of these classic antagonists were inspired by their respective connections to the realms of theatricality and fantasy to such an extent that they came close to insanity as a result, yet as ever, those viewers predicting that such a metamorphosis will occur instantaneously in Season Two might be in for a shock, since odds are that the production team will play the long game - to say the very least - in this respect.
• MR. FREEZE - One can only hope that Arnold Schwarzenegger will reprise his infamous Batman & Robin role as a tragic scientist whose campaign to cure his mortally-diseased wife takes a turn for the explosive next year, but failing that, we'd wager that whoever takes on the persona of Victor Fries will have the rather rare honour of serving as the central antagonist - or at least one of them - of Gotham's sophomore run.
• Last but by no means least, on top of these character reveals, the execs present at the programme's WonderCon panel confirmed that Bruce would begin to show signs of the brash celebrity-esque façade he takes on in his day-to-day life so as to ensure that his cohorts never suspect him to be the man who adopts the mantle of everyone's favourite caped defender of justice come sundown. Stay tuned to On-Screen for more details on the show's increasingly dense character ensemble, not to mention the definitive airdate of Season Two's opening instalment...

Gotham's freshman run continues on April 13th with Episode 19 ("Beasts of Prey") on Fox, after which Season Two will presumably première on the same Bat-channel (at the same Bat-time, of course) this Autumn.

Dragons: Race to the Edge First Season Commissioned

Images Source: Twitter (@DWAnimation)

Anyone wondering when we asked for a How to Train Your Dragon 2 prequel can feel free to join the club.
As if it wasn't enough for them to unveil an entirely new small-screen project in the form of Dinotrux, DreamWorks Animation also today unveiled a second animated show based on one of their most beloved film franchises to date at this year's WonderCon event.

Titled Dragons: Race to the Edge, the series in question's narrative kicks off shortly before the events of last year's high-flying fantastical blockbuster How to Train Your Dragon 2, features "new dragons like the Deathsong", plus reintroduces series veterans and newcomers alike to "[their favourite] vikings and dragons" (in the words of the studio's official Twitter account, anyway). Beyond that, our knowledge of what lies ahead for Hiccup, Toothless and the gang is mostly limited, although DreamWorks are all but guaranteed to release further plot details in the run-up to the programme's launch.

Much as we'd love to claim otherwise, whilst the original How to Train Your Dragon more than earned itself a 5* score from us back in 2010, the direct sequel which landed in cinemas four years later didn't fare so finely, instead finding itself lost amidst the glut of (mostly) accomplished prequels, sequels and remakes that hit the box office over the course of 2014's Summer of Film blockbuster season. If the recent Netflix-only Madagascar companion piece All Hail King Julian was representative of the quality of the studio's upcoming TV productions, though, with any luck the tide will once again turn in the Dragons saga's favour years ahead of its full-scale return to the realms of cinema in 2018.

Short of an invasion of winged beasts occurring in the real world, Dragons: Race to the Edge should land on Netflix in June 2015. In the meantime, take a glance below to uncover the first screenshots from its opening episode, then stay tuned to On-Screen for all of the latest information regarding its broadcast window, its new characters and of course its wider connections to the future of its long-running cinematic source material.

Dinotrux First Season Commissioned

Image Source: Twitter (@DWAnimation)

The studio behind Shrek has a project of prehistoric proportions in store for the (Jurassic) world at large!

DreamWorks Animation have today announced the development of a new animated TV series as part of their official WonderCon 2015 panel.

Currently intended to première on Netflix sometime in the not too distant future, the show - tentatively titled Dinotrux - will (at least if its present title is any indication) presumably combine creatures from before the dawn of time with considerably more modern metallic auto-mobiles in an effort to blend genres in a similar vein to the studio's previous big-screen projects such as Monsters vs. Aliens and Kung Fu Panda.

All the same, those fans of DreamWorks' past work may well need to reconsider their loyalties if they're hoping for textual callbacks galore, since the studio appeared adamant that this was to be an "original project" as opposed to a shared universe-esque entry along the lines of Agent Carter or the recently-rumoured Men in Black / 21 Jump Street crossover. In place of such diligent adherence to continuity, however, the production team will - according to those members in attendance at WonderCon - at least aim to include "action, adventure, comedy [and] drama", though in light of the frequency with which executive producers use such terms in relation to up-and-coming projects, the proof will inevitably have to be in the metaphorical pudding in this instance.

Dinotrux's opening run will awaken from its meteor-induced slumber just in time to début on Netflix later this year.