The Book Thief Trailer Released

A stunning premiere preview for one of our most anticipated films of 2013 is here!
20th Century Fox have today released the first teaser trailer for their upcoming World War Two drama movie The Book Thief. Based on the hit bestselling novel by Marcus Zuzack, this blockbuster adaptation focuses on the tale of a young girl in Germany who comes into the care of a new family, learning a great deal about the dictatorship at the heart of the country and its destructive influence along the way.

The flick stars Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson alongside newcomer Sophie Nelisse, all of whom look to be offering nothing less than stellar performances judging by this initial trail (below). The tone and styles of the motion picture could already be Oscar-suitable at this stage, and depending on how fully the award-winning narrative of Zuzack's original novel is depicted in the film itself, the chances of Academy Award nominations and victories next January could be very promising indeed!

The Book Thief races into UK cinemas nationwide on January 31st, 2014.

Gravity UK Release Delayed

Could Alfonso Cuaron's new space thriller be a Film of the Year contender? We'll have to wait a little longer to find out...
Warner Brothers Pictures have today announced a delayed UK release date for their upcoming science-fiction thriller film Gravity. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, this rather audacious new motion picture stars George Clooney and Sandra Bullock as two wayward astronauts left stranded in the cold reach of the stars after a terrifying accident on a satellite orbiting the planet Earth.

Right now, preview screenings have led some critics to prematurely dub this a big contender for 2013's Best Film Awards. Whether that will turn out to be the case remains to be seen, but for now it's food for thought nonetheless. UK releases falling behind US release dates are absolutely nothing new, so although this may seem like a somewhat irksome development, it's only a fairly natural schedule update that will simply add another big motion picture to our November roster alongside The Hunger Games: Catching Fire...

Gravity floats into cinemas worldwide on November 8th.

Gamescom: XCOM Expansion Pack Announced

The Enemy Unknown experience grows this Winter, as Firaxis Games bring us a expansion to the product!
Firaxis Games have today announced the development of an expansion pack for their real-time strategy video game XCOM: Enemy Unknown today at Gamescom. Titled XCOM: Enemy Within, the new campaign content will either be available to purchase online on PC or in high street retailers as a physical expansion for 360 and PS3.

So, just what does Enemy Within offer to XCOM fans? Following in the wake of the release of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified this month, the new pack features the addition of Mech troopers, localised languages that make more sense in the context of their respective soldier nationalities, and other features that will address some of the complaints followers of the series had with its latest incarnation. It's a big move by Firaxis to be certain, especially with the retail release of Within allowing such a widespread expansion, yet with any luck this is a decision that can pay off in terms of defining for the developer how to shape whatever the first next-generation instalment of the franchise may be.

XCOM: Enemy Within launches on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC this November 12th.

More The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Images Revealed

The journey continues this Winter- check out the latest promotional images for one of 2013's most anticipated films!
Warner Brothers Pictures have this week released a range of new promotional images (below) for their upcoming fantasy sequel film The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. Attached to a variety of upcoming hardback and paperback non-fiction and fiction book releases hitting stores alongside the film this Winter, these new pictures focus on key characters in Desolation including Bilbo, Thorin, Gandalf, Radagast, Legolas, Baird, Tauriel and the demonic dragon Smaug.

Right now, our knowledge of just which events Desolation will cover is somewhat limited. Peter Jackson's initial trailer for the film seemed to take us as far as the confrontation between Bilbo and Smaug in the lost city of Erebor, but naturally didn't tease whether we'll end on a cliffhanger at the height of that confrontation, or whether Smaug's demise will form a part of this second instalment as a cliffhanger segueway into the Battle of Five Armies. Indeed, these book covers don't reveal either whether Benedict Cumberbatch's Necromancer will feature in a physical manifestation here as well, although we suspect the books themselves will cover the character and hint at a greater definitive appearance for Sauron's soul in There and Back Again next year.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug flies into cinemas worldwide on December 13th.

The White Queen Cancelled

BBC One confirm that their new historical period drama will not return for a second season.
BBC One have today announced that their historical drama programme The White Queen has not been commissioned for a second season of episodes. The show commenced its first run on June 10th, focusing on the troubled build-up to the reign of King Edward IV in the midst of the War of the Roses. At first, critic reviews were positive, but as the first season continued its broadcasting it became clear to many that this felt like something of a rip-off of the Game of Thrones franchise.

Currently, the BBC are saying that The White Queen was only ever intended for a single season, making this decision not to re-commission seem logical. However, all is not necessarily as it quite seems- most shows do tend to only be commissioned for a single season at a time, but that rarely stops them being commissioned for further seasons if the programme becomes a ratings success. The White Queen kicked off with six million viewers, yet soon enough it was struggling to even reach the four million mark of viewers. Season lows of four million viewers aren't uncommon in the UK, with non-mainstream dramas such as Doctor Who, Luther and Merlin occasionally falling prey to these in calmer weeks with less promotion, but for a first season to so constantly struggle to hit even this total was concerning, perhaps making its cancellation less of a surprise.

The White Queen is available now on DVD and Blu-Ray. For all the latest news on BBC One's drama developments, commissions and cancellations, keep it On-Screen in the weeks ahead!

Gamescom: New LEGO Marvel Superheroes Trailer Released

Heroes, villains and schwarma (not really) galore in this ace new preview of 2013's most exciting LEGO product.
Warner Brothers Games and Traveller's Tales have today released a new trailer for their upcoming LEGO video game LEGO Marvel Superheroes at Gamescom 2013. Utilizing the characters and locations of hit Marvel film franchises such as The Avengers, Spider-Man, X-Men and The Fantastic Four, this ambitious new product combines these various universes into one encompassing, grand narrative across New York and beyond.

Just as any fan could hope for, the trailer in question (below) features a menagerie of beloved heroes and villains from these respective series. Sabretooth, Cyclops, Venom, Elektra, Black Widow and even Galactus featuring amongst the new character reveals, all of which in themselves cater for a greater proportion of gamers and fans than any instalment in the LEGO adaptation franchise has done so far. One thing's for sure- if you've ever loved even a single sector of the Marvel universe, then this is the game for you in 2013!

LEGO Marvel Superheroes breaks onto PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Nintendo WiiU, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS and PC this Autumn.

Gamescom: New Batman Arkham Origins Trailer Released

The Dark Knight returns to fight a fifth assassin in Gotham City- but who is it?
Warner Brothers Montreal have today released a new promotional trailer for their upcoming superhero open-world video game Batman: Arkham Origins at Gamescom 2013. Set before the events of 2009's Arkham Asylum and 2011's Arkham City, this latest instalment in the blockbuster franchise features a younger Dark Knight battling eight assassins with a price on his head in a free-roaming Gotham City plagued by storms on Christmas Eve.

This new gameplay preview (below) contains more than one exciting surprise, the first of which comes in the form of an announcement. The fifth member of the league of Assassins facing combat with the Caped Crusader will be none other than Firefly, a lesser-known enemy in Batman lore who will now take centre stage as part of Black Mask's audacious gang of killers. Firefly joins Deathstroke, Deadshot, Bane and Copperhead in the crew of announced assassins, with three assassin reveals remaining and other villains such as the Joker, the Penguin, Carmine Falcone, Anarky and the Mad Hatter confirmed to form part of the experience. Alongside the assassin reveal, expect to discover more about Bruce Wayne and his alter-ego's relationships with Jim Gordon and Alfred Pennyworth, both of whom are glimpsed in the trailer.

Batman: Arkham Origins retails on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC on October 30th.