Max Buondonno/ZDNETZDNET's key takeawaysNormally retailing for $699, the Pixel 8 offers a flagship-level experience with Google's latest AI and machine learning features.With fast performance, amazing cameras, and Google's Actua display, it's one of the best smartphone deals available.Compared to similarly priced phones, like the Nothing Phone 2, the Pixel 8 is a far better value.As part of Amazon's 2025 Spring Sale, Google's base Pixel 8 in Obsidian (black) has received a 30% discount. Its price has dropped from $700 to just $487. Other color options, like Hazel, are on sale too, although the price drop isn't as deep.The Google Pixel 9 might be getting all the attention nowadays (especially with its access to Google's new Gemini AI model), but the standard Pixel 8 is still an impressive model among the rest of Google's smartphone catalog.Also:We picked the 155+ best deals for Amazon's Spring SaleThat's because the Pixel 8 offers one of the best combinations of specs, features, and premium design at a price considerably lower than the competition. Even at full price, the device is cheaper than contemporaries like the Galaxy S24 ($760) and the OnePlus 12 (which normally retails for $900). details View at Amazon Because it balances performance and cost so well, the Pixel 8 is difficult to ignore and perhaps the only phone you should consider if you're shopping on a budget. You won't find another phone like it under $500, and it's only when you sift through the $800-$1,000 options that you find commendable competition.A big reason why this is such a compelling option is the Tensor G3 chip, Google's latest in-house processor that powers all of the Pixel 8's AI and machine learning features. It's not just a solid Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 alternative but a monumental reason why the Pixel 8 is such a great phone.Also:Grab the Samsung Galaxy S25 for as low as $700 at AmazonThe chip powers all the Google Pixel-ness of the Pixel 8, from transcribing voices in the Recorder app to letting you edit photos to your heart's content with the AI-powered Magic Editor. The Google Assistant also takes advantage of the G3 to process your voice quicker and even summarize web pages for quickly consuming information. Alongside powering Google's HDR pipeline for photography and ensuring Android 14 is slick and smooth, the G3 is one of the most capable smartphone chips on the market. And when paired with 8GB of RAM, you'll never have a slow day. Max Buondonno/ZDNETThe display is another huge reason to get this phone. The Pixel 8's 6.2-inch Actua display is a bit smaller than the screen on the Pixel 7, but that makes it easier to hold in one hand. It's also stunning to look at; with a Full HD+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and 2,000 nits of peak brightness, it's one of the brightest and clearest displays on the market. Plus, it's OLED, so colors are vibrant, and inky blacks are plentiful.Look beyond the display, and you'll find a good-looking phone crafted out of aluminum and Gorilla Glass Victus. Featuring Google's signature camera bar on the back and thin bezels around the display, the Pixel 8 is a stunner among other sub-$500 phones. It's also IP68-certified for dust and water resistance, and it comes in three nice finishes: Obsidian (black), Hazel (kinda green), and Rose (more of a golden peach, in my opinion). Max Buondonno/ZDNETWhen it comes to Pixel phones, there are two areas you have to talk about: cameras and software.On the camera front, Google knocked it out of the park. The rear 50MP main shooter and 12MP ultra-wide are both excellent performers in broad daylight and at night. The cameras easily match or outpace what you'd get with an iPhone 15 Pro or Galaxy S23 Ultra in terms of clarity, detail, and sharpness, while colors are often far more accurate than they ever have been on a Pixel phone.Also:This midrange Galaxy phone can make you forget ever wanting a flagship - and it's on saleYou also get all of the camera chops that the Pixel name carries like astrophotography, Super ResZoom, dual exposure controls, and Ultra HDR. That's on top of other features like Best Take and Magic Editor that make these cameras the smartest you'll find. Plus, video quality has been vastly improved over previous Pixels -- it's flat-out comparable to the iPhone.On the software side, Google's Pixel experience atop Android 14 remains my favorite way to interact with Android. It's clean and minimal and gives you a warm, inviting feeling that no other Android skin can mimic. You get all the features of Android 14, like customizable lock screens, better security, larger fonts, and improved notifications, along with all of the Pixel features you could ask for, such as Call Screen, Now Playing, Direct My Call, AI-generated wallpapers, and -- of course --the Pixel Launcher. Max Buondonno/ZDNETBut the real kicker in the software department is Google's extended support. The company guarantees seven full years of software support, which means you'll get updates until 2030 if you buy this phone. That's unheard of for an Android phone, and it gives devices like the iPhone a run for their money.Thanks to the 4,575mAh cell inside, the Pixel 8 can also last all day on a charge. With my medium to heavy usage, I typically end days with 30-40% in the tank, which means anyone using the phone a bit less could stretch it out to last a day and a half. Plus, you get 30W fast charging to juice back up and Qi wireless charging.So, what are the downsides? Honestly, there aren't a lot. The Pixel 8 still gets pretty warm after being used for a while, but that's typical with Google's Tensor processors. I also wish there was a proper telephoto camera on the back; Super Res Zoom is handy for upscaling digitally zoomed photos, but it can only take you so far. Oh, and I still don't trust Face Unlock; Google lets you use it to pay for things now using Google Pay, but it still relies on a flat image of your face to authenticate you.ZDNET's buying adviceYou're not going to find a much better value than the Pixel 8 - especially at such a deep discount. From the gorgeous display and design to the speedy performance and amazing cameras, Google's standard flagship phone stands on its own with an impeccable balance of high-end features for a lower price than other flagships.With its sale price of $487, the closest competition happens to be the Galaxy A35 5G and Nothing Phone (2), two devices that are perfectly worthy of a spot in your pocket but don't offer the same value as the Pixel 8. Google's phone is a proper flagship with seven years of software support, the latest AI features, and the company's latest camera tricks.Anyone shopping for an Android phone under $500 should consider the Pixel 8. Its value is simply incredible, and it's still a formidable device in 2025. When will this deal expire? Deals are subject to sell out or expire anytime, though ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best product deals for you to score the best savings. Our team of experts regularly checks in on the deals we share to ensure they are still live and obtainable. We're sorry if you've missed out on this deal, but don't fret -- we're constantly finding new chances to save and sharing them with you atZDNET.com. Show more Looking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites withZDNET Recommends.Amazon Spring Sale 2025

How to solve today's Wordle.SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesLooking for Thursdays Wordle hints, clues and answer? You can find them here:Its a marvelous day for a Wordle, but then againisnt any day? Its even better today because its Friday, and Friday is 2XP Friday for competitive Wordle players. Double your points, good or bad, and see how they stack up with the competition. Lets solve this Wordle!How To Solve Todays WordleThe Hint: Poetry.The Clue: This Wordle has a double letter.Okay, spoilers below!Play Puzzles & Games on Forbes...The Answer:Today's WordleCredit: Erik KainWordle AnalysisEvery day I check Wordle Bot to help analyze my guessing game. You can check your Wordles with Wordle Bot right here. GRAIN ended up being a pain in my side today, leaving me with 271 possible solutions. SPORE slashed that number to just four, but even thats too many to necessarily get it in three. Alas, TERSE was so close. The Wordle was VERSE, oh what a curse! This one left me feeling much worse!Competitive Wordle ScoreToday's Wordle BotCredit: Erik KainI get 0 for guessing in four and -1 for losing to the Bot. Thats -2 due to 2XP Friday. The Bot gets 1 point for guessing in three and another for beating me. Thats 2x2 for a total of 4 points today, narrowing my lead significantly as we approach the end of March. This brings the monthly tally to . . .Erik: 21 points.Wordle Bot: 12 points.I still have a significantsome might say insurmountablelead. We shall see.How To Play Competitive WordleGuessing in 1 is worth 3 points; guessing in 2 is worth 2 points; guessing in 3 is worth 1 point; guessing in 4 is worth 0 points; guessing in 5 is -1 points; guessing in 6 is -2 points and missing the Wordle is -3 points.If you beat your opponent you get 1 point. If you tie, you get 0 points. And if you lose to your opponent, you get -1 point. Add it up to get your score. Keep a daily running score or just play for a new score each day.Fridays are 2XP, meaning you double your pointspositive or negative.You can keep a running tally or just play day-by-day. Enjoy!Todays Wordle EtymologyThe word verse comes from the Latin versus, meaning "a line or row, especially in writing," which in turn comes from vertere, meaning "to turn." Originally, it referred to the turning of the plow at the end of a row, and by metaphor, to lines of writing or poetry.Let me know how you fared with your Wordle today on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. Also be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow me here on this blog where I write about games, TV shows and movies when Im not writing puzzle guides. Sign up for my newsletter for more reviews and commentary on entertainment and culture.

Table of ContentsTable of ContentsYounger (2015-2021)Adolescence (2025)Escape at Dannemora (2018)Netflix is a great wellspring of interesting shows, but for every great show available on the streaming service, theres at least one that youll watch one and a half episodes of then forget about completely. Sorting through which shows are worth your time can be a challenge, especially when Netflix is determined to keep making more stuff.Thats why weve pulled together three excellent shows that are well worth checking out this weekend. One is a longer entry, and the other two are shows you could get through in a single weekend.Recommended VideosWe also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max,andthe best movies on Disney+.RelatedYounger is the kind of long-running, low-stakes rom-com TV series that we rarely get anymore. The show stars Sutton Foster as a single mom who is trying to start up a career at the age of 40.When she discovers that the best way for her to get a job as an assistant is to lie about her age, she enters an entirely new life in which everyone around her thinks shes much younger than she really is. Along the way, she finds herself torn between two men and has to slowly reveal that shes been living a lie to everyone around her. Its silly, funny, and most importantly, shot on location in New York City.You can watchYounger on Netflix.If you havent made time for AdolescenceAlong the way, we come to understand the way rage, misogyny, and a life lived online came to influence this young man and convince him of the drastic action he had to take. Its one of the best dramas Netflix has ever produced.You can watchAdolescenceon Netflix.Before Ben Stiller was directing some of the best TV on the air with Severance, he directed the entirety ofEscape at Dannemora. The series, which is based on a true story, tells the story of two inmates at a maximum security prison in a sleepy town who find themselves entangled in the life of a married corrections officer.As she becomes romantically involved with both of them, she ultimately aids in their escape from prison, leading to a riveting, tense episode as they try to get away clean. Patricia Arquette, Benicio del Toro, and Paul Dano are all incredible in their central roles.You can watchEscape at Dannemoraon Netflix.Editors Recommendations

Next time you spot an H&M ad, take a closer look to see if it features an AI-generated model.The clothing giant has revealed that it will start using AI to generate digital replicas of 30 of its models for use in ads and social media posts provided they give their permission, that is.Recommended VideosThe idea of creating digital replicas is a controversial one in not only the modeling industry but also in the wider creative sector, with many actors, photographers, and make-up artists, among others, fearing a loss of work. For its own endeavor, H&M has insisted the models will retain rights over their digital copies, giving them a say over how the retailer uses them for marketing, Business of Fashion reported.The clothing company also said that the models will be paid for the use of their AI-generated replicas, apparently similar to in-person rates, though ultimately it will be for a models agent to negotiate an agreed rate.We are curious to explore how to showcase our fashion in new creative ways and embrace the benefits of new technology while staying true to our commitment to personal style, H&M chief creative officer Jrgen Andersson said in comments reported by the BBC.H&M will likely use the digital copies first in social media posts, with a watermark included to indicate that AI was used to generate the models. Such labeling ensures that H&M falls in line with rules laid out by platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, which demand that AI-created content be labeled as such.Generative AI has come on leaps and bounds in the last couple of years, with powerful computer tools able to create convincing doubles of real people, or imagined people created from just a few keywords.Not surprisingly, the technologys ease of use appeals to executives and producers in the creative industries, as well as brand creative teams.But concerns surrounding the issue include ensuring fair compensation for the use of digital twins, whether equitable rates will persist in the future, and whether new talent will still have the same opportunities to break into the industry.Many will recall the disruption caused by the Hollywood strikes in 2023 when actors and writers stopped working over a range of issues, including over how movie studios might use AI to write scripts, and the use of digital doubles in future productions. Unions managed to carve out notable concessions and limitations designed to protect show business creatives, though negotiations are still ongoing on some issues.As AI tools continue to improve, dont be surprised if we see more disputes across the creative sector as executives tussle with creators over the use of this fast-developing technology.Editors Recommendations

Sarah Snook gives a gloriously grotesque suite of performances in a one-woman adaptation of Oscar Wildes novel on Broadway, while Andrew Scott performs a remarkable, smaller-scale one-man version of the Chekhov drama at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.

Fox News host Bret Baier interviewed Elon Musk and other members of the White House DOGE office team, including Steve Davis (top row right), Musk's longtime lieutenant. Photo courtesy of Fox News "Special Report with Bret Baier" 2025-03-28T01:18:26Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? The White House DOGE office's named boss didn't participate in a big interview about its operations.Elon Musk brought seven people along for his big Fox News sit-down.Acting DOGE office administrator Amy Gleason was not present.Elon Musk was surrounded by top allies and a DOGE engineer on Thursday night as he explained what the White House DOGE office is doing.One person was notably absent from the Fox News interview: the official the White House has said is actually leading DOGE.Acting DOGE office administrator Amy Gleason was not among the seven people who surrounded Musk. Her name wasn't even mentioned once.Top allies, including Steve Davis, a longtime Musk associate, joined the world's richest man publicly as DOGE team representatives for the first time.Airbnb cofounder Joe Gebbia and former Morgan Stanley banker Anthony Armstrong were also on hand. Musk brought along Aram Moghaddass, a DOGE team engineer. Edward Coristine, who once went by the nickname "Big Balls" online, did not join. Neither did Marko Elez, who resigned after the revelation of inflammatory posts before Musk and Vice President JD Vance pushed for him to return.The DOGE office has for weeks been the dominant story of President Donald Trump's first 100 days of his second term. Working alongside the DOGE office, the Trump administration has implemented mass firings targeting thousands of employees.Musk, who is officially a senior White House advisor, spoke to Fox News about, among other things, the DOGE office. It's the latest example of how Musk, the White House, and others have blurred the lines of his purview.Gleason and another White House official have declared in federal court that Musk is not a DOGE office employee, let alone the initiative's leader. One of Gleason's declarations came in a fight over whether DOGE is subject to federal records laws.At issue is whether Trump's order to rebrand the existing US Digital Service as DOGE shields the office from Freedom of Information Act requests. If that is the case, the DOGE office's records would be sealed for years after Trump leaves office. If not, the DOGE office would be immediately subject to disclosure requests. A former top National Archives official previously told BI that, in his view, DOGE should be subject to FOIA.Nonetheless, Musk continues to act as and as been treated as DOGE's de facto leader. Multiple lawsuits regarding DOGE's actions have sought to clarify Tesla's CEO role. At times, even Department of Justice lawyers have struggled to describe it.Federal unions and Democratic attorneys general have fought in court to stop the firings. They have secured some victories, including a ruling requiring the Trump administration to rehire some probationary workers, who usually have less than two years in their current role. Some probationary employees who have returned to work previously told Business Insider that they are being paid to do virtually nothing as the legal fight over their status continues.A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about why Gleason didn't participate in the interview.Recommended video

Trump has been signing executive orders against legal powerhouses such as Jenner & Block, Perkins Coie, and Covington & Burling. Evelyn Hockstein/REUTERS 2025-03-28T01:16:42Z SaveSaved Read in app This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Trump signed an executive order Thursday targeting law firm WilmerHale.WilmerHale is linked to Trump's adversaries and past efforts to investigate his election campaigns.The firm, like others named in Trump's orders, has worked on lawsuits that challenged key administration policies. In continuation of an ongoing campaign against Big Law, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday taking aim at WilmerHale, a law firm linked to his political adversaries that led past investigations into his administration.The order suspends security clearances for WilmerHale employees, limits their access to federal buildings, and revokes the firm's government contracts, for what Trump described in his order as engaging in "partisan representations to achieve political ends" and "efforts to discriminate on the basis of race."WilmerHale has a team of over 1,100 lawyers across 12 offices in the US and Europe. In 2023, it was ranked as the 45th largest law firm in the country which generated nearly $1.5 billion in revenue, according to The American Lawyer.A White House fact sheet about the order accused WilmerHale of "rewarding" former FBI Director Robert Mueller and two colleagues with positions at the firm for what it called "a partisan 'investigation' against the President and others."Muller, a former Marine Corps officer in Vietnam and the FBI Director in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, had spearheaded a special counsel investigation into Russian interference in Trump's 2016 election. The investigation ultimately found insufficient evidence of a link. Muller was a WilmerHale partner before the probe and rejoined it after. He is not listed on the firm's website.The executive order follows similar actions against legal powerhouses such as Jenner & Block, Perkins Coie, and Covington & Burling. Trump previously rescinded an order targeting Paul Weiss after the firm agreed to allocate $40 million in pro bono legal work aligned with his administration's priorities.A memo from Trump issued on March 22 titled "Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court" also authorized Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to sanction law firms that file lawsuits they deem "frivolous" or "vexatious."A spokesperson of WilmerHale told Business Insider that the firm has a "longstanding tradition of representing a wide range of clients, including in matters against administrations of both parties," and that they "look forward to pursuing all appropriate remedies to this unlawful order."WilmerHale is among the prominent law firms representing clients in lawsuits that challenge key Trump administration policies. The firm had also filed an amicus brief in January 2024 that called Trump's attempt to gain immunity in connection to his criminal prosecution for alleged election interference "inconsistent with our Constitution."Chris Mattei, an attorney at Connecticut-based law firm Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder and a former federal prosecutor, said the spree of orders is a constitutional threat."If lawyers abandon our duty to protect the rights of those who are targeted by the Government, our democracy will fall," Mattei told BI in an email.The White House did not respond to BI's request for comment. Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at katherineli@insider.com or Signal at katherineli.21 or WhatsApp at 510-365-6496. Use a personal email address and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.Recommended video

That certainly was an odd Nintendo Direct (YouTube)The Friday letters page worries that PlayStation is ashamed of its multiformat releases, as one reader lays out his hopes for Rocksteadys new Batman game.To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.ukA good lifeWell, that Nintendo Direct was definitely one of the weirder ones weve ever had. Even the fact that it happened, just days before the Switch 2 one, is crazy and Im still not sure what the thinking was. I guess if the rumour was it was supposed to be in February something got delayed and this was just the latest they could push it back without having a Switch 1 Direct coming out after theyd just been talking about the Switch 2.I think it was good overall though and definitely worth watching. The start and end was weak, when normally theyre the biggest games, but there were plenty of nice surprises, including stuff like that multiformat Marvel game.Im still not sure why Metroid Prime 4 was randomly in the middle. Does that mean they were saving other stuff till the Switch 2 Direct or is that really going to be it for now, like that other rumour said? It was right about it being shown this week, so the source obviously knows something.I really wish the niche comeback game had been something more interesting than Tomodachi Life but what are you gonna do? At this point I dont feel theres really anything you can criticise the Switch about, given what a good life its had.GrackleHalf committedI certainly didnt have two PlayStation ports on my bingo card for the Nintendo Direct. In fact, Id have to say I didnt get anything right, except Metroid Prime 4. A weird showcase but in a good way, but the strangest thing to me is that the PlayStation Blog makes no mention of either Patapon or the new Everybodys Golf both of which are on PlayStation 5 and published by Sony.If Sony are that embarrassed about releasing multiformat games, why are they doing it? Somehow, I dont think remasters of two ancient PSP games is going to tip the scales of their back balance but apparently they want to release them but also dont want to tell anyone they exist? Its the same with Xbox and making Forza Horizon 5 physical only.These companies have got to embrace multiformat or its not going to work. You cant be ashamed of it and also have it be the cornerstone of your business. I get its not that yet for Sony, but clearly they thought this worth doing. But apparently only by half-assing it.CranstonWrong nicheWe all thought the Switch had a good line-up last year, even though it was its last big year, but its days from retirement and its still announcing games that will come out in 2026? Nintendo said it would last 10 years and now its only one year away from that and the chances of it being the best-selling console ever are even greater.All well deserved Id say, even if this latest Direct was a bit of a disappointment for me. Yes, it had a lot more games than I expected. But two niche franchises to bring back and they went for Rhythm Paradise and Tomodachi Life?! Is F-Zero really dead to them?I get it, theyre cheap games to make and not much of a risk, but its still a shame. But Ill let them off because Metroid Prime 4 looked good. At least we know F-Zero is definitely next. Right, right?!LouieEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukPlease explainSo there it is, in Nintendos own words: there will be upgraded Switch 1 games on Switch 2. It seemed obvious that they would (or rather should) do that, so Im glad to see that Nintendo isnt avoiding an open goal just because it seems obvious.Theyll probably charge too much for the upgrade, but we can only deal with that problem when they announce it properly. Im fascinated to know whats going on with Metroid Prime 4 because I agree the graphics seem impossible on the current Switch but surely Nintendo wouldnt show the upgraded version in a Direct that was specifically meant to be Switch 1 only?Maybe Retro are just even more talented than we thought but Im definitely interested in finding out more. Although Im not sure I trust Nintendo to explain it all that clearly. Thats not been their specialist subject normally. Especially that weird virtual game card thing.CustardUlterior motivesNintendo virtual game cards cant help but remind me of the Xbox One launch, when they tried to explain their convoluted sharing process, followed by Sony making fun of them. Admittedly that was worse, but not by much. The idea family members need to loan a game to each other is somewhat ridiculous.Apple came up with the easiest solution a decade ago, where family members just get access to shared purchases and to avoid abuse the organisers credit card gets used for all purchases in the family.Obviously, Nintendo are making it hard, to get people to buy multiple copies of a game, but as thats the case why even bother with virtual game cards in the first place?TimDirect analysisYou have to give it to Nintendo, they definitely know how to do an online showcase. They invented the concept of a Direct and theyve got it down to a fine art, even when theyve not got much to work with. It seems to me the secret is not lingering on anything for too long, having lots to talk about, and having a few cameos from people but no waffle or marketing talk.This Direct did all of that but compare that to a Microsoft one, which tends to have only four or five games and is filled with beauty shots of developers pretending to be happy and spontaneous, while going on for so long you just start tuning it out. Theyre also constantly doing that thing where the camera is filming them looking at a different camera, which I hate.Sonys problem is that they also dont usually have enough games, and they have no presenters at all. Often there can be no sign of a human being at all, just some AI-sounding voiceover babbling away. State of Plays are often shorter than a Nintendo Direct but they feel longer because all the segments are too long and theres too much time spent being bored.If youre not interested in something in a Nintendo Direct, like a farming sim, it doesnt matter because itll be replaced by something else thats completely different in a minute or two. Anyway, thats my analysis. I give this weeks Direct a 7/10. Lets hope next weeks is an 11.Terry GoldFake retroA good Nintendo Direct, considering its only for the current one, but the game that caught my attention the most was Marvel Cosmic Invasion. I love a good beat em-up and I am fully behind this recent spree of fake retro games with their amazing 2D animation. Marvel games can be hit and miss, in terms of whether they sell, but I hope this is a hit, mostly because itll encourage other companies to do similar things.Im still sore that amazing looking Power Rangers one didnt turn out to be as good as it looks, but Id love to see the Marvel one and others do more sprite-scaling racing and the like, to homage things like OutRun and After Burner. I love all that old stuff. Next step DC Cosmic Invasion and then Marvel vs. DC!Taylor MoonBat-slopI really hope Rocksteadys new Batman game works out, for obvious reasons of not wanting them to go bust and wanting a decent game again. Im for them starting a whole new canon though. I dont see any point in going back to the Arkham series, because then theyd have to account for all the nonsense that happened in Suicide Squad, including the non-explanation of why Bruce Wayne is back.I thought Batman Beyond was the perfect idea, but this new rumour seems to say thats not happening, which is a shame. The most important thing is just to let Rocksteady do whatever they think makes sense and dont interfere. Suicide Squad might even have worked if there wasnt all the executive interference.Although I guess Im kind of glad it failed, because that means theyll never try again and it was the quickest route to getting a proper single-player game again. I wouldnt say that if a load of people were laid off, but I dont actually think they were (most of the top staff left years ago, instead).Lets just hope theres not some other pointless gimmick or buzzword that gets big in the next few years, that will see the new game derailed as well. AI-designed Batman game, anyone?CardiInbox also-ransI knew GC would be excited about that Gradius compilation as soon as it got announced. M2 ports and a brand new game on top? I think Im pretty jazzed for it too.GalenGC: Hideki Kamiya will also be pleased, Salamander is one of his favourites.Only one farming game in the Nintendo Direct?! You can definitely tell the Switch is winding down.PrestonMore TrendingEmail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.ukThe small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Readers Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.You can also leave your comments below and dont forget to follow us on Twitter.GameCentralSign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content.This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

In Warner Bros. Discoverys latest move seemingly targeting the famed studios cinema history, one of the original homes of the Looney Tunes is set to be demolished. This, coming right off the new regimes scrubbing of the cartoons off the platform, is certainly not a good look. Its also bummer news in the aftermath of the studios mishandling of Coyote vs. Acme, which is currently still shelved but may find new life with Ketchup Entertainment, which recently distributed Warner Bros. Animations critically acclaimed and certified fresh on RTThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie. The majority of the studios classic animated shorts are currently streaming not on Max but on Roku. According to Deadlines report, it sure seems like its the end of the building once lovingly referred to as Termite Terrace; as the trade reports, Building 131 will be torn down to create more base camp space for the myriad HBO shows that are shooting on the lot. Its truly a damn shame and sad day for fans of animation history. The building and its role in Looney Tunes history gets a shout-out on the WB Studio Tour as the tram passes by; visitors are told its the cartoons original home and that it currently houses production offices of TV shows. Make that soon to be past-tense: The nondescript building, which is located in the far corner of the lot off of Forest Lawn Drive, will not be replaced, Deadline writes.Its not entirely surprising that Building 131 is being discarded despite its significance to animation history, much like the Cartoon Network building in Burbank which was sold not long ago. The one-level bungalow buildings nickname, Termite Terrace, came from animators who worked in it; at one time, a termite infestation left many Looney Tunes cartoon short cels smeared with termite outlines. The name stuck because it suited the chaotic energy of creating the antics of the Tunes for its makers. It also served as the the main hub for the Friz Freleng era of the Looney Tunes cartoons, and is the exact location where related productions such as The Bugs Bunny Show (1960) were originally made. It was also the place where Looney Tunes animator Chuck Jones made his last short, From Hare to Eternity, according to Looney Tunes history platform Of Course You Realize This Means Podcast (full disclosure: my partner is the producer and host).For the studios mascot figures it appears the brass is only pushing Bugs Bunny, Tweety, and the rest of the Tunes likenesses for merchandising interests only. In an odd twist, the second half of Steven Spielberg and Amblins Tiny Toons: Looniversity season two was added to Max this week after an erratic prior release schedule. Upcoming projects based on the the Looney Tunes universe IP havent been announced. io9 reached out to Warner Bros. for comment about Building 131 being targeted for demolition, and will update this post if we hear back. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

By Germain Lussier Published March 27, 2025 | Comments (9) | In this exclusive photo from Screamboat, you'll see five women who just happen to be bounding as Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Cinderella, Ariel, and Jasmine. Image: Sklae Loran Watching the new movie Screamboat, I expected to see Steamboat Willie kill a bunch of people. I didnt expect those people to be dressed like Disney characters, drop Disney park references, and say movie lines like Be our guest, Let it go, or Dead men tell no tales. But at its heart, the upcoming public domain horror film is both a dumb, funny, gory, horror film as well as a love letter to all things Disney, filled with references big and small, from the first frame to the last. This week, io9 had a video chat with Steven LaMorte, the co-writer and director of Screamboat, and I had to dig into that. Where did the love of Disney come from? Was there a line he wouldnt cross? How did the references come about? And was it always in the cards that Willie would be about three feet tall and have an extended animated origin? Next week, check back to read about the ins and outs of making a big screen public domain horror film. Below, read about how LaMorte turned a lifetime of Disney fandom into a movie about a killer mouse. Screamboat opens in theaters April 2. Screamboat director Steven LaMorte on set with his mouse. Sklae Lorand This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Germain Lussier, io9: I expected this movie to be gory, scary, funny, all these kinds of things. But I didnt expect it to go so hard on the Disney fandom. My question to start is, what is your history with Disney? Because this could have been just a horror movie, but its also such a love letter to Disney as well. Steven LaMorte: When I was born, my mother was gifted a Mickey Mouse stuffed animal that was literally the size of me when I was born. So Ive been living with this mouse since birth. So Im a deep-cuts Disney fanboy. I got into making movies sort of as a backdoor way to be an Imagineer. Ive always loved effects and stagecraft and making sort of a spectacle, right? And Ive sort of felt this kinship, not just with Walt Disney the company or the brand, but with like the guy. Someone who always thought that nothing is impossible. If you have a dream, you should go for it. So being able to do what Im so glad you noticed [was a] love letter to Disney was so much fun. It was great.io9: So how did you decide on the balance? Because you clearly made the decision to dress characters as Disney princesses, include one-liners that are direct quotes from Disney songs. Tell me a little bit about when that kind of became part of the DNA, how much you wanted to push it, and was there a line? LaMorte: Some people have this preconceived notion that we dont like Disney or that we have some sort of negative opinion, or that we dont value the characters and the lore of the IP, but its the opposite. I mean, we love this stuff. This is something Im such a fan of. And its been so cool to make something where I threw a bunch of jokes in that I thought were funny. And my co-writer Matthew Garcia-Dunn, it was his idea to incorporate the princesses, because Id seen this party group on the Staten Island Ferry every Saturday night when I was in my 20s [Laughs]. So we had sort of these things. And then we started looking for these opportunities. Where do you incorporate these moments? Where do you incorporate these jokes? And some of them are very obvious and on the nose, like an actual line from the movie. And some are really, really subtle where were filming and Im like, Oh, guys, we have to frame this up. Thats the number 33. Theres a thing in Disney, its a club, and dont worry about it. Just make sure you get the 33 in the shot.Allie Seibold, Stephanie Bates, Kailey Hyman, Savannah Whitten, and Poonam Basu in Screamboat. Sklae Lorand Were doing early fan screenings, and it was interesting to talk to different groups and people who are catching all of them. We were up till all hours of the night, Whats going to be floating in the water that someone might get? And Im like, Well, we can do this one, we can do this one, we can do this one, and so the very first time we showed the movie, I had a big guy, hes covered in tattoos, were at a horror convention. He comes up to me and hes like, Dude, I just want you to know, I saw your Mary Poppins reference. And I was like, Mission accomplished! I didnt think anyone was going to get that. So its really just, Im on the inside. I wanted to make something that I loved and that people connected with. And if you dont like Disney, I think youll have fun seeing the movie. But if you do, and you get the references, I think the movie is even more fun. And that was thats sort of what I wanted to do. Are they Easter eggs? Sure. But theyre also vital to the DNA of the flick, because thats what people are really connecting with. And if youre on the inside, if youre in the club, then youre gonna have fun seeing them. io9: On the topic of references, I have one specific thing I have to ask about. The lead actress, Allison Pittel, I couldnt help but notice her character, Selena, looked to me like a super popular Disney YouTuber named Jenny Nicholson. Am I totally off on that?LaMorte: That is not who she is supposed to be. Sorry. io9: Okay, I figured as much but had to ask. That would have been the deepest cut of all time. LaMorte: So theres one in there that we had to change last minute. Theres some that didnt make it into the movie, of course. And there are certain things that either we shot and didnt use, or that we didnt end up shooting because how many jokes can we tell before [its too much]? So theres some stuff that didnt make it in. But theres one where [SPOILER REDACTED] was originally supposed to be, I dont remember her name, but the first Mouseketeer. We had the name of the woman, but legal wouldnt clear it because shes a real person. So we had to change it. But that was one were like, Oh, thats such a missed opportunity to have the original Mouseketeer [in the movie]. Terrifier star David Howard Thornton as Willie in Screamboat. Sklae Lorand io9: But you did manage to get a very cool SteamboatWilly-esque animated sequence in there. I wont spoil any specifics of it, but can you tell me a little bit more about the origin of that, how it developed, and got into the movie?LaMorte Definitely. Well, it was important to me the fact that Steamboat Willie was locked away, that this character has been unable to be used for such a long period of time, [and to] factor [that] into the story. And I knew it was an organic way to explain why our character doesnt look like the cartoon, because hes got some mileage on him. Hes been locked away for a long period of time. And we had some big ideas as far as what we wanted to show and how we wanted to do it. And of course, were at an independent film. And we said, Well, if hes an animated character, the best way to connect these two would be to show him as he once was, the version that we all know as he was created back in the early 1900s. And then use this animated sequence to tell the story, do it in a style that pays homage to the way that he was originally drawn And while I dont know if we would have approval about what were doing with the character. I think we would at least get some brownie points for bringing back the old animation style and honoring the classic character and his creator. io9: Another style question. When I saw the trailers, for some reason, I thought Willie was a full-sized creature. So I was a little confused watching the movie when I realized hes actually Mickey Mouse-sized. I know you used a lot of different techniques to achieve that ,but Im wondering if his size was ever a major consideration? LaMorte: Once we started developing the script, the decision came in pretty early on that he was going to be small. Because once you start looking at character designs, not in terms of how Steamboat Willie exists as a drawing or in a cartoon, but how he exists in the real world, we had to look to that very famous statue, The Partners, where Walt Disney is standing and hes got his arm out and next to him is Mickey Mouse. So that gave us a sense of like, If hes going to be small and hes not going to be a theme park mascot, a human size, then he has to be really small.And weve seen Chucky and weve seen Leprechaun, so there have been small killer creatures in the past, and its been done very effectively many, many times. But I knew if he was going to be a live-action cartoon character, I thought there were just going to be some limits to doing it anyway, other than shrinking a full-size animated human down. Check back next week for more on LaMorte on the challenges of working within the legal guardrails of public domain characters. Screamboat is in theaters April 2. Learn more here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Germain Lussier Published March 21, 2025 James Whitbrook and Gordon Jackson Published March 20, 2025 By Cheryl Eddy Published January 13, 2025 By Justin Carter Published September 1, 2024