Sony has revealed its movie adaptation of beloved PlayStation horror game Until Dawn will feature a new story and cast of characters separate from the original game's.Ashley Brucks, president of Sony's film division Screen Gems, said during a CES 2025 presentation that Until Dawn will still respect the source material, however, and actor Peter Stormare, who played Doctor Hill in the original game and plays an unknown character in the film, said this approach works for dedicated fans and newcomers."I have been lucky to be part of Until Dawn since the original, incredible, super terrifying game, and what's why I'm so excited to be part of this film, because the whole thing is a love letter to horror, and it completely honors the spirit of the game," Stormare said."The movie is going to be full of fresh characters and victims in a brand new story loaded with twists, so whether you're a longtime fan or discovering it for the first time, get ready for Until Dawn like you've never seen it before."The movie is going to be full of fresh characters and victims in a brand new story loaded with twists.Brucks expanded on how the film was adapted, insisting it honors the original Until Dawn despite being a fresh take on the premise. The original game followed eight teenagers spending a spooky night in the woods, with players' choices determining who lived and died."The key to successful adapting these games comes down to one thing: respecting the source material," Brucks said. "Our close collaboration with PlayStation Productions gives us and our filmmakers the advantage of working directly with the creators of the game."It's a careful balance of trying to identify and incorporate what the fans love about the game and the experience as well as offering something fresh and exciting to entice newcomers. In adapting Until Dawn, filmmaker David F. Sandberg, who is a big fan of the widely acclaimed game, took the essence of what makes the game great and selected elements we think are the most important to the fans and paid homage to it in the right way."We then built out Until Dawn's universe, using the core premise of a group of friends who encounter a variety of terrifying threats to tell a new story that is truly visceral and horrifying."Comments on expanding Until Dawn's universe are familiar to those who played the PlayStation 5 remake which, despite suffering a rough launch, introduced a new ending to the game that appeared to set up a sequel.Additional scenes, and spoiler warning for the new ending which arrived in October 2024, were added at the end of both Josh and Sam's "good" endings.A cutscene shows Josh, played by Rami Malek, survive the wendigo encounter while a voiceover from Stormare's Doctor Hill, the therapist who speaks with him and the player between each chapter, talks of Josh finally finding redemption.The larger of the two scenes is what some players believe sets up a sequel, however. It's the first scene not set within the single night the rest of Until Dawn takes place in, instead showing Sam, played by Hayden Panettiere, years later.Aptly waking up at dawn in her Los Angeles apartment, with medicine and a book about myths on her bedside table, Sam swipes to unlock her phone and blood smears across the screen. She opens her palm and sees blood trickling down from a nasty scar on her arm that doesn't quite appear to be real. Following a knock at the door and further wipes at her arm, a voice from behind her whispers "Sam" before the scene cuts to black.The Until Dawn film could therefore offer other tie ins to a new game, or be a full sequel itself, though original developer Supermassive Games hasn't indicated that another game is coming. Fans don't have too long to wait before seeing what the adaptation entails, as it arrives April 25, 2025.Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

When it comes to working with director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Battle Ship, Lone Survivor), Taylor Kitsch (also Friday Night Lights, Battle Ship, Lone Survivor) has a simple approach. I have no choice, Kitsch tells Den of Geek. Theres just a brotherhood thats there. And a trust.That trust between director and performer is now set to be put to good use again in American Primeval, a six-episode Western miniseries set to debut to Netflix on January 9, 2025. Set around the real life events of the Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857, American Primeval is described as a fictionalized dramatization and examination of the violent collision of culture, religion, and community [in the 19th century American West] as men and women fight and die to keep or control this land.One of the men fighting for control is Isaac (Kitsch), a mysterious frontiersman who agrees to shepherd a woman named Sara (Betty Gilpin) and her son (Preston Mota) across southern Utah past militiamen, bounty hunters, Paiute and renegade Shoshone tribes, and the Mormon army. Its a dangerous journey to be sure, and a violent one. Just how violent, you ask? Well Netflix has helpfully provided an exclusive clip from the series that shows how quickly things can turn on a dime in the Old West. Give it a look below!Here we see Isaac and Sara approach some fur traders with a simple request to buy their horses. The traders, however, have been tipped off that a woman and her son are traveling through the area and there will be a considerable reward for turning them in to bounty hunters. Rather than accepting $100 for the horses (which, according to an inflation calculator would be about $4,100 now), they decide the bounty is probably the better reward. Unfortunately for them, thats the last decision they ever make.Watching Taylor Kitsch spring into action as a scion of old-timey Western vengeance, you get a sense of why the Canadian actor is happy to keep answering Peter Bergs calls. Isaac looks like some unholy cross between Wolverine and John Wick as he quickly empties his pistol into two traders then procures a hatchet to violently finish off the rest. The whole melee takes roughly 10 seconds and by the end of it, at least five assailants are a bloody mush and Isaac and company are ready to continue on with their new, now free, transportation.Bro, you should have just sold them those horses. In addition to Kitsch and Gilpin, American Primeval stars Dane DeHaan, Saura Lightfoot-Leon, Derek Hinkey, Joe Tippett, Jai Courtney, Preston Mota, Shawnee Pourier, and Shea Whigham, and Kim Coates as Mormon leader Brigham Young. The miniseries was created and written by Mark L. Smith and executive produced by Eric Newman and Alex Gayner. Julie OKeefe serves Indigenous Cultural Consultant and Project Advisor.All six episodes of American Primeval premiere Thursday, January 9 on Netflix.

Apple always offers an extended return window for products purchased during the holiday season. But that period is just about to end, making now your last chance to get in any last-minute returns.January 8 is the last day to make holiday returnsincluding for M4 MacsHeres Apples holiday return policy:Eligible products at the Apple Store Online that are received between November 8, 2024 and December 25, 2024, may be returned through January 8, 2025. Please note that all other terms and conditions provided in the Apple Store Online Sales and Refunds Policy are still applicable with respect to such products purchased. iPhone purchases that are carrier-financed with T-Mobile or Verizon are not eligible and are subject to standard return policy. All purchases made after December 25, 2024 are subject to the Standard Return Policy.This holiday policy is especially relevant to two main groups of people:Those who received Apple products as gifts over the holidaysAnd also anyone who purchased an M4 MacOf course, even if you dont fit into either of these buckets, but you made an Apple Store purchase any time from November 8 through December 25, tomorrow is your last chance to make a return.I wanted to highlight M4 Mac customers specifically, though, because the first M4 Macs debuted on November 8.That means no one (outside of Russia) received their M4 MacBook Pro, M4 iMac, or M4 Mac mini any earlier than the holiday windows kickoff.So if youve been waffling on whether to keep your M4 Mac, or any other Apple product purchased or received in the last couple months, act fast. This Wednesday, January 8 is the last day to make a return.Are you making any Apple product returns? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Vision Pro has a lot of potential as a gaming device, but that potential has mostly been untapped so far. Today, an NVIDIA announcement is one of the first signs of change on the way.Game streaming service will be fully optimized for Safari on visionOSAs spotted by MacStories, NVIDIA has announced that their game streaming service, GeForce NOW, will be coming to the Vision Pro later this month when the newest app update, version 2.0.70, starts rolling out.From NVIDIAs announcement post:In collaboration with Apple, Meta and ByteDance, NVIDIA is expanding GeForce NOW cloud gaming to Apple Vision Pro spatial computers, Meta Quest 3 and 3S and Pico virtual- and mixed-reality devices with all the bells and whistles of NVIDIA technologies, including ray tracing and NVIDIA DLSSLater this month, these supported devices will give members access to an extensive library of games to stream through GeForce NOW by opening the browser to play.geforcenow.comIt sounds like rather than offering a dedicated app on Vision Pro, NVIDIA will be rolling out updates that optimize GeForce NOW for performing well in Safari on visionOS.NVIDIA says Vision Pro and the other VR devices will support gamepad-compatible titles and GeForce NOW Ultimate and Performance members will be able to tap into RTX and DLSS technologies in supported games for an even better visual experience.This news follows the recent Mark Gurman report that Apple and Sony were working to bring support for true VR gaming controllers from the PlayStation VR2 to Vision Pro. Slowly, the gaming story on Vision Pro is starting to grow.9to5Macs TakeGame streaming has had a rocky road for adoption on Apples platforms, primarily due to App Store rules that at one time restricted streaming apps. Nearly a year ago though, Apple updated its App Store policies to explicitly allow game streaming apps. We havent yet seen a major wave of developers bringing game streaming to Apple platforms, but todays announcement is a good sign for future potential.Are you excited about this news? Do you think gaming on Vision Pro will start to take off? Let us know in the comments.Best Vision Pro accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

There are plenty of third-party apps that will create automated lighting scenes with Philips Hue products, but a report that the company will be launching this feature in the official app has today been confirmed.Users will be able to request AI-generated scenes using either voice or text, with the company citing the example Give me a scene for a garden party Hueblog said in October of last year that the feature was in testing.AI has become an integral part of the technology world and artificial intelligence now has a hand in many things. Perhaps soon in Philips Hue too? This is indeed conceivable, at least in part.Philips Hue has been testing an AI Playground for some time now, which is designed to create a suitable light scene with a simple text command. Create a scene for a childrens birthday party or Create a scene for a cosy breakfast should provide the appropriate light settings.When it is launched in the Hue app unfortunately I dont know the exact date it will probably only have limited functionality at first. According to my information, the AI function will not yet be able to create its own scenes, but will only recommend suitable, existing scenes. You can then use commands such as What is the best scene for a winter evening to get the right results.The Verge today says that the company has confirmed that it will be launching some time this quarter.Philips Hue users will soon be able to create their own AI-powered lighting scenes, the company announced on Tuesday.Philips Hues new generative AI lighting assistant lets users create personalized lighting scenes based on occasion, mood, or style. They can do so by typing commands like Give me a scene for a garden party into the Hue app and also by using their voice. The assistant will then either recommend scenes from the existing Philips Hue gallery or create a new one entirely. In addition to creating scenes, the AI assistant can also be used to adjust the settings of existing lights, including brightness levels and color.The news gets a brief mention in a press release published today, but with no further details.Philips Hue introduces its first generative AI assistant in the Hue app, delivering personalized lighting scenes based on mood, occasion or style. Available in 2025, the assistant lets users type or speak commands to create the perfect ambiance, with feedback features ensuring continuous improvement.It will be compatible with all Hue lights.Image: Philips Hue and 9to5MacAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

"This sounds like science fiction right now, and somewhat crazy to even talk about it."Path ForwardOpenAI CEO Sam Altman has tried all kinds of rhetorical strategies to suggest that the dawn of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is nigh and in new missive, now he's trying a fresh pitch: that while OpenAI hasn't quite created AGI quite yet, it knows the roadmap to get there."We are now confident we know how to build AGI as we have traditionally understood it," Altman wrote in a personal blog post.There's a lot to unpack about what a "traditional" understanding of AGI might entail. In the past, OpenAI has described it as a "system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work" and Altman characterized it as a "magic intelligence in the sky,"though an exact definition remains shrouded in controversy.One thing's for sure: this latest appeal dovetails perfectly with OpenAI and Altman's current business proposition: that they can pull off economically compelling AI, if only they can obtain more and more financial and computing resources to build the systems to support it.To that end, Altman wrote in his new post that AI "agents" may begin to "join the workforce" this year. In doing so, the CEO wrote, these seemingly AIs will "materially change the output of companies" which would also mean, of course, that they'd replace human workers, with all the baggage that entails.Glory DaysIn reality, whether OpenAI is really on the cusp offinally birthing AGI which Altman has been teasingfor agesis a matter of serious contention among experts.Sure, maybe it can fund enough data centers to scale its way to true human-level intelligence, but it's also perfectly possible that it'll hit a wall, or that its gains are already leveling off.But for all Altman's bravado, his latest entreaty sounds a lot like OpenAI's familiar and steady drip of AGI investment pitches."This sounds like science fiction right now, and somewhat crazy to even talk about it," the CEO contended. "Thats alright weve been there before and were OK with being there again."Share This Article

Jan 07, 2025Ravie LakshmananFirmware Security / MalwareCybersecurity researchers have uncovered firmware security vulnerabilities in the Illumina iSeq 100 DNA sequencing instrument that, if successfully exploited, could permit attackers to brick or plant persistent malware on susceptible devices."The Illumina iSeq 100 used a very outdated implementation of BIOS firmware using CSM [Compatibility Support Mode] mode and without Secure Boot or standard firmware write protections," Eclypsium said in a report shared with The Hacker News."This would allow an attacker on the system to overwrite the system firmware to either 'brick' the device or install a firmware implant for ongoing attacker persistence."While the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is the modern replacement for the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS), the firmware security company said the iSeq 100 boots to an old version of BIOS (B480AM12 - 04/12/2018) that has known vulnerabilities.Also noticeably absent are protections to tell the hardware where it can read and write firmware, thereby allowing an attacker to modify device firmware. Also not enabled is Secure Boot, thereby allowing malicious changes to the firmware to go undetected.Eclypsium pointed out that it's not advisable for newer high-value assets to support CSM, as it's chiefly meant for old devices that can't be upgraded and need to maintain compatibility. Following responsible disclosure, Illumina has released a fix.In a hypothetical attack scenario, an adversary could target unpatched Illumina devices, escalate their privileges, and write arbitrary code to the firmware. This is not the first time severe vulnerabilities have been disclosed in DNA gene sequencers from Illumina. In April 2023, a critical security flaw (CVE-2023-1968, CVSS score: 10.0) could have made it possible to eavesdrop on network traffic and remotely transmit arbitrary commands."The ability to overwrite firmware on the iSeq 100 would enable attackers to easily disable the device, causing significant disruption in the context of a ransomware attack. This would not only take a high-value device out of service, it would also likely take considerable effort to recover the device via manually reflashing the firmware," Eclypsium said."This could significantly raise the stakes in the context of a ransomware or cyberattack. Sequencers are critical to detecting genetic illnesses, cancers, identifying drug-resistant bacteria, and for the production of vaccines. This would make these devices a ripe target for state-based actors with geopolitical motives in addition to the more traditional financial motives of ransomware actors."Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post.SHARE

Will Smith will not star in the next Matrix movie.The King Richard actor sparked speculation on Monday that he would be part of the fifth installment of the franchise that is currently in development after he shared a cryptic video on Instagram that told how he initially turned down the lead role of Neo, which ultimately went to Keanu Reeves, with the post ending on a teaser that led to fans speculating he was joining the series.The video message, in a Matrix-style font, read: In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would The Matrix have been like with Will Smith as Neo? Wake up, Will The Matrixhas you ...However, insiders told The Hollywood Reporter thatSmith will not be joining director Drew Goddard's upcoming Matrixproject.Warner Bros.Warner Bros.loading...READ MORE: The Best 90s Movies EverThe upcoming movie will be the first not directed by a Wachowski, though Lana Wachowski, who directed 2021's The Matrix Resurrections without sister Lilly, will executive produce the film.The project was announced last April, with Warner Bros praising The Cabin in the Woods filmmaker's vision.The studio said in a statement: Drew came to Warner Bros. with a new idea that we all believe would be an incredible way to continue the Matrix world, by both honoring what Lana and Lilly began over 25-years ago and offering a unique perspective based on his own love of the series and characters.Goddardsaid in his own statement: It is not hyperbole to say The Matrix films changed both cinema and my life. Lana and Lillys exquisite artistry inspires me on a daily basis, and I am beyond grateful for the chance to tell stories in their world.Meanwhile,Smith previously spoke of how he turned down The Matrix after being unimpressed by the siblings pitch.He said in a 2019 video shared to his YouTube channel: The Wachowskis, they came in and it was like, they had only done one movie...They came in, and they made a pitch for The Matrix. As it turns out, theyre geniuses, but there's a fine line in a pitch meeting between genius and what I experienced in the meeting... So, I made Wild Wild West. Im not proud of it.Get our free mobile app90s Movies We Cant Believe Got RemakesThese popular 90s movies got remakes. And all we want to know is ... why?

Meet the face of McDonalds new McValue menu: John Cena.(You can see him in the picture above, right? Sometimes people cant see him.)McDonaldsannounced a new bunch ofmenu deals today, with Cena astheir somewhat unlikely, extremely yellow sweater-wearing spokesperson.The companys new McValue platform includes a buy one, add one for a dollar offer, as well as a $5 Meal Deal. New users of the McDonalds appcan also get a free McCrispy chicken sandwich.Personally, wecant stop staring at the pictures of Cena,who returned to WWElast night for the start of what Cena has claimed will be his final year of wrestling before his retirement, brandishing trays of McDonalds food.McDonaldsMcDonaldsloading...READ MORE: Once-Beloved Fast Food Items That No Longer ExistIt is somewhat difficult, given Cenas hulking physique, to imagine him eating too often at McDonalds. But he toldPeople Magazinehis go-to order at the restaurant is two double cheeseburgers and two six-piece Chicken McNuggets.I tend not to do any drinks, because I just want to enjoy the savoriness of that, he added.Two burgers and two McNuggets and absolutelynodrink whatsoever to wash it down? You sit there with the residue of four meat patties and 12 nuggets in your mouth so you can enjoy the savoriness? Is that a thing?!? Isnt that just called being thirsty?Anyway, the items you can get under the buy one, add one for $1 deal include a six-piece McNuggets, a double cheeseburger, a McChicken, or a small fries. (For breakfast, you could opt for a Sausage McMuffin, biscuit, burrito, or hash browns. Its a big day for sausage fans.) The $5 Meal Deal comes with McDouble or McChicken, small fries, four-piece McNuggets and a small drink for five bucks.You can get more info on McDonalds website. Go there and enjoy the savoriness.Get our free mobile appThe Craziest Fast Food Menu Items EverFiled Under: Fast Food, John Cena, McDonald's, WWECategories: TV News

Title of Role: Virtual Interior Graphic Designer (Remote)Nathan James is hiring a Graphic Designed specializing in Virtual Room Designs to join our team. This role supports the Brand Marketing team's efforts in curating stunning visual assets for website merchandising, e-interior design, and other key brand initiatives.People-first company, design-first home.We are a design-first, home furnishing company focusing on the habits of urban dwellers and first time home buyers. We create stylish, affordable furniture that empowers people to bring their dreams homes to life.Because we are a people-first company, we understood the importance of being fully distributed from the beginning. Our fully remote team prioritizes collaboration, thoughtful work, and a people-first approach that values personal and professional happiness. Taking this approach helps our teammates avoid compromising who they are or their values in pursuit of a career.ABOUT THE ROLE:As a Graphic Designer specializing in virtual room design, you will be joining a Brand marketing team with three other designers. You will be responsible for curating room setups that highlight Nathan James products in aspirational, on-trend settings. Your work will be instrumental in shaping how customers visualize our products & collections in their own spaces as these images are used on our website product pages, social media & ads. Youll receive guidance and training from our senior visual artist to help you thrive in this role.This role is responsible for:Primary Responsibility: Curate virtual room designs in Google Slides for our 3D team, including collaborating with and giving feedback to our 3D rendering team.Work with the product development team to create templated instruction sheets using InDesign (ability to understand simple dielines required).Assist with brand service requests such as web assets, video editing, UGC curation, onsite imagery, and retailer-specific assets.Our current stack includes: Adobe Creative Suite, Asana, G-Suite , Later Social Media Management, Airtable, and Shopify.ABOUT US:We appreciate that time is our most valuable resource. Thats why, in everything we do, we focus on what truly matters. We do this by removing processes and ideologies that hinder our work, designing benefits that nurture a healthy relationship with work, and upholding our operating values to guide us. Through these frameworks, we build a resilient organization.We also understand working for Nathan James isnt the only function of our lives, and we dont expect that! Weve found that a team member who will be happy and fulfilled as a remote team member at Nathan James is someone who values their personal life and identity outside of work. Thats why we dont create mandatory team hangouts or events.Weve done our best work when we focus on what were solving for and whats true, so we dont create barriers or false expectations that distract us from our mission. We also dont set unreasonable working hours, deadlines, or goals. We create with calm, slow is smooth and smooth is fast.Check out Glassdoorto hear what the team has to say about working at Nathan James.ABOUT YOU:We're looking for a passionate designer with a background in graphic design (web/digital) and e-commerce photography. You should have expert knowledgeof Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator) and a strong visual aesthetic.Having an interior design "eye" is required for this role as you will be designing on-trend virtual rooms.This is a remote role, so you'll have the flexibility to work wherever you're most productive! To succeed, you'll need:Exceptional communication and organizational skills (both verbal and written).A self-starter mentality with strong time management abilities.Comfort with taking and applying feedback.For this role we do require that your normal workday has at least 4 hours overlap with both PST & EST workday without impinging on your personal/family life.Programs We UseAdobe Creative Suite:Photoshop (Advanced), Illustrator (Advanced), and InDesign (Intermediate) is required for creating visual layouts and design assets.Google Slides: Used for curating and presenting room concepts for the 3D rendering team.AirTable(no prior experience required) - used for Product & Information Management & front-end Shopify codeAsana(no prior experience required) - used internally for task & project managementSlack (no prior experience required) - used internally for communicationBonus Skills (Not Required):Experience with Shopify/front-end web designExperience creating and editing online ads (e.g., Meta Ads, Google Ads), including both static and video formats, with knowledge of ad design best practices and relevant tools (e.g., Final Cut, CapCut, Canva, Descript, Adobe Premiere, After Effects).UI/UX design experienceBENEFITS & PERKS:Our benefits are all aimed at supporting a life well lived both at work and away from work.With these benefits, we want and expect you to take vacations, spend time with your family, and be conscious of your personal wellness.HOW TO APPLY:Please submit an application here that speaks directly to this position. A cover letter is not required, but those that clearly demonstrate how Nathan James would be a great fit for you and how you would be a great fit for us will be given full attention and are highly appreciated.We expect to take two weeks to review all applications. If you dont hear from us by then, we have decided to move forward with other candidates.If we choose to move forward to the next steps in the interview process, youll hear from us and advance to a brief video interview and then on to a work sample, where youll get a chance to see the types of challenges you would be solving in this role. Our interviews are all remote by video chat, with your future colleagues, on your schedule.We aim to make an offer by end of February with a start date in March.Virtual Interior Graphic Designer Application FormA note on culture fit:At Nathan James, we are a fully remote team. We dont emphasize traditional workplace socializing or unnecessary meetingsyour time and energy are yours to manage. Well discuss this and more during the interview process!If this approach resonates with you and youre not someone who gets their social energy from work, were excited to learn more about you and review your application!