Ballerina: From the World of John Wick's filmmaker disagrees with people who have labeled it a spin-off project.

Stranger Things‘ fifth and final season finally has a premiere date. During its live Tudum event, Netflix announced that Stranger Things‘ fifth season will actually be split into three parts. Volume 1 is set to debut on November 26th, Volume 2 premieres on December 25th, and The Finale drops on New Years Eve. Along with the premiere dates, Netflix also shared a teaser showing off some of what Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin, (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Max (Sadie Sink) are going to be up against when the show returns. Initially, Netflix suggested that Stranger Things’ final chapter would be split into two pieces rather than three, but the new release plans seem like the company’s way of making sure that viewers stick around rather than inhaling the show in a couple of sittings. Though this is the end of the core Stranger Things series, Netflix still has live-action and animated spin-offs in the works. The streamer still hasn’t revealed any more concrete details about the spinoffs, but it probably won’t be long before that changes.

It’s no secret that the film industry is dominated by series and franchises and shared universes, to the degree that every time a studio releases a successful movie, it’s only a matter of a couple years before that movie is the start of a new cinematic universe.Turning a simple series — first movie, sequel, sequel to the sequel, and so on — into a franchise only requires one thing: spinoffs that are just as well received as the original project. These could be based on pre-existing side characters who finally get their moment to shine, or based on related IP that exists in the same world but hasn’t gotten a feature yet, or an entirely new story with a couple Easter eggs thrown in to emphasize a connection.A lot of the time, this works. Every major studio is still chasing the highs of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — the Avengers saga plus all of its additions over the years. Other times, it doesn’t, and the exciting spinoff that was meant to be the start of an entirely new series of films turns out to be a dud, a literal non-starter, and whatever was planned to come after it is scrapped until everyone forgets how bad it was. Today, we’re celebrating these movies, the poorly planned, the poorly executed, and the just plain all-around terrible attempts to juice more story from a pre-existing world. Some of these even have fans, but even they will admit that the original is always better.The Worst Spinoffs of Beloved Movie FranchisesNot every movies series deserves its own cinematic universe of spinoffs. Gallery Credit: Emma StefanskyREAD MORE: 10 TV Spinoffs That Became Bigger Than the OriginalGet our free mobile appThe 10 Worst Sequels of the Last 10 Years (2015-2024)Audiences always push for sequels to their favorite movies. Sometimes, that backfires big time.

Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,943 In an interview with GamesMarkt, Omega Forcedirector and producer Tomohiko Sho – who produced this year's Dynasty Warriors: Origins – was asked how successful the series is in the West, given that most of the Steam user reviews for the game are written in Chinese. Sho replied that, in his view, Dynasty Warriors is not yet a successful series in the West, but that it's possible for this to change in the future. "I believe that the 'Dynasty Warriors' series is not yet in a position to be called a success in the West," Sho said. "On the contrary, I believe that there is a great potential for the series to gain many fans in the future. "With our latest title, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, we were able to attract new fans in addition to those we have had since the PlayStation 2 era. The Western market is very important, and I believe that if there is a next title, we will gain even more new fans." Click to expand... Click to shrink... Dynasty Warriors producer says the series still can’t be called a success in the West | VGC The latest game, Dynasty Warriors: Origins, has sold more than 1 million copies worldwide… www.videogameschronicle.com Origins was the first game in the series i played and i absolutely loved it so i hope it can continue to grow in the west.  --R Being sued right now, please help me find a lawyer Member Oct 25, 2017 15,658 Origins is a must play for everyone that likes action games. A masterpiece from beginning to end.   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 I think he's being modest more than anything else. This is less "the series is a failure" and more "I think we can do even better".   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,882 Spain I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here.  Dekuman Member Oct 27, 2017 21,144 Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... it's why spin offs of the formula like Hyrule Warriors do considerably better.   Richietto One Winged Slayer Member Oct 25, 2017 26,133 North Carolina Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Unfortunately this. Obviously it did really well on Steam and what not but there's a reason Hyrule Warrios can do so damn well on a single platform. It's the setting.   fiendcode Member Oct 26, 2017 26,412 We saw this from the CCUs tbh, overwhelmingly tilted towards Asia.   LAA One Winged Slayer Member Oct 28, 2017 3,264 Origins I haven't tried, more tempted seeing impressions here, but I read Steph Sterling's review on it and they weren't happy with realism essentially removing personality from it. I think the other thing that puts me off is they just seem very heavy handed with DLC too, and seemingly for pretty basic things, I want as complete of a game as possible. Really I'm kinda surprised they haven't done more collabs with more IPs. I think Hyrule Warriors was really the first I truly played and loved. Other collabs since I've enjoyed too like P5 Strikers. Berserker was fine. AOT I enjoyed too and that's actually very different from the others. I'd love a KH Musou eventually.. so many characters and abilities they could use, and enemies are pretty simplistically designed, and there's already been moments where you had to kill 1000+ Heartless, seems a perfect fit, ha.  PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 Dekuman said: it's why spin offs of the formula like Hyrule Warriors do considerably better. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Do they really do that much better?  OP OP Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,943 Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... You're probably right but for me the three kingdoms setting made it even more interesting. Don't think a medieval europe or a more western fantasy approach would catch me in the same way.  Disco Stu Member Oct 27, 2017 2,557 Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Totally agree and this is coming from someone seeks out other Three Kingdoms content because of KOEI. Someone the other day mentioned using the engine for an Avengers or Superman style game. I could see that catching on if done right.  Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,882 Spain PlanetSmasher said: Do they really do that much better? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Not all of them, but some, yes. Age of Calamity is the best selling musou at 4M.  Rosebud Two Pieces Member Apr 16, 2018 51,357 I want Origins but still too pricey unfortunately. I love Samurai Warriors, Pirate Warriors, Persona 5 Strikers...   TheAggroCraig This guy are sick of the One Winged Slayer Member Nov 6, 2017 7,354 I'll show up for the franchise again when they bring back Dynasty Warriors Gundam   Dekuman Member Oct 27, 2017 21,144 PlanetSmasher said: Do they really do that much better? Click to expand... Click to shrink... Here's what i can find from the Nintendo million seller list Hyrule Warriors - Age of Calamity 4+ million units as of March 2021  MetalKhaos Member Oct 31, 2017 2,228 PlanetSmasher said: I think he's being modest more than anything else. This is less "the series is a failure" and more "I think we can do even better". Click to expand... Click to shrink... That's my take. Origins was first DW game I enjoyed in a really long time. Solid entry, and I feel a game like this is made all the better with this current gen due to how incredibly fast the loading times are.  SlasherMcGirk Member Oct 27, 2017 4,429 Cincinnati Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It's not even that I think its the fact that they have done the same setting and characters 20 times over. It's an interesting period and story with great characters but you can only add and stretch the same story so many times without diminishing returns.   PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 SlasherMcGirk said: It's not even that I think its the fact that they have done the same setting and characters 20 times over. It's an interesting period and story with great characters but you can only add and stretch the same story so many times without diminishing returns. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I think the other problem is there aren't that many periods of time across history that can support this kind of game structure with such a heavy emphasis on specific heroes. Like, they tried Troy once and it didn't really catch on, nor did Bladestorm. For better and for worse, the Three Kingdoms and Sengoku eras are kind of the time periods that have A) a level of ubiquity in Asia that makes East Asian players interested in them and B) an emphasis on character substantial enough to support the Musou gameplay format. By comparison, I don't think a Musou game based on (for example) the American Revolution would sell particularly well outside of the US, and that war was A) not that long and B) took place in an era where firearms had largely supplanted melee combat so the movesets would wind up feeling very samey.  Ltn_Esteves Member Feb 4, 2021 213 Dekuman said: Here's what i can find from the Nintendo million seller list Hyrule Warriors - Age of Calamity 4+ million units as of March 2021 Click to expand... Click to shrink... And I think that is without japan sales, since Nintendo is only the publisher in the west   Astral Member Oct 27, 2017 33,463 TheAggroCraig said: I'll show up for the franchise again when they bring back Dynasty Warriors Gundam Click to expand... Click to shrink... Man I would love this. Did they stop for licensing reasons or something? Origins was amazing and I can't wait for what's next.  PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 Astral said: Man I would love this. Did they stop for licensing reasons or something? Origins was amazing and I can't wait for what's next. Click to expand... Click to shrink... They stopped because the third game sold almost no copies. People got sick of the concept after the second game.  Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,882 Spain PlanetSmasher said: I think the other problem is there aren't that many periods of time across history that can support this kind of game structure with such a heavy emphasis on specific heroes. Like, they tried Troy once and it didn't really catch on, nor did Bladestorm. For better and for worse, the Three Kingdoms and Sengoku eras are kind of the time periods that have A) a level of ubiquity in Asia that makes East Asian players interested in them and B) an emphasis on character substantial enough to support the Musou gameplay format. By comparison, I don't think a Musou game based on (for example) the American Revolution would sell particularly well outside of the US, and that war was A) not that long and B) took place in an era where firearms had largely supplanted melee combat so the movesets would wind up feeling very samey. Click to expand... Click to shrink... It doesn't really need to be historical. There are One Piece, Zelda, Dragon Quest, Gundam... They could do something sci-fi or fantasy with their own setting and characters if they want. But, hey, if they like three kingdoms, they don't need to change it, but it's going to be very hard to grow in the West.   Dreamboum Member Oct 28, 2017 23,942 How are they gonna find an audience in the west when the game is 80 *euros* on all platforms? Their biggest discount is 64 euros. Come on man  MarvelousIntent Member Aug 13, 2019 3,936 LAA said: Origins I haven't tried, more tempted seeing impressions here, but I read Steph Sterling's review on it and they weren't happy with realism essentially removing personality from it. I think the other thing that puts me off is they just seem very heavy handed with DLC too, and seemingly for pretty basic things, I want as complete of a game as possible. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'd recommend watching some gameplay to see how you feel about it. I understand Steph's gripes with Origins, but it is legitimately the best game in the series and it isn't even close. Like, the combat is actually good. Enemy officers actually put up a fight. Lu Bu is an actual boss fight and hard as hell to beat. Origins three greatest faults are where it chooses to end, the silent protagonist you can't customize, and that there are only like 9 weapons. The weapons issue also isn't that bad because each weapon has functions different and has plenty of abilities to choose from. It feels fantastic to play and blows every other game out of the water. Also, as far as I'm aware, Origins doesn't really have DLC. It had some pre-order bonuses, but thats it. As it is, the game is complete.  PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 Glio said: It doesn't really need to be historical. There are One Piece, Zelda, Dragon Quest, Gundam... They could do something sci-fi or fantasy with their own setting and characters if they want. But, hey, if they like three kingdoms, they don't need to change it, but it's going to be very hard to grow in the West. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I don't think a bunch of anime Musou spinoffs are going to grow the franchise in the West. They've been doing anime spinoffs for 20 years and they just sell to people who are already Musou fans who happen to like that particular anime. It's a concept that only works on fanbase overlap. And I don't think an original setting is going to interest people who aren't already fans either.  General Tso Member Jan 10, 2018 540 Dynasty Warriors Origins was an excellent refresh, and I hope they continue to build off it (like they did DW2 through DW5), because the fundamentals are all there.   DontHateTheBacon Unshakable Resolve Member Oct 27, 2017 14,618 It was my first Dynasty Warriors game and I had a complete blast with it. I'm in if this is what they'll be like going forward. I hope the dust settles well for it in the west.   Dale Copper Member Apr 12, 2018 24,363 Glio said: Not all of them, but some, yes. Age of Calamity is the best selling musou at 4M. Click to expand... Click to shrink... One Piece Pirate Warriors 4 is also at 4 million sales. Spinoffs are more popular if they push them.  thewienke Member Oct 25, 2017 19,345 "If there is a next game" I hope they're being deliberately evasive there considering Origins ends half way through the story Although I do think the story is more interesting before the Three Kingdoms are established since there are more players and more going on  Pyro God help us the mods are making weekend threads Member Jul 30, 2018 18,900 United States Glio said: I honestly think what limits the franchise most in the West today is the setting of Three Kingdoms, not the gameplay. It's a fascinating historical period, but I don't think it'll be very popular here. Click to expand... Click to shrink... This is definitely part of it. I'm more into Samurai Warriors because the setting is more interesting to me.  LiquidDom Avenger Oct 27, 2017 2,729 I bought Origins on day one but have so much else on my plate. I'd like to get to it soon, might be a good palette cleanser after Death Stranding 2   OP OP Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,943 Dreamboum said: How are they gonna find an audience in the west when the game is 80 *euros* on all platforms? Their biggest discount is 64 euros. Come on man Click to expand... Click to shrink... I bought a key for like 43€ a few months ago so you can definitely get it cheaper if you're looking for it.   Kyrios Member Oct 27, 2017 19,152 --R said: Origins is a must play for everyone that likes action games. A masterpiece from beginning to end. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Yup, still a frontrunner for my personal GOTY.  OP OP Xando Member Oct 28, 2017 37,943 Only thing i wished they would improve on really would be that the MC has more of a personality   DyCy Member Oct 25, 2017 587 I loved Origins as my first real DW (I played the first Hyrule Warriors) but as interesting as it was for a first timer I do wonder how much I'd want to revisit the Three Kingdoms story over and over again in sequels so I do think the setting is limiting the potential of the franchise. Would love a spin off based on Star Wars, Marvel or Final Fantasy though.  Astral Member Oct 27, 2017 33,463 PlanetSmasher said: They stopped because the third game sold almost no copies. People got sick of the concept after the second game. Click to expand... Click to shrink... Aw damn. I honestly didn't even know there was a third one. I think they have the potential of making a really good one with the current formula.   Glio Member Oct 27, 2017 27,882 Spain PlanetSmasher said: I don't think a bunch of anime Musou spinoffs are going to grow the franchise in the West. They've been doing anime spinoffs for 20 years and they just sell to people who are already Musou fans who happen to like that particular anime. It's a concept that only works on fanbase overlap. And I don't think an original setting is going to interest people who aren't already fans either. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I'm going to be cynical because it's an idea that doesn't appeal to me personally, but I'm pretty sure if they made a dark fantasy setting with fallen knights, ruined kingdoms and cursed battlefields; and marketed it as "the Dark Souls of musou," it would sell. And I feel almost dirty just proposing it.  PlanetSmasher The Abominable Showman Member Oct 25, 2017 133,345 Glio said: I'm going to be cynical because it's an idea that doesn't appeal to me personally, but I'm pretty sure if they made a dark fantasy setting with fallen knights, ruined kingdoms and cursed battlefields; and marketed it as "the Dark Souls of musou," it would sell. And I feel almost dirty just proposing it. Click to expand... Click to shrink... I don't...really think it would work? Like the entire fantasy of Musou is "being an unstoppable killing machine", trying to focus it around super-hardcore grimdark difficulty would kind of defeat the purpose of it being Musou at all. Dark fantasy doesn't just succeed by default, and I don't think audiences would be tricked by that either. The Berserk musou flopped catastrophically badly.  MaxAugust Member Jan 28, 2018 3,573 thewienke said: "If there is a next game" I hope they're being deliberately evasive there considering Origins ends half way through the story Although I do think the story is more interesting before the Three Kingdoms are established since there are more players and more going on Click to expand... Click to shrink... The secret is everyone throughout time has felt that the pre-Three Kingdoms phase of the Three Kingdoms is the interesting part. Pretty much every adaptation stalls out a bit after things solidify. Hard to make the decades long stalemate and then abrupt anticlimactic (although poetic in an "everyone fails" way) denouement satisfying as a conventional narrative.  

Electronic Arts has company reportedly shut down Seattle-based game studio Cliffhanger Games, not even two years after announcing the founding of the studio and revealing its flagship game: an open-world action game based on Marvel's Black Panther superhero.According to IGN—which first reported on the closure—the news was delivered to EA staffers in a letter sent by EA Entertainment president Laura Miele (the second-highest-paid executive at EA in 2024), who told workers that the move was part of a strategy to "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities." Miele reportedly referenced other recent decisions along these lines, likely including the company's decision last month to lay off over 300 developers across its studios and cancel an Apex Legends spinoff in development at Respawn Entertainment, as well as January's arguably quiet layoff that impacted a number of developers at EA-owned BioWare.It's unknown if any developers impacted by the reported Cliffhanger Games closure came to the team following a reassignment from BioWare or Respawn. EA apparently also laid off workers on its mobile and central teams. Game Developer has reached out to EA regarding these events and will update the story pending a reply.Related:The drastic closure raises huge questions about EA's strategy and its relationship with licensed projects, which have previously made up a sizable portion of its release pipeline. Miele apparently told employees that the company is continuing to "invest" in Motive Studios' Iron Man game (another licensed project), and the third Star Wars: Jedi game in development at Respawn Interactive. (Respawn is also supporting the development of BitReactor's Star Wars strategy game Star Wars: Zero Company).Why do the brilliant business brains at EA keep bungling big games?In 2024 CEO Andrew Wilson announced that the company would spend over $125 million to lay off five percent of its workforce, and shift away from its reliance on third-party licensing to rely on its own intellectual properties.However, that support seems to already have waned as the teams behind EA-owned properties like Dragon Age or Titanfall (better known today for its battle royale spinoff Apex Legends) have been on the receiving end of the 'sharpened focus' reportedly mentioned by Miele. Layoffs at both studios followed a year where executive compensation reached a collective over $60 million despite a period of sizable layoffs at the time. IGN reports that the Battlefield, Sims, Skate, Mass Effect and Apex Legends franchises remain EA's primary non-sports franchises, though the company's actions regularly cast doubt on those priorities, such as the cancelling of various spinoffs of the Titanfall/Apex Legends series and apparent shake up its sequel strategy for The Sims, putting that series in another stressful position.Related:This also puts even more pressure on the developers of the Battlefield series, who have gone through multiple reorganizations and leadership changes since the underperformance of Battlefield 2042.So what other "significant growth opportunities" is EA pursuing? Generative AI, for one. So far, EA still hasn't shown off any of its AI initiatives beyond a literal cardboard box level—but it might be getting into generative AI voice acting, if the mass exit of the Apex Legends French dubbing cast is any indication.

The Walking Dead started as a niche zombie series in the early 2010s, but it built up steam and transformed into a runaway hit just a few seasons after its inception. By the middle of the decade, Robert Kirkman’s post-apocalyptic series was the most popular program on basic cable TV. It revolutionized long-form storytelling and created a rabid fandom that allowed it to run for over a decade and spawn many spinoffs. Undead monsters aren’t the only thing that made The Walking Dead such a fascinating and addictive watch, though. The depth of the characters and the survivalist strategies of the entire group made for thrilling, adrenaline-filled episodes that other shows had a hard time matching. We have the best shows like The Walking Dead to watch next if you love the binge-worthiness of world-ending drama in this comic book adaptation. Recommended Videos

Let's make this simple: You want to know if there are any post- or mid-credits scenes in Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning. The answer is no, there are none.Full spoilers follow.It's been one wild, stunt-filled ride over the past 29 years, but every mission must come to an end eventually. Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning is apparently the final entry in this long-running series, as Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt confronts his most daring and high-stakes mission yet.Now that The Final Reckoning is in theaters, we’re here to break down the ending to this epic blockbuster. Who lives? Who dies? Is this really the end of the road for Ethan and his team, or could the franchise return? Read on to learn more.Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning GalleryMission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning’s Ending ExplainedThe Mission: Impossible series has always been about the IMF racing against the clock to prevent various villains from unleashing global catastrophes, but the deck is really stacked against Ethan and his team in the eighth and final movie. While Ethan stopped Esai Morales’ Gabriel in the short term in 2023’s Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, there’s still the little problem of the hyper-advanced AI known as “The Entity” worming its way into every computer system across the globe. The situation is immediately dire in The Final Reckoning, with The Entity systematically taking over the nuclear stockpiles of every nation on Earth and Angela Bassett’s President Sloane forced to choose whether to unleash a preemptive strike on those nations. The Final Reckoning only further cements its dark, foreboding tone when Ving Rhames’ Luther Stickell becomes an early casualty in the conflict with Gabriel, which allows Gabriel to take possession of Luther’s Poison Pill device. Even after Ethan defies the odds and retrieves The Entity’s source code from the sunken Sevastopol submarine, he knows that the code is useless unless he can combine it with the Poison Pill. One way or another, all roads lead to Gabriel.As this conflict unfolds, The Final Reckoning introduces some fun and unexpected callbacks to previous Mission: Impossible films. For example, we learn that The Entity has its roots in the Rabbit’s Foot, the MacGuffin device from 2006’s Mission: Impossible III. Ethan’s team also reunites with former CIA analyst William Donloe (Rolf Saxon), the man who almost walked in on Ethan during his tense wire-hacking mission from the original film. Meanwhile, Shea Whigham’s Jasper Briggs is revealed to be the son of Jon Voight’s Jim Phelps, the IMF leader from the original film. No wonder he seems to bear such a personal grudge toward Ethan. Ethan and Gabriel’s paths do ultimately converge in South Africa, at a digital bunker where The Entity plans to retreat before unleashing a nuclear holocaust. Ethan’s plan is to retrieve the Poison Pill and combine it with the source code module, tricking The Entity into isolating itself on a holographic drive that Hayley Atwell’s Grace can then pickpocket. Predictably, things go haywire with the arrival of CIA Director Kittridge (Henry Czerny) and his team, and Simon Pegg’s Benji is shot in the ensuing chaos. As Ethan and Gabriel battle it out aboard two dueling planes, the clock steadily ticks down to nuclear armageddon. President Sloane is forced to make her choice, and she chooses to trust Ethan and pull the US’s nuclear arsenal offline rather than allow The Entity to take control. Ethan finally outwits Gabriel, and the latter’s defiant villain speech is cut short when he bashes his head into the tail of his plane. Ethan parachutes to safety and combines the module with the Poison Pill. Grace performs the impossible feat of snatching the drive at just the right moment, trapping The Entity in its tiny prison. Once again, Ethan and the IMF have saved the world from ruin, even if few people will ever know the full truth. Even more impressive, they do so without any further casualties. Benji survives his near-fatal gunshot wound, meaning Luther is the only IMF member to die in The Final Reckoning. Ethan and his team reunite one last time in London’s Trafalgar Square, where Grace hands Ethan the briefcase containing The Entity. After exchanging solemn nods, they all go their separate ways. Thus ends their latest, and apparently last, impossible mission.PlayDoes The Final Reckoning Have a Post-Credits Scene?As mentioned above, the eighth and final (for now?) Mission: Impossible movie has no mid- or post-credits scenes. You're free to leave once the credits start rolling. Though, as always, it never hurts to stick around and show some appreciation for all the cast and crew who made those death-defying stunts happen. The lack of a post-credits scene isn't necessarily that surprising, given that they've never really been a thing with this particular Hollywood franchise. Still, with this supposedly being the last entry in the series, you might think Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie would want to give fans one last nod before sending Ethan Hunt off into the sunset. As much as this is billed as the conclusion of the series, The Final Reckoning certainly leaves the door open for more. A post-credits scene could have hinted at what’s next for the victorious Ethan. But that does raise an important question. Is this really the end? Let’s explore what we know.Is This Really the End of the Mission: Impossible Series? Paramount has definitely marketed The Final Reckoning as the conclusion to the Mission: Impossible saga. It’s right there in the name. This film is meant to cap off a 29-year journey and chronicle Ethan Hunt’s final and most desperate mission.But how final is this film, really? It certainly wraps up on a pretty open-ended note. Ethan is still alive, having somehow survived diving to loot a sunken submarine in the frigid Arctic Ocean. Luther may have perished heroically, but the rest of the IMF is alive, too (even Benji, who was touch-and-go there for a bit). That’s honestly one of the criticisms that can be leveled at The Final Reckoning. Even in this supposedly final outing, the film seems reluctant to break too many of its toys or veer outside the standard formula. Anyone expecting to see Cruise’s iconic hero finally bite off more than he can chew and meet his end will come away disappointed.Given the way The Final Reckoning ends, there’s nothing stopping Paramount from greenlighting another sequel featuring this revamped cast, with Cruise’s Ethan being joined by Atwell’s Grace, Pegg’s Benji, Pom Klementieff’s Paris, and Greg Tarzan Davis’ Theo Degas. The studio certainly seems to be leaving that door open, whether or not they choose to walk through it.It may all come down to a question of money. The Mission: Impossible franchise has certainly raked in the cash for Paramount over the years, but these movies are also insanely expensive to produce. Stunts this epic and stars this famous don’t come cheap. Case in point: Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One grossed an impressive $571 million worldwide, yet the film is still considered to be a box office failure because of its massive budget (which was inflated by complications stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic). PlayThe Final Reckoning’s budget is reported to be as high as $400 million even before marketing, meaning it needs to gross way more than its predecessor to break even. That may be too much to hope for in a summer movie season as crowded as this one. That’s to say nothing of the fact that audiences are proving ever more fickle in the age of endless streaming options.Given the astronomical cost of making Mission: Impossible movies, Paramount may be happy to close the door on the franchise and focus on the more profitable Top Gun series. The ROI simply isn’t there any longer.That said, we could see Paramount pivoting in a slightly different direction with Mission: Impossible. Perhaps Cruise’s character could become more of a supporting player, with a new generation of heroic IMF agents taking center stage. That formula certainly worked for 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick. At one point, rumors even suggested that Maverick star Glen Powell was being eyed to become the new face of the M:I franchise, though Powell himself has denied this. At the very least, we know director Christopher McQuarrie has explored the idea of further sequels beyond The Final Reckoning. But if the studio ever does greenlight them, we suspect the goal will be to pivot to smaller, cheaper spinoffs with less emphasis on Cruise. It’s not as if Cruise is getting any younger, and at some point, Ethan Hunt needs to be allowed to retire for real. How many times can one guy save the world before it’s enough? In IGN's Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning review, Clint Gage gave the film a 6 out of 10, writing, "While its action is reliably thrilling and a few of its most exciting sequences are sure to hold up through the years, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning tries to deal with no less than the end of every living thing on the planet – and suffers because of it. The somber tone and melodramatic dialogue miss the mark of what’s made this franchise so much fun for 30 years, but the door is left open for more impossible missions and the hope that this self-serious reckoning isn’t actually final." PlayFor more on the series, check out our ranking of the Mission: Impossible movies from worst to best.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky.

Sniper Elite and Zombie Army developer Rebellion released a new IP earlier this year in the form of Atomfall, and though success is never guaranteed for a new IP, Rebellion’s latest has got off to a great start. Shortly after its launch, Rebellion announced that the game – which is also available via Game Pass on Xbox and PC – had crossed 2 million players across all platforms, and now the developer has elaborated further. Speaking in a recent interview with The Game Business, Rebellion CEO Jason Kingsley revealed (via IGN) the fact that Atomfall was “immediately profitable” for the British studio at launch, in spite of the fact that a portion of its player base joined in through Game Pass and not direct sales. Kingsley went on to add that plans for sequels or spinoffs set in the Atomfall universe were also being discussed, while work on post-launch updates and DLC for Atomfall itself is, of course, also continuing. In our review of Atomfall, we awarded it a score of 8/10, saying, “Atomfall concocts an engrossing story in a world full of intrigue and whimsy, while delivering a gameplay experience that is defined by strong world design, rewarding exploration, and an impressive emphasis on player agency. Utterly gorgeous and wonderfully eccentric, Rebellion’s post-nuclear dystopia is well worth checking out, even with some issues in combat and stealth.” Read the full review through here. Atomfall is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. 

With its unapologetically violent gameplay and hellfire aesthetics, Doom not only popularized first-person shooters when the franchise launched in 1993 but changed the gaming industry forever with its countless influences still felt today far beyond its genre. And despite its success, there are surprisingly few games in the core series once you discount the seemingly endless platforms the classic games have been ported to throughout the years. Fortunately, most of these games are clear winners that towered above contemporaries and have stood the test of time. With that in mind, not all Doom games are created equal, even if the gameplay and core premise has remained consistently intact for decades. Eschewing spinoffs like Ultimate Doom, Mighty Doom, or Doom RPG, here are all the mainline Doom games ranked from worst to best. 8. Final Doom (1996) This entry was very nearly left off this list entirely since some fans saw 1996’s Final Doom as a glorified spinoff—or little more than a standalone expansion of Doom II. But with its own PC and PlayStation release, along with a vocal fan base accumulated over the years, Final Doom does indeed count as its own installment in the franchise’s main line. The game also features a story that takes place after the events of Doom II, with the Doom Slayer repelling a hellish invasion of a colony on one of Jupiter’s moons before taking the fight to Hell itself. That said, Final Doom is easily the weakest game from the series’ classic era, recycling old assets instead of introducing new elements while presenting largely uninspired levels. The PS version is worse than the PC version, providing players with less than half of the original PC release and an overall weaker visual fidelity and presentation. Final Doom is best enjoyed by hardcore Doom II fans looking for something a bit different than the base game they know and love. 7. Doom 3 (2004) After a lengthy hiatus and high-profile personnel changes at developer id Software, Doom returned a decade after Doom II with 2004’s Doom 3. The game is more or less a rehash of the original game’s story where a research facility on Mars accidentally opens a portal to Hell, allowing demons to pour into our world. The game was ported to Xbox eight months after the initial PC release, received the Resurrection of Evil expansion in 2005, and was remastered with new content in 2012. Taking advantage of the advances of technical capabilities since the franchise’s heyday in the early to mid ‘90s, Doom 3 is a slower, moodier experience, favoring suspense and scares over wall-to-wall action, at least for the first half of the game. This makes Doom 3 something of an outlier in its overall gameplay and presentation, which is the most strikingly different in the wider franchise. However, the pacing for those earlier portions of the game really drags, especially for players used to the series’ penchant for just diving headfirst into the usual carnage. 6. Doom 64 (1997) When the Doom franchise made its way to the Nintendo 64 in 1997, it didn’t do so as a port of the existing games but rather as its own standalone title. Doom 64 is very much its own game, complete with an original story of the Doom Slayer being lured back into Hell by an elaborate trap set by the Mother Demon. A remaster of the game was released in 2020 for modern platforms, including original content that linked this game’s story to the revival trilogy that began in 2016. At the time of its release, players may have been experiencing franchise fatigue, not giving the game the credit it was due as more popular successors to Doom, like Quake and Unreal, took shape. To be fair, Doom 64 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, not adding much distinctly new. But it does refine the established formula with heightened atmosphere and engaging level design. Years later, fans are finally starting to recognize Doom 64 for what it really is—the last game released in the franchise’s classic era and the culmination of that initial cycle. 5. Doom: The Dark Ages (2025) People are going to look at this ranking and invariably think that a fifth place position means that Doom: The Dark Ages is a bad game. To be clear, it isn’t, The Dark Ages is a solid entry in the franchise; the series just has a list of absolute bangers that outrank it. True to its title, The Dark Ages blends the franchise’s penchant for sci-fi horror with dark fantasy as the Doom Slayer uses more medieval-inspired weapons to battle invading armies of demons across the cosmos. For sure, The Dark Ages is the biggest tonal departure within the revival trilogy, including more strategic combat and even vehicle-based levels to navigate. The gory sensibilities of Doom are still very much intact, fortunately, though the game’s insistence on having players rely on the Doom Slayer’s new shield may throw established fans off who are just looking to rip and tear. An expansion of what Doom can be without discarding the franchise’s core ethos entirely, The Dark Ages is a welcome big swing from the series that mostly connects. 4. Doom (1993) Obviously the entire franchise we’re talking about here wouldn’t exist without the original Doom released in 1993, not only serving as the series’ foundation, but a title that changed gaming forever. With all that said, when doing our best to remove nostalgia out of the equation and look at the game on its own standalone merits, that first Doom game still stands in the top half of the franchise but is narrowly edged out of the top three. The game’s premise is simple: when a dimensional portal on the moons of Mars accidentally serves as a bridge to Hell, the Doom Slayer stands alone in purging the invading demons from the research facilities with whatever weapons he can find. Join our mailing list Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! From its chugging heavy metal-inspired soundtrack to its over-the-top arsenal reducing hellish enemies to bloody pulp, Doom set the template for the franchise that has only been built upon to this day. The game spawned countless copycat titles while being ported to virtually every major gaming platform, a distinction that it continues to hold over 30 years since its initial release. Despite now having the roughest of edges, Doom holds up as one of the most straightforward and enjoyable first-person shooters of its era, both for nostalgia-minded gamers and those curious of the franchise’s roots. 3. Doom (2016) Though commercially successful, the middling response to Doom 3 and changes in the developer’s ownership had left the franchise languishing in limbo for over a decade, confined to the occasional port and remaster as id Software returned its focus to Wolfenstein. After undergoing years of various stages of development, it was 2016’s Doom that completely reinvigorated the flagship franchise, getting back to the fast-paced gameplay that the series was known for while also enjoying extensive updates for modern sensibilities. The game itself is more or less a rehash of the original story, with a human research facility on Mars descending into madness and being overrun after opening a portal to Hell. The 2016 Doom is also exactly what fans wanted after the more deliberately paced Doom 3, something that ditched the emphasis on tutorials and narrative and instead got back to gory gunplay in all its glory. Though the multiplayer aspect left some players wanting, the single-player campaign is among the franchise’s best, powered by a hard-rocking soundtrack composed by Mick Gordon. The kick in the pants that the series needed, the Doom revival lived up to the franchise’s example while bringing it deeper into the 21st century, guns blazing. 2. Doom II: Hell on Earth (1994) The original Doom set a high bar for first-person shooters moving forward. But it’s a bar that the direct sequel Doom II: Hell on Earth vaulted over when it was released in 1994. Picking up from its predecessor with the Doom Slayer fighting for the fate of Earth after it is invaded by the forces of Hell, Doom II would receive a number of expansions and ports after its launch, with the latest released as recently as 2024, adding an original episode with brand-new weapons and enemies to the venerable title. Everything that the original Doom did, Doom II does noticeably better, all while expanding on the premise with new enemies, fresh weapons, and even more inventive level design. From a technical standpoint, there is no huge leap in the graphical department or sound design, but rather in the complexity and size of the levels coupled with a larger number of enemies onscreen. Indeed, Doom II almost makes the original game feel like a first draft at times given how much it refines the overall experience despite only coming out a year after the franchise began. 1. Doom Eternal (2020) After successfully relaunching the franchise for modern audiences in 2016, the Doom revival got a direct sequel in 2020 with Doom Eternal. Taking its cues from Doom II, Eternal has Earth invaded by the armies of Hell and facing near-annihilation from the all-powerful Icon of Sin with the Doom Slayer as humanity’s last, best hope for survival. The two-part DLC epilogue The Ancient Gods has the Doom Slayer travel deep into Hell to confront the Dark Lord and vanquish the demon hordes for good. Though Doom Eternal may have divided hardcore purists about its inclusion of prominent narrative elements, platforming gameplay sequences, and tutorials, it is a clear refinement of what the 2016 revival began. The combat is as frenetic and engaging as it has ever been in the franchise, the arsenal is upgraded and expanded, and the hellish aesthetics the series is known for are in excelsis here. Simply put, Doom Eternal is the apex of the franchise, leaning into what the series does best while incorporating bold flourishes to build the mythology and subtly redefine what Doom can be.

If the upcoming Lilo & Stitch live-action remake has you wanting to revisit the series, but you've already seen the original animated movie and its TV series spinoffs enough times, you might want to check out the official Lilo & Stitch manga series where Stitch winds up in feudal Japan and befriends and brutal samurai warlord. Yes, it's a real thing, and you can grab the entire series with the Stitch and the Samurai: The Complete Collection, which is on sale for $20.45 (was $22) at Amazon. Stitch and the Samurai manga $20.45 (was $22) Stitch and the Samurai is an official manga series by Hiroto Wada set in an alternate plotline where Stitch crash-lands in Sengoku-era Japan instead of modern-day Hawaii. The warlord Lord Yamato discovers Stitch and believes him to be a "blue tanuki" he can deploy in battle--only for the cute alien to slowly soften the samurai's stoic disposition. The full series is now available in a single 564-page hardcover omnibus, Stitch and the Samurai: The Complete Collection, for $20.45 (was $22). The series was previously published in three separate volumes, which are also available. Buying the paperback volumes separately is more expensive than the omnibus version, but their smaller format makes them much easier on your hands. Stitch and the Samurai: The Complete Collection Stitch and the Samurai Volumes 1--3 Disney Manga featuring Stitch Surprisingly, Stitch and the Samurai isn't the only Lilo and Stitch manga. The Stitch manga, illustrated by Yumi Tsukurino, sees the adorable superweapon travel to a Japanese island near Okinawa, where he befriends a young girl named Yuna who excels at karate, and wacky hijinks ensue. You can pick up the full series in a 352-page omnibus collection for just $12 (was $15). The two original separate volumes are also available for purchase. The series was followed up by two sequels, Best Friends Forever and the upcoming Best Food Forever. There's also the Disney manga series Magical Dance, which features Stitch and a few other characters from the House of Mouse helping aspiring performer Rin to realize her dream of becoming a dancer.More Lilo & Stitch MangaStitch! The Manga Collection -- $12 ($15)Stitch! Volume 1 -- $9.68 ($11)Stitch! Volume 2 -- $11Stitch! Best Friends Forever -- $10.22 ($11)Stitch! Best Food Forever -- $13 | Releases October 21Disney Manga: Magical Dance Volume 1 -- $11 Disney Manga: Stitch! The Manga Collection See More Lilo and Stich Manga Lilo and Stitch graphic novels Over in the US, there have been quite a few Stitch graphic novels published as well. Last year saw the release of a new adventure set after the first film, written by one of the best talents to ever work on Marvel's Incredible Hulk, Greg Pak, and illustrated in vivid detail by Giulia Giacomino. This is a nice 104-page graphic novel for kids that you can pick up for $11.18 (was $13) and it follows Stitch as he takes on evil aliens and giant robots powered by his own DNA. The second volume is also out soon on July 8, and this storyline sees Lilo recruited by the Galactic Federation to be their go-to expert for animal control. Lilo and Stitch: O'Hana Volume 1 Lilo and Stitch: O'Hana Volume 2 Agent Stitch books On the prose side, there are also the kid-friendly books in the Agent Stitch book series. Written by Steve Behling and featuring illustrations by Arianna Rhea, these books revolve around Stitch investigating paranormal activities on Earth on behalf of the Galactic Federation. The first book sees Stitch travel to Paris to uncover the disappearance of one of the federation's best operatives, Cobra Bubbles, and rumors of snail-like aliens known as Snailiens, and the second book sees Stitch land in New York City to solve a missing persons case involving shape-shifting aliens. Book three shifts the action to Korea as Stitch teams up with K-Pop idols to aliens operating in the city of Seoul. Agent Stitch: A Study in Slime Agent Stitch: The Trouble with Toothoids Agent Stitch: The Menace at the Mall Lilo and Stitch (4K) $41 As much fun as Lilo and Stitch's expanded adventures are, nothing beats the animated source material. Over 20 years later, Lilo and Stitch still holds up as one of Disney's best traditionally animated films, and you can grab it on 4K Blu-ray for $41. This edition includes 4K, Blu-ray, and digital download versions of the movie, plus a bunch of bonus features like a lesson on how to do a Hula dance, music videos, audio commentary, featurettes, and the cheeky promotional materials where Stitch "invaded" other Disney movies. See at Amazon Nightmare Before Christmas mangaDisney also released manga based on its Nightmare Before Christmas film, so if you'd like a creepy tour of that movie in print format, you can pick this up right now. The 176-page full-color edition is available for $16 (was $20) through Amazon, and there's also the deluxe Collector's Edition that combines the entire Zero's Journey series into one full-color book. This one was originally priced at 450 when it was first released, but it's on sale for 50% off currently.The Nightmare Before Christmas MangaDisney Manga: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas -- $16 ($20)Disney Manga: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas - Zero's Journey -- $25 ($50)