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Dynamic Weather Theme for Firefox is a new extension for the Firefox web browser that changes the theme of the browser based on the weather conditions of a location in the world. Mozilla dropped support for full Firefox themes with the release of Firefox 57 which reduced the browser's theme-related capabilities significantly. Firefox users may install basic themes that change, more or less, only the address bar and tabbar of the web browser, and they may install extensions that may also change the appearance of the browser or the style of individual sites only. Firefox users may use CSS to style the browser. Mozilla works actively on improving theme related capabilities of Firefox. While those will probably never match the capabilities of full themes, new APIs did and will introduce new theme-related options in Firefox that developers may take advantage of. Dynamic Weather Theme Dynamic Weather Theme is a simple extension at its core. The extension changes the theme of the Firefox web browser based on the weather conditions of a location that you set during the initial configuration of the extension. The extension loads the configuration page after installation automatically. You may open about:addons and click on the options link of the extension to open the configuration at any time as well. The Firefox add-on supports two options to set a location. You may use geolocation functionality or set the location manually. Geolocation has the advantage that it changes the location automatically when you travel; the feature is not useful if you use the browser in a single location only. Setting the location manually is easy, just enter the city name and country, and hit the submit button. If your city is not found, try a larger one nearby instead. The extension uses get requests to get whether data from Yahoo Weather. Note that it needs to communicate with Yahoo for that. The developers may add support for different weather services in the future to give users more choice. The extension updates the theme of the browser based on changing weather conditions. You get a cloudy background if the weather is cloudy, a sunny background if it is sunny, and a night background at night (and so on). Closing Words I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of themes that throw some paint on the Firefox toolbars as it find the themes distracting, especially if they decrease readability of tab titles and (some) icons. Dynamic Weather Theme does that and that is the main reason why I won't use it. I do think, however, that it is a nice idea that some users will certainly love.

Most people tend to think of DJ's using Macbooks alongside their equipment when picturing a DJ who uses a laptop in today's world, but little do most realize that GNU/Linux systems can hold their own as well. As a part-time dabbler in electronic music production (read: I mix tunes for my own amusement, and a couple uploaded here and there) I have a few programs that I bounce around from depending on the purpose I need, but generally speaking I don't really muck around a lot with things, and I tend to prefer to just simply mix two songs together live and on the fly, record it, and win. Another thing that I do musically online, and have done since for a number of years on and off, is DJ for various shoutcast based streams, ranging from electronic music to death metal. Again, you can do this, running just about any GNU/Linux system, surprisingly easily for even just playing around for fun. I introduce to you: Mixxx. Mixxx Mixxx is (according to some, others will disagree) near-professional level DJ software, allowing you to (maybe not) live your DJ dreams of mixing an underground rave in Ibiza. While Mix is Cross-Platform, I rarely see Windows users using it, and tend to find it predominately used by GNU/Linux users, from my own experiences. I use Mixxx anytime I am in Linux and want to spin music. The Mixxx website lists its main features as: Four Decks, Advanced Controls Time Stretch and Vinyl Emulation Beat Looping Powerful Master Sync Hotcues Beat Rolls and Censor Intuitive Pitchbend Broad Format Support EQ and Crossfader Control Built-in Effects Powerful Library BPM Detection and Sync Auto DJ Designer Skins Record and Broadcast your Mix Comprehensive DJ Hardware support (85+Controllers) The full list can be found here: https://www.mixxx.org/features/ ts worth noting, that Mixxx can be very simple to use on the surface, but if you tie it in with things like JACK sound server, multiple external hardware pieces, etc., Mixxx does have the capability to be extremely powerful. It also has an extremely extensive options/preferences menu, for those who want the depth to customize. Mixx can be found in many distro repositories, or installed in Ubuntu via PPA: sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mixxx/mixxxbetas sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mixxx Final Thoughts Mixxx is a great free alternative to popular programs like Traktor, or Virtual DJ, and is completely compatible with GNU/Linux systems, so if the need ever arises, it’s definitely worth checking out. The cross-platform software program is available for Linux, Windows and Mac OS X, and it may be worth a shot even if you have no desire to start a career as a local club DJ. It may very well be a handy program for the next party or even smaller events, even if you don't use most of the functionality that Mixxx has to offer.

A new Intel platform vulnerability emerged, chronicled by the company under CVE-2017-5703, dated April 3, which could let malware erase your motherboard UEFI BIOS, or render the EEPROM chip storing it "read-only" forever, preventing future BIOS updates, exploiting vulnerabilities in Intel's implementation of the SPI (serial peripheral interface) on its platforms. The vulnerability affects all Intel processors dating all the way back to 5th generation "Broadwell." The company quietly passed on fixes to its OEM partners to release as BIOS updates. The vulnerability came to light in the public as Lenovo, Intel's largest OEM partner, deployed BIOS updates for its vulnerable products, while detailing it. Lenovo describes the vulnerability as "the configuration of the system firmware device (SPI flash) could allow an attacker to block BIOS/UEFI updates, or to selectively erase or corrupt portions of the firmware." It goes on to add that "this would most likely result in a visible malfunction, but could in rare circumstances result in arbitrary code execution." Intel said it discovered the vulnerability internally and hasn't noticed any exploits in the wild that take advantage of it. "Issue is root-caused, and the mitigation is known and available," the company said in a security advisory. "To Intel's knowledge, the issue has not been seen externally."

AMD is reportedly readying a new high-end motherboard chipset positioned higher than even its upcoming X470 chipset, which makes its market debut on April 19. The new Z490 chipset, as it's called, is emerging to be significantly different from X470, and could finally overcome its biggest limitation - downstream PCIe connectivity. While the X470, like its predecessor, puts out just 8 downstream PCIe lanes, which are PCI-Express gen 2.0 at that, the new Z490 will put out a total of 12 PCI-Express gen 3.0 downstream lanes, which will power additional bandwidth-hungry devices, such as additional M.2 slots, external USB 3.1 controllers, 10 GbE controllers, etc. The Z490 was first leaked through a GIGABYTE Aorus internal presentation. In its current implementation, socket AM4 motherboards have a total of 24 PCI-Express gen 3.0 lanes from the AM4 SoC, besides 6-8 gen 2.0 lanes from the chipset. From this SoC budget, 16 lanes are allocated for PEG (PCI-Express Graphics), 4 lanes as chipset-bus (connecting the SoC with the chipset), and the remaining 4 lanes powering one 32 Gbps M.2 slot. Additional M.2 slots are either gen 2.0, from the chipset's downstream lane budget, or split from the PEG budget. The Z490 overcomes this with a downstream PCIe root complex that's not just 50% broader, but also twice as fast, with PCI-Express gen 3.0. The rest of its feature-set appears to be identical to the X470. There's no timeline on when we can expect Z490 to launch.

Futuremark set a date for its re-branding to align with its parent company UL. April 23, 2018 is when Futuremark products and services will be sold under the new branding scheme. Futuremark became part of UL in 2014. UL is an independent, global company with more than 10,000 professionals in 40 countries. UL offers a wide range of testing, inspection, auditing, and certification services and solutions to help customers, purchasers and policymakers manage risk and complexity in modern markets. A set of FAQs associated with the change are answered below. What does this mean for 3DMark and other benchmarks? We are changing our company name from Futuremark to UL. Our benchmark brands, such as 3DMark, PCMark, and VRMark, are not affected. We will continue to develop new benchmark tests while supporting our existing products. What will happen to the Futuremark website? On April 23, we will close futuremark.com. All future visits will be redirected to the equivalent page on benchmarks.ul.com. I follow your news on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. What will happen with that? You will not need to take any action to continue following our news. On April 23, we will rebrand our social media accounts. From that point on, our posts will come from "UL Benchmarks" rather than "Futuremark."

Intel launched a new security technology that the company calls Intel Threat Detection Technology today. Intel Threat Detection Technology can best be described as a set of features that assist partners in the detection of security threats such as exploits. Intel launches Intel Threat Detection Technology with two features and plans to introduce additional features in the future. The first is called Accelerated Memory Scanning which moves the scanning from the processors to Intel's integrated graphics processor. The benefits of Accelerated Memory Scanning are significant: Intel notes that the technology improves scan performance while lowering power consumption and computer resources required for the scanning. Img Initial benchmarks showed that CPU utilization dropped from 20% to 2% according to Intel. While benchmarks need to be verified by independent researchers and third-parties, support for Accelerated Memory Scanning could improve battery life of mobile devices and reduce the performance impact of antivirus scans on all systems that support the technology. The first new capability is Accelerated Memory Scanning. Current scanning technologies can detect system memory-based cyberattacks, but at the cost of CPU performance. With Accelerated Memory Scanning, the scanning is handled by Intel’s integrated graphics processor, enabling more scanning, while reducing the impact on performance and power consumption. Intel revealed that Microsoft integrates Accelerated Memory Scanning into Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection and that the functionality is available already. The company did not provide details but it seems likely that Microsoft will deliver the new functionality through updates of Windows Defender on systems that support Advanced Threat Protection. Advanced Threat Protection is only available for Windows 10 currently, and there only for devices running the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update or newer versions. Microsoft announced earlier this year, however, that the security feature will become available for devices running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 this Summer. The second feature of Intel Threat Detection Technology is called Intel Advanced Platform Telemetry. The feature uses "platform telemetry" data with machine learning algorithms to improve the detection of threats, reduce false positives and "minimize performance impact". The second Intel Threat Detection Technology is Intel Advanced Platform Telemetry. Intel Advanced Platform Telemetry combines platform telemetry with machine learning algorithms to improve the detection of advanced threats, while reducing false positives and minimizing performance impact. Intel found a first partner in Cisco which plans to integrate the functionality in the Cisco Tetration platform. Closing Words Antivirus scans may impact performance of systems and any attempt to reduce the impact is a welcome one, especially if it coincides with a drop in battery use and comes with higher scan numbers. Advanced Memory Scanning needs to be tested to verify Intel's claims and I'm always cautious when companies mention Telemetry or other forms of data collecting.

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Hollywood continues to expand its blocking efforts around the globe. Most recently, several major studios including Disney Enterprises and Warner Bros obtained a blocking order against the popular torrent site Rarbg in India. More than twenty ISPs must block the site, while the Government is instructed to help enforce the measures. While the major Hollywood studios are very reluctant to bring a pirate site blocking case to their home turf, they are very active abroad. The companies are the driving force behind lawsuits in Europe, Australia, and are also active in India, where they booked a new success last week. Website blocking is by no means a new phenomenon in India. The country is known for so-called John Doe orders, where a flurry of websites are temporarily blocked to protect the release of a specific title. The major Hollywood studios are taking a different approach. Disney Enterprises, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal, and Warner Bros. are requesting blockades, accusing sites of being structural copyright infringers. One of the most recent targets is the popular torrent site Rarbg. The Hollywood studios describe Rarbg as a ‘habitual’ copyright infringer and demand that several Internet providers block access to the site. “It is submitted that the Defendant Website aids and facilitates the accessibility and availability of infringing material, and induce third parties, intentionally and/or knowingly, to infringe through their websites by various means,’ the movie studios allege. The complaint filed at the High Court of Delhi lists more than 20 Internet providers as co-defendants, and also includes India’s Department of Telecommunications and Department of Electronics and Information Technology in the mix. The two Government departments are added because they have the power to enforce blocking orders. Specifically, the Hollywood studios note that the Department of Technology’s license agreement with ISPs requires these companies to ensure that copyright infringing content is not carried on their networks. “It is submitted that the DoT itself acknowledges the fact that service providers have an obligation to ensure that no violation of third party intellectual property rights takes place through their networks and that effective protection is provided to right holders of such intellectual property,” the studios write. Last week the court granted an injunction that requires local Internet providers including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Telenor, You Broadband, and Vodafone to block Rarbg. Blocking order As requested, the Department of Telecommunications and Department of Electronics and Information Technology are directed to notify all local internet and telecom service providers that they must block the torrent site as well. The order is preliminary and can still be contested in court. However, given the history of similar blocking efforts around the world, it is likely that it will be upheld. While there’s not much coverage on the matter, this isn’t the first blocking request the companies have filed in India. Last October, a similar case was filed against another popular torrent site, 1337x.to, with success. TorrentFreak reached out to the law firm representing the Hollywood studios to get a broader overview of the blocking plans in India. At the time of writing, we have yet to hear back. — A copy of the order obtained by Disney Enterprises, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros and the local Disney owned media conglomerate UTV Software, is available here (pdf).

Xiaomi is prepping a budget phone with an 18:9 screen and a dual camera. It will be called the Xiaomi Redmi S2 and info dug up by @FunkyHuawei suggests it will launch in India and China (at least at first). The phone will feature a 720 x 1,440 px LCD screen, though there’s no info on the size yet. TENAA should fill in the blanks before long. Anyway, the Redmi S2 will be powered by a Snapdragon 625 chipset, the same used in the Redmi Note 5, and will run Android 8.1 Oreo. There will be 16 GB of storage on board with a microSD slot to expand the memory as much as budget allows. On the camera side, there will be a 12 MP + 5 MP camera on the back plus a 5 MP selfie cam on the front. It looks like the main camera will be borrowed straight from Redmi Note 5 Pro. It will feature portrait mode and EIS. The front cam will also handle face unlocking (no word on a fingerprint reader). The Redmi S2 will pack a 3,080 mAh battery, which should offer solid battery life with the 14 nm chipset. Xiaomi has scheduled an event for April 25 (next Wednesday), though the Mi 6X has been confirmed as the star of that show. The Redmi S2 might not get a launch event of its own, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled.

Samsung is on a roll – the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ have topped the charts over at Consumer Reports, replacing the S8 duo, which itself displaced the S7 phones from the top spot. CR says that while there are no major changes in some areas, in others the improvements are well worth it. When the S8 was tested it only lasted 50 drops in the tumbler before it stopped working. The Galaxy S9 went through all 100 drops and came out with “just minor scratches” while the larger S9+ lived through the first 50 no problem, but cracked in the second 50 drops. The next feature to be commended was the audio – the stereo speakers and the included headphones, both of which were tuned by AKG (now part of Samsung after the Harman acquisition). The speakers in particular impressed CR reviewers with their volume and audio quality. The S9 duo also got some points for the improved fingerprint placement and the facial+iris scan. The Galaxy S9 and S9+ are not perfect, however. The camera was knocked for oversharpening photos while the improvement in low-light performance thanks to the brighter f/1.5 aperture wasn’t huge. CR ranks the Galaxy S9+ in fourth place (behind the three iPhones), the single camera on the S9 scored below the S8. The smaller S8 also showed a large drop in battery life (from 26 hours to 22.5 hours), the S9+ handled itself a little better, but still worse than its predecessor (from 25.5 hours down to 24 hours). This drop in endurance lines up with our own battery tests. Full report

Keeping its promise from last year, HTC sent out the update to Android 8.0 Oreo for the U Ultra at the beginning of March. Back then, it only reached Taiwan, India, and Italy. Now though it is finally expanding to more countries. HTC's Twitter account for the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) has announced that units purchased from these markets are going to be updated from today onwards. As always, the rollout might be staged, which means a few days will pass before all of the devices in the three aforementioned countries will get the update notification. We're hoping that HTC makes Oreo available to U Ultra handsets sold in other markets soon.

BioWare is working hard on upcoming title Anthem, and according to the studio’s General Manager the game is going to deliver something unique to players. Anthem was initially revealed by the developer back at E3 2017, hot off the heels of the disappointment of Mass Effect: Andromeda, and showcased something very different from the kinds of games that earned BioWare its great reputation. In short, Anthem looked closer to the likes of Destiny than its acclaimed franchises such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The brief moments of footage showcased a title that looked multiplayer-heavy, without the kinds of plot and character-driven intricacies that BioWare is so well known for. It certainly looked impressive, but some fans were concerned about the direction that BioWare was taking, particularly given that the game’s development was clearly prioritized over the BioWare Montreal-developed Mass Effect: Andromeda. However, GM Casey Hudson has been able to give an update on Anthem itself, and the BioWare boss suggests that Anthem is more than just a simple aping of those multiplayer-heavy games. In a post for BioWare, Hudson gave a brief outline of where Anthem sits, suggesting that the game will be different from anything seen before. “It will be unlike anything you’ve played, but if we do it right, it will feel very distinctly BioWare,” said Hudson. In part, Hudson suggests that this attempt comes down so some of the lessons learned from the failure of Mass Effect: Andromeda. The GM stated that the ill-fated sequel changed the mission statement of BioWare, saying “we need to delight players with new experiences and innovation, but we must stay focused on the importance of the world, character, and storytelling elements that players expect from our games.” In short, this then trickled down to the gameplay elements of the developer’s new game. “It’s in that spirit that we are working through production on Anthem – a game designed to create a whole new world of story and character that you can experience with friends in an ongoing series of adventures.” It all sounds extremely positive, but some players may still be waiting to see exactly how Anthem operates before jumping on board. After all, 2017 was a year of debate for video game narratives; BioWare owners EA stated that no-one played single-player, story-driven games anymore, although the fact that so many popular and critically-beloved games were exactly that put paid to that line of thinking. As such, there’s still a bit of hesitancy about how Anthem will work. At the very least, it’s good that BioWare seems to be taking its time over the game. The title was pushed back to a 2019 release in January, which at the very least means that the studio wants to make sure it gets it right at launch. If BioWare is able to deliver something truly different, then the wait will be worth it.

An Ubisoft-created AI has indicated that the video game company will be ready to announce Watch Dogs 3 at 2018’s E3. There was always a feeling that the first two Watch Dogs games only scratched the surface of what could easily be an ongoing series. As such, the news that a third game could be in development shouldn’t be too shocking. Nevertheless, the latest news hints that Watch Dogs 3 is much further along than previously thought. Ubisoft created an AI known as Sam (its own version of Siri or Alexa) to help gaming fans when needed. Sam’s beta kicked in at the start of the year and hasn’t really done much until now. While Sam is only available in Canada at the moment. Sam is just the latest in several coincidental titbits about Watch Dogs 3. April Fool’s Day allowed players to hack into an admin console (just like Watch Dogs itself) on the Uplay site and listed a series of unreleased games. Although none could be deciphered, it started the ball rolling with Watch Dog 3 rumors. Later, the official Watch Dogs Twitter account briefly shared a post (“This is Everything”) thought to be a play on the franchise’s “Everything is connected” motto. Could Sam’s wise words be enough to move this from the “maybe” pile to “confirmed”? With its tech-savvy take on the 21st Century, Watch Dogs was a wholly unique premise when it first hit consoles in 2014 and broke Ubisoft records around the globe. The sequel was widely regarded as better than the original and left a cliffhanger ending that teased London as a possible location for a third game. While Sam doesn’t reveal any details on where Ubisoft could take the series next, it may well be the start of a viral marketing campaign for Watch Dogs 3. Given that the games are known for hacking technology, it makes perfect sense that an announcement would be hiding in some forgotten Ubisoft AI. Remembering that Watch Dogs was one of the first titles that helped launch the Xbox One and the PS4, it seems only right that No.3. finds a place in 2018’s already impressive array of gaming entries. Ubisoft previously announced that four AAA games were coming in the next year, with the community guessing that The Division 2 and Watch Dogs 3 would join the already-announced The Crew 2 and Skull & Bones. There is still no official confirmation, but watch out for Watch Dogs 3 at this year’s E3.

Dark Souls Remastered will release later than anticipated on Nintendo Switch, as confirmed today. The Dark Souls series Official Twitter profile confirmed that Dark Souls Remastered will release this Summer on Nintendo Switch, and not on May 25th as previously announced. The Solaire amiibo will also be delayed. "Due to the nature of causality, we must announce that the Nintendo Switch version of #DarkSoulsRemastered will be pushed back to summer of 2018, and with it, the release of the Solaire of Astora amiibo. PC/PS4/X1 versions will maintain their May 25th release date" Dark Souls Remastered will come with several graphics enhancements as well as gameplay and multiplayer tweaks. Unfortunately, there won’t be any new content, something that has disappointed Christian when he had the chance to try out the game. "I will admit, I am slightly disappointed that Dark Souls Remastered isn’t as remastered as I would have hoped. It appears the game will not be receiving any upgrades in regards to unfinished content (Lost Izalith) and visually the game looks more like an improved port rather than a full-blown remaster. Regardless, I’m still looking forward to returning to Lordran for the tenth time. Launching at a reduced price for all major systems, there’s no reason not to give Dark Souls a try if you haven’t ever played it." Dark Souls Remastered launches on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on May 25th. The Switch version will release later this Summer

We'll find out when it's playable later this month. New Vegas prequel mod Fallout: New California has released one last teaser trailer ahead of a release date announcement later this month. The hugely ambitious project has been in the works since 2013, and it's no wonder—it's creating a brand new story with 12 endings and more than 14,000 lines of voiced dialogue. It hit beta last month but it's still not openly available to play. The team still have a fair bit of work to do before open beta, but that should be "doable" before the end of the month, when we'll finally know when we'll get our hands on it. The trailer was stitched together from various clips taken by one of the testers, and it looks suitably impressive. It's nothing that couldn't be done in New Vegas, mind, but to see a brand new character stomping into the Mojave for the first time makes me want to reinstall the base game all over again. New California is set in the same game world, but it adds outposts that are specific to its story. I think that some of them are shown off in the trailer because there are a couple of spots I don't recognise, but that could just be a sign of how long it's been since I played for New Vegas. Find out more about the project on its ModDB page.

How To Train Your Dragon 3 has been afforded an official title, as announced by Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation. Kicking off in 2010, the How To Train Your Dragon movies are loosely based on the Cressida Cowell books of the same name and have proved to be critical and commercial successes for DreamWorks in a field largely dominated by Pixar. HTTYD tells the story of Hiccup, a small and unassuming boy who eventually teaches his village full of tough, dragon-killing Vikings to train and befriend the mythical beasts instead of slaughtering them. A sequel followed in 2014 which expanded Hiccup’s fictional world, introducing more tribes, more dragons, and more fantastical locations. A third, concluding installment was naturally planned but a series of setbacks have seen the release date of How To Train Your Dragon 3 slide from June 2016 to March 2019, although the delay has been caused more by corporate issues than creative ones. The core cast and crew from the first two movies will be returning for this third offering and F. Murray Abraham has been cast as new arch villain, Grimmel. Little else is currently known about HTTYD3 other than the appearance of a love interest for Hiccup’s dragon, Toothless. However, DreamWorks Animation have now finally unveiled the official title for How To Train Your Dragon 3, which is How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. In a statement, DreamWorks also confirmed that the March 1, 2019 release date is still in place. A short preview of the threequel is set to be screened at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this June. The official synopsis reads: As Hiccup fulfills his dream of creating a peaceful dragon utopia, Toothless’ discovery of an untamed, elusive mate draws the Night Fury away. When danger mounts at home and Hiccup’s reign as village chief is tested, both dragon and rider must make impossible decisions to save their kind. As titles go, The Hidden World doesn’t give an awful lot away and sounds like a fairly standard fantasy movie subtitle. However, the phrase does perhaps provide a hint as to where the new villain Grimmel will come from. Alternatively, How To Train Your Dragon 2 saw Hiccup and Toothless venture out from their hometown of Berk to discover and map new lands. Perhaps the young Viking Chief is balancing his duties as leader of the village with his desire for adventure and stumbles across something momentous, similar to how events unfold in film two. More often than not, animated sequels fail to live up to their predecessors but there’s plenty of reason to believe that How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World will buck that trend. Not only are the bulk of the cast and crew returning but writer and director Dean DeBlois has previously suggested that HTTYD had a part three planned well in advance. This means that DreamWorks aren’t simply churning out another sequel to milk the franchise dry but are genuinely looking to advance and develop characters and plot threads from previous movies. KEY RELEASE DATES How to Train Your Dragon 3 release date: Mar 1, 2019

According to writer/director Chris Columbus, we can expect to see a new Gremlins movie sometime in the foreseeable future. However, if you’re expecting Gremlins 3 to be a straightforward sequel, following on from the big city mayhem that was shown in Gremlins 2: The New Batch, then you’re probably going to be disappointed. The much-loved horror/comedy Gremlins was released in 1984 and directed by Joe Dante. The Warners Bros. movie had Steven Spielberg as the executive producer and was written by Columbus. The canny mix of cuteness, dark humor, and elaborate creature effects went on to become something of a cultural phenomenon, and was even thought to have a hand in changing the MPAA ratings system. Gremlins 2: The New Batch was released in 1990 and included the original stars Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates, as well as the lead Mogwai Gizmo. Also directed by Dante but written by Charles S. Haas this time, it was far more satirical and had more anarchic humor, sometimes breaking the fourth wall and directly referencing the audience. In the years since then, rumors about a third Gremlins movie have periodically surfaced, with Warners rumored to be negotiating for a remake back in 2013, and Columbus confirming its development in 2015. Movement on the project has been slow since then, but last year Columbus stated that he had personally completed a script for the next Gremlins film and that it was ‘twisted and dark‘, returning to some of the sensibilities of the first movie and even teasing that Gizmo might not survive. There have been no official updates on the project since then, but in a recent interview with Metro US, the writer/director confirmed that the film was still going ahead and revealed one important detail: “”Gremlins” we are actively talking about that. So that’s what I am working on with my production company 1492 Pictures… It will almost definitely be a reboot.” As far as updates go it’s minimal, but it does confirm that development on the film is still continuing and will hopefully result in further announcements soon. The use of the word ‘reboot‘ is likely to be contentious to some, especially as Galligan has been campaigning for a new film for some time and categorically stated in 2016 that he believed there would never be a Gremlins reboot, only a sequel. Obviously things change with time, but it’s worth noting that Columbus uses the word ‘reboot‘ instead of ‘remake‘, so it could be a case of moving on from the events of the first two films instead of just erasing them from existence. As it stands at the moment, there are obviously no details for the cast, director, or possible production dates. Still, the continued assurances from Columbus that he is getting closer to making the film happen inspires some confidence. The legacy of Gremlins remains strong to this day, with a recent re-release to theaters, and a Gremlins cameo in Spielberg’s Ready Player One. Without doubt the production would pick up a lot of interest if/when the cameras finally start to roll on a third film, whatever its connection is to the original Gremlins.

Deadpool gets his own special X-Men t-shirt as he works alongside Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead in the latest Deadpool 2 image. Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic (Brianna Hildebrand) spent most of their scenes in the first Deadpool movie either finger-wagging or rolling their eyes at Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) for, well, being himself mostly. The trio’s mismatched comedic chemistry served the film well, so it’s only natural that Deadpool 2, aka. Untitled Deadpool Sequel, would bring all three of them back into the fray. While Wade previously brushed off Colossus’ efforts to recruit him for the X-Men, Deadpool 2 finds The Merc With a Mouth more willing to play nice with others. That might be because there’s a time-traveling cyborg mutant named Cable (Josh Brolin) running around trying to kill a mysterious super-powered kid (Hunt for the Wilderpeople‘s Julian Dennison) whom Deadpool has decided to try and protect. The Deadpool 2 trailers have confirmed that Wade assembles the first version of X-Force in the sequel, but it now appears that he further teams up with the X-Men… for awhile, anyway. Empire has debuted a fresh Deadpool 2 screenshot (see below) that shows Deadpool wearing a yellow X-Men t-shirt as he, Colossus, and Negasonic corner the mystery kid alongside members of the “DMC”. That acronym is believed to stand for “Division of Mutant Containment”, which could be Deadpool 2‘s version of the Mutant Response Division featured in previous X-Men comic books and animated TV series. Either way, it appears that Wade must at least temporarily become an X-Men here, in order to tag along with Colossus and Negasonic at the crime scene without being arrested himself. At this stage, it’s not altogether clear how the X-Men fit into the larger picture of Deadpool 2. The film’s marketing has focused more on Deadpool’s efforts to assemble the X-Force, which includes members like Domino (Zazie Beetz), Bedlam (Terry Crews), and Shatterstar (Lewis Tan). Deadpool 2 will similarly set the stage for Drew Goddard’s X-Force spinoff movie to make its way down the pipeline next, with filming on the project tentatively slated to get underway later this year. The Deadpool 2 trailers also offer a glimpse of Wade in his X-Men t-shirt, along with a shot of Negasonic next to Shioli Kutsuna as a not-yet-identified purple-haired member of the X-Force. While that doesn’t necessarily mean Negasonic and Colossus become members of X-Force, it does suggest they will work alongside Deadpool and his team to stop the movie’s real villain (read: probably not Cable). Perhaps Wade will make them honorary X-Force shirts of their own to wear when they do so. KEY RELEASE DATES Untitled Deadpool Sequel/Deadpool 2 release date: May 18, 2018 X-Men: Dark Phoenix release date: Feb 14, 2019 Gambit release date: Jun 7, 2019 New Mutants release date: Aug 2, 2019

Thanks to the success of Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg is now the richest director in the world and the first to earn $10 billion at the global box office. Even though Ready Player One only held on to the top spot for one weekend (it lost to A Quiet Place), it has already become one of the highest grossing movies of 2018 worldwide. The adaptation of Ernest Cline’s novel has earned over $475 million worldwide, making it one of the biggest movies for Spielberg in over a decade. The film has not yet reached the financial success of 1993’s Jurassic Park, which made $983.8 billion worldwide, but as Ready Player One is still in theaters, it could get there. The news of Spielberg’s milestone comes courtesy of a report from The Wrap, who did the math after looking over numbers at Box Office Mojo. The director has no plans of stopping either. He is already working on a new film in the Indiana Jones franchise, as well as a remake of 1961’s West Side Story. He is already responsible for some of the most beloved movies of all time, including the Indiana Jones franchise, E.T. and the Jurassic Park franchise, so his financial success should not come as a huge surprise. Ready Player One proved itself at the box office, even considering the changes that Spielberg made from the book to the film. The movie resonated with audiences all over the world, even scoring a huge box office when it opened in China. Meanwhile, Spielberg is busy working on Indiana Jones 5, which will feature the senior Harrison Ford once more donning the fedora and whip for another adventure. His plan is to begin production on the movie in 2019, ahead of its July 2020 release date. The previous Indy movie, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, wasn’t well-received by fans, but hopefully the archeologist can bow out on a high note in what should be Ford’s final go-around as the character. Spielberg has said that perhaps Indiana Jones could be recast as a woman if Lucasfilm wants to keep the series alive in the future. Spielberg’s financial success and this new milestone are well-earned. He has single-handedly given moviegoers many of their favorite movies of all time, so much so that projects with his name attached to them do well, no matter what. It’s unlikely that any other director will catch up to him in the earnings department anytime soon.

Legion may be struggling to maintain a robust audience in its twisty, mind bending sophomore season, but fans of Noah Hawley’s experimental X-Men-adjacent show likely don’t have to worry about a cancelation anytime soon. The FX series follows David Haller (Dan Stevens), the mutant son of Charles Xavier, who possesses near limitless psychic and telekinetic abilities. David and his allies are attempting to thwart the Shadow King, a monstrously powerful mutant that has taken up residence in David’s broken mind since he was a child. The show features some of the most striking imagery on television, and delves into the sort of metaphysical and philosophical territory that comic book television shows don’t generally explore. That sort of unusual storytelling has come at a cost. After debuting to fairly strong viewing figures in its first season, Legion’s followup year has been decidedly ratings challenged. The season’s second episode notched a 0.21 in the key demo, falling out of the top 25 cable series for the week. There’s essentially no metric by which that’s not a terrible number, even on a cable network like FX. Part of that ratings slide is likely down to the fact that the show is, quite frankly, incredibly weird this season. While the first season wasn’t exactly straightforward, season 2 has jumped full on into the realm of time travel, doppelgangers within doppelgangers, guys with baskets on their heads, and disturbing framing devices where Jon Hamm monologues about the nature of existence as deformed chickens crawl out of eggs. At this point, Legion has a lot more in common with Twin Peaks than The Flash. And yet, fans probably don’t need to worry about a cancellation. For one thing, the economics of TV aren’t what they once were. Overnight ratings still matter, but they’re not the be-all and end-all metric they used to be, and FX has long been out front in the changing ways we measure success on television. FX president John Landgraf has long held to the belief that ratings-challenged series that are critically acclaimed and creatively fulfilling for the network are worth sticking with. Perhaps the most notable example of this ethos is The Americans, the much acclaimed ’80s-set Cold War drama that has suffered through microscopic ratings over its run, but has been allowed to finish its story on its own terms. It’s currently airing its sixth and final season and has begun garnering Emmy nominations in the back half of its run for stars Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys. Apart from FX’s general practice of letting creatively promising shows endure ratings troubles, the network likely wants to stay in the Noah Hawley business. Hawley was also the mastermind behind Fargo, the network’s reimagining of the classic film as an anthology series. Fargo has become both a ratings and awards season winner for FX, with Hawley’s vision credited as the main reason for that success. Cancelling Legion wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of their partnership with Hawley, but there seems little upside to pulling the plug on a show from one of their most valued collaborators at this point. Legion seems unlikely to run for a decade like some of its ostensible superhero brethren on the CW. It’s too small of a story, and it seems highly doubtful Hawley would keep the show going indefinitely anyway. FX would certainly like to see the overnight ratings a little higher, but the idea that they would kill the show before Hawley is done telling his story seems pretty far fetched. David Haller’s bizarre, psychedelic journey may be an inherently niche endeavor, but it’s one that probably isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Five Labrador puppies undergo training as guide dogs for the blind in this documentary guaranteed to have inbred appeal to dog-lovers. Short of “Toddlers in Bunny Onesies: The Movie,” it’s hard to think of a film concept more guaranteed to elicit the “Awwwww…” factor than that demonstrated by “Pick of the Litter.” Dana Nachman and Don Hardy’s fourth documentary feature as co-directors follows five Labrador puppies as they undergo the lengthy training process to become guide dogs for the blind — a challenge that most four-legged aspirants will ultimately fail. Though not particularly inspired in packaging or storytelling, this solidly crafted item is guaranteed to appeal to mutt-lovers, as attested to by the several festival audience awards it’s already accumulated since its Slamdance premiere in January. Sundance Selects plans an Aug. 31 release. After a short prologue in which visually impaired persons recall how guide dogs saved their lives — from speeding cars, falling down staircases, even the 78th floor of a World Trade Center tower on 9/11 — we’re introduced to our protagonists. The five black-and-tan Labs dubbed Patriot, Potomac, Primrose, Poppet and Phil are born on the campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind’s San Rafael, Calif., campus, and they’ve scarcely a day old before their training begins. Eight weeks later, each are farmed out to “puppy raiser” families and individuals who’ll foster them through up to 16 months of socialization and other preliminary prep for the job at hand. Only a few such dogs end up assigned to the blind; there are a lot of challenging hoops to jump through en route. Patriot proves mouthy and unruly with his teenage foster owner from the get-go. Turned over to an Iraq vet with more experience — and for whom these canine caretaking gigs are a helpful distraction from his PTSD — the dog performs better. Likewise, Phil is transferred from one couple to another, the latter practiced “fixers” for problem dogs. Some volunteers complain that such administrative transfers are too abrupt and impersonal, heightening the painful emotions of parting with an animal. But GDB is rigorous about pursuing whatever might maximize a pup’s chances, even if the majority of canines nonetheless end up as HQ-dwelling “breeders” (like the Labs’ mom) or otherwise “career changed” — whether handed over to different nonprofits or adopted as plain old domestic pets. After they’re done being fostered, the dogs head back to the campus for 10 weeks’ “formal guide work” with an assigned staffer who often wears a blindfold to test the dogs’ reactions to obstacles, traffic peril and verbal commands. Even at this late stage, they can still flunk out. The successful graduates are matched with the lucky few among some 1,100 applicants per year, in this case including a partially sighted career woman now on her fourth such dog, and a Oregon man who’s gotten by without one so far. He’s thrilled by the major life changes a guide dog will bring; it’s generally agreed that using a cane is far more limiting. “Pick” is brisk and pleasant, but not terribly involving or memorable. Human interest is limited by the number of hands most of these hounds pass through, and perhaps due to the rather strict demands of their training, the dogs themselves don’t get to express a lot of personality. Some insight into GDB’s history (it was founded in 1942 to aid blinded soldiers back from WWII) would have been interesting while also broadening a narrow focus that’s inevitably appealing but provides few insights or surprises. Do problems ever arise after a blind person gets their dog? Such knottier questions go unaddressed here. The packaging is bright, straightforward and a little pedestrian, including the slightly cutesy tenor struck by Helen Jane Long’s original score. Film Review: 'Pick of the Litter' Reviewed online, San Francisco, April 15, 2018. (In SFFilm, Slamdance, Cinequest, Hot Docs.) Running time: 80 MIN. Production: (Documentary) A Sundance Selects release of a KTF Films production. (International sales: Submarine, New York.) Producers: Dana Nachman, Don Hardy. Executive producers: Ian Reinhard, Dan Braun, Josh Braun. Crew: Directors: Dana Nachman, Don Hardy. Screenplay: Nachman. Camera (color, HD): Hardy. Editor: Hardy. Music: Helen Jane Long. With: Janet Gearheart, Ronald Strother, Christine Benninger, Linda Owen, Rebecca Minelga, Eric Minelga, Nick Ursano, Alice Ursano, Cathy Wassenberg, Bill Wassenberg, Lisa King, Chris King, Patti White, Al White.