Oscar-nominated actor Richard E. Grant is a former drag queen in the new trailer for Everybody's Talking About Jamie, a film adaptation of the hit musical developed for Amazon Prime. The original stage show, with music by Daniel Gillespie Sells and lyrics by Tom MacRae, first premiered in 2017 and has since been delighting theater-goers the world over. Based on a true story, it follows sixteen-year-old Jamie (played by Max Harwood in the film), a schoolboy in the suburban north of England who dreams of becoming a drag queen. Despite the success of the stage musical, the film adaptation of Everybody's Talking About Jamie has faced some barriers to its release. A Disney/20th Century Studios production, a theatrical release of the movie was originally planned for October 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the date was pushed to January and then February 2021 before Disney ultimately pulled the film from its schedule and sold it to Amazon, taking the movie straight to streaming. Everybody's Talking About Jamie is now due to be released on Amazon Prime Video on September 17. Now, a trailer released by Amazon gives viewers a taste of some of the film's bigger musical numbers and a better look at the supporting cast, including Grant (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Loki, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) as Jamie's mentor and former drag queen, Hugo. While past trailers and teasers have showed quick snippets of Grant and other supportive roles, this new trailer provides the first detailed look into Grant's character. Hugo's former life as an iconic queen is on full display as Jamie and his best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) find themselves in Hugo's shop, which is filled with glamorous drag attire. Like Grant, all other actors in the film version of Everybody's Talking About Jamie are a completely different set to those in the original stage production cast. Other big names in the Amazon film include Sharon Horgan (Military Wives, How to Build a Girl), featuring as Jamie's school careers advisor, while Ralph Ineson (Ready Player One and the newly-released The Green Knight) will play Jamie's dismissive and distant father. The film marks the first on-screen appearance for Harwood. Since its premiere just a few years ago, the Everybody's Talking About Jamie stage production has been heralded as a joyful, big-hearted crowd pleaser and an iconic piece of LGBTQ+ work. Judging by the new trailer, it seems that the film will more than live up to these expectations. Audiences will find out for sure when the movie releases on September 17.

The director of Marvel's upcoming Eternals, Chloé Zhao, saw an early screening of Denis Villeneuve's Dune and revealed her reaction in a new interview. Villeneuve will adapt the first half of Frank Herbert's seminal science fiction novel of the same name, originally released in 1965. Dune follows Paul Atreides, heir to House Atreides, as his family moves from the ocean planet Caladan to Arrakis (also known as Dune), an inhospitable desert planet that is the only source of a coveted resource in the feudal-like galaxy where the novel takes place. Paul will be played Timothée Chalamet, with Oscar Isaac playing Duke Leto Atreides, Paul's father, and Rebecca Ferguson playing his mother, Lady Jessica. Dune is one of many blockbusters being released in the tail end of 2021, a list that includes Zhao's own film, Eternals. The MCU's third theatrical feature of the year will release a few weeks after Dune in November and will depict the titular celestial race as they come out of hiding on earth and fight against evil beings known as Deviants. Zhao is fresh off of winning Best Director at the 2021 Academy Awards for Nomadland, a film about a woman living a transient lifestyle in the American west. Nomadland also won Best Picture at the ceremony and Zhao was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. With so much hype surrounding both of their films, it's no surprise that Zhao was eager to see Dune. Now that she has, the director told Sight & Sound Magazine (via Dune Info on Twitter) that she was "blown away" by the film when she saw it during an early screening. Zhao says that seeing Villeneuve execute his vision in such a way gives her hope for the cinematic experience, revealing that the Dune director put together "something that's so incredible." Read her full quote below: It gives me hope that a filmmaker like Denis is able to really harness his vision and put together something that’s so incredible, so cinematic. I’m just blown away by the experience I had in that room. Villeneuve himself is no stranger to acclaim for his directing. While he has only been nominated for an Academy Award once (for 2016's Arrival), films like Blade Runner: 2049 and Sicario have earned the director praise from critics for his vision. Dune may be Villeneuve's biggest test yet - the novel is a dense sci-fi epic that lends itself to infinite possibilities when being adapted for the big screen. David Lynch's 1984 adaptation is infamous for its borderline campy take on the source material, but Villeneuve's looks to be a more straitlaced take on Herbert's novel. Early looks at Dune incited some controversy, with many claiming that the film looked soulless due to a lack of color and humor. Luckily, a second trailer did away with those fears, expanding on the first teaser by showing much more of the film. In addition to Zhao's comments, those who have seen the film or glimpses of it on the big screen indicate that Dune is anything but lifeless and that should go a long way in ensuring audiences that the sci-fi epic could be one of the best movies of 2021.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II says the movie's script is superior to Aquaman's. After a handful of cameos in multiple DCEU projects, Jason Momoa was officially introduced as the franchise's Aquaman in the divisive 2017 film Justice League. Soon after, Momoa led a movie of his own, helmed by The Conjuring's James Wan, which proved to be a major box office blockbuster, netting a gross worldwide total of $1.1 billion. After the success of the 2018 Aquaman, a sequel was a no-brainer for Warner Bros. However, Wan was initially apprehensive about rushing the next film, but ultimately talks materialized, and the production is now officially in full swing in London. Titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Wan's follow-up to DCEU's underwater hit is being marketed as a "bigger and better" version of the original feature. Aquaman 2 expands the worldbuilding of the first film. Aside from bringing back the original ensemble - Momoa's Arthur Curry, Amber Heard's Mera, and Patrick Wilson's Orm - it also introduces new additions, such as Pilou Asbæk's undisclosed character. At the moment, other plot specifics for Aquaman 2 are slim, although it has been suggested that the movie is a tad darker and narratively deeper than its joyful predecessor. In a recent conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - who plays a significant role as the villainous Black Manta in the forthcoming film - suggested that the script for Aquaman 2 is better than the original. Speaking specifically about his character's arc, Abdul-Mateen II said that the first film only set up the intentions of Black Manta. Still, the upcoming one puts him directly under the spotlight, fleshing out all of his aspects and shades. Apart from that, Aquaman 2 also offers other actors a chance to shine, offering them some moments of quality storytelling. Read what Abdul-Mateen II said below. “I think the script is better than it was in the first one. It gives the actors a lot of good storytelling moments,” he explains. “In Aquaman, we just got a small introduction to Black Manta and to some of his motivations. In this one, I get to exercise and breathe a little bit more. I’m showing some different colors with this one.” Whether or not is Aquaman 2's script better than the 2018 movie's is something fans and critics would only know when the movie hits theatres on December 16, 2022. But one thing is for sure: the story will be decidedly different from the previous one. The reason for that is, this time around, Momoa has himself contributed to the screenplay. However, the script has still primarily been penned by Aquaman's veteran scribe David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Additionally, Aquaman 2 hasn't received any input from Geoff Johns and Will Beall, who had co-written the original screenplay. Given this shake-up at the creative end, it makes sense for Aquaman 2 to be a different story than Aquaman. So far, all the actors are very confident about the new script, and the setting and workout videos that have been teased all point towards a bright future for Aquaman 2. Of course, right now, it's too early to predict how the movie would fare. But hopefully, things will become clear once fans start pouring out reactions to the film's BTS shots, teasers, and spoilers, which will inevitably arrive soon.

Director Taika Waititi set out to tell a story viewers would never expect with Thor: Love and Thunder. Chris Hemsworth's fourth outing as the God of Thunder is due in 2022 and Waititi is returning to direct after his critically acclaimed Thor: Ragnarok. Love and Thunder will herald the return of some beloved MCU characters, including many members of the Guardians of the Galaxy, Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie, and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster, who will become Mighty Thor in the new film. Additionally, Russell Crowe will star as Zeus, while Christian Bale has signed on as villain Gorr the God Butcher. With so much going in Thor: Love and Thunder, it's unclear how Waititi will tie all of the disparate plot threads together. From the eventual face-off with Bale's new villain to Jane Foster's cancer treatment and transformation into Mighty Thor, the God of Thunder's fourth solo outing has a lot of ground to cover. Luckily, Waititi has proven himself to be more than capable when the rapturous response to Ragnarok reignited the love for the God of Thunder after many considered Thor: The Dark World to be a massive misfire. Intent on keeping audiences on their toes, Waititi revealed in a new interview with Wired that when he began planning the story for Love and Thunder he wanted to do the least expected thing. This included making Thor 4 a "full-blown love story," although the director doesn't make it clear who will be falling in love (or back in love) in his new film. What I wanted to do from the beginning was to ask: ‘What are people expecting the least from this franchise?’ Oh, I know – a full-blown love story! Hemsworth's God of Thunder has gone on an interesting journey in the MCU, from the highs and lows of Ragnarok and Avengers: Infinity War to the depths of depression after the team's defeat at the hands of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. The fourth Avengers film seemed to undo much of the character work Waititi had done on Thor and the upcoming film looks to be rectifying that in interesting ways. Still, it's unclear who will be at the center of Love and Thunder's romance. It's entirely possible that Thor reuniting with Jane Foster will be the central romance of the film, something that could inspire the God of Thunder after Endgame and the destruction of Asgard in Ragnarok. Waititi could also be referencing Valkyrie, who will be looking for her own partner to help her reign over New Asgard. It's been previously reported that Thor: Love and Thunder will address the character's bisexuality in the new film, so a love story for her isn't out of the question. Overall, though, it seems that the entire film could be about love and after the darkness at the beginning of the MCU's Phase 4, such a hopeful story could inspire a new perspective for Marvel's heroes.

Highlights from Noel Gallagher’s first show as part of his Radio X Residency, which he’s hosting throughout August on Radio X, Sunday nights from 7pm – 9pm are below. Noel reveals which of his celeb mates are the biggest party animals, saying Doctor Who and The Crown star Matt Smith can “hold his own” but “does tend to boot furniture over, he turns at about 3am or 4am”, but Chris Martin is “more into nuts and seeds” Noel also reveals which celebs are the biggest lightweights, saying “it’s usually those with the big mouths” NG: Noel Gallagher MM: Matt Morgan Listener Andy from Yorkshire: Out of all of your big shot celebrity mates, who has got the reputation for being an all-around party animal who actually turns out is a complete lightweight? And likewise, who has got the reputation for being mild-mannered and quiet and actually turns out to be a top [beep]. MM: He's talking about your mates like Matt Smith, you know, Doctor Who. Matthew McConaughey, Madonna, Lars Ulrich… NG: I wouldn't say Madonna was a friend of mine, but she's an acquaintance. Lars is a good lad. […] Matt Smith can hold his own. He does tend to boot furniture over, he turns at about 3am or 4am in the morning. He does. He’s been round my house a couple of times, and he supports Blackburn Rovers, right? And a couple of times, he's kind of just does that thing where he’ll drift off and then go “ROVERS!” and like kick a chair or summat. I was about to have a word with him a couple of times, like “mate, kick the chair again, and you know, we're gonna have to work this out.” MM: Hang on, so he's falling asleep… NG: Well, you know, like, you know, when you get so drunk? MM: Like a granddad after the Second World War, like who was in the war and who sort of goes “Oh they’re coming!” “Rovers!” NG: Yeah, and shouts out “Rovers!” and then boots the chair. Oh he’s turned furniture over in my house. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, not in a violent way, but kind of, you know, a bit of comedy. But he can hold his own. Matthew McConaughey is one of the most far out people I've ever met. Very, very funny man. Bono - he can put a shift in, no messing. He’s Irish. MM: Who’s seen as a hell-raiser publicly that isnt’? NG: Oh, that’s a bit of a lightweight? MM: Yeah. NG: Our kid. He’s a bit of a charlatan. Who else? There's a lot actually. A lot of them in the game can't walk it like they talk it. It’s usually those with the big mouths. MM: Alright, so let's just get on with the next bit of that question, which is ‘who is seen as a lightweight but is actually a bit of a monster? NG: A bit of a tearaway? I remember we were an awards ceremony once and we went out afterwards, and the singer from The Kooks kind of got swept up in our entourage. And he stayed the distance. Yeah, but I haven’t seen him since? I don't think he made a record since so he could well be dead, but he put a shift in. Luke was his name. MM: Luke from The Kooks? NG: Luke Kook was his nom de plume. Who else? The bass player from The Vaccines got caught up in a night out with us once. Still going on about it apparently. There's a lot of… there is a lot of fakers in the music business. Because it's built on fakery. You know, I mean, and I'd say to the listener, all the people that you think that are, usually are not, and vice versa. And then there's the chosen few in the middle. Who you think that are, and by God, they are… There’s not many who can walk it like they talk it. MM: What about Chris Martin? NG: I don’t even think he drinks. I think he’s more into nuts and seeds. The only time I’ve ever seen seeds and pulses in a dressing room was in a Coldplay dressing room. And I actually said to the tour manager “what’s that?” He said “they’re seeds, sunflower seeds.” I was like “what, they having a gardening class?” I didn’t know you could eat sunflowers, and they were eating ‘em. With a straight face! Crazy.

Beyoncé has confirmed new music is on the way. The superstar's last album, Lemonade, was released all the way back in 2016. But in an interview for the September 2021 issue of Harper's Bazaar, Beyoncé revealed that she has "been in the studio" throughout the coronavirus lockdown. "With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible. I've been in the studio for a year and a half," she shared. "Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies. Still, there's nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio. After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old. Yes, the music is coming!" Elsewhere in the chat, Beyoncé reflected on her upcoming 40th birthday, her interest in filmmaking, and the reason why she often opts for black-and-white imagery in her music videos and album artwork. "I remember being in a meeting discussing analytics, and I was told the research discovered that my fans did not like when my photography was black-and-white. They told me I wouldn't sell if it wasn't in colour. That was ridiculous...It triggered me when I was told, 'These studies show...' the 39-year-old sighed. "I was so exhausted and annoyed with these formulaic corporate companies that I based my whole next project off of black-and-white photography, including the videos for Single Ladies and If I Were a Boy and all of the artwork by Peter Lindbergh for I Am...Sasha Fierce, which ended up being my biggest commercial success to date."

Gorillaz made an emotional return to the live stage this evening with a free show for NHS workers and their families at London’s The O2 Arena. This very special show, to thank and recognise all NHS staff who continue to work tirelessly to keep us all safe, also marks the reopening of the venue as well as the band’s first live performance with an audience since October 2018. With the crowd having all shown their covid negative status to enter, tonight is the first full capacity, live event at The O2 Arena since March 11th 2020. Celebrating two glorious decades of Gorillaz, our virtual heroes were back, bigger and better than ever and in real life with magnificent Jamie Hewlett visuals and thrilling live performance from Damon Albarn and the full Gorillaz live band. A choice selection of featured artists also took to the stage, as always a deliciously eclectic mix, across genre and generation; Robert Smith, Peter Hook, Popcaan, Leee John, Fatoumata Diarwara, Earthgang, Jelani Blackman, AJ Tracey, Alacaì Harley, Little Simz, Shaun Ryder, Slowthai, Slaves, Pos-De La Soul, Sweetie Irie, Rowetta and Mangrove Steel Pans. The set list spanned Gorillaz seven acclaimed albums and also saw the debut of some brand new and previously unheard tracks, expect to hear more there soon. For full ticket and information on the 11th August public show here: https://www.theo2.co.uk/events/detail/gorillaz

Normani has claimed she was pushed to the background during her time in Fifth Harmony. The singer first shot to fame as part of the girl group, which was formed as part of the second season of The X Factor USA in 2012 and also featured Ally Brooke, Lauren Jauregui, Dinah Jane, and Camila Cabello. But while Fifth Harmony found chart success with singles such as Boss and Work from Home, in a new interview for the September 2021 issue of Allure magazine, Normani alleged that the group's managers chose to deal with the attacks of racist trolls by diminishing her star power. "I didn't get to really sing in the group. I felt like I was overlooked," she told the publication. "That idea has been projected on me. Like, this is your place." Following the announcement of Fifth Harmony's indefinite hiatus back in 2018, Normani has pursued a solo career, and collaborated with the likes of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion on singles, with her debut studio album now in the works. And the Love Lies hitmaker is adamant she won't let anything stop her from achieving her goals. "I'm reinventing myself," the 25-year-old declared. "Now you all are finally going to be able to see me tap into that awareness - that I know I'm the s**t."

Stevie Nicks has cancelled all her gigs for this year. The 73-year-old Fleetwood Mac frontwoman was only scheduled to do five performances throughout 2021, but she has decided to scrap all of them because she’s concerned about the rising cases of coronavirus across the globe and is particularly worried that it may end her career if she catches it. She said in a statement: “These are challenging times with challenging decisions that have to be made. I want everyone to be safe and healthy and the rising Covid cases should be of concern to all of us. While I’m vaccinated, at my age, I am still being extremely cautious and for that reason have decided to skip the 5 performances I had planned for 2021. Because singing and performing have been my whole life, my primary goal is to keep healthy so I can continue singing for the next decade or longer. "I’m devastated and I know the fans are disappointed, but we will look towards a brighter 2022.” Stevie was scheduled to play at the Jazz Aspen Festival in Colorado and BottleRock Napa Valley over Labor Day Weekend from September 3 until September 5, both weekends of the Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 1 until October 3 and then again on October 8 until October 10, and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival – also known as Jazzfest – from October 8 until 17. Meanwhile, this isn’t the first time Stevie has spoken about her fear of not being able to perform again. Asked how she would feel if she could no longer take to the stage and sing, she said previously: "It would kill me. It isn’t just singing; it’s that I would never perform again, that I would never dance across the stages of the world again."

Ed Sheeran has painted his new album cover. The 30-year-old singer is preparing to release his upcoming fifth studio album and he revealed he has also designed the artwork for the project. According to The Sun newspaper's Bizarre column, Ed told a Hong Kong radio station: “I am actually painting the album cover now. It takes a month. “It is a layer, you wait a day, then another layer and another layer and you wait a day. So I did white, black and then red, turquoise and then layer it up.” Meanwhile, Ed has announced a special show to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of his debut album '+'. The singer will perform the album in its entirety at London's O2 Shephard's Bush Empire, with a capacity of just 2000 people, on September 2. A message on his Twitter account stated: "On September 2nd, Ed is performing an intimate show at @o2sbe to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of his debut album '+'. Find out how to apply for tickets here: https://edsheeran.com/10yearsofplus." Speaking to NME, Ed said “While I’ve been lucky enough to continue playing shows across the world, Shepherd’s Bush Empire is still really special to me. “When I first set out in music, one of my main goals was to one day headline SBE and my first gig there is still one of my favourite shows that I’ve played. I can’t wait to get back and celebrate 10 years of ‘+’ with you."

Beyoncé has promised that new "music is coming" after she spent a "year and a half" in the studio. The 39-year-old R&B superstar has revealed that she spent much of the COVID-19 lockdown locked away in the studio laying down new tracks and now as the world re-opens after the worst of the pandemic she cannot wait to unveil her songs to her fans. Speaking to Harper's Bazaar for their Icon issue, she said: "With all the isolation and injustice over the past year, I think we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible. I've been in the studio for a year and a half ... Yes, the music is coming!" Beyoncé's last solo studio album was 2016’s ‘Lemonade’. Since that release her other musical projects have been the collaborative LP ‘Everything Is Love’ with her husband Jay-Z, the 'Black Is King' visual album and the soundtrack which she created for Disney's 2019 remake of 'The Lion King'. The 'Halo' hitmaker has been grateful for the time that the coronavirus quarantine has afforded her as an artist because she is such a perfectionist when it comes to crafting her songs. She explained: "Sometimes it takes a year for me to personally search through thousands of sounds to find just the right kick or snare. One chorus can have up to 200 stacked harmonies. Still, there's nothing like the amount of love, passion, and healing that I feel in the recording studio. After 31 years, it feels just as exciting as it did when I was nine years old." Elsewhere in the interview, Beyoncé spoke of how much her own parents, Tina Knowles-Lawson and Mathew Knowles, have inspired her music career. The former Destiny's Child singer said: "My mother has always been my Queen and still is. She has always been so strong and is filled with humanity. She worked 18 hours a day with calloused hands and swollen feet. No matter how tired she was, she was always professional, loving, and nurturing. I try to handle my work and run my company in the same way. "My father constantly encouraged me to write my own songs and create my own vision. He is the reason I wrote and produced at such a young age."

De La Soul have announced that their albums are finally becoming available to stream. The legendary hip hop trio - comprised of Dave 'Trugoy the Dove' Jolicoeur, Kelvin 'Posdnuos' Mercer and Vincent Lamont Mason Jr. aka Maseo - revealed in an Instagram Live that their full back catalogue, most of which has never been legally available on streaming services, is coming to all major platforms later in 2021. The news follows Reservoir Music's $100 million acquisition of the group's original label Tommy Boy Records earlier this year. Jolicoeur said: "We’re thrilled. We have come to a deal between ourselves and Reservoir to release our music in 2021 — our catalogue will be released this year, we are working diligently with the good folks at Reservoir, and we sat down with them and got it done pretty quickly actually. Our music will be released in 2021 on all streaming platforms - we’re trying to get the whole catalog out there. It’ll take a minute … a little minute … November." Mason added: "Just be clear, business was done fair … and with regard to how unique this situation was." De La Soul encountered difficulties with Tommy Boy due to several lawsuits being brought against the band regarding the clearance of samples used on the group's tracks with 1989 debut album '3 Feet High and Rising' notably being targeted with legal action. A spokesperson for Reservoir issued a statement to Variety regarding the streaming deal, which read: "Reservoir couldn’t be happier to come to an agreement with De La Soul, one of the most important groups in the history of hip-hop, and it’s an honor to partner with them and make these classic albums available to the fans after all this time.” Mason, 51, addressed the issue with samples not being cleared back in 2019, admitting that it was difficult to predict the legal problems De La Soul's music would attract back when they started out in the 1980s. Appearing on SiriusXM’s 'Sway in the Morning' radio show, the 'Me Myself and I' hitmaker said: "For some years, the catalogue had been held up because … of the issues that existed behind the projects, with samples not being cleared. “I don’t know what [Tommy Boy’s] deals were with clearing samples, but back then a lot was probably done on a handshake, especially when you’re an independent label. "Nothing comes to the surface until it actually turns into something. If I was the record company at that time, I would have probably thought it was a small thing and not cleared it, ‘This little 30-second thing, who would come after that?’ And it happened!"

Halsey says the themes of their upcoming new album 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power' have been "amplified" by pregnancy. The 26-year-old singer and partner Alev Aydin welcomed their first child Ender Ridley into the world in July and the entire experience has influenced the songs which are about "mortality and everlasting love". Halsey unveiled the tracklisting on Twitter for 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power' - which will be released on August 27 - and was asked by one follower "was iichliwp always supposed to be a concept album? or did it change after you got pregnant with ender (assuming you’ve been working on this since before you got pregnant)?" To which she replied: "Weirdly enough it was always supposed to be about mortality and everlasting love and our place / permanence. It was just amplified by me being pregnant. Introduced new themes of control and body horror and autonomy and conceit." The 'Without Me' hitmaker's fourth studio LP has been produced by Nine Inch Nails star Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross and it will also have an accompanying film which will be shown in IMAX cinemas around the world in the lead up to the release. Halsey also let slip that the record is similar in style to their 2015 debut 'Badlands'. She tweeted: "It feels very cool to have an album with no features again. It felt like this had to be entirely from my voice, similarly to Badlands. I can’t wait for you to hear everything." Previously explaining the concept behind 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power', Halsey said: "This album is a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth. It was very important to me that the cover art conveyed the sentiment of my journey over the past few months. "The dichotomy of the Madonna and the w****. The idea that me as a sexual being and my body as a vessel and gift to my child are two concepts that can co-exist peacefully and powerfully." 'If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power' tracklisting: 1. The Tradition 2. Bells in Santa Fe 3. Easier than Lying 4. Lilith 5. Girl is a Gun 6. You asked for this 7. Darling 8. 1121 9. honey 10. Whispers 11. I am not a woman, I’m a god 12. The Lighthouse 13. Ya’aburnee

Gorillaz debuted a new song featuring AJ Tracey at their concert at The O2 in London on Tuesday night (10.08.21). The band performed a free show for NHS workers and their families to thank them for all their hard work and the sacrifices they made to save lives in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the middle of their set, Gorillaz - fronted by Damon Albarn - debuted three new collaborative tracks; ‘Meanwhile’ with Jelani Blackman, ‘De Ja Vu’ with Alicai Harley and 'Jimmy Jimmy’ with British rap sensation Tracey, which proved to be a highlight of the night. The 'Dirty Harry' hitmakers also brought out a host of other special guests, including The Cure frontman Robert Smith who joined the band for a rendition of ‘Strange Timez’, the lead track from Gorillaz's seventh studio album ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’, which was released in 2020. Other collaborators were New Order‘s Peter Hook, Popcaan, Leee John, Fatoumata Diawara, Shaun Ryder and Rowetta, slowthai and Slaves, De La Soul‘s Posdunos, EARTHGANG, Little Smiz and Sweetie Irie. The mammoth 32-song show was the first concert in front of a live audience Gorillaz - also comprised of Jamie Hewlett and Remi Kabaka Jr. - had played since October 2018. Damon - who started his incredible music career as Blur's singer - recently teased that Gorillaz's next LP would see the once animated group "going back to the spirit of their first record”, 2001’s self-titled debut, and was a "nice counter-balance" to his upcoming new solo album 'The Nearer the Fountain, More Pure the Stream Flows'. He said: "It’s really exciting and we’ve been really enjoying it. It’s a nice kind of counter-balance to ‘The Nearer The Fountain…’, really. I’ve definitely needed a dose of something else after I finished that record. Steel pan drums and Casio MT-40s were always going to be a good cure.”

Splitgate is taking the gaming world by storm right now, exploding in popularity across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox to become one of the most-played games in recent weeks. The online multiplayer arena shooter has quickly developed a dedicated fanbase, attracting attention from big name streamers in the process. This includes Twitch streamer Adin Ross, who recently competed in a high stakes Splitgate wager match that didn't go exactly as he would've wanted. Adin Ross put up $20,000 in a Splitgate wager match against fellow Twitch streamer yourrage. Unfortunately for Ross, he was outmatched by yourrage, ultimately losing the 1v1 Free for All match 12 points to 3. In a clip making the rounds online, Ross is killed by yourrage for the last time, smashes his controller repeatedly on his desk, and then rage quits out of the game while it's showing the killcam. Rage quitting in video games is nothing new, and many have done so about games with far less stakes than this 1v1 match between Ross and yourrage. Losing in a video game can definitely be frustrating, especially in highly competitive 1v1 situations like this Splitgate match was, but losing a video game and also losing $20,000 is on another level entirely. To his credit, though, Ross did say "good game" to yourrage shortly after closing out of the game. Ross and yourrage choosing Splitgate for their wager match is a testament not only to the game itself but to its increasing popularity. Splitgate is becoming so popular, in fact, that the developers had had to implement a queue system for players to actually get into the game. Splitgate's extreme level of popularity caught the developers by surprise and caused some server problems at first, but it seems things are getting straightened out. Splitgate's release date was delayed at the last minute due to the game's unexpected popularity, but it's still expected out at some point this month. As it stands, anyone interested can play Splitgate for free and level up the free Battle Pass that's currently available in the beta. It's even possible to earn achievements and trophies in the game despite it technically still being in beta, so it's more or less the full experience. With some stiff competition coming out later this year, it will be interesting to see if Splitgate's popularity persists or if the game is passed over for new FPS titles that are dropping in the months ahead. Splitgate being free-to-play certainly gives it an advantage, and if Twitch streamers like Adin Ross keep playing it, it can only be good for the Halo meets Portal FPS in the long run. Splitgate is out now in beta for PC, PS4, and Xbox One, with PS5 and Xbox Series X versions also in development.

Rockstar Games has brought a whole new way to engage with Red Dead Online, including a new survival mode and a set of crime contracts. This will take players across the whole Red Dead Redemption 2 map in order to specifically target one prominent character from the base game and the grander wild-west world. Coming alongside Red Dead Online's new Call to Arms mode, Rockstar Games has announced several new activities and pieces of gear that players can complete and collect in the latest update. In the case of the extended crime contract, players will be sent to the Heartlands and Saint Denis to muck with the business of Leviticus Cornwall, who players might remember as an antagonist in Red Dead Redemption 2. The Cornwall Contract, as it's called, gives players a list of criminal activities to complete in order to help take down the wealthy villain Leviticus Cornwall. Additionally, this will be a whole new way for players to earn a large amount of Red Dead Online's Capitale, rewarded for infiltrating Cornwall Kerosene & Tar in the Heartlands. Altogether, the whole adventure will task people to traversing all over the world map in order to steal large amounts of money from one of the richest people in the series. On top of Red Dead Online's newest Contract, Rockstar Games has also released a new survival game mode titled Call to Arms, pitting players against up to 10 waves of enemies, all while trying to protect specific locations. These new additions also come alongside new bonuses and outfits like the Clelland Outfit, which can now be found for purchase from Madam Nazar. Between the new game mode and the Cornwall Contract, this latest update adds quite a bit of content for players to dive into across all different regions of Red Dead Online. Considering that it wasn't too long ago that Red Dead Online players complained about there being a lack of content to engage with, seeing an update that adds new contracts and a new game mode should be a positive sign for fans. While Rockstar Games hasn't exactly introduced new content for the offline version of the game, many of the recent additions to the online title have helped it to earn its spot as a standalone experience. Hopefully, if this Cornwell Contract and the Call to Arms mode are popular enough among fans, this could lead to even more game modes and long-form activities down the line. Red Dead Online is available now for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

Red Dead Redemption 2 launched three years ago and fans have stumbled upon a myriad of details since. Because Red Dead Redemption 2's environments are dynamic, it can be difficult for players to traverse the same area multiple times in a short period and notice minor changes. As a result, there may be many details throughout the game's open environment that are still easy to miss if players are not attentive. Rockstar Games fans pride Red Dead Redemption 2 on its finer details, with more than a few of them being found by players after many playthroughs. While one fan's recent discovery is not news to every Red Dead Redemption 2 player, it is still an exciting find for themselves after five separate playthroughs. Reddit user epicredman shares a clip of themselves happening upon a particularly gruesome and discolored corpse that is nearly skeletal. Confused, epicredman asks other players if they have any insight into what they have found. An overwhelming response from players confirms that it is indeed a decomposed corpse left unattended and undisposed of in Red Dead Redemption 2's open world. Many fans who have been aware of this feature have shared their own experiences with body decomposition occurring regularly in Red Dead Redemption 2. Qpzfd claims that dead bodies allegedly take around 45 minutes to decompose, but also notes that there are a number of different environmental factors that weigh in on a corpse's decomposition. Players who are unfamiliar with Red Dead Redemption 2's gradual corpse degradation may not have experienced it for multiple reasons. As LotusSloth states, when a freshly deceased body is laying in the environment, it does not commonly take long before "critters swoop in for an easy meal." Scavenger animals picking at a corpse is perhaps the most natural way a corpse is dealt with in Red Dead Redemption 2's open world. Of course, corpses could not be left everywhere to rot in-game. For example, settlement locations such as Strawberry or Rhodes do not let dead bodies linger in the streets. Corpses vanishing from these highly populated areas in Red Dead Redemption 2 may then be explained as the populous' citizens maintaining the area and taking care of corpses themselves. Main roads also have a discreet clean-up crew, because enemies and such NPCs that are slain along a main road are also gone when players return. Further, BrandonBellinger94 suggests that it may have been a slain bounty hunter that epicredman "had previously killed in that area, decomposing." Rockstar could have simply let these corpses vanish in the open world as well, and it would have gone unnoticed by many players. But because a majority of Red Dead Redemption 2's heartland terrain is an unpopulated landscape, it is exciting to see Rockstar provide a body decomposition feature for corpses that would not be easily obtainable by local authorities. Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

August 2021 has been huge for Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass service so far, and it's only getting better. The recent Xbox indie showcase confirmed even more games that are coming to Xbox Game Pass in future, but fans don't have to wait to try some new games with their subscription. Six more games have been added to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, with one new game available to standard Game Pass subscribers as well. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, for the uninitiated, is a higher-tier version of Xbox Game Pass that comes with some added benefits. Not only does it give Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers access to all of the Xbox Game Pass games, but it also comes with Xbox Live Gold benefits and access to EA Play titles, too. Now thanks to that connection with EA Play, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can try out five new racing games. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has added Dirt 4, Dirt Rally, Dirt Rally 2.0, F1 2020, and GRID to its lineup. These games are all from premiere racing game developer Codemasters, making the jump to EA Play thanks to Electronic Arts' acquisition of Codemasters earlier this year. This acquisition means that Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers should be able to expect even more Codemasters titles to make their way to the subscription service down the road. The sixth game that's been added to Xbox Game Pass is available to all Game Pass subscribers, regardless of if they're subscribed to the standard version or Game Pass Ultimate. It's Library of Ruina, one of the games that was highlighted during the recent Xbox indie showcase. It's an experimental game that's described as a "Library Battle Simulation" game, so it will definitely be interesting to see how Game Pass subscribers react to it. The other Game Pass games highlighted by the Xbox indie showcase include hit farming sim Stardew Valley, coming to Game Pass at some point this fall, as well as stealth action game Aragami 2, which is joining the lineup on September 17. The console version of Evil Genius 2: World Domination is also coming to Game Pass, in addition to Pupperazzi. Pathfinder: Wrath & Righteous was erroneously said to be coming to Game Pass as well, though it's since been clarified that it is not a Game Pass game. More immediately, Xbox Game Pass subscribers have a lot to look forward to this month. Hades is coming to Game Pass on August 13, while Psychonauts 2 will be available on August 25. Xbox Game Pass just keeps getting bigger, and it will be exciting to see how Microsoft keeps topping itself.

Epic Games has always embraced creative ideas with Fortnite. That's what incredible success enables a studio to do, of course. But Epic has embraced that opportunity wholeheartedly and Fortnite's continued success is likely due in no small part to that endeavor. That's why when Fortnite leakers start speculating that a Fortnite open-world RPG mode or spin-off could be coming soon, it's not something to take lightly. A Fortnite open-world experience could absolutely be something Epic would want to make. According to prominent Fortnite dataminer and leaker Hypex, that may be exactly what Epic Games is doing. The Twitter account has shared two images said to be tied to an upcoming Fortnite LTM codenamed Saturn. Hypex says that they believe that these teasers are potentially for a new open-world RPG game mode. The reason for their belief is both due to the context of the teaser images, but also because in May a court document revealed Epic was working on just such a game mode. To start, the two teaser images are sections of a larger image. They show a part of Fortnite characters armed with standard weapons from the fantasy genre. Jonesy wields a sword, Fishstick wields a spear and shield, Peely holds a magical scepter, and Cuddle Team Leader holds a bow with arrows. Behind them, arrows fly toward the team and a giant ape-like enemy in armor attacks. Regarding the lawsuit, Hypex posted on May 3 that a "Stipulated Exhibits" document from Epic Games' lawsuit against Apple detailed what they described as an "open world simulation sandbox mode." This coincided with a new leaked map with props including a medieval cabin, a campsite, and what looked like dev nodes allowing a player to upgrade a bow. Hypex believes the new teasers and this old map referenced in Epic's lawsuit are all related. Considering Hypex is typically very confident in saying what they know to be coming soon to Fortnite, they're being very careful with this new information. The fact is, it's very unclear exactly what Epic may be planning for Fortnite. These two separate leaks could be entirely related, so it's best not to draw any firm conclusions. The two leaked images do heavily imply some type of Fortnite RPG with fantasy pinnings. Whether that's packaged in an open-world experience or something else, like a wave-based defense game or survival mode, remains to be seen. Regardless, it's a very interesting potential new direction for Fortnite and one likely to draw in players who may want something beyond the game's battle royale mode. Fortnite is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and mobile devices.

As has become a running staple throughout Ubisoft's recent Assassin's Creed titles, Assassin's Creed Valhalla has already received its fair share of Legacy Outfits. Eivor can suit up as Assassin's Creed's Altair, Assassin's Creed: Origins' Bayek, and Valhalla's own Basim through in-game rewards, which can be redeemed by visiting the Ubisoft Connect storefront. Today, Ubisoft announced that it's implemented its newest Legacy Outfit, confirming that Assassin's Creed Valhalla players can now access Ezio's iconic costume. All they have to do to redeem the reward is play two Assassin's Creed games and link them to their Ubisoft Connect account, at which point the outfit will be free to redeem on the website. The costume itself appears to be based on the character's appearance in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, sporting his seminal white and crimson robes as well as his belt complete with the Assassin's symbol. Over on Twitter, Ubisoft showed off the costume in action, posting a clip of Eivor performing leaps of faith and assassinating targets from the air using their hidden blade. As with the other Legacy Outfits, Ezio's attire will be wearable regardless of whether users are playing a male or female Eivor. It'll come in handy considering Assassin's Creed: Valhalla's next major slice of content is slated to hit on August 12. The Siege of Paris will see Eivor's adventure continue, this time taking the Viking protagonist to France for new adventures and battles. As the title suggests, the DLC will task players with sieging Paris, taking on Charles the Fat and his forces. It marks the second expansion to hit Valhalla this year, with Wrath of the Druids launching back in May. That add-on saw players embark on an adventure to Ireland, where they battled a deadly cult of druids known as the Children of Danu. Although Siege of Paris was initially framed as the last big add-on coming to Valhalla, Ubisoft confirmed during E3 that another expansion would be hitting the game next year. Although there's currently no title for the DLC, Ubisoft has noted that it will see Eivor come face to face with Odin once again. A short trailer for the add-on also teased a fiery, rune-covered doorway that's sure to be a big part of the character's new quest. The king of the Norse gods was very prevalent during the events of the main campaign, so the add-on is sure to offer new details regarding his role in the Assassin's Creed universe and his connection with Eivor. Assassin's Creed Valhalla is out now on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Google Stadia.

Red Dead Online is one of the more complex online experiences that players are able to take part in. There is so much to do, whether that be bounty hunting, trading, collecting, moonshining, being a naturalist, or just plain exploring the world. With the complexities of Red Dead Online and Red Dead Redemption 2 comes quite a few glitches, however, and the most recent example had one player spawning in an area that they likely were not supposed to be in: Mexico. Recently, a Reddit user named u/giantspleen posted a rather interesting image on r/reddeadredemption. The player claims that after completing a mission of Red Dead Online they ended up in Mexico, a location that is not technically a playable region in the game. However, in this case, the user was able to run freely about and explore, albeit without the standard missions and fun that Red Dead Online usually provides. This is not the first time that a player has strangely ended up in such a location. Just a few months ago, a Red Dead Online player spawned in Mexico after a mission as well, in this case, the Owlhoot Family bounty. For giantspleen, they said that they spawned into Mexico after finishing the mission "The Family," so they may be referring to the same thing and Rockstar may not have yet cleaned up the glitch. Apparently, giantspleen ran around Mexico for an hour or more looking for something to do, but could not find much. The horse wasn't around, and all that could be seen were abandoned trenches and empty roads. The minimap did apparently still show elevation, and in general, the area still looked finished, but there were no activities, missions, AI, etc.; things that Red Dead Online is known for. Mexico has been important in the Red Dead games. In some cases, it has been the locale for whole regions of a game. In the case of Red Dead Online, players are glitching into the game by accident after missions, which is making some wonder if it will one day be a place that they will be allowed to explore. It would be very interesting if Rockstar would open the game up with a major update or expansion and allow players to travel to Mexico in the game at some point. The game already allows so much, but that would breathe fresh air into the experience. Currently, it is anticipated that GTA 6 is at least 3 or 4 years away, with a rumored launch window of about 2024 or 2025. That gives Rockstar plenty of time to continue to expand on Red Dead Online. Red Dead Online is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

Players of Red Dead Redemption 2 have the ability to make their own version of Arthur Morgan. They can grow out and slick back the character's hair, pick out different clothing for him to wear, and make a number of changes to his facial hair. This flexibility has led to a number of fan creations in Red Dead Redemption 2. The latest of these has Arthur donning the uniform of a Union soldier from the American Civil War. Red Dead Redemption 2 takes place in 1899, 34 years after the end of that conflict, in a fictionalized version of the American Wild West. Despite the gap in years, players often run across those still impacted by the war in the course of the game. These interactions typically come from the Confederate or Southern side of the conflict while this outfit is from the Union or Northern side. U/Yestyzesty did well to bring the look of the Union Army to Arthur Morgan. The Union Army donned deep blue coats with a matching hat and light blue pants. This player's Arthur Morgan matches that outfit quite well as each piece of the outfit hits the mark. There isn't an exact replica of each piece of the actual Union uniform in Red Dead Redemption 2 but these choices are most likely the closest examples there are. And the facial hair option they chose is a common look from the American Civil War period. The only option that sticks out is the pair of working jeans but their blue coloring does work well with the outfit. Arthur Morgan, had he been born decades earlier, would have likely ended up on the northern side of the conflict. Though, knowing his path, it is doubtful he would have taken heed of the draft notice. Either way, u/Yestyzesty did a great job of dressing his Arthur Morgan to match what he would look like had he ended up in the American Civil War like Dutch's father in Red Dead Redemption 2. The choice to position Red Dead Redemption 2 as a prequel to the first game put it in a uniquely interesting position in American history. This time period allowed for the developers to touch on the American Civil War and its impact on certain communities without feeling out of place. And it also allows for a bit more of a Wild West feel than the first game in the series. Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now on PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.

A battle royale filled with classic Ubisoft characters does not seem like a bad idea. However, based on the fan backlash on its new trailer, Ubisoft All-Star Blast is clearly not what fans wanted. Ubisoft has infamously retired characters or taken its franchises in directions that seem like the opposite of fan desires. The greatest example is the Splinter Cell franchise and its protagonist Sam Fisher, now being relegated to multiplayer spin-offs and Netflix shows. Other series like the upcoming Rainbow Six Quarantine plan to take the grounded, tactical FPS gameplay of Siege, and dramatically shift it with zombie-like enemies. From Assassin's Creed to Far Cry, to even Prince of Persia, there are many classic characters and franchises that Ubisoft could represent in a crossover game, but this latest development is one that fans could not have predicted. Ubisoft recently dropped the trailer for Ubisoft All-Star Blast and fans are already voicing their disappointment. The game is 99-player battle royale featuring Bomberman-like gameplay, where players control iconic Ubisoft characters while trying to explode others players in grid-like arenas. Featuring fan favorite characters like Splinter Cell's Sam Fisher, Rayman, Jade from Beyond Good & Evil, and The Prince from Prince of Persia, Ubisoft clearly dove into its rich history of franchises for characters to draw from, but to feature them in a game like this has lead to unrest in fans. On YouTube, the trailer is sitting at 12,000 views, with 847 dislikes and only 438 likes, the hate being practically double the praise. Scrolling through the comment section reveals some more precise opinions about the game. Many are pointing out the game's apparent cheapness, with its off-putting artstyle, its "knock-off Bomberman" gameplay, and the fact that it is a mobile game, not something with a greater budget or ambition. Others are calling out Ubisoft's audacity to once again revive Sam Fisher and Rayman in a new game that is not new entries in their respective franchises. It might have been too much to expect a Super Smash Bros. Ultimate styled crossover game, like the recently announced Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, but to many, Ubisoft All-Star Blast is about as bad as it can be. In one hand, from Ubisoft's perspective, this is a cheap game that will potentially get players to drop their money into upgrades or unlocking their desired characters, and it certainly has that potential. On the other hand, though, from the player's perspective, this is just another example of the company being unsure of what to do with its franchises outside of its current heavy hitters like Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. There are only so many times that fans are going to be drawn in by seeing Rayman or Sam Fisher before not even those characters inclusions are enough to do so. Ubisoft All-Star Blast! is available now on mobile and PC.

Call of Duty 2021, rumored to be released with the subtitle Vanguard, still has yet to be officially revealed by Activision. This is despite the fact that the game's likely release date is just a few months away. While Call of Duty fans have been waiting quite some time to get their first look at Call of Duty 2021, Vanguard, or whatever it ends up being called, it seems that the wait is nearly over. Reliable leaker Tom Henderson, who has accurately leaked plenty of Call of Duty and Battlefield news in the past, has said that the Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal, "or something related to Vanguard," will be taking place on Thursday, August 19. Henderson believes that details about the event are being shared with certain individuals today and that he managed to verify the August 19 date with four people. What's interesting about the August 19 date is that is the same day that the next PlayStation State of Play event is rumored to be taking place, as also pointed out by Henderson. Henderson explains that PlayStation has marketing rights to Call of Duty: Vanguard, as it has with the Call of Duty games for years, and so it stands to reason that the reveal could very well take place at the rumored State of Play event. Verified by 4 people. The Vanguard reveal or something related to Vanguard is happening on August 19th. Details on the event/reveal are being shared today under NDA to select people. These types of calls usually happen at around 1PM EST. pic.twitter.com/cotTLSCxQZ — Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) August 11, 2021 However, it should be stressed that the rumored PlayStation State of Play for August 19 has not actually been announced by Sony. There's no concrete evidence to back it up, and so fans should definitely keep their expectations in check. Plus, it was previously said that the Call of Duty: Vanguard reveal would happen as part of a Call of Duty: Warzone event, so even if a State of Play does take place on August 19, it won't necessarily feature the new Call of Duty game. The other thing to note about Henderson's tweet is his use of a GIF from World War 2 film Hacksaw Ridge. This is Henderson reiterating the previously leaked information that Call of Duty: Vanguard will be a World War 2 game. Other leaks suggest that Call of Duty: Vanguard will have extensive Warzone integration, which will apparently include the debut of a brand new battle royale map. This new Call of Duty: Warzone map will supposedly replace Verdansk and be World War 2-themed like Vanguard, though fans should treat that information with a grain of salt until an official announcement comes from Activision. Hopefully this leaked August 19 date is legitimate and that info will come sooner rather than later. Call of Duty: Vanguard is in development for unspecified platforms.

Pat Cummins