Between Summer Game Fest and kick-off of the Summer Movie Season, there’s quite a bit of movie and gaming news that may have slipped through the cracks!
First Trailer for ‘Black Phone 2’
Four years ago, 13-year-old Finn killed his abductor and escaped, becoming the sole survivor of The Grabber. But true evil transcends death … and the phone is ringing again.
Four-time Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).
As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.
Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.
Black Phone 2 hits theaters on October 17th.
Stig Asmussen’s Giant Skull Developing new Dungeons & Dragons Game
The director behind the Star Wars Jedi games is now working on a new D&D game for Wizards of the Coast, with his new development studio, Giant Skull.
“Stig and the team at Giant Skull are exactly the type of exceptionally talented creators we want to work with, and I’m so happy to be reuniting with him on this new project,” said John Hight, President of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming at Hasbro. “In our time working together on God of War I got to see firsthand Stig’s artistry and expertise, and he and the Giant Skull team are the perfect fit for our new game. Worldbuilding and storytelling is in our DNA, and this collaboration reflects our evolution and commitment to our Playing to Win Strategy, building a stronger presence in digital play. We look forward to revealing more about this brand-new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS game in the future.”
“Our talented and experienced team at Giant Skull is built on creativity and curiosity,” said Stig Asmussen, CEO, Giant Skull. “Our goal is to craft a rich new DUNGEONS & DRAGONS universe filled with immersive storytelling, heroic combat and exhilarating traversal that players will fully embrace.”
Giant Skull includes star-studded talent from premium studios who have consistently developed and launched award-winning, globally successful franchises. Asmussen was most recently the game director of Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order for Respawn Entertainment and EA. Prior to that, he was the game director on God of War III and the art director for God of War II at Sony Santa Monica. Giant Skull has an elite team, all of whom will be instrumental in shaping this new single-player focused action adventure, utilizing Unreal Engine 5, from the ground-up.
This partnership adds to Wizards of the Coast’s growing lineup of games, which includes both original titles and those based on popular brands. In addition to the Giant Skull project, several other exciting games are in the works across Wizards’ North American studios. Archetype Entertainment (Austin, TX) is currently hard at work on EXODUS, an epic sci-fi RPG that puts players at the center of an emotional story. Atomic Arcade (Raleigh, NC) has recently released two new images from its first project: a game centered on Snake Eyes, the legendary ninja/commando from G.I. JOE. Invoke (Montreal, QC) is in full production of another DUNGEONS & DRAGONS action-adventure game built around magic. Also, Skeleton Key (Austin, TX) is working on a project that blends suspense, horror, and memorable gameplay experiences. Finally, the Wizards of the Coast team continues to expand Magic: The Gathering Arena with new content and features.
Final Trailer for ‘M3GAN 2.0’
Two years after M3GAN, a marvel of artificial intelligence, went rogue and embarked on a murderous (and impeccably choreographed) rampage and was subsequently destroyed, M3GAN’s creator Gemma (Allison Williams) has become a high-profile author and advocate for government oversight of A.I. Meanwhile, Gemma’s niece Cady (Violet McGraw), now 14, has become a teenager, rebelling against Gemma’s overprotective rules.
Unbeknownst to them, the underlying tech for M3GAN has been stolen and misused by a powerful defense contractor to create a military-grade weapon known as Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno; Ahsoka, Pacific Rim: Uprising), the ultimate killer infiltration spy. But as Amelia’s self-awareness increases, she becomes decidedly less interested in taking orders from humans. Or in keeping them around.
With the future of human existence on the line, Gemma realizes that the only option is to resurrect M3GAN (Amie Donald, voiced by Jenna Davis) and give her a few upgrades, making her faster, stronger, and more lethal. As their paths collide, the original A.I bitch is about to meet her match.
M3GAN 2.0 hits theaters on June 27th.
‘Digimon Story Time Stranger’ Gets Gameplay Trailer and Release Date
During Sony’s State of Play presentation, Bandai Namco revealed a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Digimon game!
DIGIMON STORY TIME STRANGER is designed to be the perfect entry point to the series for RPG enthusiasts. The game’s multiple settings in both the human and digital worlds sets the stage for exploring the deep bond between humans and creatures called Digimon, who reside in the Digital World: Iliad. Through working together with Digimon in battle, evolving abilities and forging bonds, players will begin unravelling the game’s mystery and save both worlds. To do so, they journey between the two worlds, even across time and venture deep into the intricate Digital World revealing never-before-seen elements of the world of Digimon.
Digimon Story Time Stranger hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, and PCs on October 3rd.
‘Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound’ Release Date Trailer
Today’s reveal confirms that guest composers Keiji Yamagishi, Ryuichi Niita and Kaori Nakabai—creators of the original NES NINJA GAIDEN trilogy soundtracks—have contributed to NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound. Leading the soundtrack is Sergio de Prado, best known for his work on the acclaimed Blasphemous series.
NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound begins immediately after the opening moments of the original NES NINJA GAIDEN. The veil between the human and demon realms has broken, leaving the world linked with a gate to darkness. Since Ryu Hayabusa leaves the Hayabusa Village to avenge his father, Kenji Mozu, a fledgling Hayabusa Clan Ninja central to NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound, must rise to slay the forces of evil.
Kenji’s destiny is intertwined with Kumori, a fearsome new kunoichi hailing from the antagonistic Black Spider Clan central to the NINJA GAIDEN series. Kenji and Kumori must overcome the generational grudges between their clans and use forbidden techniques to merge their powers and survive the battles ahead, binding their fates together to share a test of soul and skill while maximizing their talents.
Kenji and Kumori’s high-stakes quest develops with show-stopping fights against powerful, boss-caliber behemoths. With upgradable abilities, hidden collectibles, unlockable secret missions, optional challenges and more, NINJA GAIDEN: Ragebound is an engrossing modernization of the tense, satisfyingly swift battles and precise, skill-demanding platforming the series is known for.
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound hits PlayStation 4|5, Nintendo Switch(es), and Xbox consoles on July 31st.
New ‘Shinobi: Art of Vengeance’ Story Trailer
The trailer illustrates protagonist Joe Musashi’s tragic story, taking viewers through the loss of his village and the deadly curse placed upon the Oboro Clan. Left with nothing, his sole focus becomes defeating those responsible for burning his village to the ground – Lord Ruse and the ENE Corp. However, the path ahead holds many challenges, for Lord Ruse wields a powerful stolen artifact that grants him immortality. Nothing and no one can stand in his way… or can they?
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance hits PlayStation 4|5, Xbox consoles, and PC on August 29th.
Live-Action ‘Snow White’ hits Disney+ Next Month
Whether from the comfort of their living room or an enchanted forest, audiences of all ages can experience the magic and music of Disney’s Snow White when the film streams exclusively on Disney+ June 11th.
The live-action retelling of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs invites families and friends on a thrilling new cinematic adventure, one that also offers a charming stroll down memory lane. Just as audiences in 1937 were captivated by the magic of animation, today’s viewers can marvel at stunning visual effects that bring nature and fantasy vividly to life.
New Trailer for ‘Freakier Friday’
In the film, Curtis and Lohan reprise their roles as Tess and Anna Coleman. The story picks up years after Tess (Curtis) and Anna (Lohan) endured an identity crisis. Anna now has a daughter of her own and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might indeed strike twice. “Freakier Friday” is directed by Nisha Ganatra and based on the book “Freaky Friday” by Mary Rodgers. The film, which also stars Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Rosalind Chao, Chad Michael Murray, Vanessa Bayer, and Mark Harmon, is produced by Kristin Burr, p.g.a., Andrew Gunn, p.g.a., and Jamie Lee Curtis, with Nathan Kelly, Ann Marie Sanderlin, and Lindsay Lohan serving as executive producers.
Freakier Friday hits theaters on August 8th.
Chrono Odyssey Beta Date
Summer Game Fest brought a new trailer for Chrono Odyssey, which revealed dates for an upcoming beta (sign up for it here).
Steam Closed Beta – June 20 to June 22, 2025
For 72 hours only beginning at Midnight PDT on June 20th, players will be able to enter Setera and experience:Time-Manipulation Combat: Chain devastating combos with time rewind and freeze mechanics. Beta players can try three core classes: Swordsman, Ranger, and Berserker.
An Unreal World: Explore one explorable region filled with temporal rifts, shifting biomes, and environmental hazards—all powered by Unreal Engine 5.
A New Era of MMORPG: This PC-exclusive beta will offer a curated gameplay slice including early story quests, immersive combat, and scalable solo or party play.