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04/08/16 @ 1:32 pm EST
The popularity of video games has reached an all-time high, with modern releases boasting production budgets bigger than most Hollywood films, and grossing far beyond even the biggest box office smash! Now, Dynamite Entertainment returns to the roots of gaming with The Art of Atari!
From the arcade to the living room, Atari is one of the most recognized names in the world. Since its formation in 1972, the company pioneered hundreds of now classic titles including Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. The Art of Atari is the first official collection of original artwork created for arcades, home video systems, and computers, commissioned to enhance the Atari experience and further entice children and adults to embrace and enjoy the new era of electronic entertainment. Sourced from private collections and museums worldwide, this book spans over 40 years of the company's unique illustrations used in packaging, advertisements, catalogs, and more.
The Art of Atari represents the most comprehensive retrospective to date, clocking in at over 350 pages, and collecting production and concept artwork, photos, and marketing materials. Fans can glean exclusive insight from key people involved in Atari's rich history, with behind-the-scenes details on how the most iconic games in early video game history were conceived, illustrated, and developed!
The Art of Atari features an exclusive foreword by New York Times bestseller Ernest Cline, author of Ready Player One, soon to be a motion picture directed by Steven Spielberg. Whether you're a fan, collector, or new to the world of Atari, this book offers the most complete collection of artwork ever produced!
"Atari is remembered as the pioneer of video games -- creating fun, innovative classics like Missile Command, Asteroids, Centipede, and more. But the company was much more than that," says Tim Lapetino, co-author and Executive Director of the Museum of Video Game Art. "Atari's creative culture set the standard for Silicon Valley startups, while its art and design-driven approach yielded an amazing body of work in illustration, graphic design, and industrial design."
"Atari spearheaded a transformation of an entire generation's consciousness," says pop-culture consultant, Robert V. Conte. "As comic books changed the face of American entertainment in the 1930s and 1940s, video games did something more in the 1970s and 1980s. Starting with Pong, the company changed our world forever."
"This book collaboration with a recognized giant in the publishing industry is important because it showcases the quality and appeal of our brand and our intellectual property rights worldwide," says Todd Shallbetter, COO of Atari. "We are excited for this book of our rich, iconic history to be added to the collection of our many devoted fans, both new and existing."
"In the last few years, we have seen video game art books top the New York Times and Amazon bestseller lists" says Dynamite CEO/Publisher, Nick Barrucci. "We have been granted the chance to publish the most essential book yet, highlighting the video game publisher that started it all: Atari! Like everyone, I have fond memories of not only the games themselves, but the incredible art on the cartridges. This is truly a historic moment for Dynamite, as we get to share the history behind one of the most iconic brands in the world!"
"This is a project that I personally have invested a lot of time in, so it's been really gratifying to see it start to come together. The team creating the book is really doing an outstanding job in terms of both content and design" says Rich Young, Dynamite Director of Business Development. "There are pieces of art I'd seen before that I'd forgotten about, but when I see them now in this book, I remember seeing them for the first time, and it brings up some fond memories of discovering these video games back in the day. The art they had created was very iconic and helped further spur your imagination on when actually playing the games."
Lapetino concludes, "The artwork of Atari inspired a generation and created a bridge from the simple on-screen graphics of those early games, to the imaginations of eager gamers. Atari's creative efforts became the template that an eventual multi-billion dollar industry would follow."
For updates, preview art, and details on upcoming editions, visit www.artofatari.com, and look for The Art of Atari when it arrives in a premium 9.625" x 11" hardcover format at fine retailers everywhere in October, with a retail price of $39.99!
     
10/11/25 @ 11:50 am EST
Rian Johnson, the acclaimed writer-director behind the “Knives Out” franchise, has made headlines with his latest entry, “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” Johnson has openly described this third film as the closest the series has come to emulating the classic structure of an Agatha Christie novel—a deliberate shift from the subversive approaches of “Knives Out” and “Glass Onion.” At the Deadline Contenders London event, Johnson explained that “Wake Up Dead Man” adopts a “more traditional murder mystery structure,” echoing the formula Christie perfected. In his words: “This is how most Agatha Christie books work, where in the first act you meet all the suspects, you meet the protagonist, who’s not the detective. Then the murder happens, and the detective shows up.” This marks a departure from the previous films, which played with audience expectations—solving the murder early in “Knives Out,” and presenting a deceptively simple case in “Glass Onion.” In “Wake Up Dead Man,” Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns to tackle a darker, more gothic mystery, set in a remote stone church and featuring religious intrigue. The film’s protagonist, played by Josh O’Connor, is a priest who becomes Blanc’s sidekick, further grounding the story in classic whodunnit territory. Johnson also cited inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe, aiming for a “grounded, gothic tone” that predates Christie’s work. With the release of “Wake Up Dead Man,” Johnson completes his two-film deal with Netflix. So, what’s next? Johnson has confirmed that he will be taking a break from the “Knives Out” series to focus on an original project. “I’m writing right now, [but] it’s not one of these [Knives Out] films. It’s just something completely different, an original thing. I actually feel very energized after making this one [Wake Up Dead Man], but this is three in a row. It’s probably healthy to see other people.” He hasn’t revealed details about this new project or whether it will be with Netflix, but he’s made it clear that he wants to explore a different genre. Johnson’s creative philosophy is to “empty the well and then start from scratch,” ensuring each new film is a fresh challenge. Despite the break, Johnson remains enthusiastic about returning to the world of Benoit Blanc. He’s stated that as long as Daniel Craig is interested and audiences are engaged, he’d be happy to keep making “Knives Out” mysteries for life. Producer Ram Bergman echoed this, saying future installments are possible, but for now, the focus is on Johnson’s original script.  ... 10/11/25 @ 11:37 am EST
The Season 2 finale of Peacemaker has left fans with mixed feelings and a lot of speculation for the future. Known for its irreverent humor, brutal action, and surprising depth, the closing episode focused more on wrapping up emotional drama but also planted significant seeds for the future of the DC Universe (DCU). This was done through the introduction of Checkmate and Salvation, signaling the long-term direction for the first phase of the new universe. Checkmate, for those unfamiliar with DC Comics lore, is a covert intelligence agency known for operating in the shadows, often handling threats that are too dangerous or politically sensitive for public superhero teams. They first appeared in Action Comics #598, created by Paul Kupperberg and Steve Erwin. While in the comics, the organization is created by Amanda Waller, in the HBO Max series, it is founded by Amanda’s daughter, Leota Adebayo and the rest of the 11th Street Kids using the drug money that Vigilante had been saving. Their arrival marks a significant turning point, suggesting that future seasons—and perhaps other DCU projects—will explore the complex world of espionage, betrayal, and secret wars within the superhero community. Salvation in the comics is a prison planet where Waller and Rick Flag started sending metahumans too powerful to be held in regular prisons. This was introduced in the Salvation Run comic series, originally pitched by George R.R. Martin, written by Bill Willingham and Lilah Sturges and drawn by a variety of artists including Sean Chen and Joe Bennet. This lead into the Final Crisis event which had Darkseid coming to Earth. In the series, Salvation is an alternate reality discovered through the Quantum Unfolding Chamber that appears to be Earth-like and ideal for Flag and Lex Luthor’s plan for a place to send Metahumans. The season ends with Chris Smith aka Peacemaker, forced into Salvation by Argus and left to fend for himself. These introductions show that James Gunn overall plan for Gods & Monsters, the first phase of the DCU, is going to loosely adapt Salvation Run and may lead us to a version of Final Crisis. Even though there is a cliffhanger ending, Gunn has said that there are no immediate plans for a third season of Peacemaker, but he’s promised that these characters will be seen again soon, and the existence of Salvation will playout over all of the DCU including the upcoming Lanterns series and the 2027 film Man of Tomorrow. Reaction to the finale has been mixed with some fans disappointed with the lack of action nor any big cameo that many had speculated. Other fans though appreciated the emotional catharsis achieved by the characters and the new direction which included a few members of Argus, specifically Sasha Bordeaux, Langston Feury and Judo Master, becoming members of Checkmate along with the 11th Street Kids. Where and how we’ll see this story continue has yet to be announced.  ... 10/05/25 @ 11:50 am EST
One of the more controversial things in this summer’s Superman film was the appearance of Kara Zor-El aka Supegirl played by House of the Dragon’s Milly Alcock. The character has been on screen before, first played by Helen Slater and then Melissa Benoist and in both interpretations the character came across in a lot of ways as a female version of her cousin, Kal-El. This didn’t make sense to writer Ana Nogueira who DC Studios asked to take a swing at writing a new feature for. Nogueira, a former actor turned writer, told Variety, “She watched Krypton completely be destroyed. I was always like, ‘I can’t get my head around the version of the character that is so sunny.’” And then she came across Tom King’s Woman of Tomorrow series with a rougher, grittier, edgier and funnier Supergirl. “When I read it, I was like, ‘There she is,’” Nogueira says. Fueled by this different take on the character, Nogueira crafted a script that not only won over DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, but earned her two more assignments, Wonder Woman and Teen Titans. Supergirl, directed by Craig Gillespie, will hit theaters in June of 2026.  10/05/25 @ 11:20 am EST
While appearing at the Hamptons International Film Festival to promote her new film Eternity, Elizabeth Olsen was asked about a possible return to the MCU. “It is something that I love, and it’s something I always want to return to. I think the thing that’s been so special about the last five years is I’ve gotten to do so much with the character that I never thought I would. There are still character through lines that have happened in the comics that I’d love to do that I think fans also want to. I mean, these movies aren’t for critics, these movies are for fans.” Olsen first appeared as Wanda Maximoff in a brief cameo at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier in 2014 and reprised the roles in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: End Game (2019) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) as well as lead a spinoff Disney+ series, WandaVision in 2021. And while her character has died, that doesn’t necessarily mean the end when it comes to comic=book-based movies. And while she’s not been announced for any new Scarlet Witch projects, she remains very positive towards the whole thing. “It’s really fruitful, and the stories have only gotten better for me, my character. I really enjoyed it. Some people have ongoing television series that they get to return to. Very few, I feel like, get to be a part of franchises that, I know we might culturally get a little bit exhausted by, but there is something about them that becomes very familial. There’s nothing else really like it, and I don’t know that I’ll have [that] again unless it’s for an ongoing show. I do like that kind of consistency. It feels good. I mean, job security feels nice — I think we can all agree on that.”  ... 10/04/25 @ 9:53 am EST
If you're a fan of Peacemaker, you may have recognized the familiar face of Keith Smith as David Denman, a seasoned actor whose career spans television, film, and even stage performances. Denman is perhaps best known for his role as Roy Anderson on the beloved NBC sitcom The Office. He played Pam Beesly’s fiancé during the first few seasons, making frequent appearances and creating memorable moments in the show's iconic Scranton branch setting. Where I first saw him was as Brian Murphy, one of the football players in the sports comedy The Replacements, starring alongside Keanu Reeves and Gene Hackman. His portrayal of the tough yet endearing deaf tight end made him a standout in this memorable ensemble cast. He also starred alongside John Krasinski in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, portraying a member of the security team. Denman worked with James Gunn previously in the horror film Brightburn, playing the adoptive father to the film’s central character. Denman’s television career includes appearances in shows like Parenthood, Outcast, and Mare of Easttown. His ability to slip into a variety of characters has made him a familiar face to audiences across genres, from comedy and drama to horror and action. In addition to his main roles, Denman has also shown up in guest spots on popular series such as Grey’s Anatomy, True Detective, and The X-Files. His versatility and range have made him a reliable presence in Hollywood for over two decades. So, if you’re watching Peacemaker and wondering where you’ve seen David Denman before, chances are it’s been in one of these standout projects. His extensive resume ensures that he’s a familiar face to fans of both television and film.  10/04/25 @ 9:36 am EST
After several seasons of quirky humor and heartwarming family moments, Fox has officially canceled the animated series The Great North. The series premiered on Fox as part of the network’s Sunday night animation lineup, joining the ranks of beloved shows like Bob’s Burgers and The Simpsons. Created by Wendy Molyneux, Lizzie Molyneux-Logelin, and Minty Lewis, the show focused on the Tobin family living in the wilds of Alaska. Its cast featured the voices of Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, and Dulcé Sloan, who brought the unique and eccentric characters to life. Fox did not cite a specific reason for the cancellation. Despite positive critical reception and a loyal audience, The Great North struggled to achieve the same mainstream popularity as some of its animated peers. This likely contributed to the network’s decision to end the series.  09/28/25 @ 8:53 am EST
If you are enjoying season 2 of Peacemaker and are wondering if there is going to be a season 3… well, sort of. According to writer/director James Gunn, the eight and final episode of the season will set up what’s next, “Some of these characters will continue, but also, it’s not exactly Peacemaker 3. I’m not ruling it out. You’ll see (episode) 8 and maybe you’ll find out a little bit more.” There is speculation that this might be tied into the planned Amanda Waller series with Viola Davis, which has been progressing slowly since the initial Gunn/ Peter Safran announcement. One interesting thing, it seems this week’s scene between Lex Luthor ( Nicholas Hoult) and Rick Flag Sr. ( Frank Grillo) had been in the works even before the Earth X plot for the season had been settled on. “When I pitched to DCU what the basic stories were throughout the TV shows and movies, this was a part of that.” The Belle Reve scene and the Justice Gang auditions were filmed on consecutive Saturdays during the filming of the Superman movie. There is also one more Superman character crossover to come in episode 8.  09/28/25 @ 8:37 am EST
Tom Holland is on the mend after an incident on the set of Spider-Man: Brand New Day which left the actor with a concussion and a week off as production halted. Holland was well enough to attend a recent gala for his parents’ nonprofit The Brothers Trust alongside his fiancée and co-star Zendaya. He posted to Instagram, “What a night! Another huge success. The Brothers Trust means more to me than I could possibly say and I have to say a huge thank you to my Mum and her wonderful friends for putting on another incredible night. Raising money for fantastic causes and having fun doing it! I’m sorry I had to leave early but I’m feeling better and on the mend. A huge thanks to my Dad for taking over after I left. The show got considerably funnier.” Holland received the mild concussion during a stunt gone wrong and was taken to the hospital immediately but not admitted. The film is being shot in Scotland and even with the delay should still be able to make it’s July 31st, 2026 release date. 
09/27/25 @ 1:01 pm EST
Earlier this year we learned that plans for a second season of Hawkeye were derailed when Jeremy Renner received an offer for only half of what he made on season one. The actor commented that perhaps Disney thought he was only half the actor he was after getting run over by a snowplow in 2023. But he made it clear that this wasn’t Marvel or even the higher ups at Disney but rather the accountants. He, of course, refused the offer, but he didn’t close the door to the idea. Renner, who continues to recover from the accident, was at Florida Supercon and was asked if he would still want to reprise the role in a second season. “It was great to dive more into the character a bit, in a world that’s more grounded. To me, it was a lot more fun to do and more to explore for the character, which is nice. I always wanted to do more of that stuff, and there’s the incident that happened, and I have to get my body in shape to be able to sling arrows again and dive around and do all that stuff, but I’ll get there. I’m doing good.” The actor remains hopeful for a second season, “I’ll always dance with Marvel. I’ll always dance with them for sure when appropriate, when it’s rocking, I’m happy to do season two of Hawkeye. I love that character. I think there’s so much for us to do.” Renner continues his series Mayor of Easttown as well as will be appearing in the upcming third Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man!.  09/27/25 @ 12:24 pm EST
Warner Bros made Superman available digitally after just 73 days, far earlier than normal for a tent pole film and when asked why, co-head of DC Studios James Gunn said that he wanted to make sure that fans could see the film before Peacemaker season 2 was released. Turns out that it also lined up that it would be released on HBO Max the weekend prior to the sixth episode which turned out to be very important to both the story and the future of the DCU. In a scene that is said to help set up Gunn’s next film, Man of Tomorrow, Nicholas Holt reprised his role as Lex Luthor showing us not only the ramifications of his actions in Superman, but we see Rick Flag Sr. ( Frank Grillo) give the character an opportunity that will likely lead to the believed team up between Lex and Superman in the summer of 2027. Gunn spoke about the scene on Peacemaker: The Official Podcast, “This was one of the first scenes we shot. I think we shot it in the middle of Superman, while we were shooting the pentagon sequences in Superman. It was cool, it was weird because tonally, it instantly felt different from Superman, which is so big and brash. And this show is so grounded and gritty. And then also hearing Nick curse. But I felt like even Nick’s performance was different. It felt a little darker, it was a little different.” In the scene, Flag travels to Belle Reve prison to see Lex to get his help tracking the dimensional portal currently in the hands of Peacemaker ( John Cena). Gunn explained, “We have a really important moment, for not only Peacemaker, but the entire DCU, in that Rick Flag, the head of ARGUS, strikes a deal basically with Lex Luthor. In exchange for Lex Luthor finding where Peacemaker’s portal might be, he is going to move him from a prison with metahumans to a prison with no metahumans.” The importance of this deal will undoubtedly play out in Man of Tomorrow, a film that Gunn has said isn’t a true sequel to Superman, but a film that will focus on both Superman and Lex.  ... |
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