Halo moves to Call of Duty's Activision

The XBOX brand's reset under Asha Sharma continues with Tuesday's announcement of further layoffs and Halo moving to Activision, the developer of Call of Duty (COD).

“We’re thrilled to welcome Halo, Rare, and World’s Edge to Activision. It’s an honor and a responsibility that we do not take lightly. These teams and their games have inspired fans around the world for decades,” Rob Kostich, the Activision president, said in a statement. “For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community. To the World’s Edge and Rare teams, we can’t wait to get to work together.”

As I've written previously, my XBOX journey began with Halo: Combat Evolved in 2002.

As a Mac User since 1995, I vividly remember Apple CEO Steve Jobs announcing Halo at MacWorld 1999 before Microsoft swooped in and bought Bungie, much to Jobs' chagrin. Bungie's seminal first-person shooter (FPS) was an XBOX killer app and system seller.

My original XBOX had a faulty power cord (it could have overheated and caught fire). Essentially worthless, the console ended up on the scrap heap. So, I traded in my XBOX video games and didn't play Dead or Alive 3 again until the Xbox Series S.

For almost a decade, I played exclusively on PlayStation. Then, I unexpectedly won an XBOX 360 S after entering a LOVEFiLM (now Prime Video) competition in 2012. The XBOX 360 era introduced me to Mass Effect, BioShock, Call of Duty and my unexpected XBOX homecoming culminated with Halo 4. Meanwhile, my PlayStation 3 (PS3) gathered dust.

The Halo brand has been mismanaged for decades, and generations of gamers only know Master Chief from Fortnite. Activision will now produce the franchise. Let's hope it's not filled with microtransactions.

What do you think about Halo moving to Activision? Let me know in the comments below.

Spider-Man surpasses Star Wars

Spider-Man: Brand New Day passes Star Wars: The Force Awakens, grossing $936.7 million, to become the biggest blockbuster in US box office history.

Lucasfilm took to social media to congratulate everyone involved:

"Impressive. Most Impressive.

From a galaxy far, far away, everyone at Lucasfilm sends massive congratulations to Destin, Tom, everyone at Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios and the entire team behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day on setting a new domestic box office record and taking the crown from Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Have you seen Spider-Man: Brand New Day? What did you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Doctor Who put out to tender by BBC

After months of speculation, the BBC has officially opened the tender process for the next era of Doctor Who, confirming a new series is scheduled for 2028/29.

“We are flexible in the way the series is structured i.e. serialised or ‘story-of-the-week’ and the number of episodes which make up the series,” the BBC said. “We are not necessarily looking to work to a strict showrunner model and would expect once in production that the series will also use episodic writers.”

The tender process is expected to move quickly, with initial applications closing on 2nd October, with a shortlist selected in November and full bids due in December. The BBC will announce the successful tender in March 2027.

Russell T Davies and Bad Wolf have departed the series now that the Disney+ deal has ended, and the previously announced Christmas special will not go ahead as the BBC instead focuses on Doctor Who’s long-term future.

Whatever happens, BBC Studios will remain in control of the TARDIS, handling distribution, licensing, consumer products, digital, and immersive experiences.

Who would you like to win the tender for a new Doctor Who series? Let me know in the comments below.

JustWatch TV to launch in October

Our friends at JustWatch have sent over details regarding their new streaming service with content partners that include Paramount, New Regency and Bleecker Street.

On Tuesday, the JustWatch Group, operator of the world's largest streaming guide, announced the launch of JustWatch TV, a new streaming service available directly inside the JustWatch apps and website.

Launching next month across the United States & Canada, the UK & Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. JustWatch TV will offer free ad-supported viewing, transactional rental options, and an ad-free subscription-based option.

JustWatch TV content launch partners include Paramount, New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street and Vortex Media, among many others to be announced on the new service.

The launch marks a significant expansion for the JustWatch Group, which has spent more than a decade helping over 50 million monthly users discover what they want to watch across more than 1,500 streaming services worldwide. With JustWatch TV, the company is using that unique demand intelligence and consumer insights to build a catalog around real audience appetite.

"Every day, millions of people come to JustWatch searching for simpler ways to watch and discover hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows,” says David Croyé, Founder and CEO of the JustWatch Group. "For over a decade, our mission has been to connect fans with their favorite films and shows, particularly the hard-to-find and previously unavailable titles. With the launch of JustWatch TV, we aim to make content discovery, access and engagement even easier."

JustWatch TV will offer a unique model that both encourages consumers to discover titles and watch them directly on JustWatch, or on their preferred streaming services across the world. Quentin Carbonell, JustWatch’s SVP of Global Content Acquisitions and Strategy, adds, "JustWatch TV is designed to meet that demand head-on, offering a straightforward solution at a time of fragmentation. We are curating film and TV hits and hard-to-find gems that you can watch for free or rent on JustWatch, or easily rediscover them on your favorite services. This way, JustWatch TV aims to support the whole industry, from filmmakers to distributors to streaming platforms across the world."

Because JustWatch TV will be integrated directly into the existing JustWatch apps and website, users move from browsing to watching available titles without switching platforms or creating new accounts. The service will be made available next month to all existing JustWatch users across launch markets.

Find where to stream new, popular & upcoming entertainment with JustWatch.

Are you looking forward to JustWatch TV? Let me know in the comments below.

Lucas Museum of Narrative Art first look

The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is opening to the public later this month in Los Angeles.

Exhibits include a life-size Naboo Starfighter, General Grievous on his wheel-bike and original concept art for Indiana Jones.

Lucasfilm founder and Star Wars creator George Lucas said, “The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art was created to honor humanity’s stories and the artists who illustrate them. The artists in this collection didn’t just create images, they connected our modern imaginations with our ancient emotions—with common beliefs creating community. Their work spans genres, media, and time. They deserve to be in a museum.”

Fans were invited to a press preview earlier this month.



The starship-like Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, a $1 billion passion project envisioned by Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson, will open to the public on 22nd September.

Are you planning to visit the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Wars in IMAX

The original Star Wars and Star Wars: Starfighter are in IMAX 70mm for the 50th anniversary of George Lucas' space opera.

The restored re-release of Star Wars is in cinemas on 19th February 2027.

Star Wars: Starfighter, a standalone story set 5 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) and starring Ryan Gosling (Project Hail Mary), is due to be released on 28th May 2027.

Are you looking forward to seeing the original Star Wars and Star Wars: Starfighter in IMAX? Let me know in the comments below.

Star Trek at 60

My earliest memories of watching Star Trek: The Original Series are of midweek primetime reruns on BBC One in the late seventies and early eighties!

Before we had our first VCR, I would tune in hoping to see The Corbomite Maneuver or Arena, where Captain Kirk (William Shatner) battled the Gorn!

Christmas 1977, I was gifted Dinky Toys’ Starship Enterprise, Klingon D7 Battlecruiser and Mego action figures (Kirk, Spock, Klingon, and a Gorn). These toys were a staple of watching Star Trek reruns for full immersion in an era long before augmented reality (AR) apps.

When Star Trek was revived, and its voyages moved to the big screen in the wake of Star Wars, I couldn’t wait to board the USS Enterprise for further adventures…

Whilst Star Trek: The Motion Picture was more star bore than star war to this hyperactive kid, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was a tale of revenge at too high a price.

Spin-off series soon followed, from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Star Trek: The Next Generation was a seminal series foreshadowing technology many of us use daily. From touchscreens to voice assistants... “Alexa, play Star Trek!”, words my younger self never imagined saying for real as I avidly read Marvel UK’s official magazine.

Soon I had a teenage crush on Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes), who vied for poster space with actresses Jennifer Connelly (Labyrinth) and Winona Ryder (Heathers).

Gene Roddenberry’s allegorical Wagon Train in space is sci-fi born of optimism and hope for the future. And the human race needs that more than ever. Live long and prosper.

What are your memories of watching Star Trek? Let me know in the comments below.

50 years of The Muppet Show

50 years ago, The Muppet Show was first broadcast!

Jim Henson’s anarchic, fuzzy-felt creations were a staple of Sunday teatime telly and later moved to the big screen, from Star Wars to Labyrinth (don't get me started on teenage crush Jennifer Connelly)!

The original series ran for five seasons from 1976-1981 and featured memorable guest star appearances, including Mark Hamill (Star Wars).

Kermit and Miss Piggy (who scared me as a kid) became pop culture icons and adorned my childhood bedroom walls alongside Luke Skywalker and the Fourth Doctor.

We all have our own Muppetational stories… My parents gifted Muppet memorabilia to the children's hospital where my life was saved, against all odds, in 1977. The Muppet Show is as important to me as Doctor Who and Star Wars.

There's no new series following a one-off special on Disney+ earlier this year, which is a travesty. All 120 episodes of the original The Muppet Show are streaming on Disney+.

What are your memories of watching The Muppet Show? Let me know in the comments below.

Optimus Prime: Awakening

On Tuesday, Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment unveiled new details about The Transformers: The Movie, returning to theatres internationally in 4K from September 17–22. To celebrate the 40th anniversary, Hasbro has created Optimus Prime: Awakening as a special animated short as part of its broader anniversary brand celebration.

The short, which will be presented following select anniversary screenings of the original 1986 film, is a fully realized, 12-minute animated video designed as a love letter to the Transformers community and the late Peter Cullen, the legendary talent and voice of Optimus Prime.

Optimus Prime: Awakening builds on the acclaimed storytelling and visuals of The Transformers: The Movie (1986), offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience the franchise’s iconic cultural moment from its past while exploring its future on the big screen.

The animated short delivers emotional storytelling, electric action, and new performances by legends Frank Welker as Megatron/Soundwave and Peter Cullen in his final original voice performance as Optimus Prime.

Peter shared that returning for Optimus Prime: Awakening meant a great deal to him. He felt the project was a homecoming to a character he had shaped for more than four decades. Peter’s performance reveals a deeper vulnerability while retaining the unmistakable strength and authority that made his portrayal iconic.

Frank Welker shared, “Optimus Prime and Megatron were made for each other. After all, one needs the perfect hero against the epitome of evil to create great drama. Peter’s portrayal of Prime was born of his own personal beliefs: honesty, loyalty, and always insisting on doing the right thing.

“This made it easy to be friends. Returning as Megatron and Soundwave for one final story opposite Peter’s Optimus in ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ was a real gift. I will miss my friend, but that voice and his heart and values will always be part of Optimus Prime.”

In addition to previously announced regions, Fathom Entertainment today confirmed screenings of The Transformers: The Movie in France, Singapore, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Peru.

Are you going to see The Transformers: The Movie on the big screen? Let me know in the comments below.

LEGO PlayStation at State of Play

Today, the LEGO Group invites fans to press ‘Start’ on a brick building trip down memory lane with the reveal of the LEGO PlayStation. This epic 1,911-piece set pays tribute to the console that redefined gaming, featuring the unmistakable grey silhouette of the original PlayStation console, alongside its very first revolutionary controller.

Designed for adult builders, this premium display model celebrates the console that helped shape a generation of play. For the first time, fans can build a detailed, near 1:1 scale replica of the iconic console, measuring over 6 cm high, 26 cm wide, and 19 cm deep. From plugging the brick-built controller into the console to pressing the tactile, functional Open and Power buttons, every detail has been designed to capture the ritual and excitement of ‘90s gaming on the original PlayStation console.

The real cheat code? Pop open the console to discover hidden, buildable dioramas inspired by two games that are a part of video game history. Builders can assemble a mini track from Gran Turismo (originally released in 1997) with tiny cars ready to race, and a scene from Ape Escape (released in 1999) featuring the game's iconic red or blue monkey helmet. These dioramas can be concealed inside the console or pulled out to be displayed alongside your setup.

LEGO PlayStation is available from LEGO AU, CA, UK and US (affiliate links).

What do you think of the LEGO PlayStation? Will you add this to your collection? Let me know in the comments below.