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Home , Chris Metzen, Master of None

lifestyle SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2015

A man takes pictures of the BlizzCon sign at the opening ceremony of the convention. (From left) Chris Hardwick, Duncan Jones, Toby Kebbell, Chris Metzen, Dominic Cooper and Ben Foster speak at the “” Press Conference at BlizzCon at the Anaheim Convention Center. — AP photos ‘Warcraft’ cast unleash film trailer at BlizzCon he director and cast of “Warcraft” are hammering down on stage after the unveiling. “I’ve been working on this movie for is they love about ‘Warcraft.’” ing to act while wearing pointy ears and tusks. would take BlizzCon. A trailer for the film adaptation of the long-run- three years and coming to BlizzCon for the past five years. I Despite the game series’ 20-year-old history and die-hard them home to practice. “My son loved it,” said Patton. “He would Tning interactive fantasy series debuted to thunderous know this crowd from both sides, so it was fantastic to be able fanbase, Foster said he was undaunted when tackling the role call me orc mommy. I would tape my pointy ears on him and applause Friday at the fan convention. The footage teased the to finally show them in person and release the trailer online for of the magical Medivh. He didn’t care that “Warcraft” was a rehearse my lines with the tusks on while cleaning the house or tusk-filled, armor-laden conflict between orcs and humans that everyone who couldn’t be here.” game before a film. “It doesn’t matter,” said Foster. “It’s about whatever.” partnered with Legendary has been depicted in the 11-year-old online role-playing game Jones, the filmmaker behind the critical sci-fi successes two sides of a war. There’s compassion on both sides. To me, Pictures to produce “Warcraft,” which is set for release June 10 “” and the original “Warcraft” games from the “Moon” and “Source Code,” said he understands winning over that felt like a worthy way to spend a few months in a very and will be distributed by Universal Pictures. Jones said he’s 1990s. the BlizzCon crowd is only half the battle. “We have to convince accessible way. If you can use the engine of big dollar envisioned with Chris Metzen, Blizzard’s chief of story and fran- “Warcraft” filmmaker Duncan Jones introduced the preview people who aren’t fans of ‘Warcraft’ that this is a movie that Hollywood to talk about both sides of a war, that feels exciting. chise development, that the film could be the first installment on stage at the Anaheim Convention Center with cast members they’re going to understand, enjoy and love,” said Jones. “I keep By the way, nobody did it for free.” in a film trilogy. — AP Clancy Brown, Dominic Cooper, Ben Foster, Toby Kebbell, Paul telling everyone here that this is an opportunity for those who Patton, who plays the half-orc, half-human Garona, acknowl- Patton and Daniel Wu. “That was incredible,” said Jones back- love ‘Warcraft’ to communicate to everyone else exactly what it edged one of the biggest challenges of her part was attempt- on shattering the glass ceiling in ‘Master of None’

n ’s new original comedy series growing up as a first-generation the screening. “It’s really cool and since “Master of None,” Aziz Ansari forgoes American from immigrant families. Yang there are no ratings on Netflix, I feel like Ithe eccentric, ethnic stereotype sup- promises there is no other show like we are done and f-everybody, we won!” porting roles he’s often handed and theirs. Following the screening, cast mem- makes history by becoming television’s “Our show is very personal and shows bers , Noel Wells, Kelvin Yu first Indian-American male actor to play a different perspectives that we haven’t and joined Ansari and romantic lead and be the center of his seen on TV before,” he said. “Part of it is Yang at the Top of the Standard Hotel’s own show. The “” the ambition in the format. We have one swanky lounge for drinks and passed alum stars, writes and directs the semi- episode that lasts for a year. We have an hors d’oeuvres that included hamburger autobiographical series about a New York episode that addresses what it’s like to be sliders, crab spring rolls and mini fish actor who is struggling to find good roles while dealing with sex, the hardships of dating and racism. “It’s really cool,” Ansari, 32, told Variety about shattering the glass ceiling at the show’s premiere in A promotional image from Activision’s latest Call of Duty videogame ‘Black Ops 3’. Thursday evening at the AMC Loews 19th Street East Theater. “I just hope people realize by watching ‘Master of None’ that Activision planning ‘Call of the every man isn’t a straight white guy. In most TV shows and in film, when you see the everyman, it’s always a straight white guy. In reality, the everyman is Duty’ film, ‘Skylanders’ show everybody. Everybody has an interesting, compelling narrative no matter their ctivision Blizzard Inc. is moving deeper deployment in 2018 or 2019, according to van background, ethnicity, sexuality, gender. I into the film and TV business. The video Dky. wanted to represent that perspective in game maker unveiled plans Friday at an “Our releases will be consistent with the A our show.” investors meeting during the annual BlizzCon high adrenaline, bad-(expletive) action that Ansari co-created and co-wrote the fan convention to create and release its own fans expect from this franchise, but we’re show, which is available to stream on film and TV series. going to deliver this intellectual property to Netflix on Nov 6, with former “Parks” The first projects from the newly formed the broadest movie-going audience,” van Dyk A screenshot from the Netflix original comedy series ‘Master of None’ writer . The collaboration Activision Blizzard Studios will be based on the said. “This will be tent-pole action-adventure of between the best friends began over two Indian or Asian on TV. We haven’t seen tacos. Ansari greeted guests and spent “Call of Duty” military shooter franchise and the widest appeal.” years ago when Ansari decided to create that in a lot of episodes on other shows. most of the evening enjoying the sweep- kid-focused “Skylanders” toy-game series. The formation of a devoted studio is similar his own projects due to the lack of sub- We didn’t want the show to be preachy ing Manhattan skyline from his VIP table Activision Blizzard Studios co-president Nick to Activision rival Ubisoft establishing a film stantial work. “I would have never gotten or an op ed. We wanted the show to be with his brother, Aniz Ansari, and his par- van Dyk noted that the division will be directly and TV division in 2011. That studio is responsi- a role like this if I did not come up with it fun and entertaining and tell a good sto- ents, who both act in the show. Ansari involved in the creation, development and ble for the Nickelodeon series “Rabbids on my own,” said Ansari, a South Carolina ry. When people talk in real life, they do hired his real-life folks to play his TV par- marketing of movies and TV series based on Invasion,” as well as an “Assassin’s Creed” film native. “Normally no one would have sent talk about sex, race and other issues. So if ents. “It was fantastic and a very surreal Activision Blizzard properties. “We’ll have a based on the historical series starring Michael me a rich script as this. They would have it comes up, it comes up. It’s sort of a experience to have my parents be in the fraction of the overhead of the typical studio Fassbender, due Dec 21, 2016. sent me stuff that’s versions of things I’ve tightrope walk. We don’t know if we are show,” he said. since we’re starting with a blank page and A similar venture didn’t work out for done in the past or playing a guy with an going to succeed, but we feel like it’s “My parents have never acted before building an organization that is right-sized for Microsoft. After two years, the company closed Indian accent. It’s really hard for minority worth trying.” and now my dad wants to work more our intended creative output and for the its Xbox Entertainment Studios in 2014. The actors to get roles in Hollywood. I think The risk is paying off. The show is cur- and do commercials. He’s like, ‘We have future of the industry,” van Dyk told investors. division had been tasked with creating series as more and more creators from diverse rently tracking at 100 percent fresh on to find the next project for me.’ He’s psy- The first TV series from Activision Blizzard based on such Microsoft game franchises as backgrounds come together, things can the ratings and Ansari ched. They know what it’s like to be an Studios will be “Skylanders Academy.” The “Halo,” “Forza” and “Gears of War.” Activision change.” and Yang are receiving heaps of praise for actor and how tiring it is. They were like, computer-generated show is set to debut in Blizzard announced earlier this week that it is their honest and comedic viewpoints on “Wow, so this is why you don’t call us 2016 and will feature the voices of Justin Long, acquiring “Candy Crush Saga” publisher ‘Very personal show’ racism, the show’s 1970s cinematic aes- when you get home.” — Reuters Ashley Tisdale and Jonathan Banks. The studio Entertainment for $5.9 billion. — AP The half-hour, 10-episode first season thetic and its diverse characters. “It’s also is working on a “Call of Duty” film series, of “Master of None” addresses topics such been a crazy week for us seeing all the with the first installment likely ready for as gender issues, racism, stereotypes and good reviews,” Ansari told the crowd at

China’s booming movie market is getting younger

xperts on the booming Chinese moviego- Chinese being more interested in visual enter- expectations,” he noted. “It’s being marketed as ing market are advising producers to pre- tainment rather than in books,” he noted. “Going the best of the four.” “Mockingjay-Part 1” took in Epare for profound changes in customer to the movies for them helps fulfill their visual $36 million in China, the second-largest take behavior. “The focus of the business is on young dreams,” Jiang said. Xianghua pointed out that internationally after $48 million in the UK. The people,” said Yang Xianghua of streaming service much of the growth has come from so-called film is being imported by China Film Group’s iQiyi.com at Friday’s panel at the Fairmount fourth-tier markets-new cities of less than 1 mil- Import Export Company and will be jointly dis- Hotel at the American Film Market. “Sixty per- lion: “I grew up in a town of 300,000 that had tributed by China Film Group and Huaxia in con- cent of ticket sales are now taking place from only one theater, but that’s all changed.” junction with Lionsgate’s promotional partner, mobile devices,” he added. William Pfeiffer, CEO of Dragongate Talent International. — Reuters The event drew several hundred attendees, Entertainment, pointed out that the jump in the with Variety Asia editor Patrick Frater moderat- number of cinemas has also been driven by real ing and noting that the Chinese box office will estate development. “Cinemas are a part of most top the US box office in 2017. Film director Jiang new projects,” he added. Speakers also indicated Haiyang noted that a recent survey showed the that they do expect the Chinese government to average moviegoer in China is currently 21.8 eventually allow for an increase in the number of years old. He added that attendance is being US titles, currently at 34 per year and limited to A Chinese fan dressed in costume driven by young adults wanting to have a com- avoid “blackout” periods around local holidays. poses for a photo in front of hundreds of munal experience at theaters-even if it’s a poorly “The Chinese titles are already taking over miniature storm trooper figures placed atop reviewed firm. 60% of the box office,” Pfeiffer said. Pfeiffer also the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall of “People will often go to see just how bad it is,” said he’s optimistic about “The Hunger Games: China during a promotional event for the Jiang said, evoking major laughs from the audi- Mockingjay-Part 2,” which opens day and date in movie “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” out- ence. The attendance is also driven by younger China with the rest of the world. “We have high side of Beijing. — AP