Roundups #67: Squid Game Spinoff Coming To Netflix Amidst Season 2 Renewal, Batman Is Coming To Latin America For Animated Feature And Upcoming Knives Out Sequel Gets A Weird Title

Squid Game is getting a reality show

Squid Game is being translated from television serial to live action, according to reports issued on Netflix. Squid Game: The Challenge will be played by 456 players, competing and racing to grab 45.6 billion Korean Won. In a written statement, the players will “compete through a series of games inspired by the original show,” along with “surprising new additions”.

“Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang’s captivating story and iconic imagery. We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment,” explains Brandon Riegg, Netflix VP of Unscripted and Documentary Series. “Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end.”

Squid Game: The Challenge is going to be shot in the United Kingdom, and proves to be a co-venture between Studio Lambert (The Circle) and The Garden (24 Hours in A&E).

Batman Azteca is coming soon

HBO Max Latin America will be taking the Dark Knight to Aztec Mexico in a new project titled Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios ("Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires"), Variety reports.

The original, Spanish-language animated film will place the World's Greatest Detective in Aztec Mexico and center viewers in the arcane culture of Mesoamerica. Borrowing beats from Batman's origin story, the film will follow a young Aztec boy, Yohualli Coatl, as he trains with his mentor Acatzin — developing equipment and weaponry in the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god.

But unlike other Batman stories, like Batman: Three Jokers, or Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, which saw Bruce Wayne choosing not to exact revenge against his parent's killer, this project will seem to center on Yohualli going after the Spanish Conquistadors who murdered his father, the village leader Toltecatzin.

The mystery has just begun

The next Knives Out movie will hit Netflix this holiday season. On Monday, Rian Johnson announced the name of the new Benoit Blanc mystery: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

In a thread, Johnson described how much he wanted to emulate Agatha Christie and have each of Benoit Blanc’s mysteries take on a new tone (and also a new title). The detective, as played by Daniel Craig with an ambiguous and indecipherable Southern accent, will return, but the overall vibe will be different — it’s an homage to Christie’s masterful exploration of the genre, Johnson said.

“I think there’s a misperception that her books use the same formula over and over, but fans know the opposite is true,” he describes. He goes on to list some of the genres that Christie explored in her murder mysteries and what he aims to do with subsequent Benoit Blanc mysteries.

The first Knives Out movie, which premiered in 2019, followed the wealthy and dysfunctional Thrombey family after patriarch Harlan is found dead. In the new movie, Benoit Blanc will find himself embroiled in a new mystery — with a totally new cast, characters, locations, and mystery.

Genius Brands Expanded Kartoon Channel! Worldwide’s Global Footprint With Launch of “Kartoon Genius” Branded Blocks Across Latin America, the Middle East & North Africa, Could Africa Follow Suit On DStv Or StarSat?

Leveraging its strategic investment in Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG (“YFE”) (FRA:RTV), to expand the Kartoon Channel! global footprint, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNUS) announced the launch of the new Kartoon Channel! Worldwide programming block, “Kartoon Genius,” across Latin America and the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region, reaching 67 countries.

The Kartoon Genius two-hour, Monday - Friday programming block airs across the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) region on the pan-regional linear Pay TV channel fully dubbed in Arabic and English. As of March 7, the programming block debuted throughout Central & South America as a linear channel, offering content in Spanish and English languages.

The Kartoon Genius programming blocks offer first-run original content on these platforms and deliver positive entertainment for children and families, underscored by safety and enrichment. Series on the programming block line-up include Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, Llama Llama, Rainbow Rangers, Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, and more.

Managing Director of Kartoon Channel! Worldwide Paul Robinson, who previously served as Managing Director of Walt Disney Television International and Senior Vice President Disney Channel Worldwide, commented: “Positive and uplifting children’s entertainment is more in demand today than ever. Since announcing our commitment to launch the Kartoon Channel! internationally less than three months ago, we are off to a fantastic start with pan-regional launches within the next two weeks across The Middle East, North Africa, Central America and South America on the program platforms through Genius Brands’ investment in YFE. The growth of the Kartoon Channel! over the past two years in the U.S., headed by Jon Ollwerther, has been tremendous. Despite the global challenges, children’s entertainment is timeless and enduring. We are extremely excited about the many opportunities we have to bring the channel to the rest of the world and to build it into the preeminent entertainment destination for kids.”

National Geographic Africa Series “Vikings: The Rise & Fall” Uncovers Ground-Breaking Discoveries About The Vikings To Offer Fresh Perspective On The Vast Global Achievements Of The ‘Greatest Warriors In History’

National Geographic takes viewers on a televisual roller-coaster ride to uncover ground-breaking new discoveries revealing who the Vikings really were, in the intriguing new six-part documentary series Vikings: The Rise and Fall. This new six-part docuseries premieres on National Geographic (DStv 181, Starsat 220) on Wednesdays at 21:00 (CAT) from 29 June 2022.

For over 300 years, the Vikings waged war from the seas with brutal effect. But, were they blood-thirsty plunderers or cunning political operatives? Through National Geographic’s trademark premium lens, in the compelling new series, we witness the Vikings’ first voyages beyond the Scandinavian coast, the sacking of York, and sieges of Paris, as we uncover the trade routes the Vikings developed as far east as Baghdad and West, to reach America. We hear the myths, meet the legends and witness the rise and fall of the greatest warriors in history.    

 

 

Throughout history, Vikings waged war from the seas, notoriously ruthless and with their own set of rules. The Viking expansion was unprecedented in the veracity of its spread. Known for merciless bloodshed, the Norsemen became the most feared people in history. However, their story has generally been told from a one-sided point of view and only now, after rigorous research through mythical sagas and bioarchaeological finds, can we uncover the truth about who the Vikings really were.

This fresh perspective on the Vikings, narrated by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, is painstakingly pieced together by documentary producers with the help and onscreen input from 20 of the world’s foremost Viking experts. This includes Stefan Brink (Professor of Scandinavian Studies, University of Cambridge); Terry Gunnell (Professor of Folkloristics, University of Iceland); Anders Winroth (Professor of Medieval History, University of Oslo); Cat Jarman (Bioarchaeologist & Author of “The River Kings); Søren Michael Sindbæk (Archaeologist, Uni of Aarhus); Dr Clare Downham (University of Liverpool, Author of ‘Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland’) and many others.

 

Over time, tales of the Vikings have evoked images of slaughter and terror, wanton pillage and savage bloodletting. However, beneath the infamy of sordid violence lies a fascinating story. The Vikings were fierce warriors, but they were also seasoned navigators, intrepid explorers, craftspeople, merchants, politicians, and poets.

Between the years 700 and 1100, these Norse warriors conquered Britain and Ireland, laid siege to Paris, built complex trade networks as far east as Constantinople and Baghdad and were the first Europeans to set foot on the wild plains of America before fading into obscurity. Tracing their rise and fall, this incredible new series involves an epic journey across the globe, starting with the 8th Century and a detailed look at who the Vikings were and why they first sailed beyond their own shores.

Episode synopses

EPISODE 1: THE ROAD TO LINDISFARNE
An attack on a small religious community on the holy island of Lindisfarne in AD 793 heralded the start of the Viking Age of conquest and expansion but before this, we look at the Vikings’ beginnings in Scandinavia.

 

EPISODE 2: THE GREAT HEATHEN ARMY
The Siege of York occurred from 866 when the Great Heathen Army laid claim to the Northumbrian capital of York. We look at the major battles, players and strongholds in 9th Century England.

EPISODE 3: AS FAR EAST AS BAGHDAD
The “Silk Road '' opened up a world of trade for the Scandinavians in the East. Seeking further wealth, the Vikings known in the East as “the Rus” attacked Constantinople in 860. The Rus became a permanent and feared fixture in the Byzantine Empire.

EPISODE 4: THE FALL OF FRANCIA
The siege of Paris in 885 was the culmination of the Viking invasions of Francia. We look at the persistent Viking attacks on Francia and the enduring presence of the Scandinavians on the Frankish Empire and beyond.

EPISODE 5: THE WILD WEST
Political turmoil in Norway leads a voyage of discovery west. The Vikings discover Iceland where they established lasting settlement. Further exploration from Iceland leads to the discovery of Greenland and to the shores of Newfoundland, making them the first Europeans to reach America.

 

EPISODE 6: THE SECOND VIKING AGE
The mid-10th-century reign of Harald Bluetooth as king of a newly unified, powerful and Christianized Denmark marked the beginning of a second Viking age. But the reign was not to last with the Normans finally winning the English Kingdom in 1066. We look at the final days of the Viking empire.

Contributors include:

Stefan Brink (Professor of Scandinavian Studies, University of Cambridge)
Terry Gunnell (Professor of Folkloristics, University of Iceland)
Anders Winroth (Professor of Medieval History, University of Oslo)
Cat Jarman (Bioarchaeologist & Author of “The River Kings)
Søren Michael Sindbæk (Archaeologist, Uni of Aarhus)
Dr Clare Downham (University of Liverpool, Author of ‘Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland’)
Gísli Sigurðsson, (Professor, The Árni Magnusson Institute, University of Iceland)
Dr Jonathan Shepard (University of Oxford, Viking Rus & the Byzantine Empire)
Dr Philos. Knut Paasche (Archaeologist, Head of the department: Digital Archaeology, NIKU)
Judith Jesch (Professor of Viking Studies Uni of Nottingham)
Jan Bill (Professor of Viking Age Archaeology, University of Oslo)
Cecily Spall (Archaeologist, Portmahomack Excavations)
Dr Christian Cooijmans (University of Liverpool, Vikings in the Frankish Realm)
Dr Thórir Jónsson Hraundal (University of Iceland Middle Eastern Studies & the Viking Age)
Rev Dr Simon Coupland (Historian, University of Cambridge)
Dr David Petts (Department of Archaeology, Durham University)
Kim Hjardar (Historian, Author of 'Vikings at War')
Torfi H. Tulinius (Professor of Medieval Icelandic Studies, University of Iceland)
Sverrir Jakobsson (Professor of Medieval History, University of Iceland)
Dr Caitlin Ellis (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Vikings in Britain, Ireland and the North Atlantic)

The Adventures Of Johnny Quasar: The Lost Jimmy Neutron Pilot

The Adventures of Johnny Quasar refers to two separate shorts. It is the prototypical version of what would eventually become Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

The concept for Johnny Quasar dates back to the 1980s. In 1995, it was finally put into animation with a short demo animation. In the short 46 second animation, Johnny Quasar is riding in space with his robot dog. He notices an upcoming asteroid and rides off. The short was only shown off at a convention named Siggraph '95.

In 1997, the short received a sequel of sorts. In it, Johnny deals with aliens trying to attack his spaceship. Johnny's hair is slightly different in this incarnation and is more similar to Jimmy's iconic "swirl". Early concept art for characters that would appear in Jimmy Neutron exist, however none are present in the short itself.

 

 

Johnny Quasar would later be revived for a 1998 short called Runaway Rocketboy. In that short, Johnny Quasar has already turned into Jimmy Neutron and the characters are near-finalized.

Both shorts were only known by word-of-mouth, screencaps, and short clips until they were uploaded to YouTube by Johnny's voice actor in 2017.

The Adventures of Johnny Quasar contain examples of:
Art Evolution: Due to being 3 years apart, the '97 short has slightly better animation.
Catchphrase: "Gotta blast!" for Johnny.
Characterization Marches On: Johnny is more kiddy and less serious than Jimmy.
Child Prodigy: Johnny is a super-smart boy and has his own secret lab.
Early Installment Character-Design Difference:
Johnny's design is completely different from Jimmy's. He has short hair, a huge forehead, darker skin, and a different shaped head.
Johnny's hair changed between the original short and the 1997 version.
In Medias Res: The 1998 short gives no reason for why Johnny is being attacked by aliens. It was designed to be attention-grabbing so that the short would be made into a full series.
 

 

My Brain Is Big: Due to being a genius with a large brain, Johnny has a huge head.
No Fourth Wall: Johnny directly addresses the audience.
Parental Obliviousness: The 1998 short begins with Johnny's father telling his wife that Johnny will be home soon and that he can't be that far from home. As this occurs, Johnny is heading into space on his homemade spacecraft.
Robot Dog: Goddard is Johnny's robotic dog that he built.

Disturbing Facts About Controversial News Station Afro Worldview (Formerly ANN7)

8 years ago, MultiChoice operated Afro Worldview (known as ANN7 at the time) which was a Gupta owned news station which gained attention mainly for its technical setbacks, untrained staff and behind the scenes antics.

Today, we explore some various aspects of the former DStv channel some much worse than others but after reviewing this you'd understand why MultiChoice opted to cut ties and source Newsroom Afrika as an alternative to Afro Worldview.

Here are the disturbing facts about Afro Worldview part of which were highlighted in the book Indentured - Behind The Scenes At Gupta TV

 

"Rajesh, I want you to prepare for our first meeting with DStv, our enemies at MultiChoice. Arun and you will go to the meeting tomorrow and I want you to give them a copy of the EPG and make sure that channel 404 on DStv is allocated to us. But I want to warn you, they are our enemies. They will try everything to see us fail," writes Rajesh Sundaram. Mentioned on page 62 of Indentured.

1. Afro Worldview wanted to be on channel 404 currently occupied by SABC News and went as far as getting Jacob Zuma involved.
2. MultiChoice was a big enemy of Gupta owned channel.

"It was clear that the team from MultiChoice did not believe we were technically or editorially prepared to launch a news channel by the end of July. The tension in the room was palpable. They were visibly upset with the political pressure that was being brought to bear on them to launch the channel quickly and on the terms directed by the Guptas." Mentioned on page 63 on Indentured.

 

"We did not have the people, the studio was not complete, and much of the broadcasting equipment had not even been ordered at this time. The team did not even have newsgathering and studio cameras." Mentioned on page 63 on Indentured.

3. MultiChoice was seemingly aware that the channel was not ready to launch at the time.

"DStv suddenly gave in. Even as ANN7 was offering three bulletins a day produced on primitive systems and equipment nowhere near the quality standards prescribed by DStv, it was announced internally that DStv had been 'pressured' through president Jacob Zuma 's office to oust Russia Today from the 405 slot and give it to us." Mentioned on page 126 on Indentured.

4. Russia Today moved from channel 405 to 408 due to pressure from Jacob Zuma to occupy ANN7 on a higher channel number but MultiChoice has denied it and claimed the change was a way of getting local channels closer.

"His plan saved the company thousands of rands, but it cost the company millions in lost reputation, as we found out post-launch."
"Atul wanted Gerry Rantseli-Elsdon to train the models. Gerry was hired to present the breakfast show, which had been branded Vuka Africa."
"Gerry was given a table and chair, a white board and a training room. Some days she had a camera at her disposal. She had no teleprompter, professional monitors or audio equipment in the initial weeks." Mentioned on page 107 on Indentured.

 

5. Afro Worldview used models as news anchors.

"The bulletins we had produced at that time were, unsurprisingly, fullof technical glitches and were anchored by a group of models hired by Atul and trained by Gerry Rantseli-Elsdon . The young women were very raw, clueless about the news they were reading and very unfamiliar with a studio setting." Mentioned on page 130 on Indentured.

6. Afro Worldview always had glitches with their bulletins even before launch.

"We are nowhere near the quality of CNN International or BBC. He had very little understanding of television or the primitive conditions under which the bulletins were being produced." Mentioned on page 114 on Indentured.

7. Channel boss had little experience with television.

"The archival footage at the SABC was indeed of a very high quality and in my view worth millions of rands," writes Rajesh Sundaram. "Nazeem, Laxmi and Atul repeatedly told me that the contract with the SABC for this sale favoured ANN7, was drafted by Gupta lawyers and that the price of the footage was 'peanuts' compared to its real value."

 

8. "Stupid SABC" - Before MultiChoice, SABC sold their archives to Afro Worldview.

He told Biznews that Indian staffers, brought to South Africa on tourist visas and who worked in the country illegally, had to live on the ANN7 Midrand construction site "in sub-human conditions".
"There were staff that Atul Gupta would slap; and physically abuse us; scream verbal abuse at people. For instance say the playout system crashes, Atul Gupta would come into the production control room and start beating up the audio console person".

9. Channel boss was abusive to staff by slapping and calling them names.

"My relationship with ANN7 started when I was approached to produce a show for the station. It was supposed to start on Sunday but there were issues I wasn't happy with since I discovered its history with the Guptas."

10. Controversial pastor Paseka "Mboro" Motsoeneng pulled his gospel show due to ties with Guptas.