Your weekly roundup of everything nerdy. This week in geek, we’ve got a couple of first looks: the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and a new video game adaptation, Twisted Metal. Speaking of video game adaptations, The Super Mario Bros Movie hits USD 1 billion mark. Meanwhile, a store in Japan has made the decision to start checking customer’s IDs… to make sure they’re young enough to buy Pokémon cards.
Week in geek: First looks of Dune: Part Two and Twisted Metal, the Avatar kids all grown up and The Super Mario Bros movie makes USD $1 billion
The Super Mario Bros Movie is the first movie of 2023 to hit USD $1 billion globally
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2023 seems to be the year of video game adaptations. After the critical success of The Last of Us, the more lighthearted The Super Mario Bros. Movie is getting its time in the limelight. Critics have also praised the animated film, which stars Chris Pratt as the iconic plumber along with Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach and Jack Black as Bowser. But aside from being widely praised, it has also reached another milestone by being the first movie of the year to earn a billion dollars in the global box office. As Mario says, “Wahoo!”
We have our first look at Dune: Part Two
Vanity Fair has given us our first glimpse at Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to his sci-fi epic. While it’s glad to see the likes of Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya back in their roles, we also get to see additions to the already stellar cast like Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux, and Austin Butler. Dune: Part Two is slated to be released on November 3.
A Japanese store has banned adults from buying Pokémon cards
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I’m pretty sure you’ve never been carded to make sure you’re young enough to buy something, but that’s certainly the case at a store in Akihabara, Japan. According to a report by Kotaku, the latest card packs that were released caused so much interest that a “card drought” occurred. Most of this was the doing of scalpers who, as you might have guessed, were adults. Hareruya 2, a well-known trading card store in Akihabara, has announced that in response, it will have a designated section for kids only. IDs will be checked and adults will be prohibited to make purchases.
![Best Pokémon Collaborations Of All Time: McDonald’s, Gucci And More](https://images.augustman.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/03/23122647/pokemon-1-500x500.jpeg)
![Ash And Pikachu’s Pokémon Animated Series Is Ending After 25 Years](https://images.augustman.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2022/12/21195525/ash-500x500.jpeg)
Ash And Pikachu’s Pokémon Animated Series Is Ending After 25 Years
We have our first look at the new Avatar: The Last Airbender animated movie
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A new Avatar movie is on the way, and I’m referring to the only Avatar that actually matters in pop culture. The first of three planned films sees Aang, Korra, and the rest of the gang return, albeit a little older now. The film, slated to be released on October 10, 2025, has no plot details yet other than it will revolve around Aang and his friends.
Twisted Metal drops its first teaser trailer
Any gamer who was around in the 90s will be familiar with Twisted Metal, the video game franchise that allowed players to reign chaos with cars mounted with weapons in an all-out demolition derby. It’s been years since we last saw a Twisted Metal title, but fans of the franchise may have an opportunity to whet their appetites with the upcoming TV series adaptation starring Anthony Mackie. The first teaser trailer for the series was just released, and though it’s very brief, it also gives audiences a sneak peek at one of the game’s iconic characters.
A Final Fantasy XVI PlayStation 5 bundle is being released
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Coinciding with the release of the latest entry to the Final Fantasy franchise, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that gamers can pick up an all-new bundle that includes a Standard Edition PlayStation 5 and a copy of Final Fantasy XVI. Those who buy it will also get in-game bonuses that they can enjoy. The bundle is available on June 22 and will cost a suggested retail price of THB 20,790.
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok