World

Vampirium: 1997 casts you as Dracula’s assassin in a vampire immersive sim

• Bithell Games announces vampire immersive sim Vampirium: 1997.
• You play Dracula's assassin in a top-down, time-managed tactical sandbox.
• Early access date TBA; possibly made solely by Mike Bithell.

Bithell Games, the studio behind Tron: Catalyst, John Wick Hex and Thomas Was Alone, has announced a new minimalist immersive vampire sim called Vampirium: 1997. The game casts players as an assassin serving the King of England — who is also Dracula — with the goal of infiltrating…

Rob Reiner posthumously nominated for an Emmy for The Bear

The late director and actor Rob Reiner has received a posthumous Emmy nomination for his guest role in Season 4 of FX's "The Bear", in which he played restaurant and business consultant Albert Schnurr, a character who mentors Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson) on franchising. He will compete in…

The dead dance earns Lady Gaga a sixth Emmy nomination for Wednesday

Lady Gaga has received an Emmy nomination in the outstanding music and lyrics category for "The Dead Dance", a song she wrote for the second season of Netflix's "Wednesday". The nomination brings her career total to six Emmy nominations, adding to a Sports Emmy she won for her…

Protomartyr confirm venues and support acts for autumn North American and European tour

• Protomartyr announce autumn North American and European tour dates.
• Accessory and J.R.C.G. support most US and Canada shows.
• Still no follow-up to 2023's Formal Growth in the Desert.

Protomartyr, the Detroit post-punk band, have announced a run of live dates across North America and Europe, beginning in autumn 2025 and continuing into early 2026. The tour matters chiefly for fans awaiting new activity from the group, whose most recent album, Formal Growth in the Desert, arrived…

Moana live-action remake left disappointingly flat, Collider critic finds

• Critic finds the live-action Moana flat and unnecessary.
• The Rock returns as Maui; Catherine Laga'aia plays Moana.
• Disney's remakes are lucrative but increasingly risk-averse.

Collider critic Taylor Gates has reviewed Disney's new live-action remake of *Moana*, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Maui and newcomer Catherine Laga'aia as Moana, and found it underwhelming. Published on 8 July 2026, the review argues that the film feels unnecessary — particularly as the animated original…

Moana live-action remake earns broadly positive verdict from critic

• Disney's live-action Moana remake earns a broadly positive critical verdict.
• Catherine Laga'aia and Dwayne Johnson praised in lead roles.
• Released 10 July; $4.5m taken in previews.

The Hollywood Reporter's chief film critic David Rooney has given a broadly favourable review to Disney's live-action remake of Moana, arriving just ten years after the 2016 animated original. Rooney, who admits general scepticism about Disney's live-action remake "assembly line", argues the film succeeds on its own terms…

Converge Announce UK/EU Headline Tour

• Converge announce a UK and European headline tour this autumn.
• Follows two 2026 albums, 'Love Is Not Enough' and 'Hum of Hurt'.
• Ten November dates, supported by Sanguisugabogg, Blackbraid and Pupil Slicer.

Converge, the American hardcore/metalcore band, have announced a headline tour of the UK and Europe this autumn, following the release of two albums during the year. The run gives fans across the continent a chance to hear material from both records live, capping a busy period that included…