We start this week’s recap of pop culture news with the surprise passing of two industry figures.

Ray Stevenson, the English actor probably best known for his starring roles in Rome and Punisher: War Zone, and who is soon to be seen playing a former Jedi in Ahsoka, died shortly before his 59th birthday. No information is available on cause of death but the actor was reportedly rushed to hospital from the Italian film set where he was shooting.

Meanwhile, music icon Tina Turner died on 24 May at her Swedish home at the age of 83. Retired, Turner had been suffering from various health problems in recent years. The legendary performer, who enjoyed even greater success in the 80s after she left abusive husband Ike Turner, performed such hits as Nutbush City Limits, Simply the Best and the title track for James Bond movie Goldeneye. Turner also appeared in such movies as Max Max Beyond Thunderdome and Last Action Hero.

Gaming

The biggest gaming news of the past week has unquestionably stemmed from the PlayStation Showcase 2023, which PlayStation used as an opportunity to spotlight its upcoming slate of games (including platform exclusives and VR titles) and new gaming hardware. You can watch the online presentation in its 1h14min entirety here. Alternatively, check out this handy “Everything announced” recap. We’re just going to single out what really excited us  – the cream of the presentation crop.

In terms of sequels, the Showcase included follow-ups for Dragon’s Dogma, Spider-Man, Ghostrunner and The Talos Principle, along with a high-profile remake of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater. But we had eyes only for paranormal survival horror game Alan Wake 2, which dropped its first gameplay trailer, and revealed its new co-protagonist, FBI Special Agent Saga Anderson. Alan Wake 2 continues the story of Remedy’s original 2010 game, with the title character attempting to write his way out of the nightmare dimension he’s trapped in, where his words can shape reality. This brings him into contact with Anderson, who arrives in the sleepy town of Bright Falls to investigate a string of ritualistic murders.

Alan Wake 2 releases for PC (via the Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on 17 October 2023.

Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed: Mirage also made an appearance at the Showcase, with a gameplay trailer revealing the back-to-its-roots nature of the next entry in the beloved historical action-adventure series. Set primarily in 9th Century Baghdad, the game centres on Basim, a character met as an older figure and Master Assassin in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla. In Mirage, though, players experience Basim’s coming of age story, as the young man evolves from street thief into a member of an ancient organisation known as The Hidden Ones.

After the previous open-world Assassin’s Creed trilogy of Origins, Odyssey and Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed: Mirage promises to be shorter and more self-contained, with an emphasis on stealth and assassination.

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is set for release on 12 October this year, and is coming to PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and Amazon Luna, as well as on Windows PC through the Epic Games Store and the Ubisoft Store. Players can also subscribe to Ubisoft+ to access the game at launch.

On the stylish indie games front, our attention was snared by the heart-wrenching Neva (from the makers of Gris); Revenant Hill (from the makers of Night in the Woods) where you play as an aspiring witch’s familiar in turbulent times; and The Plucky Squire, a family-friendly adventure that sees its hero move between 2D storybook pages and the 3D world of a child’s bedroom that lies beyond.

Our pick of the Showcase indie set, though, is Sword of the Sea. You can consider this one, from developers Giant Squid, a spiritual successor to Journey, as it is from Matt Nava, who served as art director for that game, as well as the more recent ABZÛ and The Pathless – with the latter two made under the Giant Squid banner.

In Sword of the Sea, you play as the Wraith, a being tasked with restoring life to the desolate world as you explore submerged ruins and the vibrant, varied cultures encased within. Key to that task is your Hoverboard, which allows you to surf the surreal landscapes, and uncover their mysteries.

Sword of the Sea is coming to PS and PC.

The upcoming Alone in the Dark “reimagining” is bringing a hefty dose of star power. Jodie Comer and David Harbour are providing their likenesses, voices and performances as 1920s investigators Emily Hartwood and Detective Edward Carnby in this remake of the pioneering 1992 survival horror game. Taking its cue from the Resident Evil remakes, Alone in the Dark is a single-player third-person game where you can choose between the two protagonists to explore eerie Derceto Mansion.

Out on 25 October, the game will be playable on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Oh, and you can play the prologue demo right now on all platforms (PC here).

Film

The Barbie main trailer has landed, which finally shows more of the plot of this colourful comedy from Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig (Little Women, Lady Bird). Playing the title character, and live-action version of the iconic Mattel doll, Margot Robbie ventures out from literally perfect Barbie Land to find fulfillment in the real world. She’s joined by Ryan Gosling’s clueless Ken.

Playing various Barbie and Kens are the likes of Kate McKinnon, Issa Ray, Emma Mackey, Alexandra Shipp, Dua Lipa, Simu Liu, and Ncuti Gatwa, while the real-world characters are portrayed by America Ferrera, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. And that’s just the tip of the all-star iceberg.

Barbie comes to cinemas on 21 July.

A few more names have joined the cast of video game adaptation and sequel Mortal Kombat 2. Following the “in final negotiations” Karl Urban to play movie star Johnny Cage, are Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’s Tati Gabrielle and Adeline Rudolph, who will play Jade and Kitana respectively.

Series

Did you get to watch the 8-episode Willow sequel series on Disney+? You know, the one that premiered less than 6 months ago? Well, as of today, Willow will be removed from the streamer as part of Disney’s cost-cutting measures, especially in terms of its streaming spending. This to avoid playing residuals/royalties to the creatives involved.

Willow is one of over 80 series, specials and straight-to-streaming movies to be yanked from Disney+ and Hulu, with no other legal way to access the content. You can find the full list of removed items at the bottom of this Deadline article, with other notables including Y: The Last Man, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, The Hot Zone, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Turner and Hooch, The Right Stuff, Big Shot, and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.

Quality-over-quantity Apple TV+ is at it again. Seven-episode miniseries Hijack is an intense thriller that follows the journey, in real-time, of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London from Dubai. Idris Elba stars as a business negotiator and passenger on the flight who must use his skills to resolve the situation peacefully. Authorities on the ground are played by the likes of Archie Panjabi and Max Beesley.

Hijack, which was created by Lupin and Criminal’s George Kay and Jim Field Smith, premieres June 28.

We’ve spoken before about upcoming Afrofuturist animated anthology series Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire. Now we know when the series, which consists of 10 short films, is arriving on Disney+: Wednesday, 5 July. Kizazi Moto is notable as presenting visions of the future from a uniquely African perspective, and is made by creators from across the continent – with South Africa’s Triggerfish the lead studio on the project.

The 10 shorts are: “Stardust“ (Ahmed Teilab, Egypt), “Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer“ (Simangaliso “Panda” Sibaya and Malcolm Wopé, South Africa), “Hatima“(Terence Maluleke and Isaac Mogajane, South Africa), “Enkai“ (Ng’endo Mukii, Kenya), “Moremi“ (Shofela Coker, Nigeria), “Surf Sangoma“ (Nthato Mokgata and Catherine Green, South Africa), “Mukudzei“ (Pious Nyenyewa and Tafadzwa Hove, Zimbabwe), “First Totem Problems“ (Tshepo Moche, South Africa), “Herderboy“ (Raymond Malinga, Uganda) and “You Give Me Heart“ (Lesego Vorster, South Africa).

In celebration of the release date announcement (on Africa Day), the key art for Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire was also unveiled. It comes from “Moremi” creator Shofela Coker, out of Nigeria.

Lifestyle

One notable piece of event news this week is that Cape Town will get to experience Disney 100: The Concert after all. While the live-music-plus-multimedia-experience was originally announced earlier in the year for Johannesburg only, and took place over the Easter weekend, the concert is now resurfacing in the Mother City for a few days in July.

Disney 100: The Concert is happening at the Grand Arena of GrandWest Casino and Entertainment World from 7-9 July. As before, Disney 100: The Concert will feature big screen highlights from the worlds of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel while the musical moments are brought to life by The Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra and various vocal performers on a stage before the screen.

Tickets start at R320 and go up to R735 (with special reduced partner rates for FNB banking customers). Children from the age of 2 need their own seat, while babies in laps require a special R50 ticket purchased in the checkout flow.

You can buy your tickets here, through Ticketmaster.