Register

    Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro reunite at game summit

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1186 Views
    Guillermo del Toro, left, film director at DelToro Films and Hideo Kojima, game designer at Kojima Productions, participate in a panel discussion at the D.I.C.E. Summit Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill)

    By Derrik J. Lang, Entertainment Writer

    LAS VEGAS (AP) --

    "Pacific Rim" filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and "Metal Gear Solid" video game creator Hideo Kojima had big plans for their top-secret interactive collaboration.

    "We had great ideas that I think would have done fantastic," del Toro said on stage Thursday at the Academy of Interactive Arts and Science's annual D.I.C.E. Summit.

    The writer-director of such films as "Pan's Labyrinth" and "Crimson Peak" reunited with Kojima for a talk at the 15th annual gathering of elite members of the video game industry. The appearance marked the pair's first public appearance together since their video game, "Silent Hills," was canceled last year by publisher Konami.

    The title was intended to be the next installment in the long-running "Silent Hill" horror franchise and feature "The Walking Dead" actor Norman Reedus. Del Toro and Kojima teased it last year with the release of a mysterious PlayStation 4 demo called "P.T."

    "'P.T.' itself was meant to be sort of a decoy," del Toro said. "We were thinking it would take (players) 10 days, two weeks to solve it. They solved it in three days."

    The pair – fans of each other's work – first met when del Toro was in Japan to promote "Hellboy II: The Golden Army." They quickly became friends, and del Toro invited Kojima to his "man cave," populated with the quirky filmmaker's games, toys and other geeky collectibles.

    Kojima, who was affiliated with Konami since 1986, is being inducted this year into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. After finishing work on "Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain," he is now working on a PS4 game with a newly formed studio, Kojima Productions.

    "I feel extremely free right now," the Japanese game designer said through a translator. "I'm trying to make a very big game with an extremely small team. I am doing exactly what I want to do."

    Despite the duo moving on to other projects, del Toro is hopeful that he'll again collaborate with Kojima.

    "I'll do whatever the (expletive) he wants," the filmmaker said with a big grin, motioning to Kojima.

    Tags:Academy of Interactive Arts and SciencesGuillermo del Toro



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)

    DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.

    The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.

    The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.

    DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.

    "While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.

    The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.

    The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.

    DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More

    MySHOOT Profiles


    Add A Comment