Trent Haaga Joins 'Mad Heidi', the World's First Swissploitation Film

Heidi is just a girl from the Alps in an alternative Switzerland that has fallen under fascist rule. Little does she know that her yearning for personal freedom will be the spark that ignites a revolution. (PRNewsfoto/Mad Heidi)

The team behind the world's first Swissploitation movie today announced that cult US screenwriter, actor, director and producer Trent Haaga has joined Mad Heidi's scriptwriting team. The award-winning Haaga has been involved in over 100 films in a long and sometimes controversial career.

Mad Heidi is being produced by Iron Sky producer Tero Kaukomaa and Amateur Teen's and Paradise War's Valentin Greutert, and it will be directed by the highly talented, up-and-coming Swiss director Johannes Hartmann.

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Caspar Brog • casparbrog.com)

The little girl from the Alps is back…with a vengeance

Mad Heidi is an action-adventure-comedy-horror parody of the much-loved children's storybook character Heidi. Now all grown up, Heidi is just a girl from the Alps in an alternative Switzerland that has fallen under fascist rule. Little does she know that her yearning for personal freedom will be the spark that ignites a revolution. From fondue torture to death by chocolate, Mad Heidi is a true Swissploitation film. Think Kill Bill meets The Sound of Music.

'Mad Heidi' - poster teaser 2018 (© Decoy Films – madheidi.com)

Trent Haaga said, "I've always been a huge fan of old-school exploitation films - from spaghetti westerns, kung-fu movies, the counterculture movies of the late 60s, and the timeless alternate reality of the Iron Sky films. I see Mad Heidi as a love letter to all of the above, and I was thrilled to be offered the chance to play in the world that Tero, Valentin, and Johannes have created. Mad Heidi holds a dark funhouse mirror up to the world through the lens of a Switzerland that never was. It's a futuristic fairy tale heavily inspired by a classic and much-loved novel. Who wouldn't want to be involved in something like that? I'm also a huge fan of the way these guys put their films together - eschewing traditional financing models, embracing new forms of distribution, and valuing input from the fans during production. As far as I'm concerned, it's the future of independent filmmaking, and I'm delighted to be making this journey with this team." 

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Caspar Brog • casparbrog.com)

Haaga has a long and successful track record with credits including writing many feature films, from Lloyd Kaufman's legendary Troma's The Toxic Avenger Part 4, Courteney Cox's directorial debut, Talhotblond, to the controversial 2008 Toronto International Film Festival hit, DEADGIRL.

Tero Kaukomaa said, "It's great to have someone of Trent's undoubted talents on board. He always delivers and is a perfect fit for the amazing new film we are producing for our fans. I can assure you people will not be disappointed. In fact, we are sure they're gonna love it. We know our fans have been waiting, and the good news for them is that things are starting to move quickly. So, watch this space as there's plenty more news to come."

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Caspar Brog • casparbrog.com)

About Trent Haaga

Trent Haaga is an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer, and actor who has been involved in over 100 films in his 20-year career. Trent has written many feature films, from Troma's The Toxic Avenger Part 4 to Courteney Cox's directorial debut, Talhotblond, to the controversial 2008 Toronto International Film Festival hit, DEADGIRL. He is also the screenwriter of the AAA video game The Evil Within 2 from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. Trent is a two-time SXSW Audience Award-winner with his films Cheap Thrills and 68 Kill. He lives in Los Angeles. 

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Pacal Greuter - pascalgreuter.com)

About Tero Kaukomaa (Producer of Mad Heidi)

In 1997, film producer and entrepreneur Tero Kaukomaa established Blind Spot Pictures. Since then he has produced, or co-produced, over 20 feature films including "Dancer in the Dark'' by Lars von Trier, Golden Globe nominee "Everlasting Moments'' by Jan Troel,l and "Iron Sky''. In 2012, he released Timo Vuorensola's "Iron Sky'', an € 8 million Finnish – German – Australian co-production. The film was heavily crowd-sourced and crowd-funded by a world-wide community of fans. In 2014, Tero founded Iron Sky Universe together with Timo Vuorensola to continue the Iron Sky Saga. In 2019, the €19 million sequel to Iron Sky, "Iron Sky The Coming Race" was launched. A USD 30 million Chinese film, "The Ark – an Iron Sky'', is currently in post-production. Also in 2019, Tero founded SwissploitationFilms GmbH with Valentin Greutert and Johannes Hartmann to produce and distribute Mad Heidi, the world's first Swissploitation film. In 2020, he founded Son of a Pitch Oy (Ltd) together with Timo Vuorensolato to offer their expertise in crowd engagement and pitching to other filmmakers. Tero believes in quality and the power of marketing, and he wants to use creative new ways to bring fresh content to the market. He is a member of ACE and the European Film Academy. He divides his time between Helsinki, Finland and Zürich, Switzerland. 

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Pacal Greuter - pascalgreuter.com)

Valentin Greutert (Producer of Mad Heidi)

Valentin Greutert started working in the film business in 2000 after graduating with a Masters in Economics and Business Administration. In 2004, he founded his first production company, HesseGreutert Film, in Zurich, Switzerland. Since 2015, he has headed his new outlet, A Film Company. Greutert has produced many feature films and documentaries, among them pearls like "Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae" and "Amateur Teens". In 2019, his biggest production to date was released. "Paradise War", based on a true story and represented by TrustNordisk, was shot on three continents with 76 days spent shooting, most of them deep in the jungles of Borneo. The film was a major success in Switzerland. Since 2008, Greutert has been a member of the international producer club ACE. He is also part of the European and Swiss Film Academies, as well as member of the documentary and fiction commission of the Federal Office of Culture in Berne. Building on his background in economics, Greutert also designed and now distributes KOSMA, a professional software to control film production finances (www.kosma.io).

'Mad Heidi' - behind the scenes (©Pacal Greuter - pascalgreuter.com)

About Johannes Hartmann (Director of Mad Heidi)

Active as director and producer since 2007, Johannes Hartmann founded Decoy Films GmbH in 2009 together with two partners. Since then, he has been responsible for the realisation of many commercials, music videos and service productions. His debut short film "Halbschlaf" was selected by Switzerland's leading genre film festival, the Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival, and numerous other international film festivals, and has won several awards. This was followed by other short films and documentaries, which were selected at film festivals worldwide. With his concept for Mad Heidi, the world's first Swissploitation film, Johannes Hartmann approached the producers Tero Kaukomaa and Valentin Greutert, with whom he founded Swissploitation Films in autumn 2019. Mad Heidi is Hartmann's directorial debut as a director of a feature-length fiction film.

• Click here to view the Mad Heidi film trailer

SOURCE: Mad Heidi

Free Comic Book Day 2020 to Take Place July 15 through September 9

Free Comic Book Day 2020 to Take Place July 15 through September 9 (image via Free Comic Book Day site)

Free Comic Book Day, the comic book industry's largest annual promotional event, is traditionally scheduled to take place the first Saturday in May each year. However, the impact and spread of COVID-19 prevented the event from being celebrated at its normal time this year. Now, the beloved event has been rescheduled and reworked to take place throughout July and early September in order to accommodate social-distancing and store capacity regulations across the country, effectively making it Free Comic Book Summer!

Scheduled to take place between July 15 and September 9, retailers will receive five to six Free Comic Book Day (FCBD) titles in their weekly shipments during each week of the promotional window. Release of these titles may vary from shop to shop, as retailers are encouraged to release the books as they see fit for their unique circumstances.

Retailers may release one free title a day, make all of that week's free titles available at once, or any other plan that works for them. Free Comic Book Summer is designed to be flexible and customizable so retailers and consumers can get the most out the event.

Available on July 15, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2020: X-MEN will feature a brand-new X-MEN story by Jonathan Hickman and Pepe Larraz that will lead into the game-changing X OF SWORDS crossover! The second story will also foreshadow an upcoming epic tale by Tom Taylor and Iban Coello. (image via Free Comic Book Day site)

"Every year, Free Comic Book Day is our big event to thank current comics fans, welcome back former fans and invite those new to comics to join the fun," said Joe Field, originator of FCBD, and owner of Flying Colors Comics in Concord, CA. "In this very different year, Free Comic Book Day is more like Free Comic Book Summer... and there's so much fun to discover in this year's FCBD comics! So many cool stories are available for this stretched-out Free Comic Book Day 2020. I'm confident long-time fans and newcomers alike are going to find a story that'll make them want to visit their local comic shop every week! Fans, bring your friends and family and head to your local comic shop every week starting July 15 through September 9 to check out the new, and fantastic, free comics available that week!"

• Free Comic Book Summer will feature 45 of the previously announced titles from publishers like Marvel Comics, Image Comics, BOOM! Studios, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment, DC, and more! 
• The 45 titles are designed to appeal to a broad range of tastes and run the gamut from superhero stories, to TV and movie tie-ins, to sci-fi adventures, all-ages tales, and beyond. 
• There will also be two educational support titles from the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and Gemstone Publishing.

A complete listing of all 45 FCBD titles, including the 10 Gold Sponsor and 35 Silver Sponsor comic books, can be viewed online at freecomicbookday.com. 

On July 22, FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2020: SPIDER-MAN/VENOM will provide two exciting tales connected to the coming major storylines in VENOM, AMAZING SPIDER-MAN and BLACK CAT from top creators Donny Cates, Ryan Stegman, Jed MacKay, and Patrick Gleason and more! (image via Free Comic Book Day site)

• To view the weekly release schedule, click here.

SOURCE: Diamond Comic Distributors

The Society For The Promotion Of Japanese Animation Announces First Ever Anime Expo Lite - A Free Virtual Japanese Pop Culture Event

The Society For The Promotion Of Japanese Animation Announces First Ever Anime Expo Lite - A Free Virtual Japanese Pop Culture Event

The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is thrilled to unveil its plans to offer Japanese pop culture fans from around the world an opportunity to experience all things anime from wherever they are with Anime Expo Lite. 

This FREE two-day livestream event will begin on July 3, proclaimed Anime Expo Day by the City of Los Angeles in 2015, and continue through July 4.

Anime Expo Lite will feature content from industry partners such as Bushiroad, Crunchyroll, Pony Canyon, VIZ, and more! (More exclusive content will be announced in the coming weeks.)

SPJA has also revealed the key art that was planned as the program guide cover for the since cancelled Anime Expo 2020, which now features the Anime Expo Lite logo instead. The AX mascot characters Ai and Xeno are pictured with the cast of The World End With You.

"We are excited to be able to parlay the traditional Anime Expo into a virtual experience. Since 2017, AX has been livestreaming select panels as well as from the convention floor, so it is a natural transition for us to produce a virtual event. As everything in 2020 is different, we see a unique opportunity to be able to share our passion for Japanese pop culture not only with those that would have attended AX but now with any anime fan no matter where they live," said Ray Chiang, CEO of The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation, AX's organizer. "With our Anime Expo Lite line-up, we know fans will find plenty of events and special guests to entertain and keep them engaged."

Fans can expect to see:

• Special Guests, including artist/character designer Yoshitaka Amano
• Panel discussions with industry leaders
• Industry announcements
• Live content
• Pre-taped content from global partners
• Q&As
• Giveaways

For more information, and to keep up-to-date on Anime Expo Lite announcements, please  click here to sign-up 

For 29 years, AX has been the preeminent event featuring the newest anime films, television series, fashion, video games, manga, dance, music concerts, exhibitors and exclusive convention merchandise, all combined to deliver unforgettable experiences to fans of anime and Japanese pop culture. AX will return to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 2-5, 2021. 

For more information regarding Anime Expo please visit anime-expo.org.

About SPJA:

SPJA is a non-profit organization dedicated to popularize and educate the American public about Japanese entertainment and pop culture, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. 

• For more information, please visit www.spja.org.

About Anime Expo:

Anime Expo (AX) brings together fans and industry from Japan, the US, and all over the world for the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America. 

Taking place every year since 1992, Anime Expo features the best in Japanese entertainment, music, fashion, and video games. 

• For more information, visit anime-expo.org.

SOURCE: Anime Expo

New Interview With Suzanne Collins, Author Of The Worldwide Bestselling Hunger Games Series, Released by Scholastic

Author Suzanne Collins (Photo Credit: Todd Plitt for Scholastic)

Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, has released a new interview with Suzanne Collins, author of the worldwide bestselling Hunger Games series.

On the eve of the publication of The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, on sale now, author Suzanne Collins spoke to David Levithan, VP, Publisher and Editorial Director at Scholastic, and one of her editors, about the making of the book.

The Interview:

David Levithan: I'll start with the two questions I'm sure most readers will want to ask: Did you always plan to return to Panem after the trilogy with a book set sixty-four years earlier? And if not, what made you return to the story in this way?

Suzanne Collins: Here's how it works now. I have two worlds, the Underland (the world of The Underland Chronicles series) and Panem (the world of The Hunger Games). I use both of them to explore elements of just war theory. When I find a related topic that I want to examine, then I look for the place it best fits. The state of nature debate of the Enlightenment period naturally lent itself to a story centered on Coriolanus Snow.

Focusing on the 10th Hunger Games also gave me the opportunity to tell Lucy Gray's story. In the first chapter of The Hunger Games, I make reference to a fourth District 12 victor. Katniss doesn't seem to know anything about the person worth mentioning. While her story isn't well-known, Lucy Gray lives on in a significant way through her music, helping to bring down Snow in the trilogy. Imagine his reaction when Katniss starts singing "Deep in the Meadow" to Rue in the arena. Beyond that, Lucy Gray's legacy is that she introduced entertainment to the Hunger Games.

David Levithan: I have to ask—when you wrote that reference in the first book, did you have any sense of who that fourth victor might be?

Suzanne Collins: Yes, but she's evolved a lot since then.

David Levithan: What was it like to rewind the world you'd built by sixty-four years? What were some of the touchstones you used to understand what this version of Panem would be?

Suzanne Collins: I really enjoyed going back in time to an earlier version of Panem and visiting the reconstruction period that followed the Dark Days. I thought a lot about the period after the Civil War here in the United States and also the post–World War II era in Europe. People trying to rebuild, to live their daily lives in the midst of the rubble. The challenges of food shortages, damaged infrastructure, confusion over how to proceed in peacetime. The relief that the war has ended coupled with the bitterness toward the wartime enemy. The need to place blame.

David Levithan: What about the early Hunger Games?

Suzanne Collins: Even as the victor in the war, the Capitol wouldn't have had the time or resources for anything elaborate. They had to rebuild their city and the industries in the districts, so the arena really is an old sports arena. They just threw in the kids and the weapons and turned on the cameras. The 10th Hunger Games is where it all blows wide open, both figuratively and literally.

David Levithan: What was it like to have to dial back a character you created in his late maturity and then to rethink him as an eighteen-year-old?

Suzanne Collins: Well, I thought about Wordsworth's line, "The Child is father of the Man." The groundwork for the aging President Snow of the trilogy was laid in childhood. Then there's Locke, who's all over this book, with his theory of tabula rasa, or blank slate, in which we're all products of our experiences. Snow's authoritarian convictions grew out of the experiences of his childhood, as did his complicated relationships with mockingjays, food, the Hunger Games, District 12, District 13, and women. So, you rewind and plant the seeds.

But given all that, you still need to leave room for Snow's personality. Is he a product of nature or nurture? Everyone of his generation experienced trauma, loss, and deprivation. And yet Sejanus, Tigris, Lucy Gray, and Lysistrata turned out very differently.

For whatever reason, Snow has a very controlling personality. Then he experiences one of the most out-of-control emotions, falling in love. It turns out to be a bad combination. 

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes book cover

About The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will revisit the world of Panem sixty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Tenth Hunger Games.

About Suzanne Collins and The Hunger Games:

Bestselling author Suzanne Collins first made her mark in children's literature with the New York Times bestselling Underland Chronicles fantasy series for middle grade readers. 

She continued to explore the effects of war and violence on those coming of age with The Hunger Games Trilogy. The Hunger Games (2008) was an instant bestseller, appealing to both teen readers and adults. It was called "addictive" by Stephen King in Entertainment Weekly, and "brilliantly plotted and perfectly paced" by John Green in the New York Times Book Review. The book appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 260 consecutive weeks (more than five consecutive years), and there are more than 100 million copies of all three books in the trilogy─The Hunger Games, Catching Fire (2009), and Mockingjay (2010)─in print and digital formats worldwide. 

Foreign publishing rights for The Hunger Games Trilogy have been sold in 54 languages to 52 territories to date. 

In 2012 Lionsgate launched the first of four films based on the novels, starring Jennifer Lawrence. To date, the franchise has earned nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office.

In 2010 Suzanne Collins was named to the TIME 100 list as well as the Entertainment Weekly Entertainers of the Year list; in 2011 Fast Company named her to their 100 Most Creative People in Business; and in 2016 she was presented the 2016 Authors Guild Award for Distinguished Service to the Literary Community for exemplifying the unique power of young people's literature to change lives and to create lifelong book lovers. It was the first time the Guild presented its annual award to a YA author. 

The Atlantic called Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen, "the most important female character in recent pop culture history," and TIME Magazine named Katniss to its list of "The 100 Most influential People Who Never Lived." 

On The Hunger Games trilogy, The New York Times Book Review wrote, "At its best the trilogy channels the political passion of 1984, the memorable violence of A Clockwork Orange, the imaginative ambience of The Chronicles of Narnia and the detailed inventiveness of Harry Potter." 

SOURCE: Scholastic

Director of "Synthetic Love", Vasyl Moskalenko, Creates Super-Hero Short-Movie in Covid-19 Lockdown on One Dollar Budget [Video Included]

Director of "Synthetic Love", Vasyl Moskalenko, Creates Super-Hero Short-Movie in Covid-19 Lockdown on One Dollar Budget (screengrab)

Ukrainian film-director Vasyl Moskalenko has filmed a superhero movie, Apple-Man, in his own 150 square feet bedroom, with only two people on set and on a one dollar budget, during Covid-19 lockdown,

The voiceover for Apple-Man was also provided by Marvel VO actor, Stefan Ashton Frank.

The main idea of the project is to demonstrate that it's possible to stay creative even when spending lockdown in a single room and also that it`s still important to stay safe during this time.

The Director played all twelve characters in the movie, while the other person on set was the Director of Photography, Volodymyr Kratinov. Almost all props and costumes were comprised of items Vasyl found in his own kitchen.

The voiceover for Apple-Man was completed by Stefan Ashton Frank, who worked on the VO for Need for Speed and the Call of Duty videogame series (along with Jason Statham and Gary Oldman). In Lego Marvel Super Heroes, Ashton Frank voiced the characters of Groot and Green Goblin.

Right now Vasyl Moskalenko has a plan to do a 90-minute feature film version of Apple-Man and is seeking a producer and co-investor.

"I spent one dollar to make a short movie," the director said. "Now I have a plan to make a 90-minute feature film version of Apple-Man. I want to add more SGI, action and hire American actors and actresses for VO of the super-hero characters, such as Apple-girl and Captain Cabbage."

The Apple-man trailer received more than 300 000 views within the few hours on one of the Instagram pages that reposted it.

"We have had amazing feedback about the project from people all over the world," says Vasyl. "This support makes me think Apple-Man has good potential. I want to release the movie on digital VOD platform, such as Netflix or Amazon next."

Vasyl Moskalenko  (image via IMDb)

About Vasyl Moskalenko:

Vasyl Moskalenko is the director of the movie, "Synthetic Love", which received 20 festival awards in USA, Canada and Great Britain. He also directed numerous TV-shows in Ukraine in 2012-2018. 

Besides Apple-Man, he is currently working on a horror movie, "The Chernobyl Fallout". The project was presented at the European Film Market during the Berlin International Film Festival (the Berlinale), in 2020.

The Video:

SOURCE: Moskalenko Studios

Aza Comics Superheroes, The Keepers, Help Relieve Cabin Fever

Aza Comics

Aza Comics, known for its roster of multicultural female superheroes, is aiming to do all that it can to help save everyone from the Coronavirus blues. 

The company has assembled an assortment of online games, puzzles, superhero quizzes, music playlists, dance challenges, Women's History Month trivia and more to help entertain everyone as more and more people are finding it necessary to stay home due to the coronavirus. 

 "Schools are closing down, people are working from home, events are being cancelled...including our own events that we just announced. This thing is affecting all of us," says CEO and creator of Aza Comics, Jazmin Truesdale. "It's only a matter of time before we're all getting cabin fever sitting at home waiting this thing out."

Aza Comics is even hosting an online cosplay contest that adults and kids can participate in for prizes. People can dress up as Aza Characters or any other superhero that they wish, post images via social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and tag Aza Comics. Participants with the best and most creative costumes can win gifts and cash prizes. 

 "It's like a virtual comic con that the world can participate in," says Truesdale. "I'm pretty excited to see what kinds of things people come up with. I mean, if we're all going to be stuck at home, we might as well make the most of it."

Aza Comics will also include tips for helping to fight the coronavirus as recommended by the CDC so that everyone can do their part and keep themselves and others safe. 

Aza Comics 

Games and entertainment will go live at 12am March 17th, 2020 via this link: azacomics.shop/blogs/news/aza-comics-home-fight-coronavirus

Aza Comics is a superhero brand based in Durham, North Carolina founded by serial entrepreneur and author Jazmin Truesdale. 

The company is known for its multicultural female superheroes and philanthropic initiatives that have been featured in Vogue, TIME, USA Today, and various other national and international publications.

SOURCE: Aza Comics

Final Fantasy VII Remake: Demo Now Available

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PRNewsfoto / Square Enix)

Square Enix has announced that PlayStation owners worldwide can now download a playable demo of the role-playing hit Final Fantasy VII Remake to be released on April 10 , 2020 . 

The demo from the PlayStation Store allows all PlayStation Plus subscribers to experience the game's first mission and the events that occur during the Mako Reactor 1 attack up close. 

• Anyone who downloads the demo by May 11, 2020 will receive an exclusive PlayStation 4 design for the release of the complete game.

Final Fantasy VII Remake (screengrab)

Final Fantasy VII Remake takes players into a world in which the opaque Shinra Corporation controls the life force of the planet. Cloud Strife, a former member of the SOLDIER elite unit and now a mercenary, is helping a resistance group called Avalanche. 

The first game of the project takes place in the city of Midgar and presents a completely independent gaming experience for role players who want unforgettable characters, a captivating story and the opportunity to determine their own playing style with a combat system that real-time action with strategic, command-based Fight connects.

The Trailer:

• Final Fantasy VII Remake will be released on April 10 , 2020 for PlayStation 4. 
• The demo of Final Fantasy VII Remake is now available for download on PlayStation 4. 

For more information see: www.ffvii-remake.com

SOURCE: Square Enix

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UTPlus Interactive Announced the Launch for the Global Service of "Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle"

UTPlus Interactive Announced the Launch for the Global Service of "Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle"

On Feb. 7 (North America Time), UTPlus Interactive Inc. announced the launch for the global service of "Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle".

Global service is now available in over 150 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Global One-Build supports nine languages (English, German, French, Japanese, Thai, Russian, Thai, Portuguese, Korean) and support for Spanish will be added in the future

UTPlus Interactive Announced the Launch for the Global Service of "Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle"

The game, which was soft launched earlier, features unique artwork and an original scenario. The game system allows users to build their own strategic vessel by assembling ship parts to the user's preference and pioneer in post-apocalyptic space while battling various forces, space monsters, and other players.

The global version will feature more user customizable content by increasing communication with users through various social media channels and analyzing user feedback and game play data.

Ted Taeyeun Yoo (CEO) said, "Levering the experience we gained from successfully servicing Talion and Shadowblood, we will continue to listen to the user's opinions and service the game successfully with a long-term plan."

UTPlus Interactive Announced the Launch for the Global Service of "Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle"

"Cosmic Wars - The Galactic Battle" was selected as a Top 3 game in the 2018 Google Indie Game Festival and awarded as the Indie Game of the Year. The developer is offering various events to celebrate the launch of its global service. 

• More details are available on the official global Facebook page.

The Promo Video:

SOURCE: UTPlus Interactive Inc.

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" to Open in China [Video Included]

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" to Open in China

Cityneon Holdings has announced that Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition will be making its first-ever appearance in China, starting with Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, on the first day of Chinese New Year on 25 January 2020.

Set to be launched at the iconic Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, special guests from the media and tourism industry were invited to an exclusive preview into Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition on 20 January 2020.

This preview event was also attended by strategic partners that made this exhibition possible, including Mr. Ron Tan, Executive Chairman and Group CEO of Cityneon Holdings, Mr. Michael Silver, Universal Parks & Resorts' President for Global Business Development, , Mr. Liu Xiaobin, Vice President of Wanda Film Group and Executive CEO of Wanda Film, Ms. Zhou Haiyan, Deputy Governor of Chenghua District and many other distinguished guests. The official signing ceremony was held earlier this month (5 January 2020) at the Wanda Cinemas in Chengdu Mid-Town.

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" - Opening Ceremony held on 20th January 2020 in Chengdu

This exhibition spans a total area of approximately 30,000 square feet and is poised to bring the ground-breaking film franchise Jurassic World to life. Visitors will feel as if they have entered the films as they walk through the world-famous Jurassic World gates and explore the experience through an interactive journey. Guests will come face-to-face with a Velociraptor, step behind the glass into The Hammond Creation Lab; and be able to imagine what it would have been like to walk among these breathtaking animals as they visit a majestic and family-friendly Brachiosaurus, and get a rare up-close look at the most vicious dinosaur of them all, the Tyrannosaurus Rex.

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" (screengrab)

The Jurassic World franchise has been entertaining audiences around the world with powerful stories and characters for more than 25 years -- from film to TV to video games and toys to rides at Universal theme parks. In fact, Universal Beijing Resort is scheduled to open in 2021 as Universal's newest theme park destination and will feature seven highly themed and immersive lands -- including Jurassic World Isla Nublar. Guests of all ages will be able to explore Isla Nublar, an island of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs roam the Earth again.

Speaking at the event, Universal Parks & Resorts' President of Global Business Development Mr. Michael Silver said, "I am indeed excited to see Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition opening here in Chengdu. We strongly believe that this exhibition's first foray into China is only the beginning, and we are confident that Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition will be presented in many other Chinese markets in the future. We are delighted that our licensee Cityneon Group, together with Wanda Films, are presenting such a world-class exhibition that is such a credit to the iconic Jurassic World franchise, and we are pleased that the many Jurassic World fans in China will have the opportunity to experience this wonderful exhibition."

"Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition" (screengrab)

Adding to that, Cityneon's Executive Chairman and Group CEO Mr. Ron Tan said, "We are honoured and thrilled to have forged strong and strategic partnerships with Universal and Wanda to bring Jurassic World: The Movie Exhibition to Chengdu, our first stop in China. We are highly encouraged by the committed ticket sales of 300,000 tickets even prior to the start of the exhibition and deeply hope that this exhibition can bring the same excitement to the Chinese audiences here as well."

Reiterating his commitment to create high-quality and unforgettable experiences, Mr. Tan added, "We will continue to leverage on our expertise, credentials and relationships with existing and new partners to deliver more unique exhibitions and compelling experiences in markets with high growth potential."

Wanda Film Group and Wanda Film's CEO Mr. Zeng Maojun, said, "We are very impressed with Cityneon's licensed portfolio of leading global IPs and its iconic exhibitions that captivate audiences around the world. It is our great pleasure to collaborate with them to bring this exclusive exhibition to China. We are confident that the audiences will be wowed by the magnificence and interactive experiences, leaving them with unforgettable unique memories like never before, especially during this festive Chinese New Year."

The Video:

SOURCE: Cityneon

How Did The Rebels Beat The Empire In Star Wars? The Answer Is Closer To Home Than You Think

How Did The Rebels Beat The Empire In Star Wars? The Answer Is Closer To Home Than You Think (NeONBRAND/Unsplash, CC BY-SA)

It may all have happened a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, but there’s a secret weapon in every Star Wars film that’s found almost everywhere humans live on Earth. It explains how the scrappy Rebel Alliance were able to defeat the mighty Galactic Empire, with all its high-tech weaponry, vast space armada and the Death Star.

Even with the help of Jedis, The Force, ewoks and a wookiee, Luke Skywalker and the rebels skirted annihilation on many occasions. We believe that their ultimate victory owed less to their mystic powers and allies, and instead to something more down-to-earth.

In several key moments throughout the series, the survival of the rebels depends on their ability to escape the Empire’s clutches, by retreating to, and defending, fortified bases. These are spread out on remote planets throughout the galaxy, in often hostile environments, from snowbound Hoth to desiccated Crait.

It’s time to finally give the Rebel Alliance’s engineering corps the credit it deserves. The fate of the galaxy was decided not by light sabres – but by concrete.

The Snows of Hoth

At the start of The Empire Strikes Back, things are looking grim. The Empire have cornered the remnants of the Rebel Alliance on the ice planet, Hoth. Fortunately, General Leia and co are able to defend Echo Base long enough for their allies to evacuate. The base is built into subterranean caves, but concrete is still needed for the roofs and floors of the spacecraft hangars, and the defensive laser cannon emplacements.

But how could they make all that concrete when temperatures on Hoth are consistently below 0°C? Concrete doesn’t set by drying out, but by a hydration reaction, which consumes water. If the water in the concrete mix is frozen solid, it can’t take part in the hydration reaction, and so the concrete can’t develop its strength.

So how did the Rebel engineers get around this? A cheat solution for small structures is simply to make the concrete in a place it’s not freezing, and then bring it in. This is known as “pre-cast” concrete. Engineers are currently using this to upgrade the Rothera research station in Antarctica – the most similar place to Hoth there is on Earth.

But shipping all that concrete through space isn’t practical. Engineers on Earth have a better solution – they use special rapid-hardening cement that contains calcium aluminates. This reduces how long the “danger zone” lasts, during which the cement must be protected from freezing. This quick-hardening ability allowed the French Army to build gun emplacements quickly in the first world war, and could have helped fortify rebel defences on Hoth.

The salt lakes of Crait

In 2017’s The Last Jedi, the rebels were almost wiped out again by the pursuing Imperial fleet. They take shelter on the barren planet of Crait, covered by flat, dried up salt lakes. The rebels regroup in an old base built into a mountain that’s protected by colossal, metal blast doors, supported by a reinforced concrete structure. Outside lie the vast salt flats and the attacking Imperial forces. Compared to the laser cannons of the First Order, salt would seem the least of the rebels’ worries. But in fact, salts can be one of the most destructive substances for reinforced concrete.

Reinforced concrete contains steel rods to make it stronger and resist bending. But if CO₂ in the atmosphere and chloride in the salts diffuse into the concrete, the steel can corrode, blister and weaken the concrete by expanding. This is sometimes known as “concrete cancer” and has been a contributing factor in several engineering disasters on Earth, including the collapse of the Morandi bridge in Genoa in 2018. In that particular case it is believed that salts carried in the sea air accelerated the deterioration of the structure.

Were the Rebels foolish to build reinforced concrete bases where salt is everywhere? Actually, this type of corrosion needs a certain level of humidity in the air. Crait has very little water, or none at all. In such a dry environment, corrosion wouldn’t happen. So thankfully for General Leia and co, the mountain base was in a good enough condition to resist the bombardment – just long enough for Luke Skywalker to intervene. But how did they make all that concrete in the first place with so little water?

Given that concrete needs water to set, a planet without water would prove tricky. The Middle East on Earth is largely desert, but there’s still a lot of concrete production, much of it made with desalinated seawater, which is expensive. On planets where there isn’t even seawater, water is too dense and precious to use for anything but keeping humans alive. There’s no easy fix for this, but it’s possible the rebels took a similar approach to scientists designing constructions on our Moon – using alternative binding materials instead of cement, such as sulphur, which could be mined from lunar rocks.

Tattooine is the desert planet on which Luke Skywalker grew up. (20th Century Fox)

Back on Earth

While the battle for the fate of the galaxy concludes in the cinema, the battle for the future of humanity continues here on Earth. Cement is the largest manufactured product on Earth by mass, and generates about 8% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than all of aviation. Concrete is the second most-used substance on Earth – only water is used more. The world as we know it would not exist without concrete.

But the concrete saga is by no means over. At the UK’s National Centre for Infrastructure Materials, our research is helping to tackle two of the biggest challenges – reducing the environmental footprint of producing concrete and making the sure that the lifetime of concrete infrastructure is as long and robust as possible. May The Force be with us …

About Today's Contributor:

Alastair Marsh, Research Fellow in Civil Engineering, University of Leeds

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

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