The production team for the television anime adaptation of Oreko Tachibana's Firefly Wedding manga revealed that singer iri will perform the series' opening theme song titled "Period." This marks iri's first contribution of an anime opening song. A promotional video featuring a preview of the track was released on the project's official X/Twitter account on Friday. The opening theme is scheduled to be released on November 18.

The anime is set to premiere on October 9 and will be broadcast as part of Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block, which airs on Fridays at 11:30 p.m. Distribution will be handled by Crunchyroll, which plans to stream the series as new episodes become available. The cast includes Lynn in the role of Satoko Kirigaya and Kōki Uchiyama as Shinpei Gotō. Additional voice actors are Kent Itō, portraying Kōtarō Ogawa, and Kenjirō Tsuda, who will play Mitsueda.

Takahiro Kamei, known for directing recent installments of Urusei Yatsura, is overseeing the anime's direction at david production. Character design work is being handled by Yukiko Aikei, whose previous credits include Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, and Your Lie in April. Yūko Kakihara, who has contributed to script supervision and series composition on projects such as the 2022–2024 Urusei Yatsura series, IRODUKU: The World in Colors, and Blue Box, is serving as series script supervisor. NOGRID is responsible for the series' musical composition.

TOOBOE will perform the anime's ending theme song, "Yumegokochi" (Trance). The manga, published in English by Viz Media, follows the story of Satoko Kirigaya, who appears to have every advantage—beauty, noble lineage, and an age considered ideal for marriage. However, she suffers from a serious illness with a limited life expectancy. Before she can arrange a marriage that might restore her standing in her family's eyes, she becomes the target of a mysterious assassin named Shinpei, jeopardizing her plans. To protect herself, she proposes marriage, and Shinpei interprets "until death do we part" with literal seriousness.

The manga debuted on Shogakukan's Manga ONE app in January 2023, and the 12th compiled volume was released on June 19. These details were confirmed through a press release issued by the production committee.

Bruce Straley, who directed The Last of Us and contributed to multiple Uncharted titles, has stated that contemporary AAA games often feel uninspired. In an Edge magazine feature examining the current state of the video game industry, Straley described many blockbuster releases as "boring," citing an overreliance on established formulas rather than creative risk. He specifically referenced God of War Laufey as a technically impressive but narratively conventional example, noting that while the game demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship, its design choices did not generate personal enthusiasm. "Every pixel is mindblowing," he said, "the amount of work and skill that’s gone into every single frame… I’ve made those kinds of games, and I’m still blown away. But when I actually look at what you’re doing in the game? I’m not excited." Straley emphasized that his critique was not directed at individual teams but at industry-wide trends that prioritize scale over originality. He acknowledged the clear lineage between Naughty Dog’s narrative-driven titles and modern action games, including the 2018 God of War reboot, which some observers described as stylistically reminiscent of The Last of Us. Straley departed Naughty Dog in 2017 after concluding a lengthy tenure marked by what he described as burnout from high-pressure development cycles. He now leads Wildflower Interactive, a smaller studio focused on experimental projects. His first release under the new studio, announced at the 2025 Game Awards, diverges significantly from his previous work but currently lacks a confirmed release timeline.

John Leguizamo, an actor known for his work in theater and film, has been cast as the primary antagonist in an upcoming Universal Pictures production titled Miami Vice '85. According to reports, the role will see Leguizamo portray a cartel leader set in mid-1980s Miami, a period the studio describes as exploring the region's glamour and systemic corruption. The film, directed by Joseph Kosinski, is structured as a historical drama drawing inspiration from the original 1984–1985 television series, particularly its pilot episode and early story arcs involving a Colombian drug lord named Esteban Calderone.

In the series, Calderone was depicted as a powerful trafficker whose operations spanned multiple regions, including New York, Miami, and the Bahamas. His son, Orlando Calderone, was portrayed by Leguizamo in two episodes of the show, including a season finale and a standalone episode reminiscent of the film High Noon. While the original series was episodic, the pursuit of Calderone formed a central narrative thread during its first season, a storyline that may inform the film's structure.

The casting choice has drawn attention due to Leguizamo's past critiques of the series. In interviews, including one with Interview Magazine in 2016, he described his early reluctance to participate in television, calling it "nothing" compared to theater and expressing pride in his refusal to take on roles he deemed beneath his artistic standards. By 2014, in his one-man show Ghetto Klown, he referred to Miami Vice as "the Latin exploitation series of the '80s," reflecting on how Latino characters were often confined to narrow stereotypes such as drug dealers or gang leaders. He noted the limited range of roles available to him and contemporaries like Benicio Del Toro, Benjamin Bratt, Esai Morales, and Jimmy Smits, questioning why narratives centered so heavily on criminality when Latino communities contributed in broader ways.

The film's cast also includes Michael B. Jordan, Austin Butler, Alden Ehrenreich, Whitney Peak, Camila Morrone, and Danny Ramirez. Production is being led by Dylan Clark, known for his work on The Batman, alongside Kosinski and screenwriters Dan Gilroy and Eric Singer, who are adapting characters originally created by Anthony Yerkovich for the series. Michael Mann, who directed the 2006 remake of Miami Vice, is scheduled to attend a film festival screening of his director’s cut of that film later this year.

Filming for Miami Vice '85 is set to begin soon, with a planned theatrical release on May 19, 2028. The production will be shot for IMAX format, emphasizing visual scale and detail. While specific plot details remain limited, the film aims to reframe the cultural legacy of the original series through a historical lens, focusing on the intersection of law enforcement, organized crime, and regional identity in 1980s Miami.

A Roblox survival-horror title is set to receive a Hollywood adaptation with Josh Cooley attached to write the screenplay. 20th Century Studios, a Disney subsidiary, confirmed the hiring of the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4 director, who also earned an Academy Award nomination for Inside Out and directed Transformers One. 20th Century acquired the film rights earlier this year after a competitive acquisition process, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 99 Nights in the Forest, developed by Grandma's Favourite Games, currently ranks among Roblox's most-played experiences, with nearly 150,000 active players. The game challenges participants to endure 99 nights in a haunted forest while confronting monsters and rescuing missing children. Cooley will serve as executive producer alongside the game's creators—Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton, and Cameron Angland. This marks the latest instance of a Roblox-hosted title securing a film deal, following similar arrangements for Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot.

Blizzard Entertainment demonstrated a fully controller-driven version of World of Warcraft: Forever during a hands-on session at BlizzCon 2026. The demo, which used an alpha-stage control scheme, allowed players to navigate the game’s new Skyborne elf starting zone using only a gamepad. The test marked the first time Blizzard officially showcased a complete controller implementation for its long-running MMORPG.

The control layout assigns core actions to standard gamepad inputs: shoulder buttons cycle through friendly and hostile targets, face buttons handle interaction and jumping, and d-pad and face buttons map to abilities and spells. Triggers expand the available command set, providing up to 28 distinct bindings when combined with d-pad directions. This structure aims to replicate keyboard-and-mouse functionality while adapting it to a console-style interface.

During gameplay, cycling through non-player characters and executing abilities felt intuitive, though the system struggled with inventory management. Opening the bag menu requires invoking a radial interface, navigating to the inventory tab, and scrolling through items, a process that proved slower than the single-key access available on keyboard. This limitation could affect players who frequently manage large inventories, particularly in Classic or Forever environments where spell ranks and item variations increase button demands.

Blizzard has indicated that Forever will launch with full controller support on November 4, though details about integration with the modern retail version of World of Warcraft remain unspecified. The company has not confirmed whether the feature will extend beyond Forever or influence future console releases, though Microsoft’s ownership of Blizzard adds context to speculation about potential Xbox or handheld PC compatibility.

The move represents a shift toward accessibility for players who prefer or require controller input, a feature long requested by the community. While some users may find the system less efficient for complex tasks, Blizzard’s implementation signals a commitment to broadening control options without altering core gameplay mechanics.

A crowded fall schedule is reshaping launch strategies for new titles, with one upcoming game adjusting its pricing to stand out. Valor Mortis, a first-person soulslike set during the Napoleonic Wars, will debut on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on October 13 after shifting from its original September 24 date. The game enters a packed market that includes major releases such as the Zelda remake, Control, Silent Hill: Townfall, Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War and Call of Duty, as well as the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 slated for November.

Developer One More Level and publisher Lyrical Games announced the new launch date and pricing in a public statement. "We've had many discussions over the past year about the price of Valor Mortis," they wrote. "We believe the game has the quality, fidelity, and playtime in its 20-hour story to go toe-to-toe with many 'full price' titles. Still, this fall is stacked, and there's high demand for your time and money."

The game will launch at $40 and will be available from day one through Xbox Game Pass. Lyrical Games executive Blake Rochkind explained the pricing decision as a response to the unprecedented volume of high-profile releases. "We find ourselves as one of the only new IPs launching in what is objectively the craziest fall in the history of this business," Rochkind said. "Not only do you have GTA looming large in November, now you have the Zelda remake, Control coming out in a couple of weeks, Silent Hill: Townfall, Phantom Blade Zero, Gears of War, Call of Duty--by virtue of the development schedule, the cards we’ve been dealt is that we are one of the only new IPs launching this fall."

Rochkind described the $40 price point as strategic for an "and game" — a title players might add to their purchase alongside more expensive releases. The Game Pass inclusion, he added, provides access to a distinct audience: "Game Pass has reached a maturity point in this business where there are 'Game Pass gamers'--people who play games on Game Pass and were unlikely to buy the game day and date anyway." He noted that while some games experience cannibalization through subscription services, Game Pass also drives word-of-mouth exposure that can benefit titles overall.

In addition to the base game, Lyrical Games plans to release cosmetic packs in the coming months. A Deluxe Edition will also be offered, featuring unique weapon skins and access to a "major" story expansion scheduled for 2027. The game's premise places players in the role of William, a revived Grande Armée soldier navigating European battlefields haunted by mysterious, plague-like creatures. Players must master new skills and powers to counter Napoleon's forces and their telegraph-based attack patterns.

Valor Mortis distinguishes itself within the soulslike genre through its first-person perspective and historical setting, blending military warfare with supernatural elements. The October 13 launch will test how new intellectual properties can navigate a release calendar dominated by established franchises and blockbuster sequels.

Hideo Kojima is advancing two new projects under an Xbox publishing agreement, one of which is a return to tactical espionage themes tentatively titled Physint. The game remains years from release, with Kojima confirming in 2025 that it is still in a conceptual phase while he focuses on his horror project OD. No official timeline has been provided, though industry observers suggest a potential launch as early as 2030.

Xbox will handle publishing and development support for Physint, though the specific platform remains unspecified. Given the project's scale and Kojima's history with technically ambitious titles, a next-generation console or PC release appears likely. The collaboration marks a shift from Kojima's previous partnership with Sony, which ended without public explanation. A Bloomberg report indicated internal concerns about Physint's development trajectory prior to the publisher change, including missed deadlines and budget overruns.

The cast features actors Bill Skarsgard, Charlee Fraser, Don Lee, and Minami Hamabe, all confirmed through casting announcements. Kojima described the collaboration as a mutual admiration between creator and performers, citing costume fittings and motion capture tests conducted earlier in the year as validation of the project's direction. The game's visual ambitions were outlined in a recent HideoTube segment, where Kojima stated his goal of creating an experience so cinematic that casual observers might mistake gameplay for film.

Physint is described by Kojima as a spiritual evolution of Metal Gear Solid concepts, born from fan interest in revisiting tactical espionage themes. The project emerged after Kojima recovered from a COVID-19 illness and responded to audience requests for a new Metal Gear experience. Development continues under Xbox's support, with Kojima affirming that progress remains active despite the publisher transition. No additional details about gameplay mechanics or narrative structure have been disclosed beyond the project's conceptual framework and casting announcements.

The final chapter of Gorō Kanbe's Golian no Junjō na Junai was released on August 18 on Mag Garden's Mag Comi platform. The series, which began its serialization on April 21, follows Anzu, a high‑school student with a fondness for cute things, as he reconnects with his former childhood subordinate Kanza, who greets him with an exclamation of "Golian!".

Kanbe first launched the title in Mag Comi on April 21. Earlier in his career, he debuted Like Two Peas in a Pod (Nitamonodōshi no) on Mag Garden's Magicomi website in October 2019. The manga has been released in English by Tokyopop, and a compiled book volume was shipped in June 2020. Tokyopop had previously published two of Kanbe's other works, Don't Call Me Dirty and Don't Call Me Daddy, in 2020. The series was published by Mag Garden and distributed through the Mag Comi service.

Takeshobo announced on Thursday that it will release three boys love manga titles digitally in English across multiple platforms.

The publisher listed the titles as A Man Who Never Says No, its spinoff A Golden Someday, and the two-volume series Enveloped by the Fever of Guilt. All three are scheduled for release in English on Renta!, MangaPlaza, Coolmic, BookWalker, and Rakuten Kobo.

A Man Who Never Says No, created by Emi Mitsuki, follows Ritsu Shiraishi, a hotel concierge who assists private detective Kurose. Their relationship deepens after Kurose investigates a politician’s affair and discovers Ritsu’s involvement. The narrative explores their mutual attraction and unanswered questions about Ritsu’s hidden motives. The first volume is set for release on September 18.

A Golden Someday, also by Mitsuki, serves as a spinoff focusing on Yamabuki, a childhood friend of Ritsu. The story follows Yamabuki’s struggles with work and relationships, leading him to pursue a connection with Murasaki, a detective who proposes collaboration on an investigation involving Ritsu. Volume one is scheduled for September 25.

Enveloped by the Fever of Guilt, authored by Unohana, is a two-volume series centered on Amachi, a pharmaceutical representative returning from Germany. The plot follows Amachi’s encounter with Okumura, a neurosurgeon, at a Christmas market, which evolves into a temporary romantic relationship that complicates their interactions. The series is slated for release in October 2026.

Takeshobo confirmed the digital distribution through its press release, detailing the platforms and release schedule for each title.

Vin Diesel shared an Instagram post on September 17, 2026, featuring a photograph of himself alongside George Lucas at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. The caption read, “Architects of mythology… Lucas’s museum will be a gift to the world… and to those, who aren’t even born yet…” The post prompted a wave of online commentary questioning the implication that Diesel, known for the Fast and Furious franchise and the Riddick series, positioned himself as a peer to Lucas, the creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

Reactions on social media included remarks such as, “Only Vin Diesel can meet George Lucas and immediately consider himself an equal 💀,” posted by the account Dirt Sheet Radio. Another user responded, “GL: ‘I did my best to create a universe where hero’s and villains fight in great battles and used politics to enhance my stories as well as include personal stakes’ / VD: ‘Same man, I created a family through cars and told stories about flying cars into space, so similar man,’” linking the two creators’ work through a comparative lens. Additional comments ranged from critiques of Lucas’s legacy to observations about Diesel’s public persona.

The post also reignited discussion about Diesel’s professional relationships, including his past conflict with Fast and Furious co-star Dwayne Johnson, which industry observers have noted has since eased. In contrast, Diesel maintains a close friendship with actor Michael Caine, who joined the cast of The Last Witch Hunter sequel after Diesel advocated for his involvement.

Diesel is slated to reprise his role as Dominic Toretto in the upcoming Fast Forever film, with production scheduled to begin in December 2026. Meanwhile, Universal Studios Hollywood has announced a new attraction, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, set to open as a temporary experience for franchise fans ahead of the film’s theatrical release in March 2028.

The incident reflects broader patterns in how public figures use social media to comment on cultural institutions, with responses varying from satirical to analytical. No formal statement has been issued by either Diesel or Lucas regarding the post’s intent or the ensuing discourse.