The series 1923, a prequel to Yellowstone, has made history not only for its narrative but also for its remarkable production budget. With an approximate cost of 22 million dollars per episode, 1923 far exceeds the 15 million dollars per episode spent on the eighth season of Game of Thrones, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. This rise in costs is surprising, given that 1923 is a western that relies less on computer-generated visual effects. Yellowstone aims to be the most expensive television franchise in history Since its premiere in 2022, […]
The series 1923, a prequel to Yellowstone, has made history not only for its narrative but also for its remarkable production budget. With an approximate cost of 22 million dollars per episode, 1923 far exceeds the 15 million dollars per episode spent on the eighth season of Game of Thrones, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. This rise in costs is surprising, given that 1923 is a western that relies less on computer-generated visual effects.
Yellowstone aims to be the most expensive television franchise in history
Since its premiere in 2022, the popularity of Yellowstone and its derivatives has led Paramount to invest nearly 500 million dollars a year in this franchise. However, this amount is expected to decrease in 2025, given the conclusion of 1923 and Yellowstone. Despite these changes, it cannot be denied that Yellowstone has revolutionized the western genre in the last decade.
Taylor Sheridan, the creator behind the series, has established himself as the main architect of content for Paramount, or SkyShowtime in Spain, developing new narratives that keep viewers on the edge of their seats. In 2024, new seasons of Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Lioness, and the latest installment of Yellowstone will be released, all under his creative direction.
In addition, Sheridan will be in charge of future promising releases such as Landman, starring Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore, which is scheduled to premiere in November 2025. Another series on the way is The Madison, which features a star-studded cast, including Michelle Pfeiffer and Patrick J. Adams. For fans of this universe, all episodes are available on SkyShowtime, ensuring that the franchise continues to capture the audience’s attention.
The film Once Upon a Time in the West, directed by Sergio Leone, has become a benchmark within the western genre, even surpassing classic works by icons like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. This critically acclaimed film stands out not only for its innovative narrative but also for its deep symbolic weight that presents a personal and unique story. The plot unfolds in the final days of the Old West, centered on the struggle for control of water among three gunmen in a context marked by greed, honor, and revenge. A film that […]
The film Once Upon a Time in the West, directed by Sergio Leone, has become a benchmark within the western genre, even surpassing classic works by icons like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. This critically acclaimed film stands out not only for its innovative narrative but also for its deep symbolic weight that presents a personal and unique story. The plot unfolds in the final days of the Old West, centered on the struggle for control of water among three gunmen in a context marked by greed, honor, and revenge.
A movie that revolutionized the western
Leone, known for his spaghetti western trilogy, was prompted to create this work after an attractive offer from Paramount Pictures. The Italian director sought to surpass his own achievements and, to do so, incorporated his favorite actor, Henry Fonda, whom he cast as a despicable villain, breaking with his usual hero image. This choice marked a milestone in Fonda’s filmography, adding a dark nuance to his participation that captivated audiences.
The aesthetics of Once Upon a Time in the West also deserve special mention. The film shines with its visual beauty, featuring detailed shots and highly expressive panoramic views that elevate cinematic art to a new level. From the opening scene, which sets an unmatched tone, to the powerful close-ups that capture the emotional intensity of the characters, Leone demonstrates his mastery in direction and storytelling.
Finally, this homage to earlier westerns is not limited to replicating formulas from the past; instead, it establishes itself in uncharted territory, where the characters are aware of their environment and their time. Until Its Time Came is undoubtedly a masterpiece that continues to capture the audience’s attention and is available to watch on SkyShowtime.
SkyShowtime is a streaming platform from which you can broadcast series, movies, and entertainment programs in video on demand (VOD) format. It is an ambitious project by SkyShowtime Limited, available in Spain and 20 other countries in the European Union and its area of influence, such as Norway or Bosnia and Herzegovina. SkyShowtime aims to carve out a niche in the market thanks to its very competitive prices. Thus, they will compete with services like Netflix or Disney +, two similar platforms that have increased their prices recently.
Jamie Foxx, a recognized actor and musician, has forged a multifaceted career that spans music, film, and television. He began his artistic journey in music, where he stood out with several rap and R&B albums, but his leap into film materialized in 1992 with a small role in Barry Levinson’s Toys. Throughout his career, Foxx has achieved collaborations with renowned directors such as Oliver Stone in Any Given Sunday and Michael Mann in Ali, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in Collateral and ultimately winning the award for his remarkable performance […]
Jamie Foxx, a recognized actor and musician, has forged a multifaceted career that spans music, film, and television. He began his artistic journey in music, where he stood out with several rap and R&B albums, but his leap into film materialized in 1992 with a small role in Barry Levinson’s Toys. Throughout his career, Foxx has achieved collaborations with renowned directors such as Oliver Stone in Any Given Sunday and Michael Mann in Ali, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in Collateral and ultimately winning the award for his remarkable portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray.
Quentin Tarantino is not a very pleasant person to work with
One of the milestones in his career was his leading role in Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino’s first foray into the western genre. Tarantino, known for his distinctive style and his ability to choose charismatic actors, considered several stars like Will Smith and Idris Elba for the role of Django, but ultimately opted for Foxx, who demonstrated a unique dramatic intensity.
The plot of Django Unchained is set in the southern United States before the Civil War, where Django, a freed slave, becomes a bounty hunter with the goal of rescuing his wife. Despite the critical acclaim the film received, the dynamics on set between Foxx and Tarantino were complicated. In an interview, Foxx recalled that Tarantino imposed strict instructions on how he should interpret his role, which led to certain tensions between them during filming. Despite these initial tensions, the film established itself as a benchmark in modern westerns.
The movie Sisu, one of the most violent productions in recent years, is now available on Netflix, which is excellent news for fans of action and ultraviolence films. Directed by Jalmari Helander, this work is set in 1944, in the context of World War II, and tells the story of a solitary gold digger who faces a group of Nazis in a bloody conflict in northern Finland. Sounds good, right? Winner at festivals, it combines elements of war thriller and western, marking a clear connection with the pillars of both […]
The movie Sisu, one of the most violent productions in recent years, is now available on Netflix, which is excellent news for fans of action and ultraviolence films. Directed by Jalmari Helander, this work is set in 1944, during World War II, and tells the story of a solitary gold prospector who faces a group of Nazis in a bloody conflict in northern Finland. Sounds good, right?
Winner at festivals
It combines elements of war thriller and western, marking a clear connection with the pillars of both genres. In this narrative, the protagonist, who embodies the archetype of the lone gunslinger, faces the invaders seeking to strip him of his treasure. This approach not only intensifies the conflict but also elevates it to a level of visceral entertainment that resonates strongly with lovers of extreme action.
Helander’s direction stands out for the sequences of physical combat, which include explosions and hand-to-hand confrontations, in a display of blood and mud that redefines the limits of cinematic violence. The inclusion of the Nazi army in the plot provides an antifascist backdrop that further enhances the battle, allowing for a catharsis for the viewer who surrenders to the chaos without the constraints of reality.
Sisu has received recognition at specialized festivals, such as Sitges, where it was awarded best film, establishing itself as a cult phenomenon. As various opinions on the acceptance of violent content on screen continue to spark debates, this film positions itself as a benchmark for those seeking extreme experiences in cinema.
A new Magic set arrives, Thunder Cross, based on one of the most forgotten settings in card games: the western.
Magic: The Gathering is a game that has its own multiverse. Integrating within it many different worlds, known as planes, this gives it the possibility to create all kinds of collections. It can make expansions based on specific themes, popular genres, or even crossovers with other licenses, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Doctor Who or Fallout. This time, the new collection of the game is called Outlaws of Thundercross, it will be released on April 19th and it is, as you can imagine from its name, an entire collection dedicated to the western genre.
Thunder Cross is an unknown map until now that is defined by being a world based on the tropes of the Wild West. There are deserts, crimes, rewards, and a few brave souls wanting to do what’s right. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that this collection has little heroism and a lot of villainy.
One thing that characterizes Cross Thunder Outlaws is that it is a collection that focuses on villains. Both new and old. With a whole array of new characters ranging from anti-heroes to pure villains, including many previously known faces such as Rakdos, Vraska or the adorable Bones, this collection puts the spotlight on the eternal forgotten ones. The bad guys, or at least those who don’t always act under a pristine moral compass.
How is all of this translated in terms of gameplay? As usual in Magic, through its mechanics. Because something that is surprising about this new collection is that it has a much greater number of new mechanics than we are used to. And while almost all of them are relatively simple, they are the kind of mechanics that we will surely continue to see in the future on a regular basis.
To begin, let’s talk about mechanics that already existed in one way or another, but now they receive their own name. That’s the case with Outlaws and Crimes. When a card mentions causing an effect or an extra effect when we control one or more Outlaws, it refers to us controlling any card of the types that are now considered Outlaws. These types of creatures are assassins, mercenaries, pirates, rogues, and witches. All of them are Outlaws. And if we have a creature of any of these five classes, it will be assumed that we are in control of an Outlaw.
The mechanics of Crimes is even simpler, because it has also involved giving a name to something that has been done since the beginning of Magic. A crime is committed when a spell or ability targets the opponent, their permanents, their spells, or the cards in their graveyard. In this way, when a card has any effect if we have committed a crime, it will refer to whether we have interacted in any way with the opponent or their cards.
These are the mechanics that are associated with aspects of the game that are already present. And given how common both are, it would be logical for us to start seeing them regularly in future collections. Now, there is also a lot to unpack regarding entirely new mechanics.
Of the new mechanics, potentially the most interesting one is Scheming. As its name suggests, when we scheme something, we are planning something for the future. That’s why cards with scheming allow us to exile them for an alternative cost, the cost of scheming, and cast them at instant speed on a later turn. Why are they so interesting? Because it allows us to pay their cost in advance and many cards are interested in us casting two or more cards. And also because some cards have particular effects when schemed. Adding spice to the mix.
Another mechanic is Spree. Although we don’t know its translation into Spanish yet, the mechanic is very simple. They are modal spells where you have to choose at least one mode, and you can choose any number of them, but each mode has an associated cost. In other words, it’s a card that we have to pay its cost and the cost of at least one of its effects. This makes them very interesting cards due to their particular flexibility and longevity, as they don’t lose usefulness as the game progresses.
The latest of the new mechanics is Saddle and it comes with a new creature class, Mount. Mount creatures have a saddle cost and, as with vehicles, it is paid by tapping N creatures with a power equal to or greater than the saddle cost. By doing so, the mount creature will gain a series of extra benefits, because, in narrative terms, it will be ridden by the creature we tapped.
All of this is the essence of the new collection, although as usual, it is accompanied by new material for those who play the most popular multiplayer mode of Magic: Commander. In this case, there are four different decks, one of outlaws, another of card draw, another of discarding and sacrificing lands, and another of playing other players’ cards. All of them representing classic game villains and new characters from Thundercross.
But that’s not all. Because at Wizards of the Coast they have decided to create a new mini-game, completely optional, for Commander. Something that is reflected in the Rewards.
If you decide to play this optional minigame, all players will play with a shared deck of rewards. The rewards are cards that on one side indicate what we will get when we claim them and on the other side, what we need to do to do it. In this way, at the beginning of the third turn of the first player, a random reward card will be drawn. If the player meets the described condition, they will claim the reward. If they don’t, the reward will pass to the next player, increasing its value by one. If after four turns no one manages to claim it, that reward goes back to the deck of rewards, a new reward is drawn, and it starts again. And the same happens, from the following turn, if someone claims a reward.
Finally, like all collections, Outlaws of Thunder Crossing comes with reprinted cards with their own artwork inspired by the plane in which it takes place. This time with the inclusion of a handful of extremely rare cards from past collections, some of them highly valued, which all have something in common: they are either outlaws or commit some kind of crime.
That’s why we hope you’re ready to commit all sorts of crimes at the gaming table because Wizards of the Coast has gone all out with this collection. Embracing the Wild West genre like never before.
