The Verge - Entertainments

Apple apparently has a spatial audio event right after today’s WWDC keynote

Posted: 07 Jun 2021 12:49 AM PDT

Apple appears to have planned a dedicated event on Apple Music's upcoming spatial audio feature for later today. According to a video that MacRumors says was uploaded to Apple Music as a teaser — it's since been removed — Apple will broadcast a special event called "Introducing Spatial Audio." The event doesn't appear on the Worldwide Developers Conference schedule but is set for 3PM ET.

That is, of course, immediately after the presumed conclusion of Apple's much anticipated 1PM ET keynote to kick off this year's online WWDC, where the company is expected to announce its annual updates to each of its operating systems. Later in the afternoon at 5PM ET Apple will give its usual "State of the Union" presentation, which is more focused on developers than the opening keynote and addresses various technical aspects of the company's platforms.

Apple announced spatial audio for Apple Music last month alongside the addition of lossless files to the streaming service. Spatial audio will work with AirPods, built-in speakers on Apple devices, and third-party headphones, and should provide more immersive Dolby Atmos mixes compared to regular stereo audio. Apple previously said the feature would launch in June, so a mention of the release date at the WWDC keynote wouldn't have been surprising, but it seems the company wants to give it a little more time in the spotlight.

For more on what to expect at WWDC today, here's our preview.

New trailers: Roadrunner, Black Widow, Reminiscence

Posted: 06 Jun 2021 09:39 AM PDT

A trailer for the new documentary about the late Anthony Bourdain, *Roadrunner*, is among this week's titles. | Photo by Mike Pont/WireImage

It hit me this morning that there is no new episode of Mare of Easttown on this evening and I felt a little sad, but wow what a finale. Emmys for Kate Winslet and Julianne Nicholson, please (and be sure to read Sophie Gilbert's excellent analysis in The Atlantic of the way women and mothers were centered in this very good series). I did not correctly predict who the killer was (but ICYMI, Stephen King did and don't click that link if you haven't watched the finale because obvs, spoiler). All this is to say I am in the market for a new show so I just started Hacks and can't wait for the Loki premiere on Wednesday.

The (unintentional) theme(s) for this week's trailers roundup: Memories and nostalgia.

Roadrunner

This documentary about Anthony Bourdain, who died from suicide in 2018, is "narrated" by Bourdain himself, using a mix of unused and archived footage. The trailer, which shows snippets of Bourdain's rise from "anonymous chef" to famous best-selling author and globetrotting TV host, is appropriately melancholy, and includes several shots that linger on Bourdain's face as he appears deep in thought, or at least, focused elsewhere. It reminded me of the trailer for Won't You Be My Neighbor, the 2018 documentary about the late Fred Rogers (and got me thinking about the differences and similarities between the two men), which makes sense, since both Roadrunner and Neighbor were directed by Oscar-winner Morgan Neville. Really looking forward to this one. Roadrunner comes to theaters July 16th.

Black Widow

If it feels like we have been waiting a LONG TIME for Black Widow, that's because we have: the first trailer dropped in December of 2019. This latest trailer (teaser? I don't even know anymore. It's exactly one minute long) is titled "Playmaker" and has a few scenes we've seen in earlier trailers along with some action sequences (but no clues about who plays Taskmaster). Scarlett Johansson (obvs), Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, and Ray Winstone star in Black Widow which finally comes to Disney Plus (with Premier Access) and theaters on July 9th.

Reminiscence

Hugh Jackman plays a "private investigator of the mind" who helps clients access lost memories in a dystopian future, and one day a mysterious woman walks into his office— you get the drift. Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy wrote and directed Reminiscence and the trailer has that show's futuristic dread/"bring yourself back online" feeling, along with Thandiwe Newton in a starring role. Rebecca Ferguson and Daniel Wu also star in Reminiscence, which comes to theaters and HBO Max on August 20th.

iCarly

Continuing with the trend of "all shows that have even the tiniest bit of nostalgia attached to them must get a streaming reunion and/or reboot," the show about the teens who had a web show is back with most of its original cast (Jennette McCurdy famously opted not to reprise the role of Carly's best friend Sam). Hearing Spencer (Jerry Trainor) say "damn it" and offer Freddie (Nathan Kress) a beer shook me a little bit, but the trailer does warn us that they're "all grown up" (and not on Nickelodeon anymore). Miranda Cosgrove returns as Carly in the all-new iCarly series, which comes to Paramount Plus June 17th.

Magnificent News

Monday, June 7, 2021