Rhianna Pratchett on the Art of Writing Video Game Characters

The writer (and yes, daughter of Terry Pratchett) has brought heroes like Lara Croft to life. Her latest, an enchanting hybrid called Lost Words, is out now.

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20 Killer Xbox One Games Every Player Should Try

Relive classics, play co-op with friends, and enjoy the mayhem of a battle royale with our favorite Xbox titles.

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The Case Against Music Curation

In an age of pop singles and TikTok virality, letting go is the best way to listen.

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Apple's Newest 4K TV Has an Even Smarter Remote

The new, improved, and expensive 4K streaming device is probably best for the dedicated Apple user.

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Horizon Workrooms Shows Facebook’s Metaverse Is a Meetaverse

The company's new virtual reality app brings Oculus users into the “infinite office." Cool.

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The Next Big Challenge for Lunar Astronauts? Moon Dust

NASA is trying out sonic waves, electrostatic devices, and extra-slick coatings as ways to repel pesky space dirt.

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Now That Machines Can Learn, Can They Unlearn?

Privacy concerns about AI systems are growing. So researchers are testing whether they can remove sensitive data without retraining the system from scratch.

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How an Obscure Green Bay Packers Site Conquered Facebook

The social media giant's new transparency report mostly succeeds in showing the extent of its spam problem.

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China Aims Its Propaganda Firehose at the BBC

The alleged digital operation has deployed hundreds of websites and social media accounts to attack the broadcaster's reporting.

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The T-Mobile Breach Is Much Worse Than It Had to Be

The vast majority of victims weren't even T-Mobile customers. Now their information is for sale on the dark web.

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Twelve Minutes Is a Diabolical Dive Into the Human Psyche

The game—starring Daisy Ridley, James McAvoy, and Willem Dafoe—uses its time-loop mechanic to explore extreme behavior.

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Big Tech Is Bending to the Indian Government’s Will

The chasm between how platform giants uphold democratic values in the West and don't in the global south grows by the day.

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It's Time to Bring Back Cargo Pants

The much-maligned fashion trend is actually perfect for stashing your huge slab of smartphone.

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Why I’ll Never Finish The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

And neither should you.

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Slinger’s Tennis Ball Launcher Is Cheaper Than a Coach

This portable and rollable tennis ball launcher will revolutionize your backhand on the court.

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The Push for Ad Agencies to Ditch Big Oil Clients

An activist coalition is pressuring firms to stop promoting fossil fuel companies—some of which have advertised oil and gas as “climate friendly.”

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Wildfires Used to Be Helpful. How Did They Get So Hellish?

Fires are supposed to reset ecosystems, paving the way for new growth. But human meddling and climate change have turned them into monsters.

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Here’s Where to Get Discounts With a Student Email Address

That .edu email is your ticket to exclusive savings on laptops, streaming services, software, and more.

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New Regulation Could Cause a Split in the Crypto Community

An article in the Infrastructure Bill led cryptocurrency to acquire a great marker of prestige: a lobby. But can it keep a united front?

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Google’s Pixel 5A Is the Best Android Phone for Most People

It’s bigger and costlier than last year’s Pixel 4A, but Google’s mid-priced Android phone remains the best option for almost everyone.

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The Feds Are Investigating Tesla Over Autopilot Crashes

The probe will look at 11 accidents, each of which involved a parked emergency vehicle.

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Virtual Reality Lets You Travel Anywhere—New or Old

VR experiences, whether in-person or online, can transport you around the globe—or even to space.

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Millions of Web Camera and Baby Monitor Feeds Are Exposed

A vulnerability in the Kalay platform leaves countless IoT devices susceptible to hackers.

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Handhelds Still Aren't Designed for Disabled Gamers

Valve's new Steam Deck looks fantastic—but for players with vision or dexterity difficulties, it's just more of the same challenges.

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NASA’s Lucy Mission Gets Ready to Fly by the Trojan Asteroids

The spacecraft will provide the first up-close look at these building blocks of the early solar system.

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The T-Mobile Data Breach Is One You Can’t Ignore

Hackers claim to have obtained the data of 100 million people—including sensitive personal information.

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Ryan Reynolds Called In a Favor for That Big Free Guy Cameo

In a conversation with WIRED, the actor reveals some of the secrets behind the movie's many Easter eggs.

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Cannondale's Adventure Quick Neo 3 Is a Great Everyday Ebike

Except for the name, Cannondale's mid-tier ebike is the perfect step-through commuter.

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Is the Robot-Filled Future of Farming a Nightmare or Utopia?

A new paper argues that the rise of artificial intelligence in agriculture could be the best—or worst—innovation for our environment.

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Shopping for a Router Sucks. Here’s What You Need to Know

How much speed do you need? And what’s a MU-MIMO? We decipher the jargon and explain what to look for.

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This AI Helps Detect Wildlife Health Issues in Real Time

A system that scans animal rehabilitation center data could provide early alerts when a disease is spreading.

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Deepfakes Are Now Making Business Pitches

The video technology, initially associated with porn, is gaining a foothold in the corporate world.

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The Coros Pace 2 Is My New Favorite GPS Running Watch

This lightweight, affordable GPS tracker knows what’s important and doesn’t waste a penny.

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Animals Can Count. How Far Does Their Number Sense Go?

Crows recently demonstrated an understanding of the concept of zero. It’s only the latest evidence of animals’ talents for numerical abstraction.

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The Vitamix Made Me a Blender Person—No Kale Required

The spin cycle is this machine’s sweet spot.

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Score Some Sweet Deals With Your Student Email

All you need is that .edu email address to save cash on everything from laptops to train tickets.

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How to Send Messages That Automatically Disappear

Need to be discreet? Here's how to set up vanishing texts, photos, or videos in most popular chat apps.

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Hacker Steals $610M of Cryptocurrency—and Returns Most of It

Plus: An Apple lawsuit, a VPN audit, and more of the week's top security news.

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Want to Slash Carbon Emissions? Start With These Power Plants

The worst 5 percent of energy producers account for almost 75 percent of the sector’s emissions.

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Move Over, Topo Chico: How to Make Your Own Sparkling Water

Want to save cash and cut your trash? Here’s what you need to make 5-gallon batches of name-brand sparkling water at home.

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Apple and Google Are Gearing Up to Fight a New App Store Bill

The Open App Markets Act would relax the tech giants’ grip on the app economy. But a PR campaign against it is already underway.

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Eastern Hemlocks Face Extinction. A Tiny Fly Could Save Them

An invasive insect called the woolly adelgid is eating the Northeast’s forests alive. So some researchers are calling in hungry silver flies.

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iPads, MacBooks, and More Apple Gadgets Are on Sale Right Now

The iPhone is still just as expensive, but there are discounts on tablets, the Apple Watch, and other accessories.

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The 17 Best Weekend Deals on Laptops and Smart Home Gadgets

Make your home a little more capable and comfortable with these discounts.

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The FDA OKs an Extra Vaccine Dose for Immunosuppressed People

The federal agency will allow people living with organ transplants, undergoing cancer treatments and taking some medications to get a third shot.

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What Airbnb’s Summer Boost Reveals About Covid-19 Recovery

The company’s latest earnings report showed an upsurge in business, but it also hedges expectations for the fall.

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Cases Among Kids, New Mandates, and More Coronavirus News

Catch up on the most important updates from this week.

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Augmented Reality Has Already Arrived—In Our Ears

New software applications are cleverly mapping audio to transport us to another space.

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Time Travelers Should Be a Lot More Worried About Viruses

It's one of the biggest threats that science fiction rarely talks about.

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The New Delta Variant Meme Is Onto Something

RIP, Fall Plans. The latest in pandemic gallows humor is sad and scary—and it could actually help us.

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The Physics of Johnny Knoxville, Human Cannonball

'Jackass Forever' is back with more dumb stunts. Please: Only try the physics at home.

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OpenAI's Codex Makes Coding As Easy As Talking to a Smart Speaker

Plus: The early days of programming, an existential investigation, and bipartisanship before our very eyes.

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Apple’s iCloud Photo-Scanning Tech Explained

This week, we dissect the technology Apple is using to protect children from sexual abuse on its messaging and photo-storage platforms.

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How to Get Free Kindle Books With Your Library Card

All you need is an internet connection, a library card, and a good e-reader to dive into your next page-turner.

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Free Guy Sees the Metaverse Through Rose-Colored Glasses

Set in a fictional video game, the movie believes in virtual harmony—but that’s not reality.

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Samsung Has Its Own AI-Designed Chip. Soon, Others Will Too

Synopsys, which sells software for designing semiconductors to dozens of companies, is adding artificial intelligence to its arsenal.

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Why Perseverance's First Mars Drilling Attempt Came Up Empty

Far from a failure, the sampling might actually offer tantalizing clues about the geology—and potential past life—of the Red Planet.

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A Mammoth Tusk Reveals a Woolly (and Unprecedented) Tale

Scientists used something called isotopic mapping to get a first look at how the creatures lived more than 17,000 years ago.

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How the Far Right Exploded on Steam and Discord

New research found that several of the major gaming platforms are hosting extremist activity, from racist livestreams to open support for neo-Nazis.

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A Simple Software Fix Could Limit Location Data Sharing

Carriers know where you are every time your phone re-connects to the cell network—but with Pretty Good Phone Privacy, they wouldn't have to.

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This Game Set in the Gaza Strip Doesn’t Let You Win

Five years after its release, Liyla and the Shadows of War is more relevant than ever—and it’s making an impact beyond the screen.

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Piepacker Gives Retro Games an Online Co-Op Upgrade

Play old-school titles and video chat with up to three friends in the same browser—for free.

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How to Scan a QR Code

Do you want to pay for coffee without tapping a grimy screen? Here's how to use your iPhone or Android phone to scan QR codes.

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Folding Phones Are the New 3D TV

Depending on who you ask, smartphones with folding screens—like the two models Samsung just released—are either a gimmick or the next frontier.

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This Device Helps Paralyzed People Breathe—and Sing

Called the Exo-Abs, the robotic device uses artificial intelligence to gauge how much pressure to put on a person’s midsection.

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Without Code for DeepMind’s Protein AI, One Lab Wrote Its Own

The Google subsidiary solved a fundamental problem in biology but didn’t promptly share their solution. So a University of Washington team tried to recreate it.

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I Think an AI Is Flirting With Me. Is It OK If I Flirt Back?

WIRED’s spiritual advice columnist on emotional connection, continental affairs, and the ulterior motives of chatbots.

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The Unbearable Cuteness of Instagram Hedgehogs

Beneath the tiny top hats and GIF-able snuggle sessions, I found a dark tale of internet virality.

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Everything Samsung Announced at Its Unpacked Event

On Wednesday morning, the company unveiled new folding phones, some Wear OS smartwatches, and even more wireless earbuds.

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Apple's Privacy Mythology Doesn't Match Reality

The company's claims cloak threats to millions of users' iCloud, iMessage, and facial verification data.

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The 23 Best Back-to-School Deals on Laptops and Dorm Gear

Need a new computer or just a soothing weighted blanket for the new school year? We found deals on some of our favorites.

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How to Make Remote Learning Work for Your Children

If you're preparing for yet another round of homeschooling, we've identified a few ways to make this school year suck just a little bit less.

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The IPCC Report's Silver Lining: We Can Tackle Methane Now

The landmark assessment was dire. But it shows that by slashing methane emissions, humanity can make rapid progress in fighting climate change.

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The Pain Was Unbearable. So Why Did Doctors Turn Her Away?

A sweeping drug addiction risk algorithm has become central to how the US handles the opioid crisis. It may only be making the crisis worse.

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A 5G Shortcut Leaves Phones Exposed to Stingray Surveillance

You may not have the full story about what network you're on—and how well you're protected.

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Here’s How to Try All the Top New iOS 15 Features Now

The next version of Apple’s iPhone operating system debuts this fall, but you can try the public beta—at your own risk.

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Gymnasts Make the Wolf Turn Look Easy. Physics Shows It’s Not

The spin seems simple if you’re just watching it on TV. But it’s a complex move that requires understanding your center of mass.

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22 Dorm-Friendly Picks for Heading Back to College

Deck out your living space and make chemistry class a cinch with our favorite gear.

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Pac-Man 99 Is a Battle Royale Game That's Actually Accessible

Cool fact: The ghosts' hunting algorithm, which is the key to the original game and to Ms. Pac-Man, is apparently also present in 99.

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Robots, Microscopes, and Other Fun Ways to Help Kids Learn

So much education happens outside of school, whether it's virtual or in-person. These tools will turn your kids into curious scientists exploring their world.

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Smart Cities, Bad Metaphors, and a Better Urban Future

Shannon Mattern's new book 'A City Is Not a Computer' digs into the data, dashboards, and language that keep people from building better, safer communities.

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Biden Wants More EVs on Roads. What About Charging Stations?

The president called for 40 percent of new cars to be electric by 2030. But motorists still fret about running out of juice—even if it rarely happens.

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Pokémon Unite Is the Perfect, Simple Game We Need Right Now

Every round of this addictive summer jam contains small successes, big successes, big failures, and finally, the catharsis of a win or loss.

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The NYPD Had a Secret Fund for Surveillance Tools

Documents reveal that police bought facial-recognition software, vans equipped with x-ray machines, and “stingray” cell site simulators—with no public oversight.

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How to Use Running Apps to Hit the Road

There are tons of services out there to help, whether you're a total beginner or getting back into it. Here's how to make the most of them.

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Dualtron's New E-Scooter Eats Steep Hills for Breakfast

At $2,699, it's not for everyone. But this electric kick scooter can crush inclines and will travel well more than 25 miles.

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TikTok Smells Like Gen X Spirit

On the app you'll see a raucous reboot of "slacker" attitude. Or not. Whatever.

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Twitter's Photo-Cropping Algorithm Favors Young, Thin Females

The findings emerged from an unusual contest to identify unfairness in algorithms, similar to hunts for security bugs.

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The Squishy, Far-Out New Experiments Headed to the ISS

Muscle cells, 3D-printed lunar regolith, and le Blob will soon orbit 250 miles above Earth.

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The 7 Best Laptops and Tablets for College Students

Whatever your higher-ed goals, these campus-ready computers will help you crush them.

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The UN Climate Report: All Is Not Well—but All Is Not Lost

A major new report from the IPCC paints a devastating portrait of climate change. But it also shows that it's not too late for drastic action.

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The Best Chromebooks for Every Budget

All-in on Google services? Then check out our favorite Chrome OS laptops and 2-in-1 tablets for school, work, or home.

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Watch Out, Beyond Burgers—the Fungi Renaissance Is Here

While the popular plant-based meats grab all the headlines, a much more humble foodstuff is poised to lead the next wave of alternative proteins.

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If YouTube Algorithms Radicalize Users, Data Doesn’t Show It

New research tracking people’s behavior on the platform found that most don’t go down those ever-deepening rabbit holes.

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How to turn Online Friends Into IRL Ones

If you're struggling to make new friends, you're not alone. But tech and little tenacity can help you can find—or build—community. Here's how.

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A Failed Star Called 'The Accident' Puzzles Astronomers

The brown dwarf isn't a star and it's not a planet. But it's illuminating the murky borderlands that separate the two.

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What You Should Know About the Google Play Store Changes

With the first updates kicking in this month, Android apps should be more streamlined and lightweight. Google is also getting a greater level of control.

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Our Favorite Products to Use Over and Over Again

Ditch your single-use products and cut down on waste. Here’s some of our favorite reusables, from water bottles to menstrual products.

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The Delta Variant Has Warped Our Risk Perception

Gone are the easy, thoughtless choices of hot vax summer. Making decisions that balance safety and sanity just got a lot more complicated.

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With Kate, Netflix Is Still Looking for Its Own John Wick

A new trailer for the action thriller starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead shows a familiar premise.

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