title: Entertainment

text: Comics and cartoons are literary genres that use drawings or graphics, usually in combination with text, to convey an entertaining narrative. Many contemporary comics have elements of fantasy and are produced by companies that are part of the entertainment industry. Others have unique authors who offer a more personal, philosophical view of the world and the problems people face. Comics about superheroes such as Superman are of the first type. Examples of the second sort include the individual work over 50 years of Charles M. Schulz who produced a popular comic called "Peanuts" about the relationships among a cast of child characters; and Michael Leunig who entertains by producing whimsical cartoons that also incorporate social criticism. The Japanese Manga style differs from the western approach in that it encompasses a wide range of genres and themes for a readership of all ages. Caricature uses a kind of graphic entertainment for purposes ranging from merely putting a smile on the viewer's face, to raising social awareness, to highlighting the moral characteristics of a person being caricatured.


title: Entertainment

text: Comedy is both a genre of entertainment and a component of it, providing laughter and amusement, whether the comedy is the sole purpose or used as a form of contrast in an otherwise serious piece. It is a valued contributor to many forms of entertainment, including in literature, theatre, opera, film and games. In royal courts, such as in the Byzantine court, and presumably, also in its wealthy households, "mimes were the focus of orchestrated humour, expected or obliged to make fun of all at court, not even excepting the emperor and members of the imperial family. This highly structured role of jester consisted of verbal humour, including teasing, jests, insult, ridicule, and obscenity and non-verbal humour such as slapstick and horseplay in the presence of an audience." In medieval times, all comic types the buffoon, jester, hunchback, dwarf, jokester, were all "considered to be essentially of one comic type: the fool", who while not necessarily funny, represented "the shortcomings of the individual".


title: Entertainment

text: Shakespeare wrote seventeen comedies that incorporate many techniques still used by performers and writers of comedy—such as jokes, puns, parody, wit, observational humor, or the unexpected effect of irony. One-liner jokes and satire are also used to comedic effect in literature. In farce, the comedy is a primary purpose.


title: Entertainment

text: The meaning of the word "comedy" and the audience's expectations of it have changed over time and vary according to culture. Simple physical comedy such as slapstick is entertaining to a broad range of people of all ages. However, as cultures become more sophisticated, national nuances appear in the style and references so that what is amusing in one culture may be unintelligible in another.


title: Entertainment

text: Live performances before an audience constitute a major form of entertainment, especially before the invention of audio and video recording. Performance takes a wide range of forms, including theatre, music and drama. In the 16th and 17th centuries, European royal courts presented masques that were complex theatrical entertainments involving dancing, singing and acting. Opera is a similarly demanding performance style that remains popular. It also encompass all three forms, demanding a high level of musical and dramatic skill, collaboration and like the masque, production expertise as well.


title: Entertainment

text: Audiences generally show their appreciation of an entertaining performance with applause. However, all performers run the risk of failing to hold their audience's attention and thus, failing to entertain. Audience dissatisfaction is often brutally honest and direct.


title: Entertainment

text: Storytelling is an ancient form of entertainment that has influenced almost all other forms. It is "not only entertainment, it is also thinking through human conflicts and contradictions". Hence, although stories may be delivered directly to a small listening audience, they are also presented as entertainment and used as a component of any piece that relies on a narrative, such as film, drama, ballet, and opera. Written stories have been enhanced by illustrations, often to a very high artistic standard, for example, on illuminated manuscripts and on ancient scrolls such as Japanese ones. Stories remain a common way of entertaining a group that is on a journey. Showing how stories are used to pass the time and entertain an audience of travellers, Chaucer used pilgrims in his literary work "The Canterbury Tales" in the 14th century, as did Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century in "Journey to the West". Even though journeys can now be completed much faster, stories are still told to passengers en route in cars and aeroplanes either orally or delivered by some form of technology.


title: Entertainment

text: The power of stories to entertain is evident in one of the most famous ones—Scheherazade—a story in the Persian professional storytelling tradition, of a woman who saves her own life by telling stories. The connections between the different types of entertainment are shown by the way that stories like this inspire a retelling in another medium, such as music, film or games. For example, composers Rimsky-Korsakov, Ravel and Szymanowski have each been inspired by the Scheherazade story and turned it into an orchestral work; director Pasolini made a film adaptation; and there is an innovative video game based on the tale. Stories may be told wordlessly, in music, dance or puppetry for example, such as in the Javanese tradition of wayang, in which the performance is accompanied by a gamelan orchestra or the similarly traditional Punch and Judy show.


title: Entertainment

text: Epic narratives, poems, sagas and allegories from all cultures tell such gripping tales that they have inspired countless other stories in all forms of entertainment. Examples include the Hindu "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata"; Homer's "Odyssey" and "Iliad"; the first Arabic novel "Hayy ibn Yaqdhan"; the Persian epic "Shahnameh"; the Sagas of Icelanders and the celebrated "Tale of the Genji". Collections of stories, such as "Grimms' Fairy Tales" or those by Hans Christian Andersen, have been similarly influential. Originally published in the early 19th century, this collection of folk stories significantly influence modern popular culture, which subsequently used its themes, images, symbols, and structural elements to create new entertainment forms.


title: Entertainment

text: Some of the most powerful and long-lasting stories are the foundation stories, also called origin or creation myths such as the Dreamtime myths of the Australian aborigines, the Mesopotamian "Epic of Gilgamesh", or the Hawaiian stories of the origin of the world. These too are developed into books, films, music and games in a way that increases their longevity and enhances their entertainment value.


title: Entertainment

text: Theatre performances, typically dramatic or musical, are presented on a stage for an audience and have a history that goes back to Hellenistic times when "leading musicians and actors" performed widely at "poetical competitions", for example at "Delphi, Delos, Ephesus". Aristotle and his teacher Plato both wrote on the theory and purpose of theatre. Aristotle posed questions such as "What is the function of the arts in shaping character? Should a member of the ruling class merely watch performances or be a participant and perform? What kind of entertainment should be provided for those who do not belong to the elite?" The "Ptolemys in Egypt, the Seleucids in Pergamum" also had a strong theatrical tradition and later, wealthy patrons in Rome staged "far more lavish productions".


title: Entertainment

text: Expectations about the performance and their engagement with it have changed over time (1). For example, in England during the 18th century, "the prejudice against actresses had faded" and in Europe generally, going to the theatre, once a socially dubious activity, became "a more respectable middle-class pastime" in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the variety of popular entertainments increased. Operetta and music halls became available, and new drama theatres such as the Moscow Art Theatre and the Suvorin Theatre in Russia opened. At the same time, commercial newspapers "began to carry theatre columns and reviews" that helped make theatre "a legitimate subject of intellectual debate" in general discussions about art and culture. Audiences began to gather to "appreciate creative achievement, to marvel at, and be entertained by, the prominent 'stars'." Vaudeville and music halls, popular at this time in the United States, England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, were themselves eventually superseded.


title: Entertainment

text: Plays, musicals, monologues, pantomimes, and performance poetry are part of the very long history of theatre, which is also the venue for the type of performance known as stand-up comedy. In the 20th century, radio and television, often broadcast live, extended the theatrical tradition that continued to exist alongside the new forms.


title: Entertainment

text: The stage and the spaces set out in front of it for an audience create a theatre. All types of stage are used with all types of seating for the audience, including the impromptu or improvised (2, 3, 6); the temporary (2); the elaborate (9); or the traditional and permanent (5, 7). They are erected indoors (3, 5, 9) or outdoors (2, 4, 6). The skill of managing, organising and preparing the stage for a performance is known as stagecraft (10). The audience's experience of the entertainment is affected by their expectations, the stagecraft, the type of stage, and the type and standard of seating provided.


title: Entertainment

text: Films are a major form of entertainment, although not all films have entertainment as their primary purpose: documentary film, for example, aims to create a record or inform, although the two purposes often work together. The medium was a global business from the beginning: "The Lumière brothers were the first to send cameramen throughout the world, instructing them to film everything which could be of interest for the public." In 1908, Pathé launched and distributed newsreels and by World War I, films were meeting an enormous need for mass entertainment. "In the first decade of the [20th] century cinematic programmes combined, at random, fictions and newsfilms." The Americans first "contrived a way of producing an illusion of motion through successive images," but "the French were able to transform a scientific principle into a commercially lucrative spectacle". Film therefore became a part of the entertainment industry from its early days. Increasingly sophisticated techniques have been used in the film medium to delight and entertain audiences. Animation, for example, which involves the display of rapid movement in an art work, is one of these techniques that particularly appeals to younger audiences. The advent of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in the 21st century made it "possible to do spectacle" more cheaply and "on a scale never dreamed of" by Cecil B. DeMille. From the 1930s to 1950s, movies and radio were the "only mass entertainment" but by the second decade of the 21st century, technological changes, economic decisions, risk aversion and globalisation reduced both the quality and range of films being produced. Sophisticated visual effects and CGI techniques, for example, rather than humans, were used not only to create realistic images of people, landscapes and events (both real and fantastic) but also to animate non-living items such as Lego normally used as entertainment as a game in physical form. Creators of "The Lego Movie" "wanted the audience to believe they were looking at actual Lego bricks on a tabletop that were shot with a real camera, not what we actually did, which was create vast environments with digital bricks inside the computer." The convergence of computers and film has allowed entertainment to be presented in a new way and the technology has also allowed for those with the personal resources to screen films in a home theatre, recreating in a private venue the quality and experience of a public theatre. This is similar to the way that the nobility in earlier times could stage private musical performances or the use of domestic theatres in large homes to perform private plays in earlier centuries.


title: Entertainment

text: Films also re-imagine entertainment from other forms, turning stories, books and plays, for example, into new entertainments. "", a documentary about the history of film, gives a survey of global achievements and innovations in the medium, as well as changes in the conception of film-making. It demonstrates that while some films, particularly those in the Hollywood tradition that combines "realism and melodramatic romanticism", are intended as a form of escapism, others require a deeper engagement or more thoughtful response from their audiences. For example, the award-winning Senegalese film "Xala" takes government corruption as its theme. Charlie Chaplin's film "The Great Dictator" was a brave and innovative parody, also on a political theme. Stories that are thousands of years old, such as "Noah", have been re-interpreted in film, applying familiar literary devices such as allegory and personification with new techniques such as CGI to explore big themes such as "human folly", good and evil, courage and despair, love, faith, and death themes that have been a main-stay of entertainment across all its forms.


title: Entertainment

text: As in other media, excellence and achievement in films is recognised through a range of awards, including ones from the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the Cannes International Film Festival in France and the Asia Pacific Screen Awards.


title: Entertainment

text: The many forms of dance provide entertainment for all age groups and cultures. Dance can be serious in tone, such as when it is used to express a culture's history or important stories; it may be provocative; or it may put in the service of comedy. Since it combines many forms of entertainment music, movement, storytelling, theatre it provides a good example of the various ways that these forms can be combined to create entertainment for different purposes and audiences.


title: Entertainment

text: Dance is "a form of cultural representation" that involves not just dancers, but "choreographers, audience members, patrons and impresarios ... coming from all over the globe and from vastly varied time periods." Whether from Africa, Asia or Europe, dance is constantly negotiating the realms of political, social, spiritual and artistic influence." Even though dance traditions may be limited to one cultural group, they all develop. For example, in Africa, there are "Dahomean dances, Hausa dances, Masai dances and so forth." Ballet is an example of a highly developed Western form of dance that moved to the theatres from the French court during the time of Louis XIV, the dancers becoming professional theatrical performers. Some dances, such as the quadrille, a square dance that "emerged during the Napoleonic years in France" and other country dances were once popular at social gatherings like balls, but are now rarely performed. On the other hand, many folk dances (such as Scottish Highland dancing and Irish dancing), have evolved into competitions, which by adding to their audiences, has increased their entertainment value. "Irish dance theatre, which sometimes features traditional Irish steps and music, has developed into a major dance form with an international reputation."


title: Entertainment

text: Since dance is often "associated with the female body and women's experiences", female dancers, who dance to entertain, have in some cases been regarded as distinct from "decent" women because they "use their bodies to make a living instead of hiding them as much as possible". Society's attitudes to female dancers depend on the culture, its history and the entertainment industry itself. For example, while some cultures regard any dancing by women as "the most shameful form of entertainment", other cultures have established venues such as strip clubs where deliberately erotic or sexually provocative dances such as striptease are performed in public by professional women dancers for mostly male audiences.


title: Entertainment

text: Various political regimes have sought to control or ban dancing or specific types of dancing, sometimes because of disapproval of the music or clothes associated with it. Nationalism, authoritarianism and racism have played a part in banning dances or dancing. For example, during the Nazi regime, American dances such as swing, regarded as "completely un-German", had "become a public offense and needed to be banned". Similarly, in Shanghai, China, in the 1930s, "dancing and nightclubs had come to symbolise the excess that plagued Chinese society" and officials wondered if "other forms of entertainment such as brothels" should also be banned. Banning had the effect of making "the dance craze" even greater. In Ireland, the Public Dance Hall Act of 1935 "banned but did not stop dancing at the crossroads and other popular dance forms such as house and barn dances." In the US, various dances were once banned, either because like burlesque, they were suggestive, or because, like the Twist, they were associated with African Americans. "African American dancers were typically banned from performing in minstrel shows until after the Civil War."


title: Entertainment

text: Dances can be performed solo (1, 4); in pairs, (2, 3); in groups, (5, 6, 7); or by massed performers (10). They might be improvised (4, 8) or highly choreographed (1, 2, 5, 10); spontaneous for personal entertainment, (such as when children begin dancing for themselves); a private audience, (4); a paying audience (2); a world audience (10); or an audience interested in a particular dance genre (3, 5). They might be a part of a celebration, such as a wedding or New Year (6, 8); or a cultural ritual with a specific purpose, such as a dance by warriors like a haka (7). Some dances, such as traditional dance in 1 and ballet in 2, need a very high level of skill and training; others, such as the can-can, require a very high level of energy and physical fitness. Entertaining the audience is a normal part of dance but its physicality often also produces joy for the dancers themselves (9).


title: Entertainment

text: Animals have been used for the purposes of entertainment for millennia. They have been hunted for entertainment (as opposed to hunted for food); displayed while they hunt for prey; watched when they compete with each other; and watched while they perform a trained routine for human amusement. The Romans, for example, were entertained both by competitions involving wild animals and acts performed by trained animals. They watched as "lions and bears danced to the music of pipes and cymbals; horses were trained to kneel, bow, dance and prance ... acrobats turning handsprings over wild lions and vaulting over wild leopards." There were "violent confrontations with wild beasts" and "performances over time became more brutal and bloodier".


title: Entertainment

text: Animals that perform trained routines or "acts" for human entertainment include fleas in flea circuses, dolphins in dolphinaria, and monkeys doing tricks for an audience on behalf of the player of a street organ. Animals kept in zoos in ancient times were often kept there for later use in the arena as entertainment or for their entertainment value as exotica.


title: Entertainment

text: Many contests between animals are now regarded as sports for example, horse racing is regarded as both a sport and an important source of entertainment. Its economic impact means that it is also considered a global industry, one in which horses are carefully transported around the world to compete in races. In Australia, the horse race run on Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday and the public regards the race as an important annual event. Like horse racing, camel racing requires human riders, while greyhound racing does not. People find it entertaining to watch animals race competitively, whether they are trained, like horses, camels or dogs, or untrained, like cockroaches.


title: Entertainment

text: The use of animals for entertainment is sometimes controversial, especially the hunting of wild animals. Some contests between animals, once popular entertainment for the public, have become illegal because of the cruelty involved. Among these are blood sports such as bear-baiting, dog fighting and cockfighting. Other contests involving animals remain controversial and have both supporters and detractors. For example, the conflict between opponents of pigeon shooting who view it as "a cruel and moronic exercise in marksmanship, and proponents, who view it as entertainment" has been tested in a court of law. Fox hunting, which involves the use of horses as well as hounds, and bullfighting, which has a strong theatrical component, are two entertainments that have a long and significant cultural history. They both involve animals and are variously regarded as sport, entertainment or cultural tradition. Among the organisations set up to advocate for the rights of animals are some whose concerns include the use of animals for entertainment. However, "in many cases of animal advocacy groups versus organisations accused of animal abuse, both sides have cultural claims."


title: Entertainment

text: A circus, described as "one of the most brazen of entertainment forms", is a special type of theatrical performance, involving a variety of physical skills such as acrobatics and juggling and sometimes performing animals. Usually thought of as a travelling show performed in a big top, circus was first performed in permanent venues. Philip Astley is regarded as the founder of the modern circus in the second half of the 18th century and Jules Léotard is the French performer credited with developing the art of the trapeze, considered synonymous with circuses. Astley brought together performances that were generally familiar in traditional British fairs "at least since the beginning of the 17th century": "tumbling, rope-dancing, juggling, animal tricks and so on". It has been claimed that "there is no direct link between the Roman circus and the circus of modern times. ... Between the demise of the Roman 'circus' and the foundation of Astley's Amphitheatre in London some 1300 years later, the nearest thing to a circus ring was the rough circle formed by the curious onlookers who gathered around the itinerant tumbler or juggler on a village green."


title: Entertainment

text: The form of entertainment known as stage magic or conjuring and recognisable as performance, is based on traditions and texts of magical rites and dogmas that have been a part of most cultural traditions since ancient times. (References to magic, for example, can be found in the Bible, in Hermeticism, in Zoroastrianism, in the Kabbalistic tradition, in mysticism and in the sources of Freemasonry.)


title: Entertainment

text: Stage magic is performed for an audience in a variety of media and locations: on stage, on television, in the street, and live at parties or events. It is often combined with other forms of entertainment, such as comedy or music and showmanship is often an essential part of magic performances. Performance magic relies on deception, psychological manipulation, sleight of hand and other forms of trickery to give an audience the illusion that a performer can achieve the impossible. Audiences amazed at the stunt performances and escape acts of Harry Houdini, for example, regarded him as a magician.


title: Entertainment

text: Fantasy magicians have held an important place in literature for centuries, offering entertainment to millions of readers. Famous wizards such as Merlin in the Arthurian legends have been written about since the 5th and 6th centuries, while in the 21st century, the young wizard Harry Potter became a global entertainment phenomenon when the book series about him sold about 450 million copies (as at June 2011), making it the best-selling book series in history.


title: Entertainment

text: Street entertainment, street performance, or "busking" are forms of performance that have been meeting the public's need for entertainment for centuries. It was "an integral aspect of London's life", for example, when the city in the early 19th century was "filled with spectacle and diversion". Minstrels or troubadours are part of the tradition. The art and practice of busking is still celebrated at annual busking festivals.


title: Entertainment

text: There are three basic forms of contemporary street performance. The first form is the "circle show". It tends to gather a crowd, usually has a distinct beginning and end, and is done in conjunction with street theatre, puppeteering, magicians, comedians, acrobats, jugglers and sometimes musicians. This type has the potential to be the most lucrative for the performer because there are likely to be more donations from larger audiences if they are entertained by the act. Good buskers control the crowd so patrons do not obstruct foot traffic. The second form, the "walk-by act", has no distinct beginning or end. Typically, the busker provides an entertaining ambience, often with an unusual instrument, and the audience may not stop to watch or form a crowd. Sometimes a walk-by act spontaneously turns into a circle show. The third form, "café busking", is performed mostly in restaurants, pubs, bars and cafés. This type of act occasionally uses public transport as a venue.


title: Entertainment

text: Parades are held for a range of purposes, often more than one. Whether their mood is sombre or festive, being public events that are designed to attract attention and activities that necessarily divert normal traffic, parades have a clear entertainment value to their audiences. Cavalcades and the modern variant, the motorcade, are examples of public processions. Some people watching the parade or procession may have made a special effort to attend, while others become part of the audience by happenstance. Whatever their mood or primary purpose, parades attract and entertain people who watch them pass by. Occasionally, a parade takes place in an improvised theatre space (such as the Trooping the Colour in 8) and tickets are sold to the physical audience while the global audience participates via broadcast.


title: Entertainment

text: One of the earliest forms of parade were "triumphs" grand and sensational displays of foreign treasures and spoils, given by triumphant Roman generals to celebrate their victories. They presented conquered peoples and nations that exalted the prestige of the victor. "In the summer of 46 BCE Julius Caesar chose to celebrate four triumphs held on different days extending for about one month." In Europe from the Middle Ages to the Baroque the Royal Entry celebrated the formal visit of the monarch to the city with a parade through elaborately decorated streets, passing various shows and displays. The annual Lord Mayor's Show in London is an example of a civic parade that has survived since medieval times.


title: Entertainment

text: Many religious festivals (especially those that incorporate processions, such as Holy Week processions or the Indian festival of Holi) have some entertainment appeal in addition to their serious purpose. Sometimes, religious rituals have been adapted or evolved into secular entertainments, or like the Festa del Redentore in Venice, have managed to grow in popularity while holding both secular and sacred purposes in balance. However, pilgrimages, such as the Roman Catholic pilgrimage of the Way of St. James, the Muslim Hajj and the Hindu Kumbh Mela, which may appear to the outsider as an entertaining parade or procession, are not intended as entertainment: they are instead about an individual's spiritual journey. Hence, the relationship between spectator and participant, unlike entertainments proper, is different. The manner in which the Kumbh Mela, for example, "is divorced from its cultural context and repackaged for Western consumption renders the presence of voyeurs deeply problematic."


title: Entertainment

text: Parades generally impress and delight often by including unusual, colourful costumes (7, 10). Sometimes they also commemorate (5, 8) or celebrate (1, 4, 6, 8, 9). Sometimes they have a serious purpose, such as when the context is military (1, 2, 5), when the intention is sometimes to intimidate; or religious, when the audience might participate or have a role to play (6, 7, 10). Even if a parade uses new technology and is some distance away (9), it is likely to have a strong appeal, draw the attention of onlookers and entertain them.


title: Entertainment

text: Fireworks are a part of many public entertainments and have retained an enduring popularity since they became a "crowning feature of elaborate celebrations" in the 17th century. First used in China, classical antiquity and Europe for military purposes, fireworks were most popular in the 18th century and high prices were paid for pyrotechnists, especially the skilled Italian ones, who were summoned to other countries to organise displays. Fire and water were important aspects of court spectacles because the displays "inspired by means of fire, sudden noise, smoke and general magnificence the sentiments thought fitting for the subject to entertain of his sovereign: awe fear and a vicarious sense of glory in his might. Birthdays, name-days, weddings and anniversaries provided the occasion for celebration." One of the most famous courtly uses of fireworks was one used to celebrate the end of the War of the Austrian Succession and while the fireworks themselves caused a fire, the accompanying Music for the Royal Fireworks written by Handel has been popular ever since. Aside from their contribution to entertainments related to military successes, courtly displays and personal celebrations, fireworks are also used as part of religious ceremony. For example, during the Indian Dashavatara Kala of Gomantaka "the temple deity is taken around in a procession with a lot of singing, dancing and display of fireworks".


title: Entertainment

text: The "fire, sudden noise and smoke" of fireworks is still a significant part of public celebration and entertainment. For example, fireworks were one of the primary forms of display chosen to celebrate the turn of the millennium around the world. As the clock struck midnight and 1999 became 2000, firework displays and open-air parties greeted the New Year as the time zones changed over to the next century. Fireworks, carefully planned and choreographed, were let off against the backdrop of many of the world's most famous buildings, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Acropolis in Athens, Red Square in Moscow, Vatican City in Rome, the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and Elizabeth Tower in London.


title: Entertainment

text: Sporting competitions have always provided entertainment for crowds. To distinguish the players from the audience, the latter are often known as spectators. Developments in stadium and auditorium design, as well as in recording and broadcast technology, have allowed off-site spectators to watch sport, with the result that the size of the audience has grown ever larger and spectator sport has become increasingly popular. Two of the most popular sports with global appeal are association football and cricket. Their ultimate international competitions, the FIFA World Cup and the Cricket World Cup, are broadcast around the world. Beyond the very large numbers involved in playing these sports, they are notable for being a major source of entertainment for many millions of non-players worldwide. A comparable multi-stage, long-form sport with global appeal is the Tour de France, unusual in that it takes place outside of special stadia, being run instead in the countryside.


title: Entertainment

text: Aside from sports that have worldwide appeal and competitions, such as the Olympic Games, the entertainment value of a sport depends on the culture and country where people play it. For example, in the United States, baseball and basketball games are popular forms of entertainment; in Bhutan, the national sport is archery; in New Zealand, it is rugby union; in Iran, it is freestyle wrestling. Japan's unique sumo wrestling contains ritual elements that derive from its long history. In some cases, such as the international running group Hash House Harriers, participants create a blend of sport and entertainment for themselves, largely independent of spectator involvement, where the social component is more important than the competitive.


title: Entertainment

text: The evolution of an activity into a sport and then an entertainment is also affected by the local climate and conditions. For example, the modern sport of surfing is associated with Hawaii and that of snow skiing probably evolved in Scandinavia. While these sports and the entertainment they offer to spectators have spread around the world, people in the two originating countries remain well known for their prowess. Sometimes the climate offers a chance to adapt another sport such as in the case of ice hockey—an important entertainment in Canada.


title: Entertainment

text: Fairs and exhibitions have existed since ancient and medieval times, displaying wealth, innovations and objects for trade and offering specific entertainments as well as being places of entertainment in themselves. Whether in a medieval market or a small shop, "shopping always offered forms of exhilaration that took one away from the everyday". However, in the modern world, "merchandising has become entertainment: spinning signs, flashing signs, thumping music ... video screens, interactive computer kiosks, day care .. cafés".


title: Entertainment

text: By the 19th century, "expos" that encouraged arts, manufactures and commerce had become international. They were not only hugely popular but affected international ideas. For example, the 1878 Paris Exposition facilitated international cooperation about ideas, innovations and standards. From London 1851 to Paris 1900, "in excess of 200 million visitors had entered the turnstiles in London, Paris, Vienna, Philadelphia, Chicago and a myriad of smaller shows around the world." Since World War II "well over 500 million visits have been recorded through world expo turnstiles". As a form of spectacle and entertainment, expositions influenced "everything from architecture, to patterns of globalisation, to fundamental matters of human identity" and in the process established the close relationship between "fairs, the rise of department stores and art museums", the modern world of mass consumption and the entertainment industry.


title: Entertainment

text: Some entertainments, such as at large festivals (whether religious or secular), concerts, clubs, parties and celebrations, involve big crowds. From earliest times, crowds at an entertainment have associated hazards and dangers, especially when combined with the recreational consumption of intoxicants such as alcohol. The Ancient Greeks had Dionysian Mysteries, for example, and the Romans had Saturnalia. The consequence of excess and crowds can produce breaches of social norms of behaviour, sometimes causing injury or even death, such as for example, at the Altamont Free Concert, an outdoor rock festival. The list of serious incidents at nightclubs includes those caused by stampede; overcrowding; terrorism, such as the 2002 Bali bombings that targeted a nightclub; and especially fire. Investigations, such as that carried out in the US after The Station nightclub fire often demonstrate that lessons learned "regarding fire safety in nightclubs" from earlier events such as the Cocoanut Grove fire do "not necessarily result in lasting effective change". Efforts to prevent such incidents include appointing special officers, such as the medieval Lord of Misrule or, in modern times, security officers who control access; and also ongoing improvement of relevant standards such as those for building safety. The tourism industry now regards safety and security at entertainment venues as an important management task.


title: Entertainment

text: Although kings, rulers and powerful people have always been able to pay for entertainment to be provided for them and in many cases have paid for public entertainment, people generally have made their own entertainment or when possible, attended a live performance. Technological developments in the 20th century, especially in the area of mass media, meant that entertainment could be produced independently of the audience, packaged and sold on a commercial basis by an entertainment industry. Sometimes referred to as show business, the industry relies on business models to produce, market, broadcast or otherwise distribute many of its traditional forms, including performances of all types. The industry became so sophisticated that its economics became a separate area of academic study.


title: Entertainment

text: The film industry is a part of the entertainment industry. Components of it include the Hollywood and Bollywood film industries, as well as the cinema of the United Kingdom and all the cinemas of Europe, including France, Germany, Spain, Italy and others. The sex industry is another component of the entertainment industry, applying the same forms and media (for example, film, books, dance and other performances) to the development, marketing and sale of sex products on a commercial basis.


title: Entertainment

text: Amusement parks entertain paying guests with rides, such as roller coasters, ridable miniature railways, water rides, and dark rides, as well as other events and associated attractions. The parks are built on a large area subdivided into themed areas named "lands". Sometimes the whole amusement park is based on one theme, such as the various SeaWorld parks that focus on the theme of sea life.


title: Entertainment

text: One of the consequences of the development of the entertainment industry has been the creation of new types of employment. While jobs such as writer, musician and composer exist as they always have, people doing this work are likely to be employed by a company rather than a patron as they once would have been. New jobs have appeared, such as gaffer or special effects supervisor in the film industry, and attendants in an amusement park.


title: Entertainment

text: Prestigious awards are given by the industry for excellence in the various types of entertainment. For example, there are awards for Music, Games (including video games), Comics, Comedy, Theatre, Television, Film, Dance and Magic. Sporting awards are made for the results and skill, rather than for the entertainment value.


title: Entertainment

text: Purpose-built structures as venues for entertainment that accommodate audiences have produced many famous and innovative buildings, among the most recognisable of which are theatre structures. For the ancient Greeks, "the architectural importance of the theatre is a reflection of their importance to the community, made apparent in their monumentality, in the effort put into their design, and in the care put into their detail." The Romans subsequently developed the stadium in an oval form known as a circus. In modern times, some of the grandest buildings for entertainment have brought fame to their cities as well as their designers. The Sydney Opera House, for example, is a World Heritage Site and The O₂ in London is an entertainment precinct that contains an indoor arena, a music club, a cinema and exhibition space. The Bayreuth Festspielhaus in Germany is a theatre designed and built for performances of one specific musical composition.


title: Entertainment

text: Two of the chief architectural concerns for the design of venues for mass audiences are speed of egress and safety. The speed at which the venue empty is important both for amenity and safety, because large crowds take a long time to disperse from a badly designed venue, which creates a safety risk. The Hillsborough disaster is an example of how poor aspects of building design can contribute to audience deaths. Sightlines and acoustics are also important design considerations in most theatrical venues.


title: Entertainment

text: In the 21st century, entertainment venues, especially stadia, are "likely to figure among the leading architectural genres". However, they require "a whole new approach" to design, because they need to be "sophisticated entertainment centres, multi-experience venues, capable of being enjoyed in many diverse ways". Hence, architects now have to design "with two distinct functions in mind, as sports and entertainment centres playing host to live audiences, and as sports and entertainment studios serving the viewing and listening requirements of the remote audience".


title: Entertainment

text: Architects who push the boundaries of design or construction sometimes create buildings that are entertaining because they exceed the expectations of the public and the client and are aesthetically outstanding. Buildings such as Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry, are of this type, becoming a tourist attraction as well as a significant international museum. Other apparently usable buildings are really follies, deliberately constructed for a decorative purpose and never intended to be practical.


title: Entertainment

text: On the other hand, sometimes architecture is entertainment, while pretending to be functional. The tourism industry, for example, creates or renovates buildings as "attractions" that have either never been used or can never be used for their ostensible purpose. They are instead re-purposed to entertain visitors often by simulating cultural experiences. Buildings, history and sacred spaces are thus made into commodities for purchase. Such intentional tourist attractions divorce buildings from the past so that "the difference between historical authenticity and contemporary entertainment venues/theme parks becomes hard to define". Examples include "the preservation of the Alcázar of Toledo, with its grim Civil War History, the conversion of slave dungeons into tourist attractions in Ghana, [such as, for example, Cape Coast Castle] and the presentation of indigenous culture in Libya". The specially constructed buildings in amusement parks represent the park's theme and are usually neither authentic nor completely functional.


title: Entertainment

text: By the second half of the 20th century, developments in electronic media made possible the delivery of entertainment products to mass audiences across the globe. The technology enabled people to see, hear and participate in all the familiar forms stories, theatre, music, dance wherever they live. The rapid development of entertainment technology was assisted by improvements in data storage devices such as cassette tapes or compact discs, along with increasing miniaturisation. Computerisation and the development of barcodes also made ticketing easier, faster and global.


title: Entertainment

text: In the 1940s, radio was the electronic medium for family entertainment and information. In the 1950s, it was television that was the new medium and it rapidly became global, bringing visual entertainment, first in black and white, then in colour, to the world. By the 1970s, games could be played electronically, then hand-held devices provided mobile entertainment, and by the last decade of the 20th century, via networked play. In combination with products from the entertainment industry, all the traditional forms of entertainment became available personally. People could not only select an entertainment product such as a piece of music, film or game, they could choose the time and place to use it. The "proliferation of portable media players and the emphasis on the computer as a site for film consumption" together have significantly changed how audiences encounter films. One of the most notable consequences of the rise of electronic entertainment has been the rapid obsolescence of the various recording and storage methods. As an example of speed of change driven by electronic media, over the course of one generation, television as a medium for receiving standardised entertainment products went from unknown, to novel, to ubiquitous and finally to superseded. One estimate was that by 2011 over 30 percent of households in the US would own a Wii console, "about the same percentage that owned a television in 1953". Some expected that halfway through the second decade of the 21st century, online entertainment would have completely replaced television—which didn't happen. The so-called "digital revolution" has produced an increasingly transnational marketplace that has caused difficulties for governments, business, industries, and individuals, as they all try to keep up. Even the sports stadium of the future will increasingly compete with television viewing "...in terms of comfort, safety and the constant flow of audio-visual information and entertainment available." Other flow on effects of the shift are likely to include those on public architecture such as hospitals and nursing homes, where television, regarded as an essential entertainment service for patients and residents, will need to be replaced by access to the internet. At the same time, the ongoing need for entertainers as "professional engagers" shows the continuity of traditional entertainment.


title: Entertainment

text: By the second decade of the 21st century, analogue recording was being replaced by digital recording and all forms of electronic entertainment began to converge. For example, convergence is challenging standard practices in the film industry: whereas "success or failure used to be determined by the first weekend of its run. Today, ... a series of exhibition 'windows', such as DVD, pay-per-view, and fibre-optic video-on-demand are used to maximise profits." Part of the industry's adjustment is its release of new commercial product directly via video hosting services. Media convergence is said to be more than technological: the convergence is cultural as well. It is also "the result of a deliberate effort to protect the interests of business entities, policy institutions and other groups". Globalisation and cultural imperialism are two of the cultural consequences of convergence. Others include fandom and interactive storytelling as well as the way that single franchises are distributed through and affect a range of delivery methods. The "greater diversity in the ways that signals may be received and packaged for the viewer, via terrestrial, satellite or cable television, and of course, via the Internet" also affects entertainment venues, such as sports stadia, which now need to be designed so that both live and remote audiences can interact in increasingly sophisticated ways for example, audiences can "watch highlights, call up statistics", "order tickets and merchandise" and generally "tap into the stadium's resources at any time of the day or night".


title: Entertainment

text: The introduction of television altered the availability, cost, variety and quality of entertainment products for the public and the convergence of online entertainment is having a similar effect. For example, the possibility and popularity of user-generated content, as distinct from commercial product, creates a "networked audience model [that] makes programming obsolete". Individuals and corporations use video hosting services to broadcast content that is equally accepted by the public as legitimate entertainment.


title: Entertainment

text: While technology increases demand for entertainment products and offers increased speed of delivery, the forms that make up the content are in themselves, relatively stable. Storytelling, music, theatre, dance and games are recognisably the same as in earlier centuries.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The Chengdu J-20 (), also known as "Mighty Dragon" (), is a twinjet all-weather stealth fighter aircraft developed by China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation for the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). The J-20 is designed as an air superiority fighter with precision strike capability. The aircraft has three variants: the initial production model J-20A, the thrust-vectoring J-20B, and twin-seat aircraft teaming capable J-20S.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Descends from the J-XX program of the 1990s, the aircraft made its maiden flight on 11 January 2011, and was officially revealed at the 2016 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. The aircraft entered service in March 2017 with the first J-20 combat unit formed in February 2018, making China the second country in the world and the first in Asia to field an operational stealth aircraft. The J-20 is the world's third operational fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft after the F-22 and F-35.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The J-20 emerged from the late-1990s J-XX program. In 2008, the PLAAF endorsed Chengdu Aerospace Corporation's proposal, Project 718; Shenyang's proposed aircraft was larger than the J-20. Chengdu had previously used the double-canard configuration in the J-9, its first design and cancelled in the 1970s, and the J-10.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In 2009, a senior PLAAF official revealed that the first flight was expected in 2010–11, with a service entry date by 2019. On 22 December 2010, the first J-20 prototype underwent high speed taxiing tests outside the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI). Three months later, the first J-20 prototype made its maiden flight in Chengdu. The first prototype was painted with the number "2001". In May 2012, the second prototype took flight in the CADI facility.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Several changes were made to the third J-20 prototype, numbered "2011", which made its maiden flight in March 2014. The new prototype showed increasing sophistication in design, including numerous subtle changes from the first two prototypes. The new airframe introduced modified diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) intakes, stealth coating, streamlined underwing fairings, and redesigned vertical stabilizers. Analysts noted new equipment and devices for multi-role operations such as integrated targeting pods for precision-guided munition, and six additional passive infrared sensors can also be spotted around the aircraft.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In December 2015, the low rate initial production (LRIP) version of J-20 was spotted by military observers. The LRIP aircraft revealed dielectric surfaces that were previously painted for prototypes, potentially containing various sensors or baked-in radar absorbing materials.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In October 2017, Chinese state media reported that the designs of the J-20 had been finalized, and is ready for mass production as well as being combat-ready. In March 2018, Chinese military revealed other versions of the J-20 platform were being developed.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In January 2019, Chinese media reported that a twin-seat variant of the J-20 is rumored to be in development for use in tactical bombing, electronic warfare and carrier strike roles.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In November 2019, a J-20 painted in yellow primer coating was spotted during its flight testing by defense observers at the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation manufacturing facility. The aircraft is equipped with a new variant of WS-10 Taihang engines with serrated afterburner nozzles to enhance stealth. Report indicated Chengdu Aerospace Corporation terminated the manufacturing of J-20 with Russian engines in mid-2019.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Chinese media reported that a new variant of the J-20, the J-20B, was unveiled on July 8, 2020, and entered mass production the same day. The only change mentioned was that the J-20B was to be equipped with thrust vectoring control. Conflicting reports emerged regarding the exact engine type. Analyst Andreas Rupprecht expressed skepticism regarding the use of Russian engines on the J-20, as he believes that the J-20 is using a variant of the WS-10, which he called the WS-10C. This engine has improved thrust, stealthier serrated afterburner nozzles, and higher reliability, but it is not designed for thrust vectoring, unlike the WS-10 TVC demonstrated on a J-10 in 2018 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition. Analyst Jamie Hunter believed the new engine type is what he called WS-10B-3, a Chinese-made thrust-vectoring engine demonstrated on the 2018 Zhuhai Airshow.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In January 2021, South China Morning Post reported that China would replace Russian engines on the J-20 stealth fighter with a type of Chinese engine called WS-10C. In June 2021, Chinese media confirmed that an aviation brigade is assigned with the enhanced J-20A variant that integrates domestic WS-10C engines. Despite the replacement, WS-10C is considered another interim solution before Xian WS-15 passes evaluations. Moreover, WS-10C will not be equipped on the J-20B, the thrust-vectoring version of the J-20 that entered mass production in 2019, which still required further testing. Overall, Chinese engineers believe WS-10C is comparable with AL-31F in performance, and the replacement would also reduce China's dependency on Russian engines. The WS-10C-powered J-20 was officially showcased to the public on 28 September 2021 at Zhuhai Airshow.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The development of a twin-seater variant was hinted by J-20's chief designer in 2019. In January 2021, Aviation Industry Corporation of China released computer renderings of the twin-seat variant of the J-20 fighter in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the jet's maiden flight. In February 2021, a South China Morning Post infographic depicted a twin-seat J-20 variant powered by thrust vectoring WS-10C. In October 2021, a taxiing prototype, dubbed J-20S by analysts, was spotted near Chengdu Aerospace Corporation facilities, making J-20S the first-ever two-seat stealth fighter. The twin-seat design allows the possibility for the second operator to coordinate attacks and reconnaissance missions from other friendly aircraft via networking or unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) linked via "loyal wingman" systems and sensors. The advantage of a second operator includes the potential for better interpreting and exploiting the enormous sensory data that could overload the limited cognitive and processing capacity for a single human, especially in a contested air combat environment.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In March 2022, Chinese state media reported that the J-20 had performed trials with the WS-15 engine.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The J-20 has a long and blended fuselage, with a chiseled nose section and a frameless canopy. Immediately behind the cockpit are low-observable diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) intakes. All-moving canard surfaces with pronounced dihedral are placed behind the intakes, followed by leading edge extensions merging into the delta wing with forward-swept trailing edges. The aft section has twin outward canted all-moving fins, short but deep ventral strakes, and conventional or low-observable engine exhausts.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: One important design criterion for the J-20 is high instability. This requires sustained pitch authority at a high angle of attack, in which a conventional tail-plane would lose effectiveness due to stalling. On the other hand, a canard can deflect opposite to the angle of attack, avoiding stall and thereby maintaining control. A canard design is also known to provide good supersonic performance, excellent supersonic and transonic turn performance, and improved short-field landing performance compared to the conventional delta-wing design.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Leading edge extensions and body lift are incorporated to enhance performance in a canard layout. This combination is said by the designer to generate 1.2 times the lift of an ordinary canard delta, and 1.8 times more lift than an equivalent-sized pure delta configuration. The designer claims such a combination allows the use of a smaller wing, reducing supersonic drag without compromising transonic lift-to-drag characteristics that are crucial to the aircraft's turn performance.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The use of a bubble canopy, extensive flight-control surfaces, and canard configuration for angle-of-attack control indicates J-20's intention to operate in air-superiority missions and within-visual-range engagements. Chief test pilot Li Gang describes the J-20 as having comparable maneuverability to the Chengdu J-10 while being significantly better at low-observable (LO) performance. The J-20 is a multirole air superiority fighter, with the interceptor role being just one of the options.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The J-20 avionics aim to obtain situational awareness through advanced sensor fusion while denying situational awareness to the adversary through stealth and electronic warfare. The J-20 features an integrated avionic suite consisting of multi-spectral sensors capable of providing omnidirectional coverage. Official information on the type of radar that J-20s use has not yet been released publicly. Some analysts believed that J-20s used Type 1475 (KLJ-5) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar with 1856 transmit/receive modules, but more recent information revealed that this radar was designed for upgraded versions of the J-11D. Other analysts point out that, based on the nose cross-section of the J-20 and known data about a single transmit/receive module surface in the J-16's AESA radar system, J-20s likely contain 2000–2200 transmit/receive modules.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Prototypes after application "2011" and production models feature a revised nose section with an electro-optical/infra-red targeting system and an advanced communications suite on top of the aircraft, enabling it to datalink with other friendly platforms in service, such as airborne early-warning drones. Six electro-optic sensors called the Distributed Aperture System (similar to EODAS) can provide omnidirectional coverage for the pilot with a sensor fusion system combining the radar signal with the IR image to provide better situational awareness. The combination of an integrated targeting pod with a spherically-located passive-optical tracking system is reported, similar to the design concept of Lockheed Martin F-35's avionic suite. Beijing A Star Science and Technology has developed the EOTS-86 electro-optical targeting system and Electro-Optical Distributed Aperture System for the J-20, and potentially for other PLAAF fighters, to detect and intercept stealth aircraft.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The aircraft features a fully-digital glass cockpit with one primary large color liquid-crystal display (LCD) touchscreen, three smaller auxiliary displays, and a wide-angle holographic heads-up display (HUD). The size of the primary LCD screen is , diagonal size, with two illumination systems for operational redundancy. The aircraft is fitted with a helmet-mounted display (HMD) system, which displays combat information inside the pilots' helmet visor and facilities firing missiles at high off-boresight angle.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The main weapon bay is capable of housing both long-range air-to-air missiles (AAM; PL-12, PL-15 – PL-21) and precision-guided munitions (PGM; LS-6/50, LS-6/100), while the two smaller lateral weapon bays behind the air inlets are intended for short-range AAMs (PL-10). These side bays allow closure of the bay doors prior to firing the missile, enhancing stealth and allowing the missile to be fired in the shortest possible time. The J-20 reportedly lacks an internal autocannon or rotary cannon, suggesting the aircraft is not intended for use in short-range dogfight engagements with other aircraft but to engage from long standoff ranges with missiles such as the PL-15 and PL-21. The J-20 will likely use air-to-air missiles to engage in air superiority combat with other aircraft and to destroy high-value airborne assets. Supplemental missions may include launching anti-radiation missiles and air-to-ground munitions for precision-strike missions.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: While the fighter typically carries weapons internally, the wings include four hardpoints for auxiliary fuel tanks to extend the ferrying range. However, much like the F-22, the J-20 is unlikely to carry fuel tanks on combat missions due to its vulnerability in such a configuration; the value of this configuration is relevant to such peacetime operations as transiting between airbases. The fighter is able to carry four medium/long-range AAMs in the main bay and one short-range missile in each lateral weapon bay. A staggered arrangement of six PL-15s is possible for potential future missile rail launchers.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The J-20 entered production powered by an improved Lyulka-Saturn AL-31 variant, reportedly the AL-31FM2 developed by Salyut. The engine has a "special power setting" thrust of .


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The next interim engine was the Shenyang WS-10. The WS-10B reportedly powered low rate initial production aircraft in 2015, and was used as an interim engine before the adoption of the AL-31. There are conflicting reports concerning the powerplant of the TVC-equipped J-20B. The powerplant has been identified as the AL-31FM2, or a variant of the WS-10; "WS-10C" by Andreas Rupprecht, or "WS-10B-3" by Jamie Hunter. The TVC-equipped WS-10B-3 was demonstrated at the 2018 China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The push to replace the AL-31 with the WS-10C followed the failure of the WS-15 to pass trials in 2019. Aircraft powered by WS-10Cs were flying by September 2019. The engine has a thrust of 142-147 kN, and has serrated afterburner nozzles for enhanced rear-aspect stealth. Flights with prototypes powered by the WS-10C were underway by November 2020. In June 2021, Chinese media confirmed that the WS-10C was powering operational J-20As. In January 2022, it was reported that aircraft powered by the WS-10C would be upgraded with TVC.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The intended powerplant is the Xian WS-15, with a thrust of 180 kN, which is required for supercruise. The engine's development was ongoing in 2019. In March 2022, Chinese state media reported that the J-20 had performed trials with the engine and experienced significantly improved performance. It was also reported that eventually new production and existing aircraft powered by the AL-31 would be fitted with the WS-15.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The aircraft is equipped with a retractable refueling probe embedded on the right side of the cockpit, to help the fighter to maintain stealth while flying greater distances.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Analysts noted that the J-20's airframe employs a holistic approach to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS), uniquely combining canard wings with leading edge root extensions (LERX). The chimed forebody, modified radar radome, and electroconductive canopy use a stealth shaping, yielding signature performance in a mature design similar to the F-22. The diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) leading into serpentine inlets (S-ducts) can obscure the reflective surface of the engine from radar detection. DSI intakes save weight, reduce complexity, and minimize radar signature. Additional low-observable features include a flat fuselage bottom holding an internal weapons bay, sawtooth edges on compartment doors, mesh coverings on cooling ports at the base of the vertical tails, embedded antennas, and radar-absorbent coating materials. While the aircraft's fins/strakes and axisymmetric rear areas may expose the aircraft to radar, the overall stealth shaping is robust and considerably more capable than the Russian PAK-FA. Improvements regarding stealth were subsequently introduced - one prototype in 2014 was powered by WS-10 engines equipped with different jagged-edge nozzles and tiles for greater stealth. The J-20 production model with the serrated WS-10C engine is also capable of mitigating negative effects on rear-aspect stealth.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Others have raised doubts about the use of canards on a low-observable design, stating that canards would guarantee radar detection and compromise stealth. However, these critiques with respect to the canards' RCS are largely unfounded. Canards and low-observability are not mutually exclusive designs. Northrop Grumman's proposal for the U.S. Navy's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) incorporated canards on a stealthy airframe. Lockheed Martin employed canards on a stealth airframe for the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) program during early development before dropping them due to complications with aircraft carrier recovery. McDonnell Douglas and NASA's X-36 featured canards and was considered to be extremely stealthy. Radar cross-section can be further reduced by controlling canard deflection through flight-control software, as on the Eurofighter. Similarly, Chinese aerospace researchers also concluded that, in terms of stealth, the canard delta configuration is comparable with the conventional arrangement. Defense observer Rick Joe believes J-20's configuration is stealthy, while there is a lack of evidence for the popular assumption of canards' inherent incompatibility with stealth.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Composite materials are applied to minimize the J-20's radar-cross sections. The diverterless supersonic inlet (DSI) enables an aircraft to reach Mach 2.0 with a simpler intake than traditionally required, and improves stealth performance by eliminating radar reflections between the diverter and the aircraft's skin. Analysts have also noted that the J-20 DSI reduces the need for the application of radar-absorbent materials. A removable radar reflectors (Luneburg lens) is mounted on the underside of the J-20 to amplify its radar returns, concealing the real radar signature. In the 2021 production model, the emitter is re-engineered to be retractable.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In May 2018, Indian Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa claimed at a press conference that the radars on India's Su-30MKI fighters were "good enough" and could detect a J-20 from "several kilometers away" while answering a question on whether the J-20 posed a threat to India. Analyst Justin Bronk from Royal United Services Institute noted that Chinese were possibly flying the J-20 with radar reflectors during peacetime for safety and training purposes due to the potential for accidents and identification from other aircraft or ground installations. In a more recent report, Bronk also states that even with limited stealth, J-20 could hide and strike enemy critical platforms in an airspace with background clutter caused by non-stealth fighters and other electromagnetic noise. Despite debate regarding J-20's stealth capability, military analysts agree that the J-20's stealth design is superior to that of the Russian Su-57 and its stealth profile could be further enhanced as the program matures.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 10 December 2010, the first J-20 prototype was observed undertaking high speed taxiing tests around the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI) facilities before the maiden flight.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 11 January 2011, the first J-20 prototype (numbered "2001") made its first flight, lasting about 15 minutes, with a Chengdu J-10B serving as the chase aircraft. After the successful flight, a ceremony was held, attended by the pilot, Li Gang, Chief Designer Yang Wei and General Li Andong, Deputy-Director of General Armaments. On 17 April 2011, a second test flight of an hour and 20 minutes took place. On 5 May 2011, a 55-minute test flight was held that included retraction of the landing gear. On 26 February 2012, the first prototype J-20 performed various low-altitude maneuvers.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 10 May 2012, the second prototype (numbered "2002") underwent high-speed taxiing tests, and flight testing that began later that month. On 20 October 2012, photographs of the prototype with open compartment doors and a modified pitot tube emerged, suggesting the possible inclusion of radar or sensors. In March 2013, images of the side weapon bays appeared, displaying a missile launch rail.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 16 January 2014, the third J-20 prototype was revealed, showing new intakes, embedded engine nozzles, and stealth coating, as well as redesigned vertical stabilizers, and an Electro-Optical Targeting System. This particular aircraft, numbered "2011", performed its maiden flight on 1 March 2014 and is said to represent the initial pre-serial standard.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: By the end of 2014, three more pre-serial prototypes were flown, each with incremental improvements to the design. The fourth prototype "2012" was tested on 26 July 2014, sharing many similarities with the "2011". This pair of aircraft was reportedly powered by AL-31FM2 engines. The fifth prototype, numbered "2013", took off on 29 November 2014. Three weeks later, number "2015" made its maiden flight on 19 December 2014, indicating rapid construction capability. Both prototypes featured retractable aerial refueling probes and infrared-suppression engine nozzles. The sixth prototype "2015" featured a slight alteration to tail booms, suggesting the installation of rear-facing sensors. Chinese Air Force also modified an airliner to serve as the AESA radar test-bed for the J-20 program.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 13 September 2015, a new prototype, marked "2016", began testing. It had noticeable improvements, such as apparently modified DSI bumps on the intakes. The DSI changes suggested the possibility of more powerful engines being used than its predecessors, likely to be an advanced 14-ton thrust derivative of the Russian AL-31 or Chinese Shenyang WS-10 turbofan engines. By 2020, the J-20 is scheduled to use the 18–19 ton WS-15 engine, enabling the jet to supercruise without using afterburners. The trapezoidal flight booms around the engines were further enlarged, possibly to accommodate rearwards-facing radars, electronic countermeasures, and jamming equipment. The fuselage was extended to the engine's exhaust nozzles. Compared to its "2014" and "2015" predecessors, the engine's surface area is further embedded inside the stealthy coating, providing greater rear-facing stealth against enemy detection.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 24 November 2015, a new J-20 prototype, numbered "2017", took to the sky. The most significant change in the new prototype was the reshaped cockpit canopy, which provides the pilot with greater visibility. The lack of other design changes suggested that "2017" is very close to the final J-20 production configuration. Since '2017' was likely the last J-20 prototype, the low rate initial production (LRIP) of the J-20 is likely to begin in 2016. Chinese media reported that the design of the J-20 was frozen and finalized, as formal ceremonies were held for the prototype "2017" after completing the flight testing. The LRIP version later appeared in December 2015.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In March 2017, Chinese media reported that the fighter entered service. But it still faced a series of technical challenges that needed to be tackled, including the reliability of its WS-15 engines, the aircraft's flight control system, stealth coatings, hull materials, and infrared sensor. In September 2017, a newly-built J-20 prototype (numbered "2021") was flight testing with Chinese-made WS-10 Taihang engines, featuring sawtoothed serration edge on its afterburning nozzles. The J-20 with indigenous WS-10C engines began production in 2019.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In September 2018, it was reported that issues with the development of the WS-15 engine, particularly the reliability of the turbine blades overheating at top speeds were fixed. The WS-15 reportedly required further development after failing final verification testing at the end of 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic imposed further delays. In March 2022, Chinese state media reported that the WS-15 engine completed final testing.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In November 2021, the US military reported that the J-20 was gradually receiving upgrades. In the same month, new J-20 two-seater variant began flight testing.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In late December 2015, a new J-20 numbered 2101 was spotted; it is believed to be the LRIP version of the aircraft. Chinese media suggested the stealth aircraft will enter production ahead of schedule. In July 2016, pre-production models with dark-grey paint and low visibility insignias were spotted inside a Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC) facility. The production rate indicated an intended initial operational capability (IOC) date of around 2017-2018.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In October 2017, Chinese media reported that CAC initiated the serial production for the J-20 and is on a path towards achieving full operational capability with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). State media described the CAC's production rate as "stable", meaning achieving a regular production rate for minimal economies of scale. The production rate was expected to be three aircraft per month.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In 2019, Chengdu Aerospace Corporation began manufacturing J-20 fitted with Chinese-made WS-10 Taihang engines. J-20s manufactured after mid-2019 were no longer fitted with Russian AL-31F turbofan engines. In June 2021, J-20A with Chinese-made WS-10C engines were incorporated into active service. The production rate of J-20 was expected to be further increased. In January 2022, analyst Derek Solen estimated 50 to 74 fighters were in service based on open-source intelligence. In August 2022, Li Xiaobing reported that over 150 had been delivered; claims of 150 being in service had been made in 2021.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In November 2022, high-resolution photos revealed over 200 J-20 fighters had been manufactured. According to analyst Andreas Rupprecht, a total of four batches of J-20 have been delivered with 18, 46, 56, and 70 airframes for each shipment based on his conservative estimate. The new pictures also indicated significantly improved manufacturing tolerance and quality control. According to the Chinese military, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation accelerated the manufacturing and delivery of the J-20 fighter due to the implementation of pulse assembly line. Chinese military analysts believed the initiative aimed to rebalance the increasing numbers of F-35 fighters deployed by the United States in Asia.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Pilot training for the J-20 started as early as March 2017, after the fighter entered limited service in the initial operational capability (IOC) phase. During the IOC phase, the fighters are equipped with radar reflectors, also known as Luneburg lens, to enlarge and conceal the actual radar cross-section.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The J-20 participated in its first combat exercise in January 2018, practicing beyond-visual-range maneuvers against China's fourth-generation fighters such as J-16 and J-10C. The exercise was reported to be realistic. Training with mixed generations allows pilots to become familiar with fifth-generation aircraft, and to develop tactics both for and against them. Chinese Ministry of National Defense also revealed that J-20 has conducted night confrontation missions during several coordinated tactical training exercises.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In April 2022, the J-20 is confirmed to be engaged in regular maritime portals in the East China Sea and the South China Sea for routine training missions, in a statement released by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 12 December 2016, at least six J-20s were observed in PLAAF air bases, with tail numbers 78271-78276 identified. Another six were believed to be ready for delivery by the end of December 2016.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 9 March 2017, Chinese media revealed that the J-20 had entered service in the Chinese air force, making China the second country in the world—after the United States—and the first in Asia to field an operational fifth-generation stealth aircraft. Chinese National Defense Ministry confirmed the service status in September 2017. It is anticipated that frontline units could be equipped with the low observable combat aircraft before 2020. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) proposed that, as the trend continues, the US could lose its monopoly on operational stealth aircraft.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The PLAAF began inducting J-20s into combat units in February 2018, one month after its first combat drill. The aircraft entered service with the 9th Air Brigade based at Wuhu Air Base, Anhui province in late 2018 – March 2019, replacing Su-30MKK fighters previously deployed there.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 27 August 2019, the Central Military Commission of the People's Liberation Army approved the J-20 as the PLAN's future primary fighter, beating out the Shenyang FC-31. Arguments for the J-20 state that the plane is far more advanced, longer-ranged, and carries a heavier payload than the FC-31, while those supporting the FC-31 argued that it is cheaper, lighter, and far more maneuverable than the J-20. The J-20 would likely be commissioned upon the Type 003 aircraft carrier under construction, however, the length of the J-20 means that it has to be shortened to be considered operable on an aircraft carrier.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: On 26 June 2021, Chinese state media reported that J-20 fighters were deployed to PLAAF units monitoring East China Sea and Taiwan Strait. Analysts suggested that the Chinese Air Force aimed to equip at least one to two brigades in each of the five theater commands before 2026. On 19 April 2022, satellites image indicated that all five theater commands had equipped with J-20A fighters, which was later confirmed by the Chinese Air Force spokesperson on a press release in September.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In March 2022, the United States Air Force (USAF) general Kenneth Wilsbach confirmed that USAF F-35s have encountered J-20s deployed over the East China Sea.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: J-20A is the first production variant of the J-20 platform. Flight testing began with prototypes in late 2010, with maiden flight in 2011. The variant entered serial production in October 2017. J-20A was incorporated into training units of the People's Liberation Army Air Force in March 2017 and combat units in February 2018.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Improved J-20 variant with thrust-vectoring control (TVC) engines. The variant entered production on 8 July 2020. Early batch received Shenyang WS-10B-3 TVC engines, while the intended powerplant is the thrust vectoring, supercruise capable WS-15.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The twin-seat variant of J-20, named J-20S, J-20AS or J-20B by defense analysts, is a version of J-20 in development. J-20S was first spotted in October 2021, taxiing inside a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation facility in yellow primer paint and untreated composite, making it the first twin-seat stealth fighter in the world.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The twin-seat design allows the possibility for the second operator to conduct airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) missions, which J-20 would leverage its avionics and networking capability to provide battlespace surveillance, battle management, and intelligence analysis. The stealth fighter could act as a more survivable and distributed alternative to traditional airborne warning and command post aircraft. Another possibility is to coordinate attacks and reconnaissance missions from unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) linked via "loyal wingman" systems and sensors. China is known to be developing various "loyal wingman" prototypes such as AVIC Dark Sword. In addition to aircraft teaming, a twin-seat configuration may also provide marginal benefits in pilot training and strike missions.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The advantage of a second operator includes the potential for better interpreting and exploiting the enormous sensory data, which could overload the limited cognitive and processing capacity of a single human. The back-seater operator would focus on managing the manned or unmanned aircraft fleet, reducing the pilot's workload in a contested air combat environment. With increased automation and artificial intelligence in the aircraft system, the two men crew would likely be able to delegate more complex AEW&C tasks, absorb information, and make tactical decisions.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In August 2022, a Chinese defense publication suggested the twin-seat variant could be used as an electronic warfare platform. In October 2022, Chinese media showcased the concept of the J-20 two-seater controlling stealth Hongdu GJ-11 unmanned combat aerial vehicle, and the back seat is designated for the weapons officer. It could also potentially manage the LJ-1, a low-end modular drone platform.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The first test flight coincided with a visit by United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to China, and was initially interpreted by the Pentagon as a possible signal to the visiting US delegation. Speaking to reporters in Beijing, secretary Gates said, "I asked President Hu about it directly, and he said that the test had absolutely nothing to do with my visit and there had been a pre-planned test." Hu seemed surprised by Gates' inquiry. Abraham M. Denmark of the Center for New American Security in Washington, along with Michael Swaine, an expert on the PLA and United States–China military relations, explained that senior officials are not involved in the day-to-day management of aircraft development and were unaware of the test.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Robert Gates downplayed the significance of the aircraft by questioning how stealthy the J-20 may be, but stated the J-20 would "put some of our capabilities at risk, and we have to pay attention to them, we have to respond appropriately with our own programs." The U.S. Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper testified that the United States knew about the program for a long time and that the test flight was not a surprise.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In 2011, Loren B. Thompson (Lexington Institute), echoed by a 2015 RAND Corporation report, felt that J-20's combination of forward stealth and long-range puts America's surface assets at risk, and that a long-range maritime strike capability may cause the United States more concern than a short-range air-superiority fighter like the F-22. In its 2011 Annual Report to Congress, the Pentagon described the J-20 as "a platform capable of long-range, penetrating strikes into complex air defense environments." A 2012 report by the U.S.‐China Economic and Security Review Commission suggests that the United States may have underestimated the speed of development of the J-20 and several other Chinese military development projects.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: After the deployment announcement, several analysts noted that the experience that the PLAAF will gain with the J-20 would give China a significant edge over India, Japan, and South Korea, which have struggled to design and produce their own fifth-generation fighters on schedule. However, despite the failure of their indigenous projects, Japan and South Korea operate the imported F-35A, negating this potential technological disparity. United States Marine Corps created a full-scale replica (FSR) of a Chengdu J-20 in December 2018. The replica was spotted parked outside the Air Dominance Center at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in Georgia. The United States Marine Corps later confirmed that the aircraft was built for training.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: By 2019, aviation researchers believed that the progress of J-20 signified that China had surpassed Russia in the application of contemporary aviation technologies such as composite materials, advanced avionics, and long-range weapons systems. According to Justin Bronk of the Royal United Services Institute, the J-20 is one of the examples of how China has transitioned from the dependency of Russian technology to developing indigenous sensors and weapons that are superior to those of Russia; and how China is beginning to build a clear lead over Russia in most aspects of combat aircraft development in the 2020s. The J-20 also symbolizes that the Western Bloc is losing the monopoly on stealth fighter technologies.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: In March 2022, the United States Air Force (USAF) general Kenneth Wilsbach described J-20s were flying professionally and he is "relatively impressed" with the Chinese command and control structure and AEW&C capabilities after confirming two nations had an encounter in South China Sea. In a separate comment, the general mentioned the E-3 Sentry AEW&C aircraft is insufficient for timely detection of the J-20s. In another press conference, Wilsbach downplayed his earlier remarks, saying himself will not "lose sleep about the J-20", but added the United States should keep the innovation pace in the development of sixth-generation fighter technologies to "not lose sleep". He later added that the United States knows China is on schedule for its 6th-generation fighter program.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: Western sources contribute the idea that J-20 is optimized for anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) engagements, while Chinese sources universally describe J-20 as an air-superiority fighter meant to engage other fighters. Rod Lee, research director at the China Aerospace Studies Institute of the Air University, believes J-20 is intended to be primarily used for destroying high-value airborne assets, which is an alternative way of establishing air superiority. Supplemental missions may include launching anti-radiation missiles and air-to-ground munitions. Rod Lee believes J-20 has the maneuverability to engage in air superiority combat with other aircraft, but PLAAF has de-emphasized the traditional attrition warfare while advocating the "systems destruction" approach because they believe it is more effective. Matthew Jouppi of Aviation Week noted the ill-informed assumptions that existed in defense circles and argued that the United States has not adequately addressed threats posed by the increasing Chinese airpower.


title: Chengdu J-20

text: The visual, physical configuration and stealth shaping have been claimed to be influenced by foreign aircraft, including the F-22, F-35, F-117, Mig 1.44, Mig-31, Rafale, and Eurofighter Typhoon, according to an opinion piece published in "The Diplomat" by Rick Joe. Joe adds that the J-20's external physical configuration is a logical development of Chengdu's previous canard-delta designs: the Chengdu J-9 - particularly the "twin tail, side intake, canard delta" J-9V-II - from the 1960s and 1970s, and the Chengdu J-10 Furthermore, Joe said that stealth shaping is a much more universal and consistent trait that leaves limited room for variety, and that future international designs will likely reflect this.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Secret Invasion is an upcoming American television miniseries created by Kyle Bradstreet for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics storyline of the same name. It is intended to be the ninth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. Bradstreet serves as the head writer.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Samuel L. Jackson reprises his role as Nick Fury from the film series, along with Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, with Cobie Smulders, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Martin Freeman, and Don Cheadle also starring. Development of the series began by September 2020, with Bradstreet and Jackson attached. The title and premise of the series, along with Mendelsohn's casting, were revealed that December. Additional castings occurred throughout March and April 2021, followed by the hiring of Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim to direct the series that May. Filming had begun in London by September 2021, and concluded in late April 2022. Additional filming occurred across West Yorkshire and in Liverpool, England.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: "Secret Invasion" is scheduled to premiere in early 2023, and will consist of six episodes. It will be part of of the MCU.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Additionally, Dermot Mulroney is expected to appear as United States President Ritson, while Killian Scott, Christopher McDonald, Carmen Ejogo, and Charlayne Woodard have been cast in undisclosed roles.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: The series will consist of six episodes, directed by Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim. The directors will either split the episodes evenly, or one will direct four episodes and the other two.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: In September 2020, Kyle Bradstreet was revealed to be developing a television series for the streaming service Disney+ centered on the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury. The character had previously been one of ten properties announced in September 2005 by Marvel Entertainment chairman and CEO Avi Arad as being developed for film by the newly formed studio Marvel Studios, after Marvel received financing to produce the slate of films to be distributed by Paramount Pictures; Andrew W. Marlowe was hired to write a script for a Nick Fury film in April 2006. In April 2019, after Samuel L. Jackson had portrayed Nick Fury in ten Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films as well as the Marvel Television series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", Richard Newby from "The Hollywood Reporter" felt it was time the character received his own film, calling the character "the MCU's most powerful asset yet to be fully untapped". Jackson was attached to reprise his role in Bradstreet's series, with the latter writing and serving as executive producer.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: In December 2020, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige officially announced a new series titled "Secret Invasion", with Jackson co-starring with Ben Mendelsohn in his MCU role of Talos. The series is based on the 2008–09 comic book storyline of the same name, with Feige describing it as a "crossover event series" that would tie-in with future MCU films; the series' premise further described it as a crossover event series. Marvel Studios chose to make a "Secret Invasion" series instead of a film because it allowed them to do something different than they had done before. Directors were being lined up for the series by April 2021, with Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim attached a month later. Marvel Studios' Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, and Jonathan Schwartz also serve as executive producers. The series will consist of six 40–50 minute episodes.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Feige said the series would not be looking to match the scope of the "Secret Invasion" comic book storyline, in terms of the number of characters featured or the impact on the wider universe, and noted that the comic book featured more characters than the crossover film "" (2019). Instead, he described "Secret Invasion" as a showcase for Jackson and Mendelsohn that would explore the political paranoia elements of the "Secret Invasion" comic series "that was great with the twists and turns that that took". Jackson said the series would uncover some of the things that happened during the Blip. Cobie Smulders described the series as "a very grounded, on-this-earth drama" that was "dealing with real human issues and dealing with trust".


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Jackson was expected to reprise his role in the series with the reveal of its development in September 2020. When the series was officially announced that December, Feige confirmed Jackson's casting and announced that Mendelsohn would co-star. Kingsley Ben-Adir was cast as the Skrull Gravik, the "lead villain" role, in March 2021, and the following month, Olivia Colman was cast as Sonya Falsworth, along with Emilia Clarke as Abigail Brand, and Killian Scott in an undisclosed role. In May 2021, Christopher McDonald joined the cast as a newly created character, rather than one from the comics, who had the potential to appear in other MCU series and films. Carmen Ejogo had joined the cast by November 2021, and the next month, Smulders was set to reprise her MCU role as Maria Hill. In February 2022, set photos revealed that Don Cheadle would appear in his MCU role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, along with Dermot Mulroney as United States President Ritson. The following month, Jackson confirmed that Martin Freeman and Cheadle would appear in the series, with Freeman reprising his MCU role as Everett K. Ross. In September 2022, it was revealed that Charlayne Woodard was cast in the series.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: In September 2021, Chloe Bennet, who portrayed Daisy Johnson / Quake in "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.", stated that she was not involved in the series, after "rampant speculation" suggested she would be, given the character's prominence in the Marvel Comics story and that Bennet was no longer attached to the live-action "Powerpuff Girls" pilot by August 2021 because of scheduling conflicts with another project.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Filming had begun by September 1, 2021, in London, under the working title "Jambalaya", with Bezucha and Selim directing the series, and Sylvaine Dufaux and Remi Adefarasin serving as cinematographers. Filming was previously expected to begin in mid-August 2021. Jackson began filming his scenes on October 14, after already working on the MCU film "The Marvels" (2023) which was filming in London at the same time. Filming occurred in West Yorkshire, England, including Leeds on January 22, Huddersfield on January 24, and in Halifax at Piece Hall from January 24 to 31, 2022. Filming occurred at the Liverpool Street station on February 28, 2022. Filming wrapped on April 25, 2022. Additional filming was also expected to occur across Europe.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: Jackson revealed in mid-June 2022 that he would return to London in August to work on reshoots for "Secret Invasion", after doing the same for "The Marvels". McDonald was returning to London by the end of July for the reshoots, which he said were to make the series "better" and to go "much deeper than before". He also indicated that a new writer was brought on to the production to work on the additional material. Jackson completed his reshoots by August 12, 2022, while Clarke filmed scenes in London at the end of September.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: The first footage of the series debuted on Disney+ Day on November 12, 2021. More footage was shown in July 2022 at San Diego Comic-Con. Adam B. Vary of "Variety" said the footage had an "overall vibe... of paranoia and foreboding", believing the series would fit with the larger "anti-heroic thread" building in of the MCU. The first trailer for the series debuted at the 2022 D23 Expo in September 2022. "Polygon"s Austen Goslin felt the trailer was "mostly a recap of the series' plot", while "Vanity Fair"s Anthony Breznican noted how Fury had both eyes and said he "appears to be done relying on others to help save the world". Tamera Jones from "Collider" felt the trailer was "action-packed with explosions and intrigue, giving off more of a spy vibe than a fun paranoid mystery".


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: "Secret Invasion" is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in early 2023, and will consist of six episodes. It will be part of Phase Five of the MCU.


title: Secret Invasion (TV series)

text: In September 2022, Feige stated that "Secret Invasion" would lead into "Armor Wars", with Cheadle set to reprise his role as Rhodes.


title: There Will Be Blood

text: There Will Be Blood is a 2007 American period drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely based on the 1927 novel "Oil!" by Upton Sinclair. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Daniel Plainview, a silver miner turned oilman on a ruthless quest for wealth during Southern California's oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ciarán Hinds, and Dillon Freasier co-star.


title: There Will Be Blood

text: The film was produced by Ghoulardi Film Company and distributed by Paramount Vantage and Miramax Films. At the 2008 Berlin International Film Festival it won the Silver Bear Award for Best Director and a Special Artistic Contribution Award for Jonny Greenwood's score. It grossed $76.2 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.


title: There Will Be Blood

text: "There Will Be Blood" received acclaim for its cinematography, direction, screenplay, score, and the performances of Day-Lewis and Dano. Day-Lewis won the Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, NYFCC and IFTA Best Leading Actor awards for the role. It has been widely regarded by critics as one of the greatest films of the 21st century, and it appeared on many critics' "top ten" lists for 2007, including the American Film Institute, the National Society of Film Critics, the , and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. At the 80th Academy Awards, the film was nominated for eight Oscars (tying with another Miramax/Paramount Vantage co-production "No Country for Old Men"). The nominations included Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Anderson. Along with Day-Lewis' Oscar for Best Actor, Robert Elswit won the award for Best Cinematography.


title: There Will Be Blood

text: In 1898, Daniel Plainview finds silver while prospecting in New Mexico but breaks his leg. Dragging himself from the pit, he takes a sample to an assay office and receives a silver and gold claim. In 1902, he discovers oil near Los Angeles and establishes a drilling company. Following the death of a worker in an accident, Daniel adopts the man's orphaned son. The boy, H.W., becomes his nominal business partner, allowing Daniel to present himself to potential investors as a family man.