All it takes is an old camera and some very specific firmware
Your camera can slay demons now thanks to a Doom port for a Canon DSLR
Image: id Software/Bethesda Softworks
In need of a conversation starter for a late-summer event? A fill-the-silence trick for a lull at a backyard barbecue, or an emergency plan for the three seconds after you accidentally lock eyes with a stranger at a party? Here’s an idea: Bring your DSLR. Don’t take a single photo with it. Instead, whip it out, hand it to somebody, and challenge them to clear a level of Doom — the classic 1993 version — on the camera. Enjoy their confusion…and then the double-take as they realize that, wait, you can indeed play Doom on a DSLR.
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Provided that you own a very specific, very old device, this is a real thing you can do. The Canon EOS 550D, also known as the Rebel T2i, is an entry-level DSLR Canon that was released back in 2010. While that might seem recent to some — I, personally, cannot comprehend the idea that 2014 was not in fact yesterday — in the tech space, this is ancient history. Recently, developer lauris-nl built a working Doom port for this camera. This might seem out of left field, because it is, but also, running Doom on old hardware is a thing. (There’s an entire subreddit dedicated to it!)
To make this work, lauris-nl used something called “Magic Lantern,” an open-source firmware add-on that initially helped photographers unlock extra shooting features on their Canon cameras. While Magic Lantern likely wasn’t meant to turn the device into a demon-slaying handheld, the software and hardware seem to handle the game fairly well. The camera’s directional pad moves your character around, the Set button fires your weapon, and the Menu and Display buttons open and close Doom’s own in-game menu. It’s wild how intuitively that worked out — but what’s even wilder is that the Canon EOS 550D can also handle sound. The camera has a built-in speaker, so while you’re at your hypothetical event playing Doom on your device, heads up, there will be gunfire and zombie groans. This is, turns out, not exactly a subtle activity. (Although you could turn down the volume if you’re going for undercover gaming while allegedly taking vacation photos.)
John Romero/id Software
If you’re interested in replicating this for yourself and you don’t happen to have a Rebel T2i camera lying around, make sure you filter your eBay searches with precision. This Doom software hack only works on the 550D — and, further, only on the camera running firmware version 1.0.9. Developer lauris-nl included very pointed directions warning people not to attempt Doom installation on any other camera model or firmware. They didn’t include an explanation, but it’s fair to assume that you could risk bricking your very expensive, vintage camera, so it’s probably worth listening to lauris-nl, here.
Not finding a sixteen-year-old Canon either in your junk drawer or online? Don’t lose hope. A separate developer, one DaneBentley, has already figured out how to engineer the same trick on the Canon PowerShot SD1000, a 2007 point-and-shoot that was, like the 550D, minding its own business before someone decided multitasking was in its future. For those curious, playing Doom on a camera isn’t the only feat possible with Magic Lantern experimentation: The same firmware can also, when fiddled around with, do other very cool upgraded actual camera activities, like enhanced video recording and focus peaking. But that, while incredible, is somewhat expected. The fact that “unlock relevant camera features” and “install a 1993 video game” were part of the same software engineering rabbit hole is precisely the Easter egg that I needed to learn about today. And, potentially, include as part of my toolkit for impressing new acquaintances, should I happen across the right camera. %!s()
Joe Root said "it would be nice to have a choice" over the venues where his England team play as they leave Headingley until 2029.
England's crushing victory over Pakistan is their seventh consecutive win in Leeds, their longest current winning streak at any ground in the world.
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But they do not return for a Test at Headingley for three years, meaning they will not have the advantage of playing on this ground in next summer's home Ashes series.
It was put to Root that Australia would be unlikely to give up the advantage of hosting England at their most successful venues when the urn is contested down under.
Australia have not lost an Ashes Test at the Gabba in Brisbane since 1986, or been beaten by England in Perth since 1978.
"Obviously this is a slightly different system here and a different way that things are done," said Yorkshire batter Root.
"I think I should probably stay in my lane and understand that it's someone else's job to sort out. As a player, you want to play at the grounds you have most success at as a team, clearly.
"It's one that we generally do well at and I love playing here - as the Yorkshireman I have to say that from birth, so I'm glad it's the case."
For Root, the innings victory sealed inside three days against Pakistan was the ideal start to his second spell as captain.
It also extended England's run of wins at Headingley, which began in 2018. Their longest winning streak at another ground is six at Chester-le-Street.
The decision for Headingley and Old Trafford to miss out on the 2027 Ashes roster was announced in 2023.
But the match allocation has once again come into focus after the schedule for next year's series was confirmed in July.
Nottingham's Trent Bridge will be the most northerly ground to host a men's Ashes Test, with Southampton given an England-Australia Test for the first time. Headingley will instead play host to a women's Ashes Test.
Headingley staged a men's Ashes Test in 2019 and 2023, both matches England won. The 2019 win, inspired by Ben Stokes, was one of the most legendary contests in Ashes history, ranking alongside Ian Botham's heroics of 1981 on the same ground.
Overall, England's record of nine home Ashes wins in Leeds is bettered only by their 17 at The Oval, and The Oval has hosted 36 Ashes Tests compared to Headingley's 26.
"I would love to play as many games as possible here," said Root. "It's a great Test-match venue, a surface that provides brilliant Test cricket, and one we've had quite a lot of success on recently.
"It's a shame we don't get to play here next year, but I'm sure we will see many, many more brilliant Test matches here."
Headingley will next host a men's Ashes Test in 2031, from when the England and Wales Cricket has said it will keep at least one Test in Leeds or Manchester in the allocation for every home Ashes series. Southampton will get a Test in alternate men's home Ashes.
Root looks set to lead England into next year's Ashes after returning to the captaincy.
The 35-year-old resumed a job he gave up four years ago following the retirement of Ben Stokes.
Root will form a new-look leadership team with Stephen Fleming, who has replaced Brendon McCullum as Test coach.
However, Fleming is not yet in post, with Marcus Trescothick acting as interim coach for the Pakistan series.
Fleming is due to arrive in the UK in September, possibly not before the Pakistan series is over, but Root revealed the pair had been in contact throughout the win at Headingley.
"Every day. I think he's kept tabs on things," said Root. "It's just been great to have him on the end of the phone.
"I can speak to him as much or as little as I like, and it's great that he's very invested already in what we're trying to achieve. There's been constant communication with me and Marcus as well."
Former England opener Trescothick was an assistant to McCullum when the New Zealander was in charge of both the Test and white-ball teams.
England are yet to confirm the make-up of their backroom team now Fleming and McCullum are sharing head coach responsibilities.
And Trescothick said he would "love" to continue working with the Test team.
"I've a huge amount of respect for Stephen and what he's done in the game," Trescothick told Test Match Special.
"He was a fantastic captain and leader and has done a brilliant job doing what he's done as a coach. I'd love to carry on." %!s()
[This story contains spoilers for episode five of The Shards.]
With his TV shows, Ryan Murphy shows can be counted on for two things: stirring bottomless pop-culture discourse and envisioning a distinct, period-appropriate aesthetic. This is particularly true of costumes from the Hitchcockian vibe of 2020’s Ratched to the chic ’90s minimalism embodied by Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in this year’s Love Story. So when The Shards was announced as the latest FX series to join the Murphy oeuvre, it was a sure bet early-‘80s L.A. style would take center stage.
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It doesn’t hurt that author Bret Easton Ellis also liberally namechecked fashion throughout the 2023 novel the series is based on. With both men serving as executive producers on the series, The Shards is required viewing for fashion students seeking to learn about the decade’s silhouettes and details, from hefty shoulder pads to the New Romantics style popularized by Adam Ant and Culture Club music videos.
Episode five of The Shards, “Murder on the Dance Floor,” gives us a bit of everything style-wise, also because most of the hour takes place at the much-anticipated filming of Dance-Off! This American Bandstand clone pits three key characters — Kaia Gerber’s Susan, Hayes Warner’s Debbie, and Bella Valdes’ Cha Cha — against each other for the coveted title of “Groover of the Week.”
Ahead of the episode’s airing, THR spoke with the show’s costume designers Lou Eyrich and Joshua Marsh. Eyrich has worked with Murphy for almost three decades as both a costume designer and a producer on shows including Ratched and Love Story, as well as Nip/Tuck, Glee, and American Horror Story, affording her unique insight into Murphy’s creative process.
Episode five of FX‘s The Shards, “Murder on the Dancefloor.” From left: Igby Rigney as Bret, Hayes Warner as Debbie Schaffer, Kaia Gerber as Susan Reynolds, Homer Gere as Robert Mallory.
FX
There’s a shot in episode five that sets the style tone perfectly, of the four key characters arriving at the Dance Off! studio, rounding the corner and walking between soundstages, and each of them looks pretty flawless. Were you on set for this shot?
LOU EYRICH Definitely, also because Ryan was directing that episode. He’s so visual, so after a rehearsal he might come in and say, “Let’s change this” or “Do you have a different jacket?” His notes also might ask for a character’s hair to be more curly, or that a filter needs to be changed.
JOSHUA MARSH Iconic looks come out of those moments with Ryan. Once we’ve met to discuss, an actor might run to the hair trailer, we run to our office and gather options, then we all reconvene in 20 minutes. They call rolling, and we all get to catch our breath and smile.
Let’s go back to before filming started — when you first received the scripts, what can you tell me about the early conversations and the inspirations for what you would be creating?
MARSH Bret Easton Ellis wrote an incredible novel that is chock-a-block full of details. In those 700 pages, I think there are hundreds and hundreds of references to clothes, cars, music, etc. So we had a document to use as a starting place, and from there it was about delving into the research and trying to get our minds in that world.
EYRICH Ryan was also very specific about the hair and makeup for each person, which then directly affected the direction we were going in for their costumes.
It wasn’t so much a look as it was a music cue that made me immediately think of American Gigolo — with Richard Gere, whose son Homer stars in the show — while watching episode five.
MARSH A few American Gigolo references came into play. The color palette of that film is very specific and rich, so it was definitely a source of inspiration. There’s a particular moment in episode four that’s a little homage to American Gigolo, too.
EYRICH A big part of it also was because [Giorgio] Armani designed the costumes for that movie, and it’s been referenced by so many over the years, because it was groundbreaking costume design. Josh mentioned the color palette, but also just that quiet luxury, the really soft silks. Ryan had referenced loving that tone and to study how Armani did that. So yes, we all bow down to Armani.
How big a role did music play while you were working on inspirations?
EYRICH That’s another shoutout to Bret Easton Ellis, because he listed all the songs in the novel. So Josh made a playlist, and we played it over and over while we were working, and it definitely had an influence on the clothing. You remember the first time you saw Adam Ant or Boy George, when everybody started wearing porkpie hats or wearing eyeliner. That absolutely influenced the fashion of our world.
Warner as Debbie Schaffer, Anthony Ramos as Tony Cruz, Gerber as Susan Reynolds.
FX
It’s not a small cast, and the core characters have such unique personalities, so how did you address the disparate looks of, say, Debbie vs. Susan, or Debbie’s father, Wes Bentley’s Terry, vs. Jordan Roth’s Steven?
MARSH When we thought about Susan, she feels really drawn from Southern California iconography. You also feel like you really want to know her, so for her we leaned into Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and the iconic Brooke Shields ad from that era. So in some scenes it was about denim, great silk blouses, ala Lauren Hutton in American Gigolo, and then elevating everything a bit.
Debbie is kind of that other extreme, with the dawn of MTV as a big inspiration. This is a girl with tons of money and access, and she’s going out, going to music clubs. So with her we wanted to push that idea of rocker glam, late ‘70s, early ‘80s, with a splash of New Wave. For the guys, we had a lot of fun differentiating them: Brett [played by Igby Rigney] and Thom [Graham Campbell] are both preppy, but Brett feels very classic and California and West Coast, while Thom is more East Coast Ivy League style, so we pushed to get a little more color in there and punch his character up a bit.
Amid that Dance-Off! scene, with so many dancers on the stage, how important was it that both Debbie and Susan stand out from the rest of the cast? It’s notable that both their partners, Brett and [Homer Gere’s] Robert, wear dark looks in those scenes, while Debbie is in this electric blue and Susan is in an apricot silk jumpsuit that’s very reminiscent of Halston.
MARSH It was partially about making sure the ladies got to shine, particularly Debbie, because all she wants is for anyone outside her family to acknowledge her worth. But we also wanted Brett and Robert to feel a bit like they’re transitioning, so Robert’s in that great ‘80s New Wave silk shirt in navy, with his signature leather pants and a red belt, while Brett is also in more of an ‘80s fit than he usually wears. He’s been wearing super taut things, but this shirt’s a little looser, a little silky, and it’s unbuttoned a little low. He’s stepping into adulthood at “Dance-Off!” and he’s also wanting to be more attentive to Debbie, so we wanted to communicate that.
There’s a great moment early in the episode, when Steven has stepped in to style Debbie’s look for Dance-Off! and he mentions that Claude Montana would be perfect for her. You can’t get more 1980s than that reference.
EYRICH And [Thierry] Mugler, who also was an inspiration.
MARSH Mugler, Claude Montana specifically, but also [Azzedine] Alaïa, Valentino. We looked at their collections from that period a few times, but Claude Montana was a really exciting one because he also was namechecked in the script. When the kids arrive at the Dance-Off! studio, Terry is wearing a fabulous white leather Claude Montana suit, and [Bentley] wears some other Claude Montana pieces throughout the series as well.
EYRICH The whole look for Terry, per Ryan, was that big-shouldered, snatched-waist look, and that’s Claude Montana.
From left: Wes Bentley as Terry Schaffer and Jordan Roth as Steven Reinhardt.
FX
We have to talk about Jordan Roth, because we know how much he loves fashion. What was it like working with him to put together such a specific aesthetic?
MARSH Before I got to meet the incredible Jordan Roth, I had only known him from being a theater kid all my life. And we were a little intimidated, because he is so entrenched in fashion and has so much access to fashion. Our first meeting was a Zoom call, and Jordan had pulled stills from 10 or 12 fashion shows from between 1979 and 1982, just as a starting point for discussion. We wanted to understand from Jordan how he saw the character, and one of the things we all came together with was that it should feel like there should be a darkness and an elegance about his style. Then in an early meeting, Ryan used the term “sinister glamour,” and that became the defining piece of information.
In our first fitting, Jordan walked in with two giant suitcases — you know, “I brought a few things from home.” But the things he’s collected and picked up in his travels are just incredible: a beautiful vintage leather Alaia jacket, for example, or pieces by Valentino and Yves Saint Laurent, and that was really exciting. Our first two fittings were about playing and trying everything, and Jordan always wanted to push it further. What we ended up creating was this really cool New Wave, iconic gallerist look — but someone who could also take a life.
So it’s time to talk about Cha Cha — who from the beginning of the episode, admittedly, I was pretty sure wasn’t going to make it out alive. She’s just so horrible from the first moment we see her, which also makes her red jumpsuit pretty perfect.
MARSH (Laughs.)Cha Cha’s look is inspired by that idea of the ‘80s does the ‘50s, you know? This is a young woman who loved Grease and loved that retro-‘50s look. You see that in a lot of the shapes she wears, so that was an initial starting point for us, as well as the Latina music artists of that era. I will say, when I watch the episode, mainly I think about the actress who plays her, Bella Valdes, who is an absolute delight.
EYRICH We also watched a lot of Soul Train when planning for this episode. You can really go down a rabbit hole watching those, because the girls are all wearing these great jumpsuits. That was really fun.
Because Cha Cha dances so much more provocatively than the other dancers on the show, how did that play into the design of her jumpsuit?
MARSH Bella is a trained dancer, and she was also doing all those moves in the fittings. We’d have her try on the look, and we’d say, “Can you do all your stuff?” So Bella would do a high kick into a split, so we had to make sure there was some give there. We also had multiples of that red jumpsuit, because it would get a bit worn out as she moved in it throughout the day, so we could swap in a new one.
EYRICH Josh picked a great dance shoe for Bella to wear, and then with the other members of the main cast, we were really excited about these cute shoes we’d picked out for them. Then they spent time in rehearsal with the choreographer, and they came back and said, “We can’t wear those shoes.” The outfits already had been designed around them, so we had to go in search of cute dance shoes.
Bella Valdes as Cha Cha Rodriguez.
FX
How did you source other pieces vs. custom pieces made for the episode?
EYRICH The blouse Susan wears in the Hamburger Hamlet scene came from a vintage store, Another Man’s Treasure in Pasadena, and then we were lucky enough to find two more. So all of a sudden there was a dream scenario of having not only a perfect piece for Susan to wear, but photo doubles as well. Evan Rachel Wood [as Liz, Debbie’s mother] also wears a great vintage robe by Krizia in this episode.
MARSH I believe for the Dance-Off! scene, all of our kids were in head-to-toe custom.
EYRICH We were lucky to have an incredible tailor team, because they handmade almost all of it. That’s also true of the brown tuxedo that Anthony Ramos wore; I think they made that in two days. We also have to give a shoutout to the background dressing team, who had to singlehandedly shop and fit all those background dancers — I think there were 60 altogether — and they really nailed it.
How can we look forward to the style now that we’re past the midway point of the season?
MARSH You’ll see some really delightful moments in episodes six and seven; they may be my favorite moments in the series. And there will be some delights in the finale.
EYRICH As you watch, you’ll start to see the unraveling of everybody, both from what’s happening around them and what’s happening in their friendships, and you’ll see that in their costumes as well.
Lou, for you this also was quite a balancing act.
EYRICH You have to remember, we also were wrapping up [Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story], which was set in the 1800s. We were starting American Horror Story: 13, which was an amalgamation of all the seasons. We were starting The Shards. And then we also were starting the second season of All’s Fair, which is highly contemporary. And Ryan’s got that all in his head, but that’s part of the beauty of what he does. He’ll tell you something, and you can tell he’s been up all night, but then he’ll come in the next day and say, “You know, I’m actually thinking it should be this.” You get a bit of whiplash, but it’s always spot-on and always amazing.
MARSH We work so hard, but we are not going to sit here and say it was a grind. We genuinely pour ourselves into it, but we had a great time. We had a blast. We would be in those fittings for three or four hours, but there’s a lot of good work in there, so it’s a joy to us, a joy for the cast, and it’s a joy to see onscreen. %!s()
HBO Max is officially moving forward with their DC Studios mockumentary series, now titled “The People v. Gorilla Grodd.”
The show was first reported to be in the works in November 2025. As reported at the time, Skyler Gisondo will reprise the role of Jimmy Olsen, whom he first played in the 2025 “Superman” movie. Jimmy Tatro is officially set to play Gorilla Grodd.
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HBO Max has given the show an eight-episode order.
The logline for the show states, “A superintelligent ape (Tatro) is convicted of murdering his father, the King of Gorilla City. In an eight-part ‘true’ crime docuseries, the Daily Planet’s Jimmy Olsen (Gisondo) reopens the case, investigating whether Gorilla Grodd was wrongly convicted in one of Metropolis’ most famous murder trials.”
Along with Gisondo and Tatro, the series will also star “Superman” actors Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant, and Wendell Pierce as Perry White. Additional cast members include Mary Holland, Eduardo Franco, Arian Moayed, Andrew Leeds, and Tim Baltz.
Tony Yacenda and Dan Perrault will serve as writers, executive producers, and showrunners on the series, with Perrault also set as part of the show’s cast. Yacenda will direct all eight episodes. James Gunn and Peter Safran also executive produce. DC Studios and Warner Bros. Television will produce.
“We’re excited by the challenge of creating a series that feels less like an entry into the DCU and more like an artifact from it,” Yacenda and Perrault said. “A Daily Planet original documentary made for the people of Metropolis. We hope it’ll appeal to fans of the comics, comedy and true crime. And while we can’t speak for audiences here yet, we already know it’s a huge hit in Metropolis. They love this series.”
Yacenda and Perrault are no strangers to the world of mockumentary series. The duo famously created the critically-acclaimed Netflix show “American Vandal,” which spoofed the true crime genre. The show aired for two seasons at the streamer and won a Peabody Award for its first season in addition to being nominated for an Emmy for best writing for a comedy series. Tatro and Franco both starred in the show’s first season.
Yacenda and Perrault then went on to create the Paramount+ mockumentary series “Players,” which was set in the world of eSports. They previously spoofed the sports world on projects like a parody of ESPN’s “30 for 30” series about the events of “Rocky IV” and “Angels in the Outfield” for CollegeHumor.
“We are thrilled to be working with Tony and Dan, alongside James, Peter, the entire DC team and our colleagues at WBTV, to bring these iconic DCU characters to HBO Max in a new and unexpected way,” said Amy Gravitt, executive vice president of HBO Programming and ead of HBO & HBO Max comedy series. “We already know Skyler Gisondo is pitch-perfect as Jimmy Olsen and we can’t wait for fans to experience Jimmy Tatro’s captivating and hilarious portrayal of Grodd.”
Gunn and Safran added, “Between Skyler’s wonderful performance and the fantastic chemistry of the Daily Planet cast, we knew coming out of ‘Superman’ that this would be a fun world to explore. We’re excited to work with the brilliant Dan Perrault and Tony Yacenda to take the audience down some of the darker and funnier streets and alleyways of the DCU as Jimmy spotlights the Metropolis criminal justice system for his docuseries.”
Gisondo is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and Jackoway Austen. Tatro is repped by Brillstein Entertainment, UTA, Toczek Suddleson Law Group LLP and Luna Public Relations. Bennett is repped by UTA and Myman Greenspan. Hoover is repped by Buchwald, Untitled Entertainment, Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver Thompson, and Birch Public Relations. Pierce is repped by Paradigm. Holland is repped by Atlas Artists, Paradigm Talent Agency, and Ziffren Brittenham. Franco is repped by Mosaic, UTA & Kovert Creative. Moayed is repped by UTA and Kipperman Management. Perrault is repped by Brillstein, UTA, and Narrative. Leeds is repped by Gersh, Perennial Entertainment, and Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP. Baltz is repped by repped by El Centro Entertainment, Gersh, and Lichter-Grossman.
News of the series order comes less than a week after the premiere of “Lanterns,” another DC Studios show about Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan. It was reported last week that two DC live-action projects — an Amanda Waller series and a “Wonder Woman” prequel set on Themyscira — are no longer in development. %!s()
The recall population includes certain 8-series models from 2022–2026, certain 5-series models from 2021–2023, and certain 750e xDrive models from 2024–2026.
BMW issued a recall for nearly 28,000 sedans that pose a rollaway risk and could lose rear-wheel power completely. The recall affects 27,720 vehicles split between the 8-series, 5-series, and 750e xDrive lineups, according to documents filed with the NHTSA. The affected 8-series models are from the 2022–2026 model years, while affected 5-series models range from 2021–2023. Affected 750e xDrive sedans span from 2024–2026.
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Michael Simari|Car and Driver
Official paperwork related to the recall shows that the connection between the driveshaft and the rear-axle differential may create excessive wear on both components. Over time, the degradation of the parts could cause a total loss of power to the rear wheels, increasing the risk of a crash. In some instances, it can also mean that unless the parking brake is applied, the affected vehicles pose a rollaway risk.
As a remedy, BMW technicians will inspect the driveshaft and rear differential. When applicable, the technicians will either add adhesive to the connection or, when necessary, replace both the driveshaft and rear differential.
While the recall paperwork doesn’t identify any warnings that could help identify the issue, BMW is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defect.
Dealers have already been notified of the recall and informed of the remedy procedure. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be sent on October 2, with instructions to bring affected vehicles in for the free service. Owners concerned that their car is involved can check the NHTSA recalls site using their car’s VIN.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. %!s()