Director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, which starred Tobey Maguire as the wall-crawler, had a fourth film planned. However, we got Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man five years after Spider-Man 3 instead. Work on the fourth film had progressed, though, and we can now see what might have been, thanks to storyboards released by artist Jeffrey Henderson. You can see a couple in the gallery below and the rest over at Henderson’s website.
The storyboards reveal the movie’s villains as the Vulture and Mysterio, though Henderson told io9 that the latter villain was floated as Bruce Campbell’s cameo–Campbell and Raimi worked together on The Evil Dead (1981), and Campbell made a cameo appearance in each of the three Spider-Man movies. Henderson said that it would have been a part of a montage at the beginning of the film, which would show Spider-Man dealing with “C and D-list villains” like the Shocker, Prowler, and “the old school, onesie-wearing Rhino.”
The Vulture would go on to be Spider-Man 4‘s main villain, though Henderson said Raimi had some ideas to reinvent and modernize the character.
“The thing we kept coming back to was that, as a character, everyone was going to dismiss the Vulture as just an old guy in a silly green suit,” Henderson explained. “So we wanted to go the opposite way and really make him the most fearsome and formidable adversary that Spider-Man had faced in the series.”
Alas, Spider-Man 4 was not to be, and we unfortunately don’t know why it was cancelled. The only way to see Spider-Man in theaters these days is in Captain America: Civil War and the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming, which releases in summer 2017.
It appears that Blizzard’s first-ever FPS, Overwatch, is already a success, with the developer claiming it’s already seen more than 7 million players since launch.
That figure combines player totals on PC, Xbox One, and PS4. (It doesn’t necessarily equate to 7 million sales, as there could be multiple players using a single copy.) Across the three platforms, 119 million hours of the game have been played since launch on May 24. Citing unspecified internal data and reports from distribution partners, the company proclaims Overwatch is “one of the most successful global game launches of all time.” It’s unclear exactly what metrics it used to determine this.
Whatever the case, Overwatch is quickly approaching the player total it racked up during May’s open beta. Over 9.7 million people tried that beta, which essentially amounted to a free demo.
Blizzard shared a few other numbers today: Players have switched characters 326 million times and delivered 11 million payloads since launch. Unfortunately, it didn’t have any further data to offer regarding players’ accomplishments or preferences, as it did following the beta.
Bungie will reveal details of what’s next for Destiny ahead of E3, the developer announced today.
The company will host a “Destiny Reveal Stream” on Thursday, June 9, at 10 AM PT. We’ll be learning “all about the next threat that you’ll confront as Guardians” during the stream, which will be happening on Bungie’s Twitch channel.
A recent leak suggested the new expansion is called Rise of Iron and will include a new raid, as well as a new type of weapon (possibly some kind of hammer or axe). It will reportedly be larger than either of Destiny’s first two expansions, The Dark Below and House of Wolves.
Other rumors have suggested the Destiny sequel has been rebooted, with the director of The Taken King expansion, Luke Smith, now leading its development. That remains unconfirmed, and with new Destiny content coming this year, it’s unlikely we’ll hear about that project at E3.
Overwatch is packed with characters that each have their own unique skills and abilities. While the game’s easy to pick up and play, there are important tactics you should try to be mindful of. Below you’ll find a series of videos offering tips and strategies on how to best play each hero in the game.
Make sure to check back often this week and next, as we’ll be updating this feature with more videos on the rest of the game’s roster.
For more on Overwatch, check out our the news and features below:
Overwatch Story Primer–Did you know Overwatch is packed with lore? Here are all the essential narrative details you need to understand the game’s characters and universe.
Bastion
Bastion is a formidable tank with an arsenal of heavy weapons. Its firepower easily makes it a priority target for the opposing team; that’s why it’s important to know how to utilize Bastion’s weapons and abilities. For more on this lethal robot, watch the in-depth video above.
Reaper
Reaper is a deadly offensive character that specializes in close-ranged damage. Equipped with his dual shotguns, he can easily flank opponents with his wraith abilities. For more on how to use Reaper effectively, watch the in-depth video above.
Soldier: 76
If you’re new to Overwatch or shooters in general, Soldier: 76 is one of the best offensive characters to start with. He sports a well-rounded set of abilities and can handle a variety of situations. For more on how to use this masked commando, watch the in-depth video the in-depth video above.
D.Va
D.Va is a powerful tank that can easily lay down the pressure against opponents. Her mech suit comes equipped with twin short-range cannons capable of continuous, high-damage fire without the need to reload. She also sports a variety of useful offensive abilities that further her impact on the battlefield. For a closer look at how to use her, watch our D.Va character guide video.
Genji
Genji is a powerful offensive character whose hit-and-run tactics demand patience and precision. While he’s difficult to master, he should please any player willing to understand the subtle nuances of his attacks and abilities. For more on this cyborg ninja, watch our Genji character guide video.
Junkrat
If you like being a pest to your opponents, then Junkrat is the character for you. His wide-range of explosive weapons and abilities make him a great damage dealer for any team. For a closer look at how to use him, check out our Junkrat character guide video.
Lucio
Lucio is one of the most effective support heroes in the game, providing first-aid and ability buff support to teammates. He’s highly adaptable and is a great fit for any team. For the specifics on how to use him, check out our Lucio character guide video.
McCree
McCree is a powerful offense hero who’s best used against opponents at close-range. With his trusty magnum and its multitude of accompanying abilities that can instantly kill enemies, McCree is a force to be reckoned with. For a detailed look at how to use this gun slinging hero, watch our McCree character guide video.
Mercy
Mercy is a valuable support character who’s capable of using her first-aid and ability buffs to maximize the effectiveness of both tank and offensive characters. In addition, her ultimate–the ability to revive downed teammates–can quickly turn the tide of any battle. For more on Mercy’s abilities and how to play her, watch our Mercy character guide video.
Pharah
Pharah is a great offensive character to play if you want to hassle the opponent while dealing considerable damage. When used properly, her rockets and jetpack make her highly effective at hit-and-run tactics. For a full breakdown, check out our Pharah character guide video.
Reinhardt
Reinhardt is an easy-to-use tank who primarily acts as a team’s frontman. With his handy shield and giant hammer, he can be used for a variety of effective offensive strategies. For a detailed breakdown on how to utilize his abilities, check out our Reinhardt character guide video.
Roadhog
Roadhog is a hefty tank that can quickly lay down the offensive against the opposing team. As a tank, he’s great for hassling enemies, bringing them towards him with his chain hook and bombarding them with his scrap gun. For more on how to play him, check out our Roadhog character guide.
Symmetra
Symmetra can be an incredibly useful support character if played properly. With her handy teleporter and arsenal of turrets, she’s capable of easily tipping the odds in your team’s their favor. For more on how to use her abilities, watch our Symmetra character guide video.
Torbjorn
Torbjorn is an engineer class hero capable of all sorts of useful strategies with his stationary turret. Whether you want to play him defensively or offensively, Torbjorn can be an effective addition to any team. For a detailed look on how to best utilize his skills, check out our Torbjorn character guide video.
Tracer
Tracer’s strength as an offensive character lies not in her damage output, but in her ability to distract and annoy enemies. For more on how to use her, watch our in-depth Tracer character guide video.
Widowmaker
Widowmaker is a formidable sniper with a plethora of abilities that support her long-range capabilities. With the ability to see through walls, plant mines, or grapple-hook her way on to a roof, she’s not a character that opposing players should take lightly. For a detailed breakdown on how to best use her, watch our Widowmaker character guide video.
Winston
Compared to other tank class characters, Winston is less of a brute and more focused on disruption tactics. His mobility allows him the ability to get the jump on his opponents when they least expect it. For more details on how to use this guerrilla scientist’s abilities and tactics, check out our Winston character guide video.
Zarya
Zarya is one of the most difficult tanks to play, utilizing an assortment of complex offensive and defensive abilities. While she may not be the robust tank to use at first, her abilities carry a wealth of nuance that’s fulfilling to master. For more on how to use her, watch our Zarya character guide video.
The Division has encountered more issues, this time related to an “unsuccessful” patch. As a result, the patch did not go out on schedule today and has been delayed. Additionally, the new Challenge Mode for The Division’s Clear Sky raid is also being delayed.
“Prior to deployment, it has been found that the patch was unsuccessful and has been delayed. As such, today’s maintenance will finish early (approximately 12pm CEST),” Ubisoft said in the game’s forums.
“This also means that the deployment of the Clear Sky Challenge Mode has been delayed for the time being as well,” Ubisoft said.
Ubisoft said it will share more information about when the patch will go live and what else is included with it “as soon as we can.” There is no ETA for when the patch will be deployed. The developer also thanked fans for their patience.
Additionally, it appears the Xbox One version of The Division is facing some kind of “double UI” problem right now. Ubisoft is deploying a fix for this very soon.
XB1: We will be deploying a client fix for the Double UI issue in about 30 minutes. Patch size is 2.8Gb. Make sure to restart your client.
If you missed out on Mafia II, 2K is currently selling the game’s PC version for quite cheap right now Steam. As announced previously, the crime game has now returned to Steam and is marked down 80 percent, meaning you can get the game for just $6.
Additionally, all six available expansions, including Jimmy’s Vendetta and Joe’s Adventure, are marked down 80 percent. No DLC costs more than $2 with the discount applied.
According to online reports, Mafia II was removed from Steam last summer, only just returning this week. The game has a connection to this October’s Mafia III, as Mafia II’s Vito Scaletta appears in Mafia III as a lieutenant to main character Lincoln Clay.
GameSpot’s Mafia II review scored it an 8.5/10. “Mafia II is an excellent return of a franchise with great promise. Vito and his associates are memorable characters in a city bursting with subtle visual details and violent undertones,” critic Kevin VanOrd said.
Valve has now sold more than 500,000 Steam Controllers, the company announced in a blog post. The unique gamepad–which is built to work with and adapt to all kinds of PC games, such as platformers, shooters, and RTS games–originally went on sale to the public in November 2015.
In the blog post, Valve teased more configuration options are coming to the Steam Controller in a future update. Players will be able to use “Activators” to assign actions for things like press-and-hold, double click, and toggle. One example is that in id Software’s Doom, you will be able to cycle through your arsenal by pressing just one button. This is just one example of what you could do.
Valve also pledged to continue to add new features and functionality to the Steam Controller in the future. The company said it hopes players send in feedback to help Valve “make the Steam Controller even better.”
2K Sports has announced Indiana Pacers forward Paul George, a three-time NBA all-star who also played for Team USA, will be on the cover of NBA 2K17.
This announcement was made as part of the NBA 2K16 Road to the Finals competitive gaming event. A team called The Drewkerbockers ended up winning, splitting a $250,000 prize with the second place team, GFGeSports.
George isn’t the only cover athlete for NBA 2K17. 2K Sports is honoring NBA icon Kobe Bryant, who retired this year, with an $80 “Legend Edition.” This comes with an assortment of both physical and digital items; you can see everything it contains here.
Konami has released a trailer for its next Metal Gear Solid project, a Pachinko machine based on Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.
The video, which you can watch below, shows an iconic scene from Snake Eater recreated in FOX Engine, the tech used to develop Metal Gear Solid 5 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
We get to see The Boss and Naked Snake’s final confrontation with high-quality character models and environments, as well as updated version of The Pain, The Fear, The Fury, and The End.
The trailer is purely for a pinball machine to be released across arcades in Japan, and does not suggest Konami is working on a Metal Gear Solid 3 remake.
On the other hand, Konami has said it isn’t done with new entries in the Metal Gear Solid video game series. On November 3, 2015, an unnamed representative for the company said discussions about a new Metal Gear game have begun, and the company is examining plans.
Given that the FOX Engine was developed internally for Metal Gear Solid 5 and that very few games have been developed using it since, perhaps Konami is thinking about remaking an older, beloved entry in the series instead of taking a chance on a new one without series creator Hideo Kojima. We can dream.
These posters aren’t the only bit of promotional material to arrive this week. With the Euro 2016 soccer championship kicking off later this month, a new promo aimed at British sports fans has been released. Watch it right here:
Suicide Squad is directed by Fury‘s David Ayer, and tells the story of a group of death row supervillains who are employed covertly by the US government to perform dangerous missions, in return for reduced prison sentences. It stars Jared Leto as Joker, alongside Will Smith as Deadshot, and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.
Earlier this week, the Mirror reported that there were plans to include the Suicide Squad in the DC show Arrow, but this was abandoned when the film went into pre-production. Unlike rivals Marvel, DC’s TV and film properties do not exist in the same universe, so the team would have been portrayed by different actors.
During a Q&A at the MCM London Comic Con, Arrow star Willa Holland said: “When DC found out they were going to be doing their own movie we had to axe all of the characters before we even got to show them.
“Once they said no, you can’t really fight against them for it, because they are the people that gave us a job in the first place. You just have to sit there on your hands, like okay, I get it!”
