Before Patrick Stewart was cast as the mighty Marvel Comics telepath, "King of Pop" Michael Jackson pitched himself to the filmmakers to play Professor Charles Xavier in 2000's X-Men movie. That meeting was recounted as part of a larger exposé from The Hollywood Reporter on X-Men director Bryan Singer, which details a long pattern of unprofessional and allegedly abusive behavior on set and off that eventually saw Singer fired from directing Bohemian Rhapsody nearly two decades later. Michael Jackson met with Bryan Singer and a group of the filmmakers involved in the X-Men movie back in the spring of 1999. Jackson, who THR notes was wearing sunglasses and refused to shake hands, made his case for why he should play Professor Charles Xavier, mentor and leader of the X-Men, in what would become the first big Marvel movie blockbuster. [caption id="attachment_2387307" align="alignnone" width="720"] Michael Jackson in 1986's 3D sci-fi film Captain EO. (Credit: Disney)[/caption] Jackson, it must be remembered, was no stranger to acting, having portrayed the Scarecrow in 1978's The Wiz. He also acted in several of his extended music videos, such as "Thriller" and "Bad," and starred in the 1988 musical anthology film Moonwalker as well as the Francis Ford Coppola-directed, George Lucas-scripted fantasy short, Captain EO. X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner recalled telling Jackson at the X-Men meeting, "I said to him, 'Do you know Xavier is an older white guy?' ... And Michael said, 'Oh yeah. You know, I can wear makeup.'" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=stars-who-were-almost-superheroes&captions=true"] Jackson's "elaborate presentation" to the X-Men team included showing the short film Ghosts, wherein Jackson plays an older white mayor at one point. THR claims Jackson was, "never seriously considered" for the role, citing one unnamed former film exec citing the late singer's child sex abuse scandal as one reason why: "Michael was already in the thick of all his allegations by X-Men." (It should be noted that THR also delves into the many sexual misconduct allegations against Bryan Singer in their piece.) [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/14/all-the-x-men-movies-ranked"] In the end, Patrick Stewart was cast as Professor X in 2000's X-Men, a role he continued to play until 2017's Logan. Michael Jackson's pitch to play Professor X isn't the only curious "what might have been" piece of X-Men casting history. Then-unknown Hugh Jackman replaced Dougray Scott as Wolverine, while Jim Caviezel was originally tipped to play Cyclops before James Marsden won the role. [poilib element="accentDivider"]

Cicadas are succumbing to a parasitic infection that basically turns them into zombies. You read that right. The fungus scientifically known as Massospora has been infecting male cicadas for years, according to a journal from PLOS Pathogens as reported by LiveScience. It doesn't end there though. Much like a zombie army, the male cicada zombies begin to work toward growing their numbers by luring in other male cicadas using a flickering wing movement traditionally used by female cicadas to lure in male mates. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-sci-fi-movies&captions=true"] When the non-infected male cicadas attempt to mate with the infected cicada after being lured in, the Massospora is transferred and it begins to infect the new cicada by eating away at its abdomen. It replaces the abdomen with itself, which looks like a grouping of yellow spores. It's apparently not easy to spot this zombie-like transformation occur as the cicadas usually infected are of the Magicicada genus, which spend up to 17 years of their life underground at a time. Fortunately for the scientists behind the PLOS Pathogens report, they're able to track different populations of cicada emerging at different times through a cycle of years. Once the abdomen is transformed into a mass of spores, the now-zombified cicada will fly around and drop spores to infect even more cicada. As to how the Massospora controls this spore-dropping flight and the mating call that occurs after infection, scientists aren't yet sure which chemicals within the fungus are making that happen. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/30/scientists-revive-100-million-year-old-lifeforms-ign-now"] A non-infected cicada's life after emerging from the ground years and years after it is born would generally only last a few weeks. They mate, lay eggs, then die. When infected by the Massospora, their life is prolonged but considering they are zombies at that point, it's not really living. If you're clamoring for zombie-like science, read about how scientists are resurrecting 100-million-year-old underwater lifeforms. After that, read about how a bionic moon jellyfish was created by scientists earlier this year. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Courteney Cox is reportedly set to return to the Scream movie universe. Cox will reprise her role as reporter Gale Weathers, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She was last seen in that role in 2011's Scream 4. This news comes two months after it was announced that David Arquette is set to reprise his role as Sheriff Dewey Riley in the fifth Scream movie. As for what Cox's involvement in the story will be, not much more is known. Considering that her role throughout the series has been to investigate the murders of Ghostface, it's easy to imagine that she'll probably be picking back up on the killer's trail. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-25-best-horror-movies&captions=true"] The news of a fifth Scream movie came earlier this year when it was reported that Spyglass Media Group would produce the film. The movie will be directed by Ready or Not's Matthew Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. As for what to expect, it's still unclear if this is a soft reboot with a continuation of the previous Scream movies or a hard reboot with no connection to what's come before. Betinelli-Olpin, Gillette, and Chad Villela are collectively known as horror film group, Radio Silence. This trio is responsible for last year's Ready or Not, which saw Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett direct and Villela produce. We gave Ready or Not a 7.6 out of 10 in our review. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/18/ready-or-not-red-band-trailer-1"] Lantern Entertainment acquired the rights to Scream after the company took control of film and TV Scream assets following a Weinstein Co. bankruptcy sale in 2018. Scream 5's production will shoot in Wilmington, North Carolina and casting is currently underway, according to THR. The first Scream — directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson — was released in 1996. It starred Drew Barrymore, Neve Campbell, Cox, and Matthew Lillard, among others. The slasher "GhostFace" wore a mask inspired by Edvard Munch painting, The Scream, while preying on Campbell's character. The film made over $100 million at the domestic box office and spawned a number of sequels as well as an MTV television series. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes. 

This year's Football Manager game will be released "a little later" than originally planned, according to developer Sports Interactive. In a statement put out by studio boss Miles Jacobson, it was explained that new games in the long-running sports series will be released this year, but they won't appear at the time originally planned, and will have slightly different features. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/18/football-manager-2020-announce-trailer"] "What I can confirm today is that, despite all the problems going on in the world, there will be new Football Manager games released later this year," said Jacobson. "They will be delivered a little later than we’d originally planned, but they’ll have exceptionally strong feature sets… albeit different to those we thought we’d settled on back in January when I completed my ‘dream feature set’." The delay is due, as so many have been this year, to the impact of COVID-19 and the enforcement of working from home. While Sports Interactive reports adding more than 20 new members of staff to its team during this unusual period, it has had to reassess development on "an almost weekly basis", which has resulted in changing scope, both up and downwards. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/29/euro-2020-in-football-manager-feat-football-ramble-daily-part-1"] Football Manager games traditionally release in November. With Sports Interactive saying that the new games will release this year, it seems sensible to assume that December could be the new target month. However, with no date given, it's impossible to know when this year's FM will land. For more Football Manager in the meantime, take a look at how we recreated the Euro 2020 tournament in FM 2020. You can also check out our Football Manager 2020 review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer. 

BioWare is still working towards a refreshed version of Anthem, dubbed Anthem Next. Today, BioWare Austin director Christian Dailey revealed some updates to loot and gear in his first blog post since announcing his involvement leading Anthem to its next stage. The bulk of Dailey’s new blog post was dedicated to the changes BioWare Austin is trying out in regards to loot and weapons. This includes a more frequent and satisfying loot drop system, as well as a faster power ramp. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-ign-bioware-game-review&captions=true"] Here are some of the changes Dailey outlined in the new Anthem blog post. Respect Your Time

• Increase the frequency of Loot Drops
• Loot is viable more often; All items are better and more competitive, but there’s still a chance of getting something exceptional
• All loot rarities have strategic value throughout progression

Embrace Choice

• You can pursue specific loot without relying on randomness alone; Quests; Specialized Vendors; Unique Loot Tables
• Modify your loot, including rerolling inscriptions and leveling up items

Create a Rewarding Loot Experience

• Loot feels exciting and more noticeable when it drops, and is celebrated when collected
• Rare enemies (aka “walking treasure chests”) create exciting moments to get a burst of loot all at once

Keep it Accessible and Immediate

• Reveal and equip loot right away
• Complete revamp of the equipment sheet – including a detailed stat sheet (not shown)
• The equipment sheet can be accessed from anywhere, allows you to easily see what you have equipped in each slot

Reliability of Equipment and Rewards

• Each item has an inscription “budget”, based on its Power and Rarity
• No more useless items because they were missing must-have inscriptions (see “Increased weapon dmg by +225%”)
• Exceptional items are about getting the exact types of bonuses you want, instead of maxing values on every bonus

Scale for the Future

• Your power cap can be easily increased, and the loot system scales accordingly
• Advanced telemetry data allows us to identify trends and make meaningful balance changes

[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=anthem-next-developer-update&captions=true"] The Anthem team in Austin is also exploring ways to make gunplay feel more responsive, and even the efficacy of introducing melee items and builds. New equipments and weapons are also on the way. Dailey stresses that these aren’t easy fixes and that implementing changes will take time. The timeline has also no doubt been affected by the ongoing COVID pandemic. Anthem was released in 2019 and was BioWare’s foray into the live-service space. Unfortunately, critical response to Anthem was mostly negative, which has led to BioWare Austin taking over the project and build an updated version. Other parts of BioWare are currently working on a new Dragon Age title. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Microsoft has announced that Battletoads will be available on Xbox Game Pass or to purchase on Xbox One and PC on August 20, 2020. The release date was revealed on Xbox Wire alongside a brand new trailer, and it shows more of the game that brings back Zitz, Rash, and Pimple for the first time in 26 years. This newest Battletoads adventure is developed by Dlala Studios, and is supported by series creator Rare. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/07/31/battletoads-official-release-date-trailer"] For those unfamiliar with Battletoads, it follows Zitz, Rash, and Pimple as they fight of "the Dark Queen and her abominable allies, in action that takes place across a variety of beat 'em up, platforming, and racing stages." The original Battletoads was known for its difficulty, but Dlala is giving players more options in how they want to play. These options include couch co-op and multiple difficulty settings that will "suit everyone from Tadpole to Battletoad." Battletoads features a hand-animated art style and "pays homage to the stylish, self-aware cartoon of the late '90s." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=battletoads-release-date-announcement-screenshots&captions=true"] In our hands-on of the new Battletoads, we said that while it's still tough, it is no longer sadistic, and "It felt like playing as Dante, or pre-fatherhood Kratos, and I mean that in a good way." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

The Last of Us HBO series producer Craig Mazin has promised that the TV show adaptation will not "undo" the popular Naughty Dog PlayStation game. Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Chernobyl Special, Mazin, the creator of the remarkable miniseries about the 1986 Soviet nuclear disaster, opened up about the current project that he is working on with Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann, as he explained the careful process behind adapting The Last of Us for television, assuring fans that they plan to "expand" the source material rather than "undo" it. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/12/07/the-last-of-us-2-ellie-and-joels-journey"] "I think fans of something worry that, when the property gets licenced to someone else, those people don't really understand it, or are going to change it," Mazin explained. "In this case, I'm doing it with the guy who did it, and so the changes that we're making are designed to fill things out and expand, not to undo, but rather to enhance." As a self-proclaimed fan of The Last of Us franchise, Mazin described the project as a "dream come true," though he also acknowledged the strong emotions that are attached to the iconic game and the challenges that can create for a small-screen adaptation. "We're creating anew and we're also reimagining what is already there to present a different format," he added. "It's kind of a dream come true for me. I'm a little bit scared because a lot of emotions connected to this game are rather intense. I think I'm probably going to go hide in a bunker for a while because you can't make everyone happy!" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-last-of-us-hbo-series-8-actors-who-could-play-joel-and-ellie&captions=true"] Shortly after The Last of Us HBO series was announced, Mazin promised that the character of Ellie would still be gay on the TV show and explained why the story, overall, worked better as an ongoing series rather than a standalone movie, as this project is replacing the film adaptation that Sony previously announced back in 2014. Instead, Sony Pictures Television has now teamed with PlayStation Productions to co-produce the upcoming series, which recently scored its first episode director. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

The House of Representatives has voted down an amendment designed to prevent the US Army from recruiting through video games, with U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) expressing concern at tech literacy within Congress. Ocasio-Cortez filed the measure earlier this month after backlash against the Army's activities on Twitch forced it to suspend activities on the livestreaming platform. The amendment would have stopped the military from using funds to “maintain a presence on Twitch.com or any video game, e-sports, or live-streaming platform.” Ocasio-Cortez opened her statement to the house by quoting the Marine Service, saying, "War is not a game". She continued by pointing out that the majority of viewers on Twitch are below recruitment age for the Army, and that the military was found to be linking to recruitment forms, not educational material on the service. 126 Democrat representatives voted for the amendment, but 103 Democrats, 188 Republicans and 1 Independent voted against it, putting an end to the proposal as it currently stands. Ocasio-Cortez has posted a thread of tweets (below) about the decision, and expressed concern about the level of tech literacy among those in Congress, and how that affects decisions such as this.

Imagine trying to explain to your colleagues who are members of Congress what Twitch is

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 30, 2020

"When our legislative bodies aren’t sufficiently responsive to tech, then that means we don’t have the tools required to protect people", Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "This is partially why companies know way more about you than you may even be aware of - bc it’s legal, and Congress is struggling to keep up." The New York representative did strike a hopeful note, however, pointing out that the majority of House Democrats voted in favour of the amendment. "That’s a really solid start for this being the first time this issue has been brought before Congress," she wrote, signalling a possible intent to bring similar proposals to Congress in future. CNN's Shannon Liao has said that the US Army and Navy have confirmed that they will continue to stream on Twitch. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.

Kevin Smith has signed on to develop a Green Hornet animated series for WildBrain, the kids' entertainment company behind Peanuts and Inspector Gadget. Deadline reports that the newly announced family-friendly series will be set in a contemporary time and will follow the adventures of a new Green Hornet and Kato - the son and daughter of George W. Trendle and Fran Striker's original 1930s crime-fighting duo - who will rev up the engine of the Black Beauty and head out on the road to patrol the streets of Century City. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2010/11/24/the-green-hornet-trailer-2] "It's an honor to escort the legendary Green Hornet and Kato into their very own animated series for the first time in the rich history of these iconic pop culture characters," said Smith. "We'll be telling a tale of two Hornets – past and future – that spans generations and draws inspiration from a lifetime spent watching classic cartoons and amazing animation like Batman: The Animated Series, Heavy Metal, and Super Friends. I can't believe WildBrain gave me this job and I can't thank them enough for the opportunity to extend my childhood a little longer." "We're thrilled to embark on a new animated Green Hornet series with Kevin, who has set up an incredibly rich world with a cast of amazing characters – especially Kato, who is no longer just a sidekick, but is now a strong female partner to the Green Hornet," added Stephanie Betts, WildBrain's EVP of content and current series. "With his ingenious talent and passion for superheroes and classic franchises, Kevin is the perfect creator to update the Green Hornet. We're excited to share the new Green Hornet and Kato with audiences worldwide." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=stars-who-were-almost-superheroes&captions=true"] Smith appears to have an affinity with The Green Hornet, as he was once attached to write and direct a feature film centered around the costumed character for Miramax. This project never actually made it to the big screen, though Michel Gondry later helmed Sony's 2011 adaptation, which starred Seth Rogen in the title role, Jay Chou as Kato, Cameron Diaz, and Christoph Waltz. Smith continued to buzz around the material and ended up turning the unused script for his Green Hornet feature film into a comic book series for Dynamite Entertainment. He wrote the first four-issue story arc of the series, which was published in 2010 to largely positive reviews. IGN praised the opening issue for paying "tribute to both the television and comic versions of the pulp adventurer while interjecting some modern sensibilities." In addition to the new animated series, Universal Pictures and Amasia Entertainment have recently teamed up to develop a feature film project titled The Green Hornet and Kato, which is expected to "launch an exciting new cinematic world for Britt Reid, Kato, and the Black Beauty." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Halo Infinite will feature a free-to-play multiplayer mode and run at up to 120 FPS on Xbox Series X, according to a retailer listing and other sources. Smyths Toys includes Halo Infinite in its listing for Xbox Series X, saying, "The legendary Halo series returns with the most expansive Master Chief campaign yet and a groundbreaking free-to-play multiplayer experience. Enjoy up to 120 FPS and greatly reduced load times creating seamless gameplay with Xbox Series X." The section in question has now been removed, but the image below shows it in its original form:Both sources for Windows Central and noted Xbox insider Klobrille have since supported the claim that Halo Infinite's multiplayer will be free-to-play. Klobrille adds that the 120 FPS is an aim for Arena mode on Xbox Series X, and that multiplayer will include a Battle Pass system, and feature types of customisation new to the Halo series. We've contacted Xbox for comment. We've heard previously that Halo Infinite's campaign will run at a locked 60 FPS, and the idea that multiplayer would both run and be released in a different fashion to the single-player portion fits with 343's plan for Halo Infinite to become more of a platform than a standalone game in the series. 343 has previously had to counter rumours that the multiplayer mode would not be released at launch, and yesterday addressed criticism of the game's visuals, saying "the team is working as quickly as possible on plans to address some of the feedback around detail, clarity, and overall fidelity." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/halo-infinite-9-minutes-of-campaign-gameplay"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joe Skrebels is IGN's Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.