The founder of British games studio Traveller's Tales (best known for its LEGO games) has revealed that, in 2008, the company spent more than $1,000,000 on a failed pitch to make a tie-in game for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit series. Jon Burton posted a video to his YouTube channel GameHut explaining the situation and featured footage from the tech demos used to pitch the game to Peter Jackson and then-director Guillermo Del Toro. Instead of LEGO Games for which the studio was known, the team made photorealistic recreations of key scenes from The Lord of the Rings movies on Xbox 360 hardware, including Gandalf fighting the Balrog, Arogorn fighting Uruk-Hai at Amon Hen, and stealth gameplay where you'd play as Frodo in Deephallow Woods, avoiding the Black Riders. It's very much worth watching the video, but here are some screenshots: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=travellers-tales-cancelled-lord-of-the-rings-game-images&captions=true"] The footage is seriously impressive, but according to Burton, the team "went way too far, and spent way too much money" on the project in order to impress Jackson and Del Toro at a pitch meeting in New Zealand. Del Toro was apparently very receptive, but Warner Bros. ultimately decided that it "wanted a game that wasn't directly based on the movie, but happened in the same universe at the same time," a philosophy Burton disagreed with (but likely led to the birth of games like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor). As a result, the game never saw the light of day, which is a massive shame as the more-than decade-old footage genuinely holds up in retrospect. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/12/22/ranking-peter-jacksons-lord-of-the-rings-and-hobbit-movies"] For more on Lord of the Rings, check out our article covering The Second Age, the setting for Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings TV prequel. You can also check out some screenshots of Lord of the Rings: Gollum, the next-gen stealth game coming from Daedalic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

The founder of British games studio Traveller's Tales (best known for its LEGO games) has revealed that, in 2008, the company spent more than $1,000,000 on a failed pitch to make a tie-in game for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit series. Jon Burton posted a video to his YouTube channel GameHut explaining the situation and featured footage from the tech demos used to pitch the game to Peter Jackson and then-director Guillermo Del Toro. Instead of LEGO Games for which the studio was known, the team made photorealistic recreations of key scenes from The Lord of the Rings movies on Xbox 360 hardware, including Gandalf fighting the Balrog, Arogorn fighting Uruk-Hai at Amon Hen, and stealth gameplay where you'd play as Frodo in Deephallow Woods, avoiding the Black Riders. It's very much worth watching the video, but here are some screenshots: [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=travellers-tales-cancelled-lord-of-the-rings-game-images&captions=true"] The footage is seriously impressive, but according to Burton, the team "went way too far, and spent way too much money" on the project in order to impress Jackson and Del Toro at a pitch meeting in New Zealand. Del Toro was apparently very receptive, but Warner Bros. ultimately decided that it "wanted a game that wasn't directly based on the movie, but happened in the same universe at the same time," a philosophy Burton disagreed with (but likely led to the birth of games like Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor). As a result, the game never saw the light of day, which is a massive shame as the more-than decade-old footage genuinely holds up in retrospect. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/12/22/ranking-peter-jacksons-lord-of-the-rings-and-hobbit-movies"] For more on Lord of the Rings, check out our article covering The Second Age, the setting for Amazon's upcoming Lord of the Rings TV prequel. You can also check out some screenshots of Lord of the Rings: Gollum, the next-gen stealth game coming from Daedalic. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Earth Defense Force 6 has been officially revealed by series publisher D3, with the game expected to launch in 2021. Alongside that, a voxel-based spin-off, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is also on the way. The 2021 date suggests that Earth Defense Force 6 will land on next-generation consoles, which launch this holiday season, but no official platforms for the game have been announced just yet. The game's website doesn't offer much information beyond a suite of screenshots (below), which as you might expect, include massive bugs terrorizing an urban landscape. It looks very much like an Earth Defense Force game, where a team of humans (often in co-op groups) must flesh out character builds and fight to rid the world of a bug scourge with increasingly absurd weaponry. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=earth-defense-force-6-screenshots&captions=true"] As well as EDF 6, a voxel-based Earth Defence Force game has been revealed, titled Earth Defense Force: World Brothers. The change in art style looks like a great fit, and according to its website, the predicament facing the World Brothers is that "Earth has become a square?" The game features characters from across the entire EDF series, and it will land on Nintendo Switch and PS4 at some point this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=earth-defense-force-world-brothers-images&captions=true"] Neither game has so far been announced for western release. The EDF series has traditionally featured long gaps between Japanese release and a western release, but spin-off Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain launched simultaneously worldwide, which might offer some hope to fans of giant bug slaughter. Check out IGN's review of Iron Rain from April 2019, where we called the last entry in the series "a more-than-pleasant experiment, a game that feels like it was made by fans of the series with their own ideas". [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Earth Defense Force 6 has been officially revealed by series publisher D3, with the game expected to launch in 2021. Alongside that, a voxel-based spin-off, Earth Defense Force: World Brothers is also on the way. The 2021 date suggests that Earth Defense Force 6 will land on next-generation consoles, which launch this holiday season, but no official platforms for the game have been announced just yet. The game's website doesn't offer much information beyond a suite of screenshots (below), which as you might expect, include massive bugs terrorizing an urban landscape. It looks very much like an Earth Defense Force game, where a team of humans (often in co-op groups) must flesh out character builds and fight to rid the world of a bug scourge with increasingly absurd weaponry. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=earth-defense-force-6-screenshots&captions=true"] As well as EDF 6, a voxel-based Earth Defence Force game has been revealed, titled Earth Defense Force: World Brothers. The change in art style looks like a great fit, and according to its website, the predicament facing the World Brothers is that "Earth has become a square?" The game features characters from across the entire EDF series, and it will land on Nintendo Switch and PS4 at some point this year. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=earth-defense-force-world-brothers-images&captions=true"] Neither game has so far been announced for western release. The EDF series has traditionally featured long gaps between Japanese release and a western release, but spin-off Earth Defense Force: Iron Rain launched simultaneously worldwide, which might offer some hope to fans of giant bug slaughter. Check out IGN's review of Iron Rain from April 2019, where we called the last entry in the series "a more-than-pleasant experiment, a game that feels like it was made by fans of the series with their own ideas". [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has explained why he allowed the upcoming movie musical to be censored on Disney Plus. Taking to Twitter on Monday, Miranda confirmed that the lyrics of two explicit songs have minor alterations in the filmed version of the original Broadway production, which arrives on Disney's streaming platform, July 3.

LANGUAGE! 1. On July 3, you're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!) 2. But MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of "Fuck" is an automatic R rating. We have 3 "Fucks" in our show. So... 1/2 https://t.co/7o3OQ34rqt

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 22, 2020

Miranda was responding to a fan who questioned why the movie had received a PG-13 rating, rather than an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and asked whether any iconic lines had been cut or changed for the movie to reach this categorization. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/22/hamilton-official-trailer"] In his reply, Miranda revealed that Yorktown, the 20th song of Act One, and Washington on Your Side, the 8th song of Act Two, had been edited for mature language. "You're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!)," Miranda explained in his tweet on Monday. "But the MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of 'F***' is an automatic R rating. We have 3 'F***s' in our show. "I literally gave two f***s so the kids could see it: 1. In Yorktown, there's a mute over 'I get the f*** back up again' 2. 'Southern *record scratch*kin' Democratic Republicans.' You can sing whatEVER you like at home (even sync up the album)!" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-movies-on-disney&captions=true"] For those somehow unfamiliar with the wildly successful musical, Hamilton is a dramatization of the life of Founding Father and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, tracing his story from his arrival in New York City at the dawn of the Revolutionary War through to his ill-fated duel with rival Aaron Burr in 1804. The musical features a unique combination of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and show tunes to help examine Hamilton's story through a modern lens. Hamilton debuts on Disney+ on July 3. If you want to learn more, we recommend Gore Vidal's book "Burr," as an "enjoyable and even necessary companion piece" to the hit stage show. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has explained why he allowed the upcoming movie musical to be censored on Disney Plus. Taking to Twitter on Monday, Miranda confirmed that the lyrics of two explicit songs have minor alterations in the filmed version of the original Broadway production, which arrives on Disney's streaming platform, July 3.

LANGUAGE! 1. On July 3, you're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!) 2. But MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of "Fuck" is an automatic R rating. We have 3 "Fucks" in our show. So... 1/2 https://t.co/7o3OQ34rqt

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) June 22, 2020

Miranda was responding to a fan who questioned why the movie had received a PG-13 rating, rather than an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and asked whether any iconic lines had been cut or changed for the movie to reach this categorization. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/22/hamilton-official-trailer"] In his reply, Miranda revealed that Yorktown, the 20th song of Act One, and Washington on Your Side, the 8th song of Act Two, had been edited for mature language. "You're getting the whole show, every note & scene, & a 1-minute countdown clock during intermission (bathroom!)," Miranda explained in his tweet on Monday. "But the MPAA has a hard rule about language: more than 1 utterance of 'F***' is an automatic R rating. We have 3 'F***s' in our show. "I literally gave two f***s so the kids could see it: 1. In Yorktown, there's a mute over 'I get the f*** back up again' 2. 'Southern *record scratch*kin' Democratic Republicans.' You can sing whatEVER you like at home (even sync up the album)!" [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-best-movies-on-disney&captions=true"] For those somehow unfamiliar with the wildly successful musical, Hamilton is a dramatization of the life of Founding Father and Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, tracing his story from his arrival in New York City at the dawn of the Revolutionary War through to his ill-fated duel with rival Aaron Burr in 1804. The musical features a unique combination of hip-hop, R&B, soul, and show tunes to help examine Hamilton's story through a modern lens. Hamilton debuts on Disney+ on July 3. If you want to learn more, we recommend Gore Vidal's book "Burr," as an "enjoyable and even necessary companion piece" to the hit stage show. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Marvel's Avengers is officially coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X when the consoles launch this holiday. Those who purchase the game for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, either physically or digitally, will be able to upgrade to the respective next-gen version free of charge. Square Enix also announced Avengers will support cross-generation play between PlayStation and Xbox consoles (PS5 owners can play with PS4, Xbox Series X with Xbox One). Players will also be able to transfer saves between current- and next-gen consoles. Get your first look at the PS5 version of Marvel's Avengers in the gallery below (via PlayStation Blog). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-playstation-5&captions=true"] The PlayStation 5 version will offer both an enhanced graphics mode and a high framerate mode — the latter "targets 60 FPS with dynamic 4K resolution." Gary Snethen, CTO at developer Crystal Dynamics, noted PS5's ultra-fast SSD will make for "nearly instant" load times in Avengers. "And as Iron Man flies through content-rich levels, higher resolution textures and mesh will stream in instantly, maintaining the highest possible quality all the way to the horizon," he added. Avengers will also take advantage of the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and resistance triggers, as well as PS5's 3D audio capabilities. Specific details on the Xbox Series X, Stadia, and PC versions will be revealed "at a later time," according to Snethen. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/marvels-avengers-gameplay-overview-trailer-story-customization-gear"] The announcement comes as Sony has yet to announce an official plan for next-gen upgrades. (Microsoft has established its own policy with Smart Delivery.) In lieu of an official policy, some publishers are taking it upon themselves to offer those upgrades for free, including CD Projekt Red with Cyberpunk 2077, EA with FIFA and Madden 21, and now Square with Avengers. Marvel's Avengers will first be released September 4 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC. Additional info will be revealed on June 24 during an Avengers-focused livestream. For more on Crystal's superhero game, check out everything we know about Marvel's Avengers so far. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

Marvel's Avengers is officially coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X when the consoles launch this holiday. Those who purchase the game for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, either physically or digitally, will be able to upgrade to the respective next-gen version free of charge. Square Enix also announced Avengers will support cross-generation play between PlayStation and Xbox consoles (PS5 owners can play with PS4, Xbox Series X with Xbox One). Players will also be able to transfer saves between current- and next-gen consoles. Get your first look at the PS5 version of Marvel's Avengers in the gallery below (via PlayStation Blog). [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvels-avengers-playstation-5&captions=true"] The PlayStation 5 version will offer both an enhanced graphics mode and a high framerate mode — the latter "targets 60 FPS with dynamic 4K resolution." Gary Snethen, CTO at developer Crystal Dynamics, noted PS5's ultra-fast SSD will make for "nearly instant" load times in Avengers. "And as Iron Man flies through content-rich levels, higher resolution textures and mesh will stream in instantly, maintaining the highest possible quality all the way to the horizon," he added. Avengers will also take advantage of the DualSense controller's haptic feedback and resistance triggers, as well as PS5's 3D audio capabilities. Specific details on the Xbox Series X, Stadia, and PC versions will be revealed "at a later time," according to Snethen. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/marvels-avengers-gameplay-overview-trailer-story-customization-gear"] The announcement comes as Sony has yet to announce an official plan for next-gen upgrades. (Microsoft has established its own policy with Smart Delivery.) In lieu of an official policy, some publishers are taking it upon themselves to offer those upgrades for free, including CD Projekt Red with Cyberpunk 2077, EA with FIFA and Madden 21, and now Square with Avengers. Marvel's Avengers will first be released September 4 on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, and PC. Additional info will be revealed on June 24 during an Avengers-focused livestream. For more on Crystal's superhero game, check out everything we know about Marvel's Avengers so far. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan is a freelance writer for IGN.

At WWDC 2020, Apple TV+ revealed the first trailer for its upcoming adaptation of Foundation, based on the novels written by Isaac Asimov. Debuting on the streamer in 2021, Foundation features Jared Harris as Hari Seldon, Lee Pace as Brother Day, and Lou Llobell as Gaal. For the first look at Foundation, check out the official teaser trailer below or at the top of the page: [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/06/22/foundation-official-teaser-trailer-2021-jared-harris-lee-pace"] The Foundation teaser trailer also includes an introduction from executive producer David S. Goyer (co-writer of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight), who offers some insight into why Asimov's stories have inspired popular movies like Star Wars for decades. "People have been trying to make Foundation for over fifty years," Goyer explained. "Foundation was an enormous influence for Star Wars. It was the greatest science fiction work of all time. The story is sprawling, it unfolds over the course of a thousand years. If ever there were a company that was hoping to better people's lives through technology, through connectivity... it's Apple. And that's something very much that Asimov was hoping to do." Per Apple, "Foundation chronicles a band of exiles on their monumental journey to save humanity and rebuild civilization amid the fall of the Galactic Empire." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=foundation-season-1-gallery&captions=true"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] David Griffin still watches DuckTales in his pajamas with a cereal bowl in hand. He's also the TV Editor for IGN. Say hi on Twitter.

The upcoming SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run is foregoing its planned theatrical release and heading straight to digital rental services and will be available to stream exclusively on CBS All Access in early 2021. Sponge on the Run is SpongeBob's third full-length feature film and will be his first-ever all CGI film. Originally reported by Variety, this change in the release is unsurprising given the current landscape of delayed releases as movie theaters nationwide begin preparing to reopen amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Sponge on the Run was initially set to debut on May 22nd before it was delayed to its current release date of August 7th. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=17-movies-that-mixed-live-action-and-2d-animation&captions=true"] Regarding the exclusive launch on CBS All Access in 2021, ViacomCBS Digital's CEO Marc DeBevoise said in a statement, “We are thrilled to have 'The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run,' a premier, first-run movie from one of ViacomCBS’ biggest brands, join CBS All Access’ expanding slate of franchise content from across ViacomCBS. This launch will be perfectly timed with our continued expansion and planned rebranding of the service in early 2021, as we welcome SpongeBob and the gang from Bikini Bottom to the service in the biggest way possible.” CBS All-Access will undergo a rebranding early next year to highlight more of its family of networks' content including that of Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, and more. The streaming service will also include every season of SpongeBob SquarePants. [ignvideo width=610 height=374 url=https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/11/14/the-spongebob-movie-sponge-on-the-run-domestic-trailer-1] This is just one more addition to the list of movies that have skipped their planned theatrical releases this year in lieu of a digital-only release including Trolls World Tour, Artemis Fowl, Scoob!, as well as many others. While you wait for SpongeBob's next adventure, be sure to check out our review of CBS All Access and how it compares to other streaming services. If you're looking for more F.U.N., you can also hear our thoughts on the upcoming SpongeBob: Battle For Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated game. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matthew Adler is a Features and News writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream a variety of games on Twitch.