Red 3 Now in the Works

Red 2 isn't due out in theaters until July 19, but Summit has already rehired Red/Red 2 scribes Jon and Erich Hoeber to pen a threequel to the action franchise.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lorenzo Di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian will produce Red 3. The first film earned the studio $199 million worldwide in 2010, so another installment of the over-the-hill operatives pic isn't too much of a surprise.

No deals are in place just yet, but if the script is approved, then production could start as early as January 2014.

Red 2 stars Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and newcomers Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Microsoft Discusses Next-Gen Event, Xbox Exclusives

May 21 may be the reveal of the next Xbox, allegedly named Xbox Infinity, but "E3, if you're a gamer, it's going to be tons of exclusives, world premieres," said Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg. The head of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment business continued, "And obviously even beyond that we have a lot to share between than and this holiday."

Holiday seems appropriate for a next-gen Xbox release, of course -- Sony's PlayStation 4 is confirmed for this fall.

In a discussion on Microsoft's official gaming podcast, Major Nelson Radio, Greenberg, teased, "We definitely have a lot of surprises planned" for the Xbox Reveal event on May 21. "People are going to get a great inside look at really the making of the new platform and the team that's brought it to life."

Greenberg continued, "The team here has been hard at work for many many years on what we're going to show in the next few weeks. We have so much goodness that there's no way we could have packed it into one event."

See for yourself how the Xbox Reveal lives up to the hype on May 21. IGN's coverage of the event starts promptly at 9am Pacific and lasts throughout the day as we go behind the scenes on Microsoft's campus.

Mitch Dyer is an Associate Editor at IGN. He’s also quite Canadian. Read his ramblings on Twitter and follow him on IGN.

Hero Worship: Why It's Okay to Revisit Batman's Origin

Alongside Superman and Spider-Man, Batman’s origin is one that has permeated the boundaries of its comic book beginnings and is known the world over by nearly everybody. It’s simple and resonant; a young boy’s parents are murdered before his eyes and he swears vengeance against that superstitious and cowardly lot called criminals.

And yet, more than either Superman or Spider-Man, Batman’s origin has been revisited time and again on multiple occasions across many different mediums. While it remains to be seen what direction Warner Brothers will take with the inevitable Batman movie reboot – if they’ll go the Amazing Spider-Man route and redo the origin for the next generation or simply ignore it and introduce the character mid-career – the Batman origin is set to be retold in other mediums in 2013.

Batman: Arkham Origins aims to explore the younger days of the Arkham Asylum universe’s Dark Knight, while Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman: Zero Year will redefine the Batman origin for the New 52 continuity in the comics. While an origin video game has never been done before, Zero Year is certainly treading fragile ground as fans hold Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli’s Year One in the highest regard; a story that is often cited as the pinnacle of Batman comics (including on IGN’s own 25 Greatest Batman Graphic Novels list).

I understand the concern. Everyone knows Batman’s origin, so what’s left to say? The obvious answer is that we can’t be sure, and we’ll have to reserve judgment until we actually read the story (not comic fans’ strongest attribute, admittedly). But it’s worth noting that when Year One came out, Batman had already been around for nearly 50 years. Certainly, fans of the time had similar thoughts of frustration as to why DC Comics was going to spend four issues “recapping” what they already knew. In fact, this is absolutely true, as uncovered by iFanboy and Comics Alliance a few years back. Observe:

The more things change...

Sound familiar? And yet, Year One is now universally accepted as the origin for Batman, splattered pearls in the puddle and all. But the fact remains that comics evolve and the timeline shifts. Such is the way of stories that never end. Continuity and circumstances change; it’s impossible to avoid.

The natural evolution of these characters necessitates a look back at their origin from time to time to re-establish context for the modern era. Just because it’s familiar territory doesn’t mean that it can’t be done in new and interesting ways. After all, that’s exactly what Year One did.

...the more things stay the same.

As Scott Snyder has professed in our chats with him about Zero Year, events of Year One simply don’t line-up with the current DC Universe in the New 52. While superhero comics are, to a degree, about respecting what’s come before, the fact is that – continuity-wise – this isn’t the same Batman we had in 1987. And that’s okay. If the character hadn’t evolved since 1987, there would be far more important things to worry about than a new take on his origin.

To put it in perspective, it’s been 26 years since Year One. 26 years prior to Year One, this is what Batman was up to:

Batman #138, March 1961

Batman evolved from his days of scuba diving and fighting sea serpents, and the eventual result was the modern masterpiece of Year One. While Batman has remained tonally similar to what he became in the 1980s, he’s also undergone massive changes. He became a father, his Bat-family expanded, he’s seen friends brutally maimed, he’s seen friends killed, he’s lost his son; the list goes on.

Though the changes of the New 52 left Batman’s history mostly intact, the world around him changed quite a bit and thus, so did his place within it. Hopefully, Zero Year will act as the Year One of this generation; bringing Bruce Wayne’s origins up to speed with the rest of the world and contemporizing the events that would lead him to become the Dark Knight.

The most important thing to remember in superhero comics is that no matter what changes may come for any character, it never negates anything else that’s been said about them in the past. Year One is, and will remain, one of the most influential comics of all-time – as much for its artistic achievements as for its in-universe storytelling ones – and nothing that Zero Year does will change that.

As for Akrham Origins, since we’ve never had the opportunity to actually play through these early days of the Batman – save for some of those trippy Scarecrow sequences in the first game – this is less of a concern. Games are an entirely different medium as we are active participants in the story rather than just voyeurs, inherently offering an alternative experience even if Origins were to lift its script directly from Year One (which it won’t).

The idea of superheroes as modern mythology comes from the fact that these characters are reinterpreted generation after generation; the origin serves as the fundamental basis of that notion. Retold comic book origins can only be additive, as the stories are physical entities that can be acquired and enjoyed regardless of the year of publication. Year One is a book that existed in 1987, exists in 2013, and will continue existing in 2039. Any other incarnations of the Batman origin simply add to the overall myth of the character.

These kinds of tales, no matter how many times they are explored, only reiterate how important these characters have become to the fabric of our society.

Joey is a Senior Editor at IGN and a comic book creator. Follow Joey on Twitter @JoeyEsposito, or find him on IGN at Joey-IGN. He feels like he'll probably have to write a similar column in 2039 if he's not dead yet.

Weinstein Updates Crouching Tiger Sequel

Back in January, The Weinstein Company announced that it was making a sequel to Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Now, producer Harvey Weinstein says the film is on track to begin filming next March in Asia.

"I loved Ang Lee's film," Weinstein said in a statement. "I thought it was a master class in directing, but I know we are in fantastic hands with Yuen Wo Ping directing the second installment."

Director Yuen Wo Ping was the fight choreographer responsible for the first film's memorable wirework. The fighting followup is now titled Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Destiny. The cast includes Crouching Tiger's Michelle Yeoh as Yu Shu Lien.

John Fusco (The Forbidden Kingdom, Hidalgo) is writing the script adapted from the Wang Du Lu book Iron Knight, Silver Vase.

Via the LA Times

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Feige Talks Marvel's Phase 3

Marvel's Phase Two slate is well underway, with Iron Man 3 leading the charge to the tune of a billion dollar gross already. But the fanboys of the world need to know what's next, next, next, so all (four) eyes are already looking towards Phase 3.

Check Out IGN's Massive Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki

We don't know much about Phase 3 yet, other than the fact that Edgar Wright's Ant-Man will be the first film on that slate (after Avengers 2). And in a new article at EW, it sounds like Marvel and studio president Kevin Feige haven't quite settled on what's up beyond that point either.

“I’d say 99 percent of our time right now is purely spent on Phase Two,” Feige tells the site. “It’s five colossally giant motion pictures that we have to produce. So that’s taking up the time. But within the next year or so we’ll start the advanced planning for post-Avengers 2.”

That said, Feige did discuss with the site the various projects that are at least under consideration. Read on for all the Marveliciousness:

Ant-Man:

Wright will begin work "in earnest" on this one once he finishes up this summer’s The World’s End. Interestingly, Feige says that it was in part because of Ant-Man that the decision was made to launch Marvel Studios. He recalls sitting in on pitch meetings "where confused people scrunched their faces and asked if this was about a guy who was half-ant and half-man. 'Do you know why we became our own studio?' he said. 'Because those are the conversations we used to have with studio execs. And they were very frustrating.'"

Doctor Strange:

Feige says Doctor Strange is "one of the prime candidates" for Phase Three. "I would love Strange to be a part of that only because he’s a great character. He’s a great standalone character,” he says. “He’s got a great origin story, for the most part. And that world of pure magic, we haven’t done yet. There’s a whole supernatural/magic alternate dimension going on in the Marvel comics that we haven’t ever touched on. So I think that’s exciting.” (Tell that to the Mandarin fans, Kev. Yep, I went there…)

Iron Man 4:

“I believe there will be a fourth Iron Man film and a fifth and a sixth and a 10th and a 20th,” Feige says. But, as we've heard before, he is not ruling out a reboot that would recast Tony Stark without Robert Downey, Jr. “I see no reason why Tony Stark can’t be as evergreen as James Bond. Or Batman for that matter. Or Spider-Man. I think Iron Man is a character just like that.”

Black Panther:

Despite all the rumors about T'Challa joining Avengers 2 and then getting a spinoff film from there, Feige says it's just speculation at this point. "Right now, those rumblings you hear are just evidence of the passion for this character -- internally as much as from outside," says EW.

Punisher, Ghost Rider, Blade:

As recently revealed, these characters have reverted back to Marvel after being on loan to other studios. “So Punisher, Ghost Rider, … Blade, all those characters are back,” Feige says. “They all have potential, but I think we need to find the right time.” In other words, don't expect them to be part of Phase Three.

Hulk:

Feige shoots down those Planet Hulk rumors -- the ones that had already been shot down elsewhere -- while also saying that while there is no solo Hulk movie in the works yet, “Mark [Ruffalo] could stand in his own movie. … We’re talking about it. We’re excited to sit down and go, ‘What is a stand-alone Hulk movie?’”

Inhumans:

The Inhumans had been floated by Feige in the past as a possible Phase Two team movie, though the slot they would've filled seems to have been taken by Guardians of the Galaxy. But he still seems hopeful that those wacky moon-dwellers might make it to the big screen eventually.

“… all the craziness that comes with Inhumans, we’ve done in the other movies already,” Feige says. “But this would have some of the social drama that we haven’t really done yet. [Fox’s] X-Men, obviously, has been touching on that stuff for a while.”

Runaways:

This Brian K. Vaughn comic was slated for a 2011 production start before being delayed indefinitely. Could it still happen?

“It’s a matter of where it fits,” Feige says. “The way the business is working now, you either have really inexpensive, sort of surprise movies that can come out and be hits, but don’t cost much. Or you have the big giant summer blockbusters that really swing for the fences. Right now, we’re just swinging for the fences every time. Runaways sort of falls in between those, in a way. We just haven’t found where or how to do it… right now.”

Marvel Zombies:

Feige seems inclined to not make a Marvel Zombies movie at the moment. “Are you going to draw figures in chalk with your 3-year-old with Hulk eating someone? Or Captain America with his brains coming out of the top of his head? Probably not,” Feige says. (Though I would point out that the first Minimates figures I ever bought for my son were Marvel Zombies. He was about one-year-old at the time. But that's just me.)

Still, you know, this is Marvel Studios. I wouldn't put it past them to zombify things if even with a standalone film at some point…

For even more from Feige, head over to EW.

Talk to Senior Editor Scott Collura on Twitter at @ScottIGN, on IGN at scottcollura and on Facebook.

Trion Hit By Massive Layoffs

Layoffs have hit Trion Worlds. IGN sources suggest that well over half the company has been let go, with some suggesting numbers as high as 80%.

The San Diego studio -- where development of MMO Defiance took place -- is said to have been hit the hardest. A source suggests that employees are being escorted out of the building and that senior leaders from various Trion teams may not receive severance due to "undelivered services." Another source tells us the layoffs were at all studios, "mostly Defiance support staff and dev staff."

A Trion representative confirmed the layoffs and provided the following statement to IGN:

"To best position Trion in a rapidly changing industry, we have reorganized our teams and are expanding our free to play offering. With Defiance, we delivered a great game that more than one million gamers registered to play and continue to enjoy. As we progress from launch to ongoing development of the game, we are adjusting our staffing levels to deliver new content and improved features. RIFT, and our other titles in development, were unaffected by these changes. We are very much looking forward to the free to play release of RIFT and are excited by the other new titles currently in development."

This is the second recent round of layoffs at Trion, following layoffs from the Rift development team in December. Earlier this week, Trion announced that Rift will soon transition to a free-to-play model.

If anyone with additional knowledge of the situation would like to contact us, submit a news tip.

IGN wishes the best of luck to anyone affected by today’s news.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

Amazon Decides to Bring Alpha House and Betas to Series After Passing on Zombieland

Last month Amazon released 14 new pilots simultaneously, eight comedies and six children's shows. The outlet's plan was to analyze the reaction to these initial 14 to decide which they’d commit to with a full series order. It's already been confirmed that the most high-profile of the potential pilots, Zombieland, will not be receiving a series order. Indeed, Zombieland co-writer Rhett Reese took to twitter to say  that he felt that fan pre-hate effectively killed the pilot.

Alpha House" Pilot Review

According to Deadline, Amazon has decided to pick-up Alpha House, the D.C.-set political comedy starring John Goodman and written by Garry Trudeau and Betas, the Silicone Valley-set comedy which was produced by Michael London and written by Evan Endicott and Josh Stoddard.

Betas Pilot Review

No word yet on the other potential series, including one of our favorites Those Who Can't, though things reportedly look positive for The Onion News Empire. We will keep you updated as details emerge.

Roth Cornet is an Entertainment Editor for IGN. You can follow her on Twitter at @RothCornet and IGN at Roth-IGN.

We Want! Friday the 13th NES Jason Action Figure

NECA has just revealed the first glimpse of its San Diego Comic-Con exclusive figure: Friday the 13th Jason, as seen in the 1989 NES video game!

Standing at 7 inches tall, this fully articulated figure looks just like the 16-bit version of Jason from the game, right down to the bright purple jumpsuit -- and it even features glow-in-the-dark components! The toy also includes machete and axe accessories.

Fans can pick up NES Jason at SDCC from July 17-21 at NECA's booth #3145. The collectible is priced at $25.

Via Figures.com and Badass Digest

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Samsung: Galaxy S4 Sales to Pass 10 Million

Less than a month after releasing its latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S4, Samsung claims sales of the device are expected to surpass 10 million by next week. The Korea Times reports Samsung Electronics CEO Shin Jong-kyun made the statements during a press conference in Seoul, Korea on Thursday.

Based on the company's sales history with its prior flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S3, it appears the Galaxy S4 will prove the fastest selling mobile device in the company's history. According to Jong-kyun, the Galaxy S3 needed 50 days to push out 10 million units.

Research firm Strategy Analytics claims Samsung devices account for 95 percent of Android OS hardware on the market. Earlier this week, Google announced plans to sell an unlocked Galaxy S4 running a standard, Nexus-like Android operating system.

Matt Clark is a freelance writer covering the world of videogames, tech, and popular culture. Follow him on Twitter @ClarkMatt and MyIGN at Matt_Clark.

Next Xbox Reportedly Smaller With ‘Flattened’ Controllers

A new rumor may have provided the first details about Microsoft’s next console and controllers. According to The Verge, anonymous sources suggest that the new console is “smaller and denser” than the Xbox 360 with “newly designed controllers that are said to be ‘flattened’ in appearance.”

Microsoft is also said to be prepping a new dashboard update for the Xbox 360 to prepare for the transition to its new console. The update will reportedly enter beta in late June or early July with a final release planned for August, and will feature a user interface update to more closely align with smaller Live Tiles like those coming to Windows 8.1. Microsoft is also allegedly “tweaking the look of the Xbox dashboard, with the possibility of darker or lighter themes.”

The Verge’s report also suggests that Microsoft “is aiming to ensure Xbox 360 users can transition over to the next-generation console and interact with existing Xbox 360 users using messaging, beacons, and achievements.” Their sources also reportedly confirmed last week’s rumor that Microsoft will abandon Microsoft Points in its new console and say that the reveal event for the console will include details about its integrated broadcast TV features.

For now, all of this is just a rumor, but we’ll find out official details in just four days when Microsoft reveals its next-gen Xbox on May 21st. Be sure to tune into IGN’s pre-show beginning at 9:00 a.m. Pacific for our coverage, which will also feature special guest Peter Molyneux, creator of Fable and former Lionhead Studios boss.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

Syfy Renews Warehouse 13 for a Fifth and Final Season

Syfy announced today that its original series Warehouse 13 will return for a fifth and final season of six episodes in 2014.

"Warehouse 13 has been an incredible signature series for us," said Mark Stern, Syfy President of Original Content. "We are grateful to the loyal and passionate fan base and know that Jack Kenny, his gifted creative team, and outstanding ensemble cast will give them an amazing finale season."

Currently, Warehouse 13 airs on Mondays at 10pm ET/PT, following the new hit series Defiance. Production for Season 5 is scheduled to begin this summer in Toronto.

Max Nicholson is a writer for IGN, and he desperately seeks your approval. Show him some love by following @Max_Nicholson on Twitter, or MaxNicholson on IGN.

Madden 25 Anniversary Edition Announced

EA has announced an Anniversary Edition of Madden NFL 25. Available for $99.99, the Anniversary Edition will offer offers for DirecTV and NFL Sunday Ticket, including “a unique code to access the 2013 regular season (17 weeks) trial of NFL Sunday Ticket on computers, tablets, and mobile devices.”

The Anniversary Edition will offer an exclusive Madden Ultimate Team pack for all 17 weeks of the regular season and will also allow fans who aren’t DirecTV subscribers to get $10 off their first month of service and a full year of NFL Sunday Ticket MAX for free. Those who already subscribe will receive access to NFL Sunday Ticket on computers and mobile devices. According to EA, the full package offers “over $400 in value.”

“We’re delighted to offer our fans this special edition to celebrate the franchise they helped build over the last 25 years,” said senior EA Sports marketing director Anthony Stevenson. “Pairing the ultimate football video game experience with the ultimate viewing experience in DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket will deliver incredible value and excitement all season long.”

The Madden NFL 25 Anniversary Edition will be available exclusively at Amazon, and pre-orders are available now.

Madden NFL 25 will launch on Xbox 360 on and PlayStation 3 on August 27th.

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following @garfep on Twitter or garfep on IGN.

3DS eShop: Zelda Sale and Tons of GameGear Games

During today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, the Big N announced that a slue of Game Gear games are headed to the 3DS eShop's Virtual Console service. The list of confirmed games is as follows:

• Columns

• Crystal Warriors

• Defenders of Oasis

• Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

• G-LOC: Air Battles

• Shining Force II: The Sword of Hajya

• Sonic Blast

• Sonic Drift 2

• Sonic Labyrinth

• Sonic the Hedgehog

• Sonic the Hedgehog 2

• Tails Adventure

• Vampire: Master of Darkness

It was also announced that when classic Game Boy Color games The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons hit the 3DS eShop on May 30, they'll be offered at the discounted price of $4.99 each. This promotion will last for three weeks, at which point they'll go for $5.99 each.

Audrey Drake is a Nintendo Editor at IGN. She is also a lifelong gamer, a frequent banisher of evil and a wielder of various legendary blades. You can keep track of her wild adventures by following Aminka on IGN or @GameOnAminka on Twitter. Game on!

Vote For The Hangover Part III #MyWolfpack Competition Winner

For the last five days we've been searching for the UK's best Wolfpack so that we can send them to the premiere of The Hangover Part III next week in London. Entrants were encouraged to send us a photo of themselves with their Wolfpack and we selected a finalist each day from hundreds of entries.

It's now up to you to decide which of the five Wolfpacks deserve to win the VIP trip to The Hangover Part III premiere. Simply feast your eyes on the five finalists below and cast your vote at the bottom of the page to seal their fates. We'll announce the winners on Monday!

The competition is now closed to new entrants. Terms and conditions.

Monday - Rob Carter

@Robbyc111

Tuesday - Amy Waltham

@AmyWaltham

Wednesday - Philip Low

@PhilipTALow

Thursday - Elly Wallis

@ukaElly

Friday - Kieran Trimming

@Crouchy14

CHOOSE YOUR FAVOURITE WOLFPACK NOW

Killzone: Mercenary Coming to PS Vita Earlier Than Expected

Today, Sony revealed that its eagerly-anticipated PS Vita exclusive Killzone: Mercenary will be releasing earlier than expected. Originally planned for release on September 17th in North America and September 18th in Europe, the game will now launch on September 4th in Europe, September 6th in the UK and September 10th in North America.

Though not implicitly stated, this is a wise move on Sony’s part and likely designed to get out of the way of Grand Theft Auto V, which is set for release worldwide on September 17th.

Killzone: Mercenary is currently under development at Sony-owned studio Guerrilla Cambridge – formerly Sony Cambridge – and will be one of two Killzone games to release in 2013. The other – Killzone: Shadow Fall – will launch alongside PlayStation 4 later this year.

Colin Moriarty is IGN’s Senior Editor. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN and learn just how sad the life of a New York Islanders and New York Jets fan can be.

Pikmin 3's New Characters Revealed

Nintendo spent part of its latest Direct revealing all-new info about the highly-anticipated Pikmin 3, which included unveiling the three new characters we'll be controlling: Alph, Brittany and Charlie.

All three will be controlled simultaneously, with the GamePad being used to both move around and micromanage all of your activities on the same map. Having said that, Nintendo announced that the Pikmin 3 can be played with the GamePad and TV, the Wii Remote and TV or just on the Game Pad with or without the Wii Remote.

Alph, Brittany and Charlie, the last of which is apparently the captain, crash land on a strange planet and encounter Pikmin. As a result of this, they decide to gather fruit and seeds to take back to their homeworld of Koppai to try save it from disaster.

Nintendo also promised that more information on the game's Challenge and Multiplayer modes would be coming eventually.

Pikmin 3 will be available exclusively on Wii U from July 26 in Europe and August 4 in North America.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Junior Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Pikmin 3 European Release Date Announced

Nintendo has announced that Pikmin 3 will be available in Europe on July 26.

Developing...

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Junior Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

Nintendo Announces Sonic: Lost World

Update: Nintendo has announced it has entered an exclusive worldwide partnership with SEGA to produce Sonic games, the first of which will be Sonic: Lost World.

Nothing was revealed about the game other than a screenshot and the fact that it'll be an action-adventure platforming game for both Wii U and 3DS.

More details will be coming prior to E3. Original story follows.

Original Story: SEGA has trademarked "Sonic Lost World" leading to speculation that this will be the title of the next game in the franchise.

Originally spotted by Siliconera, the trademark was filed yesterday by SEGA for use with video games, though it currently only covers Europe.

There's been a fair few rumours lately that the next Sonic the Hedgehog game is already well into development and targeted for a November release, but this is all supposition.

We reached out to SEGA for information on the subject but were told "no comment". In the meantime, be sure to let us know what you'd like to see in the next Sonic game in the comments below. (Hint: with a title like this, omitting dinosaurs would be a crime).

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Junior Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

The 15 Greatest Tarantino DVD Extras

“I’m shutting your butt down.” Quentin Tarantino doesn’t need to justify himself to anyone – just ask Channel 4’s Krishnan Guru-Murthy – so he’s not keen on turning up with the DVD goodies anymore. Like Elvis in True Romance, he just floats around the margins of your disc, leaving it to the rest of the cast and crew to fill the gap for him. This hasn’t always been the case though, and with the Django Unchained Blu-ray out next week, here’s the top 15 of his greatest DVD hits…

Chicks With Guns - Jackie Brown

The Jackie Brown disc is filled with juicy stuff – a detailed Tarantino interview, a selection of blaxploitation-era Pam Grier trailers that put the tit into titillation – but the pick is the full-length version of the NRA’s favourite fake porn.

Commentary Track - King Boxer

The chance to geek out over one of his favourite flicks proves irresistible for the prodigal fanboy (Switchblade Sisters is another beneficiary). On this Shaw Brothers kung fu classic from 1972, he immerses viewers in his knowledge of Hong Kong movies, acting as a virtual primer for Kill Bill.

Remembering Michael J Riva - Django Unchained

If you’re brutally honest, compared to some of Tarantino’s other discs, the forthcoming Django Blu Ray is weaker than QT’s Australian accent. It does contain one touching highlight though: a tribute to the production designer Michael J Riva, with the crew resolving to go on with the show after his sudden, sad passing in the middle of making the movie.

Making of Nation’s Pride - Inglourious Basterds

“My best movie,” insists Goebbels of the latest to strut out of his propaganda studio, a biopic of super-sniper Fredrick Zoller – starring the man himself. The joke featurette sees the in-character Basterds cast send themselves up a treat, though the $5 milkshake goes to Eli Roth as the movie’s spectacularly creepy director Alois Von Eichberg – a man you suspect was a close, personal friend of Jimmy Savile.

Commentary Track - Reservoir Dogs

Despite being his own best cheerleader, Tarantino refuses to wag his chin for his own movie’s DVDs. Judiciously pieced together with interviews from the cast and crew, this cobble-job is the nearest we’ve gotten to the real thing, with QT talking extensively about how he uses violence and how he tries to make the audience feel culpable: stick that up your shunt-pipe, Guru-Murthy.

A Conversation with Brian De Palma and Quentin Tarantino - Blow Out

Quentin Tarantino was such a big De Palma geek that he kept a scrapbook of his every interview, article and review. Back in late 1994, film journo Dave Thompson put them in the room together and recorded the result. Thompson came away with the transcript included in the forthcoming Blow Out booklet. Tarantino probably came away with a small doll made entirely out of De Palma’s belly button lint.

Audio Commentary - From Dusk Till Dawn

“This is Quentin The Writer taking care of Quentin The Actor,” laughs Robert Rodriguez as Selma Hayek’s liquor-slathered tootsies enter The Chin’s gape-hole. Filched from the original laserdisc (which you suspect QT would regard as the cooler retro vinyl to DVD’s CD), this chat track sees him banter his way through the movie and his performance with his future Grindhouse compadre.

Charlie Rose Interview - Pulp Fiction

He might be wearing a disastrous green Astro Boy tie but QT comes out of this interview looking pretty damn good. Tarantino walks Rose through his background, his approach to filmwriting and how he used to watch his idol Brian De Palma’s films: screening 1) alone on the first show, first day to take it in; screening 2) The midnight show the same day with a friend to work out how they made it.

‘Mettle’ and ‘Back’ Commentaries - Spaced

Edgar Wright. Simon Pegg. Quentin Tarantino. You can’t go wrong there, can you? (See also Hot Fuzz)

Tribute to Sally Menke - Death Proof & Inglorious Basterds

“Hi Sally!” Having worked together since Reservoir Dogs, Tarantino repeatedly called his late editor Sally Menke his greatest collaborator. He’d sent his love back from set to Menke’s lonely editing suite in the form of messages he and his cast would add to the end of scenes once he’d call cut. An affectionate look inside a filmmaking family.

Deleted Scene - Kill Bill: Vol 2

Bill kills! Two movies are devoted to his offing, but you barely get to see William live up to his double-hard vermin status. But glimpsed in the original trailer, cut from the movie and finally let loose on DVD is this showdown with Michael Jai White’s vengeance-seeking swordsman. As they swing sheathed samurai swords at each other, the composed Bill exposes just enough of his blade to empty White’s jugular of all that useless plasma.

Sundance Institute's Filmmakers Lab - Reservoir Dogs

Meet the Reservoir Puppy. Gearing up to direct Dogs, Tarantino managed to get into the Sundance Institute to pick up some tips from the likes of Monte Hellman and Terry Gilliam. Shot on video, a puppy-fattish QT acts out soon-to-be iconic scenes from the script with Steve Buscemi. A fascinating glimpse at Dogs in its embryonic state.

Commentary Track, Alternative Ending - True Romance

Prepare to be amazed at the only time Quentin Tarantino has ever admitted his script was wrong. Alright, he qualifies it. A lot. “I think Tony Scott’s ending is better for the movie Tony made,” he concurs as he talks over the more script-faithful ending, ditched in favour the more upbeat fairytale version. Tarantino’s whole True Romance chat track is a delight, explaining the personal nature of the movie and celebrating the (now) much-missed director: Revenge is indeed the bomb.

Behind The Scene, Jack Rabbit Slims - Pulp Fiction

“This is a scene,” explains an on-set Tarantino, “where Vincent Vega, played by John Travolta, has to take out the big man’s wife…” It’s hard to imagine a time when someone would have to explain one of cinema’s most iconic scenes. As Travolta and Thurman jive and dive their way through the steps, you can see QT boogieing alongside them behind the camera. It's kind of adorable.

Full Tilt Boogie Documentary - From Dusk Till Dawn

A great movie in its own right, FTB is the view from inside From Dusk Till Dawn’s filmmaking bubble – from union troubles to flirty parties to long boring days on set punctuated by a ‘Best Butt’ competition. Better yet, Sarah Kelly’s documentary opens with an amazing joke steadycam sequence of QT and George Clooney badassing their way to set, flipping off one male fan and – much more convincingly – sleazing up a female one.

Putty Squad Bounces Back

To celebrate its 30th anniversary, veteran UK developer System 3 is to re-launch its 1994 SNES platform game, Putty Squad, across multiple formats.

In this age of digital distribution, self-publishing and crowd funding, it’s difficult to imagine a title of 2013 suffering the fate that befell Putty Squad twenty years ago. Work on System 3’s Amiga-platformer had been completed, demo discs had been printed and it had scored 90+ in a handful of high-profile Amiga publications. Unfortunately, for System 3 and Amiga-owners alike, Putty Squad became a victim of shifting market forces, as System 3 CEO Mark Cale describes.

“It was starting to come into the time of the console and the places where we were selling products, like WH Smith, Woolworths and even Boots, all began favouring the consoles. It sounded the knell for the Amiga and commercially it wasn’t viable to put the game out to just a few indies and a handful of other stores. Unfortunately, despite being a fantastic game, and being completely finished, it was never released on Amiga.”

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It sounded the knell for the Amiga and commercially it wasn’t viable to put the game out to just a few indies and a handful of other stores.

The result of this shift was that Putty Squad was launched on SNES in 1994 and the Amiga version seemed consigned to history. However, two decades later the Amiga code has been used to form the foundation for a Putty Squad re-launch on both handheld and home console as a boxed-product. Having played it on both Vita and 3DS it’s apparent that it’s a natural fit for a handheld and, of the two, the Vita’s higher resolution screen and more vibrant display helps it to shine; by comparison the 3DS version looks washed-out and far less sharp.

Putty Squad’s mechanics have aged relatively well and while an amorphous blob of clay doesn’t make for the most interesting of character designs it does, at least, provide the scope for Putty’s myriad abilities. Simple commands see Putty punch, absorb, inflate, stretch and bomb its way through enemies and basic puzzles with the aim of finding collectibles on each level to open a portal to the next.

To better fit the expectations of modern-day gaming, a tutorial has been added to smooth the path for the wide and varied audience that Cale believes will be drawn to the title. Putty Squad’s boxed retail presence will also help it to catch the eye of those unlikely or unable to venture online, as well as helping it avoid some of the inherent discoverability issues that plague platform-holders eShops. To celebrate its presence at retail, System 3 is also collaborating with UK retailer GAME to offer regular and free additional levels, although these will also be available to buy via microtransaction for those who are impatient or have an aversion to free stuff.

Finally, for those who are still in possession of what must by now be distinctly yellow-tinged Amiga hardware, Cale is hinting that System 3 is hoping to give them a reason to dust-off their keyboards and party like it’s 1994 by way of a pre-order incentive. Nothing is currently confirmed, but Cale hopes to be able to announce something later this year. Putty Squad is set for release on Vita, 3DS, PC, PS3 and 360, with the potential for a Wii U version and possible, modified version on iOS and Android to follow.

Stace Harman is a freelance contributor to IGN and is convinced that zombies will one day inherent the Earth. You can follow him on Twitter.