Sam Raimi, the director behind the 2002 Spider-Man movies along with classic horror films like The Evil Dead, is in talks to director Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This would be the first superhero film Raimi directs since 2007’s Spider-Man 3. According to a report by Variety, Raimi is in talks with Marvel to replace original director Scott Derrickson on the Doctor Strange sequel. Derrickson left the project on January 9 over creative differences with Marvel on the direction of the project. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=marvel-phase-4-official-lineup&captions=true"] Raimi has been working on a variety of projects since wrapping up Spider-Man 3. The last feature film Raimi directed was 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful, but he’s produced films like Don’t Breathe, Crawl, The Grudge, and a remake of Evil Dead. He also served as writer and director on Ash vs Evil Dead, a television sequel to his Evil Dead series starring Bruce Campbell as Ash. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2018/01/18/ash-vs-evil-dead-season-3-trailer"] Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness was described by Derrickson as Marvel’s first horror movie, and Raimi’s reputation as a director who can balance both horror and comedy would serve a Marvel horror movie project well. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN.

Screen legend Kirk Douglas has died at the age of 103, his family announced Wednesday. Douglas, who had been one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, is the father of Oscar-winning actor/producer Michael Douglas and father-in-law of actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. "It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103," Michael Douglas said in a statement to People magazine. “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to." [caption id="attachment_2298477" align="alignnone" width="720"] Kirk Douglas in the 1960 epic Spartacus.[/caption] Born Issur Danielovitch Demsky in Amsterdam, New York, in 1916, Douglas was the son of Jewish immigrants from Russia and worked hardscrabble jobs before becoming an actor, experiences he recounted in his 1988 autobiography The Ragman's Son. Douglas also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. With his chiseled features, famous dimpled chin, and muscular physique, Douglas starred in a variety of films throughout his six-decade-long acting career. But Douglas' most iconic roles saw him portray rebels against the system and often less than sympathetic characters. Long before his son Michael would win accolades for his turn as Wall Street's Gordon Gekko, Kirk Douglas played nasty heels in such classics as Ace in the Hole and The Bad and the Beautiful. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-on-disney-plus-11-classic-movies-to-watch&captions=true"] Douglas starred in two of Stanley Kubrick's earliest films, Paths of Glory and Spartacus, and helped break the infamous Hollywood blacklist by hiring screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to script Spartacus. Douglas was also one of Hollywood's most notable humanitarians, and received the Medal of Freedom in 1981. Douglas' many iconic films include Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (where he played Doc Holliday), Lonely Are the Brave, Out of the Past, Seven Days in May, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, the boxing classic Champion, and Lust for Life (where he played painter Vincent Van Gogh). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/07/22/spartacus-im-spartacus"] Douglas was also no stranger to genre films, having starred in such sci-fi films as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Final Countdown, Saturn 3, and the horror film The Fury. Douglas' last major film role was in 2003's dramedy It Runs in the Family, opposite his son Michael Douglas and grandson Cameron.

Screen legend Kirk Douglas has died at the age of 103, his family announced Wednesday. Douglas, who had been one of the last surviving stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, is the father of Oscar-winning actor/producer Michael Douglas and father-in-law of actress Catherine Zeta-Jones. "It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103," Michael Douglas said in a statement to People magazine. “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to." [caption id="attachment_2298477" align="alignnone" width="720"] Kirk Douglas in the 1960 epic Spartacus.[/caption] Born Issur Danielovitch Demsky in Amsterdam, New York, in 1916, Douglas was the son of Jewish immigrants from Russia and worked hardscrabble jobs before becoming an actor, experiences he recounted in his 1988 autobiography The Ragman's Son. Douglas also served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. With his chiseled features, famous dimpled chin, and muscular physique, Douglas starred in a variety of films throughout his six-decade-long acting career. But Douglas' most iconic roles saw him portray rebels against the system and often less than sympathetic characters. Long before his son Michael would win accolades for his turn as Wall Street's Gordon Gekko, Kirk Douglas played nasty heels in such classics as Ace in the Hole and The Bad and the Beautiful. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=hidden-gems-on-disney-plus-11-classic-movies-to-watch&captions=true"] Douglas starred in two of Stanley Kubrick's earliest films, Paths of Glory and Spartacus, and helped break the infamous Hollywood blacklist by hiring screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to script Spartacus. Douglas was also one of Hollywood's most notable humanitarians, and received the Medal of Freedom in 1981. Douglas' many iconic films include Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (where he played Doc Holliday), Lonely Are the Brave, Out of the Past, Seven Days in May, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, the boxing classic Champion, and Lust for Life (where he played painter Vincent Van Gogh). [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2011/07/22/spartacus-im-spartacus"] Douglas was also no stranger to genre films, having starred in such sci-fi films as Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Final Countdown, Saturn 3, and the horror film The Fury. Douglas' last major film role was in 2003's dramedy It Runs in the Family, opposite his son Michael Douglas and grandson Cameron.

Rod Fergusson, Gears 5 director and head of Microsoft’s The Coalition studio, announced that he is leaving the company to join Blizzard in March. Fergusson says he will be overseeing the Diablo franchise in his new role. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/04/gears-5-campaign-review"] “Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise,” said Fergusson in a farewell tweet posted on his personal account. “Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox.”

Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise. Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox. Thank you, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all. pic.twitter.com/0FuO3RFYSQ

— Rod Fergusson (@GearsViking) February 5, 2020

Fergusson began working in games in 1996 at Microsoft. IN 2005 he joined Epic Games as part of the development team on Gears of War. He worked in some capacity on every Gears of War game including Microsoft acquired the Gears of War series from Epic and started up The Coalition studio. Fergusson last served as a director on Gears 5. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="legacyId=20084888&captions=true"] Blizzard recently announced Diablo 4 at BlizzCon 2019. Although because Diablo 4 is already in development, it’s unclear how Fergusson’s arrival might impact the project. IGN has reached out to Blizzard for more info. You can read IGN’s hands-on preview of Diablo 4 from BlizzCon here, or check out our Gears 5 review for more on Fergusson’s work. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

Rod Fergusson, Gears 5 director and head of Microsoft’s The Coalition studio, announced that he is leaving the company to join Blizzard in March. Fergusson says he will be overseeing the Diablo franchise in his new role. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/09/04/gears-5-campaign-review"] “Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise,” said Fergusson in a farewell tweet posted on his personal account. “Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox.”

Starting in March, I will join Blizzard to oversee the Diablo franchise. Leaving is bittersweet as I love our Gears family, the fans, and everyone at The Coalition and Xbox. Thank you, it has been an honor and a privilege to work with you all. pic.twitter.com/0FuO3RFYSQ

— Rod Fergusson (@GearsViking) February 5, 2020

Fergusson began working in games in 1996 at Microsoft. IN 2005 he joined Epic Games as part of the development team on Gears of War. He worked in some capacity on every Gears of War game including Microsoft acquired the Gears of War series from Epic and started up The Coalition studio. Fergusson last served as a director on Gears 5. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="legacyId=20084888&captions=true"] Blizzard recently announced Diablo 4 at BlizzCon 2019. Although because Diablo 4 is already in development, it’s unclear how Fergusson’s arrival might impact the project. IGN has reached out to Blizzard for more info. You can read IGN’s hands-on preview of Diablo 4 from BlizzCon here, or check out our Gears 5 review for more on Fergusson’s work. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Matt Kim is a reporter for IGN. You can reach him on Twitter.

BEYOND! On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien to discuss the latest rumors of PS5's reveal event, as well as when we could potentially hear more about PS5's price, launch games, and release date. Plus, we also take a look at new Rockstar Games news about Dan Houser leaving, PlayStation Plus games for February, and much more. And, of course, Bloodborne. We've also got a homework assignment for listeners and viewers! Podcast Beyond! is going to be taking a look back at some of the PS4's biggest games, starting with Horizon Zero Dawn this month. We'll be discussing it more at length later in February, but start diving back in if you own it, as we'll be looking for your thoughts on Guerrilla's hit, as well as what we want in a sequel. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=big-ps4-ps5-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] Download or listen to the show on these platforms:

• Direct Download

• YouTube

• Apple Podcasts/iTunes

• Spotify

• Stitcher

• PlayerFM

• Podbay

• TuneIn

• Podbean

• Feedburner

Podcast Beyond! is live every Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT. For the latest on PS5, check out the new PS5 logo, how fans reacted to the PS5 logo, and check out images of the allegedly PS5 dev kit and controller, as well as a leak alleging the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

BEYOND! On this week's episode of IGN's weekly PlayStation show, Podcast Beyond!, host Jonathon Dornbush is joined by Brian Altano, Max Scoville, and Lucy O'Brien to discuss the latest rumors of PS5's reveal event, as well as when we could potentially hear more about PS5's price, launch games, and release date. Plus, we also take a look at new Rockstar Games news about Dan Houser leaving, PlayStation Plus games for February, and much more. And, of course, Bloodborne. We've also got a homework assignment for listeners and viewers! Podcast Beyond! is going to be taking a look back at some of the PS4's biggest games, starting with Horizon Zero Dawn this month. We'll be discussing it more at length later in February, but start diving back in if you own it, as we'll be looking for your thoughts on Guerrilla's hit, as well as what we want in a sequel. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=big-ps4-ps5-games-coming-in-2020&captions=true"] Download or listen to the show on these platforms:

• Direct Download

• YouTube

• Apple Podcasts/iTunes

• Spotify

• Stitcher

• PlayerFM

• Podbay

• TuneIn

• Podbean

• Feedburner

Podcast Beyond! is live every Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT. For the latest on PS5, check out the new PS5 logo, how fans reacted to the PS5 logo, and check out images of the allegedly PS5 dev kit and controller, as well as a leak alleging the power of the PS5 and Xbox Series X. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jonathon Dornbush is IGN's Senior News Editor, host of Podcast Beyond!, and PlayStation lead. Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.

With the recent announcement that the Final Fantasy 7 Remake would be delayed until April 2020, Square Enix has revealed that the PS4 exclusivity will be pushed back as well. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake exclusivity will now last until April 10, 2021, according to the official box art. Initially, the exclusivity was supposed to expire March 3, 2021, but was then shifted along with the game release. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] According to the Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase, the game was delayed to allow the team "a few extra weeks to apply final polish." He continued, "I, on behalf of the whole team, want to apologize to everyone, as I know this means waiting for the game just a little bit longer." Final Fantasy 7 initially released on the PlayStation in 1997 and is considered by many to be one of the best games in the series. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake was first announced at E3 2015. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/12/final-fantasy-vii-remake-e3-hands-on-impressions"] The Remake is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for those who haven't secured their copy yet. You should also be sure to double-check that your pre-order wasn't canceled by Square Enix. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be released on April 10, 2020. In the meantime, be sure to check out dozens of new screenshots from the game. Additionally, we've put together a roundup of all the secrets, reveals, and surprises from the latest trailer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

With the recent announcement that the Final Fantasy 7 Remake would be delayed until April 2020, Square Enix has revealed that the PS4 exclusivity will be pushed back as well. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake exclusivity will now last until April 10, 2021, according to the official box art. Initially, the exclusivity was supposed to expire March 3, 2021, but was then shifted along with the game release. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=final-fantasy-7-remake-over-100-screenshots&captions=true"] According to the Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase, the game was delayed to allow the team "a few extra weeks to apply final polish." He continued, "I, on behalf of the whole team, want to apologize to everyone, as I know this means waiting for the game just a little bit longer." Final Fantasy 7 initially released on the PlayStation in 1997 and is considered by many to be one of the best games in the series. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake was first announced at E3 2015. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/06/12/final-fantasy-vii-remake-e3-hands-on-impressions"] The Remake is currently available for pre-order on Amazon for those who haven't secured their copy yet. You should also be sure to double-check that your pre-order wasn't canceled by Square Enix. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake will be released on April 10, 2020. In the meantime, be sure to check out dozens of new screenshots from the game. Additionally, we've put together a roundup of all the secrets, reveals, and surprises from the latest trailer. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Andrew Smith is a freelance contributor with IGN. Follow him on Twitter @_andrewtsmith.

DC Comics has revealed its plans for Free Comic Book Day 2020, including a "game-changing" new book that promises to profoundly change one of DC's most iconic heroes and alter the course of an entire superhero universe. DC's flagship FCBD title is called Generation Zero. The main story in this issue centers around Wally West and ties into recent epics like Justice League: The Darkseid War, DC Universe Rebirth and Heroes in Crisis, as Wally is transformed to become the new Doctor Manhattan. Check out Francis Manapul's cover cover to DC Universe: Generation Zero #1 below: Dubbed "Flash Forward: Epilogue," this story explores the aftermath of writer Scott Lobdell and artist Brett Booth's Flash Forward miniseries. It seems Wally will come into possession of Metron's Mobius Chair as part of a cosmic bargain to restore his family's existence. Like Batman before him, the chair grants Wally the New God's powers of omniscience. When the Mobius Chair was last seen in 2016's Justice League #50, Metron had just been disintegrated by Doctor Manhattan. Because of that, the chair is now also imbued with Manhattan's power, transforming Wally into a godlike being who can not only see past, present and future, but alter them. In effect, Wally is the new Doctor Manhattan. He even has a new blue costume to match. DC's press release promises Generation Zero "lays the foundation for even more seismic-level changes in the DC Universe." The name suggests this may be the opening chapter in the mysterious "5G" initiative DC has been quietly teasing over the past several months. While little is known about the plot and full scope of 5G, it seems to build on the reveal of the DC Metaverse in Doomsday Clock and involve the creation of a new, unified DC timeline beginning with the debut of Wonder Woman in World War I. DC's press release also teases "It all starts here, and everything counts." [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=20-most-anticipated-comics-of-2020&captions=true"] Lending further fuel to that fire, Generation Zero will also reprint Scott Snyder and Bryan Hitch's short story "A Brave New World," which previously appeared in Wonder Woman #750. Set in 1930, this story shows Wonder Woman saving the life of President Roosevelt and inspiring future heroes like Golden Age Green Lantern Alan Scott. This story may turn out to be our first glimpse of the new DC timeline. Even Manapul's cover points toward a new approach to DC's vast continuity where every past story is acknowledged. The cover shows images of the classic Batman and Robin, the 1980's-era New Teen Titans, the New 52-era Justice League and numerous incarnations of Superman. DC will offer another FCBD title this year, one aimed at a more YA audience. This flipbook issue will include the first chapters of graphic novels Batman: Overdrive and Batman Tales: Once Upon a Crime, along with previews of upcoming titles My Video Game Ate My Homework and Primer. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/05/birds-of-prey-review"] Both books will be released as part of FCBD 2020 on Saturday, May 2. For more clues to the future of the DCU, see how Justice League #39 just set the stage for a Dark Nights: Metal sequel starring a chainsaw-wielding Wonder Woman and learn why DC is teasing a final showdown between Batman and Joker. And be sure to check out our picks for our most anticipated comics of 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.