Return to Monkey Island director Ron Gilbert says the game doesn't feature pixel art because he didn't want it to be considered a throwback – and has responded to those who have criticised the long-awaited sequel's new looks.

In a blog post, Gilbert addressed fan criticism of Return to Monkey Island's art style as it doesn't match the art of the first two games, to which it's a direct follow-up.

But Gilbert said this sequel wouldn't look like the first two games even if he'd developed it in the early '90s, because the point wasn't to have pixel art but to instead use the latest and greatest technology.

"Monkey Island 1 and 2 weren't pixel art games. They were games using state-of-the-art tech and art," he said. "If I had stayed and done Monkey Island 3 it wouldn't have looked like Monkey Island 2. We would have kept pushing forward, and Day of the Tentacle is a good example of that."

Return to Monkey Island is being written by Gilbert and Dave Grossman, two of the three writers on the original game (the third being Double Fine's Time Schafer, who isn't returning) and they discussed and dismissed using pixel art early on because "it didn't feel right". "Return to Monkey Island may not be the art style you wanted or were expecting but it's the art style I wanted," Gilbert explained.

Gilbert continued: "We didn't want to make a retro game. You can't read an article about [Gilbert's 2017 pixel art game] Thimbleweed Park without it being called a 'throwback game'. I didn't want Return to Monkey Island to be just a throwback game, I wanted to keep moving Monkey Island forward because it's interesting, fun, and exciting. It's what the Monkey Island games have always done.

"I wanted the art in Return to Monkey Island to be provocative, shocking, and not what everyone was expecting," he said. "It's ironic that the people who don't want me to make the game I want to make are some of the hard core Monkey Island fans."

Gilbert concluded: "Return to Monkey Island is an incredible rollercoaster. Get on and have some fun or stomp out of the amusement park because it's not exactly the rollercoaster you wanted. I hope you'll jump on with the rest of us."

The sequel was announced in April and Gilbert and the team at Terrible Toybox have been drip-feeding information ahead of its release later this year.

While he's announced some gameplay details, such as the inclusion of an easy mode and hint system, Gilbert has mostly talked about the long and unexpected timeline that eventually led to the creation of Return to Monkey Island.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

A scrapped 2001 version of Duke Nukem Forever has seemingly leaked online, apparently showing the game four years into its turbulent development.

Duke Nukem fan website Duke4 shared details from a 4Chan post that seemingly shows gameplay footage and several screenshots of what is essentially a completely different game to the eventual 2011 release.

The 2001 version – of which "a huge chunk" is apparently playable – looks more similar to the previous game, 1996's Duke Nukem 3D, than the Forever we eventually got in 2011.

Duke Nukem Forever build from 2001 leakedhttps://t.co/zJJx0LA6k0 pic.twitter.com/DofR0X6G3Z

— Instant Gaming (@InstantGamingEN) May 9, 2022

The leaker has allegedly built an editor to get this version of Duke Nukem Forever working and plans to release the full version in June.

Almost every level is present in some form according to the post, though some with missing enemies and other content, and most weapons are also fully functional.

Content from the 2001 E3 trailer is also reportedly playable, which is the last time fans saw this build of the game before it was delayed again and again.

The final version wasn't released for another decade, making for a total of 14 years in development, with Duke Nuke Forever suffering one final delay before launching in June 2011. Suffice it to say, the final version wasn't well received.

In our 5/10 review, IGN said: "There's some dumb fun to be had in Duke Nukem Forever, but the game tries hard to ensure it's only fleeting."

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer who occasionally remembers to tweet @thelastdinsdale. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is off to a strong start as it has not only won the domestic weekend box office with ticket sales of $185 million, but it has also secured the 11th best domestic opening of all time.

As reported by Variety, Doctor Strange 2 managed to surpass all other COVID-era MCU films except for Spider-Man: No Way Home's $260 million opening, which was also the second-biggest domestic opening of all time.

This means it outpaced Black Widow's $80 million theatrical and $60 million Disney+ debut, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' $75 million debut, and Eternals' $71 million debut. It also became 2022's biggest opening by dethroning The Batman's $134 million first weekend.

Internationally, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness earned another $265 million, bringing its global tally to $450 million. If the film is to cross the $1 billion mark globally, it will have to do so without China, Russia, or Ukraine as the film will most likely not open there.

The original Doctor Strange earned $85 million in its opening weekend in 2016, and the sequel flew past that on Friday alone with $90 million in ticket sales. Doctor Strange ended its theatrical run with $232 million domestically and $677 million globally.

Doctor Strange 2 cost $200 million to produce, and premium formats have played a big part in recouping the production and marketing costs. With $33 million from IMAX alone, 36% of Doctor Strange 2's overall ticket sales came from these premium formats.

In our Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness review, we said "the script is downright hokey sometimes, and there are odd moments that are weird for the sake of it without adding anything to the overall lore or character development. That said, it’s got a score that’s to die for, some rockin’ performances, and fans will never once be bored!"

After two weeks atop the box office, The Bad Guys settled for second place this time with $9.7 million. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 landed in third place with $6.2 million, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore took fourth with $3.8 million, and Everything Everywhere All at Once rounded out the top five with $2.7 million.

If you have already seen Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or can't wait to learn what secrets it holds, be sure to check out our breakdown of the ending and post-credits scenes, our biggest WTF questions after leaving the theater, what to expect from the Illuminati going forward, and our breakdown of THAT cameo.

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.

Doctor Who has officially cast Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa as the next Doctor to "take charge of the TARDIS."

Announced by The BBC, Gatwa won the Best Actor Award at the Scottish BAFTA's in 2020 for his performance as Eric Effiong in Sex Education and he is also set to star in the upcoming Barbie film alongside Margot Robbie.

Ncuti shared a few words on taking on the legendary role, saying he is "deeply honoured, beyond excited, and of course a little bit scared."

"There aren’t quite the words to describe how I’m feeling," Ncuti said. "A mix of deeply honoured, beyond excited and of course a little bit scared. This role and show means so much to so many around the world, including myself, and each one of my incredibly talented predecessors has handled that unique responsibility and privilege with the utmost care.

"I will endeavour my upmost to do the same. Russell T Davies is almost as iconic as the Doctor himself and being able to work with him is a dream come true. His writing is dynamic, exciting, incredibly intelligent and fizzing with danger. An actor’s metaphorical playground.

"The entire team have been so welcoming and truly give their hearts to the show. And so as much as it’s daunting, I’m aware I’m joining a really supportive family. Unlike the Doctor, I may only have one heart but I am giving it all to this show.”

Speaking of Doctor Who showrunner Russel T Davies, he also wrote a few words about Ncuti and how he knew the actor was something special from the moment he walked through the door.

"The future is here and it’s Ncuti! Sometimes talent walks through the door and it’s so bright and bold and brilliant, I just stand back in awe and thank my lucky stars," Davies wrote. "Ncuti dazzled us, seized hold of the Doctor and owned those TARDIS keys in seconds.

"It’s an honour to work with him, and a hoot, I can’t wait to get started. I’m sure you’re dying to know more, but we’re rationing ourselves for now, with the wonderful Jodie’s epic finale yet to come. But I promise you, 2023 will be spectacular!”

Ncuti is set to replace Jodie Whittaker and will be the Fourteenth Doctor in the series' historic run. Whittaker will star in one final episode later this year before she passes the torch to Gatwa.

Whittaker starred as the Doctor for three seasons, which has become the standard for Doctor Who actors, including Matt Smith, Peter Capaldi, and David Tennant.

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.

Martin Freeman, who played Everett Ross in Black Panther, has opened up about making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without the late Chadwick Boseman.

Speaking to Collider, Freeman shared that, while it wasn't easy to return to set without Boseman, there are so many stories to tell in Wakanda and characters to build upon that moving forward with a sequel made sense.

"It was strange, that side of it," Freeman said. "On the one hand, you're making the film that you're there to make, and there are scores and scores of people on set, joined in this endeavor to make the film. But there's also no question that, at the heart of it, there's quite a gap now, and you felt it.

"With full respect to Ryan Coogler and everybody else, who's sweating and bleeding to get this thing done properly, it was fun. It was enjoyable. I was in and out of it quite quickly, I think. But I like playing Everett Ross. He's a very fun character to play. He's nicely simpatico for the story. He's a good guy. But it was odd. Of course, it was odd with Chadwick [Boseman] not being there. There's no way around that.

"I think everyone would find it pretty strange and sad, but at the same time, life things don't just end. It's not like, ‘Well, that's happened, so we just all have to go off and never do it again.’ But it was odd. When he passed, I thought, ‘Okay, well maybe there just won't be another one.’ But there are still other stories to tell within that world and other great characters. I think, and I hope that we've made a good film. I trust Ryan Coogler a lot.”

Freeman originally signed on to do three films - Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - but he loves that being part of the MCU means you can be called back at a moment's notice.

"I love being surprised and being contacted and having them go, ‘Do you wanna come and do this thing?’ It's just fun," Freeman said. "It's a nice world to dip your toe in and to be able to have the freedom to come in and out, which is perfect for me.

"I don't love being on the same thing, all the time. I don't love that. I'm not saying anything particularly surprising there. I think people know that I like going and having an adventure over there, and then coming back, and then going over there and doing that. That feels very, very lucky to me, that I get to do that.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to be released in theaters on November 11, 2022. For more, check out Marvel Comics has handled Black Panther without T'Challa, how the film was reshaped and will be respectful of the loss of Boseman, and director Ryan Coogler saying Boseman "wouldn't have wanted us to stop."

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.

Martin Freeman, who played Everett Ross in Black Panther, has opened up about making Black Panther: Wakanda Forever without the late Chadwick Boseman.

Speaking to Collider, Freeman shared that, while it wasn't easy to return to set without Boseman, there are so many stories to tell in Wakanda and characters to build upon that moving forward with a sequel made sense.

"It was strange, that side of it," Freeman said. "On the one hand, you're making the film that you're there to make, and there are scores and scores of people on set, joined in this endeavor to make the film. But there's also no question that, at the heart of it, there's quite a gap now, and you felt it.

"With full respect to Ryan Coogler and everybody else, who's sweating and bleeding to get this thing done properly, it was fun. It was enjoyable. I was in and out of it quite quickly, I think. But I like playing Everett Ross. He's a very fun character to play. He's nicely simpatico for the story. He's a good guy. But it was odd. Of course, it was odd with Chadwick [Boseman] not being there. There's no way around that.

"I think everyone would find it pretty strange and sad, but at the same time, life things don't just end. It's not like, ‘Well, that's happened, so we just all have to go off and never do it again.’ But it was odd. When he passed, I thought, ‘Okay, well maybe there just won't be another one.’ But there are still other stories to tell within that world and other great characters. I think, and I hope that we've made a good film. I trust Ryan Coogler a lot.”

Freeman originally signed on to do three films - Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - but he loves that being part of the MCU means you can be called back at a moment's notice.

"I love being surprised and being contacted and having them go, ‘Do you wanna come and do this thing?’ It's just fun," Freeman said. "It's a nice world to dip your toe in and to be able to have the freedom to come in and out, which is perfect for me.

"I don't love being on the same thing, all the time. I don't love that. I'm not saying anything particularly surprising there. I think people know that I like going and having an adventure over there, and then coming back, and then going over there and doing that. That feels very, very lucky to me, that I get to do that.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is set to be released in theaters on November 11, 2022. For more, check out Marvel Comics has handled Black Panther without T'Challa, how the film was reshaped and will be respectful of the loss of Boseman, and director Ryan Coogler saying Boseman "wouldn't have wanted us to stop."

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.

Batman Unburied, a brand-new podcast from David S. Goyer, has overtaken The Joe Rogan Experience as the #1 podcast on Spotify in the U.S. and many other countries around the world.

Batman Unburied's first two episodes were released on May 3, and Spotify's The Podcast Charts reveal that it now sits on the top spot and has surpassed The Joe Rogan Experience, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, Crime Junkie, and Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain in the top five.

Goyer, who was a writer on Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Batman v Superman, is leading the project that stars the MCU's Winston Duke as Bruce Wayne.

Joining Duke on the narrative-led podcast are Hasan Minhaj as The Riddler, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Lance Reddick as Thomas Wayne, Toks Olagundoye as Martha Wayne, John Rhys-Davies as Dr. Hunter, and Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale.

"A serial killer known as The Harvester terrorizes Gotham City, but Batman is not coming to the rescue," Batman Unburied's official description reads. "In fact, Bruce Wayne has no memory of being the Caped Crusader at all. Instead, Bruce is a forensic pathologist, performing the autopsy on the latest victim when he’s attacked by the killer himself.

"As Bruce’s obsession with the Harvester consumes him, Dr. Thomas Wayne, head of Gotham City Hospital, orders his son to take medical leave and seek treatment from an unusual psychologist, Dr. Hunter. With Batman missing in action, Detective Barbara Gordon is left with no other choice but to seek help from Gotham’s second smartest detective: The Riddler."

New episodes will release each Tuesday exclusively on Spotify and each episode will be released in nine different languages.

For more Batman, check out the news of The Batman's sequel, 10 things you didn't know about the DC movie reboot, and our explainer of the film's ending.

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.

Batman Unburied, a brand-new podcast from David S. Goyer, has overtaken The Joe Rogan Experience as the #1 podcast on Spotify in the U.S. and many other countries around the world.

Batman Unburied's first two episodes were released on May 3, and Spotify's The Podcast Charts reveal that it now sits on the top spot and has surpassed The Joe Rogan Experience, MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories, Crime Junkie, and Anything Goes with Emma Chamberlain in the top five.

Goyer, who was a writer on Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Batman v Superman, is leading the project that stars the MCU's Winston Duke as Bruce Wayne.

Joining Duke on the narrative-led podcast are Hasan Minhaj as The Riddler, Jason Isaacs as Alfred, Gina Rodriguez as Barbara Gordon, Lance Reddick as Thomas Wayne, Toks Olagundoye as Martha Wayne, John Rhys-Davies as Dr. Hunter, and Ashly Burch as Vicki Vale.

"A serial killer known as The Harvester terrorizes Gotham City, but Batman is not coming to the rescue," Batman Unburied's official description reads. "In fact, Bruce Wayne has no memory of being the Caped Crusader at all. Instead, Bruce is a forensic pathologist, performing the autopsy on the latest victim when he’s attacked by the killer himself.

"As Bruce’s obsession with the Harvester consumes him, Dr. Thomas Wayne, head of Gotham City Hospital, orders his son to take medical leave and seek treatment from an unusual psychologist, Dr. Hunter. With Batman missing in action, Detective Barbara Gordon is left with no other choice but to seek help from Gotham’s second smartest detective: The Riddler."

New episodes will release each Tuesday exclusively on Spotify and each episode will be released in nine different languages.

For more Batman, check out the news of The Batman's sequel, 10 things you didn't know about the DC movie reboot, and our explainer of the film's ending.

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.

George Pérez, the legendary DC and Marvel comic book artist, has died at the age of 67.

As reported by Variety, Pérez died on Friday, May 6 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but he leaves behind a legacy mostly unmatched in the world of comics. The news of his death was shared by his friend Constance Eza, who wrote a few words about his importance to not only her, but the entire world.

"Everyone knows George's legacy as a creator," Eza wrote. "His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was. George's true legacy is his kindness. It's the love he had for bringing others joy - and I hope you all carry that with you always."

DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee also wrote a few words in honor of Pérez, and his words show just how much Pérez impacted the worlds of both DC and Marvel.

"Both the DC and Marvel universes owe so much to the pen of George Pérez," Lee wrote. "From his runs on the Avengers and Fantastic Four to his reinvention of the New Teen Titans and relaunch of Wonder Woman and of course his seminal universe defining work—Crisis on Infinite Earths—George’s vision and attention to detail were unparalleled and made devout readers into fans and fans into super fanatics.

"He could bring to life both the sweeping, epic clashes between the Gods & also capture the small, quiet interludes between the most mundane characters with equal deftness & power. Most importantly—George defined to me what it meant to be a fan favorite in the modern age. Not just because he has countless fans all around the world but because of how humble, gracious & generous he was with his time and talent when in their company."

George Pérez made everything look effortless. His contributions were pivotal in both driving and reinventing DC’s long and rich history. George’s stories were a joy to read, and his work resonated with everyone he met. He will be missed by those here at DC and fans worldwide. pic.twitter.com/g8lMC62tK5

— DC (@DCComics) May 7, 2022

Pérez was born in 1954 in the South Bronx and he dreamed of being an artist since he was a child. At 19, he began working for Marvel Comics as an assistant to Fantastic Four artist Rich Buckler. In 1974, Pérez made his official debut as an artist for the anthology series Astonishing Tales.

In 1980, Pérez was asked by DC to work on The New Teen Titans, which was a relaunch of the teenage superhero team that was led by Marv Wolfman. He would continue to work in the world of DC and would be an integral part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event that saw DC's heroes team up against Anti-Monitor.

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pérez helped relaunch Wonder Woman and would even write on the series. Pérez's work would be citied as an inspiration for Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman film from 2017.

As the years continued, he would jump back and forth between Marvel and DC, and in 2012 he chose to leave DC after disagreements on rewrites of his work and subpar editorial planning. After DC, he wrote and drew a sci-fi miniseries called Sirens for Boom! Studios.

George Pérez was an artist, a writer, a role model, and a friend. His work paved seminal stories across comics, and his legacy of kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Our family at Marvel mourns his loss today, and our hearts are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/Z61gXE1zk4

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) May 7, 2022

In 2019, Pérez announced his retirement due to health issues.

Pérez is survived by his wife, Carol Flynn. For those interested, Eza shared that Pérez's memorial service will take place at MEGACON Orlando at 6pm ET on Sunday, May 22, and it will be open to all.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

George Pérez, the legendary DC and Marvel comic book artist, has died at the age of 67.

As reported by Variety, Pérez died on Friday, May 6 after a battle with pancreatic cancer, but he leaves behind a legacy mostly unmatched in the world of comics. The news of his death was shared by his friend Constance Eza, who wrote a few words about his importance to not only her, but the entire world.

"Everyone knows George's legacy as a creator," Eza wrote. "His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was. George's true legacy is his kindness. It's the love he had for bringing others joy - and I hope you all carry that with you always."

DC Comics Chief Creative Officer Jim Lee also wrote a few words in honor of Pérez, and his words show just how much Pérez impacted the worlds of both DC and Marvel.

"Both the DC and Marvel universes owe so much to the pen of George Pérez," Lee wrote. "From his runs on the Avengers and Fantastic Four to his reinvention of the New Teen Titans and relaunch of Wonder Woman and of course his seminal universe defining work—Crisis on Infinite Earths—George’s vision and attention to detail were unparalleled and made devout readers into fans and fans into super fanatics.

"He could bring to life both the sweeping, epic clashes between the Gods & also capture the small, quiet interludes between the most mundane characters with equal deftness & power. Most importantly—George defined to me what it meant to be a fan favorite in the modern age. Not just because he has countless fans all around the world but because of how humble, gracious & generous he was with his time and talent when in their company."

George Pérez made everything look effortless. His contributions were pivotal in both driving and reinventing DC’s long and rich history. George’s stories were a joy to read, and his work resonated with everyone he met. He will be missed by those here at DC and fans worldwide. pic.twitter.com/g8lMC62tK5

— DC (@DCComics) May 7, 2022

Pérez was born in 1954 in the South Bronx and he dreamed of being an artist since he was a child. At 19, he began working for Marvel Comics as an assistant to Fantastic Four artist Rich Buckler. In 1974, Pérez made his official debut as an artist for the anthology series Astonishing Tales.

In 1980, Pérez was asked by DC to work on The New Teen Titans, which was a relaunch of the teenage superhero team that was led by Marv Wolfman. He would continue to work in the world of DC and would be an integral part of the Crisis on Infinite Earths event that saw DC's heroes team up against Anti-Monitor.

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Pérez helped relaunch Wonder Woman and would even write on the series. Pérez's work would be citied as an inspiration for Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman film from 2017.

As the years continued, he would jump back and forth between Marvel and DC, and in 2012 he chose to leave DC after disagreements on rewrites of his work and subpar editorial planning. After DC, he wrote and drew a sci-fi miniseries called Sirens for Boom! Studios.

George Pérez was an artist, a writer, a role model, and a friend. His work paved seminal stories across comics, and his legacy of kindness and generosity will never be forgotten. Our family at Marvel mourns his loss today, and our hearts are with his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/Z61gXE1zk4

— Marvel Entertainment (@Marvel) May 7, 2022

In 2019, Pérez announced his retirement due to health issues.

Pérez is survived by his wife, Carol Flynn. For those interested, Eza shared that Pérez's memorial service will take place at MEGACON Orlando at 6pm ET on Sunday, May 22, and it will be open to all.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.