Commence maniacal laughter: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 has cast its Norman Osborn

By Ryan Fleming February 27, 2013

The news from the Spidey camp keeps flowing. Following the recent reveal of the new Spidey suit, which itself followed the announcement that finally confirmed Jamie Foxx as Electro (and possibly Paul Giamatti as Rhino), we now have the biggest casting news of all. According to THR, the role of Spidey’s arch-enemy, Norman Osborn, will be played by Academy Award Winner Chris Cooper.

For nearly as long as there has been a Spidey, there has been a Green Goblin. In the early days, the relationship between the two was fairly straightforward. The Green Goblin would show up on his aerodynamically incredible and potentially world changing glider that would probably be worth billions of dollars, and he would use it to rob a bank while throwing pumpkin shaped bombs at people. Spidey would generally swing in and punch him until he saw the error in his ways.

As the character grew in popularity, his role expanded to that of Norman Osborn, father of Peter Parker’s best friend Harry – who in Marc Webb’s upcoming sequel will be played by Chronicle’s fantastically creepy Dane DeHaan. The details have changed repeatedly since the Green Goblin’s first introduction in 1964, but the friendship between Harry and Peter has always been one of the key pillars.

Electro is already confirmed to be the villain, and if Giamatti is indeed the Rhino the odds are that Cooper will play only Osborn, setting up a Green Goblin smackdown in a third film – although that may be teased at the end of the upcoming film. Too many villains in this film could easily threaten to overwhelm it.

If you haven’t read the comics be prepared to hate Norman Osborn, especially if the films follow the original story and tragedy is heading Spidey’s way, perhaps followed by Cooper’s now famed “maniacal laugh” (see below). And based on the characters that have and will be introduced, that seems to be the way the series is going.

You could say that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 “swings” into theaters on May 2, 2014, but please don’t. That would be silly.

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Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

Gaming

How to change suits in Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man soars through the air in a biomechanical suit in Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

Everyone knows the iconic Spider-Man suit. The red-and-blue spandex uniform has been iterated on and altered hundreds of times over the course of decades, leading to some similar and some very different designs. Spider-Man 2 introduces Venom and the symbiote suit to the mix as a plot point, but there are almost 70 total suits from various comics, shows, and movies to unlock and wear between Peter pParker and Miles Morales. Unlocking them is one thing, but changing between them, and their new styles, is another. With this guide, you will be able to change your spider style as fast as our heroes when duty calls.
How to change suits

Once you've snagged your first additional suit and used some Tokens to unlock it, changing between them is a breeze. Simply open your menu, go to the Suits tab, and highlight the one you want to wear. If you want to switch between Peter and Miles, simply hit L2 or R2 to cycle between the Spider-Men since each has their own unique set of suit options. Press X on the suit you want to wear and -- bam! -- your Spider-Man is now decked out in a new style. However, that's not all. Many suits have additional styles you can unlock by spending some Tech Parts. These give you three additional color options for that specific suit to further customize your look.

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Spider-Man 2 Just Let Go trophy guide: Where to find the science trophy

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There is no shortage of collectibles to gather and activities to do in Spider-Man 2. From photo-ops to Prowler Stashes, the map is filled with icons showing you where to go to find just about anything you need. One thing that isn't marked on your map, however, is a very special collectible for Miles Morales. This isn't required for any specific quest, and won't give you any XP, but it does reward you with the Just Let Go trophy that is necessary if you want to get the coveted Platinum trophy. With no clues as to where to find this tiny science trophy on the massive New York map, you could spend hours swinging around looking. Instead, we'll show you exactly where to look so you can check this trophy off your list.
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The science trophy we're looking for is in the southern part of the Financial District on a church. The exact location can be seen above, but the church itself is impossible to miss once you're in the area. When you reach the church, climb up onto the roof behind the main steeple and look up at the small balcony running around it. If you're close enough, you will see the small white circle indicating that there's something you can interact with there.

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Where to find Aunt May’s grave in Spider-Man 2

Peter visiting his aunt and uncle's graves.

Peter Parker has had a hard life. He was orphaned by his parents as a child and raised by his caring Aunt May and Uncle Ben, only for Ben to be killed in an act that would shape Spider-Man's entire philosophy as a hero. Things only get worse during the events of the first act of Insomniac's Spider-Man 2 as Aunt May is tragically killed as well, leaving Peter with no more true parental figures. Peter hasn't forgotten all his caring aunt and uncle have done for him, and if you can find their gravesite, he will pay them respect, as well as earn you a Trophy. It's a big graveyard, though, and their site isn't marked on the map. Here's where Uncle Ben and Aunt May's graves are located in Spider-Man 2.
How to find Aunt May and Uncle Ben's graves

The graveyard is located at the most-northeastern point on the New York map in Harlem. If you have unlocked fast travel in this district, you can warp almost directly to the spot. Once in the graveyard, go forward down the middle into the open field. You might spot Mile's father's grave first. May and Ben's graves are directly to the right of that.