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Spider-Man movie trailer leaked & new Star Wars video game pre-ordering available

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San Diego’s own Comic-Con was all set to provide the stage for a first-ever glimpse of next summer’s blockbuster comic book movie, “The Amazing Spider-Man,” on Friday afternoon.

Instead, the movie trailer was leaked onto the internet sometime on Tuesday.

The leaked preview, apparently a very shoddy version that was filmed on a cell phone, was quickly blocked by Sony pictures, but the damage had been done and the comic world was buzzing.

On Wednesday, two days earlier than expected, Sony went ahead and released its official version of the new flick, which is scheduled to hit theaters July, 2012.

As for the Spider-Man event planned for Comic-Con?  It is highly likely that fans’ excitement level will in no way be affected, especially because the film’s director, Marc Webb, is set to make an appearance to talk about his take on the spider-man franchise.

“The Amazing Spider-Man,” features a whole new cast, and in fact appears to move in a far different direction from where the previous Spider-Man franchise movies staring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst were.  Andrew Garfield of The Social Network will play Peter Parker, while Superbad actress Emma Stone has been cast as Parker’s love, Gwen Stacy.  Although it’s still the same old red-and-blue-tights guy swinging from buildings, this version of the film appears to have a much darker tone than any of the previous films had.

With a trailer that includes hints of Peter’s childhood, including his parents’ abandonment of him, to an ominous, dark voice asking “Are you ready to play God, Peter?” to Parker’s own voice referencing dark secrets being kept from him, fans at Comic-Con should have plenty to talk about while they wait in ridiculously long lines throughout the convention center.

For anyone that has not yet caught the trailer online, expect it to appear during the opening previews of the new comic film “Captain America: The First Avenger,” which opens this Friday.

May the force be with you, gamers.

This morning, video game designers BioWare and LucasArts announced that pre-orders for their newest game, “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” will now be made available.

The “story-driven, massively multiplayer online” element of the game is a first for either of these companies, and after fans at conventions such as the Electronic Entertainment Expo have gotten a small taste of the game, anticipation has started to build.

A panel of “Star Wars: The Old Republic” designers are scheduled to speak and show footage of the game to fans at Comic-Con this afternoon at 3:30pm.  Game stations will also be set up at the Star Wars Pavilion throughout the duration of the convention for gamers who want some hands-on playing action.

Three versions of the game are available for pre-order.  There is the standard, $59.99 edition, a deluxe edition going for $79.99, and a collectors’ edition that will cost a whopping $149.99 but includes a book of artwork from the game, a Darth Malgus statue, The Old Republic Galaxy Map, a game account key fob, a cd of the video games theme music, and more.

The actual release date for the game has yet to be announced but fans were told in January of 2010 that “The Old Republic” would be out by spring, 2011.  Now it has been pushed back until possibly late 2011, no doubt increasing fans’ anticipation and probably even making them a little angry at the setback. But as Master Yoda would advise, “Patience you must learn, young padawans.”  The game has taken nearly four years and close to $300 million to make, so it should be worth the wait.

photos courtesy of Nils Geylen via flickr and BioWare via wikimedia commons

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