Superhero blockbusters have been hit or miss for years now. But “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is proof that the problem is not lack of an interested audience.
The latest Marvel Studios release was the fastest film to cross a half-billion at the domestic box office in just a week. This record was previously set by “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, but it took that movie eight days to cross the $500 million threshold. 
“Brand New Day,” released on July 31, is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and stars Tom Holland and Zendaya. It’s the 23rd movie ever to make more than half a billion at the North American box office, and industry insiders are especially impressed by how well it’s performing on weekdays. Per <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/08/box-office-spider-man-brand-new-day-fastest-half-billion-record-1237028214/">Deadline</a>, it pulled in over $32 million this past Wednesday, which was the second best Wednesday ever for a non-opening title. 
Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman credited the popularity of the film’s stars as being a huge draw for audiences, and speculated that the trend will continue. 
“They’re not popular because they’re popular,” he <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spider-man-the-beatles-jumanji-sony-tom-rothman-interview-1236663221/">told</a> The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published earlier this week. “They’re popular because they’re talented, and they deserve their popularity. They’re lovely, decent, grounded, good-valued people, and they work really hard. So they’ve earned every ounce of their success.”
“All the geniuses who said that theatrical movies were dead, they’re not necessarily right. Actually, the theatrical marketplace is booming right now, and I’m excited about it. So I’m very optimistic,” Rothman told the outlet at another point.
Some reviewers have also pointed out that the movie marks a return to old-fashioned superhero storytelling. 
The official description states, “Fighting crime full-time as Spider-Man in a world that doesn’t remember him — and the pressure of seeing his old friends move on without him — sparks a change in Peter he may not have the power to control. But that transformation might also be the only thing that can stop a shocking new threat to the city and those he loves — a powerful villain no one can even see. The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.”
It <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/spider_man_brand_new_day">currently has</a> a 90% critical rating and 98% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Spider Man

Spider-Man’s Massive Win Proves Audiences Were Never The Problem

Box Office

Entertainment

Marvel

Movies

Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man just beat the assembled Avengers where it counts — at the box office.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” earned $360 million at the domestic box office in its opening weekend, making it the biggest opening of all time. The 2019 superhero extravaganza “Avengers: Endgame” held the previous record of $357 million.
Everyone’s favorite wall-crawler had a little help. The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) co-star in the fourth “Spider-Man” feature starring Tom Holland. Still, the film’s gargantuan take signals something profound.
Superhero fatigue is situational, at best, with the summer’s “Supergirl” revealing that its relevance still matters in extreme cases. Plus, reading the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s last rites may be premature, even if recent titles (“Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts”) failed to blow away the competition.
Yet caveats abound, and they’re all worth exploring.
Let’s start with “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The 2021 romp did more than unite three Peter Parkers in one film. It proved a nostalgic smart bomb, revisiting old villains for a near-perfect blend of action, adventure and humanity.
Plus, the film came out as the COVID-19 lockdowns were easing, letting the country enjoy the theatrical experience again. The goodwill generated by those elements proved massive, setting the stage for “Brand New Day.”
After all, the latest Spidey adventure doesn’t have a sizable hook. It doesn’t continue a major plot point from previous MCU films. The villain has been hidden in the marketing rollout, robbing the film of a key selling point.
The MCU didn’t hire a “name” director (think Spielberg, Tarantino or Villeneuve) to tackle the assignment. Destin Daniel Cretton previously helmed “Shang-Chi,” a well-received MCU effort but far from a blockbuster.
There’s something deeper here — a type of attraction that demands the attention of not just superfans or Marvel acolytes. America’s favorite wall-crawler holds special appeal that can’t be relegated to the halls of Comic-Con like some obscure spin-off side character. Spider-Man has been part of Western culture for decades, from the animated TV show with the catchy theme song (“… Spider-Man, Spider-Man, does whatever a spider can”) to Saturday-morning cartoons and a late-1970s TV show with Nicholas Hammond.
He’s a science nerd and social outcast, the kid who got bullied in school until a radioactive spider changed, well, everything. He remains relatable and real, even if we can’t swing from skyscraper to skyscraper.
Plus, he’s had the benefit of sublime actors bringing him to life. Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield proved to be critical casting choices, while Holland has masterfully allowed his Peter Parker to mature before our eyes.
The new film finds him fighting crime while missing his best bud, Ned (Jacob Batalon), and his girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya). That matters.
The “Spider-Man” films fall under the Sony banner, even while Disney’s MCU recently paired up with the film studio. That means the live-action Spider-verse didn’t follow the woke road that derailed the MCU in recent years.
No forced identity politics or woke plot points. The Sony films proved smart, resourceful and effective. The same can’t be said for MCU clunkers like “The Marvels” and “Eternals.”
The MCU has course-corrected of late, even including some pro-life messaging in last year’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.”
The MCU still has a galaxy of minor heroes who could save the day (and crush the box office), but they must be launched wisely. Most people didn’t know what a Deadpool was, but star Ryan Reynolds used his personal touch and plenty of humor to <a href="https://ew.com/article/2016/02/17/deadpool-viral-marketing-campaign/?srsltid=AfmBOorzn6DjOSRQkkS7_oTgEF4iEAMZhxtAUCkv5FVQEl41jDfZp8oi">sell the character to the masses.</a>
A decade after its solo film debut, Deadpool is a familiar pop culture staple and a phenomenon that has far exceeded the 2016 film’s modest $58 million budget.
Reynolds &amp; co. also showed fidelity to the source material, telling fans they could trust the stories coming to their local cineplex. Geek Nation is a tiny fragment of the movie-going audience, but its members are the best marketers an MCU film can have when they’re working on your behalf.
Holland himself has played a key role in this MCU success story. The British actor doesn’t say a peep about ICE, voter ID, or other red-hot-button issues. He’s charming in publicity interviews, even keeping a low boil on his marriage to fellow superstar Zendaya, a kind of humility akin to “Brand New Day” — even down to the old-school Spidey suit that goes without the bells and whistles seen in recent MCU adventures.
That goodwill matters. Plus, <a href="https://screenrant.com/spider-man-brand-new-day-hulk-return-success-mark-ruffalo-comment/">Team MCU apparently benched Ruffalo</a> during the “Brand New Day” press tour, knowing the far-Left actor would likely distract from the film with his progressive lectures.
It’ll be much harder to silence the crush of stars assembling for this winter’s “Avengers: Doomsday” feature. The December 18 release is a who’s who of superhero actors, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
If an “Avengers” film can’t pull off Spidey-sized numbers, then the MCU will be better off hyping their best individual characters moving forward. Why spend all that money on a film that can’t outperform a geeky wall crawler?
The X factor that can’t be overlooked? The old saw “a rising tide lifts all boats” still matters. The theatrical model made a stunning comeback this year, with breakout hits like “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Project Hail Mary,” “Toy Story 5” and “Obsession.”
Suddenly, going to the movies is cool again, with Gen Z often leading the way. That might be the one superpower the MCU needed most of all.
***
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. He&#8217;s also the host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hollywood-in-toto-podcast-w-christian-toto/id1186449155">The Hollywood in Toto Podcast</a>. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.

Los Angeles Premiere Of Columbia Pictures’ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”

Is ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ The MCU Superhero That Saves Hollywood’s Summer?

DW Opinion

Hollywood

Sony

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Spiderman

Tom Holland

Zendaya

Christopher Nolan&#8217;s “The Odyssey” delivered the biggest opening weekend of the director&#8217;s career, generating $264.1 million worldwide, including $139.6 million internationally and $124.5 million domestically, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/the-odyssey-christopher-nolan-biggest-global-debut-1236815981/">Variety</a>. 
“The Odyssey” has become the biggest worldwide opening of Nolan’s career, a record previously held by “The Dark Knight Rises” (2012), which earned $249 million, and “The Dark Knight,” which earned $198 million, as the outlet noted. 
The film&#8217;s record-setting debut comes despite pre-release criticism from some conservatives over several casting decisions. After seeing the movie, however, many have praised Nolan&#8217;s latest epic.
Several conservatives admit that despite a lot of build-up about casting decisions Nolan made, including putting in transgender-identifying actress Elliot Page as a male character and race-swapping Helen of Troy by casting Lupita Nyong’o, the movie is absolutely worth seeing. 
Ben Shapiro, Editor Emeritus of The Daily Wire, had heaps of praise for the film, saying there were flaws, but they weren’t enough to spoil the entire movie. 
“Nolan is unparalleled. He’s the best director working today, without a doubt. He just creates iconic movie after iconic movie,” Shapiro said during his review. 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Ben Shapiro Reviews The Odyssey" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MQrF748gmRg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
&nbsp;
He also said Matt Damon shined as the movie’s lead. “I think he’s great in nearly everything. He sort of disappears into the part in a way that he doesn’t in a lot of other movies. He’s great as Odysseus.”
As for other casting decisions, Shapiro was also full of praise, save for a few of the more glaring choices. “Robert Pattinson as Antinous is an excellent antagonist. He’s sleazy and gross. Tom Holland as Telemachus is excellent, well cast. Anne Hathaway does a great job as Penelope,” he said.
Shapiro said Nyong’o was actually a fine choice of Helen of Troy unless Nolan was going to cast an actual Greek star in her place.
“So, I know a lot of people were like, ‘Oh my god, Lupita Nyong’o is supposed to look like Diane Kruger.’ I don’t know. Diane Kruger doesn’t look very Greek. She’s German,” Shapiro said. “Lupita Nyong’o is a beautiful woman. But here’s the thing, actually, in the script, Nolan goes out of his way to explain that the war wasn’t really launched over Helen being gorgeous.”
Shapiro did mention Page’s casting as Sinon, saying it was an “absolute puzzler” from Nolan because the actress is “about 5’2 and 105 pounds soaking wet and has the voice of a woman. It doesn’t work.”
Madeline Fry Schultz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/go-ahead-watch-the-odyssey">reviewed</a> the film for The Daily Wire&#8217;s Upstream, calling it, “a big, glorious summer blockbuster based on a pillar of the Western canon. It explores mercy, hospitality, vengeance, family bonds, honor, and, of course, homecoming.” 
Like Shapiro, she said the issues with the film don’t outweigh the benefits. “With the ‘Odyssey’ controversy, conservatives are getting hung up on the details (some more troublesome than others) when the headline is that one of Hollywood’s best directors just made a three-hour-long film about a father returning home to his family, facing terrifying monsters and deftly wielding his bow and arrows on the way.”
“It’s beautifully shot, it has mass appeal, and there’s little in the film itself to subvert Homer’s epic tale, which is now reaching a new audience,” Schultz wrote. 
Another Upstream reviewer pointed out what many others were saying: that the film is infused with Christian themes.
“Christian morality has become so deeply embedded in Western life that even secular people treat many of its assumptions as universal. They reject Christianity as a religion while continuing to believe that compassion is superior to force, that the weak and downtrodden possess inherent moral worth, that guilt should result from cruelty, and that forgiveness rather than retaliation is a sign of strength,” Rob Henderson <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-christopher-nolan-couldnt-bring-himself-to-do?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Rob+Henderson&amp;category=Upstream&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=What+Christopher+Nolan+Couldn%E2%80%99t+Bring+Himself+To+Do">wrote</a>. “Nolan can’t resist placing a Christian (or secular Post-Christian) moral code within a pagan hero.”
Critics and audiences agree that, despite its flaws, “The Odyssey” is a masterpiece. It currently has a 95% critical rating and an audience score of 97%.

The Odyssey

Conservatives Had Concerns About ‘The Odyssey.’ Now They’re Praising It.

Christopher Nolan

Disney’s live-action version of “Moana” starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson did abysmal numbers at the box office over the weekend, thanks in part to poor pre-sales and terrible reviews. 
The film brought in $43 million across 3,827 North American screens, barely making a dent in its massive $250 million production budget, which doesn&#8217;t even include the astronomical cost of marketing efforts.
Many of these remakes have earned a massive haul for Disney, notably “Beauty and the Beast” (2017) and more recently “Lilo &amp; Stitch” (2025). But there have also been some fantastic flops like “Snow White” last year. 
As of last month, &#8220;Moana&#8221; was <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/movies/articles/moana-live-action-movie-box-215720407.html">predicted to pull in</a> $80 to $105 million during its opening weekend. But those numbers dropped as its July 10 release day grew closer. 
It currently has a 33% critical score on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. “Virtually every line, beat, and song in the new movie is identical to the 2016 version, apart from a few minor punch-ups or extra comedy tags here and there&#8230; There’s no artistic or aesthetic reason for the live-action Moana to exist,” one <a href="https://www.polygon.com/moana-review-live-action-2026/">review</a> says. 
“The film doesn’t worry about novel turns. It just walks us through the familiar avenues like a dutiful tour guide. A lazy, lazy work that sullies the good name of ‘content,’” <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/review/2026/07/08/moana-review-lazy-disney-live-action-remake-sullies-the-good-name-of-content/">says</a> another.
“It evoked in me a similar reaction to AI slop, where I cringe at the unnerving blend of the familiar and the not-quite-right,” a third <a href="https://mashable.com/entertainment/moana-live-action-2026-review">reviewer</a> agreed.
Movie fans point out that something is lost when animated films are redone with real actors — a criticism that keeps coming up in the early reviews of Moana, too. “From start to finish, ‘Moana’ stands out as one of the ugliest films of the year. The cinematography is washed out and dull, even when it is simply attempting to capture the beauty of Motunui, shot on location in Hawaii,” one <a href="https://discussingfilm.net/2026/07/08/moana-review-heartless-remake-disney/">review</a> says. 
“There are visual gags from the original film that look bizarre in live-action, such as the way Maui repeatedly tosses Moana off her boat. The non-human characters, once full of expression and personality, have lost all their charm.”
Interestingly, the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is far more positive, holding strong at 90% as of Monday morning. This includes verified viewers.
<div class="card-wrap">
<div class="content-wrap">
<div class="rr-wrap">
<div class="drawer">
&#8220;Same as the animated film. Nice summer movie, however if you’ve seen the animated film you’ve seen both!&#8221; one reviewer wrote, echoing what many others have said.
But another movie fan disagreed, writing, &#8220;Where’s all the hate coming from? Moana is a really good movie that’s [sic] best decision is to stick to the original.&#8221;
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Moana

Disney’s Latest Live Action Bombs At The Box Office

Disney's Live Action Moana Totally Bombs At The Box Office

Disney

To the surprise of almost no one, “Supergirl” bombed over the weekend following months of bad press, thanks in part to comments made by the film’s lead star, Milly Alcock, and negative reviews ahead of the premiere.
The Warner Bros. and DC Studios adaptation centered on Superman’s cousin, Kara Zor-El, earned $38 million domestically and $68 million globally during its opening weekend, well below expectations. Studio co-CEO Peter Safran acknowledged the disappointing numbers, but insisted it would not alter the studio&#8217;s plans. 
“While Supergirl didn’t meet our box office expectations, it’s just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in,” Safran <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/28/business/media/supergirl-box-office.html">told</a> the New York Times.
Per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/supergirl-box-office-bomb-dc-studios-1236797855/">Variety</a>, Warner Bros. and DC spent $170 million on production and around $120 million on marketing the film. But Alcock, who played the titular star, seemed determined to compete with Rachel Zegler in terms of tanking her own film before it ever came out.
The 26-year-old spoke to Variety last month about backlash ahead of the film’s release, insisting that much of the criticism stems from her being a woman.
“I guess women know that this is just how it’s always been, unfortunately,” Alcock told the outlet, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/supergirl-star-says-shes-glad-to-trigger-christian-dads">reported</a>. “And it’s from a lot of people whose profiles have no photo, who are burner accounts. Or someone’s name and then ‘Dad of four, Christian,’ which is hilarious to me.”
“But I mean, whose opinion do you really care about? If you’re p***ing the right kind of people off, you’re doing OK,” she added.
The “Supergirl” star preemptively blamed potential criticism of the film on misogyny during a Vanity Fair interview published in March in a tactic described as “pre-release critical armor.”
“It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on,” Alcock said when asked about the “inevitable backlash” she’d face.
“We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself,” Alcock added.
Alcock also described “Supergirl” as a more personal story centered on Kara Zor-El. “She’s not trying to save the world — she’s just trying to save her own,” Alcock told Vanity Fair. “This film is an excellent reminder that the world can be crumbling around you, but you can be the hero of your own story.”
Even if audiences were willing to look past that, there was another problem: the movie got terrible reviews, even from mainstream critics. It currently has a 55% critical rating and a 75% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Alcock throws around a medley of furrowed brows, sleepy glares and insolent grins – much like my own teen daughter – while hinting at a soulfulness that the movie directed by Craig Gillespie is barely equipped to tap,” a reviewer from The Globe and Mail <a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/film-and-tv/film/article-supergirl-movie-review-dc-comics-milly-alcock/">wrote</a>. 
“The action sequences are jerky and disjointed; Supergirl’s laser eyes constitute the only occasional, if inadequate, jolt of life,” another reviewer <a href="https://time.com/article/2026/06/25/supergirl-review/">observed</a>. 
“Despite an appealingly rough-edged title character played with scrappy aplomb by Milly Alcock, this second installment in what DC is positioning as an unfolding multicharacter franchise defaults to too many of the clichés of superhero cinema at its worst,” the Slate reviewer <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2026/06/supergirl-movie-2026-milly-alcock-superman-reviews.html">said</a>.
“Supergirl” is currently playing at theaters nationwide.

Supergirl

‘Supergirl’ Stumbles After Controversial Press Tour

DC Studios

Superheroes

Superhero films are no longer Hollywood’s coin of the realm. Video game-based films are a safer bet — think the “Super Mario” franchise, “A Minecraft Movie,” and the “Sonic the Hedgehog” saga.
Even “Superman,” the most consequential hero in the comic book canon, didn’t deliver the box office bounty as expected last year.
Yet a certain wall-crawler defies this pop culture trend.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” set to open July 31, just reached the best <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/06/spider-man-brand-new-day-presales-record-1236959396/">first-day presales</a> figures since 2021, according to Deadline. The film’s latest trailer, released June 17, teased fellow superheroes (like the Hulk) and pointed to yet another summer blockbuster.
Spidey crushed the competition with 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which earned nearly $2 billion worldwide. The fourth installment in the series may not make that much money, but it’ll prove we still have a soft spot for Lycra-clad heroes.
Why does Spider-Man endure?
We’ll start with Stan Lee. The Marvel Comics maestro cracked the superhero code in his early days, understanding that flawed, relatable heroes matter more than invincible ones.
Spider-Man’s alter ego, Peter Parker, was a picked-upon teen who pined for the girl of his dreams, Mary Jane, and struggled to make ends meet. His boss barked at him at The Daily Bugle, his schoolmates bullied him, and the world took away his parents at an early age.
A radioactive spider bite changed everything, at least on paper. He was still the sweet, insecure kid deep down. That’s true in both the comics and on the big screen.
Tobey Maguire’s “Spider-Man” (2002) found the web-slinger struggling to woo his beloved Mary Jane (Kirsten Dunst), even though he could have spilled his secret and potentially won her over in a super way.
His innate decency wouldn’t allow it. And he knew it also might put her life in jeopardy.
Credit Hollywood’s casting gurus for finding the right Spideys at the right time. Maguire nailed the character’s naive approach and Everyman status. Andrew Garfield, his immediate successor, conveyed a similar sense of unease while slowly growing into his skills over two “Amazing Spider-Man” movies.
Tom Holland effortlessly took the baton, and his aw-shucks shtick from “Captain America: Civil War” gave the film endless highlights. His Spidey even read his frenemies their Miranda rights during that film’s epic battle royale.
Would any other hero approach a fight in that fashion? In a way, Spidey is one of us — uncomfortable with being a hero.
If anything, Spider-Man getting the girl in the recent films could prove problematic. We love him a wee bit more when he’s pining for the girl of his dreams, not swinging from rooftop to rooftop with her by his side.
That’s why the big moment at the end of “No Way Home,” where Doctor Strange causes Zendaya’s MJ to forget all about her beau, sets “Brand New Day” up in a satisfying manner.
It also helps that the “Spider-Man” film series never went woke. Sony technically holds the keys to the webbed character’s cinematic kingdom, but it pairs with Disney’s MCU to bring him to screens.
While Disney movies like “Eternals” and “The Marvels” pushed a progressive agenda, the “Spider-Man” saga focused on the fun. That meant no awkward gender swaps or forced same-sex subplots. Zendaya’s MJ isn’t technically the classic character from the comics and big-screen adaptations. Her nickname was a tip of the cap to the source material.
Her MJ shared a few woke asides in 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” her first feature as the character. That’s where it started and ended, and she sounded like too many Gen Z types anyway. No lectures, no clunky messages beyond the hero’s signature wisdom, shared by Uncle Ben: “With great power comes great responsibility.”
Even the animated “Spider-Verse” movies have avoided woke flourishes and maintained their cinematic excellence. The visuals from the first two installments — and a third has been delayed until 2027 — set a very high bar at a time when CGI animation is routinely stunning.
Embracing the Miles Morales arc of the Spidey universe expanded the film’s appeal to a broader audience without detracting from the character’s core traits. So did the recent “Spider-Noir” Prime Video series, giving the web crawler a neo-noir edge.
Credit also goes to the minds behind the recent “Spider-Man” live-action films.
The saga’s newest iteration has felt organic in a way that has eluded both “Star Wars” and the once-mighty MCU. We’re watching Peter Parker grow up, establish his personal boundaries, and realize his full potential.
The aforementioned franchises felt as if they were being assembled on the fly, with no overarching plan. The saga also found a way to shake up the formula without losing audiences.
Consider the loss of Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in “No Way Home.” Her death allowed Peter Parker to grieve a loved one in powerful ways. Yes, this saga is full of humor and heart, but it’s also achingly human.
Holland recently nominated Owen Cooper, 16, of “Adolescence” fame, to take over as the next Spider-Man. That change is inevitable, given the character’s enduring popularity and Spider-Man’s creative DNA. Peter Parker should be a youthful figure. It’s part of his appeal and distinctive persona.
At 30, Holland is getting a little long in the tooth to be playing a college student — even if he looks young enough to pull it all off.
Either way, Spider-Man isn’t the mightiest Avenger, let alone the toughest superhero. He’s still able to put fannies in seats better than any other costumed crusader.
Long may he swing.
***
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News&#8217; Big Hollywood. He&#8217;s also the host of <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hollywood-in-toto-podcast-w-christian-toto/id1186449155">The Hollywood in Toto Podcast</a>. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en">@HollywoodInToto</a>.

Celebrity Sightings In Glasgow – August 3, 2025

Why Spider-Man Is The Last Superhero Standing

Peter Parker

“Masters of the Universe” is on target to be a gigantic flop despite a massive production budget and huge marketing effort, and now the film’s producer Steve Tisch is under scrutiny again for his reported ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Tisch, who is also co-owner of the New York Giants, denied that he was ever close with Epstein despite frequent email exchanges, including conversations about a 20-year-old Ukrainian woman Epstein was allegedly trying to convince to date the NFL owner. Tisch <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/inside-nfl-owner-steve-tischs-brief-association-with-epstein-0f3f407a">said</a> that he only had a “brief association” with the convicted sexual predator.
“As we all know now, he was a terrible person and someone I deeply regret associating with,” he said.
Interestingly, the filmmakers didn’t hide the association with Tisch as producers. They did appear to downplay Leto’s involvement despite him being one of the film’s stars. This comes at a time when the NFL is being <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7012707/2026/02/01/steve-tisch-giants-epstein-files-nfl-owners/">criticized</a> for remaining quiet on Tisch’s ties to Epstein while Hollywood isn’t coming under the same kind of scrutiny. 
Blame is already being placed on one of the movie’s stars, Jared Leto, due to sexual assault allegations. <a href="https://gizmodo.com/masters-of-the-universe-knows-its-got-a-skeletor-problem-2000762641">Rumor has it</a> he was banned from promoting the movie at all, which has movie fans questioning why he was selected to play the main villain, Skeletor, in the first place.
“Scary Movie” took top spot at the box office over the weekend while “Masters of the Universe” slid into second with a lackluster $29.3 million opening weekend in North America and just $25 million overseas. It’s nowhere near close to recouping the amount spent to make and promote the film.
“This is a soft opening for an action adventure with franchise and series potential,” industry expert David A. Gross <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/box-office-scary-movie-franchise-best-opening-masters-of-the-universe-flops-1236765638/">told</a> Variety of the box office results. “[R]ight now, the only fantasy heroes doing strong business are the biggest and most established superheroes, like Spider-Man, Deadpool, Wolverine, and Superman.”
Horror movies continued to dominate, including “Scary Movie” and runaway hits “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” which were both produced on small budgets. Both films have been showcased as examples of how moviegoers are hungry for original stories and not franchise films.
“Masters of the Universe” is an adaptation of the popular He-Man franchise featuring the hero Prince Adam (Nicholas Galitzine), alter ego He-Man, attempting to defeat the evil Skeletor (Leto) on the planet Eternia.

Steve Tisch

Box Office Bust Puts Spotlight On Film Producer’s Epstein Connections

He-Man's $29M Bust Puts Spotlight On Steve Tisch's Epstein Connections

Jeffrey Epstein

Movie fans are going completely wild over two low-budget horror films, “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” which took an unusual path to surpass the latest “Star Wars” release at the box office over the weekend.
The new A24 release “Backrooms” brought in a record-breaking $81 million from 3,442 North American theaters during its opening weekend, as Variety <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/backrooms-box-office-record-opening-weekend-obsession-jumps-star-wars-crumbles-1236763355/">reported</a>. “Obsession,” which premiered May 15, is still going strong in its third weekend and collected $26.4 million from 2,781 screens. Overall, the film made more than $100 million on what was effectively a shoestring budget.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu,” meanwhile, dropped 70% during its second weekend in theaters. So far, it has earned just over $246 million worldwide and finished third place last weekend behind both “Obsession” and “Backrooms.”
This is notable not only because of the massive brand recognition and budget behind “Star Wars,” but also because both horror films were created by young filmmakers who built audiences on YouTube. Some industry experts predict this will mark a shift towards more indie, creator-driven projects in the future.
Kane Parsons, now 20, directed “Backrooms.” It was inspired by a 2019 4chan post that became an active subculture and, eventually, a series of popular YouTube videos. Per <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/gen-z-filmmakers-box-office-d05813d9?st=cvvaPZ&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink">The Wall Street Journal</a>, about 86% of ticket buyers were under 35.
“Obsession” has a similar backstory. It was written, directed, and edited by 26-year-old film school dropout Curry Baker, who also boasts a huge social presence. It cost $750,000 to make and has earned more than $104 million while drawing an audience that’s almost 75% between 18 and 35.
<iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; border: 0; height: auto;" title="DW Player" src="https://public.dailywire.com/preroll-player/embed.html?playback-id=NJImACtyd8qr901jiXzUj00P9jus01iozN02&amp;ad-tag-url=https%3A%2F%2Fpubads.g.doubleclick.net%2Fgampad%2Fads%3Fiu%3D%2F61914415%2Fdw.video.article%26description_url%3Ddailywire.com%26url%3D%26tfcd%3D0%26npa%3D0%26sz%3D640x480%26min_ad_duration%3D5000%26max_ad_duration%3D60000%26gdfp_req%3D1%26unviewed_position_start%3D1%26vpos%3Dpreroll%26output%3Dvast%26plcmt%3D1%26env%3Dvp%26vpa%3Dclick%26vpmute%3D0%26impl%3Ds%26correlator%3D%5Bcachebuster%5D" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
&nbsp;
“We’re really seeing the tide shift from these more conventional Hollywood narratives to something that feels more organic,” Kori Adelson, lead executive for “Backrooms” financial backing company Chernin Entertainment, said of the change.
Another industry insider had a similar take.
“Whether or not this is ushering in a new era or a paradigm shift for the business remains to be seen, but this YouTube creator-to-big screen pathway should be viewed as complementary,” Comscore’s head of marketplace trends, Paul Dergarabedian, told Variety of the surprising box office numbers. “It’s a production pipeline that has not existed until now.”
Social media users also chimed in, saying it’s all proof that making original content for a younger demographic is the key to success. 
“From ‘Paranormal Activity’ to ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession,’ horror keeps proving that unconventional creators can become Hollywood’s next big filmmakers. Earlier it was indie outsiders, now it’s YouTubers &amp; internet creators bringing fresh storytelling and massive box office returns,” one commenter <a href="https://x.com/vishalchatkara/status/2061120874548523082">observed</a>. 
“When you make movies that young people&#8211;the demographic who most often frequent the movies&#8211;actually want to see, they show up to see it! What a phenomenon,” another X user <a href="https://x.com/JohnFriscia/status/2061162649275003217">agreed</a>.
“Omg who would have thought people wanna see movies that are original and creative without any identity politics vs the soulless cash grab slop from IPs,” a third person <a href="https://x.com/BigB__9332/status/2061288819983339594">wrote</a>. “&#8230;These companies have milked dry all the goodwill the fans once had for something like Star Wars.”

Inde Navarrette

Two Indie Horror Flicks Take Unconventional Path To Topple ‘Star Wars’ At The Box Office

Horror Movies

Star Wars

The latest Star Wars movie, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” is being trashed by mainstream critics who would normally be the most sympathetic viewers.
It currently has one of the worst review scores of any &#8220;Star Wars&#8221; film on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes as the film gears up for its Memorial Day weekend debut. As of Wednesday, it’s sitting at a 60% critical rating with 120 total reviews.
That makes it one of the worst of the 12 “Star Wars” movies at the moment, with only “The Phantom Menace” and “The Rise of Skywalker” getting lower scores.
The plot description says, “The evil Empire has fallen but Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they enlist the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.”
Many critics who saw it mentioned that it felt more like an extended, unnecessary episode of the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian,” which premiered in 2019. They argued it didn’t deserve a theatrical release at all.
“&#8217;The Mandalorian and Grogu&#8217; merely stitches together what is clearly three episodes of the previously planned fourth season of The Mandalorian and calls it a day. There’s not a whiff of effort here,” a review from The Independent <a href="https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/mandalorian-grogu-movie-review-star-wars-b2980000.html">said</a>. 
“As a mid-season arc for the character of ‘Pedro Pascal’s sultry voice inside a metal bucket’ and his tiny, puppet son, this might have been adequate, if uninspired. As a so-called feature film event, blown up to Imax with Sigourney Weaver roped in to deliver a few lines, it’s the dullest and most inconsequential Star Wars film ever made,” the reviewer added.
“There’s no reason for anything in this movie except the wish to make even more money,” the reviewer from Roger Ebert <a href="https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/star-wars-the-mandalorian-and-grogu-pedro-pascal-movie-review-2026">observed</a>, giving the film 1.5 stars out of a possible 4.
“The runtime saps energy and when it’s all done, the scrolling credits for all those special effects goes on a full five minutes. You used to leave a new &#8216;Star Wars&#8217; movie on a cloud. Here, that galaxy is far, far away,” the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/mandalorian-grogu-movie-review-star-wars-970e8562f8adf65c6cb03cb845f84b85">reviewer</a> from Associated Press wrote.
Even the good reviews weren’t that great. 
“Mandalorian and Grogu is, basically, four Mandalorian episodes wearing an IMAX trench coat,” one review said.
“The plot is non-existent and it really does feel like a fully CGI movie. But when it&#8217;s just Mando and Grogu going from A to B it&#8217;s such a sweet story,” another <a href="https://thefilmmaven.com/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-review/">wrote</a>.
The project was <a href="https://www.slashfilm.com/2172558/the-mandalorian-and-grogu-box-office-preview-star-wars-movie/">reportedly</a> relatively low-cost for a “Star Wars” film with a rumored budget of around $165 million, including a $21.75 million conditional <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/02/26/star-wars-the-mandalorian-grogu-to-be-filmed-in-california-through-the-states-film-and-tv-tax-credit-program/">tax credit</a> by the California Film Commission. That would mean it needs to make around $400 million to break even. 
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” debuts in theaters nationwide beginning this Friday, May 22.

Mandalorian and Grogu

Even Mainstream Critics Hate The New ‘Star Wars’ Movie

Some belated sequels crash and burn on arrival. Think “Zoolander 2,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” “Terminator: Dark Fate” and “Independence Day: Resurgence.”
All duds or box office disappointments.
“The Devil Wears Prada 2” won’t suffer that fate, despite the 20-year gap between the two films. In fact, the sequel might mimic another recent blockbuster that lured women back to theaters in droves.
The 2023 smash “Barbie.”
That film wasn’t just a box office juggernaut. It convinced women to dress up in the grand Barbie tradition to enjoy the experience with their best gal pals. It became a cultural flashpoint, a chance to bond over childhood memories and sisterhood.
Will “Prada 2” be a spiritual sequel to that mega-hit?
<div id="attachment_1076167" style="width: 399px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1076167" class="size-large wp-image-1076167" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-389x576.jpg" alt="Photo by 20th Century Studios/20TH CENTURY STUDIOS - copyright: 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="389" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-389x576.jpg 389w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-202x300.jpg 202w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-768x1138.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1037x1536.jpg 1037w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2.jpg 1086w" sizes=" (max-width: 389px) 100vw, 389px" />Photo by 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.</div>
The safest bet is “absolutely.” Box Office Pro predicts the sequel will <a href="https://www.boxofficepro.com/long-range-forecast-may-box-office-kicks-off-with-the-devil-wears-prada-2-animal-farm-hokum/">land in the $80-95 million range</a>, a hefty debut for a comedy. Word of mouth might do the rest.
For contrast, the original scored $27.5 million over a Fourth of July weekend.
Why the optimism? Let’s start with the film’s first teaser, which didn’t share much in its brief running time. The <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMd1at7OwiE">under-60 second</a> clip became last year&#8217;s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2025/12/24/anticipated-sequels-and-remakes-dominated-the-years-most-watched-movie-trailers/">most viewed trailer</a>, more than sneak peeks at “Sinners,” “Superman” or “A Minecraft Movie.”
That’s despite the original film’s solid but hardly massive $124 million at the U.S. box office (globally, it brought in a hefty $323 million). Yet we had to wait 20 years for a sequel, despite the rising star status of featured players Anne Hathaway (as put-upon assistant Andy) and Emily Blunt as the exasperated Emily.
A new Fandango poll shows “Prada 2” as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DW4NzTbCZfA/">the third most anticipated film of the summer</a>, behind “Toy Story 5” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
The sequel reunites them with Oscar-winner Meryl Streep as the venomous Miranda Priestly and Stanley Tucci. The May 1 release finds Miranda struggling to keep up with the digital age, something that wasn’t a major issue in the original yarn inspired by Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling novel.
<div id="attachment_1076173" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1076173" class="size-large wp-image-1076173" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-864x576.jpg" alt="Photo by 20th Century Studios/20TH CENTURY STUDIOS - copyright: 2026 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2-1.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Photo by 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
The marketing team behind the sequel is keeping most of the details under wraps, a wise move.
The sequel does expand the original cast, adding Kenneth Branagh, “Bridgerton’s” Simone Ashley, Lucy Liu, Justin Theroux, B.J. Novak and Pauline Chalamet.
So why is “The Devil Wears Prada 2” not a sign of Hollywood desperation but a sly acknowledgement of what audiences crave?
Some movies simply grow over the years, boosted by streaming access and stories that speak to something profound within us.
The technology in the original “Prada” may be dated — remember that screeching pager tune whenever Miranda needed Andy’s help? The themes, by contrast, are timeless.
“The Devil Wears Prada” nailed the hopes and dreams of young women who flirt with a brand of fame that can be intoxicating. Andy didn’t care about fashion until she worked within the industry 24/7. And, when she got her hands on some of the clothes collecting in her company’s closet, she was hooked.
And she looked fabulous.
Audiences got lost in Andy’s “Pygmalion”-like makeover. We’ll look past the running gag that Andy was both frumpy and overweight at the film’s start. Hathaway has always been lithe and lovely.
<div id="attachment_1076201" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1076201" class="size-large wp-image-1076201" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006-869x576.jpg" alt="Copyright: TM and2006 Twentieth Century Fox. All rights reserved." width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006-1536x1019.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Prada-2006.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Copyright: TM and2006 Twentieth Century Fox. All rights reserved.</div>
And as much as the Left wants to deny biology, women by and large want to look beautiful in the best fashions possible. It’s why those “Sex and the City” films featured Carrie Bradshaw luxuriating in that monstrous, overstuffed closet.
It’s pure escapism.
Plus, we’ve all had bosses as demanding as Streep’s Miranda Priestly, even if they couldn’t chill us with one withering look. Yes, she was a monster, but who couldn’t admire her drive, talent and ruthless efficiently? It helped that Streep’s performance epitomized the power of the softly spoken villain.
She could destroy someone with a lifted eyebrow or well-manicured insult. The fact that Andy survived her chronic attacks, growing stronger by the day, proved intoxicating.
And then there’s poor Adrien Grenier. He played Hathaway’s frustrated beau in the original film, but he won’t be back for an encore. Could the <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/morganmurrell/anne-hathaway-responded-devil-wears-prada-nate-theory">negative memes</a> around his character be to blame? Or the fact that Grenier opted out of Hollywood, Inc. in the intervening years following his “Entourage” closeup?
That’s showbiz. So is Hollywood’s occasional ability to give audiences what they want. Yes, the industry will crank out woke reboots and insult audiences when they’re summarily rejected.
See “Starfleet Academy” for Exhibit A.
Nostalgia still sells, and movie studios know it. The original “Prada” arrived at a time when culture war battles didn’t distract us from our daily lives. The film lacked the gerrymandered diversity casting we too often see today.
No lectures. No “you go, girl” feminist talking points to stop the movie cold. Andy struggled with being Miranda’s assistant, but her intelligence and wit eventually made her an invaluable part of the Runway magazine team.
But did she sell her soul in the process? Her beau thought so, but audiences had her back from start to finish.
And they’ll have it again soon enough.
<div id="attachment_1076185" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1076185" class="size-large wp-image-1076185" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2270419682-864x576.jpg" alt="SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - APRIL 08: Meryl Streep attends &quot;The Devil Wears Prada 2&quot; Seoul Premiere at Times Square on April 08, 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2270419682-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2270419682-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2270419682-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2270419682.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Han Myung-Gu/WireImage</div>
The film is guaranteed a big opening weekend, but the only way to dampen the box office potential is to lean into Hollywood’s worst impulses. Identity Politics. Speeches. Political asides that erupt out of the blue.
Or, the film’s stars will use “Prada’s” publicity tour to politicize the film. Streep is already attempting just that by <a href="https://radaronline.com/p/meryl-streep-slams-melania-trump-controversial-jacket/">insulting fashion icon turned First Lady Melania Trump</a>.
Some movies are critic-proof. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” is both critic and culture war proof, assuming Hollywood can get out of its own way.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” Press Conference & Seoul Premiere

Why ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Could Succeed Where Woke Hollywood Keeps Failing

Film

Meryl Streep

“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” just pulled in impressive box office numbers despite being trashed by the critics.
The follow-up to 2023’s smash hit “Super Mario Bros. Movie” from lllumination Studios and Nintendo earned $130.9 million over the weekend and $190.1 million in its first five days, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-box-office-58b52a8aa469d6e7fed889c6762dd3aa">Associated Press</a>. It’s not surprising, considering that it’s a family-friendly title with massive name recognition being released over a holiday weekend.
It’s worth noting, however, that the sequel was given a 41% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a markedly better 89% audience rating.
“We all have a finite amount of time on this Earth, and I cannot think of a single reason why you should spend any of yours on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” the critic from Mashable <a href="https://mashable.com/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review">wrote</a>.
Wall Street Journal reviewer Kyle Smith <a href="https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-the-plumbers-pump-their-brand-f3291bbc">advised</a> that it was “notably weaker” than the first film, which was itself “barely watchable.” The New York Times, meanwhile, lamented the “flat empty nothingness” of the narrative.
The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/31/the-super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-sequel-video-game-chris-pratt-charlie-day">described it</a> as &#8220;a bland screensaver of a movie that’s actually worse than AI&#8221; in his 1-star review. Kevin Maher from The Times also didn&#8217;t mince words, <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/super-mario-galaxy-movie-review-5w6crmhgr">asking</a> if the kids movie marked &#8220;the end of cinema.&#8221; 
&#8220;&#8230;the film is torturous to sit through and, for me, provoked periods of actual physical discomfort,&#8221; the critic added.
The video game-themed film features the same voice actors behind the original, including Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Charlie Day. “Mario ventures into space, exploring cosmic worlds and tackling galactic challenges far from the familiar Mushroom Kingdom,” the logline says.
It opened across 4,252 theaters over Easter weekend, including 421 IMAX screens.
“It’s exactly the kind of broad, crowd-pleasing release that brings people into theaters,” AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron said in a statement, per AP.
While critics came after it for not having enough depth, other viewers say that’s what made the movie so successful.
“A bright, colorful, and action packed story filled with all the Nintendo characters we know and love. It’s simply a good time at the movies,” one verified Rotten Tomatoes reviewer said.
“If you enjoyed the first you’ll be at home. If you want a Pixar movie with sad bits and life lessons and shoe in adult jokes you ain’t getting it here. It’s a fun ride start to end,” another agreed.
“This is a kids movie. I don&#8217;t know what fantastical storytelling these adults need from a child&#8217;s video game adaptation but it&#8217;s entertaining and light…. Let the kids be kids, these movies don&#8217;t have to be masterpieces and they don&#8217;t have to pander to childish adults who just refuse [to]  grow up. Mario belongs to children, not to your generation,” echoed a third.

Super Mario Galaxy

Critics Trashed Mario, But American Families Are Proving Them Wrong

Rotten Tomatoes

U.S.

The MCU is yesterday’s news. The NCU, or Nintendo Cinematic Universe, is just beginning.
Ever since Robert Downey Jr. tinkered with that iron suit back in 2008, Marvel movies have dominated Hollywood. “Iron Man” changed the movie-making landscape. In recent years, however, superhero romps no longer light up the box office like they once did.
Even “Superman” <a href="https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2025/10/8/report-superman-box-office-isnt-the-success-warner-bros-claimed">struggled to turn a profit last year.</a>
Meanwhile, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” spun from Nintendo’s beloved video game franchise, could <a href="https://variety.com/2026/film/news/super-mario-galaxy-movie-biggest-opening-day-2026-1236705460/">make $180 million (or more) in its opening weekend.</a>
Video game movies are having a moment, and Hollywood won’t be the same moving forward.
<div id="attachment_1072101" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1072101" class="size-large wp-image-1072101" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2268776924-864x576.jpg" alt="KYOTO, JAPAN - MARCH 28: Chris Meledandri, Jack Black and Shigeru Miyamoto pose for a photo as Universal Pictures, Nintendo and Illumination present the premiere of &quot;The Super Mario Galaxy Movie&quot; at Minamiza Theater on March 28, 2026 in Kyoto, Japan. (Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images for Universal Pictures, Nintendo and Illumination)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2268776924-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2268776924-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2268776924-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2268776924.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images for Universal Pictures, Nintendo and Illumination</div>
The superhero film genre may have run its course organically, but Hollywood hastened its decline. The genre peaked with 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” which made an astonishing $2.8 billion worldwide.
It’s been downhill ever since, with MCU gatekeepers injecting girlbossery and DEI platitudes into the saga. That helped crush “The Marvels” and “Eternals,” while slowing the MCU’s winning streak.
Even respectable entries like last year’s “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” proved financially underwhelming, at least by previous standards.
So Hollywood needed another source of IP (Intellectual Property) gold. Why not video games? Well, Hollywood had tried that repeatedly, often with ghastly results.
Think 1993’s “Super Mario Bros.,” a colossal misfire starring John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins, 1999’s “Wing Commander” bust, and even 2005’s “Doom” with Dwayne Johnson.
<div id="attachment_1072117" style="width: 405px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1072117" class="size-large wp-image-1072117" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-55990924-395x576.jpg" alt="BERLIN - OCTOBER 24: Actor Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson gestures during a photo call for his newest movie &quot;Doom&quot; on October 24, 2005 in Berlin, Germany (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)" width="395" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-55990924-395x576.jpg 395w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-55990924-206x300.jpg 206w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-55990924.jpg 702w" sizes=" (max-width: 395px) 100vw, 395px" />Andreas Rentz/Getty Images</div>
More clunkers? The 2005 catastrophe “Alone in the Dark” and 2003’s “House of the Dead,” both courtesy of hack auteur Uwe Boll.
Something was missing, be it A-list actors, competent directors, or the kind of FX to pull off the visually impossible.
Slowly, Hollywood began treating video game adaptations with a critical element — respect. The 2018 film “Rampage” wasn’t a sensation, but by then Johnson was a star attraction, and the film’s budget gave it the gravitas the source material required.
The 2021 comedy “Free Guy” cast likable Ryan Reynolds as an NPC (non-player character) in way over his head. The film packed big laughs with video game elements to the tune of $331 million worldwide.
Reynolds may be gently progressive off-screen, but he knows how to put on a show without pushing Heartland viewers away. Few actors can match his marketing savvy.
The “Sonic the Hedgehog” films, based on the Sega speedster, have all made serious coin, aided by slick video game elements and the unchecked Id of star Jim Carrey.
<div id="attachment_146292" style="width: 544px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-146292" class="size-full wp-image-146292" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Jim-Carrey.jpg" alt="Jim Carrey attends the LA special screening of Paramount's &quot;Sonic The Hedgehog&quot; at Regency Village Theatre on February 12, 2020 in Westwood, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/WireImage via Getty Images)" width="534" height="314" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Jim-Carrey.jpg 534w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/09/Jim-Carrey-300x176.jpg 300w" sizes=" (max-width: 534px) 100vw, 534px" />Rich Fury/WireImage via Getty Images</div>
Another secret to video game movies’ recent success? Respecting the audience. These films haven’t pushed a progressive agenda on unsuspecting audiences. No lectures, unnecessary woke asides, or clunky identity politics casting.
Even <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/08/snoop-dogg-scared-movies-grandchildren-same-sex-disney-pixar-lightyear-1236497251/">Snoop Dogg can watch these mostly PG-friendly films</a> with his grandson.
The new wave of video game-inspired films, while far from artistically relevant, cater to fans via Easter Eggs and other source material nods. And, when the fans speak, they listen.
Recall the outrage over the character design shown in the initial “Sonic the Hedgehog” teaser from 2019. <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sonic-hedgehog-release-delayed-fan-outcry-1213486/">Fans mocked the FX</a> behind the titular hero, and the studio quickly addressed the matter by tweaking the film.
That probably cost a pretty penny, and it pushed the release date forward several months. The results spoke for themselves. The film earned $148 million in the U.S. alone and sparked a new franchise.
A fourth “Sonic” film will <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/sonic-4-amy-rose-hammer-sequel-production-hedgehog-1236519779/">debut next year</a>, adding A-lister Kristen Bell to the saga (her voice, to be precise).
Video game adaptations were suddenly vital, but they still couldn’t approach MCU-like box office grosses. Then along came “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” in 2023. That animated romp rang up $1.3 billion at global theaters, cementing video game movies as the new Hollywood drug.
The industry couldn’t get enough, and that was before “A Minecraft Movie” debuted two years later. That film, starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, earned $424 million stateside and nearly $1 billion globally.
<a href="https://deadline.com/2026/03/minecraft-movie-2-cast-kirsten-dunst-1236760538/">A sequel is in the works</a>. Of course.
<div id="attachment_906779" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906779" class="size-large wp-image-906779" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg" alt="Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen in ‘A Minecraft Movie’. Photo by Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. IMDB.</div>
That film’s “<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/movies/chicken-jockey-minecraft-movie.html">chicken jockey</a>” sequence sparked a viral video sensation. Not only were Gen Alpha types seeing the film in theaters, but they went cartoonishly wild during that farcical moment.
Suddenly, it was cool to be in a theater again. Hollywood is now paying full attention to a competing media landscape, and many more video game adaptations are on the way. This May brings us “Mortal Kombat II,” while a “Resident Evil” reboot by “Weapons” director Zach Cregger is coming in September.
Bigger titles abound in 2027, including “The Legend of Zelda,” “Call of Duty,” and “Elden Ring.” Any one could spark a new film franchise. Maybe all three will do just that.
The potential seems endless, at least for now. The same once could be said for superhero movies given the endless amount of source material, but the MCU is so desperate for a cultural reboot that it reunited virtually every hero under the sun for December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.”
Can that film light a fire under the Men in Tights genre anew? Or have video games taken the box office crown and won’t give it back?
Movies are a natural fit for video game adaptations, but the small screen is also seeing a benefit. Hit shows like HBO Max’s “The Last of Us” and Prime Video’s “Fallout” show how games can also inspire TV sensations.
The video game manufacturers couldn’t be happier about the Hollywood synergy. It’s boosting both <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tv-adaptations-video-games-new-players-1236372468/">game awareness and sales</a>, meaning these companies will gladly sell the film and TV rights to their properties … for the right price.
It’s one Hollywood studios will gladly pay.
* *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic, and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.

Super Mario Bros

The Next Box Office Boom Is Here And It Looks Nothing Like Marvel

Nintendo

Video Games

Menu