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

Not since “Avengers: Endgame” have theatergoers been this happy. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” just had the biggest opening weekend in box office history, beating out the Avengers finale with $360 million in sales. Audiences <a href="https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/spider_man_brand_new_day">love it</a>, and it’s proving that the age of superhero movies isn’t over; just the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hollywood-made-another-modern-woman-hero-heres-how-it-went">stupid ones</a>. 
It’s not hard to see why the movie has been so successful. Despite becoming the third Spider-Man actor in the span of just 15 years, Tom Holland stands on his own, exuding a boyish charm and an innocence without naivete that his predecessors never mastered (all due respect to Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield).
“Spider-Man” also manages a few cameos (Black Widow, Hulk) that make the story more dynamic rather than feeling like Marvel product placement. And if you haven’t yet seen Holland’s previous appearances in “Captain America: Civil War,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” you can watch this one anyway without getting lost.
Audiences will reward good storytelling, and “Brand New Day” hits Spider-Man’s sweet spot: sometimes light and funny, sometimes exploring deeper themes of isolation and belonging.
After the death of his aunt, Peter Parker has spent four years crime-fighting alone. In “No Way Home,” his secret identity was revealed, so in order to protect the ones he loves — his girlfriend, MJ, and his best friend, Ned — he asked for Doctor Strange to wipe the entire world’s memory of Peter. Now his only personal connection is to an NYPD detective who chastises him for not even knowing the names of her children. These days, he’s all business. 
But when government facilities start being attacked by a telepath who can jump into people’s minds to control them, danger finds Peter’s friends anyway, and he realizes that his secluded life is hurting more than just himself. 
Every good superhero film needs a compelling villain, and Jean Grey (played by Sadie Sink) delivers. She’s no Green Goblin or Doc Ock, but her powers are terrifying, and her anxieties existential. Producer Amy Pascal suggested that Jean Grey’s character represents much of Gen Z. 
“We picked Jean [Grey] because [director] Destin [Daniel Cretton] came in and said, ‘If you guys want to do a movie that is about the way people feel isolated, even more today than ever, because of our technology and everything else — and not just young people, but everybody, but it has afflicted young people so much — if we can do a movie that is about how reaching out and making a connection to someone is the most important thing that you can do, then I understand how to do this movie,’” she <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/08/spider-man-brand-new-day-amy-pascal-interview-1237016593/">told</a> Deadline.
Peter’s own struggle with hermit-hood ends when MJ (Zendaya) reprimands him for wiping her memory and staying aloof, not giving her the choice to decide for herself whether she wants to be a part of his life. Peter may have good intentions for his solitude, and even though he can boast that he’s fighting crime bosses and mechanical scorpions, he finds that the results of his isolation are the same as they would be for any of us: He loses sight of who he is and what he can offer the world. To quote the Good Book, “It is not good for the man to be alone.”
Near the end of the film, Peter delivers a key line that came from Holland’s ad-libbing. Speaking of a day spent shooting scenes at Aunt May’s grave, director Destin Daniel Cretton <a href="https://deadline.com/2026/08/spider-man-brand-new-day-director-explains-ending-sadie-sink-1237016256/">said</a> Holland “came up to me and said, ‘I’m just going to try some dialogue.’ I said, ‘Great.’ So we mic’d him up, and he squatted down, gave the flowers to Aunt May, and said the lines that ended up in the movie.”
“At the time, I didn’t think much of it,” Cretton continued. “I was just letting him improvise. But as soon as he said, ‘You’d be happy to know that I’ve decided I’m not going to do this alone anymore,’ that statement became the north star of the entire movie. Now it feels obvious that’s where the movie was always headed, but at the time we shot it, we didn’t really have that simple core idea yet. We worked backward from that point and realized, ‘That’s where we’re going.’ To me, that’s the entire movie right there.”
Tom Holland&#8217;s Spider-Man has the peculiar winsomeness needed to experience great personal tragedy and still believe in the goodness and sanctity of life. No more jaded superheroes, please. Our heroes should inspire us, and that&#8217;s exactly what this Spider-Man does.
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

spiderman

Why ‘Spider-Man’ Is Succeeding Where So Many Superhero Movies Failed

Film

Movie Review

Spiderman

Superheroes

Tom Holland

Upstream

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

Hollywood

Peter Parker

An AI company announced this week that it is digitally resurrecting famed Marvel creator Stan Lee and charging users for access to his recreated voice and likeness. 
ElevenLabs revealed Wednesday that the late comic book writer’s AI-generated voice and image will be added to its growing collection of celebrity recreations that can be licensed for commercial use. 
“You know what they never tell you about legends?” the AI-generated version of Lee says in a promotional video released by the company. “They outlive the page. A good story doesn&#8217;t belong to one moment. It grows. It changes. It gets passed down from generation to generation, constantly evolving.”
“Every great story starts with a hero. And just because a person has a superpower doesn&#8217;t mean they don&#8217;t have the same problems that you have,” the promo continues. “So for the creators, the ones dreaming, building, chasing that one great idea, as long as there are people who believe in it, who carry it forward, it lives on.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Introducing Stan Lee on ElevenLabs" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W3kbm3s9p-I?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>
Notably, comments were disabled on the YouTube upload, though critics found their way to social media to express their objections.
“Stop, let the man rest in peace. Lunatics always create problems,” one X user <a href="https://x.com/JosephRodr34982/status/2059977498901774492">wrote</a>.
“I don&#8217;t even dislike AI like most people but using it to revive a dead person is disgusting,” another <a href="https://x.com/NFL_City/status/2059966158174871619">agreed</a>.
“Think about it. You can now rent a dead man&#8217;s voice and likeness for a corporate presentation. We are officially living in the science fiction stories we grew up reading,” echoed a third.
Mixed among the negative comments were a few supporters. 
“Stan Lee&#8217;s voice living on through AI is actually kind of beautiful,” one person <a href="https://x.com/AlphaWireHQ/status/2059935147047166325">wrote</a>. “The man spent his whole life making stories feel alive, and now that energy gets to keep reaching people. Excelsior never really had an expiration date!”
According to ElevenLabs, users will be able to generate comic-book-style images featuring Lee’s likeness, recreate his voice for non-commercial use, and use the AI-generated voice to narrate books through the company&#8217;s app. 
“Stan always believed in meeting his fans where they were: in the pages of a comic, at a convention, or in a quick on-screen cameo,” lawyer and board member for Stan Lee Universe Chaz Rainey said in a statement, per <a href="https://variety.com/2026/biz/news/stan-lee-elevenlabs-licensed-voice-likeness-1236759225/">Variety</a>. “This partnership is a way of continuing that. Fans have always told us that when they read his comics, they hear the words in Stan’s voice, and now, thanks to ElevenLabs, we can make that a reality.”
Lee, who died in 2018, is the latest celebrity to receive an AI-generated digital replica after death.
 An AI-generated version of actor Val Kilmer is set to appear in the upcoming film “As Deep as the Grave” following his death from throat cancer last year. Other deceased celebrities, including <a href="https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20230718-how-ai-is-bringing-film-stars-back-from-the-dead">James Dean</a> and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/22/entertainment/suzanne-somers-ai-clone-husband">Suzanne Somers,</a> have also been recreated using AI technology. 
Living actors are getting into the game, too. Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine are among the celebrities who have partnered with ElevenLabs to create and license AI versions of their voices.

Stan Lee

Stan Lee’s AI Clone Is Now Available For Hire

Artificial Intelligence

Comic Books

Technology

Marvel and DC comic writer Deniz Camp seemingly posted his disappointment about President Trump’s assassin failing at his mission, then backtracked and faced even more criticism for playing dumb.
It all started when Camp posted on X, “Missed again :(” just after news broke over the weekend that there had been an assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., Saturday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Missed again 🙁
— Deniz Camp (@DenizCamp) <a href="https://twitter.com/DenizCamp/status/2048217802289369538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
His comments were immediately flooded with outraged followers, even fellow leftists who were disgusted by the seeming celebration of violence.
“Pretty sickening to see a writer I once admired wishing death on the President of the United States,” one reply said.
“Bravo on the all-time self-own. Heroism and hope in your comics, pure glee at political murder in your tweets. Mask fully torched. Exactly why comics suck now and nobody cares what you &#8216;creatives&#8217; think anymore. Enjoy the backlash and canceled orders,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/RiftWatcher73/status/2048795499042410762">wrote</a>.
Instead of deleting the post or apologizing, Camp made the claim that he was talking about something else entirely.
Follow up tweets included one that said, “I am so bad at darts!” alongside a stock image of a dartboard with darts not hitting their mark, and another that said, “People are really passionate about darts.”
No one in the comments believed that Camp was posting about darts. Many X users tagged DC and Marvel in the posts.
Camp is a comic book writer who has worked across Marvel, DC, and independent publishers. He wrote for “The Ultimates” for Disney-owned Marvel and contributed to X-Men-related projects. He&#8217;s also the writer of “Absolute Martian Manhunter” for DC’s “Absolute Universe” line. His independent work includes “Assorted Crisis Events” and “20th Century Men,” <a href="https://geeksandgamers.com/deniz-camp-trump/">per</a> Geeks and Gamers.
Meanwhile, actor and Trump critic Ben Stiller faced similar backlash for a social post that got misinterpreted and does seem to be a mistake, according to Community Notes.
Prominent figures including Congresswoman Nancy Mace and Richard Grenell came after Stiller when he <a href="https://x.com/BenStiller/status/2048203719846633967">posted</a> “Got it done” about 20 minutes after the would-be assassin breached security at the Washington Hilton. But his post also coincided with the end of the Knicks game.
“Ben Stiller’s post refers to the New York Knicks’ 114-98 playoff win over the Atlanta Hawks, as shown by his preceding Knicks post and the game recap,” the note clarified.

Deniz Camp

Marvel Comics Writer’s Two-Word Tweet Ignites Firestorm After Assassination Attempt

assassination attempt

Comics

Disney

Donald Trump

General

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

Fantastic Four: First Steps just might be Marvel’s most pro-family movie yet. The bond between Reed and Susan Richards is rock solid, and the joy they share as they prepare to have their first child is heart-warming. Along with Susan’s younger brother Johnny Storm and Reed’s best friend Ben Grimm, the Four make a tight-knit family unit, going to great lengths to protect Baby Franklin — and their fellow citizens of Earth — from existential threats. The movie’s core message is heard in Susan’s words as she describes why the Four work so well together: “It’s about fighting for something bigger than yourself,” she says. “Whatever life throws at us, we’ll face it together, as a family.”
But just as the credits roll and we’re ready to declare the movie a real winner, along comes a curveball in the bonus scene that may leave us scratching our heads. It’s now four years later, and Sue is reading The Hungry Caterpillar to Franklin in their living room. When he asks for more, Mom calls to H.E.R.B.I.E, the family’s helpful robotic assistant, to fetch another book to read. We see H.E.R.B.I.E hold up an old copy of Charles Darwin’s famous 19th century volume On The Origin of Species. Mom says that’s not the book she’s looking for, but comments that they love reading that one too. Having found the story she had in mind, Sue returns to the living room and, in typical Marvel fashion, the scene concludes with a little foreshadowing to set up the next installment.
Wait a second. Origin of Species for story time?
At first, it may seem like a natural fit. Mr. Fantastic is a polymath, highly skilled in physics, biology and chemistry, as well as mathematics and engineering. He specializes in harnessing science and technology to help the Four solve difficult problems. He’s a confident scientist, but he&#8217;s also curious and humble, and at times, ready to admit to forces beyond his understanding. Reed would certainly have respect for Darwin’s accomplishments as a scientist, and that’s probably good enough reason to keep a copy of Darwin’s book around the house. But if any superhero team would be skeptical of a purely Darwinian view of life, it would be the Fantastic Four. Let’s look at why their experiences don’t match the expectations of Darwinian materialism.
Throughout the movie, the Four demonstrate countless examples of sacrificial love and commitment to a higher purpose. Reed and Susan deny themselves regularly for the greater good. Johnny Storm is often the first to leap into the path of danger, even willing to die for others if necessary, and Ben is about as selfless as they come. But in a world where life is the result of chance processes like unguided natural selection and random mutations, things like love and purpose are merely social constructs, irrelevant to the struggle for life. Life boils down to survival and power, qualities that are actually espoused by the Four’s formidable foe, Galactus. No purpose means no value, and no value means no moral order. But the Fantastic Four act like human lives and relationships have inherent worth, not just a utilitarian function. Their willingness to suffer and even die for one another and for strangers only makes sense in a universe where life and love have meaning beyond survival.
The lives of this remarkable family also revolve around a universe teeming with intelligent design. The Four contend with their fair share of intelligent beings, from the Silver Surfer, a humanoid alien from the planet Zenn-La, to the mighty Galactus, who devours whole planets in his quest to survive. And alternate dimensions, portals, and even multiple universes suggest a cosmos rich in order. Yet a materialistic worldview contends that the universe is self-contained and closed to outside influence. This would require that there is no such thing as a supernatural being, force, or cause that influences the universe.
So what caused all life in the Marvel universe to exist? Our findings on Planet Earth may yield an important clue. Here, Darwin’s selection/mutation mechanism has been carefully tested in the last century and found wanting. It doesn’t have the creative power or the time to produce the information necessary to power the origin and development of life. And along with our discovery that information runs the show in biology, we’ve also found, based on our uniform and repeated experience, that the only known cause of information is intelligence. The conclusion? A designing intelligence played a role in the history of life. Could it be the same elsewhere? Given his commitment to the quest for scientific truth, Mr. Fantastic would certainly be willing to entertain the notion.
After all they’ve witnessed in their many adventures, it seems unlikely that the Fantastic Four would have a strong commitment to scientific materialism. Perhaps they keep Darwin’s book around as a cautionary tale, a way to teach their children that scientific hubris can blind us to the wonder and order of the universe with dangerous and far-reaching consequences. If so, maybe Darwin’s Origin of Species does belong on the shelf next to The Hungry Caterpillar after all.
* * *
Andrew McDiarmid is a Senior Fellow and Director of Podcasting at the Discovery Institute. His writing has appeared in the New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Daily Wire, and elsewhere. Follow him on X at @amcdiarmid or visit andrewmcdiarmid.org.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Correction: An earlier version stated the bonus scene in the film takes place &#8220;a year later.&#8221; It is actually four years later.

MixCollage-05-Aug-2025-08-52-AM-2732

Marvel’s Fantastic Four: Pro-Family Film With A Darwinian Curveball

Charles Darwin

Opinion

Pedro Pascal is everywhere right now: on TV, in movies, and, if a female co-star is nearby, all over her.
Though he’s been lauded by Hollywood for years as the new standard of a leading male — sensitive, progressive, charming — Pascal&#8217;s behavior on the “Fantastic Four: First Steps&#8221; press tour has even his most fervent fans questioning his motives. The “Gladiator II” star is constantly caressing his pregnant co-star, Vanessa Kirby. Whether <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vanityfair/video/7529742724388375838" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rubbing</a> her stomach or <a href="https://x.com/pascalarchive/status/1817428835173863626" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stroking her arm</a> until she takes his hand, Pascal seems to always be touching the 37-year-old English actress.
In the post-MeToo era, Pascal’s behavior is bound to raise some eyebrows. But to hear him tell it, it’s ok. He’s not creepy. He’s just anxious.
Though Pascal has not specifically commented on this, the claim that he requires physical touch to calm his anxiety while appearing in public has widely circulated on social media.
Pascal famously <a href="https://people.com/style/pedro-pascal-tells-bella-ramsey-his-frequent-red-carpet-pose-is-to-curb-his-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discussed</a> his anxiety in a 2023 interview alongside his “The Last of Us” co-star Bella Ramsey. Placing a hand on his stomach, Pascal told the crowd, “My anxiety is right there.” The clip, and others like it, endeared Pascal to fans, reinforcing the image of a sensitive, self-aware leading man who stood in stark contrast to the “toxic masculinity” that Hollywood had begun to revile.
But Pascal’s penchant for squeezing and rubbing Kirby — who is in a relationship with Professional Lacrosse League co-founder Paul Rabil — has fans rethinking whether the actor is really as sensitive and nontoxic as they thought.
Things have become so dire that some of Pascal’s most vocal supporters now claim he is the target of a smear campaign due to his vocal support of transgender rights. Regardless, the tomcat may be out of the bag. Internet sleuths seem to uncover a new video of Pascal’s red-carpet affections every day. Now, Hollywood’s favorite sensitive star is at the center of a conversation about boundaries, mental health, and whether an anxiety diagnosis could potentially be used as a free pass for inappropriate behavior.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Andrew Hartz, founder and president of the <a href="https://www.opentherapyinstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open Therapy Institute</a>, spoke with The Daily Wire about the Pascal drama and how mental health is treated in this country more broadly.
“I think I have two initial thoughts about it,” Hartz said of Pascal’s situation. “One is that if somebody has anxiety, it doesn&#8217;t negate your need for personal boundaries.”
“Whether they have anxiety or any mental illness [it’s important] to have personal boundaries about what you&#8217;re comfortable with,” he explained. “And so I think it&#8217;s important to keep that in mind. Regardless of whatever diagnosis he may or may not have, it&#8217;s totally legitimate — and I think important — for other people to set boundaries about what they&#8217;re comfortable with.”
That might seem like common sense, but these lines are crossed all the time, especially when a mental health label is introduced. When asked if using anxiety as an explanation might lead to people excusing otherwise boundary-crossing behavior, Hartz didn’t mince words.
“I&#8217;m really skeptical about these attempts to treat anxiety by accommodating it in particular,” he said. “A lot of times, when you accommodate anxiety, it makes it worse. Like, if you have a fear of elevators, and so you take the stairs instead, what will happen is you&#8217;ll kind of get &#8230; a dopamine hit for taking the stairs because your anxiety goes down. And the elevator gets scarier.”
“So honestly, the more you avoid and use these safety behaviors to cope with anxiety, it can make it worse,” he continued. “I don&#8217;t know of any treatment for anxiety that encourages behaviors like that.”
So, what would actual treatment look like?
“Depending on what the anxiety is — it sounds like [for Pascal] it&#8217;s like a social anxiety — the most effective treatments are exposure, where you&#8217;re exposed to your anxiety without the safety behaviors over time, so that you learn to tolerate it,” Hartz said. “And these other behaviors, not exposing yourself to that and avoiding that, could potentially make it worse and even lead it to generalize.”
It’s not just about ineffective coping, either. There’s also the matter of accountability. Pascal’s defenders, including some of his co-stars, may appear to be fine with it. But what happens when someone isn’t?
“Even whoever he&#8217;s touching, they need to be able to consent based on what they&#8217;re comfortable with,” Hartz said. “And so if they&#8217;re not comfortable with it, his label doesn&#8217;t matter. So I don&#8217;t know if maybe using the label leads people to let their boundaries be violated in ways that they wouldn&#8217;t otherwise allow, which is not healthy.”
In other words, labeling yourself as anxious doesn’t give you a license to touch people who haven’t clearly consented, and shouldn’t make a person more likely to consent based on that diagnosis.
Hartz also pointed to a deeper cultural shift in how mental health is discussed and how some public figures, intentionally or not, may be using diagnoses as a way to shield themselves from criticism or scrutiny.
“The whole reason that the diagnostic labels exist is so that people can get evidence-based treatments,” he said. “So it&#8217;s interesting the way that diagnostic labels have [become] seen as permanent traits of an identity.”
“It&#8217;s so strange because it&#8217;s like the whole reason you have the label is so that you can effectively treat it and not have those symptoms anymore. Not to say, ‘This is who you are, a person with anxiety forever,’ and everybody needs to accommodate.”
“It&#8217;s really strange the way these labels, I think especially on social media, have taken on a life of their own,” he added. “It’s almost like they&#8217;re a permanent, unchanging part of somebody&#8217;s identity as opposed to like a tool for clinicians to help address problems.”
Hartz’s bottom line was clear: “If you have an anxiety disorder, get treatment. That&#8217;s what I would say.”
In a culture that increasingly elevates mental health awareness, it’s also worth asking whether some public figures are hiding behind the language of self-care to excuse behavior that, in another context, might be seen as intrusive or even predatory.
Pascal may see his actions as harmless. But as Hartz said, “The reason why the labels exist is to help treatments develop where people… can get over the symptoms, not so that everybody else in society accommodates.”
In summary: Anxiety is real, but so are boundaries. And one doesn’t cancel out the other.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps World Premiere

Touchy Subject: Does ‘Anxiety’ Justify Pedro Pascal Getting Handsy With His Pregnant Co-Star?

Anxiety

Hollywod

MeToo

Pedro Pascal

Psychology

Anyone who relished 1978’s “Superman: The Movie” winced over the saga’s fourth installment, 1987’s “The Quest for Peace.”
That didn’t erase the mark Christopher Reeve left on the Man of Steel and pop culture writ large. Iconic. Then and now.
<div id="attachment_930427" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930427" class="size-large wp-image-930427" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-461x576.jpg" alt="Superman, played by American actor Christopher Reeve (1952 - 2004), holds a green crystal at the Fortress of Solitude, in a promotional still from 'Superman', directed by Richard Donner, 1978. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319-768x960.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-166979319.jpg 819w" sizes=" (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" />Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images</div>
So, after Marvel’s “Iron Man” blew the doors off the box office in 2008 and ignited Hollywood’s new superhero craze, it made sense to bring the DC Comics hero back to theaters.
He’s arguably the most recognizable hero in the men in tights genre, dating back to the late 1930s. So why can’t the industry get Superman right?
Here’s hoping director James Gunn does just that with the latest “Superman.” The summer’s most anticipated release casts relative newcomer David Corenswet (“Twisters”) as the Krypton native. Early <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhUht6vAsMY">trailers</a> suggest a lighter tone and emphasis on humor as much as rock ‘em, sock ‘em action.
<div id="attachment_930429" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930429" class="size-large wp-image-930429" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1024x576.jpg" alt="David Corenswet. &quot;Superman&quot; 2025. Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. Copyright: Warner Bros." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/MixCollage-06-Jun-2025-11-20-AM-503-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Courtesy of Warner Bros. Copyright: Warner Bros.</div>
Why is it so hard to make the Man of Steel as popular as the Hulk or Thor on movie screens? 
We’ve had endless small-screen Supermen, from George Reeves’ ‘50s era here to Dean Cain in the rom-com-ish ‘90s series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.”
The first major attempt at Superman came two years before Robert Downey, Jr. kick-started the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 2006 film “Superman Returns” deployed a Reeve doppelganger (Brandon Routh) but underwhelmed at the box office.
Something was missing, and not just the “American Way.” The film ditched the hero’s signature phrase, “Truth, Justice and the American Way” to placate foreign audiences or the industry’s Left-leaning sensibilities.
By the time Warner Bros. hired Henry Cavill to play Clark Kent the superhero craze was in full swing, but this wasn’t your father’s Superman. Cavill’s “Man of Steel” (2013) was conflicted, a far cry from Reeve’s Boy Scout persona. Even the legendary suit’s colors were muted, a darker shade to reflect his inner turmoil.
<div id="attachment_930431" style="width: 812px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930431" class="size-large wp-image-930431" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-802x576.jpg" alt="SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 25: (EUROPE AND AUSTRALASIA OUT) British actor Henry Cavill poses during a photo shoot on June 25, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. Cavill is in Australia to promote his new superman film 'Man of Steel'. (Photo by Chris Pavlich/Newspix/Getty Images)" width="802" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-802x576.jpg 802w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-300x215.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650-768x551.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-171517650.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 802px) 100vw, 802px" />Chris Pavlich/Newspix/Getty Images</div>
The film made millions, but it didn’t rock the culture like Reeve did in the late 1970s nor did it generate a direct sequel. Cavill starred in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” (2016) and “Justice League” (2017).
Cavill made a Superman cameo in the 2022 disappointment “Black Adam” before learning he was out of the DCEU (DC Extended Universe).
It’s not surprising that Hollywood has struggled to make Superman “Superman.” Antiheroes are all the rage in Tinsel Town, from Tony Soprano to the misfit warriors of “Thunderbolts*” and two “Suicide Squad” films.
It’s hard to make a Boy Scout-like hero pop off the screen in our cynical age. The writing must be rich and detailed, showcasing layers that make the “aw, shucks” heroism matter. Antiheroes offer far more shades of gray and opportunities to grab our attention. That’s what Walter White did for five mesmerizing seasons of “Breaking Bad.”
“Say my name!”
Goody two-shoes characters aren’t hip in the eyes of many screenwriters. White hat heroes need not apply. How many recent films have glorified hit men, paid assassins who serve as judge, jury and executioner? The “John Wick” saga is the tip of that morally dubious iceberg.
So where does that leave this summer’s Superman reboot?
It’s Gunn’s baby, through and through. The veteran writer/director is in charge of the DCEU’s reboot, and this is his coming-out party after working with the MCU on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy.
<div id="attachment_930433" style="width: 879px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930433" class="size-large wp-image-930433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-869x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 19: James Gunn speaks at the DC Studios Creature Commandos panel during New York Comic Con 2024 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 19, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop)" width="869" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-869x576.jpg 869w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-300x199.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001-768x509.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2179646001.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 869px) 100vw, 869px" />Craig Barritt/Getty Images for ReedPop</div>
Gunn brings a quirky sense of humor to his work, but he’s hardly a traditionalist. He also has a dark side. He previously got canceled in 2018 for resurfaced <a href="https://deadline.com/2018/07/james-gunn-fired-guardians-of-the-galaxy-disney-offensive-tweets-1202430392/">pedophilia and rape jokes</a> on Twitter. Disney later had a change of heart and hired him to helm the third film in the “Guardians” saga.
<a href="https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/james-gunn-donald-trump-dick-joke-twitter-james-mangold-1201908489/">Gunn also blasted then-President Trump</a>, a common pose in his field.
The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro, no fan of Gunn’s work, has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbefouUAF2w">low expectations</a> for the new reboot after reviewing the trailer. “Two thumbs down.”
A recent revelation suggests Hollywood didn’t learn from its past mistakes. Official “Superman” movie merchandise drops the “American Way” phrase once more in favor of “<a href="https://cosmicbook.news/james-gunn-superman-ditches-the-american-way">the human way.”</a>
Yet the director <a href="https://thescreenbrief.com/james-gunn-interview-superman-teaser-press-launch/">spoke to the character’s innate goodness</a> in a late 2024 interview that suggests a Reeve-like take on the material. 
“We can expect a Superman who is about the compassion of the human spirit, a Superman who is about kindness, love and compassion, while also being a very strong character. He is the best of humanity, even though he is an alien from outer space.”
Maybe Gunn will rise to the cultural occasion. We could use a unifying hero like Superman at this point in American culture. We’re at each other’s throats over political differences, egged on by social media platforms that feast on conflict.
<div id="attachment_930443" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-930443" class="size-large wp-image-930443" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-864x576.jpg" alt="NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 18: (L-R) Peter Safran, Co-Chairman &amp; CEO, DC Studios, David Corenswet and James Gunn, Co-Chairman &amp; CEO, DC Studios attend &quot;Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story&quot; New York Premiere at Museum of Modern Art on September 18, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/GettyImages-2172998627.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</div>
Superman isn’t Right or Left, although his Midwest upbringing suggests he’d call the former camp home. Still, Reeve’s Superman never became a culture war talking point. His chaste pursuit of Margot Kidder’s Lois Land was PG-rated perfection. He’s true to his word and lives to save cats stuck in trees.
That’s all for the good.
Gunn teased Superman’s core strength as a character in the aforementioned interview, another tease that he might be channeling the Reeve model.
“[He’s ]this symbol of really old-fashioned values and hope, and it’s an idea that’s been a bit battered over the years.”
Gunn is no conservative, but he may realize “Superman” needs heartland values to connect with the character’s past … and the franchise’s future. That’s assuming he still has one.
* * *
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 views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
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Auction Of Superman Suit In Melbourne – Preview

Why Can’t Hollywood Get Superman Right?

DC Studios

Superman

Warner Bros

The stars of one of the next films in Disney&#8217;s Marvel Cinematic Universe — &#8220;The Fantastic Four: First Steps&#8221; — made it clear in a recent interview that their plan is to effectively &#8220;Snow White&#8221; the franchise.
Despite Disney&#8217;s spectacular crash-and-burn with the Rachel Zegler-led live-action &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Snow White</a>&#8221; — which struggled under the weight of Zegler&#8217;s woke commentary and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-producers-son-destroys-rachel-zegler-amid-films-box-office-struggles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-Semitic social media posts</a> in addition to the widely-panned decision to use CGI rather than live <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/total-travesty-dwarfs-to-protest-snow-white-after-cgi-used-instead-of-actors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dwarf actors</a> — the cast of &#8220;First Steps&#8221; appears ready to deliver a similar offering when the film is released in late July.
In a recent interview for <a href="https://ew.com/the-fantastic-four-first-steps-mcu-plot-character-details-cover-story-11712063?taid=67f7ebcc645bb3000131484d&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+New+Content+%28Feed%29&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entertainment Weekly</a>, Jessica Kirby (who plays Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman) explained how she planned to reinterpret her character despite the fact that the film is set in the 1960s in a parallel world within Marvel&#8217;s multiverse.
&#8220;If you played an exact &#8217;60s Sue today, everyone would think she was a bit of a doormat. So figuring out how to capture the essence of what she represented to each generation, where the gender politics were different, and embody that today, was one of the greatest joys of this,&#8221; Kirby began. &#8220;Matt and I were really aware that there hasn&#8217;t really been a mother with a baby in these superhero archetypes women have been getting. One of the things I love most from Sue&#8217;s history is when she becomes Malice, and all her dark stuff comes out. I was obsessed with that chapter of her life. So I wanted to make sure that there were tones of Malice in there with her, that she wasn&#8217;t just the stereotype of a goody, sweet mother.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;ve always been really interested in the mess of femininity, and how can you be both? How can you be all the things? Not just the tough, invincible, powerful woman, but also a mother who gives birth, which is itself a superhero act. I love that these characters are real humans in a messy family who argue and try to work it out and get things wrong,&#8221; Kirby continued.
Joseph Quinn took on the role of Johnny Storm, the Human Torch, and he described how cultural changes had led them to move away from previous portrayals that cast Johnny as an immature hothead and a bit of a player.
&#8220;He&#8217;s a man that leads with a lot of bravado, which can be an affront sometimes. But also he&#8217;s funny,&#8221; Quinn explained. &#8220;Myself and [Marvel Studios boss] Kevin [Feige] were speaking about previous iterations of him and where we are culturally. He was branded as this womanizing, devil-may-care guy, but is that sexy these days? I don&#8217;t think so. This version of Johnny is less callous with other people&#8217;s feelings, and hopefully there&#8217;s a self-awareness about what&#8217;s driving that attention-seeking behavior.&#8221;
The foursome — which also includes Pedro Pascal&#8217;s Mr. Fantastic and Ebon Moss-Bacharach&#8217;s Thing — are expected to reprise their roles in 2026&#8217;s &#8220;Avengers: Doomsday.&#8221;

The Cast of Fantastic Four Trailer Launch at the US Space & Rocket Center

‘Fantastic Four’ Stars Are Gearing Up To Pull A ‘Snow White’ On Disney’s MCU

'Fantastic Four' Stars Are Gearing Up To Pull A 'Snow White' On Disney's MCU

Celebrities

Politics

The Avengers are assembling for a new installment, and it looks like just about everyone is invited to the upcoming MCU movie, “Avengers: Doomsday.”
Marvel Studios revealed key figures during a five-hour livestream this week. The cast includes Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”), Tom Hiddleston (“Loki”), Anthony Mackie (“Captain America”), Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man”), Letitia Wright (“Black Panther”), Simu Liu (“Shang-Chi”), Danny Ramirez (“The Falcon”) and Winston Duke (“M’Baku”), per <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/avengers-doomsday-cast-announced-1236172556/">The Hollywood Reporter</a>.
Other names include Vanessa Kirby, Paul Rudd, Tenoch Huerta, Sebastian Stan, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Kelsey Grammer, Lewis Pullman, Joseph Quinn, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal, and Florence Pugh. 
Robert Downey Jr. will also be returning, as was previously announced.
Some key actors missing from the new film include Tom Holland (“Spider-Man”) and Chris Evans (“Captain America”), though Evans is expected to participate in the sequel, “Avengers: Secret Wars.”
Marvel first announced the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday” at San Diego Comic-Con in July. During that announcement, they revealed that Downey Jr. and the Russo brothers, who both left the MCU after “Avengers: Endgame” (2019), would be returning for this project. 
“Doomsday” has a scheduled release date of May 2026, while the second part is slated for May 2027.
The Russo brothers recently spoke with THR about how they cast for movies and keep all the characters straight, which they said involves using baseball cards to keep it all organized.
“Now they have magnets on them so we can put ‘em on a board and look at ‘em. It’s the only way to keep track of the amount of characters that we’re working with,” Joe Russo <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/avengers-doomsday-directors-1236161664/">told</a> the outlet. 
Anthony Russo chimed in, saying, “And as far as how do we look at who’s in the movies, it’s just a long creative process of exploring where we want to take the story. What is the most surprising and exciting area for us to push into, and which characters help us in that effort?”
The directors also discussed their strategy for avoiding spoilers. “We’re pretty good about shutting that down,” Joe told <a href="https://collider.com/avengers-doomsday-secret-wars-runtime-russo-brothers/">Collider</a> in an interview with Anthony. “We’ve sort of strategized to hopefully be effective with that,” he added.
That’s why the Russo Brothers prefer filming on soundstages. Joe said, “We don’t want people getting photographs, so we are being pretty stringent.&#8221;
“The location work we are doing, we have picked those locations with that in mind as well,” Anthony agreed.
The studio is hoping to have another major blockbuster on its hands after the success of “Avengers: Endgame,” which earned a record-breaking $2.7 billion worldwide.

Robert Downey Jr.

Marvel Reveals ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Cast: Here’s Who’s In It

Marvel Reveals 'Avengers: Doomsday' Cast: Here's Who's In 

Marvel star Anthony Mackie talked about raising his sons in America amid what he decried was the “death of the American male,” and said that he feels &#8220;American masculinity&#8221; is truly vital for boys. 
During the 46-year-old actor’s appearance on the “Pivot” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqFfX0A8UAc">podcast</a>, the “Captain America: Brave New World” star said he is raising his boys to be men and that he&#8217;s taught his sons to still hold the door open for a lady and to take care of their mom. Mackie shares four sons with ex-wife Sheletta Chapital, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/anthony-mackie-is-raising-sons-through-american-males-death-1236162890/">Hollywood Reporter</a> noted.
“So, it is just that thing of in the past 20 years, we’ve been living through the death of the American male,” <a href="https://x.com/thepivot/status/1899868306586132752">Mackie told the hosts</a>. “They have literally killed masculinity in our homes, in our communities for one reason or another. But I raise my boys to be young men.”
“And however you feel about that, you feel about that,” he added. “Every time I left for a job, I tell my 15-year-old, ‘You’re the man of the house. You make sure these doors are locked. Every night this alarm is on. You text me or you call me every night before you go to bed and you wake up.’ Because we’re men.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“For the past 20 years, we’ve been living through the death of the American male, they’ve killed masculinity in our communities…” <a href="https://twitter.com/AnthonyMackie?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AnthonyMackie</a>
Star actor Anthony Mackie has soared to the highest levels in Hollywood but one thing he doesn’t play about is raising his boys to… <a href="https://t.co/hqRuv6WZZZ">pic.twitter.com/hqRuv6WZZZ</a>
— Pivot Podcast (@thepivot) <a href="https://twitter.com/thepivot/status/1899868306586132752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
“Because you can have all the money in the world, but that motherf**ker climbs through the window that money means nothing,” Mackie continued. “So, for me, it’s always that idea of American masculinity is very different. It’s just that American masculinity is very important for boys because now our little boys are afraid to fail so they don’t try.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marvel-star-doesnt-think-captain-america-should-represent-america">Mackie</a> previously labeled himself “a proud American” when he responded to backlash against him for saying he didn’t believe “the term America” was one of the things that truly represented the superhero Captain America. Instead, he argued that the character represents things like “honor, dignity, and integrity.”
“Let me be clear about this, I’m a proud American and taking on the shield of a hero like CAP [Captain America] is the honor of a lifetime,” the Marvel star wrote in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/stories/anthonymackie/">Instagram Stories</a>.
“I have the utmost respect for those who serve and have served our country,” he added. “CAP has universal characteristics that people all over the world can relate to.”
The original comments came while Mackie, whose character Sam Wilson has now taken over the Captain America role, was on a press tour in Rome for the new Disney movie. The hero role was formerly played by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chris-evans">Chris Evans</a>, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marvel-star-doesnt-think-captain-america-should-represent-america">reported</a>.
“For me, Captain America represents a lot of different things and I don’t think the term ‘America’ should be one of those representations,” the actor said in the viral clip. “It’s about a man who keeps his word, who has honor, dignity, and integrity. Someone who is trustworthy and dependable.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/john-rich-joins-backlash-against-marvel-star-wont-take-kids-to-new-captain-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Rich Joins Backlash Against Marvel Star, Won’t Take Kids To New ‘Captain America’</a>

Netflix’s “Altered Carbon” Season 2 Photo Call

‘They Have Literally Killed Masculinity’: Marvel Star Talks About Raising Sons In America

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