(L to R) Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) in ‘Focker In-Law’, written and directed by John Hamburg. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Preview:
Universal made its big presentation to the 2026 CinemaCon crowd.
Among the movies promoted were ‘Disclosure Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’.
There was also a look at ‘Minions & Monsters’ and ‘Other Mommy’.
Universal had a more muted and mixed 2025 than some other studios –– the latest ‘Jurassic World’ outing was a hit, but other titles, including thriller sequel ‘M3GAN 2.0’ stumbled.
Matt Damon is Odysseus in ‘The Odyssey’, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Christopher Nolan’s epic, based on Homer’s story, was somewhat naturally the first big movie featured. Starring half of Hollywood, it promises to be massive in scale and ambitious in scope.
The filmmaker himself took the stage to talk up his latest, joking that he’s glad he doesn’t have to follow Steven Spielberg. ‘The Odyssey’ is not, he says a story. It’s THE story, one he knew he had to shoot entirely in IMAX.
He praised his ensemble, especially Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, who he called the heart of the film. Oh, and it was a “nightmare to make in the best way possible,” but he’s nearly finished.
More than five minutes of new footage from the movie was shown, including a shipwrecked Odysseus (Damon) washing up on a shore, where he’s greeted by the goddess Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, asking her about his past life which he cannot remember, and a battle from the Trojan war and the iconic Trojan Horse.
Illumination has been a consistent performer for Universal, its animated output boosting studio coffers. So of course the team were present to pimp the next ‘Minions’ movie featuring the little yellow troublemakers.
It’s set in the 1920s and features the Minions trying to find a new master to serve. Pierre Coffin, who co-writes, directs and voices the creatures, told the crowd that he put everything into the new one, before introducing some fresh footage.
The next film to get a brief spotlight was romantic comedy drama ‘One Night Only’, which stars Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro as two New Yorkers searching for love on the one night of the year when sex is legal.
The initial teaser for the horror movie, starring Jessica Chastain, was shown. It features Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), an 8-year-old girl living in a home with marital problems, confronts a sinister entity that comes out of her closet. The presence, whom she calls “Other Mommy,” becomes increasingly threatening to her and her family.
Next up was a quick look at ‘Violent Night 2’, the sequel to the 2022 action comedy with David Harbour as a grumpy Santa who takes down armed thieves. The 2026 follow-up adds Kristen Bell as Mrs. Claus in a story where Santa somehow ends up on the Naughty List.
(L to R) Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and Olivia Jones (Ariana Grande) in ‘Focker In-Law’, written and directed by John Hamburg. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Getting more of a spotlight was the new ‘Meet the Parents’ outing, which sees Ariana Grande as a young woman looking to marry into Ben Stiller‘s family (and Stiller’s Greg Focker is suspicious of her).
Stiller and Robert De Niro took the stage to introduce a first look, with De Niro commenting that Grande is the funniest scene partner he’s ever had. Ouch!
Also featured? A look at ‘Nosferatu’ director Robert Eggers‘ next chiller, ‘Werwulf’, which follows a gothic world where townsfolk are investigating a brutal werewolf terrifying their town.
Emily Blunt in ‘Disclosure Day’, directed by Steven Spielberg. Photo: Universal Pictures.
‘Disclosure Day’s Colman Domingo arrived on stage to introduce his director, Steven Spielberg, who is getting a special award from CinemaCon (along with a sizzle reel of past work and a standing ovation from the audience).
The iconic filmmaker took the chance to argue for longer release windows, which naturally plays well with this crowd.
He also sat down with Domingo to discuss his own movie-watching history, his father’s belief in life beyond our world, his own thoughts on aliens and his time making this latest effort.
New footage was shown (though Spielberg said he was keeping every frame of the third act withheld until the movie itself is released), with plenty of tense action.
“It is an experience, this movie,” Spielberg promised. “All you need to get from the beginning to the end is a seat belt.”
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And with that, it’s a wrap on Universal!
‘Focker In-Law’ opens in theaters on November 25th.
Jason Bateman is making a deal to direct ‘The Partner.’
Tom Holland is aboard to star in the movie and produce.
It’ll adapt the John Grisham legal thriller novel.
If it pleases the court, we’d direct the jury (er, readers) to cast their mind back to January of this year, when evidence emerged that Tom Holland had agreed to star in and produce a new movie adaptation of John Grisham tome ‘The Partner’ for Universal.
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The case for making the film has moved on to the point of hiring a director, and Deadline brings word that Jason Bateman is the man taking the job, which would mark his third movie directing gig (not forgetting his numerous TV credits).
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Paul Hebert / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
The plot follows Patrick Lanigan, a young partner in a white shoe Biloxi law firm who fakes his own death in a burning car. He’s left behind a wife, newborn daughter, and a secret. What he’s actually done is fake his death to create a template for a new life by stealing $90 million from a client of his crooked law firm.
He finds happiness and love in South America. When the client who worked so hard to defraud the government finds the money is missing from his offshore accounts, he becomes determined to hunt down the lawyer he doesn’t believe is dead.
That leads the attorney to have to turn himself in to the FBI and face up to the wife, child and life he left behind…
The role of Lanigan offers Holland the chance to play another conflicted, morally questionable character, and enjoy some of the complexity he found in the likes of ‘The Crowded Room’ and ‘Cherry.’
Graham Moore, whose credits include films such as 2014’s ‘The Imitation Game,’ and 2022 crime thriller ‘The Outfit’ (which he also directed), has been at work on the script.
What else is Jason Bateman working on?
Jason Bateman attends Netflix’s ‘Black Rabbit’ NY Premiere and After Party at SVA Theater on September 16, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Netflix.
Bateman is currently on screens in new Netflix series ‘Black Rabbit’ and was most recently seen in another Netflix production, airport thriller ‘Carry-On’.
Coming up, he’ll be reprising the role of wisecracking fox Nick Wilde in Disney’s animated ‘Zootopia 2’ (due in theaters on November 26) and is a star and producer on HBO series ‘DTF St. Louis’.
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Phil McCarten / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Preview:
Tom Holland has suffered a mild injury on the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ set.
He had a fall while performing a stunt.
The movie’s release date is not affected.
It’s the sort of incident to generate a “Web-Slinging Menace Comes To A Sticky End” headlines on the front page of the Daily Bugle and for J. Jonah Jameson to hope the “vigilante” had some sense knocked into him.
But yes, Spidey, AKA Peter Parker, or rather Tom Holland, the actor who plays him in the MCU, has suffered a mild concussion after a stunt went wrong on the Pinewood, England set of new outing ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
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According to Deadline’s reporting on the accident, Holland was performing a stunt and had a fall. He was taken to a local hospital and examined but not admitted, with instructions to rest and recuperate.
Since the movie’s shooting schedule included a lot with Holland (naturally), director Destin Daniel Cretton and the Marvel team have opted to shut down shooting for a week to let the actor get better.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Holland’s Peter–– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Even with Peter’s changed situation, the likes of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studio will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
While you might think a production pause could have a knock-on effect to the movie’s release, we’re told that’s not the case and it’s on track to still arrive on July 31st, 2026.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
In keeping with much of the other new casting (more on that below), we don’t yet know what role Tillman will be playing –– whether it’ll be a Marvel character, someone new, or the usual MCU spin on someone from the comics.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Holland’s Peter–– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Even with Peter’s changed situation, the likes of MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studio will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
With Daniel Craig stepping away and Amazon MGM Studios taking over the franchise, finding a new James Bond is crucial to the series’ success.
Amazon supposedly has a wish list of actors, while other names have also been cropping up – sometimes for years.
Only six actors have officially played Bond in more than 60 years.
Who should be the next actor to don the mantle of James Bond, agent 007 of the British Secret Service? That question has vexed filmmakers since the franchise first launched in 1962, when then-superstars like Cary Grant and Richard Burton were bypassed in favor of a little-known Scottish actor named Sean Connery. In the 60-plus years since ‘Dr. No’ introduced Bond to audiences, six actors (seven, if you include David Niven in the non-canonical 1967 Bond spoof, ‘Casino Royale’) have worn the tuxedo, with a mix of established stars and relative unknowns taking on the role for stints varying from one film (George Lazenby) to seven (Roger Moore).
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Some Bonds, of course, have been more successful than others, but the venerable franchise faces a challenge on two fronts now: first, the property has changed hands for the first time in decades, with the Broccoli family’s Eon Productions – which has been behind every Bond film to date – ceding control to Amazon MGM Studios. Second, the next Bond actor will follow the five-film run of Daniel Craig, which yielded one of the franchise’s all-time best films (2006’s ‘Casino Royale’) as well as its highest-grossing (2012’s billion-earning ‘Skyfall’).
But there’s more to it than that. The next Bond, whoever he is – and all kinds of potential names have been circulating for years – has to find just the right balance of qualities. He should be young enough (early 30s) to have cross-generational appeal, but not too young that he seems to lack experience; he should be as quick with his gun as he is with a quip or double-entendre; he needs to portray both the ruthless brutality of a top-notch assassin and the vulnerability of a lonely, haunted man; and he must be both physically imposing and sexually alluring.
Not such a tall order, right? There’s no question that director Denis Villeneuve and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman have their work cut out for them. So let’s take a quick scan of the names that are out there now – and analyze whether any of them are destined to become the next James Bond.
Let’s start with the actors who won’t be Bond. The irony is that all of them were mooted for the role at one point or another, but time has frankly passed them by. That short list includes Henry Cavill, a fan favorite who auditioned for the role at age 22 but lost to Daniel Craig. At 42, he’s the same age as Pierce Brosnan when the latter got the part, and three years younger than Roger Moore. But Cavill is also far too recognizable from playing Superman in the DC Extended Universe and the title role in ‘The Witcher’ TV series.
Also, outside of his stints as Kal-El, Cavill is not a box office draw. That in itself means nothing, especially if the producers go with a smaller name – but Cavill has been on screens long enough to prove that he lacks a certain quality that audiences flock to see.
Tom Hardy, likewise, has been in hits such as ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and the ‘Venom’ trilogy, but has had an erratic box office run outside of those. At age 47, he’s also pretty much aged out of the role already. The same goes for 52-year-old Idris Elba, a popular choice for a long time who was reportedly reluctant to consider the role because he worried whether audiences would accept a Bond of color. Of the three, he probably would have been the most formidable choice.
The Amazon MGM List
Tom Holland arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Credit/Provider: Paul Hebert / A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: A.M.P.A.S.
Variety reported in June 2025 than Amazon MGM was interested in casting an actor under 30 as Bond. The studio’s wish list featured three actors: Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson, and Jacob Elordi — all decent-to-good actors still exploring their potential, but not necessarily able to nail the role of Bond.
Let’s dismiss Holland right off the bat. Fair or not, he’s a relatively small fellow with a baby face that will simply not suit Bond. Not only that, his global fame all stems from his portrayal of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in six Marvel films, with at least two more to go. Holland is simply too youthful and too associated with the web-slinger to step into 007’s shoes.
At 28, the Australian Elordi (the person playing Bond, by the way, can be British, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, or Australian – but not American) is probably the best all-around actor and may have just enough gravitas (and height) to evolve with the role. Dickinson, meanwhile, showed psychological and sexual intensity in ‘Babygirl’ and a rough physicality in ‘The Iron Claw,’ but like most of the actors attached to the role, would still have to bulk his slender frame up a bit.
When you get past names like Holland, Cavill, and Elordi, there is a whole crop of relatively young U.K. actors who, for the most part, are relatively obscure outside their home turf even if they’ve done some movie and TV work in Hollywood. Leading that pack is Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who’s been bandied about as a frontrunner for 007 for the past couple of years but remains fairly low-key with the public despite roles in high-profile films like ‘Nosferatu’ and ‘28 Years Later.’ Taylor-Johnson is a good actor, but he’s missing something – a certain magnetism – that makes us reluctant to consider him for Bond.
Theo James is another British actor who has scored some impressive credentials – most recently, he starred in the TV version of ‘The Gentlemen,’ Season 2 of ‘The White Lotus’ and the Stephen King film ‘The Monkey’ – but at 40 may be at the tipping point to play 007. Will Poulter, meanwhile, has shown physical prowess in the recent ‘Warfare’ and as Adam Warlock in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ and can be quite menacing (he’s frightening as a sadistic cop in ‘Detroit’), but may lack the sexual spark necessary to attract female audiences.
Jack Lowden in ‘Slow Horses’ season 3 premiering November 29, 2023 on Apple TV+.
One interesting candidate whose name has surfaced again and again is Scottish thespian Jack Lowden – at 35, he’s the right age, he has rugged good looks along with experience in physical action roles, and his resume (which also includes extensive stage work) ranges from high-level productions like the BBC’s 2016 version of ‘War and Peace’ to the acclaimed Apple TV+ series ‘Slow Horses,’ in which he plays – in an eerie coincidence – an MI5 agent.
Do any of these – or even the other candidates above – scream ‘James Bond’ at us? Not necessarily. But actors are capable of transforming themselves in ways that we ordinary folks can’t often imagine, and one of the above – if not someone yet unrevealed to us – will certainly emerge from that process as the next Bond…James Bond.
Sean Connery as James Bond in 1964’s ‘Goldfinger’. Photo: United Artists.
(Left) Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner / Smart Hulk in Disney+’s ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.’ (Right) Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Preview:
Mark Ruffalo is aboard ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
Destin Daniel Cretton is directing.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
Looks like Peter Parker has another patriarchal figure headed his way.
How the Hulk fits into the story remains to be seen –– with the likes of Jon Bernthal’s Punisher around, Peter will likely need some help. And who knows whether there will be some conflict between Peter and Bruce themselves before everything is resolved?
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Even with the spell affecting Peter, MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role being kept under wraps, and the studios will look to have it that way as long as possible.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is also a mystery for now.
And thanks to the Reporter’s story, we also know that Michael Mando, the ‘Better Call Saul’ actor who cropped up in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ as Mac Gargan, the civilian version of Spidey villain Scorpion, so he’ll also be causing problems.
Finally, we got our first proper look at Holland in his new Spidey suit –– obligatory joke here about it being an official studio video and not a leak from the actor himself…
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
With cameras now rolling. ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
Thanks to some recent release date shuffles, the movie will be the next MCU entry, ahead of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is now scheduled for December 19th, 2026.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
It’s fair to say that the Marvel movies, specifically the Marvel Cinematic Universe releases, have reached “cultural event” status. And there’s a strong case to be made that the MCU is a currently a pop culture juggernaut, the likes of which we haven’t since the original ‘Star Wars‘ trilogy hit theaters for the first time.
It is a great time to watch the Marvel movies in order now and you can watch them all on Disney Plus in 4K format. You can even plan virtual Marvel movie nights with your friends using Disney+ GroupWatch feature.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Sebastian Stan in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
During World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is a sickly man from Brooklyn who’s transformed into super-soldier Captain America to aid in the war effort. Rogers must stop the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) – Adolf Hitler’s ruthless head of weaponry, and the leader of an organization that intends to use a mysterious device of untold powers for world domination.
The story follows Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes when Earth is caught in the middle of a galactic war between two alien races. Set in the 1990s, Captain Marvel is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
Scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) scours the planet for an antidote to the unbridled force of rage within him: the Hulk. But when the military masterminds who dream of exploiting his powers force him back to civilization, he finds himself coming face to face with a new, deadly foe.
With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, must forge new alliances – and confront powerful enemies.
Against his father Odin’s (Anthony Hopkins) will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) – a powerful but arrogant warrior god – recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.
(L to R) Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the cataclysmic events in New York with ‘The Avengers’, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America is living quietly in Washington, D.C. and trying to adjust to the modern world. But when a S.H.I.E.L.D. colleague comes under attack, Steve becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue that threatens to put the world at risk. Joining forces with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America struggles to expose the ever-widening conspiracy while fighting off professional assassins sent to silence him at every turn. When the full scope of the villainous plot is revealed, Captain America and the Black Widow enlist the help of a new ally, the Falcon (Anthony Mackie). However, they soon find themselves up against an unexpected and formidable enemy—the Winter Soldier.
Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.
When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron (James Spader) emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Doctor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron’, the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa / Black Panther in 2018’s ‘Black Panther.’
King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T’Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan ‘special forces’) and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon (Benedict Cumberbatch) gets a new lease on life when a sorcerer takes him under her wing and trains him to defend the world against evil.
Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is imprisoned on the other side of the universe and finds himself in a race against time to get back to Asgard to stop Ragnarok, the destruction of his home-world and the end of Asgardian civilization, at the hands of a powerful new threat, the ruthless Hela (Cate Blanchett).
Just when his time under house arrest is about to end, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) once again puts his freedom at risk to help Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) dive into the quantum realm and try to accomplish, against time and any chance of success, a very dangerous rescue mission.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
After the devastating events of Avengers: Infinity War, the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization and his father, Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung).
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and his friends go on a summer trip to Europe. However, they will hardly be able to rest – Peter will have to agree to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of creatures that cause natural disasters and destruction throughout the continent.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man. Teaming with other Multiverse Spider-Men (Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield), they must now work together to take out the Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), Doctor Octopus (Alfred Molina), Electro (Jamie Foxx) and other Spider-Man villains from around the multiverse.
The Eternals are a team of ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years. When an unexpected tragedy forces them out of the shadows, they are forced to reunite against mankind’s most ancient enemy, the Deviants.
Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.
After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg, and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.
On a dark and somber night, a secret cabal of monster hunters emerge from the shadows and gather at the foreboding Bloodstone Temple following the death of their leader. In a strange and macabre memorial to the leader’s life, the attendees are thrust into a mysterious and deadly competition for a powerful relic—a hunt that will ultimately bring them face to face with a dangerous monster.
Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M’Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s (Chadwick Boseman) death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.
On a mission to make Christmas unforgettable for Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), the Guardians head to Earth in search of the perfect present. The special follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Quill the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child.
Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), still reeling from the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), along with with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) , and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), find themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and pits them against Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), aka Captain Marvel, has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilized universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris). Together, this unlikely trio must team up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.
After meeting with newly elected U.S. President Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), Sam (Anthony Mackie) finds himself in the middle of an international incident. He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap, seven disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.
Against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel’s First Family is forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, while defending Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).
(Left) Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios. (Right) Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Preview:
Jon Bernthal is boarding ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
Destin Daniel Cretton is directing.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
This casting is a happy full circle moment for Holland and Bernthal; the duo were working on the 2017 movie Pilgrimage when preparing to audition for their Marvel roles, and helped each other with their audition tapes.
Destin Daniel Cretton (director, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’) at CinemaCon 2025 for Sony Pictures at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 31, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Stewart Cook/Sony Pictures via Getty Images.
Given that ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
Here’s what Holland said to The Hollywood Reporter about the movie:
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why.”
What is that reason? It’s only known to those involved with the movie right now and soon to anyone who talks to Tom Holland if his talent for divulging spoilers accidentally continues to hold.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Who else will appear in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’?
Even with the spell affecting Peter, MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) are still likely to return.
Yet with ‘Stranger Things’Sadie Sink’s casting earlier this year, that throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life?
Sink’s role is a mystery, one that Marvel and Sony will look to keep that way as long as possible.
But speculation has already begun, with a few potentials floating out there.
Sink could be playing Jean Grey, the hugely powerful mutant character from the ‘X-Men’ comics who has enjoyed a variety of storylines in the pages and on screens, including the memorable “Dark Phoenix” arc.
The X-Men, are, of course, the next big group for Marvel to incorporate into the MCU and we’ve already seen examples of them in the dimension-spanning likes of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’‘The Marvels’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ though none have been pointed up as the official versions of the characters to make the leap to Earth-616.
Using the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie to introduce one or more characters could work, as the Marvel team has a history of seeding new recruits in other movies.
But if the focus is more on Peter’s story, there’s a chance that Sink might be Gwen Stacey, another famous love interest for our hero, who has appeared in other Spider-stories. Another option is Felicia Hardy, AKA Black Cat.
And, of course, Sink’s red hair could make her a natural fit for classic Peter partner Mary Jane Watson, but with Zendaya’s MJ (albeit not using the same name) filling that role, it seems unlikely.
Elsewhere, ‘The Bear’s Liza Colón-Zayas has also scored a role in the movie, but her character is a mystery for now.
Bernthal has been the small-screen version of Marvel’s Frank Castle –– AKA vigilante character The Punisher –– since he showed up on the Netflix version of ‘Daredevil’ back in 2016.
Since then, he’s appeared in his own eponymous spin-off show, which ran on the streaming service between 2017 and 2019, then came a break until he was brought back in to the fold for this year’s Disney+ continuation series ‘Daredevil: Born Again.’
The story is under wraps for now, here’s what Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television, told EW about it:
“It’s like a shotgun blast of a story, but also has all the pathos and emotion that you want out of a Frank Castle story. It’s so exciting.”
A bigger question for The Punisher in the world of Spider-Man is how his grittier, more violent tone will fit with the family friendlier feel of Spidey and co.
When will ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ be in theaters?
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
Thanks to some recent release date shuffles, the movie will be the next MCU entry to follow ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’, which lands on July 25th.
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle in Marvel’s ‘The Punisher.’ Photo: Netflix.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
‘Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink has joined ‘Spider-Man 4.’
Her role is a mystery for now.
Tom Holland is returning to star as the titular web-crawler.
While we’ve been waiting for a while for fresh news about the next ‘Spider-Man’ movie, it’s clearly starting to crank into gear, as the first new piece of casting news has dropped for ‘Spider-Man 4‘.
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It does not come, however, from either Disney, Marvel or Sony which tend to be tight-lipped when it comes to casting announcements for their big superhero projects, but instead from Deadline’s sources, which has heard that ‘Stranger Things’ star Sadie Sink will be joining the fourth outing of everyone’s friendly neighborhood web-slinger.
With Holland currently at work on Christopher Nolan’s ambitious adaptation of ‘The Odyssey’ (along with a starry ensemble big enough to fill a small theater), shooting for the next Spidey movie should kick off this year once the actor’s schedule is worked out.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Given that ‘No Way Home’ changed things in a huge way for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker –– as you’ll likely recall, it ended with a spell that wiped everyone’s memory of him so as to protect the people he loves –– the storyline going forward is naturally something of a mystery.
Here’s what Holland said to The Hollywood Reporter about the movie:
“The first few meetings were about, ‘Why would we do this again?’ And I think we found the reason why.”
What is that reason? It’s only known to those involved with the movie right now and soon to anyone who talks to Tom Holland if his talent for divulging spoilers accidentally continues to hold.
We do at least know that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, who contributed to or wrote the previous three Spider-outings, are back on board for this one.
Holland also told Jimmy Fallon that the movie will be shooting this coming summer. Here’s what he had to say:
“Next summer, we start shooting. Everything’s good to go. We’re nearly there. “The project is super exciting.”
Who will appear in the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie?
Zendaya in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
Though the game was changed considerably in ‘No Way Home’, we can’t imagine that the franchise would continue without Zendaya as MJ (Peter’s big love interest) and Jacob Batalon as Ned (his best friend). Surely a way will be found to have them remember him?
Yet Sink’s casting throws an interesting wrinkle in –– what if the plan is for MJ and Ned to have smaller roles while a new supporting cast rises to importance in Peter’s life, given the fallout of the mind-wiping spell.
As you might expect at this point, Sink’s role is a mystery, one that Marvel and Sony will look to keep that way as long as possible (executives are probably already looking for a spell to wipe Holland’s mind of plot details to help that).
But speculation has already begun, with a few potentials floating out there.
Deadline’s story mentions the theory that Sink could be playing Jean Grey, the hugely powerful mutant character from the ‘X-Men’ comics who has enjoyed a variety of storylines in the pages and on screens, including the memorable “Dark Phoenix” arc.
The X-Men, are, of course, the next big group for Marvel to incorporate into the MCU and we’ve already seen examples of them in the dimension-spanning likes of ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ ‘The Marvels’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ though none have been pointed up as the official versions of the characters to make the leap to Earth-616.
Using the ‘Spider-Man’ movie to introduce one or more characters could work, as the Marvel team has a history of seeding new recruits in other movies.
But if the focus is more on Peter’s story, there’s a chance that Sink might be Gwen Stacey, another famous love interest for our hero, who has appeared in other Spider-stories. Another option is Felicia Hardy, AKA Black Cat.
And, of course, Sink’s red hair could make her a natural fit for classic Peter partner Mary Jane Watson, but with Zendaya’s MJ (albeit not using the same name) filling that role, it seems unlikely.
Sink, of course, saw her career skyrocket after landing the role of Max Mayfield in Netflix monster hit ‘Stranger Things.’
The fifth and final season is headed our way later this year.
Here’s what co-creator and co-showrunner Ross Duffer said about post-production process at this year’s SCAD TVfest:
“We’re focused on visual effects sequences right now, which started back in January. It’s going well. We’re actually ahead of schedule, which is rare for us. I will say that it is coming this year. We’re definitely on target.”
In addition to that, Sink has the lead in post-apocalyptic musical drama ‘O’Dessa’ due in theaters on March 20th.
And before she starts work on ‘Spider-Man 4,’ she’ll be treading the boards on Broadway in the play ‘John Proctor Is the Villain,’ which opens April 4th.
When will the new ‘Spider-Man’ movie be in theaters?
‘Spider-Man 4’ (or whatever it ends up being titled –– we’d guess they may move away from the “home” branding of the previous three to potentially launch a new run of movies) will swing into theaters on July 31st, 2026.
That date, perhaps not-so-coincidentally, puts it in between the two new ‘Avengers’ movies, ‘Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars,’ so the events of the first may (depending on when both it and the new ‘Spider-Man’ entry occur on the timeline) impact the events of this movie.
Tom Holland in ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
Movies and TV Shows Featuring Spider-Man Characters:
Jon Bernthal at the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.
Preview:
Jon Bernthal is the latest recruit for Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey.’
Lupita Nyong’o, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya are among the cast.
Nolan will kick off shooting soon.
If you thought ‘Oppenheimer’ writer/director Christopher Nolan was finished adding to the sprawling, starry cast for his follow-up, ‘The Odyssey,’ think again!
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He’s tapped yet another person for the ensemble, which at this point appears to include half of the A-list phone book (kids, ask your parents on that one).
The most recent recruit is ‘The Bear’s Emmy winner Jon Bernthal who will be playing… Well, that would be telling. And we can’t tell you because, like everyone else in the secretive filmmaker’s latest opus, he has yet to reveal character details.
But here’s what we know so far…
What’s the story of Christopher Nolan’s next film?
Writer, director, and producer Christopher Nolan on the set of ‘Oppenheimer.’
In December, after months of speculation and casting, we got official confirmation that the movie is an adaptation of ‘The Odyssey,’ as revealed by Universal in a twitter post:
“Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.”
‘The Odyssey’ is a classic piece of literature by Homer that is divided between 24 different books, preceded by ‘The Iliad.’
The ancient Greek poem is one of the foundational texts of Western literature. It tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, exploring themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning, and the struggle against divine will. The tale includes iconic episodes like his encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, culminating in his reunion with his wife, Penelope.
Historians and scholars date the poem to sometime between 750-650 BC. The first printed Greek version became available in 1488. In the centuries since, it has remained one of the most studied, adapted and parodied stories ever with adaptations including the 1911 silent film by Giuseppe de Liguoro, 1954’s ‘Ulysses’ with Kirk Douglas and the 2000 Coenbrothers comedy ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’
A more recent adaptation premiered this past December in theaters: ‘The Return,’ which stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche and was directed by Uberto Pasolini. On limited release, it has so far earned less than a million dollars worldwide.
Universal will no doubt be hoping for a slightly higher return on Nolan’s film, since, according to reporter Jeff Sneider, his ‘Odyssey’ carries a hefty $250 million price tag. Compare that to ‘Oppenheimer,’ which he made for $100 million and ‘Tenet,’ which had a $205 million budget.
Still, given that ‘Oppenheimer’ brought in nearly a billion dollars (and continues to earn on home entertainment venues), there’s reason for confidence.
Who else is in the cast for Nolan’s latest project?
Robert Pattinson in ‘Tenet’. Photo: Warner Bros.
Nolan has been locking down a wealth of talent for his latest movie. Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, of course, are veterans of working with the director, having appeared in two other projects of his (both were in ‘Interstellar,’ while Hathaway had previously played Selina Kyle in ‘The Dark Knight Rises‘ and Damon was in ‘Oppenheimer.’
It’s anyone’s guess at this point what role the various ensemble members will be playing, or indeed how faithful Nolan’s movie will end up being. Can we hope for a giant fantasy epic from the director?
Nolan is also writing and producing the film, reuniting with his longtime producing and life partner Emma Thomas, who won the Best Picture Oscar for ‘Oppenheimer’ alongside Nolan.
As for the rest of the crew, we’ll have to wait and see, though Nolan tends to work with a lot of people more than once, so expect to see some familiar names when the credits role.
While the filmmaker had been based for years at Warner Bros., the company’s decision to put much of its 2020 slate on streaming saw him take his business elsewhere.
The rights to ‘Oppenheimer’ were put up for auction, a bidding battle that Universal ultimately won and reaped the rewards when the movie became a huge sensation.
Nolan was clearly happy without things worked out in collaboration with the studio, as he’s gone right back to it for this new project, which, like ‘Oppenheimer,’ will shoot in the IMAX format.
Where else have I seen Jon Bernthal?
(L to R) Jon Bernthal and Ben Affleck in ‘The Accountant 2’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
In addition to his occasional appearances on ‘The Bear’ (which as mentioned have won him praise and awards), Bernthal is known for a few key roles.
Also on TV, he broke out playing Frank Castle/The Punisher on Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ and the ‘Punisher’ show that featured his character (he’ll be back in the role for new Disney+ series ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ in March).
And he also won fans as Shane Walsh on post-apocalyptic zombie series ‘The Walking Dead.’
