News

On the heels of the previous full reveal for Galactus in The Fantastic Four: First Steps comes more promo art, courtesy of the film's tie in with Snapple.

New look at The Fantastic Four and Galactus in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

In theaters on July 25. pic.twitter.com/5cxee0X5AL

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) May 18, 2025

Additionally, we have brand new character descriptions for Marvel's First Family as well. Check it out.

New look at Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

In theaters on July 25. pic.twitter.com/Jhm1GTUNsF

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) May 18, 2025

Sue Storm: Sue possesses the superhuman ability to turn invisible, allowing her to sneak up on her enemies completely unnoticed. Sue can create force fields with her mind to attack villains and defend her team. When Sue isn't fighting alongside the Fantastic Four, she's saving the planet in other ways.

Thanks to a tie-in promotion with Snapple, MCU fans now have their best look yet at how Ralph Ineson's Galactus will appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

The character was said to be closely modeled on Ineson and that's something the previous Lego sets and Funko Pops have lacked. However, the new promo art shows that Galan of Taa-an will definitely have facial characters that resemble Ineson.

First look at Galactus in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

In theaters on July 25. pic.twitter.com/4G30sXDV8V

— Fantastic Four Updates (@F4Update) May 18, 2025

First full look at Ralph Ineson’s Galactus in ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’

In theaters on July 25. pic.twitter.com/sKTc5wfHwC

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) May 18, 2025

From previously released footage and trailers, we've seen the back of Galactus' head, his eyes, and his boots.

Previously, director Matt Shakman stated that he didn't want...

Superhero movies are more popular than ever, even though many high-profile directors and actors often criticize them for lacking artistic value. In reality, most viewers aren’t seeking deep artistic experiences when picking a movie; they’re looking for entertainment.

This is clearly reflected in our next list. Tons of fans voted on Ranker for their favorite superhero movies of all time. The list features plenty of action, comedy, and all the expected favorites. Let’s find out which movie received the most votes.

10. ‘Deadpool’ (2016) (8731 Votes)

The first ‘Deadpool’ movie garnered massive attention for several reasons. It stood out from typical superhero films with its blend of action, comedy, and irreverence. The R-rating allowed for a mature and unrestricted portrayal, resonating well with adult audiences. Ryan Reynolds’ performance as Deadpool was widely praised, with many fans feeling he was born for the role.

Despite its edgy humor, ‘Deadpool’ was highly regarded,...

Marvel Studios promised that Star-Lord is going to return to the MCU. Peter Quill took up residence on Earth after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and fans have since expected that the character might become a part of the Avengers. However, it seems that Marvel Studios has other plans for Chris Pratt’s iconic MCU character, and it could bring in one of the most popular members of Thor’s comic book mythos.

According to scooper Daniel Rpk, Marvel is currently looking to make a film about the Annihilators, and it is rumored that this team will be led by none other than Star-Lord. However, given the history that the team has in the comics, this has a lot of exciting implications for the MCU. The lineup could bring together characters from the mythos of multiple characters— like Gladiator of the Shi’ar Empire, Galactus’ herald The Silver Surfer,...

You never know who might pop up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's one of the beauties of a shared universe, as it means that plenty of beloved characters can surface - or resurface - at any point in time in any project at all. And the MCU is particularly effective at that.

Remember how Chris Evans popped in for an unexpected Thor: The Dark World cameo (albeit as Loki in disguise)? What about how Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow's Pepper Potts showed up in Spider-Man: Homecoming? Surely, we can't forget about Benedict Cumberbatch's comic-accurate Doctor Strange cameo in Thor: Ragnarok.

Cameos and returns are some of the best things about the MCU movies and TV shows, and now Marvel Studios looks to make that magic happen all over again with a truly unexpected cameo.

Jim Rash returns to the MCU in Ironheart

If...

Movie score aficionados rejoice! The Future Ruins Music & Arts Festival is assembling a line-up of film & TV composers to perform their most celebrated themes, as the credo of the festival is “The Music Tells the Story.” Musical acts like John Carpenter, Danny Elfman, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Questlove and Goblin are among those included on the list of performances for the event. The Future Ruins Festival is scheduled to take place on November 8 and will be held at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. You can get tickets at their official website Here.

The official festival description reads,

“Future Ruins is a first-of-its-kind music festival: a day-long event where the world’s most influential film and television composers step out from behind the screen and onto the stage.

Set across three stages at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, Future Ruins is designed to feel thoughtful and immersive, bringing this music to...

Future Ruins, a first-of-its-kind music festival in which film and television composers step out from behind the screen and onto the stage, will take place at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on November 8.

It will feature genre heavyweights John Carpenter, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Danny Elfman, Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin, Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (“Stranger Things”), and Howard Shore performing the score of David Cronenberg’s Crash.

The line-up also includes Cristobal Tapia de Veer, Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow, Hildur Guðnadóttir , Isobel Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”) , Mark Mothersbaugh, Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe (Candyman), Tamar-kali (Mudbound), Terence Blanchard, Volker Bertelmann, and Questlove presenting the score works of Curtis Mayfield (Superfly).

Set across three stages, Future Ruins is designed to feel thoughtful and immersive, bringing this music to light in an environment where it has never been heard before. Every artist is a headliner, each with their own specially curated moment.

Each artist is...

Nine Inch Nails have announced Future Ruins, a new one-day music festival taking place at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on Saturday, November 8th, 2025.

Created and curated by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Future Ruins is billed as “a first-of-its-kind of music festival: a day-long event where the world’s most influential film and television composers step out from behind the screen and onto the stage.”

Get Nine Inch Nails Tickets Here

“It’s about giving people who are, literally, the best in the world at taking audiences on an emotional ride via music the opportunity to tell new stories in an interesting live setting,” explained Reznor in a statement.

“There’s no headliner. There’s no hierarchy. This is a stacked lineup of visionaries doing something you might not see again,” added Reznor and Ross.

Alongside Reznor and Ross, the lineup features such composing luminaries as John Carpenter, Danny Elfman,...

Nine Inch Nails principals and veteran film composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have announced “Future Ruins,” a festival featuring some of the top film and TV composers in the business, taking place on Saturday, November 8 in Los Angeles. John Carpenter, Questlove (performing the soundtrack work of Curtis Mayfield), Danny Elfman, Mark Mothersbaugh and Hildur Guðnadóttir are among the participants; the complete lineup and highlights of their careers appears below.

Presented by Live Nation, the event is “a first-of-its-kind of music festival: a day-long event where the world’s most influential film and television composers step out from behind the screen and onto the stage,” according to the announcement. Tickets are available starting Wednesday, May 21 at 12 p.m. Pt.

“It’s about giving people who are, literally, the best in the world at taking audiences on an emotional ride via music the opportunity to tell new stories in an interesting live setting,...

Ever rewatched a movie and spotted a familiar face for a second that you completely forgot or completely ignored because you hadn’t even noticed them earlier? Well, just as a long cameo contributes to the story of the movie, sometimes these unnoticeable cameos can also contribute by becoming a topic of discussion later, making us rewatch the movies to spot the celebs.

Cameos are often like hidden Easter eggs, and sometimes they can uplift the mood of viewers if they are carefully dropped at some dull moments of the movies. Sometimes, even Hollywood’s A-listers pop up in roles so subtly or in a disguise that fans completely forget they were there, especially when so much is happening on the screen. Let’s take a look at some of these cameos that people almost forgot over the years.

1. Lin-Manuel Miranda in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) Lin-Manuel Miranda...

A rather confusing discussion is being held on the social media platform X regarding Tessa Thompson and Zoe Saldaña’s roles in the MCU. Were they officially announced as part of the Avengers in the MCU? The discussion kicked off once an X user commented that Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava Starr/Ghost became the first black woman to be an official Avenger.

After Thunderbolts* (*The New Avengers), the status of the anti-heroes in the film has been elevated to that of the Avengers. It was one of the few times when characters in the MCU were officially inducted into the Avengers team. Since neither Thompson nor Saldaña got the official title in the MCU films, some fans argue that neither of them qualifies as the first black woman Avenger.

Fan claims Tessa Thompson and Zoe Saldaña are not the first black women to be an official Avenger Hannah John-Kamen as...

Bruce Banner and the Hulk couldn’t be more different from each other. While one would want to smash out and destroy you in a fight, the other will hold your hand and calmly talk to you about what went wrong. Perhaps this is why we love Mark Ruffalo’s Avenger so much. One moment, he is the terrifying green ball of rage, and the other, he’s a guy you’d bring home to meet your parents.

The thing is, when Bruce Banner Hulks out, he doesn’t listen to anyone, not even his close friend, Tony Stark. However, there is one man he takes orders from – Captain America. A theory explains why.

Why Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk listens to Captain America Chris Evans in The Avengers (2012) | Credits: Marvel Studios

While Bruce Banner is a genius, Hulk is more primal – a destructive force of nature with little to no tolerance for authority.

If you are a Marvel fan, it is common knowledge that Mark Ruffalo is not to be trusted when it comes to promotional stuff. Only slightly better than the ‘mega spoiler’ Tom Holland, Ruffalo has had a history of spoiling MCU films during press tours and more.

If the DC faction has somebody equivalent to Ruffalo, it is the legend Michael Keaton, who starred in the 1989 film Batman. The actor infamously committed a Ruffalo-level mistake when he spoiled the plot of the film a night before the film’s premiere.

When Michael Keaton spoiled Batman for everyone Michael Keaton as Batman | Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment

Michael Keaton debuted as the Dark Knight in the 1989 film Batman. Well, the film was a success, and today he is known for portraying one of the best live-action versions of the DC hero.

Related: Matt Reeves Exits The Batman 2: Industry Insider Says...

It’s hard to overstate just how much of a cultural phenomenon the MCU has been. When it began in 2008 with Iron Man, no one ever could have imagined that the franchise would still be going seventeen years later. In fact, with its thirty-six films, it’s by far the most popular franchise Hollywood has ever put out, and totally revolutionized the industry. Since then, it’s been a race between studios to establish their own shared universe where a franchise no longer depends on one character or movie star, but envelops a never-ending series of new heroes who can be cycled in and out.

However, there’s arguably a downside to its success, as while many have tried to be another Marvel, none have succeeded. Too many superhero movies have given way to genre fatigue, with Marvel movies no longer the surefire smash hits they once were. While Thunderbolts...

Which MCU Characters Lifted Thor’s Mjolnir? ( Photo Credit – Facebook; X )

Mjolnir is perhaps the most iconic weapon used by any superhero in the MCU. Forged in the heart of a dying star, it is more than a weapon. It’s a test. Odin’s enchantment, “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor,” makes it a selective tool, only usable by those who pass an invisible moral standard.

While it spent much of its time in Thor’s hands, a few notable characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have lifted it or fought with its powers. From emotional reveals to jaw-dropping action scenes, these moments reshaped how audiences understood heroism, worthiness, and the evolving mythology of Asgard.

Thor

As Mjolnir’s rightful wielder, Thor Odinson has had the longest and most profound bond with the hammer. Initially arrogant and impulsive, Thor was stripped...

Even if you’re not a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe MCU, its significance in modern cinema is undeniable. This massive, interconnected project continues to thrive, despite recent box office challenges that have concerned some fans. However, with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, things seem to be looking up, which inspired us to compile this list.

Deadpool & Wolverine is packed with Marvel cameos, prompting us to revisit the MCU’s history of cameo appearances. We’ve ranked the 10 best cameos as of this film, detailing which movie each cameo appeared in and explaining why it deserves a spot on this epic list.

10. Sam Neill, Luke Hemsworth, and Matt Damon as Odin, Thor, and Loki (respectively)

This scene was fantastic. Three talented actors came together to portray fictional versions of the Asgardians in a play designed solely to entertain Loki, who was disguised as Odin, indulging in his own satisfaction.

Prepare your living room for its own slice of Chicken Jockey mayhem. This year’s big moneymaker, A Minecraft Movie, is set to hit digital streaming next week on May 13, but Blu-ray.com has now reported on the details that Warner Bros. has released for the Minecraft Movie 4K Blu-ray home release. The spring blockbuster that stars Jason Momoa, Jack Black, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Hansen will be releasing both HD and Ultra-hd Blu-rays on June 24.

The description reads,

Welcome to the world of Minecraft, where creativity doesn’t just help you craft, it’s essential to one’s survival! Four misfits—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Momoa), Henry (Hansen), Natalie (Myers) and Dawn (Brooks)—find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they’ll have...

It would be an understatement to say that anticipation is at an all-time high for Earth's Mightiest Heroes to make an explosive comeback in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. But while all eyes are set on these two epic crossovers, there are even more stories awaiting behind them. The Marvel Cinematic Universe shows no signs of slowing down, and fans wonder what their next phase will be about. Could we finally get stand-alone projects centered on the X-Men? Will the supernatural take over as the Midnight Suns steal the spotlight? Will we ever see The Eternals 2?

The third phase of the MCU will kick-start after Avengers: Secret Wars, and so far, we have no clue what its overarching narrative will look like or who will get to be a part of it. After all, many are expected to bite the dust once Doom arrives and the Multiverse collapses — especially those...

The fact that there was going to be a Blade reboot as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Mashershala Ali in the title role, came as a huge surprise when the announcement was made at the San Diego Comic-Con back in July of 2019… but we’re coming up on the six year anniversary of that announcement, and we still haven’t seen a new Blade movie. The closest we’ve gotten is Ali making a vocal cameo as the character at the end of Eternals back in 2021. Now, we don’t know if we’re going to get a Blade reboot at all – which is baffling to David S. Goyer, who wrote the trilogy of Blade films that were released between 1998 and 2004 and also created the short-lived Blade TV series that ran for 13 episodes in 2006. His advice to Marvel Studios: “Give me a call.”

Screen Rant caught up...

Chris Hemsworth has been portraying Thor for over 14 years now. His most recent solo movie, Love and Thunder, received less-than-ideal reviews from both fans and critics. Despite ongoing rumors about Hemsworth retiring from the role, the actor previously stated that he wants to continue playing Thor, and he’s stayed true to his word by joining the cast of Avengers: Doomsday.

For months, insiders have been buzzing that Thor 5 is in development. In fact, some rumors, dating back over a year, suggest that the next installment will feature a completely different tone compared to Love and Thunder.

Now, industry insider MyTimeToShineHello recently revealed what may lie in Thor’s future in the next several years.

According to Mttsh, initially, it was rumored that Avengers: Secret Wars would mark the end of Thor’s journey in the MCU. However, a new source has revealed that this won’t be the case,...

Thor: Love and Thunder had the potential to be one of the best Marvel Studios movies ever. Heavily inspired by Jason Aaron's Thor run and featuring both The Mighty Thor and Gorr the God Butcher, the sequel had plenty going for it.

Filmmaker Taika Waititi had successfully reinvented the God of Thunder in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok, and fans were excited to see what he'd do next. The result was a movie which largely disappointed fans, and even Chris Hemsworth has never shied away from acknowledging where the movie fell short.

There's been a lot of chatter in recent weeks about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars serving as a send-off for the mighty Asgardian. Today, insider @MyTimeToShineH claims to have heard otherwise.

"A source reached out, turns out Secret Wars won’t be the end of his story," they claim on X. "Thor 5 is in the works, no Taika this time,...

Among all the recent MCU outings, Thunderbolts* has proved to be the biggest surprise, as unlike most of this multiversal saga’s hits, it didn’t solely rely on fan service and nostalgia. Instead, we got a great story with well-rounded characters, and the writers deserve all the praise they can get.

In this case, it’s the trio of Eric Pearson, Joanna Calo, and Kurt Busiek, and Thunderbolts* isn’t Pearson’s first rodeo when it comes to the MCU. On top of rocking projects like Transformers One and Godzilla vs Kong, he has also been adamant about getting his next idea running, and hopefully, it’s sooner rather than later.

Thunderbolts* writer deserves to realize his visions Thunderbolts* | Credit: Marvel Studios

Eric Pearson’s tenure in the MCU dates back to the early 2010s when he initially enrolled in Marvel Studios’ Writers Program. While he was involved with Ant-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming,...

With more than 15 years and 30 movies behind it, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still doing alright. Across this cavalcade of almost three dozen movies are a wide variety of iconic superheroes, grand stories, impressive visual tapestries, and the occasional entry that manages to be just “not bad.” We all have our rankings for the very best and the very worst of the Marvel series, but now JoBlo officially has the MCU movies ranked from Iron Man to the newly released Thunderbolts*. Here we go, from least to best:

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Director Taika Waititi harnessed the mighty power of Chris Hemsworth’s sense of humor and blended it with his own colorful sensibilities for the hilarious, character-reviving Thor: Ragnarok. All eyes were on the sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder, especially given it would see the return of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster (taking on the mantle of Mighty Thor). Sadly,...

Actor Christian Bale is known for his chameleon-like quality he brings to his roles, which often require dramatic transformations. As a result, it is no surprise that Bale leans heavily towards method acting, especially for some of his more prominent roles that have established him as one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood.

Despite being known for his stint as DC’s Dark Knight on the big screen, Bale also forayed into the MCU with his appearance in Thor: Love & Thunder. However, Bale admitted in an interview that his role as the film’s primary villain did not require him to pull on his method acting muscles, and here is what the actor had to say about his approach to the role.

Christian Bale explained why he did not opt for method acting in Thor: Love & Thunder

Actor Christian Bale gained unprecedented fame for his role as...

Thunderbolts* ends with The Sentry's darker half, The Void, unleashing his darkness across the entirety of Manhattan. Millions were likely forced to relive their respective shame rooms before the New Avengers assembled to help Bob fight back against his depression and loneliness.

It's a great ending, though many fans have questioned why Thunderbolts* didn't reference New York City being under martial law following the events of Daredevil: Born Again. However, that can likely be put down to Marvel Studios setting out to make its movies feel less like "homework."

Neither Daredevil nor Spider-Man's reactions to The Void are shown, and Thunderbolts* writer Eric Pearson shared his take on that in an interview with Screen Rant. 

"I'm going to take the fifth on that one," he started. "I haven't looked at the map closely enough of where it went. I'm not sure if it went to Bleecker Street yet. But I...

Chris Hemsworth Shared Ghostbusters Experience For Thor ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Back in 2016, Chris Hemsworth took a detour from hammer-throwing superhero action to join an all-new kind of team. He signed on for Ghostbusters, the reboot of the iconic ’80s franchise, this time led by an all-female cast including Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones.

Hemsworth wasn’t the main lead of the film, but he still had quite an intriguing character to play. He portrayed Kevin, the group’s dim-witted but lovable receptionist, and on the surface, it might’ve seemed like a step down for a Marvel star. But as it turns out, Ghostbusters taught Hemsworth something crucial, changing the way he approached acting.

In interviews with Esquire, Hemsworth has spoken openly about how much the Ghostbusters’ experience meant to him. For an actor who had been used to carefully sticking to the script, working with...

[This story contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*.]

Thunderbolts* co-writer Eric Pearson has been one of Marvel Studios’ most reliable collaborators the last 15 years.

In 2010, the New York City native enrolled in Marvel Studios’ Writers Program, before cutting his teeth on the majority of the Marvel One-Shots series, including Agent Carter (2013), which served as the catalyst for the 2015-16 ABC television series that housed three Pearson-penned episodes. He then performed uncredited writing on Ant-Man (2017) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), paving the way for Thor: Ragnarok (2017), his first co-writing credit on an MCU feature film. He proceeded to do some more script-doctoring on Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019) until Black Widow (2021) earned him sole writing credit. In between his Marvel work, Pearson also co-wrote Godzilla vs. Kong and Transformers One.

Coming out of Black Widow, Pearson laid the groundwork for Thunderbolts*, initiating the pitch that teamed up Widow’s Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour...

Warning: This article contains Spoilers for Thunderbolts*

Spider-Man, Daredevil, and other heroes are notably absent from the climactic battle against The Void in Thunderbolts*, and one of the film's writers explained why. New York City has been through plenty of crises in the MCU. The Statue of Liberty was nearly destroyed during the final battle in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Mayor Wilson Fisk created a dangerous task force to crack down on vigilante behavior in Daredevil: Born Again. Thunderbolts* is the latest MCU film about a battle in New York, and this fight was almost apocalyptic.

In the film's climax, The Void takes over Bob/Sentry and plunges New York City into darkness, sending hundreds or thousands of people into a black hole where they are forced to experience their worst traumas. The Thunderbolts are able to help Bob take control of The Void and save everyone, but New York still sustained some damage,...

It's been a long road for Marvel's Thunderbolts* to cinemas as the Hollywood Writers' Strike severely impacted the film's production schedule.

As such, the extra time afforded extra time to polish the script, which saw three scribes apply their trade to the finished product: Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin (Beef), and Joanna Calo.

Along the way, various ideas and plot threads ended up being left on the cutting room floor, including Man-Thing, Baron Zemo, a larger role for Taskmaster, and US Agent turning into a Hulk-like monster.

It's also been revealed that with the screenplay first being worked on by Pearson in 2021, the Thunderbolts* were originally intended to have a tie-in to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

However, Jonathan Majors' legal trouble led to him being fired by Marvel in December 2023, and Marvel Studios ultimately pivoted to Doctor Doom and Robert Downey Jr.

Pearson confirmed this to IGN, stating, "So I...

It began with 2008’s “Iron Man,” a film that introduced the world to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark with the hint that he could be part of something greater. Over 30 films later, the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still being told, albeit with various tributaries and detours that introduce new characters and new worlds that may or may not cross paths one day. Each film in the MCU stands on its own to some degree, but like building blocks, they all connect as part of one interconnected universe. And in that way, watching the Marvel movies in order tells one grand story.

There are a couple of different ways to watch the Marvel movies in order, but below we run down how to watch the MCU in chronological and release date order. Indeed, some films like “Captain Marvel” and “Captain America: The First Avenger” are full-on prequels...

Acting is no easy job as often actors have to choose between roles — a decision that can either make or break their careers. The history of Hollywood is also the history of roles that actors famously ended up rejecting. Hugh Jackman famously ended up rejecting the role of James Bond, Clair Danes the role of Rose in Titanic, Harrison Ford the role of Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, and many more.

One actor who is no stranger to rejecting roles is Hollywood heavyweight Matt Damon. A versatile and one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, whose career spans action-packed blockbusters, introspective dramas, and everything in between, Damon has famously rejected roles that could have elevated his already brilliant career to unmatchable heights.

From his Oscar-winning screenplay for Good Will Hunting to his iconic portrayal of Jason Bourne, Damon has cemented himself as a leading man with an uncanny ability to adapt to any role.

It is no secret that Marvel is not where it was before 2018. "Avengers: Endgame" was the perfect bookend of that whole franchise, but when the Marvel Cinematic Universe charged forward, the pandemic messed up any and all schedules for a cohesive release order. Then there's the Jonathan Majors scandal that completely derailed the plans they did have, and when you add that to Disney+ releasing more Marvel Studios TV shows than one could feasibly watch, the interest in the grand Marvel Cinematic Universe experiment has waned significantly in recent years — as seen by the box office results.

This makes the positive response to "Thunderbolts*" — like /Film's own Bj Colangelo writing a glowing review praising the movie's maturity — a much welcome break. Having seen the movie, however, one thing becomes clear about what makes the movie just such a fun time.

"Thunderbolts*" is based on the comic book antihero team of the same name,...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

How do you make something bigger than one of the biggest movies of all time? "By not trying to," Joss Whedon said in 2012 when asked how he could possibly top "The Avengers" with its inevitable sequel. "By being smaller. More personal, more painful. By being the next thing that should happen to these characters and not just a rehash of what seemed to work the first time."

Whedon's "The Avengers" made more than $1.5 billion at the box office globally in 2012, trailing only James Cameron's "Titanic" and "Avatar" on the list of highest-grossing movies ever at the time of its release. The pressure was on for the director to deliver a satisfying follow-up, but, at least initially, he didn't want to fall...

Avengers: Doomsday began filming on April 28, and several cast members, including Robert Downey Jr., are currently in the U.K. for the production. It appears that the cast members got some time off from filming, as a few of them got together for a special screening of the newly-released Thunderbolts*.

While most of the cast members of the new film are yet to work with Downey Jr. and the rest of the Og cast, they found a familiar face in Sebastian Stan’s Bucky. Among the actors watching, Simu Liu and Channing Tatum are the new additions, reprising their roles from Shang-Chi and Deadpool & Wolverine.

Robert Downey Jr. & Avengers: Doomsday cast get together to watch Thunderbolts* Robert Downey Jr. in the cast announcement video of Avengers: Doomsday | Credits: Marvel Studios

Thunderbolts* marks the end of MCU Phase 5. From the reviews, it appears that the film has managed to end this phase on a high note.

The early aughts launched a wave of horror remakes, but they’re especially known as an era full of American remakes of Japanese horror classics. One such adaptation is Takashi Shimizu‘s 2004 film, The Grudge, based on the Japanese film Ju-On: The Grudge, which Shimizu directed in 2002. It’s not often the original director is brought on for the American adaptation, so this is a fascinating film even for just that reason.

In the film, “An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.“

The Grudge stars horror icon Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as Jason Behr (Roswell) and Clea DuVall (The Faculty). It was a massive hit upon release, raking in a reported $187.3 million on a $10 million budget. It was released when I was a kid,...

Robert Reynolds, better known as The Sentry, is quite possibly the definition of overpowered in the Marvel Universe. With the power of a million exploding suns (how’s that for a LinkedIn skill?), this golden-haired powerhouse has been both humanity’s greatest defender and its most terrifying threat.

What makes Sentry such a fascinating character isn’t just his incredible power set, which includes super strength, flight, invulnerability, and energy manipulation, but the psychological complexity that comes with it. His split personality, particularly the malevolent Void entity, creates vulnerabilities that even his godlike abilities can’t always overcome.

Despite being able to tear Ares in half like a phone book (yikes!), several Avengers have managed to take down this powerhouse through various means. Let’s dive into three times when Earth’s Mightiest Heroes proved mightier than the Golden Guardian.

1. Thor stands his ground against the Golden Guardian Chris Hemsworth...

A Minecraft Movie continues to make the box office its proverbial sandbox as the video game adaptation keeps setting records a month after its release. The highest-grossing Hollywood production of 2025 makes an all-time box-office list, cementing its place in film history.

Via Collider,A Minecraft Movie is now one of the top 100 highest-grossing films ever, overtaking the Will Smith-led Independence Day to take the 100th spot on the prestigious list. Having earned $818 million worldwide at the time of writing, the Minecraft adaptation is poised to move up several places on the list by the end of this weekend, including Wonder Woman ($823.9 million), Thor: Ragnarök ($855.3 million), Venom ($856 million) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ($859 million).

Directed by and starring Napoleon Dynamite helmer Jared Hess, A Minecraft Movie is a live-action adaptation of the titular sandbox game created by Swedish developers, Mojang Studios. The film stars Jason Momoa as Garrett "The Garbage Man" Garrison,...

Chris Hemsworth is now (or soon will be) filming his scenes as Thor for Avengers: Doomsday, and stunt performer Bobby Holland Hanton has shared a photo of the actor arriving to the set.

Hemsworth himself followed up with an Instagram video that shows him pounding a punching bag as he gets a bit of last-minute training in for his return as the God of Thunder.

As you can see, Hemsworth is sporting the shorter "Gladiator Thor" hairdo he debuted in Thor: Ragnarök and kept for Avengers: Infinity War. Though there's always a chance he will don the blond wig once he's in front of a camera, this look does line-up with the leaked concept art that did the rounds online a couple of months ago.

We haven't seen or heard from Thor since the events of Thor: Love and Thunder when he adopted Gorr the God Butcher's resurrected daughter. It's...

While it became clear in the weeks leading up to the release of A Minecraft Movie that the industry was underestimating its box office potential, few could have predicted that it would become a blockbuster of this magnitude. The movie broke records in its debut, and has managed to hold its own even in the wake of the Sinners wave. And now, less than a month into its theatrical run, A Minecraft Movie has entered an elite list of blockbuster films. Directed by Jared Hess, who was previously best known for the cult comedy Napoleon Dynamite, A Minecraft Movie is now one of the 100 highest-grossing hits in global box office history.

It recently overtook Roland Emmerich’s classic ‘90s film Independence Day to claim the 100th spot on the all-time list, with a lifetime global haul of $817 million. Today, it’s overtaking Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, and by this weekend,...

Here’s Why Natalie Portman Decided To Exit From Thor Franchise!(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Natalie Portman’s exit from the Thor franchise after The Dark World had fans scratching their heads. The actress, who played Jane Foster, had been a key part of the Asgardian saga until she mysteriously disappeared in Thor: Ragnarok. While some thought it was just a cosmic shift or creative differences, the truth is a little juicier. The real reason?

It all boils down to a behind-the-scenes drama involving a director shake-up. Portman was initially on board for the sequel due to Patty Jenkins’ direction, but when Jenkins was replaced, Portman felt slighted and, well, decided to take a step back. However, don’t fret, Mighty Thor made a triumphant return in Love and Thunder! Talk about a comeback!

Why Did Natalie Portman Take A Break From Thor?

Natalie Portman’s exit from the Thor franchise...

In the sixteen years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) launched with Iron Man in 2008, there have been a multitude of films released throughout the years. Recently, the films have felt a little stale, or at least not as fun as they used to be as the overall arc of the current saga tries to find its foothold. With Thunderbolts*, the MCU has been put back on track and made the films not only entertaining, but must-see events again.

The story of the faux family of spies that was introduced to the MCU in Black Widow (2021), is revisited in Thunderbolts* as two members of that “family” – Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh) and Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) – reluctantly team up with fellow discarded anti-heroes John Walker (Wyatt Russell), Ava Star/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko), and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) to undermine the machinations put in play...

Chris Hemsworth has multiple projects lined up, with one of the most anticipated being his return to Thor in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. As the superhero film started shooting, Hemsworth had already lined up his new project.

Per Deadline, Chris Hemsworth will head underwater in the submarine action film Subversion. The movie comes from Amazon MGM Studios, and Patrick Vollrath (7500) will direct from a script by Andrew Ferguson. The upcoming Subversion will further push Hemsworth into new adventures.

Subversion will follow "a once-promising Naval commander (Hemsworth) who is blackmailed by a cartel-like operation into piloting a dangerous submarine carrying illegal cargo across international waters, thrusting him into a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, outmaneuvering blockades, and navigating perilous threats both in and outside of the submarine."

This isn't Hemsworth's first project with Amazon MGM Studios. The MCU star has previously worked on the upcoming Crime 101, which comes from writer-director Bart Layton.

Hardcore Wicked fans have a lot of unshakable opinions, including the widespread belief that the Wizard’s big moment in the first act, the talky “A Sentimental Man,” is the Broadway show’s single worst song. But when Jeff Goldblum stepped in as the Wizard for director Jon M. Chu’s blockbuster film version, he managed to salvage the song in fans’ eyes, playing up the character’s toxic blend of smarm and charisma. “I’ve had a lot of positive anecdotal response like that,” Goldblum says in the new...

More terrifyingly free horror titles are coming to Vizio WatchFree+ in May, including both Damien Leone’s original slasher Terrifier and its smash hit first sequel, Terrifier 2.

WatchFree+ has thousands of free premium movies and shows that can be streamed on demand on Vizio TVs, or Anyone can enjoy titles like these and more using the Vizio mobile app! All you need is a free Vizio Account to start enjoying WatchFree+.

Here’s the full lineup of fresh horror arrivals on May 1, 2025…

House at the End of the Street

After moving with her mother to a small town, a teenager finds that an accident happened in the house at the end of the street. Things get more complicated when she befriends a boy. A double murder is not an accident.

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games), Elisabeth Shue (The Boys), Max Thieriot (Jumper)

The Cabin in the Woods

A...

The official title of Marvel’s latest movie, Thunderbolts, includes an asterisk (a style choice that is explained by the film itself), and the same symbol could be incorporated into many of the first official reviews. While most critics have praised the film as a return to form for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, following the nadir of Captain America: Brave New World, the praise comes with a fair share of caveats.

For instance, Indiewire critic David Ehrlich called Thunderbolts “Marvel’s best movie in years,” but still rated it with a B-minus grade. “Thunderbolts — which more than earns its asterisk — is not The Avengers, because the Thunderbolts are not the Avengers,” wrote Ehrlich. “If this simple and relatively spirited return to basics is definitely a step in the right direction for the MCU, that direction is still ‘backwards.’ And if Robot & Frank director Jake Schreier’s Marvel debut is among...

The early reactions to Thunderbolts* have been positive thus far, but the final verdict has nearly arrived from critics around the globe. The upcoming MCU film is Marvel Studios' response to DC's Suicide Squad, but with a few twists. Bolstered by a group of misfit anti-heroes and former villains, Thunderbolts* sets the stage for the next generation of heroes in the Multiverse Saga and in Avengers: Doomsday. But does it do enough to keep the franchise afloat before the massive crossover event? According to critics, Thunderbolts* might be the best MCU film in years.

Update: As of this writing, Thunderbolts* is Certified Fresh at 89% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 94 reviews from critics. Many praise Florence Pugh's performance as Yelena Belova, while also pointing out the film's poignant message about mental health. Additionally, it seems the film is benefiting greatly from grounding its action sequences, which focus on practical stuntwork...

The MCU now boasts a total of 35 films, covering a wide range of themes and genres, meaning there’s something for everyone. As fans, we all have our personal favorites, and it turns out the MCU stars do too. In the Spring 2025 issue of Disney twenty-three, several notable actors shared their favorite Marvel movies. Let’s take a look at what they had to say.

Iman Vellani

Vellani is a die-hard Marvel fan, and her passion for the franchise runs deep. “I love Iron Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Endgame, and Thor: Ragnarok,” she says. Growing up, she rewatched the entire MCU in chronological order before each new release and even wrote school essays about it. “I’ve painted my nails like different Avengers, made theory boards, and even lost friendships over Team Cap vs. Team Iron Man debates,” she laughs. “But in the end,...

Goodbyes always hurt, even if they take place in a fictional world where gods live among us and the Mayor of New York just declared war on a blind man wearing a red suit. Fortunately, the Marvel Cinematic Universe takes things a bit easier on us as it "kills" characters only to bring them back again in a future project. Phil Coulson, Groot, Loki, Gamora, Vision, and countless more perished only to make a shocking comeback further down the line (even if it was thanks to the complicated nature of the multiverse). Unfortunately, there are a few who have permanently bitten the dust despite being incredibly beloved.

Iron Man and Black Widow's stories came to a definite end during the events of Avengers: Endgame. Granted, the actor who brought the former to life will soon return as Doctor Doom, while the latter had a stand-alone movie released after her death.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day looks set to be a fresh start for Tom Holland's Peter Parker in the MCU. The hope is that we'll get the street-level adventure promised at the end of No Way Home, but with the Multiverse in play, that's far from guaranteed. 

The movie will be released between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, making it highly likely that Peter Parker's MCU return will end up being tied to whatever Doctor Doom is plotting.

Whatever happens, it's inevitable that Spidey will end up sharing the screen with a character from the wider MCU. That's thought to be part of Sony Pictures' deal with Marvel Studios, and in this feature, we've singled out some of the most exciting and likely possibilities. 

To check them out, you just need to click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below. 

5. Loki

If we're heading down the Multiversal route, then...

The fact that there was going to be a Blade reboot as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring Mashershala Ali in the title role, came as a huge surprise when the announcement was made at the San Diego Comic-Con back in July of 2019… but we’re coming up on the six year anniversary of that announcement, and we still haven’t seen a new Blade movie. The closest we’ve gotten is Ali making a vocal cameo as the character at the end of Eternals back in 2021. Now, we don’t know if we’re going to get a Blade reboot at all – but we have received confirmation that, at some point in the development process, the movie was going to be set in the 1920s and the plan was for recording artist Flying Lotus, who recently made his feature directorial debut with the sci-fi horror film Ash, to provide some music for it.