This week the superhero world delivered on every front. Spider-Man: Brand New Day smashed through the two billion dollar mark, Avengers: Doomsday teased its biggest roster yet, and the DCU picked up serious momentum with Superman and Clayface news. Here is everything worth catching up on before the weekend.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Smashes Past $2 Billion Worldwide
Spider-Man: Brand New Day just crossed $2 billion at the global box office, making it one of the fastest superhero movies ever to hit that mark. The film became the fastest movie to cross the half billion dollar mark domestically, overtaking a record previously held by Avengers: Endgame, and its third weekend hold was the second best ever for a Stateside release. Sony and Marvel Studios are riding the wave with an expanded IMAX rollout across North America. Fans clearly showed up for this one, and the numbers back up the hype around the new web slinging era.
Avengers: Doomsday Unveils New Footage With a Cast Pushing 180 Heroes
Marvel gave fans a fresh look at Avengers: Doomsday during the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23, teasing the team's showdown with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. Chris Evans is back as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth returns as Thor, and the roster now reportedly includes Fantastic Four and Thunderbolts characters alongside more than 180 confirmed or rumored actors. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool have made teasing convention appearances, though neither is officially confirmed for the film yet. With tickets already on sale, this is shaping up to be the biggest Avengers gathering the MCU has ever assembled.
Superman: Man of Tomorrow Wraps Filming as James Gunn Talks DCU Future
James Gunn confirmed that principal photography on Superman: Man of Tomorrow has wrapped, sharing that the shoot was a joyful experience alongside a photo of Nicholas Hoult, who plays Lex Luthor, celebrating on the last day. The sequel picks up two years after Superman and is set to hit theaters in July 2027. Gunn also addressed swirling reports about a Batman project called The Brave and the Bold amid the Paramount Warner Bros merger, pushing back on claims that the DCU slate is on pause. The studio badly needs a win after Supergirl underperformed this summer, and all eyes are now on Superman's return.
Ryan Gosling Is Officially Marvel's Next Ghost Rider
Marvel Studios confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con that Ryan Gosling will play Ghost Rider in a new film directed by Shawn Levy, locked in for a July 28, 2028 release. Gosling told the Hall H crowd this is a character he has wanted to play for years, and Levy said the two spent their downtime on the set of Star Wars: Starfighter dreaming up ideas for the Spirit of Vengeance. Jonathan Tropper is writing the script for what will be the 42nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It is early days, but a flame skulled antihero played by Gosling is exactly the kind of casting swing that gets fandom talking.
Clayface Pushes Its DC Release to October for a Halloween Debut
DC Studios moved Clayface from its original September slot to October 23, giving the body horror movie a Halloween season release instead. Tom Rhys Harries stars as Matt Hagen, an up and coming actor turned shape shifting monster after an experimental treatment goes wrong, with Naomi Ackie, Aaron Paul, and Eddie Marsan rounding out the cast under director James Watkins. The teaser trailer leaned hard into the horror angle, showing Hagen bandaged in a hospital bed before flashing forward to his transformation. It is a genuinely different kind of Batman universe story, and the new date lines it up perfectly with spooky season.
Merch Watch
With Brand New Day smashing box office records, expect a fresh wave of Spider-Man figures and Marvel Legends releases riding the momentum. Avengers Doomsday merch is also starting to trickle out ahead of next year's release, so it is worth keeping an eye on new pre-orders. Or skip the shelf entirely and commission a custom piece inspired by your favorite character.
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That's Press Play
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