At D23, Marvel boss Kevin Feige has explained why Spider-Man: Brand New Day was the right project for Sadie Sink's Jean Grey to make her MCU debut.

Sink's role was shrouded in secrecy up until release, when it was finally revealed that her mystery role was indeed the X-Men character.

"It all came out of [the] story," Feige shared at a panel celebrating 65 years of Spider-Man, attended by GamesRadar+. "[It] came out of the story that we were talking about with Amy [Pascal, producer], and with Destin [Daniel Cretton, director], and with Tom [Holland], who had a lot of story input in this film, thank goodness.

"And we were looking for a different type of mystery, and putting Peter at the forefront of being a detective, almost, for the first half of the movie, and it just sort of evolved to the point where we thought – we were looking for who could fit that bill, and it became Jean Grey," Feige continued. "I'm very glad that it did, and in large part because of Sadie Sink, because we landed on Sadie Sink and realized the connection she would have to the rest of this cast is what really locked that in."

Sink will return as Jean Grey in the upcoming Marvel's X-Men movie. The cast was revealed onstage at D23 during the blowout studio panel: along with Sink, the cast features Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Inde Navarette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury (AKA Mr. Sinister).

The X-Men movie arrives this May 5, 2028. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and see the major announcements from the convention with our D23 liveblog.

For more on Spidey, see our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review or how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Marvel boss Kevin Feige has revealed more about the approach to Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

The film is the fourth in Marvel and Sony's joint Spider-Man movie series, and it's set years after the massive, multiversal events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, which saw Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield co-star alongside Tom Holland as their respective versions of Peter Parker.

"When we made Brand New Day, we set out saying, 'Well, we'll never make more than No Way Home, never make it bigger than No Way Home. So, let's just go deeper and make it special," Feige said during a D23 panel celebrating 65 years of Spider-Man attended by GamesRadar+.

"And I have a memory, we were on set of No Way Home, which of course was about Tobey and Andrew and Tom, three Spider-Men together," he continued. "How do you get bigger than three Spider-Men together? Well, sitting on a golf cart outside the set were Zendaya and Jacob [Batalon] and Tom. And it occurred to me, looking at those three, that that trio is as iconic as the three Spider-Men. And now Brand New Day has proved that."

During the No Way Home ending, Tom Holland's Peter Parker is erased from the memories of everyone he knows by a spell from Doctor Strange. So, in Brand New Day, he's more alone than ever, and the story is more grounded in his emotional state rather than the multiversal stakes of No Way Home.

Brand New Day is in theaters now. For more, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review and our guide on watching the Marvel movies in order.

Marvel is on a roll right now, but the thing I'm most excited about is the upcoming X-Men movie. That's right, step aside, Avengers: Doomsday, because the next chapter of the best mutants in media is coming, and I've gathered all the information that you need to know about it right here.

For those of you who may not know yet, Kevin Feige has confirmed that a Marvel's X-Men movie is in the works. I have always been a massive fan of the Fox X-Men movies, and like many other fans, have been waiting for the team's official introduction into the MCU. Now, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day officially introducing Sadie Sink's Jean Grey, it seems like the future is very bright regarding a smooth Marvel timeline integration.

However, there are still a ton of questions that need answering and plenty of theories already flying about. So read on as I break down all the latest news and give you insights into everything you need to know about Marvel's X-Men movie so far.

Marvel's X-Men movie release date

The X-Men movie release date was confirmed at D23 to be May 5, 2028.

Previously, Kevin Feige revealed that the new X-Men movie will be released after Avengers: Secret Wars, which is due to hit cinemas on December 17, 2027. So expect Marvel's X-Men movie to unfold in a somewhat re-jigged version of the MCU, post-Battleworld shenanigans. It also makes a lot of sense that we'd get the Avengers movies out of the way first, given the fact that old X-Men from the Fox days are in the trailer for Doomsday.

Before we get a fresh MCU-focused X-Men, Marvel needs to tie up, or multiverse their way out of, the old timeline they brought back. I'll keep you posted if we hear any more news or release date clues, but for now, mark your calendars tentatively for 2028.

Marvel's X-Men movie plot details

So far, there are no firm plot details for the new X-Men movie; however, we do have some insights thanks to director and writers Lee Sung Jin and Jake Schreier's interviews.

"Kevin [Feige] just wants to take a big swing and start anew, not be beholden to any of the movies that have come before." Lee Sung Jin explained to Deadline. This likely means that after the events of Secret Wars, there will be some kind of timeline antics that can allow for a complete reboot.

The old X-Men have appeared in the MCU via Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Deadpool and Wolverine, and we did see the old X-Men cast in the recent Avengers: Doomsday trailer. So, to "start anew," Secret Wars will need to fully say goodbye to the Fox timeline in some kind of way. Hopefully, we'll get some kind of idea how that will happen once Doomsday releases.

Also in that same article, Lee mentioned Chris Claremont-run comics being an influence on the two's creative process. If you are unfamiliar with Chris Claremont's time writing X-Men, he focused heavily on characters first and foremost, giving readers expanded lore for each team member that really enhanced the relationships and drama as a whole.

"There were a lot of soapy elements to those comics," Lee explained. "We've been in the room every day together. Kevin and Louis [D'Esposito] are so dialed in, and they have such incredible instincts that it's been fun to just blue-sky. "

We don't know which comics are being adapted, so I'm keeping my eye out for more information. In the meantime, I have some personal theories based on the recent Marvel movies.

During Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter creates a device that can suppress mutants' powers, so I have a feeling that the upcoming movie will likely bring up that kind of technology again. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending also had Jean Grey on a bus, so I'm thinking the upcoming film will center on her finding her support system and new family with the X-Men. Obviously, this is just my own theory with no official confirmation, but it does make sense story-wise when looking at how Brand New Day ends.

Marvel's X-Men movie cast

Sadie Sink appeared in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as Jean Grey and of course be one of the key mutants in Marvel Studios' X-Men.

Following reports that Obsession star Inde Navarrette met with Schreier (via TechRadar), reportedly to play Mystique, it was confirmed at D23 that she'll in fact be playing Rogue. Notably, Charles Melton, who was heavily rumored to be playing Beast, did not appear on stage at D23.

The full, confirmed X-Men cast is as follows:

• Kit Connor as Cyclops
• Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
• Christopher Abbott as Professor X
• Inde Navarette as Rogue
• Maya Boyd as Storm
• Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
• Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister

Any other cast members are pure speculation right now.

Is there a Marvel's X-Men movie trailer?

Sorry folks, there is no trailer for the new Marvel X-Men movie just yet. And unfortunately, we likely won't be getting one until 2028, after Secret Wars.

It really does seem like the direction of the upcoming movie relies on how Secret Wars shapes the Marvel timeline. And even if filming for the flick happens in early 2027, Marvel will likely want to keep casting and story details under wraps until the final Avengers movie is released.

This is just my theory, though. If you get a trailer earlier than I expect, I'll be sure to share it here with you immediately. In the meantime, you can watch the trailer for Avengers: Doomsday above, which does feature some Fox-verse X-Men at least.

Is the new X-Men movie part of the original timeline?

While we don't know the details yet, it does seem like Feige is aiming for a new start. So, it is looking like the new X-Men movies will be separate from the timeline established by Fox's 2000s films.

But, just to reiterate, we don't know that fact for certain yet. There is a possibility that the timelines merge in some way; the Avengers: Doomsday trailer did show the old X-Men cast, and we have no idea what the plan for them is just yet either.

With Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, we do know that at least mutants in Spidey's timeline are around as of 2028. However, that movie didn't mention the X-Men or show us any other iconic members from the team, so it isn't super clear how things will play out just yet. Still, it's safe to say that even if the new X-Men connect with the old timeline, we will be getting a fresh story and approach to the iconic team.

If you want to catch up on all the X-Men timelines, I suggest checking out our X-Men movies in order guide, since it is already a bit convoluted. Honestly, a fresh start or new timeline may be for the best at this point, in my opinion.

Catch up on the MCU with our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Or look ahead with our round-up of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way next.

A new 'special look' at Avengers: Doomsday has released online after debuting at D23, and it seems like the assembled Avengers are in for a world of hurt thanks to one Victor von Doom.

The special look is the same trailer that was shown behind closed doors at SDCC last month, but now it's online for the world to pore over. In the footage, largely narrated by Sue Storm, we get some crucial Doctor Doom context, as it's heavily implied that he's embarking down a path of villainy following the death of his wife and child. Plus we see Doom raising an army of Sentinels from the dead – pretty badass.

Avengers: Doomsday is just a few months away, and this latest news only makes the wait more exciting. Recently, the first trailer for the film dropped, which reveals Robert Downey Jr.'s Doom voice and teases more of the return of Steve Rogers, as well as the Avengers and the X-Men going head-to-head (for more, check out our Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown).

A new synopsis for the film has also arrived recently, though it doesn't give much away: "Universes collide and the Multiverse Saga begins its final chapter in Marvel Studios' Avengers: Doomsday. Beloved heroes from three distinct universes will be set on a deadly collision course and ultimately face an existential threat unlike anything they've ever encountered. This epic film will lay the foundation for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

However, a poster of Doom might have teased the villain's motivations.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store.

For more on this year's convention, check out our D23 liveblog to keep up to date.

At D23, we've finally got news about the MCU's very first standalone X-Men movie as the full cast took to the stage during Marvel's portion of the Disney Entertainment Showcase, confirming many recent rumors.

Alongside director Jake Schreier and Jean Grey star Sadie Sink, several major cast members were announced for Marvel Studios' long-anticipated X-Men, including:

• Kit Connor as Cyclops
• Christopher Abbott as Professor X
• Inde Navarette as Rogue
• Maya Boyd as Storm
• Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
• Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury (aka Mr. Sinister)

The Marvel movie's release date was also confirmed for May 5, 2028. Notably missing from the lineup was Charles Melton, who recently offered a cryptic response when the Beast casting rumors were put to him, as was Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny. She was long rumored to play Rogue, but we now know the role went to Navarette.

An MCU X-Men movie was announced all the way back in 2019 at SDCC, with Kevin Feige telling IGN that Marvel's X-Men would be quite different from 20th Century Fox's approach. There wasn't much by way of news until 2023, when Feige announced that the studio was taking pitches from screenwriters.

The following year, Michael Lesslie (Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes) was announced as the sole screenwriter. In 2025, Thunderbolts helmer Jake Schreier was tapped as director. Back in April, it was reported that Beef writers Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo had been hired to rewrite the script.

It's worth noting that an MCU X-Men movie was indeed planned before the inception of Deadpool and Wolverine, but I think we can thank Ryan Reynolds and co. for the addition of the original 20th Century Fox X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday (and for helping keep the mutant hype going).

For more, keep up with other upcoming Marvel movies and shows, and stay up to date with this year's convention with our D23 liveblog.

Marvel Studios will be appearing at D23 as part of the company's major panel today. But when exactly is it?

It feels like only yesterday that Kevin Feige headed to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 for a host of big announcements, but Marvel still has more up its sleeves. They'll appear in the Disney Entertainment Showcase, which takes place at the annual convention for the House of Mouse, D23.

This is set to be a bumper event featuring the latest from Marvel, as well as announcements from Star Wars and Lucasfilm, Pixar, and other upcoming Disney projects. Happening live from Anaheim in California, we're expecting some big news covering everything from Ahsoka season 2 to VisionQuest.

So when does it all kick off and how can you keep up with the latest news? We've compiled a guide below for everything you need to know about the D23 Marvel panel below. And if that wasn't enough, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Star Wars movies for what might be in store.

When is the D23 Marvel Panel?

The D23 Marvel Panel forms part of the Disney Entertainment Showcase. This kicks off on Friday, August 14th at 7pm PT. It runs for two hours, concluding at 9pm PT.

If you're watching on the East Coast, this means it starts at 10pm EDT. In the UK, this means you'll have to tune it on Saturday, August 15 at 3am BST.

Disney don't release the exact running order for their panel so if you're hoping to tune in for only the Marvel Studios announcements, it might be a bit tricky to navigate. They'll probably only have around 20-30 minutes of the allotted time too, which could come at any point during the timeframe.

How to watch D23

Unfortunately, the Disney Entertainment Showcase is not streamed live. This means that you won't be able to watch along as it happens. Some panels are streamed during D23, but this is not one of them.

This means that if you want to follow along with all the news and announcements, then you'll need to keep an eye on our live-blog as well as Total Film's Twitter for live updates.

What will be announced at D23?

We're not yet sure what will be announced at D23 but some early details in the convention hall have given us a bit of an idea. The Ahsoka season 2 costumes have been on display so we'd hedge our bets that a trailer might be imminent for the Star Wars show.

VisionQuest also has an installation, featuring an intriguing tease about a new character. We're yet to have a trailer from the show, despite it arriving in just a few months. D23 might be the perfect time for that.

Other potential announcements could come around the upcoming X-Men movie. The project was largely absent from Marvel's San Diego Comic-Con panel and there have been some casting rumors circling.

Other upcoming projects sure to get a mention include Star Wars: Starfighter and Avengers: Doomsday.

In terms of other Disney news, there are rumors that a new Pixar movie will be announced and we expect to hear some details from the upcoming Frozen 3.

Check out our guide to all the new Disney movies coming in 2026 and beyond.

Supergirl has come under fire after a new video appeared to show the filmmakers using generative AI during pre-production on the DC Studios movie. In a behind-the-scenes featurette, director Craig Gillespie can be seen looking at a screen with images of Lobo's design on it.

However, instead of being traditional concept art, many commenters have suggested these images seem to be generative AI. These allegations have been shared widely across social media too, with viewers pointing out the distinctive blurry look that computer-generated images have.

Following the backlash, Warner Bros. removed the video from YouTube. It's not currently clear whether the featurette will also be taken off the digital release of the superhero movie too. GamesRadar+ has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment on whether the imagery was AI-generated and why the video was removed.

Supergirl underperformed at the box office when it was released earlier this year, making less that Joker 2 and Morbius. It also landed to some pretty mixed reviews, earning just a 52% Rotten Tomatoes score.

GamesRadar+ gave the movie 3.5 stars, writing in our Supergirl review that it's "Superman's messier younger cousin in every way". Our reviewer added: "Supergirl earns its Guardians of the Galaxy and Mad Max comparisons with a surprisingly dark (and sometimes downright gross) space adventure about revenge and finding your home."

Despite her mixed arrival, Kara Zor-El will be returning in the upcoming Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, which is due out next year. Before that, next up in the DCU is Lanterns, which starts airing on HBO Max on Sunday, August 15.

For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows as well as our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order.

The X-Men casting rumor mill is currently in overdrive. Right now, a handful of names have been confirmed, with one or two others almost a guarantee.

Beef's Charles Melton is one of those in the latter camp. For months now, whispers have circulated that he is next in line to play Beast in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot.

Largely, he has kept schtum – but has now admitted the attention surrounding him isn't all that bad, especially if it inches him closer to a reunion with some of X-Men's key creatives.

"It depends on what day or moment you catch me on, but right now I’d say I think I believe in [director Jake Schreier] and [Beef creator and X-Men co-writer Lee Sung Jin] so much, and I would love to work with them again, and many more times. They know that,” Melton told The Playlist of both the X-Men rumors and the prospect of working with his Beef crew again.

Melton, however, admits he's not always reading the latest reports. "I try to stay away from the fodder as much as I can," he said, and jokingly added. "So I’ve limited myself to Googling myself maybe 20 times a day instead of 50. It was really bad before."

Melton continued, "No, man, it’d be amazing to work with them again. And I think whenever people are talking about you in a very maybe positive, hopeful way, I think it’s exciting. But I think it’s amazing to be talked about and even considered for any of those possibilities about something amazing.”

Right now, Kit Connor is reported to play Cyclops in the MCU and Samara Weaving has reportedly been cast as Emma Frost. The pair would be joined by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey. Rumors are also persisting about Cailee Spaeny playing Rogue, but there's every chance we'll get more confirmation at the forthcoming D23 panel this weekend.

X-Men is currently undated.

For more, we have a complete guide on upcoming Marvel movies. Then take a step back in time with the Marvel timeline and a full look at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

A new trailer and four minutes of footage from Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse has leaked online. Circulating on social media, this marks another major breach for Sony after a Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer leaked earlier this year.

We won't link the footage here but according to those who've seen it, it picks up in the wake of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The ending of that movie saw Miles Morales end up in Earth-42 where he comes face-to-face with an alternate Miles, who is the Prowler.

There's also some new footage from the upcoming final movie in the franchise featuring Spider-Gwen, Spider-Ham, and Spider-Punk. It's likely this is similar to the footage that was shown earlier this year at CinemaCon. Hopefully Sony releases it online soon for all of us to enjoy.

Sony has been plagued by a lot of leaks recently with several Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailers also finding their way online. They're not the only studio facing this either with the full Aang: The Last Airbender movie ending up on social media in a Paramount breach.

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse is released on June 18, 2027. The new movie sees Miles trapped in Earth-42 while being hunted by Miguel O'Hara's Spider Society. His journey to try and save his father from an upcoming fatal "canon event" will lead him to race across dimensions on a climactic final mission.

For more upcoming superhero movies, check out our guide to all the new Marvel movies and shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Avengers: Infinity War may have been released eight years ago, but we're still noticing new details about the film. One Marvel fan has even spotted a continuity goof in the MCU movie involving Iron Man.

The scene in question comes in the Greenwich Village street battle when Thanos' generals make a surprise attack to try and steal the Time Stone from Doctor Strange. Preparing for the upcoming fight, Tony Stark transforms into his Mark 50 armor using "nanotech".

However, after he takes the glasses off his face, they disappear into thin air in his hands. You can watch the moment in this clip shared by Dr. Kohan on Twitter below.

It's quite a funny transition as the glasses seem to disappear as Tony lowers his arm. Fans have been reacting to the goof on Twitter, with some kicking themselves about missing this when they first watched.

Some have also pointed out that there might be an explanation that the glasses are simply absorbed into his suit. This is possible given that nanotechnology isn't completely explained in the MCU and seems to be extremely powerful. Although, as the original poster pointed out, if it can be absorbed, why did Stark even bother taking them off?

Although one Marvel fan has a simple conclusion: "They don't disappear. They just merge with the suit. Why did he take them off then? Swagger." Seems about right to us…

Next up in the MCU is Avengers: Doomsday, which sees Robert Downey Jr. return in a new role as Doctor Doom. Despite an impressive trailer, a lot remains unknown about the upcoming movie, which hits theaters in December.

For more Marvel, check out our guides to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, as well as our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

By now, you've probably seen all the major Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs, references, and cameos.

From the Fisk poster to the nods to Marvel's comic book history, and parallels to Insomniac's Spidey games, there's enough there for the Spidey-Senses to tingle on any webhead fanatic.

But over on Reddit, one lesser-spotted Damage Control curio has cropped up – and ignited a debate over its identity.

As you can see below, the top floors of Damage Control HQ contain various assorted instruments and experiments. One of those includes a rather grisly skull, which certainly isn't of human origin.

The original poster, who admits they're still trying to figure out what exactly it is, gives the Lizard as a possible answer.

The villain, first introduced in 1963's The Amazing Spider-Man #6, rapidly became a fearsome member of Spider-Man's rogues' gallery, even appearing in live-action in The Amazing Spider-Man and later in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

We, and others, disagree. Instead of the Lizard, it appears to be the remains of the Chitauri, the alien species used by Loki to kickstart an invasion of Earth during 2012's The Avengers. The extraterrestrials have some shared history with Spider-Man too, with their tech being stolen as part of Spider-Man: Homecoming's plot.

Still, the question remains as to what Damage Control is up to. Brand New Day proved they are, again, up to no good when it comes to tracking and experimenting on mutants. If they're keeping aliens out in the open, what else are they keeping behind closed doors? Maybe we don't want to know.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in cinemas. For a breakdown of the finale, read our guides on the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending and Spider-Man: Brand New Day post-credits scene.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day finally introduced the MCU's version of a major X-Men character by bringing Sadie Sink's Jean Grey into Spider-Man's story. She's initially the villain in the new movie, using her powers to hope between innocent people as she tries to infiltrate Damage Control.

It's a pretty brutal power and one that causes a lot of hurt along the way, breaking Peter Parker's heart when she pretends to be MJ, causing Bruce Banner to become the Hulk once again, and seemingly hurting a fair few of New York City's civilians too. However, now the movie's screenwriters have clarified that there's one line that Grey does not cross in the movie.

"I think technically, she’s not responsible for any deaths. But you come away with the impression, certainly, that she’s caused a lot of destruction in mayhem," Erik Sommers, who co-wrote the film with Chris McKenna, told The Hollywood Reporter.

"Even if you’re going to have a villain who really is redeemed at the end or goes through a transformation, you have to start them off in a place where they feel formidable. If it doesn’t feel like this is going to be someone who is a challenge to our hero, physically, emotionally, mentally, then you don’t really buy it."

Given that Grey is set to become a key part of the upcoming X-Men movie, this feels like the correct approach. While we love morally grey characters in the MCU like Loki, Scarlet Witch, and Bucky Barnes, it would be a tricky starting point for the telepathic mutant.

Ahead of the next stage of the MCU, the X-Men cast is starting to fill out. Alongside Sink's Grey, Ready or Not star Samara Weaving is down to play Emma Frost and Heartstopper star Kit Connor is in the running as Cyclops. With D23 just around the corner, we could get more actors announced very soon.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now. For more on the movie, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review and our guide to how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is all about the fallout from Doctor Strange's memory-wiping spell. It appears the writers also forgot something important – about The Punisher.

As pointed out by a stream of fans online, Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal) tells Peter Parker's Spider-Man (Tom Holland) that he's "never had a friend" like him.

High praise for the wallcrawler, indeed. However, this line not only forgets Frank's shared history with Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock, but also his old war buddy Curtis from The Punisher.

Probably the closest thing Frank ever had to a true friend and confidant, Curtis admittedly did make a brief, ghostly appearance during this year's special The Punisher: One Last Kill.

"Curtis was my FIRST thought too!! He was definitely the best friend Frank had; he was so dependable and loyal to him," one wrote on Twitter in response to a post that kickstarted the whole debate.

"Did they genuinely forget his day one?" asked another.

There are counter-arguments to be made, though. As one posits, "I’m assuming he meant innocence and optimism, which Curtis has, but Peter just has more of it."

Another added, "Let’s be honest. The average audience member going to watch Spider-Man is not watching the Punisher series."

Still, The Punisher (as well as the clutch of Netflix street-level Defenders shows) are now officially part of MCU canon. It could be read as Curtis erasure but, more than likely, was just a throwaway comment to show how much Peter means to Frank. Let's not put Marvel Studios in the crosshairs of social media discourse just yet.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in cinemas. For a taste of what's next, head on over to our guide on upcoming Marvel movies.

The Incredible Hulk is the unquestionable dark sheep of the MCU, so much so that it saw star Edward Norton replaced by Mark Ruffalo as the MCU's Bruce Banner till this day. But it could have been very different, as Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier has confirmed there's a "longer" and "darker" cut of the movie, featuring even more MCU cameos.

Speaking to Collider about his new Netflix horror The Last House (which our favorite movie critic Hideo Kojima recently compared to Death Stranding), Leterrier not only confirmed the existence of an (even) darker extended cut, but also teased a major Marvel cameo, in addition to Tony Stark's appearance in the film's post-credits scene.

"There's a darker cut," Leterrier said. "Longer, obviously. It's not an hour, but it's very interesting because The Incredible Hulk was the first movie sort of starting the MCU. So there were all these ideas that started many of the stories you're following now, and that was in The Incredible Hulk."

Iron Man technically kickstarted the MCU, but The Incredible Hulk quickly followed. Released barely 6 weeks after Iron Man in the summer of 2008, both movies were made concurrently and could be considered the twin building blocks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While Norton would never return, many elements from The Incredible Hulk have recurred over the years, including William Hurt's Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross playing a key role in Captain America: Civil War and Abomination popping up in She-Hulk and Shang-Chi. 2025's Captain America: Brave New World even served as something of a pseudo-sequel to The Incredible Hulk, with Tim Blake Nelson's Leader returning to cause trouble some 17 years later.

Leterrier doesn't go into much detail about the footage actually shot and left on the cutting room floor. But he does reveal one sequence, which never made it in front of cameras, was set to feature none other than Steve Rogers, two years before Chris Evans was cast as the MCU's first Captain America.

"It was a little ahead of its time, so we didn't [shoot] it. But Captain America was in it," Leterrier said. "Tony Stark was in it – he's still in it. And the opening was actually quite interesting. It was set in the North Pole. It was cool. A little too dark." As for whether The Incredible Hulk deleted scenes will ever see the light of day, Leterrier notes that: "Some got out, some are still to be shown." Maybe one day, the MCU's least-loved movie will be redeemed.

Things are certainly looking up for the MCU of late. Following a post-Endgame slump, Marvel Studios is back on top following the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is well on track to make over $2 billion at the box office and become one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Up next on the big screen is Avengers: Doomsday, with news expected at Marvel's D23 panels this Friday.

For more on the MCU, check out our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order, and our list of all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Ms. Marvel actor Iman Vellani has responded to Spider-Man: Brand New Day's box office record – and what it means for the eternal debate surrounding superhero fatigue.

Speaking on the Revenge Of podcast, Vellani – who last played Ms. Marvel in 2023's The Marvels – commented on Spider-Man: Brand New Day's historic box office success, which saw it overtake Avengers: Endgame as the biggest US domestic opening on record.

"People showed up on the first week," Vellani said of the fourth Spider-Man MCU movie, which is well on its way to grossing $2 billion worldwide.

"Nobody really believed in superhero fatigue. Nobody really believed that this movie was going to fail and they were over [superhero movies]. They wanted it to succeed. I think we’re so used to being cynical and assuming that everything new coming out is going to suck and it’s all propaganda, or people’s attention spans are low. No, we can appreciate a good thing when we see it."

Whether the myth of superhero fatigue has dissipated is still unclear. After all, we're only a few months removed from Supergirl stumbling at the box office. Last year's Marvel efforts, including Thunderbolts, were well-received but also failed to ignite with audiences.

Thankfully, the MCU has big names in its future. Two Avengers movies, an X-Men title, Black Panther 3, and a Ryan Gosling-starring Ghost Rider are all on the schedule for the next few years. As Marvel Studios gets set to turn 20, that will be the real test – especially as Spider-Man appears to have the Midas touch at the cinemas regardless.

For a web-tastic breakdown of Brand New Day, swing on over to our guide to the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending.

If you're playing catch-up ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, you'll need to look at how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld says the live-action X-Force movie was going to feature none other than Josh Brolin as Stryfe, the supervillain counterpart to X-Men hero Cable.

"The X-Force movie that was going to be coming to screen that Fox had planned before Disney bought the Fox catalog; he was absolutely in that movie," Liefeld told The Direct. "Spoiler alert! It would have been great… There were, at one point, discussions about him being in an after-credits scene in Deadpool 2, but they struck that."

Liefeld's X-Force comic hit shelves in 1991, with Cable, the son of Jean Grey and Scott Summers aka Cyclops, leading his own Black Ops team consisting of Boom-Boom, Cable, Cannonball, Domino, Feral, Shatterstar, and Warpath. In X-Men 1997 season 2, the team consists of Cable, Psylocke, Archangel, Jubilee, and Sunspot. A live-action movie was announced in 2013, with Deadpool 2 writer Drew Goddard officially set to write and direct in 2017. Sadly, the movie was one of the many casualties of Disney's acquisition of Marvel, and was cancelled as a result.

Continued Liefeld: "I think it's safe to say, Josh [Brolin] was really excited, because he signed a multi-picture deal, and he was excited about the prospect of not only playing Cable, but longtime fans of X-Force know that he would have been portraying Stryfe as well."

Before going on to become Thanos in the Avengers movies, Brolin starred as Cable in Deadpool 2. It would've been cool to see him reprise the role... and even cooler to see him play Stryfe, as we haven't seen him since his non-speaking appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series circa 1995.

X-Men is eyeing a tentative 2028 release date. You can keep up to date with everything the MCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

The End of Oak Street is a dino delight – according to glowing first reactions from critics.

Revolving around the Platt family as their slice of suburban bliss is upended and transported into a dinosaur-filled disaster zone, The End of Oak Street stars Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway as parents who have to navigate their way through treacherous prehistoric territory – very carefully. As barmy as the premise sounds, it appears to have worked with critics.

"THE END OF OAK STREET is a delight," New Rockstars' Erik Voss said on Twitter. "It’s the perfect blend of sci-fi awe and family survival horror from the Amblin age. It tortures its heroes while remaining endearingly sweet."

Another critic, describing the movie as "an absolute home run" remarked, "Once the dino stuff gets going it’s pure fucking adrenaline, pushes the PG-13 rating to the absolute limit, tight as a knot while still leaving room for legit pathos and humor. My favorite blockbuster of the year."

Critic Zach Pope had high praise indeed for the David Robert Mitchell-directed adventure, saying, "#TheEndOfOakStreet isn’t just the best DINOSAUR movie since Jurassic park it’s a a near perfect love letter to the 80s blockbusters! It’s Jaws meets The Goonies meets Jurassic Park but with a deeply personal story at its center that I didn’t expect to resonate with me as much as it did."

David Ehrlich joined the chorus of those knocked sideways by The End of Oak Street. He wrote, "The End of Oak Street absolutely rocks. hilarious, perfectly paced, Ambliny but mean as hell, Anne Hathaway blasts a T-Rex with a shotgun… it delivers more fun in any 5-minute stretch than the entire Jurassic franchise has in total since the 90s. biggest surprise of the summer."

The Jurassic Park comparisons keep on coming as critic Jesse Hassenger wrote, "It pretty much plays like a feature-length version of the JURASSIC PARK kitchen sequence."

Not everyone was caught in the Amblin-infused trap, however. Courtney Howard was one of the dissenting voices. They said, "The Amblin play for nostalgia curdles quickly. With exception of 2 moments, it’s completely derivative of JURASSIC PARK dinosaur-driven tension & spectacle."

The (mostly) positive first reactions arrive after a wave of controversy surrounding The End of Oak Street's AI use in international marketing. There, a bizarre video clip of AI-generated dogs discussing the movie did the rounds.

The End of Oak Street is released in cinemas on August 14.

For more, check out 2026's other big movie release dates, plus a look ahead to the new horror movies just over the horizon.

Daredevil star Charlie Cox has said he's not in Avengers: Secret Wars – and he really wants us to believe him.

"No, I'm not going to be in – no," he said at MCM Birmingham in the UK, when asked if Daredevil would appear in Secret Wars after Avengers: Doomsday. "Yes, sorry. And you can believe me now!"

Daredevil is not on the cast list for Doomsday, but, so far, the Secret Wars cast is a complete mystery. So, while Cox might want us to believe him, we're reserving judgement for now.

We will see Cox in Daredevil: Born Again season 3, however, which is set to debut in March 2027. Along with Cox, Elodie Yung's Elektra will also be making a comeback.

The cast of Doomsday, meanwhile, includes the likes of Chris Evans's Steve Rogers, Anthony Mackie's Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Marvel went to great lengths to keep Evans's return secret, too, with the actor revealing his codename on the project was Luke Cage.

"Within the script, my character was called Luke Cage just in case things leaked," Evans shared at Fan Expo Boston, adding: "On the call sheets, I was called Luke Cage. Even on set, if I was going to set, they'd be like, 'Luke Cage is travelling.' It was such a locked-down thing."

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18, while Secret Wars follows on December 17, 2027.

In the meantime, fill out your watchlist with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows.

A time of apparent magic. The Odyssey's opening text is just five words long, yet instantly evocative – conjuring up images of the type of mythmaking and unexplainable acts we would witness for the next three hours as Odysseus made his long journey home to Ithaca.

Now, director Christopher Nolan has revealed what influenced the decision to place text at the beginning of his movie, as he also did with Oppenheimer.

"One of my earliest movie experiences – a very profound one – was seeing George Lucas' first Star Wars," Nolan said during a conversation with fellow director Park Chan-wook (via Cine21).

"He began that film with a title: 'A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.' That immediately told me how to watch the film."

That training of the audience is something Nolan was keen to mirror in The Odyssey. He stated, "It put me in the right frame of mind to receive the imagery. In [The Odyssey], I was chasing that kind of experience where you want to create a world where the audience loses themselves and takes it on its own terms. I was looking for that as an example as a way of giving a phrase that would help the audience understand the terms of the story."

Delving deeper into the meaning behind the 'apparent' magic, Nolan pointed out it not only worked as a primer for the audience, but also as a way to avoid getting into the weeds of whether magic actually existed in the world of The Odyssey or not.

Nolan explained, "The word 'apparent' in particular, to me, was about acknowledging [that] if we tell the story realistically, we have to explain why there's magic. I was very interested in the idea of a person living in the Bronze Age, there's magic all around you that you cannot explain. There are fanciful explanations for the things you're experiencing… I wanted to put that in people's heads as they start to watch the film."

The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and Tom Holland, is now officially Nolan's highest-grossing movie, eclipsing The Dark Knight Rises' $1.085 billion.

For more, join us as we break down The Odyssey ending. And, in an act of apparent hubris, we rank the best Christopher Nolan movies – including The Odyssey.

The Odyssey star Himesh Patel thinks that Christopher Nolan's movie could help change moviemaking after its success with practical filmmaking techniques. The director is known for eschewing CGI where possible, using tricks like forced perspective and real sets for his movies.

"I know that Chris Nolan has been known for this for a long time, is his practically driven philosophy, doing as little as possible with CGI," Patel, who plays Eurylochus, told The Romesh Ranganathan Show. "He does use it in various ways but as little as he can, he tries to create as much as he can in camera and then use CGI to composite things in."

Several of the shots in the movie were made without CGI, including the Circe scene where Odysseus' men are turned into pigs. "We're using techniques that have been around for 30, 40 years but we just lost them as we got used to CGI," Patel added.

"What I really hope is the success of this movie and how much on screen is tangible there and then you know in tandem you've got Spider-Man that just came out and I went to see that the other day and there's so much in that movie that is tangible, real, just Tom [Holland] in his costume rather than a CGI version," he continued. "I really hope that's something that the powers that be take notice of and use more often."

Patel's approach is more optimistic than his co-star Matt Damon, who previously spoke about his fears about the future of this kind of filmmaking. "It was a really weird movie for me personally in the sense that I had almost a nostalgic feeling the entire time I was making it, because it felt like the movies when I started working. And I know that that’s going away," Damon told GQ. "I knew that this was the last chance I was going to have to do something like this."

The Odyssey is in theaters now. For more, read our The Odyssey review and our breakdown of all the upcoming movies you need to know about.

Chris Evans has revealed his Marvel codename used to keep secret his Steve Rogers return in Avengers: Doomsday, and it explains a confusing leak.

Evans's return as Steve Rogers was kept tightly under wraps, until it was finally revealed in the first teaser for the Marvel Phase 6 movie.

"Within the script, my character was called Luke Cage just in case things leaked," Evans shared at Fan Expo Boston, adding: "On the call sheets, I was called Luke Cage. Even on set, if I was going to set, they'd be like, 'Luke Cage is travelling.' It was such a locked-down thing."

This explains why a set leak included a "Luke Cage house" in a 1960s style – rather than referring to Cage himself, it appears to have been Steve's home, instead.

Evans has also teased he has a "brutal" storyline coming up. "The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers. Their favourite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him," he shared. "To them, that's what makes a hero, and that's someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up."

Along with Evans, the rest of the supersized cast includes Anthony Mackie's Captain America, Chris Hemsworth's Thor, Letitia Wright's Shuri, the Fantastic Four, the Fox-era X-Men, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

Avengers: Doomsday arrives this December 18. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store.

Rosario Dawson has addressed her cut Spider-Man: Brand New Day cameo, revealing she had a post ready to go on Instagram before she heard the news. The actor, who plays Claire Temple in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was due to appear in the new film before her part was ultimately left on the editing room floor.

"When I tell you my post was already ready with my BTS, with my grandson wearing all his Spider-Man stuff because he loves Spider-Man, then I got the email," she told the crowd at Galaxy Con recently. "So yeah… No. So I'm a reject of Spider-Man and I'm a reject of the devil's rejects. Like I still love it because everybody's in it. It still means that, you know, my character is somewhere in that same universe. And I really love that. So, I hope I get to be Claire again."

She also revealed that "Spider-Man is really huge" for her because her uncle is a comic book artist who drew the character at one point.

The movie's writers Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers recently revealed that Claire's cameo took place early in the movie, post Spider-Man's fight with Scorpion. They told The Wrap that Peter Parker ended up in hospital and had a scene with Dawson's Night Nurse.

"The scene they did was a good scene I think the only reason it’s not in the final cut was just it was probably cut for time because it was very good," they explained.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now. For more on the Marvel movie, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review and our Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained.

New Sinister Six movie concept art has surfaced, revealing a look at an alternate reality where we got Spider-Man facing down half-a-dozen of his most iconic villains instead of battling Jean Grey in the MCU.

Artist Victor Martinez posted the images on Instagram, which showcase Spider-Man (though it's admittedly not clear which iteration) battling Doctor Octopus upside down on the ceiling of a library.

"Sharing some more concept art I did for an unmade/untitled Spider-Man film from years ago," Martinez wrote. "Which project do you think it’s from?… and what sort of mess has Spidey gotten into this time?"

Martinez added, "This would’ve been a fun one with lots of villains... 6 to be exact!... iykyk."

Whispers of a Sinister Six movie go back years. Daredevil's Drew Goddard was once attached to write and direct the project as far back as 2016, prior to Spider-Man's official entry into the MCU.

The supervillain group typically consists of Doctor Octopus leading a group of assorted members of Spider-Man's rogues' gallery (including the likes of Scorpion, Electro, Vulture, and Shocker).

They made a prominent appearance during Insomniac's first Spider-Man game, where Mister Negative also joined their ranks in a bid to take down the wallcrawler.

As of now, Doc Ock's last film appearance was Alfred Molina reprising the role – through some multiverse trickery – in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

No word yet on Spider-Man's immediate cinematic future, but we can't imagine the Sinister Six skulking into sight anytime soon, especially given how low-key (and refreshing) Brand New Day felt in comparison to previous Spidey movies.

For more on what's next in the MCU, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies.

Jean Grey actor Sadie Sink thinks it's a "smart choice" to have a "younger generation of mutants" for Marvel's upcoming X-Men movie.

Upon being asked by Entertainment Weekly how it feels to have a universe starting with Jean Grey as a building block, Sink replied, "It's really cool. Also, I think it was such a smart choice, too, to start young and have this younger generation of mutants. It’s a cool take on it, but as it starts to assemble and everything, I’m really excited about having a group of people to feel like you’re on a team with."

Sink added that she is currently being pulled in to screen test with various actors for auditions because it is "important" to establish chemistry within certain dynamics.

In a separate interview with Vanity Fair, Sink – who made her debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day – said she would start filming X-Men next year.

Right now, a handful of actors have been confirmed to appear in Jake Schreier's undated X-Men movie.

They include Sink, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Kit Connor as Cyclops/Scott Summers. Other rumored names include Charles Melton as Beast and Cailee Spaeny as Rogue.

D23 appears to be the most likely destination for a full-throated reveal of the main cast. A Disney panel, featuring Marvel Studios, takes place on August 14.

Marvel will be hoping X-Men can mirror the success of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is currently on course to gross over $2 billion at the box office.

For more, check out the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, plus a look back at the full Marvel timeline throughout the decades.

It sounds as though Steve Rogers will be put through the wringer in Avengers: Doomsday as Chris Evans reveals how directors Joe and Anthony Russo love to see the Marvel hero at rock bottom.

"The Russos love beating up Steve Rogers. Their favourite thing to do is to just beat the crap out of him," said Evans at Fan Expo Boston (Via ComicBook). "To them, that’s what makes a hero, and that’s someone who gets punched so many times but still gets up."

We last saw the hero in Avengers: Endgame when he went back in time to return the Infinity Stones to their separate timelines. However, rather than returning to the present, Rogers remained in the past with his love, Peggy Carter. Endgame concluded with old man Rogers passing on the shield to Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson.

The star went on to say that Rogers' arc in Doomsday is "brutal" but necessary, as it showcases his true nature and values. Could Rogers' return to the present cost him the person he holds dear?

During the Marvel panel at SDCC 2026, it was confirmed that Peggy Carter star Hayley Atwell would return in Doomsday. Could the Russos be bringing her back just to kill her off? We don't doubt it, as that seems to be the plan with the original Fox-era X-Men too.

When Evans' Doomsday casting was first revealed, fans were pretty shocked to hear that Rogers was returning. Marvel heads wondered how the hero made his way back to Earth 616, and how the movie would handle old man Rogers. Then, as the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer hit the internet, theories on Rogers' identity started to swirl, with many questioning if the Rogers we see in the clip is really Hydra Cap.

However, it is important to note that until the Avengers: Endgame rerelease hits the big screen, we don't have the full picture yet. The upcoming rerelease will contain new footage, deleted scenes, and a special ending which is set to bridge the gap between Endgame and Doomsday. With that, the rerelease may change the Marvel timeline as we know it.

Doomsday arrives this December 18. For more, check out our Avengers: Doomsday trailer breakdown, and keep up with other upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor Eman Esfandi has, in no uncertain terms, debunked a popular theory about the identity of MJ's boyfriend.

"I am not, never have been, and never will be 'Paul'," Esfandi wrote on Twitter.

Confused? The Paul in question was recently introduced in the comics as MJ's boyfriend, later marrying her and adopting children together.

Fans, however, reacted negatively. Paul was soon seen as shorthand for intrusive original characters only brought in to not-so-subtly shake up the status quo.

When coupled with what some felt was a mischaracterization of Peter Parker and an interminable Venom storyline that saw MJ become attached to the symbiote, Paul largely became one of the most notable failed experiments in modern-day Marvel comics.

Esfandi, who also plays Ezra Bridger in the live-action Ahsoka series, played into that sense of feeling and joked, "To those of you I saw in the comments defending my honor and saying I’d never accept that role… thank you."

So, the jury is still out on who exactly Esfandi is playing. In the credits, he's listed merely as The Boyfriend, which only raises suspicions further. After all, do you give an actor familiar to Star Wars fans only a 30-second cameo in the biggest movie of the year with no follow-up? It's unlikely. There's a reason, after all, that I've put my neck on the line and declared it a tease for an Oscorp and Harry Osborn-shaped future for Tom Holland's wallcrawler.

The whispers over Paul have done little to dent Spider-Man: Brand New Day's monstrous charge at the box office. It's currently cleared $1.5 billion and is well on track for a $2 billion finish before the end of August, ensuring it will become the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie (and non-Avengers MCU movie) of all time.

Whether Esfandi turns up again, there's plenty in Brand New Day's final act worth talking about. Here, we break down the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending and Spider-Man: Brand New Day post-credits scene – including how it might set up Avengers: Secret Wars and Spider-Man 5.

For more, here's how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

After months of silence on press tours, premieres, and red carpets, Spider-Man: Brand New Day star Sadie Sink has finally spoken about playing Jean Grey in the MCU.

In an interview with Variety, Sink not only confirmed the obvious (she is appearing in Jake Schreier's X-Men movie), but also her early conversations surrounding the psychic mutant's future.

"The more I've gotten into it and researched, what makes them special is that they are all incredibly flawed and maybe have done bad things. That makes them more compelling, complex characters and a more complex hero if they don't start out that way. And they have to find their relationship to their powers," Sink said.

"So, knowing Jean's struggle will be important in the future of her character and where she goes, just makes her really well-rounded, which I'm excited for."

Despite those talks with her upcoming director, Sink – a self-confessed X-Men newbie – is still none the wiser about where Jean is heading next after audiences witnessed her on a bus during the course of the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending.

"I don't really know yet, to be honest," Sink said. "And when I say 'I don't know,' I mean I really don’t know."

Sink will soon be joined in the MCU by fellow X-Men castmates Samara Weaving as Emma Frost and Kit Connor as Scott Summers, AKA Cyclops.

The X-Men movie is currently undated, though Avengers: Doomsday is out on December 18, with Secret Wars to follow in 2027.

For more, check out the upcoming Marvel movies heading your way very soon.

The video game industry's finest film critic has seen Christopher Nolan's latest epic, and he is a fan. I'm talking about the one and only Metal Gear mastermind himself, Hideo Kojima, who's provided his thoughts on The Odyssey on Twitter.

"Rather than simply watching the screen, I felt as though I was there the entire time," he says of his viewing experience. "It was more than watching it, I witnessed it."

Like any good Letterboxd devotee, he caught the blockbuster in 70mm IMAX. I, sadly, had to settle for regular projection due to the dearth of IMAX options in Scotland. Forgive me, Kojima. Anyway, he mentions that it reminded him of the Cinerama screenings when he was a child, and how that contrast to his CRT television at home blew his mind.

"I already knew the story well, having grown up watching the 1954 Kirk Douglas version and several black-and-white adaptations, but this was an entirely different experience," he writes. "For me, it was an Odyssey unlike anything I had ever experienced."

He gives a shout out to the cinematography of Nolan and his longtime collaborator, Hoyte van Hoytema, in how it makes the production feel remarkably intimate – along with the use Nolan's "meticulous interwoven timelines," a staple of the director's films like Inception and Oppenheimer, too.

"Together, these elements elevate one of the world's best-known classical epics into an intimate, deep human drama," Kojima says. "It was magnificent."

I think he liked it. The Odyssey has proven to be another hit for Nolan, scoring him his biggest opening weekend ever. Kojima saw it at the David Keighley theatre at IMAX's base in Los Angeles, an invite-only cinema. Alas, Japanese fans will have to settle for public viewings when it opens there in September.

The Odyssey IMAX 70mm screenings are being extended until the release of Resident Evil in September due to constant sell-outs.

James Gunn has moved fast to quash rumors that The Batman 3 will be filming back to back with The Batman 2.

After a fan asked on Threads whether the DC Studios co-CEO could "confirm or deny" the reports, Gunn plainly responded, "I can deny."

The excitement around back-to-back sequels entering production under Matt Reeves appeared to stem from Batman on Film founder Bill Ramey posting a Batman logo with 'three' written in Roman numerals on Twitter. Some even went on to report the post as more than a rumor.

Ramey later clarified, "My intention behind posting the picture was true: Bangin’ the drum for a THE BATMAN PART III. However, if you’re a fellow Batman fan and a fan of Matt Reeves’ SAGA, I apologize if you felt misled. Honestly, not my intention."

So, we're only getting The Batman 2 – for now. The DC sequel (part of the 'Elseworlds' umbrella, so not part of the DCU) is currently filming.

Robert Pattinson once again returns as the Caped Crusader, flanked by familiar allies in the shape of Jim Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and trusty butler Alfred (Andy Serkis).

Newcomers include Sebastian Stan, Scarlett Johansson, and Charles Dance, although speculation has run rife about who exactly each actor will be playing. For Stan alone, the rumor mill has mentioned everything from Harvey Dent to Victor Zsasz.

The DCU, meanwhile, is gearing up to launch Lanterns – a HBO murder mystery starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler – later this month. A Clayface movie follows in October, with Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow hitting cinemas next July.

For more, check out the upcoming DC movies currently in the works.

Tom Holland's younger brother helped contribute to one of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's most memorable and low-key scenes.

The moment in question saw Peter Parker – in full Spider-Man costume – hanging out with MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon). Peter and Ned even spend the day building a LEGO Star Wars X-Wing set, with MJ sketching them.

But that wasn't a member of the art crew or even Zendaya putting pencil to paper. Instead, as revealed on an Instagram reply chain (H/T Pop Culture News), Paddy Holland was the one who drew the piece.

Away from Spider-Man's crimefighting and swinging around New York, the quieter moment amid the hunt for Sadie Sink's Jean Grey stood out as one of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's emotional highs – especially as it deals with the fallout from Spider-Man: No Way Home's memory-erasing spell.

As mentioned on Amy Poehler's Good Hang podcast, Tom Holland revealed that scene was rewritten and reworked on the day of filming.

This isn't the only time one of Tom Holland's brothers have left their mark on a Spider-Man movie, meanwhile.

In No Way Home, younger brother Harry Holland made a cameo as a bicycle thief. Tom Holland later revealed the stunt-laden sequence was 'revenge' for Harry mocking his complaints over hanging upside down for a day of filming. That'll teach him.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in cinemas – and breaking box office records.

For more, check out our breakdown of the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending and our collection of Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs.

Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav doesn't seem too concerned with Supergirl's box office failure, as he has full confidence in what DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are cooking up next.

"We have Clayface coming up soon, which looks terrific," Zaslav told TheWrap, when asked directly about the critical and box office failure of Supergirl. "We got Lanterns launching in the next few weeks on HBO, which Casey [Bloys] and Sarah [Aubrey] are super excited about. So DC feels very good, and we have a robust pipeline, and Peter and James are hard at work."

Supergirl had a pretty rough go this year, and only made $125 million at the global box office against its budget of $170 million. The film currently sits at a 54% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, though the audience score is at a much higher 76%. There's also some speculation that the film's screenwriter misinterpreted the ending of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the comic on which the movie is based, not to mention all the kerfuffle about the deeply strange needle drop during the final epic battle scene. Despite all the chaos, leading lady Milly Alcock will appear again as Kara Zor-El in the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, which is set to hit theaters in 2027 (and I'm stoked to see her return).

Next up for the DCU is Lanterns, a True Detective-style take on the adventures of Lantern Hal Jordan and his trainee John Stewart, and the horror movie Clayface, which tells a Cronenberg-esque origin story about the goopy Batman villain.

Supergirl is out in theaters now. For more, check out our Supergirl review and our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and shows.

Kit Connor is reportedly set to star as Scott Summers aka Cyclops in the MCU's upcoming standalone X-Men movie.

According to Deadline, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Jake Schreier met with "a number of candidates" and "ultimately landed on Connor last week."

In addition to being one of the founding members of the X-Men, Scott Summers is the romantic partner of Jean Grey, who will officially be played by Sadie Sink (after making her debut as the ultra-powerful mutant in Spider-Man: Brand New Day). This marks three X-Men members that have been cast, including scream queen Samara Weaving as Emma Frost.

Because the X-Men haven't even been formed yet in the MCU, we can infer that the standalone movie will focus on the creation of the team as the young mutants enroll at the Charles Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. The only seemingly odd thing here is that Weaving is 34, while Sink and Connor are 23 and 22, respectively. This may very well be because Emma Frost is already the headmistress of her own mutant academy when Scott, Jean, and co. are enrolled at the Xavier School. We love comic-book accurate writing and casting.

Connor is best known for starring in the hit Netflix queer coming-of-age series Heartstopper, as well as Alex Garland's action thriller Warfare. He's also set to star in the upcoming Elden Ring movie.

X-Men is eyeing a tentative 2028 release date. You can keep up to date with everything the MCU has in store with our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows.

PATCH NOTES: V08.06.2026 – Rockstar Games just confirmed that an extended look at Grand Theft Auto 6 will be unveiled on August 27, 2026. In an unprecedented move, the gameplay reveal will premiere on Netflix – a bold partnership which underscores the belief that GTA 6 will be an unstoppable entertainment juggernaut.

What's the latest on GTA 6?

• Rockstar just announced that an extended look at GTA 6 is coming August 27
• The extended look will premiere on Netflix before hitting the internet

Why you should care

• GTA 6 trailer 2 landed over a year ago
• The game is set to release in 104 days

Who said what?

Meta Shift

• Netflix has six hours of exclusivity over the GTA 6 gameplay reveal

There's been this feeling that Marvel is finally starting to regain some momentum. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is shattering records, becoming the highest-grossing movie of 2026 after generating $1.15 billion from the box office in just seven days. It's the second-fastest movie to hit a one billion revenue threshold of all-time; that crown still belongs to Avengers: Endgame.

The success of Brand New Day does lend some credence to the idea that superhero fatigue isn't quite as pronounced as is frequently claimed, and that its success could even point towards Avengers: Doomsday being on-track to do the impossible come December 18 – surpassing 2013's Grand Theft Auto 5 as the biggest entertainment release of all-time.

Today's announcement that Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch an extended look at its action on August 27, premiering exclusively on Netflix, is a stark reminder of just how much of an entertainment juggernaut this thing is going to be. And that it's more than a video game – it's a monocultural moment that should be treated similar to the biggest entertainment IP in the world.

Netflix calls the reveal a "first-of-its-kind partnership," one which acts as a "reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience."

In reality, I suspect that this partnership only helps ensure that Netflix obtains the biggest possible subscriber base. While the footage will land on YouTube and other platforms six hours late, there's little doubt in my mind that this reveal will spike month-on-month subscriptions as players (both core and casual) grapple with the FOMO of not being on the frontlines of this conversation.

It's been over a year since GTA 6 Trailer 2 landed, which Rockstar claims reached over 475 million viewers cross-platforms within 24 hours. It's impossible to know what heights this third trailer will reach, but with Netflix adding an air of prestige to the entire event, get ready for Rockstar to shatter records once again.

Known Issue

• There are just 104 days left on the Countdown to GTA 6 and Rockstar is still yet to show very little of the upcoming open-world experience.

Starring Jason and Lucia, GTA 6 will take us back to Vice City and push us out into the wider state of Leonida. After an easy score goes wrong, the two protagonists find themselves enveloped in a criminal conspiracy, forcing the pair to rely on each other more than they ever have before to make it out alive.

That's the basic premise of GTA 6 and, after years of teasers and speculation, we really don't know all that much else. Rockstar has always worked in mysterious ways, although the way it is presenting and marketing this long-awaited sequel is particularly condensed.

With little over 100 days until GTA 6 is due to release, the public hasn't seen any true gameplay – nor has the press had an opportunity to cut through the marketing lines and bring you any sort of first impressions. What are the biggest changes, evolutions, and boundary breaking ideas that will make putting a GTA 6 pre-order down worth it? I honestly couldn't tell you.

Given the anticipation, and how little of this project has been shown, it's a little disappointing that the publisher has effectively locked the first look at GTA 6 behind a paywall. It's not the sort of thing anybody else could get away with in this industry, but that only demonstrates the power that GTA 6 wields over the collective consciousness.

Ultimately, when we're all settling in for what will likely be a 30 minute gameplay showcase on August 27 – detailing the interplay between the two protagonists, how new heist systems intersect with a more socially-connected cohort of NPCs, and the most ambitious open-world in Rockstar's history – we probably won't care all that much.

Patch Notes summary

Rockstar Games works on its own schedule, and the decision to partner with Netflix for an extended look at GTA 6 gameplay speaks volumes for how the developer wants this release to be consumed by the world at large. It's more than a video game – it's a force of nature that's going to draw the sort of attention and discussion that Marvel's 2026 Avengers and Spider-Man movies could only dream of.

The battle for the entertainment throne is fully underway now. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will continue to break records, and I expect there to be a hell of a lot of eyes on Avengers: Doomsday come December. But whether either of these monstrously massive franchises really have the staying power to compete with Grand Theft Auto remains to be seen. I suspect that, come end of year, GTA 6 will reign supreme as the biggest entertainment release of all time.

Up Next:

One of the biggest questions following Spider-Man: Brand New Day is how does Ned remember Peter at the end of the movie. Well, one Marvel fan may have cracked the case.

Brand New Day picks up four years after Doctor Strange erased the world's memory of Spider-Man's real identity in Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, the spell worked a little too well, as when Parker is finally ready to reunite with his girlfriend MJ and best bud Ned Leeds, he soon realises that nothing he does can jog their memory.

However, right at the end of the movie, Peter visits his local store and sees Ned sitting alone. But just as Peter is about to exit the store, he walks up to Ned and introduces himself. Then, as they go to shake hands, they automatically do their signature best friends handshake, and Ned remembers that Peter is, well, Peter. Read our Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained for the full breakdown.

But how does Ned, who is supposedly under Strange's spell, remember Peter? Well, one Marvel fan thinks that Ned's short stint as a wizard has something to do with it. "What if Ned and Peter accidentally created a spell during that handshake, and that's why he remembered because of it," said the fan on Twitter.

In No Way Home, Peter and Ned did their special handshake whilst Ned was wearing the Sling Ring, but right when the pair clicked their fingers, a spark shot out of the ring. Although he is not a fully trained wizard, it was revealed that Ned has natural magic abilities and was able to open portal gateways in the last Spidey movie. So, what if Ned accidentally put some kind of spell on the handshake, which in turn was triggered when the two shook hands at the end of Brand New Day?

With that in mind, Ned's underlying powers may have broken the spell. However, with MJ it's a completely different story. Zendaya's character told Tom Holland's Peter Parker that she simply doesn't remember him, and because of that, she doesn't love him anymore. Ouch. Let's hope Ned can work more magic in the next Spidey movie.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now. For more on Spidey, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review and our list of Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs and cameos.

It sounds as though DC's next movie will lean more into the horror genre in more ways than we first thought, as director James Watkins says Evil Dead helmer Sam Raimi was a huge influence on the upcoming DCU Chapter One film Clayface.

"There were definitely some Sam Raimi influences," said Watkins to Empire. "The way that Sam Raimi can push horror almost to ridiculousness, and humor. I mean ridiculousness in a good way. But pushing it where we're all walking that line of 'Oh man this is extreme, and we know it's extreme and we're in it together.' The boldness of what he does."

Raimi is best known for his gory and wacky Evil Dead franchise, which pushes the boundaries of horror and heavily impacted the comedy-horror subgenre we know today. However, much like Watkins, Raimi did move from horror to the superhero genre, directing the beloved '00s Spider-Man trilogy.

Batman villain Clayface is the perfect subject for this kind of "extreme" body horror. So far in the trailers, we haven't yet seen Clayface go full on gloop, but it sounds as though it's coming. However, Watkins has previously confirmed that the full transformation won't be shown in any promotional material, so we will have to wait until release day for that. The most recent Clayface trailer does give us a glimpse of the titular character experiencing terrifying bodily changes, though, including his eyelids sticking together.

We already knew that Clayface would be an all-out horror movie. Aside from being directed by the See No Evil and The Woman in Black helmer, it is penned by horror legend Mike Flanagan. The film, which focuses on the Hollywood actor iteration of Clayface known as Matt Hagen, has been described as "violent" and "highly disturbing" by members of the press who were able to view footage early.

However, Watkins went on to say that another "massive inspiration" is Brian De Palma. "When you see the movie, you'll see," said Watkins. De Palma is best known for his crime movies such as Scarface and The Untouchables, but he also helmed the original 1976 Carrie adaptation.

Clayface is set to hit theaters on October 23. For more, check out our guides to upcoming DC movies and shows as well as our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is on a generational run at the box office. Not only did the Marvel movie beat Avengers: Endgame's all-time opening weekend record in the US, it's already become the highest-grossing movie of 2026 in less than a week. And now it could be on track to top Star Wars: The Force Awakens' all-time record haul at the US box office.

Per the number-crunchers over at the box office subreddit, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is heading towards a $150+ million second weekend at the US box office. That would put the Marvel Phase 6 movie at over $600 million in the US in less than two weeks, and on track to finally topple Star Wars: The Force Awakens' record gross of $936 million at the domestic box office.

The 2015 Star Wars movie's domestic record has proven unbeatable in over a decade. Even the likes of Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of Water haven't come close, with Endgame falling short by almost $80 million. Brand New Day, however, has taken off like a rocket ship and blown past even the most optimistic box office projections, all despite having no IMAX screens on opening weekend thanks to The Odyssey. Though if you want to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day on the biggest screen possible, you'll finally be able to this weekend.

Audiences, evidently, can't get enough of Spider-Man as Brand New Day became the highest-grossing movie of the year this week, sailing past Toy Story 5 after just six days on release. That's good news for Marvel, as Kevin Feige recently revealed that Sadie Sink's [redacted character] has "immense significance" and will play a "key role in the future of the MCU." Another person hoping to return is Scorpion actor Michael Mando, who says we've only seen "level one" of Scorpion's potential, with the final level being "the ultimate form of Venom."

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now. For more, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review or our list of Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs and cameos.

After taking a decade-long break from Spider-Man movies, Scorpion star Michael Mando is back as the pointy-tailed villain Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But it sounds as though the baddie may just stick around this time, and maybe even reach his full "potential" as one of Venom's hosts.

"The potential growth of [Mac Gargan] is enormous," said Mando to The Hollywood Reporter. "Brand New Day is level one of this character’s potential, and he has at least two or three levels up from here, one of them being the ultimate form of Venom."

First introduced to the Spider-Man comics in 1964, Scorpion is a private investigator turned professional criminal who uses his full-body battle suit fitted with a stinger to take down his enemies, mostly Spider-Man. However, down the line, Mac became the third host of the alien symbiote known as Venom. We have already seen Tom Hardy take shape as reporter Eddie Brock, who becomes physically attached to the alien entity in Sony's Venom film franchise. However, Brock has yet to join the MCU.

Mando made his MCU debut in Tom Holland's first Spidey movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming. The 2016 film saw Scorpion, real name Mac Gargan, engage in dodgy dealings with Michael Keaton’s Vulture, which eventually landed him in prison. But, despite the Homecoming post-credits scene teasing Vulture and Scorpion's plan for revenge, Scorpion was absent from Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home. All the while, Mando was working on Breaking Bad prequel Better Call Saul.

However, now he is back, it sounds as though Mando is keen to stick around. But the star doesn't want to jinx anything. "That’s exciting to think about for a moment, but I’ve got to let it go because it’s in the hands of Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal," added Mando. "They know what they’re doing, and I have to trust that… I don’t try to predict my destiny in any way."

Marvel may want to utilise all it can from the new Spidey movie. Brand New Day has so far smashed all expectations, kicking off its theatrical run with an unbelievable opening weekend, marking the biggest domestic opening ever in the US.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now. For more on Spidey, check out our Spider-Man: Brand New Day review, Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained, and our list of Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs and cameos.

Destin Daniel Cretton doesn't want the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings post-credits scene to be an open cliffhanger forever.

In one scene, Xialing takes over the Ten Rings organization, and in another, the Rings themselves are discovered to be sending a signal into space – though what exactly it means has never been explained, and Shang-Chi hasn't been seen again in live-action since the film's 2021 release date.

Cretton's latest film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, has a similarly open-ended post-credits scene, which features the Spidey tracker loacting the webslinger in outer space.

Speaking to TheWrap, Cretton promised that we "will find out" what that Spidey scene means.

"I do think it's frustrating when these things are like left out in the open, and you never see them. And Shang-Chi is one of those. It's still hanging out there," he explained. "I have every intention of answering the question."

We'll next see Shang-Chi in Avengers: Doomsday. The Marvel crossover movie has a supersized cast list that also includes the likes of Anthony Mackie's Captain America and Chris Hemsworth's Thor – though, interestingly, no Spider-Man.

Instead, the Brand New Day post-credits could be setting up Doomsday's sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars.

Cretton is also the co-creator of MCU show Wonder Man, and Wonder Man season 2 was recently cancelled despite the show previously getting an official renewal.

"I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show," Cretton shared. "And I do believe that if – and I know this sounds weird – but if it were up to Kevin, we would be doing that show."

Doomsday arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's on the way.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor Niyi Akin may not be a household name, but he stole the show in his brief time on screen.

So much so, in fact, that audiences worldwide have given an outpouring of love and admiration to Akin, who played David – the man psychically 'hijacked' by Sadie Sink's Jean Grey to taunt Tom Holland's Spider-Man during one particularly tense moment in the super-powered cat-and-mouse chase.

In response, Akin posted a series of behind-the-scenes images from Brand New Day on Instagram showcasing the actor in wire training and meeting Tom Holland.

Akin wrote, "Thank you so much for the love and support guys. I was just happy to be a part of it! I remember saying to my family 'I hope I get to be in [Spider-Man] one day" WE THANK GOD, CAUSE IT HAPPENED. This a dream come true [your] friendly neighbourhood superfan."

One image posted, though, may get the Spidey-Senses working and the tear ducts flowing: that of Akin, as a child, holding a Spider-Man figure. In the background, an image from Spider-Man: The Animated Series can be seen.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day isn't just making childhood dreams come true, however. It's also breaking records at the box office – with the highest opening weekend in history in the US and already swinging past $1 billion worldwide.

No word on Spider-Man 5 yet, with Tom Holland saying the path ahead is "unclear".

"Whatever happens with Spider-Man, it'll be very bright and lovely," the Spider-Man actor told Serieously. In the same interview, he also hinted that he knew Miles Morales would join the MCU.

For more, check out our guides on upcoming Marvel movies and the Marvel timeline.

New DCU movie Supergirl has officially finished its worldwide theatrical run, and its total gross is the lowest for any DC movie in decades.

Supergirl has ended its global theatrical run at $125.8 million worldwide, as per Box Office Mojo. That's over $45 million lower than 2022 DC flop Morbius, which earned $167 million, and $83 million less than Joker 2.

In fact, Supergirl marks the lowest box office return for any DC movie since Catwoman in 2004, which earned $82 million. But that was over 20 years ago, so considering inflation, Supergirl fared far worse.

This isn't a huge surprise, as Supergirl has struggled on screen from the very start. The movie opened to $37.1 million in the US and just over $62 million globally. But the Woman of Tomorrow adaptation failed to grow from that point on, seeing massive dips week by week. In the end, Supergirl only managed to scrape in total what last year's Superman made on opening weekend alone last year.

The movie marks a financial loss for DC Studios, as it cost around $170 million to make and perhaps tens of millions more to market. Worse yet, Supergirl is only the second movie in James Gunn's new DCU, following last year's Superman, which made more during its first weekend on screen than Supergirl did in its entire run. Superman went on to gross over $618 million worldwide.

It is not clear why the movie flopped so hard. Starring Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El, Supergirl follows the titular hero as she puts her partying days behind her to help a new friend seek revenge on the same villain responsible for harming her dog, Krypto. The movie opened to mixed reviews and a 56% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is not so bad when compared to Morbius' 15% score.

However, in June, DC Studios co-head Peter Safran told The New York Times that although Supergirl's opening was disappointing, the team remains "confident" in their overall strategy. DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters continues this year both on the small screen with Lanterns this August, and on the big screen with Clayface this October.

For more, check out our Supergirl review and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows.

Eli Roth, director of the much-reviled Borderlands adaptation, has spoken out on exactly what went wrong with the film.

The movie holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 10%, and it grossed only $33 million worldwide.

"As things grow bigger, studios just naturally become more risk averse," Roth told Variety. "My nature as a filmmaker is to do the thing that's left of center, because that's what has worked for me."

The film was rated PG-13, and studio executives pushed for changes to ensure the classification – a somewhat eyebrow-raising move, considering the games' level of violence and irreverent sense of humor.

"You got something that belonged to nobody," Roth added. "It's not a kids' movie, but it's trying to appeal to everybody. It's for gamers, but it doesn't have the violence the gamers want because it can't be that extreme because it costs too much. You just wind up with a movie that's neither fish nor fowl."

Despite a starry cast – Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Ariana Greenblatt all had leading roles – the film was a critical and commercial flop.

"The Gearbox title gamers loved has spawned a frenetic and disorderly shambles they're likelier to loathe. Claptrap? You said it," reads our 2-star Borderlands review.

Still, the future looks bright with video game adaptations like The Legend of Zelda movie and God of War TV show on the way.

You can keep up to date with everything that's on the way with our guide to all the upcoming video game adaptations.

A Spider-Man fan has compared Brand New Day to the Insomniac games, and the similarities are undeniable.

The video, which you can see below, showcases the many, many moves pulled off by Tom Holland's wallcrawler that has its origins in Insomniac's trio of Spider-Man PlayStation titles.

They include Spidey flinging himself from a New York rooftop during the opening act of the fourth Spider-Man MCU movie, propelling himself into an acrobatic flip before swinging through the skyline, a handful of web-based finishers on grunts, and even an eerily similar set-piece as the webhead hurtles towards the ground on a crumbling building.

Director Destin Daniel Cretton has also been vocal about just how much of Insomniac's titles made their way into the finished product of the billion-dollar-grossing megahit.

Cretton told Polygon, "I surrounded myself with people who were obsessive gamers. So a lot of the people in our stunt department loved playing those video games. So they would do screen grabs of their play and bring it in and say like, 'Can we pull this move off?' So that was a great inspiration for things."

That synergy of game design and big-screen spectacle has certainly factored into why Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been such a success.

Already, it holds the record for the biggest US domestic opening at the box office, and is well on its way to a staggering $2 billion total gross worldwide.

The Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending also set up Sadie Sink's Jean Grey for an exciting MCU future, though some are still a little baffled by Ned's 'revelation' in the final scene. Don't be. We have an explainer about that handshake to clear up any confusion.

For more, check out our breakdown of the Spider-Man: Brand New Day post-credits scene. Then, away from Insomniac's undoubted influence, we have more references, winks, and nods listed here in our essential guide to Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs.

Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton has doubled down on his previous comments about the state of the industry regarding Shang-Chi 2's very delayed status.

“When you really look at what happened to the industry, at least from my perspective, it was just like everything went to shit after that," Cretton told TheWrap. "I feel like if Marvel was where it was before, we would have had maybe two sequels already. Who knows?"

Cretton previously told Deadline's Crew Call Podcast that a sequel to the beloved 2021 film was still on the way, but that it's the post-pandemic nature of the industry that has put something of a blocker on it. Cretton himself has also been a bit busy directing Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is already breaking some box office records.

The film stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, a martial arts master who is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind when he becomes involved with the mysterious Ten Rings organization. It's also worth noting that Shang-Chi hasn't appeared in any other movies or in a Disney Plus series, which made fans pretty worried about the sequel's fate until it was announced that Shang-Chi would star in Avengers: Doomsday. He can also be seen facing off with Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler in the trailer.

Shang-Chi 2 does not yet have a release date. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now. Avengers: Doomsday hit theaters on December 18. For more, check out our guide on how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order, and keep up with upcoming Marvel movies.

As Marvel superheroes go, Spider-Man has suffered a lot more than most. Aside from losing Tony Stark and Aunt May in the MCU, the death of Uncle Ben is often the catalyst that's used to kickstart Peter Parker's entire hero's journey. But through it all, Spider-Man has always remained true to himself, unwaveringly optimistic in the face of loss.

That's his whole schtick really, this resilience that helps carry Spidey through his darkest moments. But Spider-Man: Brand New Day pushes the limits of that more than ever before, not through the death of another loved one but because of an even crueller twist that our hero might never recover from.

At the end of the previous film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange made everyone forget who Peter Parker is. This spell was needed to help save the day, but that hasn't made it any easier for Peter, who's been forced to live the last four years in solitude.

By the time Brand New Day begins, MJ has moved on with a new boyfriend, still unable to remember that Peter was once the love of her life. Peter remembers, though, haunted by the knowledge that they can never be together again. Or can they?

When Jean Grey discovers Spider-Man's true identity, she threatens to take control of MJ's mind and use her against him, as she has so many other people already. Terrified for MJ's safety, Peter races across town and whisks her away somewhere safe.

Once it seems like the coast is clear, the pair discuss what's going on. Spider-Man tries to explain why MJ is being targeted without giving away who he really is, but talk inevitably turns to their history together. It's as if MJ is on the cusp of remembering, something Peter and we feel when she pulls up the bottom of his mask to take a closer look at him.

In a scene reminiscent of that iconic upside-down snog from 2002's Spider-Man, the pair smooch and embrace. True love's kiss seems to have broken the spell at last and Peter couldn't be happier. That is, until MJ starts describing herself in the third person as they embrace…

Web of deceit

Yep, it turns out Jean has been controlling MJ this entire time just to mess with him, even going so far as to kiss him knowing how much it will hurt.

It's one thing to possess the woman Peter loves, but it's another thing entirely to trick him in such a way. Realising that MJ doesn't remember him after all, that he's no better off than he was four years ago when the spell was first cast, is devastating for Peter in ways Marvel rarely attempts. And to top it all off, Jean then rubs salt in the wound by revealing Peter is never in MJ's thoughts at all.

The scene ends with Jean forcing MJ to jump off the roof, but it's the deceit that hurts most. Spider-Man was always going to catch her in time, but the impact of this cruel twist can't be undone in quite the same way.

During a brief moment of respite, MJ later finds a letter that Peter wrote but never gave to her, one which explains the spell's impact in full and his undying love for her. She quickly confronts him, upset that he didn't give the letter to her himself years earlier.

Peter explains that he was only trying to protect MJ before going on to admit that he still loves her, that she's still everything to him and always will be. But MJ is unable to say any of this back to Peter. She understands why the girl in the letter loved him so much, but she is no longer that girl.

"I don’t love you," says MJ, adding, "I don't even know you."

What Jean did earlier was incredibly sadistic, but the words that come out of MJ's mouth now are even more gut-wrenching – and that's because they're actually true. She really doesn't love him anymore. Sure, the spell's to blame, but the impact is very much the same. Peter is heartbroken beyond measure, experiencing a new kind of loss that tears him apart at the seams.

Poetry in emotion

Both of these scenes hit incredibly hard for us too. After watching this pair fall for each other these past nine years, seeing MJ reject Peter like this is really tough to see. Any breakup would be bad enough, but this is even worse because of how unfair it feels. They should be together, yet they can't be, all because Peter had to make a sacrifice for the greater good.

Such emotional storytelling is still a rarity in the MCU. Some moments have hit hard, of course, but most of them usually revolve around the concept of death. Yondu's funeral, Vision's love persevering, Spidey's own "death" at the end of Avengers: Infinity War… Death is par for the course when it comes to superheroes who risk their lives every day, so these recurring themes are to be expected. What isn't expected is just how gut-wrenching this film's emotional beats are with nary a death in sight.

The circumstances might be fantastical, but the feelings involved are rooted in feelings of loss and rejection that anyone watching can relate to. It helps that Tom Holland has never been better as Spider-Man than he is in these moments, and Zendaya continues to be pitch-perfect too in her delivery, firm in her feeling with a hint of melancholy that comes with knowing the pain her words will cause.

Loss and how Peter keeps fighting despite it remains the driving force, but in unexpected ways that avoid recycling past stories in favour of something new. More than Aunt May's death, more even than Peter saying goodbye to MJ at the end of No Way Home, it's in the pain of these evolving relationship dynamics where Brand New Day sets itself apart as Spidey's most mature MCU outing yet.

What remains to be seen is whether Peter can weather the storm long enough for MJ to return to him. The end of the film hints that this might be possible, especially when we see her holding the same necklace Peter gifted her in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Still, true love might not be enough to break the spell, especially with Doomsday and Secret Wars looming on the horizon.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is out now. For more, check out the breakdown of the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending and our ranking of the best Spider-Man movies.

Christmas has come early this year, as after being shown behind closed doors at CinemaCon in April, the first trailer for the upcoming action sequel Violent Night 2 is here.

David Harbour is back as the potty-mouthed, all-fighting Santa Claus we met four years ago when he saved a family from a deadly home invasion in the 2022 original. However, as you can see in the new clip below, ol Nick's actions have come back to bite him as he finds himself on the naughty list. Now living as a regular human without powers, Santa begins working at a local mall. But when a criminal organization led by Jared Harris targets the building, he must use the power of Christmas, aka his fighting fists, to protect his new community.

Lucky for Santa, he has new friends by his side, including Anaconda's Daniela Melchior, King Bach and Sopranos star Joe Pantoliano. But the big reveal comes right at the end of the trailer, where we get our first look at Kristen Bell as Mrs. Claus.

We sat down with director Tommy Wirkola and producer Kelly McCormick to break down the trailer and discuss their approach to the sequel, including how the team kicked the action up a notch and why Bell is the perfect person to play Harbour's better half.

Bigger sets and a badder Santa

Right away we can see that Violent Night 2 is on a much bigger scale than the first movie. "It feels like a bigger world, more of a bigger character canvas, and I would say also kind of a bigger story," explains Wirkola. However, the director says with that comes the challenge of wanting to "give people what they want and liked about the first one without overdoing it, and also at the same time giving them new stuff and expanding on the myth." However, the director says he "knew pretty early on we wanted the setting of the mall."

The sequel was shot on location in and around a real mall in Winnipeg, Canada. McCormick reveals that the mall was being renovated at the time, but was still half open with some stores still functioning. "We filled a lot of the empty places with product placement, and we were able to use the two-story mall to kind of create this Christmas-like world." McCormick says this worked in their favour, as they were able to turn the top level into Santa's Village, but still managed to keep on budget.

Wirkola was able to include scenes about Santa's "backstory and Viking history" that were cut the first time around. Wirkola also says that after the 2022 film hit screens, he and Harbour checked in with fans online and saw that viewers wanted to know more about Santa's origins, so they implemented just that.

The team also managed to slip in a few Easter eggs, some of which you can spot in the trailer. During the fight in the kitchen, the two assailants look rather like the burglars from Home Alone, and Santa's new position at the mall reminds us a lot of Elf and Bad Santa. The oven scene also harkens back to Hansel and Gretel, a fairytale which Wirkola has adapted in the past. However, the director says that one was not his idea: "I blame the writers for that."

Meet the new Mrs Claus

One way in which the sequel expands on Santa's backstory is by introducing his wife. We are used to seeing Mrs. Claus presented as an older, homely woman who is often waiting at home in the North Pole, baking cookies and looking after the elves. However, from the first trailer we can see that Kristen Bell's Mrs. Claus flips that stereotype on its head. Santa's long-lost wife steps into frame looking strong and capable, with a hammer in hand, ready to help her husband kick some ass.

After voicing our favourite Norwegian Disney princess in the Frozen franchise, it makes sense that the Violent Night team would want Bell to play their Viking queen. But McCormick reveals that the casting kind of came out of nowhere.

"I don't even know how it happened," says McCormick. "She's a huge fan of the franchise, which we didn't know at the time. And she and David Harbour are really old, dear friends, so I think that had something to do with it." This is the first live-action movie Bell has appeared in in some years, which McCormick says is due to family commitments. So the team had just a few days to shoot Bell's scenes. But even though Bell only appears in part of the movie, McCormick says "she has such an impact on the movie," adding, "She's just so perfect as our Mrs. Claus. I feel really lucky to have her."

"She is so perfect in the role, and she's a great partner for David's Santa. In the little time we have with them on screen, we really get a sense of their relationship, their history, and they really played well off each other," adds Wirkola. "She brought so much humanity and humor, and the moment she shows up, you just love that character… She's a great fighter."

Santa goes full John Wick

It's not just Mrs. Claus who is bringing the heat, though, as without his powers, Harbour's Santa has no choice but to put 'em up and fight the bad guys rather than using his magical nose twinkle. This gave Wirkola and McCormick, best known for producing action hits like Nobody, Bullet Train, and Atomic Blonde, the chance to extend the franchise's fighting scenes.

"Instead, he uses his brawn and more Christmas decorations, which is really what the whole movie has always been about. Like, how can you weaponize Christmas decorations?" says McCormick. Wirkola adds, "We had a lot of fun coming up with set pieces and kind of giving him big challenges without him having the reliance on his Santa magic."

However, powerless Santa gives the audience a chance to get to know Harbour's antihero on a human level. "It also was an opportunity to explore the emotional side," adds McCormick. "Who are you when your powers are taken away? If you're Santa Claus, who are you if there's no more Christmas? I think a lot of us feel like our identity is so wrapped into what we do, that I think it'll be really relatable."

Wirkola echoes that the sequel will really get down to what Christmas really means for Santa. "Christmas can mean so many different things for so many people, but he has to figure out what it means for him or what it meant for him when all this began."

However, don't expect Violent Night's Santa to turn into a jolly, ho, ho, ho-ing bundle of joy by the end of the sequel, as Wirkola isn't finished with the franchise yet. Although the director doesn't want to "jinx" himself, the filmmaker can see space for a potential third movie. "There's still a lot of mystery around his character, and especially around him and Santa Claus and the workshop and how that works and all that stuff," says the Dead Snow helmer. "So yeah, I mean, if we're lucky enough to make another one, it feels like we, at one point, need to address the North Pole."

Violent Night 2 hits screens on December 4, 2026. For more, check out our guide to movie release dates and keep up with new movies on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day has arrived, and maybe you're being completely and totally normal about it. Or, maybe you're like me, and the potential storylines that could come next for Spider-Man 5 and beyond are keeping you up at night à la the Charlie Day red-string meme from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Because Spider-Man: Brand New Day picks up the pieces from No Way Home quite nicely and also leaves several open paths for what could happen next to Tom Holland's Spider-Man, I've dusted off my comic book collection and put together a list of potential plot theories for Spidey's future in the MCU. Some are a little far-fetched, and others make a whole lot of sense (to me, anyway). From Peter teaming up with another Spider-Man, who isn't Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield, to what could happen in Jake Schrier's upcoming X-Men movie... I've speculated about it all below.

But be warned: there are major spoilers below. When you're done, check out our list of 43 Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs.

Ned Leeds becomes the Hobgoblin

Hear me out: this is set up in Spider-Man: No Way Home as a potential future storyline, and then made all the more valid following Ned's graduation from MIT in Brand New Day.

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tobey Maguire's Peter 2 tells Ned that his best friend died in his arms after trying to kill him. This is in reference to the events of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3, which saw Peter's best friend Harry Osborn decide to avenge his father's death and become the second iteration of the Green Goblin (to which Andrew Garfield's Peter 3 nods, as a similar storyline followed in The Amazing Spider-Man 2). Ned then looks at Tom Holland's Peter and promises that he will never, ever, turn into a villain and try to kill his best friend.

Two things to note here: 1) After Doctor Strange's spell, Peter isn't Ned's best friend anymore, and 2) in the comics, Ned Leeds is revealed to be the Hobgoblin, a wannabe Green Goblin who manages to get his hands on Norman Osborn's Goblin Formula and tech with the intention of killing Spider-Man.

Would there need to be a Norman Osborn or Oscorp on Earth-616 to make this work? Well, the big evil tech corporation job that MJ turned down in Brand New Day sure did sound a bit like Oscorp... so there is that possibility. But no, we wouldn't necessarily need existing Goblin tech for Ned to become the Hobgoblin, because he's smart enough to develop the tech himself. The Spidey Tracker that Ned invents is next-level surveillance tech that is even able to track Spidey on another planet. That alone tells me that ol' Ned could whip up some seriously scary technology with the right (or wrong) resources.

Miles Morales is the Spider-Man tracked "off-planet"

In that brief post-credits scene, we see a close-up of Ned's Spidey Tracker. The tracker shows Spidey on a planet that goes far beyond the moon of Earth-616, and registers his status as "off-planet." There are two reasons why I think this could very well be Miles Morales, and, once again, the first occurs in Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Towards the end of No Way Home, Electro (Jamie Foxx) finally sees the Spidey from his universe, Andrew Garfield, unmasked. In a sweet and funny moment, Electro says, "You're from Queens, you got that suit, you help poor people... I just thought you was gonna be black." Garfield's Spidey immediately apologizes, to which Electro says, "There's gotta be a black Spider-Man out there somewhere." Because this is the movie that cracked open the multiverse, this scene alone meant a live-action Miles movie was absolutely possible.

The second reason is the simple fact that Kevin Feige recently confirmed that they were working on a live-action Miles Morales movie.

It's also possible that this interplanetary Spider-Man could be Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield (though Garfield laughed and said he had absolutely no idea when asked about this by ScreenRant). It could also, perhaps, be the planet Battleworld... which is where all the heroes of Earth-616 are sent to fight to the death by the Beyonder, and is the central location of the Avengers: Secret Wars comics... which serve as the basis for the upcoming movie of the same name... but the planet is supposed to be much further out than what we see on the Spidey Tracker, so anything is possible, really.

Peter Parker encounters the alien symbiote in Avengers: Secret Wars

Whether Tom Holland wants to admit it on a podcast or not, Avengers: Secret Wars is the comic book arc that introduces the alien symbiote that gives Spidey his iconic black suit and eventually attaches itself to Eddie Brock, who indeed becomes Venom. In Secret Wars #8, Peter Parker encounters the alien symbiote, which drops into his hand and spreads over his entire body, turning his costume black and white. It isn't until The Amazing Spider-Man #300 that the symbiote returns and attaches itself to scorned journalist Eddie Brock while he's sitting in a church asking God to forgive him for being awful to Spider-Man (much like that popularly memed scene from Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 that sees Topher Grace sitting in the pews asking God to kill Spider-Man, though not as funny).

While the black suit and the introduction of Venom are an important part of Secret Wars, the overall arc sees the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and more trapped on a planet known as Battleworld, where they're forced to fight the villains of that planet essentially to the death. It'll be the most ambitious MCU adaptation for sure (but I do really want to see Holland's Spidey in that suit).

Spider-Man is indirectly responsible for the creation of anti-mutant technology

Peter is sort of directly responsible... though the inhibitor wasn't made with ill intentions. In the comics, an anti-mutant device known as an inhibitor collar pops up in X-Men #141. The collar, created by mutant-killing military scientist Bolivar Trask, was placed around the neck of any mutant who was wrongfully thrown into the South Bronx Mutant Containment Center as part of the passing of an unjust law known as the Mutant Registration Act. The inhibitor collar prevents mutants and any super-powered beings from using their powers.

In Brand New Day, Peter develops the technology with the intention to control his own rapidly changing powers, while also knowing that it can be used on just about any being with powers. He attempts to attach it to the Hulk, but no dice. He successfully attaches it to Jean Grey, whom he turns over to Bill Metzger under the guise of 'doing the right thing.' We see Bill and his cronies use it as a way to subdue Jean in order to experiment on her, and we never see it again after Spidey is shot and Jean is rescued. We also never see Bill again, either.

It's important to note that the Department of Damage Control was using tech from captured/defeated villains, such as Shocker, to develop weaponry that can take down super-powered beings. You might recall that they used Shocker's arm console to develop guns that have the power to dissolve Peter's artificial webbing. It's likely that Bill and his cronies took the inhibitor technology and are hiding out somewhere... and that this will all be revisited in the upcoming standalone X-Men movie.

Spider-Man teams up with the X-Men

Think of it this way: if Peter was able to invent the inhibitor, the X-Men might need his help in order to destroy or reverse it. There's also the fact that Spider-Man and the X-Men have teamed up several times throughout comic book history, including one specific arc where Spider-Man and Jean Grey work together at the X-Mansion to mentor young mutants.

But there's also a chance (hear me out) that Spider-Man could be teaming up with the X-Men to take down Dark Phoenix... which is the supervillain Jean Grey turns into after being overwhelmed by her own powers and manipulated by Mastermind. The ending of Brand New Day does imply that Jean is on a bus headed upstate to the X-Men mansion (which also implies that the X-Men haven't even been formed as a team yet) and is therefore about to learn how to use her powers correctly and for good. But because we've already seen just how powerful she is and what evil she's capable of right off the bat, it wouldn't surprise me if the MCU decided to go ahead and adapt the Dark Phoenix Saga.

Dark Phoenix aside, Jean has always been morally gray in the comics (from killing Rogue to making Cyclops kill Professor X), but introducing a founding member of the X-Men into the MCU as a supervillain was a choice... and one they might decide to go a bit deeper with.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now. For more on the MCU, here's our guide to how to watch all the Marvel movies in order.

Kevin Feige has acknowledged that last summer's Fantastic Four: First Steps underperformed.

The film was released in July 2025 and grossed $521.9 million worldwide, despite being billed as a major Marvel blockbuster and including a post-credits scene that directly set up Avengers: Doomsday.

"Many things can be true at once," Feige told Variety, when asked if Marvel's recent misfires were a sign audiences are tiring of the same story. "I think last year's Fantastic Four looked and sounded like nothing that had been done in a superhero movie before, and it only [grossed] $521 million."

Spider-Man: Brand New Day, in comparison, has beaten Avengers: Endgame's record for the biggest domestic opening of all time and currently sits at $932 million worldwide – after just one weekend.

"Brand New Day is very directly a part four. It picks up right after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home and yet it tells a story that resonates. It's ultimately about loneliness and the dangers of staying in our apartments by ourselves, looking at our phones. That resonates across cultures and across the globe right now," Feige explained.

The Fantastic Four box office was made even more disappointing by the fact that it grossed less than Superman, which also released in July 2025 and ultimately made $618.7 million. However, this year's Supergirl flopped at the box office and currently sits at a global total of just under $126 million.

But we'll soon see Marvel's First Family again in Doomsday. Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm, Ebon Moss-Bachrach's Ben Grimm, and Joseph Quinn's Johnny Storm are all returning, though plot details are thin on the ground at the moment.

Brand New Day is in theaters now, while Doomsday arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's on the way.

The team behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day have been taking a well-earned victory lap in the press over the last 24 hours, after it was confirmed that the new Marvel Phase 6 movie topped Avengers: Endgame at the box office in the US on its opening weekend. But amidst the congratulatory back-slapping, director Destin Daniel Cretton revealed a key tidbit from production that goes a long way to explaining why Tom Holland is the perfect Spider-Man.

Warning: spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day follow.

During a conversation with Deadline, Cretton revealed that the very first dramatic scene shot captured for the movie was the moment where Peter Parker brings flowers to Aunt May's grave. At the end of a long day (if you'll recall, Peter visits the grave multiple times across the film), as they were about to wrap, Cretton decided to shoot an unplanned version, in case it was needed for the end of the movie. Holland was mic'd up, and improvised the line "You'd be happy to know that I've decided I'm not going to do this alone anymore" on the spot, according to Cretton.

"That statement became the north star of the entire movie," Cretton said. "Now it feels obvious that's where the movie was always headed, but at the time we shot it, we didn't really have that simple core idea yet. We worked backward from that point and realized, 'That's where we're going.' To me, that's the entire movie right there." It's proof, were it needed, that Holland knows his Peter Parker better than anyone (and that maybe he'll make a great screenwriter one day).

Spider-Man: Brand New Day got off to a record-breaking start at the box office this weekend, pulling in some $932 million worldwide, making it the second highest-grossing opening weekend of all time globally, behind Avengers: Endgame's untouchable $1.2 billion. And that was without an IMAX bump, as Spider-Man: Brand New Day is only set to share the biggest screens going with The Odyssey from August 7.

Now that the various cats are out of the bag when it comes to the fourth, secret-shrouded Holland Spidey movie, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige and co have been speaking more freely about the movie's many surprises. Feige even revealed that the film's misunderstood villain, Jean Grey, was instead originally "a very obscure character nobody has ever heard of." A prop modeller on the film also explained where those Mister Negative rumors came from.

Next up for Marvel Studios are VisionQuest on the small screen, and make-or-break team-up movie Avengers: Doomsday on the big screen. Though, as far as we're aware, Tom Holland's Spider-Man won't show up in either. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day post-credits scene may offer a few clues about when he'll next swing onto screens.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in theaters. For more on-screen secrets, zip on over to our essential guide on Spider-Man: Brand New Day Easter eggs, or dive into our full Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained guide.

The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield would return as his webslinging hero – on one condition.

"I don't know. I really don't know," Garfield told The Playlist's The Discourse podcast, when asked what another Spidey project would need to offer for him to return.

"I would need it to be very, very odd. I would need it to be very strange, and I would need it to be completely unconventional and almost – I wouldn't say boring – but I would want it to be just completely unexpected, like a genre of Spider-Man that you've never seen before, that feels very left field," he continued.

Garfield returned for Spider-Man: No Way Home thanks to some multiversal shenanigans (alongside Tobey Maguire's Peter Parker), but he hasn't been seen in the MCU since.

"And I don’t even know what that would be," Garfield added. "Maybe like a road trip movie."

While Garfield might not be making his return as Peter Parker anytime soon, though, you can currently see Tom Holland's Spidey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is in theaters now.

"Taking Spidey back to web-slinging basics, Tom Holland's fourth solo outing as Spider-Man is a blast, with personal stakes to match its evolved spectacle. It's the Multiverse Saga's best movie… at least until Doomsday," reads our 4-star Spider-Man: Brand New Day review.

Next up for Marvel on the big screen is Avengers: Doomsday, which arrives this December 18. In the meantime, check out our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order to get up to date.