Monthly Archives: July 2026

Jul 31 2026

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Presents The Most Authentic Version Of Spider-Man Yet

Reeling from recent box office disappointments Marvel Studios brought out its big guns for the newest film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with the latest Spider-Man film. After slightly over a year since we’ve had an MCU film, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a return to form for Marvel Comics’ most popular superhero as the latest MCU Spider-Man film presents the character at his most authentic yet.

A common complaint about the MCU version of Spider-Man was that he was basically Iron Man, Jr. and his fawning over Iron Man, over-reliance on MCU references, and outer space trips did not help. This was done to differentiate the character from past versions of cinematic Spider-Men, but now that the character became his own independent solo character by the end of the last film, he was returned to the more grounded comic-book accurate version fans have come to love. Spider-Man/Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is now a lonely young man who scrapes by in a frugal existence and is solely devoted to fighting crime in New York City as your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

When Spider-Man: No Way Home, the last Spider-Man film, ended, a magic spell was cast that made the whole world, including his girlfriend MJ Watson (Zendaya) and his best friend Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon),, forget that Peter Parker existed. This film deals with the consequences of that spell as Peter lives a solitary life in a decrepid rented attic working on upgrading his suit and fighting crime. An opening montage shows how for the past four years since No Way Home ended, Peter kept himself busy fighting assorted supervillains and helping the New York City police. In his down time, he monitors Ned’s social media feeds to keep track of him and MJ. During one incident involving a break-in at the federal detention center for the Department of Damage Control (DODC), Spider-Man goes to help the federal guards and encounters an unseen person (Sadie Sink) who can telepathically possess people, except him. His conflict with the person draws the attention of Frank Castle (Jon Bernthal), an uneasy ally of Spider-Man who is the murderous vigilante called the Punisher. Unlike Spidey, Castle has no inhibition in trying to kill the telepath while Spider-Man wants to try to capture her for the DODC.

As he grapples with this new enemy Peter learns that he is starting to evolve physically; he is able to shoot organic webbing, his senses become overwhelming enhanced to the point they nearly debilate him, and his strength and agility increase. Alarmed by his development, Peter seeks out Dr. Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) for advice. Banner who is also the Hulk, has been able to keep his monstrous personna under control through an inhibitor that Peter hopes to duplicate to dampen his increased powers. At the same time, his intense loneliness drives him to eventually seek out MJ and Ned and try to find some way to reconnect with them. Naturally, all these plot lines converge with disastrous results as Peter has to find a way to come to grips with his emotional and physicaly plight while trying to stop the telepath.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the same person who helmed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Wonder Man. Unlike the previous director, Cretton brings much needed energy to Spider-Man’s antics which now feels kinetic and literally off the wall. The camera never stops moving and presenting dynamic and colorful scenes that are filmed off kilter, which could be disorienting but better captures the mind set of our favorite wall crawler. Needless to say, it is the best filmed Spider-Man film. The fight scenes and the visceral web swinging are easily the best ever shown in a Spider-Man film. It felt as if you were there with him as he swung through the City that Never Sleeps. BTW, the look and feel of New York City feels authentic and adds to the grounded and frentic nature of the film. There are also many beautifully set up scenes that capture iconic images and covers from the Spider-Man comics that fit in well with the tone of the film and flows perfectly.

But what made the film so special was its emphasis on the emotional core of Spider-Man and the telepath who are both injured and fragile souls that are at odds with the outside world. The narrative is fast paced and holds your attention despite the film’s length.

Spider-Man fits in perfectly with the MCU as its references and characters don’t feel in-your-face unlike some of the previous MCU Spider-Man films. This time, we get a street level connection to the former Netflix Marvel TV shows, especially Daredevil and Daredevil: Born Again (and no despite our hopes Daredevil does not appear in the film), in the form of the Punisher. Both Holland and Bernthal have great chemistry together as their two characters oddly complement each other. Much of the banter and emotions they share are some of the best moments in the film and will bring a smile to your face.

All the actors were at the top of their game in the film. Tom Holland himself turns in his best performance as Peter/Spider-Man who is now more mature and downbeat but is still trying to find a way to connect in the world. The moments Holland has with Zendaya were so involving and feel so genuinely human, it probably helped that the two actors are married in real life! You can just empathize with Peter as he is anguished to know that MJ does not remember him or the love they once shared. It was very haunting and you can sense the distress coming off Peter in those moments.

Of course the film is not perfect. There are a lot of narratives going on which could have collapsed the film if not for Cretton’s steady hand and smart editing. Also, the storyline with the telepath sometimes takes away from the plight of Spider-Man and, without giving anything away, could be seen as just a way to set up other MCU projects, but it was very well done and engaging.

It’s hard to say where Spider-Man: Brand New Day would rank among the other Spider-Man films. It is arguably the best of the MCU Spider-Man films and rivals the early Sam Raimi films, though Spider-Man 2 is still the GOAT. Marvel Studios would be wise to retain Cretton for future Spider-Man films since he is a perfect fit for the superhero. Now on to Avengers: Doomsday!

José Soto

Jul 26 2026

The MCU Moves Ahead From Hall H

After skipping out of the San Diego Comic-Con last year, Marvel Studios made a welcome return to the convention yesterday to Hall H with tantalizing announcements that point the way forward for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The announcements were not on par with past announcements like Robert Downey, Jr. playing Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday or revealing a mammoth list of upcoming projects. But Marvel Studios did put on a good presentation for the public with exclusive footage from this week’s release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and this December’s Avengers: Doomsday, along with an impressive roster of actors from the latter film appearing on stage along with Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige and the directors of the new Avengers film, Joe and Anthony Russo.

What caught everyone’s interest was an appearance by Ryan Reynolds playing Deadpool who popped out of the audience and teased the cast as to why Thor was crying in a cryptic scene from Deadpool & Wolverine–a question that was leveled at Paul Rudd who plays Ant-Man. The question while playful had dark undertones with the implication that Ant-Man will die in Avengers: Doomsday. There was also the question that everyone had about whether or not Deadpool will appear in the Avengers film. So far, the answer appears to be no, but Reynolds did reveal in a recent interview that there are plans for a new Deadpool film.

The last announcement made by Feige after the Avengers: Doomsday presentation ended did not surprise anyone: a third Black Panther film coming in December 15, 2028, to be directed by Ryan Coogler. What blew the roof off the hall was that the announcement that Black Panther will be now played by David Jonnson. Genre fans will recognize him from his appearances in Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk. This was very welcome news given Johnson’s natural charisma and acting talent, and frankly he was the best part of those films. So him playing T’Challa’s grown up son who picks up the mantle of the Black Panther, plus Coogler’s revelation that Black Panther III will be filmed in large format film amped up interest in this film.

The most surprising revelation at Hall H was the announcement of a new Ghost Rider starring Ryan Gosling, to be directed by Shawn Levy and slated for release in 2028. Apparently Gosling and Levy’s collaboration in next year’s Star Wars: Starfighter went so well that they are teaming up again for the MCU. It was not revealed which version of Ghost Rider Gosling will play but expect him to play the original Johnny Blaze version. It’s interesting to note that the actor is married to Eva Mendes who appeared in the original Ghost Rider film in 2007 and it would be nifty if she appears in the reboot. Some have concerns that Levy who is known for more lightweight films will be directing a film that should be more horror based given the superhero’s horror roots. Regardless, nearly everyone is excited by the idea of Ryan Gosling playing Ghost Rider as many have fan casted throughout the years. As long as it turns out better than the original and it doesn’t end up being unfilmed like what happened with Blade. Hopefully Feige and Marvel Studios know better now and seems to have since at least a director has been locked in and not just the lead actor.

Regarding the MCU TV shows, no major announcements or trailers were released. The only thing mentioned by Feige was that VisionQuest will conclude the Wanda trilogy. Most likely the big announcements about MCU TV shows (and trailer releases) will be done at the D23 Expo on August 14.

It’s also worth mentioning that despite speculation there won’t be any secret MCU films planned for between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, the latter of which won’t be a two-part film. Another thing missing from the Marvel Studios presentation was any news about the new X-Men film. That could be due to the fact that there isn’t a full cast and the desire to keep Sadie Sink’s character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day a secret for a while longer (the popular theory is that she is playing Jean Grey, a founding member of the X-Men). Apparently, Marvel Studios is keeping its cards hidden in order to avoid the past embarrassment of announcing a bunch of projects that never get made–see Blade, Inhumans, Armor Wars; and this is for the best. Give the fans a few nuggets of information about definite projects when they are ready to be announced.

It’s easy to say that given the failure of several recent superhero films that superhero fatigue is upon us. However, given the excitement of upcoming superhero projects at this year’s Comic-Con that may not be the case.

Jul 12 2026

DCU: Fallout From Supergirl

The relatively new cinematic universe, DC Universe (DCU), got off to a solid start with last year’s release of Superman and two TV shows, Creature Commandos and the second season of Peacemaker. However, the DCU and DC Studios, which produces the DCU films and TV shows, have been rattled by the failure of the DCU sophomore film, Supergirl.

It was hoped by DC Studios that Supergirl’s popular cameo appearance in Superman would translate to a healthy and respectable box office performance with her solo film. No one expected it to earn $1 billion dollars but at least it should have earned $400 to $500 million and help cement the DCU. Unfortunately that was not how things turned out and based on BTS stories about how DC Studios struggled with the film’s poor reception during previews is not a surprise. As the film was being put together the film studio and its head James Gunn saw that Supergirl was not scoring well during previews and the film was hastily edited. This resulted in a movie that felt disjointed in its mood. Sometimes it felt like a gritty and somber Mad Max-style action piece. Other times it seemed as if it was trying to ape the atmosphere of a more light-hearted and goofy space adventure like Guardians of the Galaxy.

This doesn’t mean that Supergirl is a terrible film. It has its faults but overall it was a fine superhero film and certainly cannot be compared to those awful Sony films featuring Spider-Man villains or some of the worst of the former DC Extended Universe (DCEU). But in DC Studios’ situation, the film had to be more than fine, it had to stand out and resonate with audiences. Perhaps if they delayed the film to tinker with it some more in reshoots or editing and released it another time it would have fared better. It is maddening to think that Warner Bros. thought that releasing the film in late June sandwiched between the animated juggernauts of Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters was a good idea. They could have released the film in early May where it had no competition. It probably would have still received the same negative to mixed reviews but it might have earned much more than it will now. Traditionally, the early May schedule was reserved for films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), but this year, there were no MCU films scheduled with only The Devil Wears Prada 2 in the way.

Despite how much Monday-morning-quarterbacking can go on, Supergirl is in the rearview mirror. Where does the DCU go from here? Is it already doomed? Will James Gunn be removed? To answer the last two questions: no the DCU is not in trouble though it took a nasty black eye from Supergirl’s failure and it is too premature to deem the DCU dead or in trouble, and Gunn’s position is safe…for now. Certainly the next DCU film, Clayface, has to do very well, as well as the upcoming TV show, Lanterns. The success of one or both projects will stem all the negativity the film studio is getting until the big test coming with next year’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

Fortunately, the previews for Clayface and Lanterns have been received well, especially Clayface’s. What is helping Clayface is that it seems more like a horror film and will come out at a perfect time to take advantage of that perception. Plus, being perceived as a horror film helps distinguish Clayface from standard superhero/comic book films and this is something that DCU needs at the moment. Meanwhile, Lanterns is being marketed as more of a murder mystery which will annoy Green Lantern fans who expected a traditional space adventure, but the more grounded TV show could pull in viewers who are not traditional superhero fans.

Of course, none of that will matter if Superman: Man of Tomorrow does not perform well. Going for it is that like Superman, it is being directed by James Gunn and the reaction to what has been revealed about it has been positive. Given Gunn’s talent, it is unlikely that the film will get negative reception but it has to do at least as well as Superman and earn over $600 million to keep the DCU viable. Its success also will determine the future of the DCU and James Gunn’s position as head of DC Studios.

Gunn’s contract with Warner Bros. will end next spring and no one can say for certain if he will remain as the president of DC Studios. Many have speculated with Warner Bros. being taken over by Paramount Pictures that it will mean that there will be massive executive changes at Warner Bros. Paramount could take a hard look at how the DCU is performing and demand changes or else. Whether or not Gunn will go along with this is unknown, and it has to be considered that he will be wooed by other film studios, starting with Disney. Do not be surprised if news comes out next year after Superman: Man of Tomorrow is released that Gunn will leave DC Studios to work for Marvel Studios with the intent that he could take it over at some point in the future. If that happens what becomes of the DCU? Who will take over and what direction will it take? Obscure heroes like Booster Gold and the Authority will be disregarded for proven popular characters, that is certain. But do not expect a return of the old DCEU or its creator Zack Snyder despite what some fans wish for.

There are many unknowns but expect a hard shift to focus on Batman as the lynchpin of the new DCU. Given the supposed lack of progress in launching a new Batman for the DCU, Gunn could face pressure to just fold The Batman films into the DCU since the first film, was very successful. The only thing is that that grounded version of Batman will be nearly impossible to connect it to the more bright and goofy DCU that Gunn has created. Of course, all this could be moot if the next couple of films and TV shows succeeds.

It is unlikely that the DCU will be dissolved by Warner Bros. anytime soon. It just got started with only two films under its belt. The cinematic universe has not achieved the disastrous results of the DCEU and still has some good will towards it. Some adjustments will have to be made just as Marvel Studios did and continue to do with their MCU films and TV shows. For one, James Gunn will have to step away from actively directing films and concentrate on running DC Studios. Trying to do both is impossible since running a film studio and maintaining the quality of films is a full time position. He has to devote more time to ensuring that what comes out is above average and deserves to be made, otherwise you end up with another Supergirl. Another thing for Gunn to contemplate is that although he loves quirky obscure characters major DCU projects cannot be devoted to them. He should be paying his full attention to the most popular DC characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and so on. It’s fine to feature the quirky characters in films about popular characters like Superman did. Doing so would serve as a testbed for the quirky character and see if they are well received by fans, as what happened with Mr. Terrific, who is being considered for a TV show.

So, is it time to panic for DC Studios? Not yet, it’s early, Warner Bros. and the fans just have to be more patient and see how upcoming projects turn out. Yes, Supergirl is a failure but this experience was an opportunity for Gunn and the film studio to learn from the mistakes and make adjustments. Seeing what worked and what doesn’t will guarantee future success for the DCU going forward.