Negromancer's Marvel Studios Link-o-Rama 2026 - UPDATE #21

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

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NEWS:

AVENGERS - From Deadline:  Actor Noah Jupe ("Hamnet") has been cast in a secret role in Disney/Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Secret Wars" (2027).

SPIDER-MAN - From USAToday:  "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has become the eighth film to cross the 2 billion dollar mark in global box office (unadjusted for inflation).

AVENGERS - From THR:  At Disney's "D23 2026," Marvel unveiled new "Avengers: Doomsday" footage that emphasized Robert Downey Jr.'s "Doctor Doom."

X-MEN - From THR:  Marvel Studios has finally revealed the cast of its "X-Men" reboot (or at least some of it) at Disney's "D23 2026."  The movie will star Sadie Sink ("Jean Grey"), Kit Connor ("Cyclops"), Christopher Abbott ("Prof. X"), Samara Weaving ("Emma Frost"), Inde Navarrette ("Rogue"), and Maya Boyd ("Storm").  Adam Driver is also among the cast as the villain, "Mr. Sinister," with the film landing a release date of May 5, 2028.

From Deadline:  "Insiders" have told "Deadline's" Justin Kroll that Marvel Studios has found the Cyclops of its planned X-Men reboot.  He is Kit Connor.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline:  The final estimates for the 7/31 to 8/2/2026 weekend box office have rolled in, and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has grossed 360 million dollars.  This is now the all-time highest debut weekend in domestic box office history.  This surpasses the 357.1 million dollar debut of "Avengers: Endgame" (2019).

From Variety:  "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has a 355 million-dollar debut weekend at the domestic box office. That is the second largest of all-time behind the 357 million dollar debut of "Avengers: Endgame" back in 2019.  When the final numbers come out on Monday (Aug. 3rd), "Brand New Day" could hold the record.

From Variety:  So actress Sadie Sink is playing iconic X-Men character "Jean Grey" in the smash-hit, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."

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BLADE - From THR:  Two-time Oscar-winner, Mahershala Ali, confirms that he is not doing Marvel Studios-planned "Blade" movie.  He says that if Marvel really wanted to do the movie, it would have been done by now.

BLACK PANTHER - From ComicBookMovie:  By now, dear readers, you know that David Jonsson ("Alien: Romulus") is the new "Black Panther."  There is a rumor that Jonsson will make his debut as Black Panther in 2027's "Avengers: Secret Wars" before he begins his reign in December 2028's "Black Panther III."

DOOMSDAY - From Deadline:  Disney has dropped the first official trailer for its upcoming blockbuster, "Avengers: Doomsday," which is due in theaters December 18, 2026.

AVENGERS - From CBR:  In a CBR interview, Oscar-winner Robert Downey, Jr. talks about the pressure of returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and delivering on playing "Doctor Doom."

SPIDER-MAN - From ComicBookMovie:  See the new "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" trailer that hit YouTube today (Wed., June 17th).

From CBR:  The Russo Brothers (Joe and Anthony) officially confirms why Spider-Man's MCU origin is different from Spider-Man's traditional origin.

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X-MEN - From ComicBookMovie:  Rumors suggest that "Beef" Season Two (Netflix) star, Charles Melton, is being considered to play the "X-Men" character, "Hank McCoy/The Beast."

From MensHeath:  Lee Sung Jin, the creator Netflix's "Beef," gave "Men's Health" an interview about the series.  Lee is also working on Marvel Studio's planned "X-Men" movie and he talks about that film's focus on characters.

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ENDGAME  - From Variety:  The 2019 Marvel Studios blockbuster, "Avengers: Endgame" will get a September 25th, 2026 re-release that will include brand new footage that ties it into the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," which is due December 2026.

WONDER MAN - From THR:  The Disney+ Marvel Studios streaming series, "Wonder Man," will return for a second season.  Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will return as "Simon Williams/Wonder Man" and Sir Ben Kingsley will return as "Trevor Slattery."

SPIDER-MAN - From ComicBookMovie:  A trailer of some sorts for the upcoming Sony/Marvel Studios film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," may debut as soon as next week.

AVENGERS DOOMSDAY - From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#4) teaser trailer is now on YouTube.  This one features Shuri, M'Baku, Namor and others from the world of the "Black Panther" and also Ben Grimm of the "Fantastic Four."  "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#3) teaser trailer is now on YouTube.  This one features Professor X, Magneto, and Cyclops.  "Avengers: Doomsday" arrives December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" (#2) teaser trailer is now on YouTube. It focuses on the Avenger, "Thor."  The film arrives in theaters December 18, 2026.

From YouTube:  The first of four "Avengers: Doomsday" teaser trailers is now officially on YouTube. This one focuses on Steve Rogers/Captain America.

BLADE - From DarkHorizons:  Rumors abound that Marvel is no longer developing a solo feature film starring its vampire hunter, "Blade," who was supposed to be played by Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali. Rumors also say "Blade" will make his debut in a "Midnight Sons" feature film.

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AVENGERS - From CinemaBlend:  Rumors abound that Disney/Marvel will release four teaser trailers for "Avengers: Doomsday."  Each one will appear at the head of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" on a rotation of one week each.

From ComicBookMovies:  After joining "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," actress Sadie Sink will reportedly joining "Avengers: Secret Wars," according to various reports and rumors.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline:  Sources tell "Deadline" that actor Marvin Jones III has been tapped for the role of "Tombstone" in Sony/Marvel's 2026 film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."  He also performed the voice of Tombstone in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018) and will reprise the role in "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" (2027).  Jones is also known as the rapper, "Krondon," a member of the rap trio, "Strong Arm Steady."

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MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Review: Iron Man (2008)

Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Review: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Review: Thor (2011)

Review:  Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Review:  Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Review:  Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Review: Ant-Man (2015)

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Review:  Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Review:  Black Panther (2018)

Review:  Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Review:  Captain Marvel (2019)

Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Review:  Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Review: Black Widow (2021)

Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Review: Eternals (2021)

Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Review: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)

Review: The Marvels (2023)

Review: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Review: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Review: Thunderbolts* (2025)

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Click here for the 2025 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2024 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2023 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2022 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2021 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2020 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 23rd to 31st, 2026 - UPDATE #14

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Jason Momoa, Tenoch Huerta, Adria Arjona, and Kiefer Sutherland join star Miles Teller in Black Label Media's thriller, "Copperhead."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/28 to 8/30/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 22.2 million dollars.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Anne Hathaway is joining Tom Cruise for "Days of Thunder 2," the sequel to the 1990 film, "Days of Thunder."  The film is currently set for a Summer 2028 release.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney+ has greenlighted "Pokémon Tales: The Misadventures of Sirfetch’d & Pichu."  It is a new stop-motion series that is part of a new global distribution deal between The Pokémon Company International and Disney.  The new series is created by the animation studio, Aardman Animations ("Wallace & Gromit"), and will debut on Disney XD and stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2027.

MOVIES - From Variety:  Ridley Scott's new film, "The Dog Stars," is out this week. One of his next projects may be a third film in his "Alien" prequel series, which began with "Prometheus" (2012) and continued with "Alien: Covenant" (2017).

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Actor Dan Stevens has been picked to headline Amazon MGM Studios' Prime Video series, "Robocop," based on the 1987 film, "Robocop."

MOVIES - From THR:  Warner Bros. is developing a live-action film based on the classic Hanna-Barbera animation franchise, "The Flintstones."  Ryan Gosling is a producer on the project.  Universal Pictures released a live-action film, "The Flintstones," in 1994 and its sequel, "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000).

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/21 to 8/23/2926 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 39 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Woody Allen will begin shooting his next film in Madrid on October 5, 2026.  The financing deal dictates that the name "Madrid" must be in the title.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film and television actor, Samuel Monroe, Jr., has died at the age of 52, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, after battle meningitis and pneumonia.  Monroe was best known for his roles in such films as "Menace II Society"(1992), "Tales from the Hood" (1995), and "Set It Off" (1996). He appeared in such TV series, "Out All Night," "NYPD Blue," and "Black Jesus."

From THR:  Canadian voice actor, Peter Cullen, has died at the age of 85, Wednesday, August 26, 2026.  Cullen's six decade career saw him provide voice performances film film, television, and video games.  However, Cullen was best known for providing the voice for the "Tranformers" character, "Optimus Prime," across "Transformers" media, beginning with "The Transformers" 1984-87 animated syndicated television series.  Cullen would also voice Optimus Prime in 1986's "The Transformers: The Movie" and Paramount's eight-film series, that began with 2007's "Transformers," to name a few.  In 2023, Cullen received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the "Children's and Family Emmy Awards."

From Variety:  The English stage, film, and television actor and singer, Tim Curry, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026.  Curry is best known for the role of "Dr Frank N Furter" in the 1973 West End musical, "The Rocky Horror Show," and in the 1975 film adaptation, which became a cult and midnight movie sensation.  Curry's other notable film roles including "Legend," Clue," "Oscar," Home Alone 2: Lost in New York," and "Congo," to name a few.  Curry appeared in numerous TV series, miniseries, and movies, including "Wiseguys," "It," "Roseanne," and "Will & Grace," to name a few.  Curry won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1991.

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From RollingStone:  American singer-songwriter, recording artist, and actress, Dolly Parton, has died at the age of 80, Tuesday, August 25, 2026.  Called the "Queen of Country," Parton released almost 70 albums, including solo works; duets with her former partner, Porter Wagoner; collaborations; live albums; and soundtracks.  She wrote over 3000 songs, including the 1973 song, "I Will Always Love You," which became a massive hit for the late Whitney Houston in 1992.  Other hit songs included "Coat of Many Colors" (1971), "Jolene" (1973), "9 to 5" (1980).  She had 25 #1 singles on "Billboard Magazine's" country music chart.

As an actress, Dolly appeared in multiple films, including "9 to 5" (1980), "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982), "Steal Magnolias" (1989), and "Joyful Noise" (2012), to name a few.  She made guest appearances on such television series as Disney's "Hannah Montana," "Reba" and "Grace & Frankie," in addition to twice having her own variety show "Dolly!" (1976-77) and "Dolly" (1987-88).

Dolly Parton was nominated 50 times at the Grammy Awards, winning 10 competitive awards and the 2011 "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award."  She was twice nominated for the "Best Original Song" Oscar, and she received the Academy's "Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award."  Parton was nominated four times at the "Primetime Emmy Awards," sharing a win in 2021 in the category of "Outstanding Television Movie" for Netflix's "Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square."

Parton was also an author, businesswoman, and philanthropist.  Among her ventures was the theme park, "Dollywood."

From YahooEntertainment:  Dolly Parton has died at the age of 80, and tributes pour in from around the world.

From Billboard:  According to "Billboard Magazine," Dolly Parton had a brief battle with cancer before she died.

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From Deadline:  American actress and singer, Shelly Fabares, has died at the age of 82, Saturday, August 22, 2026.  She was best known for the role of "Christine Armstrong" on ABC's former sports sitcom, "Coach" (1989-97).  However, Fabares was also a child actor of the former ABC domestic sitcom, "The Donna Reed Show" (1958-66), playing the daughter, "Mary Stone."  Fabares was Elvis Presley's leading lady in the 1965 film, "Girl Happy."  She also appeared in two more of Presley's films, "Spinout" (1966) and "Clambake" (1967).  She also had a "Billboard Hot 100" #1 hit with the single, "Johnny Angel" (February 1962).  Fabares received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her work on "Coach."  Fabares had been married to actor Mike Farrell, best known for his role on the former CBS sitcom, "M*A*S*H," since 1984.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 16th to 22nd, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel:  Netflix will give director Peter Berg's “The Mosquito Bowl,” a U.S. theatrical release on October 30, 2026 before moving it streaming on November 25th.  The film tells the story of four of America’s most celebrated college football players who put their athletic careers on hold to enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. They take part in a legendary football game featuring some of the greatest players in college football history, which would turn out to be the last football game for many of them.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  ABC filed an unprecedented "First Amendment" lawsuit against the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) on Tuesday, August 18, 2026.  ABC claims that the FCC's investigations and regulatory actions against the network are part of a Trump administration's “retaliatory campaign” to curb ABC’s free speech.

From Deadline:  "Deadline" has posted a copy of ABC's lawsuit for your reading pleasure

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BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/14 to 8/16/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 70 million dollars.

From WorldofReel:  “The Odyssey” hit the $1.34 billion milestone today, making it the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time. It has now surpassed 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which finished with $1.33 billion worldwide.

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DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney+ is not moving forward with its live-action "Power Rangers" series. The project was written and executive produced by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Dan Shotz, who are the executive producers and showrunners of the Disney+ series, "Percy Jackson and the Olympians."  According to "Deadline," the reason for the cancellation of this project was budgetary.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  The American film and television actor, Michael Wright, has died at the age of 70, Wednesday, August 19, 2026.  His best known role was that of "Eddie King Jr" in "The 5 Heartbeats" (1991).  His other well-known roles include such films as Robert Altman's "Streamers" (1983), "The Principal" (1987), and "Sugar Hill" (1994)  Wright appeared in such TV series as NBC's former sci-fi franchise "V," HBO's former prison drama, "Oz," and The CW's former superhero drama, "Back Lightining"

From Variety:  American actress and singer, Hayden Panettiere, has died at the age of 36, Sunday, August 16, 2026.  Panettiere's best known roles were as Clair Benneton the former NBC superhero television series, "Heroes" (2006-10) and as Juliette Barnes on the former ABC/CMT musical drama series, "Nashville" (2012-18).  Panetteire's best known film roles were as "Kirby Reed" in the "Scream" horror film franchise and as "Dot" in Disney/Pixar's "A Bug's Life" (1998).  She earned a "Grammy Award" nomination for her work on the spoken word album, "A Bug's Life Read-Along."

From Deadline:  Hayden Panettiere: a career and life in photos from "Deadline"

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From ESPN:  Former American professional baseball player and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, Tommy John, has died at the age of 83, Saturday, August 15, 2026.  John played in the MLB for 26 seasons for six teams, including playing for the Yankees for eight seasons over two stints with the team.  John was a four-time "MLB All-Star."  John pitched in three World Series contested between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees:  1977 and 1978 playing for the Dodgers and 1981 for the Yankees.  John was on the losing end of all three of those World Series.  He has the second most wins (288) of any pitcher since 1900 who is not in the "National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum."  John is also known for the "ligament replacement surgery" that bears his name, the "Tommy John surgery."

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Disney Debuts a "Special Look" Video at "AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY"

The stars of Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday took the stage at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on Friday, August 14, 2026 to reveal a special look at the upcoming film, teasing the impending showdown between Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) and a multiverse worth of heroes.

The film is due in theaters December 18, 2026. To the left is the new teaser poster.  Below is the "Special Look" video:

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 9th to 15th, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

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NEWS:

ANIME - From WorldofReel:  85-year-old Oscar-winner and Japanese animation legend, Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron), is still working at Studio Ghibli.  But what is Hayao's next project?

DISNEY/ANIMATION - From WorldofReel:  The sequel to "The Simpsons Movie" (2007) will arrive in 2027 and will be titled "The New Simpsons Movie."

SPORTS - From ESPN:  Former Disney CEO, Bob Iger, and Josh Kushner (the brother of Trump son-in-law, Jared Kushner) are buying Mark Walter's ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 12.5 billion dollars.  Walter bought the majority share of the Lakers for 10.5 billion dollars in October 2025.

From SilverScreenandRoll:  Apparently, Bob Iger will be more actively involved with the Lakers than his partner, Josh Kushner.

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MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Director Aaron Sorkin is performing reshoots on "The Social Reckoning," the follow-up to his Oscar-winning, "The Social Network" (2011). So it won't make its debut as the 2026 Venice Film Festival.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 8/7 to 8/9/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures/Marvel Studios "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 145 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Warner Bros is denying reports that the sequel to its hit 2023, musical-fantasy film, "Wonka," which starred Timothee Chalamet, has been "delayed indefinitely." "Wonka" earned over 600 million dollars at the global box office.

OBITS:

From DreadCentral:  American actor and musician and Vietnam War veteran, Reggie Bannister, has died at the age of 80, Sunday, August 9, 2026.  Bannister is best known for starring in director Don Coscarelli's 1979 horror film, "Phantasm," and its four sequels.  In addition to the "Phantasm" series, Bannister and Cscarelli also collaborated on such films as "Jim the World's Greatest" (1976), "Survival Quest" (1989), and "Bubba Ho-tep" (2002). 

From CountryRebel:  American politician, U.S. congressman, essayist, playwright, and film, stage, and television actor, Ben Jones, has died at the age of 84, Sunday, August 9, 2026.  Jones was best known for the role of mechanic "Cooter Davenport," on the former CBS action-comedy series, "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1979-85).  In addition, Jones appeared in over 100 theatrical productions and in such films as "The Bingo Long Travelling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976), "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), and "Primay Colors" (1998).  Jones was also a two-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Georgia's Fourth Congressional District.

From Deadline:  British songwriter, musician, music producer, and recording artist, William Orbit, has died at the age of 69, Thursday, July 23, 2026.  Orbit is best known for work in ambiant, electronica, house, and techno music.  He collaborated with Madonna on her 1998 album, "Ray of Light," which earned him two Grammy Awards wins out of four nominations.  

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 8th, 2026 - UPDATE #9

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

NETFLIX - From WorldofReel:  Although he isn't getting the level of reshoots he wants, Netflix will allow director David Fincher some reshoots for "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," the sequel to director Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).  Brad Pitt, who won a "Best Supporting Actor" Oscar for playing Booth, is reprising the role for Fincher's film.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Joel Coen wrapped up production of his upcoming film, "Jack of Spades" in November 2025. The film, which is a "gothic mystery" is set in Scotland of the 1880s, has been moved to a 2027 release.

BOX OFFFICE - From THR:  "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has scored the biggest first week in domestic box office history with a total of crossing the 500-milllion dollar mark in seven days.  2019's Avengers: Endgame crossed that mark after eight days.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Numan Acar ("Young Sherlock) has signed to join on the next installment of Universal Pictures' "The Mummy" film franchise.  Franchise veterans, Kevin J. O'Connor and Oded Fehr, has also signed on for the next film.

AMAZON - From Deadline:  Jaafar Jackson is hot off playing his late uncle, "King of Pop" Michael Jackson is the one billion dollar-plus hit, "Michael" (Lionsgate). Now, Jafar takes his next big step with Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb in Amazon MGM Studios' action-thriller, "Supermax."

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/31 to 8/2/2026 weekend box office is Sony Pictures' "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" with an estimated take of 355 million dollars.

From Variety:  "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" and "The Odyssey" power the weekend of 7/31 to 8/2/2026 into being the biggest weekend in domestic box office history.  Across all movies, the record setting gross is 430 million dollars.  This surpasses the 2019 weekend that the debut of "Avengers: Endgame" led. 

MOVIES - From GQ:  In an interview about writer-director Bassam Tariq's upcoming film, "Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother," the film's star, Mahershala Ali, talks about why he is no longer involved with Marvel Studios' "Blade" film.  Tariq was also once attached to the film.  Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother is due Sept, 25, 2026.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film and television actor and U.S. Navy veteran, Vincent Pastore, has died at the age of 80, July 2026.  Pastore was often cast as Italian mobster characters.  He is best known for playing "Salvatore 'Big Pussy' Bonpensiero" on the former HBO mob drama, "The Sopranos" (1999-2007).  He made notable appearances in the TV film, "Gotti" (HBO), the romantic comedy film, "Mickey Blue Eyes" (1999), and DreamWorks Animation's "Shark Tale" (2004).

From Deadline:  American producer and studio executive, Richard L. O'Connor, has died at the age of 96, Wednesday, July 22, 2026.  O'Connor was an "executive in charge of production" for such films as "On Golden Pond" (1981), "The Legend of the Lone Ranger" (1981), and "The Muppet Movie" (1979); and on such television movies as "The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd" (1980) and "Friendly Fire" (1979).  He was a producer on a number of TV movies and series, including "Fatal Vision" (1984), "Amerika" (1987), and "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman," (1993).  O'Connor was a three-time Primetime Emmy Award nominee, and winning in 1990 the Primetime Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" for "A Mother's Courage: The Mary Thomas Story" (1989).

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Marvel Releases First Official Trailer for "AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY"

Marvel Entertainment has just released the first official trailer (July 20th) for AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY.  The film is set for release December 18, 2026.

From Marvel.com:

Avengers: Doomsday follows beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.

Producers:  Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Jonathan Schwartz

Directors:  Joe Russo and Anthony Russo

Cast:  Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, Tenoch Huerta Mejia

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Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama 2025 - UPDATE #27

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: Looking for a delicious treat? Try AnotherCookie.

NEWS:

AVENGERS DOOMSDAY - From YouTube:  The latest "Avengers: Doomsday" teaser trailer is now on YouTube. It focuses on the Avenger, "Thor."

From YouTube:  The first of four "Avengers: Doomsday" teaser trailers is now officially on YouTube. This one focuses on Steve Rogers/Captain America.

AVENGERS - From CinemaBlend:  Rumors abound that Disney/Marvel will release four teaser trailers for "Avengers: Doomsday."  Each one will appear at the head of "Avatar: Fire and Ash" on a rotation of one week each.

From ComicBookMovies:  After joining "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," actress Sadie Sink will reportedly joining "Avengers: Secret Wars," according to various reports and rumors.

SPIDER-MAN - From Deadline:  Sources tell "Deadline" that actor Marvin Jones III has been tapped for the role of "Tombstone" in Sony/Marvel's 2026 film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."  He also performed the voice of Tombstone in "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" (2018) and will reprise the role in "Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse" (2027).  Jones is also known as the rapper, "Krondon," a member of the rap trio, "Strong Arm Steady."

FANTASTIC FOUR - From IGN:  The website lists all the "Easter eggs" the staff caught in "The Fantastic Four" First Steps."

From Variety:  Oscar-nominated actor, John Malkovich, plays the "Red Ghost" in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."  According to the film's director, Matt Shakman, Malkovich's part in the film has been edited out.

SPIDER-MAN - From THR:  Jon Bernthal will reportedly reprise his role as Frank Castle/The Punisher in the fourth Tom Holland Spider-Man film, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."

X-MEN - From Variety:  In an article about a fourth Marvel Studios release for 2028 (specifically December 15th), comes some kind of official confirmation that "Thunderbolts*" director Jake Schreier will helm Marvel's "X-Men" reboot movie.

FANTASTIC FOUR - From Fox8:  Pop Tarts is joining Marvel Studios to promote the latter's upcoming film, "Fantastic Four: First Steps," and in doing so, Pop Tarts is bring back "Frosted Blue Raspberry" after a six-year hiatus.

AVENGERS - From Variety:  Disney has announced that "Avengers: Doomsday" is moving from May 2026 to December 2026. Consequently, "Avengers: Secret Wars" is moving from May 2027 to December 2027.  As of now, after "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" debuts this July, there won't be another Marvel Cinematic Universe film until July 2026's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."

DAREDEVIL - From Variety:  Actress Krysten Ritter, who played the character "Jessica Jones" in several Netflix/Marvel Television series, will return as the character for Season 2 for the Disney+/Marvel Studios series, "Daredevil: Born Again."

THUNDERBOLTS* - From Here:  Leroy Douresseaux reviews "Thunderbolts*"

From Variety:  Marvel Studios' "Thunderbolts*" tops the 5/2 to 5/4/2025 weekend box office with an estimated total of 76 million dollars domestically and 86.1 million dollars internationally for a global total of 162.1 million dollars.

FANTASTIC FOUR - From Marvel:  Marvel Studios has released the first full trailer for "Fantastic Four: First Steps," which is due in theaters, July 25, 2025.

AVENGERS - From Variety:  Halle Berry says fans should not expect to see her name among the actors appearing in "Avengers: Doomsday."

SPIDER-MAN - From THR:  "Spider-Man 4" is untitled no longer.  The fourth "Spider-Man" film starring Tom Holland has a title, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."  It is set to hit theaters July 31, 2026 and will be directed by Destin Daniel Cretton ("Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings").

IRON FIST - From Variety:  At a recent anime convention, actor Finn Jones, let the world know that he wants a second chance to play the Marvel Comics' character, Danny Rand/Iron Fist, although the character has come under heavy criticism in recent times.  Finn played Iron Fist in two seasons of the Netflix/Marvel series, "Iron Fist" (2017, 2018) and in the Netflix miniseries, "The Defenders" (2017), and one episode of Netflix's "Luke Cage" Season 2. 

BLADE - From WorldofReel:  According to a well-placed source, Marvel Studios has cancelled its plans for a "Blade" movie.  Apparently, Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali will appear as Blade in a supporting or costarring role in other planned Marvel films.

AVENGERS - From THR:  In a four-hour long livestream, Marvel Studios' revealed the cast of "Avengers: Doomsday," although the names revealed are reportedly not the only stars who will appear in the film.

From ComicBookMovie:  The site has the full cast list of the 27 actors set to star in Marvel's 2026 Avengers event movie, "Avengers: Doomsday."

THUNDERBOLTS - EmpireOnline:  The website, "Empire Online" previews "Empire" magazine's "May 2025" issue, which goes in depth on Marvel Studios' next film, "Thunderbolts" (May 2nd).  The film's director, Jake Schreier, sits "Toy Story 3" as an influence.

DOOMSDAY - From Variety:  Brothers Joe and Anthony Russo, the directors of "Avengers: Doomsday," had some news about Oscar-winning actor Robert Downey Jr.'s intense preparation for the film.  They said that Downey, who is playing Doctor Doom, is already writing backstory for the character and is coming up with costume ideas. Downey previously played Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

BLACK PANTHER - From Variety:  Angela Bassett says that she was deserving of winning the "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar for her performance in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Although she was nominated, she lost to Jamie Lee Curtis.

CAPTAIN AMERICA - From Variety:  "Captain America: Brave New World" tops the 2/14 to 2/16/2025 weekend box office with an estimated total of 88.5 million dollars. The film is estimated to gross 100 million dollars over the four-day Presidents Day weekend (2/14 to 2/17/2025).

THE FANTASTIC FOUR - From Deadline:  Disney/Marvel Studios has released the first teaser trailer (Feb. 4th) for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."  There's a glimpse of Galactus, and "H.E.R.B.I.E." the robot is featured.  The film is due in theaters July 25th, 2025.

AVENGERS: - From Variety:  In a candid interview, Benedict Cumberbatch says that he will not appear as "Doctor Strange" in Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Doomsday" (2026), but that he will be all over "Avengers: Secret Wars" (2027).  He also says that there will be a third stand-alone Doctor Strange film.

SPIDER-MAN 4 - From Deadline:  Anderw Garfield, "Spider-Man" in "The Amazing Spider-Man" and in "Spider-Man: No Way Home," denies that he has been cast in Sony/Marvel's "Spider-Man 4."

THUNDERBOLTS - From EW:  "Entertainment Weekly" has an exclusive preview of Marvel Studios' "Thunderbolts," including new images from the film.  Also, in the article, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus says that all the schemes of her character, Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, will be revealed.

GOLDEN GLOBES - From CBR:  Kathryn Hahn has been nominated for her role of "Agatha Harkness" in the Disney+ series, "Agatha All Along."  Hahn received a nomiation in the category of "Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy" at the 2025 / 82nd Annual Golden Globes.  Hahn is the fourth actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to received a Golden Globe nomination following Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen in the Disney+ miniseries, "WandaVision," and Angela Bassett in the 2022 film, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."  Hahn's nomination that "Agatha All Along" received.

-----------------------------------------

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE (MCU):

Review: Iron Man (2008)

Review: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Review: Iron Man 2 (2010)

Review: Thor (2011)

Review:  Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Review:  Marvel's The Avengers (2012)

Review: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Review: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Review: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Review:  Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Review: Ant-Man (2015)

Review: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Review: Doctor Strange (2016)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Review:  Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Review: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Review:  Black Panther (2018)

Review:  Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Review:  Captain Marvel (2019)

Review: Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Review:  Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

Review: Black Widow (2021)

Review: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Review: Eternals (2021)

Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Review: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Review: Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Review: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

Review: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

Review: Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 (2023)

Review: The Marvels (2023)

Review: Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Review: Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Review: Thunderbolts* (2025)

---------------

Click here for the 2024 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2023 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2022 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama"

Click here for the 2021 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2020 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2019 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

Click here for the 2018 edition of "Marvel Studios Negromancer Link-o-Rama."

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from August 1st to 9th, 2025 - UPDATE #6

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

WRITERS - From Variety:   The Writers Guild of America announced Friday, Aug. 8th that it has expelled two members, Park Chan-wook and Don McKellar, for writing on their HBO miniseries “The Sympathizer” during the 2023 strike.  The seven-episode series, which starred Hoa Xuande and Robert Downey, Jr. aired in 2024.  According to the guild, Park and McKellar did not appeal their expulsions. 

CELEBRITY - From USAToday:  Actor Dean Cain, who played Clark Kent/Superman in the former ABC drama, "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," says that he has joined U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

BUSINESS - From Deadline:  Skydance Media announced the future executive team for its pending merger with Paramount Global, which will close Aug. 7. Skydance Media will apparently also restructe the company into three primary business segments: 1. Studios; 2. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC); and 3. TV Media.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner at the 8/1 to 8/3/2025 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps with an estimated total of 40 million dollars.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Aaron Sorkin is eyeing Oscar-winner Mikey Madison (“Anora”) and Emmy-winner Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear”) as his top choices to lead "The Social Network II," the sequel to his Oscar-winning hit, “The Social Network.”

OBITS:

From Variety:  American actress, Loni Anderson, has died at the age of 79, Sunday, August 3, 2025.  Anderson was best known for her work in television, especially the former CBS sitcom, "WKRP in Cincinnati (1978-81), playing the smart and resourceful secretary, "Jennifer Marlowe."  Her performance in the series earned her two Primetime Emmy Award nominations in the category of "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Variety or Music Series."  Anderson also appeared in such TV movies as "The Jayne Mansfield Story" (1980), "Sorry, Wrong Number" (1989), and "White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd (1991).  Anderson also starred in the short-lived NBC crime drama, "Partners in Crime" (1984-85) with Lynda Carter of "Wonder Woman" fame.

From Deadline:  American film and television actor, Alfie Wise, has died at the age of 82, Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Wise is known for his friendship and profession collaborations with late movie star, Burt Reynolds, beginning with the 1974 film, "The Longest Yard."  This would continue in such films as "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977), "Hooper" (1978), and "Cannonball Run" (1981), to name a few.  Wise also-starred with Reynolds in the short-lived ABC detective drama, "B.L. Stryker" )1989-90).  Wise also starred in series without Reynolds.  This includes the former ABC medical drama, "Trauma Center" (1983), and in various TV series starring the British pop group, "S Club 7," over a period covering 1999 to 2002.

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 27th to 31st, 2025 - UPDATE #7

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Oscar-nominee and Emmy-winner, Jeremy Strong, is in consideration to play Meta CEO and Facebook co-founder, Mark Zuckerberg, in "The Social Network II," Aaron Sorkin's sequel to his Oscar-winning hit film, "The Social Network."

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Rosalind Eleazar has landed the lead role of "Misty Green" in Chris Rock‘s first feature for A24, a currently untitled project that Rock is starring in and directing from his own script.  Others aboard to star include Adam Driver, Daniel Kaluuya, and Anna Kendrick.

MOVIES - From CBSNews:  "CBS Sunday Morning" had a report that The Wizard of Oz has received a high-tech transformation at Sphere Las Vegas, using cutting-edge AI to enhance the original film in stunning 16K detail.  

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner at the 7/25 to 7/27/2025 weekend box office is Disney/Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" with an estimated total of 118 million dollars.

From Deadline:  Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" debuts with 218 million dollars at the global box office, which includes 100 million dollars in international sales.

ANIMATION - From Deadline:  The live-action/animation hybrid film, "Coyote vs. Acme," is currently scheduled to get a global release August 28, 2026.  The film was abandoned by Warner Bros Pictures, but saved by Ketchup Entertainment.

OBITS:

From Deadline:  American film editor, Don Zimmerman, has died at the age of 81, Thursday, July 24, 2025.  Zimmerman edited six films by director Hal Ashby, including "Coming Home," for which he received a "Best Film Editing" Oscar nomination. The prolific Zimmerman also edited such films as "Rocky III" (1982), "Staying Alive" (1983), "Rocky IV" (1985), "The Prince of Tides" (1991), "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994), and "Night at the Museum" (2006), to name a few.

From Deadline:  American film and television editor, Chris Willingham, has died at the age of 74, June 28, 2025.  Willingham received 5 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for editing the former Fox TV action-drama, "24," and won three of them.  He edited many TV series, with "The A-Team," "Millenium," "24," and "Grimm" being the ones in which he edited the most episodes.  He also edited the films, "Final Destination 3" and "Black Christmas" (2006).

Review: "THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS" Focuses on Family

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 32 of 2025 (No. 2038) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Running time:  115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)

Rating:  MPA – PG-13 for action/violence and some language

DIRECTOR:  Matt Shakman

WRITERS:  Josh Friedman, Eric Person, and Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer; from a story by Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan & Ian Springer, and Kat Wood (based on the Marvel Comics by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby)

PRODUCER:  Kevin Feige

CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Jess Hall (D.o.P.)

EDITORS:  Nona Khodai and Tim Roche

COMPOSER:  Michael Giacchino

SUPERHERO/SCI-FI/ACTION and FANTASY/DRAMA

Starring:  Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, Ralph Ineson, Julia Garner, Natasha Lyonne, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, Mark Gatiss, and Matthew Wood (voice)

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

-- I found the lead characters, “The Fantastic Four” to be a bit too mild-mannered, and things do seem to come too easily for them. However, this quartet is quite lovable and adorable, and when he comes along, the baby starts to steal the show.

-- “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” has two great villains in Galactus and the Silver Surfer, with the Surfer dominating most scenes in which she appears. In fact, the action scenes are hyper-intense and breathtaking. I was riveted to the screen while watching them.

-- Overall, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” is by far the best “Fantastic Four” movie to date, and I put it ahead of the recent “Superman” and “Thunderbolts*”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a 2025 American superhero movie and science fiction film from director Matt Shakman and Marvel Studios.  The film is based on Marvel Comics' Fantastic Four, which was created by artist Jack Kirby and writer Stan Lee and first appeared in the comic book, The Fantastic Four #1 (cover dated: November 1961).  It is also the 37th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the second reboot of the Fantastic Four film franchise.  In First Steps, the Fantastic Four is forced to balance their family life and their superhero life as never before when a god-like space being and his enigmatic herald arrive and mark Earth for destruction.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens on Earth-828  in the year 1960.  It introduces “The Fantastic Four,” a quartet of astronauts turned superheroes.  First is the highly intelligent scientist, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who as “Mr. Fantastic” can stretch any part of his body to great lengths.  Next is Reed's wife, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), the founder of the “Future Foundation,” a global demilitarization and world peace organization.  As the “Invisible Woman” Sue can generate force fields and turn invisible.  Then, there is the brilliant pilot, former astronaut, and Reed's best friend, Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), a.k.a. “The Thing,” whose skin has been transformed into a layer of orange rock, which grants him super-human strength and durability.  Finally, there is Sue's younger brother, Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who as the “Human Torch,” can engulf his body in flames, control fire, and fly.

The world honors The Fantastic Four for what they have given humanity, so when Reed and Sue reveal that they are expecting a child, the world celebrates and prepares for the new arrival, while also wondering if the child will also have super-powers.  However, the celebrating is short-lived.  A metallic-skinned, seemingly-female alien arrives from space, riding a surfboard.  This “Silver Surfer” (Julia Garner) is the herald of Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a planet-devouring cosmic being, and he is coming to devour Earth.  Now, the members of The Fantastic Four face their toughest test ever, and the price they must pay to save the Earth may be too high for even them to pay.

I actually enjoyed Tim Story's two Fantastic Four films the aughts, Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007).  Director Josh Trank's 2015 reboot of the franchise, Fantastic Four, had a lot of good ideas, but alleged studio interference turned the film into a wreck.  The Fantastic Four: First Steps is not at all a wreck.  Its intense action sequences had me gripping the armrests of my seat at the local movie theater.  The villains are great.  Galactus is awesome and even scarier than the gargantuan “Celestials” of Marvel Studios' 2021 epic, Eternals; he seemed unbeatable.  Julia Garner's Silver Surfer is 10 times the herald the one in Rise of the Silver Surfer is.  This Silver Surfer, whose original name was “Shalla Bal,” is like a velociraptor on a surfboard.  She chases our heroes with the unrelenting hellish fury of the “Headless Horseman” that chases Ichabod Crane in “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” segment of Disney's The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949).

On the other hand, the heroes of The Fantastic Four: First Steps come across as too mild-mannered.  They are so accomplished that everything seems to come too easy for them.  Even when they are angry with one another, that anger lacks passion.  In fact, I'd call the cast and characters dispassionate.  It is as if the film's director, Matt Shakman, who does an excellent job overall, wants his leads to be inoffensive.  I like the casting of the leads, but they need to breath a little more fire.

In the end, I like that Disney and Marvel Studios finally take the opportunity to honor the late Jack Kirby (1917-1994), the comic book writer-artist who created the Fantastic Four with the late Stan Lee (1922-2018).  There are several nods to Kirby, and this is long overdue.  That makes me love First Steps even more.  It is almost a great film, and its special effects and inventive and imaginative retro-futuristic elements endlessly fascinate me.  The Fantastic Four: First Steps is hugely entertaining, and these are the right first steps to bring the Fantastic Four into the cinematic prominence they deserve.

8 of 10

A

★★★★ out of 4 stars

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

The text is copyright © 2025 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Negromancer News Bits and Bites from July 20th to 26th, 2025 - UPDATE #11

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

You can support Leroy via Paypal or on Patreon:

Amazon wants me to inform/remind you that any affiliate links found on this page are PAID ADS, but I technically only get paid (eventually) if you click on affiliate links like this, MOVIES PAGE, and BUY something(s).

TREATS: From AnotherCookie?:  There is a new online cookie retailer, "AnotherCookie?" The cookies are delicious.

-------------------

NEWS:

SCANDAL - From WorldofReel:  27-year-old actor, Michael Ward, is a rising star, having appeared in such films as "Old Guard" (2020), "Empire of Light" (2022), and "Eddington" (2025), to name a few.  Now, the Jamaican-born, British actor has been arrested by the London Metropolitan Police and charged with two counts of rape, two counts of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:  Disney/Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" grosses an estimated 24+ million dollars in Thursday preview shows.

MOVIES - From WorldofReel:  Margot Robbie will star in and produce director Tim Burton's remake of the 1958 film, "Attack of the 50 Foot Woman."

STREAMING/ANIMATION - From Variety:  As part of the 1.5 billion dollar deal that Trey Parker and Matt Stone signed with Paramount+, they will produce 50 new episodes of "South Park," the long-running animated series they created.  All episodes of the series will stream on Paramount+

From YahooLATimes:  "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have reached a deal with Paramount+ that will brings the long-running animated series to the U.S. version of the streaming service for the first time.  The five-year deal is worth 1.5 billion dollars in total.

BOX OFFICE - From BoxOfficePro:  The winner of the 7/18 to 7/20/2025 weekend box office is Warner Bros/DC Studios' Superman with an estimated take of 57.25 million dollars.

STREAMING - From Deadline:    Peacock is filling out the cast of its "Friday the 13th" prequel series, "Crystal Lake," from A24.  Young actor Callum Vinson ("Chucky") will play future killer, Jason Voorhees. Brad Caleb Kane serves as creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer of the series.

OBITS:

From Variety:  American professional wrestler, film and television actor, and media personality, Hulk Hogan, has died at the age of 71, Thursday, July 24, 2025.  Born Terry Gene Bollea, Hogan was best known for his professional wrestling career, which ran from 1977 to 2012, and for his flamboyant personality and massive physique, as well as his blond horseshoe mustache and bandanas.  As an actor, he appeared in such films as "Rocky III" (1982) and "No Holds Barred" (1989) and in such TV series as "The A-Team," "Walker, Texas Ranger," and in his own reality series, "Hogan Knows Best" (2005-07), for the cable network VH1.

From Deadline:  English singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and media personality, Ozzy Osbourne, has died at the age of 76, Tuesday, July 22, 2025.  Osbourne was best known as a pioneer in the "heavy metal" genre of rock music, first as a founding member of the seminal rock band, "Black Sabbath," in 1968.  In 1980, Osbourne released "Blizzard of Ozz," the first of 13 solo albums.  He was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2006 as a member of Black Sabbath and in 2024 as a solo artist.  Osbourne received 12 Grammy Awards nominations and won five of them, and he received the Grammy "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2019.  Osbourne also achieved even more fame and notoriety when he and his wife, Sharon, and their daughter, Kelly, and their son, Jack, became stars of the MTV reality television series, "The Osbournes," which originally aired from 2002 to 2005.

-------------------------

From Variety:  The film and television actor and recording artist, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, has died at the age of 54, Sunday, July 20, 2025 of an accidental drowning while swimming in Costa Rica.  Warner was best known for the role of "Theodore 'Theo' Huxtable" on NBC's former sitcom, "The Cosby Show" (1984-92). He received a 1986 Primetime Emmy nomination for the role.  He co-starred with Eddie Griffin in the former UPN sitcom, "Malcolm & Eddie" (1996-2000). He co-starred with "Seinfeld's" Jason Alexander in the short-lived CBS sitcom, "Listen Up" (2004-05).  Warner was part of the main cast of the former Fox medical drama "The Resident" (2018-23).  In 2015, Warner received the Grammy Award in the category of "Best Traditional R&B Peformance" for the song, "Jesus Children," with Robert Glasper Experiment and Lalah Hathaway.

From Deadline:  Deadline offers "Malcolm-Jamal Warner, a career in photos"

From Deadline:  Bill Cosby remembers his TV son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, with CBS News' Jericka Duncan.

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FANTAGRAPHICS BOOKS

Caravaggio The Palette And The Sword Volume 2 GN (per Lunar Distribution), $19.99

Devil's Grin Volume 1 GN (per Lunar Distribution), $29.99

VIZ MEDIA

Choujin X Volume 9 GN (not verified by Diamond Distribution), $16.99

Dogsred Volume 2 GN (not verified by Diamond Distribution), $14.99

Fool Night Volume 5 GN (not verified by Diamond Distribution), $14.99

Haikyu 3-In-1 Edition Volume 5 TP (Volumes 13-15)(not verified by Diamond Distribution), $16.99

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