Noticias

It's only August, but that's it for superhero movies this year. Fortunately, there's plenty to look forward to on the horizon, including Supergirl, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Avengers: Doomsday, and a plethora of TV shows in the remainder of 2025 (starting with Peacemaker season 2).

This year has been another difficult one for the genre. While three of the four movies released received glowing reviews, they've all struggled at the box office, and none of them will come close to reaching $1 billion...even $600 million seems optimistic for the highest-grossing movie on this list.

As you've likely figured out by now, this feature ranks 2025's superhero movies—Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, Superman, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps—from worst to best. This is only one person's opinion, though, and we're sure you'll have your own.

Check out our ranking by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.

4. Captain America: Brave New World...

Concept artist Jackson Sze has shared more of his work to his Instragam, and this time we have a look at some art depicting an alternate version of a sequence from The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Towards the end of the MCU reboot, Marvel's First Family decide to use Franklin Richards as bait to lure Galactus to the planet, where they hope to force the gigantic Devourer of Worlds into a portal to another universe.

Though the villain realizes what they're up to, Sue Storm is ultimately able to use the full extent of her power to push him through the last remaining portal - with some help from a redemption-seeking Silver Surfer.

"Galactus Approaches! Early concept development on how Galactus arrives on Earth 828. Working closely with @ryan_meinerding_art we thought that there is an opportunity here for a striking visual using Galactus' iconic silhouette set against the planet.

John Malkovich has joined the cast of Apple TV+’s upcoming romantic comedy series ‘Prodigies’ as a guest star. The series stars Ayo Edebiri as Didi and creator Will Sharpe as Ren — two former child prodigies whose once-extraordinary potential now contrasts sharply with the ordinary reality of their adult lives.

According to the official logline, Didi and Ren “have been together since they were children. Now in their early 30s, they are starting to question whether their very ordinary existence is living up to the extraordinary promise of their childhood. Inevitably, they find themselves asking the same questions of their relationship. As individual hopes and needs feed into and conflict with their shared lives, the series challenges the fallacy at the heart of romantic storytelling — that the tale is over when the heroes get together. In life, surely, that is just the beginning?”

Also in news – Dave Bautista in talks...

A breakout star from The Studio is sinking her teeth into Hulu’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot.

Chase Sui Wonders has signed on for a guest role in the pilot, Deadline reports, with Wonders reportedly playing a vampire named Shirley.

More from TVLineOnly Murders in the Building Season 5 Trailer Reveals Roles for 8 New Guest Stars - Get Premiere DateMark Ruffalo's Task, From Mare of Easttown EP, Gets September Premiere Date on HBO - Watch TrailerIt's Official: William H. Macy to Star Opposite Chris Meloni in Hulu's NFL Drama From Dan Fogelman

Ryan Kiera Armstrong is set to star in...

John Malkovich has joined the cast of Apple TV+’s “Prodigies.”

Malkovich will guest star in the upcoming romantic comedy series, which stars Will Sharpe and Ayo Edebiri as two ex-child prodigies who have been together since they were children. Malkovich reunites with Edebiri after the pair starred in A24’s “Opus,” where Malkovich played ’90s pop superstar Alfred Moretti and Edebiri played journalist Ariel Ecton.

In addition to Sharpe and Edebiri, Malkovich joins “Prodigies” cast members Andrene Ward-Hammond, Yumi Asō, Tobias Menzies, Rina Sawayama, Sophia Di Martino, Reece Shearsmith, Nabhaan Rizwan, Meera Syal and Lolly Adefope.

Billed as an unusual take on a classic romantic comedy, “Prodigies” follows Didi (Edebiri) and Ren (Sharpe) in their early 30s as they start to question whether their very ordinary existence is living up to the extraordinary promise of their childhood, and, inevitably, they find themselves asking the same questions of their relationship,...

John Malkovich has been added to the cast of Apple TV+’s upcoming rom-com series “Prodigies” as a guest star.

“Prodigies” stars Ayo Edebiri as Didi and series creator Will Sharpe as Ren, who, per the official logline, “are two ex-child prodigies who have been together since they were children. Now in their early 30s, they are starting to question whether their very ordinary existence is living up to the extraordinary promise of their childhood. Inevitably, they find themselves asking the same questions of their relationship. As individual hopes and needs feed into and conflict with their shared lives, the series challenges the fallacy at the heart of romantic storytelling — that the tale is over when the heroes get together. In life, surely, that is just the beginning?”

Details about Malkovich’s character have not yet been announced.

The project reunites Malkovich with Edebiri, as the two worked together on...

In the Hand of Dante is an upcoming drama movie featuring veteran director Martin Scorsese in a major supporting role. As the movie is set to premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, a first look at Scorsese’s character was leaked online (via @SolaceCinema) with the filmmaker playing Dante Alighieri’s mentor.

According to a previous report from Variety, Scorsese won’t be playing himself in the movie like he did in the comedy-drama The Studio. Instead, he will play an old sage who influences Dante Alighieri while he is writing The Divine Comedy, which plays a key role in the movie. As a result, fans must be curious to learn about its release date, cast, and plot, and here is everything you need to know about In the Hand of Dante.

When Does In the Hand of Dante Release? Martin Scorsese in The Studio (Credits: AppleTV+).

In the Hand of Dante...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was supposed to open with an extended action sequence pitting Marvel's First Family against Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. Ultimately, it was replaced by a montage recapping the team's origin story and a showcase of their greatest victories.

John Malkovich was cast as the villainous Red Ghost and appeared briefly in the movie's first teaser trailer. That's all we've seen of the villain, though a few snippets from the fight did make it into the final cut, with Mister Fantastic pitted against one of the Super-Apes.

Storyboard artist Jeremy Simser has taken to social media to share his work on this cut sequence from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, writing, "Just a few frames from the deleted Red Ghost ape fight I drew for [the movie]. I really wish you all could see this scene in its entirety, but alas, it's not meant to be!"

Simser also...

From crime sagas to teen romances, Netflix is a top destination for standout book-to-film adaptations. With a growing lineup of originals based on bestselling novels, the platform delivers more than 18 of the best literary adaptations in streaming today (Netflix Tudum). These adaptations include powerful storytelling with star-studded casts to bring the best of the books to the screen.

Featuring A-list stars like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Sandra Bullock, and Amy Adams, this list of six movies offers faithful retellings and the best cinematic experiences. Martin Scorsese, Joe Wright, and Sam Esmail have taken on these complex novels and delivered elite interpretations. Whether you’re watching for the performances or to see how the movie compares to the books, these titles are worth your time.

Here are six of the best book-to-film adaptations currently available on Netflix.

1. The Irishman (2019) Robert De Niro in a still from The Irishman | Credit: Netflix...

Prior to the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, director Matt Shakman revealed that John Malkovich's villainous Red Ghost would no longer appear, and when audiences saw the movie for themselves, it became clear that this was far from the only scene that didn't make the cut.

First Steps has been mostly very well-received, but one consistent criticism from fans and critics has been that the last act feels a little rushed, with pacing issues resulting from the movie being trimmed in order to keep its runtime under 2 hours.

We've already heard that at least one scene involving Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser) was cut, and writer Eric Pearson has now shared some more details on this sequence and why it was ultimately removed.

"There’s other scenes of Mole Man," Pearson confirmed to THR. "There was another scene with Sue where she goes down and talks to him about diplomacy,...

Update: The final figures won't be in until Monday morning, but here's the latest from today:

Another sharp drop for #FantasticFour in 3rd wknd. $4.5M Fri heading to wknd #boxoffice of about $15M, down 61%. Domestic cume will reach $230M in 17 days with final now likely to be around $275M. Best for any Ff movie & tops for #MCU this year, but #Marvel must have wanted more.

— Gitesh Pandya (TikTok @gitesh.pandya) (@GiteshPandya) August 9, 2025

Weapons and Freakier Friday have opened in theaters this weekend, and the two vastly different movies are exceeding expectations at the North American box office. However, good news for them is not-so-great news for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Weapons is heading for a $38 million debut, including Thursday's $5.7 million previews. This marks the 11th time this year that a Warner Bros. title has sat in first place, good news for a studio that had a pretty disastrous 2024.

Moviegoers...

Though Marvel Studios' marketing does usually get a bit more spoiler-y when a movie has been in theaters for more than a couple of weeks, they've really taken it up a notch with the recent promo material for The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

This latest trailer focuses on the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), and features moments from pretty much all of the character's scenes, including her conversations with Johnny Storm, her attempt to get hold of Sue and Reed's unborn child during the standout space chase set piece, and the flashback to her life as Shalla-Bal before she became the Herald of Galactus.

We also have some quotes from writer Eric Pearson, who outlined certain Silver Surfer plot points and scenes from his original script that didn't make the final cut during an interview with THR.

"In my drafts, there’s a lot more Johnny-Surfer flirtation, or one-way flirtation. It was all him,...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps had a couple of weeks without any serious competition (though Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth posed a bigger problem than Marvel Studios likely expected), and now looks set to drop to third place in North America this weekend. 

During Thursday previews, Barbarian director Zach Cregger's Weapons earned $5.7 million, with Disney's Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis-led Freakier Friday behind it at $3.1 million. The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailed both movies with $2.9 million, a decent enough hold that placed it ahead of The Bad Guys 2 ($2 million), The Naked Gun ($1.5 million), and Superman. ($1.4 million).

The latter continues to exceed expectations in the U.S., and appears to have connected with moviegoers in a way the latest Marvel Studios movie has not. 

Heading into the weekend, it's looking like Weapons and Freakier Friday are going to be neck and neck. The latter is looking at a $27 million - $30 million haul,...

When we first heard that Natasha Lyonne was set to appear in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, fans assumed that she'd be playing Alicia Masters (though the voice of H.E.R.B.I.E. was also a popular theory), but the Poker Face star was actually cast as an original character named Rachel Rozman.

Likely based on Debbie Green from the comics, the character's name is believed to have been changed as a tribute to Jack Kirby's wife, Rosalind "Roz" Goldstein.

In the movie, Rozman is an elementary school teacher Ben Grimm meets while entertaining a group of kids on Yancy Street. The two hit it off, but Rachel only appears in one other full scene in the third act. Now, we may know why Lyonne's role was reduced.

According to John Rocha on this week's episode of The Hot Mic, Lyonne's character was originally written as a rabbi,...

Marvel Studios has released a new clip from The Fantastic Four: First Steps, featuring an emotional speech from Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) as she introduces the world to her son, Franklin.

When Marvel's First Family returns from space and reveals that Galactus had agreed to spare the planet in return for Reed and Sue's then unborn child, some animosity builds towards the team.

Invisible Woman then decides to address the public directly, explaining why handing over Franklin was never an option, while vowing to do stop at nothing to protect the Earth from the looming threat of the Devourer of Worlds.

Check out the clip below, along with a new poster featuring The Thing.

Family is about fighting for something bigger than yourself.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters! Get tickets now: https://t.co/qy8qR71712 pic.twitter.com/i6r68GEyOl

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) August 7, 2025

During this week's call,...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was hit with a pretty steep drop at the domestic box office during its second weekend in theaters, leading to questions and concerns about the MCU reboot's franchise potential. Marvel Studios doesn't seem overly daunted, however, and may already have plans in place for a sequel.

Though nothing has been officially announced (and probably won't be for a while), Jeff Sneider has heard that "Matt Shakman will likely return to direct a sequel."

Apparently, Marvel execs are confident that a second movie will be a bigger box office success once audiences become more familiar with Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben after they return for Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.

During yesterday's earnings call, Disney's Bob Iger said that The Fantastic Four had “successfully launched this important franchise into the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” which was our first indication that more Ff movies are in the early planning stages.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hasn't reached the same heights as Superman at the North American box office, but it's also not the flop many people would have you believe.

The Marvel Studios reboot pulled in a decent $3.92 million on Wednesday, taking its 13-day domestic total to $212 million. Yesterday, it surpassed Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania's total of $214.5 million and is expected to rise to upwards of $233 million through its third weekend in theatres.

Box office analysts still expect The Fantastic Four: First Steps to finish its U.S. run with $280 million - $290 million, meaning it will be the McU's highest-grossing non-sequel since 2019's Captain Marvel.

It won't come close to reaching $1 billion, but when Disney and Marvel Studios look at numbers like those, you'd best believe they'll be happy—or happy enough—with a result that confirms there's interest in these characters.

Earlier this week, it was reported that...

Sunrise Films has acquired North American distribution rights to “Bang Bang,” the emotionally charged boxing drama starring Tim Blake Nelson.

Vincent Grashaw directed, wrote and produced the Detroit-set drama, which explores themes of family, legacy and redemption against the backdrop of the boxing world. The film, which made the festival rounds at Tribeca, Locarno, Deauville American Film Festival, and Oldenburg, centers on retired boxer Bernard “Bang Bang” Rozyski (Nelson), who finds renewed purpose training his estranged grandson. But questions swirl around Bang Bang’s true motivations, including from an old flame who witnessed his 1980s rise and bitter rivalry with her cousin, now Detroit mayoral candidate Darnell Washington.

The ensemble cast includes Glenn Plummer (“Sons of Anarchy”), Kevin Corrigan (“Goodfellas”), Nina Arianda (“Tower Heist”), Andrew Liner (“Vampire Academy”), Erica Gimpel (“Criminal Minds”), and Daniella Pineda (“The Vampire Diaries”).

“With Bang Bang, we were drawn to a powerfully written story filled with emotionally rich characters,...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps was hit with a 66% drop at the domestic box office during its second weekend in theaters after a strong debut. Even so, the movie has now passed the $200 million mark in North America, and is performing better than Marvel Studios' previous 2025 releases, Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*.

Granted, this isn't exactly a major accomplishment.

It's impossible to deny that Marvel movies (and superhero films in general) simply aren't the massive box office draws they once were, with $1 billion hits such as Deadpool and Wolverine now the exception rather than the norm. While Marvel/Disney were almost certainly hoping that First Steps would be a bigger hit, is it reasonable to suggest that studio execs are now at panic stations?

Sky is falling-type articles do the rounds after any Marvel movie is perceived to be underperforming, and the latest from The Wrap - "Fantastic Four...

Exclusive: Gabriela Ortega (Huella), Bo Mitchell (Cobra Kai), Alice Kremelberg (The Sinner), Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Oliver Yellin have joined the ensemble cast of the international thriller 52nd State.

Deadline first told you about the indie project, which is being directed by Netflix’s former longtime VP product Todd S. Yellin and is executive produced by Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in his first credit as a producer.

Production is currently underway across Colombia and Costa Rica, with Bogota-based production company Jaguar Bite overseeing physical production.

The new cast additions join previously announced leads Moisés Arias, Teresa Ruiz, Ignacio Diaz-Silverio (Primo) and Ken Jeong.

Inspired by real events, 52nd State centers on Felipe, a disillusioned Costa Rican It worker who stumbles into a high-stakes scam operation that preys on vulnerable Americans.

As the scheme spirals out of control,...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Who would have wondered that Liam Neeson would be the perfect son to Leslie Nielsen‘s hilariously chaotic cop, Frank Drebin, in an all-new The Naked Gun? The 2025 film follows Lieutenant Frank Drebin Jr, who must solve a hilariously convoluted case to stop his police department from shutting down. The Naked Gun also stars Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Danny Huston, Cch Pounder, and Kevin Durand. So, if you loved the hilarious comedy, never-ending jokes, and entertaining characters in The Naked Gun, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Other Guys (Netflix & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures

The Other Guys is a buddy cop action comedy film directed by Adam McKay, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Henchy. The 2010 film follows Terry and Allen, two overlooked cops who must work together...

The latest box office numbers are in, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps suffered a steeper-than-estimated drop domestically after its second weekend in theaters.

Marvel Studios' reboot was expected to take in at least $40 million over the weekend, but only ended up making $38.7M (marking a 67% drop). The movie should hit $200 million later tonight, and is currently sitting at around $367 million worldwide on a reported production budget of $200 million.

There's been quite a bit of doomsaying (no pun intended) about these figures, but it is worth keeping in mind that First Steps is still performing better than both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* (it's actually already passed the latter's entire domestic cume) overall.

Some of the negativity likely stems from the perception that The Fantastic Four was always viewed as Marvel's biggest movie of the year, and was released to compete directly with DC Studios' Superman. Regardless, we...

Marvel Studios will release an "Art of" book for The Fantastic Four: First Steps this November, and several retailers have now been updated with preview pages showcasing never-before-seen artwork from the reboot.

The first piece reveals an even bigger Galactus than the one we saw rampage through New York City during the final act. Look closely, and you'll see a tiny Mister Fantastic scaling his thumb; had Marvel Studios gone down this route, there would have been no way for the team to physically attack the Devourer of Worlds.

We also have new shots of Shalla-Bal, a.k.a. the Silver Surfer, and a robotic version of Mole Man's giant monster, Giganto. It seems Marvel Studios thought that making him a robot rather than an underground monster was a better fit for the movie once upon a time.

While we got a classic version of Giganto in The Fantastic Four: First Steps' final cut,...

We recently asked ComicBookMovie.com's readers to let us know how they felt about Marvel Studios and director Matt Shakman's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the results are in.

1346 of you voted, and - just like the results of our Superman poll - the majority of you went with the most positive option, "Fantastic, 5/5," continuing all the way down to the most negative choice, which got just 2% of the votes.

While James Gunn's Dcu reboot certainly had its share of detractors, First Steps seems to have been embraced by the majority of fans. Critics were also won over, and the movie is currently sitting at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, Marvel's First Family's latest big-screen outing doesn't seem to have resonated with general audiences to the same extent.

After a strong debut, The Fantastic Four suffered a significant second-weekend drop (down almost 80% from its opening day), and may...

HBO Max is serving up a thrilling mix of films that have viewers glued to their screens this week. From spine-chilling horror to quirky comedies and action-packed adventures, the platform’s latest lineup has something for everyone, pulling in crowds with fresh releases and nostalgic favorites.

We’ve got a diverse range of titles dominating the charts, with new additions like ‘Final Destination: Bloodlines’ hitting theaters and others like ‘Sinners’ and ‘A Minecraft Movie’ making a splash after their streaming debuts in July 2025. Let’s dive into the ten most-watched movies on HBO Max this week, counting down from number ten to the top spot.

10. Alien: Covenant (2017) 20th Century Fox

Ridley Scott’s sci-fi horror prequel follows the crew of the Covenant spaceship as they land on a seemingly perfect planet, only to uncover deadly xenomorphs. Michael Fassbender shines as the android David, delivering creepy intensity. The film’s dark...

This weekend, The Fantastic Four: First Steps suffered from one of the biggest second weekend drops in the McU's history, landing between Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

After grossing an estimated $40 million in North American theaters this weekend, this harsh 66% drop was worsened by stronger-than-expected competition from The Naked Gun, The Bad Guys 2, and holdovers like Jurassic World Rebirth and Superman.

The overall box office landscape has changed, though, and even $40 million means The Fantastic Four: First Steps still had the sixth biggest weekend of 2025, reaching $198.4 million in the U.S. That took two weekends and is more than Thunderbolts* made during its entire run ($190.2 million). It will pass $200 million tomorrow, topping Captain America: Brave New World's $200.5 million run.

When all is said and done, the reboot will likely end its stint in the U.S. with $280 million - $295 million.

As of now,...

Given its monumental status as one of the greatest films ever made, it is perhaps surprising that there aren't more movies about the circumstances surrounding the making of "Citizen Kane." After all, beyond the technical dazzle of Orson Welles' magnum opus, it is also the story of a clash between two towering egos at opposite ends of their careers: In one corner Welles, the prodigiously talented upstart from New York who was handed the keys to Hollywood for his first motion picture; in the other, William Randolph Hearst, the fearsome magnate who dominated the largest and most influential media empire in the United States. It is also the tale of two sprawling estates that became monuments to their builders; Hearst Castle, an opulent testament to Heart's immense wealth, and Xanadu, Welles' gloomy fictionalized version of the former that would loom large over the rest of his career. Yet, to date,...

Things aren't looking quite so fantastic for Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps at the North American box office.

As estimates suggested, the MCU reboot was hit with a sharp decline (an almost 80% drop from opening day) on Friday after taking in $11.7 million. Though this is far from a disastrous result (the movie is still performing better than both Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*), it is a worrying sign that First Steps' debut was significantly front-loaded.

Despite positive reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) and a warm reception from fans, the movie just doesn't seem to be connecting with general audiences in quite the same way, and word-of-mouth clearly hasn't been strong enough to make Marvel's latest the must-see event film the studio was hoping for.

First Steps is currently sitting at $170 million domestic, and should pass the $200 million mark by Tuesday. Was opening so soon after Superman a mistake?...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has managed to avoid crashing and burning at the box office in the same way as Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. However, predictions for the reboot's second weekend in theaters are understandably raising eyebrows.

After opening to $117.6 million last week, the movie is expected to gross $40 million to $45 million over the next couple of days. On the lower side, that's a pretty steep 66% decline, which is better than Captain America: Brave New World (68%) but bigger than Thunderbolts* (56%). The latter somewhat benefited from marketing shifting to *The New Avengers. 

These numbers suggest that The Fantastic Four: First Steps had a front-loaded debut, with fans rushing to see Marvel's First Family on the big screen again, but everyone else...not so much. 

It's not all doom and gloom, though. The Fantastic Four: First Steps had a decent week in North America and should reach $200 million by Sunday.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is about to enter its second weekend in theaters, and following an estimated $7.4 million Thursday, the movie is likely to end the weekend with an additional $45 million - $47 million. That's a 61% decline.

It's neither a great result nor a particularly bad one. There's still no word on international numbers, but overseas could be where The Fantastic Four: First Steps makes most of its money. The opposite is true for Superman, as that has grossed $300 million in North America alone.

Taking a bite out of the latest Marvel Studios reboot are The Bad Guys 2 and The Naked Gun. The former made $2.25 million from Thursday previews, while the R-Rated comedy reached $1.6 million.

As of a few days ago, The Fantastic Four: First Steps had grossed roughly $250 million worldwide, so bet on it easily surpassing $300 million by the end of the weekend. The reboot should end its...

Marvel Studios rarely recreates specific comic book covers or panels in its movies, and while staged moments like that sometimes run the risk of falling flat, it's proven to be mighty disappointing for many fans.

When it comes to Marvel's First Family, Bryan Hitch's Fantastic Four #554 cover is an iconic piece of imagery that would have made for a great poster. That didn't happen, but The Fantastic Four: First Steps' leads—Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach—have now revealed their take on it.

If only they were in costume, eh?

In other news, Deadline caught up with Paul Walter Hauser and asked the actor about his role as the McU's Mole Man. "I figured Harvey Elder, Mole Man — mad scientist, angry curmudgeon type with this kind of species that he defends — I was like, I can get on board with that," the actor explained.

"Mole...

Marvel Studios’ retro-futuristic “Fantastic Four: First Steps” landed in cinemas on July 25, opening to an estimated $57 million in the United States and climbing past $227 million worldwide by the end of its first weekend. Director Matt Shakman, who presents the team in a stylised 1960s Manhattan threatened by Galactus, has used the press circuit to explain why a significant volume of footage will remain unseen.

Shakman said “a ton of stuff that is really wonderful” sits on the cutting-room floor, foremost a twelve-minute prologue in which John Malkovich’s Red Ghost and his super-apes battle the fledgling Fantastic Four. He explained that the material, shot at Pinewood Studios and glimpsed in the first teaser, was excised to keep the story centred on Reed Richards, Sue Storm, Johnny Storm and Ben Grimm while still accommodating Julia Garner’s Silver Surfer, Paul Walter Hauser’s Mole Man and the arrival of baby Franklin...

Julian Schnabel will receive the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, which runs from Aug. 27–Sept. 6. The festival made the announcement on Wednesday.

The Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award is “dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry,” according to a release from the festival. Schnabel, director of “Basquiat,” “Before Night Falls” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” will be honored on Sept. 3, before the screening of his new film, “In the Hand of Dante,” starring Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Martin Scorsese, Jason Momoa, Louis Cancelmi and Franco Nero. It is screening out of competition.

Oscar Isaac in “In the Hand of Dante” (courtesy of the Venice Film Festival)

Adapted from Nick Tosches’ novel of the same name by Louise Kugelberg and Schnabel, “In the Hand of Dante...

American artist and director Julian Schnabel (At Eternity’s Gate, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Basquiat) will be honored with the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, Cartier and the Venice festival announced Wednesday. The annual prize recognizes a personality who has made an especially original contribution to contemporary cinema.

Schnabel will be honored at an award ceremony on Wednesday, September 3, at the Sala Grande, ahead of the out-of-competition screening of his new film In the Hand of Dante.

The crime drama follows a handwritten manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, which makes its way from the Vatican library to a mob boss in New York, who turns to writer and Dante expert Nick Tosches to verify its authenticity. Schnabel and Louise Kugelberg adapted the film from Tosches’ novel. Oscar Issac, playing Tosches and Dante, leads an ensemble cast that includes Gal Gadot,...

Julian Schnabel will be honored with the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, running from August 27 to September 6.

The award, dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry, has recently been meted out to Claude Lelouch and Wes Anderson.

Schnabel will receive the prize on September 3 in the festival’s main theater of the Sala Grande ahead of the previously announced Out of Competition screening of his new film, In the Hand of Dante, starring with Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Martin Scorsese, Jason Momoa, Louis Cancelmi and Franco Nero.

Based on the novel by Nick Tosches, it follows the story of the original manuscript for The Divine Comedy emerging in the clutches of a black-market smuggling ring in the dangerous underbelly of New York City, and weary scholar Nick is...

Julian Schnabel is set to receive the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at this year’s Venice Film Festival.

The American artist and director, whose films include “At Eternity’s Gate,” “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” and “Basquiat,” will be in Venice with his latest directorial effort “In the Hand of Dante.” The film stars Oscar Isaac, Gal Gadot, Gerard Butler, Al Pacino, John Malkovich, Martin Scorsese, Jason Momoa, Louis Cancelmi and Franco Nero.

The annual award is given to “a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry,” according to a press release.

An awards ceremony at Venice for Schnabel will take place on Sept. 3 before the out-of-competition premiere of “In the Hand of Dante,” which is based on the book by Nick Tosches.

Schnabel’s long-gestating latest film revolves around a handwritten manuscript of Dante Alighieri’s poem “The Divine Comedy” that...

The good thing about parting ways with Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) and company in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" is that we won't have to wait long until we're reunited with them. Next year, Marvel's First Family will be teaming up with Earth's Mightiest Heroes, and even a few X-Men, in "Avengers: Doomsday" for some reality-shaking comic book movie action. It's just a shame that they'll likely be leaving some key characters behind.

We don't want to call it too early, but we stumbled into the middle of a kidnapping in the mid-credits scene of "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," with Victor von Doom seemingly on the cusp of snatching Franklin Richards from the Baxter Building before heading off into another reality. Naturally, Sue (Vanessa Kirby) and her superhero family will be on his trail, leaving Earth-828 behind. 

Now, while it'll certainly be exciting to see the Fantastic Four chewing...

As we know, Joe and Anthony Russo actually helmed the mid-credits scene for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which features the MCU debut of a character who will be integral to Avengers: Doomsday.

Major spoilers follow.

As you've probably heard by now, the stinger concludes with the introduction of Doctor Doom, although we don't actually see the villain's face.

After a four-year flash-forward, we see Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) reading her son, Franklin Richards, a story in the Baxter Building. When Sue leaves to choose another book, she hears a sound from the living room, powering up as she returns to face whatever danger may await.

Invisible Woman finds Victor Von Doom crouching down to speak to Franklin. The villain appears to be whispering something to the child, but his face is obscured by his cloak. The only indication we really have that this actually is Doom (Robert Downey Jr....

Prior to the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, director Matt Shakman revealed that John Malkovich's villainous Red Ghost would no longer appear, and when audiences saw the movie for themselves, it became clear that this was far from the only scene that didn't make the cut.

There are a number of shots from the various trailers and TV spots that didn't appear in the finished film, including more of the team in space, Johnny Storm falling back to Earth after confronting the Silver Surfer, and what looked like a pretty intense conversation between Reed Richards and Sue Storm.

This is not exactly unusual, of course, but even though First Steps has been mostly very well-received, one consistent criticism from fans and critics has been that the last act feels a little rushed, with pacing issues resulting from the movie being trimmed in order to keep its runtime under 2 hours.

Prior to the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, director Matt Shakman revealed that John Malkovich's villainous Red Ghost would no longer appear, and when audiences saw the movie for themselves, it became clear that this was far from the only scene that didn't make the cut.

There are a number of shots from the various trailers and TV spots that didn't appear in the finished film, including more of the team in space, Johnny Storm falling back to Earth after confronting the Silver Surfer, and what looked like a pretty intense conversation between Reed Richards and Sue Storm.

This is not exactly unusual, of course, but even though First Steps has been mostly very well-received, one consistent criticism from fans and critics has been that the last act feels a little rushed, with pacing issues resulting from the movie being trimmed in order to keep its runtime under 2 hours.

As is so often the case with Marvel Studios movies, many scenes shot for The Fantastic Four: First Steps ended up on the cutting room floor. Natasha Lyonne's Rachel Rozman might have been one of the biggest victims of any cuts, though poor John Malkovich's Red Ghost will never see the light of day.

As for Paul Walter Hauser's Mole Man, it appears he was also meant to have a little more to do in the movie. Talking to Variety about her desire to explore Sue Storm's evolution into the villainous Malice, Vanessa Kirby teased a very dark exchange between the Invisible Woman and Harvey Elder we didn't get to see.

"There was a line within a scene that isn’t in it anymore with Mole Man – who I absolutely love," Kibry explained. "I’m so excited that we might get to do more with him...

There's a major Fantastic Four villain missing from Fantastic Four: First Steps and we finally have an answer why this famous actor didn't make the cut!

Fantastic Four: First Steps finally hit theaters on July 25, at long last bringing Marvel's First Family into the MCU. The movie had a monster opening with $118 million domestically and $218 million globally, a much-needed hit for Marvel.

While it sets up future movies like Avengers: Doomsday, the film was hailed for its setting on an alternate Earth with a retrofuturistic 1960s feel. Moviegoers loved to see Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), The Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) on screen together facing the monstrous Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner).

The movie does reference other classic Fantastic Four foes like the Mad Thinker and the Mole Man (played by Paul Walter Hauser). However, one Oscar-nominated...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrived in theaters this past weekend to glowing reviews from fans and critics alike. Marvel Studios delivered a worthy take on its First Family, and we're surely all counting down the days to their return in Avengers: Doomsday.

Now, we're taking a closer look at the reboot's Easter Eggs, ranging from deep-cut comic book references to easy-to-miss cameos and references to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While filmmaker Matt Shakman's first MCU movie is largely standalone, it's also a love letter to the comic books and everything that makes this team so...fantastic...on the page. It won't surprise you, then, that there are heaps of nods tp what we've seen on the page over the decades.

Check out this breakdown of The Fantastic Four: First Steps' biggest Easter Eggs by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.

10. Stan Lee And Jack Kirby

There...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps' director addressed the movie's biggest issue but he explained why it will not be fixed. Expected to have a strong opening weekend, The Fantastic Four arrived to rave reviews ahead of its worldwide debut, with fans largely enjoying Marvel Studios’ first efforts with the team. However, in terms of complaints, one issue stood out more than the rest.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps director Matt Shakman spoke on the film potentially getting a longer director’s cut after the theatrical cut’s debut in theaters. Like many MCU movies released in the Multiverse Saga, The Fantastic Four had a relatively short runtime at only 1 hour and 55 minutes. This led to complaints from critics about the story feeling rushed at times, with many wondering if any deleted scenes could be added back in to fill those gaps.

Shakman spoke with Elite Daily about having to cut...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is one of Marvel Studios' most visually distinct movies, largely due to it taking place on Earth 828. The parallel reality features a retro-futuristic world inspired by the 1960s and artist Jack Kirby's incredible comic book illustrations.

Talking to Variety, Ryan Meinerding, a character designer, creative director and the head of visual development at Marvel Studios, talked about putting a new spin on the team's iconic costumes.

"With the look of their suits, [costume designer] Alexandra [Byrne] and I were looking through different iterations of the comics," he explained. "The initiative came to lean into the blue and white suits more than the other iterations from the comics."

"It was meant to feel a little bit friendlier and more earnest and not quite so contemporary in its coolness," Meinerding continued. "We landed with something that felt like it was from the past, as if it was designed for a 1960s sci-fi movie.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps has manyEaster eggs for fans to feast their eyes on, but many are still stinging from the what-might-have-been reveal that John Malkovich’s Red Ghost is not in the movie, even though the character does still get a mention. Speaking on Phase Hero, director Matt Shakman has broken down what fans would have seen, why it was originally in the movie, and why it will probably never be released.

Explaining why Red Ghost, and several other classic villains, were set to appear in small roles, Shakman said:

"We wanted to get the sense of history. We wanted these characters to feel lived in. We wanted the city to feel lived in. This is a real family, and they've been doing this for four years. Part of that was showing all the things they've done along the way. Building the Future Foundation, defeating Red Ghost, Mad Thinker,...

Much of The Fantastic Four: First Steps' Earth-828 was brought to life with practical effects, and we're sure you'll remember set photos showing a "real" version of The Thing.

The character was brought to life with visual effects (unlike the 2005 and 2007 Fantastic Four movies), but this stand-in was used on set to give the cast and VFX artists some much-needed reference material. Now, we know who was in the suit, and it wasn't Ebon Moss-Bachrach.

Actor and professional wrestler Richard Summers-Calvert has confirmed that he was the practical Ben Grimm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, while sharing new behind-the-scenes photos from the reboot's set.

You can take a closer look at Summers-Calvert as The Thing in the Instagram post below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richard Summers-Calvert (@richardscalvert)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Richard Summers-Calvert (@richardscalvert)

Marvel Studios, meanwhile, has released...

The Fantastic Four: First Steps released one of its first deleted scenes that didn’t make it to the big screen. The scene in question featured Ebon Moss-Bachrach‘s The Thing appearing in a dating show on TV. The dating show scene was earlier teased during the production of the film, but fans didn’t see it in the film.

In the scene, a TV presenter asks a woman to select her man from the three contestants of Let’s Make a Match. The woman says it was a difficult pick and goes on to pick number 3. When the camera pans to the three contestants, we realize that number 3 is Ben Grimm in his Thing avatar. He is surprised, sharing, “Oh, is that me? Oh… wow!”

The uncomfortable-looking pair then waves toward the audience, as the host describes them as an “angelic pair.” The Thing’s love life was supposed...

When you think about comic book movies, what often comes to mind are Marvel titles like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and the new Superman movie. You can even think about lesser-known titles like Hellboy and Constantine, but your mind will rarely float towards a movie like Red 2. The action-comedy flick was first released in 2013, and if you remember nothing about it — or if it simply flew off your radar — you will have an excellent opportunity to watch it next month. The movie is debuting for free on Vizio+ on August 1.

The story of the Red franchise is uncommon but extremely entertaining. It follows a group of retired CIA agents who are forced back into action when old enemies start to resurface. The story is based on a comic book series created by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner, which was originally published by the DC imprint Homage Comics. The...

Spoilers for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" to follow.

All of the previous Fantastic Four films started with the team's superheroic origin. (The sequel "Rise of the Silver Surfer" being the obvious exception.) To avoid any rehashing, however, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" does something different and begins its story years into the Four's careers as heroes.

Not to worry, though, because the film doesn't leave out all context. One of the first scenes is the Fantastic Four guest-starring on "The Ted Gilbert Show." Its Ed Sullivan-esque host (Mark Gatiss) narrates a montage walking viewers (both within the movie and those watching in the real-world) on the Four's history, showing that they were astronauts dosed in cosmic rays that gave them incredible powers and are already celebrated as scientists, diplomatic leaders, and superheroes ... and what's a hero without a villain?

The primary villain of "First Steps" is Galactus...