Latest news with #JeffSneider
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
If The Punisher In ‘Spider-Man' Rumor Was True, Is Savage Hulk Next?
The Punisher/Hulk Back in 2019, it seemed up in the air whether we'd ever see Jon Bernthal's Punisher again, given the cancellation of all Netflix series and the absence of his character going forward. Now, he's everywhere. It's now been confirmed that Bernthal's Punisher will be coming to, of all places, the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth film in the series. It's the unusual blending of the most brutal, R-rated antihero in the MCU with one of its most family-friendly offerings in Spider-Man, raising questions about what's going on here. Yes, the two have paired up many times in the comics, but this is certainly the highest-profile instance of that ever now. There's one aspect of this that's also a bit eyebrow-raising. The rumors that The Punisher was joining Spider-Man in his film is an old one, going all the way back to January. But now in late May, insider Jeff Sneider and John Rocha discussed the report again, saying that trustworthy sources said that the plan was for The Punisher was to join forces with Spider-Man to fight against The Hulk. Spider-Man Yes, The Hulk, former Avenger, and with the last time we saw him being the 'smart' version training his cousin She-Hulk in the ways of Hulkdom, also revealing that he had a son out of nowhere, and his mini-plotline seemed to be leading to some sort of upcoming comic-based Planet Hulk/World War Hulk storyline that never materialized. This is, of course, not that. We have no idea what would have transformed chill Banner Hulk into some sort of monstrous Savage Hulk, another version. This is also in the wake of Captain America: Brave New World having Red Hulk as its antagonist (a film that almost felt like a Hulk sequel that did not contain Hulk). So, if the Punisher part of the rumor is true, the question is whether or not the rest of it is, and Hulk really may be the big bad in Spider-Man 4. The news also comes with the confirmation that Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are reportedly back as MJ and Ned in some capacity, despite the ending, which hinted the series was moving on from them. The other high-profile casting is Stranger Things' Sadie Sink in an unknown role that most guess is either 'real' MJ, Mary Jane, or perhaps Gwen Stacy. Bernthal went from nowhere in the MCU to one of its most prolific stars. He will be in both seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, he's starring in his own 'special' on Disney Plus later. Now he's in Spider-Man. Tom Holland and Bernthal have a long history. They helped each other audition for their respective roles way back then, and currently, they're starring in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey together. Now, this is going to be one hell of a team-up. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
Digital Trends
30-05-2025
- Business
- Digital Trends
Time for Marvel to worry? Fantastic Four: First Steps test screening garners mixed results
Marvel heads into Phase Six with The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The studio's immediate future is riding on the critical and financial success of the film as the MCU moves into Phase Six. If the first test screenings are a sign of what's to come, Marvel might be worried. In a rare move, Marvel publicly test-screened The Fantastic Four: First Steps nearly two months before its July debut. According to Jeff Sneider, the results were mixed. Recommended Videos In a recent edition of The InSneider newsletter, Sneider's source gave First Steps a mediocre review. 'My source called it both 'mid' and 'meh,' and 'not that bad, but not that good, either,' Sneider wrote. 'More concerningly, they said it featured weak character development and bad CGI, though the latter issue will certainly be addressed over the next month.' Sneider's other source, who has not seen the finished film, described the film as a 'mess' and a 'huge problem movie.' These troublesome feelings likely led to Marvel running a test screening. On the positive side, Ralph Ineson as the villainous Galactus received high praise. 'It sounds like Ralph Ineson's Galactus went over well with the crowd last night, which is encouraging, seeing as how Marvel has had a villain problem of late,' Sneider said. Because Marvel conducted a test screening nearly eight weeks in advance of Fantastic Four's release date, the studio has time to fix some of the so-called problems, including the CGI. The Fantastic Four: First Steps welcomes Marvel's First Family into the MCU. The titular group includes Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing. Ineson voices Galactus, while Julia Garner portrays Shalla-Bal/Silver Surfer. Paul Walter Hauser, John Malkovich, Natasha Lyonne, and Sarah Niles also star. Matt Shakman directs First Steps. Shakman produced and directed the Disney+ series WandaVision. After the disappointing returns of Captain America: Brave New World, Marvel bounced back with positive acclaim for Thunderbolts*. The Fantastic Four is the final Marvel movie of 2025. With Avengers: Doomsday moving to December 2026, the next MCU movie after First Steps will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July 2026. The Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25.
Geek Tyrant
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
Ryan Gosling Reportedly Eyed to Play Ghost Rider in Marvel's AVENGERS
Could Ryan Gosling be taking on the role of the Spirit of Vengeance in the MCU? According to a new rumor, Marvel Studios may be looking at casting the Barbie and The Fall Guy star in the role of Ghost Rider in Avengers: Doomsday . While nothing has been confirmed by Marvel, the report has MCU fans revving their engines. The report comes from scooper @MyTimeToShineHello on X, claiming Marvel wants Gosling to suit up as the iconic flame-headed antihero. Industry insider Jeff Sneider previously said: 'I am hearing Ghost Rider is going to be in Doomsday.' He added, 'This is a search,' clarifying that Nicolas Cage, who played Johnny Blaze in the early 2000s films, is not part of the plan. Sneider didn't confirm which version of Ghost Rider might show up in the film, but he did acknowledge that Johnny Blaze is the most recognizable incarnation. His co-host John Rocha chimed in with a reminder that the Marvel Universe has multiple Ghost Riders, including Danny Ketch, Alejandra Jones, and Robbie Reyes, who was portrayed by Gabriel Luna in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Even Sam Elliott took a crack at it, playing Carter Slade in the 2007 Ghost Rider movie. Gosling himself has previously voiced interest in the role. While promoting The Fall Guy , he said, 'I told Josh I would like to play Ghost Rider.' That 'Josh' was likely Josh Horowitz, host of MTV's Happy Sad Confused podcast, where the quote originated. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige also weighed in at the time, saying, 'Ryan is amazing. I'd love to find a place for him in the MCU' (via Variety). Gosling added, 'I would love to, it would be amazing.' Of course, there's the matter of scheduling. Gosling is also reportedly set to star in Star Wars: Starfighter , which could complicate things. But with Avengers: Doomsday now pushed to December 18, 2026, there's a solid window for Marvel to make this happen, especially if they want him to stick around for Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. The timing also lines up with rumors of a Midnight Sons project, which would potentially team up Ghost Rider with Blade and Moon Knight in a darker corner of the MCU. This lineup could finally bring the supernatural squad to life on the big screen. What do you think about the possibility of seeing Gosling in the role of Ghost Rider?
Geek Tyrant
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
SUPERMAN's Opening Weekend Could Hit $175 Million, But What Are Test Screenings Saying? — GeekTyrant
The hype around James Gunn's Superman just kicked into a higher gear with the recent trailer that was released, and now early box office tracking is pointing to a potentially massive debut. According to insider Jeff Sneider, the reboot could soar to a $175 million opening weekend in North America. That's a hefty figure, and if it holds, it would be a big win for both DC Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery. On The Hot Mic podcast, Sneider shared: 'I'm hearing Superman is currently tracking big.' He stopped short of calling it a $200 million opener, though, and noted he's not convinced the film will crack the $1 billion mark globally. Still, with numbers like that floating around this early, it's a sign that general interest in Gunn's reimagining of the Man of Steel is very real. It was also reproted that the movie could earn between USD 650 million and USD 850 million worldwide. 'If it performs on the higher end, it could come close to matching the inflation-adjusted earnings of Man of Steel , which peaked at USD 890 million, and even surpass Justice League and The Batman , which collected USD 661.3 million and USD 772.3 million, respectively.' I've been wondering if this movie would be a big box office success. My fear is, even if it's a great film, that people won't see it in theaters. A lot of great films that had the makings of a block buster hit have had disappointing box office runs, Which this being another Superman movie from DC would the general audience have interest in watching it? But, the momentum has been building ever since the December teaser broke viewership records. That was followed by an extended five-minute sneak peek and a special "Superman Day" featurette, both of which were received with a wave of enthusiasm from fans. While some have questioned the star power of lead David Corenswet, the general audience seems ready to embrace Gunn's more hopeful, comic-faithful take on the character. This version of Superman ditches the brooding, world-weary hero we saw in the DCEU and instead leans into optimism, which is a major tonal shift that could either re-energize the brand or, if it misfires, sink DC's reboot plans before they really take off. That's why the stakes couldn't be higher. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is already in the pipeline, along with several DCU shows, but if Superman underperforms, it could shake the foundation of Gunn and Peter Safran's leadership at DC Studios. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has already made his fair share of controversial moves, don't expect him to hesitate if the numbers fall short. Still, not all the buzz is glowing. While the overall tone of test screenings has reportedly been strong, Sneider noted he heard at least one very blunt piece of feedback: 'Superman stinks.' That's not the kind of quote you want floating around, especially when you're rebooting one of the most beloved characters in pop culture. But, we've got to remember that test screenings always come with outliers. And so far, the balance of reactions remains positive. With Superman set to open in July, this is just the beginning of the box office conversation. But it's shaping up to be one of the most closely watched releases of the year.
Geek Tyrant
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Tyrant
THE BATMAN 2 Set To Begin Shooting Next March… But Will Matt Reeves Direct? — GeekTyrant
It looks like The Batman: Part II is finally gearing up to step out of the shadows and in front of cameras. According to the latest issue of Production Weekly, the highly anticipated follow-up to Matt Reeves' gritty take on Gotham's vigilante is expected to begin filming in March 2026. That's the good news. The not-so-good news is that Matt Reeves isn't listed as the director. As you might imagine, this omission has sparked a wave of speculation. Reeves' absence from official industry documentation, especially at this stage, is causing fans to worry that he may not be returning to direct the sequel at all. Reeves has previously hinted at personal matters affecting his schedule. In a previous interview, he said: 'There's [been] a lot of stuff going on in my life in the last year or so, and [Colin Farrell has] been such a good friend. [He's] such a beautiful man. 'We're still finishing the script, and there have been so many things going on. This next year is about getting into production and getting the movie going.' It was also previously reported: 'If you knew what Matt Reeves was dealing with, you'd leave him alone. I mean, it's not a Chadwick Boseman situation, but it's close. You should leave Matt Reeves alone.' On a recent episode of The Hot Mic, insider Jeff Sneider addressed the situation, saying, he doesn't know whether Reeves is still on board or not. He added, 'I wouldn't be surprised' if the next time we see Batman on the big screen, it's in the DCU, and speculates that James Gunn is working on a Superman/Batman crossover film. The Batman sequel has been in limbo for a while, with delays and little clarity from Warner Bros. or DC Studios. It's hard to imagine Reeves not directing the next Batman movie, but if another filmmaker is stepping in, the likeliest scenario is that Reeves gave his blessing to keep things moving. For now, fans of Robert Pattinson's brooding Bruce Wayne will have to wait and see how this plays out.
