Blog

  • Marvel Sets ‘ViSiONQUΞST’ Premiere Date

    Marvel Sets ‘ViSiONQUΞST’ Premiere Date

    Fans can now mark their calendars for the release of the final chapter of the WandaVision trilogy At the Disney Upfront presentation, Marvel Studios officially confirmed that VisionQuest will premiere on October 14, 2026.

    You’re meeting a Vision who has died and come back to life, who is sort of reconnecting with his memories, and his feelings, and is going through a bit of an identity quest.

    -Showrunner Terry Matalas

    VisionQuest has been described as a sort of techno-philosophica journey and certainly one of the studio’s weirdest projects to date which will include the return of James Spader‘s villainous murder bot, Ultron. The Wrap was present at the Upfront presentation and gave a description of the footage revealed from the show.

    For most of the footage, we see Paul Bettany in his human form, essentially watching Vision’s memories like a film. When last we saw him, he was the White Vision that we saw fly off at the end of WandaVision. He’s been given his memories back without having lived them, so now he’s trying to figure out his humanity once more, noting he has none of the emotions the first Vision did. There to help him — and taunt him — is Ultron, once again voiced by James Spader. But Spader also appears in human form too.

    Ruaridh Mollica has been confirmed to be playing Vision’s son, Tommy, with Todd Stashwick portraying Paladin, a mercenary out to acquire Vision’s technology for an unknown boss.

    VisionQuest will wrap Marvel Television’s live-action slate for 2026 and conclude in time for any of its characters or plot points to carry over to Avengers: Doomsday if necessary.

    Source: The Wrap

  • Lucasfilm’s Next Star Wars Streaming Show Hit with Significant Delay

    Lucasfilm’s Next Star Wars Streaming Show Hit with Significant Delay

    The path to the galaxy outside the galaxy far, far away has a roadmap. Lucasfilm has officially locked in the premiere window for Ahsoka Season 2…and it’s coming quite a bit later than hoped.

    Dave Filoni’s flagship series is set to return to Disney+ early in 2027.

    The Season 1 finale, “The Jedi, The Witch and The Warlord”, was a dense and expansive installment in the overall lore of the franchise and teed up an incredibly interesting Season 2 which was expected to stream in 2026. However, for reasons Lucasfilm did not reveal at the Disney Upfront presentation, fans will have to wait at least 8 more months before finding out what awaits Ahsoka, Sabine, Baylon and Shin on Peridea and how the returns of Thrawn and Ezra Bridger from that same planet will shape the New Republic.

    The new branding is heavy on the celestial runes we saw at the end of Season 1, suggesting that the World Between Worlds and the statues of the Mortis Gods on Peridea will be the primary focus. Rosario Dawson was on hand at the Upfronts to tease that the “stakes are higher” and the “battles are bigger,” which potentially justifies the extra year of post-production.

    A four-year gap between seasons is a lot, but if it means we get a prestige-level exploration of Anakin’s Force Ghost and the origins of the Mortis Gods, it’s a price worth paying. The logo alone suggests this isn’t just a sequel—it’s a continued spiritual expansion of Star Wars lore that Filoni has been crafting for quite some time.

  • Who’s the Boss? ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ Leaves One of Frank’s Most Determined Foes on the Loose

    Who’s the Boss? ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’ Leaves One of Frank’s Most Determined Foes on the Loose

    Judith Light spent nearly a decade as Tony Danza’s boss but nothing in her impressive filmography would suggest that the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress would make a menacing mob boss. However, in The Punisher: One Last Kill, Light brings one of Frank Castle’s most menacing and determined foes to life with convincing verisimilitude.

    Light plays Isabella “Ma” Gnucci, the head of the Gnucci Crime Family who tried to take Castle out in Volume 5 of The Punisher, written by Garth Ennis. The 12-issue arc, known as “Welcome Back, Frank”, launched Ennis’ 49-issue run with the character and has long been hailed as a classic Punisher tale. Harboiled and gruesome, “Welcome Back, Frank” took the character back to his roots and allowed him to do what he does best: kill bad guys with extreme prejudice…and a flamethrower.

    In terms of MCU Punisher continuity, Ma Gnucci makes quite a bit of sense as an antagonist for the project, given that Frank wiped out several members of the Gnucci Crime Family in Episode 1.01 of The Punisher, “3 AM” and, subsequently killed her husband and sons as part of his vendetta against those who were responsible for the death of his family. In One Last Kill, it’s revealed that Ma Gnucci has been patiently planning the Punisher’s demise and puts a bounty on his head while revealing exactly where he can be found.

    Unfortunately for Gnucci, her plan to put down Castle fails, not only leaving him alive but providing a glimpse of purpose that ultimately leads to him becoming The Punisher once more.

    Somewhat surprisingly, Gnucci’s role–and that of her intriguing bodyguard Barry–is rather minimal, foreshadowing a future showdown between her and Castle. While Castle’s next appearance is in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it seems clear that Bernthal already has the next gruesome steps in the character’s MCU journey outlined and it looks like the boss will be back as well.

  • Review: ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

    Review: ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

    Writer Garth Ennis is widely credited with saving the Punisher from obscurity and defining the character for the modern era. Before Ennis, Frank Castle had been written as an angel of vengeance with supernatural guns—a direction fans hated. Ennis brought him back to basics in Welcome Back, Frank (2000). And now it seems clear that the Marvel Knights imprint–and it’s over-the-top action–will also define the next MCU iteration of the character.

    Since 2017, Jon Bernthal‘s take on the Punisher has always been highly praised for its mature handling of PTSD and veteran reintegration, creating the most soulful on-screen version of the character. One Last Kill once again examines the trauma and tragic nihilism that fuels Frank Castle while also acting a vehicle for Castle’s eager violence. Equal parts John Wick, Dirty Harry and The Raid, Marvel Television’s latest Special Presentation is outrageously brutal but it is also exactly what it should be.

    Set at a not quite clearly defined point in Castle’s life, One Last Kill picks up with Frank as he struggles to find purpose with his personal war having come to an end and is haunted at first but the ghosts of his family and then by the ghost of his own violence. As seen in Ennis’ MAX series, Frank’s internal world is a haunted house. Rather than allowing himself to heal–even when he recognizes his instability–he chooses to stay in a state of perpetual trauma.

    (L-R): Curtis Hoyle (Jason R. Moore), Frank Castle / The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Nick (Nick Koumalatsos), and Colton (Colton Hill) in Marvel’s THE PUNISHER: ONE LAST KILL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel. © 2026 Marvel. All Rights Reserved.

    The opening of the Special Presentation riffs hard on Ennis’ take on Frank, allowing his inner monologue to serve as the engine of the story. And in the presence of his former brothers in arms, it isn’t just a narration of events; it is a staccato, utilitarian checklist that reveals how he views the world through a tactical lens and his body as a weapon system that needs maintenance…and Frank hasn’t been maintaining his very well. As he did in Season 1 of The Punisher, Bernthal goes all in on Castle’s grief, agony pain and guilt.

    One Last Kill, created by Bernthal and director Reinaldo Marcus Green, spends significant narrative currency exploring the Punisher’s pathos and it’s an unsettling excavation. The core of his pathos isn’t just that his family died; it’s that Frank Castle died with them. He didn’t just lose his wife and children; he lost his ability to exist in a civilized world. And at one point, Frank is ready to leave that world…until Judith Light‘s Ma Gnucci pulls him back in and, ultimately, gives purpose to The Punisher once again. Just as in Ennis’ run, however, Frank Castle doesn’t actually want to be the Punisher; he is simply the only person left who is willing to take out the trash.

    While fans will revel in the savage and sanguinary action of the Special Presentation and rejoice at the promise of prospective punishment down the road, One Last Kill is deeply dark and disturbing. Castle doesn’t conquer his grief and evolve into a hero by the end of the short runtime; he reestablishes himself as The Punisher through the subsequent transformation of grief into a cold, mechanical purpose.

    And it looks as though Bernthal‘s Punisher is just getting started.

  • The Future of Frank Castle After ‘One Last Kill’

    The Future of Frank Castle After ‘One Last Kill’

    As fans prepare to dive into The Punisher: One Last Kill on Disney+, a new report from The Direct is fueling speculation that this Special Presentation might be the final audition for a full-blown theatrical Punisher movie.

    While the current project is a standalone, 40ish-minute Marvel Spotlight entry, the conversation is rapidly shifting toward Frank Castle’s big-screen potential—especially with Jon Bernthal already confirmed for a major role in this summer’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

    The Punisher: One Last Kill isn’t just another MCU spin-off; it’s a mission statement. Bernthal didn’t just return as the lead; he also co-wrote and executive produced the special alongside director Reinaldo Marcus Green. This level of creative involvement suggests Marvel is trusting Bernthal to define the adult tone of the character’s MCU future.

    Moving forward. I think, speaking for myself, I know Jon, and I would love to make a movie, something that could go worldwide and be on screens everywhere. But obviously, that’ll be Marvel’s decision.

    -Reinaldo Marcus Green

    Green admitted that while One Last Kill is a streaming event, both he and Bernthal “would love” to see Frank Castle lead his own theatrical film. “Obviously, that’ll be Marvel’s decision,” Green noted, but emphasized that the demand for an R-rated theatrical Punisher has never been higher.

    To be honest, I can’t speak to that. I don’t know what the plans are for the future of the Punisher. The only thing that we hope that we were able to accomplish is the demand for more if we were able to accomplish that. Hopefully Jon [Bernthal] and Marvel will come together to make something worthy of what the audience would want to see out of that character.

    -Reinaldo Marcus Green

    Following the success of Deadpool & Wolverine and the two TV-MA  seasons of Daredevil: Born Again, Marvel Studios is reportedly no longer afraid of the R-rating in theaters. With Disney pivoting back toward theatrical releases and away from aggressive streaming slates, Frank Castle is the perfect candidate to lead a lower-budget, high-impact, R-rated Marvel Knights cinematic line.

    Source: The Direct

  • ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Confirms Rumors about the Film’s Curious Creative Process

    ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Confirms Rumors about the Film’s Curious Creative Process

    The production of Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be as chaotic and unpredictable as the multiverse itself. In an interview with Josh Horowitz, Fantastic Four star Ebon Moss-Bachrach dropped some fascinating details about the secretive writing process behind the Russo Brothers’ return and hinted at what to expect from Ben Grimm’s time on screen in the upcoming film.

    According to Moss-Bachrach, the sheer scope of the fifth installment in the Avengers franchise made the process of filming his portion feel disjointed, especially in comparison to the smaller scale Fantastic Four film.

    Doomsday was different in that it’s a bigger movie with more moving parts, and I think it was more compartmentalized, whereas Fantastic Four: First Steps, we were there like every every day, every day, having a sense of the thing,” said Moss-Bachrach.

    These movies are so interstellar and so galactic and conceptual. So, it’s very hard sometimes to understand what’s going on in the story. And Doomsday was a little bit harder for me to hold all the parts,” he continued. “And, I mean, I knew where I was, I knew which planets, which universe I was in. But how it was connecting to other universes, I would have to go back to, like, ‘Joe [Russo] can you just, I know you’ve talked me through, can you just tell me one more time?‘”

    When asked by Horowitz if he’d worked from a completed script, Moss-Bachrach ultimately revealed that at least his portion of the process wrapped without him being aware of the film’s ending.

    Yeah, I did read a full script, but those scripts change quite a bit,” he said before changing course. “You know what? Probably not, it probably didn’t have a full, like, third act. I don’t think it had an ending. I don’t think anyone gets to see that stuff.”

    While one of the four teasers released for Doomsday teased Thing’s interactions with Earth-616’s Wakandans and Talokanil, Moss-Bachrach also seemingly revealed that the Thing will be sharing some scenes not only with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom but also some powerful mutant heroes, marking the first time members of the Fantastic Four and X-Men have shared the screen.

    What a wonderful man. Like, what a great set leader he was. He’s been doing this for a long time and he was so generous and really, like, checking in, making sure everyone was good. Really good coach energy there… I would look around the room and it’d be like, ‘There’s Ian McKellan, and there’s Channing Tatum,’ it’s a lot.”

    Source: Happy, Sad, Confused

  • Matthew Lillard’s ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Role Could Streeeeeetch Into a Terrific New DCU Team

    Matthew Lillard’s ‘Man of Tomorrow’ Role Could Streeeeeetch Into a Terrific New DCU Team

    The internet has a funny way of remembering things, and right now, it’s fixated on a 26-year-old conversation between two friends. Following the news that Matthew Lillard has officially joined the cast of Man of Tomorrow, a persistent and highly logical theory has taken over: Eel O’Brian is finally coming to the big screen.

    While Plastic Man sounds like a wild swing, the evidence suggests this isn’t just fan-casting—it’s a decades-long manifestation.

    The bedrock of this theory isn’t just Lillard’s lanky frame; it’s a direct confirmation from James Gunn himself. Back in March 2023, Gunn took to social media to confirm a long-standing rumor: while filming the first Scooby-Doo in 2000, he and Lillard spent their downtime discussing a Plastic Man movie.

    Gunn has gone on record stating that he always thought Lillard’s physical comedy and rubbery facial expressions made him the definitive choice for the role. In his recent “no reason” photo with Lillard on Instagram, fans noticed the actor’s current look—lean, expressive, and wearing a very Eel O’Brian style of glasses.

    Why introduce Plastic Man in a Superman sequel? Perhaps Gunn is continuing that development of another group of heroes to the new DC Universe.

    The Terrifics

    We already know that Man of Tomorrow features the returns of Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi) and Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan). In the comics, these two are the core of a team called The Terrifics—and the third member is almost always Plastic Man. Lillard’s chaotic energy would be the perfect foil to Gathegi’s stoic intellect and Carrigan’s tragic Metamorpho. Introducing him here allows Gunn to build toward a Terrifics spin-off without needing a full origin story movie.

    Some fans have argued the 56-year-olf Lillard might be too old, but Gunn has alreadly pivoted his DCU to feature seasoned heroes, like Lanterns Guy Gardner and Hal Jordan. A veteran Plastic Man who has been stretching for years fits the established timeline of this universe.

    If Lillard is Plastic Man, it’s a full-circle moment for two of the industry’s most resilient creators. Gunn wrote the scripts that helped make Lillard a 2000s icon, and now he’s bringing him into the Gods and Monsters era. Plastic Man is a character that requires a specific mix of tragedy and absurdity—traits Lillard has mastered from Scream to The Bear.

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘The Punisher: One Last Kill’

    Welcome back, Frank…

    Jon Bernthal‘s tortured Frank Castle returns to D+ on May 12th in the Marvel Television Special Presentation, The Punisher: One Last Kill. Bernthal, who co-wrote the feature, called the Special Presentation “the most psychologically complex, darkest version of the Punisher that you’re going to see.”

    Set both after the events of Netflix’s The Punisher Season 2 and during the events of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, One Last Kill will tee up Frank for his upcoming big screen debut in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

    While the Special Presentation is designed to be standalone, it will certainly reference some of the events from both seasons of The Punisher and Season 1 of Daredevil: Born Again. With that in mind, we present The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before The Punisher: One Last Kill.

    The Complete and Definitive MCU Punisher Prep

    If you have time to watch it all before you decide to stream One Last Kill, here’s everything to make sure you maximize your enjoyment. Though The Punisher did not appear in Season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again, it is most certainly relevant since One Last Kill is set during it and explains what Castle was doing during the season.

    Daredevil, Season 2 (2016)

    🍅 81%

    13 episodes

    Runtime: 12 hours, 15 minutes

    The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)

    🍅 68%

    13 episodes

    Runtime: 11 hours, 35 minutes

    The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)

    🍅 61%

    13 episodes

    Runtime: 11 hours, 50 minutes

    Daredevil Born Again, Season 1 (2025)

    (L-R) Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2025 MARVEL.

    🍅 87%

    9 episodes

    Runtime: 7 hours, 6 minutes

    Daredevil Born Again, Season 2 (2026)

    (L-R) Cherry (Clark Johnson), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), Brett Mahoney (Royce Johnson), Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) and Angela Del Toro (Camila Rodriguez) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN SEASON 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Jojo Whilden. © 2026

    🍅 86%

    8 episodes

    Runtime: 6 hours, 29 minutes

    Total Runtime: 49 hours and 15 minutes

    If you start now, you can take it all in before the streaming debut of One Last Kill.

    Essential Prep

    Daredevil, Season 2 (2016)

    🍅 81%

    Episodes 1-4, 9 and 11

    To understand the Punisher, you have to witness the tragedy that birthed him. While his debut in Daredevil Season 2 is packed with visceral action, its true importance lies in the ideological war between Matt Murdock and Frank Castle. In Episodes 1-4, we see Frank at his most raw, culminating in the “Penny and Dime” monologue that redefined the character for a generation. These episodes aren’t just backstory; they establish the “no-half-measures” code that puts him at odds with the current street-level heroes in Born Again. Furthermore, Episode 9 is the first piece of the puzzle for his relationship with Wilson Fisk, showing a mutual respect between two monsters that still haunts the MCU today.

    The Punisher, Season 1 (2017)

    🍅 68%

    Episode 1

    The 2017 premiere of Frank’s solo series, titled “3 AM,” is a masterclass in the War at Home. It shows Frank Castle attempting the impossible: quitting. By burning his gear and taking a sledgehammer to literal walls, Frank tries to bury the soldier. This episode is the essential spiritual predecessor to One Last Kill, which begins with Frank once again trying to find a life beyond the violence. It also sets up his showdown with Ma Gnucci–played by Judith Light–in the special presentation.

    While you could skip straight to Born Again, Jon Bernthal and showrunner Dario Scardapane have been vocal in interviews (and the Born Again Official Podcast) that the Netflix shows are not only 100% canon but crucial to understanding the man and his mission.

    The Punisher, Season 2 (2019)

    🍅 61%

    Episode 13

    The Season 2 finale of the Netflix era serves as the definitive transition into the Frank we see in the 2026 specials. It is here that Frank stops running from his nature and accepts that he is a “man in the box.” By ending the season with Frank dual-wielding rifles against a street gang, the show signaled his transformation from a man seeking revenge to a vigilante seeking a purpose. This version of Frank—the one who accepts his role as a necessary evil—is the exact version that Mayor Fisk now uses as a boogeyman to justify his anti-vigilante task forces.

    Pay close attention to the return of Jason R. Moore as Curtis Hoyle. While Frank is the hammer, Curtis has always been the anvil Frank relies on to stay grounded. Frank is going to need every ounce of that Netflix-era humanity to survive, Ma Gnucci, a villain who is just as relentless as he is.

    Daredevil: Born Again Season 1 (2025)

    (L-R) Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) and Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Television. © 2025 MARVEL.

    🍅 87%

    Episodes 4 & 9

    Episode 4

    In this episode, Frank Castle’s return is triggered by the ultimate insult: the co-opting of his symbol. For years, the Punisher Skull had been adopted by a faction of corrupt NYPD officers—the very men Fisk uses to enforce his order. When Frank finally steps out of the shadows to confront these officers, it isn’t just about vigilantism; it’s about identity theft. He makes it clear that the skull isn’t a badge of authority or a trend—it’s a mark of a man who has lost everything and has nothing left to fear. This episode is crucial for One Last Kill because it establishes Frank’s current mission: cleaning up the mess his own reputation created. He isn’t just hunting criminals anymore; he’s hunting those who wear his face while breaking the law.

    Episode 4 also serves as the first major reunion between Red and the Punisher in years, but the tone has shifted significantly since their rooftop debates. While they are still fundamentally at odds regarding the sanctity of life, there is a weary, veteran respect between them. Frank sees a Matt Murdock who is increasingly desperate and isolated after the loss of Foggy Nelson. In this episode, Frank acts as a dark mirror, forcing Matt to realize that the city Fisk is building has no room for “really good lawyers.” It sets the stage for Frank’s role in the One Last Kill special as the man who does what Matt Murdock can no longer afford to do: finish the job permanently.

    Episode 9


    Frank’s return in the first season of Born Again was a shock to the system. In Episode 9, we see a Frank Castle who has been forced to watch his symbol be co-opted by corrupt NYPD officers—a plot point that Bernthal has noted was a major inspiration for the One Last Kill special. This episode is crucial because it updates Frank’s status quo: he is no longer just a lone wolf; he is a witness to the systemic rot of Fisk’s New York. His confrontation with Matt about the death of Foggy Nelson provides the emotional fuel for his current state of mind, bridging the gap between his personal grief and his new civic rage. And, of course, One Last Kill will follow Castle after his escape from Fisk’s dungeon prison and explain his absence from Born Again Season 2.

    Bare Necessities

    Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal) in Marvel Television’s DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Giovanni Rufino. © 2025 MARVEL.

    If you are truly pressed for time, here’s a boiled-down “Must-Watch” list:

    • Daredevil Season 2, Episode 4 (“Penny and Dime”) — The emotional soul of the character. 
    • The Punisher Season 1, Ep 1 (“3 AM”) — Frank’s return to his mission and his attack on the Gnucci crime family.
    • Daredevil: Born Again, Season 1, Episode 9 — To see his new MCU status quo and his escape from Fisk’s dungeon that once again sets him loose on the criminals of New York City.

    About The Punisher: One Last Kill

    The Punisher: One Last Kill stars Jon Bernthal, Judith Light, Jason R. Moore, Roe Rancell, Mila Jaymes, Nick Koumalatsos, and Colton Hill.

    As Frank Castle searches for meaning beyond revenge, an unexpected force pulls him back into the fight.

    The Special Presentation was written by Jon Bernthal & Reinaldo Marcus Green. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Sana Amanat, Jon Bernthal, and Reinaldo Marcus Green executive-produced.

    The Punisher: One Last Kill debuts May 12th on Disney +.

  • Marvel Studios Reportedly Loses Veteran Director Ahead of Expected Sequel Launch

    Marvel Studios Reportedly Loses Veteran Director Ahead of Expected Sequel Launch

    Marvel Studios’ plans for the First Family just hit a major speed bump. According to a report from Jeff “The In” Sneider, Matt Shakman is reportedly moving on from the MCU to helm a new, original Planet of the Apes film for 20th Century Studios.

    While Shakman’s work on The Fantastic Four: First Steps was designed to launch a new flagship franchise, his jump to a different Disney-owned mega-brand suggests that a direct sequel to the 1960s-set space adventure may be further off than fans hoped—and likely under new leadership.

    LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 21: Eric Pearson attends The Fantastic Four: First Steps World Premiere at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California on July 21, 2025. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for Disney)

    Shakman isn’t making the jump alone. He is bringing First Steps screenwriter Josh Friedman with him to develop what is being described as a “new original story” for the Apes franchise.

    With First Steps pulling in a respectable but not record-breaking $521.8 million at the global box office, Disney is reportedly pivoting Shakman to revitalize the Apes brand while the Fantastic Four characters are integrated into the larger Avengers narrative.

    (L-R): Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch in 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios’ THE FANTASTIC FOUR: FIRST STEPS. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios. © 2025 20th Century Studios / © and ™ 2025 MARVEL.

    The Fantastic Four cast (Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are already locked in for massive roles in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. This Avengers window gives Marvel breathing room to find a new director for a standalone sequel, which was reported by Variety to be in development for a potential 2028 release.

    Shakman was the architect of the FF’s aesthetic. His departure signals that Marvel is moving away from the director-led era of solo trilogies–like James Gunn‘s Guardians and Jon Watts Spidey–and back to a more utilitarian model where characters move between directors as they flow in and out of the Avengers event films. For fans, this means the  First Family will be plenty busy—but their next solo outing might look very different.

  • Lee Sung Jin Reveals What Media Fuels His ‘X-Men’ Vision

    Lee Sung Jin Reveals What Media Fuels His ‘X-Men’ Vision

    The Mutant Saga just secured a powerhouse creative roster that should have every Marvel fan breathing a sigh of relief. In a major interview with Men’s Health, Lee Sung Jin (the Emmy-winning creator of Beef) officially confirmed he is deep in the “writing trenches” for Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot, have some insight into the studio’s vision for the project and what X-Men content has shaped his love for the mutant heroes and villains.

    Director Jake Schreier previously worked with both Lee and co-writer Joanna Calo on Thunderbolts* and Beef. This shorthand allows them to tackle the “ideology and interpersonal drama” of the X-Men with a level of grit and realism rarely seen in blockbusters.

    What I’m excited about with Jake’s vision for the X-Men—and [Marvel president Kevin Feige and co-president Lou D’Esposito] are fully aligned with his vision—is that he wants to get back to focusing on the characters first. These are amazing characters with very rich backstories full of so much emotion. There are so many intra-team dynamics and relationships. There’s soapy stuff. And sure, there are political themes baked into the DNA of X-Men too, and those are evergreen, but we want to get back to character-first storytelling.

    -Lee Sung Jin

    Jin’s comments signal a massive tonal shift for the franchise. Rather than focusing on multiversal cameos or cosmic threats, the Beef creator is aiming for the heart of what made the original Chris Claremont comics a cultural phenomenon.

    Lee emphasized that Schreier’s vision is to lean into the “soapy” interpersonal dynamics. “These are amazing characters with very rich backstories full of so much emotion,” Lee told Men’s Health.

    A lifelong fan, Lee revealed he grew up on the 90s animated series and “devoured” X-Men ’97. He’s bringing that deep-rooted love for the “found family” aspect of the team to the script.

    The writing process is reportedly a hands-on, daily collaboration between Lee, Calo, Schreier, Kevin Feige, and Lou D’Esposito. Lee described the sessions as “invigorating,” with the team “in the lab every day” to perfect the draft.

    While the immediate focus is on a single great movie, Schreier and Feige have confirmed they are already mapping out sequels and spin-offs. The goal seems to be  to move away from the villain-of-the-week model and toward a long-term ideological war narrative… something that the X-Men are well-suited to handle.

    Source: Men’s Health