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Plot: Captured. Chained. Forced to fight for survival. Red Sonja must battle her way through the blood-soaked pits of a tyrant’s empire and rally an army of outcasts to reclaim her freedom and take down Dragan and his ruthless bride, Dark Annisia.

Review: Forty years ago, Brigitte Nielsen led the action epic Red Sonja from Conan the Destroyer director Richard Fleischer, co-starring that film’s lead, Arnold Schwarzenegger. A critical and commercial failure, Red Sonja was the sole live-action adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s character, despite countless attempts to bring the character to life from Robert Rodriguez, Bryan Singer, Simon West, Hannah John-Kamen, Amber Heard, and more. The new take on Red Sonja, starring Matilda Lutz and directed by M.J. Bassett, is a modernized take on the fantasy character that shifts away from the boobs and broadsword style of the 1985 original and aims to be a grittier take on the source material.

The revival of Nielsen’s 80s classic applies CGI and flashbacks a little too liberally, but there’s the odd glimmer of wit in an otherwise clunky script

Ever since Brigitte Nielsen unlaced her battle corset after shooting ended on pulpy fantasy actioner Red Sonja back in the 1980s, there’s been talk of sequels and/or reboots. Truffle around the internet and you’ll find a saga to rival the finest in Old Norse about deals signed and projects greenlit and then abandoned over the years, with names attached to direct ranging from X-Men’s Bryan Singer to Transparent’s Joey Soloway. What a shame Soloway’s version never got off the ground because that surely would have been a hoot, and probably more interesting than this soggy, CGI-infused, low-budget confection that’s finally arrived.

Little-known actor Matilda Lutz gets the lead role this time around, as well as...

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Beth Dutton became a fan-favorite character on "Yellowstone" and a big part of that is down to actress Kelly Reilly, who somehow managed to strike a delicate balance between the character's strong independence and her often shocking amorality. According to Reilly, it's the character flaws that really endeared fans to Beth, with audiences quickly becoming simultaneously appalled and enraptured by the character's willingness to embrace her failings and maintain her strong will even at the expense of those around her, including loved ones. Whatever the reason, Beth became a popular enough character for Paramount to give her and Cole Hauser's Rip Wheeler their own spin-off, which will follow the married couple after the tumultuous (and controversial) events of the fifth and final season of "Yellowstone."

For Reilly, Beth has been somewhat of a breakout role. Though the British actress...

In a full-circle moment, James Marsden is returning to the role that first put him “on the map.”

The Paradise actor and newly minted Emmy nominee sat down with Vanity Fair recently to discuss reprising his X-Men character Cyclops in the Russo Brothers’ forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

“I’m getting a little long in the tooth to put on the superhero costume,” he said, laughing. “I was excited because you’re a part of something gigantic, and I’ve spent 20 years listening to people say, ‘When are you coming back? When are you coming back? Are you coming back?'”

The Westworld and Dead to Me alum continued, “I’m dead. Well, maybe not. I’m going to have a tough time struggling to get into costume if they waited a couple more years. So it’s been a blast. It really has. It’s been a nice little homecoming to...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has done lots of good for the movie industry, as both a business and an art form. Most notably, since the first ceremony in 1929, they annually honor a crop of the year's best films with the Academy Awards, colloquially known as the Oscars. These awards are often wonderful barometers of cinematic quality, drawing audiences toward films they might've otherwise never seen. But sometimes -- or, depending on your point of view, quite often -- the Academy gets it wrong. They ignore what's obviously the superior film of the year in favor of something milquetoast, suspect, or otherwise overrated.

Some of these notable films, whose wins almost immediately received cultural asterisks, include "Green Book," "Crash," and "Driving Miss Daisy." But others still need a touch of critical drubbing, and today is the day to humble these disproportionately honored flicks. With all this in mind,...

Of all the returning X-Men lined up for Avengers: Doomsday, few got fans more excited than James Marsden coming back to portray Scott Summers/Cyclops in what is bound to be one of next year's most massive movie releases. He's always been a fan favorite in the role, but he's also been frequently shortchanged by the X-Men films he's appeared in. To say he never really got to have his moments in the franchise would be an understatement, but Doomsday might afford him that overdue opportunity, something Marsden is very excited about as he gets behind the visor again.

During a chat with Vanity Fair, Marsden spoke about the current stage of his career, which has seen him earning some stellar reviews for Paradise — plus a Primetime Emmy Award nomination, his second after his hilarious turn on Jury Duty. Another part of this current stage is his return as Cyclops in Avengers: Doomsday,...

All The Film References In James Gunn’s Guardians Of The Galaxy Series! ( Photo Credit – Facebook )

Full of pop culture references, including iconic movies, James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy series is a fan-favorite in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). While Peter Quill’s references are concentrated in 1980s American culture, there are quite a few others scattered around.

Here are the eight classic movies alluded to in the famed James Gunn-directed series (in no particular order).

1. The Maltese Falcon (1941) Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ Rt Score – 99% Director – John Juston

The film noir follows Pi Sam Spade, who, while investigating the murder of his partner, encounters a statue, The Maltese Falcon. In the first movie of the MCU trilogy, Peter Quill describes the ‘Orb’ as having a ‘Maltese Falcon sort of vibe.’

2. North By Northwest (1959) Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ Rt Score – 97% Director – Alfred Hitchcock

A classic spy thriller,...

A reboot of Red Sonja spent nearly fifteen years in development hell before going into production in 2022 with director M.J. Bassett (Solomon Kane) at the helm. Before Bassett signed on, the project had passed through the hands of directors Robert Rodriguez, Simon West, Bryan Singer, and Joey Soloway, with Hannah John-Kamen, Rose McGowan, and Amber Heard being considered for the lead role. Matilda Lutz ended up starring in the film, which is set to receive a theatrical release (courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films) on August 13 before arriving on digital on August 29. With those dates swiftly approaching, a behind-the-scenes look at the film’s stunts, fights, cast, and horses has been shared on social media, along with a selfie Lutz took while wearing the title character’s iconic chainmail bikini.

Bassett directed the film from a screenplay by Joey Soloway (Transparent) and Tasha Huo (Netflix’s Tomb Raider anime). This version...

The Usual Suspects isn’t just a crime thriller—it’s a twisted mind game that still leaves viewers gasping even 30 years later. Directed by Bryan Singer and written by Christopher McQuarrie, this 1995 neo-noir film is packed with mystery, mind-bending storytelling, and one of the greatest plot twists in movie history.

You think you know exactly what’s going on, until you don’t. The story follows five criminals brought together for a police lineup. But what starts as a simple heist turns into something much deeper, darker, and more confusing, especially when a mythical crime lord named Keyser Söze enters the picture.

The film unfolds through the narrative of Roger “Verbal” Kint, played by Kevin Spacey in an Oscar-winning performance. As his character recounts the events leading up to a fiery massacre on a boat, the audience—just like the detective questioning him—is forced to piece together the puzzle.

Red Sonja is a property Hollywood has been trying to get right for quite some time. Created by Roy Thomas and artist Barry Windsor-Smith—based on a character by Conan the Barbarian creator Robert E. Howard—Red Sonja has long been a staple of the sword-and-sorcery genre and remains one of the most iconic pulp heroines of her era.

Riding the wave of Conan the Barbarian’s success, producer Dino De Laurentiis attempted to launch a Red Sonja franchise in 1985, with Brigitte Nielsen in the title role and Arnold Schwarzenegger playing a thinly veiled version of Conan named Lord Kalidor. The film was a major flop, but as fantasy has made a strong comeback in recent years, many believe Red Sonja is overdue for a proper cinematic revival.

Over the years, various filmmakers have tried to bring her back to the screen—including Robert Rodriguez (with Rose McGowan), Simon West,...

On the same day that James Gunn’s Superman opened in U.S. theaters, President Donald Trump posted a meme of himself dressed as the Man of Steel. If there was a collective groan on the Warner Bros. lot, home of DC Studios, it’s no surprise. For years, the studio’s marketing mavens have worked to downplay the very pro-American aspect of the comic book hero when peddling the movie franchise internationally.

Superman opened to a promising $125 million domestically in a major win for Gunn and the Warner Bros.-owned DC Studios, which Gunn also happens to run alongside Peter Safran. Overseas was a different story, where the July summer tentpole debuted to $95 million, behind a projected launch of $100 million to $125 million.

The phrase “truth, justice and the American way” became forever aligned with the iconic character in the 1940s, thanks to the radio show Adventures of Superman. Fast-forward to 2006, when Warner Bros.

Superman has been a part of American history for the better part of the century. He's famously faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. But he can also cry -- at least according to one actor who once donned the iconic blue-and-red spandex.

While audiences might associate the character of Superman with either James Gunn's hope-punk defender of justice from his recent blockbuster smash hit "Superman" or with Henry Cavill's depiction in Zack Snyder's brooding "Man of Steel," the truly definitive performance of Superman against which all others are judged remains Christopher Reeve's iconic portrayal of Kal-El from 1978's "Superman." While the film's three sequels produced diminishing results, Reeve's performance endured in cinema history. So when "X-Men" director Bryan Singer was hired to direct a new take on the iconic hero in the mid-2000s,...

Bryan Singer's Superman Returns was not exactly well-liked by fans when it hit theaters back in 2006, but many would agree that, whatever faults the movie may have overall, Brandon Routh did a pretty good job in the role of Clark Kent/Superman.

The film's tepid reception led to a planned sequel being scrapped, but Routh would get the opportunity to play the Man of Steel many years later as the Kingdom Come version of the legendary DC Comics hero for the CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths television event.

This appearance most likely marked Routh's final time in the iconic red and blue suit, but the actor has often spoken about his love for Superman and clearly has a strong grasp of what's made him such a popular and enduring character over the years.

While speaking to Variety to promote his new horror movie, Ick, Routh revealed that he...

Before directing X-Men: First Class, director Matthew Vaughn was hired as Bryan Singer's replacement on X-Men: The Last Stand; Singer went off to direct Superman Returns for Warner Bros. instead. Vaughn eventually dropped out of the project as well, and was replaced by the now-cancelled Brett Ratner. The Last Stand remains one ofthe least-liked installments of the original X-Men trilogy, which, in many ways, shaped modern superhero cinema. It was a hit, but it was also unusually expensive. The movie has now been overtaken by director James Gunn's less-than-two-week-old Superman at the domestic box office.

In just 10 days of release, Supermanhas grossed $236 million at the domestic box office, which puts it $2 million ahead of The Last Stand. Released in 2006, the X-Men film grossed $460 million worldwide, against a reported budget of $210 million. It was an extremely expensive film at the time, and didn't do nearly as well as it was expected to.

Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox was completed in 2019, and comic book fans have been waiting to see the X-Men in the MCU ever since.

There have been occasional references to mutants, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, and Deadpool & Wolverine hinted at what might be to come. In those, Marvel Studios put its own, comic book-inspired spin on characters like Professor X, Beast, and Gambit.

Many of the original big screen X-Men will appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but looking beyond that, a full-blown X-Men reboot is in the works and likely to kick off the next Saga of storytelling.

Talking to select press at a roundtable last week, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that the biggest way the McU's X-Men will differ from what we've seen in the past is by embracing the comics in a way filmmaker Bryan Singer never did.

"There've been...

Worldwide box office: July 18-20 Title Film (distributor) 3-day (world) Cume (world) 3-day (int’l) Cume (int’l) Territories 1 Superman(Warner Bros) $102.5m $406.8m $45.2m $171.8m 79 2 Jurassic World Rebirth(Universal) $63.7m $648m $40.3m $371.8m 83 3 F1(Warner Bros) $39.1m $460.8m $29.5m $307.2m 79 4 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba InfinityCastle(Toho)

$36.5m $36.5m $36.5m $36.5m 1 5 Smurfs(Paramount) $33.6m $36m $22.6m $25m 59 6 I Know What You Did Last Summer(Sony) $24.6m $24.6m $11.6m $11.6m 59 7 The Lychee Road(various) $24.7m $31.7m N/A N/A 1 8 The Legend Of Hei 2(various) $14.1m $14.2m $14.1m $14.2m 1 9 How To Train Your Dragon(Universal) $13.9m $588.9m $8.6m $338.2m 83 10 Saiyaara...

Marvel Studios Chief Kevin Feige confirmed that the upcoming “X-Men,” the company’s introduction of the mutant superhero team in the MCU, will be made up of mutants who “feel like they don’t belong” in the upcoming reboot.

“I don’t want to talk too much about ‘X-Men,’ because that’s still a ways away,” Feige told TheWrap alongside a small group of reporters on Friday. “But you look at what the X-Men comics have always been, and they have been young, and they have been a place to tell stories about young people who feel different, and who feel other, and who feel like they don’t belong.”

Feige added: “that’s the universal story of mutants, and that is sort of where we’re going.”

“The New Avengers” director Jake Schreier is set to helm “X-Men.” “Hunger Games” writer Michael Lesslie wrote the screenplay.

The “X-Men” film franchise began in 2000 with “X-Men,...

Following a blockbuster debut last week, director James Gunn’s Superman continued to dominate the box office as it prepares to face direct competition in the form of fellow superhero film The Fantastic Four: First Steps in a few days. This weekend, Supermansoared past the $200 million mark domestically and the $400 million mark worldwide, further establishing itself as a solid win for Warner Bros. The studio had a difficult start to the year, but has delivered five hits in a row, including F1, which it’s only distributing for Apple Studios. Superman is the studio’s second-biggest hit of 2025, behind onlyA Minecraft Movie.

With around $235 million domestically and another $172 million from overseas markets, Superman’s cumulative global box office haul stands at $406 million. The movie has now overtaken the entire $391 million global box office haul of director Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns. Released in 2006 to mostly positive reviews, the movie featured...

Viggo Mortensen hasn't had a typical Hollywood career. The Aragorn actor's unique path includes a stubbornness to stick with projects, even when "bigger fish" come along, and a reluctance to take on things he doesn't want to do. This has kept him on the fringe of major franchises, even things as big as the comic book kingdom of Marvel. When it comes to the superhero genre, Mortensen's self-sidelining even predates his Middle-earth involvement, as the actor famously turned down the role of Wolverine before it was offered to Hugh Jackman.

While Mortensen's dismissal of the clawed X-Men staple is well-documented, his reasoning behind turning down the role became clearer in a more recent interview. Mortensen appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, explaining that he had taken his then-eight-year-old son, Henry, to his interview in LA. No sooner had they walked into director Bryan Singer's office than the...

Director James Gunn didn't hide his reverence for Richard Donner's 1978 original when he was putting together his Superman reboot. The movie, starring David Corenswet as the iconic superhero, debuted last week to mostly positive reviews and an enthusiastic fan reception. Gunn's Superman retained the goofy tone of the original, which famously featured the late Christopher Reeve in the lead role, and paid homage to it by reusing the memorable theme music composed by John Williams. In less than a week of release, the new Superman has overtaken the original at the domestic box office.

The movie has grossed $155 million domestically and $314 million worldwide. This puts it ahead of the $134 million domestic and $300 million worldwide hauls of Donner's original. Of course, these numbers are unadjusted for inflation, but that's standard practice in tabulating box office performance. What this means, in simple terms, is that the original was watched...

Exclusive: The 29th LA Shorts International Film Festival is about to get underway in downtown Los Angeles, an Oscar- and BAFTA-qualifying event that will showcase 470 films between July 16-28.

The festival opens at Regal LA Live with a selection of four shorts including Como si la tierra se las hubiera tragado, directed by Natalia León, an animated short that won the jury award at the Sundance Film Festival.

“In Olivia’s Mexican hometown, femicide and gender-based violence are increasing at an alarming rate,” notes a description of León’s film in the program guide for Hot Docs, where the film also played. “Upon her return after a long absence, she quickly notices the city walls are covered with posters of missing women. The mistreatment of women is pervasive, and the once-vibrant city is gradually losing its vitality.”

‘The Letter’ LA Shorts International Film Festival

Also screening tonight is The Letter,...

Is there any current director who is more controversial than Zack Snyder? It’s wild how divisive a figure he is, with his fans nearly cult-like in their devotion, while his detractors are just as fervent. Here at JoBlo, we’ve always been ardent supporters, even if we haven’t unquestioningly praised all of his films. Thus, we thought it would be interesting to do an all-around ranking of his films (although we’ve left the animated Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole off the list). So, without further ado, here’s our ranking from worst to best.

Sucker Punch (2011)

I’ll admit to not knowing precisely what Snyder was trying to pull off when I saw this movie in 2011. It remains the most obscure of his live-action films. It is a tough nut to crack, being that it’s a fantastical, hyper-surrealistic fantasy centred around a woman...

Superman is having a big moment at the box office. Warner Bros and DC Studios’ latest superhero movie opened with $125 million, which is actually higher than what many people expected just a day before, according to Deadline.

James Gunn’s new take on the iconic hero is showing strong numbers as fans keep showing up in theaters. Sunday alone brought in $31.3 million, and that was only a 17% drop from Saturday, which is rare for superhero movies these days.

Warner Bros updated their Friday and Saturday numbers too. Friday made $56.1 million and Saturday brought in $37.6 million. With that kind of momentum, Superman is expected to keep doing well in its second weekend. Deadline reports that the film should drop about 50% next weekend, landing around $62.5 million.

That would put it on the same path as Matt Reeves’ The Batman, which also fell 50% in its second week. James Gunn’s past work with...

Superman is flying high at the box office right now, with Warner Bros and DC Studios’ new movie pulling in a strong $125 million in its opening weekend.

That’s actually where many people in the industry expected it to land as of yesterday morning, according to sources from Deadline. The film, directed by James Gunn, showed solid numbers on Sunday too, bringing in $31.3 million, which was just a 17% drop from Saturday. That’s considered a really good hold, especially for a superhero movie.

Warner Bros adjusted its earlier numbers, saying that Friday made $56.1 million and Saturday took in $37.6 million. With those strong weekend numbers, Superman is expected to have a decent second weekend as well.

Industry estimates say it should drop about 50% next weekend, making around $62.5 million. To give a comparison, Matt Reeves’ The Batman also dropped 50% in its second weekend.

Meanwhile, James Gunn’s previous Marvel movies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2...

Twenty-five years ago, the evolution of comic book movies leaped forward. On July 14, 2000, Marvel Comics' not-so-merry band of mutants, the X-Men, made their way from the comic pages to the big screen, changing the company's cinematic fortunes and making the box office safe for the team-based superhero movies that would follow years later.

It should be noted off the top that Blade ice-skated uphill so that X-Men could run downhill to franchise-launching success. Wesley Snipes' 1998 vampire movie brought the comic-book movie genre back from the brink of extinction courtesy of the mega-bomb that was 1997's Batman & Robin. Blade was also the first Marvel Comics-derived film that didn't fall into direct-to-video hell like failed versions of Captain America and The Punisher, and Roger Corman's never-released take on the Fantastic Four.

Still, X-Men's existence was far from guaranteed even after Blade pointed a way forward for Marvel.

Monday Update: Warner Bros’ and DC Studios’ Superman is higher with a $125M opening. This is where rivals saw it on the high yesterday Am; the James Gunn movie’s Sunday being robust with $31.3M, -17%. Warners’ revised Friday and Saturday for the pic is $56.1M and $37.6M. Not even kryptonite will ease Superman’s grip on his second weekend, which should be around -50% with around $62.5M. How’s that? Matt Reeves’ The Batman eased -50% in its second weekend while the last two Gunn Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Vol. 2 and Vol. 3 respectively declined -56% and -48%. You’ll remember how much many marveled about the hold on the third GOTG.

Superman‘s competition this weekend are mere flies to the son of Jor-El: Paramount’s animated movie Smurfs, Sony’s reboot of I Know What You Did Last Summer and A24’s Ari Aster...

This article contains spoilers for "Superman."

James Gunn's "Superman" is currently soaring to impressive box office heights, now that it's opened in theaters worldwide. The film, which is the first big-screen entry in the newly launched DC Universe, is a much-needed victory for the DC Comics brand in theaters, after a decade filled with a select few highs and constant lows. (You can read /FIlm's "Superman" review here.)

The public's perception of Superman as a character has become warped in the current century. Many have dismissed him as outdated and boring, hence Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" (starring Brandon Routh as Superman) failing to take off. On the other end, the deconstructionist, darker take on the character featured in Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" (starring Henry Cavill as the titular hero) for sure had its fans, but it alienated many folks with its boldly different interpretation of Kal-El.

Worldwide box office: July 11-13 TitleFilm (distributor)3-day (worldCume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1 Superman(Warner Bros) $217m $217m $95m $95m 79 2 Jurassic World Rebirth(Universal) $108.1m $529.5m $68.1m $297.3m 83 3 F1(Warner Bros) $51.5m $393.4m $38.5m $257.2m 79 4 How To Train Your Dragon(Universal) $20.8m $560.8m $13m $321m 83 5 Lilo & Stitch(Disney) $9.9m $994.3m $7.2m $579.7m 53 6 Elio(Disney) $9.9m $117.3m $6m $53.6m 52 7 Malice(various) $7.9m $25.6m $7.9m $25.4m 1 8 28 Years Later(Sony) $6m $138,3m $3,3m $72.6m 65 9 Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback(various) $5.7m $150.9m $5.7m $150.9m 11 10 Curious Tales Of A Temple(various) $5.5m $5.5m $5.5m $5.5m 1

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

Worldwide box office: July 11-13 TitleFilm (distributor)3-day (worldCume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1 Superman(Warner Bros) $217m $217m $95m $95m 79 2 Jurassic World Rebirth(Universal) $108.1m $529.5m $68.1m $297.3m 83 3 F1(Warner Bros) $51.5m $393.4m $38.5m $257.2m 79 4 How To Train Your Dragon(Universal) $20.8m $560.8m $13m $321m 83 5 Lilo & Stitch(Disney) $9.9m $994.3m $7.2m $579.7m 53 6 Elio(Disney) $9.9m $117.3m $6m $53.6m 52 7 Malice(various) $7.9m $25.6m $7.9m $25.4m 1 8 28 Years Later(Sony) $6m $138,3m $3,3m $72.6m 65 9 Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback(various) $5.7m $150.9m $5.7m $150.9m 11 10 Curious Tales Of A Temple(various) $5.5m $5.5m $5.5m $5.5m 1

Credit: Comscore. All figures are estimates.

James Gunn’s new Superman movie is off to a flying start at the box office, pulling in a strong $123 million in its first weekend, according to early estimates from industry sources. That number includes a $37 million Saturday, dropping about 34% from its Friday total of $56.5 million (which also included $22.5 million in previews).

Warner Bros. hasn’t confirmed these figures yet, but if they hold, it’s a big win for DC Studios and Gunn’s first chapter of the “Gods and Monsters” phase.

This would be Warner Bros.’ second movie of the year to open above $100 million, following A Minecraft Movie, which launched with $162 million. It’s also now the second-best opening for any Superman movie, just behind Batman v Superman ($166 million), and beats the $116.6 million that Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel made in its first three days back in 2013.

Some early predictions thought the film might hit as...

On July 8, 2005, 20th Century Fox brought the Fantastic Four to the big screen, launching the Marvel superheroes to a $330 million worldwide gross and a quickly greenlit sequel. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review of the Tim Story-directed film is below:

Given the sheer number of screenwriters and directors who have come and gone along the way, the comic book-to-motion picture journey taken by Fantastic Four has been fraught with enough obstacles to make that DNA altering cosmic radiation storm encountered by the Marvel superheroes look like a gentle breeze by comparison.

Now, 44 years after the quartet made its comic book debut, Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, Human Torch and the Thing arrive on the big screen courtesy of a script officially credited to Mark Frost and Michael France, direction by Tim Story and about 800 visual effects shots.

And the result? Fantastic Four‘s a colossal snore.

After all the fussing...

While James Gunn’sSuperman is soaring into theaters and reinventing the Man of Steel for a whole new DC era, another superhero milestone just flew by — one that helped launch the modern comic book movie boom in the first place. X-Men – the 2000 film that made black leather cool, convinced studios to take superheroes seriously again, and introduced us to a then-unknown Aussie named Hugh Jackman – just turned 25 years old this week.

Hard to believe now, but when X-Men arrived on July 14, 2000, the superhero genre was in a tailspin. Batman & Robinhad practically nuked the genre in 1997. Studios were skittish, and the idea of making an ensemble film about a bunch of spandex-wearing mutants with psychic powers and adamantium claws was considered niche at best, laughable at worst. But X-Men changed everything.

Made for a modest $75 million, X-Men grossed $157.3 million domestically and $296.3 million worldwide, numbers that might not look like much now,...

James Gunn‘s Superman is headed for a possible record domestic box office debut of $115 million to $120 million after topping Friday’s chart with $56.5 million, including a hefty $22.5 million in previews.

The movie appears to be succeeding in rebooting DC Studios and its most iconic comic book franchise. Gunn is in the unique position of being both the film’s writer-director and the co-head of the Warner Bros.-owned DC, which he runs with Peter Safran. Superman is also opening in 78 markets overseas, where it is likewise predicting an opening of $100 million-plus from 79 markets after earning $40 million midweek for an early global total of $96.5 million through Friday.

Superman will be the first superhero film to cross $100 million in its North American opening since Marvel Studios and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine launched to $211 million in summer 2024 (“superman fatigue” has become part of the Hollywood lexicon). And it’s the first...

The 2000s X-Men helped kick off the modern era of superhero movies that audiences are still enjoying today. However, a significant point of contention for the film remains the decision to omit the team's colorful costumes in favor of black leather, a choice that is lampshaded in the movie when Cyclops quips, "What were you expecting, yellow spandex?" For an entire generation, the X-Men were known for their unified black leather outfits, ones that stood in sharp contrast to the uniforms in the comics, whose various styles and color palettes showed the multiple members' self-expression.

When asked by a fan on X about why the X-Men wore matching uniforms in the 2000 film, the movie's screenwriter, David Hayter, revealed the behind-the-scenes reason. Director Bryan Singer, who is not a comic book fan, could not get behind the team's more colorful costumes and their diverse styles. If not for the matching black leather uniforms,...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"Does it hurt?" Anna Paquin's Rogue asks Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in 2000's "X-Men" as they sit in his pickup truck trekking across the snowy Canadian wilderness, referencing the claws she previously saw emerge from his hands. After a dramatic pause, Wolverine replies coldly with, "Every time."

It is easy to take a moment such as this for granted in the year 2025 after more than two decades of superhero dominance at the box office. That said, the line still packs a punch, and it perfectly distills why this movie was able to catch a wave and deliver Marvel its first honest to goodness, mainstream movie hit. In short? It treated these characters seriously.

Granted, 1998's "Blade" was also a decent hit...

James Gunn‘s Superman has taken flight at the box office.

The highly anticipated superhero tentpole, from DC Studios and Warner Bros., is on course to top Friday’s domestic box office chart with $55 million, including a record $22.5 million in Thursday previews and sneak Imax screening earlier in the week, according to early returns.

Superman’s opening has been the subject of intense scrutiny. Heading into the weekend, Warners and DC remained conservative in suggesting $100 million-plus, while Hollywood’s leading tracking service predicted the pic would open to $130 million. It appears DC and Warners were right to manage expectations.

Despite the record-breaking preview gross, it now looks like Superman is headed for a domestic debut in the $115 million to $120 million range. That could change, of course, if there is heavy walk-up traffic.

While Superman won’t break any major domestic records for Gunn as a director, it is a notable first step for the reconfigured DC Studios, which he runs with producer Peter Safran. Crossing $100 million is no small feat for any movie, and particularly for the fatigued superhero genre.

Superman would be the first superhero film to cross $100 million in its North American opening since Marvel Studios and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine launched to $211 million in summer 2024. And it’s the first DC film to cross $100 million in eight long years since Wonder Woman debuted to $103.3 million in 2017. And it’s only the third movie of 2025 so far to launch north of $100 million behind A Minecraft Movie, which opened to $162.8 million, and Lilo & Stitch, which started off with $146 million. Jurassic World Rebirth‘s official three-day opening was $92 million when it opened over the long July Fourth corridor and amassing $147.8 million in its first five days.

Rebirth is on course to gross $37 million in its second weekend for a domestic tally of nearly $230 million. Even as it falls 60 percent, it still poses competition for Superman. Ditto for the male-skewing F1: The Movie, which is on course to earn another $10 million this weekend.

The $22.5 million preview gross marked a career best for Gunn, who previously directed Marvel’s blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The second Guardians boasts Gunn’s biggest domestic opening at $146.5 million, not adjusted for inflation. The third Guardians, debuting in 2023, opened to $118.2 million.

Gunn is in the unique position of being both the film’s writer-director and the co-head of the Warner Bros.-owned DC Studios. Superman is also opening in 78 markets overseas, where it is likewise predicting an opening of $100 million-plus.

Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice broke records for a film featuring Clark Kent/Superman with a domestic opening of $166 million in 2016, not adjusted for inflation. The last solo Superman movie, Snyder’s 2013 film Man of Steel, debuted to $116 million domestically. And almost two decades ago, Bryan Singer‘s Superman Returns posted a six-day North American opening of more than $84 million.

It’s understandable why Gunn and his DC Studios co-head Peter Safran are skittish when it comes to tracking, which has been all over the map in recent months.

Superman stars David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. Rounding out the cast are Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

The movie marks the first DC film entry for Gunn since he took over the reins of Warner Bros’ superhero label with Safran in November 2022. Other upcoming DC Studios projects include HBO’s Green Lantern series Lanterns, and a Supergirl movie due out in 2026.

July 11, 1:24 p.m.: Updated with revised estimates.

This story was originally published July 11 at 8:35 a.m.

It’s easy to forget that the vast majority of Superman movies have struggled to move the needle. While the original Richard Donner Superman put comic book movies on the map, the Christopher Reeve-led sequels were bad. While Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel is fondly remembered, the stories behind the scenes of the next two movies turned into a powder keg in the discourse. Superman Returns is not without its own controversies.

Directed by person non grata Bryan Singer and starring Kevin Spacey before he was accused of sexual harassment, many have chosen to ignore a title they were not too fond of to begin with. However, with the release of James Gunn’s Superman, it’s time to revisit the movie that is the closest we’ve seen to Gunn’s vision.

Superman Returns Plot

After spending five years investigating what happened to Krypton, Kal-El (Brandon Routh) returns to Earth.

The writer of some of the best X-Menmovies has given a definitive answer on why the titular team wears matching black suits in the original Marvel franchise. The reasoning has been a long time coming, with the X-Men making their on-screen debut in said suits 25 years ago.

Since then, the X-Men have experienced a rollercoaster of a cinematic career. Following the critically acclaimed X2, one of the best superhero sequels ever made, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine painted a dismal picture for the future of the franchise. X-Men: First Class then corrected the X-Men's course, and with it came a new, more comics-accurate wardrobe.

A purely comics-accurate wardrobe would comprise a particularly colorful set of threads that helps each member to stand out. Wolverine is perhaps the most prominent with his yellow suit and winged helmet - something which Deadpool & Wolverine finally adapted in 2024. The pure-black...

The She-Devil With a Sword has finally returned. Red Sonja, the long-awaited reboot of the classic fantasy comic book character, is coming back to the big screen this summer. In the new trailer for the film, Matilda Lutz plays the flame-haired barbarian warrior as she seeks vengeance, battles monsters, and confronts death in a gladiatorial arena. M.J. Bassett (Rogue) directs the film, which had been stuck in development hell for decades. The film will premiere in theaters on August 15, 2025.

In the trailer, Sonja swears revenge on the raiders who killed her people, sending her on a quest that eventually lands her in the clutches of the villainous warlord Draygan The Magnificent and pitted against his deadly, eyebrow-less bride, Dark Annisia. In a nod to the character's fantasy origins, she battles not only Draygan's warriors, but also a massive horned monster. And yes, she does find herself in her comics incarnation's infamous "chainmail bikini,...

After years of development, the Red Sonja reboot has finally arrived. The action fantasy film has faced trial and tribulation, but the official trailer unleashes the long-awaited return of the powerful warrior. The question is, was it worth the wait? Although fans will be the judge when it releases later this year, the new footage doesn't spark much confidence in the reboot.

The first trailer for Red Sonja features Matilda Lutz (Revenge) in the starring role, alongside Martyn Ford, Robert Sheehan, Wallis Day, Michael Bisping, Philip Winchester, Trevor Eve, Luca Pasqualino, and Rhona Mitra. The film was directed by M.J. Bassett based on a screenplay by Tasha Huo (Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft). Red Sonja is set to hit theaters on August 15 and on digital platforms August 29. You check it out below. Read the official plot synopsis:

Enslaved by an evil tyrant who wishes to destroy her people,...

Red Sonja is finally making her big return, and this time, she’s slicing her way through blood, fire, and myth. After years of production delays and director shakeups, fans now have their first real look at the upcoming fantasy action film thanks to the first official trailer, released by Samuel Goldwyn Films.

The trailer opens with a brutal scene: a massacre that leaves Red Sonja thirsting for revenge. She’s captured, but if the trailer makes one thing clear, it’s that nothing is going to stop her from getting even.

She’s seen fighting her way through enemies in an arena, decked out in her iconic chainmail bikini. The trailer ends with a quick joke, but most of the footage is serious and intense.

There’s no shortage of action in the rest of the footage either. Sonja battles multiple guards, faces off against one of villain Draygan’s top fighters,...

After years of delays and changes behind the scenes, Red Sonja is finally making her big return to theaters. Samuel Goldwyn Films just dropped the first official trailer, and it’s as fierce and gory as fans hoped. The trailer shows Matilda Lutz in the lead role, stepping into the boots and chainmail of the classic sword-swinging warrior.

The trailer opens with a brutal attack that sets the stage for Sonja’s revenge. She’s captured at first, but as you’d expect, that doesn’t last long. As the action picks up, she’s fighting soldiers, battling in arenas, and showing no mercy. Of course, she’s wearing her signature chainmail bikini, which even gets a small joke at the end of the trailer, one of the only light-hearted moments in a very intense preview.

From what we see, the movie isn’t holding back on the fantasy action.

Here’s Where You Can Watch Every Superman Movie Before James Gunn’s Reboot! (Photo Credit – Netflix)

James Gunn’s Superman, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, is slated to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Over the years, the iconic DC superhero has appeared in several films, portrayed by Christopher Reeve, Brandon Routh, and Henry Cavill. We have collated a list of these live-action feature films where Superman plays a lead or major role, along with their streaming platforms.

1. Superman (1978) Streaming On – Max, Amazon Prime Video (US & India) Rt Score– 86% Director – Richard Donner

Plot: The superhero origin story follows Kal-El (Christopher Reeve), son of Jor-El (Marlon Brando), who is sent from Krypton to Earth, where he becomes Superman and protects its people from the evil mastermind Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman).

Trending After M3GAN 2.0, These 3 Must-Watch AI Movies Should Be Next On Your Watchlist

Brad Pitt Almost Starred In...

You will believe that a man can fly... to the Academy Awards.

After months of pre-release hype, James Gunn's highly anticipated Superman relaunch — which introduces David Corenswet as the Man of Steel — is landing in theaters on July 11. Fan reactions from early screenings have been largely out of this world, while critics' takes range from the enthusiastic to the Kryptonite-tinged. Attention has also been laser-focused on the film's opening weekend box-office prospects as a harbinger for both the future of the DC Comics cinematic universe and superhero cinema in general.

Gunn himself addressed the box-office question in a recent GQ interview, saying: "[People] hear these numbers that the movie’s only going to be successful if it makes $700 million or something and it’s just complete and utter nonsense. It doesn’t need to be as big of a situation as people are saying."

When it comes to the awards race,...

Every Superman Movie Ranked By Box Office Success(Photo Credit –Facebook/Prime Video)

DC Comics’ Superman has been wildly successful since he first appeared on celluloid in 1978. Before the character’s box office boom, people adored the superhero in comics, animated and live-action television shows, and crossovers.

The latest iteration, James Gunn’s Superman starring David Corenswet, has drawn much interest. Set to release soon, fans are excited to see if this version lives up to the hype.

Let’s look at all the previously released movies with the Man of Steel, ranked according to their box-office success, with numbers sourced from Box Office Mojo.

1. Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) – $874M Streaming On: HBO Max, Prime Video, JioHotstar, Apple TV+ Rt Score: 28% Director: Zack Snyder

Plot: Bringing two of the biggest DC comics superheroes on the big screen for the first time, Henry Cavill’s cloaked superhero goes head-to-head...

James Gunn’s Superman is finally flying into theaters, and it’s not just another superhero flick. This is the beginning of a whole new universe for DC, now called the Dcu, and it all starts here. Gunn didn’t just direct the movie; he also wrote and produced it. This is his version of Superman, and it’s going to shape what comes next for the franchise.

Instead of the darker, more serious Superman we’ve seen before in movies by Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan, this one feels lighter and more hopeful, more in tune with the original comic book character. It’s a big shift, and a lot of fans have been waiting for something like this.

The premiere in Hollywood happened earlier this week, and so far, things are going well. Superman currently has an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is officially certified fresh. That’s...

James Gunn’s Superman is finally here, and it’s more than just another comic book movie. This one kicks off a whole new era for DC Studios under Gunn and producer Peter Safran. Their rebooted universe, called Dcu begins with Superman flying onto screens around the world this weekend. It’s a big moment, and there’s a lot riding on it.

What makes this release even more personal is that Gunn not only directed the film, he also wrote and produced it. This is his vision of Superman, and it’s setting the tone for everything that follows in the Dcu.

After years of darker Superman movies under Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan, this version seems lighter, warmer, and more in line with the spirit of the original character.

After a big premiere in Hollywood on Monday night, things are looking good. The movie sits at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and is certified fresh.

While Hollywood’s leading tracking service shows James Gunn‘s Superman flying to $130 million in its domestic box office debut, DC Studios is being far more conservative in sticking with a forecast of $100 million-plus.

Gunn is in the unique position of being both the film’s writer-director and the co-head of the Warner Bros.-owned DC Studios, so he has plenty of sway in controlling the messaging. Superman, perhaps the summer’s biggest curiosity factor, opens everywhere in North America July 11. It is also opening in 78 markets overseas, where it is likewise predicting an opening of $100 million-plus.

When the tentpole first came on tracking three weeks ago, Nrg reported a North American opening of $135 million. That figure subsequently dropped to $130 million, but has held steady since. And the film can only be helped by stellar reviews, including this one from The Hollywood Reporter, which says, “the man of steel reclaims...

Superman, the first movie in Peter Safran and James Gunn’s revamped DC Studios Phase I, labeled “Gods and Monsters,” is opening this weekend. Talk about pressure. There is a lot riding on this movie as it tees up the tone and grand plans that the duo have assembled since Warner Bros Discovery siloed DC away from the main aorta Warner Bros Motion Picture Group a la the setup of Marvel at Disney.

Even more amazing and audacious here, Gunn bet on himself writing, directing and producing the movie that lights the wick to new era at DC following the dark-tone era of Zack Synder and Christopher Nolan.

After a rapturous premiere in Hollywood on Monday night and reviews this morning of 85% certified fresh, hopefully there’s no reason for anyone on the Burbank lot to sweat.

Related: Men of Steel: Every Actor Who Has Played Superman – Photo Gallery

Studios...

Superman isn’t just the most famous superhero in history, but one of the most iconic characters in the history of modern American media. The history of DC comics was built on the world that Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster created back in the 1930s, which has continued in new and exciting ways throughout thousands of subsequent issues. Although Superman was depicted on television by George Reeves and later appeared in many animated shows, his transition to the big screen marked the first instance in which Hollywood took notice of the potential that comic book cinema had. Christopher Reeve had many other great roles, but for most viewers, he would always be known as the definitive Clark Kent.

After the four films that Reeve starred in, Superman had a somewhat difficult path back to the cinema, as many potential reboots were considered. Brandon Routh eventually took on the role...