Movie News: Michael Bay To Direct 'Skibidi Toilet' Movie; 'Avengers: Doomsday' & 'Secret Wars' Delayed?
From the potential birth of an unexpected, but potentially huge, IP, to the surprise delay of another – here's some hot tea straight from the world of movies.
Michael Bay's 'Skibidi Toilet' Movie Now In Development
Internet trends and YouTube sensations come and go; some fade into obscurity while others are elevated to unprecedented heights, for better or worse. However, almost once every decade, a viral internet sensation will rock the social media landscape and snowball into an unstoppable juggernaut of intellectual property. The last time was 'Five Nights At Freddy's'. And now, the 'Skibidi Toilet' movie is on the horizon.
You read that right. The mega-viral YouTube sensation of this generation is hitting the big screen. But who is bringing such an experimental and, for lack of a better word, bizarre, series to life? Well, it's none other than 'Transformers' franchise director Michael Bay. Invisible Narrative, a film production company where Bay serves as its chief creative director, announced earlier this week that the veteran director is officially working on a 'Skibidi Toilet' movie.
For those who are unfamiliar with the franchise, 'Skibidi Toilet' is, as mentioned earlier, a mega-viral YouTube series that talks about a dystopian war between a race of singing toilet-men and humanoid figures with TVs, cameras, and speakers for heads. Made with iconic, albeit dated, Source Filmmaker, the series, created by Georgia-based Alexey Gerasimov, has been going strong since 2023. The series' explosion onto the public consciousness marked the arrival of Generation Alpha to the world and the internet.
The first-ever episode, though only 11 seconds long, has amassed 241 million views, while its most recent 78th installment has garnered 31 million views. It has inspired memes, games, fan art, and at least one 'Skibidi Toilet' themed birthday party. The series has been the subject of incalculable amounts of speculation, theories and even essays that delve deep into the lore; something that we speculate Invisible Narratives seeks to leverage.
It's quite surprising to see Bay take on this film head-on. At the age of 60, we never expected him to tackle such a wild franchise. However, credit where credit is due – he made the 'Transformers' franchise into the behemoth it is today. Something similar might happen to 'Skibidi Toilet'.
Speaking of 'Transformers', we might see the same level of movie magic going into this upcoming film as Bay will be reunited with his production designer, Jeffrey Beecroft, who worked on 'Age of Extinction' and 'The Last Knight'. Also on board is three-time Academy Award-winning VFX supervisor Rob Legato, who is known for his work in 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' – so to say this film is a surprisingly massive undertaking is an incredible understatement. There's no release date yet for the upcoming adaptation, but the company has confirmed that they will post regular updates through their official website.
'Avengers: Doomsday' & 'Secret Wars' Pushed Back To Late 2026 & 2027
Despite the success Marvel is experiencing with the recent 'Thunderbolts*', even titans trip up at times. Though Marvel and Disney are juggernauts of their respective fields, people tend to forget that every single project these companies take on is a logistical nightmare. Though we're excited to see the return of RDJ as Dr. Doom, the arrival of the X-Men, as well as the Fantastic Four, it seems as though fans will have to wait a little longer to get that next Avengers-level threat.
As per Screen Rant's report, Marvel has delayed 'Avengers: Doomsday' from 1st May, 2026, to 18th December, 2026, and 'Avengers: Secret Wars' from 7th May, 2027, to 17th December, 2027. News of the delay broke last night when Disney revealed that significant reshuffling was ongoing with its current lineup.
The lineup changes include, but are not limited to, the removal of one untitled film from its 13th February, 2026, release date, another from its 6th November, 2026 date, and another from its 5th November, 2027 date. They are to be replaced by 'Untitled Disney' movies. Which means that, after the release of 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps', there won't be another MCU film until next year when 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' swings into theatres.
Not only that, Marvel still has three more dates for untitled movies in 2028: one on the 18th of February, one on th e5th of May, and one on the 10th of November. It;s unknown whether these yet-to-be-announced movies will be affected by the delays.
That isn't to say that the two 'Avengers' movies have ceased production entirely. Robert Downey Jr. himself has shared some BTS pictures from the 'Doomsday' set on Instagram, teasing his reintroduction into the villainous role (and he is JACKED)! Who knows, we might just see the rest of the confirmed cast duke it out with the returning star. Though we have to hunker down for a little while longer, we know for a fact that, when the chips are down, Marvel can deliver some wicked hits.
Source: Empire, Screen Rant, Entertainment Weekly
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Cha Eun-woo covers KPop Demon Hunters song Free with Arden Cho
Cha Eun-woo (left) and Arden Cho cover the song Free from Netflix film KPop Demon Hunters. Photo: Arden Cho/YouTube The wait is over for fans who have been looking forward to the collaboration between South Korean singer-actor Cha Eun-woo and American actress Arden Cho. On July 27, Netflix dropped a video of their duet for the song Free from the streaming platform's hit animated movie KPop Demon Hunters (2025). The film follows the members of Huntrix, a fictional K-pop girl group, who are fighting to save the world from soul-stealing demons and competing with fictional K-pop boy band Saja Boys from the demon world. 'This cover of Free by Huntrix has officially pierced my heart,' Netflix wrote on Instagram, and thanked the two stars. In the film, the romantic ballad is sung by the characters Rumi, leader and lead vocalist of Huntrix, and Jinu, leader of Saja Boys. Cho, best known for her roles in American supernatural teen series Teen Wolf (2011 to 2017) and legal drama Partner Track (2022), voices Rumi, with Korean-American singer Ejae providing the character's singing voice. Jinu is voiced by Canadian actor Ahn Hyo-seop, with South Korean singer Andrew Choi providing the character's singing voice. K-drama idol Cha was reportedly the inspiration behind Jinu. Cho, 39, also posted on Instagram and her YouTube channel on July 26 a video in which she chatted with Cha, 28 – a member of K-pop boy band Astro – about their duet. He is set to begin his mandatory military service on July 28. 'I'm here with one of my awesome 'dongsaeng' (Korean for younger sibling or friend),' she said. 'But people don't really know you're one of my 'dongsaeng' because we never posted a picture or anything.' Cha said they were introduced about five years ago via a South Korean producer who worked on some of his shows. He had starred in K-dramas such as My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018), Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019) and True Beauty (2020 to 2021). 'When I was in America, she introduced (me to) a lot of delicious brunch cafes and restaurants,' Cha said of Cho. 'We love eating.' Cho remarked that Cha looks like Jinu, adding: 'And I thought it'd be really fun and special if we did a collaboration.' Cha also said Cho resembles Rumi, and that it was a sentiment shared by many of his celebrity friends in South Korea and his staff. 'We were texting about KPop Demon Hunters and when we were talking about the movie, I mentioned I was coming to Korea to do some press,' Cho said. 'We were, like, wouldn't it be fun if we covered it?' Cha said he loves all the songs from the movie, especially Free . Cho added that her fiance is a huge fan of Cha's. She announced her engagement on social media in April without revealing his name. 'He's been waiting for our cover. He said you're so cool and so good-looking. You really look like Jinu.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
The Sun
5 hours ago
- The Sun
All aboard chilling express
AMID a flood of over-saturation with scream-for-the-sake-of-it horror films, Ghost Train comes chugging into cinemas as a refreshing detour. Rather than shoving viewers into a nonstop haunted house of shrieking ghosts and flickering lights, this South Korean horror-thriller dares to take its time. Directed by Tak Se-woong and featuring a sharp lead performance from Joo Hyun-young, the film anchors itself in urban legend and internet clout-chasing two elements that surprisingly play very well together. Clocking in at 94 minutes, Ghost Train tells the story of Da-kyung, a struggling horror YouTuber who sets her sights on Gwanglim Station, a place infamous for disappearances and whispered legends. What follows is not just a ghost story, it is a meta-exploration of storytelling itself, where the search for viral fame runs headfirst into forces far beyond comprehension. This is not the kind of horror film that punishes viewers with jump scares every five minutes. And thank goodness for that. Dash of mystery, sprinkle of satire The biggest surprise of Ghost Train is how confidently it refuses to play by typical horror rules. Yes, there are creepy visuals and unsettling moments. But instead of going for the throat, the film lets its atmosphere do the heavy lifting. Director Tak understands dread does not always come from sudden noises, it simmers best when built through odd silences, peculiar behaviors and the slow unraveling of truth. There is a dry humoru that runs just beneath the surface, particularly in the way the film treats YouTube culture. Da-kyung's desperation for attention is both cringe-worthy and strangely relatable and Joo plays her with just the right balance of ambition and naivety. Her interactions with the station master (Jeon Bae-soo) often feel like oddball sketches that veer just short of parody. Choi Bo-min's Woo-jin and Kim Ji-in's Hye-jin round out the cast nicely, serving more as narrative mirrors than traditional sidekicks. The supporting cast, including a few well-placed background characters, bring in texture without stealing the spotlight. The good, the great, the ghostly bits Where Ghost Train shines is in its structure: part anthology, part myth-busting adventure, part YouTube-gone-wrong cautionary tale. The different stories woven into the mystery of Gwanglim Station are compelling, some even unsettling in a psychological rather than supernatural way. It is clear the film is more interested in unsettling its audience intellectually than scaring them silly. That said, the ride is not without a few screechy halts. Some of the ghost stories presented could have absolutely stood on their own as mini-features or short films. They are packed with intriguing ideas and world-building, but often get rushed through in favour of tying everything back to Da-kyung's main arc. Others, unfortunately, overstay their welcome. A few moments stretch longer than necessary, leading to sequences that feel more like filler than tension-building. Had the script given more breathing room to some of these mini-mysteries and maybe shaved off a few slower middle bits, the overall pacing could have matched the film's creative ambition. Still, what is here is commendable for its effort to be more than just spooky eye candy. A different kind of fear For international audiences, Ghost Train offers a neat entry point into Korean folklore-adjacent horror. The setting of a lonely, nearly abandoned subway station lends itself well to feelings of urban isolation, a theme often underexplored in some subgenres of horror. The film also makes clever use of the Korean language, with dialogue that plays subtly on regional intonations and cultural phrasing (subtitles do not always capture the layers, but they try their best). This is where the film makes a quiet but powerful case for why horror should not always be globalised. Watching Ghost Train in its native language enhances the uncanny atmosphere. It makes the local legends feel personal and adds a sense of cultural specificity that is often missing from Hollywood horror. Cliché-free ride Ghost Train is not a perfect ride. It meanders in places. Some parts try too hard to tie into a bigger narrative when they could have been stronger left alone. And viewers expecting a fright-a-minute experience might be disappointed by the film's more cerebral, subdued tone. But for those willing to step onto a slower, moodier track, there is plenty to appreciate. This is a horror film for viewers who enjoy stories that breathe, who appreciate when the fear creeps in sideways rather than jumping straight at the face. Come for the urban legend. Stay for the clever structure, the satirical edge and the satisfyingly strange journey. Just do not expect a final boss ghost fight. Ghost Train has no interest in clichés and that is what makes it special. A horror tale that blends folklore, mystery and a fresh take on fear. – IMDB
The Star
19 hours ago
- The Star
The claw grip is trending, and it says a lot about women's fashion woes
Everywhere you look, women have their hands full. They are clutching water bottles, phones, cups of matcha and wallets. Now that it's summer, sunglasses dangle off the pinkies of already stuffed hands. Never mind that women's handbags, where these items could theoretically live, make up an entire industry and that bigger bags, in particular, are having a moment. The phenomenon, in which women are gripping their necessities without the aid of pockets or bags, is called the claw grip, and on social media, it has been crowned as a secret superpower. In one video on TikTok, a woman challenged herself to carry as many items as possible in one hand. She managed 15, including a lip balm, a pen, a bottle of hand sanitiser, a Kindle, a notebook, a wallet, a power bank, a comb and three water bottles. Read more: Why toes are taking over: Fashion's growing obsession with feet-first style An Instagram account dedicated to girls carrying things (which uses a profane synonym for 'things' and sometimes goes by GCS) posts images submitted by users of their hands full of various bric-a-brac. 'I have seen my grandma do the claw grip all her life,' comedian Atsuko Okatsuka said in an email. 'Every grandma of every culture and race always has, like, a napkin or a piece of trash that they've been carrying around for a long time, maybe years. 'I have taken on the passed-down tradition of claw hands myself,' she added. 'Whether it's mayonnaise packets, or napkins or my cellphone, I am always holding stuff.' For Halle Robbe, personal experience with this tradition prompted her to create the GCS account on Instagram. In 2021, Robbe had run out to a nearby bodega. 'I just brought my keys, my wallet and my AirPods with me, and then I was going to get a Red Bull,' she said, noting that she did not bring a bag. 'I had it all in my hand so I took a photo and put it on my personal Instagram with some silly caption that was some version of, like, 'After hundreds of years of evolution, this is what I can do.'' Her friends responded to her post almost immediately, saying they do the same thing. Robbe created the GCS account that same day. She initially solicited photos from friends and co-workers, and now she receives more than 100 submissions a day. 'I think we've all been there when we have just, like, an assortment of stuff and we're running out the door,' said Abby Cox, 29, a fashion historian and a YouTube content creator. 'I need to make sure I have my glasses. I need my water bottle. Do I need to bring a snack? 'And so you're going out the door with your purse,' she added, 'And then the stuff that should be in your purse.' A popular theory around the origins of the claw grip is that it is a reaction to the fashion industry's refusal to provide women with the functional pockets that are standard in men's clothing. It was not always this way. As far back as the Regency and Victorian eras, women had pockets in the form of bags that were tied around their waists underneath their big, flouncy skirts, Cox said. Their dresses had slits through which women could access these pockets, which could be as big or small as necessary. Cox added: 'They would have pockets in the hems of skirts or they would have what we call butt pockets, because in the back pleats of gowns, you could hide a deep pocket.' In one of her YouTube videos, in which she is dressed in Victorian clothing, she put an entire bottle of prosecco in such a pocket. In the late 20th century, as female clothing shifted toward narrower silhouettes and lighter textiles, substantial pockets became difficult to incorporate, so they were sized down or erased from garments altogether, she said. In February 2024, Hailey Bieber's brand, Rhode, released a phone case with a built-in lip gloss holder that generated a wait list of more than 200,000 interested customers. Now the case and the lip gloss have become immediately recognisable, partly because of how many times they're seen peeking through women's hands – or particularly, Bieber's hands. This month, Glossier – which from its earliest days had packaged items in pink transparent reusable pouches – released a pair of terry-cloth shorts with a sliver of a pocket that fit only lip balms. There are also side pockets, which could fit a phone, and a single belt loop, potentially for key rings. There are also theories that the claw grip reflects the chaos of the minds of women who are thinking through to-do lists and mentally writing text messages and running errands all at the same time. 'I think holding things in our hands actually is our need to keep something in control,' Okatsuka said. 'I started getting submissions that were like, 'Oh, I'm carrying XYZ and the weight of the world' or something metaphorical like that,' Robbe said. The claw grip, she added, could be seen as 'an extension of or in parallel with the mental and emotional and spiritual burdens that women carry'. Read more: From kopitiam to cool: How the white tank top became a style staple for men It is an idea that artist Maira Kalman started to explore three years ago. 'One day at a farmers market, I saw a woman carrying an absolutely gigantic cabbage,' Kalman said in a 2023 TED Talk. 'It made me think of all the things women hold, literally and metaphorically.' Yes, they hold cabbages, balloons, phones. But also, in her own words, "the home and the family and the children and the food". "The friendships, the work, the work of the world and the work of being human. The memories and the troubles and the sorrows and the triumphs and the love. Men do as well, but not quite in the same way,' she added. She turned her observations into a book of paintings. It is called Women Holding Things. – ©2025 The New York Times Company This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
