Latest news with #Marvel
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Jon Watts reveals real reason for quitting Fantastic Four
Jon Watts has finally shared why he dropped out of directing 'Fantastic Four: First Steps'. The 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' director quit the project in 2022 and explained that the 'emotional strain' of pandemic-related fatigue meant he had felt he had no option but to quit. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he explained during a storytelling masterclass at the Mediterranean: 'The emotional strain of having to go through all of those COVID protocols while also trying to make something creative while also trying to make sure that your cast and crew were all safe - literally, people could've died if you did things wrong - that and the postproduction process was very difficult. 'When you're doing [visual effects work], there's a whole international component to it where you're using vendors from all over the world, and the supply chain had been interrupted because of COVID. It was really hard to get effects done in a traditional way.' He had committed to 'Fantastic Four' between the second and third 'Spider-Man' movies but when the time came to get started, he was 'out of gas'. He said: 'The COVID layer on top of making a giant movie layer, I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great. I was just out of steam, so I just needed to take some time to recover. Everyone at Marvel totally understood. They had been through it with me as well, so they knew how hard and draining that experience has been; in the end, very satisfying, but at some point, if you can't do it at the level that you feel like you need to for it to be great, then it's better to not do it.'
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Ironheart Premiere Sparks Familiar Backlash Pattern
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Dominique Thorne attends the Ironheart fan event at El Capitan ... More Theatre on June 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Disney) On June 24, 2025, Disney released Ironheart, its newest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), on Disney+. Despite receiving positive reviews from critics for its first three episodes, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a fresh score of 72%, fans have given the show lower scores on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, with Ironheart debuting with a rotten fan score of 32%. However, there is one caveat that needs to be addressed: the negative fan score was posted before the show was even released. Disney is no Stranger to Backlash Disney's latest properties, particularly those with inclusive content and castings, are no stranger to targeted negative ratings and disparaging commentary, with much of the content on platforms like YouTube aimed directly at the actors. When analyzing recent Marvel and Disney releases, a pattern of review-bombing and targeted criticism emerges. In 2022, Ms. Marvel faced early negative reviews on IMDb, with several one-star ratings appearing before the series premiere had finished rolling out. Similarly, Disney+'s Obi-Wan Kenobi series, also airing in 2022, sparked controversy, with actress Moses Ingram becoming the target of coordinated attacks, prompting public support from Disney and Ewan McGregor, who played the titular character. More recently, in 2023, the release of The Little Mermaid featuring Halle Bailey, a Black woman, as Ariel was also the subject of review bombing, leading IMDb to filter out non-genuine reviews and issue a formal statement on the matter. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: Shea Couleé attends the Ironheart fan event at El Capitan Theatre ... More on June 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney) Shea Couleé, of RuPaul's Drag Race fame, joins the cast of Ironheart as Slug, a bold drag queen and hacker. Couleé, who is no stranger to how passionate and sometimes misguided fandom can be from her own experience on reality TV, has faced online attacks centered around anti-drag and anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments. Some people have said 'no one asked for this' about a prominent drag performer appearing on the show, despite Marvel Comics creating a character partly based on Couleé and several other drag queens back in 2019. What Happens Next? It's no secret that review bombing has become the go-to tactic for online actors to attack projects with female, non-white, and queer leads and cast members. While those making these criticisms may claim that they are allowed to dislike shows like Ironheart, and they are right, they are free not to enjoy an IP just because its story and cast are diverse. However, they go far beyond simply disliking the show. Saying that the show is bad based on the trailer, hearsay, or internal biases that exist outside of the show, before it's even aired, isn't just disliking it; that's discomfort with the mere existence of inclusion. Now that Ironheart has officially made its debut, a more nuanced depiction of its reception is available. The previous 32% fan score has been updated to an average score of 60%, indicating that it still falls on the lower side for Disney+ and MCU content. However, it still presents an overall solid and favorable view in comparison to its score before its debut. While the review bombed scores still weigh down the newer one, it highlights that even when a diverse cast is exceptional or even just 'good enough,' they must still contend with viewpoints and opinions that have already been formed, even before their proverbial stage has been set.
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Disney+ Shifts Strategy With Ironheart 3-Episode Launch
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 23: (L-R) Lyric Ross, Sev Ohanian, Anthony Ramos, Angela Barnes, ... More Dominique Thorne, Chinaka Hodge, Ryan Coogler, Brad Winderbaum, Executive, Television, Streaming, Animation, Marvel Feature Film Production, Zoie Nagelhout, Zinzi Coogler, Kelsey Lew, Creative Executive, Marvel and Alden Ehrenreich attend the Ironheart fan event at El Capitan Theatre on June 23, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo byfor Disney) Disney+ recently released it's newest entry to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Ironheart on Disney+. What makes this debut so different is the risk that Disney+ took by not releasing one episode onto the platform but three, and it released them all at once. This is a move that breaks away from Disney's expected weekly release pattern, creating a sort of a hybrid between it's own model and Netlflix's well know binge model, which allows viewers to watch an entire season the moment it releases. With only 3 episodes being available, the next 3 episodes are set to release on July 1, 2025, exactly one week after the first set of episodes were released. This decision reflects the stakes and trust Disney has placed in Ironheart and their willingness to evolve, or at least test out something new, in the streaming world of 2025. A Break from Tradition HOLLYWOOD, CA - JANUARY 13: General view of a billboard above the El Capitan Entertainment Centre ... More promoting the upcoming season of the Disney+ Marvel Studios flagship show 'WandaVision' on January 13, 2021 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) With shows like WandaVision, Agatha All Along, Loki, and Ms. Marvel, Disney+ released episodes for each on a weekly basis, with the anticipation from cliffhangers often keeping fans speculating, talking, and excited for more. Not only did this maximize the discussions on social media, through hashtags, message boards, communities, and more, it also made sure that Disney was able maximize the profit of their subscription model, with the weekly episodes keeping most subscribers for an extended period compared to them watching everything in a single day. The show follows Riri Williams, an MIT student and scientist who made her MCU debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and helps fans get to know a character who has only recently been in the spotlight. By changing how subscribers watch their content, Disney+ seems able to explore a fortunate development by allowing fans to engage with Riri's story gradually while still providing the dopamine boost that comes with binge watching shows. Ironheart is not the first Disney+ show to experiment with the binging model, as Echo, which released in January 2024, released all of its episodes at once to a bag of mixed reviews from subscribers. Disney was able to take that feedback and repurpose it with this new model that they're testing with Ironheart, which has three episodes as an appetizer and another three the final week to finish everything off. 'I love the fact that there's a week between these three-episode releases,' one producer told TechRadar, 'If people want to binge watch them, they get to do so and then the wait isn't long for the next batch to drop, so I think it'll make for a good viewing experience." What's Next for Ironheart? If the response to this new release schedule is positive, we might discover a new way to stream our favorite content, especially shows that studio executives might see as risky—shows that don't have the same built-in fanbase as MCU film characters, particularly in Ironheart's case, since Riri debuted as a supporting character. Disney is aware of and is currently working on their streaming model. Whether or not this new model works or receives similar feedback to the full season release that Echo had, we'll have to see how Disney handles its streaming MCU content in the future. One sure way to tell if it succeeds, before any pre-releases are made, is if we see more half-season premieres for future streaming content on Disney+.
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Bailey Banfield Spider-Man pledge touches hearts
Narrogin Year 4 student Nicholas Reeves is a star who is shining a light on one of the Fremantle Docker's most cherished AFL rounds, with a little help from your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. The nine-year-old, who battled leukaemia, will toss the coin to start Sunday's clash with St Kilda in the club's 32nd annual Starlight Purple Haze game. During one of his many long stints in Perth Children's Hospital for treatment, Nicholas met his Fremantle idol, Bailey Banfield, and another popular former Docker Tom Emmett. A game of snap led to a promise that Banfield kept in round 16 last season after kicking a goal in their thrilling one-point win over the Sydney Swans at the SCG. 'Bailey and Tom asked Nicholas if they kicked a goal would he want them to do a special celebration? Well he was a bit stumped but they were playing this game of snap and the cards they were using were Marvel cards and the one that turned over was Spider-Man so that was it,' Nicholas' father Scott said. Nicholas' spirits rose when Banfield goaled and turned to the camera to give him his special Spider-Man signal. 'He was over the moon, I have never seen him smile so much. Ever. And when it made the news , well, wow,' Scott said. Now in remission, Nicholas is one of six Starlight Purple Haze Hero kids, along with Paige McKay, 7, Mateo Domazetovski, 6, Demi Sattler, 6, Luca De Groot, 4, and Grayson Pianta, 4, who will take part in the day of celebrations which raises money and shines a light on sick kids. Dockers players will wear a special Starlight jumper to capture the spirit of the occasion. Fans can pledge any dollar amount for each goal the Dockers kick during the game and sponsor South32, will match each pledge dollar for dollar, up to $50,000. Purple Haze beanies will be sold outside Gate D for $30 and inside the ground, with $15 donated directly to the foundation. Starlight wands can also be purchased for $10 inside and outside the ground. The Dockers and their fans have donated more than $3 million to the foundation. Banfield did a spiderman celebration dedicated to Nicolas last year. Credit: Ross Swanborough / The West Australian Banfield described as a privilege the small but significant role he played in bringing joy to Nicholas and his family. 'It was a great game against Sydney when the celebration happened but the biggest part was it touched Nicholas and his family which is pretty special,' he said. 'This is a round the club gets around and it it's one our club and members love as well. 'The club and the playing group, men and women, really buy in and the fans can see that. 'Above all, they are just great kids. To be able to help them out at some of the lowest ebbs of their lives, and their families as well, is pretty special.' And will there be another celebration should Banfield feel lucky enough to kick a goal against the Saints? 'Nicholas has given me another challenge. It is similar to Spider-Man with a bit of an extra twist. I'll leave it at that and we'll see how we go,' Banfield said. 'As far as degree of difficulty goes, it's going to be harder than Spider-Man so I'm going to say it's a seven or an eight out of 10.'
Los Angeles Times
9 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
California man selling Stan Lee signed memorabilia sentenced to prison for $1.2-million tax fraud
A Riverside County man was sentenced Thursday to more than a year in prison for tax fraud after selling memorabilia signed by comic book legend and Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, according to authorities. Mac Martin Anderson, a 59-year-old Corona resident, was sentenced to a year and one day in federal prison after allegedly getting more than $1.2 million in proceeds that he never reported to the IRS, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Anderson was also ordered to pay $482,833 in restitution. Anderson pleaded guilty in March to two counts of willfully subscribing to a false tax return, according to authorities. Between 2015 and 2028, Anderson had a personal relationship with Lee and sold Marvel items that had Lee's autograph to dealers, brokers and fans. Anderson got an income of about $1.236 million from selling the memorabilia between 2015 and 2018 and admitted that the tax that was due was about $482,833, according to the release. Lee helped spearhead Marvel Comics' transformation in the 1960s into a powerhouse brand. He helped introduce Spider-Man to Marvel in August 1962. He was later credited as associate producer on movies starring Marvel characters including Iron Man, X-Men and Captain America, in addition to Spider-Man.
