Marvel head Kevin Feige opens up about the failures of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Recently, several articles surfaced where he discusses the state of the franchise, including one explaining the flop of Thunderbolts*.

Now, he tackles the issue of Captain America: Brave New World. Released earlier this year, the superhero film significantly underperformed at the box office, grossing a modest $415 million.

No Evans

While this amount seems high, it's considerably less than the last two Captain America films. Brave New World is the fourth installment in the series and the first without Chris Evans in the lead role.

According to Feige, that is precisely why the film was not successful. "Chris wasn't in it," he states. Evans' character, Steve Rogers, passed the shield to Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) in Avengers: Endgame.

Plans

What this means for Mackie's future in the role is uncertain. Marvel might play it safe and bring Evans back. There are rumors already circulating that he has a role in Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.

Of course, the studio might also be attempting to make Mackie's Captain America so popular in Avengers that audiences crave his next film. Whatever the plan is, we will have to wait and see.

Ozzy Osbourne, also known as the legendary 'Prince of Darkness', 'Godfather of Metal' and the iconic frontman of Black Sabbath, has passed away today at the age of 76.

"With more sadness than words can express, we must announce that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne passed away this morning. He was surrounded by family and love," said a statement from his family.

A Voice

The sad news comes less than three weeks after 'Back to the Beginning', Ozzy and Black Sabbath's farewell concert in the singer's hometown of Birmingham. But the artist was more than just his music.

Osbourne showcased his iconic voice, not only in music, but also in charitable endeavors, and as a family man, notably in the reality show The Osbournes, and sometimes literally as a voice actor in films.

On The Big Screen

He lent his voice in 2001 for Moulin Rouge and later voiced Fawn in Gnomeo & Juliet and Sherlock Gnomes. In 2020, the artist voiced King Trash in Trolls World Tour and a year later, he voiced Good Boy in We Need to Do Something.

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And not only did his recognizable voice and infectious laughter echo through cinemas, 'The Prince of Darkness' also graced the silver screen with his presence.

A Significant Role

In 1986, Ozzy made a cameo in Trick or Treat as Reverend Aaron Gilstrom, a television evangelist battling the dangers of heavy metal, and in 1995, he played a band manager in The Jerky Boys: The Movie.

Following that, the artist played himself in several films, including Private Parts (1997), Little Nicky (2000), Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), and Ghostbusters (2016), but also played a significant role in the lives of countless fans and his family.

In the trailer for the Apple TV+ series Chief of War, which has garnered over 2 million views on YouTube, Jason Momoa rides a shark through the ocean. This striking image perfectly summarizes the grand and unconventional nature of this production. According to Momoa himself, this is just the beginning: the series is said to be his most impressive work to date.

The Hawaiian miniseries will be exclusively available on Apple TV+ starting August 1, with two episodes released at once. Afterward, a new episode will follow weekly until September 19. Chief of War consists of nine episodes and is fully anchored by Momoa, who not only stars but also co-wrote, produced, and directed alongside his long-time creative partner Thomas Paʻa Sibbett.

Game Of Thrones

According to Momoa, this new project is his most ambitious work yet. A colleague who previously worked on Game of Thrones stated: this is bigger than Game of Thrones ever could be. Forget dragons, man. This is madness. Momoa’s resume includes titles like Dune, Fast & Furious 10, and Justice League, but none of them offered the scale and cultural significance of this historical series, according to him.

The series is set at the end of the 18th century when various Hawaiian kingdoms are battling each other. Central to the story is Kaʻianna (Momoa), a noble warrior from the island of Kauaʻi who was one of the first to travel beyond the archipelago. Upon his return, he becomes embroiled in internal conflicts but soon realizes that foreign powers pose a greater threat than the rival islands.

Zimmer

In addition to Momoa, the series features Temuera Morrison (The Mandalorian), Luciane Buchanan (The Night Agent), and Cliff Curtis (Avatar). The music is composed by Hans Zimmer and James Everingham, who previously collaborated on Frozen Planet II.

The Netflix series Untamed is now available on the streaming service and has rapidly climbed to the top of the Netflix Top 10. The six-part series featuring a federal agent in Yosemite National Park is being positively received by both viewers and critics.

The series is praised by many as an engaging and thrilling crime drama, starring Eric Bana among others. His character investigates an apparent murder in the vast national park, leading to a series of revelations.

Limited Setup, But Hope From Creators

Untamed is officially labeled a 'limited series', meaning that the story was originally presented as complete. Eric Bana, who is also an executive producer, indicated that creating the series was an intensive process and that a sequel is not immediately planned: "Honestly, I haven't really thought about it yet," said the actor.

However, he leaves the door ajar, as the setup of his character, an ISB agent, offers room for new storylines: "The ending was deliberately written that way because those agents are transferred from park to park. That could be a logical basis for a sequel."

Optimism From Showrunner

Co-showrunner Elle Smith expresses more optimism about a potential second season. "We would do this forever if we got the chance," she says. According to her, there is enough potential in the series setup, with each case potentially taking place in a different national park.

A possible second season would then revolve around a new case, a new park, and possibly a partly new cast, but with Eric Bana as the returning focal point. Whether Netflix gives the green light seems to depend largely on the continuing success in viewership.

Possibilities For Future Sequel

Previous Netflix series such as American Primeval also started as limited series but were later expanded with prequels or spin-offs. A similar approach for Untamed is conceivable, especially if the series can maintain its popularity.

Director Matt Shakman, known for his work on WandaVision and Game of Thrones, takes the helm of the new adaptation of Marvel's "first superhero team." The film debuts this week: The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Early reviews suggest that it is already a critical success.

In this latest film, currently boasting a Tomatometer score of 86%, viewers are introduced to the origins of the four Marvel superheroes in a fresh way. The movie is crafted with a retro-futuristic 60s design. Starring are Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn.

Retro And Familiar

Julian Roman from MovieWeb emphasizes that this version finally does justice to the original source material. He asserts that the film looks fantastic thanks to its retro-futuristic design, and the characters are immediately recognizable. He calls it "a successful translation of what Stan Lee and Jack Kirby once envisioned."

Matt Zoller Seitz from RogerEbert.com describes the film as a thoughtful and solid comic book adaptation. He writes: "This is a solid, intelligent, sometimes inspiring superhero film that delivers what audiences anticipate, and even a bit more."

Action And Emotion

Dominic Baez from the Seattle Times highlights the balance between spectacle and emotion. He claims the movie is "heartwarming, action-packed, and just plain fun. Truly fantastic." He states that the team finally gets the film they deserve after previous disappointments in the genre.



Jake Coyle from Associated Press particularly praises the visual execution. He calls the production a stable first step for a team that has struggled to take off in theaters. "The design by Kasra Farahani and the music by Michael Giacchino provide a strong foundation."

Chic And Colorful

Bilge Ebiri from Vulture focuses more on the film's atmosphere. He writes that the viewer "can enjoy the film’s elegant appearance without thinking too much." He sees the film as a colorful illusion that one can indulge in.

During a family vacation in Costa Rica, actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner passed away. The 54-year-old actor drowned while swimming in the ocean last Sunday. The official cause of death has been determined as asphyxiation, according to ABC News. A spokesperson for Warner has not yet provided further comments.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner became globally known for his role as Theo in The Cosby Show, which he portrayed from 1984 to 1992. In more recent work, he starred as Dr. AJ Austin in all six seasons of the medical drama series The Resident, which aired on Fox. His career spanned decades and included a wide array of TV shows and voice roles.

From Sitcom To Serious Drama

In addition to The Cosby Show, Warner starred in series such as Here and Now, Malcolm & Eddie, Jeremiah, Listen Up, Sherri, Reed Between the Lines, and Ten Days in the Valley. He also guest-starred in shows like Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Suits, Major Crimes, and the new The Wonder Years. He lent his voice to various animated series, including The Magic School Bus and Static Shock.

In recent years, he appeared in episodes of 9-1-1, The Irrational, and Alert: Missing Persons Unit, also on Fox. Additionally, Warner worked as a podcaster. Since 2024, he had hosted Not All Hood, alongside Weusi Baraka and Candace Kelley. About the podcast, he stated at its launch: "It’s a space where I feel safe enough to be vulnerable."

Fox Reacts With Sorrow

The American network Fox, where many of Warner's recent projects aired, issued a statement following his passing: "Everyone at Fox is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague and friend Malcolm-Jamal Warner. His iconic roles will remain with us, but above all, we remember him for his warm personality and the positive impact he had on many. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

At first glance, it seemed that The Wheel of Time had permanently joined the growing list of cancelled series. However, since Prime Video announced its cancellation after three seasons, fans have swiftly organized themselves. Their mission: to reverse the fate of the series.

The protest, named SaveWOT, started as a petition but has now grown into a global network of actions. Recently, the milestone of 200,000 signatures was surpassed. The message to Prime Video is clear: the fanbase of The Wheel of Time is large, loyal, and not willing to accept the decision without a fight. The campaign gained momentum during the fan event WoTCon, where costume designer Sharon Gilham openly supported the cause.

Fans Organize Worldwide

Interestingly, SaveWOT does not rely on large petition websites but operates through the platform SaveWOT.com. From that website, international actions are coordinated, ranging from fly-overs above Culver City to creative campaigns like a sewing contest (‘Sew for WOT’) and its own parody song festival. Billboards funded by fans have even appeared in multiple countries.

The cancellation came at a moment when many felt the series had just found its rhythm. The first season generated 1.16 billion viewing minutes, and the third season reached the number one spot on Prime Video in 23 countries. The reviews were also positive, boasting a 97 percent approval rating. Yet, the platform chose to pull the plug.

Future Not Yet Written Off

Fans continue to hope for a continuation, either as a fourth season on another service or as a film. For now, the momentum seems to be on their side. With hundreds of thousands of supporters and actions still in the works, the final word on The Wheel of Time has yet to be spoken.

It's not the new season of Squid Game, nor an American blockbuster. The series that is currently dominating the charts on Netflix worldwide is Untamed, recently reaching the number one spot in no less than 81 countries. Remarkably, this is likely a one-time phenomenon: a sequel season appears unlikely.

According to data from FlixPatrol, this new title has already become the most popular Netflix series in most of the countries where the platform operates. This is noteworthy, considering the series has only been available since July 17.

81 Countries

On July 19, Untamed appeared in the Netflix top 10 in 86 countries, holding the top spot in 81 of them. In comparison, Squid Game reached number one in 93 countries at launch. However, there seems to be no signs of delay for Untamed. Netflix doesn't have any major new releases in the coming days that could break this momentum.

Despite its success, it's highly likely there won't be a second season. The series was developed as a complete story by Mark L. Smith (co-creator of The Revenant) and his daughter Elle Smith. While Netflix has sometimes continued successful miniseries in the past, that doesn't seem to be the case here. At most, a thematically related anthology series could follow.

Plot

In Untamed, the body of a woman is found in Yosemite National Park. Ranger Kyle Turner (played by Eric Bana) investigates the case alongside young colleague Naya Vasquez. What initially seems like an accident soon evolves into a complicated criminal case. As Turner confronts traumas from his past, the atmosphere in the park deteriorates, ultimately putting his life at stake.