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Imagine you’re an actor, a successful one, with a whole lineup of famous roles under your belt. You’ve worked with A-listers, been on hit shows, and seen it all in the Hollywood machine. Now, imagine someone like Taylor Sheridan invites you to audition. You might expect the usual grind: the sterile room, the competition, the dreaded waiting for your turn.

But no. Instead, Sheridan welcomes you to a sprawling ranch in West Texas for a completely relaxed, down-to-earth conversation. No pretensions, no stress. And that, according to Jon Hamm, is the greatest audition process he’s ever experienced.

Jon Hamm on Taylor Sheridan’s refreshing audition process Jon Hamm in Landman | Credit: Paramount+

We all know how draining the typical Hollywood audition can be.

Related: “Both of those characters have something to say about…”: Jon Hamm Reveals One Binding Similarity Between ‘Your Friends and Neighbors’ and ‘Landman...

Disney Branded Television has revealed the cast of lead villains for Disney Jr.’s new animated series, Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends.

Emmy Award winner Tony Hale voices the comically nefarious android Ultron, with Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live) as the mischievous Swarm, and Talon Warburton (Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate) as Absorbing Man.

Ultron

The series, which features young versions of Tony Stark (Iron Man), Riri Williams (Ironheart), and Amadeus Cho (Iron Hulk), premieres this summer on Disney Jr. and Disney+ and is the first Iron Man preschool series.

Of joining the cast, Tony Hale said, “It’s really fun playing a villain because it gives me permission to yell at people and get paid for it. Yes, please.”

Swarm

Vanessa Bayer added, “It’s an honor to be part of the Marvel Universe and have the opportunity to voice Swarm. Often, I get typecast as a nice person,...

Tony Hale, Vanessa Bayer and Talon Warburton have joined the voice cast of Disney Jr.’s “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends,” TheWrap can exclusively reveal.

Hale, Bayer and Warburton have been cast as the lead villains in the upcoming animated Iron Man series, which follows the adventures (and misadventures) of best friends and super geniuses Tony Stark (Iron Man), Riri Williams (Ironheart) and Amadeus Cho (Iron Hulk), and is set to premiere this summer.

Hale will voice the comically nefarious android Ultron, while Bayer (“Saturday Night Live”) voices the mischievous Swarm and Warburton (“Megamind vs. the Doom Syndicate”) voices Absorbing Man.

Ultron, Swarm and Absorbing Man in “Marvel’s Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” (Disney)

The trio joins previously announced stars Mason Blomberg, Kapri Ladd and Aidyn Ahn, who play Tony Stark, Riri Williams and Amadeus Cho, respectively.

“It’s really fun playing a villain because...

Robert Downey Jr. in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is as important as Kevin Feige in Marvel Studios. The respectable actor has gotten millions of fans excited for the upcoming projects, and there’s nothing wrong with it.

Having a fanbase in the millions, it is, of course, a good thing when Robert Downey Jr. gives you two thumbs-up for your show. Well, Dominique Thorne can proudly boast that fact because Downey Jr. just gave her show two thumbs-up and is excited for its release!

Robert Downey Jr. is excited for this upcoming MCU show

Fans would agree with us when we say that the Marvel Cinematic Universe wasn’t in a good phase at all after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Sure, some shows like WandaVision and Loki managed to pull through this chaos, other shows like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law were hailed as the worst.

It wasn’t the...

[This story contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*]

Director Jake Schreier‘s Thunderbolts* caught many audiences by surprise this weekend. Not only in terms of what’s behind the name, which I’ll get to, but its lack of conventionality. The Marvel Studios movie proved to be a hit with critics who have been less forgiving of certain Marvel-isms of late. The positive reception feels like a legitimate game-changer for the MCU going forward. And not in the conventional way of box office records or audiences doing flips and screaming themselves hoarse in theaters. It’s a quieter, more profound and arguably more important kind of game-changer that once again shows that Marvel Studios is at its best when it leans on underdogs and defies expectations.

The cycle of proclamations claiming, “Marvel is over!” followed by, “Marvel is back!” has grown tiresome because neither is true. Marvel is simply here, a constant that, like all long-running franchises,...

Marvel Studios ruled the cinematic landscape from 2008 until around 2019, thanks in no small part to the novelty of its shared universe, a concept every film studio tried and failed to mimic. Beginning with Jon Favreau's "Iron Man," the Marvel Cinematic Universe successfully propelled popular heroes and villains to the big screen, culminating with enormous blockbuster events in the form of "Avengers" movies, not to mention standout hits like Ryan Coogler's "Black Panther" and Jon Watts' "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

More impressively, the MCU made frequent use of the ultimate gimmick: cameos, often arising during mid-credit scenes, which usually introduced or teased new characters like Thanos (Josh Brolin) and the Collector (Benicio del Toro), who would often go on to play vital roles in later pictures. In fact, one could argue the MCU took off due to Samuel L. Jackson's surprising appearance as Nick Fury in "Iron Man.

When the character Riri Williams (played by Dominique Thorne) made her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut back in 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the idea was that we’d be seeing the character again the following year in her own six-episode Disney+ show Ironheart… but 2023 came and went without Ironheart, and so did 2024. Now we know that we’ll finally have the chance to watch the show on June 24th – and Empire has unveiled a new image, which can be seen at the bottom of this article. Empire also spoke with Thorne, who revealed that she has talked to Robert Downey Jr. about their “iron” heroes and Iron Man Downey is rooting for her Ironheart.

As mentioned, Thorne stars in Ironheart as Riri Williams, “a genius inventor who creates the most advanced suit of armor since Iron Man.” She is joined in the cast by Manny Montana, Shakira Barrera, Alden Ehrenreich,...

Ironheart is set to premiere on Disney+ on June 24, so a full trailer should be right around the corner. For now, we have a new promo still featuring Riri Williams in her upgraded suit of armor courtesy of Empire.

While speaking to the mag, star Dominique Thorne revealed that Tony Stark actor Robert Downey Jr. gave her his blessing to take up the Armored Avenger mantle shortly after the series wrapped.

“Robert Downey Jr and I spoke just after we wrapped, and he shared some very lovely words about my journey,” Thorne recalled. “He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it, too. I literally got two thumbs up. It’s really reassuring to know you’re not embarrassing Iron Man.”

Though Williams has a genius-level intellect at her disposal, she does not have the same resources that Stark did when he started out as Iron Man.

Marvel's Ironheartseries gets some pressure off its shoulders, as Robert Downey Jr. trusts Tony Stark's Marvel Cinematic Universe replacement. After leading an Iron Man trilogy, four Avengers movies, and making other franchise appearances, Downey will soon return to the MCU. However, he will be playing Doctor Doom, the new main villain of the Multiverse Saga. Since Iron Man is expected to be absent from Marvel Studios' next projects, Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, who was introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, can carry on his legacy. Before Ironheart premieres on June 24 on Disney+, her Iron Man connection gets spotlighted.

Speaking with Empire, Dominique Thorne revealed that Robert Downey Jr. gave her his blessing for Ironheart. Check out Empire's new look at Thorne as Riri Williams in Ironheart below:

The image shows Riri in a new version of her Ironheart suit. The armor is bulkier than the one she wore in her MCU debut.

The MCU began with a suit of armour. 17 years ago, Robert Downey Jr suited up for the first time as Iron Man, cladding himself in a hotrod rocket suit and kicking off five phases of interconnected storytelling. Now, we’re about to see another character literally build themselves into a hero before our eyes: Riri Williams, aka Ironheart, the prodigious teen genius first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, who puts her technological expertise into making her own Iron Man-inspired suit.

The resulting Ironheart series is set to evolve Dominique Thorne’s Williams from the excitable upstart we met in Wakanda Forever – and comes with the seal of approval from Tony Stark himself. “Robert Downey Jr and I spoke just after we wrapped, and he shared some very lovely words about my journey,” Thorne tells Empire. “He told me how excited he was and that he’s rooting for it,...

Is "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? It was sold as such. It starred a revived Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), who had been an unexpected breakout character from "Iron Man" up through "The Avengers."

The first season was the most authentically connected. The series' "Marvel X-Files" approach got shattered by "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," which saw S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrated and destroyed by Hydra. So, the show pivoted to its heroes going underground. The first season even managed to get Samuel L. Jackson to cameo as Nick Fury twice. But as "Agents of S.H.I.E.Ld." went on for ultimately seven seasons, the crossovers which Marvel fans had expected never came.

Coulson never reunited with the Avengers onscreen. "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." was never a priority for Marvel Studios because the show wasn't even produced by it. Rather, the series was backed by ABC Studios,...

David Fincher might be the guy behind your favorite mind-bending thrillers, but on set, he’s got a bit of a reputation — think genius director meets control freak — with a habit of running scenes so many times you lose count (and maybe your sanity). That level of intensity might result in cinematic gold, but not every actor is signing up for round two. In fact, some have quietly (or not-so-quietly) vowed never to step on one of his sets again.

You’d think that an auteur with a Best Director Oscar nomination under his belt would have actors lining up at his door, and in most cases, that’s true. But Fincher’s “my way or 75 takes later” style has pushed even A-listers to their breaking point. We’re talking about stars who’ve headlined billion-dollar franchises, award winners, and indie darlings alike, each walking away with unforgettable performances… and unforgettable tension.

[Editor’s note: This list was published in May 2023. It has since been updated with new Marvel films, including “Thunderbolts.”]

Love it or hate it, nobody who wants to participate in pop culture can ignore the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As the internet and the streaming boom continue to divide the entertainment industry into smaller niche fragments, superhero tentpole movies are the closest thing we still have to a monoculture. That cultural dominance has allowed Marvel Studios to rope an increasingly large percentage of Hollywood’s A-list actors (and quite a few of its best directors) into its ever-expanding universe.

Years of billion dollar box office receipts and endless discourse about its stranglehold on the film industry make it easy to forget what a risky proposition the MCU was when it launched with “Iron Man” in 2008. Superhero movies without Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man were considered box office gambles at the time, and many entertainment industry observers doubted that audiences would continue to show up for so many interlocking films without getting fatigued.

Hold onto your popcorn, Marvel fans, things just got wild. On May 5, 2025, Marvel dropped a bombshell by rebranding Thunderbolts*, a movie already lighting up theater screens, as The New Avengers. The big reveal happened at a glitzy event where the cast proudly unveiled the new title before a Thunderbolts* poster.

This isn’t just a clever marketing stunt; it’s a full-on pivot that ties this ragtag team of antiheroes chasing redemption to the legendary Avengers name. But is Marvel playing a genius long game here, or are they risking a fan frenzy by switching things up mid-run, after the movie’s one-week release?

From Thunderbolts* to New Avengers: What is Marvel’s vision? Geraldine Viswanathan and Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Thunderbolts* / Credits: Marvel Studios

When Thunderbolts* hit theaters, I was totally hyped like any Marvel fan for a team of MCU misfits; think Yelena Belova, Red Guardian, and Bucky Barnes,...

The MCU may not hold the same place in popular culture as it once did, but it remains a key Hollywood franchise. Marvel is responsible for the career comeback of Robert Downey Jr., who debuted as Iron Man back in 2008, but it also helped to establish other stars like Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland, and Chris Evans, among others. In the post-Avengers: Endgame (2019) era, new MCU movies have been focused on setting up a new generation of heroes, paving the way for new stars.

Black Widow (2021) marked Florence Pugh's first entry in the MCU, and she has gone on to become a major movie star outside of Marvel. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), similarly, served as a platform for Simu Liu, who was previously best known for Kim's Convenience. Liu hasn't made quite the same splash that Pugh has as a Marvel newcomer, but he did...

It was a bit of good news, bad news for Marvel Studios over the weekend as the company's latest offering, director Jake Schreier's "Thunderbolts*," topped the box office to help kick off the summer movie season. That's the good news. The bad news? It wasn't a big enough opening to confidently suggest whether or not the Marvel Cinematic Universe has another hit on its hands. Rather, this one's fate is going to be determined in the weeks to come.

Marvel's latest team-up debuted with an estimated $76 million domestically. That was pretty much right in line with pre-release estimates, which had "Thunderbolts*" pulling in over/under $70 million. Internationally, the movie took in $86.1 million for a $162.1 million global debut. That would be stellar for most movies, but it's still on the lower side of things for the MCU.

Only eight of the 36 theatrically released MCU movies have had lower opening weekends...

Imagine the MCU not having Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man. Crazy right? They say he was meant to play the character, and no one else can replace him. However, if you try to find something similar in the gaming scene, only Roger Clark comes to mind. He is the same when it comes to playing Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2.

Rockstar has many crime-based franchises; however, Red Dead Redemption 2 received the most praise, even though it’s not the most popular. By bringing the Wild West to full glory, Rockstar etched its name in the history of gaming.

But the process wasn’t simple; agglomerating talented folks together wasn’t the only challenge Rockstar faced. The biggest challenge was to keep its secrecy, including from the people who are working on it. Later on, that gamble turned into a huge factor in making Arthur Morgan and Roger Clark legends to be remembered worldwide.

We first visited Avengers Tower in 2012's The Avengers, with the skyscraper returning in Avengers: Age of Ultron three years later. However, by the time Spider-Man: Homecoming swung into theaters in 2016, Tony Stark had decided to sell the building.

It being emptied by Happy Hogan was a major plot point in the reboot, with The Vulture attempting to steal Iron Man's many dangerous weapons during Homecoming's final act. Spider-Man ultimately thwarted his sinister plan. 

Avengers Tower has since been teased in the MCU, though Marvel Studios has stopped short of revealing who purchased the building. While the Fantastic Four and Mephisto have been named as likely possibilities, Thunderbolts* confirmed that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine and O.X.E. were the ones who bought the building from Iron Man. 

That was for the "good optics," and so the company would have somewhere to base its Sentry program. 

So, how...

For the first time since 2023's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," Marvel Studios and its head honcho, Kevin Feige, have a homegrown critical success, and, just maybe, a new Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise that can stand on its own. The jury's still out on the latter, but, as of now, "Thunderbolts*" is inarguably a hit with reviewers (88% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and moviegoers (who gave it an A- CinemaScore). Provided the movie holds well at the box office, the Feige fam should be downright stoked as they near the kickoff of their pivotal Phase Six launch, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps."

Still, six years after "Avengers" Endgame," it's amazing to see this once formidable franchise staggered by a series of misfires. Prior to 2021, second-guessing Marvel Studios was a fool's errand. Its miraculous run from 2008's "Iron Man" to 2019's "Avengers: Endgame" set a commercial franchise gold standard that may...

Spoiler Alert !!!This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*

The Sentry is one of my favorite characters to come out of Marvel Comics and is played perfectly by Lewis Pullman in the MCU. One of the most intriguing aspects of the character is the way his story was first introduced in the comics. There was an entire meta-campaign that talked about how the authors of the story had actually dug up a character from Marvel’s archives, and then went ahead to invent an entire history of the character.

However, Thunderbolts* decided to take a different route with the character, giving him, arguably, a lesser story as the basis of his origin. Fans were very much expecting that Sentry might be able to retcon some of the history of the MCU, which might have been a very juicy bit of fan service. Nonetheless, the MCU managed to water down the Sentry’s story quite a bit,...

I have been a Marvel fan since Iron Man hit theaters in 2008, when Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark made superheroes feel human, flawed, and endlessly cool. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was a juggernaut, weaving standalone films into a grand saga that culminated in Avengers: Endgame.

Lately, however, I have felt something is off. The thrill of new releases has faded, replaced by a sense of obligation, like I am cramming for an exam rather than enjoying a movie. Apparently, I am not alone. Kevin Feige, Marvel’s mastermind, recently reportedly admitted that the MCU’s relentless output has started to feel like “homework” rather than entertainment.

Kevin Feige on the MCU’s overcrowded world Kevin Feige at the 2016 Sdcc [Photo by Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons]

It took Kevin Feige six years since Endgame to pinpoint what went wrong with the MCU projects, but this realization...

It was a sight to behold when Christopher Nolan and Robert Downey Jr. collaborated on the epic biographical drama, Oppenheimer. Starring Downey as Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, the actor took home his first-ever Academy Award—Best Supporting Actor Oscar— for the role.

Now that we have seen this iconic pairing, fans have been looking forward to seeing them work together again. However, because of their busy schedules, this might not be possible anytime soon. But given what Nolan once said about working with Downey, there is a chance we might see them work together again in the distant future.

Christopher Nolan on working with Robert Downey Jr. and his generosity Robert Downey Jr. and Christopher Nolan | Credit: Wired’s Interview / YouTube

Robert Downey Jr. is one of the greatest actors of his generation. Whether it be his more famous role as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or his...

It began with 2008’s “Iron Man,” a film that introduced the world to Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark with the hint that he could be part of something greater. Over 30 films later, the story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is still being told, albeit with various tributaries and detours that introduce new characters and new worlds that may or may not cross paths one day. Each film in the MCU stands on its own to some degree, but like building blocks, they all connect as part of one interconnected universe. And in that way, watching the Marvel movies in order tells one grand story.

There are a couple of different ways to watch the Marvel movies in order, but below we run down how to watch the MCU in chronological and release date order. Indeed, some films like “Captain Marvel” and “Captain America: The First Avenger” are full-on prequels...

Robert Downey Jr. was once the undisputed king of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he had the screen time and the dollar signs! His portrayal of Tony Stark made him one of the most transformative superheroes in Hollywood.

But times have changed, and so have people’s fortunes. Ryan Reynolds also joined the race by playing the foul-mouthed, katana-wielding antihero that we’ve all come to love. So, what happens when Iron Man and Deadpool go head-to-head, not in terms of swords or fights, but net worth?

Robert Downey Jr.’s iron-forged net worth Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in a still from Iron Man | Credits: Marvel Studios

Robert Downey Jr.’s role as Iron Man changed the stratosphere forever, not just for him, but also for the MCU. For the longest time, he was the richest actor in the epic movie franchise, and it all started with his role...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has, for the better part of its existence, been so mired in groundbreaking worldbuilding that it has reoriented and restructured the entire format of storytelling for major Hollywood franchises. Kevin Feige, the godfather of this new revisionist format, has reigned over the MCU with a keen eye for nearly 2 decades now, but with time comes change.

Kevin Feige at the 2016 Sdcc [Photo by Gage Skidmore licensed under Cc By-sa 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons]

Now that Warner Bros. has finally stepped into the sandbox with its very own version of an interconnected DC Universe, James Gunn’s formative world of gods and monsters has begun to threaten Marvel’s standing in the Cbm arena.

Due to Gunn’s highly imaginative concepts mixed with obscure characters, the comic book universe conveys a newness to it with every unpredictable project. Be it the Guardians of the Galaxy or Creature Commandos, Gunn has...

Love or hate it, Rotten Tomatoes remains incredibly important when it comes to whether moviegoers decide to check out the latest releases in theaters. These days, it's not uncommon for studios to tout scores as proudly as star ratings.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered hit after hit since Iron Man was released in 2008, the Multiverse Saga has proven not even Marvel Studios is immune from the wrath of critics. That's apparent from this Saga delivering not one, not two, but three "Rotten" movies.

Is the Multiverse Saga really as bad as some would have you believe? It's been a tad inconsistent, yes, but how does this era of storytelling stack up in terms of those all-important percentage scores on Rotten Tomatoes? Captain America: Brave New World didn't fare too well, but Thunderbolts*, in contrast, is being hailed as a return to form for Marvel Studios.

As a result,...

Is DC Studios' Dcu already in trouble? It feels like a question we've asked many times before, albeit with good reason. At the start of 2023, James Gunn and Peter Safran announced 10 new movies and TV shows; Creature Commandos has been released, Superman is right around the corner, and both Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns are in active production. The other six appear to be no closer to happening now than they were then.

That's not an assumption either. Earlier this year, Gunn and Safran hosted a press event, best described as ill-advised, which boiled down to them admitting that The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Swamp Thing, Waller, Booster Gold, and Paradise Lost had all hit stumbling blocks. But hey, on the plus side, they were moving forward with low-budget features revolving around Sgt. Rock and, uh, Batman villain, Clayface.

Having that sort of mix of projects from...

Is DC Studios' Dcu already in trouble? It feels like a question we've asked many times before, albeit with good reason. At the start of 2023, James Gunn and Peter Safran announced 10 new movies and TV shows; Creature Commandos has been released, Superman is right around the corner, and both Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Lanterns are in active production. The other six appear to be no closer to happening now than they were then.

That's not an assumption either. Earlier this year, Gunn and Safran hosted a press event, best described as ill-advised, which boiled down to them admitting that The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Swamp Thing, Waller, Booster Gold, and Paradise Lost had all hit stumbling blocks. But hey, on the plus side, they were moving forward with low-budget features revolving around Sgt. Rock and, uh, Batman villain, Clayface.

Having that sort of mix of projects from...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is back at it again, throwing us a curveball that links Thunderbolts* directly with the upcoming sci-fi/action Avengers: Doomsday to be released in 2026!

Adding a layer of intriguing connection is the revelation of the post-credits scene that was not filmed by the Thunderbolts* director, but by the Russo Brothers, the celebrated directorial force behind two famous movies—Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Fans might be surprised to know that the post-credits scene of the Thunderbolts* was filmed on the sets of the Avengers: Doomsday.

Unpacking the post-credits power move

The post-credits scene is important. It not only marks the return of Joe and Anthony Russo to the MCU after seven years, their last work being Avengers: Endgame in 2019, which ended with an iconic snap, “I am Iron Man”.

A still from Thunderbolts* | Credits: Marvel Studios

For the unversed, the 2-minute and 54-second long post-credits scene reveals the team,...

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Thunderbolts* is a superhero action comedy-drama film directed by Jake Schrier from a screenplay co-written by Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo. Based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name, the MCU film revolves around a group of misfit antiheroes who team up and work together to survive after they find themselves trapped in a deadly conspiracy. Thunderbolts* stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Olga Kurylenko, Lewis Pullman, Geraldine Viswanathan, Chris Bauer, Wendell Pierce, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. So, if you loved the hilarious misfit team-up, impressive action, and compelling characters in Thunderbolts*, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Suicide Squad (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Warner Bros.

The Suicide Squad is a superhero action comedy-drama film written and directed by James Gunn. Based on the DC Comics...

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Thunderbolts*The Thunderbolts* cast had a few dangerous experiences on the set of Jake Schreier's MCU movie, and John Walker actor Wyatt Russell certainly got the worst one. Thunderbolts*' titular characters grow as a team throughout their first mission together, and they become a family by the time Thunderbolts*' ending rolls around. As Thunderbolts*' post-credits scene shows, their chemistry is so effective that they're still an active superhero team fourteen months later, now renamed "the New Avengers".

In an interview with EW, the Thunderbolts* cast shares a few nerve-racking anecdotes. Yelena Belova actor Florence Pugh recalls an encounter with real scorpions in the desert, Red Guardian actor David Harbour recalls being afraid of falling on top of Florence Pugh while running downstairs, and John Walker actor Wyatt Russell recalls hitting his head so hard that he needed staples. According to Russell and Harbour,...

“How the mighty have fallen,” is what I used to say about Marvel Studios and the way they handled the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Avengers: Endgame. Fans doubted Kevin Feige and questioned his abilities, while the world saw every Marvel project fail one after the other.

However, it seems that it wasn’t Kevin Feige’s fault at all. The Marvel President was thinking about the future of the MCU and the big things they had in store. However, this led to a phase where Feige wasn’t able to provide feedback on the current projects. As a result, the MCU was quite different after Endgame since Feige was all about the future.

Kevin Feige was on the brink of burnout!

An article was published in The Wall Street Journal that detailed the things that Kevin Feige was up to during the early 2020s. According to the report, Feige was...

How Much Did Robert Downey Jr. Really Earn From Marvel?(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Back in 2008, when Marvel took a big swing by casting Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark in Iron Man, few could have guessed how massively that decision would pay off for the studio and the actor himself. At the time, Downey was considered a risk. But as the Marvel Cinematic Universe exploded in popularity, so did Rdj’s earnings, thanks to smart negotiations and back-end profit deals.

Even though his run as Iron Man came to an emotional close in Avengers: Endgame (2019), rumors of a return never really faded. And now, as of April 2025, there’s confirmation that Downey will be back as Doctor Doom. Whether he’s playing a hero or a villain, one thing’s clear: Marvel isn’t quite done with their golden boy. So, how much did Rdj actually earn for donning the...

This article contains spoilers for Marvel's Thunderbolts*.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues. With three films on its slate for this year, two of them are already out, and, after the mixed reception for Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts* has everyone talking about it.

There are a lot of reasons why people are talking about Thunderbolts*. The movie is a team-up of a series of already-beloved characters from the MCU, Sentry's debut, and the return to the vibe of early films in the franchise. On brand with other superhero films, Thunderbolts* also features two post-credits scenes, and one of them has everyone talking about it. An inside source with knowledge of the production told Cbr that the post-credit scene in the Watchtower actually was directed by the Russo Brothers.

Thunderbolts* final post-credits scene shows the members, now dubbed the New Avengers, in new outfits with a new Avengers logo. While...

Certain actors come to define certain roles, and that goes double for comic book movies. After 2008's "Iron Man" changed Hollywood forever and re-energized star Robert Downey Jr.'s career, the man spent the next decade convincing us all that he just is Iron Man. On the DC side of things, many would say that Christopher Reeve did the same thing with his "Superman" movies, even though his final outing as the Man of Steel, 1987's "Superman IV: The Quest for Peace," became an infamous superhero movie that even Reeve regretted making.

While we're on the subject of DC, there is one man that can surely claim to rival Reeve: Kevin Conroy. The late actor inhabited the Dark Knight beginning with 1992's "Batman: The Animated Series" and went on to play the role across multiple projects, from other DC Animated Universe shows to video games and even in live-action as...

Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, quietly confirmed last year who the anchor being of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, and it should come as no surprise. User @hermandy_s via the social media site X posted an interview in which Feige was promoting last summer’s hit Deadpool & Wolverine, and the studio chief stated that the MCU’s anchor being, or the being that helps tether their reality, is, in fact, Iron Man.

Iron Man, portrayed in the MCU by Robert Downey Jr. since 2008’s Iron Man, was confirmed to he the anchor being by Feige. In the interview posted to X, Feige began, “When Logan had come out, it was such a great movie. We were working on Infinity War and Endgame where I was trying to stick the landing with sending off our own anchor being.” The 2017 film Logan saw Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) as well as Professor X (Patrick Stewart) die.

It’s been six years since Avengers: Endgame was released, and we cried buckets of tears as we bade an emotional farewell to Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. While things have since changed, including Downey Jr. making a grand comeback to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the feared Doctor Doom, our concerns regarding Earth 616 have seldom ceased to exist.

So much so that a resurfaced interview clip of Kevin Feige has once again brought the discussion surrounding the anchor being of Sacred Timeline’s Earth 616 – where most of the events of the MCU take place – to the fore, and how Tony Stark’s demise may ring the death knell of the universe.

While Iron Man may or may not be the anchor being of Earth-616, the stakes are higher if he is indeed the Mvp in this universe, which Feige carefully chose neither to confirm nor to deny during the interview.

It is no secret that Marvel is not where it was before 2018. "Avengers: Endgame" was the perfect bookend of that whole franchise, but when the Marvel Cinematic Universe charged forward, the pandemic messed up any and all schedules for a cohesive release order. Then there's the Jonathan Majors scandal that completely derailed the plans they did have, and when you add that to Disney+ releasing more Marvel Studios TV shows than one could feasibly watch, the interest in the grand Marvel Cinematic Universe experiment has waned significantly in recent years — as seen by the box office results.

This makes the positive response to "Thunderbolts*" — like /Film's own Bj Colangelo writing a glowing review praising the movie's maturity — a much welcome break. Having seen the movie, however, one thing becomes clear about what makes the movie just such a fun time.

"Thunderbolts*" is based on the comic book antihero team of the same name,...

Who’s the most well-settled Avenger star?(Photo Credit –Facebook)

Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered some of the most successful superhero films, including Avengers. But it hasn’t just created superheroes on-screen, it has launched the careers and fortunes of the actors behind the masks, shields, and suits.

With back-to-back blockbusters, billion-dollar box office numbers, and smart business moves, the Avengers stars have become some of the richest and most influential names in Hollywood. But with all that success, one question naturally arises — who is the wealthiest Avenger? Well, let’s take a closer look at the top 5 richest members of the Avengers as we unravel their reported net worths.

1. Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) – $300 Million

Robert Downey Jr. is one of the key faces of the MCU. He practically started the franchise with his superhit Iron Man film, released back in 2008. Rdj’s deal with Marvel was one of the smartest in Hollywood.

Doctor Doom wearing the face of Tony Stark is something that has a lot of fans intrigued about how the MCU is going to address the fact that Robert Downey Jr. is playing both characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. There have been a lot of theories as to why Doctor Doom looks similar to Tony Stark, and some are a little darker than others.

The theory rests on the fact that Tony Stark and Doctor Doom are in fact Variants of each other. While this has some utterly fascinating implications for the MCU, it could lead to a multitude of things, with one outcome being something right out of a horror movie. However, it is something that we have already seen in the MCU, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Doctor Doom might use his dream-walking abilities to possess the corpse of Tony Stark Doctor Doom || Marvel Comics...

Marvel’s Most Low-Budget Movie Ever(Photo Credit –Marvel/Hotstar)

When people think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the mind often jumps straight to billion-dollar box office figures, jaw-dropping VFX sequences, and star-studded ensembles. Marvel is, without a doubt, a machine built on scale. But it wasn’t always like this. The MCU had to prove itself before the sprawling multiverse, the time travel plots, and reality-shifting battles. And that journey started with tighter budgets, sharper storytelling, and much more risk.

It’s easy now to assume that every Marvel film has a blank cheque attached to it. With Disney’s financial power and Marvel Studios’ track record, budgets often climb into the hundreds of millions today. But go back far enough, and you’ll find a time when every dollar counted. Every explosion had to be justified, and every casting decision weighed not just for character fit but affordability.

Disney has always wanted to expand its audience globally, and lately it has been trying more to do so. The company owns Marvel Studios and the superhero powerhouse has been following the steps of its parent company for some time now with its diverse superheroes and cultural inclusion. Lately, a rumor has spread like wildfire that Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan might be joining the MCU soon.

Shah Rukh Khan is one of the biggest names in the eastern movie industry, and including him in the most popular movie franchise at the moment won’t be a bad deal. However, there has been no confirmation from either side, which has led fans to speculate more about the potential roles that Khan might play. Let’s explore 5 roles that Shah Rukh Khan should play in the MCU if he joins the scene.

Mephisto Mephisto | Credit: Marvel.com

After Anthony Mackie showed interest...

On 1st May 2025 comic book artist and creator Jackson "Butch" Guice passed away. News of his death first broke by his brother in law James Hettel. His cause of death is unknown, but he had been dealing with health issues. Hettel posted the following on Facebook.

Not often do I put anything out there...but this is worth it. This is a cover that my brother in law, Jackson "Butch" Guice did for a Captain America run he was working on for Marvel Comics. Notice the patch on the left shoulder of the American Soldier in the front of the wedge formation. That's the Unit patch for my Home unit, 478th Combat Eng. Butch could have picked any number of high profile, well known Army units to recognize on a cover of a comic that would go world wide. He chose to give a head nod to my unit. Why?...

Robert Downey Jr. has assembled the Avengers to support the Thunderbolts*.

The former Iron Man star shared a photo on Instagram of himself and a few of his Avengers: Doomsday co-stars Friday after they watched the MCU’s latest installment. Downey congratulated the “So cool, fresh and deep” film alongside “the Old Avengers” and a few new faces with a group shot.

“Just wow!!! Dinner and a show with the Old Avengers. So cool, fresh, and deep. Big congrats. #thunderbolts,” Downey wrote on Friday.

He posed for a group shot alongside a few of his Avengers: Endgame co-stars, including Thor’s Chris Hemsworth, Ant-Man lead Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, who’s been a part of Captain America for years and recently took over the franchise, and Winston Duke, who played M’Baku in Black Panther.

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A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr)

Fellow Marvel alum Simu Liu,...

Stan Lee’s daughter, J.C. Lee, has settled a multimillion dollar lawsuit she filed against a man who oversaw Lee’s memorabilia dealings in the final years of his life.

In the suit, Lee accused Mac (a.k.a. Max) Anderson of siphoning more than $11.6 million in autograph revenue. He was also accused of taking $10.2 million in revenue from appearance fees at comic book events. Anderson denied the allegations, which also included claims that he took numerous items belonging to Lee, including Marvel figurines and statues and an original Bob Kane drawing of the Joker.

The suit was originally filed in 2019, and was due to go to trial in Santa Monica on Monday. The parties filed a notice of settlement on Thursday.

“A settlement agreement has been executed and once its terms are satisfied, it resolves all of the issues and disputes between and among the Parties,” the attorneys said in a joint notice.

If there’s one thing that’s been made especially clear in the last few years of Marvel movies — and now even more so in “Thunderbolts*” — it’s that the Avengers are gone, and Earth is sorely missing its mightiest heroes. But what exactly happened to all of them?

It can be hard to remember where everyone ended up after “Avengers: Endgame,” especially because in the six years since that movie came out, there have been 25 new projects (split between TV series and movies). So, we figured it was about time to take stock, especially since that final line-up of Avengers was pretty extensive.

Here’s what happened to everyone, and why they haven’t shown up in awhile.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) Marvel Studios

Nick Fury isn’t technically an Avenger, but he is of course the man responsible for bringing Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together — and thus...

The Avengers have assembled once again — well, some of them.

Marvel star Robert Downey Jr. posted a photo with some of his fellow cast members from next year’s major tentpole “Avengers: Doomsday” to watch the latest MCU movie, “Thunderbolts*,” all together.

“Just wow!!! Dinner and a show with the Old Avengers. So cool, fresh, and deep. Big congrats to the New Avengers (and Bob). #Thunderbolts,” Downey wrote on Friday, ahead of the opening weekend for “Thunderbolts*.” He and his cast mates all made T’s with their hands in honor of the new Thunderbolts team.

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A post shared by Robert Downey Jr. (@robertdowneyjr)

Downey posed with several old and familiar faces. He was with his longtime “Thor” buddy Chris Hemsworth, “Ant-Man” star Paul Rudd and Anthony Mackie, the new face of the “Captain America” franchise as Sam Wilson. There was also Simu Liu, who...

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been the centerpiece of Hollywood for the past two decades. What started with Iron Man back in 2008 has ballooned into the most successful franchise in movie history as the film spawned multiple sequels, spinoffs, indirect continuations and, more recently, a host of Disney Plus TV shows. It truly is Marvel's world and we're just living in it.

Since Iron Man's release, there have only been two years with no MCU film in theaters (and both of those gap years were for very specific reasons). Considering that there are generally multiple releases a year, that's a lot of Marvel movies, superheroes, and supervillains to have graved the silver screen. But the MCU fans simply wouldn't have it any other way.

The movie series has experienced a number of highs and lows over its run (with most of the lows coming from the more recent outings...

The daughter of Stan Lee, J.C., has settled a lawsuit against Max Anderson, the comic book legend’s former longtime road manager accused of elder abuse and pilfering tens of millions of dollars in memorabilia, autograph revenue and appearance fees.

Ahead of a trial slated to start next week, both sides on Thursday informed the court of a deal to resolve the case. The agreement is conditioned on the completion of certain undisclosed terms. Further details weren’t revealed.

At the heart of the lawsuit: Allegations that Anderson leveraged his control over Lee’s life to steal over $21 million — as well as hundreds of pieces of collectibles and memorabilia, including Batman creator Bob Kane’s original drawing of the “Joker” and movie props featured across Marvel movies — toward the end of his former boss’ life.

Shortly after meeting Lee around 2007, Anderson assumed exclusive control of his operations for comic...

Marvel Comics has just confirmed that there is one character Iron Man believes is more than a match for Black Widow, as Tony Stark is forced to enlist the help of MCU character Melinda May to protect him, after Widow sets her sights on Tony, setting up a confrontation that will prove who truly is the better fighter of the two.

Iron Man #7, written by Spencer Ackerman, with art by Julius Ohta, finds Stark calling upon Melinda May, who initially debuted on the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. TV series before being integrated into the Marvel Comics Universe, in a moment of desperation.

When she asks why he didn’t enlist Black Widow, Iron Man admits that his longtime Avengers teammate was his first call, but it turns out she may actually be the one he needs protection from in the immediate future.

Marvel Confirms Iron Man Believes Melinda May Could Beat...