In a competitive auction, Universal Pictures is developing a live-action film based on the iconic characters of Archie Comics, one of the comics industry’s longest-running publishers. Tom King will write the screenplay. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Aditya Sood will produce the project through Lord Miller’s first look deal with Universal, along with Emma Watts, who brought the project to Lord Miller with King, and Archie Comics CEO and Publisher Jon Goldwater.
The news follows a string of highly successful live-action adaptations of Archie characters to screens, including the breakout seven-season CW television series Riverdale, the Netflix streaming series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and the smash-hit film The Archies, also for Netflix and directed by Zoya Akhtar. Archie’s storylines center around a core cast of teens in the small town of Riverdale, anchored by heartfelt interpersonal dynamics, humor, and lighthearted drama. King, known for his fan-favorite emotionally resonant revivals of classic superhero characters like The Omega Men, Adam Strange, and The Vision, explored the Archie dynamic with his signature philosophic insight in the bestselling one-shot comic book Archie: The Decision last year, drawn by longtime Archie mainstay Dan Parent.
Archie has sold over three billion comics throughout its history, published in dozens of languages and read worldwide, most notably in Philippines, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, South America, Australia, UAE, and India; 100 million Archie comics have sold in India alone in the last 50 years. New Archie titles are continuously published monthly and are widely available in comic book stores, newsstand outlets, bookstores, libraries, and on the digital reading platforms comiXology and GlobalComix.
Senior Vice President of Production Development and Special Projects Britt Hennemuth and Director of Production Development Christine Sun will oversee the project for the studio. Lord Miller is represented by UTA and JSSK. Watts is represented by CAA. Archie Comics is represented by CAA. King is represented by UTA.
Weapons was a repeat in the top spot of the weekend box office. It dropped just 42.5%, a rather low amount, most likely due to very positive word of mouth and reviews. It grossed an estimated $25 million domestically to bring that total to a bit over $89 million after two weeks. Over the week, it grossed $32.2 million internationally to bring that total to $59.7 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $148.7 million. It continues a year where horror has done really well, and particularly original R-rated horror. It also has been a solid year for Warner Bros. which has had numerous hits.
Freakier Friday came in second with $14.5 million domestically to bring its gross to $54.8 million. Over the week, it grossed $16 million internationally to bring that to $31.5 million for a worldwide total of $86.3 million.
Nobody 2 debuted in third place with $9.3 million domestically and $4.9 million internationally for a worldwide total of $14.2 million. That would likely be considered a win as the first film opened in 2021 with $6.8 million and went on to gross $27.6 million domestically and $57.5 million worldwide.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps slipped one spot to fourth with $8.8 million to bring its domestic total to a bit over $247 million. International gross is $221.7 million for a worldwide gross of $468.7 million. That’s just $1 million shy of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer‘s adjusted worldwide gross.
The Bad Guys 2 wrapped up the top five. It grossed $7.5 million domestically to bring that total to $57.2 million. Over the week, it grossed $19.7 million internationally to bring that total to $60.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $117.4 million.
In other comic related movies…
Superman held on to sixth with $5.3 million domestically to lift its domestic gross to $340.9 million. Over the week, it grossed $6 million internationally to bring that total to $253.6 million and worldwide the movie has grossed $594.5 million.
Smurfs grossed $135,000 and a domestic total which now stands at $30.8 million. Internationally, the movie has added $4.5 million over the week and has grossed $73.9 million. Worldwide, the gross is $104.7 million.
Thunderbolts* remained at $190.3 million domestically. Internationally, it remained at $192.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $382.4 million.
Overall, the weekend box office saw a total of 60 films gross $90,910,144 from 36,726 theaters compared to last weekend’s $132,619,839 from 55 films and 34,322 theaters. This weekends average was $2,475.36 compared to last weekend’s $3,863.99.
Weapons won the weekend box office with an impressive debut and continuing a solid year for R-rated horror films. The film opened domestically with $42.5 million and $27.5 million internationally for a worldwide debut of $70 million. The film has received solid reviews from critics and audiences, so expect this to have some legs based on word of mouth. It follows Sinners, another R-rated horror film, which grossed $365.9 million worldwide.
In second place was Freakier Friday which debuted with $29 million domestically and $15.5 million internationally for a worldwide debut of $44.5 million. The original film Freaky Friday, opened with $22.2 million in 2003 ($38.9 million today’s dollars). Disney should be happy with the debut which has had a 22 year old gap.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps dropped to third place in its third week with a 59.9% slide. It grossed $15.5 million domestically to bring that total to $230.4 million. Internationally, it grossed $33.5 million over the week to bring its worldwide total to $434.2 million. It’s approaching Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer‘s worldwide gross adjusted for inflation and will surpass that in a week or two. It’s also the highest grossing Marvel film of 2025 passing Captain America: Brave New World which opened in February.
The Bad Guys 2 dropped to fourth after last week’s second place. It added $10.4 million to its domestic gross which is now $43.4 million. Internationally, it grossed $18.2 million over the week and now has grossed $40.5 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed just under $84 million.
The Naked Gun rounded out the top five after coming in third last week. It grossed $8.4 million to bring its domestic gross to $33 million. Over the week it grossed $11.9 million over the week internationally to bring that to $23.4 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $56.4 million.
In other comic related movies…
Superman slipped out of the top five to come in sixth with $7.8 million domestically to lift its domestic gross to $331.2 million. Over the week, it grossed $12.6 million internationally to bring that total to $247.6 million and worldwide the movie has grossed $578.8 million.
Smurfs grossed $475,000 and a domestic total which now stands at $30.3 million. Internationally, the movie has added $8.2 million over the week and has grossed $69.4 million. Worldwide, the gross is $99.7 million.
Thunderbolts* remained at $190.3 million domestically. Internationally, it remained at $192.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $382.4 million.
Overall, the weekend box office saw a total of 55 films gross $132,619,839 from 34,322 theaters compared to last weekend’s $119,951,857 from 56 films and 32,167 theaters. This weekends average was $3,863.99 compared to last weekend’s $3,729.04.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps was at the top of the weekend box office with an estimated $40 million but dropped 66% from the previous weekend. That’s on the higher end of drops but not unheard of for a blockbuster film. To put it in perspective, Superman, which opened just two weeks before, dropped 54.2%, on the lower end of a second week drop. Superman opened a bit higher and overall it grossed more in its first two weeks. Marvel Cinematic Universe movies as a whole have dropped 58.36% in their second week not including this film and post COVID the drop has increased to 63.39% reflecting the changed viewing habits of consumers due to the pandemic.
Still, The Fantastic Four: First Steps has now grossed $198.4 million domestically and added $70.3 million internationally over the week where it has now grossed $170.3 million for a worldwide gross of $368.7 million. That’s the most any film starring Marvel’s First Family has grossed not adjusted for inflation and likely indicates this could be Marvel’s highest grossing film of the year by the time when its run is over.
The Bad Guys 2 opened in second place with $22.2 million domestically and $22.3 million internationally for a worldwide debut of $44.5 million. The first film opened with just under $24 million and went on to gross $97.5 million domestically and $250.4 million worldwide in 2022.
The Naked Gun debuted in third place with $17 million domestically and $11.5 million internationally for a worldwide estimated gross of $28.5 million. The first film opened in 1988 with $9 million which adjusted for inflation is about $25.4 million, The second film debuted in 1991 with $20,817,139 (about $49.3 million today), and the third film opened with $13,216,531 (about $28.8 million today) in 1994. So, while this opening is not terrible, it also doesn’t show nostalgia.
Superman dropped to fourth place with $13.9 million domestically to lift its domestic gross to $316.3 million. Over the week, it grossed $21.8 million internationally to bring that total to $235 million and worldwide the movie has grossed $551.3 million.
Rounding out the top five was Jurassic World: Rebirth which added $8.7 million to its domestic total which is now $317.6 million. Internationally, the movie grossed $31.6 million over the week and is now $48.4 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed a little over $766 million.
In other comic related movies…
Smurfs is out of the top five and grossed $1.8 million and a domestic total which now stands at $28.5 million. Internationally, the movie has grossed $61.2 million. Worldwide, the gross is $89.7 million.
Thunderbolts* is still going and grossed $60,000. The movie has grossed $190.3 million domestically. Internationally, it remained at $192.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $382.4 million.
Overall, the weekend box office saw a total of 56 films gross $119,951,857 from 32,167 theaters compared to last weekend’s $184,369,897 from 62 films and 32,560 theaters. This weekends average was $3,729.04 compared to last weekend’s $5,662.47.
The Smurfs are back! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the art that went into the making of the new movie, releasing July 2025!
Journey into the world of Smurfs with fresh takes on well-known characters such as Smurfette, Papa Smurf, Grouchy Smurf, Gargamel, and Azrael, as well as a few brand-new faces. Visit some familiar locations—such as Smurf Village, Smurfberry Glade, and Gargamel’s Evil Workshop, and take a tour of some new places as well! See how the art was developed, from concept to final, creating the animated wonder that ended up on the screen.
This hardcover measures 11” x 12”, showcasing the beauty of the art and giving fans an opportunity to revisit their favorite characters and locations from the film.
In what should be no surprise, Fantastic Four: First Steps won the weekend box office with an estimated $117.6 million domestic debut and a best for Marvel this year. Internationally, the film grossed an estimated $100 million for a worldwide debut $218 million.
That’s a best for the franchise which has seen three wide releases to mixed success. Below is how each did and their adjusted for inflation gross (worldwide is also adjusted using US inflation data as opposed to each specific country):
Fantastic Four (2005) Debut: $56.1 million ($92.6 million adjusted) Worldwide Total Gross: $333.5 million ($550.9 adjusted)
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) Debut: $58.1 million ($90.3 million adjusted) Worldwide Total Gross: $301.9 million ($469.7 million adjusted)
Fantastic Four (2015) Debut: $25.7 million ($35 million adjusted) Worldwide Total Gross: $167.9 million ($228.5 million adjusted)
Fantastic Four: First Steps in its first weekend alone almost matched the 2015’s entire release and is sure to top the first two releases when its run is over.
Superman dropped to second place, 57.5% from the previous weekend to gross $24.9 million domestically where it has now grossed $289.5 million. Internationally, it grossed $41.4 million over the week where it now stands at $213.2 million. Worldwide, the movies has grossed $502.7 million. With an estimated budget of $225 million, the movie is in the profitable space and has DC Studios breathing much easier.
Jurassic World: Rebirth dropped one spot to third place with $13 million domestically and now $301.5 million since its run began. Over the week, it grossed about $45 million internationally which is now $416.8 million since it opened. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $718.4 million so far this year.
F1: The Movie improved one spot from the previous weekend, coming in fourth with $6.2 million. Its domestic gross is $165.6 million. It has done much better internationally, where it added $36.9 million over the week and now has grossed $344.1 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $509.7 million.
Smurfs dropped one spot to round out the top five with $5.4 million and a domestic total which now stands at $22.8 million. Over the week, it grossed $23.7 million internationally and has now earned $6.3 million. Worldwide, the gross is $69.1 million.
In other comic related movies…
Thunderbolts* got a nice bump from the previous week with $155,000, an 883.1% increase. We see this sort of bump often when Marvel films overlap like this. The movie has grossed $190.1 million domestically. Internationally, it gained a little and is now $192.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $382.3 million.
Overall, the weekend box office saw a total of 62 films gross $184,369,897 from 32,560 theaters compared to last weekend’s $134,009,051 from 58 films and 30,852 theaters. This weekends average was $5,662.47 compared to last weekend’s $4,343.61.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2025, WEBTOON Entertainment debuted the opening sequence of the highly anticipated live-action film Omniscient Reader: The Prophecyto a packed crowd following a panel celebrating the film adaptation’s August 1st U.S. premiere. In the first five minutes of the film, Dokja explains how he became obsessed with and the sole reader of Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World…an apocalyptic webnovel that he will soon find himself living in.
Based on the WEBTOON sensation by creators SingNSong, the webcomic has over 2.2 billion global views, and the film adaptation hitting US theaters is the first of a five-film saga starring Lee Min-ho, Ahn Hyo-seop and BLACKPINK’s Jisoo.
During the panel, Screen Rant Deputy Editor Megan Peters discussed with Ryan Lee, WEBTOON’s Head of Content; Vi Ma, leading North American marketing efforts on the film with 213 Pictures; and Anime By the Numbers Editor Miles Atherton exactly why this incredible story that explores the relationship between reality and fiction, good and evil and a story’s characters and its readers, has captivated the world.
Even though the Fantastic Four comics kickstarted the creation of the Marvel Universe, their film adaptations have been critically maligned. In the “Fantastic Flops” series, I’m going back and re-evaluating the four previous Fantastic Four films and seeing if they’re a “Flop”, “Bop”, or “In-Between”.
To get the obvious out of the way, after 31 years of struggles and not-so-close calls, we finally have a good live action Fantastic Four film in the clunkily named The Fantastic Four: First Steps. (Franklin Richards is incredibly crucial to this film so I get why they did it though.) Veteran television director Matt Shakman (Wandavision, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and writers Josh Friedman, Eric Pearson, Jeff Kaplan, Ian Springer, and Kat Wood turn in an engaging, retro-futurist standalone yarn that honors the spirit of those early Jack Kirby and Stan Lee comics while adding psychological and ethical dilemmas that come from some of the more contemporary runs like Jonathan Hickman’s work in the early 2010s.
The best thing that Fantastic Four: First Steps has going for it is the production design. Kasra Farahani crafts a world where in the 1960s Marvel Comics only published Fantastic Four comics for the first four years of its existence instead of immediately expanding its universe and bringing back old superheroes like Captain America. Shakman uses breezy news reel montages to establish a utopian world that would make New Deal Democrats, flower children, and sci-fi fanzine readers all smile in perfect harmony. There is a sheen, but also a lived-in feel to the technology used by the Fantastic Four on their various missions as well as the Baxter Building and downtown Manhattan. It’s a shiny, happy world, but there are some rough edges like when Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) goes to his old neighborhood in Yancy Street to get black and white cookies and perform feats of strength for kids at the local Hebrew school. (The Thing’s Jewish heritage is very much intact in this film.) The attention paid to the brave old/new world helps keeps the stakes real when a regal, yet slightly melancholy Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) heralds the coming of Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and the end of this universe. As a cherry on top, Michael Giacchino’s score perfectly blends soaring heroism and sci-fi exploration.
Let’s continue on to the casting. I didn’t love Joseph Quinn as Human Torch, and he doesn’t have the charisma that Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan had in previous iterations of the character. Although charming in other roles, Pedro Pascal doesn’t quite pull off the universe’s smartest man, Reed Richards in the science speak sequences. This is really a difficult role to cast. I did find him endearing as a clueless, new dad and trying to override the part of his brain that treats everything like a problem to solve. Vanessa Kirby as Invisible Woman carries the film. She bring heart, humanity, diplomacy, and a mother’s love that turns a moment that could have been a deus ex machina, close the portal, and end the movie type sequence into something emotionally resonant. There’s a big “having it all”, second wave of feminism energy into the way that she’s written as Invisible Woman that fits the period as she is a mother, de facto team leader, and quite the diplomat as well. There’s a sequence where she smooths over a moral dilemma that should be required viewing in public relations courses.
So, if it only got the casting about half-right, then why does Fantastic Four: First Steps succeed where its predecessors failed? It is because Shakman and the writing team understands the Fantastic Four are at the best when they’re solving problems and not just punching bad guys. I love the impossible dilemma that is set for the team: choosing between giving Reed and Sue’s firstborn child to Galactus or giving the Earth to the Devourer. The preparation of Galactus’ invasion is actually one of the most underrated and engaging parts of the film. It’s entertaining watching Reed test all kinds of science and equations while Sue markets them to folks around the world. This is while Johnny Storm becomes a linguistics expert because he has a little crush on the Silver Surfer, and Ben Grimm has a crush of his own on Rachel (An always spectacular Natasha Lyonne) and connects with his neighborhood before the end of days. And when the initial plan fails, it’s fun to watch the team move and adjust on the fly. They’re like a well-oiled machine that’s been doing this for four years, helped usher in a utopian society, and of course, their next challenge is fighting God.
Another element that makes Fantastic Four: First Steps a successful film is the aura that Matt Shakman, the visual effects team, Garner, and Ineson give to the Silver Surfer and Galactus. As revealed in the trailers, the movie uses a comics-accurate design for Galactus, and I love how Ralph Ineson in both voice and motion capture plays the antagonist like a universal constant and force of nature, not a malevolent being. He really wishes he could stop doing this, but someone has to keep the scales balanced in the universe. It’s a similar situation with the tragic Shalla-Bal who acts as Galactus’ herald because she wants to keep her planet and children safe. I love the parallels that Shakman, the writers, Vanessa Kirby, and Julia Garner draw between the Silver Surfer and Invisible Woman, and the flashback scene is pure tragic poetry. It’s nice to see these iconic characters finally get their due in live action, and the writers wisely leave a door open for them to return. Also, hell yeah, the power cosmic!
Despite some less than stellar casting, jokes that unfortunately don’t land, and a return sequence from Galactus’ ship to Earth that drags on and on, The Fantastic Four: First Steps is an entertaining retro sci-fi blockbuster with clever world-building and memorable production design plus a multi-faceted lead performance from Vanessa Kirby as Susan Storm-Richards that makes up for the way the character was poorly written and portrayed in previous films. The battle against Galactus is fittingly epic, and it makes you want to pore over Jack Kirby splash pages or re-read those Jonathan Hickman trade paperbacks. Also, in a similar vein to its movie-mates Superman and Thunderbolts, it’s nice to have superhero films that tell a complete story and have decent character arcs instead of just trying to set up the next installment.
(P.S. I need a Disney Plus animated series in the style of the second post credits scene!)
Superman continued to dominate the weekend box office, coming in first place for the second weekend in a row. The film grossed an estimated $57.3 million bringing its domestic total to $235 million in two weeks. That’s a drop of 54.2% from the previous week, not bad for blockbusters that tend to see high 50s and low 60s in their second week. Internationally, the movie added $76.8 million over the week to bring that total to $171.8 million and $406.8 million worldwide. It’ll be interesting to see how it does next weekend when Marvel’s Fantastic Four: First Steps debuts where it’ll face its toughest challenge.
Jurassic World: Rebirth held on to second place adding $23.4 million domestically to bring that total to $276.2 million. Over the week, it grossed $74.5 million to bring its international total to $371.8 and now $648 million worldwide.
I Know What You Did Last Summer struggled for an audience with just $13 million domestically and $11.6 million internationally. That’s $24.6 million its first weekend. The original film debuted with $15.8 million domestically in 1997 and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer debuted with $16.5 million in 1998. Nostalgia didn’t give this one a boost.
Smurfs are back again, this time coming in fourth with $11 million domestically. Internationally, they did better with $22.6 million for a worldwide total of $33.6 million. The Smurfs debuted in 2011 with $35.6 million domestically, The Smurfs 2 debuted in 2013 with $17.5 million, and Smurfs: The Lost Village opened in 2017 with $13.2 million. This is a franchise in the decline and its opening is not a surprise.
F1: The Movie rounded out the top five with $9.6 million to lift its domestic total to $153.6 million. Over the week, it grossed $50 million internationally to bring that total to $307.2 million. Worldwide, the movie has grossed $460.8 million.
In comic movie news…
Thunderbolts* added $20,000, an increase from the previous weekend, to its domestic total this weekend to bring that to just under $190 million and internationally it remained at $192.1 million for a worldwide total of $382.1 million. Between the budget and marketing, the film needs around $425 million to break even.
The weekend box office saw a total of 58 films gross $134,009,051 from 30,852 theaters compared to last weekend’s $201,148,969 from 59 films and 27,585 theaters. This weekends average was $4,343.61 compared to last weekend’s $7,291.97.
The Legend of Kingdom Come documentary is an origin story about the beloved 90s-era graphic novel Kingdom Come, going behind the scenes and inside the mind of its creator: comic book legend Alex Ross.
This film traces the influence of comics history through the present day, exploring the roots of pop culture’s most vibrant medium in the 21st century. Featuring a wide range of comic luminaries reflecting on the book and industry, The Legend of Kingdom Come seeks to answer the question: Why are comic heroes so beloved?
Through exclusive interviews and original footage, it explores the rich history of comics and their evolution into a cornerstone of modern pop culture. Join us on this journey to discover why these heroes have captured our hearts and imaginations for decades.
Featuring in-depth, all-new interviews with Alex Ross, Mark Waid, Todd McFarlane, Paul Dini, Brian Pulido, Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, and many, many more!
SDCC 2025 PREMIERE SCREENING!
Saturday, July 26, 2025 10:00AM-11:30AM—Room 5AB
Attendees get a free exclusive Kingdom Come Trading Card!
This feature film is an origin story of the beloved 90s-era graphic novel KINGDOM COME, going behind the scenes and inside the mind of its creator: comic book legend Alex Ross. Followed by a Q&A with Executive Producer Sal Abbinanti and Director Remsy Atassi.
