With Fantastic Four roaring at the box office, a new Spider-Man film underway, and Ghost Rider is ready to blaze through the MCU, Marvel’s next chapter is shaping up to be explosive.
Marvel Studios just released a set of updates that solidify their control over the movie world. This comes after months of rumors, delays, rewrites, and some angry fans. Blade, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Fantastic Four, and the long-awaited Ghost Rider reboot all had big changes this week. As Marvel puts it, “We’re not done yet”, it’s not just a return.
Let’s start right away.
Even though there was a lot of doubt after the famous Fantastic Four flop in 2015, the movie is back with a rage in 2025. Early reviews were right on the mark: this movie is great. It opened around the world to $218 million, which was only $2 million less than Superman’s opening weekend under James Gunn. Funnily enough, it made more money in two days than the whole run of its 2015 predecessor. Yes, two days.
The road wasn’t completely smooth, though. It dropped an MCU-record 80% on its second Friday, which is not what any company wants. There was a 66% drop over the weekend, which was more tolerable, and with goals of $520 to $570 million on a $200 million budget, Marvel still came out on top. There were fans and money there.
The wait for Blade news is over for everyone who felt cursed. A report that was recently leaked says that shooting for Blade will start in 2026. Yes, Mahershala Ali is still playing the lead part, even though the development process was a mess with many writers and scripts that were thrown out.
During the Fantastic Four press tour, Kevin Feige revealed that the final script has been written and will take place in the present day. In earlier forms, Blade was set in the 1930s, but the team decided it would be better to stay in the present. At first, Feige didn’t want Ali to just “slay vampires,” but Wesley Snipes made that formula famous. It’s not always better to keep things simple; sometimes it’s dramatic gold.
Marvel’s vampire killer is finally ready to draw blood after years of false starts. Give up your reasons. Let’s go.
Robert Downey Jr. is apparently in talks to return to the MCU, but not as Iron Man. This is a move that no one saw coming, but now everyone is crazy about it. Marvel wants him to stay after Secret Wars is over. Fans have different opinions, but let’s be honest: RDJ as a big bad guy is a surefire way to make money at the box office.
Is it time to find a younger actor to play Tony Stark? Most likely. But giving Downey Jr. control of Doom’s kingdom could be Marvel’s smartest and most surprising move since the scene after the credits of the first Iron Man movie. Don’t try to stop the chaos; accept it.
Last but not least, Ghost Rider is finally joining the MCU. This could be the most exciting news of the week. Not just made fun of. Not just a story. It’s taking place.
There is already a new actor in the part, as the report says. It’s not clear if the new Ghost Rider will be Johnny Blaze or Robbie Reyes, but based on how excited fans are and past stories, it’s safe to say Marvel is going for the big picture.
Norman Reedus and Keanu Reeves have both been considered, but Reedus is more likely to get the part because he is available (he only has one more season of his Walking Dead spin-off to go). Also, let’s be honest: Keanu should come back as Constantine anyway.
Fans have been begging for years for Ghost Rider to make his MCU appearance. He was the most popular hero in Midnight Suns and still is in Marvel Rivals. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was the only time he appeared on screen in a setting related to the MCU. It’s shockingly late.
The Rider is now ready to fly through the world of movies while swinging chains.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which starts shooting this week, is the last movie in the Marvel Renaissance. Photos and videos from the set, including ones shared by The Glasgow Times, show that Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is getting dressed in a new outfit. This one is already getting a lot of attention because it might be his best yet.
The movie is set to come out on July 31, 2026, and the cast and story are still being worked on, so everyone is very excited. Brand New Day might be just as good as No Way Home as far as early reports go when it comes to being the best live-action Spider-Man movie ever. Big words? Yes. Things are coming together, though.
Marvel Studios is done licking its wounds after years of uneven releases, changes in leadership, and tired fans. This new round of updates shows that the company still knows how to make news and win people over.
With Fantastic Four making money, Blade going into production, Ghost Rider breaking the silence, and Spider-Man taking shape right in front of our eyes, the next step isn’t just looking good; it’s going to happen.
Watch out. Marvel isn’t starting over. It’s taking back.
