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‘The Bad Guys 2’, ‘The Naked Gun’ Fight ‘Fantastic Four’

FRIDAY PM UPDATE: A bit of a calm spell before the Freakier Friday-Weapons double bill happening next weekend, with The Fantastic Four: First Steps eyeing around $12 million today for a $40M-$45M second weekend, which gets it close to $200M+ (or $198M on the low end). On the low side, that’s a 66% decline in the vicinity of Captain America: Brave New World (-68%), but harder than Thunderbolts* (-56%) which indicates the front-loaded rush to Marvel’s first family. The pic is booked at 4,125 theaters.

Marvel / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2, playing at 3,852 sites, is doing slightly better than the 2022 original with a $9M first day (which includes previews) and an estimated three-day total of $22M.

Paramount’s The Naked Gun, knock on wood, is looking all right with $6M Friday and a $16M 3-day at 3,344. Excellent exits as we told you last night, and reviews, which are hard to come by with comedies. It needs the under-40 guy crowd to leg out. If the number holds, it will rep Liam Neeson’s biggest opening as leading star (not voice-over, cameo, narrator, supporting, etc) since 2014’s Taken 3 ($39.2M opening). If the numbers hold, it’s $1M higher than the opening of the Jennifer Lawrence R-rated comedy No Hard Feelings from 2023 — that was Sony’s attempt to revive the big-screen comedy.

Warner Bros/DC Studios’ fourth weekend of James Gunn’s Superman is $13.5M, -46%, for a running cume by Sunday of $315.8M. By that time pic should be pacing 5% behind the running total of Matt Reeves’ 2022 The Batman, which ended its stateside run at $369.3M.

Fifth is Universal’s Jurassic World Rebirth at 3,240 locations with a Friday of $2.3M and a fifth weekend of $8.1M, -39%, and a running total by Sunday EOD of $317M. That’ll be 10% behind the running total of the previous chapter Jurassic World: Dominion, which finaled at $376.8M.

Neon’s Together is sixth with $2.2M today, between $6M-$7M over three days and $10M-$11M over five days. On the high end, that’s about par with Midsommar‘s Wednesday-Sunday take of $10.9M.

‘Together’

FRIDAY AM: The first weekend of August begins with DreamWorks Animation/Universal’s The Bad Guys 2 stealing $2.25 million from showtimes that began at 2 p.m. Thursday, which is higher than the first Bad Guys‘ $1.15M Thursday in 2022, which turned into a near-$8M first day and $23.9M in a recovering post-Covid box office. The outlook on Bad Guys 2 in regards to tracking was $20M.

Production cost on Bad Guys 2 is $80M net, $10M higher than the first movie, which repped a rebound for the Covid box office, that pic ultimately minting $97.4M domestic and $252.4M worldwide. The sequel’s Rotten Tomatoes critics score is 85% fresh, which is 3 points under the 88% certified fresh of the first film.

Paramount, on the precipice of its merger with Skydance, is trying to bring the big-screen comedy back to life with its reboot of 1980s classic The Naked Gun, that Liam Neeson-Pamela Anderson movie doing $1.6M last night from shows that started at 7 p.m. Comedy comps are hard, but The Naked Gun isn’t that far from Sony’s R-rated Jennifer Lawrence movie No Hard Feelings, which did $2.15M on its Thursday (4 p.m. start-time) previews in 2023 and turned into a $6.3M Friday and $15M 3-day at 3,344 sites. That’s what hoped for here on this redo directed by Akiva Schaffer and produced by Seth MacFarlane. Net production cost is $42M.

The Naked Gun had a good night in PostTrak exits with 4½ stars and a 73% definite recommend. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film won over critics, a near-impossible feat when it comes to comedy, at 90% certified fresh with an 87% audience score.

Alison Brie and Dave Franco in ‘Together’

Neon

Neon’s wide release of the Dave Franco-Alison Brie romantic horror movie Together grossed $1.35M in its second day at the box office for a running cume of $4M. The forecast is $8M-$10M over five days for the movie, which Neon snapped up for $16M out of Sundance. The last five-day genre movie that comes to mind is A24’s Midsommar, and Together, which has higher Rotten Tomatoes critics and audience scores (91% critics/79% audience to Midsommar‘s 83% critics/63% audience) is currently $300K behind that 2019 Ari Aster film. As we told you Thursday, Together gets a C+ CinemaScore, same grade as Midsommar.

It’s all about the second weekend of Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which ends the week with $158.3M after an estimated $7.4M Thursday, -14% from Wednesday. The second-frame outlook is $45M-$47M for the net $200M-budgeted movie, which is around a 61% decline. The Matt Shakman-directed reboot keeps all the premium screens.

Gowtam Tinnanuri’s Kingdom opened Thursday, making $1.1M at 360 locations. The pic follows an undercover cop who is plunged into Sri Lanka on a covert mission to dismantle a powerful syndicate. He learns the mastermind is his estranged brother, forcing him to confront family loyalty, and the moral cost of duty.

Here’s the top 5:

1.) The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Dis) 4,125 theaters, Thu $7.4M (-14% from Wed), Week $158.3M/Wk 1

2.) Superman (WB) 3,930 theaters, Thu $2.66M (-10%), Wk $37.7M (-57%), Total $302.3M/Wk 3

3.) Jurassic World Rebirth (Uni) 3,550 theaters, Thu $1.54M (-7%), Wk $20.3M (-43%), Total $308.9M/Wk 4
Let the record show that 2025 now has four movies that grossed north of $300M at the domestic B.O., also inclusive of Superman, Lilo & Stitch and A Minecraft Movie.

4.) F1 (Apple/WB) 2,615 theaters, Thu $750K (-13%), Wk $9.8M (-36%), Total $169.1M/Wk 5

5.) Smurfs (Par) 3,504 theaters, Thu $715K (-28%), Week $9.3M (-15%), Total $26.7M/Wk 2

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August 1, 2025
Car finance judgement ‘a hard pill to swallow’

Tom Espiner

BBC business reporter

BBC

Marcus Johnson says he is upset for the hundreds of people who won’t be able to make a claim

A ruling by the UK’s most senior judges later has closed down an opportunity for millions of motorists to claim compensation for motor finance mis-selling.

The Supreme Court decided not to uphold an earlier ruling which found that hidden commission payments to car dealers were unlawful.

However, the ruling left open the possibility of claims for compensation for large commissions that were unfair.

The BBC talked to two of the people who brought the case to the Supreme Court, plus a person who is planning to make a claim.

‘A really big bag of salt’

Marcus Johnson from Cwmbran, Torfaen, was one of the claimants in the landmark case.

He described the the outcome as “a bitter pill to swallow”, although was awarded just over £1,650 on the grounds his relationship with the lender was unfair.

Marcus said he was “pleased for myself, but not for the hundreds of others” who will now miss out.

“It’s weird,” he said. “It’s a win, but it’s a really big bag of salt to go with it.”

He was 27 when he bought a blue Suzuki Swift in 2017, and did not know the commission had been paid, although the lender said he had signed a document.

Soon after passing his driving test in June of that year he walked into a car dealership, and within an hour was driving away in a car he liked, “very excited”.

It wasn’t until three years later, when he had paid off the finance on the car, that he realised he still had almost the cash price of the car left to pay.

It was then he decided to contact lawyers.

Had the three claimants won their test cases, it could have opened up lenders to compensation claims totalling about £30bn.

As it stands, that bill could shrink to between £5bn and £13bn, according to accountancy and advice firm BDO.

‘There’s still meat on the bone’

Andrew Wrench

Andrew Wrench says he wanted to show that people should be accountable and honest

Andrew Wrench has been described as “a postman with a penchant for fast cars”.

He says that description “made me chuckle”. The 61-year-old is ex-forces, and also held other positions before becoming a postman, but he is proud to have been described as “the Erin Brockovich of Stoke-on-Trent”.

He says he is pleased Marcus was awarded compensation, and that there will be further claims arising from that judgement.

“There’s still meat on the bone,” he says, adding he is glad he helped throw light on the subject, even though his own case was not successful.

“I just want people to be accountable, and I don’t want them getting away with being deceitful and dishonest,” he adds. “It all comes down to: honesty is the best policy.”

Andrew’s lawyer, Kavon Hussain of Consumer Rights Solicitors, says the judgement was “a mixed bag”, but showed the Supreme Court expected car dealers to “always be acting in their own interests” and people should not expect a good deal.

‘I’m going to chase my claim’

Jemma Caffrey

Jemma Caffrey says she is “sad” for people who won’t now be able to make claim, but that she intends to pursue her case

Although it has been a mixed result for the claimants in the case, some people are determined to pursue compensation.

Some dealers were paid a bigger commission if they sold a higher interest rate on the loan.

These were known as discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) and were banned by regulators in 2021.

Jemma Caffrey, from Blackburn, bought a car in 2009 after maternity leave. Her son was born with certain medical needs, and she wanted a car to get to work and multiple doctor appointments.

“I’m going to pursue my claim, but I do feel for the people it’s put a stop to,” she says. “They won’t be compensated and I find that quite sad.”

Jemma feels she was “taken advantage of as a vulnerable new mum”. She trusted the car dealership to give her the best deal it could, and paid a high interest rate for her blue Corsa, which she named “Colin”.

It was not until years later, having read about car finance in the local press, that she went to a law firm to bring a claim.

She now intends to pursue it.

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August 1, 2025
What’s coming up this week?
ITV/Shutterstock/Netflix

This week, we will finally find out which couple has been crowned winners of the latest Love Island.

But that’s not all the next seven days have in store.

Netflix show Wednesday is back for series 2, new Sir David Attenborough-narrated series Parenthood is released, and MasterChef is scheduled to be back on BBC One – after a rocky period for the show.

Read on for what’s coming up this week…

A dramatic end to a drama-filled Love Island

ITV/Shutterstock

By Lizzy Bella, BBC Newsbeat

There won’t be any more bombshells on our screens this summer as Love Island wraps up its 12th series on Monday.

The series came with less filter but more chaos and more drama than you may have bargained for – with arguably the biggest girl divide the villa has ever seen.

Whether you’re team Toni and Shakira or team Meg and Helena, you’ll probably agree the cast have had you laughing, frustrated, teary-eyed but always craving more.

It’s inevitable a great cast makes a great series.

And while the winners of the £50,000 cash prize may seem obvious, if there’s one thing this season has taught us it’s that situations change, feelings change and people do too.

Wednesday is out, on Wednesday

The first four episodes of Wednesday‘s second season are released this week (on Wednesday, naturally).

It follows Wednesday Addams as she returns to Nevermore Academy, now under the leadership of a new principal.

It also sees a bigger role for Wednesday’s parents, who will have an increased presence on the school’s campus.

The first season of the show about the Addams family’s deadpan daughter became Netflix’s most popular English-language series ever after its release in 2022.

Speaking ahead of the new season’s launch, lead star Jenna Ortega told my colleague Lizo Mzimba that the sudden fame that came with the show was “very overwhelming”.

But she added she was “very grateful and glad that it was able to resonate with people in the way that it did”.

Parenthood with Sir David (not Steve Martin)

Netflix

By Paul Glynn, culture reporter

Sir David Attenborough returns to BBC One on Sunday with a new five-part wildlife series showing how parents from across the animal kingdom sacrifice everything in order to raise their young.

No spoilers but this is quite literally true in the case of the African social spiders who, as we discover in Parenthood, eat their mothers and elderly relatives alive. Do not try this at home please, kids.

“Success for all parents has perhaps the greatest of consequences,” we hear Sir David – now 99 – declare at one stage. “It ensures the future of life on our planet.”

In other words: respect your elders.

MasterChef is back

MasterChef has been rocked by controversy in recent months.

But on Wednesday, the new amateurs series of the BBC show is scheduled to begin – with both Gregg Wallace and John Torode in it.

The series was filmed in 2024, before its two presenters were sacked.

Earlier this month, a report by the show’s production company revealed that more than 40 claims against Wallace had been upheld, while an allegation that Torode had used a severely offensive racist term was also substantiated.

Last week, the BBC announced that the series would still be shown on BBC One and iPlayer. The corporation said it had taken the decision “after careful consideration and consultation with the contestants” – but it’s faced a backlash from some groups.

BBC News understands the new series may be re-edited in light of the findings, with the prominence of Wallace and Torode re-examined.

The show is on three nights a week until the finals.

Freakier Friday hits cinemas

Getty Images

It’s been a long, long time since the 2003 film Freaky Friday, but the wait for a sequel is finally over.

Freakier Friday hits cinemas on Friday, and sees Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan reprise their roles as mother and daughter duo Tess and Anna Coleman.

Anna, played by Lohan, is now a mother herself, and the film once again sees a body swap – with even more characters involved.

Cue chaos and identity crises galore, much like what ensued in the first edition.

Freaky Friday became a huge hit more than 20 years ago, and won a cult following – so you can expect many of its original fans (your writer included) to be heading out to catch this next week.

Other highlights this week
Chloe Ayling: My Unbelievable Kidnapping is released on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on Monday

Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders is on at Sadlers Wells from Tuesday

Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall starts on Wednesday
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August 1, 2025
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ‘Fubar’ Canceled By Netflix (Exclusive)

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix is not proceeding with a third season of Arnold Schwarzenegger‘s spy action series Fubar. The decision comes about a month and a half after Season 2 launched on the platform on June 12.

It follows a surprisingly soft return for the series, which, likely fueled by Schwarzenegger’s global star power, had a strong debut in May 2023 and also stars Monica Barbaro who became an Oscar nominee between Seasons 1 and 2 for A Complete Unknown.

With Season 2 released more than two years after Season 1 dropped, Fubar barely made Netflix’s Top 10 for English-language series in its first week, landing in the last spot with 2.2M views from Thursday through Sunday, down from about 11M views for the show’s Season 1 premiere weekend. Season 2 peaked at #7 in its first full week with 3.3M views and logged one more #10 finish in Week 3 with 1.8M views before dropping out of the Top 10.

This still is a rare Netflix cancellation of 2025, joining another sophomore action drama, The Recruit, and freshmen Pulse and The Residence. The streamer has renewed close to 20 scripted shows since the start of the year, most recently limited series Untamed for Season 2, Shane Gillis’ comedy Tires for Season 3 and romantic dramas Ransom Canyon for Season 2 and Virgin River for Season 8.

Fubar centers on a CIA operative (Schwarzenegger) on the verge of retirement who discovers a family secret and is forced to go back into the field for one last job. Carrie-Anne Moss joined the cast in Season 2 as Greta Nelso, a former East German spy who has a passionate history with Luke Brunner (Schwarzenegger).

‘Fubar’

Christos Kalohoridis/Netflix

Season 2 also stars Milan Carter, Fortune Feimster, Travis Van Winkle, Fabiana Udenio, Aparna Brielle, Guy Burnet, Andy Buckley, Jay Baruchel, Barbara Eve Harris and Scott Thompson.

Nick Santora serves as showrunner and executive produces with Schwarzenegger. Additional executive producers are Adam Higgs, Scott Sullivan, Phil Abraham, Amy Pocha, Seth Cohen and Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Matt Thunell.

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August 1, 2025
Team Profile: Cameroon returns to Angola for a second chance

YAOUNDE (Cameroon) – From quality players to a sound coaching crew, everything points in favor of Cameroon as they head to Angola for the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket.

Angola remains Cameroon’s best hunting ground. After all, it was on Angolan soil that the country won its only medal — a silver — after losing to the host team 86–72.

This time, Cameroon aims to prove itself as one of the best in Africa, with many talented players competing in the USA.

With a new generation of players, they have a good chance of reaching the top in Angola in just a few weeks, given their consecutive appearances in Angola since 2007.

FIBA World Ranking Presented by Nike

9^th (Africa) 64^th (World)

Cameroon has undoubtedly made a name for itself in the world of basketball.

They stunned Senegal in the 2023 FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament final in Nigeria, finished second in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia after beating Brazil, and concluded the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers with a 4–2 record.

Although Cameroon finished 16th at the last AfroBasket in Rwanda, they are poised to improve upon that performance.

Road to Angola 2025

Two slim losses to Senegal in Group C saw Cameroon closed their qualifying campaign with a 4-2 mark.

They secured their spot in the 2025 AfroBasket Championship by defeating Gabon 82-67 and Rwanda 86-83 in the second of the qualifiers in Rabat.

AfroBasket History

Cameroon beat Senegal to advance to the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament where they beat Brazil.

Once regarded as only an average team, Cameroon has turned into a major force and contender for the African Basketball Championship title.

This will be their eighth consecutive and 11th total appearance in the AfroBasket’s history.

Their last appearance in Rwanda in 2021, where they finished 16th, was their worst performance to date.

However, given their performance at the AfroBasket qualifiers, they are not a team to be taken for granted.

Coaching Staff

Alfred Aboya looks on as Paul Eboua attacks the rim against Gabon during the 2020 AfroBasket Qualifiers.

The Cameroon technical crew is led by Head Coach Alfred Aboya, a former Cameroonian national team player.

Since taking charge of the team, Aboya has made significant changes and turned its fortunes around.

During his time at UCLA in the early 2000s, Aboya and his fellow Cameroonian, Luc Mbah a Moute, were known as the “Cameroon Crazies.”

Aboya will be assisted by Mikel Ereno Martin, with whom he has worked since the pre-Olympic qualifiers in Lagos, Nigeria.

Although the team has a positive 4–2 AfroBasket qualifier record, Aboya believes there is still much to do to prepare for the tournament, which will be held in Luanda and Namibe, Angola, from August 12 to 24.

Key Players

Despite Cameroon’s head coach Alfred Aboya naming NBA trio Yves Missi, Christian Koloko and Ulrich Chomche in his preliminary squad, there others to look out for.

Jeremiah Hill (12 points, 5.5 rebounds, 7.7 assists per game)

Jeremiah Hill led the balanced offensive attack, with five Cameroonian players reaching double-digit points. Ateba’s sharp shooting, including a stellar 5-for-7 from beyond the arc, contributed 16 points to the team’s cause.

Williams Narace (14 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists per game)

Williams Narace was born on March 17, 1997, in Naikinimeki, Cameroon. He is a 6’7″ (200cm) small forward who most recently played for JDA Dijon Bourgogne in France. Narace has been influential for the Cameroonian national team.

Outlook

A revitalized Cameroon team will be looking to make its mark in the tournament and challenge for a place in the later stages.

FIBA

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August 1, 2025
WWE SmackDown live results, recap, grades as John Cena, Cody Rhodes meet one last time before SummerSlam
John Cena and Cody Rhodes will size each other up one last time before WWE SummerSlam. On Sunday, Rhodes and Cena will write a street fight sequel to their WrestleMania 41 main event. They share their final statements tonight on SmackDown.

Cena has been the undisputed WWE champion since beating Rhodes at WrestleMania. Rhodes earned a rematch by winning the King of the Ring tournament, guaranteeing him a world title match at SummerSlam. Cena tried to talk his way out of the match, but Rhodes forced him to sign with an added street fight stipulation. The rivals have one last chance to speak with each other before the weekend’s big match.

Three matches are set for the night before SummerSlam. Damian Priest and Aleister Black collide after growing tension, Jimmy Uso wrestles Talla Tonga — Solo Sikoa’s new insurance policy — and Zelina Vega tries to win back the women’s United States title from Giulia.

CBS Sports is with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, beginning at 8 p.m. ET.

WWE SmackDown preview
- John Cena, Cody Rhodes go face to face
- Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black
- Women’s United States Championship — Giulia (c) vs. Zelina Vega
- Jimmy Uso vs. Talla Tonga
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August 1, 2025
Why Donald Trump’s tariffs take aim at Asia and your iPhones

Suranjana Tewari

Asia Business Correspondent

Getty Images

Posing for a selfie in China: Supply chains for electronics stretch all the way through Asia

When he began his trade war, President Donald Trump said his goal was to bring American jobs and manufacturing back to the US, reduce trade deficits and create a more level playing field for American companies competing globally.

But after months of negotiations and many countries’ refusal to meet America’s demands, his strategy has taken a more punitive turn.

US companies have been here before.

Under Trump’s first administration, when he imposed tariffs on Chinese exports, they scrambled to limit their exposure to Beijing, with many shifting production to Vietnam, Thailand and India to avoid higher levies.

But his battery of new tariffs does not spare any of these economies. Stocks saw a sell-off, with benchmark indexes in Taiwan and South Korea in the red on Friday.

Both countries are central to Asia’s sprawling electronics production.

The details are still hazy, but US firms from Apple to Nvidia will likely be paying more for their supply chains – they source critical components from several Asian countries and assemble devices in the region.

Now they are on the hook – for iPhones, chips, batteries, and scores of other tiny components that power modern lives.

It’s not good news for Asian economies that have grown and become richer because of exports and foreign investment – from Japanese cars to South Korean electronics to Taiwanese chips.

Soaring demand for all these goods fuelled trade surpluses with Washington over the years – and has driven President Trump’s charge that Asian manufacturing has been taking American jobs away.

In May, Trump told Apple CEO Tim Cook: “We put up with all the plants you built in China for years… we are not interested in you building in India, India can take care of themselves.”

Getty Images

A busy port in Taiwan, which exports more than half the world’s chips

Apple earns roughly half its revenue by selling iPhones that are manufactured in China, Vietnam and India.

The tech giant reported bumper earnings for the three months to June, hours before Trump’s tariff announcement on Thursday night, but now the future looks more uncertain.

Chief executive Tim Cook told analysts on a conference call that tariffs had already cost Apple $800m (£600m) in the previous quarter, and may add $1.1bn in costs to the next quarter.

Tech companies typically plan years ahead, but Trump’s unpredictable tariff policy has paralysed businesses.

Amazon’s online marketplace, for instance, is just as dependent on China for what it sells in the US.

But it’s not yet clear what rates Chinese imports into the US could face because Beijing has yet to strike a deal with Washington – it has until 12 August to do so.

Before they agreed to de-escalate, the two sides imposed tit-for-tat tariffs that reached a staggering 145% on some goods.

Getty Images

Apple now makes most of its phones for the US market in India

But it’s no longer just about China.

On Thursday, Mr Cook said that most iPhones sold in the US now come from India. But Trump has just levelled a 25% tariff on Indian imports, after Delhi was unable to clinch a deal in time.

Other firms chose to re-route their goods bound for the US through Vietnam and Thailand after the tariffs in Trump’s first term. It became so common that it was called the “China+1” strategy. But this time, these trans-shipped goods are also being targeted.

In fact, trans-shipping has been a big part of the US negotiations with Asian countries. Vietnamese imports face a 20% US levy but trans-shipped goods face 40%, according to Trump.

It’s harder still for advanced manufacturing like semiconductors – more than half of the world’s chips, and most of its advanced ones, come from Taiwan. It is now subject to a 20% tariff.

Chips are the backbone of Taiwan’s economy, but also central to US efforts to gain a technological lead over China. So it is another US company, Nvidia, that will pay steep levies to put advanced chips by Taiwan’s TSMC inside its AI products.

Xiqing Wang/BBC

Workers at a Shein factory in China

But perhaps the biggest casualty of Trump’s tariffs could well be Asia’s e-commerce giants – as well as the American companies that rely on Chinese sellers and marketplaces.

In a surprise move this week, Trump ditched the “de minimis” rule which exempted parcels under $800 from customs duties.

He first did this in May, targeting such parcels from China and Hong Kong – and this was a blow for retailers like Shein and Temu, whose huge success has come from online sales in the West.

Now American sites like eBay and Etsy have also lost that exemption – and the price of second-hand, vintage and handmade items for US customers will go up.

President Trump says he is batting for Americans with these tariffs, but in a deeply globalised world, US firms and customers could also become casualties.

There is still so much uncertainty that it is hard to see who the winners really are.

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August 1, 2025
FedExCup update: Patrick Rodgers makes Playoffs push coming off six straight missed cuts

“Super aware (of FedExCup position),” he continued. “Like I said, it’s never a position I thought I was going to be in starting the summer, but at the end of the day it’s part of being a professional athlete and a competitor. And it sucks to be on the bubble. I’d love to be comfortably in, but this is the rush of playing competitive sports. So it was looking me square in the eye there for a moment.”

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August 1, 2025
Mark Ruffalo Circling Hulk Return in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

Mark Ruffalo‘s Hulk might smash his way onto the set of Tom Holland’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

Ruffalo is circling an appearance in the upcoming fourth “Spider-Man” film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, but it’s unclear if a deal has closed for him to reprise his role as Bruce Banner a.k.a. the Incredible Hulk.

“Brand New Day” will see the return of franchise stars Zendaya, who plays Peter Parker’s girlfriend M.J. Jones-Watson, and Jacob Batalon, as his best friend Ned Leeds. New to the Spidey universe are Jon Bernthal’s Punisher (who recently appeared on Disney+ “Daredevil: Born Again” and is getting his own special), as well as mysterious new characters played by “The Bear” Emmy winner Liza Colón-Zayas and “Stranger Things” standout Sadie Sink. Cretton directs from a screenplay by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers.

A key dynamic in Holland’s Spider-Man franchise has been his relationship to older mentor figures, including Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man in “Homecoming” and the “Avengers” movies, while 2019’s “Far From Home” featured Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. Then, 2021’s “No Way Home” featured Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and saw past Spider-men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield cross over into the MCU. Thus, Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner would fit that role nicely; the O.G. Avengers character has yet to headline a solo movie, but the green-skinned giant had a prime co-lead role in “Thor: Ragnarok” and appeared in multiple episodes of the Disney+ series “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law.”

Earlier Friday morning, Sony and Marvel teased Holland’s new Spidey suit in honor of national Spider-Man Day. The nine-second video clip showed a close-up of the suit with the caption “something brand new is coming.” The movie is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31.

The Hollywood Reporter was first to report Ruffalo’s casting. Sony and Marvel had no comment.

Ruffalo is repped by UTA and Lighthouse Management.

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August 1, 2025
Tesla ordered by Florida jury to pay $243 million in fatal Autopilot crash – Reuters
1. Tesla ordered by Florida jury to pay $243 million in fatal Autopilot crash Reuters
2. Tesla found partly to blame for fatal Autopilot crash BBC
3. Tesla hit with $243 million in damages after jury finds its Autopilot feature contributed to fatal crash NBC News
4. Tesla must pay portion of $329 million in damages after fatal Autopilot crash, jury says CNBC
5. Jury Says Tesla Was Partly to Blame for Fatal Crash The New York Times
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August 1, 2025