Rebirth, Reboots & Franchise Fatigue | Ep. 7

Movie news roundup:

Jurassic World: Rebirth has grossed $648M worldwide and is increasingly unlikely to reach $1B—even though Dominion, panned at 29% RT, still hit the mark. Rebirth sits at 51% on RT: not a disaster, but just plainly bad. And with Superman stealing audience share, it’s clear Jurassic fatigue has hit the brand hard—making this one feel more like Stillbirth than Rebirth.

Meanwhile, Superman soars with another $58M in the US and $45M overseas, now at $407M globally. Word of mouth is king even of us casual viewers—and it’s holding strong. But this weekend the Fantastic Four reboot starring Pedro Pascal hits theaters—will it snatch the top spot, or will both films lift each other?

Eddington, set during the pandemic, landed at #7 with $4M—perfect example of a bizarre release strategy. A film from Ari Aster (Hereditary, Midsommar) that critics rate at 68% RT, but still doesn’t resonate with mainstream audiences—even with Pedro Pascal and that iconic ‘stache.

Other box office chatter:

The IKWYDLS remake did modest numbers—reviews felt meh.

The Smurfs movie limped into #4 despite a gasping 21% RT score.

F1, How to Train Your Dragon (live‑action), and Lilo & Stitch continue solid runs, with L&S hitting nearly $900M worldwide—a staggering showing for a paint‑by‑numbers remake.

Pixar’s Elio flopped hard, and 28 Years Later has now doubled its $60M budget, pushing $145M globally.

Kevin Feige & the MCU future:

In interviews with Variety, Kevin Feige acknowledges the MCU’s oversaturation: “50 hours from 2007–2019… then 100+ hours in half that time—that’s too much.” He argues the issue is oversupply, not demand—and points to Superman as proof that audiences still crave quality storytelling.

His most awkward quote? “We didn’t want to simply put a leather outfit on Mahershala Ali and have him start killing vampires”—ironic given that’s exactly what fans want from Blade.


Early buzz — Fantastic Four:

Now playing and blowing up reviews at 88% RT, with the retro‑futuristic aesthetic and cast chemistry praised across the board. Seitz (RogerEbert) calls it “solid, intelligent… and occasionally inspired.” FT says it’s “good‑natured and good value—but might be remembered for its nice bathrooms.” IndieWire pans it as “a total surrender… MCU crawling on knees.”

Other new releases to watch:

Oh, Hi! is a quirky rom‑com starring Logan Lerman, Molly Gordon, and David Cross—67% RT. Expect tonal unevenness, but a playful cast and fresh enough twist to find its crowd.

The Home from the creator of The Purge couldn’t scare itself out of obscurity—only one review and heavy walkouts suggests it’s dead on arrival.

Weapons, director Zach Cregger’s follow‑up to Barbarian, is getting hype from social influencers: comparisons range from Magnolia and Prisoners to Pulp Fiction—but critics warn the payoff doesn’t land. Still, it may polarize enough to deserve a look.

This week, we mourn the loss of Malcolm‑Jamal Warner, who passed away on July 20, 2025, in a tragic drowning accident during a family vacation in Costa Rica. Warner—best known as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show—was 54. He was swept into a powerful rip current at Playa Cocles, and despite rescue efforts by bystanders and first responders, he could not be revived. Initial confusion claimed his daughter was in the water, but authorities later clarified she remained safely onshore. Warner is survived by his wife and daughter. His legacy—as an Emmy‑nominated actor, Grammy‑winning musician, poet, and host of the podcast Not All Hood—will be dearly missed by fans and peers alike