Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. In this case, the “fire” is the Hollywood news. Time for a round-up!
Universal Pictures’ Super Mario Galaxy has raked in $1 billion in box office globally, according to Variety, after a $370.7 million opening weekend back in April (see “‘Mario Galaxy’s’ Super Opening“). It is now the highest-grossing movie of 2026. The movie only cost around $110 million to make.
Warner Bros. delayed the release of The Batman Part II again, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie was originally slated for October 3, 2025 (delayed due to the writers strike), then moved to October 1, 2027. The Batman Part II is now scheduled to hit Imax theaters on February 18, 2028 (see “Best in Shows — 2028“), part of a raft of changes by Warners. Matt Reeves, the director of the movie, also released some test footage for the film via X (see below).
Warner Bros. has officially begun production on The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, according to Variety. This movie, due out in 2027, was written by Stephen Colbert, Peter McGee, and Philippa Boyens (see “‘LotR’ Movie“); Andy Serkis directs and stars in the movie.
Paramount has officially tapped Danny McBride to direct the next G.I. Joe movie, according to Deadline. McBride created and starred in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones and has several other acting credits including Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, and Alien: Covenant (see “‘Alien: Covenant’“), but this movie will be his feature directorial debut. Recently, a treatment for a G.I. Joe movie, penned by Max Landis, was rejected by Paramount and Hasbro (see “‘G.I. Joe’ Treatment Rejected“).
Michael Waldron, creator of Chad Powers, is developing a Nova movie, according to Deadline. Nova is a Marvel Comics superhero based on a Silver Age prototype character called Star from the Super Adventures #3 (1966) fanzine; he eventually debuted in comics as Nova (Richard Rider) in The Man Called Nova #1 (1976). A Nova series was put on pause at Marvel Studios in 2025 as the company retooled its approach to series development (see “Marvel Projects Paused“).
Xolo Mariduena will reprise his role as Blue Beetle in Superman: Man of Tomorrow, according to Variety. Mariduena had starred as the Blue Beetle in the 2023 movie (see “‘Blue Beetle’ Box Office“).Source: ICV2
