Brand

CAREFREE Kate Moss holidays with daughter Lila — as it emerged creditors will not see any of the £2.9million owed after her wellness brand collapsed.

Kate, 52, donned a black swimsuit for a soothing dip in the Med while she relaxed on a £1,340-a-day hired yacht.

Model Lila, 23, opted for a bikini on the jaunt with friends to the Spanish island of Formentera.

But back home liquidator reports for Kate’s failed Cosmoss business disclosed £240,000 of remaining products would be destroyed as they cannot be sold.

Kate, worth £55million, launched the high-end brand in 2022.

The move sparked comparisons with Gwyneth Paltrow’s successful firm Goop.

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Kate sold natural, vegan and cruelty-free items including a facial oil, incense, a £120 fragrance called Sacred Mist and a £20 canister of Dawn Tea.

She wrote at the time: “I feel my most authentic self and I’m ready to open up and share with you.”

But the brand quietly shut down and entered voluntary liquidation last summer.

Kate has now withdrawn from a shareholders’ agreement involving her image and intellectual property rights — meaning the stock is worthless.

Paperwork filed at Companies House states: “It was confirmed that the products could not be sold on the open market.

“The stock was abandoned..”

The liquidator’s statement said there is just £3,454.88 left in the company’s coffers.

A NEW low-cost, no-frills travel brand has just launched offering budget breaks to Europe and beyond.

Sundeals, which is owned by the TUI Group, is aimed at holidaymakers who ‘who want great value without the faff’ with clear prices and honest opinions on holidays and hotels.

On Sundeals, there is everything from last-minute trips to all-inclusive holidays, winter sun breaks and adult-only vacations across 100 destinations.

There will be 20,000 hotels alongside a range of airline options from Ryanair to easyJet and TUI.

Looking at its ‘top cheap holiday deals’ – there are breaks to Tunisia from as little as £106pp and trips to Tenerife start from £185pp.

One cheap deal that Sun Travel found is a seven-night holiday to Marrakesh from September 2 to September 9 from £199pp.

SUNNY STEALS

Sun-drenched European holidays with £1.50 pints and stays from under £9pp

PARK UP

Epic UK holiday parks with waterparks, theme parks & Spoons pubs from £3pp a night

This is for bed and breakfast at the Riad Quodwa Marrakesh in a double room with return flights to Liverpool Airport.

This is for bed and breakfast at the Riad Lalla Khadija Moulaty & SPA in a double standard room with return flights to Newcastle Airport.

For winter sun, another break is to the Jardins de Toumana in Djerba, Tunisia from November 24 to December 1.

Staying in a Junior Suite, two adults can stay with bed and breakfast board from £277pp – including return flights to Manchester.

For short breaks, there a three-night stay at Pierre & Vacances Resort Terrazas Costa del Sol in Spain starting from £139pp.

It has an outdoor swimming pool, sun terrace, bar, restaurant, pretty courtyards gardens and return flights to London Luton.

For short-haul, it provides breaks to mainland Europe including Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Malta.

There are far-flung holidays on the cards too with options to Thailand, Mexico, Cape Verde, Barbados, Iceland and the USA.

When it comes to sorting your holiday, you can arrange it by price ‘low to high’.

Or select to rank holidays by TripAdvisor rating to see which holidays were highly-rated by other travellers.

Kevin Nelson, Managing Director for Sundeals said: “We know there is a large group of travellers who genuinely enjoy researching and planning their holidays. They’re confident, digitally savvy and like the feeling of finding a holiday, and deal, that’s right for them.

“But these travellers told us that they’re tired of spending hours going round in circles trying to compare options and work out whether they’ve truly found the right trip – a feeling that we’re calling Bookers Burnout.

“Sundeals has been designed specifically for these savvy deal hunters, helping them cut through the holiday clutter and make decisions with greater confidence.

“We’ve launched with a simple user experience focused on the core features customers told us they need most, and over time we’ll continue to introduce smart tools and innovations that make finding and evaluating holiday options even easier.”

After just six days in theaters, Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has now raked in more than $1 billion in global box office revenue.

The movie is the second-fastest film ever to reach the 10-figure milestone, bested only by Walt Disney Co. and Marvel Studios’ 2019 hit “Avengers: Endgame.”

“Brand New Day” has now earned $407 million in the U.S. and Canada, with an additional $645.8 million in international box office receipts for a global total of $1.05 billion, according to studio estimates. Its $360 million domestic opening last weekend now ranks as the highest ever.

The movie was produced by Sony-owned Columbia Pictures, as well as Marvel Studios and Pascal Pictures. The film’s production budget was about $225 million.

The filmmakers, as well as box office analysts, have credited the movie’s emotional storyline and focus on the web slinger’s internal conflict for connecting with audiences and giving a fresh take on a familiar franchise and genre. It also doesn’t hurt that its stars, Tom Holland and Zendaya, are two of the most popular actors in the business, both of whom are also fresh off appearances in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

Together, “Brand New Day” and Universal Pictures’ “The Odyssey” powered last weekend’s three-day domestic box office total to a new best with $436.5 million, according to data from Rentrak. The summer so far stands at $3.6 billion, up 16.7% compared to last year’s middling season and running just 0.7% behind the pre-pandemic summer of 2019, according to Rentrak.

The so far has given analysts hope that the domestic box office could finally reach $10 billion by the end of the year for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the biggest global opening weekend in history, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is cleaning up at the box office in a manner that left “The Odyssey” spitting sand. (Relatively speaking; “The Odyssey” also had a strong worldwide debut and is on track to become the third R-rated film to hit the billion-dollar mark.)

But while Christopher Nolan’s vision of a nearly 3,000–year–old epic poem has received, with the exception of a few less-than–impressed classics experts and the usual “replacement theory” nut jobs, waves of gratitude for helping revitalize cinema, the success of “Spider-Man” has many of these same people scratching their heads.

Certainly the reviews have been mixed — some find the narrative streamlined and personal with Tom Holland giving his best-ever performance; others declare “Brand New Day” to be overstuffed with franchise teasers and/or suggest that, at 30, Holland is getting a bit old for the job.

So how is it, pundits wondered, that Spidey has vanquished the ultimate supervillain: superhero fatigue.

It’s simple really: love.

There’s a reason “Love Actually” featured a kid in Spider-Man face paint, as opposed to a Superman cape. People, especially kids (and the adults they will become), love Spider-Man with an affection that is deep and true. Unlike so many other superheroes, Peter Parker is one of us. He’s not a super-scientist or a god or an extraterrestrial or a one-percenter able to develop all manner of nifty crime-fighting gadgetry. He’s a kid who, having been accidentally endowed with superpowers that do not disfigure him, physically or emotionally (no Red Room trauma, inner rage monster, centurylong life span), remains a kid with an adolescent’s delight in all he can now do.

He’s funny, sweet and, having been raised right (in this latest iteration by Marisa Tomei’s hip and humanitarian Aunt May), extremely polite, even as he takes down all the bad guys — a cheeky bright spot in a landscape super-peopled almost exclusively with adults and all their existential whinging and regretful brooding.

But our feelings for the character is not the only, or most important, love story helping to drive the success of “Brand New Day.” Perhaps because they are closest in age to Romeo and Juliet, the complicated courtship of Peter and MJ (or Gwen), has always been the best built-in love story in the multiverse. The actors playing those roles — Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone — invariably became romantic partners so when the series was revived with Holland, with Zendaya as MJ, producer Amy Pascal warned them not to date.

Mercifully, they did not listen and in Holland and Zendaya, “Brand New Day” has a real-life beloved couple (recently married) playing a fictional beloved couple, now divided by the memory-erasing spell of the previous film, “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”

Screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers’ decision to have Peter Parker wiped from everyone’s memory, including MJ‘s and Ned’s (Jacob Batalon), was a brilliant twist that not only saved us from “Spider-Man Goes to College” but also injected a star-crossed romantic pathos that Shakespeare would envy.

I can’t have been the only person who bought an opening weekend ticket for the sole purpose of finding out if/when/how Peter and MJ would find their way back to each other.

This has been spoiled elsewhere, but we’ll leave it at they do and they don’t. Although the more jaded among us might see the ambiguity as a nakedly emotional hook for future films, including “Avengers: Doomsday,” the opportunity for both Peter and MJ to mature a bit, independent of each other, feels thematically essential and more than a little revolutionary. It certainly sparks an intriguing question about the nature of romantic love, something too often associated with “being saved” in Marvel, and many other, films.

Seeing the famously private couple playfully interact with each other and Batalon during the press tour of “Brand New Day” only amped up the already fevered anticipation of how the trio will regroup as surely they must — the love Peter has for Ned is just as strong and singular as his love for MJ. The fact that we’ve watched these actors grow up before our eyes (Zendaya and Batalon were 19 and Holland 20 when they filmed “Spider-Man: Homecoming” in 2016) makes it even more of a family affair — of course we want to know what happens to Spidey and his gang!

Given the extraordinary success of “Brand New Day,” on top of “The Odyssey,” there is a very good chance that Hollywood, in its infinite and historically flawed wisdom, will decide that superhero fatigue is a myth and that what audiences really want is spectacle. So this is a plea for those in charge to tear their eyes away from the box office returns and look at the film itself.

Yes, “Brand New Day” is full of terrific web-slinging and swinging scenes (albeit ones in which Spider-Man gets even more beat up than usual), but its power is emotional not spectacular, built more on dialogue than special effects.

Holland’s Spider-Man relates more personally to everyone — friends and foes — than any other superhero; his scenes with the Punisher (Jon Bernthal), Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), Det. DeWolff (Liza Colón-Zayas) and, at the end, Jean Grey (Sadie Sink) are always less about exposition or explosive action than character revelation and connection.

He cares and so do we.

That’s how it works in love stories and, as “Brand New Day” is proving, love stories are pretty hard to beat.

With great power comes great box office.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” swung to a record $360-million domestic debut, surpassing “Avengers: Endgame” to become the film with the biggest opening weekend in box office history.

The fourth installment of Tom Holland’s blockbuster series also set records for its Thursday preview gross. Paired with another film starring newlyweds Holland and Zendaya, the earnings of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” have helped give new meaning to the phrase “power couple.”

Here are the records “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has broken so far:

Top domestic opening weekend

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” surpassed “Avengers: Endgame” as the biggest opening weekend at the domestic box office. “Brand New Day” earned $360 million, exceeding the previous record set by Disney’s final movie in the Infinity Saga, which made $357 million.

Biggest debut in the ’Spider-Man’ franchise

The previous record belonged to the third film in the Holland era, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” which earned $260 million domestically. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” reigns supreme over nine live-action movies and two animated features.

Highest-earning Thursday previews

Since midnight showings of movies were moved up due to safety concerns after the 2012 Aurora theater shooting, “Avengers: Endgame” earned the biggest preview opening with $60 million, a record broken by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” after it collected $72 million Thursday.

Biggest opening day (Friday)

The success continued into Friday. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” earned $169 million — 47% of its total gross — beating out the previous record set by “Avengers: Endgame,” according to Box Office Mojo.

Fastest to $250 million

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” became the fastest to reach $250 million domestically, hitting the milestone in two days, according to Box Office Mojo. The previous record was held by, you guessed it, “Avengers: Endgame.”

Top opening weekend of July

The buddy comedy “Deadpool & Wolverine” had its claws into July after it earned $211 million domestically in its opening weekend in 2024. It was overtaken by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s” $360 million.

Top opening weekend of summer

“Deadpool & Wolverine” also held the record for the best debut weekend of any summer film. That total was no match for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

The biggest collective weekend in box office history

Holland and Zendaya are taking their box office prowess to new heights after their two movies and other films currently in theaters earned roughly $430 million — the biggest collective weekend in box office history.

“The Odyssey,” which also stars Holland and Zendaya, made $51 million in its third weekend. Zendaya’s banner year will continue this winter when “Dune: Part Three” hits theaters Dec. 18 — the same day as “Avengers: Doomsday.”

It is unknown if Holland will appear in the upcoming “Avengers” film, but “Brand New Day” concludes with the message “Spider-Man will return.”

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” swung into the top spot at the box office and scored one of the highest-grossing opening weekends with an estimated haul of $355 million in the U.S. and Canada, far surpassing studio and analyst expectations.

The Sony Pictures film also brought in $572 million internationally for a worldwide total of $927 million, according to studio estimates.

The movie’s haul now ranks as the second-biggest domestic and global opening ever, surpassed only by Walt Disney Co. and Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019.

The film, which stars Tom Holland and Zendaya, is produced by Sony-owned Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios and Pascal Pictures. Its production budget was about $225 million.

Marvel Studios President and “Spider-Man” producer Kevin Feige called the debut “truly phenomenal.”

“We are grateful to audiences everywhere for coming out and experiencing our film the way it was meant to be seen,” he said in a statement Sunday. “This debut reflects the enduring power of Marvel’s characters, and the connection they continue to have with fans around the world — and, as audiences saw, it sets up exciting things to come.”

Anticipation for the movie was building for months, as robust pre-sales indicated high interest in Spidey’s return to the big screen.

The previous film in the franchise, 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” had one of the biggest domestic debuts on record with $260 million.

But it came during the depths of a COVID-19 surge and against very little competition at the box office. That film also reunited all three Spider-Men — Holland, Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield — in one time-bending, multiverse storyline, a move “Spider-Man” producer Amy Pascal described as 20 years in the making.

This time around, “Spider-Man” was up against the juggernaut holdover Universal Pictures’ Christopher Nolan film, “The Odyssey,” which came in second at the domestic box office with $51 million on its way to a global total of $911.4 million.

The strong performance of “The Odyssey,” as well as the billion-dollar-grossing “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Michael” earlier this year, helped push Universal over the $4-billion global box office mark this weekend, the first studio to do so this year.

Walt Disney Co. and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” came in third with $6.3 million to add to its worldwide total of more than $1.06 billion. Universal and Illumination’s “Minions & Monsters” ($5.8 million) and Disney’s live-action “Moana” ($5.3 million) rounded out the top five this weekend, according to data from Rentrak.

“‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ is fundamentally a movie about friendship, about the balm of connection in all our lives,” Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group Chairman Tom Rothman said in a statement Sunday. He added that this theme resonates with “audiences of all ages and all around the world.”

Ambitious Harper Beckham is aiming for world dominance with her fledgling make-up brand, we can reveal.

The Sun told earlier this month how the teenage daughter of David and Victoria planned to name the new line Harlo by Harper.

Now we can also reveal that 15-year-old Harper’s team has lodged papers with the US Patent and Trademark Office asking to be granted sole rights to use the name across the Atlantic.

Her representatives have filed documents with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office to trademark the brand.

It comes after The Sun told how the youngest Beckham child plans to start rolling out the brand next year.

A source said: “Harper has been working on a name with the team working on the brand for a while and came up with Harlo By Harper.

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“The trademark applications are signed and sealed.

“Although there is no set date for a launch yet, the aim is to officially start the roll out at some point next year.

“Victoria has been guiding and supporting Harper every step of the way in this venture.

“Both Victoria and David couldn’t be more proud of Harper.”

The Sun first revealed how Harper was working on her own beauty empire last year.

She is following in the footsteps of fashion designer Victoria, whose own beauty range has proved hugely lucrative since she launched it in 2019.

This story includes spoilers for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

It’s been nearly five years since Spider-Man’s last big-screen adventure, but your friendly neighborhood webslinger is finally back.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” in theaters now, follows a Peter Parker (Tom Holland) who no longer has much of a life outside of his vigilante crime-fighting and keeping tabs on his loved ones (Zendaya, Jacob Batalon) from afar.

The movie’s biggest reveal involves the identity of the villain played by Sadie Sink — and plenty of questions remain about her future and what her appearance means for a certain fan-favorite mutant superhero team.

But although much has changed for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the years since the 2021 release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” one tradition remains: unpacking the meaning of an installment’s post-credits scene.

“Brand New Day” features just one brief end-credits sequence to tease what’s next for Spidey. Here’s how it connects to upcoming MCU installments “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Secret Wars.”

Ned (Jacob Batalon) created the Spidey Tracker app shown in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

(Jay Maidment / Sony Pictures)

What happens in the ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ post-credits scene?

The bonus footage shown after the full credits of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” roll is more of a tease than a proper scene. The brief stinger involves the Spider-Man tracking app created by Ned, which allows users to log any sightings of the webslinger. The Spidey Tracker map screen shown in the post-credits tag at first shows the friendly neighborhood hero’s location as being “unknown” at that moment. The map then zooms out of New York and away from Earth before the Spider-Man icon indicates he has been spotted somewhere in outer space.

Does that mean Spider-Man is returning for ‘Doomsday’?

Maybe! The expansive cast list for “Avengers: Doomsday” includes members of the Avengers past and present, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men and many others, but one glaring omission has been Tom Holland as Spider-Man. It’s possible that the secretive Marvel has stayed mum just to keep his appearance a surprise and Spidey will not only appear but also join some of the other heroes — like the Fantastic Four, who have a spaceship — as they venture out to somewhere in space.

It seems unlikely that Marvel would keep Spider-Man’s involvement in “Doomsday” a secret for so long only to spill the beans without fanfare in a brief post-credits stinger, though.

Tom Holland in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

(Sony Pictures)

Will Spider-Man be in ‘Secret Wars’?

Probably? Not much is known about “Doomsday’s” follow-up, “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which is reportedly scheduled to start filming “soon.” Throughout the “Brand New Day” press tour, Holland has maintained that he knows absolutely nothing about the upcoming movie.

But “Secret Wars” gets its name from a couple of Marvel comic book storylines that involve various heroes being pitted against each other. Although MCU works are usually not direct adaptations, Spider-Man was involved in both comic crossovers.

The 2015 “Secret Wars” story featured some plotting by Doctor Doom and saw multiverses collide, be destroyed and merge. During the crossover, the main continuity’s Spider-Man teamed up with another dimension’s Spidey — Miles Morales — who then ended up moving to the main Marvel universe in the event’s aftermath.

Spider-Man also played a part in the very first “Secret Wars” crossover in the 1980s. In this story, various heroes were plucked away from their usual haunts by a mysterious powerful being and pitted against similarly assembled villains (including Doctor Doom). It was during this crossover that Spider-Man first donned the sentient black suit that would become known as Venom.

Both “Secret Wars” series saw characters displaced onto a patchwork planet called Battleworld. The Spidey Tracker info from the “Brand New Day” post-credits scene could be teasing that’s where Spider-Man will eventually land.

What do we know for sure?

“Brand New Day” concludes with the message “Spider-Man will return.” Fans will just have to wait to see when, where and which Spider-Man will be involved.

“Avengers: Doomsday” is slated to hit theaters Dec. 18, while “Secret Wars” is scheduled for a Dec. 17, 2027, release.

In a summer of Gen Z-driven blockbusters and ancient Greek juggernauts, the 38th entry in the Marvel universe can’t help smelling like your uncle’s sweaty Comic-Con ball cap. At least the core ensemble of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is still young, even after four “Spider-Man” movies together in nine years — unlike the mature super squad in last summer’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” who boasted an average age of 42.

“Brand New Day” stars buzzy A-listers Tom Holland and Zendaya as Peter Parker and MJ Jones-Watson, sweethearts estranged after he was forced to save the multiverse by wiping all memories of his existence at the end of 2021’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home”. Adding drama to the couple’s onscreen breakup, the actors recently got married in real life. So kudos to the extras who steal scenes from them in the background, flailing like avant-garde dancers when a vicious mental parasite leaps from grandmothers to joggers to security guards on a quest to find something awful. Choreographed by Nathan Kim, the practical effect looks fantastic.

Fittingly for a film with body-snatching, director Destin Daniel Cretton (“Short Term 12,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) has made a story about letting people in. New York City’s brain-barging antagonist (“Stranger Things’” Sadie Sink in a fun character reveal) disrespects personal boundaries. Meanwhile, Peter, scarred by the murder of his dear Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) in 2021’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” keeps to himself in fear of revealing his secret identity. Forced to skip college while his former high school friends MJ and Ned (a lovable Jacob Batalon) attend MIT, this Spider-Man endures the rise-and-grind routine of an anonymous gig worker. His phone app pings; he puts on his protective mask and heads out wearily to fight crime. It’s a living. Barely.

Peter’s only physical connection to humanity is via webs and fists. Otherwise, he’s restricted to impersonal helpers — a detective (Liza Colón-Zayas) willing to take his phone calls, an AI assistant (ew) and a network of facial recognition cameras (double ew). He’s so isolated that his closest friend is a frenemy: Jon Bernthal’s Punisher, an equally lonely brute.

Screenwriters Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers add too much padding with their need to include the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), the new Black Widow (Florence Pugh) and the government’s increasingly radicalized Department of Damage Control before this December’s “Avengers: Doomsday.” Perversely for a film with a two-hour-and-25-minute running time, the climax still feels rushed.

Cretton must shoulder an overburdened franchise. His film is likable as heck but never quite achieves liftoff. The soundtrack’s needle drops of Tame Impala and Bad Bunny add swagger. Better, Cretton seizes small moments to put his stamp on this installment. Just as Zendaya’s aspirationally chill MJ insists she won’t work for some “soulless corporation,” he’s quietly made a humanist super-flick: A shot of agents in black SUVs separating a telekinetic family could come right from the news. Likewise, Cretton allows the Punisher his rage while silently noting that the vigilante’s gun-toting tactics usually make things worse.

Peter’s inner despair gets externalized when he invents a genetic inhibitor neck implant to tamp down his sensitivity. The arachnid hormones in his body are surging, causing his pupils to turn black and his temper to explode. His emotions — and that sticky goo in his wrists — are about to burst. On a related note, between this second spider-puberty and Holland’s supporting turn as a mother-henned Telemachus in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” will Hollywood ever allow 30-year-old Holland to play a grown man? I suppose when he proves he can carry his own movie. For now, he keeps squandering his Marvel breaks on whiffs like “Cherry” and “Uncharted.”

At least he’s an earnest, open-faced hero — the best live-action Spider-Man of the bunch. Holland holds onto his buoyancy even as his character battles the blues. His Peter fends off despair by insisting that he’s fine. The bruises on his body disagree. So does the glowing inhibitor on his spine, which seems to ask if we’re too quick to prescribe medication for our problems.

Cretton is the rare former indie filmmaker who pushes himself to stage clever action sequences. The web-slinging scenes in “Brand New Day” are designed to let the audience ride Peter’s mood swings. When he’s up, we soar from girder to girder in a tight POV that allows us to barely make out the tips of his boots. When he’s unsteady, every leap is perilously close to a free fall.

During the best fight scene, Peter takes on a squadron of gravity-defying ninjas in a brawl that takes place as much in the air as on the ground. Brett Pawlak’s camera spins a cartwheel alongside a flying kick, then plunges into the eye of a tornado of bad guys trapped in a web. Overall, there’s too much use of hurled rubble. But I dug how Cretton gooses our spidey senses with dramatic sound effects. The thud of a hammering Hulksmash rattles our seats; later, a cocked rifle is so crisp we perk up like a dog hearing the mailman.

“Brand New Day” manages a few strong images: a dive-bombing pigeon, a cityscape at dusk, a close-up of headstrong MJ getting yanked through the sky, still determined not to let a stranger sweep her off her feet. And, of course, there’s that army of extras each making the most of their five seconds of fame. After order is restored just enough to prod us to a sequel, Cretton circles back to those civilians in an end credits montage of normal New Yorkers hanging out on stoops and playing chess in the park. These faces couldn’t matter less to the plot. But Cretton’s affection for people over pixels is his entire point.

Almost five years ago, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” swung into theaters in the teeth of a COVID-19 surge and did what almost nothing else could that winter: drove cooped-up moviegoers to cinemas and opened to one of the biggest domestic debuts on record, pulling in $260 million.

This weekend, Peter Parker is back — a little older, more world-weary and facing a far less forgiving market.

The genre’s floor has dropped out since then.

Annual box office revenue for superhero movies is down, on average, about $3.5 billion, about half of what it was during the pre-pandemic years of 2017 to 2019, according to data from the FranchiseRe industry newsletter. Sony Pictures is betting that more real-world stunts, a relatable narrative and Spidey’s lasting popularity are enough to put “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on the other side of that trend.

Whatever the approach, the commercial appetite is there. Pre-sales for the film, which stars Tom Holland and Zendaya, have been robust, and industry tracking estimates an opening weekend haul of at least $195 million in the U.S. and Canada. If that holds, it would be the year’s biggest domestic debut, beating Walt Disney Co. and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” ($159.7 million). The movie cost about $225 million to produce and is produced by Sony’s Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios and Pascal Pictures.

“This movie takes a grounded, emotional approach to the story, and I actually believe that’s what audiences are hungry for,” said Tom Rothman, chairman of Sony’s motion picture group. “It’s got all the whiz-bang wow visuals. But at its heart, it’s more a superperson movie, if you will, rather than a superhero movie.”

“Brand New Day” picks up where the last film left off. A spell has erased Peter Parker from the world’s memory — the price of undoing the public exposure of his identity — leaving him a stranger to his best friend, Ned, and to MJ. Without those friendships, he pours himself into his crime-fighting work to stave off his loneliness.

That feeling of being adrift without knowing where to turn is what the filmmakers built the movie around.

“We’re all really isolated from each other,” said Amy Pascal, one of the film’s producers who has overseen the entire franchise. “That kind of longing for connection between people and not knowing how to make it happen and living in a world where we become more and more remote, matched the moment that people are going through.”

The smaller scale was also a reaction to what came before it. “No Way Home” brought back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in a time-bending multiverse crossover, and there was no topping it.

“That was a movie that was 20 years in the making,” Pascal said. “There was no way to be bigger than that. So we went smaller. We went internal instead of external, and we found the bigness in that.”

Peter Parker’s isolation is what drew director Destin Daniel Cretton, who made 2021’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and was an executive producer on the Marvel Television series “Wonder Man.” He said he related to the pain and tragedy the character goes through, and to the idea of a superhero story that felt like it was happening in a real place.

The production’s rule of thumb became trying to execute scenes practically, in front of a lens, wherever possible.

That included a tank chase shot largely on a street in Glasgow, Scotland, on the first day of filming, complete with a rig that let an actor swing with explosions going off behind him. Thousands of people showed up to watch, which was “a big adrenaline rush on day one,” Cretton said.

A later set piece — Spider-Man against a group of red-clad ninjas known as the Hand — was shot at a former prison outside London.

Cretton’s insistence on real locations has an argument behind it. At a moment when audiences want to know what goes into moviemaking and are increasingly unsure whether the myriad images they’re looking at were generated by artificial intelligence, the answer is visible labor.

“Right now, more than ever, I think it’s important for audiences to really feel that people made the thing that they’re watching, and people went through an experience to make the thing they’re watching,” said Cretton, who grew up watching behind-the-scenes segments on his favorite DVDs. “All of that, I think, is just as important as the thing that they’re watching.”

Effects alone don’t carry a superhero movie — or any movie, for that matter — anymore, Cretton said.

“The action can be great, the [visual effects] can be fantastic, the explosions can be huge, but if there isn’t some type of emotional spine that connects with people where they are and what they’re going through, it’s just another big, explosive movie,” he said.

The slump itself isn’t in dispute. Many of Marvel’s newer films haven’t come close to the heights its predecessors once cleared, and this year, movies like Amazon MGM Studios’ “Masters of the Universe” and Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ “Supergirl” underperformed in theaters.

What’s driving it is contested.

“I don’t think it’s fatigue of the genre,” Rothman said. “I think it’s the audience wanting new things and less predictability.”

For Marvel, long treated as the genre’s gold standard, part of the problem was volume; a dense web of interconnected films and TV shows that made casual viewers feel like they had too much homework to do before a new premiere.

The likeliest near-term explanation for that estimated $195-million opening, though, may have less to do with tone than with supply and brand. “Brand New Day” is the first Marvel superhero film since last year’s “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and Spider-Man remains one of the most commercially durable characters in the genre.

The calendar is also less accommodating than it was. The latest “Spider-Man” installment opens against Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and holdovers including “Toy Story 5” — a considerably more crowded field than the thin, pandemic-era slate its predecessor benefited from on the way to $1.9 billion.

And the movie has a second job. With Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” arriving at the end of the year, “Brand New Day” has to leave audiences wanting it.

“It’s got a lot riding on it,” said Steve Granelli, a teaching professor and division head of communication studies at Northeastern University. “Not just in terms of this being yet another ‘Spider-Man’ film, but also this being a huge storytelling device in the larger [Marvel franchise].”

Which is the tension at the center of the pitch. The filmmaking team went internal on purpose, and built a movie about a young man nobody remembers. It also has to set up the largest external event on Marvel’s calendar.

CHARLOTTE Crosby has been forced to sell clothes for just £6 as she announced she’s closing her fashion brand amid financial woes.

The 36-year-old started Pepper Girls Club nine years ago, but in an emotional post on Tuesday night, she revealed she’s saying goodbye to her beloved company.

Taking to her Instagram stories, she penned: “After 9 incredible years, it’s time to say goodbye to @peppergirlsclub.

“This has been one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.

“To everyone who believed in Pepper Girls Club, supported every launch, placed an order, shared our posts, wore our clothes or simply cheered us on from the sidelines.. thank you.

“You made this dream possible and I will never be able to fully express just how grateful I am.

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“The reality is that the current climate has become one of the hardest times for small businesses to survive and I’ve reached the point where I have to prioritise my family, growing my family and my future projects.”

The former Geordie Shore star revealed that this will be the final restock of some of their sold out products as she announced a closing down sale.

“While this chapter is coming to an end, it’s taught me resilience and determination like no other and the lessons I have learnt will stay with me forever,” she continued.

“Pepper Girls Club will always hold a very special place in my heart and I’ll forever be proud of everything we achieved and built together.”

Charlotte concluded her emotional post by thanking her mum Letitia for helping her with the brand over the years.

The reality star has been forced to slash her prices, with some items being sold for as little as £5.99.

T-shirts that are usually £19.00 have been reduced to even more than half price as she attempts to flog her remaining stock.

The news comes after Charlotte closed down another one of her businesses last month.

She had announced that Studio Yours, which was a creative space for content creation in the North East, was being closed.

Her post read: “After an incredible couple of years, we’ve made the difficult decision to close Studio Yours.

“We want to say a huge thank you to every single person & business who booked in to use our creative space.

“It has been a privilege to welcome so many amazing businesses, creatives, families and brands through our doors, and we’re so grateful for the memories we’ve made together.”

The post continued: “We will be selling furniture & production equipment so if you’ve had your eye on anything, or would be interested in purchasing items from the studio, please send us a message for more information.

“Thank you again for all of your support from the North East, Studio Yours wouldn’t have been what it was without you.”

The Celebrity Big Brother winner first revealed her financial woes in September last year.

She admitted that she put £300,000 into Pepper Girls Club but hadn’t seen a penny back.

Speaking in a behind-the-scenes video to share the secrets of her company, she admitted her financial struggles have been the hardest part of running her company.

Charlotte said: “I have literally put so much money into this business. That is no word of a lie.

“I’ve put about £300,000 into this business over the last eight years. “I haven’t received a penny of that back.”

She added: “The company is only in debt to me which is fine. “I would love to get it to the point where I can start to get some of that money back. But it is just not there yet.”

Charlotte further revealed that she had campaigned to get investment from others to help the business but had been cruelly dismissed by potential lenders.

She recalled how one even said to her: “Their accountant told me that Pepper Girls Club would do good the day that pigs fly.”

Spoiler alert: This post contains details from the new film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

Apparently Tom Holland isn’t the only “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” creative with a bad habit of accidentally spoiling movies.

Grammy winner Steve Lacy joined the festivities during the film’s Hollywood premiere on Monday, detailing more than just his original song for the latest “Spider-Man” flick. The “Oh Yeah” and “Bad Habit” singer also allegedly spilled the beans on “Stranger Things” alumna Sadie Sink‘s “Spider-Man” character, which Marvel has kept tightly under wraps. Lacy delivered the accidental reveal while speaking with Twitch star Valkyrae, who hosted the film’s official red carpet stream. During Monday’s carpet, Valkyrae asked Lacy to name his favorite character from the movie “without spoiling anything,” according to video shared on social media.

“Jean. I like Jean,” he responds, “she’s the villain but, like, there’s a reason to her madness.” After Valkyrae asks whether his answer was a spoiler, Lacy seemingly tones down his enthusiasm for the character. “I like her character. I don’t know why.”

Lacy didn’t quite link Sink with this mystery Jean. Still, it’s worth noting that Sink’s role has been the subject of much speculation, with fans suspecting she would play Marvel-verse X-Men telekinetic and telepath Jean Grey. Sink would be the third actress to play the role, after Famke Janssen and “Game of Thrones” alumna Sophie Turner. (Another Marvel universe Jean is Jean De Wolff, a Spider-Man ally who was a police detective and captain.)

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will also see Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon reprise their roles and also features Mark Ruffalo and Jon Bernthal among others. Holland recently starred alongside Zendaya and Bernthal in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

The trailer, released in March, shows Peter/Spider-Man (Holland) reeling as he struggles to reconnect with his friends. To his dismay, MJ (Zendaya) has a new man in her life. As in the previous films, Peter attempts to balance his personal woes with superhero struggles — but he’ll have another Avenger in his corner. The clip shows Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk) guiding Peter through an “enormously dangerous” physical evolution and teases several baddies, including Bernthal’s antihero Punisher.

Sink has been all-in on the “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” press tour, managing to keep tight-lipped about her role. Earlier this month, Marvel shared playful videos of Sink somewhat discussing her role to help stave off eager fans’ curiosity. In one clip, she provides “Spider-Man” fans with three incredibly helpful clues: She does not play Spider-Man, she does not play Aunt May (who perished in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”) and she is definitely in the latest movie.

When it comes to spoiling “Spider-Man” and other Marvel films, it often seems like the call is coming from inside. Over the years, Holland has gained a reputation for his loose lips, spoiling plot details from “Spider-Man” and “Avengers” films.

Maybe accidental spoilers are just par for the course?

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” hits theaters, with showings on Thursday leading into Friday’s release.

A BRAND new aquapark is coming to a UK town just in time for the summer holidays.

The attraction spans 150 acres and will be open until the autumn.

The massive new attraction features everything from slides and climbing walls to balance beams and splash zones.

Opening from today (Saturday, July 18), the inflatable waterpark will be running until autumn.

It is located at Hinchingbrooke Country Park in Cambridgeshire and is set to open daily for the rest of the summer.

Visitors aged six and over can pre-book online, with tickets costing £19 per person.

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This price includes entry, as well as a buoyancy aid, helmet, and wetsuit hire.

Helmets and wetsuits are optional, however, participants must wear a buoyancy aid regardless of swimming ability.

Ticket-holders can visit the park anytime 10am to 5pm, with each session lasting an hour.

The new inflatable is part of a larger ongoing investment into Hinchingbrooke Country Park, improving its leisure activities and encouraging more visitors to the park’s large natural surroundings.

Executive member for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene, Cllr Julie Kerr, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing this exciting new attraction to Hinchingbrooke Country Park.

“It’s a fantastic addition for residents and visitors alike, and part of our ongoing commitment to improving and evolving the park to enhance leisure and outdoor opportunities for users now and in the future.”

The new series will see a beloved TV star explore the world’s most luxurious hotels

Channel 4 have confirmed a brand new travel series with a TV favourite as host.

Fronted by First Dates star Fred Sirieix, the travel show titled Fred’s Ultimate Hotels will see the star explore the world’s most luxurious hotels.

The hospitality expert is swapping the restaurant floor for the open road to spotlight some of the most breathtaking places to stay.

From the regal splendour of The Royal Mansour in Marrakech and the stunning Royal Madikwe safari lodge in South Africa, to the timeless grandeur of Raffles Singapore, Fred will travel the globe checking into the world’s most spectacular hotels.

He will take viewers behind the scenes to reveal the people, precision and passion that create world-class service. During his stay, he uses own Five Fs: First Impressions, Facilities, Flawless Service, Fine Details and Feeling.

But this is far more than a luxury travel series. In every episode, Fred experiences each hotel from both sides of the reception desk.

First checking in as a guest to enjoy everything the property and destination have to offer, he then swaps five-star luxury for staff uniform, working alongside the teams responsible for creating seamless guest experiences.

Speaking about the new show, Fred said: “People often think the secret to a great hotel is the building, the food or the luxury.” Of course, those things matter but for me, it’s always about the people.

“The welcome, the attention to detail and the passion of the staff are what turn a wonderful hotel into an unforgettable experience.”

Every episode ends with Fred presenting his Hospitality Hero Award to one exceptional member of staff. Fred remarked: “It was an incredible privilege to work alongside some of the world’s best hospitality teams and to see first-hand the pride they take in what they do.

“I hope viewers will discover some extraordinary places, but more importantly meet the remarkable people who make them so special.”

Jannine Waddell, Executive Producer at Waddell Media, said: “Fred is the perfect host for this series. As one of the world’s leading hospitality experts, he knows exactly what it takes to deliver truly exceptional five-star service.

“But what makes Fred so special is that he’s never afraid to roll up his sleeves and get back to the job he loves. Whether he’s checking in guests, working front of house or supporting the team behind the scenes.

“He has enormous respect for the people whose passion and dedication create unforgettable experiences.”

Fred’s Ultimate Hotels is due to air on Channel 4 later this year.

The U.S. Navy has now made it clear it is at least exploring an alternative to the still-in-development AGM-88G Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER). When the Advanced Emission Suppression Missile (AESM) effort first emerged earlier this year, the stated requirements did sound curiously similar to what the service wants from the AGM-88G. There was also mention of an all-new need to be able to engage radio frequency-emitting targets in the air, as well as on the surface, but this is no longer being emphasized, at least publicly.

The new contracting notice raises questions about the future of the AARGM-ER program, which the Navy told TWZ in April was still on track to be fielded later this year. The service had also previously announced a “strategic pause” in purchases of AGM-88Gs, but only for the 2027 Fiscal Year. The AARGM-ER is a direct evolution of the existing AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM).

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued a new AESM request for information (RFI) yesterday. NAVAIR had previously put out a contract notice regarding this new missile back in February, but subsequently took it down.

NAVAIR is now looking “to conduct market research to identify potential sources capable of providing an AARGM-ER equivalent missile system,” according to the new RFI. This “consists of the All-Up-Round (AUR) missile to include hardware and software, as well as any unique logistics elements, trainers, AARGM-ER equivalent flyout model, and all system verification elements.”

“The purpose of this RFI is to conduct market research to identify potential sources capable of providing a mature design (TRL >6) missile system which consists of the All-Up-Round (AUR) missile to include hardware and software, as well as any unique logistics elements, trainers, flyout model, and all system verification elements,” the notice adds. “This AUR must be compatible with existing launch platforms.”

TRL here refers to the U.S. government’s Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale, which is used to categorize the maturity of munitions and other systems. TRL 6 is defined as an effort that has produced a “representative model or prototype system” that has been “tested in a relevant environment.” The “relevant environment” here can include high-fidelity laboratory conditions or be otherwise simulated.

The latest desired requirements for AESM are very broad and fully in line with what the Navy has said for years that it expects to gain from the fielding of the AGM-88G.

AESM needs to have “extended range,” allowing it to be “capable of engaging targets at significant standoff distances.” It has to include an “advanced anti-radiation seeker with broad frequency coverage” and the “ability to target modern and advanced radar systems.” In terms of “lethality,” the goal is to achieve a “high probability of kill against a wide range of targets.”

Like the AARGM-ER, AESM needs to be suitable for internal and external carriage on at least certain variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets are also listed as threshold launch platforms.

The original AESM RFI in February had laid out more specific requirements, which are absent in the new contracting notice. This includes an explicit call for prospective vendors to describe their proposed missile’s “ability to engage air-to-air and air-to-ground targets.”

There has been no mention in the past about an air-to-air engagement capability for the AGM-88G. It’s unclear whether this is still an area of interest for AESM. TWZ has reached out to the Navy for more information about the current state of AESM and how that factors into plans for AARGM-ER.

With added air-to-air engagement capability, AESM would open the door to new operational possibilities and could be more complementary to AARGM-ER. As we previously wrote after the first RFI was released:

“U.S. military interest in very-long-range air-to-air capable anti-radiation missiles traces all the way back to the Cold War, primarily as a means for engaging enemy airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) planes. Anti-air weapons designed around this role are often colloquially referred to as ‘AWACS killers,’ a reference to the U.S. E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. A very-long-range air-to-air missile could be used against other aerial targets, as well.”

…

“All that being said, the value of an ‘AWACS killer’ missile is clear-cut. AEW&C are critical surveillance and battle management assets. Shooting them down deprives an opponent of those capabilities, inherently reducing their ability to effectively maneuver air assets and share important information, including with other nodes on the ground or at sea, as well as in the air. Knocking out these flying radar stations, which can be especially well-suited to spotting lower flying threats from their high perches, just hampers an enemy’s overall situational awareness.“

“The issue, of course, is that AEW&C planes typically orbit well behind the front edges of a conflict, creating additional challenges for targeting them. This is where something like AESM could come into play. A weapon of this type could engage other aerial targets by zeroing in on the radiofrequency emissions they pump out. This could include electronic warfare aircraft, and potentially other aerial targets. AESM might be able to take on a more general anti-air role with the addition of an active radar and/or imaging infrared seeker, as well as datalinks allowing for the use of networked targeting data. AARGM and AARGM-ER both feature an active millimeter-wave radar seeker to enable them to hit fleeing ground targets, but a similar concept could be adapted for air-to-air use.”

“For the Navy, as well as other branches of the U.S. military, this is all particularly relevant in the context of a potential future high-end fight with China, which has made major investments in its fleets of AEW&C and electronic warfare planes. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has also been pursuing ever-longer-ranged anti-air missiles, including types that could be used to target American AEW&C platforms, as well as other key support aircraft.”

AESM would also still have the ability to be employed in an air-to-surface mode like the AGM-88G and its predecessors. Having a single missile with hybrid anti-air/anti-radiation capabilities would offer very useful added flexibility, especially for addressing threats that might suddenly appear during a sortie. This would also offer magazine depth benefits, since a launch aircraft loaded with AESMs would inherently have more engagement opportunities against a wider target set than one carrying a mixture of AARGM-ERs and traditional air-to-air missiles.

AARGM F-18

This could slot in well with the rest of the Navy’s planned future air-launched missile ecosystem, which at least currently includes the AGM-88G, as well as the AIM-174B air-launched version of the multi-purpose Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) and the AIM-260 advanced air-to-air missile. These missiles fit into ever-expanding ‘kill web’ architectures made up of deeply integrated networks of sensors and other assets from across the services, spread across the air, land, sea, space, and even cyberspace domains. TWZ previously explored all of this in a detailed feature you can find here.

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It’s also worth remembering that the U.S. Air Force has worked with the Navy on similar hybrid anti-air/anti-radiation missile efforts in the past. The Air Force also just recently put out its own call for information about a prospective common missile with a range of at least 1,000 miles, that could come in air-to-air and air-to-surface versions. AESM might further emerge as a joint-service effort and/or one that involves foreign participation.

At the same time, the downplaying of more specific capabilities in the rebooted AESM RFI can only prompt questions about the future of the AGM-88G. The Navy has been actively pursuing AARGM-ER since 2018. The missile’s increased speed and range are viewed as vital for future conflicts, especially when it comes to ensuring survivability and effectiveness of non-stealthy launch platforms as adversary anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) bubbles continue to expand in scale and scope.

However, the AARGM-ER program has encountered technical issues in development and suffered significant delays. The original goal was for the missile to reach initial operational capability (IOC) on the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G in 2023. The Navy is now aiming to hit that milestone by September of this year. There are foreign customers also still in line to receive AARGM-ERs, and Italy is notably a full partner in the missile’s development. The Air Force is pursuing a derivative, called the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) and reportedly designated the AGM-88J, intended to provide a more general strike capability.

“U.S. procurements for the AARGM-ER program are planned to resume once the system has successfully completed all necessary testing and software updates. Our immediate priority is ensuring the weapon passes these rigorous testing milestones to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in September 2026,” a Navy spokesperson told TWZ back in February about the status of the program and the aforementioned strategic pause. “After validating the software and testing, the plan would be to ramp up production to clear a backlog of over 150 missiles, with U.S. procurements officially restarting in FY28 [Fiscal year 2028]. In the interim, FY27 production will be allocated to Foreign Military Sales to fulfill our commitments to five signed international cases.”

It is worth noting here that the Navy seeking a functional equivalent to the AGM-88G does not automatically mean it is considering supplanting that missile entirely. Diversification of the supply chains, especially by leveraging new and non-traditional vendors, has become a top priority across the U.S. military in recent years. Efforts to broaden the defense industrial base, with an explicit emphasis on less reliance on traditional prime contractors, have surged further since President Donald Trump started his second term. More industrial base diversity offers benefits for scaling up production of subcomponents and complete systems. Another key aspect of these initiatives has been avoiding getting locked into a single vendor for key programs, helping to foster competition that can drive down costs.

Having an alternative source of missiles that are even just roughly similar to the AARGM-ER capability-wise could be very valuable for bolstering stockpiles now and ensuring they can be replenished in the future, especially in the midst of a sustained high-end fight. The lead time for the acquisition of exquisite munitions is often measured in months, if not years. Concerns about the sufficiency of U.S. stockpiles of key missiles have already been growing in recent years due to a succession of global crises, something TWZ has regularly called attention to. This has become an even more pressing topic given the expenditures of critical munitions during the latest conflict with Iran. The Pentagon has signed several new deals with various companies in the past year or so to expand and accelerate production of existing and new missiles, underscoring just how significant the demand signal has become. Still, it will take time for those contracts to bear fruit, reinforcing the value of having additional streams of relevant munitions.

Much remains to be learned about the Navy’s exact intentions with AESM and how it fits in with the current plans for AARGM-ER. What we do know now is that the service is actively looking at options for a new missile that offers at least equivalent capability to the AGM-88G.

Update: 4:30 PM ET –

An annual assessment of multiple high-profile U.S. military procurement programs that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released today provides some additional context about the AARGM-ER program.

“The AARGM-ER program continued to experience significant delays due to software problems discovered during testing. Software development challenges were also a main driver of prior delays. According to the program, a February 2025 flight test failed due to a software issue, which it attributed to a lack of rigor in the contractor’s software development and testing process,” per GAO’s report. “The program did not use a modern approach to software, and the program office did not have visibility into software metrics, which could have provided insights into issues sooner. Program officials stated that the contractor updated its software development processes, and the program instituted additional software reviews for future flight tests.”

“The program is conducting four flight tests in fiscal year 2026 before fielding an initial operational capability,” the report adds. “According to program officials, the December flight test was successful. The program expected to reach initial operational capability in July 2024, but officials now expect to do so over 2 years later in September 2026.”

The Congressional watchdog’s assessment also speaks to continued challenges with production.

“The AARGM-ER program continues to experience production delays. The program reported that the delays were related to missile qualification, hardware capability, and software problems discovered during testing. Program officials expect initial missile deliveries to start in mid-2026,” the report explains. “Initial missile deliveries were originally planned for late 2023. According to program officials, they withheld certain payments to the contractor due to the delays. The program also told the contractor it will not accept missile deliveries until qualification and flight tests verify the missile is safe to employ and performs as expected. The program expects to complete missile qualification in June 2026. We found that starting production before demonstrating a system will work as intended—which the Navy did—increases the risk of discovering deficiencies that require costly, time-intensive rework.”

It is worth noting here that the AESM RFI released yesterday also calls for lower-cost designs that could be produced at a rate of 600 missiles per year. This is twice the production scale outlined back in February.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

PLANS for a huge aquadrome with slides, party rooms and padel courts have been confirmed.

The proposed £60million site would be located in a major UK market town.

A brand new Aquadrome could come to Basingstoke, in Hampshire, after the council confirmed a contract has been signed with Places Leisure to manage the site.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council said that work will now begin to finalise the design of the water and leisure complex, ahead of submitting the planning permission this autumn.

According to the plans, the new £60million centre is set to include a 25-metre competition pool, a leisure park with slides, a 150-station gym, indoor play and party rooms.

A luxury health suite, Reformer Pilates studio and padel tennis courts have also been proposed.

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If approved, the complex will be built in a new location on the leisure park, with an expected completion date of 2029.

The existing Aquadrome will remain open until the new facility is completed.

Places Leisure – who operate over 90 leisure facilities across the UK – will also take over the management of Basingstoke Golf Centre & Knights Realm Adventure Golf and Tadley Health & Fitness Centre from 2027.

The town‘s existing Aquadrome opened more than 24 years ago in 2002, and is currently run by Serco and Basingstoke and Deane Community Leisure Trust.

At the time plans were announced, Dan Walker, business development director at Places Leisure, said: “The new landmark leisure destination is an investment in health and wellbeing for the entire community.

“We look forward to working closely with local partners, colleagues, residents and community groups to shape a facility that truly reflects the needs and aspirations of the area.”

The new Aquadrome forms part of a wider regeneration of the leisure park, which includes new play areas, nature trails, a “flexible use” plaza and cultural hub.

Spider-Man fans have been waiting years for this moment and now it’s almost here

Marvel fans have all said the same thing after an iconic character’s long awaited return in the upcoming Spider-Man film.

Just this week, an exciting trailer was released for Spider-Man Brand New Day, which will premier in cinemas on July 31. It has been teased: “The world may have forgotten Peter Parker, but he hasn’t forgotten them.”

The latest instalment takes place shortly after the events of No Way Home – the fourth of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man movies as it follows Peter Parker (Tom Holland) in a world that no longer remembers who he is.

In the clip, it appears that trouble is just around the corner though, as Spider-Man can be heard saying: “What is happening to me?

“I’m losing my mind. I am totally out of control. I’ve got to fix whatever this is right now.”

However, there is one iconic character that has stolen the show as fans were delighted to see the return of Mark Ruffalo – but more excitingly in his savage Hulk form.

The exciting trailer shows Peter seeking out DR Bruce Banner as he says: “You found a way of suppressing mutating DNA right?”

Dr Banner then replied: “If you see me with this off, then run”, showing him the device that prevents him from mutating into the Hulk. However, later scenes show his transformation into the green mutation, right in front of Spider-Man who states: “I didn’t know you could get that big.”

Seeing savage Hulk return is a delight to Marvel fans who have not seen the character in the MCU for quite some time, somewhat completing Banner’s character arc.

But now, it appears the raging monster has made a return as the trailer teases a tense head to head. Commenting on YouTube, one person wrote: “Seeing Hulk back to his normal self genuinely made me happy.”

Another penned: “no dude literally like hulk back in the original form is like breathing nice fresh air!”

A third added: “I have friends who have had two kids since I’ve been waiting for the real hulk to come back.”

A fourth replied: “Spider-Man is depressed, Hulk is angry and Punisher is itching to tell us something… PEAK.”

A fifth echoed: “Love how Spidey did not know Hulk’s true size. He has only ever encountered Professor Hulk, not OG Savage Hulk. About time we got him back!”

One person said: “Ladies and Gentlemen, It has 8 years 1 month and 22 days since we saw Hulk. Now we’re back Baby!!”

Another commented: “Normal hulk has came .This is what every Marvel fan was wishing for.”

Spider-Man Brand New Day lands in cinemas on July 31

Before the lights dim and the trailers roll, moviegoers will start to see microdrama ads in movie theaters.

National CineMedia (NCM), the company responsible for the pre-show programming on the big screen, announced a new partnership with AI-native microseries studio aTwist on Wednesday. The company will begin advertising aTwist’s upcoming slate of vertical series in theaters later this summer.

“Movie theaters have always been where people go to lose themselves in storytelling,” Mike Rosen, NCM’s chief revenue officer, said in a statement. “This partnership brings new, exciting content to the pre-show experience, and gives brands the opportunity to speak more authentically to an audience that is naturally drawn to compelling, innovative content.”

The partnership was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

The deal will feature brand-sponsored series, previews of aTwist originals and a QR code that will take viewers directly to the aTwist platform.

These advertisements will be integrated into NCM’s regular programming, which spans more than 18,500 screens in over 1,650 theaters nationwide. The advertiser works with major movie chains such as AMC, Cinemark and Regal, across 185 markets. NCM was founded in 2002 and is best known for its “Noovie” preshow hosted by Maria Menounos.

ATwist is set to launch later this summer. The Los Angeles-based company, founded by former Hollywood executives Jana Winograde, Susan Rovner and Lloyd Braun, is entering an increasingly competitive format.

Microdramas, which originated in China, have continued to gain traction in the U.S. Some of the industry’s major players include ReelShort and DramaBox. The short-form content, engineered for a vertical phone screen, has drawn comparisons to a new addictive form of soap opera. The vertical video market is expected to generate around $150 billion in revenue this year, according to media consulting firm Owl & Co.

Brands such as Marc Jacobs and Crocs have already positioned the storytelling format as a way to advertise new products and reach new audiences.

By advertising to moviegoers, aTwist is hoping to distinguish itself among its competitors.

“We built aTwist around the belief that great storytelling should meet audiences wherever they are,” Winograde, aTwist’s chief executive officer, said in a statement.

“There is no better partner than NCM to introduce microseries to moviegoers and bring our storytelling into one of the most immersive entertainment environments.”

When Nithya Raman stepped up to a podium on the night of L.A.’s mayoral primary election, she thanked her supporters for standing up to the “powerful interests” who spent millions of dollars trying to “preserve this city’s broken and unjust status quo.”

“At a time when so many people have written Los Angeles off or have lost hope in the future of this incredible city,” the democratic socialist L.A. mayoral hopeful said, “you are proof that Angelenos are hungry for change.”

But as election results rolled in, the movement for change was underwhelming, or at least divided. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass was in the lead, advancing to the November runoff. That left Raman locked in a battle for a second spot with Republican former reality TV star Spencer Pratt.

Bass is one of several high-profile establishment Democrats to emerge on top. In California’s gubernatorial race, centrist Xavier Becerra, a veteran of the Biden Cabinet, advanced to the runoff after being challenged from the left by billionaire green activist Tom Steyer and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter. Steyer is now behind Steve Hilton, a Republican, and battling to make the runoff.

Still reeling from the rise of Donald Trump, Democrats in California and beyond are struggling to figure out the future direction of the party.

Some progressives, inspired by Zohran Mamdani’s New York mayoral victory, saw 2026 as an opportunity to move the city further left. But the results have been mixed in key races, with veteran Democrats like Bass and Becerra eking out leads even as polls show dissatisfaction with status quo politics in California.

“This was supposed to be a change revolution, but voters clearly said no to the revolution,” said Sara Sadhwani, a politics professor at Pomona College. “Voters want change,” she noted, “but it doesn’t appear right now that there has been an appetite for a major shift in the ideology of the city or the state.”

Xavier Becerra speaks during an election night event in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday.

(Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times)

Becerra emerged as the Democratic favorite late in the election and won support from many establishment party leaders. Pundits said after a wild primary that included the implosion of Democratic U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell’s campaign amid sex assault allegations, Becerra emerged as a “safe” choice.

Some opponents attacked his moderate views and his willingness to accept campaign donations from big oil companies like Chevron. But that did not stop his rise.

Bass was also beset with challenges, being an incumbent in a city beset with problems.

For her, election night marked a “victory with an asterisk,” Sadhwani said, noting that Bass is first incumbent L.A. mayor in more than two decades to face a runoff. “It would be wrong for Karen Bass to think that this victory … is a ringing endorsement of the work she is currently doing.”

The results underscore Bass’ unpopularity as an incumbent, garnering just 35% of the vote so far. If Raman can catch up and eventually surpass Pratt in the vote count, she could pose a considerable challenge to Bass as more young voters come to the polls in November.

Mike Bonin, a former L.A. City Council member who leads the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State L.A., said if Bass exceeded expectations it was because they were very low.

“Coming in first in a runoff isn’t a huge victory for an incumbent mayor,” he said. “Two-thirds of the city did not vote for her. That’s not a position of strength.”

James Adams, a political science professor at UC Davis, said that Becerra and Bass coming through indicates the centrist Democratic candidates were in a stronger short-term position than their rivals. But problems loom ahead, he said, as the longtime Democratic establishment that’s been governing California for the last 15 years failed to make notable progress in solving problems with affordable housing, homelessness, public transportation and education.

“I think the Democrats’ prospects are very bright in 2026 given the California Republicans’ dysfunctionality and a complete backlash against Donald Trump,” Adams said. “But I have much bigger concerns about the California Democrats long term, because it seems to me they’re setting a record for most consecutive years of failing to fix the state’s problems while getting reelected anyway.”

Democrats in California, he said, were suffering from being in power too long.

“Whenever one party gets into a long-term, dominant position, usually because the other party is just in the midst of self-destructing … the whole thing ends in tears, because the party that is in a dominant position, they don’t have to be that good.”

As the vote count continues in the mayor’s race, democratic socialists in Los Angeles already have some wins down-ballot.

“We are gaining momentum,” said Leslie Chang, a co-chair of the 5,000-member L.A. chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, a decentralized anti-capitalist group that advocates for rental protections and defunding the police. Over the last six years, Angelenos have elected four DSA-backed City Council members and a DSA-recommended city controller.

The DSA did not officially endorse Raman, because she entered the race after the group had issued endorsements and another DSA candidate was also running for mayor. However, three of the six DSA-backed candidates for citywide office were projected to win outright.

DSA Councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Eunisses Hernandez were reelected by such large margins they avoided runoffs. In the city attorney’s race, DSA-endorsed Marissa Roy was in the lead and the mainstream Democratic incumbent became the first city attorney ousted in a primary in nearly a century. City Controller Kenneth Mejia, a progressive anti-establishment candidate who is not a DSA member but an ally of the group, led by nearly 20 percentage points.

When Chang knocked on doors, she said, some voters asked: “Well, what’s the difference between Nithya and Karen Bass?”

A few voters told her that after reviewing Bass’ and Raman’s websites, they found their platforms similar. Chang was surprised. She thought Raman articulated a clear and novel strategy for how to get L.A. out of the housing crisis, but she said some on the left took issue with her working with housing developers to reduce red tape.

Neel Sannappa, chair of the California Democratic Party’s progressive caucus, said Raman was stymied by getting into the race late and having only a few months to campaign. It also didn’t help that a more left-wing challenger, Rae Huang, already had some momentum — not enough to win, but enough to split the left.

“Nithya does represent something real and growing in Los Angeles,” Sannappa said. “There is a hunger for more progressive, left-leaning candidates that want to make sure that we’re investing in people and not so much investing in just police … and being able to build things that are new and innovative.”

Supporters watch election results come in on their phones during Nithya Raman’s election night party at Boomtown Brewery on Tuesday.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Some have criticized Raman’s coalition-building, noting she was not endorsed by her fellow DSA-backed City Council members. Others said the MIT and Harvard graduate, who has been a councilmember for six years, performed tepidly in a May televised debate and suffered from Pratt’s attempts to tie her to the establishment.

“If you’re a part of the institution, which she is,” Sadhwani said, “then you can’t exactly claim that you’re going to bring massive change.”

Sadhwani said that California’s left, in contrast to New York’s, appears to have a charisma deficit. While Pratt and Hilton had an advantage with their television backgrounds, they also spoke “in plain terms about the real problems that the state faces.”

Part of Bass’ success can also be attributed to assembling a coalition that included the L.A. County Federation of Labor, the L.A. police officers union, the L.A. County Democratic Party and immigrant rights groups.

In the mayoral race, Sadhwani said, “the dominant political coalition still has power, money, the organization.”

“If you can garner the support of the unions, then having a broader message, maybe it’s less important,” she said. “You don’t have to work quite so hard, because the unions have the base machine.”

People attend Mayor Bass’ election party for the California 2026 primaries at the LINE Hotel on Tuesday.

(Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

Yusef Robb, a longtime Democratic strategist who is an advisor to Bass, attributed the mayor’s lead to her campaign’s success in building a broad coalition and communicating across the political spectrum. Most voters, he said, tend to think less about ideology — and whether a Democrat was mainstream or DSA-supported — than candidates’ positions on bread and butter issues.

“Mayor’s races are first and foremost about what people see outside of their front doors, when they walk their kids to school, when they drive to work,” he said. “At the end of the day, the voters look at the field and say, ‘OK, who do I trust to keep my kids from having to skip around a tent on the way to school?’ ‘Who can I trust to hire more officers?’ … and ‘Who can I trust to fight back against ICE in court through executive action and even in the streets?’ And that’s Karen Bass.”

For Democrats in this robustly blue state, part of the challenge in figuring a path forward is that every candidate — even those already in power — pitches themselves as a bona fide progressive against the status quo.

“We have led a grassroots campaign because we want to bring change to our city,” Bass said on election night. “And that’s what we’ve been doing, and that’s what we’re going to continue to do.”

Raman also tried to tout herself as a change candidate. Articulating her platform in broad strokes rather than bread-and-butter detail, Raman said she wanted L.A. to be a place “where government actually functions and delivers every day on this city’s beautiful bighearted values, where we stand up against ICE, where we show up for our gay and trans siblings.”

But as she talked of neighborhoods “full of trees and shade … and people and good food,” she seemed low-key and equivocal. Her message was a far cry from the pressing one U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) put forward in his presidential campaigns, highlighting the millions of Americans working for “starvation wages” and a young single mother in Nevada struggling on $10.45 an hour.

Ultimately, the fight between Bass and Raman, as a struggle between mainstream and progressive Democrats, is complicated by the fact that Bass came up through the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, founding the grassroots Community Coalition in South L.A. in the 1990s.

Campaign worker Khai Dombroe prepares balloons before Nithya Raman’s election night party.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

And even though Raman is a DSA member, she has tacked to the center during the campaign, distancing herself from past calls to defund the police by saying she did not want the LAPD to lose more officers.

While Raman and Bass have much in common, the most significant difference between them is on homelessness, Sannappa said. Even though Bass comes from a political tradition of not wanting to criminalize the unhoused, he said, she understood her voters include people wanting to move homeless people off the streets.

“Brass tacks is that we need people that are going to be willing to fight for mental health services,” Sannappa said.

“I think Nithya more so represents the direction where the Democratic Party is going to have to go.”

As L.A. becomes less affordable and homeownership becomes out of reach for many Angelenos, young renters have become a rising political constituency — a shift that many say will likely propel the city leftward.

Bonin said he expected the next new rising Democratic coalition in L.A. to be a labor-renter coalition. He cited Councilmember Soto-Martinez, a renter and union organizer, as probably the best avatar of that.

But as the middle-class splinters along generational lines, other political experts warn that many ordinary Angelenos feel increasingly shut out of L.A. politics.

“Once upon a time the Democratic Party was the party of the working class, and today it has become the party of the educated elites,” Sadhwani said. “Perhaps one of the gifts that Donald Trump has given to Democrats is to force them to contend with the everyday issues of voters, which they seem to have distanced themselves from.”

As many Angelenos feel worse off now than four years ago, Chang said Bass was not directly responsible for every problem. Still, she said, she could have done more to move the city in the right direction.

Delaying the wage boost tied to the 2028 Olympics, she said, was a move that failed working people at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.

“My fear, of course, is people pivot away from corporate Democrats and they choose the MAGA Republican, because that is the most visible fight,” Chang said. “Or because they think, ‘Oh, well, a democratic socialist running on the Democratic Party line, this is just more of the same status quo.’ ”

Three years ago, Mattel Inc. struck box-office gold — or rather, pink — with the billion-dollar success of “Barbie.”

In its first return to theaters since the female-forward phenomenon, the El Segundo toymaker is turning to the brawny He-Man for another box-office lift.

Its latest film, “Masters of the Universe,” opens this weekend, as Mattel looks to build on that previous success and continue extending its signature toy brands into the entertainment arena.

“The movie is very much in tune with culture,” said Mattel Chief Executive Ynon Kreiz. “Everything is much more contemporary relative to what was created more than 40 years ago, but it’s still very true to the origin story and to the DNA of the brand.”

The new film arrives at a pivotal time for Mattel, which is facing pressure from investors to grow its business. The maker of Hot Wheels, American Girl and Uno has recently confronted a challenging market for toys, beset by tariffs on goods produced overseas and weaker-than-expected demand for Barbie dolls and Fisher-Price preschool products.

Amid uncertainty in the toy market and the fallout from tariffs, Mattel’s net income dropped 25% to $398 million in 2025. And since the company announced disappointing holiday sales totals in February, its stock has dropped more than 30%, closing at $14.34 on Wednesday.

“Masters of the Universe” toys at Mattel headquarters in El Segundo.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The share price slide prompted investor Southeastern Asset Management to send a letter last month to Mattel leadership suggesting the toy maker should sell itself and go private. Southeastern manages about 4% of the company’s stock on behalf of its clients.

“The frustration among investors has been the fact that if you look at the business from 2021 through 2025 and even this year … the business really hasn’t grown,” said Eric Handler, a Roth Capital senior media and entertainment analyst, referring to Mattel. “This is a company that needed something fresh in the portfolio, and there’s a wide range of investments being made, of which ‘Masters of the Universe’ is one part.”

Kreiz pushed back on the idea that the company is not growing. In the fourth quarter of 2025, net sales were up 7% to $1.8 billion, though the result was not as strong as the company expected.

Mattel has spent $1.2 billion in the last three years to buy back shares, with an additional $1.5-billion share repurchase planned for the next three years.

“We’re investing in our own stock because we believe it is undervalued,” he told The Times in an interview at his office, which has floor-to-ceiling windows that give an expansive view of El Segundo. “We absolutely agree that the share price doesn’t reflect the progress that we’ve achieved over the last few years financially, operationally, our place in culture, the strength of our brands, and the continued expansion of the business. And more importantly, the potential that we have down the road.”

“Masters of the Universe” is a key variable in that equation.

Ynon Kreiz, chief executive of Mattel.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The movie, which had a budget of roughly $170 million, is expected to bring in $25 million to $35 million in the U.S. and Canada during its debut weekend. That’s a far cry from the $162-million opening haul of “Barbie,” but box-office analysts say that film captured the cultural zeitgeist in a way that’s hard to replicate.

The ‘80s-era “Masters of the Universe” is “a property that was famous with a certain group of fans, but it hasn’t had much of a pop culture presence,” said Shawn Robbins, who directs movie analytics at Fandango and founded the forecasting site Box Office Theory. The movie has notched a respectable 74% approval rating from critics on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

“There’s been so many callbacks to nostalgic franchises,” he said. “Some people are always on board for them, and maybe the positive reviews bring people in who were on the fence. But people are also ready for something fresh and new and exciting.”

Kreiz said he’s often asked how the company will match the success of “Barbie.”

“The answer is, we don’t need to match ‘Barbie’s’ success for movies to have a meaningful economic impact on the company,” he said. “Not every movie will be ‘Barbie.’ If we create quality content that people want to watch and create quality experiences that people are engaged with, good things happen, and these brands will resonate and will be here for years to come.”

While theatrical revenue is important, the measure of success for “Masters of the Universe” could also include its eventual reception on streaming platforms and, of course, toy sales, analysts said.

There are hundreds of products tied to the movie, from collectible action figures of Nicholas Galitzine’s He-Man and Camila Mendes’ Teela, to branded Uno decks, Legos, clothing and skateboards.

Skeletor from “Masters of the Universe.”

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

“For us, it’s a huge win already,” said Robbie Brenner, president of Mattel Studios and chief content officer, who also served as a producer on the film. “We have reinvigorated and relaunched this brand that has been around for decades … and done it in a way with just the best-in-class toys. Obviously that’s our bread and butter. And then to have made an epic, incredible movie … is a huge win.”

While Mattel does not yet have sales totals for its “Masters of the Universe” toys, executives said during an earnings call in late April that product sales were “growing double digits” amid strong customer demand, particularly from adults.

When Kreiz was named CEO in 2018, he saw the potential for Mattel to expand beyond toys. In an entertainment landscape dominated by known franchises and intellectual property, the former TV and media executive wanted to leverage the company’s IP in new ways to attract consumers.

Hence, Mattel has expanded into real-world experiences such as a Barbie pop-up at Coachella or a traveling Hot Wheels monster truck show. In February, the company fully acquired Mattel163 mobile game studio after buying out a stake held by Chinese tech firm NetEase. The studio has released games based on Uno, Skip-Bo and other Mattel intellectual property.

And on the film and television front, the Mattel Studios division now has 51 people — most of whom are based in El Segundo — focused on projects across platforms.

After “Masters of the Universe,” Mattel Studios plans to release a “Matchbox” streaming movie in October. The division has more than a dozen films in development that have been announced, including an American Girl movie with Paramount, Polly Pocket with Amazon MGM Studios, as well as a live-action Magic 8 Ball series from M. Night Shyamalan.

“The journey for the company was to evolve from being a toy manufacturer that was making items to become an IP company that is managing franchises,” Kreiz said. “It’s not that we’re not creating toys — it’s obviously a big part of our business — but the opportunity is to expand so much more than the physical product.”

“Masters of the Universe” was in development for years at several different studios before it was picked up by Amazon MGM.

That partnership stemmed from Mattel’s work on the “Barbie” movie with Courtenay Valenti, then president of production and development at Warner Bros. Pictures who is now head of film at Amazon MGM.

“Masters of the Universe” felt like a good property for Mattel to bet on because of its nostalgia factor and deep bench of colorful characters, from the green tiger Battle Cat to the heavily armored Ram Man and ever meme-able Skeletor, which the company hopes will attract new audiences, Brenner said.

The movie is directed by Travis Knight — chief executive of stop-motion studio Laika who also led the 2018 “Transformers” spin-off “Bumblebee” — who Brenner said “nailed” the narrative’s tone. (It didn’t hurt that Knight was already a fan of the franchise and had sported the He-Man haircut as a child.)

“It’s a property that’s kind of out there,” said Brenner, who grew up watching He-Man and his twin sister She-Ra. “It’s got all these crazy characters. But just riding that line between what is funny and kind of irreverent and then kind of heartfelt, that is a very hard thing to put in a blender and to get right.”