“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is readying to turbocharge the box office, targeting $50 million to $60 million in its opening weekend.

There’s a chance that inaugural ticket sales could climb higher as the Paramount Pictures film touches down on Friday in 3,700 North American theaters. But the latest Autobot adventure is expected to face headwinds from last weekend’s champion, Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” The animated comic book sequel launched to $120 million and looks to add $45 million to $55 million in its second weekend of release. That’s close to double what the original, 2019’s “Into the Spider-Verse,” earned in its debut. Yep, Spidey’s still got it.

Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed II”) directed the PG-13 rated “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” which cost $200 million. It’ll need to keep playing in domestic theaters and resonate at the international box office to justify that hefty price tag.

On a promising note, the film, which is the seventh installment in the “Transformers” franchise, is expected to improve upon the starts of the two entries, 2018’s “Bumblebee” ($21.6 million) and 2017’s “The Last Knight” ($44.68 million). Those films, which tapped out with $127 million and $130 million in North America respectively, each earned nearly 70% of their overall ticket sales from overseas markets. (via Variety)

Earlier this week, news broke that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton will helm Spider-Man 4 for Marvel Studios. The movie is expected to begin production early next year and will likely arrive in theaters in the summer of 2026 (placing it right between Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars). Much has been said about what the Spider-Man: No Way Home follow-up will ultimately look like, but a new rumor points to it being a BIG movie. ComicBookMovie is reporting that, according to an insider, Spider-Man 4 is going to be an Avengers-level event. That's all for now, but this certainly lends some weight to the belief that Tom Holland will reunite with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The Cosmic Circus also recently shared a few very interesting teases about what may in store for Spider-Man 4, most interestingly that Peter Parker will possibly gain the alien black suit which, in the comics, is the symbiote which became Venom.

Third-generation comic artist and up-and-comer Emma Kubert (Radiant Pink, Inkblot) returns to the action-packed fantasy series Stoneheart to kickoff a new story arc. This new chapter in the ongoing series will begin with issue #7 and hit shelves this November from Image Comics. Picking up right where readers left off, Stoneheart’s protagonist Shayde Whisper, alongside Eldon Redwood and Koko, set sail for the open sea. But brewing beneath the surface harrowing creatures rip their way into Shayde’s dreams…and eventually, her reality. "The new installment of Stoneheart dives deeper into the impending spiral of Shayde Whisper and the mysterious lore of Athea as we meet roguish pirates, confront cruel enemies, and battle leviathan-sized monsters,"said Kubert. "With every step of creation, it's truly exciting to see the story unfold in such unexpected ways, intensifying the enigma that is Shayde Whisper and her magic. Make sure to catch up with Stoneheart Volume 1, and come along for the unraveling journey of a lifetime!" Kubert is known most recently for her whimsical middle-grade/young adult graphic novel series Inkblot with Rusty Gladd and her art on the Massive-Verse’s Radiant Pink miniseries alongside collaborators Melissa Flores and Meghan Camarena. She first broke in to the industry with her work as a penciler, inker, and colorist for DC Entertainment’s DC Super Hero Girls and Teen Titans Go! as well as for the layouts she drew on The New York Times bestselling young adult graphic novel Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. Stoneheart #7 (Lunar Code 0924IM292) will be available at comic book shops on Wednesday, November 6. Stoneheart will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

A multi-part film about the Fleischer Brothers, creators of a pioneering animation studio that launched Betty Boop, Popeye The Sailor, and Superman cartoons, has won the richest prize in documentary. Today, the Library of Congress, The Better Angels Society, Ken Burns, and the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation announced Cartooning America as the winner of the sixth annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film. The $200,000 award will go to director Asaf Galay. “Most people have never heard the names Max and Dave Fleischer, but their legacy on American animation is profound, having preceded – and also inspired – Walt and Roy Disney,” notes a release about the prize. “Unlike the polished characters produced by the Disney studio, the Fleischer characters came right off the streets of New York City: the subtly Jewish Betty Boop, the muttering, street-smart Popeye, and Superman, the first-ever superhero cartoon. The Fleischers were the first to mix live action with animation, to premiere the first sound cartoon, to pioneer the use of 3D, and to create a feature animation based on an original screenplay.” The Library Of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize “provides critical recognition and resources to exemplary documentary films that tell compelling stories about American history.” It was established in 2019. (via Deadline)

Supernatural webcomic Third Shift Society is headed to TV. Wattpad Webtoon Studios, John W. Hyde and Terissa Kelton’s Rehab Entertainment and The Jim Henson Company are developing a live-action series based on Meredith Moriarty’s original webcomic. Ray Utarnachitt (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, Person of Interest) is attached to write the adaptation. Third Shift Society follows Ellie, a normal-seeming young woman, whose world is upended when she meets cursed paranormal detective Ichabod, who might have the answers she seeks about her latent psychic powers. Ichabod introduces Ellie to the world of the Third Shift, and together they’ll investigate paranormal mysteries involving all things that go bump in the night: ghosts, vampires, witches, even demons… and those are just some of the clients. Third Shift Society has over 15 million global views online and has also been published as a graphic novel by Webtoon Unscrolled. The title was also nominated for an Eisner Award in 2020 for “Best Webcomic.” (via Deadline)

Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man is coming soon to Disney+, and before it does, fans can swing into these new Spidey stories in a special prequel comic book series. Written by Marvel superstar Christos Gage and drawn by rising star artist Eric Gapstur, YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN will be a five-issue limited series that introduces a young Peter Parker, his supporting cast, and some of Spidey’s legendary villains. The comic series introduces some of the amazing adventures to come in this highly anticipated animated series that takes place during Peter’s earliest days as Spider-Man. In Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Peter Parker is on his way to becoming a hero, with a journey unlike what we’ve seen before and a style that celebrates the character’s earliest comic book roots. In this new comic book series, you can take the very first steps along with him as he discovers his powers, decides to become a hero, and even picks out his name and costume! Now Peter’s gotta survive an entire Freshman year as a newbie crime-fighting vigilante…and if you think you know how this story goes, you are in for a surprise! “I've had the privilege of writing a lot of Spider-Man's adventures, both in comics and in the Insomniac video games, but one thing I've never gotten the chance to do is recount his earliest exploits,” Gage said. “And the exciting part about this book is it's a brand new take on those formative times. While this is definitely Peter Parker, the Spidey we know and love, he's got a new cast of supporting characters - including Nico Minoru, who you may know from Runaways - and some surprising twists!” Check out Leonardo Romero’s cover and preorder YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #1 at your local comic shop today!

This October, Marvel Comics reopens the crypt with a new installment of CRYPT OF SHADOWS! The hit one-shot that spotlights the mystical, monstrous, and downright terrifying characters of the Marvel Universe is back for another year of horrors, and this time around, Agatha Harkness plays hostess, introducing stories and adventures that will keep readers spooked all throughout the Halloween season! As All Hallows’ Eve approaches, the heroes of the Marvel Universe find themselves once again facing the terrors that lie in the dark! From creatures that lurk in the deep to sinister sorcery, don’t miss out as your favorite heroes get put through the wringer and are forced to face down the malevolent forces of the Marvel Universe! Pick up this terrifying tome at your own peril, True Believers!

Here’s what to look forward to:

· Prepare to be spellbound Agatha Harkness guides you through the danger and mystery that awaits! But beware--there’s always a ulterior motive with this witch. Discover what Agatha is really brewing in a delightful framing story from current Scarlet Witch scribe Steve Orlando and artist Claire Roe.

· The Curse of the Man-Thing spreads from the swamp to the seas, placing him in the crosshairs of the King of Atlantis, Namor! See them duke it out in this gruesome tale from writer Benjamin Percy and artist Raffaele Ienco.

· Kraven the MONSTER Hunter! The iconic Spidey villain dares to target Jack Russell, Werewolf By Night, but bites off more than he can shew when Blade arrives to help his old friend! Find out who is left standing in this bloody battle written by Jason Loo and drawn by Carlos Magno.

· Joshua Jovan, the seasoned monster hunter from Marvel Studios’ Special Presentation Werewolf by Night, makes his comic book debut in a story by writer Chris Condon and artist Djibril Morissette. Jovan falls through the Last Door and finds himself face-to-face with his greatest prey yet—the Scarlet Witch!

Josh Brolin will not be wearing the ring, after all. The actor has passed on an offer to star in Lanterns, the DC Studios series based on the Green Lanterns superhero character, THR is reporting. Brolin was eyed to play Hal Jordan, the cocky Green Lantern hero previously played by Ryan Reynolds in the ill-fated 2011 Green Lantern movie. According to multiple sources, the actor received on offer at the end of August. By the end of this past weekend, his mind was made up. No other details were available. Lanterns is described as having a gritty True Detective vibe as it focuses on Jordan reluctantly mentoring a younger Lantern, John Stewart, who in DC publishing history was one of the company’s first Black superheroes. The story sees the two characters investigating an Earth-bound murder with larger implications. Sources say that DC and the producers are looking for a young, more fresh-faced actor for the role to play opposite an older and bigger name.

For the last few years, Marvel Comics has ended the year with a bang in special one-shots that pack epic stories and provide glimpses at the next years’ worth of storytelling. This mighty Marvel tradition continues this December in TIMESLIDE #1! Written by Steve Foxe (Dark X-Men, Spider-Woman) and drawn by Ivan Fiorelli (Fantastic Four), TIMESLIDE will star the X-Men’s resident time-travelling soldiers, Bishop and Cable, as they blaze through the timestream to prevent a villain from eliminating mutantkind from history. During this high stakes mission, they’ll pay witness to things just on the horizon for your favorite Marvel heroes including upcoming events, new characters and more! An X-Man from the future arrives in the present with a dire warning: One of mutantkind’s most hyper-advanced foes is eating his way through time, trying to stop the X-Gene from ever evolving in the first place. Only two X-Men can stop this chronal predator from achieving his goal – if they can tolerate working together long enough. Join Bishop and Cable on a trip through futures past, present and beyond. “I was thrilled when Tom Brevoort reached out about Timeslide,” Foxe said. “These annual mega-issues have become a perennial favorite of mine, both as a standalone story of their own and as a sneak peak of what’s to come for the year ahead. Getting to structure this one around Cable and Bishop—two of my favorite mutants, and two I didn’t write much during my prior X-tenure—was icing on the chrono-cake. “Ivan Fiorelli can truly draw anything, and this story proves that era by era on a tour of some of the X-Men’s most notable moments as a new threat opens his maw and threatens all of mutant history. We build on Cable and Bishop’s tumultuous relationship from Children of the Vault for a pulse-pounding ride that touches on some of my favorite parts of X-stories past—and teases some exciting upcoming mutant tales. And while the flash-forwards in this issue aren’t only X-related, it was exciting, as a diehard X-fan, to write the first Timeless that became TIMESLIDE!” Your first look at the most unforgettable stories of 2025 begins here! Check out Kael Ngu’s cover and stay tuned for more news about TIMESLIDE #1 in the months ahead!

Eisner and multi-award-winning creator J.H. Williams III (Echolands, The Sandman: Overture, Promethea) is dreaming up a new horror nightmare this October with Dracula: A Storybook Portfolio. The stunning storybook retells the classic Dracula tale, featuring over 150 pages of painted illustrations and accompanying story passages, luring readers into a beautiful and terrifying gothic world. The hardcover Dracula: A Storybook Portfolio book hits shelves this October, just in time for Halloween season. Dracula: A Storybook Portfolio has a unique storybook format, much like an illustrated children’s book, juxtaposing paintings with pages of story, allowing Williams III to sink his teeth even deeper into the Dracula monster myth. New York Times bestselling writer and artist Williams III creates a fantastical and absorbing storytelling experience that goes beyond the typical expectations of an art book, making for a potent combination of illustration and prose. “Since I talk about what inspired this project in the foreword inside the book, I'll just say that I'm excited to have it come out,” said Williams III. “I don't think I've seen a book quite like this in the modern era. I sought to make it a different kind of thing than what some would expect, an attempt to marry portfolio illustrations with brief passages to create a narrative structure that most art books don't tend to focus on. Because of it having a single narrative subject, the illustration choices are reflective of that. I gave the prose sections a subtle older style, but delivered with a somewhat brisk sensibility. All with a desire to have it call back to classic storybooks that often became annual favorites of the young and old. Every aspect of the book, with the assistance of Image Comics’ Drew Gill, is geared toward that simple but pleasant idea. The result is unique and hopefully satisfying.” Dracula: A Storybook Portfolio, featuring a cover by Williams III (ISBN: 9781534371569, Lunar Code 0624IM266) will be available at local comic book shops on Wednesday, October 9 and independent bookstores, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Indigo, and Waterstones on Tuesday, October 22. Dracula: A Storybook Portfolio will also be available across many digital platforms, including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired North American rights to writer-director Nick Hamm’s medieval action-drama William Tell, which has its world premiere tonight in Toronto. Starring are Claes Bang (The Square), Connor Swindells (Sex Education), Golshifteh Farahani (Extraction), Jonah Hauer-King (The Little Mermaid), Ellie Bamber (Nocturnal Animals), Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom) and Emily Beecham (Little Joe), with Oscar winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Oscar nominee Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes). The release is being lined up for early 2025. Inspired by the legendary tale, Claes Bang takes on the role of William Tell, a noble huntsman whose peaceful life is shattered when the ruthless Austrian Empire invades his homeland of Switzerland. Unwilling to bend the knee before his country’s oppressors, William Tell is thrust into a perilous trial, one that draws him and his family into the epicenter of a revolution that will shape the destiny of his nation. (via Deadline)