From superhero surprises at San Diego Comic-Con and Spider-Man’s return to stars headed for Hollywood history, a Broadway tribute fit for a Prince and a Grammy shake-up from BTS, there’s plenty to talk about this week on “The Scene.”
Comic-Con brings major Marvel surprises
San Diego Comic-Con delivered a packed weekend of trailers, first looks and major casting announcements.
Johnny Depp surprised fans by appearing in character as Ebenezer Scrooge ahead of his upcoming film “Ebenezer”. Fans also got new looks at “Blade Runner 2099”, season three of “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” and the upcoming “Marvel’s Wolverine” game.
Marvel had some of the weekend’s biggest announcements. David Jonsson is set to take on the Black Panther mantle as T’Challa’s son in “Black Panther 3”, with Ryan Coogler returning to direct.
Ryan Gosling is also officially joining the MCU as Ghost Rider, something the actor made clear has been a longtime goal.
“Is this really happening? … This is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time,” Gosling said.
Shawn Levy is set to direct “Ghost Rider”, which is expected to arrive in theaters in 2028.
Spider-Man swings back into theaters
The wait is officially over for Spider-Man fans.
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is now playing in theaters, bringing Tom Holland back as Peter Parker four years after “Spider-Man: No Way Home” left the hero completely on his own.
Zendaya and Mark Ruffalo are among the familiar faces joining Holland, alongside Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Sadie Sink, whose mysterious new role was kept under wraps ahead of the film’s release.
The movie is also getting strong reactions from audiences. “Brand New Day” currently holds a 91% critics score and 98% verified audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. While the critics score ties it for the lowest-rated of Holland’s solo Spider-Man films, Holland himself is earning some of the biggest praise, with early reactions calling it some of his best work as Peter Parker.
For fans who have not made it to the theater yet, staying spoiler-free might now be the biggest challenge.
New stars are headed to the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood is making room for a new class of stars.
The Hollywood Walk of Fame has unveiled its Class of 2027, with honorees spanning film, television and music.
Pedro Pascal, Karol G, Idris Elba, Keke Palmer, Kate Hudson, Lisa Kudrow, Lil Wayne, Linkin Park, Raven-Symoné and Sia are among those selected to receive stars.
Sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning will also make Walk of Fame history by receiving their stars together during a double ceremony.
BTS will sit out the 2027 Grammys
There will be no BTS on next year’s Grammy ballot.
The K-pop supergroup announced it will not submit its music for consideration at the 2027 Grammy Awards, just weeks after the Recording Academy introduced a new category for Best Asian Pop Music Performance.
In a statement, BTS said the group hopes music can be heard and loved for what it is rather than being divided by region or language.
The decision has also sparked discussion among fans over whether a category specifically for Asian pop could separate Asian artists from broader pop categories. Grammy rules allow a song to be entered in only one performance category, meaning a track submitted for Asian Pop Music Performance could not also compete in the broader pop performance category.
The decision comes as BTS continues its commercial success, with the group’s latest album debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Shark Week dives back in
Shark Week is back, and conservationist and shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder is once again heading into the water.
De Gelder is featured in three specials this year, including “Bull Shark Dinner Bell”, which explores the species responsible for the attack that nearly killed him.
The special examines what attracts bull sharks and the conditions that can lead to encounters, combining experiments, science and close-up exploration.
For de Gelder, the annual event is about more than getting close to sharks. He has turned his own experience into an opportunity to educate audiences about the animals and shark conservation, following in the footsteps of wildlife figures he admired growing up.
This year’s Shark Week once again mixes science, conservation and adventure — with plenty of sharks along the way.
