As promised last week, I’m writing this editor’s letter while sipping an iced cold brew (and I don’t normally drink coffee at all). Our EW team is in the thick of San Diego Comic-Con — bringing you all the breaking news and celebrity interviews from the convention and our photo/video studio atop the Hard Rock Hotel. And that’s after launching our 2025 Comic-Con Preview issue earlier this week… Is it Monday yet? —Patrick Gomez, Editor-in-Chief
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“Fantastic Four: First Steps”
Marvel Studios/20th Century Studios
Pedro Pascal as Mr. Fantastic in ‘Fantastic Four’
Big superhero blockbusters love to scream loud and proud at audiences — bombarding them with noise and destruction. The new Fantastic Four takes a different approach, prioritizing a quieter family dramedy over spectacle. Though, don’t get me wrong, the production design is stunning. Led by a fantastic Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, director Matt Shakman’s film shines as a family dramedy that chooses to (relatively) calmly converse with its audience through the entire-planet-in-peril finale. Bonus points for a post-credits scene that actually impacts the future of the MCU. —Patrick Gomez, Editor-in-Chief
Read EW’s Fantastic Four: First Steps review
“Light & Magic”
Lucasfilm/Disney+
Disney+’s ‘Light & Magic’
Picking up where season 1 left off, this fascinating and candid Disney+ docuseries follows George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic team through the turn of the century — embracing the criticisms of the Star Wars prequel trilogy while celebrating the visual effects studio’s pioneering role in the digital film revolution. —P.G.
Justin Bieber’s “Swag”
Renell Medrano
Justin Bieber’s ‘Swag’ album cover
Don’t be fooled by the title: This surprise seventh studio album, his first in four years, is Justin’s most expansive and ambitious work to date. Standout tracks from his ruminations on fame, marriage, and fatherhood include “Yukon,” “Butterflies,” “Way It Is,” “Sweet Spot,” and “Devotion.” —Jessica Wang, Staff Writer
Justin Bieber addresses viral paparazzi rant, Hailey Bieber marriage, and ‘struggles as a human’ on new album
“The One and Only Vivian Stone”
Gallery Books
‘The One and Only Vivian Stone’ by Melissa O’Connor book cover
In Melissa O’Connor’s debut novel, Margot discovers unlabeled cassette tapes in her late grandmother’s home. After she recruits her first love (and epic heartbreak) to fix the tape player, she is shocked to hear comedy legend Vivian Stone chronicling a scandalous story with mysterious ties to Margot. —Maureen Lee Lenker, Senior Writer
“Iron” by Post Animal
Polyvinyl Records
‘Iron’ by Post Malone single cover
The psychedelic rock band reunites its original lineup — including Stranger Things‘ Joe Keery — and allows all their eclectic influences to bubble forth on their fourth full-length album. Blending dreamy riffs, introspective lyrics, and a sprinkle of Muppet sounds, it’s a truly solid record. —Emlyn Travis, News Writer
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
