AJSN WK32B- Spider-Man Box Office BREAKS RECORDS, Warhammer 40K TV Gets Flanagan, Xbox Revenue TANKS

Summary of Video (Angry Joe Show – AJS News, Part 2)

1) Spider-Man: Brand New Day shatters the box office record

• The hosts celebrate a colossal global opening of about $927M in three days, with $355M domestic and $572M overseas.
• They note it missed the all-time opening record by ~ $2M, framing it as nearly the biggest opening ever (with references to titles like Endgame and Titanic).
• They argue the opening is partly driven by Spider-Man-specific audience hype, while calling out criticisms about “goalpost shifting” (whether sequels/movies can “hold” after the first weekend).
• They highlight strong third-weekend retention (about a 43% drop with $51M domestic) as evidence the movie likely has strong “legs.”
• They discuss potential “superhero fatigue” affecting weaker franchises, but argue Spider-Man is an “upper echelon” brand, making it more insulated.

2) Commentary on superhero franchises: MCU at height, DC struggling

• The hosts suggest the MCU is at a peak in popularity and power, largely due to “Hail Mary” nostalgia moves (returning classic actors and major villain direction).
• In contrast, they claim DC/WB is “down”, citing missteps in planning and branding.
• They discuss upcoming DC projects and express concern that audiences may not even recognize the heroes/branding—speculating, for example, that a Superman-related title could be too unclear for mainstream viewers.
• Overall takeaway: DC needs structural leadership changes, and they’re pessimistic WB will make the “right” call.

3) Video game industry: Ubisoft shuts down an NFT game; “Odyssey” resurgence; Gears/Fable worries; Halo delayed disappointment; Xbox revenue collapse

Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey tie-in/incentive backlash

• The hosts discuss a reported engagement boost tied to “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey”, linked to engagement metrics and daily active users.
• They mock the idea that players are more drawn by the “Odyssey” brand than by the game itself being good.
• They argue that changes that increased tedium (grinding/side quests and time-saver / pay-to-skip dynamics) hurt the experience.
• They connect the discussion to broader speculation that movie/game tie-ins can spark resurgence, including Spider-Man-related multiplayer activity.

Ubisoft: NFT tactics game discontinued

• Ubisoft’s web3/NFT tactics game, Champions Tactics: Grammora Chronicles, is being shut down/cancelled.
• The hosts describe it as pay-to-earn / NFT-driven, involving minting and market hype—then souring when blockchain/web3 features were removed.
• They cite examples of extremely high-priced NFT character listings (claimed up to ~ $63,000), and discuss how value/ownership expectations collapsed after blockchain support changed.
• Their interpretation: the project was a FOMO-driven scam, with harsh criticism for anyone who got involved.

Gears of War multiplayer: “old school” approach but low confidence

• Upcoming Gears of War multiplayer is positioned as no battle pass and no gimmicks.
• Despite this, they fear it may struggle to attract players because today’s franchise popularity is far below earlier peaks (Gears 1/2/3).
• They mention a rumored/estimated very large budget (~ $400M) and argue it’s unlikely to break even without a strong player base.
• They also note an open beta starting August 6.

Fable: rumored over-budget development

• They reiterate rumors that Fable is “uncomfortably beyond budget.”
• They argue delays and outsourcing (including help from major studios for cutscenes) raise costs.
• They believe success is still possible, but expect pressure to “turn Xbox around,” warning it could still lose money if it doesn’t land big.

Halo on PlayStation: “too little too late”

• They reference claims that only ~1–2% of PlayStation 5 users bought Halo.
• Their view: the move is too delayed, especially since Halo is already accessible cheaply (e.g., Master Chief Collection).

Xbox financial trouble: price hikes and revenue collapse

• The hosts report Xbox revenue fell by about $1.7B, and hardware sales dropped ~29% year-over-year.
• They attribute this to factors such as Europe price increases (citing ~$900 pricing).
• They argue Xbox’s strategy isn’t fixing fundamentals quickly enough: too few “must-have” exclusives, plus the habit of buying on PC instead.
• Conclusion: Xbox’s near-term outlook looks bleak, even if big releases like Gears and Fable perform well.

4) Warhammer 40K TV: Mike Flanagan joins as writer/showrunner; hopes for darker, structured tone

• The hosts discuss Warhammer 40K (live-action) TV receiving a major update after long silence: Mike Flanagan is in talks to serve as writer/director/showrunner/executive producer.
• Henry Cavill is still involved (producing and possibly starring).
• They frame this as a solution to earlier concerns that Cavill and others may need a more hands-on horror-structured TV approach.
• Flanagan’s track record is viewed as mixed:
  • Some disliked Midnight Mass and The Midnight Club and weren’t sure about his “scare” style,
  • But they credit him with horror credentials and the ability to build sequel/continuation logic (citing Ouija: Origin of Evil).
• Main fear: making 40K too mainstream/sanitized, losing its grimdark edge—they urge staying faithful.
• They also mention creative collaborator Rahul Kohli and other voice-work connections to 40K projects as reassurance the adaptation will respect the universe.

5) Warhammer 40K merchandise/game direction: Orc Codex concerns

• They express disappointment that the Ork codex is rumored for September.
• They criticize what seems like removal/replacement of “goofy/fun” Ork vehicle designs, implying a shift toward more serious grimdark aesthetics.
• They worry this undermines the faction’s personality and contributes to a broader trend of flattening the franchise’s chaotic tone.

6) Additional 40K animated series: Deathwatch (rumored/confirmed) and ties to Secret Level

• They report Amazon MGM is developing an animated 40K series.
• The working title/routing discussed is “Death Watch.”
• They claim it may spin off from the popular Secret Level episode, and that episode director Dave Wilson will now help create/direct the series.
• They’re optimistic animation may capture 40K better than live action—predicting live action may struggle initially but potentially improve later.

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Presenters / Contributors

• Joe (Angry Joe Show host)
• Alex (co-host/contributor)
• Henry Cavill (Warhammer 40K film/TV producer/stars; discussed as a contributor)
• Mike Flanagan (writer/director/showrunner candidate; discussed as a contributor)
• Rahul Kohli (mentioned as Flanagan’s collaborator and voice talent)
• Dave Wilson (mentioned as director/co-creator for the animated series)