The Future Blockbusters Draft, Part 2

Summary of The Future Blockbusters Draft, Part 2

by The Ringer

32m•July 28, 2026
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Overview of The Future Blockbusters Draft, Part 2

In this second half of The Ringer’s two-part “Future Blockbuster Draft,” Matt Belloni and Lucas Shaw finish building their 10-pick lists of the directors, actors, and IP they believe will dominate the box office over the next decade. The conversation is part strategy exercise, part friendly debate about what actually drives long-term theatrical success: franchise power, star power, or trusted filmmakers who consistently deliver commercial hits.

What They Were Drafting For

The goal was simple: pick 10 names or properties that will help a studio “win the box office” from now through the next 10 years. Their lists mix:

  • Franchises / IP with proven global demand
  • Directors / producer-directors who can reliably generate hits
  • Actors who can become or remain global draw cards

They also repeatedly weighed a key question:
Do audiences show up for the brand, or for the person behind it?

The Biggest Picks and Why They Matter

Matt Belloni’s picks

  • Minecraft – huge built-in audience and likely long-term floor, even if sequels may decline from the first film’s peak.
  • K-pop Demon Hunters – Netflix’s breakout film property; massive upside if sequels keep the music and momentum going.
  • Zach Cregger – emerging horror brand with real momentum after Weapons; viewed as a filmmaker studios will keep betting on.
  • Zendaya – a global star, but still needs more true “face of the movie” leading roles to prove she can anchor giant studio films.
  • Sean Levy – a dependable commercial director/producer who can deliver studio-friendly IP projects.
  • James Bond wasn’t Matt’s pick, but it came up heavily in the debate; the conversation stressed how important Amazon’s reboot will be.
  • Greta Gerwig – chosen as the final pick after weighing her ability to turn both prestige and blockbuster material into hits.
  • Timothée Chalamet – seen as an ambitious young star who understands the value of hits and franchise work.
  • Ryan Coogler, Batman, Frozen, Super Mario Bros., and Michael B. Jordan were part of Matt’s earlier picks from Part 1.

Lucas Shaw’s picks

  • Phil Lord & Chris Miller – arguably the most bankable director-producer team in Hollywood because they consistently deliver commercial material.
  • Zach Cregger was discussed as a possible alternative, but Lucas went with the safer, more established franchise-friendly creative pair.
  • James Bond – Lucas sees Amazon’s reboot as potentially huge, especially with Denis Villeneuve attached.
  • Denis Villeneuve – viewed as a premier spectacle director who can elevate major IP without losing commercial appeal.
  • Zendaya – her star power is unquestioned, but the question is whether she wants to keep chasing giant studio vehicles or drift toward artier work.
  • Minecraft, K-pop Demon Hunters, and Sean Levy were discussed as possible picks or near-picks.
  • Earlier picks from Part 1 included Spider-Man, Christopher Nolan, Shrek, Demon Slayer, and X-Men.

Main Debate Points

1. Franchise IP still rules

Both hosts agree that giant franchises remain the safest bet over the next decade.

Examples they leaned on:

  • Spider-Man
  • Batman
  • Shrek
  • Frozen
  • Mario
  • Bond
  • X-Men
  • Minecraft
  • Demon Slayer

The key issue isn’t whether these properties are valuable — it’s which ones have enough staying power and creative stewardship to keep printing money.

2. Music and “event” factors are hard to replicate

They flagged a major risk for K-pop Demon Hunters: a huge part of the first movie’s success came from the music, and repeating that kind of breakout soundtrack is difficult.

3. Studios love reliable craft over pure auteurism

The Sean Levy debate highlighted a bigger industry question:
Should the draft reward filmmakers consumers know, or the kinds of behind-the-scenes “adult in the room” directors studios trust to deliver?

Matt and Lucas disagreed slightly on how much consumer-facing recognition Levy has, but both agreed the industry values him.

4. Horror is becoming a volume play

Zach Cregger was treated as a real rising force because:

  • he has a distinctive brand,
  • the industry wants to work with him,
  • and he may be able to make multiple films efficiently.

They noted that horror’s ceiling is usually lower than mega-franchise IP, but the genre can still create major commercial wins.

5. Zendaya and Chalamet are both future superstars

Both hosts see them as long-term A-list talent, but with different risks:

  • Zendaya may lean toward more selective, artsier choices instead of becoming a straight-up blockbuster anchor.
  • Chalamet seems more willing to mix prestige with commercial play, though he needs to avoid overexposure and keep choosing the right projects.

Final Team Boards

Matt’s final 10

  1. Super Mario Bros.
  2. Ryan Coogler
  3. Batman
  4. Frozen
  5. Michael B. Jordan
  6. K-pop Demon Hunters
  7. Zach Cregger
  8. Sean Levy
  9. Timothée Chalamet
  10. Greta Gerwig

Lucas’s final 10

  1. Spider-Man
  2. Christopher Nolan
  3. Shrek
  4. Demon Slayer
  5. X-Men
  6. Minecraft
  7. Phil Lord & Chris Miller
  8. Zendaya
  9. James Bond
  10. Denis Villeneuve

Who Seems to Be Winning?

The episode ends with the production team and hosts leaning toward Lucas’s side as the stronger board overall, mainly because his top tier is so powerful:

  • Spider-Man
  • Nolan
  • Shrek

That said, Matt’s team is more balanced and has strong upside picks like Chalamet, Gerwig, Cregger, and K-pop Demon Hunters. The group basically lands on the idea that:

  • Lucas is top-heavy but deadly
  • Matt is deeper and more diverse
  • Long-term accountability is impossible anyway, because this is Hollywood forecasting

Notable Takeaways

  • Franchise IP remains the safest box-office bet.
  • The next decade will likely be shaped by a mix of legacy brands and a few new breakout creative voices.
  • Studio trust matters almost as much as audience recognition.
  • Both hosts are bullish on a few young stars, especially Chalamet and Zendaya.
  • The most valuable Hollywood assets are still the ones that can combine brand recognition, repeatability, and event status.

Closing Thought

This episode is less about “who is right” and more about how Hollywood thinks about value: not just current box office, but what can still sell tickets, generate sequels, and dominate pop culture 10 years from now.