Blackstar (2028 film)

Blackstar
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Evan Rourke
Screenplay by	Nathan Cole Evan Rourke
Based on	Blackstar by Daniel Mercer
Produced by	Mara Ellison
Starring	Callum Reid Rebecca Ferguson David Jonsson Dan Stevens Daisy Edgar-Jones J. K. Simmons Jessie Buckley Brian Tyree Henry Rory McCann LaKeith Stanfield Ryan Reynolds Hugh Jackman Ryan Gosling
Cinematography	Matthias Keller
Production company	Titan Forge Studios
Release date	October 6, 2028 (2028-10-06)
Country	United States
Language	English

Blackstar is an upcoming American superhero film based on the comic book series of the same name created by Daniel Mercer. Directed by Evan Rourke from a screenplay he co-wrote with Nathan Cole, and produced by Mara Ellison, the film stars Callum Reid as Adrian Vale / Blackstar, alongside Rebecca Ferguson, David Jonsson, Dan Stevens, Daisy Edgar-Jones, J. K. Simmons, Jessie Buckley, Brian Tyree Henry, Rory McCann, LaKeith Stanfield, Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Gosling. It is produced by Titan Forge Studios.

The film was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, with Reid confirmed in the title role. It draws inspiration from the 1997 comic-book storyline Blackstar: City Without Morning, but is not a direct adaptation. The principal cast was announced in October 2026, with Stanfield joining in January 2027. Reynolds, Jackman and Gosling were added in undisclosed roles when principal photography began on February 15, 2027, in the United Kingdom. Their characters were kept secret until the film's first trailer was released in June 2028, revealing Reynolds as Daniel Creed, Jackman as the Warden and Gosling as Nathaniel Grey.

Although the film was originally developed as a standalone production, Titan Forge Studios confirmed in August 2028 that a sequel had entered early development, with Reid expected to reprise his role and Mara Venn attached to direct. Rourke will not return for the sequel following creative and production disagreements with the studio during the final stages of post-production on Blackstar. Despite reports that Rourke had been dismissed from the franchise, the first film remained his completed directorial work and was not reassigned to another filmmaker.

Blackstar is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on October 6, 2028.

Premise

Eleven years after an astronomical event known as the Black Fall altered the city of Vesper and permanently connected former emergency physician Adrian Vale to a mysterious extradimensional energy called the Void, Vale has learned to live with the effects of the event. When approximately 38,000 people disappear from part of the city simultaneously at 2:13 a.m., he returns to the site of the Black Fall and discovers evidence suggesting that his younger sister Mara, whom he believed died during the original event, may still be alive.

Cast

• Callum Reid as Adrian Vale / Blackstar, a former emergency physician who was permanently altered by the Black Fall and became connected to the Void. By the beginning of the film, he has possessed his abilities for more than a decade and has operated as Blackstar for several years, although his existence remains uncertain to much of the public.
• Rebecca Ferguson as Dr. Evelyn Voss, a theoretical physicist and former Black Fall researcher who has spent years investigating the phenomenon responsible for Adrian's transformation.
• David Jonsson as Detective Isaac Ward, a detective with the Vesper Police Department investigating unexplained disappearances preceding the film's central event. The character is based on a minor figure from the comics but was substantially expanded for the film.
• Dan Stevens as Dr. Silas Vane, the former director of the Vesper Institute for Extradimensional Research and one of the principal scientists who investigated the Black Fall. Vane believes the event represented a form of contact rather than a catastrophe and attempts to understand why the boundary between Vesper and the Void opened. In the comics, Vane eventually becomes the Hollow Man, although Titan Forge has not confirmed whether the film will use that identity.
• Daisy Edgar-Jones as Mara Vale, Adrian's younger sister, who disappeared during the original Black Fall eleven years before the main events of the film. Although Adrian believes she died during the event, evidence discovered following the new Vesper disappearances suggests she may have survived in some form.
• J. K. Simmons as Dr. Malcolm Vale, Adrian and Mara's father and a scientist who investigated the Black Fall. His relationship with Adrian has deteriorated by the beginning of the film, and he possesses undisclosed information concerning the event.
• Jessie Buckley as Elena Cross, an investigative journalist who has documented unexplained incidents throughout Vesper and believes that many can be traced to the Black Fall.
• Brian Tyree Henry as Commissioner Arthur Kane, the commissioner of the Vesper Police Department, who initially oversees the response to the mass disappearance before Grey's organisation assumes control of the exclusion zone.
• Rory McCann as Father Gabriel Rook, a mysterious figure who operates a shelter in one of Vesper's oldest districts and possesses knowledge of supernatural events predating Adrian's transformation.
• LaKeith Stanfield as Dr. Julian Cross, a former researcher at the Vesper Institute whose disappearance following the Black Fall left unresolved questions. The character was created for the film and incorporates elements from several minor characters in the comics.
• Ryan Reynolds as Daniel Creed, a private recovery contractor specialising in objects and locations connected to unexplained events. Creed enters the Vesper exclusion zone searching for an object known as the Orison Fragment and possesses undisclosed knowledge concerning Adrian and the Black Fall.
• Hugh Jackman as the Warden, an enigmatic inhabitant of the Void whose connection to Adrian predates their first meeting. Titan Forge deliberately restricted the character's presence in promotional material because much of his dialogue was considered revealing of the film's mythology.
• Ryan Gosling as Nathaniel Grey, a government operative who assumes control of the response to the Vesper disappearances and commands a specialised unit operating within the exclusion zone. Grey possesses unexplained knowledge of Adrian and appears to have previously encountered Voss, despite circumstances suggesting that his presence should be impossible.

Production

Development

Blackstar is based on the comic-book series of the same name created by Daniel Mercer, which was first published in 1994. The comics follow Adrian Vale, an emergency physician who becomes permanently connected to an extradimensional force called the Void following an astronomical phenomenon known as the Black Fall. The series combines elements of superhero fiction, psychological horror, crime fiction and supernatural fiction.

Titan Forge Studios privately began developing the film more than two years before its public announcement. Evan Rourke was hired to direct, with Mara Ellison producing. Rourke co-wrote the screenplay with Nathan Cole. The film draws heavily from the 1997 storyline Blackstar: City Without Morning, although Rourke said that it would not be a direct adaptation.

Rourke described the project as a grounded supernatural thriller rather than a conventional superhero origin story. The film does not depict Vale initially acquiring his abilities and instead begins years after he became Blackstar. Rourke said that the story would focus on the consequences of Vale's transformation and his reluctance to act as a conventional hero.

The filmmakers initially developed the project as a standalone story rather than as the first instalment of a planned shared universe. Ellison said in July 2026 that the film was intended to feel complete without relying on sequels or crossover films. Titan Forge reiterated this position in October, stating that no sequel or wider interconnected franchise had been announced.

In December 2026, industry reports claimed that Titan Forge had begun preliminary discussions about a potential sequel, with Rourke and Ellison reportedly considering possible directions for Adrian Vale's story and Cole said to have been asked to compile ideas for a follow-up. The reports described the project as being in early development without a screenplay, production date or formal greenlight. They also claimed that the Pale King, an antagonist introduced in Blackstar #47 in 1998, had been discussed as a possible character.

Titan Forge denied those reports in January 2027. Ellison said that no sequel had been commissioned, that no story treatment or screenplay was in development, and that Cole had not been formally asked to develop a follow-up. Rourke similarly said that although he had ideas for additional stories, no second film was in development. He also denied that plans involving the Pale King existed at that time.

The studio again stated that Blackstar was not intended to launch an interconnected Titan Forge film universe and that no spin-offs or crossover films were in development. On the first day of principal photography, Titan Forge reiterated that no sequel was in development.

During 2028, following internal screenings of footage from the film, Titan Forge began renewed discussions concerning a continuation. According to reports, the studio wanted to establish plans for a second film before the release of Blackstar, while Rourke remained reluctant to commit to another instalment without first determining whether he believed a continuation was creatively justified.

Story development for a sequel reportedly began during the northern summer of 2028. On August 28, Titan Forge formally announced that development had begun on what it described as the "next chapter of BLACKSTAR". No title, release date or production schedule was announced, and the project remained in early development rather than pre-production.

Mara Venn, known for the 2025 science-fiction thriller Silent Vector and 2027 psychological horror film The House Beneath, was announced as the sequel's director. She began developing the project with Cole, who remained involved with the franchise following his work on the first film. Reid was expected to reprise his role as Adrian Vale under a multi-picture agreement, although no additional returning cast members were announced.

Reports stated that Titan Forge had discussed targeting a theatrical release around 2031, although the studio did not announce a release window. Renewed speculation also linked the Pale King to the sequel following the announcement, but neither Titan Forge nor Venn confirmed that the character was involved.

Writing and themes

Rourke and Cole structured the film around the consequences of the Black Fall rather than Adrian's transformation into Blackstar, with the main narrative occurring eleven years after the event. Rourke said this allowed the film to treat Adrian as someone who had already spent years attempting to understand and control his abilities rather than following a conventional origin-story structure.

The disappearance of Mara Vale forms a central part of Adrian's motivation. Promotional material released in August 2028 established that Adrian believes Mara died during the original Black Fall, while Voss distinguishes between death and disappearance and presents evidence suggesting that Mara may remain connected to the Void. This leads Adrian to enter the newly established Vesper exclusion zone following the disappearance of approximately 38,000 people.

The film also contrasts Adrian's interpretation of the Black Fall with that of Silas Vane. Adrian regards the event as the defining trauma of his life, while Vane believes humanity incorrectly interpreted it as a disaster. The second trailer expanded upon this idea by showing Vane questioning the terminology used to describe the Void and proposing that the Black Fall represented contact with another form of existence rather than an attack.

Rourke said that the Void was deliberately conceived as something more complicated than a hostile alternate dimension. The marketing campaign repeatedly avoided establishing whether the realm itself, the entities within it or human attempts to interact with it were responsible for the events in Vesper. The second trailer introduced the suggestion that the central threat may be attempting to return to the Void rather than escape from it.

Casting

Callum Reid was announced as Adrian Vale / Blackstar during Titan Forge Studios' presentation at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026. Reid said during the presentation that he had concealed his involvement with the production for approximately six months.

In August 2026, several entertainment industry insiders reported that Titan Forge had accelerated casting ahead of the planned start of filming. Rebecca Ferguson was reported to have entered negotiations for an undisclosed role, while David Jonsson was reported to have been offered a supporting part. Dan Stevens was reported to be under consideration to portray Dr. Silas Vane, while J. K. Simmons was linked to an unidentified supporting role connected to Adrian's past.

Reports also stated that the studio was testing actresses for a female co-lead identified in casting materials only as "Mara". The role was speculated to be Mara Vale, Adrian's younger sister in the comics. Titan Forge did not comment on the reports at the time.

On October 8, 2026, Titan Forge formally announced the film's principal cast. Ferguson was confirmed as Dr. Evelyn Voss, Jonsson as Detective Isaac Ward, Stevens as Dr. Silas Vane, Daisy Edgar-Jones as Mara Vale and Simmons as Dr. Malcolm Vale. The studio also announced Jessie Buckley as investigative journalist Elena Cross, Brian Tyree Henry as Vesper police commissioner Arthur Kane, and Rory McCann as Father Gabriel Rook.

Rourke described Ward as an audience viewpoint character who begins the film without knowledge of the Void or Blackstar while investigating disappearances across Vesper. He also rejected describing Vane solely as the film's villain, stating that the character believes his actions are justified and that the film was designed so audiences could understand his reasoning.

Edgar-Jones's casting as Mara confirmed that the character would appear in the film despite being presumed dead following the Black Fall. Asked whether Edgar-Jones would appear only in flashback sequences, Rourke said that she would not, but declined to provide further details.

In January 2027, LaKeith Stanfield was announced as Dr. Julian Cross, a character created for the film. Cross was described as a former Vesper Institute researcher who disappeared following the Black Fall. Rourke said the character incorporated elements from several minor figures in Mercer's early comics but had been substantially created for the adaptation.

On February 15, 2027, the first day of principal photography, Titan Forge announced that Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and Ryan Gosling had joined the cast in undisclosed roles. Ellison stated that all three were portraying characters within the story rather than appearing as themselves or in promotional cameos. The studio declined to identify their characters, leading to speculation regarding several figures from the comics.

Their roles remained undisclosed throughout production and the initial stages of the film's marketing campaign.

The release of the film's first full trailer on June 9, 2028, revealed Reynolds as Daniel Creed, Jackman as the Warden and Gosling as Nathaniel Grey. Creed and the Warden had both been among the characters speculated for Reynolds and Jackman, respectively, following their casting, while Gosling had been linked by fans to several characters, including Grey and the Pale King.

Rourke said that Titan Forge had concealed the roles because revealing the identities of the characters would disclose information about the film's story rather than merely to preserve celebrity cameos. Following Gosling's reveal as Grey, Rourke declined to elaborate on continued speculation that the character could have a connection to the Pale King, stating only that Gosling was portraying Nathaniel Grey.

The film's second trailer further established Creed and Grey as substantial supporting characters. Creed was shown pursuing the Orison Fragment and confronting Adrian over information connected to the object, while Grey assumed control of the Vesper exclusion zone and demonstrated an unexplained prior connection with Voss. The Warden remained deliberately limited in promotional footage, with Rourke saying that the character's scenes frequently revealed significant information about the film's mythology.

Following the August 2028 announcement of a sequel, Titan Forge confirmed that Reid was expected to return as Adrian Vale. No other members of the first film's ensemble were announced for the sequel, with the studio avoiding confirmation of additional returning characters before Blackstar had been released.

Design

Early concept art shown during the film's Comic-Con presentation depicted Blackstar wearing a weathered black tactical coat over a fitted protective suit, with areas of the costume appearing damaged or corrupted by the Void. The design retained the character's white eyes from the comics.

Rourke said that Blackstar's appearance was intentionally designed to be intimidating and that the character should initially appear potentially threatening rather than immediately recognisable as a traditional superhero. The white-eye effect was planned to be achieved largely through practical effects rather than created entirely with computer-generated imagery.

By October 2026, costume fittings and movement rehearsals involving Reid and the Blackstar suit were underway. Rourke confirmed that the costume displayed at Comic-Con had been an early prototype and that several elements had subsequently been redesigned. The final version was expected to retain the long coat, predominantly black colour scheme and white eyes.

Titan Forge confirmed in January 2027 that the final Blackstar costume had been completed. Rourke said that its general silhouette, long coat and white eyes had been retained from the earlier prototype, while other elements had been refined during pre-production.

An official promotional image of Reid in the completed costume was released in early February 2027. A second image released on the first day of principal photography showed Reid in costume from behind on one of the Vesper street sets between takes.

Promotional footage later demonstrated that Rourke's approach to Blackstar's movement relied heavily on darkness and obscured transitions. In some sequences, characters hear Adrian before seeing him, while his illuminated eyes or silhouette become visible before the rest of his body. The second trailer expanded on this visual approach during an action sequence in an abandoned railway station, where Blackstar repeatedly disappears into darkness while incapacitating armed operatives.

Sets and locations

Production designer Helena Ward oversaw the construction of Vesper for the film. Significant portions of the fictional city were built on sound stages and exterior backlots in the United Kingdom rather than represented entirely through existing locations.

Sets included the Vesper Institute for Extradimensional Research, St. Orison Hospital, sections of the city's underground transit system and streets within the area sealed after the disappearances.

Location filming was also planned for Glasgow, Manchester and London. Rourke said that the production aimed to present Vesper as a functioning city with its own culture and neighbourhoods rather than as a direct analogue of another fictional comic-book setting.

By December 2026, construction on the production's largest Vesper sets was underway. Reports stated that several sequences originally expected to rely extensively on digital environments were redesigned around physical sets. Construction of the primary Vesper sets was nearing completion by January 2027.

Filming

Principal photography began on February 15, 2027, in the United Kingdom. Titan Forge announced the start of filming with a black-and-white photograph of a clapperboard on a rain-covered Vesper street set.

The first day of filming involved Reid, Jonsson and several hundred background actors. Reid's first filmed scenes in the Blackstar costume were shot on the opening day of production.

Matthias Keller served as the film's cinematographer. Keller and Rourke had begun camera tests on completed Vesper sets by January 2027.

Production continued for approximately five months through July 2027. Additional filming units operated during several of the larger sequences later in the schedule.

The opening weeks of photography focused primarily on the constructed Vesper environments before production moved between studio work and location filming elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Several of the film's larger sequences were filmed later in the shoot, while material set within the Void was predominantly completed during the second half of production.

Rourke also confirmed that the film would include flashback sequences depicting the Black Fall eleven years before the main narrative.

During pre-production, the scope of several sequences involving the Black Fall, the Void and the evacuation of Vesper reportedly increased compared with earlier versions of the screenplay. The production's approach to the Void combined physical environments, miniature photography, practical effects and digital manipulation. Practical-effects work on the Void sequences had been underway for several months before principal photography began.

By October 2027, principal photography had concluded and the film had entered post-production.

In June 2028, reports concerning footage prepared for promotional screenings stated that the film's visual effects remained in progress and that some material being shown contained temporary effects. The film's music was also reported to remain unfinished, with composer Elias North recording the score during this period. Despite the ongoing post-production work, reports indicated that the film remained on schedule for its October 2028 release.

Post-production and Rourke's departure

Post-production was underway by October 2027, with Rourke participating in the selection of footage for the film's marketing while Titan Forge restricted access to several sequences considered too revealing for trailers. Entire scenes, character combinations and locations were reportedly excluded from promotional use because they disclosed information about Mara, the Void or the film's later narrative.

Elias North composed the film's score. Recording continued into mid-2028 while visual-effects work remained in progress. Some footage shown at private promotional presentations in June and July contained unfinished effects.

The visual presentation of the Void combined digitally manipulated imagery with practical sets and effects created during principal photography. Promotional footage released in 2028 showed the realm as a predominantly dark environment containing large structures and entities whose forms were deliberately obscured.

During the final stages of post-production, Rourke's relationship with Titan Forge executives reportedly deteriorated over disagreements concerning the future direction of the property. The principal dispute was reported to concern the development of a sequel. Rourke had consistently described Blackstar as a complete story and was reportedly willing to return only if he developed a continuation he believed justified another film, while Titan Forge wanted to begin planning a second instalment before the first film's theatrical release.

The parties also reportedly disagreed over the ending of Blackstar. Titan Forge discussed making the conclusion more explicitly establish future instalments, while Rourke opposed changes that would turn the ending into a direct sequel setup. The final theatrical ending reportedly remained closer to Rourke's preferred version and did not end on a cliffhanger requiring a second film, although reports suggested that other material in the film could establish possibilities for future stories.

Scheduling was another reported source of disagreement. Titan Forge wanted a comparatively short turnaround between films and internally discussed a possible 2031 release for a sequel, while Rourke expressed interest in directing a smaller original project before deciding whether to return to Blackstar.

On August 28, 2028, Titan Forge announced that Rourke would not continue with the franchise after completing the first film, citing "creative and production disagreements". Multiple industry sources described the departure as a dismissal, claiming that Rourke had been informed earlier in August that the studio intended to develop the sequel without him. Titan Forge characterised the separation as a mutual decision.

Rourke subsequently released a statement saying that he had made the film he wanted to make and that "the future belongs to whoever takes it from here". He thanked the film's cast and crew and said that the October 6 release of Blackstar remained his focus.

Despite Rourke's departure from future instalments, he remained the credited director of Blackstar. Titan Forge did not appoint another filmmaker to replace him on the first film, and reports stated that the theatrical version had not undergone substantial reshoots or re-editing under another director. Rourke had completed principal photography, additional photography and the majority of post-production before his relationship with the studio ended.

Release-date and sequel reports

In December 2026, reports claimed that Titan Forge was reconsidering the film's October 6, 2028 release date because of its expanded production scope and expected visual effects workload. Possible alternatives were reported to include dates in early or mid-2029, although the October 2028 date was said to remain the studio's preferred option.

Titan Forge publicly disputed the reports in January 2027. Ellison said that the studio had not entered discussions to abandon the October 2028 date and that the production and post-production schedules had been designed around that release. Rourke also stated that he was making the film with the October 6, 2028 release date in mind. The studio reiterated the date when principal photography began in February 2027.

Titan Forge likewise denied reports that a sequel was in active development. Ellison stated in January that there was no commissioned sequel screenplay or treatment, while Rourke denied that the Pale King was being developed for a second film. The studio again stated in February that no sequel was currently in development and declined to comment on whether Reynolds, Jackman or Gosling had contracts containing options for future appearances.

By August 2028, the film remained scheduled for October 6 and Titan Forge had entered the final phase of its theatrical marketing campaign, with no renewed reports of a possible delay.

On August 28, Titan Forge formally confirmed that a sequel had since entered early development, reversing its previous public position that no continuation was being developed. The studio's earlier denials had preceded the reported beginning of story development during 2028. Venn was attached to direct the sequel, with Cole continuing as a screenwriter and Reid expected to return.

Marketing

Blackstar was officially announced by Titan Forge Studios on July 25, 2026, during the studio's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con. The announcement followed a fictional emergency broadcast and security-camera footage depicting apparently abandoned streets in Vesper. The footage ended with the film's title and October 6, 2028 release date.

Titan Forge also screened approximately 55 seconds of unfinished footage recorded during an early camera and costume test. It showed Adrian walking through evacuated streets while emergency broadcasts played from abandoned vehicles. A woman's voice called his name before lights illuminated throughout a nearby apartment building, revealing numerous silhouettes standing behind its windows. Adrian's eyes then turned white before the footage ended.

Following the October 2026 casting announcement, Titan Forge stated that no trailer would be released before principal photography began. The studio instead planned to release the first official image of Reid wearing the completed Blackstar costume shortly before filming. The image was released in early February 2027.

Gaming partnerships

On January 29, 2027, Titan Forge announced a gaming-focused promotional initiative for the film, internally referred to as the "Games Marketing Campaign". The campaign was planned to run during 2028 and involve promotional collaborations with several existing video games rather than a dedicated film tie-in game.

Claire Donovan, Titan Forge's president of worldwide marketing, said that gaming would form a significant part of the film's promotional campaign. Planned collaborations included character and weapon cosmetics, limited-time events, themed environments, challenges and promotional content based on Vesper and the Void.

Titan Forge confirmed that its first gaming partnership had already been signed but did not identify the participating game, publisher or developer. Donovan described the title as one of the world's largest multiplayer games. The collaboration was planned to include a playable Blackstar cosmetic based on Reid's appearance in the film, for which Reid completed additional 3D scanning.

The studio said that it was considering between four and six gaming collaborations, with the largest activations planned for August through October 2028. Some partnerships, described by Titan Forge as "premium integrations", were intended to include temporary environmental changes, community objectives and promotional footage in addition to cosmetic items.

Rourke said that material produced for the collaborations would not be required to understand the film and would instead function as extensions of its setting and atmosphere. Titan Forge also restricted the use of major plot material involving Mara Vale, the Black Fall and Silas Vane before the film's release.

The studio clarified that the campaign did not constitute an announcement of a standalone Blackstar video game. Donovan said that Titan Forge had held discussions regarding potential game projects, but no developer or standalone adaptation had been announced.

Snippet campaign

In October 2027, Titan Forge released a nine-second promotional video depicting an empty Vesper subway platform. The lights flickered as the sound of an approaching train was heard, followed by a voice saying, "Don't look at it", before the Blackstar symbol and the film's release date appeared. According to subsequent reports, the video was internally designated "Snippet 01" and began a series of short promotional videos planned to continue into 2028.

The campaign was designed to introduce Vesper and the film's supernatural elements gradually rather than immediately explain its narrative. Early material consisted largely of short found-footage-style pieces presented as security-camera recordings, emergency-service material, phone footage, news reports and other recordings from within Vesper. Some of these were internally described as "Vesper Incidents".

The promotional videos became progressively more revealing during 2028, with later material incorporating footage of Jonsson as Isaac Ward, Ferguson as Evelyn Voss, Stevens as Silas Vane and Reid as Blackstar. Reid's early appearances generally obscured his costume through silhouettes, darkness and close-up images of his abilities.

Titan Forge began a seven-day countdown to the film's first full trailer in June 2028. Each day featured a new fictional transmission from Vesper, with the final video showing Blackstar beneath a streetlight as a large unidentified figure moved behind him. The video ended by announcing the "Worldwide Reveal" for the following day.

Worldwide Reveal

The film's first full trailer, titled Blackstar | Worldwide Reveal Trailer, was released simultaneously across international markets on June 9, 2028. It ran for approximately one minute and 54 seconds and marked the conclusion of the eight-month snippet campaign.

The trailer begins with footage of the Black Fall eleven years before the main events of the film, showing a younger Adrian Vale outside St. Orison Hospital as the phenomenon occurs over Vesper. It then shifts to the present-day storyline, showing Vale, Ward and Voss investigating a series of disappearances and other unexplained incidents before providing the first extended footage of Reid using Blackstar's abilities.

The trailer also revealed the previously undisclosed roles of Reynolds, Jackman and Gosling. Reynolds was shown as Daniel Creed, a private recovery contractor who later enters the sealed district alongside Ward. Jackman was revealed as the Warden, an inhabitant of the Void who appears to possess knowledge of Adrian dating back to the Black Fall. Gosling was revealed as Nathaniel Grey, a government operative who assumes authority during the response to the Vesper disappearances and appears to possess prior knowledge of Adrian.

Rourke said that the three roles had been concealed because identifying their characters would have revealed information about the film's story before the studio was ready to disclose it.

The trailer also included footage of Vane operating machinery beneath the Vesper Institute, Adrian entering the Void, Mara confronting Adrian, and Vane appearing partially consumed by darkness. Titan Forge continued to withhold details concerning Mara's return, Vane's transformation, Grey's knowledge of Adrian and the nature of the entities within the Void.

Following the trailer's release, Rourke was again asked whether the Pale King would appear in the film. He declined to confirm or deny the character's involvement and reiterated that Gosling was portraying Nathaniel Grey.

The Worldwide Reveal marked the beginning of the film's conventional theatrical advertising campaign after the earlier cryptic promotional material. Cast interviews and international promotional displays began in June. Initial reports placed the second major trailer in late July or early August before Titan Forge subsequently announced an August 10 release date.

Posters

Titan Forge released the film's first teaser poster on June 10, 2028, one day after the Worldwide Reveal trailer. The poster depicts Blackstar from behind, standing alone at night in an abandoned Vesper intersection surrounded by stationary vehicles and darkened buildings. A single illuminated window is visible in a distant apartment building, while a fractured circular phenomenon appears in the clouds above the city.

The poster used the tagline "The darkness remembers you" and displayed the film's title and October 6 release date without listing the cast. The image did not directly reproduce a shot from the Worldwide Reveal trailer, although the location and imagery resembled material used during the preceding Vesper promotional campaign.

The intersection depicted in the poster had previously appeared during the film's "Vesper Incidents" campaign. A December 2027 promotional clip depicted pedestrians at the intersection simultaneously stopping before the recording ended, while a later clip showed Ward near a police barricade in the same area. The location was identified as Mercer Square.

The illuminated apartment window drew comparisons to the unfinished footage screened at the film's 2026 Comic-Con announcement, in which numerous lights activated inside an apartment building while silhouettes appeared behind its windows. The fractured shape above Vesper similarly resembled the phenomenon depicted during the Black Fall in the Worldwide Reveal trailer.

Additional details incorporated into the poster included a partially visible Vale Street sign and a damaged digital display showing "09.17" and "02:13". September 17 at 2:13 a.m. had previously been identified in the original Comic-Con promotional transmission as the time associated with the Black Fall. A circular marking beneath Blackstar also resembled symbols previously shown in promotional material involving Voss and the Warden.

The poster introduced a modified version of the film's title logo, adding a vertical fracture through the central star similar to the fractured phenomenon depicted above Vesper. The design subsequently became part of the film's theatrical marketing identity.

Titan Forge released the film's final theatrical poster on August 28, alongside its announcement that a sequel had entered development. Unlike the minimalist teaser artwork, the final poster featured the film's principal ensemble and presented Reid's Blackstar facing forward with his illuminated white eyes visible.

Edgar-Jones's Mara Vale and Stevens's Silas Vane appear on opposing sides of Blackstar, with Vane visibly affected by the Void. Ferguson's Evelyn Voss and Gosling's Nathaniel Grey are positioned above them, while Reynolds's Daniel Creed and Jonsson's Isaac Ward appear in the lower portion of the composition. Jackman's Warden appears as a small figure within the fractured opening above the Vesper skyline rather than alongside the characters within the city.

The poster provided the clearest promotional image of Vane's transformation released to that point, depicting part of his face as hollow or transparent, with the Vesper skyline visible through it. The imagery prompted further comparisons with Vane's transformation into the Hollow Man in the comics, although Titan Forge had still not officially identified the film character by that name.

Grey is depicted looking towards the fracture rather than towards the centre of the composition and, unlike several surrounding characters, does not appear to have a reflection in the rainwater beneath the ensemble. This continued the film's marketing practice of incorporating unexplained visual irregularities around Grey following the second trailer's shot of his reflection apparently moving independently.

The final poster introduced the tagline "Some doors should stay closed", replacing the teaser poster's "The darkness remembers you". The phrase reflected the conflict established in the second trailer between Adrian and Vane concerning whether the boundary between Vesper and the Void should be closed or understood.

Early footage presentations

On June 22, 2028, reports stated that Titan Forge was preparing several extended footage presentations for members of the press, exhibitors and selected fan events during July and early August. The presentations were reported to contain between approximately eight and fifteen minutes of material assembled from different sections of the film rather than a continuous excerpt.

The first substantial press presentation was reported to focus on the initial stages of the Vesper disappearances. According to descriptions of the footage, Ward investigates apparently unrelated missing-person cases while Voss attempts to persuade authorities that the incidents correspond with abnormalities recorded during the original Black Fall. Adrian initially refuses to become involved before an incident at an apartment complex leads to an extended appearance by Blackstar.

Reports from people said to have viewed unfinished material described Rourke's presentation of Blackstar as more closely resembling a figure from a horror film than a conventional superhero in some sequences. The character was reportedly frequently introduced through sound, his illuminated eyes and partially obscured movement before being fully shown.

Other footage prepared for preview events reportedly included an extended portion of Adrian's first encounter with the Warden inside the Void. Whereas the Worldwide Reveal used only short excerpts from the sequence, the longer scene was described as primarily dialogue-driven, with the Warden demonstrating unexplained knowledge of Adrian and his past.

Titan Forge did not plan to release the complete preview reels publicly, although shorter excerpts from some of the footage could later be used in the film's marketing. Material involving the Warden and Mara was reportedly subject to particularly strict restrictions because of potential plot spoilers.

Early responses to the unfinished footage were reported to be positive towards Reid's performance, Keller's cinematography and the film's use of practical environments. Some viewers reportedly described the film's mythology as unusually dense and noted that information introduced in earlier scenes was not always explained until later in the story. As the footage had been specifically selected for promotional presentations and the completed film had not yet been screened, the reports were not considered reviews of the finished film.

San Diego Comic-Con 2028

Following reports that the second trailer was being targeted for late July or early August, speculation centred on San Diego Comic-Con as a possible location for its premiere. Blackstar had originally been announced during Titan Forge's Hall H presentation at the convention in 2026, leading to expectations that the film could return to the event shortly before its theatrical release.

On July 3, 2028, Rourke confirmed that Blackstar would not attend San Diego Comic-Con that year. The film did not have a Hall H panel, footage presentation or cast appearance at the convention, and its second trailer was instead scheduled for a worldwide release on August 10.

Rourke said that the decision was intentional rather than the result of production difficulties or scheduling problems. He explained that the filmmakers no longer wanted to base major promotional reveals around material initially available only to convention attendees, contrasting the approach with the film's 2026 announcement when the project itself had not yet been publicly revealed.

According to Rourke, Titan Forge instead preferred to make major footage releases simultaneously available to international audiences, an approach previously used for the Worldwide Reveal in June. He said that he wanted audiences to watch the second trailer directly rather than first encounter it through descriptions from a convention presentation.

Second trailer

The film's second full trailer was released worldwide on August 10, 2028. Unlike the heavily branded "Worldwide Reveal" campaign, Titan Forge released it under the comparatively conventional title New Trailer | BLACKSTAR | In Theatres October 6, reflecting the studio's transition from its mystery-driven promotional strategy to the film's final theatrical campaign.

Running approximately two minutes and 31 seconds, the trailer adopted a faster and more action-oriented structure than the Worldwide Reveal and provided the clearest explanation of the film's central narrative released to that point. It established that approximately 38,000 people disappear simultaneously from central Vesper at 2:13 a.m., within an area corresponding closely to the location affected by the Black Fall eleven years earlier. Voss subsequently approaches Adrian with evidence that Mara may not have died during the original event, prompting him to enter the exclusion zone.

The trailer placed greater emphasis on Stevens's Silas Vane, fulfilling Rourke's earlier statement that audiences would better understand the character following its release. Flashbacks showed Vane working with Malcolm Vale and Voss before the original Black Fall, while present-day footage established his belief that the event represented contact with another realm rather than a catastrophe. Vane questions humanity's description of the Void as an absence and argues that understanding why the boundary between the two realms opened is more important than simply attempting to close it.

The trailer also provided the first substantial footage of a confrontation between Blackstar and Vane. Vane is shown undergoing an apparent physical transformation connected to the Void, allowing him to distort his body and manipulate his surroundings while fighting Adrian. During the confrontation, Vane questions Adrian's belief that his connection to the Void is a curse and suggests that the phenomenon may instead have saved him.

Reynolds's Daniel Creed received an expanded role in the trailer after being presented primarily through humorous dialogue in the Worldwide Reveal. The footage established that Creed enters Vesper searching for an object called the Orison Fragment. Adrian appears to recognise the object when Creed obtains it, and later footage shows Creed confronting him over information he believes Adrian has withheld.

Gosling's Nathaniel Grey was similarly given greater prominence. The trailer showed Grey arriving with a specialised government response force and assuming control of the Vesper exclusion zone despite objections from Commissioner Kane. Grey also encounters Voss, who reacts to his appearance by saying that his presence is impossible, implying that the two have previously met under unexplained circumstances. A separate shot depicts Grey's reflection failing to immediately mirror his movement, further contributing to speculation concerning the character's nature.

Jackman's Warden remained deliberately restricted to two brief appearances. In one, Adrian asks how he can recover Mara and the Warden tells him that he cannot. The trailer later uses the Warden's dialogue to suggest that the principal force connected to the Void is not attempting to enter Adrian's world, but instead to return to its own.

Mara appeared more frequently than in the Worldwide Reveal, including footage of her during the original Black Fall and in the present day, but the trailer continued to conceal the location and circumstances of her return. In one scene she tells Adrian that he should be asking what she has seen rather than where she has been, while her surroundings remain obscured.

The trailer contained substantially more action footage than the first, including Blackstar fighting armed operatives in an abandoned railway station, Ward confronting an unidentified creature, Creed entering the exclusion zone, Grey walking through a firefight and a large entity moving through the Void. It also briefly showed Stanfield's Julian Cross inside a containment chamber, providing one of the character's most prominent appearances in the marketing campaign to that point.

The trailer concludes with the Warden telling Adrian that the entity involved in the catastrophe is not attempting to enter the human world but is "trying to get back", while an enormous silhouette becomes visible inside the Void. Titan Forge did not identify the entity or explain the significance of the statement.

A post-title scene features Adrian, Ward and Creed preparing to enter a room containing an unidentified creature, with Creed attempting to leave after Adrian admits that he does not know what is inside.

Final marketing campaign

The release of the second trailer marked the beginning of the final phase of Titan Forge's marketing campaign. Unlike the transmission-based material used throughout late 2027 and the first half of 2028, the studio adopted more conventional advertising as the theatrical release approached. The August trailer was accompanied by updated theatrical artwork, cast publicity stills and expanded international advertising.

Television advertising began expanding throughout late August and was expected to increase substantially during September, alongside individual character material, further clips, cinema advertising and cast press appearances. Titan Forge's shift in strategy followed almost a year of promotional material designed primarily to introduce Vesper and the mystery surrounding the Black Fall without clearly explaining the film's central narrative.

On August 28, Titan Forge released the final theatrical poster alongside its announcement of the sequel and Rourke's departure from future films. The announcement significantly shifted discussion surrounding the film towards the future of the franchise approximately five weeks before release.

Titan Forge had not yet opened advance ticket sales as of August 28, although ticketing information was expected to be announced during the final weeks of the campaign. Press screenings were also expected to begin as the film approached its October release.

A final trailer remained expected during the last phase of the campaign, following earlier reports that Titan Forge was considering a September launch. The studio had not announced a release date for the final trailer.

Future

Sequel

On August 28, 2028, Titan Forge Studios officially announced that development had begun on a sequel to Blackstar. The project had no official title, release date or production start at the time of the announcement and remained in early development.

The announcement followed more than a year of conflicting reports concerning the possibility of a continuation. Initial reports in December 2026 claimed that Titan Forge had begun discussing a sequel before production on the first film had started. Titan Forge denied in January 2027 that a sequel had been commissioned or entered development, while Rourke said that he had ideas for further stories but was focused exclusively on completing the first film.

According to reports accompanying the August 2028 announcement, serious development on the sequel began during the northern summer of 2028 following positive internal reactions to footage from the first film. Titan Forge reportedly sought to establish a continuing Blackstar franchise before the first film's release, contributing to disagreements with Rourke over the future direction of the property.

Rourke will not direct the sequel. Titan Forge announced Mara Venn as his successor, with Nathan Cole remaining involved as a screenwriter. Venn said that she did not intend to imitate Rourke's approach and instead wanted to explore what happened to Adrian following the events of the first film.

Reid was confirmed to remain attached to the franchise and was expected to reprise his role as Adrian Vale / Blackstar. He had signed a multi-picture agreement when cast in the original film. Titan Forge did not announce whether Ferguson, Jonsson, Stevens, Edgar-Jones, Simmons, Buckley, Henry, McCann, Stanfield, Reynolds, Jackman or Gosling would return, avoiding potential spoilers concerning the outcome of their characters in the first film.

Reports again suggested that the Pale King was under consideration for the sequel, reviving speculation surrounding the comic-book antagonist after earlier reports were denied by Titan Forge and Rourke. No casting or official involvement for the character had been confirmed.

Titan Forge reportedly discussed a potential theatrical release around 2031, although no release window was officially announced.

Release

Blackstar is scheduled to be released theatrically in the United States on October 6, 2028.

Although December 2026 reports claimed that Titan Forge was considering moving the film to 2029, the studio denied in January 2027 that a delay was under consideration and reaffirmed the October 6, 2028 date. The date was reiterated when principal photography began in February 2027 and throughout the film's 2028 marketing campaign.

Reports in June 2028 stated that post-production remained ongoing, including completion of visual effects and recording of Elias North's score, but that Titan Forge remained on schedule for the October release.

Rourke's August 2028 departure from future Blackstar projects did not affect the release of the first film. Titan Forge confirmed that Blackstar remained scheduled for October 6 and that Rourke remained the film's credited director. No replacement filmmaker was brought in to substantially rework the theatrical version following his departure from the franchise.

By August 28, the film was approximately five weeks from release and had entered its final theatrical marketing phase.