It’s hard to believe HBO’s Emmy-winning show Hacks ended its five-season run earlier this year amid the 2026 TV schedule. The final season of the comedy, starring Jean Smart as washed up comedian Deborah Vance, received a total of 24 Emmy nominations, setting a new record of noms by a comedy series for a single season. The show is filled with memorable moments, and I still remember Deborah's heartwarming speech at Ava’s dad’s funeral. But I had no idea at the time that Jean Smart had just lost her husband while filming the finale, and it adds a whole new perspective to that funeral scene.

A perennial Hollywood darling, Jean Smart has starred in iconic sitcoms such as Designing Women and Frasier, but who could have predicted that the crowning jewel of her career would come decades later at the age of 75. For the most part, the Hacks cast has described the five-year run as a dream to film. However, the Fargo actress opened up to CBS Sunday Morning about how one of her biggest challenges to date took place while filming Season 1's finale, just days after her husband’s sudden passing in 2021:

To jog your memory, Season 1, Episode 10 of Hacks, "I Think She Will," deals with Ava’s father’s funeral coinciding with Deborah Vance’s final show at the Palmetto in Vegas. Just before Ava (Hannah Einbinder) leaves to go home, she and Deborah get into a fight when she finds out Deborah plans to throw all the new material they’ve written out the window. So the young comedy writer is shocked when Deborah shows up at her father’s funeral, having flown right from her show to Massachusetts, instead of celebrating her final night.

Deborah ends up bringing joy and humor to the dark moment, something that may hae been incredibly difficult for the mourning Smart. Her husband, Designing Women co-star Richard Gilliland, died suddenly on March 18, 2021 from an undiagnosed heart condition, just days before Hacks Season 1 was set to wrap production. The finale was ultimately dedicated to the late actor.

Having witnessed the close familial bond that has grown among the Hacks cast during its run, I'm not surprised to hear Hacks creators Paul W Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky were incredibly sympathetic to the circumstances, even having only worked with Smart for a few months at the time. Though they offered the Babylon actress a number of options, Smart said she decided to push through the last few days of filming:

I feel so sad now knowing that Jean Smart had to go through all that. The veteran actress jokingly recalls taking an Ativan to help her through it, but I’m also glad she had such a supportive group of people around her.

You have to be incredibly strong to give that kind of performance during a time of such grief, and it just goes to show how incredibly tough and dedicated an actress Smart is. For every season of Hacks, she took home the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, with her latest coming from the 2026 Emmys. Each year, the competition was steep, with the likes of Quinta Brunson and Ayo Edebiri almost always being nominated alongside her for Abbott Elementary and The Bear, respectively, but it’s a moment like this funeral scene that helps prove why Smart was deservering of the honor.

While I’m excited to see what Jean Smart tackles next, which looks like the upcoming Family Stone sequel, Hacks will no doubt cast a long shadow over the rest of her career. However, she certainly has won over a whole new generational audience, and I hope to see her and Einbinder work together again in the future. For now, revisit their hit comedy series by streaming all five seasons with an HBO Max subscription.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode "Tomorrow's Enterprise." Stream the episode with a Paramount+ subscription and read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds gave its fans a lot to chew on ahead of the final season, after a temporal distortion gave Nyota Uhura a look into her future. It soft-launched some big changes that are on the way as the series closes out, and I just learned a major fact about the episode. Apparently, it was initially written to be the last episode of the show.

I was so hung up on the hint that La'an might die that I tuned out everything else. Fortunately, I can always revisit the episode on Paramount+, and based on Akiva Goldsman confirming to TVLine that the Season 4 finale was written as a potential series finale, I think I need to go back and look for all these last-minute changes that took effect once they realized they'd get more episodes. Goldsman said:

The changes likely ensured the Season 4 finale did not prematurely reveal a look at the original TOS crew in Strange New Worlds, which the co-creators have long said was their plan for how the series ends. I'd love to go back and watch with that in mind, and see if maybe those changes are easier to spot now.

I'm now wondering if the actors who were cast as Sulu and Bones for the final season were originally in this episode and then written out for a reveal in the final season. The crew would only be short one Pavel Chekov of having the entire crew from the original series. Of course, given the age gap, Chekov would be too young to be on the Enterprise at this point.

Ultimately, I'm glad Strange New Worlds didn't have to end with its Season 4 finale, as that would've been a huge compromise compared to what was promised. Sure, it would've been better than Enterprise's infamous finale, but it still would've been a poor way to end what has been the franchise's best show of the modern era.

Fans are still waiting on details on when the final season of Strange New Worlds will air, but we do know it'll be an abbreviated six-episode season. The cast wrapped on filming late last year, so I think it's possible the final season will arrive in 2027, assuming there weren't any major hang-ups with post-production.

Here's hoping that extra time was enough to create a proper finale, and one that fans can continue to enjoy for years to come on streaming. In the meantime, revisit Star Trek: Strange New Worlds on Paramount+, and continue to wonder alongside other fans why it seems unlikely it's going to get a spinoff.

It’s more than evident that George Lucas is a filmmaker who thinks quite deeply about his craft. That’s a major reason why his Star Wars movies are so meticulously thought out and made. Said care really went into developing the films that made up the Original Trilogy, and I’d argue that’s especially the case when it comes to 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back. That particular film, of course, features Darth Vader’s major reveal and, while it’s important, I still would’ve never guessed Lucas’ reason for consulting with psychologists about it.

Empire sees Vader reveal to an injured and distraught Luke Skywalker that he is indeed his father, Anakin Skywalker. That major moment is not only one of the biggest developments in the Star Wars universe, but it’s also one of the biggest twists in film history. On paper, it sounds like a poetic reveal and one that would thrill audiences, but George Lucas wasn’t so sure. The prolific producer/writer/director previously spoke with SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend and explained why he sought psychiatric-based assistance:

Honestly, I never would’ve considered the notion of some children taking issue with Vader being Luke’s dad and, even now, the thought of Lucas talking to psychiatrists about the powerful Sith Lord still seems wild. Still, I can admit that Lucas’ decision to take such a step during the creative process speaks volumes to just how seriously he takes the exploits of the galaxy far, far away. And, when I really think about it, Lucas’ rationale didn’t prove to be too far-fetched, given what happened when Empire hit theaters over 40 years ago.

The Empire Strikes Back may now be revered as arguably the best installment in the Skywalker Saga (which is now set to continue with a fourth trilogy). However, back in 1980, Star Wars fans weren’t too sure about the film for a myriad of reasons relating to its narrative. Even Last Jedi director Rian Johnson admitted to disliking the movie when he first saw it as a kid.

While I’ve long loved this Star Wars installment, I can understand why contemporary audiences would’ve been thrown off. Director Irvin Kershner moved away from the bright, zippy and buoyant tone of the original 1977 film and presented a darker story filled with loss and failure. Simply put, audiences definitely didn’t get a medal ceremony at the end of this sequel. But, while some may have been lukewarm about the notion of Luke’s parentage (and other details), writer Lawrence Kasdan (a firm collaborator of Lucas’) loved the idea:

I, too, find that interesting, and I’m glad everything panned out the way it did, even if that didn’t necessarily translate to praise from audiences right away. Those who’d like to check out Darth Vader’s familial revelation can stream The Empire Strikes Back alongside other Star Wars movies using a Disney+ subscription.

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans were met with some sad news last week, as it was reported that Daredevil: Born Again would end with its upcoming third season. The news came months after Season 3 wrapped and on the heels of Marvel parting ways with showrunner Dario Scardapane. With this next set of episodes serving as the fan-favorite show’s swan song, expectations are arguably even higher now, and there are certain developments I want to see, with one being the return of a franchise veteran (aside from Rosario Dawson).

Please don’t misunderstand me, as I would love to see Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple return in some form or fashion. She is, after all, a key part of the show’s lore and also served as a major piece of connective tissue throughout the MCU’s street-level shows (which were originally streamable with a Netflix subscription). However, the character I’m talking about is someone who has even closer ties to the Man Without Fear. The person I’m talking about is none other than Maggie Grace, the mother of Matt Murdock.

Maggie (played by Joanne Whalley) was originally introduced into the MCU during the third season of Daredevil and, up to that point, she’d only been alluded to up to that point. A nun at Clinton Church, Maggie had a brief tryst with Matt’s father, Jack, during which they conceived him. Sadly, she abandoned her son and partner after experiencing postpartum depression. Grace ultimately re-entered her son’s life after he was recovered from Midland Circle and, after learning of his mother’s identity, Matt had to reckon with her past actions.

Ultimately, Matt and Maggie find common ground, and the latter offers to be a resource to her son if he ever needs guidance. I find it interesting that Maggie has yet to appear on Born Again, though the latest season of the show did reveal that she’d taken a sabbatical in Rome. At this point, it feels like Maggie should return, and that’s not just because the final season is looming. With Matt imprisoned after revealing himself as Daredevil, I think he could use his mother’s listening ear. Also, if word were to get back to Maggie about her son’s situation, I can’t imagine her not hopping on a plane and heading back to Hell’s Kitchen.

I’d love to see a scene in which Maggie visits Matt while he’s behind bars, and such a scene could be emotionally impactful. Honestly, I can imagine Matt having quite a few people in his ear while he’s locked up, and it just makes a lot of sense for Maggie to reach out and provide support. At the same time, I can imagine others may also try to reach out to Murdock and even seek ways to overturn his sentence.

That’s, of course, speculation, though it wouldn’t be shocking if Matt did have friends on the outside actively working to free him. After all, set photos have revealed that the other members of the Defenders will reunite this season following the return of Jessica Jones and re-emergence of Luke Cage amid Season 2.

Non-official photos have also provided a glimpse at the return of Finn Jones’ Danny Rand. How exactly those heroes play into the season is anyone’s guess right now, but it’s poetic that they’d all be together in what’s now going to be the final stretch of the show.

And, yes, Rosario Dawson should make an MCU comeback, too, as she hasn’t been seen since the second season of Luke Cage back in 2018. Interestingly enough, Dawson reprised Temple for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but her scene was cut. Still, the mere fact that Claire was involved in some way suggests to me that the folks at Marvel still have love for her.

So, in short, I’m hoping Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 welcomes back Maggie so that she can have at least one more meeting with her son. I’m also down for any other veteran stars to appear, whether it be Rosario Dawson’s Claire Temple or even Rob Morgan’s Turk Barrett. We’ll see what’s what when the upcoming Marvel show returns for one last bout in March 2027. In the meantime, stream the first two seasons of the series – as well as all three seasons of its parent series – with a Disney+ subscription.

I don’t know about you, but I thought Toy Story 5 was one of the big surprises among 2026 movie releases (so far). Obviously, Pixar always puts out incredible (pun intended) animated films, but it’s not easy to make a movie as good as the sequel was on its fifth rodeo. From Jessie’s emotional arc to the great commentary about tech, there’s just so much to love. But, right now, we need to talk about Blaze, and what CinemaBlend learned about her role from the actress who voices her.

Blaze is a new little girl that is living in the house of Jessie's former owner, Emily. And, isn’t she a sweetie? The endearing kid ended up being one the highlights of Toy Story 5 for me, especially towards the end when she becomes friends with Bonnie. CinemaBlend had the chance to talk to the voice actress behind the character, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and she shared a wild fact about her role. In her words:

By the sound of it, the 14-year-old actor was just honored to join the Toy Story 5 cast as the horse-loving character who loves playing with toys. And, because Harris was just focused on her own lines when recording for the film, she was in for a big surprise when the movie ultimately hit theaters.

Can you imagine the shock when she realized how important Blaze is to Toy Story 5? Harris also said this of the experience:

Throughout the movie, Bonnie is dealing with making friends. As a result, her parents buy her a tablet called Lilipad so that she can digitally connect with her neighbors. However, Bonnie soon finds out that they don’t really use tech to play with each other, and they subsequently tease her. Thankfully, Jessie and her other toys find Blaze and connect the pair, leading to a friendship that's as endearing as it is adorable.

Also, interestingly enough, Blaze marked a first for Pixar, because the character's design led the animation studio to come up with breakthrough technology. Said tech was developed in order to accurately depict Blaze's tight curls.

In the same interview, we spoke to the movie’s other child actor, Scarlett Spears, who took over the role of Bonnie this time around. She shared an interest in seeing Bonnie and Blaze grow up together and eventually pass on their toys in a sixth film like Andy did. And, yes, I’m already grabbing tissues.

Let's hope this new friendship continues and that Bonnie and Blaze remain besties if there is another installment in the franchise. You can check out Bonnie’s latest journey in Toy Story 5, which is not only streamable with a Disney+ subscription, but also available for purchase on digital platforms, physical 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD.

Kim Kardashian seems to always be looking for new opportunities, whether that’s the energy drink company that had her and Khloé shopping at Target, new items and locations for her SKIMS clothing line or producing TV shows like Team Moms, which hit the 2026 TV schedule last week. So is it really a surprise that her relationship with Lewis Hamilton is also allegedly inspiring big ideas? Honestly, I’d expect nothing less.

According to alleged insiders, Kim Kardashian has aspirations of owning a Formula One team, and of course, she’d want her boyfriend to be involved. A source told In Touch:

That’s certainly one way of looking at it! They definitely wouldn’t be the first power couple to help each other out with business ventures. For example, we’ve seen Scooter Braun reportedly influencing Sydney Sweeney’s career moves since they’ve been dating. And, while Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have seemingly kept their careers separate thus far, I can’t imagine she wouldn’t have a hand in helping him start a long career in Hollywood after football, if that’s what he wants.

Also, this is the Kardashian-Jenner family we’re talking about, and they're known for putting that “Kardashian-ized” touch on the projects of those close to them (even Timothée Chalamet’s Marty Supreme). Besides, the source added:

We have to always take anonymous sources with a grain of salt, of course. However, it’s not all that unbelievable that Kim Kardashian would want to loop Lewis Hamilton into more career opportunities — especially in an area that he’s already so passionate about. The insider continued:

As for whether or not Kardashian and Hamilton ever do start their own team, we’ll have to wait and see. The insider alleges that the F1 driver hasn’t committed to the idea yet, saying:

Honestly, I’ll have to take the source’s word on that one. I mean, with Kim Kardashian’s billion-dollar fortune and Lewis Hamilton having hundreds of millions of dollars to his own name, I'm having trouble fathoming how much money constitutes "too much financial risk."

While we wait to see what this celebrity couple cooks up in the business world, I know we’ll all be tuning in to see Kim Kardashian spill the Lewis Hamilton tea when The Kardashians Season 8 premieres Thursday, October 8 with a Hulu subscription. Her legal drama All’s Fair is also set to return in November.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is currently in the midst of its fantastic 18th season, and while I can't imagine it'll top the premiere's creepster ventriloquist dummy or Frank marrying a corpse, the potential is always high for that to happen. Speaking of, star Kaitlin Olson has been pulling double duty promoting both the FX comedy and the impending third season of ABC's High Potential, which is set to debut in early 2027.

In August, the Emmy-nominated actress clued fans in on High Potential Season 3 going back into production, and more recently sparked excitement from "Morgadec" shippers with a shot alongside co-star Daniel Sunjata. Now, she's showing off her gorgeous hair transition from golden to strawberry blonde, and fans are absolutely loving it, with lots of genuine elation for the ABC dramedy's return.

Of course, Kaitlin Olson can't post anything online without the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia fanbase latching onto it in one way or another. And in this case, the actress' pursed "duck" lips inspired more than a few fowl and funny comments referencing The Gang's go-to insult for her character Sweet Dee. Join me as I re-giggle over the responses below.

• "Go ducks" - @evanbannick616
• "Looking so birdly" - @jeffwehrle
• "Birds dont need filters" - @erin___everywhere
• "BEAK!" @alwayssunnygifs
• "Good looking bird 🤔" - @bo.jangs
• "Would you look at the beak on that bird." - @c.harr15
• "Bird of Paradise" - @jdiamond73
• "From regular bird to swan" - @blondiebear622
• "Dee’s a bird" - @isaleight

To be sure, Kaitlin Olson has long ago learned to appreciate fans screaming "Bird!" at her in public, since it's almost always shared with good intentions, and is proof of just how popular her character is. That said, High Potential was a gamechanger for her, in that the sharp and sassy procedural has earned her a fandom completely separate from the Always Sunny crowd. But the middle of that Venn diagram is growing all the time. (And I remain convinced that the network series made a bird reference of its own in Season 2.)

Props to this Always Sunny fan for dropping in a reference that had nothing to do with birds:

• "Bravo, science b!tch 👏 😂🔥" - @realtruedrew

For context, that's in reference to the shorthand insult that stemmed from Mac's "Science is a liar sometimes" evolution arguments in Season 8's "Reynolds vs. Reynolds: The Cereal Defense."

While we're handing out props for things related to Sweet Dee that also involve court case names, I could not be more impressed by the detail laid out in this post below about the Looney Tunes movie Coyote vs. Acme, which apparently boasts a brilliant social media team.

That is just genius for such a bird-brained joke, and it's the kind of thing that fans could easily go the rest of forever without realizing is a thing. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about that anymore. Now we just have to fight for Olson to get cast in a future Looney Tunes project. Feathered fingers crossed!

In the meantime, expect more High Potential updates as more filming happens, and keep watching It's Always Sunny on FX and FXX every Monday night at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Zach Cregger is a funny guy. Literally. Long before Barbarian and Weapons made him one of horror’s most interesting filmmakers, he spent years doing sketch comedy with The Whitest Kids U’ Know. That sense of humor followed him into his horror work, and I’ve generally loved the strange laughs that sneak into his movies when you least expect them. Turns out, test audiences had one issue with his 2026 movie calendar release, and I’m so glad he listened to their feedback.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, the writer-director revealed that test audiences generally liked his take on Resident Evil, but kept raising the same complaint: it was too funny. The director listened, went back into the edit and started killing jokes. He explained:

I am very glad he took that note. That may sound strange coming from somebody who thinks Barbarian is frequently hilarious. Justin Long measuring his creepy basement for additional square footage remains one of my favorite jokes in a modern horror movie. Weapons also knew when to let something absurd break through all the dread. I still remember snorting when Josh Brolin drops that perfectly placed F-bomb.

But Resident Evil has a different job. Cregger’s movie follows Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, a medical courier whose routine delivery turns into one extremely bad night in Raccoon City, with all the biohazardous nastiness that comes with it. To some fans' chagrin, the video game adaptation is a new story within the franchise rather than another adaptation centered on the game’s familiar heroes. For that kind of survival-horror setup, too many jokes could start poking holes in the tension. In other words, a little comedy goes a long way.

This is where Cregger’s comment about not missing a single deleted joke gets me. He was not reluctantly hacking out material he loved because a test score told him to. He watched the movie, realized those jokes were not helping and cut them himself.

Stephen King puts that part of the creative process pretty bluntly in On Writing: “If it works, fine. If it doesn’t, toss it. Toss it even if you love it.” That is basically what happened here. The screening pointed Cregger toward something he could not fully see while making the movie, and once he made the cuts, he preferred the leaner version, too. All in all, that is exactly what test screenings should accomplish when they work.

Resident Evil has always had room for ridiculousness, though. We are talking about a franchise featuring giant pharmaceutical-mutated monsters and characters delivering dialogue while dressed like they wandered in from the world’s most heavily armed drag show. A completely humorless adaptation would feel weird in its own way. But there is a difference between letting the absurdity breathe and deflating a scary scene because the script cannot resist another punchline.

Based on the early audience response and critical reception for Resident Evil, Cregger seems to have found that balance. RE opened to $60 million domestically, the biggest debut in franchise history, and earned $108.3 million worldwide during its first weekend. The movie has already racked up a ridiculous number of impressive stats, but its 96% Rotten Tomatoes score after two weeks in theaters may be the clearest sign that audiences and critics are on board.

Obviously, cutting a few jokes does not single-handedly produce those numbers. Still, I love hearing that Cregger was willing to kill perfectly good comedy when it got in the way of the monsters doing their job. Knowing when to hold back is one of the instincts that separates decent filmmakers from the directors behind the best horror movies.

Resident Evil is still playing in theaters, so check your local listings for showtimes. Also, keep your eyes peeled for updates on upcoming horror movies.

One reason so many people love The Big Lebowski (including me) is the music in the movie. There are countless great needle drops, from the likes of Bob Dylan, Kenny Rogers, Captain Beefheart, Nina Simone, and, of course, Creedence. Those songs all cost money to use, of course, and one of the best in the film, Townes Van Zandt’s haunting version of The Rolling Stones’ song “Dead Flowers,” almost cost too much to use. That is, until the man holding the rights to the song just gave it to the Coen Brothers after seeing a rough cut of the movie. It was one scene, and of course an F-bomb. that convinced him.

Allen Klein Hated The Eagles, Too, Man

Music fans, especially Stones fans, may know the name Allen Klein. Klein, who died in 2009, was the manager of the Stones in the ‘60s and eventually also managed The Beatles late in their career (he is being played by Adam Pally in the upcoming Sam Mendes Beatles movies). He was also an unscrupulous businessman who controlled the publishing rights to all the Stones' songs from the era that he managed them. That meant it was up to him to decide what songs could be used in movies, TV, and commercials, including the Van Zandt cover of “Dead Flowers.”

Klein initially demanded that the producers of The Big Lebowski pay him $150,000 for the rights to use the song. That’s a lot of money for one song, but the Coens clearly wanted to use it, so they offered to show Klein an early rough cut of the movie to see if he’d like it enough to lower the price. According to T-Bone Burnett, who was the music supervisor on the movie, all it took was one scene. Burnett told Rolling Stone:

It turns out that while The Dude (Jeff Bridges) loves a lot of music, like Creedence, of course, he and Klein shared the same opinion on The Eagles. Incidentally, I agree, too. Except Joe Walsh. He’s cool in my book.

Of the dozens of iconic lines in The Big Lebowski, The Dude’s feelings on The Eagles is one of the funniest moments in the movie. When he says it to the cab driver, after getting thrown out of Jackie Treehorn’s garden party and beaten up by the chief of police of Malibu (a real reactionary), he’s kicked out of the cab as the driver continues listening to “Peaceful Easy Feeling.”

Side note: I have to wonder how much using that song cost the producers.

I love the version of “Dead Flowers” in the movie, and though it only really plays over the credits at the end, it’s perfect for The Big Lebowski. It’s a peaceful, easy way to end the movie after Donny dies and we learn that there’s a little Lebowski on the way. The fact that Klein gave it to them after hating on The Eagles makes it that much sweeter.

Moviegoers were partying like it was 2019 this weekend, as enough MCU fans stormed theaters to make Avengers: Endgame Encore the No. 1 flick at the weekend Box Office. The promise of new footage related to Avengers: Doomsday — which hits the 2026 movie calendar in December — was more than enough excuse for a rewatch, bringing in $26 million domestically for the second-highest-grossing movie of all time.

This week’s new releases were in a tight race with last weekend’s winner, Resident Evil, and while Primetime may have settled for fourth place overall (just barely!), Robert Pattinson’s crime thriller may be the weekend’s biggest winner when all’s said and done.

Take a look at the Box Office Top 10 below, then we can break down what happened and what we have to look forward to. (NOTE: * next to a title indicates a new release.)

Weekend Box Office: September 25-27, 2026

Avengers: Endgame Success Proves Fans Are Pumped For Avengers: Doomsday

It’s pretty obvious that people are excited about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, but fans’ turnout at the theater this weekend for a refresher course (and new footage) on Avengers: Endgame proves just how big this is going to be. Not only did Endgame Encore earn $26 million in the U.S. and Canada over the past three days, it gained another $60 million overseas for a three-day worldwide total of $86 million.

Now, with all-time global earnings totaling $2.885 billion, the gap has closed a bit between it and Avatar, which stands as the highest-grossing movie of all time with $2.932 billion.

As is to be expected when it comes to such highly anticipated Marvel fare, the Avengers: Doomsday scenes started to leak from screenings. Hopefully, fans can remember the Russo Brothers’ request to let all fans discover the surprises for themselves. Seriously, don’t be that guy.

Resident Evil Crosses $100 Million Domestically On Second Weekend

Between Avengers: Endgame’s return to theaters and a trio of new releases, Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil took a pretty steep 61% dive in its second weekend. However, it’s officially crossed into 9-digit territory, with $103.5 million domestically, and adding in $93 million internationally, the video game adaptation is quickly approaching a $200 million global tally.

Heart Of The Beast Tops Other New Releases, Because Brad Pitt And Dogs

Brad Pitt and his canine companion won the battle of the new releases, with Heart of the Beast taking third place overall with a $20 million debut. There was a lot of hype going into the weekend about the survival story, with Pitt saying the pup might be a better co-star than George Clooney (I wasn’t expecting that Ocean’s Eleven shade) and critics asking if a dog could win an Oscar.

Apparently, overseas audiences connect strongly with amazing dog stories, too, because the film added another $30.1 million for a worldwide total of $50.1 million after three days.

Primetime Is Really The Weekend Box Office’s Biggest Winner

But let’s talk about Primetime. The movie earned $19.2 million to fall out of the Top 3 by less than a million dollars, but there are other factors to consider. For one thing, the A24 thriller was only projected to bring in between $9 million and $15 million, so the race wasn’t even supposed to be that close.

Also, Primetime was made for a reported $15 million, while Heart of the Beast clocked in with a reported budget of $82 million, so the Robert Pattinson flick did a lot more in opening weekend to recoup those bucks.

Not only is that a big win for A24, but for Robert Pattinson, who’s having quite the year. He’s already appeared in The Drama and The Odyssey, and he’s still got Dune: Part Three coming in December. We can’t ignore Primetime’s director Lance Oppenheim, either, who’s also gotten a viral bump from You Can See Everything, his and Nathan Fielder’s upcoming documentary about Elizabeth Holmes.

How Did Critics Rate This Weekend’s New Releases?

The reviews of Primetime were pretty good (well, Chris Hansen had some harsh words about his portrayal, which is no surprise given how mean the movie is to Hansen). Will Rotten Tomatoes’ scores and CinemaScore’s audience keep it in the battle for a Top 5 spot in weeks to come? Take a peek at the ratings:

It’s interesting that DreamWorks’ Forgotten Island got the highest ratings across the board of this week’s new titles, but it finished below the other two. In fact, its $12.8 million was below low-end projections of $14 million. The animated fantasy film starring H.E.R, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate and more is definitely hoping these high scores can lead to long legs at the Box Office.

There’s definitely precedence for such a move. DreamWorks’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish premiered to just $12.4 million in 2022 but ended up making $484.3 million worldwide by the end of its run.

What Can We Expect Next Weekend?

It won’t be an easy road for Forgotten Island or any of the September 25 releases, as next week sees the debut of a couple of highly anticipated movies. Tom Cruise’s Digger hits the big screen October 2, along with Verity starring Anne Hathaway, Josh Hartnett and Dakota Johnson.

Early reactions to Digger were pretty divisive, but everyone seems to agree the satirical dark comedy is a huge swing for Tom Cruise and director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The movie is projected to make between $16 million and $26 million, according to Box Office Theory.

That should put it in tight competition with Verity, which is expected to bring in between $15 million and $25 million. Considering how close this race could be, Josh Hartnett and Anne Hathaway might want to try to get their family members on board to buy more tickets!

Be sure to hit the theater this upcoming weekend and then find me next Sunday to see how the Top 10 plays out.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Big Brother live feeds as of Sunday, September 27th. Stream the feeds with a Paramount+ subscription or on Pluto TV, and read at your own risk!

Big Brother Season 28 is winding down on the 2026 TV schedule, but we still have to see who will win that $750,000 grand prize. After hearing that Taylor Brown won Part 1 of Final HOH, fans waited to see if Rick Devens or Drew Campbell would clinch the final spot.

CinemaBlend was watching Big Brother online over the weekend and can now confirm who won Final HOH Part 2. Here's who is competing in Part 3 of finale night and will have a chance to choose who they take to the end of the game.

Taylor And Devens Will Compete In Part 3 Of The Final HOH

Devens came out on top in a competition with Drew, so it'll be him and Taylor battling it out on finale night on October 1st. I can't lie, I'm a bit surprised to hear Drew lost twice, but I do know he's been dealing with a knee injury that seemingly occurred during one of the recent competitions.

Both Devens And Taylor Seem Committed To Taking Drew

Regardless of who wins this Final HOH competition, it looks like either competitor will take Drew to the end for different reasons. As for Devens, this comes down to a loyalty agreement between them and possibly a fear that he could lose to Taylor if Drew ended up voting for her after being cut by his "father."

For Taylor, cutting Rick Devens would be the biggest final move she could make a case to the jury that she's worthy of winning Big Brother. Her latest wins proved she's not quite the floater the house claimed, as winning both the Final Four and the final HOH would be a huge addition to her resume.

As for Drew, it's looking more likely that he's guaranteed second place either way, which may have some wondering if he made the wrong call in cutting Dee Valladares over Devens. Personally, I don't think so, especially if the knee trouble would be a factor in either case. Drew had to comp out to go for the win against Dee and Taylor, or he'd be leaving the game in third place.

As for who is winning, my general opinion is that if Devens is in the Final Two in any situation, he's getting the votes to win. Taylor will win if she takes Drew, and I don't think any amount of convincing from Devens is going to encourage her to pick him instead.

Tune in to CBS for the grand finale of Big Brother Season 28, and to see if another newbie wins it all, or a former Survivor legend becomes the face of a different reality competition show. I don't really have a preference. I'm just excited to see what happens!

In the days since I saw Primetime, which hit the 2026 movie schedule this weekend, I’ve thought a lot about it. I’ve even re-evaluated how much I liked the latest release from A24. Walking out of the theater, I didn’t like it. The more I think about the Lance Oppenheim film starring Robert Pattinson as To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, the more I appreciate it. I’ve even come to like the movie in retrospect. I’m still not at all comfortable with it, though, which I guess is really the whole point.

Be advised, there are some spoilers beyond this point.

There Are Are No Heroes Here

When CinemaBlend asked co-star Merritt Wever who the villain of Primetime is, she opted to use the word “monsters” to describe the people involved in the short-lived reality/news show portrayed. I can get behind that idea. There are not really any heroes, though Skyler Gisondo’s character, Dan Plum, is not one of the monsters. Everyone else is. There aren’t any truly tragic figures, either, though Plum comes close.

Hansen, Wever’s character, producer Andie Bender, and Xavier Von Erck (Matthew Maher) all come across badly. Hansen takes the most heat, for sure, but the other two don’t fare much better. That’s before we even talk about the actual child predators portrayed, like Kaufman County, TX ADA Bill Conradt (Alex Winter). Though, does an argument have to be made that they are monsters? Conradt’s suicide ends the movie, but we don’t get closure on anything.

The Subject Of The Movie Isn’t Heroic, Either

I took some heat for an article I wrote a couple of months back, when the trailer for Primetime dropped, talking about how uncomfortable the whole subject makes me. I’ve also written in the past about how much the whole era of reality TV in the mid-’00s was exploitative and, honestly, gross. After seeing the movie, I still feel that way. It feels wrong to make money like the shows of that era, like Predator, on such disturbing and upsetting crimes.

Here we are a couple of decades later, and people are still turning out for projects like this. I don’t know what that says about all of us (and I’m just as guilty), but I can’t help but self-reflect on it. Even as I write this, coming to any conclusions is nearly impossible. I think the way the subject is presented by Oppenheim is fair, mostly, though Hansen disagrees. I still struggle with the whole idea of glamorizing it in any way. Glamorizing isn’t exactly the right word, I suppose, as clearly the movie is not making any of it look good. Maybe publicizing it? That doesn’t feel right, either.

Heck, I’m even struggling to decide whether I would recommend the movie or not. As I said, I really didn’t like it initially, but I really like movies that have you still thinking about them days later, and this one does that in a big way. In the end, I do recommend it, because there shouldn’t be any heroes in a story like this, and Pattinson is fantastic as Hansen. I’m still uncomfortable with the whole thing.

Late-night TV shows rarely ever present a dull moment on the small screen, and things can also be eventful behind the scenes. From monologue hosting wars to Marvel-related passing-of-the torch rituals, late night offerings continue to entertain viewers amid the 2026 TV schedule. However, in the digital age we live in, the late-night landscape is changing. As part of that, I never would have thought Twitter’s impact on nighttime TV was so bad until one Conan writer shared their grievances.

Historically, newspapers were apparently late-night show staffs' method of finding joke material, according to LateNighter. In terms of the Late Night with Conan O’Brien years, the comedy host would receive a printout of jokes where he’d check the ones he liked and scribble the ones he was unsure of. But, based on the claims of Conan’s writer, Brian Kiley, monologues faced a drastic change, thanks to social media. Kiley explained:

While I never considered this, I can understand how frustrating that can be. Social media has now provided a platform for countless people to air their views on the news of the day, and some do so in humorous fashion. Imagine being a late-night writer coming up with the most hilarious spin on a real-world event, only for a Twitter (now known as X) user to think up the same thing and post it long before showtime.

There are plenty of instances in which social media users have beat late-night hosts to the punch on certain topics. For instance, hosts shared jokes about the New York Knicks' championship run, plenty of folks did so earlier than they did via socials. And, while hosts like Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel may joke about President Trump and other political news, others across social media do the same thing. All in all, what this comes down to is the fact that social media is simply instantaneous, making it hard for certain entities -- even talk shows -- to keep up.

What's also worth mentioning here is that some users also use the news in an attempt to build content themselves. Another Conan writer, Berkley Johnson, spoke about that while recalling a recent bit of news he spotted online:

That’s definitely how it works a lot of the time now, isn’t it? As soon as there’s a shocking or hilarious moment that makes its way online, social media users are quick to jump on the bandwagon and give their take. This can occasionally make for good content but, in some ways, it's hard not to be nostalgic for the time in which such commentary was left to the professionals.

Despite Twitter edging in on the job of TV writers, that only encouraged late night shows to up their game to create original material. Jimmy Fallon had celebrity “Lip Sync Battle” on his show as well as comedy segments like “Wheel of Musical Impressions,” “Slow Jam the News,” and “#Hashtags.”

And for his since-ended Late Late Show, James Corden also had “Carpool Karaoke,” where celebrities sing their top hits with the TV host in his car. And each original comedy bit made for great viral content online. So, while the game of television might be changing due to social media, it also presents opportunities for hosts and their staffs to try new material that keeps audiences entertained via their TV screens and the digital sphere.

Of course, it's hard to say what will happen to such talk shows within the never several years. But, as Stephen Colbert says, there’s still a big need for late night shows, as they can build communities with their audiences, and much of that is born through how they cover daily news. The internet does provide some interesting content on that front, but I'm also hopeful that it doesn't spell the end of late night.

Taylor Swift is having quite the year. She got married to Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden, released another four songs as an extension of her Life of a Showgirl album titled “Encore” and wrote a track for Toy Story 5. The tune, “I Knew It, I Knew You” is beloved by fans, and it became an immediate hit. It’s already getting Oscar buzz, and Disney has decided to completely embrace the fanfare. Walt Disney World even recently made a change in honor of the song, and as someone who loves both theme parks and Taylor Swift, I’m totally on board!

Disney fans have been posting all over Instagram that the Imagineers have updated the Alien Swirling Saucers Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to feature Swift's TS5 song. The ride has a similar concept to the famous Teacup ride in Magic Kingdom where the riders are responsible for spinning themselves while the ride moves in circles. The attraction opened in 2018 when TS Land was fully expanded in the park, and even though it’s a fairly new ride, park officials seemingly had no issue adding this musical update. You can see the song playing for riders below:

It is a small tweak to slightly modernize the ride to feel more current while also not truly changing it. And the change makes sense, as the song is a crowd pleaser, and the rendition of the tune that's used for the ride perfectly has the cheery feel fit for an offering at Disney World.

Not only that, but this also gives Swifties a little something to be excited about if they decide to make a trip to Orlando, Florida. It seems like a lot of people are pumped about the ride, as the President of Walt Disney World Resort, Joe Schott, even posted about the change on Instagram to encourage park-goers to check it out:

Disney in general seems to be strengthening its relationship with Swift. Outside of Swift writing a song for Toy Story 5, she also has been releasing exclusive content on Disney+. It started in 2020 with Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, a documentary about the recording of her folklore album, which was only released on the streaming service. The Grammy winner subsequently released her record-breaking Eras Tour concert film only on Disney+ as well as her tour documentary, End of an Era.

From the outside looking in, this seems like a mutually beneficial partnership, so including Swift as much as possible in the parks makes sense. From the moment I heard “I Knew It, I Knew You,” I had a feeling it would have staying power, and that's now further cemented as it adds to the bouncy energy of Alien Swirling Saucers. As a Swiftie, I’m loving this and am curious to see if Disney Parks will find other ways to include the pop icon in their theme parks as this collaboration continues.

Taylor Swift fans can see how her hit single plays into Jesse’s story in Toy Story 5 by streaming it with a Disney+ subscription. Swifties who subscribe to the streamer can also check out other Swift content, like the Eras Tour documentaries, which are also still streaming on the platform.

For the past couple of years fans have had a lot of questions about the nature of Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly’s on-off relationship — particularly after the two announced late in 2024 that Fox was pregnant with their first child together, only to break up a month later. Now, there’s speculation that MGK has begun dating Dakota Johnson, so what does his relationship with Fox look like now?

Where Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox’s Relationship Stands Now

It seems that Machine Gun Kelly (whose real name is Colson Baker) and Megan Fox have officially closed the door on the possibility of a romantic relationship, as they allegedly realized how “toxic” they could be together. A source told US Weekly:

We’ve certainly come a long way from Megan Fox calling MGK her “twin flame,” saying she manifested him into existence. At one point, they considered themselves two halves of the same soul and engaged in blood-drinking rituals.

That chapter is reportedly behind them now, as they focus their energy on 18-month-old Saga Blade. An insider claimed:

Saga Blade Colson was born in March 2025 — three months after Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox broke up for the last time. There have definitely been questions about whether they could rekindle their romance over the past year. MGK apparently would stay at Fox’s house occasionally, but it was only to help with the baby.

Sources say he wanted to get back together, and in March the rapper raised eyebrows with his flirty comments on her Instagram page, but by April, things had apparently “blown up again” between the two. The parents allegedly had agreed to not share photos of Saga publicly. MGK posted several photos of the baby, however, and despite the fact that his hand was covering her face, that was reportedly the “last straw” for Megan Fox.

Machine Gun Kelly Is Reportedly Getting Close To Dakota Johnson

Lately, though, it appears Machine Gun Kelly has started to move on. The Mainstream Sellout artist apparently met Dakota Johnson at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding in July, and the two have been talking since.

They were seen earlier this month having what appeared to be a low-key date night at Swift’s Manhattan penthouse, and Dakota Johnson also reportedly traveled to Italy to support Machine Gun Kelly as he walked in the Vogue World: Milano show at Milan Fashion Week.

Dakota Johnson — who will appear in Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” music video as well as the highly anticipated erotic thriller Verity when it hits the 2026 movie calendar next week — knows people are going to speculate about her love life, and that doesn’t seem to bother her.

It will be interesting to see how this develops and if it changes the reported co-parenting dynamic that MGK has with Megan Fox.

I'll never forget. The year was 1991, and I was sitting in the principal's office because I wore my Freddy Krueger costume to school. I was no stranger to R-rated characters (I had just seen T2: Judgment Day with my dad that summer, after all), but the principal didn't think Freddy Krueger was appropriate for Catholic school education, so I had to be picked up. True story.

That said, Freddy (along with Jason, Michael Myers, and Chucky) was still current back in ‘91, so it made sense that I wanted to dress up as him. Fast-forward three decades, and my students (I teach when I'm not writing) all know who Freddy, Jason, Michael, and Chucky are, and I think that's pretty weird. Here's why.

Firstly, Jason, Michael, And Chucky Haven't Had New Movies In Quite Some Time

When was the last time there was a Friday the 13th, Child's Play, or Halloween movie in theaters? Well, I guess I’ll get the most recent one out of the way first, as Halloween Ends came out in 2022. That's four whole years ago! The last Child's Play, which was a reboot, came out in 2019! Yes, I’m aware that there was a TV show called Chucky, but that was cancelled in 2024 (and honestly, some people are sort of glad it’s gone). The last Friday the 13th movie came out in 2009 (!), and was a remake.

The Nightmare on Elm Street remake was also around that time in 2010. So, what’s my point? Well, my question is this: Why do my students know these characters when they all go back to the ‘80s? I mean, I get how they can all identify Freddy Fazbear, but Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers? These are all horror icons from MY childhood. So, why, pray tell, do my 7th grade students, who range in age from ages 11-13, know who these characters are?

It’s just really strange to me. It’s not like they know who John McClane or MacGyver is, but they know who Michael Myers is and that he comes from the Halloween series. How?!

I Mean, Seriously. Don't Today's Kids Have Their Own Boogie Men?

I mentioned earlier how my students can easily identify Freddy Fazbear, but I also think there’s a serious lack of boogeymen for Generation Alpha. When I asked some of the horror fans in my classroom what their favorite horror movies were, many of them picked recent ones, like Obsession (Which I love, too) and Backrooms, but I didn't hear many of them mention any specific horror characters, which is interesting.

Yes, some of my students are aware of Art the Clown, Ghostface, and Pennywise, but besides those three, my students all go back to Freddy, Jason, Michael, and Chucky, and I think that says a lot about the state of the horror villain today. While characters such as Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, and the Wolf Man have persisted for generations, Michael, Jason, and Chucky have felt like the second wave of horror characters for my generation.

So, will today's kids ever get their own Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, or Chucky? Here’s hoping!

In The End, I Think Spirit Halloween And The Internet Have Kept These Characters Alive And Well

I thought I'd ask my students how they knew some of these characters, and the number-one answer I got was Spirit Halloween. And that makes sense. Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees are prominently displayed at the store as life-sized animatronics, and most of my students make trips there every Fall to get their Halloween costumes.

The other most common answer is YouTube, as some of their favorite YouTubers have mentioned the characters in their videos, and this has gone a long way in keeping these characters alive.

So, will this generation get some future horror icons to call their own? It's hard to say, but at least we have a plethora of upcoming horror movies coming up soon.

With the Paramount Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger near completion, a number of eyes are on CNN and how the brand might be run by the former company. One major detail that’s been speculated upon as of late is who might be put in charge of the political news network after the consolidation. Several sources have pointed to CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss as the person who’ll potentially run the brand. However, based on a new report, we may want to hold our horses when it comes to that assumption.

Paramount CEO David Ellison has reportedly had a lot of confidence in Weiss, who he appointed E-I-C nearly a year ago. By all accounts, the two have a firm relationship, and that came up months ago when it was rumored that Weiss might be let go due to backlash. Despite that work dynamic, it would seem that, as of right now, Ellison is not necessarily eyeing Weiss to run CNN. Per a source for The New York Post, speculation about the Free Press founder receiving the big job “couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Since being hired at CBS, Weiss has been critiqued for her lack of broadcast journalism experience, and media analysts have questioned Ellison’s decision to bring her on. In terms of CNN, though, a source suggests that if Weiss doesn’t run it, that’s not because of a lack of confidence on Ellison’s part. Supposedly, the head honcho doesn’t want Weiss overwhelmed by the “slash and burn” that’s going to come with the network being consolidated into Paramount. Ellison, instead, allegedly wants Weiss to “focus on working with talent.”

On that note, the report suggests that Weiss still could receive a few responsibilities at the Ted Turner-founded company once the merger goes through. Previous reports also suggested that someone else could, at the very least, be brought in to assist Weiss with those operations. All of that is conjecture at this point, though, as no official decisions have been announced either way.

Bari Weiss’ has been on the receiving end of blowback due to decisions she’s made at CBS News over the past several months. That includes “spiking” a 60 Minutes story about an El Salvador prison in December 2025 and letting go over several of the show’s correspondents and producers this past summer. Some notable alums of the show have been critical of Weiss, including Scott Pelley, who was fired after accusing her of “murdering” the news magazine show. At the same time, Weiss has also been accused of exhibiting political partiality within news coverage, which she’s denied.

There are those who’ve defended Weiss, though, as CBS Evening News anchor Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil denied having experienced news bias. Also, Norah O’Donnell, defended Weiss from critics on social media while announcing her recent return to CBS Mornings. One of 60 Minutes’ newest correspondents, Sir Trevor Phillips, also spoke in defense of Weiss amid her efforts to revamp the show and the company as a whole.

Still, there remains trepidation, not only about the future of CBS News but what a Weiss-run CNN might look like. Former CNN host W. Kamau Bell blasted the notion of Weiss overseeing the company, while another ex-host, Jim Acosta, also shared his fear that she might “murder” the network. It was also reported this past week that staffers had concerns about Weiss taking over due to her work at the Eye Network. Those alleged claims came on the heels of Paramount settling an antitrust lawsuit, paving the way for the merger.

At present, there are a number of unknown variables regarding CNN’s future, and there’s been no indication as to when clarity might be provided. Such details may not come until after the Paramount/WBD merger is completely finalized. Until then, analysts can only speculate on what’s to come and how Bari Weiss may or may not be involved.

Florence Pugh has turned Yelena Belova into one of my favorite underrated Marvel characters and a standout addition to the post-Endgame MCU. She is deadly, deeply weird and capable of making a scene funny without ever seeming like she is trying particularly hard. That dry delivery has become such a big part of the character that I cannot really imagine Yelena without it. Turns out, we came surprisingly close to getting a very different version before the actress changed it to keep her character from being "boring," and I’m so happy she did.

While revisiting scenes from her career for Vanity Fair, Pugh revealed that she initially rehearsed Black Widow using an English accent. Yelena is Russian in Marvel Comics, but that apparently was not how the studio and filmmakers originally approached the MCU's version. One problem: She thought the character was painfully dull. Pugh explained:

That is pretty devastating feedback on your own character. The breakthrough happened nowhere near Marvel Studios. According to the Oppenheimer star, she was home cooking dinner when she started trying the dialogue with a Russian accent. Suddenly, she found the Yelena we know:

“Everybody” included Black Widow director Cate Shortland and Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, who approved the adjustment. For me, the accent itself is almost secondary to what it apparently unlocked in the Little Women star. She said:

Yelena mocking Natasha’s superhero pose in Black Widow, cheerfully eating macaroni with hot sauce in Hawkeye or calling Peter’s problems “small potatoes” in Brand New Day are moments when the actress lets Yelena be strange. She says ridiculous things with absolute sincerity. She has the gravitas to play deep loneliness in a movie like Thunderbolts*, then drop the funniest line as if she were at a dinner party, without missing a beat.

That personality has clearly stuck. Yelena has since appeared in quite a few Marvel movies and shows, with Feige also saying she has a significant role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. All because Pugh got bored during rehearsals and started doing Russian dialogue over dinner. Sometimes character development apparently happens in the kitchen.

Yelena’s next appearance in a new MCU movie is in Avengers: Doomsday, which lands on the 2026 movie calendar on December 18. As for Florence Pugh’s next big role, it is in the upcoming Netflix series, East of Eden. The new page-to-screen adaptation of the beloved John Steinbeck classic hits the streamer on October 1, 2026.

Rihanna never disappoints in the celebrity fashion department, whether she’s looking fly at A$AP Rocky’s fashion show or dressing down for Valentine’s Day in red lingerie. The latter of those two scenarios seems to be the musician’s current vibe, but many fans think there might be more to her recent post. Could the mom of three be trying to combat recent pregnancy rumors by posing in a bra and panties? Fans are divided on the issue.

The “Love on the Brain” singer shares three children with her partner of six years, A$AP Rocky, and even though the celebrity couple just celebrated daughter Rocki’s 1st birthday this month, the rumor mill has already been turning in regards to baby No. 4. Some think this Instagram post by the Savage X Fenty founder squashes that, while others think she’s just trying to throw us off the scent:

All speculation aside, Rihanna looks amazing in the red bra and panty set, which her followers acknowledged as they laughed about Rihanna potentially using these pics to shut down the rumor mill. Comments included:

• Using this to beat pregnancy rumours is killing me 🤣 – busayoisntreal
• She’s always putting all the rumors to rest... especially the PREGNANCY ones! 💅🏿🔥 – centraldarihanna
• Are u pregnant again poses❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 – jjrenee85
• She has 3 kids already you really think she care to hide another pregnancy 😂girl make sense. – chosen1kay_

Other fans, however, weren’t convinced, pointing out that Rihanna has shared photos like this before to try to throw fans off of previous pregnancies. People also commented that the lingerie pictures could be from a previous shoot, and some think the way she keeps her belly hidden in the photos isn’t an accident. The more skeptical side of the comment pool said:

• She’s literally covering her stomach in every single picture 😂 – iamsharny
• What if these are archived pics – ms.riz_mangwai
• lmao girl she’s hiding that belly look good – soprettynbad__

The speculation isn’t completely unwarranted. Back in January, Rihanna herself seemed to express interest in a fourth baby, when she commented on an Instagram post that read, “Deciding to get hot and sexy or get pregnant in 2026,” by writing:

However, she shut down pregnancy rumors in April when a blogger speculated she was expecting again after seeing an old photo of the singer with a baby bump. The Good Girl Gone Bad artist responded:

Only time will tell if we’ll get another epic pregnancy announcement (like her big Super Bowl Halftime Show reveal) or more pics of the artist blinged out in a birthing suite. Whether baby No. 4 ever comes or not, Rihanna has proven with outfits like her iconic pink bubble dress and even baffling looks like her two piece that resembled a rolled-up towel that she’s going to look good and keep doing her thing.

Mahershala Ali has been in an interesting position as of late, as he’s been promoting a new film while consistently talking about one that apparently won’t see the light of day. The two-time Oscar winner has been fielding questions about Marvel’s now-scrapped Blade movie while doing press for one of his 2026 movie schedule entries, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Ali hasn’t held back his disappointment over the superhero movie not coming together but, if it’s any consolation, his new movie is getting rave reviews.

For this latest film, Ali joined forces with writer/director Bassam Tariq, who was actually the first director attached to Blade several years ago. We may never know what the two would’ve crafted for the Daywalker’s story, but it’s evident that their new thriller film is a must-see. As of this writing, the film holds a 97% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 60 reviews. The movie as a whole is receiving acclaim, and with that comes praise for Ali. THR’s Jourdain Searles had this to say about the leading man’s performance:

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother sees Ali take on the role of Houston-based hitman Latif, who’s deeply devoted to his Muslim faith. Following the death of his wife, Latif is forced to provide for his three children as a single parent all while dealing with dangerous criminal elements and his struggles with his faith. Guy Lodge of Variety is among the critics who have praised the film, and he seems very impressed with Tariq’s ability to freshen up a long-used premise:

Overall, Tariq’s latest film seemed to be a labor of love for both him and Ali, who’s been honest about the “frustrating experience” of navigating Hollywood even as an actor with major awards. While their new movie is being praised, it’s not a complete homerun with every critic. IndieWire’s Katie Rife is mostly positive on the film but is also of the belief that several key elements hold it back from sheer effectiveness:

Pundits are also, unsurprisingly, aware of Blade’s status and the comments Ali has made about it. The Wrap’s Zachary Lee mentions the since-discarded Marvel film in his own review of Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother and agrees it’s a shame the movie won’t come to fruition. However, Lee also makes another point:

In some ways, this movie is an example of using lemons to make lemonade, as Tariq and Ali’s creative bond was cultivated while they worked on their MCU installment. Not only that, but Ali revealed that one of the silver linings of the axed superhero flick was that the sword training he underwent for it proved to be invaluable for this latest film. The LA Times’ Tim Grierson also alluded to that in his positive review of the film:

The notion of Blade no longer being amongst the upcoming Marvel movies is still a tough pill to swallow, especially considering how much promise the film had. Nevertheless, based on these reviews, it sounds like anyone who still wants to see Mahershala Ali play a sword-wielding agent of justice won’t be left wanting, thanks to Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. Check out the film, which is now playing in theaters nationwide.

Just when it looked like the galaxy far, far away was expanding, and we longtime fans were finally ready to spend some serious time outside the Skywalker family tree, Lucasfilm may be heading back to the tried-and-true well. If you’re like me, you may have missed the breaking news, but we are reportedly getting a big new Star Wars trilogy. As exciting as that sounds, many fans are saying the same thing about the upcoming Star Wars films.

A New Star Wars Movie Lands A Director

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spider-Man: Home trilogy filmmaker Jon Watts -- who directed the Spider-Man: Home trilogy -- is set to direct the first movie in a new trilogy written by Simon Kinberg. The movies are reportedly being developed as the next chapters of the Skywalker Saga, which previously concluded with The Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Disney has not officially greenlit the project yet, and Lucasfilm declined to comment.

Watts is no stranger to either Disney franchises or this galaxy. He directed Tom Holland’s first three solo Spider-Man movies, co-created the show Star Wars: Skeleton Crew and directed episodes of it, which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Kinberg also has a history with Lucasfilm. He co-created Star Wars Rebels with Dave Filoni and Carrie Beck and has allegedly been developing this mystery trilogy since 2024. Early reporting around the project was actually contradictory about whether it would continue Episodes I through IX.

The newest reports, however, have once again linked the trilogy to the Skywalker Saga, with Daisy Ridley reportedly being eyed to return as Rey. That would certainly make sense after The Rise of Skywalker ended with her taking the Skywalker name, but I understand why fans immediately started asking the obvious question.

Star Wars Fans Are Making An Observation That Aligns With My Thoughts

Lucasfilm itself still describes The Rise of Skywalker as the “epic conclusion to the Skywalker Saga.” But, apparently, “conclusion” may have been doing some temporary work there following the new trilogy news. The reaction on X was not exactly subtle. Under post about the big news, several fans immediately zeroed in on the decision to potentially revive the Skywalker Saga. Some of the responses included:

• @Maksh3adr00m: “There are no more Skywalkers.”
• @MoonKnight 5657: "This doesn't make no sense I thought they were done with the skywalker saga after episode 9."
• @ResonatJustice: “>Jon Watts directing >Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) writing… Brother…..”
• @Tosoto_: “What Skywalkers? The Palpatines wiped out their entire bloodline.”
• @Browny_red: “they're really making another Skywalker trilogy. that family never gets a day off”
• @AustinPlanet: “There is an entire galaxy worth of stories out there and LucasFilm just can’t leave the Skywalker’s alone. It’s so annoying. Also going from Tony Gilroy to Simon Kinberg sucks.”

That last comment is essentially where my head is at, and clearly a lot of fans feel the same way. To be fair, there are ways to continue this story without digging up another secret member of Anakin Skywalker’s extended family. Rey adopted the name at the end of Episode IX, and a trilogy about what “Skywalker” means after Luke, Leia and Ben Solo could move the saga somewhere new.

Still, Star Wars is an enormous galaxy. We have just started seeing Lucasfilm lean harder into corners that do not revolve around the same family. Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter, led by Ryan Gosling, is set five years after The Rise of Skywalker and has been pitched as a standalone adventure with new characters. It hits the 2027 movie schedule on May 28.

What's worth noting is that not everybody is worried about Watts and Kinberg getting the keys to the Falcon, either. Some fans in the comments expressed their love for the sequel trilogy and hoped the later films would be as beloved and reevaluated as the prequel trilogy has become in recent years.

I can see the argument. I, for one, was hoping for an expansion of the universe instead of revisiting what the past nine mainline films have covered. But I'm willing to keep an open mind. I just hope Lucasfilm has a really good reason for taking the “Skywalker Saga” toys back out of their box because, judging by the first wave of fan reactions, I’m definitely not the only one asking: Why more Skywalker?

Given the breakout popularity of The Traitors, it now seems every buzzy reality star’s long-term goal involves going to Scotland. All season on Big Brother, fans have speculated about Dee and Rick Devens and whether they’ll be hanging out with Alan Cumming next season. I get it. I want to see them in the turret too, but a new fan-led campaign focused on another show is starting to get even louder.

Many fans of reality television including myself want to see Dee and Devens on our screens again, but more specifically, a lot of fans want to see them work together. Enter The Amazing Race. The third member of CBS’ reality trifecta after Survivor and Big Brother has a long history of casting reality stars and did a season entirely composed of Big Brother players. Recently, some fans pointed out that the two would be really fun to watch race around the world together, and since then, it’s been a lot of fans vigorously nodding their heads in agreement.

It turns out CBS is potentially interested too. After numerous fans posted the suggestion on social media, the official Amazing Race account responded with the eyeballs emoji, which is at minimum a sign that production is aware of the fan campaign and at least sees the appeal of casting the two together. And how could they not?

Devens and Dee were both major characters on Survivor 50, which gave the beloved reality competition show its best ratings since Winners At War more than five years ago. This summer, the two have been on Big Brother, which has helped the show attract its best ratings since 2021. During a time in which every long-running show seems to be losing viewers, to see two trend reversals like that is a huge deal. Throw in the fan campaign, and it feels like CBS would be crazy not to at least consider bringing the two back.

The thing that makes this so appealing is the specific relationship dynamic between Dee and Devens. The two obviously get along great and worked together for the entire season until her upsetting elimination with four people left, but it’s not exactly like their rapport was always perfect. The two snipe at each other on a pretty regular basis, and they’re each not afraid to call the other one out when they’re frustrated about something going on. Those interactions would be a ton of fun to watch on Race, as the stress is through the roof. Plus, it’s a blast to watch the two compete in challenges. They both love trying to complete stupid tasks and bring very different strengths and weaknesses to the table.

I would love to see this happen and would absolutely tune in for it. Win or lose, I also think it would be great for Dee and Devens’ personal brands. With an appearance on The Challenge, a Survivor win and this extremely memorable run on Big Brother, Dee has already emerged as the biggest crossover star of Survivor’s so-called New Era. A Race appearance would be a great next step, especially since she may be locked into a CBS-specific contract as part of her BB run.

Devens doesn’t have quite the same pedigree yet, but with a really memorable run on Survivor 50 and this Big Brother season, which is either going to result in third place or a win, he’s emerging as one of the most popular recent reality stars. I know he has family considerations to deal with, but an appearance on Amazing Race could be exactly what he needs to fully get pushed to that top echelon.

Fingers crossed CBS makes this happen, and we get to watch the two have fun again next year.

many may know comedian Jack Whitehall from the BBC series Bad Education and for starring with Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise and more. But did you know he once tried out to play Harry Potter in the film series? Unfortunately, Whitehall didn’t have the best audition, and it proves that being a nepo baby doesn’t always work in a person's favor.

The nepo baby debate is still alive and well, and it involves certain celebrities who have famous parents or other familial connections within the industry. Many have defended their success, attributing it only to hard work and talent compared to their famous parents. However, Jack Whitehall got honest with Capital about his failed Harry Potter audition and how he thought having a famous father in producer Michael Whitehall would have helped him land the part:

Many young actors tried out for The Boy Who Lived, such as Liam Aiken and Nicholas Hoult. Even Tom Felton and Jamie Campbell Bower auditioned to play Harry Potter before joining the film series in other roles. It's definitely understandable as to why so many performers wanted a chance to bring J.K. Rowling’s boy wizard to life on the big screen.

So, for Whitehall, having a big-time producer father would theoretically be a big help for him amid the audition process compared to other up-and-coming actors. As the 'Burbs star hilariously recalled, however, there was an important prep tool that would have benefitted him:

Talk about a cringeworthy solo audition moment! Yeah, I agree that it would have definitely helped if he had been familiar with the source material. A famous dad can do a lot, but he can’t force-feed that kind of knowledge into their kid. I think many would agree that being a nepo baby has its perks but, based on this situation, it can be the worst thing if the job requires you to know what exactly you’re auditioning for.

Ironically, despite what Michael Whitehall thought, the open casting call did work. As Jack Whitehall pointed out, Emma Watson’s Hermione Granger audition worked out that way. The young actress, who had no professional experience, nailed the part after Warner Bros. went to her school and had her audition. Like Jack said, “nepo parenting doesn’t always work.”

As we all know, Daniel Radcliffe ultimately got the role of Harry Potter. His literary agent dad’s friendship with producer David Heyman made for a good connection, and his David Copperfield co-star, Maggie Smith, recommended him for the part as well. But, even without those connections, Radcliffe’s adorable and precious audition was apparently enough to show everyone he was The Chosen One.

Even though it must have been unfortunate for Jack Whitehall to lose out on Harry Potter for not reading the books, he did manage to forge a career for himself as an actor. And I would think that his Wizarding World audition experience taught him that preparation is essential while being a nepo baby isn't always the key.

You can find the entire Harry Potter film series streaming with an HBO Max subscription. You can also see HBO's TV adaptation, which hits the 2026 TV schedule on Christmas Day.

I know it’s hard for anybody to agree upon what their favorite Guillermo del Toro movie is, but I think most people will agree that his most recognizable movie is 2006’s Pan’s Labyrinth, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Why wouldn’t it be? It’s one of the greatest dark fantasy movies ever made. Yes, del Toro would later win Best Picture and Best Director for 2017’s The Shape of Water, but the Pale Man might be his single most recognizable creation, and thus, synonymous with the man’s entire career.

So, with this being the 20th anniversary, here’s why it’s the perfect time (It’s actually ALWAYS the perfect time) to revisit Pan’s Labyrinth!

First, I Love How del Toro Makes A Parable About The Loss Of Innocence With This Fantastical Tale

As a Catholic who has sat through many a Mass, I can tell you that I love a good parable. “The Good Samaritan,” “The Prodigal Son,” and “The Good Shepherd” are all wonderful stories that I’ve learned a great deal from, and Pan’s Labyrinth is another great allegorical tale.

Set a few years after the Spanish Civil War, our protagonist is a ten-year-old girl named Ofelia who’s growing up during harrowing times. She finds herself led into a fantastical world that is full of wonder, but also danger, as it includes child-eating monsters and other hazards. Similar to another gem of a movie, Spirited Away (which is one of the best movies to show kids if you want to introduce them to allegorical storytelling), Pan’s Labyrinth employs fantastical elements to show how scary the transition into adulthood can be.

By adding in the war element, del Toro was working double time, as this is also a story about how a child’s innocence can be robbed from them due to factors completely outside of their control.

The Creature Designs Still Marvel, Even Today

Pan’s Labyrinth still looks amazing even after all these years, and this is mostly because of del Toro’s extensive use of practical effects. This makes the CGI look even more fantastical when you combine it with the amazing costumes and makeup. Characters like the faun, the stick insect, and the aforementioned Pale Man still impress today because they (mostly) don't use any CGI.

Here’s the craziest thing: the movie actually could have looked completely different. When del Toro was getting financing for the film, producers said that he could get way more money if he just made it in English. However, del Toro knew the film had to be in Spanish, so he stuck to his guns, worked with what he had, and we’re all the better for it. Can you imagine if Pan’s Labyrinth was in English? I certainly can't.

I Honestly Feel This Is Truly del Toro's Masterpiece

I know I said earlier that Blade II is my favorite del Toro movie, but this is coming from the guy who also says that Big Trouble in Little China is his favorite movie. However, I think Pan’s Labyrinth will always be del Toro’s masterpiece.

It’s a film that’s authentically him, and it’s one of the greatest foreign language films of all time. It’s also infinitely watchable, dire as it is at times.

So, here’s to twenty great years of Pan’s Labyrinth, and to twenty more. Because I truly do think this film will stand the test of time just like other masterpieces such as Jaws, The Wizard of Oz, and Star Wars. It really is that magical.

We all figured Jalen Brunson’s SNL episode was going to feature cameos from other Knicks players. That’s a common theme with athlete hosts, and given the overwhelming popularity of the Knicks inside the city after their first championship since the 70s, those cameos were always going to make particular sense in this case. Well, I’m happy to report they did happen, and to the surprise of absolutely no one, it’s OG Anunoby that fans are all talking about.

The understated forward is extremely popular in New York, partly for basketball excellence and partly for his almost comically low-key persona. The SNL writers played into that reputation during a brief cameo within Brunson’s monologue, and hilariously, OG himself played into that reputation when he was the only Knicks player not to return to the stage during the closing credits.

The initial appearance included not only Anunoby but also the other three Knicks starters: Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. During his monologue, Brunson took questions from the audience and eventually called on his teammates. They each asked a cute little question and had their own moments before Brunson called them up to join him on stage. In that initial instance, all four followed his lead and played along. You can watch the footage below, which has been widely posted by Knicks fans all over social media…

You can tell how much the crowd loves all four of the guys but also the affinity they have for Anunoby in particular. People just cannot get enough of how calm and slow to excitement he is in almost all instances. His blank star during an interview on Good Morning America went viral earlier in the summer, and you can tell by how quickly he sits down after he gets his lines out during the monologue that he’s not exactly looking for extra attention.

That shyness became extra clear later in the show, however, when all of the Knicks players made another appearance and Anunoby was just gone. It’s standard SNL protocol that any celebrity who makes a cameo during the live show joins the host and the cast during the closing credits. At the end of this episode, however, Brunson was joined by Towns, Bridges and Hart, but Anunoby was nowhere to be found.

No one involved in the show acknowledged his absence, but fans immediately started laughing and speculating on social media about what happened. Did he leave the studio after his lines during the monologue? Did he just not feel like being on camera again? Was he in the bathroom? We have no idea. You can watch the goodbyes below…

Even if you set aside the championship, fans, both randoms and celebrities, have really fallen in love with this team and this group of players. Obviously some of that is because they’re the best group to represent New York City in decades, but some of it is also because they all have such fun and distinct personalities. Hart, Bridges and Brunson all went to college together at Villanova and clearly have a close personal bond. Towns is a larger than life character who had his moment earlier this year during a WWE event where he showed off the best chokeslam this side of the Undertaker. And Anunoby is, well, Anunoby, doing Anunoby things, at his own pace and in his own way. Something about the five guys just works together, and they’re all quite clearly huge fans of each other.

Don’t expect to see any of them next week though. Saturday Night Live will return for its second episode of Season 52, and it’ll feature Dakota Johnson on hosting duties. In her case we may get another cameo, but rather than Knicks players, I’d expect maybe her Verity co-stars, her 50 Shades Of Grey partner Jamie Dornan or some of her famous family members.

I have seen every Descendants movie. I am not the target audience, as I am an adult, but I love a Disney musical original film. Sue me. I was “All in this Together” with everyone else my age. The Descendants films, which are all available with a Disney+ subscription, have been fun, but I didn’t like Descendants: The Rise of Red. It just didn’t have the same charm as the first films.

Therefore, I didn’t plan to continue the franchise or watch Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, which hit theaters this year on the 2026 movie schedule. However, one day, I was bored and needed something easy to consume. I turned on this Disney original movie. It really surprised me.

Warning: Descendants: Wicked Wonderland spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Had A Better Overall Story-Arc Than The Rise Of Red

Maybe it was because Kenny Ortega wasn’t the director, so it couldn’t join the ranking of his best movies, but Descendants: The Rise of Red immediately didn’t have the character and fun of the first three movies. It could have been because of the new characters, but something just didn’t work with this film. I thought the franchise just wasn’t going in a direction that I found as entertaining as the first series of films.

It turns out that screenwriter Tamara Chestna, Dan Frey, and Ru Sommer just needed another film to make it work better. Dan Frey and Ru Sommer wrote the screenplay for The Rise of Red, so it wasn’t the need for completely new screenwriters, just maybe some time to get comfortable with the characters. Maybe Kimmy Gatewood as director was the secret sauce. I honestly can’t say what made this movie such a major improvement, but the story arc, for one, was a lot more entertaining.

Like many great time-travel movies, I loved that we got to see the consequences of altering a timeline in a major way. We also got to see the personal conflict of the new besties mixed with a life-or-death type dilemma. Wicked Wonderland felt more like the original movies that we came to know and love, including the songs and performances.

I Really Liked The New Additions To The Franchise

One of the best things about the Descendants movies is that it can use any character in the Disney world. Therefore, we get to witness some fun combinations of characters. I never thought descendants of characters from Encanto would meet characters from Alice in Wonderland.

Luis Madrigal (Alexandro Byrd) is one of the best additions in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland. He’s a fun character with a really cute, budding romance with Red (Kylie Cantrall). If Encanto gets a sequel, now I need Luis in it, in animated form. The film also uses a time-travel loophole to give Red a little sister, Pink (Liamani Segura). I also liked that the Hatter family got more of a role and character change. The character adjustments and new additions really elevated Wicked Wonderland. It was a much better movie than Descendants: The Rise of Red

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Made Me Excited For The Next Film

I now plan to watch the next Wonderland Descendants movie because this one was such an improvement that now I am curious how much better it can get. Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is one of the rare sequels better than the original, so imagine how great the third movie could be! Some of the songs may even rank among Descendants’ best.

Emmy, Grammy and Oscar-winning singer H.E.R. is the latest of professional musicians to star in their own film, and I love that it’s for DreamWorks. The “Best Part” singer is in one of the latest 2026 movie releases, Forgotten Island, which arrives in theaters this weekend. The family-friendly adventure sees the multi-hyphenate voicing one of the leading roles of Jo, and I love that the filmmakers snuck in a little tribute to her music career.

When CinemaBlend spoke to H.E.R., she confirmed the Easter Egg for us after I thought I saw it early in the film. As she told us:

Forgotten Island follows the friendship of H.E.R.’s Jo and Liza Soberano’s Raissa from elementary school to being seniors in high school. One major part of their relationship is the charm bracelets they continue to add to as they collect memories together. During a montage where the film is showing the audience all the charms from their life thus far, you can see the lime green pick with H.E.R. on it.

So, did H.E.R. have anything to do with that nod to her work? Here’s what she said:

I love it! Plenty of animated movies, including the Spider-Verse films, are known to feature all sorts of personal Easter Eggs, so I love that H.E.R. and her fans get this little homage to the beloved artist. Forgotten Island comes from the filmmakers of the very critically-acclaimed Puss In Boots: The Last Wish Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and, given the care the two put into their work, I'm not surprised that they'd nod at one of their leads in such a way.

This latest animated movie is inspired by spooky Filipino folklore, and Mercado and Crawford were inspired to make it because they both have roots in the culture. Januel is Filipino American, while Joel’s wife is Filipina. In the new film, Jo and Raissa discover the titular Forgotten Island on the night before Raissa is supposed to leave their home of the Philippines for college in America.

Ultimately, Raissa and Jo meet all sorts of creatures that are synonymous with Filipino culture. The cast also includes Dave Franco as a were-aspin (half man, half aspin) named Raww, while Jenny Slate and Manny Jacinto voice demons on the island. Meanwhile, Jo Koy plays a tree giant named Datu, Ronny Chieng plays a Duwende named King Truffle Wuffle and Lea Salonga plays the terrifying manananggal, which is a vampire who can separate her top and bottom half of her body from each other.

Forgotten Island tells a fantastical story, but it's all rooted in tangible themes like loyalty and friendship. It's definitely worth the watch, and you can check it out in theaters. Also, during your screening keep an eye out for that H.E.R. Easter Egg!

When Calls the Heart Season 14 is filming, but it won’t be premiering on the 2026 TV schedule. Hallmark's hit show is set to return in 2027, and there's a lot on the way. Though Nathan and Elizabeth’s upcoming nuptials aren’t the only thing that fans have to look forward to. Because, after Lori Loughlin made her grand return to Hope Valley as Abigail Stanton at the end of the Season 13 finale, she’s set to appear in six episodes for Season 14. I've been thinking about what it must be like for her to be back on set, and someone asked her.

Loughlin starred in the Hallmark hit for the first five seasons, before ultimately leaving during Season 6 following her role in the College Admissions Scandal in 2019. After that, the series occasionally name-dropped Abigail, who left town to care for her sick mother, and it was unknown if Loughlin would ever return to the show.

Fans were pleasantly surprised late last year when the network not only announced Season 14 of When Calls the Heart but also that Loughlin would indeed be coming back. The Full House star told Parade that rejoining her WCTH colleagues made for “the happiest reunion,” and I absolutely love these thoughts:

It tracks that Loughlin has remained close to much of her When Calls the Heart family and was happy to be back. When Loughlin's return was announced, Erin Krakow expressed excitement over reuniting with her, and I can only imagine what that on-set reunion was like. It seems like it wasn't all that difficult for Loughlin to slide back into her role either, and she revealed the moments she truly felt like she was back in the saddle:

As of now, not too much has been shared about what exactly will bring Abigail back to Hope Valley. Her brief cameo at the end of the Season 13 finale was a tease more than anything, but a recent promo for the new season saw Abigail telling Elizabeth that she couldn’t miss the wedding. So that event may be the main reason why she’s back, though I wouldn't be surprised if the show were to throw a few surprises our way. Loughlin also teased what would be in store for the season as a whole, and I like what I'm hearing:

I couldn't be more excited for Lori Loughlin’s return, especially since it sounds like the producers are packing as much as they can into her six episodes. There's so much I'm hoping to see as far as Abigail is involved. For instance, I wonder where she'll stand with Martin Cummins’ Henry, given he and Abigail had a somewhat complicated relationship and he never truly let her go. As excited as I am, though, what makes this even sweeter is that Loughlin is relishing the experience.

Fans will have to wait to find out what's going on with Abigail when When Calls the Heart Season 14 premieres in January 2027 on Hallmark Channel.

It’s been a month since Dolly Parton died at the age of 80, and all the tributes and anecdotes in remembrance of the Queen of Country are still very much rolling in. From Sandra Bullock recalling her favorite memory of the legend to Miley Cyrus talking about what people get wrong about the “9 to 5” singer, she’s clearly already missed. The latest celebrity to speak highly of Parton is Sylvester Stallone, who worked with her in the 1984 rom-com Rhinestone, and he dropped a major compliment about their collaboration.

Sylvester Stallone Remembers Dolly Parton

In the 1980s, when Stallone was in the middle of his continued Rocky fame, he starred alongside Parton in Rhinestone. The U.S. declared September 25 (92/25)to be Dolly Parton Day and, to mark the occasion, 80-year-old Stallone remembered his time working on the movie with these words:

Sylvester wrote about Rhinestone on Instagram and also shared a few clips from the movie. The film follows Jake Farris (Parton) a country singer who’s stuck in a contract performing for a NYC nightclub called “The Rhinestone.” In an attempt to get out of it, she makes a bet with the club’s manager that she can make anyone into a country star, and her manager picks cab driver Nick Martinelli (Stallone). The film flopped at the box office, but it's since become beloved in some circles.

Needless to say, Sylvester gave Rhinestone incredibly high praise, calling it his “favorite film” that he’s done next to Rocky. I also love that his reasoning is that he and Parton "just had a ball" making it. And yet, as he pointed out, it’s not currently available to stream anywhere.

Why Rhinestone Isn't Streaming Anywhere?

20th Century Fox distributed Rhinestone, so The Walt Disney Company should have the rights to the movie but, no, you can’t watch it with a Disney+ subscription. This may or may not be because despite Sylvester’s high opinion of the movie, it was panned by critics and audiences and has a 19 percent Tomatometer and 35 percent Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie was reportedly made for $28 million and only brought in about $21.4 million worldwide. Deep-cut movies like this one often get lost in the shuffle, and their studios are less likely to spend resources on releasing it digitally or keeping physical formats in stock. Many people in the comments section of Stallone's post boast having a DVD copy, which you can still at least do on Amazon.

Following the death of Dolly Parton, more fans are interested than ever to watch and rewatch her work. So it's especially notable that Sylvester Stallone would point out that one of her films is hard to access. I hope The Walt Disney Company decides to bring Rhinestone to streaming. I’ve never seen it myself. While it might not be considered one of the best romantic comedies of all time, it looks like a ton of fun, and I'm so glad Parton and Stallone had a great time making it.

Dakota Johnson continues to make headlines due to her work as an actor and, as of late, she’s been promoting her 2026 movie release, Verity. Simultaneously, though, Johnson has also been at the center of rumors regarding her love life. Most recently, it’s been alleged that she’s been seeing rapper MGK for months. The Fifty Shades alum has neither confirmed nor denied any sort of relationship with the musical artist. What Johnson is doing now, however, is sharing her honest take on speculation about her romantic relationships.

Over the years, Johnson has been romantically linked to a few notable celebrities and has generated much buzz as a result. The Daddio star, however, has historically kept many of the details of her private life close to the vest. Johnson recently appeared on Vogue’s The Run-Through (which was shared to YouTube), where she was asked about the coverage that her outings with gentlemen receive. Johnson admitted to being unable to go out to dinner with men in general without it being reported on:

Based on her comments, Johnson is more than cognizant of the fact that her love life attracts a lot of attention but, at the same time, she doesn’t seem to dwell on it. (She’s also ignored backlash received for some of the outfits she’s worn.) So does the Peanut Butter Falcon star ever feel the need to address the chatter when she hears it? Well, she answered that question during her recent interview as well:

While Dakota Johnson – who’s also the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith – might not speak about her personal life that much, she doesn’t mince words on certain topics. For example, it’s hard to forget the time she was asked about a non-negotiable for a prospective romantic partner, she dropped a short, NSFW response on The Today Show. As the Madame Web star holds onto her point of view on the coverage of her love life, reports continue to swirl around her.

Johnson and MGK – whose real name is Colson Baker – were seen in New York earlier this month, at which point they were near Taylor Swift’s apartment. It’s been alleged that the two met at Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden this past July. Romance speculation arose again just this past week when Johnson was present as Baker walked the runway in Milan Fashion Week's Vogue World 2026 show. Johnson was previously in a long-term relationship with former fiancé Chris Martin from 2017 to 2025. And, by early 2026, it was alleged that Johnson had a new man in singer Role Model.

By the sound of it, those hoping for Dakota Johnson to spill some beans on any romance that may or may not be in her life probably shouldn’t hold their breath. Instead, though, she does seem keen on discussing her work. On that note, check out Verity when it opens in theaters on October 2.

Like many of Buddy’s critics, I immediately thought of Barney while watching the horror film. That automatically made me appreciate the film’s premise and fear it. My childhood enjoyment of similar shows to Buddy was now going to get a major horror twist. Nostalgia can be scary.

Buddy was a horror movie more than worthy of your attention. It’s one of the most unsettling horror movies that I have seen in a while. It could potentially be the best one on the 2026 movie schedule, or at least in the top 10 of the year.

The film made me uncomfortable from start to finish, and I think that’s what makes it’s such a fun horror film.

Warning: Buddy spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Buddy Having Child Victims Automatically Made Me Uncomfortable

I love horror films. I have seen so many of them, and some have really disturbing content. However, nothing makes me more uncomfortable than seeing a child protagonist in horror films. It’s fiction, but seeing children murdered is something that terrifies me and instantly makes me worried about what’s going to transpire. When we meet Grace (Cristin Milioti), I expect her to become the new protagonist. This made me sigh in relief.

She doesn’t last long in this world. It’s back to focusing on the children. Most of the children die, but Buddy manages to not fully traumatize me about that fact. It still makes me uncomfortable, but in a digestible way.

I Couldn't Predict What Would Happen Next, So I Was Prepared For Buddy To Win

Buddy is one of those films that get more and more unhinged as it continues. That makes predicting what happens next nearly impossible. I didn’t know if Buddy would win or Freddy (Delaney Quinn) would survive. Thankfully, Freddy survived, but it was a stressful ride.

It became even more stressful when everyone but her started to die. Some of the best horror movie franchises leave you in a constant state of worry. Buddy succeeds in this accomplishment.

The film ends leaving you with many questions, so I wouldn’t mind a sequel. Therefore, it could actually join the horror movie franchises category and keep me guessing about what horror to expect next.

Buddy Was Both Nostalgic And Twisted, And I Couldn't Stop Thinking About That

Even after Buddy ends, I didn’t feel a sense of peace. Freddy has now lost her mother and is subjected to so much trauma. We also don’t know exactly how everything with Buddy works. He could return one day to terrorize her and other defenseless children. Therefore, the idea of the movie remained in my head long after the credits.

Additionally, Buddy does such a good job of being similar to classic children's shows of my childhood that it made me think about how weird everything was about them. Why were we just accepting a purple dinosaur as normal? Or puppets doing so much? What about the weird characters of Sesame Street? We didn’t ask enough questions, and Buddy makes me realize this.

Buddy is one of those horror films that I think will age even better with rewatches and years. It’s a fascinating hit of nostalgia that’s also scary.

If you’re a fan of Saturday Night Live, chances are you’ve heard one of the cast members share horror stories about trying to get on the show. But, I had no idea it was this intense. Chris Rock just brought up one “test” used on him while he was trying to get on the show, and it sounds rough.

Rock was in the cast of Saturday Night Live for three seasons from 1990 to 1993 alongside the likes of Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Rob Schneider and David Spade. Like his co-stars, he had to be battle-tested even before being hired for the gig, and there was one particular hurdle that was meant to test those who specifically couldn't manage long hours. Here’s what Rock recalled:

Imagine having to wait for a highly-anticipated job interview like SNL, and then being iced out in the lobby for hours on purpose to make sure you can do the job. That sounds wild, but that's what Rock, who last hosted the show back in 2024, recalled while talking to Entertainment Weekly. As he added:

I can't help but ponder the identities of those hopefuls who chose to leave. Personally, I can imagine that if a person doesn't know they're being tested, they're likely just stressed out and anxiety-ridden while waiting for the big meeting. Of course, SNL is famously a very high-stress job, so I guess the patience test is a big part of the audition, too.

Chris Rock isn’t the only Saturday Night Live cast member to have reported back on this “ritual.” Former cast members also recalled similar stories while talking to GQ before. Alex Moffat, who had a handful of famous Weekend Update appearances among other sketches during his time at SNL, said he had to wait for “four hours in some random dressing room” prior to his audition. He thinks it’s done “to separate the wheat from the chaff.”

Tim Meadows, who was on SNL a whopping ten years, said when he was waiting for his first meeting with series creator Lorne Michaels, he was waiting “like, 10 hours” before talking to the executive for just a “few minutes”. During his meeting, Michaels also brought in some of the cast to talk about an upcoming show while he was sitting there in his office. Clearly, they were all ready for the job, given they sat through the test and made it through!

What I'm wondering now, though, is whether this test will remain intact now that Chris Rock and others have spilled the beans about it. Still, even if it doesn't, I could easily see Michaels and co. coming up with another sharp way to test prospective cast members.

Saturday Night Live is set to return to the 2026 TV schedule for its 52nd season tonight, September 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC, and the episode will also be streamable with a Peacock subscription. New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson is hosting, and Katseye will serve as the musical guest. And there are plenty of other great upcoming SNL hosts this season that viewers certainly won't want to miss.

Throughout NCIS’ 23-season run, the CBS procedural has seen a lot of cast exits. Such changes are natural for a show that has been on the air for so long, but it never gets any easier to say goodbye, especially when someone has been on the show since the very beginning. Mark Harmon departed NCIS early in Season 19 in 2021, and Gibbs’ final episode was pretty emotional, given he finally found peace in Alaska. Unsurprisingly, filming the episode was incredibly emotional -- until Harmon hilariously broke the ice.

By the time he left the show, Harmon was one of the only original NCIS cast members who'd been on the show since the very beginning. And I’m talking about the very beginning, with that two-part backdoor pilot on JAG. So it's understandable that his final episode would be emotional for the crew. Former NCIS writer/EP and NCIS: Origins co-creator David J. North appeared on the Partners & Probies podcast and spoke about filming Season 19, Episode 4, “Great Wide Open.” As part of that, he revealed how Harmon made sure the set was a bit lighter during the sad occasion:

I love when actors are able to still have fun while filming an emotional scene. Given that Harmon was filming a very heartfelt moment between Gibbs and McGee in which the former talked about his late wife and daughter, you’d think that even he would be in his feelings. But it’s great that he was still able to make light of everything, given the circumstances, and turn the crew's sobs into laughs. Of course, not everything was funny behind the scenes at the time.

When Harmon exited NCIS, producers felt it would be the death knell for the series, and creative decisions had to be made quickly. Cast member Gary Cole was baffled by Harmon’s exit, having previously revealed that there was no “definite plan” when Harmon left, and he felt that the entire thing was rushed. Still, it was fitting that Gibbs retired to Alaska and was able to find happiness after everything he'd been through.

Luckily, even with Harmon gone, though, NCIS is still going strong. The series is about to enter its 24^th season next month, which is wild to think about. Additionally, Harmon is going to be appearing as Gibbs in all 10 episodes of NCIS: Origins’ upcoming third season. He serves as executive producer and narrator and has appeared on-screen in a few episodes already. Yet, with him appearing in all episodes of the new season, we're seeing his most substantial role in the franchise in years.

Of course, it's unknown if Mark Harmon will ever return to the Mothership and, at present, his exit remains one of the more emotional points in the franchise's history. Fans can rewatch his final installment and all of his episodes with a Paramount+ subscription. New seasons of NCIS and NCIS: Origins premiere on Tuesday, October 6, on CBS.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie may have finally settled their divorce a couple years back, but there’s still some alleged drama within the Pitt-Jolie family. This year, three of their kids have made legal moves to drop “Pitt” from their last names following daughter Shiloh doing so first back in 2024. Now, there are new claims running around about how Pitt’s jewelry designer girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, is allegedly helping him out amidst the estrangement.

As of late, Pitt has been promoting Heart of the Beast, one of the latest of 2026 movie releases to hit theaters this weekend. In addition to de Ramon supporting the actor at the premiere this week, she’s also apparently been helping him deal with the changes going on with his family. As one insider claims:

Back in 2024, when Pitt and Jolie’s third child Shiloh turned 18, she legally requested to drop “Pitt” from her name. And then, in April of this year, Zahara made the same decision followed by Maddox in May and Vivienne in August.

Per previous reports, Pitt “understands” why his children “feel the way they do” and knows he’s made “mistakes” as a father. Another source, however, also alleged that Pitt was confident he’d reconnect with his kids as he continues on his sobriety journey. Ramon is apparently a good presence in Pitt’s life. As In Touch's source also suggested:

If these latest claims are to be believed, Pitt’s 33-year-old girlfriend has “an incredibly stable temperament” and is “a great balance” for the 62-year-old Oscar winner, who can reportedly be more “emotional at times”. Pitt is allegedly less likely to go back to his old habits with alcohol because de Ramon “doesn’t approve of it when he gets messy”.

De Ramon and Pitt have reportedly been dating since late 2022 and, as the insider said, Ramon has seen Pitt under the influence before and it “did not go over well with her”. Also, de Ramon has purportedly gotten Pitt into spiritual retreats and meditation since they’ve been together. It's even been alleged that de Ramon was also a contributing factor to Pitt finally settling his divorce with Jolie after nearly a decade of back and forth drama between them. So, all in all, these various reports appear to align in their claims that de Ramon allegedly remains a positive force for Pitt.

As far as Pitt’s work goes, Heart of the Beast sees him playing a retired Army Special Forces veteran, who must survive the freezing Alaskan wilderness after surviving a plane crash alongside his German Shepherd. You can check it out in theaters now.

Is 1998's Blade the best Marvel movie that’s not a part of the MCU?

Maybe, but we do live in a world where Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: First Class exist. That said, the first Blade still holds up remarkably well.

However, there’s one aspect of Blade that I think puts it head and shoulders above Spider-Man 2 and X-Men: First Class, and that's its opening scene, because boy howdy, aside from Terminator 2: Judgment Day's opening scene, I think Blade's might be the greatest in cinematic history. Here's why.

First Off, What Could Be Cooler Than A Blood Rave?

I’m not into going to raves, but I’ve always liked the idea of them. Abrasively loud music, people grinding against each other, possible drug use. I mean, if there’s anything that young people like to do, it's go to the club/raves. Or, at least they did in the '90s

So, what better way to start off a movie than having a hapless guy being brought to a VAMPIRE rave? Kenny Johnson is taken to a meat packing facility by a woman played by Traci Lords. He’s a bit confused, but he’s vibing with it…that is, of course, until sprinklers go off, covering everybody in blood.

Uh oh. He didn’t realize that he was just brought there to be a midnight snack for vampires. With the throbbing music and the flashing lights, the scene is just as chaotic as I always felt raves were when I had the misfortune of being brought to one. I mean, this scene alone is why Blade is up there for me as one of the best vampire movies ever. It’s so cool!

Plus, Blade's Introduction As A Badass Is Made Clear in Mere Seconds

There’s a great scene in Deadpool & Wolverine where Wesley Snipes says, “There’s only been one Blade. There’s only ever gonna be one Blade.” And, while I would have loved to have seen Mahershala Ali play the Daywalker, I am kind of happy that there really is only one Blade, and will probably only ever be one Blade (That said, are we all just going to keep pretending that Sticky Fingaz from Onyx didn’t play Blade in the TV series?).

The reason why I can only mentally envision Wesley Snipes as Blade is because he makes one hell of an entrance in this movie. It’s so amazing that I’m kind of glad that Mahershala Ali didn’t have to follow it up with his own entrance. In the first film, the blood rave pretty much comes to a screeching halt once the vampires realize that Blade has entered the party. We get a slow pan up of Snipes, and all of the vampires just back away slowly.

That was smart. What’s dumb is that some of the vampires actually attack Blade, and he dispatches them with a shotgun, what looks like an Uzi, his blade, and a glaive. Honestly, I don’t think there’s ever been an introduction that’s made its protagonist look so freaking deadly.

Overall, There Has Never Been An Intro That Has Captivated Audiences Faster Than The First Blade Movie

A lot of people like to bring up the prologue to The Dark Knight as one of the best openers ever, and it is great, but I don’t think it’s better than Blade’s.

Because while The Dark Knight does an excellent job of introducing us to The Joker, I think the blood rave does an even better job of introducing us to the protagonist, the world, the overall tone, and also the HARD R--rating.

Because while the Dolph Lundgren Punisher movie is technically the first R-rated Marvel movie, Blade is the one that EVERYBODY remembers, and this blood rave moment is a big reason why. That’s the power of this intro!

Emmy Rossum has had many roles throughout her career, but she's arguably still most famous for playing Fiona Gallagher during her stint with the cast of Shameless. The maternal oldest sibling of the Gallagher clan, Fiona certainly has her share of unapologetic moments on the show, and they make the character a true pop culture icon in my book. Rossum also performed nude scenes and did so without shame. However, the actress recently shared one negative side effect those explicit scenes had on her life.

While Shameless may not compare to some of the most sexually explicit movies and shows on Netflix, the Showtime original still has plenty of adult content. Emmy Rossum was only in her early 20s when the show debuted in 2011 and, as she explained during her interview on Pretty Tough with Maria Sharapova, she was still trying to figure herself out in some respects. Unfortunately, her work on the hit show complicated that in one way:

I can certainly see where the fan-favorite actress is coming from, and I do feel for her. Based on her comments, the men she was seeing couldn't separate her from Fiona, especially when it came to the fictional character's sexual nature. I think it's fair to say that actors are not their characters, and that's definitely the case here.

Apparently, not only did men link Emmy Rossum with Fiona’s sexual image, but the Phantom of the Opera actress said that it also brought up some concerns from her prospective partners. Rossum recalled one specific chat she had with someone she dated years ago:

Talk about an awkward conversation. It's unfortunate hearing about Rossum's challenges as far as the dating scene goes, and said issues were on top of the professional hurdles she had to overcome. For instance, there was even an excruciating time when Rossum was asked to wear a bikini for a movie audition to see if she was the right body type. During her recent interview, the Golden Globe nominee continued to talk about difficulties with fans blurring the lines between art and reality:

Taking on nude scenes is a very brave choice to make as an artist, there are stars who've had their own share of challenges that come from doing such scenes. For example, Outlander’s Caitriona Balfe struggled with nude scenes due to being self-conscious about how audiences would view her body.

Sydney Sweeney spoke about being disgusted by how the internet treated her Euphoria nude scenes, as users would actually tag her family members in such posts on social media. While stars can’t control judgment when they do nude scenes, they ideally shouldn’t have to live in fear of how these explicit scenes could impact their private life.

When it comes to Emmy Rossum, she's now reached a new period in her life, though. Since leaving Shameless after its ninth season in 2019, she's taken on different roles. Her personal life has also flourished, as she married writer/director/producer Sam Esmail in 2017 and has since welcomed two children with him. Although Rossum's early dating days are behind her now, it's still admirable of her to speak so candidly about the pitfalls she experienced.

You can watch Emmy Rossum give her unflinching performance in Shameless, as all 11 seasons can be streamed with a Netflix subscription. You can also watch Rossum’s latest show, Furious, by using a Hulu subscription.

Avengers: Endgame has been re-released in theaters seven years after its initial record-breaking run at the box office. Now called Avengers: Endgame Encore, the film includes new scenes that set the stage for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. The re-release is also reigniting nostalgia in fans as well as the people who were involved in making the film. With that, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are opening up about one sweet fact about filming Iron Man's death scene with Robert Downey Jr., and I had no idea about this!

The Russos recently spoke to Marvel.com about what it feels like to have Avengers: Endgame back in theaters. Additionally, the two siblings also spoke about the experience of making the iconic superhero film years ago. During the chat, the duo recalled one of the most emotionally impactful moments in the shoot: when they ultimately had to film the moment Tony Stark died. Apparently, the scene wasn’t in the original shooting schedule and, as Anthony Russo explained, that led to a special turn of events:

What an unbelievably special moment! I'm honestly surprised this is the first time I'm hearing this behind-the-scenes tidbit but, regardless, it's a great piece of trivia. The idea of Downey saying goodbye to Stark in the same place he went out for the role is nothing short of poetic. Obviously, I can't speak for Downey, but I wouldn't be surprised if that moment meant a lot to him as well.

Downey's portrayal of Stark has been revered, and the gig marked a major career resurgence for him. And, after five years after he finished shooting Endgame, Downey celebrated his first Oscar win. Talk about having a memorable journey as an actor.

As for that final scene, I also wonder if that was intentionally left out of the initial shoot. On the one hand, it could've been a timing situation but, on the other, the directors may have wanted to shoot that more discreetly given how major it was. After all, there's always so much secrecy when it comes to the production of Marvel movies, which is done to ensure that nothing leaks.

Regardless of what the shooting schedule was, I'd think that the Russos, Downey and their collaborators definitely wouldn't have wanted Stark's demise to be spoiled ahead of time. The death scene certainly hits hard without knowing anything beforehand.

Even though Tony Stark’s journey may have ended, Downey's time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't. The actor shocked fans when it was revealed in 2024 that he'd play the villainous Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Although it was a surprising move, it also made sense. Downey is so tightly woven into the fabric of the MCU, to say the least. Not only that, but having him play a totally different role allows him and the Russos to respect the finality of Stark’s death while charting new territory. I personally can't wait to see it.

I was already in my feelings over Tony Stark's death scene but, now that I know about it being filmed in the same place Robert Downey Jr. auditioned, the moment hits harder. I'd love to hear Downey's take on the experience at some point.

But, in the meantime, check out Avengers: Endgame Encore, which is playing in theaters until October 1. And, of course, see Downey's return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, which is set to hit the big screen on December 18 amid the 2026 movie schedule. Fans can also catch up on MCU films by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.

It’s hard to believe it’s already been over three years since the release of DC’s Blue Beetle. Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, the movie serves as a classic origin story for young Jaime Reyes, who comes into contact with the extraterrestrial scarab. The film was originally set in the DCEU, but its hero, played by Xolo Maridueña, will return in the upcoming DCU film Man of Tomorrow. Ahead of that, though, I rewatched the movie for the first time in years, and one particular aspect of Jaime’s story hit harder this time around.

One Non-Superhero-Related Part Of Jaime’s Journey Really Resonated With Me

Back in 2023, I saw Blue Beetle in theaters during its opening weekend and, overall, I had a great time with it. I honestly hadn’t seen the film in its entirety since that screening, though and, amid Hispanic Heritage Month, I gave it another watch. Much of what works about the film still works, and not much has changed about the elements that don’t come together smoothly either. Something I really enjoyed about the film from the jump was its emphasis on family, and I particularly love the bond between Jaime and his father.

Alberto Reyes is introduced as a hardworking man who does what he can to keep his Palmera City-based family together. The Reyes’ patriarch has unique bonds with each of his family members, but he and son Jaimie are particularly close. Alberto is essentially a hero to his son, while Jaimie – a first-generation college graduate – is his father’s pride and joy. Upon rewatching the film, I was really taken by the sweet scenes they share, which are warmly acted by Maridueña and Damián Alcázar.

It’s those tender moments that make it all the more meaningful when Alberto – who had a heart attack prior to his son returning home from college – sadly dies due to cardiac arrest after the Reyes’ home is attacked. However, Alberto later returns to Jaime in the form of a vision from the afterlife and encourages his son to accept his Destiny as Blue Beetle. Even amid the copious amounts of CGI, I still found it to be an affecting scene and, as someone with a warm relationship with their own dad, I could connect with it.

A Relationship Like Jaime And Alberto’s Is Novel In This Case

Even today, Latino representation in major blockbuster movies is a rarity, and it’s especially a novelty in mainstream superhero movies. I couldn’t help but consider that rarity while rewatching Blue Beetle, and it’s another reason why I appreciate that Soto was able to tell this story. It’s my hope that this won’t mark the final time that audiences are able to see such a healthy, Latino father-son relationship in a high-profile movie. It, unfortunately, doesn’t look like that’ll happen in a Beetle sequel, though I’m glad Jaime’s story will continue.

News of Reyes’ return in James Gunn’s Superman follow-up broke earlier this summer and completed the promise Gunn – also the co-head of DC Studios – that Reyes would be integrated into the DCU. Xolo Maridueña spoke about getting the call from Gunn, and it sounds like the Cobra Kai alum is eager to continue Jaime’s story. A Blue Beetle animated series has also apparently been in development for some time and, while it was rumored to have been shelved, Gunn said in August 2026 that it was still in the works.

If the show happens, I’d love to see it pay homage to Alberto and his bond with Jaime, whether through flashbacks or dream sequences. And, in the event that it doesn’t happen, I’ll remain content with what we see of the parent-child relationship in the film.

Check out Blue Beetle for yourself by streaming it with an HBO Max subscription, and see Jaimie’s return in Man of Tomorrow, which hits theaters on July 9, 2027.

The 2026 TV schedule will soon be graced with 9-1-1's 10th season, which also mark the show's second full year without Peter Krause’s Captain Bobby Nash. The beloved character was killed off towards the end of Season 8, but fans have held on to hope that Bobby isn’t actually dead. While Krause has moved on to a different first responder series with NBC’s new show Line of Fire, he’s weighing in on the notion of Nash still being alive, and he made a good point.

Ever since Bobby’s tragic fate, fans have been theorizing that it’s all just a hoax, especially since his body was never actually seen after he succumbed to a mutant virus. The theory is that the character's body is possibly in a government lab somewhere, and that hope from viewers hasn’t faltered. Krause gave his own thoughts on the situation after he was asked by The Hollywood Reporter if Bobby could still be alive:

I have to admit, at first, I was one of the many fans hoping that Bobby’s death was fake. For me, it’s still somewhat hard to watch 9-1-1 without him and with someone else as captain of the 118. But, when Krause landed Line of Fire, my hope started to dwindle. Now, the fact that Krause isn't totally shutting down the idea -- even if he likely doesn't know anything -- is making me a bit more optimistic. If anything, it'd be lovely to see Krause reprise his role, especially since he's still close with the 9-1-1 cast.

Throughout these first nine seasons, 9-1-1 has definitely featured some ridiculous storylines, such as a bee-nado and an emergency involving zoo animals getting loose on Hollywood Boulevard. So would Bobby coming back from the dead be too out there? Well, Krause astutely points out that he nature of the show could allow for such a development. While discussed the fan theories, he said:

I definitely don't disagree with the notion of a resurrection being possible, especially considering how wild 9-1-1 can get. Still, as much as I am with fans who are asking for Bobby's return, the production logistics might be challenging at this point. Because of Line of Fire (which sparked some questions with its premiere), Krause is going to be plenty busy. The series marks his first acting job since leaving 9-1-1 and, while it’s hard to see him in a role that isn’t Bobby Nash, I do enjoy seeing him on my TV screen on a weekly basis again. So I’ll take what I can get.

Also, 9-1-1 is still as entertaining as ever post-Bobby, and this upcoming season is also shaping up to be quite eventful. Season 10 kicks off with a volcano in Los Angeles, and that's a wild way to follow up Season 9's space journey. So, needless to say, while Bobby's return is far from assured, I'll continue to consider Krause's point about the show's heightened style making such a return feasible.

Don’t miss the Season 10 premiere of 9-1-1 on Thursday, October 15 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, and it'll stream the next day with a Hulu subscription.

Robert Pattinson has been getting a lot of big gigs in recent years, like The Batman, Mickey 17, The Odyssey and more, show off his strong acting chops. While he's come a long way, the British actor can forget his days as the sparkly, brooding vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight movies. And, apparently, neither can the fans after over a decade, which Pattinson admits he still finds shocking.

While Pattinson's first shot at a big franchise came when he played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, his role as Edward really put him on the map. As a result, he now holds a special place in fans' hearts. While promoting his 2026 movie release, Primetime, with Brut, Pattinson got real about how the popularity of the Stephenie Meyer film franchise still takes him by surprise:

It would definitely be an understatement to describe the Twilight films as popular. Together, all five films smashed the box office, earning over $3.3 billion worldwide. Not only that, but the series cemented the careers of Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Anna Kendrick and more. Whether you were “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob,” or became part of the flood of parents who decided to name their daughters after Bella, the hype is still alive and well after 18 years.

Honestly, I can understand why Pattinson would still be so taken aback about the staying power of the teen drama franchise. All of this is very ironic as well, considering that initially, Pattinson thought he wouldn’t meet book fans’ expectations for the role of Edward. Yet, with the films' increasing popularity, he ended up being a swoon-worthy heartthrob to audiences.

That fame also came at a bit of a cost for the Tenet actor, though. He previously said that during his early Twilight years, he was losing his identity when fans made him feel like he was Edward in real life. Even while filming Remember Me in New York years ago, Pattinson spoke about 40 people taking his picture while he was filming on location. Ultimately, he said the downside of fame was that his opportunities for normal interactions were gone.

But, today, Pattinson is humorously of the thinking that he’d be too “boring and old” for fans to stalk him now. After he noticed a surge of his male fanbase attending the Mickey 17 premiere, I think it’s safe to say he’ll never be shy of fans in any way, though. But, at least this time, they won’t only be Twihards asking for his autograph.

Robert Pattinson may still find his Twilight fame “mind-blowing” after all of these years, but I think that's simply a testament to his pitch-perfect work in the films. Of course, he's since proven he’s more than just Edward Cullen, but he can thank the vampire film series for launching his career in the first place.

Feel free to stream the Twilight franchise with a Peacock subscription. You can also make sure to catch Pattinson’s performance in Primetime, which is in theaters now.

The Last of Us has been on hiatus for a while now, and fans have been waiting for the show to return (and resolve that massive cliffhanger set up in Season 2’s finale). As it stands, the show is knee-deep in production and, in recent months, we’ve been treated to some teases regarding what’s to come. Well, another announcement has now been shared, as it’s been revealed that John Goodman has been added to the Season 3 cast! And what’s more is that he’s being joined by two great actors with ties to the game series.

John Goodman is officially joining The Last of Us in the role of Joey, a friendly man who considers himself to be one of the “Heroes of the Highway.” And the second member of that duo is a character named Paco, who’s being played by franchise alum Ian Alexander. Fans are likely aware that Alexander originally portrayed Lev in the video game TLoU: Part II. (Kyriana Kratter is set to play Lev in Season 3 of the show). While not much is known about these characters, I’m eager to see how they play into the narrative.

Additionally, it’s been revealed that Laura Bailey – who played Abby Anderson in Part II – is joining TLoU Season 3 as well. Bailey is set to play Elizabeth, who’s one of the leaders of the Seraphites – the brutal religious sect introduced in Season 2. Bailey brought a serious amount of intensity to the role of Abby, and I can absolutely see her bringing that to a Seraphite leader. Obviously, it’s too early to tell exactly how Bailey will play the character, but I’m hoping she adds a firm amount of tension to the proceedings.

When it comes to Goodman, the notion of him joining this fictional universe in some way just makes too much sense. First and foremost, the Emmy winner is one of our great performers, and he brings a substantial amount of gravitas to just about any role he plays. Goodman – who appears alongside Tom Cruise in the upcoming film Digger – has also starred in movies and shows that have thriller and horror elements. 10 Cloverfield Lane is a prime example, and Goodman’s also jumping back into horror with the upcoming film Skeletons. To put it simply, his TLoU casting feels like a match made in a clicker-filled heaven.

On the whole, Alexander’s and Bailey’s castings are particularly satisfying due to their ties to the video game series. Something I’ve really enjoyed about The Last of Us is how showrunner Craig Mazin and the producers have utilized actors from the games by casting them in new roles for the show. For instance, OG Joel Miller actor Troy Baker plays David in Season 1, while veteran Ellie performer Ashley Johnson plays her character’s mother in the first season of the show. Jeffrey Wright even returned to play Isaac in the show.

These casting additions are certainly sweet but, at present, I’m also eager for more details on how Mazin and co. are approaching what may or may not be the show’s final season. Based on the end of Season 2, (at least a portion of) Season 3 is set to shift the focus to Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby and follow the Washington Liberation Front member in the lead-up to her encounter with Ellie and Joel. Earlier this year, Mazin teased the third season, calling it “powerful,” and Dever also said fans would enjoy it.

I’m hopeful that I’ll be among those to appreciate the new installments but, at the very least, the castings of John Goodman, Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey give me more reason to be excited. Here’s hoping all three actors get their time to shine in this latest chapter of the post-apocalyptic show.

The Last of Us Season 3 is reportedly set to premiere sometime in 2027. In the meantime, stream the show’s first two seasons using an HBO Max subscription.

No one can keep Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson Jr. from S.W.A.T. down. After eight seasons on CBS that centered on the sergeant as he led the L.A.P.D.’s Special Weapons and Tactics team and a cancellation roller coaster, when they finally pulled the plug, the action series made its way to Starz. Evolving into the sequel spinoff S.W.A.T. Exiles, on the 2026 TV schedule and set two years after its predecessor, Hondo has not only been handed a team that has everything to prove. He also realizes that he’s been set up to fail by those who are rooting for him to do so.

All of that makes for an exciting premise to see how Hondo leads these recruits who are aware of his reputation and seem as unsure of him as he is of them. That’s something that I’ll definitely be tuning into to see how it all plays out. But unlike the CBS version that typically had at least 20 episodes per season, the new Starz incarnation cuts that in half with 10 episodes. While I wish we could get longer seasons more in line with the mothership, show star Shemar Moore thinks the tighter episode count is a good thing. Here’s what he told ScreenRant:

The season premiere of S.W.A.T. Exiles kicks off with the 56-year-old actor shirtless, and while the former Criminal Minds star is clearly in shape, he admits that it’s not as easy to maintain as it was 15 or 20 years ago. A network TV schedule of at least 20 episodes is definitely a grind, with long hours on set balanced with a training regimen off set. So doing half the episodes would make that easier, especially if you want to spend time with your family or do anything between seasons.

To pull off Hondo realistically, Shemar Moore not only has to physically look the part, but he also has to have the swagger and badass vibe that the character represents. When one episode takes eight days to shoot, with three to four of those days focused on action while the other days are focused on dialogue, it’s clearly more of a marathon than a sprint. No wonder the Young and the Restless star prefers the shorter S.W.A.T. seasons. He added:

Seeing Shemar Moore’s abs pics, it doesn’t seem like he’s slacking in any way. Sure, all the action sequences that require Hondo to chase down suspects and fight criminals may not come as easily as they once used to, but working out four to five days a week for two hours a day seems to be doing the job in helping the Sonic the Hedgehog star look the part.

Maybe the smaller episode count and ability to stay more sharply focused on exactly what he needs to do to be ready for each season really is the best approach. With the first season of S.W.A.T. Exiles debuting on September 25^th and a second season already ordered and getting ready to go into production, we’ll see how it all plays out for Hondo and Shemar Moore.

When it comes to amiable ex-spouses in Hollywood, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner arguably top the list. The former couple have maintained a firm relationship since they divorced in 2018 after 13 years of marriage and continue to co-parent their three kids. Believe it or not, Affleck initially cast Garner in his 2026 movie schedule entry, Animals, before she dropped out. Affleck still wants to work with Garner at some point and, all the while, his other ex-wife, Jennifer Lopez, allegedly has strong feelings about that.

Affleck originally cast Garner to co-lead Animals alongside Matt Damon, and the two would’ve played spouses in the film. However, due to external changes, the project was scrapped for a time before being revived. By that point, though, Damon couldn’t commit due to filming The Odyssey, so director Affleck decided to take on the lead role. Yet Garner reasoned that in that case, it would be best for her to drop out due to their personal “baggage” possibly being distracting.

During the interview in which the Argo director revealed Garner’s reasoning, he also expressed an eagerness to collaborate with her down the road. A source recently spoke to In Touch Weekly, reaffirmed Affleck’s desire, saying:

The insider opines that it makes sense for Affleck to want to work with Garner, who’s a “hot commodity” right now, especially due to her new show, The Five-Star Weekend. On the other side of this, the source alleges that JLo “is very aware that Ben is planning to do something with” Garner. The unnamed individual doesn’t suggest that Lopez holds any ill will towards Garner herself, though they claim she does take issue with a potential collaboration between her and Affleck for one reason:

This Oscar-related allegation should be taken with a grain of salt, as no one from the “On the Floor” singer’s camp has addressed it. Furthermore, as In Touch also mentions, Affleck has collaborated with Lopez before. Affleck produced his ex-wife’s 2025 musical drama Kiss of the Spider Woman, and “Bennifer” even reunited at the premiere, where they were all smiles while hanging out. And, ahead of that, the pair also collaborated on the films Jersey Girl, Gigli and This Is Me... Now: A Love Story.

Of course, Garner has also worked with Affleck years ago on Pearl Harbor and Daredevil and became friendly while working on those films before becoming romantically involved. Animals would’ve marked their first collaboration in some time (and I would’ve loved to have seen the two share the screen). It’s hard to say if or when the exes might ever get the chance to work together again but, based on Affleck’s comments and those of the insider, the Accountant star is going to make it happen somehow.

And, in spite of the Jennifer Lopez rumors, it’s been reported that she and Ben Affleck have remained amicable, even if they don’t really hang out. It’s also been claimed that Affleck has been giving Lopez career advice in the aftermath of their 2025 divorce, though whether that translates into an actual collaboration between them is unclear. For now, know that you can check out Affleck in Animals (sans Jennifer Garner) when it becomes available for Netflix subscription owners starting on October 9.

I don’t think I need to explain just how dedicated fans of Lord of the Rings are about their beloved books and movies. Those fans have gotten an early glimpse into the next movie in the franchise, The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum, and to say that people are excited would be an understatement. The film, which is scheduled to hit the 2027 movie schedule next December, is directed by Andy Serkis (who also plays Gollum, of course). He recently shared some behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram, and the comments tell you everything you need to know.

The post, which is accompanied by music from The Return of the King by composer Howard Shore, features shots around the Shire set in New Zealand, where filming is currently underway:

Scrolling through the comments, you get a sense of how excited fans are:

• Right back where we belong ❤️
• I’m literally just waiting for this to release 😭🥹
• I can’t wait ❤️
• Return of The Shire
• Can’t wait to go back to Middle-earth 🥹😍❤️
• Oh my goshhhhhh this is exactly what my soul needed
• Can’t explain what this music does for my soul

The film has a stacked cast. Serkis will be joined by new actors and returning cast members from the previous films, including Ian McKellen (Gandalf the Grey), Jamie Dornan (Strider), Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins), Kate Winslet (Marigol), Leo Woodall (Halvard), Lee Pace (Thranduil), and Anya Taylor-Joy, who plays Seren and is as excited as all the fans to be in the movie.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum is a new story set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Third Age, told from the perspective of the villain Gollum, and is partly inspired by The Joker. It starts in the time period between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy and concludes in the same time period as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Strider is sent by Gandalf to find Gollum.

It's set for release on December 17, 2027, and I'm sure the anticipation will reach a fevered pitch over the next 15 months. I'm also sure that Serkis and co. will continue to drop more teasers and photos to keep that excitement building. Serkis has a real love for the character that he first voiced in The Fellowship of the Ring, and then played properly in the next two movies in the franchise. So you know great care is going into how the story is presented.

If you need to catch up on the original trilogy and just want to rewatch all of them (as well as The Hobbit trilogy, they are available with an HBO Max subscription.

Every streaming service has a set of mega hits, and those with an Apple TV subscription were recently treated to Katie Dippold's Widow's Bay. The new series has debuted with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, and basically swept at this year's Emmy Awards. Some people have criticized the fact that it was put into Comedy Series categories, but I think the complainers need to give it a rest. I mean, this show really makes me laugh.

From its very first episode, it's clear that Widow's Bay is balancing comedic beats with terrifying moments of horror. The series has been praised by Guillermo del Toro, and its pacing and performances are both top-notch. Personally I don't understand the discourse surrounding the show's classification as a comedy, and think that folks need to take a chill pill. That, or they need to learn how to laugh.

Widow's Bay Has Been Making Me Laugh Every Episode

Widow's Bay won a whopping 14 Emmy Awards, basically sweeping the comedy categories this year. The show's quality speaks for itself, but there are folks online who were complaining about it being in the Comedy category, given the horror and drama that the series also contains. I finally binge-watched the series, and I can confidently say that Widow's Bay made me laugh consistently throughout its first 10-episode season.

In some ways it feels like the discourse about Widow's Bay was inspired by backlash surrounding The Bear winning Comedy Emmys during its run on the air. That dramedy had plenty of tear-jerking and anxiety-inducing moments for those with a Hulu subscription, with some naysayers accusing the show of category fraud. Now the acclaimed Apple series is being accused of the same thing.

I went into Widow's Bay as a horror fan, and was excited to see just how good it was after its Emmy wins. While I loved the thrilling scares that Matthew Rhys' Tom Loftis endures throughout the season, I was surprised by how consistently I laughed as well. The discrepancy between the quirky group of characters and the high-stakes nature of the Island's curse made for plenty of awkwardly hilarious moments, and (in my opinion) proves that the Apple show belongs in the comedy categories for Awards Season.

That's not to say that there isn't drama, heart, and plenty of horror as well. But even in ultra-serious episodes like the Betty Gilpin-led "Our History", Widow's Bay still manages to bring the funny. For that episode, it was the moment where Gilpin's Sarah Westcott says with exasperation that she's only just met her children by marriage. What's more, basically everything that comes out of accomplished character actress Dale Dickey's mouth makes me laugh. The same can also be said for Jeff Hiller, who will be promoted to a series regular in Season 2.

Widow's Bay is streaming in its entirety on Apple TV as part of the 2026 TV schedule. The series was officially renewed for Season 2 back in June, but it's unclear exactly when we should expect it to return.

While the MCU is getting ready to tear the multiverse apart on the big screen when Avengers: Doomsday’s release date arrives, some of Marvel’s small-screen heroes are also getting their worlds ripped apart. At least metaphorically speaking. I’m talking about Daredevil: Born Again getting canceled at Disney+, with the upcoming third season set to cap off Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk’s fight for New York City. It’s been quite the blow for fans, and I can only imagine it’s worse for the cast and crew, though Deborah Ann Woll is keeping spirits high.

Woll’s Karen Page was thankfully given a bigger piece of the storytelling pie in Season 2, and it’s safe to assume that’ll remain the case in the third batch of episodes whenever they arrive. The actress took to Facebook to share her reaction to the cancellation news, saying:

While I'm sure she could have dwelled in that sad emoji space for a lot longer, now isn't the ideal time to mourn the show, since there's still quite a bit of hype and promotion to come before Season 3 gets released, presumably around March 2027.

To be sure, that hype is certainly justified, since Season 3 will pay off on Mike Colter's Luke Cage showing up in the Season 2 finale and will officially bring The Defenders back as a whole, including Finn Jones' Ironfist. As well, Elodie Yung's Elektra is also back in the fold in some way, with a new version of Muse serving as a threat, so there will be a lot to pay off in the upcoming Marvel show's final season.

Unfortunately, though understandably, Deborah Ann Woll's post didn't address the idea that showrunner Dario Scardapane, who took over the creative reins admist the Season 1 creative overall that totally changed the show's direction and tone. At the same time the show's fate was revealed, reports also stated Scardapane had made his official exit in the middle of post-production, with his contract with Marvel not getting renewed. It's unclear whether that will have any meaningful effect on the final product, or whether there were other issues at play.

In any case, I still believe Woll in saying she and everyone else busted their butts to bring Season 3 to life. I do wonder whether or not the ending will feel like a true conclusion, or if it'll just leave fans asking for more as it went in the Netflix days.

Outside of all things superhero and Marvel, Deborah Ann Woll is also promoting the upcoming horror movie The Cycle, from ThanksKilling and V/H/S/Beyond director Jordan Downey, in which she plays a woman who discovers her father’s twisted past after his body shows up after he’d been missing for 36 years. Not the kind of situation Daredevil would be much help in, one would think.

While we wait for new episodes, both of the previous seasons of Daredevil: Born Again are available to stream via Disney+ subscription.

There are few movie franchises quite as popular as Star Wars. Generations grew up with the Star Wars movies, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. For those fans late actress Carrie Fisher remains synonymous with her tenure as Leia Organa, but for Billie Lourd she was simply her mom. The American Horror Story actress recently got honest about the "trippy" and "special" experience of her own children watching their grandmother as Princess Leia.

Star Wars fans are still mourning the loss of Fisher, who died before she was set to have a major role in The Rise of Skywalker. Lourd got to join her mother in the sequel trilogy as Lieutenant Connix, and during a recent appearance on The View, she spoke about seeing her own children Kingston and Jackson watch their grandmother in Star Wars. In her words:

While celebrities can be just like us, this is an experience that only Billie Lourd can really understand. Not only did her mother play one of the most iconic Star Wars characters of all time, but now she has the unique experience of showing her own children their grandmother in that role. Add in their young ages, and my head is spinning just thinking about it.

It might be challenging for Lourd to help her kids understand the difference between Carrie Fisher and Princess Leia, she also spoke about the upside to having her late mother's iconic role available at any given point. As she told the hosts of The View:

Talk about a great perspective. Despite her feelings of grief and Carrie Fisher not being able to physically be her kids' lives, Lourd is thankful that they've got the Star Wars films as as a living tribute to her mother in her youth. Since the actress/writer put so much of own personality into Leia, it also helps to show what she was like in life.

The Scream Queens actress spoke about this dynamic while promoting her role in the 13th season of American Horror Story (streaming with a Hulu subscription). During that conversation Lourd also revealed another part of Carrie Fisher's career that she's excited to share with her kids one day. In her words:

Points were made. Fisher was known for her quick wit and talents as a writer, and her books offered a funny and touching look into her life and its complications. That includes her wildly successful memoir Wishful Drinking, which was also made into a one-woman show and a televised comedy special (which is streaming now on HBO Max). Billie Lourd's kids are a little young for that content currently, but in a few years they should really be able to get an understanding of Fisher and her sense of humor.

You can catch Billie Lourd in new episodes of American Horror Story Thursdays on FX and Hulu as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Of course, the family's tenure in the Star Wars is streaming in its entirety over on Disney+.

I never expected Primetime to be a glowing portrayal of Chris Hansen. I went into it assuming it would show why hosting and being one of the creative forces behind a television show about catching pedophiles was, at best, morally complicated and at worst, creepy, exploitative and dangerous. Nothing about him or the show deserves an effusive, hero-style biopic, but even so, I am rattled at how mean Primetime is to the To Catch A Predator host.

Lance Oppenheim’s movie doesn’t seem to have the slightest interest in portraying Hansen as a layered human being with positive and negative qualities. Here, Robert Pattinson plays him as a caricature that is almost exclusively made up of negative qualities, and as an audience, we are asked to take a seat and watch those negative qualities depicted in lampoonish detail.

In Primetime’s world, he’s a bad father, which means watching him wake his kids up to inappropriately show them scenes of himself on To Catch A Predator. In Primetime’s world, he’s a disappointing husband, which means getting multiple conversations of him apologizing to his wife while she looks dead inside. In Primetime, he’s a hapless producer and a fame whore and a self-interested coworker and a thoughtless affair partner, which means scene after scene of his unfavorable qualities exposed with cartoon-like intensity.

Even the way Hansen is shot feels like an opinionated choice at times (which you can get a sense of in the trailer). Primetime uses a lot of close-ups and odd angles and sometimes striking color palettes in a way that almost feels reminiscent of the drug scenes in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He’s not moving, existing and talking with the pace and rhythm of a human being. Instead, he’s vibing and awkwardly putting on a persona and, at one point, making animalistic noises.

It’s like Primetime views him as a facsimile of a person and, at times, even like a monster. The movie is quite clear and obvious with that monster comparison, and we get it in the form of a story, repeated references to that story and even direct visual imagery. Is our main character the monster? Are the pedophiles he’s trying to catch the monsters? Is everyone a monster? Is society the real monster? It’s vague in an artsy way, but it’s pretty clear in the movie’s eyes that Hansen is complicit and guilty.

In some ways, Pattinson’s larger-than-life portrayal (which people are comparing to The Joker) is not a surprise. Oppenheim has been very open that he wasn’t interested in making a straight biopic. He said in a recent interview that the movie is meant to be an “homage to the internet’s version” of Hansen. The director is clearly more interested in the persona than the person, which is fine, but if the movie is about the persona, it’s quite odd that it doesn't spend much time dealing in the positive mythologies around Hansen.

To be clear, we get the occasional scene of Hansen in all his glory as an on-camera host, but it’s counterbalanced with scenes of him freezing up, struggling to meet network pressures and getting too emotionally overwhelmed to do his job. There are some fun nods to his trademark voice, his catchphrases and the way he portrays himself on camera. We even get the occasional gesture toward a redemption arc or bit of personal growth, but Primetime isn’t really interested in fully playing into that aura or building a prolonged success story around him. Even the fans of his that we meet are bumbling and oafish cops or bloodthirsty psychos, which further undermines him.

I don’t think Hansen, who isn't happy about the movie, is owed a positive biopic or even a more modern grey-area-style take on his life and legacy. If Primetime wants to paint him as a monster, it’s free to do that, but the odd thing is, I’m not sure anyone involved in the movie actually set out to do that. Second lead Merritt Weaver, who plays Hansen's producer, told us in an interview that one of the first things Oppenheim said to her as she was considering the role was that this movie is “not a hit piece against anyone.”

Whether they intended it to be that or not, however, it kind of comes off that way. Because there are so many scenes of Hansen being an unhinged, almost inhuman monster… because there are so many scenes of him being a bad husband, bad father, bad friend, bad everything… because he’s consistently shot in an off-kilter and unsteady kind of way… because so much of the runtime depicts his negative qualities and so little depicts his positive qualities, Primetime does come off like a hit piece. It comes off like a mean-spirited one, and even as someone who expected an unflinching tone, I’m still a little shocked.

You can and should check out Primetime for yourself when it hits the movie release schedule this weekend. Overly negative or not, it's a big artistic swing filled with great performances.

It’s a big year for Star Wars fans as A New Hope is turning a huge milestone: we’ve officially enjoyed 50 years in a galaxy far far away. What better way to celebrate than to see the movie that started it all back on the big screen? Star Wars: A New Hope is heading back to theaters for a limited run starting February 19. This isn’t the first time the original trilogy has seen a re-release with new footage added for Special Editions. However, George Lucas defends the controversial Star Wars re-release from the ‘90s.

Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson joined Norah O’Donnell on CBS Sunday Morning to discuss The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which he has previously mentioned during a panel at SDCC. Of course, no conversation with the Star Wars creator would be complete without bringing up the upcoming re-release. Naturally, Lucas had a very on-brand response to his wife stating that nothing with him is ever done:

Nothing truer has been said. Lucas famously altered parts of the original trilogy back in 1997, with the most notable change being the switch of Sebastian Shaw with Hayden Christensen as the Force Spirit of Anakin Skywalker. This was first seen on the 2004 DVD verison and had mixed reactions. Now, Lucas is taking us back to the original screening of A New Hope where we can experience it like it was back in 1977. I also hear it’ll be without a certain Jabba and Han Solo scene, which was reportedly also digitally altered. In it, you see a cocky Han Solo circling Jabba the Hutt and stomping on his tail.

This isn’t even the only change that has been made. There were A New Hope reshoots that found Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher re-filming the scene when Luke and Leia first meet, because the iconic Skywalker surname hadn’t been created when they first filmed. (Luke’s last name was originally Starkiller.) Though some of his choices have been criticized, Lucas makes no apologies for the changes he’s made. He states:

The man has a point. Despite the alterations to the movies, it hasn’t stopped fans from loving the franchise. Even Hamill’s love for Luke Skywalker has never wavered. In fact, the actor has recently celebrated Star Wars when he visited The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. He even joked about the height of his life-sized Luke Skywalker figure. His post made me excited about the upcoming re-release, which I’m hopeful will build hype for other upcoming Star Wars projects.

I’m looking forward to all the fun ways fans are going to celebrate the franchise’s major milestone. There will be plenty of opportunities in 2027. First, we’ll begin the year by going back to Star Wars’ origins with the re-release. Then, we’ll be taking a trip into a future even further away with the Ryan Gosling-led Starfighter.

While we’re celebrating the past and the future of Star Wars, I hope Lucas keeps defending the choices as everything we love about Star Wars started with A New Hope and yes, even the changes he made in the ‘90s.

Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt both came up as actors around the same time, and have some of the best runs an actor can ask for from a Hollywood career. They also famously worked together Interview With The Vampire back in 1993, where they found some friendly competition driving Go Karts against each other. But does Pitt think he rivals Cruise on his new survival thriller, Heart of the Beast?

The latest of 2026 movie releases has Pitt playing a retired Army Special Forces veteran, James Belmont. Him and his German Shepherd have to brave the Alaskan wilderness after a seaplane crash. Here’s what Pitt said when he was asked if there’s a “healthy competition” going on between them to push themselves physically for movies:

Brad Pitt certainly doesn’t have the kind of reputation for action that Tom Cruise does, but he has been doing more strenuous roles lately. His last movie before Heart of the Beast was the F1 movie with the same filmmakers behind Top Gun: Maverick. As Pitt added:

Both Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt are in their early 60s, and showing the world that age doesn’t matter when it comes to being a bankable Hollywood star. Heart of the Beast director David Ayer, who was also in the eTalk interview, was quick to walk back on Pitt’s own answer. In the director’s words:

It sounds like Pitt really was put through the ringer to complete Heart of the Beast. As he shared after Ayer listed what he actually went through for the thriller:

Funny enough, Pitt and Cruise will have movies out at the same time between Heart of the Beast hitting theaters this weekend, and Digger coming out the following one. Digger is more of a character-driven satire for the action star that’s already dividing critics. Don’t you worry, Cruise isn’t quitting on stunts. Last month it was announced he’s making a Days of Thunder sequel with Anne Hathaway.

Pitt may not think he can keep up with Tom Cruise, but wouldn’t it be fun to test that out? For an F1 sequel, perhaps? Either way, we’re happy to see both of them in movie star mode this fall season in movies.