Warning! The following contains spoilers from the 90 Day Fiancé episode "Last Fling Before the Ring." Stream the episode with an HBO Max subscription, and read at your own risk!

90 Day Fiancé's latest episode didn't have its "famous" movie star slash pop singer in the mix, but rest assured, Mido Fayed will return to the 2026 TV schedule next week. A preview at the end of the latest episode showed Debby Rolando waiting for him to show up for their wedding, which has me thinking he's about to pull his wildest stunt yet.

I should've known after his twisted proposal that Mido would be up to something else for the wedding. The preview showed a clip of Debby and her family waiting around with an officiant, and her saying the following:

Debby looked over her shoulder when she said "no way," which has me guessing that Mido arranged for some wild entrance to the wedding. Maybe he'll arrive on horseback, or he'll have enlisted those actors from the haunted house to escort him since he was so fond of all of them.

Whatever the case may be, the only thing I feel relatively certain about is that Debby won't be left at the altar. She's continually defended him on social media, and we've already seen confirmation that they are married. I guess it's possible they married at a later date after this scene, but I'm leaning more toward the idea of him planning some sort of grand entrance.

Like it or not, Debby and Mido might be the new stars of 90 Day Fiancé. Their ability to have some of the most world-ending fights in one episode, only to be smiling and laughing the next, is unlike any couple I've seen in a long time. I can only hope that they're already signed on to be on Happily Ever After? because I feel like I already need them in more episodes before the end of the year.

I can't say I feel the same about the other couples in 90 Day Fiancé Season 12, though I am curious to see which ones end up tying the knot and which go their separate ways. There's just no denying that this cast is loaded with couples that I would consider "one-and-done," and I don't see them returning unless it was via a segment on 90 Day Diaries or one of the commentary shows.

We'll see what Mido has up his sleeve as 90 Day Fiancé continues on TLC on Sundays at 8:00 p.m. ET. With the wedding episodes starting, it's looking like the tell-all is just around the corner, and I'm sure there's more drama to talk about.

Of all the entertainment news announced in 2026 so far that I wouldn’t have predicted, the Sons of Anarchy cast reuniting for a new TV show about the Sons of Anarchy cast would have been near the top of the list. I also couldn’t have guessed Charlie Hunnam was the creative mastermind, or that he’d bring in Hamilton and Frozen vet Jonathan Groff and It’s Always Sunny’s Rob Mac to help bring it to life. As a huge fan of the brotherhood-infused drama, I’m almost completely sold.

The metatextual project, which is going by the working title of Legends, is set to bring Hunnam back together with a big group of former co-stars whose characters were integral to Jax Teller’s story, including Ron Perlman as surrogate father-figure Clay, Katey Sagal as A-tier matriarch Gemma, and Maggie Siff as put-upon significant other Tara. (Which is putting it lightly, considering the brutal way Tara’s story ended.) Other fan-faves are also included, such as Kim “Tig” Coates, Tommy “Chibs” Flanagan, Mark “Bobby” Boone Jr., and Theo “Juice” Rossi.

But a pretty big name is missing from that initial list of cast members, and it’s the one that would bring me to 100% enthusiastic anticipation for the FX-produced project. When I say LMN, you say O-P. LMN! O-P! LMN! O-P! LMN! OPIE!

Opie Winston Actor Ryan Hurst Needs To Be In The S.O.A. Reunion Show

For the first four seasons and change of Sons of Anarchy, Ryan Hurst's Opie felt like the lead of his own Shakespeare tragedy just slightly adjacent to the one focusing on Jax and Clay. He was a solid and likable dude who probably didn't deserve to suffer a life ripped slowly to pieces by Clay's guiding hand, and it made his eventual death all the more heart-stomping. To the point where it's one of very few TV deaths that can legitimately put me in a foul and riled-up mood.

Legends couldn't possibly bandage over any 13-year-old wounds as massive as Opie's death, but it could absolutely create the next-best scenario by giving fans (or just me) a less disturbing go-to throught anytime Ryan Hurst is mentioned in the same breath as Sons of Anarchy or Charlie Hunnam. I'd LOVE to be able to think "that explosive and wildly clever new FX show" before the entire third act of "Laying Pipe" plays out instantaneously across my subconscious.

It's a lofty assignment for any new series to take on, I'll admit, but you know, all things considered, this is literally the only project that could deliver fan justice to Opie's death. So if it doesn't, then...I guess I can live with it. Sigh. And I'll still watch and probably love Legends whenever it gets released at whatever point down the line. But I'll probably also be glaring at my TV at least a little bit. Because of Opie.

Ryan Hurst's God Of War Injury Could Be A Factor

Hurst was previously cast as the lead of Amazon MGM's upcoming video game adapation God Of War, which already has a two-season commitment from the streaming service. Though the first look at Hurst's Kratos received some early flak from gamers, interest has still been high for the big-budget series.

Unfortunately, after four months of production, Hurst tore his bicep in June 2026 while filming a stunt, and his recovery time from the required surgery meant he had to exit the role. The role was later filled by Dave Bautista, with much of the four produced episodes needing to be refilmed due to aged-up differences for young co-star Callum Vinson.

As such, I obviously can't speak to whether or not Ryan Hurst will be fully recovered from his bicep tear by the time Legends begins filming, since there isn't a nailed-down timeline for when the new project will start revving up for production. Assuming a writers room hasn't been formed just yet, and that non-Sons cast members have yet to be attained, it's certainly possible that cameras won't start rolling until some point in 2027, and that Hurst will be 100% back to full-power when it does.

I guess he also needs to agree to join the show and stuff, and has to actually want to be in it. Those things are important, too. But I hope I'm not naive for thinking he'd want to represent the Winston fam on it if possible.

Stream all seven seasons of Sons of Anarchy via Hulu subscription or Disney+ subscription.

CinemaBlend was lucky enough to ask Babs Olusanmokun about his favorite episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and if you've been keeping up with the sci-fi series available with a Paramount+ subscription, you won't be surprised by one of his choices. His first pick, I would wager, is many fans' favorite by a long shot, but his second was certainly a surprise.

With Strange New Worlds currently in the midst of Season 4's run on the 2026 TV schedule, I wanted to know which episodes the M'Benga actor considers to be his favorites, now that the series has completed filming. As mentioned, I wasn't shocked by his first choice, especially since many would regard it as M'Benga's best episode of the series:

"Under The Cloak Of War" was one of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' darkest stories, as M'Benga struggled to reconcile with the fact that the Klingon ambassador aboard their ship was a rehabilitated war criminal from the days he fought in the Federation-Klingon war. The episode ended with a fight between the two that ended in the ambassador's death, and it was left up in the air whether M'Benga killed him in self-defense or in cold blood.

Babs Olusanmokun's second choice was the Season 4 episode "A Case of Chiaroscuro." The actor clarified that it wasn't so much watching the episode, but the process of making it:

The Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode paid homage to the noir genre, as Una, M'Benga, and Celia found themselves on a planet in which the people were trying to free themselves from Klingon occupation. The episode even makes a Casablanca reference, though it has little in common with the heartbreaking movie aside from the fact that they're both filmed in black and white.

I can totally see why Babs Olusanmokun would love "A Case of Chiaroscuro," from an acting perspective, especially since most of his scenes take place either in the Med Bay or elsewhere on the Enterprise. In that regard, it's cool that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has allowed its actors a lot of different scenarios to play with throughout its run, rather than falling into a rut with the same space adventures week in and week out.

Of course, there are some fans who are questioning if we need so much variety in Star Trek, especially when the noir episode was followed by an episode where everyone turned into puppets. Whatever fans may feel is null and void at this point, seeing as Strange New Worlds is wrapped and already has its final episodes in the can. I do wonder, however, if this growing trend of the show embracing the "strange" and less of the "worlds" part of its title will have a lasting impact on its legacy when it comes to the fandom.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds continues with new episodes on Paramount+ on Thursdays. Stream new episodes as the celebration of the franchise's 60th anniversary continues, and we keep our fingers crossed for more updates on what's coming up in the future.

The nine entries in Star Wars’ Skywalker Saga have generated more than a few conversations over the last several decades. It feels like fans can unanimously agree on some of the films (which are streamable with a Disney+ subscription) being great. However, some spark more mixed reactions, including 1983’s Return of the Jedi. Several moments in the film seem to rub some parts of the fandom the wrong way and, as I just found out, one key moment was begrudgingly added by the director only at George Lucas’ request.

Various aspects of Jedi have been chastised by audiences, from the battle scenes on Endor to the underutilization of Boba Fett. However, I would’ve never guessed the major moment that director Richard Marquand took issue with. When marking one of ROTJ’s anniversaries, SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend spoke with Richard’s son, Jim Marquand (and more) During the chat, Jim revealed that his father wasn’t keen on filming the shot of Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Anakin Skywalker as Force ghosts. Jim said this about his father’s feelings:

That particular moment comes into play at the tail end of the movie, at which point the members of the Rebel Alliance celebrate the destruction of the second Death Star with Ewoks on Endor. It’s shortly after Luke Skywalker holds a funeral for his late father, Anakin (played by Sebastian Shaw) that he reappears alongside Yoda and Kenobi. The trio then proceed to watch over Luke and the celebration with pride.

I have to admit that I’m somewhat torn over these thoughts on that scene from Jedi (which I first watched on VHS years ago). On the one hand, I can understand how Marquand would find the moment somewhat cheesy and, even by 1983’s technical standards, there’s a slightly uncanny feel to it. However, George Lucas’ desire to have three impactful figures in Luke’s life watch him from the afterlife sounds incredibly fitting for the end of the trilogy. So, while I do find it mostly sweet, I get the Jagged Edge director’s point.

Regardless, Lucas may have been on to something, as there are definitely other fans who look upon that full-circle scene with satisfaction and warm feelings. Lucas has also adjusted the scene in the years since Return of the Jedi’s release. In the digitally restored version released in 2004, Hayden Christensen’s Anakin actually appears in place of Shaw’s. That marks just one of the alterations the filmmaker has made to the flick.

Jedi’s legacy certainly is interesting due to the mixed reception it has received. There’s, of course, a lot of nostalgia that surrounds it, and fans still seem to love any ROTJ set throwbacks that are shared online. However, even directors have varied views on the film, as Dune’s Denis Villeneuve believes it derails the Original Trilogy. However, Shawn Levy loves the flick and even said it even inspired his own upcoming Star Wars film, Starfighter.

Fans could probably debate the merits of Return of the Jedi until they’re as blue in the face as Max Rebo. However, regardless of where you fall on the film – including the Force ghost trio shot Richard Marquand had to add to appease George Lucas – know that you’re entitled to your personal opinion.

With HBO’s Lanterns set to feature at least one Season 1 cameo from the mop-headed Guy Gardner (as portrayed by Nathan Fillion) ahead of his big-screen return in James Gunn’s Man of Tomorrow and other upcoming DC movies, comic books fans can feel a certain amount of confidence in the DCU’s ability to connect its worlds across film and TV. Such confidence used to be far less common not that long ago, however, particularly during the Arrowverse era, with Deathstroke as a prime example of the studio’s messy situation.

As fans will no doubt remember, actor Manu Bennett was introduced as Oliver Queen’s former mentor Slade Wilson back in Season 1 of Arrow ahead of his official transition into the lethal machine Deathstroke in Season 2. That arc took place around 2012-2013, around the time Arrow’s creative team introduced its version of DC’s Suicide Squad, only for that to get flipped around by the studio’s head honchos. Co-creator and comic scribe Marc Guggenheim told The Cosmic Circus those same execs were the ones who requested the Squad’s introduction to begin with, saying:

We unfortunately may never know the full "why" behind that initial request; was it to test the Suicide Squad's live-action popularity on a smaller scale? Was it some other kind of rights issue that needed working out? Was The Joker running DC Entertainment in the 2010s?

Fans will no doubt remember Arrow's infamous Harley Quinn tease in Season 2's "Suicide Squad," complete with Tara Strong's vocal cameo, though more from the fact that the character was never formally introduced in an official capacity after that. The episode also introduced Floyd "Deadshot" Lawton, Ben "Bronze Tiger" Turner, and Mark "Shrapnel" Scheffer, but without any of them being turned into huge Arrow characters in the aftermath, thanks in large part to David Ayer's 2016 feature based on Amanda Waller's antihero team.

Even at the time, all of the heightened sensitivity over seeing two different versions of comic book characters seemed overwrought and unnecessary, but that feeling is even more relevant in hindsight, considering neither Ayers' nor Taika Waititi's sequel actually utilized Deathstroke. Which is, it seems, why that character was allowed to make sporadic returns to Arrow, even if that just made Guggenheim & Co.'s jobs harder. As the EP put it:

Deathstroke did appear destined for greatness on the big screen, especially after Joe Manganiello was cast to play the villain for the end credits sequence for Zack Snyder's Justice League. As reported in the years since, that version of Slade Wilson was reportedly set to face off against Ben Affleck's caped crusader in a standalone Batman film. Bizarrely, however, Manganiello's only return to the Deathstroke role was for the team-up movie's Snyder Cut release in 2021.

As such, it's maddening that Arrow's creative team was hampered by anything happening on the cinematic side of the studio. Given Margot Robbie's returns as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad, I can more easily understand some qualms about having a different iteration of the character on The CW, even if I think audiences are beyond smart enough to handle such a duality.

Those days appear to be long gone, with James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios making it more of a priority to cross-pollinate between mediums. Which is part of why we'll see Aaron Pierre's Lanterns hero John Stewart appearing in Man of Steel along with Supergirl's Milly Alcock and Peacemaker's Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.

Just don't expect to see Stephen Amell popping up as Oliver Queen; he's set to be a completely different kind of life-saving hero on Baywatch. More red that green on that show, for sure.

SPOILERS are ahead for Mother Mary, now streaming with an HBO Max subscription.

Mother Mary is sort of the perfect A24 movie. By the end you’re kind of like “What did I just watch?”, but you’re also happy just did, too. Now that it’s on streaming, I have to talk about the ending of the film that actually started Anne Hathaway’s incredible run of 2026 movies earlier this year. Let’s get into it.

When Anne Hathaway’s titular pop singer character reunites with her estranged designer, Sam (Michaela Coel), she tells her about a song. It’s called “Spooky Action” and it was written about Sam. Mother Mary tries to play it for her, but Sam refuses to hear it. So instead, she does a very intense interpretive dance of it for her. I thought the whole movie was leading up to Sam, and therefore the audience, finally enjoying the song. But, you can imagine my surprise when it is never plays!

So, naturally I had to ask writer/director David Lowery about why his decision to have “Spooky Action” remain a mystery. Here’s what he had to say:

Huh! Well, this is interesting. Lowery certainly made a surreal movie with Mother Mary, so I honestly shouldn’t have expected an obvious ending. The movie does conclude with the pair of women completing some sort of ritual. It results in Mother Mary pulling a fabric-like ghost out of her body, as if exorcising her body of a demon she’d been holding on to.

It’s no wonder the Mother Mary reviews called it a “fascinating chamber piece” and “a two-hander that owes as much to The Exorcist as it does to Lady Gaga” in its reviews. Leading up to it, I had read about how Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour influenced it, so I don’t think I realized what I was going to get. But, in many ways it was better than I could have imagined it.

It’s definitely the sort of movie I’m going to watch again and get even more from the next time around. But, I definitely understood how the movie is trying to communicate how art can physically manifest one’s feelings of let’s say grief, heartbreak or resentment. Throughout Mother Mary, Mary and Sam express a lot they’ve been holding on to since they stopped talking. While we may never hear the song “Spooky Action,” we kind of live it through the movie, don't we?

So, it’s abrupt, yes. But, intentionally so thanks to Lowery’s comments to us on the ending’s meaning.

In hindsight, it feels like Ken Jennings was always the natural choice to succeed Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy!, but those who can recall the dark days of 2021 remember that wasn’t exactly the case. Sony Pictures had lots of other options, and it was quite an eventful road before Jennings emerged as the quiz show’s one true host. It’s a good thing that his wife wasn’t in charge of the decision, though, because he recently revealed that Mindy Jennings preferred a different man behind the lectern.

Ken Jennings is one of Jeopardy’s biggest winners and the undisputed GOAT champion. He was even the first guest host to take the reins when Alex Trebek passed away in November 2020. However, rather than name Jennings — or anyone — Trebek’s permanent replacement, Jeopardy! decided to bring in a bevy of guest hosts, and that’s where Mindy Jennings found her favorite — none other than NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers. As the now-host told People:

It sounds like Mindy Jennings is just as funny as Ken! And I mean, you can’t really be mad at her for picking Aaron Rodgers as her favorite Jeopardy! guest host. For one thing, the Pittsburgh Steelers QB prepped really hard for the role, and secondly, it turns out there’s one pretty annoying side effect to your husband being the host of Jeopardy!

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, she’s right that he was pretty easy on the eyes:

There was actually a point in time when Aaron Rodgers said he was interested in hosting Jeopardy! full time, but alas, the call of the football field was too strong. That ended up working out well for Ken Jennings — if not Mindy — even though he still had to endure the Mayim Bialik co-hosting era (and don’t even get me started on the Mike Richards fiasco).

Ken Jennings’ wife isn’t the only one who had a favorite guest host back in the day. Matt Amodio played under a whopping seven different hosts during his 38-game win streak — Ken Jennings, Mayim Bialik, Mike Richards, Joe Buck, Robin Roberts, LeVar Burton and David Faber. He named Buck as the one he’d call back up, so I guess we can assume he tuned into ESPN Jeopardy! with his Hulu subscription this summer.

Jeopardy!’s guest host era was interesting, to say the least, and while I respect Mindy Jennings’ choice, I have to say I’m happy to see Ken consistently killing it in the role. So you’d be right to assume that I’m counting down the hours until Jeopardy! Masters Season 4 hits the 2026 TV schedule.

Tune in at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday, August 25, on ABC for the two-week event that promises to be fun, despite its pronounced lack of hunky NFL stars.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet caught up on Stuart Fails to Save the Universe through Episode 5 via HBO Max subscription.

By and large, I'm aligned with audiences who prefer Stuart Fails to Save the Universe to The Big Bang Theory, largely because of its bonkers storyline and notable uptick in NSFW jokes. I'm digging the cameos, I'm digging the different dimensions the characters get dropped into, and I'm digging the way Bert seems to keep getting dealt a winning hand in these other-worlds. However, one major character arc hasn't been sitting right with me, and I really hope there's a sensible and believable explanation for it.

I Don't Like That Stuart Has Been With Several Versions Of Denise So Far

I take no issue with the general idea of a lovelorn Stuart struggling to reconnect with his prime-world love, and I think it's a fun concept for a setting-swapping series like this. But I feel like I must have missed a scene at some point where Stuart directly explains why he's perfectly fine latching onto any version of Denise that he comes across, and why that doesn't bother him at all. Did such a scene actually take place? I didn't think so.

As such, I don't quite understand what's happening in Stuart's head, and why he thinks it makes emotional and logical sense to bond with every Denise regardless of what kind of life they were living before he, Bert and Kripke burst into that particular universe. I guess he's working from the perspective of "any port in a storm," but that's kinda gross, even without sex involved.

Had Lauren Lapkus' Denise from Episode 1 bounced out of that universe with the other three and stuck with them, I probably wouldn't have as much of a problem, since it would present a semblance of stasis. But that one stayed behind, leading Stuart to then divulge his transdimensional travels to the boozing Denise from the AI universe. I'm mostly assuming she's the same Denise that leaves the shattered island paradise with the guys at the end of Ep. 5, but I'm not necessarily convinced that she'll be the one that sticks around until the end. Which is more than a little ew in certain respects.

I Hope Denise 3.0 Addresses This Awkward Situation Soon

The themes in the spotlight during Episode 5 seemed to help put my concerns at the forefront of the mind, given the concepts of sharing, possession, monogamy, and (to a lesser extent) consent. Everyone in this remote area is so used to communal sharing that Bert and Kripke cause immediate chaos with their "individual-first" behavior and teachings. And it stands to reason that Stuart's group is having a net-negative impact in every universe they travel to, and I think all the various Denises are part of that.

To be sure, I don't feel like Lapkus' performance makes Denise come across as victimized or troubled, or else it would be a far more awkward show to watch. But I do hope that the character (or any character, really) takes a minute to sit Stuart down and question what his long-term intentions are with Denise 3.0, and what will happen if they make it back to the OG universe where OG Denise is.

I'm desperately wondering that myself at this point. Is the idea that, if and when Stuart actually sets everything straight with Leonard and Sheldon's device, everyone will return to their rightful universes without any overarching issues to worry about? Or like, is there a situation where both OG Denise and Denise 3.0 could co-exist in the Big Bang Theory-verse? Are we dealing with Timecop rules here where one of them explodes if they touch?

Only half of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe's first season is left, so the clock is ticking in regards to Denise's story getting sorted out comfortably. Find new episodes hitting HBO Max every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. ET.

There’s no arguing that the summer belongs to Tom Holland, who stars in both Spider-Man: Brand New Day as the titular superhero and The Odyssey as Odysseus’ son. However, if the 2026 movie schedule has proven anything, it’s that you can’t keep a good horror flick down. Insidious: Out of the Further broke up Holland’s one-two punch at the Box Office in its debut weekend, earning $25.3 million to push Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation to No. 3.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues its climb, so just how close is it to becoming the highest-grossing movie ever? I’ll answer that question and break down all the biggest Box Office moves below.

Just like last week saw a huge shakeup in the rankings, only four of this weekend’s Top 10 are the same as seven days ago, so take a look at the chart below to get caught up. (* denotes a new release)

Weekend Box Office: August 21-23, 2026

Will Spider-Man: Brand New Day Become The Highest Grossing Movie Ever?

After only four weekends in theaters, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has not only earned enough domestically and globally to become 2026’s highest-grossing movie to date, but we’re already looking at how it compares to the biggest movies of all time. It’s closer than you might imagine.

The newest Marvel movie has earned $854.9 million domestically so far, putting it in third place all-time behind only 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936 million) and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame ($858 million).

The global numbers tell a similar story. When you add in Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s $1.365 billion earned overseas, you get a worldwide total of $2.22 billion. That’s the fourth-highest total ever (per Box Office Mojo) behind 2009’s Avatar ($2.92 billion), Avengers: Endgame ($2.79 billion) and 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water ($2.33 billion). History is definitely within swinging distance for Spidey here.

Where Does Insidious 6’s Opening Fall In The Franchise?

It was only a matter of time before something bumped one of the summer’s billion-dollar babies from the Top 2, and of course it would be a horror flick, given it’s been such a hot season for scares. However, I might not have predicted Insidious: Out of the Further — the sixth movie in the franchise — would be the one to overtake Christopher Nolan in the No. 2 spot.

The supernatural horror opened to $25.3 million in North America and added $35 million overseas for a combined $60.3 million. With an $18 million budget, that’s good news for Sony Pictures, but how does it compare to the first three days of the Insidious franchise’s other films?

• Insidious Chapter 2 (2013): $40.3 million
• Insidious: The Red Door (2023): $33 million
• Insidious: The Last Key (2018): $29.6 million
• Insidious: Out of the Further (2026): $25.3 million
• Insidious Chapter 3 (2015): $22.7 million
• Insidious (2011): $13.3 million

Despite falling on the lower end of the series’ premieres, most of the Insidious movies have gone on to earn well over $100 million worldwide, with The Red Door leading the way with $186.2 million by the end of its run. Word-of-mouth advertising could play a role in how long Out of the Further’s legs are here (more on that a little later).

Jason Statham’s Mutiny Falls Below Projections

Another of the weekend’s new releases didn’t fare quite as well as the horror offering. Mutiny starring Jason Statham earned $7.5 million, falling just below projections in the range of $8 million to $12 million. Plenty of critics thought it was a fun summer action flick — not CinemaBlend’s own Hugh Scott, however, who felt like he was being stabbed.

Mutiny earned slightly more than Jason Statham’s other 2026 offering, Shelter, which opened to $5.5 million in January, but behind the action star’s hits from the past couple of years — A Working Man ($15.5 million) and The Beekeeper ($16.6 million) — all of which were working with budgets in the $40 million range. Can Statham rebound in Week 2?

How Critics Rated This Week’s New Releases

Whether any of this weekend’s new movies — including the female-driven comedy Spa Weekend — can stick around in what’s been a volatile Top 10 to end the summer depends largely on word-of-mouth. So what are Rotten Tomatoes and CinemaScore rating them?

Well, audiences were much kinder to these titles than the reviews (be sure to hug the movie critics in your life; it looks like they could use one), so there’s a tiny glimmer of hope that we’ll see these movies again next weekend.

The Box Office’s Dino Twins Remain Identical In Week 2

Speaking to the volatility of the Box Office Top 10, only two of last week’s six new entries made it to the list for a second week, and while The End of Oak Street and Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie have absolutely nothing in common other than their dinosaurs, I will continue to relate the two if they continue to earn the same amount in ticket sales.

We’ll have to wait for the official tally to come Monday, but estimates have Paramount’s animated offering edging out the Anne Hathaway thriller by a mere $100K for now. Unfortunately, that means both movies saw drops of over 55% weekend over weekend. Sounds like they’re in need of a ruff-ruff rescue!

What Will Next Week’s Top 10 Look Like?

In the famous words of Benjamin Franklin, “In this world, nothing is certain except Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey,” and I’m inclined to believe him. I’m interested to see if Insidious: Out of the Further can hold on, but I really think It Ends could be the next big horror movie when it goes wide.

We’ve also got Buddy, Coyote vs. Acme, The Dog Stars, Finding Emily and Idiots, so be sure to buy your ticket to something and then come back next Sunday to see if it made the list!

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Big Brother live feeds as of Sunday, August 23rd. Stream the feeds with a Paramount+ subscription, and read at your own risk!

Dee Valladares' second Head of Household week is all over the place, with chaos both caused by the Icons' decisions and by some unexpected happenings. Unfortunately, now that the dust has settled, Houseguests have resorted to bullying tactics toward the house's current target, and it's rubbing a lot of fans the wrong way.

Dee ended up putting Lala Verrett, Taylor Brown, and, surprisingly, Drew Campbell up on the block. Despite putting up an ally, he's not the target of a lot of unnecessary meanness this week from the Icons and others. Before we get into that, however, let's talk about how much further Dee's Week 7 HOH went off the rails.

Lala Won The Week 7 Veto

Those watching Big Brother online were shocked on Saturday when the feeds returned, and we learned Lala had won her first veto competition of the season. It was just as surprising as when she won the wall competition for her first HOH win, and now the house is scrambling once again.

Lala was certainly a popular option for eviction, especially after Dee backpedaled on taking Drew out following his passionate nomination speech. Now the target has shifted to Taylor, and it's gotten off to a really mean-spirited start.

The Icons Are Engaging And Encouraging Others To Bully Taylor, And Many Fans Are Fed Up

With the target firmly on Taylor, and her on the outs with the rest of the house, things got nasty really quickly. The Big Brother Houseguests began sitting up in the HOH room and talking smack about Taylor sitting in bed all day, calling her lazy and saying she's always angry. Angela then suggested they give Taylor an "awful" week, for reasons that she never explained.

Those watching Big Brother's live feeds were quickly fed up with the conversations, especially after hearing Rick Devens and Drew talk smack about her days prior. It's led to accusations of Houseguests using microaggressions, and general discomfort about how the Icons once again look like bullies. Here's what they're saying on X:

• Angela will go down being the Big Brother Karen. - @Ashman_510
• we went from rome & jason who upheld the women in the house, kamu who always protected lala/taylor… hell even always checking up on haley while on her period getting her water/chocolate/medicine to now those rats and devens who bully and make racist jokes we’re in HELL🤮 #bb28 - @forcalona
• Dee doesn’t seem like a very nice person to be so honest #bb28 - @alltoounwe1l
• And then people have the nerve to ask why I don’t root for the “icons" - @melbrown00
• icons truly ruined this game it’s so boringgggg just end the season #bb28 - @zingbct

Taylor spent a lot of Sunday in her bed, and finally came out to try and smooth the waters with Angela and Haley Thogmartin. Unfortunately, none of it is even related to the game, but more their personal feelings toward each other. It puts her at a disadvantage as another eviction nears, as she's forced to mend the fence with others on a personal level rather than campaign to stay another week.

Whether Taylor leaves this week is still up in the air. While Dee decided to back off her plan to evict Drew, she's now considering nominating Mallory Aurichio in an effort to weaken the F.A.P alliance. I'm sure if that happens Mal and Melody Morris will wish they had betrayed the icons when they had the chance.

The good news for Taylor is it'll keep her safe another week if the target flips, and give her another chance to take a shot at the Icons, presumably after they lose F.A.P. due to Dee lying about the true target. The rest of this week could go many directions, though whoever survives it in the end is assured to be one step closer to winning Big Brother's prize money.

Catch Big Brother on CBS on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm eager to see how the rest of this week plays out, especially with the 1,000th episode on Thursday, and another twist on the way.

It’s summertime, and the living is easy for Ryan Seacrest — or at least marginally easier — in the midst of his hiatus from the heavy workload of his primetime-y ventures, hosting American Idol and Wheel of Fortune. And as much as audiences love to get into debates about the game show, or to argue over Idol’s winners, they’re equally eager to publicly opine about the TV and radio personality’s love life whenever he offers even the smallest clue that romance is in the air.

Case in point: Seacrest took to Instagram with a photo carousel and a message about a “dinner for two” that he was preparing, and to be expected, the comments were just as much about his mystery dinner partner as they were about anything culinary. Check out the post below.

Looks like a lovely place to have dinner, regardless of whether one is alone or with a future romantic partner. (Or even with an enemy.) I'm not one to pass judgment on pics of food prep and finished plates the way others are, since I likely couldn't do better, but he's proud of the meal in a way that implies he put extra effort into it. Which implies it was for someone worth such effort, no?

Add to that the intentional secrecy embedded in not picturing the other diner, and more than a few specifically directed comments have come up thus far, such as those seen below.

• Is this a soft launch? 🌹😉 - @kelseysday
• Softest launch ever 🚀🔥 - @jannasinsta
• Who was your guest? Inquiring minds want to know lol - @marymaddie1959
• Who is she - @paginaskinner
• Yayyy on a #2… you deserve the best - @demitchell01
• Ohhh who’s the lucky lady?! - @nikkicilly
• You and Who?? Curious and Nosey me - @ritamay3618
• Whose the “2”? - @romeissmith
• Ok curious minds want to know…. Who’s the guest ??? - @elaine.wilson5
• If it doesn’t work out, I think we would get along. 😉 - @njb598
• And…. Who are we waiting for?? - @spotsy1
• Is it a girl?😍 - @Isleys817

Gotta love the one reponse guessing that it's "another date night with mom." Not as much all of the other comments questioning other aspects of his sexuality.

Though the dinner pics were taken later in the evening, and seemingy by Ryan Seacrest himself, is it possible that the first pic showing off his big ol' biceps was taken by his mystery guest? Someone out there should be picking that image apart for potential reflective surfaces. It'll just make me even hungrier if I do it.

Seacrest has previously shared a test that he puts into practice when potentially getting into a new relationship, in which he sees how communicative his romantic interest is when passing people on the street, noting that anyone who doesn’t respond to someone saying “Good morning” is a red flag in his book. No real chance of anyone bursting onto the scene for his private dinner setting, though, so it’s worth pondering whether he’s already put this mystery person through that exercise. I mean, if you’ve got enough spare pondering time built up, that is.

Wheel of Fortune’s syndicated daily run hasn’t yet set its official premiere date for Season 44, but ABC has already locked down Celebrity Wheel of Fortune returning to the 2026 TV schedule starting on October 2, with episodes available to stream the next day via Hulu subscription.

As an amateur rock historian who’s read countless rock biographies and seen most of the major music biopics about bands and stars, especially from the ‘60s and ‘70s, I’ll admit that most of them suck. One that particularly drives me insane is 2018’s Bohemian Rhapsody about Queen. I’m not even a very big fan of the band, but it still manages to enrage me to an admittedly unhealthy degree. It’s not the performances or the music; it’s the god-awful storytelling that manipulates the history of the band and especially Freddie Mercury’s life story.

The History Of The Band Is Just Wrong

I write this knowing that the surviving members of Queen, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor, were actively involved in the movie, and honestly, that makes it all even more maddening that the real history of the band is so wrong. I know and appreciate that sometimes changes need to be made to stories to make a great movie and tell a good story, but there are things in Bohemian Rhapsody that are so egregiously incorrect that it ruins the whole movie. Much of this comes at the end of the movie and in the timeline of events.

The movie ends with Queen playing at Wembley Stadium at the Live Aid concert in 1985. The performance is widely considered one of the greatest concerts in rock history, and for good reason. Even me, who isn’t a huge fan of the band, can appreciate just how incredible the show is, especially Mercury’s performance. Rami Malek, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of the lead singer, is electric in the performance.

According to the movie, Mercury and the rest of the band had been estranged for a while, reunited right before Live Aid, joining the massive bill at the last minute and putting on the performance of a lifetime. Except none of that is true. Queen was not a last-minute addition to the bill; they’d been part of the lineup almost from the time the concert was conceived by Bob Geldof.

They also had not been “broken up” for any length of time. In fact, they had just wrapped a huge world tour in support of their 1984 album The Works in May of ‘85. Live Aid took place less than 2 months after the last show of the tour. It’s also worth noting that the Rock in Rio concert portrayed as having taken place in 1979 in the movie happened, in reality, in January of ‘85. That wouldn’t have fit the false narrative in the movie of the band being on some kind of hiatus at that time

The History Of Mercury Is Even More Egregious

Even more frustrating than the dubious history of the band told in the movie (and there are other examples other than Live Aid) is the bogus history it tells of Mercury, and specifically his HIV diagnosis. In the movie, it’s portrayed that as the band rehearsed for Live Aid, just after “reuniting” in ‘85, Mercury told his bandmates about his diagnosis, adding to the emotional nature of the legendary performance.

In reality, Mercury probably didn’t know he was HIV positive at the time. He wouldn’t receive that tragic diagnosis for another two years! He didn’t tell the rest of the band until 1989, a full four years after Live Aid. For me, this is an inexcusable manipulation of the facts to garner false emotion for film viewers. It’s really kind of gross. The story is tragic enough without needing to gin it up with a completely false narrative.

There are other things the movie, which set a record for the highest-grossing music biopic ever at the time (since eclipsed by Michael on the 2026 movie schedule), gets wrong about Mercury’s solo career and how it affected the rest of the band (spoiler alert, they all had side solo careers), and a few other things I could nitpick, but it’s the BS ending that really grinds my gears.

VisionQuest is the next Marvel Cinematic Universe TV show that’s set to hit the small screen, and the excitement around the show is really starting to rise. That’s especially true in following the release of the show’s trippy first trailer, which features quirky characters and awesome visuals. It turns out that a major part of the formal pitch for the show involved a major MCU scene (and it’s one I love). With that, I also have a question regarding one aspect of this 2026 TV schedule entry.

Which MCU Scene Served As A Jumping-Off Point For VisionQuest?

The Paul Bettany-led Marvel show is being headed up by veteran producer Terry Matalas, a science-fiction lover with a body of work that includes Star Trek, MacGyver and more. Last weekend, Matalas was on hand for Disney’s D23 in Anaheim, where he sat down with Fandango (as seen on YouTube) to talk about his MCU series. During the chat, the EP was specifically asked about bringing back James Spader’s Ultron and what led to his inclusion. Matalas explained that inspiration came from a major Age of Ultron moment:

I can still remember sitting in a movie theater back in 2015 and witnessing that existential exchange between Vision and Ultron. What’s particularly surreal about it is that the unconventional father and son manage to find some common ground even after Ultron’s attempt to wipe out life on Earth. The exchange ends with the maniacal machine trying to kill Vision before the android uses the Mind Stone to wipe out (what was believed to be) the final copy of his “dad.” Matalas further emphasized the importance of the scene to his show:

In VisionQuest, a copy of (the deliciously portrayed) Ultron, who partially created the original vision, exists within White Vision’s digital subconscious somehow, and the two are constantly at odds with each other. That dynamic is teased in the trailer, and it makes me deliriously excited for what’s to come. Nevertheless, this avid Disney+ subscription holder is wondering one thing.

There’s One VisionQuest Question I Need Answered

When talking about this new MCU show, Matalas has put a considerable amount of emphasis on the relationship between Vision and Ultron. It seems evident that the two will go back and forth, as Bettany’s character attempts to decide on who or what he wants to be. What I’d really like to know right now is how exactly the book might finally be closed on this technologically dysfunctional relationship between father and son.

It’s clear that Bettany’s character has no problem with humanity, while Spader’s has his issues with it. Barring any major surprises, I can’t see Vision yielding to Ultron’s point of view, though could the latter see the error of his ways? I just really need to know whether this show will end with Ultron and Vision finding common ground and reconciling or with the two of them sticking to their guns and remaining in some form of conflict. Check out a little bit of their dynamic by checking out the trailer below:

What’s evident, though, is that Terry Matalas is a strong storyteller with a great appreciation for the MCU. So I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to bringing this latest show to a strong conclusion as far as Vision and his papa goes. And, of course, I’ll also be keeping an eye on how the appearance of Vision’s seemingly reincarnated son, Tommy (played by Ruaridh Mollica), factors into the proceedings.

VisionQuest premieres on Disney+ on October 14, and fans will be excited to know that it’ll close out the trilogy that also includes WandaVision and Agatha All Along. MCU lovers can prepare for the latest show by streaming the previously released series now.

Walt Disney has been serving up holiday magic for as long as I can remember. There is nothing quite like visiting one of their many theme parks during the holiday season, not only to check out new attractions, but to sample the holiday fare. One thing Disney has a (turkey)leg up over other theme parks is their holiday food offerings. They keep getting better every year and stand apart from the crowd. Case in point: This Halloween.

I’ve eaten holiday food at plenty of theme parks over the years, and there is often a trade-off. The food might be really well-themed, cute to look at, or have a fun concept, but sometimes the actual flavor can feel like an afterthought. At Disney, however, that is not the case. It has all of those attributes, and it usually tastes great, too. There is just a little more Disney magic in their dining options that I cannot quite put my finger on. Perhaps it’s just more sugar.

These Are Some Of The Can’t-Miss Eats This Spooky Season

This year alone, there are several new items you can try this spooky season. I attended the opening day of Halloween Time at Disneyland and sampled some of the limited-time seasonal offerings.

One of the standouts that I had to stop myself from buying twice while I was there is the Pumpkin Pie Mickey Shake, a pumpkin pie and vanilla milkshake with whipped topping and golden creme-filled cookies.

I had a chance to speak with one of the Disney chefs behind these creations and asked her if there was only one new drink guests should try. She did not skip a beat:

She did not steer me wrong. The cookies make some adorable Mickey ears, and if you like pumpkin, it’s a MUST. But the best part is that this isn't just a cute Halloween-themed drink. It actually delivers on the pumpkin pie flavor, which is exactly what I want from a seasonal theme park treat.

But dessert is not the only thing Disneyland is serving up this Halloween. The savory offerings are just as creative, and Disney isn't relying on theming alone to make its holiday food stand out. I also chatted with her about some of the savory offerings that will take your taste buds for a ride. She told me about the BBQ Pork Muenster Grilled Cheese:

I ordered it and can confirm it is adorable. It also comes with jalapeño slaw and potato bites. Pro tip: Put the slaw on the sandwich. It gives it a nice spicy, acidic crunch.

There is no shortage of themed treats at Disney right now, whether you want some seriously hot villainous wings, an Oktoberfest cheese-filled dog, a carne asada spicy Oogie Boogie burrito, some seasonal popcorn in the Hatbox Ghost popcorn bucket, or any number of other offerings. You won't miss out on either the theming or the flavor.

Normally, I go to theme parks for the rides and the holiday atmosphere, and food is just something I have while I’m there. But after eating holiday food at many theme parks, I can say that Disneyland is in a league of its own. The food is fun, creative, and incredibly themed, but it also actually tastes good, and that makes all the difference. Make sure to get your tickets and try these items before they're gone.

Also, get a pickle. It’s not new or on theme, but it is always delicious and hydrating because it might be 90 degrees when you are there.

Law & Order: SVU is preparing for its 28^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, and it’s hard to believe the show has been around for almost three decades. That also means Mariska Hargitay has been portraying the same character for almost three decades. However, there was a time when she considered saying goodbye to Olivia Benson, and she got a four-word response from Julianna Margulies about why that wasn't an option.

If Hargitay chooses to truly leave SVU, it can be assumed that the show would be ending because if there’s no Olivia Benson, there’s no SVU. Just a few years ago, that very nearly happened. The 2026 Emmys host told Variety that she was thinking about stepping away around Season 25. She recalled a conversation she had with Margulies about it, and the hard truth The Good Wife star shared:

Hargitay and Margulies briefly worked together when Hargitay recurred on ER during Season 4. Margulies ended up leaving the long-running medical drama after Season 6 to branch out more in her own career. So she would definitely know a thing or two about departing a hit drama.

However, being on a show for over 20 years, it can take a toll on you, especially if that’s all you do. That being said, Hargitay thought about her career outside of SVU, especially now, and there’s so much she’s been able to do and will do while still playing Olivia Benson. Overall, she seems pretty content with how things are:

A lot of actors have managed to do other projects while working on a television show, and even though it probably isn’t easy, it’s not impossible. Hargitay has definitely been putting in the work. Almost as soon as SVU Season 27 wrapped filming, she made her Broadway debut in Every Brilliant Thing. Her run ended right before filming for Season 28 began. Plus, as she stated, she also filmed a movie while shooting her TV show. Plenty of actors shoot more than one project at the same time, and this kind of schedule is perfectly normal and manageable, it seems.

Hearing that Hargitay has no plans to leave SVU is such a relief. Of course, NBC or Dick Wolf could always choose to end it whenever, but the series has been a staple on the network since 1999. I can’t imagine SVU, or at least any part of the Law & Order franchise, not on television. Even though the series and the franchise will have to end at some point, I’m happy to know that Magulies’ response and Hargitay’s enthusiasm to do more while still on the show is helping to keep it going.

Now that SVU is not going anywhere, fans can look forward to the new season. Season 28 will premiere on Thursday, October 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming the next day with a Peacock subscription.

I’ve had a good time with the nastier direction the Evil Dead franchise has taken over the past decade. The 2013 reboot movie was absolutely merciless, Evil Dead Rise found a fresh setting and plenty of disgusting ways to use it, and the 2026 movie schedule release -- Evil Dead Burn -- was relentlessly nasty, keeping the franchise’s reputation for soaking its characters in blood intact. Still, something has been missing, and series star and producer Bruce Campbell just put his finger on what he thinks it is. In my opinion, he’s dead right.

Where Bruce Campbell Thinks Evil Dead Has Lost Its Way

While discussing the franchise with Men’s Journal, the face (and chin) behind Ash Williams admitted he has a personal problem with where the recent films have gone. For Campbell, the movies have become too grim and left too much of the franchise’s sense of humor behind. Explaining what he’d like to see in any new horror movie entries in the franchise moving forward, he said:

That last point is what really sticks with me. Campbell is not asking for every new movie to turn into Army of Darkness. He is not arguing that Deadites should stop being scary or that every burst of gore needs a punchline. He wants some personality back in the bloodbath.

He also took a shot at the visual language of modern horror, joking about the gray-green “garage lighting” that shows up so often. Horror, Campbell argued, can still look beautiful before everything goes wrong. He has an equally simple rule for the gore: when the blood arrives, make sure it actually looks red. That all sounds pretty reasonable to me.

There is at least some reason to be optimistic about the next movie. Campbell is serving as an executive producer on Francis Galluppi’s Evil Dead Wrath, and he told the outlet he has “high hopes” after seeing Galluppi’s The Last Stop in Yuma County. That movie convinced him the filmmaker had the right instincts for the job.

Why I've Also Been Missing The Humor

The best Evil Dead movies have always understood how absurd this universe is. A possessed hand attacks its owner. An eyeball goes flying across a room. Ash straps a chainsaw where his hand used to be and somehow still has enough energy to toss out action-movie one-liners. “You ain’t leading but two things right now: Jack and s--t... and Jack left town” is an all-timer. I’d happily settle for something even 25% that funny in the next movie.

Sam Raimi could make the Deadites genuinely nasty while still understanding that Bruce Campbell getting beaten senseless by furniture was hilarious. That balance helped give the franchise its identity. I loved how mean the 2013 movie was, and Evil Dead Rise has some terrific sequences. These movies have practically made fake blood a competitive sport. I do not want future entries to pull back on the horror, but I would like them to remember that non-stop misery is not the only way to make Evil Dead work.

Campbell’s point about Ash gets at the bigger issue. Ash is arrogant, selfish, usually terrified and often somewhat idiotic, but you still want him to survive. He gives all that chaos someone worth following. That is what I’d love to see Wrath rediscover. Give me a character memorable enough that I actually care when the Deadites start closing in on them. Leave enough room for a joke to land, then drown the whole thing in bright red blood.

Yeah, now that sounds like one groovy Evil Dead movie.

Evil Dead Wrath unfortunately will not make the 2026 or 2027 movie calendars. Fans will have to wait until April 7, 2028, to catch the next installment in theaters. Details about the series' future are still fairly limited, but producers have revealed that Wrath is a prequel. Maybe that means a return to the cabin in the woods, and, with any luck, a return to some of the humor that helped define the franchise in the first place.

Marvel Studios has officially announced its cast for the next generation of X-Men, and while there's a lot of positive buzz right now on the heels of Sadie Sink's Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, I think there's a problem. The franchise has yet to announce who will play Magneto, but I'm wondering how the character can even be the same at all given this new cast.

With this X-Men cast being rooted in the present, and former Girls actor Christopher Abbott playing Charles Xavier at 40-years-old has me speculating that Magneto's actor will remain relatively the same age. In any case, rooting this movie in the present has me wondering if the studio has thought about the character's big origin as a Holocaust survivor, and how that experience shaped his complicated viewpoints on whether humanity and Mutants can co-exist. It has me wondering: are we in for a big Magneto retcon, or does Marvel have other plans?

Can Magneto Be The Same Without His Origin Being Rooted In The Holocaust?

As mentioned, Magneto's core philosophy was shaped by losing his family in the Holocaust and spending time in Auschwitz during WWII. Even though he's skewed the spectrum from supervillain to ally to the X-Men, he's long held the belief that humanity will always turn on the minority amongst them, and several key X-Men storylines have enforced that.

With the median age of a Holocaust Survivor being around mid-80s in 2026, it just doesn't seem feasible that we'll see a version of Magneto that will also be a colleague of Charles Xavier relative to his age. It seems that something will have to change in Marvel Studios' version when it comes to Magneto, but the question is what.

One solution could be to reintroduce the character and tie it to some other modern tragedy. Another possible solution would be to bring in a Magneto from another universe, one in which the historical events on Earth were in line with something that was similar to this younger Magneto's origin.

Of course, there's going to be fan backlash in making any core changes to Magneto, who is one of Marvel's more celebrated characters. Additionally, the optics of drastically changing the character's origin, or keeping it intact under certain circumstances, could be messy. In short, I'm not surprised the X-Men started with casting Mr. Sinister as an X-Men villain, because transforming Magneto might be a tough nut to crack.

Can Marvel Studios, Who Has Steered Away from Controversy, Accurately Tackle The X-Men?

One thing that's consistent about Marvel Studios is that it has tried to steer away from controversy or tackling modern societal issues, even when the opportunity was there. It feels like a problem, then, to be introducing a superhero group that exposes bigotry as a terrible thing, as Stan Lee once stated in a Rolling Stone interview.

Between Magneto's origins as a Holocaust survivor and so many of X-Men's biggest comic stories serving as a mirror to the Civil Rights movement in the United States, is Marvel Studios planning to service that in its stories? If not, then they'll just be nothing more than another generic superhero team.

It's heavy, but so is the world we have that lacks superheroes. I would love to see the X-Men become symbols for a new generation, especially with this talented cast, in a way they were for others in the past. With a cast that seems solidly ready to tell their story in the present day, the ball is in Marvel's court to make it happen.

I'll wait and see what the plans are for Mutants in the MCU, and in the meantime, enjoy older X-Men movies with my Disney+ subscription. I'll be waiting to see who is picked for Magneto, and hopefully they live up to past actors who played the role!

It’s been 18 years since Travis Barker and Adam Goldstein walked away as the only survivors of a small plane crash in South Carolina, with the DJ, known as DJ AM, dying less than a year later from a drug overdose. The Blink 182 drummer has been speaking about the tragedy again lately, with a new documentary Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear hitting the 2026 movie calendar, and it’s simply heartbreaking to hear the pain he feels over losing his friend.

On September 19, 2008, Travis Barker, DJ AM and two friends — Barker’s assistant Lil Chris Baker and his security guard Charles “Che” Still — were on their way home from a show when their plane crashed on takeoff, killing Lil Chris, Che and both pilots. More than half of Barker’s body was burned, and he underwent dozens of surgeries in a long and painful recovery. It’s gutting to hear Barker recall how he and Adam Goldstein struggled, as he said on Anderson Cooper’s All There Is podcast:

Less than a year later — on August 28, 2009 — Adam Goldstein died of a drug overdose, taking away the only person who could relate to what Travis Barker had been through. The drummer said:

Travis Barker broke down in tears as he recalled finding out about yet another of his friends passing away. I can’t imagine the pain of losing so many people, especially the one person who understood Barker’s trauma. He continued:

On the Louder Than Fear documentary, which is available to stream with a Hulu subscription, Travis Barker said it was “beyond difficult” to relate to anyone after he lost DJ AM. He said he poured all of his energy into being with his kids, Landon and Alabama Barker and Atiana De La Hoya.

While the Blink 182 rocker has since been able to get back on a plane, thanks to his wife Kourtney Kardashian, he and his children still struggle with a fear of flying. Travis Barker’s recovery, physically and emotionally, from the 2008 plane crash and DJ AM’s passing a year later are astounding, but this interview is a gut-wrenching reminder that those events will always live within him.

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle exited the Royal family and moved to the US, I remember Harry saying he’d wanted to move so that it would be more “liberating” for his family. He and his wife have had a tenuous relationship with the press, and he’s returned a few times as part of a fight against the outlet The Daily Mail in a court case he and others ultimately lost. Despite this setback, rumor has it the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are moving back home, and reports are coming down the pipeline it may be related to their business ventures.

They’ve Allegedly Had A Lot Of Money Going Out In Recent Years

A new report is allegedly shedding some light on the financials of the former Royals. An insider told Page Six that cash flow may be a main reason for the family to return to the UK.

That insider also specifically cited some big expenses in California, noting the couple has taken out two mortgages on their $14.5 million home in Montecito. They reportedly pay around $3 million a year just for security, a hot button topic that has come up quite a lot for the couple as the Royal family has not provided security when they return to the UK.

They have a vacation home in Portugal. A household staff, though the outlet also reports that number has dwindled from more than a dozen to around four. Meghan reportedly drives a Land Rover that retails for $140,000, amidst owning other vehicles.

Beyond the simple cost of living in Montecito, Harry and Meghan’s ventures have largely not done so well. Their relationship with Netflix has reportedly soured in recent months, and the streaming service even pulled out of her jam brand As Ever. Her show, With Love, Meghan was canceled after viewership dwindled in Season 2. Their attempt at a big screen venture, Cookie Queens, also landed in the headlines after flopping at the box office this month.

Then, just to touch again on the situation with the lawsuit filed against the Daily Mail, Prince Harry and other high-profile names (including Elton John), lost a lawsuit against the news outlet. Just this week, news broke they’ll have to pay around £9.5 million (or around $13 million USD) in reparations to cover The Daily Mail’s legal costs after losing in court. This is only the first payment, and not the full total that will ultimately be required to be paid, as well (via CNN). Though the initial amount is certainly a hefty sum on its own.

No, Harry And Meghan Are Reportedly Not “Running Out Of Money”

We don’t know the couple’s reasons for slashing staff etc, but with a move across the pond potentially looming, there could be more than one reason they are looking to make changes. In fact, other insiders stressed the situation is absolutely not in dire straits in any way, shape or form. Insiders stressed firmly that “they are not out of money,” also saying Prince Harry had inherited plenty not withstanding the revenue they’ve had coming in.

That insider stressed that despite Netflix pulling out, As Ever is allegedly doing well (though some reports claim otherwise), and of course, the couple made a reported $100 million from their initial deals, which include things like the Netflix contract the streamer reportedly got the raw end of the deal on and Prince Harry’s book deal. (Spare was a viral hit when it came out in 2023.)

I think it’s probably safe to guess Meghan and Harry’s foray to the US six years ago hasn’t played out exactly how they hoped. If their business ventures had worked out differently, I can imagine an alternate timeline somewhere out in the universe where The Duchess of Sussex made a name for herself in a way similar to what Gwyneth Paltrow or Martha Stewart (though she has some thoughts on that) did. What their next chapter will be is yet anyone’s guess.

Robert Downey Jr. is a bonafide star in his own right and one of the most esteemed (and highest paid) actors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, the sprawling franchise is filled with plenty of other heavy hitters, including Chris Pratt. Downey’s Tony Stark/Iron Man and Pratt’s Peter Quill/Star-Lord first crossed paths in 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, and the results were hilarious, to say the least. What surprises me now is that Downey is opening up about being “mad” at Pratt amid filming, but he means this as a major compliment.

Honestly, it’s hard to believe it’s been over eight years since Infinity War hit theaters, crushed at the box office and delivered that dreary ending. Downey and co-director Joe Russo recently sat down to reflect upon the making of the movie and discuss some of their favorite on-set moments. Eventually, the duo discussed the first scene they shot for the film – Tony Stark concocting a plan with the Guardians of the Galaxy on Titan. Downey recalled went on to recall Pratt’s comedic prowess and why he knew he’d be ready to play:

Downey is certainly no slouch when it comes to comedy, but it’s true that Pratt can operate on an entirely different level. The Jurassic World star’s performance as Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation alone is indeed evidence of his ability to generate laughs. During their interview with CBR (part of which was shared to TikTok), Russo asked Downey if he felt “threatened” by Pratt. The Oscar winner admitted to being “mad,” but his reasoning is quite nuanced:

So, while the Sherlock Holmes star was initially miffed over Pratt getting in some great lines, he came to the realization that it was a benefit to be working with a skilled performer. To that point, Stark and Quill’s on-screen interactions are comedic gold, as their specific brands of bravado clash with each other perfectly. It’s that initial conflict that eventually makes it so satisfying when the characters – and their allies – decide to work together to stop Thanos from acquiring the Time Stone.

As for Infinity War as a whole, the movie remains a visceral experience and a defining chapter in the MCU continuity (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription). Much of the cast and crew still have plenty of memories from making the movie. For example, Vision actor Paul Bettany has recalled filming his character’s death and having no frame of reference for it. Benedict Cumberbatch – who plays Doctor Strange – has also discussed the deleted scene in which his character wears the Iron Man suit.

Chris Pratt’s prior comments also suggest he enjoyed his time making the third Avengers movie as well, though he can also still remember the passionate responses to Peter Quill’s infamous Thanos moment. In terms of Pratt’s work with Robert Downey Jr., I would hope that he also holds their time working together in high regard.

Many continue to mourn actress and singer Hayden Panettiere who died at the age of 36 a week ago. Since the star’s passing was confirmed, many have paid tribute to Panettiere, from legions of fans to massive swaths of Hollywood stars. What many are also making note of are some of the comments the Heroes star made during the last year of her life. At this point, several of those sentiments are quite bittersweet but arguably none more so than Panettiere’s relatively recent declaration that she still had “more life to live.”

2026 was quite significant for the late Panettiere, as it marked the release of her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. While promoting the book, Panettiere participated in an interview on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast this past spring. The former child actress opened up about various facets of her life and career, including the negative and positive aspects. Near the end of the conversation, Shetty asked Panettiere about deciding on the book’s title and said it stemmed from her entering a new phase in her life:

Throughout the course of her life, Panettiere was quite candid about a number of topics. She discussed her romantic relationships, struggles with addiction and decision to take a break from acting. In her interview with Shetty alone, the I Love You, Beth Cooper star also talks about dealing with postpartum depression, childhood trauma and strained familial ties. This discussion is now incredibly bittersweet not only due to Panettiere no longer being with us but because it also seemed that she was ready for a fresh start.

Panettiere’s body was reportedly found in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina on August 16. The actress had apparently gone into cardiac arrest, and first responders attempted to revive her. Sadly, Panettiere was declared dead and, since her passing, authorities have not found any signs of foul play. The Kingdom Hearts icon’s death also comes over three years after her brother, Jansen died at the age of 28 due to cardiomegaly-related complications.

In the aftermath of Panettiere’s death, many have been sharing stories about working with her or just interacting with her casually. One of those tributes came from Ice Princess director Tim Fywell, who honored both Panettiere and the late Michelle Trachtenberg. Remember the Titans’ Ethan Suplee also shared a bittersweet memory about interacting with a then-young Panettiere at the film’s premiere and later doing heroin. The late actress was also honored by Heroes’ Jack Coleman, who recalled his on-screen daughter being “targeted” by paparazzi and more.

These remembrances speak not just to the person and artist Hayden Panettiere was but also to the challenges she experienced throughout her lifetime. It would be a massive understatement to say that she’s left us far too soon. At the very least, hopefully, her resilience in the face of adversity will serve as a continued source of inspiration to her family, friends and fans moving forward.

It’s almost impossible to imagine Pretty in Pink with anyone but Molly Ringwald playing Andie. That was almost the case, though, as Ringwald wasn’t the studio’s first choice for the role. As a result, the Brat Packer wasn’t sure she wanted to do the movie, either. Luckily, the film’s director, Howard Deutch, knew how much the screenwriter, John Hughes, liked working with Ringwald, and appealed to him to get her in the role in the movie.

With Pretty in Pink, which is available to stream with a Peacock subscription, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year (man, I feel old), the film’s director, Howard Deutch, spoke to People about the casting in the movie. He explained that despite the role being written for Ringwald (something Hughes did a lot of in that era), the studio was looking elsewhere. Here’s what Deutch says about it:

Jennifer Beals actually passed on the project, so Hughes, who had already worked with Ringwald on Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, and Deutch, who later directed Some Kind of Wonderful as well, made a final pitch to Ringwald, explaining:

Hopefully that includes the iconic pink prom dress at the end of the movie.

According to the various reports over the years, there were a bunch of up-and-coming actors who Paramount was considering for Andie, including Jodie Foster, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tatum O'Neal, and Lori Laughlin. While I’m sure any one of those choices would have been great, I really don’t think the movie is nearly as good without Ringwald. She was Hughes’ muse at the time, and anyone who has seen the movie knows she is perfect in the role.

Careers Took Off

Pretty in Pink was a launching pad for quite a few actors early in their careers. Jon Cryer, Andrew McCarthy, and James Spader all scored big roles in the movie, and it helped launch them into stardom. There were also smaller roles for Andrew Dice Clay (who plays a character called “The Diceman”), Kristy Swanson, Gina Gershon, Maggie Roswell, and even a cameo from musician Dweezil Zappa.

They were joined in the cast by the more established actors Annie Potts and Harry Dean Stanton, bringing together what I think is close to perfection in all the roles. I really can’t imagine anyone other than Spader playing the preppy jerk, or Cryer playing the lovelorn best friend. Even if I think Cryer’s character Duckie should have gotten the girl in the end, the movie is one of the best examples of an ‘80s rom-com and too often flies under the radar among Hughes’ best films.

Tom Cruise’s best characters may come from franchises like Mission: Impossible and Top Gun. But his films like Rain Man, Jerry Maguire, Tropic Thunder and more prove he’s more than just an action star. On that note, Cruise’s new movie with Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Digger, appears to further demonstrate the actor's versatility. If you need more reason to believe the Risky Business actor is going all out for his role as the titular billionaire, his co-star, Riz Ahmed, says he went full method, and jokes were made about that.

When I watched the trailer for 2026 movie release, I was mesmerized by Tom Cruise’s unrecognizable look and broad Southern accent. With that, I honestly forget this was the same actor who hung from the ceiling in Mission: Impossible. After filming wrapped, Digger's Riz Ahmed’s spoke with Empire and admitted that Cruise's method acting really had an effect on him as well:

I completely understand. There are some actors who flawlessly transform into their roles when the cameras are on and return to themselves when filming is over. But then, there are method actors like Jared Leto, Daniel Day-Lewis, Marlon Brando, and more, who allow themselves to get lost in their roles, with their true selves being non-existent throughout the shoot. I love hearing about Cruise committing to his role as oil tycoon who must save humanity from a massive fissure (that he caused) in the Earth.

With Tom Cruise fully absorbed in the role of Digger Rockwell, it sounds like Ahmed didn't quite get to know his co-star as his regular self amid filming. On that note, the Sound of Metal star joked around plenty about Cruise not being present in the Alejandro G. Iñárritu film. Ahmed even recalled a quip he threw Cruise's way later on:

Cruise’s new role is arguably similar to his Tropic Thunder character, Les Grossman. In playing that character, the Oscar nominee was hard to make out through that male pattern baldness hairpiece and faux gut. It's refreshing when Cruise gives frantic, whimsical performances, and it shows just how far he’s willing to go to bring a character to life. On the topic of Digger, Riz Ahmed went on to share thoughts about how Cruise may have felt while portraying his alter ego:

I can imagine how invigorating it must've been for Cruise to play a role like this one. Another Digger co-star, Emma D’Arcy, even said she found Cruise’s performance “unparalleled” and “extraordinary” as he immersed himself in the part.

First reactions to Cruise’s Digger footage at CinemaCon included a considerable amount of praise for the gray-haired, southern oil magnate. Let this be another reminder that Cruise is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone (in a way that doesn't involve dangerous stunts) to completely disappear into a character.

Based on Riz Ahmed’s takes, it sounds like we’re truly going to see Tom Cruise in a way we’ve never seen before. Method acting was a mission clearly not so impossible for Cruise, and I’m all the more excited to see how far he’ll take the bizarre role when Digger hits theaters on October 2nd.

I’ve watched hundreds of Saturday Night Live episodes, and at no point have I ever thought about the practicalities of wearing a bald cap and what that means for someone who is in multiple sketches. Well, it turns out it means a lot of pre-production planning and a series of wig changes.

The subject of bald caps came up during a recent episode of Fly On The Wall with David Spade and Dana Carvey. At first the conversation was in reference to Coneheads, but later, the two started talking more broadly about how it works on Saturday Night Live. Apparently, if a host is going to wear a bald cap at any point during the episode, they typically put it on before the show even starts. Then, the production department gives them a wig during the monologue to resemble their real hair so no one notices.

According to Spade, it’s an issue of timing. It used to take about 45 minutes to get into the bald cap, although he thinks it might be a little faster now. That’s only half the problem though. Once you’re done with the bald cap and want to take it off, your hair is a matted down mess that’s not fit for television. Since there’s no time with a live show like SNL to redo it, the plan is typically just to keep using different wigs until the closing credits, at which point you can finally take it off. That's especially true for the host who is often in most sketches, but it can also be true for cast members if they have a busy night too.

Here’s a portion of Spade’s quote talking about how it works…

It’s really a credit to Saturday Night Live and the heroes over in the make-up and costume departments at 30 Rock that I’ve never thought about this before (or how much the process can cost). I’m always on the lookout for bad wigs and sketchy makeup, but I’ve never second guessed a host during their monologue or noticed a consistent pattern of wigs after bald caps. I just ignorantly thought they were throwing on the bald caps ten minutes or so prior to the sketch and ripping them off as soon as they’re done.

I can’t wait to be on the lookout for all of this next month. Season 52 is scheduled to return to NBC and Peacock on September 26. We still don’t have definitive answers on the cast, at least outside of Chloe Fineman leaving, but the specifics should start coming in the next few weeks. I don't expect to see huge turnover, as the show has really found its rhythm lately, but we'll have to wait and see what longtime showrunner Lorne Michaels decides.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce may have only had a few weeks between their intimate Madison Square Garden wedding and the tight end’s return to the Kansas City Chiefs. But that apparently hasn’t stopped the newlyweds from enjoying their first weeks as Mr. and Mrs. Kelce. It sounds like the Lover artist is “fever dream high in the quiet of the night,” but according to alleged friends of the couple, this is certainly no “Cruel Summer.”

The newly married couple laid low in the weeks that followed their 1,000-person wedding ceremony, sneaking in a mini-honeymoon before Taylor Swift debuted her wedding ring at the nuptials of one of Travis Kelce’s NFL buddies. While their lives together are sure to include many extravagant vacations around the world, a source for the Daily Mail says right now they’re just excited to be husband and wife. According to the insider:

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift endured plenty of long distances in the early months of their relationship as she traveled the world for the Eras Tour, but now the couple has no intention of being apart. Swift plans to be wherever her husband is, which right now is in Missouri, as NFL preseason games kick off.

In addition to being Killa Trav’s biggest cheerleader, friends say Taylor Swift has reportedly been enjoying “la dolce vita” from their home in Kansas City. They continued:

She’s also allegedly been getting in plenty of puppy snuggle time with their fluffy Samoyed as well as her trio of felines — Meredith Grey, Olivia Benson and Benjamin Button — who are reportedly experiencing the same domestic bliss as their human parents. The source reported:

All that Italian food and white wine, however, doesn’t mean they’re not still focused on their fitness. The insider said Travis Kelce and his wife have allegedly made exercise part of their daily routine together:

We know where Travis Kelce will be, career-wise, for the rest of the calendar year, and while Taylor Swift will allegedly remain by his side, her career future is a little more up in the air. Obviously, marriage doesn’t mean she’ll stop making music — I’d imagine she’s as inspired as ever — and Swifties think she may already be dropping hints about TS13.

There’s also the thought that Taylor Swift might be set to release the “Taylor’s Version” of her debut album (thanks to some trolling from the Empire State Building) as the 20th anniversary of its release approaches.

We’ll have to wait to see what’s to come on the music front. However, I love the thought of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce enjoying Italian food, their fur-babies and all of the simple joys of married life.

At this point, we all know La La Land is a sweeping romance where the couple doesn't end up together. However, even though I've had ten years to come to terms with that, it’s still a hard pill to swallow. I realized maybe we should have noticed it would end this way from the get-go, though. That's because when I rewatched the musical that almost won Best Picture, I couldn't help but pick up on four signs that foreshadowed Mia and Sebastian’s doomed relationship.

So, next time you watch La La Land, keep an eye out for these moments.

They Technically Meet For The First Time In Traffic With Seb Flipping Off Mia

After “Another Day of Sun,” Mia and Sebastian technically meet for the first time in this genre-bending movie. As she’s practicing her lines, she ends up accidentally holding up traffic, and Seb lets her know that she frustrated him by flipping her off as he drives by.

The scene shows both of them as the struggling artists they are, and gives us a good hint of the love and frustration they have for their passions (and eventually each other).

So, technically, they begin their relationship on the wrong foot.

Mia Walks Into A Bar, Here’s Seb Play, And Then He Ignores Her

If you don’t count that first scene as their first meeting, consider this their official meet-cute. Though it's not really cute at all. After a rough night at a party, Mia wandered into the restaurant where Seb was reluctantly playing Christmas music. However, what she heard wasn’t that; it was a beautiful song that had nothing to do with the holidays.

While it was beautiful, it also got Seb fired. So, he was grumpy and walking out of the building when Mia tried to tell him how much she loved what he played. Ultimately, he bumped into and ignored her, which isn’t the best way to meet someone (as he fully admits later on). And while there really weren’t hard feelings over this, it certainly is a bad omen about what’s to come.

When They Go To The Movies, Right Before They Kiss, The Film Burns Up

First of all, Mia is late for this date (though that probably isn’t what either of them was calling it at the time). She was at a dinner with her boyfriend, and then decided to run to the movie to see Sebastian and watch the film they had talked about while walking around the film lot.

While it’s ultimately a romantic night that ends with them dancing in the Griffith Observatory, there is a bad omen in there. At the movies, right as they’re about to share their first kiss, the film burns up, and the lights come up.

The moment is laughed off, and it’s overall kind of funny to see them taken out of their romantic moment right before the big first kiss. However, when added to the other misfortunes and bad events we’re talking about here, it’s another arrow pointing toward Mia and Seb’s sad ending.

One Of The Dishes Seb Makes Burns In The Oven While He’s Fighting With Mia

This last one is the most obvious omen, and it’s essentially the beginning of the end of their relationship.

In this scene toward the end of La La Land, Mia and Sebastian fight over Seb deciding to keep working with the band that he does not love playing for and touring with. All the tension that had been building up comes to a head in this moment, the music stops playing (literally and figuratively), and the scene ends with the fire alarm going off, Seb taking a burning dish out of the oven, and Mia leaving.

Unfortunately, you usually cannot fix something that’s burned.

To me, La La Land is a perfect film, in great part because of its sad ending. However, Damien Chazelle’s musical is better on a rewatch, because you can pick up on all the signs that point toward the tragically beautiful conclusion.

Tom Holland has never exactly looked out of shape. The guy spent years flipping through Spider-Man movies and somehow found time to play an extremely physical Telemachus in The Odyssey. Still, anyone who took time to see Spider-Man: Brand New Day probably noticed Peter Parker came back looking considerably more built this time around. Now, we have at least one clue about what he does when he needs a workout without sacrificing half his day.

In a viral clip posted to Instagram, Men’s Health caught up with the actor while he was hosting an event for his nonalcoholic beer brand, BERO. He was asked for his go-to workout when he is short on time. His answer was a CrossFit staple called “Cindy.” Here’s how the Spidey actor described it:

Five pull-ups. Ten push-ups. Fifteen squats. Reading those numbers, I briefly suffered from the delusion that I could hang with Spider-Man. Then Holland mentioned his personal best:

Never mind. Twenty-seven rounds works out to 135 pull-ups, 270 push-ups and 405 squats. That is 810 reps in 20 minutes, or roughly one full round every 44 seconds. The classic CrossFit workout is designed as an AMRAP, meaning you complete as many rounds and reps as possible before the 20-minute clock expires.

Suddenly, Peter Parker’s arms in Brand New Day make considerably more sense. Once the blockbuster star’s 27-round record started circulating again, social media did what social media does best: collectively decide that a movie star has issued a challenge he never actually issued.

People have been filming themselves attempting Cindy, and 27 rounds have proven to be a nasty target. The Washington Post reported that the routine started spreading online shortly after Brand New Day opened on July 31, while other outlets described the workout as practically unavoidable across fitness feeds this summer.

Even fitness influencer Skye Mackintosh, known online as Daily Reps Guy, reportedly managed 24 rounds during an attempt. That is an absurd workout by any normal standard and still leaves him three rounds behind Holland. Check it out:

The Uncharted lead does offer a slightly more merciful version. When he is tired, he limits himself to one round at the start of every minute, using whatever time remains before the next minute begins to rest. Twenty rounds still means 600 total reps, so “merciful” is doing some heavy lifting there.

Also, the routine explains why Holland's physique can look muscular without drifting into God-of-Thunder territory. Cindy is built around bodyweight movements performed quickly and repeatedly, which makes plenty of sense for an actor whose superhero spends considerably more time swinging, climbing and flipping than posing with a hammer.

I’m impressed Holland can knock out 27 rounds. I am considerably less impressed by the tiny voice in my head that heard the workout takes only 20 minutes and immediately said, “You could probably try that.”

Fans can still catch Holland and those increasingly noticeable guns on the big screen, because both Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey are still playing in theaters and making plenty of box office noise. Brand New Day has become the highest-grossing release among 2026 movie releases so far, that is, until "Dunesday" later this year. While The Odyssey has been putting up some ridiculous numbers of its own. So, if you need workout motivation, apparently the answer is to watch Tom Holland save New York or sail around ancient Greece with his sleeves doing considerably less work than they used to.

Maury Povich and Jimmy Kimmel didn’t know one another in real life when the brouhaha between himself, the FCC, and parent network ABC happened late last year. However, the daytime talk show host was one of the first in line, with his wife Connie Chung, when Kimmel made it back on the air. Afterward, the two shared a sweet exchange that (thankfully) had nothing to do with paternity results.

All joking aside, Povich’s famous daytime talk series seemingly had little in common with Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but Povich had always wanted to be a part of the late night show. When Kimmel was ultimately suspended by Bob Iger's Disney in September of last year, after the FCC got involved in a series of comments Kimmel had made following the death of Charlie Kirk, Povich seemingly thought he'd lost his chance.

So when the series came back, he made a point to attend, and to send Kimmel an email.

Previous reports have indicated that Povich was scheduled to do an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! almost ten years ago now. Back in 2017 he was supposed to actually come on the show and do a Matt Damon spoof that would have actually been about paternity results, as he also told EW:

Still, despite the “conflict,” Povich had always hoped to be on the show. His own series (which presumably would have made him a more likely guest) ended in 2022. So, just getting to see it tape when the whole world hedged for a while the suspension might become a cancelation sounds gratifying for the former daytime host.

Of course, that’s not what ended up happening. ABC ultimately brought Jimmy Kimmel back (though some stations still pre-empted him), and it ended up being The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that got the axed. When it comes to this, Povich definitely still sounds flummoxed.

For Colbert's part, a loss in monetary earnings was what CBS claimed led to the show's cancelation, though Colbert declined to look at the books. However, President Trump was very excited to see the series gone and stayed up until 2 a.m. to comment on Colbert leaving late night when the series wrapped.

The other interesting piece to all this is probably that after The Late Show said goodbye, ratings have actually been up for Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, though it’s Kimmel that has seen a higher rate of return. Now, I just wonder if Maury will ever

After his most recent appearance on Survivor and ahead of his trip to the Big Brother House, Rick Devens decided to make t-shirts. The plan was to sell some of them to the general public and give some of them to his family and real life supporters. Unfortunately, the scheme ran into a little bit of a snag when his wife found out what he actually planned to put on the t-shirts.

Always a fan of puns and dad jokes, Devens worked with the designer to use the phrase “Big Rick Energy.” He thought it was going to be hilarious, but when he informed his wife Becca, she was not a happy camper. For whatever reason, she didn’t want her kids wearing shirts referencing their dad’s “Big Rick Energy.” In fact, after a video of Rick telling the story got clipped and posted on social media, she doubled down on her stance and used words like “tacky,” “yuck” and “ewwwww” to describe her feelings.

You can check out Devens telling the whole story below…

Fortunately, the t-shirt story has a happy ending. Rick and Becca eventually got on the same page with the designer, and they put together some really snazzy looking shirts that use the catchphrase “Fake Clues & Breaking News.” They went up for sale on Devens’ official website, and to the surprise of no one, they sold out pretty quickly. I’d imagine Becca also grabbed some for the kids, which they can wear without her feeling all kinds of weird and gross.

There’s still a lot of Big Brother left to go, but Devens is in a pretty good position at this point. He recently used his Diamond Power Of Veto to save his ally and fellow Survivor alum Dee, but he still seems to be sitting in a really good position in the game. He has several close allies and seems to have really positive relationships with pretty much everyone in the house, even those who aren’t working with him.

That being said, he’s also starting to get looked at as one of the biggest threats in the house and a likely winner if he makes it to the end. That’s been his story during both of his appearances on Survivor, as well. He forms strong relationships, makes some aggressive game moves and then everyone else decides he needs to go because he’s the biggest threat left in the house. It’s always the same story, but fortunately for fans, it’s typically a story that results in some pretty good television.

There’s no word on whether we’ll ever get another round of t-shirts since they’re out of stock, but given how much his popularity continues to grow, I think there’s a strong chance we do. Maybe one day we’ll even get a special edition that says "Big Rick Energy." I know that one’s not for his kids, but it must just be for the rest of us.

Having gotten caught up on all eight Dungeon Crawler Carl books, while we wait for Book 9 and for news about the Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show, I've turned my attention toward the fandom and the lore surrounding Matt Dinniman's mega-popular self-published books. As it happens, one of the recent tidbits I learned concerns both.

Those who've been on board with the Dungeon Crawler Carl books from the start -- particularly those who are subscribed to Matt Dinniman's Patreon -- will likely already know this one, especially if they were around years ago, when he launched the poll that included a certain book, which would prove to be extremely relevant to the series.

Dungeon Crawler Carl spoiler alert! 🟠 If you're not caught up on the series, there may be plot and character references you won't want to know about yet!

My mind was blown to learn that the Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook -- the item Carl selects as a prize in Book 3 -- was added to the series as the result of a Patreon poll. Matt Dinniman mentioned this fact recently during the Matt Dinniman Spotlight panel at SDCC in July, saying:

Cuba is a big part of the setting for Book 6 (The Eye of the Bedlam Bride). Books 9 and 10 are on the way, so how Mordecai's form impacts the story remains to be known. And then there's the Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook, which is not just a key item in Carl's inventory, but the whole title of the third book in the DCC series!

The Introduction Of The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook

The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook is an item Carl selects from a prize carousel. He has a variety of promising-looking options to select from, but something about the book catches his eye. After he selects it, it seems like a dud of a prize on the surface, as it appears to be nothing more than a Chicken and Goblin recipe book. Upon later inspection, he discovers that it's a book that's been passed on from crawler to crawler over the years, and is filled with helpful advice, thoughts and tips to survive, as well as the ultimate mission to take the system down.

The Cookbook is referenced throughout the series, so it's not like this is a weapon or tool that plays is part and later blurs into the history of the series with so many other collected items. It's a big deal and relevant through the most recent book in the series.

Matt Dinniman's Patreon Poll

Obviously, after hearing what Matt Dinniman said about fans being responsible for voting that item into the story, I had to know more. Members of Matt Dinniman's Patreon can access content going back years, including the polls. Sure enough, there's a poll from June 29, 2020, which invites fans to pick what Carl wins in a fan box he's going to receive.

The poll contains various items, including the Cookbook; however, that wasn't the actual winner. The winning choice of the poll was the very last item on the list: "A pop-up reward room where he's given all of the above choices, and he has to pick one himself." The second highest vote-getter in the poll was the Cookbook, listed as "A single book. 'The (Dungeon) Anarchist's Cookbook." So it seems Matt Dinniman really held true to the results. Carl wins the prize carousel, and he ends up selecting the Cookbook from the various options he's presented with.

Matt Dinniman Does Have A Rule About The Patreon Votes

It's wild to me that such a vital item came into the story due to a fan vote. Would he have introduced the Cookbook in another way, had things not worked out how they did? Who can say, but it's impossible to imagine the series without it. Regardless, I love the lore here. Matt Dinniman went on to explain the rule he adheres to for the polls:

As a fan, it's comforting to know he's not rolling the dice on the fate of his core characters. He went on to explain why it's fun for him to give the fans a bit of control over the story, stating:

Learning the backstory to some of the decisions Matt Dinniman has made while writing the series is almost as fun for me as actually reading the books. As relieved as I am that he ended up not separating Donut and Carl as he once considered, I'm equally relieved that those early DCC fans had the foresight to set the wheel in motion that would ultimately bring the Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook into the story.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was one of the most anticipated movies to his the 2026 release schedule this year. People haven’t stopped talking about it since. In fact, some folks are taking footage of the Greek epic and twisting it into something else. Case in point: someone reimagined The Odyssey as a rom-com, and I can’t believe how much it works! No, really.

Turns out all you need to transform a tragedy into a rom-com is the right upbeat music and an early ‘00s inspired narrator. Dailybaileyb takes our tragic hero, Odysseus, and turns him into “just a guy trying to get home from a work trip.” Like the Cyclops in The Odyssey, once you see it you can't unsee it. Check it out:

Reviews hailed the isual masterpiece of The Odyssey as one of it's main positives. However, some choice critiques of the film have been peppered in namely mentioning things like its “Nolan-ness,” with some even calling it “never exactly moving.” This hasn’t stopped many, many people from seeing and discussing the movie, however. Whether it’s the alleged major side character problem or the power couple that is Tom Holland and Zendaya, fans have had fun both roasting and gushing about the movie. Oh yeah, and turning it into a rom-com.

Even Ryan Reynolds had something to say about the movie breaking Deadpool & Wolverine’s record for being the highest grossing rated-R movie of all time. Now, it’s the rom-com trailer's time to shine, and I can see why some in the comments are calling this “the best thing on the internet” (via Erika Henningsen). Here are some of the best reactions to the trailer:

• "I understood more about the plot from this trailer than I did from reading the whole book in high school." -Thedesertdiyer
• "I would have watched it if it was branded this way." -Thizdj:
• "Trailer as Nolan intended." -Daniellelforster:
• "The movie I wish I had seen instead. " -_julesrose_

The actual Odyssey has a very different vibe than an ‘00s rom-com. And while it does have a “romance of epic proportions,” we can all agree a LOT happens in the movie. Much had to be condensed or tweaked, but Nolan’s tweaks to Homer’s epic has mostly been enjoyed. Though maybe not as much as this trailer presents.

Admittedly, I’m glad to see something about the movie that’s not fans angry about certain casting choices. Instead we have something fun and lighthearted, and I’m loving it. Though now I can’t help wonder what a rom-com version of The Odyssey would look like. I'm sure it'd still have Anne Hathaway.

We’ve seen it done to Shakespeare (just watch 10 Things I Hate About You), so it’s not impossible. But will we ever see that? I doubt it.

The year was 2022. Despite the fact movie theaters had yet to see a massive box office resurgence at this point, Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt’s Jungle Cruise managed to cross the $100 million mark. It seemed like it would all be smooth sailing from there. A sequel was reportedly coming down the pipeline, and Disney was ready to make another of its famous rides into a franchise. Then it all fell apart.

Four years have passed since Jungle Cruise was released into theaters, and The Rock was recently asked about his movie based on the popular Disney attraction. He said at D23 he really felt the movie got “kicked around by Covid,” which is fair and was a big concern at the time. In fact, he said he’d love the opportunity to get back to sequel talks again. I’m here for it, but I think there would 100% need to be a change.

Emily Blunt And Dwayne Johnson Don’t Work As Love Interests In This Franchise

Johnson and Blunt are hilarious together. They have great timing when it comes to comedy on set, and I can see why casting directors thought they were suited for the storyline in The Jungle Cruise. To me though, the romance in the movie is really the one thing that just doesn't work. The kiss toward the end of the movie is one of the most unromantic in history, and Emily Blunt herself joked about it.

I honestly think the movie would have been better off with the same three leads --Johnson, Blunt and Jack Whitehall -- without the romantic pairing.

Since we got the pairing no one wanted in the first movie, how refreshing would it be if the sequel set them up as exes now who had to work together again? Then, the second movie wouldn't have to be some ham-fisted attempt at a romantic + action-adventure + comedy a second time, and could focus on what makes the movie great: the characters' rapport. They do well with the tension part. The verbal sparring is spot-on, and they can absolutely carry a fun movie. I want to see more. I just really want this tweak.

I know The Rock and Emily Blunt are fine working together because they tried again in Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine. In that movie, Johnson played Mark Kerr, and Blunt played Mark’s girlfriend Dawn Staples. Again, they crushed a lot of dramatic and tense scenes, and all of their interview press runs have been delightful, but they just seem like such great pals.

So, I guess all I’m saying is, I am fully on board with The Jungle Cruise 2. I do actually think the first movie didn’t get a fair box office shake due to circumstances outside of its control, and I think The Rock and Emily Blunt work well together. I would just rather have them trolling each other than falling lovingly into each others’ arms. Is that too much to ask of a sequel?

OK Disney, the ball’s in your court now.

Boy Meets World may have ended 26 years ago, but it’s still one of the best sitcoms of all time. So much so that it was revived in 2014 with the Disney Channel spinoff, Girl Meets World. A chunk of the original cast returned in guest or recurring roles, with Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel leading the new cast. While finding out about the spinoff was not fun for some of the original cast members, as they were fully moved on, the meeting for the pitch was apparently even more awful.

Fishel, Rider Strong, and Will Friedle are officially diving into Girl Meets World for "Pod Meets World." To start, they recalled how the spinoff came to be, and how they were less than willing to participate. Strong revealed that co-creator Michael Jacobs, who was also behind Boy Meets World, got him and Friedle together for a meeting, even though the show was the last thing they wanted to do:

I can definitely see where they were coming from. Strong explained he was just planning to propose to his now-wife, Alexandra Barreto, when he heard the news about Girl Meets World.

Then, to hear the news through the press and not from an actual person was doubtless a bit of a slap in the face. Originally, Friedle explained they still took the meeting merely to just hear what happened from Jacobs and see what was what:

Unsurprisingly, Jacobs was pretty convincing during the lunch meeting. While Friedle didn’t share exactly what was discussed, it sounds like they talked about a lot, especially Girl Meets World.

By the end of it, both Strong and Friedle were talked into going to a casting session. Unfortunately, this is where the meeting took a turn. The only way Jacobs convinced him was by putting quite a lot of pressure on them, and it does not sound pretty. Strong recalls "screaming."

That meeting might have been well over a decade ago, but it is still firmly implanted in both Friedle and Strong’s minds. The moment was seemingly made worse by the fact that they were not in a private area and were in a very public restaurant:

• Friedle: In the middle of a restaurant!
• Strong: It was a lot.

The fact that Friedle and Strong both still signed on for Girl Meets World, appearing in four and seven episodes respectively, is surprising after hearing about that meeting. Regardless, they said after going to the casting, seeing everyone again, and feeling like they were part of the team, it was much easier to agree.

Ultimately, Girl Meets World had some creative issues, but it still went off without a hitch. It definitely wouldn’t have been a proper Boy Meets World revival without Eric and Shawn, and I am definitely grateful that they said yes, despite the circumstances getting them there.

I started watching Big Brother this season, partially because of Dee and Rick Devens and partially because my co-workers have been on me for years to try it. Well, spoiler alert: I love it. I love the constant strategizing. I love the drawing and redrawing of alliances. I love that it’s happening in real time. I love being able to jump into the live feeds. I love the goofy competitions. I love everything about it, apart from one elephant that’s sleeping in the have-not room: the fans.

The Big Brother fandom, or at least the segment of the fanbase that openly talks about the show on social media, is the most obsessive, deranged and unhealthy group I have ever seen. Mean-spirited, stalkerish and obnoxiously hypocritical, it’s toxic, even by the standards of other toxic fanbases, and I should know, as someone who almost exclusively loves things that attract compulsive weirdos.

Seriously. Whatever you think I’m into, I promise you it’s worse. I love professional wrestling and once sat next to an old lady at a live event who screamed at the top of her lungs that she was going to walk to the ring and beat Dominik Mysterio’s ass herself. I was involved behind the scenes in our Game Of Thrones reaction videos on YouTube that hit right as the entire fanbase, myself included, had a rage-induced panic attack over Season 8. I angrily posted in multiple Reddit threads after Mountain Dew cancelled the exclusive 7-11 spinoff flavor Infinite Swirl (RIP). I’ve written probably a dozen articles screaming into the Fijian jungle about bad production decisions on Survivor.

So, yeah, I know a thing or two about groupthink and righteous anger, but Big Brother fans make every single one of those toxic fanbases look like well-behaved children having a polite bitch about dinner. I’m only six weeks into this shared experience, and the things I have seen people say and heard people do have left me consistently uncomfortable and at times, even shocked. Let me just run down some things that have already happened this season.

Haley’s dad was accused of USDA violations related to his kennel business. Someone screenshotted Indeed employee reviews from Haley’s stepdad’s company and posted them on social. Jason was sent multiple death threats. Melody’s socials and follow lists were obsessively stalked to determine who her alleged on-again-off-again boyfriend is, and after she started flirting with Drew on the live feeds, the dude’s friend was tracked down to give quotes about how sad it made him. Someone tweeted at President Trump and ICE asking them to investigate Dee, and it got more than a hundred likes.

It’s not even just random fans either. A former houseguest accused Barrett of using “effeminate role play” to make women feel safe because he kissed Dee on the cheek. Multiple former houseguests screamed at each other on social media over different interpretations of a comment Angela made on the live feeds about a Filipina houseguest on her OG season and whether she stayed because she brought up her heritage. Another former player said he wanted Rick and Kamu out of the house after they said they weren’t interested in doing drag.

To be clear, these aren’t edge cases where someone with three followers said it on X and got ignored. Most of these incidents I referenced were the subject of wide conversation, and many of the accusations were liked hundreds or even thousands of times. If you look hard enough, you can find comments from people saying this feels a little creepy or maybe we’re taking things too far, but in almost every instance, they’re dwarfed by more popular comments egging the harassment or wild allegations on.

To be clear, I’m not saying we should all sit around and pretend every reality contestant is great. I think riding hard for players you like and actively rooting against players you hate is part of the appeal. Half the reason I watch The Traitors, Survivor, Top Chef, The Floor, Bake Off, Amazing Race and a bunch of other reality competition shows is because I want to see the people I hate suffer a humiliating defeat. I’m not on some high horse here telling everyone we should root for each player equally and only say nice things on social media.

But there is a difference between saying you think a houseguest sucks at the game and ripping their life apart like they’ve committed multiple felonies. Unfortunately, an absolutely obnoxious percentage of the negative commentary about Big Brother falls into the latter camp. I don’t even think we’re halfway through the game, and I’ve already seen pretty much every single player accused of some combination of racism, sexism, homophobia, unconscious bias, religious zealotry and/ or being a mean girl.

I’ve even seen players get vicariously diagnosed with eating disorders, psychological disorders and mental disabilities. There’s no consistency to it either. One week eighty percent of the fanbase seems to agree a player is a bigot who should be ejected from the house, and the next week, most of those same people are riding for that player because he’s suddenly aligned with the right people.

I know it’s not just this season either because whenever I mention these things to my coworkers and other hardcore fans of the show, they say that’s just the Big Brother fanbase. Inevitably, every conversation continues with someone telling me some horrible story about a former player’s business having to shut down the reviews on their website because fans got mad about some comment they made on the live feeds at 3 AM that no one actually in the house seemed bothered by.

I want to engage with the Big Brother community, and I want to keep up with the live feeds. It’s a lot of fun to track things going on in real time, but to be honest, it’s been mentally exhausting trying to be a part of this fanbase for the last six weeks. I'm worn down. I'm like Angela after 10 PM.

To be clear, I am absolutely not saying people shouldn't be allowed to talk about race or sex or tweet their perception of the truth, but when multiple players are getting accused of racism, sexism and homophobia every week, sometimes just for aligning with other players there’s clear gameplay reasons to align with, it all starts to feel kind of demoralizing.

I'm also not saying people shouldn't joke about or dunk on reality contestants. I'm all for that. I'm all for having a laugh, even if it's a tiny bit mean-spirited, but when I see follow-up replies tagging people's family members or workplaces, it doesn't seem quite so funny anymore.

I’m going to continue with Big Brother after this season. I have already decided I’m in this for the long haul, but with each passing day, I’m starting to wonder if I should do so quietly. I’m starting to wonder if I should just be one of those rubes who only watches the episodes. I know that means I won’t get the full story, but honestly, the trade-off might be worth it. I’m used to dealing with toxic fanbases. I’m proudly a part of several, but it turns out they’re amateur hour compared to whatever this is.

The 2026 TV schedule introduced us to Off Campus, and since then, the actors who bring Briar U to life have skyrocketed to a new level of fame. Belmont Cameli, Ella Bright, Stephen Kalyn, Mika Abdalla, Jalen Thomas Brooks and Antonio Cipriano have become heartthrobs online, and people love seeing these colleagues and friends interact both in the show you can stream with an Amazon Prime subscription and in real life. Now, someone has compared this group’s dynamic to the cast of Friends, and some valid points were made.

This comparison came up when a source made claims about just how tight the Off Campus cast is to Deux Moi. They said that they are genuine friends, they’re all going through this crazy situation together, and allegedly their dynamic is very healthy. Here’s what the source had to say:

This all comes amid fan speculation that there’s drama among the cast. In an episode of the Deux/U podcast, Deux spoke about this, and she made it abundantly clear that she does not believe there’s any drama at all among these actors. That’s where the direct Friends comparison came in, as she explained:

To this day, the cast of Friends is beloved for their friendship both on screen and off. They’re also still incredibly tight; as Jennifer Aniston once said, they’re “family forever.” I mean, Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow talk about each other and post about being together fairly regularly. While the Off Campus cast has only been working together for about a year, they also speak very highly of one another and the genuine friendship they all share.

Take one look at the comments section on Ella Bright’s Instagram post about performing with Suki Waterhouse (which her castmates went and saw), and you’ll see exactly what I mean. Almost all of them were posting about how much they loved her and that performance. And that’s just the most recent example of them going out of their way to support one another. If you watch an interview or look at their social media, it becomes clear quickly that this group is tight and dealing with this whirlwind together.

On top of the genuine friendship, these casts have also experienced extreme rises to stardom. Friends is one of the best sitcoms, and it sent its six actors to a level of fame that’s overwhelming. A similar thing is happening to the cast of Off Campus. This show made them household names and served as a major breakout moment in their careers. I also think these projects are worth comparing, because these shows didn’t just propel one actor into the spotlight, it put a light on an entire ensemble.

Obviously, the two shows are quite different. Friends is simply a sitcom about six friends (and there's some romance). Off Campus is a romance series that puts a couple at the center of each season. However, at the heart of Prime Video’s book-to-screen adaptation is the friendship between Garrett, Logan, Tucker and Dean, as well as Allie and Hannah. Yes, romance is the primary focus; however, the bond all these characters share as pals is very comparable to Friends and one of the reasons why I love it so much.

So, overall, I totally see why someone compared the cast of Off Campus to the Friends ensemble, and I hope that stays true as this hockey romance continues into Season 2 and beyond. Now, if you want to see all these friends in the projects that made them…well…friends, you can stream Off Campus on Amazon Prime and Friends with an HBO Max subscription.

I don’t know about you, but it feels like The Force is particularly strong with the next upcoming Star Wars movie, Starfighter. I say this because it feels like it has the power to change the tides for theatrical Star Wars films if it does well. And its writer just said something about it that’s making me feel like I’m listening to one of John Williams’ wonderful Star Wars scores.

Starfighter was written by Jonathan Tropper, who made The Adam Project with Shawn Levy, along with recent Apple TV hits like Your Friends & Neighbors and Lucky. Here’s what he just said about making his Star Wars movie:

Praise the movie gods, we’re finally getting a Star Wars movie without any Skywalker connections! Look, of course I love all that mythology, and my ears instinctively perked up when I heard the theories about Ryan Gosling’s character being a Skywalker. But I’ve been wanting to see a Star Wars movie for a long time without much or any story connections to the originals, prequels or sequels. I just want to see a filmmaker do their own thing within the universe!

Shawn Levy has previously said Starfighter would be “standalone,” but there’s just something about also getting this information from the person who actually wrote it. The writer’s words to Deadline have me more optimistic for the upcoming movie, but there’s also a sense of mystery and danger to it. What does an original Star Wars movie look like?

From what we know, Gosling will play the role of Kade Auberon, who just happens to have the fastest starship in the galaxy, a G17 Imperial Reaper, in his garage. During D23, fans got to see a peek at the movie and a look at a very cool jacket Kade wears in the film.

Plot details regarding Kade’s origins and the past that led him to have the ship in his hands are being kept hidden, but we know he’ll be going on a big adventure with a teenage character played by Flynn Gray. Also among the cast are Matt Smith, Mia Goth, Aaron Pierre, Simon Bird, Jamael Westman, Daniel Ings and Amy Adams.

The franchise will officially be 50 years old when Starfighter comes out on May 28 on the 2027 movie schedule. I don’t expect to feel the way it must have felt to see the franchise for the first time, but I hope there’s something about it that gives the franchise some sheen to it that I’ve been missing.

I knew Taylor Sheridan was a busy guy, and I’ve always had trouble trying to figure out how exactly he’s able to work on so many shows while also being a ranch owner and cowboy in his own right. Well, now he’s explained what his days look like, and I genuinely don’t know how he’s been able to write and work on shows like Yellowstone and Landman while also doing everything else he’s committed to.

Between the 2025 and 2026 TV schedule, Taylor Sheridan served as the showrunner on 1923, Landman, The Madison and Lioness, and he was an executive producer and writer on Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, while serving as an EP on Marshals and Dutton Ranch. However, that’s not all he does. He owns the Bosque and 6666 Ranches in Texas, and ranching is no small job. While speaking to Town & Country, he opened up about how all this impacts his day-to-day life, explaining:

Earlier in the story, Sheridan noted that his work in television and movies helps him pay for his horses, and those animals take up a lot of his day too. To dive into those details, he helps train horses in cutting, specifically. Cutting is a very precise practice where cowboys use a horse to separate cows from a herd, and you can actually see it on display in Yellowstone (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription).

While the Bosque Ranch is more focused on horses, the 6666 is a cattle operation. So, he’s got his hands full overseeing two major operations, and that’s not even counting the work he does for television.

Funnily enough, in the cutting arena, Sheridan has an editing bay where they can work on his TV shows. The projects that can mostly be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription take up the other half of his day, as he explained:

As I mentioned earlier, Sheridan is a writer, EP and showrunner on multiple projects. He also acts in Lioness. Many of these shows are moving into new seasons too, like Landman, The Madison, Mayor of Kingstown, Dutton Ranch, Marshals and more. So, he shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. Again, while he’s not as involved in the Yellowstone franchise as he once was, he is still the boss of Landman, Lioness and The Madison.

That is no small feat by itself. Just thinking about his shows, I can’t understand how he gets it all done. When you add in the work he does with his ranches, it becomes even harder to comprehend. But somehow he does it, and clearly he has a good system down. So, as long as he has that, he’ll keep writing and cowboying, and we can keep enjoying his work.

Brand New Day may go down in history as one of the best Spider-Man movies, but once it was simply a work in progress. During the movie’s press tour, Tom Holland spoke about there being some less-than-desirable test screenings during post-production. But it led the movie’s director to need to set something straight about his comments. Let’s get into it.

What Tom Holland Said About Brand New Day Test Screenings

Tom Holland was more involved than ever with Brand New Day (and he reportedly received a huge pay bump, too). And that means he was present during some test screenings – which is when the studio invites people to watch an unfinished cut and provide feedback. First, here’s what Holland told Quotable:

It sounds like the production played around a lot with how to cut the movie after filming wrapped in late 2025. And in one instance, the editorial team apparently decided to completely cater to reactions from the screenings that had happened. Holland said this exercise “totally didn’t work” and reminded the filmmakers that there has to be a line between following feedback and going with their own gut.

How The Director Set The Rumors Straight

Tom Holland’s comments in context really don’t speak ill of Brand New Day. But I’d guess a lot of people read that those early screenings were bad and ran with it. Here’s how director Destin Daniel Cretton addressed his star’s comments:

While some films are made with a specific vision for every shot from start to finish by the filmmakers, Marvel Studios’ movies famously change a lot throughout production. Oftentimes that’s why additional photography happens, too. In the case of Brand New Day, Cretton clarified that the test screenings he was talking about still scored quite high among audiences.

Perhaps from Holland’s perspective, the movie that catered to audiences just was not at all on the same level as other versions. While it may sound like Holland is talking about a whole different take on the movie, his director seems to be saying that it was essentially the same movie, just with edits in different places here and there. As Cretton also added to The Wrap:

Ultimately, Brand New Day's reviews were off-the-charts good once it came out, and the movie has become the highest-grossing release among 2026 movies so far. But Avengers: Doomsday could top it, given early sales projections.

Anyway, Brand New Day is still in theaters if you want to experience the latest Spidey film on the big screen.

Even before DC fans saw the twist ending of Lanterns’ series premiere, plenty of them had thoughts on the latest DCU show ahead of its debut. Anticipation emanated from some corners of the fandom, while others were skeptical. One point of contention that remains is the fact that the show mostly takes place on Earth. While that may not have been an expected choice for a show about characters, who are essentially space cops, one of the executive producers is explaining that approach.

Many of the Green Lantern Corps’ adventures in the comics happen in space, as the heroes venture to different planets to keep the peace. So some were taken aback when the first Lanterns trailer showed off more of middle America than it did the vastness of the cosmos. Series co-creator and showrunner Chris Mundy spoke to SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend about how he and co-creators Tom King and Damon Lindelof wanted to approach the show. When asked if they hesitated on telling an Earth-bound story, Mundy said:

This makes sense, as the creative team wouldn’t want to just lean on the cosmic aspects of Lantern mythology. After all, the heroes do indeed operate on Earth as needed. What’s more, though, is that launching this story in this way can make the story feel a tad more tangible for viewers. And, once the stakes and the bonds between the characters – particularly, Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart and Kyle Chandler’s Hal Jordan – are established, it may be easier for audiences to remain connected when the narrative does get cosmic.

Before the Lanterns hit the 2026 TV schedule, Mundy and co. were already dealing with their fair share of backlash. Once early footage was released, a number of commentators complained about it lacking the color green. During his interview with SFX, though, Mundy reflected on the trailer backlash and stressed his team’s desire to satisfy the “rabid” fans. The savvy producer and his cohorts, however, don’t seem to be letting the general public didn’t how they tell their story, though:

All of that seems to be working out thus far, as Lanterns has received critical acclaim thus far. Not only that but, as reported by THR, the show garnered an impressive 9.3 million viewers during its first three days of availability amongst HBO Max subscription holders. Overall, chances are that this first season (and maybe even future seasons) could feature more stories set in the far reaches of space. But, for right now, I’d say the series is doing just fine with the grounded approach.

New episodes of Lanterns air on HBO and stream on HBO Max on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.

These days, Alan Ritchson is undoubtedly best known as Jack Reacher. The Prime Video series Reacher has helped propel him into stardom, and he’s become a staple action star, especially on TV. Now, as the critically acclaimed fourth season of Reacher airs on the 2026 TV schedule, I’ve been thinking about the projects from the pre-Reacher years of Ritchson’s career. That’s because, while I already know about his American Idol audition, I didn’t realize he also played a part in a Hunger Games movie until very recently.

We Talk A Lot About Alan Ritchson’s American Idol Audition

At this point, it’s well-known lore that Alan Ritchson auditioned for American Idol during Season 3 in 2004. While he didn’t make it too far, he made a good impression, and Paula Abdul called him “totally hot.” He was 20 years old at the time, and now it’s been over 20 years since it happened. However, it still cracks me up that Ritchson’s fans are discovering this and reacting in big ways.

Not long after that, he got his first on-screen gig, playing Aquaman in Smallville, and from there, the actor picked up parts here and there. He was in 39 episodes of Blue Mountain State, and he popped up in shows like CSI: Miami, Hawaii Five-0, and 90210. However, my favorite random credit from the earlier days of Alan Ritchson’s career has to be The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.

Did You Know Alan Ritchson Was In The Hunger Games: Catching Fire?

About eight years into Ritchson’s on-screen acting career, he booked a part in the second Hunger Games movie. I, being a child of the 2000s, was obsessed with those books and did see the films as they came out in theaters. However, I did not clock the Reacher star until my most recent rewatch.

In Catching Fire, Ritchson plays Gloss, one half of a brother-sister pair of tributes from District 1. Since this game is made up of all victor tributes, it’s clarified that Gloss and his sister Cashmere won back-to-back games. That alone implies how lethal they are, however, Haymitch also explicitly says that when he’s making a game plan with Peeta and Katniss. And I just have to mention that if you’ve seen Reacher, you know Alan Ritchson can play lethal very well.

During training, you can see him throwing some daggers. Then, during the interviews, he’s the one to explain that they’re not going into the games by choice, while saying the Capitol is their family and they’ve been loved well by them.

Then, once we’re in the games, Ritchson gets a pretty big moment by the cornucopia when he kills Wiress. Katniss is quick to shoot him with her bow and arrow, and that’s the end of his story.

I’m dead serious, I gasped when I realized I was seeing Alan Ritchson in this film, and much like people discovering his Idol audition, I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. However, he did a good job, and, like Jack Quaid, he’s one of the actors who played a small role in The Hunger Games movies before he became a household name.

So, unlike Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, who became household names because of these, or Philip Seymour Hoffman and Woody Harrelson, who were established A-listers when they joined the cast, Alan Ritchson fits in a different category. He became a household name years after doing this small part in Catching Fire, and it’s so cool to look back and think about all the roles that got him to where he is today.

Now, to see Alan Ritchson in Catching Fire, you can stream the movie (and all the Hunger Games movies, for that matter) with a Netflix subscription. And to see what he’s up to these days, you can stream new episodes of Reacher every Wednesday with an Amazon Prime subscription.

The inclusion of James Cameron’s world of Avatar at Disneyland California Adventure was announced back in 2023, but what’s going on with it now? Well, The Walt Disney Company inundated fans with a ton of announcements during Anaheim’s D23 Expo last weekend. But the latest on DCA’s Avatar expansion has me starting to think it’s never going to happen. Let’s talk about it.

The Latest On Disneyland California Adventure’s Avatar Attraction

While I was in attendance at D23, I, like many fans, made a trip to the convention’s Imagineering Pavilion. There, I saw tons of models for the expansion of Avengers Campus and various upcoming Walt Disney World attractions like Tropical Americas, Piston Peak, Monsters, Inc Land and Villains Land. Among them was also one for Avatar and its planned boat ride. Check it out:

Now, we’ve known since last year that Disney had planned to close down California Adventure’s Monsters, Inc ride and replace it with this Avatar land. And yet, the dark ride has since been saved from closure until sometime next year.

Given the model’s appearance at D23, I had expected we’d get an update on when they planned to break ground on the new land, but then it was only briefly mentioned during Saturday’s D23 Disney Experiences Showcase. As a cherry on top, we learned that the House of Mouse has decided it will delay the Avatar attraction in order to upgrade Disneyland’s Tomorrowland first.

The President of Disneyland Resort, Jill Estorino, also said something interesting that has me skeptical about the arrival of Avatar. She said that since DCA has recently been getting new upgrades like the Avengers Campus expansion and the upcoming Coco ride lately, “it’s really standing on its own”. As she added, via MickeyVisit:

Here’s the thing: upgrading Tomorrowland is a huge undertaking, and the announcement was made at D23 as they had just decided to do it. So if Avatar is next in line after Tomorrowland, it feels like they are shelving the Avatar attraction rather than actively working on it anymore.

Will There Be Demand For Avatar Years From Now?

Fans have been asking for an update to Tomorrowland for a long time, but to deliver on the promise of both honoring the traditional land and making it anew, it’s going to take years! It has me wondering if The Walt Disney Company is even sold on adding Avatar to DCA in the first place. Earlier this year, there were some rumors that Disney was possibly changing their mind and making that area into a land for Zootopia, instead.

It certainly helps the case for that property given its sequel made $1.87 billion worldwide last year and Avatar: Fire And Ash performed a bit under expectations at 1.49 billion globally. If Disney was confident in Avatar land, and the concept has certainly already been thought of, what’s stopping them from just making the land while they figure out Tomorrowland? It all smells fishy to me, and after what I learned at D23, I’m personally unconvinced I’ll ever see this land come to life at DCA.

By now, it’s known that Sean “Diddy” Combs isn’t a fan of Sean Combs: The Reckoning, the Netflix docuseries produced by fellow rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. Since the end of 2025, there had been speculation regarding whether Combs might take legal action against the doc’s creative team. That hasn’t happened, but Diddy did just file suit against one of the documentary’s interviewees (who previously sued him). Now, Jackson is sharing his take on Combs’ decision to move forward with legal action.

At the center of Diddy’s lawsuit is Rodney “Lil’ Rod Jones,” a former producer for Combs’ Bad Boy Records. Jones previously filed suit against Combs for alleged sexual assault and more (with many of the claims having been dismissed). This month, Diddy countersued Jones, accusing him of stealing footage from him and selling it to Netflix to be used in The Reckoning. Per the suit, the “Been Around the World” performer and his camp didn’t become aware of Jones’ alleged “theft” until December 2025, the same month the doc debuted.

As of late, 50 Cent has been promoting the show, which is currently the recipient of multiple 2026 Emmy Award nominations. The G-Unit alum recently spoke with USA Today and was asked about Combs’ suit against Jones. Fiddy only had this to say on the subject:

Diddy called out the documentary in early December 2025 by way of a statement shared by his team. At that time, the Grammy winner blasted Netflix’s Ted Sarandos over the “so called documentary” and also referred to the series as a “shameful hit piece.” Combs also claimed Jackson and director Alexandria Stapleton used stolen footage in the doc and that he’d initially planned to use the video material for his own production. Stapleton and Jackson have denied the theft claims but also have not revealed how they acquired the footage.

With the use of that footage, The Reckoning lays out Sean Combs’ life and career, including the highs he’s experienced and the legal pitfalls he’s been consumed in over the last few years. Netflix subscription holders tuned into the four-part show, with it not only topping the streamer’s Top 10 TV list but also managing to surpass Stranger Things. Back in July, the show specifically received Emmy nods for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program.

Fiddy has been delighted with the doc’s success and, while speaking with USA Today, he opined that Stapleton “made something that didn't feel forced in any way” and that audiences “appreciated it.” There are still those who’ve claimed 50 Cent only made the doc due to his feud with Diddy. However, Jackson has since denied that assertion and stated that he produced the show as a way of holding Combs accountable for his reported actions.

As for Sean Combs, the former rapper is currently incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey nearly a year after being sentenced to four years (or 50 months) behind bars. Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and, following some sentence reductions, he’s set to be released on February 20, 2028. For right now, it remains to be seen whether Combs’ suit against Rodney Jones will be successful but, as for 50 Cent, it seems he’s aiming to steer clear due to not being named.

Since Michael was released earlier this year, many have had questions about some of the creative decisions made for it. Fans have especially been wondering why Janet Jackson (and two other siblings) were excluded from what became one of the biggest 2026 movie releases. There’s been a lot of chatter and gossip about why the “Rhythm Nation” icon chose not to be depicted in the movie, but Jaafar Jackson is now sharing his take.

What Jaafar Jackson Says About Janet’s Absence In Michael

Jaafar Jackson is the nephew of both Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson, as he’s the son of Jackson 5 member, Jermaine Jackson. So, theoretially, it would make sense that he might have a bit of insight into why his aunt wouldn't want her likeness featured in Michael. While promoting the movie during a recent chat with GQ Middle East, Jaafar shared what he knew about Janet's reasoning, and a family rift apparently isn't the reason:

Per the interview, he trailed off after these comments but, if Jaafar's biopic claim is true, then it would make sense as to why Janet wouldn't want to be linked to this film. Overall, this comment might excite Janet's fans, who have definitely been calling for the singer to get her own biopic. While Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, Janet has her own story of reaching global stardom, especially in the late '80s and early '90s that’d be worthy of exploring in a film, too.

But, There’s Another Side To The Story

Jaafar Jackson’s update definitely holds more weight than the rumors that have been shared by unnamed sources. However, it’s still worth bringing up what else has been said about why Janet Jackson asked to not be featured in Michael. Janet’s sister, LaToya, told Variety at the film's Los Angeles premiere that she “kindly declined” to be in the movie and that “you have to respect her wishes.”

Another report suggested that Janet Jackson saw an unfinished version of Michael and “hated it” due to parts of it feeling “inaccurate, overly sanitized, and emotionally manipulative.” Though, it should be noted that her nephew was allegedly “never” her issue, and this purportedly happened after she had already declined to be involved with the project. The rumors also suggest that she “made it clear she wanted distance” from the movie.

In any case, Michael finished its box office run with $1.02 billion worldwide, becoming the biggest biographical film of all time. The movie is currently available to stream on STARZ and available to rent/buy on digital platforms and physical formats.

Up next, Jaafar Jackson has signed on to star in an upcoming movie with Will Smith and has been teasing a Michael sequel. Jaafar believes the sequel will offer “more insight” into the late singer’s life and will discuss Jackson’s life following sexual abuse allegations were made about him. As for Janet Jackson, as of this writing, she has not spoken out about why she chose not to be in the film and if she has plans to produce a biopic about her life.

When Calls the Heart may not be returning on the 2026 TV schedule, but fans will be returning to Hope Valley in the near future. Production has officially started on the long-running Hallmark drama’s 14^th season, and the social media posts have begun. Erin Krakow is known for posting content from set, and that’s continued for the new season. And I cannot get enough of this video of her and her co-stars dancing on set.

Krakow and much of the When Calls the Heart cast have already been sharing a boatload of BTS content since filming began earlier this month. It seems like they are having a blast back in Hope Valley, and to prove it, the Elizabeth actress shared an Instagram video of her and the cast dancing in the street of the fictional town. Let's just say, I’m obsessed:

Honestly, one of my favorite parts about When Calls the Heart is seeing all the on-set content from the cast both during and after filming. They always look like they’re having so much fun, and this definitely makes the long wait for the new season a little more bearable. Plus, there’s just something about seeing them on social media in their 1920s outfits that is amusing given the fact that a streetlight was recently introduced on the show.

It’s been five months since When Calls the Heart Season 13 ended, and it’s likely we’ll be waiting until at least January to be reunited with our favorite Hope Valley residents. These videos and photos are definitely making the wait a little better, and since filming just started, I can only imagine how much more content we’ll be getting over the next few months.

As of now, not much has been revealed as to what will be happening in Season 14. So far, only two big storylines are known: Nathan and Elizabeth’s upcoming nuptials after getting engaged in the Season 13 finale and Abigail’s return to town. Lori Loughlin’s much-anticipated comeback on When Calls the Heart was announced last year when the show was renewed, and fans saw Abigail Stanton on the series for the first time since Season 6 in the final seconds of the season finale. We still don’t know what brings her back, though. Why she comes back will definitely be interesting to find out, but I cannot wait to see her reuniting with Elizabeth and co.

While waiting for more details about Season 14, there will likely be much more BTS content to look forward to as filming continues. And probably many more dance performances from the cast. Fans can also watch all 13 seasons of When Calls the Heart on Hallmark+, which will surely keep them occupied for the time being.

When it comes to EPCOT, is there anything more iconic than the spiky ball itself? The pretty orb is also the classic ride, Spaceship Earth. But it’s been around since 1982, and it even survived some lightning strikes right to the dome. It has built quite the reputation for breaking down. But there’s one funny thing a group of cast members was caught doing recently on the very day it was announced that Spaceship Earth is getting refurbished.

If you didn’t catch the D23 Entertainment Showcase last weekend, tons of announcements were made about Disney Parks, like the return of Expedition Everest’s Yeti and a reimagining of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. And for Spaceship Earth, it’s going to finally get the redesign fans have been talking about for years.

Amidst the news, some fans who were already at EPCOT ran to ride Spaceship Earth. Here’s what happened next:

Spaceship Earth had broken down… again when the fans arrived there, but the cast members tried to make them feel like they were on the ride. They straight up reenacted the ride between the four of them, and what a show! As the Instagram user wrote, they “deserve a RAISE!” What a goofy, but very fun thing for them to do. I have to wonder how often they do this.

Since its opening, Spaceship Earth has told the history of human innovation from prehistoric times to the 21st century. It may be an old ride, but it has one of the most complicated ride systems Walt Disney Imagineering has ever thought up, given it involves a continuously moving train of vehicles that spiral up into the round structure before making its way back down to Earth. Currently, Judi Dench narrates the journey.

The new version of the EPCOT ride is set to have an updated theme of “human connection”. And what better way to celebrate that than with these cast members giving all they had to reimagine the ride with their own play? I mean, they must have memorized it with no sweat given they work at the attraction.

Along with Spaceship Earth getting updated, it was announced this month that there’s going to be a TV series inspired by the ride. It’s being developed by Loki creator Michael Waldron for those with a Disney+ subscription. It’ll apparently be about a group of teens from Earth’s past and future who band together to “confront a threat as vast and mysterious as time itself”.

In addition to all these Spaceship Earth updates, D23 also announced that a Figment and Dreamfinder ride would be added back to EPCOT. There’s a lot of upcoming Walt Disney World attractions, but what’s going on with Spaceship Earth is big!

YES, there are SPOILERS AHEAD for Tony.

The new Anthony Bourdain biopic, Tony, starring Dominic Sessa as the now-legendary chef, writer, and TV host, hits the 2026 movie schedule this weekend. I admit that I was skeptical of the movie when it was first announced. As a fan of Bourdain’s, I was genuinely worried the movie wouldn’t do his legacy justice, and I wasn’t alone. However, after seeing it, I’m glad to say that my worries were unfounded. Director Matt Johnson and Sessa really pulled a rabbit out of a hat (or the stew) here, and I think they nailed it, and critics agree.

Not only is Tony's tone perfect, with the right amount of humor and drama, but two scenes in the movie actually got me choked up thinking about Bourdain and his tragic death.

The First Moment Really Hit Me Hard

The first time that “real life” collided with the movie for me was the conversation Tony (Sessa) has with the head chef (Antonio Banderas) when he learns that Louis XIV’s chef died by suicide after a fish delivery came late for a banquet he was preparing for the French king. Tony is stunned and can’t believe that someone would do such a thing. Of course, the real Bourdain died the same way (though not under the same circumstances, obviously).

I remember the moment I learned of Bourdain’s death, and it hit me harder than most celebrity deaths do, and the manner of death was a big part of that. The filmmakers obviously meant for us to reflect on Bourdain’s death in this moment, especially as we watched a young version of the man just setting out in his adult life. Just like Bourdain’s death hit me in 2018, it hit me again in 2026 watching this scene. I’m glad it was included, because it reminds us all how fragile life is.

The Second Moment Was More Uplifting

Director Matt Johnson might have been a little worried that the final scene in the movie, which features a cameo by Bourdain’s good friend Eric Ripert, could have been “too cute.” It’s not. It’s honestly a perfect way to end the movie. It was really touching to see Ripert as the Culinary Institute of America Instructor interviewing young Tony for admission into the prestigious school. I think the real Bourdain would have loved this, too.

Ripert was in France with Bourdain in those last days of the writer’s life, and there is no one more appropriate to include in the moment. I was again choked up by the moment, both because it was bittersweet and because it was so poignant. I really loved the moment, and it was a fantastic way to end the movie, with Tony becoming “Anthony,” with his life’s journey in full motion.

Reflecting on Tony, I should have trusted the latest A24 movie to succeed in telling a great story. Even where names and details were changed for dramatic effect, the movie worked on my on every level. I’m so glad it did and that my expectations were totally turned around on the movie.

Love is in the air, as some marquee NBA players have tied the knot with their respective partners as of late. One of those athletes is New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns, who married longtime partner Jordyn Woods roughly a week ago in Malibu, California months after the team’s championship festivities. So far, the happy couple has shared some tidbits from their big day, including photos and video. Now, one of Towns’ teammates has dropped a funny tidbit about who ripped up the dance floor at the wedding.

Fellow Knicks player Jose Alvarado was recently asked a few questions about Towns and Woods’ nuptials. Overall, the point guard had a lot of positive thoughts to share about the wedding. During his interview with TMZ, Alvarado was also asked who really cut loose on the dance floor, leading him to name another Knicks player: Josh Hart. While Alvarado didn’t provide specifics on the moves Hart busted out, I’m chuckling just thinking about him showing off his skills.

I suppose it actually makes sense that Hart would be the one to have something of an edge when it comes to dancing. The fan-favorite small forward is quite light on his feet and, on the court, he’s exemplified his agility on more than a few occasions. With that, Hart (who’s also a bit of a prankster) was also a key piece of the Knicks’ star-studded championship run. Personally, I love the idea of the NBA player getting out on the floor and dancing like no one’s watching.

Of course, there likely were attendees watching and, according to reports, a number of the people in attendance were famous faces (many of which are notable Knicks fans). Woods’ no longer-estranged friend, Kylie Jenner was reportedly present with her beau (and NY superfan) Timothée Chalamet. Also at the wedding were Michael B. Jordan, Ben Stiller and fellow, outspoken Knicks devotee Tracy Morgan. Alvarado shed some light on what it was like being in the presence of such celebrities:

Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that celebration of love, and I’d say the same thing about the recent nuptials of Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell and actress/singer Coco Jones. As a sports fan, I find it so interesting that several high-profile athletes have been married in just the span of a few months. I mean, aside from the two aforementioned unions, many are still gushing about watching Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce exchange vows in July. As for Woods and Towns’ wedding, check out one of the videos they shared:

Amid all that footage, what I was hoping to see was a clear shot of Josh Hart on the dance floor but, alas, it’s not there. Maybe someone captured a bit of that and will post it at a later time, though. We’ll just have to wait and see but, for now, congrats to Jordyn Woods and Karl-Anthony Towns!

While this year’s D23 marked the first time we got to see the new X-Men cast, it also featured a very fun reunion between two of Marvel’s most seasoned veterans, Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. They were there alongside Hayley Atwell to promote their upcoming Marvel movie, Avengers: Doomsday. And in true Cap and Iron Man fashion, RDJ was busy trolling his pal, Evans, behind the scenes of this big industry event.

I don’t expect Robert Downey Jr. to be anything but silly and sarcastic, so it didn’t surprise me one bit that that’s how he was acting in his BTS D23 video on Instagram. It felt remarkably on-brand for it to begin with him trolling Chris Evans too, as they had the following back-and-forth:

• Chris Evans: What is this? What are we doing?
• Robert Downey Jr.: You know, that’s one of those dumb things they always say in movies. They’re like, ‘What is this place?’

It seems only natural that attending an event like D23 or San Diego Comic-Con (which Evans and Downey were also at earlier this summer) would cause this kind of reaction. They’re big and fancy events, and usually guys like them have busy schedules full of presentations and media. So, this interaction felt both understandable and funny. Plus, the Oscar winner is right; I can perfectly picture plenty of scenes that involve people saying "What is this place?" in movies.

Honestly, the whole video is hilarious, though, and you can see it for yourself here:

Personally, after the trolling moment, my favorite bits of this video are Downey’s reunion with Iron Man director and Happy actor Jon Favreau (who was at D23 to talk about his new Oswald project) and the moment when RDJ decided to punch Winnie the Pooh. I also got a real kick out of seeing him, Evans and Atwell read their lines and try to figure out the order in which they wanted to walk out on stage.

Overall, it was a lovely peek behind the curtain, and it really makes me want to be a fly on the wall during the Avengers: Doomsday press tour. I’m sure Downey and Evans will have more jokes up their sleeves, especially since they’ve been regularly trolling each other (yeah, I saw how the Cap and Doom actors acted on stage at CinemaCon).

Now, once we get to December 18 on the 2026 movie schedule, that joke-fighting will turn serious, because Downey is playing Doctor Doom in the MCU. So, I have a feeling we won’t be seeing him and Evans poking fun at each other on the big screen. However, that’s thrilling too, because, personally, I cannot wait to see how exactly they plan to reintroduce one of Marvel’s most iconic actors as a new character and legendary villain.

We’ll have to wait a bit to see that, though, so in the meantime, I’ll be enjoying this BTS content and going back to see Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. during their early MCU days by streaming the Marvel movies in order with my Disney+ subscription.

People love the Night Shift on The Pitt so much that a spinoff has been highly requested by fans. However, Noah Wyle and co. have shot that idea down a few times now, so I think we need to drop it for a bit. Thankfully, the Nightcrawlers will be more involved in Season 3, and I have a theory about why they could actually be even more involved in the season than I originally anticipated.

We Know The Night Shift Staff Will Be Featured More In Season 3

Now, before Season 2 even ended, we knew we’d be seeing at least one Nightcrawler on the regular in Season 3. Along with the announcement that Supriya Ganesh, who played Dr. Samira Mohan, would be leaving, we learned that Ayesha Harris, who plays Dr. Parker Ellis, would be upgraded to a regular. She’s a resident on the Night Shift, and she’ll be working a double during Season 3.

Alongside her, The Pitt’s Season 3 cast announcement also included Shawn Hatosy, who plays one of the night’s attendings, Dr. Jack Abbot. If he is now a regular, that means we will likely see more of him than normal in the upcoming episodes. So, the question becomes: Why is he staying in The Pitt outside his normal hours? Well, I have a theory.

Why I Think Abbot Could Play A Bigger Part In Season 3 Than We’re Used To

In the teaser trailer for The Pitt’s third season, it opens with Abbot and Shen, the Night Shift’s two attendings, commenting on Robby’s return to work after his sabbatical. Here’s what they had to say:

• Shen: Robby’s name is on the schedule. Is he finally back?
• Abbot: I’ll believe it when I see it.

Now, I know nothing about what exactly has happened in Robby’s absence and when exactly he was supposed to return. However, this conversation makes me think that he was supposed to clock back in earlier but extended his time off. The tone the two attendings use also seems to imply that they’re fed up with Noah Wyle’s character.

So, my theory is that they’ve had to help cover him and work double shifts. And Abbot is scheduled to work a double this day because they weren’t 100% sure Robby would be back.

Remember, at the end of Season 2, we learned that Dr. Baran Al-Hashimi had had a couple of seizures throughout the day. When she told Robby about them, she also proposed that they have two attendings on at all times so she could keep working, and there’d be someone else around to both help and be there in case she had a seizure.

We don’t know what protocol was put in place after that, and we don’t know if Robby reported her. However, we do know she’s at work in Season 3, and it seems reasonable that a second attending was needed during the day while he was out. To cover for that, a smattering of other attendings could have filled in for him. I think two doctors on that list would have to be Abbot and Shen.

So, that could explain why we might see more of the Night Shift in Season 3.

Obviously, it’s unclear what exactly will happen here. However, it does seem likely that the Nightcrawlers will be more involved in Season 3 than they have been in the past. So, while we wait to see if my theory is correct, you can go back and stream the first two seasons of The Pitt with an HBO Max subscription.

Sydney Sweeney has stepped out of the superhero spotlight after appearing as Julia Cornwall in Sony’s (panned) Madame Web. However, the actress just paid homage to a very different hero. The Housemaid actress recently shared some photos, including a prominent snapshot of herself in a Wonder Woman costume. Now, fans are getting another glimpse at what a blonde Diana of Themyscira might look like (and I’m kind of on board).

By way of a recent post shared to Instagram, Sweeney shared photos from what appears to be a quaint summer at her lake house in Idaho. It looks like a summer camp of all of her friends enjoying the lake and putzing around on jet skis, which is kind of the perfect way to spend the warmer months. But what many fans can’t seem to ignore is the first photo, which shows Sweeney in that WW costume, next to her music executive boyfriend Scooter Braun, who is dressed in a pretty elaborate Superman costume. Check it out:

On the surface, this is all seemingly just some summer fun involving a costume party. Still, it's hard not to start wondering if a blonde Wonder Woman could actually work on screen. There have been many brunette interpretations of the character, from actresses like Gal Gadot and Lynda Carter. However, fans are starting to become open to a new kind of look.

For instance, just recently, Battlestar Galactica Katee Sackhoff stunned in her Wonder Woman swimsuit and furthered the vision. Personally, with this new WW film being developed at Warner Bros., I’d totally be down for something different in regard to the Amazonian warrior's locks.

Also, there's precedent for a blonde Wonder Woman in the comics as well, so this wouldn’t be completely out of the question. he comic book Infinite Crisis #6, it features an alternate-Earth Diana Prince who is blonde. Also one of the original television movie portrayals of Diana Prince was by Cathy Lee Crosby, who was blonde in the 1974 adaptation. So I think it could be a super cool callback to bring this kind of interpretation to the big screen.

As for whether Sweeney herself would be interested in such a role, who knows. She seemingly likes the character based on this photo, at the very least, and looks absolutely gorgeous in the costume. However, her look would be a huge departure from the tall, more athletic brunette take fans are used to seeing Diana’s portrayals.

In any case, the Euphoria star has a busy string of films on the 2027 movie release schedule like Custom of the Country with Leo Woodall, as well as the upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of The Housemaid's Secret. However, with enough fan support and passion from Sweeney, I could totally see this happening. At the very least, maybe she could even play Cassandra Sandsmark, a blonde young hero who takes on the alias of Wonder Girl.

We likely won’t see Sydney Sweeney as Wonder Woman in the near future. However, fans of the actress can see her in her most recent film, The Housemaid, which is currently streaming on Starz. Also, check out her performance in the final season of Euphoria, which is currently available with an HBO Max subscription.