Too often, TV shows retool characters and storylines in detrimental ways, and without ever finding their way back to supremacy. But every so often, those changes compound and multiply in unpredictable ways that actually work to a series’ advantage, giving a more positive connotation to the phrase “going off the rails.”

Over on Reddit, the question was posed to the TV community to name shows that managed to actually get better after swerving completely away from whatever their starting points were. I went into it with the hopeful expectation that someone would namecheck Fox’s lunacy-encouraging Batman prequel Gotham. And I didn’t have to go far at all before that wonderfully zany show came up. But more on that shortly.

First, we have the suggested answer from the OP, which I cannot deny is something of a textbook definition for the concept. As they put it:

As someone else noted, there's no conceivable way that someone can watch the first episode of Search Party and be able to guess how it all ends. Or that the middle of it would involve Cole Escola holding Alia Shawkat's Dory hostage in a fake basement apartment meant to look like her own. It's hard to tell where that show is going from one line to the next, and even when it was technically off the rails, it was still firmly squared in.

Now let's take a look at what other shows were being subggested by commenters. (And I swear this top one isn't me, even though I fully agree with it.)

• Gotham. S1 is a typical police procedural that takes place in Gotham City with villains of the week and an overarching plot surrounding the Maroni and Falcone crime families. Starting in S2 it becomes a full-on Batman series without Batman featuring Penguin, Riddler, Azrael, Clayface, Mad Hatter, Ra's al Ghul, Bane, Joker (though they never actually refer to him as Joker in the series), and a whole assortment of Batman's rogues gallery.
• iZombie. Rob Thomas, the guy from Veronica Mars, not the one from Matchbox 20, has an escalation issue. And nowhere is this more clear than iZombie. IZombie is probably the best example of what you are looking for here. This show starts as police / mystery type procedural and becomes a global crisis World War Z affair in five seasons. It works, it flows, but man I would have enjoyed 100 episodes of the procedural.
• American Dad! The entire "Bigoted Reaganite CIA man overreacting to a post 9-11 reality" concept has been pretty much totally abandoned at this point, and the show's centrally-defining "style of humor" has changed at least twice. But it's still going strong, and although it's a different kind of funny, it's as funny as ever. 'Zooka Shaaa-uuuurks!
• Legends of Tomorrow is the perfect answer for this. that show started as discount Avengers with time travel and just said screw it we're gonna be a live action cartoon. the Beebo episode alone is proof they knew exactly what they were doing and some network exec was probably having a panic attack watching the dailies. The fact that they got John Noble to literally play a version of himself doing ADR for a demon cult is the kind of thing you can't even pitch with a straight face.

I may love Gotham more than others on this list, and I still miss it or a ton of reasons (including that nutty flash-forward finale), but it is hard to deny the other suggestions noted above. Legends of Tomorrow was so firmly on the rails in Season 1 that even light adjustments for Season 2 felt refreshing, and it only got better and wackier from there. (All hail Beebo!)

Fellow CW comic book drama IZombie was a similar case where the earliest episodes were easily the most straightforward and arguably boring in comparison to everything that came later.

Meanwhile, American Dad's opening title sequence remains a reminder of the animated comedy's relatively simple origins of "conservative father vs. liberal daughter," even though the episodes themselves became far less political early on in its run. If they hadn't, we might never have seen the Golden Turd Saga conclude (or did it?) in Episode 300.

Here are some more examples mentioned that sound pretty good to me.

• Person of Interest beginning as a police procedural and ending as an AI war is a pretty big swing.
• Riverdale was always kind of off the wall but it got categorically insane by the end and I loved it
• LOST with the whole time travel, island moving, whatever else.
• Doctor Who is probably the ultimate. The character was so different and it was intended to be educational. And the format was so different, a season was several twenty five minute, multi-part unrelated episodes as opposed to the forty five minute blend of monster of the week and series arc structure.
• Showing my age but Moonlighting (Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd) started out a basic comedy procedural but later on there was a medieval episode and a musical episode and other weirdness. I loved it at the time. Felt like no other show. Haven’t rewatched since though so I can’t say if it’s aged well.
• Melrose Place is the epitome of this. It started off as a quiet drama about various residents of a Los Angeles apartment complex, and achieved success after becoming an absolutely bonkers soap opera.
• Archer. The first ...I don't know maybe 5 seasons it's a spy comedy show and a brilliant one too, then their agency gets disbanded ( or bankrupt?) and things become wild....later on archer falls into a coma and 3 or 4 seasons are his coma dreams and even more wild. 10/10 would recommend, 11/10 with rice.

I'd almost argue that Archer took an intentional trip off the rails with its later seasons, given creator Adam Reed was in charge througout, but he never could have predicted the ISIS situation.

That said, everything else on there fits the assignment in my mind. Riverdale and Lost are two shows where Square One was already missing a rail, and I'm not sure how many fans truly think Lost only got better as it got crazier, but still.

Doctor Who's journey is so unique that nothing else even compares, but I'm sure there will come a day when Sesame Street gets some kind of gritty reboot where Big Bird goes back in time to stop Mr. Hooper from dying, and then Kimberly blows up his store. Wait, some Melrose Place is crossing over here.

What do you guys think? Are there any A+ examples that weren't mentioned above for shows that got better as they went off the rails?

More often than not, there’s either a Taylor Sheridan or Yellowstone show airing. First, we got Marshals on the 2026 TV schedule, then Dutton Ranch, and at the moment, Lioness is on. However, I have a question about a different Sheridan show: Landman. Season 2 wrapped up quite a while ago, so I’ve been wondering when we might see Season 3. Thankfully, we just got a production update.

Now, Landman got renewed before Season 2 was over, and following Season 2’s finale, I’ve been scared (in a good way) about what could happen next. Tommy and co. are working on a new oil company, and the drama that’s about to ensue is sure to be juicy. So, how long will we have to wait to see it unfold? Well, it seems like it’ll be a little bit, because according to Jame Jordan, who plays Dale, he just read the first script, as he told Us Weekly:

This is great news! While Landman did come to a close this year, it feels like we’ve been waiting a long time for updates on Season 3. Knowing Sheridan is writing it makes me feel better.

However, Jordan’s updates didn’t stop there. He went on to say that the show will pick up essentially where it left off, and he’s set to be back on set soon:

I love to hear that they’ll be back and shooting the show very soon, because it’s one giant step in a direction we’ve all been wanting to go in.

Now, we don’t know when exactly we’ll see Season 3 of Landman; however, we can make an educated guess. Season 2 of the show began filming in March of 2025, per the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Ali Larter posted about wrapping that sophomore season in August. That season then premiered on Paramount+ in November.

We know Season 3 will start filming in late September. Using last season as a potential timeline, that means they could wrap in early 2027. Then the season could premiere sometime in the spring next year. Obviously, I have no clue if that’s what will happen. However, it feels possible, and Season 2 premiered almost exactly one year after Season 1. So, I’d imagine that they’ll want to get Season 3 out sooner rather than later.

Of course, that’s not confirmed. However, we do know that production will begin very soon, which means we will get to stream Season 3 of Landman eventually. Now, if you’d like to fill the wait by watching Landman, you can stream Seasons 1 and 2 in full with a Paramount+ subscription.

It's a voice TV audiences have been hearing on a weekly (if not nightly) basis for many years now, but it appears as if that era could be over, pending an internal investigation. Wheel of Fortune announcer Jim Thornton, who has been with the series for 15 years, has been suspended from the all-timer game show, and the plan is to find a replacement for the upcoming Season 44 hitting the 2026 TV schedule.

Thornton was officially put on suspension by the bosses at Sony Pictures Televison Studios, and it's all due to an incident that took place on an American Airlines flight back in May 2026. However, Sony TV's statement to TMZ did not include any background details about the cause of the suspension, saying:

TMZ discovered the announcer, who was clearly wearing a jacket with Wheel of Fortune branding on the sleeves, was reportedly the cause for a complaint a passenger made to a flight attendant during the trip. American Airlines shared this statement, which also didn't specify the reason for the complaint:

The situation was apparently serious enough that the pilot made a call to alert those in the destination city that law enforcement would be needed upon arrival. Cops did allegedly meet Thornton at the gate. However, after questioning him, the cops eventually released him without any charges or citations.

As far as recasting goes, Sony Pictures TV will presuambly be looking to fill the role not just on the syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune, but also for the spinoff Celebrity Wheel of Fortune, which Thornton also announced for.

He first joined Pat Sajak and Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune back in 2011, following the death of Charlie O'Donnell. A former news reporter, Thornton took on smaller gigs at Price Is Right, The Soup, Celebrity Deathmatch, The Cleveland Show, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and more before landing the biggest gig of his career. (He also serves as announcer for the 2012 video game.)

At this point, it's unclear what the timeline will be for Sony TV's investigation, but here's hoping it leads to a smooth and quick resolution.

For its 35th anniversary as the premiere theme park destination for gorehounds and horror nerds, Universal's Halloween Horror Nights has brought out the big claws. We've got the first Oscar-winning haunted house in Sinners, the fourth and final Stranger Things house (and water show), a tribute house for Ozzy Osbourne, and the first attraction devoted to Hellraiser, to name but a few. As you can probably tell from the headline and my constant wincing from the pins sticking out of my face, Hellraiser is going up on the pedestal.

As a huge fan of Clive Barker's stories and directorial debut (though a more passive fan for much of what came afterward), I was pumped to be invited to attend the opening night presentation and tour at Universal Orlando Resort. And I was even more pumped to discover just how much work went into designing it. To the point where I came away thinking it's the second-best representation of Barker's source material after his own movie.

Nothing Can Deliver The Hellraiser's Immersive Vibes Like HHN Does

To me, the majority of the Hellraiser movie sequels are still A+ for Cenobite iconography, but generally lack characters and narratives that give rewatches much value. While I haven't read them all, I have enjoyed several of the comic book series that have been released over the years from Epic Comics and Boom! Studios. (Including the one that just debuted ahead of HHN 35's kickoff, co-written by Clive Barker.)

But let's be real. This franchise is all about evoking utmost pleasures and abject pain, and it's not always easy to put movie audiences in that kind of headspace. I'm very optimistic that the upcoming video game Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival will do a good job on that front, but until that comes out, Halloween Horror Nights serves as a genuinely spooky and moody pinnacle of immersion. Helped along by Barker giving the design team some notes, as well as the vocal stylings of OG Pinhead actor Doug Bradley himself for all of the attraction's dialogue.

I won't got fully into everything that goes on, as not to spoil the metaphorical ride. That said, the house starts with a few sparse hallways that made me question any seemingly wasted space, but then opens up with a giant puzzle box opened up for fans to walk into, and there are such sights to behold in there. As well as lots of swinging chains to get smacked with, while marveling at fake blood and viscera having a texture without being sticky and gross.

It Takes Fans Into The Lament Configuration Instead Of Mirroring Exact Movie Plots

Like movie sequels, Halloween Horror Nights' haunted houses often represent licensed movies and TV series with a near-sequential order of familiar events that characters go through. Which is totally understandable, since that's how storytelling works. But instead of going through all the motions of 1987's Hellraiser or truncating sequences from the entire 11-film franchise, it essentially feels like a greatest-hits mix of locations and monsters, of ecstasy and torment, of life and death.

And oh man, SO MANY CENOBITES. Lots of Pinheads pop up throughout, putting Doug Bradley's voice to great use, but it's absolutely just as fun and frightening to have Female Cenobites, Chatterers, and Butterballs jumping out in the midst of the house's labyrinth. Excellent costumes as well.

Hellraiser Is Now In My Top 5 Haunted Houses Of All Time

I can't pretend to be some kind of HHN expert or anything, as this year marked only my fourth time attending the event. And I also haven't been privileged enough to attend haunted houses spread across the country. But I've been to a bunch, so there's definitely competition to be had on that front. And from both an IP fan-perspective and an overall quality perspective, I feel confident putting Hellraiser's HHN 35 house among my five all-time favorites.

The practical effects and prosthetics, the house design, the lighting effects and other tech, the costumes , and the scare actors all worked in tandem to deliver a uniquely scary experience. Though the only real Hell involved was seeing the Exit sign.

Halloween Horror Nights 35 is currently taking place on weekends and select weeknights from now through November 1, with other houses based on Evil Dead Burn, as well as a co-op house between event Icons Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow. Check Universal Orlando Resort's site for dates and ticket prices.

We've seen a lot of 90 Day couples split after marriage, but it's far rarer to see a couple get right to the finish line and call things off. It does happen, however, and after Big Ed Brown and Liz Woods' wedding fell apart, it looks like Cortney Reardanz and Phil are the next to have shut things down at the last minute.

Phil and Cortney's marriage was allegedly set to take place during a 90 Day Fiancé spinoff, potentially meant to air later in the 2026 TV schedule. Now, however, it sounds like that won't happen, as the two will apparently go their separate ways after getting engaged on 90 Day: The Single Life.

Cortney And Phil's Breakup Is Allegedly Tied To Colt

90 Day: The Single Life viewers may remember that Cortney and Phil announced their engagement was off during the tell-all, due to her continued involvement with Colt Johnson behind his back. Well, to bring fans up to speed, they reconciled and were planning to get married. That allegedly came to an end when @90DayFianceUpdates reported that Cortney's continued obsession with Colt, as well as his ex-wives, led to a big argument between the two.

Since then, there have been reports that Cortney returned the ring, and that Phil was already spotted with another woman. Meanwhile, Colt remains happy in his relationship with Diana over in Brazil, and even finalized his divorce with Vanessa Guerra. Could wedding bells be in his future? I have to wonder.

Will We See This Happen On Television?

Between a called-off marriage and Yara Dufren allegedly getting called out for an affair, this 90 Day Fiancé spinoff sounds like it'll be a wild ride. The question is how much of all this drama will we see when it finally airs on TLC, or if we'll have to wait for the tell-all to get the full tea.

I would imagine Phil and Cortney's marriage was going to be filmed, so I would imagine we'll be streaming the fallout when it doesn't happen, when it's available with an HBO Max subscription. It's truly wild that this could be how it all came to an end, though, as it seemed like Cortney and Phil really liked each other and were going to last.

It's also surprising that Colt was somewhat involved in this situation, especially since Cortney largely talked about how their relationship was not great on 90 Day: The Last Resort. It's wild to think that a continued obsession with that relationship would end what could've been a happy marriage, so I'm waiting to see the full details of what went down for more insight on the relationship. Perhaps this was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

Who knows when we'll see it, as TLC hasn't officially confirmed this spinoff's existence. That said, I'll be on pins and needles waiting for the announcement, and all the wild stuff that will inevitably come out when it arrives.

Looney Tunes fans have had reason to celebrate as of late, given the long-awaited release of Coyote vs. Acme. The had an impressive box office debut and was met with critical acclaim this past weekend, and that’s particularly gratifying when considering its road to the cinema. Warner Bros. was set on shelving the film for financial reasons before Ketchup Entertainment acquired it. Now, with the legal comedy having seen the light of day and found success, the director of another scrapped movie is seeking support.

Back in 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed it wouldn’t release a few titles in favor of tax write-offs, with one of those being the much-discussed Batgirl movie. The other film was Scoob! Holiday Haunt, a Christmas-themed prequel to 2020’s Scoob!. Many have since spoken out in opposition to the media conglomerate’s decision to put the animated film on ice. Co-director Michael Kurinsky recently stoked up those feelings yet again by taking to Instagram to share a message in the aftermath of Coyote vs. Acme’s release:

Kurinsky’s post also includes a still from Holiday Haunt, which shows the young Mystery Inc. members, including that lovable pup known as Scooby-Doo. Per what’s known about the movie, it sees young Shaggy Rogers celebrating Scooby’s first Christmas at a holiday-themed resort with the gang. The festivities are interrupted by the presence of a supernatural force, leading the kid sleuths to investigate. It’s a fun premise, which admittedly makes the film’s shelving that much more of a tough notion to fathom.

Co-directed by Kurinsky and Bill Haler, Scoob! Holiday Haunt was announced in 2021 and was meant to be released on HBO Max (then known as Max) in December 2022. WBD’s reason for cutting the movie not only stemmed from cost-cutting initiatives but also a content strategy shift. At the time, the company sought to prioritize theatrical releases in the wake of the COVID pandemic as opposed to streaming offerings. Despite the movie's release being canceled, production was still completed in 2022, with the Scoob! offshoot’s score even being recorded.

In terms of Coyote vs. Acme, that film became a topic of discussion in 2023, at which point Warner announced it would become a $30 million tax write-off. Fans subsequently expressed disapproval and, at the same time WBD sought to sell off the film to other companies. While bids from Amazon, Netflix and Paramount had been turned down by early 2024, Ketchup Entertainment inked a deal for the film’s rights in 2025. Fans remained vocal throughout that time and, in the finished film, there’s even a tribute for its supporters.

There’s been no indication as to whether Scoob! Holiday Haunt will ever see the light of day. However, it still seems that Michael Kurinsky isn’t ready to give up on the movie (which also features one of Andrew Braugher’s final performances). I’m not sure if anything will come of this situation but, as a lifelong Scooby-Doo fan, I certainly wouldn’t be mad if someone picked up the movie and released it.

For now, head over to your local theater to check out Coyote vs. Acme, which is playing alongside other 2026 movie releases.

Physical comedy doesn’t come easily for everyone, but Chris Farley seemed to have been crafted from a textbook. Showcased best on Saturday Night Live, Farley’s freewheeling and manic energy was also on display in Tommy Boy, Black Sheep and a handful of other features and series filmed before his untimely death at 33. Though not known for youth-skewing fare, Farley appeared on All That for one of his final TV roles, and Kenan Thompson revealed how the comedian broke one of Nickelodeon’s go-to rules for filming messy scenes.

Years before Thompson himself started his record-breaking run within the SNL cast ranks, he shared the screen with Farley in All That’s Season 3 episode “Mint Condition,” and even if the sketch wasn’t exactly the deepest idea, the experience was a core memory for Thompson. Appearing alongside his former co-star on the podcast Good Hangs with Amy Poehler via YouTube, the Good Burger star first addressed just how funny and commanding Farley was, saying:

It is quite true that I can't really see any other comedians stepping in to bring Tommy Boy's best scenes to life isntead of Chris Farley. In that he seems like the only person who could have made the "Fat Man in a Little Coat" sequence work without it being needlessly mean or weird. ("You're needlessly mean and weird." Shut up, Richard.)

For those who need a refresher on the All That segment Farley appeared in, Thompson explained the high-art concept, saying:

It's a tactic that's been addressed before by other former child actors from Nickelodeon's stable of beloved kids shows. As soon as there's a set-up to make a gigantic mess, that's apparently when everybody gets really into their job, and the push was always to make sure the on-camera splattering (be it slime, cake or otherwise) was as effective as possible.

But a performer like Chris Farley doesn't follow all the rules when he's told, and it doesn't seem like he was invested in hanging out on the All That stage for full afternoon. Because he didn't play nice when asked to go easy on the large cake being utilized for the scene. Thompson continued, with Poehler giggling in anticipation.

Simply amazing. Watching Farley in that sketch feels exactly like it sounds, as he's rolling on all cylinders and is just a boulder of energy. And knowing that he's going against the rules, advice and requests of Nickelodeon execs just makes it even funnier once he starts turning that cake into mulch.

It's always fun to hear Kenan Thompson share anecdotes from his 23 seasons on Saturday Night Live, and he shares quite a few others throughout his appearance on Good Hang. When the anecdotes have run dry, though, the new season of SNL is finally almost here.

Saturday Night Live is set to return to NBC for Season 52 on September 26, 2026, with episodes also streaming via Peacock subscription.

While Avengers: Doomsday has yet to be released, fans are already starting to ask questions about its follow-up, Avengers: Secret Wars. The 2027 movie release is still well over a year away but, at the moment, it’s in pre-production, which means details are slowly being reported. A big piece of news just hit this week, as the superhero team-up film has reportedly tapped a Marvel Cinematic Universe newcomer for an undisclosed role. Despite that, I have a wild idea regarding who he’s playing.

Avengers: Secret Wars Enlists A Quiet Place Alum

Marvel Studios can certainly attract talent, and it’s just proven that yet again by casting Noah Jupe in Secret Wars, which starts filming later this year. Deadline couldn’t confirm Jupe’s role, but it did allege that the actor is set to play an important role in the film, which serves as the culmination of the Multiverse Saga. Unsurprisingly, none of the bigwigs at the studio have provided any comment on the casting. The lack of concrete details don’t extinguish any of my excitement, though, as I’m more than pleased to see Jupe joining the MCU.

Jupe may only be 21, but he’s amassed a solid number of credits over the past several years. A former child actor, Jupe rose to prominence through his role as Marcus Abbott in 2018’s A Quiet Place and reprised it in the 2021 sequel. (He’ll play Marcus again in the upcoming third movie). The star really garnered attention, though, due to his role in Honey Boy. Shia LaBeouf's 2019 semi-autographical drama film. Since then he’s appeared in films like No Sudden Move, (the Oscar-winning) Hamnet and The Death of Robin Hood.

Another detail that makes this casting so sweet is that Jupe has ties to a relatively new MCU star: Sadie Sink. Earlier this year, Sink made his debut as Jean Grey in the box office behemoth that is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She and Jupe starred alongside each other in the West End’s production of Romeo & Juliet. Personally, I’d love for the two actors to share some scenes in Secret Wars. Of course, there’s still the matter of who the Carpenter’s Son star is playing in the Marvel flick.

I Think This MCU Newbie Is Playing A Powerful Character

Considering Doomsday hasn’t even hit theaters yet, it’s hard to speculate on Secret Wars’ plot. What producer and Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige has confirmed, however, is that both films take heavy inspiration from Jonathan Hickman’s 2015 Secret Wars run. That story contains a smattering of different characters, including one known as The Maker, who’s a younger and more dangerous version of Reed Richards from an alternate universe. That’s who I think Jupe might be playing.

Maker was originally the Reed of Earth-1610, which is known as the Ultimate Marvel universe. While this variation of Richards begins as an upbeat and well-meaning man of science, he eventually developed into a malevolent force after experiencing a series of personal tragedies. This Reed eventually becomes a fixture within the main Earth-616 universe and, in 2015’s Secret Wars, he’s amongst those impacted by Doctor Doom’s multiverse-shattering actions. In this story, Maker also forges a shaky partnership with the main Reed.

Jupe definitely has the gravitas to play a character as flawed and layered as Maker and has the ability to be both charming and somewhat unpredictable. While I mentioned the notion of Jupe sharing the screen with Sink, what I’d really love is to see him chop it up with Reed Richards actor Pedro Pascal. What’s more is that I’d completely buy Jupe as a younger version of Pascal’s character.

It may be a while before we get a definitive answer regarding Noah Jupe’s role, but I’m hopeful that directors Joe and Anthony Russo will effectively utilize his talents. And, of course, I’m also curious as to what other non-MCU alums may be tapped to step into this continuity for the first time alongside Jupe. Keep those eyes peeled, folks, because this casting news is surely just the beginning!

Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule, while Avengers: Secret Wars hits theaters on December 17, 2027. In the meantime, prepare yourself by streaming the various MCU movies and shows using a Disney+ subscription.

1977’s Star Wars remains one of the most iconic films ever to be released and, nearly 50 years later, it feels like there’s still much to learn about its production. George Lucas’ film – now subtitled Episode – A New Hope – is accompanied by plenty of cool movie facts like Harrison Ford landing Han Solo due to a carpentry gig. I’ve done a lot of reading, but what I didn’t know was how difficult it was to shoot that trash compactor scene. Not only that, but I also wouldn’t have guessed the gnarly way Mark Hamill injured himself.

Garbage, Wet Suits, Smells And More Played Into This Iconic Star Wars Scene

For those who need a refresher, during A New Hope, Han, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa and Chewbacca find themselves trapped in a garbage crusher that soon begins to close in on them. Eventually saved by R2-D2 and C-3PO, the characters experience quite the scare, but it doesn’t seem to compare to the ordeal the actors went through while shooting the six-minute scene.

Set decorator Roger Christian previously spoke with Yahoo! Entertainment about working on the scene and how he had to find suitable materials to double as junk on set. Not only that, but he also had to ensure that nothing about the liquid was toxic due to the actors having to be in it. Christian and production designer John Barry succeeded in building the set, but from there, the work got really hard. The actors eventually spent two days shooting the scene in shallow water, wearing wetsuits under their costumes.

It wasn’t easy for the actors to wear those suits, as Hamill admitted to needing to be blow-dried from time to time due to being too wet. Carrie Fisher also once spoke about getting “rashes in places you never thought possible.” On top of that, the set also had a nasty smell, and that odor was absorbed by the Chewbacca costume cast member Peter Mayhew wore. More practical issues also arose, including the challenge of finding a suitable drain pipe for Ford’s Han to use to stop the compactor walls from closing in on the characters.

Throw in a squabble between Ford and Hamill over that hatch number line and some issues with the Dianoga creature, and what we have is a story chock-full of obstacles. In time, everything was worked out, but not before Hamill injured himself in a painful way.

Mark Hamill Sustained A Nasty Injury Amidst Filming

If there’s anything that’s known about Mark Hamill, it’s that he’s a committed performer, yet I think he went a little too far for the trash compactor scene. When it came to filming the moment Luke was strangled by the Dianoga tentacle, Hamill wanted it to look realistic. He feigned fear but, in the process, he also burst a blood vessel in his eye. That injury left a red spot on one side of his face. Hamill, who’s known for sharing BTS stories, confirmed that in an X post several years back:

There’s a reason some actors use the term “suffering for my art,” and, as a whole, the compactor scene embodies that notion for just about everyone who worked on it. Still, it’s all the more impressive that Lucas and co. were able to pull it off. I thank them for their efforts and will keep it in mind whenever I stream A New Hope with a Disney+ subscription. I also hope upcoming Star Wars movies and shows don’t have similar BTS ordeals.

Following the conclusion of When Calls the Heart’s 13^th season on the 2026 TV schedule, the fan-favorite Hallmark drama is coming back for Season 14. Filming has started on the new season of WCTH, with the cast sharing plenty of BTS content. While most of the uploads have been pretty fun, Ben Rosenbaum’s post from set is bittersweet as he says goodbye to a longtime major Hickam memento.

Rosenbaum has been recurring on When Calls the Heart as Mike Hickam since the first season, meaning that Hope Valley’s former mayor has gone through quite a lot of suits over the years. Unfortunately, this means that wardrobe has probably had to throw out some suits over the years as they get worn, and it seems like that’s happening to one of the actor's favorites. He took to Instagram to share the news that he’s saying goodbye to one of Hickam’s oldest suits. Appropriately, the video is set to James Blunt’s “Goodbye My Lover.”

Considering When Calls the Heart has been on for over a decade, I can only imagine just how many outfits the wardrobe department has gone through for every character. However, the fact that Rosenbaum has to bid adieu to a suit he’s been wearing for ten seasons is definitely sad. It is impressive that it’s managed to last so long, though. Hopefully he took a lot of photos with it.

However, while Rosenbaum may have had to say goodbye to something old, he made sure to bring something new to When Calls the Heart. He and his wife and co-star Erin Krakow brought along their baby daughter to Vancouver in addition to their dog. The couple welcomed their first child back in April after revealing last fall that they were expecting. So while he's saying so long to one thing, he's gotten to have some new lovely experiences on set.

Filming for Season 14 of When Calls the Heart officially kicked off in August. As of now, not too much has been revealed about the storylines. However, Lori Loughlin is set to return as Abigail Stanton after departing in Season 6. She made a surprise cameo at the end of the Season 13 finale in March when Abigail arrived back in Hope Valley. Additionally, a chunk of the season will likely center on Nathan and Elizabeth’s impending nuptials after they finally got engaged in the season finale.

One thing for sure is that When Calls the Heart’s 14^th season will more than likely be an emotional roller coaster, both on-screen and off. Hallmark likely won’t reveal the premiere date for a couple more months, but the wait will surely be worth it. When Calls the Heart Season 14 will premiere in 2027. All 13 seasons (which feature this beloved suit) are streaming on Hallmark+.

Every streaming service regularly releases exciting new projects, and those with an Amazon Prime subscription are about to be treated to The Runner. Directed by Godzilla X Kong filmmaker Adam Wingard, the thriller follows Gal Gadot's Maia, a lawyer who must run though London (literally) at the behest of a mysterious caller who kidnapped her son. The Wonder Woman alum had to do a ton of cardio as a result, and told me show she channeled Tom Cruise for the role.

Tom Cruise is known for running on camera, thanks to roles in projects like Mission: Impossible franchise. I couldn't help but think of him when watching The Runner, which saw Gadot running around London for the majority of its runtime. As you can see in the vide above, I asked the actress about the physical toll of filming the new movie, and she told me:

Having seen the movie in advance, this definitely tracks. But considering how Gal Gadot has filmed physically grueling roles like her tenure as Wonder Woman in the DCEU (streaming with a HBO Max subscription), the fact that The Runner was so much worse shows just how intense the shoot was. The 41 year-old actress worked with an Olympic trainer to get into shape, which allowed her to run pretty much every day, often talking on the phone at the same time. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

As you can see in the above video, I joked with Gadot and asked her if she was prepared to dethrone Cruise as Hollywood's best runner. She laughed it off, and responded with:

Gal Gadot is putting the proper respect on Tom Cruise's name, but maybe we can name her as the second best runner in Hollywood? She surely deserves it after running through the streets of London for months while shooting The Runner. We'll just have to see how audiences response to the movie as it arrives on Amazon.

The Runner is streaming September 2nd as part of the 2026 movie release list. I was exhausted simply watching the thriller movie, so I can't imagine how intense it was for Gadot.

One of my favorite pop culture topics to keep up with is Pete Davidson and Colin Jost’s Staten Island Ferry. Despite all the jokes about the ferry, the comedians do have plans for the boat, and they’re about to hold an event on it. However, putting the jokes back into the equation, it’s not shocking to me at all that Davidson gave a funny statement about the upcoming ferry gig.

To quote Saturday Night Live’s Stefon, “New York’s hottest club” could be the comedy club Snapple is creating on Davidson and Jost’s Staten Island Ferry. On September 17, the juice company is going to transform the comedians’ “famously random John F. Kennedy Staten Island Ferry purchase into the Sapple Island Ferry,” which will be a free comedy club. In reaction to all this, the King of Staten Island star said:

He makes such a good point. Turning this ferry into a free comedy club feels like the event that makes the most sense for Davidson and Jost. However, the fact that it will be held on a ferry and in collaboration with a juice and tea brand is hilariously random and unexpected. So, yes, it “still doesn’t make much sense,” but that’s part of the reason why it’s so great.

This event, which will be hosted by Davidson and Jost, will feature sets from “comedy’s fastest rising stars,” and the ferry will become New York City’s “most unexpected place to laugh, sip and take a break.” It’s free, tickets will drop daily at 3 p.m. ET between September 3 and 8, and then on September 17, doors will open at 7 p.m. ET at Pier 17.

Overall, this sounds like a great idea for a ferry, and the fact that it’s both random and fitting feels perfectly on brand for the comedians’ hilariously random business venture.

Now, this isn’t the first random collaboration Jost and Davidson have done with their ferry that they keep getting asked about. For example, last year, Nike got involved with the boat to create an ad for the New York City Marathon.

So, yes, this ferry is becoming more than a punchline. However, there’s no denying that it still makes for a great joke, as Snapple’s event proves. The last few years prove that too, as Scarlett Johansson’s reaction to the ferry was funny, Jost’s Shark Tank-esque pitch about his boat was hilarious, and just about anytime this floating vessel gets brought up in an interview, the guys have something entertaining to say about it.

With that said, when this comedy event from Snapple happens later this month, I’ll be curious to see how many Staten Island Ferry jokes are made during the event. I mean, it’s a stand-up comedy event on a ferry owned by two comedians…the jokes basically write themselves.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is getting another theatrical run out this week, which makes it the perfect time for Titan Books to unleash the latest in their series of reliably excellent Trek movie making-of books.

The work of husband-and-wife team John and Maria Jose Tenuto, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – The Making Of The Classic Film accessibly guides the reader through every stage of the creation of the franchise’s most comedic outing, from early script drafts to how the effects boys made the film’s incredibly convincing humpback whales. As well as archival sources, it draws on 14 newly-conducted interviews. With side-panels offering potted biographies, breakdowns of unfilmed scenes and more, it really feels like a 360-degree view.

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home – The Making Of The Classic Film is available to buy now, RRP £39.99. We have five copies to give away. To put your name in the hat for the chance to win one, simply answer the question below. PLEASE NOTE: THIS COMPETITION IS ONLY OPEN TO UK ENTRANTS.

We’re now two months past Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s “intimate” wedding celebration amidst 1,000 of their closest friends, and fans are as enamored with the celebrity couple as ever. We swooned over hearing the NFL tight end refer to Swift as his “wife” for the first time, and we stocked up on pasta after reading about their cozy nights at home cooking Italian food (we ALL did this, right?). Kelce is fully in his newlywed era, and now it’s his comments about Swift’s fashion sense that are making my heart melt.

Taylor Swift may be the one with all the famous Grammys dresses, but Travis Kelce is no slouch when it comes to fashion, either. He looked all kinds of dapper at the Kentucky Derby a couple of years ago, and he’s also been known to rock some wacky patterns and colors. His wife complements him in that way, he told Vogue, because he said she always dresses on her own terms. Kelce said:

It is pretty obvious that Travis Kelce absolutely worships the ground the Taylor Swift walks on. He probably has some magical way of describing how she brushes her teeth, and I’m completely here for it.

Taylor Swift has definitely shown us some iconic looks — take her chainmail dresses in “The Fate of Ophelia” music video, for instance — and it’s obvious that she’s intentional with all of her outfits.

She’s even been known to drop hints about some of her upcoming projects with her ensembles, and in fact, that’s what many believe she was doing recently with the haircut and purple dress she showed off recently, not to mention florals like what she wore to Juju Smith-Schuster’s wedding in July.

For that reason only I push back a little on Travis Kelce’s description of Taylor Swift’s style as “effortless,” because while she certainly looks effortlessly gorgeous, I would imagine there’s actually a lot of effort that goes into what she’s putting out there.

One thing’s for sure — both Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift like to have fun with their fashion, and you need look no further than Kelce’s viral bucket hat to see that (although his wearing a furry hood in the marshes while holding an alligator also deserves some love).

Now that football season is back on the 2026 TV schedule, we’ll definitely be on the lookout for Travis Kelce’s gameday ensembles, as well as Taylor Swift’s pricey football outfits, as the tight end takes the field for his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs. Don’t miss the season opener against the Denver Broncos, which kicks off at 8:15 p.m. ET Monday, September 14, on ABC.

YouTuber Curry Barker’s feature film debut puts an effective new spin on the “careful what you wish for” genre which stretches back to classic short story “The Monkey’s Paw”. In Obsession, a sadsack music store employee with a crush on his co-worker uses a magical “One Wish Willow” charm to force her to “love him more than anyone else”. Naturally, this has unforeseen consequences...

SFX’s reviewer called the film “unsettling but darkly funny”, saying that it “plays with gender politics and incel culture expertly”. The film is available to buy on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 7 September. Extras-wise, you get commentary by writer/director Curry Barker, plus a 19-minute Making Of. We have five Blu-rays to give away. To put your name in the hat for the chance to win one, simply answer the question below. PLEASE NOTE: THIS COMPETITION IS ONLY OPEN TO UK ENTRANTS.

After plenty of delays, Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II is finally in production, with filming underway in the UK. Leading man Robert Pattinson has been on hand since the cameras started rolling earlier this summer and, by all accounts, he’s already been putting in work. Of course, the fan-favorite actor is currently unable to share any details regarding the plot of the highly anticipated superhero sequel. Yet he did just share one way that filming has been “significantly harder” compared to his first outing as the Caped Crusader.

Pattinson – who’s been scoring gigs left and right as of late – was recently named the latest global ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre. The British actor promoted that partnership during an interview with GQ, where he was also asked about the Batman sequel. The ever-savvy Pattinson didn’t spill many beans, though he did admit that one aspect of filming has changed in the years since he shot the film’s 2022 predecessor. And, quite frankly, this makes a lot of sense:

Honestly, I can understand why filming fight sequences would hit differently (no pun intended) this time around. 40-year-old Pattinson began filming The Batman in January 2020, shortly before the onset of the COVID pandemic. With that, the star was only in his mid-30s when he first started production. Given that he’s now hit the big 4-0, it’s only natural that it would be trickier to shoot scenes that involve a lot of physicality. Nevertheless, it sounds like the Good Time star is still enjoying the experience overall.

Pattinson’s commitment to the physical requirements of this DC franchise was evident from the jump. After being cast, he threw himself into his training and, eventually he found a regimen that worked for him. As for his work on this latest movie, that work ethic is seemingly still intact. Pattinson was asked about recent set photos that saw a Batman actor riding a motorcycle and said that one of those was him. However, given the apparent laughter accompanying his answer, I can’t tell if the witty star is lying (as he’s known to do now and then).

What the Odyssey star hasn’t been lying about, though, is the major amount of work that goes into making this kind of superhero flick. Months ago, he said that he’d been told he’d have 11 straight weeks of night shoots, which sound so tiring. Of course, when an actor is playing a vigilante who operates during late hours, such shoots are par for the course.

During his recent interview, Robert Pattinson also confirmed that he would remain in London “till the end of the year” to film this Batman flick. So he may still have quite a few fight scenes to shoot before principal photography comes to an end. Regardless, I’m glad that Pattinson has an upbeat take on the work and is excited about the “big swings” the film is set to take.

The Batman: Part II opens in theaters on February 18, 2028. While fans wait, they can grab an HBO Max subscription to stream the first movie as well as the spinoff series, The Penguin.

Spoilers ahead for Lanterns Episode 3 "Outkast."

The DCU's first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and includes stories told on both the big screen and streaming with a HBO Max subscription. The latest release is the new show Lanterns, which features both Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart. The third episode "Outkast" showed the latter's backstory, and now one writer is responding to claims the show is "woke".

What we know about Lanterns has been limited, and there's been a ton of discourse over the new series online. While there was some backlash to there not being enough green in early footage, there's been a ton of chatter lately about John's history. Specifically how the Stewart family spoke about the Black experience in "Outkast", with some naysayers claiming the show was "too woke." Writer Vanessa Baden Kelly responded to these claims in an interview with The Wrap, saying:

There you go. It seems like Baden Kelly isn't taking the Lanterns backlash to heart. Namely because John Stewart's Blackness has always been a major aspect of the long-running superhero's history. She's seemingly standing by the script she wrote for "Outkast" and is pointing the source material for folks who are unhappy with the episode's contents and calling it "woke".

Episode 3 revealed John's childhood decades earlier, where racial inequality was worse than it is now. In the flashbacks his mother Bernadette (played by OG Hamilton star Jasmine Cephas Jones) spoke about how Black people needed to work twice as hard to get half as far, and also cued in Laura Linney's Lianna to how racism works on Earth. As the writer went on to explain, this was key to crafting a new backstory for Aaron Pierre's hero. In her words:

Personally, I thought that these discussions were part of what made "Outkast" such a strong episode of Lanterns. Seeing how John's family struggled with his father almost being chosen to be a Green Lantern was fascinating, along with the unconventional way they tried to raise him to be fearless. And while we're following a show involving an intergalactic law enforcement agency, including discussions about the Black experience helped make the story feel all the more real and human. As the writer points out, this has always been part of John's character on the page.

Lanterns airs new episodes Sundays on HBO as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to wait and see how John and Hal's relationship changes throughout the rest of the show's first season.

Kendall Jenner is famously private when it comes to the people she’s dating, but that’s definitely never stopped fans from wanting to know more. Earlier this year — around the same time rumors started circulating about her sister Kim Kardashian and Lewis Hamilton — Kendall began dating Jacob Elordi, and as they continue to be seen together so many months later, an insider is now spilling the tea on where they allegedly stand.

Things seem to be progressing for the celebrity couple. They took a major step in their relationship last week when they were photographed holding hands — their first public PDA moment. According to a source for Page Six, Kendall Jenner is thinking the Oscar nominee has what it takes to go the distance, saying:

Kendall Jenner has previously dated Bad Bunny and Devin Booker, while also facing speculation about her sexuality. While the rapper and the NBA player continued to shade each other after Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance, things were reportedly heating up pretty quickly between the model and Jacob Elordi, particularly after they vacationed together in Hawaii. The insider said:

The rest of the Kardashian-Jenner family reportedly didn’t get to meet Jacob Elordi right away — there were rumors that Kendall was concerned her momager Kris Jenner might try to make him a storyline on The Kardashians — but the Euphoria star apparently fits right in with her all-important friend group, and everyone is reportedly thrilled about the love connection. The source continued:

At 30 years old, Kendall Jenner is the only one of her siblings who doesn’t have children, and because she keeps that aspect of her life private from fans, we don’t know if marriage and/or kids is something she’s even interested in. The insider said even with how well things have been going with Jacob Elordi, she’s not putting any pressure on herself or their relationship:

We’ll have to see if these two continue to show more affection for each other in public, but one thing we can pretty safely say is that Jacob Elordi isn’t likely to be shown or mentioned when The Kardashians Season 8 premieres on the 2026 TV schedule this October. Have your Hulu subscriptions ready anyway so you can see what Kendall and her sisters have been up to.

Jacob Elordi, meanwhile, is currently starring in the 2026 movie release The Dog Stars, which is in theaters now.

Britney Spears has lived enough public lives to fill the plot of several new movies. There was the teenage pop phenomenon, the tabloid years, the conservatorship and eventually The Woman in Me, the memoir that allowed Spears to tell much of that story herself. So when Universal announced plans to produce a page-to-screen adaptation of the memoir, I was immediately curious about which version of Britney’s life could fit into two-ish hours. We finally have a little more insight as the film's writer just shared an update.

New Girl creator Elizabeth Meriwether, who signed on to write the movie earlier this summer, spoke with Vanity Fair about where things stand. Anyone hoping casting announcements are right around the corner may want to temper expectations, because Meriwether sounds like she is still figuring out exactly what movie she wants to make. She shared with the outlet:

That “perfect storm” feels like a crucial piece of Spears’ story and will likely be the focal point of the upcoming biopic. She became one of the biggest celebrities on Earth right as celebrity coverage was turning particularly vicious. Spears was followed relentlessly by paparazzi, dissected by tabloids and treated as public property at a time when the internet was giving all of that scrutiny an entirely new engine.

Looking back now, some of the interviews she sat through are astonishing. Grown adults routinely asked a teenage Spears about her virginity, her body and her relationships, then acted surprised when the pressure surrounding her eventually became impossible to ignore.

Meriwether seems particularly interested in revisiting that period with the benefit of hindsight. She told the outlet:

The biopic is based on Spears’ 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, which became a massive bestseller and gave readers her account of fame, relationships and the conservatorship that controlled much of her adult life. Universal landed the movie rights in 2024, with Wicked filmmaker Jon M. Chu attached to direct and Marc Platt producing. Meriwether officially joined the project in July. There is still no cast or release date, so don’t expect to catch it on the 2026 or even 2027 movie calendar, as Meriwether’s comments suggest we probably shouldn't expect it to hit theaters soon.

That is fine by me. Spears’ life has already been packaged, judged and retold by other people for decades. A movie about her probably benefits from somebody spending a little time deciding what exactly the story is before worrying about who to cast in the role or to fire up the cameras.

Lori Loughlin is continuing to get her acting career back on track following her role in the College Admissions Scandal. The actress has slowly been taking on more acting jobs in recent years, and she recently returned to When Calls the Heart as Abigail Stanton amid the 2026 TV schedule after departing in the middle of Season 6. As she gears up for a bigger return for the upcoming season of the Hallmark drama, she’s made her way back to Instagram, and her Full House co-stars were on hand to welcome her back.

While Loughlin has been featureed in Instagram posts with her When Calls the Heart co-stars as filming continues on Season 14, she never formally made a post herself. That is, until now. This week, Loughlin made her long-awaited return to the social media platform with a fun post. She wrangled in some help from her Full House family, including John Stamos, Jodie Sweetin, Candace Cameron Bure, Scott Weinger, Andrea Barber, and Dave Coulier, who all referenced the in-series talk show, Wake Up, San Francisco! Check it out:

Not only do I love that Loughlin incorporates Wake Up, San Francisco! into her Instagram return, but that she has help from her former Full (and Fuller) House co-stars. All in all, their involvement makes her comeback all the more special. The icing on the cake, though, is a clip of the late Bob Saget as Danny Tanner, which serves as a fitting tribute to the beloved comedian. All in all, I honestly couldn't love this post more.

Of course, much of the Full House cast is still close, but it’s refreshing to know that Loughlin is included in that closeness, especially since she was cut from the final episodes of Fuller House due to her legal issues. The only thing that would make this post better is another actual reunion with the cast, and I need it now more than ever.

Loughlin’s return to Instagram couldn’t have come at a better time, given her return to When Calls the Heart for the upcoming 14^th season. She starred in the first five seasons of the show as Abigail Stanton before leaving in the middle of Season 6. Loughlin’s potential return had been teased for a while and, when Hallmark announced the renewal last year, her comeback was also confirmed. Fans were also ecstatic when she appeared in the final moments of the Season 13 finale, which saw Abigail arriving back in Hope Valley.

I cannot wait to see the kind of posts that Loughlin shares now that she's officially back on Instagram. If they’re anything like the posts she used to share, I might have to turn those notifications on. That aside, though, just seeing the Full House cast get together to welcome her back makes me want to rewatch the show. So it's a good thing it’s streaming with a Hulu subscription, while Fuller House is streamable with a Netflix subscription.

Obsession has been the new horror movie success story of the 2026 movie calendar. An indie film, written and directed by a new, up-and-coming director, on a tiny budget, becoming a box-office juggernaut is newsworthy. Though most of the words written about Obsession have been positive, a new story coming out of Hollywood is less glamorous. A lawsuit filed by one of the film's producers has turned the film into a legal battle, and, allegedly, "she is confident in her case."

This news come to us from The Hollywood Reporter, which reports that a lawsuit filed in California state court on Monday has producer Leonora Ann Darby accusing Tea Shop Productions' co-founders and her colleagues James Harris and Mark Lane of defaulting on an agreement to treat her as an equal producer at the company. What's more, she claims they didn't acknowledge her key role on Obsession, leading to financial ramifications. A statement released by her attorney reads:

Per the filing, Darby alleges she played a much larger role in the film’s unprecedented success. Furthermore, despite the movie recently crossing $500 million worldwide on a reported budget of less than a million, she was excluded from the net profit participation allegedly promised for the projects she worked on as lead producer.

The lawsuit filing makes some significant allegations. Partly, it reads:

The lawsuit alleges Darby stepped up to take charge and ensure the film was finished on time for the Toronto International Film Festival, where it ultimately sold to Focus Features for $16.2 million.

Darby maintains that after the movie became successful, Harris and Lane repeatedly broke their 2024 agreement with her. In the spring, purportedly she raised her concerns about the movie earnings with Harris, explaining that she could see the financial details in the collection-account management agreement. The lawsuit states that Harris reportedly offered Darby an initial payment of $300,000, and both agreed that she would thereafter continue to receive a share of the net profits.

The former producer asserts that shortly after expressing her concerns, her access to information regarding the collection account management agreement was revoked.

According to the complaint, her treatment during the making of Obsession was allegedly part of a larger pattern of unkept promises during her time working with Tea Shop Productions. It describes a long-running issue where Harris and Lane promised Darby equal treatment. They reportedly offered her a one-third (33.3 percent) share of the net profits, but they retained control over the processes that would actually allow her to benefit from that share. Darby is asking for a complete accounting of several projects, including Obsession, and for any unpaid profit shares and bonuses owed to her.

The entertainment world was enthralled with the Cinderella-like story of 26-year-old writer and director Curry Barker’s breakthrough from YouTube creator to blockbuster filmmaker. But now, due to the lawsuit, that story has a wrinkle that won’t be ironed out until the lawsuit finds an agreeable settlement for all involved.

Barker's next major project is his follow-up film, the original horror-comedy Anything But Ghosts, followed by writing and directing A24's upcoming The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reboot.

Warning! The following contains spoilers from the Big Brother live feeds as of Tuesday, September 1st. Stream the feeds with a Paramount+ subscription or on Pluto TV and read at your own risk!

Drew Campbell's HOH put him in a rough spot, with Yash Patel winning the veto and forcing him to put up someone he's working closely with. Fortunately, Rick Devens volunteered and saved him the awkwardness of deliberation about putting up Melody Morris or Barrett Pfeiffer. That said, there's a general unease amongst The Crossovers alliance, in which the Icons are concerned about where Barrett and Drew's loyalties lie.

Those watching Big Brother online have wondered the same, as both say different things depending on who they are talking to. That changed last night, I believe, after a telling conversation between Yash, Melody, and Barrett explained exactly where the newbies of The Crossovers stand with the rest of their alliance.

Barrett Confirmed He Plans To Flip On The Icons If Devens Loses The BB Blockbuster

While Dee Valladares and Devens made sure to stick by him for a good chunk of the day, we finally got to see Barrett open up about his plans once he was hanging out with Yash and Melody Morris. There, he made it clear he wants to work with them, and if the opportunity presents itself, get out Devens should he lose the BB Blockbuster.

Skeptics will point out that's exactly what Yash and Melody want to hear, and is once again a textbook case of him playing the middle. I would argue against that, mainly because we've seen a change in him since Mallory Aurichio's eviction that we hadn't seen previously. He's not feeding Dee intel like he used to, and while he plays cool in front of the Icons, it's clear he feels it's time to make a move against them.

Granted, this is all assuming that Devens doesn't win Blockbuster. If he does, I would fully expect Barrett to reverse course and remain Crossovers loyal unless he gets another opportunity to turn the tables. This all really hinges on Taylor Brown and Lala Verrett being able to beat out Rick, and if you enjoy entertaining live feeds and seeing the newbies make moves to win Big Brother, you'll be rooting for them on Thursday.

Melody And Barrett Believe Drew Is Still Crossovers Loyal, But Can Be Flipped

While Barrett sounds fully committed to joining a new majority alliance, both he and Melody are in agreement that Drew is decidedly Crossovers loyal. Barrett said he thinks that the current HOH believes that working with The Crossovers is his only path to victory, and Melody chimed in (via Big Brother Bitez on X):

One thing that Barrett, Melody, and Yash all agreed on, however, is that if they go through with the plan to evict Devens, they can pull Drew in. I tend to agree, because with Barrett betraying The Crossovers and Devens gone, he'd be forced to be loyal to Dee (whose nominated him for eviction twice) and Angela Murray.

Not only would he no longer be in a majority alliance, but he's with people who have some of the worst relationships with the remaining Houseguests. It only makes sense to jump ship at that point and steamroll remaining Icons if that's a possibility.

Even Dee has quietly admitted in her cam talks that it's the smart play with Devens gone, and is questioning why her biggest ally ever willingly agreed to go on the block. She's just crossing her fingers he can win the BB Blockbuster, and if not, hoping she can find an in elsewhere amongst the remaining Houseguests. I kind of think her game was sunk before this, but if Devens leaves, I don't see how Dee wins that prize money.

We're in for another exciting Big Brother episode on Thursday in which Barrett could effectively turn the tables on the Icons. Now all that's left to do is see if the pieces fall into place, or if Devens can save himself with a clutch win.

WWE opened Monday Night Raw this week with a chaotic and vicious parking lot attack. Royce Keys, who recently turned heel, and his new backup band OTM jumped Jimmy and Jey Uso and delivered a beatdown that left both brothers bloody and their car smashed up. The ambush was clearly meant to signal to the audience that the trio should be taken very seriously. Unfortunately, the segment didn’t exactly have the desired effect thanks to some heavy-handed censorship that was equal parts goofy and uncomfortable.

If you watch WWE programming on a regular basis, you may have noticed that either WWE, Netflix or some combination of the two have started going back and editing certain segments after Monday Night Raw airs. Sometimes if a joke is a tiny bit raunchy, they’ll just quietly delete it later and pretend like it never happened. Sometimes if a performer gets cut during a match and starts to bleed, they’ll add some blurring. It’s been annoying but this week went from annoying to infuriating.

Because the show was pre-taped rather than live, the edits that would normally happen later were implemented prior to the broadcast. That meant everyone watching the show was subjected to the censorship, and it was not exactly subtle. Check out this clip to get a sense of what I’m talking about…

That’s the short version of the full segment which ran for three minutes and included so many censored shots. At one point the camera zoomed in on a pool of blood on the ground, except we couldn’t see any of it because it was all just blurred out. As a viewer, it was disconcerting and also, impossible to take seriously. It was like the show was telling us to simultaneously be horrified by what we were seeing while simultaneously not trusting us to actually see it.

The creative team at WWE clearly wasn’t happy with how the segment came out either because Triple H tweeted an uncensored version from his personal account. Whoever is running the company’s YouTube channel also created their own version without most of the censorship that only contains a couple of blurred shots that were difficult to cut around. To the surprise of no one, both alternate versions feel a lot more intense and close to what everyone was actually going for.

I’m not going to sit here and say WWE needs to feature characters bleeding from head wounds every week. I watched wrestling as a kid, and I want the next generation of kids to be able to watch wrestling. We don’t need to go back to the Attitude Era (or even what we had when Raw launched on Netflix), but also, what happened last night cannot keep happening. It’s demeaning to viewers and embarrassing to try and defend as a wrestling fan. If WWE or Netflix isn’t comfortable showing something on television, then it shouldn’t be written that way. Censoring it out is way more awkward and embarrassing than not showing it at all.

I’m not employed by WWE, but if I were, I’d use this nonsense as an opportunity to meet with Netflix and get on the same page about all the censorship, not just the blood. I would say we want this to be entertainment for all ages, which means we’re not going to use certain words but every now and again, we are going to include a bawdy joke or a mid-level swear, and when that happens, we need you to leave it in. PG movies contain the occasional reference to sex and the occasional surprise swear word because real life isn’t censored.

I would say we’re going to stop intentionally using any blood, except for every once in a while as a surprise during a premium live event. Now and again, performers may accidentally bleed because a spot went wrong. When that happens, we’ll do our best to clean them up and not focus on it, but we need you to trust the audience and let them see it, exactly as happens with other sporting events when someone unexpectedly gets injured and starts bleeding.

Wrestling is meant to be entertainment for all ages. That means WWE should be thoughtful about its subject matter, but the current way it’s doing censorship is not working. Something needs to change because right now, it's really frustrating as a viewer.

2026 has been a brutal one for celebrity deaths, and the world is still reeling after Dolly Parton passed away at 80. In the days that passed fans have been re-watching 9 to 5 (streaming with a Hulu subscription), and both Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda wrote touching tributes to their co-star. The latter actress recently spoke more about Dolly's kindness, and I'm getting emotional from the touching anecdotes she shared.

Tributes to Dolly Parton keep rolling in, each one speaking to the strength of the late icon's character. Fonda recently spoke to Democracy Now! about her relationship with the "Jolene" singer, and shared an anecdote that highlights just how kind she was. The Grace and Frankie star was quoted by saying:

Talk about someone who leads with love. While many of us have taken silly cross-eyed photos, Dolly Parton thought about the deeper message this might send if images of her and her 9 to 5 costars were seen doing this. Namely because she had a relative who was cross-eyed, and she didn't want anyone to think she was making fun of someone who had that condition. And it's making me misty-eyed to think about the way Dolly lead with empathy.

This anecdote feels truly on brand, especially considering what we know about the late music icon. She constantly shared messages of love and acceptance, especially where the LGBTQ+ community was concerned. She also donated a whopping $1 million toward COVID-19 vaccines at the height of the pandemic.

Later on in the same interview, Fonda also spoke about traveling around with Dolly Parton while she was researching for her role in The Dollmaker. She spoke about how adored the singer/actress was, offering:

It certainly sounds like Parton had a big impact on Fonda, both on and off camera. I love hearing what a bond the 9 to 5 stars had, and the way that Dolly helped to encourage everyone around her to lead with kindness. That, and her truly iconic aesthetic.

Stories about Parton keep coming out, some of which came from the late singer's own words. For instance, a bit from her autobiography Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business has recently resurfaced, where she revealed how the director of Steel Magnolias didn't originally think she could act. But she won him over, just like she did with so many others.

Our thoughts are with Dolly's loved ones and generations of fans who are still reeling from her death at 80. While she'll be missed she leaves behind an incredible legacy, for both in her career and personal life.

Sadie Sink has been on a tear over the last few years, and that’s not just because of her run on Stranger Things. The actress has landed multiple movie gigs as well as a stage role and, most recently, Sink starred in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has since made over $2 billion worldwide. Well, the starlet is now following that up by unveiling a major collaboration with Calvin Klein. The ads are nothing short of perfection, but what I’m loving even more is that fans are making the same A+ comment about this fashion-based move.

Calvin Klein teased its 2026 fall model earlier this week, before unveiling the official advertisement early Tuesday morning. The ad sees Sink waking up and quickly sliding on her CK jeans. From there, Willa Ford’s “I Wanna Be Bad” starts playing on the radio, leading the O’Dessa star to start rocking out in her room. Check out the video for yourself down below:

I’m pretty sure this is what’s meant when people say “dance like no one’s watching.” Sink really does seem to be living her best life while jamming to those classic tunes in the ad and, quite frankly, I’m here for it. What I’m also here for is the fact that many of her fans are responding to the video with variations of the same joke. It’s more of a pun, to be honest, and I can’t blame anyone for using it since it’s so perfectly on the nose:

• Mota_fl: My gens ❌️my jeans greay✅️
• Rwidiwijaya: jean grey on jean😍
• Sadieslaugh: Jean Grey doing a jeans ad 🥰
• Keekster_29: Shouldn’t the jeans be grey?
• Whosinkfx: JEAN greyyy ❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌
• Lunaloutfy: Jean Grey doing a jeans ad mhm yup so true of her!!!
• Knotames: JEAN GREY PROMOTING JEANS

Seriously, though, how could anyone not make this joke? For anyone who’s unaware, Sink plays the role of super-powerful mutant Jean Grey in Brand New Day, and she’s received acclaim for her performance. That film only marks the first chapter in her Marvel Cinematic Universe journey, as she’s set to reprise the role and serve as one of the leads of the X-Men reboot. Considering this ad campaign was likely discussed months ago, I’d honestly love to know if CK was aware of Sink’s role as Jean and thought it’d be a great match.

It’s ironic seeing so much Jean Grey-related buzz now, considering that Sink’s role was kept a secret for so long, and it even got to the point where Sink and co. trolled fans over it. The cat is definitely out of the bag now, and I’m actually wondering if the Whale star’s other Calvin Klein ad is meant to be a more overt nod to her status as the powerful X-Men character. Check it out and make up your mind:

At her peak, Jean Grey is known to have god-like powers, so the notion of her causing a faucet to burst or toaster to short circuit isn’t unheard of. Regardless of whether CK was actually referencing Sink’s latest character, I’m just pleased to see her land this campaign. She now joins a long line of stars who’ve represented this brand, including Dakota Johnson, who went topless for her advertisement. And who could forget Jeremy Allen White’s underwear ad, which went viral?

To put it mildly, Sadie Sink seems to have quite a bit of professional heat right now, and that momentum doesn’t seem to be cooling off. Here’s hoping that she continues to land sweet gigs and, in the meantime, I’m going to see if I can find any additional “jeans grey” jokes.

Folks who have been watching the DC movies in order will recall how the DCEU was dropped by co-CEO James Gunn as he created the newly formed DCU. A handful of actors were kept around from the previous shared universe, including Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña. And he recently explained the wild way he found out he's be sticking around for upcoming DC movies.

The DCEU (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) came to an end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, with fans saying goodbye to Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill's Superman, and more. But Maridueña is just starting his time as Blue Beetle, and recently spoke to Variety about learning he'd stick around. In his words:

Talk about an exciting phone call. I have to assume that the Cobra Kai actor assumed he was getting let go like other superheroes from the DCEU, but that wasn't the case. Instead Jame Gunn told him he'd be sticking around. And I have to assume that made his Japan trip even more fun; he had something to celebrate, after all.

Gunn eventually announced that Xolo Maridueña was going to be sticking around, with the same honor going to Viola Davis' Amanda Waller and the cast of Peacemaker. Later in the same interview, the Blue Beetle star spoke more about being able to continue his tenure as Jaime Reyes. In his words:

The industry can be brutal, so it makes sense that Maridueña is hyped to still be included in the DCU. Of course, fans want to know more about when we'll see him back as Blue Beetle in the new shared universe. The first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and it was recently revealed that the 25 year-old actor will return as his signature role in Man of Tomorrow. There was also some chatter about a possible Blue Beetle show, but only time will tell if that actually comes to fruition.

Outside of his DC role, Maridueña has been staying busy with other projects, including a role in Practical Magic 2, which will hit theaters on September 10th as part of the 2026 movie release list. As for Man of Tomorrow, that's currently expected to be released on July 9th, 2027. So we'll have to keep being patient before Blue Beetle finally returns to the big screen.

Sadie and Sunny Sandler are nepo babies by definition, but that doesn't mean their opportunities in Hollywood are undeserved. Having a famous dad to produce movies for you certainly provides a leg up, but audiences will sniff it out pretty quickly if the kid on the receiving end is deserving. It felt like Don't Say Good Luck was a big test for Sunny, and after watching it with my Netflix subscription, I think she's passed with flying colors.

The family drama has rave reviews all over the internet and has created a lot of buzz over the actress and her emotional performance. I'm in full agreement with all positive takes, and it has me thinking Adam Sandler's daughter may get a chance at Oscar gold before he ever does.

If Don't Say Good Luck Is Just The Beginning Of Sunny Sandler's Career, The Best Is Yet To Come

I may be saying something bold here, but I would argue that Sunny Sandler is worthy of some awards for her performance in Don't Say Good Luck on its own. It's one of the most celebrated movies of the year, and we're well past the days when Netflix movies get overlooked for Oscars. So it'd be a bolder take to say she'll get a nomination for Best Actress this year, but we'll just have to wait and see if that happens.

Based on this performance, I don't think it's wild to say Sunny Sandler will get an Oscar nomination eventually. I also don't think it's wild to say it'll happen before Adam, especially after the Academy didn't bite after Uncut Gems and Jay Kelly. He's back in casual wear on red carpets and seems to accept it may not happen for him at this point.

Don't Say Good Luck Will Go Down As One Of Netflix's Best Films Of 2026

Whether it wins awards or not, Don't Say Good Luck is unquestionably one of Netflix's best movies of 2026. I would love to see it get more accolades come awards season, but I'd also be ok with more people seeing it and recognizing the talent of Sunny Sandler, which hopefully propels her to other movies outside of her father's influence.

To circle back to Adam Sandler, I know there are many out there who believe he's a great actor, full stop, and not just a great comedy actor. I agree, and while his past may ensure he never gets that Oscar glory in future roles, his legacy may help his daughters reach that glory one day in their acting careers. That's assuming they stick with it, of course, which I do hope is the case for both given their strong starts.

Don't Say Good Luck, as mentioned, is available to stream over on Netflix. Make sure to have plenty of tissues ready if you watch, because you'll run through a box crying your eyes out!

No matter how many years go by, I’ll likely always have Seinfeld on my list of desert-island shows, given how funny and easily rewatchable nearly all of the episodes are. (I mean, it’s also one of the best sitcoms of all time, so I’m not exactly preaching heresy here.) One of the show’s most endearing qualities, at least to me, is how often character details and past situations are suggested by Jerry & Co. without being explained, allowing viewers to fill in the blanks however we so choose.

But as any TV fanatic knows, when a TV show utilizes lore in such a half-explained way, endless rewatches tend to drive up one’s curiosity to the point where it’s like, “WHY DIDN’T THEY JUST TELL US THE THING WITH THEIR WORDS?!?” You know? Ahem. Case in point: a Reddit thread asked for Seinfeld fans’ unanswered questions from the sitcom, and the list of inquiries and comments (both legitimate and joking) is pretty massive. And entirely relatable for someone like me who would much rather needlessly theorize about sitcom plot mechanics than provide sustenance for family members. (Sorry, guys.)

The OP asking the question offered up what may actually be the best question of the entire thread, since it directly plays into Seinfeld keeping certain serialized details — jobs, relationships, etc. — while eschewing others. (Note that for the suggestion below and others, I've also added the episode titles.)

Honestly, this question should be put on the same pedestal as Friends' "Were Ross and Rachel on a break?" since it actually defies logic in such a frustrating way for anyone watching the show who actually wanted George to win. As much as I can understand that a successful George is not a funny ideal, it has long vexed me why he didn't make "do the opposite" an annual ploy, if not just outright adopting it for life.

Beyond the over-arching questions like how Kramer pays for his apartment despite starting laundry list of failed money-making schemes and companies, or why Jerry just can't find the right woman, here's are some other fan questions that had me yelling "Same!" at my laptop, followed by my own comments underneath each.

• What was Uncle Leo’s crime of passion? ("The Bookstore")
  • We knew Uncle Leo for years before finding out he went to jail for a crime of passion, so how are we not gonna spend the next few decades wondering what he did?
• Why did Christie wear the same black and white dress over and over? ("The Seven")
  • A classic case of "Is this just a bizarre coincidence or is one character a total lunatic?" And I have to assume it's the latter.
• What happened at Bob Sacamano’s party? ("The Fatigues")
  • What DIDN'T happen at that party, amirite? But no, really, what wasn't it?
• Did Elaine ever find the grape that fell on the floor? ("The Stock Tip")
  • I'd love a flash-forward to after the finale and everyone gets out of jail, and Elaine goes back to her apartment and sees the grape is just right there in plain sight.
• How old would Aunt Baby be now? ("The Money")
  • On second thought, learning anything new about Aunt Baby sounds terrifying.
• How much did the jacket cost? ("The Jacket")
  • Would it have been enough for Jerry to put a down payment on a new Cadillac for his dad?
• What was George’s project for Wilhelm?? ("The Bottle Deposit")
  • Somebody downtown had to know, but are they telling?
• Why Audrey refused the pie. ("The Pie")
  • There are those who defend Audrey by saying she either really was full, or that she had issues with employee cleanliness, but I'm not sure either hits the nail on the head.
• What was wrong with Ellen (Jerry’s GF in the van buren boys) - everyone thought she was a loser ("The Van Buren Boys")
  • Christine Taylor is a queen, which made this whole plotline even funnier. Jerry's parents are both the best and worst barometer for someone's relationship value.
• What happened to Jerry at tim whatley's dentist office ("The Jimmy")
  • I've always half-assumed that Jerry accused Whatley just to add more fuel to the feud, but it does seem like a heavy thing to be so flippant about and then never bring up again.
• Why couldn’t she spare a square? ("The Stall")
  • Because she's a monster.
• What was Jerry’s (and Puddy’s) move? ("The Fusilli Jerry")
  • Sure, it ENDED with the swirl, but what about everything leading up to that?

I dunno about you, but I'm thinking about making myself a big salad (from someone else's fridge) and plopping down to watch at least one of the episodes referenced above. Probably "Fusilly Jerry," since he's just so silly. (It's currently streaming via Netflix subscription if you want to join me in spirit.)

Tom Felton surprised Wizarding World fans over a year ago when he confirmed that he’d reprise the role of Draco Malfoy on Broadway for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Since then, the British actor has donned a blonde wig in order to play the former Slytherin student and give us a look at Malfoy 19 years later. Of course, fans already saw Felton as an older Draco during the epilogue of Deathly Hallows – Part 2. However, the star now jokes that his latest Malfoy look is a lot more “flattering” than the previous one.

In The Cursed Child, Felton’s Malfoy has a full head of long, blonde hair, which still makes him look somewhat youthful. Filmmaker David Yates and his makeup and hairstyling team went in a different direction for Deathly Hallows. In the film, Draco is shown with hints of facial hair, a receding hairline and some light wrinkles. Felton addressed that during an episode of Harry Potter: The Official Film Podcast and provided some keen insight into how his aged-up look in the film was crafted:

I can admit that Draco’s Cursed Child look is more “flattering” compared to his appearance in Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (which is streamable with an HBO Max subscription). However, I applaud the film’s hair and makeup team for striving for a sense of accuracy in crafting the look. While Malfoy may look different compared to his former schoolmates, it’s easy to buy that he’s nearly two decades older. Check out some snippets from that emotional, final scene in the post below, which also includes Felton’s thoughts on filming it:

Something that’s also worth mentioning is that when it comes to stage productions, an actor’s look can be a bit more heightened or even streamlined for a production. Keeping that in mind, I won’t argue with the decisions made for Draco’s appearance in The Cursed Child, which can be seen in the post below:

His looks aside, Tom Felton has apparently been focusing on various aspects of his performance since joining the HP stage production. The Fackham Hall star spoke about that preparation last fall, at which point he said he’d been warming up his “Pottahs.” Felton also opened up about the emotional moment he tried on his wig for the first time. Clearly, in some ways, he’s still enthralled by the magic of this franchise.

Felton’s time with the play is coming to an end on January 3, 2027 but, shortly after, Rupert Grint will be joining the U.S. tour as Ron Weasley on February 2. After that latter announcement was made, Felton reacted by showing love to his former co-star. Now, with Grint set to come back into the fold, I’m wondering what kind of hairstyling might be done for his older interpretation of Ron. I suppose we’ll just have to wait and see if it’s as flattering as Felton’s set of locks.

For Lisa Kudrow and the other stars of Friends, that’s the TV role they’ll always be remembered for, regardless of the other work they’ve gone on to do. Ask them about it, though, and they’ll mostly tell you they’re OK with that. Friends, after all, is what skyrocketed them to fame and allowed them so many other opportunities (not to mention how it continues to make them millions every year). Kudrow says call her “Phoebe” all you want, but there’s one fan request she simply won’t do.

Lisa Kudrow has a lot of love for Phoebe Buffay, the character she played on Friends for 10 seasons (she also played Phoebe’s twin sister Ursula, who appeared on Friends and Mad About You). She even cried at how happy Phoebe was when her character married Mike (Paul Rudd) late in the series. So when she was asked on NPR’s Fresh Air about her relationship with the show, she had glowing things to say:

Lisa Kudrow said she, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matthew LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer intentionally fostered real friendships by eating lunch together every day and hanging out on set. She continued:

If you can sense a “but” coming in Lisa Kudrow’s response, your instincts are on point, because it turns out that no matter how much she cherishes those memories and relationships, and the way Friends changed her life, she draws the line at one request:

That is completely understandable, and I think Lisa Kudrow might want to look into how Bryan Cranston trolls Breaking Bad fans who ask him to recite a famous Walter White line.

There have been a few fans — celebrity fans, I should say — who have been lucky enough to hear a post-Friends Lisa Kudrow sing Phoebe’s most famous song. The actress once joined Taylor Swift on stage for a “Smelly Cat” duet (I can’t decide who I’m more jealous of!), and Lady Gaga sang the kitty ditty with her on Friends: The Reunion back in 2021.

Friends still means so much to so many people, including me (I watch it with my HBO Max subscription every night to go to sleep). But hopefully fans can help Lisa Kudrow keep all the positivity she associates with the sitcom by respecting her boundaries when it comes to “Smelly Cat.”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always releasing exciting new content, both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The latest big screen release was Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which broke records at the box office and is still making money to this day. And Kevin Feige recently explained the wild way that Brand New Day's ending mirrored the first day of shooting the blockbuster. Let's break it all down.

While fans are still trying to decode Brand New Day's credits scene, more information about its production is slowly trickling out. Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently spoke at his alma matter USC about the movie's production (via Instagram) where she spoke about the explosive way filming began. In his words:

This definitely got the internet talking, on top of attracting crowds to watch as Spider-Man swung through the air practically. On top of starting off production for Destin Daniel Cretton's movie with a bang, this moment of fan excitement came full circle when it came to shooting the movie's ending hospital scene.

The Punisher accidentally shoots Spidey during the movie's final battle, and he spends time in the hospital as a result. Frank Castle helps him leave the place undetected, as a crowd of adoring fans waited outside. In the same appearance, Kevin Feige shared how this connected to Brand New Day's first day of filming, offering:

Talk about a full circle moment. Sometimes art can imitate life, and it seems like that's exactly what happened during the production of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In the end this synergy helped make the movie one of Marvel's biggest success stories in years. And fans are already hoping to see Spidey back on the big screen in one of the upcoming Marvel movies like Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars.

Brand New Day is still in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. The next Marvel movie hitting theaters will be Doomsday on December 18th. Hopefully Peter Parker will get in on the fun.

When Dungeon Crawler Carl author Matt Dinniman and audiobook narrator Jeff Hays were recently asked about the secret to keeping a certain feline character from the series from being a joke, my first impulse was to express Donut-level outrage -- MONGO IS APPALLED! How could Princess Donut possibly ever be a joke?... And yet, as someone who's had to describe the series to people who haven't read the series, ok, I get it. "So this guy and his ex-girlfriend's cat are trying to survive this alien-run intergalactic game show, but he's barefoot and in boxers, and the cat can talk..." It's a fair question.

During the ScreenRant interview, Dinniman encouraged Hays to answer the question, and I absolutely adore his answer. Hays voices Princess Donut (along with countless other characters) for the DCC audiobooks. In addition to explaining why people don't see Princess Donut The Queen Anne Chonk as a joke, he also managed to sum up what I love so much about her.

I love the care Hays takes in answering the question, and how succinct he is in the way he sums up what makes Donut such a great character. Yes, she's a cat, but she's a fully developed character within the story, with thoughts, opinions, choices to make and lessons to learn. There are moments in the series you would absolutely not want to mess with her, and moments when she's so sweet and vulnerable -- as Hays pointed out.

I talked about my love for Carl and Donut's relationship a bit when we shared the comments Matt Dinniman made at Comic-Con about originally planning to separate Carl and Donut early on in the series. (Thank goodness that didn't happen.) One of the best things about the series is seeing Donut and Carl's characters evolve as they experience new things and develop trust with each other.

I love the approach Dinniman has taken with Donut in particular, because she can be so funny at times, but she's always lovable and fiercely protective of the ones she loves. Dinniman has said he was inspired to create a cat character after attending cat shows, and there's undoubtedly humor in the way Donut is portrayed. It's easy to see why people might assume she's there for laughs, but readers of the series know better, and clearly so does Hays.

It's an understatement to say that Jeff Hays does an amazing job of bringing the story to life with his voice for the audiobooks. Hearing him describe Donut the way he does shows what a solid grasp he has on one of the best characters he gets to portray. It's one more reason I'm really glad he'll be voicing donut for the planned Dungeon Crawler Carl TV show. So far, he's the only person cast in the book-to-screen adaptation of the series, which will eventually be available to those with a Peacock description. Between the show and the anticipated Book 9 of the Dungeon Crawler Carl series, we have a lot to look forward to!

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the 90 Day: The Last Resort episode "Last Call at the Court." Stream the episode with an HBO Max subscription if you missed it on TLC, and read at your own risk!

90 Day: The Last Resort took a step back from analyzing Sarper and Shekinah Güven's drama and decided to shift to some of the other couples they highlighted this season. Rebecca Parrot and Zied Hakimi got a chance to shine, and unfortunately, they're beginning to sound like a broken record.

I'd be more forgiving if the storyline for the 2026 TV schedule wasn't the same one we've been hearing since they started 90 Day Fiancé. Once again, their marriage is on the brink of collapse, and it's the same old song and dance we've heard across numerous spinoffs. I'm sick of it, and this spinoff isn't the cure.

I'm So Sick Of Rebecca's Endless Quest To Catch Zied Cheating

Rebecca and Zied's entire relationship revolves around her paranoia that he'll leave her for various reasons. Whether it's a younger woman or wanting to return to Tunisia, she's constantly obsessing and searching for evidence that he's looking for an out. This leads to arguments, demanding to see his phone, and Zied being upset.

It seems at least one of them is sick of that, as 90 Day: The Last Resort appears to show Zied kind of fed up with the song and dance. As a fan, I agree, because at what point does a married 90 Day couple go through this before they split? I guess we could get that answer at the recommitment ceremony, or even sooner.

Are Rebecca And Zied Even Still Together?

While Rebecca shared a post that hinted they were still together in July, it seems the situation has changed. A post on Instagram from 90DayFiancéUpdate showed screenshots of photos from Rebecca's daughter-in-law, which replied to pictures posted online of Zied's alleged Tinder profile. While she didn't outright say it in her long posts, it gave the impression Rebecca and Zied are no longer together.

If this is true, then it's looking like yet another 90 Day: The Last Resort Season 3 couple has decided to end things. We already know Patrick Mendez and Thaís Ramone are getting divorced, and Shekinah and Sarper also don't seem to be together at the moment. Take that, paired with the fact that we have little evidence that Kara Leona and Guillermo Rojer ever reconciled after their split, and this may be the least successful cast to appear on the spinoff yet.

All this being said, perhaps it's best for all these couples to move on if a successful marriage isn't in the cards. There's always a chance for them to find love again, and other spinoffs to appear on when that happens!

90 Day: The Last Resort continues on TLC on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. It feels like the recommitment ceremony is just around the corner, which is good news because that means the tell-all isn't far off!

Spoilers ahead for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro on ABC or with a Disney+ subscription.

We now know who won DWTS: The Next Pro and which of the final three we’ll see in Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars when it debuts. And while I’m fully on board with the crowning of someone who was a definite contender from the beginning, I would love to see the other two finalists also make it to the main show in some capacity. They’re certainly deserving of the opportunity.

After The Next Pro semi-finalists had the opportunity to choreograph for DWTS pro dancers, the final episode put them to the ultimate test, working with celebs from past seasons to create two performances – the competitors’ favorite style of ballroom or Latin and a freestyle dance. Selena Hamilton was paired with Season 26 winner and Olympic figure skater Adam Rippon, A.J. Pritchard had Season 31 winner and social media personality Charli D’Amelio as his partner, and Adele Zaikman teamed up with TV host/producer Nev Schulman, who came in second place in Season 29.

When I heard which past DWTS celebrities would be joining the last three competitors, it seemed that A.J. might be getting an advantage by dancing with someone who won most recently. But after watching their first performances, it felt like it was anyone’s final to win and that the freestyle would likely be playing a big part in the ultimate decision.

Outside of the competition, it was fun to see DWTS Season 34 winners Robert Irwin and Witney Carson team up to not only co-host, but to kick the finale off by dancing together again, alongside judges Mark Ballas, Shirley Ballas, and Derek Hough. Robert also sat down with the final three dancers to hear about their experiences in the competition. The behind-the-scenes moments throughout the episodes have been one of my favorite aspects of The Next Pro, and while DWTS does a little bit of that, I hope they’ll do more in the future.

And then, everything came down to the freestyle dances, just like it does in the finale of Dancing with the Stars. Personally, Selena was hands-down the winner of this round for me. She was an absolute star who embodied everything that I love about a finale freestyle performance, delivering a stunning dance that, as Shirley Ballas declared, would be ranked as one of the best on DWTS. Comparatively, A.J. and Adele were also fantastic with an insane level of technical skill. Their freestyles included a combination of ballroom and Latin dances, and both dancers were able to unleash all their years of competitive training.

Ultimately, it was Adele who took The Next Pro crown, and I will definitely look forward to watching her in the upcoming DWTS season. I don’t want to take away from her deserved win, but I do hope to see Selena and A.J. on the main series in the future. They’ve both proven to be versatile, dynamic dancers who can teach partners of varying degrees of ability, as well as dance with other pros.

Now that The Next Pro has concluded its run on the 2026 TV schedule, the official line-up of celebrities officially confirmed for Dancing with the Stars Season 35, which includes a pregnant Witney Carson, will be revealed on Good Morning America on September 2^nd. And then, you can watch them compete for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy when things kick off with a two-night premiere event that begins on September 15^th.

Spoiler warning - I guess? - for anyone who hasn't yet watched The Robot Chicken Adult Swim Special on Adult Swim or streaming via HBO Max subscription.

A perfect future would include monthly premieres of new Robot Chicken specials inspired by every corner of pop culture imaginable. (I’m waiting for a Stephen King Halloween special, for instance.) But until that possibility exists, the next best thing is The Robot Chicken Adult Swim Special, a decades-spanning mega-crossover celebrating the legion of offbeat animation and live-action creations that turned Cartoon Network’s evening blocks into a perverse and subversive phenomenon. It’s a truly chaotic love letter, which is the approach that makes Robot Chicken one of the best animated shows of all time.

Given the all-encompassing perspective, Rick and Morty fans such as yours truly wondered why the sci-fi comedy’s characters and their voice actors weren’t noted in the marketing materials, and many are possibly still wondering why they weren’t “officially” represented in the special. So I asked co-creators Seth Green and Matthew Senreich to address the R&M-shaped elephant absent from the room, and Green (while chuckling) offered up the most practical explanation, saying:

Amusingly enough, the grandfather and grandson's absence was directly referenced by Lucy, the Daughter of the Devil's Lucy herself, who said, "They're way too important to be here," when asked. But Green's explanation does make enough sense, in that Rick Sanchez is capable of getting out of literally any bad situation, and he could have solved the narrative plight without the need for Aqua Teen's Meatwad to team up with Assy McGee, Eagleheart's Chris Monsanto and Bitch Puddin'. And we needed that team-up.

Green continued, pointing out that the limited runtime also put a cap on any excess plans that the creative team might have had. In his words:

My gawd. It's not clear if the other 22 minutes of dialogue that got recorded were all from sequences that weren't used in the final cut, or if it was mostly additional lines cut out of existing scenes from the episode. But either way, I'd love to listen to all of it however possible.

The Family Guy star then poked fun by bringing up the photo opp costumed characters who appear on the boat, saying:

At that point, I jokingly chided both of the co-creators for not landing Keith David for the Adult Swim special, to which Green replied:

I like the idea of either Seth Green or Matthew Senreich calling up Keith David's agent and publicist out of the blue just to say they won't be asking him to join the new special because the water looks too good to afford him. Life without sporadic bouts with confusion is boring, I say.

In any case, it's unclear if Lawyer Morty was originally conceived for R&M's Harry Beldon to voice, or if the role was always meant to be handled in-house. Either way it goes, there was more than enough to enjoy that the duo's absence wasn't so glaring.

To date, Robot Chicken has revised Star Wars history, brought laughs to The Walking Dead’s post-apocalypse, parodied DC’s superheroes, filthied up Archie Comics characters and crossed over with the 90 Day Fiance-verse, among others. What other specials will come next? That’s a mystery only Mike Tyson could solve.

Actually, no, it was announced at Annecy that the Robot Chicken team's next full-length special will be flipping Adult Swim script to honor all of the Cartoon Network originals that became hits in the '90s and beyond.

With the fall TV season starting in September, it’s no surprise that the hit CBS series Tracker has kicked off filming for Season 4. What is a nice surprise is to learn that Jensen Ackles will definitely return as Colter Shaw’s brother Russell and has already been back on set.

It’s no secret that show star Justin Hartley and Ackles aren't actually siblings, but are good friends. That’s how the Supernatural star ended up playing his onscreen older brother in the first place. It also makes their dynamic really natural and really fun to watch. And thankfully, we’ll get to do so again soon, as the series returns to the 2026 TV schedule on October 4^th. Now check out his latest post below!

Last seen in the Season 3 finale, Russell Shaw told Reenie (Fiona Rene) that he might disappear for a while and asked that she not let Colter in on any of the details. The brothers were able to get some answers about the complicated Shaw family history, but things with Ackles’ character were left in a rather mysterious place after he received some news about their family history. So, hopefully, we’ll get some answers about what he’s been up to and what it could mean in the future.

Hartley and Ackles make a great team, with the only complaint about The Boys star’s time on Tracker being that he’s just not around enough. Sure, he’s been in at least one episode per season, but he’s a grounding presence for Colter’s lone-wolf, tracking down people across the U.S. for reward money. As the Shaw brothers got more answers about what was going on just before the death of their father, we got to see more of Russell in Season 3, and it would be a huge plus to see that continue in the fourth season.

While details on what Jensen Ackles will be up to in Season 4 are not yet known, at the recent Televerse 26 television festival, Justin Hartley, who does as many of his own stunts as possible, did tease that Russell needs a favor from Colter. So, if they’re working a case together, the siblings will likely have to confront whatever secret the older brother has been keeping from the younger. As Entertainment Weekly reported, the This is Us alum continued by saying:

I know that I, for one, will be very curious to see how things go down between the Shaw brothers when Tracker returns for Season 4. The images that Jensen Ackles posted on Instagram don’t give anything away, so we don’t have much to go on, aside from his own declaration that he got a much-needed summer break with his real-life family.

Now that he’s been back on set and Ackles and Hartley resume their brotherly roasting both onscreen and offscreen, at least we’ll get some answers soon. In the meantime, we can keep an eye out for more possible BTS content as we wait to see what’s in store for the new season.

Ever since Agatha All Along's conclusion, I’ve been patiently waiting for VisionQuest, which is the conclusion to the trilogy that began with WandaVision. With that, I have been eagerly soaking up every single tease I can get. Though until I saw the full trailer, I never thought I'd be this excited to see Ultron again. And I'm also now loving the crazy way Paul Bettany and James Spader sum up the genocidal robot's dynamic with Vision in the new series.

Bettany and Spader are now starting to speak more about their experience making this upcoming Marvel show. Earlier this summer, Bettany even described his co-star as “delicious” to work with. The new trailer shows the various AIs that are populating the "ghastly mansion" in Vision's Mindspace. Their different personalities offer him feedback as he gathers information about human beings. But the most important "guide" seems to be Ultron, who has taken on the unlikely role of mentor. During Disney's D23, Bettany discussed that dynamic with Rotten Tomatoes:

Given his actions in Age of Ultron, it’s hard to imagine the Avengers' technological adversary as someone who'd be sought out for advice. That said, I love this kind of quirky relationship between the robotic father and son, and I’m sensing we have another fan-favorite MCU pairing on the horizon. What's more is that this 2026 TV schedule release is also following the same theme of parenthood covered by its predecessors.

WandaVision explored Wanda Maximoff and Vision's burgeoning roles as parental partners, while Agatha All Along focused on motherhood. (That latter also gave us an amazing performance from Kathryn Hahn.) VisionQuest is expected to specifically play with themes of fatherhood. In fact, series creator Terry Matalas said his initial pitch was greatly inspired by the scene in Age of Ultron that sees Vision and the titular character having one last conversation. Bettany described the dynamic in the show with some more funny and intriguing thoughts:

During the interview, Bettany was asked to further clarify who was the therapist and who was the patient in this scenario. After he pointed to Spader, the two exchanged some humorous comments:

• Bettany: [Points to Spader]. Which is the craziest idea ever! [Laughs]
• Spader: Thank you, Terry Metalas. Because I'm giving him life advice. I'm his life coach.
• Bettany: My psychopathic life coach.

What also stands out amongst Bettany’s is hisWandaVision. It's making me wonder how similar this latest dynamic will be to Wanda and Agatha’s. Hahn’s character both taught and antagonized Wanda, which makes me feel like Ultron will take on a similar (though more humorous) role for Vision.

Paul Bettany's last MCU appearance was in that aforementioned 2021 show, in which Wanda created a living version of him in the Hex. At the same time, the government rebuilt the real Vision, but gave him a white coating. Those two androids came into contact with each other and, ultimately, White Vision gained the memories of his predecessor before flying off to parts unknown.

There are still plenty of details fans don't know when it comes to what's in store for White Vision's latest chapter. However, I'm excited by Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum's tease about the new show being “so rewarding” for fans of both the trilogy and the MCU, specifically the Infinity Saga. So I’m expecting great things, especially in regard to Paul Bettany and James Spader bringing their A-game to their roles.

Be sure to grab a Disney+ subscription so you can check out VisionQuest when it premieres on October 14 and airs episodes weekly afterwards. In the meantime, stream both WandaVision and Agatha All Along (even if they aren't on the watchlist for Avengers: Doomsday.)

When the Michael movie released earlier this year, it broke box office records, eventually becoming the first musical biopic to gross $1 billion. And it subsequently turned Jaafar Jackson into a household name. Critics and audiences agreed that the now 30-year-old was uncanny in his portrayal of his famous uncle, Michael Jackson. Jaafar displayed the same seemingly effortless onstage swagger and performing skills as the king of pop, so when asked about his own music career, his comments about touring in real life surprised me.

While I think the Michael movie liked to let audiences believe Jaafar Jackson was destined to play this role, there actually was years of practice and prep that went into Jackson learning to dance, since, move and talk exactly like the “Thriller” performer. However, he definitely had a head start, not only from being a relative of Michael Jackson’s, but when he was approached about the role, Jackson had already begun pursuing a music career. Now that he has the fame and following to make it a reality, Jackson told GQ how playing Michael completely changed his perspective on his own artistic ambitions:

I'll be honest, I'm slightly surprised. I would have thought hearing the roar of 400+ people would have gotten him addicted to that lifestyle. Besides, the guy clearly has a gift for performing much like his uncle, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to recreate the magic that has spurred a renaissance of Michael Jackson mania.

However, I do see what the actor means. His portrayal of the “Bad” singer comes with a cost: from this point on, when Jaafar Jackson steps on stage, there will most likely be an unspoken expectation for him to perform to the same standards as Michael Jackson. I think people will have a hard time separating Jaafar Jackson the Michael actor from his own artistic personality, including Jaafar Jackson himself. The now confirmed Michael sequel, which could possibly come out on the 2027 movie schedule, may only solidify this.

It’s a valid question to ask, though. For many people, including myself, Jaafar Jackson seemingly came out of nowhere with this incredible debut acting performance. But the rising star told GQ that when he met with producer Graham King, the man behind the successful Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, in 2020, he had just completed a music project of his own. Jermaine Jackson, Jaafar's father, had prompted his son to get into music around age 13 and, similar to the King of Pop, Jaafar immediately started spending his free time in the recording studio.

Jackson has only ever released one single as of this writing, a song called “Got Me Singing” in 2019. Check out the music video below:

I totally understand what Graham King saw in him. The smooth vocal and dancing skills displayed in this music video offer a perfect foundation for building a near perfect Michael Jackson impersonation. Most of the songs in the Michael movie are actually a blend of Jaafar and Michael singing.

Perhaps Jackson thought he might eventually return to his singing career. His music career didn’t get the chance to take off, because he chose to sign on to the Michael biopic, which took years of commitment and preparation. But it seems the acting bug has bit him. The “Man in the Mirror” singer’s nephew has decided he wants to pursue more acting projects that allow him to completely transform into a character, and he has already found his acting follow-up to Michael -- the Will Smith-led action thriller, Supermax.

While Jackson’s role in that film is still unknown, his comments about wanting to “completely disappear into a character” again, citing to GQ inspirations like Daniel-Day Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio, have me thinking we could see Jackson in a very sinister, chilling role for Supermax. Needless to say, I’m quite interested to see where this next career shift takes him, especially if he doesn't plan to get on stage anytime soon.

Turns out if you watched Multiverse of Madness, and something about the Scarlet Witch’s story bothered you, it may not be in your head. Apparently, even Elizabeth Olsen knew something was different with this particular storyline for her fan-favorite character. And, as it turns out, there’s a reason for it. The actor admitted that the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness writers weren't aware of the finer details within WandaVision, which is why we got that evil Scarlet Witch story.

In the movie, Wanda Maximoff embarks upon a destructive path through the multiverse in an attempt to get back her children, given they faded away with the Hex at the end of WandaVision. However, at the end of the movie, she makes the ultimate sacrifice. Again. As for how much the writers knew about the parallels between the script and the show, Maximoff said this to No Script Needed:

Yikes. I’m not sure if Olsen meant to be so blunt, yet I appreciate having an answer after all this time. I can also understand how it would be a bit jarring for her to go from that Bewitched-inspired series with Paul Bettany’s Vision to an all-out villainous arc in Doctor Strange. And Wanda's story REALLY goes there.

Multiverse of Madness sees Maximoff tearing through an assortment of multiverse characters in creative yet gruesome ways. (I've still not recovered from Black Bolt's demise.) While her actions are more violent than what she does in the sitcom dome in WandaVision, the themes of grief and the pain of loss are the same. And Wanda comes to similar realizations at the end of both arcs, something which Olsen admits was difficult for her:

However, despite the dark and tragic turn for the Scarlet Witch, it hasn’t stopped rumors from swirling around the upcoming Mutant Saga and how she might factor in. The speculation suggests that Wanda will be “one of the main leads - and villains.” Given one of the origins for Wanda ties to mutants in the comics, specifically Magneto and her twin, Quicksilver, it’s not an improbable rumor. Additionally, Olsen has shared that the comic she most wants to adapt is House of M, which is a storyline that finds Wanda saying “no more mutants” and taking away their powers. With Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot on the way, I'm not sure that'll happen but, hey, wilder things have happened.

For now, I'm looking forward to the VisionQuest series finally hitting the 2026 TV schedule on October 14. It's unknown if the seemingly deceased Wanda will make an appearance, yet Marvel TV's Brad Winderbaum says the show is “rewarding for fans of the WandaVision trilogy.” I'd personally love to see Elizabeth Olsen play the character again but, as of right now, she's denied that she'll return as the Scarlet Witch anytime soon.

And, while I'm glad we have answer to that Wanda story, I hope that if we do see her again, any writers involved are aware of the more nuanced details of her journey And, with that, they could can offer us (and Olsen) something new. For now, stream all of Wanda's MCU appearances using a Disney+ subscription.

Ever since Dolly Parton’s passing, I’ve been reading stories shared about her, and each time I’m instantly emotional. But while I adore everything celebrities have posted to honor her memory, finding stories from her autobiography feel extra special, such as ones from her iconic films. Like the time Parton didn’t mince words after Steel Magnolias' director Herbert Ross said she “couldn’t act.”

One of many reasons I adored the country singer was her bluntness. She told everything like it was, and often had a self-deprecating humor while she was at it. For example, in her 1994 autobiography, Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business (via People), Parton recalled how Ross initially treated both her and Roberts (who was new at this point in her career) on the set of Steel Magnolias. She said:

Clearly his first impression wasn't correct since Parton is considered one of the top country singers to give amazing performances in a movie or show. In addition to Steel Magnolias she was in 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Joyful Noise. And each time she instantly won you over with her wit and charm. Often being a favorite aspect of the movie because of it.

Many celebrities have shared their favorite memories, such as Sandra Bullock’s joyful pink tour bus story. And many memories have resurfaced, such as Kevin Costner being held down by Parton’s bodyguard. But I think no one summed up the singer’s legacy better than Parton herself. When talking about acting on Steel Magnolias she told the late director how it was. Just check out how iconic her words were:

Honestly, is there anything more iconic? She was the Queen of Country for a reason. Just check out the way she built everyone up around her. I remember a time when rumors said Parton was jealous of Whitney Houston’s take on her classic love song. When in reality, she adored that version of “I Will Always Love You,” which made her “feel like [she] arrived as a writer.”

The legacy she leaves behind goes beyond her appearances on screen. But for a singer who “couldn’t act,” Parton gave powerful and memorable performances time and time again. Additionally, she appeared in holiday films like Christmas at Dollywood and Christmas on the Square. Parton also produced the Netflix anthology series, Heartstrings, which gave heartfelt insight into some her key songs, such as “Jolene.”

Each performance will make you more emotional than the last, but I encourage everyone to check these out. Also check out the books about her life which have stories in her own words where you'll find more stories like the time she was told she "couldn't act." Because no one tells it better than Dolly.

For theme park fans that love the holiday season, of which I am definitely one, Epic Universe in Orlando, Florida is expanding this year's merriment. The newest expansion wasn’t totally without holiday festivities in its first year after opening, but I was personally able to experience at the time what the Universal Orlando Resort has to offer destination-wide, and I was surprised that Super Nintendo World wasn’t fully decked out, especially when Universal Studios Hollywood is already doing so annually for their smaller version. It felt the attempt could have been much bigger, and thankfully there is indeed more décor debuting this holiday season.

From November 14 through January 3, 2027, Super Nintendo World and How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk will be joining in on the seasonal magic, alongside Celestial Park and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic. I don’t know if Epic Universe will get the Mario and Luigi Snowmen or if they’ll expand the holiday celebration into Donkey Kong Country, but I’m excited to see how they decide to decorate.

Super Nintendo World And How To Train Your Dragon - Isle Of Berk Are Joining In On The Holiday Merriment

Epic Universe is already a big award winner and it's also a theme park where there isn’t one portal that I would want to skip over on any trip there. Super Nintendo World is truly the land of audio and visual stimulation, and whether you're a longtime obsessive Nintendo fan or a total newbie, there is endless interactive fun to be had. That’s why I think it’s perfectly suited to get the theme park holiday treatment in 2026. Last year, there was some outside store décor that the Pikmin were hidden in, but it’s thrilling to know that it won’t end there.

I’m also elated that Isle of Berk will be adorned with holiday cheer. Sure, there was a “Happy Snoggletog!” banner up in the merch shop last year, but with how incredibly detailed and expansive the How to Train Your Dragon portal is, it was disappointing to see the festive décor confined to such a small space. Details of how much grander things could get are scarce at the moment, but any expansion of holiday sparkle is a welcome improvement. I also love that the universe has its own unique yule-time celebration that those of us that don’t normally live amongst dragons can now get in on.

Now, We Just Need To Get Dark Universe In On The Holiday Spirit

In case you’re wondering, the streets of Ministry of Magic will again have a bit of holiday dazzle, and the winter wonderland of Celestial Park will include twinkling trees and holiday-themed fountain displays throughout the day at the Cosmos Fountain.

While the rides are incredible and so well suited to each of the lands they are located in, I’m in the camp that firmly believes Monsters Unchained is the best ride at Epic Universe. I absolutely understand why a fan recreated Frankenstein Major in LEGO form. I could spend hours exploring Darkmoor’s every nook and cranny in Dark Universe, as I imagine the possibilities of what could be added there in the future. Because of that, I hope the last remaining hold-out in the theme park will join in with the holiday cheer, sooner rather than later. I know I, for one, would love some sort of special celebration in that land, not that I’d need any excuse to spend as much time there as possible.

I’m all for expanding the holiday celebration across Epic Universe. I hope this means that we’ll continue to see more décor and more festivities in the years to come.

The 2026 TV schedule is seeing the end of an era for another beloved daytime talk show. Following Sherri’s cancellation earlier this year, Kelly Clarkson is officially closing the chapter for The Kelly Clarkson Show. The series finale is set to air on Monday, and not surprisingly, Clarkson closed the show in a big way. Both of her kids joined her for the finale, and I am seriously in my feels.

Clarkson revealed in February that she would be ending her talk show later this year. In a statement, she noted she wanted to prioritize her kids following the death of their father and her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, last summer. Her daughter River Rose, 12, and son Remington Alexander, 10, have appeared on The Kelly Clarkson Show numerous times over the years, so it only makes sense that they would be in the audience for their mom’s big send-off.

Showrunner and executive producer Alex Duda told People that the finale includes throwback clips of the kids’ time on the show, and it really gives you a perspective of just how much has changed over the years. Not only that, but when they recalled their favorite moments from the series, all River had to tell her mom was “watching you shine,” and I am feeling all sorts of feelings:

Considering River was just five and Remy was only three when The Kelly Clarkson Show began, it’s really astounding to see how much they’ve grown. And the fact that, after all that they’ve seen their mom do on her talk show, River’s favorite moment was just seeing her shine is melting my heart. And I can’t get enough of it.

I love that Clarkson’s kids were in the audience for the finale, and I can only imagine how much more special that made the episode. While wrapping up The Kelly Clarkson Show was bittersweet, as fans will soon see when the finale airs, it seems like Clarkson and the crew definitely went out with a bang that was as emotional as ever. Plus, those new Emmy nominations don’t hurt.

If I’m in my feelings already just hearing about what the finale has involved, I cannot imagine how I’m going to be when I actually watch the finale. Even though Clarkson and her crew have had a while to prepare for the end, I can only imagine how hard it truly was when it came time to film these final episodes. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye to The Kelly Clarkson Show, but I’m looking forward to what else the American Idol winner has up her sleeve. Check local listings to see when the final episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show will be airing on Monday.

One of the best elements of the Harry Potter movies is easily the chemistry amongst the members of the cast. Throughout the series, viewers see how Harry’s friendship with Ron and Hermione helps him through hard times. But, at the same time, those films also symbolize the different chapters of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. The trio apparently became so friendy with each other that while filming Deathly Hallows, they got pretty “competitive” while filming Deathly Hallows' running scene (and this is news to me).

Director David Yates previously said Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was a “great challenge,” considering it didn't have as much momentum as the previous movies. Yet the movie gets a serious energy boost due to the scene that sees the core trio running from Snatchers in a forest. On a recent episode of Harry Potter’s official podcast, host Rhianna Dhillon commented on not knowing how “competitive” the cast was with each other doing this scene, and neither did I:

As a viewer, I definitely believed Radcliffe, Grint and Watson were giving it their all during that forest scene. However, I can't believe they were actually trying to outdo each other on set as well. Of course, this all sounds like it was friendly, but still. It seemed to have worked for the shoot, though, given how well done the scene is. Check out some BTS footage in the Instagram post below:

This is just one of several fun anecdotes involving these three Wizarding World stars. Watson shared a fun detail on set about how she’d play table tennis against Radcliffe and Grint. (Now, I’m curious who won those games.) There's also an on-brand story about the three of them being told by Prisoner of Azkaban director Alfonso Cuarón to write an essay on their characters. Watson turned in 16 pages, Radcliffe wrote a paragraph and Grint had nothing to turn in. It's a classic art imitating life moment.

When it comes to that Deathly Hallows Part 1 sequence, it's not only interesting to know how “competitive” the young Harry Potter cast. It's also hard not to take note of how it's all crafted. Dhillon shared her take on what she felt rewatching that high-stakes chase:

It's honestly fair to say that the sequence is kind of zombie-ish. With the shaky camera capturing Harry, Ron, and Hermione running for their lives, it gives an unsettling vibe regarding perspective. As the podcast host says, a viewer doesn't know if the scene is being shot from a Snatcher's point of view. Since Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is relatively low-key, a chase scene like this is necessary to remind fans of the danger the trio can face at any corner.

What I'd like now is for someone to ask Radcliffe, Watson or Grint about these on-set races and who thought was the winner. If the three were truly as competitive as believed, I could definitely imagine all three of them claiming victory for themselves.

Fans can rewatch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, along with the rest of the franchise, by streaming it with an HBO Max subscription or a Peacock subscription.

There are a lot of writers here at CinemaBlend who love theme parks. I’m generally not one of those writers, but I get it. What I am is a writer who loves great documentaries and true crime. Stolen Kingdom, a documentary that I definitely won’t be able to watch with my Disney+ subscription, looks like it’s a great example of both. It’s about urban explorers and, frankly, thieves who like to sneak into Disney World to explore, and yes, steal.

I haven’t seen it yet, but it currently holds a 97% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from critics who saw it on the festival circuit in 2025, and it’s hitting the 2026 movie schedule on video-on-demand in September.

Risky UrbanX

Urban exploration, or “UrbanX” as it is sometimes called by enthusiasts, is something that fascinates me. I’ve never been one to risk tetanus, but I do appreciate the people who do break into old, dilapidated buildings and explore them. There is dubious legality, usually, but where it’s unquestionably illegal is in a place like Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot. Apparently, that doesn’t stop people from trying (and sometimes succeeding) in breaking into some of the closed rides with flashlights and backpacks, to see what it looks like when the lights are off.

In the trailer, there are multiple shots of these intrepid (if not entirely rationally thinking) people exploring the dark rides and other areas of the parks that are off-limits to visitors. Obviously this is not the brightest idea. Even setting the legality aside, it could get someone in a lot of physical trouble. That doesn’t stop them from exploring and, apparently, occasionally, treating themselves to a five-finger discount of some Disney “memorabilia” you can’t get in one of the many stores selling Mickey ears and Elsa dresses.

It Looks Like It Mostly Focuses On One Crime

Among the things that may have been taken from one of these exploring thieves is a prop from the closed Wonders of Life ride at Epcot. The ride closed in 2007, and much of it, according to the trailer, has been walled off and left untouched in the decades since. Buzzy, an animatronic prop from the attraction, was stolen in 2018 and remains missing to this day. Was it stolen by someone who broke in from outside the park, or was it an inside job?

In 2019, a cast member named Patrick Spikes was arrested along with his cousin (not a park employee) and accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of props from Disney World. Both Spikes and his cousin Blaytin Taunton pled guilty to avoid jail time, but Buzzy was not among the many items the two stole and later sold on eBay for tens of thousands of dollars.

So where is Buzzy? I don’t think Stolen Kingdom is going to give any definitive answers, but I can’t wait to tune in and learn more about where this beloved prop could be.

The Rookie is coming back for Season 9, not on the 2026 TV schedule, but in 2027. While fans are going to have to wait a little longer to see what happens after the Season 8 finale cliffhanger, filming on the new season has started. Aside from the cliffhanger and crossovers with new spinoff, The Rookie: North, not too much has been shared about what else to expect. However, Jelly Roll is throwing his hand into the ring to guest star in a future episode, and I know just who he should play.

Jelly Roll Wants To Be On The Rookie

Even though the Grammy-winning artist is focusing mostly on his music, he’s been venturing into acting in recent years. Jelly Roll made his television acting debut in 2024 on Sylvester Stallone’s Tulsa King, later appearing on the CBS drama Fire Country. Now he has The Rookie in his sights, after initially turning down the ABC procedural. It was brought up on Jimmy Kimmel Live! when Jelly Roll was guest hosting and Nathan Fillion was a guest, the moment still haunts him:

It’s understandable that Jelly Roll had to bow out of his guest appearance, and it’s definitely not his fault that he got sick. I can only imagine that he was as happy as ever when he found out Fillion would be on Jimmy Kimmel Live! when he was guest hosting, and he took the opportunity to beg for another chance. And I have an idea for the kind of character that would be perfect.

Who Jelly Roll Should Play

Funny enough, Fillion admitted he “knows a guy” on The Rookie, and wondered if Jelly Roll has any experience with police. While the “Son of a Sinner” singer shared he probably wouldn’t be able to play a cop, he can definitely play someone on the other side. Just what kind of character he’d be willing to portay is hard to tell, but from his enthusiasm I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d be down for anything. But I have a fun idea.

Personally I would love to see Jelly Roll as someone from Nolan’s past, perhaps one of his former colleagues from his days as a construction contractor back in Pennsylvania. His character is in Los Angeles for whatever reason, maybe on vacation, maybe he gets into some kind of trouble back East and wants Nolan’s help. Or maybe Nolan goes back to Pennsylvania for some reason and runs into Jelly Roll’s character.

Additionally, Fillion also revealed that they’re bringing Pete Davidson back as Nolan’s brother Pete, and just seeing the three of them together in one scene would be incredible. Whether or not Davidson is actually finally coming back, or if Fillion means that they’re still trying since, as he said, Davidson is busy, is hard to tell. But if anything, manifesting can’t hurt.

I just know that whoever Jelly Roll plays on The Rookie is going to be an episode to remember. Hopefully his dream of being on the show happens soon, because now I need it. For now, Season 9 of The Rookie will premiere in 2027 on ABC. All eight seasons are available to stream with a Hulu subscription.

Dune: Part Three is months away from its release on the 2026 movie schedule, and the hype for Denis Villeneuve's threequel is getting very real. Something that has fans particularly excited is the return of Jason Momoa, who played Duncan Idaho in the first movie. Momoa has since shared some thoughts on returning to the franchise, and he even spoke about what it was like filming in the desert. He dropped a nuanced take, and I wasn’t expecting him to mention Disneyland while describing the experience.

Villeneuve shot the Dune franchise in some seriously sandy locations, with places like Budapest and the United Arab Emirates serving as key filming locations. The result is a trilogy of films that firmly brings the planet of Arrakis to life. However, it’s still hard not to wonder what it’s like for the actors to be filming in a sprawling and dry desert landscape. Momoa seems to be unfazed by any of the challenges, though, as he shared a very upbeat take on being amongst the dunes of the UAE:

One might be able to call the Supergirl star a true desert dweller, given he’s apparently been visiting the area for over a decade now. The country is obviously far different from the “Happiest Place on Earth,” but I can understand where Momoa is coming from. What he seems to appreciate are the sights and sounds of the UAE, which does have an active night life fit for adults. And, at the same time, he can admire the beauty of his sand-covered surroundings. Momoa further emphasized that while speaking with The National:

Part of me is sweating just thinking about how hot it could possibly get out in that desert but, on the other hand, I can understand how cool that experience would be. I mean, imagine filming a massive movie alongside a talented director like Denis Villeneuve and top-notch actors like Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya and Javier Bardem. Even franchise newcomer Robert Pattinson found that a silver lining to being in such sweltering heat was that he was very agreeable on set. As for Momoa, he also named one sweet result of being there:

The A-lister did more than sightseeing, though, as he also put in plenty of work, which is evidenced by Dune: Part Three’s trailer. Following his demise in the first film, Idaho returns in the form of a ghola named Hayt. Momoa is psyched to be back in the fold, though he’s also admitted to having been nervous about working with his son, Nakoa-Wolf Momoa, who plays Leto II Atreides. All in all, though, what Momoa describes is a memorable experience comparable to the thrill of riding Space Mountain at Disneyland.

Dune: Part Three opens in theaters on December 18, 2026. Ahead of its release, stream the first two movies – as well as the prequel TV series, Dune: Prophecy – with an HBO Max subscription.

Dragon Ball Super is set to return before too long, and while it's not on the 2026 TV schedule, fans have plenty to be excited about. In addition to dropping that recent reference to Vegeta's previously unseen mother, the anime franchise is teaming up with Burger King for the first time since the 2000s for an awesome collaboration. And it's certainly making this longtime fan giddy.

The Dragon Ball Meal Comes With Exclusive Food Items And Super Figurines

In a move surely meant to appeal to mine and many other millennials and our love of nostalgia, Burger King has a special meal on the way. In addition to serving up some cool new food items, the chain is also offering something just about all anime fans love: figurines. BK has specifically revealed the Dragon Ball Super Power Up Pack for adults, and Dragon Ball Super King Jr. Meal for the kids. All who purchase either meal will be able to get one of six figurines, which the brand revealed on its official Instagram account:

As someone so stoked at all times for new Dragon Ball, this is right up my alley, and the food only sweetens the deal. Those who buy will get chicken nuggets with "Super Saiyan sauce," which is teriyaki-flavored. The Dragon Ball Burst lemonade is peach-flavored but has Mango-popping bob.

Seriously, this is some sweet brand synergy and a good move on BK's part. Not only that, but there's one aspect of my experience with DB merchandise that I can't help but think about on the heels of this fast food announcement.

This Reminds Me Of Burger King Offering Dragon Ball Z Toys In The 2000s

It's wild that Dragon Ball Super is getting some love from Burger King when the series isn't even actively on VT, but the two have worked together in the past. BK did a DB toy run back in 2000 with a set of metallic toys that came paired with a trading card. And this happened again in 2003, with a Powerpuff Girls-themed toy serving as an alternative.

The arrival of these Dragon Ball meals comes as the franchise promises to continue Super's anime, which hasn't aired an episode since 2018. The franchise is also remastering past arcs of Super, and there's hope the manga will resume with new arcs before too long.

With so much fan interest in new Dragon Ball material, it's wild to think there was ever a fear the franchise would fade following creator Akira Toriyama's death. Provided fans keep buying up the commemorative meals, games and everything else in between, I feel like Dragon Ball could continue to be one of the most celebrated anime in history, and continue to inspire young fans to try and go Super Saiyan.

Catch episodes of Dragon Ball over on Crunchyroll, along with many other iconic anime worth searching up. I'm still shocked to see its continued embrace in the United States, as a kid who grew up watching Toonami and thinking it was some niche interest. Also, fans can grab one of those Burger King meals starting on September 1.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Netflix just officially renewed Tires for Season 4. The edgy workplace comedy has improved with each season, adding more production value and emotional depth to its characters, while also reaching a new high on the Netflix Top 10 list at number 5. Throw in the overall deal co-creators Shane Gillis and John McKeever recently signed with the streamer, and it was really only a matter of time.

The good news was shared by Variety earlier today and also included perhaps the most Shane Gillis quote of all-time. The popular stand-up comedian who is exploding in popularity almost sounded like he was in character, as he told the publisher the renewal was “cool.” Seriously, this was his entire quote…

If that quote doesn’t get you fired up to see more episodes of Tires, then the show probably isn’t for you. I can literally picture Shane telling that side character reporter that it’s “cool to still be in business” before getting yelled at by Will to put a little more effort into publicity. People are gonna read this, you know?

As a Tires fan, I’m obviously fired up about the renewal, but I wish there were some additional details. We have no idea when Season 4 is going to go into production. We have no idea how many episodes there are going to be, and most importantly, we have no idea which characters we should expect to see in the coming season. Obviously it’s fair to assume we are going to get the leads who actually work at Valley Forge. More specifically, it would be a surprise not to see Will, Shane, Cal, Kilah and Dave, but there are key side characters and deep cut side characters I really want to see back too.

Obviously, the biggest of those side characters is Thomas Haden Church’s Phil. The Oscar nominee was a fantastic addition to the cast the last two seasons, but his character left to go traveling with Bonnie The Witch at the end of Season 3. I don’t need to see those two in every episode, but it would be a shame not to bring them back for at least a few episodes next season.

I also really want to see Shane’s potential baby mama Lucy The Lib. Sofia Hasmick’s chemistry with Gillis is absolutely fantastic, and the pregnancy story arc is a great way to build his character and allow us to see an evolution that makes sense for his character. I really need her back for Season 4.

I’d also like to see a lot of deeper cut side characters get an episode or two next season, as well. There are too many gems to name, but I feel like I need more from Frank, Pete Seidel, Reagan, George and Dave’s wife Barb. These ridiculous people filtering through the shop here or there really brings something different out of the main characters. In a perfect world, I'd love to see the show continue to develop its roster of random side characters who exist on the periphery and show up every once in awhile, exiting and reappearing right as we start missing them.

Assumedly, the next step in the process is for Gillis, McKeever and the other writers to sit down and start working their way through scripts. Once that happens, then we will ideally get a production date and some details on who is coming back and when it'll hit the tv schedule. Fingers crossed that process happens sooner rather than later.

Johnny Depp's work in Tim Burton movies is legendary, as is his tenure as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films (which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). But in recent years the acclaimed character actor has become synonymous with his relationship with Amber Heard, and their messy divorce proceedings. Since then he's largely stepped away from the limelight, but his Hollywood returning is coming as the title character of Ti West's Ebenezer. And the filmmaker recently gushed about what Depp brought to the table as Scrooge.

While Johnny Depp acted in Jeanne du Barry, Ebenezer is a much higher profile project that will bring him back to the big screen in The States. During an interview with EW, West went above and beyond praising the 63 year-old actor, offering:

Honestly, I see this point. On top of being an actor, Johnny Depp is an accomplished musician who toured recently with his late friend Jeff Beck. He also showed his musical talents in the movie version of Sweeney Todd, where he played the title character. And it seems he used those skills to bring Ebenezer's dialogue to life.

It sounds like we're going to get a pretty accurate book to screen adaptation of A Christmas Carol, at least where the dialogue is concerned. West went on to share how Depp crushed this part of the gig, saying:

Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that Johnny Depp brought something original to the role of Ebenezer Scrooge, especially considering how he put his spin on wild characters like Edward Scissorhands, Jack Sparrow, and Willy Wonka.

On the flip side, Ti West also teased that audiences might get a deeper understanding of Scrooge's psyche in his new movie, especially when compared to other Christmas Carol movies. In his words:

Well, I'm intrigued. Only time will tell if Ebenezer becomes one of the best Christmas movies of all time, but tales of the actor's performance have helped to buoy excitement until it hits theaters this November. That and Depp showing up as Scrooge at Comic-Con. Talk about immersive marketing.

Only time will tell how this movie performs, and if it helps to separate Depp from the Amber Heard verdict and circus of that trial. But it certainly sounds like he's going to bring a strong performance to the table with the upcoming take on A Christmas Carol.

All will be revealed when Ebenezer hits theaters on November 13th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully a full trailer for Johnny Depp's Hollywood return soon.

There was a time when Taylor Swift and Blake Lively were the best of friends. Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds were the first people to hear Swift’s new music, and the singer was the godmother to the couple’s four children — she even name-dropped Inez, James and Betty in her song “Betty.” However, things have cooled significantly between the two since Swift got roped into Lively’s legal drama with Justin Baldoni. If we needed more proof that these two are on the outs, Swift’s alleged silence on Lively’s birthday should do the trick.

Blake Lively celebrated her 39th birthday on August 25, with Ryan Reynolds fawning over “the very best human I know” in a sweet Instagram tribute. However, sources tell Naughty But Nice’s Rob Shuter that no well-wishes came from the Life of a Showgirl artist, allegedly forcing Lively to accept that her and Taylor Swift’s friendship is over. The insider said:

It’s a little hard for me to believe that Blake Lively would still be hoping she and Taylor Swift could reconcile — especially after the Gossip Girl star and Ryan Reynolds weren’t invited to Swift and Travis Kelce’s July wedding (despite the fact that Madison Square Garden was more than capable of accommodating as many guests as “TNT” wanted).

Perhaps once Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni settled their legal issues, she thought her friendship with Taylor Swift could begin to heal. That’s what one source reports, saying:

While Taylor Swift wanted no part of Blake Lively’s legal drama — with texts between the two showing the tension in their friendship — the breaking point may have come when Lively allegedly threatened to release private texts between them if Swift didn’t issue a public show of support. Taylor’s father, Scott Swift, then reportedly leaked those threats to Justin Baldoni’s team in return for the subpoena against Taylor being dropped.

We can’t be sure if the end of Taylor Swift and Blake Lively’s friendship was all due to the It Ends with Us sexual harassment case — there are reports that Travis Kelce didn’t like Ryan Reynolds long before that — but either way, this birthday snub is, according to the insider, the thing that got the message across. They said:

Whether the old friends will reconnect somewhere down the road remains to be seen, but Taylor Swift allegedly not sending any birthday wishes to Blake Lively for the last year of her 30s seems like a pretty clear indicator of where they stand now.