Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Star Reveals the Season 2 Ending That Almost Was

The following contains spoilers for the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 finale.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ second season may feature some of the series’ biggest Titan battles to date, but its primary story is a deeply human one. From Cate’s refusal to leave Lee Shaw in Axis Mundi to Kentaro’s wild plan to try to save the dead father he can’t bring himself to admit he lost, it’s been a season of big emotions, hard choices, and far-reaching consequences. And perhaps no character has been asked to endure quite as much as Keiko Randa, the brilliant, time-displaced scientist who is forced to reckon with so much loss and change during season 2’s 10 episodes.

“They really tortured her through the season,” Mari Yamamoto, who plays Keiko, laughingly tells Den of Geek. “I think she probably needs a lot of therapy, right? Because it’s been 10 days…the whole season is actually just 10 days, isn’t that crazy? I’ve been describing it as she’s grieving while she’s running.”

Over the course of those 10 days, Keiko has (among other things) lost her son Hiroshi, learned that Lee consciously chose to leave her in Axis Mundi to protect the future, discovered that the letter she wrote admitting her feelings for Lee broke up the family she left behind, and found the spot where Bill Randa most likely died on Skull Island, along with a series of notes that affirm he never gave up the search for his wife. It is, by any sort of reckoning, a whole lot.

“I think she gets to a place around episode seven or eight, when [she and Cate] are on their mission to get Co-cai [a.k.a. Titan X] back on track. I think, for her, there is a sense that, ‘I’ve literally lost my son too, if I die doing this, I’m okay with it. If I die doing this but I can save people, then maybe it’s worth having traveled in time and lost everybody,’” Yamamoto explains. “She’s at a place where…I wouldn’t call it suicidal, but I think it’s a very ready to really risk it all kind of place. But then she comes back from it. And I think that forging this bond with Cate, seeing Cate accomplish this monumental task of getting a Titan back on track, it reignites her own excitement about Titans and the work she was doing.”

Keiko’s relationship with her granddaughter doesn’t just give her a purpose in her strange new modern life; in one version of the Monarch finale, it actually played a key role in her decision to keep living it.

“One thing I will say is that I think the reason that she finds the will to live again is Cate,” Yamamoto says. “In the original cut, Keiko could choose if she wanted to go back to the past with Lee. And she almost steps in, but then she turns back for Cate.”

Keiko and her granddaughter are surprisingly alike, from their rampant curiosity and unique connection to the Titans to their time spent in Axis Mundi.

“At the very end of last season, [Keiko] couldn’t even process that she had a grandkid,” Yamamoto says. “But seeing the similarities in Cate and the way she understands her, about why she had to go down into the pit all those years ago, it’s small moments, but inside of her there’s a massive shift because she’s just like, ‘wow, you really are like me, and you really understand me’. And that bonds them even more.”

To hear Yamamoto tell it, Keiko’s onscreen bond was very much informed by her own off-screen relationship with co-star Anna Sawai, who plays Cate.

“I think we really built it off our own connection as actors. Like Anna is just… as everybody knows, she’s just incredible. I look into her eyes, and I basically start crying. That was the kind of relationship we had. We completely trusted each other, and I so admire her. I think that permeated into Keiko’s feelings as well.”

Of course, Keiko’s bond with her granddaughter isn’t the only relationship that’s front and center in the season 2 finale. (Though it is the only one that involves a badass rescue beneath a pair of dueling Titans.) Her relationships with both Lee and Billy are tangled and messy enough that they could probably fuel an entire 10-part drama all on their own. But for Yamamoto, it’s the inexplicably connected nature of this trio that makes their shared bonds so compelling.

“I’ve never wavered in my belief that the three of them — Billy, Lee, and Keiko — are soulmates,” she says. “It’s not just Lee and her, and it’s not just Billy and her. It’s the three of them. And, in a strange way, Lee and Keiko don’t work without Billy, which is the tragedy, right? Kurt [Russell, who plays the older Lee Shaw] was saying that when we find Billy’s letter in the rift, Lee also looks at it and realizes it’s for Keiko, and he’s like, ‘Damn, I was never meant to be with her. It was always supposed to be Billy.’ That’s how he played it. And I thought that was so beautiful. But also at the same time, they couldn’t have worked without Lee. If any of those elements go missing, including the time and setting on all of those things, they’re just doomed. That’s the tragedy of these three people.”

The finale manages to give Lee and Keiko — at least their younger selves — some closure thanks to the timey-wimey magic of the rift energy that sends Titan X back to Axis Mundi and allows the pair to see each other one last time. (Granted, Lee’s older self also gets a moment with his younger self, which is equally moving in a slightly different context.)

“Playing that moment, looking at young Lee…as I said, there was a scene that was cut where she struggles to make that decision, but she ultimately accepts it, decides to stay, and says goodbye to young Lee. He’s okay with it. It’s that thing of, ‘See you in the next one’, you know? There’s a hope in that sadness. And looking at Lee now…he’s still that person that you know is always going to be there for her. They do have their differences, of course, but she knows that and he knows that, and that’s just how it’s going to be, no matter what age difference there is.”

As we look toward a third season of Monarch, Keiko and Lee are taking separate paths in their attempts to track down the still-missing Kentaro and Isabel Simmons before they can find a way to open a permanent rift, a choice that could provide some intriguing conflict for the pair down the road.

“It would kind of be interesting to see them fall into real opposition, right?” Yamamoto says. “Because they haven’t really, in these 10 days we’ve seen them together. And like the more intense the feelings you have for someone, what happens when that curdles or is misdirected? I think that’s an opportunity to explore both their dark sides, maybe. That’d be really interesting.”

All 10 episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 are available to stream on Apple TV now.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ VFX Supervisor on the Debut of Another Familiar Kaiju and Humanizing Titan X

The following contains spoilers for the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 finale.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ second season wraps up with a monster-sized face-off between Kong and Titan X on Skull Island, another appearance from Lee’s past self, an emotional split between Cate and Kentaro, and the dramatic rescue of a stolen Titan egg. The finale wraps up most of the season’s outstanding plot threads, but it also sets plenty of new stories in motion, including the establishment of a secret Monarch division (in a literal basement) that’s charged with the top secret task of locating Kentaro and Apex’s Isabel Simmons, who are determined to find a way to Axis Mundi…and potentially a still-alive version of Hiroshi Randa.

But with Titan X and its egg safely returned through the rift, and the threat of imminent disaster averted, fans will most likely be focused on the finale’s coda, a moment that reveals the first Monarch appearance of another very familiar kaiju: Rodan.

“It was an evolving conversation of what our big reveal for the coda was going to be, and do we know where it’s going? [Rodan] ended up being a pitch at some point,” Monarch’s VFX Supervisor Sean Konrad tells Den of Geek. “I don’t want to say when I found out specifically, but it was a really interesting [conversation]. And that ended up being one of the last things we shot. We were shooting in Thailand, and I think it was our last day with Kurt [Russell, who plays Lee Shaw]. We were looking around for a location with a vantage point, with a nice reverse, so we could shoot something. It took a long time to find it, but we ended up at a perfect spot. Even though a lot of that view over to the volcano is digital.”

Given that Legacy of Monsters takes place in the gap between the films Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, this is technically our first sighting of Rodan in the Monsterverse timeline. Here, the giant pterosaur-like Titan is nesting in a volcano in what appears to be Thailand — an intriguing development given that, by the time of King of the Monsters, Rodan is contained in Mexico. But, visually, the creature looks essentially the same.

“This Rodan is basically the same monster from Godzilla: King of the Monsters. And I love that design,” Konrad says. “So we didn’t really want to touch it, but it’s an ongoing thing, as you’re telling a story, you always find new details in an asset that need improving or working on, or other stories you can tell with them. While we didn’t do a lot with Rodan in this case, the company that took that work on, [Rodeo FX], they did change things a little bit, but it was more to make the rendering of it a little bit more efficient.”

Viewers were likely a bit surprised to see how little Godzilla features in Monarch’s second season. The giant lizard only appears twice in season 2, first during a sixth episode dream sequence that sees the creature destroy Tokyo, and again during its penultimate hour, which sees Godzilla and Titan X face off. And, according to Konrad, that minimalism is on purpose.

“When Godzilla shows up, it’s on. But there’s only so many sorts of big, action-y moments you can really do with Godzilla,” he says. “A lot of those moments have been done, like Godzilla on the ropes in 2014, looking at the soldiers on the ground like they’re ants. And then, Godzilla doesn’t quite understand humanity in the way that Kong does. So there’s less you can really do without starting to violate what the canon of the character is. But I always like a Godzilla scene. I always like those challenges.”

Instead of Godzilla, the mysterious Titan X takes center stage for much of season 2, a new monster that, from its earliest moments, seems quite different from many of the other creatures we’ve met in this universe, from its more demonstrative and expressive demeanor to its actively maternal tendencies.

“It’s a lot of the same premise of Star Trek, for instance, where [Gene] Roddenberry has this rule about how every alien needs to have eyes so you can empathize with them,” Konrad says. “I think their eyes end up being a really important part of Titan X and in the visual filmmaking language, we use a lot of close-ups of the eye to give a lot of emotionality to [the creature].”

Konrad and his team employed many visual cues in the creation of Titan X to help convey the breadth of the creature’s expressions and feelings.

“While the face itself may not have a ton of range of motion, we figure out what the most empathetic angles were for it,” he continues. “In the same way that if you, say, shoot a person from below, they’re going to look a bit more heroic, or they might look dominating. You shoot somebody from above, they’re automatically a bit meeker or smaller. So you get the camera up above and suddenly she starts looking a little bit more empathetic. You tilt the head a certain way, and she starts to look a little bit more empathetic. Or you can go in the opposite direction and really take the lip and expose more teeth, and suddenly she starts to look a little bit more fearsome. We really wanted to design all those aspects into it.”

Given that much of Titan X’s behavior is motivated by its quest to protect its egg, it was also important to acknowledge that, at least to some recognizable degree, the creature is female and a mother.

“We didn’t want to overdo the gender binary feminine look of Titan X, either, because what is the notion of that [for these creatures]?” Konrad says. “But a thing that I looked at a little bit was the alien queen [from Alien] and the literalness of the crown in that design. The normal alien is basically just a giant phallus, but they subvert it for the queen by making it more of a crown. Those kinds of ideas are what informed us as we were doing this — we gave her very pronounced eyelashes, for example. Those are very subtle things that I don’t think the audience necessarily notices or reads — things you’re not conscious of, but then retroactively become conscious of as the story reveals itself, is kind of what we were going for.”

With the reveal of Rodan at the conclusion of the finale, it’s clear that Monarch isn’t done bringing some of its biggest monsters to the small screen.

“I always question whether or not I should answer those kinds of things,” Konrad laughs when asked if there’s a particular creature or kaiju he’d be most excited to bring into this universe. “It’s just so tricky because you’re like… just by saying something, does that suddenly lead the audience to [assume that’s happening]? But I worked on Godzilla 2014, and bringing Godzilla into the world in this way was really exciting. There’s always a million other creatures from the canon that I think are really interesting. I love all my children equally… But I always wonder about how you could update, like, Ebirah, which a lot of people hate as a design. I’m always curious about the ones that would be really hard to do.”

All 10 episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 are available to stream on Apple TV.

15 Games That Took Over the Internet Overnight

Video game companies are always trying to break the formula of success, of the next big thing that players will be obsessing over. It is, of course, a fool’s errand, since the eves and flows of the market are not something you can often predict. But the search for the golden goose continues.

You may notice that, from the games shown below, most of them are indie success stories. This is not because they cracked a code, it is because thousands of indie ideas are constantly appearing, one more original than the other. We can’t know what the next viral sensation will be, but it will likely come from a creative mind with an idea to tell.

Among Us

Originally released in 2018, Among Us exploded in popularity in 2020 thanks to streamers and online play during lockdowns. Its simple social deduction gameplay made it instantly accessible, turning it into one of the most visible multiplayer games almost overnight.

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout

Fall Guys became an instant hit upon release, driven by its colorful design and chaotic party gameplay. Its strong presence on streaming platforms helped it dominate online spaces quickly, making it one of the most talked-about games of 2020.

Palworld

Palworld surged in popularity immediately after launch, drawing attention for its unusual mix of creature collection and survival mechanics. Its viral spread was fueled by online discussion about its concept, quickly making it one of the most talked-about games of early 2024.

Lethal Company

This co-op horror game gained rapid traction through streaming platforms, with players sharing chaotic and comedic moments. Its low price and emergent gameplay helped it spread quickly across online communities shortly after release.

Fortnite Battle Royale

While Fortnite existed before, its battle royale mode transformed it into a global phenomenon almost instantly. Its free-to-play model and constant updates helped it dominate gaming culture and online discussion soon after its release.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends launched without prior announcement and quickly attracted millions of players. Its polished mechanics and connection to an existing franchise helped it spread rapidly through word of mouth and streaming.

Pokemon GO

Pokémon GO became a worldwide sensation almost immediately after release. Its augmented reality gameplay encouraged real-world exploration, leading to massive player engagement and constant online sharing of experiences.

Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 saw a rapid surge in popularity due to its cooperative gameplay and strong community-driven moments. Its online presence grew quickly as players shared large-scale battles and coordinated missions across social platforms.

Phasmophobia

This indie horror title gained massive visibility through streaming shortly after release. Its voice recognition mechanics and cooperative gameplay created memorable moments that spread quickly across online communities.

Valheim

Valheim launched in early access and quickly became a viral hit. Its blend of survival mechanics and exploration, combined with low system requirements, made it widely accessible and heavily discussed online.

Minecraft

Though its rise was more gradual, Minecraft experienced sudden bursts of viral popularity at different points, especially through YouTube content. Its sandbox nature made it ideal for shareable experiences that spread rapidly online.

Slay the Spire

While initially niche, Slay the Spire quickly spread through streaming and word of mouth. Its addictive loop and strategic depth made it a frequent topic of discussion in gaming communities shortly after gaining visibility.

Vampire Survivors

Vampire Survivors became a viral hit due to its simple mechanics and highly addictive gameplay loop. Its low cost and constant updates helped it spread quickly through recommendations and online discussions.

Goat Simulator

Goat Simulator gained viral popularity almost immediately due to its absurd premise and glitchy gameplay. Its shareable, chaotic moments made it a perfect fit for online content and quick internet spread.

Only Up!

This climbing-focused game became widely visible through streaming, with players sharing both success and failure moments. Its difficulty and simple concept made it easy to watch and quickly spread across platforms.

15 Movies That Captured the Cold War Paranoia of the ’70s and ’80s

The Cold War shaped global politics, perspectives, and the understanding of the outside world for many people. The paranoia of a looming World War 3 was real, and with those topics capturing people’s minds, the Hollywood of the ’70s and ’80s made sure to capitalize on it.

The idea was to capture the geopolitical anxiety and amplify it, imagining worst-case scenarios or exposing unseen conspiracies. These films remain powerful reminders of a time when fear of espionage and annihilation felt like a daily reality, a type of dread that seems to be looming over us again.

The Day After

This television film shocked audiences with its realistic depiction of nuclear war and its aftermath. Its focus on ordinary citizens facing catastrophic consequences made it one of the most direct portrayals of Cold War fears ever broadcast.

WarGames

Centered on a teenager who accidentally accesses a military supercomputer, the film reflects fears of technological escalation. Its premise highlights how easily nuclear conflict could be triggered through misunderstanding or system failure during the Cold War.

The Hunt for Red October

Though released just after the 1980s, the film embodies Cold War tensions through submarine warfare and political uncertainty. Its focus on defection and mistrust reflects the era’s underlying paranoia about shifting allegiances.

Three Days of the Condor

This thriller centers on a CIA analyst who discovers a conspiracy within his own agency. Its portrayal of internal betrayal and surveillance reflects the growing distrust of institutions during the Cold War era.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Using science fiction as allegory, the film explores fears of conformity and hidden enemies. Its premise, that anyone could be replaced without notice, mirrors Cold War anxieties about infiltration and loss of identity.

Red Dawn

Depicting a Soviet invasion of the United States, Red Dawn channels direct Cold War fears into action. Its portrayal of teenagers resisting occupation reflects both paranoia and a desire for defiant patriotism.

The China Syndrome

While focused on nuclear energy, the film taps into broader fears of technological disaster and institutional cover-ups. Its themes align closely with Cold War anxieties about secrecy and catastrophic consequences.

Fail Safe

Though earlier, this film remained highly relevant during the Cold War’s later decades. Its depiction of accidental nuclear war reinforced fears about human error within complex military systems.

Dr. Strangelove

A satirical take on nuclear brinkmanship, the film highlights the absurdity of mutually assured destruction. Its dark humor underscores how fragile global stability could be during the Cold War.

Firefox

Clint Eastwood plays a pilot sent to steal an advanced Soviet fighter jet. The film emphasizes technological rivalry and espionage, both central concerns during the height of Cold War competition.

The Spy Who Loved Me

This James Bond entry reflects Cold War tensions through global espionage and nuclear threats. While stylized, it still draws heavily on the era’s geopolitical conflicts and mutual suspicion between superpowers.

Gotcha!

This spy thriller follows an American student pulled into real espionage while traveling in Europe. Beneath its lighter tone, the film taps into Cold War paranoia through shifting identities, double agents, and the idea that danger could be hiding in plain sight.

Rocky IV

Framed as a boxing match, the film becomes a symbolic confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. Its exaggerated portrayal captures the ideological rivalry at the heart of the Cold War.

Threads

This British film presents an unflinching depiction of nuclear war and its aftermath. Its stark realism and bleak tone make it one of the most disturbing portrayals of Cold War anxieties.

Blue Thunder

Focusing on surveillance technology and government overreach, the film reflects fears of internal control as much as external threats. Its themes align with Cold War-era concerns about power and accountability.

15 Farrah Fawcett Films Other Than “Charlie’s Angels”

Farrah Fawcett will forever be tied to Cherlie’s Angels, but as an actress with great range, her career extended far beyond that iconic role. She took on a wide range of projects across film and television, gradually shifting from light roles to more serious, character-driven performances.

We’re talking about both TV and cinema, small and large roles; she was one of the many icons of the 70s, one that can’t be reduced to only one role. These entries highlight some of her most notable work outside of her most famous series, showing a broader picture of her career.

Logan’s Run

Fawcett appears in a supporting role in this sci-fi classic set in a controlled utopian society. Though brief, her presence helped boost her early film visibility just before her rise to television stardom.

Sunburn

A comedy thriller starring Fawcett alongside Charles Grodin, Sunburn follows an insurance investigator caught in a dangerous case. The film leans into light suspense and showcases her in a leading theatrical role.

Saturn 3

This sci-fi thriller pairs Fawcett with Kirk Douglas in a tense story about isolation and technology. The film is remembered for its darker tone and unusual atmosphere compared to more mainstream science fiction of the time.

The Cannonball Run

A high-energy ensemble comedy about an illegal cross-country race, the film features Fawcett among a large cast. Its chaotic humor and celebrity lineup made it a commercial success during the early 1980s.

Extremities

One of her most critically noted performances, Fawcett plays a woman who turns the tables on her attacker. The film is intense and character-driven, marking a departure from her earlier, lighter roles.

See You in the Morning

A romantic drama where Fawcett stars opposite Jeff Bridges. The story explores relationships and blended families, offering her a more grounded and emotional role late in the decade.

The Apostle

Directed by and starring Robert Duvall, this drama includes Fawcett in a supporting role. The film received critical acclaim, and her performance contributes to its exploration of faith and redemption.

Dr. T & the Women

In this ensemble comedy-drama directed by Robert Altman, Fawcett plays one of several interconnected characters. The film examines relationships and personal crises within a wealthy social circle.

Love Is a Funny Thing

An early role in a romantic comedy, this film reflects Fawcett’s beginnings in smaller parts before achieving widespread recognition. It’s a lesser-known entry in her filmography.

Myra Breckinridge

Fawcett has a small, uncredited role in this controversial comedy. While not a major performance, it represents one of her earliest appearances in a theatrical film.

Man of the House

Starring Tommy Lee Jones, this comedy places Fawcett in a supporting role. It’s one of her later film appearances, showing her continued presence in mainstream projects decades into her career.

The Burning Bed

A landmark TV movie, Fawcett plays a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. The performance earned major acclaim and helped redefine her public image as a serious dramatic actress.

Small Sacrifices

Based on a true crime case, Fawcett portrays Diane Downs. The role is complex and unsettling, further cementing her ability to handle darker, more demanding material.

Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story

Fawcett plays socialite Barbara Hutton in this biographical TV film. The role spans multiple periods of the character’s life, allowing her to showcase a wide emotional range.

Nazi Hunter: The Beate Klarsfeld Story

In another biographical drama, Fawcett portrays activist Beate Klarsfeld. The film focuses on efforts to bring Nazi criminals to justice, giving her a role grounded in real historical events.

15 Senior Movie Stars That Acted at 90+

As the wise Deadpool once said, “you’ll be doing this till you’re 90.” Well, something that sounds like a grim fate is the reality of many actors and performers, who not only act until they’re 90, but well past it. But when you see them on screen, you don’t see them in pain.

Instead, you see the expertise and experience of a life well lived, a journey that might be reaching its end, but isn’t slowing down. These are the senior movie stars that gave it their all for their craft, becoming shining icons of the industry.

Clint Eastwood

Eastwood continued acting and directing into his 90s, appearing in films like Cry Macho at age 91. His late-career work reflects a shift toward introspective storytelling while maintaining the screen presence that defined his earlier roles.

Dick Van Dyke

Van Dyke remained active well into his 90s, including appearances in Mary Poppins Returns at age 93. His continued performances highlight his enduring physicality and timing, rare traits for a performer at that stage of life.

James Earl Jones

Even in his 90s, Jones continued contributing through voice acting, reprising iconic roles like Darth Vader. His unmistakable voice remained in demand, demonstrating how certain talents translate across decades of work.

Michael Caine

Caine reached 90 while still acting, appearing in films like The Great Escaper. His later roles leaned into reflective characters, often drawing on his long career and distinctive presence.

William Shatner

Shatner remained active in television and film well into his 90s. His continued appearances reflect both his enduring popularity and his willingness to embrace projects across genres even late in life.

Robert Duvall

Duvall continued acting into his 90s, with late-career roles maintaining his understated, character-driven style. His longevity reflects a steady career built on consistency rather than constant reinvention.

June Squibb

Squibb has remained actively working well into her 90s, with roles in projects like Palmer and later appearances. Her continued presence in both film and television makes her a clear example of sustained acting work past 90.

Bob Newhart

Newhart continued appearing in television roles into his 90s, often playing elder authority figures. His dry comedic style remained intact, showing how his signature delivery translated across generations.

David McCallum

Best known for long-running television work, McCallum continued acting into his 90s. His role on NCIS extended for years, making him one of the most visible examples of sustained late-career activity.

Robert Wagner

Wagner continued appearing in film and television projects into his 90s. His long career allowed him to transition into supporting roles that capitalized on his established screen persona.

Harry Belafonte

Belafonte remained active into his 90s, appearing in projects and documentaries. His later work often reflected his legacy as both a performer and activist, adding historical weight to his appearances.

John Astin

Astin continued acting and making appearances into his 90s, often revisiting his legacy roles. His longevity highlights a career that successfully transitioned from leading roles to respected veteran status.

Lois Smith

Smith continued appearing in films like The French Dispatch after turning 90. Her steady presence in independent and mainstream projects shows a career defined by longevity and adaptability.

Marla Gibbs

Gibbs remained active in television into her 90s, taking on guest roles and appearances. Her continued work reflects a long-standing career that adapted to evolving formats and audiences.

Tom Skerritt

Skerritt continued acting into his 90s, including roles in independent films. His later work demonstrates how character actors can sustain careers through smaller but meaningful performances.

The 15 ’70s & ’80s Movies With the Weirdest Endings

The 1970s and 1980s were filled with films willing to take risks, and nowhere is that more obvious than in their endings. Instead of neat resolutions, many movies from this era opted for ambiguity, shock, or outright confusion.

We’re talking about experimental storytelling, darker themes, and a desire to subvert audience expectations, with finales that often left viewers puzzled after the credits rolled. Some became iconic for their boldness, while others remain divisive. Either way, they stand out as examples of a time when mainstream films were far more willing to end on strange, unsettling, or unexpected notes.

Carrie

After what seems like a quiet resolution, the film delivers a sudden, shocking final moment that became one of horror’s most famous endings. Its abrupt shift reinforces the lingering trauma at the heart of the story.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

The ending abandons hope entirely, revealing the full extent of the invasion. Its final moment is both simple and deeply unsettling, leaving audiences with a sense that resistance was ultimately futile.

The Wicker Man

This film builds slowly before culminating in a ritualistic and disturbing finale. The contrast between its calm tone and shocking conclusion makes the ending especially unsettling and difficult to forget.

The Thing

Ending on ambiguity rather than resolution, the film leaves its characters in a tense standoff. The lack of clear answers reinforces the paranoia that defines the entire story.

Blade Runner

Depending on the version, the ending ranges from ambiguous to cautiously optimistic. Questions about identity and humanity remain unresolved, making the conclusion feel intentionally open-ended.

Videodrome

The film’s surreal narrative culminates in a finale that blurs reality and hallucination. Its abstract imagery and lack of clarity make it one of the more challenging endings to interpret.

Planet of the Apes

While technically just before the ’70s, its impact carried into the decade. The final reveal reframes the entire story, turning a sci-fi adventure into a bleak commentary that shocked audiences with its sudden, unforgettable twist.

Brazil

What initially appears to be a triumphant escape is revealed to be something far darker. The ending subverts expectations, turning hope into a disturbing realization about the character’s fate.

Angel Heart

The film’s twist recontextualizes everything that came before it. Its revelation is both shocking and inevitable, delivering a conclusion that feels deeply unsettling.

The Shining

The final image raises more questions than it answers, suggesting a deeper, cyclical mystery. Its ambiguity has led to decades of interpretation and debate.

Escape from New York

The ending undercuts the mission’s importance with a simple but symbolic act. It reframes the story’s stakes, leaving a cynical impression about authority and control.

Mad Max

Rather than a clean resolution, the film ends on a brutal note of revenge. Its harsh conclusion reflects the collapsing world the story takes place in.

Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back

Unusual for a blockbuster, the film ends without victory. Its unresolved conflicts and major revelations left audiences surprised at the time.

Don’t Look Now

The film concludes with a shocking and sudden revelation that reframes its eerie buildup. Its ending is both tragic and deeply unsettling.

They Live

The final moments abruptly expose the film’s hidden reality to the world. Its sudden, almost comedic reveal contrasts with the paranoia that builds throughout the story.

BREAKING: New Lanterns Promo Image Has Actual Green In It

In a bold creative decision that’s certain to shake the world of pop culture, HBO Max has released to Instagram a new still from its upcoming series Lanterns. To the shock and delight of at least 12 people (yours truly included), the picture prominently features the color green.

The image depicts a human fist butting against a strange, alien-looking object. While the dark shading and overall drabness of the fist and its surroundings match the tone of the images and teasers already released for the series, the object itself has a hue that can only be described as “green.” The inclusion of this greenness represents a hard break from what we’ve been previously shown for the HBO series, which heretofore has seemed like a show about two guys in street clothes walking around the desert, sitting in a bar in the desert, and driving at least one car off a cliff… in the desert.

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Okay, okay, all sarcasm aside, it is pretty surprising and refreshing that Lanterns is at least acknowledging that the show is about Green Lantern, the DC Comics franchise that has existed since 1940 and has been one of the publisher’s top sellers for the past two decades. For as much as James Gunn‘s DCU has embraced the goofier side of the DC Universe, turning Peacemaker, of all people, into a key character, Lanterns has seemed embarrassed of its comic book roots. So far, HBO has been selling the show like its True Detective, treating the extraterrestrial stuff in Lanterns like the supernatural stuff in that show’s first season. Which is to say, not really including it at all.

However, the new image makes it abundantly clear that Lanterns will have alien elements, and that those elements will be green. The image shows Hal Jordan charging his ring on the power battery, a key part of Green Lantern lore. When inducted into the Green Lantern Corps, each member is given a power ring, which allows them to create whatever they can imagine through force of will. However, they must charge that ring every 24 hours, which they do while reciting a sacred oath.

The power battery is one of the elements of Green Lantern that came from the character’s first incarnation in 1940 and persisted when the concept was revised in the Silver Age, changed from the more more magical-based Alan Scott to the sci-fi Hal Jordan, one of thousands of intergalactic policemen. Over the years, the battery has become one of the most important bits of Green Lantern iconography, with individual Corps members modifying theirs to match their personality.

However, the power battery has also been one of the clunkier parts of the mythology, the sort of thing that Lanterns co-creator Damon Lindelof may have mocked in the past (he said he was sorry). Between Lindelof’s comments and the overall lack of sci-fi elements in promotions, fans have worried that maybe the power battery would be ignored, in the same way that we never see stars Kyle Chandler or Aaron Pierre wearing their costumes.

With the release of the new picture, we Green Lantern fans have less of a reason to fear the show (fear, of course, being the chief emotion of the Green Lantern Corps’ arch-enemies in the Sinestro Corps). We have seen the future of the series, and that future is… green.

Lanterns comes to HBO Max on August 16, 2026.

My Adventures with Superman Reveals Season 3’s Big Bad

The Reign of the Supermen is upon us! Or, rather, it will be this summer, because that’s when My Adventures with Superman returns for its third season. As excited as we are to rejoin the show’s anime-inflected take on Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen, it’s not all fun and sunshine for the Man of Tomorrow and his pals. Because along with the announcement comes the reveal of the season’s primary antagonist, the Cyborg Superman.

“We’re Cyborg Superman right out the gate,” showrunner Jake Wyatt told Entertainment Weekly, while also promising a very different approach to the villain. “It’s not gonna be a retread of the comics,” he promised, which does raise an eyebrow or two when he adds, “We’re digesting Reign of the Supermen.”

For those who don’t recall, Reign of the Supermen was one of the stranger and more influential decisions that DC Comics made in the ’90s. Superman famously died fighting Doomsday in Superman #75 (1992), which was immediately followed by the storyline Funeral for a Friend, in which Metropolis and the rest of the world tried to come to terms with their loss. That story ends with the reveal of four different people of whom claim to be the real Superman in one way or another.

There was John Henry Irons, an inventor whose life was saved by Superman and who promised to carry on his legacy. There was the new Superboy, a secret clone of Superman released before he grew to adulthood. There was a cold and murderous alien who looked like Kal-El, later revealed to be a Kryptonian invention called the Eradicator. And, of course, there was the Cyborg Superman, who looked like a mix between Clark and the Terminator.

The secret of those characters unfolded in Reign of the Supermen, in which Lois Lane and the Justice League discover that the Cyborg Superman is actually Hank Henshaw, an explorer modeled on Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, who sought revenge on the Man of Steel by changing his appearance and gaining the trust of the populace. Once he gained that trust, the Cyborg began destroying cities (including Green Lantern Hal Jordan’s hometown Coast City, leading the way for his downfall) to make way for the conqueror Mongul. He was only stopped by the combined forces of not just the other Supermen, but also the real and revived Superman, who came back to life with a black costume. And also a mullet.

Important as that story was, Wyatt assures fans that My Adventures with Superman won’t be showing viewers the death of Superman again, something covered in Smallville, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Superman & Lois. Instead, the show will be staying within its own version of the DC Universe. That version already includes Hank Henshaw, who was introduced at the end of season 2 as a researcher at S.T.A.R. Labs.

Wyatt explained that his show will be “less Death and more about, ‘What’s a Superman?’ The fun thing about Reign of the Supermen is that it’s all these impostors who have the same power set but different values.” That means we’ll not only get more of John Henry Irons, a.k.a. Steel, but also this show’s take on Superboy and the Eradicator.

One also has to wonder if the introduction of Cyborg Superman will also lead into My Adventures with Green Lantern, which is currently in production and slated for release later this year or early next year. Wyatt confirmed that Jessica Cruz, the character will be the focus of My Adventures With Green Lantern will appear in season three of My Adventures With Superman, and even though Cyborg Superman specifically hurt Hal Jordan, he’s an antagonist to the entire Corps.

Whatever the plans may be, it’s clear that My Adventures With Superman will raise the stakes while staying true to its unique world.

My Adventures with Superman season 3 debuts on HBO Max on June 13th, 2026.

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil Trailer Is All Survival Horror Tension

Even though he has only two solo movies under his belt, filmmaker Zach Cregger has established a few key interests. He’s afraid of what goes on in quiet houses. And he likes running. Both of those qualities are on full display in the first trailer for Resident Evil, Cregger’s follow-up to Weapons. Both of those qualities also fit well within the survival horror genre, which the Resident Evil video games helped define.

Throughout the trailer, we see Austin Abrams cross a snowy yard to an isolated house. Upon finding it abandoned, he enters, makes a call to a loved one, and then begins rummaging for supplies. In fact, throughout the trailer, Abrams grabs a shotgun and keys, items that he has to use strategically if he’s going to make it through his ordeal against zombies. Because the trailer features lots and lots of zombies.

The emphasis on scavenging and running represents a real break from previous adaptations of the video games. Thus far, the series has been most associated with schlock auteur Paul W. S. Anderson, who made six movies in the franchise with his wife Milla Jovovich in the lead as Alice. Although those films rarely do well with critics, and even though they deviate markedly from the source material, they’ve garnered a strong cult following.

Less well-loved was the 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, written and directed by Johannes Roberts. That film leaned more heavily on the video game lore, featuring characters from the franchise such as Claire and Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Albert Wesker, and recreating the source material’s plot about the evil Umbrella Corporation and the zombies it creates. Yet, despite its fidelity, Welcome to Raccoon City failed to garner an audience, opening the way for Cregger’s film.

According to early reports, Cregger’s film does involve elements from the game. Not only does it have zombie variants familiar to players, some of which are featured in the trailer, but Abrams plays a delivery worker who must bring a package to Raccoon City Hospital. However, Cregger has also said that even though he is “the biggest worshiper of the games” and that his movie is “obedient to the lore of the games,” it is “a different story,” one that is “outside of the characters of the games.”

Instead, Cregger has compared his movie to Evil Dead II, which jibes with the footage shown in the trailer. After all, most of Sam Raimi’s movie takes place within an isolated house (well, cabin), under siege by humanoid monsters. Attendees to Resident Evil test screenings have called it a horror version of Mad Max: Fury Road, which also matches the trailer footage, given how much it involves Abrams running from one place to the next.

Based on these responses, it sure sounds like Resident Evil will be a solid video game movie and a compelling horror movie. But most importantly of all, it sounds like it will be another Zach Cregger movie, and that’s a very good thing.

Resident Evil arrives in theaters on September 18, 2026.

Devil Wears Prada 2 Represents the End of Marvel Summers

This year, Disney will kick off the summer movie season with a titanic clash of good and evil. On one side stands a maiden, oft-dismissed and misunderstood, who overcame her humble origins to become a formidable new force. On the other, stands the devil.

Such a description could apply to any of the Marvel movies that have signaled the start of the summer blockbuster season for nearly two decades: Iron Man (May 8, 2008), The Avengers (May 4, 2012), Avengers: Infinity War (May 24, 2018), Avengers: Endgame (April 26, 2019). Even recently, Marvel has staked its claim at the end of spring, releasing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on May 5, 2023, and Thunderbolts* on May 2, 2025. And this year, Marvel has two heavy-hitters upcoming with Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday.

Yet, the Disney blockbuster described above may have goodies and baddies, and may even feature a few capes and cowls. But it won’t have a single superpower or Marvel hero, because it’s not a Marvel movie at all. It’s The Devil Wears Prada 2.

Disney’s placement of The Devil Wears Prada 2 might be the clearest sign yet that superhero fatigue is real. The term has been thrown around a lot lately, especially since the release of Avengers: Endgame now six years ago.

To those who use it, the term perfectly encapsulates the feeling of exhaustion that comes with ever-expanding mythologies, a glut of new in-continuity television shows, and even the stalling out of the DCEU and launch of the James Gunn DCU. For them, the third wave of superhero movies launched by The Dark Knight and Iron Man was fun, but it came to a close with Endgame. Now, audiences are moving onto video game films and legacy sequels.

To those who hate the term “superhero fatigue,” superhero movies still clearly do well in theaters. Guardians 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse were top ten grossers in 2023, as was Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, and Superman in 2025. And even if The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Black Adam failed to be box office juggernauts, they were both financially successful.

The placement of The Devil Wears Prada 2 may prove that both are correct. Obviously, neither Disney nor Warner Bros. plan to abandon superheroes, as both have high-profile MCU and DCU movies and television shows in active production. However, both have stepped back from the rapid development that marked the height of the third wave of superhero movies. Both Kevin Feige and James Gunn have talked openly about the need to put quality over quantity, hinting that previous attempts to flood the market with projects have diluted their popularity.

Furthermore, while The Devil Wears Prada 2 may not be a proper legacy sequel, as it does not seem to be introducing some new awkward fashion journalist hoping to follow in the footsteps of Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway), it does build on the genre’s chief appeal. The Devil Wears Prada 2 returns to a beloved movie from twenty years ago, promising to check in on characters we know well and offering viewers the safety of familiarity. All of the first film’s principals return, including Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, and Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling (and, in an example of addition by subtraction, Adrian Grenier does not return as whiny boyfriend Nate).

The Devil Wears Prada 2 will not break new ground, nor does it want to, nor—even more importantly—does Disney expect it to. And that might be the most damning fact of all for superhero movies. The studio has so little faith in costumed spectacle that it would rather bet on a rehash of a twenty-year-old comedy than hope that anyone in the Avengers can save the summer.

Turns out, the end of the Marvel Universe wasn’t brought about by Doctor Doom, Galactus, or any of its god-like evildoers. All it took was the return of a girl in a cerulean sweater.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 opens in theaters on May 1, 2026.

American Dollhouse Cast and Director on Making Meat and Potatoes Horror

Love it or hate it, “elevated horror” has come to dominate the genre. Everywhere you look, there’s another movie that wrestles with a social ill by making its central monster an extension of that wrong or a manifestation of the trauma it causes. So it’s refreshing to hear that writer/director John Valley has modest aims for American Dollhouse, the slasher he premiered at SXSW.

“I’m drawing from a lineage of slasher films, starting with Psycho, Peeping Tom, Black Christmas,” Valley tells Den of Geek. “I’m obsessed with how minimalist a slasher can be, while still being a container for modern ideas. I stuck with the conventions and tropes, and kept telling everyone that we’re making a meat and potatoes slasher film, but we’re trying to find some new modern life in it.

American Dollhouse stars Hailley Lauren as Sarah, a troubled woman who hopes for a fresh start when she inherits her family home. However, her return to childhood roots gets disrupted by a disturbed neighbor, Sandy (Kelsey Pribilski), who insists that she continue the Christmas traditions started by her mother—whether she wants to or not.

Setting American Dollhouse in a family home allows Valley to find that depth in his slasher, while also keeping it grounded in the real world.

“The family aspect is how we keep the movie personal, because we find inspiration in our real lives,” he says. “We all have a family, one way or another. That ripples out to the whole movie in the way we’re all participating in polite society.

“There’s this weird paranoia and aggression in the air right now, given the state of the world. I thought there was an interesting link in the duality of family. Family is this thing that defines you, but we all try to rewrite our pasts. At the same time, society is trying to straighten us all out, even though we see all this carnage around us, and all these lies and hypocrisies.

“That’s what Sandy is about for me. She’s the personification of the perfect neighbor, and yet she has some dark secrets underneath.”

The revelation of Sandy’s dark secrets makes things bad for Sarah, but they provide a lot of fun for Pribilski.

“The first part of my journey with Sandy was figuring out her physicality, because I knew that was going to be a huge part of it,” says Pribilski. “In my mind, Sandy is a physical manifestation of Sarah’s trauma. Her trauma started as a young person, so Sandy is a young person intellectually and emotionally.

“So I first started thinking about how an eight-year-old would act. They’re a little bit more animated because we adults have learned to contain our reactions to be more socially acceptable and comfortable for the people around us. I had to know when it was okay to go a bit bigger, and John would tell me, ‘You’re like a grizzly bear!’

“We had to very carefully choose moments for me to go into grizzly mode, and that’s when Sandy was disassociating, like something else takes over and I’m just really focused on Sarah as my prized possession.”

While Pribilski was figuring out Sandy’s physical side, Lauren went more psychological for Sarah.

“One of the first things I wanted to do with Sarah was diagnose her trauma,” Lauren shares. “Then I could have a technical grounding point for her inner world, which I could overlay onto the script. There are lots of quiet moments where nothing is being said, but a lot was happening, so that had to be built out from inside for me.”

The emphasis on character described by Lauren and Pribilski doesn’t just affect the acting. It also informs the way that Valley designs the scares in American Dollhouse.

“I don’t think it’s about the spectacle or the kills, per se. It’s about serving the characters and making sure that you earn those big horror moments,” he explains. “On paper, those moments are pretty small and, in the edit, they happen kind of quickly. We don’t get to linger on them that much.

“But if you invest in the characters and let the actors really embody them, you’ll find the heart and soul of a scene. If you don’t constrict them too much, it feels like a full life and a full world.”

A full world is a lot to cover in one movie, which was also by design for Valley. “As part of celebrating the genre, I want this thing to function as if it could be part of a franchise. I don’t necessarily mean that I’m going to make 10 more of these—although, I had a great time working with everyone. Rather, it’s part of the design, putting stuff where it could feel like there could be a sequel or a prequel to expand the world.”

In most cases, a director already talking about sequels and prequels and a 10-part franchise sounds like big dreams and expansive plans. But as Valley’s comments reveal, it’s a basic part of horror filmmaking, the standard slasher model that American Dollhouse hopes to bring back to screens.

American Dollhouse premiered March 14 at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.

The 1980s Teen Movies That Set High School Stereotypes in Stone

Highschool stereotypes do tend to happen in real life, albeit in a more subdued, nuanced form. Or at least, they did happen back in our youths; today, things like jocks or nerds aren’t so easily defined, and work simply as superficial labels than anything else.

But why did those stereotypes become so mainstream? Well, it was all due to movies, 80s movies to be exact. These teen films set in stone what it meant to be a rebel, a brain or a laid-back surfer, using them to speedrun our attachment to their characters.

The Breakfast Club

This film is the clearest example of high school stereotypes being formalized into categories. It explicitly divides its characters into archetypes like the jock, the brain, and the rebel, then builds its entire story around those identities.

Sixteen Candles

This film leans heavily into social hierarchies, focusing on popularity, awkwardness, and romantic obsession. It reinforces familiar roles like the overlooked girl and the popular clique, contributing to the era’s codification of teen identity.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Ferris represents the ultimate cool rebel who bends rules effortlessly, while other characters reflect more anxious or authority-driven personalities. The contrast helped solidify the idea of the “effortlessly popular” student as a defining archetype.

Pretty in Pink

This film emphasizes class-based divisions within high school, contrasting wealthy, popular students with outsiders. It reinforced the idea that social status in school is tied not just to personality, but to background and appearance.

The Karate Kid

This film reinforces the classic underdog narrative, with the bullied outsider facing off against the dominant, aggressive jock. It helped cement the bully-versus-underdog dynamic as a core high school trope.

Weird Science

Focusing on socially awkward teens, the film leans into the “nerd” stereotype and fantasies of transformation. Its exaggerated premise reflects how ’80s movies often amplified insecurities into central plot devices.

Better Off Dead

This dark comedy centers on a socially rejected teen dealing with heartbreak and humiliation. It reinforces the idea of the awkward outsider struggling to fit in, a recurring theme in many ’80s teen films.

Can’t Buy Me Love

The film explores the transformation from outsider to popular student, showing how social status can be manufactured. It highlights the rigid structure of high school cliques that defined many films of the decade.

Teen Wolf

Using a supernatural premise, the film still revolves around popularity and acceptance. The transformation into a werewolf becomes a metaphor for gaining social status, reinforcing how central popularity was in teen narratives.

Valley Girl

This film highlights cultural and social divides within teenage life, particularly between different lifestyles and identities. It helped establish the “in-crowd vs outsider” dynamic in a distinctly ’80s setting.

Footloose

Footloose frames the rebellious teen against a rigid authority structure. It reinforces the stereotype of youth as inherently expressive and constrained by adults, a recurring theme across many high school-centered films.

Just One of the Guys

This film explores gender roles within high school stereotypes, showing how identity shifts depending on perception. It highlights how rigid and performative these social categories can be.

Three O’Clock High

This film focuses on the looming threat of a school bully, building tension around a single confrontation. It reinforces the idea of high school as a structured social battleground dominated by fear and reputation.

License to Drive

This comedy centers on reckless teen behavior and social status tied to freedom and image. It reinforces the stereotype of teens as impulsive and driven by peer approval.

Say Anything…

The film presents contrasting archetypes through its central characters, blending the underachiever with the overachiever. It helped reinforce the idea that relationships often bridge different high school social groups.

15 Alarmingly Creepy Kids Movies from the ’70s and ’80s

The line between “family-friendly” and genuinely unsettling was a lot thinner in the ’70s and ’80s. Many films aimed at younger audiences weren’t afraid to include dark themes, eerie imagery, or moments that bordered on outright horror.

They might be filled with intense emotional stakes, disturbing visuals, or unexpectedly grim subject matter, making them leave a lasting impression on viewers who weren’t quite prepared for them. In hindsight, that willingness to push boundaries is part of what makes them so memorable, but they are still something not suited for children. At least on today’s standards.

Watership Down

An animated film about rabbits doesn’t sound unsettling, but Watership Down is known for its graphic depictions of violence and death. Its realistic portrayal of survival and loss shocked audiences expecting something much lighter.

Return to Oz

A sequel to a beloved classic, this film leans heavily into darker fantasy elements. With eerie characters and a bleak tone, it feels far more like a nightmare than the whimsical world audiences might expect.

The Dark Crystal

This fantasy film uses detailed puppetry to create a fully realized world, but its unsettling creature designs and grim tone make it surprisingly intense. Its darker themes set it apart from more traditional family-friendly fantasy.

Gremlins

Marketed as a fun creature feature, Gremlins includes violent chaos and surprisingly dark humor. Its mix of cute and grotesque elements helped push the boundaries of what a “kids movie” could include.

The NeverEnding Story

While remembered for its sense of wonder, the film includes deeply emotional and frightening moments. Scenes involving loss and despair contribute to a tone that feels heavier than most fantasy films aimed at younger audiences.

The Secret of NIMH

This animated film deals with themes of experimentation, death, and survival. Its darker narrative and intense sequences give it a tone that feels far removed from lighter animated features of the time.

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Behind its colorful setting lies an unsettling atmosphere. The strange behavior of Willy Wonka and the fates of the children create an underlying tension that has made the film feel eerie to many viewers.

The Witches

Although technically just outside the ’80s, its tone reflects the era. Its grotesque transformations and sinister villains make it one of the more genuinely frightening films aimed at younger audiences.

Something Wicked This Way Comes

This Disney film explores fear and temptation through a supernatural carnival. Its slow-building dread and eerie imagery give it a much darker tone than most family-oriented productions.

Labyrinth

While visually imaginative, Labyrinth includes unsettling elements beneath its fantasy surface. Its strange creatures and underlying themes give it a tone that can feel oddly disquieting.

The Black Cauldron

A darker Disney animated feature, this film embraces a more ominous tone with its villain and setting. Its atmosphere and themes marked a notable departure from the studio’s more lighthearted projects.

The Watcher in the Woods

This Disney film leans heavily into supernatural mystery, with a tone closer to horror than family adventure. Its ambiguity and eerie visuals made it stand out as unusually unsettling.

The Last Unicorn

Despite its gentle premise, the film explores themes of loss and mortality. Its melancholic tone and haunting imagery give it an emotional weight that can feel unsettling for younger viewers.

Pete’s Dragon

Though framed as a musical adventure, the film includes darker elements such as abuse and isolation. These themes contrast sharply with its lighter moments, creating an unexpectedly uneasy tone.

The Adventures of Mark Twain

This claymation film is known for a particularly disturbing sequence involving a mysterious figure representing nihilism. Its philosophical themes and unsettling visuals make it far more intense than typical children’s animation.

Colossal Biosciences Aims to Bring Back the Bluebuck by 2030

More than 200 years after mankind hunted the Hippotragus Leucophaeus, aka the bluebuck, to extinction on the plains of South Africa, the petite and well-horned antelope is set to make a comeback. This revelation also marks the sixth publicly announced de-extinction project at Colossal Biosciences, the biotech firm that gave the world woolly mice and the functionally revived dire wolf last year.

Following on the company’s stated goal to have a woolly mammoth calf birthed by 2028—as well as intentions to also resuscitate genetically edited versions of the thylacine, the great moa, and the dodo—the bluebuck would be a departure in some ways from the headline-grabbing Pleistocene throwbacks of recent news cycles. It could also mark a genetic coup for African ecosystems, which saw European settlers and Boers hunt the bluebuck to extinction by the year 1800.

The biodiversity upshots are suggested to supplement current antelope populations which are facing modern pressures of climate change, a loss of habitat, and poaching, among other travails. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, 29 of the world’s 90 antelope species are threatened with extinction, and a further 62 percent of antelope populations have declined. Five antelope species in Africa are currently classified as “critically endangered.”

“People see David Attenborough movies, and they just think of antelopes as ubiquitous running through Africa,” says Colossal CEO Ben Lamm. “They think they don’t need anything, that they’re like deer and there’s just too many of them. And that’s not true. About 30 percent of them are endangered with extinction.”

This is one of the key reasons that some researchers at Colossal have been proponents since the company’s founding in 2020 for reviving the bluebuck. Lamm gives special credit to Michael Hofreiter, a Professor for Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics at the University of Potsdam, Germany, as well as a scientific advisor at Colossal.

“Since day one, when we were just talking about the mammoth, he’s like ‘We have to do the bluebuck. It’s just so amazing, and antelopes need help,’” Lamm recalls. At first, Colossal invested in Hofreiter’s DNA research of the bluebuck, but the CEO really saw it as one of many research projects to analyze, such as investments into cave hyenas. “We’re not working on cave hyenas, but one of our researchers is really passionate about it. So it’s cool, and it’s cool for science, so we’ll fund those projects. And that’s where the bluebuck fell.”

Yet as more scientific data came in, the more evident it became that they could relatively easily make a bluebuck.

“We’ve solved assisted reproductive technologies and all the IVF stuff,” Lamm explains. “We’e solved the induced pluripotent stem cell stuff. We’ve already created the genomes and all the comparative genomics. We’re editing and we’re so bullish on the editing.”

Set to be the first Colossal de-extinction project to reach the finish line with more than a hundred edits on the source genome, the bluebuck is working from a roan antelope’s genome, as well as the ovum retrieval and IVF data of the scimitar-horned oryx. Lamm expects to use roan as the surrogate mother(s) for the first generation of Colossal bluebuck as well.

“We will have a bluebuck in years,” Lamm states. “We don’t know if it’s two or four, but it ain’t a decade. It’ll be before five for sure.”

Other than realizing they could make a bluebuck, it was some of the things Colossal’s chief animal officer Matt James told Lamm that made the company begin thinking they should.

“We started doing a lot of work in Africa on the conservation front, and antelope conservation is massively underfunded,” Lamm notes. “And Matt said, ‘Well, it would really help the antelope.’ And then there’s not any hate groups against the bluebuck. It’s not like a megalodon or anything insane like that. Everyone generally likes antelopes and deers.”

Finally, he admits, there is what could be compared to a video game’s branching skill tree. While a renewed bluebuck could reintroduce some biodiversity, it could also have implications in bovid production.

Says Lamm, “Maybe there’s applications to apply the technologies into bovids and then have applications to livestocks or food security or other things, which we just haven’t been focused on. Those could be interesting technologies from a license or monetization perspective.”

Ultimately, though, the prospect on paper might be palatable since it would be bringing back a species that went extinct due to the actions of humans in modern history—as opposed to a species of wolf or mammoth that died out millennia ago. The Colossal CEO, however, seems skeptical that the bluebuck announcement will change any minds overnight about the merits of de-extinction.

“We don’t take the perspective of trying to persuade,” Lamm says. “We [prefer] the opportunity to educate. I don’t think it’ll have a true effect on the people that just aren’t pro de-extinction, because the dodo is also a recent extinction and so is the thylacine, and I don’t think it has to be a Pleistocene era de-extinction. I think [some folks] just generally don’t like de-extinction.” With that said, he contends about 80 percent of the scientific community supports Colossal’s conservation efforts and thinks continued benefits in that field will be what changes minds. Furthermore, he suggests what is more promising is how the science is inspiring the next generation.

“My biggest testament that we’re doing something right is we surveyed our investor base, and 30 percent of our investors found out about us, not from you guys or CNN, or anyone else. Thirty percent came from their kids,” says Lamm. “That makes me think we’re doing a lot more right than wrong if nearly a third of our investor base came from the fact that their kids were having meaningful scientific dialogue with them at home.”

And in the context of the bluebuck, Lamm thinks there’s an opportunity to teach recent human history to kids—and their parents.

“I hope they want to learn about other lost species that may not get the biggest headlines like a woolly mammoth, and I hope that they research about South Africa and other species that went extinct in South Africa and the African continent,” Lamm says. “I don’t think it’s a bad thing to learn that this colonization period went on and weird decisions were made.”

He adds, “There’s been a lot of really bad decisions throughout history that people kind of wrapped as progress… I truly don’t think it was intentional. I don’t think they were fearful of the bluebuck. There was just a general view of abundance that wasn’t accounted for, and in that lack of accounting, people just eradicated species and destroyed landscapes.”

In a few years, that landscape might be a little more populated though.

15 Forgotten ’80s Cartoon Shows That Used to Be Everywhere

The 1980s were a golden age for animated television, with networks and syndication blocks packed full of cartoons that felt impossible to escape. Many of these shows were tied to toys, comics, or simple high-concept ideas, turning them into daily fixtures for kids.

While some, like Transformers or ThunderCats, are still widely remembered, plenty of others have faded from the spotlight despite once being everywhere. These forgotten series defined afternoons and Saturday mornings for a generation, even if they rarely come up in modern conversations today.

Bionic Six

A superhero family enhanced with bionic technology, Bionic Six combined sci-fi action with a team dynamic similar to comic book ensembles. Despite constant reruns and toy tie-ins, it never maintained the same long-term recognition as its contemporaries.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors

This sci-fi adventure followed a hero searching for his missing father while battling plant-based villains. It was heavily tied to toy lines, a common ’80s trend, but its incomplete storyline left it fading from memory over time.

SilverHawks

From the creators of ThunderCats, this series moved the action into space with metallic heroes. It aired frequently during its run, yet never achieved the same cultural staying power as its better-known counterpart.

Bravestarr

A mix of Western and sci-fi, Bravestarr featured a space marshal with mystical abilities. Its unusual genre blend made it stand out, but it remains less remembered despite its strong presence in late ’80s programming blocks.

M.A.S.K.

Blending military action with transforming vehicles, M.A.S.K. was essentially a middle ground between G.I. Joe and Transformers. It was widely broadcast and supported by toys, yet has largely slipped out of mainstream nostalgia.

C.O.P.S.

A futuristic crime-fighting series, C.O.P.S. followed a specialized police force battling high-tech criminals. It fit perfectly into the decade’s action-heavy cartoon lineup but didn’t maintain the same long-term visibility.

The Littles

Centered on tiny humanoid creatures living secretly among humans, The Littles leaned more into family-friendly storytelling. It aired consistently throughout the decade but is rarely mentioned alongside bigger animated hits today.

Kidd Video

This music-driven cartoon followed a band transported into a cartoon world. Mixing live-action segments with animation, it was a distinctly ’80s experiment that felt omnipresent at the time but is now largely forgotten.

Camp Candy

Featuring a fictionalized version of comedian John Candy, the show focused on summer camp adventures. It aired regularly in weekend blocks, but its cultural footprint didn’t extend much beyond its initial run.

The New Archies

A reimagining of Archie characters as pre-teens, this series leaned into lighter, comedic stories. It aired widely but is often overshadowed by other adaptations of the Archie franchise.

Snorks

Often compared to The Smurfs, Snorks followed underwater creatures in a colorful world. It had a strong television presence for several years, yet never retained the same level of recognition.

The Completely Mental Misadventures of Ed Grimley

Based on a character created by Martin Short, this show mixed absurd humor with animated storytelling. Despite its unique style and frequent airings, it remains a niche memory today.

Blackstar

A fantasy series about an astronaut stranded on a magical planet, Blackstar blended sci-fi and sword-and-sorcery elements. It aired early in the decade but was quickly overshadowed by later, more successful fantasy cartoons.

Thundarr the Barbarian

Set in a post-apocalyptic future, this series combined science fiction and fantasy in a unique way. It ran from 1980 to 1981 and was later rerun, helping it maintain visibility during the decade.

Captain N: The Game Master

This show brought video game characters into a shared animated universe, capitalizing on the rise of gaming culture. It aired widely at the time but feels more like a curiosity today than a lasting classic.

The Weirdest ’80s Movie Genres That Somehow Worked

The 80’s were a wild time for films and the entertainment industry at large, since there was a lot of experimentation searching for what might stick with audiences. Comedies and action setpieces were combined in new and exciting ways, and while not everything worked, some things worked too well.

Nowadays, studios are almost allergic to innovation, particularly due to how expensive it is to make a modern blockbuster. But back in the day, innovation was the name of the game, and these are the genres that pushed the industry forward, all while still being a success.

Sci-Fi Horror Comedy

This genre blends supernatural or science fiction threats with humor, often undercutting fear with comedic timing and character reactions. It thrives on contrast, turning dangerous or eerie situations into something entertaining. Ghostbusters stands as a defining example of how well that balance can work.

Teen Comedy Horror

This genre places horror threats within a teenage setting, blending coming-of-age elements with suspense. They use humor and self-awareness to make classic monsters feel fresh while still delivering genuine tension and scares.

Fantasy Adventure Comedy

Fantasy adventure comedy mixes heroic quests with humor and satire, often poking fun at genre conventions. Movies like The Princess Bride prove that sword fights, romance, and absurd comedy can coexist without diminishing the sense of adventure.

Musical Comedy Crime

This unusual blend fuses crime narratives with musical performances and humor. They can turn chase sequences and criminal antics into rhythm-driven spectacles, creating a tone that feels chaotic but intentionally structured.

Martial Arts Fantasy

Martial arts fantasy combines hand-to-hand combat with supernatural or mythological elements. It’s about elevating traditional fight sequences by adding magic, creatures, and exaggerated stakes, resulting in a more unpredictable and stylized experience.

Post-Apocalyptic Action Adventure

This genre places action storytelling in collapsed or lawless worlds, emphasizing survival and resource scarcity. They amplify tension through desolate settings and relentless combat, often prioritizing spectacle over traditional narrative structure.

Body Horror Drama

Body horror drama focuses on physical transformation as a source of emotional and psychological conflict. Movies like The Fly use disturbing imagery not just for shock, but to explore themes of identity, decay, and loss in deeply personal ways.

Sci-Fi Romance

Sci-fi romance blends speculative concepts with emotional storytelling, focusing on relationships rather than conflict. They work by showing how alien encounters or futuristic ideas can serve as a backdrop for intimate, character-driven narratives.

Horror Comedy Parody

This genre plays with horror conventions by exaggerating or subverting them for comedic effect. Movies like An American Werewolf in London balance genuine scares with humor, often shifting tone rapidly between unsettling and absurd.

Buddy Cop Action Comedy

Buddy cop action comedies rely on contrasting personalities forced to work together. A Film like Lethal Weapon shows how to use character dynamics to balance intense action with humor, creating tension that comes as much from relationships as from external threats.

Teen Musical Drama

This genre combines coming-of-age storytelling with musical performance, often focusing on ambition and identity. Movies like Fame integrate song and dance into character development, blending emotional stakes with expressive, performance-driven sequences.

Dark Fantasy Family Film

Dark fantasy aimed at younger audiences leans into eerie worlds and serious themes while maintaining accessibility. Films like The Dark Crystal prove that family-oriented stories can explore unsettling imagery and complex mythologies without losing their core appeal.

Sports Comedy Drama

This genre mixes athletic competition with humor and personal growth. It might seem like abn unlikely example, but The Karate Kid has all trademarks of the genre: it uses training, rivalry, and mentorship to balance lighthearted moments with emotional arcs centered on discipline and self-improvement.

Tech Thriller Sci-Fi

Tech thrillers blend emerging technology with suspense, often focusing on unintended consequences. Films like WarGames tap into fears around computers and automation, using real-world anxieties to ground otherwise speculative scenarios.

Action Comedy

Action comedies mix high-stakes conflict with humor, often using fast-talking protagonists and absurd situations to lighten intense moments. Movies like Beverly Hills Cop showed that gunfights and car chases could coexist with sharp comedic timing without undercutting excitement.

15 People Share the One Old Computer Game They Still Think About, 1985 – 2010

The first games we play are the ones that stay with us the most, hence why people on Reddit were talking about their biggest nostalgia bombs. These are games that joined us throughout our childhoods, shaping our imaginations and pushing us as today’s problem-solvers.

For some of them, nothing will ever be the same, even if they got countless sequels and remasters. Because nothing hits like the first time you played them, and no one will be able to return you that child-like wonder you had as a kid. But the memories will always remain.

Descent

Released in 1995, Descent stood out for its fully 3D movement, letting players navigate in all directions inside tight corridors. Its disorienting gameplay and fast-paced combat made it unforgettable, especially for players used to more limited first-person shooters at the time.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

This real-time strategy classic placed players in an alternate history conflict between Allied forces and the Soviet Union. Its base-building, resource management, and competitive multiplayer made it one of the most influential strategy games of the late ’90s.

SimCity 2000

A defining city-building simulator, SimCity 2000 expanded on its predecessor with an isometric view and deeper systems. Players managed everything from zoning to disasters, creating cities that could thrive or collapse depending on their decisions.

StarCraft

Blizzard’s sci-fi strategy game became a landmark for competitive play. Its three distinct factions and tight balance helped it remain relevant for years, especially in multiplayer communities that pushed its strategic depth to the limit.

Age of Empires II

Set across historical civilizations, this strategy game refined the formula with improved mechanics and campaigns. Its long-lasting appeal comes from its balance of accessibility and depth, keeping it widely played decades after release.

Starsiege: Tribes

Known simply as Tribes, this multiplayer shooter emphasized large maps and team-based gameplay. Its jetpack mechanics and speed created a style of play that felt ahead of its time and still stands out today.

Doom

One of the most influential shooters ever made, Doom popularized fast-paced first-person combat. Its level design, modding community, and accessibility helped it remain a cornerstone of gaming history.

3D Pinball Space Cadet

Bundled with Windows, this pinball game became a go-to distraction for millions. Its simple mechanics and satisfying sound effects made it endlessly replayable, especially for users who discovered it while exploring their PC.

The Oregon Trail

Originally released in the 1970s and updated over time, this educational game became a classroom staple. Players guided settlers westward, balancing resources and survival, often remembering it for its unexpectedly harsh outcomes.

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?

Blending geography with detective work, this game challenged players to track down criminals across the globe. Its educational focus and engaging format made it a memorable part of many school computer labs.

RollerCoaster Tycoon

A theme park simulation that gave players full control over rides, finances, and layout. Its detailed systems and creative freedom made it a standout, with many players still recalling the chaos of poorly designed roller coasters.

Lemmings

This puzzle game tasked players with guiding creatures through hazardous environments by assigning them specific roles. Its simple concept hid surprisingly complex challenges, making it both accessible and deeply engaging.

Myst

Myst emphasized atmosphere and exploration over action, offering a slow-paced, puzzle-driven experience. Its mysterious world and minimal guidance made it one of the most distinctive and memorable PC games of its era.

Duke Nukem 3D

Known for its attitude and interactivity, this shooter combined action with humor and environmental detail. Its memorable one-liners and level design helped it stand out among other first-person shooters of the time.

SkiFree

A simple skiing game that became famous for its sudden yeti encounter. Often discovered on early Windows systems, it left a lasting impression thanks to its unpredictable ending and straightforward design.

Widow’s Bay: Matthew Rhys, Stephen Root, Hiro Murai On Apple TV’s Offbeat Horror Comedy

Apple TV’s Widow’s Bay is genuinely unlike anything else on television at the moment. The series deftly mixes elements from multiple genres, refusing to be confined to any particular box in terms of its tone or storytelling choices. From jumpscares and complicated historical lore to mysterious creatures and office politics, it’s all over the map, narratively speaking, and all the more interesting for it.

The story of a picture-perfect New England town that may or may not be cursed by some sort of dark entity, the series is frightening and absurd by turns, with plenty of spooky coastal vibes and a cast of oddball characters who run the gamut from well-meaning public servants and police officers to small-town gossips and unhinged cranks. Widow’s Bay is a show that contains multitudes and, to hear its creator talk, that’s on purpose.

“I love comedy. I also love horror. I think those two things can exist under the same umbrella. You just have to be very careful with how you use them because you don’t want the comedy to undercut the tension and the horror,” Katie Dippold tells Den of Geek. “It’s just a tonal tightrope. It’s an organic thing of following what feels right, but I really wanted us to serve both. I wanted the audience to watch the show and have an episode start, and you don’t know if this episode’s going to make you laugh or scare you. That was very exciting to me to have a show that would take you on a little bit of a rollercoaster, where you didn’t know what to expect.”

The show is well aware of its genre roots, featuring plenty of familiar horror tropes and visual nods to some of the most well-known properties that have come before it, such as Jaws, Halloween, and The Mist.

“There’s clear love for the horror genre in the show, but what I really liked about how we approached it is that we weren’t trying to make it too referential,” director Hiro Murai says. “I think we tried to tell the story as straight as possible in a weird way. Even though these ludicrous situations would happen — there’s a boogeyman trying to kill somebody with a knife — what would that feel like if you just saw it walking down the street? We tried to ground it as much as possible in the execution.”

There are plenty of visual cues that connect Widow’s Bay to the long history of horror properties that have come before it, but for Dippold, it was important to keep the show’s human stories at the forefront.

“I think we tried to show some restraint,” she says. “I love all the horror things in the world. I want to put them all in all the time, but by not doing too much of it, you’re focusing on the characters. The fun thing about a boogeyman coming is watching [someone] deal with it, you know?”

While the show’s titular town more than lives up to its spooky supernatural reputation, Widow’s Bay is more than just the things that go bump in the night. Its assortment of colorful, quirky residents is truly the show’s secret weapon, most notably the central trio of oblivious mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys), his insecure assistant Patricia (Kate O’Flynn), and local town weirdo, Wyck (Stephen Root), a man who knows entirely too much about the island’s haunted history. The relationships that ultimately develop among the three of them — and their individual connections to the town in which they live— form the emotional center of Widow’s Bay.

“The dynamics between the characters are really important,” Kate O’Flynn says. “Tom’s relationship with Patricia is a funny one because I think they’re a little bit codependent. She likes having this friend, who’s the mayor, and she’s by his side all the time. Matthew and I once talked about how, God forbid, he ever forgot Patricia’s birthday. His life would be over. He couldn’t go to work for weeks because he [would] know she’s just waiting to be furious. For him, she’s someone that he can rant to. She’s all ears. She’ll listen. Always.”

Tom has his own complicated feelings about Widow’s Bay and many of its various residents, but his desire to serve the larger community is a genuine one, even if he can sometimes struggle to show it.

“He gets frustrated by the locals who deem him unfit for office or think he’s bringing in the wrong kind of business or other kinds of obstacles. But his goals aren’t selfish. To me, it’s his son that’s his North Star — everything he does, he does for him,” Matthew Rhys says. “[That’s what] keeps him on track. And, in relation to that, they’re [goals] for the good of the island as well. But ultimately, all he wants is for his son to grow up in a prosperous place, and the locals who live there, as well. He wants to do that, so there’s good in him.”

Stephen Root, who plays resident island conspiracy theorist, Wyck, says his character is similarly “frustrated: — but for very different reasons.

“I think he sees himself as a protector, as the island’s protector. He knows these things that other people don’t know. He’s known it all his life. And then this interloper, who came into town as a teenage kid that annoyed him, is trying to take over and be the head honcho on the island. He doesn’t feel like he can do it — in fact, he thinks he knows he can’t do it — and Wyck, as the protector, feels like he can. So I think he’s just frustrated by this person. And the fact that he’s the town drunk doesn’t help at all, because he’s got this inner embarrassment about things that have happened earlier in his life. He’s frustrated by a lot of things. But then finally we find a common purpose.”

The show’s actors are all quick to praise the “found family” relationship that develops between its three leads.

“It felt really lovely to play off Matthew and Stephen,” O’Flynn says. “I really enjoyed it. Every day it just felt like, oh, I’m with my buddies. But it’s the writing, it’s all in the writing, the building of that bond.”

“[Our characters] all have these flaws. We all have this journey to overcome. But what was incredible was getting to do it as a trio,” Rhys says. “I know we talk about the nods towards other films [in the show], but it also reminds me of those movies where there’s suddenly a united front, and there’s hope again,” Rhys adds. “There’s a nostalgic feeling to that. It’s a surprisingly hopeful show.”

And although Widow’s Bay may have its share of dark secrets, it’s still clearly a place that matters to those who live there.

“I think it’s about the people,” Rhys adds when asked about what makes Widow’s Bay a place worth fighting for in Tom’s eyes. “I always think it’s about the people. If you’re doing something for people, there’s nothing more noble. One of the things we realized – and certainly Tom comes to realize – is how much he loves and needs this community.”

“Because they’re all outsiders in their various ways, they don’t take it for granted when they find a community, and they appreciate what it means,” O’Flynn adds. “They’re not complacent about it. They look after each other.”

The first two episodes of Widow’s Bay are available to stream on Apple TV now. New episodes premiere Wednesdays, culminating with a finale on June 17.

The Devil Wears Prada Is a Stanley Tucci Masterclass

Ask most people about the greatest monologue in The Devil Wears Prada, and one word will come to mind: “Cerulean.” The speech that Miranda Priestly delivers to her awkward new assistant, Andy, seems to encapsulate the film’s worldview, the faith that the fashion industry matters because regular people are beholden to decisions made by those at the top of field. It’s a tough, cynical moment, one that underscores the movie’s plucky tone.

The better speech occurs just minutes later, when a frustrated Andy complains to fashion director Nigel about the recognition Miranda refuses to give her. What follows is a more complex speech, one that reaffirms the same hierarchies that Miranda praises, but approaches them from a more kind, humane angle. Moreover, Stanley Tucci‘s performance as Nigel serves as the perfect counterpart to Meryl Streep‘s take on the towering mogul, suggesting that people may matter beyond the products they buy.

The scene occurs at the end of the first act, after fully establishing Andy as both our protagonist and audience surrogate. Played to awkward perfection by Anne Hathaway, Andy is both a try-hard and hopelessly outmatched by the job, attempting to play her ignorance about fashion as a type of reserved cool and convincing no one.

The first act has also established Nigel as something like Miranda’s majordomo, someone who enforces her orders and echoes many of her sentiments. He makes a point of mocking Andy’s weight, suggesting that a size six is overweight, and dismissing her clothing choices. Yet, because Nigel’s the chief point of contact for Andy (certainly more so than Emily, Miranda’s sneering first assistant, played by Emily Blunt), she has to rant to him.

Unsurprisingly, he also offers little sympathy for Andy’s desire to be recognized for her hard work. However, his speech frames even Miranda herself as insignificant in the grand scheme of the fashion industry. “She’s just doing her job,” Nigel explains, depersonalizing his boss’s behavior to draw attention to the institution that is the magazine Runway. “Don’t you know that you are working at the place that published some of the greatest artists of the century? Halston, Lagerfeld, de la Renta. And what they did, what they created was greater than art because you live your life in it.”

However, then, Nigel shifts attention away from genuflecting individuals for their genius and instead turns to the average person. Where Miranda’s speech framed the little people as unwitting and ungrateful pieces whose choices are determined by their betters, Nigel’s speech extends hope to even those who aren’t icons.

“You think this is just a magazine, hmm? This is not just a magazine,” he declares. “This is a shining beacon of hope for—oh, I don’t know. Let’s say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers, pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class and reading Runway under the covers at night with a flashlight.”

When put this way, the work done by Nigel, Miranda, and everyone else at Runway seems less like reinforcing an aristocracy and almost republican, if not democratic. Runway, in Nigel’s imagination, offers a place for those who don’t have one otherwise, especially for those who do not believe they belong anywhere else. With Runway‘s goal reframed, Andy’s aloofness seems cruel and selfish, which Nigel further points out.

Effective as the speech is, written by Aline Brosh McKenna and adapted from the novel by Lauren Weisberger, the key moment comes right at the end. That’s when director David Frankel pulls the camera close-up to Nigel as he lightly pushes the soft end of his pen onto Andy’s forehead, to replicate the childish star he believes she wants for her work.

The gesture could be condescending, and perhaps if any other actor had done it, it would be condescending. But Tucci plays the moment as playful, affirming, perhaps even kind. It’s just one of many such moments in Tucci’s performance as Nigel. He delivers withering lines about Andy’s fashion choices, and backs up his critiques with his own natty apparel, but there’s a softness in his eyes, a warmth in his voice that makes the observations something other than cruel cuts.

In the hands of a lesser actor, Nigel would be too cruel, and he would not be able to become the mentor that Andy needs. Andy’s transformation and ultimate victory at the end of the story would feel like a perverse loss of self, a surrender to the same emotional beating that Miranda gives everyone. But because Tucci found the actual person within the character, he lends pathos to Andy’s transformation.

Combined with Hathaway’s unashamed take on Andy, Tucci’s performance as Nigel allows us to enjoy The Devil Wears Prada. Through their perspectives, what could be a cynical look at a cruel industry turns into something fun, human, and enjoyable… even for those of us with cerulean in our closets.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 arrives in theaters on Friday, May 1.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Script Notes Reveal a Half-Step Fix to the MCU’s Peter Parker

When he entered the MCU, Peter Parker was the Queens kid we knew from the comics and movies… for about 30 seconds. He strides through his crowded apartment building, proudly holding a DVD player he found on the street, just like standard-issue Peter Parker would do. But then, he finds Tony Stark sitting on his couch, and from Captain America: Civil War onward, the MCU Spider-Man diverted from the standard depiction. The MCU Spider-Man is a scion of Tony Stark, a kid who has access to incredible tech and nano-suits, who never once needs to take a crappy freelance gig from J. Jonah Jameson.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day promises to bring Peter back to first principles, as Tony’s death in Avengers: Endgame and the great memory reset in Spider-Man: No Way Home mean that he’s on his own. Most of the script notes that Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton shared with EW seem to confirm that, especially the bit that says, “No more Stark money for gadgets.” That’s a sigh of relief for those of us who love Spider-Man because he’s an everyman. And yet, those hopes get dashed just a few seconds later, when we read script pages about Peter’s AI and his Fabricator, inventions that suggest more resources than Peter should have.

Cretton’s annotations describe the Fabricator as “something that could be made by a kid genius with limited funds,” echoing a note about his AI (named E.V.) that reads, “All of his tech needs to be made by Peter.”

As these notes underscore, Peter has lost his billionaire benefactor and now must do it all on his own. But he still has access to an AI and a suit-making machine, just like he did under Tony? What’s the difference?

To be sure, Peter’s genius status and ability to create gadgets have always been a problem for the character. As early as his first appearance in 1962’s Amazing Fantasy #15, Peter was a working-class teenager in Queens who just so happened to make incredibly strong, dissolving webbing—and a machine to shoot those webs—in his bedroom. Over the years, he’s added other high-tech pieces of equipment to his arsenal, including spider-trackers and a weird spotlight thing that projects his face.

Pointing that Peter would be rich if he only sold his patents is as old and banal as saying that Bruce Wayne would do more good than Batman if he donated his millions to mental health programs. We just have to suspend our disbelief and accept that Peter is a super-genius, and is also so broke that he has to work for a skinflint J.J.J. because that’s how we get the classic Spidey stories we love so much.

But the MCU Peter Parker doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. Marvel has so wedged him out of his original blue-collar milieu and so thoroughly replaced dear Uncle Ben, laid off and on his ass in the 2002 movie, with billionaire arms dealer Tony Stark that Spider-Man still seems to exist in Iron Man’s shadow. So even if E.V. looks like the cobbled tech from ’80s flicks E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial or Explorers, it still feels like Peter’s paying homage to Tony Stark. Why does he need a Fabricating machine? Why does he need an AI?

Obviously, we haven’t seen the movie yet, and these questions may be given reasonable answers. But this far into the MCU, with its billionaires and rich people, one can’t help but wonder if Marvel has forgotten the working-class roots that made Spider-Man such a unique hero.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, 2026.

Daredevil: Born Again – Where is Luke Cage?

This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again seasons 2 and 3.

Only those who aren’t paying attention to the absolute mountain of Disney marketing were surprised to see Jessica Jones stride onto a rooftop to meet up with Matt Murdock in season 2 of Daredevil: Born Again. And, thanks to some now-deleted posts from actor Mike Colter, only those who aren’t on social media don’t know that Luke Cage will return for Born Again‘s third season.

But until then, there’s a Luke Cage-shaped hole in the lives of Jessica Jones and her daughter Danielle on Daredevil: Born Again season 2. Moreover, the nuggets we do get from Jessica make us think that Marvel‘s got bigger plans for Power Man than even a Defenders reunion in the third season of Born Again.

A few seconds into their rooftop rendezvous, Jessica mentions some “sketchy” government guy calling around with interest in “us”—meaning super-powered vigilantes. She and Matt don’t say any names for sure, but the subtext becomes text in episode seven, when Jessica goes to confront Mr. Charles, the CIA operative played by Matthew Lillard. When the two start threatening one another, Mr. Charles drops a bomb, reminding Jessica that he’s the only person who can connect her with Luke. When she demands to know where he is, Charles says only, “He’s overseas… doing the Lord’s work.”

That’s a loaded phrase, especially when we remember that Charles works directly under CIA head and general sketchy person Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. So one has to wonder, why would Luke take a job for someone like Mr. Charles and Val?

The simplest possibility is that Luke is doing a job. After all, he made his debut in a 1972 comic titled Luke Cage, Hero for Hire. Since his inception, Luke has been someone who understands the need to pay the bills, and doesn’t allow his labor to be exploited. As shown in an oft-memed comic frame, not even Doctor Doom could escape paying the bill if he owed Luke Cage money. Even in that earliest incarnation, Cage cared about justice and would never do anything to harm the community. But he was fundamentally a member of the working class, and understood that sometimes, you’ve got to do a job. So if Mr. Charles offered him a job, and he thought it wasn’t unethical to take it, Luke Cage could theoretically accept.

A more interesting answer involves the team with whom Val is most associated, at least among MCU fans. In 2010, Cage became the new leader of the Thunderbolts, a team of supervillains trying to become heroes. The assignment came at the request of Steve Rogers, who knew that Luke’s history as a man wrongfully imprisoned would give him insight and sympathy that other Avengers may lack. He served in that position for several years, until going onto form an Avengers splinter group dubbed the Mighty Avengers, and eventually rejoining with his frequent partner Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist.

While both of those options make sense, some might feel uncomfortable thinking about Luke Cage working for Mr. Charles for any reason. However, the comics might provide some insight there too. In the late 1990s series Heroes for Hire by writers Roger Stern and John Ostrander, penciled by Pasqual Ferry, Iron Fist puts together a new team and, of course, asks his old pal Luke to join. Luke declines, having decided to retire from superheroing and run the movie theater he bought with a long-time pal named David W. Griffith (yes… his name is D. W. Griffith).

Eventually, Luke does join the new Heroes for Hire. Yet, by the end of the series, we learn that he’s doing so under the command of a villain called the Master of the World, the type of caveman turned super-genius that you find kind of often in comics, believe it or not. However, it turns out that Cage was acting as a double-agent, pretending to betray his friends to the Master of the World to thwart his plan. If the MCU adapts this story, then Luke’s working with Mr. Charles could be part of a big heroic plan, so complex that not even his wife understands it.

Whatever Luke’s been up to, it can’t last forever. The pics that Mike Colter leaked show Cage back with Matt and Karen. And, if Matt’s bright orange duds are any indication, Daredevil won’t be leaving New York City anytime soon, so Luke must be back in the Big Apple. And when he does, he’ll have some explaining to do, not just to us fans, but especially to his wife, Jessica.

Daredevil: Born Again season 2 releases new episodes every Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET on Disney+.

Daredevil: Born Again Just Made a Major Change to One Character’s Fate

This article contains spoilers for Daredevil: Born Again season 2, episode 7

Daniel Blake wasn’t supposed to die in the penultimate episode of Daredevil: Born Again’s second season. According to showrunner Dario Scardapane and star Arty Froushan, who plays Wilson Fisk’s lethal right-hand man Buck Cashman, the scene where the Deputy Mayor gets shot to death originally played out with Buck letting him go and then lying to Fisk about his decision.

“The way that it would have gone is that [Blake] stayed in the Fisk administration,” Scardapane told Variety. “He goes in to resign and the new interim mayor is like, ‘I’m not taking your resignation. I’m going to keep you close because I don’t trust you.’”

Blake had been partially redeemed during the upsetting episode when he refused to kill his love interest, the rebellious journalist, BB Urich (Genneya Walton.) However, when they were editing the latest installment of the Marvel show, Scardapane said that Blake’s more upbeat fate felt wrong and unearned. He then had to break it to the actor who plays Blake, Michael Gandolfini, that his character wouldn’t make it.

“I was like, ‘Dude, I’ve got the worst news,’” Scardapane said. “And he’s like, ‘I know exactly what you’re gonna say, and it’s the right choice.’ He felt in that moment that there’s no way he’s getting out of that apartment. It was funny because there were scenes shot of him after that moment, and it really feels like we’re telling the wrong story here. I think it’s a testament to how much we all love him, that we knew this character probably should not survive but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to do it.”

A gunshot was then added in post-production, sealing Blake’s fate. “The fact that, as actors, we didn’t know that was gonna happen makes the scene maybe even more compelling,” Froushan explained. “I love Michael Gandolfini like a brother. This season, the whole journey we have together is a movie. So I was gutted. I was really upset. But I think it raises the stakes of the story in a really exciting way that was maybe necessary for that storyline.”

Gandolfini told TV Insider that Blake’s death felt “freeing,” adding, “I love Daniel, but it’s so right. Where else is he gonna go? And he gets this little hero’s moment, and it just felt so great, I just felt so lucky. Again it’s hard, you’ve got Bullseye, Fisk, Karen Page, Matt Murdock, and including other like people from the comics, so sometimes, characters that don’t have superpowers don’t have the longest arcs, and they’re there to support the superheroes, which is great, but the fact that Daniel got to have this, I just felt so touched and that they trusted me… there’s only so much screen time that you get every episode, and so like the fact that they gave me a real journey to go on, I was very lucky.”

Daredevil: Born Again streams new episodes on Tuesdays at 9pm EST on Disney+.

14 Iconic Photos From 1976’s “Taxi Driver”

Few films have left as lasting an impression as Taxi Driver. Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, the film captures a grim, haunting vision of 1970s New York through the eyes of a deeply troubled loner.

Its imagery has become inseparable from its legacy, with moments that feel burned into pop culture history. It can go from quiet introspection to sudden bursts of violence, with nearly every scene carrying a distinct visual identity. These photos revisit some of these moments from the film, the kind that could easily be frozen into unforgettable images.

Travis Drives Through the Neon Streets

Travis Bickle’s taxi drifting through grim streets filled with neon lights captures the film’s mood immediately. The reflections, mood, and grime create a dreamlike but oppressive atmosphere that mirrors his growing isolation.

Directing De Niro

The way Martin Scorsese managed to direct Robert De Niro into the iconic roll is legendary, and marked the way the two worked for decades.

Travis Writing in His Journal

Sitting alone in his apartment, Travis writes his thoughts in a diary. The moment highlights his detachment from society, with the quiet setting emphasizing the intensity of his inner monologue.

The Mirror Monologue

Travis rehearses a confrontation in front of a mirror, repeating the now-iconic “You talkin’ to me?” line. The scene’s simplicity makes it powerful, revealing his fractured mindset and desire for control.

The Mohawk Transformation

Travis’s sudden appearance with a mohawk marks a turning point. The stark change in his look reflects his mental state, signaling his shift toward something far more dangerous and unpredictable.

Travis Watching the City from the Cab

Seen from behind the wheel, Travis silently observes the chaos around him. The framing often isolates him from the world outside, reinforcing the divide between observer and participant.

The First Meeting with Betsy

Travis notices Betsy from a distance, framed almost like an idealized figure. The contrast between her and the surrounding environment emphasizes how out of place she feels in his world.

The Awkward Date at the Theater

Travis takes Betsy to an inappropriate film, completely misreading the situation. The tension of the moment highlights his inability to connect with others, turning a simple outing into an uncomfortable memory.

The Gun Purchase Scene

Travis examines an array of weapons laid out before him. The quiet, methodical nature of the moment contrasts with its implications, marking a clear escalation in his intentions.

Practicing Quick Draws Alone

In his apartment, Travis repeatedly practices drawing his weapons. The scene’s repetitive motion and silence underline his growing obsession and detachment from reality.

The Sliding Gun Mechanism Reveal

Travis tests a homemade device that slides a gun into his hand. The mechanical precision of the moment feels unsettling, showing how far he has gone in preparing for violence.

The Conversation with the Fellow Driver

A quiet exchange between Travis and another cab driver reveals his alienation. Even in conversation, he struggles to engage, reinforcing his inability to relate to those around him.

The Convenience Store Robbery

A sudden act of violence interrupts an otherwise mundane setting. The abruptness of the moment adds to its shock, showing how quickly Travis crosses moral boundaries.

Travis and Iris

Jodie Foster would later be remembered for other roles, but at this young age, she was already staring in genre-defying films. Here, we see her sharing a scene with Robert De Niro’s Travis.