A great thriller usually has a solid buildup to an unexpected twist. A twist ending is the hook, line, and sinker of the horror genre, and nobody knew that better than Scream Director Wes Craven. The entire 7-film franchise is predicated upon the fact that no one knows who the killer is in any given movie. The twist endings are the lifeblood of Scream (no pun intended.) It’s the reason why audiences continue to flock to the theaters for the final reveal. Sure, all movies have a poignant shift or unexpected ending, but for horror films, the twist has become a staple.

One reason horror films are so successful is their reliance on discretion. Back in 1996, the internet was still in its infancy. Spoilers were very hard to come by, as nobody was on their tiny, rectangular electronic device 24/7. Although spoiling a movie was rare, that doesn’t mean it never happened. One actor almost learned the hard way. While making the press junket rounds for the original Scream film, one rising star let it slip that he was indeed the killer. The culprit? The Billy Loomis actor himself, Skeet Ulrich.

Rising Star Skeet Ulrich Had Three Films Opening the Same Week

1996 was a busy year for Skeet Ulrich. While he was out and about promoting Scream, the actor had multiple films being released (which is obviously not uncommon.) Three films to be exact. Three films premiering the same week in May. The Craft and Last Dance were both released on May 3, 1996, while Boys was released on May 10. With Scream set to be released in December of that year, it’s safe to say Ulrich’s mind may have been elsewhere. Imagine living in a world before Scream. For context, this was before the ghostface mask was an iconic symbol of horror.

There’s no doubt that Ulrich was a teenage heartthrob, but best believe that his success was based on much more than good looks. The NYU alumnus studied under David Mamet and William H. Macy at the renowned Atlantic Theater Company. His training opened up opportunities for extra work, which is where he landed an uncredited role in Weekend at Bernie’s. After a brief appearance on the CBS Schoolbreak Special series, Ulrich began landing more prominent roles in feature films. By 1996, the actor was a hot commodity.

‘Scream’ Would Reunite Ulrich With ‘The Craft’ Costar Neve Campbell

Image via Dimensions Films

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Casting Director Lisa Beach was responsible for assembling the players in Scream. Although Beach did not have a hand in putting together the cast of The Craft, she clearly saw potential in pairing up the duo of Neve Campbell and Skeet Ulrich once again. The move paid off. Together, the actors created such a toxic and complicated relationship between their characters, which ultimately leads up to the unexpected twist during the final act.

Actors typically learn the ins and outs of giving interviews through experience. It’s not something that’s taught in theater school, but rather a skill that is picked up over time. That being said, it’s almost guaranteed that every cast and crew member who had anything to do with the production of Scream would have had to sign an embargo agreement. Basically stating that certain details of the movie could not be leaked, posted, or written about before a certain date, either on or after the film’s release. This is common practice now, especially in the world of social media, but embargoes were most definitely in use in the ’90s as well. So here’s what happened.

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‘Scream 7’ Director Reveals Very Different Ending That Test Audiences Rejected

The movie set a franchise record during its opening weekend at the box office.

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Skeet Ulrich Interview Nearly Tanked the Entire Franchise

Image via Paramount Pictures

Things went awry very quickly. According to Ulrich, in 1996, circa the release dates of his three films in one week, he was doing a phone interview with Interview Magazine. One of the questions he was asked involved his next role. With Scream set for a December premiere, Ulrich eagerly responded, “Oh, I’m so excited! I get to play this serial killer!” It was only after the call ended, that the actor realized his epic mistake. “I called my publicist right away,” Ulrich would later state.

Fast-forward to 2026. The franchise just released Scream 7, and has surpassed a gross total of $1 billion worldwide at the box office over those seven films. Not to mention the cultural impact that these films have had. The original Scream changed the way audiences look at slasher movies. The ghostface mask is one of the most popular and recognizable Halloween costumes each and every year. The franchise launched the careers of Neve Campbell, Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, Jamie Kennedy, and the actor who almost sabotaged it all, Skeet Ulrich.

It’s hard to imagine the consequences, had Ulrich’s statements not been redacted by Interview Magazine (which they were.) Would Scream be as effective if everyone went into it already knowing the killer’s identity? I truly doubt it. If Scream bombs at the box office, it’s just a blip on the radar. The Wayans Brothers never create Scary Movie. Anna Faris never gets her big break as Cindy. This quickly begins to snowball. A world without Sidney Prescott, Dewey Riley, Gale Weathers, and Billy Loomis doesn’t seem real. Thankfully, Scream King Skeet Ulrich dodged a bullet, something that his character Billy couldn’t do. Spoiler alert.

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Release Date

December 20, 1996

Runtime

112 minutes

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Writers

Kevin Williamson

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Producers

Bob Weinstein, Cary Woods, Cathy Konrad, Harvey Weinstein

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Conan O’Brien has shared an insight into how the 98th Academy Awards will honor the late director Rob Reiner.

Speaking to Extra on Thursday, March 12, the Oscars host, 62, described the upcoming tribute to Reiner as “hard to sum up.”

O’Brien added of what to expect, “But it’s going to be a very powerful part of the show.”

The comedian is hosting the Oscars for the second consecutive year on Sunday, March 15, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Related: Will the 2026 Oscars Honor Rob and Michele Reiner? What to Expect

Rob Reiner was a film industry legend, so many fans are anticipating a special tribute to the late filmmaker and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, at the 2026 Oscars. Rob is expected to be honored at the Sunday, March 15, awards show with a segment led by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, who costarred in […]

Rob and his wife, photographer Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead with multiple stab wounds in their Brentwood, California home in December 2025. They were 78 and 70, respectively.

Rob and Michele’s son, Nick Reiner, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances in connection with his parents’ death. He has pleaded not guilty and is currently being held without bond while he awaits trial.

The couple had attended O’Brien’s holiday party earlier that night where they had a fight with their son.

Earlier this week, O’Brien made a rare comment acknowledging that his name had been tied to news of the Reiners’ deaths due their attendance at his party.

“Very simply, we had a party, we invited our really good friends and then, the next day, this terrible thing happened,” O’Brien told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Monday, March 9.

While the talk show host acknowledged there were “difficulties” when it came to often being mentioned when the Reiners’ deaths are reported on, he said it was not comparable to the tragedy of the loss of his friends.

“Whatever difficulties my wife and I have experienced having our name attached to it are nothing compared to the scale of the tragedy for the family and the loss of Rob and Michele,” he added.

Related: Why Conan O’Brien’s Party Guests Could Be Witnesses in Nick Reiner’s Case

Attendees of Conan O’Brien’s holiday party the night before Hollywood director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Reiner, were murdered could be called as witnesses in the next phase of their son Nick Reiner’s murder case, Us Weekly can reveal. “A plea of not guilty at arraignment on a serious like this case is very […]

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O’Brien continued: “If you’re a known person, your name is going to get dragged into things sometimes, but it is not a hardship. There is only sadness that they’re gone.”

In February, O’Brien first spoke about Rob and Michele’s deaths in an interview with David Remnick for The New Yorker.

“I knew Rob and Michele, and then increasingly got closer and closer to them, and I was seeing them a lot,” O’Brien said. “My wife and I were seeing them a lot, and they were so — they were just such lovely people. And to have that experience of saying goodnight to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they’re gone.”

He continued: “I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward. I mean, there’s no other word for it. It’s just very — it’s so awful. It’s just so awful. And I think about how Rob felt about things that are happening in the country, how involved he was, how much he put himself out there — and to have that voice go quiet in an instant is still hard for me to comprehend.”

In 1978, John Carpenter changed horror forever with his slasher movie Halloween. What followed was a wave of copycats, with the most popular by far being Friday the 13th. When Sean S. Cunningham and Victor Miller collaborated on that first film in 1980, its success led to a 12-film franchise which arguably became more popular than all of the Halloween sequels.

Thanks to a frustrating lawsuit, there hasn’t been a Friday the 13th movie since 2009. With an A24 and Peacock series, Crystal Lake, coming soon, here’s hoping that Friday the 13th Part 13 happens sooner rather than later. Until then, here’s how I, a lifelong fan of all things Jason Voorhees, rank one of horror’s most bizarre franchises.

12

‘Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday’ (1993)

Image via New Line Cinema

It was not the final Friday. In fact, this first sequel made by New Line Cinema instead of Paramount, doesn’t even feel like a Friday the 13th movie. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday ignores the fact that Jason Voorhees was turned to goo at the end of Jason Takes Manhattan. He’s a bloated mess at the beginning of this one, only to be blown up by a SWAT team in the first act! How in the world can he possibly come back ? By revealing that he’s a demon worm that can live in other bodies, of course.

It’s understandable that New Line would want to do something different with a once hot IP. This ain’t it though. Friday the 13th works because it’s a simple slasher with a masked man hacking up teenagers at a lake. Jason Goes to Hell jumps head first into the supernatural, and with an absolutely awful score backing it up. Not even the shocking ending of Freddy’s glove pulling Jason’s mask into Hell can save it.

11

‘Jason X’ (2002)

Image via New Line Cinema

With the slasher era dead, so was Friday the 13th. If there was a time for the hockey mask-wearing killer to return, it was during the Scream fad. Instead, New Line waited until 2002, and having not learned their lesson nine years previously, decided to full-on jump the shark and send its villain to outer space in Jason X. That might work for silly franchises like Critters and Leprechaun, but not Friday the 13th.

This would sadly be the last time Kane Hodder played Jason Voorhees. It’s a silly, over-the-top film, with Jason losing his hockey mask and becoming a rebuilt, futuristic Uber Jason, complete with silver mask. Is Jason X a good movie? Heck no. Still, it’s at least watchable because it accepts what it is and has fun with it. It’s a dumb sequel, no doubt, yet one you can enjoy if you’re in enough of an altered state.

10

‘Freddy vs. Jason’ (2003)

Image Via New Line Cinema

For nearly two decades, horror fans were begging for the dream match of Jason Voorhees taking on Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund). It finally happened in 2003 with Freddy vs. Jason, 10 years after a lot of people stopped caring. Kane Hodder isn’t under the mask, but at least Jason looks scary as hell, albeit a little too big with Ken Kirzinger in the role. The plot could have gone off the rails. Thankfully, it doesn’t get too crazy, with the story revolving around Freddy invading Jason’s dreams and using him to kill the kids he can no longer reach.

Outside of a cameo in an episode for The Goldbergs, this is Englund’s final time donning Freddy’s razor-blade glove. He gives it all. If only the script did too. Freddy vs. Jason is more of an action movie than anything remotely scary. There is no reason at all to care about the human protagonists, who are underwritten fodder in the way of what everyone wants to see. It’s not horrendous, but a scene of Jason shown being scared of water makes no sense at all given how often he’s been in Crystal Lake.

9

‘Friday the 13th: A New Beginning’ (1985)

Image via Paramount Pictures

For many, Friday the 13th: A New Beginning is the most hated sequel. Jason Voorhees is dead (no, for real), so the choice was made to have a copycat killer take up his mask. This time, the action moves away from Camp Crystal Lake and plants itself at a halfway house for troubled teens where poor Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd) is traumatized by the events of the last movie. Now he’ll have to face down the new murderer, unless it’s Tommy who’s the killer, that is.

If you can get past the fact that the killer in the hockey mask isn’t Jason, this isn’t all that bad of a sequel. It’s a run-of-the-mill slasher with some cool kills and creepy atmosphere. The nudity is a little too gratuitous, and final girl Pam Roberts (Melanie Kinnaman) adds nothing, making her the worst of the franchise. Fun fact: a dream sequence with Jason means that actor Tom Morga is the only actor to play Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Leatherface on screen.

8

‘Friday the 13th’ (2009)

Image via New Line Cinema

The last of the bunch, but fingers crossed it doesn’t stay that way. In the 2000s, horror classic reboots were all the rage. It worked for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween, so why not Jason too? Friday the 13th (directed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre‘s Marcus Nipsel) works by not being a reboot per se. After a fun opening act that shows the death of Mrs. Voorhees and Jason wearing a sack on his head, the hockey mask appears, and it’s Jason on a rampage against a new group of young’uns who dare invade his space.

Friday the 13th is a fun time. The issue is that it doesn’t feel much like a Friday the 13th movie. Derek Mears is much too tall and muscular, as if the idea is that Jason is scarier the taller he is. That’s not the case. He also doesn’t feel like Jason because the plot has him abducting a girl and keeping him in an underground prison because she reminds him of mommy. That’s not something he’d do. Still, the movie looks good, and has plenty of clever kill scenes, and the final boy and final girl combo of Clay (Jared Padalecki) and Jenna (Danielle Panabaker) are better than most in the franchise.

7

‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan’ (1989)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is the last of the Paramount movies and is the sequel where most fans saw the franchise really losing its way. The plot revolves around Jason saying goodbye to Crystal Lake as he becomes a stowaway on a ship headed to New York City. Along the way, he hacks up the passengers, before a showdown occurs in the sewers of Manhattan.

Kane Hodder is awesome as always as Jason. The idea itself isn’t all that bad if you let yourself forget that Crystal Lake is land-locked, so there’s no way this boat could sail the Atlantic Ocean! It’s the execution that’s so frustrating. Jason barely takes Manhattan. The Big Apple doesn’t show up until the third act, with Vancouver as a stand-in except of a scene filmed in Times Square. And what’s with those images of Jason as a boy at the end? It’s still fun, but the wheels are coming off.

6

‘Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood’ (1988)

Image via Paramount

What if Jason Voorhees fought Carrie? That’s the premise of Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. When the telekinetic Tina (the late Lar Park Lincoln) accidentally brings Jason up from his watery grave, it’s superpowers versus a zombie in a battle that’s much more engaging than Freddy vs. Jason.

It’s a hokey plot, yet it succeeds because of how likable Tina is, combined with Kane Hodder’s first creepy performance as a rotting Jason. The New Blood could have been better if most of its gore hadn’t been censored. Despite that, this is the last sequel that feels like a real Friday the 13th movie with Crystal Lake as the setting and plenty of horny teenagers to slice and dice.

5

‘Friday the 13th’ (1980)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The one that started it all. If you’re waiting for Jason Voorhees, you’ll be disappointed. The initial film never shows the killer’s face until the third act, instead treating the story as a murder mystery, where unsuspecting camp counselors are being knocked off one by one for an unknown reason.

Harry Manfredini’s chilling and iconic score helps put this one high on the list. It’s a pretty routine slasher, with mostly forgettable performances, albeit one comes from a very young Kevin Bacon! A slasher with the reveal of an older woman being the killer could have been a disaster. It’s not, due to the crazed performance of Betsy Palmer as Pamela Voorhees. And a chef’s kiss to one of horror’s best jump scares at the end.

4

‘Friday the 13th Part 3’ (1982)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Friday the 13th Part 3 is most notable for being the one where Jason gets his mask for the first time. Before that, he’s seen in the shadows or from the neck down. When he walks out onto the dock donning the hockey mask though, an icon was born. The plot itself is bare bones. There are counselors at a camp. Jason shows up. A final girl takes him down. The end. But it takes what fans expect and does it well.

This one is admittedly a little bit silly because it was initially made for 3D. Instead of cool 3D kills, however, it’s shot after shot of in-your-face laundry poles and yo-yos. Whoa! How scary! What is scary is Richard Brooker as a lumbering Jason and a pulse-pounding third act that doesn’t let up.

3

‘Friday the 13th Part II’ (1981)

Image via Paramount Pictures

In Friday the 13th Part II, Jason is the star for the first time. There’s no hockey mask yet. Instead, he’s a hillbilly in coveralls with a sack over his head, making him look more like the killer from The Town That Dreaded Sundown than anything else. The opening scene is a shocker, as Jason dispatches of the first movie’s final girl, Alice (Adrienne King), before going back to get his revenge on a new group of killable teens.

Steve Miner, who later directed Halloween H20, helms this one. He keeps the action moving, and Manfredini’s anxiety-inducing score is a character unto itself. The first sequel also has the best final girl. Rather than being another dull trope, Amy Steel’s Ginny Field is studying to be a child psychologist. Initially, she feels sorry for Jason. Soon enough, she’ll fear him. We gotta take points away for her attack game though. Why would you think you killed Jason with a machete blow to the shoulder and walk away?!

Published Mar 13, 2026, 7:01 AM EDT

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It’s Friday the 13th. What better day to bone up on your knowledge of King Friday XIII and other television royals?

Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

If you’re obsessed with Sarah Pidgeon‘s portrayal of Carolyn Bessette Kennedy in FX’s new hit series, Love Story, you’re going to want to keep reading. While we’re all trying to recreate Kennedy’s effortless ’90s fashion looks, Pidgeon just gave Us all a masterclass in sleek accessorizing.

The actress was spotted in Paris carrying a timelessly chic handbag that looked like it cost a small fortune. The brown-red leather tote bag is clean, structured and the sort of accessory that instantly elevates whatever you pair it with. A white tee and jeans? Suddenly, you look like you have a reservation at a restaurant with no sign on the door. That’s the power of a well-chosen bag.

And the best part? You absolutely do not need a celebrity budget to pull off this exact vibe. The look is quietly sitting on Amazon for just $27!

Get the Alarion Tote Bag for $27 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.*

The Alarion Women Top Handle Satchel is one of those bags that punches so far above its price point. It’s a structured top-handle satchel with a shoulder strap option, which means you can carry it three different ways: by the handle, crossbody via the messenger strap for hands-free errand runs or tucked under your arm for full Parisian sidewalk energy. That kind of versatility in an everyday handbag is hard to beat, especially at this price.

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If anyone knows about commuting, it’s Amal Clooney. When she’s not jetting between her Provence and New York City estates, Clooney is teaching, closing cases and running a foundation. To stay organized, she carries a spacious tote bag, and this luxe-looking Amazon style is nearly identical to her designer version. Ever since Clooney stepped out […]

At $27, this is genuinely one of the most affordable ways to channel the polished, put-together look Pidgeon rocked in Paris.

The Alarion satchel works as a tote and a purse, so you’ve got room for your phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses and that lipstick you reapply four times a day (no judgment, I’m right there with you). It transitions from morning coffee to after-work drinks without missing a beat. One bag. Multiple carrying styles. Every occasion covered.

A tote bag like this is classic enough to carry for years, versatile enough to style a dozen ways and affordable enough that you won’t wince when you toss it onto a restaurant chair. Sarah Pidgeon looked like a million bucks in Paris, and for $27, you can borrow some of that magic for yourself.

Get the Alarion Tote Bag for $27 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

Related: Copy Jennifer Aniston’s Trendy ’90s Tote Bag Look for Just $18

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If 2026 has proven anything, it’s that we’re fully back in our ’90s minimalism era — and Jennifer Aniston mastered it first. From straight-leg jeans to barely-there sandals, her off-duty staples still influence how we dress today. Case in point: her oversized leather tote, which feels just as modern now — especially since we spotted […]

Iranian-American model and fitness trainer Sam Asghari is speaking out about his ex-wife, Britney Spears, claiming that people have taken advantage of the pop superstar. He referenced the experiences of women in his home country and also spoke about the singer’s recent DUI arrest.

Sam Asghari Believes Many People ‘Oppressed’ Britney Spears

On March 11, Asghari appeared on “Piers Morgan Uncensored” to have a conversation with the host about the ongoing war between Iran, where he was born, and America, where he immigrated to at 13 years old.

Before the discussion ended, Morgan asked Asghari about Spears’ DUI arrest on March 4 and what he feels about her current situation.

In response, he said, “Coming from the country of Iran and seeing women being oppressed… not comparing the situation whatsoever, she was also oppressed by many people who took advantage of her, and sort of had the same experience as women do in Iran.”

Asghari continued to say that, as a staunch supporter of women’s rights, it was difficult for him to see that a woman in the United States was being “oppressed.” He added that although their marriage didn’t last long, he witnessed Spears’ struggles.

Online Users’ Reaction To The Model’s Statement

Asghari’s comment garnered mixed reactions from social media users. Some were confused as to why he would reference Iranian women when talking about his ex-wife, while others were able to grasp what he meant.

One user asked, “How is she oppressed like Iranian women?” Another asked, “What kind of comparison is this?”

One commenter agreed with Asghari, saying it isn’t about Spears’ clothing. Instead, it’s about “how f-cking disgusting people are with her. They can’t leave her alone not [sic] matter what she does. She is oppress [sic] by a system, and they can’t let her go.”

Another user wrote, “He’s drawing attention to Britney’s struggles, comparing them to wider issues of oppression.”

Sam Asghari Will Always Have Respect For Britney

Asghari also told Morgan that he strongly believes Spears needs privacy. As The Blast previously reported, authorities stopped Spears on suspicion of driving under the influence on the night of March 4. She was taken into custody and released a few hours later. The incident sparked a media frenzy, with many outlets reporting on the arrest.

Spears’ ex-husband addressed what happened, saying, “If she made a mistake, I really think she’s a strong woman and she could come back from this.”

Morgan asked whether Asghari still had contact with Spears. The model didn’t answer the question. Instead, he shared that he likes to “celebrate the past,” adding that he feels appreciative about everything that happened between them and wishes the best for his ex-wife.

“I’m always going to respect her and I’m always going to support her wellbeing, and I truly believe she can recover from this,” he added.

Sam Asghari Shared His Thoughts About Spears’ Conservatorship

Spears was under a court-ordered conservatorship for 13 years, with her father, Jamie, serving as her conservator. He controlled the singer’s finances, career, medical decisions, and personal life.

In a 2023 Instagram post, per People, Asghari talked about the challenges Spears faced under her conservatorship, saying, “I found it absolutely disgusting for the people that were in her life at the time when she didn’t have a voice, they went and told her story like it was theirs. It was absolutely disgusting.”

Moreover, Asghari shared how Spears was like in “prison,” with her every move being dictated by her father, who he claimed used Spears as a “money-making machine.”

Spears’ conservatorship ended in November 2021 when a judge ruled that the conservatorship was no longer necessary. The singer shared her joy and relief on social media, writing, “I think I’m gonna cry the rest of the day!!! Best day ever.”

Sam Asghari And Britney Spears’ Relationship

Asghari and Spears met on the set of the latter’s music video shoot for the song “Slumber Party” in 2016, where the model played the singer’s love interest. They began dating the following year.

In the years following, the couple was spotted attending high-profile events together, smiling for the cameras and seemingly in love.

Asghari and Spears married in June 2022. The ceremony took place in their home in Thousand Oaks and was attended by close friends and family, including celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Selena Gomez, Madonna, and Drew Barrymore.

After 14 months of marriage, the couple separated and filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. In a statement, Asghari wrote, “After six years of love and commitment to each other, my wife and I have decided to end our journey together. We will hold onto the love and respect we have for each other and I wish her the best always.”

Timothy Busfield will learn his fate in the pending child sexual abuse case against him following his January arrest and release, as the trial date has officially been announced.

The actor and his legal team will have ample time to prepare, as the date is more than a year away, according to new reports.

Timothy Busfield’s Trial Date Confirmed In Child Sexual Abuse Case

According to PEOPLE, on Wednesday, March 11, via his criminal defense attorney Amber Fayerberg, it was confirmed that Timothy Busfield will formally stand trial beginning in May 2027. 

The court proceedings are reportedly set to last for three weeks and will be held in the Albuquerque, New Mexico, courtroom of Judge Joseph Montano.

Busfield has been out of jail since January pending trial, and is currently back home with his wife, actress Melissa Gilbert, who has publicly defended him since the allegations were revealed.

The ‘Thirtysomething’ Star Was Previously Indicted On Multiple Felony Counts 

Busfield was indicted by the Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman on four counts of criminal sexual contact of a child, which are all classified as third-degree felonies.

“As with all criminal proceedings, Mr. Busfield is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law,” Bregman said via statement following the indictment announcement. “This case will proceed through the judicial process and is expected to move forward to trial.”

“The Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office remains committed to doing everything possible to protect children and ensure justice for victims across New Mexico,” the statement added.

Busfield’s Attorney Shared Intention To ‘Fight’ The Charges Following The Indictment

Speaking exclusively with Deadline on February 6, Timothy Busfield’s attorney, Larry Stein, said that although the “indictment was not unexpected,” he and his client intend to vigorously “fight” the charges against “The West Wing” star.

“As the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich,” Stein began. “What is deeply concerning is that the District Attorney is choosing to proceed on a case that is fundamentally unsound and cannot be proven at trial.”

“The detention hearing exposed fatal weaknesses in the State’s evidence — gaps that no amount of charging decisions can cure,” he continued. “This prosecution appears driven by something other than the facts or the law. Mr. Busfield will fight these charges at every stage and looks forward to testing the State’s case in open court — where evidence matters — not behind closed doors.”

Timothy Busfield Was Accused Of Sexually Assaulting A Former Co-Star In March 2026

According to TMZ, Timothy Busfield is denying recent claims by actress Claudia Christian that while filming the 1991 movie “Strays,” the actor sexually assaulted her inside his trailer as they rehearsed their lines.

Busfield’s attorney, Larry Stein, issued a statement to the news outlet regarding the explosive claims.

“The current case, which has destroyed his reputation and career, is about an allegation regarding prepubescent boys,” Stein said, adding, “There is absolutely no connection between 35-year-old allegations regarding an adult woman and prepubescent boys.”

The Actress Decided To Come Forward About The Decades-Old Incident After Busfield’s Recent Charges

Speaking with The Mirror US, Claudia Christian explained that during the filming of the television movie “Strays,” Timothy Busfield allegedly “grabbed her, threw her against a wall, and started kissing her while they were rehearsing lines in his trailer.”

Additionally, in a police interview obtained by the outlet, Christian went into further detail regarding the alleged assault. “He had an erection, and he shoved his tongue in my mouth, and I pushed him off, and I ran out of the trailer,” she said during the interview.

Christian told the outlet that the current charges against him and the pending trial gave her the courage to come forward 35 years later.

“I was a young woman when he assaulted me and I was able to move forward with little trauma from the incident, but a child does not have the capacity to understand nor process this sort of behavior from an adult and that is why he needs to be stopped, now,” she said.

“That sickens me, that he could destroy a child’s life and not only get away with it, but deny it and then turn the blame on them,” she continued.

Though best known for playing womanizing advertising executive Roger Sterling in Mad Men, a role that earned him four Emmy nominations, John Slattery has had a long and expansive career. From starring in the prestigious Best Picture winner Spotlight to becoming a staple of the MCU as Howard Stark to popping up in critically acclaimed comedies like Veep, Arrested Development, and 30 Rock, his work spans just about every genre and medium imaginable.

His newest project is Netflix’s miniseries Vladimir, where he plays a professor named John, the husband of the nameless, fourth-wall-breaking protagonist (Rachel Weisz). Undoubtedly problematic yet impossibly charismatic, John finds himself in the middle of a sex scandal when his history of sleeping with students in decades past comes to light, though the fact that he and his wife had an open marriage muddies the ethical waters. Things get even more complicated when his wife starts falling for a younger colleague named Vladimir, though not always in ways you might expect.

Collider got the chance to speak with Slattery about his morally grey character. During the conversation, he also discussed improvising with Weisz, fistfighting with Leo Woodall, what he makes of that ambiguous ending, and what fans can expect from his new comedy film, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, which sees him playing a heightened version of himself and will be released on July 10th.

John Slattery Doesn’t Think His ‘Vladimir’ Character Is a Monster

“It gives you a pretty good leg to play it.”

Image via Netflix

COLLIDER: One of my favorite scenes of the whole show comes in the pilot, where John compares the Kardashians to a Greek tragedy, namely because I think he actually makes some pretty good points. I’m curious if you share your character’s thoughts on reality TV.

JOHN SLATTERY: I suppose under the theory that nothing is original — that everything’s been done at least once. I’m not a watcher of the Kardashians, so I was just trusting Taylor Gates Julia [May Jonas]. She’s such a great writer, and it’s such a funny idea. Of course, he makes a good point. He wouldn’t have argued it if he didn’t think he could make a good, convincing argument.

Speaking to the writing, every character is so morally gray, complex, and flawed, and John is definitely no exception. How much sympathy and understanding did you have for him, particularly when it comes to the sex scandal with the students?

SLATTERY: I think it’s all there. He says, “I haven’t laid a hand on anybody in 20 years,” and when he did, it was consensual. These women were of age. Yes, now, you would go, “There’s a power dynamic, and it’s an abuse of power,” and that’s true, but then, they weren’t considering that, so I think he believes that he hasn’t done anything wrong. Especially considering that they have an arrangement between the two of them, which is nobody else’s business but theirs. It gives you a pretty good leg to play it. I’m not looking for sympathy, necessarily, any more than the character is warranted to elicit. He’s charmingly written in some aspects. He has a good sense of humor, so you kind of gotta let the cards fall where they fall.

I feel like his relationship with his daughter is really interesting. Sid seems to be closer to him in a lot of ways than her mother, and it turns out that she’s sort of a mirror to him with some of her actions. I’m curious how you approached their dynamic.

SLATTERY: Ellen [Robertson] is a great actress. She’s so cool, and open, and loose, and fun to act with. I think there’s some guilt on the part of John about tangling her up in this thing, though she’s a legal expert. They say, “Do you have the money for a lawyer? Because I don’t.” They have their reasons, but they are self-serving. At the end, he expresses real remorse — “I think I fucked it up. I shouldn’t have dragged her into it.” It doesn’t seem the most common-sense decision to involve your daughter in what is going to be an opening up of the details of a sex scandal. You wouldn’t want anybody to know about it — the details of it — let alone your daughter, so it’s not a great decision.

John Slattery Loved Working With the “Really Funny” Rachel Weisz

“Rachel’s just fantastic as far as, ‘Do whatever you wanna do, and I’ll react.’”

Image via Netflix

The dynamic between John and M is equally interesting. He suspects that she might be falling in love with Vladimir, and instead of that causing conflict, it sort of rekindles a spark between them. Can you talk about that aspect of their relationship?

SLATTERY: I asked Julia about it in the beginning. “Who is this guy? What kind of music does he listen to? What does he read?” She was answering a bunch of questions, and then she wrote me a text that was like a paragraph, and then I showed it to my wife. She said, “This guy is not like my husband, but the more he’s in the wrong, the angrier he gets. The harder he argues,” which I understood.

He consistently has to explain himself. “Where are you going?” “I’m off to see a friend.” Those things are ongoing. She lets him off the hook by being infatuated with Vladimir. He’s not the only one exercising the freedom of the agreement. The difference between the relationships — and it’s the interesting part of the progression of the show — is that his relationships haven’t been, quote, “love relationships.” They’ve been more transactional or less emotional. Hers have been. You find out that she almost left with David after having had a kid with me years ago, and this relationship is deeper than the ones I’m having. I feel like it’s sort of titillating to John, and then his feelings get hurt, and his ego gets bruised. How would it not? This young guy is showing up and pushing the old guy out the door.

Do you think that’s the reason he asked to recommit in the finale? Is it an ego thing, or do you think there’s more to it than that?

SLATTERY: I think they all come to realizations about each other. Certainly, in the book — it’s different from the show, the book — but I think it’s a little grasping. I guess it brings in a question: How realistic is the ongoing relationship between Vladimir and M? Does he see that this isn’t gonna go anywhere? He’s married, he’s got a kid, and their relationship is better than they thought. His wife and I aren’t having an affair. We’re maybe stuck with each other, so if we recommit to monogamy, maybe we can survive it. But it seems a little desperate.

One of my favorite gags is John tending to his garden and having beef with that deer coming and eating the vegetables. There are so many great moments of comedy between you and Rachel, particularly in those scenes. How much room did you have to improvise and play with her in those moments?

SLATTERY: Total freedom. It was all in the script, but Rachel’s just fantastic as far as, “Do whatever you wanna do, and I’ll react,” and likewise. And Julia is not at all precious. As good as her writing is, if you had an idea, she’d totally be open to it, so there was a lot of freedom on the set just to explore stuff. And Rachel’s really funny.

John is also a writer and is working on an epic poem. What kind of stuff do you think he writes about? What’s the writing style?

SLATTERY: I asked Julia that. Some of it is in the script. She says, “What’s your poem about?” And he says, “It’s what all old writers write about — getting old.” “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” and “Do I dare to eat a peach?” Dylan Thomas’ “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Trying to stay alive and what it’s like to be alive.

John Slattery Explains That Insane ‘Vladimir’ Finale and Speculates About His Character’s Fate

“That’s the best sort of ending.”

Image via Netflix

The finale sees John and Vladimir physically going at it. What was that stuntwork like with Leo?

SLATTERY: He dragged me out of that chair so fast and threw me on the floor. Leo’s a big person. We’re great friends, and it was safe and all, but when he grabbed me and whipped me down on the floor, I was like, “Wow, this dude is not small. He’s very strong.” But it was fun. Those lines — “You’re so sexy when you’re angry” — some of them were in the script, and some of them, we were just fooling around, and they kept them.

That makes me appreciate them so much more. The protagonist tells us that both John and Vladimir escaped the fire; however, she has been known to maybe stretch the truth and lie to us a little bit. Do you think John did actually indeed make it out?

SLATTERY: I hope so. Obviously, different from the book. I like the ending. That’s the best sort of ending. We shot some other stuff, which I won’t go into, because you want to leave the audience with the best impression, which I think is that ending. You want to be wondering, and like you say, she has got her own version of the truth. But for the character’s sake, I hope he makes it out. Vladimir, I could give a shit about, but I hope I get out.

What do you think his relationship with his wife and daughter look like after the events of the show if he escapes?

SLATTERY: He offers the “let’s recommit to this thing” because it is a loving relationship. They do respect each other. They do love each other. They have whatever the arrangement they had, and whoever’s idea it was — John maintains that it was M’s idea the whole time — they could grow old together. I think his relationship with Sid will be okay, too. It was embarrassing, and it was mortifying, but again, he’s not a monster. It could end up being fine.

I saw Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass at Sundance this year. It was one of my absolute favorite screenings to attend. What is the most fun part of playing a fictionalized version of yourself? I feel like not that many people get to do that in their careers.

SLATTERY: It almost could have been anybody. I mean, it was just such a funny character. The specifics of my relationship with Jon Hamm is funny, and it was the most fun. We had a great time. We shot it in a very short amount of time for very little money, but David Wain and Ken Marino are so smart and have done it many times, so it never felt rushed. It always felt loose and like we had time to goof around and find something alternate to what was written. It was just a gas. We had a great time.

All episodes of Vladimir are now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

March 5, 2026

Network

Netflix

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Writers

Julia May Jonas

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2026 has been brutal when it comes to our favorite shows getting canceled.

Netflix cut ties with Boots two months after the show premiered. Based on Greg Cope White‘s memoir, the scripted series followed Cameron (Miles Heizer) as he joined the U.S. Marine Corps alongside his best friend Ray (Liam Oh) during the 1990s, the era of the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy regarding LGBTQ+ service members.

Cameron was forced to hide his sexuality while trying to make it through boot camp alongside Slovacek (Kieron Moore), Hicks (Angus O’Brien), Nash (Dominic Goodman), John (Blake Burt), Cody (Brandon Tyler Moore) and Ochoa (Johnathan Nieves).

Before being canceled, Boots found success at the network — doubling its weekly audience and rising to No. 2 on Netflix’s TV charts.

Related: Netflix Cancels Several Shows After Only 1 Season

Netflix has introduced its viewers to many unique TV shows over the years — but not every original series gets to explore their story beyond one season before getting canceled​. Julie and the Phantoms developed a quick cult following when it hit the streaming service in September 2020. The musical comedy, which was based on […]

Prime Video’s Hotel Costiera was another major TV loss. The show, which premiered in September 2025, followed a former Marine Daniel (Jesse Williams), who worked as a fixer at a luxury hotel while also tasked with finding the owner’s daughter.

“I lost 13 pounds shooting this show and I was eating pasta and bread all the time,” Williams exclusively told Us Weekly at the time. “I hear that story time and time again. People come here or Europeans go to America and they immediately get sick and they’re eating organic [food in the United States]. It’s a different world. So I was lucky in that respect here.”

He continued: “I started thinking I was going to have to be super rigorous. But I think exhaustion [from filming] helped me not put on many [pounds]. But also the sad truth is it’s not America. So it’s real ingredients and it doesn’t bloat or inflame you so much.”

Hotel Costiera also allowed Williams to fully immerse himself in Italian culture.

“Language is a big barrier. I learned a little bit of it. But being there a few months in, I was able to get through the first two-thirds of a conversation. And I was able to surprise people in being able to get in and out of expressions and conversations,” he shared with Us. “Moving through Rome — and especially Naples — which I really grew to love, that is a place where it gives you back the love that you give and the respect that you give.”

Williams recalled when he felt more like a local, saying, “There were absolutely moments in restaurants where I am coming across people who know my face and I’ve made some impact on them. But then they hear me talk to them in Italian, which throws them off completely. They embraced me in that way. So I had a really nice welcome.”

Keep scrolling to see which TV shows have been canceled so far for 2026-2027:

Apple TV+

Palm Royale: Canceled after season 2

The Last Frontier: Canceled after season 1

Disney+

Holes: reboot canceled

Food Network

The Kitchen: Canceled after season 36

FX

English Teacher: Canceled after season 2

Hallmark

The Way Home: Canceled after season 4

HGTV

Rehab Addict: Canceled after season 9

MTV

Ridiculousness: Canceled after season 48

Related: Midseason 2026 TV Schedule: See When Your Favorite Shows Will Air

The midseason 2026 TV schedule is stacked — but when is your favorite show coming back? On ABC, Grey’s Anatomy is returning after the season 22 fall finale ended with Jo’s (Camilla Luddington) premature emergency C-section. Jo’s fate was unclear and the trailer for the rest of the season hinted at a possible loss. Season […]

NBC

Deal or No Deal Island: Canceled after season 2

Yes, Chef: Canceled after season 1

Netflix

Boots: Canceled after season 1
Too Much: Canceled after season 1

Paramount+

NCIS: Tony & Ziva: Canceled after season 1

Prime Video

Hotel Costiera: Canceled after season 1

Starz

BMF: Canceled after season 4