One will be hard-pressed to find a sitcom that captures the ups and downs of the early 2000s quite like Malcolm in the Middle. Without a doubt the best and most iconic sitcom of that era, the series consistently relished in its depiction of an average suburban American family who is truly anything but. Not only is it still gut-bustingly hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt from start to finish, but it also helped launch the careers of mainstay stars like Big Fat Liar star Frankie Muniz and Breaking Bad icon Bryan Cranston.

Because of that almost incomparable legacy, fans were overjoyed to hear that Disney and Hulu would be bringing the series back in the form of a four-part revival, reuniting almost the entire cast after 20 years. The result debuted on April 10 with Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair, which has Malcom (Muniz), now a father and a successful business owner, trying his best to avoid his family despite his parents’, Lois (Jane Kaczmarek) and Hal (Cranston), wedding anniversary. Even though there was some dubious backlash from a vocal minority who accused the series of being “woke,” the revival was not only well-received by both fans and critics alike, but it’s also still dominating streaming conversations.

In the past week, across both Disney+ and Hulu, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is became among the top five shows on the streaming platforms. An impressive feat considering the four-episode revival debuted exactly one month ago and is still posting big ratings, even overtaking regular streaming chart toppers like ABC‘s mega-hit crime series, High Potential. The series is also holding its own against several notable newcomers, such as the second season of Marvel’s own revival Daredevil: Born Again, the Star Wars villain spin-off Maul – Shadow Lord, and the Handmaid’s Tale sequel series The Testaments.

Is ‘Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair’ Getting a Season 2?

One would think that with the clear ongoing success of the series, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair would be a shoe in for a Season 2 renewal, but that may not be the case. Speaking to Collider’s Steve Weintraub on the possibility of more, both Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek made it clear that the revival was not made with the intention of being a “stepping stone” to another season. That being said, Cranston also implied that if the new show was well-received enough and creator Linwood Boomer has a compelling idea for more, he may consider another stint as Hal.

Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is streaming now on Disney+ and Hulu. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.

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Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

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Network

Hulu

Directors

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Ken Kwapis

Writers

Alan J. Higgins, Gary Murphy, Matthew Carlson

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There is a special heartbreak reserved for horror movies that should have become permanent fixtures of the genre conversation and somehow did not. Not the truly obscure ones that never got a chance. I mean the ones that did land on people, the ones that made somebody stare at the hallway a little differently, or made night feel more acoustically dangerous, or left one image lodged in the brain for years, and still somehow slipped into that awful category of “you’ve seen that?”

Horror has this problem more than almost any genre. The canon gets sticky. The same titles keep circulating. Meanwhile a second lineage, stranger, sadder, more diseased, more dream-rotted, keeps pulsing underneath it. And the beautiful thing is that these films are not leftovers. They are not “good for what they are.” They are actually great. These ten all deserve far more love than they usually get, and the higher you go on the list, the more serious the robbery starts to feel.

10

‘Dead & Buried’ (1981)

Image via AVCO Embassy Pictures

I have such affection for Dead & Buried because it understands that small-town horror should never be cozy. The town should not feel quirky. It should feel off. It should feel like everybody has agreed to keep smiling one beat too long. That is exactly the movie’s strength. It begins almost like a murder mystery dipped in rot, with corpses, strange behavior, and a sheriff trying to understand why the people around him seem locked inside some awful local ritual. The film keeps withholding just enough that your brain starts doing the sick work for it. Something is wrong with the town. Something is wrong with death itself. Something is wrong with the way people keep looking at each other.

And then it just gets meaner. That is what I admire about it. It does not spend all its time playing coy with its own nastiness. Once it starts revealing what kind of nightmare it is, the movie turns into this grotesque little masterpiece of embalmed Americana, a place where normalcy has become taxidermy. The gore matters, yes. The effects matter. But the real reason it sticks is atmosphere. That stiff, smiling, funeral-home atmosphere. You can practically smell varnish and seawater on it. A lot of forgotten horror films are worth checking out. Dead & Buried is better than that. It is a proper sickness.

9

‘The Sentinel’ (1977)

Image via Universal Pictures

I have a lot of affection for The Sentinel because it is one of those horror films that seems to exist under a curse of tonal instability, and somehow that makes it more upsetting instead of less. On paper, it sounds like familiar apartment-horror territory: a model (Cristina Raines) moves into a Brooklyn brownstone, the building is full of strange tenants, and reality starts decaying around her. Fine. But the film is so aggressively, almost recklessly bizarre in its escalation that it stops feeling like a haunted-building movie and starts feeling like Catholic panic breaking through the walls.

That is the key to it. The movie does not want you comfortable. It does not want to glide you through one clean register of fear. It wants you spiritually harassed. The visions, the grotesques, the old-world damnation imagery, the sense that the apartment is not simply haunted but cosmologically placed, all of that gives it a nasty grandeur that a lot of more polished horror never finds. carries the film with exactly the right fragile alarm, and the whole thing builds toward a theological reveal so huge and blunt that you either laugh nervously or feel a genuine chill. I do both. Every time.

8

‘Messiah of Evil’ (1973)

Image via Flair Communications

This is one of the purest nightmare films on the list. Not plot-heavy nightmare. Not “dream logic” in the lazy, critic-buzzword sense. I mean actual nightmare texture. Messiah of Evil drifts into its coastal California town like it is wandering into a place already abandoned by normal human meaning. A woman arrives looking for her missing father, and almost immediately the movie starts surrounding her with faded murals, hollow spaces, eerie locals, and that magnificent, terrible feeling that whatever happened here did not end when it happened. It soaked into the environment.

What makes the film so haunting is that it does not rush to solidify itself. It lets dread spread through architecture and color and silence. The famous set pieces, especially the supermarket and theater sequences, are among the most genuinely oneiric scenes in 1970s horror. They do not rely on noise. They rely on the deep wrongness of being watched by people who do not feel fully alive anymore. And then beneath all that, there is this strange sadness to the movie, almost an end-of-the-world fatigue. Messiah of Evil feels like society has already died and only habit is still walking around in a human shape. That is horror I will always worship.

7

‘The Changeling’ (1980)

Image via Pan-Canadian Film Distributors

There are haunted-house movies that throw things at the walls and scream until something sticks. Then there is The Changeling, which knows that grief is already a haunting before the ghost does anything. That is why it works so beautifully. John Russell (George C. Scott) is not just sad but hollowed. The film understands that bereavement makes silence louder.

So when he moves into that giant old house, the supernatural elements feel like pressure. A noise. A ball. A space in the house that starts to feel occupied by memory that is not his. And because the movie is patient, every revelation lands harder. The séance is an excellent ghost. The wheelchair. The attic. The tape recorder. That incredible sense that the house is not merely inhabited by an angry spirit but by a buried crime demanding narrative completion. What I love most is that the film never loses the sorrow underneath the mystery. This is not fun haunting. It is a bereaved man being forced into contact with another trapped pain, another life wronged and unfinished. That overlap gives the horror a human ache a lot of ghost stories never find. People remember The Changeling if they know horror, sure. They still do not talk about it enough.

6

‘Pin’ (1988)

Image via New World Pictures

Pin is one of those movies I almost do not want to summarize too cleanly, because its power comes from how queasy and psychologically intimate it feels. It is nominally about a brother and sister, a doctor father, emotional damage, and a medical dummy named Pin that becomes a vessel for projection, control, repression, and psychic fracture. But saying that out loud does not really explain the movie’s sickness. Pin is about what happens when childhood loneliness and sexual confusion and parental coldness never get metabolized into anything healthy. They just keep sitting there, mutating in private.

What makes it so great is how little it needs to do to feel unbearable. The dummy is horrible, obviously, but not because the movie treats it like a simple horror object. Pin becomes horrible because of the emotional vacancy around him, because of what people need him to hold. That is what makes the film so much more upsetting than standard killer-doll nonsense. It is not really about the object. It is about the people using that object to survive, dominate, deny, and split themselves. There is something humiliatingly intimate about Pin.

5

‘The Reflecting Skin’ (1990)

Image via Miramax Films

This is one of the strangest films on the list and maybe the hardest to pitch to someone who wants neat genre lines. It is horror, yes, though horror refracted through childhood perception so intensely that the whole world starts looking mythic and diseased at once. The Reflecting Skin follows Seth (Jeremy Cooper) who lives in this vast, sun-blasted rural landscape that ought to feel open and innocent, and instead it feels poisoned.

Vampires are whispered about. Adults are broken in half by private despair. Violence enters the world in ways the child mind can sense before it can understand. The result is a movie where dread and innocence are fused so tightly you can barely separate them. And that is why it is great. It gives you spiritual damage. It comes with sickness, sexual terror, wartime trauma, and death. It is forgotten because it is too uncanny to file easily. That is exactly why fans should find it.

4

‘Session 9’ (2001)

Image via USA Films

This is one of the best examples of a horror movie understanding that place can do half the writing for you if you let it. The abandoned Danvers State Hospital in Session 9 is the movie’s nervous system. Every corridor, every flaked wall, every shaft of dead light feels like it has already heard something it should not have. Then the film puts inside that space a crew of asbestos cleaners, working-class men with financial pressure, emotional strain, ego friction, and just enough unresolved pain to give the building something to feed on. That is all it needs.

And the beauty of Session 9 is how uncertain the possession really is. Is the place haunted? Is one mind cracking under preexisting damage? Is evil something in the tapes, in the architecture, in the history, in the air? The answer is less important than the atmosphere of narrowing psychological space. The session tapes themselves are masterful, not because they overexplain, but because they make identity feel divisible in a way that echoes what the whole film is doing. I love how dry and underplayed the movie is. It never begs for your nerves. It lets dread crystallize slowly until that final note lands, and when it lands, it lands like a whisper from the pit.

3

‘Pontypool’ (2008)

Image Via Maple Pictures

I will defend Pontypool forever because it takes a premise that sounds almost like a joke and turns it into one of the freshest horror films of the 2000s. A virus spreads through language. Not saliva. Not scratches. Language. That is an extraordinary horror idea because language is already intimate. It enters the mouth, the ear, the brain. It is how we organize reality, how we reassure each other, how we control panic. So when Pontypool starts suggesting that speech itself might become the vector of collapse, the movie becomes terrifying in a way that bypasses ordinary zombie mechanics entirely.

And then it has the intelligence to set most of the story inside a radio station. That is genius. You are trapped with voices, reports, static, half-confirmed details, fragments of public breakdown, and one man, Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie), who has made a career out of language-as-performance and suddenly has to face language as plague. Stephen McHattie is phenomenal in this, giving the movie its cracked, skeptical, old-radio soul. What I love most is that Pontypool never loses its eerie wit. It is not humorless. It is intellectually playful right up until the point it becomes spiritually hideous. That combination is rare. Horror this smart usually gets too pleased with itself. Pontypool stays hungry.

2

‘Noroi: The Curse’ (2005)

Image via Cathay-Keris Films.

Found-footage horror has so many dead zones in it now that people forget how powerful it can be when the form is actually used as excavation instead of gimmick. Noroi: The Curse gets it. It does not just pretend to be real. It understands that the true pleasure of investigative horror is accumulation. A psychic here. A missing person there. A TV appearance that suddenly feels wrong. Old rituals. Buried names. Strange sounds. A child. A documentary structure that keeps telling you this all belonged to one man’s final work and that you are watching the pieces after the fact. The film builds dread the way some stories build weather. Quietly, then all at once.

What makes Noroi: The Curse one of the greatest forgotten horror movies is that it thinks so much bigger than its surface. It begins like localized weirdness and keeps widening until it feels as if the whole contemporary media landscape has become a delivery system for ancient malice. That is not easy to do. Most found-footage horror shrinks the world. Noroi: The Curse expands it.

1

‘Lake Mungo’ (2008)

Image via Arclight Films

This is #1 because Lake Mungo does something almost no horror movie manages: it makes grief and haunting indistinguishable without cheapening either one. A teenage girl dies. Her family mourns. Strange images emerge. A documentary framework begins assembling memory, testimony, footage, speculation. That sounds simple enough. But the film’s genius is that it never lets the question “Is there really a ghost?” replace the much sadder, more frightening question “How well did we ever know the person we lost?” That is where the movie starts cutting deep.

And once it gets there, it never lets go. The interviews, the fake-documentary restraint, the incremental revelations about Alice’s (Talia Zucker) interior life, the sense that her family is grieving one version of her while another version remains hidden in the dark, that is what makes the film devastating. Then there is the image. The image. One of the most frightening and heartbreaking things in 21st-century horror, not because it jumps at you, but because it feels like time itself has become unbearable. Lake Mungo understands that the dead can terrify us not just because they return, but because they may have gone toward their own ending alone, carrying knowledge we were nowhere near ready to see. That is profound horror. That is partially why it belongs at number one.

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Lake Mungo

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Release Date

January 29, 2010

Director

Joel Anderson

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Writers

Joel Anderson

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Tom Brady took a savage public swipe at Kevin Hart — in the name of comedy.

During Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart, which streamed live on the platform on Sunday, May 10, Brady, 48, appeared on stage to throw a brutal jab at Hart, 46.

“All right, this won’t take long, because, as you guys know, I’m a busy man,” the NFL legend told the crowd, per a report by Variety. “But I do have a few words for you before I return to my affairs in Las Vegas. Oh, wait, I’m talking about affairs in Las Vegas. Was that off? Not supposed to talk about affairs in Vegas? I think I broke another rule. F*** it. I talked about it.”

Brady, who had been roasted by Hart during his own Netflix special in May 2024, referenced Hart’s 2017 cheating scandal which involved the actor betraying his then-pregnant wife, Eniko Parrish, during a trip to Las Vegas. Although Hart initially denied reports of infidelity, he owned up to it two months after the news broke. (Hart and Parrish share two children, son Kenzo, 8, and daughter Kaori, 5. Hart is also father to daughter Heaven, 21, and son Hendrix, 18, both of whom he shares with ex-wife Torei Hart.)

Prior to Brady’s arrival on Sunday’s stage, Hart warned viewers about the retired quarterback’s upcoming words. “I’m gonna tell you right now, it’s gonna be way better than the Brady roast,” Hart said, per the outlet. “The reason why is because I’m not a bitch. Tom is a bitch. Tom sat there the whole time with the f***ing white man’s face…He was a f***ing bitch. I ain’t no bitch. You bring whatever it is that you got. I could give two f***s. You go and say what you want to say. Say it. I don’t give a s***. At the end of the day, I’m Kevin Hart. I’m the man.”

Hart revealed in a 2021 interview with Romper that he had told his children about his mistakes. “You have to talk to your kids about it because it’s going to come out,” the actor said at the time. “Some of them are cool about it and some of them are not, depending on the situation. You have to understand the different personalities and manage them correctly.”

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News of Hart’s actions in Las Vegas originally came to light when an alleged extortionist claimed to have obtained a “sexually provocative” video of the actor. He acknowledged his Las Vegas affair in a public apology video shared via Instagram in September 2017.

“I made a bad error in judgement and I put myself in a bad environment where only bad things can happen and they did,” Hart said in the video. “And in doing that, I know that I’m going to hurt the people closest to me, who I’ve talked to and apologized to — that would be my wife and kids.”

Parrish, 41, later addressed the scandal in detail in the docuseries Kevin Hart: Don’t Fk This Up. “This was a bad one. This was major,” she told Netflix’s cameras in 2019. “Nine years and I think looking forward, it’ll be better. I believe in second chances. I’m all about forgiveness, and you only get two times. Three strikes you’re out, you’re out of here. So, as long as he behaves, we’re good.”

Blake Lively’s chaotic legal battle with Justin Baldoni may finally be cooling down, but the actress is still finding herself at the center of headlines. 

Just days after settling the explosive lawsuit tied to “It Ends With Us,” Lively received a very public show of support from husband Ryan Reynolds. 

The actor used Mother’s Day to praise his wife as “fearless” while sharing intimate family moments online, signaling that despite months of controversy, the Hollywood couple is still presenting a united front as they move into their next chapter.

Ryan Reynolds made it clear that he is standing firmly beside Blake Lively after one of the toughest periods of her career. 

The “Deadpool” star shared a touching Mother’s Day tribute on his Instagram Stories featuring two candid photos of the couple together.

In one image, the pair smiled in matching yellow ponchos while posing in front of what appeared to be Niagara Falls. 

Another showed them relaxing outdoors in blue chairs, with Reynolds wearing sunglasses while Lively kept cozy in a blue sweater and brown sweatpants.

Alongside the photos, Reynolds wrote, “I appreciate this mother beyond measure. She is kind. She is fearless. She’s the absolute love of my life – and to our four little kids, she’s the life of their love.”

Lively later reposted the tribute to her own Stories and sweetly replied, “I happen to be pretty fond of you too.”

Lively Shares Tribute To The Women In Her Family

While Reynolds celebrated his wife, Blake Lively also used the holiday to honor the mothers in her own life. 

The “Gossip Girl” actress posted a heartfelt message dedicated to her mother, Elaine Lively, alongside a solo photograph.

“Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who chooses joy, every day, no matter what,” Lively wrote. She continued, “The strength and defiance in that is something I’ll always appreciate, especially the older I get. She makes every day special for everyone around her. Especially her babies and grandbabies.”

The actress also praised her mother’s creativity and optimism, writing, “She isn’t just beautiful, she creates beauty, with her hands, her stories, her playfulness, her creativity, her incredible ingenuity and her love.”

Lively later uploaded a second image featuring both Elaine and her mother-in-law Tammy Stewart together. “These two queens are my mamas,” she wrote, adding, “I couldn’t be luckier to have them. And as my mama has always said, ‘the best part is, I know it.’”

Blake Lively Returned To The Met Gala After Settlement Bombshell

The Mother’s Day posts arrived less than a week after Blake Lively shocked fans with her appearance at the Met Gala. 

The Hollywood star attended fashion’s biggest night just hours after news broke that she and Baldoni had settled their bitter legal fight tied to “It Ends With Us.”

Lively walked the red carpet solo while wearing a dramatic archival Atelier Versace gown. During an interview, she admitted she was feeling shy and wished her four children could have joined her at the event.

The settlement came only weeks before the planned May 18 trial and after a judge reportedly “gutted” key portions of her 2024 sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit.

Although Lively received no financial payout from Baldoni, she is still pursuing legal fees connected to his failed $400 million countersuit.

Her attorney, Sigrid McCawley, later told Entertainment Tonight that the actress was “moving on with her life” and said her Met Gala appearance was proof that she was “standing up and not being silenced.”

“We wouldn’t want any woman in that position to be silenced. They should be out living their life,” McCawley explained.

Lively Faces Fresh Attacks From Baldoni’s Lawyer

Even after the settlement, the public war between both camps has continued. Baldoni’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, recently claimed that Blake Lively settled because she was too “scared” to testify in court.

“Part of the reason Blake settled is because she was scared to take the witness stand at trial. She did not want to face cross examination by anyone because that would require her to tell the truth,” Freedman told TMZ.

The lawyer also argued that a trial would have “exposed her lies” and claimed the actress “ended up with nothing” in the deal.

Meanwhile, McCawley defended her client and insisted Lively plans to continue “exposing the digital retaliation campaign here that was weaponized against her.”

The attorney also described the actress as “incredibly brave” for speaking out. “She’s going to continue to pave that path of being really bold and brave in this moment,” McCawley added.

Blake Lively’s Legal Fallout Still Pulls Reynolds Into The Spotlight

Even though Lively and Baldoni have officially settled their courtroom battle, the fallout surrounding the case is still unfolding publicly. 

Much of the attention has now shifted toward how deeply Reynolds became involved in the dispute behind the scenes.

During the legal war, Baldoni accused Reynolds of “swearing” and “berating him in an aggressive tirade” during a tense 2023 meeting held at the couple’s New York penthouse. 

According to Baldoni’s claims, Reynolds attended the meeting as Lively’s “representative” while concerns about the set of “It Ends With Us” were being discussed.

The drama only intensified when unsealed text messages from the case allegedly showed Reynolds referring to Baldoni as “dumb-dumb” during private exchanges tied to the feud.

At the same time, Lively has continued trying to move forward publicly with her appearance at the Met Gala and her Mother’s Day family tributes.

Meanwhile, Baldoni has also started reappearing publicly following the settlement announcement. The filmmaker was recently photographed smiling and holding hands with his wife, Emily, during an outing in Nashville. 

Reports say he is now focused on “moving forward” with his wife and two children after the exhausting legal battle.

Michael B. Jordan has consistently surprised his fans with his incredible career choices. From playing a menacing villain with Killmonger in Black Panther, to a fearless hero with Adonis Creed in the Creed franchise, playing dual roles in Sinners that bagged him an Oscar, to directing and producing several projects, the actor is on a roll, and fans can’t wait to see what he brings next.

As compelling an actor he is, Jordan shines even brighter in diverse roles in front and behind the camera. His partnership with fan-favorite director Ryan Coogler has given us some amazing films, like Black Panther, Sinners, and Creed, the Rocky spin-off. Coogler helmed the first feature and took the mega task of introducing Adonis (Jordan) as he tracks down a retired Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in Philadelphia to ask for training. The movie was a big hit thanks to many nostalgic elements, Stallone’s Oscar-nominated performance, and a brilliant story. Grossing $173 million worldwide on a $40 million budget, Creed received widespread acclaim from critics who praised Coogler’s direction, the screenplay, and acting performances. Its success was followed up with Creed II, which takes Adonis’ story forward in a compelling way.

Adonis faces off against Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu), the son of Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who was responsible for the death of Adonis’ father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), some thirty-three years earlier. Co-written by Juel Taylor and Stallone and directed by Steven Caple Jr., the movie was an even bigger success, earning $214 million at the box office on a $50 million budget. The 83% Rotten Tomatoes-rated movie is universally loved for its fight sequences, strong character development, and was criticized for plot predictability, but it’s a great watch.

Creed III marked Jordan’s directorial debut and a compelling one at that. We follow Adonis as he faces a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy, Damian Anderson (Jonathan Majors), who is eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring. Co-written by Keenan Coogler and Zach Baylin, the movie packs some serious gut punches and proves a worthy addition to the Creed universe. Like its predecessors, the film was a box office success, grossing over $276 million worldwide. It further earned an 89% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the audience giving it an even higher 95%.

The ‘Creed’ Franchise is Knocking Out the Competition on Streaming

Creed II and Creed III have taken over their free-streaming home, Tubi’s, top 10 charts, according to FlixPatrol. Creed II is at #2 spot right behind chart topper The Beach House, while Creed III stands at #4 spot behind A Madea Family Funeral among other films. If you want to check out the films, this seems to be the right time when they are available on a free streamer.

Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.

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Release Date

March 3, 2023

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116 minutes

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Science fiction is among the most celebrated genres in cinema. It encompasses everything from profound, ambitious explorations of space travel to smaller, more intimate depictions of futures in varying degrees of unrest. Sci-fi is still thriving in cinema, perhaps now more than ever, with the recent releases of movies like Project Hail Mary proving that the genre is experiencing what is likely its best period to date.

Twenty years ago, however, the landscape was much more different. That’s not to say that sci-fi movies didn’t exist or that they weren’t recognized, but it is fair to say that they were a lot less appreciated, perhaps even dismissed as “genre fare.” However, a few of these twenty-year-old movies have aged beautifully and are now considered genuine masterpieces of the genre. Here, we take a look at the sci-fi movies from 2006 that are outright perfect, becoming incredible representatives of their home genre.

‘Southland Tales’

Image via Universal Studios

Richard Kelly followed his 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko with an even bigger deep cut: the dystopian black comedy thriller Southland Tales. Set in 2008, in a United States under the threat of nuclear attack, the film follows several stories, including a movie star (Dwayne Johnson) planning his next movie with the help of a porn star (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who herself is attempting to launch a reality TV show.

Southland Tales was quite misunderstood upon release — in fact, it remains misunderstood and underrated. The film juggles several complex ideas, offering scathing criticisms of the industrial military complex and the entertainment industry. However, its approach is decidedly abstract, to the point where many might dismiss it as too artsy or outright pretentious. Yet, there’s a genuine allure to the film’s chaos; it has something to say, but it doesn’t figure out how to say it. Yet, its attempts still result in an engaging and fascinating movie, one that throws the audience directly into the mayhem and never concerns itself with making sense of it.

‘Idiocracy’

Image via 20th Century Studios

Idiocracy is a movie that not many paid attention to when it came out, but which has become so relevant in the decades since that it seems outright prophetic. Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph play a librarian and a prostitute who undergo a government procedure that puts them in cryosleep for five hundred years. Upon awakening, they discover that society has regressed to the point where they are now the smartest people in the world.

Mike Judge‘s film satirizes society’s path to progress, commenting on the rise of anti-intellectualism and absurd, seemingly endless consumerism. Sharp and surprisingly insightful, the film has a lot to say about the pernicious relationship between politics and the media, and how superficiality can only lead to something far darker. This cult classic remains perfect, largely because it seems so hauntingly precise in its observations — for example, the presidential plot is no longer as funny as it was because it now uncomfortably hits too close to home. Today, we might be constantly asking ourselves, “Have we actually reached peak idiocracy?” but the awful truth is that we can always go beyond it.

‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’

Image via Kadokawa Herald Pictures

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A loose sequel to the 1967 eponymous novel, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is among the best anime movies of the 2000s. The plot sees teenager Makoto Konno learning to travel in time, thanks to her aunt Kazuko Yoshiyama (the protagonist of the original novel). Makoto uses her newfound abilities to pursue selfish gains, soon realizing her actions have far broader consequences that go beyond just herself.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time deftly balances several genres, mainly science fiction and coming-of-age, with a healthy dose of romance to boot. The visuals are simply spectacular, capturing a carefree, warm atmosphere that makes everything seem strangely wholesome; it’s like watching a child learn how to ride a bike, except it’s a teenage girl literally manipulating time. The core of the story is a classic tale of self-discovery and growth, but the execution makes this anime movie far more special. There’s also a 1983 live-action adaptation, but the anime version is slightly more striking.

‘A Skanner Darkly’

Image via Warner Bros.

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Richard Linklater‘s A Scanner Darkly is among the most singular animated movies of the 2000s — indeed, of all time. Keanu Reeves stars as Bob Arctor, a narcotics officer living in a future where the United States is undergoing a drug-addiction pandemic. While wooing drug dealer Donna (Winona Ryder) in an effort to identify her supplier, Bob is also tasked with spying on his neighbors. Deep undercover, Bob himself develops an addiction.

Based on the novel by Philip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly is a trippy experience brought to life through rotoscoping, a technique where animators manually trace over the original footage, frame by frame, thus achieving a distinct visual approach. The film looks like a literal comic book brought to life, a deliberate choice that only enhances the themes of addiction, paranoia, and the loss of self. Like other Linklater movies, A Scanner Darkly has a lot to say; the dialogue cracks, and the conversations feel both surreal and heavy with meaning. What exactly that meaning is remains unclear, as the film is far more concerned with posing questions than straight-up answering them.

‘The Host’

Bong Joon Ho‘s movies usually offer a heavy dose of social commentary, be it anti-capitalist sentiment, class struggle, or institutional incompetence. All of those are perfectly showcased in his 2006 monster flick, The Host. The plot centers on intellectually disabled food stand vendor Park Gang-du (Song Kang-ho), whose daughter is kidnapped by a mysterious amphibious monster terrorizing the Han River in Seoul.

Here, Bong pulls no punches, presenting a bleak vision of the United States as uncaring and warmongering, to the point where the film flirts with anti-American sentiment. Like many of his other movies, The Host offers strong commentary on the sheer incompetence of the institutions meant to protect and enhance society, and how the ultimate prize is often paid by those less fortunate. Humanity’s relationship with the environment, another favorite of Bong, is also heavily featured here, but the movie still offers all the monster carnage one would expect from a genre flick. The result is a creature feature that is as effective as it is bittersweet and even chilling.

‘The Prestige’

Image via Warner Bros.

Christopher Nolan has mastered many genres, from thriller to mystery and crime drama. However, sci-fi is where he often thrives, and perhaps his most underappreciated entry into the genre is 2006’s The Prestige. An intriguing mix of genres, the film stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as rival magicians in Victorian London. As the two try to surpass the other, they embark on an increasingly dark and desperate quest that will ultimately cost them far more than they expected.

For most of its runtime, The Prestige is a psychological thriller laced with hints of a revenge story. It’s not until the halfway point that the sci-fi elements arrive, courtesy of a hypnotizing David Bowie as legendary inventor Nikola Tesla. Yet, Nolan uses science fiction to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche, the unrelenting thirst to surpass another, no matter the cost. Yet, The Prestige is as much about showmanship as it is about vengeance, presenting itself under the same structure as the magic tricks at the center of the narrative.

‘Paprika’

Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan

Arguably the trippiest and most challenging sci-fi movie of the 2000s, Paprika is a stellar exploration of dreams and the last film made by the genius Satoshi Kon. The narrative centers on Dr. Atsuko Chiba, a scientist who moonlights as the dream detective Paprika. When a device she’s been working on is stolen by a so-called “dream terrorist,” Atsuko jumps into action as both herself and as Paprika.

Paprika operates under a singular set of rules. In fact, if you watch it and can’t make much sense of it, fear not, because that’s partly by design. Perhaps thanks to its nature as an exploration of dreams, and perhaps because of Kon’s desire to push the audience to the edge of lofic, Paprika is a famously daunting experience. It’s visually, mentally, and emotionally exhausting, a journey through the subconscious that is half dream, half nightmare. It might also probably, kinda, sorta, most likely influenced Nolan’s Inception; he’s never officially addressed it, but the similarities are… striking. You be the judge.

‘Children of Men’

Image via Universal Pictures

What would happen to the world if people stopped having children? Such is the premise for Alfonso Cuarón‘s dystopian action thriller Children of Men, arguably his magnum opus, give or take a Roma. Clive Owen stars as Theo, a disillusioned bureaucrat tasked by his ex-wife, Julian (Julianne Moore), to escort Kee (Claire-Hope Ashitey), the first pregnant woman in two decades. Facing incredible danger, Theo will have to rise to the challenge.

Children of Men is a curious beast. The sci-fi elements are subtler, but the film still deals with a near-future where civilization has outright collapsed under the weight of mounting desperation provoked by infertility. It’s quite incredible how accurately the film predicted the near future, with asylum seekers seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, leading to their imprisonment, deportation, and even execution. Watching Children of Men in 2026 is an uncomfortable experience, as it’s difficult not to draw similarities with the current socio-political landscape. The film is a true masterpiece of the 21st century, and a confirmation of Cuarón’s prowess as an auteur of singular vision.

One week after settling her legal battle with Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively was publicly praised by husband Ryan Reynolds in a tender Mother’s Day post.

Reynolds, 49, took to his Instagram Stories on Sunday, May 10, to pay tribute to Lively, 38, after she and her It Ends With Us costar and director, 42, reached a settlement prior to their scheduled trial commencing on Monday, May 18.

“I appreciate this mother beyond measure,” the Deadpool & Wolverine star began in text pasted over two photos of the couple enjoying time together. “She is kind. She is fearless. She’s the absolute love of my life — and to our four little kids, she’s the life of their love.” (The couple share daughters James, 11, Inez, 9, and Betty, 6, and son Olin, 2.)

Lively, who worked with Baldoni from 2023 to 2024 ahead of It Ends With Us’ release in August 2024, had filed a lawsuit against him on December 31, 2024. Her lawsuit had alleged that Baldoni sexually harassed her, fostered a hostile work environment and orchestrated a smear campaign against her, claims Baldoni repeatedly denied before filing his own dismissed countersuit.

Baldoni and Lively reached their out-of-court settlement on Monday, May 4.

Reynolds’ post, which was set to Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition,” came just after Lively shared her own Mother’s Day tribute to her mom, Elaine Lively. “Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who chooses joy, every day, no matter what,” the Simple Favor star wrote via her Instagram Stories over a photo of her mother. “The strength and defiance in that is something I’ll always appreciate, especially the older I get. She makes every day special for everyone around her. Especially her babies and grandbabies.”

Lively’s post continued, “She isn’t just beautiful, she creates beauty, with her hands, her stories, her playfulness, her creativity, her incredible ingenuity and her love. I’m so grateful, now and forever to have been shaped by your heart full of love, optimism and magic. You make the ordinary extraordinary. I love you. Thank you mama.”

Lively and Baldoni released a joint statement via their attorneys that announced their surprise settlement last week. “The end product — the movie It Ends With Us — is a source of pride to all of us who worked to bring it to life. Raising awareness, and making a meaningful impact in the lives of domestic violence survivors — and all survivors — is a goal that we stand behind,” the statement, obtained by Us Weekly, read. “We acknowledge the process presented challenges and recognize concerns raised by Ms. Lively deserved to be heard.”

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The statement continued, “We remain firmly committed to workplaces free of improprieties and unproductive environments. It is our sincere hope that this brings closure and allows all involved to move forward constructively and in peace, including a respectful environment online.”

In the leadup to Lively’s trial, Reynolds remained a pillar of support to his wife, telling Today during its April 19 broadcast that he stood firmly in her corner. “I’ll just say, I’ve never in my life been more proud of my wife,” he told journalist Willie Geist at the time.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. https://988lifeline.org/

Every year, a new popular anime dominates the entertainment landscape and finds itself on the watchlist of every fan. In 2020, it was Jujutsu Kaisen; in 2023, it was Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End; and in 2025, it was Solo Leveling Season 2. While the first season was equally as popular, the second season ramped up the action, intrigue, and animation, making it a must-watch action anime of this decade and in general.

However, despite its overwhelming popularity, there are countless shows that match or even exceed Solo Leveling‘s admittedly high levels. This is why this list will rank action anime similar to Solo Leveling (or are even better than it) based on fight scenes, creativity, animation, pacing, general action, writing, and overall quality. This list will also include a variety of action anime that are different from and similar to Solo Leveling and will discuss how those aspects are better.

20

‘Fate/Zero’ (2011–2012)

Image via ufotable

The Fate franchise is known for its historical figures, confusing timeline, and epic action, and Fate/Zero offers the best of all of those aspects. With a new Holy Grail war about to begin, its contestants must prepare for the worst with their assigned historical figures who will fight for them. Each one has a different goal and reason to win the grail.

If fans want a good anime and don’t have anything to watch, then Fate/Zero is the perfect anime for them. Animated by ufotable, it features some of the best animations fans will ever see on screen. The battles are a spectacle of brilliant visuals, striking animation, and unbelievable moments, coming together to create the most memorable fights in anime.

19

‘My Hero Academia’ (2016–2025)

Image via Studio Bones

After nearly a decade, one of the most influential modern anime series came to an end, and that is My Hero Academia. Deku dreams of being a hero, but without any powers, he struggles to do so. However, when he inherits the power of the world’s strongest hero, Deku follows his dream by enlisting in hero school.

My Hero Academia was a wild ride with many ups and downs, but after the final season, fans can definitely say that it is one of the best action anime series. The fights were never a let-down, ripe with creative choreography, epic moments, fluid animation, and story importance. My Hero Academia‘s final season also beat Solo Leveling season two in the best anime of 2025 list.

18

‘Dororo’ (2019)

Image via MAPPA

One of the best new things happening is remaking classic series, and Dororo recently got that treatment. Originally from the 1960s, this modern remake follows a boy trying to reclaim everything that was lost to him. When his father offers parts of his body to demons, Hyakkimaru must kill each one to reclaim his lost humanity.

Dororo has one of the best stories on this list, but it is only ranking them by action and entertainment value, and even in that regard, it is better than Solo Leveling. Animated by MAPPA, the fight scenes are fluid and dynamic, with stunning melee combat and swordplay that feels more authentic than Solo Leveling.

17

‘Hunter x Hunter’ (2011–2014)

Image via Madhouse

This list will naturally feature many iconic battle shounen, but none is more important on this list than Hunter x Hunter, which defined a whole generation of series. Gon wants to find his dad, and the only way to do so is to follow in his footsteps and become a hunter, but this is a grueling profession only for the strongest.

If this list were ranking the entries based on quality, Hunter x Hunter would be number one, but since it is only about the action, it ranks a little lower. Still, this anime is a masterclass of action, specifically through its creativity, memorable moments, suspenseful fights, genius tactics, and narrative weight. Overall, Hunter x Hunter is a beautifully written anime masterpiece, but it also doesn’t slack on the fights.

16

‘Demon Slayer’ (2019–2024)

Image via Toho

If Solo Leveling isn’t the most popular modern anime, then it is definitely Demon Slayer, which revolutionized the medium and introduced a new generation of fans to anime. Tanjiro is on a quest to defeat the demon who turned his sister into one, and hopefully reverse the curse placed on her.

This is the second ufotable anime on this list, which speaks to its influence on action anime. Demon Slayer is all about the fight scenes, and fans can see that in the extreme detail put into every battle. The animation is dazzling, ambitious, and fluid, working together to provide some of the most gorgeous fight scenes in anime that are far better than anything in Solo Leveling.

15

‘Kingdom’ (2012–Present)

Image via Pierrot

Historical anime are becoming increasingly popular thanks to shows like Vinland Saga and The Apothecary Diaries, but Kingdom was a pioneer of this genre, which peaked too late to gain a major audience. The anime follows Xin, a country bumpkin who dreams of becoming a respected general, thus starting his tumultuous journey.

Kingdom offers a different style of action compared to Solo Leveling, and depending on the viewer, it can definitely be better. The animation may not be top-tier, but the blend of story into the large-scale battles is a sight to behold. The grand fights feature meticulous strategy, planning, insight, and cerebral tactics, making it a much more nuanced action anime.

14

‘Hajime no Ippo’ (2000–2014)

Image via Madhouse

The anime may not technically be over, as the manga is still ongoing, but with over a decade having passed without a sequel, fans will likely never see a new season of Hajime no Ippo. The titular protagonist finds new meaning in his life after discovering boxing, able to express himself and put his hard work towards the world title.

Hajime no Ippo also isn’t too similar to Solo Leveling, but the action is just as engaging, instead focusing on the unknown outcome of the fight that has real stakes in the future of their careers. There is plenty of comedy, character growth, dramatic moments, and downtime, making Hajime no Ippo a more versatile show that is the best anime that turned 25 in 2025.

13

‘JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’ (2012–Present)

Image via David Production

As fans anticipate the new part of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Steel Ball Run, they can rewatch this series, knowing it does action better than most anime, including Solo Leveling. Each part follows a new protagonist in the Joestar line fighting against some sort of evil, whether it be a vampire, a serial killer, or a priest.

The action is different in every single part and episode, making Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure one of the most unique action anime. The tense and unpredictable fights build a distinct quality that no other anime can match, not even Solo Leveling. It features solid animation, an inventive art style, and creative battles that set it apart from all other anime.

12

‘Naruto’ (2002–2017)

Image via Viz Media

While this list doesn’t feature all of The Big Three, it does include a couple, including Naruto, a legendary anime series following the titular ninja. As Naruto tries to prove to his village that he isn’t a punk and he can be the Hokage, he must bring Sasuke back to the village after his betrayal.

Most Solo Leveling fans won’t complain about this, considering Naruto is an OG of the scene and a classic action anime that is a staple in the community. Naruto is more than just fights, but the action is arguably the best part, especially since Naruto has some of the best fights in anime, showcasing fluid animation, remarkable choreography, and high stakes.

11

‘Attack on Titan’ (2013–2023)

Image via WIT Studio

The anime may have ended not too long ago, but Attack on Titan is still a popular show that rivals Solo Leveling. After the Titans destroy his village, Eren Yeager vows revenge, but after gaining the ability to turn into a Titan, he uses his newfound power to lead humanity outside the walls and face their true enemy.

Attack on Titan is hailed as a masterpiece due to its compelling story, well-developed characters, thought-provoking themes, engaging narrative, and overwhelming popularity. However, the series also excels at delivering wonderfully animated fights that make up some of the best episodes in anime. From fluid animation to dazzling spectacle, Attack on Titan is an action masterclass.

Justin Hartley and wife Sofia Pernas melt our hearts every time they talk about getting the opportunity to work together.

The couple originally met on the set of The Young and The Restless in 2015. After their first time as costars, Hartley and Pernas went their separate ways before reconnecting years later off screen and subsequently tying the knot in 2021. Hartley and Pernas have since enjoyed finding projects to collaborate on, including Quantum Leap and Tracker.

Tracker, which is based on Jeffery Deaver‘s novel The Never Game, follows Hartley as a survivalist named Colter. Viewers were continuously reminded that Colter was mostly a loner — until someone from his past named Billie (Pernas) made an appearance in season 1.

Hartley was thrilled about how Colter and Billie’s relationship was received by fans after paving the way for their introduction.

“We have a great time together. I just thought it would be a really cool idea. It was sort of my idea from the beginning to have this character that comes on that you just mentioned,” the actor, who is also an executive producer on the CBS procedural, explained to Deadline in May 2024. “I think it was in the second episode, there was a big reward for a car. There was a line that one of the ladies said, ‘Word on the street is that Billie is circling the case.’ And then Coulter kind of eye rolls. If you’re really paying attention, you go, ‘Oh, he’s got a rival, this guy Billie.’”

Hartley wanted to lay the groundwork for Pernas’ character before she even showed up.

“My idea was to tease that and intentionally name the character Billie, and then reveal that Billie is, of course, Sofia. We didn’t get to tease that as much as I would have liked, just because we were so pressed with time. But that was the intention,” he continued. “Then when she came on, to be honest with you, I’m not sure how much of that character aspect that she brought was actually written.”

Keep scrolling for Hartley and Pernas’ sweetest comments about sharing the screen:

Collaborating Before Their Romance

After exchanging vows with Pernas, Hartley reflected on working with his wife before they even started dating.

“You meet in different capacities. We didn’t work together that closely, and we didn’t work together that long. I knew that she was very kind and very nice. I liked being around her. But I was in a different place in my life. I wasn’t available,” Hartley told Haute Living in 2021 about being introduced to Pernas years before they got together. “Timing has a lot to do with that. I’m very lucky to not only have found ‘The One,’ but I found her when she was available and the timing was right.”

Pernas also remembered Hartley fondly during their brief overlap on The Young and the Restless.

“My first and only impression was, ‘God, that guy comes in and leaves as soon as the bell goes ding,’” Pernas shared with Entertainment Tonight in March 2024. “Sometimes he’d do up to 65 pages a day. He was just ripping pieces off, throwing them in the trash, as soon as he’d be done with the scene. It was almost like pop smoke and then he would leave. It was incredible.”

Related: Every Time Justin Hartley and Wife Sofia Pernas Shared the Screen

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After meeting on set, Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas have continued to enjoy sharing the screen. The couple originally crossed paths while filming The Young and The Restless in 2015. Hartley and Pernas costarred on the soap for nearly a year before moving on to other projects. “You meet in different capacities. We didn’t work […]

Always Looking for Something New

Quantum Leap offered Hartley a guest spot as a bounty hunter while Pernas portrayed the head of a drug cartel.

“It was the absolute best,” Hartley told E! News in October 2022. “I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed as much on a set. We had such a good time. … Sofia’s got a really great sense of humor. There were a couple of moments where she took some liberties, she did a little ad-libbing, which allowed me to do a little ad-libbing. And the characters became more and more annoyed with each other — and we had a lot of fun with that.”

Hartley later said the experience made him even more excited to star alongside Pernas in future projects, sharing with the outlet four months later, “It’s amazing. It’s good for the environment, too. You can carpool and everything, so it’s wonderful. Absolutely we’ll do that. For sure.”

Adding to Their Scenes Together

Following Billie’s initial introduction, Pernas discussed the conversations she had with Hartley about the dynamic between their characters.

“It wasn’t really scripted for us to kiss,” she explained to Entertainment Tonight in March 2024. “We played with some moments where felt like, do they kiss in this moment? Just because there is so much history, and there was so much tension, and there was a certain life-threatening event that happened right before, so it’s all of this pent up pressure.”

Taking Work Home

Hartley had nothing but praise for Pernas after confirming her return for season 2 of Tracker.

“You’re just watching a talented actor. There were a few things we had the benefit of discussing privately that, normally, you don’t have time to do that,” he told Deadline in May 2024. “But when you live with the person, you can talk about that stuff at dinner, and go, ‘Hey, what about this?’ So we really got a chance to dialogue about that.”

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Related: Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas Have Hinted at Her Return to ‘Tracker’

Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas reunited on screen up for one episode of CBS’ Tracker — and that’s only the beginning. Tracker, which premiered in February 2024, is centered around a survivalist named Colter (Hartley) who travels the country helping people and law enforcement tackle a variety of mysteries. As the series unfolds, viewers learn […]

Making His Job Better

“She’s wonderful. I mean, if I had my choice, I’d spend every minute with her,” Hartley exclusively told Us Weekly at the Television Critics Association event in July 2024. “What’s really cool is when you meet someone that means so much to you, that you’re so proud to be with and so proud of, and just such a fan of, and to get to see her work, because she’s such a talented actor.”

He continued: “She elevates scenes, and so it makes my job easier, actually. But yeah, it’s just wonderful to work with her.”

Her Influence on Him

“[Our characters on Tracker] couldn’t be more opposite of who we are. But we really enjoyed doing that,” Hartley told The Hollywood Reporter in July 2024. “I love watching her. I am a fan of her work as well. She’s a brilliant actor. But to get to work with her is great. She elevates the show and my performance. I’m grateful for that.”

Lindsay Hubbard shared a sweet moment with daughter Gemma and her Summer House costars Kyle Cooke and ex-fiancé Carl Radke.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, May 9, Lindsay, 39, posted two photos that captured her beaming while holding Gemma, 16 months, between Kyle, 43, and Carl, 41. (Lindsay and ex Turner Kufe welcomed the child in December 2024.)

“Modern family ❤️Summer House OGs 4 life,” Lindsay captioned the carousel, which drew messages of praise from fans. “Lindsay looking at Carl! We are healed,” commented one follower, while another wrote, “I feel like mom and dad need to get back together,”

The show of unity between Lindsay and Carl, who got engaged in August 2022 but ended their engagement one year later when Carl called time on their romance, comes after the former couple appeared to reconnect during season 10 of the Bravo reality TV series.

Related: Carl Radke Says Ex Lindsay Hubbard Seemed ‘Much Happier’ Amid Pregnancy

Lindsay Hubbard brought the pregnancy glow to Summer House season 9, according to her ex, Carl Radke. Carl, 40, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, February 12, that Lindsay seemed “much happier” while filming the latest season of the Bravo reality show last summer. At the time, Lindsay, 38, was expecting her first […]

Cementing their efforts to mend their relationship, Lindsay even unblocked Carl via social media in April.

Less than six months ago, Carl released his memoir, Cake Eater: Getting High, Hitting Low: And Trying to Stay in the Middle, which discussed his experience with addiction and how Summer House helped him reflect on deep-seated issues. The book also touched on his breakup with Lindsay.

“Would I tell someone else to fall in love before hitting their one-year mark? Probably not,” Radke wrote in the book, referring to his friendship with Lindsay turning romantic within the first 12 months of him getting sober. “There’s a reason everyone says to wait a year, and I’ve seen firsthand how messy it can get. But I don’t regret it. That relationship was part of my recovery, and it taught me a lot about myself, about being intimate with someone and about what I actually need and want in a partner.”

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Related: Carl Radke Says Lindsay’s Pregnancy Was ‘Closure’ — But He’s Still ‘Blocked’

Carl Radke is “glad” he returned to Summer House for season 9 — even though his ex-fiancée Lindsay Hubbard was pregnant while filming. Carl, 40, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, February 24, that he felt his and Lindsay’s chapter was “100 percent” closed after he learned she was pregnant. Lindsay, 38, announced her pregnancy […]

The book also discussed Carl’s decision to call off his engagement to Lindsay and the impact the split had on his mental health. “When you wake up day after day to see your name in the news next to words like lies and manipulation, when something as sacred as your sobriety is being questioned, when you feel like you can’t escape the noise and find a moment of peace, it takes a toll,” he wrote in the memoir, which was released on December 30, 2025.

His words continued, “Our dynamic wasn’t healthy, and walking away, as hard as it was, felt like the most compassionate choice for both of us. The pattern of conflict, the lack of trust, the communication breakdowns: they weren’t getting better, despite our efforts in couples therapy. I had to be honest with myself: if we went forward, the conflicts we couldn’t resolve now would likely follow us into marriage. I wanted a future built on stability and trust, and despite the love we had, I couldn’t see us creating that together. I couldn’t go through with the wedding knowing what I knew.”

As for Lindsay’s subsequent relationship with Turner, the reality star confirmed at the Summer House season 9 reunion in June 2025 that she and Gemma’s father were putting “our romantic relationship on pause” for the moment. “We are just focused on being the best parents we can be to Gemma. We are coparents,” she explained at the time.