For most network procedurals, main character deaths are to be expected at any given turn, and viewers have to go in with the knowledge that their favorite characters could be killed off at any time. Such are the rules for intense and long-running series like Grey’s Anatomy, and Criminal Minds. There are other procedurals, though, that have lighter tones and have thus essentially guaranteed the safety of their core main characters, like High Potential, and — until this week — Will Trent.

Will Trent has never shied away from darker storylines, particularly through its characters’ tragic backstories and the heavy cases that they work each week. Still, though, the show has an unspoken agreement with its viewers that the main characters will always make it out alive, and that things will always get better. No character has had to survive the sort of lasting stakes that would change the status quo or destroy the show’s darkly comedic tone. As of this week’s episode, though, Will Trent has broken its core rule and irreparably damaged the show, with the shocking death of Amanda Wagner (Sonja Sohn).

‘Will Trent’ Season 4 Just Killed Off Amanda Wagner In a Devastating and Disrespectful Way

Image via ABC

Amanda Wagner has always been a fundamental part of Will Trent, and the show should never have killed her off, especially since she’s still alive in the Karin Slaughter book series on which the show is based. That said, if Amanda had to die, it would’ve made more sense to have her die from her gunshot wound last season. She could have died in an intense moment in the Season 3 finale after being shot, or in a quiet moment this season from long-lasting complications. Instead, Will Trent gave Amanda a disrespectful off-screen death that only seems to serve the purpose of furthering Will’s (Ramón Rodriguez) story arc. James Ulster’s (Greg Germann) serial killer daughter, Adelaide Trevens (Mallory Jansen), has been torturing Will since she abducted his uncle, Antonio (John Ortiz), several episodes back. In this episode, “The Blank Expanse of Nothing,” Adelaide has agreed to negotiate Antonio’s safe return with Will, on the condition that he doesn’t tell anyone.

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9 Episodes After Ulster’s Death, ‘Will Trent’ Has Officially Found Its Next Great Villain

James Ulster has a disturbing successor.

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Will has been faking an illness to take some time off work and deal with Adelaide. Nobody knows that he’s in contact with her, but Amanda finds out when she goes to Will’s house to check on him. Later, Amanda goes off on her own to look into The Commander, a child who’s working with Adelaide, before she’s then surprised by someone who sneaks up on her. This is the last time we ever see Amanda Wagner alive. At the end of the episode, Adelaide interrupts her meeting with Will to explode at him for telling Amanda. She then gives him a “surprise” that turns out to be Amanda’s dead body. Instead of an emotional on-screen death, all Amanda gets is a violent off-screen stabbing. To make things worse, her death is only used to show Will’s brief reaction, undercutting the emotional impact of this major loss.

Amanda Wagner’s Death Is the Kiss of Death for ‘Will Trent’

There are absolutely certain procedurals that can get away with killing off main characters, but Will Trent is not one of them. It has a small, tightly-knit ensemble cast that will be forever changed by Amanda’s loss. Everyone cares about her, but Faith (Iantha Richardson) is losing her aunt and mentor, and Will is losing the person who named him and put him on this path. Will Trent is also a funny, silly show that regularly breaks up its dark cases with delightfully ridiculous dream sequences and quippy banter. There will be no going back to the silly humor or tight-knit GBI / APD dynamic of the Will Trent from before Amanda’s death — take 9-1-1, for example, which shifted away from being a hopeful show about found family and instead became a heavy show about grief after Bobby Nash’s (Peter Krause) death.

In a post-episode interview with Variety, Will Trent‘s showrunners, Liz Heldens, Daniel T. Thomsen, and Karine Rosenthal, explained their controversial decision. They teased a “completely new dynamic” and “a reset for our characters” that will change the entire show forever. The problem is, Will Trent doesn’t need a reset. Season 4 has been firing on all cylinders. The only weak spot this season has been that the show hasn’t given Amanda much to do beyond brief storylines related to her recovery from the shooting and a betrayal from her recent ex-girlfriend (Janina Gavankar) — both of which put her job in jeopardy. Will Trent has clearly been setting up a storyline where Amanda temporarily loses her job and gets replaced by the conniving Bill Appleyard (Jason Davis), so it feels very out of left field for the show to kill Amanda off at this point. By killing off Amanda, Will Trent has proven that it’s not wedded to consistency in its storylines, and it is no longer the show that fans fell in love with.

Will Trent airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 P.M. EST on ABC.

Veronica Roth is expanding her Divergent universe.

Roth, 37, announced during BookCon on Saturday, April 18, that two new installments in the dystopian series are on their way. The stories will be set in a companion timeline to Divergent and will serve as a duology that asks the question, “What if Tris hadn’t transferred to Dauntless?”

The first novel, titled The Sixth Faction, will hit shelves on October 6.

“The Sixth Faction started as an experiment — not a sequel, not a prequel, and not a spinoff, but something new, something that would allow me to explore the series that launched my career,” Roth shared in a Saturday press release. “I feel very fortunate that the team at Harper was eager to meet that challenge with me — and I’m excited that, in the year of Divergent’s 15-year anniversary, readers and I both get to rediscover the story and the characters like they’re brand new.”

Related: If You Love Sarah J. Maas, You’ll Love These Romantasy Books

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Readers will be reintroduced to Divergent protagonist Beatrice Prior in The Sixth Faction, rewinding the story to the beginning, where she must decide to choose her faction after being labeled as a Divergent — someone who holds traits of multiple factions.

While Tris famously chooses Dauntless in the original story, this time, tragedy will strike at her Choosing Ceremony and everything will change — “her world, her plans, even Beatrice herself,” the logline reads. “Her ensuing decision thrusts her into the crosshairs of an underground rebellion, and into the path of a boy with secrets as dangerous as her own — a boy with only a number for a name.”

Vice President and publisher at HarperCollins Children’s Books Erica Sussman shared her support for the series in a statement on Saturday, sharing, “The Sixth Faction is a tour de force. We were thrilled to explore this new take on the Divergent world with Veronica, who has taken her storytelling talents to new heights that will thrill longtime fans of the series and delight readers new to the world.”

The Divergent series was previously adapted for the big screen. The trilogy — Divergent (2014), Insurgent (2015) and Allegiant (2016) — starred Shailene Woodley as Tris and Theo James as her love interest, Four. A fourth film, titled Ascendant, was meant to conclude the series but was abandoned after the third film’s low box office sales.

There has been no news on whether the new duology will be adapted.

The Sixth Faction will be available on October 6.

Madonna’s Coachella comeback is already stirring controversy. The pop icon made a surprise appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s second weekend headlining set, but instead of universal praise, the performance quickly sparked backlash from fans accusing her of lip-syncing.

Madonna’s Coachella Comeback Sparks Lip-Sync Backlash

Madonna entered the stage in dramatic fashion, emerging from beneath the platform toward the end of Carpenter’s set, marking a full-circle return nearly 20 years after her own iconic 2006 Coachella performance. Dressed in a purple corset, tiny shorts, matching gloves, and high-heeled boots, she joined Carpenter for a mashup of her hits “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer,” with heavy backing vocals driving the performance.

Social media lit up almost instantly, with critics claiming Madonna wasn’t actually singing live during the duet. “She can’t sing so she has to lip-sync,” one claimed as another wrote, “Has she ever sang live? no never.”

On X, one user wrote, “Madonna is lip syncing and Sabrina is singing over the backing track. Sabrina sounds great” Another added, “Lip syncing, I’m pretty sure. The vocals aren’t matching with when the microphone goes to their mouth.”

Someone else wrote, “This is cringeworthy. Bullsh-t theatre crap.”

‘Passing The Torch’ In Coachella Moment

While some critics questioned the performance, plenty of fans were quick to celebrate the unexpected collaboration. Social media lit up with praise for Madonna’s influence and the full-circle moment of her sharing the stage with a new generation of pop stars.

“There would be none of this without Madonna. She’s passing the torch to the next generation. First Brit [Spears] and Christina [Aguilera], and now Sabrina. Lucky girl, Sabrina,” one user wrote. Others were simply stunned by the surprise pairing. “I am unwell! Madonna x Sabrina singing Like A Prayer was not on my bingo card,” another fan shared.

Some even framed the moment as a symbolic endorsement from the Queen of Pop herself. “If there’s one thing Madonna never fails to do, it’s give her blessing to the pop newcomers,” someone else said.

Madonna Reflects On ‘Full Circle’ Coachella Return Amid Backlash

Despite the controversy, Madonna took a moment to reflect on what the performance meant to her. “Wow, thank you… Sabrina, thank you so much for inviting me on your show,” she said to which Carpenter replied, “No thanks needed, Madonna.”

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“Well, I have a few things I want to get off my chest,” Madonna continued. “So, 20 years ago today I performed at Coachella. I was in the dance tent, and it was the first time I performed ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor, Part One’ in America. It was such a thrill and it’s a thrill to be back. It’s a full circle moment, you know? Very meaningful for me.”

Urging Fans To ‘Be Together’ As New Album Nears

Madonna also addressed the crowd directly, urging unity despite the noise surrounding the performance. “Let’s try to be together. Let’s try to avoid disagreements. And to that point, the great thing about music is that it brings people together,” she said.

The appearance comes just ahead of her upcoming album “Confessions II,” set to drop July 3. Madonna described her upcoming project by referencing the opening lines of her track “One Step Away,” explaining, “People think that dance music is superficial, but they’ve got it all wrong. The dance floor is not just a place, it’s a threshold: A ritualistic space where movement replaces language.”

She went on to note that the vision dates back to the very beginning of the album’s creation, adding, “When Stuart Price and I first started working on this record, this was our manifesto.”

Sabrina Carpenter Turns Coachella Set Into Celebrity-Filled Spectacle

Madonna wasn’t the only celebrity to join Sabrina. Across both weekends, her Coachella sets were packed with surprise cameos that added an extra layer of buzz and unpredictability.

Weekend one featured Sam Elliott opening the show, setting the tone before Will Ferrell appeared later in a comedic bit as an electrician. Samuel L. Jackson also made his presence felt, lending his voice as a guiding narrator throughout the set.

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For weekend two, Carpenter switched things up again, bringing out Terry Crews, who stepped into the spotlight and performed a snippet of “A Thousand Miles,” a playful nod to his unforgettable “White Chicks” moment.

Louis Tomlinson appears to have cut internet ties with former One Direction bandmate Zayn Malik.

Tomlinson, 34, has unfollowed Malik, 33, on Instagram as of Saturday, April 18. When the change occurred remains unclear, but Tomlinson’s sisters, Phoebe and Lottie, are also no longer following the “Pillowtalk” singer. Tomlinson is still following his other 1D group members, Harry Styles, Niall Horan and the late Liam Payne.

Malik, for his part, was still following Tomlinson at the time of publication. (The Sun was first to report the news.)

Tomlinson’s social media move comes one day after The Sun reported about an alleged physical altercation between the musicians. The incident allegedly occurred while the duo were filming their unnamed three-episode docuseries.

The series, produced by Campfire Studios, is meant to follow Tomlinson and Malik as they “embark on a road trip across America in a spontaneous adventure of reconnection, exploration and a lot of laughter,” according to a fall 2025 press release.

The former bandmates would also open up about “life, love, loss, fatherhood” and their late bandmate Payne. (Malik is dad to daughter Khai, 5, whom he shares with ex Gigi Hadid, while Tomlinson shares son Freddie, 8, with ex Briana Jungwirth. )

Shortly after news broke of Tomlinson and Malik’s alleged feud, the doc’s director, Nicola Marsh, shared a post about The Sun’s reporting via her Instagram Stories, per screenshots taken by multiple outlets.

The future of the docuseries remains uncertain. Us Weekly has reached out to Tomlinson, Malik and Campfire Studios for comment.

Tomlinson and Malik met in 2010 when they both appeared on X-Factor and were paired with Styles, Horan and Payne to form One Direction. They subsequently shot to global superstardom, remaining a fivesome until Malik’s departure in 2015. 1D announced their official hiatus the following year in January 2016.

While speaking to Us in 2017, Malik confirmed that his relationships with the other group members had changed since the band ended, but insisted that everyone remains on a “civil leve.l”

“It’s not the way it used to be. Obviously, we were a lot closer because we were together the entire time, spending 24 hours a day in the band, and now we’re not, so we’re living our own lives,” he told Us. “We’re all growing as individual men, and we still keep in touch and check in with each other, not as much as we used to.”

Tomlinson told The Sun that same year that he and Malik had recently reconnected.

“My mum said, ‘You’ve got to get back in contact with Zayn. Life’s too f***ing short,’ ” Tomlinson recalled at the time, adding that pair “really care about each other.”

“I could always break the rules a little bit with Zayn,” he quipped. “It was that brotherly love. We will always have that love for each other.”

Tomlinson and Malik were reunited again alongside Styles and Horan after Payne’s tragic death at age 31 in October 2024. The foursome made their first public appearance together since Malik’s departure at Payne’s funeral.

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Related: Everything the One Direction Alums Have Said About Leaving the Band

Musical superstars. Pop boy band One Direction became one of the biggest groups of the 2010s after its five members — Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik — met as contestants on the reality television series The X factor in 2010. The five singers became a group at judge Simon Cowell’s […]

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Tomlinson later stated that Payne’s passing had brought the former bandmates back together again, but he wasn’t sure if that renewed bond would last.

“I suppose that we’ll see in time,” he told Billboard in a January interview. “Naturally, there is a closeness — it definitely feels closer than it was. But I think we’re all so busy, it’s hard to keep that consistency.”

The “Lemonade” singer noted that the relationships were different person to person. “Like, Niall — and hopefully he’d say the same about me — we could not exchange a text in a whole year and then go for a beer and literally be chatting nonstop,” he said.

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse reportedly had a frightening encounter outside of his Los Angeles home. A new report says the “Suite Life of Zack & Cody” actor confronted an alleged home invader he spotted on his lawn the morning of Friday, April 18, 2026.

Former Disney Star Dylan Sprouse Reportedly Tackled An Alleged Home Invader In April 2026

A source shared with the Los Angeles Times that Dylan tackled a man on the lawn near his California home in the early hours of Friday morning. Dylan’s wife, Barbara Palvin, reportedly noticed a “creepy guy” around 12:30 AM before calling the police and reporting a possible burglary.

Another source told TMZ that the “Suite Life on Deck” performer also confronted the man with his firearm and, at one point, held him at gunpoint. The insider went on to say that while Dylan was OK, he was visibly shaken by the incident.

Video Shows Suspect Being Handcuffed, Later Arrested On Warrants

Law enforcement revealed that the suspect was arrested on outstanding warrants; however, they’ve kept their identity under wraps. A source told the outlet that police could not arrest the suspect for burglary because the situation was more closely aligned with trespassing.

TMZ released a video of the arrest, which showed LAPD handcuffing a suspect (whose face was blurred). The body camera footage also showed a skateboard leaning against the fence of Dylan’s property, which reportedly had “Private Property” and “No Trespassing” signs on the gate.

Disney Alum Opens Up About Marriage To Wife, Palvin

Dylan began his career in the ABC sitcom “Grace Under Fire” before appearing in movies “Big Daddy” and “The Master of Disguise.”

Dylan’s breakthrough role was alongside his twin brother, Cole Sprouse, in Disney’s “Suite Life” franchise, which also featured Ashley Tisdale and Brenda Song.

The twins withdrew from life in the public eye after wrapping up their time on the Disney Channel in 2011, but slowly started coming back around years later, letting fans into more of their personal lives.

In 2024, Dylan opened up about married life with his partner, Hungarian supermodel Palvin.

“Mornings are really great, just because there is like a very calm and collected satisfaction of waking up next to your wife—which is a cool thing to say, by the way, like, ‘my wife,’ and also in a Borat voice, it’s fun too. But when you roll over and you see your beautiful wife and she’s asleep and then you see your dog and you’re in your house and the things that you like, created, it’s very calming and it’s very nice and it makes you want to work harder,” he said.

Dylan Isn’t The Only Ex-Disney Channel Star Making Headlines In 2026

Dylan isn’t the only Disney alum making headlines in 2026.

According to a previous report from The Blast, “Even Stevens” actor Shia LaBeouf has been under fire since February 2026, when he was arrested in Louisiana during New Orleans’ popular Mardi Gras celebration.

The “Transformers” star was reportedly asked to leave a bar after displaying “aggressive” behavior and allegedly assaulting a patron.

Weeks later, LaBeouf was back in the spotlight after reportedly terrorizing New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club members. Per The Blast, the club is located across from the actor’s home, and according to a source, LaBeouf has frequent “hot and cold” interactions with the members.

The alleged behavior got so bad that the tennis club sent a notice to its members, asking them not to interact with LaBeouf, and even closed the entrance near his home.

The news came after LaBeouf was seen having an animated conversation with police outside of his house. While the details of their conversation haven’t been made public, LaBeouf can be heard screaming in the video, “You gotta understand who I am. I’m a target.”

LaBeouf Doesn’t Think He Has A Drinking Problem

After his latest legal woes, LaBeouf sat down with Channel 5’s Andrew Callaghan and denied having a problem with alcohol.

“I think I have a different problem, and I’m gonna address it … I think I have a small man complex. I think it’s something that has to do with anger and ego more than my drinking,” he said.

LaBeouf vowed to address his problems, but said it wouldn’t happen in rehab. “Does that mean I gotta go to rehab again? I’m just not into it. I don’t think my answers are there. I just don’t … I genuinely don’t. If I genuinely did, I’d go,” he said.

Ice Spice is now speaking out after a chaotic fight broke out inside a Hollywood McDonald’s. The incident reportedly unfolded on Wednesday while the rapper was seated in a booth with a female friend when a fan approached their table. The woman, identified as Vayah, appeared to ask for space to sit, but the interaction quickly escalated into a tense exchange. Video footage shows Ice Spice gesturing toward the door as the situation grew increasingly hostile, before things suddenly turned violent.

Ice Spice Fight Escalates Inside McDonald’s And Spills Into The Street

The altercation took a shocking turn when Vayah struck Ice Spice in the face, triggering a full-blown fight. The two were seen exchanging blows inside the restaurant before the chaos spilled outside, with Ice Spice at one point being knocked to the ground. Bystanders attempted to intervene as the situation spiraled, with voices heard shouting for everyone to “Calm down!”

Even after the initial fight appeared to settle, tensions reignited. Ice Spice picked up a phone from the floor, later believed not to be hers, and instead of returning it, threw it outside the restaurant.

When questioned, she responded, “‘Cause f-ck y’all, that’s why. F-ck you and that b-tch.” The confrontation quickly escalated again outside, where Ice Spice could be heard shouting, “Why would I relax when she’s touching me?” and repeatedly asking, “Where is she?”

Turning Fight Drama Into Wendy’s Plug After Viral Clip

Vayah later shared her version of events, claiming she initially approached Ice Spice and her friend with compliments but was met with what she described as a rude response. “So she kept going on, then she calls me a b-tch, so after she calls me a b-tch, I hit her,” she said.

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After footage of the incident spread across social media, Ice Spice addressed the situation in her own way. Sharing the clip online, she quipped, “This wouldn’t happen at Wendy’s.”

The viral clapback comes amid Ice Spice’s ongoing partnership with Wendy’s. The rapper, who previously worked as a cashier for the brand, has leaned into the connection online, even updating her bio and promoting the chain in recent posts.

Ice Spice’s Lawyer Calls Fight ‘Unprovoked’ As Legal Action Looms

Ice Spice’s attorney has since responded, describing the situation as an “unprovoked attack.” The incident has reportedly been referred to the Los Angeles Police Department, with potential legal action on the table.

The statement reads that the “unprovoked attack on my client has been reported to the LAPD and we will be pursuing any and all avenues to hold the perpetrators responsible for their actions, including criminally and civilly.”

The attorney also suggested the fast-food location could face consequences, adding, “Not to mention that the individuals involved obviously did not realize that we would get the video from inside the McDonald’s where the unprovoked attack occurred. They then turned their cameras on after the initial attack as if to set our client up, and as they say on the video to ‘go viral.’ The only thing that will be going viral for them is their mugshots.”

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Responding To Criticism With Bold Statement

Ice Spice is also speaking out about the criticism she’s faced for her music, particularly regarding her writing. In a recent interview with NYLON, the rapper admitted she may have initially fed into the narrative by downplaying her own talent.

“I think my mistake was basically … letting people feel like they were right a little bit,” she said. “People were trying to say that I’m not a lyricist, and I just kind of went in with the attitude of ‘Yeah, they’re right. I’m not.’ But it’s just not true.”

Ice Spice Explained Her ‘Digestible’ Lyrics In Past Interview

Her comments mark a shift from earlier statements, including a 2023 interview with Complex, where she openly discussed her approach to songwriting. “I wouldn’t consider myself a lyricist,” she said at the time. “Obviously, lyrics go into music, and I do think about them, and I do be having bars in my music but they’re just super simple.”

She added, “I want them to be digestible; I don’t want them to fly over people’s heads, and they never catch it. I want people to hear it right away and be like, ‘OK, that was cute.’”

Cinema is supposed to incite strong emotions, whether it’s joy, sadness, terror, exhilaration, or some combination of all of them. But there are some movies that, intentionally or otherwise, elicit one emotion above all others: pure, unadulterated rage. Sometimes it’s because of things beyond the film itself, like the social and economic realities of the world the film is released in, but there are also plenty of cases where a movie really angers the audience simply by being terrible.

Whatever the reasons may be, all of these “rage-bait” movies have a tendency to feed into the provocative and divisive trends of contemporary culture, particularly in online spaces. Even when they’re not entirely bad movies, these films have ultimately ended up being sources of toxic discourse that we really don’t need in an already divided world. With that in mind, here’s our ranked selection of some of the most rage-baiting movies of all time.

7

‘Mean Girls’ (2024)

Image via Paramount Pictures

The 2024 Mean Girls musical, directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., is an adaptation of the stage musical, in turn based on the iconic 2004 film, and all three were written by Tina Fey. Like the original movie, the film follows new kid Cady Heron (Angourie Rice), who attends an American high school for the very first time, enjoying instant popularity until she gets on the wrong side of queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp). Auliʻi Cravalho, Jaquel Spivey, Avantika Vandanapu, Bebe Wood, Christopher Briney, Jenna Fischer, and Busy Philipps star in key roles, with Tina Fey and Tim Meadows also reprising their roles from the original film as math teacher Ms. Norbury and Principal Duvall, respectively.

Mean Girls was never intended to be rage-bait, and the musical did find box office success, but it still rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. This is partly due to comparisons to the original movie, which, to be fair, is far superior, and partly because the film’s attempts to resonate with a younger audience don’t really land well. Despite its high-energy performances, the movie ultimately falls short of both the stage musical and the 2000s classic, and by trying far too hard to appeal to both millennials and Gen Z, the film ends up feeling way too cringeworthy for either group.

6

‘Ghostbusters’ (2016)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Also known as Ghostbusters: Answer the Call, the 2016 film Ghostbusters was directed and co-written by Paul Feig. A reboot of the 1984 classic, the movie follows a group of female scientists who use their research on the paranormal to start a ghost-catching business in New York City, eventually stumbling into a sinister conspiracy. The film stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, and Chris Hemsworth.

From the very moment it was first announced as an all-female reboot, the 2016 Ghostbusters remake was hit by a torrent of controversy, much of it sexist and misogynistic. However, the cast is actually the least of the movie’s problems. You’d think that a film that fought so hard to hit screens would at least be worth the trouble, but though it has some enjoyable comedic performances and does deliver a fairly entertaining experience overall, there’s nothing particularly memorable about it, and it’s ultimately just a forgettable imitation of the original. These days, the controversy is the only reason anyone even talks about it.

5

‘Speak No Evil’ (2024)

Image Via Universal

An American remake of the 2022 Danish-Dutch psychological horror film, Speak No Evil was written and directed by James Watkins and follows an American family who befriend a British couple while on vacation. After they’re invited to stay at a remote farmhouse, the Americans find themselves subjected to disturbing and offensive behavior by their hosts and soon realize they’ve walked into a dangerous situation. Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy star as the American couple, Louise and Ben, with Alix West Lefler as their daughter Agnes. James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi play their British hosts/tormenters, Paddy and Ciara, with Dan Hough, Kris Hitchen, and Motaz Malhees in supporting roles.

Both the Danish-Dutch and American versions of Speak No Evil are great horror movies, and they’re both guilty of rage-baiting, but in different ways. This is partly by design, at least with the original, which has a much darker ending that underscores the protagonists’ self-destructive passivity in the face of evil. The American version changes things up by having them successfully fight back against the villains, which is enraging for a completely different reason. In “fixing” the original’s ending, 2024’s Speak No Evil ultimately chickens out on being a truly disturbing horror film, which sours an otherwise excellent movie anchored by James McAvoy’s stellar antagonistic performance.

4

‘Materialists’ (2025)

Image via A24

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Written and directed by Celine Song, Materialists is a romantic comedy-drama that explores a love triangle between a matchmaker, her ex-boyfriend, and her wealthy new suitor. Set in New York City, the film stars Dakota Johnson as actress-turned-matchmaker Lucy, who runs into her financially struggling ex, John (Chris Evans), while being courted by rich financier Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal). Zoë Winters, Marin Ireland, Louisa Jacobson, and more star in supporting roles.

Released in 2025 by A24, Materialists was generally well-received by critics and successful at the box office, but it was also quite polarizing among viewers. This was always inevitable; it’s a movie that attempts to explore the pressures of economics on romance and relationships, released at a time when wealth inequality is at the worst it’s ever been in human history. But what makes the film so disappointing is that it falls short of its goals in the end because of unrealistic character choices, a barely-handled sexual assault subplot, the unlikable lead character, and a sanitized “Hollywood” ending, not to mention the misleading marketing and the fact that, for a film that’s purportedly a critique of materialism, Materialists doesn’t have any substantial or fresh perspectives on materialist behavior.

3

‘The Lion King’ (2019)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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A remake of the 1994 film, 2019’s The Lion King is a photorealistically animated film directed by Jon Favreau and written by Jeff Nathanson. Like the original Disney classic, the movie follows Simba, a young lion prince exiled from his kingdom after his father’s murder, as he returns to reclaim his rightful place as king. The film’s voice cast includes Donald Glover, Seth Rogen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Alfre Woodard, Billy Eichner, John Kani, John Oliver, Florence Kasumba, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Eric André, and more, with Jame Earl Jones reprising his role as Simba’s father, Mufasa.

Though it was a runaway hit at the box office, The Lion King is arguably one of the most infuriating films of all time, not because it’s a bad movie, but because it’s an unnecessary one. Despite the breadth of talent involved, the film adds very little to the original movie beyond its more modern animation techniques, and even that’s unimpressive. Nobody needed, wanted, or asked for a not-live-action-but-sort-of-live-action version of The Lion King, and the fact that all these brilliant, talented people were wasted on a naked cash-grab like this is exactly what people hate most about the movie industry.

2

‘Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker’ (2019)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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Produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams, Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker is the final movie of Disney’s Star Wars sequel trilogy and the conclusion of the franchise’s Skywalker Saga. The movie picks up after the unexpected return of Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), following the young Force-sensitive Rey (Daisy Ridley) as she races to find the Sith Lord and defeat him once and for all before he can launch a devastating offensive against the galaxy. Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Mark Hamill, and more reprise their roles as well.

The Star Wars sequel trilogy is a mixed bag overall, but The Rise of Skywalker is by far the worst film of the lot. From the very beginning, when Palpatine returns from the dead with no real explanation, the movie is a series of meaningless plot decisions and wasted scenes that add up to something slightly worse than the worst fan fiction. It’s honestly amazing that Disney actually spent half a billion dollars and hours of human labor on creating this film, a movie that is genuinely infuriating to both franchise fans and casual viewers.

1

‘A Serbian Film’ (2010)

Image Via A Serbian Film

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Produced and directed by Srđan Spasojević in his feature directorial debut, A Serbian Film is a psychological horror thriller centered on Miloš (Srđan Todorović), a struggling male pornstar. After agreeing to participate in an art film, he soon discovers that he’s actually working on a snuff film that features extreme pedophilia and necrophilia. The movie also stars Sergej Trifunović, Jelena Gavrilović, Slobodan Beštić, Katarina Žutić, and more.

A Serbian Film holds a reputation for being one of the most disturbing horror films ever made, and it actively tries to create as much disgust and anger in the viewer as humanly possible with each scene. Ostensibly, this is for “art,” but much like the movie within the movie, A Serbian Film is ultimately just an exploitative flick that exists purely to shock audiences, with no actual substance to it beyond the graphic sexual violence. The most infuriating thing about it isn’t even the themes or what’s shown on camera, but the fact that somebody actually had the gall to call this a “film.”

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A Serbian Film

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Release Date

June 11, 2010

Runtime

104 Minutes

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Director

Srđan Spasojević

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Writers

Aleksandar Radivojević, Srđan Spasojević

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Karrueche Tran and Deion Sanders have the internet smiling after a new moment between them started making its rounds. And let’s just say, folks are loving what they’re seeing. The two pop up looking real cozy, and fans already lock in on the vibes between them.

RELATED: Secure That Man, Sis! Social Media Reacts To What Karrueche Tran & Deion Sanders Said About Their Relationship (VIDEO)

Karrueche Tran And Deion Serve Couple Goals Energy

In a photo shared to Karrueche’s Instagram Story, she is seen rocking her signature dark bob with soft waves, a fresh face, and a bedazzled cross necklace paired with a colorful bikini top and stacked bracelets. In the snap, she holds onto Deion’s face and neck, pulling him closer toward the camera. Meanwhile, he leans in with a smile, rocking a dark shirt, gray beard, and layered chains. The playful, affectionate moment has social media eating it up, with many saying they can’t get enough of the couple’s chemistry.

Fans Share Thoughts On The Couple

Fans wasted no time running to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section, and you already know they had thoughts. Some joked that it’s time for them to find a “nice unc” too, while others said the couple looks genuinely happy and folks need to let them live. And of course, a few chimed in to remind everyone that Karrueche may look youthful, but she is very much grown.

One Instagram user @landonromano commented, “Her skin is TEA !!!! Not a single flaw 🔥”

Then Instagram user @buttababy03 added, “I love this for her & him!! 😍”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @dawn_milan14 claimed, “Get an older man they say 👏”

While Instagram user @certifiedmillennium shared, “Coach Prime done caught himself a interception 😂”

And, Instagram user @featuringchichi said, “Them ppl are HAPPY 🔥 and look good too❤️”

Lastly, Instagram user @bria.eulon wrote, “She’s no spring chicken this is perfectly fine. Let her live. She grown af. 😂”

Karrueche And Deion Stay Giving Us Life

Karreuche and Deion Sanders stay giving “sweet life” energy, and fans can’t get enough of it. The two have been letting folks in on their time together, and it’s clear they’re all about soaking up every moment and making memories. Back in February, Deion had Karrueche on FaceTime while talking about his Valentine’s Day plans, revealing they had a full weekend lined up—and baby, it was giving soft life all the way through. From a jazz night and dinner to a spa day (where Karrueche playfully called him out for being fully dressed under his robe), the couple kept the vibes going. They even shared more moments from their time together, including a train ride where Deion opened up about slowing down and really enjoying life with Karrueche right by his side, showing that these two are locked in on living in the moment together.

RELATED: Karrueche Tran Shared A Glimpse Of Her & Deion Sanders’ V-Day Date & Internet Users Can’t Stop Crackin’ Up At One Thing (WATCH)

The Virginia Tech football season didn’t exactly start off as planned.

The team’s spring football game on Saturday, April 18, was delayed by nearly one hour after a skydiver crashed into the scoreboard at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia during pregame festivities. The skydiver was hanging by the lettering on the scoreboard for about 30 minutes before emergency personnel could reach him.

Prior to the crash, the skydiver seemed to be on a good course towards the field where he was supposed to land. Carrying a giant American flag, he was gliding down towards the stadium before coming up short and hitting the scoreboard.

The impact broke off some of the lettering on the scoreboard, and the skydiver was stuck dangling by his parachute until authorities could get him down with a ladder.

Related: Parachutist at Armed Forces Bowl Gets Caught On Wire In Scary Pregame Moment

The parachutist who got caught on a wire while skydiving onto the football field before the Armed Forces Bowl reportedly avoided serious injury after the scary moment. Before the matchup between Texas State University and Rice University at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday, January 2, one of the pregame parachutists […]

Soon after the rescue, the Virginia Tech Athletics Department reported that the skydiver was safe and “currently stable.”

“We are grateful to report that the skydiver was safely secured and is currently stable,” said the Virginia Tech Athletics Department via X. “Our primary focus remains on their well-being. We extend our sincere appreciation to the first responders, event staff, and medical personnel for their swift, coordinated and professional response.”

The PA announcer at the stadium also announced to fans that the skydiver was OK.

Three skydivers made their way into the stadium, but only one landed onto the field as planned. Along with the skydiver who was stuck on the scoreboard, a third skydiver was pushed onto an adjacent practice field by the wind, according to authorities.

The scoreboard at Lane Stadium was visibly damaged when the skydiver made contact.

Later in the afternoon, reporter Andy Bitter posted a photo of the scoreboard, claiming to have seen the parachuter walking around in a sling.

“Just passed the parachuter outside,” Bitter said via X, along with the photo. “He’s walking away. Has his arm in a sling.”

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Saturday marked the first day of the James Franklin era at Virginia Tech. The acclaimed football coach joined the Hokies after spending the last 12 seasons coaching at Penn State.

“There’s nobody that understands the importance of winning more than me,” Franklin said at his introductory press conference in November 2025. “But there’s also a way to do it with character and integrity and we’ll continue to do that and represent Virginia Tech the right way on and off the field.”

He continued, “You could not have found a coach that’s going to pour his heart and soul into this place … I give you my word on that.”

Since the launch of Disney+, Marvel has completely reshaped its presence on television. What started with early hits like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Hawkeye has since expanded into a much larger slate that includes Ms. Marvel, Moon Knight, Agatha All Along, Wonder Man, and, currently streaming new episodes of its sophomore season, Daredevil: Born Again. These series have not only deepened the MCU’s bench of characters but also made Marvel television feel far more essential to the larger universe than it did in its early days.

That shift makes it even easier to forget that, not too long ago, Marvel’s TV efforts existed on the fringes, with only loose or inconsistent connections to the films. Agent Carter, starring Hayley Atwell, is one such series that got lost in the shuffle of the MCU’s early TV phase. Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely — longtime MCU writers credited for writing the first two Captain America films — created the series. But sadly, the show got swept under the rug, only lasting two seasons because of low viewership, and ending on a massive, unresolved cliffhanger.

Yes, an alternate version of Agent Carter gets another chance in the MCU series What If…?, but that does not absolve the cancellation of this show. For what it’s worth, the show deserved a chance to finish its ending, not only for the great lead performances but also for the over-the-top entertaining espionage mixed with sci-fi pleasures, representing a unique period in Marvel lore.

What Is ‘Agent Carter’ About?

The series centers around the titular Agent Margaret “Peggy” Carter following World War II. She is still serving the United States, working for the Strategic Scientific Reserve (S.S.R.), a wartime agency that later became a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. The first season has Carter grieving the loss of Steve Rogers, trying to prove that Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) is innocent of treason with the help of his butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), and showing herself a worthy agent to the sexist S.S.R. brass. The second season has Carter traveling to Los Angeles to investigate a scientific anomaly and a massive corporate conspiracy involving an actress, Whitney Frost (Wynn Everett), and a secret organization of wealthy elites.

Agent Carter succeeds because it creates a unique identity within the Marvel catalog as a post-war spy thriller from the late 1940s. This period has not been covered substantially in the MCU, beyond Howard Stark being filtered through some flashbacks and Toby Jones’ monologue in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. World War II is a significant period in U.S. history, and that is characterized in The First Avenger. But the period directly after is also fascinating within the MCU because this is where they planted the seeds of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra. These organizations shaped US politics in the MCU, and Agent Carter starts to build these threads. Such is shown in Jones’ cameo at the end of Season 1; that small scene, with him outlining why America is the land of opportunity even for villains, alludes to Hydra’s rise through S.H.I.E.L.D. as shown in The Winter Soldier.

Yes, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. deals with the behind-the-scenes actions of the government in a world of heroes, but Agent Carter engages with a pre-Avengers landscape still figuring out how to deal with superheroes. Yes, there is the possibility of building another super soldier, but this series focuses on the other heroes behind the scenes who kept Earth safe before Iron Man and Captain America popped onto the scene. Not to mention, the agents at the S.S.R. helped shape the government for years to come. Seeing their successes and their failures helps flesh out the rise and fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the existence of figures like Bucky Barnes/the Winter Soldier and Alexander Pierce.

‘Agent Carter’: The Rare Woman-Led Marvel Series

Image via ABC

That starts with Atwell, who is undeniably great in the series. The show, along with Jessica Jones, was one of the few MCU properties led by a woman at the time, and Atwell did the MCU justice. She rolled into the lead from her Captain America: The First Avenger performance deftly, giving Carter the edge and wit she needs to go toe-to-toe with several big baddies and her hot-headed, misogynistic industry. At the same time, Carter also emphasizes that she wants to do the best for people and tries to act with the morals of Steve Rogers, sometimes to a fault. With that said, she has earned her grief over Rogers because she has no time to get over him, given that she’s fighting to save Stark’s legacy, earn the trust of the S.S.R., and, oh yeah, deal with WWII fallout. Like WandaVision after it, Agent Carter spends a great deal of time reckoning with grief, and Atwell handles this perfectly.

The show also features a fantastic supporting cast around Atwell. Shea Whigham — who does great work in almost everything he is in, by the way — plays S.S.R. Chief Dooley, who conveys both the stresses of dealing with the job and his family life and the growth in trusting Carter. Enver Gjokaj is fantastic as Agent Daniel Sousa, an S.S.R. employee who was injured in the war and is supportive of Carter. Chad Michael Murray sells the brutish, cold, tough side of Agent Jack Thompson, while also subtly portraying the heartbreaking attributes of the character; he has a great monologue with Carter about his failures during WWII.

On a lighter side, James D’Arcy is delightful as Jarvis, serving as a comedic foil to Carter in several instances while also being a useful assistant (he deserved that cameo in Avengers: Endgame). In Season 2, Reggie Austin comes in as Dr. Jason Wilkes, a charming scientist who helps Carter with her investigation and serves as a brief romantic interest and conflict after he comes in contact with zero matter (which will be explained shortly).

‘Agent Carter’s Fantastic Villains

In addition, the show highlights some interesting villains. The first season introduces Leviathan, a Russian organization fighting back within the Cold War. They are represented by two figures: The first, Dotty Underwood (played brilliantly by Bridget Regan), is a sleeper agent who originally moves in next to Carter while watching her and the S.S.R. The other is psychiatrist Johann Fennhoff (Ralph Brown), who tricks Carter and the S.S.R. into trusting him to get access to Stark’s weapons, hypnotizing several agents. The sequences when Fennhoff deceives several people are some of the most compelling scenes in the series, taking the characters into these dreamlike places away from the cold, dark reality of the situation.

Season 2 introduces Whitney Frost, a name used as an alias for Madame Masque in most Marvel comic series. Frost is an actress and a scientific genius (her story is based on that of Hedy Lamarr). She comes into contact with Zero Matter, an implosive substance described as “more dangerous than anything we’ve ever seen.” Frost is taking control of her life for the first time after years of working in the background, showing up to a film with an artificial smile. The only shame is that she is stripped of her powers by the end of the season, but Everett makes the most of her time as the character.

So, Why Didn’t ‘Agent Carter’ Last?

Image via ABC Studios/Marvel Television

So why didn’t the show attract more viewers? Well, the series did get convoluted at points, trying to explain each character’s backstory and tie every moving part together. And to an extent, the show tends to move in circles before getting to the exciting parts of the plot. Each season works through several villains that manage to die within episodes of their introduction. There are also multiple diversions over the course of the series, from Peggy’s theater friend Angie (Lyndsy Fonseca) to the sloppy Agent Krzeminski (Kyle Bornheimer), that force talented actors into forgettable, stereotypical 1940s roles. Not to mention that some of the hand-to-hand action is shot and edited too quickly, and some of the sets look considerably cheaper than the MCU films and later series.

Yes, the show has some shortcomings, but overall, Agent Carter is still a special series. It holds an interesting place in the MCU’s history that may not have garnered the audience it deserved, but it forever provided an outlet for Peggy Carter to shine.

Agent Carter is now streaming on Disney+.

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Release Date

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2015 – 2016-00-00

Directors

Louis D’Esposito

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Writers

Stephen McFeely, Christopher Marcus

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Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe

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