Jelly Roll is opening up about a difficult moment in his ongoing weight loss journey, admitting that recent setbacks left him feeling uncertain and off track. 

After making incredible progress over the past few years, the country star found himself slipping into old habits during the holidays and dealing with an unexpected injury that disrupted his routine. 

Now, he’s being honest about the fear, frustration, and renewed determination shaping his next chapter.

Jelly Roll revealed that his progress took a hit toward the end of last year after he eased up on his strict routine. 

After years of discipline, the singer chose to enjoy the holiday season without holding back, a decision that quickly changed the momentum he had built.

“We hit the goal and it was right before the holidays, so I was like, ‘You know what man, I’ve been working hard for the last three years losing this weight, I’m going to enjoy the holidays,’” he explained in a YouTube video. 

That mindset led to a series of indulgent meals, including Thanksgiving, his birthday, and Christmas. 

Things became more complicated when he suffered a broken collarbone just days before Christmas, forcing him to stop exercising altogether. 

“I had a big Thanksgiving meal, I had a big birthday meal, I ate a big Christmas meal. Kinda got off the rails and I broke my collarbone … a few days before Christmas,” the singer said per PEOPLE. 

Jelly Roll Admits Fear Of The Scale After Weight Gain

As his routine slipped, Jelly Roll also began avoiding something that had once been a key part of his progress: the scale. 

The 41-year-old admitted that fear started to take over, making it harder to confront where he stood.

“I have, to some degree, lost my way,” he said candidly, acknowledging how far he had drifted from his earlier discipline. 

Jelly Roll went on to describe the anxiety he felt about weighing himself again, saying, “I am scared to [weigh in]. I feel really fat, I feel really bloated, I feel like the scales are going to let me down.”

Eventually, he faced that fear and stepped on the scale, revealing he weighed 276.2 lbs., a gain of 12 pounds. 

Reflecting on the situation, he admitted, “Avoiding weighing in has been the problem.” 

Jelly Roll Refocuses On Goals With Major Plans Ahead

Despite the setback, Jelly Roll is not giving up on his transformation. The artist, who began his journey in 2023 at over 500 lbs and has since lost an impressive 275 lbs., is now setting new goals to keep himself motivated.

He shared that he wants to continue losing weight and is aiming to drop another 40 to 50 pounds to reach his desired maintenance level. 

At the same time, he’s pushing himself toward a challenge he never imagined before. 

“I’ve never ran a marathon or thought about running a marathon,” he said, revealing plans to take on the New York City marathon in November.

Beyond fitness, he also has personal milestones in mind, including a bold visual goal that reflects how far he has come. 

“I know it’s getting real silly now, but I just believe there’s a story that a guy can go from 560 lbs. to a shirt off picture, it’s absurd,” he shared.

Jelly Roll Says He Attended Grammys With Broken Collarbone

Earlier in March, Jelly Roll opened up about a painful “secret” he kept just days before his big Grammy wins, revealing he was seriously injured but still powered through the event. 

As The Blast reported, the country star shared that he broke his collarbone after flipping an ATV shortly before the 2026 Grammys but chose not to tell anyone at the time. 

He admitted, “I was out there running all over the Grammys with a broken collarbone,” adding, “Every time I hugged somebody… I wanted to scream.”   

Despite the intense pain, he walked the red carpet and went on to win three major awards that night. 

Jelly Roll later explained that he kept the injury quiet because he didn’t want it to overshadow the moment. 

Looking back, he described the experience as both joyful and physically overwhelming.

Jelly Roll Declares Himself ‘California Famous’ After Surreal Fan Moment

A few weeks before his Grammy win, Jelly Roll revealed his fame had officially hit a new level after a surreal moment in Los Angeles made him realize just how big he had become. 

According to The Blast, the rapper shared that while walking along Rodeo Drive, a place he used to visit anonymously, he was suddenly recognized by fans, something that had never happened to him before. 

“For real. I’m California famous now,” he said, describing the experience as a turning point in his career.  

The moment stood out even more because Jelly Roll, had spent over two decades grinding in the industry before breaking into the mainstream in recent years.   

He admitted he used to enjoy visiting Beverly Hills precisely because “nobody knows me,” making the sudden attention feel both shocking and validating.  

Now, with major awards, chart-topping hits, and growing recognition across the country, Jelly Roll said the unexpected encounter marked a clear sign that his career had reached a whole new height.

Young and the Restless early weekly spoilers for April 27th through May 1st reveal Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) being trapped and Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters) absolutely disgusted.

As we always do on early edition day, we go through what’s happening the rest of this week, then dig into what is ahead next week.

Young and the Restless Spoilers Wednesday, April 22nd: Jack Sends Diane A Note

So, on Wednesday, April 22nd, we’ve got Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) sending Diane a note and a vintage ring, and Jack’s begging forgiveness, saying he loves Diane. Meanwhile, Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) is over at Jack’s house talking about both of their marriage issues. And Jack’s heard that Diane won’t give him benefit of the doubt on the Patty situation.

And he and Nikki agree that Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) is disgusting for setting all this up. Nikki says her marriage may really be over. Jack offers Nikki a scone as Diane walks in. The spoiler for this scene, by the way, says Diane catches Jack and Nikki in a compromising position. Jack and Nikki eating pastry is not a compromising position unless they’re doing it naked in bed.

Y&R Spoilers: Diane Loses It on Jack & Nikki

So, Diane gives Jack back the ring and he begs Diane to forgive him and she accuses Nikki of wanting Jack for herself and hopes she’s happy. Nikki insists she’s angry at Victor and Jack tells Diane he loves her again but she just storms out. So Jack tells Nikki maybe, you know, his marriage really is over. But she tells Jack Diane is so upset because she loves him. And Jack tells Nikki it may be time for the nuclear option, which is faking a romance to make Victor and Diane jealous.

Michael Baldwin (Christian LeBlanc) tells Lauren Fenmore (Tracey E. Bregman) that Victor is using AI to ruin Phyllis’s company and fake criminal evidence against her and Billy and Cane. Michael doesn’t want Lauren to be collateral damage. The staffing attack is just part one. Michael thinks this faked evidence is real enough to really take Phyllis down. Lauren wants to warn Phyllis, but Michael says it’s too late to stop it. But he tells Lauren they might be able to save Phyllis.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Phyllis Plays it Cool

Meanwhile, she’s telling Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) that she doesn’t mind the people quitting the company because Phyllis says now she doesn’t have to pay them severance. Victoria tells Phyllis she is definitely going down. Christine Blair Romalotti (Lauralee Bell) joins and she and Victoria mock Phyllis for her kids cutting her out of their lives. Victoria asks Christine if she’s going to be the DA and says Victor told her. And Christine’s wondering why Victor is keeping tabs on her. I’m guessing he wants Christine to file charges on his enemies. Victoria pushes Christine to accept the DA role.

Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) joins and Victoria asks about Jack, but Kyle is just disgusted because Victoria keeps enabling all the bad things her father does, including what Victor did to his parents. And when Kyle leaves, Victoria tries to downplay what Victor did while she’s talking to Christine. Tries to keep things focused on Phyllis’s shenanigans. And Victoria then offers Christine some information she could use as DA to destroy Phyllis.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Diane & Patty Face Off

Patty taunts Diane about staying in Genoa City and how she’s going to be spending time with Jack. And then we’ve got Patty saying she’s going to comfort him since Diane’s being awful. Patty also reaches way back into decades ago to blame Diane for a miscarriage she had back then.

And Patty later runs into Phyllis who isn’t happy to see that psycho on the loose. Patty is being weird as usual. And Phyllis reminds her she tried to kill her daughter. She thinks Phyllis needs to show more grace after all the bad things she’s done. Patty prods her also about her kids not talking to her and recommends therapy. Kind of ironic.

Michael later warns Phyllis that Victor is about to get criminal charges dropped on her. Michael says he may be able to help Phyllis out of this scrape. Victor thanks Patty for the good job she did and gives her a big old bag of cash, but Victor warns her not to tell anybody. And then Patty tells Victor she’s thinking she’s going to stay in Genoa City.

Young and the Restless Spoilers Thursday, April 23rd: May Sweeps Kicks Off

Thursday, April 23rd is when May sweeps kicks off and we’ve got Claire Newman (Hayley Erin) there to support Holden Novak (Nathan Owens). Obviously, his head is still spinning from finding out his mom, Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox), lied all these years about who his bio father was and then he met Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore) and then found out he’s really sick. So, it’s just a lot. And Holden is going to introduce Claire to his mom, Stephanie, and she seems to approve of Claire. I’m sure that is going to rub Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) the wrong way, as most things do.

Also this week, things are tense as Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) talks to Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) and Stephanie. And then Cane makes a bold move for Lily. I bet he’s going to get tested to see if he can be Malcolm’s donor. Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) is on a dangerous path and he may soon get somebody he loves hurt because he is high all the time these days while lying and denying about it.

Friday, April 24th: Adam Drags A Confession Out Of Riza on Y&R

Friday, April 24th, big stuff as we wrap up the week. Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) drags a confession out of Riza Thompson (Tina Casciani). Adam wants to know if Riza has been Matt Clark‘s (Roger Howarth) accomplice against his family this whole time and if she was helping Matt trap Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Noah Newman (Lucas Adams).

Meanwhile, Sharon and Noah arrive at some creepy remote industrial spot that looks abandoned. That’s where they were sent. If you remember, Matt was texting Sharon from Nick’s phone. I wonder if the Newmans are savvy to that now. You’d think they would be since Sharon was also talking to Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan). Noah tells Sharon this is not what he was expecting and she asked Noah if they should go in or not on Young and the Restless.

And it looks like Sharon and Noah fall right into Matt’s trap. So, it could be info from Riza that leads the Newman brothers to find Noah and Sharon because this week Nick is behind the wheel with Adam riding shotgun looking pretty tense. That’s probably because Nick is high as a kite and Adam is insane to let him drive.

Victor has an offer for Phyllis that she won’t be able to refuse. So, Victor had a new AI constructed and it has engineered criminal evidence against Phyllis that he’s going to threaten to use against her. And I wonder if Victor is going to offer her a deal to testify against Billy and Cane if she gives back Newman. So, she’ll walk away with nothing, but she won’t go to prison. We’ll see.

Week of April 27th-May 1st: First Full Week of May Sweeps on Young and the Restless

The week of April 27th through May 1st is the first full week of May sweeps. And we’re going to see Matt’s twisted plan for Sharon and Noah all laid out. Not too much longer. And we’re going to get the big final boss battle between Nick and Matt Clark with Adam and others in the mix. The nightmare that is Matt is going to end soon. And Sharon, Noah, and Sienna should be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Kind of weird that everybody else went to Vegas except for Sienna unless she was on another flight or I don’t know is hiding in Chelsea’s room and I just missed her.

Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) presses Devon Winters (Bryton James) to drop the appeal against Mariah Copeland’s (Camryn Grimes) plea deal. Abby wants him just to accept that Mariah is getting the psychiatric help and that’s the best thing for her and they’ll take care of Dominic. I think Abby’s going to press this point, but Devon may not like it at all.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Will Cane Save Malcolm?

We will find out if Cane is a donor match and can donate bone marrow to save Malcolm’s life. Lily would be thrilled. Holden would too. That would help Cane’s whole redemption arc. Plus, Claire gets closer to Holden. And it looks like she is probably going to close that door for good on her and Kyle.

We’ll see if Phyllis is going to accept Victor’s offer and whether Phyllis will try and bargain for more than he is offering. But it sounds like he may have her over a barrel because of more dirty tricks. Nick must face his addiction because he’s currently still in the lie and deny phase.

But Josh Morrow teased it would be rock bottom for Nick if his getting high caused somebody to get hurt and that may be happening during sweeps. Nikki and Jack plot a way to make Victor and Diane jealous, but I think there’s going to be fallout from their nuclear option that neither of them are ready for.

An official report has now brought new and disturbing clarity to the case involving Celeste Rivas Hernandez and D4vd. What began as a gruesome discovery tied to a Tesla registered to the musician has now taken further shape through the Medical Examiner’s findings. Amid the results, Celeste’s family is breaking their silence with an unreleased photo of her and their first public statement.

RELATED: Footage Shows D4vd At Arraignment As He Reportedly Pleads Not Guilty To Murder Of Celeste Rivas Hernandez (VIDEO)

Medical Report Confirms Homicide In Celeste Case

According to the report released Wednesday, Celeste Rivas Hernandez died from “multiple penetrating injuries caused by object(s),” with the manner of death officially ruled a homicide. The Medical Examiner noted two penetrating wounds to her torso, including one in her right abdomen that injured her liver and another in her left chest. Two of her fingers were reportedly missing. The report also indicated presumptive positives for benzodiazepines and methamphetamine/MDMA in her system.

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey Ukpo addressed the release of the findings, expressing both relief and gravity in finally sharing the information with the public and the victim’s family. He emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, and prevention. And he even stated that access to these findings is essential for community awareness and future harm-reduction efforts. Partner agencies also played a role in securing court approval for the disclosure, as the case continues to unfold.

Family Shares Photo And Demands Justice For Celeste

Alongside their statement, Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family also shared an unreleased photo of her from years ago, seemingly enjoying a snow day, offering a more personal glimpse into the teenager they remember beyond the headlines. In their first public remarks since the case escalated, the family of the teen—who was found dismembered in a Tesla linked to musician D4vd—expressed gratitude to law enforcement and the District Attorney’s Office while also thanking the community of Lake Elsinore for their support. They described Celeste as “a beautiful, strong girl” and emphasizing how deeply she is missed.

“We would like to thank the Los Angeles Police Department and the District Attorney’s Office for their hard work. We would also like to thank the people of Lake Elsinore for all their support. Celeste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night and we spent wonderful times together,” the family wrote. “We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste.”

Folks Rush To TSR With Heated Takes And Prayers

As soon as the news dropped, folks wasted no time jumping in TSR’s IG comment section to get their feelings off. While some people got heated—claiming they want D4vd “one-on-one”—others shifted the focus to protecting children. Amid all the back-and-forth, plenty of users also paused to send prayers and condolences to Celeste Rivas Hernandez’s family, asking for grace as the situation continues to unfold.

One Instagram user @slimgoodie45 commented “Went from nobody knowing you too the death penalty is wild!!!“

This Instagram user @maiyathedonn said, “give me a steel bat, a redbull, and 45 minutes with him.“

And, Instagram user @keesha_trending_lee claimed, “He was trying to hide his DNA in her fingernails😫 CLEARLY she fought back….“

Meanwhile, Instagram user @barbiewwilliams wrote, “& was on tour like nothing happened…“

While Instagram user @princeleeofficial1 added, “Lord pls guide and protect our children out here 😭😭🙏🏿”

Finally, Instagram user @karamel_kutee shared, “People around her failed her, may she rest peacefully“

RELATED: Charging Documents Reportedly Reveal Disturbing Details About D4vd’s Relationship With Celeste Rivas Hernandez

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced and featured many celebrities, and one of them is Tom Hardy. While he isn’t permanently in the MCU, he made a cameo in Spider-Man: No Way Home after teleporting out of the Sony universe. Now, this unofficial MCU character has returned to the streaming charts.

Before the MCU, Hardy has starred in numerous major projects since his career started in 1998. Since then, he has received an Academy Award nomination for “Best Supporting Actor” for The Revenant, a “Rising Star Award” at the 2011 BAFTAs, and “Best Actor in an Action Movie” at the Critics’ Choice Awards for his role in Mad Max: Fury Road. And while it would have been cool to see him appear in a future MCU project, Hardy revealed that he was close to having that vision come to reality. So, as fans prepare for the return of Spider-Man in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the Avengers in Avengers: Endgame, viewers have turned to the actor’s last Marvel film.

Venon: The Last Dance has recently returned to the streaming charts, sitting at #5 on Amazon Prime’s Top 10, between Mercy and Pretty Lethal. The film continues after the post-credit scene events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where he’s teleported back to his own universe, but is now being tracked by Knull (Andy Serkis), the creator of the symbiotes. Since its release, Venom: The Last Dance has generated over $478.9 million at the box office and was nominated for “Best Science Fiction Film” at the Saturn Awards.

Are Sony’s ‘Venom’ Films Worth Watching?

The Venom trilogy is part of Sony’s Spider-Man Villain Universe, a separate and now-defunct cinematic franchise, as Sony Pictures holds the film rights to Spider-Man and its related characters. This ownership allows Sony to produce movies centered on Spider-Man characters who have not yet appeared in the MCU, and began in 2018 with Venom.

Starring Hardy, the Venom Trilogy follows Eddie Brock, a journalist who becomes a host to an alien symbiote named Venom. As the two form a symbiotic relationship, they become an anti-hero duo, facing bad guys on their own terms, but have an agreement to “not eat good people.” The first film became a massive success, generating over $856.1 million globally. While it didn’t sit well with critics, the audience praised it, giving it an 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its sequels, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Venom: The Last Dance, didn’t perform as high as its predecessor. However, it managed to maintain the same praise, with the films earning an 83% and 79% audience score, respectively. As the title implies, Last Dance was intended to be the franchise’s final installment. That said, it was recently announced that Sony is in early development on an animated Venom movie, and Tom Hardy is reportedly involved, though his direct role on the project remains to be seen.

Venom: The Last Dance is available to stream on Netflix. Follow Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

October 25, 2024

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Runtime

110 Minutes

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Kelly Marcel

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By TeeJay Small
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Sometimes you check out your favorite movies on IMDb and realize that the same great minds are behind everything you love. Other times, you can make surprising behind-the-scenes connections that improve the viewing experience behind movies that you thought were already perfect.

If you’re a fan of the 2018 Best Picture winner Green Book, for instance, I’ve got a fun fact that might just blow your mind. The real-life man Viggo Mortensen portrays in the movie, Tony ‘Lip’ Vallelonga, went on to become an actor himself, starring in several episodes of The Sopranos.

In case you don’t recall, Green Book centers on the true story of Don Shirley’s 1962 concert tour across the deep South. Shirley, a black man, knew that this undertaking could be extremely dangerous and sought to hire a chauffeur with a background in conflict resolution.

After asking around town, he heard about Bronx bouncer Tony Lip, who was out of work while his nightclub underwent significant renovations. As the film shows, Lip was initially hesitant to take the job, though the two grew extremely close over the course of the tour.

By the time the credits roll on Green Book, Tony has effectively invited Dr. Shirley to become a member of his family. The two remained close friends all their lives, even as Tony returned to bouncing at the Copacabana nightclub shortly thereafter. Years later, Tony Lip would meet Francis Ford Coppola and Louis DiGiaimo at that very club. The pair quickly came to admire Vallelonga’s authenticity and hired him in a small, uncredited role in The Godfather.

From there, Tony Lip began taking small roles in numerous films, including Dog Day Afternoon, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and Donny Brasco. His Italian-American heritage and lived experience as a nightclub bouncer in the Bronx made him an ideal candidate for mob movies, though his most memorable role was on the small screen.

In 2001, Lip began portraying New York mob boss Carmine Lupertazzi Sr. in The Sopranos. The character was known for his shrewd business acumen and ability to carefully speak in code to dodge the feds. Lip’s scenes playing off James Gandolfini’s Tony Soprano and Vincent Curatola’s Johnny Sack feature some of the show’s most memorable moments.

Today, both Tony Lip and Dr. Shirley have passed away, but their friendship has been immortalized through Green Book. The fact that Tony went on to act in The Sopranos years down the line may not have a direct effect on the movie, but it may add some color to your viewing experience.

Furthermore, this behind-the-scenes fact reminds us that the era of Jim Crow and segregation is not as distant as we like to remember. It should be jarring that a person could be a grown adult man during that period of American history, and still be alive to perform in a show that ran through 2007.

Unfortunately, Green Book isn’t currently streaming anywhere, but it’s well worth the price to rent or buy a physical copy. All six seasons of The Sopranos are available to stream on HBO Max.

Days of Our Lives early weekly spoilers for April 27th through May 1st reveal Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) is furious and Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) attacks.

As we always do on early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week. Then we talk about what is ahead next week.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers Wednesday, April 22nd: Johnny Takes Matters Into His Own Hands

With that in mind, on Wednesday, April 22nd, we’ve got Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) taking matters into his own hands with regard to Chanel Dupree DiMera‘s (Raven Bowens) health crisis. So, she may be pushing off seeing her OB about the breast lump. Or maybe she’s just, you know, not thinking about it.

After all, Chanel was distracted because Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) dropped off Trey early from babysitting and then Lani Price (Sal Stowers) showed up and got her all excited. And we know this week that Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) is requesting an ASAP mammogram. I presume it’s for Chanel. If she isn’t following up with Sarah, I would guess that Johnny either prodded Chanel or he went ahead and scheduled the scan for her.

DOOL Spoilers: Lani Reconnects with Kristen

So, we’re going to see Lani also catching up with her old convent friend, sister Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk). And I’m sure that she’s going to be thrilled now that Lani is back in Salem to stay. I wonder if she’s going to realize that Kristen is up to something, which is her usual mode of operation.

Tate Black (Leo Howard) is arguing with Sophia on Wednesday. Interested to see if Brady was able to lift fingerprint evidence off the bottle that Tate took, but it definitely looks like he’s exasperated with Sophia getting away with her crimes. Tate wants her arrested.

Marlena Evans (Diedre Hall) asks Xander Cook Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) some hard questions, and I wonder if this is because he’s venting about seeing Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) and Brady canoodling, shows his jealousy. Marlena may prod him if Xander harps on them getting intimate and Marlena may point out the hypocrisy because he was and is still shagging Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien).

Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) is still lying to Roman Brady (Josh Taylor) in his face pretty much every day. Kate’s fibbing and denying about her involvement in the Bonnie Kiriakis’ (Judi Evans) plagiarism lawsuit. Roman is going to be livid with her and I’m sure he will soon learn the exact lengths that Kate went to when she and Xander set up Johnny and Bonnie and also embarrassed Julie as a bonus.

Days Spoilers Thursday, April 23rd: May Sweeps Kicks Off

Thursday, April 23rd is the very first day of May sweeps and Leo Stark (Greg Rikkart) is asking Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) do something with him. Now, I can’t imagine he’s going to do anything like a date with Leo because Javi’s got a new firehouse hottie boyfriend, but Leo might be able to manipulate Javi into something.

New Chad DiMera (Connor Floyd) has questions for Gwen, and he may grill her about her involvement with the lab. Plus, EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) just kicked Gwen out. So, Chad may wonder why, after months of her living at the mansion, did EJ just suddenly toss her out.

Looks like new Chad is going to be very much in EJ’s face if the tone we’re seeing already is what is ahead. They were already bickering about Abby. This is not the same tenor of Chad who left town for Arizona. So, they’re obviously retooling Chad now that they’ve recast him. I really like this actor. I loved Connor Floyd over on Young and the Restless and I’m excited to see him in the role.

Days of our Lives Spoilers: EJ Caught Off-Guard

Also this week, EJ is totally blindsided and it could be about the will reading or Lexie Carver (Nikki Crawford). You know, maybe she’s waking up in a way he didn’t expect. If you remember, Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson) told EJ what signs that Lexie was exhibiting. I’m sure he’s going to go check. Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes) and Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) have a heart-to-heart.

I wonder if he’s going to tell Julie that he’s been comforting Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein), who keeps turning to him because of issues with Alex. Julie may caution Jeremy about hanging out with his married ex who’s been traumatized. And Julie may advise Jeremy, you know, maybe you should just move forward with your plan. Go back to New York, visit your dad.

Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) gives Stephanie a lesson on firearm safety. And I wonder if Steve is going to loan Stephanie a gun or buy her one for her own peace of mind. Or maybe the lesson is enough. I don’t think Alex wants a gun in the house, but he and Stephanie are doing a little better now. So, Alex probably just needs to zip it and smile and, you know, get a gun case with a fingerprint lock.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers Friday, April 24th: Brady Furious at Kristen

Friday, April 24th, we’ve got Brady hearing about the rude and mean things that Kristen said to Marlena. And I think Brady’s almost at a breaking point with Kristen, but usually Marlena may be able to calm Brady down, but he may decide soon that he really has no choice but to fight for custody to end Kristen’s bad influence on Rachel and on his family once and for all.

Xander is chewed out by Sarah. And I wonder what is it now? I wouldn’t put it past Xander to make a snide comment about her and Brady looking awfully intimate when he saw them the other day. I don’t think Sarah will deny it. Maybe she’ll hand it back to Xander pretty hard.

Alex and Stephanie have a moment of closeness. Things were already looking better and she leaves Alex to go run an errand. And then he hears a knock at the door and he thinks it’s Stephanie. Runs to the door calling out that was fast baby. Did you forget your keys? And Alex opens the door and it’s not Stephanie, it’s Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins).

DOOL Spoilers: Kristen Snaps on EJ

Plus, unhinged and increasingly angry Kristen slaps EJ right in the face and he is not too happy about that at all. Whatever they are arguing about, Kristen and EJ, it might be what provokes Kristen to make a phone call to give a terrible life-ending order.

So she calls crazy Sophia and tells her, “Do it today. No mess, no emotion. Just take the shot.” So sounds like Kristen is giving the kill order on her nephew Johnny. And when he finds out EJ might literally kill both Kristen and Sophia. And I think that would probably improve Salem if he did. You know, overall public safety, you know, improve the air, all of it, because they’re just toxic.

Week of April 27th-May 1st: First Full Week of May Sweeps on Days of Our Lives Spoilers

The week of April 27th through May 1st, it is our first full week of May sweeps. And Michael Roark’s last day as Jeremy Horton is Wednesday, April 29th. So, it looks like he throws a grenade and then leaves town because no doubt he’s the one who called Joy Wesley to tell her what is going on with Alex and Stephanie and probably advises Joy that now is the time to make her move.

I doubt that Jeremy knew that Joy had given birth to Alex’s child. I think if Jeremy knew that all along, he would have already told Stephanie, but Jeremy might have known that Joy had a baby because her mom was dating his dad. And then when he heard the pregnancy scare story from Stephanie, then I think Jeremy probably did the math and realized that Alex is the father of Joy’s baby on Days of our Lives.

So, I do think Alex will be, no pun intended, overjoyed about a baby, no matter how it came out. So, looks like Jeremy is going to leave to see his dad, Mike. Though, we’ll see if he stays away. You know, he may be watching from the sidelines to see if Joy can blow up Alex and Stephanie’s marriage, and then Jeremy could swoop back in to help pick up the pieces.

DOOL Spoilers: Fallout from Stefano’s Will

We’re going to have major surprises and fallout from Stefano DiMera’s (Joseph Mascolo) last will and testament reading that’s coming our way in May sweeps. Theo’s mom, Lexie, should wake up any moment now. Meanwhile, Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) cannot stop thinking about what Theo wrote about her in his journal. Now, he used that really clever code system and called her G instead of Gabi.

But I think she probably figured out that what she read was about her. Between that and the secret she’s keeping from Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) about what she did to Titan, we could see Gabi struggling soon. Alex is probably going to be pushed by Stephanie to get a paternity test and Shawn Douglas-Brady (Brandon Beemer) and Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) to get closer as he recovers from the shooting.

Hulu’s The Testaments pulls inspiration from Margaret Atwood‘s book — but what significant changes did The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff make?

Based on Atwood’s novel of the same name, The Handmaid’s Tale, which aired from 2017 to 2025, takes place in a dystopian future where low fertility rates lead women to be assigned to men for the purpose of bearing children.

The Hulu show took inspiration from Atwood’s source material before expanding with The Testaments. Set 15 years later — in the book at least — the follow-up is narrated by Ann Dowd‘s Aunt Lydia as viewers are thrust back into the dystopian future with characters such as Agnes from Gilead and Daisy from Canada. Together, they secretly gather and smuggle incriminating information about Gilead’s regime out of the country. Agnes and Daisy pose as “Pearl Girls” to infiltrate Canada, while Aunt Lydia acts as a covert source within Gilead.

“Although I could not continue with the story of Offred, I could continue with three other people concerned in these events and tell the story of the beginning of the end, because we know from The Handmaid’s Tale that Gilead vanishes,” Atwood told journalists at an event in 2019. “It’s no longer present 200 years into the future, because they’re having a symposium on it. How did it collapse? How do these kinds of regimes disappear? I was interested in exploring that.”

She continued: “There [are] some new costume choices in this book. Human beings throughout time love outfits that tell you who you’re looking at, like football teams and things like that. So yes, we have some new outfits.”

When The Testaments premiered in April 2026, creator Bruce Miller explained what they pulled from the page — and what they didn’t.

“I’m trying to not necessarily take things in the order they happen in the book, but to take the big central elements and move them into a timeline that makes as much sense as we can,” Miller told The Hollywood Reporter. “We’re definitely trying to follow the overall story of the book, but the ins and outs of the actual storyline are difficult because characters are different ages, and we had to redefine the Daisy character to keep things practical in our world.”

Miller also wanted to expand in certain areas.

“With Handmaid’s, there was always stuff to mine. All the way up to the last season, we were mining pieces. A lot of these things are mentioned in the book very vaguely, and we said, ‘Oh, let’s take that seed and let it bloom,’” he continued. “But this is Margaret’s world, and that’s the resource that we should be going to. She’s a very solid storyteller, so if we’re going to do something different than what Margaret did, we need a reason. I’m trying to [adapt] as much as I can because I think it worked in the book for a reason, not because I have general fealty to the book.”

Keep scrolling to see the biggest differences between the show and book:

The Difference in a Time Jump

While Atwood’s book picked up 15 years later, the spinoff show is set four years after the events of The Handmaid’s Tale series finale.

Daisy’s True Identity

Atwood’s version of The Testaments introduced Daisy as the name given to Nichole a.k.a June (Elisabeth Moss) and Nick’s (Max Minghella) daughter who went by Holly by the end of The Handmaid’s Tale.

Daisy is not Holly in the TV show — largely because of the time jump.

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Related: Chase Infiniti Says ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Spinoff Has a ‘Beautiful Darkness’

Hulu Hulu’s highly anticipated The Handmaid’s Tale spinoff The Testaments is in the works — but what is there to know about the show so far? Margaret Atwood’s dystopian universe was initially brought to life with The Handmaid’s Tale, which is based on the novel of the same name about a future where low fertility […]

Lydia’s Backstory Being Explored

Ann Dowd teased before The Testaments premiered that Lydia would be a school teacher in the TV world while the book revealed she was a family court judge.

The General Timeline

Creator Bruce Miller confirmed that The Testaments’ debut season will cover that first section of Atwood’s novel. Since The Handmaid’s Tale ran for six seasons based on one book, The Testaments will likely take liberties as well if it finds success on Hulu.

Commander Judd’s Casting

In Atwood’s The Testaments book, Judd is described as a high-ranking Gilead commander who repeatedly marries child brides in his advanced age. The Plums, like Agnes and Becka, don’t glorify the chance to marry him. On the show, Judd was aged down and portrayed by actor Charlie Carrick. Agnes and her classmates are in awe of Judd’s wife, their friend Penny.

Trick Daddy is ruffling feathers once again — and nope, it’s not a sorority! This time, it’s women over 40 popping OFF on him. The rapper recently sat down for an interview and stood ten toes down, basically on some “he said, what he said” energy, as he explained why he doesn’t go for women over 40 and claimed “young tenders” are more his speed.

RELATED: Trick Daddy Speaks Out After AKA Regional Director Shuts Down His Performance Over “Disrespect” To Sorority (VIDEO) 

Trick Daddy Put It Plain: “It’s Young Tenders Or Nothing”

Recently, Trick Daddy pulled up to The Art Of Dialogue and made his dating preference loud and clear. He said he’s not dating anyone over 36 — and doubled down, saying 40 is really his cutoff. He added that he’s over older women, claiming they take life too seriously and stay complaining about what they will and won’t tolerate.

“Man, I’m tired of them b*****s. I’m tired of them b*****s to the point where […] it’s like the older you get, the more serious you want to get out of life, and your seriousness don’t involve me, and don’t involve men,” Trick said.

That wasn’t all, Roomies! Trick Daddy kept it going and said older women come with too many rules, and their standards are way too high. “Let’s start respecting and loving on each other. Stop making it all about you and these f*****g rules.” He continued, “Lower your f*****g standards.” 

Then he made it clear he prefers that his partners are nice and young, because when they’re younger, they appreciate more.

“I want me a nice little [tender] something that’s going to appreciate me. That’s gonna tell me I smell good. That’s going to tell me they like my shoes sometimes,” he noted.

The Miami emcee also said older women try to present themselves as mature, but to him they’re doing all this “little girl s**t” and still “acting like a old a** witch.” He added, “So, I like mines young and tender. I want mines young tender and needy to call me ‘daddy’ and say, ‘Thank you baby.’”

Hazel E & The Roommates Weigh In On Trick’s Dating Preference

Once The Shade Room dropped the clip from Trick Daddy’s interview, the comment section went CRAZY. Hazel E even slid in with a quick lil’ response, writing, “We feel the same 💅🏽”

Meanwhile, some Roomies 40+ said the young girls can have him, and others straight up said they’re glad they didn’t make the cut. 

Instagram user @missnehi wrote, “They can have him. We don’t feel no type of way about it either 😂. Have fun young tenders!” 

Instagram user @tattoomanpaige wrote, “😂😂😂 his name Trick Daddy and y’all acting surprised about him wanting to Trick 😂😂” 

While Instagram user @ms_standonbusinessall2026 wrote, “Basically you want a young girl you can train.” 

Then Instagram user @tr_issensational wrote, “As a 39 year old woman, I feel blessed and safe that he doesn’t want me.”

Another Instagram user @thearmybarbie wrote, “He funnier than Boosie 😂😂” 

Instagram user @mtray6 wrote, “I’m 50. Whew I’m glad I didn’t make the cut 😂” 

Then another Instagram user @_polodadyme wrote, “The Women Under 40 Dating Him, Step To The Front I Wanna Ask You Something.” 

While another Instagram user @smashadams43 wrote, “Trick loves the kids.” 

Finally, Instagram user @dominiquechinn wrote, “This entire video is hilarious, it’s just funny to me 😂”

Trick Says He Will Always Be Unfiltered After AKA Performance Gets Cut

Those who know Trick Daddy already know he never holds back and always speaks his mind. He stood on business recently after organizers cut his performance short at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s 73rd South Atlantic Regional Conference. Regional Director Tiffany Moore Russell said his lyrics showed “disrespect” to the sorority, but Trick wasn’t having it. He immediately clapped back, saying his vibe doesn’t fit the “sadity and sanctified” crowd, and made it clear he’s always going to do him and be himself no matter where he goes.

RELATED: Pretty Girls Did What!? Jokes & Criticism Fly After Trick Daddy’s Heated Response To Alpha Kappa Alpha Cutting His Show (VIDEOS) 

Bold and the Beautiful early weekly spoilers for the week of April 27th through May 1st excite as Eric Forrester (John McCook) finally being back on the scene with his boxers in a bunch about something. Meanwhile, Ivy Forrester (Ashleigh Brewer) is called out and she gets roasted. It could be the end for her.

We’re also going to talk about Ridge Forrester‘s (Thorsten Kaye) reaction to the big news about Ivy lying, manipulating, and causing mass chaos at Forrester. Plus, Eric frustrated. Lots to discuss. Let’s get into it.

As we always do on early edition day, we’re going to talk about what happens the rest of this week, the week we’re in, and then we’re going to talk about what is happening next week on Bold and the Beautiful.

Bold and the Beautiful Wednesday, April 22nd: Will And Electra Still Hashing Things Out

So, on the Wednesday, April 22nd B&B episode, we’ve got Will Spencer (Crew Morrow) and Electra Forrester (Laneya Grace). They are still in the showroom. They are still hashing everything out. I don’t get it. I thought Will and Electra kissed and made up on the most recent episode and then this could be over with except for tying the loose ends. But no, we got way more yapping than we probably want or need.

Electra’s yapping to Will about Dylan crossing the line. And Will says he knows. And Electra has every right to be upset about that. But Will also reminds her that Ivy misrepresented things and overblew when she told Electra what she saw with Will and Dylan. And Will says Ivy made it sound like he was coming on to Dylan. And Will insists that he wasn’t. And of course she’s like, “Oh, you kissed Dylan.” And he’s like, “Yeah, well, you know, you kissed RJ Forrester.” (Brayan Nicoletti) So to me, they need to call that even, but I don’t think Electra is capable of being that reasonable.

B&B Spoilers: Will & Electra Talk it Out

So, right now, because of Ivy, they’re talking about how much time they lost. And Electra is going on about how they can’t get that time back. Girl, you’re wasting time now. That’s more time you’re losing, right? So, Will tells Electra that being away from her was the hardest thing in the world because Will just wanted to hold her and be near her, and because he couldn’t, it was torture.

And Electra says it was for her, too. And then she’s on about why she wrote the letter because she wanted to fix things and move forward. I would just love if this whole conversation honestly wasn’t happening because they already had it like twice now.

So, Electra’s upset at how long Dylan was staying with Will, but she was willing to forgive him. Sounds like past tense. And Electra thought that Will would go to her after reading the letter so they could fix things. And of course, Will has to remind her, “I never got the letter.”

And he does remind her that he did what she asked. Told Dylan to move out. She’s gone. And Will also again brings back up the I came back to Forrester to tell you she was gone and there you are with RJ, his lips on yours. And Electra will not own what she did because she’s bringing up Dylan again.

Will And Electra Confront Ivy on Bold and the Beautiful

But despite all of this, it looks like Will and Electra are a united front soon because later this week, Electra and Will are in the Forrester Creations CEO office and they are both facing off with Ivy. And boy are Will and Electra laying into her. And we’ve got Will looking furious. He’s pointing his finger angrily in Ivy’s face. She looks stunned. Deer in the headlights.

We’re also going to have Ridge and Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) in the room. They’re finding out what Ivy did. And once Will and Electra tell Ridge and Brooke exactly how Ivy lied, denied, caused all these problems, not just for the two of them, but got RJ all stirred up with things that weren’t going to happen, and basically Ivy was just triggering chaos all over the office.

So, I think there might be hell to pay because Brooke’s jaw is absolutely dropped, and Ridge looks furious. Will’s angry and Electra looks like she’s about to cry. I do wonder if Ridge is going to bring up in front of Will and Electra that Ivy was just pressuring Ridge to fire Will. And it was all over Ivy’s lies and manipulations.

If there is any justice in this world, Ridge will fire Ivy and Electra will cut her out of her life, bounce her back down under. After this whole shenanigan, Brooke is leaning on Ridge and they both look very disappointed. I do wonder if they’re going to give RJ a talking to or act like he was another of Ivy’s victims instead of just being a royal jerk.

Eric Forrester Finally Returns to B&B

Later in the week, we have finally got Eric Forrester back on Bold and the Beautiful. It’s been a minute. So, he’s up in the CEO office. He’s with Brooke and Ridge. None of them looks terribly happy. And I’m sure they’re discussing Katie Logan and Bill Spencer‘s (Don Diamont) fashion show, which should be kicking off at the end of this week and carrying into next week.

Now, as far as Brooke and Ridge are concerned, Katie and Bill stole Eric’s designs, and we’re preying on him. Brooke and Ridge are kind of stealing Eric’s agency, acting like he wasn’t an adult, free to transact with Katie and with Logan. And he wasn’t even really transacting. He was telling Katie, “I’m your new designer.” Right? So, that was all something that he would never have done if Ridge didn’t forcibly retire Eric.

Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Katie’s Big Day

I would expect Brooke to make one more drive by over to Logan to try and stop Katie from using the designs in her fashion show, but it’s way too late. Katie and Bill are arm-in-arm and all smiles as the Logan models take to the runway in dresses that Eric designed. And then Katie is also on the Logan runway.

Looks like she’s glaring at somebody. So, there could be gate crashers at the big debut. I wouldn’t be surprised if Brooke and Ridge make a scene. I expect the Logan fashion show drama to pick up momentum when sweeps kicks off on Thursday, April 23rd.

Dylan Gets A Scary Phone Call

Also this week, we have Dylan getting a scary phone call from somebody using a voice modulator to disguise it. And this mystery person tells Dylan they have unfinished business. And she looks really shaken up. So, this could be somebody from Miss Dylan’s past that we don’t know about or somebody currently on the character canvas looking to make trouble. Some people are wondering if Luna Nozawa (Lisa Yamada) has finally clawed her way out of the grave.

Week of April 27th-May 1st: First Full Week of May Sweeps on Bold

Then the following week, April 27th through May 1st, it is the first full week of May sweeps. We’re going to have more Logan fashion show drama because I’m sure Brooke wants to humiliate Katie. And I’m betting that Bill is expecting trouble and may be ready to push back hard. Dylan is reeling from the mysterious and creepy phone calls she got. I do wonder if she’s going to run to Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone) and tell him about it since they’re so close now.

Hopefully, we’re also going to see Ivy doing her walk of shame out of Forrester Creations after everyone finds out what an awful little liar that she is. Curious to see if RJ can see for himself that Ivy was manipulating the whole Electra and Will situation or if RJ is still going to somehow try and blame Will for all of this. And I really hope that Ridge gives a solid talking to RJ about his garbage attitude and his high-handed demands, telling his dad what people he needs to fire. I mean, imagine if another new employee was doing that.

Bold and the Beautiful Spoilers: Remy’s Big Secret Revealed Soon

Also, we should see more of Remy Pryce (Christian Weissmann) as sweeps heats up and we find out who he’s connected to on the Bold and the Beautiful character canvas. It’s somebody who’s supposed to be a schemer like him. That brings a couple of names to mind.

We should also see more of Deacon and Taylor Hayes (Rebecca Budig) enjoying their happily ever after while Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) lurks and stalks and schemes. There are life-changing things happening next week on Bold and the Beautiful. You don’t want to miss a minute of the drama.

Feature-length animation has been in an exciting and high-quality moment in the modern era, with the wide array of sequels to classic animated franchises, as well as engaging original films that are moving the medium forward. However, the great state of the industry is not only thanks to the successful animated films of the past few years, but also to the array of exciting projects about to be released.

Whether it be the latest releases from tried-and-true classic studios or new faces leaving their mark on the medium, many exceptional animated films are set to come out over the next few years, becoming must-watch experiences for any and all fans. These aren’t the only animated films of note set to premiere soon, but these are some of the most striking and effective releases that audiences need to keep an eye on.

‘Swapped’ – Release Date: May 1st, 2026

Image via Netflix

With the vocal talents of Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple, as well as bringing together a lot of ex-Disney talent, Swapped is setting itself up to be Netflix’s defining animated offering of 2026. The film sees Jordan and Temple as a woodland creature and a majestic bird, who suddenly go from being mortal enemies to unlikely allies as their bodies are suddenly swapped. The duo soon ends up getting a greater understanding of the others’ perspectives as they fight to survive the deadly wilderness.

While the animated offerings of Skydance Animation haven’t exactly blown away audiences yet, Swapped seems to have the exact levels of charm and earnestness required to make for a really impactful animated hit. It’s definitely setting itself up to recapture that sense of Disney magic in a new and engaging way, and especially after his Academy Award win, you simply can’t underestimate the star power and influential pull of Michael B. Jordan.

‘Minions & Monsters’ – Release Date: July 1st, 2026

Image via Universal Pictures

Illumination has been one of the most consistent studios for massive blockbuster success in the world of animation, having just had massive box-office success with The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Minions & Monsters hopes to follow up on the already lucrative and widely beloved franchise with yet another goofy installment of animated hijinks and mischief. The film sees the Minions getting into all sorts of rambunctious adventures in Hollywood, as well as going on a quest to find some real underworld monsters to use for their movie.

While the series has been perceived as relatively simplistic and basic by some critics, there is a clear passion and love for it, most prominently seen by the previous Minions film, which spawned the massive “gentle minions” trend. While it’s still early to determine whether this film will have a similar trend, it’s certain to deliver the same signature Minions style of humor, potentially becoming a box-office juggernaut in the process.

‘Shrek 5’ – Release Date: June 30th, 2027

Image via Universal Pictures

While Shrek was once a titan of an animation franchise during the 2000s, the franchise has been in a large dry spell as DreamWorks prioritized some of its other IPs and original films. However, following the massive success of the spinoff film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, now is the perfect time for the long-awaited fifth film to strike, with Shrek 5 poised to be yet another box-office smash for the franchise.

However, even more than simply being a new entry in the franchise, the potential for this animated satire feels rife with creative brilliance. The original films were all-time icons of animated comedy movies, being some of the first films that come to mind when considering this specific subgenre. Also to keep in mind is just how much the prospects and culture surrounding Shrek have changed since the last entry, with it feeling all but inevitable for this modern film to comment on that in some way.

‘The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender’ – Release Date: October 9th, 2026

Image via Paramount+

Even over a decade and a half since its conclusion, Avatar: The Last Airbender remains one of the most celebrated and exceptionally crafted animated series of all time. As such, the prospect of a cinematic continuation of the franchise following the beloved characters into adulthood has all sorts of expectations and hype in following up on a legend of 21st-century animation. The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender hopes to recapture the true magic of the franchise with the same creative forces as that original series.

The film will follow Aang and his friends embarking on a global quest to find an ancient power that has the potential to save his culture from extinction. So many people have wanted to see a continuation of these characters for so long now, as it will certainly be praised and loved by fans if it even comes close to recreating the magic of the original series.

‘Hexed’ – Release Date: November 25th, 2026

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Walt Disney Animation Studios has certainly had more success with their franchise sequels than original films in recent years, yet Hexed seems to be oozing with that sense of charm and likability that makes an original Disney film flourish. Set for the classic Thanksgiving week release, the film will follow an awkward teen discovering that his distinct quirks are actually magical powers, transforming the lives of himself and his mother as they uncover a mysterious magical realm.

Many details are still shrouded in mystery, aside from its distinct mother-son theming and an overwhelming focus on all things magic. It almost feels like a Disney spin on Harry Potter, and considering the fact that the studio hasn’t had an original animated film since the lackluster Wish in 2023, this feels like the perfect opportunity to remind audiences that Disney are titans of original animated storytelling.

‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ – Release Date: June 18th, 2027

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Few animated films of recent memory have been as overwhelmingly praised and influential as the Spider-Verse saga, with many fans waiting with bated breath over the climactic conclusion to the trilogy, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. The fact that so little has been shown about the film has been stinging fans for years now, considering not only the fact that Across the Spider-Verse ended on a cliffhanger, but the original release date of the film was 2 full years ago in March 2024.

It’s certain to feature the same strikingly beautiful and electrifying animation that made the previous two films such fan-favorites, with the prospects of Miles now being on the run from the Spider Society and facing off against an alternate-universe Prowler version of himself instantly hooking audiences. The film is one of the safest bets as far as brilliant animated films are concerned, as fans are begging that the film not get delayed again.

‘Forgotten Island’ – Release Date: September 25th, 2026

Image via Universal Pictures

The next film from DreamWorks Animation will be Forgotten Island. This original story brings together Joel Crawford, director of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and first-time director Januel Mercado to create a striking, colorful story of friendship, adventure, and memories. The film follows a duo of long-time best friends who find themselves stranded on a fantastical but dangerous island, searching for a way home but possibly having to sacrifice their lifetime of memories together.

From the trailer alone, it’s easy to see that Forgotten Island has the same sense of striking, exceptional animation that made The Last Wish such a surprise fan-favorite. Combining this animation style with some entertaining original characters and a vast island of creative potential of its premise seems to be a recipe for some genuinely great animation that perfectly exemplifies the strengths of modern DreamWorks. It certainly has the potential to be a perfect DreamWorks movie if it can effectively recreate the charm of The Last Wish.

‘Ally’ – Release Date: 2027

Image via Barunson C&C

Ally acts as a massive rarity within the animation industry, seeing the absolutely legendary South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon Ho making the jump to animation. Considering just how creative and brilliantly original his filmmaking has been in the likes of Parasite, Memories of Murder, and Mickey 17, the concept of Bong creating an animated film is as shocking as it is exciting. The film is still a far way out, but its very existence and production is cause for excitement, especially after the first look release of the main character’s baby blue design.

Ally follows a lovable squid dreaming of becoming the star of a wildlife documentary, but those plans of stardom come to a sudden halt when an aircraft sinks into the ocean, threatening the safety of the peaceful maritime world. From the premise alone, it’s easy to see how Bong can utilize his signature themes of class and capitalistic greed throughout this story, while simultaneously imbuing it with the charm and lovability that animation can provide.

‘Toy Story 5’ – Release Date: June 19th, 2026

Image via Pixar Animation Studios

No singular franchise of computer-animated films has been as simultaneously influential and critically praised as the Toy Story films. The prospect of additional sequels following the legendary ending of Toy Story 3 still feels weird, but it doesn’t take away any of the must-watch qualities of Toy Story 5. The film sees the toys having to deal with the difficulties of technology, with Bonnie receiving a tablet that has put their jobs out of commission.

While some are wary about such a direct anti-technology message, if any franchise is going to tackle this topic with grace and care, it’s going to be Toy Story. The animation feels as breathtaking as always, as there is a simple charm and coziness to seeing these beloved characters back on the big screen. It’s up in the air whether the film will live up to the other Toy Story films, but either way, it’s still absolutely the must-watch animated blockbuster of the year.

‘Wildwood’ – Release Date: October 23rd, 2026

Image via Laika

LAIKA has made a name for itself by creating some of the most beautifully crafted stop-motion animated films of the modern era, with layered storytelling that appeals to children and adults alike. However, the studio hasn’t released a film since 2019’s Missing Link, with their upcoming Wildwood finally looking like a return to form for the legendary animation studio. The film is setting itself up to be the studio’s most ambitious film to date, a sprawling adventure with massive stakes that pushes stop-motion to its absolute limits.

The film follows a girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother as they travel through a forbidden forest filled with magical creatures, lovable allies, and dangerous enemies. Her quest will have massive ramifications as this entire magical realm threatens to fall out of balance if she fails. Large chunks of the film are still shrouded in mystery, but LAIKA has such an exceptional track record that it’s impossible to imagine Wildwood being anything less than a work of art.

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Wildwood

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Release Date

October 23, 2026

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Director

Travis Knight

Writers

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Chris Butler, Carson Ellis, Colin Meloy

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