In a perfect world, these sitcoms would live forever, running on endlessly like a favorite food you never get tired of. Unfortunately, all good stories must come to an end, no matter how much audiences wish otherwise. Still, in a purely hypothetical situation, some shows feel like they could keep going without ever losing their charm.

Whether it’s the camaraderie of the characters, the timelessness of the plots, or the bingeability of these shows, these sitcoms have become comfort watches that anyone could pick up on. With a staying power that’s hard to ignore, these shows have worked their way up to the audience’s hearts over time. Despite the changes, they still feel like a house that’s worth returning to. Without further ado, here are great sitcoms that have earned the right to run forever.

5

‘King of the Hill’ (1997–2009, 2025–Present)

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Set in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas, King of the Hill is a hilarious animated sitcom that follows the titular Hills and their neighbors’ lives. Hank Hill, a propane salesman, deals with the mundane day-to-day problems, from raising the sweet but unpredictable Bobby to keeping his wife Peggy happy.

King of the Hill is deserving of an open-ended run because of its relatable comedy that finds endless ways to comment on ordinary suburban life and routines. It relies on universal family dynamics and gentle social observation, both of which are timeless subjects. This enduring power is proven by its recent revival, which showcased King of the Hill‘s surprising staying power.

4

‘The Simpsons’ (1989–Present)

Image via Fox

Animated sitcoms wouldn’t be where they are today without The Simpsons. The iconic family has become an American staple, representing suburban life in all its chaos and charm. But not all real-life suburbs are as fun and wacky as what the Simpsons go through. Whether it’s taking over Springfield Elementary or going up against a conniving mayor, The Simpsons proves that the suburbs can be just as interesting as any major city, and it all starts with the family at the center of it all.

The show also has a knack for social commentary. Despite its lighthearted premises, it often slips in observations about real-life issues into its storylines. It’s even reached the point where The Simpsons is known for its predictions. If the show were to go on forever, it would be fun to see how The Simpsons continues playing with that idea, keeping their episodes fresh and relevant as it bases itself on current events.

3

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005–Present)

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When It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia first came out, it quickly established itself as a show full of ists: racist, sexist, ableist, and more. Simply put, it’s one of the most unapologetically offensive sitcoms to ever air on television. But it was also a product of its time. In an era where sitcoms were expected to live up to the Friends archetype, IASIP subverts that formula with an ensemble that thrives on brutally mocking each other daily. The camaraderie comes from their shared chaos — schemes to save Paddy’s Pub or fuel their own (often illegal) ambitions — which almost always end in them sabotaging one another.

Now, as the show heads into its 18th season, it’s clear IASIP was built for longevity. The jokes may not be as overtly offensive as before — and that’s a good thing — but the real chemistry has always come from the Paddy’s gang themselves. It’s a strange kind of comfort zone for anyone who enjoys something completely unhinged, and if it keeps going, it’ll be interesting to see how they maintain that same level of chaos as they grow older.

2

‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011–Present)

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People can’t get enough of Ocean Avenue’s best burger joint. Bob’s Burgers is the ultimate working-class animated sitcom. Husband and father Bob Belcher (H. Jon Benjamin) is obsessed with running his burger business — not because he wants to be the best chef in the world (though he is an excellent cook), but because he needs to support his family. Despite their humble setup — living right above their eatery — the Belchers are full of life and joy, always finding ways to bring that spark into the mundane.

Throughout the series, Bob’s Burger Shop has undergone numerous closures and reopenings. Whether it’s a fire, an insect infestation, or even a massive sinkhole right in front of the restaurant, it just can’t seem to stay down. That longevity is also a symbol of the Belchers’ perseverance. Across its many seasons and counting, Bob’s Burgers could easily run forever, especially as the Belchers continue to grow and mature — as they’ve already started to in recent seasons. But it would also be great to see the gang learn to embrace family even more, especially when business gets in the way.

1

‘Ted Lasso’ (2020–Present)

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Football season is back — and not the American kind. Across the Atlantic, football, or soccer as the States would call it, is alive and well, and it’s all because of Ted Lasso. Thanks to Coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), AFC Richmond slowly transforms into a well-oiled machine, even if they still miss a few goals here and there. The journey, of course, hasn’t been smooth. For one, the English aren’t exactly thrilled about having an American lead a sport their country practically treats as religion — and honestly, that skepticism is understandable.

Although Ted has already achieved much of what he originally envisioned for AFC Richmond, his story still feels far from over. The show also follows him through personal setbacks, many of which he only begins to confront as the series progresses. With a new season on the way, it’s clear Ted’s coaching career isn’t done yet. Yesterday it was the men’s team, today it’s the women’s club, and tomorrow? Maybe a junior team, where teenagers can humble adults like no one else. The possibilities are endless.

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Release Date

August 14, 2020

Network

Apple TV

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Directors

Declan Lowney, MJ Delaney, Erica Dunton, Matt Lipsey

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Jamie Lynn Sigler believes in miracles after witnessing her son Beau’s health recovery following a month-long hospitalization – and she’s revealing the powerful comment he made to her as he was on the mend.

“He looked at me with such clear certainty a few weeks after he was sort of coming out of everything,” Sigler, 44, exclusively told Us Weekly for her recent cover story promoting her upcoming book, And So It Is…: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope. “He said, ‘I went through this for you.’ I just looked at him and kind of nodded. He goes, ‘You needed to see me. You needed to see a body get better. You needed to see a miracle.’”

Sigler publicly revealed her Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis in January 2016. Although she was diagnosed at age 20 while filming The Sopranos, she kept her condition a secret for nearly 15 years in fear that it could negatively impact her acting career.

In August 2024, Sigler found herself as a hands-on caregiver for her then 10-year-old son when he was hospitalized and diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disorder called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). After 33 days in the hospital, Beau was able to return home.

Related: Jamie-Lynn Sigler Recalls Son Beau, 12, ‘Sobbing’ About Her MS Battle

Jamie-Lynn Sigler is candidly sharing how her son, Beau, has been affected by her battle with multiple sclerosis (MS). Sigler, 44, revealed during the Tuesday, August 26, episode of the “MeSsy” podcast that her 12-year-old son had a heartbreaking reaction to his mom’s illness after they watched the 1994 movie Forrest Gump together. “Beau is […]

“He’s a miracle, and he has changed, but it’s like this experience has just cracked him open,” Sigler shared with Us. “I don’t think there’s a week that goes by that I don’t have three or four random people text me or come up to me and be like, ‘I just met your son, Beau. He is just the most loving, wonderful human,’ and it’s from his experience.”

Ever since sharing her own health struggles with the world, Sigler has been praised by family, friends and fans for spreading awareness and going above the call of duty to uplift and inspire strangers in similar situations.

To this day, the actress may not realize the complete impact she has had.

“My husband [Cutter Dykstra] tells me all the time. He’s like, ‘That’s how people feel about you, Jamie, and it’s because of what you’ve been through. You’re so open. You’re so loving. You’re so there.’ …  That’s the gift I want to give other people. Your pain doesn’t have to break you. Your pain can break you free. Your pain can open your heart.”

Nearly two years since Beau’s health scare, Sigler admits that her family is “still putting the pieces together,” but they have changed in positive ways.

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“From this, we’re always grateful and present and really just feel lucky that we’re all here,” she said.

“I definitely had to call on strength that I didn’t even know I had. I had to find a voice that I’ve never used before. I radically opened myself up to help,” Sigler continued. “I remember just getting on my knees in just pure surrender like ‘God, I have nothing left. I need help.’ I have never felt more pain, but also more love and just really understanding what’s right on the other side of it. And I truly feel like everything in my life that I’ve been through prepared me for who I needed to be in those moments for my son.”

And So It Is…: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope hits bookstores on Tuesday, May 5.

It’s been more than a decade since Tangled became one of Disney’s most beloved modern animated movies, and the film has only grown in stature since then. For a whole generation of fans, Rapunzel’s story remains one of those comfort watches that still hits, whether it’s the music, the lantern scene, or the movie’s surprisingly sharp emotional core. Now, director Nathan Greno is stepping back into animation with something very different. His new Netflix movie, Swapped, is a body-swap comedy, but Greno says the film has something much bigger going on underneath all the fun.

Speaking with Collider ahead of the movie’s release this week, Greno opened up about why Swapped was never designed to be just a silly premise. Instead, the director said the story began with a simple emotional idea: empathy. “The idea from the beginning was to tell a story about empathy, and to tell a story that deeply resonates with an audience, and especially for where we’re at right now, in our current climate,” Greno explained. “You know, I think people are quick to see differences in one another. So, while we didn’t want to make a message movie, per se, the idea was to make a big, fun, entertaining roller coaster of a film that has you walk away and kind of think about things on a deeper level, maybe within your own life.”

That balance seems to be the key to Swapped. Greno doesn’t want the movie to feel like homework, but he also isn’t pretending it’s just chaos for chaos’ sake. The film takes the classic body-swap idea and pushes it through an animal-led story, something Greno said came from wanting to avoid the usual “human becomes an animal and learns a lesson” setup. He explained:

“We’re like, let’s tell a story about empathy. What does that mean? We did a lot of research on empathy, walking a mile in someone else’s shoes. Well, that sounds like transformation. Well, the thing that we kept going to is, like, we’ve seen those. We’ve seen the human that becomes the animal, and the human learns the lesson: I was wrong. And so we go, well, how do we do it differently? Because, again, I think it’s not a bad thing to put out into the world, and everything’s been done, so how do you do it in a way that’s, like, unique and different, and something that surprises audiences?”

Greno added that going “all animal” opened the movie up in a major way, especially because the story plays with the relationship between the smallest and largest creatures in the valley. “For me, it was the animal aspect, going all-animal, was one way to get there. That was really exciting. On top of it, we had scale that we were going to work with, because how does the smallest creature in the valley relate to the largest one? And then, how do you do scale? And scale in animation is not the easiest thing to do.” The movie was also inspired in part by nature documentaries, which helped the team think more deeply about how audiences understand size, movement, and physical space in animation.

“Those nature documentaries were us really examining why in the world, when you look at even a photo of a small creature, and we could go, I know how big that is. Like, just looking at a photo with no background, I could tell how big a dog is, you know, we know these things and to capture that, that was a real challenge, but I really believe the team got there.”

‘Swapped’ Has a Stacked Voice Cast

Swapped also has a major cast behind it, led by Michael B. Jordan (Creed, Black Panther) and Juno Temple (Ted Lasso, Fargo), with Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Last O.G.) also part of the ensemble. Greno said both Jordan and Temple brought so much to the film that they changed what he thought certain scenes could be. Temple, in particular, unlocked emotional layers Greno didn’t initially realize were there.

“I kind of approach everything this way, just as a director, I’m open to ideas. We’re going in a direction, but I’ve worked with directors that are so-called perfectionists, and I guess it’s perfection to their own liking, but I think if you’re open, and you’re going in a direction, and you let people do their jobs. From the beginning, I’ll say with Juno, when she came on, there were scenes that I didn’t realize were as emotional. I was getting choked up as she was doing them, I was going, well, I didn’t… I thought this was sort of, like, kind of a sad… I didn’t know this was this sad. It was like, she brought so much to it, she had to take a break, and I was going, ‘Oh, that just changed everything.’”

Speaking separately with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Temple said Swapped is a milestone for her in a way audiences might not expect. After years of live-action work in projects like Ted Lasso, Fargo, and Venom: The Last Dance, this is not only her first lead role in an animated feature, but her first real animated film altogether. She had briefly done voice work for a cartoon series before, but Swapped was the first time she had to fully live inside an animated character across an entire movie.

“I was like, ‘Wow! How exciting.’ I was just more like, ‘How cool. I haven’t explored that.’ I’ve had people in my life tell me that I would do a fun voice for kids’ films or for a cartoon,” explained Temple. “I was also thrilled by the script. I loved the script. And it’s actually my first animation film at all. I’ve done a voice in a cartoon for a series briefly, but I wasn’t in it that much. I only had to do two sessions for it. So, this was my first time actually really being a part of an animated film at all.”

For Temple, the pull of Swapped went beyond the novelty of trying a new medium, so when Weintraub pointed out that the movie’s message is largely about empathy and friendship, Temple concurred with his sentiment, but noted that there was another element to it, “And our environment, too! It’s about saving the planet.” Now it’s only a small quote, but it says a lot about how Temple sees the movie. Swapped may be built around a body-swap, Freaky Friday-style premise, but it’s a story with a bigger set of ideas underneath: how people treat each other, how they treat the world around them, and how much of life depends on learning to look beyond yourself.

Asked what she hopes little kids take away from the film, Temple pointed first to friendship, then to accountability, then to the planet itself. “I hope that they feel the absolute importance and need for friendship we’ll have throughout life. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you come from, what you do, your friends are always going to be integral to making your life better, bigger, and more beautiful,” said Temple. “It’s just the truth. And I think also accountability is really key, and learning things when you’ve done things wrong and right are important to pay attention to both.” She continued:

“Also, it’s about not judging books by their cover. You don’t know what it’s like to be somebody until you’ve really listened to them, or you’ve really understood who they are. I know this takes it to a degree where we won’t necessarily ever experience being able to step inside of another person’s body — maybe we will in our lifetime, I don’t know, but I think that it’s a really beautiful metaphor for really being unjudgmental with other people who are different from you, because we shouldn’t do that. It’s useless. I also really hope it makes them excited about the big world out there and the greenness of the world that we should keep protecting, and all the animals that may not be around, if we don’t take care of them, when they’re grown up. As a storyline in itself, the idea of being able to get through difficult scenarios with your friends and then hopefully save the planet, pretty good messages.”

That answer neatly brings together the two sides of Swapped, which is the emotional body-swap metaphor and the adventure that’s built around Mother Nature. Between them, Greno approached the movie as a story about empathy, while Temple describes it as a story about friendship, listening, accountability, and environmental care. Put together, the film starts to sound less like a standard animated comedy and more like a big, accessible metaphor for the things kids — and adults, frankly — are constantly having to learn in real time.

Juno Temple Had To Get Used To Hearing Her Own Voice

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Of course, believing in the movie’s message was only part of the experience, because Temple also had to adjust to a form of acting that put all the pressure on the one part of her performance she wasn’t entirely comfortable with — her voice. For an actor known for physically expressive live-action work, the recording booth was both freeing and slightly confronting. Temple told Collider:

“I think the most difficult thing was, initially, I really don’t love my voice. I find my voice quite annoying. I’m not great at listening to even my voicemails. So, I was a bit overwhelmed with that aspect of it. [Laughs] Then weirdly, at the opposite end of the spectrum, when I finished the job, I was like, ‘Actually, maybe my voice isn’t as horrific as I think it is. It’s also a tool.’ So that was kind of a weird sort of juxtaposition that went on with just that experience alone, which I’m very grateful for. But I think also, I haven’t mastered the art of being still yet. I’m quite a twitchy, moving-about person, which isn’t super awesome for voice recording. So, trying to master the art of being still with each session was really interesting.”

That is, weirdly, a very Swapped kind of realization. Temple went into the process feeling uneasy about something familiar, only to come out of it seeing that same thing differently. Her voice, the thing she found annoying, became a tool. The booth, which limited some of her physical instincts, became a place where she had to trust her imagination instead. That shift also changed how she understood animation as a collaborative art form. In live action, Temple said, she often comes in with physical beats mapped out in her head. She knows when a character should be still, when they should move, and when they should explode into something more chaotic. In animation, she had to release some of that control and let her performance become one part of a larger creative chain.

“I found it liberating that you don’t have to know what you have prepared for the day and hope it goes the way you sort of mapped it out. You can just go in and be a part of an imagination with somebody,” said Temple. “So playing like that and then seeing the animation come to life with your voice kind of navigating how your character is going to be able to walk into a space or fly into a space, or how fast they’re flapping is going to be when they fly, and things like that, is quite an amazing experience to witness, because you’re like, ‘Whoa! Whoa! That really matches that. That’s insane.’” She continued, saying:

“When you’re going to do your live-action performances, you’ve so mapped out in your head, ‘I want to be still at that moment. This is the moment she’s allowed to be absolutely crazy and dance around.’ Obviously, you have to let it all go, and if it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work, and you have to change it. You always have to be open to changing things. But I think that the walking into the space with a bunch of people, a bunch of creatives, just filled with imagination and bringing the imagination to life like that, is something really special.”

That idea of performance as shared imagination is also why Greno’s comments about the cast hit harder. He didn’t just hire actors to read lines into a microphone. He watched them reshape the film’s emotional center. Temple brought sadness and vulnerability to scenes he thought he already understood, while Jordan’s process changed the way Greno thinks about directing voice performances at all. He told Collider, “And then Mike… it’s Mike. I mean, Michael B. Jordan is, I mean… the way he records, I’ve never experienced anything like that, and it’s kind of changed the way I even direct now, when I’m going forward. It’s, like, his way of working and his way of, like, finding the truth within the lines. Both of them change the course of the movie 100%.”

Because Swapped is an animal body-swap movie, Weintraub had to ask Temple the obvious question: which animal would she want to switch places with for a few days? Her answer was immediate, then immediately rethought. “Leopard. No-brainer. But I know that I’m not a leopard. I know I’m not there yet. I think, truthfully, my dream would be a leopard. I think I’m actually a fruit bat.”

‘Tangled’ Director Reveals Deep Personal Connection With the Story of His New Netflix Movie

Image via Netflix

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Temple’s self-assessment kind of sums up the way the movie is working with big animated comedy energy, but for Greno, the film is grounded in something personal. He said the film draws from his own experience growing up in a small factory town in Wisconsin, where his father — whom he loved and who has since passed away — encouraged him to stay close to home and follow the same path as everyone else. Leaving that world, Greno said, taught him that he didn’t have “the full picture” at all.

“There’s so much of this movie just is me telling my own story of, like, starting in a small town in Wisconsin. My father, I love my father, he’s passed away, but he was always being protective and saying, you know, basically, you can’t leave this island. It was a factory town, and it’s like, get a job at the factory like we all do in this town. And so, going out in the world and realizing, wait a second, I don’t have the full picture here at all.”

That personal connection is also what links Swapped back to Tangled, even though the two movies look very different on the surface. Greno said both films follow characters trapped inside a bubble who don’t yet understand what they don’t know, which mirrors his own experience of leaving home and discovering the wider world. “As different as… and I appreciate this, that you’re like, well, these movies are completely different,” he said. “They still are a character within a bubble that doesn’t know what they don’t know. And that is my story, is, like, me growing up in that small town and just kind of going out into the world and trying to figure it out. And I think you can put enough sort of elements, enough frosting on that cake, that it’s gonna feel different. But it’s an emotional story that I know very deeply. If you think about it in kind of the broadest of strokes, Tangled and Swapped have a lot in common, actually, with the protagonists.”

By the end of the conversation, Greno doubled down on the idea of empathy, which seems to be the film’s real north star. The animal world, the body-swap romp, the nature-doc inspiration, and the voice cast are all part of the packaging, but the core idea is much simpler, and that’s that people don’t know as much as they think they do, and perspective can change everything. “It’s definitely empathy. It’s this idea of we don’t know what we don’t know. Be open-minded to others, and just realize, we really do want the same things, and it’s a thing that I need to remind myself about, too. You don’t have everything figured out as you go through life. You gain more perspective and hopefully become a better person because of it.”

Swapped is now streaming on Netflix.

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

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Runtime

102 minutes

Director

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Nathan Greno

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made some sweeping rule changes for the 2027 Oscars that will finally address some long-looming concerns and forever alter Hollywood’s biggest night. In one of the most seismic shifts to voting for acting nominees since the awards show’s conception, it will now be possible for the same actor to be nominated multiple times in the same category for different performances if both place within the top five vote-getters. Additionally, the barrier for international films to qualify just got far lower, no longer requiring an official selection from a country. Instead, winning a major award at an approved film festival as specified in the International Feature Film Award Qualifying Festival List is enough to be submitted for consideration. The Academy also took a hard stance on AI, outright barring generated performances and scripts from consideration.

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Release Date

March 19, 1953

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Directors

Glenn Weiss, Alan Handley, George Seaton, Hamish Hamilton, Roger Goodman, Max Miller, Trevor Newman

Writers

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Buz Kohan, Dave Boone, David Steinberg, Ed Driscoll, Hal Kanter, Jeff Cesario, Marc Shaiman, Jon Macks, Carol Leifer, Bruce Vilanch, Robert Wuhl, Dan Harmon, Phil Alden Robinson, Billy Crystal, Amberia Allen, John Hoffman, Mason Steinberg, Colleen Werthmann, Joelle Boucai, Greg Martin, Agathe Panaretos, Blaire Erskine, Louis Virtel, Jordan Rubin

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

This May, Netflix wants you to laugh, cry and maybe battle some futuristic pirates in a post-apocalyptic world.

All this month, Netflix is adding a slew of new movies from virtually every known genre and featuring some of Hollywood’s most famous actors.

Watch With Us has compiled a brief weekend streaming guide for any Netflix subscriber looking to be entertained.

From the Robert De Niro comedy Meet the Parents to the Kevin Costner action picture Waterworld, there’s plenty to watch over these next three days.

‘Meet the Parents’ (2000)

Who would’ve thought a sweet — if not derivative — comedy about a man meeting his in-laws would become a blockbuster comedy franchise? Whatever you think of the sequels, you have to give the original Meet the Parents its due — the film is often very funny, and it still elicits laughs today.

Ben Stiller stars as Greg, a humble nurse who wants to marry his longtime girlfriend, Pam (Teri Polo). He needs her father Jack’s (De Niro) permission and approval, and he’s not so willing to give his daughter away to just anyone. To make matters worse for Greg, Jack used to be a CIA agent and uses all of his government training to find out if Greg is the right man to marry his daughter. All Greg wants is to live happily ever after with Pam, but Jack has other plans for her — and they don’t involve Greg.

What makes Meet the Parents work is the odd-couple chemistry between Stiller and De Niro. Stiller’s nervous energies complement De Niro’s laid-back menace, which sets the stage for several comical situations that keep getting more absurd — and hysterical. Another sequel, Focker-in-Law, is slated for release later this year and brings back the OG cast plus Ariana Grande as Greg’s would-be daughter-in-law.

Meet the Parents is streaming on Netflix.

‘Fried Green Tomatoes’ (1991)

What becomes of the brokenhearted? That’s the central question Fried Green Tomatoes aims to answer, and it’s also the title of the song that pops up throughout the film. Based on the hit Fannie Flagg novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, this excellent 1991 film chronicles two friendships in two different periods: Evelyn (Kathy Bates) and Ninny’s (Jessica Tandy) in the ‘80s, and Idgie (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker) in the ‘30s. All four women endure the highs and lows of life, including abusive husbands, ungrateful family members and brushes with the law, but the one that they can rely on is each other.

I’m aware that what I just described sounds like a Hallmark Channel movie, but Fried Green Tomatoes is better and richer than your run-of-the-mill female-bonding “chick flick.” That’s due largely to the fantastic performances by the four leading actresses, specifically Tandy, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and Masterson, who should’ve been nominated that year for Best Actress. Together, they create a rich tapestry of 20th-century Southern life that was fraught with economic instability, inequality between men and women and racial segregation. The film’s ending is surprising in its refusal to be downbeat for the sake of a cheap cry.

Fried Green Tomatoes is streaming on Netflix.

‘Waterworld’ (1995)

In 1995, all people could talk about was Waterworld — and for all the wrong reasons. The Kevin Costner-led film underwent a troubled production, which included numerous reshoots, the original director on the outs and the budget ballooning to a then-astronomical $175 million (now the average cost of a Marvel superhero film). The end result was a surprisingly ordinary sci-fi flick that wasn’t as bad as everyone thought it would be. That’s faint praise, but it’s still praise.

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Related: 41 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (April 2026): ‘Apex’ and More

This April, Netflix is on the hunt to add more new movies to its already impressive library. Buoyed by early 2026 hits like The Rip with Matt Damon and War Machine with Alan Ritchson, the streamer just added yet another gripping action flick worth your time — Apex, starring Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton. Thank […]

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In 2500, the polar ice caps have completely melted, resulting in the sea level rising and rendering almost the entire world underwater. The remnants of humanity survive on boats and makeshift islands, which is where the villainous pirate Deacon (Dennis Hooper) frequently operates. He’s looking for a little girl, Enola (Tina Majorino), who holds the key to finding the mythical Dryland, but she’s under the guardianship of The Mariner (Costner), a mutant loner who just wants to be left alone. Deacon always gets what he wants, though, and he’ll kill anyone, including The Mariner, to claim the Dryland as his own.

While Waterworld doesn’t look like the most expensive movie ever made, it’s still impressive. The action sequences, particularly the opening battle between The Mariner and Deacon’s pirates, are impressive, and the special effects are convincing enough to make you believe Earth has been submerged. Costner is miscast and seems a little lost at times, but Hopper’s over-the-top villains make up for his costar’s dim-bulb energy.

Waterworld is streaming on Netflix.

Blake Lively is facing fresh scrutiny over her marriage to Ryan Reynolds as her legal showdown with Justin Baldoni intensifies.

The actress has been accused of “exaggerating” the strength of her relationship with Reynolds, with critics pointing to her recent social media posts as a calculated attempt to counter growing speculation that the ongoing court battle has strained their dynamic.

While reports claim the once-playful couple has lost some of its spark under pressure, Lively appears determined to shut down the narrative by continuing to share affectionate glimpses of their life.

For years, Lively and Reynolds built a reputation as Hollywood’s most relatable power couple, winning fans over with their self-deprecating humor and playful social media exchanges. But that image has come under scrutiny since the actress filed a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit in 2024 against her “It Ends With Us” co-star Baldoni.

Still, Lively has continued to post affectionate glimpses of their life online. Just weeks ago, she shared a photo of them posing with friends, and more recently, she reposted an image of Reynolds on her  Instagram Story, calling him “such a babe.”

Those posts, however, have fueled fresh criticism, with some social media users accusing her of trying too hard to maintain the image of a happy marriage, even as rumors swirl that the ongoing fallout has put their relationship under serious strain.

Reynolds ‘Wants Blake Lively To Settle Case’

Despite presenting a united front, Reynolds is reportedly eager for Lively’s legal battle with Baldoni to wrap up before it escalates further. The actor, who has been named as a potential witness in the case, could be called to testify if the matter goes to trial. However, sources claim he would prefer a quieter resolution behind the scenes.

“Ryan is fully supportive publicly,” an insider told Rob Shuter’s #ShutterScoop. “But privately? He wants this settled. This is pulling him in, and he knows it. He doesn’t want to be dragged through court.”

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According to the source, Reynolds is increasingly concerned about the potential impact on his image and standing in Hollywood, especially as the case grows more complex and harder to contain.

Lively’s Case Hit With Major Setback In Court

Lively’s legal fight against Baldoni took a significant hit earlier this month after Judge Lewis Liman dismissed ten of her 13 claims, including sexual harassment and defamation.

Despite the setback, the actress signaled she’s not backing down. In a statement shared on Instagram, Lively made it clear she intends to push forward with the remaining claims, framing her decision as part of a broader stand for those who may not have the chance to speak out.

Behind the scenes, however, the ruling appears to have taken an emotional toll. A source told Rob Shuter that the courtroom loss left her “devastated” and frustrated by how her case is being perceived.

“She’s devastated,” the insider said. “This is not the outcome she expected. She’s angry. She feels like her story isn’t being fully heard.”

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Ryan Reynolds Publicly Backs Blake Lively

Reynolds has continued to stand firmly by Lively as she faces mounting pressure ahead of her trial with Baldoni in May. During an appearance on  TODAY’s “Sunday Sitdown Live with Willie Geist” on April 19, the actor made his support clear, praising Lively’s character amid the ongoing scrutiny.

“I’ve never in my life been more proud of my wife,” Reynolds said. “People have no idea what’s really going on, you know? And I’ve just never in my life been more proud of someone with that level of integrity… in everything that they do.”

Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Clash In Pretrial Showdown

JUST IN: Blake Lively branded a ‘f***ing terrorist’ by Sony exec over her 17-point demands to return to ‘It Ends With Us’ set. New filings claim co-star Justin Baldoni admitted he didn’t always listen when women said no to advances. pic.twitter.com/mI5FvdEUXe

— The scoop stateside (@ScoopStateside) January 21, 2026

Lively and Baldoni’s legal battle escalated this week as both sides squared off in court over key pretrial issues.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the “Jane the Virgin” star’s legal team pushed back against Lively’s claims that his alleged smear campaign cost her millions and damaged her business ventures, including her beverage brand, Betty Buzz.

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Instead, his lawyers argued that her financial struggles cannot be tied to their client, claiming her brands underperformed due to her own public image rather than any coordinated effort against her. They pointed to past controversies, including backlash over comments she made about Kate Middleton’s Photoshop incident, as examples of moments that may have hurt her reputation.

Unlike other streamers in May, Prime Video is throwing its weight behind its streaming shows.

With the long-awaited return of Citadel debuting early and Nicolas Cage‘s intriguing Spider-Man spinoff, Spider-Noir, closing out the month, Prime Video is embracing its TV division like never before.

Movie lovers shouldn’t fret, though — there’s plenty of films being added in May, with classics like The Jerk starring Steve Martin and guilty pleasures like Mamma Mia! with Meryl Streep available to stream.

Watch With Us has curated a full list of the new movies and TV shows streaming on Prime Video in May below.

Related: 17 Best Comedy Shows on Prime Video Right Now (April 2026)

After a few months that were very light on comedy shows to watch, Amazon Prime Video has turned things around in April. The new original series Bait is spoofing the entertainment industry with the notion that Riz Ahmed‘s character could be the next 007. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your […]

May 1

A Shot in the Dark (1965)

Agent Cody Banks (2003)

Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London (2004)

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989)

Annie Hall (1977)

Babe (1995)

Babe: Pig in the City (1998)

Bad Words (2014)

Battleship (2012)

Be Cool (2005)

Because I Said So (2007)

Beginners (2011)

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Death Wish (2018)

Despicable Me 4 (2024)

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Dragonheart (1996)

Get Shorty (1995)

Goodfellas (1990)

Gosford Park (2001)

Gretel & Hansel (2020)

Hang ‘Em High (1968)

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015)

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Jeepers Creepers (2001)

Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)

Last Tango In Paris (1973)

Life (1999)

Longshot (2019)

Major Payne (1995)

Mamma Mia! (2008)

Mermaids (1990)

Psycho II (1983)

Retribution (2023)

Ride Along 2 (2016)

Robin Hood (2018)

Rush (2013)

Safe House (2012)

Scarface (1983)

Serenity (2005)

Single Moms Club (2014)

Sneakers (1992)

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Soul Plane (2004)

Species (1995)

Spies in Disguise (2019)

Tank Girl (1995)

The Delta Force (1986)

The Equalizer (2014)

The Equalizer 2 (2018)

The Glass Castle (2017)

The Great Outdoors (1988)

The Jerk (1979)

The Little Rascals (1994)

The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

The Pink Panther (1963)

The Pink Panther (2006)

The Return of the Living Dead (1985)

The Wolf of Snow Hollow (2020)

Under Siege (1992)

Valley Girl (2020)

Wargames (1983)

May 6

Citadel Season 2 (2026)

May 8

No Place to be Single (2026)

May 13

Off Campus (2026)

May 15

It’s Not Like That (2026)

May 20

Missing (2023)

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War (2026)

May 21

Blink Twice (2024)

The Double (2026)

May 23

Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1 (2024)

One Battle After Another (2025)

May 27

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Spider-Noir (2026)

May 6, 13, 20 & 27

Yankees on Prime (2026)

May 8, 15, 22 & 29

NWSL on Prime (2026)

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May 14, 21 & 28

WNBA on Prime (2026)

May 24 & 31

NASCAR on Prime (2026)

Available in May

NBA on Prime (2026)

Prosecutors allege Celeste Rivas Hernandez and D4vd first met in 2022 when she was 11. Their contact later became sexual when she was 13 and he was 18. Though these claims remain part of the ongoing legal case.

Prosecutors Claim D4vd Killed Teen To Silence Her Threats

The entanglement intensified a year later. D4vd performed at Coachella on April 11, 2025, and went viral after a failed backflip attempt that left him faceplanting on stage. A week after that, on April 22, he and Celeste argued in text messages as she expressed jealousy over other women. She had allegedly threatened to expose their relationship, putting his debut album release and tour at risk.

D4vd then allegedly arranged for Celeste to travel from Lake Elsinore to his Hollywood Hills residence via ride share on April 23, 2025. She reportedly arrived at his home at 10:10 p.m. that night and prosecutors believe she was dead by 10:30 p.m. At that time, he had texted Celeste’s phone asking about her whereabouts. Additionally, at 11:30 p.m., he texted her phone again about her whereabouts before he drove to a remote part of Santa Barbara. Two days after the alleged murder, the singer released his album, ‘Withered.’

All of this comes to light after new details surfaced in a court filing outlining prosecutors’ claims in the murder case involving D4vd. In the document, prosecutors allege that the singer stabbed Celeste, resulting in her death. Then, he attempted to conceal what happened. Investigators noted that certain materials recovered during the investigation, such as a shovel, a plastic pool and a burn cage, were purchased by the singer under an alias in the days and weeks after Celeste’s death.

Stallone, Schmallone.

By David Wharton
| Published 36 seconds ago

Science fiction plays host to some of the toughest characters in all of fiction, so we’ve set out to put together a team of the toughest of that tough bunch.  Think of it like the Avengers, except with more bullets and a heavier focus on fighting aliens.

If you’ve got a job dismantling angry robots or shooting at things in outer space, or you need someone to travel back in time and kill your creepy Uncle before he’s born, we’ve got the ultimate team to do it.

These are the most unstoppable, gritty, hard-as-nails characters in all of science fiction. On their own, each is fully capable of saving the universe. Together, we suspect they’d literally be able to do anything.

Sarah Connor from Terminator

When you first met Sarah Connor, she was a meek, mild-mannered waitress just sort of floating aimlessly through her life. Encounters with a vicious, single-minded cyborg from the future, sent back to hunt you down so your son is never born, have a way of changing that.

Over the course of the first two movies in the Terminator movies, Sarah transforms into a serious action star, teaching herself all manner of combat and survival skills, actively seeking out any and all knowledge that might help her in her one-woman war against Cyberdyne Systems and a future ruled by human-hunting machines. Basically, she’s a perfect addition to your team of mercs and will always be working to improve her already ample skill set and add to the team.

Judge Dredd from Dredd (Not Judge Dredd)

Judge Dredd has been enforcing the law for nearly 40 years’ worth of adventures. But he doesn’t strike us as the sort who’s looking to settle into his golden years quietly, so why not retire from the Judges and join a hard-assed mercenary crew like the one we’re assembling?

In the sprawling post-apocalyptic metropolis of Mega-City One, the Judges are judge, jury, and executioner. Judge Dredd is more than just another cop: he was actually cloned from the DNA of the very first Chief Judge, the man who founded the Judge system.

While Dredd has license to kill if the crime calls for it, he’s no mindless terminator, so you won’t get a bullet in the dome unless you deserve it. He’s got extensive experience in criminal investigation, combat, and the ability to read people that only several decades on the beat can grant you. He could also come in handy if your team of Sci-Fi tough guys runs afoul of law enforcement.

Dutch from Predator

Screw Stallone, this is the kind of guy you want at the helm if you’re staging a small-scale black ops incursion into a hostile country. Not only is a pinpoint tactician with a stellar resume a mile and a half long, but he can also arm wrestle the hell out of a jacked-up Carl Weathers.

He’s also got the stones to strip half naked, smear mud all over his well-developed physique, and go hand-to-hand with a vicious alien hunter. You need that type of leadership. When Dutch bellows, “Get to the choppah,” you know you damn well better get your ass to that helicopter, post haste

AEon Flux from AEon Flux

Created by Peter Chung for MTV’s Liquid Television, Æon Flux wasn’t initially as narratively driven as the other TV series and movies mentioned in this feature. But the assassin’s world opened up during its third season, and viewers got to get inside her head a little more.

Though Charlize Theron is a wonderful and talented actress, nobody in their right mind is thinking of her take on the role in Karyn Kusama’s unnecessary 2005 feature. Is “looking fabulous in leather” a skill?

Beyond her fetishistic fashion sense and motivations, Æon is a vision of agility and weaponized precision, and one that isn’t averse to getting the job done in a wordless fashion. In the war between the forces of Monica and Bregna, Æon has taken on tasks that required skills in stealth maneuvers, science, close combat, and a host of other situation-specific talents. Plus, she probably isn’t afraid of dying, since she’s done it so many times already.

Cpl. Dwayne Hicks from Aliens

James Cameron’s Aliens is a classic example of that old adage that no battle plan survives contact with the enemy. For all their chest-pounding machismo and advanced weaponry, most of the Colonial Marines get massacred almost immediately by a hissing, acid-blooded alien army that picks them off like they were green recruits.

Thankfully, Hicks survives that first bloodbath and is on hand to help the survivors regroup. He’s a combat veteran, a solid tactician, but also not so choked with testosterone that he always assumes he’s the smartest guy in the room. He’s sharp enough to realize that Ripley is the only person known to have survived an encounter with the xenomorphs, so if she says to nuke the place from orbit, you’d damn well better nuke the place from orbit.

In a crew packing all manner of cutting-edge weapons technology, Hicks is the only one smart enough to carry a simple, old-school classic as backup: a shotgun he keeps handy “for close encounters.” There’s a reason Hicks is the only Marine who got off that bug-infested rock alive (and we’ll just ignore that whole Alien 3 thing).

James T. Kirk from Iowa

Captain James Tiberius Kirk may not be the biggest or the strongest or in the best of shape, but this is a man you will follow into hell. You just might have to.

Cool under pressure, able to make the hard calls when the situation dictates, and more than willing to swap saliva with any sexy ladies he comes across, Kirk is absolutely, 100% The Man, and when you get into trouble professionally, you need someone like that, male or female, who can get you out of a tough scrape now and again.

Sure, he’ll likely get you into a few as well, but assuming you make it out alive, you always wind up with one hell of a story to tell in the process. Not to mention he’s been in command of an actual spaceship, and how cool is that?

Turanga Leela from Futurama

When it comes to putting up with a big group of dudes who rarely know what they’re doing, Futurama’s Turanga Leela is licensed and certified. As captain of the Planet Express, Leela has an eye on success and is often the only one who reaches it purposefully, while Fry and the others tend to achieve their happy endings through bumbling coincidence and blind luck. She mixes brains and brawn in such a way that it totally isn’t embarrassing to have a crush on her, right?

Not only can she pilot a ship into and out of any situation in the universe, but she’s also pretty handy with the hand-to-hand combat. (Or, in her case, the boot-to-face combat.) Due to her monocular appearance and quasi-orphaned upbringing, Leela has turned low self-esteem into an ass-kicking fuel that makes her a necessity on any mission, space-faring or otherwise. She’s no stranger to behind-the-scenes romance, and I’m thinking she may find a like-eyed soul in Snake Plissken.

Guy Pearce from Lockout

Sure, Pearce’s character has an actual name in Lockout, but “Marion Snow” doesn’t exactly strike fear into the hearts of bad guys. No matter, because his personality and ability to bust skulls in outer space make him as memorable as any action hero.

In the movie, he’s sent to rescue the President’s daughter from an orbiting maximum security prison where inmates are running amok, which is clearly the only item anyone’s resume needs in order to get them into a superteam. As a former government agent, Snow already has a good grip on how to go about getting things done in an official capacity, so he’s able to gauge the enemy’s tactics better than most.

As evidenced several times in Lockout, Snow can take a punch like nobody’s business, and since he hates heights, he’s the guy getting things done on the ground, where punches are more likely to be thrown. By far his biggest talent is slinging out Luc Besson-written quips and verbal jabs as if he’d been speaking them since birth. I mean, people love him. Just ask your wife.

Cameron from Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles

On a team full of obvious heavy hitters, it’s nice to have somebody around that the opposing team will constantly underestimate. Enter Cameron, by all appearances a harmless and tiny teenage girl who couldn’t possibly be a threat to OH HOLY HELL SHE JUST PUNCHED THAT GUY’S SPINE OUT HIS BACK.

Unless she’s already been through a firefight and scraped off a bunch of her organic covering, nobody’s going to see Cameron coming, meaning she’s perfect for a bit of undercover snooping around or just catching the bag guys with their pants down (literally or figuratively, depending on what mission parameters you program into her). She’s got all the advantages of Arnie’s T-800 but with the added element of surprise, and she absolutely will not stop, ever, until her target is dead.

Snake Plissken from Escape From

In addition to being one of the most badass characters in movie history (come on, he has an eye patch and his name is Snake), he’s also hugely improvisational. During his escapes from both New York and Los Angeles, he takes what comes and rolls with the proverbial punches, constantly adjusting and adapting as the scenario changes.

You need a guy to put together a solid plan, but you also need to know you have people who can handle themselves when that plan takes a huge shit all over the place. Snake is at his best when he has to think on his feet, ad-lib, and come up with creative ways out of trouble. He can also land a glider on top of a building and surf down a drainage ditch while high-fiving Peter Fonda. Those are invaluable skills that are bound to come in handy with a crew of mercenaries.

If he has any weaknesses, it has to be his depth perception, what with the eye patch and all. Still, he’s not a half-bad basketball player, and only having one eye doesn’t seem to have much of an impact on his jump shot.

Richard B. Riddick from Pitch Black

We’ve got several soldiers and other military types on this list, not to mention a couple of cops and even some starship captains. But sometimes you need somebody a bit less respectable. Sometimes you need a guy who is, above all, a survivor.

Richard B. Riddick is an escaped convict and a hardened murderer, but he’s also an alpha predator with a knack for surviving, no matter what. Is the crew stranded on a hostile alien world filled with vicious, hungry creatures? Listen to what Riddick has to say, and there’s a good chance you might make it out with your ass intact.

His ability to see in utter darkness is an unquestionably valuable asset, but he’s also one hell of an escape artist, having busted out of some of the worst slams in the cosmos. Team gets locked up? Riddick will be the man with the plan to fix that problem. Or maybe you need some information from a source who is inconveniently incarcerated? Send Riddick in and give him a few days. Not only will he be back with what you need, but there’s also a good chance the prison will have mysteriously burned to the ground as he was leaving. Just don’t try to double-cross him.

Ellen Ripley from Alien

When you’ve faced down armor-plated alien killing machines as many times as Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) has, there isn’t much left out there to scare you. If there is something worse than that, it’s worth being cautious around. And if you can find someone willing to strap into a power loader and go hand-to-hand with an alien queen, not to mention calling her a bitch in the process, that’s an individual you need to add to your team of badass mercenaries as soon as possible.

Xenomorphs are nothing to trifle with, and once you’ve tussled with a few of them and lived to tell the tale, there’s not much else to say. Hell, even Ripley’s clones are tough as hell. Maybe you can make an entire team out of them, and you won’t even have to keep looking

Mad Max Rockatansky from Mad Max

Every team needs a wheelman, and there are few better out there than Max Rockatansky. Tooling around the post-apocalyptic wastes in his jerry-rigged battlewagon has given him the practical know-how when it comes to dealing with, avoiding, and “taking care of” any hostile drivers your team may encounter on the roadways.

Given the fact that he’s generally working in harsh, adverse conditions for motor maintenance, and that spare parts aren’t exactly available at every corner store, this is a man with the ability to bring just about any motor out there back to life, under any circumstances, no matter how dead you think it might be. That is a particularly useful bit of knowledge when you need to get the hell out of Dodge in short order. Sure, you might be able to hear him coming with that creaky knee, or the rumbling thunder of his engines, but he also brings a badass dog to the party, and what’s a party without a dog

RoboCop from Detroit

Stations in life don’t get much more radical than “living conscience inside the circuitry of a bulked-up robot authority figure.” Police officer Alex Murphy wasn’t necessarily a pillar of his community before coming to his uncertain doom, but he became something else entirely when he was outfitted with the gun-filled RoboCop exterior.

He’s been making criminals come with him dead or alive for decades now, and he’ll continue for at least another few, or until he’s completely eradicated crime. RoboCop has a heightened sense of objective moralism, with his own point of view taking a backseat to the black-and-white politics of Detroit police. Plus, there’s that whole “deadeye accuracy” and “bulletproof exoskeleton” and “the Internet inside his helmet” and all. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to make every character on this list a RoboCop? Somebody start funding that project.

Han Solo

We’ve already got a couple of ship captains on this list, but with apologies to Kirk and Leela, the Enterprise isn’t exactly subtle and the Planet Express doesn’t have the best of track records. If you need a ship that’s fast and maneuverable, with a captain who knows how to stay under the radar, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better candidate than Han and the Millennium Falcon.

As an experienced smuggler, Han knows his way around most of the galaxy’s wretched hives of scum and villainy. He may not be the most effective fighter in the bunch, but he makes up for it by being a charming sonovabitch, so he can talk his way out of a rough situation a good portion of the time. This is a guy who managed to stay ahead of a bounty from one of the galaxy’s most notorious crime bosses, after all, and he probably could have done so indefinitely if Lando hadn’t thrown him under the bus. Added bonus: wherever Han goes, so also goes Chewie. (Note: if you can’t find Han, call Captain Malcolm Reynolds or Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, in that order.)

Aeryn Sun

I went back and forth about whether to give this slot to Leia from Star Wars or not, but in the end, I simply think Aeryn is a better pick. Leia was unquestionably a badass, but she was also raised in the lap of luxury. As a Peacekeeper, Aeryn has been trained and honed into a perfect soldier since she was a child.

Thanks to accidentally becoming “irreversibly contaminated,” she lost everything she’d ever known and had to build a new life. Not only did she succeed, but she also helped make the crew of Moya into the stuff of legend across the Uncharted Territories.

In Farscape’s comic book spinoffs, Sun went even further, eventually becoming the leader of the Peacekeepers as a whole. The other women on this list can no doubt hold their own in a fight, but Sun has commanded armies and faced off against overwhelming odds with little more than a scrappy crew of escaped prisoners at her back.