Selena Gomez is stepping into one of the boldest phases of her career, and not everyone saw it coming.

The former Disney star is reportedly preparing for a daring new film packed with mature themes, lengthy runtime ambitions, and serious awards buzz.

However, while the project has sparked intense conversation online, one person closest to Gomez is reportedly standing firmly in her corner.

Selena Gomez’s upcoming role in Brady Corbet’s reported new film “The Origin of the World” is already generating attention long before cameras even begin rolling.

The project, which is said to also star Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender, has been described by insiders as a daring, X-rated feature that could reportedly run close to four hours.

According to a source who spoke to The Daily Mail, Gomez’s decision should not completely surprise longtime followers of her career.

“People seem to forget that Selena did the movie Spring Breakers, but that movie was very risky with the choices it made and the nudity and drugs, and the character that Selena played was something completely different from her Barney and Disney roots,” the insider explained.

The source also noted that Gomez has spent years trying to break away from the polished image many people still associate with her earlier career.

“As she has gotten older, she has done work to not only test herself but also allow her to grow up in the industry,” the insider added.

Back in 2012, “Spring Breakers” shocked audiences by showing a completely different side of Gomez alongside fellow former child stars Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Benson. Now, insiders believe her newest project may push boundaries even further.

Selena Gomez Eyes Serious Hollywood Respect

Industry insiders reportedly believe Gomez sees the new film as more than just another acting role.

Brady Corbet’s reputation as a filmmaker appears to be a major reason why the actress signed onto the project. The insider explained that Corbet’s artistic credibility gives the film a much different image than a typical controversial movie.

The source claimed Corbet is “so beloved that no matter what he brings to it, people are expecting it to be his Boogie Nights.”

The comparison references Paul Thomas Anderson’s critically acclaimed 1997 classic, which blended explicit material with serious storytelling and later earned multiple Oscar nominations.

According to the insider, “Boogie Nights” became “that entertains aspects of X-rated material, but in no way is the film remembered for that – it is remembered for being a defining moment in cinema.”

Sources also suggested Gomez is deeply focused on proving herself as a serious actress capable of taking creative risks.

“Selena is eager to win awards and be looked at as an actress with substance, because lots of her previous roles, she’s been very cookie-cutter and almost just a statue,” the insider said.

The source added, “Being able to work on these movies that have an edge is something she sees as a means of extending her career.”

Gomez Says She Feels Free From Disney Image

The film also represents another step in Selena Gomez’s long effort to move beyond her Disney Channel identity.

Over the years, the actress has openly discussed how difficult it was growing up under the pressure of maintaining a perfect public image while starring on “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

During a 2023 interview with Variety, Gomez admitted she finally feels less restricted by those expectations.

“I definitely feel free of it,” she said at the time. “Sometimes I get triggered. It’s not that I’m ashamed of my past, it’s just that I’ve worked so hard to find my own way. I don’t want to be who I was. I want to be who I am.”

She also reflected on how closely Disney stars were expected to monitor their behavior in public.

Gomez said, “Of course. I wasn’t a wild child by any means. But I was on Disney, so I had to make sure not to say ‘What the hell?’ in front of anyone.”

She explained that much of the pressure came from herself as she tried to maintain a positive image for younger fans, noting, “It’s stuff that I was also putting on myself to be the best role model I could be. Now, I think being the best role model is being honest, even with the ugly and complicated parts of yourself.”

That mindset now appears to be influencing the kind of projects she chooses moving forward.

Benny Blanco Fully Supports Selena Gomez’s Decision

Despite the controversy surrounding the film’s mature themes, sources insist Gomez has strong support from husband Benny Blanco.

According to the insider, Blanco completely understands why the role matters so much to her career.

“Benny is proud of Selena and her decision to move forward with working on the film,” the source shared.

The insider also stressed that Gomez is not taking the project lightly or simply accepting it for attention.

“She has all the money in the world, she has all the fans in the world, she now wants to do stuff that excites her,” the source explained.

The insider added that Gomez now views bold artistic risks as an important part of her future in Hollywood.

They shared, “Roles of this nature are going to be her continued calling card for the years to come because she wants to surprise critics and herself.”

Brady Corbet Film Already Generating Intense Buzz

Part of the fascination surrounding the movie comes from Corbet’s reputation for ambitious filmmaking.

His previous film, “The Brutalist,” already drew attention for its massive runtime and unconventional structure. Reports suggest the new screenplay stretches roughly 200 pages and could become another lengthy cinematic event.

The production is also expected to use rare eight-perf 65mm cameras, continuing Corbet’s reputation for visually ambitious projects.

According to insiders, that artistic reputation is exactly why Gomez feels comfortable stepping into unfamiliar territory.

“She’s playing a character in an overall piece that should be very artistic. Brady has proven himself to be a filmmaker with a vision and a purpose. Selena isn’t going into this lightly, and Benny appreciates her drive and will be her biggest cheerleader throughout,” the source said.

With awards ambitions, controversial themes, and major Hollywood names attached, Gomez’s latest project is already shaping up to become one of the entertainment industry’s most closely watched risks.

Last September, the world lost another Hollywood icon when it was confirmed that Robert Redford had passed away aged 89. Following his breakout performance in 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Redford starred in countless great movies, such as 1975’s Three Days of the Condor, followed one year later by All the President’s Men, and 1985’s Out of Africa alongside Meryl Streep. Across his sixty-year career, Redford scored an Academy Award win for Best Director and even earned the Academy’s prestigious Honorary Award in 2002.

With countless entries in his filmography, from starring roles to directorial efforts, Redford’s movies regularly circle on the streaming charts. However, at a time when the usual suspects often crack the top ten, one of his more underrated modern performances has become an unlikely streaming favorite. The film in question is the modern Western drama An Unfinished Life, released in 2005, which stars Redford as a recovering alcoholic who is reacquainted with his daughter, with the pair learning to heal old wounds.

Also starring Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lopez, the Lasse Halström-directed feature was cruelly underrated by critics at the time, although famed critic Roger Ebert saw the sparkling gem beneath the poor reviews, praising the screenplay for being “modest and heartfelt” in his 3/4 review. Over two decades on and, in the shadow of Redford’s passing, An Unfinished Life is earning its flowers. At the time of writing, the movie is one of the ten most-streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S., a list currently topped by Mckenna Grace‘s 2026 body horror comedy Slanted.

‘An Unfinished Life’ Was a Box Office Flop

As a consequence of studio restructuring at Miramax and other outside forces, An Unfinished Life faced many delays in the lead-up to release, with some fearing that the film’s title would manifest into a reality. This, plus a frustratingly limited theatrical release, left the film doomed from the start of its theatrical run. Against a reported budget of $30 million, An Unfinished Life earned just $18.5 million worldwide, split between a domestic haul of $8.5 million and a further $10 million from overseas markets. At its peak, the film was available in just 888 locations nationwide, earning no more than $2 million in domestic revenue on its most fruitful weekend.

An Unfinished Life is streaming on Paramount+. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more of the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

September 9, 2005

Runtime

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108 minutes

Director

Lasse Hallström

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There’s no stopping the Taylor Sheridan universe. The cowboy connoisseur has a knack for television, looping audiences in with contemporary stories of the American Wild West, where real business is often conducted in plain sight — but under a veil of discretion. Whether it’s the past or present, the way of the ranch is a timeless culture.

In recent years, Sheridan has expanded beyond his Yellowstone roster, exploring other genres outside the traditional cowboy story. While some of his shows really get into the action and intensity, others place greater emphasis on character and storytelling depth. Without further ado, here are all the Taylor Sheridan shows, ranked by action. Note: we opted not to include The Road since it’s a reality competition show; the most action happening on it is singing.

11

‘The Madison’ (2026–Present)

Image via Paramount+

It’s never a nice feeling to be an outsider in your own family. The Madison follows the Clyburn family, who move from New York City to Montana’s Madison River Valley after a tragic plane crash takes the lives of Stacy’s husband and his brother. Staying at a remote ranch near Bozeman, Stacy (Michelle Pfeiffer) struggles to cope with her loss, all while the world refuses to pause for her.

Loyal Yellowstone fans might be in for a surprise with The Madison. Instead of the usual action-driven plot, much of the slow-burning conflict comes from getting over a personal tragedy. Grief can be difficult when everyone’s hurting, especially when they’re not on the same page. It might not be a cowboy’s cup of tea, but for those who enjoy bittersweet countryside sentimentality, The Madison is the right show.

10

‘Landman’ (2024–Present)

Image via Paramount+

There’s a reason why oil prices keep rising, and it often comes at a human cost. Landman is set in the oilfields of West Texas, where roughnecks and billionaires fight to get their share of the booming industry. At the center is Tommy Norris (Billy Bob Thornton), a strict M-Tex executive caught between corporate power players in skyscrapers and the riggers who risk their lives on the oil fields every day.

Landman only turns to violence when necessary, usually to deal with outlaws. Although the action intensifies when the drug cartel is involved, it only happens later in the series. Most of the story is corporate-driven, with M-Tex facing a financial crisis after a destroyed offshore rig. Instead of physical fistfights, much of the battle happens in boardrooms — think negotiations, backstabbing, and scapegoating.

9

‘1883’ (2021–2022)

Image via Paramount+

Hailed as the origin story of Yellowstone, 1883 may not feature the same confrontational action as Sheridan’s more contemporary works. Aside from the occasional bandit attack, the series is more focused on the Dutton ancestors’ fight for survival as they settle in what would eventually become Yellowstone. It is a family journey, only one filled with danger at every turn.

With only horses and caravans to carry them across the frontier, 1883 delivers a gritty and grounded take on the American Wild West, particularly the brutal realities of surviving the Oregon Trail before finally settling for Montana. Human threats are only part of the struggle. Nature itself becomes the main enemy, alongside disease, exhaustion, and sudden loss. While 1883 may not rely on nonstop deadly action, it remains heartbreaking nonetheless.

8

‘1923’ (2022–2025)

Image via Paramount+

While Yellowstone deals with land disputes involving the rich and powerful, and 1883 is about the Duttons settling their roots, 1923 is a historical epic about survival, colonialism, and generational trauma. Jacob Dutton (Harrison Ford) and Cara Dutton (Helen Mirren), now in their elder years, leave much of the fighting to the ranch hands as they struggle to keep their land intact within their limited capacity.

But 1923 promises far more brutal action on the other side of the world: Africa. The wildlife in Kenya is far deadlier than anything in Montana, and Spencer constantly finds himself fending off raging elephants, leopards, and lions. Fighting humans is difficult enough, but animals do not care about morality or mercy — to them, you are just flesh waiting to be consumed.

7

‘Dutton Ranch’ (2026–Present)

Image via Paramount+

Picking up right after the Yellowstone finale, Beth (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Dutton (Cole Hauser) move to South Texas in the aftermath of a wildfire engulfing the Montana wildlife. Together with their adopted son, Carter (Finn Little), the family starts anew by purchasing a new ranch. However, not everyone is happy with the new competition, especially the highly pragmatic 10 Petal Ranch owner, Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening).

Considering that the two are outsiders, the much calmer Beth and Rip conduct business as civilly as possible. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t still as strict and stern as ever. Given that it’s still early in the show at the time of writing, the action hasn’t fully ramped up yet. Still, with characters like Beulah’s wildcard son and Carter, who isn’t afraid to tackle an abusive man, Dutton Ranch knows exactly when to be soft and when to turn violent.

6

‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ (2023)

Image via Paramount+

Based on the real-life lawman who reportedly made more than 3,000 arrests, Lawmen: Bass Reeves follows the near-mythic figure as he becomes one of the first Black deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River. The series plays out as both a historical recount and a character study, tracing Reeves from his beginnings in slavery to his rise as a feared and respected lawman on the frontier.

Much of Reeves’ work involves lengthy investigations, tracking fugitives across dangerous territory. However, the series wastes no time reminding viewers that Reeves is an expert marksman capable of turning a standoff violent in seconds. Shootouts, ambushes, fistfights, and tense manhunts all become part of the job, and when the law doesn’t side with men like Reeves, things can get ugly once in a while.

5

‘Marshals’ (2026–Present)

Image via CBS

When you put a rancher like Kayce Dutton (Luke Grimes) back into the field, things can get messy. A former U.S. Navy SEAL, Kayce goes back to his roots in Marshals following the death of his wife. To cope with his grief, he took the opportunity to serve as a U.S. Marshal. Unlike Yellowstone, where Kayce follows an unspoken code within the ranch and his family, he is now completely on his own as he is thrown into the deep end of protecting Montana.

Marshals wastes no time throwing Kayce into dangerous operations, including investigating a possible terror attack on the Broken Rock Indian Reservation. Unlike in Yellowstone, where he was often pushed around by his family, Kayce’s moral code is now the law. Although not quite as abrasive as what he’s accustomed to during the Yellowstone days, Marshals promises a generous amount of shootouts, horse chases, and explosions.

4

‘Tulsa King’ (2022–Present)

Image via Paramount+

Tulsa King might start off with a classic New York Mafia premise, but for a gangster crime drama, it is surprisingly more on the lighthearted side. After being imprisoned for 25 years, Dwight “The General” Manfredi (Sylvester Stallone) expects to be treated like a hero for never snitching on his bosses all those years. Instead, he gets exiled to the middle-of-nowhere Tulsa, Oklahoma, forced to build his own business from scratch.

Anyone familiar with the mob genre knows how specific those action scenes usually are: slick, claustrophobic, and more interested in prolonging pain before finally killing somebody. But much of Tulsa King also revolves around Dwight building a crew of misfits who hilariously do not always get along. Still, when they lock in together, they pull off lively, tightly choreographed fights full of grappling, shootouts, and perfectly timed takedowns.

3

‘Yellowstone’ (2018–2024)

Everyone — literally everyone — is beating the living lights out of each other in Yellowstone. Following John Dutton III (Kevin Costner) and his exceptionally different adult children, the series makes one thing painfully clear: everybody is capable of physically fending for themselves, whether they are ranchers working the land or corporate players fighting from behind office desks. Above all else, their main priority is protecting the ranch from vulture enterprises and corporations trying to seize it for themselves.

On their best days, they get into fistfights outside the family home or deliver casual beatings to remind enemies who is in charge. At their worst, rival gangs send men to literally tear through their offices, leaving behind bloody trails of bodies. It does not matter whether it happens in a store in broad daylight or a bar in the dead of night — one wrong move, and you are gone.

2

‘Mayor of Kingstown’ (2021–Present)

Image via Paramount+

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Mike McClusky (Jeremy Renner) is not someone to be messed with in Mayor of Kingstown. Unlike Sheridan’s usual lineup of cowboys and countryside dramas, the crime thriller follows Mike as he becomes the unofficial “mayor” — or rather, the fixer — of the fictional Kingstown, a place that feels less like a home and more like a company town built on incarceration.

A former inmate himself, Mike knows how to keep the criminal underworld from spiraling out of control. With seven prison systems within a 10-mile radius, he is always one arm’s length away from pulling a gun, slamming somebody into the ground, or getting nearly stabbed. But the scariest part of Mayor of Kingstown’s violence is that it stems from a corrupt prison system that fails to rehabilitate the incarcerated.

Game of Thrones alum Hannah Murray says she suffered a catastrophic psychotic break after joining a wellness cult.

“It’s easy to go, ‘Well, that would never happen to me,’ but we do ourselves a disservice when we start saying that, because you don’t know,” Murray, 36, told The Guardian in an interview published on Saturday, May 23. “I had no idea I was going togo through any of the things in the book. I would’ve assumed I couldn’t, that I was safe. I was well educated, from a middle-class family; everything should have been fine.”

She continued, “I thought, “I’m smart. I make good choices.’ Well, I made terrible choices. But it’s important to understand why people do these things, rather than going, ‘Oh, they must be idiots.’ Or, ‘How stupid could you be?’”

Murray, who appeared in 25 episodes of the hit HBO series across Seasons 2 through 8 as Gilly, declined to name the wellness cult she says she joined at age 27, instead only referring to it as the “organization.” She told the outlet she was introduced to the cult via a so-called “energy healer,” who she met through her personal trailer on the set of Detroit.

Related: One Tree Hill’s Bethany Joy Lenz Reveals She Was in a Cult for 10 Years

One Tree Hill alum Bethany Joy Lenz revealed she was in a cult for a decade, and she hopes that her experience can eventually help others. “I was in a cult for 10 years,” Lenz, 42, shared on the Monday, July 10, episode of iHeartRadio’s “Drama Queens” podcast. “That would be a really valuable experience […]

“My own experience felt highly eroticized, without anything explicitly physical happening,” she said of her experience in the alleged cult. “There was just this charge to the energy in the room. I think there often is in these hierarchical spiritual organizations. I found it interesting that it was a primarily quite female space — the teachers, the healer — and then this man walks in and he’s incredibly confident and magnetic. The first thing he says is a joke about sex. From this quite floaty, quite gentle, wishy-washy energy, it was suddenly, like, ‘Hey, I’m here,’ and, ‘Let’s f***.’ I think he was doing that deliberately.”

The leader of the wellness cult, also not named by Murray, allegedly wrote a “symbolic necklace and carried a giant Starbucks cup” with him everywhere he went. The actress spent thousands of dollars to obtain “wisdom and specialness,” but ultimately suffered a psychotic episode so intense that she was admitted to a psychiatric unit and, later, diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

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She documented her experience in her new book, The Make Believe: A Memoir of Magic and Madness, and today stays away from all things wellness industry-related.

“Even the tame stuff can feel quite distressing,” she explained. “I don’t meditate any more. I wouldn’t go into a crystal shop. I don’t do yoga, because I don’t quite know what might come up that might feel a bit too woo-woo for my personal threshold. But I realize now how pervasive it is. How often people you don’t know will offer it as a remedy.”

She added, ‘You’ll say, ‘I’m not really sleeping,’ and they’ll say, ‘Have you tried meditation?’ It’s everywhere, seen as an inherently positive solution. And there are harmless or positive versions. But as someone looking for something to fix me entirely, a magic wand or silver bullet, the promise felt seductive and addictive.”

For the past couple of months, Prime Video has been dominated by the final installment of Eric Kripke‘s beloved superhero satire, The Boys. Karl Urban‘s Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid‘s Hughie Campbell, Antony Starr‘s Homelander, et al. have been busy dialing the drama and action up to 11 for the fifth season, with the bold chaos coming to an explosive end this past week. Ending on “a rushed but mostly satisfying note,” according to Collider’s review of the finale by Nate Richard, Prime Video is ready to enter its post-The Boys era, and one series is already flying that flag.

The show in question is the acclaimed Off Campus, based on Elle Kennedy‘s book series, which is being dubbed by many as the perfect replacement for HBO Max’s Heated Rivalry. The series features a stellar ensemble, including leads Ella Bright (The Crown) and Belmont Cameli (Until Dawn), alongside Josh Heuston (Dune: Prophecy), Antonio Cipriano (Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin), Jalen Thomas Brooks (The Pitt), Mika Abdalla (The Pitt), and Stephen Kalyn (Gen V). Off Campus debuted on Prime Video on May 13, dropping all eight episodes at once, and scoring immediate popularity across the world.

Just over a week since the show’s premiere, and it continues to rise in popularity. At the time of writing, Off Campus is one of the most-watched shows on Prime Video in the U.S., as well as the second-most-watched show in the world, behind the aforementioned The Boys. The show ranks as the most-watched on Prime in several countries, including Switzerland, South Africa, and Canada, and is expected to climb to the global #1 spot as the dust settles on The Boys‘ finale. Unsurprisingly, the show has already been renewed for Season 2.

How Have Critics Reacted to ‘Off Campus’?

Romantic dramas aimed at older teens often prove divisive among critics. However, Off Campus is breaking that trend by earning near-universal acclaim from both critics and audiences. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the series has scored a near-perfect 93%, with audiences awarding a 90% rating. Collider’s Therese Lacson was full of praise in her review, calling the series “exactly what romance novel lovers want from a TV adaptation.” She continued, “Detractors might call the show cheesy or a guilty pleasure, but for lovers of romance, there’s nothing guilty about it.“

Off Campus Season 1 is available to stream on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

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Release Date

May 13, 2026

Network

Prime Video

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Directors

Dawn Wilkinson, Erica Dunton, Silver Tree, Sam Bailey

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Writers

Emmy St. Pierre

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Some of the biggest off-screen movie news this month arrived on May 4, as it was announced that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni‘s legal battle, following their collaboration on It Ends With Us and Lively’s accusation of sexual harassment, had come to an end via a confidential settlement. As the dust settles on the controversy, and fans allow themselves a moment to share their opinion on social media, the time has come to move on and look forward to more adaptations from Colleen Hoover’s catalog.

Since It Ends With Us earned $350 million at the global box office, two more Hoover adaptations have been released. Despite being somewhat overshadowed by its predecessor’s headlines, both films have performed well at the box office, although they fell short of It Ends With Us‘ high heights. Most recently, Reminders of Him, starring Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers, and directed by Vanessa Caswill, took home $88 million against a production budget of $25 million, despite facing competition from the likes of Scream 7, Wuthering Heights, and the huge sci-fi hit Project Hail Mary.

Last year, the second feature Hoover adaptation, Regretting You, capitalized on the financial success of It Ends With Us by scoring a $90 million haul against a reported budget of $30 million. Starring the likes of Allison Williams, Mckenna Grace, Dave Franco, Mason Thames, Scott Eastwood, Willa Fitzgerald, and Clancy Brown, the film earned a poor reception from critics, dubbed “messy” in Isabella Soares‘ review for Collider, but impressed fans enough to earn an 84% audience score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Seven months later, Regretting You is still impressing fans and has landed as the most-watched movie on Prime Video in the U.S., at the time of writing.

When Is the Next Colleen Hoover Adaptation?

Romance is exchanged for psychological thrills in the next Hoover adaptation, as Verity debuts on the big screen on October 2, 2026. Led by the hugely talented Anne Hathaway, who is now the biggest star to feature in a Hoover adaptation, this eye-catching line-up also features Dakota Johnson, Josh Hartnett, Ismael Cruz Cordóva, and Brady Wagner. The movie is directed by Michael Showalter, who has previously worked with Hathaway on Prime Video’s The Idea of You, which became a big hit for the streamer.

Regretting You is streaming now on Prime Video. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

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Release Date

October 22, 2025

Runtime

116 minutes

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Director

Josh Boone

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Writers

Susan McMartin

Producers

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Anna Todd, Brunson Green, Flavia Viotti, Robert Kulzer

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The country is continuing to mourn the loss of and pay tribute to NASCAR legend Kyle Busch after his untimely and shocking death.

“Kyle Busch was not just a talented and record-setting driver; he was also a kind person,” North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said in a statement shared via the North Carolina Department of Transportation on Friday, May 22, announcing that he has ordered all “U.S. and North Carolina flags at state facilities to half-staff” in honor of the late racer.

“His loss will be felt throughout the entire NASCAR community and well beyond,” the governor continued. “Anna and I send our deepest condolences to the Busch family during this incredibly difficult time. May his memory be a blessing.”

The governor has ordered flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise on Sunday “through sunset Sunday, May 24,” to pay homage to the racer, who died on Thursday, May 21, after a brief hospitalization for a serious illness.

Related: NASCAR CEO Breaks His Silence on Kyle Busch’s Death

NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell has made his first public comments since the death of Cup Series driver Kyle Busch on Thursday, May 21. “Kyle Busch, to me, is an American badass,” he told reporters. “Behind the wheel, [he was] who you want to be, and I think when you look back at all those things, […]

“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sports’ greatest and fiercest drivers,” the official NASCAR social media account announced via X at the time. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”

On Saturday, a rep for the Busch family confirmed the late racer’s cause of death to NBC News, telling the network that the late athlete died of pneumonia that progressed “into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.” Busch is survived by his wife, Samantha, and his two children: son Brexton and daughter Lennix.

The same day that Busch’s cause of death was confirmed, his racing team paid a silent tribute to the athlete at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“A silent garage pays its respect as the No. 22 @RCRacing Chevrolet unloads at @CLTMotorSpdway,” NASCAR wrote via X, alongside a video showing the late driver’s team unloading his vehicle.

The blue, white and red Chevrolet adorned with the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen logo was unloaded in complete silence. The car’s number was changed from No. 8 to No. 33, though a small No. 8 decal was seen on the door of the vehicle.

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Related: Kyle Busch 911 Call Reveals More Details About His Health Before Death

More details about the circumstances of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s death have come to light. Hours before Busch died at age 41, a 911 call obtained by TMZ reveals that Busch suffered a medical emergency at a training facility in North Carolina. “I’ve got an individual that’s shortness of breath, very hot,” the caller said. […]

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On Friday, NASCAR announced that the RCR team “opted to shelf the No. 8” that Busch last drove, switching to the car No. 33 for the foreseeable future. The team indicated it will reserve Busch’s No. 8 for his son “when he is ready.”

In Governor Stein’s Friday announcement, the politician urged others to honor the NASCAR driver by also lowering their flags.

“Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are also encouraged to fly flags at half-staff for the duration of time indicated,” the announcement read in part.

It’s no secret that, good or bad, audiences still love the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Between Wonder Man, Daredevil: Born Again, and The Punisher: One Last Kill, the 2026 calendar year has been explosive for the MCU on the small screen. As superhero series continue to dominate the charts, there’s one Marvel hidden gem within the MCU that remains a vital part of the mythology and lore that deserves to be rediscovered: Agent Carter.

An early entry into the MCU, pre-Disney+, the two-part espionage thriller follows Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) as she works with the Strategic Scientific Reserve while on a secret mission to clear Howard Stark’s (Dominic Cooper) name. In a post-World War II setting following Steve Rogers’ (Chris Evans) “death,” Peggy balances grief, misogyny, sexism, and romantic entanglements on a journey to protect the world. Agent Carter, which holds an 87% overall Rotten Tomatoes score, masterfully captures everything fans loved about the Captain America films while exploring one of the MCU’s most beloved yet underrated characters.

‘Agent Carter’ Highlights One of the MCU’s Greatest Hero

Across two seasons, Agent Carter gave viewers a taste of ’40s espionage as Peggy, a master spy and combatant, teams up with Stark’s butler, Edwin Jarvis (James D’Arcy), on a coast-to-coast mission that showcases her intellect and sheer determination. Proving that a true superpower is using being underestimated to her advantage, Agent Carter was colorful, high-octane, and unlike anything the MCU had introduced at that time.

Led by the exceptional Atwell, the series gave Peggy the platform to prove that she’s always been one of the greatest heroes. Now ten years later, Agent Carter maintains an important legacy in the MCU. Prior to the Disney+ run of original series, Agent Carter was the only solo female-led MCU story. And unlike many of the beloved heroes, she was “ordinary” in the sense that she lacked superhuman or mutant powers. Peggy was extraordinary in her sheer brilliance, her prowess on the field, and her ability to stand up to the powers trying to silence and take her down.

‘Agent Carter’ Served as a Perfect Bridge Between the MCU on Film and Television

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Having already won fans’ hearts on the big screen, Peggy made a seamless transition to a solo series, giving audiences a reason to continue their MCU watching beyond the blockbusters. The series served as a wonderful bridge between the early Marvel films and the larger superhero agencies presented, showing they are much more than plot fodder. By establishing continuity, Agent Carter fleshed out crucial connections, including personal character stakes, and showcased the direct origins of S.H.I.E.L.D. The first season delved deeply into the emotional and mental effects Captain America had on Peggy. It gave her the fight to honor his legacy. By Season 2, any romantic adoration she had had in the past was put aside, giving her a new coworker to fawn over: Daniel Sousa (Enver Gjokaj). Agent Carter served as brilliant character building for a supporting character now stepping into a leading role.

Though fans saw what the MCU looked like in a historical setting with Captain America: The First Avenger, this series used that time period to its advantage. Agent Carter’s setting serves as a wonderful backdrop for the spy thriller, striking the right mix of vibrant comic-book camp, separate from the other MCU series airing at the time, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Carter was, comparatively, a tad more grounded in street-level action, though Season 2 did introduce some cosmic elements in the Atomic Age. Other big connections to the broader MCU came through Anton Vanko (Costa Ronin), the father of Iron Man 2 villain Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), and, unsurprisingly, Hydra is still present with Arnim Zola (Toby Jones), who shared a prison cell with hypnotist Johann Fennhoff (Ralph Brown), who was encouraged to rebuild the organization.

‘Agent Carter’ Deserved More

Call it poor timing or a lack of interest, but Agent Carter was cancelled after two seasons. And yes, it ended on a major cliffhanger that the MCU has yet to address. Not to spoil it, but let’s just say it’s nearly as epic as the “Who shot J.R.” twist from Dallas. Agent Carter deserved better. Being a supplement series during Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘s hiatus may have intensified superhero fatigue, but Agent Carter would have thrived as a Disney+ original. Peggy remains an inspiring figure in the MCU, and, given how timelines and multiverses work, she will return in Avengers: Doomsday. Until then, Agent Carter is an addictive binge-watch with exceptional storytelling and just the right amount of MCU lore to keep viewers engaged.

Agent Carter is available to stream on Disney+

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Release Date

2015 – 2016-00-00

Directors

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Louis D’Esposito

Writers

Stephen McFeely, Christopher Marcus

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