Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed Episode 5

We are halfway through Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed‘s first season, and, while a lot has happened over the course of five episodes, there is still quite a bit of unresolved chaos and mystery for Tatiana Maslany‘s Paula to sort through. The twisty Apple TV thriller — which is infused with moments of levity in between the bloody murder investigation and blackmail — works as well as it does thanks to its eclectic and talented cast, which includes Murray Bartlett and Brandon Flynn.

Bartlett and Flynn play Dennis and Trevor, respectively, two characters who are definitely not how they seem. The two men — who start out as a seemingly loving couple — quickly evolve into anything but that. Bartlett’s Dennis is a cold, calculated killer trying to track down Paula, and Trevor’s a Cam Boy-turned-victim who thrusts Paula into a maddening kidnap-blackmail plot. During this conversation with Collider, Murray Bartlett and Brandon Flynn talk about their first impressions of the story, what it was like playing such complicated characters, and how they pulled off that ambitious murder scene in Episode 5.

Apple TV’s ‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’ Allowed Murray Bartlett and Brandon Flynn To Play Several Characters

“Trevor has many truths going on.”

COLLIDER: It’s so great to meet you both. I really enjoy the show, and your storylines go in quite a few unexpected directions, which made it that much more fun to watch. I want to start with a fun, silly question. Paula clearly finds an outlet for pleasure. Is there something like a show, a movie, or activity that will bring you out of a funk instantly and will turn your mood around?

MURRAY BARTLETT: Oh, my God. I mean, I can’t think of anything as racy and kind of cool as what Paula does. I live in the woods, so I go and walk on the beach. [Laughs] That pulls me out of a funk. I take my dog out and just hang out with my dog. That’s basically what I do. But I can’t think of anything that’s more fun and interesting than that. That’s my go-to.

BRANDON FLYNN: Usually go see something, play or museum or something.

BARTLETT: I mean, yeah, going to see movies is kind of the solution to many things.

FLYNN: It really is, yeah.

BARTLETT: It’s a mood lifter. Even if it’s sad or depressing or dark.

FLYNN: Even if it’s bad.

BARTLETT: Even if it’s bad, yeah.

You’re like, “I got out of the house and ate candy. It’s fine.”

BARTLETT: You’re still in a cinema. I think particularly for us, even if something isn’t working very well, you’re kind of still like, “These people made this thing!” There are always things to learn from it or take from it or whatever. That is sort of a joyful experience that kind of soothes anything, I think.

Dennis and Trevor are two very complicated characters. What were your impressions when you first read the script and were introduced to the story?

BARTLETT: I loved that Dennis just kind of shifts on a dime and is all these different things to different people. That’s just a great thing to play. That was a very tantalizing thing for me. I just found the story to be relatable. I think we’re in a period of time where it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed. The amazing Tatiana Maslany, who anchors our show, is going through this kind of overwhelmedness, and what you do when you’re feeling overwhelmed. I feel like that’s super relatable, particularly at this point in time. And then the fact that the show just keeps jumping and changing and surprising you. It was a really compelling read. I was like, “Oh yeah, I want to be part of this.”

FLYNN: Trevor felt so fun and like he was the ultimate performer, giving the people what they want. I was excited to be a part of that journey with him, where I think the audience is going to get a kick out of where it goes.

Going off of that, Brandon, I know you studied at the Globe Theater. Trevor’s kind of constantly acting himself. Was there anything from when you were studying at the Globe that you took and that you feel really connected with this project specifically?

FLYNN: Oh my God. I mean, Shakespeare’s in everything. I’m sure there’s some sort of Shakespearean character that Trevor could be linked to. I mean, he’s kind of like Plato’s idea of an actor, right? At the Globe, I was always just taught, “Tell the truth.” Like, that’s it. And Trevor has many truths going on [laughs], and they were all fun to tell.

Murray Bartlett Studied What It’s Like To Be a Sociopath for ‘Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed’

“They learn to imitate social cues and become great actors.”

Image via Apple TV

Murray, I love watching you be really bad and scary. I’m sure it was very fun to play a villainous role. Did you prepare for this character differently than you have with other characters, or do you kind of have the same method when you get into a story?

BARTLETT: I think it’s always different, for me, anyway. There are certain steps that I always take to make sure I’ve covered my bases, but I feel like I’m always on high alert to pull in music or movies or films or people I’ve met, or little videos that I’ve seen, or whatever, to kind of make this kind of collage that becomes the character in a way. Sort of pulling on things from yourself that resonate with the character. But with this, I felt like, because he shifts and changes and can sort of switch emotion on and off, it felt very sociopathic.

I read this book about a sociopath, and it was super helpful. It was just fascinating because the woman who wrote the book, who is a sociopath, has a very small spectrum of emotions, so they learn to imitate social cues and become great actors, basically. That was a really wonderful kernel that I kind of held to, amongst other amazing things about sociopaths, like a lack of empathy. I am proud to say that I feel like I have a lot of empathy, but I’m a very, very emotional person, and to play someone who isn’t that was kind of exciting and challenging in a great way for me.

When he was in the car and trying to channel crying and how he should feel, it was very unnerving in the best way. I want to talk about Episode 5 a little bit because that was a very brutal kill, and I want to know how choreographed that scene was in the motel. What was it like when you read it, and then how was it when you filmed it?

BARTLETT: There’s a technical aspect. You want to make sure that everyone feels safe and comfortable and all that kind of stuff. It’s disturbing shit. Because we’re seeing the cameras and stuff, to a certain extent, you can objectify it. But that’s when the sociopathic stuff came in. He doesn’t feel the things that I would feel here. So, what would that be like? He’s just getting the job done. The stuff is here that I’m going to use to get the job done. There is some sort of glee in it for him, which was enjoyable to imagine. It’s horrible, but it’s all play, so we had a lot of fun with it. The way into that brutal stuff that I find personally hard to watch [laughs]… It was helpful to have that sociopathic thing of, “Well, this person doesn’t actually respond like most people would.” That’s how sociopaths and psychopaths do this stuff. They don’t have that sort of capacity in their being to feel empathy or feel the things that most of us would.

Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed airs new episodes Wednesdays on Apple TV.

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Release Date

May 19, 2026

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Network

Apple TV

Showrunner

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David Rosen

Directors

Damon Thomas, Alethea Jones

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Writers

David Rosen

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 4 seconds ago

While younger fans have done their best to rehabilitate the Star Wars prequels, most older fans still agree that The Phantom Menace was pretty bad and that Attack of the Clones was an overstuffed, equally embarrassing sequel. However, the third time was the charm for George Lucas: Revenge of the Sith felt like a proper Star Wars movie, especially after the disappointing films that preceded it. Unfortunately, the film is held back by some of Lucas’ trademark excess and bizarre dialogue. The most famous example of this is Obi-Wan Kenobi infamously warning Anakin Skywalker, “I have the high ground;” Anakin attacks anyway, getting sliced up and left to burn.

It’s a notoriously goofy moment in franchise history. Like, when they’re dunking on Star Wars writing in shows as normy as Gilmore Girls, you know you wrote something pretty stupid. Interestingly, though, this notorious line was almost removed from Revenge of the Sith altogether. In one version of the duel scene, Obi-Wan never says anything about the high ground, but he still ends up beating Anakin by accidentally slicing his former apprentice. This would have ruined the movie’s most iconic scene by turning it into accidental comedy. Fortunately, Lucas changed things up and added the high ground dialogue, effectively saving the best Star Wars prequel by giving it the worst line in the franchise!

Dueling Fates

All of this information comes to us courtesy of Revenge of the Sith stunt coordinator Nick Gillard. In an interview with Empire, he revealed how the first version of Obi-Wan and Anakin’s duel went down. “Originally, they both land on the side of the lava flow and immediately start fighting. Anakin disarms Obi and grabs him by the throat,” he said. “He’s about to chop his head off, but Obi sucks the lightsaber into his hand in a defensive move to try and block it, and in doing so cuts straight through Anakin’s arms and legs.”

What happened? George Lucas. According to Gillard, “[George Lucas] wanted something else.” He then added that, “George is the creator. We would be foolish to second-guess him.” While Gillard’s loyalty is laudable, he accidentally shed some light on why most of the stupidest stuff ended up in the prequels. Basically, Lucas would get some weird idea or another in his head, and he was surrounded by so many sycophants that nobody wanted to tell him this was a bad idea. This is presumably why Jar-Jar gets farted on, why Anakin rambles about sand, and why Qui-Gon’s obsessed with midichlorians: Lucas came up with these things without anyone to tell them these are dumb ideas. 

Burn, Baby, Burn

In this case, though, George Lucas had the right idea. Sure, the high ground dialogue is dumb, but at least it’s charming, adding some levity (even if by accident) to one of the franchise’s most serious scenes. Speaking of unintentional comedy, the original scene that Gillard describes sounds like it would have been a little too goofy. Like, Obi-Wan wins the duel through an act of self-defense, which some might think seems fitting for a Jedi. But this description also makes it sound like the Jedi Master dismembered his old apprentice completely by accident, which would arguably ruin Star Wars far more than hearing Obi-Wan screaming out, “I have the high ground!”

In the final version of the duel that made it onscreen, Obi-Wan Kenobi is forced to make a haunting decision. He has to fight Anakin to save his own life, but he can’t bring himself to kill his old apprentice. Instead, he dismembers him, which ends up being far crueler: Anakin is disabled and disfigured, and instead of getting a clean death, he slowly burns, nearly to death, before getting rescued. All of this adds weight to Obi-Wan’s words about Anakin in A New Hope: he truly loved his former apprentice, and that final duel hurt him as much (okay, almost as much) as it hurt young Skywalker. 

Saving The Best Prequel With The Worst Dialogue

There you have it, Star Wars fiends. Originally, Revenge of the Sith lacked any dialogue about having the high ground, and Obi-Wan and Anakin’s final duel was very different. But George Lucas personally intervened to create the scene that we know and love (or perhaps loathe). It’s the kind of decision that only the Maker could, uh, make, and it was a good one. With a single decision, Lucas saved the best of the Star Wars prequels, and he did so by adding the worst dialogue in the galaxy. 

Sadly, nobody was willing to clap back at him like Harrison Ford reportedly did on the set of A New Hope: “You can type this sh*t, but you sure can’t say it!

The three-part Summer House reunion has officially come to an end — so where does West Wilson and Amanda Batula’s romance stand?

“We are not using the word ‘love’ right now,” West, 31, revealed on the Tuesday, June 9, episode of the Bravo series after Andy Cohen asked both him and Amanda, 34, whether they are “in love” at this point.

“It’s been two months, three months,” West added, to which Amanda chimed in, “It’s so early.”

West claimed, “I’m very much committed to this relationship.”

Amanda, meanwhile, admitted that she and West “haven’t said” that they “love” each other, but shared that they were “having conversations about [how] serious our feelings [are] and where it’s going.”

Mia Calabrese asked for clarification, wondering, “So you guys are exclusive now?” West responded, “Yeah.”

Elsewhere in the episode, West revealed that he was not “monogamous” after he and Amanda first “expressed feelings,” but claimed, “Since the statement, yes,” he’d been solely dedicated to her.

Kyle Cooke — who announced his split from Amanda in January after four years of marriage — had his own questions about the pair’s relationship timeline.

“Was there any physical activity? I don’t care if there’s any emotional affair, because at this point that’s subjective, did you ever hook up in 2025?” Kyle, 43, asked them both.

West replied, “No, f*** no.” Amanda said the same, adding, “On my f***ing life on, the dogs’ life, no.”

When Andy, 58, asked the couple if they had an “affair” in summer 2025, West and Amanda replied in unison, “Absolutely not.”

Scroll down for the biggest revelations from part 3 of the Summer House reunion — including how Ciara Miller feels now that she’s said her peace:

When Did Things Turn Romantic for West and Amanda?

“We started going out a lot in February and March with a lot of my friends. Having a lot of fun,” West explained when asked about when their dynamic shifted. “Seeing her happy and having fun and kinda the Amanda I didn’t see prior, I took it kinda personal I guess.”

West called that spark in Amanda “special to me,” noting it was a “treat for me to see Amanda incredibly happy and we started spending more time together.”

Amanda, meanwhile, said there wasn’t one moment when her feelings “clicked” for West.

Instead, she told Andy, “There was just a night where he sorta said something, [like], ‘Am I crazy? Is there something here?’ I feel like all the emotions came flooding it. It wasn’t a slow burn or build up to it.”

Cast Weighs in on Strange ‘Summer House’ Moments

Throughout the reunion, the cast pointed out moments from Summer House season 10, filmed in 2025, that felt “weird,” including West pulling Amanda in and her crying on his shoulder after her blowout fight with Kyle at the dinner table.

Mia noted it was “strange” that West put his hands close to Amanda’s breast when she was trying to calm Kyle down during his fight with BFF Carl Radke out on the driveway.

Ciara, for her part, revealed that the “hardest” part to watch back was the finale when she said goodbye to Amanda for the summer through tears.

“It was really emotional for me to see a scene of me and Amanda saying goodbye to each other. Me telling her how much I love her and how special she is and she’s beautiful and she’s seen and she deserves the best,” Ciara — who dated West in 2023 and was cozy with him again in summer 2025 — told Andy. “It kinda f***ed me yup a little bit. It’s a bit bittersweet.”

Did West Have a Crush on Amanda Filming Season 10?

“No,” he insisted, before admitting, “We definitely got way closer after all the moments we shared intimately, bathroom crying night.”

Amanda claimed she didn’t have any romantic feelings for West in summer 2025, alleging, “I was so caught up and lost in my own marriage and the fallout of it. … I’m not a f***ing cheater.”

Ciara noted she “definitely” thought they had an “emotional affair” during those summer months in the Hamptons.

West took a beat then admitted, “Probably. We definitely became closer throughout the summer.”

“But not in a romantic way,” Amanda insisted.

Was Anything Going on at the 2026 Super Bowl?

Kyle explained that there was “one timeline question I’m a little worried about,” pegged to the Super Bowl, which was on February 8.

“There’s only two weeks between when we split and Super Bowl,” Kyle said, claiming, “One of your close friends thought of you guys as an item within that two week period.”

When he asked if that was true, Amanda declared, “We were not hanging out.”

West Back Peddles About His ‘Exclusive’ Relationship With Ex Meija

Meija Moreno has claimed that she and West were “exclusive” in the days and months before he went public with Amanda.

West admitted on part 3 of the reunion that he told Meija “it was not an exclusive relationship in November or December” of 2025.

Ciara claimed, “He’s lying. You sent her flowers on Valentine’s day.”

West then confessed, “I’ve been not clear with a zillion women that I’ve dated prior to this,” saying that Meija did think they were exclusive.

“So you lied to her,” Kyle said, to which West admitted, “Yeah.”

When Andy asked whether West was “seeing other women” while dating Meija, he responded, “Correct.”

West once again claimed that the title “girlfriend is not true,” to which Ciara claimed that’s because West had “loopholes” in his relationships.

Related: Summer House’s Amanda Berates West for Kissing Girl Near Ciara Pre-Romance

Amanda Batula went off on West Wilson for kissing another woman in front of his ex-girlfriend, her friend, Ciara Miller on Summer House — months before she started dating him, seemingly behind her BFF’s back. “You just got too comfortable on probation,” Amanda, 34, told West, 31, on the Tuesday, April 14, episode of the […]

Was West on Beta Blockers?

“No offense, are you on a bunch of beta blockers or what?” Andy asked West, referring to prescription medications that block stress hormones. “Everybody’s so emotional around you, about you and their relationship with you and you’re like this [blank face]?”

West replied, “I’m trying to stay composed as much as possible.”

Ciara chimed in claiming, “Or you’re just a sociopath.”

West the admitted, “I took a beta blocker. That’s why I’m not sobbing. This matters to me. I apologize if I don’t read emotional enough.”

Kyle Questions Whether West Was Ever His Friend — If He’ll Hurt Amanda

“I considered you one of the best things to happen to this show because I considered you one of my best friends,” Kyle told West, noting that he still has “love” for Amanda is “very concerned” about her well-being.

Kyle admitted, “When we broke up it was not a good marriage,” reminding West that he had a “front row seat” to all their ups and downs and still decided to “make that move and pursue these feelings you’ve essentially completely isolated her.”

West confessed he wishes he “could’ve spoken” to Kyle before their relationship made headlines, which caused Kyle to get even more upset.

“I was texting you in early February not knowing you’re in Miami on a dinner date with her about our sex life or lack there of,” Kyle revealed, noting it was a betrayal to think they were so close and he moved in on his wife.

West then admitted that Kyle’s “concern” about him “being the worst person to risk of all of this, makes total sense.”

The Social Media of It All

During the reunion, Ciara called West and Amanda “so f***ing calculated” for how they played with the cast and hid in plain sight that they were hooking up before coming forward to everyone.

“You guys bragging about it for months on end is really the point where it’s the most disrespectful to everyone,” Ciara said.

Amanda claimed her posts, one of which included a quote that said, “This is how much I care” around the time they were rumored to be dating, had “nothing to do with anything.”

“She did a 20 carousel thing of her and West and then that last one was, ‘This is how much I care,’” Kyle added, pointing to a March 22 Instagram post that Amanda uploaded.

Amanda maintained her innocence, replying, “That was a very dumb mistake on my part. Literally they’re not related.”

Ciara Breaks Down Her ‘Betrayal’

“I did a really s***y thing,” Amanda confessed when asked about her betrayal of Ciara by hooking up with West behind her back.

Ciara fire back, “You’re still doing a really s***y thing.”

“This has been a very confusing and crazy time. There’s been a lot of feelings that I’ve sorted through,” Amanda explained. “I developed feelings for someone that I wasn’t supposed to in a way that I wasn’t expecting to. There were times I lost sleep, I didn’t eat, thinking about what it was going to do to our friendship. … I f***ed up and I am deeply sorry for betraying your trust. And it kills me to know that I have caused you this pain.”

Ciara didn’t believe Amanda, reminding her she only texted her “24 hours” before she issued her statement confirming her and West’s relationship.

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Related: Where Ciara Miller Stands With Amanda Batula After West Wilson Scandal

Ciara Miller is still sorting through her feelings after longtime friend Amanda Batula started seeing her ex-boyfriend, and their Summer House costar, West Wilson, earlier this spring. “Ciara has told friends that if they really are in love, she will accept it,” a source exclusively tells Us Weekly, noting that if West, 31, and Amanda, […]

“Meanwhile, I’m texting Kyle, ‘What the f*** is this?’ When I have done nothing but be there for you. And Lindsay has to come and pick me up off the f***ing bathroom floor so I can go do my f***ing job,” Ciara said. “Because I couldn’t fathom being here today pissed that you’re f***ing my ex.”

Ciara noted that it’s mind-blowing that West “propositioned” Amanda and she just said, “Yeah, let’s do it.”

“At the slightest if you were my friend ever you’d be like, ‘That would be a big f*** you to Ciara. Why would I ever do that to her?,” Ciara continued. “If anything you’d be, like, ‘He wants revenge against her because he resents her so f***ing much.’ But that never even crossed your mind.”

Ciara then alleged that West wanted to “embarrass” her and wanted to get his “last little word” all to “spite” her following their split.

Amanda Claims She’s ‘Truly Sorry’

“I’ve been extremely appreciative of everything Ciara has done for me,” Amanda claimed, referring to her support amid her and Kyle’s marriage problems. “I know that I have f***ed up an incredible friendship and that’s something I will live with the rest of my life.”

Amanda added, “I cannot say sorry more to you Ciara until I’m blue in the face. I truly am sorry for what I have done. You do not deserve a friend like me and I do not deserve a friend like you.”

Kyle and Amanda Share a Moment

After a brief break, Kyle and Amanda exchanged a big hug and he started to cry over their fractured relationship.

“I hate when our 10 year relationship gets talked about as if it was 100 percent bad,” Kyle said while his heart beat was so loud it was audible on the microphone.

Amanda responded, “I know. I’m sorry.”

Related: West Wilson Breaks Silence About Backlash Over Amanda Batula Romance

West Wilson is speaking out about his controversial relationship with Summer House costar Amanda Batula after receiving backlash from fans and costars. “There was no overlap. I know there’s a thousand different theories on the internet right now but that is one thing that for sure did not happen,” West, 31, said on the Monday, […]

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Lindsay Slams West and Amanda for Being ‘Short Sighted’

“Andy, I didn’t learn anything. I just feel like there’s not a lot of clarity,” Lindsay Hubbard confessed after the break. “Why did it take today to think through any of this [on their end]?”

She continued, “I’m just so confused at how such a big decision is at such high risk and you guys say you weighed all these opinions before making this decision, but you didn’t. All these guys are a mess. If you weighed all these decisions, then surely you must have thought how this would affect just the four of you.”

Lindsay directed her questions to West, calling him “the manipulator here.”

“It’s very short sighted for a f***ing hookup, for a fling,” she added.

Where Do We Go From Here?

During part 3, Bailey Taylor got real with Amanda, telling her, “I genuinely worry about you so much.”

Amanda thanked her for the concern, confessing, “Maybe I’m naive. I feel like we’ve had a lot of conversations, he and I that made me feel secure. Maybe this will be a huge mistake and I’ll wake up one day and realize it.”

Jesse Solomon, who came onto the show with West during season 8, cried multiple times during the episode, revealing he felt like he was “losing a brother.”

West admitted, “I f***ing hate that. Obviously Jesse and I are incredibly close. … The friendships here matter to me so f***ing much. It sucks knowing that I’m responsible for watching the cracks in all of this.”

Kyle, for his part, said he doesn’t “know where we go from here,” but told Andy that since his split from Amanda he made a “big effort to just be at peace.”

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Related: Summer House’s Amanda Said She’d Be ‘Happy’ If Ciara and West Reconciled

Amanda Batula vowed to protect Ciara Miller’s heart from West Wilson on the latest episode of Summer House — months before confirming her own romance with her friend’s ex. “I was like, ‘The last thing I would ever do is invite Ciara and West out on an intimate date,’” Amanda, 34, told housemate Mia Calabrese […]

Kyle noted he wanted to “focus on an amicable break up,” but now that Amanda is dating West he doesn’t know what to do next.

Ciara shared that after the reunion, “I think in some ways it was cathartic. It’s nice to be able to move on with my life,” but didn’t address her future with Amanda or West.

“I hope that one day probably not all of these friendships will be mended but I do hope some of them can be. That’s a main priority,” West claimed.

How Will West and Amanda Move Forward?

When asked “was it worth it” to start dating West under these circumstances, Amanda responded, “That’s an impossible question to answer in this moment. I wish I could have both even though that’s not the case.”

West explained that if he and Amanda “can get back to what our early days were, those were very special days” then he thinks they can last.

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“I think he just means when it hasn’t been dealing with the fallout and the turmoil,” Amanda added.

Cookie Time!

Despite all the drama, the cast ended on a high note by toasting to Ciara’s recent achievement — raising $160,000 for a local Girl Scout troop. They were given cookies to end the season with something sweet.

Amanda, however, took a little jab at West for not following the rules. She scolded him, saying, “Don’t eat it yet, we’re cheersing!”

Farmer Wants a Wife season 4 had its fair share of drama — but did the final three couples walk into the sunset?

Viewers watched throughout season 4 of the Fox reality series as farmers Sean Cavanaugh, Braden Pridemore and Brett Maverick each took a group of women home to see if they could find The One, sending one person home every episode before making their final choice.

Warning: Spoilers below for the season 4 finale of Farmer Wants a Wife. 

While each farmer had their individual ups and downs as they navigated dates, conflicts and even family dynamics, the Tuesday, June 9, finale started out smoothly until Braden found himself in the hot seat when he had to break one woman’s heart — and she took it harder than expected.

When Braden met up with Brittany Graham to reveal that he was ultimately choosing Casey Riemar, the 27-year-old medical aesthetician had a hard time accepting the news, accusing Braden of leading her on and lying about his feelings before ultimately breaking down and running away.

“With this whole process, sending girls home is the absolute worst part about it. I absolutely hated it, even when I had a clear mind,” Braden exclusively told Us Weekly about the fallout. “And going into the finale, I truly did have a clear mind, and I knew it was Casey, and I knew where my heart was leading me. But it’s still hard, because in the moment, you don’t want to hurt somebody. And, Brittany went into that very confident, I think, that I was going to pick her. I didn’t mean to give that impression.”

Despite his empathy, Braden insisted that he has a “clear conscience” about the ordeal.

“[I was] completely honest through this whole process. I never said anything to any of the girls that wasn’t true,” he explained. “And that’s the hard thing, because no matter what, rejection is hard, and getting sent home is probably horrible.”

Sean, Braden and Brett all ultimately followed their hearts in the end  — see who they picked and where the couples stand now:

Sean Cavanaugh and Emily Jane

Status: Still together!

After a season of accusations that they had already chosen each other before the final two, Sean and Emily walked off into the sunset together. While speaking to Us, the couple clarified that it wasn’t until their solo date together that they realized their relationship could become something real.

“We just had such a great time, and it was just amazing beyond expectation,” Emily told Us, calling it a “turning point” in their romance. Sean agreed, adding the alone time gave them “plenty of time to hang out and really talk to each other and get to know one another.”

However, he noted that while the solo date made it “more than clear” where he was heading for viewers, he knew he had a “process to finish” in the show and was determined to give everyone a “fair chance” before ultimately following his heart.

These days, Sean and Emily are happily in love and even living together. Right after the show wrapped, Sean took Emily to Santa Barbara for a “fun vacation” away from cameras, the place where they say they “truly fell in love.” Then they had Thanksgiving together at his parents’ house in Newport Beach, California.

While Emily eventually flew back home to Florida, the twosome called each other “every single day” — one time spending 15 hours chatting! — before Sean packed up his truck and drove across the country to see her.

“We were like, ‘OK, our goal is for the rest of our lives, we never want to spend three weeks apart.’ So we packed up his truck, and he drove across the country and into my place,” Emily told Us. “So we do live together. We’ve been living together.”

The pair have since made their way back to California, where Sean said they’re “working at the restaurant, working on the farm” and “getting a whole bunch of new farm animals.”

There’s no official engagement yet, but Emily told Us to “stay tuned.”

“There’s been talk. Nothing’s happened yet. I feel like everybody’s wondering,” she said with a laugh. “Nothing has happened yet. You guys will be just as surprised as I will. We’re waiting.”

Braden Pridemore and Casey Riemer

Status: Still together!

Braden confessed to Us that he had his eyes on Casey from the very first day they met in the barn, a secret he told the wardrobe department right off the bat.

“Casey was nothing but just real and authentic, and the whole time was just never trying to impress me. I mean, she couldn’t care less, like, about impressing me,” he said with a laugh. “At times I joked, I was like, ‘Oh, she doesn’t even care!’ … And that really attracted me, because she was just so true to herself. So I liked Casey pretty quickly.”

Braden confessed he had trouble sending women home and would often get overly focused on not hurting anyone’s feelings, but with Casey, there was “never” an option of saying goodbye.

“You get caught up thinking more about who you’re sending home rather than who’s actually there, as crazy as that sounds,” he explained. “Later in the season, I’m telling myself, ‘Oh man, I’m gonna have a hard decision,’ and then I just had a moment where I was like, ‘You’re kind of an idiot. It’s always been Casey!’ I’ve just been so drawn to her this whole entire season.”

For Casey, realizing Braden was The One took a little bit longer. “I think when I really realized I was falling for him was after the family episode,” she said, referring to the season’s penultimate episode. “Our families got along so well, and it was just truly so much fun that day. And then once the families both left, we got to have our final day, just getting to spend more time with him, talk about what the future might look like for us. I truly saw myself being with him from that moment on.”

While Braden and Casey clearly had a connection throughout the season, they seemingly faced a bump in the road when it came to the discussion of Casey moving to Illinois. Although Casey “never said” she wouldn’t relocate, she expressed her apprehension about being even farther away from her family.

“A concern of mine was being, or living so far away from my family. I currently live three hours from them. I don’t live close right now, I think it was just scary knowing it would be seven hours away from Nashville,” she shared.

In the end, Braden said the honest conversation made their feelings grow “even stronger.”

“It was like, ‘Wow, our conflict resolution could be strong,’” he said. “It was just two of us being honest. She was like, ‘Hey, this is my concern, being this far away from my family.’ I’m like, ‘Well, this is my concern,’ and I don’t want me living here to change our connection.’ …We were just both honest with each other and upfront with our intentions.”

Now, Casey and Braden have both made the trip from Tennessee to Illinois “multiple times,” and the concerns about distance are getting “less and less.”

“The longest we’ve gone has been, like, two and a half weeks without seeing each other, so lots of traveling; we’ve been making it work, so it’s been a lot of fun,” Casey said with a smile.

As for taking things to the next level — like a potential engagement — Braden said there have been “conversations,” but the couple are taking it day by day.

“Right now our focus is just being a normal couple and actually being able to go out and have fun and just you know continue what we’re doing,” he said. “I’ll say we’ve had a few conversations, but that’s something that’s going to have to be down the line. … We’re really making it work, [and] I can honestly say there hasn’t been any time where it’s felt really difficult to not see each other. We’re two people that need some space, but we also need to be around each other quite a bit. We’ve just been really making it work, and it’s gone so smoothly.”

Casey agreed. “It’s been so easy,” she added.

Brett Maverick and Quinn Guterman

Status: Still together!

While Brett got along well with all the girls on his farm, he told Us that after sitting back and taking time to “read” the room, he figured out “which ones I was more drawn to based on their personalities, the way they carry themselves, the things they said — there are a few factors there.”

Brett explained that, like Braden, he got wrapped up in who was going home but eventually realized he needed to focus on who he wanted to stay. Ultimately, his mind went to the mixer in Maryland and how he formed a connection with Quinn. “That’s kind of when I realized that Quinn was the head of the pack.”

Quinn, for her part, also noted Maryland as a turning point.

“When we went on our trip to Maryland to the horse races, I missed him, and so I realized when I wasn’t around him, I wanted to be around him,” she shared, adding that she was surprised at how much she “cared” when a late-game woman named Sophia was added to the mix by Brett’s parents.

Quinn told Us, “Honestly, just the way once we got back and he was interacting with us as a whole, I kind of knew he’s somebody I want to get to know, and then just each conversation that went on, and really less about the conversations he and I had, it was more just little interactions, whether that was off camera, in between stuff, on camera, we just kind of found our way of just little sarcastic things here and there, so what I would look for normally was happening even in a group, and I think he got to see my side with the girls, and how I would be around my friends normally, because that’s kind of how we all were, and so we just opened up and got close fast.”

As for where they stand now, Quinn is still in Idaho while Brett is living on the farm in Tennessee, but the pair are making things work.

“I wouldn’t say like moving is out of the cards, but we’re just taking it day by day,” Quinn told Us. “He’s out here more than not, and we just hang out, and I think for us it’s like …. we have fun doing nothing, and we can really do anything, and we find the fun in it, and I know we have fun doing other things too, but if we can do nothing and still enjoy.”

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Brett noted that Quinn is considering moving in with finalist Hannah in Florida.

“It’s a little closer to him,” Quinn replied. “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about going back to school for nursing. Hannah and I love each other, we miss each other, and I’d still be closer to Brett, but it’s not making that full jump and not having anybody else in Tennessee other than him. And we’re both pretty independent, but we love being around each other, so it’s finding a happy medium.”

Farmer Wants a Wife airs on Fox and is available to stream next day on Hulu.

Days of Our Lives excites as EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) just figuring out that something is up between Xander Cook Kiriakis (Paul Telfer) and Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) when they saw her slip Xander her room key for the Salem Inn.

Days of Our Lives: Kristen’s Steamy Fling with Xander

So, we all know that Kristen wants EJ dead and she really, really wants Xander to do it, but he’s made it clear he is not interested in doing anything murdery for her. Yet, those two are still hanging out. So, EJ recently confronted Gabi about trying to get her hands on his late brother Stefan DiMera’s (Brandon Barash) share of the inheritance from Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo).

And we know that EJ paid to have a handwriting analysis of their divorce papers done. And EJ was really smarmy with Gabi when he pointed out the analyst insisted that Stefan’s handwriting was legit. But Gabi had her brother Rafe Hernandez’s (Galen Gering) FBI contacts analyze those samples of Vivian Alamain’s (Louise Sorel) handwriting that Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) got and they reached a different conclusion.

Days of our Lives: Gabi Brings Proof

So, Gabi now also has a written affidavit from Ivan Marais saying he witnessed Vivian forging Gabi and Stefan’s divorce documents. So, Gabi’s ready to fight and obviously she thinks she’s going to win what’s rightfully hers as Stefan’s widow. Plus, she has Theo Carver (Tyler Joseph Andrews) on her side as the executive of his late uncle Stefano’s will. And even though Theo’s mad that Gabi thought he was the one who told Philip that she planted the bug, I’m sure Theo will still do the right thing as the executive.

And Gabi knows EJ wouldn’t be offering to settle with her if he didn’t think that she was going to win. So, Gabi may be getting a payday soon. And she already offered Philip a lump of that DiMera dough to pay off the Titan loan that’s causing them so much stress. But he was so mad he told Gabi no. And Philip doesn’t want to grovel when it comes to his now ex-girlfriend. And that’s not even really groveling because she offered.

Days of Our Lives: The Room Key Revelation

But Xander just found out about this missed windfall and he’s mad that Philip refused her offer. And Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) is not pleased about this mess either. But everything is about to change because after Gabi and EJ finished bickering and talking about inheritance matters, that’s when they spied Kristen doing something unexpected. Gabi and EJ both saw Kristen slipping her room key into Xander’s shoulder sling. And Gabi and EJ were a bit perplexed about what they were even seeing.

If you recall, Kristen first invited Xander to her room at the end on Days of our Lives. It was several weeks ago to try and hire him to assassinate her brother EJ. But since then, Xander and Kristen have been having a steamy fling and they really haven’t been talking business or about killing EJ. In fact, getting frisky with Kristen is how Xander hurt his elbow during their first encounter where they got way too aggressive.

Days of Our Lives: EJ and Gabi Plot Their Leverage

So now I wonder whether it will be Gabi or EJ who is trying to leverage the fact that they spotted Kristen slipping Xander that room key. We all know their wheels are turning because they are both plotting when they saw Xander and Kristen obviously getting ready for a hookup. So first of all, we know that EJ would love to have leverage against Kristen. And so, EJ may use this info to undermine Kristen’s position in the family.

So, EJ might, you know, have one of his minions record them or take pictures of them entering and leaving the room. Hopefully he wouldn’t, you know, make a tape of his sister, but get some kind of proof of their sneaky rendezvous or, you know, he could have somebody dress up as a bellhop and get into the room to spy on Kristen and take some pictures.

Days of our Lives: EJ Has Several Options

But if EJ did that, that would probably just give Kristen more ammo to try and convince Xander that EJ needs to go and he should be eliminated. And then there’s the fact that EJ could casually drop hints to Xander that he knows about his affair with Kristen because EJ may suspect Kristen of selling DiMera secrets to the Kiriakis enemy and threaten both of them if they don’t come clean about what they’re up to.

EJ could also threaten to tell Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey), who would be furious and would might never forgive Xander for that because of what Kristen did to her. And of course, EJ has no idea that this all started because Kristen wanted Xander to kill him. Or EJ could get the info on Kristen and Xander and plant it with another DiMera to create family chaos. So EJ’s siblings will be busy infighting while he deals with Lexie Carver’s (Nikki Crawford) new medical crisis. EJ has other fires to put out besides who his sister Kristen is playing tonsil hockey with at the Salem Inn.

Days of Our Lives: Gabi’s Strategic Moves

And then of course there’s Gabi. She could use this as ammo to further tarnish Kristen’s reputation and any hold she might have on Xander. I could see Gabi actually going and confronting Xander with enough information to make him sweat a bit. Gabi could even offer to keep quiet in exchange for Xander allowing her to keep Gabi Chic over at Titan because she wants to stay close to Philip.

You know, she’s hoping for a second chance. Gabi might even use the situation with Kristen to get closer to Xander. You know, a forced relationship built on leverage because we know Gabi wants Philip back and she may think getting leverage on Xander could put him in a position where she can demand that he talk her up to Philip. maybe encourage him to take Gabi back, which is her endgame, I think, because she still loves Philip. Or Gabi might anonymously leak Xander and Kristen’s affair to social media. Or might leak it to Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) and it winds up splashed all over the Salem Spectator pages.

That way, it makes Kristen look like, you know, a sketchy seductress stealing corporate secrets. It might make Xander look bad, but then maybe she thinks that he would step aside and Philip would have sole control. You know, Gabi’s always scheming and she might think Philip might like that when I think he’s happy as is other than the financial problems. So, all of that would be ironic because Gabi really did do corporate espionage. But she could damage both Xander and Kristen’s already sketchy reputations.

Days of Our Lives: Will Gabi Seek Redemption?

I don’t know if it’s going to go that way though because Gabi really wants to make amends for what she did to Philip and to Titan. And of course, we know Gabi really did love Philip. She still loves Philip. You know, in a crazy twist, Gabi might use this to leverage Xander to play flirty games with her to try and trigger Philip to get jealous so that he might come back to her, you know, if she got flirty with Xander. Obviously, Philip wouldn’t like that. But I don’t know if Xander would do that because he and Philip have a good relationship, you know. So, we’ll see. That might be a bros before something situation.

I just know either EJ or Gabi or maybe even both of them are probably going to look for a way to leverage this juicy tidbit of Xander sleeping with Kristen to each of their advantages. The DiMeras play dirty and they don’t blink an eye in double crossing one of their own.

Plus, we know that EJ soon finds out that Kristen tried to have Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) killed and he rages at her. So, this information might come to him from somebody else, maybe even Xander if he and EJ get into it because they are sparring this week. And we’ll see. But EJ is on the path to get this information. And that may be because of what just happened with Kristen dropping Xander that room key.

Sydney Sweeney is looking back on Cassie’s OnlyFans storyline and her now-controversial Euphoria season 3 nude scenes.

“From the very beginning, you can see that Cassie has this need to be loved. “She has a need to be validated by other people,” the actress, 28, said of her character’s obsession with being OnlyFans famous in an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, June 9. “She doesn’t know how to love herself unless someone else loves her. So I understand how Kaitlin Simpson Sam [Levinson] got her to where she was in season three. I think she was more excited by the idea of all these people loving her and knowing who she is and feeling like her world isn’t small.”

Sweeney explained that before filming began Levinson spoke to her about his plans for Cassie.

“He actually, as we were finishing up season two, started hinting at different ideas that he was putting together for season three. And it was very similar to season one and season two, he would call me, usually a few weeks after we wrapped, and he pitched me the entire idea,” she recalled. “So I knew years before we started filming season three that I would be married to Nate, we’d be living in a suburban neighborhood, and Cassie would be crazier than ever.”

Related: ‘Euphoria’ Shows Sydney Sweeney Masturbating and Topless on OnlyFans

After receiving backlash for Cassie’s OnlyFans story line, Euphoria pushed it further with more scenes where Sydney Sweeney is topless — and others where she is masturbating on camera. During the Sunday, May 10, episode of the hit HBO series, Cassie grew her subscribers on OnlyFans with Maddie’s (Alexa Demie) help by filming graphic content. […]

Sweeney added that she only has “the gist” about what Levinson was cooking up until she got her hands on the final scripts. She and Levinson also checked in on her emotional health to see how she felt about doing nude scenes.

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“He sent me all the scripts and it already had all of Cassie’s scenes in it, the OnlyFan scenes, and he called me afterwards, and he was talking about it, and we [talked] through it all,” she said. “He asked me how I felt about it, and I told him, ‘Look, I’m playing a character.’ Do I agree with all of Cassie’s decisions? Would I personally make these choices? No, of course not. But I’m an actor and that’s my job and this is Cassie’s life and to be able to do her justice and play her how she’s to be played is to bring Sam’s vision to life and to play Cassie in the most vulnerable and insane way possible.”

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Related: Sydney Sweeney Marks ‘Euphoria’ Season 3 Finale With Near-Total Nude Photo

Sydney Sweeney is seemingly saying goodbye to Euphoria season 3 much like her on-screen character, Cassie Howard — with a bang. “It’s called… acting,” Sweeney, 28, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, May 31, alongside several behind-the-scenes and on-screen photos of the actress during what many believe to be the final season of the hit HBO […]

In season 3, Cassie is married to high school sweetheart Nate (Jacob Elordi) and the pair settled down in the suburbs. While Nate worked during the day, Cassie decided she wanted to pursue a career as an OnlyFans model. Throughout the season, Cassie’s career goals became a hot topic as many NSFW creators slammed the show’s portrayal of their industry, However, Levinson has stood by his story and Sweeney’s commitment to the character.

“I think she’s a totally fearless actor. She’s also just wonderfully professional, and shows up just game every day,” Levinson said during a June episode of The New York Times’ “Popcast” podcast. . “I adore working with her, because there’s such a flexibility in terms of the performance.”

⚠️ SPOILER WARNING: Reports surrounding a leaked Spider-Man: Brand New Day Trailer 2 have surfaced online. While none of the details have been officially confirmed by Sony Pictures or Marvel Studios, the following article discusses rumored footage and potential story elements that some fans may consider spoilers. Proceed with caution.

Sony Pictures may be preparing to release the second trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day much sooner than fans expected.

Over the past several days, reports of a leaked Trailer 2 description, audio, and even low-quality footage have spread across social media. While none of the leaked material has been officially confirmed by Sony or Marvel Studios, the growing number of reports has fueled speculation that a new trailer could be right around the corner.

Adding fuel to the fire, a second Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer was recently age-rated in Canada. The trailer reportedly runs approximately two minutes and thirty seconds, marking the first major batch of new footage since the film’s debut trailer premiered earlier this year. Historically, trailers often arrive online shortly after receiving ratings approval, leading many fans to believe an official release could happen within days.

According to various leak reports circulating online, the trailer may feature additional footage of Peter Parker’s latest adventure, including more action sequences and a closer look at several supporting characters. Rumors have also pointed to expanded appearances from Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner, though those claims remain unverified.

Some of the more surprising leak descriptions suggest the trailer includes a confrontation between Spider-Man and Hulk. If true, it would mark one of the film’s biggest reveals yet. However, fans should approach these claims with caution until Sony officially releases the trailer.

Sony has already dealt with multiple Brand New Day leaks throughout the film’s marketing campaign. Earlier footage and images reportedly surfaced online before the first trailer debuted, making it possible that the studio could accelerate its marketing plans if additional material continues to spread across social media.

With Spider-Man: Brand New Day set to swing into theaters on July 31, 2026, the timing would make sense for Sony to begin its next major promotional push. Whether the recent leaks are accurate or not, the appearance of a newly rated trailer and the increasing volume of online chatter suggest that Trailer 2 may arrive sooner rather than later.

For now, fans eager for another look at the next chapter in Peter Parker’s story may not have to wait much longer.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 26 seconds ago

It’s been a pretty weird decade to be a Ghostbusters fan. Paul Feige’s all-female movie was supposed to reboot the franchise for modern audiences and make the franchise mainstream again. Instead, it became a firestorm of controversy, and we eventually got Ghostbusters: Afterlife. While it was more about Spielbergian wonder than cynical wisecracks, Afterlife appealed to the old-school fans, earning enough money to warrant a sequel: Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. However, Frozen Empire was a crowded, somewhat sloppy film that cost more and made less than Afterlife, leaving the future of the franchise uncertain.

Now, the latest iteration of Ghostbusters will be on the small screen rather than the big screen. A new, animated show is launching on Netflix in 2027, and fans have been eager to hear more about what this cartoon will be about. Recently, Sony unveiled the show’s logo as well as its provocative new name, Ghostbusters: Night Shift. Many are buzzing with excitement, but some can’t help but ask the obvious question: “wait, that’s it?” This cartoon has been in the works for several years now, and the fact that it is still so shrouded in mystery is starting to feel like a very, very bad sign.

A New Take On A Classic Logo

When Sony unveiled the logo for Ghostubers: Night Shift, fans were divided. On the one hand, it’s nice that this logo shares so much in common with the original film logo; most reboots and revivals change so much that we love, so it’s nice to know that this upcoming cartoon isn’t shaking things up too much. On the other hand, the new logo is so close to the original logo that it seems almost odd that they changed it. The changes are also so odd and minimalist (like yellowed teeth and a beastly claw on the ghost) that it seems like a borderline AI creation. The prompt? “Make the Ghostbusters logo look scary.”

Additionally, the subtitle “Night Shift” has caused speculation about who the core Ghostbusters team will be and what the show will be about. The name implies that the cartoon likely won’t follow the original Ghostbusters, who (in addition to being very old) didn’t answer many calls in the wee hours. The show is also unlikely to follow the core crew of Aferlife and Frozen Empire. It’s possible that the new show will go full meta and feature the Ghostbusters as an in-universe franchise. Therefore, we might be following a new team of a local Ghostbusters branch, one that covers the titular night shift.

Trusted Names And Plenty Of Secrets

Aside from the new name and new logo, we know very little about Ghostbusters: Night Shift. The show will be a Netflix exclusive and is set to premiere in 2027, though an exact release date remains unknown. It’s not entirely clear what kind of animation style we are likely to see, either. While the smart money is on the show having the uncanny, CGI-animated look of Netflix’s Stranger Things cartoon, the show may end up with a more traditional 2D style, like the streamer’s steadily-growing list of exclusive anime titles. One thing we do know about Ghostbusters: Night Shift, though, is that it is being made by some names we can trust.

The show is being executive-produced by Dan Aykroyd, the franchise star who originally came up with the idea of the Ghostbusters in the first place. Other EPs include Jason Reitman, Gil Kenan, both of whom co-wrote Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. Finally, Elliott Kalan is serving as writer and co-showrunner of this new cartoon; if his name doesn’t ring a bell, Kalan has written for The Daily Show and Mystery Science Theater 3000, and he’s the motormouthed, show-stealing cohost of the hit podcast The Flophouse. Kalan is also a comics writer who gave us the often-memed scene where the villainous Sauron tells Spider-Man he’d rather turn people into dinosaurs than cure cancer.

Akyroyd is the OG talent, Reitman is the shepherd of the modern movies, and Kalan is the passionate fan working on his dream franchise. Together, they might just have what it takes to make Ghostbusters: Night Shift into Netflix’s latest killer cartoon. Otherwise, this beloved franchise may fade away and become the worst kind of ghost: one that nobody even cares about watching, much less busting.

We all know it, and we all love it; Starship Troopers is one of the best films of the 1990s. However, it wasn’t always seen that way. Upon release, the sci-fi classic faced pretty scathing reviews, with an overwhelmingly negative reaction rumbling through Hollywood. Incredibly, this anti-fascist satire of war — directed by a man who grew up in Nazi-occupied territory — was seen as pro-fascist, with critics tearing down its supposed military-glorifying propaganda. Thankfully, time has been kind to Starship Troopers, and its true intent has shone through in the years since.

Now it has taken its place as one of the best of its kind from that era, Starship Troopers is, of course, the subject of much reboot and remake speculation. In fact, it was confirmed in 2025 that District 9 director Neill Blomkamp would be taking on a new interpretation of the 1959 book by Robert A. Heinlein, instead of reworking the 1997 movie, which is likely to remove much of the biting satire. This comes after two direct sequels to Paul Verhoeven‘s film have already been produced, including the most recent in 2017.

None has quite lived up to the genius, campy standard of the 1997 edition, with fans still waiting for news of a specific reboot of that movie. In an interview with Collider’s Maggie Lovitt at the Indiana Comic Convention, Amy Smart, who portrays a pilot cadet in the movie, was asked if she would return if a long-rumored TV reboot got the green light. “I mean, if they decide to do it well, yeah,” she responded, giving fans hope that a revival could be on the cards. She also shed some light on her experience working on the film, saying:

“I didn’t get the script. I just got my character, and we were filming on stage. I mean, I only have a few scenes in it, but Paul Verhoeven was such a big director, meaning he was very energetic, and we were on the sound stage with nothing around us, and he was yelling, so loud, so animated, and fun. So he got everyone going. I took it very seriously. I thought it was a very serious movie. Then I went to the theater, and I was like, ‘Everyone’s laughing. Oh.’ It was fun.”

‘Starship Troopers’ Was a Box Office Bomb

Perhaps unsurprisingly, thanks to the wild misinterpretation of the movie that took place upon its release, Starship Troopers was an undeniable box office bomb. The film boasted a bloated production budget of over $100 million, according to reports, and could only return $121 million at the global box office, split between a domestic haul of $55 million and a further $66 million from overseas markets. The film did open at #1 in the U.S., but quickly dropped to second-place in weekend #2.

For more of the latest movie news, stay tuned to Collider.

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Release Date

November 7, 1997

Runtime

129 minutes

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Director

Paul Verhoeven

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Writers

Edward Neumeier

Sequel(s)

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Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder, Starship Troopers: Invasion, Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 hour ago

I spend a lot of time dunking on Star Wars. Accordingly, many people think I’m just a hater who loves to see this iconic franchise fail. In reality, the opposite is true: I have loved Star Wars for almost my entire life, and I’d love nothing more than to see it succeed. However, under Disney’s stewardship, the franchise has had quite a few critical and commercial missteps, so now I love Star Wars the same way you love the drunk uncle that slurs his way through Thanksgiving get-togethers. You know, the one who’s fun to talk to, but you’d secretly like him to put down the sauce and get his life together.

Your uncle is deeply unlikely to put himself together anytime soon, but it might not be too late for Star Wars. You see, Disney doesn’t need to reinvent the franchise from the ground up; instead, they just need to release one really great movie to remind audiences how great this franchise can be. Unfortunately, The Mandalorian and Grogu didn’t scratch that particular itch, and many fans decided they wanted something more from Star Wars than a spinoff of an outdated show. That’s why the House of Mouse needs to bring back the one canceled movie that can finally save this franchise: Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron.

Going Rogue

In The Empire Strikes Back, we learn that Luke Skywalker is the commander of Rogue Squadron. The exploits of these pilots (who are basically the best X-Wing pilots in the galaxy) and their new leader, Wedge Antilles, were recorded in some excellent Legends books by Michael Stackpole. In December 2020, Lucasfilm revealed that Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins would be directing a Rogue Squadron movie. Eventually, Jenkins left the project because she wanted to focus on other films, and the project seemingly died, though Jenkins later revealed that she signed a new deal to write the script for this X-Wing movie. However, there have been no real updates since then.

Given its name and its post-The Rise of Skywalker setting (something Jenkins’ film was supposed to have), most fans assume that Disney dropped Rogue Squadron in favor of Star Wars: Starfighter. However, it’s unclear how well Starfighter will go over with audiences because its rumored plot (about a grizzled pilot escorting a Force-sensitive child through dangerous space) is so similar to The Mandalorian and Grogu, a movie that is (by Star Wars standards) flailing at the box office. Fortunately, it’s not too late for this franchise to get back its former glory. All Disney has to do is bring Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron film (which now has a completed script) to life.

You’re All Clear, Kid

Why am I convinced that Rogue Squadron would be a hit Star Wars film for Disney? While its exact plot details have been kept secret, it’s clear that in commissioning a movie about starfighter pilots, Disney wanted to have their own Top Gun in space. As it turns out, that was a fairly good instinct. When Tom Cruise returned for the belated sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, it earned over $1.5 billion, which is why Top Gun 3 is now in development. As it turns out, general audiences love the combination of sexy pilots and cool dogfights, and Rogue Squadron would be an easy way for Disney to get a piece of the action.

If done well, a Rogue Squadron movie would also help channel what originally made The Mandalorian so cool. Remember how hyped everyone was for that show when it first came out? A big part of the show’s early appeal is that it was free of Jedi and Sith drama and generally untethered from the various Star Wars trilogies. Eventually, it got bogged down with connections to other franchise shows and films, and the hype for Baby Yoda died, which is part of why The Mandalorian and Grogu fizzled at the box office. But a Rogue Squadron movie could deliver what The Mandalorian used to have: entirely new characters and adventures set in a galaxy far, far away.

Stay On Target

Finally, Rogue Squadron would be the perfect way to bring the franchise back to its roots. If you ask people what their favorite part of the first Star Wars movie is, it’s a safe bet they’ll say the attack on the Death Star. Pilots saving the galaxy through death-defying maneuvers is, quite frankly, what made the entire world fall in love with A New Hope, and one of the only weaknesses of that film is that we hardly knew any of the pilots. Rogue Squadron could finally shine a spotlight on these lesser-known heroes of the rebellion while giving us more of the coolest dogfights in the galaxy.

Unless the Force is with us, it’s unlikely that Rogue Squadron will see the light of day, and it might go down as the only Star Wars movie that got canceled twice. But the script is written, and Patty Jenkins still seems enthusiastic about directing it. All Disney has to do is give the green light to the most exciting franchise film idea of the last decade. If they wait until Starfighter bombs, though, they might have to send the director a personalized holographic message: “Help me, Patty Jenkins, you’re my only hope!”