As Taylor Swift’s wedding day approaches, reports suggest the singer is feeling increasing pressure due to preparations intensifying.

This pressure is said to have stemmed from the many details involved in organizing a private wedding, including deciding who will be on her guest list. Despite the pressure, the singer and her partner have publicly expressed excitement about their upcoming nuptials.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have also let slip some details in recent months, although many other important pieces of information remain under wraps.

For years, Swift has been a massive star in the music world, but the attention she has received has since skyrocketed following her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce last August.

Preparations for their nuptials are very much underway, although many of the details have remained under wraps due to the couple’s preference for privacy.

Regardless, Swift is now said to be feeling the pressure as the wedding day reportedly approaches next month.

One of her major concerns appears to be who will make the guest list, especially as she intends to keep the ceremony small.

“The last thing Taylor wants is for her wedding to turn into a big showbiz circus,” a source revealed to Star Magazine. “She’s trying not to get bogged down by the guest list and all the details, but it’s difficult with so much global attention and the pressure for everything to be perfect.”

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Are ‘Grateful’ That They Can Handle Security Costs For Their Wedding

Given their popularity, Swift and Kelce are prioritizing security as they plan their highly anticipated wedding.

Regarding this, they are deeply grateful to have the financial means to afford the level of protection needed to keep out unwanted individuals on that day.

“It’s a shame security has become such a big deal,” the source. “But it is what it is, and Travis and Taylor are grateful they can cover the expense.”

Swift’s focus on security is also reflected in other aspects of the wedding preparations, as the organization of her dress, décor, and venue is said to be all handled by seasoned professionals who will not let details slip.

Even the guests are allegedly involved in keeping things private and have reportedly signed NDAs preventing them from sharing information.

Taylor Swift Was Excited About Planning Her Wedding

Ahead of the wedding, Swift has expressed excitement over taking the next chapter in their love story.

Last October, the singer told UK talk show host Graham Norton how eager she was to work out the details of the nuptials.

“I know it’s going to be fun to plan,” the multi-Grammy award winner said at the time, noting that “small weddings are the ones that are “stressful” to plan, “where you have to evaluate or assess your relationships with [people] to see if they should be there.”

Travis Kelce Has Also Been Open About His Excitement Ahead Of His Nuptials

Kelce himself showed similar anticipation while speaking during the May 6 episode of his “New Heights” podcast.

“I can’t wait,” the NFL star said at the time, with the joy of excitement reflecting on his face.

During another moment on his podcast, Kelce couldn’t help but grin after Swift was labeled his “wife” by a guest.

Together, the couple is reportedly focused on “enjoying the experience and remembering what the day is really all about — celebrating the rest of their lives together,” a source also noted, per Star.

Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Prefer A Live Band

Last year, Kelce inadvertently revealed their preferred music choice, despite the couple keeping most wedding details under wraps.

The detail came up when the NFL star was asked about wedding planning by late-night host Jimmy Fallon during a September episode of his “New Heights” podcast.

“Are you gonna do DJ or band? Are you thinking about all this stuff?” Fallon had asked, to which Kelce responded with, “I think we’re live music kind of people, you know?”

Similarly, Swift has also let slip details about one other potential entertainer who might attend the wedding and take to the stage. This individual appears to be one of her close friends and collaborators, Ed Sheeran.

“It’s like, ‘Ed, if there’s a stage, you know that you’ll be on it,” Swift said during an October Hits Radio interview, per Billboard. “He knows what people want, and he wants to give people what they want.”

By Robert Scucci
| Published 26 seconds ago

In the late 90s and early 2000s, Drew Barrymore was the ultimate girl next door. Films like The Wedding Singer (1998), Home Fries (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), and 50 First Dates (2004) make you wish she wasn’t so brutally disemboweled during Scream’s traumatic opening sequence. In films like Donnie Darko (2001), she’s one of the cool teachers helping Donnie navigate the tangent universe he’s trapped in, and through her coded messages, she’s still somebody you’d want to approach because she has a warmth about her that’s hard not to gravitate toward.

Now, as a rationally thinking adult human being, I know that most acting talent gets typecast, and once they blow up, it’s hard to go back to their roots. In fact, it’s often discouraged. And while I’m familiar with her earlier roles in experimental films like 1980’s Altered States and the 1984 adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter, I’ll shamefully admit that 1992’s Guncrazy was not on my radar until this past weekend.

Just like it’s hard to imagine a world where Reese Witherspoon goes back to starring in films like Freeway (1996) or Election (1999) after becoming a household name with Legally Blonde, the same could be said about Barrymore’s career post-Guncrazy, a bona fide road thriller that portrays her as a morally gray teenager who gets mixed up with an ex-convict and embarks on an exponentially escalating crime spree.

A Barebones Road Thriller

Guncrazy is more of a character study in the sense that there’s not a lot to talk about regarding the plot. Drew Barrymore is Anita Minteer, a teenager who lives with her absent mother’s abusive boyfriend, Rooney (Joe Dallesandro), in his trailer home on the outskirts of town. Her class is tasked with finding a pen pal to write to for the semester, and she latches onto a man named Howard Hickock (James LeGros), a violent criminal who’s up for parole because of his recent good behavior.

Anita confides in her friend Joy (Ione Skye), whose cop father (Michael Ironside) just so happens to be Howard’s parole officer and has a thing or two to say about a hardened criminal striking up a relationship with an underage girl. Before picking up Howard, who admits he’s never had sex with a woman and instead prefers intimacy through sharing secrets, Anita shoots Rooney in the back of the head while he’s watching TV and hides his body on the property.

The new couple ties the knot thanks to a quick service from the snake-wielding local pastor, Hank (Billy Drago), and when Anita finally feels comfortable opening up, she confesses her crime to her new husband. The thing you need to know about Howard is that he was well on his way to being reformed. He’s so infatuated with Anita, however, that he’s blinded by the new romance and willing to play along.

Rooney had a huge stash of guns that Anita has been teaching herself to use, and one of the things she and Howard bond over is firearms. One thing eventually leads to another, and Anita’s reputation catches up with her. Namely, she’s garnered a reputation for being promiscuous, so whenever she’s cornered, she’s threatened until she puts out.

With a protective Howard in the mix, things quickly go off the rails and the body count starts to climb. As the couple continues to Bonnie and Clyde their way through life, they seek shelter in a vacant house, waiting for the heat to die down so they can plan their next move, but it’s evident that there’s no turning back at this point.

When The Corruptible Does The Corrupting

While nobody’s truly innocent in Guncrazy, the power dynamic at play deserves praise for flipping the script. Anita was born a victim and dealt a very bad hand. Looking at her life from the outside is horrifying, and it’s no wonder she snaps the way she does. What makes things interesting, though, is how quickly she gains control of the situation. She doesn’t have a good reputation with her peers or authority figures, and the person who’s supposed to be her father figure treats her like a piece of meat rather than somebody he’s supposed to be taking care of.

The magic in Guncrazy happens when Anita takes matters into her own hands and needs somebody from equally morally dubious territory to help her clean up the mess. Howard is the perfect patsy because he’s served his time, seems truly reformed, and allegedly has never been with a woman before, despite the fact that Anita is still technically just a kid. He’s at the age where he’s romantically entangled against his better judgment, and the law in most states, but also old enough to want to be a father figure to her, which was probably the most upsetting sentence I’ve had to write in a while.

Once Howard realizes how deeply he’s sunk back into a life of crime thanks to his infatuation with a 16-year-old, there’s really no turning back for him. Either he’s been played, or he’s entered a co-dependent relationship with somebody who’s just as unstable as he is. Either way, he starts digging his grave the second he starts writing to Anita, and it’s only a matter of time before his last rites are read to him.

Guncrazy is an exceptionally well-made early 90s thriller that deserves more eyes on it. Even if you’re just curious to see how intense Drew Barrymore was before getting typecast in rom-com after rom-com during her peak, it’s worth your time. If you went into this film not knowing who Drew Barrymore was, you’d be hard-pressed to think she’d be working on any other kind of project because she’s just that good at it. 

As of this writing, Guncrazy is streaming for free on Tubi.

Summer fashion can be hit or miss, especially when you want to stay cool without losing that grown‑woman polish. That’s exactly why stylish women over 40 keep reaching for wide‑leg pants that are breezy, flattering and endlessly elevated. Even better, there’s a flattering pair for every type of fashionista, from denim wide‑leg trousers and cropped cuts to bold pleated styles and washable silks.

As shopping experts, we perused fan-favorite retailers, including Amazon, Quince, Nordstrom and more, and found 16 wide-leg trousers women over 40 can’t get enough of. The best part is you’ll find breezy fabrics, flattering fits, mom‑loved styles and pieces women of all ages adore. Shop our top picks below with prices starting at just $15.

16 Stylish Wide-Leg Pants for Women Over 40

1. Our Favorite: Designed with an elastic high-waist band and a soft, drapey silhouette, these flowy trousers are a true work‑to‑weekend staple. Shoppers 40 and over rave about the pretty pleating and ultra‑comfortable feel.

2. Tailored to You: With lengths featured in short, regular and tall, these high‑waist pleated trousers are tailored to fit you perfectly. Even better: The polished pants come in plenty of bold colors, including a fiery red and peacock blue.

3. Capri Comfort: Don’t worry about going to the tailor. These wide-leg capris feature a roomy barrel leg and elastic waist in the back that can handle even the busiest mom days.

4. Dramatic Flare: These ultra wide‑leg trousers from Quince earn rave reviews from women of all ages for their incredibly stretchy fabric and flattering high‑waist fit. We like that they come in three separate inseams, so you can get that perfect length right out of the box.

5. Stand-Out Style: While we love our cotton and linen bottoms, these wide-leg silk pants offer a softer feel and more sophisticated appeal. The fact that they’re washable makes them an effortless everyday luxury.

Related: 17 Casual, Tummy-Hiding Dresses to Wear With Sandals — From $6

Summer style can lean into skimpy, belly-baring outfits or loose and flowy fits. The former isn’t for everyone, so if you prefer styles that are a little more covered up, we got you covered (literally). The chicest loose dresses are also tummy-hiding, so you’ll feel your best from the grocery store to the park. Just […]

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6. Modern Prints: Forget boring monochromes and pared-down hues. These tailored wide-leg pants from Abercrombie & Fitch come in mature prints like houndstooth, pinstripe, plaid and other designs women over 40 love.

7. Take It Easy: Airy and elegant, these linen-blend pants are ridiculously easy to dress up or down. Throw on a well-worn tee and sandals to keep it casual or a button-up and sleek flats to easily elevate the look.

8. Resort Ready: Think of these ribbed wide-leg pants as a sophisticated spin on traditional loungewear. They’re comfortable enough for the couch yet polished enough to leave the house. Reviewers attest to their flattering fit and flow.

9. Petite Perfect: For a more relaxed, easy-wear fit, these petite wide-leg pants offer endless comfort without veering into slouchy territory. The 100% linen fabric is the sweet cherry on top.

10. Cropped and Chic: Featured in quiet-luxury colors like black and beige, these expensive-looking wide-leg pants bring a rich mom edge to your wardrobe. The stretchy pants feature a cropped silhouette that flatters every age, especially 40 and beyond.

11. Designer Favorite: Celebs like Sarah Jessica Parker are fans of Donna Karan, and we can see why after spotting these mid-rise wide-leg pants. With an overall relaxed fit, these pants are tailored in a way that flatters women over 40.

12. Denim Pick: Leave it to Good American to design the sleekest-looking wide-leg denim trousers of the summer. The pants deliver a sophisticated spin on a wardrobe classic, and come in sizes 00 through 24, so everybody can get the same polished look.

13. Sporty Stripe: While these athletic wide-leg pants feel a bit more sporty, they’re the kind of athleisure that actually looks put together. They have a sleek side stripe and drawstring waist to deliver the style and comfort women over 40 gravitate toward.

14. Smocked Waist: Designed with a smocked waistband, these beachy wide-leg pants sit comfortably without digging or squeezing into your midsection. Our favorite part is the chic color choices, including sky blue and dusty pink.

15. Plus-Size Pick: Plus-size girlies over 40, pay attention! These drawstring plus-size wide-leg pants offer that forgiving fit that flatters all your curves. Shoppers say they’re breezy enough for even the hottest summer days.

16. Leg-Lengthening: Thanks to the classic pinstripes, these straight wide-leg trousers will make your legs look a mile long. Pair the style with block heels for an even more elongating finish.

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Related: I Scroll Amazon All Day — These Under-$50 Matching Sets Are So Chic

By the time summer rolls around, I want my wardrobe to do as little work as possible. The last thing I want to do on a hot morning is piece together an outfit when it’s already 85 degrees outside. That’s exactly why matching sets become my unofficial summer uniform every year. I’ve spent more hours […]

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

Here’s the advice that I’ll keep screaming from the mountaintops until I’m blue in the face: any sci-fi thriller from the ’90s that has a punishing critical score on Rotten Tomatoes is probably way better than its reputation suggests because critics back then didn’t know how to have fun. 1995’s Virtuosity caught my eye on Tubi, and it gets by on star power alone, with Denzel Washington pitted against a comically menacing Russell Crowe. That’s enough to make any movie lover want to watch it. But then I saw its 30 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, followed by its not-much-better audience score of 32 percent.

This is one of those “hate to say I told you so” moments, but here it comes anyway: Virtuosity is needlessly over the top, makes no scientific sense whatsoever, and, as the kids would say, is absolutely dripping with rizz. So much so, in fact, that calling it over the top and completely nonsensical isn’t a criticism. This whole thing plays like a satire, and if you don’t go into it respecting its campiness, you’ll probably agree with critics and audiences alike.

If you go into this film with an open mind, and primed to be fully entertained by Washington’s dead seriousness coupled with Crowe chewing every scene he’s in like a beaver who just recovered from jaw surgery, then you’re going to have one hell of a time watching Virtuosity.

The Ole Sexbot Switcheroo

I don’t even really want to get into the nitty-gritty of Virtuosity’s science because the less you know about it, the better. The rules are beyond silly, and to the film’s credit, it just lets them not make sense, trading hard science for pure entertainment value.

The plot centers on Parker Barnes (Denzel Washington), an LAPD officer turned prison inmate after revenge-killing terrorist Matthew Grimes (Christopher Murray), who murdered his wife and daughter. In the ensuing shootout, he also killed two innocent bystanders. He now spends his days testing an experimental police technology known as SID (Sadistic, Intelligent, Dangerous), which trains officers to hunt artificial intelligence antagonists whose personalities are sourced from a laundry list of infamous serial killers. I know, it’s insane, but it gets even crazier in a minute.

After a botched training exercise involving a virtual killer named SID 6.7 (Russell Crowe) results in the death of a fellow inmate, the SID program is set to be terminated. The project’s head programmer, Dr. Darrel Lindenmeyer (Stephen Spinella), worries that he’ll never complete his work, so he tricks his employee Clyde (Kevin J. O’Connor) into activating one of the female personalities, Sheila 3.2, inside a fully operational android body. What Clyde doesn’t know is that he’s not about to get freaky with a psychologically unhinged robot. Instead, he’s being manipulated into bringing the 6.7 model to life, who promptly trashes the lab and embarks on a real-world rampage.

SID 6.7, when fully suited up, has healing powers not unlike the T-1000 from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, but he can only heal when he rubs up against glass. SID 6.7’s mind also channels data from Matthew Grimes and uses that knowledge to taunt Parker into playing dirty with him.

Parker is told by LAPD Chief William Cochran (William Forsythe) that if he successfully apprehends SID 6.7, he’ll receive a full pardon. However, he first needs to undergo a psychological evaluation with the partner being forced upon him as part of the arrangement: Dr. Madison Carter (Kelly Lynch), an expert in criminal psychology.

Pure Popcorn Insanity

Once Virtuosity establishes its major players, it becomes an all-out free-for-all in the most unhinged way possible. Russell Crowe wasn’t yet a household name, and you can tell he was hungry, using every opportunity to dial his charisma to 11. His delivery reminds me of Butters from South Park when he’s transitioning into Professor Chaos, except there’s no cute sense of naivety here. The cackling, over-annunciating, and body language are all so extra, but they work shockingly well in this context. He’s the perfect “movie psycho,” if that makes sense. No real person acts like this, but I don’t want to watch real people here. 

Denzel Washington’s willingness to play everything straight only amplifies Crowe’s exuberance, making every exchange they share feel bigger and more animated. You’ll have so much fun watching Virtuosity that you won’t even mind that our villain’s interactions with broken glass are wildly inconsistent, or that this entire mess started because a scientist tricked another scientist into thinking he was activating a sex bot for research purposes.

Fortunately, Virtuosity doesn’t undermine itself with its own junk science because it quickly lays out the rules and gets the hell out of the way so we can watch stuff blow up in retro-futuristic fashion. Criminal psychology is bogus in that “let’s rattle off a bunch of serial killer names and use jargon to sound smart” way that movies like this love, but it’s never enough to take you out of the picture.

Virtuosity succeeds as a fun action thriller because it sticks to the one golden rule that actually matters: don’t overexplain things. Things just happen in Virtuosity, and you just have to roll with them. Sometimes that’s all you need. This isn’t, wasn’t, and never will be award-winning material, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s meant to be fun, quotable, and visually enthralling entertainment, and I wish they still made more movies like this.

As of this writing, you can stream Virtuosity for free on Tubi.

One of the most challenging things about video games is keeping the players’ attention for the entire span. Games such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild are masterpieces, but they have some pacing issues that can make it hard to find entertainment in every second of gameplay. This is a common issue, but some games manage to balance their pacing with breathtaking gameplay and visuals.

In a time when attention spans are at an all-time low, player retention is harder than ever, but this list will provide viewers with 10 video games that will have players hooked from start to finish. Based on aspects such as gameplay, narrative, visuals, pacing, originality, design, popularity, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these ten titles are must-play games that don’t have a second of dull gameplay.

‘Mafia’ (2002)

Image via Hangar 13

Most of the games on this list are newer titles, but the oldest one featured is Mafia, a true classic that was flawless from start to finish. Set in the 1930s in a fictional city named Lost Heaven, a cab driver named Tommy Angelo saves two men who happen to be mafia members, thus starting his rise within the crime family.

Players fully immerse themselves as a mafia member in the 1930s, with the game having an incredible sense of realism that grounds the players with laws. Mafia is much different than other open-world sandbox video games, using its intriguing world as a backdrop for the fascinating and cinematic narrative, which takes center stage.

‘Subnautica’ (2018)

Image via Unknown Worlds Entertainment

With the second game releasing not too long ago, fans might have forgotten how perfect the first Subnautica was. When players crash-land onto a planet almost entirely covered by water, they must build their base and survive the harsh conditions. By finding other broken vessels, the aim is to find a way off this planet, but many more mysteries lie deep beneath the sea.

Subnautica doesn’t do any hand-holding, throwing the players right into the abyss to figure out what they need to do and how to do it. This approach made the beginning immediately engaging, with gamers slowly realizing what they need or want to do, from exploring the ocean to collecting materials to building a base and other tools. Subnautica is a fantastic open-world game that lets players freely roam, even into the jaws of a Leviathan.

‘Hollow Knight’ (2017)

Image via Team Cherry

A lot of indie games are becoming the best titles of the year, with one such example being Hollow Knight. The Kingdom of Hallownest is a bug-filled world with wonders and mysteries at every corner, but when a plague turns every creature hostile, it is up to the protagonist to travel around and defeat the source of the mayhem.

Hollow Knight is a definitive modern Metroidvania game, using its fluid and satisfying platforming and traversal alongside seamless exploration to deliver a fascinating and rewarding experience. Whether it be the lore that players learn or the precise combat and platforming that hooks players, Hollow Knight is jam-packed with entertainment value from start to finish.

‘God of War’ (2018)

Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment

There are big games on this list, but the most popular is arguably God of War, which revived the franchise, bringing it to new heights. After the passing of his wife, Kratos sets off on an adventure through the Nordic realms to scatter her ashes at the highest point in the world alongside his son, Atreus. However, the gods have an interest in his son, making the journey much more dangerous.

Right from the introduction, where players learn controls through various challenges, including a fight against a troll and one of the greatest boss fights in video game history, God of War boasts an unrelenting pace of pure exhilaration with moments of genuine heartfelt storytelling and emotion. The next God of War game is highly anticipated, but it is going to be difficult to top this adventure, which had some of the best combat and narrative design.

‘NieR: Automata’ (2017)

Image via Square Enix, Toylogic

NieR: Automata is set in the distant future, with all of humanity now living on the moon after aliens took over the Earth. However, humanity still fights in the form of a handful of androids sent down to Earth to battle against machines made by the alien invaders, starting a proxy war for their homeland.

This video game can’t just be put down after beating it, because NieR: Automata has multiple endings that paint a full picture, but the replay is just as good as the first time. It constantly switches genres from 3D action to twin-stick shooter to 2D platformer, offering a variety of mechanics that always make gameplay fresh and enjoyable.

‘Disco Elysium’ (2019)

Image via ZA/UM

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Indie games feature some of the best narratives of all time, and one of them is Disco Elysium, where players play as a drunk, amnesiac detective. After waking up with no memories, players must solve a politically charged murder of great importance while trying to remember their own struggles. By using the many personalities in their head, players slowly unravel the mystery.

Disco Elysium rejuvenates the RPG genre by taking the focus away from combat and looting and instead using dialogue as combat. The voices in the player’s head are the skills, upgraded and utilized, each to look at things in a new light, revealing new secrets and lore. With some of the greatest dialogue in video games and a politically important narrative, Disco Elysium is an indie game masterpiece.

‘Batman: Arkham Asylum’ (2009)

Comic books and movies are mainly where the superhero genre lives, but video games are an underrated medium in that regard. Batman: Arkham Asylum follows the titular Caped Crusader navigating the prison with the rest of his rogues’ gallery after the Joker locked him inside. From stopping Joker’s takeover of the prison to defeating many other villains, this adventure is one nightmare Batman wants to wake up from.

Batman: Arkham Asylum is the best superhero video game other than its sequel, but it has a better pace that makes the entire game perfect. From side objectives like collecting Riddler trophies or finding videotapes to the engaging main storyline, this game has much to offer. Plus, Batman: Arkham Asylum invented a new combat system that is cathartic and riveting, enhancing the vibe and gameplay in every mission.

‘Luigi’s Mansion 3’ (2019)

Image via Nintendo

Nintendo is one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, and they prioritize creativity and accessibility; Luigi’s Mansion 3 is one of the best examples. When the titular character and his friends go on a vacation, Mario, Peach, and Daisy are captured by ghosts, leaving Luigi alone to navigate the haunted mansion, defeat the spooky residents, and save his friends.

Luigi’s Mansion 3 is a surprisingly beautiful game, boasting charming visuals that are polished and stylized. However, the gameplay kicks off right away, delivering the simple yet engaging vacuum mechanic. Each area introduces a new gimmick, fresh scenery, and different enemies to spice things up, always making it fun. As one of the greatest games on the Nintendo Switch, Luigi’s Mansion 3 is perfect from start to finish.

‘Control’ (2019)

Image via 505 Games

Control has a sequel on the way that looks absolutely phenomenal, but until it comes out, the original is more fitting for this list. The Federal Bureau of Control is a top-secret government facility, but when Jesse Faden enters it looking for her brother, she accidentally becomes the director, now needing to fight off a supernatural entity known as the Hiss.

Remedy Entertainment is known for its new-era weird concepts, and Control embodies that innovation perfectly, creating a worldbuilding masterpiece that is bizarre yet captivating. The telekinetic powers offer a fun gameplay loop with engaging combat that has fluid control and creative solutions. Control has logic-defying levels that up the imaginative scale and offer some of the best moments a gamer could have.

‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)

Image via Capcom

The Resident Evil franchise is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and it already has one of the best games of the year and has a movie on the way. However, the pinnacle of the franchise is still Resident Evil 4. Leon S. Kennedy travels to Spain to rescue the daughter of the president from a cult that has been mind-controlled by an evil parasite, making everyone mindless and hostile.

Known for its revolutionary over-the-shoulder camera angle that redefined action-horror games, this pioneering survival horror also had a groundbreaking inventory management system that made everything more immersive. Resident Evil 4 isn’t just a compelling game; it has a distinct style that is scary and exhilarating, establishing itself as one of the greatest video games of all time.

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Resident Evil 4

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Released

January 11, 2005

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

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Doctor Who fans were hit with the shocking news that the BBC is putting the long-running science fiction series into competitive tender, effectively ending the current era of Who. The writing had been on the wall for a while, as the BBC severed ties with Disney following the conclusion of the second season of Ncuti Gatwa‘s tenure as the 15th Doctor. On top of that, showrunner Russell T. Davies and his Bad Wolf production banner also departed Doctor Who, fueling rumors that the show was canceled. However, Davies offered some rather pointed words concerning these rumors.

Speaking to Gaydio, Davies clarified that Doctor Who wasn’t canceled. He also explained what a competitive tender means, as someone who actually has knowledge of the inner workings of the television business:

“It’s extraordinary to see newspapers who should know better saying the show has been cancelled…It’s the opposite. It’s been put out to tender, and I understand that’s an industry phrase and people might not understand what a show being put out to tender means. Being put out to tender means – and this will happen to every BBC show, it’s happened to Casualty, it’s happened to the weather – it means the programme is pitched to be made by an independent company, as opposed to the BBC.”

This means that, in a similar vein to the previous Disney/BBC deal, the BBC is looking for someone to help co-produce a new era of Doctor Who. On the one hand, this means that Doctor Who will return to the screen at some point. On the other hand, the competitive tender has revealed that revitalizing an iconic science fiction franchise isn’t as easy as it seems.

The BBC Is Facing Major Hurdles When It Comes to ‘Doctor Who’

Image via BBC

While the BBC has already reached out to potential co-producers, there’s an air of uncertainty around taking on such a high-profile project. A report from Deadline Hollywood reveals that most producers have reservations about investing money and creative energy in Doctor Who, especially as the shadow of the Disney breakup looms large. One of these producers even bluntly said, “You’d have to be mad” to tackle such an enterprise. It’s not hard to see their point: Doctor Who has more than 60 years of history behind it, and certain expectations when it comes to telling stories within its universe. Any new producer will be hard-pressed by longtime fans to keep those standards, which is the kind of pressure that would make anyone nervous.

The report also says that producers feel Davies’ tenure was less of a boon and more of an anchor around Doctor Who‘s neck, as ratings started to tank and episodes lacked the perfect mix of sci-fi trappings and social commentary that defined some of the series’ best eras. His departure paves the way for a new creative voice to not only steer Doctor Who back on track, but also bring something new to the table. In fact, one writer has thrown his hat in the ring to take over showrunning duties, and it’s none other than J. Michael Straczynski. Given Straczynski’s tenure scripting character-defining runs on Amazing Spider-Man and Thor, not to mention creating a truly excellent sci-fi series in Babylon 5, he definitely has the chops to bring new life to Doctor Who.

A Brief Hiatus Led To The Resurgence of ‘Doctor Who’ in 2005

Doctor Who is no stranger to being off the air, as it went off the air in 1989 due to declining ratings. Though a television movie was made in 1996 to revive the series, it received extremely poor ratings. It wasn’t until 2005 that Doctor Who returned, and under Russell T. Davies no less, who not only shook up the series by making the Doctor the last of the Time Lords but also launched another series, Torchwood, in the process. With Deadline reporting that Doctor Who might be off the air until 2028, this is another chance for the series to get a new lease on life. A lot could change in two years, and a producer might come up with a take that the BBC loves.

A key element of Doctor Who is the concept of “regeneration”, where the Doctor shifts into a new form and a new actor. With Russell T. Davies’ departure and the dissolution of the Disney deal, the time has come for Doctor Who to undergo a creative regeneration of its own.

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Release Date

May 11, 2024

Network

BBC One

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Directors

Alex Pillai, Peter Hoar, Ben Chessell, Julie Anne Robinson, Jamie Donoughue, Amanda Brotchie, Dylan Holmes Williams

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Writers

Steven Moffat, Pete McTighe, Kate Herron, Inua Ellams, Juno Dawson

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Doctor Who / Whoniverse

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The first game officially marketed with the term “survival horror” was Capcom’s Resident Evil. Back then, the genre was defined by fixed camera angles and tank controls, but it has since evolved into fully immersive experiences that genuinely make you feel like you’re trapped inside a horror movie. The graphics have become hyper-realistic, the scares have become more creative, but the core appeal remains exactly the same.

It’s about the eerie atmosphere, about the grotesque monsters, about that specific kind of dread you feel when you’re low on resources, something is coming, and you have no idea if you’re going to make it out of the next room. When it works, no other genre comes close to what it makes you feel. So, with that in mind, here are the 10 greatest survival horror games ever made, the titles that set the gold standard for the genre.

10

‘The Evil Within’ (2014)

Image Via Bethesda Softworks

The Evil Within comes from Shinji Mikami, the man who created Resident Evil, and it shows. You play as Sebastian Castellanos, a detective investigating a gruesome mass murder at a psychiatric hospital. The case quickly spirals into something far darker when Sebastian finds himself trapped inside the twisted mind of the game’s antagonist, Ruvik.

Because the story takes place inside the subconscious mind, reality is constantly breaking apart. Hallways can stretch infinitely, rooms will flip upside down, and entire structures will crash together. If you turn around, an exit you just used may no longer exist, essentially locking you into a room with an entity you can’t escape. It’s an unpredictable, nightmarish world that feels like a fever dream you can’t wake up from.

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9

‘Until Dawn’ (2015)

Image via Supermassive Games

Until Dawn is a different kind of survival horror experience in that it plays more like an interactive slasher film. Eight friends reunite at a mountain lodge a year after a tragedy and, in classic horror movie fashion, things go terribly wrong. The game begins like a classic whodunit, where the group is stalked and terrorized by a masked assailant who sets up lethal, Jigsaw-style traps. But midway through, it switches genres entirely and turns into something far scarier.

You control all eight of the friends at various points through the night, making choices that decide who lives, who dies, and how the whole thing ends. The genius of Until Dawn is that everyone is survivable and everyone is killable, depending entirely on your decisions. The butterfly effect system tracks your choices across the game, and the consequences of the smallest choices can show up hours later in ways you genuinely did not see coming. Moreover, the game asks players to identify their biggest fears, whether that’s clowns, needles, snakes, or dogs. It then uses those answers against them. The environment. The jump scares. Background props. Even the masks worn by enemies. All of it changes based on what the player finds most frightening.

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8

‘Silent Hill 2’ (2024)

Image via Konami Digital Entertainment

The original Silent Hill 2 is widely considered one of the greatest horror games ever made, and James Sunderland’s descent into the fog-choked streets of Silent Hill in search of his dead wife still remains one of gaming’s most psychologically complex stories. So, remaking it was always going to be a tightrope act, but Bloober Team pulled it off. The remake preserves everything that made the original iconic while bringing the visuals, combat, and exploration up to a modern standard.

The town isn’t a conventional spooky setting; it is a purgatorial, hallucinatory realm. It draws people in and manifests their innermost anxieties. Pyramid Head, the Nurses, the Lying Figures, they are all expressions of James’ guilt and his subconscious repressions. And then, of course, there are the Mannequins… pure nightmare fuel. They’ll force you to hit pause, accept that this is where your playthrough ends, and you are perfectly fine with never hitting play ever again.

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7

‘Resident Evil Requiem’ (2026)

Image via Capcom

Resident Evil Requiem does something no game in the franchise has attempted before. It combines the claustrophobic first-person dread that made Resident Evil 7 and 8 so effective with the third-person action of Resident Evil 4. When you play as Grace, you’re in first person, and it feels like a literal horror movie. Weapons are weaker, and resources are painfully scarce. Then the game switches to Leon, and it almost feels like an entirely different genre. Leon is more experienced, better equipped, and capable of tearing through infected hordes with relative ease.

The story ties up decades-long loose ends regarding the fall of Umbrella, while rewarding longtime fans with callbacks to multiple entries across the series. At one point, you even get to revisit the iconic Raccoon City Police Department from Resident Evil 2. The real star of the game, however, is Victor Gideon. Easily one of the franchise’s strongest villains in years, Gideon feels like a Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine) or Joker-type character combined with the physicality of a classic Resident Evil Bio-Organic Weapon.

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6

‘Outlast 2’ (2017)

Image via Red Barrels

Outlast 2 is one of the most terrifying games ever made, and it earns that distinction through one very deliberate design choice: you cannot fight back. At all. All you can do is hide or run away. You play as Blake Langermann, a journalist who crashes in the Arizona Desert while investigating the murder of a pregnant woman and ends up trapped in a religious cult that has completely lost its grip on reality. Your only tools are a camcorder, a microphone, and your legs.

The night vision on the camcorder is your lifeline in the dark, but it runs on batteries, and once those run out, you will truly experience fear in its rawest form. The game forces you to explore because you desperately need batteries, knowing full well that if anyone happens to be inside, you are going to spend the next 15 minutes trying to get away. Outlast 2 is not a game for everyone, but if you want to know what genuine helplessness feels like, this is it.

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5

‘MADiSON’ (2022)

Image via Bloodious Games

To understand why MADiSON matters, you have to understand what P.T. was. In 2014, Konami released a free playable teaser on the PlayStation Store called P.T., which turned out to be a demo for a new Silent Hill game directed by Hideo Kojima. It was set in a single looping corridor of a house, and it was so frightening, so atmospherically perfect, that it became a landmark moment in horror gaming overnight. It is also the reason Resident Evil 7 went first-person. Then, Kojima fell out with Konami, the Silent Hill game was cancelled, and P.T. was permanently removed from the PlayStation Store. After P.T.‘s removal, a bunch of clones came out, and MADiSON is widely regarded as the best and most polished one out of them all.

You play as Luca, a teenager who wakes up with his hands covered in blood and a cursed vintage camera. You have no weapons and cannot fight back. All you can do is use the camera. The flash acts as a limited light source, and developing the photos can reveal hidden pathways or trigger environmental changes. The game was even scientifically ranked as the scariest horror game ever in the Science of Scare Project, where it provoked the highest average heart rates in players compared to any other game.

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4

‘Alan Wake 2’ (2023)

Image via Remedy Entertainment

In Alan Wake 2, you play through two connected storylines. One follows Alan Wake, an author trapped in a nightmare dimension called the Dark Place, and the tone feels straight out of Twin Peaks or The Twilight Zone. The other follows FBI agent Saga Anderson, who is investigating a series of ritualistic murders in a town called Bright Falls, and her story feels very much in the vein of something like True Detective. But as you keep playing, the two stories slowly start to overlap, and you find yourself questioning what is real and what is not.

One of its coolest mechanics lets Alan rewrite parts of the story. And as you make changes to the plot, the world literally changes around you in real time. For example, you can apply a “Murder Cult” plot in a subway tunnel, which turns it into a bloody ritual site, opens new pathways, and introduces chanting cult members into your surroundings. Or you can apply a plot thread about a detective being shot, which creates a trail of blood for Alan to follow deeper into the chapter. Visually, as well, the game is on another level. Every level is created with immaculate attention to detail. And the game even incorporates live-action cutscenes and elements. The actors look identical to their in-game versions. And these real-world elements are not just for cutscenes; they actually interact with the playable world as well.

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3

‘Resident Evil 2’ (2019)

Image via Capcom

Resident Evil 2 remake does what the original game did best, then expands on it in all the right ways. It follows Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they try to survive the zombie outbreak in Raccoon City, with most of the game taking place inside the Raccoon City Police Department. The RPD itself is still one of the most iconic survival horror locations ever made, and the remake adds new rooms, new puzzles, and even some entirely new sections to the story while staying true to the horror roots that made the original a classic.

The thing that elevates this remake above almost everything else in the genre is Mr. X. This massive Tyrant is introduced partway through the game, and from that point on, he is an ever-present threat. He constantly stalks you through the police station with no fixed patrol pattern, no way to permanently stop him, and a footstep sound that will haunt you for weeks.

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2

‘Alien: Isolation’ (2014)

Image via 20th Century Fox

Alien: Isolation takes place exactly 15 years after the events of the original 1979 Alien film. You play as Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), as she investigates the disappearance of her mother. That search leads her to the Sevastopol space station, a remote facility that has become overrun by a single Xenomorph.

The Xenomorph in here is powered by a groundbreaking two-tier AI system. One layer, known as the Director AI, is always aware of the player’s general location and keeps nudging the Xenomorph in that direction. The second layer is the on-screen hunter. It is fundamentally blind to your true location unless it sees, hears, or smells you. In a lot of ways, it’s like if Mr. X from Resident Evil 2 was always aware of your location and kept coming closer, instead of just roaming around randomly.

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1

‘Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’ (2017)

Image via Capcom

By 2017, the Resident Evil franchise had drifted so far from its survival horror roots that many fans had written it off entirely. Then Capcom switched to first-person, stripped away much of the action, and delivered what is arguably the scariest game in the entire franchise. Resident Evil 7 genuinely feels like being trapped inside a horror movie, something halfway between The Evil Dead and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. You play as Ethan Winters, searching for his missing wife Mia in a Louisiana plantation owned by the Baker family, and things get very bad very quickly.

If you’ve played it, you know the moment. You’ve worked your way through the house, found some clues, and started to get your bearings. Then you open the basement door, and you see Mia crawling up the stairs toward you. That image. The way she moves. Her blackened eyes and demonic voice. It’s probably burned into your brain. And that’s just the beginning. The Baker family is among the greatest horror antagonists in gaming history, and each of them gets a sequence that is distinctly grotesque in its own way. Nearly a decade later, Resident Evil 7 still remains the gold standard for modern survival horror.

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Collider Exclusive · Horror Survival Quiz
Which Horror Villain Do You Have the Best Chance of Surviving?
Jason Voorhees · Michael Myers · Freddy Krueger · Pennywise · Chucky

Five killers. Five completely different ways to die — if you’re not smart enough, fast enough, or self-aware enough to avoid it. Only one of them is the villain your particular set of instincts gives you a fighting chance against. Eight questions will figure out which one.

🏕️Jason

🔪Michael

💤Freddy

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🎈Pennywise

🪆Chucky

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

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01

Something feels wrong. You can’t explain it — you just know. What do you do?
First instincts are the difference between the survivor and the first act casualty.

ALeave immediately. I don’t need to understand a threat to respect it.
BStay quiet and observe. If I can see it, I can understand it. If I can understand it, I can avoid it.
CStay awake. Whatever this is, I am not going to sleep until I feel safe again.
DConfront it directly. Fear grows in the dark — I’d rather know what I’m dealing with.
ECheck everything, trust nothing. The threat might be closer than I think — and smaller.

NEXT QUESTION →

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02

Where are you most likely to find yourself when things go wrong?
Setting is everything in horror. Where you are determines which rules apply.

ASomewhere remote — a cabin, a campsite, off the grid and away from people.
BA quiet suburban neighbourhood where nothing ever happens. Except tonight.
CIn my own head — the most dangerous place of all, depending on what’s already in there.
DWherever children are — because something about this place attracts the worst things.
ESomewhere ordinary — a house, a toy store, a place where the last thing you’d expect is a threat.

NEXT QUESTION →

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03

What is your most reliable survival asset?
Every survivor has a quality the villain didn’t account for. What’s yours?

APhysical fitness — I can run, I can swim, I can outlast something that relies on brute persistence.
BSpatial awareness — I always know the exits, the hiding spots, the fastest route out.
CPsychological resilience — I’ve faced my worst fears before. They don’t have the same power over me.
DEmotional steadiness — I don’t panic. Panic is what gets you caught.
EScepticism — I don’t underestimate threats because of how they look. Size is irrelevant.

NEXT QUESTION →

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04

What kind of fear is hardest for you to fight through?
Knowing your weakness is the first step to not dying because of it.

AThe unstoppable — something that will not stop, cannot be reasoned with, and is always getting closer.
BThe invisible — a threat I can feel but can’t locate, watching from somewhere I can’t see.
CThe psychological — something that uses my own mind and memories against me.
DThe unknowable — something ancient, shapeless, that feeds on the fear itself.
EThe mundane — a threat so ordinary-looking that no one will believe me until it’s too late.

NEXT QUESTION →

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05

You’re with a group when things start going wrong. What’s your role?
Horror movies are brutally clear about who survives group situations and who doesn’t.

AThe one who says “we need to leave” first — and means it, even when no one listens.
BThe one who stays quiet, watches the others, and figures out the pattern before anyone else does.
CThe one who holds the group together when panic sets in — because someone has to.
DThe one who asks the questions nobody wants to ask — because ignoring them gets people killed.
EThe one who takes the threat seriously when everyone else is laughing it off.

NEXT QUESTION →

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06

What’s the horror movie mistake you’re most likely to make?
Honest self-assessment is a survival skill. Denial is not.

AGoing back for someone — I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t leave them behind.
BAssuming I’m safe once I’ve found a hiding spot. That’s when it finds me.
CFalling asleep when I absolutely cannot afford to. Exhaustion is its own enemy.
DLetting my curiosity override my instincts — I always need to understand what I’m dealing with.
EDismissing the threat because of how it looks. That’s exactly what it wants.

NEXT QUESTION →

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07

What’s your best weapon against something that can’t be stopped by conventional means?
Every horror villain has a weakness. The survivors are always the ones who find it.

AThe environment itself — I use the terrain, the water, the geography against it.
BPatience — I wait, I watch, and I strike at the one moment it doesn’t expect.
CLucidity — if I can stay in control of my own mind, it loses its primary weapon.
DCourage — facing it directly, refusing to run, taking away the fear it feeds on.
EImprovisation — I use whatever’s at hand, however unconventional. Creativity over brute force.

NEXT QUESTION →

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08

It’s the final scene. You’re the last one standing. How did you make it?
The final survivor always has a reason. What’s yours?

AI kept moving. I never stopped, never hid for too long, never let it corner me.
BI figured out the pattern before anyone else did — and I used it against the thing following it.
CI stayed awake, stayed lucid, and refused to give it the one thing it needed most.
DI stopped being afraid of it. And the moment I did, everything changed.
EI took it seriously from the start — and I never once made the mistake of underestimating it.

REVEAL MY VILLAIN →

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Your Survival Odds Have Been Calculated
Your Best Chance Is Against…

Your instincts, your strengths, and your particular way of thinking under pressure point to one villain you actually have a fighting chance against. Everyone else — good luck.

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Camp Crystal Lake · Friday the 13th

Jason Voorhees

Jason is relentless, but he is also predictable — and that is the gap you would exploit.

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• He moves in straight lines toward his target. He doesn’t strategise, doesn’t adapt, doesn’t outsmart. He simply pursues.
• Your ability to keep moving, use the environment, and resist the panic that freezes most victims gives you a genuine edge.
• The Crystal Lake survivors were always the ones who stopped running in circles and started thinking about terrain, water, and distance.
• You think like that. Which means Jason, for all his indestructibility, would face someone who simply refused to be where he expected.

Haddonfield, Illinois · Halloween

Michael Myers

Michael watches before he moves. He is patient, methodical, and almost impossible to detect — until it’s too late for anyone who isn’t paying close enough attention.

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• But you are paying attention. You notice the shape in the window, the car parked slightly wrong, the silence where there should be sound.
• Michael’s power lies in the invisibility of ordinary suburbia — the fact that nothing ever looks wrong until it already is.
• Your spatial awareness and instinct to map every room, every exit, and every shadow before you need them is precisely the quality Laurie Strode had.
• You are not a victim waiting to happen. You are someone who already suspects something is wrong — and acts on it.

Elm Street · A Nightmare on Elm Street

Freddy Krueger

Freddy wins by getting inside your head — using your own fears, your own memories, your own subconscious as weapons against you. That strategy requires a target who can be destabilised.

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• You are harder to destabilise than most. You’ve faced uncomfortable truths about yourself and you haven’t looked away.
• The survivors on Elm Street were always the ones who understood what was happening and chose to face it rather than flee from it.
• Freddy’s greatest weakness is that his power evaporates in the presence of someone who refuses to give him the fear he feeds on.
• Your psychological resilience — the ability to stay grounded when reality itself becomes unreliable — is exactly the quality that keeps you alive here.

Derry, Maine · It

Pennywise

Pennywise is ancient, shapeshifting, and feeds on terror — but it has one critical vulnerability: it cannot function against someone who genuinely stops being afraid of it.

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• The Losers Club didn’t survive because they were braver than everyone else. They survived because they faced their fears together, and faced them honestly.
• You ask the questions others avoid. You look directly at what frightens you rather than turning away.
• That directness — the refusal to let fear fester in the dark — is Pennywise’s worst nightmare.
• It chose the wrong target when it chose you. You are exactly the kind of person whose fear tastes like nothing at all.

Chicago · Child’s Play

Chucky

Chucky’s greatest advantage is that nobody takes him seriously until it’s already too late. He exploits the gap between how something looks and what it actually is.

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• You don’t have that gap. You take threats seriously regardless of how they present — and you never make the mistake of underestimating something because of its size or appearance.
• Chucky relies on surprise, on the delay between recognition and response. You close that delay faster than almost anyone.
• Your instinct to treat every unfamiliar thing with appropriate scepticism — rather than dismissing it because it seems absurd — is the exact quality that keeps you breathing.
• Against Chucky, not laughing is already winning. You are very good at not laughing.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ