By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 16 seconds ago

Right now, it’s a pretty weird time to be a fan of the X-Men. On the one hand, we’re all excited to see some of the original movie crew (including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen) appear for one last adventure in Avengers: Doomsday. On the other hand, most of us are a little more excited about what comes next. Marvel is currently hard at work on an X-Men movie that will properly introduce new versions of these characters to the MCU. Aside from the fact that it will be directed by Jake Schreier (who brought us The Thunderbolts), we know almost nothing about this upcoming film.

Now, though, we have a potential bombshell regarding casting. Right now, multiple reliable Marvel scoopers are reporting that Star Wars icon Adam Driver will be playing Magneto in the MCU. This news is coming out ahead of San Diego Comic-Con, where Marvel may make this casting announcement official. Until then, rumors that Driver will be playing this popular foe have electrified the fandom and cemented the fact that some big names will be bringing our favorite mutant heroes and villains to life in the X-Men movie.

Magnetos, How Do They Even Work?

This is one of those cases where different scoopers have been reporting different versions of this story. Some (including MyTimeToShineHello) are reporting that Driver will be playing the villain of the upcoming X-Men movie, which triggered fan speculation that he might play a more unconventional Big Bad such as Mr. Sinister. However, others (including Apocalyptic Horseman) are reporting that Driver will be playing Magneto, the first and arguably best X-Men villain. While nothing has been confirmed by Marvel, news of Driver joining the MCU has electrified fans all over the world.

One reason that fans are so excited is that Adam Driver was the best part of the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. Those movies were divisive, but even their biggest haters have acknowledged that Driver was always acting his heart out as Kylo Ren. Based on his experience acting in a galaxy far, far, away, we know that he will be comfortable performing in the MCU. Running around as a guy in a scary costume and helmet while giving supervillain speeches? He clearly has this covered. Of course, Driver’s more nuanced performance in movies like A Marriage Story emphasizes how he would also be at home playing a more complex and sympathetic Magneto. 

Marvel Going Metal

Of course, this casting rumor has sparked many questions among the MCU fandom. For example, who will play Professor Xavier, whose tangled history with Magneto is so foundational to X-Men lore? Also, will Magneto begin the film as a Big Bad, or will we see his slow descent (like in X-Men: First Class) into villainy? Will Magneto be a solo act when he squares off against Xavier’s gifted youngsters, or will he already have an Evil Brotherhood of Mutants to command? Hopefully, we’ll get answers to all of these questions and more in the coming days.

In the meantime, this casting rumor has generated plenty of hype for Marvel. It’s already shaping up to be a banner year for the studio: tracking shows that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the biggest movie of the summer, and everyone from hardcore fans to filthy casuals is excited to see Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday. Now, excitement about seeing Adam Driver as Magneto has fans hyped about what comes next after Avengers: Secret Wars. Some thought audience malaise might finally sink Marvel, but as it turns out, even the dreaded superhero fatigue is no match for a master of magnetism!

By Robert Scucci
| Published 1 hour ago

Having graduated college in 2010, I missed out on the entire Despicable Me franchise for a number of reasons. The biggest is that I was the youngest member of my family by a long shot, meaning I was already 22 years old when the first one came out. I simply wasn’t the target demographic based on my life circumstances alone. I also had a coworker at my post-grad office job who had little Minions plushies all over their desk, and our tastes did not align at all, so there was another layer of abstraction that kept me away from the franchise.

I’m not the type of person to outwardly hate on things that bring people joy if those things are harmless, but I also write things off pretty quickly based on what I know I like and dislike, so I never put much thought into either the Despicable Me or Minions film series.

And then I had kids.

I’ve played these movies in my house after screening them for my kids, and they’re innocent enough, but I’ve also irresponsibly sat down with my kids and watched South Park (more on that later), so take what I say with a grain of salt. When our local drive-in theater announced they were going to be playing Minions & Monsters, my 5-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter lost their minds.

I also lost my mind because it’s been nothing but kids’ movies this summer, which is fine, but I’m still salty about missing the screening of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple because we couldn’t find a sitter.

So we spent our Saturday night watching Minions & Monsters, the latest installment in a franchise I know next to nothing about aside from how annoying their voices are, and I actually had the best time, though not for the reason you’d probably expect.

The obvious reason is that I’ve never heard my kids laugh harder at anything in their entire lives. The less obvious reason is that Minions & Monsters is the seventh feature-length installment in the Despicable Me franchise, among countless other shorts, but you can enjoy it as a standalone piece without really knowing anything about the series at all.

If you really want to enjoy Despicable Me as a parent, just do as my daughter says and “Lock in, Babycakes!”

Zero Lore Dumps. You Can Just Watch The Movie.

The night before going to see Minions & Monsters, I did one of those frantic Wikipedia crawls to get the character names straight, and I gave up shortly after. It’s not that I don’t have patience for my kids’ entertainment choices, either. I’m well versed in Bluey, Blippi, Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, and when the moment is right, I even sneak in some Rocko’s Modern Life when I think they’re ready for the humor.

With such short notice, cramming in six movies and God knows how many games, shorts, and web series just wasn’t happening.

I said, “Screw it,” and went in blind, and that’s exactly how Minions & Monsters won me over.

You can go in totally blind.

So what’s it about? It’s about Minions throughout history who influence world events because they latch onto a master, for better or worse, and wreak havoc because they’re completely enslaved to their impulses. Their behavior almost always ends in disaster.

We’re introduced to James, Henry, Ed, and Dick, all voiced by Pierre Coffin, and these are the Minions we spend the most time with. They all sound the same, obviously, and they all act pretty much the same. They speak in a weird hybrid of English and gibberish, and they leave waves of destruction wherever they go, never fully grasping the gravity of whatever situation they’re in.

Here, they inadvertently sabotage filmmaker Max’s (Christoph Waltz) projects by wandering into frame. To his shock and delight, studio executives Frank and Elwood Bright (Jeff Bridges) love the little creatures and demand they appear in all of his films. When the silent era comes to an end and Hollywood embraces talkies, every film starring the Minions tanks because nobody can understand what the hell they’re saying.

Rightfully dejected, they decide to make their own movie. Their brilliant idea is to summon a demon so they can create the ultimate monster movie. James, Henry, and Ed consult the Book of the Dead and accidentally summon Goomi (Trey Parker), whose full name is Gary Orkam Oliver Magma Ichabod the Deceiver. Dick and the other Minions instead team up with an alien robot named Dort (Jesse Eisenberg), and naturally every plan backfires, leaving them to clean up the collateral damage they created.

Sounds Like The Guy From South Park Because It Is

Like I mentioned earlier, I occasionally watch The Simpsons and South Park with my kids. I think it’s healthy to sit down with your kids and talk about what’s appropriate and what isn’t, so long as you’re not pushing the envelope too far. We’re not watching episodes like “Mr. Garrison’s Fancy New Vagina,” but we’ve definitely burned through “The Losing Edge” several times.

The only reason I mention this is because the second Goomi started talking, my daughter and I both turned to each other and asked in unison, “Is that Cartman?!”I assumed it was someone doing a really convincing impression because the voice is so iconic, but when the credits rolled, it confirmed that Trey Parker was voicing Goomi in Minions & Monsters.

And honestly, it makes perfect sense. If you know your South Park lore, Cthulhu showed up during the “Coon and Friends” storyline, so Parker clearly has a soft spot for absurd monster comedy.

The part I enjoyed most about Parker’s involvement is that he jumped at the chance to voice a character in something his own daughter could actually watch. That’s especially funny when you consider there’s plenty of footage online of him having his daughter record some absolutely unhinged Ike Broflovski dialogue for South Park.

Even If You Don’t Enjoy It, You’ll Enjoy How Much Your Kids Enjoy It

I’m happy to report that I actually quite liked Minions & Monsters. Given the nature of its story and the era it takes place in, it takes countless shots at classic Hollywood tropes while stuffing nearly every scene with parody and chaotic sight gags. If you’re into the kind of physical comedy you’d find in an old Laurel and Hardy or Jerry Lewis routine, you’ll probably have a good time.

I was mostly stoked because it genuinely played like a standalone adventure.

My wife, who is just as unversed in Minions lore, kept turning to me and asking what was going on, and I’d just shrug and say, “I don’t know. They’re little single-celled organisms with poor impulse control,” before adding, “Then they fall down and stuff.”

That was apparently an acceptable answer.

My favorite part of the movie, though, was hearing how hard my kids were laughing. It reminded me of that Family Guy scene where Brian calls Stewie out for having an obnoxious laugh whenever he thinks something is really funny, except three or four octaves higher and about ten times louder.

I joke around constantly, but I guess I’m not that funny because I’ve never heard them laugh this hard.

It was good for my soul.

I still don’t really know what the Minions are all about, but they gave us a pretty great Saturday night, so honestly, I have no notes.

Minions & Monsters is currently playing in theaters everywhere. Bring some earplugs to knock down a little of the high end, and you’ll have a great time with your kids watching this one.

David Beckham poked fun at criticism after his wife, Victoria Beckham, appeared unimpressed when England beat Norway at the FIFA World Cup.

David, 51, and Victoria, 52, attended England’s most recent World Cup game in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, July 11, alongside their three youngest children Romeo Beckham, Cruz Beckham and Harper Beckham.

David and their children were ecstatic when England won the game in overtime, and fans noticed that Victoria appeared much more reserved and stoic despite the team advancing to the World Cup semifinal.

One day after the game, comedian Jenny Johnson took to Instagram on Sunday, July 12, to reflect on Victoria’s seemingly unamused reaction.

Related: Everything David and Victoria Beckham Have Said About Their Family Drama

The Beckham family drama is officially out in the open — and David and Victoria Beckham have handled it in different ways. The pair’s son Brooklyn Beckham didn’t hold back when he posted a lengthy statement to his Instagram in January 2026, addressing his estrangement from his famous family head-on. The model and aspiring chef […]

“I wanted to take a moment to single out England’s number one fan Victoria, Lady Beckham!!!!” Johnson, 48, wrote alongside a carousel of images that showed Victoria calmly sitting as David enthusiastically cheered for England and thrust his fist in the air. “There’s nothing like cheering your heart out for England from home, then they cut to Victoria and we see that classic Posh Spice smile! It’s so infectious!”

She jokingly continued, “I used to think I got animated while watching sports, but Victoria blows my enthusiasm out of the water! Each time I see her I shout, ‘SPICE UP YOUR LIFE!!!!’ because her energy is electric!!! See for yourself!”

Just hours after Johnson uploaded the post, David took to the comments section to tease about his wife’s unmoved demeanor. “She was celebrating inside I promise. Her reactions were slightly slower than mine,” he wrote.

The family attended the match just one day after they celebrated Harper’s 15th birthday with sweet tributes on social media.

David and Victoria gushed about their youngest child amid the family’s ongoing feud with their eldest son, Brooklyn Beckham, and his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.

The family drama dates back to 2022 following a disagreement over Nicola’s bridal gown for her wedding. Brooklyn, 27, claimed that his mom opted out of making a custom design at the “eleventh hour,” forcing Nicola, 31, to rush and find a Valentino gown for her big day instead.

While the family initially denied there was conflict between them, Brooklyn doubled down on the lingering tension in a lengthy Instagram post in January.

“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private,” he wrote at the time. “Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed.”

After insisting that he didn’t want to “reconcile” with his family, he added, “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

Both David and Victoria have since spoken out about the feud.

“We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be,” Victoria told The Wall Street Journal in April. “And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children. And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.”

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David also had a subtle response to Brooklyn’s claims. While appearing on CNBC’s Squawk Box in January, the retired athlete admitted he’s made “mistakes.”

“I’ve always spoken about social media and the power of social media — for the good and for the bad,” he said at the time. “What kids can access these days, it can be dangerous. But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids as well: Use it for the right reasons.”

David continued, “I’ve been able to use my platform for my following, for UNICEF. And it’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children. And I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids, but you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”

Brian Austin Green is reflecting on the lessons he learned from his marriage to Megan Fox years after their split.

During a recent podcast appearance, the actor admitted that “physical attraction” was the foundation of their relationship and revealed how their divorce prompted a period of self-reflection.

Through therapy, Brian Austin Green said he gained a new perspective on love and compatibility, lessons that have since shaped his relationship with his fiancée and his approach to co-parenting with Megan Fox.

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During a recent appearance on the “I Do, Part 2” podcast, Brian Austin Green reflected on his nearly 15-year relationship with Megan Fox, admitting that physical attraction played a major role in how their romance began.

“We were married for almost 10 years, and I led with physical attraction,” Green told hosts TJ Holmes and Amy Robach.

“The Beverly Hills, 90210” alum explained that for much of his life, he approached relationships by following chemistry first and allowing emotional bonds to develop later. Looking back, he now believes that mindset may have contributed to some of the challenges in his marriage.

Green and Fox, who married in 2010, ended their relationship in 2020 after welcoming three children together: Noah, 13, Bodhi, 12, and Journey, 9.

“I was divorced, which I didn’t expect,” he recalled, per Page Six. “I had three kids. I was a single parent.”

The Actor Says Therapy Changed The Way He Approaches Relationships

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The unexpected end of his marriage prompted a period of self-reflection. Determined not to repeat old patterns, Green said he sought therapy to better understand his role in past relationship struggles.

“I really figure out what it was that [he] brought into a relationship that was just toxic and wasn’t good and wasn’t helping the relationship at all,” he shared.

Through that process, the 52-year-old came to a significant realization: friendship and genuine compatibility should come before romance.

Green said he learned that building a strong friendship first creates a healthier foundation for a relationship, making it easier for both partners to communicate openly and honestly.

“I think when you started from a place of a genuine connection with someone, then you’re not so concerned about whether they are truly into you or not,” he explained, adding that it allowed two people to communicate “in a very transparent way.”

Brian Austin Green Says Honest Conversations Strengthened His New Relationship After Split From Megan Fox

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That perspective ultimately shaped how Green approached his relationship with fiancée Sharna Burgess. Before becoming serious, the couple made a point of discussing both their strengths and flaws, putting everything on the table from the beginning.

“Sharna and I talked about our best qualities and our worst qualities together,” the “Knots Landing” alum said. “We sort of put it all out on the table.”

According to the actor, relationships built solely on physical attraction can struggle to stand the test of time. While chemistry may spark a connection, he believes a deeper emotional bond is what ultimately sustains it.

“Your approach to a relationship is the best way to know if it’s just a purely physical connection,” he said. “That’s only going to last for so long that you’re going to get to a point where you go, ‘I can’t stand that other person. So they’re not hot to me anymore.’”

Green and Burgess began dating in late 2020. The couple welcomed their son, Zane, in 2022 and later became engaged.

The Actor Hoped He And Megan Fox Could Work On Their Relationship

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While Green has found happiness in a new chapter of his life, he and Fox have remained committed to co-parenting their children despite the end of their marriage.

The transition, however, was not without its challenges. The actor has previously admitted that he was blindsided when Fox first raised the possibility of ending their relationship after their separation in 2019.

Even after nearly 15 years together, he believed they would be able to work through their difficulties.

“I honestly felt at that point like, ‘We got this,’” he recalled during a May 2025 appearance on the “Oldish” podcast, per E! News. “We had already been through almost 15 years of a relationship together, so I believed it, and I think she believed it at the time also.”

Brian Austin Green Claims Co-Parenting With Megan Fox Became The Priority After Their Split

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Despite the heartbreak, Green said becoming effective co-parents quickly became more important than dwelling on the end of their relationship.

Speaking to E! News in 2024, Green explained that successful co-parenting requires setting aside personal differences and focusing on what is best for the children.

You’ve got to “pick your battles,” he said, noting that any lingering issues between former partners should never take priority over their role as parents.

“The only choice you have is how it affects the kids,” he explained. “So, you have to decide, ‘OK, it’s not about us getting along anymore. It’s about us co-parenting, which is a totally different situation.’”

Taylor Frankie Paul is moving on from her MomTok episode with some admissions!

The reality star got vulnerable in a lengthy social media post about her recent public spat with her “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” co-stars and how everything has left her feeling, both positively and negatively.

Taylor Frankie Paul recently reunited with her fellow “SLOMW” cast members to roll the tapes on the fifth season of the successful reality show after a few weeks of pausing filming.

The mother of three took to Instagram on Sunday, July 12, with some deeply reflective truths about the root cause of her MomTok drama. Taylor blamed the outbursts on dealing with so many things at once and pouring out her frustration on her co-star’s video of them having fun without her in sight.

Taylor stressed that she was ready to move on from the toxicity of the drama, noting that she will never discredit her friends’ success because she has been there to witness most of it.

The reality star clarified that she became defensive and let her ego deal with everything because she felt betrayed and abandoned by people she once rooted for.

She emphasized that her co-stars have the right to establish boundaries after her personal controversy affected the show. Taylor also understood that they had the right to speak their minds without feeling bullied. In her words:

“None of us deserve that. No matter what happened, it doesn’t justify MY responses to all of it. That’s on me. I can only control me. I recognize I’m not myself and that hurts to admit.”

The Mother-Of-Three Expressed Readiness To Dump Animosity And Embrace ‘Abundance’

Taylor continued in the lengthy caption that between dealing with her split from Dakota Mortensen, the restraining orders, the domestic violence allegations, and temporarily losing two shows rewired her brain. She agreed that it has become her responsibility to recalibrate her focus and rewire her brain to feel like the happier days.

Taylor then addressed the topic of her kids, who have been the topic of custody arrangements between her and her ex-partners. On July 8, during a custody hearing, a judge expanded Taylor’s parenting time to extend her weekends with their child, Ever, through Monday morning over a month after the previous hearing.

The reality star admitted to missing her children, expressing pain at the restricted access to them, while admitting how heartbroken she feels. “I feel at war, I’m afraid of who I can trust, and just wanted to share the reality of how I feel. I don’t want to feel animosity; I want to feel abundance,” she stressed.

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Taylor Frankie Paul Bragged About Her Other TV Offers Amid ‘SLOMW’ Return

The media personality was onboarded to film the fifth season of “SLOMW,” where she would film the intro credits, but will not be appearing in anything else for the season, including a final confessional.

As reported by The Blast, Taylor will join famous faces on television like Jessi Draper, Whitney Leavitt, Jen Affleck, and Layla Taylor to film the season.

However, the group made one move on social media that set off Taylor on a shade-throwing spree about the squad’s inability to diminish her influence or humble her.

Taylor did not hesitate to remind the group subtly that despite her previous standing with ABC and Hulu and the domestic violence accusations, she is still in high demand.

According to her, television shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “Miami Swim Week” have approached her for a gig, and she may even get a memoir contract.

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The reality star noted that the group’s show-off made an already bad day worse for her, as Draper clarified that their little dance was not intended to make her feel terrible.

Draper insisted the group all tried to make a fun video, like the good old days, and it was not meant to be a shade to Taylor, who was absent during the shenanigans.

Inside The 32-Year-Old’s Rehab Stint

Before the good news of her Hulu show getting unpaused, the reality star voluntarily enlisted to check into a rehab facility in the spirit of getting better. As noted by The Blast, everyone in Taylor’s circle consented to her getting the best support professional to improve her well-being and mental health.

The priority also extended to her three children, who are the center of her universe and need to be protected from the scourge of her actions and public standing. In the viral 2023 video of Taylor and her ex-boyfriend’s confrontation, the reality star could be seen yelling and throwing chairs at Dakota in the presence of their child.

The reality star and her ex were reportedly also involved in another domestic altercation in February, attracting attention from the Draper Police Department, who began an open domestic assault investigation the following month.

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Taylor Frankie Paul’s Ex Wanted To Keep Their Issues Out Of The Public Glare

The former couple’s viral clip left some consequences in its wake, which prompted statements from the duo and their reps. As soon as the video dropped, ABC axed the season of Taylor’s “Bachelorette” just days before it began airing, leaving the reality star feeling overwhelmed.

She confessed that it has been a heavy period for her to deal with the fallout from her actions in the video, and staying out of the public eye only meant not enjoying the rewards of her labor. In the video, one of the chairs Taylor threw at Dakota had left a mark on her minor daughter after it hit her.

While Taylor braved the flames of the controversial clip and the harsh backlash that followed, Dakota, through his representative, revealed that he had intended for their drama to have a different outcome when it comes to public interference.

His rep emphasized that Dakota put up little to no fight in letting everything happen to him during their relationship. Still, he eventually realized he cannot fold his arms anymore. The response from Dakota towards the video played out via restraining orders establishing limits in court.

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Lil Wayne shared a cryptic post on Sunday, July 12, prompting social media users to mention Jay-Z. The Roc Nation co-founder ended his three-day run in New York City on Sunday as he celebrated the 30th anniversary of his debut album, ‘Reasonable Doubt.’ Jay-Z surprised the audience by bringing out several other artists to perform at Yankee Stadium. Now, fans are wondering whether the ‘Annihilate’ artist is upset he didn’t get an invite from Jigga.

RELATED: Bruh! Dame Dash Reacts To Jay-Z’s Recent Concert With Wild Clip That Has Fans Side-Eyeing (VIDEO)

Lil Wayne Shares Cryptic Post Amid Jay-Z Concerts

Amid the online chatter about Jay-Z’s concerts packed with celebrities, Lil Wayne shared a post on X. As of Monday, it had one million views. It’s unclear what it means, but the timing has folks intrigued as they wondered who Lil Wayne was talking about. The post was shared at 6:04 a.m., just a few hours after Jay-Z’s last show in New York ended due to a delay.

The post read, “What’s understood ain’t gotta be explained. I get it. U got it. Thought we had it. That’s what I get for thinking.”

Two weeks before Jay-Z’s shows in New York, Lil Wayne missed one of his own concerts. According to the Bangor Daily News, the rapper missed his own concert in Bangor, Maine on June 30. He took to his Instagram Stories on July 5 to explain his absence, per Billboard.

“I have epilepsy,” said the artist. “I have seizures, right? Thank God I haven’t had a seizure in years, but seizures have triggers. A trigger to my seizures is bad migraines. I had a f*cking migraine that night. It was recommended I don’t get in the air.”

Jay-Z Brought Out Surprise Artists During His Final NYC Show

During the final night of shows on Sunday, Jay-Z brought out several famous artists to perform, but Lil Wayne wasn’t one of them. Rihanna, Beyoncé, Young Jeezy, Teyana Taylor and Usher each performed, and clips of the performances began popping up online.

Lil Wayne and Jay-Z have a long-time relationship. The ‘Lollipop’ artist is a partner in Jay-Z’s music streaming service, TIDAL. The duo has also collaborated on several tracks, and fans think Lil Wayne may have expected an invite to the New York shows.

Fans Think Lil Wayne’s Post Is About Jay-Z Concerts

After the post was shared on TSR‘s Instagram page, roomies speculated about the post’s meaning. Several folks wondered if the recording artist was upset that he wasn’t invited to perform, and his missed concert in June was also referenced.

@ronhuncho__23 wondered, “He wanted a invite to Yankee Stadium?”

@minuteman548 added, “Must be talking bout Jay Z.”

@_nycsfinest_ replied, “Oh he didn’t get invited ? Got it..😂.”

User @safari.temple added, “Bros upset he didn’t get to perform Mr. Carter with Mr. Carter.”

However, @wayneweeziee chimed in with, “How yall even know this about jayz yall just assuming lol.”

Jay-Z also brought out Eminem, Usher, Rihanna, Pharrell Williams, Teyana Taylor, and more.

RELATED: Crazy In Love! Jay-Z Brings Out Beyoncé At His First Yankee Stadium Show & Fans Are Losing It (VIDEO)

In 2014, the action genre was upended with the release of John Wick. Chad Stahelski and David Leitch‘s hard-hitting thriller was a success on multiple levels: it reignited Keanu Reeves‘s career, made Stahelski and Leitch among the most sought-after filmmakers in the industry, and inspired a wealth of action movies, including Nobody and Bullet Train. There’s another major action thriller that debuted in 2014, and it not only matches but exceeds the Wick franchise in intensity. What movie is this? None other than The Equalizer. The Denzel Washington-led action thriller and its two sequels are currently available to stream on HBO Max, meaning that action fans can find out for themselves what makes The Equalizer so great.

Based on the 1985 television series of the same name, The Equalizer stars Denzel Washington as Robert McCall, a former Marine who’s trying to live a normal life by working at a hardware store. However, when his young friend Alina (Chloë Grace Moretz) is hospitalized by the men she works for, McCall brutally slaughters them all and starts to utilize his military skills to bring justice to the guilty. What seems like a simple premise takes on surprising depth, thanks to Washington’s performance and the expert direction of Antoine Fuqua.

‘The Equalizer’ Trilogy Shifts Genres With Each Installment

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Perhaps the most interesting element of The Equalizer trilogy is how each installment feels like it belongs in a different genre. The first Equalizer feels like an elevated vigilante thriller, slowly peeling back the layers of McCall’s past and revealing his deep commitment to justice. In contrast, The Equalizer 2 is more of a revenge movie, as McCall seeks retribution against his former colleague, David York (Pedro Pascal), for killing his lifelong friend Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo). It’s with The Equalizer 3 that things take a major shift, as McCall’s dismantling of an Italian crime enterprise plays out like a horror movie, with foes dispatched with brutal, bloody efficiency. It’s a sharp contrast to that movie’s’s more peaceful ending, which Fuqua said was meant to bring McCall’s journey full circle.

“It’s a nice send-off that he’s found a place. Because the first one is about finding purpose. He was trying to find a purpose, and he found it. The second one is about dealing with the past—his wife dying, Susan getting murdered, his friends betraying him—and he had to deal with his past. This one is about finding a place in life that you feel could be home and some peace.”

This journey also resonates thanks to Washington’s performance as McCall. Not only does he make McCall a quiet yet steady presence throughout all three Equalizer movies, but he also came up with the backstory that McCall has a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder. This element leads to the most iconic element of The Equalizer trilogy, where McCall often times himself on how long it takes to dispatch his opponents. Not only does this lead to some supremely badass action sequences, but it’s also a great way of showcasing McCall’s considerable skills.

The Director of ‘The Equalizer’ and Denzel Washington Reteamed for a Remake of a Classic Western

Anyone who watches The Equalizer and loves it will be happy to know that Denzel Washington and Antoine Fuqua would reteam for another project: a remake of the iconic western, The Magnificent Seven. Unlike other remakes that are content to merely contrast on nostalgia, Fuqua shakes things up with the casting as the titular seven is a multiracial mix of characters, including Washington’s hardened bounty hunter Sam Chisholm, Martin Sensmeier as young Comanche warrior Red Harvest, and Lee Byung-hun as knife fighter Billy Rocks. The Magnificent Seven also serves as a reunion for Washington and Ethan Hawke, whom Fuqua directed in the crime classic Training Day.

Though John Wick might have taken the action world by storm, The Equalizer trilogy definitely deserves the same recognition. It proved that Denzel Washington can play an action star as well as any other role, and kept viewers on their toes by constantly shifting between genres.

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Release Date

September 24, 2014

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Runtime

132 minutes

Writers

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Richard Wenk, Richard Lindheim, Michael Sloan

Producers

Alex Siskin, Denzel Washington, Ezra Swerdlow, Jason Blumenthal, Mace Neufeld, Michael Sloan, Richard Wenk, Steve Tisch, Todd Black, Tony Eldridge, Ben Waisbren

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Thrillers have consistently proven themselves among the most versatile and emotionally striking genres of filmmaking, with their mixture of layered storytelling, mature themes, and high-stakes tension making the genre home to some of cinema’s greatest achievements. Even more praised and complete with impactful storytelling than thrillers themselves are psychological thrillers, whose focus on dynamic characters and painful stories often make them icons of exceptional adult filmmaking.

Many great psychological thrillers have come out over the years, yet it takes a truly special work of cinematic artistry to create an experience that delivers greatness at every second of its runtime. From beginning to end, the psychological thrillers on this list are some of cinema’s greatest achievements and the most acclaimed films of their respective eras. Many of these films often litter the varying greatest-of-all-time lists, their stature and reputation preceding them.

‘Prisoners’ (2013)

Image via Warner Bros.

While Denis Villeneuve is recognized nowadays for his work on striking sci-fi films like the Dune films and Arrival, the director also helped shape one of the greatest thrillers of the 2010s, Prisoners. The film sees a community’s painful reaction to the mysterious disappearance of two young children, with one of the fathers, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), going down a spiral of anguish and rage in search of answers. At the same time, hardened detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) tries to keep up and stop Dover before he does something terrible.

With a seamlessly effective dual story that focuses on different protagonists as they similarly approach this central mystery, Prisoners keeps audiences engaged and on the edge of their seats throughout the entire runtime. Between the subtle hints, various red herrings, and monumental reveals, the film does a great job of keeping the mystery compelling while exploring the anguish of the characters on-screen.

‘Black Swan’ (2010)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

A work of art equal parts beautiful and haunting, Black Swan cuts to the heart of the toxicity and madness that arises from a mentality of perfection above all else, to the point of complete disassociation and losing grip on reality itself. The film follows a highly dedicated ballerina, Nina (Natalie Portman), whose mental and emotional health spirals after becoming the prima ballerina in a prestigious production of Swan Lake.

The exceptional choreography and beauty of the dance on display proves to only scratch the surface of Black Swan‘s strengths, as its highly dedicated characters go to maddening lengths in their plight of perfection in the art form of dance. With masterful performances from the likes of Portman and Mila Kunis at its center, Black Swan isn’t afraid to massively unnerve the audience with its unsettling story and filmmaking.

‘Whiplash’ (2014)

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Yet another story of the sacrifices and pain that come from fighting towards perfection in art, Whiplash has much more rage and painful discomfort as opposed to Black Swan‘s outright horror. The film follows a dedicated young drummer (Miles Teller) with aspirations of becoming one of the very best, learning under the eye of Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), one of the most ruthless and strict music instructors imaginable. It doesn’t take long before Fletcher’s teaching begins taking a physical and mental toll.

Whiplash does not hold back in its ruthless depiction of verbal, emotional, and physical abuse, with exceptional performances to accompany the pain and weight of every mistake. It’s a dynamic exploration into this type of toxic mentality towards art that still feels powerful and brilliant. Time will only continue to be kind to this perfect mixture of top-notch jazz music and nail-biting thrills.

‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)

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A masterclass of horror and humanist themes from one of the most celebrated filmmakers of the era, Roman Polanski‘s Rosemary’s Baby has only grown more legendary and influential in the decades following its release. This masterclass of tension and dread follows a young couple moving into a notorious New York apartment building with hopes of starting a family together. However, Rosemary (Mia Farrow) begins to get increasingly paranoid when she begins to suspect that their neighbors have sinister plans for her and her baby.

The distinct mixture of dynamic characters, overwhelming tension, and powerful psychological themes made Rosemary’s Baby one of the most striking and one-of-a-kind horror experiences of the era. Its level of thrills and tension is still entirely unmatched by any other thriller of the ’60s and has made the film an icon of both the thriller and horror genres. Its feminist themes and messaging on Catholicism have further cemented it as an unmistakable pillar of the genre.

‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)

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No singular filmmaker comes close to David Lynch, whose distinct style has elevated numerous exceptional thrillers into classic status. However, it’s Mulholland Drive that remains his best feature-length work, seamlessly blending his classic style with a dynamic mystery and the illusive energy of Hollywood. It’s the type of wild, abstract thriller that is best experienced without knowing anything about it going in, as fresh eyes enhance its abstract elements that much more.

What can be said without directly spoiling the film is that Mulholland Drive thrives off of the personality-driven directing style that Lynch has cultivated throughout his entire career. It almost, at times, feels like a combination of everything that has made Lynch’s films so distinct and compelling, all wrapped up in a compelling puzzle box that never feels too out of reach for the audience.

‘Oldboy’ (2003)

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One of many masterful films from legendary South Korean director Park Chan-wook, Oldboy is a brilliant exploration of pain as it delves into the hollow, destructive aspects and consequences of revenge. The film follows a man (Choi Min-sik) who has been held prisoner and tortured for 15 years. His sudden release sends him on a revenge-fueled web of conspiracy and violence in search of answers. With powerful psychological dynamics at play and top-notch filmmaking elevating the material, Oldboy delivers a true masterpiece experience from beginning to end.

Every aspect has an allure of perfection and pristine craft that adds to the entire experience, from the powerful emotional performances to the shocking climactic twists. Oldboy even features one of the most celebrated and impactful action sequences of the 2000s despite not even being a full-on action thriller. This icon of South Korean cinema has stood as one of the region’s greatest cinematic achievements for decades, only growing more appreciated and acclaimed with each passing year.

‘Memento’ (2000)

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Christopher Nolan has made a legendary legacy for himself with his filmography of abstract concepts and dynamic filmmaking. However, arguably his greatest achievement is still his breakout film, Memento, which embellishes Nolan’s greatest strengths as a storyteller. The film has an ingenious methodology for non-linear storytelling, showing the sequence of events starting with the very end as well as the very beginning, switching back and forth and going backwards from the end and forward from the beginning until meeting in the middle.

While seeming complicated from the outset, Memento does an exceptional job of establishing information and making sure that the audience is never lost. It constantly recontextualizes scenes with newfound information, as we learn more and more with each scene. This flawless thriller is as captivating and exceptional as mystery thrillers get, being even more compelling on rewatches where audiences pick up on all the small details.

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

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One of the most critically acclaimed films of all time and an absolute icon of ’90s filmmaking that completely dominated the era culturally, The Silence of the Lambs is a masterclass thriller whose reputation speaks for itself. The police procedural elevates the already exceptional story into a league of its own thanks to some brilliant central performances, pitch-perfect pacing, and shocking visuals that don’t shy away from the brutality and terror of its concepts.

The film became an overwhelming cultural phenomenon that other psychological thrillers could only hope to achieve, as it was one of the must-watch masterpieces of the ’90s that just about everyone had experienced. Anthony Hopkins‘ legendary performance as Hannibal Lecter is touted as one of the greatest villain performances of all time, while Jodie Foster became an A-List star and broke free of her legacy as a child actress.

‘Rear Window’ (1954)

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The inherent mastery of Alfred Hitchcock‘s thrillers has been explored and screamed from the rooftops for generations, as his influence as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time is not without merit. Of all of his brilliant thrillers, no singular one speaks to his masterful blend of story and tension like Rear Window, often considered to be the greatest bottle movie ever made. This striking tale of a nosy photographer convinced that one of his neighbors committed a murder still stands as one of cinema’s most captivating stories.

Hitchcock goes all out to amplify the intrigue and excitement of this premise, seamlessly placing audiences in the main character’s perspective, learning things at the same time as him and inviting the audience to make sense of what is being witnessed. It’s been an icon of psychological mystery filmmaking ever since its release, one of the greatest achievements of the genre that feels just as powerful over 70 years after its release.

‘Parasite’ (2019)

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Arguably the most acclaimed and massively celebrated movie of the last 10 years. It may seem presumptuous to have Parasite at the top of the list above so many icons of the psychological thriller genre, yet its overwhelming quality is undeniable. Bong Joon Ho‘s masterpiece of comedic thrills and class divide is rife with flourishes and charm that make it deeply compelling, all without taking away from the exceptional storytelling and thematic depth at its center.

Parasite exemplifies and expands upon the greatest strengths of the psychological thriller genre while simultaneously breaking new ground with its execution and style. It’s the definitive psychological thriller masterpiece of the modern era that will assuredly attain a dominating legacy in the genre, as the only thing holding its legacy back is time.