By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 24 seconds ago

Over the years, Star Trek has boldly gone where no franchise has gone before by exploring different ways of telling killer sci-fi stories. We’ve had movies, live-action TV shows, 3D cartoons, 2D cartoons, all of which have been supplemented by entire libraries of books, magazines, and comics. The latter includes some surprisingly good Star Trek manga. Despite that quality, however, we’ve never gotten an official anime. But that didn’t keep the writers and producers of various shows from sneaking in countless references to their favorite shows!

Most of those references are hidden where fans can’t easily see them. For instance, references to shows like Dirty Pair were often written in Okudagrams or on computer monitors in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In one grisly instance, however, an homage to an anime classic was hidden in plain sight. In the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” Enterprise-C Captain Rachel Garrett is killed, leaving shrapnel sticking out of her body. Look very closely, and you’ll notice something wild about the most prominent piece of shrapnel: it’s the wing from a Super Dimension Fortress Macross model kit.

Death By Anime

In “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” the Enterprise-C accidentally travels forward in time to the present day instead of getting destroyed. This changes reality, making it so that Starfleet is in the midst of losing a war with the Klingons. Picard convinces Enterprise-C captain Rachel Garrett to return to the past, sacrificing herself in the hopes of saving the future. However, Tasha Yar has to take command of the older ship after a Klingon attacks the Enterprise-C. This kills Rachel Garett, and in a notably gruesome scene, we can see her lifeless body pierced by shrapnel.

Believe it or not, that shrapnel has its own bizarre story. According to Star Trek: The Next Generation art department illustrator Rick Sternbach, the shrapnel in Garrett’s head was the wing of a VF-1 Valkyrie model kit from the popular anime series The Super Dimension Fortress Macross. Interestingly, this wasn’t even the first time this model secretly appeared in the show. It was also used (albeit in multiple scales) to create both the desktop version and studio film model of the Constellation-class ship. That’s the same type of ship as the Stargazer, the vessel Picard commanded before becoming captain of the Enterprise-D.

The Most Requested Anime In The Holodeck

While this trivia might seem a little strange, it’s not really that surprising that an anime model kit made multiple prominent Star Trek appearances. The Next Generation writers were big fans of Japanese animation and often hid references to their favorite shows within random episodes. For example, both “A Matter of Perspective” and “Peak Performance” had references to Dirty Pair, a popular anime about a pair of plucky female consultants with a reputation for causing Demolition Man levels of destruction wherever they go. Such Easter eggs reveal how the Trek writers loved anime about a decade before its popularity exploded in the West.

“Yesterday’s Enterprise” may be the best episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It’s an episode that pulls no punches, killing popular characters like Riker in ways that seem downright shocking. Nobody got a more brutal death than Rachel Garrett, whose body was destroyed by shrapnel. It can be hard to watch, but maybe knowing that she’s got an anime model kit sticking out of her face will make things better. It’s a surreal detail that calls to mind Trek icon William Shatner’s famous episode of The Twilight Zone. “There’s someone on the wing,” he cried. “Something on the wing!”

Yeah, there’s something on the wing, alright: Rachel Garrett’s face!

Katie Holmes was spotted out and about with a new guy in New York.

According to photos obtained by People, Holmes, 47, was spotted on an outing with artist Jason Bard Yarmosky on Friday, July 10. The pair held hands while attending a screening of The Invite hosted by The Cinema Society at the East Hampton Regal UA.

Yarmosky, 38, is a New York-based artist who specializes in paintings and drawings. He graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 2010, per his website. His work typically centers on themes of aging, time and memory and has been put on display in museums across the United States, including the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Holmes and Yarmosky’s outing comes nearly one month after the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of the actress’ new romantic comedy Happy Hours, with Joshua Jackson. Holmes and Jackson, also 47, are best known for starring on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek together, where they played love interests Joey Potter and Pacey Witter, respectively. The duo briefly dated while acting on the ‘90s teen drama before their characters got together on screen. Despite calling it quits after one year together, the exes have remained close friends.

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“The time that we spent together when we were young is very precious to both of us,” Jackson told a reporter at the Tribeca Film Festival in June as he stood beside Holmes. “And [it] is like one of the core personal and professional relationships in my life.”

Earlier this year, Holmes and Jackson made headlines when they reunited for the movie and were spotted filming all over New York City. In addition to starring in Happy Hours, Holmes serves as the movie’s writer and director. The project, which is set to be a trilogy, follows a couple deciding if their fizzled connection is worth a second chance.

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“I take it very seriously, and I want to do right by Josh. I have a great deal of respect. So I wanted it to be right,” Holmes said of approaching Jackson for the project while speaking at Tribeca.. “We’ve often talked about doing something again, but we never knew what. So it was really about that and agreeing to go for it, I suppose. He said yes, and that made me feel very good.”

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While attending Happy Hours’ premiere, Jackson and Holmes walked the red carpet together and held hands. Following the event, Jackson took to social media to express his appreciation for Holmes.

“It takes many hands to make a movie. And I am thankful to every hand that touched this one. But … this is a Katie appreciation post,” he wrote via Instagram in June. “It is because of her light that all those hands were brought together. Because of [the] generosity of her spirit that she wanted to bring this wonderful, loving, hopeful story into the world.”

Anne Hathaway confessed she was surprised to learn she is pregnant with her third child.

“We knew what we were doing but … we were so shocked it went this way,” the Odyssey star, 43, said during a Tuesday, July 14, appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, adding that she and husband, Adam Shulman, are “calling this one our buzzer-beater,” which refers to a basketball shot that succeeds right before the final buzzer.

Hathaway, who shares sons Jonathan, 10, and Jack, 6, with Shulman, 45, also looked to Meyers, 52, for parenting advice given the late-night host is already father to three children — sons Ashe, 10, and Axel, 8, and daughter Adelaide, 4 — with wife, Alexi Ashe.

“Do you have advice?” Hathaway asked Meyers, who quipped about the ease of juggling three. “Weirdly, it goes on, like, autopilot. Once there’s three, there’s not much you can do except watch,” he joked.

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The actress revealed via Instagram on June 19 that she would be growing her brood, sharing a video that was captioned, “x Baby I’m yours x.”

The sweet clip showed Hathaway walking into the camera frame in a white flowing dress prior to revealing her growing bump. She then smiled and hugged her bump before running off-camera.

During her interview with Meyers, Hathaway also discussed the unusual emotions she’s currently experiencing while pregnant. After Meyers quipped that she and Odyssey director Christopher Nolan were “on a break” between their last shared film project — 2014’s Interstellar — Hathaway admitted that the thought overwhelmed her.

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“You can’t say we were on a break when I’m pregnant,” she said to Meyers. “I have, like, the way my body just was like, ‘No we weren’t, he was just … in Dunkirk.’” (The historical war film was created by Nolan, 55, in 2016, and released the following year.)

Hathaway has been candid about her motherhood journey over the years, opening up during a 2024 Vanity Fair cover story about suffering a miscarriage nearly 10 years prior.

“The first time it didn’t work out for me. So when it did go well for me, having been on the other side of it — where you have to have the grace to be happy for someone — I wanted to let my sisters know, ‘You don’t have to always be graceful. I see you and I’ve been you,’” she told the outlet at the time.

Natalie “Nadya” Suleman — a.k.a. Octomom — has returned to social media after a nearly eight-month hiatus.

“Though this past year has been one of the most challenging seasons of my life, I’ll at least know that my beautiful family will always be here to love and support me at my highest and lowest points,” Suleman, 51, captioned a Monday, July 13, Instagram carousel. The post featured a throwback photo of Suleman with all 14 of her children including the octuplets she gave birth to in 2009.

Noting that she celebrated her birthday just one day prior, Suleman continued, “Thank you to all my 14 kids, my daughter-in-law and granddaughter, for making me feel so special on my birthday yesterday.” (Suleman has not publicly revealed the identity of her daughter-in-law, but she did confirm the arrival of a granddaughter in August 2024.)

Suleman concluded the post, which was her first since a series of gym selfies in October 2025, with a nod to a new joint social media account seemingly run by two of her daughters, who arrived as part of her octuplets. “I love you all so much ❤️And a special thank you to my two lovely daughters Maliyah and Nariyah @solomontwins2009,” she wrote.

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The carousel also included two throwback snaps of Maliyah and Nariyah, both 17, getting involved in some baking in a kitchen.

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The siblings, who shared their first joint Instagram post on July 1, wished their mom a happy birthday on the same day that Suleman returned to the social media platform. “Happy birthday mom!! Thank you for loving and protecting all of us throughout our lives; thank you for instilling in us the value of health, fitness, and self care; and most importantly, thank you for raising us with the Lord, teaching us to love and respect all living things,” the sisters captioned their own carousel that featured several shots of their mom relaxing at home with the wider family. “From you we’ve learned to be resilient and persevere through all challenges life throws at us.”

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Suleman rose to fame after giving birth to her octuplets via IVF in 2009. Prior to their safe arrival, making them the world’s first surviving set of octuplets, she was mother to six older children: Elijah (born in 2001), Amerah (born in 2002), Joshua (born in 2003), Aiden (born in 2005), and fraternal twins Calyssa and Caleb (born in 2006).

In March 2025, Suleman exclusively told Us Weekly that she was spending $5,000 each month to simply feed her children before further funds were required to care for everything else. “It’s food, rent, bills and repeat. Food, rent, bills,” she told Us at the time. “They grow and then the food they need grows as well. In the beginning, I wasn’t spending a quarter of that. Now it’s more.”

Sam Neill’s former costar Rima Te Wiata is shedding light on what she claims occurred during the late actor’s final days before his shocking death at 78.

Te Wiata, who played Neill’s wife in 2016’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople, broke her silence after the actor died on Monday, July 13, saying it “really sucks” that the actor was in remission — having publicly and successfully battled cancer — at the time of his death.

“I’m sure as he said once in the press, ‘He’s not scared of death, but he would be annoyed,’” Te Wiata, 63, told the NZ Herald on Monday, referring to one of Neill’s most iconic quotes about life.

She continued, “So I think, yeah, he would be like, ‘Oh, for goodness sake! I got over my cancer, and now look. Now I get pneumonia. What next?’” seemingly confirming that Neill was battling the infection prior to his death. (Pneumonia is caused by a bacterial, viral or fungal infection in the lungs that “inflames the air sacs,” causing cough, fever, chills and difficulty breathing, according to the Mayo Clinic.)

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“He’s on his big journey now,” Te Wiata added, declining to provide any additional information regarding Neill’s alleged medical issue.

Us Weekly has reached out to Neill’s rep for comment.

News broke on Monday that Neill died in Sydney, Australia. The Jurassic Park star’s family confirmed his passing via a public statement, calling the loss “sudden and unexpected.”

Neill’s loved ones noted that they are “blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free” ahead of his death and revealed he was “surrounded” by his family and “passed with dignity.”

Three months prior to his death, Neill announced that he was cancer free after battling stage-three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma for about five years.

After going public with his diagnosis in 2023, Neill famously declared in an October interview that year that he was “not remotely afraid” of death. The actor decided to enroll in an Australian clinical trial to fight the rare blood cancer, which he confirmed in April had worked.

“I’ve been living with a particular type of lymphoma for about five years and I was on chemotherapy and the pretty miserable business, but it was keeping me alive,” Neill said in an interview with Australia’s 7News.

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After undergoing CAR-T cell therapy, Neill said, “I’ve just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body, that’s an extraordinary thing.”

The Peaky Blinders alum was an advocate for expanded access to the treatment up until his death, pushing for the option to be available to patients throughout Australia as it genetically modifies blood cells to better stop the cancer.

Despite overcoming cancer, Neill’s ex-girlfriend Laura Tingle revealed on Tuesday, July 14, that his body had been put through the ringer.

“The bottom line is he’d been fighting various forms of cancer for at least the last five years intensively,” Tingle, 65, said during an appearance on ABC Radio Sydney’s Sydney Mornings program. “That takes a toll on anybody’s body. He’d had a lot of chemo and a lot of immunotherapy. Thankfully, it had finally cleared him of the blood cancer that he had. But that left him pretty compromised in terms of his immune system, and I think his poor old body sort of got a bit exhausted.”

She claimed, “He’s been pretty sick for the last couple of weeks, and everybody who loved him has been willing him on from near and far, but I think it was just a bit too much to recover from one more time.”

Neill’s cause of death has not been publicly revealed, but his passing has been felt by family, friends and fans alike, including Te Wiata.

She described Neill on Tuesday as “a very steady, peaceful grounded man. As a very good energy to have around. Very easy going. It was more like a lovely gardner. Somebody who is doing a veggie garden. There was sort of a gentlemanly demeanor.”

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Laura Dern, who starred alongside Neill in the Jurassic Park franchise, also paid tribute to the late star. (Dern played Ellie Sattler, while Neill portrayed Dr. Alan Grant.)

“Sam was my beloved lifetime friend,” Dern, 59, said in a statement shared with Us on Monday. “He showed me the depths of loyalty, protectiveness and love always with the driest of wit.”

She added, “He was a true and noble gentleman, wrapped up in my dream leading man. I will love you forever, Dr. Alan Grant.”

Juju Smith-Schuster and Laura Kruk’s California coastal wedding was a star-studded affair — and marked the first public outing for fellow newlyweds Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.

Smith-Schuster, 29, and Kruk said, “I do,” on Friday, July 10, in Laguna Niguel, California, surrounded by family and friends. In the wake of their nuptials, the couple is now sharing behind-the-scenes details about the blessed event, which featured Kelce and Swift, both 36, cheering them on in the crowd.

“We wanted our wedding to reflect who we are as people and as a couple and to be one big party,” Kruk, who met the NFL player in 2023, told Vogue in an interview published on Tuesday, July 14.

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Smith-Schuster — who played college football at the University of Southern California just an hour north of the Orange County wedding venue — noted that his bride was the star of the show, planning almost every detail of their special day.

“I was a great team player by helping with the DJ and saying ‘yes’ and ‘no,’” Smith-Schuster joked during the joint interview.

Before walking down the aisle, the couple celebrated their nuptials with a beachside welcome party in Laguna Niguel with nods to the New You Giants player’s Samoan roots.

“The guests enjoyed piña coladas in branded coconuts with our wedding logo on them and danced to good music all evening,” Kruk revealed, noting the welcome event was Hawaiian themed. “We brought out Polynesian dancers halfway through the night and listened to speeches from our closest friends and family.”

The couple tied the knot at the Ritz Carlton the following day, overlooking the ocean. Kruk donned a Steven Khalil mermaid-style gown with lace fabric and ruched tulle overlay, while the groom wore a custom suit by Julian Abdul Studios.

According to photos, Kelce and Swift wore their summertime best for the occasion with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end being spotted in a black suit and tie.

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Swift, meanwhile, wore a floral ballgown for the sunny ceremony and sipped on champagne, which Kruk told Vogue was given to guests “upon arrival” as some of the couples’ “favorite love songs played by a violinist” prior to her wedding march.

“The moment I saw her walking toward me, I knew without a doubt that I was marrying the woman I had prayed for,” Smith-Schuster told the outlet. “It still feels surreal finally having a ring on my finger — and for once, it’s not a Super Bowl ring.”

Swift and Kelce, who tied the knot one week prior on July 3 in New York City at Madison Square Garden, were also seen spotting what appeared to be their wedding bands.

Smith-Schuster and Kruk, who were guests at the Grammy winner and Kelce’s lavish wedding, told Vogue that they celebrated their own vows with a cocktail hour and reception.

Their guest list also included Smith-Schuster’s former Kansas City teammate Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Mahomes.

The bride and groom posed for photos with the NFL stars in attendance, which included Kelce and his new wife, Swift. The musician put her arm around Kruk in the group photo, per Vogue’s recap from the event.

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Kelce, for his part, had his arm around Swift’s waist and she put her left hand on his in the picture, giving fans a glimpse at her wedding ring.

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“No phones were allowed during our wedding celebration, and everyone was so present,” Kruk said, which is the same protocol that Kelce and Swift implemented on their big day.

Smith-Schuster noted that what made his wedding even more memorable was getting Kruk “outside of her comfort zone” for the Samoan Taualuga dance, which is tradition in his culture.

“Seeing her embrace my culture with such love and courage meant more to me than words can express,” the professional athlete said. “Watching her honor my family and our traditions made me incredibly proud and reminded me just how blessed I am to call her my wife.”

Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Joe Bradley didn’t hold back when discussing why he thought Nathan Gallagher shouldn’t have returned to the show.

“I love the fact that he’s a working man and he fights for his family and he’s put himself in that position financially to fight for his family. I can’t take that from him,” Joe exclusively told Us Weekly. “I admire that as much as I don’t like him. I admire fighting for your family.”

Joe noted that despite Nathan stepping up, he appeared overwhelmed.

“He should not be there. It’s detrimental,” he said about Nathan trying to balance work and raising his newborn with girlfriend Gael Cameron. “You might think to yourself, ‘Oh, it’s only six weeks.’ But those six weeks feel like nine months.”

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After joining Below Deck Med in season 9, Joe and Nathan became quick friends. They fell out, however, following Joe’s tumultuous love triangle in season 10, which resulted in Nathan choosing sides.

Joe told Us that he has maintained “absolutely no” contact with Nathan.

“He did message me when I was in Australia,” Joe said. “But I didn’t answer him back so he can taste his own medicine.”

Season 11 of the hit Bravo series captured numerous moments when Nathan was frustrated with Joe. For the lead deckhand, it was gratifying for viewers to see his experience with Nathan.

“Watching it back and seeing Nathan — who he truly is — is rather refreshing to me,” Joe added. “I know who Nathan is, I know what he’s like, how he can react and for him to get his two minutes of how he actually is is refreshing to me.”

Joe pointed to the instances when Nathan went off on him in public, adding, “The fact that he can just switch is so alarming to me because I’ve seen it before.”

He continued: “It didn’t look good for him. We’re all professionals at the end of the day so [the rest of the crew] don’t know who Nathan really is yet. This is Nathan. This is who he is. He switches. He’s generally got anger issues and you hopefully throughout the season you will discover what Nathan has to offer in terms of who he is.”

Before Below Deck Med returned, Joe reflected on his growth between seasons.

“You will see a level of growth [this season] because I felt it. You will see that I’m comfortable in my own skin on board. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a bit boisterous at times,” he previously told Us. “That’s where Nathan [and I differ]. I can actually be social, but I have a good time as well and do my job well. You will see growth and you will see a level of change because I’m fed up with all these [love] triangles now.”

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Joe clarified that he “learned” his lesson, revealing that he’s focused on his duties as lead deckhand.

“I really do hope that you see it on this season. My job is my main priority. I’m going to say my [biggest] regret right now was the situation with Victoria, I could have handled that very differently. I could have handled that in a mature manner,” he shared. “I was just boisterous. Obviously, we haven’t had any contact yet. But if I could sit down with her today, I would apologize. If she allows me one day to actually get all around and say I’m sorry for what I’ve done, I will do that.”

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Looking ahead, Joe was determined to prove his critics wrong.

“I understand it’s not a comfortable position — even just being a viewer. Watching myself back, I have learned from the situation. I’m really focused [on] my job right now,” he concluded. “I am taming it down [in my romantic life on board] to just being one person. I don’t need to be greedy anymore. I’ve had my and I’m just ready to get the job done.”

Below Deck Med airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Teddy Swims is opening up about how becoming a father has changed his outlook on life.

“Being present in so many situations has been more, more important, you know? Like, I find that being where my feet are is now the most important thing to me,” the “Mr. Know It All” singer, 33, exclusively tells Us Weekly while promoting his partnership with White Claw. “There’s so much more intention in every step I take, and the things I do.”

Swims welcomed son Theodore, 13 months, with ex-girlfriend Raiche Wright in June 2025. Earlier this month, Swims revealed that he and Wright split while releasing his new song “Break Up in Reverse.”

The musician shares that he knows he can’t be there for all of his son’s milestones, so he really wants to immerse himself in those special moments when he can.

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“I feel like I’m the same as I was a year ago, in so many regards. And he’s completely changing every day,” Swims recalls. “So seeing that passage of time … how minuscule time is, and seeing how finite it is … it’s such a scary, crazy thing.”

Swims adds that his new philosophy is making him appreciate the little moments with his son.

“There’s so many times where I’m sitting with him and he’s doing nothing at all and this is the most productive thing I could do, just giving my time and not be on my phone and just be there,” he explains. “I look at him when I talk to him, and he just wants you to look at him in the eyes. He just wants you to be there and see what he’s doing, and he looks back over his shoulder if he’s doing whatever, and it’s just like, ‘Are you watching?’ And that’s become the most important thing to me.”

Swims confesses he knows it might sound “cheesy” to feel this way but he truly wants to “make the time count” and “celebrate those little wins.”

“My son has just done so much of that for me to just slow me down and give me that real time,” he shares with Us, noting that it can be easy to feel like everyone has it all together as people often post their highlight reels online. “I think, in an age of social media … you’re constantly comparing yourself to other people and their accomplishments, or whatever fake life that they’re kind of portraying, that it’s all good all the time, and everything’s wonderful. It can be really kind of draining on you.”

On the days where Swims is on the road and can’t physically be there with his son, the “Bad Dreams” singer says he hops on a video call to spend time with his little one.

“I miss him, but I’m on Facetime with him every day I can,” he tells Us. “We’re like five hours difference in a lot of these places, I’m getting him when he’s eating his breakfast, lunch and dinner, just trying to hop on and see him. With a 1-year-old, you’re getting like, maybe a minute and a half of his attention, and he’s on to something else, but at least he’s stoked to see me.”

Swims acknowledges that he knows others in his scenario don’t get the luxury of being able to check in with their families on a daily basis.

“There are guys doing my job that don’t get to talk to or see their kid at all, you know, so I’m super grateful that we can be face to face in some regard,” he points out.

In addition to being on his international The Ugly Tour, Swims has teamed up with White Claw to get in the summer spirit. The partnership includes a limited-edition collection that includes a bear-shaped pool floatie, hoodie and T-shirt. The pool accessory incorporates Swim’s punk-rock style while also having a built-in waterproof Bluetooth speaker, center cooler and cup holders.

“I’m really pumped about the floaty, he’s really cool,” Swims tells Us. “He’s got a big bear with a mustache, he’s got a cooler, so you can put your white claws in, something you could stick them into if they’re already open, of course, some cup holders, and there’s also like this waterproof Bluetooth speaker in there, so you know it’s got everything you need for the hangs, for the pool hangs, put it in your bathtub if you want, I guess.”

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Swims adds that the opportunity to work with White Claw was a perfect fit as he’s embracing the little moments with loved ones.

“White claw [is] like the perfect situation, because it’s all about that, just being where your feet are,” he explains. “Being with those people, and making that time so valuable, because you know, time is just that thing, especially watching this little creature grow so fast.”

Swims’ collection will be available exclusively at whiteclaw.com on Thursday, July 16, at 9 a.m. ET, available while supplies last.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 11 seconds ago

For better or for worse, the DCU has been taking the time to give secondary characters their own projects. That’s how Supergirl and Clayface got their own films, and James Gunn recently greenlit a TV show featuring Jimmy Olsen and Gorilla Grodd. That’s a very different approach from the MCU, whose success has historically been built on primary characters like Iron Man and Captain America. However, to combat superhero fatigue, Marvel has been trying new things lately, including giving a movie to The Thunderbolts, a kind of in-universe B-team. Now, it seems, they are going a step further and giving a very obscure character his own feature film. 

That character is Nova; he’s part of the Nova Corps, which first appeared onscreen in Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014. Many Marvel fans thought we’d get a solo Nova movie soon afterward, but over a decade later, there has been no film. That’s all about to change, however: Deadline reports that Marvel Studios is working on a solo Nova movie. Even more exciting, the film will be written and possibly directed by Michael Waldrop, who is arguably best known for creating the fan-favorite Loki series.

A Secret Comic Icon

This news comes to us courtesy of Deadline, whose insiders claim that Michael Waldron is currently working on a Nova feature film for Marvel Studios. The insiders claim that this project is in its very earliest stages and has not yet gotten an official green light from the studio. However, should the project get the go-ahead, Waldron will write the script and preferably direct the film. Interestingly, this is a shift in direction for Marvel, which had originally intended to turn Nova into a television show on Disney+.

Originally, Marvel wanted to have Sabir Pirzada write a Nova TV series, but they quietly canceled those plans back in 2025. It’s possible that they canceled this project to avoid any comparisons to the upcoming DCU show Lanterns. The Nova Corps are basically Marvel’s version of the Green Lanterns; thanks to powers from the Nova Force, these space cops can fly, absorb energy, and move fast, and they are more durable than most. The Nova movie will presumably focus on Richard Rider, the warrior who, in the comics, has had many solo adventures and team-ups with the Guardians of the Galaxy.

No Evil Shall Escape His Sight

Michael Waldron is a great choice to write and direct the Nova movie. He has major Marvel experience, including writing Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness and serving as showrunner for Loki. Outside the world of tights-and-flights, he is best known as the creator of Chad Powers, a popular Hulu TV show featuring Glen Powell. Done well, Nova could be the next Guardians of the Galaxy: a movie that embraces the cosmic weirdness of this cinematic universe with both humor and style. Speaking of Gunn’s beloved movie, there’s a significant chance that the Nova character will play a major part in future GOTG films. 

While all of this is exciting, it’s worth stressing once again that Nova hasn’t had an official greenlight, much less a release date. Should this movie get the go-ahead from Kevin Feige, it will likely be after Avengers: Secret Wars reboots the MCU at the end of 2027. That reboot is meant to give new life to Marvel, making way for new characters and new adventures. Considering what a major role the Nova Corps played in Guardians of the Galaxy and how important these characters have been in the comics for over half a century, here’s hoping we get to see a big-screen outing that does this underappreciated character justice!

There are plenty of reasons Sam Neill became one of the most beloved actors of his generation. He could anchor a blockbuster, steal a scene with a perfectly timed sarcastic remark, or make even the most reserved character impossible to stop watching. It’s why audiences still adore performances like Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, even more than 30 years later. As much as I love that role, though, Hunt for the Wilderpeople has always felt like the performance that defines Neill at his very best.

Taika Waititi‘s 2016 adventure follows reluctant outdoorsman Hec Faulkner (Neill) and foster child Ricky Baker (Julian Dennison) as they’re forced into the New Zealand wilderness, unintentionally becoming the subjects of a nationwide manhunt. It’s an endlessly funny road movie, but it’s also the movie that best understands what made Neill such a remarkable screen presence. The warmth, the dry wit, the vulnerability beneath a permanently grumpy exterior; they’re all here. Waititi didn’t ask Neill to reinvent himself. He simply built the perfect role around everything audiences already loved about him.

Taika Waititi Gave Sam Neill the Perfect Character

Image via Defender Films

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One of Neill’s greatest strengths was never feeling like he was trying too hard. Whether he was delivering a joke or carrying the emotional weight of a scene, there was always an effortlessness to his performances. He knew exactly when to hold back, trusting the audience to meet him halfway instead of spelling everything out. That’s exactly why Hec Faulkner works. On paper, Hec is a familiar character: a stubborn widower who wants nothing to do with the energetic kid suddenly dropped into his life. Another movie might have turned him into a one-note grouch before giving him a predictable change of heart. Waititi never takes that shortcut, and Neill never plays Hec as someone who secretly has all the answers. He stays gruff, he complains constantly, and half the time, he looks like he’d rather hike another twenty miles than admit Ricky has grown on him.

That’s what makes their relationship so satisfying. Rather than relying on sentimental speeches, Hunt for the Wilderpeople lets dozens of little moments do the work. Hec starts looking out for Ricky without even realizing he’s doing it, and Neill never announces that Hec has changed because he doesn’t need to: you can see it. It’s also one of the funniest performances of Neill’s career. His deadpan delivery turns even the simplest lines into laugh-out-loud moments, but the jokes never come at the expense of the character. Hec isn’t funny because he’s trying to be, he’s funny because Neill understood that the best comedy often comes from taking everything completely seriously.

It’s the Performance That Captures Everything Audiences Loved About Sam Neill

Waititi has made bigger movies since Hunt for the Wilderpeople. He’s directed Marvel blockbusters and won an Academy Award for Jojo Rabbit. But this remains the movie where every one of his strengths comes together most naturally. It’s hilarious without undermining its emotional moments, heartfelt without becoming overly sentimental, and adventurous without ever losing sight of its characters. At the center of all of its charm is Neill. Looking back at his career now, it’s remarkable how often filmmakers cast Neill as an authority figure. Scientists, doctors, military officers, detectives. He had a natural confidence that made audiences trust him almost immediately. Hunt for the Wilderpeople strips all of that away. Hec isn’t the smartest person in the room. He isn’t trying to save the world. He’s just a lonely man who unexpectedly finds someone worth caring about. That simplicity allows every one of Neill’s best qualities to shine. The dry sense of humor. The reluctant compassion. The ability to communicate everything a scene needs with little more than an expression or a perfectly timed pause.

There are bigger Neill performances, and there are certainly more famous ones. Alan Grant will always be one of cinema’s greatest heroes, and Jurassic Park isn’t losing that crown anytime soon. But Hunt for the Wilderpeople feels different. It’s the role that brings together everything Neill did best into one unforgettable performance. Rather than asking him to become someone larger than life, Waititi trusted that Neill was already exactly who the movie needed him to be. Nearly a decade later, it’s still Waititi’s finest movie, and the performance I will always think of first whenever I remember how special Neill really was.

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Release Date

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March 31, 2016

Runtime

101minutes

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