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Entertainment

Taylor Frankie Defends Herself Amid Custody Fight With Exes

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GettyImages-2214126214 Taylor Frankie Paul Says She's Not Mother of the Year While Defending Her Parenting Amid Legal Fight

Taylor Frankie Paul acknowledged that she is not “mother of the year” while fiercely defending herself amid her custody battle against exes Dakota Mortensen and Tate Paul.

“Last night I studied that ‘long suffering’ trains us to eventually thrive in it and it’s safe to say I’m starting to understand exactly what that means,” Taylor, 32, wrote alongside a lengthy vlog about her legal troubles on Saturday, July 18.

Taylor spoke in depth about her separate custody battles against Mortensen, 33, and Tate while applying makeup in a “Get Ready With Me” video. (She shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 6, with ex-husband Tate and son Ever, 2, with Mortensen.)

“If I have learned anything in 2026 [with] false headlines, there’s a lot of false information out there and so, therefore, it doesn’t affect me because it’s not true,” she insisted. “That being said, there are some things that are true as well.”

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First up was Utah’s division of the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) filing a petition asking a juvenile court to find that Taylor’s three children are “abused, neglected or dependent” and seeking protective supervision on the children’s behalf.

“It’s kind of like [Mormon Wives] for me. I don’t need to go read [the court documents] because I lived them,” she insisted. “However it is perceived, what is said, it may be accurate, maybe not. It can be exaggerated, twisted. What I do know is what [happened] and I know the truth.”

Taylor confirmed she was consulting with her attorneys to determine whether there is “something way off or misconstrued” in the DCFS filing.

“It will be handled in the courtroom, not here,” she vowed.

Taylor explained that she wanted to keep details of the case sealed for the betterment of “the children” even though she knew all of the information would “come to light” eventually. However, Taylor claimed that she had “made progress in the courtroom” even if it’s a “very slow process.”

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“I feel that we have made the progress that I have been aiming for and that is just more time with my son,” she said.

Taylor expressed concern that “more things” about the case were “leaked” on the same day as she resumed extended visitation with her 2-year-old son Ever.

The reality star expressly denied allegations from the DCFS report that she made her daughter Indy change Ever’s diapers.

“Not once have I forced or made my daughter change diapers,” she stressed. “If she ever wanted to, I let her. She likes to help. … If that is bad on me, so be it.”

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Taylor wrapped up her vlog by clarifying that she was not trying to change anyone’s mind about her parenting.

“I am actually not here to sway anyone. I am an open book. I will give you the ugly and the pretty. If you know me, I don’t claim to be this ‘mother of the year.’ I have my faults,” she acknowledged. “I also have a right to stick up for myself, give context of my life.”

She went on, “I will admit I am a lot of things. I can confidently say that if you were to put my kids on a [witness] stand, they are choosing mom and mom’s house every time, I say that with full confidence because I love my children. They know that I love them.”

“I’m at a loss for words about this experience. It’s been the most difficult thing I have ever been through,” she concluded. “Some people think the best thing is getting offline. My decision is to show this process and how ugly it is. I’ve made mistakes. I will own that. I can see that.”

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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star has been locked in two separate custody battles with Mortensen and Tate for months.

After taking a plea deal in a 2023 domestic violence case, Taylor was involved in a new incident with Mortensen that was investigated by Utah’s Draper City Police Department in February. Both parties publicly denied the allegations of domestic violence made by the other. (Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was pulled off ABC’s spring schedule due to the criminal investigation.)

GettyImages-2214126214 Taylor Frankie Paul Says She's Not Mother of the Year While Defending Her Parenting Amid Legal Fight

Taylor Frankie Paul
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for SiriusXM

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges against Paul in April, effectively closing that case.

That same month, Mortensen was awarded temporary custody of Ever, with Taylor restricted to eight-hour weekly supervised visitation. A Utah judge subsequently signed mutual orders of protection for Mortensen and Taylor, requiring them to stay 100 feet apart for a period of three years.

The former couple were in court again earlier this month, as their custody agreement was changed to allow Taylor more unsupervised time with Ever. (Mortensen was also given longer weekends as part of the ruling.)

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Meanwhile, Taylor’s ex-husband Tate sought an emergency change to their custody agreement for Indy and Ocean in early July when the reality star entered rehab. (Us reported on July 1 that Taylor voluntarily entered a rehab facility and has since returned home.)

While Tate’s motion was rejected, Taylor volunteered to take a sobriety test in order to regain unsupervised visitation with both children. (In Saturday’s vlog, Taylor said that the first half of her test “came in clean” but she was still waiting for the full results.)

A major development for both cases occurred this past week when child welfare officials raised concerns about her three children. Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services asked a juvenile court to order protective supervision services because it found that her three children were “abused, neglected or dependent.”

Taylor’s legal team reacted to the DCFS report in a statement to Us, saying, “It was recently decided that the ongoing custody actions would be best suited for juvenile court, a common step for families engaged in highly contentious, complex custody matters. Taylor is not deterred by this transition; she welcomes the added structure and oversight it provides and looks forward to continuing her progress toward normalizing custody and becoming the healthiest version of herself.”

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The ruling prompted Tate and Dakota to come together for a joint statement to explain their side of the legal battle.

“Tate Paul and Dakota Mortensen have remained publicly silent throughout these proceedings to avoid having serious private family matters turned into more of a public spectacle than they already have due to the insatiable appetite of others to share private family information online to promote views and publicity,” their attorneys told Us on Thursday, July 16 “However, they are deeply concerned that Taylor’s statement minimizes the gravity of the action filed by DCFS and her many underlying actions that prompted such.”

Attorneys for both men insisted that the DCFS petition was “not a routine transition to juvenile court or an opportunity for personal growth” since it determined that “the children are abused.”

“Despite the myriad false accusations published online and on social media about them by Taylor and others, Tate and Dakota have chosen to not participate in the often misconstrued social media and other online activity surrounding their cases,” they added. “They have remained silent to protect their children, not because they have nothing to say. When the time is right, they will tell their story in their own words in the appropriate forum.”

Amid her legal battles, Taylor recently returned to film the opening credits for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives earlier this month after the Hulu reality show was put on pause in February.

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‘John Wick’ Meets ‘Taken’ in Netflix’s New 10-Part Action Thriller That’s Now the Biggest Show on Streaming

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After Parasite put South Korean cinema on the global stage in 2019, 2026 is shaping up to be another landmark year for Korean movies and TV. The Furious came out last month and was labeled the single best action movie since The Raid films. Then, just this month, Human Vapor continued the momentum on the streaming side. The series debuted on Netflix with a phenomenal 91% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite its impressive ratings and strong reception, another K-drama has emerged as an even bigger breakout hit, completely overshadowing Human Vapor on the global streaming charts.

The series stars So Ji-sub as Manager Kim, a mild-mannered bank manager and single father who used to be an elite, highly classified covert operative. That is, until a criminal syndicate kidnaps his daughter and drags his old life back to the surface. With no one else capable of bringing her home, Kim is forced to return to the skills he spent years trying to forget. That’s kind of like John Wick meets Taken if you think about it. The major difference is that instead of it being a single film, this one stretches that whole story for ten episodes, and that episode drip-drop is the main reason why it’s still riding the wave at the top.

The series is titled Agent Kim Reactivated. And it is currently the #1 most popular series on Netflix’s global chart for foreign-language titles. And for anyone still chasing the adrenaline rush The Furious delivered earlier this year, Agent Kim Reactivated is the perfect follow-up and should be at the top of their watchlist.

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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz
Which Action Hero Would Be
Your Perfect Partner?

Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt

Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.

🎖️Rambo

🍸James Bond

🏺Indiana Jones

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🔧John McClane

🎭Ethan Hunt

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01

You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner?
The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.





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02

You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel?
How you get there is half the mission.





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03

You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do?
This is when you find out what someone is really made of.





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04

The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest?
Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.





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05

How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission?
Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.





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06

Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them?
The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.





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07

Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do?
Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.





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08

What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace?
A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.





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09

Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with?
No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.





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10

It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now?
The last question is the most honest one.





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Your Partner Has Been Assigned
Your Perfect Partner Is…

Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.

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Rambo

Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.

James Bond

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Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.

Indiana Jones

Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.

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John McClane

Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.

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Ethan Hunt

Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.

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2 Additional Episodes Have Been Confirmed for ‘Agent Kim Reactivated’

Better yet, since the response to the series has been far bigger than anyone expected, following its strong ratings and overwhelming fan reaction, SBS initially decided to extend the show’s run with one special episode. But it appears that even that wasn’t enough. Due to the series’ continued popularity, the network has now added another special, meaning fans will get two additional episodes after the finale. These specials will feature never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, unaired clips from the show, and interviews with the director and stars. The two additional episodes will be released on July 31 and August 1, respectively.

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Agent Kim Reactivated was originally planned as a 10-episode series, and it is already nearing the end of its season. The first eight episodes are currently available to stream on Netflix, with the final two episodes scheduled to arrive on July 24 and July 25.

The first eight episodes of Agent Kim Reactivated are currently available to stream on Netflix, with new episodes releasing weekly on Fridays and Saturdays. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.


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Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

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SBS

Directors

Lee Sung-young

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Cast

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    Choi Dae-hoon

    Seong Han-su

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    Yoon Kyung-ho

    Park Jin-cheol

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10 Greatest Low Fantasy Books of All Time

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Harry and Hagrid with Hogwarts behind on cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling. 

Low fantasy is a specific subgenre of fantasy that refers to a story in which the real world intersects with monsters or aspects of magic. It’s different from portal fantasy because, instead of featuring a portal to another, more fantastical world, low fantasy seamlessly integrates its more imaginative themes with the banality of everyday life. The whole genre is basically “what if magic actually existed?”

It serves as the antithesis to high fantasy, which is a story that takes place in a completely different world with different rules. Low fantasy is more common amongst younger audiences, but it has still found its appeal among adults, too. Over the years, many low fantasy books have come out, each presenting their daring, unique versions of our world. These are the best low fantasy books of all time, proving that the subgenre has a revered place in pop culture.

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10

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (1997)

Harry and Hagrid with Hogwarts behind on cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling. 
Harry and Hagrid with Hogwarts behind on cover of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K. Rowling.
Image via Thomas Taylor/Scholastic

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone might not be the most well-written or the most inventive low fantasy book ever made, but it still deserves a spot on this list because its legacy is undeniable. This book and its six sequels became a massive cultural phenomenon, spawning a multi-billion dollar franchise. That’s not even scraping the surface of the endless supply of official merchandise. Things like this simply don’t happen unless you’re doing something right.

The story, as many already know, is about Harry, an orphaned British boy who discovers he is a wizard. He travels to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn how to use his talents, discovering an entire magical world hidden away from non-magical folk. While the writing itself might not be anything outstanding, its success likely stems from the fact that it’s just a good story. It’s fascinating and has a cast of lovable and memorable characters, and it feels like a childhood dream in book form. What kid didn’t secretly wish they had magic powers? For the simple fact of how massive it was, it earns its spot on this list.











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Collider Exclusive · The Sorting Hat Awaits
Which Hogwarts House Are You?
Gryffindor · Slytherin · Hufflepuff · Ravenclaw
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Four houses. One destiny. The Sorting Hat has considered thousands of students — now it’s your turn. Answer honestly and discover where you truly belong at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

🦁Gryffindor

🐍Slytherin

🦡Hufflepuff

🦅Ravenclaw

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01

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What quality do you value most in yourself?
Answer as honestly as you can — the Hat always knows.




02

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A friend is being treated unfairly. What do you do?
How you protect others says everything about who you are.




03

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What does success look like to you?
What you’re working toward defines who you’re becoming.




04

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What is your greatest fear?
Fear is the most honest thing about a person.




05

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The rules say no. Your gut says go. What do you do?
Every institution has rules. What you do with them is a choice.




06

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What kind of friend are you?
Who you are to the people you love is who you really are.




07

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You look into the Mirror of Erised. What do you see?
The mirror shows the deepest desire of your heart.




08

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The Sorting Hat pauses. It whispers: “You could do well in any house. But what matters most to you — truly?”
This is your tiebreaker. The Hat always listens.




The Sorting Hat Speaks
Your House Has Been Chosen
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After careful deliberation, the Sorting Hat has made its decision. This is the house your values, your instincts, and your particular way of being in the world were made for.


Gryffindor Tower · Scarlet & Gold

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🦁 Gryffindor

You have nerve. Not the reckless kind, but the deep, quiet courage that shows up even when you’re terrified — especially then.

  • Gryffindors don’t act because they’re fearless — they act because they understand that some things are worth being afraid for.
  • You stand up for people when it would be easier to look away.
  • You charge toward what’s right even when the odds are terrible.
  • Harry, Hermione, Ron — the heroes of Hogwarts’s greatest chapter — all called the tower with the scarlet and gold home. And now, so do you.


Slytherin Dungeon · Emerald & Silver

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🐍 Slytherin

You are driven, sharp, and utterly clear-eyed about what you want and how to get there.

  • Slytherin has long been misunderstood — painted as the house of villains when it is, at its best, the house of those who refuse to accept limits placed on them by others.
  • You are resourceful, strategic, and you play the long game.
  • You know your worth. You protect your own fiercely.
  • The dungeon common room with its view of the Black Lake is yours — and the ambitions that will take you further than anyone expects are yours too.


Hufflepuff Basement · Yellow & Black

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🦡 Hufflepuff

You are the kind of person that makes the world genuinely better just by being in it.

  • Hufflepuff is not the “safe” house or the “leftover” house — it is the house of those with the greatest heart and the most unwavering integrity.
  • You show up. You work hard. You don’t need glory or recognition — you do what’s right because it’s right.
  • Your loyalty never wavers, even when tested.
  • Nymphadora Tonks, Cedric Diggory, Newt Scamander — some of the wizarding world’s finest. And now you join them.


Ravenclaw Tower · Blue & Bronze

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🦅 Ravenclaw

Your mind is your greatest gift, and you’ve always known it.

  • Ravenclaws are the thinkers, the questioners, the ones who find a puzzle irresistible and a good book better company than most people.
  • Ravenclaw is not merely about intelligence — it’s about the love of learning, the pursuit of truth, and the rare courage to admit you don’t know something yet.
  • You see the world with unusual clarity and depth.
  • Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Rowena Ravenclaw herself — all extraordinary, all original. And so are you.

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9

‘Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution’ (2022)

The front cover of 'babel' by R. F. Kuang Image via Harper Voyager

R. F. Kuang has been a massive name in fantasy lately. Some die-hard fans of the genre have turned their noses up at her work, but to casual, less critical readers, she has been a pretty big sensation. Babel is one of her stand-alone novels, which is heavily based on her experience in academia. A post-graduate student and a scholar at heart, Kuang wrote Babel as a sort of deep dive into the dark side of academic institutions.

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The story is set in the 1830s and focuses on a fictitious college at Oxford that specializes in capturing magical silver bars, which this version of the British Empire uses as fuel. To give these bars power, the college, nicknamed “Babel,” translates ancient texts to find things that have been lost in translation. With Britain on the brink of war, four new students must decide where their loyalties lie: with the university and the empire, or with the countries that will be affected by this war? A critique of British imperialism and academia’s complacence in it, this book has some important things to say on top of telling a good story, which is why critics loved it so much.

8

‘The Lightning Thief’ (2005)

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan book cover Image via Puffin

The Lightning Thief is the first book in Rick Riordan‘s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which became extremely popular among young adult audiences. Two of the books received (admittedly, terrible) film adaptations, and the series is currently in the middle of a TV adaptation on Disney+. The series is largely focused on Greek myth, with the main character, Percy, being the son of Poseidon, which causes him to be sent to Camp Half-blood, a secluded training camp where other demigods learn to exist in the hidden world of Greek mythology.

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In this first installment, Percy takes on a divine quest to recover Zeus’ lightning bolt, which has been stolen. Along the way, Percy comes face-to-face with a bunch of mythological monsters and figures, including Medusa, Ares, and a minotaur. The books still have a massive dedicated fanbase amongst both kids and adults, mainly because they’re good, wholesome adventures that fuse the modern world with the mythology of Ancient Greece, making for a quite fascinating universe. Again, it might not be the best-written low fantasy book of all time, but its cultural impact means it definitely deserves to be included here.

7

‘Pilgrim: A Medieval Horror’ (2023)

The front cover of "pilgrim: a medieval horror' by Mitchell Luthi Image via Sentinel Creatives

Pilgrim: A Medieval Horror is a fantasy book that has unfortunately been forgotten, flying under the radar to the point that it’s considered pretty obscure. Part horror and part fantasy, the series is set in Jerusalem during the Crusades, with the protagonist being a Teutonic knight. After spending seven years fighting in the brutal conflict, he tries to return home, only to be stopped by demons and djinn from Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions.

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This book isn’t just a dark and fascinating story; it’s also a heavy criticism of the Crusades and how destructive and horrific they actually were. It depicts the Holy Land as being turned into a demonic hellscape, which is a pretty scathing metaphor for how the Knights Templar decimated the region. Yet, it does a very good job with what it has, making for an interesting, depressing, and unnerving story that needs to be read to be believed.

6

‘Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell’ (2004)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell book cover Image via Bloomsbury

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is set during an alternate version of the Napoleonic Wars, which occurred at the turn of the 19th Century. In this version of history, magic is a very real and established force that everybody is aware of. The problem is, it’s still seen as a taboo subject, and it is rarely practiced. Those who do practice it are seen as eccentric, and are given a wide berth by society. The two titular characters are two magicians who have vastly different approaches to their craft: one is more experimental and risky, while the other is more cautious and treats it like an exact science.

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This book also received an adaptation in the form of a 2015 miniseries, though it remains highly underrated. The book itself has been a critical smash-hit, with many praising the way it speaks about English cultural intricacies, especially during that time period. On top of that, it’s a stand-alone novel, meaning it doesn’t take a massive amount of commitment to a series. It’s one of the quintessential low fantasy novels, and one that has become a favourite amongst fantasy fans.

5

‘The Magicians’ (2009)

The Magicians Book Grossman book cover Image via Penguin Books

The Magicians is another book that actually received a television adaptation, which ran from 2015 until 2020. The show actually got a proper conclusion, too, which is more than can be said for a lot of TV shows these days. This is the first book in the series, which has captivated millions of readers and become pretty popular.

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The story is about a student who goes to study magic at a prestigious university, only to discover that the world from his favourite childhood storybook is very real, and that it is in a spot of peril. Now, he must learn to use magic and figure out how to save this hidden, fantastical world. The Magicians became a hit low fantasy book amongst adults, and spawned numerous sequels. It’s a textbook example of the genre, and one of the finest novels it has to offer.

4

‘Between Two Fires’ (2012)

Front cover of 'Between Two Fires' by Christopher Buehlman Image via Ace

Between Two Fires is an ideal book for fans of the Dark Souls series of role-playing video games. This stand-alone novel is set in France during the 13th Century, when the Bubonic Plague was decimating Europe. As if that weren’t enough, the Hundred Years’ War is also raging, making it a pretty miserable time to be alive. During this tumultuous period of history, a knight named Thomas saves a little girl from a fate worse than death, promising to see her to safety.

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The fantasy aspect comes from the fact that Europe isn’t just a battleground for the armies of humanity, but for the armies of Hell, too. Demons roam the devastated countryside, and Thomas must navigate past them in order to see the young girl to safety. It’s a really dark but incredibly well-written book that blends Medieval history with the Biblical concepts that were so prevalent at the time. It’s truly a singular experience that any fans of grimdark fantasy absolutely need to read.

3

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (1964)

The front cover of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl Image via Scholastic

Written by acclaimed children’s author Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a classic morality tale about always doing the right thing. The story is about Charlie, a boy who wins a golden ticket to tour an enormous chocolate factory run by an eccentric chocolatier named Willy Wonka. However, this tour is actually an elaborate ploy by Wonka to choose his successor, with four other children also winning tickets.

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The fantasy aspect here comes from Wonka’s apparent magical abilities, along with his non-human employees, the Oompa-Loompas. This book was famously adapted for the screen a few times, with Wonka himself being played by Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and Timothée Chalamet, in that order. This book has stood the test of time because, well, it’s a story about always doing the right thing and not being greedy, which is a message that will never, ever become irrelevant. Its accessibility and universal acclaim make this one of the best low fantasy books ever made.

2

‘Divine Comedy’ (1321)

Front cover of 'Divine Comedy' by Dante Alighieri Image via Barnes & Noble

Divine Comedy is a novel-length trilogy of epic poems written by Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. While the poem was written long before the definitions of high and low fantasy, in hindsight, it absolutely fits the bill. The first poem, Inferno, is by far the most famous, which is about the narrator travelling through the Nine Circles of Hell to save his lost lover. Along the way, he encounters figures from history, terrifying demons, and even Satan himself.

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The other two poems, titled Purgatorio and Paradiso, respectively, are more social, religious, and political commentaries, which makes them much more challenging and outdated to read. Still, though, many scholars agree that Divine Comedy is one of the most important texts ever written, a foundational piece that is not only a piece of human history, but that continues to inspire.

1

‘Odyssey’ (c. 8th Century BCE)

The front cover of 'The Odyssey' by Homer Image via Page Publications

Like the Divine Comedy, the Odyssey was written way, way before high and low fantasy were even a thing. In fact, this epic poem was written before novels were even a thing. Yet, if you look at the definition of low fantasy, the Odyssey absolutely fits the bill. It’s a story set in the real world that includes aspects of mythology, so it can be seen as one of the earliest examples of the genre. Written by Homer sometime in the 8th Century BCE, the story tells of Odysseus, a hero who returns from the Trojan War, a process that takes 10 years. During this journey, he encounters various beasts and monsters from Ancient Greek myth.

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The poem has been adapted many, many times and has just received a film adaptation by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan. The epic poem is divided into 24 “books,” though these aren’t exactly book-length, and the whole thing is actually only a few hundred pages long. That aside, this is one of the earliest and most legendary examples of low fantasy, as well as one of the most historically important texts ever created, so it definitely deserves to be called the best low fantasy book of all time.


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The Odyssey


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Release Date

July 17, 2026

Runtime

172 Minutes

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Dalton Risner and Wife Whitney Announce 2 Pregnancy Losses

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Influencer India Batson Suffers 3rd Pregnancy Loss: ‘Horrific’

NFL player Dalton Risner and wife, Whitney, have suffered two pregnancy losses in just a few months.

“At 16 weeks, Dalton and I found out we lost our sweet baby boy. I wish I was writing any other post than this right now, “ Whitney, 28, shared via a joint Instagram post with her husband, 31, on Friday, July 17. “I never imagined our journey to starting a family would begin like this. This is our second loss in just a couple of months.”

Whitney, who married the Cincinnati Bengals offensive guard in June 2022, went on to thank her husband for his support amid the couple’s heartbreak. “More than ever, I’ve realized how important it is who you marry and choose to walk through life with. Life is hard in so many different ways. I truly can’t imagine getting through this without my rock and best friend, @dalton_risner66,” she wrote before discussing how her most recent miscarriage has impacted her.

“This loss has introduced me to a depth of pain and heartbreak that I never knew existed. It feels like I’ve lost so much … our precious baby boy, pieces of myself, and the future I had planned out for the past 4 months,” she wrote. “To everyone who has prayed for us, checked in on us, and loved us through this journey to starting a family, thank you. We are so grateful for your kindness.”

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Influencer India Batson Suffers 3rd Pregnancy Loss: ‘Horrific’


Related: Influencer India Batson Reveals 3rd Pregnancy Loss: ‘Truly Horrific’

Influencer India Batson is opening up about suffering a third pregnancy loss. “My third pregnancy loss 💔,” Batson, 31, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, February 7. “I can’t believe I’m sharing this news this way. Daniel and I were so excited and honestly shocked to find out I was pregnant the very first cycle I […]

The jewelry designer concluded, “If you’re walking this same painful road, I want you to know that you are not alone.”

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During a June interview for The Enquirer‘s “Beyond Sunday” podcast, Whitney talked about a collection she had crafted, titled “The Forever Collection,” in light of her pregnancy losses. “My husband and I experienced pregnancy loss this past season, and I was sitting there thinking about having something to show for it,” she told host Kelsey Conway of the pieces designed with a pear-shaped diamond to represent a mother and a round diamond to represent a child. “You go through this really hard, extensive process of not only losing your baby, but things that follow that you have to go through and grasp. And then you’re kind of left with nothing.”

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Whitney Port and More Stars Share Their Fertility Struggles


Related: Whitney Port Reflects on Miscarriage While Approaching Previous Due Date

Five months after her miscarriage, Whitney Port gave an update on how she’s healing. “Crazy to think I would have had a newborn within this week too,” the Hills alum captioned a Saturday, June 26, Instagram Story photo of herself holding her newborn nephew. “[My sister] Jade [Port] and I got pregnant at the exact […]

The Risners’ social media announcement of their losses also included photos taken from a pregnancy shoot that was intended to reveal Whitney’s most recent pregnancy.

In the snaps, the couple smiled on a beach with their dog as their furry pet licked at a white celebratory cake.

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If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. https://988lifeline.org/

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FIFA’s Halftime Show Gamble Leaves Fans Divided

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FIFA's Halftime Show Gamble Leaves Fans Divided

For the first time in World Cup history, FIFA borrowed a page from the Super Bowl playbook by introducing its first ever World Cup final halftime show. 

On paper, the combination of Madonna, Justin Bieber, soccer legends, and surprise celebrity appearances promised an unforgettable spectacle. 

Instead, the ambitious production sparked wildly divided reactions, with many viewers questioning whether the historic experiment lived up to the hype as Argentina and Spain battled for the trophy.

Although the World Cup final halftime show featured multiple stars, Bieber quickly found himself at the center of the online debate.

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After a playful introduction from Jason Sudeikis in character as Ted Lasso, the singer walked onto the field carrying only a guitar before performing a World Cup-inspired version of his song “Everything Hallelujah.” 

Rather than delivering a stadium-sized spectacle, Bieber opted for a stripped-back performance that ended with the lyric, “it’s the World Cup, Hallelujah.”

The understated approach immediately divided viewers. One critic blasted the set, noting per the Daily Mail, “Buzz killer. Totally sucked. Why choose that song that nobody knows. Beyond me.” 

Another wrote, “Justin Bieber Hallelujah but this was not the right song choice for the half time show,” while a third simply called it a “terrible song choice.”

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Others, however, appreciated Bieber’s decision to slow the pace amid the larger production. “Justin Bieber looked and sounded great at the World Cup halftime show today! Glad he’s cleaned up his act!” one supporter posted. 

Another praised the performance by writing, “Best performance. He knows how to switch people’s moods in a second. That’s extremely difficult to do, most performers couldn’t.”

Madonna Helped FIFA Launch A Historic New Tradition

Before Justin Bieber took the stage, Madonna was tasked with opening the World Cup final halftime show. 

The pop icon emerged to perform her 2000 hit “Music,” making an entrance alongside Brazilian football legends Ronaldo Nazário and Ronaldinho. 

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The trio embraced before stepping onto the pitch together, creating one of the evening’s most unexpected crossovers between global music and soccer stars.

Madonna also delivered one of the night’s biggest fashion moments, wearing a Saint Laurent look that featured a pink satin teddy jacket layered over a corset, matching mini shorts, lace-up boots, and stockings. 

Cameras later captured the three posing together on the field as thousands inside MetLife Stadium welcomed the tournament’s newest tradition.

While individual performances earned praise, many viewers questioned whether FIFA’s ambitious concept matched the months of anticipation surrounding it.

One disappointed fan wrote, “What a disaster this halftime show was. Pre-recorded stuff, no collaborations or surprising moments. Where was Madonna at the end? She could have sung a few lines with Shakira… everything was so weird. So much hype for nothing.”

Another took aim at the show’s creative direction, joking, “Who was behind the concept for that halftime show? Chat GPT?”

Others found themselves somewhere in the middle, with one viewer commenting, “Madonna’s performance was the strangest thing ever, especially followed by the Muppets. The rest of the show was decent. I thought JB’s performance was the best of them all.” 

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Not Everyone Thought FIFA’s Gamble Fell Flat

Despite the criticism, many viewers applauded FIFA for trying something different.

One fan admitted, “I dislike a lot of things that FIFA does… but THAT halftime show was pretty spectacular,” while another praised the event’s uplifting tone, writing, “Light, bright, positive energy. We needed that. Really tired of dark and angry performances.”

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Another celebrated the international spirit of the show, writing, “It was great! International and diverse, a positive message, family friendly, and soccer legends hanging with Madonna! Ronaldinho and Ronaldo probably couldn’t believe it!”

Wayne Rooney Calls World Cup Final Halftime Show ‘Crap’

While fans continued debating whether FIFA’s first-ever World Cup final halftime show was a success or a flop, Wayne Rooney made it clear which side he was on. 

Appearing on the BBC’s post-halftime coverage after the former England captain delivered a brutally honest review when asked for his favorite moment. 

“I’ll be honest, mine was when it finished,” Rooney quipped per ESPN, before doubling down with, “I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap. I did, honestly.” 

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Explaining why the star-studded spectacle failed to impress him, Rooney added, “It just didn’t get me going. I like Bieber. I like Shakira. It was too flat.” 

His candid remarks immediately went viral, with many football fans applauding the Manchester United legend for voicing what they felt about FIFA’s ambitious Super Bowl-style halftime experiment.

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Disney Officially Brings Back the Show That Launched Ryan Gosling and Britney Spears

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Long before Disney built stars through High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and Camp Rock, it had a recurring talent pipeline built around young performers who could sing, dance, act, handle comedy sketches, and grow in public. The most famous 1989–1996 generation included Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, and JC Chasez, but the format dates back to Walt Disney’s original 1955 ABC series, which was previously revived in 1977. It’s now reportedly being revived again, and although it’s just one episode for now, the news is still substantial.

At the same time, the performers being pulled now aren’t exactly mainstream actors. Disney’s new attempt is now arriving in a completely different youth-media market, and most of the performers are being pulled from animated movies, shows, and social media footprints from the likes of YouTube and TikTok. The pilot appears designed to reconnect all those fragmented routes and consolidate their audiences. Three cast members — Hudson Stone, Casey Trotter, and Brooklynn Pitts — are already attached to the upcoming Camp Rock 3, while the group also includes Yonas Kibreab from Elio, Erianthe Akaata from Young Rock, Scarlett London Diviney from The Lion King, and Michael Cash from Black Rabbit.

The project is a new Mickey Mouse Club for Disney+, although, as per a new report, it has only received a pilot order for now. Production begins in Los Angeles this month through Fulwell Entertainment, which is the same company behind Hulu’s The Kardashians. The 11-person group is rounded out with Varonica Mitchell, Kauani, Scarlett Grace Petty, and Carter Barnes.

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Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz
Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most?
Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek

Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one.

🚀Star Wars

💍Lord of the Rings

🧙Harry Potter

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👑Game of Thrones

🖖Star Trek

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01

What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning?
Every universe is built around a different answer to this question.





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02

Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit?
The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully.





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03

How do you prefer your conflicts resolved?
The shape of a world’s conflicts tells you everything about its soul.





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04

Who do you want beside you when things get difficult?
Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for.





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05

What is your relationship with power?
How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are.





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06

How does your universe treat good and evil?
A world’s moral architecture tells you more about it than any map.





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07

What role would you naturally fall into?
Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying?





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08

What do you ultimately believe about the future?
The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you.





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Your Universe Has Been Chosen
You Belong In…

Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.

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A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars

You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.

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  • You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
  • You’d find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources.
  • Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story.
  • The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is.


Middle-earth

Lord of the Rings

You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.

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  • Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
  • You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival.
  • Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance.
  • Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.


The Wizarding World

Harry Potter

You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.

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  • The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle.
  • You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
  • Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying.
  • That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely.


Westeros · The Known World

Game of Thrones

You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.

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  • Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
  • You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don’t confuse the world as it is with the world as you’d like it to be.
  • Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
  • Winter always comes. You are already prepared.


The United Federation of Planets

Star Trek

You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.

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  • Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
  • You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
  • The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better?
  • You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth working toward.

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‘The Mickey Mouse Club’ Was Also Revived on Instagram and Facebook in 2017

Although it was short-lived, the franchise had its most recent substantial screen revival for social media audiences on Facebook and Instagram in 2017. That Club Mickey Mouse had a somewhat similar approach in terms of pulling its young performers, but it was a relatively small-sized outing and starred Sean Oliu, Jenna Z. Alvarez, and Brianna Mazzola, among others.

Disney describes the new concept as a showcase where music, innovation, and self-expression take priority. So it’s probably going to be the 2017 approach but in a bigger packet. Ben Winston, Ashley Edens, Emma Conway, and Dave Piendak are all set to executive produce. And if the pilot advances, it would become the franchise’s first substantial screen revival since the short-lived, social-media-focused Club Mickey Mouse of 2017.

There is no expected release window for The Mickey Mouse Club for now. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.


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Release Date

1989 – 1996-00-00

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Network

Disney Channel

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Chase Hampton

    Self – Host

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    Justin Timberlake

    Uncredited

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One of Sci-Fi’s Greatest Trilogies Is Taking Over the Streaming Charts

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Another science fiction franchise has once again captured audiences, proving there’s still love for the genre. As fantasy and horror now take over the cinema space — with the release of the live-action Moana, The Odyssey, Obsession, and Backrooms — audiences are using streaming services not only as a palate cleanser, but also to revisit some of the genre’s older yet iconic works.

Recently, a variety of science fiction titles have appeared on various streaming charts. Films like 2025’s The Running Man and Pacific Rim have made a streaming resurgence, while Project Hail Mary continues to dominate the Prime Video charts following its theatrical box office success, as well as the new The Ghost in the Shell anime series. But there’s another sci-fi franchise that’s capturing audiences, so much so that all of its entries have landed on the charts.

Men in Black is a sci-fi action comedy trilogy starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as Agents J and K, two agents of the Men in Black organization who investigate criminal cases involving aliens. Recently, all three films landed on Peacock’s Top 10 Movies in the United States, with Men in Black II at #5, Men in Black III at #6, and Men in Black at #10. All three Men in Black entries grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide and led to a stand-alone sequel in 2019, called Men in Black: International, featuring a new cast.

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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Personality Quiz
Which Sci-Fi Hero Are You Most Like?
Paul Atreides · Captain Kirk · Princess Leia · Ellen Ripley · Max Rockatansky

Five iconic heroes. Five completely different ways of facing an impossible universe. One of them shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of refusing to back down. Eight questions will tell you which one.

🏜️Paul Atreides

🖖Capt. Kirk

Princess Leia

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🔦Ellen Ripley

🔥Max Rockatansky

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01

How do you lead when the stakes couldn’t be higher?
The way you lead under pressure is the most honest thing about you.





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02

What is your greatest strength in a crisis?
The quality that keeps you alive when everything else fails.





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03

What is the thing you’d sacrifice everything else for?
Your deepest motivation is your truest compass.





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04

How do you relate to the people around you?
Who you are to others under pressure is who you really are.





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05

You’re facing a threat that no one else believes is real. What do you do?
How you respond when you’re the only one who sees it defines everything.





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06

What has your heroism cost you personally?
Every hero pays. The question is what — and whether they’d pay it again.





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07

How do you feel about the rules of the world you’re in?
Every hero has a relationship with the system. What’s yours?





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08

When everything is on the line, what keeps you going?
The answer is the most honest thing about you.





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Your Hero Has Been Identified
Your Sci-Fi Hero Is…

Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.

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Arrakis · Dune

Paul Atreides

You carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you’re capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become.

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  • You see further ahead than others and you plan accordingly, even when the vision frightens you.
  • You are driven by loyalty to your people and a sense of destiny you didn’t ask for but can’t escape.
  • Paul Atreides is not simply a hero — he is someone who understands the cost of power and chooses to bear it anyway.
  • That gravity, that willingness to carry what others won’t, is exactly you.


USS Enterprise · Star Trek

Captain Kirk

You lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you’ve always believed there’s a third option nobody else has thought of yet.

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  • You take the mission seriously without ever taking yourself too seriously.
  • Your crew would follow you anywhere, not because you demand it, but because you’ve earned it.
  • Kirk’s genius isn’t tactical — it’s human. He reads people, bends rules with purpose, and wills outcomes into existence through sheer conviction.
  • That combination of warmth, audacity, and relentless optimism is unmistakably yours.


The Rebellion · Star Wars

Princess Leia

You are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you’re fearless, but because giving up simply isn’t something you’re capable of.

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  • You lead through conviction. Your voice carries because your belief is unshakeable.
  • You gave up everything ordinary the moment you chose the cause, and you’ve never looked back.
  • Leia is not a supporting character in her own story — she is the moral centre of the entire rebellion.
  • That same fierce, principled, unbreakable core is what defines you.


The Nostromo · Alien

Ellen Ripley

You are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone’s hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters.

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  • You see threats clearly, you document the truth even when no one listens, and when the time comes you handle it yourself.
  • Ripley’s heroism is earned, not performed. She doesn’t have a speech — she has a flamethrower and a plan.
  • You share her composure under the worst possible pressure, and her refusal to pretend the monster isn’t there.
  • When it counts, you don’t flinch. That’s everything.


The Wasteland · Mad Max

Max Rockatansky

You have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril.

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  • You don’t ask for help, don’t need validation, and don’t wait for anyone to tell you the rules no longer apply.
  • Your loyalty, when it finally arrives, is absolute — but it’s earned in silence and tested in action, not in words.
  • Max is not a nihilist. He is someone who lost everything and found, against his will, that he still has something worth protecting.
  • That bruised, stubborn, ultimately human core is exactly yours.

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Is the ‘Men in Black’ Trilogy Worth Watching?

Since its release, the Men in Black trilogy has performed well at the box office, but only the first and third films have been praised by fans and critics alike. Men in Black II received a low 38% critics’ score and a 45% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics calling it “forgettable” and “joyless.” In contrast, audiences debated whether it was underrated or simply unenjoyable. The first Men in Black film earned a high 91% critics’ score and an 80% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising it as comedic, entertaining, and playful. In agreement, audiences called it “rewatchable.” Men In Black 3 was able to redeem itself nearly 10 years later, with a 67% critics’ score and 70% audience score, with critics claiming it was better than the 2002 sequel, that it was close to capturing the spirit of the first movie, and a good summer flick. Audiences said that the third installment brought new life to the franchise and agreed that it was better than the sequel.

The Men in Black trilogy is available to stream on Peacock. Follow Collider for more updates.


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Release Date

July 2, 1997

Runtime

98 minutes

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Writers

Ed Solomon, Lowell Cunningham

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Producers

Laurie MacDonald, Walter F. Parkes

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Jason Statham’s $397M Shark Thriller Surges Across Global Streaming Charts

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Jason Statham is among the most credible action stars around. From features like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels to high-octane franchises like The Fast franchise, The Transporter, The Expendables, to solo adventures like A Working Man, The Mechanic, and more, all are a testament to his immaculate action skills. And when you add a menacing creature to the action spectacle, the mix gets even better.

Among such features is Meg 2: The Trench, a sequel to the iconic The Meg movie that brings him face to face with a prehistoric shark. In the sequel, directed by Ben Wheatley, Statham returns as Jonas Taylor to lead a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage turns into chaos when a mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Stuck between colossal, prehistoric sharks and environmental plunderers, the group must outrun and outswim their predators. Meg 2 garnered mixed reviews and couldn’t compare commercially with its predecessor, earning $397.8 million worldwide in contrast to The Meg’s $529 million box office haul. But the film polarized the critics and the audience, garnering 27% and 72% Rotten Tomatoes scores, respectively. And fans’ love for the feature is showing.













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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz
Which Oscar Best Picture
Is Your Perfect Movie?

Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
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Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.

🪜Parasite

🌀Everything Everywhere

☢️Oppenheimer

🐦Birdman

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🪙No Country for Old Men

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01

What kind of film experience do you actually want?
The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.





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02

Which idea grabs you most in a film?
Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?





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03

How do you like your story told?
Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.





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04

What makes a truly great antagonist?
The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?





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05

What do you want from a film’s ending?
The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?





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06

Which setting pulls you in most?
Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.





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07

What cinematic craft impresses you most?
Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.





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08

What kind of main character do you root for?
The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.





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09

How do you feel about a film that takes its time?
Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.





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10

What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema?
The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?





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The Academy Has Decided
Your Perfect Film Is…

Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.

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Parasite

You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.

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Everything Everywhere All at Once

You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.

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Oppenheimer

You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.

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Birdman

You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.

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No Country for Old Men

You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.

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‘Meg 2: The Trench’ Finds Redemption on Streaming

As is the case with many movies nowadays that do not find their audience in the theaters but are a big hit when they drop on streaming, Meg 2 has found its audience on streaming. Meg 2: The Trench has found a spot on Netflix’s global Top 10 charts, as per FlixPatrol. It stands tall among features like the Spanish drama Desire, Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, Robert Downey Jr.’s Due Date, and Netflix original Heartstopper Forever, among others.

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While the movie’s pacing and tonal inconsistencies were heavily criticized, check out Meg 2 for its slick action sequences, Statham’s charismatic performance, and the new prehistoric creatures. The feature has some compelling performances from Wu Jing as Jiuming Zhang, Sophia Cai as Meiying, Cliff Curtis as Mac, Page Kennedy as DJ, Sergio Peris Mencheta as Montes, and Skyler Samuels as Jess. Also rounding off the cast are Melissanthi Mahut as Rigas, Whoopie Van Raam as Curtis, Kiran Sonia Sawar as Sal, Felix Mayr as Lance, and Sienna Guillory as Hilary Driscoll.

Check out Meg 2: The Trench on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.


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Runtime

116 minutes

Writers
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Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber

Producers

Belle Avery, E. Bennett Walsh, Gerald R. Molen, Jason Statham, Wu Jing, Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Erik Howsam, Randy Greenberg, Cate Adams, Ying Xujun

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20 Best MCU Movies, Ranked According to Letterboxd

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Letitia Wright as Shuri in her Black Panther suit in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'.

Who doesn’t love a good Letterboxd franchise ranking? Taking a look at the average Letterboxd reviews for movie franchises is a ton of fun, given the fact that the social media platform has some of the more accurate general thoughts from fans and audiences alike. Letterboxd isn’t like Rotten Tomatoes, where there are critic reviews, but it is a platform for the people.

When it comes to rating franchises, it doesn’t get more interesting and divisive than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s one of the longest-running franchises in cinema and has one of the largest numbers of films in a movie series. So, there are a lot of movies to rank, and many that are fan favorites for different people. This makes the MCU a specifically difficult one to put against itself, but Letterboxd should be helpful in discovering the consensus among audiences.

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20

‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (2022)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.3/5.0

Letitia Wright as Shuri in her Black Panther suit in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'.
Letitia Wright as Shuri in her Black Panther suit in ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’.
Image via Marvel Studios

After the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman, it was up in the air whether Marvel Studios could continue to produce the Black Panther franchise. Thanks to the ever-beloved director, Ryan Coogler, though, the sequel managed to work out very well. They didn’t recast T’Challa, but rather had him pass in-universe, which incites a phenomenal character arc for his surviving sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright).

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is one of the most underrated post-Avengers: Endgame MCU films. The character arcs that Shuri, her mother, Ramonda (Angela Bassett), and Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) go through are extremely well-written. This movie is character-first, and that serves it so well, especially given the fact that this is a huge tribute to Boseman and everything he did for not just the MCU, but cinema as a whole.

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19

‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ (2025)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.3/5.0

HERBIE and The Thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
HERBIE and The Thing in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Image via Marvel

The Fantastic Four has needed a win in cinema for quite some time. Always seeming to pull the short end of the superhero movie stick, Marvel’s first family, they finally got a huge win in 2025 with the release of Marvel Studios’ first bout with the team, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. While it’s not some perfect film, no, it’s still super entertaining and keeps the audience on their toes.

Set in the 1960s, with a retro-futuristic backdrop, this movie takes so much inspiration from the classic era of Marvel Comics, and it serves it very well. This movie is so inherently The Fantastic Four in every way, and with that, it found a lot of love from fans and, honestly, people simply hoping the movie would turn out alright. Not to mention, Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) totally owns the screen and is the highlight of the film, with a Letterboxd user saying, “invisible woman ALWAYS serves.”

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18

‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ (2021)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5.0

Simu Liu ready to fight in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Simu Liu ready to fight in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Image via Marvel Studios

While the consensus of Phase 4 of Marvel Studios’ MCU doesn’t have as good a reputation as the previous three, one film that absolutely stands out is the likes of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. A huge thanks goes to Andy Cheng from Jackie Chan‘s stunt team, who brought some amazing martial arts to this movie and gave it some of the greatest fight sequences in a Marvel movie.

“[From] me to marvel — don’t forget that you have Shang-Chi,” is an opinion given by one fan on Letterboxd that is often shared by many, with people hoping that the general performance of Phase 4 MCU doesn’t land Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) in a place like the likes of Moon Knight—being discarded for seemingly the rest of time. Thanks to the fact that Simu Liu has been cast in Avengers: Doomsday, it seems like Marvel Studios understands what they had here… Good.

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17

‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ (2011)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5.0

Captain America surrounded by HYDRA soldiers in 'Captain America: The First Avenger.'
Captain America surrounded by HYDRA soldiers in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger.’
Image via Marvel Studios

Captain America: The First Avenger may very well be one of the most underrated Marvel Studios films ever made. Being a period piece, it finds itself being unlike anything found in Phases 1, 2, or 3 (aside from Captain Marvel). It’s a movie about a character that defines what America could and should be, put best by one user: “every unpatriotic cell in my body leaves when I watch this movie.”

While the third act isn’t absolutely perfect, one could argue that the first two are pretty dang close to perfect as one could get. Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is easily one of the most well-written characters in the MCU, and it all begins here in his origin film. Captain America: The First Avenger sets the standard for how the character should be brought to life.

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16

‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5.0

Spider-Man stands in Mysterio's void illusion amid green smoke in 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'.
Spider-Man stands in Mysterio’s void illusion amid green smoke in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’.
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Spider-Man: Far From Home has plenty of issues with it that many will gladly note—being more of an Avengers: Endgame sequel rather than a Spider-Man: Homecoming one—the movie is still phenomenally entertaining all around. While it struggles in Act Two, Acts One and Three are both genuinely amazing.

Jake Gyllenhaal stands out here as giving one of the best Spider-Man movie performances of all time, solidifying himself as one of the best Spider-Man villains out there. While Spidey fans knew that Mysterio had nefarious things up his sleeve, they didn’t know what exactly it was, and it paid off very well. Hilariously, one Letterboxd user describes the character of Mysterio very well when he said, “Working for Mysterio is what I imagine being friends with a D-List actor is like”. Not to mention, this project features one of the best visual sequences in a modern superhero film as the Wall-Crawler steps up against Mysterio in his “illusion world”.

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15

‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.4/5.0

Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
Image via Jay Maidment /© Marvel / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

The Deadpool franchise has been beloved by people ever since the first film’s release in 2016, thanks to how little it holds its punches, while still having a plethora of heart and soul at the core. While some have complaints about Deadpool 2, the franchise returned to its former glory in the third film, and the first time the 20th Century Fox characters made an appearance in the MCU, Deadpool & Wolverine. One Letterboxd review reads: “It made me laugh quite a bit, and the emotional aspects were much weightier than I had hoped for.”

It was a bold move making Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) of all characters the first X-Men-related character to be introduced in the MCU. While he’s tagged along by Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in this adventure, it’s safe to say that having it be an R-rated title for the X-Men universe of characters’ first debut was risky. However, it paid off extremely well and even went on to be one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. If that isn’t a testament to its quality, there’s not much that is.

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14

‘Doctor Strange’ (2016)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Benedict Cumberbatch looking intently in 'Doctor Strange'
Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange’
Image via Marvel Studios

Doctor Strange is an incredibly underrated superhero origin film, and the people of Letterboxd seem to really recognize that. It’s been pretty forgotten over the years, but the first movie following the Sorcerer Supreme is not bad in the slightest. One Letterboxd user expresses the charm of Doctor Strange in comparison to others when he says, “Doctor Strange is bonkers. It goes to so many weird places.”

That’s right, the world of the Mystic Arts that this movie introduces to the MCU is so funky and unique, which makes what would be seen as a standard and basic origin film into a trippy ride. This flows into the visuals, making Doctor Strange one of the more visually electric MCU movies, as well.

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13

‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Spider-Man-Homecoming-Tom-Holland-Jacob-Batalon
Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon) in ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’.
Image via Columbia Pictures/Marvel Studios

In what world does a Spider-Man movie not find itself being successful in one way or another? Not this one, because while there was some anxiety and nervousness surrounding the MCU Peter Parker’s (Tom Holland) first solo outing, people ended up loving it (for the most part — looking at you, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).

Iron Man complaints aside, though, Spider-Man: Homecoming finds itself being adored by many — even being a favorite Spider-Man movie for some, with one user saying, “My favorite Spider-Man.” The decision to bring Spider-Man back to high school and keep him there for the entire first trilogy was abundantly smart on Marvel Studios’ part, and the entire charm of it was established first here.

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12

‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ (2017)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.6/5.0

Chris Pratt with an explosion behind him in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2'
Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

One of the most beloved superhero trilogies out there is also one of the most beloved space opera trilogies, too. The second film of said trilogy may not be the best of the trilogy, but there’s no denying that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is still amazing. It has so much heart and soul as it explores the newer corners of the cosmic side of the MCU.

One fan emphasizes one of the best parts of the sequel when they write, “… loved Ego and Peter’s dynamic and story,” in their review of the film. The father-son plot here is one of the beating hearts of the film and serves to be pretty dang relatable to a lot of audience members, keeping this sequel still very adored despite not hitting the same highs as the first and third movies.

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11

‘Captain America: Civil War’ (2016)

Letterboxd Rating: 3.6/5.0

Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, and Sebastian Stan in Captain America: Civil War
Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, and Sebastian Stan in Captain America: Civil War
Image via Marvel Studios

Also considered by many fans as “Avengers 2.5,” Captain America: Civil War brings the MCU together once more, but this time, they’re facing each other (for the most part). Adapting one of the most famous comic book storylines of all time, of the same name, this second Joe Russo and Anthony Russo-directed Marvel Studios project is unforgettable for multiple reasons. It also cements the Steve Rogers trilogy as one of the best, similarly claimed by a user when they said, “This film solidified for me that Cap had one of the best trilogies in Marvel, rivaled only by Guardians.”

Not only did this project split the Avengers up in a terrible way before Thanos arrived in the third and fourth The Avengers movies, but it also introduced none other than the MCU’s iteration of the web-slinging wall crawler himself, Spider-Man. This makes Captain America: Civil War not only significant for its quality, performances, and action sequences, but also because of how much it changed the cinematic landscape between studios with the Disney and Sony Pictures Entertainment deal to bring Spidey into the MCU.

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Brand New Day’ for the First Time

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Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'

Summary

  • Collider’s Steven Weintraub talks with Tom Holland, Jon Berthal, and Jacob Batalon for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
  • Holland discusses how director Destin Daniel Cretton elevates the franchise and his first reaction to the finished film.
  • Bernthal discusses how Punisher fits into Spider-Man’s PG-13 without sacrificing the character’s core identity.

It’s been a long time since Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has had that youthful glint in his eye we first saw nearly a decade ago. A lot has transpired in the MCU, from Avengers: Endgame to Spider-Man: No Way Home, but as long as the world keeps spinning, so too does your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man’s web — even if everyone he’s ever known and loved has completely forgotten he exists. In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Peter isn’t just facing formidable new adversaries but also a startling new change within himself.

Gone are the days of Stark Industries’ advanced tech and the support of his superpowered friends. Spider-Man is at his lowest, fighting crime full-time, while watching everyone, including his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) and even MJ (Zendaya), move on with their lives without him. The isolation has left Peter in unfamiliar territory, and he finds guidance in the last place he’d expect, with Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher. But to make matters worse, this lonely new life has triggered a mutation in Peter’s transformation as he’s trying to fight an enemy he can’t see. Brand New Day also features Sadie Sink in her MCU debut and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk.

In this interview with Collider’s Steven Weintraub, Holland, Bernthal, and Batalon discuss what it was like to work alongside director Destin Daniel Cretton and Marvel’s elite team of creatives, how Cretton’s vision has helped the franchise grow, and Holland’s reaction to seeing the finished film for the first time. Bernthal also talks about the Punisher joining Spider-Man’s PG-13 world, his initial concerns, and why fans of The Punisher: One Last Kill won’t be disappointed.

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Tom Holland Was Extremely Impressed With Destin Daniel Cretton’s “Level of Talent” on ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’

“He has found a way to grow this franchise and to make the movie feel bigger.”

COLLIDER: How did the finished film compare to what you thought it was going to be when you started filming?

TOM HOLLAND: To be perfectly honest with you, it is above and beyond what I thought it was going to be. I think Destin [Daniel Cretton] is a filmmaker with a level of talent that you rarely come by. I think that he has found a way to grow this franchise and to make the movie feel bigger, and to make the action feel more dangerous, and to make the stakes feel higher without sacrificing the emotion and the heart of what makes these characters tick.

When I watch a movie for the first time, I always ask if I can watch it twice right in a row, because the first time I watch it, it’s so overwhelming. I finished it the first time, and I ran upstairs in Burbank at Marvel Studios, and I was literally jumping up and down with the editing team and Destin.

JACOB BATALON: I was just pleasantly surprised that they let me watch it. [Laughs] No, it was definitely way more than I expected. The script itself was already so great that just seeing it put together was very beautiful. It put a big smile on my face.

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JON BERNTHAL: I’ve not seen it, but what he said about Destin and this entire team is how I feel. It felt enormously human. I was very surprised, in the making of it, how much attention to character and, like Tom said, to emotion and just to the fractured human connection between these characters, and how important it is. In the world of something of this size and scope, that that was so vital is beautiful.

How Jon Bernthal Brought Punisher’s R-Rated World Into ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s PG-13 Setting

“I think we explored it fully.”

Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher in 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day'
Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle aka The Punisher in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’
Images via Sony Pictures Releasing

I was very surprised when Punisher was added to this movie, because Punisher is famously R-rated and Spider-Man is famously PG-13. Talk a little bit about figuring out how far Frank can go in this universe. Is it more about the debate between the two characters about one person saying, “You can’t kill,” and one person saying, “It’s the only way?”

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BERNTHAL: Look, I think that’s certainly part of it, but that was an issue, and what I saw was the issue for all of us. I think the goal was, going in, would we buy that he could walk off of One Last Kill and walk into this world, and go back and forth? Would we buy it? And I think we dug into the issue. I think we explored it fully.

Colton Hill, a Green Beret who worked with me on One Last Kill, worked with me also on this and was there every day, and I was really blown away by how open these guys were to really exploring that issue and to diving into it, and not to run away from it or try to avoid it, or just to say it doesn’t matter, because it did. I believe that we were successful.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31.


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Release Date

July 31, 2026

Runtime
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150 Minutes

Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

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Mara Wilson Isn’t Sold On A ‘Matilda’ Sequel

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Mara Wilson Isn’t Sold On A ‘Matilda’ Sequel

With Hollywood continuing to revive films decades after their original releases, more movies are getting long-awaited sequels than ever before. While some would welcome a follow-up to “Matilda,” Mara Wilson isn’t convinced the 1996 cult film should follow the trend. The actress recently shared why she has reservations about revisiting the beloved family movie.

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“Matilda” was released in 1996, based on the 1988 children’s novel of the same title written by Roald Dahl. It starred Mara Wilson as the titular character and also featured Danny DeVito as her father, Rhea Perlman as her mother, Embeth Davidtz as Matilda’s kind and sweet teacher Ms. Honey, and Pam Ferris as ruthless principal Ms. Trunchbull.

At a Fanboy Expo panel, Wilson shared that she’s often asked about the possibility of a “Matilda” sequel. One of the plots often pushed is about Matilda’s daughter. However, the actress doesn’t think that would work.

Wilson said Matilda overcame adversity in the movie and “found power in educating herself,” adding, “I don’t think Matilda would raise her daughter to be in a position where she developed those powers to protect herself,” per PEOPLE.

The Actress Thinks No One Is Good Enough For Matilda To Marry

Furthermore, Wilson thinks it would be difficult to create a narrative in which Matilda is married and has a family of her own.

“This is a tricky question, but who would Matilda marry? Who’s good enough for Matilda? Matilda’s such an awesome character that I can’t imagine who she would marry and have kids with, you know,” the actress asked the audience.

She continued to say that she used to be bothered by her association with the character. The former child actress appeared in several movies, including “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” and “A Time to Heal,” but for some reason, many identify her with Matilda and even call her by her character’s name.

Wilson came to appreciate it over the years, saying, “You know, Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, she said, ‘I feel like me and Princess Leia have kind of merged over the years.’ And I sort of feel like that too,” she said.

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Danny DeVito Expressed His Desire For A Sequel

Danny DeVito at at the premiere of ?Jumanji: The Next Level? in Los Angeles, CA.
MEGA

DeVito, who produced, directed, and co-starred in “Matilda,” voiced his desire to do a sequel in 2019. “I always wanted to do Matilda 2, but when the kid was still a kid,” the actor said. However, he noted that the idea was about 20 to 25 years old. “Maybe Matilda has a kid and we can do something that, I don’t know,” he said, per Comicbook.

In 2025, DeVito shared why he decided to bring Dahl’s story to the big screen. “I wanted to capture that Roald Dahl magic… that balance of dark and light, where even in the bleakest moments, there’s hope and humor,” he explained.

The actor was able to revisit “Matilda” through “Matilda in Concert,” an orchestral screening of the movie. DeVito was heavily involved in the production and said it was a way of introducing new audiences to the decades-old movie. “It brings the story to life in a way that’s both fresh and deeply nostalgic,” he told The Globe and Mail.

Mara Wilson And Danny DeVito Share A Deep Bond

Wilson has fond memories of working on “Matilda,” especially the support she received from DeVito, whom she calls her “favorite uncle.”

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During the Fanboy Expo panel, the actress debunked a long-running rumor that the veteran actor legally adopted her. “Danny DeVito did not literally adopt me. That’s a myth. But he did take very good care of my family,” she shared.

Wilson was 8 years old at the time of filming, and her mother was battling breast cancer. She died before the movie’s theatrical release, and the director dedicated the film in her honor. The actress sought comfort in DeVito and Perlman, sharing that they’ve become her “lifelong friends.”

“There were hard days, but there were also days where it felt like summer camp, and I am still friends with the people that I worked on it today,” said Wilson.

‘Matilda’ Grew Into A Beloved Cult Favorite

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“Matilda” was released in August 1996 and competed with other big movies such as “Mission: Impossible,” “Independence Day,” and “Twister.” The family film was not a box office success, grossing only $47 million worldwide on a budget of $36 million.

However, it found its audience through home videos and was heavily on rotation on cable TV. Over the years, “Matilda” developed a devoted cult following, with audiences embracing the heartfelt story and memorable characters. Today, it is widely regarded as one of the most beloved family films of the ’90s and continues to resonate with both longtime fans and new viewers.

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