For fans of science fiction, Apple TV has become a go-to television destination. Whether it’s the corporate dystopia of Severance, the far-future space opera of Foundation, the speculative post-apocalypse of Pluribus, or the towering kaiju of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, every beloved niche genre is represented. There’s something for everyone, but it can often take years to get the next installment and, even then, it’s a long seven days between episodes. Silo, one of the best sci-fi offerings on the platform – and one of the best shows on TV right now, period – returned for a third season on July 3, and it’s already clear the signature cliffhangers will leave us wanting more all summer.
Instead of speculating about what might happen next week, the time between summer Fridays presents the perfect opportunity to explore the worlds of other science fiction book series that, much like Silo’s source material, Hugh Howey’s New York Times bestselling Wool trilogy, are worth getting lost in for a while. From rogue AI hijacking robots and starting a war with humanity to interspecies space colonization to an alternate present in which a country has completely fallen off the map, in the same way Apple TV’s wide-ranging offerings entice every type of viewer, literary sci-fi continually pushes the boundaries of imagination to create new extensions of our reality that appeal to every type of reader. Pulled from across the genre, these are some of the very best book series sci-fi has to offer, and the worlds that unfold within their pages are guaranteed to keep you entertained all season long.
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1
‘Children of Time’
By Adrian Tchaikovsky
The Children of Time books by Adrian Tchaikovsky.Images via Hachette Book Group
There are two parallel narratives at the heart of Children of Time that unfold over generations, both born out of one brilliant, narcissistic scientist’s plan to terraform a distant exoplanet and accelerate the evolution of non-human life. One tracks the human survivors who attempt to resettle on the exoplanet after the fallout of an ideological war over the ethics of the scientist’s actions renders the Earth uninhabitable, the other focuses on a species of jumping spider that was unintentionally infected by the scientist’s genetic virus, and how the species evolves over thousands of years into a highly intelligent race that populates the exoplanet with an entire civilization of its own.
The post-apocalyptic humans naturally didn’t expect to find a super-spider society on the planet they intended to call home, and when the narratives collide, chaos ensues. But once the dust settles, it becomes clear that the scientist – who was forced to merge with her ship’s AI to survive – wasn’t the only one responsible for the terraforming, and that humanity’s schadenfreude extends further into space than anyone could’ve imagined. The resulting four-book hard sci-fi journey showcases the importance of unity for survival, and how the power of communication, empathy, and understanding can bring together even the most radically different individuals when given enough time.
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2
‘Scattered All Over the Earth’
By Yoko Tawada
The Scattered All Over the Earth trilogy by Yoko Tawada.Images via New Directions Publishing
Books are very rarely described as “cheerfully dystopian” by their publisher, but there’s truly no better phrase to use when talking about the Scattered All Over the Earth trilogy. Set in a near-future in which the climate crisis has caused Japan to disappear, a refugee in Denmark searching for others from her missing country creates a new language, Panska, to communicate with the pan-Scandinavian people she encounters. Drawn to her by language and bonded through friendship, she creates an ever-widening multinational band of companions who join her on her hunt as it expands throughout Europe and beyond.
The three books are built on a first-person narrative structure, with each chapter featuring the perspective of a different member of the group or a person adjacent to them. By rotating through unique characters and giving each a rich backstory, the underlying quest ultimately becomes less about finding other refugees from “the land of sushi” – as it’s exclusively called – and restoring the past, and more about building a new, resilient community around the belonging they’ve built on their shared love of language. Few people could take two of the most harrowing topics, the climate and refugee crises, and build a story around them that feels optimistic in the way that Yoko Tawada does; Scattered All Over the Earth is so utterly original, lovable, and unforgettable you’ll be thinking about it for months to come.
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3
‘Wanderers’
By Chuck Wendig
Wanderers and Wayward by Chuck Wendig.Images via Penguin Random House
Though Wanderers is only two books, Chuck Wendig‘s masterpiece duology is well over 1,600 pages – and it’s one of the most vivid sociopolitical renderings of an apocalyptic America ever written. It starts with a group of people who become gripped by a sleepwalking epidemic; they won’t wake up, they won’t respond, and as more and more people amass into a flock and their loved ones join as shepherds, it becomes clear they’re intent on reaching an unknown destination. As the narrative expands, it becomes clear just how many things have simultaneously fractured across the country: a different pandemic threatens to extinguish human life, an extremist group is rapidly expanding, and a predictive AI may be the most powerful figure of all.
The first book tracks the apocalypse, and without giving too much away, the second tells the story of what happens after. Much like Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven, the collapse is narrated from the third-person shifting perspective of people experiencing the events in real time, often as pilgrims, and their stories tackle survival, trauma, and loss.It’s a journey through every worst-case scenario in our modern lives where survival is predicated on the strength of the human spirit, and it leaves you breathless by the time you reach the final page.
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4
‘Noumena’
By Lindsay Ellis
The Noumena Series by Lindsay Ellis.Images via Macmillan Publishers
First contact is a foundational pillar of science fiction, and alternate histories are a core subgenre – but combining the two is very rarely done, as it’s incredibly difficult to merge the imaginary nature of alien life we haven’t encountered yet with plausible real-world geopolitical stakes. That’s what makes the Noumena series so extraordinary; Axiom’s End takes the lofty ideal of first contact and drops it into ordinary 2007 American life by presenting it as a cover-up by the sitting presidential administration, which pans out exactly the way it would have in that year, down to the last cultural detail. By covering all the bases of plausibility in the first book, Lindsay Ellis sets the stage to examine all the larger implications of extraterrestrial life on Earth with stunning authority.
The latter books explore the definitions of citizenship, the very real possibility of backlash, threats posed by a common enemy, and the role of media and celebrity in influencing our everyday lives. But while the events of each book feel plausible – probable, even – communication between human and non-human species is conducted through a transfer of emotions, which layers in a deeply relatable sentimentality as the bond between the two grows closer and the series progresses. It’s an exploration of what humanity really means in the context of life beyond what we know, yet it’s grounded in a strikingly similar world to the one we live in.
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5
‘Remembrance of Earth’s Past’
By Cixin Liu
The Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy by Cixin Liu.Images via Tor Publishing Group
Before 3 Body Problem became a big-budget hit on Netflix, Remembrance of Earth’s Past was a global phenomenon in print. The trilogy begins during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, when a disillusioned astrophysicist discovers a way to broadcast a message into space using the sun as an amplifier. Eight years later, she receives a response from the planet Trisolaris saying not to contact them again or Earth will be invaded, as their system will soon be destroyed by its three chaotic suns – the classical three-body problem of physics – and her response is, more or less, bring it.
A half century later, a string of high-profile scientists commit suicide, which causes shocking facts to be uncovered. The Trisolarians are 50 years into their 450-year journey to Earth; Trisolarian microcomputers have been spying on humanity and stunting the planet’s scientific development to ensure dominance; and the organization the astrophysicist founded to help them has been split into factions that either want them destroyed or have been recruiting sympathizers for decades. Humanity is forced to reckon with itself and try every solution to stop the Trisolarians before it’s too late – and over an 18-million-year timeline spanning three books, the conflict unfolds in ways you would never imagine.
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6
‘The Water City Trilogy’
By Chris McKinney
The Water City Trilogy by Chris McKinney.Images via Penguin Random House
Noir is one of the greatest subgenres ever, but it’s exceptionally great when it’s sci-fi noir. TheWater City Trilogy is a perfect three-book noir-tinged plunge into a future climate dystopia where megacities are built underwater, the planet is recovering from a near-miss with an asteroid, and the woman who eliminated the threat is being hailed as the second coming. When she’s brutally murdered, her former head of security – a nameless synesthetic who’s now a detective on the police force – begins an investigation that pulls him into a set of events that spans decades, takes him from the bottom of the ocean to the moon, and puts everything he loves in jeopardy.
It starts with a comforting detective procedural vibe, which remains a steady but less-present force as the stakes grow higher over the course of the series. As things tilt towards full-on post-apocalypse, it’s hard not to be drawn to the nameless noir shadow who’s constantly fighting for justice in a world where nothing is clear, and everything has consequences. And there’s absolutely nothing that can prepare you for the thrilling twist that leads to the page-turner insanity that is the final book, Sunset, Water City.
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7
‘Robopocalypse’
By Daniel H. Wilson
Robopocalypse and Robogenesis by Daniel H. Wilson.Images via Penguin Random House
I’ve read more than my fair share of robot-based science fiction, and absolutely nothing compares to the brilliance of Robopocalypse and its sequel, Robogenesis, which have held a spot in my top five for well over a decade. Much like its contemporary, World War Z by Max Brooks, the first book is an oral history of the war between humans and robots from zero hour onward, cobbled together from transcripts, interviews, testimonies, and logs by a human soldier who survived. What starts as a pretty clear-cut case of man versus machine is soon revealed to be AI using a virus to hijack machines, and as the story unfolds, the “Freeborn” robots who manage to break away from their hivemind begin to join the humans in their fight.
The second book features just as many characters and still serves as a record of war, but uses third-person chapters to pick up right after the war has ended – or so they thought, as the human, robot, and hybrid alliance quickly find themselves up against a much more dangerous threat. Former robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson masterfully delivers a two-part crash course on what could actually happen if AI tries to take control in the most realistic way possible, and delivers a tale of human resiliency at its finest. And one day, it’ll eventually find its way to the big screen where it belongs.
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8
‘Southern Reach Series’
By Jeff VanderMeer
The Southern Reach Series by Jeff VanderMeer.Images via Macmillan Publishers
It is incredibly difficult to describe the groundbreaking, awe-inspiring, utterly bizarre cosmic horror world of the Southern Reach Series. Loosely, the original trilogy focuses on Area X, a coastal region being consumed by an alien presence and plagued by inexplicable phenomena, and Southern Reach, the secret agency that manages expedition teams – consisting of a biologist, anthropologist, psychologist, and surveyor – to the rapidly expanding area. The first book – Annihilation, which was adapted into a movie starring Natalie Portman that has recently found a second life with fans – depicts an expedition, the second book documents the collapse of Southern Reach, and the third book ties all the narratives together and tracks a final mission to the area.
From the start, everything about this series has been different. Jeff VanderMeer‘s editor rewrote the rules of publishing in 2014 by rapidly releasing the original trilogy in eight months; then, a decade later, the trilogy became a series with the publication of a surprise fourth book, a prequel that fills in some of the missing backstory, and a fifth release was announced for 2027. The lack of a real plot summary here isn’t because the books aren’t amazing – they unquestionably are – but because the series is best experienced with an open mind to start and a willingness to spend hours on Reddit once you’re done.
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Release Date
May 5, 2023
Network
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Apple TV
Showrunner
Graham Yost
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Directors
Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino
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Writers
Graham Yost, Hugh Howey, Jeffery Wang, Lekethia Dalcoe
Jennifer Lopez has once again proven that beauty is ageless as she posed, leaving little to the imagination in a bathtub photo.
The singer shared the sizzling shot in a carousel featuring other stunning images of her and her sister ahead of her 57th birthday.
Jennifer Lopez also recently celebrated her children graduating from high school and passing their entry exams into college with a photo dump from their graduation event.
Lopez is living her best life and maintaining beauty even as she approaches her 57th birthday. Over the weekend, the “This Is Me…Now” singer took to Instagram to share moments from a recent trip with her sister, Lynda Lopez, in commemoration of both their birthdays.
The pair are only two years apart, as Lynda turned 55 on June 14, while Lopez celebrates her 57th birthday on Friday, July 24. In the post, the sisters were photographed attending Wimbledon in London, as well as a D&G fashion show in Italy earlier this month.
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The carousel also included more personal photos of the multi-hyphenate superstar and her sister helping themselves to a dessert in a hotel bathroom, with Lopez taking a dip in the tub.
“A double birthday sister trip is always a good idea!! I love you, Lynnie!! Happy birthday!!” she captioned the post.
Fans Gush Over The Actress’s Snaps With Her Sister
Fans were left stunned by the singer’s photos, with many praising her for her ageless beauty while also leaving kind words for her sister, Lynda.
A person wrote, “Damn, that first pic is everything. Glad you had the best time here in Europe, love having you here.”
“Damn, you so fine, mummy. You look 20 years old,” another fan commented, while a third noted, “Happy birthday beautiful!! You deserve all the happiness in the world.”
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One more person stated, “Happy birthday to both of you!!!! I hope you are very happy today as you celebrate on your birthday and always!!!”
Jennifer Lopez Says Hollywood Had To ‘Realize’ That Women ‘Get Sexier’ With Age
Lopez has always been aware that age has nothing to do with a woman’s beauty, and in fact, brings it to full bloom.
In a 2023 chat with Elle Magazine, she spoke about how Hollywood has grown to appreciate actresses of all ages after only realizing women “get sexier” with the passing of time.
“It has changed a lot, and I think it’s appropriate,” she said. “As you get older and you have more experience, you become a richer human being, and you have more to offer. The idea of, ‘There’s nothing really valuable about watching a woman over 30’ is so ridiculous; it’s the opposite of right. It just makes me laugh.”
Lopez continued, “People have realized that women just get sexier as they get older. They get more learned and more rich with character. All of that is very beautiful and attractive, and not just physically, but on the inside, the beauty that you gain as you get older, the wisdom you gain.”
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At the time, Lopez expressed that she plans to stay active in Hollywood for “as long as” she wants to and will still be beautiful at that.
“I don’t know what that age is,” she said. “It might be 70, it might be 80, it might be 90, I don’t know. But I know that it’s there for me if I want it, and I want to create it.”
Inside The Singer’s Relationship With Her Sister Over The Years
Meanwhile, Lopez has always been open about her close relationship with Lynda, and the pivotal role her family, including mom Guadalupe, her dad David, and elder sister Leslie, played to help her rise to the top in her pop career.
The “Hustlers” actress particularly shares a close relationship with Lynda, who’s an Emmy Award-winning radio and TV journalist in her own right.
In a 2013 chat with Cosmopolitan, Lopez sang her praises, especially on how she raised her child, Lucie, at the time.
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“I just love and respect her so much. She’s a single mom, but not like I’m a single mom,” she told the news outlet, per Hello! Magazine, adding, “I have a lot of help; she doesn’t.”
“I always ask, ‘Do you need anything?’” she continued. “And she’s like, ‘I’m good.’ But I know she’s exhausted.”
As is quite typical among siblings growing up, Lynda shared that Lopez and Leslie would often gang up against her and give her the whooping of her life.
“When we were kids, the two of them would beat up on me ’cause I’m the youngest,” the journalist said, as per People.
However, Lopez clarified, “We were all very close in age. She’s a year and a half younger than me, okay?”
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Both sisters have since grown closer, with the “Office Romance” star calling the journalist her “ride or die” in a touching Instagram tribute to Lynda in 2021.
“You light the world and show me what’s possible, and are my inspiration always. Sometimes I can’t believe I was so lucky that God put the beautiful soul that is you into my life,” she captioned the post.
Since The Simpsons first kicked off back in 1989, couch gags have been an iconic episode-opening staple. Over the years, the team behind the show has collaborated with numerous writers, animators, and artists, creating surprising crossovers with other popular works. While every couch gag holds a special place in my heart, I’d argue that the most memorable iteration came from 2010’s “MoneyBart,” as part of a collaboration with the cryptic political artist Banksy.
Even if you’re not familiar with Banksy by name, you’ve surely crossed paths with his work. The anonymous British artist has delivered numerous thought-provoking pieces, often providing some cutting social commentary or political undertone. He’s about as anti-establishment as an artist can be, so you can understand why it came as a shock when he agreed to collaborate with one of the most well-known cartoons in the history of the world. After all, tagging your name on a Fox branded series doesn’t exactly scream “down with capitalism.”
A brief glance at the intro sequence, which has been making the rounds on social media lately, will quickly clear up any questions you might have about Banksy’s agenda. Rather than using the platform to deliver a fun, simple gag about the yellow family kicking their feet up in front of the TV, Banksy offered an extremely dark critique of the animation industry, the network, and the nature of mass-produced art on the whole. The full gag is nearly two minutes in length, but it feels like a lifetime as you watch in twisted horror at the scathing repudiation of mainstream television.
Not Your Average Couch Gag
The couch gag opens on the usual cloud-first drop into Springfield, but quickly goes off the rails. As soon as the Simpson family takes to the couch, we zoom out to see individual cartoon frames being animated in an Asian sweatshop. Miserable workers toil in squalid conditions, as children paste the film together using vats of toxic waste. Beneath the sweatshop, we see that Simpsons merchandise is made under similar soul-crushing conditions, with adorable kittens being woodchippered to stuff mass-produced Bart plushies.
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Other instances of animal abuse are rampant in the supply chain, with panda bears being whipped, decapitated dolphins applying packing tape, and a shackled, sickly unicorn used as a crude method of cutting DVDs to size. The whole thing is deeply disturbing, uncomfortably funny, and uniquely self-reflective, even by Simpsons standards. It all wraps up with a 20th Century Fox logo surrounded by barbed wire fences and dystopian watchtowers, à la George Orwell‘s 1984.
Series executive producer and longtime showrunner Al Jean described the process of linking up with Banksy during a 2010 interview with The New York Times, and revealed the ways in which Fox was apprehensive about airing the segment. Despite arguing that “Fox has been very gracious about us biting the hand that feeds us,” Jean explained that the network demanded several changes “for taste.” When asked what specifically was cut before the segment made it to air, the Harvard alumnus said, “It was even a little sadder. But I would have to say almost all of it stayed in. We were thrilled. It was funny, I watched Mad Men last night, and I wondered if this was my Don Draper letter to The New York Times. I knew just how he felt.”
The original storyboards for the couch gag are available to view on Banksy.blog, so you can see for yourself exactly what was changed before animation. The most notable change is the absence of the propaganda poster depicting Fox founder Rupert Murdoch. Al Jean claims that axing the jab toward Murdoch was the only non-negotiable point for the network, while he himself objected to the unicorn dying on camera.
Luckily, the episode eventually made it to air without any serious threats of cancellation, and Al Jean still works as a writer and producer on The Simpsons to this day. Still, it seems unlikely that Disney will allow any returning Banksy collabs of this sort in the near future.
Psychological horrors are all well and good, but sometimes you need something that disturbs you immediately, and leaves you feeling disquieted long after the film is over. If that’s what you’re looking for, the Korean “zombie” movie, 2016’s The Wailing, is just the film. It keeps you guessing every step of the way with its complicated storyline.
Heats Up Quickly And Never Lets Up
The Wailing focuses on a policeman, Officer Jong-goo (Kwak Do-won), in a remote village in Korea. Shortly after a mysterious Japanese man enters the village, some strange infection breaks out in the area, leaving villagers who contract it deranged and murderous. Many end up killing their families in a fit of rage. Jong-goo’s daughter, Hyo-jin (Kim Hwan-hee) ends up becoming one of the infected. Growing desperate, Jong-goo starts to target the Japanese man (Jun Kunimura) after a local hunter and the mysterious Moo-myeong (Chun Woo-hee) tell him about some of the man’s strange behaviors.
Working with a deacon, Yang I-sam (Kim Do-yoon), and a shaman, Il-gwang (Hwang Jung-min), Jong-goo works hard to save his daughter and stop evil from taking over his village, if only he could find out how.
Na Hong-jin’s Past And Future Work
The original name of The Wailing is Gokseong in Korean. Those who watched the film might have noticed that this is the name of the village. However, in Korean, the word also means “wail.” Both commercially and critically, The Wailing was considered a success. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics gave the movie an impressive average score of 99 percent. Audience members enjoyed the movie as well, giving it an 81 percent.
Na Hong-jin was both the writer and director for The Wailing, which was his third feature film. He has done a few other impressive movies as well, including The Chaser, The Medium, and The Yellow Sea.
Na Hong-jin is also the writer for another film, Hope, whihc saw its Cannes release on May 17, 2026, followed by its South Korean debut on July 15. It has a similar premise to The Wailing: “A mysterious discovery is made on the outskirts of the remote harbor town. The residents find themselves in a desperate fight for survival against something they have never encountered before.”
With the plot sounding so similar, it will be interesting to see how the director spins his new film to make it different from The Wailing. With no official stateside release date yet, though, fans of this director will have to wait a little longer to access the film through streaming or on-demand viewing.
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A Cut Above Your Average Zombie Movie
The Wailing is full of twists and turns as you go along with Jong-goo to learn who the real villain is. The twists sometimes make for a confusing story that not all audience members will be able to follow along with. Still, those who managed to follow along, or understood all of the twists later, found the story interesting and detailed, with some parts left open so viewers could decide for themselves what happened.
Most interestingly, The Wailing appears to be a zombie movie right off the bat, setting it up for undead creatures. However, as viewers continue watching, they realize that isn’t quite right, and that there’s much more going on under the surface. It covers several different genres of stories but focuses heavily on Christian themes, such as demons and angels.
If you want to watch this disturbing movie for yourself, The Wailing is currently streaming for free though Xumo Play, Sling TV, and Philo. For those always on the hunt for new horror movies, this movie did so well that it was included in Letterboxd’s top 250 horror films.
Netflix has a bit of a mixed track record with sitcoms, but the streamer has a fair few comedic hits under its belt, from the more traditional shows like The Upshaws and Big Mouth to the more tragi-comic like BoJack Horseman, which plays with the format. They’ve also tried their hand at revisiting a fair few classics over the years. The reboot of Arrested Development in 2013 represented one of the platform’s first big splashes, paving the way for other attempts at recapturing the magic of beloved series with Fuller House, One Day at a Time, and the short-lived but well-received That ’90s Show, among others. Now, the streaming giant is about to return to the grounds of Hillman College for the first time in over 30 years.
September 24 will mark the return of A Different World with a new generation of students stepping onto the campus of the historically Black college where Whitley (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kareem Hardison) once roamed. The series will now focus on the couple’s daughter, Deborah Wayne (Maleah Joi Moon), a big-hearted free spirit looking to figure out her path out of her lovingly sheltered life with her parents. Hillman represents the perfect chance for her to grab the spotlight among a diverse class including criminal justice majors, athletes, psych students, and others shaping their own values away from home. Of course, her family is still around to support her too, with both Guy and Hardison returning alongside Cree Summer as Freddie Brooks, and Darryl M. Bell as Ron Johnson.
Ahead of the premiere, Netflix today unveiled a proper first look at the series, primarily showcasing all the new students at Hillman for the fresh semester. Among them is what looks to be a new central couple, as Deborah cozies up with five-star athlete Shaquille Johnson (Cornell Young IV), who is leaning on legacy at the college. The two make for a sweet pair, but they’re also joined by plenty of new friends, from first-gen student Rashida Duvall (Alijah Kai) to Amir Rodale (Jordan Aaron Hall), who is much more suited to solving others’ problems than addressing his own, the church-raised Hazel Henry (Kennedi Reece), and last but not least, Ghanaian‑Nigerian fashion entrepreneur Kojo Achebe (Chibuikem Uche), who is building up the courage to chase his dreams. As the images show, this is a group that will be followed through highs, lows, a lot of laughs, and all the rituals of college in a light-hearted, layered showcase of Black experience. However, a few shots also spotlight Whitley, Dwayne, and their friends as they find new ways to enjoy life beyond Hillman.
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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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Who Is Behind the ‘A Different World’ Reboot?
Felicia Pride will get her chance to shine as a creator and showrunner for the first time with the A Different World sequel. She’s built up a strong resume as a writer on television, penning episodes of Grey’s Anatomy, Bel-Air, and Queen Sugar. In addition to her duties bringing the next chapter of Hillman College to life, she’s also an executive producer, joining returning director and six-time Emmy winner Debbie Allen and her fellow A Different World veterans Tom Werner, Reggie Rock Bythewood, and Gina Prince-Bythewood. Rounding out the team is Mandy Summers.
A Different World premieres on Netflix on September 24. Check out the first images in the gallery above.
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Release Date
1987 – 1993-00-00
Directors
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Henry Chan, Glynn Turman, Kadeem Hardison, David Blackwell, Kim Friedman, Michael Peters, Peter Werner, Christopher Hibler, Jasmine Guy, Jay Sandrich, John Whitesell, Matthew Diamond
Writers
Yvette Lee Bowser, Thad Mumford, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Judi Ann Mason, Adriana Trigiani, Scott S. Gorden, Jeffrey Duteil, Orlando Jones, Bill Cosby, Matt Williams, Steven Peterman, Karen Kennedy, Joe Gannon, Gary Dontzig, Carmen Finestra, Susan Fales-Hill
When Jordan Peele first hung up his hat as a comedy sketch performer, I mourned like I was losing a personal friend. I couldn’t believe that one half of the comedic duo behind Key & Peele would make a career pivot that would deprive the world of such abject hilarity. Then, when Peele began churning out horror films such as Get Out and Us, I was forced to humbly accept that the filmmaker had grown into a career that eclipsed sketch comedy entirely. To paraphrase a line from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, Jordan Peele is no longer going for laughs… he’s going for gasps.
One of Peele’s latest and greatest efforts, Nope, is currently streaming on Netflix. The film blends science fiction, western noir, horror, and a few moments of dark comedy into a near-perfect concoction of distilled creativity unlike anything I’ve ever seen. His own list of influences that inspired this movie includes heavy hitters like The Wizard of Oz, Jaws, Jurassic Park, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs.
Horses, Clouds, And A Failing Business
In case you haven’t seen it yet, Nope follows a pair of siblings named OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) as they take on the family ranching business. Their family has been training and loaning horses for film productions since the earliest days of moving pictures, though the rise of CGI is causing business to slow significantly. To make matters worse, their father, played by a criminally underrated Keith David, drops dead after a mysterious freak accident causes metallic objects to fall from the sky.
Just across the ridge, a former child star named Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun) is opening up an old West-themed amusement park, where he plans to put up rides, games, and put on nightly shows for visiting families. Park insists on buying off OJ and Emerald’s horses, though the siblings refuse to shut down their family business. As the neighbors go back and forth, they come to realize something strange is haunting their rural area, leading them on a wild goose chase against a mysterious cloud.
A Bona Fide Modern Sci-Fi Horror Classic
Nope is the kind of movie that works best when you go in completely blind, so I’m going to try to keep everything else as vague as possible. Suffice it to say, the movie monster that arrives in the latter half of the film is so creatively dreamed up, it can’t be compared to anything I’ve ever seen committed to the big screen. This movie has Keke Palmer exuding pure, unadulterated charisma; it has horseback combat against an otherworldly beast, it has a killer ape on a rampage, it has a live-action Akira motorcycle slide done to absolute perfection. Are you not entertained?
For my money, Nope might be among the best movies on the entire Netflix platform. It currently touts an 83 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, and numerous accolades as one of the best horror films of the 21st century. Pound for pound, I’d still put Get Out just a little higher on my list of Jordan Peele flicks, but, perhaps quixotically, I actually like Daniel Kaluuya’s performance in Nope better. This one is a must-watch, especially if you never had the chance to see it in theaters.
It’s a new era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and certainly a new era for Tom Holland‘s Spider-Man. After “Peter Parker” has been erased from the minds of those in the MCU, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is about to introduce audiences to a new take on the web-slinger as he navigates life in New York City apart from his entire support system. With trailers that echo many of the most iconic Spider-Man comic book covers and a title that does the same, we’ve put together a list of Spidey comics that you ought to give a shot.
Before Brand New Day swings into theaters, brush up on your Marvel knowledge with these popular Spider-Man stories that will have you in the mood to read more. From single issues of The Amazing Spider-Man to multi-issue arcs that changed the character’s status quo, we’ve got a little bit of everything for die-hard wall-crawler enthusiasts. So get those web-shooters ready, because here comes your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man!
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Spider-Man: Coming Home (2001)
Spider-Man crouched in the rain in Marvel ComicsImage via Marvel Comics
Not to be confused with the first Tom Holland movie, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Coming Home was an arc penned by J. Michael Straczynski (the guy who made Babylon 5, a sci-fi classic that has aged like fine wine) during his highly-popular run with the character. With this six-part return to form, Straczynski re-examined Spidey’s origins and begins moving Peter in a bold (and profound) creative direction. It’s the type of Spidey story perfect for newcomers who are already familiar with the basics.
Coming Home (also called “The Spider Totem” by many) is a strong beginning chapter to Stracynski’s multi-year run on Amazing Spider-Man. Peter’s discovery that his powers may not have been an accident, but destiny is a stunning revelation that sets the stage for the next arc on this list. Oh, and did we mention that this is a period of separation for Peter and MJ? Yet another reason to give it a read ahead of Brand New Day.
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Spider-Man: The Other (2005)
Spider-Man in the moonlight on the cover of ‘Spider-Man: The Other’Image via Marvel Comics
Long before the MCU, Marvel Comics was already taking cues from the brand’s most successful live-action outings. In the case of Stracynski’s “The Other,” Spider-Man undergoes a transformation that gives him organic webs, increases his strength, and offers him an array of unusual spider abilities he didn’t have before (including stingers!). Considering this is one comic that could offer insight into Peter’s transformation in Brand New Day, fans shouldn’t leave it off the list.
The Other was a 12-part, four-act crossover that took place across several books: The Amazing Spider-Man#525–528, Marvel Knights Spider-Man#19–22, and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man#1–4. Collected editions make this an easier read, but for those hoping to track down those individual issues, be sure to consult some online resources to discover the official reading order. While some of the changes made to Peter’s power set were reversed following the next arc on this list, The Other is a wild ride that makes for a fun swing.
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Spider-Man: One More Day (2007)
A spread from Amazing Spider-Man #544, depicting Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s relationship.Image via Marvel Comics
Spider-Man: One More Dayis the most hated Spider-Man story ever written, and for good reason. It’s an abomination that reset Spidey to his “default” setting and stripped the character of all the major growth and change he endured during Straczynski’s larger Amazing Spider-Man run — it even undoes one of the most perfect Spidey comics out there. It’s a real tragedy that has yet to be undone by Marvel, and it continues to be despised by fans everywhere. That said, it’s pretty relevant to the latest MCU picture.
At the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter is forced to give up his happy life with MJ (Zendaya), much like Peter and Mary Jane are forced to give up their marriage to save Aunt May in this story here. It sets the stage for the “Brand New Day” arc that would follow, as well as Spider-Man’s new place within the Marvel Universe. While Straczynski famously didn’t agree with the final direction of One More Day (that was Joe Quesada‘s doing), it has had major ramifications in Spider-Man comics for the past 20 years.
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“Denial” From Peter Parker: Spider-Man #14 (1999)
Hulk attacking Spider-Man in front of a train in Marvel ComicsImage via Marvel Comics
With Mark Ruffalo‘s Bruce Banner/Hulk returning for Brand New Day, we thought it would be fun to revisit one of Spidey’s most memorable tussles with the Green Goliath in Marvel Comics. For that, we turned to “Denial,” a story from the pages of Peter Parker: Spider-Man#14, in which a grief-stricken Spidey — who believes Mary Jane has been killed — takes out all his rage, anger, and pain on the Hulk. Written by Howard Mackie with art by the magnificent John Romita Jr., “Denial” is an excellent one-and-done tale that will have you weeping with the wall-crawler.
While Spidey and the Hulk have battled one another before — and certainly have fought at each other’s sides as well — this issue of Peter Parker: Spider-Man takes the cake for their on-page squabbles. For one thing, it’s perhaps the most emotionally-driven Spider-Man vs. Hulk (whose solo outing is a Marvel movie better than its given credit for) battle on the list, but secondly, it’s a story about grief and understanding that feels quite relevant to the plot of Brand New Day. Don’t miss out on this one before these two Marvel icons are united on the big screen.
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Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
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Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
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⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
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01
What drives you to do what’s right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
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02
It’s 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you’d think.
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03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What’s yours?
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04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
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05
You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
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06
What’s your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
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08
When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
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09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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10
The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
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Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
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Queens, New York
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
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You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
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You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
Stark Industries, Malibu
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
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You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.
New York City
💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
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You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
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You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
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You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
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“The Punisher Strikes Twice!” From The Amazing Spider-Man #129 (1973)
Spider-Man and the Punisher come to blows during Amazing Spider-Man #129. Art by Ross Andru.Image via Marvel Comics
In addition to the Hulk’s return in Brand New Day, Spider-Man will also be joined by Jon Bernthal‘s Frank Castle, aka The Punisher. Hot off The Punisher: One Last Kill, Frank is back in action for Spidey’s latest big-screen outing. With that being the case, there’s no reason not to go back and revisit their first comic book appearance together (and Punisher’s first period) in “The Punisher Strikes Twice!” Penned by Gerry Conway with art by Ross Andru for The Amazing Spider-Man #129, this 19-page tale introduced Punisher as an antagonistic force who eventually discovers that Spidey isn’t really his enemy (go figure).
“The Punisher Strikes Twice!” is an important story not just because it was the first appearance of the Punisher, but because it had ripple effects on Spider-Man comics still seen today. It was also the introduction of the Jackal, a long-time, intelligent enemy of the web-slinger who had been active in comics for some time as Professor Miles Warren before revealing his green-costumed appearance here. Still, the main feature here is The Punisher, who is as bold-headed, violent, and persistent as ever.
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2008)
Spider-Man pulling on his mask on the cover of ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’Image via Marvel Comics
The comic book story arc that the new MCU film takes its name from,Brand New Day is probably the most direct source of inspiration for this new solo Spidey outing. Marvel’s post-“One More Day” initiative for Spidey and his supporting cast, the title, “Brand New Day,” was printed on the cover of every issue of The Amazing Spider-Man from #546 to #564, though many consider the arc to last through #647. With a rotating roster of writers and artists, Marvel revamped Spider-Man comics while taking Peter back to his more traditional status quo.
Even if you hated One More Day (and still do, like this author), Brand New Day is a fun Peter-centric Spidey arc that allows the character to exist as many of us know him well into his adulthood. Back to being a bachelor, he struggles with finances, wrestles with his superheroics, and has returned to mechanical web-shooters. Nobody remembers Peter’s secret identity after Civil War either (still considered one of the greatest Marvel stories of all time), which is probably the biggest crossover between comics and the screen.
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Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962)
Spider-Man swinging on the cover of Amazing Fantasy #15 in Marvel ComicsImage via Marvel Comics
For those who haven’t already tracked it down, Amazing Fantasy#15 is the very first appearance of Spider-Man. Penned by Stan Lee with art by Steve Ditko, the final issue of Amazing Fantasy sparked the wildfire that was Marvel’s signature superhero. While the character would quickly graduate to his own book with The Amazing Spider-Man #1, it was this first tale (simply titled “Spider-Man!”) that is at the very foundation of the Peter Parker character.
While it’s unlikely that Amazing Fantasy #15 will heavily factor into Brand New Day, this short 11-page adventure deserves the spotlight. Lee and Ditko likely had no idea what they had done by bringing the web-slinger to life, nor how it would change their lives and careers forever. With an iconic cover drawn by Jack Kirby himself, Amazing Fantasy #15 is the comic we have to thank for all the Spider-Man movies we’ve been blessed with since.
Cynthia Addai Robinson in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of PowerImage via Prime Video
2026 is a great time to be a fan of The Lord of the Rings, with multiple new releases on the horizon in the next few years. The first big project that immediately comes to mind is the new Lord of the Rings movie, The Hunt for Gollum, starring and directed by Andy Serkis. Serkis just announced last week that production was officially underway on The Hunt for Gollum, which should leave the film little trouble hitting its planned December 17, 2027, release date — it’s currently scheduled to open on the same day as Avengers: Secret Wars. Additional cast members for The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum include Anya Taylor-Joy as Seren, Leo Woodall as Halvard, Kate Winslet as Marigol, Elijah Wood as Frodo, Lee Pace as Thranduil, Ian McKellen as Gandalf, and Jamie Dornan as Aragorn.
Before The Hunt for Gollum arrives in theaters next year, though, there is another Lord of the Rings release coming much sooner. Set to return on November 11 is The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the prequel series set thousands of years before the events of Peter Jackson’s original film trilogy. Prime Video has put out two full seasons of The Rings of Power since its debut in 2022, and the show has already been officially renewed for Season 4, which is expected to air sometime in 2028. This afternoon, Empire Magazine officially released the first look image of Sauron (played by Charlie Vickers) in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3. Concept art of Gandalf facing off against the fearsome Mûmak has also been released courtesy of artist Carlos Huante.
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Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
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🔥Gandalf
🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
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🪨Gollum
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01
You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
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02
Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
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03
Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
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04
What does “home” mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
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05
When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
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06
Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it’s knowing which questions to ask.
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07
How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
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08
Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
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09
You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
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10
When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
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The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
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🌿 Samwise
👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
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⚒️ Gimli
👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
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You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don’t have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you’d do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
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You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
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Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don’t do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
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You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you’re not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
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Is ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’ The Most Expensive TV Show Ever?
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is certainly one of the most expensive TV shows ever made. It’s estimated that the first two seasons alone have already cost Prime Video more than $1 billion, with the show seemingly receiving a blank check for whatever it needs to get across the finish line. Prime Video is also responsible for another of the most expensive shows in TV history, Citadel, the spy thriller starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas that returned for Season 2 earlier this year.
Check out the first two seasons of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Prime Video and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Season 3.
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Release Date
September 1, 2022
Network
Amazon Prime Video
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Showrunner
John D. Payne, Patrick McKay, Louise Hooper, Charlotte Brändström, Wayne Yip
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Writers
Patrick McKay, John D. Payne, J.R.R. Tolkien, Justin Doble, Jason Cahill, Gennifer Hutchison, Stephany Folsom, Nicholas Adams
Since The Sopranos concluded back in 2007, series creator David Chase has remained mostly quiet. Sure, he’s stepped outside for anniversary events, wrote the Sopranos sequel film The Many Saints Of Newark, and even directed a very underwhelming family drama titled Not Fade Away in 2012. Mostly, though, he’s remained as cryptic and shadowed as possible, coasting on the success of TV’s greatest show. Things seem to be changing, however, now that Chase is promoting his new miniseries Project: MKUltra.
Per Variety, David Chase began openly toying with some new project ideas during a recent appearance at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic. While addressing the crowd, the seven-time Emmy winner explained “I’d like to do a story … about four people, Italian Americans, going back to the old country, and what surprises they have in store for them.” This idea was apparently inspired by Lorraine Bracco, who portrayed Dr. Melfi in The Sopranos, after she purchased some extremely cheap property in Italy.
A Fish Out Of Water Scenario
Chase says he’s interested in exploring this idea, where a group of Sopranos-style guidos move overseas to capitalize on cheap Italian real estate, only to learn that they’re not as authentically Italian as they thought. “This happens a lot lately,” Chase said to the crowd, “Italian Americans who buy property in Italy … all kinds of Americans are buying these houses and moving there because things in our country are questionable.” He even stated that he’s interested in joining forces with some of his previous collaborators, including John Magaro, Jack Huston, Will Brill and Bella Heathcote.
If you’re a Sopranos super-fan, this premise should sound all too familiar. Chase previously explored themes of clashing Italian-American identity in the Sopranos season 2 episode “Commendatori.” During that episode, Tony Soprano, Paulie Gualtieri, and Chris Moltisanti pack their bags and head to the boot for the very first time, hoping to close a few new deals with their connected friends from overseas. In doing so, they experience some serious culture shock, trip over their Americanized Italian accents, and meet Furio, who later joins the North Jersey crew.
Ironically, David Chase himself has a cameo in the “Commendatori” episode. He plays a snooty Italian who sticks his nose up at Paulie outside of an espresso shop. This interaction, and several others like it, make Paulie feel like a complete fish out of water, even though he’s identified as an Italian all his life. By the time the mobsters return home, they’re shocked to learn that they find more comfort in the presence of McDonald’s Golden Arches and Exxon Mobile gas stations than they do in front of Mount Vesuvius and the Trevi Fountain.
Personally, I’d really like to see David Chase follow through on this idea. I have my doubts about it turning out as groundbreaking as The Sopranos, but I’m certain there are millions of fans across the world that would love to get Chase’s comedic take on the state of modern politics, and the cultural divide between ‘real’ Italians and the gang you’d find pumping their fists on the Jersey shore boardwalk.
Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict have reportedly agreed to a written plan for co-parenting their two kids. According to a TMZ report, the new agreement cites terms involving custody exchange and how they approach each other’s private space. Neither of them has commented publicly on the updated deal.
New Agreement Reportedly Talks Of Custody & Visitation
TMZ cited court documents in their report about Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict. The ex-couple reportedly agreed that neither of them will visit each other’s home unless the other parent extends an invite or for an agreed-upon exchange of the kids. They share two children: a 15-year-old son, Cree, and an 8-year-old daughter, Cairo.
Additionally, it appears Tia Mowry has no issue with Cory being with their kids during her custodial time. However, he will have to reportedly spend that time “with both minor children,” per TMZ. There’s apparently an exception if the circumstances call for it. Moreover, the agreement gives Cory Hardrict a hard cutoff time of 9 p.m. to return their kids to her.
Recap Of Tia Mowry & Cory Hardrict’s Divorce
It’s unclear what situation, if any, sparked the new agreement between the co-parents. PEOPLE reports that reps for Tia Mowry and Cory Hardrict have not responded to a request for comment.
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However, they’re a few years removed from their divorce. Tia announced in October 2022 that she and Cory were splitting up after 14 years of marriage. She didn’t explain the reason, but her public statement acknowledged that it wasn’t an easy decision.
“These decisions are never easy, and not without sadness. We will maintain a friendship as we co-parent our beautiful children,” Mowry’s statement said.
Hardrict later denied that cheating was the reason for the breakup. They finalized their divorce the following year in April 2023, amid what would’ve been their 15th anniversary. At the time, they agreed on joint physical and legal custody of their Cairo and Cree and that neither parent would introduce a new partner to their kids before the six-month dating mark.
Tia Is Boo’ed Up & No Longer Hiding It!
Speaking of dating. In April, Tia Mowry turned heads after photos surfaced of her holding hands and kissing a mystery man. By then, she had already spoken about manifesting her new romance, being in love and even seemingly soft-launched him in some vacation photos.
However, after the viral photos in April, the new boo didn’t stay a mystery long. Within days, her new bae had been identified as Javoné Williams, an educator and publicly recognized artist. Since then, Tia Mowry has been less reserved with sharing her relationship. In May, she dropped a baecation dump showing her man’s entire face. Then last month, during a radio interview, she bragged about the quality of man Javoné is. Mowry praised his emotional intelligence and his intentionality, calling him a “wonderful human being.” She also revealed that he has kids in the same age range as hers. However, she didn’t say whether they’ve met each other’s children yet.
On Sunday, July 19, The Shade Room reposted footage of Fabolous apparently out and about in New York City. In the clip, Fab donned a bedazzled New York Yankees jersey, black shorts bedazzled with silver stones, and white Air Force 1 sneakers.
Check out the clip of his ‘fit below.
Social Media Users Are Mentioning Emily B While Goin’ IN On Fabolous’ Bedazzled ‘Fit
Subsequently, social media users reacted to Fabolous’ bedazzled ‘fit in TSR’s comment section. Additionally, some started mentioning Fab’s ex, Emily B., the mother of his three children.
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Instagram user @eeeeeeeeazy wrote, “Since Emily left his style ain’t been the same. 🤦🏽♂️”
While Instagram user @bb_qtshay added, “Bedazzling a jersey is wild”
Instagram user @hellokittieyes wrote, “I know Emily be scrolling and laughing 😂😂😂”
While Instagram user @thecutbosss added, “New York men dominated the bling look from Jim Jones to Fab ..to Diddy.. and it was the BLING era … ✨✨ it’s was the 2000’s not the 90’s lol”
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Instagram user @deucecaliber wrote, “Bedazzling the jersey is violence 😂😂”
While Instagram user @labels_ovar_love added, “Emily would have never let him wear this 😂😂”
Instagram user @tuggawolfie wrote, “I Seen Shiny Pants And Knew The Comments Was Finna Flame OG 😂”
While Instagram user @keepingupwithkearsten added, “And Emily DEFINITELY NOT styling him anymore 😂”
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Instagram user @bryttain_ wrote, “He dressed better when Emily was his stylist. No shade🙏🏾 Still fly as hell though and one of my favorite rappers 🗽”
While Instagram user @since_we_being_honest added, “Bejeweled jersey and shorts is mad crazy 😭”
Instagram user @ericafelder wrote, “I miss Emily styling him😩”
While Instagram user @hey_mama_miaaa added, “Now fab we gonna give you a pass and you only lol”
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Instagram user @_antoinettemg wrote, “Ain’t been the same since Emily smgdh”
Before Fabolous Donned His Bedazzled ‘Fit, Emily B Had Shared A Message About Their Daughter Journey
A few months before Fabolous turned heads with his bedazzled ‘fit, Emily B had shared a message about their youngest child, their daughter named Journey. As The Shade Room previously reported, on World Autism Day in April, Emily B shared a message, revealing that their youngest daughter has autism and is nonverbal. Additionally, B shared that Journey also has a rare condition called PHACE syndrome. Per Google Search, PHACE syndrome is a “rare congenital condition characterized by large facial infantile blood vessel birthmarks. Additionally, it also includes defects of the brain, heart, artery, and eyes.
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