Netflix’s cowboy hit Ransom Canyon hasn’t been renewed for a third season yet — but would every cast member be coming back?

Based on Jodi Thomas‘ book series of the same name, Ransom Canyon introduced Us to a town full of drama, romance and hope. The first season kicked off with stoic rancher Staten (Josh Duhamel) grieving two major losses while navigating an undeniable connection to childhood friend Quinn (Minka Kelly), who has also caught the eye of Staten’s brother-in-law and rival Davis (Eoin Macken).

There was also newcomer Yancy (Jack Schumacher), who had a past he was hiding from Ellie (Marianly Tejada). And if that wasn’t enough, viewers found themselves invested in another love triangle between high school students Lucas (Garrett Wareing), Lauren (Lizzy Greene) and Reid (Andrew Liner).

Season 2 turned the story up a notch with a baby, a sibling love triangle and several shocking splits. Showrunner April Blair teased to Us in July 2026 her vision for season 3 — including more potential cast shakeups.

Related: Meet the Hot Cowboys From Netflix‘s ‘Ransom Canyon‘

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“[There will] definitely [be] new faces,” Blair exclusively told Us. “I definitely want to learn more about Lucas and Kit’s parents. I feel like we’ve never really talked about that.”

Blair wanted to expand Lucas’ (Wareing) story, adding, “I really want to bring someone new to the canvas so that Lucas can have his own new experience and new love and just someone fun to shake things up.”

Outside of the Russell family, Blair hoped for more musical acts.

“Maybe we bring another version of a musical element to our story. Season 1, we had Charley Crockett performing in Gracie’s. And in season 2, we do this big blowout with the festival and Jordan Davis and Thomas Rhett,” she noted. “And what is a different version of bringing music to our show? Because I think it’s really integral.”

She continued: “Is it bringing someone who is a musician and is a character in the show? Quinn is building this musical mecca basically. She’s got Gracie’s and now she’s going to open the old theater. What does that bring to town and the new elements there?”

Blair hinted that the “possibilities are endless” for season 3.

Keep scrolling to see which stars are returning in a potential season 3 — and which aren’t:

Josh Duhamel

Ransom Canyon wouldn’t be Ransom Canyon without Duhamel as Staten.

Minka Kelly

Kelly is expected to play Quinn when Ransom Canyon returns.

Eoin Macken

Macken isn’t expected to reprise his role.

Lizzy Greene

Greene will be back as Lauren if the show returns for a third season.

Garrett Wareing

Wareing’s Lucas is expected to catch more of a break in a potential season 3 after facing challenges in past episodes.

Casey W. Johnson

After being promoted in season 2, Johnson will be back as Kit in the future.

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Marianly Tejada

Tejada a.k.a Ellie is going to be a main part of a potential third season.

Jack Schumacher

Schumacher is expected to be front and center since Yancy’s personal life was one of the major cliffhangers at the end of the season.

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Justin Johnson Cortez

Cortez’s character Kai will be expanded upon in future episodes of the hit series.

Andrew Liner

Liner was written off the show in season 2.

Steve Howey

Blair hinted that Levi could be back in the future on Ransom Canyon.

Marvel has officially revealed the actor who will carry the Black Panther mantle into the franchise’s next generation. During San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, director Ryan Coogler and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced that David Jonsson will play T’Challa’s adult son and the new Black Panther in the forthcoming third installment. The emotional casting reveal comes nearly six years after Chadwick Boseman’s death and four years after Letitia Wright’s Shuri assumed the superhero identity in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

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Coogler unveiled Jonsson as “our new Black Panther” while standing before a packed Comic-Con audience. The announcement immediately drew cheers and applause as the 32-year-old actor walked onto the stage. He joined Coogler, Feige, Wright, and Winston Duke in front of the crowd.

Jonsson placed one hand over his heart as he absorbed the enthusiastic reception from Marvel fans. “I want to say thank you so much,” he began, per a video going around on social media. “Thank you, Ryan. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you to this amazing family that I have the honor and privilege and blessing to join.”

The actor avoided revealing any significant details about the sequel and instead directed the audience’s attention toward the screen behind him. “I actually don’t want to say too much. Because I want to let this screen do the talking,” he explained, prompting another eruption from the crowd. “And believe me, the honor is entirely mine. Thank you.”

Who Is Marvel’s New Black Panther?

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Jonsson is already familiar to audiences through several major film and television projects. The British actor appeared in 2024’s “Alien: Romulus” and followed that performance with a role in “The Long Walk” in 2025. He also portrayed Augustus “Gus” Sackey in the HBO series “Industry.”

His “Black Panther” role places him at the center of one of Marvel’s most successful and culturally significant franchises. Jonsson will reportedly portray the adult son of Boseman’s T’Challa. The announcement did not include additional information about how the character will be introduced or how the story will address his age.

“Black Panther 3” is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 15, 2028.

Letitia Wright And Winston Duke Will Return

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Coogler will return to direct the third installment after previously overseeing both “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” Wright and Duke are confirmed to reprise their roles, although specific details about their characters’ involvement remain under wraps. Denzel Washington is also rumored to join the forthcoming film.

Wright previously assumed the Black Panther mantle as Shuri in “Wakanda Forever,” which was released in 2022 following Boseman’s death. The latest announcement did not explain what the change will mean for Shuri or how the two Black Panthers’ stories will connect in the sequel.

Chadwick Boseman Made T’Challa A Global Icon

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Boseman first appeared as T’Challa before leading the 2018 “Black Panther” movie. Directed by Coogler, the film also starred Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Martin Freeman.

“Black Panther” earned more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office and received numerous accolades. Its success transformed T’Challa into one of Marvel’s most recognizable heroes and made Boseman inseparable from the character for millions of fans. The actor died at his Los Angeles home on August 28, 2020, with his wife and family by his side. He was 43.

Boseman had been diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016. The disease later progressed to stage IV, but he kept his diagnosis private while continuing to work through surgeries and chemotherapy. He ultimately died from complications related to colon cancer.

Marvel chose not to recast Boseman’s version of T’Challa for “Wakanda Forever,” instead allowing the sequel to address the character’s death and the grief felt throughout Wakanda. Jonsson’s role as T’Challa’s son now gives the franchise a way to continue the character’s bloodline while preserving Boseman’s original portrayal.

Chadwick Boseman’s Family Is Fighting Over His Estate

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The casting announcement arrives days after reports of a legal dispute involving Boseman’s family and his widow, Taylor Simone Ledward Boseman. The late actor’s brothers, Kevin and Derrick Boseman, filed documents asking a Los Angeles court to remove Taylor as administrator of the estate. They accuse her of withholding information, delaying court-ordered distributions, and maintaining sole control over assets connected to Chadwick’s finances and legacy.

According to the filing obtained by TMZ, the brothers claim Taylor has kept the family uninformed about the estate despite a 2022 court order dividing its assets between her and Boseman’s parents, Leroy and Carolyn Boseman. The allegations have not been proven in court.

While that dispute continues outside the Marvel universe, Jonsson’s casting begins a new chapter for the screen legacy Boseman created.

The internet has kept a close eye on 21 Savage and Latto’s relationship for a minute, and now folks think they finally got a glimpse into their vibe. 21 dropped a SPICY message for Big Mama on social media, leaving fans gushing and saying they’re here for the energy!

RELATED: Beach Babes! Latto & Her Daughter Melt Hearts With Tropical Twinning Vibes In Matching Burberry ‘Fits (PHOTOS) 

21 Savage Comes Through With SPICY Shoutout For Latto & Fans Have Thoughts

21 Savage had folks online stopping mid-scroll after he showed Latto some love on Instagram. The rapper shared a clip from her ‘Okayyy’ music video featuring Doja Cat and let Big Mama know he was feeling what he saw as she showed off her post-baby body in the visuals. He took things a step further by asking if she was down to go 50/50 on another baby, writing, “Can we have another pleaseeeeeeee.” Latto hasn’t responded to 21’s request just yet, but fans already know the two share a baby girl, who they seemingly welcomed back in May. See 21 Savage’s message here. 

The Internet Weighs In After 21 Asks Big Mama For “Another One”

Once The Shade Room posted 21’s question for Latto, the comment section instantly went all the way UP! Plenty of fans said they were surprised to see him show her so much affection publicly since they have kept things lowkey for so long. Meanwhile, others joked that Big Mama is probably somewhere cheesing.

Instagram user @dre_highh wrote, “Dat Boy loud on the creek 😂”

Instagram user @mariahjsobad wrote, “Oh they bold with it now 👀” 

While Instagram user @zayum.ok.tay wrote, “This is the most he’s ever acknowledged her.”

Then Instagram user @tbarbieeee wrote, “Why they wanna be public all of a sudden 😭😭” 

Instagram user @maebeezy_ wrote, “HE NOT WRONGGGGG 😍😍😍😍” 

Another Instagram user @therealoshae wrote, “And y’all think it’s us and it really be them 😂 always tryna trap us with babies 😂” 

Instagram user @thecoreyshow wrote, “Slow down 21 Jonasi.” 

Then another Instagram user @cutie_achiever wrote, “I just love it when a man proud of his woman and showering her with love and attention 🤏🤏🤏” 

While another instagram user @elle_obsidian wrote, “Can you give her a ring 💍” 

Finally, Instagram user @britleynichole wrote, “Ik she somewhere smiling so hard 😂”

From Lowkey To Loud! A Look Into Big Mama & 21’s Love

Although fans were hype to see 21 Savage show Latto some love, this isn’t their first peek into the couple’s relationship. In August, 2025, fans got the confirmation they’ve were waiting for after photos appeared to show them vacationing together in St. Vincent. Shortly after that, Big Mama seemingly confirmed their status when TMZ asked if she was tired of people asking about 21. She responded, “Nope! My man, my man, my man.” From there, they both kept folks talking ahead of Latto’s ‘Big Mama’ album release on May 28. Latto teased 21’s appearance on the project by sharing a joint photo of a knife on Instagram. Fans later found out that 21 turned out to be on the album, appearing her track ‘Hostage.’

RELATED: Mother Of 21 Savage’s Two Sons Seemingly Shows Love To Latto After She Shares First Photos Of Her Baby Girl 

Kendall Jenner and Jacob Elordi are doing little to quiet speculation surrounding their reported romance. The pair was spotted sitting closely together at Chris Stapleton’s concert in Washington on Friday, adding another public outing to their growing relationship timeline. A now-viral TikTok captured Jenner and Elordi chatting in a VIP section near the stage while one stunned concertgoer loudly reacted to seeing the two celebrities together.

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Jenner and Elordi traveled to the Gorge Amphitheater to watch Stapleton perform as part of his 2026 All-American Road Show. Jenner held a drink as she spoke with the “Euphoria” actor, who remained seated closely beside her throughout the captured moment. After recognizing the rumored couple, one fan in attendance could be heard yelling, “No f-cking way!”

Jenner later posted a brief clip from Stapleton’s performance to her Instagram Stories, confirming that she attended Friday’s concert. However, she did not include Elordi in her own social media update.

Neither star has publicly defined the relationship in the supplied information.

The Rumored Couple Was Reportedly Dating Before Coachella

Jenner and Elordi initially attracted significant attention in April after they were reportedly spotted “making out” at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. However, one source claimed the relationship had already been developing for several months by that point.

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“They have been together for a couple of months already, and it’s going well,” the insider told the Daily Mail. “They were an item as far back as early February, so it’s been a while. It helps that they have both been in Los Angeles a lot for the past couple of months, it has really given them time to bond.”

The pair was also photographed mingling at the Vanity Fair Oscar party in March, shortly after they reportedly began dating. Their growing number of outings suggests that they have gradually become more comfortable spending time together in public, even if they have not formally announced the romance.

Kylie Jenner Allegedly Played Matchmaker

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Kylie Jenner reportedly helped encourage her older sister to pursue Elordi. The makeup mogul was around the actor during awards season through her relationship with Timothée Chalamet. Elordi had been nominated for “Frankenstein,” while Chalamet was nominated for “Marty Supreme.”

“Kylie was around Jacob a lot during Timothee [Chalamet’s] award season marathon because Jacob was nominated for ‘Frankenstein’ and Timothee was nominated for ‘Marty Supreme,’” an insider claimed.

According to the source, Kylie quickly decided Elordi could be a strong match for Kendall. “Kylie liked him and thought he would be good for Kenny so she was like, girl, get on it, date this guy already,” the insider added.

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Some of Jenner and Elordi’s earliest dates reportedly took place privately at the reality star’s home near Beverly Hills.

Kendall Jenner And Jacob Elordi Have Traveled Together

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The pair’s relationship reportedly progressed through a series of romantic getaways and group vacations. In May, Jenner and Elordi were spotted in Hawaii after allegedly staying at the North Shore Preserve resort in Kauai. They were reportedly seen having breakfast at the family-run establishment Nourish Hanalei. Fans who claimed they encountered the pair there described them as “so cute together.” Jenner and Elordi were also allegedly spotted grabbing coffee and visiting a wine shop during the trip.

Later that month, the rumored couple showed affection while leaving a dinner with friends in Santa Barbara. Elordi was seen placing his hand on the back of Jenner’s neck as they waited for their transportation. Their travels continued with a summer getaway to Japan and a Fourth of July weekend spent boating in Idaho with Justin and Hailey Bieber.

The Relationship Has Reportedly Become ‘Pretty Serious’

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Jenner also traveled to Elordi’s native Australia last month to celebrate his birthday with his relatives and friends. “They’re just in that phase where they want to do everything together and things have gotten pretty serious,” a source told Page Six.

A separate insider claimed that Elordi enjoys the celebrity-filled social circle surrounding Jenner. “He is thrilled with her social circle, which he has called ‘impressive’ because it’s all heavy hitters,” the source alleged. “It’s one big name after another. Jacob is starstruck for sure.”

After the Australia trip, Jenner and Elordi were photographed making their way through Brisbane Airport while wearing masks, hoodies, and caps. Their latest concert appearance was considerably more relaxed. Rather than covering their faces or attempting to hide their presence, Jenner and Elordi appeared comfortable enjoying the show side by side, even as nearby fans immediately recognized them.

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The best thrillers currently streaming aren’t available on Netflix, HBO Max or Hulu – they’re on Peacock.

At least, that’s true in July, but Peacock tends to lose titles more often than other streamers.

That’s why you should watch Peacock’s best thrillers streaming right now, especially the hit 2019 mystery Knives Out, starring Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis and more.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is currently killing it in movie theaters, but you can watch one of the director’s early features, the magician thriller The Prestige, on Peacock right now.

Channing Tatum is still best known for his role in the epic Magic Mike male stripper trilogy, but he’s almost unrecognizable as a Jeffrey Epstein-like creep in the ripped-from-the-headlines film Blink Twice.

‘Knives Out’ (2019)

No one is better at solving mysteries than Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). He’s world-famous for a reason, and he always cracks the case. But his latest one could break that streak. Bestselling mystery author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead one morning with his throat slit. That surely means he was killed, right? But the police rule it a suicide and promptly close the case. Benoit thinks otherwise, but he’s stumped as to who killed Harlan and the motive behind the murder.

The list of suspects is long and colorful. At the top is Harlan’s sleazy son-in-law Richard (Don Johnson), but spoiled grandson Hugh (Chris Evans), desperate daughter-in-law Joni (Toni Collette) and kind-hearted nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) could’ve easily done it. Benoit doesn’t have too much time to solve the case as the killer seems ready to strike again.

‘The Prestige’ (2006)

Hollywood doesn’t make too many magic-centric thrillers, but in 2006, there were two of them: The excellent The Illusionist with Edward Norton and The Prestige with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. Robert Angier (Jackman) and Alfred Borden (Bale) are Victorian-era magicians who are obsessed with being the best at their craft. They are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to prove their supremacy, with Borden seemingly able to teleport himself from one place to another. Angier becomes determined to discover the secret behind his trick. But the more he discovers about Borden, the worse his life becomes until he’s driven to commit an act that no magic trick can erase.

Directed by The Odyssey’s Christopher Nolan, The Prestige has a dense plot that’s difficult to fully understand on first viewing. But it still weaves an intoxicating spell that blends magic and 19th -century science in a movie that generates as much suspense as it does magic tricks. The talented cast includes Scarlett Johansson as a love-struck magician’s assistant, Michael Caine as an older magician and David Bowie as real-life inventor Nikola Tesla.

‘Blink Twice’ (2024)

When cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) and her friend, Jess (Alia Shawkat), are invited to billionaire Slater King’s (Channing Tatum) private island, they have no choice but to accept. After all, who could pass up a free trip to paradise? But even paradise has its drawbacks, and soon, Frida wants to leave. But when Jess goes missing, she’s forced to figure out what happened to her friend and why Slater seems to be at the center of it. Is Jess paranoid, or is she in the middle of a conspiracy she can’t escape from?

If Blink Twice’s premise sounds familiar, that’s because it unintentionally mirrors the real-life scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein and his reported ties to the world’s wealthy and elite class. First-time director Zoë Kravitz crafts an absorbing psychological thriller that uses an unreliable narrator, Frida, to guide you through a hidden society full of pleasures and hidden pitfalls. Channing Tatum has one of the best roles of his career as Slater King, a self-made tech billionaire who thinks money can buy anything – even Frida.

‘Borderline’ (2025)

Sofia Minor (Samara Weaving) is a pop star with a major problem — she has an obsessed fan, Paul Duerson (Ray Nicholson), who thinks they are in love. After an initial attempt to establish contact lands him in prison, Paul escapes and, with the help of fellow inmate Penny (Alba Baptiste), breaks into Sofia’s mansion to profess his love for her. But Paul’s best-laid plans come undone as Sofia teams up with a security guard (Eric Dane) eager for revenge to stop Paul’s stalking once and for all.

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While Borderline’s plot is a standard psycho stalker story that Fatal Attraction perfected nearly four decades ago, what elevates the movie is the performances of the two leads. As Sofia, Weaving adds yet another formidable female to her scream queen resume, while Nicholson shows a talent for lunacy that he must have inherited from his famous father, Jack. He has a gift for playing men with madness that isn’t too far off from The Shining’s Jack Torrance.

Borderline is streaming on Peacock.

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‘Memento’ (2000)

Before Christopher Nolan made his name directing the Dark Knight trilogy, his calling card in Hollywood was Memento. For his first trick, Nolan shows audiences the ending of Memento before they realize what it means. Then he lets the story unfold in two parallel narratives before catching up with the conclusion.

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Everyone loves a good thriller. From 1960’s Psycho to 2024’s Conclave, suspense movies have been around for decades and will always find an appreciative audience. The genre has been in a bit of a slump lately, with fewer thrillers released in theaters than in its heyday in the ‘90s. That decade was arguably a high […]

The film revolves around Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce), a man who lost his wife and his ability to make new long-term memories due to a brutal attack. Now, Leonard’s memories reset nearly every ten minutes, and he’s not sure if he can trust the people around him, including Natalie (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Teddy (Joe Pantoliano). Everyone seems to take advantage of Leonard’s condition, including Leonard himself.

Memento is streaming on Peacock.

Led by Senior Editor and experienced critic Jason Struss, Watch With Us’ team of writers and editors sees almost every movie and TV show from the distant past to the present to determine what’s worth your time and money. Our countless hours of multimedia consumption — combined with years of experience in the entertainment industry — help us determine the best movies and TV shows you should be streaming right now. 
 
To be considered “the best,” these films and series can be visually engaging, intellectually stimulating or simply just fun to watch, but the one trait they must have is that they are all, in some way, entertaining. We then check which platform they are streaming on and how you can access them as a subscriber. No algorithm nonsense or paid endorsements here — our recommendations are based purely on our love and interest for the films and shows we love.

Every science fiction story asks a question about tomorrow and talks about the unforeseen future. But the six R-rated films on this list all share the exact same dark premise. They look at a future where our own advancements turn against us. Not to mention their stories are great, and driven by cybernetic implants, advanced artificial intelligence, genetic cloning, and automated warfare.

Sounds interesting to hear but the problem is not the premise. The problem is what these filmmakers did with it. Instead of exploring these fascinating sci-fi ideas with intelligence, these movies traded deep concepts for mindless action, cheap thrills, unnecessary scenes and heavy violence. They took genuinely great science fiction premises and flattened them into forgettable box office disasters.

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‘Johnny Mnemonic’ (1995)

Image via TriStar Pictures

The most surprising thing about Johnny Mnemonic is that it somehow manages to make very exciting concepts, boring. For instance, look at a premise involving cybernetic implants, digital storage in the human brain, and a futuristic conspiracy. All these things are perfect ingredients for a high-quality script, but this film fails to produce that. Johnny Mnemonic (Keanu Reeves) works as a courier who literally stores confidential data inside his own brain, though after accepting one dangerous job, he discovers that he is carrying more information than his mind can safely handle.

What I kept waiting for, however, was the movie to actually do something interesting with that idea. Instead, the film spends most of its runtime throwing Johnny into one noisy, confusing encounter after another. Keanu Reeves looks as if he understands that none of this makes sense, which honestly became part of the entertainment for me. After every few scenes, somebody introduces a new piece of futuristic technology or another complicated plot point, yet none of it ever feels connected to anything emotionally real. The strangest part is that the film constantly behaves as though it is blowing your mind when, in reality, you are mostly trying to stay awake.

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‘Alien Resurrection’ (1997)

Image via 20th Century Studios

I think the biggest mistake Alien Resurrection makes happens before the movie even begins. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) died at the end of Alien 3 in a tragic way. Then Alien Resurrection simply brings her back through cloning and expects the audience to move on as if nothing happened. From that moment onward, the film never fully recovers.

It is hands down frustrating because there are moments where you can see a genuinely weird and interesting movie going to waste. Clone Ripley is unsettling in ways that the previous versions of the character never were, and some of the ideas involving identity and genetic experimentation could have led somewhere fascinating. I was less disturbed by the Xenomorphs than I was by the realization that the franchise had somehow made one of cinema’s greatest heroines feel like a side character in her own story.

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‘Judge Dredd’ (1995)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

The first thing I remember about Judge Dredd are the fashion choices of the characters. Before Sylvester Stallone even says a word as Judge Joseph Dredd (Sylvester Stallone), the movie has already committed so aggressively to its ridiculous visual style that it becomes difficult to take anything seriously afterwards. Dredd is supposed to be an intimidating symbol of absolute law and authority but he often looks like somebody trying very hard to convince us that he is intimidating.

The worst part is that the film wasted a good script. A futuristic city governed by judges who act as police officers, juries, and executioners is actually a compelling idea. Yet the movie quickly abandons any interest in exploring that world and turns into a series of explosions, chases, and arguments delivered at maximum volume. Every time you think the film might finally settle down and develop an idea, somebody would crash through a wall or fire another oversized weapon; it feels like you are watching being shouted at for two hours.

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‘Hardware’ (1990)

Image via Palace Pictures

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For almost thirty minutes, everyone genuinely believed Hardware might turn into a cult classic. The film follows Mo Baxter (Dylan McDermott), who unknowingly brings home the remains of a military robot that eventually reconstructs itself and begins hunting artist Jill (Stacey Travis) inside her apartment. The story is simple, claustrophobic, and honestly pretty effective.

Then the movie slowly becomes trapped inside its own atmosphere. Every scene is so obsessed with looking grimy, futuristic, and disturbing that the story itself eventually disappears. I reached a point where I realized I was no longer following the characters or the plot. I was simply staring at smoke, flashing lights, metal walls, and increasingly loud sound effects. There is a good science-fiction horror movie buried somewhere inside Hardware that just failed to reach its full potential.

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‘Split Second’ (1992)

Image via InterStar

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Rutger Hauer plays detective Harley Stone, a man hunting a mysterious killer in a flooded futuristic London while consuming enough caffeine to endanger his own health. Honestly, that premise alone almost convinced me that Split Second deserved to become a cult favorite. For a while, I was willing to forgive nearly everything because Hauer commits so completely to playing a man who appears to have slept for about three hours over the previous decade.

The problem is that the movie never figures out what it wants its monster to be. Is this a detective story? A horror movie? A science-fiction action film? The answer changes every twenty minutes. There is something admirable about the film’s commitment to excess, though eventually that excess becomes exhausting. It just leaves you simply waiting to explain what exactly you had been watching all along.

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‘Virus’ (1999)

Image via Universal Pictures

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One of the worst things a science-fiction horror movie can do is make its central threat uninteresting because that’s the only thing that keeps the film going. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens in Virus. After a mysterious alien intelligence takes control of a Russian research vessel, Captain Robert Everton (Donald Sutherland) and Kelly Foster (Jamie Lee Curtis) find themselves fighting machines that have begun rebuilding human bodies into grotesque mechanical hybrids.

This should have been terrifying. Instead, I spent most of the movie admiring the practical effects while feeling absolutely nothing about the story itself. The film introduces horrifying concepts and then presents them with all the emotional impact of an instruction manual. Jamie Lee Curtis does everything she can to make her character believable, though even she eventually seems overwhelmed by the endless machinery, explosions, and shouting.

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Virus

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Release Date

January 15, 1999

Runtime

99 Minutes

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Director

John Bruno

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Writers

Chuck Pfarrer, Dennis Feldman

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Roommates, the conversation surrounding Nolan Wells hasn’t slowed down, and now another emotional chapter in the case is making headlines. As loved ones continue mourning the 18-year-old college football player, someone close to him, Warren Hudson, is now speaking out. And now, he’s drawing attention for something many people noticed during Wells’ homegoing service.

RELATED: Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves Says Ben Crump & Rev. Al Sharpton Are “Stoking Division” & Are To Blame For Threats Amid Nolan Wells Investigation

Warren Hudson Explains Why He Missed Nolan Wells’ Funeral

\Warren Hudson is addressing questions about his absence from Nolan Wells’ funeral in a recent interview.  Hudson says the past few weeks have been filled with grief and intense public scrutiny. Additionally, he shared these are circumstances he never expected to face while mourning someone he considered family.

Speaking on ‘The Officer Tatum’ podcast, Hudson explained that he made the difficult decision not to attend Wells’ funeral because he says he has received thousands of death threats since Wells disappeared during a Fourth of July boating trip. According to Hudson, he also feared that his presence would shift attention away from Nolan and his grieving family during a day that was meant to honor the late teen.

Hudson Says His Family Received Thousands Of Death Threats

Hudson shared that the threats weren’t only directed at him but also at members of his family, saying concerns for their safety ultimately outweighed his desire to attend the service. Furthermore, Hudson said missing the funeral was heartbreaking. He explained that he felt he had to prioritize protecting himself and his loved ones. Warren added that not being able to say goodbye to one of his best friends weighs heavily on him.

“With everything going on on social media right now with people saying the crazy things that they’re saying, I would never want to take the attention off of Nolan and his family,” Hudson shared. “They don’t deserve that.”

Investigation Into Nolan Wells’ Death Continues

Nolan Wells was reported missing after disappearing during a July 4 outing near Horn Island, Mississippi. His body was recovered on July 6 near the area where he was last seen. While the investigation remains ongoing, preliminary findings from an independent autopsy were released this week. Both the cause and manner of Wells’ death were listed as undetermined pending further investigation.

The 18-year-old was laid to rest Monday, July 20, during a packed funeral service in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, where family, friends, and supporters gathered to celebrate his life. Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, delivered an emotional tribute through tears, promising that her family would continue fighting for answers. The service also drew several notable attendees, including Spike Lee and former NFL star Terrell Owens.

RELATED: Female Friend Whom Nolan Wells Spoke With On Horn Island Is Reportedly Identified, As Her Sister Speaks On Conversation They Allegedly Shared

Spider-Man is facing a problem too big for him to handle alone, and the Punisher is bringing considerably more firepower than webs. New footage from “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” revealed Tom Holland’s hero and Jon Bernthal’s Frank Castle teaming up against Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk in a destructive showdown. The movie is also giving Bernthal’s Punisher another major milestone: his first appearance on a Marvel Studios theatrical poster ahead of his big-screen MCU debut.

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Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was discussing the studio’s next December release when Bernthal interrupted to remind him that another Marvel movie was arriving first. “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is scheduled to hit theaters on Friday, July 31.

Marvel then played a clip from the film showing Hulk overpowering Spider-Man during an intense confrontation. Just as the green Avenger appears to have the upper hand, grenades fly into the fight. The person responsible is revealed to be Frank Castle, who has arrived to help Spider-Man despite facing an opponent seemingly impervious to ordinary weapons.

“Frank, what are you doing?” Spider-Man asks. “This is above your pay grade. It’s the Hulk!” he warns.

Punisher responds by firing a barrage of bullets, but they have no visible effect on Hulk.

Punisher And Spider-Man Combine Their Fighting Styles

The scene then shows Spider-Man using his webs to pull Castle across the floor in slow motion, creating an opening for the vigilante to continue firing at Hulk from the ground. Spider-Man eventually restrains Hulk with webbing as Punisher throws a small disc toward him. Hulk catches the device and appears unimpressed by the attempted attack. “Are you kidding?” he asks.

Castle then fires at the disc, triggering an explosion that sends Hulk flying backward. Although their first attacks fail, they quickly begin combining their dramatically different fighting styles.

The unlikely partnership also appears to generate some of the film’s comedy, particularly when Spider-Man questions whether Castle genuinely wants to remain in the fight. “Are you just trying to get out of fighting the Hulk?” he asks.

MJ Sent Frank Castle To Protect Spider-Man

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After the explosion, Spider-Man and Punisher take cover behind a table and attempt to formulate another plan. The conversation reveals that Castle was originally supposed to be protecting MJ. However, MJ apparently instructed him to protect Spider-Man instead. The detail immediately captures Peter Parker’s attention.

“Did she actually say that?” Spider-Man asks.

“Are you blushing, daffodil?” Punisher responds.

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Spider-Man tells Castle that he has a device capable of stopping Hulk. When Frank seemingly suggests doing something else, Peter accuses him of looking for an excuse to avoid continuing the battle. The exchange suggests that “Brand New Day” will balance its larger superhero conflict with the banter created by Spider-Man and Punisher’s mismatched personalities. It also provides a clue about Peter and MJ’s relationship, as Peter appears intrigued that she remains concerned about his safety.

Punisher Lands On His First Marvel Studios Movie Poster

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Marvel Studios also released a new “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” poster created for the Chinese market. The artwork gives Bernthal’s Punisher a prominent position, marking the first time the character has appeared on a Marvel Studios theatrical movie poster.

Bernthal received fifth billing for the fourth “Spider-Man” installment, indicating that Castle could play a substantial role rather than making a brief appearance. His inclusion in a Spider-Man film also reflects the character’s comic-book beginnings. Punisher was first introduced in 1974’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” No. 129.

Although Castle has built a long live-action history since then, “Brand New Day” marks Bernthal’s first opportunity to portray him in a theatrical MCU movie.

Jon Bernthal Has Played Punisher For More Than A Decade

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Bernthal first wore Punisher’s signature skull during the second season of “Daredevil.” His performance led to a two-season Netflix spin-off centered on Castle. The series was canceled in 2019, beginning a six-year absence for the character.

Punisher eventually returned during the first season of “Daredevil: Born Again,” appearing in Episode 4, “Sic Semper Systema,” and Episode 9, “Straight to Hell.” He joined forces with Daredevil during the TV-MA Disney+ series. Bernthal was absent from the second season and its final confrontation with Kingpin because of other MCU filming obligations.

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Those projects included “The Punisher: One Last Kill,” a special released on Disney+ in May. At under one hour, the project was the closest Bernthal’s version of Castle had come to leading a Marvel Studios movie before “Brand New Day.”

Frank Castle Has A Long History On The Big Screen

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Other actors portrayed the vigilante in theatrical projects before Bernthal joined the MCU. Dolph Lundgren played Castle in 1989’s “The Punisher,” which was released theatrically overseas and directly to video in the United States. Thomas Jane took over the role for the 2004 reboot and later returned in the 2012 fan-made short “The Punisher: Dirty Laundry.”

After plans for an official sequel were abandoned, Ray Stevenson played Castle in another reboot, “Punisher: War Zone.” Now, Bernthal will bring his version of Punisher to theaters alongside Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jacob Batalon, Ruffalo, and Tramell Tillman.

Ryan Reynolds’ surprise appearance at San Diego Comic-Con did not receive the universally enthusiastic response he may have expected. The “Deadpool” star crashed Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday” presentation on Saturday, July 25, and jokingly attempted to secure a last-minute role in the already-completed blockbuster. While the Hall H exchange was played for laughs, critics online quickly accused Reynolds of being overexposed, inserting himself into another Marvel project, and using the moment as a publicity stunt.

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Several online critics dismissed Reynolds’ Comic-Con cameo rather than celebrating the possibility of Deadpool joining “Avengers: Doomsday.”

“Ryan Reynolds begging for a ‘Doomsday’ cameo is pure desperation,” one person wrote. “Deadpool’s already overexposed and Marvel doesn’t need him wrecking another film.”

Another questioned whether the actor’s surprise appearance had been designed primarily to attract attention. “Wait, is this actually real or just another Ryan pr stunt, dude never misses a chance to insert himself into everything; kinda getting old at this point tbh,” the commenter shared.

Others used the Marvel appearance to criticize both Reynolds and his wife, Blake Lively. “Nothing he does will save his career or his wife. They are DONE,” one person declared. Another remarked, “Probably needed a break from his lawsuit-happy wife.”

Robert Downey Jr. Tells Reynolds ‘It’s In The Can’

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Reynolds appeared in Hall H as part of Marvel Studios’ presentation for “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is set to introduce “X-Men” characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He joined several confirmed stars onstage, including Robert Downey Jr. and Paul Rudd.

Reynolds’ involvement in the upcoming movie has not been confirmed. He played into that uncertainty by asking the cast when production was scheduled to begin. “It’s in the can, bro,” Downey Jr. responded, confirming that filming had already been completed.

Downey then gestured toward the packed auditorium, where thousands of fans had gathered for information about Marvel’s future. “Look around you,” he told Reynolds. “Did you bump your head?”

Reynolds responded by pretending to be disappointed that his chance to join the film may have already passed. “I see. So there’s no additional photography, no overages, maybe last-minute additions…?” he asked.

The exchange suggested that Reynolds was jokingly lobbying for a Deadpool cameo rather than announcing that Wade Wilson would officially appear in “Doomsday.”

Critics Connect Appearance To Blake Lively’s Legal Drama

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Several of the harshest reactions did not focus on Marvel or Deadpool at all. Instead, critics connected Reynolds’ return to the public spotlight with the ongoing controversy surrounding Lively.

One person referenced Reynolds concealing his face during the appearance and alleged that he would have faced a negative reception otherwise. “Makes sense he’s making a public appearance in a mask since he’d be booed showing his face after the train wreck case,” the commenter wrote.

Another speculated that the studio’s release plans had become complicated by the timing of Lively’s legal dispute. “Funny the studio has no choice but to release the film now since it was done when the mess of a lawsuit was happening (and now the fight of their greedy 8 million plus in legal fees lingers) in my view,” the critic shared. “I suppose they could wait a few years, but it seems to me it would likely do even worse by waiting.”

Ryan Reynolds Says Another Deadpool Film Is Coming

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Despite the complaints that Deadpool has become “overexposed,” Reynolds has made it clear that he is continuing to develop the character’s future. The actor announced during an April 7 appearance at “Today’s Sunday Sitdown Live” that he had begun drafting another project involving the Merc with a Mouth.

He offered his most direct update yet at Fanatics Fest NYC earlier this month. “There’s a few really deep cuts that are missing from the movies, I think there’s a few deep cuts missing from some of the comics,” Reynolds said in a video shared on X on Sunday, July 19.

He pointed to material written by Deadpool comic creators Fabian Nicieza and Gerry Duggan as possible inspiration. “There’s certainly some stuff that I love that Fabian [Nicieza] wrote that is incredible. Gerry Duggan is a friend and an incredible comic book writer,” Reynolds continued. “There’s stuff coming, there eventually will be another ‘Deadpool’ film.”

Will Deadpool Join ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

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Reynolds last played Wade Wilson in 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide.

Although he has repeatedly suggested that he is not rushing into a conventional “Deadpool 4,” the actor has hinted that he is developing a different Marvel project involving the character and members of the X-Men universe.

His unannounced “Doomsday” appearance naturally fueled speculation that Deadpool could still turn up in the movie. However, neither Reynolds nor Marvel confirmed his possible appearance.

It’s been 22 years since we first boarded Oceanic Airlines flight 815 right before it crashed on a mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, but the legacy of Lost continues to loom large in the television landscape. Often regarded as one of the greatest TV shows of all time, the series garnered attention critically and with audiences at home. It won 11 Primetime Emmys along with hundreds of other industry award nominations. In the zeitgeist, it became the show that everyone had to watch right when it came out, because no one wanted to be spoiled for what happened on the island this week.

Created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, the series ran for 121 episodes over six seasons on ABC, with the show being one of the most expensive on the air at the time as it included an ensemble cast and was primarily filmed on location in Hawai’i. But the investment was ultimately worth it as Lost became such a big hit that, decades later, people are still arguing about whether the finale was good or not, talking about the smoke monster twist, and crying over the “Not Penny’s Boat” scene. Sitting down with co-showrunner Carlton Cuse at the 2nd edition of Italian Global Series, Cuse reflected not only on the popularity of the show, but how the television landscape was changed by a show like Lost.

How Network TV Shaped the Drama of ‘Lost’

“I think Lost was really propelled by the sudden emergence of social media.”

Before audiences were being shocked by Ned Stark’s sudden execution or Walter White’s dark transformation into Heisenberg, Lost was the show that everyone couldn’t stop talking about. By Season 3, Twitter had officially been created, setting up a perfect space for fans of the show to scream about the series and discuss the weekly twists and turns. “We happened to be making a TV show that was engaging and also confounding, and the perfect thing to be discussing on social media,” Cuse explains, thinking back to the height of Lost. “There was this incredible, inadvertent confluence of those two events, and I think Lost was really propelled by the sudden emergence of social media.”

At the time, TV seasons could run for 20+ episodes, and each episode had to be timed to 42 minutes and 30 seconds long. The episodes couldn’t have curse words; a new episode had to be made every eight days, according to Cuse, and the flow of the episode had to accommodate the commercials. Cuse recalls the challenges they faced in the writers’ room: “The constraints of having to have an act break shaped the way we broke the story, so we thought a lot in the writers’ room about, well, what’s the teaser out, what’s the episode out, what are ways in which we can really ensure that the audience doesn’t disappear during a commercial break?”

These constraints, as frustrating as they might be, formulated the perfect environment for the writers of the series. “That narrative structure, I think, really helped shape the way Lost exists,” Cuse admits. “We had to find emotional intensity other ways than just having graphic content, whether it’s extreme violence, sex, language, and it gave us an opportunity because we were doing things that other people weren’t doing, to really be more singular.”

Networks like ABC weren’t — and still aren’t — putting out shows like Lost at the time. Those studios are sustained by familiar procedurals, shows that anyone can drop into and dip out of without losing the plot. Cuse admits that Lost being so different gave the show a leg up in the TV landscape. “There weren’t network television shows that were highly serialized, that had a big sprawling cast, where characters had done really bad things, like murder people. So I think that we benefited enormously from doing Lost in a network environment.”

22 Years Later and TV Has New Problems That ‘Lost’ Never Faced

“I will probably end up spending two and a half years making eight episodes of television, all told…”

Image via ABC

Since the streaming boom and this new era of television, you’ll be hard-pressed to find shows with serialized stories like Lost lasting more than even 10 episodes, and it’s more than common to wait at least a year before another season drops. However, the pressure of that type of work environment, which led to Lost‘s success, isn’t necessarily something that Cuse wants to return to. “We made 24 episodes the first season, 23 the second season, 22, and then there was a strike short in a 14-episode season, and then we only made 17, and then 18. I mean, it’s insane when I think about it.”

“My partner, Damon Lindelof, and I would stay late in the office one or two nights a week until you know one or two in the morning, rewriting that week’s script, because we had to put a script out every eight days, and it’s kind of baffling that we were able to do it.” Cuse calls that traditional format of TV making “mind-boggling” and says that what exists today is completely different. “But I don’t really want to go back. I mean, it was just a very different time,” he says.

Cuse, who is currently working on a Netflix adaptation of Dan Brown‘s latest novel, The Secrets of Secrets, which follows Robert Langdon, the character formerly played by Tom Hanks in the three movies, is far happier with the pace of television making today. “I will probably end up spending two and a half years making eight episodes of television, all told, and it’s just completely different.”

Although this new approach is no doubt far less stressful on showrunners, it also means that extended productions lead to large gaps between seasons. Fans of these shows know firsthand what it’s like to feel like you’re waiting forever just for a handful of episodes to drop all on one day and then disappear again for another couple of years. HBO’s Euphoria had three years between Seasons 1 and 2 and then a whopping four years between Seasons 2 and 3. Netflix is known for its multi-year breaks between show seasons, with shows like Stranger Things and Wednesday having at least two years of a hiatus between seasons.

The problem with these long hiatuses is that whatever momentum is being built up during the show comes to a screeching halt by the finale. “I think I just read an article about how difficult it is for some streamers, how big a drop off there was in the second and subsequent seasons of most shows, and there are a few exceptions, but a lot of shows — even well-reviewed and regarded shows — are dropping off because audiences have lost any momentum they have for that show, because they have to wait a couple of years between seasons,” Cuse explains.

Can you imagine what it would be like to wait three years after “Through the Looking Glass,” the Season 3 finale of Lost that not only gave us the “Not Penny’s boat” moment but also the “We have to go back!” line from Jack? With so much happening on that show in terms of timelines, factions, and characters, waiting three years would take the wind out of the sails of such an impactful final moment, and that would be the case for any show trying to mimic the format of Lost. But, Cuse sees a new path forward for television that takes a more hybrid approach.

The Streaming Landscape Needs To Change and Carlton Cuse Knows How

“I think subsequent seasons of television are going to be more like movie sequels in a way.”

When asking Cuse if he thinks Lost would be the same sensation today as it was back in 2004, the producer admits, “I don’t think it would be quite as much of a phenomenon as it was back then; everything was so singular at that time.” But, in truth, the media landscape and the industry have been completely revolutionized in the last 22 years. How we watch TV is different, how we watch movies is different, and how we engage with media is completely different. While Lindelof and Cuse had to deal with how to get people to tune back in after a commercial break, showrunners today have to deal with how to keep people engaged after being gone from the cultural landscape for over a year.

For Cuse, the best way forward is to keep season stories contained rather than having multi-season arcs. “Personally, for me, I’m at a place right now where I like more limited storytelling,” he explains. “I created the show Jack Ryan with writer Graham Roland, and that show we have envisioned that each season was a complete story, and you could revisit it with a character. So, I think subsequent seasons of television are going to be more like movie sequels in a way, where they’ll tell an individual story with the beginning, middle, and end.”

This doesn’t mean that a throughline won’t always be there through a television show, but this approach allows for more complete stories to be told that won’t disappoint audiences if, God forbid, the show doesn’t come back until two years later or is cancelled altogether. “I think streamers will move to a place like in books, you know, there are many novelists who write books like Dan Brown with a certain character, but each story is its own closed-ended story.”

This is a pattern we’re already seeing in shows like Bridgerton, which is based on a romance novel series by Julia Quinn where each book follows a member of the family, but rather than having to read all the books in the series in order, you can jump in at any time. With the show focusing on one sibling every season, even with overarching storylines, the show becomes easier to keep up with. “I think you’re going to see more of that, because the idea of ending a show with a cliffhanger and expecting someone to remember what’s going on and pick it back up 18 months or two years later is really tough.”

Cuse points out that this method of storytelling will lead to a rise in more limited series, something that we’re already seeing more of today, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only way forward for TV. “On the other hand, I think you’re starting to see another evolution, which is someone who’s a really great producer, like John Wells, really pushing and reinventing the model with The Pitt, where they’re making 15 episodes a season, and they’re continually going writing and producing, so there aren’t these big gaps,” Cuse says. “I think The Pitt is an example of a hybrid model where they’ve taken the traditional network model, and they’re trying to apply it to streaming.”

With so much changing in television today, it’s hard to imagine a show like Lost surviving, but old stories are being rebooted and revived daily, so what’s stopping us from getting a new version of this beloved show? Especially since Lost is still raking in millions of streaming hours even today. Well, Cuse is personally not interested in revisiting the world himself. “In the years following the show, it would get raised by executives at ABC, and they would ask if we were interested in doing it, and we were kind of unhesitant in saying no. We felt like the story we told, we told it, and I think a lot of the reboots of TV shows haven’t gone that well, and so I think the answer for us is very much no.”

However, don’t let that disappoint you if you are champing at the bit for more of those Lost twists. Cuse is fully open to the idea of someone else adapting the series, saying, “I do think and believe that at some point some talented young writer or writers will come to ABC and say, ‘Hey, we have a great idea to do another story in the Lost world,’ and they’ll do it, and that would be great. I don’t have a problem with somebody else telling a story in the world of Lost. But I don’t see us doing it.” One can only hope that if (or more realistically, when) that time comes around, the studio involved will take a bit of advice from Cuse and adapt to this new approach to TV storytelling rather than try and catch lightning in a bottle twice with the old.

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Release Date

2004 – 2010-00-00

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Showrunner

Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse

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Directors

Jack Bender, Paul A. Edwards, Tucker Gates, Eric Laneuville, Bobby Roth, Greg Yaitanes, Daniel Attias, J.J. Abrams, Karen Gaviola, Kevin Hooks, Rod Holcomb, Stephen Semel, Adam Davidson, Alan Taylor, David Grossman, Deran Sarafian, Fred Toye, Mario Van Peebles, Marita Grabiak, Mark Goldman, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Zinberg, Paris Barclay, Robert Mandel

Writers

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Jim Galasso, Christina M. Kim, Graham Roland, Kyle Pennington, Brent Fletcher, Dawn Lambertsen Kelly, Janet Tamaro, Jeffrey Lieber, Paul Dini, Jordan Rosenberg

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