George R.R. Martin‘s favorite Game of Thrones spin-off, which he has praised as one of the most faithful adaptations of his work, is officially making progress on its highly anticipated return. Following a successful Season 1, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to continue the adventures of Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall and his young squire, “Egg.” The debut season premiered on January 18, 2026, earning strong reviews from critics and becoming a major viewership success for HBO Max, making history for the service. The 94% Rotten Tomatoes series also went on to receive nine Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.

Even before its premiere, HBO renewed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for Season 2, which will adapt The Sworn Sword, the second novella in Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series. Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell are set to reprise their roles as Dunk and Egg, while the new season will introduce several notable characters. Joining the cast are Lucy Boynton as Lady Rohanne Webber, Babou Ceesay as Ser Bennis of the Brown Shield, and Peter Mullan as Ser Eustace Osgrey.

Although HBO has yet to announce an official premiere date for the fantasy show’s sophomore chapter, Ansell recently shared an encouraging production update. Posting to his Instagram Stories, the actor confirmed that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 has officially wrapped filming. Production had originally been expected to conclude in June before encountering delays, but the series now appears to be back on schedule and remains on track for an early 2027 return, assuming post-production proceeds as planned.

How Did ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 1 End?

Unlike the typical war-driven Game of Thrones finales, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms concluded its first season on a quieter, more emotional note. After surviving the Trial of Seven, which claimed the life of Prince Baelor Targaryen, Dunk declines the opportunity to enter royal service, choosing instead to remain a humble hedge knight. He and Egg reaffirm their bond as knight and squire and continue their journey together, while Egg’s father, Prince Maekar Targaryen, realizes his son has disappeared, though suspects that he has left with Dunk. The ending sets the stage for The Sworn Sword, which follows the pair as they enter the service of Ser Eustace Osgrey of Standfast during a bitter period in the Reach.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 is streaming now on HBO Max.

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Release Date

January 18, 2026

Network

HBO

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Showrunner

Ira Parker

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Directors

Owen Harris

Writers

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George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker

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  Peter Claffey

  Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall

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Joe Jonas thought he was ready to make it on his own after years of chart-topping success with the Jonas Brothers. Instead, his first solo album became a career setback that would ultimately change both his outlook and his life.

In a recent interview, Joe recalled how the experience pushed him to seek professional help and rethink how closely he tied success to his sense of self.

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Joe Jonas is opening up about one of the toughest chapters of his career, revealing that the disappointing performance of his first solo album sent him into a mental health spiral and eventually led him to therapy.

Speaking on the “Hey Jonas” podcast alongside brothers Kevin and Nick Jonas, the singer reflected on the release of his 2011 solo debut, “Fastlife.”

He admitted he expected the project to match the massive success the Jonas Brothers had enjoyed at the height of their fame. Instead, the album peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, while its lead single, “See No More,” reached No. 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Joe said the results hit him harder than he expected because he had tied the album’s success to his own sense of value. “I had a lot of high expectations of success without you guys,” he said, explaining that deep down he believed proving himself alone would mean “I matter.”

The disappointment soon became physical. Joe revealed he began experiencing panic attacks and recurring pain that prompted repeated doctor visits and extensive medical testing. After confirming there was no underlying physical illness, one doctor urged him to consider therapy, setting him on a path he says ultimately changed his life.

How ‘Fastlife’ Struggled To Match Expectations

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When “Fastlife” arrived in October 2011, Joe wasn’t venturing too far from what dominated pop radio at the time. The album reportedly leaned heavily into EDM and dance-pop, with much of its sound shaped by producer Danja, a longtime Timbaland collaborator.

Ahead of the release, early reactions to lead single “See No More” were largely optimistic, with some fans and critics praising Joe’s move toward an R&B-infused sound. But the promising start did not carry through the rest of the rollout. “Just in Love” and the album’s other releases passed without giving Joe the solo breakthrough he was chasing.

Whatever the reason, “Fastlife” became a short-lived chapter that Joe would later credit with reshaping both his career and his outlook.

DNCE Gave Joe Jonas A Fresh Start

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Joe had to wait a few more years for his next breakthrough, which ultimately came after he hit the reset button with DNCE. The dance-pop band exploded onto the charts with “Cake by the Ocean,” a global hit that spent 19 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned multi-platinum success in multiple countries.

Looking back, Joe credited more than timing for the turnaround. He said the music felt closer to his heart and was built around having fun rather than chasing expectations.

The fresh start also brought a different audience. Joe revealed DNCE initially released music online without revealing he was in the band, allowing listeners to discover the songs on their own instead of through his Jonas Brothers fame.

By 2017, Joe described DNCE’s success as especially meaningful because it proved he could build something new outside his family’s band.

Joe Recalled ‘Fastlife’ Setback In Earlier Interview

Joe first opened up about the emotional fallout from “Fastlife” years before revisiting it on the “Hey Jonas” podcast. Speaking with Jay Shetty in 2022, he admitted the album’s reception left him questioning himself after assuming the Jonas Brothers’ success would naturally continue on his own.

“I took it really hard,” Joe said. “I didn’t realize how I actually felt in the moments.” As criticism mounted, he recalled convincing himself he was physically sick before doctors found nothing medically wrong.

Looking back, Joe said he eventually understood how deeply he had internalized the setback. “I saw a headline like, ‘Failure,’ and I took that word, and that was my identity with that album,” he said.

Joe Jonas Couldn’t Listen To ‘Fastlife’

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Joe told Shetty the disappointment surrounding “Fastlife” lingered long after the album cycle ended, so much so that he admitted he couldn’t even bring himself to revisit the record for years after its release.

“I wouldn’t even listen to the songs,” Joe recalled, explaining that it took years of personal work before he could hear the album again with a different perspective.

Before therapy, he searched for another way to cope. Joe said he would spend entire days riding his bike through New York City, leaving home around 8 a.m. and not returning until evening. “It was an escape for me,” he said, adding that being away from his phone helped him avoid thinking about the album and the reaction surrounding it. Looking back, though, Joe realized he wasn’t healing. “I was still running away, avoiding the problems,” he admitted.

One of the greatest appeals of human nature lies in its ability to, on the one hand, conceive the most depraved thoughts and yet, on the other, the most virtuous and morally upright actions. Both sides have been the colors used to depict human history and even present-day life. Wars are a product of one of those sides and, as deadly as they are, there is a version of human depravity that is even more sinister. Terrorism. The horrors of these acts turn normal days into living nightmares for those who experience them, scarring the targeted nations and cities for years. The Twin Towers terror incident in Manhattan in the September 11 attacks often spring to mind for many. But over the years, there have been several similar incidents that have shocked the world.

While terror attacks occur ever so often across the globe and in multiple nations these days, the scale of some simply stick with you. Western civilizations like the United States and European nations are often prime targets and this was the case on December 21, 1988, when Pan Am Flight 103 en route from London to New York went down over Lockerbie, Scotland after a bomb went off. The resulting death toll was 270 fatalities, including 259 passengers and crew members, as well as 11 residents on the ground. 190 of those were American citizens and the incident became the deadliest terror attack in British history. An investigation would be launched immediately, with the results ultimately connecting back to Libyan intelligence operatives.

This horrifying tale arrived on Netflix in the 6-part miniseries titled The Bombing of Pan Am 103 on July 30 as part of the streamer’s push to expand its catalog. This marked the series’ international debut after airing on the BBC in the UK last year. In less than a week on the streaming giant, The Bombing of Pan Am 103 has become a global streaming hit. The series debuted with 5 million views while racking up an impressive 30 million hours viewed in just three days. While The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is appearing on Top 10 charts around the world, it is not performing as well in the United Kingdom. This, perhaps, might be linked to many seeing the limited series on the BBC.

The Tragic Tale of ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103’ Has Been Retold Before

​​​​​The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is not the first retelling of the terror attack and the investigation that trailed it. A limited series, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth, was released in January 2025 by Peacock and opted for a more personal story. While The Bombing of Pan Am 103 takes a more holistic approach, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth follows Jim Swire (Colin Firth), the father of a young medical student named Flora (Rosanna Adams), who was killed on the flight, and his mission to understand what had happened that day. Jim would work with local journalist Murray Guthrie (Sam Troughton), meet with Libyan political leader Colonel Gaddafi (Nabil Al Raee) and even encounter the suspected terrorist Abdelbaset al-Megrahi (Ardalan Esmaili).

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is co-created by Jonathan Lee and Adam Morane-Griffiths. Patrick J. Adams puts on another suit as he seeks answers for the public as part of the bureau. Other cast members include Tony Curran, Merritt Wever, Eddie Marsan, Peter Mullan, and Kevin McKidd. Connor Swindells features in this series as an investigating officer.

The Bombing of Pan Am 103 is currently streaming on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for updates.

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Release Date

2025 – 2025-00-00

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BBC One

Directors

Michael Keillor

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Cast

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  Patrick J. Adams

  Dick Marquise

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  Connor Swindells

  Ed McCusker

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Editor’s Note: This interview contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 3, “Human Best Friend.”

After delivering a perfectly classic Star Trek episode with its season opener, followed by a twisted horror episode, Strange New Worlds has delivered its first comedy episode of the season. In “Human Best Friend,” the crew of the USS Enterprise takes some much-needed shore leave on a wild pleasure planet where even the atmosphere itself is intoxicating. While Scotty (Martin Quinn) and Ortegas (Melissa Navia) take center stage for the episode in a bid to become the Geordi and Data of Strange New Worlds, Spock (Ethan Peck), La’an (Christina Chong), and a very real Kirk (Paul Wesley) take turns stealing the show with their laugh-out-loud performances.

I recently caught up with Peck, Chong, and Wesley to unpack their jump into comedy this week. During our conversation, Peck and Wesley spoke about how this intimate experience between Spock and Kirk lays the groundwork for their friendship in the original series​​​​​​. They also discussed filming the slap at the end of the episode when Kirk is trying to prove to Spock that he’s not a hallucination. Chong spoke about getting to learn new fight choreography and letting La’an indulge in her sillier side while processing her pent-up anger. Finally, the trio all shared their reaction to Rebecca Romijn’s Klingon rendition of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” You can watch the interview in the player above or read the full transcript of our conversation below.

Ethan Peck and Paul Wesley Unpack Kirk and Spock’s Newfound Intimacy

“I just love the idea of that being one of the catalysts for this great friendship that we all know so well.”

Image via Jan Thijs/Paramount+

COLLIDER: This is one of my favorite episodes of the season that I’ve seen so far, and I love the reveal that Kirk was really there the whole time.

CHRISTINA CHONG: So funny, it’s so funny.

It’s so good. Ethan and Paul, how would you say that the relationship between Kirk and Spock has shifted after such a vulnerable experience on Spock’s end?

ETHAN PECK: Yeah, there might be a bit of reticence and withdrawal from Spock because he’s been so exposed in this episode. And then Kirk, you know, is so warm and welcoming of him. So that’s what I anticipate.

PAUL WESLEY: Yeah, it’s really cool. It becomes a part of canon, right? It’s like we sort of, like, begin to understand why these two have such a connection. And it’s because they shared these, like, intimate moments together, revealing, you know, things about one another. Or maybe it was just you revealing things to me, and I didn’t say anything.

PECK: It was mostly just me revealing things to you.

WESLEY: I was like your therapist. No, it’s great. And, you know, I just love the idea of that being one of the catalysts for this great friendship that we all know so well.

Besides 3D chess, what board games do you think they might have played?

WESLEY: Twister!

PECK: Definitely Twister.

I love that. Christina, what do you think it says about La’an that her “journey” on this planet is essentially to teach a gang of thieves to stand up for themselves? Especially on the heels of an episode where she’s so scared of becoming a monster.

CHONG: Yeah, I think for La’an, because she is, you know, ultimately, she’s a security officer. Her job is to look after her family and keep them safe and so on the planet, that’s kind of the gang becomes her family on that planet. And because she’s dealing with a lot of anger right now, I think that’s why that comes out with the drug exposure. And yeah, it’s something she’s working through throughout the season.

I like that; that’s a good tease. At the end of the episode, Kirk slaps Spock to prove that he’s there. And I have to give you both kudos, because that’s a great, well-acted slap. How hard was it to nail that moment?

PECK: I remember it so well because you, Paul, you were like, is this funny? Like, does this work? Because you don’t often do things like that. It’s, you know, it’s like Three Stooges-ish. And, you know, we don’t work in that sort of clownish way too often. And, I actually, I saw this; I thought it was awesome, and it worked so well, and you were so funny. It can be difficult to find the groove of comedy in some of these episodes because we’re so serious — well, I am so serious so often as this character, and it can be quite a challenge to like, still be him while being a bit clownish.

WESLEY: I actually didn’t see that. So I—

PECK: I think you’ll like it.

WESLEY: I can’t wait.

CHONG: It’s very funny.

WESLEY: Really? Okay, good.

CHONG: Very funny.

WESLEY: Did I get close to slapping you in real life?

PECK: It looks like you slapped…Did you— Did you actually slap me? I don’t know, I guess you didn’t. Because it looks like it does look real.

It absolutely does.

Jumping Genres Is as Rewarding as It Is Challenging for the Cast of ‘Strange New Worlds’

“You just never know what you’re going to get.”

Christina, speaking of being so serious and then getting to play fall camp, this episode really sort of lets you lean into La’an’s sillier side like, screaming, “Avenge me!” as she’s dragged out of the bingo hall. For you, what was the most exciting part of showing that more funny side for her?

CHONG: I think for me it was the stick, learning that stick fight routine, the fact that she goes over and completely gets the guy on the floor with the stick and then comes back and she’s like, “Yeah!” [and sort of] becomes the leader of the gang. That was a really cool element of that episode for me. And yeah, just going full on rage. You know, she’s never really gotten to do that before.

PECK: I remember the table read being really funny with your performance, hearing that for the first time, yeah, and being like, “That’s awesome.”

For all of you, sort of building off of that, Strange New Worlds takes such big genre shifts between episodes. I’m curious what’s the most rewarding part for jumping between those, like, different tones? You have a horror episode right back to back with this really silly, fun episode. So what’s the most rewarding part and the most challenging part of that as an actor?

CHONG: I think it’s the variety, that it doesn’t get boring. You know, you’re doing horror, and then we’re preparing for a classic Trek episode, and then we’re going on to a — I’m not sure what I can say here, but, puppet episode — so, you know, it’s just the variety that’s fun for me.

WESLEY: Yeah. I mean, as an actor, that’s all you want to do, and I, you know, I’ll say that the original series, if you watch the original series, it also, you just never know what you’re going to get. I mean, there’s like, really like, it’s like you get classic Trek and then you get kind of goofy or kind of, you know, Tribbles and like, that’s what I love about the show. It’s deeply imaginative, and we take it even further, you know, and, yeah, as an actor, you’re just constantly wanting to flex your muscles. And so this show allows you to do that.

PECK: The challenge is the different genres. I mean, that’s right there. And if I’m being frank, what’s great about it is finishing those different genres, because every time I’m like, “I don’t know how this is going to work. I don’t know how I’m going to do this.” And I find it to be quite intimidating and frightening. And so a successfully completed episode is a wonderful relief and reward, you know?

Absolutely. I have to ask, did you get to watch Rebecca do “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in Klingon, and how hard was it to keep a straight face?

CHONG: Yeah. She, I mean, that was [incredible]; I can’t believe she did that in such a short amount of time. I think they gave her a few days with the lyrics or something, and I just remember her being so proud of herself for doing that, and rightly so. And she let us listen to the recording pretty much straight after she’d done [it; it was] super impressive.

WESLEY: I just remember Akiva blasting it on the San Diego Comic-Con bus. I don’t know if you guys were there; he was like blasting it. He was like, she was singing “Total Eclipse of the Heart” in Klingon. It was awesome. Over and over, too.

New episodes of Strange New Worlds arrive weekly on Paramount+ every Thursday. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

2022 – 2027-00-00

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Network

Paramount+

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Showrunner

Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman

Directors

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Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman

Writers

Onitra Johnson

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Rapper Kurupt is recounting his journey to sobriety and the people who helped him along the way. During a recent interview, the Death Row Records veteran credited fellow hip-hop icons Eminem and Dr. Dre for supporting him throughout his addiction recovery, sharing how they played meaningful roles during one of the most challenging periods of his life.

Kurupt, born Ricardo Brown, rose to fame as a member of Tha Dogg Pound, one of Death Row Records’ flagship acts. He has a long history with Dr. Dre and Eminem, and in a recent interview, the rapper revealed how the two icons supported him through a difficult time.

Kurupt had an alcohol addiction, which eventually led to multiple health conditions. His latest health scare resulted in damaged organs and multiple seizures, and he had to be put on a medically induced coma for three weeks. The 53-year-old rapper is now sober, thanks in part to the support of Eminem and Dr. Dre.

Amid his addiction struggle, Kurupt said Dr. Dre called him offering his support and told him that Eminem wanted to pay for his rehab. “You know, these things cost bread, so Em put the cheese up for it and said, ‘Tell Kurupt I love him’,” the rapper shared on “Sway in the Morning.”

The Rapper Appreciated The Meaningful Gesture From His Fellow Rappers

Kurupt expressed his gratitude to the two rappers, saying Dr. Dre’s call came out of the blue. “That was real special to me. I appreciate both of them so much.”

He shared that Eminem put him in contact with people he knew and made sure that Kurupt had privacy while recovering. “Like, ‘Okay, Kurupt going through that? Bam. Boom I’ma do that for him, man. Tell Kurupt get well, we love him.’ That’s deep’,” the rapper said.

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The recovery wasn’t easy, and Kurupt said he was initially in denial, but he is now completely sober. “I stopped drinking and believe it or not, it was Dr. Dre and Eminem who came to the table and got me a place where I could be and get away from everything,” he said in another interview with BigBoyTV.

Eminem Helped Another Rapper Through Sobriety Journey

Kurupt isn’t the only rapper who credited Eminem. In 2018, rapper Royce da 5’9″, born Ryan Daniel Montgomery, gave a shoutout to Eminem through his song “Stay Woke.” In it, he said, “Thanks to Marshall I’m sober doing what I enjoy doin’,” referring to Eminem’s birth name.

Royce da 5’9″ was an alcoholic, and even before he hit rock bottom, he said Eminem told him that he could give him a call anytime. After experiencing blackouts and getting into legal trouble, he realized it was time to clean up his act.

He contacted Eminem, and the rapper immediately went into action. “He linked me up with my therapist, who is still my therapist today, and my sponsor today. I haven’t had a drink since. That was 6 years ago,” Royce da 5’9″ said in a 2018 interview.

The Rapper Shared His Own Experience With Addiction

Eminem also had struggles with addiction, as he shared in past interviews. As reported by The Blast, he suffered a near-fatal accidental overdose in late 2007. At the peak of his addiction, he took massive amounts of Vicodin, Valium, and Ambien.

Fortunately, he recovered and later shared that “Relapse,” his first album after getting sober, marked the first time he had recorded music with a clear mind and genuinely enjoyed the process.

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Eminem discussed his addiction and recovery in his 2025 documentary “STANS,” and shared the moment he realized he had to make a difference. “I realized I’m not embarrassed anymore about it, and I started treating sobriety like a superpower. I was proud of the fact that I could quit,” he said.

Eminem Turned To Elton John For Guidance

Unbeknownst to many, Eminem and Elton John have a close relationship. The two first collaborated at the Grammy Awards in 2001 when they performed the rapper’s song “Stan,” with John stepping in to perform Dido’s vocal parts.

Years later, when Eminem started his journey to sobriety, he called John, who has been sober since 1990. “He’s somebody who’s in the business and can identify and relate to the lifestyle and how hectic things can be. He understands… the pressure and any other reasons that you want to come up with for doing drugs,” the rapper shared in 2009.

In April, Eminem celebrated 18 years of sobriety and showed off his chip on Instagram, per The Blast.

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The Shards is Ryan Murphy‘s newest highly anticipated series, but how is the spooky — and star-studded — teen slasher related to Bret Easton Ellis‘ hit American Psycho?

According to the official synopsis, The Shards is set in Los Angeles in 1981 and follows “a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school.” His world is upended by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose “unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.”

Igby Rigney portrays Ellis, now 62, alongside costar Homer Gere as Robert. The cast includes Graham Campbell, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley and Kaia Gerber, as well as Evan Rachel Wood, Jordan Roth, Owen Painter and Daniel Dale in supporting roles.

The Shards is based on Ellis’ book of the same name, which is a fictionalized memoir about his upbringing. The 2023 release was Ellis’ first in 13 years. Ellis is best known for his book American Psycho, which told the story of a fictional Manhattan investment banker who lives a double life as a serial killer.

Related: Spooky TV Shows to Get Into the Halloween Spirit: From ‘AHS’ to ‘Scream’

Horror fans don’t have to rely on just horror movies during spooky season — there’s also plenty of terrifying television shows that can get anyone into the Halloween spirit. American Horror Story has become a spooky season staple since it premiered in 2011 as an anthology series on FX. Each season follows a different set […]

American Psycho was transformed into a movie starring Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman. Other works by Ellis include Less than Zero, The Rules of Attraction, The Informers, Glamorama, Lunar Park and Imperial Bedrooms.

The Shards is the only book of Ellis’ to feature himself as a character, but he issued a disclaimer stating that all the major players in The Shards are fictional — apart from the narrator.

“The last time I thought about this book, this particular dream, and telling this version of the story — the one you’re reading now, the one you just began — was almost twenty years ago, when I thought I could handle revealing what happened to me and a few of my friends at the beginning of our senior year at Buckley, in 1981,” reads an excerpt from the novel.

Ahead of the show’s debut, Campbell, who plays Thom, teased how other characters exist on the page and on screen, telling Us, “What’s interesting because we’re seeing the story through Bret’s eyes is that you kind of tap in and out of other people’s story lines and a lot goes down behind the scenes.”

Daniel Dale had a similar experience while bringing Ryan to life.

“I’ve never worked with a book before as a source material,” he noted to Us. “So we had that and it talks a little bit about Ryan’s upbringing, the character of Ryan’s upbringing, his family and what that was all like. I brought all of that with me to the show — not knowing whether that would stay when we adapted it — but it kind of informed a lot about just the way he stands and the way he talks.”

Dale continued: “I feel like it was very clear to me. I could see him when I read the book. So I tried to really embody that.”

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Filming The Shards also involved a lot of creativity for Painter, especially when it came to exploring his character Matt’s motivation between the lines.

“I thought a lot about who Matt was. In the book — at least to me — [it] shaped up to be about identity and imagination and what happens when you impose your own perspective on other people,” he said. “I honestly didn’t make any hard line decisions. I just kept thinking about it.”

The Shards airs Wednesdays on FX.

Some books are just waiting to be adapted into a movie or TV show. Just this year, we had two incredible book-to-movie adaptations, with Project Hail Mary and The Odyssey both breaking box office records and earning universal acclaim from critics and audiences. Indeed, many books seem tailor-made to be translated into either the big or small screens, with storylines that perfectly benefit from the adaptation treatment. However, many other books remain elusive and unknowable, avoiding the straightforward conventions that would make them ideal for an adaptation. Such is the case for Hyperion.

Written by the late Dan Simmons, Hyperion is a challenging yet immensely rewarding sci-fi epic and one of the best reading experiences of the last century or so. The word “masterpiece” is certainly overused, but if there’s one book that earns the title, it’s this one. Yet, what makes Hyperion special on the page is also what would make it impossible for anyone to do it justice in either film or show form. This ambitious triumph of the written word is perfect in its current form, and while many talented creatives could certainly take a chance and test their mettle by adapting it, there’s a strong chance they would simply fail to recreate what Simmons so effortlessly captured on the page.

What Is ‘Hyperion’ About?

Artwork by Noriyoshi Ohrai

Hyperion borrows the structure of the classic by Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, to tell its fascinating story. First, the basics of worldbuilding: in the far future — the year 2732, to be exact — thousands of planets across the universe make up the Hegemony of Man, each one connected by a farcaster portal. Other players include the TechnoCore, a civilization of advanced AIs, and the Ousters, a group of modified humans living in space stations and in constant conflict with the Hegemony.

Now, for the actual plot: a framing device presents a group of pilgrims sent to the planet of Hyperion, which exists outside the Hegemony. Because it has farcaster, one cannot visit Hyperion without incurring severe time dilation. The pilgrims mean to visit the Shrike, a powerful and dangerous metallic creature said to be capable of granting a wish to each of them. The Shrike, in turn, is the guardian of the Time Tombs, structures that are moving backwards in time.

As an Ouster invasion prepares to attack Hyperion, the pilgrims go on this final voyage, each one with a story to share about how and why they were chosen. They are: Lenar Hoyt, a Catholic priest in his 30s; Fedmahn Kassahd, a Martian of Palestinian descent who is part of the Hegemony’s military; Brawne Lamia, a private detective; Martin Silenus, a poet; Sol Weintraub, a Jewish scholar; Het Masteen, the ship’s captain; and the Consul, an enigmatic man. As for the Shrike, it remains elusive throughout the narrative, appearing constantly yet remaining shrouded in mystery regarding its origin, nature, and motives.

Is ‘Hyperion’ Truly Unadaptable?

Image via Spectra

Some books would never work as movies, and Hyperion is one. For starters, the structure itself is an issue. Divided into a prologue, an epilogue, and six chapters, Hyperion dedicates these six sections to exploring each of the pilgrims’ backstories, each one with a different genre. For example, Fedmahn’s chapter is a classic military sci-fi story, in keeping with his background as a colonel, while Lamia’s chapter is a hard-boiled detective story that uses noir conventions.

Thematically, Hyperion juggles a lot of very big ideas. Religion is a huge theme, mainly embodied by the character of Lenar and his predecessor, Paul Duré, the first Catholic priest to visit Hyperion. Particularly, Simmons’ book is concerned with the very nature of religion and faith, and how their purpose clashes with the institutions meant to uphold them. Lenar and Duré’s stories are a highlight of Hyperion, blending body horror with profound philosophical questions regarding humanity’s place in a larger universe that seems indifferent to suffering. There are no easy answers here — there’s hardly any answers at all. Instead, Simmons allows his prose to awaken something in us as readers, our curiosity to not only come to our own conclusions but to also look beyond what’s on the page and inwards.

Time is the other major theme in Hyperion. Simmons treats time as something unknowable, a primal force that simply cannot be understood, much less manipulated or toyed with. The book uses the concept of “time debt,” caused by the use of the farcasters and interstellar travel. Yet, the actual debt is more emotional and psychological, resulting in “unlived” time that literally separates an individual from everything they know. The universe of Hyperion is populated by people displaced from their origins, literally lost in space, existing outside of their time, drifting aimlessly in a vast and unforgiving universe that couldn’t care less about them.

All of these heady themes translate beautifully into the page thanks to Simmons’ insightful, soulful writing. The book allows him to explore these ideas in detail, and the use of a first-person perspective adds a layer of intimacy that makes the reader connect to the characters on a more personal level. Any movie or TV show would likely fail to replicate this approach, try as they might. Sure, a talented director or showrunner could easily nail the themes, but it’s the execution that would elude them. There’s a rawness to Simmons’ writing that makes Hyperion impactful, a poetic lyricism that allows him to find unexpected beauty and unembellished truth in heavy themes like grief, love, and sacrifice.

Will We Ever See a ‘Hyperion’ Adaptation?

As early as 2009, there were talks of a Hyperion adaptation. Scott Derrickson was attached at one point, and currently, Bradley Cooper is supposedly adapting it as a movie for Warner Bros. Yet, one can’t help but hesitate because both the TV and film mediums have limitations. If there needs to be an adaptation of this masterpiece, then it should be a TV show. The episodic nature of television would be better suited for Hyperion‘s structure, allowing each character an episode to themselves to truly capture the richness of their narratives. Yet, the book’s universal scope and the ambitious, terrifying nature of the Shrike would work better on a big screen and with the larger resources usually reserved for major blockbusters.

In other words, a Hyperion TV show would be too expensive, and a movie would be too constrictive. Will we ever see an adaptation? Maybe, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. After all, some works of art exist in their ideal form from the get-go, and Hyperion is one. The literary medium is the perfect home for this larger-than-life, genre-bending, once-in-a-lifetime work, a pillar of modern science fiction that has inspired countless writers and will inspire a thousand more.

Molly Ringwald has opened up about her experiences in the industry, with people and shows.

The phenomenal actress recently reflected on her past work, rating her experience working on several sets. In the process, she opened viewers’ eyes to how much a castmate can affect a co-star’s overall feeling about a project.

Molly Ringwald started in the entertainment industry as a child actress and rose to fame over the years. She has been vocal about the challenges she faced as a young actress in Hollywood.

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Ringwald revealed her personal views on several projects she worked on right from her days as a child star. While playing a game of “Spill the IMDb Tea” on a recent episode of “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” the actress was asked to rate some of her roles based only on her experience filming them, not on the final product.

The wheel spun, revealing some films she’s appeared in like “Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts Of Life,” “Not Another Teen Movie,” and “Pretty In Pink,” amongst others. Ringwald gave each film a rating on a scale of 1 to 10 and offered brief explanations for the ratings.

One show that stuck out, receiving the lowest number on the scale, was “The Secret Life of the American Teenager.” She shared that while she “loved” the cast of the show, it was “the worst” because “there was one person that was really difficult.”  

Who Starred In ‘The Secret Life Of An American Teenager’ Alongside Ringwald?

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The actress played Anne Juergens in the ABC Family teen drama from 2008 to 2013. The show centered around the story of Amy, played by Shailene Woodley, a high school student who became pregnant at 15 years old and had to navigate life changes and a journey into motherhood.

Ringwald and Woodley starred alongside Mark Derwin, Ken Baumann, Megan Park, Francia Raisa, India Eisley, and other Hollywood stars for five seasons. Woodley and Ringwald, who played a mother-daughter duo, have remained close over the years. 

“I got to know her as just this, like, beautiful older sister, motherly figure to me who was really protective of honoring, like, my authenticity as a young person and who I was and just being, like, a kiddo playing a kiddo,” Woodley said of the “Sixteen Candles” star in 2024. 

Later on the show, Ringwald clarified that she was “not going to say who that one person is,” from the ABC Family drama, but they “brought it down to a 1” on Cohen’s rating scale. 

Molly Ringwald Regrets An Iconic Role She Passed On

During the same appearance, as her chat with Cohen continued, the mom of three revealed the one project she regrets not jumping on when the offer came. She shared that she still thinks about her decision to say no to the 90’s American supernatural romance film “Ghost.”

The role ultimately went to Demi Moore, who played Molly Jensen in the supernatural blockbuster. “But Demi is great in it. So good for Demi; she did a great job,” Ringwald said, praising the actress before revealing that she passed on the film because she didn’t connect with the script or the material. 

Cohen highlighted that taking that role could have “changed the entire trajectory” of her career, prompting Ringwald to admit, “It was just not meant to be.” The TV personality is famously known for turning down several major roles in projects including “Working Girl,” “The Silence of the Lambs,” and “Pretty Woman.”

The Award-Winning Actress Had ‘To Protect’ Herself In Hollywood

Ringwald previously revealed the challenges she faced as a young star in Hollywood. She shared that despite her “shy, introverted” nature and preference for staying home rather than going out, she found herself in some “questionable situations.”

Speaking to Marc Maron on his podcast two years ago, the “Sixteen Candles” star noted that she didn’t really feel part of a community in the industry because she was not very social nor “into going out to clubs.”

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In response, Maron said, “Well, you’re lucky you didn’t get taken advantage of or got into some sort of horrible situation,” to which she disagreed, saying, “You can’t be a young actress in Hollywood and not have predators around.” 

The actress disclosed that she had to rely on her survival instinct and a pretty big superego to figure out a way to protect herself from being taken advantage of.

Molly Ringwald Wants A Different Path For Her Daughter

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Ringwald shares three kids: a daughter, Mathilda, and fraternal twins, Adele and Roman, with her husband, writer and book editor Panio Gianopoulos. While discussing her book “When It Happens to You” on the TODAY show in 2012, she shared that she says no to her daughter’s dreams of becoming an actress.

“She asks me every day…I say no,” Ringwald shared. The TV star, however, clarified that she is not completely shutting down her child’s dreams but wants her to follow a particular path to achieve them. 

She stated that school comes first, and after her daughter graduates from college, preferably an Ivy League school, she could pursue a career in acting. Ringwald revealed that her decision stemmed from the fact that a good education would make her a better actress and person, in addition to her knowledge of the entertainment industry.

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What other Hollywood experiences is Molly Ringwald yet to share?

O’Shea Jackson Jr. typically doesn’t hold back his thoughts on social media. Recently, he penned a sweet birthday message for his nine-year-old. The post quickly drew mixed reactions as some fans learned about his daughter for the first time. When one internet user tried to crack a lil’ joke about posting the child, the actor quickly set the record straight.

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O’Shea Jackson Clocks Social Media User’s Joke About Hiding His Daughter

On Instagram, O’Shea Jackson Jr. penned a sweet message for his nine-year-old daughter. His post also includes a single image of two wet footprints, his and a young child’s. His caption said the following:

“Dear Baby. 9 years ago my life changed forever. I felt a love I had never felt before. A feeling of purpose I had never felt before. A new focus. A new drive. New wants, new fearsew laughs. New tears….a whole new me. And it all came with … a little me. That of course being, you. Jordan you have no idea how much I love you. And how much I needed you in my life. Everything that I do, I do for you. And everything that I DONT do, I don’t do….for you. You make me so proud to be your dad and all I want in this life is to make you proud to be my daughter. Idk when you’ll read this but one day you will. That day you will know that I’ve always felt like I had the smartest, funniest, most beautiful little girl in the entire world. And today is your 9th birthday. And my 9th anniversary of being the luckiest father in the world. I love you baby. Always and forever. Forever and always. Chicken wing chicken wing. Hot dog and bologna.” 

Actor Pops Off Over His Daughter’s Privacy

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Roommates, spooky season is off to an early start thanks to one man who decided to climb onto the roof of a hospital dressed as the Grim Reaper. Yes, y’all! Police arrested 26-year-old Leon Gillespie after he showed up on top of the building wearing a black hooded costume and carrying a long blade.

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Leon Gillespie Had Hospital Patients Seeing More Than Doctors

If you thought you have seen and heard it all, think again! Ysbyty Glan Clwyd Hospital in Denbigshire, North Wales, had an unexpected guest recently. A man named Leon Gillespie popped up on the roof of the building dressed as the Grim Reaper on Saturday, August 1. Gillespie claimed his all-black costume was meant to represent a crow, even though he appeared to carry a long blade.

According to the New York Post, Gillespie stayed on top of the building for around 50 minutes and reportedly made noises toward people on the ground. Hospital visitors couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched him stand still while holding the blade. Four police cars and a fire crew eventually arrived to the scene to apprehend Gillespie while he pulled off the stunt.

So What’s Next For The Grim Reaper?

As of right now, Gillespie hasn’t explained what inspired his viral stunt. Still, police arrested him and later charged him with causing a nuisance or disturbance without a reasonable excuse on NHS premises. Gillespie eventually pleaded guilty to the offense and reportedly received a fine.

This isn’t Leon Gillespie’s first run-in with the law. He previously faced two other offenses after police accused him of stealing cat food and litter from a pet store in March and taking goods from a Sainsbury’s supermarket in the same town in May.

The TL Couldn’t Resist Cracking Jokes About The Grim Reaper Stunt

Y’all already know the internet doesn’t take anything serious. Once news broke about Leon’s Grim Reaper stunt, The Shade Room comment section went crazy with reactions. Plenty of folks asked, “Now why would he do that?” while others joked that his appearance probably had patients’ blood pressure rising and left them wondering what in the world was going on.

Instagram user @blackgirlrebirth wrote, “Nah this is HILARIOUS.” 

Instagram user @fmg_bp wrote, “I ain’t never laughed so hard with out seeing proof 😂”

While Instagram user @iam.jadaaa wrote, “this not funny but it is😭 those intrusive thoughts took over for sure 😂😂” 

Instagram user @chasedby_grace wrote, “Now that’s what I call DARK humor 😭😭” 

Then Instagram user @leway_tattoos wrote, “Imagine you just woke up and you see him!” 

Another Instagram user @detroitdar_ wrote, “Now why would you do that 😂” 

Instagram user @goldncase wrote, “Everyday People finding new and innovative ways to go to jail 😂😂😂😂😂😂” 

Then another Instagram user @1partyboi_duece wrote, “I just know he had this day marked on the calendar 😂” 

While another Instagram user @taeevstamar wrote, “What they charge him with? Dark humor? 😭😂” 

Finally, Instagram user @dredataurus wrote, “Everybody’s blood pressure was sky high.” 

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