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10 Most Ambitious Fantasy Movies of the Last 25 Years
All movies are hard, and often expensive, to make, involving a lot of hard work and long hours from tremendously talented craftspeople and creative artists. That hard work and long hours are doubled for any movie that needs to create an entire world, whether that be another period or an entirely different realm. When it comes to creating those fictional worlds, it’s most often in service of stories of the fantasy genre, which take a tremendous amount of ambition to bring to life.
Even in the last 25 years, with massive advancements in visual effects technology, mounting a fantasy has become no less ambitious, as the movies have only grown bigger and more lavish. Some films have embraced that technology, while others have strived to avoid using it, and many of the most ambitious films attempt to find a balance between practical and digital. Groundbreaking CGI, lavish costumes, massive sets, grand locations and expansive casts are all part of what makes the following fantasy films the most ambitious of the last 25 years.
10
‘The Polar Express’ (2004)
Robert Zemeckis is known for his technical innovations. Films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Death Becomes Her, and Forrest Gump all featured pioneering uses of different visual effects technologies. In the 2000s, Zemeckis became particularly obsessed with motion capture technology, and he and his company, ImageMovers, decided to use it for his adaptation of the Chris Van Allsburg book The Polar Express, which was also the first to pioneer full facial performance capture.
While the results were uneven, with creepy-looking characters that looked like they crawled straight out of the Uncanny Valley, the film, at the very least, showed the potential of the technology. In hindsight, the story would have been better served as a live-action adaptation. There’s still plenty of beauty in some of the digitally rendered locations, and the titular train looks magnificent, but the dead-eyed children are hard to look at. The first guy through the wall always gets bloody, and Zemeckis took on a lot of hits for this film and his animated fantasy follow-ups.
9
‘Wicked’ (2024)
Adapting the smash Broadway musical Wicked into a feature film took over a decade and the turnover of many creatives, but the result was a film that itself became a pop culture sensation. The first Wicked, which adapted the first half of the musical, as directed by Jon M. Chu, utilized both expansive digital effects and large-scale sets to bring its version of the land of Oz to the screen.
The effort is evident on the screen, continuing the grand musical tradition from the original The Wizard of Oz. The musical numbers are lavish, the performers are stellar, and the film manages to keep its energy up for most of its two-hour-plus runtime. Some of its darker themes of systemic oppression and corruption get a little lost under all the glitter and grandeur, but it still packs a punch in its climax. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, unsurprisingly wasn’t able to recapture that same magic, but still managed to become a box office hit and wrap up what was one of the biggest fantasy phenomena in movies in a long time.
8
‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (2001)
Adapting the beloved Harry Potter books to film was a daunting undertaking. Not only did Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone have to craft an entire Wizarding World, but it also had to find a cast who could capture the essence of the characters and carry on their roles for multiple sequels. The film did all that and managed to tell a compelling story that had many fans wishing they could be whisked off to Hogwarts themselves.
The importance of the casting of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson cannot be understated, and all three actors will remain synonymous with their roles for the rest of their lives. Director Chris Columbus gets a ton of chemistry out of the trio, despite their collective lack of acting experience, and they anchor the film, even in its silliest moments. The moments that matter most are all handled perfectly, though, from Harry getting his first wand to the introduction of Hogwarts. While later films would improve on and perfect the potion, the first film set the formula.
7
‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)
Basing a movie on one of the most popular fantasy novels of all time definitely requires some brave ambition. Basing a movie on a decades-old theme park ride featuring pirates requires near-delusional levels. In the early 2000s, Disney was in another of its transitional periods, trying a lot of different things, but Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a definite risk. Theme park ride movies had not been a success for Disney, and modern pirate movies had all universally bombed, including Disney’s own Treasure Planet from the year prior.
Johnny Depp was also not a known box office draw in the 2000s as well. Long before his movie star status and controversies, the actor was known for being a heartthrob who took on strange roles in films that were often unsuccessful at the box office. Director Gore Verbinski had only had one hit film as well, with the horror remake The Ring, but clearly had a creative energy that was ready to be unleashed. The first film in the Pirates franchise is a lot of swashbuckling fun, and has some supernatural tricks up its sleeve. It’s a genuine treasure in comparison to the cursed film it could have been.
6
’The Green Knight’ (2021)
All the previous films on this list had plenty of ambition, but they also had plenty of money. Ambition and skill can only carry a film so far if it doesn’t have resources. It’s why so many modern epic fantasy films come with price tags consistently over $100 million. It’s also why The Green Knight, made for one-tenth of that, is such an impressive fantasy feat. Despite having a fraction of the budget, it still makes its hero’s journey feel suitably epic and fills it with fantastic imagery.
Retelling the legend of Gawain and the Green Knight, David Lowery‘s film examines its hero through a modern lens, but keeps a lot of its effects old-school. The film is a tribute to the practically made fantasy films of the ’80s, like Legend and Excalibur, and it has the same tactile quality. The Green Knight may not have gigantic battle sequences or effects-filled action sequences, but it’s no less imaginative or fully realized than films made on ten times its budget. It’s a minor masterpiece with major ambitions.
5
‘Mad God’ (2021)
Any stop-motion animated film is inherently ambitious. The painstaking medium takes excruciatingly long to properly accomplish and demands incredible patience. Stop-motion animation artists are some of the most underappreciated in Hollywood, and the films they’ve delivered all kinds of wonders and horrors over the decades. In the 21st century, there have been some very ambitious stop-motion fantasy films produced, from Corpse Bride to Kubo and the Two Strings. The upcoming Wildwood looks to be another visual feast of incredible handmade artistry as well, but in terms of sheer audacity and ambition, it’s going to be hard to beat Mad God.
A passion project of visual effects legend Phil Tippett, Mad God took 30 years to complete, with huge gaps in its production as Tippett would collaborate with different volunteer artists on weekends. The result is a dark fantasy nightmare that defies easy classification or description, but is a must-watch for any fan of the art form or the artist. Mad God is completely untethered from any standard narrative structure, unfolding as a true descent into hell. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it is a striking sight to behold and undeniably ambitious.
4
’The Odyssey’ (2026)
The ambition of Christopher Nolan shouldn’t be taken for granted. Whatever failings he may have as a storyteller or filmmaker, being unambitious is not one of them. The director has been mounting epic films on an increasing scale for over a decade, transporting audiences into Gotham City, the dark reaches of outer space, and most recently into Homer‘s The Odyssey. While the discourse around Nolan’s fantasy epic began to overwhelm the film itself, it’s likely to find continued love for its epic scale.
From the production design, to the costumes, to the depiction of mythical beasts, there is a tactile quality to all of it. The film’s location shooting makes it feel practically gargantuan compared to other blockbusters shot on stages with green screens that can feel claustrophobic. The Odyssey features many visual effects, but they are meticulously designed and beautifully integrated. The best thing about a filmmaker like Nolan isn’t just that he’s able to make films on this scale, but that he commands enough power with studios to get the time and money for his crew of collaborators to accomplish them properly.
3
‘The Tale of Princess Kaguya’ (2013)
Trying to compare the ambition and efforts of different animated mediums is a futile gesture. There is ambition in every animated film made, but there’s a special ambition in attempting something different. Movies that utilize the medium to create something that looks different than what mainstream audiences are accustomed to always risk rejection, even when coming from Studio Ghibli. While the storied animation studio is synonymous with director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, its creations extend beyond his masterpieces, including its most ambitious film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya.
Based on the Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the film is animated in a style reminiscent of watercolor paintings, with textured brushstrokes and charcoal lines that maintain their minor imperfections. It’s an evocative art style that director Isao Takahata wanted to use to elicit an emotional response, and it does. It doesn’t conform, even to the expected style of its studio, and stands in stark artistic opposition to almost any other animated film of the last 25 years.
2
‘The Fall’ (2006)
Tarsem Singh‘s The Fall was, for a long time, the most ambitious fantasy that almost no one had seen. The film came and went without much promotion or a widespread release and quickly went out of print on physical media. It’s been brought back thanks to a restoration on streaming, allowing fantasy fans to properly witness its stunning visuals. The film was mostly self-funded by Singh, who shot it over four years in two dozen countries. Its ambition expands well beyond the edges of the frame, and it’s an overwhelming visual experience.
Presenting a fantasy story through the imagination of a child isn’t necessarily novel. Many films have made attempts to create wild fantasies that represent the unbound imagination of children, but often fall short or devolve into chaotic CGI. The Fall is vibrant, unbound to any one style, with a world that shifts as quickly as the mind of a child wanders. There were few films that looked as good as or better than The Fall before it, and there aren’t likely to be many more.
1
‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
Despite many attempts, no fantasy franchise has been able to capture the same level of epic achievement as The Lord of the Rings. The massive cinematic trilogy, adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s seminal fantasy novels and shot back-to-back, was an incredibly ambitious undertaking. Peter Jackson had never directed a film close to the scale of a fantasy epic, never mind three, and the films became a behemoth production in New Zealand.
There are films that have had larger or longer productions, with just as many complexities as The Lord of the Rings, but none have been able to recapture the success of Jackson’s trilogy. Not even Jackson himself could replicate it with The Hobbit prequel trilogy. Back in 2001, audiences had never seen a fantasy epic as big as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and now we often take them for granted. Regardless of their individual success, the ambition of filmmakers who make fantasy movies should always be celebrated.
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Rosie O’Donnell managed to taunt President Donald Trump without directly mentioning his name in her guest-hosting debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
“If you thought the president hated Jimmy Kimmel Live! when it was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, buckle up, people,” O’Donnell, 64, began her monologue during the Monday, August 17, edition of the ABC show.
O’Donnell kicked off a week-long stint filling in for Kimmel, 58, with a joke about what the world was like during her previous stint as a talk show host in the 1990s. (She hosted The Rosie O’Donnell Show from 1996 to 2002.)
“I haven’t sat behind a desk on TV in almost 30 years and a lot has changed since the ‘90s,” she said. “Well, back then, there was a war in the Middle East. Climate change was ravaging our planet, we had a president who was embroiled in scandals. But today, everything is so chill.”
O’Donnell then opened up about her move with her child, Clay, to Ireland in January 2025 on the eve of Trump’s second inauguration.
“I’ve been living in Ireland the last two years because of ‘Mango Mussolini,’” she quipped. “I read that Project 2025 and said, ‘I’ve gotta get myself out of here.’ I decided to go to Ireland, a place where people are driven to drink regardless of who’s running their country. I decided to move and I took my little then-11-year-old kid with me and I just said, ‘Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone. We don’t want a lot of press and a lot of paparazzi. So, please don’t tell anyone.’”
The comedian went on, “They’re a pretty smart kid, they got it. They said, ‘Don’t worry, I won’t,’ and then went to school and proceeded to tell their entire class [they were moving to another country] because ‘the President of the United States hates my mother. But, in all fairness, I believe my mother hates him more.’”
O’Donnell then shared a few charming anecdotes about living in Ireland among “the kindest people I’ve ever met.”
“To the people of Ireland, I send my love. I’ll be home soon,” she vowed.
Rosie O’Donnell on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Courtesy YouTube / ABC
O’Donnell finished off her debut Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue by hinting that her decision not to mention Trump by name was deliberate.
“Right now, he’s in the White House crying because I haven’t mentioned him,” she teased.
O’Donnell recently returned to the U.S. for an extended stay over the summer for the Off-Broadway run of her one-woman show, Common Knowledge.
In June, Kimmel, 58, took great delight in revealing he’d personally selected O’Donnell to guest host his ABC show during his summer break.
Rosie O’Donnell revealed she secretly traveled to the United States after leaving the country amid Donald Trump’s second term as president. “I was recently home for two weeks and I did not really tell anyone,” O’Donnell, 63, said after calling into SiriusXM’s Cuomo Mornings on Friday, February 13. “I just went to see my family. […]
“As a special treat for our commander-in-chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming. So, you’re welcome,” he joked. “All I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”
O’Donnell later debunked reports claiming that she was in the running to potentially replace Kimmel for good, calling those claims “funny — and completely untrue” in July.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET.
Justin Chatwin, who starred alongside Hayden Panettiere in her final movie, said the actress appeared to be “struggling” on set.
“Hayden seemed different when I met her this time than when I met her in the early years,” the Shameless alum, 43, told People in an interview on Monday, August 17, recalling how he first met Panettiere during her stint on the hit show Heroes in the mid-2000s before reuniting on Sleepwalker, which was released in January.
Chatwin continued, “I could tell she was struggling, and I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s this movie.’ There’s a handful of women that I’ve worked with that I really liked, and I really loved working with her, but I also know that she was really lonely.”
In Sleepwalker, Panettiere played a mom mourning the death of her daughter in a car accident. Chatwin played her abusive husband.
Hayden Panettiere was open about her substance abuse issues, revealing the highs and lows of her sobriety journey prior to her shocking August 2026 death at the age of 36. Panettiere died of a suspected overdose on August 16, 2026. Authorities in South Carolina confirmed the following day that officers responded to a home after […]
“We hit it off great, and it was an awesome shoot, but it was about domestic abuse, and it was subject matter that may have hit close to home, because she did mention it,” Chatwin told People. “She opened up to me about a lot of things.”
“I’m sure that everyone else is going to say, ‘Oh, she’s amazing. She’s such a sweet person on set,’ because she was,” he added. “But we’re trained to be actors, so we’re acting on set, you know? And she is sweet. She had a beautiful heart. But we’re trained to be on, and I really liked spending time with her because she took that off, and she was authentic with me about her life and she opened up about her struggles with addiction. And who knows where it comes from? Does it come from Hollywood? Does it come from home? And a lot of times, it’s both.”
Hayden Panettiere in ‘Sleepwalker.’ Brainstorm Media/Everett Collection
Panettiere died at age 36 on Sunday, August 16, in Greenville, South Carolina.
“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement.
The Greenville Police Department said in a statement to Us, “On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1:51 PM, officers from the Greenville Police Department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road. Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Hollywood is mourning the tragic loss of Hayden Panettiere at age 36. The Heroes and Nashville alum’s representative confirmed to Us on Sunday, August 16, that the actress had died. Details surrounding Panettiere’s death were not immediately available. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,” Panettiere’s father, […]
“The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms. Panettiere placed the 911 call,” the statement added.
The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said Monday that an autopsy showed “no signs of trauma … that would have contributed to the death.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
NBA YoungBoy has his fans weighing in after sharing a cryptic post about family on his Instagram Stories on Monday, August 17. The message was posted mere weeks after Mellow Rackz shared her new back ink featuring the married rapper’s face. Now, his fans are speculating about the reason for his new message and whether it’s linked to his wife, Jazlyn Mychelle.
RELATED: Social Media Reacts After NBA YoungBoy Shares Blunt Messages About Family & Loyalty (PHOTOS)
YoungBoy Shares A Mysterious Post About Family
Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, otherwise known as rapper NBA YoungBoy, shared a post about family on his Instagram Stories. Furthermore, he shared a family photograph of himself posing with Jazlyn Mychelle and two of their three children. The rapper noted that he “lost” the thing that completed his family. The artist has 13 children by multiple women, and Mychelle gave birth to the couple’s youngest child in February, per The Los Angeles Times.
“Honestly I feel like I lost the only thing complete my family,” he wrote. “But it’s cool, 5 I love you you need To come home cause that ain’t it. I’ll mind my business though,” he continued. “Like a gangster suppose too.”
“I forgot I was famous,” he added in another post.
RELATED: NBA YoungBoy Calls Out Critics As He Addresses Online Speculation That His Wife Jazlyn Mychelle Left Him (LISTEN)
Fans Raise Eyebrows After Mellow Rackz Tattoos NBA YoungBoy’s Face
The post comes just weeks after the ‘Bandit’ artist was seen getting cozy in a livestream with rapper Mellow Rackz. Subsequently, fans were surprised after Rackz live-streamed her new ink featuring none other than NBA YoungBoy’s real name, Kentrell, on her back. Not only that, but the 24-year-old tattooed an image of the artist on her back. Furthermore, the video was set to NBA YoungBoy’s track ‘No. 9,’ and she jumped on his livestream after sharing her tattoos.
Fans React To NBA YoungBoy’s Post With A Roast
After the post was shared on TSR’ Teens’ Instagram page, fans were not empathetic to the rapper’s family woes given his recent antics. Several noted that they think Mychelle has left the artist while others dragged him for filth over his post. Also, fans think Kentrell’s comment about forgetting he was famous is a reference to his online antics with the rapper and family strife with his wife.
User @theyyloveenae wrote, “Stop cheating then tf!”
User @its_dassah replied, “I love kentrell down but baby …u brought that on yourself 😂😂😂.”
@theyllove.jas added, “Lol you thought you was gone keep playing in jazz face 😂.”
User @__.lifeasdej wrote, “LMAOOOOOOO Jaz must’ve got the hell on for now 😂😂😂😂😂😂.”
@scarface__123456 joked, “Jazz probably at the car dealership scanning her husband card for a brand new truck.”
User@ad0reclipz0.1 added, “😂😂she must finally left.”
@laynaadavillain wrote, “As she should tf.”
User @candlynn noted the obvious. “Let that girl post that tattoo of you now you want your wife af home🤦🏾♀️😂.”
User stylishbarbie27 wrote, “Run girl run.”
@shaleahamoriee added, “Yes jazz run a lil faster girl 😭.”
@itssliyaah_ noted, “Jazz got df on & ion blame her.”
User @vivalaaa_ also chimed in with advice. “Jazzzzz runnnnnnnnnnn.”
RELATED: Wrong Messenger? NBA YoungBoy Turns Heads After Telling Funny Marco To Never Trust A Cheating Husband (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Usher and Chris Brown have the extended dates for their now-infamous ‘The R&B Tour.’ Live Nation made the announcement on Monday, August 17, and fans have opinions on the added tour dates.
RELATED: Back On Track! Usher Fan Delivers Risqué Performance When Brought On Stage Following Viral Mishap (VIDEO)
Usher And Chris Brown Extend Dates For ‘The R&B Tour’
According to Billboard, Live Nation announced the additional tour dates on Instagram. The extended tour dates include eight additional shows in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbia, S.C., East Rutherford, N.J., Miami, and Los Angeles.
Usher also announced the additional dates on Instagram.
“You all are STILL not playing about The R&B Tour! 🔥,” he wrote. “The love has been unreal, so we’re keeping it going and adding MORE DATES.📍 East Rutherford — Oct 15 📍 Baltimore — Oct 17 📍 Cincinnati — Oct 24 📍 Columbia — Oct 29 📍 Indianapolis — Oct 31 📍 Atlanta — Nov 5 📍 Los Angeles — Nov 16 📍 Miami — Dec 6. The fans have made this tour what it is. We see you. Let’s keep making it BIGGER!”
“Fans signed up for The R&B Tour presale will have access to the newly added dates starting Thursday, August 20th at 10am local,” he continued. “Sign up now thru Tuesday, August 18th at 10pm ET. General On Sale begins Monday, August 24th at 10am local time.”
Fans Are Cuttin’ Up After Learning The Tour Dates And Cities
Fans reacted to the additional tour dates on Instagram, and they are generally excited about the extra performances. However, several had opinions about the cities left out of the tour, and they were not shy in expressing their disappointment on Instagram.
User @sabbathrose wrote, “YASSSSSSSS🔥🔥🔥🔥 My 3rd show is loading!!!😍😍😍😍.”
@traejay added, “Baltimoreeeee I’m going again.”
@miss.corrina replied, “That’s what I’m talking about cause NY/NJ showed yall mad love!!!!! Run it backkkk 🔥🔥🔥.”
User @yanna_920 replied, “Now why yall changed the ATL Saturday show to a Friday show.”
@cydneyirene wrote, “Yall adding a third New Jersey date… but couldnt add one Philly date??”
@caramel_nofrappp added, “Mannnn ADD PHILLY! 😤😤😤 How yall going back to MetLife???? 😒😒😒😒😒.”
User @brwnskindbeaut noted a request. “If you already went don’t be buying no more tickets save it for the ones who didn’t go.”
@imanipatrice added, “So why haven’t yall added Philly yet?”
User@hold.my.poodle replied, “Still no Philly is insane.”
@mikeyleemoore noted, “MetLife getting a third show?? D*mn.”
‘The R&B Tour’ Has Become Infamous For Spicy On-Stage Fan Interactions
‘The R&B Tour’ is a fan favorite this summer, partly due to the fan encounters during Usher’s and Brown’s hot and steamy performances. Both musicians have segments in the show where they get frisky with a lucky fan on-stage, and the spicy fan encounters have been making headlines.
One Usher fan was kicked off the stage during a performance in Nashville after she refused to participate in the segment once on the stage. Another spicy performance by Brown, with a fan in Canada, was criticized for being too graphic. While performing ‘Take You Down’, Brown brought a fan on stage and simulated NSFW moves with her on a bed.
RELATED: Whoops! Chris Brown Takes A Tumble During Toronto Show, But His Bounce-Back Has Fans In Awe (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Conservative pundit Meghan McCain seemingly showed support for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez amid the Democratic politician’s fertility journey.
“As one of the few women left in conservative media who isn’t trying to live a trad wife life or peddle trad wife content — a lot of you sound so weird and mean talking about fertility, pregnancy, post partum,” McCain, 41, tweeted on Monday, August 17.
She then warned Republicans, “You’re scaring the normies. And you’re gonna need them in ‘28.”
While McCain did not directly address Ocasio-Cortez, 36, by name, there has been a heated discourse among conservatives around her recent decision to freeze her eggs. The congresswoman announced on August 8 that she felt “empowered” by making such an important fertility decision.
Meghan McCain is shutting down trolls who called her “old and ugly,” revealing she is aging just like everyone else. “I am normally an Armadillo-skinned person, and there’s been a lot of commentary about how ‘old and ugly’ I am now,” McCain, 41, said during the Wednesday, July 22, of her and Miranda Wilkins’ “Citizen […]
“I want to share with you all a decision that is very personal that I have made that has taken me time to consider, weigh and save up for,” she said via her Instagram Stories at the time. “And it is of a sensitive matter and a personal matter and usually I keep my private life quite private, but I have made the decision to start freezing my eggs.”
However, many on the right criticized Ocasio-Cortez for her career aspirations, her age and more after learning she was freezing her eggs.
The New York representative addressed the backlash via an Instagram Story Q&A on Wednesday, August 12, when someone encouraged her to “ignore the idiotic Republican men saying dumb things.”
“They hate me ‘cause they ain’t me, and they can’t ever be me,” she wrote alongside a photo of her flashing a smile to the camera.
Criticism from conservatives has continued in recent days, though Ocasio-Cortez assured supporters that she did not regret publicly sharing her fertility journey.
“One question that I received earlier is do I regret coming out publicly about this due to all of the political negativity and the larger political context, and especially this idea that, for me, I’m quite young in my career — especially when it comes to politics — so would the backlash around this have any future impact on my career and do I regret it for those reasons,” Ocasio-Cortez said via her Instagram Story on Saturday, August 15.
“And the answer to that simply is — no. I was born a woman. Period,” she went on. “And I have no control over that, and I wouldn’t want to change that. And the way I feel is any negativity or judgement that I would receive at any point is negativity that I would receive for being a woman whether I shared this information or not, and so I might as well help others.”
The Democratic congresswoman has represented New York City’s 14th congressional district since January 2019.
Us has reached out to Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and McCain for comment.
Ben Affleck marked his 54th birthday with a low-key family gathering in Santa Monica, joined by his ex-wife Jennifer Garner and their children.
The celebration comes shortly after the death of his mother, Chris Anne Affleck, who died on June 2 at age 83 following a battle with cancer.
Ben Affleck was photographed at the upscale market Farmshop with his sons Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, while Garner was also spotted at the same location, showcasing the pair’s bond with their children as co-parents.
The birthday celebration marks Affleck’s first without his mother, whose passing has profoundly affected the actor and his brother, Casey Affleck.
A source told People Magazine about how the actor was coping: “Losing your mom is an unimaginable loss at any age, and they’re grieving deeply.”
The source added that the family is supported “by an incredible support system, and their kids have been a real source of comfort and strength during this heartbreaking time.” As reported, the family leans on one another, and they’ll “get through it together.”
Now, according to images obtained by the Daily Mail, Affleck spent part of his birthday with his children, Fin and Samuel, at an outing in Santa Monica as he did last year.
The trio was spotted at a Farmshop, dressing casually with Affleck in a striped shirt, dark trousers and shades.
Garner was also reportedly seen at the same Farmshop, although the former couple was not photographed together. The former couple also share a daughter, Violet, 20, who wasn’t present during the recent birthday outing.
See the images of their outing here.
The Actor’s Mother Achieved Her ‘Greatest Wish’ Before Her Death
The passing of Affleck’s mother was first announced by the family last month through an obituary in the Boston Globe. She was diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma in December 2025 and was reportedly given six months to live.
In her death certificate obtained by US Weekly, the late mother of two died from cardiopulmonary arrest while “visiting her son’s residence” in Los Angeles.
As noted in the obituary, Chris’ “greatest wish” after her diagnosis was to see her grandson graduate from high school.
She achieved that goal on May 31 in attendance with her family, two days before she died “peacefully in her sleep.”
Affleck’s mother was a grandmother to five grandchildren, namely Indiana, 22; Violet; Atticus, 18; Fin; and Sam, who were referred to as “the animating force of her last two decades.”
Chris Anne Affleck Lived A Life Of Purpose And Advocacy
Chris Anne was born in New York City in 1942. As a Harvard graduate, she spent 35 years educating in a public school in Massachusetts.
As stated in the obituary, Chris was a committed civil rights activist who taught literacy classes in Mississippi during the Freedom Summer of 1964. She reportedly marched against the Vietnam War and “reveled in 1960s counterculture.”
In a 2012 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Affleck spoke proudly of his mother, saying, “My mother taught public school, went to Harvard and then got her master’s there and taught fifth and sixth grade in a public school.”
Chris was fairly instrumental in launching the acting career of the ‘Good Will Hunting’ star. She reportedly connected her son to casting director Patty Collins, who was her roommate at Harvard.
Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck’s Co-Parenting Bond
The recent gathering at Affleck’s 54th birthday celebration highlights the wholesome co-parenting relationship between Affleck and Garner, who were married from 2005 to 2015.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Garner claimed Affleck’s reliability as a parent gave her freedom in her career. The ‘Five Star Weekend’ actress said in the report, “There is a time in your life where you just do get caught up in all of that, and that’s okay.”
She added that “Nothing is forever. That’s a season. And it’s a beautiful thing. And I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. But I feel like my kids are a little bigger. Their dad has become this incredible co-parent.”
Affleck has reportedly also offered similar praise. According to Today, the actor said, “I’m really lucky that I have a really good co-parent and partner in Jennifer Garner, the kids’ mom, who’s wonderful and great and we work together well.”
The pair have maintained a supportive dynamic, with Garner repeatedly attending the 54-year-old’s birthday celebration.
The Actor’s Ex-Wives Reportedly Rushed To Support Him After The Passing Of His Mom
According to a previous report, Affleck received the support of both his ex-wives, Garner and Jennifer Lopez, following the news of his mother’s death.
An insider told Globe Magazine, “They’re both determined to surround him with as much love and support as possible.”
“Ben adored his mom; she was his everything, so her death has left him absolutely devastated,” they continued.
“It all happened very fast, so Ben’s still reeling,” the insider noted. “Without her, he feels very lost — and the people around him are worried because grief can be especially dangerous for someone in recovery.”
Harry Potter is a series that is full of iconic imagery and distinctive marks scattered all over the Wizarding World. But there’s one above all else that has become utterly synonymous with the Boy Who Lived from the very beginning, the one telltale sign that Harry Potter is indeed the one who vanquished the Dark Lord, He Who Must Not Be Named, and lived to tell the tale. And now, one of the franchise’s most famous images is getting a noticeable makeover.
HBO’s adaptation of J.K. Rowling‘s beloved novels will debut on Christmas Day, and the network has just dropped its clearest look yet at Dominic McLaughlin’s redesigned scar, confirming that the new Harry Potter will look distinctly different from Daniel Radcliffe‘s Boy Who Lived. The latest version of the scar appeared prominently in promotional material for this year’s Back to Hogwarts celebration.
Radcliffe’s scar in the Warner Bros. movies was a relatively clean and precise lightning bolt — to be honest, it looked like it had just been drawn on with a pencil — consisting of three sharp, straight lines, but McLaughlin’s version is considerably rougher. The new scar is jagged and uneven, resembling an actual wound rather than a neatly drawn lightning symbol.
Why Does Harry Potter Have His Scar?
The scar is much more than a distinguishing feature for Harry. As a baby, he survived Lord Voldemort’s attempt to murder him with the Killing Curse after his mother Lily sacrificed herself to protect him. Voldemort’s curse rebounded, destroying his body and leaving Harry with the lightning-shaped mark on his forehead. Harry spends the first decade of his life believing the Dursleys’ lie that his parents died in a car crash and that the scar came from the accident. It’s only after Hagrid arrives that Harry learns what actually happened.
The redesigned scar has already been visible in footage from HBO’s adaptation, including scenes featuring McLaughlin’s Harry at his Muggle school and travelling through London with. Aunt Petunia’s book-accurate and hilariously bad haircutting skills conveniently hide portions of it in some scenes, but other shots provide a much clearer look.
Fans will get another look at the series during the annual Back to Hogwarts celebration on September 1, ahead of Harry Potter’s premiere on HBO on December 25, 2026.
- Release Date
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2026 – 2026
- Showrunner
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Francisca Gardiner
- Directors
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Mark Mylod
Funny Mike is opening up about his mental health and reflecting on some of the struggles he has faced behind the scenes. The content creator shared a concerning message online Saturday, Aug. 15, prompting fans and followers to encourage him to prioritize his well-being.
Related: Prayers Up! Funny Mike Mourns Loss Of “Bad Kids” Teen Tyruan Dunn Following Baton Rouge Shooting (WATCH)
On Saturday, Aug. 15, Funny Mike shared a post online that appeared to give followers a glimpse into his current headspace. In a tweet, the content creator expressed that life has taken a toll on him mentally and that he has been struggling to find happiness.
He wrote, “Life then beat me up mentally I’ll never be happy!”
The post quickly caught fans’ attention, with many encouraging Funny Mike to take time for himself and seek support. Others pointed out that people can appear happy and energetic in public while dealing with personal struggles privately.
The message also sparked conversations about Funny Mike’s recent breakup with the mother of his children, Jaliyah, with some followers questioning whether their split may be contributing to what he’s currently going through.
Social Media Reacts
Fans flooded the comments with messages of encouragement, advice and prayers for the content creator.
Instagram user @quianachere wrote, “🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 take a solo vacation and pour into yourself see a therapist you do a lot for people around you but who do for you? It’s time to put you first even if losing people around you 🤷🏽♀️ praying one day you find your happiness again”
Another Instagram user @dressedtall wrote, “Just did streamer prom some days ago… He looked more than happy! Check on your friends, you never know 🫶🏽”
While Instagram user @chavonstreeter wrote, “No matter how much liquor you drink or how much weed you smoke, no amount of anything can truly helo you, Mike… but God can. Always remember that. 🙏🏽”
Instagram user @joshrollwoods wrote, “Stop doing s*** that goes against your gut feeling it’s gone lead you down a dark road every time”
Another Instagram user @ambitiousgirl.neat wrote, “We been knew just waiting on you to say it”
While Instagram user @lockedoutfayth wrote, “you beat jaaliayh up mentally too 😂”
Instagram user @s.briana1 wrote, “He needs make it right with his family he getting older now God has to be the center and they will prevail all that cheating ain’t worth it when u see what u missing”
Another Instagram user @nelly424 wrote, “Go get your family back ❤️”
While Instagram user @223secardo wrote, “Real tho they think just bc funny mike turn up on cam he not struggling off cam”
Funny Mike Hosts His Second Annual Streamer Prom
Funny Mike’s post comes just days after he hosted his second annual Streamer Prom in Houston on Thursday night. The event brought together streamers, influencers and creators who traded their usual casual looks for formal gowns and suits.
This year’s event appeared to be bigger than the previous, featuring a star-studded red carpet, car giveaways, and custom jewelry from celebrity jeweler Johnny Dang.
This year’s event also brought out internet favorites, including Tia Kemp, DDG, Rakai, and Toosii. DreamDoll and Pudgie were crowned Prom King and Queen during the celebration, paying homage to an iconic look worn by The Notorious B.I.G. and Faith Evans.
Related: Oop! FunnyMike Fires Back At Social Media Users Following Jaliyah’s Claims That He Has Two Children On The Way (VIDEOS)
What Do You Think Roomies?
TeaMates, in case you missed it, Big Lex has officially been crowned the ‘Baddies’ Champion after defeating her co-star Tesehki in a highly anticipated boxing match. The matchup served as part of the undercard for Claressa Shields vs. Kaye Scott at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday. Big Lex secured the victory by unanimous decision after the fight went the full distance across three two-minute rounds. Shields, who previously trained with Big Lex ahead of the matchup, also walked away with a win over Scott after previously showing support for Big Lex as the underdog. Big Lex’s victory appeared to surprise some social media users, who quickly took to the internet to share their reactions. Among those reactions was one from Tesehki’s younger sister, Chrisean Rock, who watched the fight during a livestream.
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Chrisean Rock Says She Needs That Fade After Watching Her Sister Lose To Big Lex
While Big Lex and Tesehki’s highly anticipated matchup had viewers tuned in, Chrisean was streaming her live reaction to the fight on KICK.
At the beginning of the matchup, Chrisean appeared excited as she cheered her sister on from her living room. She even mimicked boxing movements and offered what seemed like coaching advice as Tesehki went head-to-head with Big Lex.
As the fight progressed and Big Lex appeared to gain momentum, Chrisean’s energy quickly shifted. She went from cheering her sister on to visibly emotional, yelling, “Tiffah!” as the action intensified.
The fight ultimately went the full distance before Big Lex was announced as the winner by unanimous decision. Once the decision was announced, Chrisean was visibly heartbroken over her sister’s loss. Through tears, she told viewers, “I’ma have to take that fade,” seemingly suggesting she may want to step into the ring with Big Lex herself.
Social Media Reacts
Clips of Chrisean’s emotional reaction quickly circulated online, prompting social media users to share their thoughts on her response to the fight.
Instagram user @iamsheiktv wrote, “yall would hate to see how I’d act 🤣”
Another Instagram user @kaylaneshay wrote, “I’m on that bout my sister too 🤣 but I feel like that wasn’t a real figth probably paid her to lose”
While Instagram user @honeey.shayy_ wrote, “She must’ve lost money or sumn bc why she crying?? 🤣😭”
Instagram user @asmr.ashley wrote, “It’s never that deep I mean NEVER 😂”
Another Instagram user @only_reekw wrote, “Lucy she wasn’t there she probably would’ve jumped in the ring 😂😂😂”
While Instagram user @kaylazh wrote, “Rock please you barely like her lmao”
Instagram user @kompozed_ wrote, “Yoo this how the whole internet was feeling last night 😂😂”
Another Instagram user daddy.alaiya wrote, “when she swung 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂”
While Instagram user @riah.reneeeee wrote, “Regardless what they go thru her reaction is genuine. I’d be pissed to I can’t watch nobody I love get hit bro I’m automatically jumping in”
Karlissa Saffold Tells Chrisean Rock To Keep Her Hands Off Blueface
Before reacting to her sister’s matchup, Chrisean was already making headlines after a livestream moment with Blueface.
While livestreaming, the two appeared to engage in a playful sparring session. However, the interaction took a turn when one of Chrisean’s hits connected with Blueface’s face.
Blueface reacted to the moment, and Chrisean grabbed his face and kissed him on the nose, seemingly attempting to smooth things over.
The moment caught the attention of Blueface’s mother, Karlissa Saffold. After clips of the interaction circulated online, Karlissa took to her Instagram Story with a message for Chrisean. “Chrisean please keep your hands off my baby. Thank you,” she wrote.
Related: Chrisean Rock & Blueface Set Off Internet Users After She Says They’re Bigger Than Jay-Z & Beyoncé (VIDEOS)
What Do You Think Roomies?
The 1980s were an exciting time for sci-fi, as the political climate and shifting technological landscape gave writers a lot to work with. Personal computers were becoming increasingly important, biotechnology was advancing, and the Cold War still held the world in its grip; the genre responded by becoming stranger and darker.
Many of the classics of that time are bleak and paranoid, suggesting that technology might create just as many problems for humanity as it solves. For this reason, some 1980s sci-fi novels have aged very well. Here are a few of the finest of them.
10
‘Firestarter’ (1980)
“Some abilities are too dangerous for anyone to control.” With Firestarter, Stephen King took some ideas he’d touched on with Carrie but gave them a more action-packed, overtly sci-fi treatment. The book tells the story of Andy McGee and his daughter Charlie, who has extraordinary abilities because of a government experiment in which Andy and his future wife participated years earlier. Charlie can generate fire with her mind. This makes her an enormously valuable weapon to the clandestine agency known as the Shop.
The plot unfolds as a relentless pursuit. At its core, Firestarter is a paranoid thriller that rhymes thematically with 1970s bangers such as The Parallax View, which were very suspicious about the government and its secrets. Many books and movies have borrowed from it. Decades later, King’s son Joe Hill, too, would pay significant homage to Firestarter in his own novel The Fireman.
9
‘The Uplift War’ (1987)
“Humanity isn’t alone—and certainly isn’t in charge.” This space opera takes place largely on the planet Garth, where avian aliens known as the Gubru seize control while humanity is embroiled in a much larger interstellar conflict. Humans and their uplifted chimpanzee allies must navigate occupation, resistance, alien politics, and the complicated rules governing Galactic civilization. It’s a colorful, sweeping tale of space-age culture clash.
Here, author David Brin imagines an ancient interstellar society in which humanity is a strange newcomer surrounded by alien species whose civilizations stretch back millions of years. In addition to the Gubru, there are the Tymbrimi, who have tentacles on their threads that can shift and form symbols; as well as the Thennanin, 7-foot-tall telepathic reptilians, and even genetically engineered neo-dolphins and neo-gorillas. At the core of all this is “uplift”, where pre-sapient animals are modified to achieve higher intelligence.
8
‘Ender’s Game’ (1985)
“The enemy’s gate is down.” The movie adaptation was disappointing, but the Ender’s Game novel remains a classic. With it, Orson Scott Card took the familiar premise of humanity preparing for war against an alien civilization and focused it through the perspective of a brilliant child. Andrew “Ender” Wiggin is recruited into Battle School because military leaders believe his unusual combination of intelligence, empathy, and ruthlessness could make him humanity’s greatest commander.
Through increasingly difficult simulations and games, Ender learns to think about conflict in entirely new ways while remaining largely unaware of how completely the adults around him are controlling his development. Card makes the Battle Room sequences especially memorable by turning zero-gravity combat into a series of tactical puzzles. Yet the novel’s enduring power comes from the moral consequences of that training, and the themes continue to hit hard.
7
‘Speaker for the Dead’ (1986)
“Understanding can be more difficult than victory.” Speaker for the Dead is the sequel to Ender’s Game. Rather than treading the ground of the first book, the novel changes direction considerably, in a good way, transforming Ender’s story into an exploration of guilt. Thousands of years have passed through the effects of relativistic space travel, and Ender now travels between human colonies working as a Speaker for the Dead, a person who tells the complete truth about someone who has died.
In this case, he writes about the dormant Formic Queen whom he secretly carries. At the same time, Ender travels to the planet Lusitania, where he encounters a community divided by secrets and a mysterious indigenous species known as the pequeninos, whose behavior humans repeatedly misinterpret. The central conflict therefore becomes one of understanding rather than conquest.
6
‘Life, the Universe and Everything’ (1982)
“The universe is ridiculous enough without anyone trying to destroy it.” Life, the Universe and Everything is the wonderful third installment in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Having perfected his recipe of sci-fi crossed with absurdist comedy, Douglas Adams expands the series into a genuine universe-threatening adventure. In it, Arthur Dent once again finds himself dragged across space and time, eventually becoming involved in an attempt to prevent the inhabitants of the planet Krikkit from destroying the rest of the universe.
Naturally, the resulting story involves bizarre technology, impossible coincidences, robots, aliens, and hilarious digressions that are often more memorable than the central plot itself. Adams’ genius lies in treating big-brain sci-fi concepts as opportunities for philosophical jokes. Artificial intelligence, time travel, interstellar warfare, and the nature of existence are simultaneously taken seriously and rendered completely silly, often within the same paragraph.
“The universe is a pretty big place.” Although best known for his nonfiction science communication, particularly the landmark book and TV series Cosmos, Carl Sagan also penned one of the best sci-fi novels ever. Contact (later made into a film by Robert Zemeckis) centers on Ellie Arroway, whose lifelong search for extraterrestrial intelligence finally produces an astonishing result when an unmistakably artificial signal arrives from the star Vega. Hidden within the transmission are instructions for constructing an enormously complicated machine.
Governments and scientists all around the world are left scrambling to determine what the device does and whether humanity should risk building it. Sagan gets incredibly thoughtful with this premise. Scientists debate the signal’s meaning, governments compete for influence, religious movements respond to its implications, and all of humanity is forced to confront how little it truly understands about the universe.
4
‘The Shadow of the Torturer’ (1980)
“The future can become so old that it resembles the past.” This is the opening entry in the masterful Book of the New Sun series, a seminal sci-fi/fantasy hybrid. Our protagonist is Severian, an apprentice in the Guild of Torturers who is exiled after showing mercy to a prisoner. His journey through the immense city of Nessus and beyond exposes readers to forgotten technologies, ancient institutions, bizarre creatures, and fragments of history whose true meanings are rarely explained directly.
Author Gene Wolfe trusts readers to interpret his world for themselves. Severian is an unreliable narrator, as well, meaning that every detail potentially contains information that only becomes meaningful much later. For that reason, The Shadow of the Torturer rewards rereading. The world-building here is simply rich, too, full of visions, seemingly magical gems, and a badass sword named Terminus Est.
3
‘Foundation’s Edge’ (1982)
“The closer to the truth, the better the lie, and the truth itself, when it can be used, is the best lie.” Foundation’s Edge is the fourth book in Isaac Asimov‘s landmark Foundation series, arriving a full thirty years after the first three stories. It picks up centuries into the Foundation’s grand project of shortening humanity’s coming dark age, as councilman Golan Trevize begins to suspect that the supposedly destroyed Second Foundation is still secretly manipulating events.
His investigation sends him and historian Janov Pelorat across the galaxy, gradually transforming a political mystery into a search for something far stranger. Although not as good as its predecessors, Foundation’s Edge is still a respectable achievement. In particular, it revisits ideas the author first developed in the 1940s and ’50s without simply repeating them. The result is a cerebral space opera with a lot of philosophical heft.
2
‘Hyperion’ (1989)
“Every pilgrim has a story.” Few science fiction novels combine as many different traditions as confidently as Hyperion. With it, writer Dan Simmons draws on space opera, horror, literary fiction, cyberpunk, romance, religion, and the structure of Chaucer‘s Canterbury Tales to create a truly unique experience. In the novel, seven pilgrims travel toward the mysterious Time Tombs on the planet Hyperion, where they expect to encounter the terrifying creature known as the Shrike (one of the genre’s most fascinating creations).
During their journey, each traveler recounts the events that brought them there, with every story adopting a different tone and subgenre. One account becomes military science fiction, another resembles detective noir, while others explore tragedy, horror, artificial intelligence, religion, and time itself. Even more importantly, the character development is just as thorough and convincing as the world-building.
1
‘Neuromancer’ (1984)
“The future arrived wearing mirrored shades.” This is the ur-text of cyberpunk. Neuromancer centers on Case, a former hacker whose ability to enter cyberspace has been chemically destroyed after he betrayed his employers. Offered the chance to regain that power, he joins a mysterious operation involving mercenary Molly Millions, powerful corporations, artificial intelligence, and secrets hidden within the digital world.
Along the way, author William Gibson immerses us in a vision of the future that’s grimy, globalized, commercially saturated, and technologically astonishing. In the process, he pioneered several concepts and terms (including “cyberspace” itself) and predicted things like widespread internet access and megacorporations that wield almost as much power as governments. At the same time, he doesn’t scrimp on the atmosphere, conjuring up a striking mood of danger, seduction, and rebel cool. Not for nothing, this banger took home both the Hugo and the Nebula.
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