Dana Vaughns danced the “Hoedown Throwdown” with Miley Cyrus in Hannah Montana: The Movie — and he’s still raking in dough from it.

“How much money did I make doing the Hannah Montana movie? The answer is, ‘I don’t know,’” Vaughns, 28, said in a Thursday, April 2, TikTok video. “But I just got home from a trip to Dallas this weekend and, lo and behold, in the mail was a check for the Hannah Montana movie.”

He opened up an envelope, revealing that he “made a whopping $66.40” on his most recent paystub.

“Pretty sure the residuals come from when people order it on Disney+ or wherever the movie is streamed,” Vaughns said. “That’s where it comes from, and it’s not bad. It’s not bad to get a random [check], but I’ve had them as low as $9, $6, $4, like 10 cents. These residuals can get really low.”

Vaughns captioned his upload, “Hannah Montana still be paying.”

Cyrus, 33, starred as Miley Stewart/ Hannah Montana on Disney Channel’s sitcom of the same name, chronicling a seemingly ordinary teen girl’s double life as a world-famous pop star. The Hannah Montana series aired from 2006 to 2011, starring Miley, her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso and Jason Earles. The cast reprised their roles in 2009’s Hannah Montana: The Movie.

In Hannah Montana: The Movie, Miley took a break from her pop star career while visiting family in her fictional Crowley Corners, Tennessee, hometown. At one point, she took the mic at a local barn-held fundraiser and sang “Hoedown Throwdown.” Vaughns played a young dancer mastering the now-iconic line dance.

@danavaughns

HANNAH MONTANA still be paying 😌 #hannahmontana #disney #childhood #money

Advertisement

♬ original sound – Dana Vaughns

“Y’all will never guess what Miley Cyrus taught me on set. Miley goes to tell me at this time in her life that she actually has done break-dancing,” Vaughns recalled in a separate TikTok video shared last month about his time making the Disney film. “She trained in break-dancing. I don’t know if she ever said that before [or] I don’t know if she was telling the truth, but I think she was.”

Vaughns further claimed that Miley said she mastered a certain “isolation move” in her neck and taught him how to do it.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

“I don’t know what the move is called [or] what any of it is, but all I know is Miley Cyrus taught me how to do this,” he quipped. “Miley, if you’re watching this, thank you so much. That move has transcended my dance career, and I’ve kept it in my back pocket forever.”

Related: Miley Cyrus’ ‘Hannah Montana’ Season 1 Salary Revealed in New Book

Advertisement

Miley Cyrus pulled double duty as Hannah Montana and Miley Stewart on Hannah Montana — but her salary was allegedly lower than both of the actresses who almost got the part. Cyrus, 31, reportedly made $8,000 per episode for the first season of the Disney Channel show, according to author Ashley Spencer’s new book, Disney […]

While Miley did not respond to Vaughns’ video, she recently celebrated the milestone 20th anniversary of Hannah Montana late last month.

“Last night at the premiere of the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special. Standing with Jason, Moises [Arias], Cody [Linley], Ana Maria [Perez de Tagle], and Shanica [Knowles], the cast I grew up with was a full-circle moment I’ll never forget,” the Grammy winner wrote via Instagram on March 24 after the red carpet premiere of her Disney+ reunion special. “We found our way back home, and it felt so good. Thank you for growing up with us.”

Ioan Gruffudd and Alice Evans‘ split is proving more acrimonious by the day as the estranged couple continues to hurl unsettling accusations at each other.

The actor told the court during their divorce trial on Friday that Evans actually had $100,000 in the account despite begging for money from fans.

A judge has since handed Ioan Gruffudd a renewed five-year restraining order against Alice Evans as their court battle rages on.

Alice Evans Allegedly Had $100k While Crowdfunding From Fans

Gruffudd has come forward with shocking new claims against his ex-wife, Alice Evans.

According to the Daily Mail, during a divorce trial at the LA Superior Court on Friday, the “Fantastic Four” actor told the court that while Evans was publicly pleading for financial assistance from her fans and social media followers, she was in fact sitting on a six-figure bank balance.

The “Vampire Diaries” actress had gone public with her supposed financial constraints, claiming she was “broke” and unable to afford groceries and take care of their daughters, Ella and Elsie, since she separated from their father in 2021.

Evans also said she was worried about becoming homeless due to her financial struggle. This prompted fans to donate thousands of dollars to a GoFundMe she created.

Gruffudd told the court that Evans said on social media that she started the GoFundMe “because her world had fallen apart…she was a struggling single mother who had exhausted all her resources and accounts and had no money for food and no help.”

However, the actor alleged that at the time Evans made the social media plea for help, “she was living in the family residence and [he] was paying all her expenses. By her own account, she had about $100,000.”

The Actress Was Asked About A $90k Fee She Withdrew From Their Joint Account

The ex-couple has been at each other’s throats for years now, with Evans seeking the court to increase the $1,500 monthly payment she gets in spousal support.

However, Gruffudd wants the court to cancel the payment altogether because of her “persistent domestic abuse” of him and her “many violations of a previous restraining order.”

According to the news outlet, he also claimed he had already “overpaid” her to the tune of almost $400,000.

As the court session proceeded, Gruffudd’s lawyers grilled Evans about a $90,000 fee she withdrew from their joint account and allegedly stashed away with their nanny.

She admitted to paying the sums of $10,000, $30,000, and two tranches of $24,000 to the nanny, but claimed that the domestic help was battling cancer and the money was an advance payment for her service so that she could attend to her health.

Alice Evans Admits She Hasn’t Tried To Get Other Jobs Outside Of Acting

Elsewhere during the court session, Evans maintained that her age has affected her chances of getting movie roles in Hollywood and that she hasn’t featured in any project since 2016, which has seemingly impacted her finances.

She also claimed that she suffers from an autoimmune disease that “can affect my ability to work…But I haven’t had a flare-up for three years.”

The “Lost” actress noted that she relies on “gifts from family, friends, and fans” to cover her bills,  but admitted to Gruffudd’s lawyers that she has not tried looking for any job outside acting with her other skills, which include fluency in French.

“If I could earn enough money to support my children, I would be willing to move into a different field,” she said.

The Actress Suffered A Legal Setback

Gruffudd scored a huge win against Evans in March when Judge Michael Convey renewed his domestic violence restraining order for five years, per the Daily Mail.

The actor had recounted a years-long campaign of online harassment and abuse she waged against him and his new wife, Bianca Wallace, which caused him to seek an initial restraining order in 2022.

Evans Admitted That She hadn’t kept to her best behavior online and was often trash-talking them in several social media posts.

She then offered her apologies to them and told the court how “ashamed and regretful” she was of her behavior, but the judge didn’t take it, citing that she’d violated the initial restraining order “multiple” times.

The Judge’s Reason For Issuing The Restraining Order Against Ioan Gruffudd’s Ex-Wife

Despite Evans’ pleas, Judge Convey proceeded to renew Gruffudd’s restraining order, noting that she carried out a “concerted, focused, intentional and caustic campaign of denigration” aimed at Gruffudd and Wallace.

He stated that Evans’s “threats of force and intimidation….caused Ioan to fear for his and Bianca’s physical safety,” and that her “pattern of abuse” kept him isolated from their children.

“Her vow to ‘dedicate her life to fighting him’ and ruin his career threatened his ability to provide for his children,” the judge added.

Tracee Ellis Ross stays gagging the girls — but this time, they want to know what secret sauce she’s using to maintain that ageless glow. The actress came through with spicy energy in a new video and photos, and now fans can’t get over how she’s managed to stay top-tier after all these years.

RELATED: Whew! Tracee Ellis Ross Sets The Internet On Fire With Sizzling NEW Look (PHOTOS)

Tracee Ellis Ross Pops Out Snatched & Fans Can’t Cope

Recently, Tracee Ellis Ross came through and reminded everyone that she’s been THAT and she’s still THAT! She dropped a video on social media, and now fans are fully seated and ready to take notes so they can glow just like her. The clip shows Tracee at what looks like a photoshoot — her eyes covered with dark shades, makeup flawless, and her signature red lips on point! She let her bawdy do all the talking, rocking a silk unbuttoned top with tiny distressed shorts. Fans lost it over her smooth legs, covered in sheer tights, paired with sleek slingback heels. Her legs looked so fire that the girlies were saying they’re putting down the burgers and hitting the gym so they can look like her by summer.

Fans Lose It After Tracee Drops Some HEAT!

Once The Shade Room dropped the clip of Tracee Ellis Ross, fans flooded the comment section with heart-eyes and fire emojis. Some said she’s been fine their whole lives, while others said her carefree energy is unmatched!

Instagram user @iamaprilhunter wrote, “She looks great! 😍🔥”

Instagram user @_beedontcare wrote, “I love her down she just seem so free spirited 😍😍” 

While Instagram user @so.ayanna wrote, “She’s so carefree and I love it! No man stressing her out and you can tell! 💐💐💐💐🤎🤎🤎🤎” 

Then Instagram user @indicaisaac wrote, “How tf she single 😂” 

Another Instagram user @therealeazyeconomicz wrote, “She just don’t age 🔥🔥😍” 

Instagram user @yooohypemommy wrote, “A woman with clothes on and still beautiful. 😍😍😍😍 i love to seeee it!!!! Turtlenecksssssssss are in!!!!!! 😂😂😂 That’s what I’m calling it from now on when we have clothes fully on!” 

While another instagram user @nova9_jonei wrote, “Her legs look tf good for her age. You go girl ❤️” 

Then another instagram user @tres_____belle wrote, “She has been fine her whole lifeeeee❤️🔥🙌” 

Finally, Instagram user @kemz_kemzy wrote, “She’s forever gorgeous 😍😍😍” 

Tracee Been HER & Will Always Be HER!

For those who don’t know, Tracee is known for dropping heat. She stays living her best life and will serve bawdy any chance she gets. Most recently, she posed in a black bikini and of course the internet went off. The waist was on slim and her energy was giving pure vibes while the tropical background was a dream. Peep the photos below.

RELATED: Mood! Tracee Ellis Ross Drops A Bikini Pic That Has The Internet Doing Double Takes (PHOTOS)

Prime Video is, without a doubt, one of the best streaming services out there right now, with some of the best shows. Their original series are incredibly well-made, and each one has a plethora of love, care, and prowess put into the creation of them, allowing them to quickly rise to the top rankings of all the streaming services taking over the world right now.

A good show finds itself being amazing from start to finish. While no show is perfect, and always has some parts of their run in which they may lack or dip a tad in quality, but, for the most part, they are pretty dang good. Honestly, what really matters is how the series takes those issues on the chin, and balances them out to show the audience they’re not down for good. With the number of shows that Prime Video has that are amazing, start to finish, they’re the perfect place to go when looking for a new binge.​​​​

‘The Boys’ (2019–Present)

Image via Prime Video

One of the most explosive superhero shows of the modern age of superhero television is easily The Boys. Bringing about a brutal, bloody, and gory ride that has the squeamish audience members always cringing, this Prime Video show does everything it can to subvert the typical tropes of ordinary superhero stories. It’s so good that people widely consider it to be far, far better than the comic it’s based on.

Homelander (Antony Starr) is one of the most well-written television villains of the last ten years, bringing about mind games and a sense of tension unlike any other—not to mention his amazing score, composed by the likes of Christopher Lennertz. The protagonists are all charming, funny, and all-around compelling, and while the last season definitely lacked in comparison to others, the batting average of The Boys is undeniable.

‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’ (2024–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Based on the 2005 film of the same name, Mr. & Mrs. Smith ended up being an extremely fun show that some even say surpasses the quality of the original project. With the first season starring the ever-talented Donald Glover and Maya Erskine, and the second supposedly starring Sophie Thatcher and Mark Eydelshteyn, the characters are quite easily the highlight of this story.

The first season was quite a success, so it almost immediately got a second season renewal. Unfortunately, the sequel is on hiatus as the creative team goes through major changes, so it’s on an indefinite hold—not cancelled—which means this is the best time to get into the show and catch up. It earned itself 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations, and if that alone isn’t enough to convince someone of this show’s quality, then not much else is.

‘Reacher’ (2022–Present)

Image via Prime Video

The book series that Reacher is based on is one of the most popular thriller book series of all time—written originally by Lee Child. Once upon a time, there was a movie series based on them, starring Tom Cruise, but they didn’t do much great in terms of adapting the books, and in 2022, Reacher and Alan Ritchson came along and delivered where the movies couldn’t. No offense to Cruise, but this show pretty much wiped the floor with the previous adaptations and set the standard for shows like this moving forward.

Ritchson is—zero question in mind—the perfect pick for Jack Reacher, and it’s to the point in which he’s becoming what Robert Downey Jr. was to Iron Man, and it’s hard for people to imagine anyone else playing the war hero. Each season has been not only well-written but incredibly executed on the action and direction sides of things, too, making this show fully engaging the entire way through. It’s got the perfect mix of mystery, thriller, action, drama, and even romance. It really does have something for everyone, despite what it may look like on the surface (just a “guy’s show”).

‘Secret Level’ (2024–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Anthology shows have been making a huge comeback in the last ten years, and one of the newest and most fun is most certainly Prime Video’s Secret Level. From the creator of the also incredibly popular Love, Death & Robots, Tim Miller, Secret Level is a project that, rather than bringing in completely original worlds, visits the worlds of popular video games, making it immediately popular. With built-in fanbases for each episode, success was pretty much guaranteed for Secret Level.

Adapting the universes of the likes of Mega Man, Warhammer 40,000, Pac-Man, and more, Miller has a ton of fun bringing a variety of animation studios in to give each world their own unique feeling and design. Almost every single episode of Secret Level is exciting, visually dazzling, and well-written, and worth watching for, not just fans of video games, but fans of science fiction as a whole. Audiences are eagerly awaiting Season 2 to see what batch of video game franchises will be adapted this time around.

‘Invincible’ (2021–Present)

Another superhero series from Prime Video that never holds back and is taking over the globe like Omni-Man (J. K. Simmons) always wanted is Invincible. Created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, this comic-turned-animated-sensation is loved by many. While everyone can agree that, at times, there are some hiccups in animation, they more than make up for it by putting their budget towards the moments that matter.

There’s a reason that the Invincible (2003) comic was successful enough to become a hit animated series, and that’s because the writing from Kirkman is so dang good, and it really gets even better in Invincible. The show gives him the chance to do things differently or even add stories he couldn’t do in the comics—most recent example being Invincible Season 4, Episode 4, “Hurm.” Because of this, the series has become something truly special.

‘Fallout’ (2024–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Fallout is one of the most successful game franchises of all time and has one of the coolest post-apocalyptic worlds in sci-fi. With how beloved the franchise is, it only makes sense that they’d make a streaming series featuring some of the most talented actors in the game—Ella Purnell, Walton Goggins, Kyle MacLachlan, and more.

Many fans and critics would agree that the Fallout Prime Video series is one of the better video game adaptations in recent years. The era of video game adaptations—that are actually good—is here, and Fallout is the perfect example of this when it comes to the streaming space. This show is more than worth getting caught up on before the next season airs. Better yet, give it a watch, and then go play the games! The Fallout franchise has so much to offer on every front.

‘Gen V’ (2023–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Within the world of The Boys comes the arguably better Gen V. Immediately when Season 1 aired in 2023, this spinoff ended up taking the world by storm. The characters within it are extremely compelling, and it tells a smaller story that makes the series feel even more intimate than The Boys, honestly. Gen V follows new students at Godolkin University as they uncover a wild conspiracy that connects directly to The Boys.

The status of a potential Season 3 is still up in the air—most likely will not be announced until after The Boys‘ final season—but even if it ended where it’s at right now, the writing is so good that the ending would feel satisfying, regardless. The cast of characters is so interesting and compelling, and they help drive the engaging story forward excellently. A more intimate, grounded story can often be more interesting and enthralling than big ones, and Gen V and The Boys are the proof in the pudding.

‘The Runarounds’ (2025–Present)

Image via Prime Video

Without a doubt, the most underrated Prime Video series of all time—maybe even one of the most underrated streaming shows, too—is The Runarounds. Following a band trying to make it in an impossible industry, on a ticking clock as the rest of the world around them expects them to make decisions about what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives. It’s a profound coming-of-age story with some awesome performances all across the board. Season 2’s status is currently up in the air—the success of their recent tour and the viewership of the series itself are most likely to be deciding factors—so now is the time to go watch The Runarounds so they can get the continuation they so rightfully deserves.

Simply put, The Runarounds is one of the better streaming shows in quite some time and never got the attention it deserved. What makes this better is the fact that the band within the show is a band in real life, and the music within it—songs of their own they perform on tour—is available for streaming. So, not only does the show deliver on the television front, but provides an entire album of bangers, as well. The Runarounds is a perfect example of the fact that if done well, completely original ideas can be the best stories out there—Prime Video just needs to actually do a good job marketing them.

Advertisement

The Runarounds

Advertisement

Release Date

September 1, 2025

Network

Prime Video

Advertisement

Advertisement

• 
• 

  Rey Hernandez

  Rick Antuna

• 

  Lindsey Grubbs Rubino

  Advertisement

  Mandy

• 

  Dani Deetté

  Wendy Wysong

  Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The Vampire Diaries alum Candice King married her fiancé, Steven Krueger, while preparing to welcome their first baby together.

King, 38, and Krueger, 36, tied the knot on February 28 in an intimate wedding ceremony in Nashville in the presence of just 15 guests, including King’s daughters from a past relationship. (Candice shares Florence, 10, and Josephine, 5, with her ex-husband, Joe King.)

“We decided to have a small elopement-style weekend in Nashville with just our immediate families, and save the bigger celebration for sometime next year,” Krueger told Vogue in a profile published on Saturday, April 4, noting they initially planned to say “I do” in fall 2026 before King found out she is pregnant. “We were ecstatic with how it all came together. We focused on the essential trifecta: photos, flowers and food.”

King and Krueger, who both appeared in the Vampire Diaries franchise, exchanged vows at Nashville’s The Chapel at High Point Farm.

Related: Candice King and Steven Krueger‘s Relationship Timeline

Fans didn’t expect to see Candice King and Steven Krueger find love years after finding fame in The Vampire Diaries universe. King rose to fame playing Caroline Forbes on TVD from 2009 to 2017. Krueger, meanwhile, played the role of Josh Rosza in The Vampire Diaries spinoff, The Originals. During her time on The CW series, […]

“The cherry on top was one of our mutual best friends, Carina [Adly] MacKenzie, flying in to officiate for us!” Krueger told the outlet, referring to the The Originals and We Were Liars TV writer. “We had 15 people in total, including Candice’s daughters and my two nieces. It was perfect.”

King walked down the aisle in a billowing Grace Loves Lace gown with a Claire Pettibone veil.

“Shockingly, there’s not a huge market for wedding dresses that fit over a baby bump,” Candice quipped to the magazine. “I was quite nervous to find a dress that would make me feel bridal and maternal — and not like the ‘Stay Puft Marshmallow Man’ from Ghostbusters bouncing down the aisle. [It] was the third dress I tried on, and I felt like it was perfect. Enough structure to feel romantic and enough stretch to grow with my belly, even though my belly still outgrew the dress!”

King and Krueger, who started dating in 2023, announced in December 2025 that they are expecting their first baby together.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

“It’s such a joy,” King exclusively told Us Weekly at the time. “It’s something that we’re not only excited about right now. This is something we’ve been daydreaming about so it’s lovely to be here right now celebrating it.”

Related: Celeb Weddings of 2026: See Who Got Married This Year

Many stars went to the chapel and said “I do” in 2026. Wheel of Fortune star Vanna White rang in the new year with a wedding to her now-husband, John Donaldson. White wasn’t the only star to walk down the aisle this year. Love Is Blind season 2 alum Iyanna McNeely, for her part, married […]

Advertisement

King, who is due in May, is expecting a baby boy.

“I love being a mother, it’s my favorite role,” she gushed to Us. “There’s so many things that Steven does as a partner and as [my daughters’] stepfather on a daily basis that he already shows me how wonderful of a father he is and will be.”

Science fiction has always been one of the most popular and prolific genres in all of cinema, and the ’80s weren’t an exception to the rule. Several of the best sci-fi movies of all time — the best of them perhaps even among the greatest films ever made, period — came out at some point during the ’80s, a decade characterized by the rise of escapist high-concept blockbusters.

Whether it was an auteur-driven arthouse movie like Mauvais Sang or a crowd-pleasing blockbuster like Aliens, you could always rely on filmmakers during the ’80s to deliver strong sci-fi work. Imaginative, original, and taking full advantage of the technological capabilities afforded by the times, the decade’s best sci-fi masterpieces see the genre at its peak.

10

‘Mauvais Sang’ (1986)

Image via AAA Classics

Mauvais Sang, which translates to Bad Blood, was the famous French cult auteur Leos Carax‘s second feature film. It’s set in a Paris where a deadly virus has come to infect people who have loveless sex, and in it, a lonely pariah tries to steal a potent antidote but falls for the mistress of his partner-in-crime. It’s one of the most underappreciated sci-fi gems of the 20th century as a whole, made when Carax was only 25 years of age.

Like the rest of Carax’s divisive work, Mauvais Sang may prove a bit too exotic for some, but its romantic tone, poetic story, and unforgettable visuals make it a must-see for diehard fans of science fiction. Moody, bizarre, and masterfully Godardian (a quality that has defined pretty much all of Carax’s filmography), it’s a movie that deserves far more love than it typically gets.

9

‘Brazil’ (1985)

Image via Universal Pictures

There are plenty of movie masterpieces that feel like being in a nightmare, but few push that feeling to the extent that Brazil does. Directed and co-written by Terry Gilliam of Monty Python fame, this Kafkaesque, absurdist, dystopian dark comedy has been compared to George Orwell‘s 1984 many times. It’s a well-earned comparison.

The movie’s sense of satire is brilliant in how it pokes fun at bureaucracy, technocracy, and mass government surveillance, themes that are still as relevant today as they were back in the ’80s. It’s a cult classic unlike any other, filled with audacious camerawork and supported by a wild sense of humor. It’s a social farce, the likes of which only a Monty Python alum could have possibly pulled off.

Image via Universal Pictures

Steven Spielberg has been the master of modern popcorn movies ever since he pretty much invented the concept of a summer blockbuster with 1975’s Jaws. That movie was the highest-grossing film of all time until Star Wars took its record just two years later, but in 1982, Spielberg reclaimed the record with the timeless alien invasion classic E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

It’s one of the best crowd-pleasing sci-fi movies ever, a family-friendly gem often recognized among the greatest and most influential American films of the ’80s. It’s a touching coming-of-age tale, a delightfully sweet alien film, and unapologetically Spielbergian. With a marvelous cast and an exciting story, this unparalleled portrait of childlike innocence is pure ’80s Hollywood magic.

7

‘Akira’ (1988)

Image via Toho

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and based on Otomo’s own 1982 manga of the same name, Akira is one of the most groundbreaking anime films ever made. Set in a dystopian metropolis, this cyberpunk masterpiece has a story that differs greatly from that of its source material, but in tone and in what made the manga appealing, it nails every element.

It’s also one of the most important movies that changed modern animation forever, as it is largely credited not just as a hugely influential work, but as one of the movies that helped popularize anime and Japanese culture in the West. Violent, fast-paced, and endlessly imaginative, this tour-de-force cult classic is a must-see for all those who appreciate the art of anime filmmaking.

6

‘The Fly’ (1986)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Advertisement

Canadian auteur David Cronenberg is one of the most important horror filmmakers of all time, the father of the body horror subgenre as a whole. And as far as Cronenberg’s body horror goes, it doesn’t get much more iconic, influential, or better than The Fly. Jeff Goldblum slowly transforming into a fly-man mutation doesn’t exactly sound like an appealing premise on paper, but Cronenberg’s execution is so faultless that the movie ends up being an absolute masterpiece.

The Fly is thematically profound and has well-written characters and story beats, but of course, the majority of its charm lies in the execution of what’s on the page. It’s the jaw-dropping special effects and makeup work, Goldlum and Geena Davis‘ potent performances, and Cronenberg’s relentlessly grotesque and violent direction that make this one of the most intense movies of the ’80s.

5

‘The Thing’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

Advertisement

John Carpenter is another filmmaker who has been crucial to the history of horror. In fact, if there were a Mount Rushmore of horror movie directors, Carpenter’s face would perhaps be the most essential to carve on the side of that mountain. To understand why, people could watch his entire filmography and have a hell of a good experience; but if they didn’t have that sort of time, a single masterpiece would suffice: The Thing, a remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World, sticking closer to the novella that inspired both movies, John W. Campbell Jr.‘s Who Goes There?

Where the 1951 film was much more overtly about Cold War paranoia thematically, Carpenter went for a broader thematic study of the kind of distrust and public psychosis that characterized the era. Full of revolutionary visual effects and exceptional performances, The Thing is still absolutely terrifying all these many years later.

4

‘Aliens’ (1986)

Image via 20th Century Studios

With 1979’s Alien, Ridley Scott revolutionized sci-fi horror forever. Seven years later, visionary Canadian filmmaker James Cameron came out with a sequel, this time focusing more on the action-driven storytelling that he has always specialized in. Thus, Aliens came into being, one of the few sci-fi sequels that many people consider even better than their predecessors.

It’s one of the best horror blockbusters ever, bolstered by a tour-de-force performance by the marvelous Sigourney Weaver. It works as well as it does because it first takes the time to build up the complex, entertaining dynamics between its characters. Once those have been established, Cameron jumps headfirst into the action, delivering one of the most enthralling sci-fi flicks of not just the ’80s, but the 20th century as a whole.

3

‘Blade Runner’ (1982)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

It wasn’t just Alien that Ridley Scott revolutionized science fiction with. There was also, of course, Blade Runner. Quite famously, this adaptation of Philip K. Dick‘s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? was a failure in every sense of the word upon release. Over time, though, it started growing a dedicated cult following. Eventually, that following grew so tremendously large, and retroactive praise for the movie grew so universal, that cinephiles today consider it a sci-fi classic as mainstream as any other.

It’s one of those classic sci-fi movies that are still masterpieces today, a richly philosophical and detailed study of what makes us human that has aged like fine wine. The villains are amazing, the dialogue is genius, Harrison Ford‘s lead performance is one of the best of his career, and the brilliant world-building makes this not only one of the best sci-fi movies ever, but also one of the best neo-noirs of all time.

2

‘Back to the Future’ (1985)

Image via Universal Pictures

Sci-fi movies don’t need to be artsy to be absolutely perfect, and Robert Zemeckis proved that in 1985 with Back to the Future. This is a popcorn blockbuster through and through, but one so impeccably made in virtually every single department that it’s difficult to find any fault in it. That makes it one of the best sci-fi movies to watch over and over again.

Where can one even begin singing Back to the Future‘s praises? Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd‘s timeless performances, the script’s perfect sense of structure and pacing, the thrilling third act, Alan Silvestri‘s iconic score — it’s all some of the best work that has ever gone into any sci-fi film. In more ways than one, Back to the Future is the poster boy of ’80s science fiction.

1

‘Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back’ (1980)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The Star Wars franchise is by no means pure science fiction. If anything, it perhaps belongs even more strongly to the fantasy category. But this legendary space opera has become the face of sci-fi across all of pop culture for a reason — several great reasons, in fact. Among those reasons, one stands out as the best piece of Star Wars media ever made: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back.

It’s far and away one of the best movie masterpieces of the last 50 years, a perfect example of a sci-fi epic that does things right in every single department. The visuals, the music, the acting, the characters, the story — the whole thing feels engineered in a lab for maximum entertainment, and it works wonderfully. The Empire Strikes Back is one of the most iconic Hollywood movies of all time, and it’s certainly the peak of ’80s sci-fi.

There are many series premiering in 2026, but few have been as widely discussed as HBO’s Harry Potter. The popularity of the IP instantly gives the series an advantage, but it also comes with several pitfalls. After the release of the first trailer, the series is already facing its biggest challenge. While it doesn’t help that anything related to this franchise is immediately impacted by the discourse surrounding author J. K. Rowling and her personal views, this series, like any reboot, already has an uphill battle to justify its existence.

Many adaptations mishandle their source material, but the Harry Potter films successfully honored the original story while providing all the magic that fans could ask for. The undeniable success of the movies means that HBO’s adaptation must take extra care to differentiate itself. With only a few minutes of footage courtesy of the new trailer, the side-by-side comparisons have begun. It’s especially glaring because another major franchise is releasing a new series this year, demonstrating that there is a simple way to avoid unnecessary comparison. Though they are far from identical in story, Harry Potter should have taken a cue from Stranger Things in how to build on its franchise without repeating itself.

‘Stranger Things’ New Spin-off Establishes a New Look for the Story

Though it hasn’t been around as long as Harry Potter, Stranger Things has a huge following, growing over time into one of the biggest shows of the decade. While the original series recently concluded, Netflix is continuing the story through tie-in novels and graphic novels, as well as a new show. The first spin-off, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, will take a different approach to the world. The series will follow the same characters, filling in the gap between seasons and focusing on Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max (played by a new voice cast) as they face new monsters from the Upside Down. Although it will be a major change, the choice to animate this spin-off series instantly sets it apart even as it capitalizes on the nostalgia for the original show.

Tales from ’85 is admittedly a different situation from HBO’s Harry Potter, as it isn’t a reboot, but another story set between Seasons 2 and 3. Yet it faces a similar issue, especially after the mixed reception to the final season of Stranger Things. This spin-off can lean into viewers’ love for the early seasons of the original show, much like HBO’s new Harry Potter series hopes to draw in longtime fans of the films and books, but in Stranger Things’ case, the spin-off will provide something noticeably different. There will be no issue telling these two shows apart thanks to their divergent styles. HBO could have done the same, but instead, the Harry Potter series is being released in the same format as the movies, making comparisons unavoidable.

Related

Season 2 of HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Will Follow in ‘The Pitt’s Footsteps in One Key Way

Season 1 of the new series arrives in December.

Advertisement

HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Series Hasn’t Done Enough to Set Itself Apart From the Movies

The trailer for the new Harry Potter series proves that making more distinct visual changes may have been the better way to go. Had HBO followed Stranger Things‘ example and chosen an animated format, its new adaptation could have instantly differentiated itself in style while opening up story possibilities from the books that are too challenging to render on film. Animation’s most obvious benefit is the advantage of time, since longer gaps between releasing new seasons wouldn’t impact the age of the young actors (which, as seen in Stranger Things, can become distracting for viewers). Additionally, the magic in Harry Potter requires many special effects, and animation wouldn’t force these moments to be more reliant on a small-screen budget.

Admittedly, animation isn’t the only way for Harry Potter to distinguish itself from the films, and it still might succeed at doing so, but visually, it’s too similar to what has come before. The biggest difference is a darker color palette that detracts from the whimsy of the original movies. Ultimately, HBO’s Harry Potter series hopes to benefit from nostalgia, but the trailer is so similar that it’s already made fans want to rewatch what’s been released instead of waiting for the new version.

Harry Potter will premiere December 25 on HBO Max in the U.S.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

2026 – 2026

Showrunner

Francisca Gardiner

Advertisement

Directors

Mark Mylod

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Sci-fi is a super popular genre, and has remained popular for decades and decades. This is because speculative fiction, especially when it comes to imagining the future of humanity, is a very entertaining prospect for many viewers. But with all the sci-fi TV shows that have come out over the years, not every single one is going to get their chance in the spotlight.

Indeed, many science fiction TV shows have been completely lost in the sands of time, even with on-demand viewing and streaming services making these shows more accessible. This is honestly kind of a tragedy, because many of these shows are absolutely excellent, and deserve more attention. These sci-fi TV shows are nearly perfect, but they have been completely or almost forgotten.

‘Rocket Robin Hood’ (1966–1969)

Image via CBC

Rocket Robin Hood is a series that you probably missed out on if you weren’t living in Canada, as that was where it was primarily broadcast. It was animated in a style similar to a Hanna-Barbera cartoon, and was later broadcast on the Teletoon Retro block in the 2000s. This series took a classic and timeless tale and reinvented it, which made it so much more exciting.

Basically, this series is about Robin Hood (Len Birman) and the mythos surrounding him, only this time, it takes place on Earth in the year 3000. Sherwood Forest is not a forest at all, but actually, an asteroid, with many creatures and locations from the myth appearing as planets or aliens. It was a really imaginative and inventive series, not to mention one that was pretty popular for its time. Unfortunately, its name is seldom spoken anymore. Even though it was geared towards kids, its creative premise provides an exciting experience for adults, too.

‘Voyagers!’ (1982–1983)

Image via NBC

Voyagers! was a really fun action-adventure series with a promising premise. The story revolved around a society of time travelers called the Voyagers. The society is dedicated to traveling back in time whenever something in history unfolds incorrectly, with the Voyagers aiming to ensure everything works out the way it is supposed to, preventing the modern world from being altered too drastically.

Because the show is about time travel, almost every episode featured a brand new historical period or event, ranging from ancient civilizations in Egypt and Greece to major wars like the American Revolution. In just 20 episodes, Voyagers! takes the viewers right along with the time travelers, depicting some of the most amazing eras in history in vivid detail. It even covers some more obscure parts of history, like the Spanish-American war of 1898. It’s absolutely awesome, perfect for both sci-fi freaks and history geeks with its boundless adventure.

‘Earth 2’ (1994–1995)

Image via NBC

Earth 2 was way ahead of its time, centering on post-apocalyptic themes long before the late 2000s and 2010s made the genre super popular. Earth 2 is set in the year 2192, a bleak time when Earth is entirely uninhabitable. The remnants of humanity have long since fled to space stations orbiting their home planet, with the planet’s surface only having a few scattered groups of human survivors. The series opens with a man whose son comes down with a rare condition that is becoming prevalent among the youth on the space station. Doctors believe it to be caused by the lack of an Earth-like environment. Unfortunately, the disease is always fatal, with those afflicted never living to the age of 10.

Desperate to save his son, the father leads a group of other parents in a similar predicament to an Earth-like planet 22 lightyears away, in an effort to colonize it. However, the current Earth government does not approve of this, and intends to stop them. With only one season and 21 episodes, this show managed to really pack a punch with its storytelling. It’s unique, interesting, and heartbreaking all at once. Unfortunately, it suffered poor ratings despite an Emmy nomination, and was abruptly cancelled. Despite this, it is an underrated gem that is desperate to be rediscovered.

‘Quartermass and the Pit’ (1958–1959)

Image via BBC

Quartermass and the Pit is the third miniseries in the Quartermass collection, a trilogy of TV shows made by the BBC. Though, this third one outdoes the other two by a mile. The series once again features Professor Quartermass, this time played by André Morell. Previously, the actors had changed for every series, meaning this was Morell’s first time in the role. The six-part TV serial follows the Professor as he finds a peculiar device in an archaeological dig site. Weirder still, it’s found at a dig site with the remains of primitive humans from millions of years ago. Intrigued, Quartermass begins to search for the origin of the device.

This series was actually rebooted less than 10 years later, in the form of a 1967 movie. The movie had the same title in the UK, but was called Five Million Years to Earth in the US. In any event, the original TV series reigns supreme, and immediately hooks the viewer’s interest with its plotline and memorable characters. Yet, it’s been almost 70 years, and it would seem that this show would not make the history books, as very few people remember its existence today.

‘The Outer Limits’ (1963–1965)

The Outer Limits is a series that might have been doomed from the start. It’s an anthology series, which meant it was constantly living in the shadow of The Twilight Zone, one of the most popular TV shows at the time. While the latter is widely remembered today, The Outer Limits is rarely spoken about anymore. The series had a much narrower scope than The Twilight Zone. Whereas The Twilight Zone covered a wide variety of concepts and genres, The Outer Limits was almost exclusively about aliens and science fiction.

Today, while The Outer Limits is considered a cult classic, it never outgrew its comparisons to other popular series of the time, and it eventually passed into obscurity. There was even an attempted reboot in the ’90s, but this didn’t go over very well. Ultimately, this is an absolute masterpiece about aliens, and it was way ahead of TV trends. It even used the “monster of the week” format that became super popular in the late ’90s and 2000s. The problem is, it came out at a bad time, and wasn’t ever able to cement itself in the history books as well as it could’ve.

‘Thunderbirds’ (1965–1966)

Image via ITV

Thunderbirds is another all-time classic that was well-renowned for years. Unfortunately, it’s rarely, if ever talked about anymore. The British television series focused on a group of international pilots, who flew specialized aircraft to stop villains and rescue those in need. The aircraft ranged from unique hovering planes to attack and rescue helicopters, and even to spacecraft. It was action-packed and adventurous, as well as fun for the whole family. Thunderbirds also bolstered a unique cast of characters in the form of its team of heroes.

Unfortunately, a 2000s live-action movie likely contributed to its downfall. This movie was truly abysmal with some of the worst CGI ever created by a major studio, and is barely remembered by anybody who saw it. By association, the same thing happened to the show. To be fair, the show does feel a bit dated. The stop-motion animation combined with the marionettes and puppets give a kind of uncanny valley feel to the series, which is off-putting to a lot of people. This is understandable. However, it doesn’t change the fact that this once-great television series is only whispered about now, and is unlikely to see a comeback anytime soon.

‘Farscape’ (1999–2003)

Image via SYFY

Farscape really had something special going on, yet it’s another one of those forgotten cult classics that barely anybody remembers. The show had a massive ensemble cast, and told the story of a human astronaut who accidentally gets caught in a wormhole which spits him out in the far corners of the universe, far from home. There, he joins up with the Peacekeepers, a group of convicts and government escapees from diverse alien planets aboard a living biomechanical spaceship.

Puppetry and production was handled by none other than the Jim Henson Company, who used the series as one of their odd, but creative passion projects. Sadly, these projects rarely get the attention they deserve. Farscape lasted four seasons and 88 episodes, and was very well-received. Yet, just two and a half decades later, most people haven’t seen it, don’t remember it, or don’t talk about it at all. This is a shabby treatment that the series definitely did not deserve.

Advertisement

Farscape

Release Date

Advertisement

1999 – 2003-00-00

Writers

Rockne S. O’Bannon, David Kemper, Justin Monjo, Richard Manning

Advertisement

Advertisement

• 
• 

Advertisement

Advertisement