Generally speaking, mystery shows thrive on suspense, making audiences wait as long as possible before revealing the answers to their puzzling stories. Some shows push this to the absolute limit by drawing out their mysteries over multiple seasons, but others deliver equally thrilling experiences using just a single season. Unlike longer shows or even their big-screen counterparts, these single-season TV mysteries deliver contained yet satisfying experiences, leaving no loose ends (except for dramatic effect).

Obviously, that doesn’t mean every mystery show with a single-season story is automatically brilliant, but the fact remains that some of the greatest mystery TV masterpieces have delivered thoroughly thrilling journeys in just a few episodes, tickling the little grey cells with their complex puzzles and tight writing. Read on to discover our handpicked selection of some of the greatest single-season mystery TV masterpieces you can watch right now.

1

‘The Innocent’ (2021)

Image via Netflix

Directed by Oriol Paulo, The Innocent is a Spanish mystery-thriller miniseries adapted from Harlan Coben’s novel, revolving around Mateo, a man whose life is upended after he accidentally kills someone. Nine years later, as Matteo attempts to rebuild his life, a mysterious phone call forces him to revisit his dark past, leading to dangerous consequences. Goya Award-winning Spanish actor Mario Casas stars as Mateo, leading a cast that includes Alexandra Jiménez, Aura Garrido, José Coronado, and Anna Wagener.

The Innocent is a well-written, well-acted, and remarkably shot thriller series that keeps the viewer engrossed with suspended tension until the very end. Mario Casas is brilliant as the complicated protagonist, delivering an emotionally raw depiction of a troubled man. Despite its visual edginess, thematic intensity, and good acting, The Innocent is a very underrated Netflix series, but it is simply a must-watch for fans of complex, psychological thrillers.

2

‘The Undoing’ (2020)

Image via HBO

Created by David E. Kelley and starring Nicole Kidman, The Undoing is a psychological mystery thriller series adapted from the Jean Hanff Korelitz novel You Should Have Known. The HBO original miniseries follows Grace Fraser, an elite New York therapist, whose seemingly perfect life unravels after her husband, reputed surgeon Dr. Jonathan Fraser, is arrested for murder, leading to shocking revelations. Kidman stars as Grace and Hugh Grant as Jonathan, with Noah Jupe, Lily Rabe, Édgar Ramírez, Donald Sutherland, and Noma Dumezweni in supporting roles.

The Undoing is a great example of how classic whodunit tropes can be spun into a modern murder mystery. The film’s gripping narrative explores complex psychosocial and psychosexual themes, elevated by the performances of Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman as they own the screen with their fiery chemistry. Since its premiere, The Undoing has been critically acclaimed for its performances and thrilling narrative, earning Golden Globe Award nominations for both Kidman and Grant.

3

‘The Night Of’ (2016)

Image via HBO

Created by Richard Price and Steven Zaillian, The Night Of is a crime mystery thriller miniseries based on the first season of Peter Moffat’s BBC show Criminal Justice. Riz Ahmed stars as Nasir “Naz” Khan, a New York City student who wakes up beside a dead woman after a drunken and drug-filled night. With no memory of the night before and evidence stacked against him, things look very bleak for Naz until a resolute lawyer, John Stone (John Turturro), takes his case. The series also features Michael Kenneth Williams, Poorna Jagannathan, Bill Camp, and Payman Maadi in supporting roles.

The Night Of is a perfectly crafted thriller miniseries, though often overlooked, which keeps the audience engaged throughout its eight episodes with its deep, character-driven storytelling. Despite beginning with a familiar premise, the miniseries delivers plenty of unexpected twists and edge-of-the-seat tension, elevated by the fantastic performances and on-screen chemistry of Ahmed and Turturro. On its HBO premiere, The Night Of garnered critical acclaim for the storytelling, cast performances, and direction, and it went on to win five Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor for Riz Ahmed.

4

‘The Outsider’ (2020)

Image via HBO

Based on the Stephen King novel and developed by Richard Price, The Outsider kicks off with the brutal murder of a young boy in the Cherokee City suburbs of Georgia. The child’s baseball coach (Jason Bateman) soon becomes the main suspect, but when troubled detective Ralph Anderson (Ben Mendelsohn) begins investigating the case, he discovers contradictory evidence and bizarre clues, leading him to enlist the help of eccentric savant investigator, Holly Gibney (Cynthia Erivo). The series also features Bill Camp, Paddy Considine, Julianne Nicholson, and Yul Vaquez in key roles.

Spine-chilling and relentlessly dark, The Outsider perfectly balances supernatural horror, murder mystery, and psychological thriller elements to create a successful TV adaptation of Stephen King’s original work. Even though the HBO original miniseries feels like a slow burn, the story’s nerve-racking suspense holds the viewer’s attention throughout its 10 episodes. The Outsider has been widely acclaimed for its effective adaptation of the source material, the incredible production quality, and the excellent performances, especially those by Bateman, Mendelsohn, and Erivo.

5

‘Bodies’ (2023)

Image via Netflix

Created by Paul Tomalin and based on Si Spencer’s DC Comics series, Bodies is a sci-fi mystery thriller miniseries that follows four London police officers across different timelines, between 1890 and 2053. After discovering the same dead body in the same location in the city in each of their respective time periods, the detectives find baffling clues that lead them to a mind-bending conspiracy that threatens all of history. Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, Shira Haas, Amaka Okafor, and Kyle Soller star as the detectives, with Stephen Graham, Greta Scacchi, Tom Mothersdale, and Michael Jibson in other lead roles.

A thoroughly engaging sci-fi thriller series, Bodies is a must-watch for viewers who love genre-blending crime stories with a deeper meaning. The Netflix original miniseries features a healthy mix of time travel, alternate history, tech conspiracies, and murder mysteries, elevated by a well-paced narrative and great cinematography. While critically acclaimed for its high-concept storytelling and anchoring cast performances, Bodies remains an underrated miniseries masterpiece and a hidden gem of the genre.

6

‘The Residence’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Created by Paul William Davies, The Residence is a mystery comedy drama inspired by journalist Kate Anderson Brower’s book, The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House. After the sudden death of the White House Chief Usher, A.B. Wynter, during a state dinner, renowned detective and avid birder Cordelia Cupp is called in to investigate, throwing the entire White House staff off their game as she uncovers internal politics and twisted interpersonal conflicts. Uzo Aduba stars as Cordelia Cupp and Giancarlo Esposito as A.B. Wynter, with Randall Park, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Susan Kelechi Watson, Edwina Findley, Ken Marino, and more in key roles.

The Residence is a simultaneously lighthearted and sophisticated murder mystery with a unique storytelling style, oddball characters, and intriguing plot twists that instantly appeal to genre fans. Centering on an idiosyncratic detective and following an assortment of fun characters, The Residence is quite comparable to television favorites like Elsbeth or Monk, but captures more in its much fewer episodes than those longer shows do across multiple seasons. On its premiere, the Netflix original miniseries was widely praised for its style, tone, and Uzo Aduba’s compelling portrayal of the idiosyncratic sleuth.

7

‘Inside Man’ (2022)

Image via BBC

A British thriller drama series developed by Steven Moffat, Inside Man follows Jefferson Grieff (Stanley Tucci), a criminology professor on death row with a penchant for solving mysteries, who is approached by Beth, a British crime journalist who is searching for her missing friend. Jefferson’s investigation intertwines with the story of an English vicar (David Tennant) and his increasingly desperate measures to protect his family. Dolly Wells, Lydia West, Dylan Baker, Kate Dickie, and Lyndsey Marshal star in other lead roles.

Inside Man is a precisely written and executed exploration of how ordinary people arrive at fateful decisions under extreme circumstances. Although the gripping performances by David Tennant and Stanley Tucci are the heart of the show, Dolly Wells’s nuanced performance is an unexpected highlight, adding to the layered and highly engaging narrative. Interesting and inventive in its storytelling, Inside Man successfully draws the audience into a tense mystery, keeping us completely engrossed throughout its four-episode story.

8

‘Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?’ (2022)

Image via BritBox

Directed by Hugh Laurie, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is a British mystery miniseries adapted from Agatha Christie‘s 1934 novel, which centers on the mysterious death of a strange man on a Welsh golf course. When Bobby Jones hears the man’s titular final words, he sets out to investigate alongside his longtime friend, Lady Frances “Frankie” Derwent, chasing clues and evidence across the Welsh coast and the lofty echelons of British high society as they get pulled ever deeper into a convoluted conspiracy. Will Poulter and Lucy Boynton star as Bobby and Frankie, respectively, with Daniel Ings, Maeve Dermody, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Emma Thompson, and Alistair Petrie in key roles.

Among all four TV adaptations of Agatha Christie’s classic whodunit, the streaming adaptation of Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? is arguably the most charming. The three-part series is a witty, fun, and fast-paced caper with incredible period aesthetics and tone that Christie fans are sure to enjoy. On its premiere, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? garnered critical acclaim and sweeping praise for Poulter and Boynton’s performances, as well as the engaging narrative, earning the highly coveted 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Why Didn’t They Ask Evans?

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Release Date

2022 – 2022-00-00

Directors

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John Davies

Writers

Pat Sandys

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  Will Poulter

  Lady Frances Derwent

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  Jonathan Jules

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  Dr. Nicholson

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We live in a time when The Super Mario Bros. Movie and various colorful franchise installments have emerged as the dominant form of animation on the big screen. It seems like eons have passed since one of the most challenging animated movies ever made broke through the clutter and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. The movie in question is currently streaming in the United States on Paramount+, but not for much longer. It marked a hotly anticipated reunion between star Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski, who were coming off three blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean movies. In many ways, the animated feature was a blank-check project, and true to form, they used the freedom to push the boundaries of the format.

The movie was inspired not by a children’s novel, but by Western classics such as The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, For a Few Dollars More, Once Upon a Time in the West, and Depp’s prior work such as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. One of the most prominent influences on the film’s story was the classic noir film Chinatown, starring Jack Nicholson. Unlike Shark Tale, the DreamWorks movie that borrowed heavily from The Godfather, Depp and Verbinski’s film didn’t exactly target children as its primary audience. The risk paid off, with the movie not only winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, but also doubling its budget at the box office.

Here’s How Long You Have Left to Watch the Animated Hit on Paramount+

We’re talking, of course, about Rango. The movie features Depp as a chameleon who becomes the sheriff of a town named Dirt and finds himself in a conspiracy. Other voice actors in the film’s cast include Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton, and Timothy Olyphant. Produced on a reported budget of $135 million — virtually the same as the other Paramount and Nickelodeon animated offering of 2011, The Adventures of Tintin — the movie grossed nearly $250 million at the worldwide box office. It now holds a “Certified Fresh” 88% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Rango is a smart, giddily creative burst of beautifully animated entertainment, and Johnny Depp gives a colorful vocal performance as a household pet in an unfamiliar world.” You can watch the film on Paramount+ until September 1, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

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March 2, 2011

Runtime

107 minutes

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Director

Gore Verbinski

Producers

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Graham King, John B. Carls, Gore Verbinski

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The great Agatha Christie, a pioneer of the murder mystery genre and the mind behind some of its best stories, would’ve turned 136 next month. In anticipation, some tantalizing Christie-based projects are on the way. This includes an exciting new Christie adaptation based on her most famous, moustache-twirling crime-solver. The hugely talented Edward Bluemel, who dazzled in My Lady Jane, is the latest to take on the role of Hercule Poirot in Hercule, which has been described as an “intimate study” of Poirot himself.

As well as this, BritBox is bringing to life a new series that features the great Christie herself as a character, alongside other famed literary minds of the time. The new 10-part mystery series is titled The Detection Club, and features Bryony Hannah as Agatha Christie, Miles Jupp as G.K. Chesterton, and Cara Theobold as Dorothy L. Sayers. Asking the question, “What if the creators of our greatest fictional detectives had the chance to solve murders themselves?” The Detention Club is just one of many ways you’ll be able to celebrate Christie’s birthday, but did you know that there’s another way to celebrate that stars the king of action himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Directed by David Ayer, following his critically acclaimed Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña-led gem End of Watch, the action thriller Sabotage is an unofficial adaptation of Christie’s beloved novel, “And Then There Were None,” as a veteran DEA agent is forced to investigate the one-by-one killing of his teammates. The original title of the film, Ten, was even a nod to Christie’s original book title, further adding to the connection. If this sparks your interest, and you wish to uncover the mystery yourself, then Sabotage will be available to stream for free on Plex, starting September 1, 2026.

Who Else Stars in ‘Sabotage’?

Schwarzenegger alone is usually enough to carry a film. However, he is joined in Sabotage by an eye-catching supporting cast, which includes a star of the blockbuster Avatar series, Sam Worthington. Joe Manganiello, Terrence Howard, Mireille Enos, Josh Holloway, and more also feature in Sabotage, which was co-written by director Ayer and Skip Woods, the latter of whom is also known for penning The A-Team and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Sabotage will be available to stream for free on Plex, starting September 1, 2026. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.

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March 28, 2014

Runtime

109 Minutes

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Time travel is an incredibly difficult plot device to get right. Science fiction typically has no problem coming up with plausible ways to explain elements that don’t actually exist, but different rules apply to time travel. It’s a concept that completely defies the laws of physics, making it a little too easy for writers who don’t know exactly what they’re doing to create logical paradoxes and inconsistencies that make it hard to fully immerse oneself in a show that incorporates time travel.

Throughout history, however, ten particular sci-fi shows have managed to get time travel right. Perhaps, like Dark, they came up with intricate internal rules that make it so that their time travel elements actually make sense; or perhaps, like Life on Mars, they focus on the more philosophical dimensions of time travel rather than the scientific ones. In any case, these are shows which prove that the genre actually can be done well.

10

‘Continuum’ (2012–2015)

Image via Showcase

Canadian science fiction has produced several of the genre’s greatest shows over the years, the Syfy gem Continuum easily being among the best. It’s one of those sci-fi shows that are criminally forgotten, a must-see both for those who love well-crafted and well-written time travel science fiction, as well as for those who love suspenseful crime dramas.

Whereas many lesser time travel shows try to tiptoe their way around the paradoxes that inevitably come with changing history, the way Continuum gets time travel right is by directly confronting those paradoxes and creating a story where branching timelines are the order of the day. Though the show’s rules start to get messier and more tangled up in its later seasons, the show as a whole manages to make time travel make more sense than it usually does.

9

‘Life on Mars’ (2006–2007)

Image via BBC

British science fiction often feels like a genre all of its own, and there are very few British sci-fi shows better than Life on Mars. It’s a true masterpiece of a show, that’s for sure, but it’s probably better-suited for fans of gritty police procedurals than for die-hard sci-fi geeks. That’s because the science fiction in Life on Mars is both subtle and sparse, purely driven by the premise of a cop who’s hit by a car and wakes up in the 1970s.

Driven by that relatively simple high-concept premise, Life on Mars finds space to be one of those mystery shows that are perfect from start to finish, every bit as tense and suspenseful as it is creative. The show makes it delectably ambiguous whether what’s going on is actual time travel; and though its sequel series, Ashes to Ashes, confirms that this ’70s setting was actually a sort of limbo for dead and dying police officers, Life on Mars technically still qualifies as one of the most unique time travel shows out there.

8

‘Loki’ (2021–2023)

Image via Disney+

It was only in 2021 that Marvel Studios started making and releasing shows directly tied to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and though that wave hasn’t produced all that many truly top-tier MCU products, Loki has a strong case for being the best of the bunch. After a somewhat slow start, this time travel and multiverse sci-fi extravaganza quickly turned into something far wilder and more creative than most of what the franchise had done before.

The series wisely doesn’t even bother to ground its time travel elements in any sort of scientific rigor, instead establishing a high-concept but perfectly plausible internal logic system and sticking to it. The MCU as a whole hasn’t been the same since. The way it all leads to one of those superhero show endings that are genuine masterpieces only further adds to why Loki is a must-watch for sci-fi fans.

7

‘The Lazarus Project’ (2022–2023)

Image via Sky Max

Yet more proof that there’s nothing quite like top-tier British science fiction, The Lazarus Project is one of the best Netflix sci-fi shows that are a 10/10. Its approval rating of 100% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes is entirely well-deserved, offering a sky-high-stakes spin on typical time travel tropes by telling a story about an organization having to reset time in order to prevent mass-extinction events.

It’s a clever, unique, airtight concept that results in a show that still feels unlike anything else that time travel sci-fi has produced over the course of the small screen’s history. The strict internal logic that Lazarus Project sets up to make its time travel elements make sense works remarkably well the vast majority of the time, and even though low viewership got the show canceled after two seasons, it still feels like it had plenty of gas left in the tank.

6

‘The Peripheral’ (2022)

Image via Amazon Prime Video

Loosely based on the book by William Gibson, The Peripheral is yet another example of a great time travel show that was tragically canceled well before it had the chance to display its full potential. But though anyone who’d rather not watch a canceled show that ends on a major cliffhanger may prefer looking elsewhere, people who don’t mind an unresolved narrative are guaranteed to fall in love with The Peripheral.

It’s one of the best sci-fi shows with fewer than eight episodes, and also one of the time travel shows that’s smartest about its time travel elements. By avoiding physical travel entirely, instead relying on a data-only model that sidesteps grandfather paradoxes, The Peripheral prevents itself from ever driving itself into an inescapable narrative corner.

5

‘11.22.63’ (2016)

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Stephen King adaptations have produced several exceptional TV shows over the years, but it should come as no surprise that the one that may be the best of the bunch also happens to be based on King’s best sci-fi book. Indeed, 11.22.63 is an absolutely phenomenal adaptation, a thriller miniseries executive-produced by J. J. Abrams which is as well-written as it is well-acted and well-directed.

Does the time travel in 11.22.63 make strict scientific sense? Not really, but the miniseries gets time travel right by seeing it as more of a supernatural force, treating the past as a sort of stubborn entity that doesn’t stop resisting change. The result is a series that even die-hard fans of time travel shows should find exquisitely different and unique.

4

‘Steins;Gate’ (2011–2015)

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Animation is at times looked down on even by the most passionate of sci-fi fans, despite having provided several of the genre’s greatest shows over the years. Case in point: the anime masterpiece Steins;Gate, based on the 2009 visual novel of the same name. It’s one of the best anime thrillers of all time, also widely considered one of the best anime series ever created by fans and critics alike.

The show’s story follows a strict set of rules and internal mechanics, at times even referencing real scientific theories like Kerr black holes and the Many-Worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. As such, Steins;Gate should keep fans of both hard sci-fi and soft sci-fi equally satisfied, thanks to its understanding of time travel as a concept that deserves rigor and a focus on entertainment value in equal measure.

3

‘Travelers’ (2016–2018)

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The Canadian-American co-production Travelers still holds a 100% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and every single positive review that created that perfect score was well-earned. It is, after all, one of the most addictive sci-fi shows ever created, perfectly blending high-stakes time travel with emotionally compelling and character-driven drama.

With its strict physical rules and its limiting time travel to characters’ consciousness, Travelers creates a fluid yet strict internal system that keeps the plot philosophically engaging while also making sense 99% of the time. That results in some incredibly entertaining and thought-provoking storylines, which makes this one of the best sci-fi shows to rewatch.

2

’12 Monkeys’ (2015–2018)

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Four-season TV shows that are perfect are a rarity, but they sure do exist, as proven by Syfy’s 12 Monkeys. Loosely based on Terry Gilliam‘s ’90s cult classic film Twelve Monkeys, this criminally underrated masterpiece of a show is far and away one of the best sci-fi TV shows of the 2010s—regardless of subgenre—even if it doesn’t usually get as much recognition as it deserves.

Much like the exceptional film that inspired it, 12 Monkeys relies on a rigid timeline governed by a strict internal logic and closed bootstrap paradoxes. This gets time travel right not only because the show ends up making a surprising amount of sense—despite being just as intellectually challenging as any fan of the subgenre could possibly want—but also because it understands the many fascinating philosophical questions that make time travel interesting to begin with, like matters of predestination and fate.

1

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

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As the years have passed since its jaw-dropping conclusion, time has been kind to Netflix’s Dark, allowing it to age as perhaps the single most universally acclaimed time travel and multiverse sci-fi series the world has ever seen. For people who love Netflix shows full of shocking plot twists, this one should be considered essential viewing, because it also happens to probably be the most intellectually daunting sci-fi show of the last decade.

As complicated and attention-demanding as it may sometimes feel watching Dark, however, it’s also one of the most immensely satisfying experiences a sci-fi fan can have from the comfort of their living room. That’s largely because the show tends to get time travel exactly right, treating it with both mathematically strict rigor and a supernatural sense of mystery. Time travel shows can often be so confusing that they’re hard to enjoy, but Dark treats its sci-fi elements with such a refreshingly nuanced attention to detail that it becomes abundantly easy to enjoy it on every level.

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Dark

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Release Date

2017 – 2020-00-00

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Network

Netflix

Showrunner

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Jantje Friese

Directors

Baran bo Odar

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  Louis Hofmann

  Jonas Kahnwald

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  Lisa Vicari

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  Martha Nielsen

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We often discuss actors and actresses who define a generation. From Charlton Heston and Marlon Brando to Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, we see these beacons on the screen, read their vast resumes, and ponder who will be the icons of our current generation. While there are so many sensational performers who could earn the moniker, the 10 individuals represent the face of modern Hollywood.

The stars on this list range from award winners to rising stars, box-office juggernauts to big and small-screen crossover darlings; the future of Hollywood looks bright. These ten individuals represent an already flourishing career that has no signs of slowing down. While we could easily include many honorable mentions, it’s all about the current landscape of entertainment. Believe me, some of your favorites were just shy of the top 10.

Anne Hathaway

Image via 20th Century Studios

If we had compiled this list a year ago, we might have seen someone like Emma Stone in this slot. But the truth is, no one is having as hot of a year quite like the Hollywood darling herself, Anne Hathaway. Making her name way back when in The Princess Diaries, Hathaway has maintained a solid stance in Hollywood since. One of the world’s most versatile performers, Hathaway has proven she can provide a guy-wrenching performance in Les Misérables while then playing a Prima Donna diva actress in Ocean’s 8, the former for which she earned an Academy Award. The range is uncanny. Hathaway’s presence has always been stable, but this year, her status as a crucial player in the industry skyrocketed. Her acting prowess has enabled her to be part of some of cinema’s finest films, including Brokeback Mountain, and to work with everyone from Christopher Nolan to Robert De Niro.

By the conclusion of the summer, Hathaway has led four major films— Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The Odyssey, and The End of Oak Street. This fall, she’ll appear in the upcoming Verity. It’s been a prosperous year for the star as she’s shown such incomparable range in each project. Leading with an unmatched work ethic and sincere kindness, Hathaway is the type of individual you can’t help but champion their career. Hathaway is the face of modern Hollywood because she represents a quarter-century of longevity and success. She has the ability to perform in any genre you task her wth, from romantic comedy to hard science. She faced early-career pushback, and yet she prevailed without a fight. Hathaway represents nostalgia for some and a cultural staple for all. It may be hyperbolizing, but the down-to-earth star could see a part of her being the next Meryl Streep, her beloved co-star.

Glen Powell

Image via Universal Pictures

Some Hollywood stars seemingly come out of nowhere. One minute they have small parts in films, the next they’re on their way to being Hollywood’s leading man. Such was the case for Glen Powell. In his younger years, you may have caught him on the kids’ reality show Endurance or caught him in Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, but he truly rose to prominence in the two-season series Scream Queens. From there, it was a rise to Hollywood supremacy thanks to his star turn in Top Gun: Maverick and Twisters. From there, he became the leading-man go-to, bringing his romantic charm to Anyone But You and his action prowess to Hit Man, which he also wrote and produced.

Powell exudes an old-school movie star charm. He is an effortless heartthrob who knows that his good looks define his leading man status, but there’s much more to him. The duality and range are profound. In recent times, he’s proven he’s willing to go ugly. Chad Powers anyone? At his core, he evokes a throwback action star vibe à la Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford. He channels an aura beyond the rugged protagonist; Powell brings humor, warmth, and self-awareness to his roles that make him affable and accessible. His real-life background in Texas and active lifestyle match the confident characters he plays on screen. Powell has proven an eagerness to continually reshape his genre image so as not to bore his audiences. Variety is the spice of life!

Jenna Ortega

Image via Netflix

There are many individuals who could represent the Gen Z Princess, and Jenna Ortega tops that discussion. Whether made by design or not, Ortega has established herself as today’s biggest scream queen. From Scream to X, with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in between, Ortega’s ability to become the genre’s go-to horror actress has established herself a solid niche. It’s through those projects that helped earn her the titular role in Wednesday. In taking on the iconic Addams daughter, she proved she not only is an engaging actress, she’s a streaming darling. Earning multiple nominations for the part, Wednesday has remained one of Netflix’s biggest projects. In the role, Ortega uses deadpan precision and subtle microexpressions to tell a story without words. With one glare, you know exactly what she’s thinking.

At a young age, she took an active creative role in her projects, including serving as an executive producer. By having a stronger hold on curating her career, Ortega is establishing the direction she seeks to head. Her transition from child actor to dark, edgy, and critically acclaimed adult roles has opened the door to some incredible upcoming projects, including the films Klara and the Sun and The Great Beyond, as well as Wednesday’s third season. Ortega has spoken about being a Latinx performer in Hollywood and uses her experience to advance visibility and diversity, especially in the horror sphere. Ortega is slowly dominating Hollywood; expect the rise to continue.

Michael B. Jordan

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

An Oscar doesn’t prove an artist’s greatness, but it sure doesn’t hurt! If there’s one actor who has had such a prolific ascension to the top, it’s the astounding Michael B. Jordan. An actor whose emotional control is what makes his complex characters so nuanced and engaging, Jordan continues to dazzle in every project he’s a part of. Beginning his career with profound roles on The Wire and Friday Night Lights, Jordan never shied away from mature projects. He partook in two major franchises, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Creed, in which he directed Creed III. His collaborations with Ryan Coogler became one of the most fruitful parts of his career, as his dual roles in Sinners earned him an Academy Award. As a performer, Jordan builds characters from the inside out. From subtle expressions to transforming his physical presence, he brings an extreme amount of swagger that makes his characters feel lived in. Jordan is not only the face of modern Hollywood, but he was also once the cover face of People’s Sexiest Man Alive.

Jordan is reshaping the landscape for leading men. He can easily shift from blockbuster acting to richly character-driven performances. Jordan isn’t just stuck in a box. He can portray both hero and villain, protagonist and antagonist, with a flip of the switch. Sinners’ success was not only an integral film in the Black-led blockbuster landscape, but also proof that original-concept blockbusters are what audiences seek. His ability to lead the film raised his stock exponentially. And the Oscar gold was simply incoming on the bloody cake. Jordan has spent more than 20 years in the business, and he’s truly coming into his own during this newfound chapter. Following his major award win, he swooped into the world of animation with the adorable Swapped. Now, he has two massive projects coming down the line: a remake of The Thomas Crown Affair and the highly anticipated Miami Vice ’85. The future is bright in neon lights!

Margot Robbie

Frank Masi//©Warner Bros. Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

To be a powerhouse in Hollywood these days doesn’t mean just being an incredible actor. It means being a groundbreaking creative force. One of the most prominent multi-hyphenate artists is Australian star Margot Robbie. As one of the industry’s biggest assets, Robbie’s rise to the top has been made possible in part by big projects that just kept getting bigger along the way. From a breakout role in The Wolf of Wall Street, bringing Harley Quinn perfectly to life in Suicide Squad, and earning an Oscar nod for I, Tonya, Robbie wasn’t finished. In 2023, she made Barbie a worldwide blockbuster. Robbie refused to be typecast as a ditzy blonde. She brings a fearlessness to her characters, immersing herself with a great emotional range. Whether taking on iconic characters or building them from the ground up, Robbie brings a nuanced, full-bodied performance to each part.

Her impact on Hollywood is twofold. Not only can she anchor a blockbuster, but she can carry an indie project. She also serves as a co-founder of LuckyChap Entertainment, a production company that champions bold, female-led stories in Hollywood. The company has also been responsible for giving female creators a place to play, including Emerald Fennell, who was behind her three powerhouse films and collaborated with Robbie on Wuthering Heights. Robbie remains a beacon for cultural phenomena, both on screen and on the red carpet. Her presence serves as a reminder that hard work pays off when you hit the ground running and make the work happen for yourself. In addition to her producing some major projects over the next few years, she’ll be joining the cast of the upcoming Ocean’s Eleven prequel.

Robert Pattinson

Image via Warner Bros.

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My, how the world has changed since Robert Pattinson broke out as Edward Cullen in the Twilight franchise. He knew he had to shed the past before being forever typecast as a brooding, glowing ancient vampire, so he made a career out of defying the archetype. Pattinson transitioned away from the mainstream teen idol work to celebrate indie cinema. He took on parts with the Safdie brothers in Good Time, starred alongside Willem Dafoe in Robert Eggers‘ gritty, psychological horror film The Lighthouse, and played complex roles in films such as The Lost City of Z and High Life. When it was time to return to the blockbusters, he collaborated with Christopher Nolan in the time-bending spy thriller Tenet and eventually became the face of the Caped Crusader in The Batman.

Taking a pit stop in smaller films and nuanced projects allowed Pattinson to prove he can do more than franchise work. His versatility in art house and auteur cinema built him a daring resume where he could explore gritty, eccentric, and psychologically complex characters rather than leading-man parts. He always knew he could be one; he just wanted to grow into it. And based on his explosive 2026, he has proven just as much. In addition to joining Nolan for his star-studded The Odyssey, he led the romantic dark comedy The Drama and will appear as the iconic Chris Hansen in the A24 crime thriller Primetime. Of course, he will close out the calendar by joining several of his co-stars and fellow names on this list for Dune: Part Three. Over the next few years, Pattinson will continue to balance blockbusters with passion projects, proving that his future is bright. Pattinson also happens to be a meme machine thanks to his relatable content during his press tours. Authenticity is a reason why audiences seek out actors. Pattinson is just that.

Ryan Gosling

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

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Breaking out of child stardom isn’t always an option for all young performers. For Ryan Gosling, he defied the odds, establishing a genuinely versatile resume along the way. He started off as a cast member on The Mickey Mouse Club before turning into his own entity at the start of the 21st century. Between becoming everyone’s ultimate crush in The Notebook and earning an early Oscar nomination for Half Nelson, the path to the top was just a matter of the roles he played. His range is part of why he’s one of the greatest out there. He can take on a stunt driver in Drive, a jazz pianist in La La Land, bring gritty action to the screen in Blade Runner 2049, and then find comedic action in The Nice Guys. Not only is genre versatility his greatest asset, but he’s also like a real-life Ken doll because he can take on any character career. He also happens to be a brilliant scene partner, elevating anyone he shares a screen with. Puppet included.

There is no single mold for Gosling. The genre-jumping from indie dramas to box-office blockbusters has allowed him to mold himself to whatever the project requires. Though his only other credit in 2026 will be producing the upcoming Love of Your Life, he redefined science fiction in Project Hail Mary. His performance was tender, kind, and endearing, essentially providing a one-man movie for half the film. Just a few weeks ago, Gosling traded in his Mouseketeer letterman jacket for Ghost Rider’s. Gosling’s proven track record has allowed him to do whatever he wants. His dream was to be in a Star Wars project and play a superhero in the MCU. He’s now achieved both, becoming the future face of two pop culture juggernaut franchises. As one of the most affable and endearing presences in Hollywood, Gosling is destined to be one of the all-time greats. His classic Hollywood charm, paired with his understated fame and magnetism, makes him a leader of his generation.

Timothée Chalamet

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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Over the past few years, the name on everybody’s lips has been Timothée Chalamet. The young actor started his career with a number of smaller roles alongside major stars, including Interstellar and Hostiles, and earned more prominent parts in independent projects like Call Me By Your Name and Lady Bird. Willing to mix things up, it was the 2020s that really propelled his name into the Hollywood conversation as the face of the next generation. Leading projects like Dune, Wonka, A Complete Unknown, and Marty Supreme, Chalamet isn’t just in-demand; he’s a box office powerhouse. Chalamet represents a timeless quality on screen. He can play a character from any era or world while maintaining his pure essence.

Chalamet has proven his acting prowess by tackling roles that demand intense emotional range and bold risks. His quiet tenderness as Elio Perlman helped earn him his spot as Paul Atreides, as his more eccentric explosiveness as Willy Wonka and Marty Mauser proved he was the perfect person to lead into Paul’s darker turn in the upcoming Dune: Part Three. His artistic credibility has made him a smart choice for studio executives. He represents a softer, more fluid modern masculinity that has helped reshape leading men in Hollywood. His deep range and ability to transform into the parts he plays have made him the perfect chameleon on screen. It’s only time before he earns his first Academy Award.

Tom Holland

Image via Marvel Studios

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There are some very lucky people who had the great experience of seeing Tom Holland on the West End in Billy Elliot. Little did they know at the time they were watching arguably the greatest Peter Parkers of all time. One of the most dedicated actors in Hollywood, Holland’s claim to fame is most certainly donning the Spider-Man costume in the MCU, but his range beyond the spandex has made him one of the most profitable actors in the industry. At a young age, he earned critical praise for his performance in the disaster thriller The Impossible. He continued to take on a range of roles to showcase more mature aspects and balance the nonstop onslaught of Spider-Man. Though the film may not have been critically praised, Holland proved he could go beyond the MCU to be an action star in Uncharted. Holland’s great discipline has allowed him to ease into the physically demanding world of action films. His background in dance, acrobatics, and athletics has made him a sought-after asset.

Even on the small screen, specifically in Wolf Hall and The Crowded Room, he has proven that he’s an asset. Holland has an endearing nature that comes with playing Peter Parker. There’s a wholesome sincerity that is innate to his character. And yet, those traits are found in his lesser-known parts. He can play charming, but it’s gritty roles in the non-franchise films, like Cherry and The Devil All the Time, that showcased how he can move beyond the web-slinger. Holland commanded the screen alongside the stellar ensemble in The Odyssey, once again showing he can stretch his skills in other genres. Holland has a squeaky-clean image that has made him the ultimate role model for younger audiences. And how can you not adore him after his lip sync of “Umbrella?” Holland moved up onto this list after continuing to help his films break global records. Taking on Fred Astaire in the upcoming biopic is destined to be the ultimate career gamechanger.

Zendaya

Image via Universal Pictures

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Being a Disney kid can provide some young actors with the incredible launch pad they need to become a star. Finding a way to capitalize on it is the key. There is a generation of fans who have grown up with Zendaya, tracking her career from Shake It Up and Dancing with the Stars to her shift into films like Challengers and as Rue on Euphoria. The moment she took on the darker role, Hollywood began to view her differently, giving her a chance to showcase her skills in a new way. She earned herself major roles in the Spider-Man franchise and Dune. Lately, her resume may have been filled with the two, but she also found time to star alongside Pattinson in The Drama, which marked the first of three films together in 2026.

Zendaya is not an explosive performer. She doesn’t need to shout to dominate a scene. She listens and reacts in subtle ways that provide an authenticity to her characters. She offers a rich emotional honesty to the screen. Whether it’s Rue, where she presents raw pain and the messiness that comes with addiction, finds the emotional maturity of balancing the hearts of two men like Tashi in Challengers, or brings an ethereal presence as Chani and Athena, Zendaya can do it all. Though we saw her use her triple-threat assets in The Greatest Showman, we are begging for another musical. Zendaya is a highly disciplined actress and advocate for diversity and proper representation in Hollywood. After a major chapter in her career has closed, she’s tagging into another franchise, lending her voice to the upcoming Shrek 5.

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The Odyssey

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Release Date

July 15, 2026

Runtime

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173 minutes

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Fergie and her ex-husband, Josh Duhamel, each celebrated their son Axl Jack’s 13th birthday by sharing rare family photos.

“13. 🎂🎂 Wow, my teenager,” the Black Eyed Peas alum, 51, wrote via Instagram on Saturday, August 29. “I’m saying that with tears in my eyes as I feel like the world is shifting beneath us.”

The singer posted a carousel of photos taken throughout her son’s life, starting with her cradling baby Axl Jack in her arms and continuing with his recent sports accomplishments.

“It’s so beautiful to watch you grow into the kind, silly, and cool dude you are,” Fergie added. “You are so tough bruh 🤣🤣. Happy 13th Axl Jack.”

On his own Instagram account, Duhamel, 53, shared more vintage photos of Axl Jack — including a sweet shot of him holding one of his newborn siblings. (Duhamel welcomed 2-year-old Shepherd and his sister Rocca De Leon, 3 months, with his second wife, Audra Mari.)

“Guess who’s a TEENAGER!? Holy crap that went fast,” the Transformers actor declared. “I love this dude so much. I couldn’t have asked for a more kind, compassionate and thoughtful kid. HAPPY 13th B-DAY AXL JACK!!!”

Fergie and Duhamel welcomed Axl Jack in August 2013. They announced in September 2017 that they were separating after eight years of marriage.

“With absolute love and respect, we decided to separate as a couple earlier this year,” they confirmed in a joint statement to Us at the time. “To give our family the best opportunity to adjust, we wanted to keep this a private matter before sharing it with the public. We are and will always be united in our support of each other and our family.”

Us reported in November 2019 that Fergie and Duhamel reached a divorce settlement after two years of negotiating. Duhamel tied the knot with former Miss World America winner Mari, 32, at Olivet Lutheran Church in Fargo, North Dakota, in September 2022.

In April, Duhamel revealed on the “Tomi Lahren Is Fearless” podcast that he and Fergie were on “good” terms nearly a decade after their split.

Related: Josh Duhamel’s Honest Quotes About Fatherhood Through the Years

Josh Duhamel is opening up like never before about the joys, struggles and honest realities of being a dad — and his words about ex-wife Fergie might surprise you. The actor, who now juggles fatherhood with a blended family after moving on with Audra Mari, has been reflecting on what it means to truly show […]

“We have a really good relationship, thankfully. She’s a good person, she’s a good mom,” he said. “Thankfully she and my wife [Audra] have a good relationship.”

The actor went on to say, “It’s as good as it could possibly be. Thankfully. It’s very civil. There’s not any sort of hostility between anybody. So that’s really all I care about and I’d like to keep it that way.”

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Fergie publicly congratulated her ex and Mari when they welcomed baby daughter Rocca de Leon in May. Duhamel has since revealed that Mari went through a “really hard” time while delivering their baby daughter.

“[Childbirth was] not good. I mean, it was great ultimately, but it was really hard on Audra, to be honest,” Duhamel disclosed on Live With Kelly and Mark in July. “She had this thing called placenta previa, which means the placenta was sitting between the baby and the cervix. That’s how women used to bleed out back in the day.”

He explained, “Thankfully, we have modern medicine and everything, so we knew it was there and we knew that we had to do a scheduled C-section.”

Dick Van Dyke is still keeping fit after turning 100.

The Mary Poppins actor shared a part of his exercise regimen with his Instagram followers on Saturday, August 29, revealing that he uses an inversion table to stretch his full body. In the clip, Van Dyke can be seen laying upside down on the table before he adjusts his arms behind his head in a situp-style position.

“Keep moving,” he urged his followers.

Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday in December 2025 but has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down. The legendary actor even shared his approach to exercise in his 2025 book 100 Rules for Living to 100: An Optimist’s Guide to a Happy Life.

Explaining that he’s not a “wake up and go back to bed type,” Van Dyke noted that he can feel “stiffness creeping in here and there in my joints” if he misses too many days in the gym. However, the star admitted he sometimes has to “dangle” a reward for himself on days where he’s feeling “sluggish and reluctant.”

“[A] huge smoothie and/or frothy caffeine treat after my workout, full-body tingly exhilaration, sharper mind, sense of accomplishment to bask in for the rest of the day nap time [that is] well-earned, limber dancing in the days ahead,” he wrote.

Aside from his inversion table workout, Van Dyke mentioned that he frequently uses a “circuit” of exercise machines.

“Going from one machine to the next without a break, in a circle,” Van Dyke explained. “I start with sit-ups on the sit-up machine.”

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Related: Dick Van Dyke’s Wife Arlene Says 46-Year Age Gap Is ‘Irrelevant’

Dick Van Dyke is 98 years old, and he couldn’t be happier. He and his wife, Arlene Silver, met at the SAG Awards in 2006 and tied the knot in 2012, despite Silver being 46 years younger. For Van Dyke, that didn’t matter. He recalled meeting Silver, 52, during a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight’s […]

He continued, “Then, it’s lower body — I do all the leg machines religiously and repeatedly because my legs are two of my most cherished [parts]. And then the upper body. The secret ingredient to my gym time is the music. For some reason, our gym is sparsely attended in the early mornings — bad for the owners, but better for me and [wife Arlene Silver]. She knows how to get into the sound system, so she always brings my kind of stuff, and she really blasts it.”

Van Duke and Silver always try to start off their exercise routines early in the morning — which allows them to tackle the day with plenty of energy.

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“It’s the music that really gets me going. … By the end of my workout, I’m in a sweaty rush, the blood flowing fingertips to toes and my spirits are soaring,” he wrote.

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Related: Dick Van Dyke, 99, Shows Off Muscles in Gym Photo With Rick Springfield

Dick Van Dyke isn’t letting his age get in the way of a workout! Rick Springfield, 76, shared a photo via Instagram on Friday, September 26 of the Mary Poppins star, 99, flexing his muscles at the gym. Clearly impressed by Van Dyke’s commitment to fitness, especially at his age, the musician quipped, “I thought […]

The Diagnosis: Murder alum told fans at a Vandy High Tea event just before his 100th birthday that he’d made two major lifestyle changes that may have contributed to him reaching the milestone age.

“I got rid of booze and cigarettes and all that stuff, which is probably why I’m still here,” Van Dyke revealed last December. “I think I was probably in my 50s before it dawned on me.”