Thrillers tend to focus on the plot, engaging readers with clever twists, mysterious characters, and relentless pacing. However, the genre’s best novels serve up stellar prose alongside the tense storytelling; indeed, they are finely constructed on a sentence-by-sentence level.

With that in mind, this list looks at some of the best-written thriller books of the last quarter-century. Some blur the boundaries between literary fiction and genre writing, while others incorporate elements of horror or historical fiction. Despite their differences, all the titles below boast exceptional technical skill.

‘My Sister, the Serial Killer’ (2018)

Image via Doubleday

“The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces.” Korede is a hardworking nurse whose younger sister Ayoola has an alarming habit of killing her boyfriends, allegedly in self-defense. Each time it happens, Korede quietly helps dispose of the evidence, convincing herself that protecting her family is the right thing to do. However, that fragile arrangement begins collapsing when Ayoola develops an interest in the man Korede secretly loves. Korede grows increasingly concerned that he will be her sister’s next victim.

It’s an intriguing premise that Nigerian author Oyinkan Braithwaite spins into a tense dark comedy rippling with psychological tension and barbed social commentary. This debut novel earned rave reviews and took home the 2019 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Best Mystery/Thriller.

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ (2018)

Image via G.P. Putnam’s Sons

“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.” This one was adapted into a so-so movie starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, though the original novel is a lot stronger. The story alternates between Kya Clark’s isolated childhood in the marshes of North Carolina and the later investigation into the death of local celebrity Chase Andrews. As the timelines gradually converge, we come to understand the protagonist’s years of loneliness and quiet observation.

Along the way, Where the Crawdads Sing melds several styles and subgenres, including drama and coming-of-age, all of them united by the expertly sustained murder mystery. It’s a tricky balancing act that author Delia Owens pulls off with aplomb. She also excels at her descriptions of nature, practically turning the marsh into a character in its own right. Not for nothing, the book was a runaway success, selling well over 18 million copies.

‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2005)

Image via Norstedts Förlag

“People always have secrets. It’s just a matter of finding out what they are.” Published only after author Stieg Larsson‘s death, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was an immediate global sensation, hugely reshaping thriller writing in the late 2000s. The plot pairs journalist Mikael Blomkvist with the brilliant hacker Lisbeth Salander as they reopen the decades-old disappearance of Harriet Vanger, a mystery that has haunted one of Sweden’s wealthiest families for generations.

Harking back to the great mystery tradition, the plotting here is masterful, loaded with misdirection and subtle clues that first appear insignificant but later turn out to be crucial. Complementing this, the prose style is economical and punchy, written in plain language and deploying a dry but effective procedural tone. It’s brisk and clear and keeps the pages turning the whole way through.

‘Gone Girl’ (2012)

Image via Phoenix

“Like a child, I picture opening her skull, unspooling her brain and sifting through it…” Gone Girl has already cemented its reputation as one of the most impactful thrillers of the century so far. It begins with the disappearance of Amy Dunne on her fifth wedding anniversary, leaving her husband Nick under immediate suspicion. Competing narratives emerge, and hidden motivations come to light, forcing readers to reconsider everything they believed they understood about both characters.

The book plays the audience like a fiddle, hitting us with red herrings and shocking narrative switcheroos, and keeping the psychological tension at a fever pitch. The writing style is sharp and cynical, almost cold to the touch, filled with dark humor and sharp cultural critique. The best example is the iconic “Cool Girl” monologue, which is masterful even without Rosamund Pike‘s brilliant delivery.

‘A Brief History of Seven Killings’ (2014)

Image via Riverhead Books

“Reason is for rich people. We have madness.” Although it extends far beyond conventional thriller boundaries, A Brief History of Seven Killings contains enough political intrigue, assassination plots, criminal conspiracies, and white-knuckle action to please the genre’s fans. Inspired by the attempted assassination of iconic singer Bob Marley in 1976, the novel follows an enormous cast of politicians, gang leaders, journalists, intelligence operatives, and ordinary citizens as decades of violence reshape both Jamaica and the wider world.

Along the way, the writing style effortlessly shifts between several distinct narrative voices, each possessing a singular rhythm and vocabulary. It’s symphonic and energetic, full of stream-of-consciousness and unfiltered, racing thoughts. The imagery is larger than life, too, making the characters and settings (and the unflinching violence) practically leap off the page. It’s all quite musical, influenced by reggae and hip-hop.

’11/22/63′ (2011)

Image via Scribner

“We never know which lives we influence, or when, or why.” 11/22/63 ranks among the very best of Stephen King‘s 2010s output, confidently blending thriller mechanics with time travel, historical fiction, and romance. In it, English teacher Jake Epping discovers a portal leading to 1958. Presented with the opportunity to prevent JFK‘s assassination, he embarks upon a mission that becomes far more complicated than he ever imagined. Every attempt to alter history creates unforeseen consequences, and the past itself appears determined to resist being changed.

This premise could easily have crashed and burned into a pulpy mess, yet King pulls it off gracefully, resulting in one of his most enjoyable and well-rounded stories from that period. The main characters are compelling and likable, the plot is always engaging, and, despite the immense narrative ambition, the emotional weight never falters, even across 800-plus pages.

‘The God of the Woods’ (2024)

Image via Riverhead Books

“He liked to trick people, to confuse and disorient them until they lost their bearings, and their minds.” The God of the Woods is the most recent novel by Liz Moore, who also wrote Long Bright River. Set around an Adirondack summer camp in the 1970s, the story begins with the disappearance of thirteen-year-old Barbara Van Laar, whose older brother vanished under similarly mysterious circumstances years earlier. Investigators, family members, camp staff, and locals become entangled in the search, dredging up secrets and traumas that have shaped the community for decades.

What we have here is an unusually intelligent crime novel, one that combines expert pacing with genuine psychological depth. Rather than relying on constant twists, the novel patiently builds suspense through layered perspectives, carefully revealed history, and richly developed relationships. Moore’s handling of multiple timelines is particularly impressive as well.

‘In the Woods’ (2007)

Image via Penguin Books

“I had learned early to assume something dark and lethal hidden at the heart of anything I loved.” This psychological mystery (Tana French‘s first book) swept the thriller awards circuit in 2008, including winning an Edgar Award. It follows Dublin detectives Rob Ryan and Cassie Maddox as they look into the murder of a twelve-year-old girl in the same woods where, twenty years earlier, two of Rob’s s childhood friends disappeared without explanation. Rob himself was found traumatized and unable to remember what happened.

French builds this setup into a truly haunting thriller, nimbly fusing police procedural and character study. Perhaps most of all, In the Woods stands out from most crime novels thanks to its three-dimensional characters, who react to their circumstances in believable ways. It also paints a vivid, immersive portrait of contemporary Ireland, another element that gives the book a lot of personality.

‘Mystic River’ (2001)

Image via William Morrow

“The person you love is rarely worthy of how big your love is.” Many readers will know this one from the phenomenal film adaptation directed by Clint Eastwood. Mystic River is the magnum opus of author and screenwriter Dennis Lehane, who also penned Shutter Island and Small Mercies. The novel revolves around childhood friends Jimmy Marcus, Sean Devine, and Dave Boyle, whose lives were permanently altered after a traumatic event in their youth.

When Jimmy’s teenage daughter is murdered decades later, the investigation forces all three men to confront painful memories they have spent years trying to bury. This sets the stage for a heartbreaking mystery/drama hybrid, one that at times feels like a Greek tragedy set in a suburban setting that’s both simultaneously familiar and alien. It’s melancholy and thematically dense, with so much to say about stolen innocence, tribal loyalties, and the way violence propagates across generations.

‘London Falling’ (2026)

Image via Doubleday

“If you misstepped on a slick cobble after a night out drinking, the black water could suck you under in an instant.” Although it’s a work of nonfiction, London Falling reads like the tensest thriller. Written by Say Nothing‘s Patrick Radden Keefe, it’s an investigation into the death of the ordinary English teenager Zac Brettler, who leaped into the River Thames in 2019. However, as the author digs deeper, he finds out that Zac had been hanging out with several potentially unsavory businessmen… and telling them that he was the son of a Russian oligarch.

In piecing together the chain of events that led up to Zac’s death, Keefe constructs a grim but compelling portrait of an entire city, one where crime and corruption roil beneath the surface, and the authorities frequently turn a blind eye to wrongdoing by those with money and power. It’s a remarkable, compulsively readable book but also a rather sobering and somber experience.

Apple TV has thoroughly earned its illustrious reputation as the home for sci-fi series that, in terms of quantity and consistent quality, one can’t find on other streamers. By and large, the platform’s flagship shows (Pluribus, Severance, Silo) and their hidden gems (Constellation) are unconventional, cerebral, daringly complex, and meticulously constructed. Although creative partners Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar have worked with Netflix thus far in their joint career, the pair’s television projects deserve to be in the same conversation as their Apple TV counterparts — as visionary masterpieces simultaneously perfecting and reinventing the genre’s fundamentals.

In 2022, the unpredictably ingenious pair followed up Dark, their existential time travel thriller, with the formidable 1899. Equal parts period piece, sci-fi horror, and murder mystery, 1899 concerns itself with the convergence of hundreds of 20th-century strangers aboard a state-of-the-art steamship bound for New York. Friese and bo Odar’s second series is perhaps the first legitimate successor to Lost: a one-season wonder, it’s enthralling, sinister, marvelously perplexing, intricate enough to warrant viewers’ rapt attention, and — despite those superlative descriptions — halfway to indescribable.

What Is ‘1899’ About?

Each passenger on the Kerberos is trying to escape the secrets, scandals, and traumas associated with their respective pasts. Their journey toward freedom barely begins before the Kerberos unexpectedly discovers its sister vessel, the Prometheus, which vanished during its Atlantic-crossing voyage. As soon as the ocean liners make contact, life aboard the Kerberos descends into a living nightmare. Inexplicable deaths, unfathomable triangle symbols, and unreliable narrators plague the trapped passengers at every turn, all while a looming observer orchestrates the horrors for reasons unknown.

1899 truly is a case where the less you know, the better your viewing experience will be. Indeed, Friese and bo Odar’s sophomore enterprise is an experience of the highest order, and a tremendous endeavor across every department. 1899 drips with striking efficiency and confidence, from the series’ exquisite visual identity (opulent sets, distinct costumes, one of the most cinematic and organic uses of the Volume to date) to the partners’ command over atmosphere. Claustrophobia and paranoia increase by strategically agonizing degrees until the dread feels unshakable, especially once 1899 evolves from its opening premise into something else entirely — many things, technically, given the genre-blending between historical fiction, supernatural mystery, hard sci-fi, and existential drama.

‘1899’s Uniqueness Succeeds on Virtually Every Level

1899 isn’t a case of showrunners whose metaphorical eyes are bigger than their stomachs, however. The “aha!” payoff moments for this series’ calculatedly interdependent structure are worth every penny. Friese and bo Odar make each second of their eight episodes count, dispensing enough clues to stoke tension but never spinning their narrative wheels until they turn circuitous. Nor do they rush breakneck toward the jaw-dropping reveals at the expense of either their philosophical concerns or the ensemble’s character depth. On both fronts, the turn-of-the-century setting and multicultural cast encourage a worthwhile exploration into the manifold ways geopolitics, forced social propriety, class stratification, religion, race, gender, and sexuality intersect.

Like too many ambitious modern epics, 1899 was cancelled before its time. Friese and bo Odar had mapped out two more seasons before Netflix swung the show’s death blow, which makes this loss heavier; going off Dark‘s three-season structure, we can assume that the duo’s uncontained uniqueness was properly calibrated to the story’s precise needs. Too many questions are left unanswered, but 1899 is immensely rewarding because its brain-melting experimentation challenges traditional TV structures — while remaining more addictively accessible than one might think. These tumultuous waters are worth traversing again and again.

Advertisement

1899

Advertisement

Release Date

2022 – 2022-00-00

Advertisement

Network

Netflix

Directors

Advertisement

Baran bo Odar

Advertisement

• 

  Andreas Pietschmann

  Eyk Larsen

  Advertisement
• 

  Emily Beecham

  Maura Franklin

Advertisement

Advertisement

“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” star Alicia Carmody is grateful to be part of the beloved franchise 20 years after its inception. During an exclusive interview with The Blast, Carmody not only reflected on filming an episode of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip,” but she also revealed which Bravolebrity she was most excited to link up with at Bravo Fan Fest in Charleston.

Alicia Carmody Reflects On Joining ‘The Real Housewives’ Franchise In Year 20

Carmody will appear in the season finale of “RHUGT: Roaring 20th” alongside her “Rhode Island” co-stars.

She’s one of the 80+ “Real Housewives” personalities who filmed scenes for the tribute season, and while reflecting on it during an exclusive interview with The Blast to promote her new partnership with Ferrero, she admitted the moment was too surreal.

“It was like a dream, like I actually was like, ‘Pinch me, wake me up, how is this happening?’” she said. “I just took it all in, and I was just blessed.”

Advertisement

Life Has Been ‘Wild’ For Alicia Carmody Since Becoming A ‘Real Housewives’ Cast Member

“The Real Housewives of Rhode Island” became an instant hit amongst Bravo watchers, leading to an almost-immediate second season renewal.

With all the love pouring in from fans, it’s no surprise that Carmody’s life has been a bit chaotic since the show’s premiere.

“I will walk into a Whole Foods or shopping or my daughter’s school and people will scream, ‘Cracker!’ It’s just wild to me that people scream cracker, and I jump for joy,” she told us.

• Alicia Carmody bumped heads with Rosie DiMare during the first season of “RHORI.”
• Liz McGraw clapped back at “preposterous” claims she left the show over criminal past.
• Vicki Gunvalson called the “RHORI” ladies “very aggressive” while filming “RHUGT.”
• Andy Cohen praised the Rhode Island ladies in March 2026: “They are the drama.”
• Kelsey Swanson defends herself against “escort” claims at the “RHORI” reunion.

Alicia Carmody Is Looking Forward To Her Appearance At Bravo Fan Fest

To celebrate her first year as a “Real Housewives” star, Carmody will link up with other Bravo personalities at Bravo Fan Fest in Charleston, South Carolina.

Joining her will be talent from “RHOA,” like Angela Oakley, Ava Dash from “Next Gen NYC,” “Real Housewives of Dubai” star Chanel Ayan, and “Southern Hospitality” OG Joe Bradley.

Advertisement

But who part of the star-studded lineup is Carmody most excited to connect with? “I love them all,” she said. “I’m so excited to see Teresa [Giudice], Dolores [Catania] again. I love “Southern Charm,” to meet these people. I love them all for different reasons; it depends on the day.”

Carmody Partners With Ferrero To Bring ‘Adultoween’ To Life

Elsewhere in our interview, Carmody, the reality star and mother of one, opened up about her partnership with Ferrero, one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food businesses and the company behind beloved treats like Nutella, Kinder, and Tic Tacs.

As part of their partnership, Carmody is promoting the company’s “Adultoween” campain, reminding adults that Halloween is as much for grownups as it is for kids.

“You’re never too old to celebrate Halloween! So, this year, my candy jars are full, my dolls are on display, my costume is on, and Ferrero treats are right alongside my bag of crackers,” she said. “Partnering with Ferrero means showing adults everywhere that Adultoween is a VIBE!”

This Halloween, Ferrero is also fielding its third consecutive Adultoween survey to capture the latest trends and findings on this year’s Halloween season and traditions.

Advertisement

“Adultoween started as an insight the Ferrero Group discovered and has grown into a cultural
movement,” said Chad Stubbs, Chief Marketing Officer of Ferrero North America. “We’re excited to see where this year’s trends land and how they’ll shape the way we engage and show up for our fans in bigger and better ways this Halloween and beyond.”

Carmody Reveals This Year’s Halloween Costume

In last year’s findings, Ferrero found that 62% of Americans base their Halloween costumes on pop culture figures, including singers, actors, and even some reality stars, and according to Carmody, that’s one spooky season trend she can totally get behind. “I love dressing up as pop culture,” she told The Blast. “This year, I’m dressing up as one of my favorite Rainbow HIgh Dolls, Bella Parker. So, I love it.”

If things had gone as Rosie ‘O’Donnell planned, she would have used her last night as guest host on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to deliver a powerful message.

When O’Donnell temporarily took the reins of the daytime show, she did not hide her known displeasure with Donald Trump and blasted him at every opportunity. 

As part of her advocacy efforts, the former “The Rosie O’Donnell Show” star also hoped to use the platform to feature alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein. However, that idea never materialized.

Rosie O’Donnell Says Her ‘Epstein Survivors’ Segment Was Scrapped From ABC Show

5

O’Donnell recently opened up about why she wanted to include the abuse victims, and explained why the topic mattered to her. 

“My idea for the last night was to do the Epstein reveal, and they said that they were certain that could not happen,” O’Donnell shared in the latest episode of “The Jann Arden’s Podcast.”

After being told the segment would not move forward, the actress took a different route and shared the project on social media instead. According to the broadcaster, eight alleged survivors participated, joining forces after she shared with them why speaking out is necessary.

“We met, and I told them about my history and why it means so much to me and the human race and why this is of vital importance,” O’Donnell added. 

In the video O’Donnell posted, all the women gathered to sing Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman.” In the caption, O’Donnell explained that the post was made “after the corrupt AG (Trump’s former personal lawyer) implied that he did not believe men accused of sex abuse would be charged as a result of the Epstein files – despite mountains of evidence.”

Rosie O’Donnell Slams Donald Trump On Her Exit Episode 

5

Although O’Donnell did not bow out the way she initially planned, she still used her last appearance to send a message tp the president.

As The Blast reported, the comedian opened her remarks by revisiting the nickname Trump once gave her, “Nasty Rosie O’Donnell.” She then launched into a musical critique, using the Irish classic “Danny Boy” to highlight a range of issues she associates with Trump.

Her lyrics referenced his polling numbers, comments about inflation, handling of tensions involving Iran, and the return of measles outbreaks.

For her final comeback, she used Trump’s own campaign slogan back at him. Singing directly to him, she quipped, “Since we all know you’ll never be Obama, why not resign and make this country great again?”

5

O’Donnell’s final appearance was not the first time she targeted Trump during her brief run on the program.

According to The Blast, the 64-year-old kicked off her guest-hosting duties with criticisms aimed at Trump, warning viewers that her appearances would feature jokes tied to their decades-long feud.

The host went down memory lane, recalling that she left the States primarily because of the political climate, after reading Project 2025. She continued, saying that even though she initially asked her son not to share the news, he went ahead and did it. 

The TV personality recalled her boy telling a classmate they were moving because “the President of the United States hates my mother.” O’Donnell laughed it off, adding that she probably dislikes him even more.

O’Donnell Has A History Of Taking Down The World Leader On Air

5

O’Donnell’s latest remarks are only the newest chapter in a feud that has unfolded publicly for decades. A video from 2006 has resurfaced showing O’Donnell blasting Trump during an appearance on “The View.”

At that time, Trump was famously known for championing NBC’s “The Apprentice.” Per The Blast, O’Donnell questioned his moral standing, referencing his history of infidelity while weighing in on his reluctance to give Miss USA Tara Conner a second chance after her own public scandal.

She pointed out his marriages and alleged affairs, noting that he even had children during those relationships. 

Tucker Carlson Claims Trump Wanted Epstein Files Kept Hidden

5

As O’Donnell continues her beef with the 80-year-old and spotlights the alleged survivors of Epstein, renewed attention has fallen on Trump’s connection to Epstein files. 

Tucker Carlson recently claimed that Trump supported keeping the records from becoming public. Carlson revealed that he warned Donald Trump that keeping Epstein‑related files hidden could backfire politically. However, Trump gave a “bunch of answers” as to why it should remain out of public view.

“The order to keep it under wraps came from Trump,” Carlson claimed, according to The Blast. “When I asked him why, he gave me this long, emotional explanation, saying it was all part of a plot against him, like Russiagate.”

Margot Robbie is embracing a new surname years into her marriage to Tom Ackerley. The change has surfaced in official UK business records, offering a rare glimpse into the famously private couple’s life together.

Their story spans a romance they initially kept from friends to becoming first-time parents with the birth of their son in 2024.

Margot Robbie’s Name Change Appears In Official Records

Margot Robbie has made a notable name change years after marrying Tom Ackerley.

New documents filed with the UK’s Companies House list the “Barbie” star as Margot Ackerley, LADbible reports. The couple married in 2016, although the actress is expected to continue using the name that made her famous professionally.

The couple’s relationship has long extended beyond their home life. Robbie and Ackerley co-founded LuckyChap Entertainment in 2014 alongside Sophia Kerr and Josey McNamara. The production company has since been behind projects including “I, Tonya,” “Saltburn,” and the blockbuster “Barbie.”

Robbie Initially Hid Her Romance From Friends

4

Robbie and Ackerley kept their romance under wraps in its earliest days, even from the friends they shared a home with.

The actress later recalled developing feelings for Ackerley while believing he would never feel the same way. Once they got together, the pair initially decided not to tell their housemates about the relationship.

Their romance eventually became public, but privacy remained a recurring theme. The couple quietly tied the knot in Byron Bay, Australia, and Robbie has generally kept details of their marriage out of the spotlight.

The Couple Became Parents In 2024

4

That approach continued as they prepared to become parents. Robbie’s representative confirmed her pregnancy in July 2024 after photos showed her with a baby bump during a trip to Lake Como.

Neither Robbie nor Ackerley publicly discussed the pregnancy at the time. Years earlier, however, the actress had said she wanted children. In a 2018 interview with Porter, Robbie said she imagined her future including a large Christmas gathering surrounded by kids.

They became parents for the first time in 2024. Multiple outlets reported on November 2 that the “Barbie” star had given birth to a baby boy, with PEOPLE confirming the news through a source. The arrival came several months after Robbie’s pregnancy first became public during the couple’s vacation in Italy.

Not Every Celebrity Follows The Name-Change Tradition

4

Hollywood couples have taken several approaches to the age-old question of what happens to their surnames after marriage.

Zoë Saldaña and Italian artist Marco Perego, for instance, put their own spin on the tradition after marrying in 2013. Perego took his wife’s surname, becoming Marco Perego-Saldaña, while the actress became Zoë Saldaña-Perego.

The “Avatar” star later revealed that she initially tried to discourage her husband from making the change. Perego, however, was unbothered by the potential reaction and went ahead.

Saldaña later clarified on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that the decision went both ways, with each adopting the other’s surname.

DC Fans Spot A Possible Clue About Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn

4

Meanwhile, Robbie’s future as Harley Quinn in the DC Universe may have received an unexpected boost.

The latest episode of HBO’s “Lanterns” included a reference to Starro, the giant alien villain who attacked Corto Maltese in 2021’s “The Suicide Squad.” John Stewart mentioned how authorities might respond if another “giant starfish” emerged from the ocean.

That callback has fueled speculation among DC fans that the movie’s events remain part of the new DC Universe. If so, surviving characters could potentially return, including Robbie’s Harley Quinn.

Taylor Swift gave fans something new to celebrate on Tuesday when she unveiled “Patient Zero,” her upcoming single. 

However, instead of spending the day dissecting lyrics, theories, and release details, a surprising part of the rollout quickly took center stage. 

Within minutes of the announcement, attention shifted from the music to the cover art, sparking a wave of online debate that turned what should have been a straightforward reveal into an unexpected conversation about image editing.

Taylor Swift’s New Single Announcement Quickly Loses The Spotlight

For most artists, a new music announcement is designed to keep the focus firmly on the song. In Taylor Swift’s case, however, the visual accompanying “Patient Zero” became the bigger talking point.

The image showed the singer leaning against a concrete wall while wearing a high-neck sleeveless dress. 

Advertisement

Rather than discussing the single itself, fans immediately began scrutinizing the photograph, with many pointing to what they believed were heavy editing choices. 

As the Daily Mail revealed, some viewers focused on the area around the Grammy winner’s arm and side, arguing that the image appeared overly smoothed and lacked natural definition.

The criticism came from both casual observers and devoted supporters. One person wrote on X, “The Photoshop on Taylor Swift’s ‘Patient Zero’ cover is horrendous… girl, you’re a billionaire, please get a professional photographer.” 

Another questioned the editing, saying, “I’m so sorry but why does the side of her look so poorly edited? It looks way over-airbrushed and almost AI.”

Advertisement

Swift Fans Defend The Star While Criticizing The Artwork

3

Interestingly, many of the loudest critics made it clear they were still firmly in Taylor Swift’s corner. 

Rather than attacking the music icon, much of the backlash targeted whoever handled the final image.

One fan noted, “No shade, but they edited her armpit to HELL,” before adding, “I love Taylor, by the way.” Another social media user took issue with multiple aspects of the cover, listing “The FaceApp blur, the badly cropped picture, the tilted horizon… she just pissed me off so bad.”

Others approached the situation with humor. A supporter joked, “I can edit you better for free on Canva,” while affectionately referring to Swift as “mom” and lamenting, “They Photoshopped your shoulder out of existence.”

Even amid the criticism, many fans emphasized that the artwork would not diminish their excitement for the music itself. One supporter summed up the mood by writing, “The Photoshop is so horrendously bad, but god, Tay, you’ll shine through forever and always.”

Advertisement

Taylor Swift Countdown Fuels Frenzy Over Secret Announcement

About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind… You gave The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in history. I took a trip to Sweden to celebrate with Max and Shellback, my two collaborators on this album.… pic.twitter.com/zFDgFLpbAd

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) September 23, 2026

The conversation around “Patient Zero” did not begin with the cover art. Days before the single was officially unveiled, Swift had already sent fans into detective mode with a series of cryptic online changes that suggested something bigger was coming.

According to ELLE, the star quietly launched a countdown on her official website that was set to expire at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, immediately triggering speculation across the fandom. 

Fans also noticed a third document beneath her statement about regaining ownership of her masters. At the same time, Swift altered her Instagram bio, replacing several “O”s with zeros so it read, “And, baby, that’s sh0w business f0r y0u.” 

Advertisement

The clues did not stop there. Swifties pointed to similar changes on Apple Music and began debating whether she was preparing to announce a deluxe album, a rerecording, or an entirely new project. 

Some even revisited the Easter eggs from her recent Emmy Awards sketch, where fans believed she had planted hidden clues. 

When the countdown finally ended, fans got their answer. Swift revealed she would be releasing “Patient Zero” on Friday, confirming that weeks of theories had indeed been leading somewhere. 

More From The Blast

Swift Expands ‘Showgirl’ Era With Four New Songs

3

As it turned out, “Patient Zero” was only part of the surprise. 

Less than 24 hours after announcing the single, Taylor Swift revealed “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” an expanded edition of her hit album featuring four additional songs: “Patient Zero,” “Cleveland!,” “Pink Clouding,” and “Babylon.” 

Advertisement

The project is scheduled for release on September 25. In a message to fans, Swift explained how the new music came together.

“About a year ago, you guys did a truly unfathomable thing. Something that completely blew my mind…” she wrote on Instagram, adding, “You gave The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in history.” 

Swift said she later traveled to Sweden with collaborators Max Martin and Shellback to celebrate the album’s success. 

“Really we just wanted to reflect and take in how grateful we were for the moment we were in, but there was a studio there and we did what we do when we feel anything at all: We wrote more songs,” she added.

Advertisement

Swift concluded, “I hope you love them, because they were born out of pure gratitude for your exuberance for and celebration of the album we made.” 

Taylor Swift Reacts To Historic MTV Honor

3

The mystery surrounding Swift’s countdown may have ended with “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” but another major announcement soon followed — one that had nothing to do with a new song.

As PEOPLE revealed, MTV revealed on Monday that Swift will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, making her the first artist ever selected for the newly created recognition. 

According to the network, the award honors musicians whose work behind the camera has helped expand the possibilities of music videos and visual storytelling. 

MTV described the honor as celebrating artists who have “pushed creative boundaries and developed a clear directorial voice.” 

Advertisement

The announcement also comes as Swift heads into the VMAs with a massive presence across multiple categories, including nominations for Video of the Year, Best Direction, Artist of the Year, and Best Album.

Robert Pattinson may already be Gotham’s Batman, but some fans are now wondering what he could do on the other side of the cape and cowl.

Pattinson’s performance in A24’s upcoming Primetime has sparked comparisons to the Joker, with clips from the film circulating across social media ahead of its theatrical release. Pattinson stars as a fictionalized version of To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen, bringing an eccentric and increasingly unsettling energy to the role.

That performance has apparently been enough to convince some fans that Pattinson could have made a memorable Clown Prince of Crime. One viral post suggesting his Joker could have been “generational” has accumulated more than seven million views.

When Entertainment Weekly asked Pattinson about the comparisons and the possibility of playing the iconic DC villain, the actor quickly pointed toward the man already occupying that corner of Gotham.

“Oh, Jesus. I mean, it’s such a great part…but Barry’s the man.”

Pattinson said.

Pattinson was referring to Barry Keoghan, who made a brief appearance as the Joker at the end of Matt Reeves’ The Batman. Keoghan also filmed a much longer deleted sequence in which Pattinson’s Batman visits the villain at Arkham while investigating the Riddler.

Robert Pattinson in ‘Primetime’. Credit: A24

Pattinson had nothing but praise for Keoghan while recalling their time filming the scene together.

“I loved doing that scene with him so much,” Pattinson said. “I love Barry as well. I think he’s such a phenomenal actor.”

Pattinson made his preference clear, adding that he wants to see Keoghan continue with the character.

“But yeah, I want him to do it. I’m much more interested in that.”

Whether Keoghan will return as the Joker in The Batman: Part II remains officially unclear. The character’s limited appearance in the first film, along with the subsequently released deleted scene, has fueled speculation about his future in Matt Reeves’ Gotham for years.

For now, Pattinson seems perfectly happy remaining on Batman’s side of the equation.

Primetime arrives in theaters September 25, while The Batman: Part II is currently scheduled to hit theaters February 18, 2028.

“We went in knowing this was a lean budget film with quite an expansive vision,” production visual effects supervisor Edward Douglas says. “We also knew that much of the aesthetic was driven by what Kane Parsons had done in his YouTube shorts, which were all 100% him in [computer graphics software program] Blender, other than a few little live-action bookends. One of the first things we set about doing was figuring out how we can take advantage of that kind of process and pipeline in a cinematic feature film environment. If we could do long stretches of CG backrooms the same way Kane did in his YouTube series, that would set us so far ahead. If I phone up a VFX vendor and say, ‘We have five minutes of full CG,’ there goes our entire movie budget.”

Building 100,000 Square Feet of Backrooms —On Set and With VFX

A24

A24

Instead, Douglas’ first call was to associate VFX supervisor Calvin Romeyn, who he’d previously worked with on films like The Monkey and Longlegs. Romeyn bridged that high/low-end gap, with his extensive background working in the big studio realm (Avengers: Endgame, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker) as well as his experience making short films using Unreal Engine and Blender. “Ed’s like, ‘It’s this internet thing, you probably never heard of it, called The Backrooms’… I was like, ‘Hold up, are they doing a movie?’” Romeyn remembers. “I was very excited to be part of it. Having worked in Blender a lot in recent short films — but also my current company that I run now, Roxel Creative, uses Blender for all of our CGI — it was a very easy process transferring Kane’s working Blender files from older YouTube shorts, and then elevating that into feature quality.”

Parsons handed in files he created with 100,000 square feet of yellow-tinted backrooms he wanted shown in the film, which initially crashed the film team’s computer. Although production designer Danny Vermette was able to construct 30,000 square feet of that as physical sets across four stages, the VFX team took up the slack in adapting the rest of the director’s files to work within Will Soodik’s screenplay.

As Douglas recounts, “Once we realized our set footprint, we started breaking down what had to be visual effects. What’s a set extension? Where do actors interact? How far do the actors go? What do we want to light and have for our director of photography to work within, and what do we extend in visual effects? The proven methods from Kane Parsons in Blender saved us thousands of square feet of set we don’t have to build, that we never actually see our feature actors Chiwetel Ejiofor or Renate Reinsve interact with.”

“When we did a lot of the yellow wallpaper room extensions in [3D graphics software] Maya, we had this wealth of Blender files to build off of,” adds John Pierce, visual effects supervisor at Mr. Wolf VFX, which worked on Backrooms. “You had these style frames that were already there, and we were able to make that stuff blend seamlessly. That speaks to tremendous efforts Kane put into all of the detail of imagining this world in such depth. It was not a huge overall budget, but it all came together and you wouldn’t be able to tell what that film cost if you didn’t have the information. It’s a real testament to Kane and Ed and Calvin that those set extensions feel seamless. We had a lot of practical wallpaper, and you’re trying to marry those together. At Mr. Wolf, this is our business. We’re looking at every pixel to make sure no stone is left unturned.”

How Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve Walked Through Walls

A major aspect handled by Mr. Wolf was the film’s “wall clipping,” when various characters pass through what appears to be a solid wall to enter or exit the backrooms.

“It’s this minimalist, simplistic concept and yet achieving it ended up being complex,” says Pierce. “We built out all the geometry of the specific room where the clipping plane was taking place to make sure that we could see, and we also had scans and match moves of the actors to see specific points where they were actually crossing the plane itself, getting that alignment exactly correct. Taking into account the anatomy of the specific limb that was going through the wall at a given point, all of the specific fall off of the lighting, ambient or key.”

In the end, Douglas and his team wound up delivering 600 effects shots, which does not sound like much compared to your average studio movie — but considering the slow-paced Backrooms was made up of only 830 shots altogether, those VFX shots encompassed 75% of the film. The fact that the then-20-year-old Parsons knew CGI so intimately proved a huge advantage to the process.

“The big challenge with that sequence was the area we’re covering was close to a kilometer of actual distance from one end of the backrooms to the other… but the space that we had in the volume is like 40-feet long or something,” Romeyn says. “Kane would run from one side diagonally across the volume to the other, then we’d move the virtual set to meet up where he ended his last motion, and then he would continue the next one. We ended up with 15 separate passes that would all eventually be stitched together, with hand animation to clean up the transitions. It feels like one continuous segment of a person running through the backrooms when it’s really just Kane running around in circles in a volume.”

‘Backrooms’ Most Horrifying Effects Were Actually Practical

A24

A24

Lest you think that all of Backrooms was rendered in a computer farm somewhere, several in-world characters who look like horrifying AI hallucinations were actually created with traditional, practical techniques.

Werner Pretorius, the film’s special makeup effects designer, said that the three malformed “still life” characters who appear in the kitchen scene — the bearded cake man, the red-headed woman, and the wheelchair man — were originally meant to be CGI creations, but evolved into practical makeup effects used on live actors due to budget constraints.

Pretorius explains, “I said to Kane, ‘What do these things look like?’ And he’s like, ‘I don’t know. It’s the backrooms, we’ll figure something out.’ He came back at us with some Photoshop designs he had done himself, which were very much like the warp function in Photoshop. Some of those elements would be really difficult to do practically. We can’t go from ear-to-ear with someone’s eye. That becomes problematic, so we reined them in a little bit. Then I said, ‘Hey, have you ever seen the sculpts of Evan Penny?’ He does these oversized hyper-realistic sculptures, and he does repetition. Basically, as AI would see things, the AI slop, the mistakes. Kane jumped on that. He’s like, ‘Oh my God, yeah, this is great! I love this because this is exactly what I was thinking for the backrooms where the AI makes mistakes. It just imagines stuff.’”

Pretorius continues, “We sculpted this thing and then 3D printed the mask, made everything so it fits the actor. We met Robert a week later, it was a really rushed timeline. There were some specific things we had to do to make Robert comfortable. We made some gloves so it’s quick on and off on set with the multi-fingers with an ‘AI made them’ vibe — but they still had to sort of move, which is a bit of a trick when it comes to gloves. I think he had a fitting the day before we shot.”

“Ed came to us at Zoic and challenged us to completely replace Pirate Clark’s head,” adds Zoic Studios VFX supervisor Edwin Rivera. “The desire was to get it to look more like Chiwetel and also have it emote more, which would have been challenging for the mask as it was originally conceived. It was a pretty compressed timeline, but the team did a pretty good job of not only making it look like Chiwetel but making it look not like Chiwetel?

“There’s a delicate balance because his proportions were gargantuan, and we wanted to save the practical hat,” Rivera continues. “So, given that his practical mask head was taller and more elongated, everything now gets proportionally wider as it gets taller. Ed was describing the backrooms as a memory, that these still lifes were misremembrances. One of the other analogies he made was a Star Trek transporter accident…that this poor character has been put together poorly, had animalistic urges, and was in terror the entire time.”

The peg leg of Pirate Clark was also rendered in CGI. Rivera recalls, “Tracking the peg leg was a bit of a challenge because we were tracking it to the ball of his foot, to his heel, because that was a direct connection that never slid or moved around while he was walking. Then we had to destroy it as well. Zoic’s effects department worked on creating the splinters and actually replacing the coat rack that she hits it with, as well. That shot at some point became almost entirely CG.”

Building the Next ‘Backrooms’

A24

A24

Because the concept of the backrooms is shared lore which sprang out of online threads, there have been some wildly expansive versions created, including cities in the sky and architecturally vast ocean floors amid the vast backroom mazes. With the success of the Backrooms film, a sequel seems assured, but the makers of the $10M original do not think an expanded budget will necessarily mean wildly fantastic new environments in the future.

“It’s Kane Parsons’ interpretation of the backrooms lore,” says Douglas. “There are other versions of the backrooms out there in the various wikis that have some vastly different environments, but this was very much grounded in Kane’s with the yellow wallpapered spaces, and everything reflecting that aesthetic. There wasn’t really a question of [including] some of these enormous, very different spaces from some of the other wikis, but I can imagine those sequels will absolutely expand out scope and build new and different things that fit into that world and be able to go bigger.”

Pierce concludes, “You’re just trying to make sure everything looks fantastic, and get everything done on time. What’s the sequel where the budget maybe explodes? One of the greatest things about Kane’s aesthetic is the minimalist approach. I imagine these new versions of the world that come out are still going to have this minimalist approach, not doing everything just for the sake of a huge budget and really being mindful. Whatever the next vision is could be super cool, because I think it’s still going to stay within that minimalist approach.”

Backrooms will be available to stream on HBO Max beginning September 25, and is currently available to rent or buy on streaming as well as Blu-ray/DVD through A24.

Advertisement

Backrooms

Release Date

Advertisement

May 27, 2026

Runtime

110 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Kane Parsons

Writers

Advertisement

Will Soodik

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

PlaqueBoyMax is back with another tattoo, and social media is once again weighing in on his latest ink. The streamer and content creator has sparked another round of reactions after showing off a new cheetah tattoo along his rib cage. The latest addition comes just months after Max made headlines for his “DIVA” tattoo, which sparked plenty of conversation online and eventually led to a tense moment during Streamer University.

Related: Social Media Shares Thoughts After PlaqueboyMax Explains The Meaning Behind His New “DIVA” Tattoo (WATCH)

PlaqueboyMax Reveals New Tattoo

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, PlaqueBoyMax took to social media to show fans his latest tattoo. In a 15-second video, Max showed off the side of his stomach, revealing a fresh tattoo along his rib cage featuring a cheetah. The new ink quickly caught the attention of social media users, with fans and critics flooding the comments. See the tattoo below.

Social Media Reacts

As the video made its rounds online, social media users had plenty to say about Max’s latest ink.

Instagram user @ant_janay wrote, “I feel like he’s the new Dennis Rodman.” 

Another Instagram user @hackeawhimduggan wrote, “🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 cuh you ain’t gotta do all this”

While Instagram user @xinaryaa wrote, “Y’all know we gotta get old right? 😂”

Instagram user @mynamebeyonce wrote, “I really can’t keep saving you MAX fr”

Another Instagram user @dosofes wrote, “I was gonna get a cheetah tatt like that 😍😍😍”

While Instagram user @_juel1z wrote, “he a cheetah girl now”

Instagram user @nathanxwesley wrote, “idc that jawn fire yall some haters”

Another Instagram user @hope.jsn wrote, “it’s giving modern day prince”

While Instagram user @detrimintall wrote, “now he a cougar & a diva?” 

Max Previously Sparked Conversation With His “DIVA” Tattoo

The latest tattoo comes after Max previously had social media talking over another piece of rib-cage ink. In June, Max revealed a tattoo reading “DIVA” in all capital letters. The tattoo quickly became a topic of conversation, with some social media users questioning its meaning and others praising Max for expressing himself however he wanted.

The conversation surrounding the tattoo continued into July when streamer OjaySuave confronted Max about the ink during Streamer University. The exchange became emotional after Ojay criticized Max’s “DIVA” persona and questioned his choices on livestream. Max later addressed the moment, saying he intended to continue being himself despite outside opinions. He also encouraged people to be less judgmental of others.

Related: OjaySuave Responds After Facing Backlash For Criticizing PlaqueboyMax’s “DIVA” Tattoo At Streamer University (WATCH)