By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 16 seconds ago

For better or for worse, we are currently living through the age of superhero cinema, with movies like Avengers: Endgame and Superman (2025) dominating the box office. But would you believe that this entire genre owes its existence to a single comic? A comic that also managed to inspire some of the greatest TV shows the world has ever known?

That comic is Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns, the seminal Batman comic that recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. Miller’s comic is very nearly perfect, and it helped usher in a modern age of darker and grittier superhero stories. That much is well known, but today, I’d like to focus on a lesser-known fact: that the modern superhero genre of movies simply wouldn’t exist without The Dark Knight Returns.

You’ll Believe A Batman Can Fly

The success of the 1978 Superman movie proved that tights-and-flights films had the potential to be critical and commercial hits. Accordingly, that film got three sequels, but the franchise did not keep going “up, up, and away.” Eventually, Superman IV: The Quest For Peace proved to be such a critical and commercial disaster that we didn’t get another Superman movie for nearly two decades.

Following the success of the first Superman movie, a new Batman film went into development at Warner Bros. in 1980. After he wowed everyone with Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (his first feature film), young Tim Burton was hired in 1985 to direct this new Batman film. He immediately wanted a darker, less campy script.

Conveniently enough, The Dark Knight Returns came out one year later, and the success of Frank Miller’s comic made the public hungry for a serious take on the Caped Crusader even as it made Warner Bros. keener on bringing this Darker Knight to the big screen.

Obviously, the 1989 Batman film went through many rewrites over the years, including several lighter-hearted drafts that included Robin, the Boy Wonder. But Burton really wanted his film to have the grim and gritty atmosphere of Miller’s comic, so he insisted on a story with the same basic beats as The Dark Knight Returns: Batman is obsessive, the Joker is deadly, and Gotham City is a cesspool. Burton’s film ended up being a smash hit, launching a Batman film franchise that continues to this day.

When Cartoons Got Dark

Tim Burton’s Batman made the character more popular than ever before, and Warner Bros. quickly began developing a new cartoon featuring the Caped Crusader. The result was Batman: The Animated Series, a show that modeled Gotham City after the one scene in the 1989 film. There were some different design flourishes (mostly, the abundant Art Deco style of the buildings), but Gotham retained the dark and broody atmosphere that electrified fans of the live-action film.

Batman: The Animated Series won multiple Emmy awards, so you may be shocked to hear that Warner Bros. executives were nervous about the new show. They feared that executive producer Bruce Timm was making everything way too violent for children.

Warners wanted to cancel the series before a single episode was animated, but the success of Burton’s movie kept that from happening. Eventually, Timm was able to create the pilot episode “On Leatherwings,” which was so impressive that it helped his controversial series (complete with music from and inspired by Danny Elfman, the composer of Burton’s Batman) get the green light.

Batman: The Animated Series quickly became one of the most popular cartoons ever made, and the release of various sequel series (including Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League) established the fan-favorite DC Animated Universe. The DCAU was the first truly viable superhero cinematic universe, one that helped pave the way for the MCU. Before that happened, though, The Dark Knight Returns helped inspire Earth’s mightiest mutants.

Rise Of The Mutants

Tim Burton’s Batman would not have existed (or at least, wouldn’t have been worth watching) without the influence of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. But after Burton left, the franchise was in the hands of Lost Boys director Joel Schumacher. He made the franchise over-the-top with Batman Forever and downright silly with Batman & Robin. After audiences rejected that campy crapfest and Blade proved to be a big hit, 20th Century Fox made a decision: they’d swoop in and take the comic book movie crown away from DC with an X-Men movie.

That film came out in 2000, eventually getting two sequels, four prequels, and three spin-offs featuring Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The success of Fox’s X-Men spurred Sony to create a Spider-Man movie in 2002, and Sam Raimi eventually delivered an entire trilogy of webslinging goodness.

Ironically, these characters were only available to the studios because Marvel had to sell the movie rights back in the late 90s to avoid bankruptcy. After seeing how successful Fox and Sony were, though, Marvel decided to create its own films and television projects, all of which would later be known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Obviously, the MCU proved to be a huge hit with audiences, spawning nearly 20 years of movies. Eventually, this inspired Warner Bros. to try its own hand at a superhero cinematic universe, and they created the DCEU as a direct competitor to the MCU. The second film in this new cinematic universe was Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and (for better or for worse), returning director Zack Snyder based his slightly older, much darker version of the Caped Crusader on Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns.

It’s All Connected

Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns has had an outsized impact on movies and television, serving as the foundation of modern geek culture. Without the success of this comic, we don’t get successful Batman movies; without the later failure of Batman & Robin (which veered away from Miller’s dark tone), we don’t get the X-Men movies. Without those films and Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, we wouldn’t have the MCU, and without that, we wouldn’t have the DCEU or (more recently) the DCU.

It’s all connected, and comic nerds everywhere owe it to themselves to re-read this comic. Considering that it may be years before we see Batman properly appear in the DCU, re-reading it is currently the best way to experience the most iconic and fully formed version of the Caped Crusader ever made. Just be careful when handling this old comic; after all, you’ve got a genuine piece of pop culture history in your hands!

Savannah Guthrie shared a new statement about her mother, Nancy Guthrie, as the search for the missing matriarch continues.

“Someone knows how to find our mom and bring her home,” Savannah, 54, captioned a new Instagram video posted on Tuesday, February 24. She also shared the phone number for the FBI’s tip line, noting that callers “can remain anonymous” or “find a way to reach out to me.”

Her caption also revealed that the family’s reward has been raised to $1 million, which will be paid “only for the recovery” of Nancy.

“Coming on to say it is day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed, and every hour and minute and second and every long night has been agony since then, of worrying about her and fearing for her, aching for her, and most of all, just missing her, missing her,” Savannah said in her video. “We know that millions of you have been praying. So many people have been praying of every faith and no faith at all, praying for her return, and we feel those prayers. Please keep praying without ceasing. We still believe. We still believe in a miracle.”

Savannah was holding back tears while telling followers that her sister, Annie Guthrie, says the family is “blowing on the embers of hope” amid Nancy’s disappearance.

“We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves and is dancing in heaven with her mom and her dad and with her beloved brother, Pierce, and with our daddy, the if this is what is to be, then we will accept it,” she added. “But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home.”

Nancy, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on January 31. Her family reported her missing the following day.

“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom,” the Guthrie family said in a statement at the time. “We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.”

Related: Savannah Guthrie’s Mom Nancy Guthrie Is Missing in Arizona: What to Know

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Questions still remain after Today show host Savannah Guthrie‘s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed the news on February 1, sharing a missing person report via X. Nancy was described as a “vulnerable adult” who was last seen “at her residence” within Arizona’s Catalina Foothills area on the evening […]

The day after Nancy was reported missing, Savannah shared a message of hope on social media.

“We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” she wrote via Instagram on February 2. “Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”

Savannah then pointed to a Bible verse, adding, “We need you. ‘He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.’ A verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us.”

She concluded, “Bring her home.”

Savannah’s siblings, Annie and Camron Guthrie, subsequently took part in a follow-up video with their sister.

Related: Savannah Guthrie‘s Mom Nancy Is Missing in Arizona: Timeline of the Case

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Savannah Guthrie’s family faced an unimaginable situation when they learned that their matriarch, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing in Arizona in February 2026. As police have become involved in the investigation and the case has unraveled, many people are curious about the timeline of events that went down before and after Nancy disappeared. “On […]

“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy,” Savannah said in the February 4 Instagram post. “We believe and know that even in this valley, He is with you. Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment. And we pray without ceasing, and we rejoice in advance that the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you, Mom.”

Three days later, the siblings addressed their mother’s kidnapper in another Instagram video.

“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” Savannah said on February 7. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”

The following week, Savannah shared an emotional plea for Nancy’s return.

“It’s been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope,” she said in a February 15 Instagram video. “We still believe, and I wanted to say to whoever has her, or knows where she is, that it’s never too late and you’re not lost or alone.”

Related: Separating Fact From Fiction in the Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie

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The disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy Guthrie, continues to provide more questions than answers. Ever since Nancy was reported missing in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, local law enforcement and the FBI have been working around the clock to bring the 84-year-old back to her family. “I spoke with Savannah Guthrie, and let her […]

She continued, “It is never too late to do the right thing and we are here. We believe. We believe in the essential goodness [of] every human being, and it’s never too late.”

Amid the ongoing search for Nancy, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed on February 16 that Savannah’s family were no longer considered potential suspects in the case.

“To be clear … the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — have been cleared as possible suspects in this case. The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement via X. “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple … please, I’m begging you the media to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism.”

The FBI previously released photos and video footage of a masked individual at Nancy’s home, but three weeks into the search, no suspects have been officially identified.

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BAFTA N-Word Controversy
BBC Caught Other Racial Slur Incident Before Air

Published
February 24, 2026
11:31 AM PST

By Robert Scucci
| Published 13 seconds ago

Given the Mad Max franchise’s influence on the pop culture landscape since it kicked off in 1979, it’s easy to call any post-apocalyptic road thriller set in the Australian Outback a cheap imitation. The way I’ve made peace with that kind of assessment is by appreciating the fact that Mad Max created its own distinct genre, where there’s plenty of room for filmmakers to work out similar concepts while still offering their own take. 2014’s The Rover, written and directed by David Michôd, is a shining example of using the punishing Australian desert as a backdrop to tell his story about a society well into its ongoing collapse.

With Guy Pearce leading the charge with support from Robert Pattinson, The Rover is a violent journey across barren landscapes inhabited by people who’ve been forgotten by the rest of the world. It’s a lawless land, but there are still clear power structures at play. Watching those structures slowly fall apart makes for a satisfying watch because society collapsed recently enough for people to remember the before times, but not so recently that they aren’t aware of where things are heading.

A Rampage For A Stolen Car

Before The Rover’s conflict is properly established, we’re introduced to Archie (David Field), Caleb (Tawanda Manyimo), and Henry (Scoot McNairy). They’re fleeing a robbery, and with them is Rey (Robert Pattinson), Henry’s younger brother. Having been injured during the robbery, Rey is kicked out of the vehicle and left for dead. During the scuffle, their car crashes, prompting them to steal a new getaway vehicle.

Unfortunately for the gang, they stole a car belonging to a nomadic loner named Eric (Guy Pearce). Having lived through society’s initial collapse roughly 10 years earlier, which resulted in the loss of his family and his farm, Eric doesn’t take too kindly to the thieves and immediately sets out to hunt them down, obstacles be damned. Stumbling upon a gravely injured Rey, who he knows was at the very least indirectly responsible for his car getting stolen, Eric brings him to a doctor to nurse him back to health before grilling him on his brother’s whereabouts.

Along the way, Eric has violent encounters with a gun-dealing dwarf operating out of an opium den, traveling circus members, and what’s left of the Australian Army, who still try to exert power over the country’s citizens despite lacking the firepower they once had. Rey, dragged along and not fully himself due to his injuries, proves to be more burden than leverage, complicating matters for Eric, who just wants to retrieve his car and get back to being a miserable drunk wandering through the wasteland.

A Madmaxian Action Flick That Stands On Its Own

While the obvious Mad Max setup can be found in The Rover, it never once feels like a carbon copy of the franchise that inspired it. We’ve got the Australian desert, car chases, and showdowns packed with firepower, but given how wide-reaching the lore is in Mad Max, there’s plenty of room for films like The Rover to occupy similar thematic territory while traveling a completely different road. Using that template as a jumping-off point, The Rover tells a more personal story about loss and revenge that would work just as well in any other setting.

Michôd has gone on record about the similarities, stating, “You put cars in the desert in Australia and people are going to think of Mad Max, and with all due respect to that film, I think The Rover is going to be way more chillingly authentic and menacing.” He’s not wrong in that assessment because there are no nitro trucks and masked marauders here. There’s no sprawling folklore that feels almost biblical. Instead, we get a raw glimpse of humanity barely hanging on by a thread, and we witness the continued collapse of society while it’s still actively happening.

As of this writing, The Rover is streaming on Netflix.

Ari Fletcher and Moneybagg Yo have been unbothered and in love. From luxury car gifts to RIAA plaques, the couple hasn’t missed a moment to celebrate each other loudly and proudly on social media. And while they continue to flex their unbreakable bond, the internet has still found its way into the mix.

RELATED: Hol’ Up! Ari Fletcher Appears To Call Moneybagg Yo Her “Husband” In Romantic Clip From Their Valentine’s Day Dinner (WATCH)

Ari Pens A Sweet Message To Her Mannnnn Moneybagg Yo

On Monday, Feb. 23, Ari took to Instagram with a heartfelt message for her man, Moneybagg Yo. On her Story, she shared a photo of her hand showing off a tattoo of his legal first name, “Demario,” while a massive diamond sparkled on her ring finger.

With ‘My Truth’ by India Arie playing in the background, she wrote, “You show me LOVE, real love. Unconditional forever love. I’ll always follow your lead because you are a true leader and I know greatness comes with wherever you decide to go. I would choose life with you over and over again in any life.”

Moneybagg later reportedly responded via his Instagram Story, writing, “Foreva Us my Zawja 🤞🏾 #TheUnbreakables” 

Social Media Reacts 

Ari’s sweet message to Moneybagg Yo sparked mixed reactions in The Shade Room’s comments. While some fans thought the tattoo and tribute were cute, others brought up past drama in their relationship. Specifically, a few critics mentioned recent rumors linking Ari to Lil Baby, while others suggested the latest gestures were related to her ex, G Herbo, and his engagement to Taina Williams. However, Ari’s supporters quickly defended her, saying they love the bond she shares with Moneybagg and believe the couple is genuinely happy.

Instagram user @straightouttachat wrote, “She love that man down, baby! ❤️❤️”

Instagram user @deestackss added, “The D being a heart is soooo cute”

While Instagram user @pay.r0ll wrote, “I love them but I know somebody bout to have something negative to say about this too”

Instagram user @ell. plaga wrote, “After Jayda exposed her for f**** Baby now she loves him again😂😂😂”

Instagram user @m.armanij added. “Idk sista i love you but since taina got engaged sis you been showing bag off more than usual 👀😭”

While Instagram user @addictedtoleelee wrote, “Peep that big ass ring too thangyaaaa 👏🏾 👏🏾 “

Instagram user @mickipeezie wrote, “Lots of haters in the comments, to be young, rich and in love is 🔥 😍

Instagram user @azraa2.0 wrote. “I can’t wait to be this in love wrote 😍 🔥l

While Instagram user @its.dreanaaa wrote, “but why do we have to put people’s names on our bodies like they own us?? like there are so many other ways to show love”

   Love And Going RIAA Gold

A few months ago, rapper Moneybagg Yo celebrated a major milestone after earning 25 new gold. Reflecting on the achievement, he wrote:

“So All My Support, Die Hards and Certified We Got #25 Mo Trophies In Today. We Like 75 Plaques In! This History Coming From Where I Came From! Now Watch How We Shake Sht Up With This New Work. #ForevaHoldYourPeace Album Soon!”

While the Memphis rapper was in a celebratory mood, Ari made sure to show love and support for her partner. Among the plaques was also the couple’s record, ‘Brain Dead,’ which earned a gold RIAA certification. The 2020 record, featured on ‘Code Red,’ the joint project with Blac Youngsta, captures the emotional ups and downs of a relationship and even includes a voicemail from Ari. Celebrating the plaque, Ari wrote: “Not I got my first plaque @moneybaggyo. I’m so proud of you and all of your success. Not just witnessing it but being apart of it.”

RELATED: Cupid’s Move! Ari Fletcher Flexes Lavish Valentine’s Day Gift From Moneybagg Yo & The TL Is In Their Feelings (PHOTOS)

Hilary Duff gave her fans chills when she debuted her comeback earlier this year. Now, just days into releasing her first album in a decade, the pop star is grieving the loss of a dear person from her childhood. On Monday (Feb. 23), she shared two throwback photos and a caption honoring Robert Carradine. Fans of Disney in the 2000s will remember him as her TV dad on the hit show, ‘Lizzie McGuire.’ Carradine’s family confirmed on Monday that he died at age 71.

RELATED: Go Rae, Go Rae! Fans Sound Off After Video Shows Raven-Symoné Dancing In Tribute To Brandy (WATCH)

What Happened To Robert Carradine? 

In a Tuesday statement, Robert Carradine’s family said he lived with bipolar disorder for two decades. His brother, Keith Carradine, told Deadline that Carradine died by suicide. The actor was the youngest of his prolific Hollywood family. His biggest hit was the 1984 comedy ‘Revenge of the Nerds,’ but many millennials remember him for his role as Lizzie McGuire’s dad on Disney Channel.

“We want people to know it, and there is no shame in it,” Keith Carradine told Deadline. “It is an illness that got the best of him, and I want to celebrate him for his struggle with it, and celebrate his beautiful soul. He was profoundly gifted, and we will miss him every day.”

EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988.

Known for both his film and television work, Robert Carradine worked steadily in the industry for over 40 years, starting in the ’70s. Despite his work with top-tier directors, he never gained the worldwide recognition of his more famous brothers Keith Carradine and the late David Carradine.

Hilary Duff Shares Touching Message About ‘Lizzie McGuire’ Dad

As mentioned, in the 2000s, Robert Carradine picked up a new generation of fans with the character, Sam McGuire. He played a corny but extremely loving dad to Lizzie, played by Hilary Duff, and a younger son. His character was married to Jo McGuire, played by Hallie Todd. On Monday, Hilary opened about how Robert Carradine and Hallie made her feel protected growing up on set. Her Instagram post included two photos with Robert, a solo shot and another of the McGuire family.

“This one hurts. It’s really hard to face this reality about an old friend. There was so much warmth in the McGuire family and I always felt so cared for by my on-screen parents. I’ll be forever grateful for that. I’m deeply sad to learn Bobby was suffering. My heart aches for him , his family, and everyone who loved him. 💔”

Robert Carradine’s Real-Life Daughter Shares Memories

Robert’s survivors include his three children, actor Ever Carradine, Marika Reed Carradine and Ian Alexander Carradine. On Monday, Ever confirmed her dad’s death in a lengthy Instagram caption about his love as a single parent. She was born in 1974 to Robert and Susan Synder.

“Whenever anyone asks me how I turned out so normal, I always tell them it’s because of my dad. I knew my dad loved me, I knew it deep in my bones, and I always knew he had my back,” Ever Carradine wrote on Instagram. “I think it’s partly because we basically grew up together. Twenty years age difference really isn’t that much, and while I never ever thought of him as a sibling, I did always think of him as my partner. We were in it together.”

In 1990, Robert Carradine married Edith Mani, whom he had his middle and youngest child with. After more than 25 years of marriage, they divorced following a 2015 car crash in Colorado. In her divorce documents, she claimed he admitted to her and their two kids that he “deliberately drove into the truck” to kill them both, per TMZ. She alleged he had been depressed after his brother, David, died by hanging in 2009. At the time, she had requested possession of his 17 guns out of fear he might hurt himself. They settled and finalized their split in 2018, per The Blast. He reportedly was allowed to keep his gun collection amid other possessions.

RELATED: Oop! Reginae Carter Recalls Losing Disney Opportunity Over Mack Maine’s Lyrics In “Every Girl” (VIDEO)

AP Film Writer Lindsay Bahr contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

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