Connect with us
DAPA Banner

Entertainment

8 Animated Movies That Redefined Modern Animation

Published

on

Jason Schwartzman in Klaus

Animation is over a century old, with its origins dating back even further. However, the medium is at an all-time high in popularity right now, with shows such as One Piece and movies like KPop Demon Hunters taking over the globe with overwhelming fame. But modern animation didn’t just end up here; there was a clear path set up by many influential works, and some of the best animated movies of all time.

Some of the best animated movies today are inspired by legendary classics or modern masterpieces, which is why this list highlights eight animated movies that redefined modern animation. Based on style, groundbreaking aspects, influence, originality, popularity, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these eight animated movies redefined what it means to be an animated movie.

Advertisement

8

‘Klaus’ (2019)

Jason Schwartzman in Klaus
Jason Schwartzman in Klaus
Image via Netflix

This list has a couple of Christmas movies, but considering the holiday is a treasure trove of animated classics, it shouldn’t be too surprising. One of the most recent entries featured is Klaus, which follows the lowest-rated postman being sent to the North Pole, where he encounters a peculiar individual named Klaus (J.K. Simmons).

Klaus is one of the greatest modern Christmas movies for many reasons, including its wholesome story, timeless themes, stylized art, and dynamic lighting. The last element specifically redefined how modern animated movies are made, highlighting beautiful lighting that enhanced the film as a whole, leading other movies to follow suit.

Advertisement

7

‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (2009)

Fantastic Mr. Fox standing under a tree with an orange backdrop
Fantastic Mr. Fox standing under a tree with an orange backdrop
Image via 20th Century Studios

There are a couple of stop-motion movies on this list, including Fantastic Mr. Fox, directed by the legendary Wes Anderson. After the titular character can’t control his animal instincts, he is kicked out of the community and forced to survive with his family in the wild, relying on his dormant animal instincts.

Fantastic Mr. Fox didn’t necessarily change stop-motion in general, but it redefined how it is used, viewed, and portrayed. In a medium focused on flawless, fluid motions, it adopted a rough, tactile, handmade aesthetic that added a sense of realism. Anderson transitioned his iconic cinematography to animation, resulting in a stunning movie with a sophisticated feeling. Fantastic Mr. Fox is a peculiar film, but that added spice made it a unique blend that captured the hearts of fans and other creators alike.

Advertisement

6

‘Akira’ (1988)

Akira on his bike on the street
Akira on his bike on the street
Image via Toho

Anime has done a lot of heavy lifting to get animation in the mainstream, and one of the most influential classics of this medium is Akira. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where Neo Tokyo is full of gangs and corrupt officials, the movie follows the leader of a bike gang searching for his kidnapped friend, who was experimented on, giving him psychic powers.

Akira isn’t exactly a modern movie, but even as the oldest film featured on this list, its influence continues into the modern day. It did wonders for how anime is viewed, providing a dark, complex story that changed the culture surrounding it. Not to mention, Akira features gorgeous art and hand-drawn animation that kept the technique alive, with its legacy still impacting modern anime films. This anime movie also defined the cyberpunk style, which many other animated and live-action films adopted.

Advertisement

5

‘Loving Vincent’ (2017)

Vincent Van Gogh oil painting Image via Altitude Film Distribution

Animation is art, but Loving Vincent took things to another level. Paying homage to Vincent van Gogh, this movie follows the man who delivered Van Gogh’s final letter before his death. However, questioning the mysterious circumstances around his passing, the deliveryman suspects foul play and investigates the murder to find the truth.

Loving Vincent is the most ambitious animated movie of all time, being entirely comprised of oil paintings — over 65,000 to be exact. Based on 94 of the legendary artist’s paintings, this movie accomplished an impossible task and, in the meantime, proved animation can still innovate. No other film has recreated this feat, but Loving Vincent looks like a painting and still redefined what the medium could be.

Advertisement

4

‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Image via Buena Vista Pictures Distribution 
 

The second stop-motion film on this list is The Nightmare Before Christmas, one of the best Christmas and Halloween movies of all time. Bored with Halloween, Jack Skellington (Christ Sarandon) discovers a mysterious portal that takes him to a new world full of joy and cheer. He is now determined to capture Santa Claus and take over Christmas for himself, delivering his spooky gifts to all the children of the world.

The Nightmare Before Christmas saved stop-motion, preventing it from becoming a relic of the past and making it a celebrated medium. The film also revitalized interest in gothic storytelling and Halloween, revamping the genre, which remains popular today. A lot of today’s influence can be seen in The Nightmare Before Christmas, which redefined animation by bringing stop-motion back into the limelight and popularizing its distinct spooky style that defined an entire genre.

Advertisement

3

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)

Miles Morales floating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.
Miles Morales foating in Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse while the world is upside down.
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Everyone knows and loves Spider-Man, but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduced Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) to the world. After Miles becomes the new Spider-Man, he needs to learn how to be a hero while helping the other Spider-People return to their respective universes. However, Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) and other villains make this task much harder than it needs to be.

After 20 years of similar CGI styles, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse introduced a new aesthetic that proved CGI could be so much more. Its comic-book atmosphere and vibrant style redefined the modern animated-movie look, with its DNA evident in many new films. This movie established a new iconic visual language that almost every new film has followed, proving it is one of the most ambitious animated movies.

Advertisement

2

‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

No-Face stands on a bridge in Spirited Away.
No-Face stands on a bridge in Spirited Away.
Image via Studio Ghibli

This list wouldn’t feel right without at least one Studio Ghibli film, one of the greatest animation studios of all time. Their magnum opus is Spirited Away, which follows Chiyo, a young girl who moves to a new house. However, when her parents are cursed, she must travel to the supernatural resort to find a way to reverse it. Working together with whimsical creatures, Chiyo goes on a magical journey throughout the mysterious resort.

Studio Ghibli is known for its moments of stillness, where it relies solely on atmospheric storytelling, and Spirited Away highlighted its importance, leading many more films to adopt this technique. It also features stunning hand-drawn animation, some of the best of all time, which remains a spectacle even compared to modern films, proving the magic is still there and that it should be preserved. Spirited Away further established anime as high art, making the medium even more popular and groundbreaking.

Advertisement

1

‘Toy Story’ (1995)

If Studio Ghibli isn’t the greatest animation studio ever, then it is Pixar, whose first work is also their most influential, Toy Story. When Andy (Donald Reignoux) buys a new and improved toy, Buzz (Tim Allen), his old favorite, Woody (Tom Hanks), must reluctantly work with him to get back home after they are mistakenly thrown into the trash.

Before Toy Story, CGI was a gimmick used for backgrounds and occasional moments, but when it became the first fully CGI movie, it shifted the landscape in a big way. Most animated movies now use CGI, and it all started with Toy Story, proving that it redefined modern animation more than any other series. The entire animated trilogy is flawless, but this first movie in particular triggered the migration away from 2D to 3D. Not to mention, it also focused on digital cinematography, which enhanced how animated films were presented, yet another influence that changed animation forever.


01438466_poster_w780.jpg
Advertisement


Toy Story


Advertisement

Release Date

October 30, 1995

Runtime

81 minutes

Advertisement

Director

John Lasseter

Advertisement

Writers

John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Joss Whedon, Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen, Joe Ranft, Pete Docter

Advertisement


  • instar53352516.jpg
  • instar50290387-1.jpg

    Tim Allen

    Buzz Lightyear (voice)

    Advertisement

Advertisement


Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Entertainment

Apple TV’s 3-Part Sci-Fi Thriller Series Is Taking Over the World

Published

on

01592806_poster_w780-1.jpg

There are some shows that spike, trend, win awards, and then slowly slide out of the weekly conversation. Severance clearly isn’t one of them. Even with Apple TV now stacked with high-profile originals, Dan Erickson’s corporate-nightmare sci-fi drama is still sitting in the platform’s global top 10. On April 14, it held the No. 10 spot worldwide on Apple TV, which is a pretty impressive place for a show that’s already had time to become a full-on prestige fixture. It really does refuse to go away.

The cast is a huge part of why it has that kind of tail. Severance stars Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, Tramell Tillman, Zach Cherry, Jen Tullock, Michael Chernus, Dichen Lachman, John Turturro, Christopher Walken, and Sarah Bock, and it’s hard to think of another current sci-fi ensemble that blends deadpan weirdness, emotional damage, and office dread this well.











Advertisement









































Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz
Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive?
The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Advertisement

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

🏜️Dune

Advertisement

🚀Star Wars

Advertisement

01

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do?
The first instinct is often the truest one.





Advertisement

02

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely?
What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.





Advertisement

03

What kind of threat keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.





Advertisement

04

How do you deal with authority you don’t trust?
Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.





Advertisement

05

Which environment could you actually endure long-term?
Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.





Advertisement

06

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart?
The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.





Advertisement

07

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all?
Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.





Advertisement

08

What would actually make survival worth it?
Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.





Advertisement
Your Fate Has Been Calculated
You’d Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

Advertisement


The Resistance, Zion

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.

  • You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
  • You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
  • You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
  • The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.

Advertisement


The Wasteland

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.

  • You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
  • You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
  • You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
  • In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Advertisement


Los Angeles, 2049

Blade Runner

You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

  • You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
  • In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
  • You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
  • In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.

Advertisement


Arrakis

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

  • Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
  • You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
  • Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
  • In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.

Advertisement


A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

  • You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
  • You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
  • You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
  • In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
Advertisement

How Good Is ‘Severance’?

Collider’s review stated that Severance Season 2 does exactly what a great follow-up season should do. It does not rush to answer every question from the first season, but it does deepen the mystery in a way that feels exciting instead of frustrating. The show gets bigger, stranger, and more ambitious, while still keeping its focus on the characters who made Season 1 so compelling.

Advertisement

Severance is, at its core, the kind of TV show that was always going to get people talking thanks to its twisty nature, but with such a long break between seasons, there was also a risk of audience interest waning, especially when there are countless other shows worth tuning in for in the interim. Ultimately, however, Season 2 should silence any lingering concerns viewers might have through its stunning direction, outstanding performances, and sinuous, compelling mysteries. This evolving, mind-bending continuation, as crafted by Erickson and fellow writers Mohamad El Masri, Wei-Ning Yu, Anna Ouyand Moench, Erin Wagoner, Mark Friedman, and Adam Countee, cements Severance as an absolute triumph of television, proving beyond a shadow of any doubt that the best stories are always worth waiting for.

Severance is streaming now on Apple TV.


01592806_poster_w780-1.jpg
Advertisement


Advertisement

Release Date

February 17, 2022

Network

Apple TV

Advertisement

Showrunner

Dan Erickson, Mark Friedman

Advertisement

Writers

Anna Ouyang Moench, Wei-Ning Yu

Advertisement

Advertisement


Advertisement

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Guy Ritchie’s 10/10 Detective Thriller Loses Box Office Crown to Modern Sci-Fi Masterpiece

Published

on

Project-Hail-Mary-Ryan-Gosling

Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary exceeded box-office expectations for the fifth weekend in a row, benefiting greatly from the studio’s decision to re-release the movie on IMAX for a week and to delay its debut on Prime Video. Exhibitors weren’t happy about the lean window that Amazon gave to Dwayne Johnson and Chris EvansRed One, the $250 million action-adventure that the studio simply had to release on Prime Video in time for Christmas. Earlier this year, Amazon quickly put the sci-fi mystery Mercy on Prime Video following a poor theatrical run as well. But Project Hail Mary was marketed as a big-screen event, and it aligns with the studio’s newfound determination to produce movies for theaters.

It helps that Project Hail Mary has struck a chord with audiences and critics. Based on the bestseller by Andy Weir, who also wrote the novel that inspired Ridley Scott‘s The Martian, Project Hail Mary was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. It stars Ryan Gosling as a scientist-turned-schoolteacher who is sent on an intergalactic mission to save the world in a near-future dystopia. The movie holds a “Certified Fresh” 94% critics’ score and a “Verified Hot” 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “A visually dazzling space odyssey that’s carried along effortlessly by the gravitational pull of Ryan Gosling at his most winning, Project Hail Mary is a near-miraculous fusion of smarts and heart.” The movie will likely do gangbusters when it eventually lands on Prime Video.

Advertisement



















































Advertisement
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz
Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive?
The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

Advertisement

🏜️Dune

🚀Star Wars

Advertisement

01

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do?
The first instinct is often the truest one.





Advertisement

02

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely?
What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.





Advertisement

03

What kind of threat keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.





Advertisement

04

How do you deal with authority you don’t trust?
Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.





Advertisement

05

Which environment could you actually endure long-term?
Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.





Advertisement

06

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart?
The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.





Advertisement

07

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all?
Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.





Advertisement

08

What would actually make survival worth it?
Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.





Advertisement

Your Fate Has Been Calculated
You’d Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

Advertisement


The Resistance, Zion

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.

Advertisement
  • You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
  • You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
  • You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
  • The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.


The Wasteland

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.

Advertisement
  • You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
  • You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
  • You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
  • In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.


Los Angeles, 2049

Blade Runner

You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

Advertisement
  • You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
  • In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
  • You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
  • In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.


Arrakis

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

Advertisement
  • Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
  • You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
  • Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
  • In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.


A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Advertisement
  • You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
  • You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
  • You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
  • In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

Advertisement

Here’s How Much ‘Project Hail Mary’ Has Grossed at the Box Office

For now, it can enjoy having overtaken several older blockbusters such as Scott’s Prometheus, Michael Bay‘s Armageddon, and many more. This weekend, Project Hail Mary hit the $285 million mark domestically and the $570 million mark worldwide, against a reported budget of more than $200 million. In doing so, it overtook the $524 million and the $543 million respective global hauls of Guy Ritchie‘s Sherlock Holmes and its sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows. Both movies starred Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic detective and Jude Law as his right-hand man, Dr. Watson. Even though the films were very successful at the box office and largely well-received by critics, a long-awaited third installment remains stuck in development hell. Ritchie recently executive-produced Young Sherlock, a Prime Video series which is unrelated to the films. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.


iob2fjxlbpjgyqxe46n1wtgcnaa.jpg
Advertisement


Release Date
Advertisement

March 15, 2026

Runtime

157 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Christopher Miller, Phil Lord

Writers
Advertisement

Drew Goddard, Andy Weir

Producers

Aditya Sood, Amy Pascal, Andy Weir, Christopher Miller, Phil Lord, Rachel O’Connor, Ryan Gosling

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

10 Upcoming Comedy Movies That You Cannot Miss

Published

on

The killer from 'Scary Movie 6' on a subway

No matter the changes in the entertainment landscape, audiences will always fall back on the lighthearted strengths of comedy to create joyous cinematic experiences. The 2020s as a whole have been a great decade for comedy, with many new absolute classics that have delivered in the best way possible. However, the greatness of the genre comes from how it is always evolving and growing, and a great selection of comedies is set to premiere in 2026 that hope to bring that signature sense of charm.

Whether it be long-awaited returns and reboots of beloved franchises or original visions from the most prominent filmmakers of today, there is a great mixture of comedic styles and approaches that make the genre’s future so exciting. Even aside from these standout titles, there are sure to be a wide array of brilliant comedies throughout the year. However, the entries on this list stand out as the most prominent and must-see upcoming titles in the comedy genre.

Advertisement

‘Scary Movie’ – Release Date: June 5th, 2026

The killer from 'Scary Movie 6' on a subway
The killer from ‘Scary Movie 6’ on a subway
Image via Paramount Pictures

Spoof movies have been largely out of favor following the string of terrible releases in the 2010s. Still, with the rise of modern spoof films like The Naked Gun and Fackham Hall, Scary Movie is looking to reclaim its throne as the king of parody filmmaking. While the last entry, 2013’s Scary Movie 5, wasn’t particularly good, the long-awaited return of the Wayans Brothers and both Anna Faris and Regina Hall to the franchise has reinvigorated excitement and interest in this concept.

It also helps that there have been so many great horror movies in recent memory, ripe for satire and over-the-top parody. The trailer is filled to the brim with teases for characters and sequences parodying the likes of The Substance, Longlegs, Smile, Terrifier, and more. However, the clear standout is just how much the film is going to parody the reboot culture that has persisted in modern horror, having its own return of legacy characters. It certainly has the potential to be the absolute best in the Scary Movie franchise.

Advertisement

‘Power Ballad’ – Release Date: June 5th, 2026

Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas in Power Ballad
Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas in Power Ballad
Image via Lionsgate

The latest musical comedy from John Carney, the acclaimed director of Sing Street, Power Ballad sets out to tell a wildly over-the-top story of betrayal as its ramifications are at a global pop-star scale. The film sees Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, and Danny (Nick Jonas), a fading boy-band star, who bond over their mutual love of music during a late-night jam session. However, after Rick shares a personal song that he wrote, Danny takes it and turns it into a global sensation, taking all the credit as if he wrote it himself.

Power Ballad‘s instantly engaging premise, combined with some great comedic stars at its center and the proven directing prowess of John Carney, sets it up to be an absolute comedy smash. While it will sadly be going head-to-head with Scary Movie, coming out on the same day, one can hope that this comedy can get its fair shot in the spotlight, as it certainly has all of the pieces to be a modern musical comedy classic.

Advertisement

‘Coyote vs. Acme’ – Release Date: August 28th, 2026

Will Forte drives a vehicle with Wile E. Coyote in the back in 'Coyote vs. Acme' image
Will Forte drives a vehicle with Wile E. Coyote in the back in ‘Coyote vs. Acme’ image
Image via © Ketchup Entertainment /Courtesy Everett Collection

The path to Coyote vs. Acme actually getting a theatrical release has ironically been as wild and unpredictable as a Looney Tunes cartoon. Alas, this previously canceled, now un-canceled live-action animation hybrid comedy is finally getting released this August. The Looney Tunes film sees iconic character Wile E. Coyote, tired of the continuous failures of the products he uses from Acme, hiring a billboard lawyer to sue the Acme Corporation once and for all.

The film is sure to feature the distinct flavor of wild Looney Tunes comedy that has made them absolute icons not just in their classic animated shorts, but also in wildly entertaining comedy films like Space Jam and Looney Tunes: Back in Action. However, the real notoriety and increased buzz surrounding the film has come from how it has been un-canceled, no longer set to be shelved as a tax write-off, and gloriously getting a full theatrical release.

Advertisement

‘Whitney Springs’ – Release Date: TBA

 Kendrick Lamar at 2017 MTV Video Music Awards
Kendrick Lamar at 2017 MTV Video Music Awards
Image via Sara De Boer

Large parts of the film that many presume to be called Whitney Springs are still shrouded in mystery, but the mix of absolute talent involved, combined with its wildly hilarious and dark premise, makes it a must-watch comedy to keep an eye out for. The film is a collaboration between creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, with legendary 27x Grammy Award winner Kendrick Lamar, a wild musical comedy that satirically tackles race and perceptions in both America’s past and present.

The plot follows a young Black man taking a job performing as a slave at a popular plantation attraction in a living history museum. As if this wasn’t awkward and confusing enough for him to experience on a day-to-day basis, he soon discovers that his girlfriend’s ancestors were, in fact, slave owners who actually owned his ancestors. The premise is overflowing with both distinct dark and satire humor from Parker and Stone as well as striking political commentary similar to Lamar’s music, making it all the more enticing to actually see what the final film will be like.

Advertisement

‘Jackass: Best and Last’ – Release Date: June 26th, 2026

Johnny Knoxville pours a glass of milk into a magician's hat in 'Jackass Forever'.
Johnny Knoxville pours a glass of milk into a magician’s hat in Jackass Forever.
Image via Paramount Pictures

The surprise fifth feature film in the Jackass franchise is set to be their last. Jackass: Best and Last is setting itself up to be a glorious send-off letter with its trademark mix of gross, painful, over-the-top pranks and endearing friendship. It will use both old and new footage, acting as a celebration of all things Jackass and all of their years working together as they hurt each other in the best and worst ways possible.

Jackass has always been an acquired style of comedy that either overwhelmingly hits or overwhelmingly misses with someone, yet this last hurrah truly feels like the end of an era in terms of their absolute chaos. While there will certainly always be people doing dumb things on-screen for comedic intent, the talent at Jackass has been striking comedy gold by hurting themselves in the most depraved and shocking ways, with Best and Last promising to be a beautiful swan song finale.

Advertisement

‘I Want Your Sex’ – Release Date: July 31st, 2026

Olivia Wilde looks at a costar in a still from I Want Your Sex.
Olivia Wilde looks at a costar in a still from I Want Your Sex.
Image via Magnolia Pictures

Returning to the world of comedy, with over a decade since his last comedy film, Gregg Araki has been an icon of underground queer cinema whose work has massively grown more appreciated in recent years. Thus, his new film, I Want Your Sex, is all the more promising. It also helps that it has already premiered at film festivals like Sundance, and it currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film follows Elliot (Cooper Hoffman), who, after getting a job working for renowned artist Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), suddenly has his fantasies come true when she taps him to become her sexual muse. However, this seemingly ideal situation soon takes a turn when Elliot finds himself way out of his depth, with Erika taking him on a journey of profound sexual experiences, delving into a wild world of obsession, power, betrayal and murder that he never could have expected.

Advertisement

‘Wild Horse Nine’ – Release Date: November 6th, 2026

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell sitting on a couch in an airport and laughing in 'Wild Horse Nine'
John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell sitting on a couch in an airport and laughing in ‘Wild Horse Nine’
Image via Searchlight Pictures

Director Martin McDonagh has been one of the most consistent names in striking and widely appreciated award-winning dark comedy in recent years. Films like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Banshees of Inisherin are some of the most revered comedies of recent memory. Wild Horse Nine hopes to continue the director’s winning streak, utilizing great comedic talent and an entertaining espionage premise to create witty comedic gold.

The film will see John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as a duo of CIA agents who have been dispatched to Easter Island shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup. The duo wrestles with both their dark pasts and the conspiracies of the present as they get up to all sorts of mischief on the island. It’s likely that it will premiere at a film festival like Venice or TIFF before its November 6th release date, so we’ll know sooner rather than later if the film lives up to McDonagh’s reputation.

Advertisement

‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ – Release Date: May 1st, 2026

Legacy sequels to widely acclaimed one-off comedy films from the past have been a tried and true method of success for decades now, as audiences simply love revisiting iconic and beloved characters that they’ve been laughing with for years. The Devil Wears Prada 2 stands out as the prominent comedy legacy sequel to look out for, coming out 20 years after the original iconic fashion comedy, with the same cast, director, and writer all returning.

If the film even comes close to the levels of memorability and strength that the original has, it could certainly be among the all-time greatest legacy sequels in comedy history. The film will largely follow the continued careers of these classic characters, with Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returning to Runway to work alongside Miranda Priestly, who must now adapt to a wildly different landscape than the one we saw 20 years ago.

‘Digger’ – Release Date: October 2nd, 2026

A man balancing on a railing on one leg while holding a shovel in 'Digger'
A man balancing on a railing on one leg while holding a shovel in ‘Digger’
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Advertisement

Set to be a wild, highly energizing adventure comedy from legendary Academy Award-winning director Alejandro G. Iñarritu, Digger is the must-see award-hopeful comedy of the year that many are thinking might win Tom Cruise his first acting Oscar. It’s already exciting enough that it is Cruise’s first original film in years, but the prospect of him working with Iñarritu in a comedy film feels like cinematic dreams are coming true.

The crowd-pleasing adventure film still has a lot of details under wraps, but it will supposedly see Cruise as the most powerful man in the world, embarking on a frantic mission to prove to the world that he is the savior of humanity before a disaster that he’s unleashed destroys everything. Its high-flying, electrifying energy can be fully felt from the small teaser for the film, while the overwhelming talent behind and in front of the camera, by itself, sells the film as a must-watch comedy experience.

‘The Invite’ – Release Date: June 26th, 2026

Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton laughing in The Invite Image via A24
Advertisement

Easily the biggest smash hit from critics and audiences alike that premiered at Sundance a few months ago, it did not take long for The Invite to be picked up by A24 and set up as one of the year’s most enticing and prominent comedy releases. Olivia Wilde’s latest directorial outing has been touted by critics as her greatest work yet, with a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes and utilizing an all-star cast in this performance-centric comedy film.

The film sees Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton playing a duo of couples who meet up together for a dinner party before the night spirals into wild and unexpected places. It’s clear that so much of the comedy and strength is coming from surprises and twists, but the clear chemistry and dynamic between these four all-star titans is sure to make this an absolute blast from start to finish. It isn’t even out yet, but The Invite is one of the safest bets for what could be considered the absolute best comedy of the year.

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Justin Bieber brings superfan Billie Eilish to her knees in surprise Coachella serenade

Published

on


The festival headliner stunned Eilish when he pulled her on stage to be his “One Less Lonely Girl” during his weekend 2 set.

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Disney Refuses To Bring Back The One Character Who Could Save Star Wars

Published

on

Disney Refuses To Bring Back The One Character Who Could Save Star Wars

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

The ‘90s were a pretty heady time for Star Wars fans. The franchise experienced a resurgence in the form of an Expanded Universe of books, comics, and video games. At the time, all of this was considered canon, which made everything that much more exciting. We had new, official Star Wars adventures for the first time since the credits rolled on Return of the Jedi back in 1983. Plus, we had new characters, some of whom instantly became fan-favorites. Two of those characters came from prolific author Timothy Zahn: Grand Admiral Thrawn and Mara Jade.

Both of those characters, along with the rest of the Star Wars EU, were de-canonized once Disney bought the franchise. Thanks to sheer fan demand, the House of Mouse eventually brought Thrawn back into canon via Rebels and, later, Ahsoka. After that, many Zahn fans figured it was just a matter of time before Mara Jade was brought back. However, Zahn and other writers recently confirmed that Disney keeps turning down their attempts to bring this popular character back into Star Wars canon.

The Coolest Star Wars Character You’ve Never Heard Of

star wars

Mara Jade was introduced in Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire as a character who was once the Emperor’s Hand. As a Force-sensitive Imperial agent, she could enact Palpatine’s will all across the galaxy while maintaining mental contact with him. However, the death of the Emperor effectively ruined her career: because almost nobody knew what her role was, she had no real place in the Empire after Palpatine’s death. She had to build a new life for herself as a smuggler, but she is forever haunted by the last command given to her by Palpatine when he died: “YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER.”

She proved to be a very popular character and eventually married Luke Skywalker and gave birth to his son (who, very cutely, was named “Ben”). After Disney bought the rights to Star Wars, though, Mara Jade and all her misadventures were no longer part of official canon. Later, however, Thrawn was brought back into canon through appearances in Rebels and Ahsoka. Furthermore, Disney commissioned Timothy Zahn to write new, canonical novels about Thrawn, who is arguably the most popular Star Wars villain since Darth Vader.

If Grand Admiral Thrawn Can Come Back, Why Not Mara Jade?

Understandably, Zahn tried to pitch Disney on reintroducing Jade into the canon in any capacity. In 2024, he told a Dragon Con audience that she is the number one character he would like to bring back to Star Wars in just about any capacity. “I keep nudging Lucasfilm, asking them if I could write a book,” he said. “The answers come back basically some place between ‘no’ and ‘heck no.’”

The matter came up again at MegaCon this year. Prolific Star Wars author Claudia Grey told the audience that she had repeatedly pitched putting Mara Jade into her books. “A couple of times I was like, ‘Really? Really, no Mara Jade?’ And they were like, ‘Nope,’” she said, putting a stern emphasis on the final word. By happenstance, Zahn was at the same panel and chimed in: “I asked them, too,” he said, before revealing that his request was similarly rejected.

Advertisement

It’s Time For Live-Action Mara Jade

mara jade series star wars

It’s possible that Disney is hesitant to introduce Mara Jade back into canon because so much of her story doesn’t really work in the wake of the Star Wars prequels and sequels. We never really saw anything like an Emperor’s Hand in any subsequent movies, and the Inquisitors seem to fill the role of “Force-connected Imperials outside the regular chain of command.” Plus, her post-Imperial life was spent building a career with Talon Karrde, a smuggler chief who is also no longer part of established canon. Finally, the whole idea of having her marry Luke Skywalker is completely off the table, both because of Mark Hamill’s age and the fact that Luke hardly had time for love after becoming a grumpy recluse.

However, modern Star Wars writers did a solid job bringing Grand Admiral Thrawn back and gently nestling him within existing canon. It seems like it would be easy enough to do that for Mara Jade, especially with her creator doing his best to help out. However, it seems like the powers that be have decided that this fan-favorite character will never grace the screen or even the page, ever again. Which is unfortunate, because bringing her back in her own show or even film would be the perfect way to appeal to Expanded Universe fans who have felt (ahem) “jaded” by the Disney era of Star Wars.


Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Prophetic Sci-Fi Docudrama On HBO Max Sets The Tone For Our Future Dystopia

Published

on

Prophetic Sci-Fi Docudrama On HBO Max Sets The Tone For Our Future Dystopia

By Robert Scucci
| Published

If you’re wondering why speculative, apocalyptic sci-fi thrillers aren’t often presented through a documentary framework centered on real-life world events and public figures, it’s because it leads to disasterpieces like 2073; a film with a clear message that’s delivered to is audience in the most disjointed way possible. As ambitious as this film may be, it’s incredibly difficult to watch, and highlights a unique problem: it’s not allegorical, but rather too real to handle. I wish I was as original as Rotten Tomatoes reviewer Glenn Dunks, who simply referred to this film as “Doomscrolling: The Movie,” because that’s exactly what 2073 is despite the promising thumbnail and synopsis you’ll see when looking to stream the title on Max. 

I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed, because even though 2073 is categorized as a documentary and a thriller, it’s, like, 10 percent thriller, if that, and the rest is just the kind of stuff you’ll see while swiping through your Instagram feed in a panic while wondering how close we actually are to the dystopian reality that, according to the film, we’re fast approaching. 

The Future Is A Bleak Place In 2073

2073

2073 starts with promise as it follows the point of view of a lone woman simply known as “Ghost” (Samantha Morton). Living under a long-abandoned shopping mall with other condemned humans, narrations from Ghost explain just how fargone society has become, and aims to tell a story about how humanity arrived at such a bleak destination. In constant fear of getting investigated and silenced (killed) by the government, Ghost dumpster dives for food and supplies when it’s safe to do so, and retreats back underground to her dilapidated compound occupied by other survivors who are equally worse for wear. 

And let me tell you, these post-apocalyptic scenes are absolutely stunning. I wanted to learn more about how society functions in the year 2073, and I would have loved to see more of this. The hierarchy of power, the desire to reeducate the masses so they can overthrow their oppressors, and the state of constant surveillance that society is living through is captivating, to say the least, and this fictional yet unfortunately believable setting is fertile ground for some next-level storytelling about a society in disrepair that hasn’t yet discovered how to pick up the pieces and start the next chapter in our collective human history. 

Well, That Got Dark

2073

The best part about 2073 is the sequences set in the dystopian future that will fill any sensible viewer with an absolute sense of dread, and then suddenly the worst possible thing ever happens: we get a documentary that’s reminiscent of the fear-mongering Zeitgeist film series that did a great job pointing out the dangers of a totalitarian government, but never even tries to reassure audiences by presenting a viable, or even realistic, solution to the problems we face so we can actually make concerted efforts to get on the right side of history and prevent such a bleak future from happening. 

In other words, 2073 is trying to be two different movies: a dystopian sci-fi thriller set in a fictional not-so-distant future, and a documentary using real, archival footage from the present day used to explain how this dystopia was created.

Advertisement

But therein lies the problem. 

While watching the documentary sequences that make up most of 2073’s runtime, I felt like Alex from A Clockwork Orange, who was forced to sit in front of television sets with his eyes pried open so he could take in all of the footage at an alarming rate. This kind of delivery strips the mystique from the more interesting story – the fiction set in 2073 – that could have been used as a vehicle to propose solutions for a society that’s been driven underground by the powers that be. 

Two Different Failed Films In One

2073

While I appreciate what 2073 was trying to accomplish, it left a bad taste in my mouth because it comes off as if it’s preaching to a choir that’s already aware of the current state of affairs, but feels powerless to act in any meaningful ways to prevent things from getting worse.  

We already know that wealth is concentrated in such a way that keeps the working class under its ruler’s thumb. We already know that politicians and tech bros are sweeping humanity under the rug so a select few people in power can explore space while the rest of us suffer. We already know that data mining billionaires and chronically online worry warts are a terrible combination for humanity because it suggests how artificial intelligence will soon control the masses as it finds a way to become smarter than the humans it’s aimed to manipulate. 

That’s all well and good, but what do we do about it? The interesting story – the story I wanted to see – in 2073 is how future humans cope with societal collapse and set their sights toward a brighter future. What we get instead is a rapid-fire news feed of the present day that’s beamed into our eyeballs as if to say “there’s nothing you can do about this,” and “we’re already doomed.”

Advertisement

Streaming 2073 On Max 

2073

If you’re looking for an ultra-condensed rundown of current affairs as told through various news sources that leads to a high-concept depiction of the future that may very well become a reality, then 2073 might pique your interest. But if you’re expecting to see how humanity aims to rise from the ashes through its speculative sci-fi storytelling, you’re going to be gravely disappointed. By juxtaposing real-life, present-day world events with what is by all measures a work of fiction, 2073 misses the mark on both fronts because it’s real, it’s scary, and it offers a disturbing take on how we’re collectively marching down a miserable path at an alarming rate, but never uses the fiction it establishes to meaningfully explore how we’re going to get out of this seemingly unavoidable mess.

2073 gets an A for effort and concept, and an F for execution. If you want to see how messed up the world is, just fire up your news apps, or hop on TikTok or Instagram, to get a crash course because it’s basically the same thing. If you want to just get it over with quickly and move on with your life, you can stream 2073 on Max. 


Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

These High-End-Looking Pieces Are on Major Sale at Walmart

Published

on

Us Weekly has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!

You want a high-end aesthetic, but not the price tag that comes with it. I can understand that. Luckily, I find great deals for a living, and these 13 markdowns are seriously rich mom-coded. I’m talking deals on classy sandals, Zimmermann-style dresses and spring blouses that go with everything, all from just $4.

Whether you’re searching for an easy spring staple or a special-occasion stunner, you’ll find it below. My expensive-looking favorites are flying off the shelves, so don’t wait to score your new go-to pieces. Oh, and when people ask about your private yet, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Advertisement

13 Chic-Looking Pieces on Mega Sale — From $4

1. Dreamy Maxi: Everything about this short-sleeve maxi dress channels boutique vibes, including the baby blue color and delicate floral print — was $36, now $18!

2. Spring Sweater: Transitional weather calls for this scallop-hem cardigan that works just as well at the office as it does at brunch — was $46, now $34!

3. Picnic Date: Gingham print is totally in right now. These pull-on pants nail the aesthetic while feeling like sweats — was $20, now $14!

4. Corporate Queen: Your colleagues will assume you got promoted when you wear this lantern-sleeve blouse. The fabric is ultra-lightweight for comfortable spring and summer wear — was $23, now $11!

Advertisement

5. Midi Maven: This 100% cotton midi balances laid-back style with luxe vibes, making you look effortlessly put together no matter what shoes you wear — was $148, now $33!

Getty Images


Related: Kate Middleton and Jennifer Garner Agree on This Ultra-Classy Blouse Style

Kate Middleton and Jennifer Garner are both fashionistas, however we wouldn’t expect them to agree on a single blouse style — let alone wear practically the same one. But we can confirm that both fashionistas have tie-neck blouses in their closets, and you can get the look with these styles starting at just $9! Middleton […]

Advertisement

6. Sleek Sandals: Speaking of shoes, you’ll wear these comfy LifeStride sandals nonstop from May through September — was $70, now $40!

7. No Buttons Needed: Breezy and soft, you might forget you’re wearing these beachy palazzo pants. I adore the smocked waist element — was $27, now $14!

8. Go-To Accessory: Black bags are always ‘in’ — just ask rich moms like Heidi Klum and Katie Holmes who carry this structured style all year — was $338, now $89!

9. Hamptons Flair: I can’t believe this short-sleeve peasant blouse is only $10. The flattering peplum shape seals the deal — was $17, now $10!

Advertisement

10. Office to Yoga: These polished joggers transition seamlessly from the office to the mat, thanks to their tailored design and breathable fabric — was $18, now $10!

11. Braided Beauty: Braided detailing makes any sandals look expensive. These cushiony numbers even have memory foam support — was $40, now $20!

12. Designer Vibes: Zimmermann, is that you? This square-neck mini dress looks straight from a resort catalog — was $20, now $15!

13. Could be Linen: Both billowy and structured, this button-front shirt could totally be linen. Good luck choosing just one color — was $13, now $4!

Advertisement
style


Related: These Amazon Spring Pieces Channel Zara‘s Boho-Luxe Vibe, But Start at $5

We get it: You love everything about Zara’s boho-luxe aesthetic, but the price tags make your wallets shudder. Luckily, you don’t need a six-figure shopping budget to get the look. Amazon is quietly stacked with chic spring pieces that capture Zara’s stylish vibe, and our top elevated options will make you do a double take […]

Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Keyshia Ka’oir Posts Message After Pooh Shiesty’s Mugshot Drops

Published

on

Keyshia Ka'oir Drops Message About Gucci Mane After Pooh Shiesty's Mugshot Surfaces

If sticking beside him was a person, it would definitely be Keyshia Ka’oir. She recently made it crystal clear where her loyalty lies as she dropped a message for her hubby Gucci Mane on social media.

RELATED: There She Is! Keyshia Ka’oir Shares New Video Amid Kidnapping & Robbery Case Involving Pooh Shiesty & Gucci Mane (WATCH)

Keyshia Ka’oir Doubles Down On Her Loyalty To Gucci Mane

On Saturday, April 18, Keyshia Ka’oir and Gucci Mane popped out for a lil’ date night — and of course, they stepped out in style! Mrs. Davis looked stunning in a red-and-white fit, dripping in diamonds as per usual, while Big Guwop matched her vibe in a red-and-white tee with shorts and sneakers. During their pop-out, Keyshia came through with a sweet message for Gucci. She hopped on her Instagram Stories, making it known that when it comes to her man, she’s standing all ten behind him, no questions asked! “My husband is my world & I’ll 4Eva ride fa him. MRS. GUWOP!” 

Fans React As Keyshia Shows Love To Gucci

After TSR shared Keyshia Ka’oir’s message, folsk online slide into the comment section with reactions. Plenty of fans dropped hearts and fire emojis, saying Keyshia has always been down for Gucci and will always ride for him. Meanwhile, others said the love they have for each other could never be denied!

Instagram user @redhott_hairstylist wrote, As you should 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥” 

Advertisement

Instagram user @kikimama_ wrote,& beeeen riding for him 👏❤️ solid.” 

While Instagram user @kingclassic90 wrote,That’s that real love, me and you against the world…. 👑🤞🏾🔥❤️” 

Then Instagram user @play_u_lay1 wrote, That’s my girl 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏😍” 

Another Instagram user @iamspanishbadd wrote, Listen she’s beeeeeen riding with him! Cant nobody say otherwise!!!!!” 

Advertisement

Instagram user @blacdahlias wrote, I love this ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️” 

Then another Instagram user @flowergoddess22 wrote, I know thats right ✅” 

Finally, Instagram user @mg3peat wrote,Periodttttt‼️ she ain’t wrong.” 

Keyshia’s Message Comes Days Amid Reactions To Pooh Shiesty’s Mugshot

One thing for certain and two things for sure, Keyshia Ka’oir has always been about Gucci Mane. She has been holding down for years and is never shy about professing her love for him online. However, folks on social media have been keeping a close eye on her amid Pooh Shiesty’s arrest tied to the alleged kidnapping and robbery of Gucci.

Advertisement

Authorities took Pooh into custody after reports stated that he along with his father Lontrell Williams Sr., and seven others robbed Gucci during an armed takeover. After his arrest, Pooh’s mugshot hit the internet. The photo shows Pooh in a gray hoodie with his dreads out, staring straight into the camera.

 

RELATED: Pooh Shiesty, His Dad, Gucci Mane & Keyshia Ka’oir Were All Active On Social Media Around Time Of Alleged Robbery — Here’s What They Posted

What Do You Think Roomies?

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Star Trek’s First Broadcast Episode Was Very Carefully Chosen, Because It Was Boring

Published

on

Star Trek’s First Broadcast Episode Was Very Carefully Chosen, Because It Was Boring

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published

These days, Star Trek is a bona fide pop culture phenomenon. But during the development of The Original Series, there was anxiety that the general public wouldn’t really understand Gene Roddenberry’s mashing up Western tropes with a sci-fi setting. Making matters worse was that the original pilot, “The Cage,” had been rejected by NBC for being too brainy. Fortunately, Roddenberry got a chance to shoot another pilot, one which impressed the network enough to order an entire season worth of episodes.

Several episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series had already been shot when the time came for this new show to make its broadcast premiere. The first episode that the general public saw was “The Man Trap,” which featured a shapeshifting monster that was revealed to be an alien salt vampire. This good-but-not-great episode was an odd choice, and it was one that the cast and crew hated. As it turns out, though, this episode was very carefully selected by executives because it served as an inoffensive, relatively straightforward encapsulation of everything Star Trek had to offer.

It’s A Trap!

Most of the information we have about why “The Man Trap” was selected as Star Trek’s first episode comes from the book Inside Star Trek: The Real Story. Within this impressive reference tome, Robert H. Justman and Herbert F. Solow revealed something surprising: NBC had several other episodes to choose from for the premiere, including “The Corbomite Maneuver,” “Charlie X,” “Mudd’s Women,” “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” and “The Naked Time.” All of them had already been shot and were mostly finished, so it was just a matter of figuring out which episode would serve as the best introduction to Star Trek, a heretofore unknown sci-fi series.

“The Man Trap” won out, mostly because the powers that be worried that other episodes would be off-putting to general audiences in some very specific ways. For example, they worried that audiences would find “Charlie X” a story that was “too gentle” because it focused on an adolescent with special powers. This was probably the right call, in retrospect: when Variety gave a negative review of “The Man Trap” (an episode chosen, in part, because of its relative maturity), they declared that Star Trek: The Original Series was “better suited to the Saturday morning kidvid bloc” (ouch!).

A Monster Hit Of An Episode

“The Corbomite Maneuver” was a great potential choice, but this episode’s impressive special effects were still in post-production, and almost all of its action took place on the ship. “Where No Man Has Gone Before” really outlined the premise of the new show, but it was deemed “expository” for general audiences expecting more action and danger. Justman thought “The Naked Time” was a killer introduction to the crew’s personalities, but the network passed, presumably because of how over-the-top (half-naked, swashbuckling Sulu? Oh, my!) that episode gets. “Mudd’s Women,” meanwhile, was deemed too offensive because the plot involved literally selling women to miners.

Through this process of elimination, executives decided that “The Man Trap” was the best intro to Star Trek. It had cool scenes on both the Enterprise and a distant outpost (a strange new world) and featured a straightforward action plot you didn’t have to be a sci-fi aficionado to understand. Finally, it was all about finding and defeating a creepy monster, which offered thrills to audiences of all ages. The network’s choice paid off, and Star Trek: The Original Series became the most popular sci-fi show in television history, even though the cast (including William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy) thought “The Man Trap” was the worst possible episode they could have chosen.

Advertisement

All of this is a keen reminder of how much thought and work went into putting Star Trek’s best foot forward. It might be a reminder that Paramount’s current upper leadership needs, as Starfleet Academy hit the ground running with the worst episodes of Season 1. The show got better after that, but it didn’t matter because the prospective audience had already been driven away. As it turns out, today’s execs need to learn something that the network execs of the ‘60s had learned very well: series succeed when you give the audience what they want to see and not what you want to show!


Source link

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Cardi B Nearly Cancels Final Show After Tense Encounter

Published

on

Cardi B at 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party

Cardi B concluded her “Little Miss Drama Tour” on April 18 with a stop at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. However, before the show, she got into a heated exchange with the venue staff, which almost led her to cancel. Not only was the clash documented on social media, but the rapper also addressed it on stage.

Cardi B Slams State Farm Arena Staff In Heated Exchange

Cardi B at 2026 Fanatics Super Bowl Party
C Flanigan/imageSPACE / MEGA

Cardi B went live on Instagram before her show at the State Farm Arena, saying she and her entourage had been disrespected while preparing for the concert. Notably, she can be seen in the footage addressing the staff and saying she would cancel due to their alleged behavior.

She said to the unseen area staff in the clip, “You and your f-cking employees are being disrespectful… I am not gonna perform today. Because you’re being disrespectful.” After that, she demanded of whoever she was addressing, “Go get your boss, as you said.”

Cardi went on, “I’m not performing today. Let me tell you why, because [when] we got in here, your employees are being f-cking rude for no reason. Pointing the fingers for no reason. Touching people for no reason.”

She added, “I did 35 shows, and I never had a problem, and we’ve been kind to everybody. So now I’m leaving.”

The Rapper Addressed The Drama On Stage

Cardi B at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards
Lisa OConnor/AFF-USA.com / MEGA

Ultimately, Cardi B took to the stage for the crowd of adoring fans despite the dustup with event staff. However, she vulnerably opened up while performing for the sold-out audience, venting her frustrations about what happened backstage.

She said, “I’m pissed off right now. This area been playing a lot of f-cking games with me. This will be the last time I’m ever in this b-tch.” After that, Cardi B joked that she would host her concert in the parking lot rather than perform at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

The mom of four continued, “I’m tired of ya’ll playing with me. This is the f-cking second time.” She then gave a shout-out to the Atlanta Hawks.

Fans Are On Cardi B’s Side

Cardi B seen at court to finalize defense in case with security guard Emani Ellis
APEX / MEGA

There has been no official confirmation of what transpired backstage at Cardi B’s State Farm Arena show. However, fans are on her side as she clearly felt disrespected by the staff. Notably, many fans think the rapper should opt for stadiums in the future, saying she has the popularity to fill even larger venues.

One person said on X, “Nah, they really must’ve annoyed her. She’s had over 30 shows with no issue.” Cardi has been packing arenas for years and still gets this level of nonsense backstage?”

Someone else wrote, “Cardi, you could sell out the Benz stadium!!! And their concessions are cheaper.” Another person replied, “Yup, stadiums next!:

Advertisement

Lastly, another fan joked, “I’m sure the parking lot will be sold out.”

Cardi B’s ‘Little Miss Drama Tour’ Was A Success

Cardi B wears Polka Dots and a black wig on her fourth day of court appearances
Snorlax / MEGA

Cardi B kicked off her “Little Miss Drama Tour” on February 11 in Palm Desert, California. This followed the release of her sophomore album, “Am I The Drama?” in September 2025. The tour proved to be a success from the start, with Live Nation confirming on February 20 that Cardi had become the first female rapper to sell out two back-to-back shows at the Kia Forum.

That’s not all. According to Pollstar News, the “Little Miss Drama Tour” grossed a staggering $32 million by the halfway point of its run. This comes from over 200,000 ticket sales from the 17 shows performed as of March 2026.

Regarding attendance up to the midway point, Cardi B’s concerts averaged about 12,330 people. The largest crowd gathered on February 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with 13,839 attendees.

Cardi Plans To Release Another Album This Year

Cardi B at the 2025 Grammy Awards
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

There was a seven-year gap between Cardi B’s first two studio albums, with her first, “Invasion of Privacy,” released in 2018. However, following the release of “Am I The Drama,” the rapper assured fans that the wait wouldn’t be nearly as long before their third album.

She said on X spaces in October 2025, “I see you guys asking for a deluxe or asking to do a remix album like Charli X[CX] or something. Unfortunately, I am not doing none of that. However, I want to put out a project another album in less than a year, so I’m really planning on that.”

Advertisement

Cardi B continued, “I want a new era, I kinda know what I want it to look like. It’s gonna be different from ‘Am I the Drama?’”

It’s currently unclear when she will begin work on the album.

Advertisement

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2025