The video game medium has several incredible fantasy titles, from modern gems like Elden Ring and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild to certified classics like Final Fantasy VII and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. One of the genre’s greatest franchises is Dragon Age, BioWare’s crowning jewel, which dominated the fantasy space in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The series arguably peaked with its third entry, 2014’s Dragon Age: Inquisition, which won the first-ever Game of the Year at the Game Awards and remains one of the best open-world experiences of the 2010s.

A huge reason behind Inquisition‘s success is the brilliant writing, which does a truly outstanding job with the complex worldbuilding, compelling narrative, and characterization. Perhaps the greatest aspect of the writing, however, is the dialogue, which can be equal parts informative, clever, and witty. More than once, Inquisition delivers some genuinely iconic quotes, including what might just be the best line in fantasy gaming during the 2010s. Spoken by the villainous Corypheus, this line is not only striking and incredibly impactful within the game’s context but also undeniably badass and outright unforgettable, a perfect encapsulation of the Dragon Age saga as a whole.

What Is ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’ About?

Image via BioWare

Dragon Age: Inquisition takes place in the continent of Thedas, a medieval-inspired place living under a state of constant conflict. The biggest threat to it is the Blight, a catastrophic event that happens when demonic underground creatures known as darkspawn find one of the slumbering Old Gods and taint them, thus creating an Archdemon. The Archdemon then leads a horde of darkspawn to the surface, launching a Blight that can last decades. The physical world also lives in proximity to the Fade, the realm of spirits and demons, separated by a metaphysical barrier known as the Veil. Before the game’s events, a civil war has broken out between the Templars and the Mages, devastating most of the Kingdom of Ferelden and the Empire of Orlais.

The game’s main plot sees an unnamed protagonist attending a conclave summoned by Divine Justinia V to settle the Mage-Templar conflict. However, an explosion destroys the Temple of Sacred Ashes, killing everyone at the Conclave except for the protagonist, who emerges with no memory of the attack and a mysterious mark on their hand. The explosion also causes a hole in the Veil known as the Breach, as well as several minor rifts which the Inquisitor can close with their mark. As Thedas descends into chaos, the protagonist and their allies reestablish the Inquisition, acting separate from Ferelden and Orlais and hoping to close the rifts and seal the Breach for good.

As the story progresses, the Inquisitor learns of the existence of Corypheus, an ancient Tevinter Magister who is behind the attack at the Conclave. By using a powerful, ancient elven orb, Corypheus meant to destroy the Veil, enter the Fade, and declare himself a god, hoping to reshape the world in his image. Because the Inquisitor interrupted the ritual, Corypheus is left to find other ways to achieve godhood.

What Does Corypheus Say to the Player in ‘Dragon Age: Inquisition’?

Image via BioWare

Corypheus’ introduction happens in the main quest known as “In Your Heart Shall Burn,” in which his dragon attacks the town of Haven, the protagonist’s base of operations. Like any good villain, Corypheus loves to monologue; unlike many mediocre villains, however, the magister actually has something interesting to say. As he approaches the protagonist, Corypheus confronts them for interrupting the ritual at the conclave, speaking in a threatening and assured yet vague tone.

Many things make this cutscene incredibly badass. Corypheus’ design is striking and off-putting, coming out of the flames like a spectre from a long-forgotten past. His lyrium dragon is rad as hell, and Trevor Morris‘ incredible score amplifies the tension as the magister slowly creeps towards the player. However, it’s the dialogue that’s the cutscene’s centerpiece, further elevated by David Sterne‘s booming, assured, terrifying voice performance. Of all the lines he speaks, one stands out as the greatest, a concise, perfectly constructed sentence that not only summarizes his motives but captures the series’ main thematic concerns: “Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods, and it was empty.”

Why Is Corypheus’ Line So Brilliant?

Image via BioWare

Advertisement

With this one line, Corypheus dismantles the entire belief system of the Chantry (Dragon Age‘s main religious organization) and puts into question everything the player knows about Thedas as a whole. Previous games, not to mention the in-world Chant of Light, claim that the Blight was punishment by the Maker, Thedas’ version of God, after ancient Tevinter Magisters breached the Veil and entered the Golden City in the Fade. Their presence corrupted it, turning it into the Black City, and causing the Maker to expel them, sending them back to the physical world as distorted, corrupted versions of themselves.

Corypheus challenges this notion by claiming he indeed entered the Black City, but there was no god; no Maker to punish or banish him, no gold to make the city shine. In fact, the city was already blackened when he entered, and whatever tainted it happened long before the magister’s arrival. Religious concerns are a major theme in Dragon Age. Conflicting views between different institutions are the root of many of the continent’s conflicts, whether it’s the polytheistic Tevinter Empire trying to expand or the intolerant Chantry attempting to spread its influence. With this one line, Corypheus shatters Chantry teachings and even Tevinter’s beliefs, revealing that the very foundations of modern Thedas are not only wrong, but they’re as tainted as the Blight itself.

Beyond the in-world impact, Corypheus’ line strikes at the heart of real-life religious concerns. We’ve all wondered if there is indeed a god, if religion has any validity at all. Faith is one of the most powerful forces in this world, yet it can be so easily shattered with just a few well-chosen words. Corypheus’ quote does just that: it speaks into our greatest fears concerning faith and captures the hopelessness and dread of realizing everything you know is a lie. Of course, it’s meant to be a badass line spoken by a video game villain, but it’s also so much deeper and more discomforting than just that. It’s perhaps the single most memorable and profound quote in any 2010s video game, and further proof that Inquisition is the best Dragon Age game by far.

The NCIS franchise has never exactly struggled to find a new corner of the map. After more than two decades, CBS has sent its investigators from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles, Hawaii, and beyond, building one of television’s most durable procedural universes in the process. But NCIS: New York has something its predecessors can’t quite manufacture: a city that can do some of the storytelling for it.

That starts with CBS making the unusually important decision to actually film the new series in New York City. NCIS: New York isn’t simply going to slap a few recognizable skyline shots between scenes filmed somewhere else and call it a day. Production has been underway across the city, with LL Cool J, Scott Caan, Jacqueline Byers, and Shane Harper photographed filming in places including Brooklyn and Central Park.

‘NCIS: New York’ Is Actually Filming Where It’s Set

Image via Sonja Flemming / ©CBS / courtesy Everett Collection

That distinction matters more than it might sound. Television has a long history of asking viewers to accept one city as another, and the NCIS franchise is hardly an exception. NCIS: Los Angeles, for instance, was built largely around production in Los Angeles and the Paramount lot, while NCIS: Origins has likewise used Paramount’s Los Angeles facilities and Southern California locations.

NCIS: New York is taking a different route. The series is being produced in the city it calls home, and recent set photos have already shown the cast working in real New York locations, which gives the spinoff an immediate visual identity before viewers even know whether its new characters will become as beloved as the franchise’s veterans.

New York is not exactly a city that needs help making an impression, and a case unfolding in Brooklyn can feel different from one unfolding in Manhattan, and a chase through Central Park doesn’t need a line of dialogue explaining why the location matters. The danger with any spinoff is that familiarity can become sameness, but NCIS: New York has the opportunity to make it feel different because its surroundings are different.

CBS Is Spending More to Give Its New ‘NCIS’ Spinoff a Real Identity

Image via CBS

Filming in New York also represents a meaningful commitment from CBS. Location production is not the easy, interchangeable option for a network procedural, particularly when a series could theoretically recreate plenty of streets, offices, and city exteriors somewhere cheaper or more production-friendly.

CBS is nevertheless putting NCIS: New York on the ground. The series began filming in the city in July, with production moving through locations such as Brooklyn and Central Park. New York’s production infrastructure and tax incentives can help offset some of the expense — the state offers a production tax credit for eligible television projects — but choosing to build a series around the city still requires a commitment to location work that a studio-based production doesn’t.

CBS has placed this show directly in the middle of an all-NCIS Tuesday, with the original NCIS at 8 p.m., New York at 9 p.m., and NCIS: Origins at 10 p.m. The strategy makes obvious business sense because viewers who already know the franchise are being given an entirely new hour without leaving the universe. But that also puts pressure on the spinoff to justify its existence. If NCIS: New York were simply another version of the same show with a different sign on the office door, viewers could reasonably wonder why they needed it. The New York production gives CBS a much better answer.

LL Cool J’s Return Makes the New Setting Even More Important

Image via CBS

The other major piece is Sam Hanna. LL Cool J isn’t playing a brand-new character who needs to establish himself from scratch. He spent 14 seasons as one of the defining faces of NCIS: Los Angeles, and Hanna has also appeared elsewhere in the franchise. Now he’s returning to his hometown to lead a new team alongside Caan’s Nick Schaeffer.

Hanna already has history with viewers, but putting him back in New York gives that history somewhere meaningful to go. This isn’t just another assignment in another city. He’s returning home, and the series is following him there. Jennifer Beals, Byers, Harper, and Devin Druid round out the new field team, giving the show plenty of fresh personalities around its returning lead.

The result could be exactly what the franchise needs from its newest branch. NCIS doesn’t need another city in name only as each new series needs a reason to exist, and New York provides one. The city gives the series a visual language that can’t be copied simply by changing the establishing shot. CBS’s willingness to film there gives that choice some weight, while Hanna’s return provides the franchise connection longtime viewers need. When NCIS: New York premieres on October 6, 2026, there may be a question of whether New York can make this one feel like its own thing.

Advertisement

NCIS: New York

Advertisement

Release Date

October 6, 2026

Directors

Advertisement

Eagle Egilsson, Adam Davidson

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

While Prime Video’s original series often draw from novels to tell their stories, they rarely do as much justice to the book as 2026’s The House of the Spirits, with some exceptions like Barry Jenkins’ take on Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad. Drawing from Chilean author Isabel Allende’s 1982 debut novel of the same name, the show does a beautiful job transposing the book’s blend of multigenerational family saga, magical realism, and poetic tale of the ravages of time and the longstanding effects of violence to a new medium. The series is not afraid to be melodramatic, colorful, and rich, studying the Trueba family from their humble beginnings in an unnamed Latin American country that slowly descends into a horrific political situation. Narrating the saga is Alba (Rochi Hernandez), who thrusts us into the world of the family with as much speed as The Royal Tenenbaums.

Every episode of The House of the Spirits feels like a short film in itself, with the show as a whole mimicking the book’s decades-spanning structure. Much like the first season of House of the Dragon, years can pass between episodes, but familial relationships stay the same, lingering on old wounds and traumas hidden behind. Allende’s novel was unafraid to deal with heavy subject matter, like animal violence, a country’s descent into fascism, and sexual violence, and the show’s faithfulness to those aspects of the book is its greatest feature. Part of the passage of time is conveyed by a color palette. Like in Greta Gerwig’s 2019 take on Little Women, the nostalgic early years are often offset by a steely grey-blue take on the present day, as Alba pores over her family history, digging into a journal left behind by her clairvoyant grandmother Clara (Dolores Fonzi as an older woman; Nicole Wallace in younger years). Clara’s journal is a Rosetta Stone for the family history, a document of 50 years from the mid-1920s onward.

‘House of the Spirits’ Has A Compelling Villain in Esteban Trueba

While The House of the Spirits moves quickly through its eras, running with a montage-like pace through Esteban Trueba’s (Alfonso Herrera) courtship of Clara’s older sister Rosa (Chiara Parravicini), it’s hard to imagine it in a more condensed timeframe. But the book was first adapted as a Hollywood drama in 1993, with a number of subplots shelved and a cast full of English-speaking actors like Jeremy Irons, whose cold villainy was appropriate enough for Esteban, but not quite on the level of Herrera’s three-dimensional performance. After Rosa’s tragic early passing, the show version of Esteban grows into a darkly tyrannical patriarch whose class resentment and casual cruelty becomes a stand-in for the terrors the country will soon face. Herrera’s performance as Esteban shows his descent and development into the wicked master of Las Tres Marías, the Trueba family estate, and the eventual husband of Clara.

Esteban is a tricky character, in large part because he lasts so long. The series is brutal and rewarding because it deals so much with the subjugation, abuse, and resilience of women. Esteban is an immediate foil. In his younger years, his cruel treatment of women and campaign of sexual misconduct have aftereffects you can only see by the series’ end, with the full picture in mind. Rising from the back-breaking toils of mine work to being a property owner, he has nothing but contempt for the political shift heralded by the arrival of the Communist party to the country. Because of the show’s structure, with Alba looking backwards at events, viewers get a sense of dramatic irony not quite present in Allende’s novel, with a sense of where all these lives go. That framing device casts a unique glow on the show’s rich melodrama. Births and deaths collide as Clara, whose clairvoyant gifts become more prominent as the show progresses, gives birth to Esteban’s daughter Blanca (Fernanda Urrejola, who co-wrote the series, in middle age; Sara Becker in younger years).

‘House of the Spirits’ Is A Magical Realist Latin Melodrama

By emphasizing the actual Latin American qualities of the original decades-spanning book, the show gets the chance to breathe, with its operatic elements playing directly against its larger saga of political change. It’s neither a dry retelling of history nor total soap opera, but a mix that is true to the spirit of Isabel Allende’s novel. Its acknowledgment of the passage of time means one episode might have a character being born and the next might cast them as a young adult. Alba grows from childhood to participating in revolutionary politics and discovering horrific truths about her family. The novel emphasized heartache, trauma, and magical realism, and the show works in the same big, melodramatic beats, slowly replacing the charming nostalgia of its early episodes with the devastation of a country falling into ruin. If the first half of the show is Jean-Pierre Jeunet, the second is more Steven Soderbergh.

Ghosts are real in the story of House of the Spirits. They are almost incidental, complex characters in their own right that can guide or complicate the journeys of the living. Uncle Marcos (Juan Pablo Raba) serves as a ghostly confidant to young Clara, and in the 1970s, Alba is often visited by her grandmother Clara in times of great despair. But more pertinently, the ghosts reflect Esteban’s actions and the privilege the family was able to experience by ignoring who had to pay most, particularly in the form of Esteban Garcia, Jr. (Pedro De Tavira). The show is a richly compelling meditation throughout, and a novel adaptation that allows the characters the tragic complexity they deserve.

By the time Let’s Marry Harry landed in Las Vegas, the trip had already peaked once.

In Episode 6 of Netflix’s summer breakout, Harry Jowsey and his five remaining fiancées swapped the Los Angeles house for a weekend in Sin City. But the flight there wasn’t a hard cut between scenes. It was the scene — champagne open, charcuterie out, music up, and five women dancing in the aisle somewhere over the Mojave.

The jet in question: a Bombardier Challenger 850 operated by Cirrus Aviation Services, the aviation group behind Theos, a new members-only club curating by-the-seat routes and exclusive experiences for travelers who’d rather skip the terminal entirely.

A 15-Seat Cabin, and Nobody Sat Still

The Challenger 850 is a specific kind of flex. It carries up to 15 passengers in one of the widest cabins in private aviation — a genuine stand-up, walk-around interior rather than the crouch-and-shuffle tube most people picture when they hear “private jet.” Which is precisely why it works on camera, and precisely why nobody stayed in their seat.

“As viewers will see in Episode 6, the fun started long before Harry and the women arrived in Las Vegas,” says Travis Turner, VP of Guest Experience at Cirrus Aviation Services. “With champagne flowing, fresh fruit and charcuterie being enjoyed, music playing, and the girls dancing throughout the flight, the journey became part of the experience — not just the transportation.”

So What Would It Cost You?

Here’s the number everyone actually wants: roughly $37,000.

That’s the ballpark for recreating the Let’s Marry Harry Vegas run end to end — round-trip Challenger 850 service between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, premium onboard catering, champagne service, and stretch limousine transportation on the ground.

Split fifteen ways, that’s a little under $2,500 a head for a weekend that starts the second the door closes. Split six ways, it’s a very different conversation. Either way, it’s a considerably shorter list of logistics than most bachelorette weekends require.

“Watching Harry and the women laugh, dance, and enjoy every moment from takeoff to touchdown proved that some of the best moments happen long before you reach Las Vegas,” Turner says. “It was the perfect way to kick off one of the most memorable trips on Let’s Marry Harry.”

The Part the Cameras Didn’t Catch

Reality TV runs on edit-room alchemy, so the more interesting question is always what the crew saw when the cameras weren’t rolling. On this one, the answer is a little wholesome.

“Harry and the women were all incredibly respectful, engaging, and genuinely fun to host,” says Alexandria Hurley, Head of PR at Cirrus Aviation Services. “From the moment they landed in Las Vegas, you could tell everyone was excited to make the most of the experience.”

And Harry himself? For a guy whose dating résumé has been picked over online for the better part of a decade, the behind-the-scenes review is a notably good one.

“Behind the scenes, Harry was very attentive and made a genuine effort to spend quality time with each of the women,” Hurley says. “He wasn’t focused on just one person in the group. He was constantly checking in, making conversation, and ensuring everyone felt included. There was a really natural chemistry among the group, and you could tell the women were genuinely invested in getting to know him.”

Why Production Picked Up the Phone

Flying a principal cast, a camera crew, and a functioning party from Los Angeles to Las Vegas is a genuinely hard production ask. It requires an aircraft big enough to shoot inside of, a cabin that photographs well, catering that holds up at altitude, ground transportation waiting on the tarmac, and a schedule that bends to a call sheet instead of the other way around.

Cirrus Aviation Services is Las Vegas–based, which makes it something close to a home-field operator for a show built around a Vegas weekend. The Theos model — members-only access, curated by-the-seat routes, experiences designed as the destination rather than the commute — is aimed at exactly the kind of traveler who watched Episode 6 and immediately started doing math with their group chat.

That’s the pitch, and Episode 6 is the proof of concept: eight minutes of television in which the most fun anyone has is at 35,000 feet.

Watch It Back

All eight episodes of Let’s Marry Harry are streaming now on Netflix, with the reunion special — hosted by Haley Baylee — arriving Wednesday, August 26.

Episode 6 is the Vegas one. 

Advertisement

Season 1 of Apple TV’s sleeper hit Murderbot is a tiny show with a giant heart — no matter how much the misanthropic titular character (Alexander Skarsgård) tries to deny its growing affection for the annoying humans it’s contracted to protect. For all intents and purposes, the events of Season 1 closely follow the first installment in Martha Wells‘ The Murderbot Diaries book series, which begins with a contained setting and a cast to match: one soap opera-obsessed Security Unit, one primary planet, a team of six humans, and a handful of enemies. Artificial Condition, Wells’ sequel novella, introduces a different location and multiple new characters.

In that light, it’s not necessarily surprising that Murderbot has significantly expanded the size of Season 2’s ensemble cast. The scale and the celebrity star power behind the adjusted ensemble is the somewhat mind-boggling part. Earlier this week, Apple TV confirmed the return of Season 1’s 11 primary actors and welcomed a slew of fresh faces to the Murderbot universe. The video listed 25 additional cast members in undisclosed roles, including the (frankly, genius) likes of Steve Buscemi, Patton Oswalt, Michael Sheen, Tramell Tillman, Wanda Sykes, Katy O’Brian, Kali Reis, and Martha Plimpton. But what might shifting Murderbot‘s initial formula mean for everyone’s favorite introverted android?

Who Could ‘Murderbot’s New Cast Members Be Playing in Season 2?

Without going into deep spoiler territory, Artificial Condition resumes where Murderbot Season 1 leaves off. Rather than stay with the kindly humans who essentially adopted it, Murderbot ventures into the wider galaxy on a journey of independence and self-discovery. Specifically, it returns to RaviHyral, the mining site where it had lived up to its self-given name by unintentionally killing its clients. Murderbot seeks answers about its inexplicable violence and the erased memories accompanying that haunting incident. After becoming frenemies with a cargo ship’s hilariously abrasive AI, Murderbot once again finds itself dragged into defending another batch of scientists from a deadly conspiracy.

Aside from those three new humans and the snarky pilot bot, Artificial Condition features the augmented human leader of the Tlacey Excavations company, other SecUnits (most of them obedient to their clients’ whims), and multiple ComfortUnits (one, in particular, undergoes a prominent arc). By that metric, Murderbot Season 2 contains more actors than the novella has existing roles. There are several potential areas where showrunners Chris and Paul Weitz could organically incorporate an increased cast: more SecUnits, executives, and employees tied to Tlacey, longer flashbacks with the 57 individuals Murderbot killed, and snippets from Murderbot’s favorite television show, The Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.

Although we can only speculate as to whom the 25 performers are playing, it’s worth noting that Season 2‘s announcement video groups Reis, Underwood, and Griffin Newman in roughly the same area as Season 1’s Sanctuary Moon players (John Cho, DeWanda Wise, Clark Gregg, and Jack McBrayer). Since Murderbot‘s delightfully campy show-within-a-show is already filled with prominent film and TV names, it’s easy to imagine their industry peers feeling just as game to wear extravagant costumes and recite melodramatic dialogue.

‘Murderbot’ Season 2 Has Legitimate Reasons to Increase Its Cast

As for Skarsgård’s fellow main cast members, Artificial Condition‘s first-person point of view leaves Murderbot’s newfound pals off-page for the book’s entirety (fear not: they return to the series sooner than later). It would be a waste for the upcoming second season not to utilize Mensah (Noma Dumezweni), Gurathin (David Dastmalchian), Pin-Lee (Sabrina Wu), Arada (Tattiawna Jones), Bharadwaj (Tamara Podemski), and Ratthi (Akshay Khanna). After all, the only humans who deserve Murderbot’s affection are quite the endearing, quirky, sincere, wise, and broken bunch. Dumezweni and Dastmalchian, in particular, each contribute gut-wrenching emotional arcs.

Inventing original content for a television adaptation is a tricky needle to thread. That said, not only would it be abrupt to temporarily abandon the Preservation Alliance crew, it’s worthwhile — even necessary – to explore their next steps from a story standpoint. The aftermath of their SecUnit friend slinking away in the night offers a range of potential responses: acceptance, compassion, grief, confusion, hurt, indifference, etc.

Juggling a wider ensemble might easily become too unruly on the heels of a more reserved focus. Likewise, pacing and focus problems can compromise the strengths a simpler story offers. Since Murderbot Season 1 is a home run, however, the likely case is that more than doubling the cast’s size is a thoughtful move. Suffice to say, Murderbot‘s sophomore season, now officially in production, is doing something its protagonist despises — stepping out of its comfort zone. Unfortunately for said protagonist (and all the neurodivergent audience members who understand its distress), that’s a potential risk worth taking.

Advertisement

Murderbot

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

May 15, 2025

Network

Apple TV+

Advertisement

Directors

Aurora Guerrero, Roseanne Liang

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The sequel to Michael Jackson‘s biographical drama may finally confront his controversial past. 

The first installment, which arrived in theaters in April, became a global box-office sensation but also drew criticism for sidestepping the controversies that shadowed the pop icon.

Now, Jaafar Jackson, who portrays his late uncle in “Michael,” has hinted that the follow-up could revisit some of the most contentious chapters of the singer’s life, this time from his perspective.

5

Amid the development of the second installment, Jaafar acknowledged that he has little control over the script’s direction. However, he said he hopes the project would highlight his uncle’s truth. 

“I think the second film will give even more insight from his point of view, because at the end of the day, [the allegations] are always from someone else’s,” Jaafar explained. 

According to the 30-year-old, the story has long been told by people “driven by an agenda,” rather than the late singer’s, something he believes should not be so. 

 “And that’s really the issue we’ve been having as a family – not having Michael’s voice being heard. I think that’s very, very important, especially in the late years,” he told GQ Magazine. 

The first installment of “Michael” focused largely on the legend’s early career and concluded in 1988, leaving out much of the period when he became the subject of serious child-abuse claims.

Jaafar added that dividing the film into two pieces allows for a detailed portrayal of the singer, helping viewers understand he was a “human being first” before an icon.

He went on to describe the “Smooth Criminal” hitmaker as someone who remained kind-hearted despite facing intense scrutiny throughout his life. According to the young actor, audiences should see more of that side of Michael in the continuation of his story.

Producers Reportedly Removed Controversial Scenes From The Original Script

5

Jaafar’s comments come months after reports surfaced that the movie parts dealing with the singer’s troubled past were originally included in the screenplay but later removed.

As The Blast previously reported, the scenes about the child abuse claims were cut out due to a legal clause tied to a prior settlement between Jackson and Jordan Chandler’s family.

The changes reportedly also resulted in substantial additional payments for the production’s key figures. Director Antoine Fuqua was initially expected to receive $10 million, while producer Graham King was set to earn $6 million.

Those amounts allegedly increased after the required revisions and reshoots, with Fuqua receiving $15 million more and King another $10 million.

How One Of Michael Jackson’s Accusers Reacted To The Film

5

When the movie hit cinemas, it stirred a strong reaction from one of his accusers, James Safechuck, who insisted that it should never have been released.

 As The Blast reported, Safechuck declared he would never watch it because he does not support people he considers child abusers.

Safechuck and Wade Robson previously alleged in the now-removed HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland” that Jackson sexually abused them as children.

Although Safechuck and Robson sought $400 million in damages from his estate, Jackson was never convicted of a crime, and his estate continues to deny the allegations.

Dan Reed Compared Michael Jackson To Epstein As He Questions Biopic 

5

As Jackson’s accuser reacted, Dan Reed, who directed Safechuck and Robson’s documentary, slammed the authenticity of “Michael.” 

Per The Blast, Reed argued that it cannot present a truthful account of the “Thriller” singer’s life while omitting the child abuse allegations that have followed him for decades. 

Reed doubled down on his claims, adding that he thinks the deceased vocalist “hurt a lot of children” and was “worse than Jeffrey Epstein.”

“And he may have been a great entertainer, but those two things don’t cancel each other out,” Reed added. “The fact is that pedophiles exist, and he was one of them.”

Jaafar Jackson Scores A Major Box-Office Milestone

5

Despite the criticism that has followed the portrayal of the late Grammy Winner, the project has performed exceptionally well commercially.

According to The Blast, the production has crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide, reaching approximately $1.001 billion in global ticket sales. 

The milestone reportedly makes Jaafar the first lead actor to star in a debut feature that surpasses $1 billion at the worldwide box office. The achievement also places the project among the highest-grossing music-centered biographical productions, surpassing “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the global box office.

Anna Faris recently opened up about her son, Jack, and his religious beliefs. The 49-year-old actress, who shares the 14-year-old with ex-husband Chris Pratt, appeared on comedian Chelsea Handler’s “Dear Chelsea” podcast, and shared the conversations she had with her son about religion.

5

Faris admitted that she and her son Jack aren’t always on the same page when it comes to their faith.

“He is religious. I didn’t grow up with religion,” the “Scary Movie” star said to Handler during the episode. “He’s asked me to accept Jesus Christ [as my savior]. And I told him I would do anything for him, including this, but it’s going to take a whole lot of long conversations.”

Faris described Jack “as solid as a tugboat, emotionally,” which makes her comfortable asking him tough questions about religion.

“He just doesn’t get easily jarred,” Faris explained. “He handles situations really well.”

Anna Faris Admits To Challenging Her Son Jack

5

In the episode, Faris admitted to Handler that when comes to the topic of religion, she likes to challenge her son.

“I’m like, ‘Do you think it’s a luxury that you get to be pro-life? Do you think that’s kind of a luxury?’” she recalled. “He’s like, ‘Maybe,’ or I’ll say, ‘So what do you think of this megapastor that’s kind of a grifter? What do you think?’ He’s like, ‘Oh, megapastors are the worst.’”

Faris added, “So it’s like, ‘‘’OK …we’re getting there,’” adding, “I’m appreciative that he’s examining religion the way he is in terms of recognizing hypocrisy, starting to recognize hypocrisy. And I’m appreciative that we can have these long conversations.”

Anna Faris Welcomed Son Jack With Chris Pratt In 2012

5

Faris and Pratt wed in 2009, and welcomed their son Jack, who was named after the actress’ father, in 2012. In 2017, the couple parted ways. Two years after their divorce, Pratt married Katherine Schwarzenegger, whom he shares three children: Lyla, Eloise and Ford. As for Faris, she wed cinematographer Michael Barrett in July 2021, and became a stepmom to his daughter, Margot.

Anna Faris’ Son Jack Was Born Prematurely

5

Jack was born prematurely, which Pratt admitted to making “a deal with God” to protect his son.

“I prayed hard to God,” the actor told the Christian Post in 2025. “I was in a season of transition spiritually at that time and didn’t quite fully understand.”

After God “saved” his son, Pratt described his faith as “cemented.”

Anna Faris Gushes Over Her Son

5

The former couple have largely kept their son out of the public eye. Although, Jack has made a few public appearances.

Back in June, Jack accompanied Faris to the red carpet premiere of “Scary Movie.” They were joined on the carpet by Barrett and his daughter Margot.

In March 2025, Faris said she felt “so lucky” to have such a “down-to-earth” son.

“He’s always had such a solid anchor,” she told PEOPLE. “I don’t know where, being a kid in Hollywood, he got that. I don’t know how he got so down-to-earth, but I’m really grateful.”

The legendary ’90s R&B group Boyz II Men once crooned, “It’s so hard to say goodbye to yesterday,” and that’s how Watch With Us feels about Outer Banks.

The wildly popular Netflix series, starring Chase Stokes, Caroline Arapoglou and others, just released its final season, and it’s at the top of our best new shows to watch this weekend list.

It’s not the only new Netflix show worth watching right now, as the streamer also debuted the compelling murder mystery series, Blood Sacrifice.

For something a little lighter, we recommend you travel the world with Conan O’Brien in HBO Max’s Conan O’Brien Must Go, which returns for a third season full of exotic destinations and crazy stunts.

Finish your weekend by flipping to AMC and attending The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE concert, where actor Sam Reid rocks out as his blood-sucking vampire musician character, Lestat.

‘Outer Banks’ Season 5 — Netflix

Stick a fork in it, because Outer Banks is officially done. The much-loved Netflix series just dropped its fifth and final season, wrapping up the Pogues’ epic story in a pretty satisfying fashion.

After JJ Maybanks’ (Rudy Pankow) shocking death in season 4, the surviving Pogues grapple with their tragic loss while trying to find a way back home to North Carolina. Will John B (Chase Stokes) set things right with Sarah (Madelyn Cline)? Will Sarah and Rafe (Drew Starkey) repair their damaged relationship after he tried to kill her? And will Pope (Jonathan Daviss) ever forgive himself for murdering a mercenary last season? The answers all lie in Outer Banks season 5’s 10 action-packed episodes, which are now streaming on Netflix.

‘Blood Sacrifice’ Season 1 — Netflix

When two police officers are found murdered and decapitated in an isolated house in the Stockholm archipelago, homicide detective Thomas Berg (Jakob Oftebro) realizes it’s the work of a serial killer who is targeting Sweden’s police force. To help find the culprit, Berg turns to the only man who can help him — his estranged alcoholic father, Alfred (Peter Andersson), who used to be the best detective in the country. Together, they can find the person behind the crimes, but once they do, will it be too late to save others — or themselves?

Blood Sacrifice is a hypnotic Nordic thriller that doesn’t shy away from violence. Creator George Kay, the man behind the hit shows Lupin and Hijack, knows how to draw viewers in by interweaving an intriguing plot populated with damaged characters and a series of murders that are more gruesome than the next. The heart of the five-episode series, however, is the fractured relationship between father and son. Thomas hates that he needs his father’s help, while Alfred still resents being pushed out of work by a past scandal.

‘Conan O’Brien Must Go’ Season 3 — HBO Max

Since the ‘90s, Conan O’Brien has kept going, from writing some of The Simpsons best episodes to hosting several hit talk shows. Lately, he’s been traveling around the world in pursuit of more knowledge, some experience with other cultures and, of course, plenty of laughs.

The comedian’s hit HBO travel series Conan O’Brien Must Go is back for season 3, and the show is taking its ginger-haired host to four new countries: India, the Netherlands, Morocco and the Philippines. Watch Conan bury his assistant in the Sahara Desert and trick some kids into believing he’s actually 90 years old. (For the record, Conan is a young-looking 63.) Conan O’Brien Must Go remains silly, sweet and irreverent, kinda like Conan himself. New episodes debut each Friday on HBO Max.

‘The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE’ — AMC+

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

When was the last time one of your favorite shows held a special concert with its lead character singing a handful of rock tunes? That’s what is happening this weekend with The Vampire Lestat, the third season of AMC’s hit horror romance series, Interview with the Vampire. The actor playing Lestat de Lioncourt, Sam Reid, and composer Daniel Hart joined forces last June for a standing-room-only concert, The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE, at New York City’s legendary Beacon Theatre to celebrate the premiere of the new season.

The set list includes six original tracks by Hart: “Long Face,” “Big Bad Wolf,” “Your Biggest Fan,” “The Loneliness,” “Brutal Love” and “Butterscotch Bitch.” Come for the good tunes and killer vibes and stay for a debauched good time that only Reid’s seductive vamp can deliver.

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only LIVE streams on AMC+ on Sunday, August 23.

Big Brother spoilers reveal the week 7 head of household winner along with who they’re planning to nominate, who are the have-nots and how exactly Angela Murray won the BB Blockbuster. Plus, Kamu Kirk is asked some hard questions in an exit interview.

Big Brother: Kamu Kirk Falls Flat

It’s kind of a bummer Kamu was evicted – mostly because Rick Devens was making big threats to blow up the house if Kamu stayed. With Kamu gone, we don’t get that nuclear house explosion like Devens promised.

Post-eviction, Melody Morris told Haley Thogmartin she didn’t get a chance to warn LaTrice Lala Verrett, who’s upset she didn’t know about Kamu going. Melody only had time to warn Taylor Brown.

Melody also told Mallory Aurichio she wishes they had time to give Yash Patel a heads up so he wouldn’t have been blindsided as HOH. Taylor and Lala are done with Drew Campbell and Barrett Pfeiffer.

They blame them for Kamu ‘s eviction because Mallory said the guys wouldn’t let them vote to keep Kamu. Realistically, they could’ve voted how they wanted. Taylor and Lala want to nominate Drew, Barrett and Devens if they won.

Big Brother 28: Alum Secret Strategy

Also, Angela told Haley the strategy to win it if they got that ball blowing Blockbuster. And Haley shared it with Kamu, but neither took the winning advice.

Haley didn’t want to get on the floor because she thought the vents would scrape her leg tattoos. And Kamu just ignored the tip. And guess what? It was Tucker Des Lauriers from BB26 who taught Angela that move to sit and grab.

Tucker posted a TikTok of him watching her win the Blockbuster live and cheering for her. And Tucker said Angela did him proud. Then, Tucker also smiled big when Kamu was evicted.

So, there was a lot of people gunning for the Big Brother HOH because the house is ripped in two again. Taylor and Lala were playing hard. Mallory and Melody told Drew if they win, they’ll put the icons on the block.

But it turns out not everyone was playing that hard because two houseguests might have just stepped back and let the new HOH win it. Dee Valladares and Rick Devens were also really amped up about it.

BB28: Haley’s Not Making Moves

Haley hoped the HOH was the balance beam race and guess what? It was. But she didn’t win it. Dee won the comp and is the week 7 Head of Household in BB28.

And Mallory and Barrett finished 2nd and 3rd but sounds like neither of them wanted to win this and threw it to Dee. So after all her big talk, Mallory didn’t fight for it, it seems.

Dee Valladares and Rick Devens did some pro-Survivor propaganda for the cameras after she won. Then they briefly talked noms last night. Dee won’t have one-on-ones until today because she was too tired.

But she told Rick Devens she wants Taylor, Lala and Yash on the block. What Dee really wants is to renom Yash Patel so he’s only got the BB Blockbuster to get himself off the block. Problem is, nomination options are slim.

They don’t want to nominate anyone from Mosh Pit and Dee wants to try and pull Haley in closer to them. So that leaves them with asking one of their own to be a pawn or for Dee to just throw Haley up one more week in a row with a plan to backdoor Yash Patel.

Haley probably won’t care since at this point, she won’t make it to the end and really wants to avoid the Big Brother jury house. But later in the day, when Dee started having meetings, targets shifted.

Big Brother: The House is Cooked

Taylor coached Lala on how to handle her one-on-one with Dee and to convince her to go after the FAP4 since they’re a block that needs broken up. Taylor’s right about that.

Have-Nots for the week are Taylor, Lala, Mallory. They raised their hands to volunteer. What’s funny is they’re the three who do all the good cooking. And Taylor and Lala already said they’re not cooking anything this week. Taylor said she’s seen if they don’t cook, the Big Brother house doesn’t eat.

Mallory’s joining them in solidarity with the ban on cooking. Speaking of cooking, Taylor was so worked up last night, she was pacing a hole in the living room floor, back and forth, kitchen to living room and all around. But she stopped at the stairs and said nope, I’m not trying to exercise.

Lala and Taylor laid in bed together and cried, saying they want to go home, this is a waste of time. And Lala cornered Barrett in the storage room and chewed him out for evicting Kamu. Lala said we had the majority and were driving the truck and with Kamuela Kamu, the other side has the power.

Barrett scrambled, said Kamu didn’t talk game with him, Barrett didn’t think Kamu was on his side. He told Lala sorry and they swapped I love yous and she left. Then Barrett deadpanned to Mallory “that went well” and she told Barrett, “I don’t think that went well”. Then, they laughed.

Big Brother 28: Live Feeds Fun

Fun feeds stuff, Mallory freestyled a rap song about cereal including the lyrics “if you don’t like Fruity Pebbles, then you are the devil”. The hook which Dee, Drew and Haley sang too, was “Cereal, cereal, what you know about cereal?” Production liked it and told Mallory thank you.

Also, Kamu was hit by a tough question in a Big Brother exit interview. The interviewer said his comments about Jason and Drew in girls’ clothing came off as anti-drag and homophobic.

Kamu said he thinks it’s fine for Jason to wear what he wants and for Drew to wear the girls clothes if he wants, but that’s not for him. Kamu said he respects how they want to dress and asks for the same respect for how he wants to dress.

He said he loves Jason as a person. The interviewer asked if he’d go see the Salina Estitties drag show and Kamu said “I don’t know about that, but I look forward to seeing Jason after this”.

Speaking of Angela’s Big Brother Blockbuster win. Jason was with Frankie Grande watching the episode. Jason was done up in Kamu drag and started bawling in excitement for Angela’s win while Frankie teased him about crying in that outfit.

He was in a blonde wig, a full beard pasted onto his face, a mesh top that looked like tattoos on his arms and chest and a hot pink satin dress. Jason’s also been dressing up like Haley in flannel to do cameo messages.

Big Brother: The Powers in Play

Also there was a big push on social media today asking for votes to get Taylor the last BB Time Capsule. Drew had been in the lead in the popularity polls with Taylor second I think. Haley was literally dead last.

There’s 4 Big Brother time capsule powers still available. So, there’s the Never Not pass which no one cares about. There’s HOH replay where the outgoing HOH can play in the comp. This one can be gifted so it’s okay but conditional.

There’s the Mystery Competitor where an alum comes in and plays veto on your behalf to double your chances. And the last, the one really good one, is coin of destiny where you have a 50/50 shot at a HOH takeover.

And Rome Seymour is in Hawaii right now with Lyric Medeiros. He’d been face timing with her parents while she was still in the house. And now Rome Seymour’s there with her.

Remember Cody Nickson – the Marine from BB19? He met his wife Jessica in Big Brother. Turns out Cody’s rooting for Rome Seymour and messaged him saying meeting the love of his life was much more important than winning Big Brother. Cody and Jessica have five daughters on top of the one he already had. Six years, five babies. Just wow.