Related: ‘Dawson’s Creek’ Cast Quotes About James Van Der Beek’s Cancer Battle
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10 Greatest R-Rated Westerns of the 21st Century, Ranked
While Western cinema has always been defined by themes of violence, justice, and morality as much as it has been by its sweeping visuals and cowboy characters, the mid-20th century heyday of the genre wasn’t exactly renowned for its hard-hitting or confronting realism. As the decades have rolled on, however, that sense of visceral authenticity has become more enticing to viewers who want to see the genre’s air of fabled American values dismantled in taxing and truthful illustrations of what life was like in the Old West.
The Western movies of the 21st century have appealed to this demographic, and the genre has become synonymous with gruelling intensity and shocking violence over the last 25 years. While some modern classics like True Grit and First Cow prove that lower-rated depictions of the genre can still thrive, the vast majority of Western cinema in recent decades has been R-rated. The best of the century so far has consisted of everything from spaghetti Western callbacks to biographical dramas, revenge epics, and even modern-set neo-Western spins on the genre’s rusted-on tropes and ideas.
10
‘Bone Tomahawk’ (2015)
One of the most viscerally violent and disturbing pictures of the century so far, Bone Tomahawk is a confronting, savage, and mentally scarring illustration of the genre. Accentuated with flourishes of extreme horror and brutality, it follows several men from the small town of Bright Hope as they embark on a trek to rescue three people abducted by a cannibalistic, cave-dwelling tribe.
A directorial debut of astonishing conviction and impact from S. Craig Zahler, Bone Tomahawk presents Western cinema at its most unflinching and raw. It takes a somewhat traditional captivity narrative of heroism and rescue, and imbues it with moments of ferocious violence capable of making even the most hardened viewers squirm in their seats. Bolstered by a litany of strong performances, a dread-inducing slow-burn tempo, and the incredible yet harrowing practical and technical execution of its most violent scenes, Bone Tomahawk soars as a bold and daring Western horror.
9
‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015)
From one Kurt Russell-starring Western thriller to another, The Hateful Eight tells a winding story of distrust, violence, and close confines intensity that stands as perhaps Quentin Tarantino’s most underrated movie. It unfolds in a haberdashery amid a snowstorm in Wyoming, with eight strangers taking refuge in the small lodge. With bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Russell) escorting fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to be executed, every new face presents as a potential threat waiting to strike and free the criminal from captivity.
With its palpable, chamber-play atmospheric tension absorbing viewers in every sudden twist and violent revelation, The Hateful Eight thrives as an immersive pressure-cooker of rich and volatile characters simmering towards an inevitable eruption of violence. Tarantino’s mastery of gripping dialogue and suspense combines beautifully with Robert Richardson’s enrapturing cinematography and Ennio Morricone’s score to make for a masterful modern epic and a dazzling spectacle of Western cinema.
8
‘Hell or High Water’ (2016)
Hell or High Water is a raging neo-Western masterpiece that questions traditional genre notions of heroism and villainy. With their ranch in debt following the death of their mother and the bank looking to foreclose on the property, brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) start robbing different branches of the Texas Midlands Bank to come up with the money. As their crime spree spreads, two aging Texas Rangers are assigned to the case. The film explores themes of generational poverty, the death of the American dream, the moral ambiguity of crime, and the cataclysmic failing of the nation’s economic structure.
With Taylor Sheridan’s brilliant and piercing screenplay, David Mackenzie’s absorbing direction, and a litany of exceptional performances, Hell or High Water thrives as one of the most engaging Westerns of the past decade. It recreates the atmosphere of the Old West in a contemporary setting, while subverting themes and character archetypes. It aims to illuminate how much America has changed, or at least how far detached it is from the idealized, often celebrated vision of the Old West. Effective, efficient, and exhilarating, it’s one of the essential movies of the 2010s as well as an instant classic of Western cinema.
7
‘The Proposition’ (2005)
Given that the genre is called the “Western” because it explores life on the expanding frontier of the American West, it stands to reason that most Western stories transpire in America, but that isn’t always the case. A powerfully ferocious and philosophical spin on the genre from Australia, The Proposition sees the genre’s essential themes of colonization and civilization, justice, crime, and even morality reapplied to an outback setting. It follows captured fugitive Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) as he is given an ultimatum: find and kill his sadistic older brother in nine days, or his naive younger brother will be hanged.
Bereft of glory or heroics, The Proposition soars as an uncompromising immersion in the brutality of the time. This relentless illustration of desperation, depravity, and violence is emboldened by a litany of exceptional performances and the majestic yet merciless landscape of the Australian wilderness. Written by Nick Cave (who also provided the film with its intense and haunting score, alongside Warren Ellis), The Proposition isn’t just a tale of Western brutality, but an immersion in the callousness of Australia’s expanding frontier.
6
‘The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’ (2007)
A criminally underrated gem that serves as a poetic and piercing Western drama as well as a thematically rich biopic about violence, celebrity, and obsession, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a highlight of revisionist Western cinema. Using its story to challenge genre norms and deconstruct the myth of heroism, gallantry, and honor in the Old West, it unfolds as a methodical and measured slow-burn. This wafting meditation on one of America’s most polarizing figures is also a gorgeous realization of 1880s America, courtesy of Roger Deakins’ brilliance.
With a 160-minute runtime, the Western biopic follows Robert Ford’s (Casey Affleck) initiation into the gang of his idol, Jesse James (Brad Pitt). Over time, Ford’s adoration of James turns to embittered resentment, leading him to hatch a scheme to kill the outlaw. Even in its striking eruptions of violence, the film maintains an air of composure. Director Andrew Dominik imbues the story with gravitas through his restrained pacing, evocative use of silence and narration, and the lingering sense of the wealth, freedom, and infamy deteriorating into something rotten and corrosive.
5
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2023)
Blending Western ideas with a fiercely important documentation of historical events, Killers of the Flower Moon is one of the greatest movies of the 2020s so far, and an essential Martin Scorsese masterpiece. Set in 1920s Oklahoma, on the land of the Osage Nation, it unfolds as greed, violence, and cut-throat opportunism engulf the community following the discovery of an oil deposit under the land. Amid the murder and carnage, Molly Burkhart (Lily Gladstone) pleads to the U.S. government to investigate, unaware that her husband, Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), and his family are the driving force behind the deaths.
Epic in scope, runtime, and thematic gravitas, Killers of the Flower Moon is a confronting immersion in a heinous chapter of American history, one that boldly showcases evil not as an enigmatic force of twisted genius or terrible power, but as simple greed combined with opportunity and self-justification. The decision to focus on Molly and Ernest’s marriage, founded on true love and mutual respect, adds another compelling element to the story. The result is an enthralling, albeit disturbing, Western drama that stands among the most commanding pictures the genre has ever seen.
4
‘Django Unchained’ (2012)
Recreating the slashing style and violent vehemence of spaghetti Western cinema with the technical advancements of modern-day filmmaking, Django Unchained is an enjoyable indulgence, a cathartic revenge flick loaded with panache and punch. Jamie Foxx stars as Django, a recently freed slave working with bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) to track down outlaws. In exchange for his help, Schultz agrees to help Django reunite with his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), who has been sold to the plantation of the notoriously cruel Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).
Django Unchained successfully blends together the adventure and amorality of the spaghetti Westerns of old while incorporating periods of sustained suspense and outbursts of hilarious black comedy into the fold. The result is 165 minutes of outrageous, unadulterated fun. It displays the genre at its most exuberant and excessive, making for one of the most relentlessly entertaining movies of the century so far, and a soaring highlight in Quentin Tarantino’s filmography.
3
‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)
Stoic masculinity blanketing any notion of emotional vulnerability has long been a defining characteristic of Western drama. It is an idea that is brilliantly used in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, an ingenious marriage of neo-Western and queer romance storytelling based on Annie Proulx’s short story of the same name. It follows the forbidden love that blossoms between sheep herders Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) over a summer together in 1963. While both men return to their homes and marry their girlfriends, the passion they shared on Brokeback Mountain never leaves them, complicating their lives as their sporadic romance carries on for years.
It may be an unconventional Western, especially as it secures its R-rating through sexual content and coarse language more so than violence, but Brokeback Mountain embodies the defining characteristics of the genre. It presents a picture of sweeping, naturalistic majesty while tackling themes of masculinity, repressed emotions, and isolation. Anchored by two outstanding lead performances and Ang Lee’s deft direction, Brokeback Mountain endures as a piercing romantic drama, and one of the most ambitious, tender, and culturally timeless Westerns of all time.
2
‘There Will Be Blood’ (2007)
Despite there being some great Westerns from abroad, the genre is innately American, with the original Western movies from the ’30s through to the ’60s presenting a mythic version of the nation’s history. There Will Be Blood takes this air of myth and might and turns the genre into a breathtaking dismantling of capitalist greed. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it follows oil magnate Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) as he treks to California to investigate claims of an oil deposit and forms a vicious rivalry with the duplicitous local preacher, Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), in the process.
Through the story of Plainview’s posturing and ambition, There Will Be Blood presents American capitalism at its unfiltered, unfeeling worst, bolstered by Daniel Day-Lewis’s astonishing, transformative performance. The thematic wrath of its message of power and wealth and the technical mastery of its execution are among its greatest strengths. There Will Be Blood must be considered not only a triumphant Western masterpiece of the modern day but a defining highlight of 21st-century cinema at large.
1
‘No Country for Old Men’ (2007)
Marking a striking departure from the typical black comedy of the Coen Brothers, No Country for Old Men is an unfiltered embracement of pure neo-Western suspense. Based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same name, it follows Texan hunter Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) as he is pursued by sadistic cartel hitman, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), after stealing a case of $2 million from the aftermath of a desert shootout. As Moss relies on his wits to keep the money and his life, Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) tries to piece it all together, even as he reflects on the many ways the world has changed since he was young.
No Country for Old Men isn’t just the best Western of the 21st century; it is one of the greatest revisionist Westerns in cinematic history. It’s a masterpiece of modernization that takes integral genre themes like morality, justice, and law and order vs. crime, and applies them to the more recognizable world of 1980s Texas. Defined by atmospheric intensity and absorbing, heart-stopping, suspenseful sequences, the 2007 Best Picture Winner is one of the greatest R-rated movies ever made of any genre.
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Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti Unpack Their Explosive Rivalry on Star Trek’s Hotly Debated New Series
Editor’s Note: This article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Episode 6, “Come, Let’s Away.”This week’s episode of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy sends our cadets on their first official away mission, and unfortunately for Holly Hunter‘s Captain Ake, things go terribly, horribly wrong when her cadets are intercepted by a terrifying race of cannibalistic aliens. With her cadets held hostage on the remains of a fallen starship, Nahla is forced to call on her biggest nemesis, Nus Braka (Paul Giamatti), if she wants to get them back alive. Unfortunately, making a deal with the devil never really works out, and the cadets suffer a serious loss as one of their War College comrades is killed, SAM (Kerrice Brooks) is left glitching, and Tarima (Zoe Steiner) falls into a coma after saving her friends.
I recently sat down with Hunter and Giamatti to dig into this tense and devastating episode of Starfleet Academy. During our conversation, Hunter spoke about how she embodies Nahla and what needed to happen in this episode to leave her truly betrayed by the end. Giamatti also spoke about how easy it was to have Hunter as a scene partner, before they both spoke about the simmering tension of filming this episode’s intense one-on-one sequences. Finally, the duo teased what to expect from their next showdown later this season. You can read our full conversation below or watch it in the player above.
COLLIDER: Holly, I have to start off by saying Nahla has instantly become one of my favorite Star Cadet captains in the franchise, and I love the choices that you make with her physicality, like flopping into the chair to stop Braka from taking it, or sitting on tables and flopping down in the elevator. When you were establishing the character, what about her lent itself to that sort of movement for you?
HOLLY HUNTER: That was something that kind of organically happened when I read it. I was thinking about a physicality that I wanted to explore with her. Then, when I got to the set, wow, they just invited it for me. And the more sets that I was introduced to, the more my mind opened to the possibilities of going over the back of a couch. I mean, it just became like, “Ooh,” like a new world opened up for me that I found really enticing. I was really kind of turned on by the whole idea of being somebody who lived like that, and then it just manifested.
Holly Hunter and Paul Giamatti Break Down Their “Odd Attraction” in That Tense Nus vs. Nahla Scene
“I always thought that maybe I was going to kiss him.”
I love that so much. For both of you, your characters have this very intense and magnetic antagonistic chemistry, and in Episode 6, Nahla has to ask for his help at a great cost to herself. What was it like to turn the tables on that dynamic and add another layer to that relationship and that palpable hatred?
PAUL GIAMATTI: Exciting. Exciting that the whole thing takes a turn there. And it was a very well-written scene. I think they accomplished it really well on the page in a way that was kind of easy to begin to play out. But she discovered this great thing in that scene, which is the moment when she comes back, and she starts to kind of hit me to try to get me to comply, which I remember thinking, “This is brilliant because this is really going to fool people into thinking that I’m going to play along.” I thought, “What a brilliant, interesting choice to find.” But the script had that room where you could find all kinds of interesting things in it, like that.
HUNTER: I also think that it was really important so that I would really, truly, truly, truly be double-crossed.
GIAMATTI: Yes, and it was a brilliant way of doing it.
HUNTER: That Nahla would really take the freaking fall. Not kind of halfway, “Oh, well, I suspected it.” No, I mean to really, hook, line, and sinker, be devastated.
GIAMATTI: To almost sell it in a comedic moment, too, was kind of brilliant because then it’s just like, oof! So when the turnaround comes, it’s even more brutal. Yeah, it was great.
Absolutely. When working with these very intense one-on-ones, can you each recall something, like having her in his face, that each of you did that surprised you and unlocked another layer of your performance?
GIAMATTI: I kept being surprised at how much I wanted to get close to her, kind of get right up on her, and I kept thinking, “Why am I doing this? Why am I getting so strangely like…?” And at that point, there were certain shots that we did, I don’t think it’s in it, where I was almost kind of resting my head on her, and it was like, “What am I doing?” It was interesting because I thought, “What does he really want out of this?” It was odd.
HUNTER: Well, I always thought that maybe I was going to kiss him. I thought there might be a kiss, and I thought, “I cannot betray my crew.” Because it was so bizarre! It was so bizarre. It came out of nowhere.
GIAMATTI: There was an odd kind of attraction.
HUNTER: I was like, “Wow, why didn’t I obey that? I wish I had.” That would have been really horrible to obey it.
GIAMATTI: Interesting.
HUNTER: I had terrible conflicts.
GIAMATTI: Yeah. Very strange. There was a lot of that stuff. The physical thing where I kept wanting to get on her was weird. I was like, “Why am I doing this?” It was interesting.
Well, I mean, love and hate are two sides of the same coin, so that chemistry is very there.
Paul Giamatti Teases a “Very Grand Gesture” Ahead of His Final ‘Starfleet Academy’ Face-Off With Holly Hunter
“I come back with a big move at the end.”
What do you think has changed for Nahla in the 100 years since she lost her son that makes her willing to make such a huge sacrifice for Caleb and the rest of the kids now, that she couldn’t do 100 years ago?
GIAMATTI: Wow.
HUNTER: Well, I think she makes a mistake that she can’t live with. The Federation is a severe outfit at the beginning of this show. At the beginning of Starfleet Academy, they are still recovering from The Burn and from some of the restrictions that they instilled after The Burn. But nevertheless, I think Nahla really takes some of those steps that she was responsible for when she quits. And I think that child, she feels compelled to make that right, as mysterious as that is to search the galaxy for a person who is orphaned, possibly. I love the mysticalness of that, and I love that there was something deeply mysterious about that search. We all make mistakes. I don’t know.
I love that. At the end of this episode, Braka gets away again, but now he’s got a huge, huge price on his head. Can you guys tease what we can look forward to from your next face-off?
GIAMATTI: I come back with a big move at the end, towards the end. I do come back.
HUNTER: A grand gesture.
GIAMATTI: Yeah, with a very grand gesture at the end.
HUNTER: Yeah. And that’s all we could possibly say.
GIAMATTI: That’s all we can possibly say.
Starfleet Academy is available to stream on Paramount+. Stay tuned at Collider for more.
- Release Date
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January 15, 2026
- Network
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Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau
- Directors
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Douglas Aarniokoski
- Writers
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Alex Taub, Tawny Newsome, Kirsten Beyer, Jane Maggs, Kiley Rossetter
The Masked Singer paid tribute to former contestant James Van Der Beek after his death at age 48.
“In loving memory of our Griffin James Van Der Beek. March 8th 1977 – February 11, 2026,” a graphic read in the opening moments of the Fox show’s Wednesday, February 11, episode.
James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, confirmed the actor’s death earlier on Wednesday after a long battle with colorectal cancer. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” Kimberly wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of James. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”
James announced he was battling stage 3 cancer in November 2024 after being diagnosed with the condition the previous year. Despite his health struggles, he appeared as the part-eagle-part-lion amalgamation Griffin on season 13 of The Masked Singer, making it six episodes before he was uncovered by the judges.
“You know, I have a big appreciation for country music, or at least I’m starting to,” James told the crowd in a video package before his elimination in March 2025. “See, after so many years in the spotlight, I moved my family to the country. A place where we could live quietly in nature. The kind of childhood I always dreamed of providing for my kids, and it’s been exactly what my family and I needed.”
He then shared insight into his health journey, hinting that he received some “news that changed everything.”
“It’s been a really tough year. But fortunately, we’ve been able to face this challenge together in our home,” he continued. I would not have gotten through this without them. They make me smile on all the tough days and they’re strong for me when I sometimes can’t be.”
Following his final performance — to “I Had Some Help” by Post Malone and Morgan Wallen — James was joined on stage with Kimberly and their six children: Olivia, Joshua, Annabell, Emilia, Gwendolyn and Jeremiah.
Speaking to People in an exit interview after he was identified, James said that participating in the musical reality series helped take his mind off the heavier aspects of his life.
“What was cool is, the audience didn’t know,” he told the outlet at the time. “So as much as I was dealing with whatever I was dealing with in my trailer and with the world, it was this great escape to be able to put on this mask and just connect with that audience and not have cancer be a part of it at all.”
He added that it had been a “very, very, long time” since he had sung publicly, but that he would “audition all the time for summer stock” as a kid.
“I’d go to open calls that I found in Backstage during my spring break in high school,” he recalled. “That’s what I did. But I never really booked anything that way — I did one musical when I was 17, but I just kind of sang with the ensemble.”
The cast of Dawson’s Creek shared their public support for James Van Der Beek’s cancer battle before his death. “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, wrote via Instagram in February 2026. “There is much […]
Those auditions came to a halt after he was cast as Dawson Leery on The WB’s Dawson’s Creek, a show that ran for six seasons from 1998 to 2003. James costarred alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, Michelle Williams on the series, which followed the adolescent adventures of a group of teens living in small town Massachusetts.
Dawson’s Creek catapulted James to fame on the small — and big — screen, but the actor told People that he was still hoping to take the stage in the future after his success on The Masked Singer.
“I would love to do Broadway,” he shared. “It would be a dream come true.”
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Family vacations are always tough to plan and execute for a number of reasons. The kids swear they went to the bathroom at the last rest stop, only to complain that they have to go again five minutes after you get back on the road. The McDonald’s off the side of the highway are disproportionately expensive, and they always forget your ranch. And sometimes, just sometimes, the destination you plan to spend your company-allotted two weeks of PTO at is the home of a bunch of locals who are fast approaching the 200-year anniversary of what can only be described as a cannibal massacre.
2024’s Get Away focuses entirely on that third scenario, and it has so much fun pushing you into hostile territory that you’ll find no shortage of weird rituals and the kind of splatty, third-act violence any slasher comedy fan will appreciate. Written by Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead in his first solo writing effort, Get Away boasts exactly the kind of irreverent humor you’d expect, specifically the kind that thrives on a suspicious level of nonchalance once things start to spiral out of control.
“We Really Need This”
Get Away starts out simply enough, but continually pushes itself into increasingly uncomfortable territory as it plays out. We’re introduced to Richard (Nick Frost) and his wife Susan (Aisling Bea), along with their son and daughter, Sam (Sebastian Croft) and Jessie (Maisie Ayres). The echoing sentiment we hear from Susan as the family travels to the Swedish island of Svalta is that she really needs this. The implication is clear. She and Richard have been grinding all year to support their family, and this is the only two-week window they have to get some genuine rest and relaxation before heading straight back into the rat race.
The primary reason they’ve chosen to travel to Svalta is to witness a play put on by the locals that commemorates the 200th anniversary of a British quarantine. That quarantine resulted in a small group of survivors who still live on the island today, largely because their ancestors resorted to cannibalism when their food supply dwindled and was never replenished. Whether the family has any direct connection to the islanders isn’t made clear, but it still feels like a strange place to spend your only family vacation.
Almost immediately upon arrival, the family is met with anger, hostility, and resentment, as if they’re intruding on something deeply personal. Dead animals are left at their bed and breakfast doorstep, it appears someone has been rummaging through their belongings while they’re out exploring, and Jessie begins to suspect there are hidden mirror doorways in the house, implying someone may be watching her while she sleeps.
Get Away hits its boiling point during the ceremony the family traveled to see, when it becomes clear that not everything on the island is what it seems. After a series of traumatizing incidents that are best left undescribed so you can experience them firsthand, the family realizes they’re grossly outnumbered by the locals and decides to reclaim their dignity through whatever means necessary before leaving the island for good.
Predictable Until It’s Not
During its first and second acts, Get Away plays out like a classic folk horror setup. A group of outsiders arrives somewhere they clearly shouldn’t be, and the people who already live there participate in increasingly bizarre rituals that would make most people leave before they’re sacrificed to some sort of blood demon. Get Away subverts those expectations through Richard and Susan’s family, because they seem oddly at peace with everything happening around them.
They know they aren’t welcome on the island of Svalta, but they don’t care. This is their vacation. This is their only chance to relax and spend time together before heading back to their everyday lives, and they refuse to let a bunch of strange locals ruin it. Most of the humor in Get Away comes from this tonal clash, and Nick Frost’s friendly, straight-faced approach to what most people would consider a nightmare scenario is oddly wholesome.
If you start to feel restless during what appears to be a lack of conflict, all you have to do is wait for the third act, when things go completely off the rails and the film turns into a violent battle of wills. It all builds toward one of the most out-of-pocket twist endings you’ve probably seen in a hot minute.
Get Away is a satisfying watch if you’re already a fan of Nick Frost’s screen presence and delivery, and his performance is further elevated by Aisling Bea, Sebastian Croft, and Maisie Ayres. On screen, they play the perfect English family trying to charm their way out of an insane situation, while also hinting that they’re not to be underestimated. Sometimes the most polite people are exactly the ones you don’t want to mess with.
As of this writing, Get Away is streaming for free on Tubi.
Recently, it was announced that HBO will adapt 2023’s Game of the Year, Baldur’s Gate 3. So far, it has been confirmed that Craig Mazin was tapped as showrunner and teased what the series would be about. While an official cast list has yet to be announced, another big name has been added to the team, not in television, but in the Dungeons & Dragons space.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a role-playing video game developed by Larian Studios, which takes place in the Dungeons & Dragons setting called the Forgotten Realms. After escaping a Mind Flayer ship, you and your companions attempt to find a solution to remove a parasitic tadpole before you turn into a Mind Flayer yourself. As you attempt to make your way to Baldur’s Gate, secrets and backstories are revealed, as well as uncovering a conspiracy that’s connected to a dangerous cult. What made Baldur’s Gate 3 beloved by many was the different outcomes it offered based on your actions and dialogue choices, the performance of its cast, how some of the game’s moments became internet memes, and how it’s reminiscent of playing actual D&D.
While Mazin has proven he can produce a good video game adaptation, as seen in The Last of Us, Baldur’s Gate 3 is different in terms of gameplay and storytelling, so it makes sense to tap someone with experience in the genre. According to Popverse, Chris Perkins, the former Head of Story at Wizards of the Coast and now part of Critical Role’s Darrington Press, has been tapped as a consultant. Perkins worked with Wizards of the Coast back in 1997 and was heavily involved with Dungeons & Dragons, serving as a senior producer, story manager, Lead story designer for 2016’s Curse of Strahd, and more. Knowing that Hasbro is also involved in the adaptation, it’s safe to say that this adaptation is in good hands, for now.
Will Larian Studios Also Be Involved With HBO’s ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ Series?
HBO’s Baldur’s Gate 3 series is set to take place after the events of the 2023 video game. However, due to the multiple endings that Baldur’s Gate 3 has, it’s unknown which ending it’s going to follow, if any at all. It’s a similar issue that Fallout Season 2 had to overcome in how it would address the many endings of New Vegas. Mazin has expressed his passion for Baldur’s Gate 3, stating he has put “nearly 1,000 hours” into the game and praising Larian Studios’ CEO, Swen Vincke, and his team for bringing this story to life.
Unfortunately, Larian Studios isn’t involved in the upcoming series. Vincke released a statement on social media, saying he’s eager to see which direction Craig and his team will take, both creatively and narratively. But when asked if any of Larian’s writers were going to consult the show, he replied with:
“Not to my knowledge. But Craig did reach out to ask if he could come over to the studio to speak with us. From the conversation we had, I think he truly is a big fan, which gives me hope.”
This was also confirmed by The Game Awards host, Geoff Keighley, who revealed on social media that Larian Studios has “no involvement” in the series.
HBO’s adaptation of Baldur’s Gate 3 has yet to announce a release date. Follow Collider to stay up to date with the latest updates.
- Released
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August 3, 2023
- ESRB
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M
- Developer(s)
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Larian Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Larian Studios
- Franchise
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Baldur’s Gate
Cody Rhodes
I Want To See Logan Paul Vs. Bad Bunny
… At WrestleMania!!!
Published
TMZSports.com
WrestleMania is now only just over 60 days away, and while Cody Rhodes isn’t paid to be the matchmaker in WWE … he tells TMZ Sports there’s one he would love to see in Sin City come April — Logan Paul vs. Bad Bunny!!
We caught up with the former Undisputed WWE Champion in New York City, where we asked him whether he hopes BB finds his way back to the WWE in time for WrestleMania 42.
“I hope we get him back,” Rhodes said. “He did a wonderful job, but he’s on top of the world right now.”
Of course, he’s talking about how the Puerto Rico native just put together the fourth most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in NFL history, with 128.2 million tuning in to watch the “DtMF” singer.
BTW … while he did call his show an “all-timer” … he still has Prince‘s Super Bowl performance from 2007 as his favorite.
Back to the WWE, Bad Bunny is no stranger to stepping inside the squared circle. His last appearance came in May 2023 — in his home country of Puerto Rico — in a San Juan Street Fight against Damian Priest.
When asked who could go up against Bad Bunny … he opted for LP … who has established himself as a legit WWE Superstar since making his in-ring debut in April 2021.
BB does have shows scheduled until March, with a break until May, so maybe he can find some spare time to make his highly anticipated return!
34 years ago, Kevin Costner starred in this newly trending must-watch thriller, one of the movies that contributed to his prominence. As fans know, Costner has been in the industry since the 70s, appearing in a wide range of films across genres after making his film debut in the 1981 indie project Sizzle Beach, U.S.A. Of late, many recognize him from Taylor Sheridan’s acclaimed TV series Yellowstone, which ran from June 20, 2018, to December 15, 2024. Costner, who also executive-produced, portrayed John Dutton in the Western drama, marking the first regular TV series role of his career.
Speaking of the brilliant titles that contributed to Costner’s prominence, we have 1987’s The Untouchables, the sports comedy Bull Durham, released the following year, Field of Dreams (1989), and the 1992 romantic thriller The Bodyguard, which is making a surprise comeback on streaming. Directed by Mick Jackson and written by Lawrence Kasdan, The Bodyguard was the second-highest-grossing film of 1992, despite receiving mostly unfavorable reviews from critics. It also starred Whitney Houston in her movie acting debut, Gary Kemp, Bill Cobbs, Ralph Waite, Tomas Arana, Mike Starr, DeVaughn Nixon, and Gerry Bamman.
In the U.S., The Bodyguard surfaced on MGM+ charts a few hours ago, marking the first time in months since the cult classic has appeared on streaming charts. The romantic thriller is the tenth most-watched title on the streamer as of this writing, right behind Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning. Meanwhile, leading the list is Kaley Cuoco and Sam Claflin’s miniseries Vanished. Additionally, The Bodyguard is trending on the iTunes chart in Lebanon.
What Is ‘The Bodyguard’ About?
In The Bodyguard, Costner portrays Frank Farmer, a former Secret Service agent who served on the Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan presidential details. Farmer is also a professional bodyguard whom Bill Devaney (Cobbs) engages when best-selling pop diva Rachel Marron (Houston) is threatened by an obsessive, dangerous stalker. Initially resented and treated with disdain for his hard-nosed security procedures, Farmer soon becomes an integral part of Rachel’s inner circle, and as they spend more time together, the client and protector grow closer. The Bodyguard grossed $411 million worldwide but holds a critics’ rating of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes and received multiple Golden Raspberry Awards nominations, including for Worst Picture. Still, that didn’t stop the classic drama from developing a cult following over time.
The Bodyguard streams on MGM+. Stick with Collider for more information.
- Release Date
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November 25, 1992
- Runtime
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129 Minutes
- Director
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Mick Jackson
Early Presidents’ Day Deals
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Yeah, it’s already February. How are those New Year’s resolutions going?
Well, just in case you’ve already worn holes in your runners or … not even started yet … we have the perfect solution for you!
That’s right … early President’s Day deals on fitness gear!
Check out our curated list, below!
TMZ CHEAT SHEET: Presidents’ Day Fitness Deals
Weighing in at anywhere between one and fifteen pounds, check out these Dumbbells sets!
Pick between at least 10 different colors, 10 different weights, and enjoy the perfect at-home weight set up that will prove to be all you need to get shredded!
Next up, we’re lifting this Kettlebell deal right into your hands!
It has an adjustable weight mechanism, and locks that will be as easy to use the first time as they are the 100th time. Whether you’re looking for an easy workout, or feeling the weight of the whole country in your hands, these kettlebells will do the job!
New special deals means new kicks, and ladies, it’s time to revamp the shoes that might’ve been damaged throughout the winter. These Women’s New Balance shoes are the answer!
They come in over a dozen colors to choose from, and are built to keep you comfortable while you’re out there grinding!
Yoga Mat Towel
Get your asana on with this Yoga Mat Towel two-set that is perfect for those hot yoga sessions.
It comes in blue, grey, navy, and violet, and provides you both the comfort you need for getting into all kinds of wonky flexing poses … and saves you the trouble of using a sleeve or arm to wipe the sweat off your brow.
Lastly, just as your health and wellness goals start to go down the drain at the end of the first month of the year, let’s revitalize your efforts with this Apple Watch!
This Apple Watch knows you a whole lot better than maybe even you! It can spot signs of chronic high blood pressure. It tracks your sleep! And it can remind you when to stand up during the day, so you don’t get too complacent!
Sign up for Amazon Prime to get the best deals!
All prices subject to change.
Entertainment
James Van Der Beek's widow asks for help to support their 6 kids after his death: Family 'out of funds'
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The “Dawson’s Creek” star died at 48, after battling colorectal cancer.
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Have you ever woken up the day after a crazy night out with little recollection of what happened the night before, how you got home, or who you interacted with? This is a safe place. It’s okay to admit that we’ve all been irresponsible at one point or another, and this is a pretty common story. You check your bank account and cringe at how much the surge-priced Uber ride home cost, then feel physically sick when you realize that despite your inebriated state you still ordered pizza for delivery. The same pizza that’s now sitting at your front door, untouched and uneaten.
While what I’m describing sounds like a college student blacking out after going a little too hard on a bar crawl, it’s not far off from what happens in 2025’s Ash, a sci-fi horror thriller centered on a disoriented protagonist who wakes up with no memory of what happened to her crew, why they’re all dead and she’s not, or what she did to end up in this situation. In this case, though, there was no party. Instead, there’s a mind-controlling alien infection that pushes its hosts toward violence. The anxiety is exactly the same, though. She was living her life, blacked out, woke up, and now has to deal with the consequences of whatever the hell happened at her station.
The Worst Kind Of Blackout
Ash does an excellent job forcing Riya’s (Eiza Gonzalez) anxiety onto the audience through her fractured memories and disoriented state as she wakes up to discover that everyone aboard her ship is dead. She doesn’t know who killed her crew, but she has flashes of violent confrontations that feel like out-of-body experiences. She digs through ship logs and crew notes, trying to piece together a chain of events that makes sense, but there’s simply too much missing information for her to form a coherent narrative.
When Riya is greeted by Brion (Aaron Paul), things begin to fall into place, at least on the surface. Brion explains that they’re stationed on a mysterious, Earth-like planet known as K.O.I-442, nicknamed Ash, and that the crew succumbed to a deadly alien substance that compromised the mission by overriding their behavior. Brion claims he observed the chaos from a distance, but now needs to understand exactly what Riya saw or did in order to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to this outcome.
Brion knows the crew died violently, but still has no clear explanation for how Adhi (Iko Uwais), Kevin (Beulah Koale), Catherine Clarke (Kate Elliott), and Shawn Davis (Flying Lotus) met their bloody ends. Brain scans and memory tests slowly suggest that Riya herself is responsible for the carnage, though the evidence points toward defensive actions rather than premeditated violence. The crew had been infected, and the infection makes its hosts unpredictable and aggressive.
As more memories resurface in Ash, Riya grows increasingly unsure whether Brion’s version of events is reliable. She becomes fixated on the fact that he only arrives after everyone else is already dead, which raises uncomfortable questions about his timing and motives. Unsure whether she can trust Brion or even her own fractured mind, Riya is left to piece together the previous days on her own, spiraling further as the details refuse to lock into place.
Low-Budget Sci-Fi Horror Done Right
Though the exact financials are not widely available, Ash has been reported to have been produced on a modest budget of around $500,000, and that restraint works in its favor. The film tells a harrowing, isolated story with very few locations, effectively functioning as a bottle movie set in deep space. Limited environments, flashing warning lights, and malfunctioning computer systems do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to generating tension and dread as Riya struggles to understand how her entire crew was wiped out.
Eiza Gonzalez and Aaron Paul elevate the premise through their effortlessly uneasy on-screen chemistry. They’re forced to operate as allies even though Riya has every reason to be suspicious of Brion, the only other person she can interact with. Communications are down, the station is compromised, oxygen is running low, and Brion seems far more interested in sedating her and running tests than in finding a clear escape plan. That imbalance keeps the tension simmering in every shared scene.
The violence in Ash is sparse but effective. Most of the bloodshed appears in fleeting fragments through Riya’s resurfacing memories, letting the audience imagine what happened rather than laying it all out explicitly. It’s a smart low-budget decision. You don’t need to show the monster in full until it’s absolutely necessary, and that restraint keeps the illusion intact.
Ash follows familiar genre rhythms seen in films like Alien and Underwater, but it never feels like a carbon copy. Its claustrophobic dread comes from uncertainty rather than constant action, forcing the viewer to sit with unanswered questions. As Riya slowly reconstructs the truth behind her situation, you’re left to determine what actually happened, who can be trusted, and whether there’s even a viable way home once the dust settles.
Ash is currently streaming on Hulu.
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