Entertainment
10 Non-Fiction Books You Must Read in 2026
There’s an almost infinite number of exceptional fiction books that are very much worth reading in 2026, but there’s one literary genre that tends to be awfully underrated in casual reading culture, and that’s non-fiction. It’s a genre that has produced not just a few, but a myriad of the greatest books ever written, and many of those books should be considered essential reading in 2026.
Maybe they deal with awfully timely subject matter, like AI or politics, or there’s a movie from the past few years that was based on them, or simply because they’re so exceptional that they’re always worth reading. No matter the reason, the best time to read these non-fiction masterpieces is now. For non-fiction veterans and the uninitiated alike, they should prove to be a delight to read.
‘H is for Hawk’ (2014)
Starring Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson, Philippa Lowthorpe‘s H is for Hawk saw its wide release earlier this year. As solid as the movie is, though, it doesn’t even come close to the level of quality of the memoir that it was based on. The book tells the story of Helen Macdonald, and the year she spent training a Eurasian goshawk following her father’s death.
The book was a critical and commercial success immediately upon publication, and it isn’t hard to see why. It’s a beautifully honest and vulnerable meditation on grief and healing, Macdonald never shying away from the darkest parts of her story. But far from just being morose, H is for Hawk also throws in plenty of gorgeous nature writing and even a biography-within-a-memoir of English writer TH White.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ (2017)
It has been three years since Martin Scorsese demonstrated with Killers of the Flower Moon, one of the heaviest crime movies of all time, that he’s still perfectly capable of making cinematic masterpieces. But even though it has been that long, both the film and the David Grann book Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, chronicling the history of the Osage murders, still feel terrifyingly relevant.
It’s an absolutely riveting yet undeniably soul-crushing work, a tale of murder and betrayal that’s just as much about its characters as it is about the American frontier itself. Thanks to Grann’s combination of meticulous research with the pacing and structure of a gripping detective thriller, Killers of the Flower Moon ends up being thought-provoking and a page-turner in equal measure.
‘The Last Kings of Hollywood: Coppola, Lucas, Spielberg—and the Battle for the Soul of American Cinema’ (2026)
Every year, countless books about countless different topics related to the film industry are published. However, it’s not every year that we get one as insightful, enjoyable, or impeccably written as Paul Fischer‘s The Last Kings of Hollywood. Over just a little under 500 pages, the book follows the many ways in which Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg revolutionized Hollywood and cinema as a whole.
The 1970s were perhaps the most transformative decade in the history of the Seventh Art, and these three filmmakers were such important players in that transformation that they’ve become quasi-deities to cinephiles around the world. With its intricately researched behind-the-scenes stories, The Last Kings of Hollywood manages to both deeply humanize these three auteurs and further enshrine their myths at the same time.
‘Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly’ (2000)
Rarely has the world been treated to human beings quite as fascinating as American chef, writer, and travel documentarian Anthony Bourdain. Before Matt Johnson‘s Tony inevitably becomes one of A24’s best coming-of-age movies, even those who have never even heard of Bourdain ought to check out Kitchen Confidential, part memoir and part unfiltered look at life in high-end restaurant kitchens.
Bolstered by Bourdain’s raw honesty, delightful wit, and highly conversational style, Kitchen Confidential is more than just a fascinating look behind the scenes at the chaos, mayhem, and lack of luxury of upscale kitchens. It’s a love letter to passion itself, a funny, astute, and fast-paced account that anyone who’s ever worked under high pressure should be able to relate to.
‘The Four Agreements’ (1997)
The self-help genre is often looked down on even by those who love non-fiction, and it’s not difficult to understand why. After all, it’s a space full of superficiality and emotional exploitation. However, there are more than a handful of self-help book masterpieces out there that are always worth reading, and The Four Agreements is one of them. Written by Mexican author Miguel Ruiz, it’s a sort of code of conduct based on Toltec teachings to improve one’s life.
The reason why The Four Agreements is a must-read in 2026 is that it’s the sort of beautifully simple and immensely powerful self-help book that’s always relevant and beneficial. “Be impeccable with your word,” “don’t take anything personally,” “don’t make assumptions,” and “always do your best” are the four titular lessons that Ruiz teaches. They may seem simple, but that’s precisely what makes them so helpful.
‘On Tyranny’ (2017)
Timothy Snyder is an American historian of 20th-century Europe, specializing in Central and Eastern Europe and the Holocaust. On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century is the culmination of a life’s work of deep research. Focusing on the titular concept of tyranny in the context of modern-day United States, Snyder examines the country’s gradual turn toward authoritarianism.
It has only gotten more and more terrifyingly timely and relevant as time has gone on, regardless of where the reader is from.
The book was written almost a decade ago, and somehow, it has only gotten more and more terrifyingly timely and relevant as time has gone on, regardless of where the reader is from. Comparing American politics to how democracies transformed into dictatorships in 20th-century Europe, On Tyranny offers an incredibly short yet potently thought-provoking instruction manual on how to fight the rise of tyranny.
‘If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies’ (2025)
Plenty of topics have become particularly relevant in 2026, and Artificial Intelligence may very well be at the very top of that list. Many fascinating books on the topic have been written throughout the 21st century, but those written over the last couple of years have become particularly relevant—and the best of the bunch is Eliezer Yudkowsky and Nate Soares‘ If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies: Why Superhuman AI Will Kill Us All.
In it, Yudkowsky and Soares detail an intricately researched account of the potential threats of the ever-growing artificial superintelligence. It’s definitely not a perfect book, but it’s one that feels awfully necessary to read in 2026. It’s as scary as it is intelligent and easy to read, and only time will tell whether its conclusions will age as prophetic or completely out of touch. For now, they are at least worth entertaining.
‘The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History’ (2014)
In The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, American author and The New Yorker journalist Elizabeth Kolbert argues that Earth is currently undergoing a human-provoked sixth extinction, comparing it to mass extinction events from the past. As far as non-fiction goes, it’s arguably one of the best books of all time, an absolutely fascinating and perfectly researched masterpiece that earned Kolbert the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 2015.
What’s best about The Sixth Extinction is that Kolbert is a master of distilling even the most complicated scientific concepts down to perfectly understandable prose, making it the sort of book that anyone old enough to understand should read at least once. Over a decade later, the book’s core scientific framework and historical analysis don’t feel dated in the slightest.
‘Angela’s Ashes’ (1996)
Irish-American author Frank McCourt‘s Angela’s Ashes is one of the best books of the ’90s, a masterfully written memoir that travels through his early childhood in Brooklyn, his life in Ireland, his family’s struggles with poverty, and his father’s alcoholism. Winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, it truly is one of the best-written memoirs in history.
Angela’s Ashes turns 30 years old this year, and that should give anyone—whether they’re non-fiction fans or not—the perfect excuse to give it a read in case they never have. Told with prose that blends heartfelt tragedy with an unexpected sense of humor tremendously well, the book is an absolute masterclass in memoir-writing which has aged like fine wine.
‘In Cold Blood’ (1966)
The fact that Truman Capote‘s In Cold Blood turns 60 years old this year is but one of a myriad of reasons why it’s a masterpiece still worth reading not just in 2026, but any year. The book details the 1959 Clutter family murders, Capote having traveled to Kansas to write about the crime before the killers were even captured, accompanied by fellow author and friend Harper Lee.
In Cold Blood was an instant critical and commercial success and is still one of the best books of the 1960s. Widely regarded as the grandfather of the true crime genre and revolutionary for non-fiction as a whole, In Cold Blood is one of the most important literary works of the 20th century. Capote was reportedly disappointed that the book failed to earn him the Pulitzer Prize, but the court of public opinion is ultimately what matters most, and the verdict is that In Cold Blood is one of the best-written books of all time.
“Real Housewives of New Jersey“ stars Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga reconciled in November 2025 after multiple years of feuding. Now, months later, after filming the most recent “RHONJ” season, the self-proclaimed “Queen of New Jersey” is opening up about where she stands with her sister-in-law and why they reconciled.
This comes as Giudice appears on Bravo’s newest limited series, “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th,” as one of the seven principal cast members. The others are Vicki Gunvalson, Porsha Williams, Luann de Lesseps, Kyle Richards, Gizelle Bryant, and Lisa Barlow.
Giudice and the main cast of “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th” appeared on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live” on August 9 following the show’s premiere episode. During the appearance, she was asked what led to her and Gorga burying the proverbial hatchet.
Giudice responded, stating that filming Fox’s “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Race” with her daughter, Gia Giudice, was part of the motivating factor, noting that she wanted to set a positive example for all four of her daughters.
According to her, “I’m always thinking as a mom, you know, ‘what kind of lesson can I teach my daughters,’ so I was like, ‘I’m not fighting.’ I wanna show her that I’m gonna end the fighting.” Notably, Giudice said her feelings were first directed at her ex, Joe Giudice, but she later directed them at her brother, Joe Gorga, and his wife, Melissa.
She Opened Up About Reaching Out To Joe And Melissa Gorga
Giudice continued, going into some detail about her process of reaching out to Joe and Melissa. According to her, “So, I texted my brother, and I said, ‘Do you want to meet? Let’s meet together and let’s talk.” From there, she shared that “ever since that day it’s been great.”
After that, Andy Cohen asked Giudice how filming season 15 of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” with Joe, Melissa, and the rest of the cast had gone. She said, “Amazing. Yeah, it was great.” Cohen then stated that this was the first time in “15 seasons” that Giudice had enjoyed filming the show.
Melissa Gorga Recently Opened Up About Her Relationship With Teresa Giudice
Melissa interviewed with E! News in August 2026 while at the premiere event for “The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: Roaring 20th.” During the chat, she was asked for an update on her relationship with Giudice, and she said they were in a great place.
In regard to ending their feud, Melissa said, “That’s what it’s all about. We were so proud that we were able to turn it around, and maybe we can be an example for people who think they’re never going to speak to their family members again.”
Melissa continued reflecting by sharing advice for other families who had similar drama, saying, “If we can do it, anyone can.” Additionally, she also spoke about the upcoming 15th season of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” noting that “the season finale ended with a bang.”
Teresa Recently Celebrated Four Years Of Marriage
According to PEOPLE, Giudice began dating Luis Ruelas in July 2020 and then tied the knot with him in August 2022. Now, most recently, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star took to Instagram to highlight their fourth wedding anniversary.
She did so by posting several photos from the occasion and including a lengthy caption. She began, “Happy 4th Anniversary to my Love, the man who makes me feel like a queen every single day. Four years ago, I married my best friend, my greatest blessing, and the love of my life.”
Giudice continued, “Every morning I wake up beside you, I’m reminded how lucky I am. If I had to choose you all over again, I would—365 days a year, forever and always.”
Toward the end of the post, she added, “My man, my forever, my everything—I love you more than words could ever express. Here’s to celebrating us today and to a lifetime of waking up beside each other, laughing together, loving each other, and growing old hand in hand.”
The ‘RHONJ’ Star Has A New Book Coming Out
Giudice announced in June 2026 that she was set to release a new memoir, “The Queen of New Jersey.” It comes from Ballast Books and will be released on November 17. Notably, this is the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star’s third memoir, following her most recent, 2017’s ‘Standing Strong.”
She said on Instagram about the book, “Life has taught me so much — about family, loyalty, strength, forgiveness, and what it truly means to rise. Every time I fell, I got back up stronger. I can’t wait for you all to read The Queen of New Jersey and share this journey with me.”
If you know Jordyn Lucas, you know Drake has been on her list for a minute! So when the streamer finally got the chance to meet the Toronto rapper during his viral speed-dating stream, she made sure to enjoy every second and leave with $25,000 and a Birkin bag!
Related: Jordyn Lucas Puts Skai Jackson On Blast As Streamer University Drama Has The Internet Talking (VIDEO)
Jordyn Lucas Finally Meets Drake & Leaves With $25K And A Birkin
On Saturday, Aug. 9, Drake hopped on stream with comedian BenDaDon for a 20-v-1 speed-dating session that had the internet tuned in. After meeting several women, Drake narrowed the group down to three finalists, with streamer Jordyn Lucas among them.
Jordyn has openly expressed her admiration for the Toronto rapper and her longtime desire to meet him. When Jordyn finally found herself face-to-face with Drake, she definitely made the most of the moment she’d been waiting for. Making the moment even more unforgettable, the rapper surprised her with $25,000 and a Birkin bag.
In a caption shared alongside footage from their interaction, Jordyn wrote, “my husband, my lover, my lifeline, I’ve waited my whole life for this moment & it’s been confirmed… we belong together. thank u for my BIRKIN & 25k dada man 🧊 @Drake”
But Jordyn wasn’t the only woman Drake showed love to during the stream. Drake also gifted finalist Lena The Plug $25,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip. He additionally revealed plans to buy another woman a brand-new house for her mother.
Social Media Is Living For Jordyn’s Drake Moment
As clips from the stream made their rounds online, social media quickly filled up with reactions to Jordyn’s big moment.
Instagram user @xijeoma wrote, “Drake loves making women happy”
Another Instagram user @yonnawitnoooooooglockk_.ptt2 wrote, “Actually love this for her, she always loved Drake down this been her dream”
While Instagram user @mayyaiko wrote, “When will it be my turn wtf?”
Instagram user @wynnbougie wrote, “Laughing him right out his draws period Jordyn”
Another Instagram user @moonlit.melanin_ wrote, “Lmfaoooo not name the bay deshae 😂😂😂 he so messy”
While Instagram user @og.prettycee wrote, “He the trickest trick that ever did trick and I ain’t mad at it 😌”
Instagram user @iambiglavissh wrote, “She deserves that, happy for her 👏🏾❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️”
Another Instagram user @iiam.ashhb wrote, “She got me blushing like Im there wtf, I love this for her sooo bad”
While Instagram user @lilx.lyz wrote, “Yooo she really manifested this 😂”
Deshae Frost Reacts After Drake Name-Drops Him During Jordyn Date
Deshae Frost also had a moment of his own after Drake name-dropped him during his one-on-one date with Jordyn. During the date, Jordyn asked Drake what he would name their daughter, and his response definitely caught her off guard: “Deshae,” referring to her ex-boyfriend and content creator, Deshae Frost.
Desha quickly took to X after hearing his name mentioned, declaring himself “OVO Frost.” He also had the internet cracking up with his reaction on stream.
Watch below:
Related: Uh-Oh! Saucy Santana & Deshae Frost Have Internet Users Crackin’ UP After Running From Apparent Alligator During Livestream (WATCH)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Star’s Sundance Hit Coming-of-Age Drama Gets Sizzling First Trailer [Exclusive]
The 2026 Sundance Film Festival was a particularly bittersweet entry in the long-running cinematic event. Not only was it the first iteration since the death of its legendary founder, Robert Redford, but it was also the last to take place in its long-time home of Park City, Utah, with next year moving to Boulder, Colorado. However, the spirit of Sundance was not dampened, as critics and other attendees were treated to an impressive selection of features from new and established voices alike, from the acclaimed Grand Jury and Audience Award winner Josephine starring Channing Tatum to the starry The Invite, which A24 snapped up for a pretty penny. Among the standouts was the feature directorial debut of Paloma Schneideman, Big Girls Don’t Cry, which still owns a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Set in idyllic rural New Zealand in 2006, Big Girls Don’t Cry tells the coming-of-age story of a 14-year-old named Sid Bookman, played by newcomer Ani Palmer. During a summer break in the age of instant messaging, Sid finds herself seeking the validation and attention of a group of older girls amid her own blossoming sexual curiosity, losing sight of who she really is at heart in the process. Enter The Summer I Turned Pretty star Rain Spencer, who plays her older sister’s new American friend, Freya, who has a unique understanding of Sid and notices the path of destruction she’s going down in trying to get in with the cutthroat clique. Ahead of its theatrical release, Collider can exclusively share the official trailer, teasing the growing pains ahead as Sid explores her desires.
At the start of the footage, Sid looks lost in her rural New Zealand home, unsure of what to do with her Christmas break. Her desire to mingle with the cool, wealthy, out-of-town teens hanging out at the pool and having fun in the sun spurs her to message her crush, imagining herself as part of her circle. Once the effortlessly captivating Freya arrives, though, she starts to break out of her shell, finding someone willing to get to really know her even as she starts wading into the party scene where she’s pushed into uncomfortable territory. While she undoubtedly makes memories, Sid also finds herself up against her artist father, who struggles to understand what’s going through her head, and her own queer adolescent awkwardness and recklessness, as she embraces other identities to fit in and creates chaos along the way. It’s Freya, however, that reminds her who actually cares about her. Between her best friend, Freya, and the vicious crowd she falls in with, she’s bound for a transformative, messy summer wrestling with who she is and who she pretends to be.
‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’ Has Been a Darling on the Festival Circuit
Rounding out the main cast of Big Girls Don’t Cry as Sid’s father is Game of Thrones alum Noah Taylor, with Beatrix Rain Wolfe, Ngataitangirua Hita, and Sophia Kirkwood Smith among the supporting group. The LGBTQ+ drama emerged from the A Wave in the Ocean program created by two-time Oscar-winning The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion, who also served as an executive producer. Since its Sundance debut, it has only continued to make a splash at other film festivals, even winning top honors at the Biarritz Film Festival. Collider’s Taylor Gates hailed Schneideman’s debut in her 8/10 review, highlighting Palmer’s breakout turn and saying “The performances, combined with the dreamy score and stunning visuals, elevate the coming-of-age tale into something special.”
Big Girls Don’t Cry arrives in theaters this October. Check out the exclusive trailer in the player above.
- Release Date
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January 24, 2026
- Runtime
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100 minutes
- Director
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Paloma Schneideman
- Writers
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Paloma Schneideman
- Producers
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Vicky Pope, Thomas Coppell
Cast
Hercule Poirot has been solving mysteries now for over a century, and he has become exceedingly efficient at it. As you’d expect. If you’re not good at something after 100 years what’s even the point any more? Well, he must be bored because the world’s most famous Belgian detective is preparing to solve mysteries once again in an ambitious new reboot that plans to introduce him to a generation that may only know him as the fella with the funny mustache.
Created by Agatha Christie in 1920’s The Mysterious Affair at Styles, Hercule Poirot went on to appear in 33 novels, two plays and more than 50 short stories, becoming one of the most celebrated detectives in literary history. BBC‘s synopsis of the new series states:
The series is an intimate study of Hercule Poirot the man and an epic portrait of Britain between the wars. The series will centre around three of Christie’s early stories, while also introducing Hercule Poirot to future friends and allies and one particular nemesis…
Reports had suggested that it could stretch to three seasons, while Benji Walters (Obsession) is attached to write the series. No plot details as yet but it’s not like there’s a dearth of Christie novels from which to pillage some kind of story.
Poirot is a fixture of stage and screen, and has been for decades now. Most famously, he was played by David Suchet, who portrayed Poirot on ITV between 1989 and 2013. More recently, Kenneth Branagh brought Poirot to the big screen in Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile and A Haunting in Venice, while John Malkovich offered a darker interpretation in the BBC’s The ABC Murders.
Who Stars in ‘Hercule’?
Edward Bluemel (Killing Eve) is taking on the role of Poirot for this saga, while he’s joined by
Henry Ashton (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder), James D’Arcy (Oppenheimer, Constellations), Calvin Demba (Supacell, Life), Phil Dunning (Smoggie Queens, Am I Being Unreasonable?), Jack Gleeson (House of Guinness, In the Land of the Saints and Sinners), Tamsin Greig (Riot Women, Friday Night Dinner), James Nesbitt (Cold Feet, Run Away), Guy Remmers (The Buccaneers, Lessons), Rebecca Rittenhouse (His & Hers, Maggie), and Mawaan Rizwan (Juice, The Split Up).
Production is set to begin on Hercule shortly in Liverpool, England, with BBC aiming for a 2027 release.
- Release Date
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February 9, 2022
- Runtime
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127 minutes
- Writers
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Michael Green
“Real Housewives of Atlanta” alum Kandi Burruss shared a heartwarming message for her ex-husband, Todd Tucker, on his 53rd birthday. Burruss’ special post comes months after the pair finalized their divorce after 11 years of marriage.
Burruss took to Instagram last week to shout out her ex-husband, Tucker, for his milestone birthday. The post featured images of Burruss and Tucker posing with their children and a separate photo of Tucker cheesing wide on the red carpet. “Happy birthday @todd167!!!!! I pray this next year brings you joy & success! Keep living your best life,” she captioned the photo.
Tucker reshared the photo to his Instagram Stories and created a post of his own. “My life is like a new album, a range of emotions!” he wrote. “I hope you have enjoyed sharing my journey. I’m not perfect, but I’m working at it! Live, Love, Laugh!”
Kandi Burruss Announced Plans To Divorce Todd Tucker In Late November 2025
Burruss announced her plans to divorce Tucker in November 2025, per The Blast.
“I’m stepping into a new chapter pouring into my work, my family, and my own growth. I’m grateful to everyone who supported us throughout the years, and I ask for privacy, grace, and understanding as we navigate this transition with our family,” she said at BravoCon.
“To Todd, thank you for surviving the blogs, the shade, the rumors, the lies, the truth, the almost fights, the actual fights, the reunions,” she added.
The pair were married for 11 years before divorcing; however, things weren’t always sunshine and rainbows. Over the years, fans saw their ups and downs play out before the camera, leading to drama and tears.
Kandi Burruss Admitted That Things Were Getting Ugly Between Her And Tucker
During their divorce, Burruss and Tucker made headlines after reports revealed the pair had reached a crossroads over their signed prenuptial agreement. During a livestream, Burruss answered a fan question about Tucker and revealed she saw him in a different light after going through this.
“I hope. I hope we get to be friends,” she said. “That would be my goal.”
“But you know when you’re going through the divorce, people get on your nerves, and you really start looking at them differently,” she added.
Burruss Talks Co-Parenting With Tucker
Since their divorce, Burruss and Tucker are on good terms, and the former “Real Housewives” star spoke with the media about how she and Tucker have handled co-parenting.
“We co-parent well,” she said. “Whatever’s gonna make the kids happy. Like, they wanna ‘Oh, why can’t we all take a trip together?’ OK, you want us both on the trip? We gonna figure out how to do this co-parenting thing on a trip. Now, I ain’t ever think I would have said, like, back in the day if you would have asked me, I would have been like, ‘What?!’ But now I’m like, ‘OK, let’s keep it friendly.’”
Burruss Is Still Rooting For ‘The Real Housewives Of Atlanta’
While some details about Burruss’ divorce from Tucker leaked online, it remained largely private, as the Xscape singer departed the show a year earlier.
“It’s been 14 seasons, and they allowed us to sit around for a little too long, but during that time I had started working on a lot of other things, and I got some nice big projects coming soon, so I’m super excited about those things,” Burruss said, per The Blast.
But even though she’s left the show behind, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want it to do well. She said during a recent podcast interview that even while she’s off the show, she’s rooting for its continued success.
“I think it’s important to continue to support the franchise even though I’m not there because I was there for 14 seasons, and I want them to be successful,” she said. “I want ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ to continue on another 15 years.”
Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for ‘The Last House’
Summary
Coming off his Oscar nomination for The Secret Agent, actor Wagner Moura took some time to promote his upcoming Netflix thriller, The Last House, from director Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Fast X). Moura’s well known for his heart-pounding work in action and drama like Narcos, The Gray Man, and Civil War, but in a conversation with Collider’s Steven Weintraub, he admits this single-location mystery gave him a run for his money.
Now streaming on Netflix, The Last House is a sci-fi slow burn about a family of four trapped in their home as a mysterious threat waits outside. Moura plays opposite Past Lives standout Greta Lee, and Gabriel Barbosa (May December), Emma Ho (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), Noah Alexander Sosnowski (Section 8) and Riley Chung (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes).
In this interview, which you can watch in the video above, with a transcript below, Moura discusses why The Last House was an unexpectedly demanding shoot, and reveals his thoughts on the ending and who really survives. He also teases one of his many upcoming projects, working alongside Kristen Stewart (Love Lies Bleeding) in Panos Cosmatos’s (Mandy) next horror, Flesh of the Gods.
Wagner Moura on the Challenges of Filming in One Location
“This was the most physically demanding thing I have ever done before.”
COLLIDER: After watching the movie, I realized I do not have enough water and food in my place. I’m just curious if after making this you had an epiphany of, like, “I need to keep more shit at my house?”
WAGNER MOURA: No. You know what? The kind of epiphany that I had was kind of the opposite. I think that I thought, “I don’t need half of the things that I have in my house.” We have too many things. I love the fact that these characters, especially Greta [Lee]’s character, recycles things. I think that we have too much stuff. We have to get rid of it and give it to people that need it. I think that we have too many things.
I always remember the line from David Fincher’s Fight Club: “The things you own end up owning you.”
MOURA: Exactly. That’s right.
One of the things that’s really interesting about the film is that it takes place in one location, but this had to have been a challenging shoot because of how much stuff you go through when you’re working with kid actors. Where does this rank in your filmography in terms of difficulty making of it?
MOURA: Dude, believe it or not, I think this was the most physically demanding thing I have ever done before, and I’ve done films like Elite Squad or Narcos, or even Civil War. This was unexpectedly hard. When I read the script, it’s a film with four actors in a house, and we were shooting in a soundstage, and then we’ll have our trailers outside. [Laughs] It was very, very physically demanding. Either that or I’m getting old, or maybe both.
Especially the part in the water. We shot the film chronologically, and so the water was the last part of it. Like, it was the last two or three weeks. Oh man, that was challenging. That was very challenging, demanding. Very physically challenging.
When I saw the water, that’s when I realized I can’t be an actor. I can’t be any part of this.
MOURA: Bro. Yeah, man. And again, I read the script, like, “Oh, this can be fun,” but it was very, very hard. We had to hold our breath in the water and spend the entire day in the water, with the water, like, here, and our skin… Oh, it was hard. It was very difficult.
Again, that’s not for me. Do you think the family are the only survivors, or do you think other people survived this?
MOURA: I think there are other people that survived, as well, and that’s interesting. I mean, I hope the film does well and then we can have a sequel to that, either with our characters or not. I’m very curious to know how the world is after they get out of the house. And the creatures, I would love to know more about those creatures, and how the world is now.
I do like that Louis [Leterrier] did not try to explain everything. It’s just what the characters could see is what they understood.
MOURA: Yes. That’s right.
Wagner Moura Teases Working With Kristen Stewart in ‘Flesh of the Gods’
The upcoming film comes from ‘Mandy’ director Panos Cosmatos.
Before I run out of time, I’m really looking forward to Flesh of the Gods. For people that don’t realize who this filmmaker is, what can you tease people about it, and how does it compare to Mandy?
MOURA: Dude, Panos [Cosmatos] is one of the most unique artists I have ever met in my life. He has a very particular aesthetic. I had never seen anything like Mandy before. And then, this film has such a great script. Also, Kristen Stewart, she herself is a major creative force in the film. I was very, very happy with everything we did there.
The Last House is available to stream on Netflix now.
- Release Date
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August 7, 2026
- Runtime
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110 minutes
- Director
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Louis Leterrier
There has been no shortage of massive gaming releases this year to enjoy, and one of the first that won fans over earlier in the year was 007 First Light, the James Bond game starring Patrick Gibson as the titular spy. Developed by IO Interactive, the same studio behind the Hitman games, 007 First Light was a massive success, and the developers have already confirmed that a sequel to the game is officially in the works. The next big release on the schedule is Marvel’s Wolverine, the new game from Insomniac, the same studio who previously released all three beloved Spider-Man games on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. Wolverine is setting the stage for one of the biggest gaming launches in history, Grand Theft Auto 6, which has reportedly already earned over $1 billion in pre-orders.
There were a few big releases this summer to keep fans occupied while they were inside escaping the summer heat, and one of the first that comes to mind is Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, which dropped on July 9. The ground-up remake sold over three million copies, and fans around the world have been eager for more out of the Assassin’s Creed franchise, especially content that feels more familiar to the franchise’s older days. It was confirmed this week that the story of Edward Kenway will continue through the fourth Volume of Assassin’s Creed: Forgotten Temple manga, which is now available for pre-order from Amazon. The full release for the new sequel is coming on September 24, and the official description leads fans to believe that it will be the last chapter in Edward Kenway’s story.
“Edward Kenway, the infamous pirate and Assassin, must complete one last swashbuckling mission! Shifting allegiances, new allies, deadly battles with the scheming Templars, and all-new enemies are going to put all of Kenway’s skills to the test in Assassin’s Creed: Forgotten Temple!
Exploring Kenway’s memories is having a strange effect on Kim. He’s suddenly capable of things he could never do before, like fearlessly leaping off a roof and landing on both feet, or fighting three men all alone and coming out unscathed. Could his ancestor’s memories be changing Kim for the worse?”
What Do We Know About the Next ‘Assassin’s Creed’ Game?
Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe is confirmed to be the next mainline Assassin’s Creed game from Ubisoft, and it will be set in the 16th century Roman Empire during the Witch Trials. Codename Hexe will deliver a much darker, more stylized Assassin’s Creed game than entries of the past, one with a much more ritualistic tone as it takes the franchise back to its roots, more focused on stealth than open combat and RPG elements. No word yet on when Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe will be released, but it was revealed all the way back in 2022, and rumors indicate that it could come out as soon as 2027. It’s now been well over a year since the release of Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and fans are eager for the next brand-new release from the franchise to continue the story of the Assassins and the Templars.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the Assassin’s Creed franchise.
- Release Date
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December 21, 2016
- Runtime
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116 minutes
If a book’s about young people, and they either end up not young by the end, or learn something about eventually becoming an adult, then it’s probably a coming-of-age book. That change doesn’t have to be physical, and a coming-of-age story doesn’t have to span years, though it can very much be about literally growing up, and some of them do benefit from spanning a good deal of time in the life of a character (or the lives of some characters).
Also, some of them are aimed at younger readers, intended to be relatable and all, while others are more mature, and are probably more aimed at adults who remember what it was like to be a kid or a teenager. In any event, these are some of the best coming-of-age books ever written, with a combination of very old works and a few (slightly) newer ones.
10
‘The Body’ (1982)
Ranking this low because it’s kind of a novella, rather than a novel, but still, The Body is essential as a coming-of-age story. If you’re more into movies, there’s a good chance you’ve experienced this story as Stand by Me, which is up there among the best film adaptations of any Stephen King novel, novella, or short story. There are also differences between the original novella and the movie, making them both worthy of one’s time.
Narratively, The Body concerns a group of young boys going on a morbid journey to see a dead body that one of them heard about. And then they learn about themselves and face hard truths and all that, with added emotion coming about because one of them’s looking back on the whole experience as an adult (and an author… one of many Stephen King protagonists who’s themselves a writer).
9
‘The Wanderers’ (1974)
All the growing up stuff in The Wanderers is exceptionally rough and honestly kind of brutal at times. That realism is its most striking (and maybe even most admirable) quality, even if it’s also the thing that makes it a bit harder to recommend than most of the other books here. There’s an aimlessness to so much of it, too, reflecting the lives its disaffected young characters live.
Some of them mature in some ways, though lots of The Wanderers is about immature and clearly troubled people, and they talk and act in ways that are pretty crude/crass. But hey, there are a lot of strong emotions and even danger involved with being a teenager, and The Wanderers either tells it like it is, or it tells it in a slightly more heightened way than it actually is. Either way, there’s definite grit and realism to be found here.
8
‘Jane Eyre’ (1847)
You might see Jane Eyre referred to as a bildungsroman, which is really just a fancier-sounding name for a “coming-of-age story.” The titular character is introduced as a young girl who lives a challenging childhood, though it’s far from exclusively about her younger years, considering the length of time the whole psychologically tense and dense novel ends up spanning.
But since those early years are so significant to what happens later, it makes that coming-of-age component of the novel very necessary. Also, plenty of good stories about not only growing up, but emotionally maturing, center on characters who are young adults, just because it’s a reality of life is that people don’t always mentally/emotionally mature right when adulthood hits. If only it could be like the flip of a switch, but if it were, then the world probably wouldn’t have nearly as many coming-of-age stories.
7
‘His Dark Materials’ (1995–2000)
If it’s wrong to put a trilogy here, then just consider Northern Lights in this spot, because that probably feels the most like a coming-of-age story of any of the books in the His Dark Materials trilogy. It’s certainly about a loss of innocence, and a girl realizing truths about her parents and place in the world, with her venturing out into the world, and then having to venture out a bit further (beyond her world) in later books.
In that way, you do get a more complete character arc for Lyra if you read The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, and then a young boy named Will also has an arc that mirrors Lyra’s, in some ways (he’s only in books #2 and #3). His Dark Materials, as a trilogy, feels aimed at younger readers, though not the youngest of young readers, and the whole thing plays out in a way that proves more than readable if you’re not a kid, too (the experience can be likened to a top-tier Pixar movie or something, being great when you’re young and then arguably more interesting – or emotionally engaging – once/if you’re older).
6
‘Harry Potter’ (1997–2007)
Like His Dark Materials, you have to consider a few books here, for the whole story about growing up and everything, but that is very much what the Harry Potter series does. You probably know the deal with a series this famous, but it’s about the titular character (and some other magical folks) going through a witchcraft/wizardry school, and each book is focused on a different year of that whole process.
So, you start with characters who are about 11, and then they’re almost adults by the time the series wraps up… at least the ones who survived the surprisingly deadly final few books are adults by the time the series concludes. It makes a certain amount of sense for the series to get more serious as it goes along, though, mirroring the way one’s pre-teen years can be nice and carefree, at least in comparison to being a teenager (and then a TV show like Buffy the Vampire Slayer pushes that kind of idea even further, making a tense high school experience look like Disneyland compared to the horrors of genuine young adulthood).
5
‘The Secret Garden’ (1911)
The Secret Garden is straight up aimed at children, but it’s one of those essential classics you sort of have to consider if you’re talking about coming-of-age books. That does make it one of the easier ones to have younger readers tackle, for obvious reasons, though it deals with some heavier themes regarding things like grief, death, and prejudice, just not in ways that are too difficult to understand.
There are some things here that might not have aged the best, but the book is also well over 100 years old, so stumbling across a few parts that are questionable by modern standards… eh, it happens, when you’re dealing with pieces of entertainment that were made so many generations ago. What The Secret Garden has to say about maturing and realizing the world is much bigger than you initially might’ve thought, as a child, is the stuff that matters most and still holds up.
4
‘The Catcher in the Rye’ (1951)
Holden Caulfield is up there among the angstiest protagonists in literary history, being a teenager who feels detached from – and despondent about – the world. He goes around internally complaining about things and not really getting on all that well with most people he comes into contact with, and that’s sort of just The Catcher in the Rye. And it’s a classic, so it turns out, that’s all it really needed to be.
You can read it when you’re roughly about Holden’s age, and get something out of it that way, or you can tackle it as an adult, and not necessarily find it nostalgic, but get more complex feelings out of the whole thing. It’s a book that has caused frustration among some readers, but it’s worth tackling regardless, so you can have some kind of view on it, be it positive, negative, or a bit of both (growing up – and stories about that process – being complicated and all).
3
‘The Outsiders’ (1967)
It feels a little unnecessary to say The Outsiders is an easy read, and an essential one, because it’s the kind of book most people are probably familiar with, thanks to it often being assigned reading at school. Plenty of other books associated with English classes prove divisive, but The Outsiders does go down a little smoother, perhaps thanks to it being written by a teenager (S.E. Hinton was 18 when it was published).
The drama here mostly concerns a gang conflict between two groups of youngsters from different backgrounds, though speaking of “backgrounds,” some of that stuff feels kind of in the background, because The Outsiders is mostly about the characters and growing up and all that. Lots of it feels natural and not at all hard to get swept up in emotionally, making this, again, one of those quintessential “can be recommended to just about anyone” books.
2
‘IT’ (1986)
There are similarities between IT and The Body, but this Stephen King book is a whole lot longer, and it certainly attempts more than “just” a coming-of-age story. It’s also a horror epic about kids battling a demonic entity that can shapeshift and inspire fear rather effortlessly, and then, at the same time as that childhood episode plays out, so too does a narrative about the same characters as adults.
King’s tackled stories about growing up since IT, sure, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever do something as impressive about this particular topic ever again.
The adaptations of IT to date have been done in a way where the first half is more of a coming-of-age thing, and the second half feels more like a retread with older characters, but taking in the source material – with it being both at the same time – proves more interesting and emotionally rewarding. King’s tackled stories about growing up since IT, sure, but it’s unlikely he’ll ever do something as impressive about this particular topic ever again. IT does just feel kind of unbeatable.
1
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (1960)
There’s a bit more at play with To Kill a Mockingbird, compared to some other coming-of-age books, since this is perhaps more of a period/legal drama where things are observed through the eyes of a child. Said child, nicknamed Scout, is living and growing up during the Great Depression, with much of the book being about her father taking on a legal case that involves defending a Black man in a Southern town, which creates controversy and further conflict.
What it has to say about prejudice and not judging people is broad, but the message does continue to ring true nonetheless, and To Kill a Mockingbird… well, it’s To Kill a Mockingbird. It’s been discussed and praised to death, and even if it’s boring to put such a well-loved book here, it feels like it earns that regardless (or, put another way, it’d probably make some people angry if any other book took its place here).
To Kill A Mockingbird
- Release Date
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December 25, 1962
- Runtime
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129 minutes
- Director
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Robert Mulligan
- Writers
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Harper Lee, Horton Foote
The wife of Dukes of Hazzard star Ben Jones has announced her husband’s sudden death.
“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees,” Alma Viator wrote via Facebook on Sunday, August 9. “Ben had the most amazing, rich, full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so, so much.”
Jones, best known for his portrayal of mechanic Cooter in the original 1980s action-comedy series, was 84 years old. He and Viator were married for nearly 34 years.
After his time on the show wrapped in 1985, Jones moved into a career in politics. He won the race for Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District in 1988 and was re-elected in 1990, per reporting by Deadline on Sunday.
Jones also served as president of SAG’s Georgia branch, per the outlet, and as chairman of the Georgia Film Commission. He was also a writer; IMDB attributes 1987’s CBS Summer Playhouse and 1998’s Primary Colors, starring John Travolta and Emma Thompson, to his body of work.
During a 2023 interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting, Jones reflected on his many achievements with a trademark sense of humor. “Sounds like a guy who can’t hold [down] a job to me,” he joked at the time.
Jones also reflected on his time as Cooter, a fictional character widely adored for his crazed energy. “When we started filming that show, I was a child actor at the time. Actually, I was a childish actor. We were just making it up,” he recalled. “It was a wild, crazy show and I was cast for it because I was what they were looking for physically and … I just made it up. I had fun with it, it was hard not to have fun doing what we were doing. I am crazy Cooter.”
The actor starred opposite Catherine Bach, who played Daisy Duke, John Schneider, who played Bo Duke, and Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke. Wopat, 74, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a tribute to his friend and former costar.
“Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business. He will be sorely missed … Denver Pyle [who played Uncle Jesse Duke on the show] frequently said to Ben, ‘I’m not your Uncle Jesse!’ But I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today,” he wrote.
Hilaria Baldwin is not presenting her marriage to Alec Baldwin as a relationship untouched by difficulties.
After more than 15 years together and raising seven children, she instead believes their ability to keep choosing one another has mattered more than having a perfect partnership.
In a candid conversation, Hilaria opened up about the principle she considers essential when relationships hit rough patches, while also revealing how parenting seven children has changed the way she and Alec spend time together.
For Hilaria Baldwin, commitment is not something that should disappear when a relationship becomes difficult.
In a chat with Fox News Digital, the 42-year-old said the advice she gave friends navigating new relationships or problems in existing ones was straightforward: both people have to want the relationship genuinely.
“Oh, it’s been more than 15 years. We met February 2011. You both have to want to be there,” Baldwin said per Page Six.
She expanded on the idea by explaining that a relationship cannot depend on one person continuing to fight for it while the other has already checked out.
“Whenever my friends are coming to me, and they’re like it’s a new relationship, or they’re having a bump in it, I say, if both people don’t really want to be there through your difficult moments, through your best moments, then it’s just not going to probably work out,” she explained.
Baldwin acknowledged that her own marriage has had its share of complications, describing the couple’s experience in terms of “ups,” “downs” and “sideways” moments. What she believed had made the difference was that neither she nor Alec stopped wanting to be together.
“Both Alec and I, through our ups and our downs and our sideways, we’ve wanted to be there. And I think that that’s what’s kept us strong,” she remarked.
Hilaria’s Date Nights Look Very Different With Seven Children
The reality of raising seven children means romance in the Baldwin household does not necessarily resemble the traditional image of a couple enjoying an uninterrupted evening together.
Hilaria Baldwin offered a particularly relatable example when describing a recent dinner with Alec. Rather than arranging an elaborate night away from their children, the couple simply brought their youngest child along.
“Well, last night it involved taking our youngest with us to dinner because that’s what it was,” she said.
The podcaster explained that while she had a babysitter during the day, their nighttime arrangements were different. When she and Alec decided they wanted to go out, their baby became part of the plan.
“So, I brought my youngest. … And I have a babysitter throughout the day, and then at night, no, so we’re like, we want to go out to dinner. And so, the baby comes with us,” she explained.
Hilaria Baldwin Embraces Being A ‘Fun Mess’
That willingness to adapt also appears to extend beyond Hilaria’s marriage and family life. She rejected the idea that women are always carefully calculating how they present themselves, arguing that people could be far less controlled than outsiders assume.
“I think that people think, especially women, are very calculated. I think that that’s something that’s universal around all of us,” she revealed.
Hilaria described herself instead as curious and eager to experience different things, even when she does not know exactly where they will lead.
“I want to try everything, I’m curious,” she said, adding that she would rather be viewed as “She’s kind of a mess, like a fun mess.”
That attitude came through during her experience filming “Nation’s Dumbest,” where she said she often did not know how she would approach a situation until she was already in it.
“That was always fun about the first part of ‘Nation’s Dumbest,’ … Some of the moments — I’m like, I don’t have a plan, but sometimes whatever I’m doing, it works out,” Baldwin said.
Hilaria Has A Funny Response To ‘Gold Digger’ Claims About Alec
Hilaria Baldwin has previously described her marriage to Alec as anything but perfectly polished, and she has also learned to laugh at some of the assumptions people make about their relationship.
Among them is the long-running suggestion that she married the actor for his money. Speaking recently on SiriusXM’s Page Six Radio, Hilaria explained that the idea initially bothered her because she did not believe it reflected her intentions when they met.
The yoga instructor recalled that Alec tried to buy her things early in their relationship, but she deliberately turned them down because she wanted to be certain she was with him because she genuinely liked him.
“I was like, ‘I don’t want you to buy me something, because I want to know that I like you for you, because I don’t want to be a prisoner either,’” she said.
Looking at their life now, Hilaria joked that having seven children hardly made the marriage look financially convenient. “Don’t have seven, cause they’re very expensive,” she added.
Alec Floats The Idea Of Another Baby With Wife Hilaria Baldwin
With seven children already keeping their household busy and Hilaria joking that raising such a big family is hardly cheap, Alec appears to have a playful solution to the situation: add another baby.
In a joint Instagram video posted August 3, Alec jokingly suggested that Hilaria have another baby with him.
Sitting poolside, Hilaria mouthed, “I would do anything for you,” prompting Alec to grin and reply, “Have another baby with me.”
Her expression quickly changed to apparent disbelief before she pushed the camera away and walked off.
The clip was set to a version of Olivia Newton-John’s “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” while Hilaria captioned it, “When ‘I’d do anything for you’ meets reality with its terms and conditions.”
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