Whenever Ryan Murphy releases a horror project, you know to expect visual splendor and outrageous shocks. So, when he was involved in a prequel to the cult classic, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the series was so tonally divorced from the original that it wasn’t immediately recognizable as a prequel. But, this means you can indulge in the progression of Nurse Ratched’s tyranny without ever watching Milos Forman‘s film. Murphy’s Ratched is its own diabolical fare, one that delves into the origin story of the titular character without shying away from body horror and problems in the medical industry despite its glamorous sheen.

In the original film, Mildred Ratched was played brilliantly by Louise Fletcher, who exacted rigid control over a psychiatric hospital until Jack Nicholson‘s Randle McMurphy and his rebellious ways were admitted. In Ratched, Sarah Paulson takes over the helm of the soon-to-be nurse tyrant, and we are whisked back to when she blackmails her way into a position at Lucia State Hospital. Though her motivations are obscure, they have something to do with a man named Edmund (Finn Wittrock) being held in the basement for killing four priests, and as she navigates the hospital, we meet characters like the easily-manipulated head of the hospital, Mr. Hanover (Jon Jon Briones), the suspicious head nurse, Betsy (Judy Davis), and poised campaign manager, Gwendolyn (Cynthia Nixon).

Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Series ‘Ratched’ Brings a Cult Classic Villain To Life With Its Own Unique Flair

If you have watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, then you may recognize hints of Mildred’s characterization in the newer show. Paulson’s Mildred is itching for the control she lacks, manipulating her way around the hospital and incrementally gaining power over the officials — particularly Mr. Hanover — who is far too busy with his personal ambitions to even realize he is being puppeteered. Her demeanor is cold and calculating like the original character, but we also witness many more emotional paroxysms that keep the show from being too predictable. However, the premise of a villain climbing up the ranks with her own ulterior motives is a timeless enough conceit that makes Ratched something you can easily watch on its own, and you may be better off for it.

While it is fascinating to consider how Paulson’s Mildred could turn into Fletcher’s, Murphy’s distinct style offers a viewing experience so unlike the original that it should be considered its own piece. Paulson rocks a bold red lip and egregiously fabulous outfits as she struts into the extravagant set of the spa-turned-hospital, casting a glossy excess on everything. This is contrasted neatly with gruesome body horror (including a gnarly lobotomy, so be warned) and an overall atmosphere of creepiness. It’s a delicious mix of flamboyant and macabre, one that visually encapsulates the show’s commentary on the hidden corruption of authority figures.

Sarah Paulson Brings Her Own Touch To Nurse Ratched’s Horrifying Evolution

If Ratched were to be more faithful to the source material, then Paulson would have an even more complicated job on her hands. Fortunately, the show’s departure allows Paulson to add her own flair to the character, and she is as magnetic as always with her emotionless face and expressive eyes. As the tension culminates in major narrative beats, Paulson then whips out her ability to crack viscerally and abruptly, uncovering the viciousness that hides behind the seemingly unflappable eyes of Mildred. She conveys the nurse’s frightening lack of humanity and care for a patient’s life with the subtle naïveté of the younger character, turning her into an effective anti-hero we cannot tear our eyes from.

Related

Why Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr. ‘Love Story’ Miniseries Is Sparking Unexpected Backlash

This isn’t the first Murphy series to draw major controversy.

Throughout the series, Paulson’s Mildred also goes toe-to-toe with head nurse Betsy, who is acutely suspicious of the new nurse’s motivations and rightly so. Davis is always hilarious in any role, and Betsy is no exception, as she becomes a frustrating and obstinate thorn in Mildred’s side at the beginning. On the other hand, Nixon’s performance as the charming Gwendolyn is an endearing reprieve from Mildred’s utter darkness, and she shares delightful chemistry with Paulson on-screen. You wouldn’t expect Gwendolyn as Mildred’s love interest, but their relationship gave us a sensual scene worth savouring that involves oysters… oh, and fleshes out Mildred’s character, of course.

Whether you’re familiar with the source material or not, Ratched is a thrilling watch. It is essentially an American Horror Story installment of the cult classic original, one that imagines a villain origin story for a character while standing on its own as a Murphy production. With Paulson’s unsettling charisma at the forefront, the show questions whether monstrous figures like Mildred are born or made, while dousing us in the ghastly splendor of medical malpractice.

Thriller movies have been around since practically the very beginning of cinema, but the filmmakers of the 1980s made significant contributions to the genre that have helped make it what it is today. Defined by their slick aesthetics, gritty narratives, and intense explorations of violence and human psychology, these movies now rank among the most popular and celebrated of all time, but not all of them started that way. In fact, many of the most beloved ’80s thrillers were ill-received in their day, but have since grown into widely appreciated cultural landmarks.

That’s really quite an achievement, because not all classics that were well-received still hold up in front of modern audiences. Whether it’s because of stereotypical characterizations or dated moral arguments, so many once-popular films have become practically unwatchable for audiences today. But read on, and you’ll discover our handpicked selection of some truly timeless ‘80s thriller movies that have aged like fine wine, becoming increasingly resonant with the passage of time.

8

‘The Thing’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

Directed by John Carpenter and written by Bill Lancaster, The Thing is a sci-fi horror thriller based on John W. Campbell Jr.’s 1938 novella Who Goes There? Set in an Antarctic research base, the film follows a group of American researchers who encounter a shapeshifting alien life-form and soon descend into paranoia as they suspect each other of being the “Thing” in disguise. Kurt Russell leads the ensemble cast, with A. Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis, and Thomas G. Waites in supporting roles

When it was first released in 1982, The Thing was critically panned and failed at the box office, though it did earn some praise even then for its impressive special effects. However, it’s only with the passage of time that the film has become appreciated as the masterpiece it is. Blending psychological storytelling and character drama with intriguing sci-fi concepts, the film is now regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time, and it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2025.

7

‘Blade Runner’ (1982)

Image via Warner Bros.

Directed by Ridley Scott, Blade Runner is a dystopian sci-fi thriller adapted from Philip K. Dick‘s 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Set in a futuristic Los Angeles where synthetic humans called replicants are bio-engineered to work on space colonies, the movie stars Harrison Ford as former cop Rick Deckard, who is hired to hunt down a group of fugitive replicants who have escaped back to Earth. Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos star in other key roles.

In its day, Blade Runner was a box office disappointment and a highly divisive film among critics, earning praise for its complexity and visuals and criticism for its lack of action. Since then, however, the film has been re-evaluated as a sci-fi masterpiece, a successful synthesis of the cyberpunk and neo-noir genres that laid the foundations for several subsequent works. In 1993, the movie was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry, and it was followed by a sequel, Blade Runner 2049, in 2017, as well as a trilogy of short films and a 2021 anime series, Blade Runner: Black Lotus.

6

‘Scarface’ (1983)

Image via Universal Pictures

Directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, Scarface is a crime thriller starring Al Pacino as Cuban refugee-turned-crime lord Tony Montana. A remake of the 1932 film, the movie chronicles Tony’s rise to the top of Miami’s drug trade and subsequent fall caused by his own ego and paranoia. Besides Pacino, the film also stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in lead roles.

Scarface was a box office hit in its day, but it was also widely panned by critics for its violence, profanity, and perceived offenses against the Cuban-American community. Later generations, however, have been more accepting of its characters as individuals and not a representation of the community as a whole, and its brutal, hyper-violent narrative style has become a benchmark for gangster tragedies. Masterfully directed and impeccably performed, Scarface is now regarded as one of the greatest crime films ever made, and the role of Tony Montana is easily one of Pacino’s most iconic.

5

‘The Terminator’ (1984)

Image via Orion Pictures

Directed and co-written by James Cameron, The Terminator is a sci-fi action thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as the titular character, a cyborg assassin from a dystopian future. The ruthless killing machine is sent back in time to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), a woman whose child is destined to be a hero in the fight against the hostile AI Skynet, but it’s followed by human soldier Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn), who attempts to protect her and preserve the timeline. The movie also features Lance Henriksen, Paul Winfield, and Earl Boen in supporting roles.

The Terminator is now regarded as a decade-defining film of the 1980s, but its critical reception at the time of its premiere was mixed at best. It was, however, a huge box office success, amassing a massive fan following and establishing James Cameron as one of cinema’s most popular filmmakers. Since then, The Terminator has spawned a successful multimedia franchise that includes multiple sequels, games, TV shows, and comics. In 2008, the movie was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

4

‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’ (1984)

Image via New Line Cinema

A supernatural slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street was written and directed by Wes Craven, and it’s most notable for being the movie that introduced the iconic horror character Freddy Krueger. Set in a suburban town, the film revolves around a group of teenagers who are stalked by the monstrous villain (played by Robert Englund), who kills people by entering their dreams. The movie stars Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, and Johnny Depp in his film debut.

A Nightmare on Elm Street was a critical and commercial success when it first hit screens in 1984, launching the franchise that now includes six sequels, a remake, a TV show, and a crossover film with the Friday the 13th franchise. A surreal horror film that expertly walks the line between dream and reality, the movie’s reputation and following have steadily grown over the decades, and it’s widely regarded as one of the greatest slasher films ever made. The film has had an undeniable impact on the horror movie genre, and it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2021.

3

‘Manhunter’ (1986)

Image via De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Written and directed by Michael Mann, Manhunter is a crime thriller film adapted from Thomas Harris’s 1981 novel Red Dragon, most noted for being the first movie to feature Harris’s iconic villain, Dr. Hannibal Lecter (spelled “Lecktor” in the film). Starring William Petersen as FBI profiler Will Graham and Brian Cox as Lecktor, the film follows Graham on an investigation into a deadly serial killer, which forces him to seek advice from the incarcerated Lecktor, whom he captured after a traumatic attack. The movie also stars Tom Noonan, Dennis Farina, Kim Greist, Joan Allen, and Stephen Lang.

Though 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs was the movie that made Hannibal Lecter a pop culture icon, Brian Cox’s performance as the character was one of the few things critics liked about Manhunter when it first premiered in 1986. The movie was a box office bomb and didn’t receive much favorable attention back then, but it has since built a cult following and been re-evaluated as a brilliant work of psychological storytelling. With its uniquely stylish visuals, pulse-pounding music, and nuanced performances, Manhunter is now regarded as one of Michael Mann’s greatest films and one of the best psychological thrillers of the 1980s.

2

‘Predator’ (1987)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Directed by John McTiernan and written by Jim and John Thomas, Predator is a classic sci-fi action horror movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Alan “Dutch” Schaefer, who leads an elite paramilitary unit into a Central American rainforest. Tasked with rescuing a local cabinet minister on behalf of the CIA, the team finds themselves stalked by an alien hunter who picks them off one by one using its advanced technology and unmatched brutality. Besides Schwarzenegger, the movie also stars Elpidia Carrillo, Carl Weathers, Richard Chaves, Sonny Landham, Bill Duke, Jesse Ventura, and Shane Black, with Kevin Peter Hall as the Predator.

Despite mixed reviews, Predator was a massive box office success in its day and went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for its brilliant visual effects. Retrospectively hailed as one of the best films of the decade, the movie has had a profound impact on pop culture and spawned a successful media franchise that includes multiple films, novels, video games, and more. Sharply directed, highly suspenseful, and anchored by Schwarzenegger’s charismatic lead performance, the original Predator is now regarded as one of the greatest action movies ever made, and it’s still a favorite of audiences worldwide.

1

‘Die Hard’ (1988)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Also directed by John McTiernan, Die Hard is an action thriller based on Roderick Thorp’s 1979 novel Nothing Lasts Forever. Starring Bruce Willis, the film follows NYC detective John McClane (Willis) on a Christmas Eve trip to Los Angeles, where he hopes to reunite with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia). But John’s plans go out the window when he finds himself caught up in a hostage situation orchestrated by the charismatic international criminal Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). The movie also stars Reginald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, De’voreaux White, William Atherton, and more in key roles.

Like most of the movies on this list, Die Hard wasn’t exactly a critical darling when it first premiered in 1988, but it became a big commercial success and went on to earn four Academy Award nominations. Now hailed as one of the greatest action movies of all time, the film is a gripping, suspenseful actioner with sharp humor, punchy one-liners, and captivating performances, particularly by Willis and Rickman. The movie’s reputation has only grown in the years since its release, and it has since spawned a massive franchise that includes four sequels, though the first is still the best.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

July 15, 1988

Runtime

Advertisement

132 minutes

Writers

Jeb Stuart, Steven E. de Souza

Advertisement

Producers

Joel Silver

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Donald Trump’s 2026 SOTU
State of Confusion!!!
Chaos Erupts As Trump Goes After Dems

Published
February 24, 2026
7:56 PM PST

Only a few months remain until The Super Mario Galaxy Movie‘s theatrical release, and its plot may have accidentally leaked. This Nintendo Illumination feature will have Mario (Chris Pratt and the gang go beyond the Mushroom Kingdom as Bowser Jr. (Benny Safdie) sets out to rescue his father, Bowser (Jack Black). But according to this leaked plot, there could be more to this rescue mission.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is based on the Super Mario Galaxy video game series, released in 2007. The film features the return of the first film’s original cast members, like Chris Pratt‘s Mario, Jack Black‘s Bowser, Anya Taylor-Joy‘s Princess Peach, and Charlie Day‘s Luigi, but it also introduces new characters, like Princess Rosalina, played by Brie Larson, and Bowser Jr., voiced by Benny Safdie. Nintendo and Illumination have released a handful of teasers and trailers, showcasing the Mario cinematic universe expanding with new locations and creatures, as well as some returning faces like Yoshi. But according to this latest plot, another iconic Mario character could be making its cinematic debut.

According to Polygon, the London-based cinema chain Everyman released a now-edited description for the Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It teased that Bowser Jr. has an ally in this latest feature, and that their goal is “world domination.” This character has never been shown in any of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie‘s promotional material to date, and its voice actor has yet to be revealed. As of writing, the plot description in question has been wiped, but this is what it said on the website beforehand:

“After defeating Bowser and saving Brooklyn, Mario faces Wario and Bowser Jr.’s evil alliance. Now, alongside his friends and Yoshi, he must stop their plans for world domination.”

Wario’s appearance has yet to be fully confirmed. However, back in 2023, Black pitched in an interview that he wants Pedro Pascal to voice the popular character and be the villain in the sequel. He said:

“You know, what if there is a more powerful, more evil villain? Then I may need to be turned to help Mario and the rest to defend our universe against some other unseen force of evil. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Wario! Pedro Pascal is Wario.”

Who is Wario in ‘The Super Mario Bros.’ Franchise?

Image via Nintendo

Wario is a character in Nintendo’s Mario franchise, who made his debut in 1992 in the Game Boy game Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins. The character is known for his yellow outfit with purple overalls, with a hat with the letter “W” on it, and is seen as either an anti-hero or an antagonist in the franchise. Just like Mario, Charles Martinet voiced the character from 1993 to 2023. Alongside his Mario appearance, Wario has appeared in other games, including the Wario Land titles, the Super Smash Bros franchise, and Yoshi’s Island DS, just to name a few. Just like Mario has Luigi, Wario has his own parter in crime with Waluigi, though the appearance of either of them in the new film remains to be seen.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will open in theaters on April 1, 2026. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.

Advertisement

Release Date

Advertisement

April 1, 2026

Director

Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic

Advertisement

Writers

Matthew Fogel

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Before this lil’ girl dressed to the 9s turned into a shining star, she was just runnin’ the concrete jungle with huge goals and aspirations …

Her success led to popular films like “Slums of Beverly Hills” and “American Pie.”

Here’s another fun one for ya’ … See if you can find the matching pairs: