Entertainment
4 Most Important Sci-Fi Movies That Define the Genre
Science fiction is the genre of ideas, a cinematic playground where filmmakers are able to freely explore humanity’s relationships with technology, the cosmos, and our own evolution and future. It’s the most imaginative genre but the most complex to play with, and if one thing feels off, the entire story can be ruined.
So, building a Mount Rushmore for sci-fi means identifying the films that didn’t just succeed as science fiction features but fundamentally reshaped the genre and influenced everything that followed. It means finding movies that weren’t afraid to drop and adopt genre conventions all at once, to play around with storytelling, concepts, and ideas. If you ask anyone remotely interested in sci-fi, they’ll likely tell you this is the Mount Rushmore of sci-fi movies.
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968)
Stanley Kubrick was a multifaceted director, and his interests grew beyond the conventions of any kind of genre. While nowadays, directors are confined to existing within a certain space, trope, or convention, the industry allowed Kubrick to spread his wings and tackle diverse ideas, from the 1950s until the 1990s. Every genre is marked by a Kubrick film, and when we talk about the greats of each, his films are bound to come up. 2001: A Space Odyssey is his contribution to the sci-fi genre, and many call it the greatest film ever made—many directors have deemed it so for years, in particular in the Sights and Sounds director polls over the years.
2001: A Space Odyssey traces human evolution from primordial apes discovering tools to astronaut David Bowman’s (Keir Dullea) transcendent journey beyond the known universe, guided by mysterious monolithic slabs. Bowman is notably “accompanied” by the HAL 9000 computer on the spaceship—a calm voice that’s meant to be a guide for the astronauts but turns out more ominous, representing technology turning against its creators. Kubrick adapted the story together with sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke, whose short stories The Sentinel and Encounter in the Dawn served as inspiration for the film; there are discrepancies between the film and prose, which is typical for Kubrick, but it appears that the adaptation feels more inspired by the source material, allowing Kubrick to explore technology, artificial intelligence, evolution, existentialism, and mysticism all at once.
This sci-fi epic completely reshaped how the public saw science fiction, though it took them a while to warm up to it; Dullea noted that people left the premiere early, baffled and wondering what they were supposed to be watching. 2001 revolutionized the depiction of space on film, with special effects that took eighteen months and $6.5 million to achieve, creating what Kubrick insisted must be completely convincing. Paired with pre-composed classical pieces, including music by the likes of Johann Strauss II and Aram Khachaturian, 2001: A Space Odyssey put sci-fi on the map as a genre that can and should have as much visual appeal as substance and meaning.
‘Star Wars’ (1977)
When we discuss the modern blockbuster, we always divert our attention to Jaws, Steven Spielberg‘s first-ever summer blockbuster thriller that showed why theatrical experiences are vital for the industry. Some filmmakers make their movies specifically for the big, silver screens, but before, they had no choice—the silver screens were all they had, and anyone who wanted to make a mark with their storytelling had to have ideas that would fill every corner of the projection screen. After Jaws, it was anyone’s game, and young and imaginative George Lucas adapted Hamlet into a space opera, inspired by Akira Kurosawa, Toshirō Mifune, and the Dune novels, creating Star Wars—later, and today, known as Episode IV—A New Hope. With it truly came a new hope for bolder, visionary, beautiful storytelling.
George Lucas’s space opera follows young farm boy Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) as he joins the Rebel Alliance to take down the oppressive Empire and its dark enforcer, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones). On the other side, we have Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), princess of the planet Alderaan, who rejects her aristocratic family tree to fight for what’s right, joining the Rebels and finding a kindred spirit in Luke (no, not like that). The film created a universe that still feels lived-in, ancient, and mythic, delivering a sci-fi fairy tale that is about family, redemption, heroes, villains, destiny, and bravery.
Sure, we could go on and on about the production value and Star Wars‘ visual language, from the Art Deco designs to the desert landscapes of Tatooine, but the biggest impact of Star Wars isn’t just its epic scale and beautiful look. The movie, and soon the franchise, gave people fandom as a culture, providing them a way to express themselves and become a part of that world, even for a day. Star Wars also made room for women as heroes and explored darker themes of oppressive governments, war trauma, and even capitalism. Before Star Wars, science fiction at the movies mostly meant monsters or aliens; after it, the genre became a dominant force in global entertainment.
‘Alien’ (1979)
Staying within the 1970s for some of the greatest sci-fi masterpieces ever made isn’t a coincidence; Star Wars, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Andromeda Strain, Solaris, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers are all products of the decade, which seems to truly be the defining one for science fiction. The end of that decade was marked with a high, because Ridley Scott made Alien, the definitive sci-fi horror/thriller that changed how we observe extraterrestrial life. Compared to Close Encounters, Alien is much less hopeful about the encounters of the third kind, which is direct contact with alien life.
Alien follows the crew of the commercial towing spacecraft Nostromo as they investigate a distress signal on a desolate moon. They encounter a nightmarish alien organism that implants itself in a crew member and bursts out of their chest, then begins picking them off one by one inside the ship’s claustrophobic interior. Alien is a true hybrid of genres and ideas, blending science fiction with Gothic horror and creating something visually and thematically interesting and, ultimately, new. H.R. Giger designed the creatures, from the face-huggers to the Xenomorph queen mother, introducing a new visual synonym for terror; the face of such terror is a perfect organism whose biological and mechanical elements remain disturbing decades later.
When Alien came about, Scott was mostly a filmmaker known for adverts, while Sigourney Weaver was a fairly unknown actor. Yet, Weaver’s character, Ellen Ripley, very soon became one of cinema’s greatest heroes, a woman whose intelligence and survival instincts made her a feminist icon in a genre that had rarely revolved around female protagonists. Academic analysis of the film spans cognitive narrative theory, interdisciplinary studies, Gothic studies, and psychology, showing how Alien operates on levels far beyond simple scares. Besides just feminist themes within Ripley and the Xenomorph queen herself, there’s a very timely theme of artificial intelligence, technology, and trust that remains resonant, something similar to what Kubrick tried to achieve in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Alien spawned a vast franchise, showing the intellectually complex, visually stunning, and viscerally terrifying nature of science fiction.
‘Interstellar’ (2014)
Leaving the 20th century and entering the 21st, we usher in a new era of science fiction, with improved CGI techniques and technology, but ultimately the same old methods with which we observe poignant storytelling. Christopher Nolan‘s Interstellar weaves together space exploration, theoretical physics, and crushing familial bonds, making a modern sci-fi epic that is intellectually and emotionally ambitious. Nolan himself feels like an ambitious filmmaker, often treading where no one seems to actively look (rather than where everyone is afraid to); his masterpiece is often in dialogue with Kubrick’s 2001, from visual sequences to the meditative pace and questions about humanity’s place in the cosmos. Yet Interstellar charts its own territory, arguing that love itself might be a force as fundamental as gravity and that human connection can transcend dimensions, something that feels like Kubrick never truly considered when placing his astronaut in a lonely vastness.
Interstellar follows Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), a widowed father and former NASA pilot, who leads a mission through a wormhole to find a new habitable planet for humanity as Earth suffers from environmental collapse. The film depicts Cooper’s struggle but also how Cooper and his daughter Murphy (Mackenzie Foy/Jessica Chastain), whose lives unfold at different rates due to time dilation, follow each other’s paths and attempt to find each other amid Cooper’s once-in-a-lifetime space mission.
With theoretical physicist Kip Thorne as executive producer and screenwriter Jonathan Nolan (Christopher’s brother) enrolling in relativity studies, the film is fully based on scientific theory about wormholes, black holes, and time dilation. The scene where Cooper watches decades of his children’s lives pass in minutes after receiving messages from Earth is a devastating depiction of parental sacrifice but also one of the most accurate and, admittedly, chilling ways to show viewers the vast possibilities of the cosmos. While Interstellar encapsulates the human fight against extinction, it also honors its predecessors in sci-fi. As it reaches toward something new, bold, and genuine, it tells us, “Do not go gentle into that good night,” making sci-fi a genre that can be a strong plea to humanity.
Entertainment
Steve Carell Said Paul Rudd Advised Him Not To Audition For ‘The Office’
Landing the role of Michael Scott became a defining moment in Steve Carell‘s career, but it almost didn’t happen. Before auditioning for “The Office,” he received unexpected advice from fellow actor and friend, Paul Rudd, who thought it was a bad idea. It offers a glimpse at how different things might have been had Carell heeded his advice and missed out on the now-iconic role.
Paul Rudd Had Doubts About The Series

Carell was a guest on the podcast “Good Hang with Amy Poehler,” where he talked about one of his most iconic roles: Michael Scott. At the time of the auditions, Carell was shooting the movie “Anchorman” with Rudd, when the latter advised him against trying out for the role.
“Rudd pulled me aside and was like, ‘Don’t do it, man. Don’t audition.’ It was like, ‘There is no way’.” Carell said, adding that Rudd basically urged him to steer clear of the project.
“The Office” is the American remake of the British sitcom created by comedian Ricky Gervais, who also starred as David Brent, the UK counterpart to Michael Scott. From the beginning, many thought creating an American version of the show was a bad idea, especially since Gervais had done an excellent job portraying the brash and cringey manager. Anyone stepping into that role would face comparisons.
Poehler said she agreed with Rudd’s thinking at that time, saying, “No one can be as good as Ricky Gervais, no one can do that show.”
Steve Carell Did Not Watch The UK Version
Despite Rudd’s advice, Carell pushed forward with the audition. However, he purposefully didn’t watch Gervais show. “I watched a minute of one and he was so good and so specific and so funny,” Carell said. He didn’t continue watching, fearing that he would try to audition with Gervais’ acting in mind.
Instead, he wanted to create a different character rather than imitate what Gervais had done with Brent. Scott, though as cringe-worthy as Brent, was more childish and goofy.
According to casting director Allison Jones, they initially had Paul Giamatti or Philip Seymour Hoffman in mind to play Scott, but they didn’t think they would agree to do a comedy show. Other actors who auditioned for the role include Bob Odenkirk, Patton Oswalt, and Rainn Wilson, who was eventually cast as Dwight Schrute. The role ultimately went to Carell, who Jones said was always a top choice.
The Pilot Tested Poorly
Carell told Poehloer that the pilot did poorly, saying, “Our pilot was the lowest testing pilot in the history of NBC. People really hated it. They actively hated it. And I don’t quite know how it got legs after that,” he revealed. “The Office” first aired in March 2005, with the first season consisting of six episodes. The reviews were mostly poor to mediocre, with many critics comparing it to the British version.
In an interview with Vox, “The Office” writer Michael Schur said that after they shot the final episode of season 1, everyone thought the show was going to be cancelled. NBC executive Kevin Reilly fought for the show, and they were given a second season.
Steve Carell’s Popularity Helped ‘The Office’
As Schur noted, Carell’s popularity after the first season aired boosted “The Office.” At that time, the actor starred in “40-Year-Old Virgin” before the premiere of season 2. “They partially gave us the second season because they had Steve under contract. So. Network executive sticks his neck out. The guy who’s the main character becomes a movie star,” Schur explained.
Furthermore, Greg Daniels, who developed the show, made some changes in regard to Scott’s character. Instead of following the British version, they wrote new material that resonated more with the American audience.
With the changes made, “The Office” found its footing, and the second season became a massive success.
Steve Carell Left ‘The Office’ Before It Concluded
Carell left “The Office” after season 7, and at the time of his departure, the explanation was that he wanted to spend more time with family. A decade later, however, it was revealed that the actor didn’t want to leave, but NBC hadn’t approached him about renewing his contract, as reported by Parade.
Carell said that shooting his final scenes for the show was “emotional torture,” but it allowed him to have a proper farewell to his show and castmates. However, he returned for a brief moment in one of the series’ final episodes.
“The Office” concluded in 2013 after nine seasons, and it remains one of the top sitcoms of all time. In 2025, the show’s spin-off series, “The Paper,” premiered on Peacock, and it has been renewed for a second season.
Entertainment
Mark Goes to Hell at the Worst Possible Time
Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for Invincible Season 4 Episode 4.
The first three episodes of Invincible Season 4 were jam-packed with build-up, introducing new villains such as Dinosaurus (Matthew Rhys) and Universa (Danai Gurira), teasing the looming threat of Thragg (Lee Pace), and setting up the Viltrumite War. Nolan (J.K. Simmons) and Allen (Seth Rogen) are also working alongside Thaedus (Peter Cullen) to build up the Coalition of Planets, Atom Eve (Gillian Jacobs) is pregnant, and Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun) is getting a little too comfortable killing. It’s safe to say, thus far, Invincible Season 4 has been all killer, no filler — that is, until the fourth episode, “Hurm,” which sends the titular superhero to Hell, literally.
Damein Darkblood Returns in ‘Invincible’ Season 4 Episode 4
As Episode 4 begins, Mark arrives at Art’s (Mark Hamill) costume shop. Mark is overcome with guilt over his actions, telling Art that he has become just like his father, and tries to return his black-and-blue suit. Art tells Mark that he doesn’t have to wear that suit and reveals that he has been working on an updated version of his classic yellow and blue outfit. At that moment, Mark receives a call from Eve, informing him of a new call from Invincible Inc.
Then, the episode takes a turn to Hell (or the UnderRealm, as its inhabitants call it). Damien Darkblood (Clancy Brown), his sister Domina (Kate Mulgrew), and the Darkblood Clan take on the lava-skinned warrior Volcanikka (Indira Varma), who wants an artifact known as the Vial to enact Hell on Earth. Damien says they should have waited longer and tried a ritual again, but Domina notes that Volcanikka would have triumphed had they waited any longer. Volcanikka proves to be a worthy opponent, knocking out Damien and leaving Domina as the only one standing. Domina attempts to take on Volcanikka on her own, but her regeneration powers prove to be too much, and she is supposedly killed in battle. Damien awakens and brings his sister’s corpse to his father, the Great Beast (Bruce Campbell). Contrary to the name, the Great Beast doesn’t look very great nor beast-like.
The Great Beast’s ritual slowly begins to resurrect the Darkblood Clan, but unfortunately, in his frail state, he doesn’t have enough power to complete it. Damien then conducts a ritual of his own, using his trenchcoat and a vial containing Nolan’s blood. The ritual doesn’t go as planned, and instead of Omni-Man, Mark arrives, still in his black-and-blue suit. This begs its own question: why would Episode 4 begin with Mark getting an upgraded version of his classic suit back, only to appear in this bottle episode with his black-and-blue one? Season 4’s marketing has already revealed that he’s going to go back to his original color scheme, so teasing the audience at the beginning is a questionable choice. Apparently, the call Mark received at the beginning of the episode had nothing to do with Damien. Instead, he was called to supposedly protect Riley (Chloe Bennet) from the reawakened ancient Egyptian Ka-Hor (Brown). Now stranded, Riley thinks Ka-Hor was behind Mark’s sudden disappearance, but Ka-Hor tells her that wasn’t the case. He wants a male host to possess, having no interest in inhabiting the body of a woman. Regardless, he realizes he’s out of options and decides to possess Riley’s body anyway.
Mark Learns the Truth About Hell in ‘Invincible’ Season 4 Episode 4
Damien attempts to introduce a confused Mark to the Great Beast, who we now know is Satan. Thinking he’s an enemy, Mark immediately attacks Satan, but Damien stops him, saying that’s not why he was summoned to Hell. Mark apologizes, and Damien proceeds to give him the lowdown on what he needs to do, while also revealing to Mark that Cecil (Walton Goggins) exorcised him back to Hell; he did not return on his own accord. Damien tells Mark that Volcanikka has stolen the throne of Hell from Satan, and he needs his help. Mark is reluctant, telling Damien that he’s in a dark place at the moment and that he should call upon other heroes to help, but Damien rejects the idea. He’s also reluctant to help demons, since he was raised to believe that Satan was the bad guy, but Damien tells him that it’s all myths made up by the “surface dwellers.” In fact, humans exist because of Satan. Invincible is already a show that constantly pushes the edge, but bringing in theology isn’t really something the series needed.
Mark ultimately agrees to Damien and Satan’s pleas for help, but warns them that he is not interested in hurting anyone. Mark and Damien are tasked with retrieving Satan’s Molten Crown, which will restore him to his true monstrous form. While on their journey, Damien tells Mark that he was expecting Omni-Man, but it’s revealed that Mark believes his father is dead, executed at the hands of the Viltrum Empire. Regardless, Mark doesn’t think his father would have helped, but Damien says he thought he could convince him with self-interest. What follows is arguably the most entertaining moment in the episode, as Mark and Damien fall down a “bottomless” pit, where the former constantly asks the latter questions about how he talks with his helmet on and the shocking revelation that Heaven doesn’t actually exist. It’s a fairly simple scene, but after spending so much time with Mark at the lowest points of his life, it’s nice to see him confused in a more comedic fashion, instead of reacting in sheer rage.
Robert Kirkman thinks J.K. Simmons’s Viltrumite could fly circles around the Man of Steel.
Upon arriving at the bottom, Mark faces off with Cerberus, the former three-headed guard dog of Hell. Mark is easily able to retrieve the Molten Crown and carries Damien out of the pit. They present Satan with the crown, who then transforms into his true form and speaks exactly how you’d expect a Bruce Campbell character to talk. It’s delightful. Mark waits outside of Satan’s cavern as he performs his ritual to resurrect Domina and the Darkblood Clan. When Damien joins him, he says, “I helped you get the crown, now send me back.” Of course, Damien tells Mark he still needs his help.
Satan has successfully resurrected the Darkblood Clan, but Domina is still gravely wounded and unable to battle, telling her brother to take her battleaxe in the fight against Volcanikka. The battle culminates in Volcanikka and her Magmaites defeating most of the Darkblood Clan, leaving only Mark, Damien, and Satan standing. Her regenerative powers make her a tough opponent, but Mark ultimately defeats her, causing her to melt. But as she evaporates, she warns him that she will never truly go away. Just as the battle appears to be done, a gang of demonic creatures, known as the Vial, arises from the lava, only to be quickly defeated. It’s revealed that the Darkblood Clan has survived the encounter, and Domina is on her way to recovery. Satan thanks Mark for his assistance and prepares to send him back home, telling him, “We owe you a debt. Make us proud.”
Omni-Man Returns to Earth in ‘Invincible’ Season 4 Episode 4
Back on Earth, Eve tells William Clockwell (Andrew Rannells) about her pregnancy, admitting that while she wants to have children with Mark at some point, she isn’t ready to be a mother yet. In fact, she hasn’t even told Mark yet. William comforts Eve, telling her that she sounds “unsure” and that she really needs to talk with Mark about this, not him. Upon his return, Mark finally dons his upgraded yellow-and-blue suit and flies back to the Grayson household, where Debbie (Sandra Oh) and Oliver (Christian Convery) await his arrival. Debbie tells her sons that Paul (Cliff Curtis) has bought a new house and that they’ll be moving. Instead of being excited about a new beginning, Mark and Oliver are conflicted about the move. Seeing that he doesn’t want to hurt his mother’s feelings, Mark tells her that he’ll support her no matter what and that Paul is a great guy.
The episode ends with Mark sitting next to Eve on the roof, telling her about his complicated feelings about the move as well as his trip to Hell, saying, “I’m not OK. But maybe, I’m getting there.” Eve decides that she finally needs to tell him about her pregnancy, but as soon as she opens her mouth, Nolan and Allen arrive, telling Mark, “The time for war is upon us.” A post-credits scene reveals that Damien has made his return to Earth and that Volcanikka is still pursuing a war on the surface world.
“Hurm” isn’t a bad episode of Invincible, but it comes at the worst possible time for the season. Creator Robert Kirkman previously revealed that this subplot never made it into the comics, and upon watching this episode, you can understand why. It just doesn’t feel like the Invincible we know and love. This is a story with superheroes, intergalactic wars, aliens, and human drama, and really digging deep into the supernatural elements, through the character of Damien Darkblood, doesn’t feel needed. If this episode were to have come during the second or third season, it may have been more effective, but the detour for this particular story in Season 4 is more jarring than effective.
- Release Date
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March 26, 2021
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
- Franchise(s)
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Invincible
- The bottomless pit moment is funny.
- Mark’s classic suit returns!
- Episode 4’s story doesn’t fit with the rest of the season.
- The episode’s supernatural elements add unnecessary lore to an already crammed world.
Entertainment
Brooks Nader’s Cosmetic Procedures Revealed: Lipo and More
Brooks Nader isn’t afraid to discuss her cosmetic procedure history.
“When I was 18 and I moved to New York, I was like, ‘I’m gonna get filler. I’m gonna do all these treatments, I’m gonna get lipo, whatever it is,’” she exclusively told Us Weekly in February 2026. “My parents gave me, like, $1000 and they were like, ‘Have fun.’ I felt like it was what everyone was doing. I was thrown into this world of Hollywood and chasing perfection. And I thought that getting filler was the answer.”
Nader has admitted to getting face fillers and using GLP-1s, like Ozempic and Wegovy, to lose weight. She also confessed that she regretted getting liposuction when she was younger.
Keep scrolling to see which cosmetic procedures she’s gotten done and how she feels about it:
Brooks Nader’s Nose Job
Brooks Nader shared that she got rhinoplasty, more commonly known as a nose job. She shared in a November 2025 interview with Bustle that others have told her she looks “like Michael Jackson” as a result of the surgery.
Brooks Nader Has Veneers
In a November 2025 interview with Bustle, the model revealed she got veneers done by Dr. Michael Apa.
Brooks Nader Has Gotten ‘Countess’ Injectables
Brooks Nader told Bustle in November 2025 that she has received “countless” fillers over the years. She has gotten Botox, salmon sperm facials and the Nefertiti Lift, which is an injection technique done around the jawline.
“Every Christmas, you can catch me looking like Freddy Krueger,” she quipped.
Months later, Nader exclusively told Us that she has gotten multiple of her fillers dissolved.
“I honestly felt really good about it, because I feel like I get a lot of the comments that are like, ‘You look 40, you look 40, you look 40,’” Nader said. “I’m like, ‘What? I don’t want to be 40.’”
Brooks Nader Got — and Now Regrets — Liposuction
In a March 2026 interview with People, Brooks Nader confessed to getting liposuction “years ago” but now regrets the decision.
“I forever regret it because I just didn’t need it,” she admitted. “I feel like it created dimples and ripples and things.”
Brooks Nader Has Taken GLP-1 Weight Loss Medications
Brooks Nader has been open about using Ozempic and other GLP-1 medications. (The prescriptions were created to manage diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels and appetite, which often leads to weight loss.)
In her November 2025 interview with Bustle, Nader shared that she used the medication after being told she needed to lose weight to book more modeling gigs.
“I didn’t shed one tear over it. I don’t feel bad for myself. I just say, ‘The facts are they want me to lose weight. How can I achieve that?’” she reflected. “The facts are that when I started GLP-1, my career took off. I’m not saying it’s OK. I’m not saying it’s right. I think everybody is different — but I lost 30 pounds, and I booked all the jobs.”
Entertainment
Cyndi Lauper’s Husband Sued Amid Assault Claims Against Son
A woman has filed a lawsuit against Cyndi Lauper’s husband, David Thornton, alleging that the star couple’s rapper son, Declyn Lauper, sexually assaulted her.
According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Tuesday, March 24, the woman alleges that Declyn, 28, sexually assaulted her in a New York City penthouse in November 2020 after she “refused to perform oral sex on him.” TMZ was first to report on the filing.
The Monday, March 23, docs detailed that the woman, who was not identified, claims Thorton, 72, “enabled” the alleged incident “because he leased the penthouse and knew of” Declyn’s alleged “violent and sexually abusive propensities.”
Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for Thorton and Declyn for comment.
The lawsuit claims that Declyn, also known by his stage name Dex, “invited the woman … and sent her money for private car transportation,” per the outlet who also reported that “when she arrived, she claims he seemed agitated, and they disagreed about her performing fellatio.”
The woman then claims that “when she insisted on leaving, Dex took her phone and threatened to break the device if she did not” comply, before he allegedly “pushed her onto his bed with his genitals exposed, held her arms down, and forcibly smothered his genitals over her mouth.”

Declyn Lauper Chance Yeh/Getty Images for Marquee New York
As for the filing against Thornton, the woman alleges that the Home Alone 3 actor knew of Declyn’s alleged “prior sexual violence against women and prior settlements of claims for similar conduct.”
The woman claims that Declyn’s ex Brittney Taylor alleged in 2018 that the rapper “was physically and verbally abusive during their romantic relationship,” and that his father allegedly “knew about the allegations but failed to take any action to supervise, restrict, or prevent his son from using the Premises to perpetrate sexual violence.”
The lawsuit also claims that the woman suffered “physical injuries, pain and suffering, emotional distress, humiliation, embarrassment, stress and anxiety, loss of self-esteem and self-confidence” as a result of her alleged November 2020 interaction with Declyn.
The filing comes after The New York Post reported earlier this month that Declyn accepted a plea deal in relation to a February 2024 criminal charge. As part of the deal, he pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon in the second degree in exchange for no prison time in relation to the charge, which was issued after a “shooting in Upper Manhattan” that saw “another individual … hit in the leg.”
Entertainment
“SNL” alum calls out cast members who break into laughter during sketches: 'It doesn't work'
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Kevin Nealon doesn’t seem to be a fan of the recent Ryan Gosling episode.
Entertainment
Peter Jackson Is Making A New Lord Of The Rings Movie, It’s About Tom Bombadil
By Joshua Tyler
| Updated

New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson is working on a new Lord of the Rings movie, and to make it, he’s teaming up with talk show host Stephen Colbert. This is not a joke or a drill; it’s happening, and they’re already writing the script.
Stephen Colbert, long known as one of Hollywood’s most obsessive Tolkien fans, is co-writing the film alongside his son, Peter McGee, and returning franchise writer Philippa Boyens. They’re using the working title The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past to refer to the project. It’s not clear yet if that will be the movie’s final title.
Here’s the announcement recorded by Peter Jackson…
The story they’re developing is based on six specific chapters from J.R.R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring. Those chapters are numbers three through eight, often referred to as “Three Is Company through Fog on the Barrow Downs.” They involve Frodo first leaving the Shire, encountering his first Black Rider, and, most notably of all, encountering Tom Bombadil.

Tolkien fans will no doubt remember that Tom Bombadil was the biggest omission from the original Lord of the Rings movies. Jackson will now remedy that by making an entire, dedicated Tom Bombadil story.
Tom Bombadil is one of the strangest and most mysterious figures in The Lord of the Rings. Living in the Old Forest with his wife Goldberry, in Tolkien’s book, he appears cheerful and harmless, yet possesses immense, unexplained power. He’s so powerful that he’s totally unaffected by the One Ring.

Bombadil rescues the hobbits from multiple dangers, including the Barrow-downs, but exists completely outside the main conflict of Middle-earth, seemingly untouched by its wars, politics, or even its rules.
Peter Jackson is mostly involved in The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past on the production side, reuniting with key members of the original creative team, signaling that this isn’t a reboot but another attempt to mine unused Tolkien material with the same people who built the franchise the first time. This new project is slated for release after Lord of the Rings: Hunt For Gollum, a feature film in production under the direction of Lord of the Rings alum Andy Serkis.
Entertainment
‘Reacher’s Alan Ritchson Absolutely Crushes This Underseen 2020 Supernatural War Movie
When Ghosts of War was released in 2020, it didn’t get a lot of traction and gained mostly unfavorable reviews from the critics. From the current perspective, this horror film set in the penultimate year of World War II hits differently, with its effective mix of not only suspense and action but also supernatural and psychological aspects. Admittedly, the initial premise of Eric Bress‘ film doesn’t come off as very original, as the war setting isn’t anything new to the horror genre, thanks to such outings as Overlord, Trench 11, The Bunker, etc.
Few films, however, offer truly interesting concepts within the genre wrapping, mostly content with finding new ways to introduce various monsters (most commonly, zombies) to the historical setting. A notable exception was M.J. Bassett‘s 2002 film, Deathwatch, which presented war itself as a monster. And Ghosts of War, despite all the plot differences, leans towards the same idea, focusing on the way war shapes horrific moral dilemmas and showing how guilt and shame over certain actions or inaction can create their very own monsters and curses. And now that star Alan Ritchson is dominating on Netflix with his new war thriller War Machine, now is the perfect time to revisit this underseen war thriller.
What Is ‘Ghosts of War’ About?
In 1944, five American troopers of the 82nd Airborne Division arrive at a chateau located somewhere in rural France. They are under orders to guard the place, and at first none of the men think much about the fact that the unit who had the previous shift seem rattled and can’t get out of there fast enough. The guys barely manage to settle in when strange, seemingly paranormal occurrences start happening all around them. Between the mysterious knocking coming from the fireplace—which seems to be using Morse code to send ominous messages—and a journal that details the terrible fate of the family that used to live here, the characters succumb to the dark presence that lurks around them. German soldiers arrive and attack, but at this point, the Americans have already come to realize that what they’re dealing with inside the house might be much more dangerous than the enemies they are trying to keep out.
The Gothic setting of the mansion and all the potential chills that come with it can bring another reference to a supernatural horror set during WWII to mind—the unfortunate sequel to an already unnecessary remake, The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, which came out in 2014. Unlike the latter, though, Ghosts of War doesn’t only utilize war as a backdrop to a classic ghost story about a vengeful spirit who wants retribution but incorporates it into the emotional core here: war isn’t the background of the horror; it’s the catalyst for it. Eric Bress isn’t a novice in genre cinema, having previously worked on the Final Destination franchise—both the second and fourth films—as a screenwriter and having directed The Butterfly Effect. In Ghosts of War, which he both wrote and directed, he makes effective use of space, which remains pretty limited for most of the story, making it work for both horror and the prolonged action sequence depicting the attack by the Germans.
The Cast of ‘Ghosts of War’ and Its Effective Twist Elevate It From Being a Typical Ghost Story
Like many movies with a clear anti-war message, Ghosts of War has a very specific set of characters and a very particular cast that all help to sharpen the idea that most people who find themselves in the trenches aren’t black and white heroes or villains. Just ordinary people who try to hold on to their sanity amid chaos and madness. That is especially evident in the case of the future Jack Reacher, Ritchson, who plays one of the privates with his trademark natural charisma of a man who could’ve been the hero of the story and the one to make it to the end credits in some other scenario. Here, however, he unexpectedly becomes the first and almost random victim, once again emphasizing the idea of war as the dark force that devours everything and everyone in its path.
Other actors in the core cast fully contribute to this effect too. Brenton Thwaites plays the unit’s commander, who does his best to lead but comes off just as confused as the men he’s supposed to be in charge of. And Kyle Gallner, who hadn’t fully reached his Scream King status at that point but already had several noticeable genre outings under his belt, seems to be channeling his experience in The Haunting in Connecticut, playing a character who is probably the most perceptive of the supernatural presence inside the mansion. Rounded out by Skylar Astin and Theo Rossi, this group comes off as a bunch of regular young men who are roughened and exhausted by the war, but try to stick to some semblance of normalcy by gathering around the fireplace and scaring each other by relaying terrible incidents as if they were campfire stories.
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While Ghosts of War isn’t by any means a subtle film, the gradual dissolution of the familiar reality is what it does best, hinting at a possible twist with the help of several discrepancies in the story, noticeable to history buffs, and the mention of the famous Ambrose Bierce‘s short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. When Bress’ film first came out, a lot of the criticism it faced was aimed specifically at the movie’s ending, claiming that both the twist and the following resolution sort of render the previous events pointless. In the context of the movie’s broader meaning, though, there is another way to see this controversial ending. In its final sequence, Ghosts of War seems to be fully embracing its psychological horror origin, showing that the only way to deal with trauma is to go back to the roots of it and address it directly, instead of going through the soothing motions that are merely an illusion of moving forward.
Entertainment
These Katie Holmes-Inspired Wide-Leg Jeans Are a Must-Shop
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The best thing about jeans is that they come in so many variations, so it’s practically impossible not to find a style you love. But thanks to heavy inspiration from Katie Holmes, we found a pair that flatters everybody (and every body). These wide-leg jeans have a distinctive hem and relaxed look that’ll have you reaching for them every week.
Holmes gave us a lesson in cool-mom style when she wore her medium-wash jeans in San Diego. They’re not your typical wide-leg jeans, though, as they have a denim colorblock situation and frayed hems. Consider them a bit funkier than a typical option! To get the style, we luckily found the Jyutia High-Waisted Wide-Leg Jeans to be a wildly similar pick.
Get the Jyutia High-Waisted Wide-Leg Jeans for $37 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
The Jyutia jeans are made of mostly cotton, but there is elastane in there to provide comfortable stretch. Unlike typical denim that comes in number sizes, these are available in small, medium, large and X-large. And to get the Holmes-approved look, snag the Mid Blue color, but the Dark Blue and Black are also no-fail options.
We love how Holmes paired the chunky frayed hem on the jeans with a feminine white blouse. The Mary Jane flats and sunglasses tied the look together for an ultra-stylish mom-on-the-go feel. The wide-leg silhouette allows you to play with your tops and footwear while keeping your proportions balanced.
If there’s one thing all the Amazon shoppers can agree on, it’s that these wide-leg jeans exceed expectations. The nice fit and stretchy fabric make them easy to wear from day to day.
“These are my new favorite jeans! They are high-rise, wide-leg with cuffs. They’re a lighter-weight jean with stretch. The cuffs stay up or you can uncuff and wear,” a five-star reviewer wrote.
“The cut is perfect, the fabric is stretchy and comfy and the perfect color. I wore them to my stylist, who is a real fashionista, and she loved them so much I had to send her a link. Great quality and so stylish,” another happy shopper said.
From the relaxed silhouette all the way down to the unique hem, these Amazon jeans are giving Holmes’ a run for their money. But luckily, you won’t have to spend a lot of yours to get the style!
Get the Jyutia High-Waisted Wide-Leg Jeans for $37 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more wide-leg jeans here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Entertainment
Bonnie Blue Plans to Auction Off Baby’s Name Amid Pregnancy
Adult content creator Bonnie Blue is thinking of ways to include her fans in her pregnancy.
“I would like to auction off the baby’s name, I think that would be quite fun,” Blue, 26, exclusively told Us Weekly, sharing that she doesn’t have a name picked out yet. “I think I want to get my fans involved in a gender reveal. They’re going to be involved along the way.”
She continued, “But I want to be very careful [about] not sexualizing the child. So it’s trying to get the right balance of getting people involved, but not having the baby sexualized. Pregnancy can be sexualized. That’s fine, because that’s referring to me, but there’ll be a very strict line, especially once the baby’s here, of what’s shown and how much is shown.”
Blue (real name Tia Billinger) explained that she’s “always thinking of new ideas” and thought involving her fans in choosing the baby’s name would “obviously [be] a fun one.”
“I’m yet to decide anymore,” she said. “Spring break was a big one that I’ve just finished, so that was the priority. And spring break is coming to an end now, so I’ll be thinking of what’s next shortly after.”
After having unprotected sex with 400 men in her so-called “breeding mission,” Blue claimed in February that she is pregnant. When asked if she had a message for the men who participated in her event, Blue told Us, “Good luck, I guess.”
“I was very transparent of what the event was about, what I’d like the outcome to be,” she said, “and they’ve got the option if they’d like to be involved, once I find out who the [dad] is, or if they don’t want to be, then I’m more than happy to be a single mom.”
Blue shared that she’s “making sure the baby’s healthy” and is not focused on establishing paternity.
“As any pregnant woman would agree, it’s the main priority during a pregnancy,” she said of the baby’s health. “In terms of finding out the dad, that’s another day’s problem.”
While some have theorized that Blue’s pregnancy is a stunt, the adult content creator told Us she’s not bothered.
“It’s not my job to convince them I am actually pregnant,” Blue said of the haters. “The more doubts, the more comments, the more views, and it will stay that way. I saw a comment say, ‘Even if I’m seen having a baby, they’ll think it’s a doll.’ So enjoy watching me carrying a doll around this year because I am pregnant, but I am not fazed at all if people don’t believe me.”
While promising “lots of Spring Break content” will be shared soon, Blue said her commitment to creating content “just shows I’ve been able to continue doing what I do despite being pregnant or not pregnant.”
To learn more about the serious potential risks and harms of “competitive sex” and other explicit OnlyFans content — read what doctors, mental health professionals and other experts told Us Weekly here.
Entertainment
Cardi B Tackles Hair Care With New Grow-Good Line
Cardi B is already an immensely successful multihyphenate, but despite having a ton of things on her plate, she’s set to add one more — a highly anticipated haircare line that was years in the making.
In a recent interview, the Grammy winner opened up about venturing into the crowded haircare space, balancing her career with motherhood, and more.
Cardi B Isn’t Slowing Down Anytime Soon And Wants To ‘Do Everything Now’

Speaking exclusively with Allure, Cardi B got candid about seizing the moment by doing “everything now,” so she can rest later and enjoy the fruits of her labor that has been highly intensive since she burst on the music scene in 2017.
When asked if rest is on her agenda in the near future, Cardi responded with her famed blunt honesty. “No, I can’t. Not this year,” she said while noting her “100 gazillion meetings” that consistently keep her very busy.
“I just want to do everything now,” the multi-platinum rapper told the outlet. “I told myself I needed two years of being uncomfortable so I could be comfortable. Things just change every single f-king day. And it’s like, This is your moment. This is the time to do it.”
Cardi B Preps Grow-Good Haircare Line For Release Amid Sell-Out ‘Little Miss Drama’ Tour

Cardi knows that anything she does will be scrutinized heavily, as she admitted that the stakes for Grow-Good, her haircare line launching in April, may be higher than releasing music.
“People are gonna buy my sh-t just off my name, but are you gonna come back?,” she hypothetically asked during the interview. “It’s about coming back.”
“A bad song is not gonna f-k up your life,” Cardi said candidly. “Imagine you put some sh-t into your hair, and you damage it, and I’m responsible?!”
Grow-Good launches with two shampoos (Wash Cycle Shampoo, Wash Cycle+ Shampoo,) two conditioners (Soft Serve Conditioner, Soft Serve+ Conditioner,) the Get Rich Hydrating Hair Mask, and the Everything Serum.
Cardi Welcomed Stefon Diggs’ Mom To Tour Stop Despite The Couple Calling It Quits

On March 4, Stephanie Diggs, mother of Stefon Diggs, made it clear that there is no bad blood between her and Cardi B despite the rapper and her son recently ending their relationship after welcoming a baby boy in September 2025.
Stephanie attended the Houston tour stop, which also featured a guest appearance by Megan Thee Stallion, and shared the night out via photos on Instagram.
During the NFL season, Stephanie and Cardi were frequently seen at the New England Patriots games together supporting Diggs.
The Rapper And NFL Player Ended Their Relationship Following Drama-Filled Super Bowl Weekend

Cardi B was Stefon Diggs’ biggest cheerleader during the NFL season, as the superstar was heralded as the latest celebrity WAG.
She appeared at multiple NFL games to support him, and fans were excited to see them together at the Super Bowl, where she performed as part of Bad Bunny’s halftime show.
However, drama behind the scenes led to the pair parting ways.
The day after the Patriots lost the Super Bowl to the Seattle Seahawks, PEOPLE confirmed that Diggs and Cardi unfollowed each other on Instagram. The rapper then confirmed the split when she addressed it for the first time on February 15, while on tour.
On February 25, an inside source gave US Weekly insight into what led to the breakup between the two.
“They are always so up and down. This isn’t the first time they have broken up,” the source said.
“Cardi is single and putting herself out there again,” they continued. “She feels free. He betrayed her so many times. Her friends have been trying to show her that he is not right for her and that she deserved better.”
Cardi Previously Addressed The Former Patriots Star While On Stage

At the San Francisco stop of the ‘Little Miss Drama’ tour, Cardi sent Diggs a subliminal message while on stage.
“I’m too sexy to be lonely and too grown to be played with n-gga. Who are you playing with, motherf-cker?” she said without mentioning his name.
“None of them b-tches f-cking with me,” Cardi added. Prior to that nod to their former relationship, she began her song “Pretty & Petty,” which is a diss against Bia, by making it clear that just because she and Diggs are done doesn’t mean Bia can take shots at him.
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