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The fantasy genre just can’t exist without Dungeons & Dragons, and that’s not an empty hot take. For anyone who somehow missed the epic phenomenon that is Dungeons & Dragons, the game is a shared adventure where a group of players creates heroes, explores strange worlds, fights monsters, and makes questionable decisions before the dice flip the odds. One person guides the story as the Dungeon Master, but the real fun comes from watching completely different characters work together to survive the most unexpected situations.
The game is extremely entertaining, but ultimately, it thrives on a strong sense of camaraderie among the players. Plenty of animated shows capture that same feeling, even when they aren’t directly based on the games. These six animated series are for anyone searching for the same mix of excitement, heart, and unpredictability that Dungeons & Dragons is known for.
Arcane is based on Riot Games’ fan-favorite League of Legends universe and expands the game’s lore into a rich fantasy drama. The story takes place across the divided worlds of Piltover and Zaun and follows sisters Vi and Powder after a failed robbery tears their family apart. Years later, Vi has become a hardened fighter, while Powder has transformed into the unstable and destructive Jinx. Their relationship is the emotional center of the story, but aside from that, Arcane brings together dangerous magic, political conflict, and broken alliances to tie every storyline into one big adventure.
The series never treats its characters as black and white and gives nuance to even the messiest decisions made by Piltover’s leaders and Zaun’s revolutionaries. Even the characters trying to do the right thing keep discovering that every decision leads to consequences they cannot control. This kind of ambitious worldbuilding makes the series’ moral complexity feel even stronger. Safe to say, Dungeons & Dragons fans will feel right at home in Arcane’s world, where the stakes can completely change in the blink of an eye.
Blue Eye Samurai has all the makings of a classic revenge story, until one realizes that the animated action series is so much more than just that. The story takes place in 17th-century Japan and follows mixed-race master swordsman Mizu, who is hunting four white men, one of whom may be her father. Now, the protagonist’s blue eyes and gender will easily make her a target, so she travels in disguise and treats every person she meets as either a means to her end or an enemy. Mizu’s obsession drives the story forward, and her backstory gives the violence real weight, with every battle revealing something new about her.
Her eventual alliances with Ringo, Taigen, and Akemi turn her journey into a much more compelling adventure. Each character is following a different path, but their choices repeatedly pull them into the same conflict. Blue Eye Samurai is a treat for audiences who appreciate group-based fantasy storytelling and how one simple quest keeps growing in unexpected directions. Most importantly, the series understands that a good fantasy story isn’t just about defeating the bad guy, but about the more personal journey its characters embark on.
The Legend of Vox Machina is based on the first campaign of Critical Role, which began as a private tabletop game before becoming a hugely popular online show. The show follows seven adventurers who care about money and drinks more than anything else. The thing is that all of them are skilled individually, but getting them to work together in the face of a threat is as impossible as it gets. Their first adventure earns them some respect, but the story becomes far more personal when one member of the group, Percy, comes face-to-face with Sylas and Delilah Briarwood, the couple who murdered his family and took control of his home. The group travels to Whitestone to help him reclaim it, only to realize that Percy’s desire for revenge is turning into something much more brutal.
From there, the crew’s journey leads them to forgotten tombs, dangerous cities, and other planes of existence in search of ancient weapons called the Vestiges of Divergence. However, even with a scale so grand, the core focus of the show remains the friendships holding this deeply dysfunctional group together. In fact, that balance is exactly what makes The Legend of Vox Machina so much fun. The heroes argue, make terrible decisions, and occasionally succeed by chance. Along the way, though, they learn that their greatest victories only happen when they stop trying to outshine each other. The Legend of Vox Machina captures the joy of a shared fantasy adventure, and that’s what makes it such a special show.
Castlevania begins with the iconic Dracula falling in love. However, when his wife, Lisa, is falsely accused of witchcraft and burned alive by the Church, the grief drives him mad. Dracula gives the people of Wallachia one year to make peace before unleashing an army of vampires and night creatures upon them. Now, Trevor Belmont, the drunken and disgraced last member of a legendary monster-hunting family, becomes humanity’s best hope. Naturally, Trevor wants nothing to do with saving a society that drove his family into exile. However, he crosses paths with fearless magician Sypha Belnades and Dracula’s half-human son, Alucard.
Together, the three of them agree to find the villain’s moving castle to stop his war against humanity. Trevor has years of monster-hunting knowledge, Sypha can control the elements, and Alucard has the strength and speed of a vampire, which makes the characters the perfect trio to bring Dracula down. Over the course of four seasons, Castlevania moves beyond this first mission, without ever feeling too disconnected from the initial conflict. The series allows its characters to grow without slowing down the action. Castlevania is gothic and gory, but it has its fair share of heartfelt moments that keep the audience genuinely invested in every plot until the end.
Blood of Zeus could have done the easy thing and retold Greek myths that most people are already familiar with. Instead, the show created a new hero and placed him directly in the middle of the gods’ famously messy family drama. Heron begins the series as a poor outcast living with his mother in ancient Greece, only to discover that he is one of Zeus’ many illegitimate sons. Unfortunately, this also catches the attention of Hera, who directs her anger at Heron and unleashes a conflict involving gods, mortals, demons, and long-buried Giants. Heron is soon pulled into a much larger fight alongside the warrior Alexia and a small group of unlikely allies. At the same time, he must face Seraphim, a brutal demon leader whose past is closely connected to his own.
Blood of Zeus delivers a grand fantasy epic that is easy to get lost in. The series continues expanding after its first war as Heron is forced to take greater responsibility for Olympus following Zeus’ death. The series works because it shows how its gods are just as flawed as the humans caught in their battles. Their jealousy and old grudges keep creating new problems, while Heron is left to deal with the consequences. The show might borrow from Greek mythology and feature enchanted weapons, dangerous enemies, and trips to the Underworld, but at the end of the day, it is a family drama that almost everyone will relate to.
Avatar: The Last Airbender is hands-down one of the greatest animated series ever created. The show centers on 12-year-old Aang, the last surviving Air Nomad and the Avatar, a powerful figure expected to master all four elements and restore balance to the world. Not just that, but Aang is also the only person capable of ending the Fire Nation’s century-long war. He is soon joined by siblings Katara and Sokka, and later Toph, as the group travels across the world to help Aang master water, earth, and fire before facing Fire Lord Ozai. For all its childlike playfulness and warmth, Avatar: The Last Airbender also takes the damage caused by war and colonialism very seriously.
The show demonstrates how the Fire Nation occupies people’s land, destroys their culture, and spreads propaganda to teach its own children a false version of history. The audience sees all this damage through Aang’s eyes, but none of it feels too heavy because of the show’s focus on friendship and wonder. The world in Avatar: The Last Airbender feels magical and alive, despite the constant danger the people in this world face. The show offers all of its characters, even Zuko, genuine growth to show how real strength comes from understanding others and choosing compassion over everything else. Very few animated series are as meaningful and memorable as Avatar: The Last Airbender, and the show’s themes only make it feel more relevant with time.
2005 – 2008-00-00
Nickelodeon
Michael Dante DiMartino
Giancarlo Volpe, Ethan Spaulding, Lauren MacMullan, Dave Filoni, Joaquim Dos Santos, Anthony Lioi
Lil’ Kim has penned a sentimental message praising her daughter, Royal Reign, and her beauty.
On the evening of Saturday, August 1, Lil’ Kim took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a message with her more than 2.1 million followers. Furthermore, Kim shared a few shots of her daughter as she walked the runway at the Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show earlier in the week.
“MY BABYYYYYY 😭🥹❤️ Look at my beautiful baby girl!!! One thing about my baby… she’s always telling me how beautiful I am. But when I look at YOU, all I see is beauty. Inside and out. Watching you shine makes my heart so full. Keep being confident, kind, and unapologetically YOU. Mommy loves you more than words can ever say 💖,” she wrote.
See her tweet and the photos she shared of Royal Reign below.
MY BABYYYYYY 😭🥹❤️ Look at my beautiful baby girl!!! One thing about my baby… she’s always telling me how beautiful I am. But when I look at YOU, all I see is beauty. Inside and out. Watching you shine makes my heart so full. Keep being confident, kind, and unapologetically… pic.twitter.com/nZEB8ZRQ6G
— Lil’ Kim (@LilKim) August 1, 2026
Social media users reacted to Lil’ Kim’s words for her daughter in TSR’s comment section.
Instagram user @courtneyy.danielle wrote, “Her daughter looks more like the real lil Kim than the real lil Kim looks like lil Kim 😂”
While Instagram user @miz.bee added, “Kim is going to make sure she will be exactly what her younger self needed growing up. She will feel beautiful inside and out!”
Instagram user @imanid4e wrote, “That second sentence!! I’m so grateful she has a daughter to pour into her and remind her of her beauty🥹like the whole internet coming for lil Kim’s looks, all knowing it’s something deeper rooted than what we see. Just for her to give birth to her mini me that gives her that love she probably really needed 🥹”
While Instagram user @mrssweetesttaboo added, “Beautiful just like her Mother. I hope her Mom is dropping gems on her so she can know better to do better.”
Instagram user @luscious_lameshia wrote, “I hope her daughter never forgets how beautiful she is! Kim was just as beautiful I hate the industry caused her to feel differently! But she’s still beautiful ❤️”
While Instagram user @msmcgreen added, “Wish she coulda seen that beauty on herself because they’re twins 😍”
Instagram user @queen.kaytie wrote, “The face card is EPIC🔥🔥🔥”
While Instagram user @jadaxberry added, “She is absolutely gorgeous 😍❤️ You cannot take that away from baby girl 🥹🩷🫶🏾”
Instagram user @_meekmeekmeek wrote, “And I’m happy her daughter lets her know, because the world constantly speaks on this woman looks 🥰🥰🥰 idc I’m done alway love me some Kim”
As The Shade Room previously reported, Lil’ Kim and her daughter Royal Reign attended the runway show, and Reign wasn’t the only celebrity kid there. Additionally, DaniLeigh and her daughter also popped out. Furthermore, at the time, social media users couldn’t help but comment on Reign’s beauty in TSR’s comment section.
Instagram user @aniciad0ll_ wrote, “Kim’s daughter is so pretty!!! Giving younger Kim”
While Instagram user @_suckafreesi added, “Royal Reign is such a beauty!! 😍We get to see a mini Lil Kim all over again but this time she has the guidance of a mother who’s gained immense wisdom over the years and withstood the test of time ❤️”
What Do You Think Roomies?
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Kendall Jenner is proof that sometimes the coolest fashion trends are also the most practical. The model was spotted wearing these slim retro sneakers, and it’s easy to see why. They’re the kind of shoes that instantly make jeans, dresses and even workout sets feel a little more fashion-forward — all while earning rave reviews from shoppers who say they can walk “8 to 10 miles a day” in them.
Jenner was spotted wearing the Adidas Samba sneakers with Levi’s 501 jeans, a white tank, a red Goyard tote bag and oversized sunglasses. Her chill brunch outfit is casually cool, however, the versatile sneakers are what seal the deal, cementing them as one of fashion’s biggest ‘It’ girl staples. Despite their celebrity status, these sneakers are refreshingly affordable. You can shop the exact pair for only $95 on Amazon.
Get the Adidas Samba Indoor Soccer Shoes for $95 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
The Adidas Samba Indoor Soccer Shoes prove you don’t need an over-the-top sneaker to make an outfit feel current. Its low-profile silhouette is sleek enough to dress up with tailored pieces yet casual enough for everyday errands, making the shoes work with nearly everything already hanging in your closet. It also comes in Jenner’s exact white and black color combo, and is available in sizes 5 through 14.
Beyond the celebrity appeal, shoppers say the comfort lives up to the hype. The leather upper softens with wear, while the cushioned footbed and grippy gum outsole make the sneakers easy to spend all day in. It’s the combination of retro style and everyday practicality that turned the Samba into a modern wardrobe icon.
Celebrities aren’t the only ones who are obsessed; over 3,500 shoppers gave them a five-star rating. One buyer called them “incredibly comfortable” after wearing them “every single day” on a two-week trip. Meanwhile, another customer described them as “a classic, stylish shoe that goes with just about anything from jeans to casual athletic wear.”
If you’ve been looking for a pair of sneakers that can keep up with busy days without sacrificing style, Jenner’s favorite pair is hard to beat. The Adidas sneakers are fashionable enough for coffee runs, comfortable for sightseeing and have that versatile touch that goes with your year-round wardrobe.
Get the Adidas Samba Indoor Soccer Shoes for $95 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more from Adidas here, and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
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2026 has been the year of Tom Holland so far, after starring in a leading role in The Odyssey opposite Matt Damon before reprising his role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The Odyssey is quickly closing in on $1 billion at the box office, which would make it only the second Christopher Nolan-directed film to reach this milestone globally — the first was The Dark Knight Rises. The Odyssey was shaping up to be the biggest box office hit of the year so far, until the arrival of Spider-Man: Brand New Day shattered records. The fourth solo MCU Spider-Man film collected over $900 million at the global box office during its opening weekend, including $355 million from domestic earnings, which gives it the second-biggest opening of all time, only $2 million behind Avengers: Endgame.
What makes this behemoth opening for Spider-Man: Brand New Day even more impressive is that it is not playing in IMAX. Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey has held IMAX exclusivity over all large-screen format screens for three weeks now, but the demand for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has forced IMAX to go back on this. News broke this morning that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will officially begin playing on IMAX screens this Friday, on August 7. Tickets for Spider-Man 4 in IMAX will go on sale tomorrow, on August 4. After falling just short of $1 billion during its first few days in theaters, it’s safe to assume that the film will reach 10 figures before this weekend, especially after introducing IMAX into the mix. We could be in the early days of witnessing one of the most historic box office runs of all time.
Tom Holland reprises his role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, along with returning franchise veterans Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, who can be seen playing MJ and Ned Leeds in the fourth MCU Spider-Man movie. Jon Bernthal also stars as The Punisher for the first time on the big screen, and Mark Ruffalo continues his trend of showing up as Bruce Banner/Hulk in other MCU films. Additional cast members for Spider-Man: Brand New Day include Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Tramell Tillman as William Metzger, Liza Cólon-Zayas as Detective Jean DeWolff, and Sadie Sink.
Check out Spider-Man: Brand New Day in IMAX this weekend and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the film.
July 31, 2026
145 Minutes
Destin Daniel Cretton
Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee
Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad
Spider-Man / Peter Parker
What a huge year it’s been for Apple TV, the criminally underrated streaming platform that has put out some of the most popular shows of 2026. One look at streaming charts right now, and it’s easy to see why so many people are flocking from other services like Netflix or Prime Video to Apple, with dozens of prestige shows featuring some of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Sitting comfortably at the top of Apple TV streaming charts right now is Silo, the critically acclaimed sci-fi series starring Rebecca Ferguson. Silo hasn’t had an easy path to the pinnacle of streaming charts, though, considering some of its competition in the top 10. Anya Taylor-Joy’s Lucky and Javier Bardem’s Cape Fear are both battling it out in the top three with Silo right now.
One Apple TV show that fans have been waiting to return for over two years now is Dark Matter, the multiversal sci-fi thriller starring Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly. The show is based on the critically acclaimed, award-winning book of the same name by Blake Crouch, who is heavily involved in the series as both a writer and producer. After an enormously successful first season back in 2024, Apple TV renewed Dark Matter for Season 2, and the show is finally set to return to streaming later this month on August 28. Before Dark Matter’s return, Collider is happy to partner with Apple TV to debut a new sneak peek at Season 2, as the show prepares to head into uncharted waters after Season 1 adapted the entirety of Crouch’s novel.
Starring Joel Edgerton as Jason Dessen, Dark Matter follows a brilliant physicist and loving family man who gets kidnapped on his way home from the bar one night. What starts as a kidnapping thriller evolves into something much more sinister when Jason wakes up to realize that life isn’t as he remembered — his wife doesn’t know who he is, someone else is living in his house, and his son doesn’t even exist. Jason quickly discovers that it was an alternate version of himself who kidnapped him in an effort to steal his life, sending him on an epic quest through the multiverse to get back home to his family. In Dark Matter Season 2, Jason, Daniela (played by Jennifer Connelly), and their son Charlie (played by Oakes Fegley) must head back out into the dangerous multiverse to find somewhere safe to live.
Check out the first season of Dark Matter on Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Season 2, which premieres on August 28.
May 7, 2024
Apple TV+
Jakob Verbruggen, Alik Sakharov, Roxann Dawson, Logan George
Blake Crouch
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Baldwin admitted that he “didn’t want to be Tom Cruise” and that “God spoke to” his housekeeper about his life trajectory.
Megan Thee Stallion‘s latest cooking video has social media users mentioning her ex-boyfriend, Klay Thompson, and his dad.
Over the weekend, Megan Thee Stallion took to Instagram to share her chef skills with the world. This time, Meg showed that she was cooking up spaghetti and catfish. Additionally, the rapper called it her “million dollar” plate and noted that she was seemingly wrapping up production on her album.
“Million 💸 spaghetti and catfish today for Farris and Ju to finish THEE ALBUM,” she captioned the clip, which showed her baking the spaghetti, garlic bread, and frying up the catfish.
Peep the process and her finished plate below.
Social media users immediately slid into TSR’s comment section with reactions to Megan Thee Stallion’s cooking video. Many, seemingly, couldn’t help but mention Klay Thompson and his dad.
Instagram user @hood_hippie0587 wrote, “Klay’s daddy somewhere, smackin him upside his head sayin, ‘That should’ve been my plate 🤨!’ 😩”
While Instagram user @kimmymar added, “I know dude daddy miss her cooking 😩😂”
Instagram user @jk_leblanc409 wrote, “Klay really went back to eating unseasoned food 🤦🏾♂️”
While Instagram user @_xavoo added, “Klay daddy somewhere PISSED seeing this 🤣”
Instagram user @crimeintel75 wrote, “Nah real men understand what manipulation looks like. She’s advertising😂. Men who get women understand this and would never fall for this.😂😂😂💯”
While Instagram user @dymondcrystal_ added, “Lmao maybe she was thinking about lasagna 😂 I’ve actually never seen somebody bake spaghetti”
Instagram user @lit_ass_scorpio wrote, “I know he missing his favorite , catfish and spaghetti with some red sauce 🤣🤣🤣”
While Instagram user @da_melanated_empress added, “This the same spaghetti 🍝that ran Klay away 😂😂”
Instagram user @prettisavvagee wrote, “Why yall keep bringing up Klay??🥴 He is a basketball champion who’s made over $300 million. He’s living his best single life next.🥰🥰”
While Instagram user @mskayceecore added, “klay daddy pissed”
Klay Thompson previously made headlines by way of Meg Thee Stallion in June. As The Shade Room previously reported, at the time, Megan Thee Stallion used a video clip to tease an apparent song. In the clip, women alongside her sang, “That man ain’t s**t,” as Meg rapped about putting “wifey s**t” to bed.
What Do You Think Roomies?
This genre gets sold with spaceships, robots, strange planets, and cool technology whether the story carries substance or not. Then some films use those same ingredients to talk about bodily violation, war, exploitation, grief, sexual control, and the fear that human beings may be the ugliest thing in the room. But that’s cliche too at this point. So when a sci-fi film needs to stand out, it needs to do more. The movies on this list do more in a different way.
These are not family-night picks with a few scary scenes. They are adult films built around disturbing ideas, difficult images, and questions that stay uncomfortable long after the credits. A younger viewer might be impressed by the effects. An adult is more likely to recognise the anger, loneliness, political cruelty, or existential dread hiding underneath them. If that interests you, scroll down slowly.
Upgrade begins as a revenge thriller set in a near future where technology has entered nearly every part of daily life. Grey Trace (Logan Marshall-Green) distrusts that world until a violent attack kills his wife and leaves him paralysed. An experimental computer chip called STEM restores movement to his body, and Grey soon discovers that the system can do far more than help him walk. It can fight, analyse threats, and act with a speed his human brain cannot match.
The action is brutal, but the adult edge comes from the loss of control. Grey may look stronger after the implant, yet every victory makes the relationship between body and machine more unsettling. The story is lean, nasty, and increasingly suspicious of every technological promise. Watch it for the bone-snapping fights, then stay for the much darker question about who is actually using whom.
A rescue crew travels to Neptune after the Event Horizon suddenly reappears seven years after vanishing during an experimental voyage. The ship was designed to create an artificial black hole and travel across impossible distances. Something went wrong during the first test, and the empty corridors now contain evidence that the crew reached a place nobody was meant to find. That’s Event Horizon for you. This movie is messy in places, but its best ideas are genuinely frightening. Put it on late at night, turn the lights off, and let that ship ruin deep space for you.
It starts with hard science-fiction language and turns into full cosmic horror. The production design mixes industrial machinery with religious architecture. The ship resembles a cathedral built for pain. Captain Miller (Laurence Fishburne) has that steady authority that any and every Fishburne character does. Dr. Weir (late Sam Neill) becomes increasingly tied to whatever came back with the vessel. Gore, hallucinations, self-mutilation, and flashes of hellish imagery explain the R rating very quickly. If you get the idea I’ve tried painting so far, you’ll love it.
Corporate assassins in Possessor carry out murders by taking control of other people’s bodies. Tasya Vos (Andrea Riseborough) enters a host’s mind through implanted technology, completes the assignment, and then forces the host to die so she can return to herself. Her latest job places her inside Colin Tate (Christopher Abbott), whose relationship with a wealthy family gives the company access to its next target. The process then starts breaking down when Colin resists her control.
Brandon Cronenberg (the director) takes the body-horror interests associated with his family name and pushes them into questions about identity, labour, and emotional detachment. Tasya’s character spends so much time becoming other people that her own home life seems distant and rehearsed. Tate brings an entirely different energy once he begins fighting for ownership of his mind. The violence is intimate, graphic, and deliberately hard to watch. Possessor is the pick for viewers who want science fiction that leaves them fascinated, slightly sick, and eager to argue about whose personality survived.
The Fly is romantic, sad, funny, revolting, and far more human than most respectable dramas. Watch it when you want a horror film with a real heart beating under all the slime. A brilliant scientist believes he has solved teleportation. Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) can move objects between two pods, but living tissue remains the final challenge. After successfully transporting himself, he starts feeling stronger, faster, and more confident. He later learns that a fly entered the pod with him and that the computer fused them at a genetic level.
Not to mention that this is a remake of a 1958 film. And David Cronenberg’s remake is famous for body horror, though reducing it to melting flesh and practical effects misses half the experience. Seth’s transformation also resembles terminal illness, addiction, and the terror of watching someone you love become unrecognisable. Jeff Goldblum and Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) create a relationship warm enough to make every physical change hurt. All that counts. The effects remain astonishingly disgusting, but the emotional damage hits harder than the makeup.
An alien spacecraft stalls above Johannesburg, and its starving passengers are eventually confined to a government-controlled settlement called District 9. Years later, officials decide to relocate them to another camp. Wikus van de Merwe (Sharlto Copley), a nervous employee of the private military company handling the operation, leads the eviction effort until exposure to alien technology changes his body and destroys his place in human society. That premise allows District 9 to thrill a crowd and still leave everyone arguing about complicity on the drive home.
The documentary-style opening makes the discrimination feel disturbingly normal too. Aliens are insulted, exploited, experimented on, and discussed as a public nuisance by people who profit from keeping them powerless. South Africa’s history of forced removals and apartheid gives the premise an unmistakable political charge. Wikus begins as part of the system and only develops empathy once the same system targets him. The film eventually erupts into heavy weapons, mech combat, and gruesome violence, but the anger underneath never disappears.
In Ex Machina, a young programmer wins a private visit to the isolated home of Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac), the billionaire behind the world’s dominant search engine. Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson), the intern, soon learns the real purpose of the trip. Nathan has created an artificial intelligence named Ava (Alicia Vikander) and wants Caleb to decide whether her consciousness is genuine. Their conversations take place through glass while cameras observe every reaction.
The setup looks clean and controlled, but the house is full of power imbalances. Nathan owns the building, the information, and the bodies inside it. Caleb wants to believe his empathy makes him different, though attraction quickly interferes with judgment. Alicia Vikander’s Ava remains compelling without being reduced to innocence or threat, and Oscar Isaac turns Nathan’s confidence into something increasingly ugly. The film includes nudity, coercion, violence, and enough psychological manipulation to make every conversation suspect. So while it’s not for everybody, Ex Machina is perfect for anyone who likes leaving a movie with three theories and no trust left in the person sitting beside them. That’s a joke. Or not.
A strange zone called the Shimmer is expanding across the American coastline. Few people return after entering it, and those who do come back are changed. It is gorgeous, frightening, and strange enough to make a second viewing feel almost necessary. Lena (Natalie Portman), a biologist and former soldier, joins an all-female expedition hoping to understand what happened to her husband during an earlier mission. Inside the Shimmer, plants, animals, landscapes, and human bodies begin combining in ways that break every familiar biological rule. It’s almost like Alex Garland adapted Jeff VanderMeer’s novel into something less interested in invasion than transformation.
The women enter with different private wounds, and the environment seems to reflect their fear, grief, illness, and self-destructive impulses back at them. The infamous bear is terrifying, yet some of the quieter images are even harder to process. Flowers grow in human shapes. Memories lose their stability. DNA behaves like language being rewritten. That’s Annihilation.
Under the Skin is slow, cold, and hypnotic. Give it your full attention and it becomes the kind of film that quietly follows you home. An unnamed woman (Scarlett Johansson) drives around Scotland, approaching lonely men and inviting them into a house where they disappear beneath a black liquid surface. She looks human, speaks calmly, and studies attraction with the distance of someone performing a task she barely understands. Gradually, contact with ordinary people begins changing how she sees them and herself.
Scarlett Johansson filmed several encounters with unsuspecting members of the public, which gives the early conversations an awkward reality, authenticity, that no normal casting process could create. Jonathan Glazer strips away familiar science-fiction explanations and lets behaviour, sound, and imagery carry the experience. Nudity appears but without comfort, sex becomes predatory, and the human body looks vulnerable from every angle.
Humanity has been infertile for nearly two decades, and the youngest person alive has just died. Britain survives through authoritarian control while refugees are hunted, caged, and deported. Theo Faron (Clive Owen) has stopped believing in political causes until his former partner asks him to help transport Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey), a young refugee carrying the first known pregnancy in eighteen years.
The premise is huge, yet the movie stays close to streets, buses, safe houses, checkpoints, and frightened people trying to keep one woman alive. Alfonso Cuarón’s long takes place the viewer inside violence. Theo begins emotionally numb, while Kee’s pregnancy forces him to imagine a future again. War, state cruelty, terrorism, grief, and childbirth all collide without easy speeches about hope. Children of Men is exhausting in the best way. It leaves you desperate for the characters to reach safety and furious at how recognisable their world has become.
The Thing gives you monsters, gore, mystery, and this highly debated closing moment without spelling out the answer. Watch it with friends and enjoy distrusting every single one of them afterward. A research team in Antarctica discovers an alien organism capable of absorbing and perfectly imitating other living creatures. Nobody knows when the infection began or who has already been replaced. The isolated station becomes a pressure cooker where trust disappears faster than the temperature drops.
John Carpenter’s film arrived to harsh reviews in 1982 and later earned its place among the greatest science-fiction horror movies ever made. Rob Bottin’s practical effects still look grotesque, imaginative, and physically wrong in ways digital work rarely matches. MacReady (Kurt Russell) has no magic solution, only observation, improvisation, and a flamethrower. The blood test, the scale of it is great but the paranoia surrounding it is even better. Every conversation could be happening with something pretending to be human. It’s a great film, and so not for kids.
June 25, 1982
109 minutes
John Carpenter
Bill Lancaster, John W. Campbell Jr.
It’s now less than two weeks until Prime Video‘s best ass-kicking action series, Reacher, makes its long-awaited return, with Alan Ritchson‘s titular skull-cracker facing his toughest task yet following a brutal third season. In the past week, courtesy of San Diego Comic-Con 2026 taking place and a panel for the show being in attendance, the hype for Season 4 has shifted into a new gear, with the release of a pulse-racing trailer showcasing what dangers lie ahead for everyone’s favorite former U.S. Army military police major.
Now the most famous adaptation of Lee Child’s acclaimed novel series, Prime Video’s Reacher has earned a near-perfect reception for its first three installments. The upcoming fourth will adapt Gone Tomorrow, the 13th novel in Child’s long-running series, with fans in for non-stop action as the season includes 30 fight sequences spread across its eight episodes, according to Ritchson, which is a new record for the series. But years before Ritchson turned the character into his own, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars gave the role a try, not once but twice.
Back in 2012, Tom Cruise joined forces with long-time collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, in their first partnership as star and director, on a big-budget Jack Reacher adaptation. The first installment might’ve had its detractors, but it proved popular enough that a sequel was greenlit, with Jack Reacher: Never Go Back released almost ten years ago, in October 2016. This sequel was the recipient of much more backlash than the original, with both critics and audiences responding poorly, with fans of the original novels taking umbrage in particular. However, with Reacher Season 4 just a few days away, perhaps this sequel is a great way to get in the mood? Starting August 1, you’ll be able to stream Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on Paramount+.
Cruise’s interpretation of the character might not have made it beyond two installments, but Ritchson’s Reacher looks destined to stay on our screens for many years yet. Reacher has thankfully already been picked up for Season 5, with production already underway. Ritchson recently gave fans a sneak peek of Season 5 on his social media, and, if all goes well, we could be seeing the fifth installment of this hit series as soon as next year.
As of August 1, you can stream Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on Paramount+. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.
October 21, 2016
118minutes
Edward Zwick
NeNe Leakes may be finally making her long-awaited return to Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Atlanta.” According to a new report, the network has already sent out contracts for season 18, and the “RHOA” OG was among the ladies to receive one.
A new report also claims that Shamea Morton, who has appeared on “RHOA” as a full-time cast member for the last two seasons, received her packing papers and was reportedly asked to leave the show after her explosive feud with Porsha Williams.

A source close to the production of “RHOA” has reportedly confirmed to Reality Blurb that Bravo has been in talks with NeNe Leakes about returning to the show for the upcoming 18th season.
The insider claimed that contracts have gone out, and to make space for Leakes, the network has allegedly asked Morton to step aside.
“Contracts went out two days ago,” the source said, adding that Bravo is “very interested” in finally giving Leakes the chance to return.
Filming is reportedly scheduled to begin in three weeks, directly after the season 17 reunion finishes airing at the end of August.
Leakes hasn’t confirmed yet whether the reports about her potential return to Bravo are real; however, fans noticed that she shared a message on her Instagram Stories late last week that seemingly hinted at something good going her way.
“This is the BEST I have felt in a longgggggggg time,” she wrote over top of a fancy plate of food. “#SuperHappy.”
If Leakes does make an official “RHOA” comeback, it’ll be the first time that she’s appeared on the series since her dramatic exit in 2020.
She then sued the network, Andy Cohen, and the production company Truly Original in 2022, alleging discrimination and a hostile work environment.
A former “RHOA” executive producer previously spoke about the reality star’s ability to fit in with the group should she ever be asked to return and said that Leakes would fit right in.
“NeNe fits in whatever room she enters,” Carlos King said. “We’re talking about [NeNe Leakes], who is the queen of reality television. She’s the greatest Housewife of all time, and I’m hearing the rumors as well, and I think this is a step in the right direction for all of us NayNays [NeNe’s fanbase].”
While rumors of Leakes’ return to “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” circulate around this time every year, there’s reason to believe they could be true this time, considering Leakes and Bravo publicly reconciled earlier this year after a years-long battle.
According to The Blast, Leakes reached an agreement with Bravo to appear in their upcoming special, “The Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip,” which will celebrate 20 years of the iconic franchise.
Leakes won’t be a main cast member; however, she will be heavily featured as a guest. The former Broadway actress shared an emotional statement about her comeback directly after the reports went out, saying she was thrilled to be back in the fold.
“I am happy, overjoyed to say that I will be returning to Bravo,” she said through tears. “I almost can’t believe the words that are coming out of my mouth.”
The upcoming “RHUGT” special will begin airing on Bravo on August 9 at 9 PM EST. The series, which will feature eight of the franchise’s most notable housewives, follows them as they travel to a slew of different cities to catch up with housewives from the past and present. Over 80 additional cast members will appear throughout the episodes.
“For two decades, the Real Housewives has amplified women’s voices, spotlighted their ambition, humor, and strength, inspiring millions with their unapologetic authenticity,” said Bravo executive Frances Berwick. “The Real Housewives: Ultimate Road Trip’ is a love letter to the women who turned a reality television show into a cultural phenomenon — and the fans who’ve been there for every laugh, gasp, toast, and table turn.”

“Real Housewives” godfather Andy Cohen also broke his silence on Leakes’ return after the news became public and said that he was excited for people to see her back on the show.
In another interview, per The Blast, he also implied that he was glad to be moving forward with the mother of two after their rocky relationship in the past.
“We are celebrating 20 years of the Housewives. I can’t speak to that lawsuit, but it’s in the past. She was integral to the show and its success. As we looked back on 20 years, it felt like doing something with her would be really nice for the fans, and she really wanted to do it. It was very positive,” he said.
Alexis Bellino returned to Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2024 as a friend of the show, several years after her initial exit, but only remained on the series for a season. Now, almost a year after her wedding to John Janssen, the Bravo alum is revealing that she underwent a facelift. This comes after she recently opened up about the backlash she received following her “RHOC” return.

Bellino opened up to PEOPLE in August 2026, revealing that she underwent a mid-face lift as an early birthday present. Regarding her reasoning for the procedure, the ‘RHOC’ alum stated, “Why I went down this path is [because] a couple of my friends that are a decade older than me both had it done at 49, and they look amazing at 60. I kind of feel like, learn from people that are older and wiser than me.”
During the interview, Bellino revealed that her three kids and husband were “against” the idea of her going under the knife. Regarding the children, she recalled, “They said, ‘Mom, please come on. Jesus Jugs, we’ve had enough of you and your stuff.’ And so I just said, ‘Guys, you’ll get it when you’re 50.”
For context, “Jesus Jugs” is a nickname Bellino gained during her original run on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” when cast member Tamra Judge made mention of her breast implants. In speaking about her husband being against the procedure, she says he changed his mind after attending a consultation with her.

Later in the interview, Bellino revealed that the recovery process following her facelift was much different than her previous experiences with plastic surgery, which includes getting breast implants when she was in college. Notably, she says the procedure itself lasted for seven hours. She called it a “whole different animal.”
According to her, “It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but it was not easy.” She also shared that the left side of her face “took a little bit longer to catch up to the healing.” Still, she has faith that the results will soon “fully” settle.
Bellino also stated that she plans to document the process on social media, noting how much she’s changed as she’s gotten more mature. She stated, “I think a decade or two ago I would’ve been affected by comments, and now I just don’t care.”
The “RHOC” alum added, “You’re just like, ‘Okay, take it, or leave it. This is who I am.’ You know who you love; your circle is very small. I want women to feel empowered.” She then spoke about how her life has changed following the facelift.
The 49-year-old explained, “I don’t wear makeup now when I go out. I don’t worry about my laugh lines. If I feel better, then why not? That’s what the doctors are here for.” Regarding future procedures, Bellino plans to have her breast implants removed.
Bellino took to Instagram on August 2 to share more thoughts on her recent facelift, noting the busy year she’s had, including her wedding to Janssen. She shared, “9 months, 2 weddings, 1 facelift….yep, it’s been a happy, busy stinking year. The photo on the left was my wedding to my love @johnwjanssen in October. The photo on the right is my son’s wedding this July.”
She continued, “Only nine months later. No, I didn’t need a facelift; I know that’s what I will hear. But all I can say is thank you @drjlayke and @plastixdocs and @glossyskinlounge for giving me a full smile back!!!!” After that, she discussed the comments she received from her kids and Janssen ahead of the procedure, recalling them saying, “mom/wife you don’t need it, please don’t do it, what can we do to talk you out of it……”
Bellino added, “But look at the results!!!! And now my husband and kids are all so happy with the results!!!!!! And truth is, it’s MY decision, not theirs.”

As mentioned, Bellino had her first plastic surgery procedure while in college. However, in 2025, the “Real Housewives of Orange County” star was forced to have a corrective procedure after experiencing leakage related to her breast implants.
She opened up to PEOPLE in May 2025, stating, “I was the first girl at the University of Missouri to ever get implants. It was the biggest deal ever. Everyone was in shock that I did that. And since then I’ve had three more.”
She then discussed her journey over the years, saying, “I had that corrected in 2022. Unfortunately, about six months after that surgery, the contracture started to come back again. Most of the time, when you have it, it does keep recurring.
Unfortunately, after a while, she began to experience a “shooting pain” that she eventually couldn’t avoid. She explained, “My left breast started to raise and swell to the point where not only is it uncomfortable and hard, but now it’s actually noticeable in photos.”
She went on to have a corrective procedure in April 2025, but her doctor discovered that one of her breasts had ruptured. The implants were then removed, and she now has smaller ones.”

As mentioned, Bellino returned to “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2024 as a friend of the show. However, her return proved controversial, with fans of the series targeting her. During a recent episode of the “Reality With the King” podcast, she opened up about the aftermath, revealing that she sought therapy.
According to her, “I mean, I was in therapy, I was getting death threats, I was crying every night on John’s shoulder like, ‘What did I do? Why did I go back?’” She added, “I went off social media for like four months. I didn’t post anything. My kids were like worried, and they’re like, ‘Mom, we hate what’s happening to you.’”
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