Entertainment
6 Most Important Thriller Shows That Define the Genre
The thriller genre has come a long way from simply making the audience question what comes next. There’s no denying that suspense and shocking twists are still important to a great thriller story, but tension alone isn’t enough. Modern thrillers are striking a chord with the audience because they aren’t afraid to explore the depths of fear, obsession, morality, and the darker sides of human nature.
Of course, this evolution didn’t happen overnight. Over the years, a handful of groundbreaking series pushed the genre into new territory and reinvented it through layered, character-driven storytelling. Here is a list of six such shows that have helped shape the thriller genre into what it is today.
1
‘Twin Peaks’ (1990–1991)
Without Twin Peaks, thriller television would probably look very different today. Before the show set an entirely new benchmark for the genre, thriller shows were generally pretty straightforward, where the audience would follow investigators as they gathered clues to solve a crime, and every episode ended with a clear resolution. However, David Lynch and Mark Frost completely disrupted that formula. Twin Peaks begins with the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee), which leads FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) to the small town of Twin Peaks. The murder investigation immediately takes a turn as Cooper uncovers secrets hidden beneath the town’s seemingly peaceful surface. Almost every resident here has something to hide, and each new revelation only deepens the mystery surrounding Laura’s death.
The show constantly shifts between crime drama, psychological thriller, dark comedy, soap opera, and supernatural horror without ever feeling disjointed. This kind of tonal blending was almost unheard of on television at the time and constantly kept the audience on the edge of their seats. Instead of just focusing on who killed Laura, Twin Peaks explores the slow unraveling of a community built on lies. The narrative introduces strange dreams, cryptic clues, unsettling visions, and forces that are beyond explanation. It practically forces the audience to follow along without ever fully receiving any definitive answers. In fact, Twin Peaks is still influencing thriller TV to embrace ambiguity and long-running mysteries. Few series have had a greater impact on the evolution of the thriller genre, which is why Twin Peaks remains essential viewing even over three decades later.
2
‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)
Mindhunter is far from the average crime thriller because the show actually focuses on understanding criminals, rather than just catching them. The series is set in the late 1970s and follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) alongside psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), as they begin interviewing imprisoned serial killers in an attempt to figure out how these offenders think and why they commit such horrific acts. In many ways, Mindhunter serves as the origin story of criminal profiling and shows how the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit developed techniques that would eventually transform modern homicide investigations forever.
Holden, Bill, and Wendy travel across the country speaking to notorious killers, based on real-life criminals including Edmund Kemper, Jerry Brudos, and Charles Manson. These conversations give the show its sense of tension because every meeting feels like a psychological chess match, with the agents trying to extract information without being manipulated in return. Mindhunter transformed the seemingly simple process of interviewing people into one of the most suspenseful premises ever aired on TV. The series proved that getting to know a killer could be just as gripping as hunting one down. The show’s emotional depth and commitment to realism redefined what thriller television could be.
3
‘Breaking Bad’ (2008–2013)
Breaking Bad is one of the clearest examples of how to keep audiences hooked for years without ever losing momentum. The series follows high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston), who learns he has terminal cancer. In a desperate attempt to secure his family’s financial future, Walter teams up with his former student Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) to produce and sell methamphetamine. The plan is initially only supposed to be temporary, but soon enough, Walter finds himself pulled deeper into the criminal underworld. The show’s five seasons follow Walter dealing with ruthless drug dealers, violent cartels, and increasingly dangerous situations.
All of this pushes Walter further from the man he used to be until he becomes one of the most feared figures in the drug trade. Every choice Walter makes brings him closer to the power and control he secretly craves. This transformation is the reason Breaking Bad became such a compelling thriller. Rather than relying on mysteries or twists alone, the show built suspense around character decisions and consequences. The show turned its main character’s moral decline into the source of its tension and set a standard for long-form storytelling that hasn’t been matched to this day.
4
‘Broadchurch’ (2013–2017)
Broadchurch is a no-frills thriller that strips the genre to its essentials. The show opens with the body of an 11-year-old boy being discovered on a beach in the small coastal town of Broadchurch. Detectives Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) are assigned to investigate the case. However, instead of a straightforward murder investigation, they discover secrets hidden throughout the community that place almost every resident under suspicion. As the detectives follow new leads, friendships begin to fracture, and families turn against one another.
Through this premise, Broadchurch explores the emotional fallout of a crime like this and gives as much weight to the victim’s family as it does to the investigation. Every episode peels away another layer of the mystery and forces both the detectives and the audience to reconsider what came before. Broadchurch builds suspense through constant uncertainty, and this approach is exactly why the show became so influential. The series combines a gripping whodunit premise with an extremely realistic portrayal of grief, and in doing so, it became a blueprint for many prestige thriller shows that followed.
5
‘24’ (2001–2010)
24 completely changed television in general by introducing a concept that felt revolutionary at the time. Each season of the show follows counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) over the course of a single day, with every episode representing one hour in real time. This pacing gave the show a level of urgency that few thrillers had ever achieved back then. Jack is constantly forced to make impossible decisions as he deals with terrorist attacks, political conspiracies, assassinations, hostage situations, and more, with almost no time to think.
Every hour raises the stakes, and this relentless escalation became one of the show’s defining strengths. Not just that, but 24 also popularized the serialized thriller format that dominates TV today. The show premiered when most network dramas were still largely episodic. Its continuous, high-stakes storytelling demanded that the viewers keep watching and created a level of weekly suspense that turned every episode into an event of its own. Many other shows have tried to replicate 24’s intensity, but almost none have managed to do justice to it.
6
‘Lost’ (2004–2010)
Lost not only redefined thriller TV but also became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its immersive storytelling. The series begins after Oceanic Flight 815 crashes on a mysterious island and dozens of survivors are left stranded. Initially, the narrative unfolds like a typical survival story as the passengers search for food, shelter, and a way to escape. However, it quickly becomes clear that the island is hiding secrets of its own. Soon enough, the characters start spotting strange creatures roaming the jungle, discover mysterious hatches buried underground, and encounter a group known as the Others, who seem to know far more about the island than anyone else. The mystery only expands as the seasons progress.
The show uses flashbacks and flash-forwards to reveal how nearly every survivor on the island was connected way before the crash. At the same time, though, every discovery raises several more questions to deliver a compelling narrative that kept evolving in new ways for the show’s entire run. Lost combines a nail-biting mystery with a character drama about the people it follows, and somehow manages to keep expanding its mythology without ever feeling inaccessible. However, what makes the show so important is the way it transformed television into a communal experience. Every new clue, theory, and revelation sparked endless discussion between episodes. The show turned viewers into active participants who would analyze every clue and theory online while waiting for the next episode to air. Given all this, it’s evident that modern prestige TV owes a lot to Lost.
Lost
- Release Date
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2004 – 2010-00-00
- Showrunner
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Damon Lindelof, Carlton Cuse
- Directors
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Jack Bender, Paul A. Edwards, Tucker Gates, Eric Laneuville, Bobby Roth, Greg Yaitanes, Daniel Attias, J.J. Abrams, Karen Gaviola, Kevin Hooks, Rod Holcomb, Stephen Semel, Adam Davidson, Alan Taylor, David Grossman, Deran Sarafian, Fred Toye, Mario Van Peebles, Marita Grabiak, Mark Goldman, Matt Earl Beesley, Michael Zinberg, Paris Barclay, Robert Mandel
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Calling something a better binge watch than Breaking Bad sounds almost illegal because that show practically trained viewers to say “one more episode” at 2 a.m. Its escalation is legendary. Walt’s (Bryan Cranston) lies stack, Jesse (Aaron Paul) keeps getting wounded by other people’s ambition, and the story tightens until stopping feels like breaking a spell.
This list looks at binge momentum from a wider angle. Some shows move faster. Some create deeper paranoia. Some make the viewer desperate to understand the next piece of the system, the family, the conspiracy, or the moral collapse. Breaking Bad remains one of TV’s greatest rides, but these shows can be even harder to pause when the right viewer falls into them. And I understand I’ve ranked some of these shows as better binges than Breaking Bad before but that’s some nuance for another day.
10
‘Narcos’ (2015-2017)
Narcos follows the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura) through the Colombian cocaine trade, with DEA agents Steve Murphy (Boyd Holbrook) and Javier Peña (Pedro Pascal) chasing a man whose money, violence, politics, and public image keep turning him into something larger than a normal criminal target. That gives the show a different kind of binge speed from Walter White’s slow climb. The machine is already roaring.
The series keeps pulling you forward through manhunts, betrayals, raids, prison power moves, political deals, and the horrifying casualness of cartel violence. Escobar walking through neighborhoods like a folk hero, Peña chasing dirty compromises, the hunt narrowing around La Catedral, and the later shift toward the Cali Cartel all give the binge a documentary-thriller charge. Breaking Bad makes empire-building feel personal. Narcos makes it feel geopolitical, which gives every episode a bigger, nastier horizon.
9
‘Ozark’ (2017-2022)
Ozark follows Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman), a financial adviser who launders money for a Mexican cartel, then drags his wife Wendy Byrde (Laura Linney) and their kids to the Missouri Ozarks after a deal goes bad. From that point, every family conversation doubles as a survival calculation. Marty is trying to keep everyone alive through numbers. Wendy starts discovering that power might suit her more than escape ever did.
That family-cartel setup makes the show ridiculously easy to chain-watch. Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner)’s rise from local hustler to the show’s most bruised moral force gives the series its emotional kick, while Darlene Snell (Lisa Emery), the Kansas City mob, cartel pressure, casino politics, and family betrayal keep tightening the noose. The blue-gray dread can feel almost punishing, yet that mood is part of the addiction. Ozark gives viewers the “ordinary family pulled into crime” hook and keeps asking how long ordinary can even survive once everyone starts adapting too well.
8
‘Peaky Blinders’ (2013-2022)
Peaky Blinders follows Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), a World War I veteran who turns his Birmingham street gang into a political and criminal force. His brothers Arthur (Paul Anderson) and John (Joe Cole), his aunt Polly (Helen McCrory), and the rest of the Shelby family are tied to him through blood, trauma, ambition, and the constant fear that Tommy’s next plan might finally cost too much.
The show is insanely watchable because it understands momentum as attitude and consequence. Tommy walking through smoke in that coat, Arthur exploding in pubs, Polly reading everyone before they speak, Alfie Solomons (Tom Hardy) turning every scene into controlled madness, the fights with Sabini (Noah Taylor), Changretta (Adrien Brody), Mosley (Sam Claflin), and rival gangs all build a binge rhythm that feels almost musical. Breaking Bad is cleaner as a moral descent. Peaky Blinders is messier, louder, sexier, and easier to devour when the mood is crime-family obsession. Not to mention it is now spiralling into a spin-off starring Stranger Things’ Charlie Heaton as one of the leads.
7
‘Hannibal’ (2013-2015)
Hannibal follows Will Graham (Hugh Dancy), an FBI profiler whose empathy lets him mentally reconstruct murders, and Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen), the brilliant psychiatrist and cannibal who becomes both his doctor and his nightmare. Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) uses Will’s gift to solve cases, while Hannibal quietly turns that gift into a psychological trap.
The series has a strange pull. Every episode feels like stepping into someone’s beautiful bad dream. The murder tableaux, Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl), Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson)’s fear, Will’s hallucinations, Hannibal’s dinner parties, the blood-soaked friendship between predator and patient, all of it creates a binge that feels intimate and cursed. This is the pick for viewers who want crime TV with obsession instead of procedural comfort.
6
‘The Americans’ (2013-2018)
The Americans follows Philip Jennings (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth Jennings (Keri Russell), who look like a normal married couple in 1980s suburban Washington, D.C., but are really Soviet spies running missions under false identities while raising two children who think their parents are travel agents. Their neighbor Stan Beeman (Noah Emmerich) works for the FBI, which turns every driveway chat into a loaded gun.
The show becomes more addictive the longer the marriage gets tested. Philip is more emotionally worn down by the disguises, seductions, and killings, while Elizabeth holds tighter to the mission even as motherhood complicates everything. Paige (Holly Taylor)’s slow awareness of the family secret turns the whole series into a parental nightmare. Martha (Alison Wright), Nina (Annet Mahendru), Oleg (Costa Ronin), Claudia (Margo Martindale), and Stan all add different kinds of pressure. The reason it can out-binge Breaking Bad is the domestic paranoia.
5
‘Mr. Robot’ (2015-2019)
Mr. Robot follows Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), a cybersecurity engineer and hacker recruited by fsociety, an underground group trying to erase consumer debt by attacking a corporate giant called E Corp. He is brilliant, isolated, angry, and mentally unstable in ways the show slowly turns into part of the storytelling itself. That first season alone has the kind of twisty momentum that makes viewers suspicious of every frame.
The binge becomes deeper once the show moves beyond hack-the-system fantasy and starts digging into trauma, identity, capitalism, loneliness, and control. Darlene (Carly Chaikin)’s bond with Elliot builds a nice emotional core for the show, while Mr. Robot (Christian Slater) keeps shifting from revolutionary guide to something far more personal. Episodes like the prison reveal, the silent heist, the stage-play therapy hour, and the final run make the series feel carefully locked together.
4
‘Dark’ (2017-2020)
Dark begins in a small German town where four families are connected by secrets, grief, and a cave that links different time periods. Jonas Kahnwald (Louis Hofmann) becomes the emotional entry point after his father’s suicide, but the story quickly expands through parents, children, grandparents, alternate versions, and loops that make every family tree feel like a crime scene.
And therefore, this show is binge-watching as obsession. You keep watching because one face, one photograph, one name, or one date can completely change what you thought you understood. The 1953, 1986, 2019, and later timelines turn memory into a puzzle with emotional consequences. Martha Nielsen (Lisa Vicari) and Jonas’s connection, Ulrich Nielsen (Oliver Masucci)’s desperate search, Claudia Tiedemann (Julika Jenkins)’s long game, Noah (Mark Waschke)’s menace, and the repeated question of whether anyone can break the cycle all make the series feel massive without needing endless seasons.
3
‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
Succession follows the Roy family, owners of the media empire Waystar Royco, as aging patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) keeps his children Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Shiv (Sarah Snook), Roman (Kieran Culkin), and Connor (Alan Ruck) trapped in a permanent audition for power and love. Every episode turns inheritance into humiliation. Every joke has a bruise under it.
As a binge, it is brutal fun because the emotional damage keeps changing outfits. Kendall wants to become the killer his father demands, then keeps crumbling under his own need. Shiv treats distance as intelligence until she realizes the room has already moved without her. Roman turns pain into jokes so quickly that his worst moments can sneak up on you. Tom (Matthew Macfadyen) and Greg (Nicholas Braun) bring corporate survival comedy into a family tragedy, which gives the show insane tonal energy. This is less “one man breaks bad” and more “an entire bloodline was trained to mistake cruelty for competence.” That kind of damage is disgustingly bingeable.
2
‘Better Call Saul’ (2015-2022)
Better Call Saul follows Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk), a hustling Albuquerque lawyer who wants respect, especially from his older brother Chuck (Michael McKean). Viewers already know he becomes Saul Goodman, the flashy criminal attorney who helps Walt and Jesse in Breaking Bad, so every kind gesture, shortcut, scam, and humiliation lands with extra dread. You are watching a man walk toward a name that feels like a surrender.
Jimmy and Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) make the binge emotionally dangerous. Their chemistry is charming at first because they understand each other’s mischief, ambition, and resentment better than anyone else. Then that same chemistry starts feeding choices they can no longer laugh off. Chuck’s courtroom collapse, the Mesa Verde scams, Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton)’s terrifying charm, Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks)’s grief-driven discipline, Howard (Patrick Fabian)’s fate, and Kim leaving all cut deeper when watched in sequence. The parent show delivers the louder fall. Better Call Saul makes the viewer mourn the person who almost got out.
1
‘The Wire’ (2002-2008)
The Wire follows a Baltimore investigation into Avon Barksdale (Wood Harris)’s drug organization, with detectives Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West), Kima Greggs (Sonja Sohn), Bunk Moreland (Wendell Pierce), and Lester Freamon (Clarke Peters) trying to build a real case while the department keeps pushing for easy numbers. Out on the streets, we have D’Angelo (Larry Gilliard Jr.), Bodie (J.D. Williams), Wallace (Michael B. Jordan), Stringer (Idris Elba), Avon, and Omar (Michael K. Williams) making the drug world feel human, strategic, funny, terrifying, and heartbreaking.
The binge pull comes from accumulation. A corner conversation matters later. A political compromise changes police work. A school policy shapes a kid’s future. A newsroom shortcut damages public truth. The Wire gives the viewer a whole ecosystem of drugs and detectives. Once that clicks, stopping after one episode feels impossible because every piece of Baltimore is talking to every other piece.
The Wire
- Release Date
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2002 – 2008-00-00
- Network
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HBO
- Directors
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Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright
Alyson Hannigan spoke out following the death of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Anthony Stewart Head.
“This cut is so deep I fear it can never heal,” Hannigan, 52, admitted in a poignant Instagram post on Saturday, June 6.
The duo starred together for seven seasons on the cult classic supernatural horror series, in which Hannigan played wiccan hero Willow Rosenberg and Head portrayed Buffy’s watcher Rupert Giles.
“Oh Tonal…I am so grateful to have had you in my life,” Hannigan’s tribute went on. “I want to say a million wonderful things about you and yet I can’t seem to find the words that would do you justice. I love you so much and will miss you forever. RIP.”
Alyson Hannigan, Anthony Stewart Head on “Buffy.” 20th Century Fox Film Corp / Courtesy Everett Collection.
Buffy’s lead actress Sarah Michelle Gellar offered Hannigan support in the post’s comment section, writing, “He loved you so dearly Aly.”
Anthony’s daughters, Emily and Daisy Head, announced on Friday, June 5, that their father died following a battle with pneumonia.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head,” they revealed. “He passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
Their statement continued, “It has been, and forever will be, an honor and a privilege to be his daughters, and to have witnessed firsthand the impact both he and his work have had on so many. We know how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues, and fans of the shows he was in — he loved his job very much, and he always considered himself incredibly lucky, to have been able to work alongside such exceptionally talented people, in such wonderful productions, across a career that spanned several decades.”
Many of the most iconic stars from Buffy — including David Boreanaz, Eliza Dushku, James Marsters and Emma Caulfield — reflected on the life and legacy of their late costar following the announcement of his death.
“Tony H ~ For every scene & time shared, I give thanks. Rest in love and peace, kind sir. A dear one,” Dushku, 45, shared via her Instagram Story.
Gellar, 49, quoted an iconic scene from Buffy the Vampire Slayer in her own memorial message for Anthony.
“‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m ok.’ Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not ok,” she wrote via Instagram on Friday. “But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you. Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world.”
The Buffy community has endured significant loss in recent years. Michelle Trachtenberg — who played Buffy’s sister Dawn Summers — died from complications of diabetes mellitus at age 39 in February 2025 while Xander Harris actor Nicholas Brendon died at age 54 from a multitude of medical issues in March. (An autopsy report obtained by Us Weekly determined that Brendon had atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with acute pneumonia and previous myocardial infarction, a.k.a. heart attack, as a contributing factor.)
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer cast is mourning the loss of actor Anthony Stewart Head following his death at age 72.
Head famously played Rupert Giles, the leader of the “Scooby Gang” and Buffy Summers’ (Sarah Michelle Gellar) mentor, on the hit show from 1997 to 2003.
The actor’s family confirmed his death on Friday, June 5, revealing, “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our extraordinary father, Anthony Head.”
Head’s two daughters, Emily and Daisy, added that he “passed away peacefully of complications due to pneumonia, surrounded by his family.”
Head’s death is the latest heartbreak to affect the Buffy family following Nicholas Brendan’s death in March and Michelle Trachtenberg’s passing in February 2025.
In the wake of the most recent tragedy, Head’s Buffy castmates, including David Boreanaz, who played Angel on the hit series, and Gellar, who played the show’s lead, took to social media to honor his legacy.
Scroll down to see which Buffy stars have paid tribute to the late actor:
David Boreanaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar. 20th Century Fox Film Corp/Everett Collection
David Boreanaz
“RIP,” Boreanaz wrote via his Instagram Story with a praying hand emoji while reposting Head’s death announcement. “He was so kind and generous of a soul.”
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku, who played slayer Faith, shared a photo of Head via her Instagram Story on Friday. “Tony H ~ For every scene & time shared, I give thanks. Rest in love and peace, kind sir. A dear one,” she wrote.
Sarah Michelle Gellar is once again remembering her longtime Buffy the Vampire Slayer costar Nicholas Brendon following his death at age 54. “It’s a tragedy. It’s a tragedy when you lose anyone at any point. It’s a bigger tragedy when you lose someone way sooner than needs to be,” Gellar, 48, said during a Rome press […]
Sarah Michelle Gellar
Seth Green, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Head and his daughters Daisy and Emily. Courtesy of Sarah Michelle Gellar/Instagram
Gellar, who played the titular character Buffy, quoted the show while paying tribute to her TV mentor. “‘Tell Giles I figured it out and I’m OK.’ Well I don’t have it figured out and I’m not OK,” the actress wrote via Instagram. “But I know I’m the lucky one because I knew you.”
Gellar shared a series of photos from her time with Head while filming the hit series, including one with Buffy costar Seth Green and Head’s two daughters.
“Thank you to Daisy and Emily who not only shared their dad with me, but with the world,” Gellar added.
James Marsters
“There’s a hole in the World. Anthony Head has passed on from us,” James Marsters, who played vampire Spike, wrote via Instagram. “He was an unflaggingly kind and steady presence on the set of Buffy, and the best actor in the cast.”
The actor gushed about his late costar, adding, “He was the best of us. I was lucky to have known, and learned from him. He left the world a better place for his presence. Thank you Tony for all you gave.”
Emma Caulfield
Emma Caulfield and Anthony Head. Courtesy of Emma Caulfield/Instagram
Emma Caulfield, who portrayed Anya, shared a throwback photo with the late actor via Instagram. “This was taken on the London Underground in 2011,” she recalled. “I went to visit my friend Tony on the set of The Iron Lady. We had lunch, hit up a record store, had dinner and drinks and laughed until our sides hurt. It was a perfect day.”
Caulfield shared, “There were many of these moments with this amazing human who I was lucky enough to call my friend for 27 years. He was kind and wise and a guide in troubled times. You were so loved. Impossible to caption. You are so missed. ❤️ ❤️❤️❤️ rest in peace with your beautiful Sarah-Emma.”
Charisma Carpenter
Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase, paid homage to Head via a lengthy Instagram statement on Friday.
“Tony brought life to a character who, for so many, was the father figure they needed but didn’t have at home. Fans far and wide are surely grieving, and for that, I am deeply sorry,” she began. “I was not as close to Tony as some of the others from the cast were, and it pains me that I have to say ‘were.’ Even so, I am still feeling affected by this loss, and my heart is truly with my fellow classmates who remained close to him and his family to this day. I’m holding them all in my thoughts and sending love.”
Carpenter shared a series of photos of Head on Buffy and quotes from the show as she remembered his legacy.
“I am especially sorry for the tremendous loss his daughters, Emily and Daisy, are enduring, and I wish to extend my deepest condolences to them. They are young women now, though they were just darling little girls when I met them decades ago,” she continued. “I have not seen them since, but I hear they embody every bit of the love, kindness, and commitment to others that their parents did.”
Carpenter called Head “an icon” who she was “fortunate” to have worked with at such a young age.
Nicholas Brendon, Anthony Stewart Head, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Charisma Carpenter, Alyson Hannigan. 20th Century Fox Film Corp/Everett Collection
“I remember meeting him in the production office for the first time and being completely thrown off by his hippie-vibe demeanor, with a touch of punk-rock flair,” the actress recalled. “He had an earring, Converse high-tops, and a pair of loose-fitting, boldly striped pants. There wasn’t a trace of Giles to be found, which was a testament to his gifts.”
Carpenter noted that Head was “incredibly kind” to everyone he met, calling him the finest example of “a truly good human being.”
“Recently, for the first time, I watched his performance in one of my favorite BTVS episodes, ‘Lie to Me.’ His speech at the end could not feel more relevant today, not only in light of this news, but also given the state of the world,” she concluded. “I invite everyone to revisit it that cares to. Thankfully, we can. For that I am grateful. Rest well, Tony. You are loved.”
Alyson Hannigan
The Willow Rosenberg actress described Head’s death as a cut “so deep I fear it can never heal.”
“Oh Tonal…I am so grateful to have had you in my life! I want to say a million wonderful things about you and yet I can’t seem to find the words that would do you justice,” Hannigan wrote via Instagram on Saturday, June 6. “ I love you so much and will miss you forever. RIP”
Gellar offered support by writing, “He loved you so dearly Aly.”
The blending of the science fiction and family genres has led the way to many beloved cinematic experiences over the years. There are vast creative possibilities and limitless potential within the sci-fi genre to tell stories of all types and styles, making it all the more endearing that many of these tales are equally accessible to be appreciated by children. For the past half-century of cinematic history, sci-fi family movies have been some of the most approachable and compelling out there.
Whether it be mysterious visitors from across the cosmos or massive leaps in technological advancement, these otherworldly concepts of sheer imagination lend themselves perfectly to the childlike wonder and whimsy of a family movie. Even more so, these concepts can serve as a great entry point for truly powerful thematic material and messaging that can land with older audiences just as effectively as with younger ones.
10
‘Frankenweenie’ (2012)
Tim Burton‘s stop-motion remake of his quirky sci-fi family short film from the ’80s, Frankenweenie remixes the classic Frankenstein story by following a young Victor Frankenstein, who uses his mad genius to resurrect his beloved dead dog Sparky. However, things quickly begin to go awry when Victor’s neighbors and peers discover what he has done, initially shocked at the return of Sparky before creating mayhem when they decide to reanimate their own deceased pets.
This unique Frankenstein adaptation stays true to some of the core themes and concepts of the original story while also making it much more approachable to younger audiences. It’s filled to the brim with Burton’s signature sense of wit and gothic charm, with a lot of the same appeal that has made several of his other stories and films family movie icons. The stop-motion animation is also a joy to watch, feeling highly impressive and intricate in its craft to a point where adults can also find great enjoyment in the film.
9
‘Honey, I Shrunk the Kids’ (1989)
An absolute icon of ’80s family movies that succeeds not only thanks to the strength of its premise, but the striking execution in bringing it to life, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids has been pervasive in the history of family movie filmmaking ever since its release. The Joe Johnston film follows a scientist father (Rick Moranis) who accidentally shrinks his two children and two other neighborhood teens to the size of insects, forcing them to fight against the miniature dangers while the father searches for them.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids does an exceptional job playing up the fantasy elements of its clearly sci-fi concept, showing both the danger and unexpected fun of being a few inches tall. On top of an exceptional leading comedic performance from Moranis and a great exploration of the concept’s potential, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids quickly became one of the most beloved family movies of the ’80s and persisted in culture throughout the ’90s and beyond.
8
‘Megamind’ (2010)
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Playing into the pervasive trend of superhero stories rising in popularity throughout sci-fi films of the 2000s, Megamind‘s family movie twist on superhero and supervillain archetypes has given it an effective niche that still feels relevant over 15 years later. The film follows the titular pompous supervillain Megamind (Will Ferrell), who faces an identity crisis after finally defeating his life-long arch-nemesis. He soon begins to realize that most of the fun of being a villain was facing off against a hero, so he creates a new hero to face.
This beloved animated superhero movie has only grown more appreciated in the years since its release, as its meta characters and fundamental understanding of hero-villain rivalries have made it a great, self-aware family experience. Today, the film is largely considered one of the most underrated films released by DreamWorks Animation and one of the all-time great superhero parody films.
7
‘Spy Kids’ (2001)
The definitive family movie from fan-favorite filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, Spy Kids blended the 2000s craze with espionage and the world of super secret spies with young children using their perspective to save their family from a dastardly conspiracy and crazed villains. While the film spawned several sequels over the years, its distinct charm helps it exceed the quality of follow-up entries in the franchise.
The film follows a duo of children who believe that their parents are the most boring people on Earth, completely unaware of their previous lives as top secret agents who gave up their lives to raise them. However, when several old colleagues disappear, forcing the parents out of retirement, it doesn’t take long before the kids themselves are put up to the task to find their parents and save them from a dastardly villain.
6
‘Lilo & Stitch’ (2002)
While Disney has had its fair share of notable family movies delving into the sci-fi genre, Lilo & Stitch is easily their absolute best combination of classic family values with wild sci-fi characters and concepts. It follows Stitch, a chaotic genetic experiment from outer space who escapes confinement and crash-lands on the islands of Hawaii. Initially causing chaos, he finds an unexpected friendship with independent little girl Lilo, as their true bond gives them both new perspectives on life.
This exceptional animated comedy gets a lot of mileage out of the comedic banter and dynamic between its titular duo. With stellar animation and a great mix of heartfelt moments and top-notch comedy, Lilo & Stitch has cemented itself as one of Disney’s greatest and most acclaimed films of the 21st century so far. Even after a live-action remake that grossed over a billion dollars, nothing comes close to the exceptional filmmaking present within the original 2002 classic.
5
‘The Wild Robot’ (2024)
A striking evolution of 3D animation that proves just how much DreamWorks Animation has progressed as an animation studio in recent years, The Wild Robot is a glorious combination of the sci-fi, family, and adventure genres to create one of the definitive animated masterpieces of the 2020s. The film follows an intelligent helper robot who, after a shipwreck, is stranded on an uninhabited island. As it attempts to survive the harsh climate, it begins to form bonds and care for the various animals, most notably an orphaned baby goose.
While the gloriously beautiful animation does a lot to help elevate the film’s strengths, the clearest and most prominent quality is the exceptional characters. Roz the robot’s growth from an unfeeling helper into a genuine fighter and mother figure is incredibly endearing to watch on-screen. With a sequel on the way, The Wild Robot‘s legacy and prominence among modern sci-fi family movies only continues to grow.
4
‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)
While the film was initially a box-office bomb, The Iron Giant thrived in the home video market, with many quickly understanding its qualities and brilliant combination of 2D and 3D animation. This glorious story of unexpected friendship between a boy and a 50 ft robot perfectly complements the Red Scare aesthetic and nuclear war fears underlying the plot. Brad Bird‘s initial animated outing continues to be celebrated over 25 years later as one of the greatest animated movies of all time.
Despite coming out in the early years of 3D animation, The Iron Giant‘s stylistic visuals have aged exceptionally well into the modern age, directly complementing the style of 2D animation without ever feeling distracting. The emotional moments hit hard, and the characters feel grounded in a place of reality amidst the wild sci-fi madness around them. It can be enjoyed by adults just as much as young children, making it a true one-of-a-kind.
3
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
Spider-Man is a character that has had an overwhelming appeal with audiences and young children for generations, with many different film adaptations leaning into the character’s sheer charm and appeal. However, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse easily stands out as not just the best Spider-Man film, but one that fundamentally understands the strengths of the character and translates them to a fun, sci-fi family tale. It sees a variety of alternate universes coming together, with a whole team of Spider-People having to team up to return to their universes.
After so many great Spider-Man films, Into the Spider-Verse does the greatest job of recreating the magic and strengths of the comic on the big screen, with its stylish animation feeling at times like it was taken directly off the panel. It all works in tandem with an exceptional story of strength and growth, showing that anyone can find success and can have the title of Spider-Man and that the pains of our past can help drive us toward a greater future.
2
‘WALL·E’ (2008)
One of the greatest films from Pixar’s golden era and a masterclass of beautiful animation mixed with powerful eco-messaging, WALL·E‘s overwhelming reputation as an animated masterpiece precedes it. The film follows an incredibly cute trash robot left as the lone inhabitant of Earth, with humanity having abandoned the planet after it has been overwhelmed by a high amount of trash and decay. However, plant life has managed to find a way to exist on Earth, with WALL·E going on a journey across the cosmos to return humanity to Earth.
WALL·E features some of the greatest worldbuilding and stage-setting in a sci-fi film, with the powerful visuals of a decaying Earth contrasting perfectly with the quaint, simple, and cute life of WALL·E himself. As his journey of love and curiosity grows, there is a consistent and seamless marriage between top-notch slapstick silent comedy and exceptional eco themes. While already massively acclaimed, WALL·E has attained an overwhelming legacy as one of the definitive family movie masterpieces of the 21st century.
It’s impossible to discuss iconic and well-crafted sci-fi family movies without mentioning Steven Spielberg‘s legendary blockbuster masterpiece, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. This absolute icon of ’80s cinema exemplifies all the great strengths inherent to the sci-fi family genre, telling a timeless story of family friendship with galactic stakes and an overwhelming sense of charm from beginning to end. E.T. sees Spielberg going all out in terms of a crowd-pleasing entertainment, playing to his greatest strengths to create a true cultural moment for family filmmaking.
Time has only been kind to the strengths and influence of E.T. on wider culture. Indeed, the film has become the face of sci-fi family filmmaking as well as one of the most iconic movies of its decade. Its legacy and impact on filmmaking as a whole only continues to grow with each passing year, massively influencing every other sci-fi family movie for both the past 50 years and the next 50 years.
Of all the many reboots currently in production or post-production, few are as exciting as John Wick director Chad Stahelski‘s Highlander reboot. Following in the footsteps of the 1986 film of the same name, starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery, Stahelski will be looking to pack action and tension into this beloved fantasy tale, and will do so with a star-studded cast, who have been seen in action in recent first-look photos from behind the scenes.
Henry Cavill will star as Connor MacLeod alongside Academy Award winner Russell Crowe as Ramirez, with the pair joined by the star-studded ensemble of Dave Bautista (The Wrecking Crew), Karen Gillan (Guardians of the Galaxy), Jeremy Irons (Batman v Superman), Djimon Hounsou (Blood Diamond), Marisa Abela (Industry), and more. Directed by Stahelski and written by Kerry Williamson and Mike Finch, the movie will be released by Amazon MGM Studios and is reported to have an eye-catching production budget of roughly $180 million.
The stage is set for yet another exciting action flick from Cavill, in the shadow of his stint as Superman and other big-budget projects. To get in the mood for the Highlander reboot, fans have been heading back to one of the actor’s lesser-spotted actioners, and one of his biggest flops ever. Released in 2019, the Canadian action thriller Night Hunter by writer/director David Raymond stars Cavill alongside the likes of Ben Kingsley, Alexandra Daddario, and Stanley Tucci. Sadly, despite boasting an undeniably talented cast, the movie flopped in spectacular fashion, scoring less than $1 million in a limited theatrical release and a dismal 14% score from critics on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
‘Night Hunter’ Is Surprising the Streaming Charts
Such poor reviews will usually harm the reputation of movies, but streaming often provides a place for solace. Eight years after its poor commercial and critical reception, Night Hunter is redeeming itself on global streaming. At the time of writing, the movie is one of the ten most-streamed titles on Paramount+ in the world, going toe-to-toe with some of the most exciting options on the streamer, including the zombie apocalypse flick World War Z, Glen Powell‘s 2025 remake of The Running Man, and even Ridley Scott‘s long-awaited legacy sequel Gladiator II.
You can stream Night Hunter on Paramount+ now. For all the latest streaming stories, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.
- Release Date
-
August 29, 2019
- Runtime
-
95 minutes
- Writers
-
David Raymond
- Producers
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Kevin Scott Frakes, Nadine de Barros, Larry Harding, Nasrat Muzayyin, Zorin Finkelsen, Francesca Dutton, James Lancaster, Mitesh Parikh, Niraj Parikh, Gaurav Talwar, Pulak Parikh, Rob Wood, Mark Catton, Rick Dugdale, Sundip K. Bhundia, Steven Ashley, Peter Aitken, James Milligan, Chris Pettit, Alastair Burlingham, Buddy Patrick, Robert Ogden Barnum, Dave Hansen, Tony Parker
The 1990s brought forth a new wave of provocative, introspective, cutting-edge dystopian sci-fi features, and the sci-fi thriller Gattaca perfectly encapsulates the era. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol and boasting an all-star cast, Gattaca explores a society where humanity mastered genetic manipulation, dividing humans into two classes: the genetically engineered with what are viewed as the best genetic traits through natural selection (the “valids”), and the naturally born who are more susceptible to genetic defects, called the “in-valids.” Gattaca depicts a unique vision of the future by examining the potential dangers of genetic manipulation, along with the indomitable human spirit exceeding analytical potential.
‘Gattaca’ Brilliantly Portrays the Dangers of Eugenics
Niccol’s script for Gattaca brilliantly explores the dangers of a society overly reliant on eugenics and genetic manipulation. Geneticists have mastered artificial birth, and children are genetically designed to be born with superior, preferable genetic traits. Unfortunately, the practice causes discrimination and a class divide, as the naturally born in-valids are depicted as a lower class and not afforded the same privileges and opportunities as the genetically superior valids. Gattaca intriguingly shines a light on scientific breakthroughs occurring throughout the era.
In the 1990s, the Human Genome Project launched to map, identify, and sequence all the genes of human DNA and decipher humanity’s genetic code. 1996 also saw the creation of Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal that was artificially cloned through an adult somatic cell. Gattaca presents a dystopian vision of the future with these ideas taken to an extreme conclusion. Humanity’s supposed mastery over eugenics favors those with the stronger genetic traits, and the in-valids are considered inferior and forced into menial labor. Meanwhile, the valids are treated among society’s elites and allowed to participate in space travel, which brings the plot to protagonist Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke), who dreams of traveling to space.
The Sharp Sci-Fi ‘Gattaca’ Features an All-Star Cast
Gattaca features a stunning cast, showcasing the talents of many impressive Hollywood veterans. Ethan Hawke leads the visionary feature as Vincent Freeman, who was born through a natural birth. However, his projected lifespan is only about 30 years old. Unfortunately, Vincent’s status as an in-valid excludes him from achieving a higher status in society and fulfilling his dream of space travel. Vincent commits a type of fraud, posing as a valid, using the genetic material and identity provided by Jerome Eugene Morrow (Jude Law), a paraplegic valid who was paralyzed in a car accident. However, a murder committed at the Gattaca Aeronautical Corporation falsely implicates Vincent when his genetic material is found at the scene of the crime, and the walls begin to close in around him.
Yes, Ethan Hawke’s Character in ‘The Lowdown’ Is Based on a Real Journalist
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Hawke and Law deliver incredible performances, infusing their roles with a melancholic energy. Hawke brilliantly showcases Vincent’s desperation and unbreakable spirit to fulfill his dream. Meanwhile, Law brings a tragic sadness to his character, especially when it’s revealed how he became paralyzed later in the movie. Vincent eventually meets and falls in love with his co-worker, Irene Cassini, portrayed by Uma Thurman. Thurman is terrific as a valid citizen with a high risk of a heart defect, which excludes her from being assigned to a space travel mission. Her chemistry with her future husband, Hawke, is electric.
The movie also features familiar faces up and down the cast, including Alan Arkin and Loren Dean as a detective duo investigating the murder at Vincent’s workplace. Ernest Borgnine, Tony Shalhoub, Xander Berkeley, Elias Koteas, Blair Underwood, and the award-winning author Gore Vidal also appear in the movie in notable supporting roles and enhance the world’s immersion.
‘Gattaca’ Is Intellectual Sci-Fi Done Right
Although Gattaca was not a huge success upon its release, it has aged remarkably in the nearly three decades since its original release. It’s a thinking person’s sci-fi movie, with a unique dystopian setting that looks real, grounded, and authentic. The world of Gattaca is very tactile and focused on DNA analysis, where surveillance comes through genetic material, like hair follicles, eyelashes, and fingerprints. Essentially, genetic material has become a type of currency and contraband in the world of Gattaca.
Niccol also demonstrates that, despite society’s ability to achieve control over eugenics and society being partial to artificial birth, it’s the valids who suffer the most from their predetermined genetic fatalism and are more subject to criminal outbursts. Meanwhile, it is Vincent who exceeds his genetic potential, despite his physical ailments and defects. Gattaca exceptionally depicts how, even with the advances in genetic sequencing and manipulation, science still cannot measure traits such as the capacity of free will and the triumph of the human spirit. Despite the plot’s melancholy style, Gattaca ultimately presents an uplifting underdog story arc for Vincent in an incredibly bleak, dystopic setting, elevating the movie into a must-watch sci-fi feature worth revisiting.
Entertainment
10 Years Later, Gerard Butler’s Fantasy Flop Is Still One of Streaming’s Biggest Guilty Pleasures
There’s a fine line that separates a truly bizarre fantasy movie from being labeled as bonkers in a good way or being discarded as trash. For instance, critics appear to have embraced the new Masters of the Universe movie, which currently holds a “Certified Fresh” 73% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. This comes after weeks of marketing material that was dismissed or, worse, outright criticized. Masters of the Universe seems to have understood the assignment and embraced just the right amount of camp, and according to Collider’s Victoria Luxford, “this new version is determined to wink at the camera and appeal to your nostalgia.” However, not every movie that aims for this sort of lunacy is able to get the audience on its side. One of the most infamous examples of a movie that ended up being instantly discarded by critics and audiences has found its way onto a free streaming site this month.
The movie turns 10 this year, which makes this a momentous occasion. It was released in 2016 and headlined by Brenton Thwaites and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. The supporting cast included Gerard Butler and Chadwick Boseman. However, since the movie was released a few weeks before Boseman’s debut as Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War, he wasn’t yet the draw he would later become. The fantasy film was the most expensive project of director Alex Proyas‘ career. The Australian filmmaker broke out with the sci-fi noir gem Dark City and the cult classic The Crow, and went on to direct the Will Smith-led tent pole I, Robot. However, he was coming off the Nicolas Cage-led sci-fi film Knowing, which many had criticized for taking itself too seriously. Similar criticism was made about Proyas’ 2016 fantasy movie, and he didn’t take it well.
Here’s Where You Can Watch the Critically Panned Fantasy Movie for Free
We’re talking, of course, about Gods of Egypt. The film grossed just $150 million worldwide against a reported budget of $140 million, after receiving a 15% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Even the aggregator website couldn’t resist poking fun at the fiasco, writing in its consensus, “Look on Gods of Egypt, ye filmgoers, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of this colossal wreck, boundless and bare. The lone and level sands stretch far away. (Apologies to Shelley.)” Proyas was mightily offended by the backlash. He took to Facebook and slammed critics as “deranged idiots” and “diseased vultures.” He hasn’t released a feature film since. You can watch Gods of Egypt for free on Tubi this month, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
February 25, 2016
- Runtime
-
127 minutes
- Director
-
Alex Proyas
Kit Harington admitted it was “gross” to film sex scenes with Sophie Turner for their horror movie The Dreadful given their past on Game of Thrones.
“It was weird,” Harington, 39, confessed in a recent interview with fellow Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage for CNN’s Actors on Actors.
Harington and Turner, 30, essentially grew up together on the set of Game of Thrones, in which they played Jon Snow and Sansa Stark, respectively. For most of the show’s run, Jon and Sansa believed they were siblings before it came out that they were actually first cousins.
Still, the pair’s bond on and off the Game of Thrones set made it awkward when Turner asked Harington to play her lover in The Dreadful. (Turner produced and starred in the gothic horror film, in which Harington portrayed a sinister stranger who reemerged in the lives of Anne and her mother-in-law Morwen.)
For Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones wasn’t just a job — it was an education. The British actress, 29, was just 13 years old when she was cast as Sansa Stark on the hit HBO fantasy drama, so naturally she learned a lot of life lessons on set, including, she jokes, “more than enough” about sex. […]
“She sent me the script and I said, ‘Sophie, there’s a lot of us getting it on,’” Harington revealed. “She hadn’t seen that. She just said, ‘Yeah, Kit would be good for this part.”
Harington initially had doubts about accepting the role in The Dreadful because he’s “known [Turner] since she was a child” and considers her like “a younger sister.”
“We did it. It was gross but it was fine,” he insisted. “She’s an amazing actor. I know we all know that but she was a child when she [started on Game of Thrones]. She is phenomenal!”
Sophie Turner, Kit Harington in “The Dreadful.” Lionsgate /Courtesy Everett Collection
Turner revealed during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers last year that she was equally horrified by the thought of shooting love scenes with Turner.
“I’d just got the script for this amazing gothic horror called The Dreadful, and I was reading through all the characters,” she explained to host Seth Meyers. “And I’m producing it, so the director was asking me, ‘Who do you think?’ And immediately, the first person I thought of was Kit.”
She went on, “So, I sent the script to Kit, and he kind of sent me a message back going like, ‘Yeah, I’d love to, but this is going to be really f***ing weird, Soph.’ And I was like, what is he talking about? Then I was reading it, and I’m like, ‘Kiss, kiss, sex, kiss, sex scene.’ And then I’m like, oh shoot, that’s my brother. But it’s such a good script that he’s like, ‘We kind of have to do it.’”
When it comes to filming sex scenes for TV shows and movies, actors have had a variety of good and bad experiences. Intimacy coordinator Brooke M. Haney previously opened up to Us Weekly about how filming steamy scenes between actors goes down on set. Contrary to what some fans may think, Haney said that it […]
Turner joked that the great script for The Dreadful didn’t make filming the love scenes any less awkward.
“We put it out of our minds, and then we get on set, and it’s the first kissing scene,” she recalled. “And we are both retching, like really, it is vile. It was the worst, another really bad moment in my career.”
The Dreadful was released in February.
Entertainment
Kevin Costner’s Western Epic That Helped Pave the Way for ‘Yellowstone’ Is Streaming for Free This Month
There couldn’t have been an actor more suited to the role of John Dutton on Yellowstone than Kevin Costner. And despite the ups and downs, the back and forth, the will-they-won’t-they between him and the show’s creator, Taylor Sheridan, Yellowstone turned out to be just the sort of hit that Costner needed at this stage of his career. The show’s success gave him the confidence to mount his own Western epic, Horizon: An American Saga, which remains stalled after the underperformance of the first installment. He spent a considerable amount of his Yellowstone earnings on self-financing the epic Western series, not to mention the fact that he effectively gave up the chance to return for more seasons of the show by focusing on his own project. But Costner and the Western genre go hand-in-hand; some of the best and most underrated movies of his career are Westerns.
One of those movies, which turns 23 years old this year, dealt with many of the same ideas and themes as Yellowstone. It revolved around a Montana ranch owner — yup — who gets into a turf war with an older herder who believes that his cattle can graze anywhere on God’s green earth. Costner played a Civil War veteran who fights on the side of the free-grazing herder. It’s interesting how the villain in the movie is like the sort of man Costner would go on to play, endearingly, in Yellowstone. A decade after the release of this movie, which Costner also directed, he starred in the limited series Hatfields & McCoys, which revisits a legendary Old West feud. You can tell that Costner loves a story about standing your ground, or, as Regina Hall would say, “sheltering in place.”
Where To Watch Kevin Costner’s Underrated ‘Yellowstone’ Companion Piece
His underrated 2003 movie is now streaming for free in the United States, two decades after a theatrical run during which it grossed nearly $70 million against a reported $22 million budget. We’re talking, of course, about Open Range. The movie also features Robert Duvall, Annette Bening, and Michael Gambon. Open Range marked one of the earliest Hollywood roles for Diego Luna, who’d become a household name thanks to roles in Narcos and Andor. Open Range received positive reviews, and now holds a “Certified Fresh” 79% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s consensus reads, “Greatly benefiting from the tremendous chemistry between Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, Open Range is a sturdy modern Western with classic roots.” You can watch the movie for free on Tubi, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
August 15, 2003
- Runtime
-
139 Minutes
Entertainment
13 Years Later, Christian Bale’s Forgotten All-Star Crime Thriller Deserves Your Attention
Christian Bale has long been a powerhouse in entertainment, from his unnerving role as Patrick Bateman in American Psycho to the Caped Crusader himself in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Batman hung up his cowl in 2012 after The Dark Knight Rises, but that wasn’t the end for Bale. Pretty soon after, the performer delivered a gripping performance in a forgotten thriller that deserves a second chance.
Out of the Furnace is a character-driven crime thriller with an all-star cast difficult to beat. Bale stars in the drama as Russell Baze, a steelworker in the rural part of Pennsylvania that may be familiar to Mare of Easttown fans. Russell is a working-class man who struggles to support his veteran brother, Rodney (Casey Affleck), after he becomes indebted to a local bookie. This starts a cataclysm of events that culminates in a violent revenge plot where there are no winners.
‘Out of the Furnace’ Is Elevated By an All-Star Cast
Out of the Furnace is a haunting story that, in the hands of the impressive ensemble cast, is truly great. Christian Bale carries the worries of his character Russell with grace, while Casey Affleck, as the troubled brother Rodney, is hard to look away from. The Baze brothers, however, are just a small part of the captivating characters. Woody Harrelson steals the show as Harlan DeGroat, the vicious antagonist of the story.
Desperate for money and unable to function at a 9-to-5 job, Rodney enters the world of underground fighting, further digging himself in deeper with a brutal drug dealer from New Jersey. Harrelson disappears completely into the role, becoming a terrifying villain who starts the story by abusing a woman and only gets worse from there. He is truly unredemptive, which is the linchpin of the rest of the narrative.
Russell dives headlong into vengeance after Harlan destroys his family, which may resonate with fans of Batman. Bale brings the same savage energy he had in his work in The Dark Knight trilogy in an even more realistic fashion. Russell’s desperation and grief are palpable, as are the stakes of the world. This small town is a place where not many people are allowed to get ahead. Rodney has to resort to back-alley fighting to make a living, while Russell’s own life falls apart because of a cruel twist of fate.
These characters have to subsist on nothing and still try to scrape by. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the movie was originally a spec script by Brad Ingelsby, now known for his many vivid characters based in Delaware County. Ingelsby created Mare of Easttown and Task, both crime thrillers that deal with the specificities of what it is to live in that location. Out of the Furnace is equally specific, just on a shorter timeline.
The grim drama was a perfect first project after Bale’s tenure as Gotham’s protector. His range is evident in this story as Russell commits to some of the worst choices anyone could make. A tragic character portrait, it is a surprise that the star-studded film didn’t get more play the first time around. Now fans can see it to their heart’s content, streaming on Prime Video.
- Release Date
-
December 6, 2013
- Runtime
-
116minutes
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