Marvel Studios has finally started putting names and faces to its new generation of X-Men, and some of those names need considerably less explanation than others. Sadie Sink is Jean Grey, Kit Connor is Cyclops, Christopher Abbott is Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd is Storm, Samara Weaving is Emma Frost, and Inde Navarrette is Rogue. Then there is Adam Driver. Driver was one of the biggest surprises to come out of Marvel’s D23 presentation, particularly after years of speculation about when the Star Wars actor might finally make his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

His casting also immediately raised questions because Marvel did not introduce him with the instantly recognizable supervillain name fans might have expected. Instead, Driver revealed that he is playing Nathaniel Milbury. If that name does not immediately ring a bell, that is probably intentional. Nathaniel Milbury is hardly one of the most famous names in X-Men history, but it has a very important connection to one of the team’s greatest enemies. Marvel may be playing coy about exactly what Driver’s role in X-Men will look like, but Nathaniel Milbury has a very, very Sinister history.

Nathaniel Milbury Is One of Mister Sinister’s Many Names

Image via Marvel Entertainment

Nathaniel Milbury is an alias associated with Nathaniel Essex, better known to X-Men fans as Mister Sinister. Marvel’s own character history lists variations including Nathan Milbury and Mike Milbury among the many identities Essex has used over the years. That makes Marvel’s decision to introduce Driver as Milbury instead of simply announcing him as Mister Sinister especially interesting. Mister Sinister is one of the X-Men’s longest-running and most dangerous villains. Created by Chris Claremont and Marc Silvestri, the character made his full debut in 1987’s Uncanny X-Men #221, although his influence on the X-Men’s lives stretches much further back within Marvel continuity.

Born Nathaniel Essex in Victorian England, he was a scientist obsessed with evolution and genetics whose work eventually brought him into contact with Apocalypse. Essex’s experiments and transformation ultimately turned him into the virtually immortal geneticist the X-Men would come to know as Mister Sinister. That obsession with genetics is what makes Sinister particularly dangerous to the X-Men. He does not simply want mutants dead. He wants to understand, manipulate, clone, and ultimately control them. His experiments have made him a recurring nightmare for mutantkind, but Scott Summers and Jean Grey have been at the center of his plans for decades.

Sinister has a particular fascination with the Summers and Grey bloodlines, believing their genetics could produce an extraordinarily powerful mutant. His interference in their lives eventually led to one of the strangest chapters in X-Men history: Madelyne Pryor. Madelyne was created by Sinister as a clone of Jean Grey, and she later married Scott and gave birth to Nathan Summers, the mutant who would eventually become Cable. Marvel’s own history of the villain identifies Madelyne as one of Sinister’s creations and specifically highlights his experiments on Cyclops, Havok, and their bloodline. That history makes Driver’s casting particularly notable considering Jean Grey and Cyclops are already confirmed as central members of Marvel’s new X-Men lineup. If Nathaniel Milbury eventually reveals himself as the MCU’s Mister Sinister, Marvel already has two of the characters most closely connected to his comic-book obsession positioned right alongside him.

Is Adam Driver Actually Playing Mister Sinister?

Image via Marvel Comics

All signs certainly point in that direction, but Marvel’s wording is worth paying attention to. Driver specifically announced his character as Nathaniel Milbury, not Nathaniel Essex and not Mister Sinister. While the Milbury name has an established connection to Essex in the comics, that does not necessarily tell us exactly how Marvel Studios plans to adapt the character. The MCU has plenty of experience remixing comic-book identities, origins, and relationships, and X-Men gives Marvel an enormous mythology to reshape. Nathaniel Milbury could simply be an identity Essex is using before his true nature is exposed, allowing Driver’s character to initially operate without the X-Men realizing who they are dealing with. Marvel could also be borrowing the Milbury name while making larger changes to Sinister’s history.

What we do know is that Marvel did not pick the name Nathaniel Milbury out of nowhere. It is deeply connected to Mister Sinister, a villain whose comic history already intersects directly with several members of the MCU’s new X-Men. Even Marvel’s official character profile treats Milbury as part of Essex’s sprawling collection of identities. For now, Marvel appears perfectly happy to let audiences wonder exactly why Driver is Nathaniel Milbury instead of Mister Sinister. Considering the character he is connected to, though, being suspicious is probably a very good idea.

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Release Date

May 5, 2028

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Director

Jake Schreier

Writers

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Joanna Calo, Lee Sung Jin, Michael Lesslie

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), X-Men

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  Inde Navarrette

  Rogue / Anna Marie

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  Kit Connor

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  Scott Summers / Cyclops

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  Samara Weaving

  Emma Frost

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Ariana Grande’s latest London concert carried an emotional significance beyond the spectacle of another sold-out show. 

The pop star reunited with Cynthia Erivo, her “Wicked” co-star and close friend, for a pair of performances that revisited the partnership that defined several years of their careers. 

Their surprise appearance together came as Grande approaches the end of her Eternal Sunshine Tour and prepares to step away from public-facing work for a while, making the reunion feel especially timely.

Ariana Grande gave her London audience a surprise when Erivo joined her onstage at The O2 Arena on Sunday, bringing their “Wicked” partnership back into the spotlight. 

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The pair performed two duets, beginning with the “Wicked” anthem “For Good,” a song that carries an especially personal connection for both women because its title is tattooed on each of their palms.

The performance then took an unexpected turn as Grande and Erivo sat down onstage and recreated Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand’s famous “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again” medley from 1963. 

Fans captured the reunion from the audience, while Grande’s hairstylist Alyx Liu and Erivo’s longtime best friend Capri Hakeem also documented the moment.

The “God Is A Woman” singer later shared one of the clips on her Instagram Stories, tagging Erivo and adding heart and infinity emojis. 

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Grande Revisits The Partnership That Defined Her ‘Wicked’ Era

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For Ariana Grande, Erivo’s appearance also brought one of the most recognizable partnerships of her recent career back into focus. 

The pair’s connection stretches well beyond their performances, having spent much of 2022 through 2025 together filming Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation of the 2003 Broadway musical.

The films ultimately amassed $1.3 billion at the box office, while Grande and Erivo became central figures throughout the highly scrutinized promotional campaign. 

Their friendship was repeatedly visible during the emotional “Wicked” press tour, making their latest reunion feel like a return to a chapter that had consumed several years of their lives.

The pair graced the London stage with distinctly different looks. Erivo wore an embellished Erdem bra and panties over a white blouse, black kinky boots and a white trench coat selected by stylist Jason Bolden. 

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On the other hand, Grande wore a cap-sleeved baby-doll dress with a voluminous skirt chosen by image architect Law Roach.

Ariana Grande Is Preparing To Leave The Spotlight On Her Own Terms

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The emotional quality of Grande’s London appearance was heightened by what comes next for the singer. 

After the final stretch of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, the 33-year-old is preparing to take a deliberate step away from the public-facing side of her career.

As The Blast reported, her team explained that the upcoming break was connected to the relentless scrutiny that has accompanied her public life. 

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” her team shared on August 2.

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Grande And Erivo Shut Down Rumors Of A Falling-Out

Ariana Grande’s reunion with Cynthia Erivo at London’s O2 Arena offered an answer to the whispers that had surrounded their friendship long before they stepped onto the stage together. 

After years of being closely associated through “Wicked,” the pair had faced speculation that they were no longer as close once the film’s promotional whirlwind ended. 

Erivo, however, had already addressed those claims before joining Grande for their surprise performance. 

During a July interview with Dazed, the actress was asked about Grande’s upcoming album “Petal” and whether she had heard any of it. 

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Rather than pretending to know more than she did, Erivo said she wanted to experience the project alongside everyone else. 

She said, “I’m still at ‘Hampstead’ Heath from the previous album, because that’s my favorite.” Erivo’s also revealed that she planned to attend Grande’s London show, which ultimately became the setting for their emotional reunion. 

Ariana Grande And Cynthia Erivo’s Friendship Was Once Questioned As A Publicity Move

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Long before both women  reunited onstage in London, their friendship had already become a subject of intense public scrutiny. 

Because their bond became so visible during the “Wicked” press tour, some observers questioned whether the closeness between the two actresses was genuine or simply part of promoting the films. 

Erivo eventually addressed those doubts directly, insisting that the relationship extended beyond their professional partnership. 

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“I think that people didn’t really believe that we were actually friends,” she told Variety, adding, “But that’s also because people don’t know me very well. If I’m a friend, then I’m a friend. If I’m not, then I’m not.” 

She also revealed that she and Grande texted almost every day. “It’s very interesting, watching what people’s perception is versus what the reality actually is,” Erivo added.

We watch television for an episodic escape from reality. Whether it’s self-contained stories or long arcs, each episode offers a more intimate narrative than you get with a film, because the characters have more time to ruminate. While we love TV shows for their storytelling, the truth is, they wouldn’t be as good as they are without extraordinary performances. And let’s just say, there have been hundreds of memorable performances throughout television history.

To be considered one of the greatest takes great curation. It’s not just about the awards or the critical praise. It takes a transformation. It requires the ability to make us believe they are who they say they are. They have to impact the greater genres beyond their performance. We have to instantly think of the role when we hear their name.

Narrowing this list to just 20 was nearly impossible, but the names that made it represent a great cross-section of types, times, and legacies. Though countless names could be swapped in, these 20 are among the most extraordinary performers of all time. From multi-award winners to groundbreaking artists, they represent 20 of the greatest television performances of all time.

20

Julia Garner as Ruth Langmore

‘Ozark’ (2017-2022)

Image via Netflix

Not every extraordinary performance in a series is found in the main characters. Sometimes it’s the supporting roles that lead to sheer brilliance, catapulting the performer into the spotlight. That’s what happened with Julia Garner on Ozark. For the entirety of the series run, Garner took on Ruth Langmore, the smart, tough young woman from a local Missouri Ozarks family who gets involved in money laundering and criminal operations with Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman). Evolving from a gritty kid trying to stay afloat to a profoundly changed adult, Garner’s arc as Ruth was the most profound of any character. You not only began to root for her, but when her unfortunate fate arrived, you were simply gutted. All thanks to Garner’s extraordinary care put into the character.

For a show where morality was always a moving target, Ruth was one who tried her best to do what was right for her and her ability to survive. In turn, Garner infused a mix of tough ferocity, intelligence, and raw emotional vulnerability. She found the rugged southern Appalachian swagger, yet it didn’t make her a trope. Ruth was a woman stuck between a toxic family legacy and her ambitions, which let her hit the high notes in her outbursts, but when Garner found those internal, pensive moments, they felt earned. She was always calculating, which made her highly relatable. Her performance won her three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019, 2020, and 2022, as well as a Golden Globe Award. She may not have started as a household name in Season 1, but she held her own and emerged as one of this generation’s greats.

19

Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Fleabag

‘Fleabag’ (2016-2019)

Image via Prime Video

They often say write what you know. Not always does that mean you get to play it, too. But for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, she did both. Bringing her one-woman show to life was not only a brilliant idea, but Fleabag showcased her strength as a writer and actress. On the gem of a show, Waller-Bridge plays the unnamed titular dry-witted and unfiltered young woman navigating life, love, and grief in London. She’s free-spirited and unfiltered, using the fourth wall to her advantage. She was never the most morally centered woman, but thanks to Waller-Bridge’s performance, we saw ourselves in Fleabag, who held up a mirror into our own souls. Fleabag was a woman who used her asides as a shield against her grief and reality. It’s something we wish we could do as well.

Waller-Bridge played Fleabag with fearlessness. She didn’t care how she came off. Yes, Fleabag was messy, hypersexual, and often unlikable, but she was real. Having the advantage of writing her own material allowed Waller-Bridge to deliver it with great precision. Her comedic timing delivers devastating emotional truths disguised as casual jokes. Waller-Bridge used physical comedy in a completely different manner. It wasn’t falling over herself or anything of the like. Instead, she expressed humor through stiff posturing and the subtlety in her eyes and grin. All it took was a glance, and we laughed along with her. And yes. Sometimes at her. And yet, she used the same toolbox to portray total despair. Fleabag is a selfish, broken, and messy woman who never asks for sympathy. It’s what made us love her and her chaotic journey.

18

Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy

‘Succession’ (2018-2023)

Image via HBO

With the hard rule of selecting only one actor per project, it was difficult to choose which of the phenomenal actors would represent Succession. There are quite a few directions it could go— a character you loved to hate, an individual who showed the most growth, or someone who subverted expectations by the end. With such time removed since the final season, if there’s one performance that truly exemplifies the mission of the series on a rewatch, it’s Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy. He is an awful, awful individual, but through examining his entire arc from start to finish, Strong did some sensational work. Kendall was, and remains, the ambitious and troubled son of media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox). His mission was to eventually succeed his father, constantly fighting to take over the family company, Waystar RoyCo. Through entitlement and delusion, the journey to the end was a wild ride.

Strong never played Kendall as a joke or a spoiled rich kid. He was, but he avoided the caricature. Instead, he played the weight of the world like a Shakespearean drama. He used his desire for ultimate power as an internalized mask for his deep pain, humiliation, and desperate craving for his father’s love. It may have been agonizing to watch Kendall believe the world was his, but knowing the burdens he carried made him Succession’s greatest tragic hero. Strong used immense physicality to show how easily a man can crumble. He vocalized his bravado, but Kendall’s moments of defeat came through a dipped chin and an insecure posture. Those micro-expressions provided Strong with a great wordless vocabulary. He moves effortlessly from cringe-inducing corporate hip-hop to towering tragic despair. Strong ensured you never wanted Kendall to win, but you hoped he’d be ok by the end.

17

Tatiana Maslany as Sarah Manning et all

‘Orphan Black’ (2013-2017)

Image via BBC America

Often, on high-concept science fiction shows, we remember the story and its twists and turns more so than the acting. Unless you’re Tatiana Maslany and play a bunch of clones, performance comes first. In a tour-de-force turn as more than a dozen clones, Orphan Black was all about its star’s capability of carrying the series. Her primary clone is Sarah Manning, a street-smart British orphan and petty criminal who triggers the main plot after witnessing the suicide of a lookalike. From there, every distinct clone has its own unique personality, accent, physicality, and emotional depth. From Alison Hendrix, a tightly wound, suburban soccer mom and-craft-enthusiast living in Canada, to Helena, a deeply troubled, socially isolated Ukrainian assassin raised in a convent, each individual has the Maslany DNA, pun intended.

For a series that could easily become confusing, Maslany ensures that her performance never hinders clarity. Her ability to balance the contrasting roles is utterly seamless. Even the meta-acting is top-tier! Maslany excels when one clone impersonates another while keeping subtle character traits intact. Her ability to juggle the characters remains a masterclass in performance. She even effortlessly acted opposite herself in multi-clone scenes using complex motion control and body doubles, maintaining absolute emotional continuity. For non-industry individuals, it may sound like it’s just part of the gig, but it could easily go astray. Not for Maslany. She doesn’t always receive praise in conversations with the very best; now she does. Very few could do what she did.

16

Kyle MacLachlan as Dale Cooper

‘Twin Peaks’ (1990-1991; 2017)

Image via ABC

Long before the boom of the new golden age of television, we often considered the series as a whole before the individuals. But the truth is, had it not been for the grounded and exceptionally evolved performance of Kyle MacLachlan on Twin Peaks, it may have been harder to enter David Lynch’s groundbreaking series. MacLachlan ushered in a new generation of detectives on television. FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper was the quirky protagonist who served as our entry point into the surreal story. He arrives in the titular town in order to investigate the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). With an earnest, boyish charm and eccentric intuition, MacLachlan seamlessly dropped Agent Cooper into Lynch’s scripts. From deadpan delivery to quite dramatic range as alternate versions of his character, MacLachlan made his character simply iconic.

With Lynchian synergy establishing how MacLachlan portrayed the part, the result was unlike any other detective audiences had ever seen. He had an innate ability to make the simple and mundane transcendent. MacLachlan’s sheer brilliance in the part was how he took a character with unbridled joy, rich empathy, and deep spiritual intuition to shatter brooding detectives known for machismo. Had he not been polite and emotionally open, the unraveling of Twin Peaks’ mystery would not have been the same. Agent Cooper was ingrained into that universe. Though there hasn’t been a sci-fi crime thriller that has come even close to Twin Peaks despite desperately trying, there have been many who have used MacLachlan’s traits to play their detectives. Thanks to Agent Cooper, treating victims and suspects with profound human dignity became an integral element of detective stories.

15

Jean Smart as Deborah Vance

‘Hacks’ (2021-2026)

Image via HBO Max 

There are points in the entertainment cycle when a show comes around that reminds the world that age is just a number. The Golden Girls shattered the glass ceiling when it came to the desire to watch women of a certain age lead a series. In 2021, that ceiling was shattered again, this time by reminding the industry that women of a certain age can still reign supreme. Jean Smart defied the odds in a slightly meta series by charming the pants off of everyone by doing what she does best: acting. On Hacks, as the legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedian Deborah Vance, Smart blends sharp comedic timing with deep, broken vulnerability, using her extraordinary career to find Deborah’s lived-in authenticity. At the beginning of the series, she plays the slightly cantankerous woman forced to work alongside young comedy writer Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder). She then effortlessly pivots to a friend and confidant.

The generational sparring between Deborah and Ava, as well as between Smart and Einbinder, kept the show vibrant and lively, but the emotional core lay in Smart’s journey as Deborah. The joy of Hacks was the freedom and fun Smart had brought Deborah to life. Between her shady, rapid-fire reads, ruthless witticism, and absurd demands, her core was a resilient woman who slowly had to come to terms with the changing scenery and bouts of loneliness. There was so much courage in her five-season run. She balanced laughs with tragedy, sometimes within a singular scene. She gave Deborah armor through her humor, which made her relatable. Hacks appealed to all television lovers, but those individuals who felt discouraged by their third act of life were given hope. Smart made Deborah an inspiration.

14

Michael K. Williams as Omar Little

‘The Wire’ (2002-2008)

Image via Nicole Rivelli / © HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection

There are very few characters who have the power to reshape society’s opinions in the manner that Omar Little did. Michael K. Williams’ transcendent character on The Wire remains one of the most fascinating in television history. Omar Little is an anomaly. He is a notorious, openly gay stickup man who survived by robbing major drug dealers. Feared on the streets of Baltimore yet governed by a strict personal moral code, Omar was a threat before you even saw him coming. Known for his signature whistle, when you face him, be ready to lose. On the surface, Omar seemed like a terrifying threat, yet beneath the surface, he had a gentleness that made him endearing. He is a modern outlaw, but his personal code of not harming anyone who is not in the game sets him apart. His morality was human.

Omar was a self-made Robin Hood, operating by his own moral code in a chaotic, dangerous, amoral world. Ferociously independent and methodically calculated, Omar was feared yet revered. He was a gay man in a deeply homophobic, hypermasculine environment, yet he feared being the toughest, most dominant figure on the streets. Williams took great pride in his ability to redefine how Black characters were portrayed. His character defied traditional TV tropes of tough Black masculinity by letting raw emotion and sensitivity show through. And yet it didn’t undercut his gritty exterior. Williams injected real warmth into Omar’s soul, ensuring his tragic moments felt devastating instead of theatrical, using his distinct delivery and physical presence to craft a legend.

13

Jodie Comer as Villanelle

‘Killing Eve’ (2018-2022)

Sporting a blood-red Lanvin pantsuit and Gucci belt, Villanelle (Jodie Comer) plays with her silhouette as she plays with her victims

One of the most fascinating characters to appear on our screens in the 21st century is Villanelle from Killing Eve. As one half of the show’s game-and-mouse power couple, Villanelle was a cold-blooded psychopath who was the gift that kept on giving. Played with all the range Jodie Comer has, Villanelle allowed her to stretch her skills, turning a textbook villain into an iconic, nuanced masterpiece. Villanelle is a talented, high-end international assassin whose mutual, dangerous obsession with MI6 operative Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh) carries the narrative. But it’s Comer’s ability to deliver the unexpected that made her a fascinating watch. She may not have been a master of disguise, but she surely was a chameleon.

Villanelle is very much the antagonist, but she has shades of jovial playfulness that make her endearing. Comer succeeds in high-camp comedy with her immense and effortless charisma. By making Villanelle a multi-layered individual, you were eager to see what she would do next. What might be the biggest shining light of Comer’s legacy as Villanelle is her accent work. In real life, Comer is a native “Scouser” from Liverpool. And yet, her ease in switching between Russian, French, Italian, and high-society British made her the dangerous assassin we love. Villanelle was a complex character, but Comer made it look anything but. She earned Primetime Emmy and BAFTA wins for her career-defining role.

12

Viola Davis as Annalise Keating

‘How to Get Away With Murder’ (2014-2020)

Image via ABC

After becoming a major star on the big screen, all it took was a Shonda Rhimes vehicle to bring Viola Davis to the small screen. The result was an exceptional performance for six twisted seasons. On How to Get Away with Murder, Davis took on Annalise Keating, a brilliant and complex criminal defense attorney and law professor. Alongside a group of ambitious law students to work at her firm, she leads them through a tangled web of murder plots and cover-ups that result in the demise of some of the closest people to her. Earning a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, making history as the first Black woman to win in the category, Davis brought her powerhouse prowess that transformed a typical legal thriller protagonist into a deeply flawed and emotionally rich individual.

At a time when streaming series began to offer more complex narratives and characters, networks needed to do the same. Davis helped the mission by refusing to play Annalise as an idealized institution. She wasn’t just a teacher. She wasn’t just a professional. She was a real human with a messy personal life, at times unlikable, and carrying deep-seated traumas that seeped into every facet of her life. There was a vivacity to her character that was partially genuine and partially a facade. It all came to a head in the historic television moment when Annalise removed her wig, eyelashes, and makeup on screen before confronting her husband. It shattered the idealized image of a polished leading lady, proving that nuanced, real characters are what television audiences seek.

11

Ted Danson as Sam Malone

‘Cheers’ (1982-1993)

Image via NBC

Rarely does a television actor get a chance to dominate the small screen in the manner that Ted Danson has. Before The Good Place and Becker, it was Cheers, Danson’s definitive series. Playing Sam Malone, the charismatic owner and bartender of the titular Boston bar, Danson made Sam more than just a one-note, notorious ladies’ man. He was a man trying to move on from his glory days with a little help from his found family. In the first era of the show, Sam’s major plotline was his on-again, off-again romance with the sophisticated waitress Diane Chambers (Shelley Long), but when his co-star departed the series, Sam was able to embark on new storylines, making him a well-rounded character on a multi-cam sitcom.

Danson blended supreme physical comedy with sharp wit and impeccable timing for a man with a fragile ego. And that’s where his charm shined through. Rather than play Sam as a man with ugly bravado and machismo, he played him as an athlete with a cool demeanor who didn’t give up after romantic failures. He was a charmer, but not overly egotistical. Danson was the glue for the entire ensemble. Cheers was the show that made us want to find our own bar where everyone knows our name. And we wished Danson’s Sam was pouring our drinks. Danson’s legacy on Cheers is profound. He earned a pair of Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards for his role, but most importantly, he appeared in 273 episodes of the sitcom.

Drink up me hearties. D23 is the biggest night of the year for Disney fans and that also means it’s the biggest night of the year for Disney themselves to show off what they’ve got coming up. Not content with the likes of Frozen, Star Wars, Marvel, and Mickey himself, the most popular sea-faring series in history was there too, and it got an exciting new update.

Iron Studios unveiled a new collectible model during the event, and it brings Johnny Depp‘s iconic Captain Jack Sparrow — the worst pirate you’ve ever heard of, but you have heard of him — to life in a new way. In it, he battles the nefarious Davy Jones, played by Bill Nighy in the films. Release details are to come, but for die-hard fans of Pirates of the Caribbean, this looks like something you won’t want to miss.

Will There Be a New ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Movie?

The intention for Disney is to make more films in the series, but whether it has Depp at the helm is another question entirely. In 2024, the Top Gun: Maverick and F1 producer and Hollywood royalty Jerry Bruckheimer told Collider’s Steve Weintraub that he and his team are “working” on a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean film.

“Jeff Nathanson (screenwriter of the last entry in 2017, Dead Men Tell No Tales) is working on a script. We have another one… We have two, and we don’t know who’s going to win the horse race at this point. But hopefully in the next month, I’ll have a script, and maybe Disney will want to make it.”

Last year, Bruckheimer revealed that he’d had conversations with Depp about the prospect of the actor coming back for a sixth film, and it sounded positive. “If he likes the way the part’s written, I think he would do it,” Bruckheimer said. “It’s all about what’s on the page, as we all know… We are still working on a screenplay. We want to make it. We just got to get the right screenplay. We haven’t quite gotten there yet, but we’re close.”

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Pirates of the Caribbean.

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Release Date

July 6, 2006

Runtime

151 minutes

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Director

Gore Verbinski

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Writers

Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio

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Hayden Panettiere reflected on “good times” in her final Instagram post shared prior to her death.

“Good times and good friends @randallslavin ✨,” the Nashville alum captioned a black-and-white photo of herself with photographer and director Randall Slavin. The July 27 post captured Panettiere winking at the camera while Slavin, 56, wrapped his arm around her.

A representative for Panettiere confirmed in a statement shared with Us on Sunday, August 16, that the actress had died. “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” the statement read. ABC News was first to report.

She was 36 years old, and details into her death were not immediately available. Panettiere is survived by her 11-year-old daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with ex Wladimir Klitschko.

Related: Hayden Panettiere Cries as She Breaks Silence on Brother Jansen’s Death

Hayden Panettiere tearfully broke her silence on brother Jansen Panettiere‘s death during an emotional TV tribute. “He’s right here with me,” the 33-year-old actress said on Good Morning America on Monday, March 6, speaking publicly about her loss for the first time. Us Weekly confirmed last month that Jansen died in New York on February […]

Slavin, a former actor who has photographed a string of A-list celebrities, shared Panettiere’s post via his own Instagram Stories late on Sunday night. “Peace be with you, H,” he captioned the post while setting it to the sound of Olivia Dean’s “Dive.”

ABC News also reported on Sunday that Panettiere’s father, Skip, asked for privacy in the wake of his daughter’s death “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.”

Panettiere began acting as a child, rising to fame through her role as Clare Bennet in Heroes, which she held from 2006 to 2010. She then starred in 2011’s Amanda Knox TV movie before landing another enduring TV role from 2012 to 2018 in Nashville as Juliette Barnes.

Related: Hayden Panettiere Prays Brother Is ‘In a Beautiful Place’ After His Death

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Amanda Edwards/Getty Images Hayden Panettiere is still mourning the death of her younger brother, Jansen Panettiere. “Two years ago today, I lost my little brother. This amazing human being touched the lives of so many. Especially mine,” Hayden, 35, wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, February 19. “The pain isn’t quantifiable.” She added, “I pray you’re […]

Her film career also included the role of Kirby Reed in 2011’s Scream 4 and 2023’s Scream VI. She most recently starred in the psychological thriller film Sleepwalker, which was released in theatres in January.

Panettiere’s personal life was put under the spotlight over the years, resulting in a memoir titled This Is Me: A Reckoning, which was released in May. In the book, the actress wrote candidly about her struggles with being a child star as well as addiction and postpartum depression. She also shared her experience with abuse at the hands of an ex.

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Related: Hayden Panettiere Attends ‘Scream 6’ Premiere After Brother Jansen’s Death

Hayden Panettiere made her first red carpet appearance since the death of her brother, Jansen Panettiere, while attending the premiere of Scream VI. Hayden, 33 — who reprises her role as Ghostface survivor Kirby in the sixth installment of the horror franchise — attended the world premiere at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City […]

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The book also discussed the unexpected death of her brother Jansen in 2023.

She told Us while promoting her book in May, “It really started when I was 16 years old … people creating stories that were false about me. There have been a lot of preconceived ideas, and I’ve always tried to be open and honest. I felt like there was a big target on my back and all that mattered was what would make the biggest headlines and shock people the most.”

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Hayden Panettiere’s final months were marked by an unusual tension: she was looking backward while deliberately trying to move forward. 

Just months before her death at 36, the actress had laid bare the addiction, grief, trauma, postpartum depression and domestic abuse that shaped parts of her life. However, her memoir was never intended as a farewell. 

Panettiere was using those painful chapters to imagine a future built around creativity, protection and the possibility of leaving the world better than she found it.

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When Hayden Panettiere released “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” she knew putting her life on paper would reopen wounds she had spent years learning to live with. 

The memoir offered an intimate account of her experiences with addiction and recovery, postpartum depression, trauma, domestic abuse, loss and the painful custody arrangement involving her daughter, Kaya.

The actress had already spent much of her life in the public eye, beginning her career as a child performer and eventually becoming known for “Heroes” and “Nashville.” 

However, writing about that life required a different kind of exposure. In May, she explained that one of her greatest fears had been knowing what would come with telling such personal stories.

“One of the things that I was most terrified about, when deciding whether or not to write this book, was that I knew what was going to come along with it,” she told The Hollywood Reporter.

Ultimately, Panettiere decided that honesty mattered more than protecting herself from the reaction. She revealed, “I had to sit with myself and make a decision, and I realized it was more important for me to share my stories and to wipe the slate clean.”

That decision also shaped the way she approached other people who appeared in her story. The 36-year-old explained that she had been “fiercely protective of people” while writing and wanted to tell her experiences without dragging others through the mud.

“I just had to speak my truth – and it’s mine alone,” she said. The response initially reassured her that the difficult process had been worthwhile. 

“Reading those comments from people within the industry and outside of it, it makes me feel like I made the right decision to write the book,” Panettiere told the outlet.

Panettiere Refused To Let Grief Become The Whole Story

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Some of the most difficult material in Hayden Panettiere’s memoir involved her family, particularly her estrangement from her mother and the loss of her younger brother, Jansen. 

Discussing the experience of writing about him, she acknowledged that the grief remained painfully immediate despite the passage of time.

Panettiere explained that mentioning her brother could still bring her close to tears, describing the grief as something that continued to change rather than disappear. 

Yet the Hollywood star resisted letting that grief, or any of the other tragedies in her life, define who she was. 

In her memoir, she wrote about the addiction struggles, postpartum depression, treatment, trauma and separation from her daughter while making clear that those experiences represented only parts of her life.

“There’s no easy way to share your story with the world, but the last thing I want to be is a downer,” she wrote. “I’m an optimist to the core and refuse to be defined by my tragedies.”

Instead, Panettiere described the upheavals as “lifequakes,”  moments capable of shaking someone apart but also creating the conditions for rebuilding. 

Hayden Panettiere Was Already Planning A More Creative Future

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One of the clearest signs that Panettiere was thinking beyond her own struggles was her appearance at a Los Angeles book event hosted by Book Soup at the Harmony Gold Theater on May 26. 

The conversation was not solely about what she had survived. Panettiere was also asked what she wanted to do next, and her answer revealed an actress thinking beyond the roles that had made her famous.

“I have a laundry list,” she revealed per PEOPLE. Directing was high on that list. She wanted to use her own experiences in Hollywood to create an environment where performers, particularly younger ones, could feel protected rather than overwhelmed.

“I really wanna direct and be that person that creates a safe environment for actors and be like, this is the experience you’re supposed to have,” she said.

Panettiere also wanted to produce and was “kind of trying my hand at writing,” while expressing an interest in “anything creative.” The appeal was partly about gaining greater control over her career rather than waiting for roles.

Her ambitions were closely connected to her experiences as a young performer. Panettiere began working as a baby and had booked dozens of commercials by the time she was 5. With that history behind her, she had strong opinions about what adults sometimes demand from children working in entertainment.

“People don’t always understand what they’re asking of young actors emotionally,” she said.

Panettiere Saw Vulnerability As A Form Of Strength

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The future Hayden Panettiere imagined was not based on pretending her past had never happened. Instead, she increasingly viewed vulnerability as part of what could make her work meaningful. 

At the May event, she spoke about people approaching her after hearing her discuss mental health and sharing their own experiences.

“So many people have come up to me within the industry and outside of the industry and shared their stories with me and said, ‘Because you’ve talked about your mental health, it gave me the courage to be honest about mine and get myself help, and you saved my life,’” she said.

Those encounters changed the way she viewed the difficult decision to expose so much of herself. “And I was like, this is worth it,” she noted.

Panettiere added, “I can hopefully leave the world a better place than I found it,” before emphasizing, “The strength is in our vulnerability.”

That philosophy also appeared in her reflections on recovery. She acknowledged that perfectionism had been ingrained in her from an early age and that constantly trying to meet impossible expectations had eventually become overwhelming.

Hayden Panettiere’s Final Vision Was Bigger Than Her Tragedies

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Only months before her death, Panettiere was thinking about what she could still create. Her memoir opened with the idea that personal growth never truly stops, describing life as a process that continues through failures, mistakes, grief and pain. She compared that process to trees shedding their leaves before returning in spring.

She acknowledged the pain that came with shedding parts of oneself that no longer served a purpose. 

“We’re meant to shed our dead skin and the parts of ourselves that don’t serve us, and sometimes it’s immensely painful,” she wrote, adding, “Believe me when I say, I’ve felt this pain.”

Those words now carry a different weight following the announcement of her death at 36 on August 16. 

Representatives for the former child star said per The Blast, “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden.”

They remembered Panettiere as “an incredible light and a force of nature.” The cause of death was not immediately clear, while law enforcement sources confirmed an investigation was ongoing.

Mariska Hargitay and Jalen Brunson have developed an unexpected friendship, with the “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star and New York Knicks point guard often showing their support for each other. Now, their friendship is crossing into the actress’ longtime television world. Hargitay recently confirmed that Brunson is “definitely” appearing in the procedural crime show, though fans will have to wait to see what role the athlete will play.

Mariska Hargitay and Jalen Brunson are close friends, and the actress supported the NBA star during the Knicks’ recent championship run. Now, Brunson is stepping out of the court and crossing over into the world of entertainment.

Since Brunson expressed his desire to appear in the long-running series, fans have been waiting to find out if it would ever happen.

At a recent event, Hargitay, who has starred as Olivia Benson in “Law & Order: SVU” since 1999 and also serves as an executive producer, confirmed to Variety that Brunson will indeed make a guest appearance.

Hargitay said the script isn’t quite ready yet, but it’s “in the works,” adding, “But it’s happening. It’s definitely happening.”

The Actress Says Jalen Is ‘Open And Ready’ For Any Role

After the Knicks won the NBA championship in June, breaking a 53-year drought, Brunson was asked what his next big plans were, to which he replied, “Try to get on ‘SVU’.”

Hargitay said Brunson didn’t say what type of role he wanted, but she believes the athlete could do anything.

“He’s kind of magnificent that way. He is just open and ready. I don’t think there’s much that Jalen can’t do,” the actress said. The reporter then asked if she wants to get Brunson an Emmy nod, and she jokingly said, “I don’t think he can handle any more awards, to be honest.”

Brunson received many accolades during the 2026 NBA season, including NBA Finals MVP, Eastern Conference Finals MVP, and three individual awards at the ESPYs: Best Athlete, Best NBA Player, and Best Championship Performance.

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Jalen Brunson Was On Mariska Hargitay’s ‘SVU’ Bucket List

“SVU” has been on the air for almost 27 years, and many big names have appeared as guest stars, including Whoopi Goldberg, Bradley Cooper, Robin Williams, Jeremy Irons, and Cynthia Nixon, among others.

In a guest appearance on TODAY in May, Hargitay revealed that there were two people she had on her bucket list when it came to “Law & Order: SVU” guest stars, and they’re both close to her heart. “Two people, and they both start with ‘J.’ Jamie Lee Curtis and my Jalen Brunson,” she revealed.

A few months later, the actress went on the show again and coyly teased Brunson’s potential appearance, telling anchor Savannah Guthrie, “I’m hoping we might – don’t tell anyone, but – see him on ‘SVU’… But we’ve got some things in the works.”

Inside Mariska Hargitay And Jalen Brunson’s Friendship

Hargitay and Brunson’s friendship grew out of mutual admiration. The actress is a devoted New York Knicks fan and regularly attends games, while Brunson said he has watched “SVU” since he was a child.

In an episode of “The Roommates Show” podcast in May 2025, Brunson shared that “Law & Order: SVU” was a staple in his home. “The older I got, the more I watched. The more I see now, I’m like, ‘I’ve seen that episode,’ I’ve seen so many different episodes,” Brunson said, adding that it’s his “pregame show.”

The two formed an instant bond when the actress learned the athlete was a fan, and they have supported each other since. In June, Hargitay joined the athlete and his family on their float at the New York Knicks’ victory parade.

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‘Law & Order: SVU’ Season 28 Is In Production

“Law & Order: SVU” is currently on its summer break, following the Season 27 finale in mid-May. Reports say production on Season 28 has begun. While Hargitay did not reveal when Brunson will make his guest appearance, it will most likely be during the upcoming season.

“Law & Order: SVU” Season 28 is scheduled to premiere on October 8.

Horror games have one unfair advantage over horror movies. They make you open the door yourself. You control the flashlight, choose whether to inspect the noise, and decide how long you can tolerate hiding while something searches the room. And that very fear becomes participation.

These eight games changed what interactive horror could accomplish. While games like House of the Dead started it all, they were scarcely scary thanks to centuries old graphics (it’s an exaggeration). But these games weaponize helplessness. They hand you a shotgun and still keep your pulse elevated. Scroll down if that interests you.

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‘Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly’ (2003)

Image via Tecmo

Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly takes twin sisters Mio and Mayu Amakura into Minakami Village, an abandoned settlement trapped in endless night. Mayu follows a crimson butterfly deeper into the village, leaving Mio to search through decaying houses filled with vengeful spirits and clues about a forbidden ritual. Her only real defense is the Camera Obscura, a supernatural camera capable of capturing ghosts. Lovely holiday. Terrible accommodation.

That camera creates the game’s brilliant central tension. Dealing greater damage requires keeping an approaching spirit inside the frame and waiting for the strongest possible shot. Survival therefore means staring directly at the thing every instinct tells you to escape. The slow movement, Japanese folk-horror imagery, and fragile bond between the sisters give the scares real sadness. Its reputation remained strong enough to inspire a complete remake released in March 2026, more than two decades after the original PlayStation 2 game. Start with the lights low. Keep the camera ready.

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‘Outlast’ (2013)

Image via Red Barrels

Independent journalist Miles Upshur enters Mount Massive Asylum after receiving information about secret activity connected to the Murkoff Corporation. The facility has recently reopened under the cover of research and charity, yet the corridors tell a very different story. Miles finds mutilated bodies, escaped patients, corporate experiments, and several residents who take an immediate dislike to investigative reporting. His main tool is a camcorder. His fighting ability is nonexistent.

Running and hiding had existed in horror games before Outlast, though few titles built such an aggressive rhythm around complete vulnerability. Night vision turns black corridors into grainy green tunnels while limited batteries add pressure to every second spent looking. Lockers offer uncertain shelter. Beds provide just enough space to reconsider every life choice. The game’s chases can become relentless, but the visual identity, found-footage perspective, and commitment to helplessness made it a defining release for a generation of horror players and spectators. Wear headphones. Your neighbors deserve to hear the scream naturally.

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‘SOMA’ (2015)

Image via Frictional Games

SOMA drops Simon Jarrett into PATHOS-II, an underwater research facility where damaged machines speak like people and the remaining signs of human life raise increasingly disturbing questions. Simon begins with a simple desire to understand where he is. That search expands into a confrontation with consciousness, identity, memory, and the possibility that a person may survive in ways the original person never experiences.

The monsters can still send Simon scrambling beneath desks, though the deepest fear comes from the ideas waiting between those encounters. Frictional Games deliberately wanted a different kind of terror from the primal pursuit found in Amnesia. The studio built SOMA around questions concerning consciousness and what qualifies as human life. Those questions become personal through decisions that initially appear technical. Avoid spoilers at all costs. This is one of those games where an innocent discussion can steal half the experience. Play it slowly, read the terminals, and prepare to think about a coin toss for an uncomfortable amount of time.

5

‘Amnesia: The Dark Descent’ (2010)

Image via Frictional Games

A man named Daniel wakes inside Castle Brennenburg with almost no memory of his past. A note written by Daniel himself explains that he deliberately erased those memories and instructs him to descend through the castle and kill its master, Alexander. That sounds manageable until the halls begin shifting, creatures start hunting him, and the darkness itself starts damaging his sanity.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent made defenselessness into a complete design philosophy. Daniel cannot defeat the creatures stalking him, so players must hide, run, manage lamp oil, preserve tinderboxes, and decide whether seeing clearly is worth using limited resources. Looking directly at monsters can make the situation worse. Very rude of them. Physical interactions also pull the player deeper into the environment as doors are pushed open, drawers are searched, and objects are manipulated by hand. The original release emphasized atmosphere and story over the era’s heavily armed action heroes. It succeeded spectacularly. Enter Brennenburg when you have several free hours and no urgent need to feel safe.

4

‘Alien: Isolation’ (2014)

Image via Creative Assembly

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Set fifteen years after the original Alien, Alien: Isolation follows Amanda Ripley as she searches for answers about the disappearance of her mother, Ellen. A recovered flight recorder leads her to Sevastopol, a deteriorating space station filled with desperate survivors, hostile androids, corporate secrets, and one fully grown Xenomorph. One is plenty. Creative Assembly understood the assignment.

Sevastopol recreates the chunky computers, analogue screens, industrial corridors, and retro-futuristic technology of the 1979 film with obsessive care. The Alien is driven through systems that allow it to respond to sound, movement, and the player’s habits instead of appearing only at rigidly scripted points. Flares, noisemakers, and the motion tracker provide options without creating comfort. Even the tracker’s beep can betray how frightened you already are. The campaign runs longer than its concept strictly requires, yet few games sustain this level of physical anxiety. Save often. Breathe quietly. Never assume the vent above you is decorative.

3

‘Dead Space’ (2008)

Image via EA Redwood Shores

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Engineer Isaac Clarke boards the planet-cracking vessel USG Ishimura expecting a repair mission. He finds the communications system broken, the crew slaughtered, and the corridors overrun by Necromorphs created from human remains. Isaac also hopes to locate his partner Nicole, who was serving aboard the ship before contact disappeared. This is how the original Dead Space made combat part of its horror rather than an escape from it.

Shooting enemies in the head wastes precious ammunition, so Isaac must sever limbs with repurposed engineering equipment. Strategic dismemberment forces players to abandon familiar shooter instincts while grotesque bodies keep advancing. Health information appears along Isaac’s suit, ammunition displays sit on weapons, and menus exist inside the world, leaving almost nothing between the player and the Ishimura. Sound finishes the job through scraping vents, distant machinery, and noises that may signal an attack or simple mechanical cruelty. The 2023 remake is excellent. The 2008 original remains essential. Cut off their limbs and enjoy your completely normal repair shift.

2

‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)

Image via Capcom

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Resident Evil 4 sends Leon S. Kennedy to rural Europe to rescue Ashley Graham, the kidnapped daughter of the United States president. Instead of traditional zombies, Leon encounters villagers controlled by Las Plagas and a religious cult determined to derail the rescue. The opening village fight immediately establishes the new rules. Enemies communicate, surround buildings, climb through windows, and keep coming until the church bell offers a temporary reprieve. Then everyone leaves. Leon is understandably confused.

The over-the-shoulder perspective gave aiming greater precision while keeping danger close enough to crowd the screen. Contextual melee attacks, upgradeable weapons, the attaché case inventory, dynamic enemy groups, and the merchant created a loop that action games spent years studying. Capcom itself describes the 2005 release as the first series entry to adopt that camera perspective, and its influence quickly spread across the wider gaming landscape. The balance is the real triumph. Resident Evil 4 can be tense, funny, grotesque, and spectacular within the same hour. Pick up every treasure. Respect the chainsaw. Buy something from the merchant. He has excellent energy.

1

‘Silent Hill 2’ (2001)

Image via Konami

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Silent Hill 2 begins when James Sunderland receives a letter from his wife Mary asking him to meet her in Silent Hill, the town where they once shared precious memories. Mary has been dead for three years. James travels there anyway and finds a fog-covered community filled with empty streets, locked buildings, disturbing creatures, and people carrying private reasons for entering the same nightmare.

Placing it first has little to do with mechanical perfection. The combat is deliberately awkward, and some puzzles can become obscure. Silent Hill 2 remains unmatched in the way its environments, creature designs, music, dialogue, and symbolism serve one psychological portrait. Pyramid Head became the recognizable monster, though the quieter details carry equal force. A radio crackles when danger is close. Akira Yamaoka’s music shifts between industrial noise and aching melody. The town seems to understand James before he understands himself. Twenty-five years later, people are still debating its imagery and returning to that fog. Go in with patience and minimal knowledge. Silent Hill will handle the rest.

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Resident Evil 4

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Released

January 11, 2005

ESRB

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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language

Engine

RE Engine

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Franchise

Resident Evil

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One of DC’s hit animated series became a streaming success ahead of its season finale. The show received a perfect critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes for every season, and was also well-received by audiences. While the show’s future remaines uncertain, fans prepared themselves as the series approaches the end of another season.

My Adventures with Superman was part of DC Elseworlds, and was not connected to the main DC Universe continuity. Additionally, the show had already been greenlit before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios and received support from the studio’s new leaders. At the time, the series was in its third season, with its season finale scheduled for that weekend.

Recently, My Adventures with Superman soared to the #9 spot on HBO Max’s Top 10 TV Shows worldwide, sitting between 90 Day Fiancé and The Wicked. Season 3 continued where Season 2 left off, with Clark’s cousin, Kara, becoming part of the team as they encountered new problems, threats, and allies.

What’s ‘My Adventures With Superman’ About?

My Adventures with Superman follows Clark Kent (Jack Quaid) during his early years as he and Jimmy Olsen (Ishmel Sahid) began their internships at the Daily Planet and are partnered with senior intern Lois Lane (Alice Lee), at a time when the world was only beginning to discover Superman. Throughout the first season, Clark tried to keep his identity a secret from his friends, though they eventually learned the truth and attempted to protect him as the government increasingly viewed Superman as a potential threat. As the show progressed, new characters were introduced. Season 2 introduced Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, voiced by Kiana Madeira, as well as Brainiac (Michael Emerson), while Season 3 introduced future versions of Superman and Lois Lane’s children, Jonathan (Darren Criss) and Lara (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport).

Since its release, My Adventures with Superman earned a perfect critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and an average audience score of 80%. Critics praised Season 3 for its art and familiar storytelling, with some noting how it drew inspiration from the comics while still keeping the story fresh. Meanwhile, audiences described My Adventures with Superman as one of their favorite shows but expressed concern that Season 3, in particular, tried to cram too much story into too few episodes. Collider’s Mike Thomas gave Season 1 of My Adventures with Superman an 8/10 rating in his review, praising Superman’s portrayal as a flawed character and offering a fresh take on the character, as well as Quaid’s ability to bring an optimistic energy to the role.

The Season 3 finale of My Adventures with Superman was released this weekend, on August 16, 2026. In the meantime, My Adventures with Superman is available to stream on HBO Max. Follow Collider for more updates.​​​​​​​

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Release Date

July 7, 2023

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Network

Adult Swim

Showrunner

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Jake Wyatt

Directors

Diana Huh, Jen Bennett, Kiki Manrique

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Writers

M. Willis, Angela Entzminger, Aman Adumer, Brendan Clogher, Cynthia Furey, Jake Wyatt, Josie Campbell

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• 

  Clark Kent / Superman (voice)

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  Alice Lee

  Lois Lane (voice)

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All movies are hard, and often expensive, to make, involving a lot of hard work and long hours from tremendously talented craftspeople and creative artists. That hard work and long hours are doubled for any movie that needs to create an entire world, whether that be another period or an entirely different realm. When it comes to creating those fictional worlds, it’s most often in service of stories of the fantasy genre, which take a tremendous amount of ambition to bring to life.

Even in the last 25 years, with massive advancements in visual effects technology, mounting a fantasy has become no less ambitious, as the movies have only grown bigger and more lavish. Some films have embraced that technology, while others have strived to avoid using it, and many of the most ambitious films attempt to find a balance between practical and digital. Groundbreaking CGI, lavish costumes, massive sets, grand locations and expansive casts are all part of what makes the following fantasy films the most ambitious of the last 25 years.

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‘The Polar Express’ (2004)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Robert Zemeckis is known for his technical innovations. Films like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Death Becomes Her, and Forrest Gump all featured pioneering uses of different visual effects technologies. In the 2000s, Zemeckis became particularly obsessed with motion capture technology, and he and his company, ImageMovers, decided to use it for his adaptation of the Chris Van Allsburg book The Polar Express, which was also the first to pioneer full facial performance capture.

While the results were uneven, with creepy-looking characters that looked like they crawled straight out of the Uncanny Valley, the film, at the very least, showed the potential of the technology. In hindsight, the story would have been better served as a live-action adaptation. There’s still plenty of beauty in some of the digitally rendered locations, and the titular train looks magnificent, but the dead-eyed children are hard to look at. The first guy through the wall always gets bloody, and Zemeckis took on a lot of hits for this film and his animated fantasy follow-ups.

9

‘Wicked’ (2024)

Image via Universal Pictures

Adapting the smash Broadway musical Wicked into a feature film took over a decade and the turnover of many creatives, but the result was a film that itself became a pop culture sensation. The first Wicked, which adapted the first half of the musical, as directed by Jon M. Chu, utilized both expansive digital effects and large-scale sets to bring its version of the land of Oz to the screen.

The effort is evident on the screen, continuing the grand musical tradition from the original The Wizard of Oz. The musical numbers are lavish, the performers are stellar, and the film manages to keep its energy up for most of its two-hour-plus runtime. Some of its darker themes of systemic oppression and corruption get a little lost under all the glitter and grandeur, but it still packs a punch in its climax. The sequel, Wicked: For Good, unsurprisingly wasn’t able to recapture that same magic, but still managed to become a box office hit and wrap up what was one of the biggest fantasy phenomena in movies in a long time.

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‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ (2001)

Image via Warner Bros.

Adapting the beloved Harry Potter books to film was a daunting undertaking. Not only did Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone have to craft an entire Wizarding World, but it also had to find a cast who could capture the essence of the characters and carry on their roles for multiple sequels. The film did all that and managed to tell a compelling story that had many fans wishing they could be whisked off to Hogwarts themselves.

The importance of the casting of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson cannot be understated, and all three actors will remain synonymous with their roles for the rest of their lives. Director Chris Columbus gets a ton of chemistry out of the trio, despite their collective lack of acting experience, and they anchor the film, even in its silliest moments. The moments that matter most are all handled perfectly, though, from Harry getting his first wand to the introduction of Hogwarts. While later films would improve on and perfect the potion, the first film set the formula.

7

‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ (2003)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Basing a movie on one of the most popular fantasy novels of all time definitely requires some brave ambition. Basing a movie on a decades-old theme park ride featuring pirates requires near-delusional levels. In the early 2000s, Disney was in another of its transitional periods, trying a lot of different things, but Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was a definite risk. Theme park ride movies had not been a success for Disney, and modern pirate movies had all universally bombed, including Disney’s own Treasure Planet from the year prior.

Johnny Depp was also not a known box office draw in the 2000s as well. Long before his movie star status and controversies, the actor was known for being a heartthrob who took on strange roles in films that were often unsuccessful at the box office. Director Gore Verbinski had only had one hit film as well, with the horror remake The Ring, but clearly had a creative energy that was ready to be unleashed. The first film in the Pirates franchise is a lot of swashbuckling fun, and has some supernatural tricks up its sleeve. It’s a genuine treasure in comparison to the cursed film it could have been.

6

​​​​​​​’The Green Knight’ (2021)

Image via A24

All the previous films on this list had plenty of ambition, but they also had plenty of money. Ambition and skill can only carry a film so far if it doesn’t have resources. It’s why so many modern epic fantasy films come with price tags consistently over $100 million. It’s also why The Green Knight, made for one-tenth of that, is such an impressive fantasy feat. Despite having a fraction of the budget, it still makes its hero’s journey feel suitably epic and fills it with fantastic imagery.

Retelling the legend of Gawain and the Green Knight, David Lowery‘s film examines its hero through a modern lens, but keeps a lot of its effects old-school. The film is a tribute to the practically made fantasy films of the ’80s, like Legend and Excalibur, and it has the same tactile quality. The Green Knight may not have gigantic battle sequences or effects-filled action sequences, but it’s no less imaginative or fully realized than films made on ten times its budget. It’s a minor masterpiece with major ambitions.

5

‘Mad God’ (2021)

Image via Shudder

Any stop-motion animated film is inherently ambitious. The painstaking medium takes excruciatingly long to properly accomplish and demands incredible patience. Stop-motion animation artists are some of the most underappreciated in Hollywood, and the films they’ve delivered all kinds of wonders and horrors over the decades. In the 21st century, there have been some very ambitious stop-motion fantasy films produced, from Corpse Bride to Kubo and the Two Strings. The upcoming Wildwood looks to be another visual feast of incredible handmade artistry as well, but in terms of sheer audacity and ambition, it’s going to be hard to beat Mad God.

A passion project of visual effects legend Phil Tippett, Mad God took 30 years to complete, with huge gaps in its production as Tippett would collaborate with different volunteer artists on weekends. The result is a dark fantasy nightmare that defies easy classification or description, but is a must-watch for any fan of the art form or the artist. Mad God is completely untethered from any standard narrative structure, unfolding as a true descent into hell. It’s definitely not for everyone, but it is a striking sight to behold and undeniably ambitious.

4

​​​​​​​’The Odyssey’ (2026)

The ambition of Christopher Nolan shouldn’t be taken for granted. Whatever failings he may have as a storyteller or filmmaker, being unambitious is not one of them. The director has been mounting epic films on an increasing scale for over a decade, transporting audiences into Gotham City, the dark reaches of outer space, and most recently into Homer‘s The Odyssey. While the discourse around Nolan’s fantasy epic began to overwhelm the film itself, it’s likely to find continued love for its epic scale.

From the production design, to the costumes, to the depiction of mythical beasts, there is a tactile quality to all of it. The film’s location shooting makes it feel practically gargantuan compared to other blockbusters shot on stages with green screens that can feel claustrophobic. The Odyssey features many visual effects, but they are meticulously designed and beautifully integrated. The best thing about a filmmaker like Nolan isn’t just that he’s able to make films on this scale, but that he commands enough power with studios to get the time and money for his crew of collaborators to accomplish them properly.

3

‘The Tale of Princess Kaguya’ (2013)

Image via Toho

Trying to compare the ambition and efforts of different animated mediums is a futile gesture. There is ambition in every animated film made, but there’s a special ambition in attempting something different. Movies that utilize the medium to create something that looks different than what mainstream audiences are accustomed to always risk rejection, even when coming from Studio Ghibli. While the storied animation studio is synonymous with director and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, its creations extend beyond his masterpieces, including its most ambitious film, The Tale of Princess Kaguya.

Based on the Japanese folktale The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the film is animated in a style reminiscent of watercolor paintings, with textured brushstrokes and charcoal lines that maintain their minor imperfections. It’s an evocative art style that director Isao Takahata wanted to use to elicit an emotional response, and it does. It doesn’t conform, even to the expected style of its studio, and stands in stark artistic opposition to almost any other animated film of the last 25 years.

2

‘The Fall’ (2006)

Image via Roadside Attractions

Tarsem Singh‘s The Fall was, for a long time, the most ambitious fantasy that almost no one had seen. The film came and went without much promotion or a widespread release and quickly went out of print on physical media. It’s been brought back thanks to a restoration on streaming, allowing fantasy fans to properly witness its stunning visuals. The film was mostly self-funded by Singh, who shot it over four years in two dozen countries. Its ambition expands well beyond the edges of the frame, and it’s an overwhelming visual experience.

Presenting a fantasy story through the imagination of a child isn’t necessarily novel. Many films have made attempts to create wild fantasies that represent the unbound imagination of children, but often fall short or devolve into chaotic CGI. The Fall is vibrant, unbound to any one style, with a world that shifts as quickly as the mind of a child wanders. There were few films that looked as good as or better than The Fall before it, and there aren’t likely to be many more.

1

‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)

Image via New Line Cinema

Despite many attempts, no fantasy franchise has been able to capture the same level of epic achievement as The Lord of the Rings. The massive cinematic trilogy, adapted from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s seminal fantasy novels and shot back-to-back, was an incredibly ambitious undertaking. Peter Jackson had never directed a film close to the scale of a fantasy epic, never mind three, and the films became a behemoth production in New Zealand.

There are films that have had larger or longer productions, with just as many complexities as The Lord of the Rings, but none have been able to recapture the success of Jackson’s trilogy. Not even Jackson himself could replicate it with The Hobbit prequel trilogy. Back in 2001, audiences had never seen a fantasy epic as big as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and now we often take them for granted. Regardless of their individual success, the ambition of filmmakers who make fantasy movies should always be celebrated.