Shannon Elizabeth is one of the many Hollywood actors who have turned to the OF platform in recent years, with her joining in April. Now, several months later, the “Scary Movie” and “American Pie” actress is opening up about her income from the platform and her reasoning for launching her account.

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Elizabeth spoke to Variety in August 2026, opening up about the success she’s experienced on the OF platform after finding difficulty in Hollywood. First, regarding her online presence and ownership of her image, the “American Pie” alum opened up about being one of the first actresses to have a website.

She stated, “I think I was one of the first actors to have one.” Elizabeth went on to say that, at the time, the only people in entertainment with websites were adult stars. The 52-year-old continued, “So, everyone thought, ‘Why are you putting a website up?’ But we thought that was the next step in the evolution of things.”

Regarding her income, she shared, “I crossed $1 million in nine days. It was really surprising, and I was honored that my fans came out and supported me. I had no idea what to expect, and the response has been really amazing. I’m chatting with people all the time, and it’s been a lot of fun.”

The ‘Scary Movie’ Alum Had Been Living Off Her Savings Before Joining OF

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Elizabeth continued her Variety interview by discussing OF as a platform, noting that it’s not only for adult content. In fact, it was something completely different when it launched in 2016. She observed, “There are a bunch of actors that have recently gotten on, and we’re starting to pull it back to what it was meant to be.”

She added, “It doesn’t have to be only for adult entertainment. It can be whatever you want it to be.” Regarding why she joined, Elizabeth says she needed a new start following a divorce. She said, “I was going through a divorce here in South Africa and was chatting to my manager Joe about what’s next and how to restart things in my life.”

She went on, ” I had really neglected a lot of things, and he brought it up as an option. I wasn’t sure and didn’t know much about it, and we looked into it, and I thought, ‘Yeah, why not?’”

Elizabeth then opened up about her finances, saying, “For the last ten years I’ve been living off of my savings for the most part because I haven’t been as focused on work. To be able to get myself back to the point where I’m not struggling and am able to choose projects because I like them and not because I need the money — it’s definitely giving me more freedom to do that.”

The Actress Pours Part Of Her Income Into Animal Rights Causes

Elizabeth co-founded Animal Avengers, a dog and cat rescue organization, in Los Angeles in 2021. Since then, she’s expanded her work after witnessing atrocities committed against larger animals in South Africa.

Now, she uses part of her OF income for the cause. She said, “So much of what I do goes back to the animals. There are a lot of expenses that go into it, and I don’t charge a salary for myself or charge travel I do for charity work to the charity. I’ll pay for that myself.”

The Animal Avengers founder added, “It allows me to cover admin expenses so that all of the charity’s money goes to animals in the field.”

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The Actress Launched Her Account In April

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Elizabeth’s OF profile officially went live on the platform on April 16. Ahead of it, she spoke to PEOPLE, revealing that she wanted more say in her narrative after spending decades in Hollywood and giving up control.

She told the outlet, “I’ve spent my entire career working in Hollywood, where other people controlled the narrative and the outcome of my career. This new chapter is about changing that, showing off a more sexy side no one has seen, and being closer to my fans.”

Elizabeth added, “I’m choosing OnlyFans because it allows me to connect directly with my audience, create on my own terms, and just be free. I really do think this is the future.”

Shannon Has A New Movie Releasing

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Elizabeth is continuing her acting career despite being open about the difficulties she’s faced in recent years securing roles due to her relocation to South Africa. However, despite this, she has a new horror movie, “First Witch,” releasing on October 8.

Before this, she appeared in 2024’s “Plan B.”

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Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian have built a blended family that could easily feel complicated, especially with children from previous relationships and a young son they share together. 

Instead, the couple appears focused on creating a rhythm that gives everyone space while still keeping the family connected. 

For Barker, that balance comes down to something surprisingly simple: letting the kids be themselves while making sure there is always time for everyone to come together.

With seven children between them, Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian have plenty of moving parts to navigate. 

Barker shares son Landon and daughter Alabama with ex-wife Shanna Moakler, and remains close to stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya. 

On the other hand, Kardashian shares Mason, Penelope, and Reign with ex Scott Disick, while the couple welcomed their son, Rocky Thirteen, in November 2023.

Rather than forcing everyone into the same routine every day, Barker said the family allowed different combinations of the children to spend time together. “Everyone kind of does their own thing,” he told PEOPLE, adding, “We try to have a lot of normalcy.”

There is, however, one tradition that remains non-negotiable. “Every Sunday we have family dinner—there’s never a Sunday where we don’t have family dinner,” Barker revealed. 

That weekly gathering gives the sprawling family a dependable point of connection even as individual schedules change.

Barker Says His Bond With His Kids Keeps Growing

For Travis Barker, the success of the blended family is also reflected in how his relationships with the children have evolved over time. 

He explained that the passage of years has not diminished his connection with them; instead, it has made those bonds even stronger.

“Different pieces of the family are together at different times,” Barker shared, noting that the regular family dinner helps maintain that sense of togetherness. He also stated, “I love being present. I also love leading by example.”

His perspective extends beyond his biological children. Barker revealed that his love for Atiana remained just as strong as when she was younger. “It doesn’t matter how old they are. I love Ati the same way at 27 as I did when she was 2,” he said.

The drummer felt similarly about Landon, noting that his relationship with his son remained constant from childhood into adulthood. “Every year honestly just gets better. It’s awesome,” Barker noted.

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Travis Barker Reveals The Marriage Rule That Keeps Him And Kourtney Kardashian Strong

The family dynamic Barker recently described may look complicated from the outside, but the musician says there is something even more fundamental in helping to keep his home life steady. 

Behind the blended family, shared children and busy schedules, Barker and Kardashian have developed their own approach to protecting their marriage.

In a recent PEOPLE interview, the 50-year-old explained that he and his wife “try not to ever fall asleep mad at each other,” making a point of resolving even minor misunderstandings before going to bed. 

Barker gave the example of something as ordinary as one of them missing a lunch plan because a text was overlooked, saying they would try to talk through the issue rather than allow it to create distance. 

He also stressed the importance of accountability and apologizing when necessary. “Even if it’s just as simple as, like, ‘Oh babe, I take accountability. I’m sorry. I didn’t see your text right away,’” Barker explained. 

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Kourtney Kardashian Reveals The Terrifying Surgery Before Rocky’s Birth

The beautiful relationship Travis Barker recently described comes with a history of difficult moments that the couple has rarely discussed in such detail. 

In Barker’s new Hulu documentary, “Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear,” the reality TV star and the drummer opened up about the frightening medical emergency they faced while she was pregnant with their son Rocky. 

According to PEOPLE, Kardashian revealed that doctors discovered fluid was building around the unborn baby’s lungs, creating a situation that required urgent fetal surgery while Barker was away touring in Europe. 

The procedure involved doctors inserting a needle through her abdomen to drain the fluid, an experience she described as “terrifying.” 

Barker immediately rushed to be with his wife and canceled shows so he could support her. The situation was particularly emotional because it came after the couple had already experienced a miscarriage in 2021, losing a baby girl they planned to name Tulip. 

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After multiple unsuccessful IVF attempts, Kardashian eventually became pregnant with Rocky naturally after deciding to step away from the treatments. 

Travis Barker’s Documentary Reveals His Most Personal Struggles

The family revelations surrounding Rocky are only one part of what l Barker chose to revisit in “Louder Than Fear,” a documentary that traces nearly a decade of his life and the experiences that changed him. 

The film revisited his 2008 plane crash, which left 65% of his body burned and resulted in multiple surgeries, as well as the survivor’s guilt he experienced after four people died in the accident. 

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Barker also discussed his struggle with opioid addiction, revealing that his fear of flying had contributed to him taking as many as 30 pills a day at one point. 

It also explored Barker’s gradual emotional healing, his return to flying and the role his family played in helping him confront the trauma that had followed him for years. 

Jurassic Park meets The Twilight Zone in the newest big box office arrival this weekend, as Anne Hathaway delivers her fourth theatrical release of 2026. She is starring opposite Ewan McGregor in The End of Oak Street, formerly known as Flowervale Street, a twisting sci-fi thriller featuring dinosaurs. Sure to prove popular, but unlikely to upset the status quo and rival the likes of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan‘s epic The Odyssey, The End of Oak Street is an enticing option this weekend. But what about all those other enticing options that you need not leave your house for? With that in mind, here’s a list of three shows you should binge-watch on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

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‘My Brilliant Career’ (2026)

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%

If you have a Netflix subscription, then you’re probably a fan of Bridgerton. The streamer’s flagship romance has proven hugely popular over the years, and this weekend marks the arrival of its perfect replacement. The show in question is My Brilliant Career, which follows headstrong farm girl Sybylla Melvyn (Philippa Northeast) who dreams of fighting societal expectations and earning her own freedom.

Based on Australian writer Miles Franklin‘s book of the same name, and first adapted in 1979 as a feature film starring Judy Davis and Sam Neill, My Brilliant Career ​​​​​​has been given the 21st-century streaming treatment with all the gorgeous visual bells and whistles that a fan of period romance could want. Critics are already impressed, with Collider’s Carly Lane writing, “Clocking in at a smooth six episodes, My Brilliant Career could never be defined as overstaying its welcome.”

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‘Tires’ (2024–Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 58% | IMDb: 7.6/10

If you’re looking for some easy laughs this weekend after a hard-working week, then you can’t go wrong with Shane Gillis’ self-aware persona. In Tires, Gillis plays an alternate version of himself, who spends his days making the life of Will (Steve Gerben) increasingly difficult. This is after Will inherits his father’s auto repair chain and is tasked with turning it around.

It isn’t intent on reinventing the wheel; Tires just simply wants to make you laugh, and Gillis is a master of just that. After two seasons that saw the likes of Gillis, Gerben, and co. refine their product, a third season has finally landed on Netflix this week and is getting the best reviews of the bunch so far. Chris O’Connor, Kilah Fox, Stavros Halkias, Peter Reeves, Andrew Schulz, Tommy Pope, and more also feature in a series that even added Thomas Haden Church in Season 2.

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‘I Am Not Okay With This’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 7.5/10

Instead of catching something new on Netflix this weekend, how about uncovering one of the streamer’s best undiscovered gems? Based on Charles Forsman‘s graphic novel of the same name, I Am Not Okay with This follows grieving teenager Syd (Sophia Lillis), who fights the anxieties of high school, a hidden love for her best friend Dina (Sofia Bryant), and the sudden discovery of telekinetic powers.

A fresh, indulgent series that was originally picked up for a second season but eventually dropped due to the pandemic, I Am Not Okay With This will have you gripped to the edge of your seat throughout. Every cloud has a silver lining and, although it deserved more time, its mere seven episodes make for an easy binge-watch this weekend.

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2020 – 2019

Network

Netflix

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Meredith Marks is sharing the difficulties of filming a reality show as her costar Mary Cosby grappled with the death of her son Robert Cosby Jr.

Appearing on Nova’s “Jase, Lauren and Clint” on Thursday, August 13, Meredith, 54, was asked how she and her costars managed to keep the cameras rolling on Real Housewives of Salt Lake City “when people are dealing with awful, raw emotion.”

In February, Robert Jr. died at age 23 following a suspected overdose in his parents’ Utah home. RHOSLC’s season 7, which premieres in September, is set to feature Mary, 53, navigating her grief.

During Thursday’s radio show appearance, Meredith praised Mary for how she chose to deal with her loss.

Related: What to Know About ‘RHOSLC’ Season 7 After the Death of Mary Cosby’s Son

The ladies of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City will return for season 7. Lisa Barlow, Meredith Marks, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Whitney Rose, Bronwyn Newport, Angie Katsanevas and “friend” Britani Bateman wrapped season 6 in 2025, which aired that fall. While the ladies were scheduled to resume filming in February 2026, the Bravo […]

“Mary, you’ll see, her strength is so inspirational. She handled the whole situation so beautifully and I think it will be really incredible to watch,” Meredith said. “I think it will be very tough for her. I think that … the show I think gave her another focus during a very difficult time.”

Meredith added that dealing with personal challenges publicly — and having issues resurface after the fact — is a major drawback to their jobs.

“That’s the downside to reality TV. You relive things later,” she admitted.

Real Housewives of Miami’s Alexia Nepola, who appeared alongside Meredith on the radio show, added “that makes it worse.”

“So that thing will happen, we all see it play out. Some blogger will do it, you know, post it on their social media and then the whole world tunes in,” Alexia, 59, explained. “And you know, not everybody is going to see it the same. And I think that’s what makes it so hard for us. Not only that we relive the moment months later but then after it comes out on social media, then everybody weighs in and gives their opinion, and I think that’s really hard. I think that you really have to have that thick skin.”

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Related: RHOSLC’s Heather and Meredith React to Mary’s Sad Moment With Robert Jr.

Koury Angelo/Bravo The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Heather Gay and Meredith Marks are rallying around their costar Mary Cosby. The Bravolebrities praised Mary, 52, and her son, Robert Jr., 21, for their emotional discussion about his mental health and substance abuse issues on the Wednesday, November 27, episode of RHOSLC. “It was completely […]

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Mary confirmed the death of her son via a statement to Us on February 25.

“Our beloved son Robert Jr. has been called home to the Lord,” Mary shared in a statement at the time. “Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in God’s promise and in knowing he is finally at peace. We are grateful for your prayers and trust in the Lord to carry us through this time of sorrow.”

Robert Jr.’s addiction battle was featured on several seasons of RHOSLC, with viewers often applauding Mary for speaking candidly about her son’s struggles.

Perez Hilton is facing an intensely private aftermath after a mental health crisis became a public spectacle through a livestream. 

While recovering in a Florida hospital, the celebrity blogger is reportedly dealing with the shame of knowing his lowest moment was watched by thousands online. 

Yet, according to someone close to him, Hilton has not seen the footage himself. His family has deliberately kept it from him, believing revisiting the viral incident could be damaging while he remains vulnerable.

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Perez Hilton is reportedly ashamed of what happened, according to a longtime source who has known him for nearly two decades. 

Recall that viewers witnessed him appearing to self-harm during a TikTok livestream, after which he was hospitalized last week under Florida’s Baker Act, which permits the temporary involuntary detention of people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Although Hilton is aware that the livestream exists, his family has prevented him from watching the roughly 15-minute recording. 

He currently does not have access to the internet, his phone, or other electronic devices, but has reportedly asked questions about what happened and what people are saying.

“As I understand it, he is mortified. He wants to watch it to see what everybody else saw, but his family knows that would be really bad right now,” an insider told the Daily Mail.

The family’s decision appears to be less about hiding the incident from Hilton and more about protecting him from the immediate emotional consequences of seeing it. 

“The family is now protecting him from himself,” the source explained, adding, “He doesn’t need to see his lowest point of his life, especially not this soon afterwards.”

Hilton’s Past Helps Explain The Person Behind The Persona

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If Perez Hilton eventually looks at the reaction to his crisis, he would find a complicated mixture of compassion and criticism. 

Adrianne Curry, for example, has shown sympathy for the father of three despite claims that he targeted and harassed her “for years.”

Longtime friend Jorge Perez Jr. has also offered a broader explanation of the blogger’s complicated public persona. 

He recalled the “evil” treatment Hilton experienced growing up and suggested that some of the aggressive behavior associated with his celebrity-blogging career may have reflected a cycle of bullying.

“It’s not about condoning or justifying, but understanding that, a lot of time, we repeat the trauma that we had,” Perez Jr. said. “People were just really evil to him growing up.”

Perez Jr., who was raised in Miami and shares mutual childhood friends with Hilton, said the latter endured “non-stop” criticism from other children. He described it as reaching a “really abusive” level at times, particularly because Hilton stood out.

“I think when you talk about those schools that are religious-based, if your social conditioning is just a little off, you get it even harder,” Perez Jr. explained, adding, “He was probably just really flamboyant.”

Perez Hilton Had Already Been Trying To Change His Life

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The crisis comes after a period in which Hilton had reportedly been reconsidering the direction of his career and personal life. Perez Jr. said his friend had increasingly wanted to move away from the aggressive celebrity-gossip approach that made him famous and explore more uplifting material.

“He opened up about his desire about writing less about gossip. People change. He’s getting older. I’m sure he’s refining what his interests are, and I think it’s a healthy thing to contemplate on changing direction,” he shared.

That transition was complicated by the financial reality of his business. Perez Jr. noted that the gossip industry remained “lucrative” for Hilton, who ultimately would “opt for putting money on the table before anything – for his kids.”

Earlier this year, Hilton also endured a serious health battle after allegedly consuming flu medications on an empty stomach, which reportedly developed into an almost month-long hospitalization and near-fatal sepsis. Perez Jr. believes that experience forced Hilton to confront issues he had previously avoided.

“I think everything really became kind of self-evident for him when he had sepsis a few months ago. He started making these videos and reading the bible, and he started apologizing and saying he was carrying so much guilt,” he said.

Hilton’s Sister Reveals What She Saw After His Livestream

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The disturbing livestream that left Perez Hilton hospitalized prompted his sister, Barbara Lavandeira, to speak publicly about the moment she discovered her brother at his Miami home. 

The Blast reported that Lavandeira described the experience as deeply shocking, saying she didn’t recognize her brother when she found him. 

“What I can say with certainty is that I didn’t recognize my brother when I looked at him. I saw it in his eyes. They didn’t look the same. Then, a split second later, he smiled at me. It felt like I was staring at someone else,” she shared.

Lavandeira also pushed back against the harsh reactions directed at her brother online, particularly from people who viewed the incident through the lens of his long career as a celebrity gossip blogger. 

Rather than treating the livestream as an isolated spectacle, she emphasized the severity of what her family was dealing with off-camera.

TikTok Admits Moderator Error Delayed Perez Hilton Livestream Removal

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The circumstances surrounding Hilton’s livestream have also raised questions about what happened on TikTok as viewers watched the crisis unfold. 

As Deadline reported, the platform acknowledged that its automated systems detected the livestream within minutes and sent it to human moderators for review, but a mistake during that review process allowed the broadcast to remain online for approximately 15 minutes. 

A TikTok spokesperson described what happened as a “moderator error” that “caused a delay in the removal.” The company said the livestream was eventually removed and that Hilton’s account was permanently banned from the platform.

The Smile franchise is heading back to 1995 for its next nightmare. After two movies brought the terrifying entity to the big screen, a new prequel comic is exploring another chapter in the curse’s history, this time against the unlikely backdrop of professional football. IDW Publishing’s Any Given Smile is a five-issue series from writer Stephanie Williams, artist Pablo Collar, colorist Triona Farrell, and letterer Ariana Maher. Any Given Smile #1 arrives on September 23, but Collider had the opportunity to read the first issue early and, without spoiling what awaits readers, it’s safe to say the franchise’s signature grin hasn’t gotten any less disturbing on the page.

Any Given Smile begins in St. Augustine, Florida, as the American Arena League prepares for the biggest championship game in its 20-year history. The Sharks have suddenly turned to backup quarterback Maximillian Dupree, putting him under immense pressure from his teammates and fans. Dupree also has debts to the city’s gambling underworld hanging over him as he prepares for the biggest game of his career. At the same time, a string of deaths begins rocking St. Augustine. A sports journalist starts investigating their possible connection to the approaching championship, while increasingly disturbing visions make it difficult for anyone involved to trust what they’re seeing.

‘Any Given Smile’ Understands What Makes the ‘Smile’ Franchise So Unsettling

That’s about as much as we can say about the story without spoiling where Williams takes the first issue, but what we can say is that Any Given Smile understands what makes this franchise so unsettling. The movies frequently weaponize the audience’s anticipation, creating situations where you know something horrible could be lurking around the corner without knowing exactly when it will appear. Williams and Collar successfully translate that anxiety to this new medium, including several moments where just turning the page delivers a jump scare of sorts.

The 1995 football setting also gives Any Given Smile an identity distinct from either movie. Sports radio, gambling, championship fever, and Dupree’s sudden opportunity create an unusual environment for Smile, but that’s working in its favor so far to help the curse feel recognizable without just being a retelling of one of the previous movies. It also provides an intriguing glimpse into how long this nightmare has been making the rounds before Rose Cotter ever encountered it. Smile and Smile 2 have only revealed pieces of the entity’s history, and Any Given Smile demonstrates how easily the franchise can explore victims from completely different periods and walks of life.

Any Given Smile #1 goes on sale September 23. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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September 23, 2022

Runtime

115 minutes

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Director

Parker Finn

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Parker Finn

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Isaac Klausner, Marty Bowen, Robert Salerno, Wyck Godfrey

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Ryan Murphy has billed “American Horror Story” Season 13 as a “greatest hits” chapter, with returning stars set to reprise multiple characters from across the anthology’s history.

The reveal comes after Ariana Grande exited the season due to a scheduling conflict with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour.”

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Ryan Murphy is turning “American Horror Story” Season 13 into a full-blown reunion, with several franchise favorites returning in multiple iconic roles.

Jessica Lange is back as a season regular more than a decade after stepping away from the anthology, reprising all four of her former characters, including Constance Langdon and Fiona Goode. Evan Peters will take on five past roles, while Sarah Paulson is set to revisit six.

Angela Bassett returns as Marie Laveau, Emma Roberts as Madison Montgomery, Jamie Brewer as Adelaide “Addie” Langdon, Mena Suvari as the Black Dahlia, and John Carroll Lynch as Twisty the Clown.

Season 13 Also Makes Room For New Faces

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The season will not rely entirely on familiar faces, however. Paul Anthony Kelly joins in a mysterious new role that Murphy called the “linchpin” of the story. Joey Pollari also plays a key new character named Ben.

John Waters, Alex Consani and Avantika Vandanapu are among the other additions. “AHS: 13” premieres September 24 on FX and Hulu.

Ryan Murphy Wanted An ‘AHS’ Greatest Hits Season

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Murphy says the number 13 pushed him toward something bigger than a standard new chapter of “American Horror Story.”

Speaking to Vogue, the producer said he wanted the season to feel like a “greatest hits” edition, with the franchise’s strongest villains and classic characters colliding inside a fresh story.

Murphy said he even studied fan polls and made his own list of the show’s top 10 characters, admitting, “I’m always lurking online.”

But he stressed that the new season is not simply a Coven revival. Instead, he and Brad Falchuk built a 13-episode story designed to bring some of the anthology’s “baddies” together for a larger threat.

Murphy has compared the concept to the “Avengers” of “American Horror Story,” with familiar characters joining forces against what he called an “ultimate evil.”

He would not reveal exactly what they are facing, though he offered one ominous clue. After noting that the franchise has already tackled the Antichrist, Murphy teased: “Let’s go above his pay grade for this.”

Tour Clash Knocks Ariana Grande Out Of ‘AHS’

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One big name will be missing when “American Horror Story” returns. As reported previously by The Blast, Ariana Grande has dropped out of Season 13 after production changes created a clash with her ongoing “Eternal Sunshine Tour.” She had been announced for the cast last October but reportedly exited before filming any scenes.

The appearance would have reunited Grande with Murphy more than a decade after she played Chanel #2 on his Fox horror-comedy “Scream Queens.”

Details surrounding her planned character were never revealed. Grande had previously suggested the part would be small, saying that she expected to have a “very tiny thing” to do. “I’ll be grateful to be a part of it because I love everyone involved,” she said at the time.

Grande’s touring schedule has already undergone several adjustments. Shows in New York and Boston were moved earlier this summer after she cited production issues and said safety was the priority. For now, her return to Murphy’s horror universe will have to wait.

Ryan Murphy Clears The Air On Ariana Grande’s ‘AHS’ Exit

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According to Murphy, Grande’s “American Horror Story” departure was far less dramatic behind the scenes than it may have looked from the outside.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, the producer said Grande had expressed doubts from the beginning because she expected to tour. When the time came to shoot her episode, he called her, and she admitted she did not know how she could make both commitments work.

Murphy said he simply offered to move the idea to another season. “I said, ‘OK, if you can’t, we can push to another season.’ She said, ‘Great,’” he recalled. He also pushed back on any suggestion of friction, calling the exit “really, truly a scheduling conflict.”

Murphy said he remains eager to work with Grande again and described the abandoned role as “a very big swing” that could still resurface depending on her availability. “I love her, and I support her,” he added.

Rock and roll peaked in the 1990s. Dropped in the middle of the boring hairbands of the 1980s and the slow death caused by the internet in the 2000s, the subgenre continued to dominate during the days of Bill Clinton and Michael Jordan. At the end of the 20th century, rock music was filled with raw energy, the bland commercialization of it stripped away. The decade began with years of the grunge takeover reigning the scene, before Brit rock and bands forged in tragedy carried the torch. From ballads to high energy chaos and everything in between, these 10 songs represent the 1990s better than any other.

“Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains (1990)

A year before everyone and their mother knew what grunge was, there stood Alice in Chains, who hit it big with their debut album, Facelift. The second single, “Man in the Box,” was the album’s best song, and three decades plus later, remains the greatest song of the band’s career. It kicks you in the teeth from the very first second, as Layne Staley‘s unmistakable voice croons over Jerry Cantrell‘s guitar riff. Although the lyrics are meant to be about censorship, there is a sad double meaning lurking under the surface. The band’s initial run would be cut short due to Staley’s battle with drug addiction. To listen to “Man in the Box” now is to hear a plea from a man begging to be saved.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana (1991)

1991 was one of rock’s best years ever. In the same 12-month span, classic albums were released by the likes of Metallica, Soundgarden, Guns N’ Roses, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. However, none of them could match what the then little known Nirvana accomplished with their second album, Nevermind. The first single changed the course of music. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was an anthem for Generation X, waking them up from the boredom playing on the radio. Although Kurt Cobain‘s lyrics were not always easy to understand, the message was clear: a new type of music was here, and its energy wouldn’t be denied. With a mixture of punk and pop, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” started a revolution.

“Creep” by Radiohead (1992)

In a few short years, Radiohead would evolve from traditional rock music to an experimental sound that seemed to come from the unknown future. They started off, however, with a song which continues to define them as their biggest hit with the masses, whether they like it or not. In September 1992, months ahead of the 1993 release of their debut album, Pablo Honey, the world was introduced to Radiohead with “Creep.” It’s a song that sneaks up on you, with a soft singing Thom Yorke tapping into romantic hopelessness before Jonny Greenwood‘s guitar kicks in and flips the switch in the chorus. The sad lyrics, which we’ve all felt at some point, reach out and beg you to sing along.

“Heart Shaped Box” by Nirvana (1993)

How do you top one of the most successful albums of all time? That’s the question Nirvana had to answer in 1993, with their follow-up to Nevermind, In Utero. The answer is that they couldn’t, so the band went back to the basics on album number three and removed the post-production gloss. The first single, “Heart Shaped Box,” showed that Kurt Cobain and company were more than a one-year wonder. The versus-chorus-verse approach they’d perfected continued here, as nonsensical lyrics about cancer and orchids give way to Cobain’s screams about a new complaint. It’s off-kilter, uncomfortable genius from a voice which would be forever silenced just months later.

“Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden (1994)

In 1994, after the death of Kurt Cobain, the grunge fad quickly went with it. The style refused to go quietly though, hanging on with Soundgarden‘s most commercial album, Superunknown. With it came their most iconic song, the third single, “Black Hole Sun.” The chart-topper blended the lines between hard rock, grunge, and pop acceptance without going soft. The entire band flows together seamlessly, but like always, it’s Chris Cornell‘s voice that pulls the listener into a hypnotic trance. His lyrics and their meanings are ambiguous. How Cornell could twist his vocal cords, singing like an angel one minute and screaming from the depths near the end, is still jaw-dropping to hear all these years later.

“Wonderwall” by Oasis (1995)

After the death of grunge, rock and roll went retro with a new Brit rock invasion, led by Oasis. In 1995, brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher took over radio airwaves with “Wonderwall,” the fourth single on their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? The siblings have later said they hated the song. Everyone else didn’t. It’s pure Beatles pop rock catchiness, with the edge of a guitar and the sadness of a cello meeting Liam’s emotionally exposed lyrics. It’s the song that saved rock for a time and had everyone singing along, even if we had no idea what’s a wonderwall anyway.

“1979” by The Smashing Pumpkins (1996)

The Smashing Pumpkins were there for the grunge invasion, yet survived by finding a way to escape the restraints of such a label. The Chicago band’s third album, the double-sided Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, is their magnum opus. With one big hit after another, the best is the second single, “1979,” released in January 1996. The song captures the melancholy of the album title, giving up the hard rock sound for something more dream-like as Billy Corgan reminisces about a time gone by from his youth. He can’t get this time back, but the listener can. Thirty years later, the song is our version of what Corgan dreamed of.

“Everlong” by Foo Fighters (1997)

Foo Fighters were born out of immense tragedy. After Kurt Cobain’s death in April 1994, it was an uncertain time for Nirvana’s drummer, Dave Grohl. He turned to music, forming his own band, Foo Fighters. After a successful self-titled debut, where Grohl played all the instruments himself, Foo Fighters became a full-fledged group. However, with drummer William Goldsmith leaving, Grohl returned to the drums on album number two, The Colour and the Shape. The best song, “Everlong,” is one about falling in love. With lyrics about the harmony of a relationship and Grohl’s pop punk flavor, it’s no wonder this is David Letterman‘s all-time favorite song and the one he requested the band to play multiple times on his show.

“Fly Away” by Lenny Kravitz (1998)

Lenny Kravitz had already been around for a decade in 1998, but this was the year he reached his peak of popularity with his fifth album, 5. Its fourth single, “Fly Away,” became a staple of Top 40 radio and MTV. A year later, the song won the Grammy for Best Male Rock Performance. It was a deserved honor for a tune that made the most out of funk rock basics, creating an earworm everyone was humming along to. Kravitz’s grungy guitar riffs and his lyrics about breaking flee and flying away from everything holding him back combined to create an all-timer. Who would want to get away from this one?

“Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers (1999)

In the early 1990s, the Red Hot Chili Peppers were one of the biggest rock bands out there, propelled to the top with 1991’s Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The mid-90s were rough, with changes that included guitarist John Frusciante leaving. In 1999, they made their huge comeback with the best album of their career, Californication. It’s rock and roll perfection, led by the first single, “Scar Tissue.” The song gets away from the high energy funk of the past, instead slowing it down with a mellow three-and-a-half minutes of bliss. Frusciante’s beautiful guitar leads the way into Anthony Kiedis’ melodic lyrics about the loneliness of healing and the scar tissue left behind.

The estate battle following Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death is taking another turn, with his mother, Pamela Warner, pushing back against claims that she tried to keep her granddaughter from receiving financial support. 

In a new statement, Pamela says the late actor made deliberate provisions for his loved ones and that a settlement has now been reached with his daughter’s representatives. 

The agreement, however, still requires court approval, keeping the family’s legal dispute under scrutiny.

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Pamela, who was Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s lifelong business manager, is now addressing allegations surrounding the handling of his estate. 

The dispute has involved Pamela and Malcolm’s widow, Tenisha Warner, since the actor’s death, with legal proceedings taking place in Georgia and California.

A statement obtained by PEOPLE revealed that Pamela remained focused on her son’s legacy and the welfare of his daughter while grieving his sudden death. Recall that Malcolm died at 54 in an accidental drowning during a family vacation in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025.

The statement directly rejected the suggestion that Pamela attempted to deprive her granddaughter of financial support. 

“Recent claims that Pamela sought to prevent her granddaughter from receiving financial support are untrue,” it said. According to Pamela’s representatives, Malcolm’s estate planning specifically accounted for the people closest to him. 

“Malcolm was thoughtful and deliberate in his estate planning to include all his loved ones,” the statement revealed. 

It added that although the trust at issue benefited Pamela, Malcolm’s father and his sister, the actor separately provided for his wife and daughter “to the tune of millions of dollars.”

Malcolm’s Estate Dispute Moves Toward A Settlement

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Pamela’s account also offered a different picture of how the estate dispute developed. Rather than immediately taking the disagreement into court, she said she initially attempted to resolve the issues privately following Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death.

“Following Malcolm’s passing, Pamela attempted to resolve these matters privately,” the statement noted. “When litigation was initiated, courts in Georgia and California appointed guardians ad litem to represent Malcolm’s daughter.”

That legal involvement has now reportedly led to an agreement between Pamela and representatives for her granddaughter. 

The settlement has not yet received court approval, meaning the arrangement is not necessarily the final step in the estate proceedings.

Still, Pamela’s representatives said the agreement would give Malcolm’s daughter a substantial interest in the remaining trust and estate. 

“The agreement provides for Malcolm’s daughter to receive the majority remainder of the Trust and Estate,” the statement said.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Legacy Remains At The Center Of Family Tensions

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Pamela’s statement ultimately framed the settlement as a way for Malcolm’s daughter to receive the benefit of what her father left behind without further delay. 

“The Settlement also memorializes that it is in the best interest of Malcolm’s daughter to have a relationship with her grandmother, Pamela,” the statement said.

Pamela’s representatives added that she remained hopeful the family could move forward with the agreement. 

According to them, “Pamela remains hopeful that all parties will support the resolution and that her granddaughter will receive the full benefit of Malcolm’s legacy without further delay.”

Malcolm’s Widow Gets New Support Amid Estate Fight

The latest developments in Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s estate dispute brought another kind of response, this time from someone who has stood beside his widow for nearly two decades. 

As The Blast reported, a close friend of Tenisha Warner launched a GoFundMe to help her and the couple’s nine-year-old daughter navigate the financial strain that followed his death. 

On August 11, Destiny Rael, who described herself as Tenisha’s closest friend of 19 years, said the fundraiser was created because the family needed practical support while dealing with grief, legal expenses and damage to their home from unexpected flooding. 

The campaign set a $150,000 goal and was intended to support Tenisha as she raises their daughter and rebuilds their lives. 

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Rael stressed that the fundraiser was not about taking sides in the dispute with Pamela, but about supporting a grieving mother and child. 

She also said Malcolm had intended to update his estate plan to provide for his wife and daughter but died before completing those changes. 

Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s Widow Opens Up About Life After His Death

“It’s been the biggest loss for all of us”: Tenisha Warner sat down exclusively with @gayleking ahead of the first anniversary of her husband Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death from accidental drowning in Costa Rica. Their full interview airs tomorrow.

On Monday, Warner filed a… pic.twitter.com/kqtXEF1yIZ

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) July 22, 2026

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While the estate dispute has focused attention on what Malcolm-Jamal Warner left behind, his widow, Tenisha, has not been silent about what his death left her to handle every day. 

In a July interview with Gayle King on “CBS Mornings,” Tenisha opened up about becoming a single mother after Malcolm’s demise and the difficulty of carrying on while raising their daughter. 

She described herself and the child as a “unit,” emphasizing the close bond they had relied on since losing him. 

Tenisha also spoke about the emotional weight of preserving her late husband’s memory for their daughter while navigating life without the man who had shared their family with her. 

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Tenisha also revealed that Malcolm had changed his mind about having children after previously believing fatherhood was not for him, making their daughter’s place in his life particularly meaningful.

A film can only ever be as great as its screenplay; because while it’s perfectly possible to transform an unremarkable screenplay into a serviceable-enough movie, the only way for a film to go down in history as a truly legendary classic is if it’s based on an equally legendary screenplay. Throughout film history, there have been innumerable great scripts written for innumerable great movies, but there are a precious handful worthy of being considered the greatest of all time.

From Hollywood classics like Citizen Kane to modern masterpieces like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, the best screenplays in film history are all masterclasses in how to craft a film that’s perfect from the moment it hits the printed page. Regardless of what genre they belong to, where they’re from, or how serious or funny they are, these ten scripts are undoubtedly the peak of what screenwriters have had to offer throughout film history.

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‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004)

Image via Focus Features

There’s a very strong argument to be made that Charlie Kaufman is the greatest screenwriter currently working in the film industry, and no more proof should be needed of that fact than the movie that earned him the only Best Screenplay Academy Award he has won thus far: Michel Gondry‘s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, one of the most perfect soft sci-fi movies ever made.

Gondry’s direction is remarkably strong, but this feels like a Charlie Kaufman movie to the core. It’s an amalgam of all of the writer’s greatest qualities: a quirky and neurotic tone that’s mind-bending without being overly confusing, thought-provoking meditations on the human condition, complex character development, and some of the strongest dialogue of any movie from the 21st century.

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‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ (1969)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Novelist and screenwriter William Goldman was one of the most successful and influential writers in Hollywood throughout the entirety of his career, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid may very well be his masterpiece. Directed by George Roy Hill and starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford—easily one of the most iconic actor duos in film history—, this is far and away one of the best blockbuster Western movies of all time.

As strong as Hill’s direction is and as unforgettable as the Newman-Redford pairing is, the vast majority of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid‘s strength as a movie comes from Goldman’s pitch-perfect script. Creating one of the most brilliantly subversive revisionist Westerns in film history, Goldman crafted a screenplay that shines through its delightfully entertaining character dynamics, quotable dialogue, and sharp wit.

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‘The Apartment’ (1960)

Image via United Artists

The question of who the greatest screenwriter in Hollywood history is can elicit many answers, but there’s one bound to come up far more often than most: Billy Wilder, who collaborated with another one of Golden-Age Hollywood’s best writers, I. A. L. Diamond, to pen The Apartment. Directed by Wilder, it has aged flawlessly as one of the greatest romantic comedies in film history.

It’s one of those dramedy masterpieces with great acting, but the film wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does without Wilder and Diamond’s screenplay. The dialogue is unforgettable, the satire has razor-sharp teeth, and the perfectly economic structure provides a masterclass in pacing. But what really makes The Apartment‘s script so special is the way it subverts rom-com tropes of the time to deliver one of the rawest, most realistic depictions of love that the era ever saw.

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‘All About Eve’ (1950)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Joseph L. Mankiewicz‘s All About Eve is one of the best classic movie masterpieces with great acting, mostly remembered for Bette Davis and Anne Baxter delivering two of the greatest acting performances of the era. Also written by Mankiewicz, the film earned him his second Best Screenplay Oscar ever; and to this day, this is still one of the most universally-praised screenplays ever written.

Based on Mary Orr‘s short story The Wisdom of Eve, the film’s script downright revolutionized Hollywood screenwriting. Most of that groundbreaking effect came from Mankiewicz’ treating dialogue like an art form in and of itself, but its unforgettable lines are far from the only thing that this screenplay has going for it. There’s also the perfectly-structured use of flashbacks, the nuanced character writing, and the psychologically complex treatment of themes like aging and the toxic allure of fame.

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‘Pulp Fiction’ (1994)

Image via Miramax Films

Nowadays, it’s an ice-cold take to say that Quentin Tarantino is one of the most widely celebrated filmmakers of the modern era, and his quality as both a director and a writer became perfectly evident from very early on. Pulp Fiction, only Tarantino’s second-ever feature, went all the way to win him a Palme d’Or at Cannes; and since then, most cinephiles still remember this as his nearly-faultless magnum opus.

The 1990s fundamentally revolutionized screenwriting, with nonlinear and postmodern narrative structures becoming increasingly popular—and the perfection of Pulp Fiction‘s screenplay was a huge contributor to that boom. Full of clever dialogue, vibrant characters, and shocking plot twists, all leading to one of the most perfect movie endings of the ’90s, it’s a testament to how far Hollywood screenwriting has come through the decades.

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’12 Angry Men’ (1957)

Image via United Artists

It’s absolutely stunning that a film as downright perfect as 12 Angry Men, many people’s favorite Golden-Age Hollywood drama, was a directing debut. Indeed, Sidney Lumet burst onto the scene with 12 Angry Men, and it’s every bit as impressive that its screenplay was only the second ever penned by Reginald Rose, adapted from his own 1954 teleplay.

Rose finds all sorts of interesting ways to preserve the theatrical feel of the story, from the confined location to its being one of the most perfect movies that occur in real time, while also adding an undeniably cinematic quality to it. This script is a masterpiece in minimalist writing, turning a 90-minute debate between the titular 12 men (some angrier than others) into a riveting thriller with tight plotting, complex motivations, and delightfully distinct character voices.

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‘Citizen Kane’ (1941)

Image via Warner Bros. Entertainment

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Generally regarded as the greatest motion picture from Hollywood’s Golden Age, and even praised by some as the single greatest film in history, Citizen Kane is one of those movie masterpieces that were far ahead of their time. That’s for a variety of reasons, from Orson Welles‘ groundbreaking direction to Gregg Toland‘s revolutionary camerawork, as well as thanks to Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz‘s flawless screenplay.

Non-linear screenplays seem pretty common today, but the concept was practically unheard of back in 1941—at least not nearly to the pioneering scale of Citizen Kane‘s script. And though its bold, puzzle-like structure and psychologically deep character study may no longer seem revolutionary by modern standards, they’re still undeniably impressive and worthy of the utmost praise.

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‘Chinatown’ (1974)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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The New Hollywood film movement is probably the main thing that makes the 1970s the best decade in cinema history, seeing as it produced a jaw-dropping number of masterpieces that are still remembered among the best in all of cinema. One such masterpiece is Chinatown, a neo-noir gem that marked the end of an era, one that wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does without Robert Towne.

Though the film’s infamously bleak ending was an uncredited writing contribution by director Roman Polanski (Towne’s original script originally having a significantly more upbeat conclusion), everything that comes before is nevertheless some of the most brilliant screenwriting the big screen has ever seen. Whereas most noir stories are about a detective approaching a larger-than-life case and gradually narrowing the mystery down to a single answer, Chinatown is all about a man tackling a seemingly simple case that turns into something far too overwhelming for anyone to handle. That structure is but one of the reasons why Chinatown‘s script is downright perfect.

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‘The Godfather’ (1972)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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Regarded by many as the greatest film in history, Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather is genius for a wide variety of reasons. It’s such a universally praised masterpiece that there are multiple behind-the-scenes stories about as iconic as the film itself. One such story centers on Mario Puzo, who authored the book the movie’s based on and co-wrote the screenplay with Coppola. After winning an Oscar for his work, Puzo picked up a screenwriting book to better learn the craft, and chapter one instructed the reader to “study The Godfather.”

That story perfectly illustrates the sheer brilliance of The Godfather‘s script, a script that’s largely responsible for its being one of the bleakest movies of the ’70s. But as dark as this crime drama can get, that tone never overpowers the thought-provoking cleverness of the narrative. From the character writing to the dialogue to the thematic exploration of the dark sides of the American Dream, there is virtually nothing to complain about when experiencing The Godfather‘s screenplay.

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‘Casablanca’ (1942)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

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Michael Curtiz‘s Casablanca is easily the most romantic movie that Hollywood’s Classical period ever produced, and it has aged gorgeously as one of the most iconic cinematic masterpieces in history. Practically everyone involved in the making of this cult-classic-turned-mainstream thought that they were participating in a movie that would end up being entirely unremarkable. Little did they know, it would go on to win three Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Screenplay) and remain one of the most acclaimed Hollywood pictures in film history.

From a perfect opening scene to one of those movie endings that are true masterpieces, Casablanca‘s screenplay—written by Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, and Howard Koch—remains absolutely flawless in every sense imaginable, making it a must-study piece for anyone even slightly interested in the craft. The dialogue is full of personality and hugely quotable, the characters are distinct and a delight to follow, the story is perfectly plotted and paced, and the themes of heroism and romance are as timeless as they are profound. Never has film history seen a screenplay more perfect than Casablanca‘s.

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Casablanca

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Release Date

January 15, 1943

Runtime

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102 minutes

Director

Michael Curtiz

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Writers

Howard Koch, Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein

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  Humphrey Bogart

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  Rick Blaine

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