Entertainment
Alix Earle Says Building Reale Actives Took ‘Two And A Half Years’
Alix Earle didn’t build her skincare brand overnight!
The TikTok star, who rose to fame by creating raw “Get Ready With Me” (GRWM) videos, opened up about the journey behind her brand, Reale Actives.
With a huge following of 8.5 million, some might think Earle can just create a brand in a matter of days or a week. But despite her fame and connections, building Reale Actives was far from easy. In fact, it took the influencer years.
In a TikTok video, Earle detailed what inspired her to create her skincare brand, how she made it, and how long it took to make it all happen.
“So all of this started the summer after I graduated college in 2023,” the TikTok star began. “I went to school for marketing. I always dreamt of like one day being able to start a company of my own, exploring different options. And I just kept coming down to basically being really invested in something to do with acne, covering it up with makeup.”
Hating ‘Skincare’ Due To Her Acne Problem
Earle went on to say she has had an acne problem her “whole life,” which became an “insecurity” of her,
“Truly, I have dealt with it my whole life and not just dealt with it, but like It became such a point of insecurity for me,” she recalled. “Like, times I didn’t want to leave the house, I didn’t want to go to the grocery store, my skin hurt to touch it, like, I just- I always hated my skin, and I always hated skincare.”
The skincare business idea was pitched to Earle by a friend, but she didn’t want to do it at first.
“Someone was like, ‘Well, if you care about this so much, why wouldn’t you do skincare?’ And I was like, ‘I hate it. I would never do that,’” she said. “It’s not fun for me. I’m confused by it. I don’t like it.”
Earle continued, “It’s not something I’m proud of. I just- I didn’t like anything about it. And then that’s when it hit me that there was something there I could create and stop making this so miserable and confusing for myself and make it fun. So that was step one.”
The Search For A CEO
For Earle, the next step to making her brand happen was finding a CEO, as well as a dermatologist.
“This was probably around like February, March 2024. One, I knew I needed a dermatologist,” the social media star shared. “I needed someone that was going to be able to help me with product formulation, innovation, understanding my skin and what I can better do to treat it, get the ideas I had about products and make them 10 times better.”
As for the CEO, Earle said she “needed someone who was going to be able to run this day to day, help me build out a company,” adding, “Obviously, I’m a little bit more experienced or love, like, the marketing creative side of things.”
Building Reale Actives Took Almost Three Years
Later in the video, Earle stated that the whole journey of building Reale Actives was “surreal,” and it took “such a surreal journey took “two and a half years.”
Apart from making something that would help her acne, Earle also noted that she created the brand to “change in the way that people think about the imperfections on their skin.”
“I wanted to just make a change in the way that people think about the imperfections on their skin,” she explained. “Growing up, I would have died to have products like this on my counter. Like, everything I used was always just very clinical.”
Sharing Her Struggles On TikTok
Earle has already been sharing her acne struggles on TikTok ever since she started doing GRWM videos. When asked by ELLE as to why, she said: “I felt more insecure than I had ever felt. I got to this place where my skin was so bad that I didn’t want to get in front of a camera. I didn’t want to post, and I didn’t want to leave my house,” the influencer recalled.
“After a month or so of that, there was one day when I woke up and was just like, ‘Maybe if I post this, someone else will feel better if they’re also going through this.’ I thought, if I get ahead of it, then maybe people can’t say things about me. That ended up being the first video of mine that really blew up, and I started to get followers. People started commenting about how much this resonated with them. I realized that putting yourself out there and being vulnerable can actually help other people going through the same thing. And it helped me too, because I realized I wasn’t alone.”
At first, she was shocked at why her video went viral, but it made her realize that opening up about her “biggest insecurity” could be freeing.
“I tried for so long to be so perfected and curated online,” Earle admitted. “Then, the second I posted my biggest insecurity, that was the thing that did well. I was completely blindsided and confused. But it was then that I realized you don’t need to be so curated or put on this fake filter of who you are online. That taught me a lot, and it’s a lesson I still carry with me.”
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Lawsuit Claims Cousin Partly To Blame For Fatal Plane Crash
According to lawsuit documents obtained by TMZ, Barry Hankerson claims that his son, Jomo Hankerson, was hired to coordinate travel for the singer’s music video shoot in the Bahamas. Barry says that his son is partly to blame for the fatal plane crash because he failed to make proper travel plans.
After the music shoot was finished, Aaliyah booked a private plane back to Florida after Jomo allegedly failed to make travel plans. The plane crashed after leaving the Marsh Harbor Airport, and everyone on board died.
Hankerson reportedly introduced his niece to ‘Bump N’ Grind’ singer R-Kelly, according to VIBE. The music executive was managing Kelly, and he went on to write and produce her 1994 debut album, ‘Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number.’ Not only that, but then-27-year-old Kelly secretly married an underage Aaliyah after obtaining the 15-year-old a fake ID, per WTTW.
In 2021, Kelly was convicted of sex trafficking minors in New York, according to the Department of Justice. He was sentenced to 30 years. In addition, Kelly was found guilty on child sex charges in Chicago and sentenced to 20 years, per PBS. He is serving the sentences concurrently.
Jomo Claims Dad Owes Him Money
Barry Hankerson Introduced His Niece To R-Kelly
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What Do You Think Roomies?
If there’s one thing fantasy fans can’t get enough of, it’s dragons. There’s just something so alluring about giant flying lizards that can breathe fire. Dragons have been a long-standing part of folklore and mythology across many cultures around the world, which is why they’ve transcended into fantasy literature, television, and movies.
In fact, several fantasy TV shows have featured dragons. Some might have them show up only once in a while, whereas others have dragons as a regular part of their programming. Sure, any TV show can put a dragon in it — that doesn’t automatically make it good. These shows, on the other hand, are very good indeed. These are the best fantasy TV shows that feature dragons, and that are masterpieces.
‘Adventure Time’ (2010–2018)
The Cartoon Network series Adventure Time is full of tons of fantasy elements, but it’s more whimsical than epic. The Land of Ooo is a weird and wonderful place full of magic and monsters, but the real magic comes in the form of the numerous friends the heroes make. The dragons in this show are a little bit weird-looking and unorthodox when it comes to dragons. They’re mostly serpentine, and less reptilian.
For example, there’s Whipple the Happy Dragon (Josh Fadem), a green sea serpent creature who is frequently targeted by pirates. Then there’s the blanket dragon, which is a pink, fluffy dragon with literal blankets for wings. While they’re a far cry from the scaly fire-breathers that fans have come to expect, the creativity and imagination behind these dragons is enough to keep things interesting. The show, of course, is pretty funny, and is the best happy-go-lucky show to watch when you’re feeling down.
‘The Dragon Prince’ (2018–2024)
With a name like The Dragon Prince, you’d better believe there are dragons in it. The story of this 3D animated series is that the continent of Xadia has been split in half after humans discover how to use dark magic. The humans are confined to the West whilst the elves are confined to the East. The border consists of a river of molten lava watched over by the King of the Dragons himself. But this all changes when the king is slain, and his only egg goes missing.
Dragons are kind of a crucial part of this show. Most of them are friendly, though some are hostile. They have a special relationship with the elves and a general disdain for humans, which is understandable considering humanity killed the King of the Dragons. The dragons have unique variations too, and don’t just breathe fire. Some are lightning-based and others are more akin to cosmic beasts. This show is not just adventurous, but it was clearly made with love. It also happens to be a great show to binge.
‘Merlin’ (2008–2012)
Merlin is based on Arthurian legend, and is an origin story for the eponymous wizard. Most legends portray Merlin as a grouchy old wizard with a stereotypical appearance: blue robes adorned with silver stars and moons, matching pointy hat, spectacles, long grey beard, the works. This show portrays the wizard as a much younger character, who is just beginning to learn his powers.
The show is a low fantasy at heart, meaning much of it intersects with the real world. However, it does feature many creatures from European folklore, including dragons. Though the dragons don’t appear right away, they’re still a prominent fixture of the show, even if the CGI is a bit outdated. Merlin might be a bit underrated, but it definitely deserves more attention based on how good it is.
‘The Legend of Vox Machina’ (2022–Present)
The Legend of Vox Machina is based on a custom campaign in the popular tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons. In the world of D&D, dragons definitely exist — it’s literally in the name — so it’s natural to assume that they will in this animated series, as well. In this universe, dragons are mythical, god-like figures, with a pantheon of five responsible for conquering much of the world. This is known as the Chroma Conclave.
Each dragon in the Conclave has a distinct attribute. There’s your standard fire-breather, but others are more attuned to ice, lightning, or poison. These dragons make up a significant portion of the show’s lore and of its current canon, and even appear in the flesh from time to time. Beyond the dragons, this show has received nothing but excellent reviews. It’s a fantasy-lover’s dream, containing anything a fan could ever want from the genre.
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)
In the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, the dragons are long thought to be extinct. They make an appearance in flashback or historical sequences for the most part, but other than that, it’s assumed they are all dead. However, by the end of the third season, they appear alive and in the flesh, to help the heroes in their crusade against tyranny.
The dragons in this show are based on East Asian interpretations of the creatures. This means they don’t have long, bat-like wings. Instead, they are snake-like and fly without the use of wings, though they still breathe fire. While the dragons in this show are seldom glimpsed, with the episodes they appear in being few and far between, they’re still fun to watch, much like the rest of the show. It’s well-established at this point that this series is an absolute masterpiece.
‘House of the Dragon’ (2022–Present)
General rule of thumb: when a fantasy TV show has the word “dragon” in the title, it’s generally safe to assume that there will be dragons in there somewhere. Such is the case with House of the Dragon, a prequel series to Game of Thrones. Set 300 years prior to the events of the main sequence, this show follows the Targaryen family in their rise to power, forming a dynasty that would last for centuries.
The sigil of the house is, fittingly, a dragon, mirroring how they use actual dragons to conquer Westeros. See, the Targaryens are known for riding their pet dragons and using them as weapons of war, so there’s lots of dragon action in this show. As for the show itself, it is full of political intrigue, familial drama, epic battles, romance, and sharp dialogue — everything that made the original series great.
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones is the fantasy TV series that started it all. HBO’s original epic fantasy series, based on the novels by George R. R. Martin, follows the lives of nine royal families as they feud over the throne of the Seven Kingdoms. While they’re doing this, a supernatural threat from centuries ago is slowly gathering strength in the North, preparing to bring about an end to all of humanity.
The dragons in this show aren’t as numerous as the ones in House of the Dragon, but they are still a prominent part of the series. All three dragons are the pets of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who names them Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. These dragons allow her to wage war against her enemies, and become a defining feature of her character. They are sort of a novelty considering dragons were previously believed to be extinct. While many people loathed the final season of this show, one cannot deny that the rest of it is pretty near perfect.
It has been over a year since the Season 15 finale of Doctor Who aired, and since then, more and more questions have surrounded the sci-fi hit’s future after its partnership with Disney+ ended. While the BBC remains committed to continuing the series, Disney+ previously announced that it would not partner with the broadcaster moving forward, and the previously announced 2026 Christmas special has since been cancelled. As the BBC prepares for the show’s next era, Doctor Who is being put out to competitive tender, opening the door for a new production company to take over the series.
Questions about Doctor Who‘s future have also continued to arise following Ncuti Gatwa‘s exit. The Sex Education actor left after two seasons for a number of reasons, including the show’s physical demands. The finale ends with the Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into a mysterious figure played by Billie Piper, who previously portrayed Rose Tyler. However, it has yet to be confirmed whether Piper will play the Doctor when the show returns, and Piper has only given cryptic answers about her new role in the series. Unlike Gatwa and Jodie Whittaker, Piper does not have “The Doctor” attached to her name in the episode’s credits, and the BBC has not officially announced her as the next Doctor.
One company that could take over Doctor Who is Netflix, as the streaming giant has shown its capability to produce large-scale sci-fi shows like Stranger Things. However, the streamer seems to have no plans to take over production, according to Netflix UK’s VP of Content Anne Mensah. Radio Times reports that during her appearance at the Edinburgh TV Festival 2026 Spotlight panel, Mensah was asked whether Netflix was interested in the BBC’s competitive tender for Doctor Who, and she said she thinks the show belongs to the BBC, despite having a deep love for the show and showing excitement about the idea of working with showrunner Russell T Davies. She said:
“I love Doctor Who. Anything that stays brilliant this long will have many, many lives. I was obsessed with Doctor Who. Okay, so in complete truth, like Russell T is like my person most missed in my life. I love Russell’s work. So, yeah, the better question would have been, but would I love to work with Russell T Davies? Yes, I would love to work with Russell T Davies because he’s a freaking genius. I think Doctor Who belongs on the BBC, and I think all of its iterations. I was there when Jane Tranter [former Controller of Drama Commissioning at the BBC and Bad Wolf co-founder] relaunched it. It’s a really special show, but it belongs on the BBC. We’ve got Supacell!”
What Is ‘Doctor Who’ About?
Doctor Who is a science fiction show that launched on the BBC in 1963 and follows an alien Time Lord named The Doctor. In the first broadcast, this alien’s travel companions were his granddaughter and two of her teachers, as they traveled across time and space to engage in different adventures. As the show went on, new actors took on the role of The Doctor and his companions, with the most recent being Gatwa playing the Fifteenth Doctor and Varada Sethu as the companion, Belinda Chandra. In addition to the main show, Doctor Who has released a handful of spin-offs that told stories of other characters, with the most recent being The War Between Land and Sea, which follows UNIT, a fictional military organization allied with The Doctor, who discovers the existence of Sea Devils on Earth.
Doctor Who is available to stream on Disney+ and Prime Video. Follow Collider for more updates on the franchise’s future.
- Release Date
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2024 – 2025-00-00
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BBC One
- Directors
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Alex Pillai, Peter Hoar, Ben Chessell, Julie Anne Robinson, Jamie Donoughue, Amanda Brotchie, Dylan Holmes Williams
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Steven Moffat, Pete McTighe, Kate Herron, Inua Ellams, Juno Dawson
- Franchise(s)
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Doctor Who / Whoniverse
Being the most profitable and one of the most popular superheroes on the planet, it’s no surprise that Spider-Man has some incredibly high-grossing films. Whenever this hero hits the big screen, it’s pretty much guaranteed that the film will make its money back and then some. Indeed, any Spidey adventure is usually one of the highest-grossing films of the year it’s released in. It truly doesn’t matter if a Spidey flick is good or not; it will bring in cash, which isn’t a great thing, but it’s just the way things are. That much is clear thanks to movies like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which isn’t as bad as you remember but still not good.
Not adjusting for inflation, it’s super fun and informative to compare the Spider-Man movies to each other based on how much they garnered at the box office when they were initially released. This list will rank every Spider-Man movie based on box office receipts, showing why the arachnid hero is such an institution in cinema. With how absurdly popular the newest entry, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is, that fact continues to be proven—most recently passing into the top ten highest-grossing films of all time.
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‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)
Worldwide Gross: $394,884,133
When Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was first released, it absolutely shook the ground underneath the film industry. The way in which this film was crafted was so masterful, with so much attention to detail, that people couldn’t help but marvel (pun intended) at the filmmaking at play. Not to mention, most importantly, the huge stylistic risks that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse took.
With a budget of about $90 million, the $394.8 million that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse gained made it a solid monetary success for Sony Pictures Animation. A win like this not only made this first-ever Spider-Man animated flick important, but also a huge hit and asset for the animation studio, one that went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. The story of Miles Morales’ journey to becoming the man he was always meant to be was very compelling to audiences of all ages.
10
‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ (2023)
Worldwide Gross: $690,542,303
After the worldwide success that was Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a sequel was almost immediately assumed to be in development. Luckily for Spider-Man fans and audiences who loved the first movie alike, they got Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse five years later. Pretty much everyone adored Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, and it quickly took over the world, just as its predecessor did.
Into the Spider-Verse garnered around double what the previous movie did, which makes total sense, getting the benefit of having the first film’s popularity behind it. With a larger story, more characters, and taking further advancements in improving the animation, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse takes steps to improve on what worked so well in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Just like the first film, it was also a monetary success, garnering a whopping $690.5 million.
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‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ (2014)
Worldwide Gross: $708,982,323
While Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was a massive monetary success, a Spider-Man movie that didn’t perform as well as the studio estimated was The Amazing Spider-Man 2. At first glance, a return of $708.9 million looks great, but the studio surely expected far more, especially considering its high production budget and the fact that it was released near the peak of the superhero genre.
For a Spider-Man movie, Sony Pictures, understandably, expected far more. With how successful the franchises have been in the past, and the fact that he statistically is the most profitable superhero of all time, one would have expected The Amazing Spider-Man 2 to perform far better. The divisive critical response, on top of the minor amount of profit, is definitely what led to the downfall of The Amazing Spider-Man franchise.
8
‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ (2012)
Worldwide Gross: $757,930,663
Despite having a similar box office return to its sequel, The Amazing Spider-Man was better accepted by critics and audiences. While not perfect, people look back on this initial Andrew Garfield flick with some fondness, as there is a lot of good within it. The most praise is sent to Garfield and his co-star Emma Stone. More leniency was also granted, considering it was the first entry in its universe.
When it comes to rebooting Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man was a valiant effort, and it’s safe to say that a decent number of people went out to see what Sony Pictures had to serve up next—and so soon after Spider-Man 3. So while The Amazing Spider-Man wasn’t considered a total flop, because it made more than its money back, it too could have earned more than it did in a perfect world.
7
‘Spider-Man 2’ (2004)
Worldwide Gross: $788,253,491
Spider-Man 2 is not only known as one of the best Spider-Man films, but one of the best superhero films and movie sequels in general. The movie greatly benefited from its predecessor’s popularity, but it also wowed critics and audiences at the time. Its $785 million haul was less than the 2002 original, but it was still a lot for 2004, especially considering the superhero genre was merely beginning to take shape on the big screen.
Safe to say, everyone went to see Spider-Man 2, and boy did they enjoy it. Critics like Roger Ebert loved it, and Spider-Man fans were being fed like they’d never been fed before. About 11 years later, it’s hard to deny the strong reputation Spider-Man 2 still has. It tells one of the most intimate Peter Parker stories in film and features arguably the greatest Spidey action sequences ever put on the big screen, and is incredibly beloved for it.
6
‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
Worldwide Gross: $810,925,307
The film that started it all, Spider-Man was a massive success and a huge contributor to creating the superhero film space that made the genre everything it is today. Without Spider-Man, there very well could not have been a Marvel Cinematic Universe. It helped usher the world into the new early 2000s era of superhero movies, alongside the much less successful X-Men.
To have such a large impact on Hollywood as a whole means that this movie must have made a good chunk of cash. Earning over $800 million at the time of release, Spider-Man is not only a great film but legendary, as well. For a film based on a comic book property to rank as the third-highest-grossing of 2002 was huge, cementing the hero’s reputation as the biggest icon to come out of the comic book world.
5
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ (2017)
Worldwide Gross: $880,166,924
After his major debut in Captain America: Civil War, Tom Holland was immediately set to star in a solo Spider-Man trilogy, beginning with Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017. The film had a lot to prove, as it was the first MCU Spider-Man film and Holland’s first attempt at headlining such a big summer tentpole.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Homecoming made a whopping $880 million, scoring a considerable victory for both Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the latter of which was in sorely need of a victory after the downfall of the Garfield franchise. Homecoming genuinely helped strengthen the relationship between the two studios, allowing Spidey to appear in the MCU’s crossovers and making his overall cinematic presence stronger moving forward.
4
‘Spider-Man 3’ (2007)
Worldwide Gross: $885,837,026
After two massively successful films, it was a given that Spider-Man 3 was going to bring people to theaters, no matter what people thought of the quality. This fact really helped here, as it didn’t critically do very well, but it still brought in the big bucks on account of being the third in the trilogy that shaped the superhero genre. While the argument of whether Spider-Man 3 is overhated can be made, there’s no denying that it made great money regardless.
Even with the biggest budget of the trilogy, Spider-Man 3 ended up being the highest-grossing of them. How could it not, when it was seemingly the hero’s last adventure? The forced inclusion of Venom (Topher Grace) couldn’t stop this movie from climbing up the 2007 box office. It’s actually pretty hilarious that the worst movie of the trilogy was the highest-grossing, too (before inflation is considered).
3
‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ (2019)
Worldwide Gross: $1,131,927,996
Coming out straight off the heels of Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home was always expected to dominate the box office, but few expected it to gross over a billion. It did and became the highest-grossing Spider-Man movie up until that point. It makes sense, considering people were still on an Endgame high, but a lot of that also had to do with Spidey’s inherent popularity.
One of the biggest complaints with Spider-Man: Far From Home is the fact that it feels more like an Avengers: Endgame sequel than an actual Spider-Man: Homecoming sequel. However, this complaint ended up being a huge plus for Spider-Man: Far From Home, bringing in a huge audience. It’s hard to argue with money, and in Far From Home‘s case, there was simply a lot of it.
2
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)
Worldwide Gross: $1,910,982,770
The massive monetary success of Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the most impressive feats a Spider-Man film has ever made—maybe even a superhero film in general. Coming out at the tail-end of the COVID-19 pandemic was, presumably, going to be a huge deterrent to the film’s return. Theaters were massively struggling to bring people back, and one of the films that helped do so was none other than Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Despite everything that was stacked up against it, Spider-Man: No Way Home brought in the highest monetary return for a Spider-Man film (at the time) at a whopping $1.9 billion. More impressively, it did so without China, one of the biggest markets in the world. Whether it was a beloved superhero making his theatrical return after a super hard time or the multiversal character inclusions, Spider-Man: No Way Home was one of the first huge successes at the end of the pandemic and is the ultimate David vs. Goliath story.
Frank Castle is not exactly the biggest fan of superheroes. The Punisher might exist in a world filled with gods, mutants, super soldiers, and costumed vigilantes, but Frank has always preferred a much simpler approach to dealing with the bad guys. Now, Marvel is putting him at the center of a world where most of those superheroes have already lost, and apparently, he has a few thoughts about them.
Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1 kicks off a new five-issue limited series from writer Tom Waltz and artist Jaime Infante, with colors by Bryan Valenza and letters by Travis Lanham. This time around, a zombie outbreak has completely overrun Manhattan, leaving the city sealed behind a barrier while those still trapped inside fight to survive. Marvel has already revealed that the series will follow the Punisher alongside street-level heroes including Luke Cage, Elektra, Iron Fist, and Moon Knight, but the opening pages make it very clear what Frank thinks of the heroes who got there first.
The Punisher Has a Better Name for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
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Image via Marvel Comics
In a new preview for Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1, Frank recounts how quickly New York fell after the outbreak began. The Avengers and other heroes showed up to help, with Spider-Man and Captain America among the familiar faces seen battling the infected, but Frank doesn’t bother calling them Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Instead, he refers to the superheroes who came charging into Manhattan as the “spandex cavalry.” It’s an incredibly Frank Castle way to describe the Avengers and their fellow costumed heroes, especially considering how badly their rescue attempt goes. The preview explains that some of the heroes who arrived were killed, while others succumbed to the infection themselves. The Fantastic Four and S.H.I.E.L.D. ultimately evacuate as many survivors as possible before Manhattan is sealed off, leaving Frank and the remaining survivors trapped inside.
Unfortunately for Frank, he might actually need some of that cavalry this time around. Marvel Zombies: War Zone begins after Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have already failed to contain the outbreak, with Manhattan transformed into a quarantine zone filled with the undead. Frank isn’t simply trying to make it out alive, either. Marvel’s synopsis teases that the Punisher is searching for answers about what happened as he fights his way through the city.
Marvel Zombies: War Zone #1 goes on sale September 2, 2026.
- Release Date
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2025 – 2026-00-00
- Network
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Disney+
- Directors
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Bryan Andrews
Nintendo is one of the most prominent video game companies in the world, arguably the single most prolific and popular of the so-called Big 3 of gaming. The company dates back to the late 19th century, producing handmade playing cards before moving into the toy sector in the ’60s and, eventually, the video game space in the ’70s. Following the 1981 release of Donkey Kong, Nintendo became the dominant force in the video game space, and while it has had its ups and downs over the years, it has remained one of the industry’s driving forces.
Many of the company’s franchises are not only massively popular but also quite culturally influential, particularly the one most commonly associated with it, Super Mario Bros. However, other major titles have contributed to their enduring success, remaining exclusives to Nintendo; these are the so-called Big 5, the franchises that have made and continue to make Nintendo, so to speak. They are the company’s flagships, developed exclusively for Nintendo’s consoles by Nintendo’s internal teams, but which of the Big 5 is the best? Which is more emblematic of Nintendo, popular with critics and audiences while also being culturally influential even beyond the video game space? Note that “Big 5” is more of a fan term based mainly on the company’s marketing and what they showcase rather than an official designation; note also that all these franchises are Nintendo’s exclusive property, meaning stuff like Pokémon and Kirby won’t be present.
5
Pikmin
Many of you reading might be surprised that Pikmin is here, but you know what? The franchise has earned it. Mainly focusing on strategy and puzzles, the Pikmin series is set on the planet PNF-404 and sees the player controlling several characters, most notably Captain Olimar, as they direct the Pikmin, plant-like aliens used to avoid hazards and fight enemies. The first title arrived in 2001, with a sequel three years later, both for the GameCube. Two more sequels followed, as well as two spin-offs, each one expanding the world with new characters, enemies, and dynamics.
Now, Pikmin is not the juggernaut that other gaming franchises are; that much is true. However, it has steadily built a strong and passionate fanbase that has helped it become a standard in modern gaming culture. Olimar is a playable character in Super Smash Bros., commanding a small group of Pikmin; he’s a terrific choice, actually, and is currently ranked in the A+ tier. In recent years, the Pikmin themselves have become more prominent in Nintendo’s marketing, largely because they are incredibly cute and practically scream “plushy.” As of 2026, Pikmin is for sure the most obscure of Nintendo’s Big 5, but it shouldn’t surprise you if that changes in the next couple of years.
4
Splatoon
Next in our list is another of Nintendo’s most recent additions, albeit one that has achieved considerable popularity: Splatoon. Set in a post-apocalyptic Earth, the saga features two forms of humanoids evolved from octopi and squids—the Octolings and the Inklings—who engage in a competitive battle using different weapons that can shoot ink. Both species can transform into octopi and squids at will, hiding in the ink they previously fired to avoid enemies.
Splatoon has made a considerable impression in modern gaming. The original premise makes it one of the most distinct third-person shooters, and the competitive aspect has even inspired annual esports tournaments, many of them hosted by Nintendo itself. They have even held digital concerts in Japan under the Squid Sisters banner! Inkling became a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, two of the biggest signs that Nintendo is now all-in on the series. It’s still far behind the three franchises we have yet to cover on this list, but Splatoon already has a large cultural footprint that only keeps growing. Don’t be surprised if the next Nintendo movie you see announced is one about the Inklings.
3
Animal Crossing
If cottagecore were a video game, it would probably be Animal Crossing. The social sim video game series has been around for a while, debuting its first title way back in 2001. However, it exploded with its fifth entry, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, released at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The series sees the player controlling a Villager on an island populated by various anthropomorphic animals. As a sim, the player can engage in several activities, including developing their island into a full-blown village.
Animal Crossing was always successful, enough to spawn at least one game for each major Nintendo console since its 2001 debut. However, New Horizons truly took the series to the next level, becoming a proper cultural phenomenon and a sort of lifeline during lockdown, replacing the social interactions that the pandemic prevented. Its impact was such that Joe Biden literally used it to promote his 2020 presidential campaign; the game’s influence during that specific moment in time was near-absolute, going well beyond the usual gaming community. Many of the franchise’s characters, most notably Isabelle and Tom Nook, have become popular on their own right, with the former appearing as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Mario Kart 8. Animal Crossing has earned its status among Nintendo’s Big 5 and is now properly enshrined in the company’s annals.
2
The Legend of Zelda
Aside from a certain overalls-wearing, mustache-sporting Italian, Nintendo’s second most popular character has to be the sword-wielding Hylian Link, the protagonist of the Legend of Zelda franchise. Link is the company’s ultimate hero, the usual bearer of the Triforce of Courage and the protagonist of every major Zelda game. He usually traverses the land of Hyrule, solving puzzles and defeating enemies while on a quest, most commonly having to do with rescuing or aiding Princess Zelda, beared of the Triforce of Wisdom. Link’s archenemy is Ganondorf, the King of the Gerudo tribe and bearer of the Triforce of Power.
Since the release of the first title in 1986, The Legend of Zelda has become one of Nintendo’s flagships and its most acclaimed IP. Indeed, two titles in the series, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, are often in the conversation for the greatest games ever made, with Ocarina usually claiming the spot as the best game in the medium’s history. Link is one of the most enduring and universally beloved characters in gaming history, far surpassing the franchise and becoming an icon of both Japanese and pop cultures. Zelda is also Nintendo’s most prestigious property; the titles have cachet, offering a sort of legitimization to the company that few other IPs can match, let alone surpass. While you might have your doubts about the three previous entries on this list and their place among Nintendo’s Big 5, Zelda is synonymous with the company and has been for forty years now.
1
Mario
You can’t tell me you didn’t see this coming. No franchise is more closely associated with a gaming company than Mario and Nintendo. The Italian plumber and bona fide jack-of-all-trades hero has been dominating the video game space since the late ’80s, with many of his games becoming groundbreaking triumphs and literal blueprints for the industry. Mario is a literal superstar, the best video game character of all time, and no one else even comes close, if we’re being honest.
Where do you even begin with Mario? He’s been everything from a plumber to a doctor, an explorer, an archeologist, a kart racer, and a genuine talent in multiple sports, from football to baseball to tennis. His parties are the best ever, full of cool minigames and exciting challenges. He’s been a baby, a space traveler, and, at times, he’s even made of paper! Mario is the most versatile character in gaming, and his games are the very foundations upon which Nintendo is built. There’s no Nintendo without Mario; simple as that. Sure, his games might not get the same prestige as some other titles, but they are no less significant to both the company and the industry as a whole. The Mario franchise isn’t just the crowning jewel of Nintendo—it’s the very essence of gaming.
It’s often hard for a movie sequel to live up to its predecessor, especially when the first installment has a solid premise, like perhaps a daughter being kidnapped and the main character using all of his power trying to rescue her. In this case, however, the sequel cleverly employed a revenge plot after Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) had found and killed the human trafficker in the first film. Therefore, naturally, the father of that human trafficker now came back at Mills for revenge. That’s what’s coming to HBO Max this week with a special extended cut.
The sequel in question has an extended cut that features an extra 6-minutes of footage that’s also going to become available on the same platform in September. While there are no major plot overhauls in this version, the extra footage mostly includes key character moments and additional dialogue to flesh out the setup in Istanbul. Both versions of the Taken franchise’s 2nd installment — Taken 2 and Taken 2: Extended Out — will therefore be available to stream on HBO Max starting September 1. Taken itself is available to stream on HBO Max already in select regions. However, that’s not the only highlight of the streaming platform’s upcoming September slate.
HBO Max’s September Slate Is Loaded With Powerhouses
The real danger with HBO Max’s September lineup is how easily one movie can turn into a full-on marathon. Horror fans get an absurdly deep bench on September 1 alone — for example, Carrie, Interview with the Vampire, Pearl, MaXXXine, Talk to Me, The Craft, the first two Final Destination movies, both Gremlins films, and the Zombieland duo all arrive together. That range is unusually good, too. If horror isn’t your speed though, HBO Max is still delivering the goods for action fans too; beyond Taken 2, fans can jump just as easily from Mission: Impossible and Speed to The Last Samurai, War of the Worlds, and even The Revenant, which got Leonardo DiCaprio his first Oscar.
And that’s just on September 1. Then coming through there’s this whole drip-drop of movies and shows throughout the rest of the month. 1000-Lb Sisters on September 2, Unmasking a Monster: Aileen Wuornos Season 1 on September 30, 90 Day: The Last Resort: Between the Sheets Season 3 on September 29, and a lot more in between. Not to mention that there are HBO Original Series Youth, HBO Original Documentary Series, A Killer Story, and JAŸ-Z In 8 lined up for their debuts as soon as September begins.
HBO Max, therefore, is coming loaded into September. Taken 2 and Taken 2: Extended Out become available to stream on September 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
October 5, 2012
- Runtime
-
91 minutes
- Director
-
Olivier Megaton
Jennifer Aniston’s relationship with Jim Curtis has attracted plenty of attention, but his latest comments reveal that what matters to him may be less about Hollywood glamour and more about the people who surround her.
The hypnotherapist opened up about the actress’ inner circle and explained why being welcomed by the longtime friends in her life has meant so much to him.
His description of Aniston also offered an unusually personal glimpse into the qualities he says have made their relationship so meaningful.
For Curtis, becoming part of Jennifer Aniston’s world has apparently meant gaining more than a romantic partner. During the August 31 episode of “The Jamie Kern Lima Show,” Curtis spoke about the 57-year-old’s longstanding friendships and the warmth she has experienced from those closest to her.
Rather than simply describing them as celebrity friends, Curtis characterized Aniston’s circle as a close-knit community with a familial quality.
He called it a “group of best friends that are like family” and explained why being accepted by them has stood out to him. “I feel incredibly blessed to be part [of] and welcomed into that family,” Curtis added.
The strength of those friendships was recently on display when Aniston and Curtis were seen leaving a Los Angeles dinner alongside Courteney Cox, Jason Bateman, Amanda Anka and Lisa Kudrow.
For Curtis, the gathering appeared to reflect the kind of longstanding bond that had remained a defining part of Aniston’s personal life.
He described her circle as “such a beautiful community and group of people,” while emphasizing that the kindness he had experienced from them wasn’t something reserved for him.
Aniston’s Boyfriend Says Her Kindness Makes Their Relationship Special
Jim Curtis also turned his attention to Jennifer Aniston herself, offering an affectionate description of the woman he has come to know away from the public spotlight.
He revealed that their relationship was “going really well” and described his experience of being with the “Friends” star in terms that went well beyond her celebrity status.
“My experience of her is so grounded and so open and caring and kind and loving,” Curtis shared. According to him, those qualities helped explain why Aniston had maintained such a beloved group of friends.
He suggested that the way she treated people had reflected in the relationships she had built and sustained over the years. “There’s a reason why that whole group and community is so beloved,” he added
Curtis ultimately made clear just how fortunate he felt about the relationship, praising Aniston for being emotionally open and warm with him. “I feel blessed to be in a relationship with someone that is so open-hearted and kind and loving,” he noted.
Jennifer Aniston And Jim Curtis Have No Plans To Marry
Curtis’ comments about feeling welcomed into Aniston’s close-knit circle come as new reporting offers another glimpse into where the couple’s relationship stands.
More than a year into their romance, Aniston and Curtis are reportedly “very, very happy,” but marriage does not appear to be part of their plans. A source told Page Six that Aniston had made clear that she did not want to marry again, following her previous marriages to Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux.
The insider revealed that the relationship was working because Aniston felt secure rather than pressured. “This relationship is succeeding on so many levels because it’s got things that Jen’s never had before,” the insider said.
The source added that she didn’t “feel like she has to work to impress him or keep him” and didn’t “feel like she has to compete with other more famous women who are after him.”
Most significantly, the insider said, “She never, ever questions where she stands with him” because Curtis openly shows how devoted he is.
The same source said Curtis was in no way threatened by her fame and that he loved her for exactly who she was.
More From The Blast
Aniston And Curtis Prepare For A Major Public Milestone
While Aniston and Curtis reportedly have no immediate plans to marry, their relationship is becoming increasingly public.
According to InStyle, the next major step comes September 2, when the “Murder Mystery” actress is scheduled to interview her man onstage at Manhattan’s 92nd Street Y. The appearance is tied to his upcoming book, “The Book of Possibility,” which is set for release September 8.
The evening is not simply a sit-down conversation between the couple.
According to the official event description, Aniston and Curtis will discuss the ideas, practices and personal stories behind the book, which explores Curtis’ approach to transformation through spiritual practice, meditation, neuroscience and hypnotherapeutic coaching.
The conversation is also expected to examine the role of the mind in healing and Curtis’ work helping people break old patterns and move through pain. The event will open with an introduction from Gabrielle Bernstein, the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author and spiritual teacher.
Musician and meditation pioneer East Forest will also participate before the evening culminates in a one-night-only guided meditation and visualization led by Curtis.
Jennifer Aniston’s The Morning Show Ending After Season 5
While Aniston’s personal life has been attracting attention, the actress is also preparing to close out one of her biggest television projects.
Apple TV announced in July that “The Morning Show” will end with its fifth season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Aniston, who stars as Alex Levy and also serves as an executive producer, said the production team knew this would be the final chapter and deliberately approached the ending with that in mind.
“Going in knowing it would be our last, we were so fortunate to craft the conclusion with intentionality, and honor these characters the way they deserve,” Aniston said.
She also described working on the series as “such a privilege,” praising the cast, writers, producers and crew and adding, “We’ve become such a family, and we’re all so excited to share this final season.”
There are A-list actors in Hollywood who turn any film into a must-watch for fans with their mere presence alone, and when two such actors collaborate on one project, audiences are in for a real treat. And it’s not just a treat for fans, more often than not, when two major actors of this caliber, like Tom Hardy and Leonardo DiCaprio in this film, approve of a script and agree to sign on, it suggests a big-budget film with substance. Christopher Nolan’s films, for example, or films like The Godfather or The Irishman all carry this kind of cinephile weight when they arrive on the big screen and on streaming. One film that’s about to make a major streaming return stars DiCaprio and Hardy in very unconventional roles, and it became the torch that finally got DiCaprio his first and only Oscar.
The movie in our crosshairs today is The Revenant, and it’s all set to make its way to HBO Max starting September 1. HBO Max actually has a very loaded slate this month, and in addition to The Revenant, several heavyweights are making their way to the platform. Taken 2, both Zombieland films, Saltburn, Mission: Impossible, and Eyes Wide Shut are some of the most notable titles. Other than these big names, out of at least a hundred titles, an HBO Original series titled Youth is also making its debut, alongside two documentaries, A Killer Story and JAŸ-Z In 8.
‘The Revenant’ Took Realism to Ridiculous Extremes
A lot of The Revenant looks too dangerous to have been filmed the way it appears, and that was very much the point. Alejandro G. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki shot primarily in remote Canadian wilderness using natural light, sometimes leaving the crew with only a narrow daily window to complete elaborate long takes. When the Canadian snow disappeared before production was finished, they even relocated to Argentina to find winter again.
The famous horse sequence featuring DiCaprio is a great example of where that realism stops being literal and relies on the incredible talents of the VFX team. While no horse was actually sent over a cliff, the practical-effects supervisor Scott Waldbauer once explained in an interview to Vancouver City News that the production built a “mechanical horse mounted on a track,” and a performer rode it for the beginning of the fall before visual effects took over. A separate stuffed horse was then made for the bottom of the cliff. When Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) later cuts open the dead animal and crawls inside it for warmth, the actor was climbing into a prosthetic carcass.
The irony, however, is that plenty of moments from the movie were very real. DiCaprio went into freezing water, ate raw bison liver, and worked in brutally cold conditions, while the spectacular avalanche seen in the movie was genuinely triggered and captured in-camera in essentially a one-shot opportunity.
The Revenant will be available to stream on HBO Max on September 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
- Release Date
-
December 25, 2015
- Runtime
-
157 minutes
- Director
-
Alejandro González Iñárritu
- Writers
-
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith
- Producers
-
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, Keith Redmon, Mary Parent, Steve Golin
Deadpool often shines brightest when contrasted with serious people within the Marvel universe. Nowhere is that clearer than in Deadpool & Wolverine, where Ryan Reynolds‘ Merc with a Mouth gets a perfect foil in Hugh Jackman‘s gruff, depressed, and often angry Logan Howlett for a riotous multiversal adventure with heart. The two have long been a beloved odd couple across all media as heroes who could not be more different in personality, yet share some common ground as fellow mutants with powerful healing factors who still want to save their worlds. However, there’s another grizzled, violent anti-hero who’s even more unlike Wade Wilson than his X-Men rival — Frank Castle.
The only obvious thing uniting Deadpool and the Punisher is that they’re two of the deadliest mercenaries within the confines of Marvel Comics. Compared to the endlessly yammering Wilson, Frank is a man of far fewer words and much greater tragedy, being a mostly humorless killer of criminals waging a one-man war on crime following the death of his family. Yet, these two have a surprising history in comics stemming back to 2001, when they first crossed paths and came to blows. In 2017, they even received their own comic series crossover in Deadpool vs. The Punisher, which pitted them against each other over a disagreement on how to handle a criminal called The Bank and tested whether Frank could keep killing the ever-regenerating mutant, or if Wade would annoy him past his breaking point. Their few clashes have served to highlight the absurdity of these two street-level antiheroes operating in the same world, and now, they’re about to collide again.
Marvel Comics has released the official preview for Wade Wilson: Deadpool #8, which marks the beginning of the four-part “Big Guns” storyline. This event advertises them as new targets for each other while a mysterious force pulls strings from the shadows to set them up for utter calamity. Within the first few pages, the groundwork is laid for their inevitable clash as Deadpool continues to clean up the monstrous Badpools that keep following him to his local haunts. One of the other imperfect living scab clones winds up in the custody of Micro at the Punisher’s compound and is subject to interrogation. As scared of the man in the wheelchair as the Badpool is, he should be more afraid of Frank lurking in the darkness, who blasts him square through the chest when his crimes are laid out. Micro is none too happy that he just killed their lead, but they’re clearly hot on a trail of the “Regeneratin’ Degenerate.”
‘Wade Wilson: Deadpool’ Will Directly Connect With Benjamin Percy’s ‘Punisher’
Writer Benjamin Percy and artist Geoff Shaw kick off “Big Guns” in Wade Wilson #8, which will directly connect to issue #8 of Percy’s current Punisher run. As shown above, the Badpools will still obviously be a problem for Deadpool and his reputation with all the destruction he’s caused, but the synopsis confirms Frank is the biggest concern for him right now. The many crimes of his deformities are bound to put a huge target on his back for the Punisher. A certain “ultimate weapon” will also have multiple forces in New York converging, and only one able to emerge victorious, creating further reason for these two titans to clash. The question remains who could come out on top between two characters that have time and again proven near impossible to kill.
Wade Wilson: Deadpool #8 hits store shelves on Wednesday, September 2. Check out the preview in the gallery above.
- Release Date
-
July 26, 2024
- Runtime
-
127 Minutes
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