Entertainment
All 13 2026 Netflix Movies, Ranked
For the longest time, Netflix was the go-to place for the boldest and riskiest series beyond network television. They grew so large that they began to get involved in the feature-film game. Over the years, Netflix has brought viewers everything from the epic The Irishman to the groundbreaking KPop Demon Hunters. With such a history of success, filmmakers have flocked to the streamer, and in 2026 alone, subscribers have been given a plethora of exciting movies to watch.
From old-school-style romcoms to a remarkable cinematic button to an iconic series, the original selections have provided something for everyone. But not to mince words, not every title was good. In fact, you might wish you could travel back in time and unwatch. Nevertheless, we are here to rank the English-language films on Netflix so far this year. How many have you seen? Or, as the app asks, “Are you still watching?”
13
‘Joe’s College Road Trip”
There most certainly is a demographic of Tyler Perry fans who will always watch whatever he puts out, even if it’s not great. Unfortunately, Joe’s College Road Trip falls to the bottom of the ranking because it’s, well, cringeworthy. Sadly, the road trip comedy was a complete misfire. The first film in the Madea franchise to center on Joe Simmons (Perry), Joe’s College Road Trip follows the foul-mouthed, unfiltered brother who takes his sheltered, college-bound grandson, B.J. (Jermaine Harris), on a raucous cross-country road trip to teach him about the “real world.” The epic road trip descends into chaos as they take detours, including at a brothel where they meet a sex worker named Destiny (Amber Reign Smith). Joe’s Family Roadtrip is a tone-swapping comedy that shifts from explicit, heavy profanity humor to deeper themes of family, generational divides, and social awareness, as if the overtly raucous didn’t happen.
Joe’s College Road Trip became quite a divisive film. Many believed it was a derivative concept, using only the character and legacy to catapult it to the top of the streaming list. The best part of the film is the genuine lessons about Black history, heritage, and the importance of family reconciliation, but the journey to get there is a bumpy ride. The clash between crude, old-school Joe and his sheltered, progressive, virtue-addicted grandson provides some great comedic juxtaposition, but at what cost? Joe is a great side character; a lead he is not. Because of the character’s nature, the film ends up being unnecessarily vulgar, explicit, and inappropriate for the sake of a potential laugh. There’s comedic substance in a trip to a Confederate biker bar, but it just came off as jarring and uncouth. If you’re looking for Joe to change and become a role model, you won’t find it here. The glorification of toxic behavior is full steam ahead.
12
‘Ladies First’
This is what happens when bad projects happen to good people. Thea Sharrock‘s Ladies First was a well-meaning comedy, but the truth is, as progressive as it believed itself to be, the film was still antiquated in execution. Inspired by the 2018 French film I Am Not an Easy Man by Éléonore Pourriat, Ladies First is intended to be a satirical comedy that follows Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen), an arrogant, misogynistic, womanizing advertising executive poised to become CEO. He treats female coworkers as nothing more than progressive optics and treats women in general poorly, including his underappreciated employee, Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike). Following a head injury, Damien wakes up in a parallel world dominated by women. The same women he patronized in his real world. He must navigate reverse sexism and battle a fearless female counterpart to win back his career, forcing him to experience the exact double standards — sexual discrimination, harassment, and the extreme aesthetic pressures — women face in the workplace. Clunky and outdated, Ladies First‘s star-studded ensemble was forced into a comedy that feels like it should have been released decades ago.
Ladies First is, sadly, a lazy attempt to present something profound. The topics and themes Ladies First tackles are inherently important, but nothing new was learned when presenting them. It’s not that we didn’t know about the vile nature of gender discrepancy in the workplace, but did Damien actually learn anything from his experience? He changed, but in reality, he likely reverted to his past, like individuals in the real world tend to do. Ladies First is exhausting as it tries to flip the script through a 2026 lens. One of the underreported indiscretions the film makes is that, in attempts to portray the gender parallels of masculinity, it presents stereotypes that tend to be damaging to the LGBTQ+ community. So what if a man orders a salad? The gender norms have evolved, and thus, the film comes across as a relic from a cut-for-time ‘90s Saturday Night Live sketch. The film boasted a strong cast, which also included Fiona Shaw, Emily Mortimer, Charles Dance, Kathryn Hunter, and Richard E. Grant, who were forced to push through the slop. I’d say Ladies First could have benefited from more time to ruminate and evolve in series form, but that might be too kind.
11
‘Thrash’
It’s an easy one, but Thrash is trash. Let’s discuss. In the Tommy Wirkola-written and directed survival thriller, stranded residents in a coastal South Carolina town must survive a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that floods their city with bloodthirsty bull sharks. The film tackles three different groups of survivors whose stories converge at times. Dakota (Whitney Peak), an agoraphobic young woman trapped in her recently deceased mother’s house, becomes the sole hope for another stranded resident, Lisa (Phoebe Dynevor), a heavily pregnant woman. Then there are three siblings, Dee, Ron, and Will (Alyla Brown, Stacy Clausen, and Dante Ubaldi), who are abandoned in a flooded house by their abusive, greedy foster parents, Billy and Rachel Olsen (Matt Nable and Amy Matthews). And finally, Dr. Dale Edwards (Djimon Hounsou), Dakota’s uncle and a marine biologist who studies great whites and bull sharks, races against the clock and the flooded streets to rescue his niece. Thrash blends survival-thriller elements with disaster spectacle as the town’s seawall breaks, bringing the ocean’s apex predators directly into the flooded neighborhoods.
Strong in premise, Thrash is dumb fun as long as you don’t take it too seriously. The struggle is the execution, namely, in the abysmal script and confusing CGI. It’s not a coincidence that a shark flick takes place in a town called “Annieville.” The script tosses out logic in favor of thrills. The script is sadly bogged down by bizarre decisions, inconsistent physics, and highly questionable accents. She gave birth as the house was collapsing! What?! Thrash struggles in its desire to be what it wants to be — a terrifying eco-thriller or an over-the-top B-movie. Both can be true at once, but their intentions must be made clear. It’s a jarring mismatch that somehow makes Sharknado look like it knows what it was doing. With questionable visuals that felt rough around the edges, Thrash needed help in the end.
10
‘Roommates’
Perhaps the most underappreciated film on Netflix this year is the black comedy Roommates. Directed by Chandler Levack and written by Jimmy Fowlie and Ceara O’Sullivan, the coming-of-age comedy follows Devon Weisz (Sadie Sandler), a naive, shy college freshman who rooms with Celeste Durand (Chloe East), an outgoing, cool girl she meets at orientation. At first, they are an inseparable duo, but their promising friendship slowly spirals into a toxic, escalating war of passive-aggressive manipulation and chaos. Revealing the dark side of toxic female friendships, Roommates leans into the awkward, cringeworthy, and universally stressful experience of boundary-crossing.
Produced by Happy Madison, Roommates has the same charm and allure as the production’s films. Sander shines as the anxious, naive college freshman, while East delivers a breakthrough performance as the manipulative, narcissistic roommate. Now, if you’re looking for pitch-perfect casting, having Natasha Lyonne and Carol Kane play mother and daughter deserves an award. Roommates works as a relatable story about the fears of going away to college and making friends. The drawback is how off the rails the film goes by the climax. There is nuance built into the first half of the film, only for the unrealistic messiness to overshadow it. Listen, it’s an explosive conclusion, but the ramifications were simply impractical. Roommates is not a film where you empathize with the characters; instead, you watch to see how far they go for the sake of the bit. And if you’re looking for a Gen Z voice in the writing, it’s far from present.
9
‘Apex’
Written by Jeremy Robbins, Apex was voted onto the 2021 Black List of the best unproduced screenplays for the year. Netflix secured the rights, and then Baltasar Kormákur brought his vision to the screen. The result was a wildly twisted film. Come for the breathtaking scenery, stay for the cannibal? Apex follows Sasha (Charlize Theron), a grieving rock climber who travels to the Australian wilderness to process the accidental death of her partner. Her solo trip turns deadly when a deceptive local, Ben (Taron Egerton), offers her a secret camping spot, only to turn her trip into a twisted, ritualistic hunt. A grueling, unnerving survival thriller performed by two of Hollywood’s strongest actors, Apex thrives on its intense premise, which will make you question every stranger you encounter on your solo adventures.
Apex’s greatest asset is its cinematography. Filmed on location in the Australian wilderness and with climbing sequences, the film looks stunning and provides a great sense of scale and tension. Even the inciting scene between Sasha and Tommy (Eric Bana) is breathtaking yet excruciatingly terrifying. Even with the majestic landscape, Apex forces its characters to endure the terrain to survive each other. Theron and Egerton give extraordinary physical performances that are full-body experiences. Theron is an obvious protagonist, but it’s Egerton, out of his archetypal box, that dominates as the menacing antagonist. Apex showcased two stars doing a lot of grunt work for a paycheck, but one has to wonder if it would have hit harder with two unknowns who could have fully embodied these characters, rather than seeing two icons in a derivative narrative. Apex is a fine film that needs a palate cleanser after the demanding 90-minute run.
8
‘The Rip’
When you cast Ben Affleck and Matt Damon together in a film, all eyes will be on it. You’ll turn it on and expect an Oscar-level product. Add in an ensemble of stars like Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, and Kyle Chandler, and it’s destined to be an everlasting hit. The Rip was not that. Inspired by true events, the film, directed by Joe Carnahan, tells the story of a tactical Miami narcotics squad that discovers $20 million in cartel cash during a raid. The team’s loyalty shatters as they suspect each other of wanting to steal the money. After one of their own is murdered in cold blood, the volatile, paranoid night watches the officers, led by Lt. Dane Dumars (Damon) and Det. J.D. Byrne (Affleck), trapped by protocol and forced to guard the cash, while cartel members and internal distrust threaten to tear the unit apart. A gritty, high-tension thriller, come for Damon and Affleck yelling at each other. If you stay, it’s because you just want to know the convoluted outcome.
The Rip is a solid watch if the gritty, corrupt cop genre is your thing. There is undeniable chemistry between Affleck and Damon that transcends the screen. But with the focus on if, when, and why they might turn on one another, the other characters are forced to the side. Taylor’s Detective Numa Baptiste and Catalina Sandino Moreno’s Detective Lolo Salazar are literally relegated to the garage to count the cash. Playing out like a throwback film, The Rip is trapped in its own clichés. It’s a formulaic script that truly loses the plot by the third act. If you’re someone who likes to watch a film back to figure out what you missed when it comes to the outcome, The Rip denies you that chance, as they literally spell it out for you. The Rip is a dark, murky wasteland of top-tier talent.
7
‘180’
Coming straight out of South Africa is the underseen crime thriller 180. Written and directed by Alex Yazbek, 180 follows Zak (Prince Grootboom), a restaurant owner who spirals down a dark path of grief and vengeance after a minor traffic altercation with a taxi driven by individuals associated with a local crime syndicate escalates, leaving his young son, Mandla (Mpiloenhle Sithebe), in critical condition. When an enraged Zak confronts them, the situation escalates, a scuffle ensues, and a stray bullet strikes his son, ultimately leading to his death. Zak delves into total moral disintegration in an environment filled with ruthless gang violence, slow police procedures, unhelpful bureaucracy, and an escalating sense of powerlessness. As the title suggests, Zak pulls a complete 180, shifting his moral trajectory as he takes matters into his own hands. 180 is a devastating character study in which the gray areas of morality lead to a shocking conclusion.
The masterful film explores masculinity, profound grief, and systemic corruption. Zak is presented as an everyman-type protagonist whose actions are driven by trauma. For those who believe violence is the answer, they will be extraordinarily displeased by 180. Zak’s erratic decisions and hesitation to use violence have left some feeling that the payoff is weak. Those who admire his path prefer the morality of the plot’s conclusion, in which he chooses to exercise restraint and mercy. It’s a subversion of typical climaxes in action thrillers, but it serves as a strong warning that, even through rightly bitter rage, forgiveness is always the most powerful path. 180 is not a slow-burning story about grief; it’s an action-heavy revenge film that warns viewers that the system is not always there to help.
6
‘Office Romance’
A great Hollywood romcom requires impeccable and believable chemistry. Just because attractive actors are cast doesn’t mean they are going to find said chemistry. Jennifer Lopez has played the romantic lead opposite many charming men. Unfortunately, the man who plays Roy Kent on Ted Lasso was simply out of her league. Or maybe she was out of his league. The moral of the story is that in Office Romance, they were mismatched beyond imagination, which is quite shocking, as Brett Goldstein co-wrote the vehicle for himself. Directed by Ol Parker, the cutesy comedy follows Jackie Cruz (Lopez), the iron-willed CEO of Air Cruz, and her newly hired, reserved British lawyer, Daniel Blanchflower (Goldstein), who strike up a forbidden affair — an office romance, if you will. A spicy step up from the romcoms of yore, Office Romance is a sweet, low-stakes film that delivers laughs and groans simultaneously.
Office Romance is not destined to change the world; it’s a comfort film that works effortlessly for a 90-minute escape. Though Lopez and Goldstein are at the center, like a good romcom should, it’s the supporting players who steal the scene. Office Romance brings out strong showings from Roger Bart, Bradley Whitford, Mary Wiseman, Amy Sedaris, and Tony Hale. It’s Betty Gilpin as Jackie’s very pregnant right-hand woman, Sydney Bloom, and Jodie Whittaker as Daniel’s foul-mouthed sister who steal the film. If you yearn for the romcoms of the early ‘90s, you’ll eat up every minute of Office Romance. It’s a perfectly executed guilty-pleasure chick-flick.
5
‘War Machine’
Sometimes, you watch a film on a streamer and wish you could experience it on the big screen. That’s exactly the feeling you get while watching War Machine due to the scale and scope Patrick Hughes brings. The film begins as a straightforward war drama. Then, with sprinkles of meteors, signal interference, and the arrival of an otherworldly killing machine, War Machine moves into the sci-fi realm as the 21st-century answer to Predator. After a traumatic loss in Afghanistan, a grizzled soldier simply known as “81” (Alan Ritchson) enlists in elite Army Ranger training, only for his unit to encounter a massive alien robot that is relentless, violent, and destructive. Now, the soldiers are trapped in the wilderness, hunted by a superior, unknown technological foe. In a high-stakes fight to survive, War Machine is an explosive and gory ’80s-infused throwback thriller that is the epitome of a dad movie.
War Machine is a unique blend of genres, offering a strong presence of military survival and sci-fi tropes within the character-driven story. That said, 81’s backstory could have been beefed up, but War Machine actually makes a strong case for franchise-building. The plot may be predictable, but its execution is phenomenal. War Machine knows exactly what it is and never deviates. Unlike Predator, War Machine doesn’t hide its titular antagonist, giving viewers a full view of its menacing presence. Also, unlike the ’80s classic, the big budget makes it look incredibly impressive. War Machine knows its target audience and caters to them. The film does its job as the perfect boom-smash hit.
4
‘Swapped’
Timing is everything, truly. Had Swapped not been released nearly simultaneously with Disney and Pixar’s Hoopers, we might be celebrating the delightfully pleasant animated body-swap fantasy flick. Directed by Nathan Greno, Swapped tells the story of the tiny but brave Ollie (Michael B. Jordan), a Pookoo, and Ivy (Juno Temple), a regal Javan, who are accidentally transformed into each other’s species after crashing into a magical plant. To regain their proper form, Ollie and Ivy, formally sworn enemies, must team up and survive. Set in the fantastical land known as The Valley, Swapped is an endearing, magical story that celebrates empathy as they learn to walk, or fly, in somebody else’s body.
Swapped may be an incredibly done-to-death story, but where it thrives is the breathtaking spectacle that is the animation. Vibrant and beautiful, you’ll finish the film searching the Web for where you can get your own Ollie plush. Swapped is a delightful family-friendly film whose heartwarming message is bound to resonate. Unfortunately, its lack of originality in storytelling curtails its full potential. Nevertheless, the world-building is ripe for celebration. The voice acting is not as strong as its animated rivals, but the full roster of stars does an admirable job, with Tracy Morgan as Boogle serving as a delightful surprise. The buddy comedy likely won’t launch a franchise, but it’s a cute film your kids will ask to watch again and again.
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After hearing the devastating news that PlayStation will be removing its physical library in the future, resorting only to digital games and, most likely, digital-only consoles, fans are reminded of what used to be. While the Nintendo Switch is closing the gap with console sales because of games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the best-selling video game console is still the PlayStation 2.
With around 160 million units sold worldwide, this gaming sensation was essential in the early 2000s. However, while the console was great, everyone bought it for the games, and that is because this console was home to some of the greatest games ever. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest PS2 video games of all time based on how iconic they were, influence, originality, popularity, critical acclaim, gameplay, design, visuals, narrative, and overall quality. This list will include any PS2 games, not just exclusives.
10
‘Kingdom Hearts II’ (2005)
Disney is a family-friendly franchise, and while they aren’t particularly known for their video games, the Kingdom Hearts franchise is incredible, specifically Kingdom Hearts II. After a year-long slumber, Sora, Donald, and Goofy reawaken to pick up their fight against a mysterious organization that wants to bring Disney and the original worlds to an end.
Kingdom Hearts II is an incredible-looking game for the PS2, highlighting the best graphics of the franchise. It tightened the gameplay of the first while introducing new captivating mechanics and improvements such as cinematic reaction commands and incredible boss fight choreography. The PS2 has many fantastic games, but Kingdom Hearts II was a must-play on the console.
9
‘Okami’ (2006)
The PS2 had some visually striking video games, and one of the most gorgeous in terms of art style and uniqueness was Okami. The player controls Amaterasu, the sun goddess of Japan, who takes on the form of a White Wolf. When a dark curse is launched on the land of Nippon by an ancient demon, Amaterasu must cleanse the land or risk the country falling into ruin.
Okami’s art style resembles a traditional Japanese sumi-e ink wash painting, which features thick brushstrokes and vibrant splashes of color. This aesthetic makes the game feel like a painting come to life, truly being the closest thing a video game can come to being art. The brush mechanic was innovative and thematically relevant, further showcasing this visually stunning video game in all of its beauty.
8
‘Gran Turismo 4’ (2005)
Each of the three major gaming companies has its own racing franchise, and Gran Turismo is the staple of PlayStation, specifically Gran Turismo 4 on the PS2. Starting as a novice driver with a cheap car, players work their way up through a plethora of races, getting more advanced cars so they can conquer the tracks even better.
The first Gran Turismo is a legendary game and one of the most influential, but Gran Turismo 4 reinvented the formula and ironed it out to be the definitive racing experience. It achieved technical perfection not seen before, pushing the PS2 to the limit with over 700 cars to choose from. The progression system is rewarding, and the gameplay is satisfying, making it the best of its franchise.
7
‘God of War II’ (2007)
The God of War franchise is one of the most acclaimed out there, especially in the modern-day after the 2018 version redefined the narrative and gameplay. However, back on the PS2, the best of the franchise is still God of War II. After Zeus betrays and kills Kratos, the Titan Gaia revives him, giving him the chance to travel through time and fight through the underworld to rewrite his fate and kill the King of the Gods.
God of War II came out on both the PS2 and PS3, but it was an exclusive on the former for about two years, making it a staple of the best-selling console. By delivering an unbridled sense of anger and exhilaration, this game becomes a digital cathartic experience that is freeing to play. God of War II is an action masterclass with polished combat and fluid gameplay, which made it a nice send-off late in the PS2’s lifespan.
6
‘Final Fantasy X’ (2001)
After years of being exclusive games on Nintendo consoles, Final Fantasy switched to PlayStation with Final Fantasy VII. But this list is about the PS2, and Final Fantasy X is woven into the fabric of that console. When Tidus is transported from his highly-advanced world to a fantasy realm, he teams up with a mage to go on an adventure and take down the one who summoned him here.
This was the PS2’s first and best Final Fantasy game, being the first to fully integrate voice acting and 3D environments. It was a massive technological leap that marked a milestone in the franchise. The strategic combat system made gameplay even more engaging, and when paired with a gorgeous soundtrack and emotional finale, Final Fantasy X became a staple of the console.
5
‘Silent Hill 2’ (2001)
The PS2 was home to some of the greatest horror games of all time, including what many consider to be the best: Silent Hill 2. The game follows James Sunderland, who travels to the titular town in order to learn the mystery behind a letter he got from his deceased wife. Desperate for answers, he continuously searches the decaying town while avoiding its monstrous inhabitants.
Silent Hill 2 wasn’t a PS2 exclusive, but it was the only way to play the game for a few months, which is why they are often paired with each other. With one of the most brilliant narratives in horror history, the entire environment and monsters were all manifestations of the protagonist’s guilt and despair. This was a renowned twist and masterful narrative connection that helped Silent Hill 2 become the scariest video game.
4
‘Resident Evil 4’ (2005)
Resident Evil is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, and it has been a fantastic year, but the pinnacle of the franchise is still Resident Evil 4. After the president’s daughter is kidnapped in Spain, Leon Kennedy embarks on an adventure to rescue her. However, he discovers that the ones who have her captive have been taken over by mind-controlling parasites.
Resident Evil 4 innovated in so many ways, from the over-the-shoulder camera angle to the adjustable inventory, which redefined how third-person shooters were handled. Some fans didn’t appreciate the shift into an action-centric focus, but it still maintained a horror feel that felt true to the original. Resident Evil 4 is a best-selling video game that would be higher on this list if it were a PS2 exclusive, even if that is the definitive way to play.
3
‘Shadow of the Colossus’ (2005)
Fumito Ueda is a legendary game designer who has a couple of masterpieces on the PS2, including his magnum opus, Shadow of the Colossus. After their lover dies, the protagonist makes a deal with a supernatural entity where he must kill 16 Colossi beasts in order to bring her back to life. The player must travel around the world and defeat these towering creatures in the name of love.
Shadow of the Colossus is one of the few genuine PlayStation exclusives on this list, only being playable on other consoles with the remake. That makes it perfect for this list, as it was a defining video game of this era and for the console. This game is all about boss fights, which are essentially gigantic puzzles that build up some of the most intense gaming moments. Shadow of the Colossus is a melancholic experience that highlights its innovative gameplay through the operatic battles and a depressing, yet perfect ending.
Hideo Kojima is a prolific game designer who has spawned countless masterpieces, like the PS2 classic Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. After a failed mission, Solid Snake is presumed dead, and years later, an agent known as Raiden is sent to infiltrate a facility and save the president. However, he learns that this is a staged mission, and all part of a test for a device that can control human behavior.
For its time, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was one of the most ambitious narratives in the gaming scene, using its bait-and-switch protagonist to deconstruct player expectations. Aging like a fine wine, this game gets more relevant and perfect by the day, and it is best experienced on the PS2. Narrative aside, Metal Gear Solid 2 polishes the stealth mechanics to create a remarkable gameplay experience.
1
‘Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’ (2004)
Grand Theft Auto is one of the biggest gaming franchises in the world, and PlayStation has always been the best way to play them, including Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. CJ returns to his city after his mother passes away, but when he gets back, he is framed for her murder. In order to clear his name, he must travel across the state, save his family, and take back the streets.
It feels weird for GTA: San Andreas to beat out PS2 exclusive games like Metal Gear Solid 2 and Shadow of the Colossus since it was released on other consoles. However, the PS2 and GTA: San Andreas are essentially synonymous, easily being the most compatible and essential way to play. Plus, this game is regarded as one of the greatest of all time, with most of the players agreeing it belongs on the PS2. GTA: San Andreas pushed the bounds of creativity and technical prowess, resulting in a seamless open-world sandbox that remains a cultural landmark of gaming.
Resident Evil 4
- Released
-
January 11, 2005
- ESRB
-
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Engine
-
RE Engine
- Franchise
-
Resident Evil
The drama between Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright is far from over. The exes, who are in the middle of a bitter divorce battle, continue to trade public accusations, the latest of which came from Taylor, who accused Cartwright of sabotaging his life and career. His latest remarks come on the heels of a fake brand partnership that he initially believed was legitimate, which his estranged wife discussed on her podcast.
“Vanderpump Rules” alum Jax Taylor is speaking out against his ex, Brittany Cartwright, accusing her of making the effort to embarrass him publicly. The latter filed for divorce in 2024, and they are still in the middle of legal proceedings.
At the end of July, Taylor posted an ad for Smartwater on his social media, which was later determined to be a fake brand deal. His ex mocked him in an episode of her podcast, “When Reality Hits,” saying that Taylor faked a brand deal to fix his image of “being a horrible human being.”
Taylor is calling out Cartwright for discussing matters on her podcast instead of privately reaching out to him. “Yesterday was just another example of Brittany going out of her way to publicly embarrass and humiliate me,” Taylor told Us Weekly, adding that the behavior has “become a pattern.”
“It’s just another example of her ongoing attempts to damage my reputation, interfere with my ability to work and earn a living, and make it as difficult as possible for me to move forward and rebuild my life,” Taylor claimed.
Brittany Cartwright Said Smartwater Reached Out To Her
Talking to Tom Schwartz on the podcast, Cartwright said she received a direct message from Smartwater, telling her that the company didn’t authorize Taylor’s post, nor was he approached for a brand deal.
“This is why I don’t believe anything that he says,” Cartwright said, adding that when other people sent her the post, she did not believe the brand would choose his ex to promote the product, and she got confirmation it was fake when they messaged her.
“That is embarrassing,” she continued, to which Schwartz replied, “I’m ashamed for him.”
Jax Taylor Addressed The Fake Brand Deal
On July 31, Taylor posted a statement on social media addressing the fake partnership with Smartwater. He was reportedly offered a campaign opportunity from a “third party influencer platform” and didn’t think twice about accepting the offer.
“As soon as I was notified that the campaign was unauthorized, I removed the content immediately. I have never and would never intentionally misrepresent a partnership,” Taylor wrote, adding that it was an “honest mistake.” He also included a screenshot of the offer he received.
Furthermore, he called out Cartwright for discussing the matter on her podcast to “mock” and “embarrass” him.
The TV Personality Claims His Ex Is Messing With Work Opportunities
Taylor said he’s remained silent about Cartwright out of respect for the mother of his child. In his post, however, he alleged that his ex has been making moves to prevent him from earning.
“Brittany has directly contacted networks and brands in an effort to stop me from working and to prevent me from getting opportunities affecting my ability to earn a living,” he wrote.
He told Us Weekly that he was supposed to appear in the TV series “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” and had completed paperwork, but the offer was rescinded. “I came to find out that Brittany contacted them and once again interfered with an amazing job opportunity that would have helped me move forward,” he claimed.
Jax Taylor And Brittany Cartwright Exchange Accusations In Court
Taylor and Cartwright married in 2019, and they have one child together, a son born in 2021. The latter filed for divorce in 2024, citing irreconcilable differences.
The divorce is taking a long time due to back-and-forth accusations from both camps and unresolved division of assets. Taylor claimed that at their last court session, they spent eight hours attempting to resolve differences to no avail.
In April, per The Blast, Cartwright shared an update about their relationship, saying that while co-parenting wasn’t easy, they’re trying to make it work for the sake of their son.
Jack Osbourne showed just how fast his baby daughter, Ozzy Matilda, is growing up in an adorable new family photo.
“Little miss ozz already has a mischievous sparkle,” Jack, 40, wrote via Instagram alongside a darling snapshot of his baby sitting on his lap.
Ozzy Matilda is all smiles in a pink romper while her dad cradles her in his arms in the photo. The comment section on Jack’s Instagram post was filled with comparisons between little Ozzy and her late grandfather and namesake, Ozzy Osbourne.
“She’s got a twinkle,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “She has your dads smile n eyes! 😍”
“She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s named after a legend,” another fan declared.
Jack and his wife, Aree Gearhart, announced the arrival of their newborn daughter in March — around eight months after Jack’s dad, Ozzy, died at age 76 in July 2025. (Ozzy’s death certificate clarified that he died from cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease.)
Last December, Jack confirmed to The Sun on Sunday that he and Gearhart, 35, were able to tell Ozzy he was going to be a grandfather again before his death. (Jack also shares daughters Pearl, 14, Andy, 11, and Minnie, 8, with ex-wife Lisa Stelly as well as daughter Maple, 4, with Gearhart).
Jack credited the impending arrival of his and Gearhart’s daughter with helping his family grieve the late rocker following his shocking death.
Jack Osbourne‘s wife, Aree Gearhart, is speaking out following the death of father-in-law Ozzy Osbourne. “I’m pretty sure I have the coolest father in law around, and the best papa to my kids,” she wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 3, sharing a handful of family photos with the late musician. “The world got a […]
“It’s awesome,” Jack told The Sun at the time. “I think it’s been partly a healthy distraction, partly healing – probably in that kind of ‘full cycle’ category, in a weird way.”
He went on, “It’s very much taken energy out of the grieving side of things and parked in a bit more hopefulness. It’s been easy for me – I think it’s been a lot harder for my wife!”
Jack added that he and Gearhart viewed the arrival of Ozzy Matilda as a moment of renewal for the Osbourne family.
“We’re super-excited [for the baby],” he said in December. “It was sort of planned, I should say. It was maybe a little earlier than expected. But it’s definitely something that we were wanting to pursue and somehow it happened, miraculously.”
More recently, Jack fired back over speculation about his weight after competing on the jungle-based U.K. reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in late 2025. (His mother, Sharon Osbourne, and sister Kelly Osbourne, have also slammed the social media conversation around their weight in recent years.)
Jack Osbourne brought two of his look-alike daughters along to cap off a special night honoring his late father, Ozzy Osbourne. Jack, 40, was photographed with kids Pearl, 13, and Andy, 10, at the Universal Music Group’s Grammys afterparty on Sunday, February 1, just hours after Ozzy was commemorated at the Grammy Awards with a […]
“I cannot believe I’m having to actually make this f***ing video. If I see one more article written about me saying how I’m ‘sick,’ I’m ‘grossly underweight’, [that I’m] ‘health crisis Jack’ … It’s f***ing insane,” he vented via Instagram in May. “I have lost no weight since I got out of the jungle doing I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! six months ago.”
“I’ve been the same f***ing weight. The only difference is I shaved my beard and opted for a creepy mustache. That’s the only f***ing difference,” he added. “I’ve been slowly but consistently losing weight for the last three and a half years. I shot up to about 220 pounds about three and a half years ago and decided that I wanted to make some changes, so I did.”
Everyone loves a good anti-hero who can blur the lines between good and evil. These characters aren’t just sympathetic villains, but individuals who lack specific heroic traits, like Link from The Legend of Zelda, yet still move the plot forward through individual goals that can sometimes be considered good. They also aren’t heroes who bend the rules sometimes, like Leon from Resident Evil.
Fans love these types of characters because they are complicated, messy, and more relatable, with everything they do shaping the good or bad inside them. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest video game anti-heroes of all time based on writing, characterization, development, moral ambiguity, flaws, relatability, and overall quality.
10
Geralt of Rivia
‘The Witcher’ Games (2007–Present)
Fantasy games take one of two approaches: either a whimsical world full of adventure, or a dark and bleak existence. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is part of the latter, meaning there are many anti-heroes, including the protagonist, Geralt of Rivia. As a Witcher, he faces constant discrimination, yet he continues to do whatever job he is paid to do, simply existing for monster hunting and coin.
However, his motives and goals evolve far beyond monster hunting and coin later in the series, with him trying to protect Ciri and needing to choose lesser evils. His personality and cynical views shaped by the bleak world can’t help but steer his decisions even if he wants to do the right thing, making him a fantastic protagonist in one of the best video games of the past century.
9
Scorpion (Hanzo Hasashi)
‘Mortal Kombat’ Games (1992–Present)
Mortal Kombat is one of the greatest fighting game franchises of all time, and any good fighting game needs a roster of engaging characters. Mortal Kombat has a lot of brutal personalities, but the one who sticks out the most is Scorpion. After his family was murdered by Sub-Zero, he spends the rest of his life and afterlife hunting him down until he can drag Sub-Zero into hell.
Scorpion used to just be a badass video game character who said “get over here,” but the modern reboot has evolved him into an anti-hero. He doesn’t give up on killing or his revenge, but it is a sort of noble vengeance that drives him. By the end of the games, he has restored his clan, come to terms with his past atrocities, and made peace with the younger version of Sub-Zero.
8
Wario
‘Super Mario’ Games (1985–Present)
Most anti-heroes are meant to be taken seriously, as they are deeply flawed, compelling, and they work best in a mature setting. However, Wario proves that even silly characters can be anti-heroes. He doesn’t have too big of a focus on many narratives, but his greed drives every instinct in his body, whether that makes him an enemy or an ally of Mario and friends.
Maybe Wario is still villainous, but that is just because of his unwavering greed, which can also make him do good, even if he doesn’t mean it. He is the definition of a selfish video game character whose goals only lie in personal motivation. Wario is a fun parody and too stubborn to lose, proving why he is a beloved video game character.
7
Kazuma Kiryu
‘Yakuza’ Games (2005–Present)
The Yakuza franchise is one of the most bizarre, but players can’t help but get sucked into its world and characters, such as the anti-hero Kazuma Kiryu. He is a yakuza enforcer who operates outside the law, which doesn’t sound too anti-hero-like until fans learn about his moral code and the fact that he doesn’t even want to be a yakuza member.
Despite surrounding himself with yakuza and a villainous life, Kiryu aims to free himself of these shackles, deconstructing the glorification of organized crime. He is a bright anomaly inside the underworld, trying his best to do the right thing when he is forced to be the bad guy, highlighting his character arc and unwavering good inside him.
6
Max Payne
‘Max Payne’ Games (2001–2012)
Rockstar Games is known for making morally ambiguous games with anti-hero protagonists, with a couple on this list, starting with Max Payne. After a group of junkies murders his wife and child, Max has nothing else to live for and decides to go on a killing spree. His rampage takes him through the underworld of New York City, getting back on anyone who is even remotely evil.
If “Woe Is Me” were a character, it would be Max Payne, who constantly suffers in his own grief and despair. Killing hundreds of people isn’t exactly a good thing, but at least none of them are considered good people. His suicidal mission is driven completely by revenge, grief, and depression, which results in one of the best action video games of all time.
5
Booker DeWitt
‘BioShock Infinite’ (2013)
There aren’t many morally righteous characters in the BioShock franchise at all, and who would be with society looking like that? But it seems the best there can be is Booker DeWitt, the protagonist of BioShock Infinite. He is a disgraced agent and a veteran who sold his daughter to pay off his debts, but he takes on a job to rescue a girl named Elizabeth to free himself of his financial issues.
Booker is a definitive example of what an anti-hero should be. He drives the story through his selfish goals and features a troubled backstory where he was clearly in the wrong. Yet despite his shortcomings, he forms an authentic bond with Elizabeth and fights the true evil in this world. By the end of BioShock Infinite, Booker is a complicated character who must make the toughest sacrifice ever, completing his character arc.
4
Shadow the Hedgehog
‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Games (1991–Present)
Wario isn’t the only character on this list from a platforming franchise, as Shadow the Hedgehog is just as iconic from the Sonic the Hedgehog game series. He was created in order to be the perfect lifeform, but this gave him a cynical life view, and when the only light in his world died, he lost all goodwill. However, he slowly gains it back, switching between villain and hero depending on the game.
Shadow the Hedgehog used to be a full-fledged villain, but he is such a universally beloved character that he now adopts more of an anti-hero role. He serves as a perfect foil to Sonic, only making a noble sacrifice after remembering his past. However, since his original appearance, Shadow has worked together with Sonic for good while maintaining his dark and edgy style.
3
Joel Miller
‘The Last of Us’ Games (2013–Present)
Some of the best anti-heroes are also part of the greatest video game narratives, including the top three characters on this list, starting with Joel Miller from The Last of Us. After watching his family die in the zombie apocalypse, he is a grizzled veteran who does whatever it takes to survive. But his paternal instincts kick back in when he must escort Ellie across the country and help find a cure.
The years of fighting for his life pushed him to do evil things, but it was all necessary for his survival. This is especially seen as his bond with Ellie grows over the course of the game. He softens up and begins to feel again, but this love is exactly what makes him an anti-hero. Joel acts based on selfish love, ending in a shocking plot twist that remains a staple in the community, highlighting why The Last of Us is an influential video game.
2
Arthur Morgan
‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)
As mentioned, Rockstar Games loves their flawed protagonists, and their greatest one yet is Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. He is the leader of a cowboy gang set in 1899, the dying era of the Wild West. When Arthur learns of his tuberculosis, he sets out on one final adventure across the American Frontier in search of redemption, to make up for all the bad he has done.
Arthur’s change of heart doesn’t come from some awakening, but through the bleak reality of his impending doom. He has done many bad things, but his one last mission is to leave the Earth having done something good for once: saving John Marston and his family. Unfortunately, his redemption comes too late, cementing him as a profound character in an unforgettable narrative.
1
Kratos
‘God of War’ Games (2005–Present)
Kratos is one of the greatest video game characters of all time, and while he definitely wasn’t an anti-hero in the original God of War games, the 2018 reboot made him into one. After a life of murder and killing, he was exhausted from it all and left for a Norse region where he fell in love and had a child. Unfortunately, the death of his wife and attacks by the gods bring back his old habits.
Throughout the game, Kratos tries to be a good father, but he can’t help but be harsh due to his past nature and the dire situation. He begins to let go of his old selfish reasons for killing and does it to protect Atreus. Still, his growth is earned because Kratos remains a brutal killer who tries to better himself, yet can’t fully commit, highlighting why God of War has the best character development in gaming history.
Entertainment
Tom Hardy’s $100 Million Sci-Fi Masterpiece Is Officially the Biggest Streaming Hit of His Career
What a year it’s been for Tom Hardy, who was once again battling allegations that he could be a troublesome presence on set following the news that he had been fired from MobLand. The rumors of Hardy’s firing have since been put to bed, and it’s been confirmed that he will return as Harry Da Souza, should the show be renewed for Season 3. He will also be seen in Season 2 of the show, which begins streaming in less than two months, on September 18. Hardy is fresh off his three-time role as Eddie Brock in the Venom movies, which never quite managed to win the hearts of critics. However, this wasn’t an issue for Sony, as the studio pocketed over $1.5 billion from the franchise over the course of three movies.
We’re now more than 10 years removed from the biggest year of Tom Hardy’s career, when he starred in two of the biggest projects of his life. Hardy earned his first and only Oscar nomination for his performance as John Fitzgerald in The Revenant, the sweeping Western epic directed by Alejandro G. Iñárittu, who is soon to direct Tom Cruise in Digger. However, back in 2015, Hardy also starred in the most successful sci-fi movie of his career, Mad Max: Fury Road, which was written and directed by the great George Miller. Mad Max: Fury Road won six Oscars at the 2016 Academy Awards, including Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Production Design. All these years later, Mad Max: Fury Road is still a streaming super-hit, solidifying it as one of the most successful streaming movies of Tom Hardy’s career.
What Is ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ About?
The official synopsis for Mad Max: Fury Road reads as follows: “In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) is captured by the tyrannical Immortan Joe and forced into servitude. When rebel warrior Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) leads a daring escape with Joe’s five wives, Max joins her explosive fight for freedom. Racing across the desert in a war party of chrome and fire, they battle for survival, redemption, and a chance at a better future.” Mad Max: Fury Road earned a nearly perfect score of 97% from critics to pair with a solid 86% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The film grossed over $380 million at the box office against a $150 million budget — it was a success, but not as much as the reviews might allude to. It was once streaming on HBO Max before being removed from the platform.
Check out Mad Max: Fury Road on VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Hardy’s future projects.
- Release Date
-
May 15, 2015
- Runtime
-
121 minutes
- Director
-
George Miller
- Writers
-
Brendan McCarthy, George Miller, Nico Lathouris
- Producers
-
Doug Mitchell, P.J. Voeten
Entertainment
Forget ‘Taken,’ Liam Neeson’s Ultimate Action Thriller Is Officially Dominating Streaming
Liam Neeson had a period, a golden age if you will, where he was the King of Geriaction. Hollywood had decided, after Taken proved to be a bizarrely big hit, that Big Liam could be dropped into absolutely any dangerous situation and audiences would happily watch him fight his way out. Kidnappers, terrorists, unruly passengers, angry commuters — the opposition didn’t matter as long as Neeson punched someone. But along the way, one of the best movies from Neeson’s unexpected transformation into an action star barely resembles the films that followed it.
More than a decade after its release, Joe Carnahan’s relentlessly bleak survival thriller, The Grey, remains one of the most overlooked movies of Neeson’s career and an essential streaming watch. The Grey currently carries an impressive 81% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, and while it was a success when it arrived in 2012, the movie has become somewhat lost among the seemingly endless action thrillers Neeson subsequently made. That’s a shame, because The Grey is considerably more ambitious than its wonderfully straightforward “Liam Neeson versus wolves” reputation suggests.
‘The Grey’ Is Much More Than Liam Neeson Fighting Wolves
Neeson stars as John Ottway, a sharpshooter employed to protect oil workers in Alaska from wolves. When the plane carrying Ottway and several workers crashes deep in the frozen wilderness, the survivors suddenly find themselves stranded miles from civilization. The weather is trying to kill them. Their injuries are trying to kill them. And, yes, an extremely territorial pack of wolves is also trying to kill them.
The Grey performed respectably at the box office, earning approximately $81 million worldwide against a reported $25 million production budget. Critics were particularly impressed, with its 81% Rotten Tomatoes score making it one of the best-reviewed films from Neeson’s post-Taken action run.
The Grey also stars Frank Grillo (Tulsa King) as John Diaz, Dermot Mulroney (Zodiac) as Jerome Talget, Dallas Roberts (The Walking Dead) as Pete Hendrick, Joe Anderson (Across the Universe) as Todd Flannery, Nonso Anozie (Game of Thrones) as Jackson Burke, James Badge Dale (The Departed) as Luke Lewenden, and Ben Bray (Gone Baby Gone) as Hernandez.
The Grey is streaming now on Netflix.
- Release Date
-
January 26, 2012
- Runtime
-
117 minutes
- Director
-
Joe Carnahan
Brooklyn Beckham reconnected with his godfathers, Elton John and David Furnish, amid his family feud with the rest of the Beckhams.
On Saturday, August 1, Brooklyn, 27, and his wife, Nicola Peltz, were photographed vacationing on John, 79, and his husband Furnish’s yacht near Nice, France, per People. (John and Furnish, 63, were named as Brooklyn’s godfathers by his parents, Victoria and David Beckham, while his godmother is actress Elizabeth Hurley.)
The two couples were snapped while sitting around a table together on the yacht and then stepped off the vessel to do some sight-seeing.
Brooklyn wore a white T-shirt, denim shorts and a cream-colored baseball cap as he held Peltz’s hand. The model and actress was dressed casually in a white lace minidress and nude kitten heels, accessorized with sunglasses and a shoulder bag.
Brooklyn Beckham seemingly has a smooth relationship with wife Nicola Peltz Beckham’s family despite an estrangement from his own. “[They welcomed him] like another son,” Nicola, 31, told Elle Spain in a profile published Friday, March 20. “He gets along really well with my brothers. They play soccer together a lot.” Nicola is one of […]
The two couples vacationed together while David, 51, and Victoria, 52, spent time with their three other children — sons Romeo and Cruz Beckham and daughter Harper Beckham — as well as Romeo’s girlfriend, Kim Turnbull, on the small Spanish island Formentera this week, per The Sun.
John nor Furnish have ever publicly commented on Brooklyn’s rift with his parents.
Brooklyn was noticeably absent at two major milestones for his family this summer — he missed his dad David’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star induction ceremony in June despite living nearby and later skipped sister Harper’s 15th birthday party in July.
Brooklyn went public over his falling out with his parents by releasing a scathing statement in January, in which he alleged that “Brand Beckham comes first” in their family.
“Family ‘love’ is decided by how much you post on social media, or how quickly you drop everything to show up and pose for a family photo opp, even if it’s at the expense of our professional obligations,” he wrote at the time. “We’ve gone out of our way for years to show up and support at every fashion show, every party, and every press activity to show ‘our perfect family!’ But the one time my wife asked for my mum’s support to save displaced dogs during the LA fires, my mum refused.”
Nicola Peltz Beckham praised her dynamics with her in-laws less than two years before their relationship seemingly fractured. “I come from a big family that we are all so close, and now [I have] an even bigger family,” Nicola, 31, said on the Today show in resurfaced footage originally broadcast in February 2024. “Brooklyn [Beckham] […]
Brooklyn accused his parents of meddling in his marriage and fostering a “completely backwards” narrative that he is controlled by his wife, Peltz.
“I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,” he alleged. “I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”
David and Victoria have only offered measured public responses to their son thus far. In April, Victoria was asked about “a very public and challenging year” for her family during a live interview on NBC’s Today.
“Myself and David, we’re so close,” Victoria said. “And we have incredible people around us. We’re very close to my parents and David’s parents, and we support each other through everything that we do.”
David was less willing to engage with the topic, as he shut down a Variety reporter for bringing up his “family strife” in June.
“To be honest, I’m sorry to stop you there, but that’s a private matter,” David insisted. “That’s the one thing that I don’t want to talk about.”
“The Rise of Skywalker” left many “Star Wars” fans disappointed with Disney after the Skywalker Saga came to a close in 2019. The sequel trilogy began with 2015’s “The Force Awakens” and created a whole new band of heroes to root for. However, 2017’s “The Last Jedi” proved divisive and eliminated several of the plot threads that “The Force Awakens” had created. By the time “The Rise of Skywalker” rolled around, Emperor Palpatine came out of nowhere to become the overarching villain, and with the death of Ben Solo, the Skywalker bloodline officially died off. Rey took the name “Rey Skywalker” at the end of the film to seemingly continue the story, but even that decision proved controversial with fans who felt that she had not done anything to “earn” the mantle.
There hasn’t been a movie related to the Skywalker Saga since “The Rise of Skywalker” came out. In fact, Disney stopped all theatrical releases in favor of Disney+ shows. Although the first two seasons of “The Mandalorian” proved successful, the third one drew heavy criticism.
Other shows, like “The Acolyte,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” “Ahsoka,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and “Skeleton Crew,” met criticism for one reason or another. It was the second and final season of “Andor” that finally gave fans hope that Disney might be getting “Star Wars” back on the right track.
However, in May 2026, Disney decided to try to bring “Star Wars” back to the big screen. Instead of moving ahead with the fourth season of “The Mandalorian” as planned, they asked Jon Favreau to turn it into an adventure set for a theatrical release called “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
The movie had low stakes, little character development, and didn’t tease any broader adventure or tie it into the larger universe. As of now, fans don’t actually know if there will be a fourth season of “The Mandalorian,” or what Disney plans for the character following its abysmal performance at the box office.
Where Ryan Gosling Comes In To Save ‘Star Wars’
The next movie on the docket is 2027’s “Star Wars: Starfighter.” Although little has been released about the project so far, the movie stands out from other movies set in a galaxy far, far away in a unique way. This one boasts a unique cast of A-list stars: Ryan Gosling, Mia Goth, Amy Adams, and Matt Smith, among others. Many unknown actors have made a name for themselves after appearing in “Star Wars.” Now, “Starfighter” is flipping the script by bringing in a talented cast from the start.
The movie is also being directed by Shawn Levy, who is still hot off the success of “Deadpool & Wolverine.” Levy’s films are consistently delivered on time and on budget, which is a massive win for Disney. The studio notoriously had to undergo extensive reshoots for its first two standalone movies: “Rogue One” and “Solo,” both of which fell under the “A Star Wars Story” banner. “Solo,” especially, was a massive bomb at the box office following the controversy brought on by “The Last Jedi,” although it still managed to perform better than “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
Another Promising Sign For The Franchise
There are two reasons why Ryan Gosling is inspiring hope in a galaxy far, far away. The actor starred in another space movie – 2016’s “Project Hail Mary” – which currently has a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With the exception of several flashback scenes, Gosling is basically a one-man show up in space, communicating only with an alien made of rocks called Rocky.
Gosling is great in front of the camera, but fans also need to consider what goes on behind-the-scenes. There were no reports of a troubled production this time around. In fact, Disney seemingly loved the pairing of Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy so much that they’ve decided to give them another go.
At San Diego Comic Con, Marvel boss Kevin Feige announced that Gosling would be taking on the role of Ghost Rider in the MCU. The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, creating a second partnership for the Disney studio.
This is a pretty promising sign. Disney execs will have already seen a rough cut of “Starfighter,” and apparently, they liked what they saw so much that they were willing to greenlight another Ryan Gosling/Shawn Levy collaboration before waiting for the audience reaction to “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
It’s not a sure sign that the movie will be a hit with fans, but some franchises were built on hope.
There are so many incredible sci-fi shows out right now. Shows like Pluribus, Star City, Foundation, and Alien: Earth are all blowing people’s minds with their inventive storytelling and exciting plots. The sci-fi genre is a fantastic way to escape our own reality — even if a dystopian setting makes us even more scared of the future. There’s one sci-fi show on Apple TV that mixes the post-apocalyptic setting of Prime Video’s Fallout with the mind-bending mysteries of Severance, and it’s begging for a binge-watch.
What Is ‘Silo’ About?
Silo is a dystopian drama that premiered back in 2023. It’s based on Hugh Howey‘s trilogy of novels, also called Silo. The sci-fi hit follows a community that lives in a giant underground silo after an apocalyptic event has occurred. Taking place more than a century after the world basically ended, this group of 10,000 people coexists in the 144-level structure. There are specific rules set out to help govern the place, but the peace in the silo starts to come to an end when several citizens begin to question what the outside world is really like.
Holsten Becker (David Oyelowo) is sheriff of the silo, but his life becomes much more complicated when his devoted wife, Allison (Rashida Jones), starts to get more curious about the laws surrounding their everyday lives. She crosses paths with the taciturn Head of IT, Bernard Holland (Tim Robbins), and his ruthless fixer, Robert Sims (Common), who play critical roles in the silo’s survival. As the first season unfolds, we also meet the true protagonist of the series, Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson), who works as an engineer to keep the silo functioning. Silo is a fascinating drama with twists and turns, and storylines that demonstrate that no one is truly safe within the walls of the silo.
‘Silo’ Combines Some of the Best Elements of Other Sci-Fi Shows
The most obvious comparison to another sci-fi series is Fallout, which first dropped in 2024. That drama also takes place in a post-apocalyptic world, where survivors are relegated to underground bunkers to escape deadly nuclear fallout. The world has become fairly uninhabitable, and the people who have been smart enough to endure it are both cunning and terrifying. When the outside world is depicted, it portrays people who have divided into factions. This is similar to the setup of Silo, since there are groups of people that have lasted generations in their chosen fields. They’re mostly determined by lineage, but even in the silo, this constitutes a sort of strict class system. These separations create even more fractures and conflicts, representing a very realistic social system in a microcosm of the silo. Just like Fallout, Silo also illustrates the characters’ hopeful need for wanting to see what the outside world holds. From the very first episode, the desire to find out what has become of the rest of the human race is a driving force for the narrative.
At first, the only connection to Apple TV’s other massive sci-fi hit, Severance, would seem like the twisty storytelling itself. But there are also definitely higher-ups who rule with an iron fist and with an extremely secretive nature, just like the folks over at Lumon Industries. Later episodes of Silo include more technology-focused plot points, which reflect Severance‘s modern complexity. And now that Silo is in its third season, the biggest link to Severance is the way the series is diving into the fascinating topic of memory. Without giving too much away, Juliette experiences a total wipe of her memory when Season 3 opens. Just like the severed characters on Severance, much of Juliette’s identity is erased because she has no context for her past. She has no familiarity with the people in her life, even those who have loved her since she was young. The battle of the season becomes trying to bring Juliette back to who she was, which is a compelling exploration into how our memories help to define us.
There are only 20 episodes to binge before you can start Season 3 of Silo, which means that it’s actually an easy show to get caught up with. If you want a gritty, complex sci-fi series that presents unique problems and mysteries like Severance, or highlights the hardships that exist when a population is forced to live in close quarters like Fallout, Silo must be added to your watch list now.
Silo is available to stream on Apple TV in the U.S., with new episodes dropping every Friday.
Silo
- Release Date
-
May 5, 2023
- Network
-
Apple TV
- Showrunner
-
Graham Yost
- Directors
-
Morten Tyldum, David Semel, Michael Dinner, Aric Avelino
While some adaptations have succeeded in staying relevant to their source material, many leave the audience wishing they had just read the book instead of watching it. The anticipation of viewers that comes along with adaptations is now next to impossible to eliminate. Books can paint an elaborate picture of the fictional world, while television screens can only scratch the surface.
But a few shows demonstrate that adaptation is not limited to mere duplication of the written work. Good adaptations recognize that the medium has its own advantages, ranging from outstanding performances to diverse storytelling and creative changes made to retain the essence of the plot.
5. You
Caroline Kepnes’ You introduced readers to one of modern fiction’s most unsettling narrators: Joe Goldberg, a charming bookstore manager whose romantic obsession with aspiring writer Guinevere Beck quickly spirals into stalking, manipulation, and murder. Told entirely through Joe’s disturbing inner monologue, the novel traps readers inside the mind of a man who genuinely believes every terrible thing he does is an act of love. Netflix’s adaptation stays remarkably faithful to that premise while expanding the story well beyond the page.
The series succeeds largely because of Penn Badgley’s nuanced performance, which somehow makes Joe both charismatic and deeply unsettling without ever asking viewers to excuse his actions. The adaptation also enriches the supporting cast by introducing original characters like Paco, whose relationship with Joe adds surprising emotional complexity, while expanding storylines for characters like Candace in later seasons. Rather than simply translating Kepnes’ novel, You builds an even richer psychological thriller that grows more ambitious with every season.
4. The Queen’s Gambit
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Walter Tevis’ 1983 novel The Queen’s Gambit follows orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon as she rises through the competitive chess world while battling addiction and loneliness. Already considered one of the finest novels ever written about the game, the story seemed difficult to adapt given how much of Beth’s brilliance and emotional struggle unfolds internally. Netflix’s 2020 miniseries not only solved that problem but became one of the streamer’s biggest success stories.
Most of the credit for that success goes to Anya Taylor-Joy, who conveys Beth’s inner life through expressive acting without narration. The chess game is transformed into an actual cinema experience through innovative visualizations, polished production design, and tasteful direction. While remaining remarkably faithful to Tevis’ novel, the adaptation makes a handful of thoughtful changes — particularly to Beth’s emotional journey — that create an even stronger payoff by the time she reaches Moscow. It’s one of the rare adaptations that refines an already exceptional story rather than merely recreating it.
3. Normal People
Sally Rooney’s Normal People traces the long-term romantic relationship between Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, which continues through their school years and into university despite some bumps along the way. One of the highlights of the novel is how Rooney manages to expose the inner worlds of her characters, which makes them very difficult to represent visually, but the BBC and Hulu seriesproved that it could be done.
The show, instead of narrating everything through voiceovers, relies on the acting of Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. They indeed manage to convey everything through their performance, together with the muted directing style of Abrahamson and Macdonald. It should also be noted that the series improved the ending of Normal People by allowing Marianne to be a bit more powerful in the final conversation and by slowing the conversation, which made the outcome more satisfying.
2. Big Little Lies
Liane Moriarty’s novel Big Little Lies is a brilliant domestic mystery that follows three women living apparently flawless lives in Monterey; their lives fall apart as a series of secrets, lies, and violence leads to a shocking murder. HBO’s adaptation is faithful to the central mystery while also providing a stronger impact through an ensemble cast that includes Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz.
Jean-Marc Vallée‘s direction turns Monterey into a character that adds its own identity to the narrative, thanks to the crashing waves and surreal editing. Plus, as examples of the brilliant performances, Kidman’s emotional portrayal of Celeste’s abusive marriage provides the drama and emotional power that surpass those in the book, while Dern’s Emmy-winning performance as the marvelous Renata reveals the character’s unexpected weaknesses.
1. The Leftovers
The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta presents a scenario in which two percent of the population disappears inexplicably, leading to permanent changes in the universe. Instead of concentrating on what happened during the incident, Perrotta writes about what occurred afterward, including the grief, bewilderment, and spiritual conflict among survivors trying to make sense of it. The HBO adaptation remains true to the material for a while before moving completely away from it.
Just after the first season’s completion, Lindelof and Perrotta extend the narrative into uncharted territory. They attempt to answer questions the novel never raises and prefer to leave them open rather than resolve the ambiguities. The series becomes one of the most significant depictions of loss, belief, and relationships, owing to the incredible performances of Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon. When it comes to the acclaimed ending, the series went beyond the boundaries of the source material.
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