Summer House’s Ciara Miller is in her cool girl era.

The reality star, 30, gushed about her recent career successes as she won the Allison Williams Cool Girl Award at the 2026 Las Culturistas Culture Awards, which took place in May and aired Wednesday, June 17, on Bravo.

“Thank you so much. If by ‘cool,’ you mean utterly disappointed in everyone around me, yes, I am so f***ing cool,” Ciara said in her acceptance speech, alluding to ex West Wilson’s controversial relationship with her former BFF, Amanda Batula.

She continued, “Obviously, this year has been a little rough, but you know what they say: the best revenge is winning the Allison Williams Cool Girl Award. And booking Love Island USA. And being in Shaboozey’s music video. And also being a registered nurse. And a model. So I’m gonna put this in the bathroom at my new house.”

Related: Ciara Miller’s Biggest ‘Glamour’ Bombshells About West and Amanda Drama

Ciara Miller held her tongue about her ex West Wilson’s new romance with her onetime best friend, Amanda Batula, for weeks. When she finally spoke out, she didn’t hold back. Ciara broke her silence on the Summer House dating drama in a wide-ranging Glamour interview published April 17, 2026. “It’s one thing to experience hurt […]

Later in the evening, Summer House costar Mia Calabrese took home the award for Best Vibe, Hands Down, and gave a shout-out to Ciara.

Mia, 34, said she’d learned “the importance of best friends,” adding, “I’d like to thank my best friend, Ciara.”

The Summer House cast and viewers alike were left shocked in March when rumors began circulating that West, 31, and Amanda, 34, were dating. They later confirmed their burgeoning relationship in a joint Instagram statement.

Ciara previously dated West, and it seemed the couple were rekindling their relationship on Summer House season 10, which recently wrapped on Bravo. Amanda, meanwhile, announced her separation from estranged husband Kyle Cooke in January, just months before she was linked to West.

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Related: West Wilson Addresses Ciara Miller’s Reaction to Amanda Batula Romance

Summer House’s West Wilson is addressing ex Ciara Miller’s intense reaction to his newfound romance with costar Amanda Batula. West, 31, was quizzed about how Ciara has taken the news by his “Show Me Something” cohost Sophie Cunningham on the Monday, May 25, episode of their podcast. West dated Ciara for several months in 2023 […]

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“It’s one thing to experience hurt behind closed doors. To experience it so publicly is like another layer, and then to have to see what you thought was your life still play out in season 10. It’s a major mindf***,” Ciara said of the relationship between her ex and her former friend in an April interview with Glamour.

“At the end of the day, a guy’s a guy. Whether or not West and I are working on a relationship, you just can’t put anything past a man,” Ciara said, admitting she felt more hurt by Amanda. “But I just never would think that it would come from someone like Amanda, who has been what has felt like in my circle and in my corner for so long. I think that’s the craziest part.”

Since the Summer House controversy erupted earlier this year, Ciara is staying booked and busy. She is currently cohosting Love Island: Aftersun on Peacock and will appear as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars season 35 this fall.

Jeff Probst isn’t just the face of “Survivor,” he’s also been one of the driving forces behind the franchise’s success since the reality show’s debut in 2000. As the series gears up for Season 51 and continues to thrive, Probst has revealed a surprising vision for where “Survivor” is headed next, sparking different reactions from longtime fans.

On June 17, Jeff Probst took to Instagram to announce a new “Survivor” project in development with Paramount Animation and CBS: an animated film based on the reality show.

“It’s still everything we love about ‘Survivor.’ Big personalities, funny characters, surprising alliances, competition, chaos, and of course, a lot of heart. But this time, the players aren’t human,” Probst revealed. Instead, the players will be from the animal kingdom.

The host continued, saying that part of the show is having different personalities who have to learn to live together while playing against each other in the competition. “Setting it in the world of animals gives us a whole new playground to play with,” Probst added.

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“Very, very, very excited. I can’t wait for you to meet this new tribe,” he concluded.

The Host Will Be An Executive Producer For The Film

Probst enthusiastically shared the news with his followers, writing, “This will be an all-out comedy with animals competing for the chance to be crowned the sole Survivor. Let’s go!!!”

As reported by Variety, Probst will serve as an executive producer for the upcoming film. The outlet also shared the movie’s synopsis, which reads, “Set on a remote mystical island, animals from all around the globe compete for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be crowned the sole Survivor.”

Following Probst’s announcement, some former “Survivor” players shared their reactions. News anchor Rick Devens, who came back for Season 50, commented, “So you need a voice talent? Because…” Another player, Ozzy Lusth, who has competed five times, wrote, “Jeff the…eagle? prairie dog? Bear??”

Tiffany Seely, who appeared on Season 41 and struggled to cross a balance beam, noted her performance “may have been an inspiration for one of the characters.” Meanwhile, Adam Klein, who unanimously won in Season 33, quoted Season 1 player Susan Hawk’s infamous jury speech and wrote, “As nature intended… the snake will eat the rat.”

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Jeff Probst’s Announcement Garnered Mixed Reactions

The idea of a “Survivor” animated film garnered mixed reactions. Many expressed their excitement, with some urging Probst to bring back the show’s most beloved players to voice the animals. “Love the idea! Can’t wait,” one user commented.

Others were on the fence about the new “Survivor” expansion, but would give it a try. “This is not the direction I was expecting… But I am curious about it.” Another wrote, “Don’t know how I feel about this.”

Still, some fans were not at all enthused. “This sounds like a terrible idea,” commented a user. “That sounds so stupid,” said another.

The Host Released A ‘Survivor’ Card Game

This isn’t the first time “Survivor” has gone beyond television. In December 2024, the card game “Survivor: The Tribe Has Spoken” was released. Probst created the game in conjunction with Exploding Kittens to allow die-hard fans to test their strategies and become the sole survivor.

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The game adapts elements from “Survivor,” including immunity idols and advantages, while also urging players to form alliances and orchestrate blindsides. The final two players must plead their case to the jury of eliminated players to win.

The “Survivor” card game proved to be a success, with both fans and non-fans giving rave reviews. In January 2026, a new game, “Survivor: Let’s go to Rocks,” was released, which could be a standalone game or an expansion to the first card game.

‘Survivor’ Celebrated 25 Years On Air

The first season of “Survivor” aired in 2000, and Season 50 concluded in May 2026. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the show invited 24 old players to compete in the milestone season, and involved the fans by allowing them to vote on game mechanics and production design. Celebrity fans also participated, including Billie Eilish, Jimmy Fallon, Zac Brown, and Mr. Beast.

Aubry Bracco, who has competed four times, became the sole survivor and went home with $2 million and a Toyota Land Cruiser.

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“Survivor 51” is scheduled to premiere in the fall.

Corey Feldman is setting the record straight after a frightening in-flight medical emergency sparked widespread concern and speculation. 

The actor was rushed to the hospital after falling seriously ill on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles earlier this week, with early reports suggesting he could be suffering from pancreatitis or gallstones. 

Now, Feldman is revealing what really happened, claiming a medical misdiagnosis fueled the alarming rumors before doctors ultimately determined he was battling a severe case of food poisoning.

Corey Feldman has broken his silence after a health scare that began during a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles on Monday. 

As The Blast reported, the 54-year-old became ill while onboard, and paramedics were waiting for him at the gate after the plane landed.

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Early reports suggested Feldman may have been suffering from pancreatitis or gallstones, leading to widespread concern among fans. However, the actor later revealed that those reports stemmed from what he described as an incorrect preliminary diagnosis.

Addressing the situation on Instagram while promoting his new single, “What Am I Here 4?,” Feldman explained that a doctor initially believed he was dealing with a more serious condition. He also alleged that someone at the hospital shared that information with the media before his evaluation was complete.

“I WANTED 2 TOUCH BASE AFTER THAT BIG OL HEALTH SCARE & LET U ALL KNOW IM ALIVE & WELL,” Feldman wrote.

He continued: “IT WAS A BIG SCARE BCUZ A DR MISDIAGNOSED ME & THEN SOME1 ON THE MEDICAL STAFF SENT THAT MISDIAGNOSIS 2 THE MEDIA IN REAL TIME, BASED ON THE RESULT OF A PRELIMINARY BLOOD TEST!”

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Feldman Reveals The Real Cause Of His Hospitalization

After undergoing multiple tests and spending the night in the hospital, doctors ultimately determined that Corey Feldman was suffering from a severe case of food poisoning.

“HOWEVER IT WAS ONLY FOOD POISONING THANK GOD! ILL B OK. NOW BACK 2 ROCK N ROLL…..” he wrote in the same post.

Before the final diagnosis was known, Feldman’s representative shared an update that the actor was resting while awaiting an MRI. 

Doctors had already ruled out gallstones as a possible explanation for his symptoms, helping narrow down the cause of his illness.

Once the medical mystery was solved, the representative shared Feldman’s appreciation for the support he had received.

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“Corey wants to thank everyone for all of the love and well wishes,” the representative said per the Daily Mail, adding, “He has definitely seen a lot of the messages and really appreciates everything.” What exactly triggered the food poisoning remains unknown.

As news of Feldman’s hospitalization spread, concerned fans rushed to social media looking for updates.

The actor’s most recent Instagram post before the emergency featured photos and videos from Gary, Indiana, Michael Jackson’s hometown. 

Feldman had stopped there to pay tribute to the late singer before continuing to Chicago for a special screening of his 1985 classic “The Goonies.”

Initially, comments on the post focused on the event and his tribute to Jackson. However, once reports surfaced that he had been taken to the hospital, the conversation quickly shifted.

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“What happened on the flight bro? Hope you’re ok,” one fan asked. Another wrote, “Just saw online you were admitted to hospital.”

Others offered words of encouragement. One fan shared “Hope you’re ok Corey! Sending love,” while another added, “Sending prayers Corey, hope you feel better soon.”

Feldman’s Busy Weekend Came Before The Medical Scare

The health emergency came at the end of a packed weekend for Corey Feldman. The actor had reunited with fellow “Stand By Me” stars Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton for special anniversary events celebrating the film’s 40th year. 

The trio, joined by host Dan Pasternack, appeared at events in Indiana and Chicago honoring the beloved coming-of-age classic, which was directed by the late Rob Reiner.

The celebrations arrived months after Feldman publicly addressed being left out of an Academy Awards tribute honoring Reiner.

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While O’Connell and Wheaton participated in the tribute, Feldman was not invited, a decision that generated significant discussion among fans.

Reflecting on the situation during the anniversary events, Feldman told Entertainment Weekly, “I think Jerry and Wil did what had to be done.”

He admitted that he was disappointed no one had the opportunity to share personal reflections, adding, “I personally was probably maybe a little bothered by the fact that nobody got to speak or do or say anything from their own heart.”

Corey Feldman Previously Addressed His Oscars Snub And Rob Reiner Tribute

The actor acknowledged that being excluded from the tribute felt personal, saying, “It felt a little bit like a family reunion I wasn’t invited to.”

However, he quickly redirected attention to Reiner and his wife Michele, who were tragically killed inside their Los Angeles home in December 2025.

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“Instead I just want to say that I’m with the rest of us, we’re all very destroyed that things went down the way they did, losing Rob when we all thought he’d be joining us at some point for this tour and it’s a tragedy,” Feldman said.

Earlier this year, a source told the Daily Mail that Feldman had been “devastated” by the Academy’s decision and viewed it as a major “slap in the face.”

The source claimed Feldman had expected to participate, especially because O’Connell and Wheaton were included. 

According to the insider, both actors allegedly sought answers from the Academy and believed Feldman should have been part of the tribute as well.

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Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton broke his silence following the death of his fiancée Jade Jones’ friend Makenzi Kern during a recent bachelorette party.

“We will always love and miss you Kenz,” Haliburton, 26, wrote via his Instagram Story on Wednesday, June 17. “Forever thankful for you.”

The athlete wrote his memorial message over a photo of Kern and Jones hugging.

It was reported on Tuesday, June 16, that Kern died unexpectedly at age 26 while attending a bachelorette party hosted by Jones, 28, in St. Barts earlier this month. Kern reportedly died due to “health complications” though her family did not suspect drugs, alcohol or foul play were contributing factors, per TMZ. (An official cause of death has not yet been released.)

Kern shared numerous highlights from the bachelorette trip via social media before her death. A public obituary described Kern as someone who’d “lived life to the fullest” and was “silly, goofy and could brighten everyone’s spirits.”

“Makenzi Nichole Kern, affectionately known as ‘Kenz’, age 26, passed away unexpectedly from health complications on June 8th, 2026 two days after her 26th birthday, June 6th, 2000,” the obituary read. “She was surrounded by her closest friends on a once in a lifetime trip to St. Barthelemy Island.”

Jones and Kern became friends as cheerleaders at Iowa State University, where Haliburton also played basketball from 2018 to 2020.

On Wednesday, Jones spoke out about Kern’s death for the first time, paying tribute to “the funniest, goofiest person I’ve ever met.”

“She was always making me belly laugh,” Jones wrote via Instagram. “She had such a gift of bringing happiness to every room she was in.”

Jones recalled how Kern “loved and supported Tyrese and me through every chapter.”

“She was our biggest cheerleader and showed up for me in every big moment in my life,” Jones reflected. “I can’t even imagine our wedding day without her there celebrating with us. The day will not be the same without her, but I know she will show us she is there somehow. She has been there for all of our moments since the day I met Tyrese. But Kenz will forever live on in my memories, my laughter, my stories, and in the person I am because of her. I will never stop laughing about all our memories together.”

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Related: Indiana Pacers Star Tyrese Haliburton and Girlfriend Jade Jones Are Engaged

Tyrese Haliburton and Jade Jones are ready to take the next big step in their relationship: they’re engaged! Haliburton, 25, and Jones met as college students at Iowa State University, so it only made sense for the Indiana Pacers star to arrange the proposal at the school. Despite the season-ending injury he suffered during Game […]

Jones closed her memorial post by acknowledging that she would be “forever grateful” to have made such a “special” friend.

“Kenz was truly a light in this world, and that light will continue to shine in everyone who was lucky enough to know her,” she concluded. “I love you forever until the end of time Kenzi. You are truly so beautiful inside and out & a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend. Thank you for always showing up for me, for making me laugh until I cry, and for being such an unforgettable part of my life. I’ll always miss you but I know you’ll be with me, wherever I go. ‘See ya.’”

Haliburton replied in the comments section, writing to Jones, “I love you.”

The release of Steven Spielberg‘s first sci-fi movie in nearly a decade, Disclosure Day, hasn’t yet had any visible impact on the performance of the recently released Netflix sci-fi series The Boroughs. Executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, the eight-part series owes a huge creative debt to Spielberg’s movies, as did the Duffers’ more popular Netflix show, Stranger Things. Disclosure Day debuted theatrically this past week and has already grossed more than $100 million worldwide on the strength of positive reviews. The Boroughs received higher praise, but it seems to be struggling to break out like the Duffers’ platform-defining hit did.

Remember, Stranger Things remains one of the most-watched shows in Netflix’s history. The fourth and fifth seasons both drew around 140 million views, and are among the 10 most-watched titles of all time on Netflix. By comparison, The Boroughs recently passed a far lower viewership benchmark. However, Netflix counts viewership for the first three months of any new film or show’s release, which means that The Boroughs has two more months to register gains. Created by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, the show follows a group of older characters who are faced with a mysterious threat at their retirement home.

Netflix’s New Sci-Fi Series Has Spent 4 Weeks in the Top 10

The Boroughs stars Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Clarke Peters, and Jena Malone, among others. The series holds a “Certified Fresh” 97% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “The Boroughs exudes excellence through its wonderfully plotted sci-fi trappings, star-studded cast, heartfelt narrative, and genuine ingenuity; a new classic through-and-through.” According to Netflix’s latest viewership report, The Boroughs was the eighth-most-watched series during the week of June 8 to June 14. The list was topped by the British crime drama The Witness, which accumulated 10 million views in its second week. By comparison, The Boroughs added another 2 million views in its fourth week, after drawing 5.6 million views in week one, 9.5 million views in week two, and 3.7 million views in week three. The show’s total views have now passed the 20 million mark. You can watch The Boroughs on Netflix and check out Disclosure Day in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

May 21, 2026

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Network

Netflix

Showrunner

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Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews

Directors

Augustine Frizzell, Kyle Patrick Alvarez

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Writers

James Schamus, Jose Molina, Julie Siege, Tom Hanada

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Jelly Roll revealed he was hospitalized one week before his divorce from estranged wife Bunnie Xo came to light.

“I went to the hospital last night in Charlotte, North Carolina … Shout out to that whole hospital,” Jelly Roll, 41, announced via TikTok on Wednesday, June 10. “They literally got me on my feet for the show.”

The “Son of a Sinner” singer (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) is in the middle of the Big Ass Stadium Tour, where he is supporting headliner Post Malone.

Jelly Roll explained to TikTok followers that he barely got through his show at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte on Tuesday, June 9, due to a sinus infection. The musician sought treatment at a local hospital after performing, causing him to miss out on his usual cameo during Post Malone’s (real name Austin Richard Post) main seat.

“I’m telling you, I was puffy-faced. It was bad, dude. The sinus infection was bad,” he recalled, before joking: “Now, I’m all jacked up because they gave me a bunch of steroids!”

The rapper added, “It was the first night since I’ve been touring with Post that I wasn’t able to come out and sing ‘Losers’ with him because I just barely got through my show.”

The Grammy Award winner revealed that he received a bouquet with a “get well soon” card from Post Malone, 30, the day after his hospital stint.

“I love you, Post,” Jelly Roll beamed. “When I say on stage every night that Post Malone is the nicest human being in the world, I’m not making that up. I won’t say he’s not a rock star. He’s the most ‘rock star’ dude I’ve ever known who’s the most normal dude in the world.”

Us Weekly has reached out to Jelly Roll’s spokesperson for comment.

The health scare occurred one week before Us confirmed that Jelly Roll filed for divorce from Bunnie Xo (real name Alisa DeFord) in Tennessee on May 18. The former couple tied the knot in August 2016 and share no children. (Jelly Roll is a father of two — he shares daughter Bailee Ann, 18, with ex-girlfriend Felicia Beckwith and son Noah Buddy, 9, with ex Melisa Ann Cowell.)

Divorce documents filed by Jelly Roll cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce, specifying that the “parties are unable to live together successfully as Husband and Wife” any longer.

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Documents reviewed by Us confirmed that Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo were seeking “an equitable division of the parties’ assets and apportion[ing] responsibility for payment of the parties’ debts.”

Jelly Roll has been very active on social media since filing for divorce, including removing a reference to Bunnie from his Instagram bio. On Monday, June 15, he offered an update on his 275 lb weight loss journey, sharing that he’d recently started using a protein powder that was effective as a “sweet treat.”

Meanwhile, Bunnie Xo posed in lingerie via her Instagram Storm on Monday, along with hinting that she was “getting her sparkle back.” The podcaster also shared a video where she lip-synced to Nickelback’s hit “How You Remind Me,” which is thought to be inspired by a toxic relationship.

Bunnie Xo shared another provocative social media post in the wake of her split from Jelly Roll.

On Wednesday, June 17, the “Dumb Blonde Podcast” host, 46, posted an Instagram video where she lip-synced to estranged husband Jelly Roll’s 2018 track “No Limit (Freestyle).”

The song choice is bound to raise some eyebrows since Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord), 41, raps about Bunnie (real name Alisa DeFord) in the song. Bunnie Xo specifically sang along to a section of “No Limit (Freestyle)” where he calls her “super bad” and brags that she “looks like a human Barbie.”

“I’ve been known to set it off my bitch bad like Cardi,” Jelly Roll goes on in the song. “That country s*** city slick back of the cup / Have you ever been f***ed in the back of a truck?”

Alongside the lip-syncing video, Bunnie teased in the caption, “Podcast coming.”

Bunnie’s social media posts have drawn plenty of attention since Us Weekly confirmed that Jelly Roll filed for divorce in Tennessee on May 18. The musician cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind his split from Bunnie and suggested they were working towards “an equitable division of the parties’ assets and apportion[ing] responsibility for payment of the parties’ debts.”

Two days after the divorce petition was filed, Bunnie posted a cryptic TikTok video, where she wrote, “Women’s intuition when that s*** don’t add up … Mmmmhmmm #bunniexo.”

On Monday, Bunnie posed in pink lingerie for an Instagram Story with yet another intriguing caption, which read, “She’s getting her sparkle back.” The podcaster also shared a video where she lip-synced to Nickelback’s breakup anthem “How You Remind Me.”

For his part, Jelly Roll removed references to Bunnie from his Instagram bio in the wake of his divorce news. He has otherwise stayed away from directly referencing the split, instead sharing an update on his 275 lb. weight loss journey on Monday.

The “Need a Favor” musician revealed that he was hospitalized in Charlotte one week before his divorce became public knowledge. In a June 10 TikTik video, Jelly Roll explained that he missed a planned duet with Post Malone on their Big Ass Stadium Tour on June 9 because he developed a sinus infection.

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Related: Bunnie Xo Slammed Split Rumors Before Jelly Roll Filed for Divorce

Bunnie Xo clapped back at rumors that her marriage was troubled less than a year before her estranged husband Jelly Roll filed for divorce. “Someone said the other day, ‘They used to always be together, and now you never see them together,’” Bunnie, 46, said in an August 2025 episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast. […]

“I’m telling you, I was puffy-faced. It was bad, dude. The sinus infection was bad,” he recalled, before joking: “Now, I’m all jacked up because they gave me a bunch of steroids!”

The rapper went on, “It was the first night since I’ve been touring with Post that I wasn’t able to come out and sing ‘Losers’ with him because I just barely got through my show.”

Jelly Roll is next set to hit the stage with Post Malone in East Hartford, Connecticut, on June 22 and Cleveland on June 25. (The duo will be supported at both shows by singer-songwriter Carter Faith.)

Never underestimate the power of loyalty when it comes to gamers, because they will die for a new video game in their favorite franchise. This medium has rapidly grown over the past couple of decades, with titles such as Red Dead Redemption 2 and God of War redefining what video games are. However, while new games are needed, the best-selling video games are usually part of a franchise.

There are countless video game franchises, and this list will rank the ten greatest of all time based on aspects such as a balance of quantity and quality, consistency, sales, popularity, innovation, influence, design, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality. Red Dead Redemption may have two of the best games ever, but it is hard to compete against an established game series with dozens of entries.

10

‘Assassin’s Creed’

Image via Ubisoft

A lot of franchises on this list have undertaken massive identity shifts, but one of the biggest changes comes from Assassin’s Creed, which moved from stealth to open-world 3D action. Each game has players entering a machine that takes them into the past, controlling an assassin from history as they try to help save the world by taking down high-profile targets who threaten the peace.

Not every Assassin’s Creed game is a masterpiece, but the franchise is still a legendary one because of its revolutionary stealth mechanics and iconic look. Taking on a new setting in every game spices it up with new historical intrigue and political drama. The new Assassin’s Creed games focus on large worlds and mythological battles, which, while different, are still compelling.

9

‘Halo’

Image via Microsoft

The most mainstream genre is arguably the FPS, which simulates real combat experience under gunfire, and Xbox capitalized on this by delivering the Halo franchise. Playing as the iconic Master Chief, gamers travel throughout the galaxy in an endless war against aliens, specifically the Covenant and the Flood, in different games.

Halo has some of the best video game sequels, highlighting an incredible stretch from the first one until the fourth. The first revolutionized the shooter genre while the second continued to pioneer the multiplayer experience, with the latter ones perfecting said formula. However, Halo does stumble with its fifth game, and while Halo Infinite was good, it is rather forgettable, diminishing a legendary legacy.

8

‘Sonic the Hedgehog’

Image via Sega

Some of the best video game franchises also have the most iconic characters in the medium, such as Sonic the Hedgehog. Some gamers like to take things slow and explore, others prefer to go fast, and that is exactly what this franchise offers. Players control the legendary blue hedgehog as they run around green hills and scientific facilities in order to stop the dastardly Robotnik/Doctor Eggman.

While the franchise is more known for its movies nowadays and nostalgic cartoons, it is still a video game franchise with some of the most memorable gaming experiences. Unfortunately, the Sonic the Hedgehog brand is lesser known for their video games, but historically, the franchise is rooted in gaming excellence, delivering a feeling of velocity and engagement unlike any other.

7

‘Call of Duty’

Image via Activision

As mentioned, the FPS genre might be the most popular, and the greatest franchise it has to offer is Call of Duty. Every year or so, Activision releases a new Call of Duty game centred around authentic shooting gameplay. Sometimes set in the modern age, other times in a historical setting or in the far future, it is all about warfare during different times.

Call of Duty is often criticized for producing the same video game every year, and while they do sometimes have repetitive gameplay and similar styles, the franchise is still too popular to leave off this list. The old games are known for having some of the most defining video game experiences. Playing late-night COD with friends and its satisfying combat is a common yet unrivalled time that popularized the franchise.

6

‘Pokémon’

Image via The Pokémon Company

Even if some of the franchises on this list have disappointing games, they can make it on here if they are popular enough, and there is no franchise as big as Pokémon. This legendary RPG has players catching every Pokémon they can, defeating the eight gym leaders and whatever evil team threatens the region. Each game is set in a new region with different creatures and a fresh adventure.

Pokémon has lost a lot of credibility after making the move to 3D, especially recently on the Nintendo Switch with their buggy releases. However, no matter what happens, this franchise has already established itself as the most well-known gaming brand. Up until the 3DS era, every game was a riveting new experience. Pokémon is more than a gaming franchise; it is a pop culture identity that transcends video games, not to mention it is the largest media franchise in the world.

5

‘Final Fantasy’

Image via Square Enix

Everyone loves a good fantasy game, and after the recent remake, Final Fantasy is once again back on top. This JRPG gaming franchise first started in 1987 and is an anthology series, with each new entry following a new cast with a different story. Starting out as a top-down 2D adventure, it has since delved into the 3D realm.

With around 16 entries in this video game franchise, Final Fantasy is an expansive series that has a die-hard fanbase. However, it is best known for the sixth and seventh games, which are timeless experiences that innovated through their storytelling, scale, and gameplay. Final Fantasy has some of the best villains in video game history, which helps create such a rich and compelling experience.

4

‘Resident Evil’

Image via Capcom

The horror genre is one of the most renowned in video game history because of the immersion and greater sense of fear, and Resident Evil understood this. Whether it be zombies or mutated creatures, each game has supernatural fiends causing mayhem wherever they go, with the player needing to stop them. Resident Evil defined the survival horror genre while constantly offering new styles.

Currently celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2026, this franchise has never been more popular, with new remakes being announced, a ninth game being a game of the year candidate, and a movie coming out later in the year. Ranging from an immersive and haunting horror experience to an action-packed survival masterclass, Resident Evil constantly reinvents itself to innovate on the horror genre and push the franchise to new heights.

3

‘The Legend of Zelda’

When it comes to franchises, Nintendo has some of the most critically acclaimed and popular, such as Kirby and Metroid. However, the best reviewed is The Legend of Zelda, which commonly follows Link as he travels around the kingdom of Hyrule to save the princess Zelda from the evil clutches of Ganondorf as he tries to claim the Triforce for himself.

The Legend of Zelda franchise has always been critically acclaimed, but it has also reached a new level of popularity with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which brought it to an open world. From the intricately designed dungeons to the sense of adventure and exploration it evokes to the whimsical world full of lore and wonder, this franchise is ageless. The Legend of Zelda has no bad games, whether it be the charming 2D games, the dungeon-based classic 3D Zelda titles, or the new age open-air experiences.

2

‘Grand Theft Auto’

Image via Rockstar Games, Inc.

Rockstar is a prolific video game studio known for a couple of franchises, including Grand Theft Auto. Every game is set in a new world inspired by a real American city, from Los Angeles to New York City to Miami. Usually playing as criminals, gamers maneuver their way through the crime-filled city just trying to make a living, but this usually gets them involved with the police and other underworld enemies.

The Legend of Zelda is more recognizable as it never strays too far from its dedicated style, but Grand Theft Auto has better sales and general popularity. Not to mention, this franchise has some of the most critically acclaimed video games that are all revolutionary masterpieces, brimming with ambition and scale. Grand Theft Auto VI is bound to be the largest video game in history, further cementing this franchise as one of the best.

1

‘Mario’

Image via Nintendo

Some franchises are iconic because of the games, others due to the main character, but for Mario, it is both. The red plumber never takes a day off, always needing to rescue Princess Peach from the dastardly Bowser. However, the Mario franchise is more than just a platformer; it expands to sports games, party titles, RPGs, and kart racing sensations.

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While this entry doesn’t include closely related franchises like Luigi’s Mansion, Yoshi, Peach, Wario, and Super Smash Bros., it does count the Mario Party, RPG games like Paper Mario, Mario sports games, and Mario Kart alongside the 2D and 3D platformers. Mario is a staple in the video game industry, with everyone knowing the iconic character. All the games sell well, especially the inventive platformers that are the best of the genre.

When a movie takes you into the trenches, and in the houses of families supported by those in the trenches, that’s when a war movie becomes a masterpiece. Now, loud ones often get remembered through the biggest images first: battles, explosions, uniforms, speeches, flags, sacrifice. The underrated ones usually cut from a stranger angle.

They stay with one frightened unit, one prisoner yard, one broken soldier, one train line, one ruined village, one act of resistance that history could have swallowed whole. That is why this list needs a sharper standard. The 10 movies on this list are in my opinion, masterpieces, because they find pressure where louder films sometimes miss it. Or perhaps, louder films have it too and it’s the people who skipped it. Allow me help you see it.

10

‘A Midnight Clear’ (1992)

Image via InterStar Releasing

Christmas in a war film should feel like relief, but in A Midnight Clear it feels like a cruel little reminder that these boys are still young enough to want peace more than glory. The story follows Will Knott (Ethan Hawke) and his American intelligence squad in the Ardennes during World War II, where they encounter German soldiers who seem less interested in fighting than finding a way to surrender without being executed by their own side. That setup gives the film a strange tenderness before dread starts pressing in.

What makes it special is how badly everyone wants the war to stop for even one night. The snow, the singing, the nervous attempts at trust, and the awkward little gestures between enemies all create this fragile pocket of humanity that feels too good to survive. Will carries the confusion of someone trying to be decent in a situation designed to punish decency. The movie hurts because hope keeps appearing in small human shapes, and each one feels exposed to gunfire.

9

‘The Big Red One’ (1980)

Image via United Artists 

The Big Red One follows a sergeant (Lee Marvin) leading a squad in the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division through North Africa, Sicily, D-Day, and the liberation of a concentration camp. The men around him, including Griff (Mark Hamill), are less like mythic warriors and more like survivors trying to stay alive long enough to understand what the war has done to them.

The film’s roughness is part of its force. Death can be absurd, ugly, quick, or almost casually placed in the corner of a scene. Combat doesn’t feel clean. The childbirth in a tank, the watchful silence before danger, the strange jokes soldiers make to keep fear from eating them, and the concentration camp material all build a war movie that feels remembered rather than manufactured. It is imperfect in shape, yet full of moments that cut deeper than smoother classics. That’s a war movie’s brutal beauty to me.

8

‘Attack’ (1956)

Image via United Artists

Few war movies make cowardice in command feel this enraging. A U.S. infantry unit in Europe is stuck under Captain Cooney (Eddie Albert), a weak officer whose rank protects him while better men die under his decisions. Lieutenant Costa (Jack Palance) sees exactly what Cooney is, and that knowledge turns every mission into a second battle. The enemy is out there, yes, but the danger inside the chain of command keeps poisoning the unit first.

That is what gives Attack its nasty potency. Cooney is frightening. His cowardice has social cover. He can smile, drink, excuse himself, and hide behind procedure while men pay for his fear. Colonel Bartlett (Lee Marvin) adds another layer of rot through ambition and political calculation. Costa’s rage feels earned because he is watching authority become a death sentence for the soldiers beneath it. The film deserves more love because it tears into a war-movie lie audiences still get sold too often: rank and courage do not always live in the same body.

7

‘The Hill’ (1965)

Image via MGM

A military prison in the desert should not feel more exhausting than a battlefield, yet this film turns punishment into its own war. The Hill has Joe Roberts (Sean Connery), a British soldier sent to a North African detention camp during World War II, where prisoners are forced to climb a brutal man-made hill under the control of sadistic guards. The camp has rules, uniforms, authority, and discipline, but all of that order is being used to crush men instead of preparing them.

The hill itself becomes sickening because it has no purpose beyond humiliation. Men climb it, fall, sweat, vomit, break, and climb again while the officers pretend cruelty is correction. Connery strips away every trace of glamour and gives Roberts a hard, burning refusal to let the system define him. Regimental Sergeant Major Wilson (Harry Andrews) and Staff Sergeant Williams (Ian Hendry) bring different shades of institutional violence, from rigid command to personal sadism. The movie is underrated because it understands war beyond combat. Sometimes the machine destroys its own soldiers before the enemy ever gets near them.

6

‘The Train’ (1964)

Image via United Artists

The Train is one of the greatest “how much is culture worth during war?” thrillers, and it never turns that question into a lecture. Labiche (Burt Lancaster) is a French railway inspector and Resistance member who is asked to stop a Nazi officer from transporting stolen French art to Germany. Labiche is practical, tired, and focused on lives rather than paintings, which makes his involvement more interesting than simple patriotic duty.

The suspense is all sweat, metal, timing, and sacrifice. Tracks are rerouted. Engines are sabotaged. Stations become traps. Railway workers risk themselves for canvases some of them will never fully understand in museum terms, yet the theft itself represents something larger than property. Colonel von Waldheim (Paul Scofield) is dangerous because he treats art as a possession he alone deserves to preserve. Labiche keeps losing people as the mission grows, and the film keeps asking what civilization means when human bodies are the price of saving its treasures. Few war thrillers move with this much muscle and moral anger at once.

5

‘The Steel Helmet’ (1951)

Image via Lippert Pictures

The Steel Helmet is about a helmet with a bullet hole and a lost child walking through war can say more than a giant battle scene. Sergeant Zack (Gene Evans) is a hardened American soldier who survives a massacre and moves through hostile territory with a young Korean boy he nicknames Short Round (William Chun). They join a small American patrol and take shelter in a Buddhist temple, where exhaustion, prejudice, fear, and enemy pressure start colliding in close quarters.

The film is blunt in the best way. Zack is tough, bitter, and ugly in his assumptions, but the world around him keeps challenging the easy categories soldiers use to survive. The temple setting gives the story an eerie stillness, almost as if ancient calm is watching modern violence embarrass itself. Short Round gives the movie its emotional sting because childhood keeps wandering through adult cruelty without protection. Made so soon after World War II and during the Korean War itself, the film feels raw, angry, and shockingly direct about race, trauma, and survival.

4

‘Fires on the Plain’ (1959)

Image via Daiei Film

Hunger eats the humanity out of this movie one scene at a time. You’ll know that when you watch Fires on the Plain. It follows Tamura (Eiji Funakoshi), a sick Japanese soldier rejected by his own unit in the Philippines near the end of World War II and told to find a hospital that barely has room for the living. He drifts through a collapsing landscape where soldiers are starving, command has dissolved, and survival has become more frightening than death.

The film is almost unbearable because it removes every romantic escape hatch. Tamura is not marching toward glory but wandering through a world where bodies, fields, smoke, and empty stomachs keep narrowing the idea of what a person can be. The other soldiers he meets are trapped between shame, desperation, cannibalism, and the animal needs to continue breathing. Fires on the Plain is war stripped down to appetite and ruin and calling it underrated feels insane after watching it, because few anti-war films look this directly at what defeat does to the soul.

3

‘The Burmese Harp’ (1956)

Image via Nikkatsu

The Burmese Harp may just be the gentlest film on this list but also the one that leaves the deepest bruise. Here’s how. Near the close of World War II, a group of Japanese soldiers in Burma surrender and try to hold onto music, dignity, and each other after the fighting has already taken so much. Mizushima (Shoji Yasui), one of their men, is sent to persuade another Japanese unit to surrender, then becomes separated from his comrades and begins a journey that changes the rest of his life.

What follows has a quiet spiritual ache that sneaks up on you. Mizushima sees dead Japanese soldiers left unburied across Burma, and the sight pulls him away from ordinary return. His harp, his disguise as a monk, and his growing need to care for the abandoned dead turn the film into something more painful than a survival story. The soldiers singing together gives the movie warmth, but that warmth keeps meeting the cost of the war they survived. It is a masterpiece because it understands guilt after surrender. Living is one burden. Remembering the dead properly is another.

2

‘The Ascent’ (1977)

Image via Mosfilm

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The Ascent feels cold in a way that goes past the weather. Two Soviet partisans, Sotnikov (Boris Plotnikov) and Rybak (Vladimir Gostyukhin), search for food in Nazi-occupied Belarus and get captured after a desperate journey through snow, fear, and exhaustion. On paper, it is a wartime survival story. In the experience of watching it, the film becomes a moral furnace where pain, betrayal, faith, and fear strip both men down to what they truly are.

Sotnikov’s body is weak, sick, and battered, yet his inner stillness grows more powerful as the pressure increases. Rybak is more physically capable, and that makes his terror more devastating because he keeps trying to stay alive one compromise at a time. Larisa Shepitko gives the snow, faces, silences, and interrogations a force that feels almost sacred without turning the film soft. The villagers, the collaborators, the German officers, and the prisoners all seem trapped under the same dead sky. This is one of the greatest war films ever made because it treats survival as a question of the soul, not only the body.

1

‘Army of Shadows’ (1969)

Image via Valoria Films

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No resistance film has ever made heroism feel this tired, lonely, and stripped of applause. This is hands down the most underrated war film ever made. Army of Shadows follows members of the French Resistance under Nazi occupation, especially Philippe Gerbier (Lino Ventura), a calm and disciplined operative who escapes, hides, organizes, and makes brutal decisions with almost no space for emotion. These people are brave, but the film never lets bravery become glamour. It feels closer to a job done in the dark by people who know the job may erase them.

That is why it sits at the top. The safe houses, coded meetings, prison breaks, executions, betrayals, and quiet waits all carry the same terrible understanding: resistance requires courage, but it also demands secrecy, suspicion, and choices that damage the people making them. Gerbier carries a heaviness that feels carved from experience. Mathilde (Simone Signoret) is brilliant, practical, and heartbreaking because competence cannot protect her from every consequence. The film’s greatness is in its refusal to flatter the viewer. It honors resistance by showing how much of it looked like fear, patience, grief, and silence.

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Army of Shadows

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Release Date

September 10, 1969

Runtime

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145 minutes

Director

Jean-Pierre Melville

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Writers

Jean-Pierre Melville, Joseph Kessel

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  Lino Ventura

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  Philippe Gerbier

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  Jean-Pierre Cassel

  Jean-François Jardie

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