April is often considered the month of rebirth, as it’s when Easter takes place and spring kicks into high gear. This April also marks a milestone in pop culture, as it’s the month when four of the biggest television shows air in the same week​​​. It began on Monday with the premiere of Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord on Disney+, while Tuesday saw a game-changing episode of Daredevil: Born Again. Finally, today was a double header forInvincible and The Boys, especially as the latter show is entering its final season. This stacked lineup looks to continue throughout April, and to paraphrase a Bible verse, this is proof that the geek has inherited the Earth.

Such a collection of pop culture riches is rare, but when it happens, the results are worth talking about. 2015, for example, saw the release of Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Jurassic World, which reignited their respective franchises and cemented the idea of the “legacy sequel” alongside Creed. What makes 2026’s crop of television series stand out is the way they bring new dimensions to certain franchises, proving that in the right hands, classic stories can avoid audience fatigue. It also makes Disney+ and Prime Video worth an investment, especially for longtime viewers.

April Cements Disney+ and Prime Video As Hubs For Pop Culture

It’s no secret that most streamers are built on the backs of established franchises. Disney+ leaned on Marvel and Star Wars for its streaming library, while Prime Video has appealed to fans of all stripes with its fantasy and science fiction series. Maul — Shadow Lord, Daredevil: Born Again, Invincible, and The Boys cement this approach as they’ve topped the charts on their respective streamers and sparked discussion on social media. Each one of these shows also fills a certain fandom niche: if you’re a die-hard Star Wars or science fiction fan, Maul — Shadow Lord is right up your alley, while the rest of the shows provide a weekly fix for superhero fans.

Another major element that makes these shows stand out is that they all focus on fan-favorite characters. Darth Maul has long been an iconic figure since his first appearance in Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace, and Shadow Lord finally gives him a much-needed spotlight. Daredevil: Born Again is a reminder of how the original Daredevil series thrived on the dynamic Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio). Invincible and The Boys upend standard superhero tropes in spectacularly violent fashion. There’s plenty of variety and depth in these shows, so it’s no surprise that fans keep tuning in.

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“May the Force be with you.”

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Animation Is Making A Big Splash in April

Image via Crunchyroll

The fact that Invincible and Maul — Shadow Lord are at the top of Disney+ and Prime Video’s streaming charts is a strong reminder that animation remains a medium ripe with potential. Most people tend to write off animation as merely targeted toward children, or think the only way that it can be “adult” is if it engages in South Park-level shenanigans. Thankfully, Invincible and Maul – Shadow Lord prove these thoughts are exceptions to the rule, and they’re the precursor to more animated series in April. This month will also see the release of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, along with the adaptation of Witch Hat Atelier.

Both of these animated series are a big deal for different reasons. Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will be the first major spinoff series for Stranger Things, showcasing a story that takes place in between Seasons 2 and 3 and featuring the return of fan favorite characters. Witch Hat Atelier, which adapts the manga by Kamome Shirahama, focuses on a girl named Coco who learns to be a witch in a world where magic is an innate force. It’s a premise that subverts the usual expectations of a fantasy realm, making Witch Hat Atelier worth watching. Whether superheroes, spaceships, or sorcery is your thing, April has a show for you.

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April 6, 2026

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Disney+

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Directors

Brad Rau

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Star Wars

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General Hospital early weekly spoilers for April 13th through the 17th say Ethan Lovett (Nathan Dean Parsons) is coming back for revenge and also Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) seems to be injured, possibly quite seriously.

As we always do on early edition day, we start with what’s coming the rest of this week, then we talk about next week.

General Hospital Spoilers Wednesday, April 8th: Britt Gets Another Warning

So, on Wednesday, April 8th, we’ve got Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) getting another warning from Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey). He’s telling her to be careful. He already told Britt she’s in a lot of trouble and Cassius says he wants to help her, but he’s insisting that Britt has to finish the prototype.

Plus, she basically has to go over to Wyndemere and suck up to Sidwell (Carlo Rota) and just beg for mercy. So, she does and Britt tells Sidwell that she will do whatever he wants just as Cassius ordered her to. So, I wonder if Sidwell is going to ask for something extreme and Cassius may warn her do it no matter what it is.

That same day, Sidwell is ordering somebody to get rid of a woman permanently. So, we’ll see if he’s talking to Britt or to Cassius or Pascal (Mark Forget) and maybe about Kristina Corinthos (Kate Mansi), you know.

So, we still don’t know exactly which woman it is he is threatening, but hopefully Sidwell’s not going to demand that Britt kill somebody as her way of atonement because I don’t think she’s up for that.

GH Spoilers: Carly in a Panic

Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) leaps into action. So Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) is with Carly as she takes a phone call frantically asking what’s wrong. Then Valentin and Carly are going to get in the car and go speeding off.

So, we’ll see what that is about, whether it has something to do with Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) and Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke). Because remember Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) was asking Charlotte about her driving safety.

And if Charlotte and Danny have something bad happen, obviously Valentin and Carly are going to leap to action. After Jordan and Curtis Ashford‘s (Donnell Turner) car crash, there’s sparks flying. Looks like Jordan is injured.

Possibly, you know, she hit a power line or one came down with the wreck. They’re kissing. They’re not paying attention to the road. That was terrible. Terrible teenager driving that was going on with those two on General Hospital.

General Hospital Spoilers: Sidwell Opens up to Ava

Meanwhile, Sidwell pours his heart out to Ava Jerome (Maura West) and he may tell her more about his suspicions about Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) killing Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo). And Ava wants to know if somebody is under arrest.

And I wonder if, you know, she is hoping Sidwell is able to get justice for Marco already. I mean, honestly, if Sonny is arrested or killed, it’s going to make Ava’s life probably easier.

Gio tells Brook Lynn Ashton (Amanda Setton), “It would have been nice to look out and see her in the audience at Charlie’s.” Now, she rushed over after Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) called, but she might not have made it in time.

And Gio is saying sorry and I wonder if it’s for pushing his parents away or you know if he had wanted Brook Lynn there he could have actually invited her. There’s that.

Dante asked Emma if there’s any updates on Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) tells Rocco Falconeri Finn Carr) that she may need to take him to the ER. So Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) is rushing to get there and he said it’d be 40 minutes.

We’ll see if you know with these car wrecks and stuff he might get called into the hospital instead of coming there. But Isaiah is hiding a secret and it may be about Rocco’s wound.

Thursday, April 9th: Curtis Really Upset on GH

Thursday, April 9th, we’ve got Carly being careful and this may involve keeping Valentin out of sight while they are driving to help somebody. Gio tells Emma he’s grateful for her and I’m sure it’s her support during Gio’s parent crisis. Curtis is really upset, likely involving Jordan and their car crash.

And Curtis may panic because Jordan’s severely injured. She already only has the one kidney. Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) makes a reveal to somebody. It could be (Jacinda Bracken). I wonder if Jack’s going to give her an idea of what he has on Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen).

Obviously, the photos that Jack has could get Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) full custody forever, even if they can’t get Willow arrested. And already Jacinda made more progress in a way than Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) did.

Because she has a very good idea now that Charlotte knows exactly where her dad is. Plus, Kristina talks about her past and it could be with Jacinda. We’ll have to wait and see if Kristina is targeted at the opening.

General Hospital Spoilers Friday, April 10th: Laura Looking For Curtis

Friday, April 10th, we’ve got Laura Spencer (Genie Francis). She is going and looking for Curtis. And I’m sure it’s to check in on him and Jordan after the car crash. This week over at Sonny’s, he and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) are looking tense as somebody arrives at Sonny’s house.

Maybe it’s Carly, maybe it is Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor). And Sonny is asking Ric to do something. So, I wonder if he’s looking for some kind of promise. You know, Sonny is obviously worried that this thing with Sidwell could go sideways.

He may want Ric to step up in case something happens to him, especially with Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) gone. Could be some kind of last wish sort of thing, just in case, insurance policy. And Carly gives somebody as good as they give to her. She’s fighting back.

We’ll see what that’s about. But she’s definitely trying to protect Valentin still and she’s very upset about Jason. She’s very angry at Jack. Lots of stuff going on with her. And Nina is pushed too far, I’m assuming, by Jack because he’s the one who is her primary source of stress right now.

Week of April 13th-17th on GH

Then the week of April 13th through the 17th, we’ve got Rocco continuing to be consumed by guilt. He hates that Jason was arrested. I don’t think he’s really getting that Jason was going to be arrested by the WSB anyway. Nothing to do with him.

But the whole Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) shooting just kind of substantiated it. But Dante is questioning that that has nothing to do with the shooting because the warrant was already out there and Cullum’s hiding it was. And of course, it was just to leverage Britt.

So, Rocco’s still feeling really guilty about the whole Danny thing. And hopefully his hand isn’t going to get worse or Dante is definitely going to find out. And I’m guessing he would recognize that kind of injury.

Brad Cooper (Parry Shen) and Britt are going to keep trying to find out who Jason covered for. Rocco may let something slip and Britt puts two and two together or she may get a glimpse at Rocco’s hand. And again, I think she would realize what that injury is.

General Hospital Spoilers: Carly’s Agreement with Valentin

Carly and Valentin are going to make an agreement with each other and it may have something to do about why they were out and about, which I think is tied to Danny and Charlotte. Willow tries desperately to keep her secret.

And if she loops Sidwell in on Kai and Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) knowing that she shot Drew Cain (Cameron Mathison), I wouldn’t trust Sidwell not to do a bad thing because he wants his pet congressman and Drew wasn’t cooperative and Willow is a lot more cooperative.

Cassius is going to keep getting closer to Lulu. He’s continuing to protect Rocco and he’s wooing her, but Lulu may start asking some tough questions because no matter what, that is definitely not Nathan West (Ryan Paevey) and he’s not acting like him deeper than a surface level.

Brennan maximizes his efforts to recapture Valentin. And if he gets any inkling that he is still in Port Charles, much less with Carly, that’s going to be a huge explosion with her and Jack. I think Carly is going to read him for filth over Josslyn, Jason, and a lot of stuff. Ric and Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) keep getting closer, and they could make love soon.

Ethan Lovett Returns to GH on Friday, April 17th

Watch for Ethan Lovett’s return on Friday, April 17th. So, Nathan Dean Parsons is back to GH and we’re going to see Ethan going after revenge on Sidwell for trying to blow up his sister Sasha Gilmore and trying to kill his mom Holly Sutton (Emma Samms). And word is that Ethan is going to conspire with Sonny to take down Sidwell.

By Matthew Flynn
| Published 2 minutes ago

Near Dark, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, is a unique blend of neo-Western and horror genres. The plot traces the life of Caleb Colton, a small-town young man, who gets entwined with a family of nomadic American vampires. The film stars Adrian Pasdar as the protagonist Caleb, with Jenny Wright, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, and Jenette Goldstein in the supporting roles.

Originally, Kathryn Bigelow had intended to make a pure Western movie with Near Dark. However, she found garnering financial backing too challenging. Unfazed, she decided to embed the elements of the popular vampire genre into the Western setting.

This ambitious undertaking of blending the genres led to a revisionist interpretation and brought about the resurgence of American vampire films in the 1980s.

Near Dark first graced the silver screen at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 1987 before being officially released on October 2, 1987, across 262 theaters. Despite its innovative take on the vampire genre, the movie failed to make a significant impact at the box office initially. Nevertheless, it won the favor of critics and eventually cultivated a dedicated cult following over the years.

The narrative of Near Dark is centered around Caleb, who encounters Mae, an enigmatic drifter. After she bites him on the neck, he finds himself turning into a vampire and is subsequently taken into the fold of her roving vampire crew. Caleb grapples with his new form, particularly his aversion to kill for sustenance, which estranges him from his new family.

Renowned for her unique storytelling style and visual flair, Kathryn Bigelow made her directorial debut with Near Dark. After, Bigelow continued to create groundbreaking films across a broad spectrum of genres, from war drama The Hurt Locker, which saw her become the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director, to the thrilling action in Point Break and the gripping drama of Zero Dark Thirty.

Bigelow was married to director James Cameron from 1989 to 1991 and knew him prior to her work on Near Dark. Their connection could explain the carryover from Cameron’s Aliens to Near Dark. Three actors from Cameron’s film, Paxton, Goldstein and Henriksen, also appear in Near Dark.

The film received a generally positive response from critics, who appreciated the amalgamation of the Western, biker, and vampire movie elements in Near Dark. But no one saw it.

Near Dark was made on a modest budget of around $5 million, but despite strong reviews and a now-cult reputation, it struggled commercially, earning only about $3.4 million at the domestic box office. When released in 1987, the film faced stiff competition and marketing challenges, especially as audiences gravitated toward more traditional vampire fare like The Lost Boys, which hit theaters that year with a flashier, youth-oriented appeal. Yet, its status as a cult classic grew over time.

In 2006, plans for a remake of Near Dark made headlines but were later abandoned due to its conceptual resemblance to Twilight. The shelved project was to be a collaboration between Rogue Pictures and Platinum Dunes, with Samuel Bayer set to direct.

Near Dark stands as a testament to the compelling blend of Western and vampire genres. Despite its initial box office performance, the film continues to captivate audiences and critics alike with its unique charm.

Throughout his time on social media, Jake Paul has remained a controversial figure. Alongside his brother Logan Paul, the two have often found themselves at the center of online debates. From YouTube to boxing, Jake can’t seem to escape the hot seat. Well, it looks like after a recent interview, he’s right back in it while discussing what he’s possibly cooking up in response to Druski’s viral skit

RELATED: Wait, WHAT?! President Trump Seemingly Tells Erika Kirk To Sue Druski Over His “Conservative Women” Skit (VIDEO)

Jake Paul Says Druski’s Skit Sparked Him To Consider His Own Version In Blackface

Jake Paul recently sat down with Theo Von. In a part of the podcast, the two reacted to Druski’s “Conservative Women” skit, sharing how hilarious it was.

Jake stated, “It’s f***king hilarious. I loved it. And I’m obviously Republican, and like, all the Republicans being mad about this sh is like a f***ing L for Republicans, because this is f***king hilarious. And even though it’s… dark and twisted… this is what comedy… is… we are f***king humans. Let’s make fun of ourselves. And there’s truth in this. Yes. And extreme truth. And people weren’t ready for that.”

Jake then shared that for the last couple of days, he’s been calling makeup artists while thinking about responding to Druski with his own skit, but darker. When discussing if he would be on the same playing field as Druski, Theo shared that there’s a way to do it and that the character may need Black support from someone like Druski or Charles Barkley.

Jake responded, saying, “That’s p****ing out.” He added, “Doesn’t that make us more prejudiced if we have to partner with someone. Druski just dropped this ad he’s done it a couple of times and I… love it. This is great. This is how humans should be. We should make fun of each other, and I don’t see in color; I see in truth and comedy. So like, what are we talking about? So you’re saying that… what era are we living in?”

The two went on to discuss Justin Trudeau and Jimmy Kimmel, both of whom have previously worn blackface. Jake added, “Look at f***ing Jimmy Kimmel on the left. Untouchable, like what the f**k bro how does he get away with it?”

Theo Von also shared that the thing that pisses him off is that kids can’t be black for Halloween and dress up as their favorite athletes and such.

Social Media Reacts

As soon as Jake Paul’s clip hit the timeline, folks headed straight to The Shade Room Teens’ comment section! Some went in on him, educating on the history of blackface. Others even feel like he’s been wanting to do it and is using this as an excuse. Meanwhile, others mentioned it’s different because Druski did it for comedic purposes, while questioning Jake Paul’s intentions.

Instagram user @freakymarko wrote, “He been wanting to do it but using druski as an excuse to do it”

Instagram user @daeja_vu_ added, ”He’s not funny tho yer his black face would be done with ill intent. Druski just being a good comedian there’s a difference”

While Instagram user @cheyenneleondra wrote,”Somebody said ‘didn’t a black man already rearrange your face 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂” 

Instagram user  @lostvibzs wrote, “go ahead and try it milk cricket.”

Instagram user @noflutesallowed added, “A comedian displaying a character and a regular yt man doing blackface are TWO TOTALLY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS. But do it and see 😏”

While Instagram user @d_alluring1 wrote, “wtf is blacking around?”

Instagram user @iyahszn wrote, “yt folks wanna be oppressed so bad i don’t get it. they hate feelin left out 😂”

Instagram user @thebiggestbratalive added, “HAVE YALL NOT BEEN DOING TS THO???”

While Instagram user @downeastjay wrote, “I hope he does I’d love to never see him box again”

Druski Has The Internet In A Chokehold As Fans React To His Past White Characters

Since Druski dropped his latest skit a few weeks ago, many have been reacting to his other white characters. While the “Conservative Women” skit is trending now, fans also praised his “Proud To Be American” and “White Boy In The Hood” characters.

While picking their favorites, one user gave Druski his flowers, writing, “No one can tell me that this man isn’t funny,” adding, “Definitely between the white YN and conservative white woman.” Some couldn’t even pick a favorite, with one person writing, “All of em & s/o to his Grandaddy.”

RELATED: Social Media Asks About Druski’s Family After His Apparent Response To Backlash Over His “Conservative Women” Skit

If you’re looking for top-notch dramas, your streaming destination should be Amazon Prime Video.

The Watch With Us team has put together our roundup of the three Prime Video dramas with at least 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

All three of this month’s selections competed for numerous Oscars, including Best Picture.

However, the most recent arrival, Marty Supreme, is only available for rent on Prime Video at the moment. But at least it’s on sale if you decide that you’d rather purchase it.

Related: New on Prime Video in April 2026 — The Complete List of Movies and TV Shows

Prime Video remains the best value among streaming services today. Where else can you stream the latest blockbuster movies, like Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning with Tom Cruise, as well as original films like Crime 101, starring Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry? It’s not all movies, though. Prime Video has some pretty spectacular shows […]

‘Ford v Ferrari’ (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92

Don’t be fooled by the thrilling racing sequences in Ford v Ferrari. There’s a gripping sports bio drama underneath those scenes that made this film an Oscar nominee for Best Picture. Matt Damon and Christian Bale lead the cast as race car designer Carroll Shelby and race car driver Ken Miles, respectively.

The two men are hired to come together after Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) feels personally insulted by Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone). To get back at Ferrari, Ford wants Miles and Shelby to create a Ford racing car that’s capable of beating Ferrari’s top model at one of the most prestigious races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But the task is hard enough to pull off without some of Ford’s executives undermining Shelby and Miles along the way.

Ford v Ferrari is streaming on Prime Video.

‘American Fiction’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93

American Fiction was also a nominee for Best Picture, and Jeffrey Wright was also up for Best Actor for his performance as Dr. Thelonious “Monk” Ellison. Monk is an academic and a novelist, but his books don’t sell, and he finds himself feeling increasingly jealous of Sintara Golden (Issa Rae), a Black author who panders to stereotypes in her best-selling books.

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Related: 7 Must-Watch Drama Movies on Prime Video

It’s a quiet month for dramas on Amazon Prime Video, even though a handful of big releases like Sinners will be making their debut on the streamer later in December. Since those new arrivals aren’t dramas, we’re going with a 2024 biopic that had major movie distributors running away from it out of fear of […]

Out of frustration, Monk writes a satirical novel that goes even farther than Sinatra’s books. To his shock and horror, Monk’s new novel is received as a massive hit. He’s even convinced to take on a pen name, Stagg R. Leigh, whom the publisher pretends is an escaped fugitive on the run from the law. Suddenly, Monk has all of the success he ever dreamed about, even as he’s unsettled about the way it happened. But this deception can only go on for so long.

American Fiction is streaming on Prime Video.

‘Marty Supreme’ (2025)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93

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Marty Supreme was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Timothée Chalamet. Although the film went home empty-handed, it was still one of the best movies released in 2025. Chalamet plays Marty Mauser, a young man who dreams of being a table tennis champion in the early ’50s. Marty is also incredibly unscrupulous and willing to rob and lie just to get the chance he needs to succeed.

Marty also finds himself wrapped up in two different romantic relationships, including an actress, Kay Stone (Gwyneth Paltrow), and his childhood friend, Rachel Mizler (Odessa A’zion), who is married to another man. Given the depths Marty is willing to go to get ahead, it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that some of those attempts backfire. Marty knows what he wants, but the price he’ll have to pay for his ambition is getting higher by the minute.

Marty Supreme is available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

Social media users are goin’ IN after Hunxho exclusively reacted to the viral “you the birthday” trend sparked by his ‘Birthday Girl’ song.

RELATED: Whew! Hunxho’s New Look Has The Internet Girlies Up In Arms (PHOTO + VIDEOS)

Hunxho Reacts To Viral “You The Birthday” Trend Sparked By His ‘Birthday Girl’ Song

According to Genius, on September 19, 2025, Hunxho released his project ‘For Her 2,’ which featured 16 songs, one of which was titled ‘Birthday Girl.’ On the chorus of the song, Hunxho sings, “It’s your birthday, look good on your birthday/ Chanel for your birthday, Van Cleef for your birthday/ It’s your birthday, it’s me for your birthday/ Peace on your birthday, she eat, she the birthday girl”

Apparently, social media users found Hunxho’s “she the birthday” phrase appealing, and recently many have been sharing videos and comments using the phrase.

Swipe below to see.

Social Media Users Are Goin’ IN

Since then, other social media users have been wondering what “she the birthday,” and the subsequent phrases mean. TSR’s social media contributor, Lawrencia Grose, exclusively reached out to Hunxho for his take.

“I’m still tryna figure what ‘she the birthday’ is myself. I like what they did wit it though,” he stated in part.

Although Hunxho himself is a bit puzzled, that didn’t stop social media users from goin’ IN on him in TSR’s comment section.

Before Hunxho Reacted To The Viral “You The Birthday” Trend Sparked By His ‘Birthday Girl’ Song, He Was Speaking On His “Wrongs”

Before Hunxho reacted to the viral “you the birthday” trend, he was making headlines for welcoming a baby girl into the world. As The Shade Room previously reported, in January, Hunxho took to his Instagram Story, showing that he welcomed his third child.

Around that same time, he took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share a message about his “wrongs” and “flaws.”

RELATED: Hunxho Shares Message Speaking On His “Wrongs” After Revealing He Recently Welcomed Newborn Baby Girl