Social media users are raising eyebrows after Rod Wave’s girlfriend, Mini Barbie, shared a message that some believe was aimed at the mother of his children, Dee. Mini Barbie recently spoke about people using ChatGPT to edit their photos. Some social media users quickly connected the post to Dee after she recently used ChatGPT to edit a photo.

Related: Rod Wave Speaks On Music Ownership Amid Ongoing Boosie & Lyfe Jennings Sampling Dispute (VIDEOS)

Mini Barbie Shares A Message About ChatGPT

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, The Shade Room Teens reported on a post by Mini Barbie. She took to social media to warn about people using ChatGPT to edit their photos.

“Y’all need to stop using ChatGPT for pictures it be making y’all look like different people,” she wrote, adding several crying emojis.

While Mini Barbie didn’t name anyone in the post, some social media users immediately thought she was referring to Dee.

The speculation comes after Dee recently shared a photo that she edited using ChatGPT to remove a thigh tattoo. The post sparked an online conversation, with some users now wondering whether Mini Barbie’s message was directed at her.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users slid in TSR Teens’ comment section with their thoughts.

Instagram user @keepup_withstarr wrote, “Why she wanna beef with that girl so bad !! See this what I be talking about how you in a relationship who and still stalking the EX 😂😂😂”

Another Instagram user @butmamamonaaee wrote, “Nari keeping tabs bc she know Rod still want Dee. 😂😂😂😂 she really just a placeholder no shadeeeee”

While Instagram user @neshellej_ wrote, “omg they make everything abt Dee 😭 ppl using ChatGPT to edit themselves BEEN a thing, just happened Dee did the same thing. Y’all always tryna make 2&2 equal 4.

Instagram user @asyawasyaa wrote, “could’ve said anything but ChatGPT, she too specific 😂😂😂😊”

Another Instagram @bxllabrii wrote, “The only ones shading Dee are the fans because assuming that Mini Barbie was talking about her and only her is wild 😭”

While Instagram user @blackjoi_ wrote, “Dee gives a room tour of her & her bf room for thier weekend getaway. here come Rod & Nari posting their room. Dee post her supporting her man at the football game. here come Nari posting her and Rod at a NFL game a day after. Now Nari throwing shade because Dee asked someone to remove her tatt off her leg using ChatGPT. Dee keep applying pressure baby girl cause you got both of them stalking you.”

Instagram user @mama_cittaa580 wrote, “The fans is the problem cause Dee it’s not the only one use ChatGPT and AI”

Another Instagram user @darichauntie_ wrote, “Baby if you listen to the songs on the album he’s still singing about Dee 🤣”

While Instagram user @s.sneakyyy wrote, And soon as Dee say something y’all gone swear my girl being bigger 😒😂😂😂😂”

Dee Shares A Tweet Amid Speculation About Mini Barbie’s Post

Meanwhile, Dee who shares twin girls with Rod Wave, appeared to respond with a mesage of her own as fans try to connect the dots. On Thursday, Sept. 17, she took to social media and wrote, “U can not argue with ppl on the internet u just got to catch them and put paws on them 😂😂😂😂.”

While Dee didn’t mention Mini Barbie or Rod Wave by name, her post comes as social media continues to debate the meaning behind Mini Barbie’s ChatGPT message.

Related: The ‘Net Pulls Rod Wave Into The Mix After His Ex Dee Pops Out With NFL Player Ga’Quincy McKinstry (VIDEO)

There’s been a lot going on over in Blueface’s circus. From new ladies to family drama, something seems to be brewing on stream every day. Since Nevaeh Akira and Blueface ended their relationship, he’s been on the move with his trio, including Myja. Meanwhile, Nevaeh was back home with her son, Superior, and her and Blue’s newborn. While on live, she had a few words for Blueface’s mother, Karlissa Saffold Harvey, following some recent comments.

RELATED: Hol’ Up! Nevaeh Akira Debuts New Tattoos & Reveals Why She’s Still At Blueface’s House (PHOTO + VIDEO)

Nevaeh Shuts Down Karlissa Saffold Harvey & Johnathan Jr. Comparisons While Sharing Her Stance On Them Meeting

While on stream, Nevaeh reacted to a comment that stated viewers could see a lot of Karlissa in Johnathan Jr. “You guys say y’all see a lot of Karlissa in him? Shut the f*** up. We don’t see your grandma in you,” Nevaeh said before correcting herself.

“I mean, we don’t see that lady in you. Her called you a bastard. Her said mean things about you. I don’t think I want you to meet her,” she continued while speaking to Johnathan Jr. “No, she don’t deserve to meet you, baby.” 

Karlissa Saffold Harvey Responds To Nevaeh & Addresses Her “Bastard” Comment

As the clip of Nevaeh made its way around, Karlissa decided to react on her Instagram Story. Responding to Nevaeh not wanting Johnathan Jr. around her, Karlissa shared a message directly addressing her grandson.

“Granny love you! Don’t listen to her I called your daddy and all the kids that’s made out of wedlock bastards. I’m sorry baby,” Karlissa wrote.

She added, “I never called him a bastard direct I said Johnathan’s bastards. She just want to find some to be mad about.” Karlissa also shared information about the word “bastard” appearing in older Bible translations. Her post referenced Deuteronomy 23:2 and Hebrews 12:8 from the King James Version.

She later hopped on live to further address the situation. Karlissa revealed that she had invited Nevaeh to a girls’ spa date with Rela, another woman who is reportedly expecting a child with Blueface. According to Karlissa, she reached out to Nevaeh, but Nevaeh declined because of her previous “bastard” comment.

“They all bastards,” Karlissa said before explaining why she still extended the invitation. “I let her know that I was over here because that’s the right thing to do. Don’t get your panties in a bunch. I’m always going to try to do the right thing regardless of how we moving. So I reached out to her so she can’t never tell my grandbaby that I was over here visiting my new grandbaby that’s on the way and I didn’t call to see him.”

Karlissa made it clear that she plans to continue showing up for her grandchildren, regardless of any issues between her and their mothers.

“She mad because that baby came out looking like me with his black a**,” Karlissa joked.

Social Media Reacts 

The reactions quickly poured in under The Shade Room Teens as social media users weighed in on Karlissa’s response to Nevaeh. Some agreed they wouldn’t let Karlissa see their child if they were Nevaeh, while others felt Karlissa didn’t say anything wrong.

Instagram user  @jennafowlkes wrote, “im on nevaeh side”

Instagram user @deslyndominique added, “she wouldn’t never seen mine idgaf! cus why said it at all”!

While Instagram user @dilayiaaa wrote, “I swear his momma just playing real house wives with them she love ts 😭😭😭🤣”

Instagram user @fav007alicia wrote, “Because his mom told the truth? Yikes…”

Instagram user @oneeye_patch added, “Well, he is one cause his mother is not married to the father…”

While Instagram user @_.3xclusiv3.ari wrote, “But why is this what she choose to say to her child? 😭 everybody needs grow up.The mama, daddy, grandmama and all”

Instagram user @love.le.le wrote, “that baby so freaking cute Imao!!!”

Instagram user @shinitacr wrote, “Neveah your baby looks just like Karlissa, @bluefasebabyy also looks like his mom, he just have some of his dad features”

While Instagram user @essence_of_life wrote, “So many grandbabies. By definition she’s right but everything does not have to be said. Just like she don’t need to be whispering it in a newborn babies ear Yall get on my nerves😭”

RELATED: Change Of Heart? Karlissa Saffold Shares Sweet Birthday Message For Chrisean Rock’s Son & The Internet Has Thoughts (PHOTOS)

Sophie Cunningham has entered the debate surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s controversial Novig campaign, and her take has sparked another heated discussion online. The WNBA star defended Sweeney after female athletes accused the actress’ nearly nude sports-themed advertisement of undermining the progress women have made in athletics. While Cunningham, 30, admitted that she found the campaign “weird,” she rejected the argument that it was intended to represent women’s sports. Her remarks quickly circulated on social media, where some fans applauded her for defending Sweeney’s right to make her own choices. Others argued that Cunningham had dismissed legitimate concerns raised by women athletes.

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Speaking on the “No Hesitation” podcast, Cunningham appeared confused by the level of anger directed at Sweeney, 29.

“Why are girls mad? That is literally what she does. Why is anyone mad?” Cunningham asked. “It is a gambling ad: men, sports, naked women. Of course, that’s going to draw attention.”

The Indiana Fever guard made it clear that she was not necessarily a fan of the campaign herself. However, she believed Sweeney was doing what people had come to expect from her.

“Do I agree with it? Morally, I think it’s kind of weird, but each to their own,” Cunningham continued. “Go do your thing, sis.”

She also praised Sweeney for remaining true to herself despite the criticism.

“She sticks to her guns, and she does her thing, and she’s her. Props to her,” Cunningham said. “Do I like that particular ad? Not really. It’s like, what are we doing? But again, I’m not surprised.”

Female Athletes Condemn Sydney Sweeney’s Campaign

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The advertisement showed Sweeney posing with sports equipment while promoting Novig, a sports prediction platform. Several female athletes, including Olympic swimmer Ariarne Titmus and sprinter Amy Hunt, criticized the campaign for relying on sexualized imagery associated with sports. They argued that female competitors have spent years fighting to be recognized for their talent rather than their appearance. The backlash was not limited to professional athletes. Glasgow Women’s Aid also described the campaign as harmful and accused it of using the sexualization of women to attract attention. Novig CEO Jacob Fortinsky maintained that the advertisement was not intended to portray women’s sports. Cunningham similarly argued that critics were connecting the campaign to female athletes when it was really designed to promote gambling.

“I can understand when you first see that ad that it could kind of deflate women because it’s like we’ve worked so hard to get a little bit of respect around here,” she said. “But when you really think about it, it’s like, screw it, let that girl do her thing. This has nothing to do with us.”

Fans Support Sophie Cunningham’s Defense

A clip of Cunningham’s comments circulated on X after BrickCenter declared that she had “WENT OFF” on Sweeney’s critics. Several users agreed with Cunningham’s distinction between sports gambling and women’s sports.

“Sydney was promoting SPORTS GAMBLING, not WOMEN’S SPORTS,” one fan wrote, describing some of the backlash as “disappointing” and “hypocritical.” Another supporter argued that people should “stop policing someone else’s choices,” while one commenter questioned why Sweeney’s popularity appeared to generate so much hostility. Others went further by suggesting that jealousy was driving the backlash. One user claimed that those criticizing Sweeney simply did not know “how to handle” the attention she receives.

Not Everyone Agreed With Sophie Cunningham

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Cunningham’s defense did not persuade everyone. One critic called the basketball player a “hypocrite” and accused her of standing for nothing. Another pushed back on the suggestion that people should not be angry, noting that viewers were allowed to form their own opinions about the campaign.

“Pretty sure people are allowed to think whatever they want,” the user wrote. “Love her, hate her, let people think the way they want for any reason they want.”

That response highlighted a weakness in the way Cunningham initially framed her argument. Telling Sweeney to “do her thing” supports personal choice, but the same freedom allows female athletes and viewers to criticize the message they believe the advertisement sends. The basketball star did acknowledge those concerns during the wider conversation. She simply disagreed that the campaign was aimed at women athletes or intended to represent them.

The Debate Remains Bigger Than Sydney Sweeney

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Some fans felt Cunningham had identified an important distinction. Sweeney was hired to attract attention to a gambling company, not to serve as the face of women’s sports. However, critics argued that the use of athletic equipment made sports part of the campaign’s visual language, regardless of Novig’s stated intention. For them, the issue was not whether Sweeney had the right to pose for the advertisement but whether another highly sexualized sports campaign reinforced stereotypes female athletes have spent years challenging. Cunningham ultimately stood by both Sweeney and the athletes who criticized her.

“At the end of the day, I’m really loving seeing all these girls who are powerful, strong, showing young girls what it looks like to be an athlete,” she said. “I don’t think the ad was coming for women in sport.”

Zeus has officially wrapped up ‘Baddies USA: Chapter Two.’ As another season comes to an end, a few Baddies appear ready to step into a new chapter. Diamond The Body took to Instagram to reflect on her journey with the network. She thanked Zeus, Lemuel Plummer, and Natalie Nunn for giving her an opportunity that changed her life. Diamond shared that she’s grateful for her time on ‘Baddies,’ but feels it’s time to move forward. She made it clear there’s no bad blood, and she’s simply ready for her next chapter.

However, Lemuel appeared unfazed by Diamond’s goodbye. He slid into the comments with a simple response, writing, “see u on chapter 3.”

Meanwhile, MariahLynn also entered the chat to say her ‘Baddies’ goodbye, which sparked a quick back and forth between her and Lemuel.

RELATED: Messy Crossover? Lemuel Plummer Seemingly Shades Tesehki, MariahLynn & Ivori After They Appear To Be Working With NowThatsTV

MariahLynn Says Goodbye To Her ‘Baddies’ Era

On Thursday, MariahLynn took to X to announce the end of her ‘Baddies’ era after five seasons. “This isn’t the end of my story, it’s the beginning of a whole new era. Thank you all for being part of this chapter. Now it’s time to turn the page. Big MARIAHLYNN not the mf little one.”

The reality star also shared a lengthy post reflecting on her journey and thanking everyone who supported her throughout the five seasons.

“To everybody who has been rocking with me throughout this ‘Baddies’ journey, I love y’all more than you know,” MariahLynn wrote. “This chapter was definitely one for the books and looking back, I’m genuinely grateful for every moment, every lesson and every memory.”

She went on to personally thank Natalie Nunn for welcoming her into the ‘Baddies’ world, along with Lemuel Plummer and her Zeus family. “I’ll forever appreciate the opportunity, the experiences and the memories we created together,” the reality star said.

As for what’s next, MariahLynn admitted she doesn’t know exactly what the future holds, but she’s ready to embrace whatever comes her way. “I’m walking into whatever comes next with an open heart and nothing but gratitude,” she shared.

MariahLynn ended her message by officially closing the chapter, writing, “Once a Baddie, always a Baddie. Here’s to whatever comes next.”

Lemuel Enters The Chat, Turning Things Into A Shady AI Back And Forth

Amid the latest posts from Diamond The Body and MariahLynn, Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer entered the chat with his own message. “I guess when certain baddies don’t get the call for the next season of Baddies… then comes the retirement speech lol,” Lemuel wrote.

MariahLynn seemingly responded by sharing an AI image of Lemuel with devil horns before explaining why she won’t return for Chapter 3. “Retirement statement is cute, I guess, but since we’re talking, let’s tell the WHOLE story,” MariahLynn wrote in her lengthy response.

“I’m not returning for Chapter 3 because I refuse to keep working for a man who abuses women,” the reality star continued. She went on to accuse Lemuel of creating an environment where women felt “belittled, intimidated or afraid to speak about their experiences. 

MariahLynn also shared that she wasn’t willing to turn down other opportunities just to secure another season of the reality series. “So call it retirement if that makes you sleep better, I call it choosing myself cause I didn’t lose a spot,” she wrote.

The back-and-forth continued when Lemuel shared an AI-generated image depicting MariahLynn surrounded by liquor bottles and other items. “Nobody reading all that fake ChatGPT bs u posting lol. 🌽 and brush ya teeth,” Lemuel wrote alongside the image.

Click here to see the post.

MariahLynn quickly fired back with another AI image depicting Lemuel wearing pink and rocking “Number 1 Baddie” jewelry. “CEO is that you?” MariahLynn wrote.

Social Media Weighs In

Zeus fans quickly gathered under The Shade Room’s post as they reacted to MariahLynn and Lemuel Plummer’s back and forth. Many shared their reactions to MariahLynn’s official departure from the show, while some came to her defense. Others even sided with Lemuel.

Instagram user @allhailjenn wrote. “YAYYYYYYYYY GOSH I WAS ABT TO CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION IF I SEEN HER AGAIN”

Instagram user @myaalayy added, “Was pose to turn the page when she left love and hip hop😩😭”

While Instagram user @bawthatspatt wrote, “Lemmy so petty 😂😂😂”

Instagram user @jaylaabaybe wrote, “Lemmy just join bad boys PLEASE just cast yourself.”

Instagram user @dannitrenese added, “l’ve never heard of a CEO talking this damn much… you the boss man… replace them and keep it pushin…”

While Instagram user @ _.maraa_.xo wrote, “Not the Al baddies battle”

Instagram user @danaekristyanna wrote, “This isn’t the first time someone has publicly came out and said the same exact things about this man.. all of these women aren’t making this up.. cmon make it make sense 🤔 “

Instagram user @diva221225 added, “But you were just thanking Zeus moments ago 😂😂😂”

While Instagram user @dee_all_that wrote, “I LOVE @mariahlynnboss ENTIRE STATEMENT. YOU GO GIRL! Peace and blessings to you! ❤️🙏🏾”

RELATED: Last Laugh! Scotty Gets Her Get-Back After Lemuel Plummer Calls Her A “Bird” In Video (WATCH)

If the recent scores for Resident Evil have taught us anything, it’s that adaptations are finally being figured out properly by filmmakers. After years of trying to reproduce exactly what players already experienced with a controller in their hands, it seems Hollywood has clicked that being inspired by a game rather than copying it beat for beat is the way to go.

That’s particularly useful when the source material for FX’s latest series has spent its time jumping between tropical islands, Himalayan dictatorships, prehistoric wildernesses and a doomsday cult in rural Montana, while delivering to us a colorful collection of psychopaths every time we’ve been fortunate enough to get our hands on one. And that’s one thing we might be getting on FX.

Sam Spruell (Fargo) is officially reuniting with Noah Hawley for FX’s upcoming Far Cry series, joining a pretty ridiculous ensemble that now includes Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin), Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight), Hamish Linklater (Midnight Mass), and Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats). They join previously announced stars Rob Mac (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex), and Steve Buscemi (Boardwalk Empire).

Spruell previously worked with Hawley on Fargo Season 5, playing Ole Munch. His performance earned considerable acclaim, while Hawley has remained an FX guy thanks to his continued work through Fargo and Alien: Earth. Exactly who Spruell or any of the other newly announced actors will play in Far Cry remains under wraps, as FX is keeping the plot of its first season secret.

How Will ‘Far Cry’ Work?

Rather than selecting one game and directly adapting it, Far Cry is borrowing the anthology structure that Hawley has already used to enormous success on Fargo. Think of it like an adventure/thriller version of The White Lotus, in that each season will have a new collection of characters, allowing the television adaptation to retain one of the main selling points of Ubisoft’s games without being tied to their existing plots.

That’s how Far Cry works. It doesn’t tend to rely on the same hero over and over, but rather it drops players somewhere new and introducing another charismatic megalomaniac alongside a largely independent story. The main series began with Far Cry in 2004 and released sequels to huge levels of success all the way through 2021’s Far Cry 6, alongside numerous spin-offs and expansions. The games are known for their over the top humor (which will be why Rob Mac is involved), huge and sprawling maps, and wildly entertaining villains, including Vaas Montenegro in Far Cry 3, Pagan Min in Far Cry 4, Joseph Seed in Far Cry 5, and Antón Castillo in Far Cry 6.

Far Cry is coming to FX and Hulu. A release date has not yet been announced.

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Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi confirmed the arrival of their second child, sharing a glimpse of the newborn.

In a joint post shared via Instagram on Thursday, September 17, the actress, 22, and Bongiovi, 24, shared a cute photo to welcome their new family addition.

“Hi little guy!” they captioned the post, which featured a photo of their son’s hand. The image also captured what appeared to be Brown’s hand which was adorned with a ring reading, “Mom.”

Earlier on Thursday, People reported that the couple had quietly welcomed their second child via adoption. Us has reached out to reps for Brown and Bongiovi for comment.

Related: Millie Bobby Brown and Husband Jake Bongiovi Quietly Welcome 2nd Baby

Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi are living on a prayer and lots of love after reportedly welcoming their second baby. A source tells People the actress, 22, and Bongiovi, 24, expanded their family through adoption. Us has reached out to reps for Brown and Bongiovi for comment. Brown appeared to hint at her growing […]

Brown and Bongiovi, who got married in May 2024, are also parents to a daughter, whom they welcomed via adoption a year after tying the knot.

“This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” the couple wrote in an August 2025 Instagram statement. “We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter in both peace and privacy. And then there were three!”

In a June appearance on Kylie Kelce’s “Not Gonna Lie” podcast, the Stranger Things star opened up about her experience of motherhood and shared the most difficult part of adopting a child.

“Every journey is different. Waiting for the call is the hardest part,” Brown said.

Brown had some words of wisdom for others navigating a similar journey, adding, “I just would always encourage you to understand that every journey is different. Don’t compare yourself to others, don’t compare yourself to statistics, don’t compare yourself to other families, but your baby is out there, and you’ll find each other.”

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Related: Millie Bobby Brown’s Honest Quotes About Motherhood and Adoption

Millie Bobby Brown is pulling back the curtain on her experience as a first-time mom. “This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” Brown and her husband, Jake Bongiovi, wrote via Instagram in August 2025. “We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in both peace and privacy. […]

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In the podcast, the actress touched on how it felt to receive backlash for her parenting choices as a person in the public eye.

“I was like, ‘This is vicious, you are vicious,’ and I don’t have time for angry women that just need to bring you down, especially when it comes to motherhood,” Brown said. “I’ve never experienced anything like this. It’s like, I can always deal with the, ‘Oh, my God, you showed your nipples? What a bitch!’ I’m like, ‘Whatever.’ I don’t care about that, but when you’re like, ‘You didn’t put a hat on your baby?’ I’m like, ‘Try putting a hat on my baby. I dare you [to] put a beanie on her.’”

Brown continued, “Stay in your own lane, put a hat on your baby and put a sock in your mouth. Sorry, the English is coming out of me, but it’s so true. Like, shut up.”

As part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Transformers: The Movie, Collider was honored to partner with Hasbro and Fathom Entertainment to invite LA fans to an advanced screening of the re-release, plus a sneak peek screening of the after-credits short, Optimus Prime: Awakening. The short film is helmed by filmmaker Joshua Wassung (Predator: Killer of Killers), who joined us on stage afterwards for a discussion about how Awakening came to be, and to honor the late and legendary Peter Cullen, who provided the voice of Optimus Prime for four decades.

In the short, Cullen and Frank Welker, the voice of Megatron/Soundwave, join forces once again for a 12-minute love letter to Transformers. The story, which Wassung reveals contains Easter eggs and clues to the franchise’s future, builds on the acclaimed storytelling and visuals of the 1986 film.

If you missed our early screening and Q&A, you can watch the full conversation in the video above, with a transcript provided below. Speaking with our own Steve Weintraub, Wassung reflects on how he went from his very first job on Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith to co-directing Predator: Killer of Killers with Dan Trachtenberg, eventually landing him an Autobot-sized opportunity with Hasbro. He details how their team honors the original series, from the pilot episode, and how they set themselves apart through stylized animation and storytelling, plus how a Star Trek: Voyager episode inspired one of his favorite shots. Wassung also shares his experience working with Cullen in the recording booth and more.

Josh Wassung’s First Job Was Working on ‘Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith’

“They recruited me up to go to Lucasfilm, so I flew across the country and skipped graduation.”

Image via Lucasfilm

COLLIDER: I want to jump backwards, if you don’t mind. I was looking in the always-accurate IMDb, and I think your first gig was working on [Star Wars] Episode III.

JOSH WASSUNG: That’s correct.

How did you get that job, and what did you do on it?

WASSUNG: I worked in the pre-vis department. I was at Skywalker Ranch. I was hired straight out of school. I did an interview at SIGGRAPH in 2002, and they recruited me up to go to Lucasfilm, so I flew across the country and skipped graduation.

Were you a Star Wars fan?

WASSUNG: I mean, of course.

What was it like getting a gig there where you’re seeing what’s going to happen in the final installment?

WASSUNG: It was a dream come true. I actually told all of my classmates that I was going to work on Star Wars one day, and then I did. So, it was a pretty wild overall experience. And then I met all my friends, and we ended up starting a company together, which is The Third Floor, and we did this animation.

So basically it all worked out.

WASSUNG: It worked out.

How ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ Led to Transformers

Wassung co-directed last year’s Predator installment with Dan Trachtenberg.

Image via Hulu

We just watched your short film. I think this is the first time an audience has seen it.

WASSUNG: It is.

So I’m curious, you were sitting there watching it. What were you waiting to hear from people? What was it like for you? I’m sure this is the largest crowd that’s seen it.

WASSUNG: Yes. I was just excited for everyone to finally see it. The team worked so hard. I think maybe my favorite moment is when, finally, Bumblebee makes it all the way there, and he finally fires at Megatron, and just that rapid fire of Optimus turning the tide and chopping his arm off. I was excited for anyone to experience that moment.

Let’s jump backwards. How did this thing actually happen for you? For people that don’t realize, you directed Predator: Killer of Killers.

WASSUNG: Yes.

That was also kind of good.

WASSUNG: [Laughs] I like to think so.

Yeah, it was kind of good. When I say kind of good, I mean it was fucking awesome. How did you get from there, with Predator, to this?

WASSUNG: Well, my reps introduced me to a lot of cool folks after that movie came out, and I got to meet Zev Foreman and Cyrus [Warner] from Hasbro, and they brought up this project they were really excited about. It was kind of their baby that they were brewing up over at Hasbro.

I got really excited myself because I was born in 1980. As a child of the ‘80s, you grew up with Transformers. It’s formidable. It’s part of who I am as a kid growing up, but also when I wanted to be a filmmaker one day, and so I was thrilled at the chance to get to work with these guys on that.

A lot of people are not going to meet with Hasbro for a project, so what was it actually like? Was it a general meeting? You go in and all of a sudden they’re telling you about this?

WASSUNG: Yeah. We were on a Zoom, and they were like, “Hey, there’s this really cool project. Would you be interested?” That’s kind of how it happened. I don’t know how else to explain it. I mean, it helps that Predator was pretty cool.

So you get attached to this, and you’re like, “Oh, this is cool.” Talk a little bit about the genesis of the project. They have this idea; maybe they have the script. How far along was it when they were talking to you about it, and then how did it possibly change once you got the keys to the Ferrari? Or I should say to the Optimus?

WASSUNG: [Laughs] I would say the script that Ryan [Parrott] had written was already super cool. I think it was really just asking us how quickly for myself to direct, but also my studio to do the animation. So we had to kind of analyze what kind of resources we could pull together, and how quickly we could turn this around. Because we knew the clock was ticking to get this ready for the anniversary.

I think that was December, so just thinking about ideas of how to achieve it and started talking with Hasbro about what kind of approach we want? How do we want to honor the original style? How do we want to bring it into something more modern? How to blend those things. And then before we know it, January, we started production.

How ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Honors the Original Transformers Movie

He also breaks down his “three-act” approach to crafting fight sequences.

Image by Trent Barboza

How did you decide on the look of the animation? Because you obviously [pay] homage. There’s stuff from various Transformers in this, and you also have your own style.

WASSUNG: It was really important for us to honor the original. We worked really hard to bring a little bit of a handcrafted styling. It was all made by hand. There’s line work, there’s color. We were really going back to the original art. We looked at original matte paintings from the pilot episode of the series, but also paintings from the movie, and we really analyzed, zooming way in and analyzing the brushstrokes, analyzing the colors.

We have an amazing art director, Ed, and the previs team all were kind of working together. Shout out to the previs team, who’s here in the house. They all worked together, and we really just broke down how was this movie made with a 2D hand-drawn technique? And how can we emulate that hand-drawn feeling, but also pulling from those original colors and kind of just dialing it up to make it a bit more vibrant, and just embrace that style?

You get to direct an Optimus-Megatron fight. What was it scripted like, and then how did you sort of bring that to life with the way you wanted it to stage? Like where they’re going to fight and how is it going to go.

WASSUNG: Well, working on fight sequences is always a blast. I’ve worked on many over my career. I kind of like to think of them as a three-act structure unto themselves, so you really want to think of where the characters are at the start, and what kind of emotions transpire. That’s why we wanted to bring in Bumblebee and get Bumblebee really involved in this fight; he was kind of the emotional stakes of the fight. And then building those ticking clocks, it’s a puzzle piece. You really kind of piece that all together until the puzzle starts to fit together.

And then, team previs, they do a ton of work to kind of elaborate on what exactly those gags are. How is he going to swing that flail? How is he going to swing that axe? And just tracking geography. I mean, it’s a lot of hard work, but honestly, it’s a blast. You’re playing with toys, but you’re doing it on the computer.

“You get chills.”

I just want to point out you were paid to work on an Optimus Prime project, and you were paid to work with Peter Cullen and Frank [Welker]. I have to talk about Peter. I think Peter has impacted everybody in this theater, myself especially, and everyone in here.

WASSUNG: Absolutely. As he should.

Also, I just want to say I was fortunate to interview Peter before, and he was the nicest man. Talk a little bit about getting to collaborate with him. Obviously, you had no idea that it was going to be the last thing that he did with Optimus.

WASSUNG: True. Getting to meet Peter was a wild, full-circle experience, of course, because, just like everybody here, growing up hearing his voice over and over and over again, and then seeing him, also, in the movies, everything, for my entire life, really. And then getting to meet him, immediately he’s a jokester, and he’s just immediately cracking jokes and telling stories.

But what was amazing was he’s lived a full life. He was 85 when I met him, and he looked and sounded like an 85-year-old. And then he sat in that sound booth, and he was like, “Sound check, sound check,” and then he just turns it on, and it’s like you get chills. He sounds like a totally different human. It just turns on. It comes out of him, even at 85. It was very inspiring.

What is it actually like directing him when he knows the character better than any of us? He’s been playing the character for 40 years.

WASSUNG: Intimidating.

Can you share any story of him doing a line reading and you’re like, “Maybe this?”

WASSUNG: Honestly, it’s intimidating. I grew up as a kid listening to his voice, and so how do you tell somebody who was the original guy? And so, he would just do tons of takes — his own. He would just, “Alright, here’s the line. Cool. I’m going to give you a whole bunch.” And he would do, like, 17 of them.

I could tell he wasn’t so sure. You know, “Who’s this relatively young guy, this young whippersnapper,” if you will. And on the comm, I was like, “Hey, Peter, I actually really liked take four out of 17.” And he goes, “That’s the one I liked.” And so I was like, “Yes!” [Laughs] So I feel like that’s when we just became back and forth, and he would ask me questions. And he would always say, “Make sure you get what you need.”

Then we got to talk, from there, about making sure that we pushed the emotion. We really wanted to kind of dig deep into Optimus’s concern. He has all that introspective and thoughts about his life and what it all means, and I really wanted to dig into it. So, it was great.

‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Is an “Open-Ended Question”

“We don’t know all the answers.”

Image via Trent Barboza

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One of the things I think is cool about the short is that it leaves the audience to interpret stuff that’s going on in it. Talk a little bit about that aspect, that you could, as an audience member, think one thing and another audience member might think something else?

WASSUNG: That’s all part of what Hasbro wanted to do. Also, what I wanted to do is we wanted to give fans lots of opportunity to explore, to watch it again, to see, “Oh, are there any nuggets in there? Are there any clues in there?” But we really wanted to leave that open.

It’s like an open-ended question at the end. There’s a journey that’s set out, and we don’t know all the answers, but you get to kind of dig into, like, what does that mean? To really kind of find that balance of giving people a fun ride, but also giving people an opportunity to imagine what comes next, that was really the main goal for the piece.

Before getting this job, what was your relationship with Transformers? Were you a fan, casual viewer, or a collector?

WASSUNG: I was a lifelong fan. I mean, the Transformer toys were my prized possessions as a kid.

You need to be specific. What’s the one that, if you could go back in time…?

WASSUNG: Grimlock. I had a Grimlock. It’s funny because, no spoilers here, but my parents told me that Santa Claus gave me Grimlock. I was very young, maybe four, and I was like, “No, it was you guys. You gave me Grimlock.” So, I wasn’t buying the whole Santa Claus thing, but I was obsessed with Grimlock.

How did you decide on the title?

WASSUNG: I believe that came from Zev, from Hasbro. He had the idea. We were sitting around in a room and kicking around ideas, and he just said, “What about Awakening?” And immediately that just felt right to me. It struck a chord in me. And then it took a while longer before we decided on the full title being Optimus Prime: Awakening, but there was just something about that, you know? This project really is Zev’s baby. It’s something that is a passion of his, and it just was from inside of him.

When did you actually finish this?

WASSUNG: A couple weeks ago. [Laughs] It was recent. It was very recent.

This ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ Episode Inspired One of the Short’s Shots

“I had to get it right.”

Image via Paramount Television

What was the last shot or thing that you were working on? I’ve spoken to a lot of directors, and with VFX, they talk about how there’s always one shot that they keep going back to that they’re not 100% on. What was it on this?

WASSUNG: Oh man, there were so many. There was a shot when, without spoilers, there’s a transporting very quickly from one place to another that we did over and over again. There are stars that whoosh by, and we kept on adding elements, redoing, retweaking it, retweaking, and then we added some smoke. It was a whole bunch of small elements that finally clicked.

I was actually inspired by an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, which is like a way callback. There was an episode when the ship gets thrown, like, 11 light-years. I can’t believe I remember this, but anyways, I remember in one shot, the ship got kind of thrown 11 light-years across a galaxy, and that was my inspiration for that shot, and I had to get it right.

Are you also a Star Trek fan?

WASSUNG: To a degree. I mean, I’ve seen a lot of Star Trek.

This is not to do with Transformers, but Next Generation, DS9, Voyager — which is the top one or two?

WASSUNG: Next Generation.

There’s no right answer here. Just curious.

Optimus Prime Looks Back on “This Whole Ongoing Battle”

“What does it really mean?”

Image via Paramount Pictures

At the center of the story is, of course, Optimus Prime. What did you want to explore about the character that audiences perhaps haven’t seen before?

WASSUNG: Most importantly, we wanted to show Optimus really coming to grips with really analyzing his life and what has been this whole ongoing battle, and what does it really mean? It’s kind of brought into question: Was it all for nothing? But he digs deep, and he digs his heels in, and he’s like, “I will not abandon my friends.” That was something that was core to his character, and we really wanted to push him to the limit and really make him face: What does it mean to stand up for your friends, but also for your family, but also, thinking about the greater good of the whole for everyone?

The short is very much connected to the legacy, the ‘86 film, while also pushing the story forward. How did you approach finding that balance between honoring what fans love and creating something new?

WASSUNG: Like I said before, it was really making sure that we embrace the source material, embrace the original. That means everything. That means how they drew the robots, how they moved, how the lines were drawn, how the colors were chosen. It’s literally all these little details that add up to creating a feeling that kind of brings you back but also gets you excited to see what that modern take could be. So, it was just very important that we drew from all those original elements and put that into a new light.

Did you get to have Frank and Peter record at the same time?

WASSUNG: Unfortunately, they were not on the same day. I think one day was Frank, the next day was Peter. But what was interesting is not one, but both of them would impersonate the other. I’m serious. They would impersonate the other and pretend to be having conversations with the other one. They’ve done it so many times. They would have full conversations. I’m not kidding you.

I’m assuming you recorded this.

WASSUNG: I mean, yeah. It was in the recording booth.

I would love to hear that.

WASSUNG: Yeah, it’s good stuff. They’re having fun. It’s almost like they’re telling jokes, but then giving their own joke answers. It was really fun. And Peter’s version with Frank was incredible.

The real question, of course, is did you have anyone record a voicemail, like your answering machine message?

WASSUNG: No, I was too intimidated.

I don’t want to say you failed, but you failed. I’m joking around. What do you think fans would be surprised to learn about making a short like this?

WASSUNG: I touched on it a little bit already, but I guess I would say the surprising thing about making a short like this is how much work — and I do mean the hundreds of hours of work — goes into making something look imperfect. Because if you guys pause this one day when it comes out on whatever format, if you pause it, you look at the lines around the Transformers, they are not perfect; they are sketchy. And that, combined with every little detail, tons of work went into making sure it didn’t feel too clean, not too perfect, because we wanted to give that handcrafted feel.

I really think that Spider-Verse opened the door to a lot of studios and executives being like, “Oh, that’s cool, not making it absolutely perfect.”

WASSUNG: I totally agree. I’m a big believer that animation’s a medium, and that you can use it to do any kind of storytelling. It’s really a form of moving art, and that’s something that I feel very passionate about.

I completely agree.

‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ Is Almost “Designed as a Goodbye”

The short marks the legendary Peter Cullen’s final project as Optimus Prime.

Sara De Boer/startraksphoto.com

Knowing that this is Peter’s final performance as Optimus, has the short taken on a different meaning for you personally since you made it?

WASSUNG: Yeah. It was very heavy to hear of his passing, and immediately I go to — without going into spoilers — him walking into the light. There’s such an emotional moment that we put into the performance. By the way, shout out to Jarret, the voice of Bumblebee. He did such a great job. He brought such emotion in this emotional goodbye.

It just felt like immediately, it’s almost like this short was designed as a goodbye, but we didn’t know at the time, you know? So there was definitely a sense of almost like the future is foretold. There’s something very, very moving about it. I’m just so grateful that he was able to participate.

Any Easter eggs that fans should look out for?

WASSUNG: I’m not going to say what they are, but there are clues, maybe some very brief shots if you look closely. There are clues that may or may not pertain to the future. So, I’m not gonna say what they are, but there are a few little nuggets in there.

Are they one-frame things, or are they like you can notice it if you watch it again?

WASSUNG: I would say you could notice it if you watch it again.

On the 17th in movie theaters, Fathom. Check your local listings. What do you hope longtime fans or people just discovering Transformers take away from this?

WASSUNG: My hope would be that people will take away that Transformers can be both nostalgic but also fresh, and that it can bring a sense of hope and adventure, and that it can have emotion. That’s my hope for the takeaway.

The Transformers: The Movie 40th Anniversary is now playing in theaters. You can purchase tickets here.

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Release Date

August 8, 1986

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Runtime

84 minutes

Director

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Nelson Shin

Writers

Ron Friedman

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Producers

Joe Bacal, Lee Gunther, Margaret Loesch, Tom Griffin

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  Norman Alden

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  Hot Rod / Rodimus Prime (voice)

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  Jack Angel

  Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)

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  Michael Bell

  Soundwave / Megatron / Rumble / Frenzy / Wheelie (voice)

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  Gregg Berger

  Galvatron (voice)

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Reports last week confirmed that Season 2 of Guy Ritchie‘s The Gentlemen had earned only 6.7 million views in its first few days on streaming, a 45% drop from Season 1. This has been followed by a decline in the Netflix top 10 for the biggest new arrival of the month, which has been replaced at the streaming summit by Crew Girl, Netflix’s newest teen soap. Despite poor reviews from critics, including Collider’s own Jessica Toomer, Crew Girl is proving its doubters wrong. But there’s plenty more to watch if you, like Toomer, aren’t a fan of Crew Girl. With that in mind, here are three shows you should binge-watch on Netflix this week.

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

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

1

‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ (2026)

The ‘Murphyverse’ is expanding again, as the prolific Ryan Murphy adds a new season to his hit Monster anthology series. Having debuted last Thursday, Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story tells the story of the infamous 1892 axe murders in Fall River, Massachusetts, and marks the series’ first time focusing on a female lead, portrayed by If I Had Legs I’d Kick You‘s Ella Beatty.

After Season 1 focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, Season 2 on the Menendez brothers, and Season 3 on Ed Gein, this fourth season promises yet more headline-grabbing serial killer drama sure to divide viewers. Charlie Hunnam, Rebecca Hall, and Vicky Krieps also star, with the season featuring eight episodes in total, which are destined to shoot straight to the top of the Netflix charts.

2

‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ (2026–Present)

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | IMDb: 5.9/10

Monster isn’t the only big series returning this weekend on Netflix. Another that should be at the top of your watchlist is Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, which returns for a second season just five months after the first season debuted. After the Hawkins Investigators Club defeated the Horde Queen, the second season picks up directly in the aftermath, with things not about to get any easier for the gang.

Whether you’re excited for Season 2 or have yet to try this animated series, this weekend is the perfect time to start a binge-watch. Eleven (Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Mike (Luca Diaz), Will (Benjamin Plessala), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Lucas (Elisha “EJ” Williams), Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), and Nikki (Odessa A’zion) all return for a second installment of the Flying Bark Productions animation, which will feature 10 new episodes.

3

‘Pokémon Horizons: Rising Hope’ (2026)

Anime fans are in for a treat this weekend as the final part of Pokémon Horizons Season 3, Rising Hope, bursts onto Netflix. As Japan begins a new arc called “Wonder Voyage,” Pokémon Horizons Season 3 will come to a vibrant, action-packed end on Netflix in the U.S., as the curtain closes on the journey of Laqua and the Explorers.

Pokémon is one of the longest-running and best-loved franchises of all time for good reason, and Horizons has been one of the best series it has produced so far. After 25 years of Ash Ketchum, the character — or at least how he functions in the series — has been reinvented for a new audience, helping move the franchise along and prove that its future as a major part of our viewing habits is secure. Don’t miss out on an epic conclusion in the latest chapter this weekend.

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Release Date

April 14, 2023

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Network

TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi, TVh, TVQ, GBS, TSC, Nara Television

Directors

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Fumihiro Ueno, Hiromichi Matano, Ayumi Moriyama, Yūichi Abe, Junya Koshiba, Hiroyuki Okuno, Masashi Tsukino, Makoto Ooga, Satoshi Saga

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  Daisuke Namikawa

  Welkamo / Lucius (voice)

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  Mitsuki Saiga

  Chili (voice)

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  Kenta Miyake

  Mudoch (voice)

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While Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller’s love story began over two decades ago, the Dodgeballs stars didn’t always think it would last.

Appearing on the Wednesday, September 17 episode of the “We’re Still Here, Babes” podcast, Taylor, 55, admitted she considered Stiller, 60, to be a “rebound” at first because they had both recently been dating other people.

“We both thought [it] was our sort of rebound romance, ‘cause I had just broken up with someone, and he was just getting out of something,” Taylor said. “We just were having fun, and just having a great time together. We kinda kept it on the down-low, it wasn’t like I was telling — I told my closest friends and family, but not my peripheral group of friends for a while.”

Describing the initial dating period as a “whirlwind romance,” Taylor added, “We took a big leap. And then yeah, then we got married in May of 2000, and then I had our daughter the next year, and then we worked together a bunch. We did Zoolander together, we did Dodgeball together.”

Related: Christine Taylor Details ‘Impasse’ That Led to Ben Stiller Separation

A period of personal growth. Christine Taylor opened up about why she and husband Ben Stiller separated — and revealed what led them back to one another. “We got married very quickly after meeting each other,” the Hey Dude alum, 51, explained during a Tuesday, March 7, appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “We knew each […]

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the couple, however. Although Stiller and Taylor got married in 2000 and welcomed two children (Ella, 24, and Quinlin, 21) during their relationship, they eventually called it quits in 2017. In 2022, the pair confirmed they had reconciled during the Covid pandemic.

“We were separated and got back together and we’re happy about that. It’s been really wonderful for all of us. Unexpected, and one of the things that came out of the pandemic,” Stiller told Esquire in February 2022.

Taylor spoke about her marriage breakdown and the couple’s ultimate reconciliation while appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show in March 2023.

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“Family was always a priority, but I think Ben and I both started to grow in different directions,” she explained of their split. “And when we made the decision to separate, it was not something we wanted to talk publicly about or took lightly. We were at this impasse of, ‘Let’s figure this out, what’s best at this chapter in our lives.’ That’s going back three or four years.”

Related: Christine Taylor Makes Rare Comments on ‘Challenging’ Ben Stiller Split

Christine Taylor candidly discussed how she and husband Ben Stiller reconciled years after their “challenging” 2017 split, crediting the COVID-19 pandemic for helping the pair reconcile. “If there was a silver lining for us during COVID, that was the little gift,” Taylor, 54, said while appearing on the Tuesday, May 26, episode of “The McBride […]

Taylor added that the pandemic’s forced quarantine periods at their uninterrupted time at home gave them unexpected time to work things out.

“We all ended up in our house together with two teenagers and we found this way back,” Taylor said. “We had so much time to talk, there were no other distractions. … It just happened organically.”

There are few pieces of movie music as instantly recognizable as John Williams’ “Hedwig’s Theme.” More than two decades after it first accompanied audiences into the Wizarding World, Williams’ music remains inseparable from Harry Potter, which makes following in his footsteps a fairly intimidating assignment — even when the person doing it happens to be Hans Zimmer.

Speaking exclusively with Collider, Zimmer revealed that his approach to HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series is to stay “as far away as possible” from Williams’ work and find something original. Zimmer and Bleeding Fingers Music composers Kara Talve and Anže Rozman are creating the music for the HBO adaptation, which premieres at Christmas. But fortunately for Zimmer, he’s already got experience when it comes to following in the giant footsteps that Williams leaves for us all, as he already had the unenviable task of finding a new score for a new Superman in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel:

“Let me tell you a story, a quick story. When I was doing Man of Steel, which, of course, is Superman, for three months I was running around going, ‘I don’t know. I can’t do this. I can’t do this because it’s John Williams. John Williams is — it’s brilliant! It’s brilliant!’ And Zack Snyder and Chris — Chris Nolan actually was the producer — and Chris said to Zack, ‘Have you heard anything from Hans yet?’ He said, ‘No,’ and he says, ‘You’re not going to hear anything unless you go down there.’ And Zack phoned me and said, ‘Can I come down?’ I go, ‘I don’t really have anything,’ and he goes, ‘Well, I’ll be there on Tuesday.’ So I came up with a tune, but I still was incredibly worried about it.”

Zimmer went on to reveal that Snyder gave him some of the best advice he’d received from a filmmaker, that also happened to be some of the simplest advice as well. “Zack just said the simplest thing to me. He said, ‘Hans, it was just a movie. This is just a movie.’ And that was so liberating. It’s just a movie, and my life is all about making music for movies, which I do because I love it,” Zimmer told Collider. “I love the movies, and I love having fun with it. I can’t write like John Williams, but even if I could, I would try to stay away as far as possible and try to be original. So, does that sort of answer your question?” When Collider suggested that the answer was essentially to stay away from Williams because “nobody can get near him,” Zimmer immediately agreed: “Right, exactly. I mean, he is truly real.”

Hans Zimmer Is Taking His Music Back on Tour

Before audiences hear what Zimmer has created for Harry Potter, the two-time Oscar winner is taking decades of his most famous work back on the road. Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level begins its newly announced North American leg on February 17, 2027, in Hartford, Connecticut, with Zimmer performing alongside a 19-piece ensemble. The production combines new arrangements with electronic soundscapes, lighting, and an entirely redesigned stage experience; the existing tour has already played 50 sold-out European shows for around 600,000 fans.

Hans Zimmer Live – The Next Level begins its North American run on February 17, 2027. Tickets go on general sale September 25 at 10 a.m. local time. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

2026 – 2026

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Showrunner

Francisca Gardiner

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Directors

Mark Mylod

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