Last year, few movies proved as controversial as the live-action Snow White remake, with Disney facing backlash from seemingly all corners of social media. Although some of the negativity was unfair, such as conservative backlash at Rachel Zegler‘s casting, the majority was from honest critique, not just of the movie itself, but of Disney’s current obsession with remaking many of their beloved animated IPs in live-action form.

No wonder then that the announcement of a live-action Moana movie, released just ten years after the original, raised eyebrows higher than Dwayne Johnson‘s. The first Moana movie scored a global box office haul of nearly $700 million, with the $1 billion success of the 2024 sequel proving that audiences haven’t had enough of the titular daughter of the village chief just yet. Recently, Johnson confirmed that the animated story would be continuing, with Moana 3 officially in development, with Jared Bush and Dana Ledoux Miller lined up to write the script. “But first, live-action Moana. We’ll let that come out first,” Johnson said, although after the embargo was lifted today, he might be regretting not already putting all his attention into the threequel.

Receiving a similar scathing reaction to Snow White, Moana has earned a disastrous Rotten Tomatoes score of 33%, an average based on 49 submissions to the site thus far. This is almost three-times worse than the near-perfect 95% rating of the 2016 original, and indicates some choppy waters ahead for the film. ScreenRant claimed that the remake “loses some of the original’s magic,” with CBR reacting more positively, though admitting, “even though it is thrilling, there are still elements that are a bit of a head scratcher.”

What Did Collider Say About ‘Moana’?

So, what did Collider say about the live-action Moana ​​​​​​remake? Our very own Taylor Gates joined the rest of the critical world in her review, awarding just 5/10 and criticizing bland visuals, a strangely constrained Johnson performance, and “sluggish” pacing. “Despite a few fun, solidly executed musical sequences and a nice tribute to Polynesian culture, Moana ultimately fails to capture the magic of its animated counterpart,” Gates wrote, before concluding, “Everything it does well, the 2016 version already did better.” The live-action Moana movie debuts in theaters worldwide this weekend and is projected to open to over $130 million worldwide.

For all the latest movie news from the biggest blockbusters, make sure to stay tuned to Collider.

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Release Date

July 10, 2026

Runtime

120 Minutes

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Director

Thomas Kail

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 26 seconds ago

One of the reasons that Star Trek: The Original Series became a breakout sci-fi hit was because of its stellar cast. Who else could make an alien charismatic like Leonard Nimoy, or so perfectly embody the fiery passion of humanity like DeForest Kelly? Of course, the real lynchpin of the show was William Shatner, who instantly transformed Captain Kirk into the most compelling pop culture icon of the 20th century. For decades, it seemed like it would be impossible to replace Shatner, but that didn’t keep Paramount from trying. Chris Pine played this famous captain in Star Trek (2009) and its two sequels, while Paul Wesley currently plays Kirk on Strange New Worlds.

In the Kelvinverse films, Pine’s performance was basically a high-energy imitation of Shatner’s, which was a lot of fun. To Wesley’s credit, he has leaned more into his particular strengths as an actor, giving us a Kirk who is notably more thoughtful and nuanced. By now, Strange New Worlds fans are quite happy with his performance, and most can’t imagine anyone else playing this iconic sci-fi figure. However, one fellow performer might not be so happy. Originally, Sam Kirk actor Dan Jeannotte thought he’d be playing James Kirk. Why is that? In the original show, Sam Kirk was played by William Shatner wearing a fake mustache!

The Other Kirk

When Dan Jeannotte first shows up in Strange New Worlds, it serves as a kind of visual punchline. When we hear reference to a “Mr. Kirk,” audiences naturally expect to see Star Trek legend James T. Kirk. Instead, we discover that it’s his brother, Sam, who is currently stationed on the Enterprise. While this made for a fun tease early in Season 1, and Sam has proven to be a great character in his own right, it didn’t take the writers long to actually bring James Kirk to the show. When this happened, Jeannotte thought that he was going to be the one to play this legendary future captain.

He admitted this recently at a Trek Long Island panel. “They were like, later in the season, Jim Kirk shows up, I’m like, yeah, here we go! And then they’re like… Paul Wesley!” Why, though, did Jeannotte think he had a shot at playing a completely different character? It all goes back to Sam Kirk’s one and only appearance in Star Trek: The Original Series: “Operation, Annihilate!” In this Season 1 finale, he is already dead when the Away Team finds him. Since he was written to be an older brother with no speaking lines, the show saved money by having William Shatner (complete with bad makeup and mustache) play the role.

The Man, The Myth, The Mustache

Therefore, Dan Jeannotte’s confusion is a bit more understandable. Canonically, the George Kirk of TOS looked enough like his younger brother to be played by the same actor, so it’s not that crazy to think the James Kirk of SNW would just look like Sam without the mustache. However, Paramount wisely decided that this would be way too silly for their prestige sci-fi show and cast Wesley in that role instead. Jeannotte ultimately took the casting in stride, telling the Trek Long Island audience that “Paul has a lot to live up to…and a lot of expectations to manage.” As for himself? “All I had to do was be better than a corpse.”

Still, I kind of want to visit the alternate timeline where Jeannotte played both Kirks, ideally with a Henry Cavill-style mustache CGI’ed on Sam. How wonderfully silly would that make all of their interactions? Speaking of mustaches, here’s a fun fact: Leonard Nimoy protested a Season 1 plot point about someone putting a mustache on Spock because he wanted to protect that character’s dignity. At the end of that same season, Shatner didn’t hesitate to wear a fake mustache to play a non-James Kirk role for the first and last time. Why did he do that?

Simple: anything to get more screen time, baby!

Alicia Brown‘s mugshot has been released as Durrell Williams, the father of her missing daughter, Ailea Brown, has spoken out following her arrest on outstanding kidnapping-related warrants.

RELATED: Social Media Users Point Fingers Following Leaked Video Of Big Tigger & Alicia Brown’s Physical Struggle Over His Phone (UPDATE)

Father Of Alicia Brown’s Missing Daughter Speaks Out Following Her Arrest On Outstanding Kidnapping-Related Warrants

On the evening of Tuesday, July 7, Durrell Williams appeared as a guest on the Nina & Joe Afternoon Show broadcast via WHUR FM. In a clip shared via the show’s Instagram page, the hosts questioned Williams about how he learned about Alicia’s arrest. Williams explained that he received a call informing him that she was in custody. This, in connection with the 2019 disappearance of their daughter, Ailea.

Furthermore, Williams explained that their daughter was not one of the two children found in the car during Alicia’s arrest.

“So they haven’t located Ailea yet. They’re still searching… She’s alive. She’s definitely alive, I can confirm that,” Williams told the hosts. “I’ve always known that. I’ve always known pretty much what was going on. To be honest with you, I hate it had to be who they have in custody because that’s still her mom, and all of this was for nothing. All of this was for nothing.”

Nonetheless, Williams explained that he would like his daughter to understand that it was not right for her to be taken away.

“This is not okay. This is actually against the law. So in time, I hope you can understand that this is the truth and I still miss you. I can’t wait to see you and I just hope you understand everything that might be going on because I know it’s alot and I’m sorry that your name is circling around so much for this instead of things that you’re actually good at and talented at.

Williams noted that he hopes he and his now 17-year-old daughter can “start on a good foot” and he’ll be waiting for her when she’s ready.

Social Media Weighs In On Statements From Father Of Brown’s Missing Daughter

Social media users weighed in on the statements from the father of Alicia Brown’s missing daughter in the comment section of the post.

Alicia Brown’s Mugshot Released & More On Her Arrest On Kidnapping-Related Warrants

As The Shade Room previously reported, Alicia Brown initially made headlines in June. At the time, she took to social media to seemingly accuse Big Tigger of physical assault and infidelity.

Their situation has since escalated with Tigger’s co-host denying the cheating allegations, Tigger being named a suspect in an assault investigation, him being arrested in that investigation, and multiple clips surfacing of his apparent physical interactions with Alicia Brown.

Additionally, the ordeal has also uncovered allegations about Alicia’s past, and the 2019 disappearance of her then-10-year-old daughter.

On Monday, July 6, Alicia was arrested on multiple outstanding kidnapping-related warrants, per The Shade Room. It is believed that she will be extradited to Maryland. Per WSB-TV, the investigation into her case remains ongoing. This, as authorities reportedly believe she is aware of her daughter’s whereabouts.

See Alicia Brown’s mugshot below.

RELATED: Big Tigger’s Wife Reportedly Arrested On Outstanding Kidnapping-Related Warrants Connected To 2019 Disappearance Of Her Daughter

Bleachers singer Jack Antonoff was among the celebrities to attend Taylor Swift‘s wedding to Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden. However, his wife, Margaret Qualley, was noticeably absent from the spectacle. Now, days later, sources say the couple has split after three years of marriage. This comes after the actress wiped photos of the frequent Swift collaborator from her Instagram page.

On July 8, Qualley and Antonoff split after tying the knot in August 2023. It’s unclear why the breakup happened, but a source told PEOPLE magazine that their relationship had been “rocky.” However, another insider stated that the actress and the musician are “figuring things out.”

Qualley and Antonoff were first linked in August 2021 after they were seen kissing. They then made their first public appearance in 2022, attending the AFI Awards Luncheon. The couple went Instagram official the same month.

From there, Antonoff and Qualley became engaged in May 2022 and married the following month in New Jersey. Notably, Swift attended the wedding, as did Channing Tatum,  Zoë Kravitz, Cara Delevingne, and Lana Del Rey.

Margaret Qualley Recently Deleted Wedding Photos

The first sign of trouble in Antonoff’s marriage to Qualley came when she skipped Swift’s wedding to Kelce. However, more recently, their wedding photos were deleted from her Instagram page. It’s worth noting that, according to The Daily Mail, she’d posted photos from the wedding in March to promote his new single with Bleachers.

In fact, there are no photos of the musician at present, despite there being several before.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s lavish wedding was filled with unforgettable moments, but one subtle detail may have lasting significance long after the celebration ended. 

The couple’s intertwined “T&T” logo was impossible to miss throughout their Madison Square Garden nuptials, leading many fans to see it as nothing more than a romantic wedding monogram. 

Branding experts, however, believe the carefully designed emblem could represent the foundation of an enduring public identity, with some suggesting it may eventually become one of the couple’s most recognizable symbols.

From the moment guests received their invitations, it became clear that Taylor Swift and Kelce had carefully crafted a visual identity for their big day.

Their custom “T&T” monogram, two connected “T” initials linked by delicate hearts, appeared throughout nearly every aspect of the celebration. 

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The design featured prominently on wedding invitations before making its way onto luxury gift boxes distributed during the rehearsal dinner.

Inside Madison Square Garden, the branding continued to appear on podiums, decorative displays, and even commemorative handkerchiefs gifted to guests.

Rather than functioning as a simple decorative element, the emblem tied the entire event together, creating a consistent visual theme that reflected the couple’s new chapter together.

Swift’s Wedding Branding Mirrors What Celebrity Couples Are Doing

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For celebrity event planner JoAnn Gregoli, the logo is part of a growing trend among high-profile weddings.

Gregoli, whose clients have included George and Amal Clooney, Jon Bon Jovi, and Bill Clinton, explained that custom branding has become an increasingly important part of modern celebrity celebrations.

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“Most weddings want to feel very personal, so often we will come up with a branding logo monogram to make it feel like it’s the couple, and then we use that branding throughout the process,” she told the Daily Mail.

She explained that couples typically review several design concepts before settling on one that best represents them. In many cases, that logo continues to play a role long after the wedding itself.

One former client even chose to display their wedding logo on a private jet after getting married.

According to Gregoli, “If they love the logo that much, and it really represents their brand as a couple, they will take that logo and trademark it and use it throughout their lifetime.”

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Although no public trademark filings currently indicate Taylor Swift and Kelce have protected the design, experts believe the possibility remains very real.

Taylor Swift’s Trademark History Has Sparked New Questions

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Given Swift’s well-documented history of protecting her intellectual property, some fans have already begun wondering whether the wedding logo could eventually join her extensive trademark portfolio.

The singer reportedly owns more than 150 trademarks, covering everything from her cats’ names to memorable lyrics including “Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you.”

Lisa Delpy Neirotti, director of the sports management program at George Washington University’s School of Business, believes trademark protection would help the couple maintain control over the design, particularly since unofficial versions have already begun appearing online.

“There are already counterfeiters out there doing it: I’ve seen people trying to sell it on Etsy and things like that,” she said.

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Still, Neirotti believes the logo’s greatest value lies in storytelling rather than merchandising.

She revealed, “They’re probably going to try to trademark it. I could see it appearing on the cover of an album. Maybe she’s working on something about their marriage or that chapter of her life. I would see it integrated into her work rather than just used to sell T-shirts.”

Swift And Kelce May Need To Strike The Right Balance

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Branding specialists also believe the newlyweds will need to carefully navigate how closely they merge their public identities moving forward.

Before their wedding, Swift and Kelce had already offered subtle hints of coordinated branding by wearing Ralph Lauren for their engagement photos before selecting Christian Dior for their wedding day.

Bob Dorfman, author of the annual Sports Marketers’ Scouting Report, believes those thoughtful decisions worked because they felt natural rather than overly commercial.

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“Cynical people are assuming this is just a business deal, so you have to be careful that you’re not branding people to death,” he said, adding, “They have to let their individual careers continue along their paths without making everything T&T together.”

Neirotti echoed that sentiment, arguing the logo is unlikely to become another merchandising opportunity.

“This is one of the most important moments of her life. She did everything so high-end and so thoughtfully that I don’t see her trying to license or commercialize it. But I do see it being integrated into her future work,” she said.

Travis Kelce Reflects On Taylor Swift Proposal In First Podcast Since Wedding

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While insiders continue dissecting every detail of Swift and Kelce’s wedding, from its signature logo to its lasting symbolism, the newlyweds are beginning to share a few heartfelt memories of their journey to the altar. 

During the first episode of the “New Heights” podcast since their July 3 wedding, Kelce reflected on the proposal that started it all, revealing he had been planning the surprise while filming an episode with Swift in August 2025. 

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The Kansas City Chiefs star admitted he had to keep his excitement under wraps as preparations unfolded behind the scenes before transforming his backyard into a romantic garden setting where he popped the question. 

Looking back, Kelce described the proposal as a moment he will “remember forever,” while recalling how special it was to finally ask Swift to marry him after months of careful planning.

Probably fair to say that the X-Men and the Fantastic Four don’t exactly have a straightforward relationship at this point. Sometimes they’re best buds while other times they’re neighbors eyeing each other over the garden hedge with suspicion at what the others are up to. And then again, sometimes Reed Richards sticks his super elasticated and bendy nose in mutant business where it doesn’t belong and everyone rightfully gives him bombastic side-eye. However, this September, the two teams are joining forces against a threat that sounds genuinely horrible even by Marvel standards.

Marvel has announced DNX, a new five-issue comic book event series from writer Jed MacKay and artist Federico Vicentini. The series launches on September 2 and sees the X-Men and Fantastic Four unite to stop the X-Virus, a terrifying new threat designed to forcibly transform humanity into mutants.

The villain of the piece this time around will be the Chairman, the original Hank McCoy who of course, we know as Beast. This time around, McCoy is leading the supervillain group 3K, so when the X-Men turn to the Fantastic Four to help save one of their own, the White Beast prepares to unleash the X-Virus in a heavily populated area which sets off a huge change in the balance between humanity and mutantkind.

‘DNX’ Is Marvel’s Next Major X-Men Event

MacKay said the series represents a huge turning point for his current X-Men run, with the fallout from Age of Revelation feeding directly into the present-day story.

“DNX is the next big milestone event of our X-Men (2024) run,” MacKay said. “Age of Revelation showed the future, and DNX shows that future’s impact on the present! The X-Men and 3K are on a collision course that has been set since issue one—and only one will survive. And with the Fantastic Four joining the fray, this is going to be an event that will transform the X-Men dramatically.”

Vicentini also said the project gives him a long-awaited chance to work with MacKay and the Fantastic Four. “I’m so happy to be working on DNX,” he said. “I love what Jed is doing with X-Men (2024), and I’ve been telling him for a long time that I wanted to work with him. Now the opportunity has arrived, and it’s an even bigger challenge because I finally have the chance to work on the Fantastic Four too!”

The first issue features a main cover by Kaare Andrews, along with variant covers from artists including Chip Zdarsky, Ryan Stegman, Marco Checchetto, Jim Lee, Jeehyung Lee, John Tyler Christopher, Artgerm, and Ken Lashley. DNX #1 will also be released in Marvel’s True Believers Blind Bags, with exclusive variant covers and rare one-of-a-kind sketch covers.

DNX #1 arrives on September 2.

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Release Date

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July 13, 2000

Runtime

104 minutes

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Director

Bryan Singer

Producers

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Avi Arad, Lauren Shuler Donner, Ralph Winter, Richard Donner

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Evil Dead is the best horror franchise of all time, and honestly, it’s not even close. Few of its peers can come anywhere near the consistently high level of quality that Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell — first as director and star, respectively, and now as producers — have delivered for 45 years now. Not only has Evil Dead avoided the periodic dips in quality that have plagued fellow franchises like Scream and Halloween; each film brings something new to the table. No other series has explored this much territory, from the genre-changing original film, to the horror-comedy blend of Evil Dead II, the pivot into fantasy of Army of Darkness, and the dread-inducing return-to-basics horror of 2013’s Evil Dead, a remake so good that most fans and even the film’s director consider it canonical.

10 years after the 2013 film, the franchise made an official theatrical comeback with Lee Cronin‘s Evil Dead Rise, a tale of gory family trauma that clawed its way out of streaming-only limbo to become the highest-grossing Evil Dead movie by a mile. The film was such a success that not one but two sequels were announced: Evil Dead Burn and 2028’s Evil Dead Wrath.

None of this, of course, guaranteed anything about the quality of Evil Dead Burn. Even the most immaculate horror franchises aren’t immune to a stinker every once in a while (cough Scream 7 cough). Is Evil Dead Burn the one to finally crack under the pressure? Hardly. Director Sébastien Vaniček oversees a frightening, funny entry that’s a worthy successor to all that came before.

What Is ‘Evil Dead Burn’ About?

Image via Warner Bros.

The latest nightmare to grace the Evil Dead universe centers on Alice (Souheila Yacoub), a young French woman whose husband (George Pullar) is killed in a tragic accident. Following his death, Alice is forced to spend some time in a quaint house in the woods with her in-laws, both of whom blame her for their son’s death. Unfortunately, there are bigger problems afoot than family conflict: the group is soon targeted by infamous undead demons known as Deadites, who will stop at nothing to tear everybody to shreds, both physically and psychologically.

Similarly to Evil Dead Rise, the film begins with a cold open that’s mostly disconnected from the rest of the core story. One of Evil Dead Burn‘s few low points is this opening sequence, which features somewhat choppy editing that leaves something to be desired. Thankfully, once the perspective shifts to Alice’s tale, the film picks up almost immediately and moves at a lightning-fast pace until the finish line.

Yacoub’s Alice is a wonderfully compelling character, one who feels like a perfect successor to the series’ previous heroes. Without giving too much away, her story isn’t just about hacking demon-possessed corpses to pieces; it’s rich with deep, culturally relevant thematic subtext, much like Beth (Lily Sullivan)’s allegorical tale of becoming a mother in Rise. Hunter Doohan, Lucian Buchanan, Erroll Shand, Maude Davey, and especially Tandi Wright as Alice’s passive-aggressive mother-in-law round out a remarkably strong ensemble as well.

Sébastien Vaniček Proves Himself the Perfect Director for ‘Evil Dead Burn’

Image via Warner Bros.

Evil Dead Rise turned Lee Cronin into a major name in the horror world, and history seems to be repeating itself with Evil Dead Burn director Sébastien Vaniček. After the opening’s minor choppy editing issues, Vaniček’s film fires on all cylinders, delivering a frequently jaw-dropping horror spectacle. There are some shots and sequences that are so expertly directed, it’s a shock to find out that this is only Vaniček’s second feature; it feels like he somehow manifested the spirits of every great Evil Dead director before him, especially during a delightfully bonkers finale that has some of the best shots in the entire franchise, which is saying something.

While Evil Dead Burn is filled with the expected tension and genuinely scary moments, one of the more surprising elements is how funny it is. Don’t expect Alice to be cracking jokes à la Ash Williams, but Vaniček expertly utilizes some great sight and sound gags that don’t detract from the film’s meaningful commentary on grief and abuse. The result is one of the franchise’s best mixes of horror and comedy since Evil Dead II, genuinely frightening in some moments and absolutely hysterical during others.

Evil Dead Burn, like every installment before it, also makes excellent use of practical effects. From graphic kills to disturbing gore, even the most over-the-top moments feel authentic and believable because of this. That said, it does have a bit more CGI than the average Evil Dead film. While some may call that sacrilegious, it’s used cleverly and sparingly enough to the point where it’s largely a non-issue.

‘Evil Dead Burn’s Third Act Is One of the Franchise’s Best

Arguably, the centerpiece of any Evil Dead movie is its third act, in which just about everything goes awry, culminating in a completely unhinged and bloody spectacle. That is very much the case here, and in a franchise where every finale has hit, this one might hit the hardest. Vaniček and the rest of the cast and crew use every tool in their arsenal to craft a finish that includes everything from a complex oner to a shot in which a broken mirror completely changes the scene’s perspective. It is a breathtaking ending, and one that will delight fans of the franchise.

While Evil Dead Burn may not have a Deadite antagonist on the same level as Evil Dead Rise‘s Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), it is a compelling addition to a horror franchise that just keeps hitting. The characters have depth, the action, scares, and comedy are all in line with of Sam Raimi’s signature style, and it has a third act that is nothing short of unforgettable. In truth, there is one word and one word only that can accurately describe Evil Dead Burn: Groovy.

Evil Dead Burn hits theaters on Friday, July 10, 2026.

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Release Date

July 10, 2026

Runtime

120 Minutes

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Director

Sébastien Vanicek

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Writers

Florent Bernard, Sébastien Vanicek, Sam Raimi

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Pros & Cons

• Sébastien Vanicek establishes himself as a horror director to watch.
• A compelling story about grief and trauma.
• One of the most bonkers third acts of any Evil Dead movie.
• Surprisingly funny without sacrificing scares.

• Some editing and CGI choices feel a little out of place.

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Novel adaptations continue to prove popular on screen. One of the biggest movies of the year, Ryan Gosling‘s new sci-fi masterpiece Project Hail Mary, is based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller adapting it for the big screen. Earning $683 million worldwide, becoming an enormous hit with critics, and now smashing expectations on streaming as one of the most-watched movies globally, Project Hail Mary is yet another example that audiences across the world are hungry for more book-to-screen projects.

On July 7, exciting author Jessica Knoll‘s latest novel, Helpless, finally debuted. A hugely talented editor, novelist, and screenwriter, Knoll’s previous work includes 2015’s Luckiest Girl Alive, 2018’s The Favorite Sister, and 2023’s Bright Young Woman, with the latter — a fictionalized retelling of the crimes of Ted Bundy focused on his victims — set for a TV adaptation courtesy of Erik Feig’s Picturestart and Fifth Season, with Knoll writing and executive producing. Previously, Luckiest Girl Alive was adapted into a 2022 movie starring Mila Kunis. Now, as her new and spiciest novel yet hits shelves, it has been confirmed that Universal Global Television has acquired the rights to adapt Helpless for the screen.

The novel, which, according to Knoll herself, was inspired by the question, “Why do so many women kind of harbor these taboo sexual fantasies?”, is reportedly inspired by A Court of Thorns and Roses, the smash hit from Sarah J. Maas. Knoll will adapt her book for the screen and will also executive produce, alongside two-time Academy Award nominee Stacy Sher. In a statement about this exciting new venture, Knoll said:

“With ‘Helpless,’ I wrote the book I’ve been dying to read, and I’m so excited to make the show I’ve been dying to watch,” Knoll said. “Stacey Sher has produced so many of my favorite (and most anticipated!) adaptations and working alongside her and the talented team at Universal Global Television feels like I’ve scratched off a winning lotto ticket.”

A Novel Adaptation is a Massive Hit on Netflix Right Now

Yet more proof of the hunger for novel adaptations from mass audiences is the current success of I Will Find You, the latest Netflix adaptation from acclaimed crime author Harlan Coben. It was recently reported that I Will Find You has picked up over 85 million views as of last week, which makes it one of the most-watched Netflix shows of the last few years. With that in mind, Helpless will be hoping for a slice of the streaming success pie.

Helpless is getting a TV adaptation. Stay tuned to Collider for more, and check out I Will Find You on Netflix.

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Release Date

2026 – 2026-00-00

Network

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Netflix

Showrunner

Robert Hull

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Directors

Adam Davidson, Maggie Kiley, Maja Vrvilo, Brad Anderson

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Writers

Robert Hull, Harlan Coben

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 28 seconds ago

M3GAN first hit theaters in 2023. It feels like longer, but it’s only been three years, and we’ve already received a sequel (M3GAN 2.0) and on August 1st, a spin-off: SOULM8TE. The first film caught fire thanks to a viral TikTok trend based on a brief clip of the killer AI doll performing a creepy dance. The second film went the Terminator 2 route of making her the good guy, which didn’t quite work out, and now, the spin-off is being described as “an erotic thriller.” While huge in the 90s, that’s one genre that’s fallen off in the last decade, which explains why SOULM8TE won’t be in theaters and only available for digital rental on August 1st.   

SOULM8TE First Look Reveals AI Obsession

SOULM8TE stars Evil Dead Rise’s Lilly Sullivan as Sara, a highly advanced AI companion being worked on by Neil (Fargo’s David Rysdahl), a talented engineer grieving the loss of his wife. His attempt to turn Sara into the perfect companion, or soulmate, backfires and kicks off a chain of events that may or may not involve murder. It started with the best of intentions, as Neil wanted a genuine human experience, and not, as the company behind Sara intended, a sexbot. 

When Sara arrives, she comes with a few outfits: apron, sun dress, a shiny silver clubbing dress, and a schoolgirl outfit. All Neil wanted was to be loved, but programming Sara to love him backfires, and she becomes, you can say, obsessed with him. Stalking, murder, resisting his commands, and a strong aversion to girl power slogans soon follows. Going by the initial trailer footage, SOULM8TE is going to be compared to Obsession, and it’s going to fall short of Curry Barker’s instant classic every time. 

Direct To Streaming

SOULM8TE is walking on well-worn ground by combining a guy who only wants love from a source that can’t give it to him (Obsession), and an AI sexbot (Companion). There was also the Megan Fox thriller, Subservience, and if you think about it long enough, you’ll come up with a dozen more examples. None of the AI sexbot gone rogue films have been blockbuster hits, though Fox’s take and Jack Quaid’s Companion were both solid, which helps explain why Universal is dumping it on direct-to-streaming digital platforms. 

As time goes on, it’s looking more and more like M3GAN was the perfect combination of right time, and right place to be a hit. Attempting to turn it into a sci-fi horror franchise was the wrong move. The social media sensation that powered the first hasn’t been there for the latest two films, and in the case of SOULM8TE, it’s actively working against the film. Comments under the trailer on every platform talk about how it’s an Obsession knock off, but with how movies are made, this was in the works before Obsession was even in post-production. It’s bad timing. 

SOULM8TE may turn out to be a great movie and a fun throwback to the erotic thrillers of the 90s, or it could be a waste of everyone’s time. No one can say for sure until August 1st when it’s available for rent.