The epics of Hollywood’s Golden Age are unlike anything the industry produces today. The enormous set pieces, colorful costumes, powerful performers, and iconic tales of deeply human drama that transcend the time periods in which they’re set — and Ben-Hur sets a high bar. You may not know that Ben-Hur was based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace, which was first published in 1880. According to the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities, it was second to the Bible itself in sales for decades until Margaret Mitchell‘s Gone with the Wind usurped the title. But while Ben-Hur is set in first-century Roman-occupied Judea, its roots go all the way back to the Wild West era of American expansion.

‘Ben-Hur’ Was Written By Governor Lew Wallace on the American Frontier

The famed 1959 Charlton Heston adaptation of Ben-Hur — which was first adapted as a silent picture in 1907, followed by a 1925 adaptation, a 2003 animated film, and a 2016 remake — is not only one of the most impressive technical marvels to find its way to the big screen, but easily among the most profound. Yet, the source material that sparked such a powerful epic was penned and published by author Lew Wallace while he served as Governor of the New Mexico Territory. Wallace had fought in both the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War, and at the tail end of the latter, even served on the commission investigating the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. After the war, he pursued politics, ultimately backing the Republican abolitionist Rutherford B. Hayes in the 1877 presidential race. It was Wallace’s earnest support for Hayes that earned him his governorship of New Mexico, and in 1878 he arrived in Sante Fe just after the worst of the famed Lincoln County War.

Although Wallace was tasked with settling the dispute, which some believe carried on as long as 1981 when Sheriff Pat Garrett reportedly killed outlaw and former “Lincoln County Regulator” Billy the Kid (aka William H. Bonney), it didn’t stop him from continuing his research into first-century Judea, nor from finishing his biblically-inspired epic. As noted by the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum, “[Wallace] completed the final chapters of the novel, especially those dealing with the crucifixion of Christ, while he was serving as Governor of the New Mexico Territory.” This means that Ben-Hur was in the works at the same time that Wallace met with the Kid in hopes to use his testimony against the corrupt officials involved in the Lincoln County War.

Although Bonney agreed to Wallace’s request, he only did so on the condition of a full pardon for the three murders he was charged with during the conflict. The governor agreed to the terms and the Kid testified, but the local district attorney refused to honor the deal, leading to Bonney’s eventual escape. Wallace was forced, then, to sign Billy the Kid’s death warrant, which was one of his final acts as governor. While Ben-Hur is the farthest thing from a traditional Western, Lew Wallace’s classic novel is undoubtedly a product of his time on the American frontier.

‘Ben-Hur’ Was Lew Wallace’s Literary Masterwork

Five months after Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was published, Wallace resigned from his post. His weary attitude toward the West came just in time as, only a few years later, Ben-Hur became a source of great wealth and success for the former governor and general. He left behind politics altogether by 1885. Although Wallace hadn’t visited the Holy Land before writing the book, the National Endowment for the Humanities notes that he spent nearly a decade researching the Ancient Near-East and diligently studying the period. So, when he finally made it to Jerusalem in 1882, he was pleased with how well his work represented what he saw.

These days, Western audiences likely remember Lew Wallace as the governor who “betrayed” Billy the Kid. Fictional depictions of Wallace have appeared in movies like Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and Young Guns II, as well as television shows like Death Valley Days. (His work on Ben-Hur was briefly noted in the MGM+ series Billy the Kid.) For the most part, Wallace’s literary contributions have been largely been divorced from his time in the Old West. Even so, Ben-Hur remains a powerful tale that transcends his brief governership on the frontier.

Seven dangerous fellas, zero interest in subtlety, and pretty horses. That’s this particular Western in a nutshell, because it does nothing quietly. It takes the bones of a classic story and then throws it into the body of a louder and bloodier action movie for modern times. It’s dusty, yes, and violent as well, but it’s the exact kind of movie that you’ll be looking for when you need something to stream late at night on the weekend.

The Magnificent Seven is streaming for free on Pluto this month, giving viewers another chance to revisit the brutal Western reimagining from Antoine Fuqua. The film is set in a desperate town that hires a group of outlaws, gamblers, bounty hunters, and gunslingers to protect them from a ruthless industrialist who wants their land. What could possibly go wrong? That setup is classic Western material, but it’s tinged with the revenge thriller aspect too, and it’s easy to see the Yellowstone comparison in its land-war setup, while the body-count-heavy action gives the whole thing a bit of John Wick energy, only with horses, dust, and fewer pencils.

The cast includes Denzel Washington (Gladiator II) as Sam Chisolm, Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy) as Josh Faraday, Ethan Hawke (The Lowdown) as Goodnight Robicheaux, Vincent D’Onofrio (Daredevil: Born Again) as Jack Horne, Byung-hun Lee (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) as Billy Rocks, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo (The Lincoln Lawyer) as Vasquez, and Peter Sarsgaard (Shattered Glass) as Bartholomew Bogue.

How Successful Was ‘The Magnificent Seven’?

In a manner of speaking, it did well, but it wasn’t a massive smash. It grossed about $162.4 million worldwide, including $93.4 million domestically, against a reported $90 million production budget, so that gives it about 1.8x its production budget. That’s a decent amount, but when marketing and advertising costs are factored in, the movie probably made a small loss. It opened well, though, with $34.7 million in North America and topped the box office that weekend. Critically, it was more mixed. Rotten Tomatoes lists it at 64%, with critics praising the cast and action but saying it didn’t really reinvent the Western as a genre. Collider’s review of the movie was absolutely not one of the positive ones as it slammed it for taking one of the finest Westerns ever made and turning it into a rote action movie. Why would you want to watch this if the original film or Seven Samurai are sitting right there?

The Magnificent Seven is streaming for free on Pluto this month.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

September 23, 2016

Runtime

132 minutes

Advertisement

Writers

Richard Wenk, Nic Pizzolatto

Advertisement

Producers

Roger Birnbaum, Todd Black

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 20 seconds ago

One of the most interesting Star Wars supporting characters is Asajj Ventress, the murderous Sith who frequently tormented the Republic during the Clone Wars cartoon. She initially served as Anakin Skywalker’s dark counterpart, one who trained under Count Dooku just as the young Jedi trained under Obi-Wan Kenobi. Eventually, her story took some weird twists and turns: after being betrayed by Darth Sidious and Count Dooku, she tries to find a home with the Nightsisters and even some sleazy bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Eventually, she has a face turn, ultimately helping to save Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ashoka, two Jedi who were once her sworn enemies. 

While Asajj Ventress benefited from good writing, it was her voice actor, Nika Futterman, who really brought this complex villain to life. Futterman is an accomplished actor who has voiced some of the genre’s best characters, including Hawkgirl and Catwoman.  However, what even the biggest Star Wars fans don’t realize is that Futterman helped connect their favorite franchise to one of the most beloved and most controversial bands of the ‘90s. You see, long before she voiced a Sith apprentice, Futterman sang the “give it to me baby” part of the hit Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).”

Nothing Ventress, Nothing Gained

Like many voice actors, Nika Futterman has had a very unconventional career. Since the mid-90’s, she has voiced characters in just about every geeky franchise under the sun. This includes Marvel, DC, Ninja Turtles, Scooby-Doo, and so many more. In 2008, she voiced Star Wars character Asajj Ventress in the Clone Wars movie, a role that carried over to the Clone Wars television show. Her casting was a pleasant surprise, as Ventress had been previously voiced by Grey DeLisle in the earlier, 2D Clone Wars show. Futterman has gone the distance in a galaxy far, far away and continued voicing Asajj Ventress in the Star Wars shows Tales of the Underworld and The Bad Batch.

Early in Futterman’s career, she dabbled in music. Her most notable achievement in this arena included performing in the hit 1998 Offspring song “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy”). Futterman doesn’t sing along with the band, exactly; instead, she provides the iconic refrain “give it to me, baby!” that arguably makes the song so memorable. While the song proved to be immensely popular, some found it offensive because most of its humor was based on race. Specifically, the song is filled with tongue-in-cheek references to the titular white guy desperately trying (and failing) to be cool by doing things like buying Vanilla Ice records and cruising around in a Pinto.

Give It To Her, Baby!

The song was a breakout hit for The Offspring, a band that made a name for itself with vulgar lyrics that celebrated aggressive behavior and mocked everything from poser culture to authoritarian posturing. As such, they were considered highly offensive by conservative critics of the ‘90s, which, in retrospect, isn’t really fair. If you can get past the foul language and songs about sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll, you are left with a successful band that simply helped make punk attitudes and aesthetics mainstream. In terms of punk, these guys are infinitely less offensive than, say, hardcore punk legend GG Allin.

Whether you hate or celebrate The Offspring, their connection to Star Wars is wonderfully surreal. One year before The Phantom Menace hit theaters, the woman who would ultimately voice the prequels’ coolest spinoff character was singing an infectiously catchy, hilariously suggestive refrain for the most vulgar bop of the decade. In its own way, that song was even prophetic when it comes to the Chosen One of a galaxy far, far away: Anakin Skywalker. This angry young man might never have been granted the rank of Master, but even the stodgiest members of the Council can agree on one thing: he is pretty fly, for a white guy! 

Off Campus star Mika Abdalla and ex-fiancé Jake Short are speaking out exclusively to Us Weekly regarding a controversial resurfaced podcast clip that’s been making waves online following their split.

“We’ve seen a conversation around clips of us together when we were in a relationship, and people making harmful and inaccurate assumptions about our dynamic,” read the joint statement from Abdalla, 26, and Short, 29, about the resurfaced conversation from a 2024 episode of “The Sit and Chat” podcast. (In the video, Short made a joke in reference to Abdalla that some social media users have since dubbed controversial online.)

The former couple noted to Us that they “were in a loving, respectful relationship for five years” and “it’s hurtful to see playful moments dissected in a way that does not reflect the respect and love we had and still have for each other.”

The exes put on a united front just days after Us broke the news of their split after five years together. In a statement to Us, a rep for Abdalla said, “Because of the immense curiosity about Mika’s personal life and in light of numerous erroneous reports, I can clarify that Mika and Jake are no longer in a relationship.”

Related: ‘Off Campus’ Cast: Who the Prime Video Stars Have Dated in Real Life

The Off Campus cast has, similar to their fictional counterparts, have found success in their personal dating lives. Based on the Off Campus book series by Elle Kennedy, the show, which premiered in May 2026, follows an elite ice hockey team — and the women in their lives — as they “grapple with love, heartbreak […]

The spokesperson noted that Abdalla and Short continue “to support each other as friends,” adding, “I’d ask that Mika’s and Jake’s privacy be respected at this time.”

The former couple started dating after they met on the set of Sex Appeal in 2021, even getting engaged before parting ways. Abdalla,
has since been focused on her career following her breakout role on Prime Video’s Off Campus.

Based on the Off Campus book series by Elle Kennedy, the show, which premiered in May, follows an elite ice hockey team — and the women in their lives — as they “grapple with love, heartbreak and self-discovery — forging deep friendships and enduring bonds while navigating the complexities that come with transitioning into adulthood,” read the official synopsis.

Season 1 is centered around the “sexy and fun ‘opposites attract’ romance between quiet songwriter, Hannah and Briar University’s all-star hockey athlete, Garrett.”

Ella Bright and Belmont Cameli led the first season, with Allie and Dean (Stephen Kalyn) being next in line. Before production kicked off on season 2, Abdalla spoke to Us about the support for the show.

“Since the cast was announced, I feel like there’s been theories circulating online, and it’s been really interesting to read it,” she shared about the book to TV show changes. “I for sure think people are going to be at least surprised.”

Abdalla specifically addressed the surprise introduction of Hunter Davenport (Charlie Evans) — despite him not being linked to Allie in Kennedy’s version of the story.

“It was really important to have that scene to slow down what was happening between Allie and Dean. I want to see them kind of go. I want to see them really separate,” Abdalla hinted. “Allie just got out of a long-term relationship. She can’t do what she always does. … I really like the edition of the Hunter story line drama. They need to grow as individuals. And so I really want to see Ali and Dean grow separately in season 2.”

The actress was thrilled to see what would come next for Allie and Dean.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Abdalla expressed excitement at the chance to explore more of the fictional couple’s relationship.

“I’m just really looking forward to digging deeper into who Allie and Dean are. They both kind of have these fronts, these personas that are hard to kind of crack through. They are kind of stereotypes of themselves, if that makes sense,” she told Us. “But in the books, there’s so much beneath the surface of Dean and there’s so much beneath the surface of Allie.”

Abdalla continued: “When it is time for our season, I’m excited to dig emotionally into that a little bit more. [We] see Allie and Dean as their exteriors a lot in season 1. And while that is fun, and they are super fun characters to play, I think as actors, selfishly, both of us are really excited to like, get psychological.”

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 12 seconds ago

For the most part, I’m a big fan of the Russo Brothers. Some of their non-Marvel work has been pretty lackluster (like The Gray Man and The Electric State), but they still deserve kudos for bringing us superhero cinema like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Before that, they also directed some of the best episodes of Community, arguably the greatest sitcom ever made. So, for all my misgivings about modern Marvel, I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard they’d be directing Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. If anybody could breathe life back into this franchise, it’s going to be the guys behind the last two MCU projects anyone cared about.

However, my respect for these guys really went down a few notches when they made a recent appearance at SXSW London. The two were hosting a headline session called “Building Artistic Universes Without Borders,” and it didn’t take them long to start talking about their upcoming Marvel movie. At this point, Joe Russo made a startling statement: “We are back to phase zero. This is starting over from scratch. We want to make sure everybody feels like this isn’t leaning on anything from the past.” With respect to this acclaimed creator, this quote makes me want to ask a simple question of the Russos: just how stupid do you think fans really are?

You And The Cap’n Make It Happen

Obviously, the Russos aren’t going to spill too many beans about the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. Anthony Russo admitted that he and his bro were “exhausted” after Avengers: Endgame came out because there was a seven-year push to get that film off the ground. They were eager to move on and do new things, but writer Stephen McFeely gave them an unspecified “creative idea that reignited [the project], and I can’t talk about that creative idea, because it’s the basis for Doomsday, but that [idea] all of a sudden broke the skies open for us, and we saw all new kinds of possibilities with that idea.”

That’s when Joe Russo chimed in about Doomsday being a way to go “back to phase zero” and “[start] over from scratch. We want to make sure everybody feels like this isn’t leaning on anything from the past.” When he said this, it felt a bit like I was having a stroke. While we won’t know what McFeely’s cool idea is until Doomsday hits theaters this December, it’s clear that the Russos’ upcoming MCU film is leaning on things from the past in every possible way. For example, the movie is bringing back Chris Evans’ Captain America in a shameless attempt to put butts in seats.

He’s Gonna Take You Back To The Past

Robert Downey Jr. is returning, too, but instead of playing Iron Man, he will inexplicably be playing Doctor Doom. His return is even more shameless, and this is the second time Marvel Studios had to deliver dump trucks of cash to get Downey back after his contract ran out. Ironically, we were going to have a fresher villain in the form of Jonathan Majors’ Kang, but Marvel needed to replace Majors after he was convicted of assault and harassment. Downey may very well dazzle in this role, but it’s wild to hear the Russos say they aren’t “leaning on anything from the past” while bringing back the man who kickstarted the MCU in 2008. 

That also extends to the growing army of cameos in Avengers: Doomsday. So far, we know that we’ll see heavy-hitting MCU legacy actors like Chris Hemsworth, Sebastian Stan, and Tom Hiddleston. We’ll also be getting Thunderbolts actors like Wyatt Russell and David Harbour, some standalone heroes we haven’t seen in a hot minute (like Simu Liu and Letitia Wright), and all of the Fantastic Four actors (including Pedro Pascal). Perhaps most excitingly, we’ll see the return of classic X-Men actors like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Hugh Jackman. 

Making The Fans See Red

Believe it or not, that’s just a tiny fraction of the returning Marvel actors that we know about. Obviously, the prospect of seeing so many heroes onscreen is exciting; it’s the cinematic equivalent of just dumping out the entire toy box and having madcap crossover adventures. But by definition, jamming as many returning MCU characters into a film as humanly possible is the opposite of “starting over from scratch,” a statement made by one of Marvel’s most successful directors as he gets back on the horse for one last ride into a superhero sunset.

Ironically, this empty attempt to market Avengers: Doomsday to the masses has made me more anxious about the film than ever before. If the Russos have something to say, they can just say it instead of making vagueposting statements that sound like lazy AI slop. Furthermore, they can promote their blockbuster film without outright lying to us and saying that a film built on endless legacy character cameos and made by returning Marvel directors “isn’t leaning on anything from the past.” Clearly, these guys think their fans are idiots, which leaves us with a depressing question: if this is how dumb they think the audience is, just how incredibly stupid will the movie actually be?

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 15 seconds ago

There are few alien creatures in Star Wars that fans hate more than the Ewoks. Some despise these little dudes because such happy-go-lucky care bears seem out of place in Return of the Jedi, the climactic final act of a very serious film trilogy. Others look down on Ewoks because they represent George Lucas’ pretty blatant shift from storyteller to toy salesman. Some of the more hardcore fans, meanwhile, resent the Ewoks because they took the place of fearsome Wookies that were written into previous versions of the script.

Admittedly, the Ewoks are annoying in Return of the Jedi: they’re just so cute and so weirdly stupid that it’s mind-boggling to think they could, Viet Cong style, overcome the best of the Empire’s highly-trained, highly-armed Stormtroopers. However, outside of that movie, the Ewoks can be pretty funny, especially when they engage in very weird, very public displays of horniness. Don’t believe it? Then it’s time to travel back to a long, long time ago, to a special Halloween episode of the Today Show in which a drunken Ewok kept humping Al Roker’s leg on live television!

Meet The Galaxy’s Horniest Ewok

If you don’t usually watch the Today Show, I don’t blame you. Most of the time, the show is all about vapid people exchanging empty smiles while they discuss even emptier topics, all to avoid offending their target demographic: elderly people who have become one with the couch. Every now and then, though, this aging talk show delivers us a moment of off-kilter brilliance. That’s exactly what happened in 2009, when the Today Show aired a Halloween special that was all about Star Wars. We get to see Al Roker dressed as Han Solo, which would honestly be reason enough to watch this surreal clip from a bygone era. 

This whole segment was lighthearted, which is likely why producers included a couple of Ewoks. The Ewoks were hilariously out of character, acting a bit more like Gremlins as the hosts demonstrated how to get the decorations and wine just right for a Halloween party. Things get even weirder when one of the Ewoks approaches a host, only to be told, “down, boy, down! Down. Sit, sit! Good dog.” While you are still reeling from the weird space racism, something wild happens: the chastised Ewok tries to run away with a martini while the other one apparently starts groping one of the hosts. “What’s he doing behind me?” she cries, before noting “they’re awfully frisky.”

When He Can’t Stop Establishing Dominance

Believe it or not, all of that weirdness was just an appetizer leading to the main course. The brown Ewok who had been seemingly grabbing butts earlier starts demonstrating his moonwalking skills to a delighted Al Roker. When Roker points out his moves, the Ewok one-ups things by doing the freaking stanky leg. He continues dancing as he shuffles towards the man and, without warning, starts dry-humping Roker’s leg! After the critter backs off, a chuckling Roker can only say, “I feel so dirty.”

Insanely enough, the brown Ewok wasn’t done making everything as perverted as possible. He gets down on the floor and begins doing push-ups. When a guest points out the creature’s calisthenics, he stops doing push-ups and starts passionately humping the straw-covered floor. This is the final “straw” for Roker, who jokes that his guests from Better Homes and Gardens must be excited to witness all this before he cuts to a commercial.

Honestly, this is probably my favorite Star Wars media of the last 20 years. Everything just gets stranger as the clip goes on, and it’s amazing to see the Ewoks as we’ve never seen them before: drunk, handsy, and obscenely horny. It’s very obvious that Al Roker was expecting none of this, and it’s hard to stop laughing while he gets molested by the most hated alien in all of Star Wars, all on live television. However, I can’t help but question the Today Show hosts’ knowledge of this galaxy far, far away. Roker shouldn’t have been so impressed by moonwalking. After all, on the forest moon of Endor, all walking is moonwalking!

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is seeing the funny side after an influencer was left scratching her head over the star’s latest product endorsement.

Taking to TikTok on Tuesday, June 2, influencer Katy Napier (@happyyellowco) shared a video of herself coming across the Jumanji actor’s personal care brand Papatui.

In the footage, which subsequently went viral with more than five million likes, Napier showed the products as well as an ad of Johnson, 54, which featured his bald head.

“Don’t give up on your dreams,” Napier said in the clip. “The Rock is selling shampoo and conditioner, and he’s bald.”

Related: Dwayne Johnson Unveils His Skincare Brand Papatui: ‘I’m Hyped’

Kayla Oaddams/WireImage Dwayne Johnson is breaking into beauty. Johnson, 51, announced his new men’s grooming line, Papatui, via an Instagram video shared on Wednesday, March 7. “I am so excited … I’m hyped to finally be able to share this really amazing news with you guys after years in development and years of testing this […]

Text overlaying the video doubled down on the sentiment. It read, “Go for it.”

Two days later, Johnson humorously clapped back with a video response posted via his social media accounts.

Johnson stitched Napier’s video with a clip of himself wearing his long locks in character as Maui for the live-action Moana movie.

“Ok this made me belly laugh.. HARD 😂😂😂 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 🤜🏾🤛🏻,” Johnson captioned the post. “And hey, sometimes a Demigod’s radiant and ravishing hair needs shampoo/conditioner 😜🪝 You’re Welcooooome 🎶Love ~ Maui 🪝”

Proving there are no hard feelings, Johnson added, “Ps ~ I got a little gift coming your way, @happyyellowco 😉🥂.”

@happyyellowco

Dream big. #therock #dwaynejohnson #bald #shampoo #dreambig

♬ original sound – Happyyellowco

It’s not the first time Johnson’s Papatui brand has raised eyebrows with shoppers.

When the brand launched in March 2024, some people made similar jokes about buying shampoo and conditioner promoted by a bald man.

“Boy, this man has no business in the shampoo department,” one puzzled TikTok user joked at the time, while another quipped, “I’m not gonna buy shampoo from a hairless man!”

Related: Happy Birthday, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson! His Biggest Moments

Advertisement

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has laid the smackdown on the WWE and Hollywood for nearly 30 years. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of […]

Speaking to GQ, Johnson revealed that he decided to launch the personal care brand after years of being asked about his skincare routine.

“The interaction is always the same when it comes to [asking about my skin routine],” Johnson told the outlet at the time. “They start looking around like, ‘Hey, can I ask you: What do you do?’ I wanted to get guys in the space of being comfortable owning our skin care and our self-care because we like to think — we try our best, by the way — to own all these other areas.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

He added, “I’m certainly no expert, but I’ve been lucky enough to have access to some of the best.”

The former WWE wrestler has also never been one to shy away from joking about his lack of hair.

In April 2017, Johnson joked via X, “I’m not bald because I went bald. I’m bald because my hair is a cross between an afro and hair from a Lama’s ball sac.”

It’s a wonderful time to be a horror movie fan. Last weekend at the box office, despite it only being the second theatrical weekend for Pedro Pascal‘s The Mandalorian and Grogu, the latest Star Wars movie was beaten by two fresh new horror stories, both from the minds of YouTube stars. In second place on the domestic charts with a $27 million haul was Curry Barker‘s viral domestic horror Obsession, which boasts a breakout performance from Inde Navarrette.

In first place with an opening weekend return that broke several records was A24’s Backrooms, led by Renate Reinsve and Chiwetel Ejiofor, which has catapulted the name Kane Parsons into superstardom. Now the youngest director to hold the #1 spot at the North American box office, it’s clear that horror films have perhaps never been more popular. This isn’t only true for fresh ideas, as the horror phenomenon of today is helping propel some of the genre’s classics into the streaming charts, including a film that broke an impressive record itself.

The film in question is The Silence of the Lambs, Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel that holds a huge Academy record. 35 years since it first debuted, The Silence of the Lambs is still the only horror movie to ever win the Best Picture prize. It is also one of only three movies in the history of the Oscars to sweep the “Big Five” categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Featuring genre-defining performances from Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs is a must-watch for any fan of the genre. Right now, the movie is one of the ten most-streamed on Tubi in the U.S.

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ Was Also a Major Box Office Hit

Similar to the projected success of Backrooms, The Silence of the Lambs was a major horror hit at the box office. Against a reported budget of just $20 million, the film earned an eye-watering $275 million worldwide, split between a domestic haul of $130 million and a further $145 million from overseas markets. The movie opened at #1 in the U.S. in early 1991, lasting a month at the top spot until the release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.

The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most-watched movies on Tubi. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming stories.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Release Date

February 14, 1991

Runtime

119 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Jonathan Demme

Advertisement

Writers

Ted Tally, Thomas Harris

Producers

Advertisement

Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Kim Zolciak’s estranged husband, Kroy Biermann, allegedly dated a model who appears to have been in close proximity with the couple’s children.

According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly on Thursday, June 4, Biermann, 40, invited the woman on a family trip to Florida earlier this year.

“Over Spring Break 2026, [redacted] was invited to Panama City Beach with KJ. His dad planned to take his children, plus Kroy and I discussed, via text, the sleeping arrangement and additional logistics of the trip,” a letter written from the mother of a girlfriend of one of Zolciak, 48, and Biermann’s sons claimed. “I did not find out until after the trip that Kroy’s girlfriend also went. This is a concern due to the apparent poor influence of his girlfriend. Although many of her sexual content has been removed from the internet recently, I did see the photos before their removal. This woman is not someone who should be around teenage kids or giving any advice on their behavior.”

In the letter, which was first reported by TMZ, the unidentified individual wrote, “My daughter knows that she is not allowed to be around the girlfriend for extended time. I would assume Kroy would feel the same way about me taking one of his children on a trip with my family, if I had an OnlyFans male model as my guest.”

Us Weekly has reached out to Biermann’s attorney for comment. It’s unclear if Biermann has engaged in any relationships with individuals associated with OnlyFans or if this was a generic example provided.

The author of the letter also expressed why she wanted to write something to the court-appointed guardian who makes custody recommendations in Zolciak and Biermann’s divorce.

“The purpose of this letter is not to support the Biermann children being removed from the care of either parent,” the letter stated. “It is my hope that these children are able to have both parents as a part of their life, if possible.”

Zolciak and Biermann — who share KJ, 15, Kash, 13, and twins Kaia and Kane, 12 — have been entangled in a public legal battle ever since they filed for divorce in May 2023. Although the pair briefly reconciled a few months later, the divorce was back on by August 2023.

In March, Biermann requested sole custody of their minor children after the pair had previously agreed to a joint custody arrangement, according to court docs.

A judge approved a temporary parenting plan where the kids would remain in Biermann’s physical custody.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Related: Kim Zolciak Claims Ex Kroy Biermann Lied About Her Neglecting Kids: Report

Real Housewives of Atlanta alum Kim Zolciak is reportedly fighting her ex, Kroy Biermann, over his claims that she neglected their children. According to a report published by TMZ on Friday, May 22,  Zolciak — who temporarily had her custody suspended three weeks ago — filed court docs claiming that the decision was made without […]

In her latest court documents, Zolciak — who is also the mom of daughters Brielle Biermann, 29, and Ariana Biermann, 24, whom Kroy legally adopted in 2013 — claims her estranged husband has been engaged in sexual relationships “with multiple women in recent months,” including with a female who has stayed at his residence and on vacation with children allegedly present.

Zolciak claimed in court documents that her children reported on multiple occasions “not seeing [Kroy] for hours on end, but hearing him engage in sexual acts with his girlfriend of the moment.”

Kroy testified that the woman was merely a “friend,” per court documents.