HBO was born out of the need for an alternative to traditional cable programming. It revolutionized the way we watch television by creating a subscription-based service outside the conventional channels. As a result, shows could challenge censorship required by FCC laws and cater to audiences in need of inventive content. They explored otherwise taboo subjects like sex, drug use, and violence in a more graphic manner. These led to fresh premises in early shows like Oz, Sex and the City, and beyond.
While the service has reinvented itself (many times over) in recent years, the mission remains the same: to allow users to indulge in a “Home Box Office” experience tailored to their preferences. It offers a wide range of shows across genres and topics. Regardless of its name, the very first subscription-based platform set a precedent for modern streaming services and greater freedom for content creation.From Veep to The Sopranos, these shows are mandatory viewing from HBO’s vast catalog.
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1
‘Sex and the City’ (1998–2004)
Charlotte, Carrie, Miranda, and Samantha looking out the window in ‘Sex and the City’Image via HBO
Sex was not often talked about – or depicted – on mainstream cable television. But Sex and the City changed that. The HBO series followed four women: Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). Each character represented a realistic portrayal of women in their 30s and 40s navigating life, love, and their careers in New York City.
Yes, some plots may not be true to reality (like how Carrie could afford her lifestyle on a weekly columnist’s salary). But it’s still easy to resonate with and fantasize about the scenarios they get themselves into. Sex and the City had a lasting effect on culture in the 1990s and 2000s, from magazine articles asking readers “which character are you?” to the invention of the popular Cosmopolitan cocktail. The series spawned two movies and a spin-off series, And Just Like That…, but these can never compare to its originator.
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2
‘Veep’ (2012–2019)
Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) celebrating on a podium in ‘Veep’.Image via HBO
When does satire seep into reality? This is all too true of HBO’s Veep. Vice President Selina Myers (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) intends to take the presidency in this 2012 political comedy shedding humorous light on the inner workings of the U.S. government. While the stakes are high (war, scandal, etc.), Selina’s brash mouth and neurotic antics highlight how foolish the circumstances are. It’s a workplace comedy similar to The Office infused with high-stakes political drama like Scandal. Somehow, the formula works.
Veep was based on its British counterpart, The Thick of It, and quickly outshined its predecessors from over the pond. Veep is one of many political TV shows that aired in the 2010s but tackled the subject in a unique tone. This is greatly thanks to Drefyus’ incredible comedic prowess stemming from her background in Saturday Night Liveand Seinfeld. Viewership soared during the 2020 election cycle for obvious reasons as fans coped with the political environment. Veep didn’t mean to be a documentary – it just happened to air (preemptively) at the right time.
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3
‘Succession’ (2018–2023)
The cast members looking somber in the pew of a church in Succession episode Church and State.Image via HBO
Succession is one of many HBO shows that captured fans’ attention week after week and fostered engaging online discourse fueled by rhetoric, theories, and debate. It’s a show about family, wealth, and power. Who will take over Waystar Royco when its figurehead eventually leaves the company? It’s not that simple and nearly tore an already fractured family apart.
But this is a plot with a deadline – someone must inevitably take control of the Waystar Royco before it crumbles. One of the show’s greatest feats is that creator Jesse Armstrong knew when to end. Many series often fall into this trap as they try to continue a show for as many seasons as they can. The HBO show was purportedly inspired by the real-life Murdoch family and their scandalous affairs in deciding who would take over their legacy media conglomerate.
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4
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ (2000–2024)
Larry David talking with his hands up in Curb Your Enthusiasm.Image via HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm is Larry David being Larry David for 12 seasons. It relied on improvisation without a steady plotline as the episodes often veer towards absurd scenarios that only Larry David could find himself in. The show was known for employing David’s wide network of Hollywood actors, writers, and directors in cameos and guest roles in a way that audiences had never experienced before.
The HBO original premiered in 2000, just two years after completing his tenure as a writer for Seinfeld. In many ways, Curb Your Enthusiasm can be considered a spin-off of the fictional/real-life David as he plays a semi-retired writer on the show. The Emmy Award-winning series concluded in 2024 after a long hiatus, giving fans a chance to say goodbye to their favorite grumpy man. It’s for these reasons (among others) that Curb Your Enthusiasm has remained such a mainstay on television throughout the decades.
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Collider Exclusive · Taylor Sheridan Universe Quiz Which Taylor Sheridan Show Do You Belong In? Yellowstone · Landman · Tulsa King · Mayor of Kingstown
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Four worlds. All of them brutal, complicated, and built on power, loyalty, and the price of survival. Taylor Sheridan doesn’t write heroes — he writes people who do what they have to do and live with the cost. Ten questions will reveal which one of his worlds you were made for.
🤠Yellowstone
🛢️Landman
👑Tulsa King
⚖️Mayor of Kingstown
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01
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Where does your power come from? In Sheridan’s world, everyone has leverage. The question is what kind.
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Who do you put first, no matter what? Loyalty in Sheridan’s universe is always absolute — and always costly.
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Someone crosses a line. How do you respond? Every Sheridan protagonist has a line. What matters is what happens after it’s crossed.
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Where do you feel most in your element? Sheridan’s worlds are as much about place as they are about people.
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How do you feel about operating in the grey? Nobody in a Sheridan show has clean hands. The question is how they carry the dirt.
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What are you actually fighting to hold onto? Every Sheridan character is fighting a war. The real question is what they’re defending.
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How do you lead? Authority in Sheridan’s world is never given — it’s established, maintained, and constantly tested.
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Someone new arrives and tries to change how things work. Your reaction? Every Sheridan show has an outsider disrupting an established order. Sometimes that outsider is you.
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What has your position cost you? Nobody gets to where these characters are without paying for it. The bill is always personal.
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When it’s over, what do you want people to say? Sheridan’s characters all know the ending is coming. The question is what they leave behind.
Sheridan Has Spoken You Belong In…
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The show that claimed the most of your answers is the world you were built for. If two tied, both are shown — you’re complicated enough to straddle two Sheridan universes.
🤠 Yellowstone
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🛢️ Landman
👑 Tulsa King
⚖️ Mayor of Kingstown
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You are a Dutton — or you might as well be. You understand that some things are worth protecting at any cost, and that the modern world’s indifference to history, to land, to legacy, is not something you’re willing to accept quietly. You lead from the front, you carry your family’s weight without complaint, and when someone threatens what’s yours, you don’t escalate — you finish it. You’re not cruel. But you are absolute. In Yellowstone’s world, that combination of ferocity and loyalty doesn’t make you a villain. It makes you the only thing standing between everything that matters and everyone who wants to take it.
You thrive in the chaos of high-stakes negotiation, where the money is enormous, the margins are thin, and the wrong word in the wrong room can cost everyone everything. You’re a fixer — the person called when a situation is already on fire and needs someone with the nerve to walk into it. West Texas oil country rewards exactly what you are: sharp, adaptable, unsentimental, and absolutely clear-eyed about what people want and what they’ll do to get it. You’re not naive enough to think this world is fair. You’re smart enough to be the one deciding who it’s fair to.
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You are a Dwight Manfredi — someone who has served their time, paid their dues, and arrived somewhere unexpected with nothing but their reputation and their wits. You adapt without losing yourself. You build loyalty through respect rather than fear, though you’re not above reminding people that the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Tulsa King is for people who are still standing when everyone assumed they’d be finished — who find, in an unfamiliar place, that they’re more capable than the world gave them credit for. You don’t need a throne. You build one, wherever you happen to land.
You carry the weight of a system that is broken by design, and you do it anyway — because someone has to, and because you’re the only one positioned to do it without the whole thing collapsing. Mike McLusky’s world is for people who are comfortable operating where there are no good options, only less catastrophic ones. You speak every language: law enforcement, criminal, political, human. That fluency makes you invaluable and it makes you a target. You’ve made your peace with both. Mayor of Kingstown belongs to people who understand that keeping the peace is not the same as being at peace — and who do the job regardless.
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5
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2005)
David Fisher sitting and looking up at someone in Six Feet Under.Image via HBO
Set in early 2000s Los Angeles, Six Feet Underfollows the Fisher family navigating life (and death) as they run their family business: a funeral home. Each episode centers around death and subsequent contemplation, which guides the events of each character. It’s a profound series that often plays out like a soap opera whereby each person must face a conflict within themselves and between interconnected characters.
Despite a dismal title and dark undertones, Six Feet Under somehow managed to engage audiences through its character-forward narratives. It was easy to resonate with Nate’s (Peter Krause) battle with responsibility, David’s (Michael C. Hall) exploration of sexuality, or Claire’s (Lauren Ambrose) coming of age in a tumultuous household. But it’s the investment that’s worth it. Without spoilers, Six Feet Under concludes with one of the best TV series finales of all time. It’s worth sitting through five seasons of this powerful show just to experience those final 10 minutes. You know it’s good when even George R. R. Martin says, “I cannot imagine how anyone could do better.”
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6
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011–2019)
Game of Thrones dominated 2010s pop culture as a revolutionary fantasy series rich with themes of power, family, and morality. It included political undertones as households battled one another for their right to the Iron Throne. The series was not afraid to kill off major characters as fans quickly learned not to get too attached. Game of Thrones depicted brutal deaths; a careful balance of satisfying and devastating.
Although the series was based on George R. R. Martin’s fantasy novels of the same name, it eventually surpassed the source material and made it its own. It’s debatable whether that was the right choice given the controversial final season that still receives criticism even today. There are no words that can be used to explain the sentiments of seeing those dragons for the first time or the world of Westeros itself come to life. Once you’re done with Game of Thrones, you might as well watch the other spin-offs, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
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‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
Bunk sitting on a bench in ‘The Wire.’Image via HBO
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The Wire is an early crime-drama show, airing from 2002 to 2008. It follows a police unit as they investigate crimes across the city of Baltimore, Maryland, and their effects on residents in multiple capacities. The show is not afraid to depict darker themes and focuses primarily on the relevant war on drugs told through the lens of both the law and the perpetrators.
HBO loves a good crime show. But The Wire is different in that it offers greater contemplation regarding the ethics of crime as it has evolved over the seasons. The show’s strongest point is its world building: Baltimore itself becomes a character as investigations incorporate everyday citizens affected by – everyone from drug deals to journalists and even children affected by situations.
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‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon in The Leftovers (2014)Image via HBO
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An inventive premise based on Tom Perrotta‘snovel of the same name, The Leftovers begins in the sleepy suburban town of Mapleton, New York. It’s a show about existentialism as characters cope with the disappearance of 2% of the world’s population in an event deemed “The Departure.”The Leftovers‘ intrigue lies in ambiguity which viewers might find engaging or frustrating – but that’s the intention! There are religious, philosophical, and scientific themes throughout.
The Leftovers gained popularity during the COVID pandemic due to themes of grief and how to move forward. As Perrotta told The New York Times, “I think there’s something about the scale of The Leftovers that’s truer to the cataclysms that we have lived through.” That’s what makes it so captivating. This is executed flawlessly by a strong cast that includes Justin Theroux, Carrie Coon, and Margaret Qualley.
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‘The Sopranos’ (1999–2007)
Edie Falco and James Gandolfini in The SopranosImage via HBO
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The Sopranos is often considered one of the best TV shows of all time. Why is that? This early HBO series followed the complex life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini) and his family residing in northern New Jersey. It infused humor into an otherwise normal storyline. The Sopranos was also unique in that it wasn’t afraid to portray a man as both strong and weak when he attended therapy, in contrast with his masculine persona. Additionally, it’s hard to listen to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” without thinking about that final controversial scene.
There are many instances of movies inspiring spin-off television series or vice versa, and The Sopranos was a leader in this concept. It connects an otherwise insignificant man and his family existing in an insignificant New Jersey town to The Godfather four decades later. Actors and characters from the original even appear in main roles or in cameos, furthering this continuity. It’s recommended to watch the movie franchise before starting the HBO drama to fully appreciate the Easter eggs and references to the former make for a more enriching experience.
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‘Oz’ (1997–2003)
Ryan and Adebesi talk in the kitchen in Oz.Image via HBO
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The Sopranos is indeed one of HBO’s best original series, and possibly one of the best of all time. But before that is the oft-forgotten prison drama,Oz. Protagonist and inmate Augustus Hill (Harold Perrineau) provided narration for each episode reminiscent of a Greek chorus. It was a poignant reminder of the complexities each character possesses, as if they were a tragedy straight from a Shakespearean play. The name alone provided an overview of what the series would become in this satirical take on The Wizard of Oz. Only in this case does it refer to the show’s setting of Oswald State Correctional Facility; as a promotional poster for the show reads, “This is no place like home.”
Yet, the inmates make “Em City” their home nonetheless, as they are divided into factions and foster connections to make their time in prison easier. Oz is at its best when these groups – usually separated by race or religion – interact with one another, furthering the cell block’s experimental concept. And in many ways, it works. Oz made television history in 1997 when it became the first hour-long drama series on HBO. It dealt with heavy topics surrounding the American prison system and, in many ways, challenged stigmas in the process.
Jaafar Jackson as Michael Jackson in a poster image for Michael (2026)Image via Lionsgate Films
After an infamously uneven run over the last couple of years, Lionsgate is ready to rebound. This weekend, the studio released its controversial Michael Jackson biopic, which exceeded already-bullish projections to deliver a record-breaking debut at the box office. Later this year, Lionsgate will also release The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel in the dystopian action franchise. Michael delivered the studio’s biggest debut since The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which was released three years ago. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Michael survived a highly dramatic production that reportedly saw a major creative overhaul to the third act and conflicts between the filmmakers and Jackson’s estate. The film’s release has also attracted renewed attention to the longstanding abuse allegations against the King of Pop. The movie has been criticized for omitting this aspect of Jackson’s life entirely.
However, it has clearly struck a chord with fans. Michael delivered the biggest-ever box-office debut for a biopic, overtaking not only Bohemian Rhapsody but also Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer. Starring Jaafar Jackson as his iconic pop star uncle, the movie holds a 38% critics’ score and a “Verified Hot” 97% audience score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The site’s consensus reads, “While Jaafar Jackson’s smooth moves bring the King of Pop to uncanny life, this musical biopic mostly plays like a ‘greatest hits’ album that could’ve benefited from including liner notes to give actual insight into the icon.”
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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best Picture Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
🪜Parasite
🌀Everything Everywhere
☢️Oppenheimer
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🐦Birdman
🪙No Country for Old Men
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01
What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.
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02
Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?
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How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
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What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
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What do you want from a film’s ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
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Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.
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What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
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What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
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How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.
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What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?
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The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is…
Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.
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Parasite
You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.
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Oppenheimer
You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.
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Birdman
You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.
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No Country for Old Men
You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.
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Here’s How Much ‘Michael’ Grossed at the Box Office This Weekend
Produced on a massive reported budget of $200 million, Michael grossed just under $100 million domestically and more than $215 million worldwide in its opening weekend. A path to the $1 billion mark lies ahead, and, given near-unanimous audience praise, it seems highly achievable. Were the movie to hit this milestone, it would have overtaken both Bohemian Rhapsody and Oppenheimer to become the highest-grossing biopic of all time. Also starring Colman Domingo, Miles Teller, and Nia Long, the movie could also spawn a sequel that tackles the second half of Jackson’s life and career. A significant portion of footage that was edited out of the first film could reportedly be used in a second installment. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay,” Megan, 31, tells Us Weekly in a Saturday, April 25, statement. “Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward.”
She continued, “I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”
Several hours earlier, Megan appeared to publicly claim that Klay, 36, had been unfaithful during their relationship.
Megan Thee Stallion and Klay Thompson are heating up! After posting a few subtle hints online, Megan and Thompson confirmed their romance in mid-July 2025 when the pair each shared photos and videos featuring one another via Instagram. On July 12, Thompson shared a series of photos on the platform that featured a woman bearing […]
“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house … got ‘cold feet,’” Megan wrote via her Instagram Stories earlier on Saturday without mentioning Klay by name. “Holding you down through all your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season.”
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She added, “Now you don’t know if you can be ‘monogamous???’ Bitch, I need a real break after this one. Bye y’all.”
Klay has not publicly addressed his relationship status or the cheating accusations. Us Weekly has reached out to the athlete’s rep for comment.
Courtesy of Megan Thee Stallion/ Instagram
Megan and Klay were first romantically linked in July 2025, making their red carpet debut later that month at her Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala. (Megan started the nonprofit in 2022 to support women, children, seniors and underserved communities in Houston, Texas.)
“Well, it feels incredible because Megan is such a special person and she inspires so many around the world. I’ve seen it firsthand,” Klay exclusively told Us on the red carpet. “This is just another incredible feat of hers to be able to give back, create [a] foundation and raise a ton of money for those in need. I’m honored to be here by her side.”
Klay Thompson won’t sit by and let two former NBA players drag his girlfriend. Thompson, 35, jumped into the comments of the “Hoopin’ N Hollerin’” podcast’s Instagram account on Wednesday, November 12, to defend Megan Thee Stallion after Jason Williams used a derogatory term to describe her to his cohost, Patrick Beverly. “Referring to my […]
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The gala was held in honor of Megan’s late parents, whom Klay told Us that he “would have loved to meet.”
“I know both of them would be so proud of their only daughter because of what — not only what she’s been able to accomplish, what she’s also going to continue to do,” Klay said at the time. “She has never been put in a box, or allowed herself to be in a box, and she just continues to inspire so many people around the world. And, on top of that, raise a ton of money this evening and just do so much for so many in need.”
Megan previously datedPardison Fontaine and Torrey Craig, respectively.
Reflecting on the sitcom that made her a global star, the actress said the show now feels more meaningful than ever. She also revealed how revisiting the sitcom has become difficult in the wake of Perry’s death, as it reminds her she’ll never again experience Perry’s presence and talent off-screen.
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More than two decades after “Friends” first aired, the sitcom remains a cultural staple, still pulling in new generations of fans.
Kudrow was at the center of that success, starring alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and the late Perry.
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Now, Kudrow says her view of the show has shifted, especially after revisiting it following Perry’s death.
“After Matthew died, I watched the show again,” she told The Times. “Before, I only saw what I did wrong or could have done better. But for the first time, I truly appreciated just how great it was. I felt I did OK, but Jennifer and Courteney? Amazing. David and Matt? They had me laughing so hard. And then Matthew, he was just beyond us all.”
Kudrow Says Matthew Perry’s Death Made ‘Friends’ Hard To Rewatch
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While their characters often clashed on “Friends,” Kudrow and Perry shared a much closer bond off-screen.
The actress later honored that friendship by writing the foreword to her co-star’s 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” where she admitted she hadn’t fully grasped the depth of his struggles with addiction.
Now, that realization has made revisiting “Friends” more emotional than ever.
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“Because there was a genius at work,” Kudrow said of Perry’s performance as Chandler. “And whatever any of us do in the future, we will never experience something like that again.”
Lisa Kudrow Once Gave Herself A Deadline To Make It In Hollywood
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After “Friends” wrapped in May 2004, the cast branched out in different directions, with varying levels of success.
For Kudrow, the transition led to a steady run in comedy, with roles in films like “Happy Endings,” “Hotel for Dogs,” “Easy A,” and “Neighbors.” She also moved behind the scenes, producing projects including “Web Therapy” and the TLC/NBC series “Who Do You Think You Are?”
However, Kudrow says her career wasn’t always something she took for granted. Early on, she gave herself a limited window to make acting work, with a backup plan already in mind.
“I said to myself, ‘You’re young… Have fun and try it.’ But always in the knowledge that life gets harder. You take on family and responsibilities,” she told The Times.
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The Actress Hesitates On AI Bringing Back ‘Friends’
As AI continues to make inroads in Hollywood, Kudrow isn’t convinced it should be used to revive “Friends.”
When asked whether she’d sign off on a deal allowing her likeness to be used in AI-generated episodes of the hit sitcom, Kudrow made it clear the choice wouldn’t be hers alone.
“Well, it wouldn’t be my decision,” she said. “All the cast would have to agree. Bright, Kauffman, Crane [the show’s creators and producers] would have to agree too.”
Even then, she suggested the idea may not get far. Kudrow noted that not everyone involved would necessarily be interested, regardless of how lucrative the offer might be.
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Lisa Kudrow Reflected On Being Married Before ‘Friends’ success
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Away from Hollywood, Kudrow built a stable personal life long before “Friends” turned her into a household name. She has been married for decades to French-born advertising executive Michel Stern, per PEOPLE.
That timing, she says, helped her sidestep the level of public scrutiny that followed co-stars like Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox at the height of the show’s fame.
Reflecting on it now, Kudrow acknowledged the role that decision played, while also stressing the importance of keeping her career separate from her home life.
“For sure, and all because I married early and outside the business,” she said. “No one was interested. There was no story. And very early on, I was pretty clear: actors on a big show are well paid and really looked after. But you cannot take that attitude home with you. At home, it’s family, life, kids.”
“I know that you guys see a lot of headlines and videos and photos about my life, and something that I have learned from being on reality TV is that everyone has an opinion,” Jessi, 33, said in a “get ready with me” video shared via Instagram on Saturday, April 25. “But healing after divorce is so interesting because everyone’s process is different.”
Jessi and her estranged husband Jordan Ngatikaura — who share kids Jager, 5, and Jovi, 3 — called it quits after making their reality TV debut on the hit Hulu show in September 2024. Their marriage issues were documented on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, including Jessi’s emotional affair with Marciano Brunette.
Following the news of their split, Jessi broke her silence on their divorce during a March episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, claiming she experienced “emotional abuse” from Jordan.
“So for me, I did a lot of mourning in my relationship,” Jessi continued on Saturday. “I don’t know if anyone can relate to that. I know a lot of people don’t understand that I’m dating and hanging out and just having fun and when you’re in a relationship where you don’t feel valued and you don’t feel like you were treated well, it feels so nice to just talk to people who make you feel valued and treat you well.”
She added, “And I think one of the biggest comments I see is, ‘Go heal and focus on your children.’ And what I want to say to that is: two things can be true. I have my kids 50 percent of the time now, so I am focusing on healing and spending time with them but when I don’t have them I’m also focusing on myself and reprioritizing being happy, honestly. And it’s been really fun to just be happy and to be giddy and to just let loose and kind of see that men don’t have to be what I have experienced for so long.”
Jessi went on to say that while she does believe that “being alone,” going to therapy and “journaling” are all “ a big part of healing,” she also believes that “another part of healing is dating.”
“Because I am definitely jaded when it comes to relationships now and I am really scared,” she explained. “So it’s been kind of nice just to, like, be happy again and experience other things. I do plan on being single for a long time and just hanging out with different people and having fun and finding connections while also focusing on myself.”
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Jessi — who admitted she hasn’t been “single since I was 19 or 20 years old” — also addressed comments she has made about her previous relationship, saying that she doesn’t want to “talk badly” about her failed marriage.
“I already said my piece on that,” she added, claiming that she lived in “fight or flight” mode for years. “But there is an element of, like, when you do get divorced you kind of unwind what you’ve been through.”
The reality TV star acknowledged that there are “going to be plenty of judgments” about the decisions she makes moving forward, but despite the online hate and criticism she is “so happy just to be in this new phase in life.”
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“Divorce is so freaking scary and so hard and so heartbreaking,” she continued. “I am so excited to film again and show that process for me.”
The former Bachelorette is said to be focused on her mental health after her split and legal issues with Dakota, and will reportedly “not be involved” in the show moving forward.
Megan Thee Stallion’s whirlwind romance with Klay Thompson has come to an abrupt and messy end, leaving fans stunned by how quickly things unraveled.
What started as a highly publicized, affectionate relationship filled with gifts, trips, and red carpet moments has now turned into a breakup fueled by serious accusations.
With Megan speaking out directly and hinting at deeper issues, the split is already sparking intense reactions online as fans try to piece together what really went wrong.
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MEGA
Megan Thee Stallion didn’t hold back when confirming the breakup, making it clear that her decision was rooted in values she refuses to compromise.
In a statement to PEOPLE on April 25, the rapper shared, “I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay.”
Megan then shared a hint about the possible cause of the breakup, revealing, “Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path forward.”
In her final words, the Grammy Award winner shared that she would be stepping away and focusing on herself.
According to her, “I’m taking this time to prioritize myself and move ahead with peace and clarity.”
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Fans Erupt With Mixed Reactions Amid Megan’s Announcement
Megan Thee Stallion issues statement regarding breakup with Klay Thompson to TMZ:
“I’ve made the decision to end my relationship with Klay. Trust, fidelity and respect are non-negotiable for me in a relationship, and when those values are compromised, there’s no real path… pic.twitter.com/AkSP8NKM1d
In no time, Megan Thee Stallion’s statement spread across social media, sparking a wave of reactions from fans.
On X, some users showed the 31-year-old some support, noting that it was Thompson’s loss.
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“Trust and fidelity are the bare minimum, no matter who the man is. Seeing her stand on her values so publicly is incredibly empowering,” one person wrote.
Another commented, “She settled for less and the less still cheated on her and made her do wifey duties with no ring. This Arab boy fumbled a hottie damn.”
A third fan also noted, “The fact she led with values instead of vibes is the real story. Most people stay silent or spiral. She set a standard and moved, that’s grown woman behavior.”
On the other hand, some users revealed that Megan deserved what she got, considering her complicated history with Tory Lanez.
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“What goes around comes around. Karma is what again?” a fan wrote over a screenshot of a tweet Lanez made about God fighting his enemies.
Another fan also shared the same screenshot and added, “god is working for Tory Lanez,” alongside a laughing emoji.
Megan Thee Stallion Sparks Cheating Claims In Emotional Post
Instagram Stories | Megan Thee Stallion
Before the official confirmation, Megan Thee Stallion had already set social media on fire with a raw and emotional Instagram Stories post that appeared to call out her partner.
Although she didn’t mention the NBA star by name, the context made the situation clear.
“Cheating, had me around your whole family playing house… got ‘cold feet,’” she wrote.
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Megan also claimed she held Thompson down during all “your HORRIBLE mood swings and treatment towards me during your basketball season.”
According to her, she did all these only for Thompson to reveal he wasn’t sure he could be “monogamous.” “B*tch I need a REAL break after this one .. bye yall,” she continued.
As expected, the post wasted no time going viral and fans had a lot to say.
Fans React To Megan’s Instagram Outburst
MEGA
On X, many users revealed it was disappointing to see Thompson choosing infidelity, considering how much effort Megan Thee Stallion put into the relationship.
One fan wrote, “Klay Thompson really fumbled on this one, I really don’t know the basis of this whole issue but he supposed to learn from then curry and do better next time. No offense.”
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Another user commented, “Klay really had Meghan Thee Stallion holding him down through the whole season just to fumble her like that. Some dudes don’t deserve a real one.”
A third fan added, “Megan said she’d done playing games and walked. Queens don’t stay for mood swings and side pieces. Klay just lost the best thing he ever deserved.”
Megan Thee Stallion And Klay Thompson’s Romance Once Seemed Strong
Image Press Agency/MEGA
The breakup has shocked many because the relationship once appeared solid and full of excitement. Megan and Thompson had shared several moments that painted a picture of happiness and stability, especially after going public.
In February, Thompson surprised Megan with a powder-blue Bentley for her birthday, and the two celebrated with a tropical getaway.
She later reflected on the trip, writing, “Aw man I was not ready for this birthday trip to be over. A time was definitely had. THANK YOU BABY.”
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In late March, she posted a mirror selfie of her and her Thompson together, with the latter standing behind her and holding her waist, further fueling fan excitement about their bond.
Their relationship had first sparked headlines last summer before becoming official at her Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City.
At the time, Megan openly praised him, calling him the “nicest person I’ve ever met in my life,” which made the sudden breakup even more surprising.
“Fear Factor: House of Fear” host Johnny Knoxville is opening up about one of his favorite parts of filming the reality competition show: keeping up with behind-the-scenes gossip about contestants. He recalled reading daily updates during production, turning it into a morning routine while having breakfast.
Season 1 aired its final episode in March, and Knoxville will be returning for a second season after the show was renewed, giving him more gossip fodder with a new set of players.
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At the Deadline Contenders TV panel on April 25, “Fear Factor: House of Fear” host Johnny Knoxville and Executive Producer Michael Heyerman discussed the series, a reboot of the dare game show that originally aired from 2001 to 2006 and was hosted by Joe Rogan.
Unlike the original “Fear Factor,” the reboot requires contestants to live together in a creepy house where they can strategize and form alliances, adding an extra layer of drama to the already stressful challenges they face.
As Knoxville revealed, he gained a new hobby while filming the 10-episode series. “One of my favorite things is the first thing in the morning when we were shooting was they would send out the gossip report — the ‘hot gos report’ of all the things that are happening in the house. And my wife and I sat over breakfast every morning loving it,” he said during the panel, per Deadline.
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The Host Was Invested In The Relationships
14 hopefuls are ready to conquer their fears, but who will conquer the competition and take home $200k!? 💸👀
The original “Fear Factor” was a self-contained competition where a new set of three men and three women competed against each other in each episode. The reboot added a social-strategy element and had a player eliminated each episode until one was crowned the winner at the end of the season. This allowed Knoxville to get to know the players better and form bonds with them.
“I’ve never had a host be so invested in the hot sheet that comes out the morning of,” Heyerman said of Knoxville’s keen interest in the players. “I was really invested in it. Who’s trying to form a friendship, who’s backstabbing someone, is that a real romance or a showmance, did they kiss or barely kiss? I love it,” explained Knoxville.
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Knoxville formed a kinship with some contestants, admitting that he became emotional when some were eliminated. “I turned into that person, but you can’t help it. You form relationships with these people.”
Johnny Knoxville Dishes On His Fear
Knoxville doesn’t seem like someone who scares easily, especially given his history of facing dangerous and often frightening situations throughout “Jackass,” where he regularly pushed himself through stunts that would intimidate most people. However, he revealed one thing about the show that scared him.
In the first season, the challengers were made to face their biggest fears, including getting shocked, being buried alive, and being stuck with dangerous animals and critters, among other things. “Snakes, fine. Spiders, fine. I don’t care about heights. But the communal bathrooms in the house, it gives me anxiety. I don’t want to live with 14 people and have to share a bathroom. I’ll go out in the woods before I’ll do that. That gives me fear,” Knoxville shared.
The Stunt Performer Felt Like A ‘Perverted Life Coach’
MEGA
In an episode of the podcast “Books That Changed My Life” released in January, Knoxville spoke about his experience on “Fear Factor: House of Fear,” saying that his initial thought upon taking the project was to make the contestants’ experiences “worse” for them. However, as they started filming, his perspective changed, and he ended up encouraging the players to conquer their fears.
Knoxville said he told them not to quit, and to “at least try it.” “I became like a really perverted life coach,” he said, as he alternated between scaring them in one moment and motivating them in the next. The actor said he ended up liking the contestants and had more fun hosting than he expected.
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Johnny Knoxville Returns For ‘Fear Factor’ Season 2
A two-part follow-up special titled “Fear Factor: 48 Hours of Fear” will premiere on May 14, where six contestants endure challenges for 48 hours without sleep. Fox also announced that “Fear Factor: House of Fear” has been renewed for a second season.
As reported by Variety, the first episode of Season 1 drew in 16.5 million viewers from various platforms. “Johnny Knoxville’s fearless, unpredictable energy makes him the perfect ringmaster,” Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn said. According to him, the team behind the show is now “plotting new ways to raise the shock-and-awe quotient for Season Two.”
“Fear Factor: House of Fear” Season 1 is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
Filming for Season 4 of the Emmy-winning show “The White Lotus” is well underway in France, and producer David Bernad is sharing some tidbits about the upcoming season without revealing the plot. As he recently revealed, he and showrunner Mike White had an encounter with Cannes waitstaff that convinced them France was the perfect backdrop for the black comedy anthology series’ fourth season.
At the Cannes International Series Festival, “The White Lotus” producer David Bernad dished on how France was chosen as the location for the show’s upcoming season. Showrunner Mike White initially had a list of countries in mind, but an encounter several years ago convinced him that France was the most fitting environment for the idea he had brewing.
As Bernad noted, the interaction happened in 2021 in Cannes while they were attending the Canneseries Festival, per Variety. “We went to dinner and we had a really specific experience with a waiter and a maître d’, and it was the stereotype,” the producer said, without adding further details about what happened, only saying that it was “a funny moment.”
“And I think that it suddenly unlocked what the show is and the dynamics of the show,” he continued. At that point, he and White eliminated all the other locations they were considering and decided then and there that they were shooting Season 4 in France.
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David Bernad And Mike White Share The Focus Of Season 4
CraSH/imageSPACE / MEGA
Before choosing France, White already had a general idea of what Season 4 would be about, with Bernad saying it would focus on “the arts and what it is to be an artist.” Careful not to reveal anything further, the producer said the series will show “how fame can be corrosive and can dictate your choices in life,” adding that Season 4 is the “funniest season” yet.
In an interview with W Magazine in February, White, who writes and directs the series, confirmed that Season 4 will be about fame. “Who has the world’s attention, who is the plus-one, and how that can organize a relationship. Some people are satisfied with the love of just an intimate partner, and some people need the love of strangers and a bigger kind of attention,” he explained.
How ‘Survivor’ Helped Mike White’s Storytelling For ‘The White Lotus’
White was a castaway on “Survivor” twice, the second time on Season 50, which is currently airing. The director took time off before starting work on “The White Lotus” Season 4 to join the reality series’ milestone season that includes past players. According to White, one of the reasons he loves the show is seeing how the players react to and handle situations.
“It’s like a king’s court of intrigue and showing people under stress in these high stakes situations and how they act… it’s getting some insight into the human mind and motivations, it’s really valuable as a storyteller,” White told The Hollywood Reporter.
White revealed that he developed the characters and concept of “The White Lotus” Season 4 while he was on “Survivor 50,” adding that one of his early thoughts was which character to kill in the new season.
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Helena Bonham Carter Leaves ‘The White Lotus’
Helena Bonham Carter has departed ‘The White Lotus’ Season 4 just days into production, Deadline reports.
HBO says her character didn’t work once filming began and will be rewritten and recast. pic.twitter.com/SGbUmBVRMk
In January, Helena Bonham Carter was announced as part of “The White Lotus” Season 4 cast. Filming began on April 15 on the French Riviera, but more than a week later, it was reported that the English actress would no longer be part of the series.
As The Blast previously reported, Carter’s character did not translate on set, and some rewrites will be done. “The role has subsequently been rethought, is being rewritten and will be recast in the coming weeks,” the statement read. The news was met with disappointment from fans who were looking forward to seeing Carter in the highly anticipated season.
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What Do We Know About ‘The White Lotus’ Season 4?
New cast members for ‘The White Lotus’ Season 4:
• Max Greenfield • Kumail Nanjiani • Chloe Bennet • Charlie Hall • Jarrad Paul pic.twitter.com/I2eh1WYuoC
“The White Lotus” Season 4 is already in production, with filming taking place across the French Riviera, including Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Monaco, and Paris. The story is set during the Cannes Film Festival, unfolding at luxury hotels such as the Airelles Château de la Messardière and Hôtel Martinez.
Season 4’s ensemble cast includes Heather Graham, Vincent Cassell, Kumail Nanjiani, Max Greenfield, Sandra Bernhard, Steve Coogan, Marissa Long, Frida Gustavsson, Rosie Perez, Ben Schnetzer, Chris Messina, AJ Michalka, Steve Coogan, and Alexander Ludwig.
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An official date has not been announced, but “The White Lotus” Season 4 is expected to premiere sometime in 2027.
Presented by Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, and Fabien Frankel, the new trailer promises what the cast described as a “bigger, bolder, bloodier, more brutal, more dangerous” season, and the footage absolutely seems to back that up. The trailer puts a heavy spotlight on two major conflicts, including the Battle of the Gullet and a large-scale field battle, while scattering glimpses of chaos from across the season. One of the standout additions is James Norton as Ormund Hightower, delivering a fiery speech about Rhaenyra’s illegitimacy. Elsewhere, Tom Glynn-Carney’s battered Aegon vows revenge against Ewan Mitchell’s Aemond, who now appears to be settled as King and is even seen occupying the Iron Throne himself.
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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
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Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
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🚀Star Wars
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01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
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02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
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03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
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05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
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06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
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08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
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Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
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The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
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The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
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Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
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Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
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A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
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What Can We Expect From ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3?
Showrunner Ryan Condal, who appeared via video link at the event, teased that there would be a lot more of what the fans have been demanding — dragons.
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“I’m very sad to not be joining you all there, but I’m back here in the U.K., putting the finishing touches on post-production in season three. This is a huge season. It’s the biggest we’ve made by any margin and by a wide measure. It is dark. It’s funny. It’s action-packed. It’s emotional. And, of course, it has lots and lots of dragons. This season demanded the very best of everybody that collaborated to make it together, and I can’t wait for the world to experience it.”
Smith also teased that, unlike the more dialogue-heavy episodes of Season 2, this outing would contain “a lot of battles.” He added: “This season, we’re trying to make it bigger, bolder, bloodier, more brutal, more dangerous — just get back to the nuts and bolts of what we are as a show.”
Bring your TV appetite to Netflix, where competitions, culinary tourism, instructional series, and kid-friendly content create an entertainment smorgasbord.
Apex Netflix Charlize TheronImage: Kane Skennar/Netflix
Surprising absolutely no one, Netflix’s new tentpole project has emerged as an instant blockbuster. The movie unites two stars who’ve already delivered hit movies for the streamer, and pits their characters against each other in a high-stakes battle for survival. The movie hails from director Baltasar Kormákur, who has cemented himself as something of a master of the survival-thriller genre, with past films such as the Icelandic film The Deep, the star-studded blockbuster Everest, and the sleeper hits Adrift and Beast. His new movie opened to mostly positive reviews on April 24 and immediately jumped to the top of the Netflix viewership charts.
The film features Charlize Theron as a grieving adventurer whose partner died because of a mistake she made during a climbing expedition. Alone in Australia, she runs into a menacing predator played by Taron Egerton, who previously starred in one of Netflix’s most-watched films, Carry-On. Theron headlined the streamer’s action-packed comic book adaptation The Old Guard and its sequel, The Old Guard 2. She also played a supporting role in Paul Feig‘s big-budget fantasy film, The School for Good and Evil, which was released on Netflix as well. Egerton, on the other hand, has starred in a trio of Apple TV projects — the limited series Smoke and Black Bird, and the drama-thriller Tetris.
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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
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🔧John McClane
🎭Ethan Hunt
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01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
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02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
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03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
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04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
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05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
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06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
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07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
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08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
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09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
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10
It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
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Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
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Rambo
Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
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Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
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John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
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Ethan Hunt
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
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Here’s What Critics Are Saying About Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton’s New Netflix Movie
Their new movie is Apex. According to FlixPatrol, it emerged as Netflix’s number one film both domestically and worldwide a day after its debut. Apex pushed past the holdover hits 180, Roommates, and Thrash. The movie, also featuring Eric Bana in a cameo, currently holds a 65% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. This is slightly lower than Kormákur’s three most recent survival movies — Everest is perched at a 73% score, Adrift is floating at a 69% score, and Beast has settled at a 68% score on the aggregator. In his review, Collider’s Robert Bryan Taylor described Apex as a modern-day take on Deliverance and wrote, “Though Apex‘s story largely just updates survivor-thriller tropes we’ve seen many times before, it’s effective enough in its repackaging that it’s certainly worth firing up on Netflix during a lazy night in.” Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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