Seven months into 2026, and the genre of family movies has already given the world of cinema some amazing gems. This year promises to be even more spectacular, with films such as Steps, The Lost Island, Wildwood, Narnia, and Jumanji 3 still to come. With so much already happening, now is a good time to pause and recognize the kids’ and family movies released this year that have stood out among the rest.

A streaming underdog that came out of nowhere, a winning addition to an established canon, and a murder mystery with brilliant bovidae are only some of the triumphs 2026 has produced. As the year moves on and more projects will be released, it will be interesting to see which of these early bloomers will hold up, and which will be overshadowed by the newcomers in the latter half of the year. However, as of now, these five titles are exemplary and are the best family movies that have come out in 2026.

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‘Toy Story 5’

Image via Walt Disney Studios

Buzz (Tim Allen), Woody (Tom Hanks), Jesse (Joan Cusack). These names are so familiar to audiences that they feel like childhood friends. In a saga that has spanned three decades, many viewers have literally grown up watching the Toy Story franchise. In the fifth and newest installment, the toys that once belonged to Andy settle into their new roles in young Bonnie’s (Scarlett Spears) life. As if that transition weren’t significant enough, they are faced with an extremely formidable foe that they have never encountered before: technology. A poignant moment-in-time examination of what childhood is, Toy Story 5 is immediately relevant and poses several interesting theories about screen time versus play time.

As sequels of a well-loved IP tend to do, there is going to be some overlap and unavoidable comparison to earlier films. Luckily, Toy Story 5 has been a crowd-pleaser from the beginning and has outstanding reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. It is nearing the prestigious $1 billion box office mark and is expected to achieve the accolade with ease. It is difficult to continue the momentum of any movie series that goes past a trilogy, and Toy Story is doing so with flying colors.

A very interesting and major shift in Toy Story 5 is the relationship kids have with toys. With the emergence of tech, it is suggested that kids build relationships with each other via their shared interests (like toys) rather than bonding to the toys themselves. This could mark a significant change of focus for future movies in the series, and it is a fascinating observation of a change in the Zeitgeist at large.

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‘Minions & Monsters’

Another well-established movie franchise to get a sequel this year is Illumination’s Minions series. Part of the larger Despicable Me canon, Minions & Monsters is the seventh film to feature the adorable, gibberish-speaking yellow people. Minions & Monsters features Old Hollywood tropes, creature feature moments, and plenty of slapstick humor. There are gags about LEGOs, filmmaking Easter eggs, and more. It is a fun and self-aware flick where the characters switch from being the subject of a movie to wanting to make a movie themselves.

Although Minions & Monsters has high ratings by both critics and audiences alike, that success is failing to translate at the box office. The poor financial performance could be a timing issue with many families going to summer camps and sporting events. Or it could be that audience fatigue is starting to set in. While Minions & Monsters is undoubtedly one of the best installments to the lore, it is hard to win viewers back after they’ve been disappointed by earlier movies. Hopefully, the admiration for this fun and quirky movie will only continue to grow, and more viewers will get a chance to see what devotees love about it. It could be poised to be a massive streaming hit once its run in theaters is over.

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‘The Sheep Detectives’

Image via Amazon MGM Studios

After a run in theaters, The Sheep Detectives stampeded onto streaming. The murder mystery movie starring Hugh Jackman has reached the #1 spot on Prime. The plot follows a herd of sheep who attempt to solve their shepherd, George’s (Jackman), murder. Cozy murder mysteries are all the rage right now, and it was only inevitable that the winning format found its way to the family movie category.

The Sheep Detectives is stacked with voice talent. Bryan Cranston, Patrick Stewart, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bella Ramsey, and Chris O’Dowd are just some of the names on the illustrious roster. Not to mention the onscreen performances of Emma Thompson and Nicholas Braun. It has become the family movie to watch on streaming and can entertain both the young and the young at heart.

Although the movie presents as being quaint and charming, there are some morbid and bleak elements included in the plotline, like the sheep discovering their own mortality and the fact that humans chop them up for meat. There is also the inherent premise of a person murdering another in cold blood. While The Sheep Detective delivers for fans of whodunits, it may not be the best for younger children. For older kids and teens, The Sheep Detectives is a great introduction to the mystery genre.

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‘Hoppers’

Image via Disney

One of the best animated movies of the year, Hoppers attempts to answer the age-old question of what is going on in the minds of animals. Mabel Tanaka (Piper Curda) is an animal lover and headstrong wildlife enthusiast. When an area of land that holds sentimental value to her is under threat of industrial development, she stops at nothing to protect it.

When Mabel finds out that Dr. Sam Fairfax (Kathy Najimy) has invented a realistic animal robot that allows humans to transfer their consciousness into it, she hijacks the technology, convinced she can use the Hopper program to halt construction at the important site. When Mabel goes undercover and infiltrates the animal kingdom, she learns about life from an entirely different perspective and discovers that there is often not a clear, easy solution to a problem. Hoppers is undoubtedly one of this year’s best. It is funny, thought-provoking, and refreshingly original when studios like Pixar seem to be more focused on cranking out replicas than ideating any new IPs. Hoppers is one of the best, most original Pixar movies in a long time, and it makes an ideal choice for wildlife and sci-fi fans.

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‘Swapped’

Image via Netflix

When it comes to being the best family movie of the year so far, there is still nothing that can touch Swapped. It is more visually pleasing than Hoppers, carries a better message than Toy Story 5, and has undeniable appeal. Unlike Minions & Monsters or The Sheep Detectives, which have more adult references than childlike ones, Swapped is a perfect movie for all ages. The story follows two animals that swap species and get to experience life from each other’s point of view. Michael B. Jordan, Juno Temple, Tracy Morgan, and Cedric The Entertainer make up the extremely talented cast, and there are several interesting plot twists along the way.

The character design in Swapped is flawless. Each species is a blend of both plant and animal, and the worldbuilding is enchanting, feeling like a place anyone would want to visit. There are adorable Pinecone Hedgehogs, majestic Dzo who seem like Ents mixed with elephants, and the misunderstood Treewolves. The textures and graphics in Swapped are stunning, and the animation is bar none.

Swapped is shaping up to be the big hit of the year that no one saw coming. Much like KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix is quietly positioning itself to totally dominate when it comes to animated kids and family movies. Swapped set a new record for viewership and clocked 38.7 million views in seven days, the highest weekly total ever for an animated movie on the channel. Swapped’s important themes of empathy, conflict resolution, collaboration, and harmony are essential and have never been more relevant. If you are not one of the 38.7 million viewers who have taken the time to enjoy this absolute triumph, now is the time. This year is not slowing down when it comes to awesome kids and family movies, and the hits will only keep coming.

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Swapped

Release Date

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May 1, 2026

Runtime

98 Minutes

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Director

Nathan Greno

Writers

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Christian Magalhaes, Robert Snow, John Whittington, Adam Karp, Nathan Greno

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When you think of Denzel Washington, recent acclaimed films like Fences, Flight, and The Equalizer series might come to mind, or his Oscar-winning performances in Glory and Training Day. No doubt, Washington has an incredible filmography that ranges across multiple genres, and he has even become an accomplished director in his own right. But while some of Washington’s other films might typically receive the highest praise, for many, the actor was always at his best when working alongside director Tony Scott.

Denzel Washington and Tony Scott Frequently Pushed Each Other to Greatness

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

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While perhaps not as well-known as his older brother, Ridley Scott, it was Tony Scott who was responsible for crowd-pleasing action flicks like the original Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop II, and Days of Thunder. But while his visionary side was responsible for critical darlings like True Romance and Enemy of the State, his collaborations with Denzel Washington have come to define the type of action they were each capable of.

Of course, Washington, like Scott, had already had an impressive career long before they met, thriving no matter the genre he tackled. Indeed, their first partnership, 1995’s Crimson Tide, was simply another slam-dunk in Washington’s string of hit ’90s thrillers, while it stands as one of Scott’s mellower dramas. There, Washington was pitted opposite Gene Hackman in a nail-biting narrative that echoed Cold War fears, though it didn’t lean so heavily into Scott’s trademark “rock ‘n’ roll” filmmaking. It would be another decade before the two collaborated in earnest — and by then, they had perfected their signature styles.

When the two reunited nine years later for Man on Fire — which may just take the cake for their best work together — Scott had reinvented himself for the 21st century, becoming increasingly more chaotic in his quick-cutting and philosophical in his character work. Tony Scott’s unique penchant for displaying hyper-kinetic energy on-screen threw his stars into fast-paced, highly erratic, action-driven pictures that keep you laser-focused until those credits rolled. Washington, meanwhile, played against his usual type at the time, embracing the lone, “one-man-army” sort of action hero he would come to exemplify later on with The Equalizer.

Scott and Washington would end up making five films together, tackling maritime thrillers, gritty revenge dramas, high-concept sci-fi, and blue-collar disaster pictures, but no matter what film they were making, they always made each other better. “What I get off on is that we challenge each other,” Scott explained to The New York Times while promoting Unstoppable. “Out of the five movies Denzel gives me a different aspect of his personality, always something different inside of him.” Even their weakest collab, The Taking of Pelham 123, is a darn-good heist flick that manages to engross the viewer for an hour and a half as Washington faces down the threat posed by John Travolta. It may ride off the heels of their far-superior film Déjà Vu — a picture that’s equal parts action-suspense and philosophical romance — but it still manages to capture the essence of what made the Washington-Scott duo superior to other action-centric actor/director partnerships in the early 2000s.

Denzel Washington Starred in Tony Scott’s Very Last Film

It was fitting, that Washington was the leading man in Scott’s final film, Unstoppable. The vastly underrated runaway train flick positioned Washington opposite Chris Pine as Scott constructed a high-stakes disaster thriller that never slammed on the breaks. It’s a brilliant film that speaks strongly to Scott’s commercial expertise, as well as Washington’s uncanny ability to make just about any role interesting. Scott died two years after the release of Unstoppable. “Tony Scott was a great director, a genuine friend, and it is unfathomable to think that he is now gone,” Washington told E! News afterward.

While Scott is perhaps best known for directing Top Gun, his work with Washington is on another level. The filmmaker pushed the star to embrace vastly different characters each time they worked together, and it’s that stretching of his acting ability that shines brightest in their shared works. Man on Fire‘s ex-CIA operative John Creasy couldn’t be further from Déjà Vu‘s ATF agent Doug Carlin, even if both have the express goal of preserving human life. No matter if Washington was playing subway dispatcher Walter Garber, Naval Lt. Ron Hunter, or railroad engineer Frank Barnes, Scott always found a way to separate the star’s most recent role from his last.

Unstoppable is available for on Tubi, The Taking of Pelham 123 and Déjà Vu are available on YouTubeTV, Man on Fire is available on Peacock, and Crimson Tide is available for streaming on Prime Video.

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Unstoppable

Release Date

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November 4, 2010

Runtime

98 minutes

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Director

Tony Scott

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By Robert Scucci
| Published 24 seconds ago

The synopsis for 1988’s Demonwarp on Tubi reads: “After a Bigfoot-type creature attacks them in the woods, a father and daughter suspect they’ve stumbled onto a nest of aliens in a hidden spacecraft.” The synopsis for the same title on Rotten Tomatoes tells a slightly different story: “A man whose daughter was kidnapped by Bigfoot rescues topless teens from alien sacrifice in the woods.” While both of these brief rundowns are technically accurate, they’re totally underselling just how absolutely insane Demonwarp is.

Demonwarp does not have a Wikipedia page.

“So, is it about Bigfoot or aliens?” is probably the question you’re asking yourself right now, and the answer is “yes.” There’s Bigfoot, aliens, demons, human sacrifices, horny teenagers looking for one of their uncles who mysteriously vanished, and a man whose daughter was kidnapped by a cryptid at the beginning of the film who’s trying to warn everyone so they can get the hell out of dodge before it’s too late.

Every so often, a movie is so out of pocket that you can’t help but admire the audacity, and you just have to let it happen to you. Demonwarp is one of those movies, and if you only watch a couple of these every year as part of your semi-annual sanity check, make sure this one finds its way onto the list.

Demonwarp Is Total Insanity

Demonwarp is totally bonkers, so let’s unpack what actually happens. One weekend while renting a cabin in Demonwoods (really), Bill (George Kennedy) is playing a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit with his daughter Julie (Jill Marin). Suddenly, Bigfoot comes out of nowhere, trashes the place, subdues Bill, and runs off with Julie. The film then smash-cuts to a bunch of sexy teens a couple of weeks later, heading to the same cabin.

The reason they’re staying at this specific cabin is because the group’s leader, Jack (David Michael O’Neill), is looking for his uncle Clem, who went missing some time ago, presumably for Sasquatch-related reasons. Jack doesn’t tell his friends, Fred (Hank Stratton), Carrie (Pamela Gilbert), Cindy (Colleen McDermott), or Tom (Billy Jacoby), the true nature of the trip, instead pretending they’re just hanging around Demonwoods to party, but he does attempt to scare them with stories about Bigfoot whenever the opportunity presents itself.

No later than the first shower scene, everything goes to hell in a handbasket. The gang has a run-in with Bill, who’s been on edge ever since his daughter went missing and isn’t afraid to get violent. All he cares about is finding Julie, and everything else in his way might as well be collateral damage. Meanwhile, two women, Tara (Shannon Kennedy) and Betsy (Michelle Bauer), are romping around looking for a supposed hidden cache of marijuana plants they’d like to harvest so they can do some partying of their own, but they end up having their own violent encounters with whatever, or whoever, is running amok in the woods.

From here on out, it’s chasing, screaming, Bigfoot, zombies, more Bigfoot, demons, aliens (because why not?), and the realization that none of this makes any sense. The only reason there’s a weird sequence involving a preacher and his horse before Demonwarp kicks off is to establish just how insane this movie is going to get, like maybe suggesting a prophecy of sorts is being fulfilled, allowing the viewer to throw all logic out the window. 

This Is What We Play For

Relentlessly paced and clocking in at only 91 minutes, Demonwarp is about as unhinged as it gets when it comes to low-budget sci-fi horror. It’s Friday the 13th with Bigfoot. It’s a horde of zombies that might also be aliens. It’s a bunch of sexy teenagers with pump-action shotguns who suddenly become expert marksmen despite the fact that they’ve probably never even gone camping once in their lives. None of this is supposed to make any sense, but everything moves so quickly that you just say “screw it,” suspend all disbelief, and enjoy picking up exactly what Demonwarp is throwing down.

The knee-jerk reaction most people have to films like Demonwarp is that they’re “so bad they’re good.” I hate that phrase because I don’t think this movie was ever intended to be good. There are budgetary limitations, sure, but this doesn’t play out like somebody trying their best and failing so spectacularly that it becomes comical. Instead, it feels like the kind of passion project that came out exactly as intended, and half the fun is watching and wondering how much further Emmett Alston could escalate things before there’s nowhere left to go.

Demonwarp is built differently, and it’s streaming free on Tubi as of this writing. If it’s been a while since you’ve gotten a little weird, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.

Kim Kardashian is mourning the loss of the woman she says helped shape both her family and her career.

After Kris Jenner announced that her mother, Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon, had died at age 91, Kim shared an emotional tribute remembering her grandmother as her “best friend,” biggest supporter, and one of the earliest influences on her work ethic.

The SKIMS founder reflected on the lessons MJ taught her while working at her San Diego store, crediting the family matriarch with helping mold the businesswoman she would eventually become.

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In her tribute, Kim recalled working for MJ at her San Diego boutique, describing the experience as one of the most important foundations of her career.

“You were the woman who showed me what it meant to be a hardworking businesswoman,” Kim wrote. “You gave me my very first job at your store in San Diego and taught me lessons about work ethic, strength, and confidence that I’ve carried with me ever since.”

The reality star added that MJ always believed in her and served as both a mentor and safe place throughout her life. “You truly were the matriarch of our family, and your love is woven into all of us,” Kim wrote.

MJ’s Influence Reached Far Beyond Reality Television

Long before the Kardashian family became a global brand, MJ was running her own business and instilling those values in her daughter and grandchildren.

Over the years, members of the famous family have repeatedly credited MJ for inspiring their entrepreneurial spirit. Kris Jenner previously worked alongside her mother in retail, an experience that helped shape her own business instincts before eventually managing her children’s careers and helping build one of the most recognizable family brands in entertainment.

Kim’s tribute highlighted that legacy, emphasizing that MJ’s impact extended far beyond family gatherings and television appearances.

Kim Kardashian Asks MJ To Reunite With Family Members In Heaven

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Along with celebrating MJ’s life, Kim reflected on the loved ones who passed before her. The reality star asked her grandmother to “give Papa Harry, Aunt Karen and my dad a hug” on her behalf, referencing her late father, Robert Kardashian Sr., Kris Jenner’s sister Karen Houghton, who died in 2024, and MJ’s late husband Harry Shannon.

Kim ended her message by joking about MJ’s rumored secret social media habit. “I know you are up in heaven, looking at all of our Instagram posts of you from your sneaky finsta account you would always use lol,” she wrote.

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Kim’s emotional tribute quickly drew thousands of responses, including messages from family members, close friends, and celebrities who knew MJ over the years.

Sister Khloé Kardashian kept her response simple, commenting with a string of red heart emojis, while longtime family friend Allison Statter wrote, “ONE OF ONE. Going to miss her SO much. RIP MJ. Love you so much.”

Reality star Lala Kent added, “Love you so much, forever MJ,” while model Olivia Pierson shared a series of hearts and dove emojis in remembrance.

Others reflected on MJ’s lasting impact, including celebrity life coach Coach Alando, who described her as “A sweet soul,” and influencer Isabel Alysa, who wrote, “Loved MJ so much. Sending you so much love and light. She is now resting with the kings of all kings. Love you guys so much.”

Kris Jenner Says Goodbye To The ‘Heart Of Our Family’

Earlier in the day, Kris announced her mother’s death in a lengthy tribute of her own. “My mom was the heart of our family,” Jenner wrote, praising MJ for teaching her the importance of resilience, faith, and unconditional love.

“There is not a part of me that isn’t shaped by you,” Jenner continued. “And if I have done anything right in this world, it’s because I spent my life trying to live in a way that would make you proud.”

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While MJ Shannon’s death marks the end of an era, the values she passed down continue to shape one of pop culture’s most famous families.

By Robert Scucci
| Published 4 seconds ago

After watching 2002’s Hard Cash, the almighty algorithm guided me to other ill-fated heist movies from the early aughts, prompting me to spend 88 minutes of my life watching 2001’s Wish You Were Dead. Similar to Hard Cash, Wish You Were Dead makes you wonder what could have been, because all the moving parts are there for a great film. The heist is fun, and there’s a clear logical progression that any crime comedy thriller fan can get behind. There’s scheming and plotting, and each character has enough personality quirks to keep you interested in the premise.

The problem with Wish You Were Dead, which, unlike Hard Cash, is actually trying to be a comedy, is that the characters’ actions don’t always line up with their surroundings. The jokes and physical comedy are there, but the humor leans too lowbrow when, in my opinion, things should have been more deadpan. Wish You Were Dead is trying to capture a Very Bad Things kind of vibe, but it should have taken a page from the Naked Gun playbook.

Is It Even True Love If There’s No Insurance Fraud?

At face value, Wish You Were Dead has a hilarious setup and some great on-screen chemistry that makes you wish it stuck the landing. We’re first introduced to Melody (Elaine Hendrix), a man-murdering hit woman who loves eating copious amounts of chocolate. Her penchant for sweets reminds me of Rutger Hauer’s Harley Stone from 1992’s Split Second, but the similarities stop there. Melody’s specialty is taking on clients with unfaithful husbands, whacking them, and then moving on to the next job.

Her next job, however, is where things become complicated.

Melody is hired by Sally (Mary Steenburgen) and Tanya Rider (Tanya Allen), a mother-and-daughter team hatching a scheme to commit fraud against a lowly insurance adjuster named Mac (Cary Elwes), who has a million-dollar life insurance policy in his name. Sally and Tanya’s plan is simple: convince Mac that Sally is pregnant with his child so he’ll make her the beneficiary of his post-mortem payout, then hire Melody to finish him off.

Matters get even more complicated when Melody decides she’s actually in love with Mac and can’t, in good conscience, kill him. Instead, they team up with Mac’s older co-worker, Bruce (Christopher Lloyd), and hatch their own plan to evade Sally and Tanya, save Mac’s life, and run off with the money. Along the way, there are run-ins with Gene Simmons from KISS, who plays an eccentric hairdresser named Vinny, along with appearances from Billy Ray Cyrus and Robert Englund portraying a sassy preacher with Tourette syndrome.

Should Work But Doesn’t

Wish You Were Dead is absolutely dripping with potential, but it never feels fully realized because it’s so disjointed. I’m having trouble explaining why it’s disjointed, because the story beats are solid, and the escalating stakes ramp up naturally. Everybody you see on screen has acting chops and knows the assignment, but something about the assignment itself doesn’t work.

I may change my mind if I ever rewatch the film, because maybe I was just in a bad mood or something when I watched it, but it simply did not make me laugh. This movie has It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia levels of scheming. Elaine Hendrix’s crazy eyes when she’s mad, shooting daggers at Christopher Lloyd, should, in theory, be funny. But for some reason, it doesn’t gel. Mac is the perfect hapless victim of circumstance, caught between a murder plot and a budding romance with the person who was hired to kill him. This is all funny stuff, but it’s too quirky to be taken seriously, even as a comedy, and too overtly campy when it should have been just a little more deadpan.

Truth be told, Wish You Were Dead confuses me enough that I want to eventually watch it again and reassess my stance. All the ingredients for a superb crime comedy are there, but as a whole, the movie feels far less than the sum of its parts.

As of this writing, you can stream Wish You Were Dead for free on Tubi.

Justin Hartley only needed to know one thing about wife Sofia Pernas to realize he wanted to marry her.

During the Thursday, July 16, episode of the “I Am an Actor” podcast, Hartley, 49, played a game where he matched specific superlatives with former costars. He was asked which of his select coworkers were the “cleanest” — and Hartley chose Pernas, 36.

“She is very clean,” he said before cohosts Jon Brockett and Jamie Chung noted that he was aware of how organized Pernas was “intimately.”

Hartley recalled immediately knowing Pernas was The One for him.

“I was like, ‘Marry me,’” he added. “‘You are clean too? Marry me and we will work it out from there. It’ll be fine. Everything else will be fine.’”

Hartley and Pernas first worked together in 2015 on The Young and The Restless. Years later, they reconnected away from the cameras and exchanged vows in 2021.

“People write songs about [this kind of love]. People talk about it and I think you want to believe that everyone has that in their life,” Hartley shared on a May episode of Tommy DiDario‘s “I’ve Never Said This Before” podcast. “You want to believe that everyone gets to a point where they meet their soulmate or whatever you want to call it. It’s unfortunate that I think a lot of people don’t. That’s sad.”

Hartley pointed out how he has made it a priority to appreciate Pernas, saying, “When you do have it, you got to just hold on to it. It’s so special and fragile and in some ways rare, unfortunately. She’s everything and she’s fantastic.”

The Tracker star also shared the lessons he learned that he took into his marriage.

“I heard this from my stepdad where he said to me a long time ago, ‘You got to take care of your relationship and be very protective of who you surround yourself with and what relationships you surround yourself with,’” he explained.

Related: Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas’ Sweetest Moments on the Red Carpet

As if Tracker‘s Justin Hartley and Sofia Pernas weren’t couple goals already, their sweet red carpet appearances prove it even more. 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 […]

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“Because there will be people that are in your life right now that you think are your friends and they simply cannot handle your relationship. They can’t handle it,” Hartley continued. “It’s not necessarily sad but it is just true that when you have a relationship that you really care about [and] it could be a friendship, it could be with your mom or your dad or it could be with your dog.”

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He added: “Any relationship that you have with yourself, there are going to be people that you have to be careful with.”

Hartley clarified that the problem wasn’t always that about a loved one “trying to sabotage” a situation or relationship.

“They’re not bad people,” he said. “They just can’t handle it. And you don’t need to be hearing things like that. I’m not saying that you should be surrounded by sycophants and that’s healthy. But there’s certainly a difference between someone rooting for your love and rooting for your relationship vs. something who is jealous of what you have.”

Roomies! A huge cockroach landed on a reporter during a live broadcast on Tuesday, July 14, and her reaction is going viral. The KTLA reporter was broadcasting from Sherman Oaks, California, when the incident occurred.

RELATED: Clock It! K. Michelle Corrects Reporter’s Comments About Her Country Music Roots (VIDEO)

Huge Cockroach Lands On Reporter During Live Broadcast

KTLA reporter Rachel Menitoff was reporting on the current heatwave in California when a cockroach landed on her stomach.

According to The Los Angeles Times, parts of the state had heat reaching as high as 100 degrees. As Menitoff noted that the temperature was still in the 80s Tuesday night, the cockroach began crawling up her body.

The roach then scurried across her shoulder, neck, and chest before it flew away.

Menitoff did not flinch as the humongous cockroach crawled across her neck and chest.

Reactions To The Footage Are Unhinged

Pregnant Anne Hathaway was showered with love during her Thursday, July 16, appearance on the Today show.

Hathaway, 43, and The Odyssey costar Tom Holland appeared on Thursday’s broadcast to discuss the upcoming Christopher Nolan epic.

“’Anne Hathaway having five movies premiering this year and then announcing that she is pregnant is the level of productivity that men can’t achieve,’” anchor Craig Melvin began, reading a fan tweet about Hathaway’s recent filmography and her pregnancy with baby No. 3.

Hathaway, who announced last month that she is expecting her third little one with husband Adam Shulman, laughed off the fan comment.

“I mean, they are at a disadvantage,” she said on Thursday. “It’s just wild, it’s kinda crazy. I’ve been doing this for a very, very, very long time and I hope to do it for a long time to come. There’s peaks, there’s valleys, there’s everything in between.”

Hathaway continued, “The thing that’s so exciting is they’re films that audiences want to see. … And then yeah, to have this personal thing going on at the same time, it’s just amazing.”

@todayshow

We surprised Anne Hathaway with a “The Odyssey” inspired outfit for her baby! 🥹 Thank you to Dana from BitofWhimsyCrochet! 🧶

♬ original sound – TODAY Show

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Melvin, 47, further revealed that Today “wanted to celebrate” Hathaway’s personal milestone and presented her with a one-of-a-kind baby gift. The Oscar winner was given a basket chock full of Odyssey-themed accessories and knitted baby gear.

“Is that a little diaper? Who is talented enough to make all this?” she tearfully marveled, holding up a knit replica of a Trojan costume. “That is so sweet. [The artist] is so talented.”

Holland, 30, was equally excited by Hathaway’s haul, to which Melvin joked that the British star might get a similar gift “when you have your child.” (Holland confirmed earlier this year that he secretly married longtime partner Zendaya, who also appears in The Odyssey.)

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Related: Pregnant Anne Hathaway Looks Ethereal While Showing Off Baby Bump

Anne Hathaway looked angelic while showing off her growing baby bump. The actress, 43, stunned while posing for The Odyssey photo call in London on Sunday, July 5, wearing a Blumarine dress. The piece was part of David Koma’s Resort 2027 collection for Blumarine, featuring an off-the-shoulder neckline and ruffles falling down the sides. The […]

While Holland and Zendaya, 29, have not shared their hopes to eventually expand their family, Hathaway is ready for her brood’s new addition. (Hathaway and Shulman, 45, are already parents of sons Jonathan, 10, and Jack, 6.)

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“We knew what we were doing but … we were so shocked it went this way,” Hathaway quipped on Late Night With Seth Meyers earlier this week. “So, we’re calling this one our buzzer-beater.”

Hathaway and Shulman have not publicly revealed the sex of their unborn baby, though the actress already loves being a boy mom.

“The thing about boys is they don’t make any sense until you get the stamina up, then once you get your stamina up, they’re a breeze,” Hathaway joked to Access Hollywood at The Odyssey premiere in New York City. “The thing about boys to remember is that they have feelings, and so to make sure to make space for their feelings to help them learn how to name them. I think sometimes we think about that more in the realm of girls, but it’s just as important to give that emotional foundation to boys.”

Nolan Xavier Wells‘ mom, Christine Wonsley, got teary-eyed while speaking to the public in her first on-camera TikTok since his passing.

RELATED: UPDATE: Nolan Xavier Wells’ Mother Shares Emotional Tribute As Funeral Plans Are Revealed (PHOTO + VIDEO)

Nolan Xavier Wells’ Mother Gets Teary-Eyed While Speaking To The Public In First On-Camera TikTok Since His Passing

On Thursday, July 16, Christine Wonsley took to both Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to share a clip with the public. Furthermore, Wonsley included the on-screen caption, “Hey Boobears,” and as the camera rolled, she began speaking.

Wonsley noted that the public likely didn’t expect to see her online. But she wanted to get on to “acknowledge” all of the public’s “love, support, [and] kindness.”

“I wanted to answer each and every one of you, and I probably will at some point, but right now, it’s just everything is so heavy. Everything is so heavy,” she said, getting teary-eyed. “Just been going through the motions, you know? I’m a healthcare provider, so I talk about grief a lot. [But] now to be on the other side of this is, um, it’s a lot.”

Wonsley explained that she lost her mom a few years ago. But the loss of her son has been “hard.”

“This grief, this pain, it’s different,” she said. “It’s insurmountable. And then it’s like you get this flood of emotions all at different times, and grief is so multi-layered. One second, I might be okay, and I can talk about things, and I can listen to the stories. And then the next minute, I am falling apart, and I feel like I can’t breathe. And I feel like there is an elephant just sitting on my chest.”

Wonsley explained that she knows grief is a “process,” and she has a “wonderful support system” and faith in God. But she wanted to let the public know she sees all of the messages of support. And she explained that she’s “thankful” to everyone. Before concluding, she noted that her son would want her to share her story with the world. So she plans to do so.

@christinefnp

Hey Boobears 🐻, I wanted to come and say THANK YOU for everything. Lord know we miss our son 🩵. Please remember to be patient and be kind you never know what people are going through. #JusticeForNolanWells #Forever18 #grief

♬ original sound – christinefnp

Social Media Users Share Continued Condolences To His Mom & Family

Social media users sent their support and condolences to Nolan Xavier Wells’ mom, Christine Wonsley, in her comment section.

What’s The Lastest In The Investigation Into The Passing Of Nolan Xavier Wells?

As The Shade Room previously reported, the body of 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells was found on the north side of Horn Island on July 6. This, after the teen had traveled to the island with white three white male friends on July 4. As questions remain on what happened to the teen, why his body was not discovered on July 5, questions also remain on whether and why he stayed on Horn Island when his friends were leaving.

Most recently, audio was released of Wells’ friend requesting help. This, for their boat allegedly malfunctioning as they left the island. GPS data has also been released, showing the boat’s apparent movements after it left the island.

RELATED: Newly Released Audio Shows Nolan Xavier Wells’ Friends Calling For Help After Boat Reportedly Malfunctioned, GPS Data Also Shared (LISTEN)

Batman: The Animated Series is not only one of the most influential superhero cartoons ever made, but also ranks among the greatest animated shows of all time. It follows Bruce Wayne (Kevin Conroy), a billionaire playboy living in Gotham City, and how he protects the people of Gotham City as the Caped Crusader, Batman. Its success spawned a sprawling universe of animated DC shows, from Superman: The Animated Series to Justice League/Justice League Unlimited, and it still stands as the definitive version of The Dark Knight for the pre-Christopher Nolan generation.

While Batman is usually seen as a solo hero, he has a fair few allies in Gotham who help him deal with the various super-criminals that plague the city. Some of them are trained officers of the law, others are vigilante crime fighters like him, and others are just regular civilians who help where they can. These are the best heroes in Batman: The Animated Series that aren’t Batman himself, proving that Gotham might be crime-infested, but it also has numerous good guys.

Janet Van Dorn

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

After Harvey Dent became the criminal Two-Face, he was replaced as District Attorney by Janet Van Dorn (Lynette Mettey and Stephanie Zimbalist). She makes it clear that she does not approve of Batman’s methods and believes that he should be put on trial for his role in creating the numerous villains in his rogue’s gallery. Ironically, she ends up having to defend Batman in a court setup by his villains.

Van Dorn only has a major role in one episode, but in her limited screen time, she goes from being one of Batman’s most vocal critics to a respected ally because they both want the same thing. In the end, Van Dorn realizes that Batman’s villains were responsible for their own fates. She is more than willing to admit when she is wrong, but it also strengthens her dedication to creating a world where Batman is no longer needed.

Dr. Leslie Thompkins

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

In her youth, Dr. Leslie Thompkins (Diana Muldaur) studied medicine alongside Thomas Wayne (Kevin Conroy). Upon his death, Leslie did what she could for a young Bruce, and in time, even became privy to his secret identity. These days, she mainly runs the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic, but whenever Batman needs medical aid, she’ll be there.

While not one of his strongest allies, Leslie always comes through for Batman when needed. Though she doesn’t always approve of Batman’s actions, she recognizes the good he does, and offers a firm voice of reason who can help to ground him in times of need. Beyond her medical skills, she also helps Bruce keep yearly appointments at the site of his parents’ murder, which again goes to show the emotional bond between them.

Simon Trent

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Early in his career as an actor, Simon Trent (Adam West) nailed the lead role on a show called The Gray Ghost, which Bruce used to watch with his dad. Unfortunately, he got typecast after the show ended, and after years of no work, he had to sell off his memorabilia to pay rent. His luck changes when Batman seeks him out to ask for help against a new criminal using the plot of a Gray Ghost episode for their schemes.

Within the show, Simon is a heroic individual because he’s an actor with no combat training. Yet, when push comes to shove, he chooses to help Batman save the city, demonstrating the qualities of a true hero. In a meta sense, the fact that he is voiced by Adam West, star of the 1966 Batman show, adds even more to the character’s fascinating lore, as it’s one generation of Batman joining forces with another.

Selina Kyle

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Originally a Gotham City socialite, Selina Kyle (Adrienne Barbeau) found herself drawn to animal rights activism and the thrill of breaking the law. Thus, she became the cat thief known as Catwoman, which brought her into contact with Batman. The two have a rather complex relationship: they love one another, but their opposite lifestyles mean they can never truly be together.

While originally introduced as a criminal, Selina quickly grows into an antihero role, an approach that has become a key aspect of her overall characterization across different mediums. The thrill of the heist means she can never truly reform, but she comes to the aid of Batman and Batgirl (Melissa Gilbert) on several occasions.

Renee Montoya

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Renee Montoya (Ingrid Oliu and Liane Schirmer) is one of the newer members of the Gotham City Police Department. She worked alongside Detective Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo) and had several run-ins with Batman. Over time, she proves herself a reliable officer and is promoted to detective by the time of The New Batman Adventures.

Renee is one of several characters from Batman: The Animated Series to appear in the comics, and though not as well-developed as the likes of Harley Quinn (Arleen Sorkin), there’s a lot to love. She’s as brave and selfless as you’d expect an officer to be, and it’s rewarding to see her grow from a rookie cop to a detective as the show goes on. She’s also not above a few snarky comments or other moments of levity.

Barbara Gordon

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

The daughter of Police Commissioner James Gordon (Bob Hastings), Barbara first got involved with Batman when she helped The Dark Knight stop the rogue AI H.A.R.D.A.C (Jeff Bennett) from replacing humans with robots. Later, her father is framed for associating with crime lord Rupert Thorne (John Vernon), and when Batman refuses to show up at a rally protesting his innocence, Barbara dresses in the cape and cowl herself. This leads to her getting partially unmasked, and when the media begins asking who this new Batgirl is, Barbara ends up embracing the identity.

Batgirl only has a few appearances in the costume before becoming a main character in The New Batman Adventures. In the few times we do get to see her, Barbara proves herself to be a kind, capable heroine worthy of joining the Bat Family, and no stranger to witty retorts. Even without the costume, Barbara is a capable detective and crime fighter, which would lead to her taking her father’s place in Batman Beyond.

Dick Grayson

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

As a child, Dick Grayson (Joey Simmrin and Loren Lester) was part of a circus act with his parents known as The Flying Graysons. That all changed when a mobster named Tony Zucco (Thomas F. Wilson) sabotaged their act and killed Dick’s parents. Bruce Wayne took pity on Dick, adopted him, and eventually trained him to become Batman’s partner, Robin.

Robin had sporadic episodes in the early seasons before becoming a regular character in the later ones. As can be expected from any good sidekick, he complements Batman with his youthful energy and slightly more rebellious nature. His grievances with Bruce’s parenting and leadership style eventually see him split to become the solo hero Nightwing, but he’ll still be there when the Bat Family needs him.

Harvey Bullock

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Next to Jim Gordon, the best officer on the force is Detective Harvey Bullock. At first glance, this might seem strange, since he is a slob of a man with a huge chip on his shoulder and a habit of antagonizing people. He also distrusts Batman, and the first episode, “On Leather Wings,” has him lead a task force to try and apprehend The Dark Knight after the actions of Man-Bat (Marc Singer and Frank Welker) make Gotham believe its protector has gone rogue.

Despite his rough exterior, Harvey is a true officer of the law. He’s fully committed to protecting his city and gets enraged at even the slightest suggestion that he might be accepting bribes. Sometimes, he’s even willing to swallow his pride and ask Batman for help, leading to the two forming a grudging respect for one another, even if Harvey still suspects the worst.

James Gordon

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

The main reason why Batman is able to operate at all is thanks to Commissioner James Gordon. As head of the GCPD, it’s his job to ensure the people of Gotham City are safe, and he realizes that working with Batman is the best way to do it. He even had a bat signal installed above the police headquarters so he could contact The Dark Knight when needed.

Jim stands as a beacon of light in the darkness of Gotham. He does everything by the book, is fair to his officers, gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, and knows when to look the other way if doing so is better for Gotham as a whole. His relationship with Batman is built on mutual trust and respect, and he never once suspects that Batman would bring harm to the city.

Alfred Pennyworth

Image via Warner Bros

Once a member of the British Secret Service, Alfred Pennyworth (Clive Revill and Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) moved to America and entered the service of the Wayne Family as their butler. He became a surrogate father to Bruce after his parents’ deaths, and remained by his side when he became Batman. Though long past his prime, Alfred can still hold his own when needed and is always there for Bruce and other members of the Bat Family.

Alfred’s heroism manifests through his unwavering loyalty. He never once betrays his master’s secrets, operates the Bat Computer when Bruce is out in the city, and anytime Bruce second-guesses himself, Alfred is there to help ground his thoughts. He’s also got the best dry wit by far from anyone in the series, reacting to even the strangest of situations with a stiff upper lip and a sarcastic quip, all spoken in a manner befitting a gentleman of his status.