James Cameron on the set of Avatar with Zoe Saldaña next to himImage via Disney
After playing in theaters worldwide for more than 50 days, James Cameron‘s Avatar: Fire and Ashdropped out of the domestic top five this past weekend. The epic threequel hasn’t been as successful as its record-breaking predecessors, but it’s still among the highest-grossing films ever made. Avatar: Fire and Ash will probably pass its final domestic box office milestone ($400 million) in the coming days, but it seems poised to fall short of the $1.5 billion mark worldwide. It continues to trail the original Avatar, the highest-grossing film in global box office history, by around $1.5 billion. It’s also trailing Avatar: The Way of Water, the third-biggest hit ever, by approximately $1 billion. While Disney and Cameron ponder over the franchise’s future, Avatar: Fire and Ash can celebrate its latest achievement.
In its eighth weekend of release at the domestic box office, the movie grossed around $3.5 million and finished seventh on the chart. Avatar: Fire and Ash found itself being outperformed by fellow Disney release Zootopia 2, which has been playing in theaters for a longer period of time, but is simply refusing to die down. Zootopia 2 has made more than $400 million domestically and more than $1.7 billion worldwide — it’s the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2025, and number two on the overall charts behind only China’s Ne Zha 2. However, while Zootopia 2 managed to score a Best Animated Feature nod at the Oscars, Avatar: Fire and Ash earned lukewarm reviews and was largely shut out. The threequel became the first installment of the blockbuster Avatar franchise to not receive a Best Picture nomination, and will likely become the series’ first entry to fall short of the $2 billion mark worldwide.
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Here’s the Space Opera That ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Has Overtaken
With a running domestic haul of over $390 million, Avatar: Fire and Ashovertook fellow space opera Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 this weekend. Directed by James Gunn, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 made around $389 million in its domestic run and around $870 million worldwide. It earned excellent reviews and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 85% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, whose consensus described it as “dazzling.” The trilogy ended with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which earned positive reviews as well and grossed nearly $850 million worldwide. However, Avatar: Fire and Ash cost roughly twice as much as any Guardians of the Galaxy movie, and its underperformance has raised questions about the franchise’s future.
You can watch the film in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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Release Date
December 19, 2025
Runtime
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197 Minutes
Director
James Cameron
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Writers
Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, James Cameron, Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno
More Details Have Been Shared About What Led To Megan Thee Stallion’s Hospitalization
On Wednesday, April 1, The Hollywood Reporter published an update on Megan, reportedly shared by her spokesperson. In the statement, the spokesperson asserted that “…Megan was transported to a local hospital to undergo a medical evaluation after experiencing concerning symptoms.”
“Doctors ultimately identified extreme exhaustion, dehydration, vasoconstriction and low metabolic levels as the cause of her symptoms. Megan has since been treated, discharged and is now resting. Megan is incredibly grateful for the prayers and well-wishes from her supporters and is looking forward to resuming her role as Zidler on Moulin Rouge on Thursday,” the statement concluded.
Furthermore, The Hollywood Reporter noted that Megan would not be returning to the Broadway stage for Wednesday’s show. Instead, she would return to the stage on Thursday, April 2.
Megan Thee Stallion Speaks Out As Social Media Reacts
Then, on Wednesday, April 1, Megan Thee Stallion took to her Instagram account to share her own statement about her hospitalization and condition.
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“Last night was a real wake-up call for me. I’ve been pushing myself past my limits lately, running on empty, and my body finally said enough. It honestly scared me. I thought I was gonna faint on stage, I really tried to push through my performance but I just couldn’t. Hotties I wanna be real with y’all because you mean everything to me and I hate letting yall down 🥺 I just need one day to rest, reset, and take care of myself the way I should have been..I’ll be right back on that stage Thursday, stronger, clearer, and ready to give you 100% the way you deserve. Thank you for always riding with me and loving me through everything,” she wrote.
Instagram user @since_we_being_honest wrote, “My granny used to say If you don’t rest your body will literally force you too!”
While Instagram user @luvdaisha_ added, “Girl no need to be sorry your health is importing take care of yourself you need more than a day !”
Additionally, Instagram user @bae_ismeee wrote, “A hospital stay and she rests for A DAY! Smh black women-we have GOT to do better and be good to ourselves.”
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While Instagram user @ryennmilan added, “Girl take a REAL rest. Your body will take what it needs from you at the worst times.”
More On Her Recent Hospitalization
As The Shade Room previously reported, on Tuesday, March 31, Megan reportedly hit the stage for Broadway’s ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical.’ However, shortly after the show started, she did not return to the stage and reportedly fell “very ill.” Ultimately, it was reported that she was taken to a hospital.
General Hospital Spoilers Wednesday, April 1st: Jack Impatient with Nina
So on Wednesday, April 1st, we have got Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) really impatient with Nina. And Jack tells Nina that she’s got to decide which daughter she’s going to protect. It’s either Willow Corinthos (Katelyn MacMullen) or Charlotte Cassadine (Bluesy Burke) because Jack wants to find Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) ASAP and is tired of Nina not giving him information he’s certain she can get.
Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) has some new instructions to give out and I’m guessing it is to Cassius Faison aka not Nathan West (Ryan Paevey). Sidwell is telling Cassius that he’s done it brilliantly and has everybody fooled. Obviously, this is him taking over Nathan’s life, pretending to be James West’s (Gary James Fuller) dad and Maxie Jones’ (Kirsten Storms) ex.
Obviously, Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) knew who he was all along, which explains a whole lot about their lack of interactions and her anxiety when he showed up in town. We actually did a video on Faison’s fourth kid the other day and talked about it before it was confirmed on GH this week.
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GH Spoilers: Cassius Warns Someone
Also, Cassius warns somebody and it may be Sidwell. You know, Cassius may be worried that digging too deep into this murder investigation and acting out of character could blow his cover, but of course, Sidwell is in a blind rage while grieving and won’t care.
Britt and Lucas Jones (Van Hansis) put the pieces together. I assume Britt’s going to tell Lucas that Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) smashed the vials of her meds that Marco Rios (Adrian Anchondo) had gotten and that that’s probably why Cullum killed him.
And in tears, Lucas is going to tell Britt that Marco’s death was all for nothing. You know, now they’ve got no way to get Britt’s meds. And unfortunately, Lucas saved that creep’s life in surgery.
General Hospital Spoilers: Laura Suspicious & Willow Stunned
Laura Spencer (Genie Francis) gets more suspicious and Ezra Boyle (Daniel Cosgrove) is telling Laura that Sidwell’s son being murdered has changed everything. I wonder if Ezra knows that Sidwell suspects Sonny. Of course, that won’t make sense at all to Laura because of the leverage that Sidwell has on both her and Sonny.
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Willow comes to a shocking realization and I think she is starting to figure out that Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) and Kai Taylor (Jens Austin Astrup) may know that she was there the night Drew Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison) was shot. Willow’s talking out loud to herself and maybe to Drew. She’s got him in his chair in the living room and Willow’s wondering how Trina knew her ringtone for Wiley Corinthos (Viron Weaver).
GH Spoilers: Drew’s Surprising Memories
Also, kind of interesting that Willow’s not planning on keeping Drew frozen forever and does not know that Sidwell plans to kill him. Also some lack of continuity in the writer room at General Hospital because Drew already knows that Willow shot him. She confessed that directly to his face.
So, I don’t know why we’re acting like this is some kind of shocking reveal for Drew. Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson) tells Kai he hopes he’s not interrupting anything. And looks like Michael may show up to Willow’s office maybe to talk to her about Wiley and them spending time together as their son asked.
General Hospital Thursday, April 2nd: Sonny and Ric Go to Marco’s Funeral
Thursday, April 2nd, we’ve got Nathan getting new information. And this may be from the PCPD. I still think Marco’s murder weapon is going to be found because Cullum took it with him. And he was careful to wear gloves. And that could be used to implicate somebody.
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Plus, Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) is a little thrown by an update he gets from Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst). And it may be about her and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) reconciling because we saw Dante and Liz kind of vibing.
Plus, something shocks Lucas. And I wonder if it’s hearing rumors that Sonny supposedly killed Marco because the math’s not mathing on that. And Britt may tell him flat out that she’s sure that Cullum stabbed Marco.
General Hospital Spoilers: Sonny Shocks Laura
During a tense conversation, Sonny shares a bold idea with Laura, maybe to hit Sidwell while he’s down. Sonny may also tell Laura they should both go to the funeral. We know for sure that Sonny is going. Also on Thursday, Ric reassures someone. Could be Liz, but I bet it’s probably Sonny because they know that he’s going to be looked at for Marco’s death.
Sidwell hates him and he was the one who nearly killed Michael. So, Ric is going to accompany Sonny to Marco’s memorial. This is Ric putting himself in the eye of the storm and taking a big risk to stand at Sonny’s side. So, I’m all here for the brother bonding.
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General Hospital Spoilers: Sonny Corinthos – Reeves
Friday, April 3rd on GH: Sidwell Rages at the Funeral
On Friday, April 3rd, Molly Lansing Davis (Kristen Vaganos) heads into surgery for her endometriosis. And Cody Bell (Josh Kelly) is going to be right there by her side. He’s supporting her, encouraged it, let the vacation go so that he could be there for her.
And he plans to take care of Molly. He offered either at Alexis Davis’s (Nancy Lee Grahn) house or his, but I don’t think the stables are a good idea when you’re recovering from surgery. You know, horse hair in the air. Plus, there’s that spiral staircase, not regular stairs.
Sidwell is in a rage on Friday. And I think it’s because Sonny and Ric show up to Marco’s funeral. Kristina Corinthos Davis (Kate Mansi) is also at the memorial, but her coming to honor Marco makes sense because he saved Kristina’s life in that fire that Sidwell had started at the pub. Plus, Nina tries to make things right.
And I wonder if she’s going to tell Charlotte why she’s been asking these questions and just explain herself. We’ll see. Alexis makes an admission and this may happen at Marco’s funeral. Plus, Carly Corinthos Spencer (Laura Wright) listens as Sonny explains and this may be about why he went to Marco’s funeral to start with.
General Hospital Spoilers Week of April 6th-10th Spoilers
Then the week of April 6 through the 10th, we’re going to be learning more about Cassius Faison, the fourth Faison offspring, or as we’ve been calling him here for quite a long time, not Nathan. Laura and Sonny with an assist from Ric are going to try to use Sidwell’s grief to take him down while he is vulnerable.
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Cullum, of course, didn’t see who shot him, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not going to accuse someone, most likely Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), since he already took the warrant out for him and wants to keep him locked down.
General Hospital Spoilers: Rocco Struggles with His Secret
Rocco Falconeri’s (Finn Carr) guilt eats at him. And I suspect that he may tell Charlotte and Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn) despite being warned not to tell anyone. But Rocco may first come clean to Britt, knowing that she won’t judge him. And she’s also worried about Jason.
If he does, I think that Britt will warn Rocco about not Nathan because he’s supposedly his savior, but obviously he can’t be trusted. He is a Faison and not a changed one like Britt.
Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) are going to find out if they get to foster baby Phoebe or if the hooker comment from Wiley has permanently ruined that. Carly is absolutely disgusted by Jack. First Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy), now she’s lost Jason.
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Really, as far as she can see, Jack and the WSB are costing her everything important. And she’s going to be increasingly drawn to Valentin as a result. Very soon, Carly and Valentin are going to reach an agreement. And it may be friends with benefits of revenge and some bedroom action.
General Hospital Spoilers: Sidwell Pressures Jordan & Cassius
Sidwell pushes both Cassius and Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) to get results where Marco’s death is concerned. Sidwell in his mind has already, you know, decided Sonny is it. And of course, it’s one of his own partners in crime. Britt feels like she has no hope and options with Jason gone and Marco dead and no medication.
Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) gets closer to Cassius with no idea. It’s a stranger in her bed and not Nathan. Cody takes care of Molly as she recovers. Ric and Liz are going to get much closer soon. Looks like they may make it to the bedroom.
Sidwell pressuring Jordan has Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) concerned and Sonny and DA Justine Turner (Nazneen Contractor) commit to something between them, but tragedy is looming where they’re concerned.
HBO’s new Harry Potter show has received mixed reception since the trailer was released. Some people are really looking forward to Warner Brothers’ re-imaging of the property, while others have criticized it on a variety of grounds, such as HBO’s announcement that they can’t keep up with a season-per-year schedule and that fans might have to wait longer between seasons. However, not everyone is criticizing the show on its own merits or lack thereof.
In an article on The Verge titled “There is No Ethical Consumption of HBO’s Harry Potter Series,” writer Charles Pulliam-Moore makes the claim that the show being successful will encourage JK Rowling to write more Harry Potter material, thus putting more money in her pocket. This, he says, is objectionable because Rowling is “attacking transgender people via the legal system.” Therefore, “there’s no way to watch this show without supporting Rowling’s bigotry.”
Is JK Rowling Actually A Bigot?
Evidence of Rowling’s “bigotry” surrounds her defense of women in vulnerable spaces, such as crisis centers, changing rooms, and sports competitions. She has been heavily critical of the inclusion of boxer Imane Khelif in the 2024 Olympics under the women’s category because Khelif claims to suffer from a condition that saw him misidentified as a girl when he was born. She supported businesswoman Maya Forstater when Forstater sued a former employer for not renewing her contract because of her personal beliefs, which is a violation of the UK’s Equality Act. Transgender activists were immediately outraged and have been trying to cancel Rowling ever since.
After trying to explain that science and biology aren’t as simple as they are to validate the arguments against Rowling, Pulliam-Moore then discusses her advocacy in favor of women and girls. Rowling doesn’t subscribe to the slogan that “trans women are women,” and advocates for private spaces for people of the female sex; while she is accused of discriminating against all trans people, she does include trans men, who are of the female sex but present as male, in her advocacy. Her advocacy centers on biology rather than identity, which has been labeled “transphobic” by people who believe that identity takes priority.
An Existential Threat To Activists
However, to Pulliam-Moore, not including trans women among the female sex is “transphobic” and thus bigoted. He makes this clear when he argues against the UK Supreme Court’s ruling in 2025 that the legal definition of “woman” was based on biology and not identity, an effort that Rowling helped fund through donations and her own women’s advocacy organization. Pulliam-Moore found this ruling “problematic” and condemns Rowling for supporting it.
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Pulliam-Moore admits Rowling could have engaged in her advocacy with or without the show. However, Rowling’s continued popularity and thus continued income are an existential threat to trans activists, who truly believe identity supersedes physical biology.
Reviewers Are Already Choosing Sides
Pulliam-Moore suggests that not only should nobody watch Harry Potter, but anyone who does is a bigot, or knowingly supporting bigotry. This is meant to poison the well against the upcoming series, a tactic we’ve seen “reviewers” take over again when they don’t agree with the political or cultural stances of some creators. Critics took this same tactic with Scream 7, they did it with The Pendragon Cycle, and now they are pre-emptively trying to do it to the HBO show. In all these cases, it has nothing to do with the merit of the work, but behind-the-scenes drama in which “reviewers” have clearly taken sides.
There are plenty of other reasons to be skeptical of HBO’s new Harry Potter show, but the angle The Verge chose was to warn potential viewers that watching the show categorizes them as bigots. Nobody who thinks like Charlie wants to be called a bigot, so this is expected to be an effective argument against watching the show.
Fan Blaming Is Losing Its Efficacy
However, this tactic has been tried before. Collectives of fans, cast, crew, and critics of various productions have blamed bigotry on the failure of a lot of shows and movies recently, including The Acolyte, Starfleet Academy, Buffy: New Sunnydale, and The Bride. It didn’t help.
As the strategy of fan blaming grows in popularity, it’s becoming weaker as an argument. The ouster of figures like Kathleen Kennedy from Lucasfilm and Alex Kurtzman (we hope) from Star Trek seems to indicate this. In the case of Harry Potter, The Verge’s attacks will have as much effect as the efforts to boycott the video game Hogwarts Legacy, which went on to become a best-seller.
In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk famously quotes from A Tale of Two Cities: “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” He quotes from the novel again in the final scene as a way of grieving Spock, who had given him a copy of the Charles Dickens novel. I’ve been thinking about these scenes quite a bit lately as I process my own feelings regarding another death altogether: that of Starfleet Academy, the Discovery spinoff that was canceled shortly after Season 1 ended.
That season inadvertently honored Dickens by being “A Tale of Two Star Treks.” Half of the series focused on vulgar banter, teen hijinks, and juvenile humor so stupid that it actively made you lose brain cells. The other half focused on interesting characterization, deep lore cuts, and engaging (if uninspired) sci-fi melodrama. Interestingly, these two versions of the show were split right down the middle. The first half was the dumb teen comedy hour, and the second half was NuTrek’s best attempt at classic Star Trek. The only reasonable conclusion is that Paramount had no faith in their audience, waiting to give us traditional Trek storytelling until it was too late.
A Tale Of Two Star Treks
Obviously, taste is subjective, but most of the fans I have spoken to agree that Starfleet Academy was much better in the second half of Season 1. Critical reviews generally echoed this sentiment, with various reviewers chiming in on which episodes felt the most like classic Star Trek. Even the online fandom generally agreed with this sentiment. While it was mostly verboten to criticize Starfleet Academy in online spaces like r/startrek, superfans of the show repeatedly suggested that, like The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager, everyone should give this new show time to find its legs.
What made the second half of Season 1 better, though? Some fans liked the increased callbacks to old Trek, including a final arc involving the Omega molecule. Other fans liked the payoff to ongoing character plots, like Caleb finally reuniting with his mother. But my theory about the show getting better is far simpler: it dropped the juvenile humor. Suddenly, the cadets weren’t speaking exclusively in Zoomer catchphrases and focusing on intercollegiate prank wars. The digital dean wasn’t cracking jokes about boners, and we didn’t have scenes with half the adult characters laughing at a farting fish. Just like that, Star Trek suddenly started taking itself seriously again.
Paramount Is Sick Of Star Trek’s Core Audience
While Star Trek had moments of levity over the years (like all those gags in The Voyage Home), it has generally been a very serious franchise. Quite frankly, it never had all of the over-the-top, tone deaf comedy that ruined the first half of Starfleet Academy’s first season. Removing all the gross, teen humor (well, minus the space vomit) from the show is a big part of what made it feel like classic Trek and, therefore, appeal more to the traditional fandom. This leads to the obvious question: if fixing your expensive new spinoff was that easy, why include the humor in the first place?
My theory is that Paramount simply didn’t have enough faith in Starfleet Academy. Maybe the execs were nervous about the premise being so different, or maybe they knew how much other NuTrek shows had driven away the traditional fandom. For whatever reason, the network didn’t think fans of shows like TNG and DS9 were going to show up for Starfleet Academy, so they decided the first half of Season 1 to appeal to the widest audience (the younger, the better). Hence, all the dumb jokes and juvenile bro humor were an attempt to give the spinoff more mainstream appeal. It didn’t feel like Star Trek because it wasn’t Star Trek: it was, simply put, a teen comedy in space.
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Paramount’s Plan Blew Up In Their Face
If this was Paramount’s plan, it backfired spectacularly. As usual, younger viewers didn’t flock to the latest show of a franchise that debuted when their grandparents were young. Meanwhile, the attempts to pander to everyone but the older fans managed to (shocker here) drive away the older fans. This is why Starfleet Academy was canceled: the network drove away the core audience while failing to secure a new one, leaving a series with only a handful of diehards tuning in each week.
With SFA dead, Alex Kurtzman’s contract expiring, and Paramount about to buy Warner Bros, one thing is clear: the future of Star Trek is going to be very different from the NuTrek era. Whatever the future of the franchise looks like, we can only hope the writers stop trying to appeal to everyone but the fans. Drop the mass market appeal, drop the cringe characters, and for the love of God, hire some writers who know something about sci-fi. By focusing on well-written sci-fi drama and colorful characters, Paramount can finally recapture what made The Original Series and The Next Generation so awesome in the first place.
Here’s What Rihanna Reportedly Told Police Following Shooting At Her Home
On Wednesday, March 25, the Los Angeles Times published a report. This, asserting that the details of Rihanna’s police report following the shooting at her home had been released. According to the outlet, the incident occurred on Sunday, March 8, and the details of Rihanna’s police report were recently made public.
Rih reportedly told cops that she and her “husband,” A$AP Rocky, were in their Airstream trailer on her property. Furthermore, Rocky was sleeping when she “suddenly heard approximately ten loud sounds like something banging on metal.” Per Rih, once the shots stopped, she “grabbed Rocky out of bed” and told him they were being shot at. From there, she reportedly “pushed them to the ground,” and they ran into their home to check on their three children.
Per the report, three bullets of the multiple shots fired struck the Airstream, but none penetrated the trailer.
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More Details On The Shooting At Rihanna’s Home
As The Shade Room previously reported, a 35-year-old woman named Ivanna Lisette Ortiz was subsequently taken into custody following the shooting. She was reportedly booked on suspicion of attempted murder. Per the Los Angeles Times, in addition to A$AP and Rih being on the property at the time of the shooting, so were their three children, Rihanna’s mom, two staff members, and two neighbors.
Since then, Ortiz’s social media posts have turned heads, revealing her apparent history of disparaging Rihanna.
Ivanna Lisette Ortiz Officially Pleads Not Guilty To Charges Related To The Shooting
As The Shade Room previously reported, Ivanna Lisette Ortiz was officially charged with attempted murder and assault charges. Per the Los Angeles Times, on Wednesday, March 25, Ortiz officially pleaded not guilty to the charges. And she reportedly told authorities she “wasn’t attempting murder.” Additionally, a judge declined to lower her $1.8 million bail, citing her as a threat to public safety.
At this time, Ortiz’s motive behind the shooting remains unclear. Additionally, Rihanna reportedly told cops she’s unaware of any “recent events” that could have sparked Ortiz’s actions.
Megan Thee Stallion Reportedly Rushed To The Hospital In Middle Of ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Broadway Performance
According to PEOPLE, on Tuesday, March 31, Megan Thee Stallion was rushed to a hospital amid becoming “very ill” while performing in Broadway’s ‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical.’
“During Tuesday night’s production, Megan started feeling very ill and was promptly transported to a local hospital, where her symptoms are currently being evaluated. We will share additional updates as more information becomes available,” her spokesperson reportedly asserted.
Additionally, Megan’s hairstylist, Kellon Deryck, also took to social media, asking the public to send prayers her way. Lastly, Loren LoRosa, who was present at the show, shared a few tweets, recounting the show’s disruption and Meg’s apparent departure.
TMZ reports that the FDNY informed the outlet that they responded to the location “for a female who was having trouble breathing.” At this time, it remains unclear if that female was Megan.
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Social Media Sends Prayers
Social media users entered TSR’s comment section with prayers for Megan Thee Stallion.
Instagram user @miss_hellokitty87 wrote, “Dehydration I’m sure …they be going & going”
While Instagram user @chanel_mack added, “broadway is a different beast. i hope she’s ok”
Instagram user @jazzfromseattle wrote, “Yall working my girl way too hard! Did she eat before the show ?!? Drinking water? I’m pissed. Prayed up 🙏🏾“
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While Instagram user @kalibabbyywontbeherelong added, “OMGGGGG PRAY SHES OKAY”
Instagram user @kaythevirgoat wrote, “Prayers to her! She probably needs some rest 🩷🙏🏾”
While Instagram user @jadoresiwoh added, “Fatigue will do that do you”
Instagram user @kaighost wrote, “That’s a hard working woman…she probably needs rest and water…praying for her!🙏🏾🫶🏾💕”
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While Instagram user @50shadesofstallion added, “Praying for my girl !!!!”
Instagram user @mycousin_tiera wrote, “As a entertainer I know how much I’ve sacrificed to insure that the show goes on.. I’ve literally worked myself into a mild seizure smh.. Prayers for a full and speedy recovery ❤️🩹”
While Instagram user @theenahlashow added, “Honestly she probably passed out from exhaustion. Back to back shows like broadway is hard asf even for a conditioned artist like her”
More On Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Broadway Performance
According to PEOPLE, Megan Thee Stallion is making her Broadway debut as Zidler in ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Furthermore, she will reportedly be performing in the show for weight weeks — until May 17.
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“Stepping onto the Broadway stage and joining the Moulin Rouge! The Musical team is an absolute honor. I’ve always believed in pushing myself creatively, and theater is definitely a new opportunity that I’m excited to embrace. Broadway demands a different level of discipline, preparation and storytelling, but I’m up for the challenge and can’t wait for the Hotties to see a new side of me,” Megan reportedly stated about the opportunity.
Francesca’s season of Bridgerton will look a little different than Julia Quinn‘s book after a gender swap twist — but which steamy moments should still be brought to life between her and Michaela?
Based on Quinn’s book series, Bridgerton centers around members of the wealthy Bridgerton family as they search for love in 19th century London. When He Was Wicked followed Francesca (Hannah Dodd) after her marriage to John (Victor Alli) was cut short by his death. Francesca met her match with John’s cousin — except Michael got swapped for Michaela (Masali Baduza).
“The first time I read When He Was Wicked I really related to it as a queer woman,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Vanity Fair in 2024 about the change. “Her story is in some ways about feeling different. In Julia Quinn’s book, it really has more to do with her being introverted. But for many of us in the queer community, that sense of feeling different from a young age is part of our stories. So I felt like there was already thematic richness in her book to mine for her story.”
The actors also spoke out after some fans criticized the change.
Bridgerton surprised book fans by changing Francesca’s future love interest from Michael to Michaela, but the show’s creative team is excited about the meaningful swap before they lead season 5. Season 3 offered Francesca (Hannah Dodd) a much larger role — following a recasting — where viewers watched her fall in love with John (Victor […]
“I understand that the Bridgerton book fans are very passionate about these characters, and I am too,” Baduza told Refinery29 Australia in February 2026, noting how “proud” she is to tell a queer story on screen.
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Baduza noted that “everyone’s story deserves to be told,” adding, “I love Michaela so much, and I am just very proud to tell the story alongside Hannah. In Bridgerton, a lot of the characters are growing into themselves and learning new things about themselves.”
She continued: “I think that the show accepts that, I think it’s important for everyone else to accept that too, and hopefully that can be reflected back into society.”
“The book will always exist as well, [but] I’m really, really excited to tell this story and also give it the platform it deserves, like a leading story line, not additional characters,” Dodd told the outlet, with Baduza saying, “Everyone deserves to be represented. I think we’re excited to see these stories get told.”
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Keep scrolling to see which When He Was Wicked book moments we’re hoping to see brought to life in season 5:
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Their 1st Kiss
The couple’s first kiss would come after Francesca thinks Michaela is angry with her for trying to get married again. After an argument, Francesca and Michaela kiss but the Bridgerton sibling pulls back and leaves for Scotland.
Bridgerton fans have watched the cast change on and off screen since the series first debuted. The historical drama, which is based on the book series written by Julia Quinn, follows the members of the wealthy Bridgerton family as they search for love in 19th century London. When Bridgerton premiered in 2020, the show centered […]
Making a Move
Michaela ultimately will go after Francesca but won’t mention her feelings — yet. Instead, Michaela will try to seduce her … to steamy results. The fictional couple will have sex, which later will cause Francesca to feel guilty.
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The Morning After
Francesca will try to run away again after her first time with Michaela but then a storm breaks out. She will have to hide out — with Michaela — so they end up at an unoccupied gardener’s cabin. Things get heated again but this time Francesca will take control.
If you were recovering from a trauma, would you be able to handle another one? That’s the central question asked in the 1989 psychological thriller Dead Calm, starring Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, and Billy Zane, set on the open ocean, and currently steaming for free on Tubi.
Anything But Calm
Australian couple John (Sam Neill) and Rae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) are already grieving in Dead Calm. Upon arriving home on leave from the Australian Navy, John is immediately taken aside by the police, who have been looking for him to give him the tragic news of a terrible car accident. Their son is dead, and Rae is psychologically scarred. To retreat from the surroundings that only remind them of their tragedy, the couple sets out on their Yacht and cruises around the western Pacific Ocean. Rae is having nightmares and is on sedatives, but John is determined to not return home until they have worked through their grief.
Their trip takes a turn when they find a distressed vessel floating adrift. John feels obligated to follow maritime law and try to help the stranded boat, but while they are approaching, a rowboat starts heading toward them. It carries Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane), a handsome young man with a harrowing tale of shipmates gone mad and a sinking ship. When John goes to the sinking ship to verify Hughie’s story, Hughie takes over the Ingram’s boat, kidnaps Rae, and sails away.
While John is stranded in the sinking boat containing the corpses of Hughie’s shipmates, Rae is alone with a man who is slowly proving to be a psychopath. His sinister history begins to unfold, and both John and Rae must fight for survival, one from a deadly shipwreck and the other from a madman, all on the high seas with nothing around within view.
The thrill of Dead Calm comes from its paranoid setting. The Ingram’s beautiful yacht has a huge inside like the TARDIS; it’s much bigger than its outside appearance seems to contain. Hughie’s former boat is a mess of libertinism, alcohol, wantonness, and abandonment. The only other thing within view once the couple sets sail is the wide ocean and the ever-changing sky. There is no wind, as indicated by the nautical term “dead calm,” making for a setting that’s as claustrophobic as it is wide. Even the sprawling maze of the sailboat’s interior becomes confining when it’s the only safe retreat within reach.
Explosive Performances All Around
The performances in Dead Calm are exquisite. Sam Neill is masculine protectiveness and desperation personified as he tries to get back to his wife. Nicole Kidman has a much more nuanced performance as Rae sways between navigating Hughie’s machinations and the boat that contains them.
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Billy Zane puts on one of his best performances as Hughie, leaving the viewer never quite sure how much of what he is saying is true. The fact that he looks like a Greek god, muscular and shirtless through much of the movie, only adds to his menace.
A fourth character runs around the edges of the setting, yipping and causing so much trouble that if he wasn’t such an adorable little pup, you’d wonder how he wasn’t thrown overboard. The movie manipulates the audience with Rae’s little dog Benji, who is a little too obedient and well-trained for his own safety. A warning to dog lovers is in order here.
If there is anything wrong with the film, it’s that its pacing is sometimes uneven. It becomes very easy to wonder why John and Rae are handling things the way they are, which causes some of the scenes to drag out a little longer than they need to, diminishing some of the tension at times. The movie could have been trimmed by about 10 to 15 minutes without harming the plot, and probably would have tightened the grip of the viewer’s fear for the grieving couple.
It also has a few sexually graphic and violent scenes that can be extremely shocking. The movie takes us into the car for Rae’s accident with her young son and does not spare us the gritty details of his demise. A sex scene with Kidman is consensual but still disturbing given the context. The bodies in the sinking ship are intimately displayed, and the shots frame Rae and Hughie around a grisly background that’s not for the faint of heart.
Nevertheless, the scenery is stunning. A wide, glassy ocean crowned with vast blue skies dotted with puffy clouds gives way to spectacular stormy seas and roiling waves. The luxurious interior of the Ingram’s vessel is augmented by gorgeous exterior shots, especially when they raise their sails. The setting contributes to the action as the sailboat rolls over waves and the distressed boat is slowly swallowed by the sea.
While Dead Calm never holds back with its gut punches, it makes the struggle all the more fulfilling to watch each time John or Rae succeed. The couple’s devotion to each other, even in their darkest moments, carries them through the plot as they work on reuniting after Hughie’s flight in the Ingram’s boat. The theme of the movie is overcoming grief, and it manifests in myriad ways as the story pushes its way through treacherous waters.
Sail away for a chilling experience with Nicole Kidman in Dead Calm for free, because it is now streaming on Tubi.
In 1998, singer-songwriter Cher once asked us all if we believed in life after love, and we were all supposed to nod our heads in unison, as if to say, “Yes.” What Cher didn’t consider, however, is the kind of love depicted in 2014’s Life After Beth, because that’s an entirely different thing. First of all, young love never lasts. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and call your high school sweetheart and let me know how thrilled she is to hear from you.
More importantly, I’m pretty sure the 90s electropop anthem about overcoming heartbreak wasn’t meant to apply to the kind of zombie romance you see in Life After Beth. A horror comedy loosely inspired by the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, the film follows a guy whose girlfriend dies tragically, only to come back from the dead and pick up right where she left off.
I like to think of it as a twisted, far more slapstick version of the 2004 French film They Came Back (Les Revenants). The same concept is being explored, just without nearly as much emotional weight. Both films deal with how loss and grief are a natural part of life, and how catastrophic it could be if we’re not allowed to process these emotions in real time. In They Came Back, there are concerns about housing, food, water, and basic necessities. In Life After Beth, we get Aubrey Plaza spazzing out like Linda Blair while sucking face.
At face value, there’s really not much going on in Life After Beth, and there doesn’t need to be. Zach Orfman (Dane DeHaan) loses his girlfriend Beth Slocum (Aubrey Plaza) after a snake bite kills her, and everybody shows up for the funeral. Devastated after losing his first love, Zach confides in her parents, Maury (John C. Reilly) and Geenie (Molly Shannon). There’s an unspoken bond here because both Zach and Maury want to hold onto the good memories, not the low points.
Zach’s parents, Judy (Cheryl Hines) and Noah (Paul Reiser), along with his brother Kyle (Matthew Gray Gubler), grow concerned about his mental state as he spends more and more time with the Slocums. When they suddenly cut off contact, Zach spirals into a deeper depression.
As it turns out, shortly after Beth was buried, she dug herself out of her grave and made her way home, completely unaware of her own death. Maury and Geenie eventually allow Zach back into the picture once the truth is out, but there are rules. He can’t take Beth out in public during the day, and he can’t tell her she’s dead. What could possibly go wrong?
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What Goes Wrong
Being that they’re horny teenagers and Beth doesn’t know she’s dead, Zach immediately breaks the rules, and that’s when everything starts to fall apart. Beth begins to decompose and act erratically after spending too much time in the sunlight, leading Zach to suspect that she’s a zombie. She’s also intensely jealous of Erica Wexler (Anna Kendrick), one of Zach’s closest childhood friends.
As time passes and Beth loses control of her faculties, it becomes clear she’s not the only one who’s come back. The entire community starts filling up with reanimated corpses, and they’re all hungry. Something that could have been avoided if the Slocums were less secretive.
While Aubrey Plaza deserves plenty of credit for fully committing to her zombie freakouts, everybody brings their A game to Life After Beth. John C. Reilly and Molly Shannon play this situation exactly how you’d expect real parents to handle it. They’re grateful to have their daughter back, but equally horrified. They’ve barely begun the grieving process, and now it’s been completely disrupted. There’s a gravesite, a funeral, and a reality they’re trying to ignore while pretending everything is fine.
Zach’s behavior pushes things even further. On some level, he’s totally fine with necrophilia if you really think about it, but I don’t think that’s how he sees it. He’s grieving in his own warped way. When Beth and Maury give their approval, there’s plenty of making out that becomes increasingly uncomfortable the more you bear witness to it.
The real magic happens when Zach and Beth are alone, because they’re exactly as dysfunctional as you’d expect. As Beth transitions further into her final zombie form, her mood swings become more violent, and Zach rolls with it until he can’t anymore. Every couple fights from time to time, and that’s the lens he uses to justify what’s happening.
Surprisingly Poignant Story About Grief
Absurd, slapstick comedy aside, Life After Beth is more than just a horror comedy because it shows how far people will go to avoid confronting their grief. Zach, Maury, and Geenie are all traumatized by Beth’s death, and even more so by her return. Instead of working through it, they lie to themselves until the lie spills over and starts affecting everything around them.
It’s a solid analogy for how destructive unprocessed grief can be. It doesn’t just sit quietly in the background. It spreads, it escalates, and eventually it forces itself into the open whether you’re ready for it or not.
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