There’s a specific feeling you get watching a stunt and knowing, somewhere in the back of your mind, that a real person actually did that. Not a digital double, or a green screen, but an actual human being hanging off an actual jet or freezing in an actual river. That feeling has mostly disappeared from big blockbusters over the last couple decades, buried under so much CGI that nothing on screen feels real.

The six movies on this list are proof that feeling never actually died, it just got rarer. Every one of them found a way to put something real on screen. A good adventure movie is supposed to make your heart rate climb a little. These are the six that still know how to do that without cheating.

6

‘Life of Pi’ (2012)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Ang Lee built a tiger that doesn’t exist and somehow made it feel more real than most animals I’ve seen in actual nature documentaries. Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger sharing a lifeboat with Pi (Suraj Sharma) after a shipwreck, was almost entirely computer generated, and it still took home an Oscar for visual effects because nobody in the theater could tell the difference.

What keeps this movie with me, though, isn’t the tiger. It’s the very end, when adult Pi (Irrfan Khan) offers the writer listening to his story a second version of events, a much darker, more human one, without any animals in it, and asks which version he’d rather believe. The movie never tells you which story actually happened. It just lets you sit with the fact that you’d rather believe the one with the tiger in it, and that says something true about why we tell stories like this in the first place.

5

‘The Martian’ (2015)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Mark Watney (Matt Damon) gets left behind on Mars, alone, with barely any supplies, and instead of panicking, his first move is to calmly explain to a camera that he’s going to have to, in his exact words, science the hell out of this. That line tells you everything about why this movie works. Ridley Scott could have made a bleak survival story out of this premise, and instead made something genuinely funny, even while a man is growing potatoes in his own waste just to survive another few weeks.

The rescue sequence near the end had me leaning forward in my seat despite already knowing, on some level, that a movie built entirely around problem-solving wasn’t going to end with the problem unsolved. That’s the real trick of The Martian. It makes competence itself feel like the most thrilling thing on screen.

4

‘The Revenant’ (2015)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Leonardo DiCaprio ate raw bison liver for one scene in this movie, and that’s not even close to the hardest thing he does in it. Hugh Glass gets mauled by a bear in a scene so physical and drawn out that it stops feeling like a stunt and starts feeling like something you shouldn’t be allowed to watch this closely. Alejandro G. Iñárritu shot the whole film using only natural light, which meant DiCaprio spent months freezing, actually freezing, in real rivers just to get the shot.

DiCaprio finally won his long-overdue Oscar for this role, and watching the film, it’s hard to argue he didn’t earn every bit of it through sheer physical punishment alone. This isn’t an adventure movie about excitement. It’s one about endurance, about how far a human body can be pushed and still refuse to stop moving, and it commits to that idea more fully than almost anything else on this list.

3

‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

I saw this movie in theaters not knowing much about it going in, and I remember walking out afterward feeling like my heart rate hadn’t actually come down yet. George Miller shot this thing almost entirely with real stunt drivers, real vehicles, and real explosions across an actual desert, and you can feel that reality in every single frame. Nothing about the chases looks like it’s being generated on a computer, because almost none of it was.

Furiosa (Charlize Theron) and Max (Tom Hardy) barely stop moving for the entire runtime, and somehow the film still finds room for a real emotional core underneath all that momentum. Miller even released a black-and-white cut of the film later, closer to his original vision, and watching it that way makes the practical stunt work even more obvious. This is what pure, uncut adventure filmmaking looks like when nobody’s cutting corners.

2

‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ (2018)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Tom Cruise broke his ankle jumping between two buildings in London while filming this movie, and rather than cut around it, the final film keeps the footage of him limping and wincing in visible pain right after the landing. That’s the whole philosophy behind this franchise by this point that if it can be done for real, Cruise is going to do it for real, audience safety briefings be damned.

The HALO jump sequence, where Ethan Hunt skydives from an altitude high enough to require oxygen, was actually performed by Cruise himself, not a stunt double, not a green screen. Christopher McQuarrie builds the whole movie around stunts that are dangerous, and somehow the plot, dense with double crosses and fake identities, never gets lost underneath all that. This is the entry in the franchise where everything, story and stunts both, finally line up at once.

1

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Every pilot shot in this movie is real footage taken from inside actual F-18 fighter jets, with the actors themselves operating the cameras while pulling real G-forces, and you can feel that authenticity in a way no amount of CGI could ever fake. Tom Cruise spent years just getting the cast physically prepared to handle flying like that before filming even started.

But the reason this movie actually got to me was watching Val Kilmer return as Iceman, knowing that Kilmer’s real voice had been damaged by his own cancer treatment, and hearing the film use AI-restored audio to let him speak just one more time on screen. That scene is about an actor and a character both fighting to still have a voice, and it’s the reason this legacy sequel ended up hitting harder than the original film ever did.

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Top Gun: Maverick

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Release Date

May 27, 2022

Runtime

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131 minutes

Director

Joseph Kosinski

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Writers

Christopher McQuarrie, Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, Peter Craig, Justin Marks

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It might be a superhero movie and an adaptation of a Greek epic that are stealing the theatrical spotlight, but horror remains a popular choice for movie lovers in 2026. Already this year, the devil’s favorite genre has delivered some of 2026’s best movies, including Severance star Adam Scott headlining the underrated Hokum, Sam Raimi finally returning to the genre with Send Help, Nia DaCosta continuing one of horror’s best franchises with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, and Kane Parsons breaking records with his directorial debut Backrooms.

But the best horror entry from 2026 so far, and perhaps one of the best of the decade, is undeniably Focus Features’ Obsession. Curry Barker‘s breakout masterpiece has certainly cemented itself as one of the most astonishing success stories of this century, becoming the highest-grossing non-animated original film of the past decade, the first film with a sub-million production budget to earn over $200 million this century, and even the highest-grossing original horror movie of this century. The movie was also a huge hit with critics, with Inde Navarrette‘s jaw-dropping performance destined to earn Academy recognition in 2027.

As Obsession continues proving a favorite on the streaming charts, another new horror arrival has established its place among the best on Prime Video. At the time of writing, The Devil’s Mouth, which was first released on July 29, is the most-streamed movie on Prime Video in the world. The pulse-racing popcorn flick follows a group of friends as their venture into an underwater cave system is rudely interrupted by a vicious bull shark. Avengers: Doomsday‘s Kathryn Newton and X-Men: Apocalypse‘s Lana Condor star alongside Gavin Casalegno and Nico Hiraga in the movie, which was directed by Jeff Wadlow, who previously delivered the 2024 sleeper streaming hit Imaginary.

How Have Critics Reacted to ‘The Devil’s Mouth’?

A movie such as The Devil’s Mouth will be more interested in streaming figures than critical acclaim, but it is impossible to ignore just how negative the reception to the film has been. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Wadlow’s creature feature has earned just 34% from critics and 16% from audiences. One critic described it as “not bad enough for it to be fun, ridiculous but not enough to inspire a drinking game,” whilst another said it is “one of those ‘I hate all these characters and can’t wait to see them die’ movies.” Make up your own mind on Prime Video now.

Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for all the latest streaming stories.

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Release Date

July 29, 2026

Runtime

106 minutes

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Director

Jeff Wadlow

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The movie is not out yet, and at the time of writing, the 2026 Oscar Race has not really begun. It won’t end until 2027, either, because that’s when the award show celebrating the movies of 2026 will be held. Anyway, the movie just alluded to is Digger, which feels like a movie Tom Cruise is using to finally win an Oscar. He’s been very committed to numerous rules for about 40 years now, having been a genuine movie star in just about all that time. There are things about him not related to his film work that suggest it’s not all been smooth-sailing, but if you want to stick to the acting, it’s been a pretty phenomenal career so far.

Given how many good movies he’s been in, and how good he’s been in so many of them, it feels a bit surprising that Tom Cruise does not yet have a competitive Academy Award. Digger might be the one to do it (and hey, working with Alejandro G. Iñárritu worked for Leonardo DiCaprio, who finally won his Oscar thanks to his role in The Revenant), but there are arguments to be made that it should’ve happened for Cruise earlier. These are five particularly strong performances from the past that he should’ve – or at least comfortably could’ve – won Academy Awards for playing.

5

‘Born on the Fourth of July’ (1989)

Image via Universal Pictures

The easiest movie to put here is Born on the Fourth of July, because this was kind of Oscar bait. Oscar bait is not automatically a bad thing, and Born on the Fourth of July is potentially the good kind of Oscar bait. It’s a movie about a man who becomes an anti-war activist after being paralyzed during his time in combat in the Vietnam War. He was a real-life man named Ron Kovic, and his memoir was what the movie was based on. And then, yes, Tom Cruise is the one who plays Kovic, and he certainly dives right in trying to capture all the big and challenging emotions that would come with experiencing one’s life being changed in such an impactful way.

An honorable mention is probably worth giving to Rain Man. Tom Cruise was very good in that film, and it was another movie that was clearly going for Academy Award success, doing so by winning Best Picture, and then Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor. Rain Man and Born on the Fourth of July being released close together did a lot to emphasize Cruise’s skills as a true dramatic actor, rather than “just” someone who could do comedies or action movies. And Born on the Fourth of July did give him his first Oscar nomination, so it’s easy to highlight it as the first time he maybe should’ve won an Oscar… that year, though, Best Actor went to Daniel Day-Lewis for My Left Foot (not an entirely dissimilar sort of performance, in terms of what was asked for) instead.

4

‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (1999)

Image via Warner Bros.

At the dawn of the 21st century, Tom Cruise starred in what ended up being the final Stanley Kubrick movie, and it was kind of a psychological thriller by the name of Eyes Wide Shut. Emphasis on “kind of” because this is not an easy movie to break down and define genre-wise. Some people call it an erotic thriller, but it’s probably more of an anti-erotic film, honestly. It’s about lust and infidelity, to some extent, but more focused on insecurity, and what happens when one man drives himself mad after the revelation that his wife thought about cheating on him. On that front, it’s almost a dark comedy, just because of the intensity of his downward spiral, but then it’s got more of an emphasis on dark thrillers and drama than something like After Hours, which is another movie about a man’s wild and increasingly surreal nighttime odyssey in New York City.

Tom Cruise does have to have a certain level of charm here, playing a well-off doctor who still isn’t quite an elite, and as his journey gets him uncomfortably immersed within the lifestyles of some actual elites (many of them remaining shrouded in mystery), Cruise also has to showcase a great deal of vulnerability and insecurity. It’s one of the most ego-free performances Tom Cruise has ever given, and one gets the sense he was just 100% down for whatever Kubrick wanted to do in challenging him. Of course, the likes of Nicole Kidman and Sydney Pollack also impress during the scenes they’re given, but Tom Cruise is really at the center of this one, and the strength of his performance is a big reason why Eyes Wide Shut ultimately has the (sometimes mortifying) impact it does.

3

‘Tropic Thunder’ (2008)

Image via Paramount Pictures

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Those who enjoy the act of raining on a parade might like to jump in right now and say something along the lines of, “Oh, all the make-up/prosthetics did the work for Tom Cruise in Tropic Thunder,” and yeah, that did some of the work, but there was more to Cruise’s transformation than just that. Tom Cruise could’ve looked the way he usually did, without being physically larger and having his usual hair, and it would still have felt like a truly transformative performance. He’d gone big with Born on the Fourth of July, and there’s another 1999 movie that’ll be mentioned in a bit where he got to chew on some loud material, but in Tropic Thunder, as Les Grossman, he gets to be aggressive and bombastic but in a comedic rather than dramatic way.

Sure, Les doesn’t think he’s in a comedy, and he might ordinarily be a terrifying character if Tropic Thunder were a more serious look at the film industry, but within this particular movie, and alongside a bunch of other comedic performances (there are so many notable people in Tropic Thunder), Cruise emerges as hilarious. He really does steal the relatively few scenes he appears in, in Tropic Thunder, and it’s the kind of thing that felt like it could’ve gotten a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars, were it not for Robert Downey Jr. earning that nomination for his role in the same movie. Not that two nominees can’t come from the same film, but it’s rare. Anyway, both actors transformed and went all-out for these particular roles, and Tom Cruise’s sheer intensity and ridiculousness in Tropic Thunder really does have to be seen to be believed.

2

‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout (2018)

If a brief rant can be given, why is it that action movie performances don’t get held to the same regard as more drama-focused performances? Like, great action stars are asked to do a lot on screen, and even if they’re not literally doing 100% of their stunts the whole time, there is still so much to be said about how physically demanding it would be to continually holding yourself in such a way where you seem powerful and cool, but not like you’re trying too hard. There is just this knack that some actors have for being very convincing in action movies, and Tom Cruise is one of them, with him demonstrating this the best in his Mission: Impossible films.

He’s good in all of them, and is even pretty good in the ones that overall aren’t the best, but Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a real highlight of the series, owing to how well it’s paced, how high-quality all its action is, and how locked in Cruise and his co-stars are throughout all 150-ish minutes of its high-stakes/relentless runtime. Mission: Impossible – Fallout would still be good with an okay performance at its center, but here, even more so than usual, Cruise treats playing the character of Ethan Hunt with the same gravitas and commitment that most Shakespearean actors would have if they were playing Macbeth on stage. So, why not consider such a performance Oscar-worthy? It really is, or at least it really should be.

1

‘Magnolia’ (1999)

Image via New Line Cinema

With Eyes Wide Shut, it’s like, okay, Tom Cruise wasn’t nominated. So there’s a bit more of a leap involved in saying, “Actually, he should’ve won.” With Born on the Fourth of July, he was nominated, but his main competitor was Daniel Day-Lewis, and that’s always going to be difficult to go up against someone like him. Tropic Thunder and Mission: Impossible – Fallout… sure, they weren’t really dramas, or the kinds of movies that tend to get a lot of love from the Academy Awards. Enter Magnolia, though, and this really is the one that should’ve won Cruise an Oscar. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and is incredible as one part of a huge ensemble cast, playing an intense motivational speaker/pickup artist named Frank T.J. Mackey.

Like all the main characters in Magnolia, Frank struggles with various human things, and Cruise brings it during the scenes when he’s supposed to be dominant and aggressive, and then also shines in the moments where his character ends up being vulnerable. He does a great deal with what ends up being not all that much screen time, and he deserved the win over Michael Caine in The Cider House Rules. Caine’s a legendary actor, and he’s not all that bad in that movie, but he’s been so much better in so many other things, including the movie for which he won his first Oscar: Hannah and Her Sisters. Him winning a second one for The Cider House Rules when Tom Cruise in Magnolia was right there is honestly baffling.

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Magnolia

Release Date

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December 17, 1999

Runtime

189 minutes

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Director

Paul Thomas Anderson

Writers

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Paul Thomas Anderson

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• 

  Philip Baker Hall

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Sony’s distinct line of PlayStation consoles has proven to be some of the most important and massively successful video game consoles of all time, with many of them completely revolutionizing their industry in the wake of their success and influence. Between the five home consoles and two handheld consoles, PlayStation has cemented itself as one of the pillars of the video game industry that has largely continued into the modern day.

However, not every console with the PlayStation banner is created equally, as certain consoles have had an overwhelmingly larger staying power and impact on wider culture and video games as a medium. Whether it be the varying quality of the game releases or the impact of the technological improvements upon release, there are many different facets that go into the lasting legacy and strengths of each PlayStation console. Each console has its fans, as none of these consoles are truly bad; it’s just that some of them are clearly more well-regarded by gamers and the public at large.

7

PlayStation Vita (2011—2019)

Photo by Aleks Dorohovich on Unsplash

The PlayStation Vita is a sad case of potential that was simply outmatched by the offerings of other handheld consoles. PlayStation’s final handheld console certainly has its strengths, with some good tech and memorable cult classic indie games, but in terms of what Sony envisioned the console to be, it severely underperformed. The hardware was too expensive, the prospects of backwards compatibility weren’t nearly explored, and so much of the console’s hopes and dreams were placed on the performance of middling, unenjoyable AAA experiences.

Especially with the increasing dominance of mobile games, the Vita’s failures proved to be enough of a reason for Sony to completely abandon creating true handheld consoles, focusing entirely on home console experiences. Still, the handheld has its dedicated fans for this game, with a comfortable controller and a digital storefront of top-notch indies giving gamers a great high-end portable gaming experience before the likes of the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck.

6

PlayStation 5 (2020—Present)

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It’s hard to get a full grasp on the legacy of the PlayStation 5, considering the fact that the console is still getting releases as the current PlayStation console. However, shifts in the gaming industry and confusing decisions by Sony have really put a damper on the staying power of the console, especially when it was already following up the massively memorable PlayStation 4. So much of the console’s difficulties trace back to the larger focus on PC gaming than ever before, as nearly all the PlayStation 5 exclusives have managed to find their way to PC after enough time.

It’s proven to largely eliminate the identity of the PS5 as its own entity, as while it may be outperforming the Xbox Series X, that only goes a long way when 90% of its best games can be played by other means. What really cements the lower placement of the PS5, however, is Sony’s recent shift away from physical discs and leaning into an all-digital strategy that has resulted in overwhelming backlash from all fronts. It isn’t without its great games — and, in fact, offers some of the best PS games of the 2020s — but it’s a far cry from the legacy that PlayStation has maintained throughout the years.

5

PlayStation 3 (2006–2017)

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The PlayStation 3 is the perfect example of how the launch of a console does not paint the entire story of a console’s lifespan, as the console transformed and evolved after one of the worst console launches of all time into a genuinely respectable competitor to the Xbox 360. With a shockingly high initial price point and a lack of real system-selling experiences, early impressions were certainly lackluster, with Sony actually losing their dominance in the console market to Microsoft for the first and only time.

The PlayStation 3 soon grew to be an exceptional competitor thanks to a wide array of great first-party experiences as well as more third parties growing used to the initially difficult confines of the PS3 development hardware. Games like The Last of Us, LittleBigPlanet, and the Uncharted Trilogy helped save the reputation of the console and ushered in a new generation of PlayStation fans. Its initial hiccups prevent it from having a higher place, but the console still has a special place in the hearts of many PlayStation gamers.

4

PlayStation Portable (2004–2014)

Photo by Dennis Cortés on Unsplash

PlayStation’s first foray into the handheld gaming marketplace, the PlayStation Portable, proved that Nintendo wasn’t the only capable of creating a great portable gaming experience, creating a more gamer-centric handheld experience that held its own against the monolithic titan of the Nintendo DS. The PSP is defined by its surprisingly effective tech for a handheld as well as its great library of original games, with several of these games proving to be so great that they eventually got ported over to home consoles.

The console also had a built-in interface and hardware that allowed users to not just play games on the device, but also watch movies, listen to music, and view photos to create an effective all-in-one experience, especially in an era before true smartphones. There is a great deal of nostalgia and passion for the PSP as it was truly pushing the potential of handheld consoles forward in the wake of its success, even if it never ended up being as successful as the Nintendo DS.

3

PlayStation (1996–2006)

Photo by Jonathan Cooper on Unsplash

PlayStation as a brand simply wouldn’t exist without the console that started it all, as the strengths and dynamic features of the console took the world by storm and made for a true competitor to the pre-existing titans of the industry. With dynamic 3D 32-bit graphics and a catalog of some of the absolute greatest video games of the ’90s, a massive chunk of PlayStation’s legacy stems back to just how well they captured the hearts of gamers on their first console outing. Many fan-favorite PlayStation franchises saw their first entries on this console, while many highly celebrated third-party franchises reached new heights of quality on the console as well.

The console still has an undeniable legacy all these years later, not just because it’s the first PlayStation, but because of just how timeless and exceptional so many of the gaming experiences on the console were and still are today. Any console would be considered one of the greatest of all time when it features games like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, and Crash Bandicoot. It speaks volumes that despite being their first console, the original PlayStation still managed to be the best-selling console of the 5th generation of consoles, with its focus on young adults instead of children paying dividends to the PlayStation brand as a whole.

2

PlayStation 4 (2013—2024)

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With Microsoft arguably winning the previous console generation, Sony had a lot to prove with the PlayStation 4 to prove that they were still one of the masters of home console gaming. What resulted is one of the most shining and impactful eras in PlayStation history, pushing the brand and reputation of the console to new heights and with a glorious upgrade in graphical fidelity. For many modern gamers, the PlayStation 4 is the defining PlayStation console, as it featured many of Sony’s most celebrated gaming experiences and overwhelmingly dominated the eighth generation of consoles.

The console did an exceptional job of appealing to exactly what gamers were wanting out of the industry at the time, with an embracing of third-party and indie games while also supplying its own array of top-notch first-party experiences. It’s an absolute classic console that was the premier way to experience many of the best games of the 2010s. It easily deserves a placement ranking among the greatest consoles of all time, although it only comes just short of the peak of what PlayStation is capable of as a dominating force in home console gaming.

1

PlayStation 2 (2000–2013)

Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash

It’s impossible to understate just how much of a cultural powerhouse the PlayStation 2 was, being so effective as a home console that it almost single-handedly reshaped the industry in the wake of its success. With so many great games, massive leaps in technological capabilities, and the versatility of having a built-in DVD player, it’s no wonder the console became the best-selling video game console of all time. Even after the PlayStation 3 had been released, many gamers continued enjoying playing on the PS2 and utilizing it, as it really did have everything one would want out of a PlayStation experience.

PlayStation’s legacy and reputation as a titan of the industry may not have started with the PS2, but it was absolutely cemented in the wake of its success, proving that they were far from a one-time fluke but a continuous, dominating force in the industry. From system-selling exclusives like God of War and Ratchet and Clank to amazing third-party games like Resident Evil 4 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the quality on PS2 was simply unmatched.

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas; sometimes it ends up on your TV screen. 

Vegas has never met drama it didn’t like, so naturally, reality TV and Sin City were bound to become a match made in entertainment heaven. From “Pawn Stars” and “The Real World” to “Love Island” and “The Ultimatum,” some of reality TV’s biggest moments have played out in Las Vegas. If you’ve ever visited Vegas, chances are you’ve walked past more than just a few of the spots featured in reality TV shows. 

5

In 2025, Netflix’s hit reality show “The Ultimatum: Marry of Move On” made Ariva Luxury Residences in Southwest Las Vegas its temporary reality TV hub. From mid-March to mid-May, the luxury apartment complex was homebase for the cast and crew, with many moments in the show being filmed there. From custom cast residences to the various amenities on property, Ariva was heavily featured in the season 4 of the reality show. 

“Viewers will see many different areas throughout Ariva. Nearly all of our amenity spaces were utilized, including our pools, fitness areas, lounges, and outdoor gathering spaces,” Jessie Boskamp, Duty Manager of Ariva Luxury Residences told The Blast previously. “The cast also lived in our fully furnished, serviced residences, so those apartments became a major part of the filming as well.” 

In addition to Ariva, the show filmed in a variety of locations around the valley, including at Skyjump at The STRAT, Lake Las Vegas, various restaurants, South Point, and other spots. 

‘Pawn Stars’

5

Back in the ’80s, a pawn shop called Gold & Silver Pawn Shop opened up on Las Vegas Blvd. by Richard “The Old Man” Harrison. Little did he know, but his business would become a hit reality show years later.

In July 2009, “Pawn Stars” debuted, highlighting the family business buying, selling, and pawning unique items. Alongside Richard, his son Rick Harrison, Rick’s son Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison, and Corey’s friend Austin “Chumlee” Russell, starred in the popular series. 

The pawn shop itself served as the show’s primary filming location, and because it’s still open for business, fans can step inside and experience the setting that made “Pawn Stars” a television phenomenon. If you’re lucky, you may even catch one of the guys in the store for a meet-and-greet event. In fact, Rick has a few coming up this month and next month. 

‘The Real World: Las Vegas’

5

Back in 2002, the 28th floor of The Palms Casino Resort became the backdrop for a season of “The Real World Las Vegas.” The cast reportedly lived in a custom-built penthouse from February through June 2002. That season became one of the most popular seasons of the series.

MTV brought the cast back to Vegas five years later for “Reunited: The Real World Las Vegas” and filmed in the same Palms suite that was said to be nearly 3,000-square-feet. After the show, the suite was converted into a luxury accommodation.

Then in 2011, MTV decided to revisit Vegas for the 25th season of “The Real World.” This time, they filmed at the then Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with the cast living in a custom four-bedroom suite with a hot tub, bar, and bowling alley. 

The suite was Room 1168 in the Hard Rock’s Casino Tower and was more than 4,000-square-feet. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is no more, as the property was rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in 2021. 

‘Vanderpump Rules: Lisa Las Vegas’

5

While reality star Lisa Vanderpump has had ties in Las Vegas for many years, she’s now even more prominent with her brand new Vanderpump Hotel that opened a few months ago.

While renovating The Cromwell into the Vanderpump Hotel, Bravo filmed “Vanderpump Rules: Lisa Las Vegas” to show the process of opening the new hotel. The reality show was announced around the time the hotel opened in May 2026. No air date has been given yet for the limited time series.

The official description reads, “Lisa Vanderpump has been ruling over the Las Vegas Strip for years now, with three hotspot restaurants serving up chic cocktails in her signature whimsical settings. Now, she is expanding her Vegas empire through the opening of her high-profile namesake hotel. In this limited series, we follow the behind-the-scenes dash to make the property worthy of the Vanderpump brand. LVP shares what inspired her newest enterprise and pulls back the curtain on the down-to-the-wire drama. The series will culminate at the Vanderpump Hotel’s lavish opening party, with fan favorite Bravolebrities celebrating the launch.” 

Other Reality Shows Filmed In Las Vegas

5

This list was only the tip of the reality TV iceberg for Sin City. Many other shows have filmed either entire seasons or parts of a season in and around Vegas.

Other well-known reality shows that filmed in Vegas include “America Ninja Warrior” at South Point, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” at the Rio, “Double Shot at Love” at Drai’s, “Storage Wars” at StorageOne Facilities, “Counting Cars” at Count’s Kustoms, “Love Island USA” at the rooftop of The Cromwell (now Vanderpump Hotel) and Drai’s, and many others. 

Be sure to check out The Blast’s social media pages to see a video of some spots in Vegas where reality shows have filmed. And be sure to follow along for more Vegas stories, including spots seen in “The Hangover,” “Casino,” and other hit movies, as well as celebrity owned businesses, rooftop bars with great views, and more.

With the release and massive financial success of The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan has managed to further enshrine himself as not only one of the most popular filmmakers currently working, but perhaps even the current king of the Hollywood blockbuster landscape. Infused with plenty of clear influences and plenty of Nolan’s distinct auteurial vision, this grand adaptation of Homer‘s epic poem can already be counted among the best films of the 2020s so far.

It should come as no surprise, considering just how unprecedentedly large a cast ensemble it contains, that The Odyssey features several of the strongest and most memorable acting performances ever seen in a Christopher Nolan film. Not everyone in the cast delivers top-tier work, but eight actors in particular brought their absolute A-game, their performances standing out as some of the best that the fantasy epic genre has seen in years.

8

Himesh Patel as Eurylochus

Image via Universal Pictures

From his leading role in Danny Boyle‘s Yesterday to his brief turn in Nolan’s Tenet, Himesh Patel has had plenty of opportunities to show that he’s a highly talented and versatile actor. Thankfully, The Odyssey gives him plenty more of those kinds of opportunities. He plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ second in command. In Homer’s original poem, he’s more of an unpleasant troublemaker, whereas in Nolan’s version, his challenges of Odysseus’ decisions feel like they come from a place of true care and loyalty.

Patel brings a tremendous amount of depth and range to a role that often demands an awful lot of him, allowing Eurylochus to feel like a three-dimensional friend to Odysseus. The Odyssey is one of the best adventure movies since 2000, in large part, precisely because it allows its actors to imbue their characters with emotional layers beyond the mythical archetypes they’re supposed to represent. Patel succeeds at that task wonderfully, even if some of the other performers he shares scenes with outshine him at times.

7

Zendaya as Athena

Image via Universal Pictures

Zendaya is one of those gargantuan stars who currently rule Hollywood, an actress who has come a long way since her Disney Channel days and is currently a box office magnet. She further demonstrates why she’s gotten to this point in The Odyssey, where she plays the goddess Athena, who protects Odysseus throughout his journey. Nolan also throws a brilliant twist regarding her character toward the end of the film, which completely recontextualizes Zendaya’s performance and makes it get better on rewatch.

With her participation in the Dune films, Zendaya is able to claim that she’s been in some of the best sci-fi epics of recent times. Now, with The Odyssey, she can say that she also starred in one of the best fantasy epics of the last 50 years. The script doesn’t give her a lot of dialogue to work with, but Zendaya elevates Athena’s character through her deeply meaningful facial expressions and powerfully understated demeanor.

6

Elliot Page as Sinon

Image via Universal Pictures

A whopping 16 years after having shared the screen with stars as huge as Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception, Elliot Page returns to Nolan’s filmography in The Odyssey. Contrary to what the army of transphobic trolls over on Twitter claimed, Page plays Sinon, a character who actually originated not in the original Homeric text, but rather in Virgil‘s Aeneid. Nolan’s decision to bring that character over to his version of The Odyssey ended up being brilliant, because Sinon stands out as one of the film’s most memorable characters—largely thanks to Page.

It had been years since Page’s last appearance in a major mainstream motion picture, and what a return to form this is. The actor is only present in a few key scenes of the story, but he absolutely steals every single last one. The sequence in the Underworld particularly stands out, giving Page a chance to show off his emotional range and tremendously potent facial expressions in a scene that serves as a major turning point in the narrative, largely thanks to him.

5

Anne Hathaway as Penelope

Image via Universal Pictures

Anne Hathaway reunites with Nolan after The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar in The Odyssey, and this may very well be the meatiest and most emotionally complex role that the director has offered Hathaway thus far. Nolan has always struggled to craft three-dimensional, fully-rounded female characters, and even though Penelope (Queen of Ithaca and Odysseus’ patient wife) isn’t really his best work in that department, Hathaway brings a level of depth to the role that those who love the source material should find captivating.

It’s arguably no small reason why The Odyssey is one of Nolan’s highest-rated movies on Letterboxd. Penelope often acts as the film’s beating heart, her fortitude and fierce sense of agency anchoring the emotional core perfectly, and that’s all in Hathaway’s credit. There’s a balance between poignant vulnerability and unbreakable strength in the actress’ performance that can’t have been easy to find, and the whole movie is all the better because of it.

4

John Leguizamo as Eumaeus

Image via Universal Pictures

From family comedies like the Ice Age movies to meaty dramas like Carlito’s Way, John Leguizamo has proven on several occasions just how hugely versatile he can be, but his praises have often gone tragically unsung. That is no longer the case. If Leguizamo’s has been one of the most talked-about performances from The Odyssey, it’s for good reason, because this really is the most admirable work of his whole career.

As Eumaeus, Odysseus’ swineherd and unwaveringly loyal friend, Leguizamo gets to prove the surprising length of his dramatic chops without ever feeling out of place. The actor’s strong yet tender performance is crucial to the story’s emotional effect, not to mention the seamlessness of Leguizamo’s acting as a blind old man. Gentle yet impossible to ignore, the actor’s take on Eumaeus will likely go down in history as one of the most beloved performances in Nolan’s filmography.

3

Samantha Morton as Circe

Image via Universal Pictures

Only the greats are able to take a very limited amount of screen time and hijack every last second of it. That must mean that Samantha Morton is one of the greats, because her brief yet unforgettable turn as Circe, the fearsome witch of the island of Aeaea, is a scene-stealer unlike any other performance a Nolan movie has ever had to offer. She’s central to a terrifying sequence that proves why this is one of Nolan’s best R-rated movies to date.

The mystery and hugely effective body horror of the entire Circe-centric section of The Odyssey largely relies on the quality of Nolan’s direction, but Morton’s performance is just as much to thank. Scary without ever going overboard into cartoonish territory, Morton adds so many layers of emotion and interpretation to Circe. Indeed, she ends up sticking out as one of the movie’s most memorable characters, despite the fact that she’s in it for a strikingly short amount of time.

2

Matt Damon as Odysseus

Reuniting with Nolan after their collaborations in Interstellar and Oppenheimer is Matt Damon. Taking on the gargantuan role of Odysseus, one of the most iconic heroes in the history of fiction, was a casting decision that drew deserved skepticism upon its announcement. Now that The Odyssey has been released into the world, however, even those who weren’t doubtful about Damon as Odysseus ended up having their expectations smashed.

Of course, it helps that the script gives Damon far more to work with than any other actor—but even in a vacuum, the star’s version of Odysseus is wonderfully compelling, nuanced, and multifaceted. Starring in one of his best movies about going home, Damon delivers what’s perhaps his best performance in decades. His Odysseus is a tortured, psychologically complicated man carrying the weight of guilt and trauma around for years, and Damon sells that just as well as he does the film’s moments of wonder and adventure.

1

Robert Pattinson as Antinous

Image via Universal Pictures

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Long gone are the days of Robert Pattinson being looked down on as “the sparkly guy from Twilight.” Across fields like voice acting in movies like The Boy and the Heron, indie cinema in masterpieces of the stature of The Lighthouse, and blockbusters like The Batman and Nolan’s own Tenet, Pattinson has established himself as one of the most chameleonic actors of his generation. In The Odyssey, he offers yet another transformational performance, this time as Antinous, Penelope’s sleaziest and most persistent suitor.

Antinous is the closest thing that The Odyssey has to a main antagonist, and Pattinson sells the part like an Oscar-nomination-worthy pro. Sneaky, cunning, and deliciously cowardly, the actor’s take on Antinous makes him a presence to look forward to every time the film cuts away from Penelope and her suitors. It’s the sort of performance that has everything: presence, depth, entertainment value, and an actor at the very top of his already-phenomenal game.

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The Odyssey

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Release Date

July 15, 2026

Runtime

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173 minutes

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Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Marvel Studios is moving full steam ahead with its upcoming X-Men reboot, as three of the iconic mutant heroes have either entered or are set to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe. First up is Jean Grey (Sadie Sink), who was introduced as an antagonist in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Next, Marvel announced that it had cast Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, the telepath better known as the White Queen. Now, a new report says that Heartstopper alum Kit Connor is the frontrunner for Cyclops. These casting choices hint that director Jake Schreier is looking to take inspiration from one of the most popular X-Men storylines of the modern era, Astonishing X-Men.

The 5 Coolest X-Men Mutant Powers

Written by Joss Whedon and illustrated by the late John Cassaday, Astonishing X-Men was a return to form for the X-Men. It brought fan-favorite Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat, back into the fold. It saw the X-Men returning to wearing more traditional superhero outfits after Grant Morrison had them donning black leather for New X-Men. More importantly, the biggest shake-up saw Cyclops and Emma Frost leading the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, effectively signaling a new era in X-Men comics. If Schreier is drawing from these comics, he could deliver a version of the X-Men that fans and newcomers have yet to see on the big screen.

Adapting ‘Astonishing X-Men’ Could Make Marvel’s X-Men Stand Out in One Key Way

What makes Astonishing X-Men such a standout among X-Men comics is how it manages to push the franchise forward while still staying true to its core concepts. The very first storyline, “Gifted,” features a “cure” that will strip mutants of their powers, raising debates around the halls and within the X-Men themselves as Beast contemplates taking the cure himself. It also introduces Ord, an alien warrior who created the cure as he fears a prophecy that one of the X-Men will destroy his homeworld. The fact that the opening arc managed to touch on the cosmic elements of classic X-Men stories like “The Dark Phoenix Saga” and the underlying metaphor of being feared for your differences that fuels the X-Men makes it a great read, and the perfect foundation for a new X-Men movie.
In casting Cyclops and Emma Frost, the X-Men reboot doesn’t just signal that it’s taking cues from Astonishing X-Men, but that it’s separating itself from 20th Century Fox’s take on the mutant heroes by shifting the focus to a different group of mutants. Most of the storylines in Fox’s X-Men movies tended to revolve around Wolverine, Magneto, or Charles Xavier; if Marvel Studios is taking those three off the board, it frees up Schreier to focus on other characters and remind people why they’re so iconic. Cyclops is a prime example of this, as X-Men ’97 has reminded fans why Xavier chose him to lead the X-Men.

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Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality QuizWhich MCU Hero Are You?Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap

Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?

🕷️Spider-Man

😈Daredevil

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🤖Iron Man

💀Punisher

⚡Thor

🛡️Cap

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FIND YOUR HERO →

01

What drives you to do what’s right?Choose the answer that feels most like you.

AWith great power comes great responsibility — I protect those who can’t protect themselves.BMy faith and my conscience — I believe justice must be served, even in the dark.CLegacy and ego, honestly — but I’ve learned that others depend on me now.DThe system failed. Someone has to make sure the guilty actually pay.EDuty to the innocent and honour to my name — I was born to protect realms.FThe values I was raised with — freedom, decency, and never backing down from a bully.

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NEXT QUESTION →

02

It’s 2 AM. Where are you?Your answer says more about you than you’d think.

ASwinging between skyscrapers, keeping an eye on the neighbourhood.BRunning rooftops in Hell’s Kitchen, listening for trouble.CIn my lab, upgrading my suit with a cold cup of coffee nearby.DStaking out a target I’ve been tracking for three weeks.ESomewhere between the stars, or at a feast that got out of hand.FOn a morning run — I was up at 4, actually. Couldn’t sleep.

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03

How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice?Every hero has a method. What’s yours?

AWeb them up and leave them for the police — again.BBuild an airtight case and dismantle their entire operation from the inside.CDeploy a containment system I designed specifically for them. Tech wins.DMake sure they don’t escape a third time. Permanently.EChallenge them to single combat. Honour demands a decisive end.FRally allies, adapt the plan, and bring them in — by the book, even if it’s hard.

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04

How do you feel about keeping a secret identity?The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.

AEssential — my loved ones would be in danger if anyone found out who I am.BCritical — the mask protects my mission as much as my face.COverrated — I announced myself to the world and I’d do it again.DI’m a ghost. The less people know about me, the better.EMy name is known across the Nine Realms. There’s no hiding it.FI don’t hide — but I understand why some need to. Transparency builds trust.

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05

You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that?Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.

AWith guilt that never fully goes away — it pushes me to do better, every single day.BI channel it into purpose — their memory is the reason I keep fighting.CI buried myself in work for years. I’m only recently learning to face it.DIt transformed me completely. I’m not the same person I was before.EWith warrior’s grief — I honour them by fighting with everything I have.FI keep moving forward. Stopping means letting the loss win.

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06

What’s your role when working with a team?Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.

AThe enthusiastic wildcard who somehow makes it work — and keeps the mood up.BThe strategist who works best alone but shows up when it matters most.CThe one who funds it, equips it, and occasionally takes over the whole operation.DI don’t do teams. I’m more effective operating solo, on my terms.EThe heavy hitter — I crash in, draw fire, and turn the tide of battle.FThe leader — I earn trust, build the plan, and make sure no one gets left behind.

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07

Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge?The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.

AClearly — I don’t kill, and I wrestle with that line constantly.BI try to hold the line, but I’ve come terrifyingly close to crossing it.CPractically — I do what’s necessary to protect people, including hard calls.DI crossed that line long ago. What I do is justice — the system just won’t admit it.EIn battle, victory is justice. Mercy is earned — not automatic.FFirmly. The moment we abandon our principles, we become what we fight against.

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08

When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like?The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.

ATrying to juggle school, a part-time job, and not failing my friends.BWorking as a lawyer by day, fighting for justice in court and on the streets.CRunning a global company, attending galas, and pretending I’m sleeping enough.DQuiet. Isolated. Surviving with a clear mission and no distractions.ENavigating a bizarre and fascinating mortal world — coffee is extraordinary.FAdapting to a world decades ahead of everything I knew. Quietly, stubbornly.

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09

What keeps you up at night?Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.

AThe people I couldn’t save — and the ones I might not reach in time tomorrow.BWhether the monster I fight every night is starting to live inside me too.CThe threats I can see coming and whether my tech is actually good enough.DNothing. Silence is the only peace I get. I’ve made my choices.EWhether I’m truly worthy — of the hammer, of the throne, of the people I protect.FA world where no one stands up anymore. Where good people do nothing.

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10

The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do?This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.

ACrack a joke to buy a second, then find the one web shot that changes everything.BBlock out everything except the sound of the next threat — and keep going.CActivate the emergency protocol I built for exactly this scenario. Always have a plan.DI don’t accept that it’s lost. I keep fighting until I physically cannot anymore.ECall the lightning. All of it. The storm answers to me.FPick up the shield. Stand up. Because as long as I can stand, it’s not over.

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REVEAL MY HERO →

Your Hero Has Been IdentifiedYour MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.

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Queens, New York

🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.

• You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
• You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
• Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
• Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.

Hell’s Kitchen, New York

😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.

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• You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
• You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
• Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
• Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.

Stark Industries, Malibu

🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.

• You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
• You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
• Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
• You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.

New York City

💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.

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• You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
• You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
• Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
• Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.

Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms

⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.

• You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
• You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
• Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
• You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.

Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers

🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.

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• You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
• Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
• Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
• In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.

↻ RETAKE THE QUIZ

The ‘X-Men’ Reboot Crew Might Revamp One Key Relationship

It’s no surprise that Astonishing X-Men might be one of Jake Schreier’s inspirations, as he and the rest of the crew on the X-Men reboot have expressed their love for the comics on multiple occasions. Perhaps the biggest fan is screenwriter Lee Sung Jin, who revealed that he was a massive fan of Gambit in addition to growing up with the X-Men:

“I’m such a huge fan of X-Men. My dad was in town for my daughter’s birthday recently. My mom and dad both were, and I told him the news about X-Men, and he was like, ‘That’s the good one, you know.’ I have such fond memories of me and my dad, Saturday morning, every morning, waking up, I think it was 9:00 or 10:00 a.m. central time, and we’d watch every single episode, read the comics, and I was a huge Gambit fan growing up, so the love is very strong.”

Lee’s X-Men fandom means he can offer a great solution to a major obstacle in the upcoming reboot: how Cyclops and Emma interact. Most fans know about the duo’s romantic relationship in the comics, but given that Samara Weaving is 12 years older than Kit Connor, they probably won’t see that relationship forming on screen. Whatever Lee, Schreier, and the rest of the crew do with the story, it’s clear that they understand what makes the X-Men tick, and why Astonishing X-Men is a perfect storyline to draw inspiration from.

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Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Specifications

Release Date

2026-07-31

Rating

PG-13

Genres

Superhero (Genre), Action (Genre), Adventure (Genre)

Runtime

145 Minutes

Cast

Tom Holland (Person), Zendaya (Person), Jacob Batalon (Person), Mark Ruffalo (Person), Jon Bernthal (Person), Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III (Person), Michael Mando (Person), Tramell Tillman (Person), Liza Colón-Zayas (Person), Sadie Sink (Person), Melanie Scrofano (Person)

Director

Destin Daniel Cretton (Person)

Writers

Chris McKenna (Person), Erik Sommers (Person), Steve Ditko (Person), Stan Lee (Person)

Producers

Amy Pascal (Person), Kevin Feige (Person), Rachel O’Connor (Person), Avi Arad (Person)

Prequel(s)

Spider-Man: Homecoming (Movie, Movies/TV), Spider-Man: Far From Home (Movie, Movies/TV), Spider-Man: No Way Home (Movie, Movies/TV)

Franchise(s)

Marvel Cinematic Universe (Franchise), Spider-Man (Franchise)