Ariana Grande addressed her fans directly after announcing her decision to take a “step back” from the spotlight.

“Is it OK if we get a little real tonight?” the “We Can’t Be Friends” singer said onstage Monday, August 3, at her Eternal Sunshine Tour in Chicago, per footage posted via X.

She continued, “Sometimes when a story comes out that’s not directly from me, things can get a little blown out of proportion, so I just wanted to speak to my fans directly tonight, because I love you so much.”

“The announcement that was made yesterday was not a reactive or impulsive thing,” Grande, 33, explained. “It is something that I had decided, a plan I had quietly made a long time ago, and it’s a decision that was made from a thoughtful and empowered place.”

Grande addressed concerns that her fans “were worried that ‘negativity’ was ruining things for me,” insisting that is not the case.

“I want you to know that many things can be true at the same time,” she said. “Boundaries can need to be set, human beings can need a break sometimes, and also, this can be and will continue to be the greatest experience of my professional career.

“No matter what noises exist out there, nothing will be able to distort my reality or be more real to me or not as real to me than this love that we share and how it feels to make art with people that I love and respect. Absolutely nothing will change that.”

“This is what I will take with me and carry with me, because the rest of that s*** is not mine to carry,” the Oscar nominee added to cheers from fans in attendance at the United Center.

Related: Ariana Grande Addresses Fans for 1st Time Since ‘Step Back’ Announcement

Ariana Grande is speaking directly to her fans after a spokesperson for the pop star revealed her plans to take a step back from the public eye amid online scrutiny and concern over her body. “See you tonight, my sweethearts!!!” Grande, 33, wrote via her Instagram Story on Monday, August 3, referring to ticket holders […]

She added, “This tour has been the most healing, beautiful, corrective, magnificent, special experience of my life.”

After sharing her heartfelt words with the crowd for around four minutes, the singer declared, “That felt good.”

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“I wish words were enough to articulate just how much I love you all. Now we can keep going,” she said before continuing her set.

Grande’s rep announced on Sunday, August 2, that the Wicked actress will take a break from the spotlight after the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour. (The tour is set to wrap September 1 in London.)

“She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,” her spokesperson told People.

Sidney Starr has the internet talking following her recent arrest. As of Monday (August 3), Starr remains in custody. She is facing multiple charges, including sexual battery against a child under 16, aggravated child molestation, and sodomy. As the conversation continues online, Sidney, her mother, Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer, and a fellow Baddies ATL cast member have all spoken out regarding the case.

RELATED: Mugshot Of Sidney Starr Released Amid Alleged Sexual Battery & Child Molestation Charges Involving A Minor Under 16

Sidney Starr & Her Mother Speak Out Following Her Arrest

Speaking to TMZ, Sidney Starr denied the child sexual assault allegations and said she plans to fight the charges. In a statement to the site, Starr said she “unequivocally denies the allegations against her and intends to vigorously defend herself through the legal process.” She also stated, “Allegations should not be mistaken for fact, and public opinion should never replace due process.”

Also, Starr defended the transgender community, saying one person’s alleged actions should not be used to stigmatize an entire community. She thanked supporters for their patience, requested privacy as the case moves forward, and said this would be her only public statement while the legal matter remains pending.

Meanwhile, Sidney’s mother, Stephanie Favors, also spoke to TMZ, saying she does not believe her daughter would engage in sexual activity with a minor. She also said the allegations are out of character. 

Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer Releases A Statement

Amid reactions to Sidney Starr’s latest arrest, Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer released a statement on Instagram. The statement comes ahead of Starr’s appearance as a host during the upcoming ‘Bad Boys: Dominican Republic’ reunion. Plummer said Zeus is aware of the allegations and clarified that the company does not comment on pending legal matters. He also said the company does not condone the alleged conduct described in recent reports. Additionally, Plummer noted that Starr’s appearance in previously produced Zeus programming is not an endorsement by the network.

The statement reads, “The Zeus Network is aware of the recent allegations circulating on social media involving Sidney Starr. As a matter of longstanding policy, The Zeus Network does not comment on pending legal matters involving current or former cast members.

While these allegations remain subject to the appropriate legal process, The Zeus Network takes matters of this nature seriously and does not condone the conduct alleged in recent reports.

Ms. Starr appears in previously produced programming that is currently airing on The Zeus Network. Her appearance in this content does not reflect a position or endorsement by the network regarding the allegations.

The Zeus Network remains committed to fostering a professional environment and producing programming that entertains audiences while operating with integrity, accountability, and respect for everyone involved.”

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Fellow ‘Baddies ATL’ Star Reacts To Sidney Starr’s Arrest

Judi Jai also took to her Instagram page to react following Sidney Starr’s latest arrest. The two have a long history of feuding, dating back to their time on ‘Baddies ATL.’  Judi shared a screenshot of past text message, claiming she previously accused Sidney of similar behavior. In her caption, Judi claimed she beat her own case after being arrested and accused Sidney of harassing and lying on her. She also questioned why Sidney continues to receive opportunities despite the allegations and called for young boys to be protected.

She wrote, “Wow! She laughed at me when I got arrested for literally getting harassed by my neighbor and him lying on me, probably cuz she could relate since she HARASSED & lied on me too! Which I beat the charges and case was dismissed! Wiped away from my record. And I am not laughing now that it’s her turn… because this isn’t funny at all. It’s SiCK.”

Judi added, “So crazy I JUST said this! Pisces be knowing frfr. How she has fans is beyond me!!! It’s way past what she did to Chingy! It’s what she does to women AND minors too! When was anybody gonna say something?!?

Why does she keep getting hired on platforms after all of it! YUCK!!! (PROTECT YOUNG BOYS TOO!!! Just like I SCREAMED TO PROTECT BLACK WOMEN ON BADDiES ATL! I am NEVER wrong. People are just ALWAYS late!”

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RELATED: Beef Over? Zeus CEO Lemuel Plummer & Joseline Hernandez Sit Down To Address Viral Allegations Made During Their Online Feud (VIDEO)

No creator is more prolific in television right now than Taylor Sheridan. He’s had one hit after another on Paramount+. The writer of Sicario and Hell or High Water hit it big as the mastermind behind Yellowstone. That was followed up by shows such as 1923, Tulsa King, and Dutton Ranch. Among them is a series headlined by Hollywood heavyweights Billy Bob Thornton and Demi Moore. Landman premiered on Paramount+ in 2024. After two successful seasons, it’s getting ready for a third. Like HBO’s hit Emmy winner Succession, Landman is a compelling series that centers its focus on the drama of a powerful family. If you have yet to check it out, give it a watch before Season 3 arrives.

What Is ‘Landman’ About?

As Succession is about the power and the conflict it creates between the Roy family, Taylor Sheridan’s Landman finds the same intrigue with the Norris’s. Tommy Norris (Thornton) serves as oil company M-Tex’s crisis manager. Known as a landman, Norris is the go-between between his boss, Monty Miller (Jon Hamm), and landowners in West Texas. It’s his job to calm conflicts and secure deals for M-Tex. Tommy is a man in great pain. He’s besieged by alcoholism and immense debt, and he finds no relief with his family. Tommy is estranged from his father, T.L. Norris (Sam Elliott), is divorced from Angela Norris (Ali Larter), and doesn’t get to see much of his kids.

Tommy Norris doesn’t have some dull desk job. He’s in the thick of it, whether it be dealing with deadly drug cartels or the horrors of oil rigs and the death they can cause if something goes wrong. Throw in the back-and-forth relationship with Angela that won’t die, and Tommy has his hands full. It gets even more complicated in Season 2 of Landman when a shocking twist puts Tommy in a higher position with even more stress when Monty’s wife, Cami Miller (Moore), begins to show off her power. With the corporate and family chaos driven by dark humor, Landman takes what worked in the New York City boardrooms of Succession to the oil fields of Texas.

‘Landman’ Is Carried By Its Impressive Performances

Landman is controversial, but controversy creates intrigue. Taylor Sheridan doesn’t fail to deliver on this point, and his series gets better where it first fails. The most disappointing part of Season 1 was how it didn’t do justice to its female characters. They come across as simple, cookie-cutter tropes who are there to carry the plot for the men. Ali Larter’s Angela Norris doesn’t have a lot to do other than come across as shallow and materialistic, and Demi Moore’s Cami Miller is barely around. This means Season 1 of Landman‘s weight is carried by the men.

Tommy Norris is an anti-hero in the same way that many characters in Succession are. If he was a great guy with no issues, where would the conflict and growth come from? Just ask Jon Hamm how doing the opposite worked out on Mad Men. Tommy does bad things for bad men; still, there is good underneath his actions. He loves his ex-wife dearly, and he wants her and his children, Ainsley (Michelle Randolph) and Cooper (Jacob Lofland), back in his life. He’s a problematic character, but not one who is irredeemable, and Thornton makes him a joy to watch evolve.

Season 2 of Landman only gets better. Tommy Norris remains charming in the most frustrating of ways, and Sam Elliott’s screen time brings more drama to his life. Sheridan improves on his woman problem in Season 2, with the season bringing in Kayla Wallace‘s Rebecca Falcone. Her character is the answer to the questions that come with the ethics of what Tommy and others like him do. Most importantly, Landman‘s second season realizes what they have with Demi Moore. Just as Succession has powerful female characters like Shiv (Sarah Snook) and Gerri (J. Smith Cameron), Landman Season 2 leans into Cami Miller’s storyline. She’s not in the background this time around. Cami is a force to be reckoned with, a character who demands your attention thanks to the Oscar-nominated actor who plays her. Landman isn’t perfect. It embodies some of the best and worst of what Taylor Sheridan has done before. What it never is, though, is boring.

Access Hollywood anchor Kit Hoover is showing off her new mystery man amid her divorce from Crowley Sullivan.

“Italy … you were Magic. ✨🇮🇹 Grazie for the memories. #Sardinia #Portofino #ForteDeiMarmi #Rome,” Hoover, 56, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 2, alongside a photo of herself hugging her boyfriend, who has not been identified, as the sun set behind them.

Hoover’s cohost, Mario Lopez, commented on the post, “Oh the hard launch! Ok Hoover… :).”

Hoover’s hard launch comes more than one year after her December 2024 split from Sullivan, 54.

Related: The Most Shocking Celebrity Breakups Us Didn’t See Coming in 2023

This past year had Us questioning whether love is even real after a months-long onslaught of celebrity breakups. One of the first shocking splits that took the world by storm in 2023 was Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix. Us Weekly confirmed in March that the Vanderpump Rules stars broke up after nearly a decade of […]

“She’s been telling people she is single and getting divorced,” a source told Us at the time.

Hoover ultimately filed for divorce in Los Angeles in March 2025, citing irreconcilable differences as a reason for the former couple’s split, according to court docs obtained by Us at the time. She listed their date of separation as May 1, 2024.

Hoover and Sullivan share daughters Campbell, 23, and Hayes, 21, and son Crowley Jr., 19.

Hoover indicated in the docs that she and her estranged husband came to a separate support agreement.

Hoover tied the knot with Sullivan, the CEO of Athlete Advantage, in August 1999.

One week after news of their split broke, Hoover had Elizabeth Hurley on her podcast, “The Coop With Kit,” where she asked the actress how to maintain relationships with one’s exes.

“How do you maintain that? I mean, it’s one thing to say it, but I know you really live it,” Hoover inquired. “Any nuggets you could share on that?”

Hurley, 61, who was married to ex Arun Nayar from 2002 to 2011 and shares son Damian with ex Steve Bing, responded, “I wouldn’t know how to not have them in my life, in a way, because it would really be like not talking to my brother again. Or a family member.”

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The model continued, “I do feel like they’re family and still have all those same feelings that you have for family. Where you can be frustrated and pissed off with them, of course you can. But you’d also be incredibly protective over them.”

Related: Kit Hoover Asks Elizabeth Hurley How to Be Friends With Exes

Kit Hoover is seeking out advice for her listeners on how to maintain a relationship with exes one week after Us Weekly confirmed that she and her husband, Crowley Sullivan, split. “You’re best friends with all of your exes,” Hoover, 54, said to Elizabeth Hurley on the Wednesday, December 11, episode of “The Coop” podcast. “Isn’t […]

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Hoover and Sullivan first sparked split rumors in December 2024 when she was spotted without her wedding ring and seemingly stopped posting about Sullivan on social media. She notably did not pay tribute to Sullivan on their 25th wedding anniversary, despite doing so on Instagram the year before.

“Holy Cow – We are 24 years old in this pic and NOW – Happy 24th anniversary Honeybun!!!” she wrote in August 2023. “Thanks for loving this lunatic and for our beautiful family that is my EVERYTHING. I love you. 💚🍀💚 #stillhavingfun #stilltheone #grateful #joyfulliving.”

Some outfit combinations never miss, and dresses with sneakers are at the top of the list. The pairing feels effortless, polished and comfortable enough for everything from running errands to weekend brunches. Better yet, the right dress can create a flattering silhouette without sacrificing an ounce of comfort.

Amazon is packed with casual styles that are practically made to be worn with sneakers. We’re talking about swingy tank dresses, breezy maxis, waist-defining wraps and classic T-shirt silhouettes, just to name a few. Whether the goal is looking a little taller, creating more shape or simply finding an easy throw-on-and-go outfit, these 17 picks deliver. Prices start at just $13, so run!

17 Casual, Slimming Dresses That Pair Perfectly With Sneakers

1. Our Favorite: Equal parts comfy and chic, this easy-going tank dress creates a long, lean silhouette without clinging to the body. Finish the look with white sneakers for an outfit that works almost anywhere.

2. Everyday Staple: You can’t go wrong with a classic T-shirt dress, especially one with pockets. The loose, flowy fit here pairs perfectly with everything from retro sneakers to chunky trainers.

3. Figure Flatterer: Love an easy outfit that still feels polished? This tiered midi dress creates a long, lean silhouette, thanks to its V-neckline and relaxed fit.

4. Waist-Defining: Between the faux-wrap silhouette and bold floral print, this $20 mini dress delivers a feminine appearance that looks just as cute with white sneakers as they do with sandals.

5. Bestseller Alert: Looking for a dress shoppers can’t stop buying? This floral midi sundress has Amazon’s bestseller status, thanks to its “flattering fit” and fabric that “flows beautifully,” per reviewers.

Related: 17 Mediterranean-Style Dresses That Nail Euro-Summer Vibes

There’s something about Mediterranean summers that makes every outfit feel a little more romantic. Maybe it’s the colorful architecture, the endless sea views or the relaxed pace of long lunches that call for breezy dresses in vibrant prints, crisp whites and coastal blues. Whatever the reason, the style feels timeless season after season. Fortunately, recreating […]

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6. Sporty-Chic: Nothing beats an easy T-shirt mini dress when you’re short on time. The cinched waist creates subtle shape, while sneakers complete the casual-cool vibe.

7. Budget Buy: Great style doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. This $15 boho midi dress features a relaxed silhouette and colorful print that looks so elevated.

8. Bold Beauty: Want to spice up your everyday wardrobe? This leopard-print dress adds just the right amount of edge, while the relaxed babydoll fit keeps it comfortable.

9. Athleisure MVP: Think of this romper mini as your favorite workout dress’ cooler, more relaxed cousin. You can throw it on in seconds, and still look put together.

10. Crowd Pleaser: It’s easy to see why this floral midi dress has earned over 5,500 five-star ratings. Shoppers love its flattering silhouette, with reviewer calling the design’s “slimming effect” a standout feature.

11. Compliment Magnet: Don’t be surprised if people ask where you found this floral midi dress. The tiered silhouette and feminine print make it look far pricier than its now-$13 price tag.

12. Resort Ready: This blue floral midi dress channels expensive resort style for under $20. The relaxed fit and curved hem make it a flattering style that’s super easy to wear on vacation.

13. Sweet Stripes: Sometimes a striped mini dress is all it takes to brighten your closet. The soft pink palette feels fresh, feminine and surprisingly easy to style.

14. Very Versatile: Nothing works harder than a black midi sundress that you can style a dozen different ways. Pair it with sneakers now, then swap in boots when fall rolls around.

15. Hourglass Effect: The secret to this tie-waist maxi dress has to do with the adjustable tie-waist design. It defines your middle without ever feeling tight or restrictive.

16. Nautical Nice: Nothing says ‘effortless summer’ quite like a striped T-shirt dress. The adjustable tie-waist belt naturally creates an hourglass shape that’s so flattering. Just throw on a pair of sneakers, and you have yourself a classic ‘fit.

17. Bye, Bye Belly: Looking for a dress that’s forgiving and pretty? This babydoll mini dress floats away from the body for an effortlessly flattering fit.

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

Shop the UsNow Summer Sale –> 

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Related: Bye, Muffin Top! 17 Loose Dresses to Effortlessly Smooth the Midsection

Nobody wants to spend the day tugging at a dress that highlights a muffin top. That’s exactly why loose-fitting dresses are great warm-weather staples. These pieces gently skim over the midsection while looking effortlessly chic. If you ask Us, they’re proof that the most flattering outfits are often the most comfortable ones. Fortunately, today’s loose […]

July was a historic month at the box office, and it all started with the release of Christopher Nolan’s new historical epic, The Odyssey. Starring Matt Damon and Tom Holland, The Odyssey passed $900 million at the box office during its third weekend in theaters, and with the IMAX demand higher than ever, it’s expected to pass $1 billion soon and easily become Nolan’s highest-grossing film. July was especially a big month at the box office for The Odyssey stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal, who can also be seen playing Peter Parker, MJ, and The Punisher, respectively, in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which just premiered in theaters this past weekend. After scoring $360 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend, Spider-Man 4 has officially defeated Avengers: Endgame to hold the record for the biggest box office opening of all time.

What makes this box office opening for Spider-Man: Brand New Day even more impressive is that the film did not secure any IMAX screens during its first weekend in theaters — Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has had IMAX exclusivity since it premiered on July 17. However, IMAX announced yesterday that the film would begin playing on larger screens this weekend, starting August 7, and IMAX tickets for Spider-Man: Brand New Day are now on sale. Before the film swings into its second weekend in theaters, it has officially passed $1 billion at the box office thanks to a behemoth first Monday. It took only Spider-Man: Brand New Day five days to reach $1 billion at the global box office, and the film could reach $2 billion by the end of its run to become one of the biggest movies in history.

Is Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

Tom Holland has not yet been confirmed to have a role in Avengers: Doomsday. While it would be surprising to see him left out of the film entirely, especially considering he had such a key role in the last two Avengers movies, Marvel may want to reserve Spider-Man’s role for more street-level stories and not Avengers-level threats. It’s heavily speculated that Holland’s Spider-Man will show up in some capacity in Avengers: Secret Wars, though, which will likely feature one of the biggest ensemble casts in movie history.

Check out Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters now and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the film.

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Release Date

July 31, 2026

Runtime

145 Minutes

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Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

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Writers

Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Steve Ditko, Stan Lee

Producers

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Amy Pascal, Kevin Feige, Rachel O’Connor, Avi Arad

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• 

  Spider-Man / Peter Parker

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This fall, Ghosts is rolling out the (blood) red carpet to welcome a spooky new sister series to the Thursday night lineup on CBS. Last week, at San Diego Comic-Con, the lucky attendees in Ballroom 20 were the first to see the pilot episode of Eternally Yours, a new series from Ghosts showrunners Joe Port and Joe Wiseman. The preview episode was followed by an exciting panel introducing the wickedly talented cast, moderated by Collider’s Perri Nemiroff​​​. Naturally, when Nemiroff caught up with the cast at Collider’s SDCC interview studio, she had to ask what a potential crossover between the shows helmed by Port and Wiseman might look like, and the Eternally Yours cast came prepared.

When asked which character from Ghosts they’d like to see their characters share a scene with, Ed Weeks, who plays vampire patriarch Charles, instantly imagined his character “having a quarrel with Isaac about who is the de facto leader of the group. […] An arrogance-off.” Jaren Lewinson — who plays Max, the human boyfriend of Charles and Liz’s (Allegra Edwards) vampire daughter, Emma (Helen J. Shen) — said he would be happy to “maybe just watch some sports with Jay.” Lewinson continued: “I think we would have a really nice time. I think it’d be like a nice, really lovely, normal interaction for the both of us,” he laughed. “He doesn’t get to have that, and I don’t think I do very much either. There’s a lot of supernatural stuff going on,” explained Lewinson, to which Weeks joked, “And he’d be able to see you, which is so lovely. That’s one of my favorite qualities about you — how visible you are.”

Edwards, who Ghosts fans will recognize from her guest role on the series as Pete’s (Richie Moriarty) island girlfriend, Donna, naturally took the opportunity to reference her time on the show. “I would have a little sit-down with Pete and freak him out because of how much I resemble a certain ex-girlfriend of his. […] I don’t even have to do anything. It would just be Richie [Moriarty] going, ‘Do I know you?’” Meanwhile, Shen couldn’t resist poking fun at a certain pants-less ghost, saying, “I feel like a pants-less conversation would be like, ‘I’m not not thinking about the fact that you’re not wearing pants.’ […] With Trevor. He’s so funny. There’s a dryness to his legs, his ashen, Asher [Grodman] legs.”

What Do You Need to Know About ‘Eternally Yours’ Before It Premieres This Fall

While their backstories are subject to change as writing moves forward on the new series, the cast of Eternally Yours revealed some juicy details about their character choices as they film the rest of Season 1 alongside Ghosts in Montreal, Canada. When asked about backstory details they’ll use to inform their performances, Weeks once again had a perfectly succinct answer. He told Nemiroff: “For me, I think because in the cold open, so 500 years ago when we’re first getting together, and we both speak with English accents, I love the idea that I have kept mine, just stubbornly, whereas Liz has, has assimilated into American culture, and I refuse to. No, thank you. So, to me, that was kind of a statement in my kind of stick-in-the-mud conservatism.”

For Shen, she’s ready to dive into Emma’s dating history to further explore why she’s so drawn to Max now. “To be in the body that she’s in eternally, she’s probably gotten many degrees, done many skills, experienced, honestly, everything under the sun, and to decide, ‘I’m going to try the thing that I’ve never tried before,’ — normal — is quite an interesting kind of outside-in experience to me,” explained Shen. “I’m excited to see how that deepens our relationship. Then, when, potentially, if things get rocky, how there’s maybe some apprehension about it or, like, ‘This is the whole reason why I didn’t do normal before!’ Things like that. To have 200 years of backstory is, I think, daunting at times, but also, it’s an exercise in my imagination and our imagination, and talking about it. I just am excited about getting around a campfire and talking our histories together.”

Comparatively, as the show’s main human character, Lewinson’s Max has significantly less backstory than the others, having only been alive for “20-something years.” However, that gave Lewinson plenty of inspiration for how to play Max, explaining, “I think that also brings a freshness and a newness, and sort of, I don’t know if it’s a little puppy energy in the grand scheme of how long everyone else has been alive, but I think that Max probably is really excited because this is only the first time that he’s really lived this life, versus maybe they have had several, like Helen was saying. So, I think hopefully, as Max interacts more with this family and this coven, he brings in some freshness and some excitedness, which hopefully will inspire others to rekindle things or take on new adventures, or whatever.”

Edwards had an equally thoughtful answer, revealing that she actually worked with some of the show’s “amazing wardrobe designers” to create a beautiful bit of backstory built right into her costume. “We’ve got some amazing wardrobe designers on our show, and they have such a task in front of them with the flashbacks, which is going to be fun, but also a lot of work,” said Edwards, making sure to give the below-the-line team their well-deserved flowers. She went on to reveal a subtle costume detail that Liz wears that reveals a deep love for history. She told Nemiroff:

“One of the things that they gifted me with for the pilot was this really cool ring. It’s a wedding ring, and it’s a replica of something that would have been around in the 1500s that is two separate rings. So, it’s like a gemstone on the bottom, and then you slide on another gemstone, and they interlock once they’re together, but the man would have worn the top one, and then once they get married, I would wear both of them together. So, I’m always wearing something from the 1500s. Or there’s a blazer that I wear that has the initial B for Blythe, and I like the idea that maybe it’s 300 years old and not just something…

The way that I’m thinking about her is this sort of collected house that she lives in, that maybe the pieces of art are really from her family, 400 years ago. The things that she wears reflect a version of herself from another century, and their not being able to help holding onto the heritage, or being attracted to the things from the eras that we’ve lived through and that we’re not in anymore, while also trying to be modern at the same time.”

While Young’s character detail can also be spotted in his wardrobe, his article of choice is significantly less subtle than Edwards’ wedding ring. “One little thing that I fought for in the pilot was, Jesse was described as being a personal trainer, so as you would expect, my wardrobe was that of a personal trainer. It was Lululemon, and it just felt like it was missing an opportunity to showcase someone who has lived for a couple of centuries,” said Young before revealing he had strong feelings about including a bit of anachronism in the way Jesse dresses.

“I was stuck on this idea of, he lived in the 1800s. He was a farmhand, and he was a cowboy. […] So, I fought to wear cowboy boots. I wanted to have something reminiscent of that time, even if the rest of my wardrobe was indicative of a personal trainer. And it was so funny, the costume designer, who’s incredibly talented, describes seeing me for the first time in my workout pants with cowboy boots as nails on a chalkboard for her. She’s like, “I could not accept this, but then seeing it now, it makes sense.” Weeks joked that they’re “just justifying the fact that he has cowboy boots and I have a British accent. Everyone else has thought about this…”

Why ‘Eternally Yours’ Is the Perfect New Series to Make the Wait for ‘Ghosts’ Season 6 Feel Shorter

During a separate interview, Ghosts star Utkarsh Ambudkar hyped up the new series that will be premiering in their usual time slot this fall. “You get a great sort of cousin to Ghosts in Eternally Yours, which is premiering, and they will slide into that Thursday spot that folks are really used to seeing. Eternally Yours is replacing us, but I think it’s a great show.” He explained, “We watched the pilot today. It’s really funny, really smart, and hopefully will give them a boost because we want them to stay on and be part of the CBS family, especially because they’re children of the Joes, as well. And if they do well, then we get that crossover, which would be great.” Asher Grodman then joked, “And they have to stay in Montreal with us because we’re really lonely.”

When asked which Eternally Yours character they would like to see their Ghosts characters interacting with, Grodman revealed more delightful behind-the-scenes overlap, explaining, “Oh, I mean, I went to grad school with Allegra [Edwards], so we spent many, many an hour working together, so that would be a no-brainer. And Trevor would love that character. So yeah, that would be a nightmare and so exciting.” Román Zaragoza, who was pulling double duty at SDCC for Ghosts and Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, missed the pilot screening, but said he would happily share the screen with Shen after seeing her performance in Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway. “It brought me to tears. I took my mom, and it was such an amazing Broadway performance. If anyone has not seen Maybe Happy Ending, check it out. […] She’s incredible. Tony-nominated. So, selfishly, I would love to work with her. It could be really fun.” Meanwhile, Ambudkar would love to have a The Mindy Project reunion with Weeks: “It’s been many, many years, so it’d be nice to see him in a work environment.”

Eternally Yours premieres on October 8, and Ghosts will air a 1-hour Halloween special on October 29 on CBS. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Showrunner

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Joe Port, Joe Wiseman

Directors

Trent O’Donnell

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Every decent action movie is thrilling, but not every action movie is a thriller. If ever there was a more pedantic splitting of hairs to make when it comes to genre categorization, I don’t know what it would be. But this is an online list written by someone with too much time to overthink movies on a site frequented by people with equally too much time to argue over those movies, so pedantry is the word of the day. What we’re looking for are those movies where the action puts you on edge more than blows you away, where you genuinely get nervous for the protagonists because they’re not going to make it out alive.

It helps if the protagonist isn’t some He-Man who can shrug off bullet wounds like bee stings and whose human frailty is part of their particular charm — think John McClane in Die Hard instead of John Matrix in Commando. Baseline established, there are actually many films that properly fit the bill, and many of them do so perfectly. I won’t try to define perfection in this context, but if it’s a movie that thrills you from start to finish with some solid action set pieces, it’s qualifying here. These are ten action thrillers that are perfect from the first scene to the last.

‘Duel’ (1971)

Image via Universal Television

Steven Spielberg‘s first feature film, Duel is a no-frills road thriller that paved the way for his future success and showcased his natural talents. Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, who also wrote the script, Duel was produced as an ABC Movie of the Week, but its success led Universal to give it a theatrical release internationally, with additional footage added by Spielberg. Whichever version you watch, it’s abundantly clear that Spielberg’s skill elevates the film from any other bog-standard television movie from the era.

David Mann (Dennis Weaver) is a traveling salesman on a driving trip through the deserts of California. His trip takes a serious wrong turn when he passes a semi-truck that then starts to terrorize him. The driver of the truck is never seen except for some small glances at his appendages, and the way Spielberg shoots the truck at low angles gives it a demonic sort of presence. The truck is as much a villain as the shark in Jaws. It’s a movie that might not work as well if it were made in the post-smartphone era, but which captures the anxieties of long, lonely drives incredibly well.

‘The Driver’ (1978)

Image via 20th Century Studios

From the lost highways of the Mojave to the mean streets of Los Angeles. Walter Hill‘s minimalist action-thriller The Driver was eviscerated by critics when it was originally released. Initially deemed violent and pretentious, it’s since undergone a reappraisal thanks to several prominent filmmakers who have called it a major influence. It’s a stripped-down neo-noir thriller that may be light on characterization, but it’s heavy with atmosphere, style and thrilling action.

The Driver (Ryan O’Neal) specializes in getaways, offering his specialized services to criminals with enough cash to meet his price. He’s caught the attention of the Detective (Bruce Dern), who’s hellbent on catching him, and the Player (Isabelle Adjani), a gambler who gets drawn into his orbit. You’re not going to learn the names of these characters, and what exposition or backstory that is offered is sparing. The Driver is Hill operating with lean, mean efficiency, a 90-minute action with no time to spare. It gets in, gets the job done and gets out, and it does it all with style.

‘To Live and Die in L.A.’ (1985)

Image via United Artists

William Friedkin already had two thrilling masterpieces under his belt, The French Connection and Sorcerer, with The Exorcist sandwiched in between. Sorcerer failed to hit at the box office, and his career was never truly the same after, but he continued to deliver exemplary thrillers until his death in 2023, and To Live and Die in L.A. is right at the top of that list. Based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Petievich, it follows Secret Service agents and their attempt to bring down a notorious counterfeiter by any means necessary.

Richard Chance (William Peterson) has been assigned to Los Angeles to combat counterfeiters. When his partner is killed by the ruthless Rick Masters (Willem Dafoe), he makes a vow to get even. With a new partner in tow, Chance bends or breaks every rule he knows, slipping further and further into an obsessive abyss. To Live and Die in L.A. is a gritty, grimy action-thriller of moral relativism that’s been lauded for its mid-film car chase, which still ranks among the best, and is now considered a seminal ’80s crime film.

‘City on Fire’ (1987)

Image via AVCO Embassy Pictures

If you haven’t seen Ringo Lam‘s heist-thriller City on Fire, you may have at least heard it referenced as the film Quentin Tarantino “plagiarized” for Reservoir Dogs. There’s no use in relitigating that argument, since both directors have since spoken about it, except to say that there is so much more to City on Fire than being a part of Tarantino’s pastiche. Particularly when it comes to its action, it’s a clear inspiration for many other high-octane Hollywood films, alongside the work of Lam’s Hong Kong contemporaries, John Woo and Tsui Hark.

Ko Chow (Chow Yun-fat) is an undercover cop placed within a crew of jewelry thieves. His morals and mettle are tested as his personal life begins to fray, and he begins to bond with members of the crew, all while a dedicated inspector is dead set on taking them all down for killing a cop on their last job. Every character in City on Fire feels like they’re living on a razor’s edge. Tensions boil over repeatedly, and by the end the bodies really start to stack up. City on Fire is an incendiary action-thriller that’s grittier and nastier than its Heroic Bloodshed brethren, with characters that shed plenty of blood, sweat and tears together.

‘Heat’ (1995)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

If we’re going to mention action-packed heist movies, we can’t ignore Michael Mann‘s magnum opus, Heat. It’s an epic, sprawling crime thriller that first brought together two titans of cinema to share the screen for a showdown. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro square off as a cop and a professional thief, respectively, circling each other in the streets of L.A., each determined to take down the other should it come to trading bullets.

Neil McCauley (De Niro) runs a tight crew of criminals who specialize in armed robbery. Vincent Hanna (Pacino) is the robbery-homicide detective determined to take them down, even if his personal life crumbles in the process. There are a lot of crime movie archetypes in the mix of Mann’s film, but all of them are played with such specificity by the immaculate cast that they never feel rote. Mann’s direction is also so rooted in deep research of both cops and criminals that it lends the film an authenticity even when it explodes with grandiosity. Heat established a more militaristic kind of heist thriller that everything from The Town to The Dark Knight owes a debt to.

​​​​​​​’Crimson Tide’ (1995)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

If you want high stakes and taut tension, submarine movies have got you covered. There are a fair few of these movies, but if you want the movie that took the subgenre to its max, watch Tony Scott‘s Crimson Tide. Russia still features in the plot of this underwater action movie, but the tension is all between the two men whose names are above the title.

After civil war erupts in Russia and nationalists take control of a missile silo, Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) is sent to serve as the new XO on a submarine captained by Frank Ramsey (Gene Hackman). When they receive potentially conflicting orders to launch their missiles, the two men clash over their next course of action. Crimson Tide raises the stakes with World War III as the ultimate consequence. Scott jacks the film up with his signature visual intensity, but still gives Washington and Hackman plenty of claustrophobic room to battle with their words and wits. It’s a nerve-jangling, sweat-inducing thriller that gives Scott plenty of high-tech toys to drive the tension, and he goes full ahead.

‘Black Hawk Down’ (2001)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

90% of what the late Tony Scott directed were action movies, but his brother, Ridley, has also ventured into the genre with great success. Most of what could be considered action in his filmography are sword and sandal movies like Gladiator and Kingdom of Heaven. For anything modern, it basically boils down to Black Rain, G.I. Jane and the intense war thriller Black Hawk Down. That film shares the military connection with G.I. Jane and the outlandish depictions of non-American cultures with Black Rain.

Based on the book by Mark Bowden, which chronicled the real-life Battle of Mogadishu, the film is a harrowing modern war epic with incredibly visceral action and graphic violence. It also reduces the Somali characters to an essentially faceless force, which is problematic, and people have argued whether it is anti-war or pro-war propaganda for a long time. Still, this movie should absolutely make you hate war for how much it makes it look like hell on earth, and under no circumstances should this be anyone’s inspiration for foreign policy.

‘Oldboy’ (2003)

Image via Show East

While some of the previous films on this list might be a little nihilistic, none will have you feeling as bad as the end of Oldboy. This South Korean revenge thriller directed by Park Chan-Wook hit like a damn hurricane of shock and violence, offering a twisty and twisted plot about trauma, guilt, and the cycle of revenge that also has some very memorable fights along the way. It’s the second installment of Park’s Vengeance Trilogy, and it was one of the heralds of the 2000s breakthrough of Korean cinema into America that also brought directors like Bong Joon-ho and Kim Jee-woon to Hollywood.

Oh Dae-su (Choi Min-sik) is just another drunk businessman when he’s abducted and imprisoned in a room for fifteen years with no explanation. When he’s just as summarily released, it sends him on a dark journey to look for answers, and it leads him somewhere even darker. If you don’t know the ending to Oldboy, it’s best to just experience it for yourself, and if you’re already thinking it might be too much for you, it probably is. If you don’t think you’ve got the stomach for it, at least watch up until the iconic long-take action scene where Oh Dae-su takes on a dozen men armed with only a hammer and his steadfast refusal to quit.

‘The Night Comes For Us (2018)

Image via Netflix

What Oldboy was also an early harbinger of was a new ultraviolent intensity in action movies that continues to dominate in the 21st century. The heroes of these movies all take damage, and it is painful as hell. They come from all over the world, but if there’s anyone who really puts everyone on notice, it’s Indonesia, first with The Raid, and then with the brutalizing The Night Comes for Us. Both are amazing action thrillers, but the latter is the pinnacle of the ultraviolent subgenre.

There are more violent movies than The Night Comes for Us, but they’re also horror movies. This action-thriller, directed by Timo Tjahjanto, is certainly horrifically violent, but it’s not horror. The plot, which is only there to justify the fight scenes, involves Triad enforcer Ito (Joe Taslim), who turns on the syndicate in order to save a little girl. Wave after wave of henchmen are then sent his way, and he breaks dozens of bones and severs multiple arteries to keep the girl alive. The Night Comes for Us is a dazzling display of brutality that will have you as impressed as you are disgusted.

‘The Killer’ (2023)

Image via Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

David Fincher‘s The Killer is a dazzling minimalist action-thriller that carries on the tradition of detached cinematic hitmen. The hitman here is played by Michael Fassbender as the most lethal assassin in a gig economy. The Killer is a thoroughly modern movie that shows its hitman ordering his supplies over Amazon as opposed to some black market dealer. The movie carries the same kind of wicked sense of humor that infects Fincher’s other thrillers, allowing the director to flex some proper action muscles that weren’t as utilized in his prior films.

The Killer (Fassbender) is on assignment in Paris when he misses his target. The fallout from the botched assassination cascades, and the Killer goes on a globe-trotting effort to take out those who tried to have his loose end tied up. He works his way up the food chain with efficiency, but some of the best bits are when his calm and collected plans don’t go accordingly, and he has to hastily improvise. They’re what makes the movie funnier than it seems like it should be, but it’s never far from putting you back on edge with a perfectly timed fight scene.

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The Killer

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Release Date

November 10, 2023

Runtime

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118 minutes

Writers

Andrew Kevin Walker

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Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4, Episode 2.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been a standout in the Star Trek franchise thanks to its ability to play with different genres. Over the course of four seasons, there have been episodes that took place within a fantasy realm, a murder mystery, and even a full-blown musical. Season 4 takes this up a notch with its latest episode, “The Griffin Incident,” where members of the U.S.S. Enterprise stumble across a Starfleet vessel that mysteriously disappeared years ago. They soon learn that the ship isn’t as abandoned as they thought, and suffer a series of psychological torments ​​​​​​before being rescued. Strange New Worlds is no stranger to horror, but “The Griffin Incident” is on a whole other level.

It’s the final moments of the episode that prove to be the most interesting. After the Enterprise rescues Kirk (Paul Wesley), Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), and La’an (Christina Chong) from the Griffin‘s clutches, a section of Starfleet known as “Division 12” is contacted to study the haunted ship. According to Captain Pike (Anson Mount), Division 12 is a group of “Starfleet analysts who explore unexplained phenomena,” and this isn’t the first time he’s been in touch with them. The idea of a Starfleet division that explores the mysteries of the universe is ripe for a spinoff series and the best way to push the Star Trek franchise forward.

A Division 12 Series Could Explore Hidden Corners of the ‘Star Trek’ Universe

Image via Jan Thijs/Paramount+

If Division 12 got its own series, it’s a chance for Star Trek to further explore some of its biggest mysteries. There are still a lot of mysterious figures within the franchise, most notably the reality-bending Q (John de Lancie) and the other members of the Q Continuum, or the Guardian of Forever, who was first introduced in the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series episode “City on the Edge of Forever.” Revisiting those characters could touch on different aspects of beloved Star Trek series, and give Trek fans a deeper appreciation of the overall franchise. There’s also the matter of the other times that Division 12 has crossed paths with Pike, which begs the question: what did he find too strange for the Enterprise to explore?

Division 12’s mission to explore the unexplained also brings another iconic science fiction series to mind, namely The X-Files. That series featured FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) delving into cases that featured paranormal phenomena, and even spawned a franchise of its own. One episode of The X-Files revealed that there was a government division known as the “Majestic 12,” which operated out of Area 51 after the infamous Roswell Incident. It’s not a stretch to imagine that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds brought in Division 12 as a homage to that same group.

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Continues A Tradition Set By Other ‘Star Trek’ Spinoffs

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds isn’t the first Star Trek series to reveal a hidden part of Starfleet. That’s been a tradition stretching back to other Trek spinoffs, most notably Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and its revelation of the secret intelligence organization known as Section 31. Star Trek: Enterprise introduced the concept of the “Temporal Cold War,” and Starfleet agents who fought to preserve the timeline. Deep Space Nine writer Ira Steven Behr, who penned the episode that introduced Section 31, said he was inspired by a line Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) says in the series about “being a saint in paradise” and wanted to further explore what that meant:

“Why is Earth a paradise in the twenty-fourth century? Well, maybe it’s because there’s someone watching over it and doing the nasty stuff that no one wants to think about.”

That same approach should be applied to a potential Division 12 series, if it ever comes to fruition. Though next year will mark the end of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, “The Griffin Incident” just introduced a unique way to continue the franchise on television.

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Release Date

2022 – 2027-00-00

Network

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Paramount+

Showrunner

Henry Alonso Myers, Akiva Goldsman

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Directors

Dan Liu, Amanda Row, Maja Vrvilo, Akiva Goldsman, Dermott Downs, Eduardo Sánchez, Jeffrey W. Byrd, Jonathan Frakes, Jordan Canning, Leslie Hope, Valerie Weiss, Sydney Freeland, Christopher J. Byrne, Rachel Leiterman

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Writers

Onitra Johnson

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