Music legend and beloved “American Idol” judge Lionel Richie has been hospitalized again after suffering a heart issue. Notably, this follows the 77-year-old spending three days in the ICU near the end of August. Sadly, this also means that the “Hello” singer has been forced to cancel multiple upcoming tour dates.
Lionel Richie Is Said To Be Receiving Treatment For A Heart Condition
SIB / KCS / MEGA
According to TMZ, the “All Night Long (All Night)” singer has checked himself into the hospital again due to a heart condition. Per the outlet, Richie is receiving treatment for atrial fibrillation, which means the singer may have recently experienced an irregular heartbeat.
Regarding his treatment, the medical professionals at the hospital are using AFib ablation, which is considered a minor procedure and is minimally invasive. Essentially, this procedure creates small scars in the heart to create a barrier to faulty electrical signals. AFib ablation also helps restore the heart’s normal rhythm.
The ‘American Idol’ Judge Previously Checked Himself Into The Hospital
RCF / MEGA
Richie performed at The Muny in St. Louis on August 29, with the crooner needing the assistance of a chair near the end of the show and complaining of dehydration. After the performance, he checked himself into a hospital out of caution and stayed for three days.
According to TMZ, much of that time was spent in the ICU, where doctors conducted various cardiac tests. Several days later, he was spotted at a dinner party at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills. He appeared in good spirits in the photos, even flashing a double thumbs-up at one point.
History is full of remarkable duos that, through their partnerships, ingenuity, and perseverance, changed the course of the world or accomplished the seemingly impossible. From the Wright Brothers, who famously broke ground in the art of aviation through their creation of the first successful airplane, to Marie and Pierre Curie, who discovered the elements radium and polonium and earned Nobel Prizes for their research into radioactivity, these pairs pushed each other to greater heights and carved a spot for themselves in the annals of time in the process. Even in creative pursuits, the greatest partners are often immortalized, like John Lennon and Paul McCarthy or Simon & Garfunkel. However, one particular pair of groundbreakers has often been misrepresented.
In 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary became the first two human beings to reach the summit of Mount Everest as part of a British expedition led by Colonel John Hunt. It was the culmination of years of attempts to conquer the highest mountain above sea level on Earth and the result of seven weeks of grueling climbing by the entire team. Yet, while the two men shared the moment, Hillary got most of the credit in the end for doing something Norgay had nearly done six times before finally accomplishing his dream. Apple TV‘s new biopic Tenzing now aims to set the record straight with a cinematically breathtaking and emotional recreation of Norgay’s journey from wide-eyed kid to Sherpa climbing guide and, ultimately, one of the most accomplished mountaineers on the planet alongside Hillary.
As part of Collider’s Exclusive Fall Preview series, we’re thrilled to share a new image from Tenzing that highlights the friendship between its main duo. Tibetan actor Genden Phuntsok plays the titular Norgay opposite Emmy nominee and MCU star Tom Hiddleston as Hillary, and they’re shown smiling at each other in a way that reflects their deep respect while climbing Everest. The two found common ground as outsiders among the British expedition, with the Nepalese-Indian Sherpa having to fight for a spot as a full climber on Hunt’s team and Hillary facing discrimination as a New Zealander. They saw in each other not just remarkable mountaineering skills that rivaled or surpassed anyone on the team, but trust that would prove valuable on a dangerous climb and a relatable drive born from Norgay’s dream to meet the mountain his people revere as Chomolungma and find emotional closure and Hillary’s desire to complete what his heroes never could.
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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best Picture Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
🪜Parasite
🌀Everything Everywhere
☢️Oppenheimer
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🐦Birdman
🪙No Country for Old Men
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01
What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.
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02
Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?
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03
How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
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04
What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
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05
What do you want from a film’s ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
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06
Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.
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07
What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
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08
What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
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09
How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.
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10
What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?
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The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is…
Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.
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Parasite
You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.
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Oppenheimer
You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.
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Birdman
You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.
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No Country for Old Men
You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.
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‘Tenzing’ Takes an Emotional Approach to the Ascent of Mount Everest
While most of Tenzing unfolds over the course of the journey up Everest, it also flashes between Norgay’s childhood, where he became interested in climbing and came to appreciate “Chomolungma” as the mother goddess, and his early adult years as he met, fell in love with, and built a life with his wife, Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), who encouraged his pursuit of reaching the mountain’s peak until her untimely death. Those memories add emotional weight to an ascent already defined by competing ambitions and tensions between classes, backgrounds, and cultures. Tenzing and the Sherpas he helps assemble find themselves at odds with the other expeditioners who see the mountain as something to be conquered rather than respected and are driven by a national pride to ensure that a Briton is the first to stand at the summit. When push comes to shove and the final “assault” begins, though, aspirations melt away, and respect is forged between two climbers who feel called to the top of the mountain.
Phuntsok, Hiddleston, and Lhamo are only part of the biopic’s star power. Willem Dafoe also appears as Colonel Hunt alongside Outlander‘s Caitríona Balfe as Jill Henderson, the expedition secretary who fought for Norgay’s spot on the British climbing team. In a reunion with his Shambhala co-star Lhamo, Tenzin Dalha also stars as a younger Norgay. Documentary director Jennifer Peedom helmed the film, letting her work with Dafoe on-screen after previously tapping him as the narrator on her other projects like River and Mountain. She also helped develop the story with screenwriter Luke Davies, who previously co-wrote Garth Davis‘ 2016 biopic Lion.
Tenzing premieres in select theaters on October 9 before streaming globally on Apple TV starting October 16. Check out our exclusive image above.
Transformers fans who attended last weekend’s 40th anniversary screenings of Transformers: The Movie were treated to a special surprise: an all-new animated short, Optimus Prime: Awakening, in which the dying Autobot hero is confronted with dark visions of friends and foes. Now, one of its most striking characters is coming to your home: Collider is proud to exclusively reveal the new Studio Series Optimus Prime: Awakening Bumblebee action figure.
In Transformers: The Movie, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) falls in a final battle with his arch-foe, Megatron (Frank Welker). While the movie’s surviving characters have little time to mourn before another galactic menace arises, Optimus Prime: Awakening sees the Autobot legend’s spirit commune with The One, an ancient and mysterious entity. The One hurls him into another battle with the Decepticons, but as he fights his way through those familiar fiends, he’s confronted with one more: Bumblebee. Once one of his most stalwart soldiers, Bumblebee has become disillusioned by the unending war and has switched sides.
Now, Hasbro has unveiled a new figure based on this dark incarnation of the once-cheery hero. A Deluxe-sized figure, Bumblebee transforms from car to robot in 29 steps and comes with Megatron’s fusion cannon, which can be attached to either mode. He’s fully poseable and features all sorts of screen-accurate detail, from the faded Autobot symbol on his chest to his sinister head sculpt. He’ll retail for $29.99 USD and can be preordered today, September 22, starting at 1 p.m. EST, from Hasbro Pulse and all other major online retailers. He’ll arrive on shelves next fall.
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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Personality Quiz Which Sci-Fi Hero Are You Most Like? Paul Atreides · Captain Kirk · Princess Leia · Ellen Ripley · Max Rockatansky
Five iconic heroes. Five completely different ways of facing an impossible universe. One of them shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of refusing to back down. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🏜️Paul Atreides
🖖Capt. Kirk
✊Princess Leia
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🔦Ellen Ripley
🔥Max Rockatansky
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01
How do you lead when the stakes couldn’t be higher? The way you lead under pressure is the most honest thing about you.
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02
What is your greatest strength in a crisis? The quality that keeps you alive when everything else fails.
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03
What is the thing you’d sacrifice everything else for? Your deepest motivation is your truest compass.
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04
How do you relate to the people around you? Who you are to others under pressure is who you really are.
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05
You’re facing a threat that no one else believes is real. What do you do? How you respond when you’re the only one who sees it defines everything.
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06
What has your heroism cost you personally? Every hero pays. The question is what — and whether they’d pay it again.
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07
How do you feel about the rules of the world you’re in? Every hero has a relationship with the system. What’s yours?
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08
When everything is on the line, what keeps you going? The answer is the most honest thing about you.
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Your Hero Has Been Identified Your Sci-Fi Hero Is…
Your answers point to the iconic sci-fi hero who shares your instincts, your values, and your particular way of facing the impossible.
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Arrakis · Dune
Paul Atreides
You carry a weight most people would crumble under — the knowledge of what you’re capable of, and the burden of what you might have to become.
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You see further ahead than others and you plan accordingly, even when the vision frightens you.
You are driven by loyalty to your people and a sense of destiny you didn’t ask for but can’t escape.
Paul Atreides is not simply a hero — he is someone who understands the cost of power and chooses to bear it anyway.
That gravity, that willingness to carry what others won’t, is exactly you.
USS Enterprise · Star Trek
Captain Kirk
You lead with instinct, warmth, and an absolute refusal to accept a no-win scenario — because you’ve always believed there’s a third option nobody else has thought of yet.
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You take the mission seriously without ever taking yourself too seriously.
Your crew would follow you anywhere, not because you demand it, but because you’ve earned it.
Kirk’s genius isn’t tactical — it’s human. He reads people, bends rules with purpose, and wills outcomes into existence through sheer conviction.
That combination of warmth, audacity, and relentless optimism is unmistakably yours.
The Rebellion · Star Wars
Princess Leia
You are the kind of person who holds the line when everyone else is losing faith — not because you’re fearless, but because giving up simply isn’t something you’re capable of.
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You lead through conviction. Your voice carries because your belief is unshakeable.
You gave up everything ordinary the moment you chose the cause, and you’ve never looked back.
Leia is not a supporting character in her own story — she is the moral centre of the entire rebellion.
That same fierce, principled, unbreakable core is what defines you.
The Nostromo · Alien
Ellen Ripley
You are not reckless, not grandiose, and not particularly interested in being anyone’s hero — you just refuse to stop when it matters.
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You see threats clearly, you document the truth even when no one listens, and when the time comes you handle it yourself.
Ripley’s heroism is earned, not performed. She doesn’t have a speech — she has a flamethrower and a plan.
You share her composure under the worst possible pressure, and her refusal to pretend the monster isn’t there.
When it counts, you don’t flinch. That’s everything.
The Wasteland · Mad Max
Max Rockatansky
You have been through fire that would break most people — and what came out the other side is something the world underestimates at its peril.
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You don’t ask for help, don’t need validation, and don’t wait for anyone to tell you the rules no longer apply.
Your loyalty, when it finally arrives, is absolute — but it’s earned in silence and tested in action, not in words.
Max is not a nihilist. He is someone who lost everything and found, against his will, that he still has something worth protecting.
That bruised, stubborn, ultimately human core is exactly yours.
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Who Created ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’?
Optimus Prime: Awakening was directed by Joshua Wassung (Predator: Killer of Killers) and written by Ryan Parrott (Twisted Metal). It was animated by The Third Floor and features music by Bobby Krlic (Midsommar). It unexpectedly became the final act for veteran voice actor Cullen, who originated the character of Optimus Prime in 1984; Cullen died at age 85 last month. It reunites him with longtime friend, colleague, and co-star Welker, and also features the voices of Simon Henderson, Mathieu Bourassa, Scott Law, Gray Powell, and Jaret LeMaster.
Studio Series Optimus Prime: Awakening Bumblebee will be available for pre-order at 1 p.m. ET and will arrive in your hands next fall. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
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Release Date
August 8, 1986
Runtime
84 minutes
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Director
Nelson Shin
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Writers
Ron Friedman
Producers
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Joe Bacal, Lee Gunther, Margaret Loesch, Tom Griffin
Back in 2022, one of the most popular horror movies of the year was M3GAN, the AI cyber thriller starring Allison Williams as Gemma, Violet McGraw as Cady, and Ami Donald as the titular android. The film was a massive hit, grossing over $180 million at the box office against a modest $12 million budget, which was enough to make it one of the most profitable films of the entire year. Just three years later, Blumhouse tried to recapture the M3GAN magic by bringing back the android for M3GAN 2.0, but things didn’t exactly go according to plan, even if it wasn’t a total disaster. The film grossed $39 million at the box office against a $25 million budget, but it did go on to become one of the most-watched movies on Netflix upon its premiere.
Blumhouse officially returned to the world of evil androids earlier this year with Soulm8te, which arrived on digital platforms over the summer on August 1. The movie was originally going to be released in theaters earlier in the year, but the studio changed its mind and decided to save it for a fully digital premiere later in the year. The film has been available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms like Prime Video for almost two months now, but it’s finally set to arrive on streaming soon. Blumhouse announced not long ago that Soulm8te is officially set to begin streaming on Hulu on October 1, and to help promote the new streaming announcement, Collider is thrilled to partner with the studio to exclusively preview a deliciously twisted sneak peek from Soulm8te, which can be found below.
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Collider Exclusive · 8 Questions · 2 Minutes What Is Your Biggest Horror Nightmare? Elm Street · Chucky · Scream · The Conjuring
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Four horror franchises. Four completely different ways of scaring you. One waits until you fall asleep. One makes sure nobody believes you. One is already in your group of friends. And one is in the house with your family. Answer eight quick questions about how you actually watch horror, and find out which nightmare was built for you.
😴Elm Street(Freddy Krueger)
🧸Chucky(Child’s Play)
📞Scream(Ghostface)
🕯️The Conjuring(The Warren Files)
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01
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Which horror scene makes you cover your eyes? Four classic images. One of them is worse than the others for you.
02
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You are home alone and you hear a noise. First thought? Everybody has one. It arrives before you have decided anything.
03
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Which horror movie rule would you break first? Everybody thinks they would survive. Almost nobody actually does.
04
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Something genuinely frightening happens. What do you do? Not in a film. In your actual living room, tonight.
05
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How do you actually watch a horror film? Be honest about this one. Nobody is checking.
06
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Somebody offers you serious money. Which do you still refuse? The amount does not matter. There is one on this list you are not doing.
07
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Which feeling stays with you a week after the film? Good horror does not stop when the credits do.
08
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Something wakes you at 3am. What is the worst possibility? Eight questions in, this is the one that decides your nightmare.
The Lights Just Went Out Your Nightmare Is…
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Four franchises, four completely different ways of getting underneath
your skin. This is the one built out of your particular fear, why it works so well on you, and what
it would leave behind.
A Nightmare on Elm Street · Since 1984
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Elm Street
Your nightmare does not wait outside the door. It waits for you
to close your eyes, which you are going to have to do eventually, because nobody has ever
won that particular argument.
Freddy is horror’s cruellest idea: a threat that lives in the one place you cannot
guard, cannot lock, and cannot avoid forever.
You are the one who is fine during the film and wide awake at two in the morning. Your
own head is where this does its damage.
These films understood exhaustion as a horror engine. The kids on Elm Street do not lose
because they are weak. They lose because they are tired.
You can lock every door in the house. You still have to sleep.
Child’s Play · Chucky · Since 1988
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Chucky
Your nightmare is not really the doll. It is the face of the
person you tell, and the way they decide, very kindly, that you have imagined all of it.
Chucky works precisely because he is absurd. That is the trap: the more accurately you
describe him, the less anybody is going to believe you.
You are the one shouting at the screen because the characters are not listening. You
know that feeling from real life too.
The franchise is at its best when the adults in the room are the real obstacle, and you
have met those adults.
By the time somebody finally believes you, you will have handled most of it on your own.
Scream · Ghostface · Since 1996
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Scream
Your nightmare has your number, knows your name, and has almost
certainly been inside your house before. The worst part is that you already know them.
Scream is the only one of these where the killer takes the mask off and turns out to be
somebody who was at the party.
You are the person who calls the twist out loud before it lands. You watch people the
same way you watch films.
The franchise made the rules of horror part of the plot, which means the survivors are
the ones paying attention. You would be paying attention.
Everybody is a suspect, including the person who just offered to walk you home.
The Conjuring · The Warren Files · Since 2013
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The Conjuring
Your nightmare is not really about you. It is about the people
asleep down the hall, and the feeling that whatever is here is not interested in leaving.
The Conjuring films are domestic horror. The house, the family, the perfectly ordinary
room that quietly stops feeling ordinary.
Your instinct is to get everybody into one room. Your fear is protective rather than
personal, which is rarer than it sounds.
This is the one franchise where belief is the weapon. The people who come through it are
the ones who are not alone and refuse to be.
Whatever is here did not come for you. It came for the household, and you are the one
standing in the hallway.
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What Is ‘Soulm8te’ About?
The official synopsis for Soulm8te, which was written by Rafael Jordan, Kate Dolan, James Wan, and Ingrid Bisu, and directed by Kate Dolan, reads as follows: “After a ruthless tech giant acquires his company, a grieving engineer is tasked with testing their new AI companion. But when he attempts to program her to be a truly sentient soulmate, she develops needs of her own — unleashing a relentless spree of precision-engineered mayhem.” Soulm8te also comes in with a concise runtime of only 99 minutes, so those interested in checking out the film can easily do so in one sitting. Fans of The BoysandGen V may also recognize Claudia Doumit in Soulm8te.
Check out Soulm8te on digital now and on Hulu in October, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of all the hottest horror projects on streaming.
A grand jury has found there wasn’t enough evidence to bring charges in the death of Nolan Wells. As previously reported, Wells was a Black teen who was found dead after a July 4 boating trip off the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Amid his family swiftly questioning the manner of his death, the internet and Black community have rallied behind them, especially his mom, Christine Wonsley. But now, it appears the state of Mississippi is stepping back from the viral case, following the grand jury review.
Details About Grand Jury Review In Nolan Wells’ Case
Angel Myers McIlrath, the district attorney overseeing Wells’ case, announced the no-charges decision late Monday (Sept. 21). The update comes after months of intense speculation about how the 18-year-old disappeared from a popping party and why the friends who ferried Wells to the island left without him.
The grand jury in Jackson County, Mississippi, found no evidence of criminal conduct. It noted that examinations of his body by the Mississippi medical examiner’s office and an independent forensic pathologist found the cause and manner of death to be undetermined. Nolan Wells’ family hired the independent pathologist.
“If credible evidence comes to light in the future that suggests Mr. Wells’ death was non-accidental, this matter should be represented to the Jackson County Grand Jury for further consideration,” the panel’s report said.
The grand jury also debunked public assertions that Wells was the only Black person on Horn Island on July 4.
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“These false assertions have led to misidentification, speculation and rumors concerning the death of Mr. Wells,” it said.
The report concluded with the panel expressing sympathy for Wells’ family. “The evidence received in this matter convinced the Grand Jury of Mr. Wells’ outstanding character,” it said.
Wells’ Family Lawyers React To Grand Jury Findings
Lawyers for Nolan Wells’ family, including civil rights attorney Ben Crump, said the grand jury’s report leaves more questions than answers. Also, they accused the district attorney of ending the investigation despite not determining what caused blunt force trauma on the back of Wells’ head and body.
Additionally, they renewed their request that the U.S. Department of Justice conduct an independent investigation and called on DA McIlrath to release the investigation file and the full autopsy report by the medical examiner.
“Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells’ death without getting to the truth,” Crump said in a statement.
Ben Crump, Wells’ family and the NAACP planned a news conference for Tuesday, Sept. 22. Additionally, Crump shared an official statement about the grand jury findings, which can be read below.
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District Attorney Expresses Frustration Over Case Speculations
Following the grand jury review, Angel McIlrath posted a 15-minute social media video on Monday night. The district attorney expressed frustration about inaccurate speculation by some members of the public about what happened to Nolan Wells. She also said that lawyers for Wells’ family told her office last month that their own investigation found no evidence of crimes.
“What I cannot accept, what I cannot ignore, is that false narratives that Nolan’s death was somehow racially motivated, and that this is a case of another young Black man denied justice by a racist, corrupt system, were perpetuated and allowed to spread. There is not a shred of evidence to support these narratives,” she said.
Recap Of Investigation Into Nolan Wells’ Death
Nolan Wells disappeared while celebrating the Fourth of July with friends on Horn Island, an island off Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. His body was discovered on the island’s northwestern tip two days after he was last seen.
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Shortly after, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office officials said investigators did not suspect foul play. That statement sparked widespread concerns about whether law enforcement would conduct a thorough investigation in a state with a brutal history of racism and civil rights violations. District Attorney McIlrath repeatedly promised a fair and thorough investigation into his death.
Meanwhile, Nolan Wells’ parents and their lawyers voiced suspicions after Wells’ friends left the island without him. The friends claimed that he wanted to stay behind and talk to a girl. Wells’ phone was on the boat that took him to the island, which was later towed partway back to the mainland after taking on water.
Ben Crump and Nolan Wells’ parents have cast doubt on why a teenager would choose to stay on an island without his phone. They also speculated that messages on his phone had been tampered with and alleged that his friends were reluctant to turn over his keys. Lawyers for Wells’ friends said the friends are cooperating with authorities.
Master Chief in the Halo 3 posterImage via Microsoft Game Studios
2026 has been a roller-coaster of a year for video game fans, especially as the console wars continue to heat up following the news that PlayStation is ditching physical media at the start of 2028. This news has led many fans around the world to proclaim that they are switching to XBOX, especially when the new generation of consoles comes out sometime in the next few years. PlayStation owners were recently treated to a new Marvel game courtesy of Insomniac, the first one in the franchise not centered around Spider-Man. Wolverine is currently the top-selling game on PlayStation right now, and despite some middling reviews from critics, most fans agree that the game is providing exactly what they wanted: a good time with some violent Wolverine-focused claw combat.
Another massive gaming franchise that finally returned in 2026 was Halo, which brought back its original title in the form of the ground-up remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved. Halo: CE was also the first Halo game in history that was released on PlayStation and not just XBOX, but it’s been confirmed that this will not be a running theme going forward. Today, news broke that XBOX is laying off an additional 268 employees, which was expected after its latest job-eliminations plan that was announced recently. The studio is also undergoing a reorganization that will include “strengthening the franchise by operating fewer business units,” and it’s been confirmed that Halo is one of the franchises affected by this change. Going forward, Activision will officially oversee titles that were previously developed under World’s Edge and Rare, meaning that the same studio behind Call of Duty will also now be developing the next Halo game.
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Collider Exclusive · Universe Personality Quiz Which Iconic Universe Do You Belong in the Most? Star Wars · Lord of the Rings · Harry Potter · Game of Thrones · Star Trek
Five legendary universes. Five completely different visions of what the world could be — or already was. One of them is the world your instincts, your values, and your particular way of existing were built for. Eight questions will tell you which one.
🚀Star Wars
💍Lord of the Rings
🧙Harry Potter
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👑Game of Thrones
🖖Star Trek
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01
What gives your life its deepest sense of meaning? Every universe is built around a different answer to this question.
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02
Which kind of world do you most want to inhabit? The environment shapes who you become. Choose carefully.
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03
How do you prefer your conflicts resolved? The shape of a world’s conflicts tells you everything about its soul.
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04
Who do you want beside you when things get difficult? Your ideal companions reveal the world you were made for.
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05
What is your relationship with power? How you seek, wield, or resist power is the map of who you are.
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06
How does your universe treat good and evil? A world’s moral architecture tells you more about it than any map.
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07
What role would you naturally fall into? Every universe has archetypes. Which one fits you without trying?
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08
What do you ultimately believe about the future? The answer to this is the clearest window into which universe already lives inside you.
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Your Universe Has Been Chosen You Belong In…
Your answers point to the iconic universe your values, your instincts, and your particular way of seeing the world were built for. This is where you would find your people — and your purpose.
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A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
You believe in the cause — in the idea that freedom is worth fighting for even when the odds are impossible and the empire is vast.
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You are drawn to the moral clarity of a universe where hope itself is a form of resistance.
You’d find your people in the Rebellion — a ragtag coalition of true believers held together by conviction more than resources.
Star Wars is fundamentally a story about ordinary people choosing to matter in an extraordinary conflict — and that is exactly your kind of story.
The Force may or may not be with you. But the will to use it for something larger than yourself certainly is.
Middle-earth
Lord of the Rings
You understand, in the deepest part of yourself, that the journey matters as much as the destination — and that the world’s beauty is worth protecting even at great cost.
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Middle-earth is a world of ancient wonder, deep friendship, and a darkness that only retreats when enough small acts of courage accumulate.
You would thrive here because you value the fellowship more than the glory — the road more than the arrival.
Tolkien’s universe rewards patience, loyalty, and the willingness to carry something heavy across a very long distance.
Those are not burdens to you. They are simply how you move through the world.
The Wizarding World
Harry Potter
You believe that love, loyalty, and doing what’s right are not naive sentiments — they are the most powerful forces in any world, magical or otherwise.
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The Wizarding World is a place of wonder hidden in plain sight, where learning is transformative and the bonds you form at school follow you into every battle.
You would flourish here because you take both the magic and the friendships seriously — and you understand that one without the other is incomplete.
Harry Potter’s universe ultimately rewards those who choose to stand for something even when standing is terrifying.
That choice — made quietly, without guarantee — is something you understand completely.
Westeros · The Known World
Game of Thrones
You see the world clearly — its power structures, its hypocrisies, its brutal arithmetic — and you are not paralysed by that clarity. You use it.
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Westeros is a world that rewards intelligence, adaptability, and the willingness to understand that every alliance is also a negotiation.
You would survive here — possibly thrive here — because you don’t confuse the world as it is with the world as you’d like it to be.
Game of Thrones is a story about what happens when the idealists and the realists collide. You are sharp enough to know which one lasts longer.
Winter always comes. You are already prepared.
The United Federation of Planets
Star Trek
You believe the future is worth building — that curiosity, cooperation, and the expansion of understanding are not just ideals but the most practical path forward for any civilisation.
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Star Trek is a universe where the questions matter as much as the answers, and where encountering something utterly alien is cause for wonder rather than fear.
You would belong here because you are fundamentally optimistic about what intelligence and decency can achieve — while being honest about how hard that achievement is.
The Federation is the universe’s most ambitious thought experiment: what if we actually got better?
You don’t just hope that’s possible. You think it’s the only thing worth working toward.
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What Does This Mean for ‘Halo’ Going Forward?
According to CCO of XBOX Matt Booty, going forward, Halo will be “led by an all-new, purpose-built team that is separate from the ongoing development and plans for Call of Duty.” Booty also confirms that “a small team at Halo Studios will continue supporting the Halo community and games in the Halo market.” Only time will tell how this will affect the Halo franchise, but now that Activision is overseeing production of the next Halo game, it’s a safe bet that it will be quite different from past installments.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the Halo franchise, as well as the ongoing reorganization happening at XBOX right now.
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Release Date
2022 – 2024-00-00
Network
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Paramount+
Showrunner
Kyle Killen
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Directors
Jonathan Liebesman, Craig Zisk, Dennie Gordon, Roel Reiné, Debs Paterson
Us has affiliate partnerships. We receive compensation when you click on a link and make a purchase. Learn more!
Every fall, I inevitably find a new way to work the classic French girl aesthetic into my wardrobe. Some years I’m constantly wearing ballet flats or trench coats, but right now, I can’t stop looking at blouses covered in stripes, polka dots, lace and other romantic details. They’re an easy way to make everyday fall outfits feel instantly more expensive.
Naturally, Amazon is where I went looking for affordable versions of the styles currently filling my mood board. From gingham styles to elegant eyelet picks and waist-defining peplums, these finds have all the charm of something picked up at a little Parisian boutique. Better yet, prices start at only $10.
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These 17 French Girl-Style Blouses Are My Latest Obsession
1. Our Favorite: The easiest way to make a simple blouse look expensive? Add gold buttons. This chic V-neck style pairs the luxe detail with subtle pleating and an easy-to-tuck silhouette.
2. Gingham Girl: A traditional button-down shirt feels much more fun with ruffles involved. This gorgeous gingham blouse adds them along the collar and placket, giving the classic print a feminine French girl twist.
3. Bestseller Alert: Over 800 shoppers bought this gingham button-down top in the past month, and the fall-ready brown print explains why. The relaxed shape and three-quarter sleeves make it an easy transitional staple.
4. Lace Upgrade: Swap your plain white blouse for this elegant eyelet style when you want something with a little more personality. The intricate floral cutouts create tons of texture without needing prints or bold colors.
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5. Draped Dream: Sometimes the simplest pieces look the chicest. This draped white blouse has a flowy crossover front and loose three-quarter sleeves to turn an otherwise basic top into something far more elegant.
Before I became a shopping editor, I spent years working at a boutique, where I learned pretty quickly which pieces customers couldn’t resist. Come fall, pretty blouses were always in the mix — especially styles with rich colors, romantic details and an expensive-looking finish. Some were the kind of pieces I could barely get onto […]
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6. Easy Does It: This flowy black blouse proves that sometimes less really is more. A deep V-neck and billowy silhouette gives the simple design plenty of movement and that coveted je ne sais quoi.
7. Date Night Staple: Romantic, sheer and just a little sultry, this black lace blouse was practically made for fall date nights. The intricate floral pattern makes it look especially high-end.
8. Pretty Polka Dots: An oversized necktie turns this polka dot blouse into a full-on statement piece. The sheer chiffon fabric and chocolate brown print only add to its romantic Parisian feel.
9. Ruffle Romance: Cascading ruffles take this white bell-sleeve blouse from simple to très chic. They frame the V-neckline and continue down the front, giving the $17 find beautiful movement.
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10. French Countryside: This drawstring peasant-inspired blouse channels the softer side of French style with delicate lace shoulders, a ruffled collar and dainty neckties. At $10, the blouse looks way more expensive than it is.
11. Parisian Stripes: There’s a reason the striped shirt style has remained a French wardrobe staple for decades. This brown button-down top gives the classic pattern a warmer fall spin for $23.
12. Peplum, Please: A fitted waist completely transforms this striped button-down shirt into something more feminine and flattering. The versatile silhouette can carry you from morning meetings straight into date night plans.
13. Spot On: This polka dot button-down pick is an easy way to bring more personality into a fall wardrobe (without reaching for bold color). The black and white combination feels classic enough to wear well beyond one season.
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14. Silky-Chic: Bring a little Parisian polish to your fall rotation with this satin button-down blouse. Its rich brown shade and silky sheen strike the perfect balance between timeless and trendy.
15. Waist-Defining: Smocking at the waist gives this peplum V-neck blouse a flattering shape before flowing into a flared hem. Pearl-like buttons and delicate ruffled cuffs make it feel especially feminine.
16. Boutique Beauty: This lace-trim blouse has the kind of intricate detailing you’d expect to find at a charming French boutique. The romantic design is now nearly 50% off, too.
17. Eyelet Everything: This white eyelet blouse goes all in on romantic details with floral cutouts, puff sleeves and scalloped edges. The ruffled neckline gives it an extra dose of French-girl charm.
Welcome to fall with our biggest sale of the season. Our favorite dresses, tops, handbags, and shoes are all on sale + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.
There’s a very specific kind of rich mom style worth channeling this fall, and it’s inspired by the woman who somehow looks put together while grabbing coffee, getting groceries or knocking out errands. Her outfit looks expensive, but more importantly, it feels effortless — and a throw-on dress might be the easiest way to recreate […]
A few days ago, it was confirmed that the long-gestating World War Zsequel is finally moving ahead with Brad Pitt back in the lead role andEdward Berger set to direct. Previously, David Fincher was attached to helm the project, a sequel to Pitt’s 2013 hit, which survived a particularly difficult production. The original World War Z, directed by Marc Forster, emerged as a sturdy hit with $540 million worldwide against a budget that reportedly escalated to around $270 million — the movie was successful at the box office, but given that budget, it barely broke even. However, World War Z has been incredibly successful in its post-release era, which no doubt contributed to a sequel being greenlit. Now, another film that did so-so business at the box office but found major success on home video has re-emerged on the streaming charts.
In fact, it’s currently among the most watched movies globally on Paramount+, according to FlixPatrol. More interestingly, it’s competing with none other than World War Z. The movie in question was released theatrically in 2022, grossing $75 million worldwide against a reported budget of $70 million. Not long after its release on the PVOD market, however, it became clear that the film was on an unusually positive trajectory. Reacting to its home-video success, director Robert Eggers said in an interview with The Daily Beast that while he was disappointed that the film was released on PVOD after a short theatrical window, he was glad that it had found an audience.
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Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To? Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell
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Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie.
🐺Stark
🦁Lannister
🐉Targaryen
🦌Baratheon
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🌹Tyrell
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01
Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do? In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house.
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02
What is the source of your power? Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours?
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03
Who do you truly fight for? Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything.
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04
How do you deal with your enemies? A house’s method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could.
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05
What kind of ruler do you believe in? Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly.
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06
You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond? How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory.
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07
Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe? Every house has a philosophy. This is yours.
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08
The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do? The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character.
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The Maester Has Spoken Your House Is…
Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don’t. That’s very much up to you.
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Winterfell · The North
🐺 House Stark
Winter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.
You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having.
Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn’t bend when things get difficult.
The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold.
You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are.
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Casterly Rock · The Westerlands
🦁 House Lannister
You understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.
You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage.
A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order.
You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway.
The lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you.
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Dragonstone · The Iron Throne
🐉 House Targaryen
You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.
You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality.
Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs.
The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible.
At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them.
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Storm’s End · The Stormlands
🦌 House Baratheon
You are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.
Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what’s behind it.
You value strength and straight dealing. You’d rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers.
The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after.
The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too.
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Highgarden · The Reach
🌹 House Tyrell
You understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn’t quite reach the eyes.
Growing strong is your house’s motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts.
You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter.
The Tyrells fed King’s Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it.
You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is.
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The Brutal Epic Received Excellent Reviews
By now you’ve probably guessed that we’re talking about The Northman, Eggers’ dark-fantasy epic based on Norse mythology. Starring Alexander Skarsgård as a vengeful Viking, the movie also featured Anya Taylor-Joy, Nicole Kidman, Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, Claes Bang, and others. It now holds a “Certified Fresh” 90% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, The Northman finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his scope without sacrificing any of his signature style.” According to FlixPatrol, The Northman is currently the third most-popular movie on the global Paramount+ chart.
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Given the renewed attention that the Norwegian dark horses brought to Viking culture during the recent FIFA World Cup, it wouldn’t be surprising if The Northman attracts new audiences in the next phase of its life. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with the team behind Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother at TIFF 2026.
Mahershala Ali, Giancarlo Esposito, John Cho, Adia, and writer-director Bassam Tariq discuss the film’s visual language, the inspirations in film and culture, and Ali’s most challenging sequences.
The cast also reflects on working with the Mogul Mowgli director and trusting his vision.
Set in Texas, Ali plays Latif, a devout Muslim and loving family man who also just so happens to be a contract killer with a strict code. As a rule, Latif never uses guns, and he only kills those the world would be better off without. When the unthinkable happens, and Latif’s wife passes away, he’s ready to move on from his violent past and focus on raising his three children. Unfortunately, his employer, Mike (Laith Nakli), isn’t keen on this idea, and suddenly Latif finds himself in a perilous race across Houston to outrun the forces surrounding him and protect his family. The movie also stars John Cho (Searching), Giancarlo Esposito (Captain America: Brave New World), and Tramell Tillman (Spider-Man: Brand New Day).
Tariq, Ali, Cho, Adia, and Esposito stop by the Collider Media Studio,presented by Campari and The Cayman Islands, where they discuss the visual language of the film, the inspirations Tariq drew from, Adia’s first feature, and the importance of trusting a director and their vision. Ali also digs into Latif’s emotional complexities and discusses performing his own stunts and overcoming physical challenges on set.
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Mahershala Ali Takes on His Most Intense Action Role Yet
“I hadn’t had a chance to do that. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
Mahershala Ali in Your Mother Your Mother Your MotherImage via Amazon MGM
For Ali, audiences have seen what he can deliver on screen dramatically. Early in his career, the actor was awarded one of the industry’s highest achievements and has gone on to work on many high-profile projects, including The Hunger Games franchise, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the Jurassic World films, and was set to lead his own MCU feature that fans were eager to see.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother offers Ali a career first, however. When asked about the scenes they were most anxious about filming on set, or most excited to tackle, Ali highlighted the movie’s climax.
“For the first time ever, the scene I was most concerned with was our climactic action scene, because we had very limited time in terms of our rehearsal and preparation for what this film is and was. I know the audience doesn’t care about how much time you have; they just expect it to be done in a way that is excellent. Considering the epic nature of the fight and the time and lack thereof, and even if we had time, I would still have a certain type of nervousness around it, and it was around all the action sequences, but that particular fight and action sequence, we knew it was a big task, and you just don’t know.
It’s one thing for the director to do his job, but then those fights are almost a separate piece that have to be covered as best as the director and cinematographer can cover, but it’s really someone’s coming in and choreographing this thing, and it’s like your heart is outside of your body a little bit.”
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Bassam interjects to clarify that Ali isn’t stepping back for those action-packed sequences, either. “That was also Mahershala. That was him doing all the stunts, because his face is in it. He’s got to be doing all the stuff.” He continues, “We couldn’t just ever just be like, ‘Use a double there.’ No, this is him. So he’s got to not just also perform every day in these really intense, dramatic scenes, but he’s also got all these action scenes.”
In response, Ali explains:
“That was unfamiliar to me. I hadn’t had a chance to do that. I’ve always wanted to do that, especially as a former athlete, but I had never really had that opportunity in that way. And so I think that that moment going into it and going, ‘When are we going to rehearse this, Bassam? When are we gonna rehearse this in between takes?’ So, it was that type of thing. And I’m very proud of what all involved were able to achieve in making this film.”
Check out all of this and more in the video above, with time codes provided below.
00:35 – The team shares their favorite movie theater spots and why.
03:57 – Giancarlo Esposito shares his meditative pre-scene ritual.
05:00 – Bassam Tariq shares his inspiration for Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.
05:34 – Tariq discusses the visual language of the film, drawing on spiritual westerns, samurai movies, and the vibrant colors of Muslim culture.
06:52 – Mahershala Ali reflects on Tariq’s script and the collaborative effort required to bring its world to life.
08:50 – Adia shares her experience making her first feature.
09:45 – Esposito describes the importance of trusting a director and allowing performances to flow naturally.
11:58 – Cho recalls how the opening pages of the script immediately drew him into the story.
13:20 – Adia reflects on the masterclass of working alongside experienced actors and honoring her own process.
16:09 – Ali discusses Latif’s emotional complexities as a character.
18:15 – Esposito says every day on set required him to remain open and present.
20:08 – Adia describes the anticipation surrounding her character’s climactic scene.
20:46 – Cho recalls the pressure of filming his character’s introduction.
21:53 – Filming the final scene on the last day was challenging.
22:35 – Ali reflects on the scenes that intimidated him and performing his own stunts.
Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother opens in select theaters on September 25 and releases nationwide on October 9.
The 1990s are widely considered the most transformative decade for video games in history, and for good reason. The shift from 2D to 3D, the arrival of optical discs, the birth of all-new genres, the arrival of far more complex stories… The list of reasons why the ’90s saw video gaming completely transform into a proper art form are pretty much endless. And as such, it should come as no surprise that several games from this decade are now considered classics.
The number of video games from the ’90s worthy of the “classic” label are too many to count, but there are ten in particular that have gone down in history as some of the most essential, influential, and impactful games in the medium’s history. From handheld RPGs like Pokémon Red and Blue to fighting game essentials like Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, the biggest classic games of the ’90s are a testament to how much the medium has evolved since its inception.
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10
‘Pokémon Red and Blue’ (1996)
Image via Nintendo
Nowadays, the Pokémonmultimedia franchise is easily one of the most gargantuan and essential pillars of modern pop culture. Even history’s greatest giants have to start somewhere, though, and in the case if Pokémon, that was Pokémon Red Version and Pokémon Blue Version. Published by Nintendo for the Game Boy in 1996, these have since aged as two of the best ’90s video games worth playing over and over.
Far from only being essential because of their historical importance, Pokémon Red and Blue are still incredibly entertaining and highly replayable.
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Indeed, far from only being essential because of their historical importance, Pokémon Red and Blue are still incredibly entertaining and highly replayable. They helped establish core RPG mechanics and gameplay loops, have some of the best world-building in the series, and single-handedly launched the global phenomenon that this franchise has since become.
Snake hiding from a guard in Metal Gear SolidImage via Konami
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The racing platformer Penguin Adventurewas technically the world’s introduction to Japanese video game creator Hideo Kojima, but it was the quiet success that was 1987’s Metal Gear that showed the world they were in the presence of a master who would soon become one of video game development’s first true auteurs. However, it wouldn’t be until the third mainline installment in the series, Metal Gear Solid, that Kojima would truly cement his status as a bona fide genius.
Far and away one of the best video games of 1998, Metal Gear Solid was one of the first games to fully push the video gaming medium into the territory of genuine art. Never before had gamers experienced a title that felt this potently cinematic and radically experimental, and those experiments were so successful that the game has somehow aged like fine wine since its release.
8
‘Super Mario World’ (1990)
Mario riding Yoshi in Super Mario WorldImage via Nintendo
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Nintendo really kicked things off on the right foot in the ’90s, publishing Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan in 1990. The Super Mario Bros.franchise had already established itself as something really special going into the ’90s, with World only further proving that this series of platformers was sure to remain a mainstay of the gaming industry for the foreseeable future.
Over three decades later, Super Mario World is still seen as one of the most beloved Nintendo classics from the 20th century, one of those Mario Bros. games that are perfect throughout. Seen by many as the absolute peak of the 2D side-scrolling genre, this groundbreaking SNES launch title may not have radically altered what Mario had to offer, but it sure did perfect the formula in ways whose influence can still be felt across the entire genre to this day.
7
‘Final Fantasy VII’ (1997)
Cloud Strife and Barret Wallace beside a train in the intro to ‘Final Fantasy VII’Image via Square
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The Final Fantasyfranchise was a massive, unbelievably impactful game series from the very start, but Final Fantasy VII was an undeniable watershed moment in the franchise’s history, as well as a defining milestone for the entire video game industry. Almost three decades and one massive three-game remake project later, this is still generally remembered as one of the best JRPGs of all time.
Released on three CD-ROMs for the original PlayStation, the game not only shattered regional boundaries by becoming an international success, but also proved that story-driven games could hold just as much power as any film or TV show. It proved that Western audiences craved the sort of RPG experiences that Japan had to offer, as well as highly cinematic games and bold storytelling. For that and many more reasons, it’s a real must-play classic.
6
‘Street Fighter II: The World Warrior’ (1991)
Image via Capcom
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The franchise today is as mainstream as they come, which makes it easy to forget that the original Street Fighterwas a commercial disappointment back in 1987. On the other hand, its sequel, Street Fighter II: The World Warrior, became the best-selling game since the Golden Age of arcade video games. When the game came out on SNES, it became Capcom’s best-selling software game for the next two decades.
All this record-breaking would be worth nothing if Street Fighter II didn’t actually have any staying power, though. However, the game continues to be remembered as one of the best video game masterpieces of the 1990s, having helped lay the groundwork for modern esports and revitalize the global arcade industry while it was going through a steep decline. Indeed, the game was absolutely revolutionary back in 1991, and it’s still just as entertaining and iconic all these many years later.
5
‘GoldenEye 007’ (1997)
Image via Rare
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By the time Pierce Brosnan entered his tenure as James Bond, the 007 film franchise was already well-established as one of the most popular and iconic action film franchises on the planet. As such, it’s no shocker that the series eventually made the jump to game consoles. Based on GoldenEye, Brosnan’s first movie as Bond, the Nintendo 64’s GoldenEye 007is nothing short of one of the best FPS games of all time.
Developed by a small team of rookie creators, it proved that shooters could work on console just as well as on PC.
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The game, which was originally conceived as a side-scrolling platformer for the SNES, eventually evolved into one of the most groundbreaking 3D shooters of the 20th century. Developed by a small team of rookie creators, it proved that shooters could work on console just as well as on PC. Unique level design, pioneering stealth mechanics, and revolutionary couch multiplayer all made it jaw-droppingly modern back in 1997; and almost 30 years later, it’s still worth playing for hours on end.
4
‘Chrono Trigger’ (1995)
Image via Square
Developer and publisher Square had such immense faith in Chrono Trigger that they had their development team led by a trio of designers they dubbed the “Dream Team”: Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy; Yuji Horii, creator of Dragon Quest; and Akira Toriyama, author of the Dragon Ball manga series. The end result was a tremendous critical and commercial success, and many continue to deem it one of the greatest video games ever made.
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Indeed, far from just being one of the best JRPGs in history or one of the best turn-based RPG games ever, it was a massively innovative game that introduced revolutionary elements to the RPG genre which changed it forever. A masterclass in tight, impactful storytelling, zero-fluff game design, and 16-bit 2D spite artistry, it’s one of the most essential video game classics that anyone who loves the medium should play at least once.
3
‘Doom’ (1993)
doom original gameplay demon blood shotgunImage via id Software
There is arguably no shooter video game more impactful, foundational, or influential than Doom, the third major independent release by developer and publisher id Software. It was a critical and commercial success upon release, but it’s the ever-lasting impact that it has continued to have over the decades that has truly enshrined it as one of the most crucial works of the video game canon.
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It is, indeed, one of the most influential video games of the 20th century, and then some. Fundamentally birthing modern multiplayer culture, establishing the PC as the ultimate gaming powerhouse, and embracing modding culture were but a few of the contributions that Doom had—and has continued to have—within the gaming space. With its being playable pretty much anywhere and everywhere with a screen and a processor, there’s no excuse for anyone who calls themselves a gamer to say that they’ve never played Doom.
2
‘Super Mario 64’ (1996)
super-mario-64-multiverse-mod.jpgImage via Nintendo
Super Mario 64 did not invent 3D gaming, but it did completely revolutionize how 3D games were played and designed. By pairing 360-degree analog joystick movement with a moving camera and some of the smoothest controls the industry had ever seen, Nintendo didn’t just change the course of the Mario franchise going forward, but of the entire gaming industry as a whole.
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There are plenty of Nintendo games that are amazing from start to finish, including several from the 1990s, but remarkably few are even remotely as important or foundational as Mario 64. The game still plays surprisingly nicely considering that it truly was the very first of its kind, and that’s why it’s one of the biggest and most iconic classics in the history of video games.
1
‘The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’ (1998)
A screenshot from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeImage via Nintendo
The Legend of Zeldabecame one of Nintendo’s biggest franchises pretty much right away, but it would be its transition into 3D that would fully cement it as one of the most essential classic franchises in the history of video games. In the eyes of many, Ocarina of Time, the game that took Zelda into the 3D realm, is something akin to the Citizen Kane of video games. At least as far as the ’90s—and, arguably, the entire 20th century—go, it doesn’t get much pop-culturally significant than this.
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Arguably the most essential Nintendo game that every fan of gaming has to play at least once in their lives, Ocarina of Time is a classic unlike anything else that any video game console has ever seen. It’s the definitive gold standard for foundational action-adventure game design, thanks to its invention of many a modern 3D action mechanic and its masterclass in atmospheric world-building and storytelling. Even to this day, it’s still a must-play cornerstone of video gaming history.
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Collider Exclusive · 8 Questions · 2 Minutes What Fantasy World Do You Belong To? Middle-earth · Grand Line · The Continent · Camp Half-Blood
Pick your magic, your crew, where you want to wake up and who you would rather be fighting, and we will tell you which world you actually belong in. Four are open to you: an ancient kingdom living through its last good age, an endless sea full of pirates, a continent that pays people to kill monsters, and a summer camp where the Greek gods are extremely real and mostly a nuisance.
💍Middle-earth(Rings of Power)
👒Grand Line(One Piece)
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🐺The Continent(The Witcher)
🔱Camp Half-Blood(Percy Jackson)
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01
What kind of power do you want? Every one of these worlds runs on a completely different sort of magic.
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02
Who is travelling with you? Nobody gets through any of these stories entirely on their own.
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03
Where do you want to wake up tomorrow? The best fantasy is usually just somewhere you would genuinely like to live.
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04
How are you making a living out there? Even in fantasy somebody has to pay for the horse.
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05
There is something in the woods. What do you do about it? All four of these worlds keep something unpleasant out there in the dark.
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06
Who is the villain of your story? The enemy tells you far more about a world than the hero ever does.
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07
What do you actually believe in out there? Every world hands its heroes one rule and asks them to hold onto it.
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08
A thousand years from now, how are you remembered? Eight questions in, this is the one that decides your world.
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The Map Is Drawn Your World Is…
Four worlds and four completely different ideas of what a good life
looks like. This is where you belong, what it would ask of you, and what you would get back in
return.
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The Rings of Power · Prime Video · Since 2022
Middle-earth
You belong somewhere old enough that the mountains have names and
somebody can still tell you who gave them. Middle-earth is for people who think the right
thing is worth doing even when it will not be finished in their lifetime.
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This is the only world on the list where doing good is understood as a very long defeat,
fought anyway, by people who will never see how it ends.
You are drawn to grandeur, to white cities and deep forges and the sense that almost
everything you touch is older than your entire family line.
The Rings of Power is set in the last good age before it all goes wrong, which gives
every quiet scene in it a slightly unbearable weight.
You would take the hard road, and you would take it on foot.
One Piece · Manga since 1997 · Netflix 2023
The Grand Line
You want the sea, a crew, and absolutely nobody telling you where
you are allowed to go. The Grand Line is the world for people whose main ambition in life is
finding out what is over there.
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One Piece has run for decades on one very simple engine, which is a group of people who
each want something impossible and have decided to go and get it together.
You collect people. Your ideal crew is a set of misfits who were each written off
somewhere else before you turned up and offered them a better idea.
The world is enormous and deliberately ridiculous, and the emotional gut punches land
harder because of that rather than in spite of it.
You would set sail knowing the map runs out, which is more or less the entire point of
it.
The Witcher · Netflix · Since 2019
The Continent
You would rather be feared and useful than liked and useless. The
Continent is a world where the monsters are the straightforward part of the job and the
people are where it all gets complicated.
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Witchers get paid to do what nobody else will and resented for existing at all, which is
a trade most people would refuse and you would probably accept.
You have no real illusions about which side is the good one, largely because on the
Continent that question tends to have a disappointing answer.
The best of these stories are not about the fighting. They are about somebody with a
rigid code being repeatedly cornered into caring about people.
You would take the coin, finish the job properly, and be out of town before the story
got told wrong.
Percy Jackson · Disney+ · Since 2023
Camp Half-Blood
You want the myths to be real and loose in the actual world, and
you want to find out at about thirteen that you were never anywhere near as ordinary as
everybody kept telling you.
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Percy Jackson takes the oldest stories we have and drops them into car parks and diners,
which makes the gods considerably funnier and a great deal worse.
You would be the kid every school gave up on, who turns out to have been built for
something nobody thought to test for.
The series is genuinely about friendship rather than destiny, and it says so out loud
every time a prophecy tries to get in the way.
Camp Half-Blood is the real fantasy here: a place where the thing that made you
difficult everywhere else is the thing that makes you belong.
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