Gerard Butler has given us some great action movies, from 300, Kandahar, and the Has Fallen franchise to the Greenland franchise; the actor shines while bringing out the best in his characters in the genre. Over the years, he has also given us some amazing characters, like Stoick in How to Train Your Dragon and Big Nick in Den of Thieves.

Writer-director Christian Gudegast’s intense 2018 heist feature follows a group of elite deputies in the LA County sheriff’s department, who have to stop a notorious crew of expert thieves from executing a robbery plan at the Federal Reserve Bank. A great cat-and-mouse chase story, it received mixed reviews but was a commercial hit, earning $80.5 million on a $30 million budget. In time, the 42% Rotten Tomatoes-rated movie was hailed as a cult classic, and its success was followed up with another mission for Nick in 2025.

The sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, sees Big Nick travel to Europe to hunt down Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), who is now involved with the Panther mafia. The film, sadly, failed to repeat its predecessor’s success, grossing $58.4 million worldwide against a $40 million budget. Though it got a much better Rotten Tomatoes score: 62% from critics and 79% from audiences.

Box office success isn’t the only measure of a good movie, thanks to the streaming landscape today. A year later, the movie has found its audience, consistently appearing in PVOD and streaming top 10s. Currently, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is making waves on HBO Max’s top 10 global charts, as per FlixPatrol. At #4, the movie only stands next to Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights, Mortal Kombat, and The Emoji Movie. For fans who’d like to discover the action feature or revisit it, this seems to be a perfect time.

What Do We Know About ‘Den of Thieves 3’?

Irrespective of the sequel’s box office fate, a third movie in the franchise was announced with the return of Butler and Jackson Jr. While details are scarce, the movie will begin production sometime this year. Jackson Jr. previously teased Collider that while he hasn’t been told a “specific date,” he has begun preparation. He further teased about his character, “we gotta find a place for Donnie to go. The thing is, I can’t be in the States because of what happened in L.A. Now, I can’t be in Europe. So, we’re running out of spots, and the commander in chief is tripping right now. Stuff is wild, you know? So we gotta find a safe place for us to be able to film this movie. So, that’s all Christian Gudegast. As long as I look pretty, I’ll be okay.”

Check out Den of Thieves 2 on HBO Max. Stay tuned to Collider for more such updates.

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Release Date

January 10, 2025

Runtime

144 minutes

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Director

Christian Gudegast

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Writers

Christian Gudegast, Paul T. Scheuring

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Lorenzo Lamas and Heather Locklear’s blossoming romance clearly already has the approval of their blended family.

“Beautiful Heather, I adore you. The generous, loving, gracious energy you have makes you a very rare woman,” Lorenzo’s daughter Shayne Lamas wrote via Instagram on Sunday, May 10. “Watching your relationship with my dad genuinely makes me believe [that] one’s true love will be one’s lasting love.”

Lorenzo, 68, and Locklear, 64, confirmed last month that they were dating.

“I hope you know how appreciated and loved you are by myself and my children,” Shayne, one of Lorenzo’s six children, added on Sunday. “Sending you 🤍. Your daughter is so very lucky to have this day to share with you. Mines in heaven and I know she loves this for you both as well.”

Related: Heather Locklear‘s Dating History: From Tommy Lee to Lorenzo Llamas

Heather Locklear’s dating history includes some big names — and some major rockstars. Locklear’s first high-profile romance was with Tommy Lee. The pair met at a REO Speedwagon concert and tied the knot in 1986. Although the Melrose Place alum told People after their nuptials that she’d “only thought of getting married once” and had […]

Locklear, who shares 28-year-old daughter Ava with ex-husband Richie Sambora, was grateful for Shayne’s kind words.

“Beautiful soul, thank you and happy Mothers Day!” Locklear told Shayne, 40, in the comments section. “Your children are so wonderful which shows what a tremendous mom you are. Your dad is the same💘.”

Locklear also reposted Shayne’s upload to her Instagram Stories.

Ever since Locklear and Lorenzo made their public debut as a couple in April, they’ve sung each other’s praises.

“I’ve been through a lot of trial and error, and she is the most amazing woman that I think I’ve ever met,” he told Fox News Digital on April 29, gushing about the Melrose Place alum and citing his faith for keeping him grounded. “With Jesus Christ in your life, you can accomplish anything.”

He added at the time, “There’s no problem or event or anything that can compare to the strength that you feel when you know you’re following Christ… even in the darkest of times, we always have the Lord to lean on. I’ve always believed that. My mom believed that. She shared that with me as a kid, and it’s kind of how I try to live my life.”

Lorenzo and Locklear’s history goes way back, meeting on the set of a joint Playgirl photoshoot in the 1980s.

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“I cannot believe that this was 43 years ago! Side note, speedos on request only,” he tweeted in December 2025.

Lorenzo and Locklear have not publicly shared how they reconnected decades later, which followed her broken engagement from Chris Heisser last year.

“Heather is single and she’s ready to date again,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly in May 2025, confirming the actress’ breakup. “She’s focusing on herself. She is sober and doing really well.”

James Charles is under fire after a now-deleted TikTok rant targeting a woman who allegedly reached out asking for financial help following the collapse of Spirit Airlines. The budget airline reportedly shut down operations last week, leaving roughly 17,000 employees without jobs. According to Charles, one former employee sent him a direct message that included a GoFundMe link and a request for donations after losing her position. Instead of quietly ignoring the message, the beauty influencer recorded a profanity-filled response mocking the woman and questioning why she was asking celebrities for help.

In the now-circulating clip, Charles sarcastically read the woman’s message aloud before launching into an aggressive rant. “I’m sure they do, sweetheart. I’m sure they do,” he said after reading that “any donations help.” “You know what else would help you? Getting another job. Yeah, try that,” Charles said.

Charles continued by accusing the woman of mass messaging influencers instead of applying for employment opportunities. “But you didn’t, ‘cause you’re a lazy piece of sh-t, and you’re entitled,” he said.

The influencer also appeared particularly upset that the woman allegedly did not follow him on social media. “You’re not a fan, you don’t even follow me,” Charles said. “And you think that I’m gonna send you money because you lost your job?!”

The video quickly spread across social media through screen recordings after it was deleted, sparking intense backlash online. Critics slammed Charles as “privileged,” “out of touch,” and “elitist,” especially given reports that the influencer has amassed a fortune worth millions.

“Just couldn’t help showing those true colors,” one user responded after someone else asked why he would post such a thing. “This is so wild lol why is he so pressed?? Ignore and move on!!!” another said.

A third chimed in, “Holy sh-t he is cruel af, I only watched 30 seconds but omg.” As someone else expressed, “Yeah, he has never applied for a job in his life if he thinks it takes 30 seconds.”

James Charles Later Issued Public Apology

Following the backlash, Charles returned to TikTok with a second video apologizing for his behavior and admitting the rant was inappropriate. “This video was f-cking stupid,” he said. “It was rude, it was obnoxious, it was privileged, and most importantly, it was completely f-cking unnecessary.”

Charles acknowledged that he could have simply ignored the message instead of publicly humiliating the woman online. “It was obnoxious, and I shamed her for asking for help in a situation where she was clearly really struggling,” he admitted. “This could have been her absolute last resort.”

The influencer also directly apologized to the woman involved and admitted the situation hurt many people who watched the clip circulate online. “I feel awful because that wasn’t my intention,” Charles said. “I’m super sorry, especially to the woman from Spirit Airlines.”

Spirit Airlines Shut Down Operations After Failed Financial Rescue Efforts

The controversy surrounding Charles’ comments comes just days after Spirit Airlines officially announced it was shutting down operations entirely. On May 2, the airline confirmed it would cancel all flights and cease operations “effective immediately” following failed restructuring efforts and ongoing financial struggles.

According to the company, rising fuel costs and an inability to secure additional funding ultimately pushed the airline past the point of recovery. “For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and bringing people together while driving affordability across the industry,” Spirit President and CEO Dave Davis said in a statement.

“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure,” Davis added. “This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”

Spirit Airlines Customers Scramble For Refunds After Sudden Shutdown

The company stated that customers who booked flights directly through Spirit using credit or debit cards would automatically receive refunds, though some transactions may take additional time to process. Meanwhile, travelers who purchased tickets through third-party services or travel agencies were instructed to contact those providers directly for reimbursement.

Spirit also confirmed that customers holding vouchers, loyalty points, or travel credits would need to file claims through the airline’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings.

There were so many things that happened in the 2000s, and not all of them were particularly good, so how do you go about introducing such a decade? It’s one a lot (can’t say “most” on some parts of the internet) of people online remember, and there was also so much music released throughout it. Maybe it’s best just to focus on the music, and not all the other, you know, stuff.

But even just focusing on the music is a bit overwhelming. There were too many styles and genres that got popular, or just picked up attention in critical circles, and to try to crown just a few as the best is difficult. It’s not going to make people happy. One could devote a huge chunk of their life to listening to every album from the 2000s, and what that person picks as their favorites will still seem disagreeable to others. An attempt was made to single out the best albums of the 2000s here, or at least a few truly great ones from that not-too-far-back decade (and with a limit of one release per artist).

10

‘Kid A’ (2000)

Radiohead

Radiohead were there to make the 2000s get off to a bleak and uncertain start, with the release of Kid A, which can’t claim to have set the tone for the 21st century, given 2000 was the final year of the 20th century… but still, maybe it was just a little ahead of the curve. Kid A sounded futuristic at the time, especially compared to the previous Radiohead albums, all of them with more of a rock focus than Kid A.

Kid A was mostly electronica, or if it did count as rock, then it was art rock that really put the emphasis on the “art” part even more than OK Computer. Radiohead might’ve been a little too forward-thinking here, at least based on how some of the contemporary reviews expressed confusion about the album, but Kid A has now aged exceptionally well, and is usually a contender for the crown of “Best Radiohead Album,” whenever that discussion comes up.

9

‘Donuts’ (2006)

J Dilla

There’s a lot that’s been said (and, more recently, disputed) regarding the story behind J Dilla making Donuts, but whatever the case, it’s a beautiful and bittersweet album that did come out just three days after Dilla passed away at just 32. It’s made up of more than 30 tracks, but it’s not an especially long album, at under three-quarters of an hour, so lots of those tracks only last for about a minute or so.

They’re instrumental, with the voices heard being reworked samples, so it’s best defined as an instrumental hip-hop album, with songs you could maybe imagine being stretched out and then rapped over on a “regular” hip-hop album. But it would also be a shame to distract from what’s offered instrumentally here, because the music’s enough to create a unique experience, with it being a pretty easy album to fall into and feel immersed in.

8

‘Untrue’ (2007)

Burial

Speaking of immersive albums that are mostly instrumental and use samples memorably throughout, here’s Untrue by Burial, which is technically a dubstep album, but it doesn’t sound like the sort of music people usually think of when they hear the term “dubstep” (it’s really not Skrillex). Untrue feels like a concept album about, like, walking around by yourself, in the middle of the night, during winter, hearing signs of life (or maybe a party) in the distance, and trying to find the source of those sounds, but never getting there.

And then it feels like the music equivalent of giving up and being alone, but finding a sort of eerie beauty in the loneliness… while the feeling of isolation also manages to be soul-crushing. It conjures some very vivid feelings in ways that aren’t the easiest to summarize, and so it might well sound like something different to different people. Everyone should give it a shot, though, or at least anyone who doesn’t mind moody/eerie/slightly sad music every once in a while.

7

‘Discovery’ (2001)

Daft Punk

A different sort of electronic music entirely can be found on Discovery, which is usually the album people single out as Daft Punk’s best… unless they’d rather go with Random Access Memories. But that one was a decade-defining 2010s release, and so not really relevant, while Discovery was also decade-defining, but for the 2000s, and what do you know? That makes it very relevant.

Look, Discovery earns its spot here for the opening run of tracks alone. “One More Time” to “Aerodynamic” to “Digital Love” to “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” feels almost like the duo showing off, but they really are phenomenal songs, so it’s like, eh, let ‘em show off. Maybe the center of the album sags a little energy-wise, but Discovery does thankfully conclude almost as well as it starts, thanks to “Face to Face” being the penultimate track, and the epic (not to mention fittingly named) “Too Long” being the closer.

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Interstella5555: The 5tory of The 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

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Release Date

May 28, 2003

Runtime

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66 Minutes

Director

Leiji Matsumoto, Daisuke Nishio, Hirotoshi Rissen, Kazuhisa Takenouchi

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Writers

Thomas Bangalter, Cédric Hervet, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

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  Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo

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6

‘Sound of Silver’ (2007)

LCD Soundsystem

The thing about LCD Soundsystem is that persistent embracing of being a little out of step with whatever is technically cool at any given time, but then taking heavy influence from things that used to be cool, and making those things cool again. And also not really caring about the “not being cool” thing, or at least addressing it in ways that are either funny or heartbreaking.

That’s more or less LCD Soundsystem. There’s some stuff from the 1970s and ‘80s chopped up and reworked, lots of angst, self-deprecating humor, brutally honest reflections on life and growing old, and really danceable music tying all that stuff together. Sound of Silver is perhaps the band’s most consistent (from what’s still a regrettably small discography… at the time of writing, it’s been nine years since their last studio album), and is also a perfect entry point if you’ve never heard anything by LCD Soundsystem before and feel curious.

5

‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ (2001)

Wilco

If you’re into indie rock, you’ll probably like this Wilco album, but if you also like more old-fashioned sorts of rock, you’ll likely also find things to like here. It’s just a great rock album, is probably the easiest thing to say, though it is a pretty mellow kind of rock at times. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is also a rather sad album, but that’s to be expected when things kick off with a song named “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”

Thankfully, it’s a beautiful and sometimes cathartic kind of sadness heard throughout, and also, there are songs here that lyrically go beyond more personal topics like love, loss, and loneliness. Some of the songs here are quite long, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot also clocks in at over 50 minutes all up, but you never really come close to feeling any sort of length here, in a bad way. The whole thing unfolds seamlessly, and it’s more than earned its reputation as one of the first truly great albums of the 21st century.

4

‘Funeral’ (2004)

Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire’s downfall or downward spiral hasn’t been as publicized as what’s happened with the next artist mentioned in this ranking, but it’s been a bit sad to see the band that might well have been the greatest indie act of the 2000s and early 2010s implode. To focus on the good times, though, there is Funeral, which is a darkly funny title to give to your debut studio album, but it’s appropriate, because there’s a focus on death and dying at some points throughout the album.

Not a lot, though, because Funeral also has a high level of youthful energy that an aging band can’t help but not really recapture, after a certain point (though Neon Bible, The Suburbs, and the less-loved but overall dark horse Reflektor are also pretty great). It was an album that meant a lot and had people feeling a lot of things back in 2004, which was the perfect time for its sound and style, and there does still remain something oddly timeless about parts of it, more than two decades later.

3

‘The College Dropout’ (2004)

Kanye West

Maybe the mighty has fallen, or the mighty fell a while ago, but what was made during the period of mightiness still exists, and can even be enjoyed. Enter The College Dropout, and it’s not the only Kanye West album that features him being vulnerable at times, but it is pretty much the only one where he feels humble and down-to-earth, because increasing success post-2004 put him in something of a spiral, ego and controversy-wise. There’s a lot more that can be said, but that’s all that’s being said for now.

As for The College Dropout specifically, it’s an incredible album, and a perfect gateway into hip-hop as a genre. It comes close to being Kanye West’s best album overall, and there remains something special about it as a debut, owing to how it sounds (having so many perfect examples of sampling throughout sure helps a great deal, too).

2

‘Since I Left You’ (2000)

The Avalanches

So, The Avalanches are a bit of an odd act to try to explain. They’ve only made three studio albums to date, and for a while, it really felt like Since I Left You would be their only one (it took until 2016’s Wildflower for there to be a follow-up). It was this weird feeling, because The Avalanches had gifted the world one perfect – and also staggeringly unique – album, and one could understand struggling to follow it up, but there was still that desire for more Avalanches.

There has indeed been more from The Avalanches, but Since I Left You remains the best album of a great bunch. The title track here is worth the price of admission alone, and “Frontier Psychiatrist” also proves to be a highlight, while various other songs blend in interesting ways, making the album almost sound like one continuous piece of hour-long music. Oh, and it’s pretty much all done with an overwhelmingly large number of samples, too. This album really is something else.

1

‘Illinois’ (2005)

Sufjan Stevens

Throughout an eclectic career, Sufjan Stevens has released soul-crushing albums, almost aggressive experimental ones, and even one that was a concept album about the solar system. He’s done a bit of everything, and he keeps on finding new things to do. At one stage, he was apparently even more ambitious than he is now, since he expressed a desire to make 50 albums, with one for each State in the U.S.

It officially ended after two were finished, but both Michigan and Illinois were so good, most people can’t get angry at the project’s abandonment (it also helps that subsequent Stevens albums have been so fantastic in other ways). Illinois is his crowning achievement, though, and potentially the best concept album of the 21st century so far. You get all the sides of Sufjan Stevens here, a selection of some of his all-time best songs (like “Chicago,” “Come On! Feel the Illinoise!,” “Casimir Pulaski Day,” and “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!”), and a list of tracks that flows phenomenally from one to the next for almost 75 minutes. It’s a beautiful album that sounds better every time you revisit it, and it already sounds like one of the best albums ever upon first listen. That’s how you know, pretty well, that it’s something incredibly special.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

There are iconic TV shows through the decades, including controversial ones that remain topic of conversation today. But there are a few divisive shows from decades past that most people have long forgotten about. All these shows were bold in their approach. Some depicted topics that, at least at the time, were even considered risqué. Others were divisive for different reasons.

Each of these shows has made its mark on history one way or another, loved or hated by viewers and critics, some a little bit of both. From reality TV to teen dramas, sitcoms, and even a kids’ musical show, many of these series have long been forgotten. But at one point in time, they caused uproar, or at least some negative pushback.

10

‘Degrassi Junior High’ (1987–1989)

Image via CBC

Long before shows like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dawson’s Creek, there was a little Canadian teen drama called Degrassi Junior High that eventually became popular in the U.S. once it began airing on PBS. While shows like Euphoria have since pushed the envelope for what teen dramas can be, Degrassi Junior High was progressive for its time.

The series covers controversial topics like teen pregnancy, drug use, eating disorders, abuse, and more. This is par for the course today. But back in the late ’80s, the realism in the show caused a stir, some believing it was a little too real. But by and large, Degrassi Junior High is considered one of the forgotten but pioneering teen drama shows that showed relatable stories from real teenage actors. While many remember Degrassi: The Next Generation, a revival that aired from 2001 through 2015 and famously starred Drake, many of the younger generation who watched had never seen the show it was based on.

9

‘Bosom Buddies’ (1980–1982)

Image via ABC

In one of Tom Hanks‘ earliest high-profile roles, he plays Kip Wilson in the sitcom Bosom Buddies, a man who convinces his friend Henry (Peter Scolari) to dress as a woman so they can live in the female-only Susan B. Anthony Hotel and take advantage of the cheap rent. It’s easy to see why this premise is frowned upon today, as many feel it makes a mockery of the LGBTQ+ community.

Of course, Bosom Buddies was meant to be a lighthearted comedy, not setting out to be offensive in any way. But since Hanks’ popularity exploded, and he has become an A-list movie actor, this role has fallen into the background of his career, not to mention sitcom history. The show had some recent attention with the tragic passing of Scolari in 2021. But it’s merely a blip on Hanks’ resume today.

8

‘Skins’ (2007–2013)

Image via E4

The British teen drama is not much different than others of its kind today, like Euphoria and 13 Reasons Why. But Skins was arguably a decade too soon, sparking controversy for its depiction of heavy topics among teens, including mental health conditions, depression, sexuality, and bullying. While fans love the realness and rawness of the show, some felt the mature themes and the graphic ways in which they were presented were too much for the younger audience the show was attracting.

One of the most divisive shows ever made, Skins ended up becoming a cult classic. Looking at it compared to other series today, the show clearly knew where the landscape was going. Skins spawned an American remake of the same name in 2011, but the heavy sexual content led to advertiser pushback, and the show only lasted a single season.

7

‘Dear White People’ (2017–2021)

Image via Netflix

A more recent show, Dear White People, attracted a massive following of fans who love its depiction of Black college students in an Ivy League school. The show touches on race from the opposite lens of what’s usually depicted on television, a welcome change that highlights the Black experience in modern-day culture.

However, some people felt that in doing so, Dear White People highlights discrimination against white people. But the comedy-drama is written to be provocative and serve as social commentary, and it does. The goal was met, sparking conversation with topics like white privilege and systemic racism intentionally presented in a satirical but also uncomfortable way.

6

‘Minipops’ (1983)

Image via Channel 4

Anyone who grew up in the ’80s remembers the kids’ musical group Minipops, but you may have forgotten about the short-lived TV show. Airing in the U.K., the show features the young cast singing and performing modern-day pop songs and older classics, dressed to look like the original performers. It’s cute, fun, and energetic, but some viewers did not like that the pre-teens were sometimes singing lyrics with sexual innuendo. The adult costumes and heavy make-up didn’t sit right with some, either, some believing this could have negative psychological effects on children.

Of course, had we been able to predict shows like Toddlers and Tiaras, Minipops looks tame in comparison. A five-year-old singing the words “we make love” in the song “9 to 5,” for example, was cause for a stir. Today, you’ll find that many song covers sung by kids in groups like Minipops and others use altered, child-friendly lyrics to ensure appropriateness.

5

‘The Colbys’ (1985–1987)

Image via ABC

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The Colbys was arguably among the first series to prove that just because a show does amazingly well doesn’t mean a spinoff will. The primetime soap opera is a spinoff of Dynasty, one of the most iconic soap operas ever made. But it didn’t quite hit the same. The series has a fantastic cast that includes Charlton Heston, Barbara Stanwyck, and Ricardo Montalbán, and centers on the rival wealthy family. While die-hard fans of Dynasty loved it, the show just didn’t get the viewership it needed.

The biggest mistake The Colbys arguably made was serving as a copy of Dynasty with different characters and storylines that were far too similar. It didn’t stand on its own, though it had the potential to do so. Even the actors were divided on the show, with Stanwyck reportedly believing it was not working while Heston thought it had promise to continue. One thing we can agree on: the series had one of the most iconic TV plot twists of the ’80s with its series finale.

4

‘Joe Millionaire’ (2003)

Image via Fox Television

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As far as reality dating shows go, Joe Millionaire was by far one of the most bizarre. It was largely forgotten until it was brought back in 2022 for a third season. The show’s first season centers around Evan Marriott, a handsome man presented to potential suitors as a millionaire businessman. But he’s actually a working-class construction worker. As he goes through the process of dating all the women, he must pare it down to his one choice, then reveal the truth and see if she stays with him or not.

Some appreciated the premise that set out to hopefully show that love means more than money. But there’s no denying that deception isn’t really the way to go about proving that point. It made for great entertainment but didn’t really result in any meaningful moral lessons. Nonetheless, Joe Millionaire was the type of show you wanted to see through to the end to get to the explosive reveal.

3

‘The Tom Green Show’ (1994–2000)

Image via CBC / The Comedy Network

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Aside from an appearance on Celebrity Big Brother back in 2019 and starring in the Canadian comedy series The Trades, Tom Green hasn’t really been in the spotlight for some time. But once upon a time, his show, The Tom Green Show, was a big hit. Airing on MTV in the U.S. from 1999, the show presents the type of raunchy, risqué humor that people either love or hate.

Green hosts the show along with others, and it employs a sketch comedy style, usually involving stunts that poke fun at his parents or embarrass people (and himself) in public. Think surprising his parents in bed with a severed cow’s head. The shock comedy slant is similar to the series Jackass, which itself is one of those shows that’s an acquired taste. Green himself is considered an acquired taste, which is why the show was beloved by some, widely criticized by others.

2

‘Tiger King’ (2020–2021)

Image via Netflix

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Tiger King, also known as Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, was the darling of the COVID-19 pandemic. It came out at the perfect time when people were stuck at home looking for ways to fill their time. Once you caught the first episode of this true crime docuseries, you were completely hooked and couldn’t look away. It tells the story of eccentric former zookeeper Joe Exotic, who gets into a dangerous war with rival big cat conservationist Carole Baskin. The story takes unbelievable twists and turns, the characters and their stories drawing you in such that you can’t believe it really happened.

Tiger King was beloved enough that the series led to a second and third season, and inspired a flood of memes online. But some organizations and individuals didn’t take kindly to the inaccuracies about wildlife conservation, the second and third seasons even spawning a lawsuit relating to the footage used. Nonetheless, Tiger King goes down in history as one of the most successful and talked-about Netflix docuseries that everyone has since forgotten about.

1

‘Iron Fist’ (2017–2018)

Image via Netflix

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It seems like pretty much everything within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is, at the very least, memorable. But Iron Fist, also known as Marvel’s Iron Fist, is perhaps the most polarizing. The series, which shares continuity with the movies, was the fourth for Netflix and stars Finn Jones as the titular character, a martial arts expert with the special power of an iron fist.

Despite strong viewership numbers, Iron Fist got mostly negative reviews and was canceled after two seasons. After being removed from Netflix and with Disney now offering all Marvel series, the show has largely been forgotten. But the drastic difference in reception from critics versus audience, just a 20% Rotten Tomatoes critics score for Season 1 compared to 71% by fans, suggests the show remains one of the most divisive MCU titles.

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Iron Fist

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Release Date

March 17, 2017

Network

Disney Channel

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Showrunner

Scott Buck

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Directors

Scott Buck

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For those looking for a bone-chilling way to spend your weekend, if you haven’t seen Mike Flanagan’s Midnight Mass by now, then what is keeping you from this small-island vampire thriller? The series hit Netflix in 2021 after Flanagan first made streaming waves with The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor, but it quickly proved to be his most personal story yet. A dark tale of faith, fear, and failure, Midnight Mass gets better with every rewatch.

What Is ‘Midnight Mass’ About?

As is the case with some of the greatest vampire stories in literature, be it Dracula or ‘Salem’s Lot, Midnight Mass emphasizes faith — both the genuine and misplaced kinds — in a miniseries that will shock and awe. Initially, Flanagan first attempted to tell the story of Crockett Island as a novel before reworking it as a feature film. Yet, the project was finally realized in the form of a Netflix miniseries, and in a golden age of streaming television, it’s clear that this was the best format.

“It is certainly the most personal of the projects for me, in so much as it deals with a lot of what I think about faith and religion, and what it means to be alive in the world, and what the hell happens when we die, and all of the little questions like that,” Flanagan once told Collider. Midnight Mass doesn’t criticize religion or belief itself but wrestles with the fanaticism that can spring from it, ultimately best realized in the show’s unique depiction of vampirism.

Everyone involved in Midnight Mass performs at their absolute A-game. From Flanagan’s distinct creative vision to The Newton Brothers‘ moving score (especially the re-imagined hymns) to the impressive cast that includes Zach Gilford, Kate Siegel, Rahul Kohli, Samantha Sloyan, and Henry Thomas — the horror series fires on all bloody cylinders. Of course, the real star of Midnight Mass is the charismatic minister Father Paul himself, played by Hamish Linklater. The hypnotic way he sways those on Crockett Island into his strange way of thinking is quite frightening, as his spiritual magnetism pulls in not just the most devout but also the doubting. Although the parts he plays are typically not so front-and-center, Linklater commands the screen here with a dominant and undeniable presence. Though Midnight Mass is a brilliant piece of horror on its own creative merits, it’s his performance that serves as the blood-red glue that holds the entire thing together.

Even if you already know how Midnight Mass ends, it’s an easy horror story to revisit again and again. There is something maddeningly compelling about witnessing the townsfolk be gradually swayed into accepting an “angel” that would sooner devour than deliver them from evil. Perhaps akin to most adaptations of Count Dracula (and biblical depictions of the Devil himself), Father Paul appears as an “angel of light” to those on the small coastal island. What at first appears to be in the best interest of those around him is revealed to be something far more sinister — as Flanagan noted in the aforementioned interview: “We’re all way more complicated.” That is part of the appeal of Midnight Mass. It doesn’t force religious clichés or black-and-white concepts down viewers’ throats, but earnestly wrestles with good and evil, man and monster.

Mike Flanagan Has Yet to Top ‘Midnight Mass’

Since Midnight Mass was released, the horror series has often been compared to the works of Stephen King, and considering Flanagan is well-known for adapting the “King of Horror,” the comparison is quite apropos. As one critic from the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, Midnight Mass is “the best Stephen King story that Stephen King never wrote” — and we couldn’t have said it better.

After dazzling Netflix viewers with his two The Haunting installments (which we still hope will continue), Flanagan’s third (and best) streaming horror is leagues above anything he’s done since. Perhaps some of that has to do with his magnum opus being such a personal take on not just the relationship between religion and vampires, but also issues of grief, alcoholism, and self-discovery.

Not only is Midnight Mass one of the best horror series around, but it’s easily one of Netflix’s most rewatchable original shows. When it comes to horror outings on the streaming platform, you can’t go wrong with this particular brand of vampire thriller. It’ll make your skin crawl, but what more could you ask for from Mike Flanagan?

Ahead of the release of The Devil Wears Prada 2, it was reported that Meryl Streep negotiated an increase on the figure she was offered for the first movie, because she knew she was invaluable to the project. Released in 2006, The Devil Wears Prada became a runaway hit at the box office, grossing around $325 million worldwide against a reported budget of $40 million. Streep, who has been nominated for an Oscar over 20 times, earned an upfront salary of $4 million for the original. The movie also starred Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Two decades later, the gang got back together for the sequel, which comes with a reported price tag of $100 million. A new report broke down what Streep, Hathaway, and Blunt earned to reprise their roles.

Streep’s reputation remains unchallenged, and her star-power has only increased in the years since the original film, which made her character, Miranda Priestly, a cultural icon. Hathaway, on the other hand, went on to win an Oscar, while Blunt has emerged as a star in her own right, having received an Oscar nomination a few years ago for her supporting performance in Christopher Nolan‘s Oppenheimer. Ahead of The Devil Wears Prada 2‘s release, returning director David Frankel admitted that the majority of its reported $100 million budget had been spent on the cast.

Here’s How Much the 3 Female Leads of ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Reportedly Earned

According to the new report, Streep earned an upfront salary of $12.5 million, but she could’ve made more. Instead, she entered a “favored nations” deal along with Hathaway and Blunt, which ensured that they make at least $12.5 million each. This isn’t the highest payday of Streep’s career; she reportedly earned more for Don’t Look Up, the satirical Netflix comedy directed by Adam McKay. For The Devil Wears Prada 2, the three stars could end up earning as much as $20 million each through back-end revenue. By the end of its second weekend, it is projected to pass the $450 million mark worldwide. The movie opened to positive reviews, and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 78% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “Meryl Streep still wears Miranda Priestly like a finely-tailored suit in this sinfully enjoyable sequel, which is dressed to the nines in off-the-rack wish fulfillment and some trenchant observations about the state of modern media.” Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

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Runtime

120 Minutes

Director

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David Frankel

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Looks like there’s a new little heart-stealer quietly making his debut online — and fans immediately started connecting the dots once the sweet Mother’s Day post went live. Jada Wallace and Chris Brown are once again getting people talking after Jada shared an intimate glimpse into motherhood that quickly grabbed attention across timelines.

RELATED: Okay! Chris Brown Hypes Up Jada Wallace’s Post-Baby Bounce-Back After She Drops NEW Flicks (PHOTOS)

Jada Wallace Shares First Look At Baby Arrow

In a photo shared to her Instagram Stories for Mother’s Day, Jada Wallace revealed the first picture of her baby boy, Arrow. The adorable snap showed the infant peacefully sleeping with his tiny fist resting against his face while wrapped in an off-white, zip-up onesie. Fans were quick to point out that baby Arrow is already showing off a full head of hair — and many couldn’t help but notice just how much he already resembles his daddy. In the caption of the photo, she wrote, “Thank you to my sweet Arrow,” followed by a yellow heart.

You Already Know That Folks Got To Talking

As soon as the photo hit the timeline, folks wasted no time running to The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section to share their thoughts on baby Arrow’s debut. Some commenters admitted they weren’t feeling the name at all, while others quickly defended it, saying it’s actually cute and definitely better than some of the wild names people choose these days. Meanwhile, plenty of fans pointed out that all of Chris Brown’s kids somehow manage to look exactly like him in different fonts.

One Instagram user @his__worstnightmerr shared, “A son that actually looks LIKE HIM🥰”

This Instagram user @deannejosephxo said, “One thing abt Chris is that he can’t never deny that a child isn’t his, because they all be looking like him! 😂”

And, Instagram user @kweenmocha wrote, “4 for 4, my boy the Wendy’s“

Meanwhile, Instagram user @nyahhswrldd added, “Now he got 2 boys and 2 girls aw“

While Instagram user @_dnailqueen commented, “She named that baby what??!!!!😭😭😭”

Lastly, Instagram user @ashanii.___ claimed, “Unpopular Opinion i Actually Like This Name“

RELATED: That’s Her? Fans Believe Chris Brown Invited The Woman He Complimented On Instagram To His 37th Birthday Party (VIDEOS)

Carey Hart is raising a glass to his wife, Pink, on Mother’s Day 2026.

“Happy Mother’s Day @pink,” Hart, 50, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, May 10, sharing a photo of Pink, 46, posing with their kids, Willow, 14, and Jameson, 8. “The kids are so lucky to have an amazing mother in you.”

He continued, “Raising some amazing humans who will change the world.”

Hart and Pink have been married since 2006, recently relocating as a family to New York City.

“We actually moved here because I am an amazing mom,” Pink said on The Kelly Clarkson Show in March. “And also so Willow could study theater and experience more Broadway.”

Pink’s daughter is an avid theater fan with lofty Broadway ambitions.

“She’s very into musical theater. I’m trying to get her to spread her wings a little bit,” Pink told People in 2024 of her daughter, revealing that she supports Willow’s dreams of performing on the Great White Way. “I want her to go do the damn thing. She’s got a voice, man. She’s a little bird. She wants to do Broadway and then be a trauma surgeon.”

Pink has supported Willow’s goals by taking her to see many Broadway productions, and in addition to bringing along her daughter to her various performances.

“Willow has a job on tour,” Pink previously said on the Today show in 2023. “We just had to go over minimum wage and it’s different [from] state to state. I said it’s about $22.50 a show depending how long I go, if I run over. She goes, ‘I’ll take $20. It’s easier math.’ I’m like, ‘That’s not how you negotiate for yourself.’ I’m like, ‘You’ll take $25 so it’s easier math.’ That’s how you negotiate!”

Pink will also presumably get some “cool mom points” with Willow when she hosts the 2026 Tony Awards in June.

“It is the honor of an entire lifetime to host a night celebrating the literal hardest working people in showbiz,” Pink said in a press release last month. “Broadway has shaped my life and how I put my own shows together — it is a community that is supportive, and inclusive, and full of talent and love. These people give magic every single day, and I cannot wait to celebrate them with the entire world.”

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Related: Pink and Carey Hart’s Family Album: The Sweetest Photos With Their Kids

Pink and her husband, Carey Hart, have been documenting their lives with daughter Willow and son Jameson since becoming parents. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us […]

She continued in her statement, “When I was asked to host the Tonys, I immediately thought, ‘I have to get permission from my daughter.’ I’ve never been on Broadway, and shouldn’t you have to have been on Broadway in order to host? That seems fair and right.”

According to Pink, Willow was “really excited” about the chance to attend the awards show as well.

“She was really excited about being able to have a ticket to go to the Tonys, so I’m hosting the Tonys,” Pink gushed at the time. “I’m really, really, excited and very nervous because that girl is a tough crowd!”

It’s been almost two years since Rivals first quietly dropped on Hulu, and since then, the series’ hype has grown as it has gained more fans, earned more international recognition, and received an extension that bumped it from eight episodes to twelve per season. Based on a series of novels by the late author Jilly Cooper, Rivals follows the glamorous and steamy lives of the inhabitants of the fictional county of Rutshire, nestled in the rolling green hills of the Cotswolds. Bonkbusters might have once been considered lowbrow for their explicit sex scenes and over-the-top drama, but no genre is better suited to a television adaptation.

Rivals Season 1 sets the perfect stage, taking us to the idyllic English countryside and giving us a taste of how the other very rich and very powerful half live. With illicit affairs and soapy drama paired with commentary on socioeconomic gaps and class divide, the series proved it could have it all. But lightning rarely strikes twice, and with more characters and more episodes, can Rivals impress for a second time and prove that its success is more than just chance?

‘Rivals’ Season 2 Doubles Down on Drama, Affairs, and Intrigue

One thing that’s immediately evident when you start Rivals Season 2 is that the series is simply delivering more on all fronts. There are a handful of new characters, most of them plucked directly from the pages of Polo, the next book in Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles series. There are new sets, bigger hair, and scandal waiting around every corner. However, Rivals hasn’t just expanded in scope; it’s also gone deeper than even the novels have.

The series picks up not long after the end of Season 1, and the rivalry between TV production companies Corinium and Venturer is now trucking along at full steam. After being bludgeoned over the head by Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) has not only survived his attack but is, unsurprisingly, coming for blood. Tony, who is gloriously wicked and devious in Season 2, removes any remnant of the sheep’s clothing he might have worn in Season 1, becoming the big bad wolf of Rutshire. His aim? Obliterating Venturer from the map and getting his revenge on all the people who have wronged him. First in his sights is the most obvious target: his long-time rival Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell).

Although Season 1 might have ended on a hopeful note, with Rupert finally giving in to his feelings for Taggie (Bella Maclean), with the two sharing a heated kiss in the kitchen, the course of true love not only isn’t running smoothly for them, but it’s a rocky and steep ride down a path of hairpin turns. Merely seconds after their kiss, the somewhat reformed rake is faced with a new conflict. Cameron, covered in Tony’s blood after the attack, needs his help, and Rupert has made a promise to protect her. When he chooses to be noble rather than selfish, Rupert’s love life is thrown into disarray almost immediately.

It’s not just Rupert’s love story that’s taking center stage; Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner) is still in one of the most toxic marriages known to man with Maud (Victoria Smurfit), who is now acting in A Doll’s House in a supporting role after leaving Declan last season to finally reclaim her career. You might consider Declan to be one of the show’s most eloquent and intellectual characters, especially after his stirring speech at the end of Season 1, but in matters of love, he’s a hot mess. If you thought these two were messy in Season 1, Season 2 blows all of that out of the water. The third head of the Venturer hydra is tech magnate Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer), who consummated his will-they-won’t-they romance with novelist Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson) last season. Their relationship is likely the least problematic of the bunch on the surface, but the problem is that both Freddie and Lizzie are married with kids, and as devoted as they are to each other, they’re also devoted to their families.

If that sounds like a lot, let me reassure you: there’s more. Without going into detail, new relationships and pairings pop up left and right in Season 2. Characters who were previously in supporting roles have been given more to work with, like Luca Pasqualino‘s Bas Baddingham and Gary Lamont‘s Charles Fairburn. And, because it is still a bonkbuster, the season has more sex and more full-frontal nudity than ever before, complete with riding crops and excessive skinny-dipping. After watching the first five episodes of Rivals Season 2, it almost feels as if Season 1 was the prequel, setting the stage for the true story to emerge.

‘Rivals’ Cast Performances Are the Stars of Season 2

As delicious as the plots of Season 2 are, it’s the cast that really shines in Rivals. Tennant was spectacular last season, showing how ambitious and cutthroat Tony is, but Season 2 proves that Tony is not only an antagonist, but one who has zero regard for anyone but himself. Tennant has completely leaned into his character’s villainous side, acting as a puppet master of some of the series’ most shocking schemes so far. In some ways, this flattens Tony into a near caricature, but it’s a necessary step for the story to keep chugging along at full steam. On the flip side, if Hassell’s Rupert felt somewhat one-note at his initial introduction, Season 2 has fully fleshed out the character, giving him a tragic turn that plunges Rupert to the lowest of lows and forces him to dig his way out. Hassell is heartbreaking as Rupert, with every expression written clearly on his face as he wrestles with his career and love life while also being haunted by past ghosts.

Season 2 brings in Hayley Atwell‘s Helen Gordon as Rupert’s ex-wife; Rupert Everett as his former showjumping team manager, Malise Gordon; and the couple’s two kids, Marcus and Tabitha. Atwell is a recast, but she proves in every scene that she’s a perfect choice for Helen, even if her American accent comes and goes at times. Some of Hassell’s most heartbreaking scenes are when the former couple clash, tearing away the charisma of a former Olympian and politician and revealing one of the most flawed characters in the series.

Rupert’s most nuanced moments, however, happen opposite Maclean’s Taggie. There was a big kerfuffle about the age gap between these two characters when they were first paired up, but the fact of the matter is that the obstacles in their relationship are much more serious than that. Cameron is a complicating factor, but Taggie is also Declan’s daughter, and Rupert is slowly gaining a conscience for the first time in his life. For her part, Maclean plays Taggie with maturity beyond her years. While much of her storyline is devoted to Taggie’s relationship with Rupert, Maclean also gets to dive deeper into new facets of her character that give her a chance to shine. From dancing in a bar to shedding her more passive previous persona, Taggie is just one example of giving this ensemble more to work with without making them feel vastly out of character. That her chemistry-laden scenes with Hassell are a combination of devastating and gut-wrenching is simply the icing on the cake.

One of the most delightful surprises of Season 2 is Smurfit’s Maud, who comes into her own now that she’s been freed from the shackles of being a bored and neglected housewife. When Smurfit shines in a play near the mid-point of the season, it doubles as a rare treat and the best character development. While she has new and complicated relationships with those beyond the O’Hara clan, Smurfit’s best scenes still come when she’s across Turner as Declan. The electricity between the two actors means every scene is not only fraught with tension but also longing and uncertainty.

‘Rivals’ Honors the ’80s, Bonkbusters, and Jilly Cooper

Image via Hulu

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the world lost a literary giant when Cooper passed away last October. Anyone who has read one of her books knows how clever the queen of bonkbusters is at weaving an addictive narrative. As an executive producer on the series and having worked on the whole of Season 2, Cooper’s fingerprints are all over the show. Those hoping the series will hew closely to the original Rivals novel might be slightly disappointed; some characters have been combined, and some scenes have been streamlined. However, that doesn’t mean Season 2 isn’t loyal to the story Cooper has crafted; in fact, the changes enhance this more modernized adaptation, offering depth the book necessarily couldn’t.

Alongside Season 2’s drama, the lush and vibrant costuming and set design are back on full display. From turquoise and pastel indoor pools to verdant polo fields, Rivals drops you right back into the luxury of the most affluent part of England, and it feels as authentic as the crushed velvet dresses the characters are swathed in. David Bowie and Rick James play as characters scheme and bond, all clad in pinstripe suits and florals. It’s this connection to authenticity that gives the series a unique flavor and flair, which has been missing from the world of grim and gritty television.

‘Rivals’ Season 2 Is Bigger and Better, but Not Flawless

Image via Hulu

However, not everything is perfect about Rivals Season 2. The chief problem is the pacing — not in the story itself, but rather its overall release schedule. Season 1 experienced a full drop, making it easy to binge for anyone with a free weekend, but Season 2 adopts methods from fellow competitor streamers that don’t do Rivals any favors. Split into two parts, the first part of Season 2 premieres with a three-episode drop, followed by weekly releases before the season takes a break after Episode 6. Shows like Bridgerton and Stranger Things have employed a similar split-season release schedule, albeit with binge drops. Prime Video shows have seen success with a hybrid model, dropping three episodes first and then airing weekly until the finale. Rivals‘ hybrid-of-a-hybrid schedule has the potential to confuse audiences, especially since the three-episode premiere leaves the story off on a pretty drastic low point that might deter weekly viewers and lead them to simply wait three weeks until the full season is out.

The creative cinematography in Season 1 is also back; one scene sees the complete upending of a character’s life, and the camera slowly spins before literally turning upside-down. Some of the visual language used in these shots is about as subtle as a sledgehammer. There’s one particular scene that appears like a one-shot at a dinner party; the editing of the scene offers asides of other characters, but undercuts the tempo of the take. It doesn’t happen often enough to detract from the series, but it is noticeable enough to feel heavy-handed at times.

However, these are just minor gripes for a show that has really emerged from its chrysalis. If Rivals‘ first season was glam and fun, Season 2 uses that as a spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down. The more complex and morally grey storylines refuse to take the easy way out despite the fluffy packaging. You might have found yourself rooting for extramarital affairs in Season 1, but Season 2 is ready to douse you in some cold water and remind you that all actions have consequences. That’s what makes the series work: you get the good and the bad. It’s far more than just a guilty pleasure; Rivals Season 2 surpasses Season 1 on nearly every front, proving that more time and space to breathe is exactly what a show needs to mature into a resounding win.

Rivals Season 2 premieres May 15 on Hulu.

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Release Date

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October 18, 2024

Network

Disney+

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Directors

Dee Koppang O’Leary, Alexandra Brodski, Elliot Hegarty

Writers

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Clare Naylor, Mimi Hare, Kefi Chadwick, Dare Aiyegbayo, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Marek Horn, Sophie Goodhart

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Pros & Cons

• Fantastic performances come from David Tennant, Victoria Smurfit, and Alex Hassell.
• Storylines have been completely expanded to add more depth to supporting and main characters.

• The pacing of the release schedule creates inconsistencies in the season’s tempo.

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