Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers from Fire & Blood and potential spoilers for future seasons of House of the Dragon.

Even by Westeros standards, House Targaryen is not a normal family. But after the appearance of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) in Daemon’s (Matt Smith) vision sequence in House of the Dragon Season 2, casual viewers might wonder just how connected are these two branches of the Targaryen tree? They both belong to the same noble house, of course, but are they even in the same bloodline? And Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), where does she fit? The answer, full of spoilers for the rest of the story of House of the Dragon, is not so simple.

Daemon Doesn’t Know Who Daenerys Is in His Vision

Daemon’s vision is filled with nods to the future of House Targaryen and Westeros as a whole — there are even White Walkers there. But the most surprising part of it is when he sees Daenerys with her three dragons. The vision is plucked directly from the Season 1 finale of Game of Thrones, when Daenerys grabs her three petrified dragon eggs and walks into Khal Drogo’s (Jason Momoa) funeral pyre. When the fire is spent, only Dany remains, unburnt, with her three children having miraculously hatched.

Crucially, this part of Daemon’s visio comes after he sees the dying of the dragons in Westeros — primarily caused by the current civil war. Daenerys hatching her three dragons is a sign that dragons will rise again. With the Others a constant and legitimate threat, the dragons are needed to fight them. Daemon understands that, for the world to have a fighting chance, the Targaryen who needs to sit on the Iron Throne must be his wife, Rhaenyra.

Although Daemon doesn’t know who Daenerys is, the audience are fully aware of her identity and the fact that she is one of the last members of the once great house. Due to the nature of his vision, he has no idea if this event takes place in a few years or centuries in the future. To him, Daenerys could be anyone.A future daughter, a granddaughter, or even a great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter — which just happens to be the truth.

Daenerys Is a Direct Descendant of Daemon and Rhaenyra’s Line

In order to understand how Daenerys is related to Daemon and Rhaenyra, we must wade into spoiler territory by exploring George R.R. Martin‘s Fire & Blood. It’s no secret that Rhaenyra dies at the end of the Dance of the Dragons. Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson) says as much in Game of Thrones when he reveals that she was eaten by Aegon II’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) dragon, Sunfyre. Daemon is also destined for a deadly confrontation against Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) at Harrenhal. Although they die, Daemon and Rhaenyra’s two sons eventually end up ascending to the Iron Throne after the fighting is done. Aegon III becomes king, but when two sons, Daeron I and Baelor I, leave no heirs, it’s his brother (and Daemon and Rhaenyra’s youngest son), Viserys II, who inherits the throne.

Through Viserys II, the Targaryen line continues, from his terrible son, Aegon IV (“the Unworthy”) to Aegon V aka Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms who is Daenerys’ great-grandfather and Rhaenyra’s great-great-great-grandson to the Mad King, Aerys II (David Rintoul), Daenerys’ father. In total, Daenerys Targaryen is eight generations removed from Rhaenyra Targaryen, making Rhaenyra Daenerys’ great-great-great-great-great-grandmother. It’s important to point out, however, that this is following Fire & Blood, since Game of Thrones removed Jaehaerys II, who is Aerys II’s father in the books, from its lore, according to Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) in Season 1. Unless some retconning takes place, in the show franchise, Daenerys is just seven generations removed from Rhaenyra.

Millie Bobby Brown enjoyed soaking up the views with her loved ones during a picturesque getaway to Italy.

The Stranger Things actress, 22, made memories with her husband, Jake Bongiovi, and their daughter during a stay at SAN SONNEA, a five-star luxury resort and “secluded sanctuary” based in Luson, South Tyrol, which is for families to reconnect deeply with nature.

“Different in the dolomites @sansonnea.family,” she captioned her post on Monday, September 7, including a video of herself holding her baby girl while walking llamas alongside Bongiovi, 24, in front of a gorgeous scenic background.

She also included a clip of ducks on the premises, as well as a snapshot of a peaceful mountain getaway viewed from inside a cozy room in addition to a close-up pic of white roses.

In her recap was also a photo of Bionjovi sunbathing shirtless outside and a photo of Brown rocking a string bikini and “Italia” tank top in honor of their family trip. She paired the look with brown sunglasses, a beaded necklace and hoop earrings.

It’s been just over a year since Brown announced that she and Bionjovi expanded their brood.

“This summer, we welcomed our sweet baby girl through adoption,” the couple shared in their August 2025 announcement. “We are beyond excited to embark on this beautiful next chapter of parenthood in peace and privacy.”

Related: Millie Bobby Brown Celebrates Jake Bongiovi’s 24th Birthday With PDA Photo

Advertisement

Millie Bobby Brown shared a sweet photo of herself getting affectionate with husband Jake Bongiovi in honor of his 24th birthday. “My person’s day, today and always,” she captioned a PDA photo of the couple via Instagram on Thursday, May 7, marking his first birthday as a father after Brown, 22, and Bongiovi welcomed their […]

Brown and Bongiovi have been married since May 2024, when they first tied the knot in an intimate ceremony followed by another larger ceremony held in Tuscany that October.

The parents have opted not to share their little one’s name with the world following her adoption, although Brown did give rare insight into her journey to motherhood in a December 2025 interview.

“Being a mother expedited this version of me,” she told Allure at the time. “Nothing could get in the way of me being who I need to be for my daughter.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Brown said she was determined to instill good values in her daughter and lead by example.

Advertisement

Related: Millie Bobby Brown Makes Rare Comment About Adopting Her Infant Daughter

Millie Bobby Brown is opening up for the first time following the news that she and husband Jake Bongiovi adopted a baby girl. While playing a game with TIME and her Stranger Things castmates on Thursday, October 16, Brown, 21, revealed her daughter is the one thing she can’t live without after Noah Schnapp thought the answer was Bongiovi, 23. […]

“I want her to see me take care of myself,” she said, quipping, “You have to do everything 10 times quicker, and you don’t really get to do your gua sha in the morning.”

“I have to talk to myself kindly,” the Enola Holmes actress continued, noting it can be easy to “talk badly about yourself and your body.” Brown continued, “After becoming a parent, I couldn’t imagine talking about myself like that anymore, because she’s going to watch me do that.”

The most unexpected Tom Cruise character needs no introduction, and he knows it, for the entire 123 minute run-time of this classic. It’s rare that a film’s final scene, final line, or final needle drop are the best. But in this beloved horror film, all three are the case. Back in 1994, before the movie star became known for stunts and running, Cruise let loose as a melodramatic, seductive, bloodsucking vampire second only to Dracula in infamy. To paraphrase Homer Simpson, every time he’s not on the screen you’re wondering where he is—making his jump-scare entrance in the coda all the more delicious.

This spooky season, you can revisit it in full. The 1994 film adaptation of Anne Rice‘s novel Interview with the Vampire, starring Cruise as well as Brad Pitt, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater and Antonio Banderas, is now streaming on HBO Max. Thandiwe Newton and Stephen Rea also play supporting roles. Neil Jordan directed, and Rice herself wrote the screenplay. While the finished product is not necessarily considered the best adaptation of Rice’s Vampire Chronicles, it is a very re-watchable and very 90s film. ​​

Cruise’s Lestat is not the protagonist of the film. That would be Pitt’s character, Louis de Pointe du Lac, a vampire recounting his life to a seemingly objective observer, Slater’s Daniel Molloy, as the gothic narrative plays out in flashback. Louis bemoans his immortal existence through various trials and tribulations: getting turned in the late 18th century, honing and occasionally eschewing his killer instincts, raising a vampire daughter (Dunst’s scene-stealing performance as Claudia), attempting to kill his maker, and worst of all, moving to Paris. The through line in his life post-death? Lestat, Lestat, Lestat, Lestat, Lestat.

Why Didn’t Tom Cruise Return for the ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Sequel?

Interview with the Vampire was well received. It made $223 million worldwide at the box office in its original release, according to Box Office Mojo, and was nominated for two Academy Awards despite mixed reviews from critics. However, when Warner Brothers went about making the sequel, titled Queen of the Damned after the third book in Rice’s series, Cruise did not reprise the role. “At the time,” Jordan told Entertainment Weekly in 2024, Cruise simply “wasn’t doing sequels.” Now, from franchises like Mission: Impossible to legacy sequels like Top Gun: Maverick and the upcoming Days of Thunder, he can’t get enough. One can imagine that, if Cruise was doing sequels at the time, the second movie would have drawn more from Rice’s second book: The Vampire Lestat.

Queen of the Damned was eventually released in 2002 with Stuart Townsend in the role of the vampire Lestat. Despite a standout performance by singer and actress Aliyah, who tragically died ahead of the premiere, the film only brought in $45 million worldwide. Rice, who initially expressed doubt over Cruise in the role, later recanted and praised his performance. Society had and/would continue to move on to other vampire narratives like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight, True Blood, and The Vampire Diaries.

Twenty-four years later, however, Rice fans are having a particularly good moment. AMC’s Interview with the Vampire, which stars Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Delainey Hayles, Eric Bogosian, and Assad Zaman, and restyled itself as The Vampire Lestat for Season 3, is set to return for a fourth season officially titled Queen of the Damned with Sheila Atim in the titular role as Akasha. The cable network’s other televised Rice adaptation, Mayfair Witches, returns for Season 3 in 2027, with Eliza Scanlen joining Alexandra Daddario in the cast.

Plus, there’s Tom Ford‘s upcoming film adaptation of Rice’s historical novel Cry to Heaven starring Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Julianne Moore, Hunter Schafer, and Adele to look forward to in the near future. That movie is about the cutthroat (among other things) world of opera singers in 18th-century Italy, not monsters in the more traditional sense. But there’s never been a better time to be an Anne Rice fan.

Stay tuned at Collider for more.

Seventeen years ago, Megan Fox played a monster in one of the only 2000s teen comedies that really holds up — and as this satire is not without its screams, it’s also become one of the best horror cult classics of the century. There are very few cringe-worthy millennial jokes, and all in all, the movie has only gotten better with age. Over the last 20 years, audiences have only become more willing to get behind — and really enjoy — a succubus killing creepy guys, finally giving the movie the attention it deserved in 2009.

This fall, you can reevaluate one of cinema’s biggest comebacks for yourself, as Jennifer’s Body is now streaming on Hulu and Pluto TV. The movie also stars Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, J.K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris, Kyle Gallner, and Johnny Simmons. In addition, Chris Pratt plays a police officer in one of his first big-screen roles. Jennifer’s Body was directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Diablo Cody, hot on the heels of her Academy Award win for Juno. That’s a winning combination on paper, but it took a while for the result to be appreciated.

Seyfried actually plays the protagonist, a shy high school student aptly named Needy (short for Anita) whose popular best friend Jennifer, played by Fox, has become possessed by a demon and must commit murder to survive. Needy tries to help Jennifer as her killing spree continues. But does she kind of have a point? Who’s actually protecting who? Is this a love story? As with so many things when you’re a teenager, the situation is complicated.

Why Is ‘Jennifer’s Body’ Considered a Cult Classic?

Jennifer’s Body grossed $31 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. As it turns out, Hollywood did not know how to properly market a feminist horror comedy in 2009. According to Cody in a retrospective Vox interview, she wanted to reach female audiences, but the executives focused on trying to get male fans into theaters. Considering how blatantly misandrist Jennifer is, however, that seems like an uphill battle doomed to fail. Critics gave Jennifer’s Body mixed reviews that often missed the film’s intentions as well. “Just what we were waiting for,” opened Roger Ebert‘s original review, “Twilight for boys, with Megan Fox in the Robert Pattinson role, except that I recall Pattinson was shirtless.” And he gave it four out of five stars! Imagine what the people who didn’t like it were saying.

In recent years, especially after the MeToo movement brought the themes to the surface, Jennifer’s Body started to resonate more. It’s still kind of difficult to get certain audiences on board with movies that are feminist and funny. Even the act of insisting that empowerment doesn’t have to be dour makes you sound a little desperate… but it’s true! Anyway, the film has been reevaluated by critics and audiences alike, and is now considered a queer feminist cult classic. It only took a decade and some change!

Stay tuned at Collider for more.

Advertisement

Release Date

September 18, 2009

Advertisement

Runtime

107 minutes

Director

Advertisement

Karyn Kusama

Producers

Brad Van Arragon, Daniel Dubiecki, Jason Reitman

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

We love watching a good mind game unfold before us. The allure of a psychological thriller lies in seeing how characters inflict psychological terror or overcome it. Throughout movie history, there have been some extraordinary masterpieces of psychological thriller cinema, but only ten are genuinely perfect.

From timeless legends to modern classics, these films have served as the blueprint for the genre over time. Some have haunted our nightmares while others reshaped the rules of cinema. No matter how they played with your mind, these movies continue to be some of the very best of all time.

10

‘Donnie Darko’ (2001)

Image via Newmarket FIlms

A brilliantly underrated cult classic, Donnie Darko earned its way into psychological thriller history. Written and directed by Richard Kelly, the film follows Donnie (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled teenager who, after sleepwalking, narrowly escapes death from a falling jet engine and is guided by Frank (James Duval), a mysterious, grotesque figure in a giant rabbit suit to uncover secrets of time and destiny. Donnie Darko deliberately blurs the line between clinical paranoid schizophrenia and actual supernatural destiny for a powerful coming-of-age drama about teenage isolation, death, and existential purpose.

The brilliance of Donnie Darko lies in being forced to see the world through a troubled teen’s vantage point. Gyllenhaal is pitch perfect in his breakout role, guiding the film to its final destination. By questioning the validity of Frank and the time-travel scenario, or whether it’s all a symptom of his disease, viewers are kept on their toes. His ability to humanize isolation and anxiety is profound. The film is not a flat-out obvious story, as Kelly tasks the audience to personally interpret every single moment and image. With a haunting atmosphere and a brilliant soundtrack that included “Mad World” by Gary Jules, it serves as the perfect aesthetic world-building. Donnie Darko is a terrifyingly accurate story of being misunderstood. ​​​​​​​

9

‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)

Image via Paramount Pictures

One of the most iconic physiological horror thrillers of all time, Rosemary’s Baby took Ira Levin’s novel and transformed it into a stellar and sinister story. Directed by Roman Polanski, the film follows Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow) and her husband Guy (John Cassavetes) as they move into an old, eerie apartment building in New York City. Rosemary begins to suspect her odd neighbors, Roman and Minnie Castevet (SydneyBlackmer and Ruth Gordon), and her ambitious husband belong to a satanic cult plotting to use her unborn child for evil rituals. A story built on psychological dread and paranoia, Rosemary’s Baby taps into how society strips away a pregnant woman’s personal choice and agency.

With deep-seated social fears, gaslighting, and slow-building paranoia, Rosemary’s Baby traps you in Rosemary’s mind. You’re forced to determine if Rosemary’s fears of a satanic conspiracy are real or just the paranoid delusions of a pregnant woman. As Rosemary is gaslit by everyone she believes she can trust, she loses her autonomy and power, exposing a universal sense of unease. The terror of Rosemary’s Baby is not entirely the threat of giving birth to the devil but the revelation that it’s the unsuspecting individuals around you that make up the cultist monsters. It may be a period piece today, but Rosemary’s Baby remains poignant today. ​​​​​​​

8

‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)

Image via Universal Pictures

Many will try, but no one will have a mind quite like David Lynch. The visionary has given the world some of the most daring projects, including Mulholland Drive. His 21st-century classic is a surrealistic psychological mystery about an actress in Los Angeles and an amnesiac car crash survivor who try to uncover the survivor’s true identity. Betty (Naomi Watts), an ambitious, bright-eyed aspiring actress who’s new to Los Angeles, and Rita (Laura Harring), an enigmatic woman with amnesia, try to piece together Rita’s past, only for reality and illusion to crash into one as Betty and Rita are anything but. Mulholland Drive explores psychological collapse, guilt, and the dark underbelly of Hollywood by depicting a warped nature of ambition, betrayal, and a shattered mind.

Mulholland Drive is a mind-blowing thriller that demands close attention to the story Lynch proposes. The first two-thirds of the film operates as a a fantasy created by a failed and heartbroken actress. She imagines herself as something grander when, in truth, it couldn’t be further from reality. Lynch presumes that severe trauma is shielded by a safer identity, despite who it hurts in the process. Yet the dark landscape of Los Angeles is an illusion she uses to excuse her failure. Mulholland Drive is a brilliant script brought to life flawlessly, earning itself as Lynch’s very best.​​​​​​​

7

‘Black Swan’ (2010)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

The obsession for artistic perfection is put on full display in the mind-bending Black Swan. A brilliant psychological masterpiece from Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan follows Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a dedicated, perfectionist ballerina, who loses her grip on reality when rival dancer Lily (Mila Kunis) earns the role she greatly desires. Nina’s relentless drive for technical perfection turns into a mental prison, pushing her past the brink. Black Swan takes the duality of the White and Black Swan to represent the inner battle between a sheltered, fragile young girl and an indecent, sexually revitalized young woman.

Black Swan represents the mindset all artists experience as they strive for greatness. Nina’s mental breakdown comes from the desire to become the best through perfection as she’s pushed by the pressure of her career, the industry, and her overprotective mother, Erica (Barbara Hershey). Through visceral body horror and spellbinding visual direction, Black Swan puts you squarely inside Nina’s mind. It’s a high-tension, claustrophobic atmosphere that dives deep into Nina’s repressed self and her darker desires. A mesmerizing film that redefined Portman’s career, Black Swan is a true work of art. ​​​​​​​

6

‘Fight Club’ (1999)

Image via 20th Century Studios

If you love Fight Club, defy the rules and talk about Fight Club! Director David Fincher brought Chuck Palahniuk’s novel to life in perfect fashion. The narrative (Edward Norton) tracks an unnamed office worker whose mundane profession turns him into an insomniac. He finds emotional relief by attending a fake terminal illness support group where he meets Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter), another impostor. Then he forms an underground fight club with a charismatic soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt). As the group transforms into a radical, destructive anti-capitalist organization called Project Mayhem, the truth comes out about Tyler’s true twisted identity. The psychological thriller traps the audience in a fractured, unreliable mind where the line between objective reality and delusion blurs.

Fight Club is a fervent mix of psychological turmoil and philosophical dread. Tyler embodies everything the narrator desires to be. He embodies freedom, danger, and confidence that the narrator simply lacks. By the time the big twist is revealed, it all makes complete sense, as Fincher spelled it out in plain sight. That said, it reframes everything prior, making a subsequent watch more than worthwhile. Rather than just a critique of modern life, consumerism, and corporate monotony that creates a numb society, the chaotic nature and danger of a broken identity. Fight Club remains a cinematic game changer. ​​​​​​​

5

‘The Shining’ (1980)

Image via Warner Bros.

Even though Stephen King wasn’t completely satisfied with The Shining, it remains a sensational work. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the big-screen adaptation follows Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) as he takes a job as a winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel. Moving in with his wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and their son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), they become isolated and trapped within the confines of the estate where evil spirits exploit Jack’s past struggles with alcohol and anger, slowly driving him to madness. A haunting portrayal of addiction, trauma, and isolation, The Shining is a masterclass in psychological horror.

The Shining uses the hotel to represent the sick cycle of violence and cruelty that traps people who ignore the past. Using Sigmund Freud’s concept of “the uncanny,” Kubrick built the locale to evoke the unsettling feeling of the familiar feeling wrong. Every set piece, architectural element, and visual trigger dread and unease. The Shining taps into pure dread and fear, thanks to some of the moldy iconic moments in horror history. From the twins to the bloody elevator, “redrum” to “Here’s Johnny!” The Shining remains a profound part of cinematic history. ​​​​​​​

4

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

Advertisement

The horror genre has been elevated thanks to the genius of Jordan Peele and Get Out. The subversive thriller follows Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya), a young Black photographer, who uncovers a terrifying, racially motivated conspiracy when he visits his white girlfriend’s, Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), family estate. He uncovers a terrifying truth that the Armitage family runs a sinister cult in which Black individuals are lured to the estate in order to surgically transplant the consciousness of wealthy white buyers into their healthy bodies, trapping the original victims in a paralyzed mental state known as the “sunken place.”

Get Out uses horror and satire to critique modern racism, microaggressions, cultural appropriation, and the commodification of Black bodies in America. Locked into Chris’ perspective, the audience is forced to see and feel every microaggression and racist comment. The horror comes from the complete and utter gaslighting as how the “villains” cause Chris and the audience to question if they are truly a present threat. Get Out flips the horror tropes of dark locales into a bright, out-in-the-open seemingly safe suburban neighborhood. Get Out’s perfect blend of comedy, mystery, and heavy social commentary weaves a modern classic.

3

‘Psycho’ (1960)

Image via William Creamer – © MPTV

Advertisement

Alfred Hitchcock proved that with one big twisted decision, the trajectory of cinema would change forever. Bringing Robert Bloch‘s novel to life, Psycho follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who steals $40,000 and escapes to the remote Bates Motel, run by the fascinatingly intriguing Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). After being brutally stabbed in the shower the next morning, Marion’s sister Lila (Vera Miles) and boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) search for her, only to discover the truth about Norman and the Bates Motel. An iconic film that defined horror within pop culture, Psycho subverted audiences’ attention while providing a masterful exploration of the human psyche.

Psycho is a brilliant story, but the film soars to great heights thanks to Hitchcock’s risky decision to kill off his star within the film’s first act. In doing so, it forces the audience to be on their toes as anything can and will happen. Leaving them in suspense became the film’s greatest asset. Psycho is grounded in ordinary reality, where a seemingly shy, polite, and regular guy is anything but. Norman serves as the ultimate ordinary monster that may be lurking around the corner. With sensational direction and a shrieking score from Bernard Herrmann, Psycho is fear and terror to the max, serving as an inspiration for the genre.

2

‘Inception’ (2010)

Image via Warner Bros.

Advertisement

There are some extraordinary films across multiple genres on Christopher Nolan‘s resume, but when it comes to psychological thrillers, it doesn’t get much better than Inception. A sci-fi action thriller, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) commits corporate espionage by infiltrating his target’s mind during shared sleep states. Hired by Saito (Ken Watanabe), Dom is offered a clean slate and a reunion with his children should he commit the perfect crime: perform inception by planting a new idea in the mind of his rival CEO, Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy). Assembling a specialized team to commit the mission, Cobb and company must maintain stability across deeper dream layers as he’s haunted by psychological projections of his dead wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard).

A richly layered dream drama, Inception uses a high-concept, high-stakes framework to pull off a brilliant sci-fi heist movie. Nolan builds the perfect architecture to play within. Guilt, grief, and self-sabotage play the role of the antagonist, as the only way Cobb can succeed is to defeat his own demons. Inception weaves the mechanics of the human subconscious directly into the narrative. Nolan evokes a unique pacing structure as time slows in each layer, making the pressure-cooker race against the clock even harder to sustain. Using Nolan’s signature production style, practical sets and stunts give the film a tangible feel. Inception is the perfect psychological thriller because we’re still debating the ending and that damn spinning top.

1

‘The Silence of the Lambs’ (1991)

Image via Orion Pictures

Advertisement

Cinema has some of the greatest villains, but no one is more terrifying than Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). And yet, even behind bars, he is a terrifying threat because of the incredible mind games he plays. In The Silence of the Lambs, FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is assigned to track down serial killer Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine), who abducts and skins women. To get inside the killer’s mind, she interviews Hannibal in exchange for offering her own personal traumas from her past. The Silence of the Lambs is a tense battle of wits and psychological leveraging that gave the horror genre a seat at the awards table.

The Silence of the Lambs is pure horror, but rather than jump scares, the terror and suspense come through psychological warfare. It’s a truly twisted tale that is acted to the max. Foster and Hopkins deliver career-defining performances that set the gold standard for this subgenre of crime thriller. Director Jonathan Demme opts for dread over gore, stillness over chaos, and claustrophobic tension over high-stakes action. Earning the Big Five at the Academy Awards, the thriller doesn’t get more thrilling than this film.

Advertisement

The Silence of the Lambs

Advertisement

Release Date

February 14, 1991

Runtime

119 minutes

Advertisement

Director

Jonathan Demme

Advertisement

Writers

Ted Tally, Thomas Harris

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

A letter was written on behalf of King Charles III to clarify Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s status as royal family members amid their return to the United Kingdom.

“The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity,” read the letter written by senior officer of the royal household Lord Chamberlain, obtained by multiple outlets including Newsweek and NBC News. “In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.”

The letter continued, “It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of The Sovereign, and are no longer working Members of The Royal Family. This position, distinct from the State and Royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.”

The letter added that Harry, 41, and Meghan’s “styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.”

Related: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Arrive Back in U.K. Amid Move: Report

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly touched down in the U.K. amid news of their planned move. BBC first reported that the couple were expected to arrive across the pond on Wednesday, August 26, with their two children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex […]

A Buckingham Palace source confirmed to the outlet that the letter was shared with Harry’s team on Monday, September 7.

Harry and Meghan, 45, stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and subsequently left the U.K. and moved to Montecito, California, with son Prince Archie, now 7. The following year, they welcomed daughter Princess Lilibet, 5.

Six years after their shocking move, Harry and Meghan surprised the world again after they decided to return to the U.K. with their children. Archie and Lilibet are scheduled to begin school there this month.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

The pair are expected to keep their home in Montecito, as well as a vacation residence in Portugal.

Related: U.K. Prime Minister Calls Prince Harry and Meghan’s Move a ‘Private Matter’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s forthcoming move back to the United Kingdom is a “private matter,” according to Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Burnham, 56, told the BBC on Thursday, August 20, that the security arrangements for Harry, 41, Meghan, 45, and their two children were “private.” (Harry and Meghan share son Prince Archie, 7, and […]

A source told Us that Harry was “not as happy in the U.S. as he is in the U.K” and that he and Meghan are “open to a new chapter.”

Harry and Meghan were not expected to resume royal duties upon their return across the pond. The Duke of Sussex will be spending more time supporting multiple U.K.-based charities and patronages while Meghan is expected to continue running her As Ever brand overseas. Rumors swirled that Meghan was going to return to acting with a potential role in The Gentlemen season 3. However, nothing has been officially announced.

They say when you see a train wreck or a car crash, you can’t look away. It’s the fascination of seeing a disaster unfold that you’re not a part of. Our curiosity paints a picture of what happened and what the aftermath might be. That’s why disaster movies are so alluring—you get the entire story laid out for you!

Hollywood has provided cinema with some of the greatest disaster films of all time. From human-made errors to natural devastations, these disasters have provided a brilliant source of thrills that we simply can’t look away from. Though these may be stressful scenarios, the magic of cinema has made them entirely entertaining. From pure thriller to romance and parody, the range of styles proves that disaster flicks have no bounds.

1

‘2012’ (2009)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

We can look back at the year 2012 and chuckle at the paranoia that the world might end in the same way it could have due to Y2K. But in 2009, the premise of the film 2012 did give some of us quite a fright. Directed by Roland Emmerich, the epic disaster film follows a global cataclysm that destroys the planet as massive solar storms heat the Earth’s core. Geoscientist Adrian Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) warns world leaders of impending doom, leading to the revelation of massive arks intended to preserve humanity. Meanwhile, divorced limousine driver and novelist Jackson Curtist (John Cusack) races to save his family while facing off against massive earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and megatsunamis that topple cities.

Drawn from the 2012 phenomenon and Mayan calendar prediction that forecasted the end of the world on December 21, 2012, the film played into our paranoia about what could happen if we don’t take care of our planet in the present. 2012 went full tilt, as anything that could happen did happen. Emmerich ramped up the action, introducing every apocalyptic trope that came into play in order to allow a high-octane global destruction story. Watching beloved landmarks crumble before one’s eyes serves as a wake-up call about the potential of total destruction. As pure entertainment, 2012 is a genuine popcorn flick whose greatest strength is its shock-and-awe. It’s the most disastery film in history.

2

‘Airplane!’ (1980)

Image via Paramount Pictures

If there is a hall of fame for the greatest comedies of all time, you can most certainly expect Airplane! to appear. The film delivered non-stop laughs, but at its core, it is a serious disaster film set on a plane. The satirical comedy, written and directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, follows Ted Striker (Robert Hays), a traumatized former fighter pilot with a fear of flying, who boards a commercial flight to win back the heart of his flight-attendant ex-girlfriend, Elaine Dickinson (Julie Hagerty). As the passengers and crew onboard fall violently ill with food poisoning, Ted must overcome his trauma, take control in the cockpit, and land the plane safely. Surely, you can’t be serious!

The spoof comedy parodies the 70s movie genre, utilizing brilliant visual gags, on-the-nose puns, and rapid-fire absurdist humor. A product of its time, Airplane! continues to keep us laughing to this day. A major reason for the film’s success is tasking serious dramatic actors, including Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, and Lloyd Bridges, to deliver silly performances with deadpan seriousness. In turn, it made Airplane! a quotable hit. Though some bits may not have aged quite as well, they still make us laugh. Through high-stakes action and low-seriousness delivery, Airplane! is a literal ticking-clock scenario of peril in the sky. The film reinvented the parody genre while launching a sequel and other like-minded genre-spoofs, many starring Nielsen. I dare you not to chuckle when you’re at the airport and hear the announcements about loading zones.

3

‘Armageddon’ (1998)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

Every so often, two studios release very similar movies around the same time. Like Pixar and DreamWorks tackled the insect game with A Bug’s Life and Antz in 1998, that same calendar year saw two rival meteor disaster films, Touchstone Pictures’ Armageddon and Paramount Pictures’ Deep Impact. It was the former that was the more superior film, though less accurate. In the Michael Bay-directed film, a rogue asteroid the size of Texas is on a collision course with Earth, threatening humanity if it crashes within 18 days. NASA executive Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) assembles a ragtag group of deep-core oil drillers, led by Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis), to split the rock in two.

A story of heroism from ordinary people, determination, and the ultimate sacrifice, Armageddon is a high-octane thriller that filled the summer box office slot. With Bay in control, Armageddon was a sleek and visually spectacular film. Though science is treated as an afterthought, practicality means little when you’re watching everyday people do the extraordinary. By compiling a group of individuals you resonate with, the stakes are at an astronomical high. Of course, there must be a convenient love story between Harry’s daughter, Grace (Liv Tyler), and his employee, A.J. Frost (Ben Affleck), to make the mission even more personal. Armageddon is also responsible for “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith, so the disaster film was anything but! A great popcorn flick of the time, Armageddon is pop culture entertainment to the max.

4

‘A Night to Remember’ (1958)

Image via The Rank Organisation

The sinking of the Titanic was a source of storytelling long before the iconic 1997 film we’ll discuss soon. In fact, it was the source of a 1958 film directed by Roy Ward Baker. The historical disaster film A Night to Remember showcases the final hours of the ocean liner’s maiden voyage. Tracking the events as they unfold in real time, the film depicts the disaster through the eyes of Second Officer Charles Lightoller (Kenneth More), as well as those of the passengers and crew. A Night to Remember showcases the response to the crisis across all social classes, capturing the profound bravery through extreme panic.

Based on Walter Lord‘s nonfiction book of the same name, A Night to Remember is a film endorsed by historians and survivors for its cinematic accuracy. It’s the ultimate battle between humans and nature. What was believed to be an unsinkable vessel was anything but. A Night to Remember rejected the standard Hollywood melodrama in favor of a documentary-style, immersive experience that prioritizes the authentic experiences of the individuals on board. Baker builds slow tension and dread through practical special effects, black-and-white cinematography, and realistic performances. A Night to Remember is a perfect companion film to the ’90s masterpiece, offering an important perspective.

5

‘Contagion’ (2011)

Image via Warner Bros

There have been quite a few virus-centric disaster films, but none as powerful as 2011’s Contagion. A film that has grown more terrifying over time, the Steven Soderbergh medical thriller depicts a rapidly spreading lethal airborne virus that spreads across the globe. As ordinary people are directly affected by the disease, the CDC’s Dr. Ellis Cheever (Laurence Fishburne) and Dr. Erin Mears (Kate Winslet) race to track it, while Dr. Ally Hextall (Jennifer Ehle) works to develop a vaccine that will be distributed only through a birthdate lottery system. A narrative that describes how paranoia is born from conspiracy and corporate power, Contagion shows the dramatic cost of a domino effect.

Rather than playing into the sanitized Hollywood disaster-flick trope seen in the ’90s, Contagion explores chilling, scientifically rigorous truths. With its real-world biology, accurate transmission, and the slow, methodical, and bureaucratic struggles for an overnight vaccine miracle, Contagion was a prophetic film that needed to be viewed in real time. The most terrifying element of Contagion is how easily the societal breakdown arrives. Rather than purely shown through action, the illustration of societal hierarchy, slow distribution, and the spread of misinformation can be just as lethal as the virus itself. Contagion‘s eerie precision makes it a sensational film that has aged like fine wine. Boasting a brilliant ensemble, featuring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard, Bryan Cranston, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Contagion is a must-watch.

6

‘The Impossible’ (2012)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Natural disasters are one of society’s greatest fears. Mother Nature can be unpredictable, but there are certain weather events we can avoid. Others, like a tsunami, have a lower chance of survival. And then came The Impossible, which proved otherwise. Inspired by true events and the experience of Maria Belon and her family during the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand, The Impossible is a harrowing story of resilience, survival, and true grit. Maria (Naomi Watts) and her son Lucas (Tom Holland) are dramatically separated from her husband, Henry (Ewan McGregor), and their sons, Thomas and Simon, when the massive tsunami strikes. The Impossible depicts the struggle for reunion as they navigate widespread devastation, life-changing injuries, and overwhelming trauma. With powerhouse performances from Watts and Holland, who makes his film debut, The Impossible is one of the most stressfully hopeful disaster dramas of all time.

The Impossible showcases how a fun family vacation can change in the blink of an eye. Director J.A. Bayona leaves little to the imagination, grounding the film in immense realism. He drops you into the inescapably rough waters before shifting gears toward a genuine human story. Through a micro-examination of the family rather than a more outward approach of the local victims, The Impossible is a very specific ordeal. The Impossible is a powerful film thanks in part to the visceral imagery, remarkable performances, and the fight against overwhelming odds. You may not be able to escape an event like this, but The Impossible brings a glimmer of hope through its story of perseverance.

7

‘The Poseidon Adventure’ (1972)

Image via 20th Century Studios

In 1972, Ronald Neame adapted Paul Gallico‘s 1969 novel The Poseidon Adventure into a cinematic event. The film depicts the titular aging luxury ocean liner on its voyage from New York City to Greece. Just after midnight on New Year’s Eve, the S.S. Poseidon is rocked by a rogue wave, capsizing the ship. As many passengers drown while awaiting help in the ballroom, Reverend Frank Scott (Gene Hackman) leads a small group to climb through the upside-down interior, facing off against raging fires, rising water, and block passages in hopes of safety. A high-stakes survival thriller, The Poseidon Adventure was simply groundbreaking

The Poseidon Adventure could have been a disaster with its epic all-star cast, which included five Oscar winners: Hackman, Jack Albertson, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, and Shelley Winters. Instead, it was a brilliant, simply unpredictable disaster film. Unlike other disaster films, this one has a buffer when it comes to its stars. With this stacked cast, major characters can and will die. The original story allowed for constant, realistic danger at every turn. With practical sets, real water and fire, and physical stunts performed by its stars, The Poseidon Adventure is a thrill of a watch. Though a sequel and remakes were made, nothing holds up as well as the original.

8

‘The Towering Inferno’ (1974)

Image via 20th Century Fox/Warner Bros.

Nothing is more terrifying than the thought of being stuck in a skyscraper during a major disaster. That fear is realized in 1974’s The Towering Inferno. Directed by John Guillermin, the all-star disaster film is set in the lavish, state-of-the-art 138-story building called the Glass Tower in San Francisco, where a massive fire breaks out during the grand opening dedication party. The building’s architect, Doug Roberts (Paul Newman), and fire chief Michael O’Hallorhan (Steve McQueen) work together to fight the blaze, rescue the trapped attendees, and survive the collapsing high-rise. A practical high-stakes thriller, The Towering Inferno is a disaster flick as you’ve never seen before.

The Towering Inferno became a groundbreaking hit thanks to its special effects. Using real Fire and Water, it put the actors right into the danger zone. Through highly detailed miniatures and massive sets, the film felt tangible. A dual production feat from 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros., The Towering Inferno featured one of the strongest ensembles in cinema, including Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Faye Dunaway, William Holden, and Robert Wagner, among others. The Towering Inferno constantly keeps the action moving and the audience on high alert. A spectacle from start to finish, The Towering Inferno remains one of the most influential disaster films of the decade.

9

‘Titanic’ (1997)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Advertisement

And now, we turn to the pinnacle film about the greatest sea disaster, Titanic. Directed by James Cameron, the Oscar-winning film depicts the maiden voyage of the Ship of Dreams through the eyes of an elderly woman named Rose (Gloria Stuart), who recounts her experience to treasure hunters. On board, upper-class Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) begins a forbidden affair with lower-class Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). As their romance heats up, the Titanic strikes an iceberg, causing a devastating tragedy for all on board. A cinematic marvel, Titanic might possibly be the greatest disaster film in Hollywood history.

Titanic is a brilliant romantic film, but its core is rooted in its disaster story. By anchoring the terrifying mechanics of a sinking ship to the romance between Jack and Rose, Cameron gives audiences a reason to care about individual lives during the terrifying ordeal. It humanizes the tragedy by the time disaster strikes. The film humanizes the story by telling a tale of classism in which status dictated potential for survival. By highlighting the stark realities of class barriers during evacuation and the chilling aftermath on the freezing water, Titanic is a complete drama. Cameron’s attention to detail made the film a groundbreaking feat. Cameron conducted deep-sea dives to film the actual wreck, which paired perfectly with the cinema technology. Titanic is a timeless classic.

10

‘Twister’ (1996)

Image via Warner Bros.

Advertisement

Not since The Wizard of Oz has a tornado been such an iconic piece of pop culture. Directed by Jan de Bont and written by Michael Crichton and Anne-Marie Martin, the 1996 blockbuster Twister follows Dr. Jo Harding (Helen Hunt) and a group of storm chasers in Oklahoma who brave extreme tornadoes to deploy a groundbreaking weather-research device named “Dorothy.” The team races against a well-funded corporate rival (Cary Elwes) who stole her ex-husband’s Bill Harding (Bill Paxton), design to try and beat them to the scientific breakthrough. Having past trauma of watching her father get swept away by an F5 tornado, Jo is motivated by the desire to bring safety to win. A relentless thriller, Twister merged a compelling and emotionally grounded story with a high-octane action narrative.

Unlike many disaster films that have their characters run away from the disaster, Twister has them racing straight into it. Twister is a tale about chasing danger straight on. The film focuses on the human story in relation to the great weather event. Though Jo and Billy may be separated, they’re together on a mission, reigniting the pressure cooker of love. To bring the tornado to life, Industrial Light & Magic used innovative particle simulations to make them feel practical. Combined with physical wind machines and practical debris, the action feels immersive. It was such a groundbreaking special effect that it even inspired a Universal Studios attraction. One of the defining disaster films of the decade, Twister’s legacy lives on today thanks to its legacy sequel.

Advertisement

Twister

Advertisement

Release Date

May 10, 1996

Runtime

Advertisement

113 minutes

Writers

Anne-Marie Martin, Michael Crichton

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

When one A-lister wears a shoe style, we take notes. When all of our favorite celebrity rich moms wear the same one, we add it to our cart immediately, as is the case with Hilary Duff‘s latest look. Her chic sneakers nail the low-profile Adidas trend, and we found her exact pair at Nordstrom!

These Adidas Japan Low-Top Sneakers are Duff’s pick for sporty-luxe style. She rocked them with a tank, leggings and a tote bag for the easiest errand outfit. But it’s not just Duff. We’ve also spotted Anne Hathaway, Mariska Hargitay and Nicole Kidman wearing similar pairs, proving it to be the rich mom ‘it’ look of 2026.

Get the Adidas Japan Low Top Sneakers for $130 at Nordstrom! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

With a sleek silhouette, a classic side-stripe logo and perforated detailing around the toes, these kicks are stylish by default. They combine soft suede and tumbled leather, a mixed-textile moment that channels retro and modern vibes at the same time.

Better yet, the perforations keep them breathable, and the insole is plush enough for long walks. One shopper said it “literally molds” to your foot while another said they can “walk for miles,” so do with that what you will. Whether you’re running errands or touring Europe, you’ll be glad you chose these timeless everyday sneakers.

We love the look of these Duff-approved low-tops with a tee and wide-leg jeans, but you can easily dress them up with a blouse and trousers. A five-star reviewer wrote, “They look great with anything. Can wear them anywhere from the office to a day or night out.”

To make things sweeter, they come in 22 colors, all rich-mom-coded. Some are even on sale, so don’t miss out on this celeb-loved style that’s dominating celebrity, rich mom and celebrity rich mom wardrobes everywhere!

Get the Adidas Japan Low Top Sneakers for $130 at Nordstrom! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication but are subject to change.

UsNow Fall Sale Alert: These chic fashion finds are up to 60% off – plus free shipping

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.

Shop the UsNow Fall Sale —>

Related: Ditch the Boots — Rich Girls Are Wearing These Luxe-Looking Shoes in 2026

When September hits, you may think it’s time to pull out your Chelsea boots. Well, not this year. Rich girls in New York, London and beyond are wearing elevated, luxe-looking shoes instead, and we found 13 chic pairs that capture the aesthetic. These polished sneakerinas, Mary Janes, mules and more are the ticket to high-class […]

Advertisement

Brandi Glanville is pulling back the curtain on just how consuming her ongoing health battle has become.

After years of searching for answers about the mysterious problems affecting her face, the former “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star revealed that her current routine includes roughly 18 hours of IV treatment a day.

Even more troubling, Glanville says the treatments have affected her appetite as she acknowledged her noticeably thin appearance.

In a new Instagram video, Glanville gave followers an unusually intimate look at what her days look like now.

“I know I’m so skinny right now,” the 53-year-old said before explaining that her treatments have affected her appetite. “I can’t eat because the things I do… decreases my food [sic]. I feel like death. I look like death.”

Advertisement

Rather than receiving all of her care at a medical facility, Glanville has learned how to manage portions of the process herself. She showed the equipment in her kitchen and explained that a nurse visits for several hours each evening.

Glanville identified one of her IV medications as imipenem, which she receives through a pump, before describing a schedule that continues overnight.

“18 hours a day,” she said per the Daily Mail. “It’s a lot of setup.”

Mayo Clinic describes imipenem-containing medications as antibiotics used to treat certain bacterial infections. Glanville, however, did not disclose a new diagnosis or explain precisely what infection her current regimen is targeting.

Advertisement

Glanville Says Fans Still Don’t Know Her Full Health Story

4

The video may have provided Brandi Glanville’s most revealing glimpse yet into her daily routine, but she made clear that it was not the complete story.

“For the first time, I’m showing you what my life has really looked like behind closed doors,” she said, pointing to the treatments, IVs, exhaustion and difficult days she previously kept private.

She added that there remains “a lot” she is not prepared to discuss publicly and labeled the video “Part 1,” suggesting more disclosures are coming.

That uncertainty is significant because Glanville has spent years trying to determine exactly what caused the facial problems that first came to public attention in 2024.

Her explanations have evolved as doctors uncovered new information, making her latest treatment another development in a medical journey that has repeatedly appeared close to resolution before taking another turn.

Advertisement

Brandi Glanville’s Health Battle Continued After Major Surgery

4

Earlier this year, there appeared to be a breakthrough. In February, Glanville revealed that one of her nearly two-decade-old breast implants had ruptured.

She said silicone had migrated into her lymph nodes and linked the problem to a severe infection.

The Blast previously obtained details about the surgery Glanville underwent to remove the ruptured implants. At the time, she was hopeful that doctors had finally identified the underlying problem after years of uncertainty.

Her ordeal had already included facial swelling and disfigurement, numerous medical consultations, and her belief that a parasite was contributing to her symptoms.

However, the surgery did not close the book on her health problems.

Advertisement

By June, Glanville was again telling listeners of her “Brandi Glanville Unfiltered” podcast that her face was “sinking in again” and that she still did not have all the answers.

More From The Blast

Glanville Later Discovered A Benign Tumor In Her Face

4

Another significant development came in June when Brandi Glanville disclosed that doctors had found a benign tumor in one of the lymph nodes in her face.

“I have a benign tumor in one of my lymph nodes in my face,” she said at the time, adding that it “could be why the fluid is going around my face.”

The finding came after Glanville noticed a lump that she said other doctors had previously dismissed as scar tissue. As The Blast previously covered, the reality personality also said her condition had made something as routine as wearing makeup difficult.

Separate comments reported by PEOPLE illustrated the extraordinary cost of her search for answers. Glanville said she had consulted 21 doctors and spent around $200,000 out of pocket while seeing specialists, including infectious-disease doctors and rheumatologists.

Advertisement

Brandi Glanville’s Latest Setback Follows A Brief Return To Normal Life

4

The severity of Glanville’s latest update is particularly striking considering how hopeful she sounded less than a year ago.

In November 2025, she said she was slowly returning to her normal routine after moving into a new home and focusing on a calmer environment.

Then, in January this year, she appeared ready for a more public comeback, showing off a dramatically refreshed appearance after spending much of the previous two years away from the spotlight.

The Blast covered Glanville’s cautious return to public life after her lengthy health ordeal, when the reality star appeared optimistic about finally moving forward.

Advertisement

The 20th century as a whole was far and away one of the most transformative eras in the history of literature. The art form was reshaped in innumerable ways between 1901 and 2000 by groundbreaking fiction novels like The Lord of the Rings and non-fiction masterpieces like The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. But while there are hundreds—if not thousands—of books that had a particularly noteworthy level of influence throughout the 20th century, those two are among ten books from the era whose impact was particularly huge.

There are numerous ways in which a book’s level of influence can be measured, often greatly depending on what kind of book it is. It can be a speculative fiction masterpiece that completely revolutionized the way future authors approached the genre, while an environmental science non-fiction book’s influence is perhaps better measured by its level of real-world impact. Regardless, the 20th century’s most influential books are still essential reading today.

10

‘The Structure of Scientific Revolutions’ (1962)

Image via University of Chicago Press

While many of the 20th century’s most hugely influential books were fiction, there were also plenty of non-fiction books that left an indelible mark on the era’s literary output. Case in point: historian and philosopher Thomas S. Kuhn‘s The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, where the author challenged the then-dominant view of scientific progress as a cumulative bundle of accepted theories, instead arguing in favor of an episodic model of alternating phases.

Nowadays, the ideas introduced by Kuhn here may not seem quite as novel anymore, but The Structure of Scientific Revolutions still reads as an absolutely brilliant cultural blueprint, one of those non-fiction books that are still a must-read in 2026. Its most influential contribution was the concept of paradigm shifts, one of the many reasons why this is essential reading not just for scholars, but for anyone interested in the history of modern science.

9

‘Things Fall Apart’ (1958)

Image via Random House

Throughout literature’s Victorian era and well into the first half of the 20th century, African texts were mostly dismissed by Western institutions as mere folklore, and English-language authors mostly wrote about Africa through an intensely colonial lens. Nigerian author Chinua Achebe‘s debut novel, Things Fall Apart, helped shift that narrative toward a far more authentic and less stereotype-heavy perspective hailing directly from Africa.

African literature as a whole was never the same again, nor was its reception on the international scene. Things Fall Apart, the first chapter in Achebe’s African Trilogy, is one of the most translated works of African literature in history. From pushing postcolonial studies forward to inspiring countless African authors to reclaim their native perspective, Things Fall Apart can’t be ignored as an essential piece of 20th-century literature.

8

‘The Great Gatsby’ (1925)

Image via Scribner

What is The Great American Novel? It’s a debate that has been going on since the mid-19th century, and with the United States having produced so many internationally influential masterpieces over the years, it’s a debate that will never have any one definitive answer. One of the books most often brought up in that conversation, however, is F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s The Great Gatsby, a tragedy novel inspired by a romance Fitzgerald shared with socialite Ginevra King in his youth.

Fitzgerald was only 29 years old when the book was published, and even though it was a commercial disappointment (leading Fitzgerald to die believing himself to be a failure), the years have been nothing but kind to both it and Fitzgerald’s whole legacy. It was after the Council on Books in Wartime distributed over 150,000 free copies to American soldiers overseas during World War II that the novel’s readership was catapulted into the stratosphere. With that, by the late 20th century, The Great Gatsby had already become entrenched in international literary pop culture, one of the most defining masterworks ever written about wealth, class, and the American Dream.

7

‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (1960)

Image via J. B. Lippincott & Co.

Harper Lee was an immensely important figure for 20th-century American literature, mostly thanks to the Pulitzer-winning To Kill a Mockingbird. This Southern Gothic masterpiece was an instant hit, and as the years have passed, it still continues to be widely remembered as one of the best American books of the last 100 years.

To Kill a Mockingbird is generally regarded as one of those books that everyone should read before they die, and for good reason. Published right as the Civil Rights Movement was gaining momentum, the novel proved the level of depth and nuance with which American books could study topics like racial prejudice, injustice, and empathy. Though there are definitely elements of the novel that haven’t aged the best by modern standards, they only add further nuance to the conversation on why To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most influential books of the 20th century.

6

‘Silent Spring’ (1962)

Image via Mariners Books Classics

In the late 1950s, Rachel Carson started working on environmental conservation, and from that long period of research came Silent Spring. This unprecedented masterpiece of environmental science literature is mainly focused on the environmental harm caused by the indiscriminate use of DDT, a pesticide that soldiers used during WWII. Due to its critiques of the chemical industry, plenty of companies spoke out fiercely against Carson’s work upon Silent Spring‘s publication, but their complaints were for naught.

Silent Spring was nothing if not hugely successful in bringing issues of environmentalism to the public. Its immediate impact was most strongly felt in the United States, where it led to widespread legislative change. Even around the world, however, the book has proven massively influential, helping spark public awareness around the use of pesticides and boosting the global fight for protecting the environment.

5

‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ (1967)

Image via Harper & Row

Sometime between the 1960s and 1970s, Latin America became the epicenter of world literature, benefiting from a literary explosion that catapulted the masterpieces of authors like Gabriel García Márquez into international prominence. There’s really no question as to which one of this legendary Colombian author’s works is most foundational, though: it has to be One Hundred Years of Solitude, arguably the most important Spanish-language book since Don Quixote—and certainly the most influential.

It was mainly magical realism that made Latin American literature so universally acclaimed throughout the late 20th century, so it’s no wonder that One Hundred Years of Solitude is one of the best magical realism books of all time. The book further enshrined this fantasy subgenre as a major literary force and helped shape generations of global talent. Márquez was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982, and One Hundred Years of Solitude was a major reason why.

4

‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ (1947)

Image via Contact Publishing

Commonly known as The Diary of Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl is a book collecting the diary entries that German-born Jewish girl Anne Frank wrote while hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Though Anne died in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, her diaries were retrieved and delivered to her father, Otto Frank, who edited the text himself and ensured that her writing was shared with the world.

It’s one of the most heartbreaking books of all time, and though it proved hugely influential for the memoir genre as a whole, much of its influence came outside of the realm of literature. On top of helping to humanize the victims of the Holocaust, the book has become absolutely vital in understanding the psychological effects and the pure human cost of genocide. Across literature, education, international human rights, and the world’s understanding of the Holocaust, Diary of a Young Girl has proven to be one of the most influential non-fiction works of modern times.

3

‘The Lord of the Rings’ (1954–1955)

Image via Allen & Unwin

There are remarkably few fantasy books that rival The Lord of the Rings, and that’s because J. R. R. Tolkien‘s magnum opus completely changed the course of not just fantasy literature, but speculative fiction as a whole. Originally published in three volumes, this Hero’s Journey epic was actually not as much of a critical darling back in the ’50s as The Hobbit had been back in the ’30s. It was over the years that Lord of the Rings kept establishing itself not just as an undisputed masterpiece, but as the single most important fantasy novel of the 20th century.

It’s not just that Tolkien reshaped the way authors approached fantasy, establishing the blueprint for countless tropes in ways whose influence can still be felt today. The Lord of the Rings completely transformed pop culture itself, from tabletop RPGs to cinema, helping popularize speculative fiction within the mainstream like the world had never seen before. For several decades following the ’50s, pretty much any high fantasy epic that was published was either intentionally similar to Lord of the Rings or an intentional subversion of the rules it laid down.

2

‘Ulysses’ (1922)

Image via Penguin Modern Classics

Advertisement

If there is any one book from the 20th century that’s most often labeled as the era’s single greatest work of fiction, it’s James Joyce‘s Ulysses, one of those books that are an absolute masterclass in prose. Originally serialized in the American journal The Little Review between 1918 and 1920, the book was finally published in book form in Paris in 1922. Modernist literature saw writers reject traditional styles to reflect a world transformed by war and industrialization, and Ulysses is typically praised as the best and most important modernist novel ever.

This is a truly monumental paragon of 20th-century literature, written and structured like a stream of consciousness. Never before had the world read a novel so psychologically complex, so stylistically daring, and so gleefully transgressive. By mapping the mundane events of a single day in a character’s life in Dublin onto Homer‘s The Odyssey, Joyce not only proved that 20th-century folks’ ordinary lives could be as mythical as any ancient epic, but also that literature was readying itself for more dramatic transformations than it had ever seen.

1

‘1984’ (1949)

Image via Secker & Warburg

Advertisement

The debate on what the most influential book of the 20th century is is one where no singular answer could possibly satisfy everyone, but it’s quite likely that the most universally accepted response would be George Orwell‘s 1984. It was definitely not Orwell who invented dystopian literature, nor was 1984 even the first mega-influential dystopian masterpiece from the 20th century, but it sure was—and still is—the most culturally significant.

On the one hand, there’s the book’s impact purely on literature, having influenced countless artists who over the years have spoken out against totalitarianism, repression, and mass surveillance. Then, there’s the book’s overarching cultural impact, so large that it’s difficult to put into words. From introducing terms like “Big Brother” and “thoughtcrime” to the global lexicon, to the book’s timeless (and often referenced) warnings against fascism and oppression, to the birth of the also-often-referenced term “Orwellian,” 1984 has had a level of widespread influence that can’t be overstated.