2026 has been a big year for Prime Video already, with new seasons of The Boys and Invincible showing up for fans of superhero content. The streamer also expanded its arsenal of original movies with a pair of big new releases, The Wrecking Crew and The Bluff. The former is a Hawaii-set crime thriller starring Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista, and the latter is a swashbuckling epic starring Karl Urban and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Prime Video also dipped into the detective department for a brand-new thriller show, Young Sherlock, which hails from legendary action writer and director Guy Ritchie. The show has already been picked up for Season 2. Like any good streamer, though, Prime Video is always looking to grow its library of originals, and it will do just that soon with the premiere of Bloodaxe.

Bloodaxe has been hailed as a Vikings replacement series, and while the show has yet to set a release date for Season 1, Prime Video has just made a big decision regarding the future of the series. This morning, Prime Video confirmed that Bloodaxe has been renewed for Season 2, proving that the streamer has supreme confidence that the first season of the show is going to be a massive hit. The show was written and executive produced by Michael and Horatio Hirst, creators of Vikings, who also confirmed that the second season begins shooting in Ireland in just a few weeks. Not only is the show going to be perfect for fans of the popular Vikings series, but gamers who enjoyed spending time in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla may yet find a new favorite TV show with Bloodaxe.

What Is ‘Bloodaxe’ About?

Prime Video describes Bloodaxe as an “epic historical drama that tells the true story of legendary Viking warrior Erik Bloodaxe and his formidable wife, Gunnhild, Mother of Kings.” Xavier Molyneux has been cast in the lead role of Erik in the new historical epic series, and Jessica Madsen will play his wife, Gunnhild. Additional cast members include Karlis Arnolds Avots, Levi Miller, Rod Hallett, Alina Tomnikov, Sisse Marrie, Rune Temte, and Jesper Christensen. Although an official release date for Season 1 has yet to be announced, with the team scheduled to begin production on Season 2 in August, it likely won’t be long before more information about the premiere is made available.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Bloodaxe, which has two seasons confirmed to be coming to Prime Video.

Tom Hiddleston is trading in the magic of Asgard for the history and the devastation of ancient Rome. He’s been playing the God of Mischief on our screens for so long it’s sometimes difficult to believe if he’s telling us the truth or if he’s weaving another one of his tales, but the one thing Hiddleston does well is that he can put across his natural charisma, curiosity and presence on-screen and he’s bringing it to one of history’s greatest disasters.

The fabled eruption of Mount Vesuvius has been retold countless times, but National Geographic’s newest series is taking a more investigative approach, trying to figure out moment by moment exactly what went down on the day history changed forever. This time, the story of Pompeii is being rebuilt through the people who lived through its final hours. National Geographic has debuted the trailer for Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston, a new three-part docudrama premiering July 22 at 9/8c on National Geographic before arriving July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu. The series is hosted by Hiddleston and reunites him with Loki executive producer Kevin R. Wright.

As per the logline, the series “blends cinematic scripted drama with investigative documentary storytelling that transports audiences to ancient Rome in the hours before and during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Guided by a team of archaeologists, historians, geologists, and disaster experts, Tom uncovers remarkable evidence and stories of real people that challenge long-held assumptions about Pompeii and its final hours.”

“The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life,” said Hiddleston. “Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest and real. Our relationship with the past is alive — studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation. It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series. Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer, we can uncover the details of people’s lives, the choices they made, and the moments that came before the city was buried. To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people, caught in an extraordinary moment, and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light, is a genuine honor.”

What Happened in Pompeii?

In AD 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying Pompeii, an ancient city near modern day Naples. The eruption buried Pompeii under volcanic ash and pumice, and it killed many of the people who couldn’t escape from the carnage. What makes Pompeii so haunting and iconic, for lack of a better word, is how the ash preserved huge parts of the city almost like a time capsule — streets, homes, shops, frescoes, graffiti, and even the shapes of victims’ bodies were left behind.

In modern terms, around 800,000 people live in the Vesuvius red zone today, and in terms of disruption to infrastructure, mass displacement and deaths, Hurricane Katrina is probably the best rough match in a Western context. Long story short, this was an unprecedented disaster, and it happened in seconds.

Pompeii: Out of Time With Tom Hiddleston premieres July 22 on National Geographic and streams July 23 on Disney+ and Hulu.

‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 continues to break records, with the season becoming Peacock’s biggest original season debut to date. While viewers may love the onscreen drama, romance, and unforgettable moments, it takes a huge team behind the scenes to bring the magic to life.

Following an unexpected loss, many members of the ‘Love Island USA’ cast, crew, and production team are grieving the passing of a key figure who helped make the hit series possible.

RELATED: Sean Reifel Breaks His Silence After ‘Love Island USA’ Elimination While His Sister’s Reaction Goes Viral (PHOTO + VIDEO)

‘Love Island USA’ Team Mourns The Loss Of Executive Producer James Barker

On Monday, ITV America and Peacock confirmed to TMZ that executive producer James Barker passed away last week after experiencing an unexpected medical emergency.

The exact circumstances surrounding his death have not been disclosed. However, the companies shared that they plan to honor Barker during Tuesday’s episode of ‘Love Island USA.’

In a statement, the companies said Barker’s loss has been “deeply felt” across the ‘Love Island USA’ production team. They added, “He was a beloved and greatly valued member of our collective family whose kindness, talent, and dedication left an indelible mark on all of us and everyone who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. We extend our heartfelt condolences to James’ partner, family, friends, and colleagues.”

James Barker’s Partner Speaks Out Following His Sudden Passing

James Barker’s partner, Adam Roth, spoke with TMZ and shared that his sudden passing has left him completely devastated. The couple had been together for more than four years.

He told the outlet, “James was the absolute light and love of my life. He brought joy and brilliance to everything he touched. His loss is unimaginable. While it was not enough, I am so thankful for the time we had and the memories we made together.”

Social Media Sends Their Condolences 

Many ‘Love Island USA’ viewers across social media gathered to send their condolences to James Barker’s family, loved ones, and colleagues. Some stepped into The Shade Room to reflect on the impact he had behind the scenes and to share heartfelt messages honoring his life and legacy.

Instagram @itsgeniale_ wrote, “Wait wtf omg my condolences to their family and friends”

Instagram user @jillscottdeepthroatingamic added, “having someone die while filming is actually O so traumatic & sad. you forget life is still happening while working these sets. my heart goes out to him, his family, their cast & crew & anyone else in my beautiful industry that got to work w/ him.”

While Instagram user @kaay.jpg wrote, “Omg!!! Gimme 10”

Instagram user @therissashoww wrote. “That so sad he didn’t make back to his family 💔”

Instagram user @lou_awori added, “This is so sad! May God bless their soul! So sad, they need to pause filming”

While Instagram user @baby_cee5 wrote, “yal remember when that owl flew on that episode. i said death was somewhere nearby”

Instagram user @yeminichole wrote, “Someone literally died and all you can think about is for the episode to drop! We genuinely lost the plot. Entertainment is the downfall of humanity. Condolences to his family and friends”

RELATED: Vasana Montgomery Speaks Out After Being Removed From ‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 For Allegedly Using Racial Slur In Resurfaced Clips

Days after a 21-year-old woman died during an extreme sports outing in Brazil, more details are surfacing about the case. As previously reported, Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas was at Skeleton Bridge on June 13 to do rope jumping. Initial reports had listed the activity in São Paulo as bungee jumping. Viral videos show three instructors holding the 21-year-old above their heads. Moments later, two of them launch her into a 130-foot drop with no safety cord attached. New details are now shedding light on what happened after Maria hit the ground and who is being held responsible for her death.

RELATED: Whew! Social Media Is Still In Disbelief After Viral Video Shows Woman Moments Before Bungee Jump Incident (REACTIONS)

21-Year-Old Reportedly Asked For “Airplane Hold” During Rope Jumping

Associated Press reports that Maria Eduarda Rodrigues and several others were at the Ponte do Esqueleto on Saturday for rope jumping. Such extreme sports activities are seemingly common for tourists at the “abandoned bridge” in Limeira, Brazil.

21-year-old Maria, per AP, requested to be launched from the bridge in an airplane-style. Again, she was supposed to be secured to a safety rope system that would’ve had her fall into a horizontal, pendulum swing. Bungee jumping, by contrast, relies on elastic rubber cords that create a bounce effect. Meanwhile, rope jumping uses low-stretch climbing ropes. In viral videos of Maria being launched into the abyss, a rope is visible on the ground of the Skeleton Bridge.

Ahead of the fatal toss, Maria had reportedly joked on Instagram about jumping off the bridge. She captioned a photo of the jumping area with, “Who was the crazy person who let me up off a bridge?” 

Woman Allegedly Didn’t Die On Impact After Brazil Bridge Drop

In the viral footage, Maria is seen with her arms outstretched as the male instructors hoisted her body above their heads. They all appear to be wearing harnesses seemingly attached to a security rope. Three people missed that the 21-year-old wasn’t attached to anything, but onlookers quickly reacted after witnessing the throw.

Speaking to local news, a witness in the rope jumping incident claimed that Maria Eduarda Rodrigues didn’t instantly die after hitting the ground. TMZ says an off-duty nurse, Rayza Dias, told local media that Maria initially survived the impact of her 130-foot drop. Dias allegedly found the 21-year-old still conscious and talked to her, attempting to reassure her that she’d be okay. However, medical professionals later pronounced Maria dead on the scene. The extent of her injuries from the drop is not yet public information. According to the Associated Press, de Freitas was buried in São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday (June 14).

Three Instructors Charged Claim They Don’t Remember Who Was In Charge Of Safety Check

Initial reports claimed that police had detained six people in connection with the fatal rope jumping incident. As of Tuesday (June 16), officials arrested and charged three instructors who worked for the rope jumping company. Their charges include homicide with eventual intent. Brazilian law reportedly allows for that charge in cases where someone didn’t mean to kill another, but was knowingly involved in a dangerous act with a fatal risk.

Additionally, NBC News identified the jumping instructors as 32-year-old Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 27-year-old Vitor de Freitas Goncalves and 42-year-old Maicon Fernandes Cintra. The instructors were reportedly arrested while “in flagrante,” which means while attempting to flee the scene. Investigator Andrea Levy said the male instructors acknowledged Maria wasn’t attached to any safety ropes. However, they claimed they didn’t remember who was responsible for checking her equipment. Meanwhile, a defense attorney for the rope jumping instructors claimed they remain in shock.

RELATED: Prayers Up! 12 People Reportedly Killed After Skydiving Plane Crashes In Missouri (PHOTOS)

Travis Kelce and brother Jason Kelce delivered an entertaining live show for fans of their podcast, “New Heights.”

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end, 36, and the retired Philadelphia Eagles center, 38, hosted a live installment of their popular podcast at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, June 15.

While Travis’ fiancée, Taylor Swift, didn’t make it in person to the event — she instead stayed back in New York City and was spotted arriving at Electric Lady Studios — the NFL star found a way to honor the pop star in his own special way. In the hours before the live show began, a parody movie poster of the 1990 rom-com Pretty Woman was displayed on stage, per footage circulating online. But instead of stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere being featured, it was Travis and Swift, with the title reading, Pretty Man.

The inside joke spawns from a 2025 episode of “New Heights,” where Travis joked he was living out a gender-swapped version of the beloved film by being with a “high-class” woman like Swift. (The movie follows a successful businessman who hires a Hollywood escort to be his companion for the week before the pair end up falling in love.)

“That’s why me and Julia Roberts — when I met Julia — it felt like we were the same person. She spoke to me in this movie,” Travis joked at the time. “I’m just an NFL stripper, that’s it — just an NFL hooker, man.”

Despite being in the NFL offseason, the “New Heights” live event comes amid a busy time for Travis. Career-wise, he participated in a Chiefs mandatory minicamp in Kansas City, Missouri, from Tuesday, June 9, through Thursday, June 11, and released his and Jason’s book, No Dumb Questions: And All of Our Dumbest Answers, on June 2.

In his personal life, Travis has been enjoying downtime with his fiancée, Taylor Swift, with date nights in New York City and Cleveland in recent weeks. The couple are also counting down to their highly anticipated wedding. Although details are still under wraps, the nuptials are expected to take place before Travis begins Chiefs training camp in late July.

In April, Us Weekly exclusively revealed that Travis and Swift, 36, are working together to plan their big day.

“They’re both involved and making decisions together,” a source told Us at the time, adding that the pair are “focused on actually enjoying the process rather than getting caught up in the pressure” as their wedding approaches. “They’re keeping things light.”

According to the insider, the bride and groom “have both been very laid back” about the planning after making “a conscious decision not to let it cause any tension between them.”

As for Travis’ desire to participate, the source added, “Taylor thinks it’s cute that Travis cares about a lot of the details.”

Advertisement

Related: What We Know About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce‘s Wedding So Far

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are gearing up to say “I do.” The couple announced their engagement in 2025, sharing a photo of Kelce down on one knee as he popped the question to Swift. “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the pair captioned their Instagram post at the time. Since […]

To keep the specifics private, Travis and Swift “aren’t even sure they will” mail hard-copy invitations to their guests. Regardless, “their closest friends and family know the venue and the date,” the insider noted, “even if nothing formal has been sent out.”

Meanwhile, the duo’s families are “letting Taylor and Travis do their thing and aren’t getting too involved or giving too many opinions.”

For his part, Jason has been vocal about his aspiration of standing beside his younger brother when Travis and Swift exchange vows.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

“Hopefully I’m the best man. We’ll see. Trav has a lot of friends,” he said on a September 2025 episode of the “Bussin’ With the Boys” podcast. “I’m just hoping to get the opportunity.”

Later that year, Jason addressed whether he was “prepared” to make a best man speech at Travis’ wedding.

“Time will tell if there is one or anything like that,” he replied during a December 2025 appearance on Good Morning America. “I’ve been given no details on that front, but however I’m involved, I’ll be happy to be. I’m just happy for those two.”

Movies and musicals take our normal, ho-hum human experiences and turn them into ginormous explosions of emotion. On their own, these forms provide catharsis, but when you combine them? Buckle your culture-lovin’ seatbelts, baby. Movie musicals have been around since the very beginning of film history, which begins with the borrowing of devices and talent from the creators of stage musicals. With the ability to finesse and craft set pieces you simply could not in a real-life time-and-space theatrical setting, movie musicals like The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg became the symbols of filmic creativity, ingenuity, prestige, and good old-fashioned popcorn fun.

But as we’ve made our way into this 21st century, beginning with the year 2000, the movie musical has become something of an exception rather than a rule of cinematic expectations and impulses. In other words, when a contemporary movie musical comes out, it “means something.” These are the 25 best movie musicals of the 21st century, celebrating the glory of music, dance, and losing oneself in the magic of cinema.

25

‘The Greatest Showman’ (2017)

Image via 20th Century Studios

The one requirement for The Greatest Showman is to simply accept that it is not (nor does it really attempt to be) a truthful account of P.T. Barnum’s life, which is oddly fitting given its main character. Instead, The Greatest Showman constantly shoots for uplift and joy with a terrific litany of songs from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul constructed with some really artful and impressive direction from Michael Gracey, making his feature debut.

You also have a terrific cast leaning into this version of Barnum’s story, with Hugh Jackman perfectly endearing as the sweet-if-misguided showman. Like any good musical, these songs are bound to get stuck in your head, but you’re not going to mind when you’re fist-pumping to “This Is Me” for the 400th time. —Matt Goldberg

24

‘Pitch Perfect’ (2012)

Image via Universal Pictures

The 21st century has been dominated by pop music, and in that way, 2012’s Pitch Perfect may be one of the musicals that best encapsulates the dominating musical taste of an era. Directed by Jason Moore and written by Kay Cannon, the film started as a witty twist on the boon of competitive a capella groups but, somewhere along the way, morphed into a sharp college comedy packed with killer renditions of pop songs.

Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick and scene-stealer Rebel Wilson lead an effortlessly charming cast that’s heavy on both vocal and comedic talent. The sequels fell far short of the same kind of magic that made Pitch Perfect a hit, but the first film still stands as a tremendously watchable and catchy good time. —Adam Chitwood

23

‘Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping’ (2010)

Image via Universal Pictures

There’s some confusion about what exactly qualifies a film as a “musical.” It feels like the correct answer is somewhere along the lines of “any film featuring non-diegetic musical numbers performed by the characters to explain their motivations and advance the narrative,” but that definition would exclude movies like Sing. Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping, the 2016 comedy from The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer), isn’t a musical in the classic sense, but it is 100% a comedy about music, featuring roughly a dozen hilarious original songs by narcissistic fictional megastar Connor4Real (Samberg).

The film follows Connor as he embarks on a massive tour to promote the release of his hotly anticipated sophomore album. In addition to being a razor-sharp satire of pop music superstars and the superficial lifestyle of social media influencers, the songs are legitimate bops, and many of them are performed in elaborate stage numbers that are both funny as hell and quite impressive. It also features a number of fun cameos from the music industry, including standout bits involving Adam Levine, Seal, and Justin Timberlake. —Tom Reimann

22

‘Dancer in the Dark’ (2000)

Image via Fine Line Features

Dancer in the Dark, like many of Lars von Trier’s movies, can feel overly, even unfairly punitive. Björk‘s leading character is a poor factory worker with an eye condition and a desire to stop her son from suffering what she has as a result of vile circumstances and, more tellingly, vile human nature. Her suffering happens in unsparing, grimly constructed detail; one of von Trier’s more smeary Dogme 95 works shot on gnarly DV tape.

But if you stare amid this path toward human annihilation, you will find a ton of beauty, escape, and one of the wildest usages of the musical form. When the banal evils of Björk’s life become too much to bear, she subsumes herself into a musical fantasy world. Suddenly, the colors brighten, the cameras become more intentionally composed, and the world turns into a song-and-dance fantasia where things dip their toes into the pool of “making sense.” This dichotomy in styles, in truth versus fantasy, makes for a gripping, gritty watch, a film that retains a blunt power of efficacy in all kinds of emotional directions. —Gregory Lawrence

21

‘Frozen’ (2013)

Image via Disney

Frozen is clearly one of Disney’s most popular and most successful films in the 21st century, but it’s also one of their best. The movie feels like an adaptation of a Broadway musical, even though it’s really a loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen. Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel create real magic with their voices in service of a familiar but unexpectedly fresh take on sisterhood.

The songs drive the story, and songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez expertly weave a tale of rejection, familial love, and acceptance throughout this phenomenal soundtrack. “Let It Go” was a years-long earworm for a reason, but the childlike wonder of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman” and the silly hilarity of “In Summer” solidify this as one of the best musicals and musical soundtracks of the 21st century. —Adam Chitwood

20

‘Happy Feet’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros.

George Miller‘s odd, dark, and often fun animated look at the lives of singing and dancing penguins belongs on this list if for no other reason than this: when the film was screened for Prince to get his approval to use his song “Kiss,” he ended up liking it so much that he wrote an original song for it. The concept of a movie musical is baked into the core DNA of Happy Feet, as we learn an important fact about penguins previously unknown to the human world — when adult penguins are trying to find their perfect mates, they sing their “heartsongs” to find out what songs might be compatible.

The mash-ups of pop/rock favorites like “Boogie Wonderland,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Somebody to Love,” “I Wish,” and more are very solid, with the added bonus of the great voice cast lending their vocal talents. While some slight emotional scarring may occur after viewing (those seals were scary), Miller remains a master of the slightly disturbing but ultimately charming family film. —Liz Shannon Miller

19

‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again’ (2018)

Image via Universal Pictures

There are classic sequels that are regarded as vast improvements over their predecessors. Then, there’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, which takes the Godfather Part II approach of being both a sequel and a prequel to the first film. The first film was cute and charming, basically feeling like a group of great actors just going on vacation to Greece and doing an epic week of drinking, dancing, and karaoke singing while someone brought a camera along. However, Here We Go Again actually feels like a proper movie.

The story has some nuance to it, the characters have depth and arcs to them, and the actors actually look like they’re trying. And even if you lose one Meryl Streep, you win Lily James, Andy Garcia, and freaking Cher — and Cher makes everything better. This is as close as you get to a contemporary take on a classic Hollywood musical-turned-summer blockbuster. The musical numbers actually move the story along through visual storytelling while the choreography is shot like classic MGM musicals, and there are some visually impressive camera movements and editing tricks done to merge timelines and story threads. —Rafael Motamayor

18

‘Moana’ (2016)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

With a resume of beloved Disney animated musical classics that includes The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, writers/directors Ron Clements and John Musker hit the mark again with 2016’s Moana. This time with a musical assist from Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda, who co-wrote the film’s songs alongside Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina. The result is a charming, catchy-as-hell reinvention of the Disney princess narrative.

Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) isn’t your average fairytale princess ready to risk it all for love; she’s the future leader of her people, an ambitious, clever, and athletic hero chosen by the ocean for a mythic adventure that brings her face-to-face with the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson). The mythology and magic that made Clements and Musker’s previous films such favorites are on full display, but Moana‘s not-so-secret weapon is the enchanting soundtrack, a fusion of traditional music and belting Broadway numbers. —Haleigh Foutch

17

‘The Muppets’ (2011)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

2011’s The Muppets gives fans of these felt-constructed mischief-makers (and Kermit, who’s just trying to hold the mischief together) everything they’d want in a musical comedy version while charting identities of their own. The Muppets, featuring star and co-writer Jason Segel, is full of heart, its standout songs being tearjerkers like “Pictures in My Head” and Oscar-winner “Man or Muppet.”

A successful reinvention of a classic and beloved formula, The Muppets gives a broad, clean overview of what the titular characters can provide. Moreover, this charming and contagious musical makes audiences keenly aware of the prodigious talents of director James Bobin and songwriter Bret McKenzie. —Gregory Lawrence

16

‘Wicked’ (2024)

Image via Universal Pictures

The massively popular musical Wicked took its sweet time to get to the silver screen, but the wait was worth it — for the most part, anyway. Academy Award nominee Cynthia Erivo stars as Elphaba, the notorious green witch who forms an unexpected bond with the pink-obsessed Galinda (Ariana Grande) and discovers dangerous secrets about her land and the mysterious wizard who rules it.

Although suitably larger-than-life, Wicked is also surprisingly stale and lacking in the whimsy and charm of its stage source material. The grey, washed-up cinematography fails to convey the magic of Oz, so it’s up to the lead actresses to sell the fantasy aspect of the story. Luckily, Erivo and Grande rise to the challenge, doing justice to these iconic characters and ultimately making Wicked a worthwhile offering with irresistible songs and a few jaw-dropping sequences. —David Caballero

Bunnie Xo clapped back at rumors that her marriage was troubled less than a year before her estranged husband Jelly Roll filed for divorce.

“Someone said the other day, ‘They used to always be together, and now you never see them together,’” Bunnie, 46, said in an August 2025 episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast. “I’m like, ‘Do you guys not know that for the past six months [that] I’ve been trying to make a baby?’”

Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, June 15, that Jelly Roll (real name: Jason Bradley DeFord), 41, filed for divorce from Bunnie (real name: Alisa DeFord) in May in Tennessee after nearly a decade of marriage. On the same day, Bunnie made a cryptic Instagram post about finding her “sparkle” again.

Us has reached out to representatives of both stars for comment.

The podcaster previously responded to marriage speculation after Jelly Roll had a whirlwind summer in 2025, including headlining a European tour with Post Malone and even meeting Pope Leo XIV during a visit to Vatican City.

At the time, Bunnie Xo insisted she wasn’t able to join her husband on the road because they were exploring fertility options. (Jelly Roll shares son Noah Buddy, 9, with ex Melisa Ann Cowell and daughter Bailee Ann, 18, with ex Felicia Beckwith.)

“My husband has to work to f***ing bring home the bacon,” Bunnie told podcast listeners last August. “Luckily, I get the luxury of working from home. He doesn’t. He has to make appearances, but I literally have been on IVF meds for f***ing six months and going through heartbreak and f***ing so much s***.”

She added, “That’s why you haven’t seen me [because] mama’s about to pop out. I gotta remind them. I might even do a sexy photoshoot and piss off all the f***ing [haters].”

The former couple did resume making public appearances together earlier this year, including stepping out for a pre-Grammy gala in January and then exchanging PDA on the red carpet of the music industry awards show in February.

Also in February, Bunnie Xo opened up in her memoir Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic about how she and Jelly Roll rebuilt their marriage after he cheated several years ago. (Jelly Roll described his infidelity as “one of the worst moments of my adulthood” in an October 2025 appearance on the “Human School” podcast.)

Bunnie exclusively spoke to Us about why she was honest with her readers about the “betrayal” she felt over her husband’s cheating.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Related: Bunnie Xo Fires Back at Critic Blasting Her for Staying With Jelly Roll

Bunnie Xo clapped back at an Instagram commenter who criticized her for staying with her husband Jelly Roll after he had an affair. “It takes a stronger woman to face pain head-on, do the work, and rebuild with the man she loves instead of running or gossiping,” replied Bunnie Xo (real name Bunnie DeFord). “Growth […]

“I don’t think anybody can just snap out of it. It is a process. You’re literally grieving and you’re heartbroken but you’re still in love with this person. Even though the affair is a part of the book, it’s not our story,” she told Us in February. “It’s literally what catapulted us into who we are today and I think that readers [of her memoir] need to definitely consume it, chew on it and think about it. But they also see what we’ve made from that entire situation. It completely changed who we are as humans and how we looked at love.”

Jelly Roll confessed to People later in February that it was “rough at times” to read Bunnie’s candid memoir.

“We went through a lot of pain and having to go through it together, but reading the
whole book and seeing where it ended at is really touching,” he added. “I’m just proud of her for telling her story so unapologetically. I mean, she talks about everything fearlessly, from domestic assault to sexual assault. I’m just proud of her. She’s so brave.”

Corey Feldman is undergoing medical testing after suffering a frightening health emergency while flying back to Los Angeles. 

The former child star reportedly became seriously ill during a flight from Chicago, prompting medical attention in the air before paramedics met him upon landing. 

The alarming incident comes just days after Feldman reunited with his beloved “Stand by Me” co-stars for anniversary events and months after he publicly addressed the controversy surrounding his exclusion from a tribute honoring late filmmaker Rob Reiner.

Corey Feldman was rushed to a hospital after experiencing what sources described as a serious medical issue aboard a flight bound for Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.

According to TMZ, the actor became ill while returning home from Chicago and was examined by a doctor who happened to be on the flight. 

Sources told the outlet that physicians believe the condition may be related to pancreatitis or gallstones, though Feldman is still undergoing tests to determine the exact cause.

The Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed that emergency personnel responded to the airport after receiving a call involving a passenger experiencing a medical emergency. 

A spokesperson said a 54-year-old male was transported to a local medical facility for additional evaluation and treatment. It was later confirmed that the patient was Feldman.

The alarming situation unfolded just as the actor was wrapping up a busy weekend of public appearances tied to one of the most beloved films of his career.

Feldman Reunited With ‘Stand By Me’ Cast Days Earlier

Just before the health scare, Corey Feldman had been traveling for a pair of special events marking the 40th anniversary of the classic coming-of-age film “Stand by Me.”

The actor reunited with former castmates Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton, along with host Dan Pasternack, for live anniversary celebrations in Indiana on Saturday and Chicago on Sunday.

Directed by Rob Reiner, the 1986 film follows a group of childhood friends who embark on a journey to find the body of a missing boy. 

The cast also famously included the late River Phoenix, whose performance remains one of the film’s most memorable elements.

The anniversary celebrations carried extra emotional weight this year, as they arrived months after the tragic deaths of Rob and his wife Michele Reiner.

Corey Feldman Addressed Oscars Tribute Controversy

The anniversary events also gave Feldman an opportunity to address lingering feelings about being excluded from the tribute to Rob during the 98th Annual Academy Awards in March.

Many viewers were surprised when O’Connell and Wheaton appeared on stage as part of the tribute while Feldman was absent.

Reflecting on the situation, the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” star told Entertainment Weekly, “I think Jerry and Wil did what had to be done.”

While he downplayed the significance of missing the brief segment, he admitted he wished participants had been given a greater opportunity to speak from the heart.

“It was a fleeting moment, so I don’t feel like I missed much at all,” Feldman said, adding, “I personally was probably maybe a little bothered by the fact that nobody got to speak or do or say anything from their own heart.”

Feldman acknowledged that “it is what it is,” while also admitting that “it felt a little bit like a family reunion I wasn’t invited to.”

Feldman Mourned Rob Reiner’s Tragic Death

Although Corey Feldman acknowledged feeling left out, he emphasized that the larger tragedy remained the deaths of Rob and Michele.

“We’re not going to use this time to go into my feeling about that,” Feldman said regarding the Oscars controversy. Instead, he focused on the tragedy itself.

“Instead I just want to say that I’m with the rest of us, we’re all very destroyed that things went down the way they did, losing Rob when we all thought he’d be joining us at some point for this tour and it’s a tragedy,” he added. 

Rob and his wife were killed inside their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. 

Corey Feldman Previously Responded To Being Left Out

Prior to the Academy Awards, a source revealed that Feldman was deeply hurt by being excluded from the tribute.

The insider claimed to the Daily Mail that he viewed the omission as a major “slap in the face” and had hoped for an opportunity to publicly honor the filmmaker he admired.

According to reports, both O’Connell and Wheaton weren’t happy about the omission either. They allegedly contacted Academy organizers seeking answers about Feldman’s absence from the tribute.

Sources claimed the pair believed Feldman should have been included and were frustrated when their inquiries reportedly received no response.

Before the ceremony took place, Feldman briefly addressed the issue directly on social media.

“HI FOLLOWERS & SUPPORTERS, I JUST WANT 2 BRIEFLY MENTION THIS WHOLE OSCARS THING!” he wrote on X.

He continued, “YES ITS TRUE THAT I WAS NOT INVITED, I UNDERSTAND MANY BELIEVE ITS DUE 2 BEING OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THE ABUSE I SUFFERED AS A CHILD & THE CAMPAIGN 2 SILENCE ME.”

However, Feldman quickly redirected attention away from himself.

“HOWEVER THIS ISNT ABOUT ME! ITS NOT MY MOMENT @ ALL! ITS ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF R FRIEND ROB REINER & HIS MEMORY,” he wrote.

Murder mysteries have always intrigued audiences. Their form may change, but the interest stays the same. Decades ago, avid readers tore through the pages of whodunits by Agatha Christie or locked-room mysteries by Edgar Allan Poe, and today they listen to serialized true crime podcasts. There’s always going to be an appetite for mysterious murders, and films have helped to satiate it for many years. Even well into the 21st century, we’re still getting whodunits, true crime classics, and all other manner of murder mysteries.

The last 25 years might not be the most prolific the genre has ever been, but there’s certainly a fair level of quality to the films. Some of the best murder mysteries made since 2001 are among the best ever made, period. They’ve come from some of the most famous living directors, both domestic and international, and they cross over with noir, comedy, and even science fiction. These are the greatest murder-mystery movies of the last 25 years, ranked.

10

‘The Kid Detective’ (2020)

Image via Levelfilm

Despite its title, this one isn’t a family-friendly mystery movie. Though it takes inspiration from the likes of Encyclopedia Brown, The Kid Detective is a definitively adult affair about regret, guilt, and redemption. It’s darkly comedic but also profoundly sad, anchored by a terrific lead performance by Adam Brody. It’s easily the most underrated of any murder mystery movie to come out in the last 25 years, and it’s ready for rediscovery.

Abe Applebaum (Brody) was once a child detective and local celebrity. However, he’s since devolved into drug and alcohol abuse as an adult in arrested development. He’s haunted by the disappearance of his childhood best friend, whose case was never solved. When he’s approached by a teen looking to solve her boyfriend’s murder, he sees it as a second chance, but he’s hampered by his amateurish methods. There’s a genuinely enthralling mystery at the heart of The Kid Detective, one that ties into the trauma of its lead character, giving it an unexpected but wholly welcome emotional complexity.

9

‘Wind River’ (2017)

Image via The Weinstein Company

Before Taylor Sheridan became an ego-driven millionaire consumed by his own Yellowstone creation, he was an actor turned surprisingly sharp writer of modern crime classics like Sicario and Hell or High Water. He followed those films up with his directorial debut, Wind River, which carries many of the same themes of his work while integrating an intriguing murder mystery element. Set on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming, the film is a neo-Western mystery that addresses the overlooked violence perpetrated against indigenous populations, and specifically indigenous women.

After the body of a young woman is found frozen on the reservation, FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen) is called in to investigate. She joins forces with Fish and Wildlife Agent Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), and together the two uncover a larger conspiracy on the reservation. While there are the workings of a white savior complex within the film, it benefits from giving solid supporting roles to indigenous actors and from drawing attention to the violence perpetrated against them. It isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly a more empathetic and believable crime thriller than Sheridan’s most recent Western soap operas.

8

‘Mystic River’ (2003)

Image via Warner Bros.

Dennis Lehane is a novelist synonymous with Boston-based crime thrillers. His work has been successfully adapted to the screen in mystery thrillers from major directors like Martin Scorsese and Ben Affleck. The first filmmaker to tackle Lehane’s work was Clint Eastwood for the emotionally devastating drama Mystic River. Tackling heavy subjects such as sexual abuse and generational trauma, the film was a major comeback for Eastwood as a director and won two Academy Awards for its performances.

Three Boston boys’ lives are forever altered when one of them is abducted and abused by two men. Years later, those boys have grown into vastly different men. Jimmy (Sean Penn) is an ex-con turned family man, Sean (Kevin Bacon) is a cop struggling to keep his marriage together, and Dave (Tim Robbins) is still broken by his abduction. When Jimmy’s daughter is murdered, and Dave returns to his wife the same night covered in blood, the mystery opens old wounds and threatens to shatter the lives of all three men. Mystic River is a potent thriller with powerhouse performances and stripped-down direction that makes it a must-watch.

7

‘The Secret in Their Eyes’ (2009)

Image via Distribution Company

This 2009 Argentinian crime drama is a haunting portrayal of guilt, trauma, and repression with political undertones that uses a non-linear structure to tell an impactful murder mystery involving a decades-old cold case and the cumulative effect it has on one man. Set in two distinct periods, with the main investigation taking place in 1975 and its reckoning over two decades later, in 1999, the film uses the political unrest and violence that occurred between those two points in time in Argentina to inform the frustrations of its characters and the stagnation of their investigation. The Secret in Their Eyes was a dramatic success, winning the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film, and it inspired a pale imitation remake, but this original is still far more effective and powerful.

In the ’70s, Benjamín Espósito (Ricardo Darín) investigates the assault and murder of a young woman, vowing to her husband that he will find her killer. They quickly target a suspect, but through a combination of professional blunders and political machinations, he goes free and escapes justice. Decades later, Espósito seeks closure from the case, and the film builds to a darkly cathartic ending. The Secret in Their Eyes is a murder mystery where the mystery lies not only in the identity of its killer but also in how one can serve justice in an unjust world.

6

‘Gosford Park’ (2001)

A satire of the British class system in the early 20th century as well as a darkly comedic murder mystery, Gosford Park is the perfect synthesis of the sensibilities of director Robert Altman and writer Julian Fellowes. Inspired by the writing of Agatha Christie and featuring a stellar ensemble cast that fills out its cast of upstairs and downstairs characters, it’s a gorgeously crafted murder mystery that prioritizes its characters over its plot, but is nonetheless wickedly entertaining. It was Altman’s final masterpiece and one of the best films of the 2000s.

Set on a lavish estate in the English countryside where a group of wealthy guests has collected for a social gathering, tensions are already simmering between them when one of them is murdered. The death exposes secrets among them and increases the divide between the upper-class guests and lower-class staff. The film is handsomely photographed by cinematographer Andrew Dunn, and Altman shot with two cameras running simultaneously to capture spontaneity in his cast. Gosford Park is a classic manor murder mystery made with acerbic wit.

5

‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ (2005)

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

Advertisement

Shane Black became famous as a screenwriter of buddy action movies like Lethal Weapon and The Last Boy Scout. After taking a long career hiatus from Hollywood, he returned to the genre with the comedic neo-noir two-hander Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer as an odd couple trying to solve a murder in Hollywood and features Black’s signature quippy dialogue. Despite the punchy dialogue and a pair of pitch-perfect performances, the film wasn’t an immediate success but has since developed a well-deserved cult following.

Harry Lockhart (Downey) is a two-bit thief who stumbles into the Hollywood scene by accident after posing as an actor, leading his path to cross with private eye Perry van Shrike (Kilmer), whom he is supposed to shadow for a proposed movie role. When the two witness a car get dumped into a lake with a body in the trunk, they unwittingly become part of a much larger mystery. Loosely based on the Bret Halliday novel Bodies Are Where You Find Them and inspired by the work of Raymond Chandler, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of the best Hollywood murder mysteries out there, and it trades jokes and bullets with the best of Black’s signature work.

4

‘Minority Report’ (2002)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Advertisement

Based on the cerebral short story by Philip K. Dick, Minority Report is a sci-fi noir thriller set in a future where crimes can be predicted and prevented before they’re committed. As the first collaboration between Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise, the film has all the requisite excitement and set pieces you’d expect, but also some very dark undertones in its story of free will versus determinism. It is also famous for its surprisingly accurate predictions of future technology, many of which have become reality since its release.

John Anderton (Cruise) is the head of the Precrime program in Washington, D.C. Using three psychic individuals known as precogs, they have been able to prevent all premeditated murders for several years. When Anderton himself becomes the next accused suspect, he goes on the run to clear his name and solve the mystery of his intended target, which exposes a deeper conspiracy. With a desaturated style evoking classic noir and slick sci-fi action, Minority Report is one of the most entertaining murder mysteries of the 21st century, and it’s only gotten better with age.

3

‘Knives Out’ (2019)

Image via Lionsgate

Rian Johnson helped reinvigorate the whodunit genre with the clever crime comedy Knives Out. As an homage to and subversion of the mystery genre as a whole, the film introduced audiences to gentleman sleuth Benoit Blanc, who has since gone on to lead his own franchise. Every entry has been its own entertaining mystery, but the first is still the best. It’s a whodunit that tells you everything about the murder up front, only to continually pull the rug out from under you with increasing hilarity.

When famed author Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) dies by apparent suicide, it seems like an open-and-shut case. In comes Blanc (Craig), the famed detective who has been anonymously summoned to Thrombey’s estate to suss out the real killer. While Blanc is the star of the film, the protagonist is Thrombey’s nurse, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas), who is suddenly thrust into the middle of the author’s greedy family when she is named as the sole recipient of his fortune. Knives Out is steeped in social commentary, but that never drags down its narrative or prevents it from being a whipsmart piece of entertainment. It’s led to one of the best franchises of the 21st century, and hopefully audiences will be treated to even further Blanc mysteries.

2

‘Memories of Murder’ (2003)

Image via CJ Entertainment

Bong Joon Ho is one of the most exciting filmmakers to emerge in the 21st century, and he’s delivered modern masterpieces such as Parasite, The Host, and Snowpiercer. Before all those films, he directed the true crime-inspired Memories of Murder. Inspired by the play Come to See Me by Kim Kwang-lim, which itself was inspired by the real-life Hwaseong Serial Killer, the film was produced and released before the actual murders had been solved, which gives it an open-ended mystery that haunts its characters.

In the 1980s, a series of sexual assaults and murders brings together local cop Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho) and seasoned detective Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), who conflict over their methods and are equally frustrated by the continual obstructions that impede their investigation. The film offers a keen observation of the culture of South Korea at the time and is filled with a dreary atmosphere amplified by its muted color palette and desaturated visuals. As with all of Bong’s films, it combines disparate tones and genres into a more eclectic whole, and its ending is suitably haunting.

1

‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Another true crime classic based on real murders, David Fincher‘s masterpiece Zodiac, differs from Memories of Murder in that its central mystery has yet to be solved, and it also adheres much closer to the facts of its real-life case. While the film is an undeniably enthralling procedural, its power lies not in the capturing of the Zodiac killer, but in the details of the crimes and the time they occurred in. It’s a film of obsession, made by a notoriously meticulous filmmaker, and it’s about as detailed and perfect a crime thriller as has ever been made.

Set in gorgeously recreated San Francisco in the ’60s and ’70s, the film follows cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and detective Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) as they individually investigate the killings attributed to the mysterious Zodiac Killer, who taunts them with his letters sent to the city’s newspapers. The film refuses to make its story more palatable through Hollywood invention. There are no car chases or grisly reinventions of the killings, only tense interrogations, harrowing recreations of the crimes based on survivors’ testimony, and one nerve-wracking scene involving a very paranoid man and a basement. Zodiac is a haunting thriller that somehow leaves you feeling gratified with the incompleteness of its murder mystery.