By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 2 minutes ago

For years, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was the top-grossing star in Hollywood. Between his outings as Hobbs in the Fast and Furious franchise, multiple Jumanji films, and resetting the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe as Black Adam, it’s easy to forget that he’s turned even forgotten IPs into hits. 2018’s Rampage brought to life the classic 1986 Midway arcade game where you control a rampaging giant monster tearing down buildings, fighting the military, and the other monsters. Every knew what to except when the movie was announced, and it’s been a consistent streaming success for HBO Max ever since. 

Everyone Loves Giant Monsters

Rampage stars Dwayne Johnson as Davis, a primatologist and former U.S. special forces soldier, working with George, a rescued ape when the release of canisters of an experimental pathogen turns him into a giant ape. Two more canisters happen to land in the Everglades and Wyoming, transforming a crocodile and a wolf into giant monsters as well. It’s a twist on the video game which turned normal humans into the gigantic monsters, though the names they’re given, Lizzie and Ralph, remain the same. Also Ralph, the wolf, is able to shoot quills from his back and tail, which is very un-wolflike. 

Distracting from the whole reason you’re watching Rampage in the first place is the remaining human characters, including Naomie Harris as a geneticist, the underrated Malin Akerman as an evil CEO, while Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Joe Manganiello, and Jack Quaid all show up. Godzilla Minus One is the only kaiju film to do the human side of the story justice, and Rampage is no exception. It’s worth it for the giant monster slugfest and George’s problem-solving; it may not be elegant but he gets the job done. 

The Rise Of Video Game Movies

When Rampage hit theaters it earned over $420 million worldwide, making it comparable to Johnson’s other hits of the time, including Black Adam. The adaptation of a 30-year-old game that had fallen out of the public consciousness didn’t matter. Johnson was his usual charming self and the focus on the three monsters turned it into a crowd pleasing hit. 

Ironically, Warner Bros. never set out to purposely make a Rampage movie. The rights to one came over when they bought Midway in 2009, and well, they already had the rights, at that point why not look into taking advantage of an IP that likely wouldn’t sell too many video games? Rampage Puzzle Attack for the Gameboy Advance was the latest release at the time of the movie, and it came out in 2001. Rampage is a staple of classic arcade compilations, but as with most of Midway’s 80s hits, it’s a relic of a bygone era.

Today video game adaptations are taking over Hollywood. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was a disappointment, but even then it pulled in over a billion at the box office and Nintendo is going full steam ahead with a Legend of Zelda film. Even Sonic the Hedgehog has a trilogy to his name, showing how the world’s changed since Rampage’s 2018 debut. With video games hotter than superheroes, and the film’s continued streaming success, could Rampage: World Tour happen someday?

Rampage is streaming on HBO Max.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 1 second ago

To me, my X-Fans! After a painful wait of nearly two years, X-Men ‘97 Season 2 is finally here. The first three episodes dropped on Disney+, and they are filled with more of the excellent writing, killer voice acting, and breathtaking animation that you’ve come to expect. They’re also filled with something else: more Easter eggs than you can shake a ruby quartz visor at! Unfortunately, it can be tough for even the biggest X-Men fans to clock because these episodes are so chock-full of action and intrigue.

That’s where I come in! I’ve compiled a list of my favorite Easter eggs throughout these first three episodes. This isn’t everything, of course, Honestly, I’d probably need Cerebro and your own stable of powerful telepaths (now paging the Cuckcoo sisters!) in order to track every homage and reference. What were the best ones, though, and what makes them so cool? Put down those Fleer Ultra cards and grab your glasses so you can scope out the best Easter eggs from X-Men ‘97 Season 2!

X-Men ’01

The name of the show is X-Men ‘97. Predictably, many of the comic book storylines the show has adapted have come out of the ‘90s (including Wolverine getting his adamantium stripped from his bones) or the preceding decade (like the trial of Magneto). For the most part, Season 2 keeps this trend going, with the first three episodes borrowing extensively from ‘90s miniseries like The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix and The Rise of Apocalypse. However, these early episodes feature several characters from Grant Morrison’s New X-Men, a comic that didn’t begin until 2001. 

That was a comic where Professor Xavier had recommitted to teaching young mutants and, as such, his School for Gifted Youngsters was filled with new students. We see several in X-Men ‘97 who are captured by X-Factor and subsequently liberated by X-Force. Arguably, the most important mutants onscreen are the Stepford Cuckoos (powerful telepaths who are mentored in the comics by Emma Frost) and Quentin Quire (an Omega-level mutant who was a Magneto fanboy in the comics, going so far as to wear a “Magneto was right” shirt to class).

Secret Cameo From The MCU’s Most Notorious Villain

In X-Men ‘97 Season 2, half of the team is flung into the far future, a techno-fascist dystopia ruled over by Apocalypse. The other half is sent to Ancient Egypt, where Apocalypse hasn’t risen to power and goes by En Sabah Nur. In a fun bit of parallelism, Nur must find a way to defeat a technologically advanced foe in the same way that the Askani clan of the future must find a way to defeat him. In Egypt, En Sabah Nur’s foe is Rama-Tut, a relatively minor bad guy who looks more like a Scooby-Doo villain than a legitimate threat.

He is a threat, though, and a bigger one than either the X-Men or En Sabah Nur realizes. You see, “Rama-Tut” is actually Kang the Conqueror in disguise. We don’t yet know if X-Men ‘97 will reveal this, especially after Jonathan Majors’ Kang was yoinked out of the MCU following the actor’s legal woes. Even if the show never makes the reveal, though, it’s fun to know that Apocalypse is secretly fighting Kang, someone that Marvel Studios execs like Kevin Feige are desperately hoping we’ve all forgotten!

X-Force Opening

Okay, so this next X-Men ‘97 Easter egg is admittedly hard to miss. Then again, I know a bunch of you either play on your phones during the intro or skip it altogether, so quite a few fans did miss it. Basically, the familiar intro sequence for the show has been replaced with an intro sequence for X-Force. The new intro celebrates Cable’s ragtag team, which consists of himself, Psylocke, Archangel, Jubilee, and Sunspot. 

The new intro is very slickly edited, and it’s one that all X-Men ‘97 fans can appreciate. You’ll probably dig it even more, though, if you read X-Force back in the day. The premise of the comics was that the time-traveling Cable transformed some of Professor Xavier’s New Mutants into a lethal, militarized strike force. In the show, Cable is simply making use of the resources he has. With most of the X-Men in the past or the future, he simply adds Jubilee and Sunspot to his existing roster of allies so they can collectively investigate Apocalypse in the present day. 

Storm Goes Cosmic

Storm has always been one of the most powerful X-Men. After all, she controls the weather, meaning she can zap people with lightning, whip up tornado winds, and otherwise weaponize the elements as she sees fit. In X-Men ‘97, Season 2, she takes these powers to the next level. With the help of a new ally (one revealed to be an older Rachel Summers), she is able to summon a solar flare, giving their vehicle a much-needed jolt of cosmic power. Even Storm is perplexed by her abilities, leaving fans to ask, “When the heck did she learn how to do that?”

The answer, surprisingly enough, is “since 1976.” In Uncanny X-Men #99, she discovers that she has the ability to control cosmic energy and solar winds, helping her survive a fight against Sentinels in the cold vacuum of space. So, her gaining cosmic powers in X-Men ‘97 isn’t a retcon or a Mary Sue moment, but rather an homage to a cool power reveal that happened half a century ago!

Remixing The Age Of Apocalypse

Arguably, the most Marvel crossover story ever made was “The Age of Apocalypse.” It began when Professor X’s demented son, Legion, traveled to the past, intent on killing Magneto so his father’s dream of peaceful mutant/human relations could come true. However, he ends up killing Xavier, which screws the future over: not only does Apocalypse move to take over the world that much earlier, but Xavier isn’t there to stop him. The result is that Apocalypse takes over the entirety of America, but he is eventually stopped by heroes who are, mercifully, able to reset the timeline.

X-Men ‘97 Season 2 hasn’t directly copied the “Age of Apocalypse” story (at least, not yet), but it has remixed it. For example, some of the imagery of the far future in the show (particularly all the corpses outside of Apocalypse’s base of operations) seems inspired by those classic ‘90s comics. Furthermore, Magneto actively tries to change the future by encouraging young Apocalypse to embrace Professor X’s dream. It’s possible he will change the future in the show the way the professor’s kid did in the comics: by encouraging Apocalypse to make his big move before anyone is able to stop him. 

If there was ever a place to wear the perfect throw-on summer shirt, it’s the farmers market. Lucy Hale just gave Us all the inspiration we need to recreate the effortlessly chic look with one timeless wardrobe staple.

On June 28, the actress was spotted browsing a Los Angeles farmers market wearing crisp white jeans, beige strappy sandals, a baseball cap and a canvas tote. The real standout, though, was her oversized blue striped button-down, worn loose and slightly unbuttoned to give the casual outfit an effortlessly cool finish.

The good news? You don’t need a celebrity budget to copy Hale’s laid-back summer style. The Cicy Bell Oversized Button Down Shirt delivers a remarkably similar look for just $33, complete with a relaxed fit, collared neckline and breezy silhouette that’s easy to pair with jeans, shorts or even layered over a swimsuit.

Get the Cicy Bell Oversized Button Down Shirt for just $33 (Was $40) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, July 1, 2026, but are subject to change.

Shoppers say the Amazon alternative is just as practical as it is stylish. One reviewer called it “lightweight and breathable,” adding that it “works well for warmer weather,” making it an easy choice for everything from weekend farmers markets to beach vacations and everyday errands.

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Another reviewer praised the shirt design as “on trend” and called it the “perfect topper for jeans.” It comes in Hale’s blue striped colorway, along with pink stripes, solid black, yellow and several other colors, in sizes S through XXL.

Whether you’re recreating Hale’s farmers market outfit or simply looking for an easy summer staple you’ll wear on repeat, this $33 button-down fits the bill. Throw it on with white denim as Hale did, knot it over linen shorts or wear it open over a tank for an effortlessly chic look all season long.

Looking for more easy summer shirts like Hale’s? We’ve rounded up even more Amazon favorites below.

Shop more blue striped button-downs that we love:

Not your style? Explore more striped button-downs here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

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Black leggings may be a year-round staple, but Lindsay Lohan just made a convincing case for swapping them out for summer 2026. Instead of her usual dark bottoms, the actress wore crisp white capri leggings, instantly transforming her casual outfit into something lighter, fresher and far more seasonally chic. While filming Count My Lies in […]

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 26 seconds ago

Between Stranger Things, The Adventure Zone, Dimension20, and Critical Role, fantasy role-playing is hotter than ever. Nerds aren’t being stuffed into lockers, instead, they’re selling out Madison Square Garden for live Dungeons and Dragons games. You’d think Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves would have been the biggest movie of the decade, but instead the 2023 fantasy adventure was a disappointment, financially anyways. Critically and according to fans, it’s an amazing adventure well worth your time, especially now that it’s streaming for free on Pluto TV. 

Dungeons And Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Is The Greatest Adventure Of The Decade

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves plays out like your home campaign on the big screen. Edgin the Bard (Chris Pine) and his party of thieves are betrayed by a Red Wizard and framed for a crime they didn’t commit. After breaking out of jail with his friend Holga the Barbarian (Michelle Rodriguez) by using an aarakocra in the only way that race should be used in your games, they get the band back together for one last heist. The plan is to get revenge on the wizard Sofina (Daisy Head) and Forge the Thief (Hugh Grant), rescue Edgin’s daughter, recover a lost artifact, and bring his wife back to life. Simple plan, what could go wrong?

They recruit Simon the Wizard (Justice Smith) and his ex, Doric the Druid(Sophia Lillis), who did more for Druid acceptance in playgroups around the world with her wild chase sequence than years of buffs and reworks from Wizards of the Coast ever did. Together they somehow bumble their way through a dragon’s lair, rob a stage coach, and survive an arena death game while bickering, arguing, and growing as people at the same time. The writer/director duo Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daly (Sweets from Bones) had ot have worked in real-life gaming experiences to make this story happen, there’s no other explanation for how perfect it is.

Bringing The Game To Life

A common occurrence playing Dungeons and Dragons is using a magic item in a strange, unintended way to solve a puzzle the Dungeon Master laid out. While breaching the dragon’s lair, that’s exactly what happens when a bridge puzzle with a hilariously convoluted explanation is cut short by an errant step, and solved with a portable dimensional hole device. The crowd-pleasing scene from the trailers of Edgin talking to corpses leads to one of the best sequences of the movie, and one of the best comedy scenes to come out of Hollywood in years. 

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves had the bad timing of coming out the same month, March 2023, that Dungeons and Dragons parent company Hasbro managed to anger the entire fanbase by trying to charge for every use of the game, from actual play podcasts to homebrew creations. The boycott destroyed the film at the box office, but now that it’s been lifted since Hasbro came to their senses and learned now to mess with the fans of Matt Mercer and Brendan Lee Mulligan, it’s recognized as the greatest version of the game to hit the big screen. 

Removed from the Hasbro boycott, there’s never a bad time to stream Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. It’s a feel-good comfort movie and it’s now free to stream on Pluto TV.

Lawd! Kirk Franklin is making headlines after a tense public moment involving his wife, Tammy Franklin, quickly spread across social media. A viral clip has sparked plenty of conversation, with fans weighing in on the unexpected confrontation and the couple’s response after the cameras stopped rolling.

RELATED: Too Soon? Kirk Franklin Has Social Media Hollerin’ After Clowning Marvin Sapp’s $40K Donation Request (PHOTO)

Kirk Franklin Defends Wife Tammy In Heated Exchange

A video circulating online appears to show Kirk Franklin in a heated exchange with a man who allegedly told the gospel singer that he and his wife, Tammy Franklin, were “going to hell.” After hearing the comment, Kirk appeared visibly upset and had to be held back as the situation escalated. The clip has since made its rounds across social media, with many users sharing their reactions to the intense moment.

Tammy Franklin Reacts With A Little Flex

Tammy Franklin has since addressed the viral incident on Instagram, making it clear she appreciated her husband’s reaction. Sharing a photo of the two of them together, she jokingly wrote, “My🥷🏾 out here defending my honor lol😉🤭!!!!!” Tammy also interacted with supporters in the comments, liking and replying to messages from followers who praised Kirk for standing up for his wife. Her lighthearted response has only added more buzz to the viral moment, with many fans applauding the couple’s bond.

TSR Comment Section Was On One

Fans wasted no time flooding The Shade Room’s comment section with reactions, and they definitely had plenty to say. While some pointed out that Kirk Franklin is a gospel singer—not a pastor—others playfully joked that the aunties need to retire phrases like “stood on business” and other popular slang. Meanwhile, plenty of commenters kept it simple, saying one thing about Kirk: he isn’t scared of anybody but God.

One Instagram user @blasianshay wrote, “They talking about we almost seen him turn into plies 😂😂😂😂”

The Instagram user @_pettyking added, “Such respectful terminology from a Christian 1st lady. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾”

And, Instagram user @_queendee1 said, “Her whaaaat ?!?! I’m shooketh“

Meanwhile, Instagram user @abeetheartist joked, “Kirk was about to sing The Storm IS HERE“

While Instagram user @mikejames2722 shared, “It’s funny when church aunties use YN lingo 😂”

But, Instagram user @iampersesini commented, “He’s a Gospel Musician not a Preacher, also HUMAN not God ❤️❤️❤️”

This Instagram user @tynicolle claimed, “Druski gone make a skit by tomorrow lol“

Instagram user @majestyboutique said, “He must ain’t heard the voicemail he left his son Kirk never played no Games with disrespect 😂”

RELATED: That’s Twin?! Kirk Franklin Sparks Social Media Reactions By Channeling Kendrick Lamar In Flare Jeans (PHOTO)

NCIS left fans with a major cliffhanger and possible death to end season 23 — so will the full cast be returning next season?

“If you ask me to speculate, I think there’s a major, major shakeup happening,” Wilmer Valderrama, who plays Nick Torres, told People in June 2026 after his character pulled a gun on Timothy McGee’s (Sean Murray) son, Mateo (Patrick Keleher), in a dark alley after confronting him during the finale about secretly logging into an NCIS computer.

The actor teased, “Next season, there’s some major changes and there are some major additions. What does that mean for Torres? I can only hope that he makes it out alive.”

NCIS showrunner Steven D. Binder confirmed to TV Insider that “someone was hit” during that pivotal shootout scene, but revealed death won’t be the outcome.

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“I sort of had my fill this season, all of us, of killing people. So I can rule that out,” Binder explained in May 2026, referring to NCIS Director Leon Vance (Rocky Carroll) being killed off during season 23. “And also, there’s not a lot of fun there. When someone’s dead, they’re dead.”

Scroll down to see which cast members are — and aren’t — coming back for season 24:

Sean Murray

Murray’s Timothy McGee is the only remaining character from season 1 of the flagship series and there are no signs of his departure anytime soon.

“We’re still trying to do different shows and not trying to just do the same old thing. We’re trying to bring new stuff into it,” Murray exclusively told Us Weekly in November 2025, reflecting on his NCIS journey. “And I think that’s one of the reasons why I’ve never been bored here. … We’re always looking for the kind of, the interesting angle on things and a different take.”

Based on the season 23 finale, McGee’s dynamic with his teenage son (Keleher), whom he recently learned existed, will be a major focus next season. During the May 2026 finale, McGee’s son claimed he didn’t want to have an NCIS internship, only to be flushed out by Torres (Valderrama), who discovered he’s accessed their servers but kept the reason under wraps.

Wilmer Valderrama

Valderrama is expected to reprise his role as Nick Torres during season 24, but his condition following the explosive finale has not been revealed.

“To be honest, I don’t think we figured that one out yet,” Valderrama told People in June 2026 of what will happen to Torres now that someone got a shot off in the alley, hinting Torres or Mateo could be injured. “I don’t think we have an idea yet. I asked, ‘What do we want from it,’ but I will tell you that someone does get hit and people might not like it.”

Gary Cole

Gary Cole joined the cast during season 19 in 2021. With Director Leon Vance (Carroll) no longer at the helm of the office following his season 23 death, Cole’s Alden Parker will seemingly continue to hold down the fort for season 24.

Katrina Law

Katrina Law began playing Special Agent Jessica Knight during season 18 in 2021. She is the only female agent in the office, and after a brief stint on the REACT team, it appears as though she’ll be firmly planted back at NCIS next season.

Brian Dietzen

As the chief medical examiner, Brian Dietzen’s Dr. Jimmy Palmer has appeared to find his forever home on NCIS.

Diona Reasonover

Season 23 gave fans a little more insight into forensic scientist Kasie Hines’ background and actress Diona Reasonover has hinted there is plenty more where that came from.

“I would love to see an episode where Kasie is basically, like, trying so hard to [have] this new persona that she’s like Jim Carrey in Yes, Man, where she decides that she’s only gonna be an open book and only tell everybody everything that’s going on for the day and see what happens,” Reasonover exclusively told Us in April 2026 after fans learned about Kasie’s college girlfriend and her romantic past after years of being quiet about it.

Patrick Keleher

Keleher made his NCIS debut during season 23 as McGee’s (Murray) son. During the season finale, he was confronted by Torres (Valderrama) about why he was sneaking around the NCIS servers, but instead of answering he pulled out a gun and told Torres to back off.

Based on the cliffhanger — and showrunner Binder’s tease about no one being dead — viewers should expect Keleher to reprise the role in at least one episode next season.

Michael Weatherly

After exiting the series in 2016, Weatherly is reprising his role as Anthony “Tony” DiNozzo for season 24. The network announced in July 2026 that Weatherly will have a “season-long” arc and be involved in a case that lasts throughout the 2026-2027 season. “I’ll see you in the fall,” Weatherly said in an Instagram video, confirming his casting.

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Weatherly was last seen on NCIS during the season 21 tribute to the late David McCallum, who played Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard on the hit series until his death in September 2023.

Mark Harmon

Mark Harmon originated the character of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS. He exited in the series during season 19 in 2022, but has continued to narrate and play adult Gibbs on NCIS: Origins.

Harmon’s return to the OG series has not been confirmed, but since his character is alive, there’s always a chance.