When someone mentions the name Wesley Snipes, one of the first things that comes to mind is Blade. Snipes played the legendary Marvel vampire in a trilogy of films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and while most thought he would never return to Marvel, he defied expectations in 2024 with the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine. Despite years’ worth of rumors that Snipes had an ongoing dispute with Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, the two squashed any beef between them and brought Snipes back into the fold to play the Daywalker one final time before riding off into the sunset. Snipes has starred in plenty of notable action movies and dramas over the years, but one of his projects that you likely haven’t heard of has finally stepped into the spotlight thanks to the biggest streaming service in the world.

All the way back in 2007, Snipes headlined the forgotten TV action movie/spy thriller, The Contractor — not to be confused with Chris Pine’s 2022 conspiracy thriller of the same name. Game of Thrones veteran Lena Headey also has a key role in the film as DI Annette Ballard, and the film even came before she was widely discovered for her performance as Cersei in the HBO fantasy series. Even Charles Dance, who played her father in Game of Thrones, also has a small role in The Contractor. In America, the film is available to stream for free on the Roku Channel, but the film was recently added to Netflix’s global library, where it has made a shocking surge into the top 10. As a TV movie, the film was never released into theaters, and budget information was never reported, but it is certainly finding a bigger audience now than it ever did when it first premiered on cable nearly 20 years ago.

What Is ‘The Contractor’ About?

An official synopsis for The Contractor, which doesn’t even have a score from critics on the aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, reads as follows:

“A former CIA assassin is drawn out of retirement for one last sanctioned kill — but when the mission goes sideways, he’s left stranded in London, hunted by both British authorities and the agency that hired him. With nowhere to turn, he forms an unlikely bond with a troubled young boy as he fights to survive and find a way home.”

The film did earn a Rotten 28% from audiences on the Popcornmeter, which makes its sudden return to streaming glory that much more surprising. Robert Foster, Joshua Michael Stern, Robert Katz, and Andre Farawagi wrote the script for The Contractor, and Josef Rusnak directed the film.

Check out The Contractor on the Roku Channel in America or on Netflix globally, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the film.

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Release Date

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July 10, 2007

Runtime

105 minutes

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Director

Josef Rusnak

Writers

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Joshua Michael Stern

Producers

Rudy Cohen, Rolf Deyhle

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By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 23 seconds ago

Very few movies can earn over a billion dollars, say #1 at the box office for weeks, and still be considered a disappointment. James Cameron’s Avatar franchise has been so successful, with only two movies, that Avatar: Fire and Ash was considered a step back with only $1.5 billion worldwide. Now that it’s available on Disney+ and removed from box office watchers, Avatar: Fire and Ash is about to find a new audience, with no 3D IMAX theater needed. 

The Fire Nation Attacked

Avatar: Fire and Ash does for 3D fire effects what Way of Water did for water, and while there’s no denying it looks fantastic, a lot of the impact is lost when it comes to home viewing. That’s where the other part of the franchise comes in. The first Avatar is derided for being Ferngully or Dances with Wolves, but the last two, with more of an emphasis on Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri’s (Zoe Saldana) family, have more in common with the old-school sci-fi of the 80s. 

The Na’vi on Pandora were at peace until the Fire Nation attacked. Wait, wrong Avatar, no wait, that’s actually the right Avatar except this time the leader is Varang (Oona Chaplain), giving us our first outright evil Na’vi. She’s “hardened” and willing to go to extreme lengths for her people, but when the end result is joining forces with the humans and accepting a gift of guns from Quaritch (Stephen Lang), it’s evil, not pragmatic. 

Varang is the standout of Fire and Ash with Oona Chaplain’s performance electrifying the screen every time she’s in a scene. The rest of the film focuses more heavily on Spider (JAke Champion), Quaritch’s son adopted by Jake Sully, and his growing relationship with Kiri (Sigourney Weaver). Kiri is experiencing some growth and changes herself thanks to an inability to connect with Eywa, Pandora’s version of Gaia. Getting cut off by the God your entire species worships does a number on the teenager’s self-esteem. 

Oh, and it all ends with a giant CGI battle that looked amazing on the big screen, and still looks great streaming over Disney+. 

What’s Next For Avatar?

Avatar: Fire and Ash isn’t as great as the second film, and it lacks the sense of wonder from the first, but this is James Cameron’s series arriving as a true sci-fi franchise. With three films, it’s no longer a one-off curiosity or the butt of jokes about lacking cultural impact, it’s grand sci-fi with its roots in the family-friendly adventures of 80s Spielberg and Disney. The critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, only 60 percent, makes it the worst of the franchise but the audience score, of 90 percent, is what really matters. With Avatar, by now, you know what you’re getting. 

The fourth and fifth movies are currently planned, with, allegedly, the fifth taking the battle for Pandora all the way back to Earth. Avatar 4 is currently planned for December 2029 while Avatar 5 is planned for 2031, which sounds like a made up number and not five years away. You have plenty of time to find three hours to set aside for Avatar: Fire and Ash between now and 2029. If nothing else, it’s worth the watch to experience Varang for yourself.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is now available on Disney+.

A few weeks before their trial in May, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni announced that they had settled their legal battle, but questions continue to be raised over who walked out of the situation with the most losses.

With earlier reports suggesting the “Gossip Girl” star has been sidelined from several Hollywood circles, sources have now shared that she’s looking to rebuild her career.

Blake Lively also recently scored a legal win over Justin Baldoni as a judge ordered him to pay her legal fees relating to his 2025 defamation lawsuit.

Lively and Baldoni’s partnership on “It Ends with Us” was supposed to be a celebration of a box-office hit, but was marred by their nasty court battle.

The actress filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against him, accusing him of improvising kissing scenes, making comments about her body, and speaking openly about his porn addiction.

However, he denied it and filed a counter lawsuit against her, accusing her of extortion and defamation, but the case was later dismissed by a judge.

Both parties went on and on for nearly two years, making different allegations in more than 1400 court filings. They were scheduled to begin trial in May 2026, but 2 weeks before then, they announced that they’d reached a settlement in the case.

The Actress Is ‘Rebuilding Her Career,’ While Justin Baldoni Is Focused On His ‘Family And Living In The Moment’

The legal battle between Lively and Baldoni appears to be a stalemate with no clear victor, but experts argue that both parties have sustained severe damage to their public images and careers.

According to Us Weekly, the former co-stars now face the daunting task of picking up the pieces of their respective careers and moving on with their lives.

A source told the news outlet that Lively is looking to rebuild her career and is confident she can achieve that.

“Blake is focused on rebuilding her career,” the insider said. “She’s confident she can come back from this.”

The revelation comes after rumors emerged suggesting no one wants to work with her again following her explosive lawsuit with her former co-star.

Meanwhile, Baldoni seems to be more focused on his family and might be taking time away from Hollywood to spend time with them.

“Justin’s focus is on his family and living in the moment,” a second source said. “He wants to get back to some sense of normalcy for them.”

Baldoni and his wife Emily share daughter Maiya and son Maxwell together, while Lively is the mother to daughters James, Inez, and Betty, and son Olin, whom she shares with husband Ryan Reynolds.

Blake Lively Faces An Uphill Task When It Comes To Fixing Her ‘Tarnished’ Image, PR Expert Reveals

One thing is for sure, though, both stars took a hit to their reputation. At the height of their legal battle, internet users trolled Lively and accused her for being a “mean girl,” especially after Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa shared an old clip of their awkward interaction in an interview.

On the other hand, Baldoni’s sensitive “Man Enough” podcast host persona, where he often spoke up for women, took a huge hit and was not only dropped by his talent agency but also had an award rescinded.

Weighing in on their chances of coming back from the fallout, PR experts explained that it’s going to be an extremely difficult task for both parties.

“Neither side emerged as an overall winner,” David Johnson, CEO of Strategic Vision PR Group, said. “But Blake suffered the most because people viewed her as humorous, family-oriented, and approachable, and the lawsuit tarnished that image.”

PR Experts Say Blake Lively And Justin Baldoni Need To Let Their Work Do The Talking From Now On

Speaking more about the former co-stars’ “tarnished” brands, Johnson explained that recovery for Baldoni depends on three factors, which include “the absence of new controversies, continued professional achievement, and time.”

Another PR expert told Us Weekly that Mark Borkowski also noted it’s best if Lively lets her work do the talking, rather than being everywhere.

“[She should be] undeniable in the work and boring everywhere else. Boring is the most underrated crisis strategy in the business,” Borkowski said.

For Baldoni, he explained, “Justin’s only route back [is to] make something good and [be quiet] for two years.”

Justin Baldoni Was Ordered To Cover Blake Lively’s Legal Costs

Meanwhile, the “Another Simple Favor” actress scored a legal win over Baldoni as Judge Lewis Liman ordered him to cover her attorney’s costs relating to his 2025 defamation lawsuit.

The ruling was made in connection with a California law that was created to protect sexual harassment victims from retaliatory defamation claims.

However, the judge denied her request for triple damages and punitive damages, stating that those remedies are not available under federal law.

“The Court concludes that, on this record, the Wayfarer Parties have failed to carry their burden of demonstrating that the Section 47.1 privilege does not apply, and Lively is therefore entitled to fees and costs,” the judge wrote in court documents before adding that “Lively’s request for damages must be denied” on procedural grounds.

Bold and the Beautiful has Zende Forrester (Delon de Metz) all excited about Hope for the Future coming back at long last since he has got designs sitting on the shelf. But by the end of this week when Katie Logan (Heather Tom) launches the Hope for the Future House of Logan collection, it is going to blow up his world.

We already saw Zende frustrated about Hope for the Future getting shelved. And once he finds out Hope isn’t coming back, that’s going to change everything for him. We’re going to talk about Zende making a drastic decision.

Bold and the Beautiful: Zende’s Dreams Shattered

So, recently when Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) first told Hope Logan (Annika Noelle) kind of rudely that they were setting Hope for the Future aside to focus on Eric Forrester’s (John McCook) couture line, it hit both of them hard. When it first happened, Zende vented to Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor), saying he thought his designs for Hope for the Future would never see the light of day. And then, even worse, they stuck Zende on RJ Forrester’s (Brayan Nicoletti) men’s line, reviewing and working on his designs.

And Zende is much more experienced than RJ. He’s been at Forrester Creations longer. But he was stuck catering to Brooke and Ridge Forrester’s (Thorsten Kaye) spoiled baby boy. So Zende was just super frustrated. He went back to Carter and got that all off his chest, too. And even though Zende was upset, Carter talked him down. And Zende leaned into the fact that Hope for the Future would return at some point. He hoped everything would work out so he’d be back on his line and his designs would get used.

Bold and Beautiful: The Warning Signs

So, another warning sign of change to come was when Zende was helping out with Eric’s couture line and Zende said he prefers working on ready-to-wear versus couture, which is custom stuff. Ready-to-wear is made in a factory, standard sizes, sold in bulk. Couture, like what Ridge and Eric create, is one gown per design. That way, nobody else will own one like it. Once you buy it, it’s custom fitted just for you. Zende likes the idea of lots of people wearing his designs. And that’s what Hope for the Future is, ready-to-wear.

As a designer, he was equally as frustrated as Hope by the delays on their line. Not only that. But Steffy refused to tell them how long they’d be left twiddling their thumbs. Hope was doing busy work and Zende was answering to RJ, so Zende is understandably fed up. Plus, he’s an artist, so he hated the designs that he made for Hope for the Future, just sitting and gathering dust.

Basically, all the same things that frustrated Hope so much that she snuck over to Logan, are the same things frustrating Zende. Basically, Hope’s been living for years with threats to her line, insults and mocking from Steffy, and basically begging for scraps. But over at Logan, Hope feels really valued. While at Forrester Creations, she is a second-class citizen because she’s a Logan, not a Forrester.

The High and the Crash on B&B

And right now, Zende’s excited because Steffy said that Hope for the Future is coming back since Eric’s couture line is launching. And Zende just got really fantastic news. Not only did Steffy take Hope for the Future off the shelf. But Ridge just thrilled Zende. He said Thomas Forrester (Matthew Atkinson) is doing good work. But he’s in Paris and they’d prefer a lead designer on Hope for the Future that’s local to LA.

And then Ridge said they want Zende to be lead designer on the line. Ridge said they never questioned his talent and could see his passion is working on Hope for the Future. Steffy grabbed champagne and they were all toasting. So, Zende felt like, “Okay, I’m on top of the world.”

Zende Devastated on Bold and the Beautiful

But on Friday, when Katie introduces Hope’s line at Logan, it’s all going to come crashing down. Zende will realize Hope being at Logan is really bad news for him. She’s debuting a new line designed by her brother, Deke Sharpe (Harrison Cone), and she won’t be coming back to Forrester Creations.

And that means Hope for the Future is finished once and for all. I’m sure Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang) is going to rage at Katie and insist that Hope come back to Forrester Creations. But I really don’t think that Hope will do it for many reasons. She’s finally out from under Steffy’s thumb.

Hope’s getting to work with her brother Deke again. And Hope feels appreciated over at Logan. And she’s getting funding and support from Katie and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont). Now, in Brooke’s eyes, Katie stole her name, stole Eric, and has now stolen Hope. And I think Katie is going to remind Brooke that she stuck to the deal.

She didn’t hire a Forrester because Hope is a Logan by birth and a Spencer by marriage. And I think Brooke’s going to snap and tell Katie the deal is done because it was sketchy from the start, made under false pretenses, which is accurate. Brooke may even say it’s open season. She may threaten to start poaching people from Logan.

Zende’s Decision Point on B&B

And I feel like if she tells Katie that their pact is over, that’s important because it would clear a path for what may be the next big twist at Logan. So, I expect initially that Zende might go over to Logan to confront Hope about what she did. I think Zende feels betrayed and I think he’s going to tell Hope that he was just made lead designer and now he can’t see that come to fruition because Hope for the Future is dead and gone.

But I think that she’ll tell Zende she’s not going to change her mind. She won’t come back to Forrester Creations because it wasn’t a healthy place for her. She had Steffy making her feel less than and Hope had no real control over her line. Steffy made her fire Deke and work with her ex, Thomas. And then Hope may tell Zende how it’s been going at the new place. You know, Hope can tell Zende about the amazing support she gets at Logan and how that’s been a game changer for her. And I’m sure Hope will feel bad that Zende is losing his shot at being lead designer because she left, you know.

Bold and the Beautiful: Possibilities for Zende

But from there, a couple of things could happen. Deke could say that he wishes Zende was working with them because Deke is a newer designer and you know he might like to have somebody working with him to share the load of the next collection because he’s been really stressed. So, Deke may suggest that Zende come and join them at Logan. Or another possible path is Katie might talk to Zende.

You know, Katie might tell Zende she feels like he’s in the same boat that she and Hope were when they were at Forrester Creations. Talented, hard workers who didn’t get the credit or respect they were due. And Katie might toss out a job offer to Zende that if he ever wants to make a change, come see her. Katie might even tell Zende he could have his very own line at Logan as a lead designer to create whatever he wants.

Bold and the Beautiful: Hope Falls Short

Now, obviously, he’s going to see and hear everybody at Forrester Creations raging about Hope going to work for the enemy and being sneaky about it. And I agree that she was being sneaky. She should have been upfront and just told Steffy, you know what, I quit.

Aside from that, I do think Hope was totally justified in leaving Forrester Creations. And I think she was smart to go to Logan. But with her gone for good, Zende may go from being a lead designer for just a minute to being back to assisting RJ on Bold and the Beautiful.

And between him knowing that he’s lost his shot as a lead designer at Forrester Creations to seeing how happy Hope is at Logan and understanding all the reasons that she went to Logan, we could see Zende thinking about his own future. And unless Steffy and Ridge offer Zende his own line as a lead designer, I mean honestly, why would he stay?

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a genuine landmark in animated film with its emotional coming-of-age story, humor, comic-book visual style, and fresh approach to superhero storytelling. The movie follows Brooklyn teenager, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), as he becomes Spider-Man after being bitten by a radioactive spider and is quite suddenly pulled into a multiverse crisis involving different Spider-people from other dimensions. But as groundbreaking as the movie truly is, several other animated masterpieces can be argued to be even better, with much more timeless wonder, richer themes, and deeper emotional storytelling.

Iconic films like the amazing Princess Mononoke, which uses animation to explore survival, nature, violence, and humanity’s deeper conflicts, and the underrated fantasy Wolfwalkers, which turns friendship, folklore, and freedom into something emotionally wealthy and visually breathtaking, are just two fantastic animated movies that outrank Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Compiled on this list are the animated films that either surpass Into the Spider-Verse with their greater sense of artistic ambition, deeper emotional narratives, or simply wonder-filled world-building.

‘Spirited Away’ (2001)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Spirited Away is a fantasy Japanese animated film that wields a timeless wonder. The movie follows a ten-year-old girl, Chihiro (Rumi Hiiragi), who discovers a mysterious and magical bathhouse for spirits after moving to the countryside with her parents. When her parents are captured and transformed by a witch, little Chihiro is forced to navigate that supernatural world as a servant for said witch, who tightly holds her parents hostage.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has definitely raised expectations of the visual language of modern animated superhero films, but Spirited Away remains one of the rare and masterfully crafted animated movies that feels almost untouchable. It’s a film that is lauded by most as one of the greatest animated movies ever made. Spirited Away is a genuine iconic classic with hand-drawn animation that is gorgeously detailed and a story that is more layered and mature than what is seen in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, marking it as the perfect addition to this list of cinematic animated hits.

‘The Incredibles’ (2004)

Image via Pixar Animation

This 2004 cinematic gem is a true masterclass in absolute balance. The family-action film The Incredibles centers around the retired superhero Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) and his wife Elastigirl (Holly Hunter) as they live undercover, with their three children.

The Incredibles is praised consistently as one of the superhero animated greats. It’s a Pixar classic that delivers exciting action and a brilliant blend of family dysfunction and superhero spectacle. The Incredibles outclasses Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse because it delivers an incredibly cohesive story that, unlike Spider-Verse, perfectly balances its satirical superhero elements with genuine heart, making it a more satisfying watch overall. The film is decades old, yet it still stands as one of the most complete superhero movies ever made, animated or otherwise.

‘Batman: Under the Red Hood’ (2010)

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Batman: Under the Red Hood is an insanely gripping superhero drama in the DC universe. The film centers on Bruce Wayne, also known as the vigilante Batman (Bruce Greenwood), as the city he protects is disrupted by the arrival of the mysterious vigilante Red Hood (Jensen Ackles), whose brutal methods challenge everything Batman stands for.

Batman: Under the Red Hood is beloved by nearly all who experience it. It’s an icon in the Bat universe that left both young and old viewers alike emotionally moved. In comparison to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Batman: Under the Red Hood is the darkness to Spider-Verse‘s light—a film that wields a tighter narrative focus, much more emotional intensity, and remarkably mature character drama. The movie can be quite heavy, as it leans into tragedy and is morally intense, yet the movie stands as fantastically entertaining, offering fans action that is only deepened by its emotional stakes rather than simply providing outlandish spectacle.

‘Wolfwalkers’ (2020)

Image via Apple TV

This fantastic fantasy film is one that definitely deserves far more attention than it’s ever received. Set in medieval Ireland, Wolfwalkers focuses on a young apprentice hunter, Robyn Goodfellowe (Honor Kneafsey), who befriends Mebh (Eva Whittaker), a free-spirited girl from a rumored wolf-witch clan, only to discover that she herself has the power to become a wolf by night.

Wolfwalkers is lauded for its heartfelt storytelling and stunning art. It’s a film that wields flowing, vibrant animation that is a stark contrast to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘s 3D sheen. Despite its mostly underrated status, Wolfwalkers explores themes of friendship, nature versus civilization, and freedom with subtlety. It’s praised as a lyrically animated, emotionally rich film, cementing it as not only a fantastic animated watch but also one that surpasses Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in emotional truth, artistry, and sheer magic.

‘Ne Zha’ (2019)

Image via Beijing Enlight Pictures

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Ne Zha is a Chinese-animated fantasy that is far too underrated internationally, despite it being a blockbuster that became China’s highest-grossing animated film. The movie follows Ne Zha (Lü Yanting and Joseph Cao), who is born as a devil but refuses his fate, determined to be the defender of his village, battling gods and demons alike.

Ne Zha is a quality action movie that explores gripping Chinese mythology. The film may not be as popular as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but it does wield a cult following who are addicted to its stunning action animation and emotional story. Ne Zha‘s blend of heroism and myth feels on par with most masterful Western superhero epics—arguably placing it above Spider-Verse for offering a fresh non-American perspective that wields innovative animation.

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)

How to Train Your Dragon is one of the finest masterpieces in animated fantasy. Set in the Viking village of Berk, the adventurous fantasy centers around the young and awkward Viking, Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), as he struggles to live up to his tribe’s expectations of becoming a dragon slayer, only for things to change when he himself gets to know a dragon he once intentionally injured.

How to Train Your Dragon may not be as visually experimental as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but it arguably surpasses it in soaring adventure and emotional simplicity. Both films follow a young hero discovering that who they want to be is entirely up to them, and the expectations of others shouldn’t have a hand in that. Yet, How to Train Your Dragon‘s true strength lies in how gracefully it builds that lesson through friendship rather than some clear-cut destiny. The movie is definitely above Into the Spider-Verse as it delivers a more emotionally resonant and more focused coming-of-age story.

‘Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox’ (2013)

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

This 2013 DC movie delivers a brilliant combination of emotional tragedy and time-travel consequences, and fantastic superhero action. Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox focuses on Barry Allen, also known as the vigilante hero, The Flash (Justin Chambers), after he awakens in an alternate timeline where history has been drastically altered.

In the long and ongoing war between Marvel and DC, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox stands as a definite triumph for the DC cinematic universe. The animated film arguably beats out Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse through its darker storytelling, emotional weight, and willingness to explore the devastating consequences of altering reality. Where the Marvel film is all bright colors, high energy, and optimism, Flashpoint offers audiences a film that embraces moral ambiguity, tragedy, and difficult choices, marking it as a watch that uses alternate realities to examine the weight of responsibility and regret, instead of just a fun concept.

‘Princess Mononoke’ (1997)

Image via Studio Ghibli

Princess Mononoke is a Japanese-animated movie that stands as one of the finest examples of moral complexity and mythic power. The powerful anime film is set in feudal Japan and centers on young warrior Ashitaka (Yōji Matsuda) as he’s cursed by a demon boar and journeys west in search of a cure, only to find himself entangled in a conflict between industrializing humans and the gods of the forest when he meets a human girl named San (Yuriko Ishida).

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse easily triumphs in superhero reinvention and style, while Princess Mononoke feels like an ancient legend brought to life, never dividing its world into simple lines of heroes and villains. The fantasy film is a genuine landmark anime with mature themes of war, ecology, and understanding. This honestly only adds to its superiority over the superhero action film. Princess Mononoke is a truly mesmerizing watch with layered storytelling and lush visuals, outranking even a transcendent hit like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

‘The Little Prince’ (2015)

Image via Paramount Pictures

This French film is a quiet masterpiece, one that may not wield the explosive energy of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but still captivates with the delicate emotional beauty that makes it just as worthy of attention. The 2015 movie The Little Prince centers on a young girl who befriends her eccentric elderly neighbor after her mother enrolls her in a strict program that leaves no time for playing. Her new friend then regales her with a tale of his encounter with a boy known as the Little Prince.

The Little Prince is a masterful adaptation filled with wisdom and whimsy. It may be completely underrated, not wielding close to the popularity that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse does, but it really excels at delivering an extremely poetic story, with a unique visual style and heartfelt message. The Little Prince is an overlooked masterpiece that places above even a flashy superhero action film such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse due to its ambition in style and theme.

‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2016)

Image via Laika

Kubo and the Two Strings is a woefully underrated action-adventure fantasy film that is definitely not as comic-book-innovative as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but stands as an animated masterpiece for its emotional storytelling and stop-motion artistry. The movie follows young Kubo (Art Parkinson), who lives peacefully with his mother until he accidentally summons a spirit, triggering the wrath of his grandfather, the Moon King (Ralph Fiennes).

Kubo and the Two Strings is truly breathtaking and deeply emotional, often praised as an incredibly moving story. In comparison to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse‘s action-filled spectacles, the animated fantasy offers audiences a more tactile craft and poignant narrative. Kubo is unique with an emotional depth that inspires real feelings. It is no doubt an underrated watch, but it’s one that definitely stands tall against even a fantastic watch like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

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Kubo and the Two Strings

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Release Date

August 19, 2016

Runtime

101 Minutes

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Writers

Marc Haimes, Chris Butler, Shannon Tindle

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Former Bachelorette Hannah Brown is recalling her journey with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

“You had discussed me going on a GLP-1. We talked about the weight gain that I was having,” Brown, 31, recalled during an appearance on the Tuesday, June 23, episode of the “SheMD” podcast, which is cohosted by Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi. “I was obviously really bloated. I was not having my period. You know, it would be every three months, maybe I would have one for two days and then that would be it. You were the first to tell me even what a GLP-1 was and how it could help with my insulin resistance.”

She continued, “You put me on one of those and I will say, it changed my life. I have now, since taking that, have had a period every 30 days. I have no bloating. I literally felt like a new human and not just because it was able to just stabilize me not continuing to just gain all this weight, but I could tell a difference by just how I felt being supported on that with all the other PCOS symptoms I had. I know some people who have a lot of bad things to say about GLP-1s but it changed my life.”

GLP-1s, which include semaglutides Ozempic and Wegovy as well as tirzepatides Zepbound and Mounjaro, help manage type 2 diabetes and obesity, but have also gained popularity for weight loss benefits.

Related: Former Bachelorette Hannah Brown Details Private Health Battle

Hannah Brown is opening up about the ongoing health battles that fans didn’t know about as she took home the top prize on Special Forces. “I will say that experience was huge for me, because behind-the-scenes, I’ve really been struggling with a lot of health issues before that almost made me not want to go on […]

Brown explained that her dosage “changed” over time, noting that she doesn’t remember the exact prescription but said it “didn’t start off on a high dose at all.”

In 2025, Brown recalled being diagnosed with PCOS and was told it was “no big deal.” She claimed she was advised to take Metformin, which is used to treat high blood sugar levels.

“Because a lot of what PCOS is is insulin resistance, you kind of can treat it the same way that you would a diabetic,” Brown said on an episode of the “Heal Squad” podcast at the time. “And so I did that, but I wasn’t given really much support on it, and I just like, ‘OK, I guess this is not a big deal, because he didn’t act like it was really a big deal.’ And my symptoms just got worse and worse.”

Brown noted that she had “super irregular periods” and struggled with “acne and weight gain,” and was told she suffered from “severe” PCOS after an ultrasound.

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Related: Brooks Nader Says ‘So Many Women’ Have Reached Out About GLP-1 Addiction

Brooks Nader was surprised to see an outpouring of support from women from all walks of life after she opened up about her addiction to weight loss drugs. “I didn’t quite know how many other women are going through the same thing that I was going though,” Nader, 28, told Us Weekly exclusively at iHeartRadio’s […]

In the same podcast episode, Brown recalled being diagnosed with a double uterus and had yet to undergo an “exploratory surgery” to find out more.

“There’s some risk in whatever may be there when I’m ready to have children. It looks like they’re attached in some way, it’s just, like, almost split,” Brown said. “She’s going to have to figure out, ‘Is one bigger than the other? Can it, like, hold a baby? Which one is better?’ It’s a whole thing. There’s been so much going on. I was like, ‘I need to put that on a shelf. I don’t need to be stressing about that right now.’”

In April, Brown shared that she underwent the procedure after “putting [it] off for awhile.”

“A few years ago, after being diagnosed with PCOS and getting an ultrasound for the first time, I found out I have an abnormal uterus. At first they thought it was a didelphys uterus, but later confirmed it’s a bicorporeal septate uterus — basically my uterus is kind of separated into two sides, and that can lead to infertility issues. The good news is, it’s something that can be treated with surgery,” she wrote via Instagram at the time. “I’ve known for a while that I’d need to take care of this before trying to have kids one day… but life has been so full. Moving across the country, writing books, planning a wedding, buying a house — family planning just hasn’t been front of mind.”

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She continued, “I still don’t know if I’m ready (does anyone ever fully feel ready?!) but it felt like time to take a first step – and this was that for me. I also know how fortunate I am to have found this out ahead of time. So many women walk through loss and disappointment before getting answers, and that’s not lost on me. Thank you to those who have shared your stories with me and encouraged me to share mine 🫶.”

Brown concluded her post by giving a sweet thank you to her husband, Adam Woolard, whom she wed in 2025.

“Recovery has been pretty smooth, and I’ve been so well taken care of — shoutout to my sweet husband @admandew and parents for being the best! 🤍,” she wrote.

Young and the Restless special prediction edition that covers July sweeps, which runs from June 25th to July 20th, including Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) getting seductive and Dr. Laurence Markham (Jere Burns) exposed as a fraud.

We have got predictions for Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), for Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk), for Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), for Dr. Markham, for Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) and Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson), for Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic), and also for Cane and Lily.

Young and the Restless: Victor and Nikki’s Reunion

First, I suspect we’ll see Victor insist that Nikki needs to move back home. So Thursday of this week, Victor finds the best surgeon for Nikki’s procedure since no one in Genoa City can do the risky operation she needs. And by Friday, Victor makes a surprising discovery about his wife’s diagnosis. So, we know that this week Nikki is getting worse and needs emergency surgery, but there’s nobody on staff that can do it because it’s tricky.

So, Victor is consulting with Nate and Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox) and they found a doctor that they’re bringing in to do surgery on Nikki. And I think that initially she won’t be happy that Victor knows, but honestly, she’s so scared right now that if he brings in the surgeon to save her eyesight, that’s a game changer for their broken marriage. I expect him to insist that Nikki forget returning to the Genoa City Athletic Club and just come home to the ranch after her surgery. And I don’t think he’ll take no for an answer. I mean, this is Victor and Nikki’s reunion story.

Patty’s Final Scheme and Escape on Y&R

Our second prediction, Patty’s outed, tries one last scheme, and then runs. So, this Thursday, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) is talking to Billy about how to help Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters). And on Friday, Jack and Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) take a big risk with Patty. So, Jack and Kyle suspect that Diane’s at Dr. Markham’s house. Problem is Jack’s not being subtle and Patty warned Markham that Jack might be coming to his house to try and get Diane.

And I think this initial rescue attempt with Jack with Kyle’s help trying to get to Diane is going to be thwarted. But it might be enough for Jack to get a detective to get a warrant. And we all know in the end Diane’s going to be saved. And Patty and her dirty doctor should be outed in sweeps. But I don’t think she’ll give up on Jack. I don’t think she’ll go away quietly. I think Patty’s going to pull one last desperate stunt and then she may run from Genoa City before she can actually be arrested or tossed back into a psych hospital.

Young and Restless: Nick’s Relapse and Family Crisis

Our third prediction, Nick starts using again and tries to hide it. So recently he told Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) and Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) that he was struggling and mentioned that a guy who’d been clean for years showed up high to a meeting and then he saw his old dealer at Crimson Lights and that freaked him out. So, Noah and Sharon both got this disturbing news from Nick and he told Sharon and Noah that he’s already struggling to stay clean and it seems like Nick’s being tested at every turn.

And with Nikki facing this horrible health crisis and needing emergency surgery, that stress may be what triggers Nick’s relapse. Headwriter Josh Griffith did say it would be a rough road for Nick. And he hinted at a relapse coming. So I expect one during July sweeps. And of course, he’ll do what addicts do, which is lie and deny. And his family, chiefly Victor, may insist that Nick needs to go to inpatient rehab for a thorough detox.

Young and the Restless: Dr. Markham’s True Identity

Our fourth prediction, Dr. Markham is not who he says he is. So, we know obviously this guy is shady because he’s working with Patty and taking a boatload of cash from her to keep Diane locked up basically indefinitely. So, Patty told Jack his name and they checked his credentials and he definitely looks legit, but maybe he is not the person that those credentials belong to. He could be an impostor, and the real Dr. Markham might be tied up somewhere. Or he could be dead. He could be stuck in the basement of his own house.

I mean, Patty’s certainly crazy enough to do something like that and to hire somebody to pretend to be Markham to help her pull off this dirty deal. I mean, you’d think a noted psychiatrist wouldn’t behave like this. So, maybe he’s a random dude. Or even worse, maybe he’s a former patient that Patty met when she was locked up in the psych hospital and he knows how Dr. Markham conducts therapy because he was treated by him. Because I definitely think there’s something really fishy going on with Patty and the person who says he’s Markham.

No legit shrink would take money to gaslight Diane into thinking she had a breakdown and agree to keep her captive for years. Only a maniac would do that. Markham is clearly Patty’s partner in crime, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t Markham at all and was an escaped psych patient.

Cane’s Corporate Strategy and Romance on Y&R

Our fifth prediction, Cane convinces Lily to let him hire Billy. So, Cane offered Billy a while ago the chance to get his hands on Chancellor before everything turned bad. And Cane knows just how badly that Billy wants it. Plus, I think Cane would like the chance to work with his sort of brother Billy. And Jill Abbott is in town this week with recast actress Lauren Koslow in the role. She may like the idea of Cane and Billy brother bonding.

And no matter how Lily feels about Billy, if Cane as her CEO suggests that Billy would be a good hire, I could see Cane convincing Lily to let him give Billy a chance. You know, maybe just to see how it goes and hire him like as his COO or something like that at Chancellor. And what’s even better about this is it would infuriate Victor. He’s already going to be angry when he hears that Lily appointed Cane as CEO. Now Nikki knows, but I don’t remember Victor finding out. But if Billy Boy is there as well, I think Victor’s head would explode. And I think that Lily wants to prod Victor and Nikki both for doing her so dirty before.

Young and the Restless: Nate’s Medical Calling

Our sixth prediction, Nate returns to medicine, just not surgery. So, Friday spoilers have Stephanie recruiting Nate for a special project. She can see that Nate is still passionate about medicine. Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) saw it, too. And now Nate’s consulting on getting Nikki the care she needs to hopefully restore her vision, get that mass off her optic nerve. And Nate agreed to help, but only from the sidelines on Young and the Restless.

But I think someone may press Nate to come work at the hospital in some capacity, maybe as a surgical consultant, somebody who puts patients with the best surgeons to get the best outcomes. It’s not like Lily and Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) actually need him at Winters. I’d love to see Nate as a doctor again. And I think Audra would cheer for him to do this. I’m still also rooting for them to reunite.

Young and Restless: Lily and Cane’s Intimate Moment

All right, our very last prediction. Lily takes Cane to bed. So, we’ve seen Lily increasingly impressed with Cane’s actions ever since he donated bone marrow to save Malcolm Winter’s (Shemar Moore) life. They’ve already kissed a few times and it seems like Lily is really falling for Cane again because he has proven himself to her. So, I think soon we’re going to see Lily make a move and take Cane to bed.

I can see Lily being the one to initiate intimacy. I can see it happening during sweeps. And of course, Cane would be absolutely thrilled. And I definitely think he wouldn’t do anything to pressure Lily, but I think she will make the first move. Cane will love anything that Lily wants from him. And I think Cane will like Lily being his corporate boss at Chancellor. And maybe he would like her being his boss in the bedroom, too.

Mickey Rourke has sparked concerns after being photographed out and about in Los Angeles in a disheveled state and without teeth.

It comes months after the actor was kicked out of his L.A. home over his refusal to pay rent, prompting fans to donate funds to him, which he declined.

Mickey Rourke also recently came under the spotlight after apologizing to his ex-wife Carre Otis, admitting that their fallout was “not her fault,” and he was to blame.

Rourke made a worryingly disheveled appearance during a rare outing in L.A. this week.

The iconic ’80s actor and former professional boxer looked unrecognizable during the stroll, as paparazzi photos, obtained by the Daily Mail, revealed a completely bare upper and lower jaw.

For the outing, Rourke was dressed in a stained, grey, zip-up sweatshirt, a pair of faded jeans, and pulled the hood over his head.

He also had a strange stain around his chin that added to his worrisome appearance during the rare outing.

Although he was seen walking a small white dog, the actor looked gloomy, completing his outfit with aviator sunglasses.

See the shocking photos here.

The Actor Was Evicted From His Home

The appearance was a far departure from his usual rugged appearance in Hollywood, which seemed to be from a turbulent year he had endured.

In late 2025, the 73-year-old Oscar nominee was legally evicted from his Los Angeles home over nearly $60,000 in unpaid rent.

He sparked fears he wasn’t doing well financially at the time, but a rep later told the Daily Mail that the reason he “stopped paying rent was because the living conditions in the house had become unacceptable.”

According to the news outlet, fans then donated $100,000 to a GoFundMe set up by an assistant to his manager, Kimberly Hines, but he declined the funds, calling the campaign a “cruel embarrassment.”

Mickey Rourke Opened Up About His Bad Living Conditions

Rourke got candid about his living conditions, revealing that he was facing drawn-out issues with rodents and bad plumbing.

“For months, there were serious problems that repeatedly went unaddressed despite my efforts to have them fixed,” he said in a statement through his team.

The “Sin City” actor went further to explain that “there were ongoing rodent issues that required multiple visits but were never fully resolved, and the bathroom and plumbing frequently did not work.”

“I made repeated requests for repairs, but the problems continued, and basic maintenance was never properly handled,” he continued, adding that refusing to pay rent “was not a decision I made lightly.”

“I simply could not continue paying for a house that was in such poor condition after so many attempts to have these issues corrected,” he concluded.

The Actor Now Has Huge Fees On His Hand Due To The Rent Dispute

In March, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge officially ordered Rourke to vacate the residence after he failed to respond to a lawsuit filed by his landlord, Eric Goldie.

Court documents revealed that Rourke owed a staggering $59,100 in back rent after failing to comply with a strict three-day pay-or-vacate notice.

The court granted Goldie possession of the property and canceled their remaining agreement. He was asked to leave the property on December 18, according to legal complaints filed by Goldie, but in another document filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on December 29, the landlord claimed that Rourke had “failed to comply with the requirements of the order he was given to settle up or move out.”

According to the news outlet, Goldie also asked the court to make the actor cover the legal costs he had incurred in trying to recoup the rent, and for Rourke to forfeit the remainder of the agreement.

Mickey Rourke Apologized To His Ex-wife

Rourke has seemingly been in a self-reflective mode in recent times and even weighed in on his broken marriage with ex-wife Carre Otis.

The couple were married from 1992 to 1998, and starred in films like 1989’s “Wild Orchid” and 1996’s “Exit in Red.”

According to People Magazine, he took to his Instagram account earlier this month to repost another user’s praise of “Wild Orchid” and seemingly pondered on their time together.

“Wrong girl not her fault all my mistake I was a fool for so many yrs not her fault at all I just made a blind, terrible mistake, big regret not of it her fault all my blame,” he wrote, adding a series of butterfly and praying hands emojis.

Otis had previously alleged suffering abuse in her 2011 memoir “Beauty, Disrupted: A Memoir.” In a Huffington Post interview about the book at the time, she called their marriage an “abusive relationship.”

She added that they “were both from really dysfunctional backgrounds, and we both had the perfect ground to feed that dysfunction because we didn’t have tools, and I was a kid! I was a young person and obviously greatly influenced by one of America’s greatest actors at that moment.”

2026 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark doesn’t hold a grudge, and it turns out that’s good news for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Clark, 32, was asked about a viral social media post he made in 2016 during a Wednesday, June 24 appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast.

“I hate Baker Mayfield,” the post read.

The hosts asked him what inspired the comment, and Clark hesitated before accusing the then-University of Oklahoma quarterback of sleeping with his girlfriend.

Related: Baker Mayfield’s Wife Posts Video of QB at Home Watching Playoff Hopes Fade

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield could only watch as his team’s playoff hopes slipped away on Sunday, January 4, and his wife, Emily, shared those tense moments with the world. “Watching Baker watch football as a ‘fan’ is hilarious,” she wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday. “Haven’t seen him this stressed in a […]

“I’m trying to decide if I should tell the story,” he said. “Alright, screw it. I don’t care. … My girlfriend at the time cheated on me with Baker Mayfield.”

Clark was a student at the University of Oregon at the time, but had just transferred from Oklahoma State. Now dating model Emily Tanner, Clark said he no longer holds anything against Mayfield.

“I’m actually a Baker fan now; I think he’s a homie,” Clark said. “But you know, that’s where it came from.”

He added, “I hope actually this is a bro moment for us to be like, ‘Oh, bro, my bad, I didn’t know. She never told me.’ And I’ll be like, ‘Ah, it’s all good. We’re homies, let’s play golf.’ That’s where I hope this comes from.”

Mayfield, for his part, began dating Emily Wilkinson in 2017 and the couple married in 2019. They welcomed their first child, daughter Kova Jade, in 2024.

Clark and Tanner, 31, went public with their relationship in April at the Masters. He revealed to Us Weekly after his U.S. Open victory that they met through a mutual friend after being a fan of hers “for quite a long time.”

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“I was with a buddy of mine, and one of his friends was there, and he was like, ‘Hey, man, I got this girl that is a good friend of mine and she’s recently single and she’s accomplished,’” Clark told Us on Tuesday, June 23. “He said all of these nice things. I go, ‘Oh, cool, can I see a picture of her?’ He shows me Emily, and I go, ‘No way, I’ve had a crush on her forever.’”

He added that Tanner has helped him become a better golfer.

“She’s a huge part of my success,” Clark said. “We joke and call her my at-home caddie because she helps me with everything off the course. She just makes me so happy. We have so much fun together. When I’m away from golf, I’m able to decompress and not think about it because we truly just enjoy each other’s time. She’s amazing. She makes everything stress-free for me. She’s my biggest supporter, and she’s always out there watching me.”