Val Kilmer’s legacy has once again become the center of controversy after filmmaker Adam Marcus reignited criticism of the late actor with a series of explosive allegations. 

Marcus recently faced backlash after describing Kilmer as “the worst human being” he had ever known, but he is refusing to back down. 

The director, who worked with Kilmer on the 2008 film “Conspiracy,” insists his comments were not an attempt to attack a deceased star but rather a continuation of concerns he says he has publicly shared for years.

Adam Marcus found himself under fire after a social media post about Val Kilmer went viral. 

In the post, the director alleged that Kilmer was frequently late, verbally abusive, physically aggressive, and often under the influence during production. 

Marcus claimed the experience became so overwhelming that it almost pushed him out of the film industry entirely. According to him, the actor Kilmer “acted completely unprofessional” despite being paid $1.5 million for the project.

The reaction online was swift, prompting Marcus to remove the post from Threads. However, he told the Daily Mail he stands by every word.

“What I said about Val in that post was that he was the worst human I had ever met. That is true. There’s no hyperbole to that,” Marcus said.

The director maintained that his criticism was not new, noting that he had discussed his experiences publicly years before Kilmer’s death.

Kilmer Allegedly Changed Once Filming Began

Adam Marcus explained that his relationship with Val Kilmer started on a positive note. As a longtime admirer of the actor, he was thrilled to cast him in “Conspiracy” and described their early interactions as friendly and collaborative.

According to the 58-year-old, Kilmer even acknowledged rumors about his past behavior while assuring him he had changed.

“He said, ‘But I turned over a new leaf. I’m a new man,’” Marcus recalled. However, the director claims everything shifted once production moved to New Mexico.

“Day one of the shoot, he showed up three hours late to set,” Marcus alleged, claiming Kilmer was suffering from alcohol poisoning and required medical attention from an ambulance crew before filming could continue.

According to him, the late Hollywood star tearfully apologized and promised things would improve, but the issues allegedly escalated as filming continued.

Val Kilmer Accused Of Physical And Verbal Misconduct

One of Marcus’ most shocking allegations involves an incident he says occurred less than a week into filming.

“By day six, he showed up to set completely out of his mind,” he alleged. According to Marcus, Kilmer became fixated on showing off a new pair of Crocs. 

When he asked him to wait while a shot was being prepared, he claims Kilmer kicked him in the crotch. “As I turned to my [director of photography], he kicked me in the crotch with his Crocs,” Marcus said.

Marcus further alleged that the “Top Gun” star repeatedly used a homophobic slur and directed it at him in front of cast and crew members.

He also claimed Kilmer made inappropriate advances toward women on set, including his wife and co-writer Debra Sullivan. Sullivan backed up those allegations, telling the Daily Mail, “He kept grabbing my a**.”

Kilmer’s Behavior Was Remembered Differently By Others

Not everyone involved with “Conspiracy” shares Marcus’ perspective. Actor Jude Lanston, who appeared in the film, said Val Kilmer was gracious during their scenes together and even went out of his way to introduce himself afterward.

“Honestly, working with him was amazing,” Lanston said. However, he also claimed he witnessed some of the behavior Marcus described.

“I saw how he treated everybody else,” he said, adding, “He kicked the guy in the nuts.” When asked about Marcus’ viral post, Lanston added, “Everything was true.”

Other cast members offered more measured reactions. Jennifer Esposito said she had a “fine” experience working with Kilmer and urged people to focus on living individuals accused of misconduct. 

Christopher Gehrman also spoke positively about the actor, calling it “an honor” to work alongside him.

Val Kilmer’s Reputation Followed Him Throughout Hollywood

Marcus is hardly the first filmmaker to publicly criticize Kilmer’s behavior. Over the years, several high-profile directors shared stories about difficult experiences working with the actor. 

“Batman Forever” director Joel Schumacher famously called him “childish and impossible,” while Oliver Stone told Rogerebert.com in 2025 that Kilmer’s “personality was not easy to get along with.”

Richard Stanley was even more blunt, saying, “I don’t like Val Kilmer, I don’t like his work ethic, and I don’t want to be associated with him ever again.”

Kilmer himself addressed the criticism during his lifetime. In a 2017 Reddit AMA, he suggested his reputation stemmed from his intense focus on acting.

“I only cared about the acting and that didn’t translate to caring about the film or all that money,” he said. In his 2021 documentary “Val,” the actor offered perhaps his most candid reflection.

“I have behaved poorly. I have behaved bravely. I have behaved bizarrely to some,” Kilmer said, further noting, “I deny none of this and have no regrets because I have lost and found parts of myself that I never knew existed. And I am blessed.”

The Morning Show‘s Greta Lee and The Secret Agent‘s Wagner Moura are sheltering in place in the new Netflix science fiction horror movie The Last House. Before it hits the streamer later this summer, you can check out the chilling new trailer that asks what a family will do to survive a mysterious force that’s trapped them inside.

While the pandemic drove many people to distraction with loneliness, isolation, and cabin fever, it’s magnified to the nth degree in The Last House. Lee, Moura, and their kids are suddenly and abruptly locked into their house by a mysterious outside entity. And it’s not just them: everyone on their street, and maybe the entire world, is trapped inside. And we’re not talking days, weeks, or even months: an onscreen counter lets us know that they’re stuck in their house for over three years and counting, making each successive day a struggle to find food and retain their sanity. However, as they settle into a routine and nature reclaims the outdoors, one question remains: are they being imprisoned for some nefarious reason, or are they being kept safe from whatever terrible things might be lurking on the now-silent streets? You’ll have to find out on August 7, when The Last House opens its doors on Netflix.

Where Can Wagner Moura and Greta Lee Be Seen Next?

Coming off his Oscar nomination for The Secret Agent, becoming the first Brazilian ever to contend for Best Actor, Moura will star alongside Alicia Vikander in the drama The Last Day. He’s also set to star in the vampire horror movie Flesh of the Gods with Kristen Stewart; it will be director Panos Cosmatos‘ first feature since the acclaimed Mandy. Lee will next be heard as the voice of Lilypad, a sinister tablet that becomes the arch-nemesis of Buzz, Woody, and the gang in Toy Story 5; it opens in theaters this weekend. She’ll also lend her voice to next year’s Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, reprising her role as Spider-Man 2099’s digital assistant Lyla. She has a project lined up behind the camera, as well; she’s set to make her directorial debut adapting Monika Lee‘s serial killer horror novel The Eyes Are the Best Part; it centers around a Korean-American student who descends into madness and eyeball-eating cannibalism.

The Last House was originally titled 11817, and was to star Kingsley Ben-Adir; he was replaced by Moura before filming began. It is directed by Louis Leterrier (The Transporter), from a script by Matthew Robinson (Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die).

The Last House will premiere on Netflix on August 7. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

The membrane separating movies from TV has never been thinner, as one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises suddenly has more prosects on the small screen than the cinema. FX has renewed Alien: Earth for a second season, which will begin filming later this year. By comparison, the studios behind the Alien franchise still haven’t committed to their next movie project, with a sequel to Alien: Romulus in development, but nowhere near production as far as we know. Alien: Earth was a massive success for FX and Hulu, and it’s clear the network wants to keep up the momentum. This could be good news for the franchise overall, but an increased investment in TV could mean fewer xenomorphs on the big screen in the years to come.

The Alien franchise spread throughout popular media as fast as a facehugger could scuttle after it debuted in 1979. The xenomorphs have become a staple of comic books over the decades, and have seen a lot of success in sci-fi novels and audio dramas too. There are also video games, toys, theme park attractions, and crossover films — yet somehow the Alien franchise didn’t make it to TV until last summer. That may be a good thing for, as the age of streaming and prestige TV made Alien: Earth feel cinematic. However, with this avenue open, the future of Alien on the big screen could be going into cryosleep.

‘Alien: Earth’ Could Be The New Franchise Flagship

Image via FX on Hulu

It looks like Alien: Earth exceeded expectations for FX and Hulu, at least judging by the network’s enthusiasm since it aired. The show got decent ratings both on TV and streaming according to Nielsen, and it was beloved by critics and fans. FX was quick to renew the series, securing the cast and creators before they could find other work. TV legend Peter Dinklage is even joining the main cast in Season 2.

Showrunner Noah Hawley is hoping this isn’t the show’s last renewal, either. In an interview with Collider, he said that he has a long-term plan for this story, and he’s not even sure how many seasons it might take to tell it. However, he added that he and his crew “could go for as long as we want” if the audience is still receptive. FX has only committed to one more season so far, but the network must believe in Hawley’s plan on some level to keep investing in him.

By contrast, work on future Alien movies has been much slower and more cautious. After the release of Alien Resurrection in 1997, we got two Alien vs. Predator spinoffs, which are not considered canonical, and two prequels which fans are divided on, to say the least. Alien: Romulus arguably hit all the same markers of success as Alien: Earth, yet plans for the next movie have still not been solidified. There were reports that the franchise might move onto a different spinoff angle, but the most recent reports indicate that Fede Álvarez will return to write another script, but he will hand over directorial duties to someone else — likely Michael Sarnoski.

Even that is just an unverified report, and it does not come with the same commitment as a renewal announcement from FX. Of course, this is partly due to the different natures of movies and TV — while Alien: Earth needs to secure its cast and crew for another season, the next movie might not need the same characters, and it might benefit from a change in creative lineup. Still, from the outside it looks like the studios are placing equal faith in the movie medium that Alien was incubated in, and the TV medium it just recently took over.

The ‘Alien’ Franchise Needs New Stories to Adapt

Image via FX

Whether movies or TV shows are the best medium for the Alien franchise may be up for debate, but either way, Romulus and Earth have similar storytelling approaches that contributed to their success. Both finally moved the Alien franchise away from the prequel continuity of Prometheus and Covenant, and that seems to be the right move. The prequels were not universally hated, but the focus on worldbuilding and exploring the origins of the xenomorphs did not match with the franchise’s horror roots.

Keeping this approach seems to be the real key, regardless of screen size. Alien must put its lore and continuity on the back burner without completely ignoring or contradicting it. Romulus and Earth both did okay in this regard, but they’re still facing a tightrope walk in the future.

Beyond that, it may be up to fans to vote with their dollars on where they see xenomorphs in the years to come. Alien: Romulus was a box office hit, but ticket sales may not be able to keep up with the instant gratification of streaming at home. Xenomorphs can adapt to thrive in any environment, so we’ll have to see which medium suits it better. Alien: Earth and Alien: Romulus are streaming now on Hulu, and Alien: Earth Season 2 begins filming later this year. There’s no word on when it might premiere.

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Release Date

August 12, 2025

Directors

Dana Gonzales, Ugla Hauksdóttir, Noah Hawley

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Writers

Bob DeLaurentis

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For years, Dead by Daylight has built one of the most recognizable brands in horror gaming. The multiplayer phenomenon has welcomed icons from across the genre into The Fog, turning matches into dream crossover scenarios where Ghostface, Michael Myers, Chucky, and countless others can hunt survivors on the same battlefield.

That success made a movie adaptation a highly requested item from fans. Behaviour Interactive first announced plans for a movie in 2023, partnering with major horror players to bring the franchise to theaters. Since then, updates have been relatively scarce, leaving fans wondering what shape the project would ultimately take and who would be responsible for bringing the game’s unique brand of terror to the big screen. Now, one of the biggest pieces of that puzzle has finally fallen into place.

‘The Damned’ Director Will Bring ‘Dead by Daylight’ to Theaters

Image via Vertical

During Dead by Daylight‘s 10th anniversary celebration broadcast, Behaviour Interactive confirmed that Icelandic filmmaker Thordur Palsson has been tapped to direct the upcoming movie adaptation. Palsson is best known for directing the atmospheric horror movie The Damned. According to comments shared during the anniversary presentation, the filmmaker’s goal is to recreate the tension that defines the experience of actually playing Dead by Daylight, particularly the constant feeling that danger could be waiting just out of sight.

The movie’s screenplay is being developed by horror veteran Alexandre Aja alongside screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. While plot details remain under wraps, the anniversary presentation also confirmed that recognizable locations from the game will appear in the movie. Among them are the MacMillan Estate and Greenville, two settings longtime players will immediately recognize. The adaptation was originally announced through a partnership between Blumhouse, Atomic Monster, and Behaviour Interactive. At the time, the project was still in its earliest stages, with no writer or director attached. The addition of Palsson marks the clearest sign yet that the movie is moving into a more active phase of development.

First released in 2016, Dead by Daylight has grown into one of gaming’s most successful horror franchises. The asymmetrical multiplayer pits a single killer against four survivors and has become famous for bringing together some of horror’s biggest names through licensed collaborations. Over the years, players have seen characters and locations inspired by franchises including Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream, Hellraiser, Silent Hill, and Resident Evil. The anniversary livestream also included announcements of future collaborations, including the arrival of horror’s infamous Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise.

With a director now attached and production expected to begin next year, the long-gestating adaptation finally appears to be stepping out of The Fog. Follow Collider for horror updates, including future Dead by Daylight adaptation news such as a release date when the announcement is made.

It’s been nearly two days since a disturbing accident in Brazil went viral. Video of the incident has been seen by millions and reported internationally, especially given the shocking footage that shows Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas plummeting to her death.

RELATED: Prayers Up! Viral Video Shows 21-Year-Old Woman In Brazil Being Tossed Off Bridge Before Her Bungee Safety Cord Is Attached

What Happened In Viral Bungee Jump Incident? 

The 21-year-old was allegedly on a group adventure that included a bungee jump experience at Skeleton Bridge in Limeira, São Paulo. At least three staff members are on video holding Maria before two of them throw her off the bridge. She was not attached to a safety cord. Newsweek reports that Maria Eduarda Rodrigues fell at least 131 feet and was pronounced dead on the scene. Before her death, she reportedly posted on social media about the adventure, sharing photos of the company in anticipation of her bungee jump, and commented, “Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?” At least 6 people have reportedly been detained for questioning, according to translated local reports.

Social Media Is STILL Going In Over Bungee Jump Video

As mentioned, people have viewed the viral video of Maria’s shocking death countless times. But watching isn’t the only thing people are doing. Many are sounding off across social platforms about how the fatal bungee jump played out. At times, the criticism and blame is on the workers who did the lifting and tossing without a safety cord. But other times, the victim herself is catching heat for not triple checking her personal security. Meanwhile, some are cooking up conspiracy theories that have suggested Maria was intentionally killed. But overall, there’s a deep sadness for both the 21-year-old and her family as people are swearing off the extreme sporting activity. Reports have said that her fiancé became ill at the scene of her death and had to be transported to the hospital.

See Reactions To The Bungee Incident From Online Users 

Keep scrolling to see reactions pulled from Threads. 

 

 

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RELATED: Ashlee Jenae’s Fiancé Joe McCann Speaks Out After Authorities Reportedly Rule Suicide As Her Cause Of Death

When The Simpsons takes your story and decides to do a full episode on it, you know you’ve got something that has quite accurately captured the public’s imagination, and that’s very much the case even now, as Apple’s latest version of one of cinema’s most compelling crime stories continues to win over viewers.

The new Apple TV limited series, Cape Fear, has officially overtaken Jon Hamm‘s darkly comedic crime thriller Your Friends & Neighbors to claim the No. 1 spot on the streamer’s charts, and that’s no small thing, considering Your Friends & Neighbors has been one of Apple TV’s biggest hits. It recently passed 200 days in the streamer’s top 10, but Cape Fear has now jumped ahead, turning the newest adaptation of the Robert De Niro crime-thriller classic into an instant streaming hit.

Who’s Involved in ‘Cape Fear’?

Created by Nick Antosca, Cape Fear stars Javier Bardem in the role of Max Cady, previously played by De Niro in Martin Scorsese‘s 1991 film and Robert Mitchum in the 1962 original. The story follows a terrifying ex-convict who targets the family of the lawyer he blames for his imprisonment. Apple has expanded the story into a 10-episode limited series, so it’s got plenty more room to breathe, even if the cast of characters all look haunted as hell in very fancy lighting. The series also stars Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson.

The timing could hardly be better for Apple TV. Cape Fear arrived as Your Friends & Neighbors wrapped its second season, giving viewers a new thriller to jump into just as the Jonathan Tropper crime drama finished its latest run. The remake had already opened strongly, debuting near the top of Apple TV’s charts and outperforming other recent titles including Widow’s Bay and Star City. Now, it has gone one step further by taking the No. 1 spot outright.

The series also comes with serious pedigree behind the camera. Steven Spielberg and Scorsese serve as executive producers, giving it a link back to the film that came before. Spielberg was originally attached to direct the 1991 movie before Scorsese took over, and that film became a major commercial success, grossing $182 million worldwide against a reported $35 million budget.

Cape Fear and Your Friends and Neighbors Season 2 are streaming now on Apple TV. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

June 4, 2026

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Apple TV

Showrunner

Nick Antosca

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Directors

Amanda Marsalis, Morten Tyldum, Stephen Williams, Jon S. Baird, Jonathan van Tulleken, Reed Morano, S.J. Clarkson, Trey Edward Shults

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Writers

Peter Blake, Alan Page Arriaga, Tara Shivkumar, Maria Jacquemetton, Diana Pawell

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Heidi Montag publicly addressed her husband Spencer Pratt’s Los Angeles mayoral loss.

“I couldn’t love my husband more and be more proud of him. What an inspiration, what a hero,” the Hills alum, 39, wrote via X on Sunday, June 14. The statement was posted three days after Pratt, 42, broke his silence on the results of the election following a lengthy vote-counting process across L.A. county after polls closed on June 2.

“Are they done counting yet?” Pratt had written via X on Thursday, June 11.

Four days earlier, news broke of Los Angeles City Council member Nithya Raman overtaking Pratt to finish in second place behind incumbent Karen Bass. The leapfrogging from Raman, 44, secured her place in the election’s November runoff, knocking Pratt out altogether.

Related: What Spencer Pratt Has Said About Running for Los Angeles Mayor

Spencer Pratt has his eye on one thing: becoming the next Los Angeles mayor. In a June 2 primary, incumbent Karen Bass advanced to the November 3 general election against either Pratt or City Councilwoman Nithya Raman. Her opponent had yet to be announced at the time of publication. Pratt announced his unlikely candidacy one […]

At the end of April, amid Pratt’s mayoral campaign, Montag had exclusively told Us Weekly that she was entirely supportive of her husband and his political aspirations. “I wouldn’t be here without him,” she told Us on April 30. “He is so, so incredible.”

At the time, Montag spoke in further detail about the “behind the scenes” support she receives from Pratt as she continues to grow her musical career. She explained to Us that she and Pratt work together as a team to chase their dreams.

“I mean, I’m the record label, so we have a lot of work to do,” she said in reference to releasing music independently. “It is more than just showing up and performing, which is awesome, and very hard work too.”

Related: Spencer Pratt on His Mayoral Campaign, Death Threats and A-List Supporters

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Twenty years after becoming reality TV’s most infamous antagonist on The Hills, Spencer Pratt has entered perhaps his most unexpected era yet: a respected political candidate. (Yes, really!) The 42-year-old TV personality turned crystal entrepreneur and hummingbird enthusiast is currently running for mayor of Los Angeles, steadily surging in the polls. His campaign videos rack […]

Pratt echoed his wife’s collaborative sentiment while speaking to Us for a May 27 cover story. “Heidi is an actual angel superhero,” he said at the time. “She is working so hard to continue putting out new music and paying for our kids’ food and working so hard to be, you know, the single [breadwinner].” (The couple, who married in November 2008, share two sons: Gunner, 8, and Ryker, 3.)

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Despite Pratt’s failed mayoral hopes, the former reality TV star will continue to fight political powers that he believes are corrupt. “Now that the campaign portion of my mission of ‘Save Los Angeles’ is coming to a close, I’m moving on to the next more interesting phase,” Pratt said in a social media video titled “Save LA — Phase III,” and shared on Friday, June 12.

He said later in the clip, “You think you can get rid of me that easily? Hey morons, I didn’t get in this for political power. I got in this to expose this corrupt machine and nothing’s changed. I’m going to be lighting you up every single day and now I don’t have to worry about offending CNN viewers. I don’t have a campaign loss hamstringing me now.”

Pratt concluded, “It’s war.”

Oliver Tree stated seven weeks prior to his death that nobody in his family would “get a penny” if he died.

During an April 25 appearance on “The Zach Sang Show” podcast, Tree said, “I don’t believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it [a career] is mine. So when I die — I’ve set it up — my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one’s going to get a penny.”

The late singer-songwriter died at the age of 32 on the morning of Sunday, June 14, after two helicopters collided in southwest Rio de Janeiro. CNN Brasil reported that Tree was one of six passenger fatalities. Us Weekly reached out to a representative for Tree at the time.

The interview expanded on Tree’s financial intentions, including what he wanted had he found a partner and started a family before his death. “If I have a wife or kids or anything, [they’re] not getting a f—ing penny,” he said during the interview. “I’ll get my kids through college. That’s the agreement. But there’s not going to be a silver spoon. They’re taken care of because my dad worked on some stuff in the 2000s. The idea is, when I die, all the money is going to go back to artists.”

Related: Stars React to Singer Oliver Tree’s Death at 32 After Helicopter Collision

Hollywood stars, influencers and musicians are reacting to the tragic and untimely death of singer Oliver Tree. On the morning of June 14, two helicopters reportedly crashed into one another mid-air while traveling in southwest Rio De Janeiro, according to a same-day report from CNN Brazil. According to the outlet, Tree was one of six […]

The musician was known for his hit song “Life Goes On,” attracting more than 2 million social media followers who followed his humorous online content as well as his music. He had traveled to Brazil as part of a world tour, performing on June 6 in São Paulo. He was scheduled to perform in Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday, July 13.

CNN Brasil reported that Tree was killed when helicopters collided mid-air in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a coastal area in Rio de Janeiro. The outlet added that there were no survivors and the crash caused further damage when loose copters hit an electric vehicle yard, setting fire to more than 20 vehicles.

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Just hours before the incident occurred, Tree had shared a playful video that captured his time in Brazil. “Gringo’s 24 hours in Brazil,” Tree and a collaborator named Iae Break wrote in Spanish via Instagram on Saturday, June 14.

Related: Liam Payne Died Without Will, Cheryl Cole Co-Administrator of $38M Estate

Liam Payne reportedly died without a will. According to U.K. court records obtained by Rolling Stone, Payne did not have an executed will when he unexpectedly died in October 2024. The outlet reports that Cheryl Cole, the mother of Payne’s only child, was named one of the administrators of his estate. Payne’s estate, per the […]

The clip included footage of Tree playing soccer, getting a haircut to upkeep his signature bowl cut and lengthy mullet, and cooking meat.

Tree’s podcast interview with host Zach Sang, 33, also included a conversation about how he hoped his artistic pursuits would create a legacy in the case of his death. “When I die, my art will continue to have residuals and probably be worth more than it is now. People will finally appreciate my stupid f—ing videos or my stupid f—ing songs,” he said. “That’s when people appreciate you, when you’re not there anymore. I have basically a committee that I’ve set up when I pass — and I plan to do it while I’m alive — where basically everyone will vote on who the money goes to each year.”

In the 1980s, David Bowie went through one of his many reinventions. With elements of disco and new wave, Bowie’s 1983 album, Let’s Dance, became an icon of the ’80s, but while most of the songs in it invite listeners to dance and let go, Bowie was going through different transformations, some of which were very painful. He suffered a devastating loss, changed his team, and found himself again in this new era, as he did every time he changed styles in his incredibly prolific career.

“Modern Love” is one of David Bowie’s greatest hits, and it’s one of those songs that can deceive the listener at first. Bowie’s upbeat voice and funky rock rhythm immediately make you bob your head, but as soon as you pay attention to the lyrics, it’s clear that the British singer was working through his own feelings of disappointment with the modern world and the perception of romance. Here’s why this classic dance song is actually one of Bowie’s most heartbreaking ones.

David Bowie Started Making ‘Let’s Dance’ in 1980, But a Tragedy Stopped Him

David Bowie’s album Let’s Dance came out in 1983, but Bowie had been working on the songs from the album for many years before it came out. In 1980, the singer had started working on the album, but then, in December, tragedy struck. As everyone knows, that year, former Beatle John Lennon was shot and killed just outside his home in New York. He was Bowie’s long-time friend and collaborator. Lennon even helped him write the song that became his first U.S. No. 1 hit. So, when he heard the devastating news that his friend had been murdered, he put all his plans on hold. He canceled his upcoming tour and fled to Switzerland, where he withdrew for several months, processing his grief and slowly trying to recover.

Who’s Your Perfect Classic Rock Band?

Lennon hadn’t only been his close friend; he was also his greatest mentor. Although they were only a few years apart, Bowie grew up listening to The Beatles, and Lennon was one of his most important inspirations. “A whole piece of my life seemed to have been taken away,” Bowie said about Lennon’s death, “a whole reason for being a singer and songwriter seemed to be removed from me. It was almost like a warning.”

But while the loss was a heavy thing to process, Bowie knew that, despite losing his mentor, he still had a lot to give. A couple of years later, he decided to go back into the studio. But the experience had changed him, and as such, his new album needed to reflect that.

Bowie’s “Modern Love” is About Disappointment, Not Love

“Modern Love” was the third single from Let’s Dance, and it’s a clear change of direction for Bowie. The British musician was channeling his disillusionment with romance, and the modern world in general, through this song. When he returned to the studio, Bowie was ready to shake things up. He broke a long-time partnership with producer Tony Visconti, hiring R&B legend Nile Rodgers instead, which caused a lot of tension with his then-collaborator. According to Visconti, Bowie chose Rodgers instead of him because “he wanted that elusive number one American hit.”

“I said, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going to work together anymore. But good luck. Congratulations. Let’s Dance is a big hit.’ I personally never liked it. It’s just not David Bowie,” the producer said. It’s understandable why he would say this, considering he worked with Bowie throughout the ’70s, and his music during that decade couldn’t be more different from Let’s Dance. But it would be a mistake to try to say that there’s a single “David Bowie style.” After all, Bowie’s essence as an artist was his ability to constantly change and grow with the times, and “Modern Love” was a great reflection of its time, and of what Bowie was feeling during that time.

In this song, Bowie condemns modern romance, claiming, “It’s not really work, it’s just the power to charm.” In the chorus, he also says, “I don’t believe in modern love.” This sense of dismay might also have to do with the fact that he had recently divorced, and going back into the dating world, he found himself disappointed with how romance had changed.

“Modern Love” is the opening track of the album, and introduces the world to this new chapter in David Bowie’s career, proving disco was yet another genre that the Thin White Duke expertly managed.

Video game storytelling has evolved a great deal from the early days of text-based adventures, instruction manual backstories, and games whose only in-game story is a blurb of text before the title screen. Nowadays, video games have helped bring to life some of the most expansive and emotionally compelling stories of the modern era, making the absolute most out of the medium to get players invested in the characters and weight of the story being told. It’s reached a point where the stories being told in video games even rival the likes of film and novels in their abilities to tell powerful, compounding works of art.

Even since its release in 2013, The Last of Us has stood as the defining example of exceptional video game storytelling, with its mixture of dystopian worldbuilding, layered characters, and powerful emotional moments making it an icon of gaming story perfection. However, despite the game’s overwhelming stature and legacy, it is not the absolute highest point of what is possible with writing in the world of video game stories. While the number is small, 3 distinct masterclasses of writing prove to be even a step above the face of top-notch video game writing. It’s certainly subjective as to which story has a greater impact on each individual, but these three games are easily among the conversations of the best that video game writing has to offer.

‘Portal 2’ (2011)

Image via Valve

The original Portal was already one of the most beloved and highly praised games of the 2000s, with its mixture of inventive, groundbreaking first-person puzzle solving with a shockingly compelling twist and story making it an instant classic. The prospect of a sequel to Portal, especially when the original game was so twist-centric, seems to be incredibly difficult to make interesting from a storytelling perspective. However, Portal 2 proves to build upon the narrative strengths of the first game, with even more memorable characters, greater examination of the already beloved characters from the first game, and a perfect mixture of stakes, comedy, and emotion. The story and writing especially have played a major part in the game’s sustained legacy as one of the greatest video game sequels ever made.

Considering so much of the charm and impact of Portal’s writing was its one-sided conversation with the game’s main villain, GLaDOS, it only makes sense for the game to lean into this strength with even more memorable characters to make the game so entertaining. Ellen McLain‘s GLaDOS is great as always, but some great additions in Stephen Merchant‘s Wheatley and J. K. Simmons‘ Cave Johnson really steal the show in terms of dynamic, hilariously well-written characters. Cave Johnson doesn’t even make a physical appearance in the game, only being heard through a series of audio logs during the middle of the game, yet he still feels more fleshed out and full of character than most fictional characters could even dream of. However, it isn’t just a more fine-tuned sense of humor and charm that makes Portal 2 so well written, as it also takes the worldbuilding presented by the initial game to tell a compelling new narrative of twists, stakes, and new perspectives.

‘The Walking Dead’ (2012)

It feels a little strange that one of the few video games to have better writing than The Last of Us is not only another post-apocalyptic zombie game, but one that only released a year prior and was based on pre-existing material. However, Telltale Games’ take on the legendary Robert Kirkman graphic novel series has made The Walking Dead manage to be better than any other adaptation of the material. This dynamic, character-driven game entirely centralizes itself around its story and characters, giving the player pivotal agency as they make dialogue decisions and influence aspects of the story and characters. On top of giving the game some loose replayability, it does a masterful job of getting players that much more invested in the story and characters, making it all the more emotional when characters do die and the stakes are raised.

While the Telltale formula has been utilized and placed onto an array of other franchises throughout the 2010s, the entire reason that these games existed was because of the monumental success and brilliance that was accomplished with The Walking Dead. There is a greater focus on the human element that feels severely missing from many other zombie video game stories, aligning with the heart of the comics while telling its own original story. Some have even made the comparison that this makes the game feel less like a true moment-to-moment video game and more of an interactive movie in some ways. However, the emotional weight of its writing and its many tearjerker moments wouldn’t be nearly as legendary if the game didn’t have these moments of player control and interactivity. It ironically beat The Last of Us to the punch by a year in terms of making a beautiful story of a human connection between a man and a young girl amidst a zombie apocalypse.

‘Disco Elysium’ (2019)

Especially compared to the other games mentioned, Disco Elysium didn’t have the overwhelming cultural dominance over video game culture that made them household titles, making its spot at the top of this list relatively confusing for those not familiar with the game. However, those who have experienced the sprawling, endlessly replayable brilliance of Disco Elysium and its powerful, infinitely memorable style of writing have been quick to scream the game’s strengths from the rooftops as the undeniable height of video game narratives. The game sees the player taking control of a troubled detective with no memory of his own identity or the world around him, piecing together a mysterious murder as well as the protagonist’s own identity. Disco Elysium then makes the growth and evolution of its lead up to the player, allowing them to influence the story to a degree that, while certainly explored in previous interactive games, is at a frankly unbelievable scale.

It isn’t just the scale and gravitas of its infinitely replayable story that makes Disco Elysium so compelling, but that each branching path and narrative choice adds to the overall experience and writing prowess of the game as a whole. Each interaction proves to be its own web of potential conversation points, with each path feeling enlightened and highly intelligent in its reflections of humanity and political ideology. Disco Elysium is the type of unrestrained, maddening perfection that simply couldn’t have been made from a traditional studio system, making the absolute most of its indie game roots to tell a story without filters and able to make powerful, experimental risks in its writing and gameplay. Each of these risks proves to pay off dividends, as Disco Elysium is the type of perfectly written narrative that could only truly work in the realm of video games, utilizing the strengths of the medium to weave together an unforgettable experience to those who witness its beauty and craft.