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Ranking The 13 Best Alien Invasion Movies Of All-Time

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Ranking The 13 Best Alien Invasion Movies Of All-Time

By Joshua Tyler
| Published

Some of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time revolve around humans in a desperate struggle for survival. Sometimes we’re fighting time-traveling robots or out-of-control plagues. Occasionally, we end up in a post-apocalyptic wasteland fighting ourselves.

What really brings humans together, though, is a battle against an outside force. All the better if those invaders are from the stars. This is the definitive ranking of the best alien invasion movies of all time.

13. Lifeforce

The 1985 movie Lifeforce begins with a naked girl in a box, and it ends with a love scene so explosive it destroys a cathedral and sends a race of alien vampires running for their lives. In between those bookends, Lifeforce is one of the wildest, most unique, most incredible science fiction movies almost no one has seen.

A mission to explore Halley’s Comet results in an alien vampire who looks exactly like one of the most beautiful women in the world wandering around our planet without clothes, luring men in, and sucking the life out of them. At one point, she briefly takes the form of Star Trek star Patrick Stewart, and despite now being a bald academic, she’s so alluring that people still want to make out with her, at their peril.

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Movies like Species and Under the Skin owe everything to Lifeforce, the original super hot alien babe sucks the life out of the world movie. Those copies are just copies. They can’t hold a candle to Lifeforce

12. The Avengers

The 2012 culmination of Marvel’s phase 1, The Avengers, is one of the best superhero movies ever made, but it’s also entirely about an alien invasion. Loki shows up, opens a hole in the sky, and invites an alien army to pour directly into midtown Manhattan like it’s a curbside delivery. 

The Chitauri scream between skyscrapers, raining down death as civilians run and buildings collapse. The only way to stop them is if Earth’s mightiest heroes come together as a team and fight them off. 

The Avengers is the movie that made Marvel into the modern-day juggernaut it is, and it’s built entirely on the backs of Iron Man dogfighting alien attackers, Captain America commanding street-level resistance, and Hulk unleashing the full force of his anger on giant, alien beasts. 

11. Little Shop of Horrors

In Little Shop of Horrors, Rick Moranis stars as Seymour Krelborn, a meek florist whose life changes when he discovers a strange plant he names Audrey II. The plant brings fame and fortune to the failing flower shop until Seymour learns it only grows when fed human blood. 

Voiced by Levi Stubbs, Audrey II is an alien planet that has come to earth, but not an invader with a master plan to conquer us. Instead, it’s a manipulative alien parasite with ambition. 

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As the plant grows, so does its appetite and its influence, pushing Seymour to kill in exchange for success, love, and validation, including a chance with Ellen Greene’s Audrey. The real threat isn’t an alien invasion, it’s alien temptation. Audrey II’s only goal is to grow bigger, spread farther, and use human weakness to do it.

10. Signs

M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs is an alien invasion from the perspective of a normal family, and the big global consequences are only in the background. That allows it to be about more than just aliens. It’s about belief, loss, and the terrifying silence of a God who might not be there. 

Mel Gibson’s Graham Hess, once a minister, has abandoned his faith after the tragic death of his wife. The alien invasion is the crucible; it drives his family into corners, tests their survival, and eventually forces him to confront whether life is chaos or design. It doesn’t end with humanity defeating aliens, it ends with one man putting his collar back on, embracing faith not because he got proof, but because he chose to trust again.

9. Predator 

In Predator, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Dutch, the leader of an elite mercenary team sent into the Central American jungle on what’s supposed to be a routine rescue mission. Alongside him are Carl Weathers as Dillon, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham, and Shane Black. Each is introduced like an action-movie archetype before the movie starts tearing those archetypes apart. 

One by one, the team is hunted by an unseen alien warrior using cloaking technology, advanced weapons, and brutal tactics. This isn’t a takeover attempt, like most alien invasions. 

The Predator is a lone trophy hunter on Earth purely for sport, seeking worthy opponents to kill and collect. As the squad is wiped out, the film strips away guns, gear, and bravado until it becomes a primal duel between Dutch and a creature that respects only strength, cunning, and survival.

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8. Superman 2

Shot back-to-back with Superman: The Movie, the sequel, Superman 2, manages to exceed the groundbreaking original. It does that by pitting Superman against a trio of super-powered alien invaders from his own planet of Krypton, resulting in an eye-popping super-powered slugfest with special effects so amazing for the time that some still hold up today.

The heart of Superman 2 is the moral dilemma: godlike power versus human happiness. It treats Superman as a man making painful, adult choices. Superman has already given up his powers, leaving humanity defenseless. Realizing the cost of his choice, he reclaims his abilities, confronts the invaders, and ultimately restores both order and his secret identity.

It’s a great alien-invasion movie and one of the best superhero movies ever made. 

7. They Live

They Live centers on Roddy Piper’s Nada, a transient who arrives in Los Angeles looking for work after a string of bad luck. Nada investigates a nearby church, gets caught up in a wild late-night police raid, and walks away with a mysterious pair of sunglasses that allow him to see the world for what it really is, a hotbed of political propaganda built on complacency and conformity so the aliens can quietly take over and throttle Earth’s resources for their own personal gain.

Nada’s glasses reveal not only the aliens but the true messages hidden in the magazines, billboards, and television shows we all watch. They Live is a biting commentary on the way we’re all manipulated by mass media, and in that sense, it may be one of the most important and eye-opening movies ever made.

As the film reaches its climax, it reveals just how far the conspiracy against the masses goes, and at this point, there’s no turning back. It’s up to Nada to figure out how to wake everybody up, even if it costs him his life.

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6. Edge of Tomorrow

What if the only way to save humanity from an alien invasion was to kill yourself repeatedly until you found the right answers? That’s the setup for 2014’s Edge of Tomorrow, starring one of potentially thousands of Tom Cruises as he wakes up repeating the same day until he nails the perfect combination of allies and strategic maneuvers to win the war.

Considered one of the best action films of the 2010s, Edge of Tomorrow moves at a breakneck pace because it can afford to. The first-act exposition keeps resetting, expanding slightly each time until our hero learns to survive the nightmare that’s been forced on him. Each loop inches him closer to completing his mission, but at the cost of dying over and over again.

5. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

One of the best remakes hit screens in 1978: Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Even if you’ve never seen the 1956 original or its other remakes, the basics of the plot are easy to swallow: aliens invade Earth by replacing humans with emotionless duplicates. The catch is that the humans must be asleep for the process to work, a simple twist that turns every yawn into dramatic tension. 

Donald Sutherland leads the cast of famous sci-fi stars, including Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy. Our heroes try to uncover the mystery of the pod people, but that soon takes a backseat to trying to survive another night.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is treated as a very serious story where the stakes are life and death for the entire human race. That’s refreshing compared to modern films winking at the audience every twenty minutes with a tension-deflating joke. The result is one of the most impressive remakes of all time and remains a must-watch for any sci-fi or horror fan today

4. Independence Day

Independence Day is your classic alien invasion story, but with the best CGI that 1996 has to offer. This was years after Jurassic Park, so it’s pretty damn good. 

A powerful alien force has appeared over the skies of Earth with the mission to completely annihilate the planet over the Fourth of July weekend. They start by blowing up some of our best buildings in spectacular fashion. A ragtag group of people from Earth works together to stop the destruction of the planet in a last-ditch effort. 

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Bill Pullman gives one of the best speeches ever as our president, Will Smith gives a performance so fun it turned him into a megastar, and the rest of the cast then totally matches it every second they’re on screen. No alien invasion movie is bigger, crazier, or more fun than this one. 

3. War of the Worlds

The world has seen numerous adaptations of HG Wells’ classic alien-invasion novel, both before and after the 1953 release of producer George Pal’s version, yet none have done it better. Especially not that Steven Spielberg version. Sorry, Dakota Fanning.

The movie takes the book that invented alien invasion stories and contemporizes it, setting the War of the Worlds in the 1950s. It also changes the alien ships from Tripod walkers into sleek, floating ships with heat-spitting cobra heads.

The movie’s plan was originally to stick with tripods, but they eventually went with something that was more feasible for the era’s limited practical effects. The change gives this version of the story a uniquely iconic look all its own, and the movie remains as effectively tense and suspenseful now as it ever was.

War of the Worlds holds up in a way few other movies this old do. The cinematography is still beautiful, the aliens are still scary, and the story is still haunting. It’s also a perfect window into 1950s America, complete with the innocence of weekly square dances and the hard-edged determination of soldiers who’d just survived a world war and now found themselves in another one. 

2. The Thing

1982’s The Thing is the gold standard of graphic sci-fi horror, an alien-invasion film where every grotesque transformation feels like a practical-effects masterclass in nightmare fuel. 

Unlike some of the bigger, more bombastic entries on this list, The Thing takes place in a more intimate setting. With people trapped in a remote outpost, and a creature from another world loose on the inside, mimicking and killing them.

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John Carpenter doesn’t settle for simple jump scares; he unleashes a parasite that rips through flesh, bursts out of chests, and reshapes bodies into twisted parodies of life. Dogs split open into writhing masses of tentacles, heads sprout legs and scuttle across the floor, and human bodies melt and fuse in ways that are as mesmerizing as they are revolting. 

What makes it unforgettable is the sheer creativity of the terror, shot with brutal clarity. The Antarctic isolation only magnifies the terror, making every reveal hit harder. The Thing is a relentless catalog of the most inventive, character drama, and alien imagery sci-fi has ever dared to put on screen.

1. Arrival

In Arrival, mysterious ships invade Earth’s airspace, land, and then just sort of sit there. It’s an invasion, but one without any violence, and humans are left trying to figure out what’s going on. What’s going on will change everything about the way humanity views the universe, and also maybe the way the movie’s viewers do, too.

Amy Adams plays Louise Banks, an expert linguist who has tragically lost her daughter to an illness. She’s teamed with Ian Donnelly, played by Jeremy Renner, and the two are tasked with figuring out why the ships are there and finding some way to communicate with the beings inside.

Amy Adams is brilliant in the role, and we learn about these aliens and their language right along with her. We go through the pain of losing her daughter and find, along with her, the solace in understanding someone else for the first time. The alien’s invasion becomes a deep exploration of how our communication shapes our thinking. 

It’s one of the best movies of the past ten years, a totally unique take on what might happen if visitors from space show up on our doorstep. Though it contains no battle sequences or threats of annihilation, it’s the best alien invasion movie of all time.

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Christina Applegate Reflects On Mortality, Already Has A Burial Plot

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Christina Applegate at Netflix's 'Dead To Me' Season One Premiere

Christina Applegate is opening up about her thoughts on death and how it has shaped her outlook in life. The actress, who was diagnosed with MS in 2021, has already made arrangements when the time comes, and shared that she has already secured three burial plots as she continues to navigate personal challenges and reflects on what matters most.

Christina Applegate Thinks About Death Daily

Christina Applegate at Netflix's 'Dead To Me' Season One Premiere
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On March 19, the 54-year-old actress was on NPR’s “Wild Card with Rachel Martin” podcast, wherein she talked about living with multiple sclerosis. When asked how often she thinks about death, Applegate answered, “Every day.”

“‘Cause it’s looming. I mean, it looms for all of us,” she continued. Applegate says that even though death will come for all of us, it might be different for someone like her, who is living with a condition that currently has no cure. “For people who have a disease like this, you never know, you know?” she said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, MS is an autoimmune disease wherein the protective covering of the nerves is attacked. It may cause weakness, numbness, lack of coordination, and even cognitive issues.

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The Actress Has Purchased Three Burial Plots

Christina Applegate attends the 2019 71st Annual Emmy Awards - Best Hairstyles and Jewelry
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With the possibility of death always on her mind, Applegate said that she has already bought three burial plots for her family. She didn’t specify where the location is, but said it was a “pretty” place, and she jumped at the chance to purchase the plots when she found out they were available.

Applegate candidly talked about the place, saying that she needed to choose a type of tree that would be planted there. “They’re going to plant a tree there ’cause it’s really sunny. And I want my visitors to not, you know, be sweating,” she told the host.

As for why she decided to purchase the plots, she said that it’s one less thing her family has to deal with in the future.

Christina Applegate Shares One Of Her Fears

Christina Applegate at the 25th Annual Critic's Choice Awards
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Despite death being on her mind daily, Applegate said that she’s not “comfortable” thinking about it. The thought of leaving her child behind is devastating, and that makes her “scared” of death.

“I’m really afraid of it because of her,” referring to her 15-year-old daughter Sadie, whom she shares with husband Martyn LeNoble. The actress became emotional as she said, “I can’t even talk about, like, I don’t know what her life’s going to be like, and you don’t know when it’s going to be – could be, like, anytime.”

In February, as The Blast previously reported, the actress shared an update about her health and said she mostly spent her days in bed. However, she still makes the effort to bring her daughter to school because that’s the only time they can be alone by themselves. Applegate described it as her “favorite thing to do.”

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Inside The Actress’ MS Battle

Applegate shared her multiple sclerosis diagnosis with the public in August 2021, writing on X that she had been diagnosed with MS a few months prior. “It’s been a tough road. But as we all know, the road keeps going. Unless some a-shole blocks it,” she wrote.

Following her revelation, Applegate attended events walking with the help of a cane. She was one of the presenters at the 2024 Emmy Awards, wherein she poked fun at herself by telling the audience who gave her a standing ovation, “Oh my God, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up.”

Applegate started a podcast called “MeSsy” with fellow actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who is also living with MS. In one of the episodes, the actress detailed her struggles with the disease, sharing that at one point, she was screaming in bed because of pain.

Christina Applegate Stepped Away From Acting

Christina Applegate attends the 25th Annual Critic's Choice Awards - Los Angeles
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Applegate was in the middle of filming the third season of the Netflix series “Dead to Me” when she was diagnosed with MS. Production was paused so she could seek treatment, and she eventually returned to finish shooting. However, season 3, which premiered in 2022, was the show’s last.

Afterward, Applegate took a step back from her acting career due to MS. In a Vanity Fair interview in 2023, she acknowledged that “Dead to Me” may have been her final acting work because of the nature of her disease. “This is a progressive disease. I don’t know if I’m going to get worse,” she stated.

Despite stepping away from on-screen roles, Applegate has worked on other projects, including voice-over work, podcasting, and writing. Her No. 1 New York Times bestselling memoir, “You With the Sad Eyes,” was released on March 3.

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Rachael Leigh Cook Shares Insight Into Rider Strong Romance

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Rachael Leigh Cook has shared a rare glimpse into her teenage romance with Rider Strong.

Speaking to Strong’s Boy Meets World costar, Danielle Fishel, on the Wednesday, March 18, episode of  the“Teenbeat” podcast, Cook, 46, reflected on their ‘90s relationship.

The She’s All That star revealed that Strong was “romantic” and “so deep” during their time together, and admitted that in hindsight she “didn’t understand him” as well as Fishel did.

“Rider’s the most poetic soul,” Cook said. “I remember this moment he had like, come to visit me in Italy, and there was this, like, field of sunflowers on the way to where we’re going.”

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Cook explained that Strong, 46, decided on the spur of the moment to tell the driver to make a pitstop so the couple could run through the sunflowers together.

“He tells the driver, ‘Stop the car.’ And he looks at me and I’m like, ‘Oh no, what are we doing?’” Cook recalled. “We have to run into these flowers, like, really, spikey-looking flowers, like a movie.”

The actress noted that the experience made her realize that their personalities weren’t necessarily aligned enough for the relationship to be sustainable.

“I knew in that moment, like, I’m not, I’m not the person, what he’s ultimately gonna need,” she said. “And I tried, we got a little way into that field, and I was just like, ‘I don’t know about this.’”

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Danielle Fishel.
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The Josie and the Pussycat Dolls star also shared one of Strong’s past confessions to her.

“I remember one time he said to me, like, ‘If you weren’t with me, you know, who would you want to be with?” Cook recalled, explaining that she had responded with the name of her ex-boyfriend.

Cook then told Fishel, 44, that when she asked Strong the same question, he answered, “Danielle.”

Fishel has previously been candid about her crush on Strong while they acted together on Boy Meets World – which took place during the same time period that Strong was dating Cook.

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Fishel first revealed her former feelings for her costar during an August 2022 episode of their podcast “Pod Meets World.”

“He was so smart, and … one of my favorite things about Rider — and it continues to this day — [is that] Rider is very effusive,” she said of what initially drew her to Strong.. “He will tell you how he feels and he’s very free with his compliments, but he doesn’t throw them out willy-nilly. When he compliments you, it is thoughtful, it has meaning, and you can tell it’s coming from a very real place.”

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In an October 2023 episode of the podcast, Fishel read a passage from her teenage diary written in the ’90s, which detailed her jealousy over Cook and Strong’s relationship.

“Then we went to acting class but we had to wait for Rachael,” Fishel recounted, pointing out that the word “Rachael” was underlined in annoyance. “Then Rider and Rachael got all lovey-dovey, and it made me want to puke. Then they kissed, and it looked so cute. She’s actually really sweet and cool, but I really like Rider. I don’t think she’s right for him. Then again, maybe I’m not either.”

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What Kendra Duggar Has Said About Her Marriage to Joseph Duggar

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Long before news of his arrest, Kendra Duggar (née Caldwell) painted a warm picture of her life with Joseph Duggar, who rose to reality TV fame alongside his family.

Viewers got to know the Duggars on their now-defunct series 19 Kids and Counting, which premiered on TLC back in 2008, and gave an inside look at Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar’s conservative Christian household.

The couple began courting in March 2017 and got engaged within four months. Kendra and Joseph exchanged vows in September 2017. At the time of their nuptials, Joseph was 22 years old and Kendra was 19 years old. They went on to welcome four children together: sons Garrett and Justus and daughters Addison and Brooklyn.

Five years after the arrest of his brother Josh Duggar on child pornography charges, Joseph made headlines whens he was charged on March 18, 2026, with lewd and lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.

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Joseph Duggar Final Instagram Post Before Arrest


Related: Joseph Duggar Celebrated His Family in Last Instagram Post Before Arrest

Former Counting On star Joseph Duggar celebrated his family in a series of Instagram messages posted four years before his arrest for allegedly molesting a 9-year-old Joseph, 31, and his wife, Kendra Duggar, started an Instagram account for their family in February 2019 but stopped updating it in November 2021. Their final post was published […]

Us Weekly is breaking down what Kendra has shared about her marriage to Joseph Duggar:

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How Kendra Duggar Met Joseph Duggar

Kendra and Joseph grew close as their relatives formed a close friendship through church. They entered a courtship in March 2017, with the intention of seeing if their relationship could lead to marriage or if they “can serve and honor God better together than apart,” per the Duggar family website.

Within four months, Joseph popped the question to Kendra.

Feature What Has Kendra Duggar Said About Her Marriage to Joseph Duggar
TLC

“We are super excited. It’s great to not be courting anymore, now we’re engaged!” the couple gushed to People at the time. “I’m so happy and so shocked. There’s so many words I want to say, but just shocked,” Kendra added.

What Kendra Duggar Has Said About Her Marriage to Joseph Duggar

“It was definitely strange to see myself, I think, in a wedding dress. You always dream of the day but when it actually arrives, you can’t really believe it,” Kendra told cameras while choosing what to wear on her big day during a season 5 episode of Counting On, which aired in 2018.

The couple went on to tie the knot at First Baptist Church in Siloam Springs in Arkansas.

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“We’re so excited to be newlyweds now,” Joe said in a video message on the family’s website following their nuptials. “We just want to thank all the fans for all your support and your encouragement to us. Y’all mean a lot.”

After making it official, Kendra said she was cherishing the moments she got to spend with him.

What Has Kendra Duggar Said About Her Marriage to Joseph Duggar
TLC

“One of the most enjoyable things about being married to Joe is just being together so much,” Kendra told People. “I can hug him, kiss him, talk with and be with him all the time. Being with your best friend makes marriage amazing.”

They welcomed their first child, son Garrett, in 2018. Their second child, Addison Renee, was born the next year, then daughter Brooklyn Praise joined the family in 2021. Joseph and Kendra welcomed their fourth child in 2022.

Kendra stopped posting photos of her brood and sharing updates in 2021. The year prior, she gushed over their bond in an Instagram caption while celebrating their wedding anniversary.

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Feature Everything to Know About Joseph Duggar Child Molestation Arrest


Related: Joseph Duggar Arrested on Child Molestation Charges: What We Know So Far

Former TLC star Joseph Duggar was arrested on Wednesday, March 18, after being accused of molesting a 9-year-old girl in 2020. Wednesday’s arrest marks the second child sex abuse case to hit the famous family following Joseph’s older brother Josh Duggar‘s child pornography conviction. Josh was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison in December […]

“I absolutely LOVE doing life by your side! There are so many things that I admire about you but one thing that has really been apparent is how truly selfless you are,” she wrote at the time. “In this season of life that we are in where morning/all day sickness has changed the way we do things you have definitely picked up doing so much around the house as well as taking care of the kids. I’m feeling so blessed to call you my husband. I love you to the moon and back.”

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What Has Joseph Duggar Been Charged With?

Joseph was booked in Arkansas on March 18, 2026, for lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor after allegedly molesting a 9-year-old girl during a 2020 vacation in Florida, according to a press release.

He allegedly “admitted his actions” when confronted by the girl’s father and Arkansas detectives on March 17, the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida revealed. Joseph is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County.

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His wife and family have not publicly issued a statement.

Has Kendra Duggar Been Charged?

Days after her husband’s arrest, Joseph and Kendra Duggar were both charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, second degree and four counts of second degree false imprisonment. Kendra was later released after paying a bond of $1470.

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Disney’s Stellar 3-Part Sci-Fi Series Is So Good, You Can Start From Any Episode

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'Star Wars: Visions' season 3

There aren’t many shows where every episode can be its own starting point. This is especially true of major franchises, which tend to attract audiences by their connections to other projects, but Star Wars: Visions defies those expectations. With three seasons’ worth of shorts, the series is a unique entry into the Star Wars universe, and because of that, it is also one of the franchise’s best shows.

Star Wars: Visions is an ambitious project, as the three-season anthology explores everything from the distant past to the far future. However, it allows for interesting world-building that no other Star Wars show can achieve. While it may seem confusing at first, Star Wars: Visions has a major advantage over other series in the franchise since it only requires a basic understanding of Star Wars, making it accessible to new viewers and dedicated fans alike. The beautiful artwork and individual styles of various international studios allow Star Wars: Visions to stand out, even in the ever-growing list of Star Wars content. Ultimately, Star Wars: Visions is an easy commitment, with no required viewing order and plenty of fascinating stories to choose from as a starting point.

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‘Star Wars: Visions’ Explores Every Part of the Galaxy

Star Wars: Visions consistently expands the galaxy with storylines that introduce new planets and timelines. While the anthology series isn’t technically canon, it never defies what already exists, fitting within established continuity to provide a more thorough understanding of the world. It also expands the timeline, with episodes like “The Twins” set after the events of the Sequel Trilogy, while others, like “The Elder,” take place before any established story. Star Wars: Visions isn’t banished to the fringes of the galaxy either; some episodes even take place in familiar settings, such as “Tatooine Rhapsody,” which is on the Skywalkers’ home planet during the reign of the Empire. By exploring the Jedi and Sith, parent-child relationships, and more, Star Wars: Visions honors the beloved stories fans already know while offering a different perspective.

'Star Wars: Visions' season 3


Every ‘Star Wars: Visions’ Season 3 Episode, Ranked

The vision is clear for this anime series!

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‘Star Wars: Visions’ Has a Rich and Diverse World of Animation Styles

Star Wars: Visions‘ greatest strength is its range of animation styles, thanks to different anime studios working on each short. The overall concept of the series is to present Star Wars “through the lens of the world’s best anime creators,” and it does exactly that, though Season 2 expands to animation studios around the world. The experimental style allows each episode of Star Wars: Visions to truly be a unique work of art.

Additionally, this stunning and unique approach to the franchise enables the series to incorporate influences from other cultures into the Star Wars universe. With samurai-inspired stories like “The Duel,” influences from Irish folklore in “Screecher’s Reach,” a tribute to famous Spanish painters in “Sith,” and more, Star Wars: Visions is truly a global series where no two episodes are alike.

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‘Star Wars: Visions’ Is an Accessible Answer to Franchise Fatigue

Star Wars Visions The Ninth Jedi Kara
Kara, the protagonist of ‘The Ninth Jedi’, wields a newly forged lightsaber.
Image via Disney+

Among the many things to love about Star Wars: Visions is its low bar for entry, as the show doesn’t require the viewer to be an expert in franchise lore. In a world where too many series don’t make sense without being up to date on every project that came before, Star Wars: Visions is easy to digest. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how these shorts fit in the overall timeline, as they can all stand on their own, which takes the pressure off and allows viewers to simply enjoy the stories in their own right.

More uniquely, fans can begin with whatever story interests them most. Of course, there is a specific release order, but it’s easy to skip around or watch particular episodes without the context of others. This comes with a small caveat, as Season 3 does revisit the stories of three Season 1 episodes with sequels to “The Duel,” “The Ninth Jedi,” and “The Village Bride.” However, while these follow-ups build on characters from earlier in the series, their stories also work as standalone adventures. There is no show quite like Star Wars: Visions, making it a can’t-miss addition to the Star Wars universe.


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Release Date

September 22, 2021

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Disney+

Franchise(s)

Star Wars

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