Marc Jacobs has stirred controversy after revealing he would be open to styling Luigi Mangione for court. The designer’s remarks quickly split social media, with some treating them as playful while others accused him of glorifying the murder suspect.

Mangione’s unlikely status as a style talking point has been building for months, with several of his public appearances triggering fashion conversations online.

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs says he would be willing to dress Luigi Mangione for his upcoming trial, even praising the accused killer’s courtroom style. The guru made the admission during Vanity Fair’s “Lie Detector Test” after being reminded that Winona Ryder, Lil’ Kim, and Courtney Love have all worn his brand during their respective court cases.

Asked whether he would dress Mangione for his trial, Jacobs chuckled before replying, “Um, yes.” As for what he would put him in, the 63-year-old suggested Mangione may not need much help. “I think he looks pretty good the way he dresses, actually,” Jacobs said.

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Mangione’s courtroom appearances have already sparked an unlikely fashion frenzy. A burgundy sweater he was pictured wearing reportedly sold out at Nordstrom after images of him circulated online. When asked whether that made Mangione a “trendsetter,” Jacobs again answered, “Yes.”

Internet Divided Over Marc Jacobs’ Luigi Mangione Take

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Jacobs’ remarks have triggered a sharply divided response online, with supporters and critics reading the exchange very differently. Some Reddit users embraced the idea almost immediately. One joked about a “Luigi X Marc Jacobs” collaboration, while another urged the designer to “dress my man in nothing but the best.”

Others leaned into the absurdity of the moment, calling the potential pairing “camp” or praising Jacobs for playing along with Mangione’s internet notoriety.

The backlash, however, was just as blunt. On X, one user wrote, “What. The. Actual. F-ck. The man was murdered.” Another accused Jacobs of “praising a murderer” and branded him a “terrible person.” A third called the reaction around Mangione “the absolute perversity of these people.”

Marc Jacobs Has Weathered Controversy Before

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Controversy is hardly unfamiliar territory for Jacobs, whose career has weathered several high-profile storms. In 2016, the designer faced accusations of cultural appropriation after predominantly white models wore colorful dreadlocks during his New York Fashion Week show. Jacobs initially pushed back against critics before apologizing for what he called a “lack of sensitivity.”

Five years earlier, a Marc Jacobs perfume campaign featuring a then-17-year-old Dakota Fanning was banned in the UK. The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that the positioning of an oversized “Oh, Lola!” perfume bottle between her legs could be seen as sexualizing a child.

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Jacobs also spent years locked in a copyright dispute with Nirvana over his “Bootleg Redux Grunge” collection. The band sued in 2018, claiming Jacobs used a logo “virtually identical” to its famous smiley face. Jacobs disputed the allegations and argued Nirvana lacked enforceable rights to the image.

Luigi Mangione’s Court Outfits Have Become An Online Obsession

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At a February 2025 pretrial hearing in Manhattan, Mangione arrived in a dark green cable-knit sweater over a white collared shirt, paired with khaki trousers and brown penny loafers.

But it was what the then-26-year-old wasn’t wearing that caught some observers’ attention. Photos highlighting his sockless ankles beneath silver cuffs quickly sparked commentary online, with one user admitting the loafers had changed her perception of him.

The fascination with his clothing had already surfaced before his arrest. After police released surveillance images of a person of interest in Thompson’s killing, internet sleuths attempted to identify the green hooded jacket pictured. GQ reported that users zeroed in on a $225 Levi’s style sold by Macy’s.

The outlet reported that more than 700 units sold within 48 hours before the jacket became unavailable on the retailer’s website. The online obsession also spawned lookalike jokes, viral skits and merchandise featuring Mangione’s image, turning an alleged murder suspect into an unlikely fashion fixation.

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Luigi Mangione’s Case Has Changed Dramatically Since His Arrest

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Mangione’s legal saga has moved through a series of major twists since his arrest in December 2024. On August 14, he pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges and admitted targeting and killing Thompson. Prosecutors intend to seek a life sentence, with sentencing scheduled for December 18.

The plea resolved the federal case, but Mangione still faces a separate second-degree murder charge in New York state court. His legal troubles began five days after Thompson’s death, when police arrested him at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Authorities said they recovered a 3D-printed pistol and a notebook from his backpack.

Mangione was later extradited to New York and initially faced both state and federal prosecutions. The cases have changed considerably since then. A state judge dismissed terrorism charges in September 2025, while a federal judge blocked prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty in January.

Following his latest plea, Mangione’s attorneys moved to have the remaining state case dismissed on double jeopardy grounds.

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Luke Skywalker has faced some of the most dangerous villains in Star Wars, but his greatest battles have rarely been about who is strongest with a lightsaber. Return of the Jedi put Luke through the ultimate test when he confronted Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine aboard the second Death Star. Palpatine had sinister plans for the young Jedi, desiring Luke to surrender to his anger, kill his father, and take Vader’s place at his side.

Luke ultimately rejected the Emperor, throwing away his lightsaber rather than allowing himself to become another Sith apprentice. Vader subsequently sacrificed himself to save his son, seemingly killing Palpatine and allowing Luke to leave the Death Star, believing the Emperor was finally gone. We now know that wasn’t exactly the end of Palpatine, thanks to his eventual and controversial return in The Rise of Skywalker, but Luke never lived to see the Emperor’s resurrection on Exegol. That doesn’t mean he never saw his greatest enemy again.

Spoilers ahead for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — Echoes of the Empire #5.

Luke Skywalker Faces Emperor Palpatine Again in ‘Echoes of the Empire’

Image via Marvel Comics

Marvel‘s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — Echoes of the Empire #5 brings Luke face-to-face with Palpatine once more, although the Emperor hasn’t somehow returned from the dead early… again. While exploring Batuu alongside Leia, Luke suddenly encounters the Sith Lord and immediately ignites his lightsaber. Palpatine taunts him with the familiar warning that fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering, but Luke quickly realizes something is wrong. Palpatine isn’t actually there.

The Emperor is a hallucination caused by Grimtaash, the enormous creature Luke and Leia encounter during their search for a mysterious Force relic. Grimtaash’s pheromones cause its victims to hallucinate, meaning Palpatine’s appearance offers a fascinating glimpse at what still frightens Luke after the events of Return of the Jedi. Even after watching Vader seemingly kill the Emperor, Palpatine remains buried somewhere in Luke’s fears. The realization also allows Luke to overcome the creature’s influence. Instead of fighting Palpatine again, he recognizes that the Emperor cannot possibly be standing before him and begins piecing together what Grimtaash is doing.

It’s a brief reunion, but a meaningful one considering how important Palpatine was to Luke’s final test in the original trilogy. Luke already proved he could resist the Emperor when it mattered most. Echoes of the Empire gives him another opportunity to face the man who nearly turned him to the dark side, and this time, Luke knows immediately that he doesn’t have to fight him at all.

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — Echoes of the Empire #5 is on sale now. Stay tuned at Collider for more.

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Release Date

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May 25, 1983

Runtime

132 minutes

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Director

Richard Marquand

Writers

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George Lucas

Producers

Howard G. Kazanjian, Rick McCallum, Robert Watts, Jim Bloom

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A Florida police officer is accused of monitoring his estranged wife 717 times with Flock cameras. The officer, 31-year-old Christopher Anthony Goodson, is employed with the Haines City Police Department.

RELATED: Ex–California Deputy Reportedly Killed After Police Chase Following Fatal Stabbing Of His 11-Year-Old Son

Haines City Police Department Officer Allegedly Uses Flock Cameras To Stalk Estranged Wife

Florida police officer Christopher Goodson is in hot water after allegedly using Flock cameras to monitor his estranged wife. According to PEOPLE, his wife advised Goodson via text on August 10 that she’d been contacted by The Washington Post.

As it turned out, the outlet contacted the Florida police officer’s estranged wife to inquire about his misuse of the Flock camera database to track his wife.

After that, Goodson reportedly told a supervisor that he’d used the Flock database to track his children when they were with his wife.

Goodson Used The Flock Cameras 717 Times To Track Estranged Wife

An investigation found that the Florida police officer allegedly entered his wife’s license plate number into the Flock database more than 700 times. Goodson entered his estranged wife’s plate number 717 times between Sept. 1, 2024, and June 30, 2026.

Haines City Police Chief Isaac Jackson said in a press release that Goodson’s actions were an “unfortunate incident,” per PEOPLE. 

“This is an unfortunate incident,” Jackson wrote in the release. “The Haines City Police Department fully supports all appropriate investigative measures necessary to solve crimes and assist our officers in carrying out their duties. We want to make it clear that the Haines City Police Department does not tolerate the misuse, unauthorized access, or personal use of any investigative databases or law-enforcement information systems. These resources are provided for legitimate official purposes only and must be used responsibly and in accordance with department policies and applicable laws.”

Goodson’s Wife Was Not Under Investigation

Because Goodson’s wife was not under any type of legal investigation, he was placed on paid administrative leave. He was hired by the Haines City Police Department in March of 2022. However, he reportedly plans to resign due to the investigation.

Mrs. Goodson “was not involved in any type of criminal investigation nor was her vehicle listed as being part of any crime which would require Christopher to inquire [about] her or the vehicle’s location,” court documents read.

Nevertheless, Goodson allegedly used justifications such as “Wanted Person (Arrest Warrant/Fugitive)” and “Drugs/Narcotics” to make the searches appear legitimate to law enforcement.

He is facing official misconduct and offenses against users of computers, computer systems, computer networks, and electronic devices charges.

RELATED: DoorDash Driver Hit In Police Chase Still Delivers Order! | TSR Investigates

Claressa Shields still has the internet popping OFF after her fight against Kaye Scott. But chile, this time it’s not because of any drama with Remy Ma — it’s actually all about Papoose. The GWOAT hopped online and spilled a lil’ tea about their relationship, and now folks on the internet are saying she shared WAY too much information.

RELATED: Claressa Shields Wins Fight Against Kaye Scott As Remy Ma Seemingly Recruits Her Boxing Rivals ‘Wanna Go’ Music Video (WATCH) 

Claressa Shields Had Social Media Saying, “Dis Tew Much!” 

Fans already know Claressa Shields doesn’t hold back when it comes to sharing the tea online. But this time, folks are questioning whether the boxing champ might’ve gone a lil’ too far after spilling some spicy details about her quality time with Papoose. The GWOAT hopped on X (formerly Twitter) and told folks she might have a bun in the oven after things got a little spicy between her and Pap following her fight against Kaye Scott on August 15. “I’m probably pregnant now @Papooseonline went crazy after the fight ” 

Shields appeared to respond to Shannon Sharpe and Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Jonson’s ‘NightCap’ podcast,’ saying she and Papoose “were dedicated all through camp.” But while chopping it up on the show, Shields revealed that she and Pap have not been intimate in over six weeks because she wanted to stay focused on her fight. She added that, in her eyes, “an undisciplined man is not a good man.” The minute her SPICY response started started making rounds online, folks said Claressa cold’ve kept that message in the vault — or at least between her and her man.

The Internet Says Claressa Could’ve Kept That One

Reactions kept popping off over in The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section, and chile the Roomies did NOT let up! Some folks said Claressa’s phone had to be hacked because there was no way she would spill this much tea online. Meanwhile others were convinced it had to be AI.

Instagram user @sarahann264 wrote, “Ain’t no way she posted this. Ima say this AI! 🥴” 

Instagram user @just1_ju wrote, “Is there anyway we can be removed from this chat? Nothing is left private anymore???? Not even the bedroom 😩” 

While Instagram user @paree_france wrote, “She wants to make Remy mad 😂” 

Then Instagram user @boss_gyol wrote, “Did we need to know this ? 😭😭 it’s giving teenager. Kiss and tell.” 

Another Instagram user @icarlyjo wrote, “I need them to keep us out of their chat. Them & Bluesean.” 

Instagram user @she_bluitt wrote, “We literally had no desire to hear this information.” 

Then another Instagram user @laydeeplies wrote, “I think she wanted his wife to know this info.” 

While another Instagram user @ fabulousbee_four wrote, “Everything I know about her is against my will 😭” 

Lastly, Instagram user @ms_arabella_ wrote, “Stop looking for validation 🤦🏽‍♀️ It’s your man we know 🤷🏽‍♀️” 

RELATED: So We Know It’s Real! Papoose Makes His Love For Claressa Shields Permanent With NEW Tattoo & Social Media HAs Thoughts (VIDEO)

Laika hasn’t released a film in theaters in seven years, yet the stop-motion giant has still enjoyed a strong run of late thanks to the legacy of their hand-crafted works. When their dark fantasy masterpiece Coraline returned to theaters in 2024 to celebrate its 15th anniversary, audiences greeted it warmly and powered the film to new heights with another $53 million, a staggering haul for a re-release. Last year, ParaNorman got its time in the spotlight, complete with not just new screenings for Laika’s 20th anniversary, but also a new short reuniting the characters for a fresh spooky adventure. Now, though, the wait is nearly over for their next big project.

Since 2011, the studio has owned the rights to adapt the Colin Meloy-written and Carson Ellis-illustrated children’s fantasy novel Wildwood into a film. 15 years later, the project has blossomed into one of the most painstakingly detailed efforts Laika has undertaken thus far, with CEO and recent Masters of the Universe helmer Travis Knight directing with a script by his regular partner, Chris Butler. The story is a fitting one for the Oregon-based banner, unfolding in Portland where the young Prue McKeel (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is sent on a fantastical and treacherous adventure into the enchanted wilderness after her baby brother Mac is kidnapped by crows while they’re out on the town. Accompanied by her classmate Curtis Mehlberg (Jacob Tremblay), she meets fantastical creatures and fearsome foes alike as she navigates the vibrant realm on the brink of war in hopes of bringing her beloved sibling back.

With two months left until release, Laika has unveiled a new trailer that showcases the stunning stop-motion visuals, while also spotlighting the main villain standing between Prue and her brother, the Dowager Governess Alexandra (Carey Mulligan). It opens on an encounter between the two where Prue asks about the mysterious woman’s son. In a flashback, tragedy unfolds, as a happy memory of Alexandra riding horses with her child is soon swallowed by crows, hinting at a devastating accident that tore her family apart. That moment puts her on the path to stealing Mac away and transforming the Wildwood into a savage place filled with war and death. She’s determined to tear apart the woods to bring back everything she lost, but Prue isn’t one to give up either, making friends with forest dwellers and braving untold danger to save her own family.

‘Wildwood’ Fills Out Its Fantasy World With a Massive Cast

Production on Wildwood officially began in 2021, and since then, the film has grown to an epic scale to capture the conflict unfolding within the book’s realm. The trailer further shows off what a massive undertaking of stop-motion this was, with sweeping scenes of armies charging at each other and fluid animation on a level much grander than the studio’s past work. A massive film brings with it a similarly massive cast, too, including an Academy Award winner in Mahershala Ali and an Emmy winner in Angela Bassett, alongside Richard E. Grant, Amandla Stenberg, Awkwafina, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Tom Waits, and many more.

Wildwood opens in theaters on October 23 through Fathom Entertainment. Check out the new trailer in the player above.

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Release Date

October 23, 2026

Director

Travis Knight

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Writers

Chris Butler, Carson Ellis, Colin Meloy

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Cast

• 

  Peyton Elizabeth Lee

  Prue McKeel (voice)

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• 
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  Carey Mulligan

  Alexandra (voice)

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Producer Basil Iwanyk recently revealed on The Town podcast that two movies on his resume needed an extra marketing push to appeal to a broader audience. One of them was Denis Villeneuve‘s critically acclaimed neo-Western Sicario, which ended up grossing $85 million against a reported budget of $35 million, thanks to a well-timed decision to position it as an action movie. The other film that prompted a similar marketing strategy was released five years earlier, in 2010. It went on to gross more than $150 million worldwide against a reported budget of $37 million. While it certainly had a few action scenes, it was essentially a crime drama. The movie in question remains well-liked among its target audience, and it recently had a resurgence on the domestic HBO Max viewership chart.

According to FlixPatrol, it was the sixth-most-watched movie on HBO Max this week, when the leaderboard was topped by the action film Normal, starring Bob Odenkirk. The crime drama outperformed the star-studded romance movie Materialists, and the action-comedy film Tag. It featured quite a starry ensemble itself, and was headlined by Ben Affleck, with Jeremy Renner, Rebecca Hall, Blake Lively, Jon Hamm, and Titus Welliver appearing in supporting roles. The movie took place in Boston, and revolved around a gang of bank robbers who find themselves in a tough spot while planning one last job.

Titus Welliver Recently Returned to the Crime-Drama Genre

By now you’ve probably guessed that we’re talking about The Town, which was also directed by Affleck. The movie was critically acclaimed at the time of its release, and is now sitting at a “Certified Fresh” 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator website’s consensus reads, “Tense, smartly written, and wonderfully cast, The Town proves that Ben Affleck has rediscovered his muse — and that he’s a director to be reckoned with.”

Affleck went on to direct the Best Picture-winning thriller Argo, and then the gangster flop Live By Night. He bounced back with the acclaimed sports drama Air, and is all set to debut his latest directorial venture, the Netflix thriller Animals. The new movie will be released on October 9. You can watch The Town on HBO Max, and you can also check out Welliver’s similar crime series The Westies, which is available to stream on MGM+.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

September 17, 2010

Runtime

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125 minutes

Writers

Aaron Stockard, Ben Affleck, Peter Craig, Chuck Hogan

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Producers

Basil Iwanyk, Graham King

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Celine Dion is making a bigger comeback than fans might have expected, and she is spilling the tea on it.

The legendary singer had to take a hiatus from the public eye in 2022 following her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome, a health battle she secretly fought for over a decade.

Although Dion made a surprise performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the “I’m Alive” singer reveals she is done hiding and ready to take her throne on stage again.

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In a rare interview ahead of her upcoming residency in Paris, set to run for five weeks, Dion opened up about what it’s like to make such a comeback.

According to the songstress, it is all about her fans. “It’s been so long, I would like to offer them something to show how I’ve missed them,” she said.

Despite suffering from an extremely rare condition that is said to affect one to two people in a million, Dion counts herself super lucky because of her fanbase. 

She credited them for giving her the opportunity to finally come to terms with her condition, even though she had been dealing with symptoms for 17 years.

“They paid for tickets,” the “Power of Love” songstress explained to Harper’s Bazaar. “They bought my records. They gave me that luxury. So the least I can do is tell them that I’m alive.”

Inside Dion’s Routine For Paris Residency

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As her highly-anticipated residency, set to kick off in September, inches closer, the 58-year-old is physically ready to deliver.

To prepare for her shows, Dion does a 90-minute Pilates session thrice weekly alongside ballet classes two times a week.

Despite the challenging routine, the singer is more than proud of her body for doing what it was born to do. As for what fans can expect from Dion, her creative adviser Annie Horth described it using one word: “grandiose.”

Speaking to the publication, Horth gave a hint about the setup, saying, “She goes from intimate and romantic to a vocal powerhouse, so we are creating something where she navigates that.”

Celine Dion Says Stiff-Person Isn’t A ‘Disease’

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Although Dion is now focused on the future and what it has to offer, she got candid about life with Stiff-person syndrome. “It is a progressive condition. I don’t like to say ‘disease,’” she admitted. 

The Canadian entertainer recalled how the symptoms heightened during the pandemic and how she fell in love with trees as a way to help her cope. 

Her positive mindset is what helped her not to fall victim to the condition, despite not being able to move on some days due to muscle stiffness. It also helped that she is an “open book” to the world, not hiding her truth ever.

“I’m honest, and it’s not always pretty,” Dion noted. “Instead of questioning life, can you live life? So I’m living my life, girl. I’m living the life.”

The Singer Announced Her Return As A ‘Gift’

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Many may recall that Dion broke the news of her residency in style. On her 58th birthday earlier this year, the music icon took to Instagram with a new move.

In a video uploaded, she revealed it was her first time recording a personal birthday message throughout her career, according to The Blast. After updating fans about her well-being, noting she began dancing again, Dion shared the news of her comeback with elation. 

“This year, I’m getting the best gift of my life. I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again in Paris, beginning in September this year,” the singer declared. 

Her announcement was met with approval from fans who wasted no time selling out tickets. Another three-week residency is scheduled for May 2027, and tickets are already flying off the shelf. 

Dion Performed For Free At The 2024 Paris Olympics

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The five-time Grammy Award winner had long been preparing for her stage return, giving a tease with an unexpected presence at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony.

Braving her symptoms, Dion stopped the world as she took the stage to sing Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’Amour” in her first performance since she stepped away. 

Her rendition was nothing short of electrifying, as evidenced by the throng of fans who lined the streets of Paris to give the singer her flowers.

Despite the magnitude of the performance, The Blast confirmed that Dion wasn’t paid a dime but was simply honored to be a part of such a historic event. 

Tia Mowry has fans rolling after sharing a video of herself dropping off her kids on the first day of school. The actress shared the video on Instagram on Monday, August 17, and folks are relating to her enthusiastic vibe in the clip.

RELATED: Hi Babies! Celebrities Share Back-To-School Photographs Of Their Kids And Fans Are Loving The Updates (PHOTOS)

Tia Mowry Shares Relatable Back-To-School Video

Mowry shared a video on Instagram that appears to show her dropping off her two children, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Cory Hardrict, at school. The former couple shares a 15-year-old son, Cree, and an 8-year-old daughter, Cairo, and the clip shows Mowry waving and saying goodbye from her SUV.

The clip is captioned:

“The teachers got it from here. Godspeed.😂.”

Mowry also shouts from her SUV:

“Bye, guys. Mommy loves you! Have a great time at school. Bye, bye. Bye!” 

As Mowry backs her SUV up, a close-up shot features her turning up her radio and blasting a rap song as she excitedly wags her tongue and flashes double-fisted peace signs. Additionally, text over the video reads:

“POV: when it’s finally the first day of school.”

Afterward, Mowry is seen flying down the street as she jams, looking happy as can be.

See the clip here.

Fans Co-Sign Mowry’s Video

Fans loved the video, and several joked in the comments that it was spot on.

User @aisharenee wrote, “😭😭😭😭😭 the car speed off. I’m weak.”

@_nayfineasss added, “Okayyyyyyy 😂😂😂😂😂😂.”

@beautifullybee added, “😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 The way I just hollered. Fave…what am I gonna do with you? This is hilarious 😆”

User @jen.niferrjones added, “Dropping the kids at school so I can finally unbox my new mirror clone watches in peace 💀😂.”

@chellyshunn added, “We all live the same life 🤣.”

User @pebbster noted, “This is Definitely Meeee!!! 🤣🤣🤣.”

@krisstephens wrote, “1000% accurate 😭😭😭😭😭😭.”

@aquariusrae00 joked, “😂😂😂😂 You Parents are wrong for this behavior.”

User @3jaysmomissounique wrote, “😂😂😂😂 I remember those days I used to be half way home. As soon as my car door closed. 😂😂😂😂.”

@yuli_lani01 noted, “The tongue out with the peace sign 😂😂😂😭😭.”

Mowry Shares Adorable Video With Daughter

The former ‘Sister, Sister’ actress also shared a hilarious video with her daughter, Cairo, on Instagram. The ladies seemingly parodied a scene from the film ‘Fences.’ The duo is seated in the front seat of a vehicle as a voice-over is heard while the ladies speak. The post is captioned:

“She does have a point 🤨.”

Mowry mouths:

“You got a roof over your head, clothes on your back, food on your table?”

And Cairo mouths the reply:

“Ain’t that what you’re supposed to do? I didn’t ask to be here.”

RELATED: Dad Duties! Cory Hardrict Shares Family Flicks Following Tia Mowry’s Cozy Clip With Boyfriend (PHOTOS)

Liza Minnelli has opened up about the events that led to her first seeking professional help for addiction issues in 1984.

“In Manhattan, I had favorite bars where bartenders were happy to serve me any hour I showed up. I had boxes of pills and bottles of booze stashed away in my co-op apartment. With no one watching, I self-medicated myself to foggy perfection, to a place where I felt nothing or no one could hurt me,” the iconic performer, 80, wrote via Instagram on Tuesday, August 18.

Her post, accompanied by a photo of herself looking drawn and sweaty on a couch at the time, further reflected on her return from New York City to Los Angeles after finding fame. “Now, in California, I got lost in the same fog. It was the same old bulls***, this time with more sunshine. That’s one of the reasons I checked into rehab as quickly as I did. I was out of options,” she confessed.

The Los Angeles-born Cabaret star, who is the daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, recounted her experiences after initially sharing details of the time in her March memoir, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!. The Instagram post noted that her first rehab stay at Los Angeles’ Betty Ford Center saw her “f***king scared to death” ahead of checking into the facility.

“I thank my amazing sister [Lorna Luft] who had to buy me a hot dog to get me on board Frank Sinatra’s private jet for my first rehab visit,” Minnelli’s Instagram post continued. “Lorna, how the hell did you put up with me? My brother from another mother Michael Feinstein and his husband, Terrence Flannery, and my Dr. Lawrence D. Piro who refused to buy my Oscar worthy performances for drugs that could kill me … these four are the quartet that truly saved my life.”

Minnelli, who went to rehab multiple times over the years to treat addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs including Valium, said she hit rock bottom after getting familiar with the wrong type of crowd.

“In New York, I had surrounded myself with people who, at worst, encouraged me to use drugs, or, at best, didn’t encourage me to stop,” she wrote via Instagram. “I was equally irresponsible with money. If someone admired something I had, something I wore, I simply gave it away. I may have felt guilty about the ease with which money came to me and never bothered to think about what would happen when I wasn’t touring the world, singing my songs. Not smart.”

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Related: Liza Minnelli Says Mom Judy Garland Was a ‘Challenging’ Part of Childhood

Liza Minnelli called her mother, Judy Garland, the “most challenging” part of her childhood. “My mother was fascinating because she knew so many fascinating people who would come over,” Minnelli, 78, said in an Interview magazine profile published Wednesday, October 16. She also spoke about her father, Vincente Minnelli, referring to him as the “most […]

Her final rehab stint, in 2015 at a facility in Malibu, California, is attributed as the place where she achieved long-lasting sobriety. In her memoir, she described her final stint as a wake-up call, writing that she “realized maybe my nine lives were up.”

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Kids, Wait Till You Hear This! delved into Minnelli’s complicated relationship with Garland, who died in 1969 at the age of 47 from an accidental barbiturate overdose. (Barbiturates are a class of depressant drugs created from barbituric acid, per the Cleveland Clinic.)

“At 13, I was my mother’s caretaker — a nurse, doctor, pharmacologist and psychiatrist rolled into one. It was a crazy balancing act,” she wrote in her book of the “nightmare” situation. “I lost count of the times I called doctors to say she’d run out of pills. They often told me they couldn’t give her another prescription. It was too soon. I’d say: ‘I’m a kid! Please fill my mama’s prescription!’”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

The Harry Potter franchise, as many already know, began as a series of young adult low fantasy books. Eventually, they took the world by storm and sold millions and millions of copies, eventually spawning a multi-billion-dollar movie franchise, a line of official toys and merchandise, a theme park at Universal Studios, an HBO original series, and a tie-in series of video games.

It’s one of the largest multimedia empires in the world, with young people continuing to find its story captivating almost 30 years later. When it comes to the video games, some of these are spin-offs, separate from the original books and films, whereas others are direct adaptations of the movies; not every one of them is a bad adaptation, as many movie-licensed games are. Whichever category they fall into, these are the best Harry Potter video games ever made. For the purposes of this list, mobile games will not be included—PC and console only.

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‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (2005)

Image via Warner Bros.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire takes a rare approach that most of the other movie-licensed titles don’t: it is level-based rather than open-world. What this means is that the gameplay is also more action-oriented and less puzzle-intensive than the previous entries in the series. The fact that there were levels instead of an open world also meant that the developers could get a little more creative in their design, with a few levels having a totally different gameplay style.

There are various enemies in the game, mostly magical creatures, all of which need particular spells or have specific ways in which they need to be defeated, meaning even the standard levels are far from repetitive. This game also allows players to choose their character between Harry, Ron, or Hermione, rather than limiting them to just Harry. Even though it’s a perfectly fine effort, it still had a lot that it was lacking, much like the film.

9

‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)

Image via Warner Bros.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban served as the foundation for what Goblet of Fire became, except it actually does a much better job of things. Fundamentally, the gameplay is pretty similar. It’s level-based rather than open-world, though the perspective is much different. Rather than the zoomed-out perspective of Goblet of Fire, the camera is much closer to the characters and is a more traditional “over-the-shoulder” view, which helps a lot, as the camera in Goblet of Fire could be kind of janky at times.

This game is also a little less action-oriented. There are some action sequences, sure, but there are also detective sections, puzzles, and boss fights. Heck, the GBA version of the game was literally an RPG, if you can believe that. Like Goblet of Fire, the game allows players to choose between any member of the Golden Trio, being the first in the series to do so. It’s a little closer to the books than the movies, but it still does a fine job. While it’s above average at best, fans still like returning to the game every so often.

8

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (2001)

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is based on the first movie, though it takes more inspiration from the book. It should be noted, though, that the PC version of this game specifically is the only good one. The original PS1 game is sluggish and heinously ugly, to the point that it got the meme treatment. There was also a fairly different version that came out in 2003 for consoles, but this wasn’t all that great, either.

Hogwarts Castle is sort of open-ended but severely limited by the technology of the time, so don’t expect a sprawling open-world map. That said, this PC version is still a nostalgic piece of video game history for Potter fans who grew up with the saga, one that players still find themselves coming back to from time to time.

7

‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix brought in a new style of gameplay that was more open-ended than previous entries. The game expanded Hogwarts Castle, creating a near-perfect replica of the one from the movies, and making it completely accessible to players. It also added a climbing mechanic, where Harry can clamber up pipes or ladders, accessing new heights and providing new points of view.

The game also came with a surprising amount of side quests, mostly involving recruiting students for Dumbledore’s Army. A lot of book characters who don’t otherwise show up in the movies are present, and some characters even make a return, such as a more grown-up version of Colin Creevey. The combat is a little bit slow and sluggish, restricted to one-on-one duels, but overall, it’s a solid game that’s lots of fun for fans.

6

‘Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions’ (2024)

Image via Warner Bros. Games

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a sports game that’s all about Quidditch, believe it or not. The game provides an immersive, authentic Quidditch experience that begins with customizing your character. Once that’s done, you get to choose your position, either as a Chaser, Beater, Keeper, or Seeker, each one with a unique style of play. Though you’re not strictly limited to anything, as you can also play as various characters from the franchise.

Since it’s a sports game, it is primarily focused on multiplayer. It was booming when it first came out, but is sadly pretty dead nowadays. Single-player is still available, however, involving the use of bots or the “Broomstick Adventures” mode. The game did have some flaws, most notably the fact that it took several departures from the actual rules of Quidditch in an effort to balance things out. For example, catching the Golden Snitch does not end the game and only gives 30 points instead of the usual 150. To be honest though, the changes are fair, because otherwise it would effectively win the game automatically for the team that catches it. In any event, it’s an entertaining sports game that was pretty solid all around.

5

‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (2009)

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is definitely one of the better games in the movie-licensed line. Truth be told, most of them are good enough, but this one just hits different. It’s built on the foundations of Order of the Phoenix, only everything is improved upon. The combat is smoother and quicker, and it even comes with a co-op duelling mode. Plus, there’s an added potion-brewing mechanic, a minigame involving adding ingredients, stirring, and heating as per the instructions given. Each potion has different ingredients, too, so it’s consistently interesting.

Aside from the potions and the combat, the open world itself is by and large the most comprehensive and detailed map of the movie version of Hogwarts. It’s really well done, mainly because it lets players see how recognizable sites like the Great Hall, the Viaduct, and the Astronomy Tower all fit in together. There are also secret passages to unlock and a ton of collectibles to find, which keeps things entertaining. It’s actually a very fun game, even if it does have its shortcomings.

4

‘Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup’ (2003)

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Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup is another sports game that does a better job of things than Quidditch Champions. Funnily enough, Quidditch Champions was actually intended to function as a sort of sequel to Quidditch World Cup, though it didn’t quite deliver in the same way this one did. This one functions a little more like a typical sports game, with players controlling an entire team rather than just one player. However, different roles can only be controlled at different times, as games function in phases so as to keep things balanced.

The game begins with Harry Potter and his third year at Hogwarts, but by the end, the game transitions into the World Cup itself, with nine teams available: Australia, the UK, Germany, the US, Japan, France, Norway, Spain, and Bulgaria. And yes, Viktor Krum is featured on the Bulgarian team. Players tend to favor this one over Quidditch Champions for two reasons: one, for nostalgia purposes, and two, because it is more akin to a traditional sports game, making it more accessible to fans of the genre.

3

‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (2002)

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As far as the original movie-licensed games go, this one really knocked it out of the park. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets follows the book a little more closely than the movie, but it still does an excellent job. Hogwarts Castle itself is pretty small, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t secrets to discover. The game boasts 101 collectible chocolate frog cards, which can be acquired through various means. You can buy them from Fred and George Weasley via the Gryffindor common room black market, or you can collect them by exploring the castle.

Outside, you can actually hop on and off your broomstick at will, soaring to new heights and accessing new areas of Hogwarts. Exploring and finding these collectibles is actually legitimately fun! In terms of gameplay, it’s a mix of puzzles and platforming, with some cartoony spell-casting mixed in. This game built upon the Philosopher’s Stone game and improved upon everything by a mile. The game has actual stakes, too, as if you break the rules too often or don’t earn enough house points, you might not win the House Cup at the end of the game. It might be limited due to the available technology of the time, but it’s still a nostalgic classic that fans always come back to.

2

‘LEGO Harry Potter Collection’ (2024)

Image via Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment

The LEGO Harry Potter Collection consists of two entries released in 2010 and 2011. These games divided the saga in half, with the first covering movies one through four, and the second covering movies five through eight. In 2024, the whole collection was remastered and compiled into one glorious package. As the title implies, this game turns the story of the movies into LEGO. Between the levels, players can explore Hogwarts, attend classes, and search for collectibles.

There are over hundreds of unlockable characters to collect, as well as a custom level editor hidden beneath Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley. Players can also purchase extra cheats and quirky features, transfiguration spells, and create custom characters, much like most other LEGO games. LEGO games made by Traveller’s Tales rarely disappoint, but The LEGO Harry Potter Collection was one of their best. It’s so much fun to play, with incredible level design and a ton of replayability.

1

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ (2023)

Image via Warner Bros. Games

Hogwarts Legacy is actually not about Harry Potter at all. Rather, it is set in the same universe, specifically, a century prior to the events of the main saga. In this role-playing game, players will create a custom character and enroll at Hogwarts. You can attend classes, get sorted into your house, study the Dark Arts, and even customize your personal space: the Room of Requirement. There are loads of side quests, friends to make, and uncountable secrets to discover in Hogwarts.

The massive open world extends far beyond the walls of the school, though. Players can also take a trip to Hogsmeade village, sneak into the Forbidden Forest, and check out the tiny hamlets scattered around Hogwarts Valley. There are many magical life forms to encounter, potions to brew, magical plants to grow, and a fresh story to unravel in this enormous RPG. It’s an excellent game and a dream come true for Potterheads, which is why it’s easily the very best Harry Potter video game ever made.

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Hogwarts Legacy

Released

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February 10, 2023

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol

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Developer(s)

Avalanche Software

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