Entertainment
Rebecca Hall Is Keeping Her Ideas for the Next ‘Monster’ Story Under Lock and Key
This interview contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story.
Summary
Rebecca Hall can truly do anything. From her highly acclaimed lead performances in indies like the biographical psychological drama Christine and romantic dramedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona to franchise films like Godzilla vs. Kong and Iron Man 3, the range of her projects and characters is unmatched. In addition, she’s also a phenomenal filmmaker, with her directorial debut, Passing, nominated for a Satellite, DGA, and NAACP Image Award, among many others.
Hall’s newest project is Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story, which centers on a young woman (Ella Beatty) accused of murdering her parents with an axe. Hall takes on the role of Lizzie’s deliciously wicked stepmother Abby. Never without a sharp but hilarious jab, Hall is campy, cruel excellence in this role, chewing the scenery and expertly playing off her co-stars.
Collider got the chance to speak to Hall about her performance in the show. Throughout the conversation, Hall shared her favorite pieces of unhinged dialogue she got to deliver, the trauma of filming that insane projectile vomiting scene, the surprising comedy film that inspired her performance, and more.
Rebecca Hall Shares Her Favorite Piece of Wild Dialogue in ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’
“They’re some of the funniest erudite putdowns I think I’ve ever heard.”
COLLIDER: Your dialogue in this show is so deliciously insane. Was it challenging to memorize?
REBECCA HALL: Oh, that’s a good question. No one’s asked me that. Yeah, it was challenging to memorize. The thing that I realized fairly quickly was that there needed to be this polar-opposite feeling between Charlie and me. I was like, “If he is someone who speaks very slowly with a stutter and finds it very difficult to find the right word for something, then I’ve got to be someone who always has the right word for everything and speaks incredibly fast, so I needed to know the dialogue inside out to be able to deliver it that unhesitatingly,” and that was hard. Luckily, the dialogue is pretty memorable. I think there are definitely chunks of it that I can still remember now because they’re some of the funniest erudite putdowns I think I’ve ever heard.
Is there one that stands out to you the most?
HALL: “Turgid little sausage fingers” is definitely memorable.
I wrote that one down, for sure.
HALL: I was really fond of the line, “Flapdoodle — this is my personality.”
She’s such a singular character, but she sort of fits in the canon of the evil stepmothers from fairy tales, which I thought was really cool. I’m curious if you drew from any other characters or performances to inspire you.
HALL: I did, and I didn’t. I felt like I wanted to create something that was unique and specific. When I was thinking about the accent — which I wanted to be not really from anywhere as much as just Abby — I kept thinking about those mid-Atlantic accents that actors created in the 1930s that didn’t actually exist but had this sort of affect of like, “I’m extremely posh and elitist.” So I listened to a lot of Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. Max Winkler had the brilliant suggestion of me going and looking at Vivian Pickles’ performance in Harold and Maude. I was like, “Ohh, okay.” That’s real comedic gold, so I was like, “He does want me to go that comedic.” That’s when I understood that.
I was getting a little bit of Cate Blanchett in Cinderella.
HALL: Oh, yeah, maybe. I’ve never seen that, so I don’t know, actually. I was also thinking about, yeah, she’s an archetypal stepmother figure, but she’s also really wounded and hurt. That was definitely something that informed it. She’s very aware of the injustice of her own narrative. She’s the kind of character who feels like she wanted a lot more from life and hasn’t had it, so now she’s turned to alcohol and cruelty.
Rebecca Hall Reveals What That Vomit in Episode 2 Was Made Of
“I was really ill, actually.”
There was so much, as you said, comedic gold in this. I have to ask about the projectile vomiting, the explosive diarrhea.
HALL: I don’t know what you’re talking about. It was very serious. I was really ill, actually.
I’m so curious, what is it like to film something like that? I’ve certainly never seen anything like this before.
HALL: It’s pretty dark. [Laughs] It’s just a lot of tomato soup.
A lot of tomato soup, okay. Logistically, that was like quite a feat, I can imagine.
HALL: It’s unbelievable. I was so worried about it. For what makes maybe four minutes of screen time takes easily a day to shoot. That’s a day of sitting around tomato soup that smells in a specific way. You’re not getting that when you watch it on your screen.
No 4DX.
HALL: No, no 4DX business — we were in it. Literally sitting in soup.
I mean, wow. Just wow. That is all I have to say about that.
HALL: Thank you.
Of course.
Rebecca Hall Discusses the Only Reason ‘Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story’ Didn’t Leave Her Too Traumatized
“I haven’t got a very strong stomach for violence.”
Lizzie Borden is such an iconic, legendary story. I’m curious what kind of research you did and if there was anything that you found that was especially surprising or memorable to you?
HALL: I don’t look anything like Abby Borden is really the only thing that I learned from that. I didn’t do any research is the truth, I think there are other aspects of the show when you get into the trial and all those kinds of things that warrant looking at the historical accuracy, but in terms of playing Abby, there’s very little about her out there, and I could already tell from reading the script that Ian Brennan and Ryan Murphy had taken liberties and created a character that they were interested in for this show, so I felt like the only thing I could do was do the same thing.
This is the fourth installment in the anthology. Are there any serial killers you think would be interesting to explore in the next season if we’re pitching things out there?
HALL: [Smirks] I got a couple, but I’m not gonna share.
Okay, we’re keeping it under lock and key. We obviously talked about the tomato soup of it all, but I also think that image of her covered in blood and feathers is such an iconic horror image. I’m curious how that gore informs how you approach those scenes and what it was like getting really gnarly in there.
HALL: I haven’t got a very strong stomach for violence. I really can’t handle it myself.
How did you deal with that then, going home at night? Were we listening to meditation and ASMR? What were we doing?
HALL: It didn’t feel entirely real. There was a rig in my shirt with a magnetic slot so the axe just sits in it. I’m just walking around making stupid jokes to all the gaffers, being like, “Look! Look! Does anyone want to pull it out?” I wasn’t that traumatized by it is the truth. Thank goodness, because if I really thought about what was going on, I think I would have probably projectile vomited and had to leave the set. I had to treat it with a certain theatrical remove, I think.
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story is now streaming on Netflix.
- Release Date
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September 17, 2026
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Max Winkler, Sarah Adina Smith
- Writers
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Ian Brennan
Cast
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Vicky Krieps
Bridget Sullivan
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Ella Beatty
Lizzie Borden
Continue Reading
Saoirse Ronan reveals how Bad Apples helped crystallize her desire to direct, after taking a hands-on approach to supporting young actors Nia and Eddie during filming.
Last weekend at the box office saw the unthinkable finally happen, as the all-conquering Spider-Man: Brand New Day lost its spot at the top of the domestic ranks. After almost two months of defeating any and all competitors, Tom Holland‘s Friendly Neighborhood Spidey was bewitched by the long-awaited return of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic 2, which dispelled poor reviews to top the box office charts. However, a weekend haul of $8.4 million was enough to edge Brand New Day to its most important box office milestone yet.
The stage was set last weekend for Brand New Day to overtake Star Wars: The Force Awakens to become the highest-grossing film of all time domestically, a feat it achieved earlier this week. After initially earning the biggest opening weekend in domestic history, the biggest first-week haul of all time, and becoming the second-fastest film to reach the $1 billion mark worldwide, the records kept falling for Brand New Day in a theatrical run that has taken even the biggest MCU fans by surprise. In total, Brand New Day has made more than $2.4 billion worldwide and is the third-highest-grossing film of all time.
The so-called “best Spidey adventure in 20 years” had its influence felt in widespread areas, including on Netflix, as the most important Spidey movie was added to the catalog this summer in anticipation of Brand New Day‘s success. Directed by Jon Watts and featuring an extended cameo appearance from Robert Downey Jr., Spider-Man: Homecoming marked Holland’s first full appearance as Spidey and set the wheels in motion on one of the MCU’s most consistent money-makers, even during a difficult post-COVID era. However, as Brand New Day finally slips from the box office throne, Homecoming is set to follow in kind. As of October 1, Spider-Man: Homecoming is being removed from the Netflix catalog.
What Is Next for Tom Holland’s Spider-Man?
After also starring in the other major 2026 hit so far, Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey, you won’t be surprised to learn that Holland and his real-life wife Zendaya are due for a break from the MCU. According to Marvel Studios Producer and President Kevin Feige, any potential return for Holland and Zendaya to Spider-Man won’t be for some time. He said, “Right now, he’s [Holland] going to rest after that global tour. He and Zendaya are going to take a good and restful victory lap, which they very much deserve.”
As of October 1, Spider-Man: Homecoming is being removed from the Netflix catalog. Stay tuned to Collider for more.
- Release Date
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July 7, 2017
- Runtime
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133 minutes
- Producers
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Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Matt Tolmach, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Amy Pascal
Though the overall market presence of romantic movies in theaters has somewhat declined over the course of the last couple of decades, one thing is undeniable: This remains one of the most historically important, beloved, and influential genres in the history of cinema, one which has given us several of the greatest motion pictures the big screen has ever seen. For every great romance film, however, there’s at least one other one out there that’s… not quite as good.
At best, a mediocre romantic movie can be completely inoffensive. At worst, though, the bottom of the barrel of what the genre has had to offer throughout history has delivered disasterpieces that are often counted among the worst feature films the world has ever seen. From so-bad-they’re-good classics like The Room to movies that are just plain awful, film history has seen the release of many an embarrassing attempt at a “romantic” movie.
10
‘The Room’ (2003)
People who think that there’s no such thing as an objectively bad movie have most likely never experienced Tommy Wiseau‘s The Room. This is the sort of film that feels like it was made by an alien on his first visit to Earth, a cinematic catastrophe that’s incompetently put-together in each and every single department of filmmaking imaginable. Strictly speaking, it may very well be the worst film ever made, but there’s one thing that makes it one of the most beloved cult classics of the 2000s: It’s oh so much fun.
Indeed, The Room is so hilarious, so quotable, and so iconic that it’s perhaps the best so-bad-it’s-good movie classic of all time. It is, at its core, a “story” (if you can even call it that) about a messy love triangle. Wiseau has such a fundamental misunderstanding of how storytelling itself works, however, that The Room ends up doing all manner of other silly things that make it delectably bizarre.
9
‘Date Movie’ (2006)
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Parody and spoof filmmaking has always been a very valid form of comedy cinema, one which has delivered many a great classic throughout movie history. However, after the tremendous success of Scary Movie in the year 2000, a craze of cheap parody movies blew up and led to one of the most catastrophic things ever to have happened to comedy cinema: the movies of Aaron Seltzer and Jason Friedberg.
These shameful attempts at “comedy” (if you can even call it that) assaulted audiences who didn’t know any better throughout the 2000s and well into the early 2010s, and it all began with Date Movie. One of the most universally disliked movies of all time, it’s packed with low-effort gross-out humor, lazy pop-culture references, and cringe-worthy moments that make the entire experience of watching the film something akin to Medieval torture.
8
‘Gigli’ (2003)
Speaking of the most universally disliked movies of all time is a conversation never complete without at least mentioning Martin Brest‘s Gigli, led by Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez delivering the most shameful work of their entire careers. It’s far and away one of the worst R-rated comedies of the 2000s, a sad attempt at a “rom-com” (if you can even call it that) crime flick whose every effort to be charming falls flat.
The tonal shifts between Gigli‘s dark mob thriller tropes and ridiculous attempts at lightweight comedy and romance are beyond jarring, which is but one of the many reasons why the film was such a colossal financial failure at the time of its release. Add to that some truly bizarre and cringe-worthy dialogue, zero on-screen chemistry between Affleck and Lopez (despite the fact that they were the biggest celebrity power couple in the world at the time), and several offensive character tropes, and you get one of the least surprising disasterpieces in film history.
7
‘Ben & Arthur’ (2002)
Comedy is such a tough genre to get right that it’s rather unsurprising that several of the worst romantic movies in history are failed attempts at romantic comedies, but that is by no means to say that the romantic drama genre has no atrocious outings. Case in point: Sam Mraovich‘s Ben & Arthur, which he also wrote, produced, and starred in. As far as gay romance “dramas” (if you can even call it that) go, it doesn’t get much more awful than this.
The most common way for a romantic drama to be awful is for it to be unbearably boring. Thankfully, much like The Room, Ben & Arthur is a failed passion project that at least has the decency to be entertainingly awful. Amateurishly made in every technical sense imaginable, full of scenes that are supposed to be dark and serious but are so poorly executed that they’re instead hilarious, and imbued with a sense of unintentional camp that’s hard to resist, it’s a must-see for anyone who loves fun yet atrocious romance movies.
6
‘From Justin to Kelly’ (2003)
American Idol creator Simon Fuller came up with an “idea” (if you can even call it that): Make a musical film to function as a corporate tie-in to capitalize on the massive success of the show’s first season, and then continue making musicals starring each subsequent season’s winner and runner-up. The first of those films, From Justin to Kelly, was such an embarrassing disaster that the mere prospect of continuing with the series was laughed out of existence.
Where can one even begin listing the myriad of reasons why From Justin to Kelly is terrible? For one, Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini (who were contractually obligated to star in the film) are awful and virtually devoid of any chemistry. Then, there’s the laughably paper-thin plot, the abysmal lip-syncing and choreography, and the cheap look of the whole thing. Intensely corporate cinema never works out, and From Justin to Kelly is undeniable proof of that.
5
‘The Hottie & the Nottie’ (2008)
From the moment it hit theater screens, The Hottie & the Nottie was almost universally panned as one of the worst films ever made. Almost 20 years after its release, that consensus hasn’t changed. Devised as a commercial star vehicle for Paris Hilton, the movie instead ended up delivering some of the most painfully unappealing gross-out comedy that the world has ever seen.
It’s one thing for a movie to be intentionally gross, but it’s a whole other thing for it to be as crass, juvenile, and disgustingly misogynistic as The Hottie & the Nottie, far and away one of the worst movies of the last 40 years. Mean-spirited, superficial, and ruined by Hilton delivering one of the worst “performances” (if you can even call it that) that the movies saw at any point during the 2000s, it’s a film that should be avoided by the plague by all those who prefer movies that don’t suck.
4
‘365 Days’ (2020)
Over the course of the years during which they’ve been making original films, Netflix have delivered some truly exceptional masterpieces that have gone down in history as some of the best movies of the 21st century. However, they have also made some atrocious disasters, including some of the worst movies of the last six years; and among those films, Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes‘ 365 Days trilogy reigns supreme as the bottom of the barrel.
The original 365 Days may be the least awful of the three, but that’s like saying that getting kicked in the shin is preferable to getting kicked in the face. It may be true, but it’s still not an experience that anyone in their right minds would like to have. This Polish absurdity is a horrible attempt at an “erotic drama” (if you can even call it that) that’s just about as erotic or romantic as watching paint dry.
3
‘The Next 365 Days’ (2022)
The third and final installment in the 365 Days trilogy achieved a tremendous feat: completing a film series where each installment has the approval of exactly 0% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s hardly surprising. This whole trilogy is nothing but a poorly-made glamorization of kidnapping and Stockholm syndrome, and The Next 365 Days does nothing but add more fluff to that mountain of misogyny that makes up one of the worst film trilogies in history.
Very far from just being thematically problematic, though, The Next 365 Days has a “plot” (if you can even call it that) that you could summarize in its entirety on half a napkin, the most boring love triangle in film history, and attempts at dreamlike surrealism so pathetic that they’re difficult to even laugh at. And the worst part? It’s impossible to imagine someone who would watching this entire trilogy of their own accord, but if they were to do so, they’d run into a cliffhanger ending whose non-finality is as laughable as it is infuriating.
2
‘Titanic II’ (2010)
The world of straight-to-video cinema is one so filled to the brim with awful movies that one could never even attempt to watch all of them; but if someone were to watch only one straight-to-video romance film worthy of being counted among the genre’s worst, it would have to be Shane Van Dyke‘s Titanic II. It’s a disaster drama that’s not actually a sequel to James Cameron‘s Oscar-winning epic, but rather about a replica Titanic that tries to replicate the ship’s maiden voyage in reverse but (oh surprise!) also begins to sink.
“Disaster movie” is a label that applies to Titanic II not only because it’s the genre it tries to belong to. Shot on a shoestring budget in an attempt to capitalize on the success of disaster B-movies like Sharknado, Titanic II is a tastelessly absurd film that, instead of leaning into the camp of its mere premise, tries to play it ridiculously straight. The result is a modern cult “classic” (if you cane even call it that) that doesn’t even have the decency to be funny enough to be a must-see so-bad-it’s-good movie.
1
‘365 Days: This Day’ (2022)
After 365 Days came 365 Days: This Day, and like all sequels should, it completely one-upped its predecessor in virtually every way. The only problem? In this case, that only means that the “film” (if you can even call it that) is even worse. It’s hard to imagine why anyone would watch the first movie in the trilogy and then willingly choose to go into its sequel, but should they do that, they’d be treated to one of the worst dramas the streaming era has thus far seen, and the single worst romance drama in film history.
This is one of those movie trilogies that are awful from start to finish, but the middle installment in the series is on a tier of badness all of its own. It’s an offensively misogynistic, completely pointless cinematic mutation composed of lazy music videos, anti-erotic softcore sex scenes, and virtually no compelling plot points to speak of. From the writing to the direction to pretty much anything and everything else, it’s an affront to film history that should be avoided at all costs.
365 Days: This Day
- Release Date
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April 26, 2022
- Runtime
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111 minutes
- Director
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Barbara Białowąs
- Writers
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Mojca Tirs
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Michele Morrone
Massimo Torricelli / Adriano Torricelli
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Anna-Maria Sieklucka
Laura Torricelli
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Simone Susinna
Marcelo ‘Nacho’ Matos
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You can always count on Prime Video to have a good film available to stream.
In September, there are at least three new movies with great Rotten Tomatoes scores that you should stream ASAP.
At the top of Watch With Us’ list is Collateral, a Tom Cruise action-thriller that’s only gotten better with age.
We also recommend diving into the mystery of Videodrome, a groundbreaking ‘80s film starring James Woods and Debbie Harry.
Finally, it wouldn’t be spooky season without M. Night Shyamalan and The Visit is one of his best recent horror pictures, with a twist you won’t see coming.
‘Collateral’ (2004)
Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx in Collateral. DreamWorks/courtesy Everett Collection
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86 percent
As a Los Angeles taxi driver, Max (Jamie Foxx) has seen some crazy s**t, so when he’s hired by the elegantly dressed Vincent (Cruise) to drive him around town for the night, he thinks he can relax for a bit. He’s never been more wrong, as Vincent soon reveals himself to be a hitman who’s been hired to eliminate several witnesses in an upcoming drug trial. Max isn’t a saint, but he’s no killer, either, and he can’t let Vincent shoot strangers and get away with it. But how can he stop someone who’s been trained to kill and doesn’t have a conscience?
To anyone who says there are no movie stars left, Tom Cruise is living proof that’s not true. For the better part of four decades, Cruise has been a box-office draw like few others. Cruise has also starred in some truly terrific action movies over the years, and he’s got a new one out now. […]
Collateral works on three levels. First and foremost, it’s a great action film with a thrilling narrative that really does keep you on the edge of your seat. In addition, it’s a superb portrait of L.A. nightlife and really shows off the city’s beauty and diversity. Most importantly, though, Collateral showcases one of Cruise’s most unusual performances. Playing a rare bad guy role, the Top Gun actor revels in playing a character with no moral compass and a killer sense of style.
‘The Visit’ (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 68 percent
Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) have never met their maternal grandparents, and their mother, Loretta (Kathryn Hahn), decides to change that. She’s going on a cruise with her new boyfriend anyway, so it’s convenient for her to send them to their grandparents’ isolated farmhouse for a week-long visit. But Becca and Tyler quickly clock that something is off with Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) — they act irrationally and chase away local townspeople. When a friendly neighbor disappears after visiting their house, the kids blame the grandparents, but with their mother thousands of miles away, no one is around to help or save them from their possibly sinister relatives.
The Visit is directed by M. Night Shyamalan, and yes, there’s a twist that turns the entire plot on its head. This twist makes sense, though, and actually raises the stakes rather than making you groan. The film is shot in the found-footage style (Becca is an aspiring filmmaker), which makes all the horrors the two kids experience all the more visceral.
‘Videodrome’ (1983)
James Woods in Videodrome. Everett
Rotten Tomatoes score: 83 percent
Max Renn (James Woods) is looking for his next big hit. As the CEO of a Toronto TV station, he has to, or else he’s out of a job. When he becomes aware of a controversial new program called Videodrome, which shows people being tortured and killed on air, he thinks it’s just the show to put him on the map. But as he digs deeper into who is making Videodrome, and whether it actually depicts real-life murders, he begins to lose his grip on reality. Is his paranoia about the show all in his head? Or is Videodrome just a front for a vast conspiracy that could kill millions of people?
Even though it didn’t make much money when it was first released, Videodrome catapulted Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg into the international limelight — and jump-started a career that’s produced such classics as Dead Ringers and Crash (the good one). The film’s signature image, of a man merging his head into a functioning TV set, captures the film’s spooky tech vibe — it’s a horror film that’s unlike any other, and it will rattle your bones. Blondie’s Debbie Harry has her best role ever as Nikki Brand, a kinky radio host who is aroused by Videodrome and is willing to risk her life to become a part of it.
Science fiction is alive and well in the modern day. After all, over the last 15 years, the world has been treated to several books that are bound to go down in history as some of the best sci-fi books of the 21st century. Whether it’s an epic space opera, a science fantasy dystopia, or any other kind of science fiction story, these exceptional books prove that the genre is just as healthy today as it has always been.
From massively successful standalone titles like The Martian to big series installments like Leviathan Wakes, the best sci-fi books that bookworms have been treated to from 2011 until the present should all be considered essential reading for fans of the genre. They’re intelligent, imaginative, irresistibly entertaining, and everything that a science fiction lover could possibly want out of a novel.
10
‘The Deluge’ (2023)
For people who love science fiction about societal collapse and the end of the world, Stephen Markley is a must-read author. A very solid starting point to dive into his work is his latest novel, the hugely acclaimed 900-page climate-fiction gem The Deluge. Cli-fi has become one of sci-fi’s most prolific subgenres as the climate crisis keeps growing more and more pressing, and The Deluge is one of the best books that cli-fi has ever had to offer.
The book is an epic with precisely the kind of sprawling scope and scale that you’d expect from a book that’s nearly a thousand pages long. Thematically, it’s not just about the climate, with it also dealing with themes of political extremism and general social decay. Add to that a richly complex character-driven narrative and Markley’s viscerally realistic and experimental prose, and you get one of the best sci-fi books of the 2020s so far.
9
‘The Martian’ (2011)
Whereas soft science fiction is more focused on characters, emotions, and soft sciences like politics and sociology, hard science fiction is all about scientific rigor and sticking to the laws of physics. As far as contemporary hard sci-fi goes, few authors are doing better work than Andy Weir, whose The Martian is far and away one of the best techno-thriller books of all time.
Originally published chapter by chapter on Weir’s personal blog, The Martian stands out as one of the most accessible hard sci-fi books of the last 15 years. It’s technical and scientifically accurate enough to satisfy even the most demanding hard sci-fi lover, but it also tells its story with such charm, wit, and humor that more general readers should also find it fascinating. It’s as much of a love letter to human ingenuity as it is to the science fiction genre itself.
8
‘All Systems Red’ (2017)
Martha Wells‘ The Murderbot Diaries is one of the best sci-fi book series of the last decade, and its first installment, All Systems Red, may still be the peak of the series so far. At just a little over 150 pages long, this winner of the Nebula and Hugo Awards for Best Novella should be a deliciously breezy read in a single weekend. Indeed, it’s such an addictive page-turner that it feels like there isn’t really any other way to read it.
Aside from introducing the world to Murderbot, one of the most charming protagonists and narrators that science fiction literature has seen in years, All Systems Red brilliantly blends its high-stakes adventure with an exquisitely humorous tone of voice that doesn’t get tiring at any point. All in all, it’s one of the best sci-fi books of the past 20 years, perfectly paced and with a faultless balance between sardonic satire and clever sci-fi elements.
7
‘Station Eleven’ (2014)
Canadian literature has plenty to offer in the speculative fiction department, and dystopian science fiction is no exception, as perfectly demonstrated by Emily St. John Mandel‘s Station Eleven. Before it inspired one of HBO’s best miniseries of the 21st century, it was one of the best books published since 2010, a post-apocalyptic masterpiece that proves that the dystopian genre can be gentle and still deliver an unforgettable experience.
Indeed, Station Eleven twists the sci-fi dystopia subgenre on its head by rejecting the usual grim tone that dominates these kinds of stories. Instead, it delivers a poignant reflection on how art and human connections become essential for survival in the face of a terrible crisis. Mandel’s writing is powerfully subtle throughout, allowing the multi-POV structure of its narrative to shine all the brighter.
6
‘A Desolation Called Peace’ (2021)
Arkady Martine (the pen name of AnnaLinden Weller) made history when both books in her debut duology, the Teixcalaan Series, won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. A Memory Called Empire is nothing short of a masterpiece, but its sequel, A Desolation Called Peace, goes so far as to be one of the most perfectly written sci-fi book masterpieces of the last 15 years. The whole duology helped redefine the space opera genre for 2020s readers, but the second installment of the series in particular packs a hell of a punch.Desolation Called Peace, which also won the Locus Award, deconstructs the space opera genre by moving its flashier, most heroically epic conventions to the background. Instead, the book invites the reader to examine the most profound linguistic, political, and philosophical implications of a first contact event. But far from being subversive just for the sake of being subversive, it’s a wonderfully nuanced and entertaining novel with some of the most elaborate prose the genre has seen in years.
5
‘Children of Time’ (2015)
Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of the most consistently engrossing voices in modern-day speculative fiction, celebrated for his profound thematic work and his intricately detailed world-building. Case in point: Children of Time, which won the Arthur C. Clarke Award and was even compared to the “universal scale and sense of wonder” of Clarke himself by the director of the award program. It’s no small compliment for a novel that deserves all the praise it gets.
Children of Time is one of the best sci-fi books of the last 25 years, the first in the series that carries its title. People who love the surprisingly prolific “giant alien bug invasion” subgenre of space sci-fi are bound to love Children of Time, since it’s a twist on those kinds of stories that benefits greatly from Tchaikovsky’s background in both zoology and psychology. With layered complexity, he crafts an absolutely fascinating alien culture that completely reframes how the alien invasion genre typically works. “Humans are the actual monsters” is a common trope in science fiction, but Tchaikovsky dissects it with noteworthy nuance.
4
‘Leviathan Wakes’ (2011)
Leviathan Wakes is the first book in The Expanse Series, written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck under the pen name James S. A. Corey. Inspired by a hugely detailed tabletop RPG Franck had developed, the book’s very core and DNA—from its structure to its plot to its character development—feel every bit as addictive as the most entertaining RPG imaginable. From start to finish, Leviathan Wakes is such a hard book to put down that reading its sequels becomes immediately tempting.
But as phenomenal as the sequels are, there’s a strong argument to be made that Leviathan Wakes is the one most worthy of being counted among the best sci-fi books of the last 15 years. It’s one of those sci-fi books that are perfect from the first page to the last, a space opera whose relative scientific realism, fascinating worldbuilding, and seamless blend of genres made it entirely deserving of the Hugo and Locus Awards it was nominated for.
3
‘Project Hail Mary’ (2021)
As if any more proof were needed that hard science fiction fans should be thankful for Andy Weir’s mere existence, there’s Project Hail Mary, which by this point seems like one of the most essential sci-fi books for beginners. If The Martian was great for those uninitiated in the world of hard science fiction, then Project Hail Mary saw Weir perfect that formula, crafting a book that should be equally satisfying and compelling for die-hard fans of the genre and those who are only slightly familiar with it.
It’s a masterfully paced survival thriller that makes science and the scientific method seem like the most exciting things in the universe, all thanks to Weir’s unique eye for detail, wonderfully accessible prose, and endless optimism. And with a first contact story that’s surprisingly emotional as the cherry on top, it’s no wonder why Project Hail Mary quickly became a pop-cultural sensation well before the release of this year’s movie adaptation.
2
‘Golden Son’ (2015)
Pierce Brown‘s dystopian sci-fi book series Red Rising is one of the most masterful the genre has seen throughout the 21st century, one of those sci-fi book series that are a masterclass in worldbuilding. But as close to perfection as the original Red Rising and all of its sequels are, there’s one particular book in the series that stands out above most other sci-fi books from the 21st century: Golden Son, the second installment in the series.
Sophomore slump? Brown has apparently never heard of such a thing. Golden Son is a masterpiece so full of shocking curveballs and fascinating creative decisions that it’s hard to believe what one is reading throughout those 464 pages. Brown transforms the series from Red Rising‘s more localized dystopia into a staggeringly sprawling space opera unlike any other that literature has seen in over a decade. Golden Son is a clear choice as the single greatest space opera book of the last 15 years.
1
‘The Fifth Season’ (2015)
Some people love science fiction; other people love fantasy. Mix the two, and you get science fantasy, a genre that, if done right, can be among the most deliciously satisfying that speculative fiction has to offer. There are plenty of books worthy of being counted among the best science fantasy books of all time, and as far as the genre’s output throughout the last 15 years goes, there’s a clear winner: N. K. Jemisin‘s The Fifth Season.
It’s the inaugural volume of Jemisin’s Broken Earth Series, which became the first trilogy in history whose every book won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in consecutive years. It was a well-deserved honor, too, particularly regarding The Fifth Season. Structurally fascinating, delectably experimental, and full of incredibly immersive worldbuilding, it’s the peak of what sci-fi has had to offer since 2011.
Carson Rowland just broke his silence after Netflix’s shocking decision to cancel Sweet Magnolias after his exit from the show.
“End of an era,” Rowland, 28, wrote via Instagram Story on Friday, September 18, alongside a photo of the show on Netflix.
The reaction came shortly after news broke that Netflix chose not to renew Sweet Magnolias for a sixth season. Instead, the streaming service ordered a new drama series from Sweet Magnolias’ showrunner Sheryl J. Anderson — with JoAnna Garcia Swisher set to executive produce and potentially star in.
“All grand adventures must eventually end,” read a post from the show’s official Instagram account. “And here, dear friends, is where ours goes. Sweet Magnolias is now complete with five seasons streaming on Netflix.”
Sweet Magnolias, which premiered in 2020, is based on Sherryl Woods’ novels about three women who have been best friends since childhood as they navigate their romantic lives, careers and family.
Before season 5 premiered in June, Us broke the news that Rowland wouldn’t reprise his role as Ty. Anderson exclusively told Us that the actor made the “decision” to sit out.
“In his leaving, we wanted to make the best of the situation,” she shared. “And look at what happens when people leave the people they love to chase a dream.”
Anderson later told Deadline that the door is open for a return.
It is never easy to unexpectedly say goodbye to your favorite characters — and 2026 has featured an influx of shocking departures on our TV screens from Grey’s Anatomy to Virgin River. Virgin River fans were surprised when showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed multiple characters were written off the show after season 7. Marco Grazzini addressed […]
“We’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?” Anderson teased about how the writers wanted to “give that story emotional weight, stakes, consequences” for Annie (Anneliese Judge). “To just pretend that nobody thinks about him, nobody asks about him, and that he’s not thinking about them would have been insincere, I believe.”
Anderson added: “He’s still out there trying to figure out what happens next, she’s still in Serenity trying to figure out what happens next. And again, open doors we hope will lead to new information, different resolutions. Love isn’t cut and dry. You don’t just wake up one morning and say, I don’t love this person anymore, and move on. It takes time.”
Rowland, for his part, has remained tight-lipped about his decision to step away. He has since explored other opportunities after being cast in The Beauty and NBC’s upcoming series The Rockford Files.
Sweet Magnolias is now streaming on Netflix.
2026 has been a banner year for Game of Thrones fans, who have been treated to a pair of spin-off shows with even more content on the way next year. The first Thrones series to win the hearts of viewers around the world was A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which was even nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series. Production on Season 2 has already wrapped, and the show is expected to return to streaming in the second half of 2026. The second Game of Thrones spin-off show to air over the summer was the third season of House of the Dragon. After a divisive second season, HBO mostly won fans back with the third season, but writer/showrunner Ryan J. Condal has only one season left to stick the landing — Season 4 is already confirmed to be the final season of the show.
In addition to new seasons of both A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and House of the Dragon, Game of Thrones fans also have another 2027 project to be excited about. We’re talking, of course, about War for Westeros, the new Game of Thrones strategy game set to be released on PC in 2027. It was originally thought that the game would be released before the end of this year, but it was recently delayed to early 2027 to give the development team extra time to polish the final product. Not only is War for Westeros bringing back iconic Game of Thrones characters like Jon Snow, but it’s also giving players the chance to right one of the show’s greatest wrongs. Fans will be able to alter the course of Game of Thrones history by doing things like killing The Night King as Jon Snow, not Arya Stark.
Is ‘Game of Thrones: War for Westeros’ Coming to Consoles?
There has been no word yet about a console launch for Game of Thrones: War for Westeros — right now, the game is scheduled to be released only on PC. It would be far from the first time a game was released exclusively on one platform before later coming to other platforms, but it will likely depend on if the game is a success. The first trailer for War for Westeros was released just a few weeks ago, and it was met with a mostly warm reception.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the new Game of Thrones strategy game, War for Westeros.
Ruby Rose and Collin Gosselin are among the celebrities putting themselves to the test on the latest season of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.” During a recent interview about their experience on the physically demanding reality series, the pair also briefly discussed the late Hayden Panettiere.
Rose became emotional while reflecting on her friendship with the actress and offered a glimpse of the deep connection they shared in the last few years of the actress’ life.
Ruby Rose and Collin Gosselin are two of the celebrity competitors on the upcoming season of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test,” and in a recent interview about the series, the former was asked about how she wanted her late friend, Hayden Panettiere, to be remembered.
Rose became visibly emotional and fought back tears as she said, “That was my best friend. We spoke every day for five years. I didn’t even think we were going to be friends,” she shared.
The Australian actress recalled her first meeting with Panettiere, saying that she was hesitant to have celebrity friends due to her less-than-ideal experience in the entertainment industry. However, the “Heroes” actress approached her, as she told Entertainment Tonight.
“I saw her, she saw me, and I just remember thinking, ‘Oh, no.’ And then she ran up anyway and was like, ‘Hey, I’m Hayden. Can we go talk somewhere? We’ve got a lot in common.’ I just laughed,” Rose said.
The Actress Shared A Message From Hayden Panettiere After Her Death
Their conversation proved that they, indeed, had a lot in common, leading to a close friendship, with Rose saying that she considered Panettiere her family. They messaged daily and checked in on one another.
“Hayden, all that she ever wanted was to have her story told, her way, on her terms,” Rose said.
After Panettiere’s death, Rose took to Instagram Stories and implored her followers to “wait for all of the information” before making assumptions. “And don’t take it from her estranged mother. Or any of her abusers,” Rose added, per Nine.
On Threads, Rose also responded to an article about Panettiere’s mom, Lesley Vogel, and her statement following her daughter’s death. Rose posted a screenshot of a message allegedly from the actress that read, “I was sobbing over her cruelty yesterday thinking, my god I’m 36 and she can still cause this kind of pain. I’m her only child left and this is how she wants to handle the situation?!”
Colin Gosselin Shares His Thoughts On Hayden Panettiere’s Death
During the interview, Gosselin also had a brief remark about Panettiere. “I can’t voice against it enough when parents don’t look out for their children in this world,” he said.
Several days after Panettiere’s passing, Gosselin shared a post on Instagram Stories, writing, “In my humble opinion, her mother should have protected her. Because while we have laws in place to protect children, we also know how difficult they can be to enforce when the show must go on.”
Gosselin was thrust in a spotlight at a young age, growing up in the public eye as one of the sextuplets on the reality show “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” He is now estranged from his mother, Kate, and alleges that she was abusive, per The Blast. Gosselin details his experiences growing up in his upcoming memoir “In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood.”
Hayden Panettiere’s Celebration Of Life Excludes Some People
Panettiere’s celebration of life will be held on September 19, at a church in Malibu. More than a hundred close friends are expected to gather in honor of the actress, but as reported by The Blast, Brian and Zach Hickerson, as well as Vogel, will not be in attendance. The actress’ father, Skip, will reportedly be present.
Sources say the Hickerson brothers understand the sensitivity of the situation, especially amid the ongoing death investigation, and respect the organizers’ decision.
More Details Emerge About The Actress Death
Panettiere’s official cause of death has not been released pending toxicology reports. Recently, law enforcement sources claim that the actress may have taken a fentanyl-laced pill before her death, per The Blast.
Her death investigation is ongoing, and federal investigators are reportedly looking at text messages between the actress and a drug dealer. They have directed their focus on identifying the person or people who supplied the pill.
Toni Braxton and her mother Evelyn Braxton, were outsideeee showing Birdman some love at the Cash Money & No Limit tour stop in Atlanta. Mama Evelyn came through iced OUT with her bling bling, while Toni hit the stage during the show.
RELATED: All The Feels! Toni Braxton Shares Never-Before-Seen Wedding Pics As She Celebrates Second Wedding Anniversary With Birdman (PHOTOS)
Evelyn Braxton Said She’s OUTSIDE For Her Son-In-Law
On Friday, September 18, Evelyn Braxton hopped on Instagram and let her followers know she was getting ready to pop out to support Birdman at the Cash Money & No Limit tour stop in Atlanta. Cash Money and No Limit took over State Farm Arena last night, and Evelyn made sure she came through dripped down to watch her son-in-law hit the stage. Evelyn stepped out in a matching gray denim set covered in sparkling rhinestones. But chileee, the real star of her fit was her blinged-out choker necklace. She made sure the camera caught every inch of her ice. She was definitely giving bling bling for the occasion! “I’m going to see my son-in-law some of you call him Baby, some call him Birdman […] call him whatever you want to call him he’s still my son-in-law. How about that?” Evelyn said in the clip.
Wifey Duties! Toni Braxton Made Sure To Show OUT For Her Hubby
And you already know Toni Braxton was holding her man DOWN! YBF Daily shared a clip of the singer onstage turning up in a green silk top while the music blasted through the arena. As the camera panned across the stage Birdman popped into the view rocking a white hoodie with black pants.
The Internet Is Here For Toni & Everlyn Holdin’ Birdman Down
Once fans peeped Toni catching a vibe, plenty of folks said they expected nothing less! Some joked that they already knew her energy would be on 100 because she does not play about her hubby. Meanwhile, others flooded YBF Daily’s comment section with love for Toni and Evelyn, saying they enjoyed seeing the ladies pull up. Peep some of the reactions below.
Instagram user @notjustalawyer wrote, “Mama Evelyn got on her bling bling yassss honey !!!”
Instagram user @pb_la_g wrote, “IKTR Ms. Evelyn! 🤏🏾 They get it from their mama! 😂😂😂 She looks great!”
While Instagram user @itskaterryj wrote, “I still can’t believe she married that man but she truly is his rider.”
Then Instagram user @alleyezonbillie wrote, “I love when Toni feels good ❤️”
Another Instagram user @theyoungd wrote, “My girl was outside 😍”
Instagram user @melancholy_orchid wrote, “I love mama Evelyn❤️”
Then another Instagram user @ohbradshaw wrote, “You know what…. Hell YEAH! 💃🏾”
Lastly, Instagram user @dyou2 wrote, “I’m thinking Baby brought her the chain 😂😂”
RELATED: Wife Era Unlocked! Toni Braxton Spills Tea On How She & Birdman Celebrated Their First Wedding Anniversary (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Zara Larsson has hit out at Donald Trump’s White House for using her song “Midnight Sun” in a brutal ICE video promoting deportations.
The Swedish pop star slammed the people behind it as “f-cking losers,” explaining that the song is actually about feeling connected to nature, the universe, and other people.
This isn’t the first time she has been dragged into something like this. Earlier this year, she fired back after the White House mocked her post criticizing ICE amid reports that an officer shot a woman in Minnesota.
Zara Larsson has publicly condemned Donald Trump’s White House after her music was featured in a promotional video showcasing enforcement operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The official White House TikTok account shared the 19-second clip with the caption “never ending deportations,” set to Larsson’s track “Midnight Sun.” The video depicts around a dozen men restrained in handcuffs and leg shackles by officers.
However, the “Lush Life” singer expressed sadness over the clip in a three-minute video, arguing that it dehumanized those depicted and contributed to division. She also made an “L” sign with her hand.
Larsson emphasized that “Midnight Sun” was written about feeling connected to nature, the universe, and humanity, making its association with mass deportation footage deeply antithetical to its message.
She noted that she and the person responsible for the video are no different, adding that the “biggest difference between us is that we were dealt a different hand in life.”
She questioned why the Trump administration keeps portraying undocumented immigrants that way, saying they are ordinary people looking to secure a better life for themselves and their families.
The singer also noted that the video only creates division among people before calling those responsible “f-cking losers.”
Several Stars Have Objected To Trump Using Their Music
The “Ain’t My Fault” singer isn’t the first pop star to object to the Trump administration using their music to promote immigration policies and other achievements.
Artists including Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, and Olivia Rodrigo have previously slammed the White House for unauthorized song placements in social media clips showcasing ICE operations, per Rolling Stone.
Bad Bunny, Celine Dion, Noah Kahan, Sabrina Carpenter, Beyoncé, and several others have also spoken out against the Trump administration’s use of their music, either during the campaign or to promote its immigration policies.
Meanwhile, the situation comes about seven months after the “Ain’t My Fault” singer was involved in a contentious back-and-forth with the White House on social media over the reported shooting of a woman in Minnesota by an ICE officer.
At the time, she reportedly took to her Instagram Story to condemn ICE activities, writing, “I love immigrants, I love criminals, I love trans people, I love abortions, I love queers, I love slutty women, I love contraception, I love welfare, I love socialism, I f-cking hate ICE.”
However, the White House appeared to respond through a video posted on its official TikTok account. The clip, which featured Trump, was set to her hit song “Lush Life” as text seemingly pushing back against her comments appeared on screen.
“We love America First … We love deportations … We love cheap gas prices … We love a secure border … We love world peace … We love law and order … We love work not welfare … WE LOVE ICE and our law enforcement!” some of the phrases read.
Larsson seemingly brushed off the response, writing that she thought they were “losers” and that she shared her opinions because she loved people and connections, per Buzzing Pop.
She added, “It’s not about the theater of it all.”
Larsson’s outspoken political views haven’t come without a price, particularly when it comes to her pro-Palestine advocacy.
In a series of candid revelations in her documentary “Up Close,” she revealed that she had suffered several canceled gigs, lost lucrative deals, and even had invitations to award shows withdrawn.
She has consistently used her platform to draw attention to causes including immigration policy and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. However, the repercussions have seemingly reached an unprecedented level.
“I have never been cancelled like that before,” she stated in the film. “I lost gigs, didn’t get to perform at award shows, and had offers withdrawn.”
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