David Beckham was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the first soccer player to receive the honor. He was surrounded by family and close friends, including his wife Victoria, and three of his four children. Notably absent was his firstborn, Brooklyn Beckham, amid reports of a rift within the family.

Brooklyn cut off all contact with the Beckhams several months ago, but not before releasing a lengthy statement accusing his parents of controlling his life. David and Victoria have since attempted to reconcile with their son to no avail.

On June 12, David Beckham received the 2,849th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame under the Sports Entertainment category. It was a momentous occasion for David, who joined other athletes honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in the past, including Shaquille O’Neal, Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali, and Magic Johnson. David, however, was the first soccer player to receive a star.

Speaking during the ceremony, David said the moment felt “surreal.” “I’ve always been a dreamer, but I could never have imagined that an honor like this would come to a working class English soccer player like me,” he said.

David is widely regarded as one of the most iconic soccer players of his generation, playing for top clubs such as Manchester United and Real Madrid. He retired from the sport in 2013 and is the co-owner of the U.S. Major League Soccer team Inter Miami CF.

Brooklyn Beckham Skipped The Ceremony

Tom Cruise was in attendance to honor David, and in his speech said, “His is a Hollywood story: a boy who believed in something bigger than himself, had to work for every opportunity he received, and went on to influence his sport, shape culture around the world, and create opportunities for generations who followed.”

Other celebrities present included Eva Longoria and James Corden. David’s family, including his wife Victoria and children Cruz, Romeo, and Harper, were also there to support him. Brooklyn, however, was nowhere in sight.

In January, the eldest Beckham child posted a lengthy note on Instagram Stories, accusing his parents of being controlling and undermining his relationship with his wife, Nicola Peltz, as The Blast previously reported. Before ending his message, he wrote, “I do not want to reconcile with my family.”

Harper Beckham Was Seen Outside Her Brother’s Home

According to Page Six, Harper was seen arriving in an SUV outside Brooklyn’s L.A. home shortly after David’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony concluded. She was wearing the same pink dress she wore at the event.

An insider, however, said that Brooklyn and Nicola were out of town, and Harper left shortly thereafter. The youngest Beckham sibling’s visit may have been another attempt at reaching out to her brother.

In February, Harper also mentioned Brooklyn in a Valentine’s Day post honoring her three brothers. She posted a black-and-white photo of her younger self alongside Brooklyn, Romeo, and Cruz, adding the text, “I love you all so much, words can’t describe it,” and tagging all three.

David Beckham Refuses To Talk Publicly About Rift

In an interview with Variety, David talked about his Hollywood star, his career, soccer, and his relationship with Victoria. When asked how they keep their relationship solid despite being constantly scrutinized by tabloids, the former athlete said that although they have busy schedules, their relationship and their family always come first.

“That’s our priority, and that’s what makes it work when you’ve been together for so long. Our priority will always be our family,” David explained.

When the topic went to the reported rift in the family, David was quick to say that he didn’t want to address it. “I’m sorry to stop you there, but that’s a private matter. That’s one thing that I don’t want to talk about,” David said.

David And Victoria Beckham Have Repeatedly Reached Out To Brooklyn

According to reports, Brooklyn blocked his parents on social media in December 2025 and stated that any future communication should be conducted only through his lawyers. He also asked them to stop tagging him on social media posts.

In March, on Brooklyn’s 27th birthday, both David and Victoria took to social media to share birthday greetings for their son. The husband and wife posted on their respective Instagram Stories, sharing photos of themselves during happier times with Brooklyn and greeting him a happy birthday. “I love you so much,” Victoria wrote.

In an interview with WSJ in April, Victoria touched on the topic, but didn’t go into specifics. “We’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children. And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it,” she said.

For a long time, I thought vampire movies had a serious repetition problem. Somebody gets bitten, somebody spends half the film staring sadly out a window, almost everytime somebody (a vampire) falls in love with the wrong person (a human), and eventually somebody ends up dead. After a while, a lot of them started blending together in my memory.

The films on this list broke that pattern. These ten films represent some of the most visually striking, ambitious, and unforgettable examples the genre has ever produced, which is exactly why they still feel so alive decades after many of their contemporaries disappeared.

10

‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ (2013)

Image via Recorded Picture Company

Adam (Tom Hiddleston) and Eve (Tilda Swinton) have been together for centuries, and by the time the film begins, they are already exhausted by most of modern life. Adam spends his nights recording music in Detroit and avoiding people whenever possible, while Eve arrives from Tangier carrying books, stories, and enough curiosity to make the world seem interesting again. Their relationship is unusually quiet for a vampire film. They are not chasing victims or fighting enemies. Most of the time they are simply talking, listening to music, driving through empty streets, and trying to find meaning in another century of existence.

What stays with me is how much attention the film gives to small things. Adam can spend several minutes discussing a scientist he admires, and Eve can become excited over a stack of old books. Even the cities matter because Detroit and Tangier feel worn down and beautiful in completely different ways. The vampire story almost becomes secondary to two immortal people trying to hold onto the things they still love.

9

‘Near Dark’ (1987)

Image via De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Everything changes for Caleb Colton (Adrian Pasdar) after one night with Mae (Jenny Wright), a drifter who bites him before disappearing into the darkness. By sunrise, Caleb can no longer stand daylight, and he is forced into a nomadic vampire group that travels across the American Southwest. The gang includes Jesse Hooker (Lance Henriksen), Diamondback (Jenette Goldstein), and Severen (Bill Paxton), whose idea of passing time usually involves violence, intimidation, and leaving bodies behind.

A lot of vampire films surround their creatures with castles, ancient legends, or aristocratic manners. Near Dark drops them into motels, highways, and roadside bars instead. One of the most memorable scenes takes place inside a crowded bar where Severen spends the evening terrorizing strangers simply because he enjoys it. Caleb never fully fits into that lifestyle, which gives the story its tension. While the rest of the group accepts endless killing as normal, he keeps looking for a way back to the life he had before Mae found him.

8

‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ (1992)

Image via Columbia Pictures

Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) travels to Transylvania expecting a routine legal assignment and quickly realizes Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) is nothing like the wealthy client he imagined. The castle feels isolated from the rest of the world, strange things happen at night, and Dracula becomes increasingly interested in Mina Murray (Winona Ryder) after seeing her photograph. Long before the story reaches London, the film already feels dreamlike, as though reality itself is starting to bend around the Count.

Much of the film revolves around Dracula’s obsession with Mina and his belief that she is connected to a love he lost centuries earlier. That idea gives the story a sadness that many vampire films never attempt. At the same time, Francis Ford Coppola fills almost every scene with elaborate costumes, shadows, candles, and practical effects that look handmade. Even people who dislike parts of the adaptation often remember individual images years later because there is so much visual imagination packed into nearly every sequence.

7

‘A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night’ (2014)

Image via Vice Films

Bad City looks like a place people forgot to leave. Oil pumps move endlessly in the distance, streets stay empty for long stretches, and most of the people still living there seem lonely in one way or another. Among them is Arash (Arash Marandi), a young man struggling with his father’s debts and increasingly difficult life. Somewhere else in the city, a vampire known simply as The Girl (Sheila Vand) spends her nights wandering the streets in a black chador, watching the people around her.

The Girl is not interested in random victims. Drug dealers, abusers, and men who prey on others often attract her attention first. One scene involving a skateboard and an empty street somehow becomes as memorable as the horror moments because the film spends so much time creating a mood unlike anything else in the genre. It moves at its own pace and trusts silence far more than dialogue.

6

‘Cronos’ (1993)

Image via October Films

Everything begins when Jesús Gris (Federico Luppi), an elderly antiques dealer, discovers a strange mechanical device hidden inside a statue. The object, known as the Cronos device, was created centuries earlier by an alchemist searching for eternal life. When Jesús accidentally activates it, a metal needle pierces his skin and starts changing him in ways he does not immediately understand. His health improves, his energy returns, and he begins craving things that once meant nothing to him.

The film becomes increasingly sad because Jesús is not somebody chasing immortality. He already has a family, a granddaughter who adores him, and a quiet life he seems perfectly happy with. Dieter de la Guardia (Claudio Brook) desperately wants the device for himself, while his nephew Angel (Ron Perlman) spends much of the story carrying out his orders with growing frustration. As Jesús changes, the film keeps returning to his relationship with his granddaughter Aurora (Tamara Shanath), and those scenes give the story far more emotional weight than a traditional monster movie.

5

‘Martin’ (1977)

Image via Libra Films

Martin (John Amplas) arrives in a small Pennsylvania town to live with his elderly cousin Cuda (Lincoln Maazel), who is convinced the young man is a vampire. Martin insists that he is completely ordinary, though his behavior makes that difficult to believe. He stalks women, breaks into homes, and uses syringes to sedate his victims before drinking their blood. Unlike most vampire films, there are no fangs, supernatural powers, or ancient curses here. Everything Martin does could be explained through reality.

That uncertainty hangs over the entire film. Martin tells stories about another life that may or may not have happened, while Cuda treats him as a genuine monster sent from centuries ago. George A. Romero never rushes to answer who Martin really is. Instead, the film becomes a portrait of loneliness, obsession, and a young man who seems completely disconnected from the people around him. Even decades later, very few vampire movies feel this unsettling or this difficult to categorize.

4

‘Let the Right One In’ (2008)

Image via Sandrew Metronome

Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) spends most of his time alone. He is bullied at school, struggles to connect with other children, and often retreats into his own imagination. Then Eli (Lina Leandersson) moves into the apartment next door. She only appears outside at night, rarely seems bothered by the freezing weather, and immediately feels different from everybody else around her. Their friendship develops slowly through conversations, small moments of trust, and shared loneliness.

At the same time, a series of killings begins attracting attention throughout the area. Eli’s connection to those murders becomes increasingly difficult to ignore, though the film never treats her as a simple villain. She remains a child in many ways, despite carrying burdens that nobody her age should understand. The swimming pool sequence near the end has become famous for good reason because it says almost everything about their relationship without showing very much directly. The film is violent when it needs to be, though most of its power comes from watching two isolated children find comfort in each other.

3

‘Shadow of the Vampire’ (2000)

Image via Lions Gate Films

During the production of Nosferatu in 1922, director F.W. Murnau (John Malkovich) becomes obsessed with creating the most realistic vampire film ever made. His solution is simple and completely insane: he hires a real vampire to play Count Orlok. Max Schreck (Willem Dafoe) joins the production, and at first the cast assumes he is merely an eccentric method actor. Before long, however, strange disappearances and unsettling behavior begin making that explanation harder to accept.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is how seriously everyone treats the filmmaking process. Murnau remains so focused on finishing his movie that he keeps ignoring increasingly obvious danger around him. Meanwhile, Schreck often seems more interested in understanding ordinary human behavior than hiding what he is. Watching Dafoe move through scenes with equal parts curiosity, hunger, and confusion becomes one of the film’s biggest pleasures. Instead of telling a vampire story directly, the film turns the making of a vampire movie into the horror story itself.

2

‘Nosferatu the Vampyre’ (1979)

Image via 20th Century Fox

When Jonathan Harker (Bruno Ganz) travels to meet Count Dracula (Klaus Kinski), the journey already feels wrong long before they meet. Villagers warn him not to continue, the landscape grows increasingly empty, and Dracula’s castle appears almost abandoned by the rest of the world. Kinski plays Dracula as a deeply lonely figure rather than a powerful seducer. From his first scenes onward, he seems trapped inside centuries of isolation.

The relationship between Dracula and Lucy Harker (Isabelle Adjani) gradually becomes the center of the story. Dracula’s attraction to her carries genuine sadness because he understands that immortality has left him completely cut off from normal human life. Werner Herzog spends a great deal of time on images that have little to do with plot and everything to do with atmosphere. Empty streets, silent rooms, and entire towns overtaken by plague give the film a strange feeling that never leaves. It is a vampire story, though it often feels closer to a meditation on loneliness and decay.

1

‘Nosferatu’ (1922)

Image via Film Arts Guild

More than a century later, Nosferatu still contains images that instantly come to mind when people think about vampires. Count Orlok (Max Schreck) emerging from the darkness, standing rigid in a doorway, or moving through empty spaces remains unsettling because the character looks unlike almost every vampire that followed. He does not charm people, blend into society, or hide behind elegance. He looks sickly, animalistic, and genuinely disturbing.

The story itself follows Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) as he travels to Orlok’s castle and unknowingly helps bring the creature back to his hometown. Once Orlok arrives, disease begins spreading through the city, and fear quickly follows. Many modern vampire films focus heavily on romance, action, or mythology. Nosferatu strips things down to something much simpler and more primal. It is built around dread. Even with silent-film limitations, shadows, movement, and composition do so much work that many scenes remain more memorable than sequences from horror films made a hundred years later.

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Nosferatu

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Release Date

February 16, 1922

Runtime

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95 Minutes

Director

F. W. Murnau

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Writers

Henrik Galeen

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With 2019’s The Irishman, director Martin Scorsese and star Robert De Niro reunited for another movie dealing with the history of organized crime in America. This was a seismic event, as the two artists were perhaps most associated with the mob movie, and their last collaboration had been 1995’s Casino, another sprawling mob epic based on real events. Even more encouraging was the return of De Niro’s Casino, Goodfellas, and Raging Bull costar Joe Pesci, and even better than that, Al Pacino would be working with Scorsese for the first time. The movie arguably became the defining mobster film of the 21st century, and the central trio made it even more meaningful, with one caveat: their age.

The Irishman technically spans from the mid-1940s to the 1990s, and De Niro is in nearly every scene throughout the film. The actor was 74 at the time of production, leading to the adoption of controversial “de-aging” technology, which could clean up wrinkles, age spots, and anything else that might make you think you’re looking at a 74-year-old man. But the realities of age and the inconsistency of the visual effects led to an early scene that damaged the movie’s credibility to many: an allegedly middle-aged De Niro kicking a grocer on the sidewalk. We see all of De Niro’s body, including some elderly fragility and leg-shaking, and the scene’s failure to hit its necessary effect might have weakened the impact of the whole film.

‘The Irishman’ Gave Viewers a Young De Niro Who Wasn’t

The Irishman begins at the end, with union truck driver and mafia hit man Frank Sheeran (De Niro) stuttering through the details of a 1970s road trip and then going back even further through multiple layers of flashbacks. Like a lot of Martin Scorsese mob epics, it’s a long movie, but it lacks the trademark snappy, jagged energy of something like Goodfellas or Casino. Instead, it’s a haunting story of an old man looking back, telling half-true stories and recalling his divided loyalties between Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and mafioso Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci, playing a real-life character as he did in Casino). Unlike, say, The Godfather Part II (which also starred Pacino and De Niro), The Irishman didn’t recast for the younger versions of its characters. One unintentionally funny bit has Pesci calling a visibly elderly De Niro “kid.”

Because Scorsese and De Niro’s history of collaboration goes back to 1973’s scrappy gangster classic Mean Streets, the passage of time is visible in their work. In Mean Streets, De Niro played Johnny Boy, a wildly energetic screw-up whose recklessness drags Charlie (Harvey Keitel) and others into a spiral of unpaid bills and violence. And movies like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Cape Fear took their partnership to new and deeper levels, with De Niro finding new modes and often disturbing personalities (Frank, who frames his murders as regular old contract work, may be the most disturbing). Viewers who’ve seen Scorsese’s other movies know what young Robert De Niro looked like – and it’s not how the de-aging effects make him look in The Irishman. There’s a disconnect, and it’s not helped by scenes like him attacking the grocer.

The Grocer Scene Paid Homage to Martin Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’

Image via Netflix

The grocer scene in The Irishman is actually a trope in Scorsese’s mob movies: the explosion of violence in a mundane setting to show how organized crime coexists with polite society. Specifically, it’s echoing a scene from Goodfellas, in which Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) beats down a man who has assaulted his girlfriend. In the Goodfellas scene, the camera pans to follow Henry walking up to the man, and then stands still for about thirty horrific seconds as he attacks him with a pistol. Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus called it the most violent scene he’d ever filmed, according to Glenn Kenny’s making-of book Made Men.

In The Irishman, Frank (who by this point has been welcomed into the Bufalino crime family) is driven to violence by finding out his daughter Peggy (Lucy Gallina) has been harassed by a local grocer. Like Goodfellas, this scene takes place in broad daylight, with a simple wide shot that lets the violence play out in sickening detail. But a 70-something De Niro is going to have a different physicality than young Ray Liotta, and as he pushes his victim through a glass door and kicks him on the sidewalk, the effect isn’t exactly horrifying. The camera stands still on De Niro shuffling, without a lot of drive. While his performance in most of the movie is able to be threatening because of his dull affect and use of guns, this scene comes off more sad and pathetic—which might have been the point.

Why the Scene (and the De-aging) Works for ‘The Irishman’

Image via Netflix

The focus of the scene is not just on Frank’s ability to act violently in the public eye, but on Peggy’s recognition of the man her father truly is. We see Peggy eventually grow into a young woman (Anna Paquin), whose suspicion and fear of her father becomes the moral engine of the movie. And the final note of the beat down, in which Frank steps on the grocer’s fingers, is only heard as the movie cuts to Peggy’s reaction, which sells the horror of the moment (even if De Niro’s leg wobbles a bit beforehand).

While critics of the movie suggest Martin Scorsese could have filmed the scene in a different manner to accommodate De Niro’s age, that would have gone against the intention of the scene. Same with using a stunt double and plopping De Niro’s face on it. Believability wasn’t the goal of The Irishman. It was to spend a lifetime with De Niro as Frank Sheeran, to show the ravages of age and the regrets of a life of violence, as well as the malleability of memory, effectively summing up Scorsese’s career. Casting others to play the middle-aged versions of him or other characters would have diminished the effectiveness of the theme, even if it made scenes like the grocer beating more believable.

Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid shut down the speculation that Travis Kelce is distracted by his upcoming wedding to Taylor Swift amid NFL training camp.

“Listen, he has been here most of the offseason if not the whole offseason. He’s been around. It is good to have him here,” the longtime coach, 68, said of Kelce, 36, in a press conference on Friday, June 12. “He did the mandatory camp and [did] a nice job there. It’s good to have him back in and rolling.

Reid added that Kelce is “very excited” for the upcoming football season and is doing his part to get ready for it amid the plans of his and Swift’s nuptials. (Swift, 36 and Kelce announced their engagement in August 2025 and are expected to wed this summer.)

“You see no distractions with that and the wedding,” Reid explained. “It’s like when I got married my wife did everything, so I just kinda followed her lead on it.”

Andy joked that he just “showed up” to his wedding to wife Tammy Reid adding maybe that Kelce is “doing more” than him.

“But he looks like he is pretty focused on this job,” he said.

When asked if he was going to Swift and Kelce’s wedding Andy joked that he “can’t talk about it.”

One day before the Chiefs coach’s remarks, Kelce made a surprise appearance at Swift’s induction to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Kelce was not expected to attend the event as the Chiefs are currently in the middle of mandatory minicamp which ended on Thursday, June 11.

While Swift walked the red carpet solo, Kelce joined his fiancée inside the ceremony Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City on Thursday. In addition to the football player, the pop star was joined by parents Andrea and Scott Swift, brother Austin Swift and Travis’ mom Donna Kelce.

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Related: ESPN Drops Major Hint About Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s Wedding Date

Before Travis Kelce officially returns for his 14th season with the Kansas City Chiefs later this year, the superstar tight end has another milestone on his calendar: getting hitched. Kelce, 36, and his fiancée, Taylor Swift, plan to get married “before training camp,” ESPN’s Chiefs insider Nate Taylor reported on Tuesday, March 10.  The Chiefs […]

Taylor was being honored alongside Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss, Kenny Loggins, Alanis Morissette, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and more. She was the youngest-ever female inductee, beaten only by Stevie Wonder, who was inducted at age 32.

During her speech, the “I Knew It, I Knew You” singer thanked her family for their support all these years.

“It was easy to choose songwriting over everything else in my life, but it couldn’t have been easy for my parents and my brother to just pick up and move our entire family from Pennsylvania to relocate to Nashville so that I could hone my craft in the songwriting capital of the world,” she said, per Variety. “But after making obvious that this was not even remotely a temporary phase their teen daughter was going through, they uprooted their entire lives to move me to Music City. And even though words are supposed to kind of be my thing, I will never be able to express my gratitude to you guys for doing that for me. You’re the reason I’m here tonight.”

Invincible burst onto screens in a wave of bright colors and epic action brilliance that quite frankly stunned its entire audience. The series centers around the young Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), who finally gains his superpowers after his 17th birthday and desires to follow in his superhero father’s footsteps — only to discover that his father isn’t as heroic as he once believed. While its story and adult animated action are both unapologetically brutal and brilliant, there are quite a few epic animated sagas that have the superhero icon beat.

Brilliant shows like Avatar: The Last Airbender — often hailed as not only one of the world’s finest action animations but one of the greatest animated series, period — and the new fantasy epic, The Mighty Nein, which wields emotionally driven storytelling and expansive lore, are just two action shows that embody the genre just right. On this list are eight shows that prove that while Invincible may be a quality animated standout in the action genre, there exist many that are even better.

1

‘Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’ (2019–Present)

Image via VIZ Media

This global anime phenomenon delivers impeccable action sequences and brilliant storytelling. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is set in Taisho-era Japan, centering on the tender-hearted teen Tanjiro Kamado (Natsuki Hanae), whose life is ultimately changed when he returns home after a day away to find his entire family slaughtered except for his little sister Nezuko (Akari Kitō), whose survival is due to her unexpected transformation into a demon. With an impressive determination to rid the world of demons permanently and return his sister to her former self, Tanjiro joins the secretive Demon Slayer Corps.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is well known for its incredible animation and is considered all the more brilliant for its fantastic battles. The anime has not only perfectly captivating fight sequences but also meaningful storytelling that is capable of drawing out sympathy from its audience towards its absolutely horrid villains. Compared to a hit series like Invincible, which features great animation for a Western TV show, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba wields story, animation, and crazy action that the Prime Video series can’t quite live up to.

2

‘Primal’ (2019–Present)

Image via Adult Swim

Primal is once again great proof that dialogue isn’t always necessary when delivering insane amounts of brutal action. The series follows the caveman Spear (Aaron LaPlante) and his unlikely bond with a Tyrannosaurid dinosaur named Fang as the duo traverses across a brutal primordial world in a bid for survival and adventure.

Set in prehistory, Primal is rife with dangers that lead to some of the most captivating action scenes seen on television. The pure violence featured in the show is sometimes unyielding and nail-bitingly unflinching. The show holds a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score for both seasons, as audiences have consistently hailed it for its bold experiment in storytelling. Both Primal’s animation and action sequences are beautifully brutal, as they portray a life of everyday survival in a world of monsters and mayhem. Invincible may have the series beat in dialogue and heavy plot, but Primal brings to screens a pure visual narrative that masterfully resonates with audiences, keeping them thoroughly hooked.

3

‘The Mighty Nein’ (2025–Present)

Image via Prime Video

This character-driven animated adaptation brings to the screen an insane amount of great fantasy action. Set in the same universe as the underrated The Legend of Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein adapts Critical Role’s second D&D campaign. Its story centers on a group of unrelated outcasts who find themselves forced together by circumstance and a growing, unyielding bond of reluctant friendship as they find themselves with mutual enemies.

Filled with entertaining adventure, The Mighty Nein gifts audiences a series rife with heists, outrageous brawls, and battles against fanatical mages. The series may be new, having debuted in 2025, but fantasy action lovers have already raved about the show’s notable high quality. While the series shares a space with Invincible on the platform Prime Video, The Mighty Nein wields a deeper lore with more expansive worldbuilding that Invincible can’t compare to. For fans of the superhero series, The Mighty Nein is just as adult-oriented, but with a richer, more immersive setting that’s worth investing in.

4

‘Teen Titans’ (2003–2006)

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Teen Titans is a beloved DC series that remains a defining animated action staple of its era. This Cartoon Network hit follows the Teen Titans, a group of superhero apprentices who set out on their own, tackling evil to keep their home, Jump City, safe.

Teen Titans may be getting up there in age, but for the three years it was on air, it captivated a diverse array of viewers, with not only its incredible action but also its extremely catchy theme song. From the show’s genuine humor, animation style, and expressive visual gags to intense mood switches and stylized action scenes, Teen Titans brought to screens a truly unforgettable work of fiction. The show’s character development is quite impressive, while its more serious themes were able to cultivate a wide-ranging fanbase. Shows like Invincible would simply not be a thing without quality childhood gems like Teen Titans. With an edge that outshines newer animated series and a cultural impact that dubs it a classic, Teen Titans stands as an enduring animation that is truly unforgettable.

5

‘Batman: The Animated Series’ (1992–1995)

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

This legendary DC series is a high-quality classic that set the gold standard for animated action TV hits. Batman: The Animated Series centers around superhero icon Bruce Wayne/Batman (Kevin Conroy) as he prowls the crime-ridden streets of Gotham City, tackling various terrible villains.

Despite its age, Batman: The Animated Series is a quality landmark series widely regarded as one of the greatest cartoons of all time. The show is definitely one of the best benchmarks for superhero storytelling and won multiple awards, as it’s consistently praised for its sophisticated narrative and atmospheric art style that appeals to both kids and adults. Compared to a modern icon such as Invincible, the DC series still ranks above it, with great storytelling, impeccable action, character development, and the late Kevin Conroy’s brilliant performance as the leading man.

6

‘My Hero Academia’ (2016–Present)

Image via Studio Bones

My Hero Academia is a global phenomenon anime hit that ranks high in the superhero genre. The series is set in a world where almost everyone wields a superpower known as a “quirk.” In this colorful world of amazing powers exists the young Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (Daiki Yamashita), a boy who is in the very low percentage of people who are quirkless. With a striking determination to be a hero, Deku’s life abruptly changes when the hero he idolizes gifts him a quirk of his very own after he displays a brief bout of brilliant heroics.

My Hero Academia is an emotional wild ride of pure epic brilliance. The series has received widespread praise for its reinvigoration of the superhero anime genre, with its countless wholesome scenes and masterful action sequences. With an iconic soundtrack to boot, MHA has been lauded as an emotional journey that wields quite a few epic battles that place all that’s important on the line. Featuring themes of resilience, bravery, and heartfelt friendship, My Hero Academia is truly in a realm of its own.

7

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005–2008)

Image via Nickelodeon

This Nickelodeon hit animated series is one of the best TV shows of all time. Avatar: The Last Airbender is a fantasy action series set in a world of elemental magic, centering on 12-year-old Aang (Zach Tyler Eisen) — the world’s current Avatar — and his friends Katara (Mae Whitman) and Sokka (Jack De Sena) on a quest to ensure Aang masters all four existing elements needed to save the world from the terror brought on by the Fire Nation.

Balancing heartfelt character development, rich worldbuilding, and themes of destiny, war, and redemption, Avatar: The Last Airbender delivers an animated series that completely captivates. The show has consistently been called one of the best animated series brought to screens, receiving praise for its thematic depth, nuanced storytelling, and complex characters. The show may be a cartoon, but its cinematic action sequences and meaningful depth appeal to an incredibly wide-ranging audience. While Invincible is one of the best in the superhero genre, Avatar is notable for its transcendence in the youth fantasy genre entirely.

8

‘Blue Eye Samurai’ (2023–Present)

Image via Netflix

Standing as one of Netflix’s finest animated gems, Blue Eye Samurai is a relatively new series that offers a feudal Japan action saga with an epic twist. Set in the Edo period, the series follows a mixed-race female samurai, Mizu (Maya Erskine), born to a Japanese mother and a foreign European father, whose prominent blue eyes have been a cause for torture and discrimination by the people around her. Hiding her identity as not only a mixed-race individual but also a woman, Mizu wanders Japan as a sword master, seeking revenge against the white men who she suspects fathered her and ruined her mother’s life.

Blue Eye Samurai is a Netflix series that is, honestly, horribly underrated. The show not only features incredible storytelling but also almost unparalleled action sequences that leave viewers on the edge of their seats. The series doesn’t shy away from gore, as duels are often bloody and incredibly swift. While exploring themes of prejudice, identity, and the cost of hatred, Blue Eye Samurai delivers a truly enthralling series rife with striking animation, complex storytelling, and maturity.

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Blue Eye Samurai

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Release Date

November 3, 2023

Showrunner

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Michael Green, Amber Noizumi

Directors

Jane Wu

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Writers

Michael Green, Amber Noizumi

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Whether it be revolutionary technologies that reshape the human experience or vast, intergalactic worlds light-years away, there is an inherent joy and fascination with sci-fi storytelling that has made it a staple of cinema ever since the early days of the medium. These sci-fi films prove to be that much more striking and memorable when given a massive blockbuster scale and stature to bring their visions to life, with many of the most acclaimed and recognizable sci-fi success stories crossing over into the luxurious $1 billion club.

These massively successful titans of the sci-fi genre have taken a myriad of different paths to box-office success, whether it be continuing the impact of beloved film franchises or utilizing craft and technology to bring a striking original vision to life. While not every sci-fi film that has made $1 billion is of overwhelming high quality, the very best of this selection have proven to be some of the most recognizable and acclaimed sci-fi films of their respective eras.

8

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ (2021)

Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

Spider-Man was a massively popular character long before his introduction into the MCU, with a deep-rooted history of iconic film outings and iterations of the character for each generation. Spider-Man: No Way Home effectively taps into the long-lasting history of the character, bringing back iconic villains and heroes from Spider-Man films of the past to create a glorious love letter to the character’s live-action blockbuster history.

While a lot of the box-office success of the film can be attributed to the highly anticipated and memorable return of iconic Spider-Man actors Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire, it certainly helped that the film had its fair share of great action sequences and emotional story beats. It sticks to what makes the fundamentals of Spider-Man so enticing as a superhero, building upon the development and arcs of previous MCU films, and acts as the definitive outing of the character in the MCU and one of the best Spider-Man films to date.

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‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019)

Image via Marvel Studios

Acting as a culmination of over a decade’s worth of films in the wider multiverse of MCU filmmaking, it isn’t exactly shocking that Avengers: Endgame made box-office records and was at one point the highest-grossing film in box-office history. The film stands as a love letter to the MCU as a whole, with callbacks and references to each film leading up to this point while still telling a sprawling, highly entertaining action film that gives each character a moment to shine.

Even as the MCU continues to have new entries and build-up anticipation for the next Avengers film, it’s difficult to imagine any other film in the MCU coming close to the complete global dominance and cultural impact that this iconic finale had. It has stood as a towering achievement for what is possible not just within the MCU but in extended-universe storytelling in film as a whole, proudly known as one of the defining blockbuster successes of the 21st century.

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‘Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens’ (2015)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

While legacy sequels are all the rage nowadays for bringing back hardcore fans and continuing the stories of beloved films, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was truly the first film to succeed in this regard, bringing a classic franchise into the modern age. Releasing over 30 years after Return of the Jedi and over a decade after Revenge of the Sith, this monumental return to the Star Wars franchise was received with overwhelming excitement and praise from long-time fans.

While Disney’s handling of Star Wars as a brand has arguably been muddied and not nearly as impactful in the decade since its release, it’s hard to ignore just how impactful The Force Awakens was, not just for sci-fi blockbusters, but blockbuster filmmaking in general. It still holds the record for the highest-grossing film at the North American box office and is held in much higher regard than the two sequels that it would receive.

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‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Releasing 13 years after the previous blockbuster juggernaut, Avatar: The Way of Water certainly had a lot to live up to in terms of legacy and anticipation following the highest-grossing movie of all time. James Cameron‘s groundbreaking marvel of visual achievement and technological advancement made perfect use of the time since the last film’s release, with masterful top-notch CGI visuals that are still unmatched by any other high-budget blockbuster of the modern era.

The beautiful underwater sequences make the absolute most of both the groundbreaking motion capture technology as well as the absolute limit of 3D filmmaking at a blockbuster scale. Cameron’s style of filmmaking has such a distinct vision in terms of pushing blockbuster filmmaking to its absolute limits, with The Way of Water perfectly encapsulating what sci-fi blockbuster filmmaking is capable of. While the Avatar franchise will surely continue to deliver memorable sequels in the coming years, The Way of Water is important for proving to audiences that Avatar was far from just a one-time success story.

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‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018)

Image via Marvel Studios

While a lot of the praise and prominent success of the MCU’s finale is largely attributed to the brilliance of Avengers: Endgame, it is arguably even more impressive that Avengers: Infinity War was able to set the stage and stand as its own cinematic event without feeling like only half of a complete story. The impact and success of Endgame wouldn’t have been nearly as large without Infinity War setting the stage and proving the quality of bringing together all corners of the MCU into one explosive blockbuster event.

Even today, the film still stands as one of the most ambitious superhero movies ever made and a landmark title in the MCU’s success, with inherent charm and pacing that gives it an edge over Endgame in terms of standalone quality. A lot of the greater success and individuality of the film can be attributed to how it centers around the looming threat of Thanos (Josh Brolin), with each hero finding their own way to try and stop his conquest of universal destruction.

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‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ (2016)

Image via Disney

While the actual trilogy of mainline Star Wars films under Disney had a relatively rocky reception from fans, one of the absolute best things to come out of the Disney era of Star Wars was being that much more willing to experiment with spinoffs and standalone stories, with the best example being Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Its entry into the $1 billion gross club can certainly be attributed by continued excitement from The Force Awakens the previous year, but that doesn’t take away from the strength and effectiveness of Rogue One as a standalone experience.

This dynamic adventure of a rogue group of resistance fighters uniting for a mission to steal the Death Star’s plans proves to be all the more effective thanks to its high stakes, entertaining characters, and emotional action-packed climax. Even with the occasional hiccups like distracted de-aging CGI, the film proves to be leaps and bounds ahead of Disney’s other Star Wars efforts and has aged tremendously in the decade since its release.

2

‘Avatar’ (2009)

Image via 20th Century Studios

It’s impossible to discuss the topic of sci-fi blockbusters without talking about James Cameron’s Avatar, the film that currently holds the record for the highest-grossing movie of all time and manages to be just as groundbreaking and visually striking today as when it was released 17 years ago. The film ushered in a wave of 3D filmmaking in the wake of its success, as its revolutionary utilization of the technology not only helped it achieve massive box-office success, but completely redefined for many audiences what film was capable of.

Avatar proved to be a generational, must-watch experience that was pushing the medium of filmmaking forward with its brilliance, standing tall as a culmination of Cameron’s exceptional career and creating a sprawling, mesmerizing sci-fi world. This perfectly directed sci-fi epic is often the first film that comes to mind when considering massively successful sci-fi films at the box-office, made all the more impressive that it achieved this as a completely original film, not a part of a pre-existing franchise.

1

‘Jurassic Park’ (1993)

Image via Universal Pictures

Jurassic Park is an interesting case when it comes to its inclusion in the $1 billion club, as while it didn’t earn $1 billion during its original box-office run, it would make it over the edge thanks to various re-releases over the years, with it now standing at $1.1 billion grossed worldwide. However, Steven Spielberg‘s sci-fi adventure masterpiece is still one of the most important and highly acclaimed sci-fi blockbusters ever released, being massively influential for the entire genre and featuring revolutionary visuals that still hold up over 30 years later.

The film proved to be so overwhelmingly successful as a worldwide phenomenon that it once held the title of the highest-grossing movie of all time at the box office, a mantle that it would hold until the release of Titanic 4 years later. Still, the film’s substantial legacy grows with each passing year, as it’s the oldest film to have grossed $1 billion and has seen a myriad of spinoffs and sequels that have further defined its cinematic legacy.

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Jurassic Park

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Release Date

June 11, 1993

Runtime

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127 minutes

Writers

Michael Crichton, David Koepp

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Gene Shalit, a popular longtime Today movie critic, has died. He was 100.

Shalit’s family confirmed the news to NBC News on Friday, June 12, sharing that he “passed away peacefully today after 100 years of an amazing life.”

The family also reflected on his decades-long television career, describing his time on Today “an extraordinary era for him.”

A fixture on morning television for nearly four decades, Shalit became one of America’s most recognizable film critics during his tenure on the NBC program. He became famous for his trademark bushy mustache, colorful wordplay and quirky on-air personality before retiring in 2010.

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Former co-host Meredith Vieira paid tribute to Shalit at the time.

“It’s hard to imagine not having him here. He is the Today show,” she said, referencing the impact he made during his career.

Just months before his death, Shalit celebrated a major milestone birthday. The veteran critic turned 100 on March 25 and was honored by Today during a special segment. The show featured him on a Smucker’s birthday jar and shared a recent photo of the beloved broadcaster.

“He is ringing in 100 by enjoying that fresh air in the Berkshires with his six kids [and] five grandchildren,” Today cohost Al Roker, 71, said at the time.

In 2010, Shalit’s longtime producer Guy Ludwig shared his memories of working with the movie critic over the years.

“Once Gene was on, he’d get letters like, ‘Who is this part-time anarchist that you have on television,’ because he was so different,” he told Today. “But what resonated above his unusual appearance was his incredible wit, his remarkable intelligence. But he didn’t pound you over the head with it. He amused you. He enlightened and amused whatever subject he was on.”

Ludwig also reflected on Shalit’s longevity on Today, praising the impressive feat.

“Gene has been on a single television program, Today, longer than any other person in the history of television,” Ludwig said. “And this is throughout the world, we believe, certainly domestic television.  There’s been no one who did 41 years on one show. And certainly Gene’s done other things along the way, radio and television specials, game shows, appearances with Tom Snyder and David Letterman.  But someone who appeared on one show all the way through, continuously, there’s only Gene.”

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Born Eugene Shalit in New York City in 1926, the TV personality was raised in New Jersey and developed an early passion for writing. He contributed to both his high school newspaper and the student publication at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign before graduating in 1949.

Prior to finding fame as a critic, Shalit briefly worked as Dick Clark’s press agent. The professional relationship ended amid the payola investigations that brought Clark before Congress in 1960.

Clark later reflected on the split in a 2011 interview with The New York Times magazine, describing Shalit as “a jellyfish” and revealing the two never spoke again.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were recently dealt a major blow by the royal family, after it was revealed that the palace intends to remove every “trace” of them from Frogmore Cottage.

The Montecito-based royal couple had made some personal changes to the home, which was gifted to them by Queen Elizabeth II after their marriage; however, reports claim plans are underway to revert the residence back to how it was before the Sussexes moved in.

Insiders claim Prince Harry and Meghan were taken aback by the new development, especially as it shows that their rift with the royal family is far from being fixed ahead of the duke’s UK return.

Prior to Harry and Meghan’s family life in their $29 million Montecito mansion, the royal couple lived in Frogmore Cottage.

While they initially retained the property after their highly-publicized exit from their roles as working royals in 2020, the home was officially taken from them three years later.

King Charles ultimately requested they vacate the residence permanently, especially as Harry and Meghan rarely made use of the location due to their increasingly sparse UK visits.

The place was then offered to the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after he was evicted from his luxurious Royal Lodge, but the former Duke of York rejected it.

Now, the home is facing major renovation plans that could completely rid it of Harry and Meghan’s influences, in hopes that it would become more appealing for other members of the royal family to stay in.

“It’s been empty for three years. Even Andrew [Mountbatten-Windsor] thought it wasn’t good enough for him to move in,” a source told Closer Online. “Maybe if they get rid of any trace of Harry and Meghan, then someone within the royal household will fancy it.”

The Sussexes Are Upset Over The Latest Development With Frogmore Cottage, Insiders Claim

While the palace’s reasons for wanting to refurbish Frogmore Cottage are not clear, insiders claim it has left Harry and Meghan feeling humiliated and saddened, with the duke in particular seeing it as a “personal” affront during a period where he’s making attempts to reconcile with the royal family.

“This is a huge slap in the face for Harry,” a source told the publication. “Here he is, throwing all his energy into creating a path where he will feel safe bringing his wife and children home to England, and right when he’s sure he’s making progress with his father and getting something worked out for the summer, it comes out that all the wonderful updates they made [to Frogmore] are being ripped apart.”

“How are they not supposed to take that personally?” the source continued, “He accepts that it doesn’t belong to them, but at the same time, he does feel some sense of ownership and attachment to it.”

“The Queen gave it to him, and he and Meghan poured their heart and soul into making it a beautiful home, so of course it’s upsetting,” they added.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Spent A Hefty Sum Refurbishing Frogmore Cottage

Harry and Meghan made major renovations to Frogmore Cottage after moving into the house as a newly married couple.

The five-bedroom property was built in 1801 for Queen Charlotte and is a grade II listed building, which in the UK, means it is of special historic interest.

Right after their wedding, Harry and Meghan reportedly wasted no time making Frogmore Cottage into a home that fit the duchess’s taste, converting it from five residential units to a massive family home. The couple also overhauled the property by installing a yoga studio, a bespoke £5,000 [$6,705] copper bathtub, and custom interiors.

The Sussexes ultimately spent around £2.4 million [$3.2 million] to give Frogmore Cottage a makeover, a sum which they paid back due to criticisms about the renovations being taxpayer-funded.

Prince Harry Reportedly Feels The Decision To Undo His And Meghan’s Work On Frogmore Cottage ‘Makes No Sense’

Insiders claim Harry has been left stunned by the news of the royal family’s move to undo the work he and Meghan had done on Frogmore Cottage, a move he allegedly believes “makes no sense” due to how much it cost them.

It is also being seen as a sign that the monarchy is truly over and done with the Sussexes and doesn’t want them back in the royal fold, despite Harry’s very public calls for reconciliation.

“He and Meghan both believe it’s being done out of sheer pettiness because financially it makes no sense,” an insider told Closer. “They spent a lot of money and made the place more modern and liveable; Harry says the only reason he can see to tear it apart is to spite them.”

The source further noted that Harry “fully believes there are people in his family that orchestrated this to purposely hurt him, whether they will admit that or not.”

Veteran Eyewitness News anchor Bill Ritter is stepping down from his role after revealing he has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Ritter, 76, announced during the Friday, June 12, broadcast of Eyewitness News at 6 that it would be his final day as a news anchor.

“After a series of tests, my doctors have told me I have Alzheimer’s,” Ritter told viewers. “It’s ‘early stage’ Alzheimer’s, and they say the treatments I’m getting are keeping it at bay. For now.”

The longtime journalist explained that while his condition is currently being managed, he acknowledged the disease is progressive and his future is uncertain.

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“But there is no guarantee, because there’s no cure yet for Alzheimer’s,” Ritter continued. “So, unless someone finds an amazing cure, and soon, tonight will be the last newscast I anchor.”

Ritter also vowed to continue the fight against Alzheimer’s, noting that his own father died with the disease in June 1998.

“I am going to so miss reporting the news to you. With the truth, and with facts, no matter where they fall. It has been my honor to do that,” Ritter said as he signed off for the final time as anchor. “For now, I wish you health and peace, and let’s take care of each other.”

Following the announcement, WABC-TV General Manager Marilu Galvez praised Ritter’s decades of service to viewers.

“For decades, Bill Ritter has covered and led New Yorkers through the stories that matter most,” Galvez said in a statement. “A defining presence at ABC7, he has done so with exceptional insight, integrity, and, most of all, heart, earning the love and respect of viewers and colleagues alike.”

Galvez added that Ritter will continue to play an important role at the station by sharing updates on his journey and helping raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and available resources for those affected by the disease.

Ritter has anchored WABC-TV’s 6 p.m. newscast since 2001. He joined WABC-TV in 1998 following a journalism career that included work in print and television. Before arriving at the New York station, he worked for the Los Angeles Times, local television stations in California and ABC News network programs.

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He became anchor of the station’s 11 p.m. Eyewitness News broadcast in 1999, succeeding longtime anchor Bill Beutel, before taking over the 6 p.m. newscast in 2001. He also spent several years anchoring the station’s 5 p.m. broadcast.

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Although Ritter is stepping away from daily anchoring duties, he was adamant that viewers have not seen the last of him.

The journalist also announced that he will remain part of the Eyewitness News team in a new reporting role focused on Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions.

Ritter said he plans to cover the growing impact of the disease on patients and families, as well as the financial challenges associated with treatment and long-term care, which he described as “simply unaffordable” in many cases.