Entertainment

S.S. Rajamouli Reveals His Epic James Bond Replacement “Won’t Be Anything Like ‘RRR'”

Published

5 hours ago

13 February 2026

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Summary

Collider’s Steve Weintraub talks with director S.S. Rajamouli for Varanasi.
The filmmaker discusses James Cameron’s comments on RRR, how he’s leveling up since the success of that 2022 adventure film, and what fans can expect from the story and runtime.
Rajamouli also discusses filming for IMAX, selecting his slow-motion shots, his unique way of filming, and how the music of Varanasi compares to RRR.

There isn’t a lot known, plot-wise, about S.S. Rajamouli‘s upcoming epic Varanasi. What we do know is that it’s going to be epic in scale with the filmmaker’s signature slow-motion beats, specific scenes filmed for IMAX, and Rajamouli’s dedication to building on the success of his globally revered period adventure, 2022’s RRR.

Starring Mahesh Babu (Pokiri), Priyanka Chopra-Jonas (Citadel), and Prithviraj Sukumaran (The Goat Life), Varanasi follows a Shiva devotee (Babu), who embarks on a mysterious mission to retrieve an ancient cosmic artifact. To do so, he must travel through history, using clues to aid him on his journey. But along the way, our hero discovers that the one who sent him on this quest is an evil mastermind looking to control the world. According to Rajamouli, “It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.”

At the end of last year, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the pleasure of sitting down with the cast (which you can check out here) and the director in India, after the first-ever look at Varanasi. During their conversation, Rajamouli shares his vision for the final picture, what it’s like working with Telugu Cinema, how he selects his impactful slow-motion shots, and choosing which sequences will be filmed for IMAX. The filmmaker also discusses what to expect as far as Varanasi‘s runtime, shares the comments from James Cameron on RRR, and how he’s leveling up after that film’s success.

S.S. Rajamouli Shares James Cameron’s Response to ‘RRR’

“I was pinching myself to believe it.”

COLLIDER: I have a lot of questions about the movie, but I like throwing in a few fun questions at the beginning of all my interviews. What is your favorite Indian food, and what is in it?

S.S. RAJAMOULI: It’s called pothichoru. It’s basically a liquid form of lentils and rice. That’s home-cooked food, and I love it.

Is there something that you cook yourself?

RAJAMOULI: I never cook. I hate cooking. I only like eating.

We’re very similar. I’m wearing an Arnold Schwarzenegger T-shirt. I know you’re a movie fan. Do you have a favorite Arnold movie?

RAJAMOULI: Who doesn’t? [Laughs] T2, Terminator 2, and I like True Lies a lot. A completely different kind of film from him. I love True Lies.

What’s funny is that both are James Cameron.

RAJAMOULI: Yeah.

I’m assuming James Cameron must have seen RRR.

RAJAMOULI: Yes.

I’m assuming you spoke to him?

RAJAMOULI: Yes.

I know that you got to meet a lot of Hollywood filmmakers when you were promoting. As such a fan of James Cameron and Spielberg, and all these people, what has it been like to be embraced by Hollywood and have these filmmakers that you look up to talk so highly of you?

RAJAMOULI: It was unreal for me. First of all, meeting him is unreal. Then, him talking about my film is something else. And then him talking about the details of the film, the characters of the film, the movements of the film, and how he and his wife watched the film, and he recommended my movie to his wife, and both of them are watching the film again, he watched it a second time? All that was like, “Is this true?” I was pinching myself to believe it. It was one of the happiest moments in my career.

Pinpointing ‘Varanasi’s “Peak” Emotional Beats

“This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”

Rudhra riding on the back of an animal and holding a trident.

After RRR, you’ve been able to do what you want to do for the last few movies, but did you feel any additional pressure or indecision about what you wanted to do after RRR, knowing that so many people around the world are very interested in what you’re going to do?

RAJAMOULI: No. The success of RRR definitely has no pressure on me. My pressure is that, at the beginning of the film, we always have two or three ideas, which are interesting. So, if I start focusing on one idea, I feel that I’m missing out on those two. If I go for the other idea, I will feel that I’m missing out on this. That’s the pressure I go through at the beginning of the film. The success of the previous film, whether it’s Baahubali or any other film, has never affected me.

How did you decide on this film being, “Yes, this is what I want to make?”

RAJAMOULI: It is very difficult to pinpoint and say, “Yes, this is the time,” or “This is the moment in story development that I felt like this is the work.” It’s a kind of process that goes back and forth, back and forth. Also, it took a long time because at the same time, I was also in L.A. promoting RRR. So, I was doing that job there, coming back to India, dabbling a little bit with the story discussions, and again, going back. I don’t know exactly at which point I thought, “Yes, this is the film,” but I remember this definitely is one of the moments when we had the emotional sequence leading up to the moment where Rudhra, the character played by Mahesh [Babu], comes on the bull with the dust flying around. We thought, “This will be one of the greatest cinematic moments. We have to do this.”

I know this is very early; you’re in the middle of filming right now. The film’s not out for a long time, and I hate asking the generic question, but what do you want to tell people about the movie and what it’s about?

RAJAMOULI: It’s about the experience. It’s the experience that will transport you through unimaginably big, gigantic worlds, not just in terms of scale, but in terms of emotions as well.

One of the things that I love about your work is the way that you use slow motion in your action set pieces to help tell the story. How do you figure out which shots you want to do in slow motion, and are you figuring it out on set, or are you figuring it out in the editing room after, or is it a combination of both?

RAJAMOULI: Much, much before. Much before the shooting or editing on the writing table itself, I’ll be figuring out which shots are going to be slow motion. Those moments are the peak moments of emotion, so I can’t decide that on the set. It has to be much before.

S.S. Rajamouli Breaks Down His IMAX Strategy

“Why would I want to hide it?”

I love IMAX. It is my favorite format, and you are going to be releasing this in IMAX, and you’re filming it for IMAX. Can you talk about the decision as to why? Because James Cameron and films like Oppenheimer, all in IMAX, the full screen. Are you doing that, or are you doing select scenes in full-screen IMAX?

RAJAMOULI: Select screens. I would like to do the entire film in full IMAX, but our timelines and the way we work, we are not studio-backed. We are production company-based. So, that would be impossible for us to do the entire film in IMAX. That being said, I also love the moments where a normal scene opens into that gigantic world, you know? I really love that feel.

When we were having the conversations with the IMAX technicians and IMAX people in L.A., they were saying it can cut between the platforms and between the aspect ratios, and people will not notice it. You can hide those cuts. They were suggesting different ways to hide the cuts. I said, “Why would I want to hide it?” I want to blatantly tell the people, show the people that you are going to witness something extraordinary as they open the screen to the larger screen. It gives me elation. Why should I hide it? I would rather flaunt it rather than hide it. When we played this teaser for the audience at the event, you must have noticed when I opened Varanasi from the cinemascope to the full IMAX, there was a roar. So, I want to use it, capture it, and not hide it.

Oh yeah, when it does that, I’m like, “It’s on.” With the footage that you showed, can you talk about why you picked the scenes that you showed for the trailer over other scenes?

RAJAMOULI: It was in last October, I guess, when my artist started putting the pencil on the paper and started drawing the images. We know the story, and I told him that I wanted the audience to experience it. “I don’t want words, I want visuals. I want visuals, and people should get a sense of what this film is going to be, what scale, what scope this is going to be. So, there are no words. There are no words. I just want visuals.” And he started doing the job, and we picked some.

The picking of those visuals is mainly based on, “Am I feeling it or not?” I didn’t want words to describe it. “Am I feeling it or not? Yes, I am feeling it here. I am feeling it here. Yes, go through it, go through it, go through that scale.” We made the basic, simple black and white pencil-lined drawing of what this is going to be, and from last October until now, we started developing it, developing, and developing it. Studios worked on it day and night, day and night, until the last moment, where we are releasing. Some of the artists were working 24 hours, like, literally 24 hours, no sleep. They are working until they deliver this.

S.S. Rajamouli Aims for Another Epic Runtime

“It is always whatever is best for the story.”

I’m waiting for this thing to pop up behind us. What can you say about the antagonist of the film and this wheelchair with the Dr. Octopus-type arms?

RAJAMOULI: Definitely not sci-fi. It’s not sci-fi. It feels like it’s a sci-fi film. It’s not. It’s a more fantasy, mythological-based film. And the antagonist, Kumbha, I’m always known for presenting my antagonist better than my protagonist. I love working with antagonists. I just love his character, his intensity, and Prithviraj [Sukumaran], the way he brought that out with his performance, is really incredible. He just had his face, nothing else. No arms, no legs, no body movement. Nothing. His menace, he had to bring to his face, and he did it with great aplomb.

I’m curious about the runtime of the movie. I love long movies, especially when they’re deserving of a long runtime. RRR is a little over three hours, but you’ve made previous films that are 3.5 hours. Are you already thinking that this could be three hours, 3.5 hours?

RAJAMOULI: Usually, I aim my films based on the script that we have. Usually, my stories feel like they will be a two-hour and 40-minute to a three-hour kind of thing. That is how most of my recent movies have been like that. I think Varanasi will be, also, on those lines. I am at this point. I’m assuming it will be a little bit less than three hours.

In America, not a lot of people are as crazy about a three-hour movie. They like a two-hour movie. Personally, again, if the movie warrants it, it could be any length, but do you get the pressure to make it shorter, or do you get the creative freedom to do whatever’s best for the story?

RAJAMOULI: It is always whatever is best for the story. I seriously believe that if the content is not interesting, whether it is, three hours, two hours, 1.5 hours, or even three minutes, people wouldn’t care for it. They just get bored, and they just switch it off, or they walk out of the theater. They’re not interested. If you’re able to pull the audience into the world, into the emotions of the characters, and resonate with the emotions of the characters, I think runtime doesn’t matter.

‘Varanasi’s Songs “Won’t Be Anything Like” ‘RRR’

“We should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger.”

The two main characters smiling and dancing in RRR.

One of the things about RRR in America was the music and the songs. It exploded around the world. Can you talk a little bit about the music and the songs of your new film?

RAJAMOULI: Each film is different, Steve. It’s a big trap that many filmmakers tend to fall into, trying to see what are the elements in the previous film or the successful film, and because the audiences will be expecting it, how do we recreate that? Each film is different. Each film has different, unique points, with different emotions, different highs. I feel we should concentrate on how to make that high higher or bigger, rather than trying to recreate from the previous success. Of course, we feel great about RRR and how we performed worldwide.

I look at Varanasi as, “How can I get those kind of high moments,” but I do not try to recreate that music into Varanasi. We will have music, which will be great. Will have songs which are great, but they won’t be anything like RRR.

Which shot or sequence of this film thus far has been the most challenging to pull off, or is it still in front of you?

RAJAMOULI: The sequence that I am shooting now, in the middle of the shoot, I think that is one of the more technically challenging moments. We had to combine many known technologies to achieve what we needed to achieve. And the sequence I know, which will be really difficult, really tough to pull off, is a sequence that we have already shot. It’s the Ramayana episode. So, we completed the shoot, and we know the VFX for that is going to be a really, really tough job for all of us.

Right now, it’s November 2025. When do you actually finish filming? What’s still in front of you?

RAJAMOULI: We have completed about 50% of the shoot, and the 50% is behind us. We are thinking we can finish our shoot by next June. Something like that.

One of the things that I learned from Priyanka was that you will shoot the rehearsals and everyone is in street clothing, whatever they’re wearing, and then you’ll edit that and show it to them with their just normal clothes, and then that’s what you will actually shoot. Can you talk about your process? Because that’s unusual.

RAJAMOULI: Because I work with actors from different industries, and I am working with technologies which are not regularly used in filmmaking, it is very important for the cast and crew to understand, even for me to understand, the process of how we are going through filming it. So, I figured out the best way to do it is do a test shoot. So get the actors, give them the lines, get my DP, get the people who are involved in it, the production designer, whoever is involved in it, with the cameras, and let the actors do their acting. It’s a little bit like an extension of the actors reading the scripts. They invest. They do the reading. So I am taking it a little bit forward. I am doing the test shooting as they are reading the lines, making them act, and asking, “How do you like to do it? Would you like to walk as you are saying that? Would you like to sit? Would you lean onto something? Would you want something in your hand to explore?”

ss rajamouli varanasi priyanka chopra — Priyanka Chopra Jonas in a poster for ‘RRR’ director S.S. Rajamouli’s new film, ‘Varanasi’.

So, that gives us a lot of freedom. And I see them as they are going through their lines and motions. I will be able to see, my DP will be able to see in which pose or which movement, or which still moment, they are more comfortable with delivering their emotions. So, we will be having multiple cameras, and we will be capturing all of that, and we will do the edit on that and see how it is flowing through, and that will be our basis for shooting the actual shoot.

Varanasi is slated for global release on April 7, 2027.

Release Date: Advertisement

April 7, 2027
Director: S. S. Rajamouli
Writers: Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli

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Estate Reacts To Sexyy Red’s ‘Beat It’ Sample

Published

9 minutes ago

13 February 2026

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Sexyy Red had the internet split after she dropped videos from the studio teasing her own cover of Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It.’ Some fans swore she was just trolling and vibing out, while others felt like her choice of words wasn’t the best way to show the “King of Pop” love. Sexyy hasn’t cleared the air about what she plans to do with the track, but MJ’s estate clocked it quick and set the record straight on whether she actually had the green light.

RELATED: She Said WHAT?! Sexyy Red Sparks Mixed Reactions After Giving Michael Jackson’s ‘Beat It’ Risqué Remix (VIDEO)

Michael Jackson’s Estate Reportedly Steps In After Sexyy Red’s ‘Beat It’ Tease Sparks Debate Online

Roomies, if you’ve been wondering how Michael Jackson’s estate feels about Sexyy Red flipping ‘Beat It’, they’ve reportedly spoken. A spokesperson for MJ’s estate tapped in exclusively with ‘Breakfast Club’ host Loren Lorosa. Loren hopped on X (formerly Twitter) and told her followers the estate made it clear the use of Michael’s music was “unauthorized.” Additionally, the spokesperson for the singer’s estate further mentioned, “We were totally unaware of this. The use of the music is unauthorized.” Loren also shared that the estate didn’t seem too pleased about Sexyy Red’s version at all.

Social Media Weighs In After MJ’s Estate Issues Response To Sexyy Red

Meanwhile, The Shade Room’s comment section was still split. Some fans still think Sexyy Red was just playing around, while others were happy that MJ’s camp straight up told her to ‘Beat It’ and put some respeck on his name.

Instagram user @randy_thames wrote, “Mike people said BEAT IT 😂😂😂”

Instagram user @merakal87 wrote, “Michael rolling in his grave 😩 appalled and astonished.”

While Instagram user @strangertolove wrote, “Idc if she way playing lmfao shut it down.”

Then Instagram user @s.nashay wrote, “now i’m sure she was just trolling and is not going to release that song 🤣🤣”

Another Instagram user @lavish_kartellx wrote, “She didn’t drop the song it looks like she playing around yall drag everything.”

Instagram user @snowsimonnie wrote, “It sounds like she was just having fun in the studio & the internet took it to serious.”

While another Instagram user @bennietah wrote, “We won’t tolerate any dirt on Micheal Jackson’s name. Sexy please stay on your lane and don’t stain our GOAT’s craft 🙏🥺😂”

Finally, Instagram user @naiyanahjay wrote, “she was having fun in the studio… y’all are such cry babies geesh.”

Did Sexyy Red Take It Too Far With Her Cover?

Red didn’t drop a diss track, but MJ’s estate came through with a response — literally within 24 hours. Earlier this week, the ‘SkeeYee’ raptress teased her own version of ‘Beat It,’ and the internet went wild. She flipped MJ’s lyrics into something that was more risqué.

“I’m finna put it on your grill, just eat it. Just eat it. You better not n** fast cause I hate a minute man and if that d**k is trash I’m telling all my friends […]” Red said in her verse.

In her Instagram video, she even tried to hit some of MJ’s signature moves — yes, the moonwalk was included. In her caption, she wrote, “Leaked footage from da Michael Jackson movie 🎥 HOOCHIE TRIBUTE TO DA BEST 🫡🫶🏾 LLMJ 🩸”

RELATED: That’s Bestie? Fans Question Sexyy Red & Chief Keef’s Status After She Drops Cozy Flicks (PHOTOS)

What Do You Think Roomies?

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Allison Holker Engaged to Adam Edmunds After Nearly 2 Years of Dating

Published

23 minutes ago

13 February 2026

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Allison Holker and boyfriend Adam Edmunds are engaged after nearly two years of dating.

“We’re ENGAGED! It was the most romantic night of my life!” the dancer, 38, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, February 12, alongside a slideshow of pictures from the romantic proposal. “I am so in love with you Adam.”

Holker donned a red dress while Edmunds, 45, wore a white button up shirt, black sport coat and pants. The couple posed in front of a red floral backdrop where Edmunds got down on one knee.

“Baby, I am forever grateful for you and the impact you have had in my life and my kids lives,” Holker continued. “I am a better person because of you. You helped me find me again and showed me how to love. Every morning I wake up I feel safe knowing you are my person at my side. You and your kids coming into our lives has been the biggest blessing.”

Holker shared that Edmunds, 45, “surprised” her with a “surprise birthday party” that ended up turning into a “surprise proposal party.”

“The whole night was magic and you had every detail thought out to make it even more special,” she gushed. “Thank you for bringing all the people we love together to celebrate our love.”

Edmunds also surprised Holker by enlisting the help of musician Clinton Kane to serenade their favorite song of his, “I Guess I’m in Love.” Holker expressed her gratitude to everyone who played a part in the special night and to her now-fiancé.

“Adam, I will always support you, hold you and love you!” she added. You are my everything Adam.”

News of the pair’s engagement comes more than three years after the death of Holker’s first husband, Stephen “tWitch” Boss at age 40. The pair shared three children: Weslie Renae, Maddox Laurel and Zaia.

After meeting on So You Think You Can Dance in 2010, Holker and Boss tied the knot in 2013 and remained together until his tragic death in December 2022. (Boss died by suicide.)

Since his passing, Holker has continued to pay tribute to her late husband.

“We honor love by finding peace and gratitude in the memories of the ones that have transformed our souls forever,” she captioned a December 2023 Instagram post paying tribute to Boss. “On our anniversary I find myself in a space of tranquility embracing so many beautiful moments felt and experienced. With my whole heart I celebrate our love.”

Two years after Boss’ death, Holker shared that she was seeing someone new by posting a photo of her holding hands with a mystery man. In September 2024, she revealed that the mystery man was Edmunds and the couple made their red carpet debut at the Alice + Olivia spring 2024 collection show for New York Fashion Week.

That same month, Holker exclusively opened up to Us Weekly about finding a second chance at love.

“I never knew that I could have this again,” she exclusively told Us. “I actually feel like I found such a great love and support system from someone.”

Holker also gushed about how she and Edmunds complement each other perfectly.

“We understand each other and we’re so supportive of each other,” she continued. “He’s just someone that stepped into my life, and it’s been so beautiful and lovely.”

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“General Hospital” actress Kirsten Storms returns after brain aneurysm

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38 minutes ago

13 February 2026

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A neurosurgeon discovered Storms’ aneurysm during a follow-up scan for a cyst she had removed from her brain in 2021.

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James Van Der Beek Urged Fans Not to Ignore This Colorectal Cancer Symptom

Published

53 minutes ago

13 February 2026

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James Van Der Beek urged fans not to ignore one specific colorectal cancer symptom before his death on Wednesday, February 11, at age 48.

In a resurfaced interview from November 2024, Van Der Beek revealed to People that there was one indicator for his eventual stage III colorectal cancer he didn’t think much of when it first happened.

“It was just a change in bowel habits,” he said while speaking about his diagnosis publicly for the first time. “I thought, I probably need to change my diet a little bit. Maybe I need to stop [drinking] coffee. Maybe I need to not put cream in the coffee.” (Colorectal cancer begins in the longest part of the large intestine, called the colon, which contributes to bowel habits.)

The Dawson’s Creek actor noted, “Then I finally took that out of the diet, and it didn’t improve, and I thought, all right, I better go get this checked out.”

When Van Der Beek did have a routine colonoscopy in August 2023 he recalled feeling “really, really good as I was coming out of anesthesia that I had finally done it and looked into it.”

But that happy feeling soon wore off when he heard his diagnosis. “And as I was coming out of the haze, the gastroenterologist said — in his most pleasant bedside manner — it is cancer,” Van Der Beek remembered.

The Varsity Blues star pointed out that he was “very healthy” and in “amazing cardiovascular shape” when he discovered the cancer. Once he knew what he was facing, Van Der Beek changed his already healthy diet — something he thought more people should implement as a precautionary measure.

James Van Der Beek Urged Fans Not to Ignore This Colorectal Cancer Symptom Before Death Movies — James Van Der Beek and Paul Walker in ‘Varsity Blues.’ Everett Collection

“I think the country is waking up to connecting with our food and recognizing just how much it’s processed and how far away it’s gotten from the way nature intended,” he explained. “I would encourage everyone to do the same because this is not a fun process.”

Van Der Beek warned at the time, “There are a lot of assumptions, I think, that we’ve all grown up with about what’s healthy and what’s not. And I think it would all do us some good to throw out those assumptions.”

When it came to his routine, Van Der Beek said he was avoiding processed food, gluten and dairy, and only eating organic vegetables from his garden. He told the outlet he was exercising regularly and prioritizing his mental health.

Van Der Beek also urged people in December 2025 to get screened for colon cancer right at 45, noting he didn’t get looked at until 46. (The age that doctors suggest adults get a colonoscopy and screenings went from 50 to 45 in 2018.)

“If anybody takes anything away from this interview, it would be, get tested, talk to your doctor,” Van Der Beek said during his last interview on the Today show.

According to Dr. Peter Stanich, a gastroenterologist with The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and Wexner Medical Center, there has been an uptick in this type of cancer in younger, otherwise healthy adults.

“We know colorectal cancer has been increasing in young people, and it is not exactly clear why,” Stanich, who was not involved in Van der Beek’s care, told Women’s World on Thursday, February 12.

The doctor explained, “Part of this is likely due to increasing obesity and changes in diets over time, but many people are still investigating the cause of this,” calling the increase in younger patients a “worrisome trend.”

Stanich noted that like Van Der Beek’s case, changes in bowel movements or abdominal pain should be discussed with a doctor.

“Many colorectal cancers do not cause symptoms, which is why it is so important to have the recommended screening test at the recommended age [45],” he added.

Van Der Beek, for his part, battled his cancer for more than two years before he died on Wednesday.

James Van Der Beek Urged Fans Not to Ignore This Colorectal Cancer Symptom Before Death Wife — James Van Der Beek, Kimberly Van Der Beek. Courtesy of James Van Der Beek/Instagram

“Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” his family wrote via an Instagram statement. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity, and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

Fans and celebrities alike have since rallied around James’ wife, Kimberly Van Der Beek, and their six children, starting a GoFundMe page to help with remaining medical expenses and other costs following his death.

James’ fans and costars have also honored his legacy with tributes to the late actor. James’ former Dancing With the Stars partner Emma Slater wrote via social media, “I’m so devastated. He is and will always be family to me. Love you so much James. The man that you are, you can be proud of. So grateful that I got to be there to say goodbye to you.”

James Van Der Beek Urged Fans Not to Ignore This Colorectal Cancer Symptom Before Death Dawsons Creek — Michelle Williams, James Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson on ‘Dawson’s Creek.’ Sony Pictures/Everett Collection

His Dawson’s Creek costar Katie Holmes, wrote a handwritten letter to James that she shared via Instagram on Thursday.

“James, thank you. To share space with your imagination is sacred — breathing the same air in the land of make-believe and trusting that each other’s hearts are safe in their expression,” Holmes, 47, wrote in part. “These are some of the memories, along with laughter, conversations about life, James Taylor songs — adventures of a unique youth …”

She continued to describe James’ life as one of, “Bravery. Compassion. Selflessness. Strength. An appreciation for life and the action taken to live life with the integrity that life is art — creating a beautiful marriage, six loving children — the journey of a hero.”

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The Worst Sci-Fi Remake of the Decade Gets Steamrolled by Chris Pratt

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1 hour ago

13 February 2026

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The walls are closing in on Rebecca Ferguson and Chris Pratt‘s new sci-fi film, Mercy, which opened to poor reviews and an underwhelming box office reception a few weeks ago. The movie hasn’t recouped its reported $60 million budget yet, and seems unlikely to turn a profit theatrically. It will have to rely on its surprisingly solid audience scores on the PVOD and streaming markets, where similar titles tend to do rather well. Mercy follows a police officer’s life-or-death attempt to clear his name after being accused of murdering his wife. Pratt plays the police officer, while Ferguson plays the AI judge in charge of his case. Mercy was directed by Timur Bekmambetov — the pioneer of the “screenlife” format — who previously worked with Pratt on the 2008 action film Wanted.

Since then, Pratt has established himself as one of his generation’s biggest stars, while Bekmambetov has devoted himself to the “screenlife” format. The filmmaker previously produced movies such as Unfriended and Searching, both of which grossed more and earned more positive reviews than Mercy. The movie holds a 24% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads: “Constricting its two stars inside an airless presentation of a clunky techno-thriller premise, Mercy is tedious enough to make you cry uncle.” Despite these setbacks, Mercy‘s 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is an encouraging sign for its home video run. The movie can also celebrate the small victories, such as overtaking past sci-fi movies that performed even more poorly.

Here’s the Sci-Fi Disaster That ‘Mercy’ Has Overtaken

With its $50 million worldwide haul, Mercy has overtaken one of the worst sci-fi remakes of the decade, Flatliners. Released in 2017, the movie featured Elliot Page, Diego Luna, James Norton, Kiersey Clemons, and Nina Dobrev. Flatliners, directed by Niels Arden Oplev, grossed $45 million against a reported budget of $19 million. A remake of the 1990 cult classic of the same name, the movie earned poor reviews, and now holds an unusually low 4% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The aggregator’s consensus reads, “Flatliners falls flat as a horror movie and fails to improve upon its source material, rendering this reboot dead on arrival.” You can watch the movie at home, and check out Mercy in theaters.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date: January 19, 2026
Runtime: 100 minutes
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Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Writers: Marco van Belle
Producers: Advertisement

Charles Roven, Majd Nassif, Robert Amidon, Timur Bekmambetov

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Andy Cohen Reacts To Jill Zarin Firing

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1 hour ago

13 February 2026

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Andy Cohen on Jill Zarin Firing
I’ll Never Get Over Zarin Fabrics’ Post

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February 12, 2026
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Andy Cohen is reacting to the Jill Zarin firing … and he says he knew it was bad when a fabrics company with a family connection to Jill came out hard against her on social media.

The Bravo host addressed Jill’s recent firing from the E! reunion show “The Golden Life” on his radio show … and he says what sent things over the edge for him was an Instagram post from Zarin Fabrics.

TMZ.com

As you know … Jill got canned for her controversial comments on the Bad Bunny performance at the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show. Some folks took her comments on Bad Bunny singing in Spanish as racist. She also lamented a lack of white people in the production.

Zarin Fabrics — a company owned and run by Zarin’s stepson, David — posted her headshot on IG and struck a big, red X over her face … and explained in the caption they distanced themselves from Jill.

Andy says Jill had been singing Zarin Fabrics’ praises in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl … so to see the company turn on her really struck him.

When Zarin Fabrics posted, that’s when Andy knew the walls around Jill were crumbling … and he says he will never get over the post.

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Fire and Ash’ Leaves a Franchise-Ending Sci-Fi Sequel in the Dust

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2 hours ago

13 February 2026

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Image via Disney

Nearly two months into its theatrical run, director James Cameron‘s Avatar: Fire and Ash is approaching the finishing line. The movie hasn’t performed as well as it should have, and might conclude its run with less than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office. This might sound like a lot — it’s certainly enough to make it one of the highest-grossing films of all time — but it’s also around $1 billion less than the final worldwide haul of Cameron’s original Avatar, which remains the biggest film ever made. Even the franchise’s second installment, Avatar: The Way of Water, managed to gross more than $2.3 billion worldwide and become the third-biggest film in history. Avatar: Fire and Ash was supposed to be succeeded by at least two more sequels, but the film’s underperformance has cast a shadow of doubt over them.

In the weeks leading up to the film’s release, Cameron began downplaying the fourth and fifth installments, which had previously been dated by Disney. He cited budgetary constraints and a changing theatrical landscape as his primary reasons for wanting to focus on other projects, after dedicating decades of his life to the Avatar franchise. Produced on a reported budget of $400 million, the third installment isn’t only the lowest-grossing film of the trilogy, but it also received the weakest reviews. It’s now sitting at a 66% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Remaining on the cutting edge of visual effects, Fire and Ash repeats the narrative beats of its predecessors to frustrating effect, but its grand spectacle continues to stoke one-of-a-kind thrills.” It remains to be seen if the movie’s underperformance causes Disney to hit pause on the series, but the Avatar movies can’t be compared to other big-budget tentpoles in terms of box office.

‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ Outgrossed This Sci-Fi Film Four Times Over

For instance, another sci-fi franchise was forced to shut down after its third installment grossed one-fourth of Avatar: Fire and Ash‘s $1.4 billion worldwide haul. The movie in question, Star Trek Beyond, grossed less than $350 million against a reported budget of $185 million — below the $385 million haul of J.J. Abrams‘ Star Trek reboot, and the $467 million haul of Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness. Directed by Justin Lin, Star Trek Beyond brought back the cast of the previous two movies as their legendary characters. Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoe Saldaña, the movie earned positive reviews, but not nearly enough at the box office to warrant a follow-up. You can watch Star Trek Beyond at home and check out Avatar: Fire and Ash in theaters.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

Release Date: December 19, 2025
Runtime: Advertisement

197 Minutes
Director: James Cameron
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Writers: Amanda Silver, Rick Jaffa, James Cameron, Josh Friedman, Shane Salerno
Producers: Jon Landau, James Cameron

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Stephen 'tWitch' Boss' widow Allison Holker announces engagement: 'Showed me how to love'

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2 hours ago

13 February 2026

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Holker began dating tech CEO Adam Edmunds a year and a half after the death of Boss.

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Prime Video’s Ambitious 8-Part Literary Adaptation Unveils a Lavish First Look

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2 hours ago

13 February 2026

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Prime Video’s Ambitious 8-Part Literary Adaptation Unveils a Lavish First Look

Prime Video is leaning in hard on its international slate of originals for 2026. Last year saw films and movies alike from other countries take over the platform in a big way, with Culpa Nuestra (Our Fault), the third and final film of its trilogy of Spanish Culpables romance features, finishing the year as the streamer’s top Non-English programs, alongside the streaming sensation Maxton Hall – The World Between Us and, most recently, the German war thriller breakout hit, The Tank. The Culpables trilogy alone has racked up over 100 million viewers to date and landed at number one in over 170 countries upon each film’s launch. With productions outside the United States continuing to draw audiences and break records, Prime Video held its inaugural international originals showcase on Thursday to preview its upcoming projects.

During the showcase, the streamer made known its interest in expanding its anime footprint with a reboot of the influential post-apocalyptic action anime, Fist of the North Star, and a new adaptation of Ghost in the Shell from Science SARU, while also showing off new live-action series like the Korean psychological thriller Siren’s Kiss. Several buzzy new series were announced as well, including Masterplan, a bonkers French/Italian production from Reacher director Thomas Vincent and starring The Devil Wears Prada‘s Stanley Tucci as a father trying to reunite with his long-lost kids by involving them in a plan to steal the Mona Lisa. One of the most exciting shows to get a new look ahead of its arrival was The House of the Spirits, a Chilean production that will reunite Prime Video with one of the Culpables leads, Nicole Wallace.

At the event, a new image and a pre-released clip were unveiled, highlighting the lavish world pulled from the 1982 novel of the same name by acclaimed author Isabel Allende. The eight-episode Spanish-language series is an ambitious undertaking for Prime Video, adapting a story that has sold over 70 million copies worldwide and has been translated into over 20 different languages. The show will span multiple decades and generations of women as it follows the Trueba family while they navigate love, loss, violent social upheaval, and conflict that threaten to tear them apart. Standing at opposite sides of the magical realist tale are the domineering family patriarch and his strong-willed granddaughter, with years of family secrets, struggles to get by, and an unfolding revolution finding them constantly at odds.

Who Else Is Involved in ‘The House of the Spirits’?

Notably, Chile’s House of the Spirits series adaptation won’t be the first time the massively influential book has come to life. Billie August directed a feature film version in 1993 that boasted an eye-watering cast of stars, including Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Jeremy Irons, and Antonio Banderas. While audiences enjoyed it and it was lauded with awards in Europe, it didn’t live up to expectations in the eyes of U.S. critics. The series will look to do the book justice with an all-star international cast featuring Alfonso Herrera, Dolores Fonzi, Juan Pablo Raba, and Fernanda Castillo, and a production team that includes the author Allende and Eva Longoria as executive producers alongside showrunners Francisca Alegría, Fernanda Urrejola, and Andrés Wood.