Animated movies are usually associated with family-friendly entertainment aimed at kids because the use of color and creativity appeals to children with heartwarming stories. However, animation is a medium for all ages and can address many topics. As the movie industry grows, studios aim animated movies toward an older demographic, with titles such as the Spider-Verse movies.

However, some animated movies go beyond having an older demographic. They address themes that aren’t afraid to explore the darkest corners of life and the human psyche, even putting adults on edge. Animation also has a secret side that can get extremely dark, even if it doesn’t feature overly dark imagery. Whether it be the terrifying setting, plot, or messages, these movies are unafraid to address darker yet thought-provoking subjects.

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‘Akira’ (1988)

Image via Toho

Thirty-one years after the nuclear destruction of Tokyo, Kaneda goes on a journey to save his friend Tetsuo from a secret government program experimenting on him. Kaneda must face the government, the military, and the scientists responsible for the suffering they’re causing Tetsuo until his powers suddenly manifest, leading to a battle between them.

Akira tells a dark story set in a post-apocalyptic world, and while the setting isn’t familiar, the story could very well be. It shows the dark side of the government and its unknown and terrifying antics, which cause an unwitting young man to go through unspeakable pain. The dark story, paired with gruesome imagery, makes it an unsettling yet intriguing watch, contributing to its subsequent legacy. Indeed, Akira has become a cult classic and a prime example of the great heights Japanese anime can often achieve.

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‘Bambi’ (1942)

Image via Disney

There isn’t a soul on this Earth unfamiliar with Bambi, as the classic story of a young doe explores the horrors and wonders of the forest. The story follows Bambi as he experiences life with his mother’s and friends’ help until they are ready to go on a journey of love and terror as the looming threat of man is ever present.

While Bambi isn’t as dark as many other animated efforts, the sheer shock and disparity between darkness and age rating make it infamous. Families and kids went into the movie expecting a fun and wholesome movie about wildlife, but instead, they got a lifetime of trauma from the iconic scene of Bambi’s mother’s death and the continuous horrors man commits, such as burning the forest. Despite its surprisingly dark nature, Bambi is one of the best 1942 movies and a timeless classic that further strengthens Disney’s legacy.

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‘Wizards’ (1977)

Image via 20th Century Studios

Wizards is a uniquely crafted animated movie that was Mark Hamill’s debut film just before his appearance as the titular Luke Skywalker in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. After his brother, Blackwolf, unjustly takes the throne from their mother, Avatar goes on a journey to end his brother’s tyrannical rule. The film features a creative world and a colorful cast of characters in this bizarre story.

Ralph Bakshi is known for creating dark and mature animated movies, and Wizards continues this trend. The mystical world might leave some believing it to be a family-friendly fantasy, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. With multiple character deaths, explicit imagery, use of actual war footage, and depictions of Nazis, Wizards is far more demanding than the average movie, animated or otherwise. The darkness is subtle and in-your-face, with shocking deaths and ruthless storytelling.

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‘The Secret of NIMH’ (1982)

Image via MGM/UA Entertainment Co.

Known for his oddly dark children’s movies, director Don Bluth made his directorial debut with The Secret of NIMH. The film tackles the sensitive topic of animal testing and its inhumane nature, hoping to teach audiences the horrors that are actually happening. It follows a field mouse as she looks for a new place to move her family due to the extended reach of farmers. However, all she discovers are enhanced rats, which are the result of a testing facility not too far away.

The Secret of NIMH is another movie that is way darker than expected. Because of the age rating, the film doesn’t contain any specific imagery or scenes but has a disturbing tone and unsettling moments that would scare any child. It took a while before Bluth could get the film off the ground, but the wait was worth it. He eventually got it made, and it would become one of his best.

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‘Coraline’ (2009)

Image via Focus Features.

Based on the book by Neil Gaiman, Coraline is another stop-motion masterpiece by director Henry Selick. After moving into a new home, Coraline finds a secret passage leading to another world very similar to hers. Everything seems much better here until her other family tries to force her to stay, and other terrifying secrets emerge.

Despite being PG, Coraline uses stop-motion animation to the fullest, enhancing the creepiness and delivering a horror movie for children. The film’s style is inherently creepy, and the events and the oddly dark villain’s motivations enhance its eerie nature. Even darker than the overt horror aspects are the subtext, hidden messages, and theories about living in an abusive home and the subtleties of character motivations and history.

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‘Watership Down’ (1978)

Image via Warner Bros

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Watership Down has received multiple adaptations, including a Netflix version and a graphic novel based on the book, but the 1978 animated movie perfectly encapsulates the complex story and dark themes. Fiver, a young rabbit, dreams that their land will be destroyed, so he convinces some friends to go on a journey to find a new home. During this journey, they encounter many threats and obstacles, such as evil rabbits, a raging river, and a rat cemetery.

The realistic art style enhances the already disturbing events in the heavy animated movie, such as the bloody war zone and the black rabbit of death. The haunting chases between the protagonists and the rabid evil rabbits are enough to send shivers down the spines of adults. Despite its PG rating, Watership Down is filled with blood and even cannibalism as it kills off some of the cutest creatures. It might never feature anything explicitly, but the suggestion of danger is ever-present, making it more emotionally impactful.

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‘Perfect Blue’ (1997)

Image via Rex Entertainment

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One of Satoshi Kon‘s masterpieces, Perfect Blue, is an anime film about the horrors of celebrity life and the effect fans have on their favorite stars. After singer Mimi decides to move on from music in favor of acting, her life turns upside down, and reality blends into fantasy when her fans abuse her. Soon, Mimi is haunted by a figure from her past and harassed by a stalker.

Unlike Western animated films, anime movies are no strangers to making them dark. The unsettling Perfect Blue slowly shows the protagonist’s downfall and the delusions she experiences. The events of the film are truly disturbing as her paranoia and psychosis develop from the murders surrounding her and the backlash from the public. Perfect Blue is an unsettling story that makes fans reflect on their actions towards celebrities and proves animation isn’t just for kids.

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‘American Pop’ (1981)

Image via Columbia Pictures

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Bakshi made an even more disturbing movie, this time focusing more on the real world and a family of Russian immigrants. American Pop follows several characters with a love for music, which they try to make into a career until something goes wrong. Zalmie, Benny, Tony, and Pete are the generations of the Belinsky family and can never seem to catch a break from tragedy.

Part of what makes American Pop so dark is the constant loop of hope/passion and tragedy, as each character has a rough life but lives through music and ultimately meets some grim fate. Whether it be a dying wife, a death in war, or drug addiction, each member goes through a terrible fate. Watching American Pop gets more depressing and hopeless as it continues to torture every single character. The family’s tragedies are supposed to parallel popular American music in the 20th century, making the film all the more dark as it is based in reality.

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‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)

Image via Netflix

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Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a modern take on the classic novel that leans into brutality and darkness. After the death of his son, Geppetto builds a puppet brought to life by a fairy. Inexperienced but enthusiastic, Pinocchio embarks on an adventure trying to find a place for himself in fascist Italy. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Film as it reimagines Pinocchio into a darker, humanistic story.

As dark as it could get while still being PG, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio features striking moments of exploding fish, war montages, and burning at the stake. Even the creation of Pinocchio is shrouded in darkness, as Geppetto builds him from guilt and depression over the loss of his son. The film, which goes through two World Wars, doesn’t hold back and shows Mussolini and the war effort. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is haunting, and despite ending on a somewhat happy note, it still sees the immortal Pinocchio bury all his friends and family.

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‘Grave of the Fireflies’ (1988)

Image via Studio Ghibli

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Grave of the Fireflies is based on the book of the same name and was inspired by the author’s real life; he wrote it as a coping mechanism because of his guilt for surviving and his sister dying. The film follows Seita and his two-year-old sister Setsuko as they try to survive during the American bombings of Japan. The movie starts with their deaths as their spirits reconnect, recounting their time trying to survive.

Despite being known for their whimsical fantasy stories, Studio Ghibli made one of the darkest movies ever. Any war story is going to be sad to some degree, but focusing on two children and focusing on their survival makes for a heart-wrenching story. To make it even sadder, the author wrote it as what should have happened, giving the audience an insight into his guilt. The film tried to lessen the depression by showing the siblings’ deaths at the beginning, but all that did was ensure the audience that things would never get better. Grave of the Fireflies is a horrific tale of war that highlights the conflict’s atrocities and how little people matter, making it incredibly dark and depressing and one of the best and most influential animated movies ever.

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Grave of the Fireflies

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Release Date

April 16, 1988

Runtime

89 Mins

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Director

Isao Takahata

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Writers

Akiyuki Nosaka, Isao Takahata

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For years, Angelina Jolie’s children have remained at the center of intense public interest, particularly as the fallout from her long-running family dispute with Brad Pitt continues to make headlines. 

However, in a rare new interview, the Oscar winner shifted the focus away from the drama and toward the philosophy that has guided her as a mother. 

As all six of her children enter adulthood, Jolie is opening up about the parenting approach she believes helped shape them into independent individuals.

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While many parents focus on directing their children’s lives, Angelina Jolie believes her role has always been different. 

Speaking candidly about raising Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne, the actress said one of her biggest priorities was giving each child the freedom to become their own person.

“One of the most important things, I think, is to basically not get in their way,” she told L’Officiel.

Jolie described her children as people with their own identities, ambitions, and perspectives, stressing that parents should avoid trying to mold them into extensions of themselves. Instead, she believed support mattered more than control.

“As a parent, you try to do many things, but you also try to not get in the way of this human being who has a life separate from yours and so much potential in their own mind,” she explained. “You want to make sure that you support them.”

The 51-year-old also shared that she was proud of the different directions her children had chosen, noting that they were “definitely individuals” who continued to carve out paths that reflected their own interests and personalities.

Jolie Reveals The Surprising Careers Her Sons Are Building Outside Hollywood Fame

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Angelina Jolie also opened up about what her children are doing away from the spotlight, and the answers surprised many fans.

In the interview, Jolie revealed that sons Maddox and Pax had been quietly pursuing careers and interests far removed from celebrity culture. 

Rather than simply stepping into acting, both have spent time learning the business from behind the scenes. The filmmaker explained, “I think if you have any interest in working on film, you need to be a part of the crew and do the hard work and know all the different departments.” 

According to Jolie, both sons have worked as assistant directors on film projects. She also shared that their ambitions extended beyond movie sets. 

“They’ve worked on a few films that way, and they’re both doing other things, too: Maddox is focusing on being a pilot, and Pax has his photography, but I think he does have an interest in film,” she shared.

Jolie also made clear that despite working with her children professionally, family remained the priority. In her words, “Obviously it’s nice for me to be around them, but I am just Mom, wanting to be around her family.” 

Jolie’s Daughter Zahara Takes A Major Legal Step Away From The Pitt Name

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Months before Jolie’s comments made headlines, one of her daughters made a decision that showed exactly what the Hollywood star was describing.

In June, The Blast reported that Zahara formally moved forward with efforts to remove “Pitt” from her surname, becoming the latest of the former couple’s children to publicly distance herself from Brad Pitt. 

Court filings revealed that Zahara petitioned to legally change her name to Zahara Marley Jolie, a step that followed years of already using “Jolie” in public settings. 

The move did not come out of nowhere. During her induction into Alpha Kappa Alpha at Spelman College, Zahara introduced herself as “Zahara Marley Jolie,” notably leaving out her father’s surname. 

What made the development even more significant was that Zahara was not alone. Reports indicated that Shiloh previously succeeded in legally dropping “Pitt” from her surname, while Vivienne had publicly used “Vivienne Jolie” in professional credits. Maddox also reportedly pursued a similar change. 

More From The Blast

Angelina Jolie Confirms She Wants To Leave The U.S. And Embrace A Nomadic Life

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With all six of her children now adults, Jolie is looking toward a dramatic new chapter.

The actress confirmed in the L’Officiel interview that she intends to spend far more time living outside the United States and no longer sees herself staying permanently in Los Angeles. 

Speaking about her future plans, Jolie admitted, “I’d like to be a bit nomadic for a while.” 

The move has reportedly been in the works for years. She has already listed her Los Feliz home for sale and is preparing to divide her time among several locations around the world. 

Cambodia is expected to play a major role in those plans due to her longstanding humanitarian work and the presence of the Maddox Foundation there. 

She also revealed that she wants to become more involved in hands-on humanitarian efforts while expanding Atelier Jolie internationally. 

Brazil has reportedly emerged as a potential location for the organization’s first major expansion outside the United States, with additional plans involving Cambodia and Europe. 

Perhaps most tellingly, Jolie said her children fully support the change. After years spent focused on raising six children, she now feels ready to devote more time to travel, creative projects, and global causes. 

Jolie’s Children Are Encouraging Her To Embrace A New Chapter

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Angelina Jolie also revealed that the family dynamic has begun to shift in an unexpected way. 

Rather than relying on her, her kids are encouraging her to focus more on herself and the passions she put aside while raising them.

“I really love and am looking forward to more connection and community. I’m not somebody who vacations or shops or things like that,” she revealed.

Instead, Jolie is envisioning a future built around travel, humanitarian work, and adventure. Among the goals she hopes to revisit are flying planes again, riding her motorcycle, and spending more time in the field through her charitable work.

“That’s definitely what my kids want! They had Mom when Mom needed to be Mom. Now, they’d like me to call them from Tunisia having just landed a plane to meet with local artists,” the “Maleficent” star noted.

Jolie also revealed that she had little interest in settling down permanently in one place. Looking ahead, she explained that she hoped to spend more time working through her foundation in Cambodia and traveling extensively.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation gave me a world to explore, and I immediately used that freedom irresponsibly. There were plenty of places I could have gone during my hands-on preview with the final chapter of Square Enix‘s remake trilogy. I had less than an hour with the game, which should have encouraged me to see as much of it as humanly possible. Instead, because I apparently have no sense of urgency even when Meteor is involved, I spent almost all of my time poking around Mideel and Wutai.

I regret nothing. Final Fantasy VII Revelation is absolutely gorgeous, its combat feels as smooth as ever, and both locations made it incredibly easy to forget that I was technically supposed to be accomplishing something. I may have only seen a small piece of what Revelation has to offer, but that’s largely because the small piece I saw kept giving me reasons to stick around.

‘Final Fantasy VII Revelation’ Made Me Want To Ignore the Main Quest

Image via SQUARE ENIX

Mideel was the first place I was allowed to simply exist in Revelation’s world. There’s a particular pressure that comes with playing a game like this at a preview event. You know your time is limited and there are things you should probably be seeing, but then you spot something interesting in the opposite direction and wander away anyway. That happened to me constantly. I kept stopping to look around, checking corners, and generally behaving like I had several hours to burn. It’s easy to say a Final Fantasy game is beautiful, particularly when visual spectacle has been part of the series’ identity for decades, but Revelation impressed me most in the smaller moments when I wasn’t doing much of anything.

Mideel feels like somewhere people actually live. The environments are packed with enough detail that slowing down feels worthwhile, and moving through them feels natural. Square Enix has spent this trilogy taking familiar locations and doing more than simply making them bigger and prettier. At its best, it has made them feel like actual parts of a much larger world. Then I went to Wutai, and any remaining hope I had of using my preview time responsibly disappeared.

Wutai Is Going To Be a Problem For My Attention Span

Image via SQUARE ENIX

Wutai was always going to be one of the locations I was most excited to see in Final Fantasy VII Revelation. The remake trilogy has repeatedly demonstrated how much it can do with locations from the original game, but Wutai comes with a different level of anticipation after sitting out the first two entries. It did not disappoint. If Mideel made me want to slow down, Wutai made me want to stop following directions entirely. It’s immediately striking, but what grabbed me wasn’t simply that it’s pretty. Wutai feels like somewhere designed to be explored instead of admired while you’re running toward the next objective. I wanted to know where everything went. I wanted to wander down side paths, look at the architecture, and see what was around corners that clearly had nothing to do with what I was supposed to be doing. Every time I thought I should probably move on and see something else while I still had the chance, Wutai gave me another reason not to.

That’s what makes the location so exciting. There’s a difference between an environment that looks impressive and one that makes you curious about what’s inside it. Wutai did both, and once I had the freedom to wander, I wanted to keep wandering. Considering Final Fantasy VII is rapidly approaching a point in its story where Cloud and company have slightly more pressing concerns than tourism, that could become a problem.

‘Final Fantasy VII Revelation’s Combat Is As Smooth As Ever

Eventually, I did remember that Final Fantasy VII Revelation contains things other than places for me to wander around looking at. The remake trilogy’s combat has always been one of its greatest achievements. Remake found an incredibly satisfying middle ground between real-time action and the command-based systems of the original, while Rebirth expanded it without sacrificing the rhythm that made it work. Revelation immediately feels like a continuation of that evolution. Combat is fast, responsive, and remarkably smooth. Moving between enemies, building ATB, firing off abilities, and switching characters flowed together so naturally that there was practically no period of reacclimation. Even after spending time away from Rebirth, the muscle memory returned almost immediately. That’s important for a third game. Revelation doesn’t need to completely reinvent a combat system that already works exceptionally well just to prove this is a new entry. From what I played, it feels refined instead, with exploration flowing naturally into encounters and combat never getting in the way of my desire to keep moving through the world.

My hands-on time barely scratched the surface of what Square Enix has built, partly because less than an hour was never going to be enough and partly because I made absolutely no attempt to use that hour efficiently. I could have tried to see as many locations as possible. Instead, I went to Mideel and Wutai because those were the places I wanted to see, and once I got there, my decisions were validated. That ultimately told me more about Final Fantasy VII Revelation than racing through a checklist probably would have. The combat remains fantastic, the game is beautiful, and Square Enix has created locations that made me want to ignore both a ticking preview clock and an impending planetary apocalypse just to see what was around the next corner. Cloud may eventually save the Planet, but he’s just going to have to wait for me to finish looking around first.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches April 8, 2027 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Epic Games Store.

Whoopi Goldberg is reflecting on the lasting impact of the beloved Star Trek franchise.

The TV personality and comedian is one of the many stars to have graced the franchise over the years. As Star Trek celebrates its 60th anniversary, she shared what the show has done for representation.

Goldberg also recalled a conversation with creator Gene Roddenberry about why she wanted to join the franchise.

Speaking with Extra TV, Goldberg reflected on the franchise reaching its 60-year milestone since its debut.

For her, one of the show’s most important qualities was its impact on representation. That began when she saw Nichelle Nichols play Lt. Uhura in the original Star Trek series.

“He put all these people on this sci-fi show that he didn’t realize, you know, that for kids like me… I love science fiction,” the TV personality said of creator Gene Roddenberry. “There are no science fiction movies that had Black people in them.”

Goldberg credited Roddenberry’s original vision with helping audiences recognize people’s differences and work through them.

How Whoopi Goldberg Joined The Star Trek Franchise

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Years after watching Nichols play the role, Goldberg also wanted a part in the franchise. She wanted to join the spinoff The Next Generation, which she eventually did, appearing on the show from 1988 to 1993.

However, joining the franchise wasn’t easy, as Roddenberry initially questioned her decision. In response, Goldberg reportedly told him that there were no Black people in the future depicted in those movies and that she wanted to be one.

Roddenberry didn’t believe her at first, but eventually admitted she was right.

Nichelle Nichols Opened The Door For Whoopi Goldberg

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Elsewhere in the interview, Goldberg also credited Nichols with opening the door for the actors who followed her.

“She started it, and I was happy to take up that moniker, and then LeVar [Burton] was the next one to do it,” Goldberg said.

In the franchise, Goldberg played Guinan, a bartender and confidante to Captain Jean-Luc Picard.

She later reprised the role in Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: Nemesis, as well as the television series Star Trek: Picard.

Whoopi Goldberg Returned To The View For Season 30

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Goldberg’s reflections on Star Trek came as she returned to The View for the show’s 30th season.

She discussed what has helped the daytime talk show remain successful after so many years, revealing that it’s the panel’s ability to separate work from personal disagreements.

“We will do what we think is right for each of us. We don’t always agree. We have different opinions, and we don’t all think the same. And just because we’re women doesn’t mean we’re fighting, because people love to say, ‘Oh, look, the women are battling.’ No, we’ll let you know when we’re battling. You’ll know,” she said.

Goldberg added that everyone came to the show to do their jobs while remaining true to their beliefs.

Whoopi Goldberg Surprised The View Audience With A Giveaway

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As part of the Season 30 premiere, Goldberg initially announced that one audience member would win a three-night stay at the Secrets and Dreams Playa Mujeres resorts in Cancún, Mexico.

However, as the show progressed, Goldberg unveiled a twist that appeared to recreate a giveaway from Oprah Winfrey’s 2004 appearance on the show.

Goldberg pulled a card from a gold box and revealed that the entire audience would receive the getaway instead.

The surprise left audience members cheering and crying before the show cut to a commercial break.

The Shards is based on Bret Easton Ellis‘ book of the same name, but is the author tuning in to the TV adaptation with the rest of the world.

“He saw some. He had been through a whole rigmarole with HBO [which originally planned to develop The Shards], and when he sold the book to FX and to Ryan [Murphy], he sat down with him and entrusted the characters and said, ‘Go do and go create,’” executive producer Brad Simpson exclusively told Us ahead of the Wednesday, September 9, season 1 finale.

Simpson, 53, noted that Ellis, 62, gave Murphy, 60, “permission” to “interpret his work” for a new medium.

“All I know is he’s watching week to week and occasionally mentioning it on his podcast,” Simpson continued. “You can go on his podcast and hear what he felt about the first couple episodes, and we’ll see if we hear more.”

He added: “Bret is a person who mainly speaks to the world through his podcast and through his writing these days. But I love the idea that he’s watching this unfold week to week in his living room.”

According to the official synopsis, The Shards is set in Los Angeles in 1981 and follows “a 17-year-old version of Ellis during his final year at the elite Buckley prep school.” His world is upended by the arrival of a mysterious new student, Robert Mallory, whose “unsettling presence coincides with the activities of a serial killer known as The Trawler.”

Igby Rigney portrays Ellis in the TV adaptation. The 2023 book was Ellis’ first in 13 years and has a disclaimer stating that all of its major players are fictional — apart from the narrator.

After publishing The Shards, Ellis recalled hearing from a former classmate who had seen themselves in a character. Ellis told Vanity Fair in 2023 that he received a Facebook message that read, “Of all the names you could have chosen, the name I hate the most is Debbie.”

Ellis also reflected on the larger inspiration behind The Shards.

“I’m not motivated to write a novel without feeling it, and that might be why a lot of my novels have that pervasive sense of dread,” he continued. “I think it just stems from where the books come from, and it’s a reflection of that. Conversely, if I’d been a happier guy, would I have been writing books? Would I be using the novel as a way to express this or communicate it? I don’t know. But that could have something to do with why I’ve been attracted to horror and used elements of it in my work.”

In addition to Rigney, 23, The Shards stars Kaia Gerber, Homer Gere, Hayes Warner, Graham Campbell, Evan Rachel Wood and Wes Bentley. Before the show’s August premiere, Rigney reflected on the challenges that came with the role.

“Ryan was really fun in the way that he directed us where he would have us do multiple takes multiple ways,” Rigney exclusively told Us.

The actor did not know which version would make the final cut.

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“We were never clued in on which take he was going to use. And then I’m sure some of those takes got combined to make it extra confusing,” Rigney continued. “But getting to have the narration sometimes was a little challenging on set though.”

He added: “Because everybody around me is having fun, and I’m staring deeply into the middle distance thinking about this big, long paragraph I have, but I’m not saying it out loud.”

The Shards airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on FX.