History might seem unshakable after so long, but change is inevitable, and the Met Gala is proof!

Historically, the visibility of disabled people on the red carpet has been very limited, but a notable step to rewrite the books for accessibility was made at the 2026 Met Gala. While many stars walked in, Aariana Rose Philip rolled with poise as the first wheelchair user to attend the star-studded fashion night.

This year’s Met Gala was well thought out, with a nod at inclusion for people with disabilities. The Metropolitan Museum of Art included a dedicated section on “The Disabled Body” at the exhibition, marking a shift in the representation of disabled persons in both fashion and at the event.

Philip is an Antiguian American model who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Although she is a runway regular at Collina Strada in NewYork, she is the first wheelchair user to ever attend the Met Gala, breaking a 78-year-long cycle.

Not only did she make her appearance on the red carpet at the Monday night event, but she also modeled as one of the mannequins for this year’s exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.

Speaking to Vogue about the experience, she described it as “wild,” noting that the event is a major spectacle for everyone, including those who are not active in the fashion world. 

She said that she feels “blessed and honored” to have a place at such a major fashion event, stressing that over the years, disabled people were not represented anywhere, including the world of fashion.

“However, it’s also so important that we’re showing disabled people as a part of the fashion industry; as models, as talent, as photographers,” Philip shared before remarking on the extent to which representation goes to impact the hearts of many.

The model noted that disabled people are just like everyone else who feels passionate about something and longs to contribute.

People With Disability Are ‘Challenging A Social System’

After commenting on the surreal experience, Philip took time to address the challenges of living as a person with disability in an able-bodied world. She pointed out that many disabled people are automatically labeled as activists for merely speaking up for themselves, but they use their voice because they “have no other choice.”

The model highlighted that other people who inhabit the same spaces are either not familiar with the bodies of disabled people or with how to accommodate them.

“We’re given the title of activist because we are challenging a social system,” she noted before adding that they have to be their own advocates, “because we have been so historically marginalized and pushed aside.”

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Philip remarked later in the chat with the magazine, sharing that she has gotten so many positive reactions from her Met Gala debut. After fighting for almost a decade to be seen in the industry, Philip wants her action to pave the way for other disabled models like Lauren Wasser and Jillian Mercardo.

“When people see my mannequin, I want them to see a beautiful, sexy lady. I want them to see a supermodel and a legend,” the model said after recalling how nervous she was to step out of her comfort zone.

The Met Gala Had A Step-Free Entrance For The First Time

Not only were disabled people represented via fashion, but the event was made accessible for the first time in nearly eighty years, thanks to Sinéad Burke, who is a little person. Burke, the CEO and founder of strategic accessibility consultancy firm Tilting the Lens, played a vital role in advising the Met Costume Institute to ensure the entrance was step-free. 

This was a pivot from The Met’s historic stairs but was still aesthetically pleasing. She noted that to many people living with disabilities, the steps were a “symbol of inaccessibility,” so for the first time, those with physical disabilities are able to have fair access to the Met Gala.

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RTE reported that the CEO had been working with the Costume Institute on a number of initiatives for the past eighteen months, including consulting on including “The Disabled Body” section in this year’s exhibition.

“We have suggested incredible disabled designers like Sugundha Gupta and Helen Cookman. We also have an amazing array of mannequins based on disabled bodies, from Aimee Mullins to myself,” Burke revealed while speaking to outlets as she stepped out on the red carpet. This marks the first of many milestones for disabled people in the world of fashion.

Other First-Time Appearances That Shook Met Gala History

The 2026 Met Gala saw many new faces, including Nicole Kidman’s 17-year-old daughter, Sunday Rose, whom she shares with ex-husband Keith Urban, and iconic singer Beyoncé’s daughter, Blue Ivy. Blue made her appearance as one of the youngest people to attend the event, making her debut at just 14 years old.

The young stars’ appearance sparked controversy as they are below the age limit, which states that invitees must be 18 years old or older to attend the Met Gala. This rule became widespread knowledge in 2018 after “Dance Moms” alum Maddie Ziegler said she could not attend the event at the time because she was not old enough.

The Blast shared that Kidman and Beyoncé, who co-chaired this year’s event, have bent the rules by bringing their young children as their dates for the night, years after the Met Gala organizers made an executive decision that “it’s not an appropriate event for people under 18.” 

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Blue Ivy’s presence has raised questions as to why the organizers did not upload the age restriction rules, while other netizens called the teenager out for often being dressed and acting well above her years.

Eileen Gu Made A Tech Fashion Statement On The Met Gala Red Carpet

Although not in the disability section, Eileen Gu donned a stunning yet unique look on the red carpet as she posed in her bubble dress. The 22-year-old Olympic freestyle skier who came home with two silvers and one gold from the 2026 Winter Olympics in February made heads turn as bubbles floated out of her dress.

The outfit, which rhymed perfectly with the Fashion is Art theme, was designed by Iris van Herpen, a Dutch designer known for unique “tech-couture” looks that blend high fashion with innovative technology. The Olympian spoke to reporters on the carpet, telling them that the dress had 15,000 glass bubbles.

“It took 2,550 hours to make. There’s technology under the dress that enables reality to kind of come together with art. It’s a play on surrealism, it’s a play on movement, it’s a play on nature, on fun, on whimsy,” she explained. She wore a pair of see-through heels, a pair of small earrings, and completed the look with a messy updo.

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Page Six reports that as she walked the carpet, there were dozens of bubbles floating up in the air and around her. Gu, who is the most decorated free skier of all time, made her debut at the Met Gala in 2021 with a short black-and-white Carolina Herrera bubble dress with black heels.

Congratulations to the Met Gala on this history-making move!

Venus Williams wasn’t ready to call it a night after co-chairing the 2026 Met Gala, and honestly, why should she? Fresh off fashion’s biggest stage, the tennis icon kept the celebration going with a post-gala stop at Raising Cane’s Harlem location, proving even the most glamorous nights deserve a crave-worthy finish.

Still dressed in her custom Swarovski gown, Venus brought full Met Gala energy straight to the fast-casual spot. The curve-hugging black dress shimmered under the lights, crafted with light-reflecting crystals and paired with a striking pearl-adorned neck plate.

The look, titled “Venus Williams, Double Portrait,” was created by visual artist Robert Pruitt and served as a powerful homage to family, legacy, and her dominance on the tennis court. Inspired by Pruitt’s work, featured by the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the design echoed themes of Afrocentric, fantastical imagery, blending portraiture with symbolism tied to Venus’ journey.

Williams Keeps Party Going At Raising Cane’s After The Met

As described, the artwork depicts a young Williams framed by a “swirl of beads,” while an “older version” of the athlete wears a Wimbledon plate as a bodice, representing what Venus herself described as the “super, extra-human possibility” she’s embodied both on and off the court.

Inside Cane’s, the vibe was all celebration. With Box Combos in hand, buttery Cane’s Toast, and that signature Cane’s Sauce front and center, Venus kept things chill, smiling as she dipped hand-battered Chicken Fingers, grabbed crinkle-cut fries, and toasted the moment with lemonade and sweet tea. Because after a night that iconic, even a Met Gala co-chair knows that sometimes the perfect ending is a late-night chicken run.

Venus Williams Reflects On ‘Full Circle’ Met Gala Honor

Venus Williams wasn’t just serving looks at the 2026 Met Gala; she was stepping into a moment years in the making. As co-chair of fashion’s biggest night, the tennis icon opened up about what the milestone truly meant to her, both personally and professionally.

“Co-chairing the Met Gala has been such an incredible honor, and honestly, a moment I’m still trying to fully take in,” Williams told Vogue on the morning of the event. “When I got the call, I could hardly believe it. Fashion has always been a huge part of how I express myself, both on and off the court, so being part of an event that celebrates the intersection of art, culture, and identity feels really full circle for me.”

For Williams, the night wasn’t just about the red carpet; it was a celebration of everything she’s built, blending her legacy in sports with her long-standing impact in fashion.

Williams Honors Legacy Through Meaningful Met Gala Look

Venus Williams made sure her Met Gala look wasn’t just visually striking; it told a deeper story rooted in history and impact. Speaking about the inspiration behind her custom gown, Williams revealed how the design paid tribute to the trailblazers who paved the way for her success.

“It reflects not just my journey but the legacy of those who came before me, especially pioneers like Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe, who paved the way,” she told Vogue. “It felt like a personal way to connect with ‘Costume Art,’ using fashion to tell a story about legacy and progress and honoring those who made it possible.”

Venus Williams Looks Back On Her First Met Gala Moment

Long before co-chairing the event, Williams was once a first-time attendee taking it all in, and the memory still sticks with her nearly two decades later. Reflecting on that experience, she shared just how impactful that first walk up the iconic steps truly was.

“Walking up the steps for my first Met Gala was all so exciting and overwhelming in the best way. I was in my early 20s, and I remember being struck by the scale of The Met,” she said. “And attending alongside André Leon Talley, there was no better partner.”

The tennis star added, “I’ve always loved art, and I’ve been fortunate enough to build my own collection over the years, so The Met, and especially the Met Gala, is a really special place where I get to see my love for both fashion and art come together in such a celebratory and special way.”

By Henry Hards
| Published 43 seconds ago

Over the course of three movies, the Back to the Future movies played around with lots of variables – parallel timelines created by the smallest change in the past, characters whose entire nature flipped to their polar opposite, and sometimes back again. While the films explored multiple Biffs and the perils of Marty McFly almost hooking up with his own mother, the character of Marty underwent some equally dramatic changes in the real world.

By now, most fans have heard the stories (and seen the footage) about how Eric Stoltz was hired to play Marty and was then replaced by Michael J. Fox after five weeks of filming. What you might not have heard is that the Marty-That-Wasn’t also had a Jen-That-Wasn’t. Actress Melora Hardin (The Office, Monk) was originally cast as Marty’s girlfriend, Jennifer Parker.

These days, Melora Hardin is best known for playing Michael Scott’s crazy boss-turned-girlfriend, Jan, on The Office. In the 1980s, she was a struggling young actress who’d done guest spots on shows like Quincy or Magnum, P.I., and thought she’d landed the part of a lifetime.

When Stoltz was replaced, they decided to pair Fox with a different gal pal as well, and Melora Hardin was let go, without ever having filmed a single scene. The role of Jennifer was eventually played by Claudia Wells in the first film and by Elisabeth Shue in Parts II and III.

Melora Hardin’s brush with the trilogy may have become just another interesting cinematic footnote, but the actress provides a few insights into the experience in an interview with Wired.

Melora Hardin said of her close call with Back to the Future, “When [Eric Stoltz and I] read together, we had great chemistry. I got the part and was so happy, it would have really been my first big movie. It was supposed to be a two-picture deal – they already had the future idea for Back to the Future Part II and knew this character was going to be in it. Even though the script was completely secret, you had to sign a deal for both.”

So what ultimately kept Melora Hardin from keeping a part in what would become one of the most beloved movie trilogies of all time? Maybe they didn’t think she had the right chemistry to match up with McFly? Or perhaps Fox had somebody in mind and called in a favor? None of the above. She was just too tall for Back to the Future.

Melora Hardin told Wired about that Back to the Future casting that wasn’t, “I just remember getting a phone call in my parents’ kitchen, Bob Gale and Zemeckis both called me. They said, ‘Unfortunately we had to let Eric go and we think you’re too tall for the new guy we cast. His name is Michael J. Fox, but you’ll be towering over him. This has nothing to do with you, we think you’re lovely.’ I burst into tears.”

There you have it. A budding young actress was stripped of the role of a lifetime simply because Michael J. Fox is a little man. If it’s any consolation, at least she can remember that she’s probably a huge star in Fringe’s alternate universe. And, of course, she had the epic run as Jan Levinson (don’t call me Gould) on The Office.

A cause of death for Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Nicholas Brendon has been revealed.

The actor died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with acute pneumonia and previous myocardial infarction (heart attack) as contributing factors, according to an autopsy report obtained by Us Weekly. Arteriosclerosis occurs when the arteries become thick and stiff while acute pneumonia is an intense, sudden-onset infection that causes inflammation in the lungs.

The report noted that the mechanism of Brendon’s death — which was determined to be natural — was 90 percent blockage of his right coronary artery.

According to People, the Putnam County Coroner’s office is still awaiting the results of a toxicology report. Coroner Todd Zeiner noted in a statement that there “were no signs of foul play, and nothing at the scene indicated the death was anything other than natural,” adding that “family members reported a history of cardiac issues.”

Us previously confirmed on March 20 that Brendon died at the age of 54.

“We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon,” the actor’s family told Us in a statement, noting that Brendon died in his sleep of “natural causes.”

“Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years, Nicky has found his passion in painting and art,” the statement continued. “Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

His family concluded, “Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart. Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.”

Brendon was best known for playing Xander Harris on all seven seasons of Buffy alongside the likes of Sarah Michelle Gellar, Alyson Hannigan and David Boreanaz, all of whom offered their condolences following Brendon’s death.

“I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky,” Gellar, 48, wrote via Instagram on March 21, also quoting one of Xander’s famous lines, “They’ll never know how tough it is to be the one who isn’t chosen. To live so near to the spotlight, and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes, because nobody’s watching me.”

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Buffy aired from 1997 to 2003, following a teenage vampire slayer named Buffy Summers (Gellar) as she navigated the ups and downs of high school life and monster-slaying.

“There are people you work with and then there are people you share time with, Nick was the latter,” Boreanaz, 56, who played Angel, recalled of working with Brendon in a social media tribute. “Some moments stay small on paper, a laugh between takes, a look that says we got this, the quiet understanding of showing up and doing the work together. But those are the things that last. He carried something real, not perfect, not polished, just real.”

He continued, “In this business that matters more than most things. We don’t always get to choose how long someone stays in the story, only that they were here. And he was … Rest easy, Brother. Some people leave a mark without trying.”

General Hospital has Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) kidnapped by Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) and Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) is going to be terrified that it is all her fault.

Joss is stuck in the same cell under Wyndemere where Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) and Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) had Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) stashed. And right now, Sidwell, Pascal (Mark Forget), and Cassius are the only ones who know where Josslyn is. I’m sure they’ll tell Cullum soon. And she is likely marked for death right now.

General Hospital Shocker: Joss Kidnapped And Held In Anna’s Old Cell

So, this week, at the exact same time that Carly and Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) were squaring off with Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna) at her house, that’s when we saw Cassius and Josslyn brawling in her apartment. And it was brutal. Cassius grabbed Joss and said he couldn’t let her go. And of course, this is all because Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) outed her as a WSB agent to her brother. Now, Josslyn put up a good fight, but Cassius got the upper hand, choked Joss out and stuck her in Anna’s old cell with some help from Pascal.

Now, I’m thinking Cassius is going to turn around and tell Cullum about Joss, maybe to distract him from Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) and James West (Gary James Fuller) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening) and of course from Cullum trying to find out who shot him. And I’m sure Cassius is also going to want to stay on his boss’s good side. But now, Joss is in some serious danger.

Will Joss End Up in France with Anna?

We saw what Cullum, Sidwell, Cassius, and Pascal were capable of when they drugged and mentally tortured Anna. They gaslit and messed with her mind so much that she’s now in a psych clinic in France. So, this doesn’t bode well for Joss. Now, there’s always a chance they could do the same thing with her. You know, Cassius and Pascal might mess with Joss’s mind and push her over the edge, drop her in the same French clinic.

Plus, remember when Cullum and Joss were stuck at Wyndemere during the blizzard? She fed Cullum a bunch of lies and pretended to be a ditzy sorority girl when Josslyn is really a clever WSB agent. So, I’m sure Cullum is not going to like it when he finds out that he was tricked so efficiently. Joss played Cullum for a fool, and that might give him more incentive to punish Joss and make sure she’s not a problem ever again.

Who Will Save Josslyn on GH?

The question is who’s going to go in there and save Josslyn? Because like Anna, she has no idea where she is and Joss has no way to contact anyone. So, you know, she can try to escape, but if Anna couldn’t do it, I doubt that Josslyn can either. Hopefully, somebody’s going to figure out she was taken and go in there to rescue her.

So, my first thought is Britt may try and save Josslyn again. Britt saved Joss’s life a couple of years ago from crazy hook killer Heather Webber (Alley Mills). So, Britt may feel responsible for Joss for that reason, but especially because Britt telling Cassius that she’s an agent is what got Joss, you know, basically beat up and kidnapped.

General Hospital Spoilers: Britt in Shock

General Hospital spoilers for this week say that Britt is stunned on Wednesday. And that may be because Cassius circles back around to tell Britt that he neutralized Josslyn and she’s no longer a threat. Now Britt’s got a lot on her plate. She’s trying to protect Rocco.

She’s trying to finish Cesar Faison’s (Anders Hove) final project so she doesn’t die for lack of her medication. So, maybe, Cassius tells Britt where he stashed Josslyn. Or could be that Britt stumbles upon Josslyn down there since the lab is in that same area. Either way, Britt’s going to be sick that she put Joss on their radar and she wound up kidnapped.

Now, I do think Britt will want to save Josslyn, but I think Britt is too scared of Cullum to do anything big, but you never know. So, Britt may not be able to just sit by and leave her there. You know, she may not be able to live with herself if Cullum hurts Joss, you know. But on the other hand, if Britt can’t save Joss personally because the stakes are too high, she has another option. She could go tell Brennan that Joss was taken and is down in the catacombs and just leave Cassius’ name out of it.

Carly Gets Upsetting News on GH

Now, we also know from official General Hospital spoilers that Carly gets upsetting news this week that comes on Thursday. And I’m wondering if Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) contacts Carly to find out if Josslyn’s with her because she hasn’t been back at the apartment. You know, Trina may tell her Joss didn’t show up to meet her at The Savoy and there’s no sign of her at the apartment.

None of this is really like Josslyn. So, I’m sure Carly is going to immediately assume that Josslyn is in danger because she’s a WSB agent. And Carly’s going to go berserk. I bet she blames Brennan and tells him he’d better find Joss and bring her home safe or Carly’s going to wreak havoc.

In the end, I do think that Jack will try and save Joss. If Jack finds out Cullum and Sidwell have her, obviously, he’s going to worry. Jack knows how dangerous they are and he feels responsible for Joss because he recruited her into the WSB and they have to assume that’s why she was taken.

So, I wonder if Jack will tell Carly and Valentin that he had put Joss on inactive duty, but she wouldn’t listen. She wouldn’t step back. She kept looking into Cullum and Anna. Even so, Carly will hold Jack responsible. And he will probably hold himself responsible even though he kept telling Joss, “Stop doing this. Just go to class. Stop it.”

Valentin May Save Joss on General Hospital

Another possibility, I think a strong one, is that Valentin may go break into Wyndemere trying to save Joss once he and Carly find out her daughter’s missing and where she’s being held. Valentin and Carly seem to be all in with their romance, especially now that they outed things to Brennan.

And if Valentin saves Carly’s daughter, you know, I think that would strengthen their bond a whole bunch and solidify them as a couple. And I’m sure if Valentin saves Joss, that would really aggravate Brennan because then Valentin would be the big hero and Jack the big villain who put Joss at risk to start with.

So, what I think would actually be better though is if Valentin and Jack work together to save Joss. I doubt they’ll ever be friends again. But maybe these guys can stop hating each other long enough to save Josslyn for Carly’s sake. I’m sure that Brennan wants to take Valentin down now more than ever because of the affair with Carly, but Jack also knows that Cullum and Sidwell are much bigger villains in this story than Valentin, at least at this point.

We could also see Carly going to Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and telling him Sidwell and Cullum took Joss. She might appeal to Sonny to use all his resources to figure out how to get Josslyn back. And I’m sure Sonny would help, but using WSB guys like Valentin and Brennan is probably a better approach than just mob muscle.

Could This Be an Exit Storyline for Joss?

No matter who comes to her rescue, I’m sure Joss is going to survive this ordeal. But that being said, we heard from our leaker a while back that Eden McCoy was considering leaving General Hospital basically for the same reason Chad Duell did. If you remember, he lost his dad and Eden McCoy lost her mom after a cancer battle. And she didn’t take a lot of time off of General Hospital to grieve after her mom passed away. And that was part of why Chad left the role of Michael. He just needed more time to process.

So, this could be some sort of exit storyline where Joss disappears for a while until Eden wants to return if the leak is true, and I’m not saying it is, or until she decides she doesn’t want to return and they may recast the role because we heard chatter related to that. So, I am hoping that Josslyn stays and is rescued and we will know more soon.

Beyoncé’s wardrobe change at the Met Gala has internet users talkin’.

RELATED: All Eyes! Beyoncé’s Return And The Biggest Met Gala 2026 Moments Of The Night

More On Beyoncé’s Wardrobe Change At The Met Gala

According to JustJared, Beyoncé took on her hosting duties once inside the Met Gala. Per the outlet, Beyoncé changed into a Robert Wun dress, which reportedly featured “golden faceted Swarovski crystals embroidered throughout and a sculptural skirt.”

Per Elle, Wun reportedly referred to the ensemble as the “stargaze gown.” The outlet adds that it was “modeled after the view from a night plane over a coastal city.”

It Has Internet Users Talkin’

Internet users were sharing their thoughts, talkin’ about Beyoncé’s Met Gala wardrobe change in TSR’s comment section.

More On Beyoncé’s Appearance At The Met Gala

As The Shade Room previously reported, Beyoncé returned to the Gala for the first time in 10 years yesterday. But that wasn’t all, she also popped out alongside Jay-Z and their daughter Blue Ivy. Per Elle, Beyoncé donned a bejeweled Olivier Rousteing gown when she hit the carpet.

RELATED: That’s Me Right There! Jay-Z And Beyoncé React To Blue Ivy’s Met Gala Debut As Fans Are In Awe (VIDEOS)

By Robert Scucci
| Published 19 seconds ago

What do you get when you combine Pete Davidson, Anthony Hopkins, a smart car capable of locking in and torturing anybody who dares break into it, and the kind of battle of the wits that was popularized by the first Saw movie? If your guess was 2025’s Locked, you’d be mostly correct, except that there is no Pete Davidson. It’s Bill Skarsgard, covered in tattoos, with bleached-blond hair and a pink hoodie. I knew it was Bill Skarsgård the whole time, but I kept seeing Pete Davidson, like he was originally cast and got swapped out at the last minute.

Oddly enough, Glenn Powell was supposed to take on the lead role for Locked, but he couldn’t commit due to scheduling conflicts, probably because he had to star in another legacy sequel or something.

Identity confusion aside, Locked is a pretty straightforward thriller, and right up your alley if you’re into moral dilemmas, sadistic antagonists with total control, and one of the most irredeemable main characters you still have to root for. At the same time, you kind of hope he gets at least a little maimed along the way because he doesn’t seem capable of learning a valuable lesson.

It’s Basically Saw In A Car With No Torture Or Likeable People

The entire premise for Locked plays like a Saw movie, but not nearly as interesting. Eddie Barrish (Bill Skarsgård doing his best Pete Davidson) is a former (read: still active) criminal and deadbeat father. He doesn’t pay child support, and he always forgets to pick up his daughter Sarah (Ashley Cartwright) from school in the dangerous part of town. When he’s not trying to sell scrap at the auto shop and blow what little money he has on scratch-off tickets, he breaks into cars for walking-around money.

He breaks into the wrong car on this day, a heavily tinted and suspiciously placed Dolus SUV, and his life takes a turn for the worse when the vehicle locks him inside, making it clear that this was exactly what it was designed to do. He receives a phone call from the car’s owner, William (Anthony Hopkins), who explains that after a series of break-ins, he’s decided to take matters into his own hands by turning his car into a rolling torture box. The seats are electrified, and William can control every other feature in the car, like the heat, air conditioning, radio, and even the engine and steering wheel.

The SUV is also soundproofed, with heavily tinted windows, meaning nobody can hear Eddie scream or see inside, despite the fact that it’s parked in a busy lot. The remainder of the film becomes a claustrophobic test of wills as Eddie and William get to know each other. William reveals that he’s a terminally ill doctor, and this is his twisted version of vigilante justice. Eddie initially resists William’s demands to divulge personal information that could ruin his life, but eventually caves when faced with the car’s heat and William blasting yodeling music for hours on end.

In a desperate search for a blind spot in William’s cameras, or a way to short-circuit the car, Eddie uses his street smarts to outmaneuver his captor. The problem is that William has thought through every angle, leaving Eddie with very few options and almost no room for error.

We Have Saw At Home

There’s no way to talk about Locked without bringing up the Saw movies. Here, we have a bad guy in the sense that he’s a petty criminal squandering his life while his daughter actually needs him. He makes no effort to improve his situation, which is exactly how he ends up in William’s car. William is the menacing antagonist whose entire M.O. mirrors Jigsaw from the first Saw film. So we’re not even talking about a deep cut, we’re talking about the core premise of a massive horror franchise, just done in a car, and with its thermostat being the most elaborate booby trap.

Bill Skarsgård and Anthony Hopkins play well off each other, even though it looks like whoever handled the wardrobe really wanted Skarsgård to resemble Pete Davidson. Their adversarial dynamic has a strong ebb and flow, especially when Eddie thinks he has the upper hand, only for William to already be 10 steps ahead. From a production, cinematography, film score, and sound design standpoint, Locked is beyond solid. The problem is that the premise has been done to death.

By the time Eddie gets shocked by the car seats for the fourth time, you start to wonder if anything new is going to happen, or if it’s just going to be a guy trapped in a car, grunting uncomfortably the whole time. If I wanted that experience, I would have kept the family hatchback instead of upgrading to an SUV so I could live it every day. Boring.

That said, Locked isn’t a terrible film. It’s just not an original one. If you’re not a horror junkie and are only vaguely familiar with the Saw movies by name, I could see this being a solid watch. But since it’s been done before, and better, I mostly felt underwhelmed despite the strong performances across the board.

As of this writing, Locked is streaming on Hulu.

This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.

Abigail Breslin, David Denman, and Annabeth Gish are joining the cast of The Night Agent Season 4, which is now in production.

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Release Date

March 23, 2023

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Network

Netflix

Directors

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Adam Arkin, Guy Ferland, Millicent Shelton, Ramaa Mosley

Writers

Seth Fisher, Munis Rashid, Corey Deshon

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This article covers a developing story. Continue to check back with us as we will be adding more information as it becomes available.