Cara Delevingne confirmed that she and Amber Heard had a romantic relationship amid the actress’ highly-publicized divorce from Johnny Depp.

“It’s because we did a movie together, and it was called London Fields. He was also doing the movie,” Delevingne, 33, said of her connection to Heard, 40, and Depp, 63, during her Monday, June 29, appearance on “The Louis Theroux Podcast.”

“I think he was pretty driven crazy by jealousy,” she continued. “Nothing was happening at that point. Later, after they divorced, it had, I suppose.”

Theroux asked Delevingne to clarify what she meant by she supposed.

Related: Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s Ups and Downs Through the Years

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard were married for less than two years, but they’ve weathered a ton of ups and downs since their 2016 split. The Oscar nominee and the Aquaman star met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary, which began production in early 2009. At the time, Depp was in […]

“No, I don’t suppose. I know,” she said.

Theroux asked Delevingne if she considered her relationship with Heard to be “an entanglement,” prompting the Carnival Row actress to admit she did not understand the word’s meaning.

“I think it means a relatively short-lived liaison or series of physical encounters,” Theroux explained.

After confirming what Theroux meant by “entanglement,” Delevingne shared that she guessed her and Heard’s dynamic could be described as such.

“We were close for a long time, and then when they were going through the divorce, yeah, we were entangled, I suppose,” she said. “But she was also entangled with other people.”

Delevingne and Heard were first linked as friends in the 2010s. The women would attend multiple functions alongside other famous pals, including Margot Robbie. Delevingne was by Heard’s side following the Aquaman actress’ split from Depp in 2016. When Heard filed for divorce, she accused Depp of physical and sexual abuse. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor vehemently denied the allegations

Related: Why Amber Heard Is Speaking Out About Alleged Blake Lively Smear Campaign

Amber Heard sees some similarities between her story and Blake Lively’s. Lively, 37, filed a lawsuit against her former It Ends With Us costar Justin Baldoni on Friday, December 20, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign to damage her reputation. One of Baldoni’s publicists Melissa Nathan — who represented Johnny Depp […]

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Six years later, Depp sued Heard for $50 million, claiming she defamed him in a 2018 Washington Post essay she wrote about being a victim of sexual violence. Heard, who did not name Depp specifically in the article, countersued for $100 million. A jury found both Depp and Heard liable for defamation. However, Depp was ultimately awarded a more substantial compensatory and punitive damages.

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During the lawsuit, Depp accused Heard of having affairs with Delevingne and Elon Musk. Delevingne and Heard did not confirm their relationship at the time. Heard and Musk started dating in 2016 after she split from Depp, but the pair didn’t confirm their romance until April 2017. Heard and Musk ultimately called it quits four months later.

“I was really in love, and it hurt bad. Well, she broke up with me more than I broke up with her,” Musk told Rolling Stone in November 2017, adding that he was in “severe emotional pain” in the wake of the split. “I’m looking for a long-term relationship. I’m not looking for a one-night stand. I’m looking for a serious companion or soulmate, that kind of thing. I will never be happy without having someone.”

“The Louis Theroux Podcast” is available on Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

The downside of becoming a long-running series on television is the chance that the storytelling might start to feel a little stale. After several seasons (especially of a sitcom), viewers are already more than familiar with the characters. There’s also likely a rhythm that has been established with the writing, and an obvious formula that introduces a problem to be solved every episode. Of course, by the time the episode wraps up, all is right in the world. This formula has definitely been a successful one for CBS’ hit comedy, Ghosts. But after five seasons, the show is in dire need of something to shake things up. Luckily, a recent announcement has been made that states that Ghosts is making a change that will completely revitalize the series.

Ben Feldman Will Be Bumped Up to a Series Regular on ‘Ghosts’

The team behind Ghosts broke the news that Ben Feldman, who plays Kyle Rosenblat on the show, has been officially declared a series regular. Kyle first appeared on the show back in Season 4, when Pete Martino (Richie Moriarty) met him on one of his special trips away from Woodstone Manor. After discovering that the very-much-alive Kyle can also see and talk to ghosts just like Sam (Rose McIver), Pete brings Kyle back to meet his other spirit pals. Of course, hijinks occur, as with any supporting character that joins the kooky gang at Woodstone.

Kyle pops back up again in the latest season of Ghosts, and plays a major role in the Season 5 finale. Most importantly, we learn that Kyle will be staying with the ghosts while Sam goes off to Hollywood to work on bringing her scripts to the screen. This is already setting up some fun plots for the ghosts to interact with Kyle. Plus, in the finale, when Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) needs to travel with Pete to the UK to save Woodstone, Kyle comes along as a ghost translator. He’s a pivotal part in the plan to declare Woodstone a historical landmark, and is driving home with Jay and Pete, when the unthinkable happens. Pete has spent too much time away from Woodstone, and in the last moments of the episode, disappears completely before they can make it back. This brings up a major question heading into Season 6: Is Pete really gone forever? Now, with Kyle’s character seemingly in the mix in a more permanent way, Ghosts is setting up Season 6 to be even more entertaining.

Kyle Can Bring a Fresh, New Quality to the ‘Ghosts’ Storylines

With five seasons wrapped up, it’s true that Ghosts is starting to feel a little boring. Most of the interactions between Sam, Jay, and the ghosts are way too repetitive, with constant misunderstandings on Jay’s end, and the shtick of setting up a problem and then solving it after some shenanigans has been played out now. There haven’t been a whole lot of surprises in the storytelling, and the romances between ghosts also tend to feel a bit forced — looking at you Pete and Alberta (Danielle Pinnock). That’s why adding in a new character, especially a living person who can communicate with the ghosts, is such a brilliant idea. It introduces a whole new, fairly unknowable element to an already familiar set-up.

Many fans of the show were disappointed that Jay hasn’t been able to see the ghosts in any long-term capacity, so inserting Kyle into the action permanently will scratch that itch for viewers. The ghosts have only ever been able to interact with Sam, so there is plenty of mischief they can get into now that they have another human to boss around and/or befriend. Kyle has also seemed kind of lonely in past episodes, so having him join the gang at Woodstone means there will be a great deal of intriguing narratives to explore with his character as well.

Feldman has already established in his sporadic episodes that he has great chemistry with everyone in the cast, which isn’t always the case when some actors join a show well into its run. And his hilarious stint on Superstore proved that he’s clearly a talented comedic actor, and that he can handle a wide variety of storylines with perfect timing. Offering him a bigger role will provide the plots in Ghosts with even more opportunities for hilarity and silliness. Ghosts doesn’t return until early 2027, but having Feldman become a series regular is an exciting development for a series that desperately needs a boost.

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Ghosts

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Release Date

October 7, 2021

Directors

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Christine Gernon, Jaime Eliezer Karas, Katie Locke O’Brien, Nick Wong, Jude Weng, Pete Chatmon, Richie Keen, Alex Hardcastle, Kimmy Gatewood, Matthew A. Cherry, Cortney Carrillo

Writers

Emily Schmidt, John Timothy, Lauren Bridges, Sophia Lear, Guy Endore-Kaiser, Rishi Chitkara, Julia Harter, Skander Halim, Zora Bikangaga

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  Rose McIver

  Samantha Arondekar

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  Utkarsh Ambudkar

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  Jay Arondekar

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Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean is making it clear that there is nothing inappropriate about his relationship with Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Abby Summers.

“I don’t really think it’s a conflict of interest,” DeJean, 23, said on the Thursday, June 25, episode of his “Exciting Mics” podcast when a fan opined that their relationship “could be messy.”

DeJean was sure to point out that even though the Eagles and Cowboys are bitter rivals, Summers, 25, isn’t in the Dallas locker room.

“I mean, it’s not like we both play football,” he said. “She’s a cheerleader. There is going to be no insider information given either way.”

Related: Nikki Garcia Admits It’s Been ‘Difficult’ Having Her Dating Life Scrutinized

Nikki Garcia admits trying to find love in the spotlight is “difficult” amid rumors she’s dating Philadelphia Eagles player Cooper DeJean. “It’s been crazy,” Garcia, 42, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, March 9, reflecting on putting herself back out there after finalizing her divorce from Artem Chigvinstev in 2024. The WWE wrestler noted that […]

DeJean also pulled back the curtain on how the two got together after they went public with their relationship in May at the Kentucky Derby.

“We had known about each other for some time,” he said. “Then we happened to be both in Florida at the same time during the [2026 College Football Playoff] national championship game. She was down there and I was down there and then I met her there.”

DeJean continued, “I believe the next weekend was the Super Bowl and she was out there also — and we had hung out there a couple times and after that we kept seeing each other and hanging out.”

The month after the Super Bowl, they were also spotted together at the 2026 men’s Elite Eight game between the University of Iowa, DeJean’s alma mater, and the University of Illinois.

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Related: How Super Bowl Fame Impacted Cooper DeJean’s Relationship With His GF

Philadelphia Eagles player Cooper DeJean believes his girlfriend, Steph Wilfawn, is the true MVP of his championship football season. “She’s been a trooper,” DeJean, 22, shared on the Tuesday, February 18, episode of “The Pivot” podcast. “She’s been handling a lot, going through a lot, but she’s been there every step of the way.” Although […]

The Eagles star is no stranger to seeing his love life make headlines. He was rumored to be dating WWE star Nikki Bella last year before he and Summers appeared at the Kentucky Derby.

DeJean reflected on the attention in a May 2026 discussion with Us Weekly.

“It can get overwhelming at times,” he exclusively told Us of the attention. “But I think it’s cool just to see the way people support us [in Philadelphia].”

DeJean also opened up about playing football in a town as passionate about its sports as Philadelphia.

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Related: Nikki Garcia Shares Video Wearing Cooper DeJean Jersey Amid Dating Rumors

Nikki Garcia bleeds Eagles green — especially if it means supporting defensive back Cooper DeJean. “Walking into Sunday like…. 🦅🔥,” Garcia, 42, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, December 28, ahead of the team’s matchup against the Buffalo Bills. “‘Been there, WON that.’ 🙌🏼 #FlyEaglesFly.” Garcia uploaded throwback footage of herself wearing DeJean’s jersey and team-branded […]

“I think it’s the people around you keeping you humble and keeping you down to earth,” he said. “I feel like I’ve got a great group of people around me — friends, family, who keep me grounded — which is awesome. I feel like it costs nothing to be a great person.”

He also admitted that he learned a bit about handling the pressure from Jason Kelce, who retired the month before the Eagles drafted DeJean.

“Just the way he interacts with people in the city,” DeJean said. “He’s a great guy. I’ve got to talk to him a few times. He’s still in the building quite a bit, working out and stuff. Just getting to talk to him, see him and hear his experience he had in his 12 years here is pretty cool to see.”

By Jason Collins
| Published 2 minutes ago

Apart from Bram Stoker’s Dracula from 1992, which is a legendary movie starring Gary Oldman as the iconic villain, there have been numerous retellings of Dracula’s story throughout cinema and television. Some of these are rather mediocre, like Dracula 2000. Others were outright bad, like Dracula 3000. And some were outright fantastic, like 1922’s Nosferatu or Steven Moffat’s 2020 miniseries, aptly named Dracula. Now, a failed movie, Dracula Untold, has found new success on streaming, turning an iconic villain into a superhero.

Dracula As A Tragic Hero

For those who haven’t seen the movie, Dracula Untold was a critically panned reimagining of the origin of Dracula, which aims to portray the character as a tragic hero rather than a straightforward villain. The film’s narrative is set in the 15^th century where Vlad III (Luke Evans), the prince of Wallachia and Transylvania, faces a threat from the Ottoman Empire, which demands 1,000 Wallachian boys (including his own son) as a tribute to the sultan’s army.

Having spent his youth among the Ottomans, Vlad now seeks to protect his son and his country from the enemy.

However, in desperation, he turns to the dark and ancient power hidden in the mountains, a mysterious vampire (portrayed by the Game of Thrones star Charles Dance), who grants him the powers to defend his family and his country but also curses him with the vampiric blood lust. We won’t go into the story any further. Instead, we’ll go on to say that the concept upon which the story was based is actually pretty good. However, the execution of said concept in Dracula Untold wasn’t.

Lights Out On The Dark Universe

Though the critics praised Luke Evans’ performance as the anti-hero, Dracula Untold was heavily criticized for its plot and the perceived lack of emotional depth. However, it did reasonably well at the box office, earning $217 million worldwide against a budget of $100 million. Unfortunately, its earnings weren’t enough to protect it from the apparent pull of the grave and any idea of a sequel unfortunately found a stake to the heart.

At one point, there were discussions and some attempts to retroactively include Dracula Untold into the now-failed Dark Universe born with the release of The Mummy in 2017. However, given the poor performance of that particular release, Universal abandoned every notion of the Dark Universe.

This is really unfortunate because later-revealed Dracula Untold scenes that ended up on the cutting room floor also showed the appearance of Baba Yaga. No, we’re not referring to John Wick, but the actual stuff of nightmares originating from Eastern folklore.

Despite the film’s poor reception, Dracula remains an enduring pop culture icon that transcends the shifting cinematic trends, which explains how Dracula Untold found its resurrection on Netflix.

Suede Brooks reflected on her relationship with Drake, claiming she he sent her threatening messages in the wake of their split.

“I was staying on my friend’s boat, and her father had hired Drake to come to the boat and throw a party in Saint-Tropez and Drake had never been to Saint-Tropez, and so he came on the boat, he came with his friends,” the Calabasas Confidential star, 25, alleged during a Sunday, June 28, appearance on Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast. “It was amazing. He’s such a great guy.”

Brooks continued, “When I met him, I was like, ‘Oh, this is so cool that he’s, like, coming on our boat and through, like, and performing at our party.’ But I feel like the narrative that was spun was, like, I kind of stepped onto his territory, and like I, when in reality it was like no, he came onto our program.”

Drake, 39, and Brooks were first romantically linked in July 2022 after being spotted together in Saint-Tropez.

“We dated … I would say, like, on and off for a few months,” Brooks recalled on Sunday. “I would go see him in Toronto, and then one day I was like, ‘I’m tired of this.’”

When the twosome ultimately called it quits, Brooks claimed that she felt afraid for her wellbeing.

“When we did end things, it was very … I was very scared for my safety,” she alleged. “And for a lot of things, for a long time living in LA, the things they said to me were very alarming. I was 21 or 22 at the time, and when you hear those things said to you coming from the most powerful artists in the world that has so much power and can do the unimaginable within the snap of a finger, it was very scary.”

Brooks claimed that she received threatening messages after their breakup as the result of a“miscommunication.”

“[I was] getting text messages that he’s gonna have bitches fold me up verbatim, that’s what he said,” she alleged. “I was like, for what? It was all miscommunication. He thought I was saying something that I didn’t. He thought I was talking like shit about him in LA when I never was.”

Brooks claimed that after she received the alleged messages she did not leave her “house for like three months,” afraid for her safety.

“I didn’t step outside, like I didn’t go out, at least, because I was scared, especially somebody of that power,” she said. “I know I’ve grown a lot from it, and I know he’s grown a lot from it. I think also during that time it was emotional for both of us, because it was just like a big miscommunication. But he is so talented.”

Brooks added that she dislikes talking about their split because she has a lot of admiration for Drake to this day.

Related: Drake Gets Cozy Backstage With ‘Rightful Wife’ Sexyy Red

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“I hate bringing that stuff kind of back up but he is so talented, I know he has a great heart,” she said. “I wish him nothing but the best in his future. I hope he finds somebody that he loves and cherishes for the rest of his life. It wasn’t me, and it got to a point where it was almost like I physically and emotionally can’t give you what you need, so I’m gonna step away.”

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Brooks added that she hasn’t “spoken to him in a minute” as she doesn’t like to talk to her exes after calling it quits.

“Like, once you lose me, I’m gone,” she said.

Us Weekly has reached out to Drake’s spokesperson for comment.

Anime has been popular for a long time, with classics such as Bleach defining a generation of fans and still impacting the culture of fandom today. However, it’s hard to deny the impact of modern anime, with sensations such as Jujutsu Kaisen becoming among the most popular anime titles in history. But even though 2020 was six years ago, fans usually define modern shows by what has come out in the past 5 years.

That is why this list will rank the most perfect anime series that came out in the past five years, from 2021 to 2026. Based on elements such as story, animation, originality, entertainment value, popularity, consistency, fan opinion, critical acclaim, and overall quality, these shows are the must-watch staples of the past five years. New icons will come out, but for now, these are the most perfect modern anime.

10

‘Sonny Boy’ (2021)

Image via Madhouse

Almost all the anime on this list are mainstream hits, but one of the lesser-known icons of the past decade is Sonny Boy. This unconventional isekai follows a class of students who mysteriously transport to a bizarre world. As they try to figure out the laws of this world, the students begin developing superpowers, and a natural hierarchy forms as they search for a way back home.

Sonny Boy was one of the last avant-garde anime series, and it impressed in a big way, delivering a stunning season of confusing, yet thought-provoking storytelling. This Lord of the Flies-esque anime delved into the creative realm to deliver a visually distinct and narratively complex anime that can be considered the must-watch hidden gem of the past five years.

9

‘Delicious in Dungeon’ (2024–Present)

Image via Trigger

The fantasy genre is bigger than ever, and series like Delicious in Dungeon prove that. After one of their party members is eaten by a dragon, the rest of the members either leave or plan to head back down. However, with no money, supplies, or food, they decide to cook the monsters they find down there. From adventuring to cooking creatures, there is more mystery that awaits them at the bottom of the dungeon.

Delicious in Dungeon is one of the most distinctive anime series of the 2020s, blending genuine fantasy mystery with fun monster gourmet creations. It has a brilliant use of worldbuilding and monster ecology, which works in favor of its cooking side adventures. No other anime does what Delicious in Dungeon does, and when the next season comes out, it may be the best fantasy anime of all time.

8

‘The Summer Hikaru Died’ (2025–Present)

Image via Netflix

Horror anime generally isn’t the best, but a history of lackluster shows can produce some hits, such as The Summer Hikaru Died. Yoshiki notices something wrong with his best friend, Hikaru, learning that he has actually died, and a spirit has taken over his body. Denying this new reality, Yoshiki struggles to come to terms with it while the new Hikaru just wants to be friends.

Whether fans prefer the eerie horror and riveting mystery or the dynamic between the two characters, The Summer Hikaru Died has more than enough to keep fans entertained. This gripping horror anime has thrills, character development, and gorgeous animation that create a terrifying yet nostalgic summer vibe, seeping in mystery that fans can’t wait to explore more of.

7

‘City the Animation’ (2025)

Image via Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation is a critically acclaimed studio known for some of the greatest anime series ever, and their latest masterpiece is City the Animation. Set in a unique town with even weirder residents, every day is a misadventure of fun, hilarity, and nostalgia. From a city-wide race to searching for a lost pendant, even normal activities evolve into grand events in this acclaimed anime.

City the Animation isn’t an action anime with the best fights, but it deserves more recognition for its directing and editing, which bring a creative flair that changes how the medium is presented. This explosion of imaginative craftwork is more impressive than most other anime, plus City the Animation is a charming comedy with surreal, chaotic, wholesome, and absurd humor that became one of the best anime shows from 2025.

6

‘The Apothecary Diaries’ (2023–Present)

Image via OLM

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Historical anime have been on the rise these past five years, and one of the greatest is The Apothecary Diaries. After being sold to the Imperial Palace, Maomao (Aoi Yūki) works as a servant girl, showcasing her skills as an apothecary and detective. Solving murder cases and creating new concoctions, she proves more and more useful in the inner court each day.

The Apothecary Diaries is a beloved anime that already has over 50 episodes with more on the way, plus a new movie. With an endearing cast of characters and new mysteries every episode that build into a grand plot, this engaging anime knows exactly how to hook fans. The Apothecary Diaries is a spectacular historical anime featuring romance, political intrigue, and thrilling mysteries, and its new season is one of the most anticipated anime series.

5

‘Odd Taxi’ (2021)

Image via Crunchyroll

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This list has its fair share of hidden gems or underwatched masterpieces, and one such anime is Odd Taxi. Odokawa (Natsuki Hanae) is a taxi driver who doesn’t like to stick his nose in his customers’ business. However, after a murder involving some of his passengers, Odokawa might be the missing piece to solving this mystery.

Odd Taxi flew under the radar this decade despite being one of the greatest anime of the past five years. The eccentric cast of characters was engaging, and each had its own relevance to the story. With a charming style and a dark plot, Odd Taxi was a masterful show with one of the best plot twists in anime, culminating in an unforgettable ending.

4

‘Orb: On the Movements of the Earth’ (2024–2025)

Image via Madhouse

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As mentioned, there are plenty of great historical anime, and the most recent masterpiece was Orb: On the Movements of the Earth. Back when the world believed the Earth was at the center of the universe, a book revealed that it wasn’t and that the Sun was the center of the galaxy. Following different protagonists through history, this is their struggle against the Church to prove heliocentrism.

What quickly became an anime-of-the-year candidate also established itself as a modern-day classic with a riveting story about human progress and knowledge. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth features brilliant themes and somehow manages to make each new protagonist just as compelling as the last, creating a once-in-a-lifetime anime experience that everyone must watch.

3

‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ (2023–Present)

No modern anime list would be complete without Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, possibly the greatest anime of the decade. Decades after defeating the demon king, Frieren’s (Atsumi Tanezaki) party has mostly passed away, leaving only their pupils. The near-immortal elf brings them on a nostalgic adventure to go to the land of the dead, where she wants to say unsaid words to her deceased friends.

Many fans claim it is the greatest modern anime series, and while it is nearly perfect, it doesn’t quite make the top of this list. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End proves that stopping to smell the roses and taking on side quests can be a compelling narrative. These small quests form a gorgeous story about the joys of the world in this fantasy setting. With a sprinkle of action and some engaging characters, Frieren is the largest anime sensation of the past five years.

2

‘Pluto’ (2023)

Image via Studio M2

Naoki Urasawa is a prolific author of some of the greatest manga of all time, and while his magnum opus is Monster, he has an equally engaging sci-fi masterpiece in Pluto. When one of the most advanced robots is murdered, Gesicht (Shinshū Fuji), another advanced android, is on the case. However, when the mystery begins to involve his past, he learns of a darker truth hidden behind everything.

Urasawa is known for his masterful mysteries that span over multiple decades, but Pluto has a more personal look, with plenty of emotional complexity and heavy themes alongside his staple riveting mystery. From the gorgeous animation and backgrounds to its profound themes that handle life and who has the right to feel, Pluto is a thought-provoking masterpiece that is one of the best things this decade has produced.

1

‘Cyberpunk: Edgerunners’ (2022–Present)

Image via Netflix

After years of only one season, Trigger surprised fans by announcing an unexpected sequel season of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, which will feature a new group of characters in Night City. After David’s (Kenn) mother passes away, he joins a gang with a cybernetically enhanced spine seeking revenge for her unjust death. However, all he will encounter is more tragedy and heartbreak.

The new season is one of the most anticipated anime series, but the first season is one of the greatest cyberpunk anime ever, using its marvelous worldbuilding and intricate city to create a vibrant story. The colors pop and the animation is exhilarating, creating an over-the-top series with a relentless pacing that will have fans overdosing with hype. Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is 10 episodes of pure, unfiltered excitement with an incredible narrative to boot.

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Cyberpunk: Edgerunners

Release Date

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2022 – 2022

Network

Netflix

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Writers

Mike Pondsmith, Yoshiki Usa, Masahiko Otsuka

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Franchise(s)

Cyberpunk

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By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 17 seconds ago

He may be on the cusp of releasing a final film and retiring from cinema, but Quentin Tarantino’s influence continues to be felt all throughout Hollywood. For example, his hit film Pulp Fiction helped entire generations of filmmakers learn how much more exciting their movies could be when they weren’t tied down by traditional chronological order. That Tarantino tradition is alive and well with Shimmer Lake, a neo-noir crime thriller comedy starring Dwight Schrute actor Rainn Wilson that effectively tells its story backward.

The Worst Heists Always Make For The Best Movies

Just what is Shimmer Lake really about? Without spoiling too much of this crazy film, the core narrative focuses on a sheriff trying to figure out exactly how a bank heist went so wrong.

The movie unfolds backward, showing us what happened in the days leading to the heist and its aftermath, an innovative format that allows us to follow along with the sheriff and try to figure out exactly what happened with this topsy-turvy mystery.

With Shimmer Lake, the casting is nearly as interesting as the narrative itself. Rainn Wilson, who became a household name thanks to The Office, plays one of the criminals in the film, and his fellow bad guys are played by Mark Rendall (who starred in the excellent Hannibal series on NBC) and Wyatt Russell (best known to Marvel fans for playing U.S. Agent in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier).

Meanwhile, the sheriff trying to unravel this bloody mystery is played by Benjamin Walker, someone who played the title character in the trashy-but-fun film Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

Directed By Oren Uziel

For all the major stars in front of the camera, Shimmer Lake mostly succeeds thanks to the talents of its director. The film is both written and directed by Oren Uziel, a Hollywood writer who was mostly known at the time for writing the hilarious sequel 22 Jump Street.

Shimmer Lake represents Uziel’s directorial debut, and while the film isn’t perfect (more on this soon), its sleek style and confidence instantly made us want more films from this unassuming director.

Perfect Comedy Of Errors, Or Epic Fail?

Shimmer Lake was distributed on Netflix, meaning that it didn’t have the chance to impress audiences at the box office. As for critics, they remain divided on this unconventional film: on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie currently has a critical rating of 67 percent, barely making it a “fresh” film. 

Some critics were hard on the performance of Rainn Wilson and others, noting that comedy performers are often out of place in a drama.

Other critics lauded the film for its innovative storytelling, something that adds innovation and excitement to what might otherwise be a very rote pulp narrative. And, of course, the film’s experimentation of chronological order invited several comparisons to Tarantino.

Are you going to think that Uziel is the next Tarantino, or will you agree with the critics who think these comedians should stick with comedy? The only way to find out is to stream Shimmer Lake on Netflix today.

Love it or hate it, we can all agree on one thing by the time it’s over: if Dwight had acted like this in The Office, Jim would have thought twice before doing all those crazy pranks.

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 23 seconds ago

Long before James Gunn took over the DC Universe movies, over 20 years before Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, Christopher Reeve was the perfect Superman. With nothing more than a slight change to his stance and inflection, Reeve could transition from Clark Kent to Superman in a second. The first two Superman films pairing Reeve with director Richard Donner are both masterpieces. It’s unfortunate that Reeve’s final film with the red cape is Superman IV: The Quest for Peace which has no Donner, no Richard Pryor, and not a clue about what makes a great Superman movie. The Quest for Peace was such a disappointment it destroyed the Superman movie franchise until 2006’s Superman Returns.

Superman Vs. The Cold War

Superman IV starts with Superman uncovering the ship that brought him to Earth, and retrieving a message from his mother that an onboard energy module has incredible power but can only be used once. That leads into him attending the United Nations and lecturing everyone on the dangers of nuclear arms proliferation. The Quest for Peace isn’t subtle in its message.

Once Luthor (a contractually obligated Gene Hackman) is broken out of jail by his nephew Lenny (Jon Cryer, ironically, he’d play Lex in the Supergirl series), he decides to attach a genetic matrix with Superman’s hair on it to a nuclear missile. This leads to the creation of Nuclear Man, an evil villain powered by the Sun with the strength to go toe to toe with Superman. Despite his immense power, Nuclear Man loves using his superpowered nails to rake Superman and cause radiation poisoning. Every supervillain should fight like Hollywood Hulk Hogan’s NWO run in WCW, what could go wrong? 

No Money, More Problems

Money. Or well, the complete the lack of it. The Cannon Group overextended during the 80s and wound up with a movie slate that they couldn’t fund. Christopher Reeve talked about the experience in his biography, Still Me, that the production wasn’t able to actually finish the movie. What they did shoot was obviously at a lower budget than the Donner films, and as Reeve anticipated, left audiences disappointed. 

The original plan for Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was Bizarro. The lock of hair, Luthor wanting revenge against Superman, Nuclear Man taking commands from Lex, it all points to the original Bizarro storyline. A deleted sequence would have shown the original Nuclear Man, who looked more inhuman and close to the albino grotesque version of the original Bizarro. That was taken out, alongside half the film’s budget, leaving the production team with only $17 million. 

Christopher Reeve Deserved Better

Christopher Reeve, collecting a $6 million check for coming back, was able to pitch his concept for a Superman film. The plot about nuclear arms came straight from Superman himself, he has a “Story By” credit, and again, his excellent biography is very open about the whole process behind the film. Which, again as he guessed, did horrible at the box office and earned only $36 million, not nearly enough for the studio to turn a profit. As a result, The Cannon Group had to file for bankruptcy. 

Superman was put on the backburner and Superman Returns rewrote the movie canon to erase both Superman III and Superman IV. Following his tragic horse-riding accident in 1995, Chirstopher Reeve was never able to put on the tights again, but no matter how badly his final two Superman films fared at the box office, he’ll always be Superman. 

Superman IV: The Quest for Peace is streaming on HBO Max, in case you want to remind yourself what an actually bad superhero movie looks like.