General Hospital early weekly spoilers for May 18th – 22nd see Carly Spencer (Laura Wright) increasingly desperate while Jenz Sidwell (Carlo Rota) loses it over sloppy people messing all of his carefully laid plans up because they are just out of control.

We’re going to talk about  Carly, Sidwell, Drew Cain Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison), Michael Corinthos (Rory Gibson), and a whole bunch of others. And as we always do on early edition day, we start with what is happening the rest of this week before we dive into what is coming next week. So, let’s get right to it.

General Hospital Spoilers: Wednesday, May 13th

On Wednesday, May 13th, we’ve got Sidwell meeting with Willow Tait Cain (Katelyn MacMullen). He summons her out to Wyndemere and tells her that the moment that if Drew can communicate, she is done. I wonder if Willow already gave him his next shot, but that may not matter because Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) is figuring things out thanks to Jack Brennan‘s (Chris McKenna) stroke. So, I’m wondering if Sidwell is going to suggest that it’s time to enact a more permanent solution to the Drew problem since we know that Sidwell wants him dead. Plus, if Willow is not useful to Sidwell, then he may need a permanent solution for her, too.

Curtis Ashford’s (Donnell Turner) concerns about Jordan Ashford (Tanisha Harper) intensify. She actually hopes it’s not Isaiah that was the other driver. And at this point, it seems like he’s not because I doubt he would risk Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) and Lulu Spencer (Alexa Havins Bruening), his best friend Lucky Spencer (Jonathan Jackson) sister and nephew, if Isaiah really was involved, because he could simply lie and say he didn’t even know there was a wreck at the time, but they are his alibi. That seems legit. Curtis tells Jordan he’s going to make sure that Isaiah answers for this. And at this point, I think he’s tried and convicted Isaiah for the crash that Curtis and Jordan brought on themselves.

GH Spoilers: Michael Loops Jacinda in

Michael tells Jacinda Bracken (Paige Herschell) what he’s planning, which is to destroy Willow by setting her and Harrison Chase (Josh Swickard) up for a fling. I bet Justinda would help. But my question is, was it Michael hiding in the bushes, creeping on Willow and Chase in the park, taking photos, or did he hire that private investigator who’s got the cute little dog?

Ethan Lovett (Nathan Parsons) invites Kristina Corinthos Davis (Kate Mansi) to do something. I feel like it’s not a date. Maybe it’s Ethan on a fishing expedition to find out more about Sidwell since Kristina knew Marco. I don’t think Ethan’s conspiring against Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), but I do think Ethan is using Sonny.

Also, Alexis Davis (Nancy Lee Grahn) tells Chase and Brooklyn to take care of something before they file to try and adopt Phoebe. Also, Isaiah tells Portia he is not going to frame himself for something he didn’t do. So, I wonder if Isaiah confides in Portia as much as he can without getting people in trouble, without naming names, violating his Hippocratic oath.

Isaiah may admit that the patient he saw did something illegal and he doesn’t want to out them as their alibi, but Isaiah also doesn’t want to take the blame. So Lulu may need to talk to Dante Falconeri (Dominic Zamprogna) about Isaiah after the conversation they have.

Over at General Hospital, Lucas tells Britt Westbourne (Kelly Thiebaud) they have to be sure because there will be no going back. And this week, Lucas is over at Britt’s room above Bobby’s Diner, and they’re getting smashed doing shots together. So, maybe they need to unwind after whatever stressful thing that they are dealing with.

Thursday, May 14th

On Thursday, May 14th, Dante has a difficult conversation. I’m guessing it’s with Rocco Falconeri about him shooting Cullum. I’m sure that Dante wants to know why Rocco thought he couldn’t come to him. But of course, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton), not Nathan, and Lulu took over and silenced Rocco. I think this could be good for Dante to have this talk because Rocco really needs him after he just fell apart with Britt.

Tracy is furious on Thursday, and I wonder if there’s any chance she finds out what Michael is plotting against Brook Lynn, or knowing Tracy, it could be almost anything. She has a hair trigger temper. Plus, Britt is mulling over her options, and that could be about Cullum, the meds, cold fusion, Rocco, everything. Laura explains her actions, and I wonder if Curtis is back to complain about Isaiah and press Laura to use her influence to get a warrant, or it could be with Sidwell.

Plus, Carly interrogates Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros). And of course, she knows exactly what happened at Willow’s because Valentin Cassadine (James Patrick Stuart) told her, but Nina doesn’t know that Valentin has been hiding out with Carly. So, I think she’s going to head up to General Hospital to see Jack since nobody else knows they broke up. And she’s going to see Nina there and grill her. And I’m really interested to see how many lies that she tells Carly.

Friday, May 15th

On Friday, May 15th, we have Elizabeth having something important to tell Dante. And I expect Liz is going to tell Dante that she thinks it’s very strange that two different men came into General Hospital with stroke like symptoms and both of these incidences happened at Willow’s house. Plus, Liz may also tell Dante that Drew was blinking SOS and then Willow refused to help him communicate.

General Hospital Spoilers: Alexis and Ric Unite

Alexis and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) unite for Molly. This may be about her book tour. I wonder if they’re concerned about Cody going along with Molly. Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) opens up to somebody unlikely. If he’s smart, it won’t be somebody who knows the real Nathan that well, but maybe it’s Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) since she knows who he is. Cullum gets nowhere with Carly. So, she’s stonewalling.

And it could be that Cullum is grilling her about what happened to Brennan, but she wasn’t with him. So Carly can legit say, “I wasn’t there. I don’t know what happened.” Valentin comes up with a strategy and it may be about how to find Josslyn or what to do about this Brennan mess.

General Hospital Spoilers: Week of May 18th-22nd

Then we’ve got the week of May 18th through the 22nd. And by the way, sweeps ends on Wednesday, May 20th. So we will have three big days before things settle back down into the usual pace. We might finally see some movement with Drew. No pun intended. Curtis isn’t done targeting Isaiah.

He seems fixated and Portia is going to be ticked when she finds out. I’m expecting explosive things at the baby shower. Willow and Nina scramble where Drew is concerned, but things are falling apart. Michael’s plan to push Willow and Chase together is in motion. Cassius is trying to get back in Lulu’s good graces. And Cassius told Dante that the two of them are done. But in the end, I don’t think Cassius is going to let Lulu go that easily.

Dante’s in a difficult position, and we may see Lulu telling him that Isaiah knows about Rocco’s injury, which means Isaiah likely knows their kid shot Cullum because of the nature of the slide burn and the timing of it. So, Dante may actually have to shield Isaiah. And Lulu may warn Dante, you’re in this now. Step up. I do suspect he’s also going to look into Willow after talking to Elizabeth.

General Hospital Spoilers:

I think Dante should actually go over and see Drew for himself. We’ll also have to wait and see if Rocco rats out Charlotte and Danny to Lulu and Dante to stop the Spoon Island caper. Carly is absolutely determined to find Josslyn. And we’ll see how long until Sidwell and Cullum realize Cassius snatched Joss and stuck her in the catacombs under Spoon Island.

Also, we’ve got some casting news, an update. Jonathan Bennett debuts on Monday, May 18th as police officer Joe Fitzpatrick. He’s going to be part of the PCPD. So, I wonder if Dante suspends Not Nathan over the Rocco stuff. You know, we’ll have to wait and see if Joe’s a replacement for somebody or just a new addition. He could be a replacement for Dante since it looks like he is staying as commissioner. You may recognize Jonathan Bennett from a ton of Hallmark Christmas movies and from All My Children, where he played JR Chandler.

Late NBA star Jason Collins is survived by his partner of 13 years, husband Brunson Green.

Collins, the first openly gay NBA athlete, died in May 2026.

“We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” the athlete’s family told the NBA in a statement. “Jason changed lives in unexpected ways and was an inspiration to all who knew him and to those who admired him from afar.”

The statement continued, “We are grateful for the outpouring of love and prayers over the past eight months and for the exceptional medical care Jason received from his doctors and nurses. Our family will miss him dearly.”

Related: Jason Collins, 1st Openly Gay NBA Player, Dead at 47

Former NBA star Jason Collins has died following a battle with brain cancer. He was 47. “We are heartbroken to share that Jason Collins, our beloved husband, son, brother and uncle, has died after a valiant fight with glioblastoma,” Collins’ family told the NBA in a Tuesday, May 12, statement, confirming the former athlete’s death. […]

Collins publicly came out as gay in 2013, one year before retiring from pro basketball.

“When I chose to come out, there was no scandal or anything,” Collins wrote in a December 2025 essay for ESPN. “This was like, I feel that I am good enough to play in the NBA and by the way, I’m gay. Just so everyone knows cards on the table, this is where I am.”

Collins started dating Green that same year. They wed in May 2025.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Collins’ husband:

How Did Jason Collins and Brunson Green Meet?

Collins and Green were introduced months after the pro athlete publicly came out as gay.

“We first met at a housewarming party last June, but I was dating someone else at the time,” Collins told The New York Times in June 2014. “Fast-forward to September, I’m single again, and I see him at a party in L.A. So we exchange information because he was leaving for Europe the next day. But while he was gone, I was asking everyone: Have you heard of this guy? The background check.”

Collins and Green were together for a decade before tying the knot in May 2025.

Brunson Green Is a Movie Producer

Green has worked as a film producer for decades, working on movies like 2011’s The Help.

“Well, we met in Mississippi through a mutual friend, and the only reason she introduced us was because he was interested in working in film and our mutual friend was like, ‘Brunson is coming into town and he works in film,’” Green told Collider at the time, referring to Tate Taylor. “So, she asked us to go to this blues festival together, and that’s when we first met. We had a lot of mutual friends, but we went to different high schools, so we didn’t know each other as kids. Our parents knew each other, but it was rival high schools.”

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Green added, “So, our first conversation was about film. I suggested that he go work on this movie called A Time to Kill, which was shooting in Jackson, and he worked on that and met Octavia [Spencer] on that movie. It’s weird that that one friend of ours in Mississippi, who put us together, is the whole reason Tate met Octavia, and then they all moved to L.A. We’re here because of friendship. It’s cool.”

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Related: Celebrity Deaths of 2026: NBA Player Jason Collins and More

Hollywood mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2026. The year started off with Broadway performer and influencer Bret Hanna-Shuford’s death at age 46. At the end of the month, comedy acting icon Catherine O’Hara died at age 71. In February, Designing Women’s Camilla Carr died at age 83, Dawson’s Creek […]

Brunson Green Supported Jason Collins During His Cancer Battle

Collins was diagnosed with stage IV glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, in 2025. Green stood by his side throughout his treatment.

“Even when fighting brain cancer, you have to recharge and @thesanchaya is the perfect getaway to do that,” Collins wrote via Instagram in November 2025. “Very relaxing birthday weekend for @brunsong & me. ❤️🏝️☀️😎💪🏾🙌🏾.”

Does your luggage bag (and its tag) feel more tired than tropical? Then you need to check out the new Vita Coco x Baboon to the Moon collection. Inspired by Vita Coco Treats’ new Frosted Lemonade flavor, the limited-edition collection transforms three practical travel essentials into sunshine-ready accessories that basically ooze vacation.

The Sweet Escape Essentials collection combines Baboon to the Moon’s beloved travel bags and tags with playful details inspired by Vita Coco Frosted Lemonade, including bright yellow colorways, embroidered coconut accents, and custom interior linings.

Whether you’re planning a tropical getaway or just want your commute to be slightly more fun, you’ll love this cheerful capsule. But hurry! The collaboration is limited edition, so snag your favorites before they disappear.

Vita Coco Go-Bag Mini

The Go-Bag Mini is the perfect personal-item-sized companion for quick trips. It fits up to three days’ worth of clothing while still sliding under the seat in front of you, making it ideal for long weekends and overnight stays alike. Plus, the glossy lemon finish makes spotting your bag in a sea of black carry-ons way easier.

Get the Vita Coco Go-Bag Mini at Baboon to the Moon!

Vita Coco Go-Bag Roller

Need something a little roomier? The Go-Bag Roller was made to move with you, and can go from a backpack to a roller in a snap. The weather-resistant bag features compression straps, a handy laptop sleeve, and comfortably fits three to five days’ worth of clothing.

Get the Vita Coco Go-Bag Roller at Baboon to the Moon!

Vita Coco Luggage Tag

No travel setup is complete without the matching luggage tag, and this one leans into the collection’s playful personality. It’s made from soft, flexible silicone and is durable enough to survive baggage claim while adding an easy-to-spot pop of color to your suitcase. The back even reads ‘Get Lost.’ How cheeky!

Get the Vita Cocoa Luggage Tag at Baboon to the Moon!

Demi Moore is once again sparking online concern over her noticeably slim appearance. The 63-year-old actress stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday for the prestigious Jury photocall, where fans quickly flooded social media with comments about her thinner-than-ever frame.

Demi Moore, who has faced ongoing speculation surrounding her recent weight loss, wore a colorful Jacquemus dress that highlighted her toned arms, angular shoulders, and tiny waist as she posed for photographers on the red carpet. She completed the look with oversized sunglasses and bow-detailed heels while flashing her glamorous smile.

Although many fans praised Moore’s high-fashion Cannes look, others expressed concern over her noticeably slimmer physique. The actress has not publicly addressed Ozempic rumors, and there is no confirmation she has used any weight-loss medication. Still, social media users quickly began speculating after photos from the event surfaced online.

“Pretty sad she has become this to fit in the Hollywood crowd,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Demi Moore. That extreme thinness is not healthy.” Other critics posted comments including “Chicken arms” and “She looks insufferable.”

Some Fans Defended Moore’s Appearance

Despite the criticism, many fans rushed to defend the actress and praised her appearance at Cannes. “She looks great,” one supporter wrote, while another called the look “so whimsical.”

Others pointed out that Moore has maintained a naturally slim frame throughout much of her career. “She has been thin all of her life. She just happens to be older now, and aging changes how your skin looks,” one person commented.

Another user suggested her hairstyle may have emphasized her facial features more dramatically. “I think if her hair were shorter and around her face, her face would not look so thin,” they wrote. “Regardless, I think she looks great.”

Demi Moore Previously Sparked Concern Earlier This Year

This is not the first time Moore’s appearance has fueled discussion online. Back in March, fans voiced similar concerns after the “The Substance” star appeared on the red carpet at the Actor Awards. At the time, social media users questioned whether the actress’ slimmed-down appearance could be connected to Hollywood’s growing obsession with Ozempic and other GLP-1 weight-loss medications.

“Is she on Ozempic?” one user asked online. “Too skinny,” another wrote. Others questioned how dramatically Moore’s appearance appeared to have changed over the past year. “She… didn’t look like this last year, did she?” one person asked. Another commenter added, “Good grief is all of Hollywood on Ozempic?”

Moore Previously Opened Up About Her Struggles With Body Image

Years before her recent red carpet appearances sparked online discussion, Moore candidly spoke about her complicated relationship with body image, aging, and self-acceptance. During a 2012 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actress reflected on the emotional pressure she often felt surrounding her appearance throughout her Hollywood career.

Moore admitted she frequently found herself feeling “at odds” with her body, especially during moments when she felt it was changing in ways she could not control. “I have had a love-hate relationship with my body,” Moore said at the time. “When I’m at the greatest odds with my body, it’s usually because I feel my body’s betraying me.” The actress explained those feelings were often tied to weight struggles, physical limitations, and the natural effects of aging.

Demi Moore Recently Shared The Wellness Routine She Swears By

Just weeks before her latest Cannes appearance sparked online chatter, Moore opened up about the daily wellness habits she follows to feel her best physically and mentally.

Speaking to Elle in an interview published earlier this month, “The Substance” star said she has become increasingly intentional about how she cares for both her body and mind. “I start my days with meditation and being present. I love journaling as well,” Moore shared. “Then I like to get my body moving and get the blood flowing. I also prioritize hydration and sleep.”

The actress also emphasized that paying attention to what she consumes, both internally and externally, has become extremely important to her over the years. According to Moore, her nighttime routine has especially become a major part of maintaining balance in her life.

“I’ve become very intentional about my evening routine,” she explained. “Taking the time to truly transition from the chaos of the day into a state of rest has been life-changing, and part of that is doing my skin care.”

Some Netflix movies are a slow burn, and find an audience slowly. This is not one of them. The streamer’s latest animated fantasy adventure already had a huge opening weekend, but its first full week has pushed it into even bigger territory. Not bad for a movie about two creatures swapping bodies and being forced to deal with the kind of interspecies drama that family movies love almost as much as emotional third-act revelations.

Swapped has now broken the record for the highest weekly viewership ever for a Netflix animated movie. According to Tudum, the film pulled in 38.7 million views over the past seven days, making it the clear No. 1 title on Netflix’s weekly English-language movie Top 10. That comes after the movie debuted with 15.5 million views in its first three days, which already gave Netflix its best animated movie opening since Leo in 2023.

Directed by Nathan Greno, Swapped follows Ollie, a tiny woodland creature voiced by Michael B. Jordan, and Ivy, a majestic bird voiced by Juno Temple, after the two magically switch bodies. Their strange new situation forces them to understand why their two species have been divided for so long, while also turning the movie into a big, bright fantasy adventure about empathy, perspective, and the nightmare of suddenly being built entirely wrong for your own life.

The cast includes Tracy Morgan (30 Rock, The Longest Yard) as Boogle, Cedric the Entertainer (Barbershop, The Neighborhood) as Caloo, Justina Machado (One Day at a Time, Jane the Virgin) as Calli, Ambika Mod (One Day, This Is Going to Hurt) as Violet, Lolly Adefope (Ghosts, Shrill) as Lily, and Táta Vega (The Color Purple, The Lion King) as Ollie’s Grandma.

What’s ‘Swapped’ About, Really?

The film’s director, Nathan Greno, recently sat down with Collider and was effusive in his praise about the work the cast had done in the film. According to Greno, Temple brought sadness and vulnerability to scenes he thought he already understood, while Jordan’s process changed the way Greno thinks about directing voice performances at all.

“And then Mike… it’s Mike. I mean, Michael B. Jordan is, I mean… the way he records, I’ve never experienced anything like that, and it’s kind of changed the way I even direct now, when I’m going forward. It’s, like, his way of working and his way of, like, finding the truth within the lines. Both of them change the course of the movie 100%.”

Temple, speaking to Collider’s Steve Weintraub, added that the message of the movie was an important one for her, and that she hopes kids took a lot from it. “I hope that they feel the absolute importance and need for friendship we’ll have throughout life. It doesn’t matter how old you are, where you come from, what you do, your friends are always going to be integral to making your life better, bigger, and more beautiful,” said Temple.

Swapped is streaming now on Netflix.

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Release Date

May 1, 2026

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Runtime

102 minutes

Director

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Nathan Greno

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Emma Roberts and Evan Peters reunited publicly this week for the first time in years, but fans quickly noticed tension between them during their on-stage appearance. The exes appeared together on Wednesday at Disney’s Advertising Upfront showcase in New York City to help announce Paul Anthony Kelly’s addition to Season 13 of Ryan Murphy’s “American Horror Story.” The former couple shared the stage alongside fellow “AHS” stars Sarah Paulson, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, and Angela Bassett. However, eagle-eyed fans noticed Emma Roberts and Evan Peters noticeably keeping their distance from one another during the presentation.

The “American Horror Story” announcement marks the first time Roberts and Peters have worked together publicly since 2018. Their relationship began in 2012, when the pair met while filming the comedy-drama “Adult World.”

By 2013, the actors had officially gone public with their romance and made their red carpet debut together at the Golden Globe Awards. However, their relationship quickly became one of Hollywood’s most talked-about romances following a highly publicized domestic violence incident later that same year.

Police Were Called During Roberts And Peters’ 2013 Incident

According to TMZ, police were called to the couple’s hotel room in Montreal in July 2013 after someone reported a fight between Roberts and Peters. When officers arrived at the scene, Roberts, who was 22 at the time, was reportedly arrested after police allegedly observed Peters with a bloodied nose.

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There were also rumors circulating at the time claiming Roberts may have bitten the “American Horror Story” actor’s ear during the altercation, though TMZ sources denied those allegations. Roberts was taken into custody before being released from jail just hours afterward. Peters, who was 26 at the time, ultimately declined to press charges against the actress.

Evan Peters Once Called Emma Roberts His ‘Best Friend’

At one point, Peters openly praised working alongside Roberts while filming the hit FX anthology series. “It’s really amazing,” Peters told PEOPLE after wrapping “AHS: Coven.” “You’re at set, and you’re in a city that you don’t really know that well. It’s nice to have your best friend there to go to dinner with and check out the city.”

He added, “On set, if you’re having a bad day or whatever, you can go to somebody and talk to her, and she’s right there. You don’t have to wait until you’re done working, so it was nice.”

Emma Roberts And Evan Peters Split For Good In 2019

Although the couple briefly got engaged, Roberts and Peters called off the engagement in 2015 and continued an on-again, off-again relationship for several more years. The pair officially split for good in 2019 after seven years together.

Following the breakup, Roberts admitted that dealing with a public split under the microscope of social media was difficult. “I think that no matter who you are or what you do or wherever in the world you are, anything ending is hard,” Roberts told Cosmopolitan in 2019. “Losing something is hard.”

“Growing up is hard,” she continued. “Sometimes it makes me sad that I can’t have a private moment … Because of Twitter and Instagram, there’s a whole other element where everybody can comment on what you’re doing, and no one knows the real story. That’s hard.”

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Since their split, both stars have seemingly moved on. Roberts is now engaged to actor Cody John, while Peters was most recently linked to Natalie Engel, but reports surfaced last year that they had split.

‘American Horror Story’ Season 13 Is Bringing Back Major Fan Favorites

The upcoming 13th season of “American Horror Story” is already shaping up to be one of the franchise’s most star-studded installments yet. During Disney’s upfront presentation, it was revealed that actor Paul Anthony Kelly will officially join the new season following his breakout role as John F. Kennedy Jr. in Ryan Murphy’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.”

As expected with the long-running FX horror anthology, plot details for Season 13 are still being kept tightly under wraps. However, Kelly is joining an absolutely stacked cast that already includes Emma Roberts, Sarah Paulson, Gabourey Sidibe, Billie Lourd, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Jessica Lange, Ariana Grande, Kathy Bates, and Leslie Grossman.

The Walking Dead has proven itself to be the franchise that just won’t die — and fans wouldn’t have it any other way. In November 2022, the original series trotted past the finish line after an incredibly successful 11-season run. In cases like these, it’s always hard for audiences to say goodbye, but their break from the zombie-ridden universe was a short one, thanks to the announcement of several offshoots. Following the success of its three initial spin-offs, The Walking Dead continued to branch out after the final nail closed the coffin on the original series, which gave fan-favorite characters a chance to continue their storylines in new, exciting, and unforeseen places.

For starters, there was the arrival of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which, in its debut season, followed Norman Reedus’ titular character to the shores of France. In the three seasons since, viewers have tagged along with the motorcycle-riding zombie-killing baddie across Europe, with his bestie Carol (Melissa McBride) also eventually coming along for the adventure. There was also The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, a one-season wonder that showcased the undying love between Andrew Lincoln’s Rick and Danai Gurira’s Michonne Grimes. And then there is The Walking Dead: Dead City, a show that had the fandom talking from its first announcement, thanks to its main characters Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan).

For two seasons, the show has followed Negan and Maggie’s journey from enemies to trusted friends with a third batch of episodes slated to roll out this summer and further dig into their unlikely bond. Today, as part of Collider’s Exclusive Summer Preview event, we’ve got a brand-new look at the primary characters, who look like they’ll be as thick as thieves in the next installment.

Lucille Makes a Comeback

In our sneak peek image, we see what will undoubtedly be a goosebump-inducing moment for longtime viewers of the franchise. In the image, Negan and Maggie take a break from destroying their common foes while cracking open a few beers together. Highlighting the growth that has happened for the latter since the Season 2 finale, the shot depicts Maggie passing Negan’s beloved barbed wire-covered bat Lucille back into the hands of its rightful owner. Considering that Negan used Lucielle to beat the life out of Maggie’s husband Glenn (Steven Yeun) all the way back in Season 7 of the flagship, the moment is a monumental one for both of the title’s leading characters.

Check out our new look at The Walking Dead: Dead City above and stay tuned for more to come from Collider’s Exclusive Preview Event.

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Release Date

June 18, 2023

Network

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AMC

Directors

Kevin Dowling, Loren Yaconelli

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Writers

Brenna Kouf

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Franchise(s)

The Walking Dead

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Musical biopics are difficult to get right. Usually, they’re under so much pressure to please fans that they bend the truth or leave out key facts, flattening complex lives into neat, digestible arcs. Rather than being real flesh-and-blood people with deep flaws alongside their talents, their subjects are more often like waxworks at Madame Tussauds (a charge that some have leveled at the recently released Michael).

Nevertheless, a few of these films do a fine job. Seemingly doing the impossible, the musical biopics on this list capture the exhilarating highs of artistic creation alongside the psychological costs of fame. These films strive to reveal the real people behind the legendary songs, offering an intimate portrayal of larger-than-life figures.

‘Rocketman’ (2019)

Image via Paramount Pictures

“I’m still standing.” Rocketman rejects the traditional biopic structure almost immediately, framing Elton John’s life as a surreal, musical therapy session. It opens with Elton (Taron Egerton) entering rehab, dressed in one of his flamboyant stage outfits, before unraveling his past through elaborate fantasy sequences tied to his songs.

Instead of mechanically moving from the cookie-cutter beats of “childhood hardship” to “fame” to “addiction” to “redemption,” the film transforms the star’s inner life into a full-blown fantasy musical. Events are not presented as they happened, but as Elton experiences them. This approach allows the film to explore its subject’s mind in a way a straightforward narrative never could. On top of that, Egerton deserves praise for his remarkable performance: he’s convincing in the big dramatic moments and shows off great vocal chops to boot. His Oscar snub remains among the worst in recent memory.

‘Love & Mercy’ (2014)

Image via Lionsgate

“I just wasn’t made for these times.” Paul Dano turns in a strong performance here as the young version of Beach Boys frontman Brian Wilson, while John Cusack is solid too as his older self. Like Rocketman, Love & Mercy gets a little experimental with its narrative structure, splitting the story across two timelines. One thread follows the young Wilson at the height of his creative powers, crafting the groundbreaking album Pet Sounds. The other focuses on an older Wilson, struggling under the control of a manipulative therapist (Paul Giamatti).

The movie’s treatment of mental illness is sensitive, in large part thanks to Dano’s fine work. He captures both Wilson’s childlike enthusiasm for music and the anxiety slowly consuming him. In particular, he really communicates the intensity of the musician’s creativity: the obsessive layering of sounds, the strange sonic experiments, and the near-spiritual pursuit of beauty.

‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ (1980)

Image via Universal Pictures

“I’m Loretta Lynn, and I sing.” Coal Miner’s Daughter follows Loretta Lynn (Sissy Spacek, disappearing into the role brilliantly) from her poor upbringing in rural Kentucky to her rise as one of country music’s most iconic voices. What sets it apart is its attention to detail. The early years are given as much weight as the later success; her struggles and growth are depicted honestly.

Director Michael Apted clearly tried to avoid both romanticization and judgment, which comes through most clearly in the way the movie explores Lynn’s marriage to Doolittle Lynn (Tommy Lee Jones). The relationship is loving, volatile, frustrating, and messy all at once. Doolittle helps launch Loretta’s career, yet he’s also controlling, immature, and frequently destructive. Jones’ complex performance refuses to flatten the man into either a pure villain or a supportive husband stereotype.

‘A Complete Unknown’ (2024)

Image via Searchlight Pictures

“People keep asking who I am. I’m still figuring that out.” A Complete Unknown focuses on only the early years of Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) career, which gives it more time to go deep. The young musician transitions from folk purist to something more ambiguous and controversial, and his ambitions place a strain on his professional relationships as well as his romance with Sylvie (Elle Fanning).

An Oscar-nominated Chalamet is handed an incredibly challenging role, but makes it look easy. On top of singing the songs himself and nailing them, he also captures Dylan’s infamously mercurial nature. The artist’s motivations remain partially obscured, his persona shifting depending on context. In the process, A Complete Unknown also creates a vivid snapshot of the cultural moment surrounding Dylan’s rise, including the expectations placed on him and the backlash to his artistic evolution.

‘Control’ (2007)

Image via Momentum Pictures

“Love will tear us apart.” Control tells the story of Ian Curtis (Sam Riley), the lead singer of Joy Division. We watch him rise from a quiet young man to the frontman of a band on the verge of breakthrough success, before his life unravels under the weight of illness and emotional turmoil. Here, director Anton Corbijn (who handled music videos for acts like Depeche Mode and Nirvana) strips the musical biopic down to something stark, almost skeletal.

Shot in black and white, the film feels intimate and unadorned, refusing the usual mythologizing that surrounds tragic artists. Instead, it focuses on Curtis as a person: he’s awkward, conflicted, often overwhelmed by forces he doesn’t fully understand. In particular, Riley especially excels at showing the disconnect between Curtis onstage and offstage. During performances, he becomes magnetic, yet away from the microphone, he seems exhausted and withdrawn.

‘Walk the Line’ (2005)

Image via 20th Century Studios

“Looks like you’re going to a funeral.” A Completer Unknown‘s James Mangold also directed Walk the Line, featuring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash. Based on two non-fiction biographies of Cash, we follow the Man in Black from his early years through his struggles with addiction and his relationship with June Carter (an Oscar-winning Reese Witherspoon). Their dynamic evolves naturally, shaped by mutual admiration and frustration, and their bond becomes the movie’s emotional core.

Both leads are fantastic, significantly elevating the film above the more standard biopic it might easily have been. At the same time, Mangold deserves props for the seamless way he integrates the music into the film, and how deftly he balances the story’s darker elements (particularly substance abuse and grief) with moments of warmth and humor. Walk the Line consistently frames Cash’s self-destruction as connected to unresolved trauma and spiritual emptiness.

‘La Vie en Rose’ (2007)

Image via Icon Film Distribution

“I regret nothing.” Marion Cotillard took home the Best Actress Oscar for her work here as French singer Édith Piaf, and rightly so. She doesn’t so much play the musician as become her, capturing her voice and mannerisms with uncanny accuracy. Even more impressively, she recreates the star’s presence, the way she occupies space and, later, the way she carries pain. Indeed, few performers could convincingly portray the artist’s youthful fire and her physical collapse in old age. In the later scenes, Cotillard appears literally twisted from illness.

On the aesthetic side, in telling Piaf’s story, La Vie en Rose embraces a fragmented, almost impressionistic structure. Rather than following a linear timeline, it moves back and forth through her life, capturing moments of triumph and despair in equal measure, often one right after the other. Piaf’s rise from poverty to international fame is intertwined with personal loss, leading to an intense, almost surreal experience.

‘Amadeus’ (1984)

Image via Orion Pictures

“God, why have you chosen me to suffer?” Amadeus reframes the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Tom Hulce) through the eyes of his rival, Antonio Salieri (F. Murray Abraham). Salieri obsesses over Mozart, whose genius he both admires and resents. In the process, what could have been a dry history lesson instead becomes something intense and deeply psychological. It makes for a remarkable study of artistic ambition and seething resentment.

Both leads are excellent in very different ways. Abraham makes Salieri simultaneously sympathetic and monstrous, his envy slowly mutating into a kind of spiritual rage. Hulce, by contrast, is pure chaos: childish, impulsive, sexually immature, obnoxiously loud, and socially reckless, a far cry from the dignified marble-statue image often associated with classical composers. All in all, Amadeus is both sharply intelligent and endlessly entertaining, packed with great moments and, of course, powerful music.