By Chris Snellgrove
| Updated 19 seconds ago

Say what you will about Marvel Studios, but they are still capable of surprising us. We haven’t gotten any big reveals about Avengers: Doomsday for a hot minute, and many fans assumed that we wouldn’t get anything significant until San Diego Comic-Con. However, the studio shocked everyone by releasing the first full trailer for the upcoming film online this morning. It’s far more substantial than the teasers we got last year, showing ample footage of our heroes teaming up to fight a new threat. We also get a great look at Doctor Doom in action as he deflects a mighty attack from Thor without breaking a sweat.

While the fan reaction has been divided, the trailer has some undeniably cool moments, including Steve Rogers’ reunion with Thor. What you might not realize while you’re soaking it all in, though, is that Marvel is effectively lying to us with this trailer. Most of the dialogue comes from Thor, who is rallying other heroes against a threat they will need “a miracle” to stop. The framing of the Avengers: Doomsday trailer implies that Doom himself is the threat. In reality, everyone is freaking out about the movie’s real Big Bad: the incursions that threaten the entire multiverse and that will kill all of your favorite heroes.

Mighty Marvel Misdirection

Now, before we get started, a word of warning. In discussing the first Avengers: Doomsday trailer, I’m going to be dipping into spoilers for the film. Some of these spoilers come from trusted leakers, but most come from my long boxes of comics. You see, Doomsday and Secret Wars are adapting a Marvel comics storyline that came out over a decade ago, so it’s easy to extrapolate some of where these films are going. If you haven’t read the comics or peeked at the leaks, though, my breakdown may spoil some of the movie’s biggest surprises. That makes this your last chance to back out if you’d rather know as little about Doomsday as possible.

Still with me? Great. Now, why do I say the Avengers: Doomsday trailer is effectively lying to us? Most of the dialogue comes from Thor, who gives a grim speech to other heroes. He discusses how he has teamed up with far stronger warriors who “died facing enemies and threats that scared me far less than this one.” He ends the speech saying, “we’re going to need a miracle.” There are plenty of interesting scenes while he speaks, but none are as captivating as Thor’s fight with Doctor Doom. Because of this, the trailer leads us to believe Thor has been talking about Doom the entire time.

The Saddest Marvel Movie

He isn’t, though. What he is talking about, which is only hinted at in the trailer (when Xavier looks up to see a bright explosion), are the incursions. Ripped straight from Marvel Comics, the plot of Avengers: Doomsday deals with different realities colliding into one another. When this happens, both universes are destroyed. However, a universe can survive by doing something horrific: wiping out the other universe before the collision. Doctor Doom alludes to this in the trailer when he talks about being “faced with an unthinkable decision.” That decision is whether the heroes are willing to wipe out entire realities in order to save everyone they love.

So, all of this is more or less backed up by official synopses for Avengers: Doomsday. The next parts are based on speculation from me and other comics-loving fans across the internet. Early in the trailer, we see Xavier looking in shock at a bright explosion. This is one of the other realities (most likely the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man universe) getting destroyed. According to the rumors, the X-Men have had to do this several times before, which is why the Avengers are wary of them. Presumably, this is why Gambit and Mystique are fighting, respectively, Shang-Chi and White Widow Yelena Belova in Xavier’s mansion.

From Secret Enemies To Secret Wars

Interestingly, the rumors claim that Doctor Doom presents himself as an ally first … someone who convinces both the Fantastic Four and Steve Rogers to come to the 616 universe and work with the Avengers to stop the incursions. However, the heel turn comes when the villain reveals that he actually wants the incursions to happen, and by the end, one of those incursions has killed everyone except Doom, who uses powers stolen from Loki to resurrect everyone, erase their memories, and make them part of the only reality that is left: Doom’s Battleworld. Avengers: Secret Wars will show what happens next, and its climax will help reboot the MCU.

Kevin Feige is basically gambling everything on that reboot. It will pave the way for properly introducing new X-Men into the MCU, recasting popular characters, and even bringing in fan-favorite superheroes like Miles Morales. There’s a certain irony here, of course: the incursions are the major existential threat of Avengers: Doomsday, and because of them, none of our favorite heroes will survive. Without those incursions, though, we’d never get the upcoming reset, and without that, there would be no way for the MCU to live. 

Multiple fictional worlds at stake, an entire cinematic universe on the line, and Robert Downey Jr. talking like Nandor from What We Do in the Shadows? Superhero fatigue be damned, it sounds like Avengers: Doomsday will be one hell of a thrill ride!

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 3 seconds ago

With less than five months left until the film’s release, Marvel has taken their marketing for Avengers: Doomsday to the next level. Right now, fans are mostly focused on the trailer that dropped today, which is no surprise; after all, it’s not every day that you see the reunion of Thor and Steve Rogers or, for that matter, a battle between Shang-Chi and Gambit. Amid all the breathless hype over the trailer, however, a more powerful advertisement is lurking in plain sight. At the same time Marvel launched the trailer, they also released a new Avengers: Doomsday poster.

Compared to that crowded character poster, the new poster is downright subdued. It features Doctor Doom staring at a huge tapestry with a broken world and two characters: a woman and a boy. Some comics fans think this image is Doom and his mother, a character who is eventually damned to Hell. However, other fans are convinced that this is actually an image of Doom’s wife and child; if true, this would effectively ruin the biggest plot twist. How does it do that? If you don’t mind some potential spoilers for this year’s biggest film, just keep reading!

You Can’t Spell “Painting” Without “Pain”

So, let’s start this story in reverse (just don’t let the TVA get me!): why do some fans think the woman in this poster is Doctor Doom’s mother? In the comics, she’s a big deal. To defeat an evil dictator who was ruling her country with an iron fist (an actual fist, not the kung-fu guy), she made a deal with the devil. As usual, the deal went wrong, and she lost control of the powers that she gained from Mephisto. She renounced those powers, got killed, and was then dragged into Hell. To see her again, Doom later mastered magic, visited Mephisto, and conducted an experiment that ruined his own face.  

However, all of the lore behind this origin story is too dense to fit into Avengers: Doomsday, a movie which is already crowded with endless character cameos. It seems the movie is taking a different direction, as multiple reports have claimed that the two figures are actually Doom’s wife and child. An unconfirmed leak of the movie’s plot (don’t say I didn’t warn you about spoilers, kids!) claims that Doom actually lost his family to one of the incursions, which is when one reality collides with another. This motivates Doom to learn more about the incursions and to plot his revenge.

A Hero Will Be Broken

Revenge against whom, you ask? According to the leaked plot, Steve Rogers! Reportedly, Loki visits the former Captain America in the past and warns him that the TVA will prune his entire timeline because he’s not supposed to be there. In an act of seeming kindness, Loki brings Cap, Peggy, and their young son to the Fantastic Four’s universe. However, the leak claims that Steve’s presence in this universe somehow triggers an incursion and that Doom disfigured himself and killed his own wife and son trying to stop it. In a shocking twist, Doom reportedly kills Steve’s son in front of the hero in an act of vengeance.

Now, again, all of this comes from a leaked plot summary that hasn’t been confirmed, so all of this could be an Ego-sized bottle of hogwash. But it’s worth noting that the Avengers: Doomsday teasers last year prominently focused on both Captain America and Thor becoming fathers. This potentially adds credence to the idea that this is a film about family and how far someone will go to protect the ones they love. If the leaks are true, this innocuous poster featuring Doctor Doom is spoiling the motivation the villain will have to cross time and space and cross countless moral event horizons along the way.

A movie where costumed vigilantes (like Batman, Spider-Man, and so many more) are driven by the ghosts of family members they lost when they were children? Well, nobody ever accused Marvel of being all that original!

Steven “Steve” McBee Sr.’s family experienced an emotional goodbye during the latest episode of The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys.

“We’ll have some hard days ahead, but it won’t be anything like this,” Steve’s eldest son, Steven McBee Jr., told his family on the Monday, July 20, episode of the Bravo series as they drove together from Missouri to South Dakota watch their father begin his mandated prison time at FPC Yankton.

Steve’s ex-wife, Kristi McBee — with whom he shares four sons — was on hand during the five-hour drive, serving as a source of support for their children. (The episode was filmed in December 2025.)

“We got the bus because we all just wanted to spend as much time together as possible,” she told the cameras as footage of the large bus driving through snowy terrain flashed across the screen.

As the camera panned around the bus, Steve’s sons, Steven, 33, Jesse, Cole and Brayden McBee, all tried to keep their emotions in check. However, it was clear that the sadness of the day was felt by them all, including Jesse’s wife, Alli McBee, who had puffy eyes from crying.

In the background, Blues Saraceno’s 2013 song “Carry Me Back Home” played, setting the tone for the melancholy journey.

“Goodnight, my dear, be still your worried heart / Keep me in your prayers, and we’ll never be apart,” the American musician sang while playing the guitar.

Kristi could be seen wiping tears from her eyes as a “Federal Prison Camp” sign appeared, telling everyone she’s been “dreading this moment.”

Kristi — who divorced Steve in 2019 after 28 years of marriage amid his affair with Galyna Saltkovska — then told her boys and their significant others, “It’s gonna be OK.”

“My dad has always been our biggest hope. Kinda the person to rally us and give us confidence in any situation,” Jesse revealed during a confessional. “No matter what we do, no matter what we say, we can’t change what’s happening right now. I think that’s the hardest part.”

Steve, who remained off camera while on the bus, tried to lighten the mood by checking on Cole’s fiancée, Kacie Adkison — the only person at that point in time not starting to tear up.

“Kacie, you good?” Steve, 54, asked, to which she nodded. “She’s the rock here,” the patriarch said.

Kacie — who is pregnant with her and Cole’s second baby — made a joke, telling her future father-in-law, “I’m ready to get rid of ya.”

The comment broke the tension on the bus and everyone let out a little — but much needed — laugh.

“That’s why I love ya,” Steve told her, before he made his way off the bus and outside into the snow alone.

Steve yelled back, “Bye, baby,” seemingly talking to his granddaughters, Blair and Summer, who were both under the age of 1 when he reported to prison.

Advertisement

Related: Steven McBee Jr. Reveals When Dad Steve Sr. Will Be Released From Prison

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys stars are gearing up to welcome Steven “Steve” McBee Sr. home early amid his two-year prison stint, Us Weekly can exclusively confirm. “Thankfully, we’re down to less than two months now before he gets out,” Steve’s eldest son, Steven McBee Jr., exclusively told Us on Thursday, July 16, confirming that […]

“Love you, dad,” Steven, 33, said as both he and Cole began to cry back in the vehicle.

As Steve exited the bus, baby Blair began to cry and the rest of the group huddled at the window to see him make his way to the gate.

Steve wore a green hooded sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers and was carrying what appeared to be a Bible as he left his family to start serving his time.

“To see him walking away into prison by himself, it is a top three hardest day in my life,” Steven later told the cameras. “I don’t want to say that it’s broken our spirit, but we’re damn close to being there.”

Steve reported to prison on December 1, 2025, after pleading guilty to one count of crop insurance fraud in November 2024. He was sentenced in October 2025 to two years behind bars and two years of supervised release.

Steve, who founded McBee Farms & Cattle Co., was ordered to pay $4 million in restitution and $3 million in fines.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Less than one year into his sentence, Steven exclusively told Us that his dad was “down to less than two months now before he gets out.”

Steven revealed on Thursday, July 16, that Steve was “able to get into a program that allows him to cut down on the time served” but when he is released later this year, he will be “under home confinement for four to six months.”

The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys airs on Bravo on 9 p.m. ET.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 second ago

My absolute favorite kind of movie is the anthology. When you have a collection of short films all rolled into one, it provides the ultimate ROI for the audience. Don’t like one of the stories? You can just thug it out with the short runtime or skip ahead to the next tale. Either way is infinitely preferable to slogging through a two-hour film that started boring you to tears in the first scene. The anthology is much rarer in television, however, because networks and streamers have learned just how attached fans get to the same characters and stories, causing them to run these shows into the ground.

Heroes, Stranger Things, Star Trek: Discovery…what do all of these shows have in common? They were designed to be anthologies that would change things up each season, but their early success meant we were stuck with the same cast for years as the show got worse. Fortunately, true anthology lovers are just a click away from getting their fix. Right now, Tales From the Crypt is streaming for free on Tubi, just waiting to delight all you ghouls and boys. It’s not just the perfect anthology show; it is, in fact, the greatest horror series ever made!

Meet The Cryptkeeper

Tales From the Crypt fully embraces its anthology format, with every single episode focusing on different characters and different terrifying tales. What ties all of them together is our host, the Cryptkeeper. He’s a snarky, hilariously mean corpse of a character brought to life by a small army of puppeteers. The show originated on HBO, and its creators embraced the fact that it didn’t have to abide by any of the restrictive standards of network television. As such, episodes were filled to the brim with vulgar language, nudity, sex, and more buckets of blood than you can shake a bodybag at.

Younger horror fans should know that it’s almost impossible to overstate the popularity of Tales From the Crypt and its ghoulish host. Despite all the blood, breasts, and beasts, the show was wildly popular with kids, including my own underage self. Accordingly, it got two spinoffs aimed directly at children: Tales From the Cryptkeeper (a Saturday Morning children’s cartoon) and Secrets of the Cryptkeeper’s Haunted House (a weird gameshow). If that seems odd, this was during the same time that Kenner marketed toys based on Terminator 2 and Aliens directly to kids. What can I say? The ‘90s were weird, man!

Friends In Low Places

One compelling reason to check out Tales From the Crypt is that it had plenty of awesome guest stars, all of whom were happy to do an episode without being tied down to a long contract. Guests included Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brad Pitt, Michael J. Fox, Tom Hanks, and so many more. In most cases, these actors are performing against type, making what happens to them onscreen that much more shocking. Trust me: if you only know actors like Robert Picardo and Wil Wheaton from Star Trek, you’ll never look at them the same way after watching Tales From the Crypt.

For me, though, the single best thing about Tales From the Crypt is the show’s wicked sense of humor. With his relentless puns, wild expressions, and unhinged laughter, the Cryptkeeper sets the tone for a show that has black comedy running through its veins at all times. This adds serious entertainment value and also helps position the show as a light (but filling) bite for horror fans. Not in the mood for elevated horror and don’t have the time for a two-hour psychological thriller? You can always count on Tales From the Crypt to deliver a perfect slice of scary entertainment in under 30 minutes.

There’s not much more to say, especially without spoiling these awesome episodes. Ready to see if this early HBO success story lives up to the hype? Maybe you want to laugh and scream in equal measure, or just write down some weird new puns with which to torment your children? Whatever your reason, the best horror series ever made is just a click away. Tales From the Crypt is currently streaming for free on Tubi, which is arguably the best platform for any boils and ghouls who love a good scare!

TALES FROM THE CRYPT REVIEW SCORE

Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Captain Sandy Yawn filed a report after she found out that Luke Brumer soiled Nathan Gallagher‘s sheets with his bodily fluids.

During the Monday, July 20, episode of the Bravo show, Captain Sandy sat Luke down to discuss his indiscretion, saying, “I now have to write a report. This is a serious offense.”

Sandy elaborated in a confessional. “What Luke did, it’s potentially a fireable offense,” she noted. “It’s unprecedented.”

While the captain planned to “give it some thought,” she warned the deckhand that it would still be documented.

Related: Every Star Fired From ‘Below Deck’ Through the Years

Below Deck and its spinoff series may be reality TV shows, but there can be real-life consequences for the crew’s actions both on and off the ship. Over the years, stars including Hannah Ferrier, Peter Hunziker and Shane Coopersmith have been fired from their respective charters for a variety of reasons. Below Deck Mediterranean’s Hannah […]

“I’ll make my decision on how to handle this after this charter,” she added. “But in the meantime — because of the severity of the situation — I need to write this report.”

She continued: “It’s official. That’s something other captains will see and I hope Luke takes away from this that he should have consideration for your bunkmate. There’s protocols.”

Luke, for his part, was “devastated” by the turn of events.

“My career means so much to me. I’m so scared that this could be the end of it for me,” he told the cameras. “And for something like this.”

Later in the episode, Luke pulled Captain Sandy aside to express his concerns about Nathan still being furious with him. Luke thought it would make more sense for him to leave, which Sandy didn’t seem surprised by. (Viewers previously saw her checking to see if there were other available deckhands in the area.)

Season 11 featured a franchise first when Luke hooked up with Genevieve Lillie in his shared cabin with Nathan. They moved down to Nathan’s bed and Luke finished in the bosun’s sheets, which he didn’t tell Nathan. To make matters worse, Luke didn’t replace Nathan’s sheets and continued to let Nathan sleep in a soiled bed.

Related: ‘Below Deck‘ Franchise Stars That Dramatically Left Throughout the Years

Not always the perfect fit. Over the years, the Below Deck franchise has shocked viewers with dramatic exits, including firings and resignations. Mathew Shea set a record for Below Deck Mediterranean when he made several departures during season 6. The chef initially left the boat when he suffered a knee injury that required medical attention. […]

Advertisement

“I actually get pissed off the more I think about it. It is so disrespectful,” Nathan said in a July episode about the scandal. “I’m not laughing. Do you want me to go to Captain Sandy and tell her about it?”

Nathan called Luke’s behavior “disrespectful.”

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

“It’s the fact that Luke hasn’t said anything about this in three days,” Nathan explained.. “He had the opportunity to tell me — and the fact that he hasn’t told me and has gone around the boat and everyone else is talking about it. That’s what’s pissing me off.”

He continued: “It’s f***ing rude because you disrespected me. Now, if you keep up with your job, it’s not gonna end, bro. If you piss me off, the slightest amount, you’ll be [heading out] with your bags packed.”

Below Deck Med airs on Bravo Mondays at 8 p.m. ET. New episodes stream the next day on Peacock.

Matt Damon has a new celebrity twin!

The renowned actor, who rose to fame as one of Hollywood’s most beloved heartthrobs, got mistaken for another popular entertainer at the FIFA World Cup final game.

Matt Damon is currently enjoying the attention from his latest movie, “The Odyssey.” He recently revealed he did an extreme thing for the project, plus the one thing he will never do again.

4

The entertainer attended the FIFA World Cup final game on July 19 with his longtime wife, Luciana Barroso. The couple was spotted among the fans during the match between Spain and Argentina, with Barroso representing her home country Argentina in a light blue-and- white ensemble.

By her side, Damon rocked a similar color palette, opting for a darker shade of blue. The lovebirds matched their casual ensembles with sunglasses, standing side by side when the cameras panned over to them, as seen in a clip shared on X.

The commentator spots Damon in the crowd but hilariously mistook him for another popular actor. “Brad Pitt is also among the fans here…Oh, it’s Matt Damon. That’s Matt Damon,” the sports commentator said. The fan who shared the clip reacted to the mistaken identity, writing:

“Matt Damon preparing for his next role as Brad Pitt.”

The Incident Sparks Hilarious Reactions From Fans

More fans found the commentator’s mistake hilarious, while others saw it as a huge compliment. An X user claimed it wasn’t a bad mistake to make, noting, “I’d be down to be confused with Brad Pitt, huge ego boost!”

Another echoed similar sentiments, claiming Damon was having “a hell of a weekend” from the success of his latest movie to attending the World Cup and getting mistaken for Pitt. “Getting mistaken for Brad Pitt really completes the hat trick,” a fan added.

Someone revealed the sports commentator wasn’t the only one who got confused about Damon’s identity. “Estonian commentators also said Brad Pitt at first, thought it was hilarious but apparently it wasn’t just them then!” the X user shared.

Advertisement

Matt Damon Once Claimed He Was Trying To Become Like Brad Pitt

4

The sentiments continued, with a fan arguing that Damon getting mistaken for Pitt “on a World Cup broadcast is absurdly on brand” for the actor. Damon and Pitt have starred in multiple movies together, with their most famous work being the “Ocean’s” trilogy.

Besides working together on movies, the pair appear to have a close bond, so much so that Damon could crack jokes about their relationship. In 2013, TODAY reported that the entertainer had caused a stir for suggesting Pitt was envious of him.

Damon clarified his words in an interview with the outlet, noting he meant that Pitt was envious of his life in New York City. He explained that his frequent co-star was jealous of how he could spend time with his kids in the Big Apple without being hounded by the paparazzi, unlike Pitt. He added:

“What else would it be? I spend my life trying to be like Brad Pitt.”

‘The Odyssey’ Star’s Point Of View On The Impacts Of Fame

4

The 2013 interview wasn’t the only time Damon had addressed the impacts of fame. On July 19, a fan shared his comments from an interview on X, where the actor reflected on the impacts of fame on one’s reality.

He claimed “the most bizarre” experience after becoming famous was that the world stayed the same while reality as he knew it became different. “Your subjective reality is altered forever because everybody treats you differently,” Damon shared.

According to the entertainer, the change in reality wasn’t something anyone could prepare for but “just something that you have to kind of deal with.” He noted that everyone has different ways of dealing with the change, and he was grateful to have a good support system.

Advertisement

Matt Damon Reveals The Extreme Thing He Did For ‘The Odyssey’

4

Days before the mistaken identity at the FIFA World Cup final game, The Blast shared that the award-winning actor had opened up about the strict lifestyle he had to adopt while preparing for the Christopher Nolan movie.

To portray Odysseus, the entertainer had to lose weight and drop down to 167 pounds. He claimed his transformation did not come about “in an unhealthy way,” explaining that he had to give up gluten, change his diet, and become intentional about everything he consumed.

The efforts paid off, but the Hollywood heartthrob declared that he would never put himself in the opposite scenario. “I think if I had done the opposite and put weight on, that would have been dangerous,” he said, noting he would never gain weight for a movie again.

What will Matt Damon do next?

Advertisement

Rebel Wilson is killing two birds with one stone with her latest collaboration.

The “Pitch Perfect” actress is the Chief Wellness Ambassador for the weight management brand Noom and starred in a new ad for their latest campaign.

The best part: Rebel Wilson’s co-star is none other than someone who inspired her to embark on a wellness journey and transform not just her body but her whole life.

Wilson starred in a new weight management campaign that saw her sharing the screen with her oldest daughter, Royce. The little girl appeared at the end of the ad for a mother-and-daughter moment in the kitchen, which touched the actress’s heart in more ways than one. In her words:

“Acting alongside my oldest daughter, Royce, in the new Noom campaign was a dream come true, and she is perfect for this because she is really my ‘why’ when it comes to being healthy.”

Wilson confessed to PEOPLE that she initially embarked on a weight loss journey not to change her appearance but to become healthy for children. She explained that she wanted to “have a child and do IVF successfully,” which meant getting her body into its overall best shape possible.

Wilson kept gushing about her ad with Royce, declaring that it “meant the absolute world” to share the screen with her daughter for the first time. She also shared pictures of the little girl in between takes, capturing her coloring and reading.

The Noom’s “Lose for Keeps” ad shared on YouTube showed the TV personality being a mom in the kitchen. She was cooking and preparing snacks for her kids while sharing the benefits of GLP-1s. She described them as “a mute button for food noise,” but they weren’t a permanent solution.

According to Wilson, weight management was needed to maintain the effects of GLP-1s after stopping the meds and credited Noom for helping her. Royce runs into the frame at the end, with the proud mom picking her daughter up and playfully using her to exercise before sharing a hug.

Rebel Wilson’s GLP-1 Journey Started After She Lost Weight

In an interview with OK Magazine, Wilson stressed that her collaboration with Noom shouldn’t be mistaken for a GLP-1 weight loss confession. She explained that she lost weight without the meds and only started using them to maintain her goal weight.

GLP-1s weren’t meant to help the entertainer shed more pounds but to help her fight the urges. “Those intruding thoughts and feelings to grab the chocolate bar instead of a protein bar were constant, and the GLP-1s help me to manage that,” she said.

Advertisement

According to the Hollywood star, the food noise grew stronger whenever she was stressed and wasn’t sleeping well. GLP-1s were good at muting the urges, but the noise came back whenever she was off the meds. Then she found Noom, which allegedly helped her make healthier choices.

More About The MTV Movie Award Honoree’s Children

Wilson reflected on her motherhood journey in a 2023 interview with TODAY, revealing that she was nearly 40 when she decided to freeze her eggs. At 42, she was ready to welcome a child but chose surrogacy for many reasons.

The Australian actress explained that she could carry the baby, but it would have been a challenging process due to her age and battle with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She eventually welcomed her first child with her then-fiancée Ramona Agruma in November 2022.

Hollywood Life reported that the couple welcomed their second daughter in May 2026. The child, Rose Estelle Wilson, was born after what her mothers described as a long fertility journey. The baby came to fruition after IVF treatments and a number of challenges that made the process a high-risk pregnancy.

Rebel Wilson’s Weight Management Ad Follows Her Legal Drama

Wilson’s sweet mother-and-daughter ad follows the drama surrounding her directorial debut, “The Deb.” The Blast covered the story in May, reporting that the actress had clashed with a producer over allegations of sexual misconduct.

The Australian star got slammed with a defamation lawsuit and moved to have it dismissed, but her request was rejected. She suffered a second blow in May when a court of appeals upheld the decision to reject her dismissal demands under California’s free speech protections.

Advertisement

The ruling meant Wilson would have to face the allegations against her in court and prove that her comments were true and not knowingly false or malicious. She had accused producer Amanda Ghost of having inappropriate contact with a young actress named Charlotte MacInnes.

Most science fiction franchises tend to try to reinvent themselves over the years, with mixed results. Some, like Star Wars, return with new installments that often spark divisive discourse. Others, like Blade Runner or Tron, have extremely lengthy gaps between sequels. One sci-fi franchise not only reinvented itself in the early 2010s but also delivered a truly epic scale that very few blockbusters have matched. This honor goes to the Planet of the Apes reboot series, which is available to stream on Hulu.

Starting with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the new films focus on the birth of the titular Planet of the Apes, especially how the apes evolve into the dominant species on the planet. It’s not the first time someone has tried to reboot the series; Tim Burton launched his own version of Planet of the Apes in 2001, and James Cameron was even approached to revive the series on film before he eventually made Titanic. The new Planet of the Apes succeeds because it takes the time to show how its world is constantly evolving, offering a sense of growth that other sci-fi franchises lack. It also doesn’t hurt that one of Hollywood’s best directors helped take the series to a new level.

The ‘Planet of the Apes’ Reboot Revamps a Major Element of the Original Series

In the original Planet of the Apes, humanity has devolved into a mute class of workers while the apes lord over them. This led to arguably one of the greatest twists in science fiction history, in which George Taylor (Charlton Heston) discovers that the “planet” he’s landed on is actually Earth, ravaged by nuclear war. Rise of the Planet of the Apes shifts from a nuclear threat to a viral one, as scientist Will Rodman (James Franco) creates a drug called ALZ-112 to reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

While ALZ-112 increases the intelligence of the chimpanzee Caesar (Andy Serkis), it proves to be deadly to humans, triggering a global pandemic. Director Rupert Wyatt also said that future films would explore the conflict between man and ape:

“We’ve incorporated elements from Conquest of the Planet of the Apes, in terms of how the apes begin to revolt, but this is primarily a prequel to the 1968 film… Caesar is a revolutionary figure who will be talked about by his fellow apes for centuries… This is just the first step in the evolution of the apes, and there’s a lot more stories to tell after this. I imagine the next film will be about the all-out war between the apes and humans.”

True to Wyatt’s words, the next two films, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes, focused on how humanity and apes came to battle. It also brought a new director into the fold, as Matt Reeves stepped up to helm both sequels. Reeves brought a truly epic scale to the Planet of the Apes reboot, showcasing just how much the world changed in the wake of humanity’s decimation. Rain-soaked forests, snow-covered terrain, and a massive military fortress are given plenty of sweeping shots, with cinematographer Michael Seresin taking time to close in on both human and apes’ facial expressions — letting their eyes say much more than words could. Reeves’ vision led to critical and commercial success for both Apes sequels, and paved the way for his work on The Batman.

Thanks to Andy Serkis, the New ‘Planet of the Apes’ Blends Pathos with Blockbuster Thrills

There’s one person who helped make the Planet of the Apes reboot a bona fide success, and it’s Andy Serkis. Serkis delivers a career-best performance as Caesar, thanks to a blend of motion capture and a truly magnetic performance. Every time Caesar is on-screen, the camera gravitates toward him, showcasing his transformation from a mere ape to a leader to a messianic figure. Even in death, Caesar continues to cast a large shadow as Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes shows how apes have taken up his words, for good and ill. It’s also led the Planet of the Apes reboot to continue topping the streaming charts, showing that the new films have just as strong a hold on modern audiences as the original Planet of the Apes did on its audience.

The Planet of the Apes reboot proves that not every reboot of a popular franchise needs to rely on nostalgia or simply rehash the original story. It also showcases that there’s still room for sweeping epics in the sci-fi landscape, especially as Dune: Part Three gears up to hit theaters.

90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way alum Armando Niedermeier-Rubio and husband Kenny Niedermeier certainly have another reason to celebrate following their long-awaited reunion amid daughter Hannah’s hospitalization.

“My heart is so full to let you guys know that Hannah has been released from the hospital,” Armando revealed in a video shared via Instagram on Monday, July 20. “Which is the best news we could have right now.”

Kenny added the pair are “over the moon” now that the trio can finally go home together, adding that Hannah, 13, is “happy to be leaving the hospital.”

“Ever since Armando got here, oh my god, she has gotten better and better and [grown] leaps and bounds,” he explained. “The doctors were so happy with her progress.”

Related: 90 Day’s Armando Breaks Down in Tears Over Daughter’s Health Battle

90 Day Fiancé’s Armando Niedermeier-Rubio broke down in tears as he discussed his daughter Hannah’s mysterious medical issue. “I don’t want to lose her,” Armando, 37, said while fighting back tears via an Instagram vlog on Thursday, July 16. “Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, guys. Thank you all that supported [us] … […]

Hannah airlifted to a local Arizona hospital from her home in Mexico after she experienced a loss of strength in half of her body and facial drooping. Doctors determined that Hannah had a blood bleed in her brain.

According to Kenny, doctors told the couple that they believed Hannah would recover best “in a home setting.”

“She’s gonna be under a lot of supervision over the next month where she has to stay in the Phoenix area,” he explained. “So she has to do a lot of scans, she’s on anti-seizure medication among other things to keep this in check and make sure nothing is going wrong. But right now, they have everything under control.”

While the couple are thrilled to be welcoming their daughter home, questions regarding Hannah’s health continue as doctors have been unable to provide an explanation for the teen’s condition.

“Unfortunately there’s not a diagnosis. And that is a little unsettling. Just not knowing what the future can hold [or] not knowing what it is and if it could happen again. It’s scary,” Armando reflected. “But we take what we can, and Hannah is better. She’s getting better every day.’

The pair added Hannah has been struggling with her vision, even reporting instances of blindness. However, doctors told the pair that Hannah’s vision could improve as the blood — and the pressure it puts on the brain — dissipates.

According to the proud fathers, Hannah is also experiencing some drooping and “minor weakness.” After she recovers, the 13-year-old will have to attend rehab in order to rebuild the strength she has lost in her facial muscles.

Thank You!

You have successfully subscribed.

Advertisement

Related: 90 Day Fiance’s Kenny Niedermeier Supports Hannah Amid Hospitalization

90 Day Fiancé star Armando Niedermeier-Rubio is receiving support from his husband, Kenny Niedermeier, amid his daughter Hannah’s hospitalization. “Hannah told me to tell you all, thank you for all the love she is receiving from all of you,” Kenny, 63, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, July 16, with a photo of Hannah in bed […]

“We are obviously praying and for you guys to continue those prayers for her to continue healing to be 100 percent herself again and just be healthier than she was before,” Armando added.

Armando and Kenny met during season 2 of 90 Day Fiancé: The Other Way which aired in 2019. The couple tied the knot in 2021. Armando previously welcomed his daughter with his late wife and Kenny is her stepfather. Kenny, for his part, four grown children — Bricen and triplets Madison, Cassidy and Taylor — from a previous relationship.

Before Armando and Hannah’s reunion, Armando, who lives in Mexico, was denied entrance at the United States border due to visa issues. After working with an immigration attorney, Armando — whose mother is a legal U.S. resident — received a visa and traveled to the U.S. on July 17, where he reunited with Hannah at her bedside.

Jim Parsons has opened up about the “miserable” experience of playing Sheldon Cooper on CBS’s megahit sitcom “The Big Bang Theory.“

The actor revealed that the role came at a personal cost, taking a negative toll on his mental health. He even admitted that, if given the chance again, he wouldn’t do it.

Parsons, who later stepped back into Sheldon Cooper’s shoes in Young Sheldon, previously shared that the prequel gave him a “second closure” he didn’t know he needed.

4

Jim Parsons played the quirky Sheldon Cooper on “The Big Bang Theory” for 12 seasons, earning four Emmy Awards and becoming one of television’s highest-paid actors at the peak of the show’s success.

However, it appears not everything was well behind the scenes, as Parsons has now revealed that he felt “miserable” and depressed during his time on the sitcom.

In a recent interview on All Out with Jon Dean, the 53-year-old actor reflected on his decade-long run, revealing that his success on the show was accompanied by severe personal exhaustion.

“I look back now and realize that there were many ways, at some of the best moments of my life, I was miserable,” he said. “I was not happy. I was stressed.”

“I felt that there were so many plates I was supposed to be keeping in the air and that the success and the good things of life that were happening were only due to this overworking… discipline and whatever,” he added. “Maybe to a degree that was true. I don’t know. I can’t say because that’s how I was.”

Why Parsons Walked Away From A $50 Million Payday

4

At its peak, The Big Bang Theory averaged more than 18 million viewers per episode before its 279th and final episode attracted 23.44 million viewers, cementing its place as a broadcast television powerhouse, according to Deadline.

Parsons and his co-stars reportedly earned millions per episode during the final seasons, but the demanding filming schedule took its toll.

His decision to leave the series in 2018, despite a reported $50 million offer to continue, ultimately led to the show’s conclusion the following year, as the creators felt the ensemble couldn’t continue without its central character.

At the time, rumors swirled about why Parsons chose to walk away, but his latest comments appear to shed new light on that decision.

Jim Parsons Says He’d Never Do It Again

Parsons went on to describe just how difficult the experience had been, admitting that, given the choice, he wouldn’t sign up for it again regardless of the fame and success it brought.

“I wouldn’t do that again and for any amount of money … it was stressful and miserable at times. I made myself miserable,” he stated bluntly.

Host Jon Dean then asked whether it came down to his work ethic, but Parsons explained that was only part of the story.

“It translated in part into a work ethic, but it was really just obsessive behavior basically,” he admitted. “Yes, I was disciplined. Yes, I had a good work ethic, but a lot of it was because it was kind of OCD in nature.”

“I had a list of things basically in my head that I had to get done in order to be comfortable and know that I could do my job right, which I don’t think was true,” Parsons explained.

He added that the result was missing “tons of life.”

Parsons Says His Relationship With Fame Has Changed

4

Elsewhere in the interview, Dean asked whether there was a way for young actors to strike a healthier balance, but Parsons admitted he doesn’t have the answer.

“In the same way, I can’t go back. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I hadn’t had that time of life, and that somewhat self-tortured nature was part of it,” he said.

Still, Parsons acknowledged that the series brought positives, including worldwide fame, although he believes his relationship with it has evolved over time.

“It’s evolving, and it gets better all the time. What I feel is better, what I feel is healthier. It’s not something that I think probably anybody, but I was certainly not equipped to, looking back,” Parsons shared.

‘Young Sheldon’ Gave Jim Parsons The Closure He Needed

4

Parsons also explained that fame is “a very odd psychological thing” and admitted it still feels strange to him.

“This is not a complaint. This is just me having the grace to myself to admit it and look at it cleanly, or as clearly as I can,” he said.

“It is a weird feeling to know people know you when you walk into a room, but you don’t know them,” he added.

Back in 2024, Parsons reflected on how reprising Sheldon in “Young Sheldon” gave him “a second closure with that character in such a different format,” according to PEOPLE.

He added that there was “something very intimate” about the prequel’s single-camera format, something The Big Bang Theory couldn’t offer with its traditional multicamera sitcom style.

“Even the lighting’s different,” he added of the prequel.