Peter Cullen, the legendary voice actor who brought Optimus Prime to life across more than four decades of Transformers projects, has died. He was 85.

Cullen died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his agent confirmed. A cause of death has not been announced. His family said Cullen died peacefully surrounded by loved ones.

Born in Montreal in 1941, Cullen built a prolific voice acting career, but his unmistakable performance as Optimus Prime ultimately became his defining role.

Cullen first voiced the heroic leader of the Autobots in the original Transformers animated series beginning in 1984. His deep, commanding performance helped turn Optimus Prime into one of the most recognizable characters in animation and pop culture.

More than two decades later, Cullen returned as Optimus Prime for Michael Bay’s 2007 live-action Transformers movie. He continued voicing the character throughout the live-action franchise, including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon, Age of Extinction, The Last Knight, Bumblebee and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Peter Cullen voice of Optimus Prime

Cullen’s career extended far beyond Transformers. He provided the voice of Eeyore in numerous Winnie the Poohprojects and created the distinctive vocalizations of the Predator in the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film Predator. He also voiced characters including K.A.R.R. in Knight Rider and Thaedus in the animated superhero series Invincible.

His work as Optimus Prime earned Cullen generations of fans and eventually a place in the Transformers Hall of Fame. In 2023, he was also honored with the Children’s & Family Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the entertainment industry.

Cullen’s family asked fans to honor his legacy through compassion, integrity, loyalty and service to others, invoking the philosophy that became closely associated with both Cullen and Optimus Prime: being “strong enough to be gentle.”

Few voice performances have become as inseparable from a character as Cullen’s Optimus Prime. For millions of Transformers fans, his voice wasn’t simply part of the franchise. It was Optimus Prime.

Star Trek is famous for re-using its guest stars, who can be easily hidden under makeup and prosthetics. Jeffrey Combs alone has played almost a dozen different aliens, once playing two separate recurring characters in the same episode. Although that has diminished in recent years, with production of most modern Trek series moving from Hollywood to Toronto, Ontario, one recent guest star reminded fans that it wasn’t her first time on the final frontier. Rachael Harris dropped by the Star Trek panel at last weekend’s Tampa Bay Comic Con, moderated by Collider’s Maggie Lovitt, to relate her experience on Star Trek: Voyager to the audience.

Harris recently guest-starred on “Level-Five Transporter Accident,” the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode that saw most of the USS Enterprise‘s crew transformed into Jim Henson-style puppets. She played Ch’Rol, an imperious green-skinned Orion space pirate who attempts to take advantage of the crew’s condition to seize control of the vessel. However, she doesn’t find it quite as easy as she anticipated. As she told attendees at the panel, Harris played a small part in the 1997 Voyager episode “Before and After.” Her scene involved some bizarre alien biology, and that didn’t just include the fake ears she had to wear:

“I was Kes’ mom. I have super short blonde hair, and I was an Ocampa, so I had Ocampa ears, and I pushed the baby out my back! Because we carry our babies in our backs. So there’s literally, like, me in like 1996 or 97, something like that, I think, and I’m pushing out like that, and it literally looks like I am pooping.”

Harris, a longtime fan of Star Trek, told fans she used to “play Star Trek” with her late brother and described coming back to the franchise as “the greatest thing ever,” especially since she didn’t have to excrete a baby this time, and merely had to be painted a verdant shade of green.

What Happens in ‘Before and After’?

Image via Jan Thijs/Paramount+

“Before and After” centers around Kes (Jennifer Lien), a member of the short-lived Ocampa race. A typical Ocampa lifespan is over in the space of less than a decade; Kes finds herself experiencing her entire life, including the parts she hasn’t lived yet, thanks to exposure to a time-manipulating weapon. In the past, she experiences her own birth, as mentioned above; in the future, she finds that she’s married to fellow crew member Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), while their similarly fast-aging daughter has married Ensign Harry Kim (Garrett Wang), and Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) has been killed by a hostile alien race.

Thanks to the Doctor (Robert Picardo), Kes is snapped back to her normal timeline before she can be de-aged into oblivion, and hopes to avert some of her dark future. Ironically, Kes’ future on the series would be cut short; Lien left the series early in the next season to be replaced by ex-Borg Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan).

Star Trek: Voyager is streaming on Paramount+. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

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Release Date

January 16, 1995

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Network

UPN

Showrunner

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Michael Piller, Jeri Taylor, Brannon Braga, Kenneth Biller

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  Roxann Dawson

  B’Elanna Torres

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  Robert Duncan McNeill

  Tom Paris

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Animated films are the perfect medium to communicate concepts that would be hard to replicate in real life. By using this captivating and visually engaging art form, filmmakers are able to tell the stories they want to without having to compromise due to logistical limitations. While some animated movies are designed to tell compelling and dramatic stories, these eight are a pure delight.

When it comes to being fun, these animated movies know what they’re doing. From witty banter and clever dialogue to hilarious gags and spot-on timing, these movies excel at delivering laugh-out-loud moments and lighthearted themes. When you are in the mood for a movie that will lift your spirits and keep you thoroughly entertained, these movies should be next on your watchlist.

1

‘Madagascar’ (2005)

Image via DreamWorks Animation

Curiosity gets the better of the cat in DreamWorks’ Madagascar. The story begins with a lion named Alex (Ben Stiller) who lives in a zoo enclosure in New York City. As his tenth birthday rolls around, he begins to wonder what other life possibilities could be out there for him, and he comes up with the idea to return to the wild. Joined by his friends, a zebra named Marty (Chris Rock), a giraffe called Melman (David Schwimmer), and a hippo named Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith), the adventurous crew leave the creature comforts of home and embark on an epic adventure.

Madagascar is full of hilarious antics and exciting situations. It is vastly entertaining to watch the four city-dwelling animals reacclimate to life in the great outdoors. The cast of the movie is phenomenal and includes several actors with comedic backgrounds, such as Sacha Baron Cohen, Andy Richter, and Cedric The Entertainer. Although Madagascar was a bit overshadowed by Shrek, it is finally getting the respect it deserves and topped Netflix’s streaming charts earlier this year, climbing all the way to #5 in worldwide viewership.

2

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018)

No one had seen anything like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it debuted in theaters in 2018. The animation style was an energetic and fresh new presentation that combined comic book aesthetics with anime, 3D computer graphics, and more. The story was an invigorating change from established expectations. Introducing the character of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the protagonist was a parallel, but not direct copy, of Peter Parker. This new storyline and focus opened up a whole new multiverse of possibilities, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse hit every benchmark with unparalleled flair.

Not only does Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse have a remarkable story and animation, but it also has one of the best multiverse and multiple Spider-Man cameos ever done. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse set the precedent several years before the MCU followed suit (no pun intended). This outstanding movie refuses to fit into preconceived boxes. It is both a comic book movie and a spectacular urban fantasy. It simultaneously pays homage to the canon that started it all while paving its own path. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an absolute triumph and manages to keep all fans, new and old, happy.

3

‘Aladdin’ (1992)

Image via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

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The Oscar-winning hit that remains quintessential viewing for many, Aladdin is ‘90s Disney gold. The epic adventure tale that is thousands of years old is unique for the studio in that the main character is male. A majority of Disney’s animated films focus on princesses, mermaids, etc. Aladdin, voiced by Scott Weinger, proved to be an engaging protagonist, and his rise from street urchin to fortunate prince is a story full of magic and wonder.

Although Aladdin has its flaws, it remains a favorite for many and is considered a hallmark of Disney’s Renaissance era. Robin Williams’ role as Genie is one of the best vocal performances ever committed to film, and he instantly elevated the movie and made it iconic. With its supernatural themes, nonstop thrills, and undeniable humor, Aladdin is one of the most fun family movies Disney has produced. Collider staff recommend it as one of the best feel-good movies, and it delivers on all fronts. When it comes to music, plot, and comic relief, it is hard to beat this nostalgic gem.

4

‘The Lego Batman Movie’ (2017)

Image via Warner Bros.

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DC movies are notably dark and broody, but one that not only breaks the mold but shatters it is The Lego Batman Movie. Will Arnett voices the caped crusader with a Lego makeover in this brilliant and absolute banger of a film. The Lego Batman Movie epitomizes the essence of Batman while never taking itself too seriously. It is a 104-minute love letter to the fans, and it is the second highest-ranked Batman movie of all time on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Lego Batman Movie is nonstop fun no matter how you examine it. It is a delightful DC movie, an awesome Batman movie, and the best Lego movie so far. It includes all the tropes and meta references fans are expecting, while still finding ways to bring something new to the lore. If you haven’t seen this absolute riot yet, this is your sign.

5

‘Shrek’ (2001)

Image via (c)DreamWorks/courtesy Everett

Though Shrek was not DreamWorks’ first animated film, it is the one that catapulted the studio into stardom. A pointed satire of traditional clichés, it kicked down the door of fantasy and sat on the throne as the new ruler of how stories were going to be told. Shrek destroyed every preconceived notion about romance, beauty standards, hero types, and more. It took laser-focused shots at DreamWorks’ major competitor, Disney, and told the story it wanted to without apology.

Shrek remains a hilarious and unconventional comedy. There are enough raunchy jokes to keep adults entertained and plenty of silly situations to hold kids’ attention as well. Even though the road it takes to get there is unlike anything fairy tale movies have done before, Shrek still arrives at its own version of “happily ever after.” It changed the game forever and makes a diverting watch for viewers of all ages.

6

‘Hotel Transylvania’ (2012)

Image via ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection

When you have a modern king of comedy, Adam Sandler, as the main character and executive producer, you know the movie is going to be fun. In Hotel Transylvania, Sandler stars as Dracula. Now a single father, Dracula tries everything within his natural and supernatural power to keep his only child, Mavis (Selena Gomez), safe from humans. His efforts result in the titular abode, which provides a safe place for monsters to stay, away from the prying eyes and sharpened pitchforks of humans. Dracula’s plan to keep Mavis from the human world starts to unravel when a wayward backpacker named Jonathan (Andy Samberg) stumbles into the hotel.

Hotel Transylvania is a silly take on spooky staples like vampires, werewolves, Frankenstein’s monster, and more. The cast is stocked with comedic talent, and the sweet father-daughter bond between Dracula and Mavis is the chewy caramel center of the movie. Hotel Transylvania is a film that audiences love, and critics love to hate, as evidenced by its widely contrasting Rotten Tomatoes scores. Last January, over a decade after its debut, Hotel Transylvania ranked #6 in Netflix’s Top 10. The love from viewers for this haunting and hilarious tale is not weakening anytime soon, and it makes for a superb watch any time of year, but especially in the fall and around Halloween.

7

‘A Goofy Movie’ (1995)

Image via Buena Vista Pictures

As I mentioned in another Collider article, “It was completely unexpected that a movie that relied solely on staple but lesser-known characters would become the voice of a generation.” However, that’s exactly what A Goofy Movie did. The 1995 hand-drawn feature would prove to have its finger so accurately on the pulse of the current culture that it became a time capsule, quintessentially defining the era for generations to come. The story follows Goofy (Bill Farmer) as he tries to bond with his teenage son Max (Jason Marsden), which leads to them going on a father-son road trip, whether Max likes it or not.

A Goofy Movie is surprisingly awesome. It is greater than the sum of its parts, and like discovering a hidden level in a video game, there are unexpected riches to be found. It has catchy music, an interesting plot, some low-key intrigue, identifiable characters, and a whole lot of fun. It makes an ideal choice for Disney fans and anyone wanting to relive some 1990s nostalgia.

8

‘How to Train Your Dragon’ (2010)

Image via Paramount Pictures

Take an underdog story, mix it with a hero’s journey, add in an Oscar-nominated score by John Powell, and you will get How to Train Your Dragon. DreamWorks’ fantasy epic launched a flawless trilogy where every movie is a 10/10 masterpiece. The first movie follows a young Viking named Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) as he challenges centuries of his village’s cultural beliefs about dragons. After a formative encounter with an elusive Night Fury, Hiccup seeks to prove that dragons are not the soulless killing machines he was taught to fear.

How to Train Your Dragon is perfect from beginning to end and doesn’t falter once. It has imaginative creature design, likable characters, and the aforementioned stupendous soundtrack crafted by Powell. It is everything a great fantasy movie should be, and it is tons of fun to watch.

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How to Train Your Dragon

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Release Date

March 26, 2010

Runtime

98 minutes

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Director

Chris Sanders, Dean DeBlois

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Writers

Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders, William Davies, Cressida Cowell

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The Young and the Restless anticipates that Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) escapes from that high security facility this week and shows up at Matt Clark (Roger Howarth)’s motel room talking about settling unfinished business.

But he wants no part of Patty’s chaos. But in the end, she may wind up unintentionally redeeming Matt, even though that’s the last thing she wants to see happen. We’re going to talk about who Patty is going to target now that she snuck out of prison. And in a weird way, I suspect this psycho could be the key to Matt’s redemption.

Young and the Restless: Patty Escapes Prison & Blindsides Matt

So this week, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) gets an urgent call from Detective Burrow (Matt Cohen) who alerts him and Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) that Patty escaped the high security facility that she was in. So Jack alerts his security team, but Diane says that’s not enough. She says they need to get rid of Patty once and for all.

Jack is on board to take her down, and he tells Diane that. And then Jack tells Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) that they might need his help to smoke out the psycho stalker. Meanwhile, Patty is over at Matt’s motel room. She shows up disguised in a jumpsuit and sunglasses, and he notices that Patty smells minty.

So, she tells Matt she accidentally on purpose swallowed cleaning fluids so she could get transferred to the hospital and then she was able to escape from there. So, Patty’s trying to get Matt on her side and she wants to team up with him. And Patty talks about how she and Matt both have unfinished business in Genoa City.

Patty also says that she really needs to get to Jack, but Matt doesn’t want to help her with any of this. And of course, we know Patty has targets in her head already. But I think her list of people she wants dead has expanded during her time behind bars.

Patty’s First Target on Y&R

So, let’s talk about who Patty goes after and if her chaotic reign of terror legitimately redeems Matt. Now, first and most obviously, Patty’s going to go after Jack again. So, Patty just told Matt she needs to see Jack. And we know Patty is obsessed with Jack and has been for decades.

So, Patty may drug and molest Jack again as one last goodbye. And then Patty may just go ahead and try to kill Jack again. Alternately, Patty could just skip trying to sex Jack up and just kill him under the mindset that if Patty can’t have Jack, then nobody can, especially not Diane. But I do think Patty is going to try to get Jack into bed one last time just for reasons of closure.

I’m also feeling like Patty’s second target will be her longtime rival, Diane. And again, it’s because Patty still hates Diane for the affair she had with Jack when he was married to Patty back in the day. I mean, Jack was late to his wedding to Patty because he was in bed with Diane.

Young and Restless: Patty Wants Diane Dead

So, you can kind of see the point of why she hates her. So, I’m sure Patty would love to finish the job she started in the hospital when she injected Diane trying to kill her. Patty went nuts. Remember, she tried to kill Jack twice in recent months. Once with the stabbing and once when she planned to inject him and then she went after Diane instead. So, Patty may feel like there’s unfinished business with them both.

Another person to worry about is Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) first because Matt was always obsessed with Sharon and he still is in a different way. He went from being a pervert stalking and assaulting her to being remorseful and wanting her to forgive him. So, he’s obsessed with that.

Matt’s got a different type of fixation on Sharon now. Plus, Patty wants Matt all to himself. So, I still think there is a chance Patty might replace Jack with Matt as her lovesick obsession. So, Patty may target Sharon out of jealousy because Matt was obsessed with her before and her family and that went on for years.

Also, Patty may think that if she kills Sharon, then she can free Matt of the guilt that he feels whenever he sees Sharon. So, Patty may see this as some kind of twisted love offering to Matt, the guy that I think she wants to love. And in her mind, she may twist around, and Matt replaces Jack in her heart.

Young and the Restless: Sharon & Phyllis in Grave Danger

Plus, we’ve got Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford) setting up Sharon with this crazy redemption scheme that Phyllis roped Matt into. So, Sharon’s in the mix now and could very well cross paths with Patty. And that psycho may decide to do two birds, one stone. You know, Patty may harm Sharon and frame Phyllis.

That way Patty gets rid of both Phyllis and Sharon and then she can have Matt all to herself. But I do think that Sharon would be lower on the priority list and it would be more about sabotaging Phyllis than anything else. Another obvious target for Patty is Phyllis Summers herself.

And that’s even without Sharon in the mix. Since Patty escaped and ran right to Matt, it’s obvious where Patty’s attention has shifted to. And that means Phyllis is a huge target as the current woman in Matt’s life, just like she was targeting Diane over Jack. So, we know how Patty’s twisted brain works. We’ve seen it in the past.

Once she latches on to someone, Patty’s obsession just keeps growing over time. And even worse is that Patty wants Matt to be a criminal with her. Patty wants Matt to embrace his inner darkness instead of this boring redemption nonsense that Phyllis has cooked up. So Patty may try and take Phyllis out, or she could just get her sent away by framing Red for Sharon’s death or some kind of violent accident.

Young and Restless: Patty May Target Matt

As I mentioned before, I tend to think Patty would rather just kill Phyllis and get her out of the way to clear a path for her and Matt. And that would be a cleaner solution for Patty than trying to frame and send Phyllis away.

After all, Patty tried to send Diane away so that she could have Jack all to herself, and that didn’t work out. So, Patty might realize she needs to change up the pages in her playbook, bypass framing Phyllis, and go straight to just murdering her as a matter of convenience.

And last but not least, Matt himself might end up being Patty’s final target if he keeps on rejecting her. And I think he will. Just like Patty tried to kill Jack because he wouldn’t be with her. She just decided to stab him and was legit trying to murder him.

But I think if Patty came for Matt with murder on her mind, I think he might take Patty out. Matt seems to genuinely not want to hurt anybody now and he really likes Phyllis on Young and the Restless.

And so I think when Matt sees what Patty is up to that Matt’s going to step up and if he grabs Patty and turns her back into the cops or if he kills her, then I think that’s boom, instant redemption.

Young and the Restless: Matt Gets Truly Redeemed

And it would be Matt actually earning his own redemption organically and not something orchestrated in a half-brained plot cooked up by Phyllis. And then if that happened, Matt might genuinely earn everyone’s forgiveness and prove that he really is a changed man.

Because let’s be honest, everybody in Genoa City hates Patty. And this is one surefire way for Matt to show that he is not the same monster he’s always been, not the same kind of monster that Patty is. If Matt saves the whole town from Patty, that would be great.

It would be a much better way for Matt to prove himself than some fake scheme with Phyllis, that would probably wind up being exposed as fake anyway and make him look worse in the end.

So, I am excited to see what Patty does now that she drank some toilet bowl cleaner and got herself out of that high security facility. Jack is absolutely right to be on high alert, and Patty is also extremely devious and she knows her way in and out of the mansion. But hopefully Matt will stop her before it goes too far.

In the current state of streaming, it can be rare to see an entire decades-long film saga appear on the same service at the same time. Studios change or merge, sequels have different streaming contracts than their predecessors, and demand for specific movies is always in flux. All of it results in entire franchises being difficult to stream sometimes, with sagas spread across multiple different services. How many times have we seen Fast & Furious or Jurassic Park broken up on a couple of streaming homes? It’s frustrating, to say the least, and it’s one of the many reasons why streaming isn’t often as good as it originally advertised.

Sometimes, though, the stars align, and streaming these big franchises actually does become as easy as we’d hoped. This month has seen one of the most iconic and longest-running film franchises not only arrive on the same streaming service, but made entirely free to stream. We’re talking, of course, about the Rocky saga, which has gone through an entire legacy reboot and still delivers higher quality films than most other franchises today.

Every ‘Rocky’ and ‘Creed’ Movie Streaming Free

Image via Warner Bros. Pictures

At the start of September, Paramount got a head start in celebrating the 50th anniversary of Rocky by giving fans multiple ways to watch through the entire film series. All six Sylvester Stallone Rocky movies, along with all three entries in the Michael B. Jordan-starring Creed trilogy, have been added to the Paramount+ streaming lineup in the United States. In addition to the Paramount+ move, the franchise was also added to Pluto TV, whi ch is exciting news for tons of fans.

Pluto TV, as you probably already know, is a free, ad-supported streaming service. So fans of the Rocky films that don’t own their own copies of the films can now watch the entire franchise without paying a dime, thanks to Pluto TV. The only downside is you’ll have to watch the movies with commercials, but that’s a small complaint when you’re not paying any subscription fees.

The Future of ‘Rocky’ and ‘Creed’ on the Big Screen

Already nine films deep, Rocky doesn’t appear ready to fade away just yet. There are actually two films on the way about the iconic boxing world, though only one of them is a continuation of the current series. The other, surprisingly, celebrates the underdog story that started it all.

After starring in all three Creed movies, and directing Creed III, Michael B. Jordan has confirmed that there will be a fourth installment in the Creed saga. He is going to be returning as the director, star, and producer for the next chapter of the story, though details on the movie are slim, and there’s no word as to when it might actually begin production.

While there are a lot of questions surrounding Creed 4, there’s a new Rocky story on the way that we already know quite a lot about. I Play Rocky hits theaters in November, and tells the tale of the real-life underdog behind the beloved boxing hit. Anthony Ippolito stars as a young Sylvester Stallone, who writes the script for Rocky and will only sell it to a studio if he can star in it. The film also stars AnnaSophia Robb, Matt Dillon, P.J. Byrne, Jay Duplass Toby Kebbel, and Tracy Letts. Stephan James takes on the role of the late Carl Weathers, who starred opposite Stallone as Apollo Creed in the original Rocky.

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Release Date

November 20, 1976

Runtime

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120 minutes

Director

John G. Avildsen

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Producers

Irwin Winkler

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Batman: The Animated Series is a beloved show, still revered by superhero fans worldwide for its striking visual style (drawn exclusively on black paper), which brilliantly blended a vivid art deco/noir design palette with the visual sensibility of Tim Burton‘s Batman movies, Kevin Conroy‘s and Mark Hamill‘s definitive duet as Batman and The Joker, and the general standard of excellence that the show maintained during its original 85-episode run, among other things.

Batman as a character has always been defined by the unimpeachable roster of villains who constitute his Rogue’s Gallery. With 85 total episodes of Batman: TAS, Bats has no shortage of quality baddies to tussle with. But the following ten are the absolute best that the show had to offer. Honorable mentions to H.A.R.D.A.C., Ventriloquist, The Mad Hatter, and the multitude of other mischief-makers who crossed paths with The Dark Knight in this classic show.

10

Penguin

Image via Fox

Oswald Cobblepot, aka The Penguin, was voiced by Burgess Meredith, who previously portrayed the live-action version of the diminutive crime boss in Batman (1966). Penguin is the single-most dastardly crook in all of Gotham’s underworld. He always executes all of his criminal enterprises with a deep sense of righteous retribution for all the injustices that the cruel world has subjected him to

In “Birds of a Feather”, the lonely Penguin is strung along by a young bachelorette who shatters his already breaking heart when he sniffs out her phony air of romance. One does feel for Cobblepot, that is, until he ties the woman to a chandelier and threatens to cut the rope. Classic Oz behavior. Penguin is an all-time Batman villain whose appeal is equal parts absurd, tragic, and theatrical.

9

Poison Ivy

Making her debut in “Pretty Poison,” she commands a teeming army of carnivorous plants, but could always seal your fate with a poison-laced smooch. No matter how deep you bury her underground, she’ll always grow back — it’s the one and only Poison Ivy.

Pamela Isley is a research chemist for a cosmetics firm, a Professor of Endangered & Extinct Plants at Gotham University, and a criminal mastermind in her downtime. Her knowledge and command over all manner of virulent plant life is her claim to fame. She may openly admit to loving plants more than human beings, but with the way folks behave in Gotham, it’s tough to blame her.

8

The Riddler

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Edward Nygma, aka The Riddler, is truly the picture of modern-day villainy in the Batman franchise. A genius computer software designer who loses everything and decides to exact his revenge on the world by harnessing his technological expertise in order to prove his intellectual supremacy.

After Batman deciphers his complex series of riddles in “If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?” thus saving the man who robbed him of his fortune, Nygma becomes singularly committed to besting Batman in a battle of wits. Batman: TAS retains the classically campy tone of The Riddler while sharpening the character with a real sense of menacing narcissism.

7

Ra’s al Ghul

The ancient commander of the Society of Shadows, he is who is called Ra’s al Ghul (meaning “The Demon’s Head”) simply must have a spot reserved in the Batman villain hall of fame. He is the only major villain to ever confirm Batman’s true identity, and therefore, one of the most dangerous.

Ra’s has survived for hundreds of years by periodically bathing himself in the rejuvenating liquids of the Lazarus Pit. Over the centuries, he has seen empires rise and fall, accumulated infinite wealth and resources, and grown uninterested in the petty criminality that concerns most Batman villains. At one point, Ra’s kidnaps Dick Grayson, immediately shows up to the Batcave unannounced, addresses Bruce by name, and casually refers to him as “Detective.” Now that’s confidence.

6

Scarecrow

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

A villain whose earliest appearances date back to the Golden Age of Comics, Scarecrow, aka Professor Jonathan Crane, is a staple of DC Comics. Crane’s patented fear-inducing chemicals trigger an extreme reaction of terror in the amygdala of his victims.

Scarecrow is a formidable opponent because his approach to crime is, quite literally, more cerebral. If properly dosed, Scarecrow can leave Batman cradled on the floor of an Arkham Asylum jail cell, lost in a darkly hallucinogenic nightmare of his mind’s own making. The phantasmagoric sequences which demonstrate the effects of Crane’s chemicals are some of the series’ most memorable visual flourishes.

5

Clayface

Image via Max

The story of Clayface, aka Matt Hagen, a once-famous leading man who begins abusing a transformational skin chemical called Renuyu after his cinematic career becomes jeopardized by a disfiguring car accident, comprises one of the best two-part episodes in Batman: TAS history. The muck-mouthed man-of-a-thousand-faces was voiced with reckless abandon by the great Ron Perlman. Clayface stands as one of the most dynamic and unpredictable threats to both Batman and Bruce Wayne alike.

Clayface’s chameleonic abilities allow him to execute some devilishly manipulative plot twists and misdirects, nearly always resulting in some uniquely fun moments of voice performance — e.g. Kevin Conroy’s subtly nefarious Batman voice which he performs through Clayface’s layer of disguise. He is among the most visually interesting villains in all of Batman: TAS who wields one of the most devastating power sets as well.

4

Mister Freeze

Before Arnold Schwarzenegger was dropping cringe-inducing snow puns like icicles from a thawing roof in Batman and Robin, Batman’s most frigid foe, Mister Freeze, made his series debut in one of the most emotionally effective episodes of Batman: TAS. “Heart of Ice” Depicts the tragic death of the late Nora Fries and the icy, embittered heart that her widowed husband Victor is left with.

Victor Fries may have the most morally justifiable backstory of any Batman’s antagonist. The former scientist was conducting experiments using unauthorized equipment in a desperate mission to cure his terminally ill wife. When the CEO of Gothcorp forcibly shuts Fries down, killing his wife and exposing him to an extreme overdose of coolant in the process, the ruthless tyrant known as Mister Freeze is born. The final image of Freeze sitting alone in his prison cell, clutching the snow globe that contains the likeness of his Nora, is sincerely moving.

3

Two-Face/Harvey Dent

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Once Bruce Wayne’s closest friend and confidant, District Attorney Harvey Dent was widely considered to be the most honest and upstanding politician in all of Gotham City. But as crime boss Rupert Thorne puts it in “Two-Face: Part 1,” “The brighter the picture, the darker the negative.”

Driven to the brink of insanity after Thorne threatens to expose his dark secret, Harvey finally embraces his long-dormant shadow-self — the odious criminal mind known as “Big Bad Harv” or “Two-Face.” Harvey’s dramatic fall from grace, depicted masterfully in “Two-Face” parts 1 and 2, is genuinely sad. Two-Face, more than any other villain, continually forces Batman into a personal moral dilemma.

2

Harley Quinn

Image via Warner Bros.

Arkham Asylum criminal psychologist Harleen Quinzel made her debut as Harley Quinn in “Joker’s Favor,” and Gotham City has never been the same since. One of the few wholly original creations from Batman: TAS, and the most iconic of the bunch by far, Harley was created by a pair of DC legends, Paul Dini and Bruce Timm.

Since then, the character has gone on to anchor a slew of major DC projects, including the stupendous Harley Quinn show and Margot Robbie’s standout portrayal of Harley in the DCU. But to this day, episodes like “Mad Love” and “Harley & Ivy” still stand as the classic, foundational bedrock of this beloved character. She’s the Joker’s partner in madness, and her mallet packs a punch, puddin’.

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The Joker

Image via Warner Bros. Animation

Who else but the clown prince of crime could ever hope to occupy the top spot on this list? Mark Hamill’s turn as The Joker is nothing less than the stuff of supervillain legend. It is still the finest and purest rendering of Batman’s greatest foe ever captured on screen. The Joker is the absolute perfect balance between hilarious, terrifying, charming, and unknowable.

Every giggle and cackle in Hamill’s vast repertoire of distinctly deranged Joker laughs showcases a distinct color in the rainbow of his madness. Episodes like “Joker’s Favor,” “The Laughing Fish,” and “Joker’s Wild” are all universally considered to be pinnacles for the character.

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Batman: The Animated Series

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Release Date

1992 – 1995-00-00

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Network

FOX, Fox Kids

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Showrunner

Bruce Timm

Directors

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Kevin Altieri, Boyd Kirkland, Frank Paur, Dan Riba, Dick Sebast

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• 
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  Efrem Zimbalist Jr.

  Alfred Pennyworth (voice)

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The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an apparent murder-suicide after a husband allegedly killed his estranged wife.

Officials said in a press release that deputies were contacted around 9:45 a.m. on Monday, September 7, about a suspicious incident that took place at a home. A neighbor called for a welfare check on Yoon Jung Shin, who had not been seen for several days. Police noted that a car that belonged to Shin’s estranged husband, Donald Johnson, was parked in the driveway upon the officer’s arrival.

Deputies were unable to make contact when they arrived at the home, so they forced entry into the residence due to concerns over Shin’s well-being.

Officers then found two deceased individuals inside of the home, and the El Paso County Coroner’s Office identified Shin, 53, as the deceased woman. Johnson, 64, was also found at the home and it was determined that he died by suicide.

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Detectives from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation into the murder-suicide with help from the Metro Crime Lab. The case is being investigated as a possible murder-suicide, and the cause and manner of deaths are expected to be released by the El Paso County Coroner at a later date.

No additional information was shared due to the ongoing nature of the investigation.

After the deaths were discovered, neighbor Floyd Kerr spoke to KRDO13 about watching law enforcement and emergency vehicles arrive at the scene.

“Coroner, vans parked out in front. So at that point, we figured it was probably pretty serious,” Kerr said.

Kerr also shared that law enforcement had been called to Shin’s house on a previous occasion months before the apparent murder-suicide.

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“I say, six months to a year ago, there was just an evening where there was some yelling going on and it’s, you know, across the street and down a few houses,” Kerr recalled. “So you shouldn’t be able to hear yelling quite so loud. We could see the lady that lived there, in tears, talking to one of the cops for about a half an hour. And so we knew it was something bad.”

Shin taught music out of her home, and students continued arriving at the residence for scheduled music lessons on Wednesday, September 9, because they were unaware of her murder, according to the outlet. Neighbors have since had to tape signs to the front door to inform the families that classes were canceled.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Angelina Jolie is one proud mother.

“They’re definitely individuals. That makes me very proud because one of the most important things, I think, is to basically not get in their way,” Jolie, 51, told L’Officiel in an interview published Wednesday, September 9. “As a parent, you try to do many things, but you also try to not get in the way of this human being who has a life separate from yours and so much potential in their own mind. You want to make sure that you support them.”

Jolie and ex-husband Brad Pitt share six children: Maddox, 25, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 20, and twins Knox and Vivienne, both 18. (Jolie and Pitt, 62, split in 2016 and settled their divorce in 2024. Since then, Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh and Vivienne have each requested to legally drop the Bullet Train actor’s surname.)

In recent years, many of the former couple’s kids have begun pursuing their own goals and hobbies, including Shiloh, who went viral in 2024 while showing off her dance skills to the song “Tanzania.”

Related: Angelina Jolie’s Most Inspiring Motherhood Quotes

Mother of six! Angelina Jolie has more than a handful of children in her brood, so it’s no surprise that the actress loves gushing about parenthood. The Oscar winner shares Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne, with her ex-husband Brad Pitt. The former couple split two years after tying the knot in […]

Jolie also shared in her new interview, “Maddox is focusing on being a pilot, and Pax has his photography.”

“Obviously it’s nice for me to be around them, but I am just Mom, wanting to be around her family,” the actress added.

With many of Jolie’s kids entering adulthood, the Oscar winner has begun tackling new solo pursuits.

“I really love and am looking forward to more connection and community. I’m not somebody who vacations or shops or things like that. I envision more field work, more travel and just being out in the world,” she told L’Officiel. “Get my motorcycle back [or] get back in a plane, I don’t know. That’s definitely what my kids want!”

She continued, “They had Mom when Mom needed to be Mom. Now, they’d like me to call them from Tunisia having just landed a plane to meet with local artists. I agree that would be very nice.”

Related: Angelina Jolie Says ‘Being a Parent Is Everything’ to Her

Angelina Jolie would choose her family over fame in an instant. The actress, 49, said motherhood is “everything” to her during an interview with The Sunday Times, published on December 1. While discussing her starring role in Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic, Maria, Jolie insisted that she’s lucky enough to not be as lonely as […]

Jolie has a famously tight-knit bond with her offspring.

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“My mom and I have a unique, almost kindred relationship that can be hard to put into words,” Zahara said during a Spelman College event with her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in April. “Our love for each other is a found one. I was adopted at 6 months old and given some of the most special and loving people as my siblings — with a mom who raised us on the value of helping others, being kind and always striving for growth as people.”

Zahara, who graduated from Spelman in May, further gushed that she was grateful to have a “role model” in Jolie who demonstrated “what it looks like to be a decent human being.”

Zahara concluded at the time, “For any daughters in the room who may know the feeling of seeing their mom as a superhero and not knowing how she does it, this is something I’ve been trying to understand my whole life.”