In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Stranger Things alum Sadie Sink is making her mysterious Marvel debut, and it’s had fans buzzing since the first trailer dropped. Theories have been circulating across the World Wide Web about the identity of her character, ranging from Jean Grey, who would bridge a gap for the X-Men and the MCU ahead of Avengers: Doomsday, to Spider-Girl, Firestar, and Gwen Stacy. Now, as we creep closer to opening day on July 31st, Collider’s Steven Weintraub has had the chance to chat with Sink about her leap from one major pop cultural sensation to another.

After the heartbreaking events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has had to watch everyone he loves move on with their lives without him. His noble sacrifice wiped any memory of Parker from the minds of even his best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), and MJ (Zendaya). To make matters worse, something has triggered a frightening mutation in him, but this new transformation could be the key to stopping a powerful threat to the city that no one can see. Brand New Day also stars Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk.

During their conversation, Sink revisits her time on Stranger Things, comparing the secrecy of Season 5 to this new Marvel-level of confidentiality, but shares what she knew from the jump. She talks about when she first learned about the role, working with director Destin Daniel Cretton on the character, and when she finally had a good sense of what she’d be doing in Brand New Day. She also addresses fan theories, avoiding any Holland-style press slip-ups, and more. You can watch the full interview in the video above or read the transcript below.

Sadie Sink Compares Working on ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ to ‘Stranger Things’

Sink starred in 4 seasons of the hit Netflix series.

COLLIDER: I’m so happy for you that you can finally start talking about the movie, but you’re not really talking about the movie.

SADIE SINK: I’m not really talking about much. [Laughs]

How would you compare the secrecy of Spider-Man to your time on Stranger Things? Is it even more intense?

SINK: At this point, it is even more intense. Last season was hard with the coma of it all. I couldn’t really say much about Max’s fate, so that was kind of hard to keep a secret. But this, I can’t even say who I’m playing, which is pretty extreme.

Tom has a famous history of accidentally revealing spoilers. Was there a time that he told you something you should not have known?

SINK: No, I don’t think so. But he definitely told me stories of him, I guess, giving away some spoilers, and warned me not to do that.

He does have a history of that. I’m sure you have a family member or a friend that you needed to tell information to because you couldn’t just keep it bottled up. Which family member or friend ended up being the one you spilled to?

SINK: Well, the castmate that I lived with during Season 5 of Stranger Things, she was kind of around for all of it, so she might have been the first person that I told because I had to tell someone, and we lived together. And then a little bit of family here and there, but that’s kind of it. In the beginning, I was really terrified to say anything.

Sadie Sink on the “Sheer Volume” of Fan Theories About Her Secret ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Character

“There was a new character every day.”

Image via Sony Pictures / Marvel Studios

I’m sure you’ve looked at fan theories online. Is there one that has really amused you?

SINK: There’s not one specific one that’s amused me. I think it’s just like the sheer volume of theories that were kind of coming in every week. That was funny just because there was a new character every day, it seemed.

Have you seen the movie yet?

SINK: I have, yes.

I’m sure going in, you had an idea of what you were making. How did the finished film compare to what you thought it would be while you were making it?

SINK: Weirdly, I think it was exactly what I thought it would be, which doesn’t always happen. But for this, it felt like everything that we thought we were making on set, like the tone, all really translated beautifully, I thought.

But the one thing that is always going to be different is the visual effects component, because stuff that’s not there ends up being there in the final cut, so that’s always fun to see.

Marvel Fans Knew About Sadie Sink’s ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Casting Before She Did

“I don’t know where they got this information.”

Image via Sony Pictures / Marvel Studios

I read that you read online that you were one of the people possibly going to be in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and then it was two days later that you actually got a phone call. What the hell was this like for you? What was it like reading the script for the first time?

SINK: The casting was so bizarre because I did see the fan theories online saying that I had a role in the new Spider-Man movie. You see those every once in a while, and you’re like, “I don’t know where they got this information.” But then they actually did call a couple of days later, which was just wild to go from reading something to it actually being a possibility.

Then I had to wait a long time until I finally got to read the script. Obviously, I knew about the character and everything and had spoken to Destin [Daniel Cretton] about it, but it wasn’t until I got to London that I finally got to read it and get a better sense of what I’d be doing.

I don’t actually know the specifics of the arc, but when you got cast, how much were you told about, “This is what we think could be your character?”

SINK: They were pretty transparent with me. I had a good sense of what I’d be doing.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31.

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Release Date

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July 31, 2026

Runtime

150 Minutes

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Director

Destin Daniel Cretton

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Action movies tend to be fun, even if fun is a subjective sort of thing, and different action movies are going to be different levels of entertaining for different people. It’s a bit like how, with horror, most people would appreciate certain horror films as being genuinely scary, but not everyone is going to be scared by such films in the same way, or to the same extent.

That’s a way to stress a good deal of subjectivity being involved with the creation of a ranking like this. Action movies that feel especially fun to one person are unlikely to be, in their entirety, counted among the most enjoyable or broadly entertaining in the eyes of another person. Also, “most fun” is different from “best,” which is why there are plenty of iconic action films that you won’t see mentioned below.

10

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ (2023)

Image via Lionsgate

The first John Wick movie might be the best, or most important, or like, have the most interesting non-action parts of any John Wick movie, but the sequels are perhaps more entertaining if you’re really just after action. The first film has the titular character dealing with the loss of his wife, and then the murder of his puppy, and that launches him on a whole revenge-fueled rampage, the aftermath of which propels the narrative of the subsequent movies.

John Wick: Chapter 4 is a finale for the main series, at least for now, and it succeeds at going bigger – and getting more explosive – than any of the John Wick movies that came before it. There are too many good action sequences to even try and mention them all, and it’s instead easier to highlight the fantastic variety on offer, since you get great shootouts, impressive stunts, and tons of exciting hand-to-hand combat, too.

9

‘Kung Fu Hustle’ (2004)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

Since it’s one of the goofier and more broadly comedic martial arts movies out there, Kung Fu Hustle feels like it’s required to be here. The story here has a hero’s journey and an attempt at training to better oneself thing going for it that sounds incredibly conventional on paper, but then you get to the execution of Kung Fu Hustle, and it’s anything but conventional or expected.

At the same time, it’d also be unfair to characterize Kung Fu Hustle as solely a parody of martial arts movies, just because it does take care with its action scenes, and the fight choreography impresses in much the same way it might impress in a more serious-minded martial arts film. There are two worlds here, so to speak, and perhaps you get the best of both of them. The fun that can be had here, thanks to the collision of action and comedy, is undeniable.

8

‘Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah’ (1991)

Image via Toho

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While there are plenty of great monster movies without Godzilla, so many all-time iconic ones do indeed have the king of the monsters at their center. See Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah for one of many examples, though it’s being included here because of how endearing and goofy it is, as an action-packed romp. Basically, it’s like The Terminator (altering the past to improve the present/future), but with giant monsters instead of cyborgs.

Tonally, you get a bit of everything when you watch all the Godzilla movies, with this particular film being one of the most fun. It’s also got a real emphasis on action and high-concept sci-fi ideas central to the whole thing, and that inevitably keeps the entertainment value high. Maybe Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah is too silly for some, but if it’s somehow not silly enough for you, then you can always go back to some Showa era entries that are arguably even goofier (like Godzilla vs. Megalon).

7

‘RRR’ (2022)

Image via DVV Entertainment

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The runtime of RRR is a big reason why it really does feel, like, big and everything, but then you get to how over-the-top the action is, and that proves to be an undeniable factor in the whole bigness thing here, too. There are two main characters in RRR that are loosely based on real people, though here, they’re basically made into superheroes, and both have their own reasons to become revolutionary warriors before they meet and team up.

Those real-life people didn’t meet in reality, but RRR isn’t too concerned with historical accuracy. It’s a bit like historical fan-fiction done on an epic scale, with the broader conflict here having some ties to India’s history, since that conflict involves the British colonial rule in pre-independence India. That does ensure the film has its serious and more dramatic moments, but so much of this is concerned with being a broadly entertaining and endlessly exciting action blockbuster. It succeeds in just about everything it sets out to do, well and truly feeling like one of the best epic movies released in recent memory.

6

‘The Raid 2’ (2014)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

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2011’s The Raid felt a bit like a linear video game, and it also kind of had literal levels, since it took place inside a high-rise apartment and involved SWAT officers having to battle their way out of there. You could maybe compare The Raid 2 to more of an open-world game, because this one was far grander in scope, with all the fighting and violence happening across a much wider set of locations, and over a longer period of time, too.

Now, both movies in this series (if a series can be just two movies long… maybe it’s a duology, then?) are extremely violent, so if violence gets in the way of fun you might otherwise have, calling The Raid and The Raid 2 incredibly fun might not feel all that fitting. But if you don’t mind fight choreography that oftentimes feels gnarly and brutally real, these movies are essential, with The Raid 2 possibly being ever so slightly more entertaining than the already excellent The Raid.

5

‘Hard Boiled’ (1992)

Image via Golden Princess Film Production

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You could argue John Woo peaked, as a director, more than three decades ago, which might sound disappointing for someone who’s continued to direct over the last 30-ish years… but also, when that peak was achieved with a movie as good as Hard Boiled, is that really such a bad thing to say? For the kind of action movie it is, it’s basically perfect, being no-nonsense, unrelenting, potentially goofy (at least at times), and wonderfully over-the-top.

It’s about two guys, and they need to shoot a bunch of other guys. So they shoot away, and then other things explode, and there’s so much general destruction. Things end up at a hospital, and the action just keeps going on and on and on. It’s the best kind of mindless action movie, and for how generous it is, Hard Boiled really does feel like just about as classic as purely entertaining action-fests get.

4

‘Kill Bill: Vol. 1’ (2003)

Image via Miramax Films

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Now that it’s more widely available, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair is likely the best way to experience Kill Bill, rather than watching Vol. 1 (2003) and Vol. 2 (2004) back-to-back. But Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is the one going here just because it’s more of a full-on action movie than Vol. 2, with its final act being the main reason why that’s the case, since it does for restaurants what the final act of Hard Boiled did for hospitals.

You get a few more serious scenes in Vol. 1, admittedly, but not too many, with most of the drama of the whole revenge saga being saved for the more emotionally intense and dialogue-heavy Vol. 2. The action in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 is some of the best you’ll ever see in an English-language martial arts/samurai movie, and as a homage to such genres, it really is quite wonderful.

3

‘Hundreds of Beavers’ (2022)

Image via Cineverse

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Hundreds of Beavers is one of the more underrated movies released in relatively recent memory, but then, admittedly, it also might be among the strangest films of the 2020s so far, too. It’s a black-and-white homage to slapstick comedies of the silent era, being about a man who has to survive on his own in Wisconsin during the 1800s (seemingly), and while he’s doing that, he makes enemies with the titular beavers.

There’s more to it than just a guy fighting a bunch of people in beaver costumes, but that is the source of much of the action in Hundreds of Beavers, and that action’s equal parts silly and glorious. The rest of the movie is also a lot of fun, and even if it’s most concerned with being a great comedy over anything else, the creativity of all the fight and chase sequences makes it work surprisingly well as an unusual kind of action film, too.

2

‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)

Not including Raiders of the Lost Ark here would be bold, and maybe even foolish. Hell, only putting one Indiana Jones movie here might well be a different sort of foolish, but the original here is the greatest and most approachable. It’s also right up there as one of the very best things Steven Spielberg has ever directed, and much of what it does feels definitive, as far as action/adventure movies go.

The MacGuffin here is the Ark of the Covenant, with Raiders of the Lost Ark showcasing an endlessly entertaining pursuit to find said object, set back in the 1930s, which was a time in cinema history when film serials were popular. Raiders of the Lost Ark itself seeks to homage and elevate those kinds of film serials, obviously doing so quite effortlessly, in turn becoming almost as timeless as films from the 1980s managed to get.

1

‘The Blues Brothers’ (1980)

Image via Universal Pictures

Steven Spielberg might have a cameo in The Blues Brothers, but it is a very different sort of action movie from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and is more in line with previously mentioned comedy/action romps like Kung Fu Hustle and Hundreds of Beavers. Its plot concerns two men who try to get their blues band back together so they can throw a charity concert, hoping that’ll earn them enough money to save the orphanage they were raised in from being torn down.

They’ve got a clear goal (a mission from God, even), and there’s something hilarious about the way they pursue it with such determination and casualness at the same time, while the most chaotic things imaginable keep happening around them. The Blues Brothers, on top of being very funny and action-packed, is also an all-timer of a musical. There’s a destruction-filled scene in a mall where one of the titular characters remarks, “This place has got everything,” and if you swap out the word “place” with “movie,” that’s a quote you can also apply quite effectively to The Blues Brothers.

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The Blues Brothers

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Release Date

June 20, 1980

Runtime

133 minutes

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Director

John Landis

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Writers

Dan Aykroyd, John Landis

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• 
• 

  John Belushi

  ‘Joliet’ Jake Blues

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Fox Sports announcer John Strong mistook Matt Damon for Brad Pitt while calling out celebrity guests at the 2026 World Cup.

“Brad Pitt among the fans here,” Strong, 41, said while announcing famous faces inside MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, July 19, right before fellow announcer Stu Holden set him straight. “That’s Matt Damon,” his colleague corrected him before the pair laughed about Strong’s on-air gaffe.

As cameras moved on to other celebrity attendees, Strong admitted that star-spotting wasn’t his forte. “I’m letting you take the rest of these guys,” the announcer said in the mic. “I got cocky after the first three, and I missed an absolute sitter so I’m done.”

The live moment was shared by World Cup fans via X in the finals’ aftermath, with amused social media commentary included alongside the footage. “It’s been a hell of a weekend for Matt Damon. He has #1 movie at the box office, got to attend the World Cup Final, and just got mistaken for Brad Pitt on the TV broadcast,” wrote one X user.

Related: All the Celebrities Cheering on Global Soccer at the 2026 World Cup

The 2026 World Cup is officially here— and the stars are stepping out to root for their favorite teams. The global soccer tournament will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the qualifying teams competing in matchups throughout the three countries this summer ahead of the championship game at MetLife Stadium in […]

Indeed Damon, 55, was in attendance at Sunday’s event, stepping out with wife, Luciana Barroso, to witness Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 in extra time.

Other famous faces in the crowd included Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Alix Earle, Blake Lively, Richard Gere and wife, Alejandra Silva, David and Victoria Beckham, Kylie Jenner, Timothée Chalamet, and Brittany and Patrick Mahomes.

Justin Bieber and Madonna also performed as part of the event’s Topps Final Halftime Show, while Tom Cruise delivered a pre-match speech to mark the end of this year’s tournament.

While Pitt, 62, wasn’t seen at Sunday’s final, he was spotted in California’s SoFi Stadium on Friday, July 10, as Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 as part of their run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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Attending alongside friends Javiar Bardem and his wife, Penélope Cruz, Pitt brought girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, along for the match and at one point, the couple kissed as they celebrated Spain’s success.

Related: Brad Pitt and His Girlfriend Ines de Ramon Show PDA at French Open

Brad Pitt cuddled up with girlfriend Ines de Ramon during a visit to the French Open. The couple made a rare public appearance on Saturday, June 6, to watch Mirra Andreeva secure the first Grand Slam title of her tennis career with a 6-3, 6-3, win over Maja Chwalińska in the women’s singles final on […]

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Additional photos published by Page Six also showed Pitt, who first sparked romance rumors with de Ramon, 33, in November 2022, placing a hand atop his partners’.

The PDA flowed over in Damon’s corner on Sunday as Barroso, 49, was seen leaning into her husband as he held an arm around her waist. Prior to the game starting, the couple, who married in December 2005 and share four daughters together, posed on the red carpet together.

Henry Cavill is no stranger to the spy genre at this point. He’s been part of the espionage world in films like Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Argylle, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. He most recently teamed up with Jake Gyllenhaal in Guy Ritchie‘s In the Grey, which turned out to be one of this year’s most underrated action thrillers. Now, Cavill is headed back into the spy genre, and this time around, he’s got another really fun pairing lined up.

This time, he’ll be sharing the screen with Kevin Hart. Hart has made a career out of action comedies, and although lately it feels like he’s been making them with Dwayne Johnson every other year, his 2024 film Lift starred him at the center of a serious heist thriller without The Rock. Money Heist‘s Úrsula Corberó was also a part of Hart’s crew in that film. And this time, it’ll be just as fun to see Hart bounce off someone new for a change.

The Netflix Original spy action comedy starring Cavill and Hart is titled Spy Duo, and it was first announced earlier this year in May. Now we have a better idea of when cameras will start rolling. According to What’s On Netflix, filming is set to begin this August and will continue through November 2026.

‘Spy Duo’ Has the Right People Behind It

The film will follow Cavill and Hart as rival spies who cross paths in, of all places, a Lamaze class, where their wives strike up a friendship. From there, their secret double lives start colliding in increasingly hilarious and dangerous ways, and the two men find themselves forced into an unlikely alliance on the road to fatherhood. McG, the director behind The Babysitter and Charlie’s Angels, is set to direct.

The producing lineup is stacked too. Hart will produce through his Hartbeat banner. Ryan Reynolds is also on board through his Maximum Effort company. Shawn Levy, the director behind action-comedy hits like Free Guy and Deadpool & Wolverine, is also producing through his 21 Laps Entertainment banner. Netflix hasn’t announced a release date yet, but with filming expected to wrap by the end of 2026, a 2027 release seems most likely. And because Spy Duo is a Netflix Original, it’s already confirmed that the movie will debut directly on Netflix rather than getting a traditional theatrical release.

Spy Duo is set to begin filming in August 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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Release Date

July 27, 2018

Runtime

147 minutes

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Director

Christopher McQuarrie

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Sci-fi and thrillers have always been a natural combination. There’s something inherently uncanny and tense about ideas of futuristic technology, space travel, or unknown life forms. Indeed, the subgenre’s best movies mine all these elements for maximum tension, resulting in truly shocking and anxiety-inducing masterworks.

With that in mind, this list looks at some of the iconic and timeless sci-fi thrillers that are great from beginning to end. Every tension-filled scene pushes the story forward, and there’s never a wrong note. The titles below are perfectly constructed and cleverly executed, sustaining the suspense the whole way through.

‘Contagion’ (2011)

Image via Warner Bros.

“There’s informed discussion on the blogosphere that this is a biological weapon.” One of the smartest and most realistic “plague” movies ever. In Contagion, a mysterious illness spreads with terrifying speed across the globe. We follow doctors, scientists, government officials, journalists, and ordinary citizens as they struggle to understand and contain the pandemic before it wipes out civilization.

Director Steven Soderbergh (a storyteller with amazing range) builds suspense through procedural detail, focusing on the mechanics of tracing infections and developing vaccines. Obviously, it all rings uncomfortably true now in the wake of COVID, and it’s a big part of why Contagion is so good. It was remarkably prescient, while remaining thrilling rather than dry. It helps that the ensemble cast is so great: Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Marion Cotillard, and Jude Law all turn in great work here.

‘A Scanner Darkly’ (2006)

Image via Warner Bros.

“What does a scanner see?” Like Soderbergh, Richard Linklater has a varied filmography, including experimental dramas alongside blockbuster comedies. His strangest project, however, is this Philip K. Dick adaptation told through rotoscope animation. Set in a near-future America ravaged by addiction to the mysterious Substance D, A Scanner Darkly centers on undercover narcotics agent Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves), who gradually loses his grip on reality while investigating the very drug to which he himself has become addicted.

The movie strikes a fine balance between dark humor, outright tragedy, and sci-fi speculation, while also nailing the author’s profound distrust of authority. Surprisingly, the dreamlike animation ends up suiting the subject matter perfectly. Rather than just being a gimmick, the constantly shifting visuals reflect Arctor’s deteriorating mental state, making it increasingly difficult for the audience to distinguish reality from hallucination.

‘Moon’ (2009)

Image via Sony Pictures Classics

“I want to go home.” Sam Rockwell leads this one as Sam Bell, a solitary worker nearing the end of a three-year assignment overseeing an automated helium-3 mining operation on the Moon. With only the station’s artificial intelligence, GERTY, for company, Sam eagerly anticipates returning home to his wife and daughter. However, after a serious accident outside the base, he uncovers a truth that forces him to question everything he believes about his identity.

This premise could’ve turned into a pulpy space thriller, but director Duncan Jones turns it into something a lot more interesting, in part thanks to his restraint. He avoids unnecessary action sequences or elaborate visual effects, instead leaning into psychological uncertainty. The genre elements never overwhelm the story’s human core, and Rockwell’s performance, lonely, confused, likable, and vulnerable, carries the whole thing.

‘Children of Men’ (2006)

Image via Universal Pictures

“As the sound of the playgrounds faded, the despair set in.” Set in a future where humanity has become infertile, Alfonso Cuarón‘s Children of Men follows disillusioned bureaucrat Theo Faron (Clive Owen) as he becomes responsible for protecting the world’s first pregnant woman (Clare-Hope Ashitey) in nearly two decades. Their desperate journey across a collapsing Britain places them at the center of political unrest, hunted by competing factions determined to exploit the miraculous pregnancy.

It’s a grim vision but an immersive one. Every detail of the world feels authentic, from overcrowded refugee camps to militarized cities slowly surrendering to hopelessness. Stylistically, Children of Men is also impressive. Cuarón’s celebrated long takes place alongside Theo as chaos erupts around him, resulting in some of the most breathtaking suspense sequences of the decade. It’s a masterclass in how to stage a chase scene.

’12 Monkeys’ (1995)

Image via Universal Pictures

“There’s no right, there’s no wrong. There’s only popular opinion.” This quirky gem from Terry Gilliam sees Bruce Willis pushing himself into new acting territory as James Cole, a prisoner from a future devastated by a deadly virus. He is sent back in time to gather information about the catastrophe before it occurs. Instead of finding clear answers, however, Cole becomes entangled in a labyrinth of memory, madness, and shifting timelines.

The plot is dark but delightfully twisty, constantly keeping us off balance and hitting us with one shocking revelation after another. It’s also ambiguous, to the point that we’re often uncertain as to whether Cole really is a time traveler… or simply mad. Willis deserves props for his strong work in the lead role, supported by equally great turns from Madeleine Stowe, as well as an unforgettable, Oscar-nominated Brad Pitt.

‘Primer’ (2004)

Image via THINKFilm

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“The permutations were endless.” Made on an extraordinarily small budget, Shane Carruth‘s Primer compensates for its lack of special effects and visual polish with intricate storytelling, convincing science, and a plot that rewards multiple viewings. The story follows engineers Aaron (Carruth) and Abe (David Sullivan), who accidentally invent a device capable of sending a person backward through time. Initially using the discovery for financial gain, the pair soon find themselves trapped within increasingly tangled timelines that threaten both their friendship and their understanding of reality.

Unlike more crowd-pleasing time-travel stories such as Back to the Future, Primer stubbornly refuses to simplify its science or its consequences. Carruth trusts viewers to piece together the puzzle through careful observation, which is exactly what makes it great. Rather than the usual tropes of the subgenre, the film is concerned with the psychological and ethical consequences of manipulating time, and nails it.

‘Ex Machina’ (2015)

Image via A24

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“One day, the AIs are going to look back on us the same way we look at fossil skeletons on the plains of Africa.” Ex Machina begins with young programmer Caleb (Domhnall Gleeson) winning a company competition to spend a week at the secluded home of brilliant technology CEO Nathan (Oscar Isaac). Once there, Caleb discovers that he has actually been recruited to evaluate Nathan’s newest creation: Ava (Alicia Vikander), an android who appears to be conscious.

From here, the movie draws on noir conventions but filters them through a clever sci-fi lens, raising difficult questions of intelligence, manipulation, and what it truly means to be human. The psychological tension remains high throughout, with every conversation between the characters altering our understanding of who they are and what they’re aiming at. It was all fantastic back in 2015 and has only grown more relevant in light of the recent strides in AI.

‘Inception’ (2010)

“You mustn’t be afraid to dream a little bigger, darling.” With Inception, Christopher Nolan combined blockbuster spectacle with an ingenious sci-fi premise (though one with shades of Paprika). The story revolves around Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a professional thief who specializes in infiltrating dreams to steal valuable information. Offered a chance to erase his criminal record, Cobb assembles a team to perform the seemingly impossible task of planting an idea inside someone else’s mind rather than extracting one.

From here, we get killer action sequences, pioneering visual effects (the revolving hallway fight has become legendary), dreams within dreams, and a brilliantly thunderous score from Hans Zimmer. Then, to top it all off, Inception gives us one of the greatest final shots in cinema history. The spinning top trembles, and a thousand fan theories are launched, but Cobb instead turns to his family.

‘The Thing’ (1982)

Image via Universal Pictures

“Nobody trusts anybody now… and we’re all very tired.” Although its bleakness went unappreciated back in 1982, The Thing has rightly been canonized as one of sci-fi’s classics. It traps a group of American researchers in an isolated Antarctic outpost after they unknowingly encounter a shape-shifting extraterrestrial organism capable of perfectly imitating any living creature. Paranoia spreads through the station, and trust breaks down, threatening to tear the group apart.

The extraordinary practical effects, courtesy of legend Rob Bottin, remain astonishing decades later, contributing to a relentless atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. Every revelation increases the danger, while Ennio Morricone‘s minimalist score reinforces the overwhelming sense of isolation. By the time the unforgettable ending arrives, The Thing has become far more than a creature feature: it’s a meditation on survival, mistrust, and humanity’s remarkable capacity for self-sabotage.

‘Alien’ (1979)

Image via 20th Century Studios

“In space no one can hear you scream.” Alien is perhaps the perfect fusion of sci-fi and thriller. After responding to a mysterious distress signal, the commercial spaceship Nostromo inadvertently brings aboard a deadly organism that begins hunting the crew one by one. Cut off from help and trapped deep in space, the survivors must confront a predator unlike anything they have ever encountered. Famously, the movie is structured like a haunted house story in space, unfolding at a delectable slow-burn.

Sigourney Weaver is fantastic as the lead, while H.R. Giger contributes some of the greatest monster design in movie history. The Xenomorph has a twisted life cycle, each stage more repulsive than the last, culminating in an adult form defined by an extended cranium, bladed tail, acid blood, and a mouth on its tongue. Almost 50 years later, it remains the scariest alien in the cinematic universe.

Argentinian footballer Cristian Romero appeared to snub President Donald Trump’s handshake at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

During the event’s medal ceremony, which saw FIFA officials award Argentinian players silver runners-up medallions following their loss to Spain 1-0, Romero, 28, was seen walking past the president, 80, who was tasked with handing out medals to players on both teams.

The center-back did, however, shake the hands of FIFA president, Gianni Infantino, and Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, who stood either side of Trump.

Footage shared via X after the medal ceremony wrapped on-air clearly depicted Romero briefly glancing at Trump before averting his eyesight and clutching at his medal as he continued on.

Related: Lionel Messi Addresses Bathing Lamine Yamal 19 Years Before World Cup Final

Soccer legend Lionel Messi has seen the viral chatter surrounding his history with Spanish athlete Lamine Yamal nearly two decades before the pair are scheduled to meet in the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup final. “Honestly, looking at that photo is crazy,” Messi, 39, said in Spanish during a Fanatics Fest press conference on Friday, […]

The apparent snub comes after the U.S. president was met with loud booing from the crowd just before the highly anticipated final got started. Moments after Jennifer Hudson performed the national anthem, Trump was filmed clapping while standing in his section of Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

As the camera revealed Trump’s stance, audible booing was heard. Trump attended the championship with wife, Melania Trump, and watched the game with Infantino, 56.

A string of high-profile celebrities came out to watch the 2026 World Cup final, including Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Javier Bardem, Matt Damon and wife, Luciana Barroso, Blake Lively, Tom Brady, Alix Earle and David and Victoria Beckham.

The Beckhams were joined by Tom Cruise, who gave a speech to the crowd prior to kick-off. Performances by Madonna and Justin Bieber added further star appeal during the event’s halftime musical line-up.

In a pre-game press conference, football legend Lionel Messi addressed Argentina’s hopes of securing another victory over Spain.

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“We will give it our all,” Messi, 39, said before acknowledging that he once gave 19-year-old Spanish athlete Lamine Yamal a bath in a now-viral photoshoot almost two decades earlier. “Looking at that photo is crazy. Well, that’s life, right? I took a photo with him when he was a baby, and now here we are facing each other in a World Cup. Lamine is an amazing player, someone whom I follow closely because he plays for a club I love.”

Related: All the Celebrities Cheering on Global Soccer at the 2026 World Cup

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The 2026 World Cup is officially here— and the stars are stepping out to root for their favorite teams. The global soccer tournament will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the qualifying teams competing in matchups throughout the three countries this summer ahead of the championship game at MetLife Stadium in […]

The departing athlete was seen crying with a silver medal slung around his neck after the game.

While Messi has not made a formal announcement regarding retirement, the future of his football career is widely speculated to be winding down with many outlets reporting that the 2026 World Cup was his last.

Ever since their inception in 2000 and their first film releases throughout the 2000s, Blumhouse Productions has grown to be one of the most prominent faces in the worls of 21st century horror. Their mentality of giving countless horror creatives the minimal budgets required to create their own distinct visions has paid off dividens, with few other production companies coming close to their level of success and notoriety within the horror genre. However, with such a wide casting net of horror offerings, it takes something truly special to be an all-time great from the studio.

More than simply playing to trends of the era or relying on clichés like some other Blumhouse horror films are guilty of, the very best of the studio’s horror offerings are some of the best horror masterpieces of the 21st century. Several of these films have grown massively iconic in their mixture of scares and dynamic storytelling, as not just some of the scariest films of recent memory, but some of the most insightful horror experiences as well. The studio has technically released a few masterpieces that aren’t a part of the horror genre (like Whiplash and BlacKkKlansman), but this list will focus solely on their 5 horror masterpieces.

5

‘Split’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

M. Night Shyamalan is a filmmaker who has had a wildly shaky and divisive career, originally starting with massively acclaimed classics like The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable before creating notorious failures like The Happening and The Last Airbender. His 2010s failures especially left Shyamalan limited on options for his next film, with the lower horror thriller budget of Blumhouse proving to be the perfect avenue for Shyamalan to return to his roots. Split has the exact energy and flair of a Shyamalan classic of old, playing into his greatest strengths as a filmmaker while not featuring any of the attributes that hindered previous films.

With an exceptional lead performance by James McAvoy at its center, one of Shyamalan’s greatest twists, and a powerful mixture of tension and outright horror, Split was a glorious return to form for one of the most distinct and individual directors of the contemporary era. It does a great job of combining and utilizeing both Shyamalan’s signature style as well as the inherent strengths and impact of Blumhouse’s style, creating a match made in heaven that helped catapult Shyamalan back into the limelight, with Split arguably being even more popular than his amazing films of old.

4

‘Sinister’ (2012)

Image via Lionsgate Films

There has been a great deal of research put into finding what could scientifically be considered the scariest movie of all time. While a lot of this seems like it should be considered subjective and varies on the audience, various studies often consider Sinister to be the scariest movie ever made. Scott Derrickson‘s dynamic horror tour de force proves to be the absolute height of the found footage trend that dominated the early 2010s, having much more depth and expertise beyond simply putting up a camera and leaning into realism.

The combination of exceptional talent throughout the cast with the shocking, guttural pain of its various uncovered snuff films and some of the best jump scares of all time made the film an instant icon of the horror genre. Its scares have proven to be so impactful and striking that it has given the film a resounding reputation as one of the outright scariest experiences horror has to offer. It stands as one of the first truly masterful horror films that Blumhouse would help create, setting a standard for greatness that continues to be a part of their legacy nearly 15 years after the film’s release.

3

‘The Invisible Man’ (2020)

Image via Universal Pictures

While classic universal monsters like Dracula and Frankenstein continuously find themselves being adapted and rebooted to the modern age time and time again, The Invisible Man is a character who rarely if ever finds a similar opportunity to shine in the world of horror. However, Leigh Whannell‘s masterful contemporary horror thriller take on the character is not just the best Invisible Man movie in ages, but might just be one of the best Universal monster movies ever made. It seamlessly evolves the strengths of the character to the modern age, as well as telling its own dynamic story of gaslighting and manipulation that utilizes filmmaking and camerawork as the cornerstone of its thematic strengths.

The visual execution is the major strength that sets Whannell’s take on the character apart from other iterations of the character, able to conjure tension and fear out of massive empty spaces and subtle differences that have the audience second guessing themselves as to the Invisible Man’s location and plans. The film also features one of the best, most underrated horror performances in recent memory with Elizabeth Moss‘s psychological spiral while being tormented by the Invisible Man. This intricate story of gaslighting massively surprised audiences in its execution, setting the decade off to a tremendous start and still being massively celebrated to this day.

2

‘Obsession’ (2026)

Image via Focus Features

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It may seem like recency bias to already be touting one of Blumhouse’s latest horror releases as one of their absolute best, but Obsession truly does live up to the hype. Curry Barker‘s dynamic story of magical bodily autonomy and control has soared into all-time status thanks to its poignant themes mixed with an exceptional central performance by Inde Navarrette as Nikki. Off of a miniscule budget of under a million dollars, the film grossed a groundbreaking $442 million and counting worldwide, becoming one of the most financially profitable films of all time.

The film is brimming with personality and charm from beginning to end, having an inherent sense of youthful ingenuity to its execution without taking away from the harrowing dread of its premise and some absolute great scares and tension. The appreciation for the film will only continue to grow as time goes on, especially if the overwhelming hype leads to it becoming an unexpected awards player and a Best Picture nominee. It’s easily going to be considered one of the best horror movies of the 2020s when the decade is complete, as its about as amazing of a debut feature film as one could ask for, painting a great picture for Barker’s future career in horror filmmaking.

1

‘Get Out’ (2017)

Image via Universal Pictures

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Between all the exceptional horror films that Blumhouse has released over the years, no singular film has been more influential and massively acclaimed in its execution than Jordan Peele‘s legendary debut feature, Get Out. The infectious mixture of horror, scares, and social messaging completely took the world by storm to usher in a new era of “elevated horror” in its success. Even in the years since its release, the film’s overwhelming qualities continue to delight and impact audiences, with it easily being one of the greatest horror achievements not just of its era, but of the entire 21st century.

In a beautiful way, Get Out stands for everything that has made Blumhouse such a strong and exciting horror studio to watch, as they gave a genuine talent a small budget and the resources to tell their own story, launching their career and winning awards in the process of its success. It’s the type of film that is symbolic of the greatest strengths of the medium and the studio system, spitting in the face of the abundance and overreliance on IP and franchises to tell a masterful original story dripping with personality and individuality.

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Release Date

February 24, 2017

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104 minutes

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Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet were among the many famous faces at the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

While the heated match played on, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats, the lovebirds were in a world of their own, unable to get their hands off each other.

However, the romantic display didn’t sit well with fans who thought it was inappropriate, given the major loss Jenner’s family recently suffered with the death of their grandmother.

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Although soccer powerhouse Messi was on the field, with the likes of President Donald Trump, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Tom Cruise present at the MetLife Stadium, Jenner and Chalamet stole all the attention.

The couple was caught engaging in a steamy PDA session while in the VIP section, making a date night out of the sports event. A viral clip from the match saw them stopping to share a sweet kiss as they chatted playfully throughout.

For the event, Jenner stunned in a semi-casual outfit comprising capri pants and a long-sleeved top with a plunging neckline that flaunted her cleavage.

She paired the ensemble with low slipper heels and sunglasses she wore throughout the game. The “Dune” actor, on the other hand, looked sporty with a blue Adidas sweatshirt paired with sweatpants and white footwear.

Fans Bash Kylie Jenner For Not ‘Mourning’ Appropriately

Online users wasted no time sharing their thoughts on Jenner and Chalamet’s steamy moment, with many pointing out the appearance comes just days after she lost her beloved grandmother.

“Didn’t her grandmother just die? Guess the cameras are more important,” one fan blatantly slammed.

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“A little too happy knowing her grandma just left the map,” another harsh critic wrote on X. This user questioned, “Isn’t she supposed to be in mourning?” while another urged the reality star, “Go home and mourn your grandma.”

Others found a problem with the loved-up display at a sporting event, something Jenner and Chalamet are no strangers to. “Why the f-ck do they kiss every time when there is a camera… nobody cares who you are,” one comment read.

Timothee Chalamet Had A Special Role At The World Cup

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Although the PDA was the talking point for fans, it wasn’t the only highlight of the pair’s appearance in New Jersey for the final.

Earlier, Chalamet was seemingly honored for being a major sports fan by having a special role leading up to the game, per Fox Sports.

The “Marty Supreme” star delivered the ball for the match ball, walking majestically from the tunnel to place it on a stand to cheers from the crowd. It was no doubt a big moment for Chalamet, who supported France at the semifinals.

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Kylie Jenner’s Grandmother MJ Dies At 91

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The “Life of Kylie” star’s World Cup outing came days after her grandmother Mary Jo “MJ” Shannon’s passing at 91.

Momager, Kris Jenner, announced the heartbreaking news of MJ’s death on Thursday, July 16, in a poignant social media statement describing her as “the heart of our family.” The heartbroken talent manager praised her mother for teaching her everything that matters in life.

Days after, Kylie broke her silence on her family’s loss, reflecting on her grandmother’s legacy, as reported by The Blast.

The 28-year-old socialite shared a carousel of throwback photos featuring her older sister, Kendall Jenner and the late MJ. In one snap, the siblings donned matching outfits with their grandmother as they struck playful poses.

Kim Kardashian Slammed For Bikini Post After Grandmom’s Death

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Kylie isn’t the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan that has faced criticism for their disposition following MJ’s demise.

The SKIMS founder had posted bikini-clad photos from her Fourth of July celebration with her family and friends shortly after the news of the matriarch’s passing broke.

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Fans wasted no time pointing out the insensitivity of the upload, with one writing, “Didn’t your grandmother just pass? This couldn’t wait [until] the weekend?”

However, according to The Blast, Kim was quick to respond to the criticism, giving a clear explanation for the timing of the post.

She explained that the IG post was prescheduled days before the devastating loss. “I’ve been by my mom and grandma’s side this past week, and my heart is completely with my family right now. We love and miss her so deeply, and in the days ahead, we’ll be focusing on celebrating her beautiful life,” she assured.

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After Parasite put South Korean cinema on the global stage in 2019, 2026 is shaping up to be another landmark year for Korean movies and TV. The Furious came out last month and was labeled the single best action movie since The Raid films. Then, just this month, Human Vapor continued the momentum on the streaming side. The series debuted on Netflix with a phenomenal 91% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, despite its impressive ratings and strong reception, another K-drama has emerged as an even bigger breakout hit, completely overshadowing Human Vapor on the global streaming charts.

The series stars So Ji-sub as Manager Kim, a mild-mannered bank manager and single father who used to be an elite, highly classified covert operative. That is, until a criminal syndicate kidnaps his daughter and drags his old life back to the surface. With no one else capable of bringing her home, Kim is forced to return to the skills he spent years trying to forget. That’s kind of like John Wick meets Taken if you think about it. The major difference is that instead of it being a single film, this one stretches that whole story for ten episodes, and that episode drip-drop is the main reason why it’s still riding the wave at the top.

The series is titled Agent Kim Reactivated. And it is currently the #1 most popular series on Netflix’s global chart for foreign-language titles. And for anyone still chasing the adrenaline rush The Furious delivered earlier this year, Agent Kim Reactivated is the perfect follow-up and should be at the top of their watchlist.

2 Additional Episodes Have Been Confirmed for ‘Agent Kim Reactivated’

Better yet, since the response to the series has been far bigger than anyone expected, following its strong ratings and overwhelming fan reaction, SBS initially decided to extend the show’s run with one special episode. But it appears that even that wasn’t enough. Due to the series’ continued popularity, the network has now added another special, meaning fans will get two additional episodes after the finale. These specials will feature never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, unaired clips from the show, and interviews with the director and stars. The two additional episodes will be released on July 31 and August 1, respectively.

Agent Kim Reactivated was originally planned as a 10-episode series, and it is already nearing the end of its season. The first eight episodes are currently available to stream on Netflix, with the final two episodes scheduled to arrive on July 24 and July 25.

The first eight episodes of Agent Kim Reactivated are currently available to stream on Netflix, with new episodes releasing weekly on Fridays and Saturdays. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.

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2026 – 2026-00-00

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SBS

Directors

Lee Sung-young

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• 

  Choi Dae-hoon

  Seong Han-su

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  Yoon Kyung-ho

  Park Jin-cheol

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Low fantasy is a specific subgenre of fantasy that refers to a story in which the real world intersects with monsters or aspects of magic. It’s different from portal fantasy because, instead of featuring a portal to another, more fantastical world, low fantasy seamlessly integrates its more imaginative themes with the banality of everyday life. The whole genre is basically “what if magic actually existed?”

It serves as the antithesis to high fantasy, which is a story that takes place in a completely different world with different rules. Low fantasy is more common amongst younger audiences, but it has still found its appeal among adults, too. Over the years, many low fantasy books have come out, each presenting their daring, unique versions of our world. These are the best low fantasy books of all time, proving that the subgenre has a revered place in pop culture.

10

‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (1997)

Image via Thomas Taylor/Scholastic

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone might not be the most well-written or the most inventive low fantasy book ever made, but it still deserves a spot on this list because its legacy is undeniable. This book and its six sequels became a massive cultural phenomenon, spawning a multi-billion dollar franchise. That’s not even scraping the surface of the endless supply of official merchandise. Things like this simply don’t happen unless you’re doing something right.

The story, as many already know, is about Harry, an orphaned British boy who discovers he is a wizard. He travels to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to learn how to use his talents, discovering an entire magical world hidden away from non-magical folk. While the writing itself might not be anything outstanding, its success likely stems from the fact that it’s just a good story. It’s fascinating and has a cast of lovable and memorable characters, and it feels like a childhood dream in book form. What kid didn’t secretly wish they had magic powers? For the simple fact of how massive it was, it earns its spot on this list.

9

‘Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution’ (2022)

Image via Harper Voyager

R. F. Kuang has been a massive name in fantasy lately. Some die-hard fans of the genre have turned their noses up at her work, but to casual, less critical readers, she has been a pretty big sensation. Babel is one of her stand-alone novels, which is heavily based on her experience in academia. A post-graduate student and a scholar at heart, Kuang wrote Babel as a sort of deep dive into the dark side of academic institutions.

The story is set in the 1830s and focuses on a fictitious college at Oxford that specializes in capturing magical silver bars, which this version of the British Empire uses as fuel. To give these bars power, the college, nicknamed “Babel,” translates ancient texts to find things that have been lost in translation. With Britain on the brink of war, four new students must decide where their loyalties lie: with the university and the empire, or with the countries that will be affected by this war? A critique of British imperialism and academia’s complacence in it, this book has some important things to say on top of telling a good story, which is why critics loved it so much.

8

‘The Lightning Thief’ (2005)

Image via Puffin

The Lightning Thief is the first book in Rick Riordan‘s Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, which became extremely popular among young adult audiences. Two of the books received (admittedly, terrible) film adaptations, and the series is currently in the middle of a TV adaptation on Disney+. The series is largely focused on Greek myth, with the main character, Percy, being the son of Poseidon, which causes him to be sent to Camp Half-blood, a secluded training camp where other demigods learn to exist in the hidden world of Greek mythology.

In this first installment, Percy takes on a divine quest to recover Zeus’ lightning bolt, which has been stolen. Along the way, Percy comes face-to-face with a bunch of mythological monsters and figures, including Medusa, Ares, and a minotaur. The books still have a massive dedicated fanbase amongst both kids and adults, mainly because they’re good, wholesome adventures that fuse the modern world with the mythology of Ancient Greece, making for a quite fascinating universe. Again, it might not be the best-written low fantasy book of all time, but its cultural impact means it definitely deserves to be included here.

7

‘Pilgrim: A Medieval Horror’ (2023)

Image via Sentinel Creatives

Pilgrim: A Medieval Horror is a fantasy book that has unfortunately been forgotten, flying under the radar to the point that it’s considered pretty obscure. Part horror and part fantasy, the series is set in Jerusalem during the Crusades, with the protagonist being a Teutonic knight. After spending seven years fighting in the brutal conflict, he tries to return home, only to be stopped by demons and djinn from Islamic, Christian, and Jewish traditions.

This book isn’t just a dark and fascinating story; it’s also a heavy criticism of the Crusades and how destructive and horrific they actually were. It depicts the Holy Land as being turned into a demonic hellscape, which is a pretty scathing metaphor for how the Knights Templar decimated the region. Yet, it does a very good job with what it has, making for an interesting, depressing, and unnerving story that needs to be read to be believed.

6

‘Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell’ (2004)

Image via Bloomsbury

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is set during an alternate version of the Napoleonic Wars, which occurred at the turn of the 19th Century. In this version of history, magic is a very real and established force that everybody is aware of. The problem is, it’s still seen as a taboo subject, and it is rarely practiced. Those who do practice it are seen as eccentric, and are given a wide berth by society. The two titular characters are two magicians who have vastly different approaches to their craft: one is more experimental and risky, while the other is more cautious and treats it like an exact science.

This book also received an adaptation in the form of a 2015 miniseries, though it remains highly underrated. The book itself has been a critical smash-hit, with many praising the way it speaks about English cultural intricacies, especially during that time period. On top of that, it’s a stand-alone novel, meaning it doesn’t take a massive amount of commitment to a series. It’s one of the quintessential low fantasy novels, and one that has become a favourite amongst fantasy fans.

5

‘The Magicians’ (2009)

Image via Penguin Books

The Magicians is another book that actually received a television adaptation, which ran from 2015 until 2020. The show actually got a proper conclusion, too, which is more than can be said for a lot of TV shows these days. This is the first book in the series, which has captivated millions of readers and become pretty popular.

The story is about a student who goes to study magic at a prestigious university, only to discover that the world from his favourite childhood storybook is very real, and that it is in a spot of peril. Now, he must learn to use magic and figure out how to save this hidden, fantastical world. The Magicians became a hit low fantasy book amongst adults, and spawned numerous sequels. It’s a textbook example of the genre, and one of the finest novels it has to offer.

4

‘Between Two Fires’ (2012)

Image via Ace

Between Two Fires is an ideal book for fans of the Dark Souls series of role-playing video games. This stand-alone novel is set in France during the 13th Century, when the Bubonic Plague was decimating Europe. As if that weren’t enough, the Hundred Years’ War is also raging, making it a pretty miserable time to be alive. During this tumultuous period of history, a knight named Thomas saves a little girl from a fate worse than death, promising to see her to safety.

The fantasy aspect comes from the fact that Europe isn’t just a battleground for the armies of humanity, but for the armies of Hell, too. Demons roam the devastated countryside, and Thomas must navigate past them in order to see the young girl to safety. It’s a really dark but incredibly well-written book that blends Medieval history with the Biblical concepts that were so prevalent at the time. It’s truly a singular experience that any fans of grimdark fantasy absolutely need to read.

3

‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ (1964)

Image via Scholastic

Written by acclaimed children’s author Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a classic morality tale about always doing the right thing. The story is about Charlie, a boy who wins a golden ticket to tour an enormous chocolate factory run by an eccentric chocolatier named Willy Wonka. However, this tour is actually an elaborate ploy by Wonka to choose his successor, with four other children also winning tickets.

The fantasy aspect here comes from Wonka’s apparent magical abilities, along with his non-human employees, the Oompa-Loompas. This book was famously adapted for the screen a few times, with Wonka himself being played by Gene Wilder, Johnny Depp, and Timothée Chalamet, in that order. This book has stood the test of time because, well, it’s a story about always doing the right thing and not being greedy, which is a message that will never, ever become irrelevant. Its accessibility and universal acclaim make this one of the best low fantasy books ever made.

2

‘Divine Comedy’ (1321)

Image via Barnes & Noble

Divine Comedy is a novel-length trilogy of epic poems written by Florentine poet Dante Alighieri. While the poem was written long before the definitions of high and low fantasy, in hindsight, it absolutely fits the bill. The first poem, Inferno, is by far the most famous, which is about the narrator travelling through the Nine Circles of Hell to save his lost lover. Along the way, he encounters figures from history, terrifying demons, and even Satan himself.

The other two poems, titled Purgatorio and Paradiso, respectively, are more social, religious, and political commentaries, which makes them much more challenging and outdated to read. Still, though, many scholars agree that Divine Comedy is one of the most important texts ever written, a foundational piece that is not only a piece of human history, but that continues to inspire.

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‘Odyssey’ (c. 8th Century BCE)

Image via Page Publications

Like the Divine Comedy, the Odyssey was written way, way before high and low fantasy were even a thing. In fact, this epic poem was written before novels were even a thing. Yet, if you look at the definition of low fantasy, the Odyssey absolutely fits the bill. It’s a story set in the real world that includes aspects of mythology, so it can be seen as one of the earliest examples of the genre. Written by Homer sometime in the 8th Century BCE, the story tells of Odysseus, a hero who returns from the Trojan War, a process that takes 10 years. During this journey, he encounters various beasts and monsters from Ancient Greek myth.

The poem has been adapted many, many times and has just received a film adaptation by acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan. The epic poem is divided into 24 “books,” though these aren’t exactly book-length, and the whole thing is actually only a few hundred pages long. That aside, this is one of the earliest and most legendary examples of low fantasy, as well as one of the most historically important texts ever created, so it definitely deserves to be called the best low fantasy book of all time.

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The Odyssey

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Release Date

July 17, 2026

Runtime

172 Minutes

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