The first time you watch The Black Phone, you feel like it’s a self-contained universe set in a quiet Denver neighborhood in 1978. It features a masked kidnapper and a scared boy locked in a basement with a phone that shouldn’t work but somehow does. The movie keeps its focus narrow: Finney (Mason Thomas) is trapped while his psychic sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), searches desperately for him. The ghosts of other victims speak impossibly through the phone’s receiver, each one offering a small piece of advice that might help the next kid survive.
The film concludes with that story feeling complete—the Grabber(Ethan Hawke) is gone, Finney walks back into the daylight, and Gwen’s strange dreams finally make sense. But a few years later, director Scott Derrickson subtly expanded that world. Not through a sequel or a post-credit tease. Instead, the connection shows up in a segment of the horror anthology V/H/S/85. Once you notice it, the universe around The Black Phone suddenly extends far beyond that one basement.
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Gwen’s Dreams Always Felt Like Something Larger
Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in ‘The Black Phone’Image via Blumhouse
Part of what makes The Black Phone live rent-free in the back of your mind is how Gwen’s visions behave. She dreams of things she shouldn’t know: houses she’s never seen, balloons drifting through empty streets, and even a patch of dirt that feels wrong the moment she looks at it.
But those dreams help guide the police to the graves of The Grabber’s victims. They also bring Gwen closer to the truth about where her brother is being held, providing vital clues needed in the mystery. The film allows her abilities to unfold in the background without turning into a lectureon psychic powers or falling into sci-fi action territory. Her father, Terence’s (Jeremy Davies), reaction adds an emotional layer to the story.
He remembers what happened to his wife. She had the same visions, and eventually they overwhelmed her life. This turned him into a grieving, alcoholic, and physically abusive father, suffering from PTSD after witnessing the trauma of his late wife. Every time Gwen talks about another dream, Dad senses the same danger creeping back into the family, and it just feels completely unsettling.
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“Dreamkill” Brings the Same Power Back Years Later
Finney (Mason Thames) in The Black PhoneImage via Universal Pictures
In the anthology V/H/S/85, Derrickson’s segment “Dreamkill” follows Detective Wayne Johnson (Freddy Rodríguez). He’s investigating a series of brutal murders that seem strangely familiar because he has already seen them happen on mysterious videotapes sent to him in advance. And the tapes keep getting delivered to him.
The footage is taken from a killer’s point of view and gets traced back to Goth teenage Gunther (Dashiell Derrickson), who dreams of the murders, and they somehow end up on a VHS tape. His father, Bobby (James Ransone), explains that psychic powers run in the family, including a cousin who had once dreamed about her kidnapped brother.
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Detective Wayne spends most of the story chasing down whoever keeps mailing him the tapes. That trail eventually leads him to Gunther, who swears he has nothing to do with the killings, only dreaming about them. He can’t even explain how the scenes end up on the VHS tapes. As Wayne gets closer to the truth, things quickly spiral out of control as the source of the dreams is revealed, ending in tragedy.
A Family Connection Hiding in Plain Sight
Dreamkill segment in V/H/S/85.Image via Shudder
Gunther’s father describes a pattern of psychic visions that extends through several relatives. Some family members have learned to live with their dreams, while others struggle under their weight. One woman in the family eventually lost her life after being overwhelmed by the visions. Then he casually mentions the two relatives who once had to use dreams to rescue one of them, a kidnapping victim.
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The details pass quickly, but the meaning remains clear to anyone who remembers The Black Phone. The niece and nephew Bobby mentions are Gwen and Finney, and Gunther is their cousin. The strange dreams that led Gwen toward her brother come from the same bloodline.
Suddenly, the story in Denver looks substantially different and is taking up a broader scope. Gwen’s ability was never a random gift that appeared when the plot needed help. It belongs to a family that has been dealing with the same visions for years, making the world feel so much bigger.
The V/H/S World Makes the Crossover Feel Natural
The V/H/S franchise already thrives on chaotic supernatural storytelling. Each film collects strange recordings and presents them in an anthology format. Each tape reveals a different nightmare lurking somewhere in the world. Some stories involve cults and demons, while others explore aliens, monsters, or strange experiments.
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Fans often describe the franchise as a vast horror sandbox where almost every nightmare you can imagine appears in one of those tapes. The format allows filmmakers to explore any corner of the genre they want without worrying too much about connecting everything cohesively. Try to think of the Amicus anthologies from the 1970s, but hopped up on acid. That loose framework provides Derrickson with an ideal setting to develop the mythology of The Black Phone.
The psychic dreams that once guided Gwen now exist in a world already filled with supernatural chaos. It subtly alters the story’s importance. Finney’s escape still matters, and The Grabber remains a terrifying figure in that neighborhood. However, the strange ability that helped save him now connects to a much broader and darker family history. Somewhere out there, another kid is already dreaming up the next nightmare before it even occurs.
“Last night I studied that ‘long suffering’ trains us to eventually thrive in it and it’s safe to say I’m starting to understand exactly what that means,” Taylor, 32, wrote alongside a lengthy vlog about her legal troubles on Saturday, July 18.
Taylor spoke in depth about her separate custody battles against Mortensen, 33, and Tate while applying makeup in a “Get Ready With Me” video. (She shares daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 6, with ex-husband Tate and son Ever, 2, with Mortensen.)
“If I have learned anything in 2026 [with] false headlines, there’s a lot of false information out there and so, therefore, it doesn’t affect me because it’s not true,” she insisted. “That being said, there are some things that are true as well.”
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First up was Utah’s division of the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) filing a petition asking a juvenile court to find that Taylor’s three children are “abused, neglected or dependent” and seeking protective supervision on the children’s behalf.
“It’s kind of like [Mormon Wives] for me. I don’t need to go read [the court documents] because I lived them,” she insisted. “However it is perceived, what is said, it may be accurate, maybe not. It can be exaggerated, twisted. What I do know is what [happened] and I know the truth.”
Taylor confirmed she was consulting with her attorneys to determine whether there is “something way off or misconstrued” in the DCFS filing.
“It will be handled in the courtroom, not here,” she vowed.
Taylor explained that she wanted to keep details of the case sealed for the betterment of “the children” even though she knew all of the information would “come to light” eventually. However, Taylor claimed that she had “made progress in the courtroom” even if it’s a “very slow process.”
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“I feel that we have made the progress that I have been aiming for and that is just more time with my son,” she said.
Taylor expressed concern that “more things” about the case were “leaked” on the same day as she resumed extended visitation with her 2-year-old son Ever.
The reality star expressly denied allegations from the DCFS report that she made her daughter Indy change Ever’s diapers.
“Not once have I forced or made my daughter change diapers,” she stressed. “If she ever wanted to, I let her. She likes to help. … If that is bad on me, so be it.”
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Taylor wrapped up her vlog by clarifying that she was not trying to change anyone’s mind about her parenting.
“I am actually not here to sway anyone. I am an open book. I will give you the ugly and the pretty. If you know me, I don’t claim to be this ‘mother of the year.’ I have my faults,” she acknowledged. “I also have a right to stick up for myself, give context of my life.”
She went on, “I will admit I am a lot of things. I can confidently say that if you were to put my kids on a [witness] stand, they are choosing mom and mom’s house every time, I say that with full confidence because I love my children. They know that I love them.”
“I’m at a loss for words about this experience. It’s been the most difficult thing I have ever been through,” she concluded. “Some people think the best thing is getting offline. My decision is to show this process and how ugly it is. I’ve made mistakes. I will own that. I can see that.”
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The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star has been locked in two separate custody battles with Mortensen and Tate for months.
After taking a plea deal in a 2023 domestic violence case, Taylor was involved in a new incident with Mortensen that was investigated by Utah’s Draper City Police Department in February. Both parties publicly denied the allegations of domestic violence made by the other. (Paul’s season of The Bachelorette was pulled off ABC’s spring schedule due to the criminal investigation.)
Taylor Frankie PaulRodin Eckenroth/Getty Images for SiriusXM
The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges against Paul in April, effectively closing that case.
That same month, Mortensen was awarded temporary custody of Ever, with Taylor restricted to eight-hour weekly supervised visitation. A Utah judge subsequently signed mutual orders of protection for Mortensen and Taylor, requiring them to stay 100 feet apart for a period of three years.
The former couple were in court again earlier this month, as their custody agreement was changed to allow Taylor more unsupervised time with Ever. (Mortensen was also given longer weekends as part of the ruling.)
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Meanwhile, Taylor’s ex-husband Tate sought an emergency change to their custody agreement for Indy and Ocean in early July when the reality star entered rehab. (Us reported on July 1 that Taylor voluntarily entered a rehab facility and has since returned home.)
While Tate’s motion was rejected, Taylor volunteered to take a sobriety test in order to regain unsupervised visitation with both children. (In Saturday’s vlog, Taylor said that the first half of her test “came in clean” but she was still waiting for the full results.)
A major development for both cases occurred this past week when child welfare officials raised concerns about her three children. Utah’s Division of Child and Family Services asked a juvenile court to order protective supervision services because it found that her three children were “abused, neglected or dependent.”
Taylor’s legal team reacted to the DCFS report in a statement to Us, saying, “It was recently decided that the ongoing custody actions would be best suited for juvenile court, a common step for families engaged in highly contentious, complex custody matters. Taylor is not deterred by this transition; she welcomes the added structure and oversight it provides and looks forward to continuing her progress toward normalizing custody and becoming the healthiest version of herself.”
“Tate Paul and Dakota Mortensen have remained publicly silent throughout these proceedings to avoid having serious private family matters turned into more of a public spectacle than they already have due to the insatiable appetite of others to share private family information online to promote views and publicity,” their attorneys told Us on Thursday, July 16 “However, they are deeply concerned that Taylor’s statement minimizes the gravity of the action filed by DCFS and her many underlying actions that prompted such.”
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Attorneys for both men insisted that the DCFS petition was “not a routine transition to juvenile court or an opportunity for personal growth” since it determined that “the children are abused.”
“Despite the myriad false accusations published online and on social media about them by Taylor and others, Tate and Dakota have chosen to not participate in the often misconstrued social media and other online activity surrounding their cases,” they added. “They have remained silent to protect their children, not because they have nothing to say. When the time is right, they will tell their story in their own words in the appropriate forum.”
Amid her legal battles, Taylor recently returned to film the opening credits for The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives earlier this month after the Hulu reality show was put on pause in February.
Tom Hardy’s name has been in and out of the news cycle this year, particularly surrounding the MobLand controversy. Hardy headlined the first season of the Guy Ritchie-directed Paramount Plus crime thriller with Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren, and the show was picked up for Season 2, which is coming out later this year. However, it was reported not long ago that Hardy had been fired from MobLand, but these reports were debunked a few days later, confirming that Hardy would return as Harry Da Souza should the show be renewed for Season 3. Hardy has been busy in recent years starring in some of the highest-grossing sci-fi movies of all time thanks to his Venomfranchise. While newer fans may recognize him for his work as Eddie Brock, long-time Hardy followers know him from a few other projects.
Some fans would argue that Hardy’s most famous project came back in 2015 on Mad Max: Fury Road, while others would say his work with Christopher Nolan on films like Inception and The Dark Knight Rises takes the cake. Hardy has still only been nominated for an Oscar once in his career, and it came in 2015 for his performance in The Revenant, the legendary Western epic from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu. Hardy’s Oscar nod was overshadowed by his co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, finally winning the Academy Award for the first time in his career for his performance as Hugh Glass in the film, but it’s impossible to dispute that Iñárritu guided Hardy to one of his finest performances in The Revenant. 11 years after release, The Revenant is still without a streaming home in America, but the film is surging on VOD platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV.
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Collider Exclusive · Oscar Best Picture Quiz Which Oscar Best Picture Is Your Perfect Movie? Parasite · Everything Everywhere · Oppenheimer · Birdman · No Country
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Five Oscar Best Picture winners. Five completely different visions of what cinema can be — and what it can do to you. One of them is the film that was made for the way your mind works. Ten questions will figure out which one.
🪜Parasite
🌀Everything Everywhere
☢️Oppenheimer
🐦Birdman
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🪙No Country for Old Men
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01
What kind of film experience do you actually want? The best movies don’t just entertain — they leave something behind.
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02
Which idea grabs you most in a film? Great films are driven by a central obsession. What’s yours?
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03
How do you like your story told? Form is content. The way a story is shaped changes what it means.
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04
What makes a truly great antagonist? The opposition defines the protagonist. What kind of opposition fascinates you?
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05
What do you want from a film’s ending? The final note is the one that lingers. What do you want it to sound like?
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06
Which setting pulls you in most? Where a film takes place shapes everything — mood, stakes, what’s even possible.
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07
What cinematic craft impresses you most? Every great film has a signature — a technical or artistic element that makes it unmistakable.
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08
What kind of main character do you root for? The protagonist is the lens. Who you choose to follow says something about you.
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09
How do you feel about a film that takes its time? Pace is a choice. Some films sprint; others let tension accumulate slowly, deliberately.
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10
What do you want to feel walking out of the cinema? The best films leave a mark. What kind of mark do you want?
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The Academy Has Decided Your Perfect Film Is…
Your answers have pointed to one Oscar Best Picture winner above all others. This is the film that was made for the way your mind works.
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Parasite
You are drawn to films that operate on multiple levels simultaneously — that begin in one genre and quietly, brilliantly migrate into another. Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a film about class, desire, and the architecture of inequality that manages to be darkly funny, deeply suspenseful, and genuinely shocking across a single extraordinary running time. Your instinct is for cinema that hides its true intentions until the moment it’s ready to reveal them. Parasite is exactly that — a film that rewards close attention and punishes assumptions, right up to its devastating final image.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
You want it all — and this film gives you all of it. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most maximalist films ever made: action comedy, multiverse sci-fi, family drama, existential crisis, and a genuinely earned emotional core that sneaks up on you amid the chaos. You are someone who responds to ambition, who doesn’t want cinema to choose between being entertaining and being meaningful. This film refuses that choice entirely. It is overwhelming by design, and its overwhelming nature is precisely the point — because the feeling of being crushed by infinite possibility is exactly what it’s about.
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Oppenheimer
You are drawn to cinema on a grand scale — films that understand history not as a backdrop but as a force, and that place their characters inside that force and watch what happens. Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer is a film about the terrifying gap between what we can do and what we should do, told with the full weight of one of the most consequential moments in human history behind it. You want your films to feel important without feeling self-important — to earn their ambition through sheer craft and the gravity of their subject. Oppenheimer does exactly that. It is enormous, complicated, and refuses easy comfort.
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Birdman
You are drawn to films that foreground their own construction — that make the how of the filmmaking part of the what it’s about. Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman, shot to appear as a single continuous take, is cinema examining itself through the cracked mirror of a fading actor’s ego. You respond to formal daring, to the feeling that a film is doing something that probably shouldn’t be possible. Michael Keaton’s performance and Emmanuel Lubezki’s restless camera create something genuinely unlike anything else — a film that is simultaneously about creativity, relevance, self-destruction, and the impossibility of ever truly knowing if your work means anything at all.
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No Country for Old Men
You are drawn to cinema that trusts silence, that refuses to explain itself, and that treats dread as a form of meaning. The Coen Brothers’ No Country for Old Men is a film about the arrival of a new kind of evil — implacable, arbitrary, and utterly indifferent to the moral frameworks we use to make sense of the world. It is one of the most formally controlled films ever made, and its controlled restraint is what makes it so terrifying. You want your films to haunt you, not comfort you. You are not interested in resolution if resolution would be dishonest. No Country for Old Men is honest in a way that most cinema never dares to be.
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What Is ‘The Revenant’ About?
The official synopsis for The Revenant, which also stars Domhnall Gleeson, reads as follows: “On the American frontier, fur trapper Hugh Glass is left for dead after a brutal bear attack and betrayal by his own hunting party. Driven by an unbreakable will to survive and a burning need for vengeance, Glass endures the harshest wilderness imaginable to track down the man who left him behind.” The Revenant holds scores of 78% from critics and 84% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. The film also grossed $533 million at the global box office against a $135 million budget, making it one of the most successful movies of Tom Hardy’s career. The Revenant director Alejandro G. Iñárritu has been tapped to direct Tom Cruise‘s next movie, Digger, coming out this October.
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Check out The Revenant on VOD platforms like Prime Video, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Tom Hardy’s future projects.
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Release Date
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December 25, 2015
Runtime
157 minutes
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Director
Alejandro González Iñárritu
Writers
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Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith
Producers
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Arnon Milchan, James W. Skotchdopole, Keith Redmon, Mary Parent, Steve Golin
Russell Crowe in Virtuosity.Image via Paramount Pictures
One of the most curious what-ifs in recent Hollywood history is Denzel Washington starring in David Fincher’s Se7en. Washington passed on the movie, but seemed to regret it instantly. What’s even more curious is the fact that Washington starred in at least three movies over the course of his career that appeared to have been modeled on Fincher’s masterpiece thriller. In 1998, three years after Se7en’s release and blockbuster success, Washington starred in Fallen, in which he played a cop investigating a copycat killer. In 1999, he starred in The Bone Collector, another movie in which he played a law enforcement officer trailing a serial killer. And then, in 2021, Washington played a detective in The Little Things, in which the killer was played byJared Leto.
But the one movie that can’t be put in the same category as these three titles, even though there’s a lot of overlap, is a film that was released in the same year as Se7en. It’s currently streaming in the United States on Paramount+, but it won’t be available for much longer. The movie also features Russell Crowe, who’d reunite with Washington years later in Ridley Scott’s critically acclaimed crime drama American Gangster. In the 1995 movie, Washington played a cop again, while Crowe played a digital composite of several serial killers.
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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
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🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
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01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
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02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
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03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
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05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
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06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
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08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
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Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
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The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
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You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
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You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
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You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
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Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
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You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
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Watch the Bizarre Sci-Fi Movie on Paramount+ Before It Leaves
The sci-fi movie we’re talking about is Virtuosity, directed by Brett Leonard. The film wasn’t very successful at the box office, grossing $37 million worldwide against a reported budget of $30 million. It now holds a 30% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Woefully deficient in thrills or common sense, Virtuosity strands its talented stars in a story whose vision of the future is depressingly short on imagination.” The film will be available on Paramount+ until August 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
It’s a very interesting time to be an X-Files fan right now. Next month, Chris Carter will be releasing a director’s cut of The X-Files: I Want To Believe, which is generally considered the second worst thing in the franchise (the worst thing was that crappy revival). But what really has the fandom excited is that the entire series is getting rebooted, with Ryan Coogler serving as showrunner. After all, this isn’t just anybody bringing a beloved series back to life; it’s the Oscar-winning writer and director behind the modern horror classic, Sinners. If there’s anybody who can restore The X-Files to its former glory, it’s this guy.
And make no mistake, restoration is desperately needed. The original X-Files series took a nosedive after Season 5, eventually ending with one of the worst finales in television history. The second film was a critical and commercial flop, and the revival was bad enough that it should be classified as a war crime. However, Coogler has the passion, drive, and (most importantly) the talent to restore this spooky series to its former luster. It helps that he’s gone all-out: the showrunner shot the pilot on 65mm film, and he’s now considering giving this first episode a theatrical release.
The Dream Of The ’90s Is Alive On Hulu
Ryan Coogler’s reboot of The X-Files replaces David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson entirely. Instead, our pair of erstwhile FBI agents will be played by Himesh Patel and Danielle Deadwyler. This show has its own unique canon, one in which the X-Files had previously been established and, later, shut down. These new agents are tasked with reopening the division and exploring various unexplained phenomena. The show will be exclusive to Hulu and doesn’t yet have a fixed release date, though it could drop on the streaming platform as early as late 2026.
When it does, it’s going to look absolutely fabulous. That’s because Coogler shot the pilot episode on 65mm film, which is a major rarity for television. Typically, things shot in this high a quality are reserved for the big screen, and the showrunner is reportedly considering giving the X-Files reboot pilot a theatrical release. Right now, Hulu is reportedly on the fence about doing this, especially because they have only commissioned a pilot and not yet ordered an entire series. If the pilot makes it to theaters, you’ll want to see it on the biggest screen possible because Coogler hired Oscar-winning cinematographer and Sinners collaborator Autumn Durald Arkapaw to shoot the first episode.
Will The X-Files Reboot Get Canceled?
Whether the X-Files reboot gets a series order depends on how well Coogler can impress the Hulu execs. As fans of the Slayer know all too well, the powers that be at the streaming platform didn’t like the initial cut of the highly anticipated Buffy reboot, requiring reshoots. Those reshoots did not impress them, and the show ended up getting canceled altogether. After the success of Sinners, Coogler has a lot of star power and momentum going for him, but that may not be enough. After all, the canceled Buffy series was also a reboot of a highly popular genre show from the ‘90s, spearheaded by another Oscar winner: Eternals director Chloé Zhao.
Of course, the Buffy series died in large part because it was difficult to create a reboot that matched the consistently high quality of the original show. That’s not going to be a problem with The X-Files, though: the original show diminished in quality, and after that, all we got was a terrible movie and an even worse, briefly lived revival. Fans have spent years hoping to get a truly great new incarnation of this once-great show. Is Ryan Coogler the man to give it to us? As Spooky Mulder himself might say, I want to believe.
Megan Fox turned an age-shaming attack into a joke at her former partners’ expense after a critic branded her latest lingerie photos “unbelievably embarrassing.”
The “Jennifer’s Body” actress refused to defend her age, parenting, or decision to share the provocative shoot. Instead, she questioned whether the anonymous commenter was secretly one of her exes, a pointed comeback that arrived days after former husband Brian Austin Green publicly reflected on the physical attraction and unhealthy patterns that shaped his past relationships.
5Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA
Fox shared the gothic-inspired shoot on Instagram on Thursday, July 16. The 40-year-old posed in sheer black lingerie and a dramatically long veil, standing against glowing orange-and-red backdrops. A digitally added halo appeared above her head in the opening image, completing the shoot’s saint-versus-sinner theme.
However, one commenter took issue with Fox sharing the photographs as a 40-year-old mother. “This sh-t is so unbelievably embarrassing for a 40-year-old mom to be posting,” the user wrote, comparing the shoot to content that might appear on a teenager’s Tumblr account.
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Fox quickly responded with five words: “Which one of my exes is this?”
The actress did not identify a particular former partner, and there is no indication that one of her exes actually operated the account. Still, the joke allowed Fox to dismiss the criticism without directly engaging with the argument that motherhood or age should determine what she posts.
Fox’s response attracted hundreds of reactions, with several fans criticizing the original commenter for suggesting women should stop posting revealing photographs after reaching a certain age. “Fun fact, you can still be hot at any age,” one person responded.
Another questioned why the commenter associated the pictures with teenagers, while others described the criticism as ageist. “If you don’t have anything nice to say then shut up,” a third supporter wrote.
The backlash against the commenter reflects the larger debate Fox’s post inadvertently created: whether women in entertainment face different expectations surrounding sexuality as they grow older or become mothers.
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Rather than distancing herself from the image that helped make her famous, Fox has increasingly reclaimed it through shoots that blend sexuality with darker themes involving power, religion, and female defiance.
Megan Fox Channels Her ‘Jennifer’s Body’ Character
The images also sparked comparisons to Fox’s role as Jennifer Check in the 2009 horror comedy “Jennifer’s Body.”
One photograph showed the actress leaning over a chair with her hands pressed together in a prayer-like pose. She concluded the post with a blurry video of herself licking her finger while holding a lighter, seemingly recreating one of the film’s most recognizable moments.
The combination of the veil, halo, fire, and religious imagery appeared designed to contrast expectations of female virtue with the idea of disobedience as a source of power. “Men would have them believe disobedience was Eve’s vice, when it was her greatest virtue,” Fox wrote in the caption.
Although some fans speculated that the shoot could be teasing a “Jennifer’s Body” sequel, Fox did not announce a new project connected to the cult film.
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Brian Austin Green Recently Reflected On Their Marriage
During a July 12 appearance on the “I Do, Part 2” podcast, Green admitted that his relationship with Fox initially revolved around physical attraction. “My ex and I were together for almost 15 years,” he said. “We were married for almost 10 years and I led with physical attraction.”
Green explained that he would first become attracted to someone and then attempt to build a relationship around that attraction. After separating from Fox, he said he entered therapy to examine the behaviors he brought into their marriage.
“I knew that I didn’t want to repeat things that I had done,” Green explained, adding that he wanted to understand what he contributed that was “toxic” or damaging.
Green did not criticize Fox’s appearance or her recent photos. His comments were focused on his own approach to relationships and how it changed before he became involved with his current fiancée, Sharna Burgess.
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Megan Fox Shares Children With Two Former Partners
Fox and Green began dating in 2004 after meeting when she was 18, and he was 30. They married in 2010 and share three sons: Noah, Bodhi, and Journey. Their divorce was finalized in 2021. Green is now engaged to Burgess, with whom he shares a son, Zane.
“The point is not really about who is curating or performing, it is about the #mugwank ideas of a football World Cup final half time show,” Smith, 67, vented via Instagram on Thursday, July 16.
Ahead of the heavily-anticipated Sunday, July 9, match between Argentina and Spain at Metlife Stadium in New Jersey, the musician mocked a FIFA press statement that described the Halftime Show as a “groundbreaking spectacle” that will “celebrate football, music and our shared values, ensuring a legacy that transcends the final whistle.”
Smith added his own unique caption, writing, “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH…”
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Robert Smith of The CureSUZANNE CORDEIRO/AFP via Getty Images
The singer hashtagged his post with references to “bread and circuses” — a political metaphor for superficially appealing to the masses — along with “#MUGWANK” “#pleasejustf***off” to make his contempt undeniable.
In a second post, Smith clarified he was not upset with the performers who signed on to perform during the show — he simply opposed the idea of a ceremony involving FIFA President Gianni Infantino and U.S. President Donald Trump handing the World Cup trophy to the winning team.
“Sadly, there are not enough A’s left for the ‘ARGH’ that should follow,” he quipped.
FIFA announced in May that Coldplay’s Chris Martin was curating a World Cup Final Halftime Show featuring Madonna, 67, BTS and Shakira to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to provide education opportunities and access to football training for children across the world.
“Performing at the World Cup final in support of the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund is deeply meaningful to me,” Madonna said at the time. “Without education, children are denied opportunity before they even have a chance. Every child deserves access to a quality learning — because education expands possibilities and creates lasting change.”
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Earlier this month, FIFA expanded its all-star lineup by adding Bieber, 32, Nigerian singer-songwriter Burna Boy, L.A. Philharmonic director Gustavo Dudamel and viral sensation PS 22 Chorus.
Since releasing her debut album in 1983, Madonna has rarely been out of the public eye — and she’s never stopped delivering floor-filling pop hits. Born in Bay City, Michigan, in 1958, Madonna — whose full name is Madonna Louise Ciccone — started dancing as a kid after convincing her dad to let her study […]
“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber, 32, said on July 8. “I’m grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”
Burna Boy added, “The FIFA World Cup is one of the few moments that truly brings the entire world together. To represent Africa on the first-ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show is a privilege and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. I’m honored to be part of a performance that not only celebrates football and culture but also helps create greater opportunities for children through education around the world.”
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FIFA has also confirmed that its Halftime Show will feature appearances from The Muppets and characters from Sesame Street.
One thing that Marvel Comics fans have long joked about is the sheer number of superheroes who are based out of New York City. Spider-Man, The X-Men, The Avengers, The Fantastic Four…believe it or not, these are just a few of the characters and groups based around the iconic city. How and why did this happen? Simple: Marvel Comics has always been located in New York City, and in the formative days of the publisher, most of the writers, artists, and editors lived in that same city. Accordingly, the stories they created reflected the lived experience of walking those streets, day in and day out.
These days, however, very few comic writers live in New York City due to its notoriously high cost of living. And now, even the company itself is forsaking the city. Earlier this week, Marvel informed its employees that it would be moving its publishing division out of Midtown and to Burbank, California, which is home to both Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Company. Along with this big change, the publisher also named Stephen Wacker as its new editor-in-chief. These major shifts at the House of Ideas have one major purpose: to help Marvel Comics beat DC and become, once more, the market share leader in comic book publishing.
DC Keeps Kicking Marvel’s Butt
If you only pay attention to superhero movies, you might wonder why Marvel would fret about beating DC. After all, the DCEU ran itself into the ground trying to compete with the MCU, which is still going strong. Now, James Gunn’s DCU is floundering: Superman was a success story last year, but Supergirl, the second film in this cinematic universe, turned out to be a critical and commercial bomb. Throw in the fact that this year’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday are going to collectively make billions of dollars, and Marvel’s cinematic success is undeniable. Unfortunately, Marvel’s publishing side has been consistently losing ground to their biggest rival.
How is Marvel losing out to DC? As The Hollywood Reporter reports, Marvel “lost its position as comics market share leader for the first time this century.” In terms of numbers, ICv2 reports that DC successfully captured somewhere between 34 and 40 percent of the market share compared to Marvel’s 29 to 33 percent. This is due to multiple factors, including DC making its older works more affordable and accessible through its Compact Comics line and offering exciting new books like Absolute Batman. Compared to DC’s success, Marvel has recently looked like they were just publishing filler to keep readers interested between movies.
An Uncanny Team-Up
Now, however, Marvel is taking big swings to try to take back the market share from their greatest opponent. As Kevin Feige noted at a recent town hall event, moving remaining operations to the West Coast is intended to create better synergy between Marvel’s publication, animation, and live-action storytellers. This sentiment was echoed in a letter Brad Winderbaum (head of television, animation, comics, and franchise) and David Abdo (general manager, comics and franchise) sent to The Hollywood Reporter. “Bringing our comics, film, television, and other creative teams together will help us learn from one another, collaborate, and build on the strengths that make Marvel the true House of Ideas,” they wrote.
In a perfect world, this collaboration will give us more high-quality projects like X-Men ‘97 (when are we getting that animated cinematic universe, Brad?!) while improving the MCU, which has been very inconsistent since Avengers: Endgame. If nothing else, giving the publishing division a new editor-in-chief will give a shot in the arm to Marvel Comics and help them provide proper competition to DC once more. This, too, is good for the long-term health of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has become successful by adapting the best comics of yesteryear. The only way to make sure the films of the future rock is to make sure the comics of today don’t suck.
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If that can happen, readers and viewers alike will proudly say “Make mine Marvel” yet again. Otherwise, the audience for this storied publisher might do their best impression of Spider-Man from Avengers: Infinity War by disappearing altogether.
Netflix plans to launch over 700 original series in 2026 alone, but there was a time in the not-too-distant past when that number was much, much smaller. Like, small enough to count on one hand. Back in 2013, the streaming giant debuted three flagship series: the infamous House of Cards, the award-winning Orange Is the New Black, and another series you might not even remember. It’s called Hemlock Grove, and you won’t even be able to find it on Netflix today, but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a hit on another streamer.
If you’ve never heard of it, Hemlock Grove is a bizarre, bloody horror series that combines werewolves, vampires, conspiracy theories, and gothic melodrama into one seriously mixed bag. After Netflix removed all three seasons in 2022, the series found a new home on PVOD. It’s now available to buy through the Apple TV Store, where it’s actually done pretty well for itself. It’s an unexpected fate for one of Netflix’s first original shows ever… not to mention an evergreen reminder that, in the streaming era, being an “Original” doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll always be safe from the chopping block.
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‘Hemlock Grove’ Helped Define Netflix Originals
Set in the fictional Pennsylvania town of Hemlock Grove, the story begins after two teenage girls are brutally murdered. Suspicion quickly falls on Peter Rumancek (Landon Liboiron), a mysterious outsider rumored to be a werewolf. Peter unexpectedly allies with Roman Godfrey (Bill Skarsgård), the troubled heir to the town’s wealthiest family, with supernatural secrets of his own. Together, they investigate the killings while navigating a town filled with hidden monsters, unethical scientific experiments, and increasingly disturbing family secrets.
The show was adapted from Brian McGreevy‘s 2012 novel and executive produced by horror filmmaker Eli Roth. What made it stand apart from other horror television of the time wasn’t necessarily originality — its DNA pretty shamelessly borrowed from gothic fiction, creature features, teen dramas, and mystery thrillers in one — but rather its willingness to embrace all of those influences simultaneously. One episode might focus on gruesome body horror, while the next leaned into family dysfunction, occult mythology, or psychological mystery. The result was often uneven, but rarely boring.
Premiering on April 19, 2013 — post-House of Cards but pre-Orange Is the New Black — Hemlock Grove arrived at a groundbreaking moment in TV history. Netflix still had a long way to go to prove that original streaming programming could compete with traditional cable and broadcast television. It clearly believed in the project early on, and for good reason: It actually drew more viewers during its opening weekend than House of Cards did, at least during that first season. The service even gave Hemlock Grove a second season just a couple of months after its premiere. Alas, a third and final season came the year after that. It was only a matter of time until Netflix’s support for the series ebbed as other originals surged.
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‘Hemlock Grove’s Disappearance From Netflix Says a Lot About Streaming Today
Critics didn’t love Hemlock Grove, with some calling it one of the worst horror TV shows ever, but that didn’t stop it from building a devoted cult following during its relatively short run. Fans embraced its dreamlike atmosphere, its unapologetic gore, and its willingness to swing for the fences creatively… even when those swings occasionally missed. Horror is a genre that rewards excess, and Hemlock Grove certainly had an abundance of it.
Seven years after its final season, Netflix announced that all three seasons would leave the service in October 2022. Streaming rights were later acquired by FilmRise, and today the show lives on through the Apple TV Store instead of its original home. There, it’s gone on to become one of the most-watched shows on the platform. As studios continue licensing, removing, and reshuffling content across competing platforms, don’t be surprised to see more of this happening. Audiences have seemed to pick up on the fact that digital exclusivity doesn’t mean true exclusivity at all. If you don’t have a subscription to this platform or that, just wait a little bit for it to show up somewhere else — “original” or otherwise.
Despite having no previous acting experience before landing the lead role in “Michael,” Jaafar Jackson has made cinematic history with his debut performance.
The biopic has grossed more than $1.001 billion worldwide at the box office, making Jaafar the first debutant to headline a film to cross the billion-dollar mark.
Following the film’s massive success, a second installment has been confirmed. However, it remains unclear which chapter of Michael Jackson’s life the sequel will explore.
Jaafar Jackson’s performance as his late uncle, Michael Jackson, in “Michael” has now reached a record-breaking box-office milestone.
Following its theatrical debut in April, the biopic opened to a strong $97 million domestically and $217 million worldwide during its first week. At the time, the figures set a new opening-week record for a music biopic.
The film has now surpassed the $1 billion mark, taking its global box office total to $1.001 billion, per Variety. The achievement makes Jaafar the first leading actor in history to debut in a billion-dollar film.
“Michael” also became the first biopic to join the billion-dollar club while overtaking “Bohemian Rhapsody” as the highest-grossing musical biopic of all time.
International markets contributed an impressive $629.8 million to the film’s worldwide earnings, with the remaining revenue coming from North America.
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‘Michael’ Director Reacts To Film’s Billion-Dollar Success
Director Antoine Fuqua was particularly pleased by the milestone and expressed his excitement in a statement.
“Reaching this extraordinary $1 billion milestone with ‘Michael’ is a deeply humbling moment that celebrates the tireless dedication of our incredible producers, cast, crew, and partners,” Fuqua stated. “This achievement belongs to everyone who came together with a shared vision to honor one of the greatest artists the world has ever known.”
Fuqua also thanked the fans who made the milestone possible by turning out at cinemas across the world over the past few months.
“This historic milestone is a testament to the enduring power of cinema to bring us together, and it is a chapter in movie history I will never forget,” he also noted.
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Jaafar Jackson Recalls His ‘Surreal’ Transformation Into Michael
During an April appearance on “The Tonight Show,” Jaafar opened up about the lengthy journey that led to him landing the lead role in “Michael.”
The actor revealed that he first learned about the biopic through an online article announcing that producer Graham King had secured the rights to tell the King of Pop’s story.
At the time, Jaafar never imagined that he would play his late uncle. However, months later, King contacted him for a Zoom meeting, which eventually led to months of acting lessons, screen tests, and coaching despite Jaafar having no previous acting experience.
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The audition process lasted nearly two years before he was officially cast. Jaafar also said the emotional experience of seeing himself transformed into his uncle through hair, makeup, and prosthetics was “surreal” and “deeply spiritual.”
Jaafar Had 20 Days To Master Michael’s Dance Moves
During the interview, Jaafar also reflected on the demanding process of recreating some of the “Thriller” singer’s most iconic performances.
He revealed that filming began with the concert scenes, meaning he was thrown straight into the deep end on his very first day on set.
To prepare, he worked closely with renowned choreographers Rich and Tone, who had previously choreographed for his uncle during his uncle’s tour. Together, they meticulously studied the singer’s legendary Motown 25 performance of “Billie Jean,” breaking it down frame by frame.
Jaafar said he was given just 20 days to prove that he could master the routine well enough to convince the filmmakers that he was right for the role.
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Although he initially doubted himself and found the challenge overwhelming, Jaafar said the months of practice ultimately paid off, with the finished performance bearing little resemblance to his early rehearsals.
Jaafar Jackson’s Record-Breaking Debut Is Getting A Sequel
In the closing scenes of “Michael,” producers hinted at plans for a sequel with the message, “His Story Continues.”
The possibility of a follow-up became more apparent when Deadline reported that Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chair Adam Fogelson had expressed excitement about the progress on a second installment.
However, it remains unclear which direction the sequel will take. According to Fogelson, they “can go forward and backward in telling this story as there are so many other events that happened that weren’t touched upon.”
“So, we’re very, very confident that we’ve got an incredibly entertaining movie that will appeal once again to a global audience as the pieces come together,” Fogelson added.
Y’all! Jaidyn Alexis may have just given the internet a glimpse into a new chapter, and folks are already paying attention. The social media personality sparked conversation after a cozy kitchen moment surfaced online, leaving many wondering if she was quietly introducing someone special. And, you already know, folks wasted no time bringing Blueface into the conversation.
Jaidyn Alexis May Have Just Introduced Her New Man
During a recent Twitch live-stream, Jaidyn was seemingly cooking at her stove while wearing a matching black set with shorts, her hair styled in a ponytail. Standing nearby is Kai Bandz, dressed in a black sweatsuit with an iced-out wrist, a goatee, and his phone in hand, who appears to playfully smack her on the butt. Jaidyn reacts by saying, “Oh my god,” before the man wraps his arms around her, sings along to a song, and smiles toward the camera.
The two appear comfortable as they laugh and chat about what they’re making to eat, while others in the kitchen joke that they’re “doing too much.” The man playfully responds that they’re actually “not doing enough,” adding more fuel to the speculation that Jaidyn may have just hard-launched her new relationship.
Jaidyn Alexis started getting wild with her new man Kai Bandz on stream last night after officially moving on from Blueface 👀 pic.twitter.com/PGgJ3qUTaI
Jaidyn Alexis’ Vegas Photo Dump Has Fans Connecting Dots
Jaidyn Alexis also appeared to further fuel relationship speculation after sharing what looked like a joint photo dump featuring herself and Kai during a Vegas getaway. The post, captioned “Kai & Jai 🥂🖤…,” showed the pair posing together, with Jaidyn wearing a black lace outfit while Kai rocked an all-black fit with his arm wrapped around her.
In another shot, the two appeared to be enjoying the views of Vegas from a balcony, with the Strip in the background. Jaidyn was seen leaning against Kai in the photo, adding more attention to the pair’s seemingly close connection.
Jaidyn Alexis Has The Comments Going Off
Folks quickly made their way to Jaidyn Alexis’ Instagram comment section to share their thoughts on the viral moment. While some commenters joked that Blueface is “clearly punching the air right now,” others said the clip explains why he has been spending so much time with Never. Meanwhile, others jumped into the comments with questions, trying to figure out what’s really going on.
One Instagram user — @officialjaialexxis herself shared, “thanks for da best weekend 💋🖤 same time next week?”
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This Instagram user @girlnextdoorkouture said, “Oh so this why Blue acting like he’s about to be loyal to Naveah. Noted 😂”
And, Instagram user @dejax_divine added, “It’s just giving He using her for clout and a clip & she tryna make blue mad 🤣”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @toocold.juan30 commented, “U gon have Mr. Tender real tender🤣🤣🥶🔥🔥🔥🔥”
While Instagram user @corrina_jennifer0420 shared, “😂 blue is flipping out rn 🤣 go jaydin”
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Then Instagram user @jess_livingstone88 wrote, “Damn he is handsome as hell 🙌 I’d be mad to if I was blue”
Instagram user @crisstinacassti claimed, “BLUE IS CRYING RNNN I LOVE THISSSSS”
Lastly, Instagram user @keepingupwithnat1000 claimed, “BD gone be in the hospital for a heart attack after seeing this 😂🥰😍”
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