Entertainment

The Extremely R-Rated Sci-Fi Masterpiece Destroyed By Stallone Stink

Published

2 months ago

14 June 2026

The Extremely R-Rated Sci-Fi Masterpiece Destroyed By Stallone Stink

Dredd is another in a long line of movies that, for one reason or another, failed to find a theatrical audience despite being fantastic.

By Brent McKnight
| Published 11 seconds ago

Sometimes movies don’t click with audiences when they’re initially released. It may be timing, it may be the style, maybe it lacks a big-name star to put butts in theater seats. Movies tank for any number or combination of factors, but that doesn’t mean they’re not still great. Such is the case with 2012’s Dredd.

Let us not confuse the movie we’re talking about today with the much-maligned 1995 Sylvester Stallone debacle, Judge Dredd. Based on the same source material, they are very, very different animals. (I have a weird affection and place in my heart for that film, though I will never go so far as to argue that it’s good.) In fact, that confusion, or at least association, is one reason people often cite for why the latter film fell on its face at the box office. It certainly didn’t help matters.

Watch the video version of this article.

Dredd is another in a long line of movies that, for one reason or another, failed to find a theatrical audience despite being fantastic. Worldwide, it only took in $41 million, with a dismal $13 million domestic haul.

Why Dredd Deserved Better

Dredd may be based on a comic (he first appeared in 1977 via a long-running British comic called 2000 AD), but it’s not your typical comic book movie. This isn’t the episodic long-form superhero storytelling of Marvel, nor the darker, brooding, but still PG-13 fare DC often trades in. No, directed by Pete Travis, Dredd is violent and brutal and hard-R to the point it had to be toned down to get there.

Set in the future after a nuclear incident destroys much of the world, the remnants of humanity cram into sprawling metropolises. These become dystopian hell-holes, full of violence and depravity. The only force of order is the Judges, roving cops who serve as judge, jury, and executioner all in one, dispensing tyrannical justice. Our story takes place in Mega-City One, which accounts for much of the East Coast of the United States. There are 17,000 serious crimes reported daily, to which law enforcement responds in 6% of cases.

The plot of Dredd is fairly simple. Legendary Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) is tasked with training and evaluating a new recruit, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), a mutant with strong psychic ability. They respond to a trio of murders in Peachtrees, a 200-story high-rise slum, and have to fight their way through the building, which is controlled by a vicious drug dealer named Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). She controls the trade of a new drug called Slo-Mo, which slows down how the user experiences time to one percent normal speed.

Dredd takes a certain amount of flak for having a similar plot to Gareth Evans’ martial arts banger The Raid. The Raid did come out first; after a festival run, Evans’ film got a theatrical release in March 2012, while Travis’ debuted in September, and they are, at least on the surface, similar. That said, and for the sake of clarity, one didn’t rip off the other. This is a case where two films with comparable plots came out near each other. Though it arrived later, due largely to significant post-production special effects work, Dredd actually filmed first.

It doesn’t really matter; in addition to being their own individual things, both movies are completely badass and should be watched, often.

Though the setup of Dredd may be relatively straightforward, the finished product is anything but. Written by Alex Garland, who penned the likes of 28 Days Later, and who went on to direct heady sci-fi, like Ex-Machina and Annihilation, Dredd has more on its mind than just empty action. The surface machinations may be minimal, but the film as a whole is deceptively complex and nuanced.

Since his inception, Judge Dredd was always intended as a critique
of the creeping fascism and totalitarian idealism that was on the rise in the political
realm at the time, especially in Britain, but elsewhere as well. He’s a brutal
tool of a corrupt system, draconian in the way he dispenses justice. When we
first meet him, via a high-speed chase full of guns and bullets and viscera strewn
across the highway, he’s a black-and-white, letter-of-the-law lawman. No matter
the situation, no matter the circumstances, this is what the law says, this
is what he does.

Dredd carries this stance to extremes. When he and Anderson are trapped in Peachtrees, taking fire from Ma-Ma’s gang, he still trains her, barking out orders and questions. Because that’s his job and nothing will push him off that path. He’s like a wind-up toy, blindly going in one direction, unable to deviate.

That’s where Anderson comes in. She introduces shades of gray into Dredd’s world. Her psychic abilities give her insight into people and a corresponding empathy. She’s an orphan, a mutant, a product of one of these slums. Dredd looks up, and all he sees is the crime, gangs, the 96% unemployment rate; she sees a place very much like home, full of mostly good people struggling in a tough situation.

Dredd is bleakly nihilistic, a kind of futuristic Travis Bickle, while she’s earnest and idealistic. Over the course of the movie, they find something of a middle ground. She realizes maybe she shouldn’t always expect the best out of people, while he realizes maybe everything isn’t as cut-and-dried as he’s always thought.

Over the course of their day, Anderson commits errors that should fail a recruit, like losing her primary service weapon. But so did he. Or consider the case of a character like Domhnall Gleeson’s Techie. Yes, he works for Ma-Ma, but only because he has no other choice. If he denies her, she’ll eviscerate him. In fact, by this point, she’s already taken his eyes. Anderson sees that, whereas Dredd can’t, or at least couldn’t before.

Within the larger thematic puzzle, Urban and Thirlby (both actors who should be in way more stuff) carry all of this. When the film was announced, Karl Urban delighted fans ahead of time when he said one of his conditions for accepting the role was that, like in the comics, the character never take off his trademark helmet. Even though we can only see the lower third of Dredd’s face, he manages to portray much more than just clamp-jawed stoicism and a grim demeanor.

Urban has such a great range. He’s charming and funny as Bones in the new Star Trek movies. Here he’s in total big-time action-movie mode, which he more than pulls off. Even with what could easily be a one-note throwaway role like Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok, he gives the character pathos and an arc.

Thirlby’s Anderson could easily have fallen into first-day-on-patrol cop-movie clichés. She’s earnest, but not gullible; hopeful, but not to the point of naivete; frightened, but still strong and capable. Willing to resort to violence (when Dredd declares a criminal guilty and sentences him to die on the spot, she pulls the trigger), it’s not her natural first move. Her character balances and tempers Dredd’s impulses, influencing him. It builds to the point when his superior asks if Anderson passed; he says yes, even though, by the book, she committed failable sins.

Lena Headey may be the unsung all-star of Dredd, though. She’s straight-up terrifying. A former prostitute wearing a gnarly face scar, she rules through absolute fear. This is a person not afraid to skin enemies alive and dose them with Slo-Mo before tossing them off the top floor, so the 200-story fall takes that much longer. Ma-Ma is equally as terrifying and relentless as Headey’s Cersei Lannister in Game of Thrones, but played in a much different way.

Working with cinematographer Anthony Dodd Mantle (127 Hours), Travis created a fantastic-looking movie. The Mega-City One of Dredd has a palpable grime, like if you touched it, your fingertips would come back covered in grit and something sticky you’d rather not know the origin of. But it also has a hypnotic beauty. We never really see the Cursed Earth beyond the walls of the city, but wide helicopter shots show the expanse of decayed urban sprawl. It’s dirty and smelly and looks a little like a large-scale Die Antwoord video.

It’s the Slo-Mo shots, however, that set Dredd apart aesthetically. This isn’t typical slow motion, just the normal action slowed down; this is molasses compared to that. When a character takes a hit, the subsequent movement practically drips. Travis and Mantle use it to great effect. They use enhanced, borderline psychedelic colors; bullets rip through flesh practically frame by frame; spurts of blood and exploding heads are raw and visceral in a unique way, but also gorgeous and mesmerizing. This is gore elevated to art.

All of this still comes through on streaming, but Dredd hit theaters in 3D. 2012 was the middle of that boom where every big movie of this ilk was upscaled to 3D, whether it was shot that way or not. It was overused and oversold, but Dredd knows what it’s doing in that regard. More than simply things flying at your face, it created an immersive feel more akin to the likes of Avatar than other comic book movies. Especially the Slo-Mo scenes. They put you right in the middle, creating an almost uncomfortable sensation of being there.

Critical And Audience Response To Dredd

Dredd offers up a tense pot-boiler of a movie. From end to end, it’s all escalating pressure, fantastic, epic action, and brutal violence juxtaposed with raw humanity. It’s legitimately great, which begs the question: why did it fail in such spectacular fashion at the box office?

Dredd presents an interesting case for a couple of reasons. It’s not as if no one liked the movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, which collects critical reviews, it has a 79% approval rating. Critics generally liked it at the time as well as now.

Beyond theaters, it made a huge splash on home video (which was still a thing back then). It was the best-selling DVD/Blu-ray release when it hit the market, where it moved 300,000 units in its first week of release, on its way to more than 650,000.

After all this, there were multiple fan petitions that collected hundreds of thousands of signatures calling for Dredd 2. They started almost immediately after it tanked at the box office and have popped up sporadically ever since. There were even annual fan Days of Dredd for a few years to call on Hollywood to make more Dredd movies. We’ve seen comics, animated shorts, and all kinds of talk, particularly from producer Adi Shankar, who, for a time, would chat about sequels every chance he got.

For his part, star Karl Urban has often said he’s game to return to the square-jawed character. Saying this even as recently as March 2020. (Though writer Alex Garland said in October of 2019, he has no intention of ever returning to this universe.)

Why Dredd Failed

If it’s so popular, why did Dredd fail? There are a lot of potential answers to this. One is that the stank of Stallone’s 1995 version was still on people’s minds and that kept many away. That Stallone movie isn’t good, but is it that bad?

Another theory is that Dredd was marketed as another superhero movie and was a victim of superhero fatigue. It is based on a comic book, but while Judge Dredd is popular, it’s always been more niche and less mainstream. You can slap Batman, Superman, or Spider-Man on anything and people will see it. But Judge Dredd doesn’t have the same drawing power. Also add in the hard-R rating, the violence, the blood, the fact that it is very not family-friendly; that may have had something to do with it.

Dredd also isn’t the product of a major marketing conglomerate. Disney bought Marvel in 2009 and created a monolith. DC has Warner Bros. behind their movies. This is a much smaller-scale production from a bunch of smaller producers. Dredd cost a reported $50 million. Compare that to the other comic book movies in the summer of 2012: The Avengers cost $220 million, The Amazing Spider-Man cost $230 million, and Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises set the studio back $250 million. Dredd isn’t in that same echelon, though people made it out that it was.

More than anything, I’m a believer that timing killed Dredd. The film opened in September 2012, which has become a bit of a barren wasteland between summer blockbusters and winter award-season bait. This was also a summer with movies like The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, Amazing Spider-Man, Men in Black 3, The Bourne Legacy, and tons of other big franchise movies. It’s one of my jobs to see movies, but even I’m usually exhausted and sick of sitting in theaters by the time September rolls around. So are general audiences, who often stay away from theaters for a while at that time of year. Theatergoers may not have had another big movie in them at that particular moment.

Couple that with a lower budget, a lesser-known comic
property, no significant star power to speak of, and a much smaller marketing
budget, and it adds up to a missed opportunity. And I’m kind of okay with that.

Granted, I have no financial skin in the game, and I would definitely be jacked to see more Dredd movies. Still, we never had to suffer through subpar sequels, or had to hope the next one will be good. Instead, we have this one awesome movie. Dredd kicks all kinds of ass on many levels and we should be psyched we can watch it whenever we want.

Who Really Directed Dredd?

There is one additional thing to note about Dredd. Though it doesn’t necessarily affect how the film is viewed, it may change how some people view it. It’s also a curious story, one that has been floating around for some years, more or less since the initial release.

Looking at the credits, Dredd lists Pete Travis as the director and Alex Garland as the writer. The long-circulating rumor is that Garland actually directed much, if not most, of Dredd. It’s one of those inside-baseball, not-really-a-secret secrets.

And it’s not without some merit. As recently as 2018, Karl Urban said as much. In an interview with JoBlo, he said: “I would love to have the opportunity to play Dredd again, but if it doesn’t happen then I’m happy with the fact that we’ve made a film that has become a cult classic and that people have discovered over time. A huge part of the success of Dredd is in fact due to Alex Garland, and what a lot of people don’t realize is that Alex Garland actually directed that movie.”

That seems pretty definitive. He later went on to say that people should count Dredd as Garland’s directorial debut. There has even been talk that Travis was barred from the editing process, and Garland even sought a co-director credit.

This is all conjecture and gossip, but it makes a bit of sense. Garland obviously had eyes on a directing career and made his debut two years later in 2014. It may not mesh with the look and feel of Ex-Machina and Annihilation, but it does show some of his trademarks. On the other hand, it’s quite different from Travis’ filmography as well. In reality, it doesn’t really feel quite like the work of either filmmaker, and it’s easy to believe it’s a bit of a hybrid.

If Karl Urban and others are to be believed, Dredd is
the result of Garland more than Travis. Whether or not that’s how you lean, the
movie still totally rules.

Source link

Entertainment

10 Most Intense Horror Books of All Time

Published

7 minutes ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

There is something particularly special about a good horror book. Reading might not be as interactive as gaming, because there’s also something to be said about an effective horror game, but reading can be more immersive than watching a movie or a TV show, so if you want to be genuinely rattled by an experience, a book or a game might well be the best thing to throw yourself into.

All stories that succeed in being scary are intense, to some extent, but the following ones are especially nerve-wracking. These all rank among the most intense horror books of all time, standing as the sorts of things that are not particularly good to read if you need something to help you unwind… but if that’s not what you’re after, read on, and then maybe pick up one such book and (further) read on.

10

‘American Psycho’ (1991)

American Psycho is a book about an investment banker who’s also a serial killer, or at least seems to be the latter. And he only sort of seems to be the former, too, since he doesn’t really do much by way of actual work, and is instead driven by purely materialistic means, describing things relating to fashion and money in the same excruciating detail that he describes the murders he either does or fantasizes about doing.

The original novel here is definitely satirical, but has a little less comedy than what’s found in the movie adaptation, which is a bit gentler and faster-paced, even if it’s also quite full-on by general movie standards. It’s worth stressing that, though, for anyone who approaches American Psycho (1991) after enjoying American Psycho (2000), since the horror in the original is a good deal more intense.

At its core, The Metamorphosis is a book about a man who, for reasons that are never made particularly clear, finds himself transformed into a giant insect. Okay, it’s technically a novella, but a novella can still be classified as a book… it’s just not a novel. It’s short, and it makes sense why it’s short, given so much of it takes place in such a confined location, and it’s also so simple narratively.

There are certainly interesting things explored here, though, and The Metamorphosis is made more complex because much of it’s also about how this unfortunate man/insect’s family responds to the whole unsettling revelation. It’s a story that sees Franz Kafka doing his famously upsetting and surreal thing, ensuring there’s still a lot here that’s timelessly unsettling, even if the story’s now well over a century old and, on paper, might sound a bit too silly or high-concept to be actually scary (it’s all in the execution, ultimately, and what an execution you’ve got here).

8

‘The Troop’ (2014)

In the overall scheme of things, The Troop is a fairly recent book, but it feels like it could well become a classic once enough time has passed. At least for now, it’s the kind of thing that’s surprisingly new, because it feels like it’s been around for a while, mashing together the horror you find in a good many stories about survival with some fears about bioengineered diseases for good measure.

The Troop is a trip, and once it gets going, it proves relentless with its pacing, so it’s inevitable that it works as a horror book that feels intense. You get a lot here, with it being scary on a few different levels, and also, Stephen King is on record saying it creeped him out, and you’ve got to assume it takes quite a bit to unsettle someone who’s so in tune with horror, as a genre. Speaking of King…

7

‘Pet Sematary’ (1983)

If you try to look up which Stephen King book is the most disturbing, you’re generally going to find Pet Sematary ranking right near the top, and that’s fair, because it is very confronting. It’s about death, basically, with a family moving into a house that’s near a pet cemetery that seems to have the ability to bring dead things back to life. A certain amount of chaos ensues, some of it expected, and then some of it perhaps darker than you might anticipate.

It’s a raw book, for lack of a better descriptor. Pet Sematary goes through some heavy things, in terms of how far it’s willing to go with its exploration of grief and a certain amount of psychological horror alongside the supernatural stuff, too. It’s vintage Stephen King, and there’s only really one other horror book of his (not counting those books written under a pseudonym of his) that might well be more intense… more on that in a bit.

6

‘The Long Walk’ (1979)

The Long Walk Richard Bachman — The Long Walk cover Richard Bachman Stephen King

Speaking of Stephen King, but not really, because Richard Bachman is definitely a different author who might have some similarities to Stephen King, but is in no way the kind of author you should confuse for King, here’s The Long Walk, which is the best of the Bachman books. It’s a harrowing dystopian novel about a competition that involves a bunch of boys walking themselves to death.

Technically, one will survive, but only one, because the punishment for anyone in this competition who stops walking is execution, making it as high-stakes as a “sporting” event can possibly get. It’s only a sport in a world that’s really gone to hell, and that description does adequately describe the sort of world that The Long Walk seems to take place in. It’s a very compelling read, but an almost constantly mortifying one, too, and the rare book that might well make you feel genuine physical pain throughout, while reading.

5

‘Blonde’ (2000)

If you want to argue that Blonde is not a horror book, then go wild. You’re welcome to make that argument. It’s horrifying, though, and it’s also hard to classify it as a biographical book, because even while it’s about Marilyn Monroe, it does not aspire to be historically accurate, nor biographical in the traditional sense. It touches upon real things, and it does feel grounded in many ways, but it uses Monroe’s story for other reasons.

There’s an exploration of plenty of real-world horrors within the film industry, and within society more broadly, to be found here, with Monroe the tragic figure at the center of it all; a person shown to be particularly victimized by the sorts of things Blonde explores. Laying it out like that makes Blonde sound heavy, but it goes deeper into disturbing territory than you might expect, feeling like a work of horror even if it might not always be classified as such (a similar sort of thing can be said about the “Western” Blood Meridian).

4

‘Swan Song’ (1987)

Swan Song is a book that largely takes place after the end of the world, with the end of the world in this particular case brought about by nuclear war. That devastation is covered in the opening chapters, and then the bulk of the book is about a handful of survivors trying to persevere in a drastically changed world, with all of them getting wrapped up, in one way or another, in a battle for the future of the planet.

It’s an incredibly long book, nearing 1000 pages all up, but most of it’s excellently paced, and so it ends up earning that length. Swan Song is also effectively frightening, perhaps most so with the early chapters, but there is a starkness to the post-apocalyptic stuff as well that feels striking. It’s a great read all around, and succeeds as a grand horror book (thankfully touching upon – and belonging to – a few other genres, too).

3

‘House of Leaves’ (2000)

On one hand, House of Leaves delivers the same kind of visceral and eerie horror that you can find in Backrooms (both the 2026 movie and the online lore about the whole thing), but then, on the other hand, it goes a lot deeper and gets quite a bit weirder. The Backrooms comparison comes from the primary setting of House of Leaves, and the fact that it works as a found footage sort of thing, even if House of Leaves is decidedly not a movie.

But the “footage” comes from a documentary within the book that’s the subject of a great deal of analysis, and it’s also a documentary that might not exist, which adds to the horror and confusion. There’s a story within a story within a story (possibly within another story) here, and the presentation really makes it something special. There’s nothing else out there exactly like House of Leaves, nor anything as expansively confronting in quite the same way.

2

‘From Hell’ (1989–1998)

A graphic novel about Jack the Ripper, From Hell goes to some incredibly unsettling and strange places throughout, and it’s also pretty long by graphic novel standards, so there’s a quantity of disturbing stuff here alongside a striking “quality” of disturbing things. Anything about Jack the Ripper kind of has to be intense, by default, but From Hell goes the extra mile in certain regards.

From Hell is very good, because all these negative feelings it inspires are intentional, and more or less the point of what it’s going for and stuff, yet it is all that to an inevitably surprising extent.

The presentation is nauseating, the subject matter is always dark, and everything descends in a way that lives up to the title, because it does feel pretty hellish throughout. All that being said, From Hell is very good, because all these negative feelings it inspires are intentional, and more or less the point of what it’s going for and stuff, yet it is all that to an inevitably surprising extent, in so many ways.

1

‘IT’ (1986)

A monumental horror epic, IT also feels right up there as one of the very best Stephen King novels, even if there are some definite flaws here, making it hard to call the whole thing “perfect.” But if you go into a book that’s more than 1000 pages long expecting all of those pages to be perfect, that’s, uh, probably not the right approach. You’re destined to find a wonky line here and there when you’ve got that many words.

What’s important is that so much of IT works exceptionally well, with it having great characters (including an undeniably amazing villain), an interesting structure, and an overall narrative that is so intrinsically about fear itself. The villain and what it’s all about thematically work in tandem to ensure IT feels, more or less, like the ultimate horror story, and so that’s the main reason why it’s #1 here. It also helps that there are few books able to stay so engaging for such a long time.

It

Release Date: September 8, 2017
Runtime: 135 minutes
Advertisement
Writers: Cary Joji Fukunaga, Gary Dauberman, Chase Palmer

Source link

Entertainment

Inde Navarrette Says She’d Love to Play Mystique in Marvel Studios’ X-Men Reboot

Published

21 minutes ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Mahershala Ali Speaks Out on Marvel's Canceled Blade Movie

After years of delays, rewrites, and uncertainty surrounding Marvel Studios’ long troubled Blade reboot, Mahershala Ali has finally addressed the project’s cancellation in his most candid comments yet.

Speaking with GQ while promoting his new film Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Ali made it clear that he’s no longer dwelling on the failed Marvel project and has found peace with how everything unfolded.

“If they wanted to do it, we would’ve done it,” Ali told GQ. “So I have to move on, and I have moved on.”

The Oscar winner was first announced as Marvel’s new Blade during San Diego Comic Con in 2019, a reveal that instantly became one of the MCU’s biggest casting announcements. However, after multiple directors departed, several writers took over the screenplay, and the film was repeatedly delayed, Marvel ultimately shelved the project. Earlier this month, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige admitted he felt “like a gigantic loser and a failure” that the film never came together.

Despite the disappointment, Ali says the experience wasn’t a complete loss.

“The best way I can answer this question is, when I look at what is for me, is it was either this or that and I’ll take this. No offense to them,” Ali explained. “I’ve been doing this professionally for pushing 30 years now, and one thing I’ve learned is that what is for you is for you and what is not is not.”

Mahershala Ali Blade Concept

Instead of starring as Marvel’s vampire hunter, Ali reunited with former Blade director Bassam Tariq to create the original action drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. The actor believes the film ultimately became a more rewarding creative experience than the Marvel reboot could have been.

“When I look at this and Blade, I couldn’t have done both,” Ali said. “The reason this even exists is because that project fell apart… I was able to use those skills that I had been working on for over a year training for Blade. In that way, I feel creatively redeemed on some level.”

Ali also acknowledged that the first teaser for the new film intentionally included him wielding a sword, something many fans viewed as a nod to the character they never got to see him play.

“I’m glad we were able to satisfy that and kind of move on,” he said, adding that while audiences may have expected a big budget superhero spectacle, the smaller scale project allowed them to tell a much deeper and more personal story.

Mahershala Ali and Kevin Fiege [getty]

As for whether fans should continue asking him about Marvel’s canceled reboot, Ali made his position perfectly clear.

“I’m good,” he said with a laugh. “Again, you had me under contract, they have billions of dollars, if they wanted to do the movie, we would’ve done the movie. So we’re not doing the movie… I feel ready to move on from the Blade questions. Those questions are for them. They didn’t want to do it, so they should answer that question.”

For many Marvel fans, Ali’s comments offer long awaited closure on one of the MCU’s most infamous canceled projects. While his version of Blade never made it to the big screen, the actor has made it clear he’s looking ahead, not back.

Source link

Entertainment

Paris Is Always a Good Idea’s Lacey Chabert on Book Changes

Published

34 minutes ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Lacey Chabert Hallmark Movies Ranked Shes Making a List

Hallmark’s Paris Is Always a Good Idea is based on a book — but star Lacey Chabert promises there’s still room for viewers to be surprised.

“I can’t answer for the book fans, but I do think they will be happy with this adaptation,” Chabert, 43, exclusively told Us about how the limited series brings Jenn McKinlay‘s novel to life.

Chabert hinted that there were “some changes that had to be made in the adaptation,” adding, “But I think it’s such a rich story. The characters that people fell in love with in the book are represented so well in this.”

The six-part show follows nonprofit executive Chelsea (Chabert), who goes to Paris with rival Knightly (Scott Michael Foster) to secure a donation. Through a message from her late mother — and support from her family — Chelsea decides to revisit three past loves across Ireland, Paris and Spain.

“I am so happy that this is a limited series because it gives us six episodes to tell this story,” Chabert gushed. “And with a movie, you’re limited in the amount of time that you have to do that.”

By expanding the running time, Paris Is Always a Good Idea is able to get viewers even more invested in the love stories at the center of the show. Chabert appreciated the opportunity to dive into Chelsea’s adventure, which is “a very layered” story.

“It’s a romance and it’s a family drama. It’s a beautiful travel story,” she shared. “We get to go to Ireland, Paris and Spain. We’re also dealing with three different timelines, which was really my favorite part of it.”

Chabert continued: “Because I think it’s just human nature to reflect back on your life and ponder about the future. We get to see my character live in all three of those. As an actress, it was really fun to play.”

Paris Is Always a Good Idea did come with its challenges — specifically when it came to filming scenes from every episode at the same time.

“We shot all six episodes simultaneously. So we were filming different parts of them at all times,” Chabert recalled. “Scott and I, our very first scene together is one of the more complicated scenes in the show. And we were like, ‘Hi, nice to meet you. Let’s go. Let’s do this difficult scene.’”

The actress praised the work that went into bringing Paris Is Always a Good Idea to life both in front of and behind the scenes.

“We had the most incredible directors and producers, and the writing is so rich and wonderful,” she gushed. “So it just supported us as actors. It’s my job, so I was carrying around that 300-page script and guarding it. You just plot out where you think you’re going to be, but then sometimes scenes take you by surprise and it doesn’t exactly land the way you expected. So you just adjust. But that is the favorite part of my job; it’s a puzzle.”

New episodes of Paris Is Always a Good Idea airs Thursdays on Hallmark+.

Source link

Entertainment

The 12 Best Video Games of the 2010s, Ranked

Published

48 minutes ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Kratos and Atreus standing together in God of War 2018

Gaming as a medium is always evolving and striving to put out the most striking and innovative experiences out there, with each different era of the video game industry having its own standout selection of outstanding games that stand the test of time with overwhelming influence. The 2010s especially proved to be one of the most pivotal times for gaming as a whole, between the rise of games as a service archetype, mobile gaming becoming bigger than ever, and massive technological breakthroughs with the eighth generation of consoles.

However, more than prominent trends and the shifting waves of the industry as a whole, the true importance and impact of the decade always comes back to the quality of the games, with the 2010s having an exceptional collection of masterful video game experiences. From explosive, hard-hitting experiences for hardcore gamers to some of the simplest yet most charming casual games out there, many of these games go beyond simply being great for the decade and are among the most celebrated games of all time.

12

‘God of War’ (2018)

The God of War franchise has always had a dedicated audience who have fallen in love with its distinct mixture of large-scale action, hack-and-slash gameplay, and the inherent fun of the Greek mythology world. However, 2018’s PS4 reboot of the franchise completely evolved it for a new era, with a larger emphasis on a cinematic story, dynamic characters, and the larger potential of shifting into the mythos of Norse mythology.

The game quickly became one of the cornerstones of PlayStation’s success during the PS4 era, spearheading the approach not just for AAA action games, but showing how the blending of this style of hack-and-slash action could still tell an emotionally layered story. Time has proven it to be the absolute system seller and one of the best games on the PS4’s lineup, as well as a massive leap forward for both God of War and fantasy games as a whole.

11

‘Stardew Valley’ (2016)

For all the focus placed upon explosive and high-energy video games that demand the very best from the player, there’s something quaint and charming about a slower-paced, cozier game that can be more widely appreciated by all. While franchises like Animal Crossing and The Sims have scratched this itch for many, the 2010s premiere example of the very best and coziest experience is Stardew Valley, a brilliant farm life simulation game inspired by games like Harvest Moon and brought to life by solo developer ConcernedApe.

The game has an exceptional understanding of the simple joys and satisfaction of growing a virtual farm and creating something beautiful out of what was originally nothing. Combined with some rich writing and characterization from various relationships you can build with the townspeople as well as being able to play through the full game with online cross-platform multiplayer, Stardew Valley is the definitive farm sim game that has only gotten more successful with each passing year.

10

‘The Last of Us’ (2013)

Ashley Johnson as Ellie in The Last of Us (2013)

One of the final prominent releases for the PS3 that acted as a swan song for this era of PlayStation gaming, Naughty Dog’s magnum opus The Last of Us has largely become the icon for exceptional original storytelling in video games. It takes a classic zombie-adjacent post-apocalyptic world and creates truly impactful emotional depth thanks to its layered central characters and the bond that grows between them.

Further amplified by some great moment-to-moment gameplay that utilizes the managing of limited resources and danger around every corner, The Last of Us proves to be one of the most immersive and cinematic video game experiences not just of the 2010s, but of all time. Even over a decade after its release, the game is still heralded as one of the most important and pivotal in PlayStation’s history and an absolute classic of the era.

9

‘Fortnite Battle Royale’ (2017)

Two of the most dominant trends that started in the 2010s and continue with massive strength well into the modern day are Battle Royale games and live-service games that receive continuous updates so they never die. While many games in the 2010s found great success with this model, none come close to the complete cultural domination of Fortnite Battle Royale, which still has a massive, dedicated player base and frequent content updates to this day.

While the game may not be at the level of absolute unavoidability as it was when it first released, its myriad of interesting game modes, live events, and overwhelming collaborations still make it the absolute gold standard for live-service games. While some gamers still aren’t a fan of this style of live-service game (especially with how many other games try and fail to replicate its success), it’s hard to deny just how well and consistently Fortnite has maintained relevancy even almost a decade after its debut, even with a few hiccups here and there.

8

‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ (2018)

The original Red Dead Redemption was easily one of the most celebrated games from Rockstar Studio’s illustrious lineup, providing the distinct open world and vast possibilities of a Grand Theft Auto-style shooter in the intricate world of the Wild West. However, the long-awaited sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2, managed to up the ante and polish considerably, creating one of the most visually striking and well-crafted games of all time.

This masterful video game prequel takes the signature strengths and charm of the original game and supercharges them to the latest technological possibilities, still having some of the most impressive graphics in any AAA game and an attention to detail that is completely unmatched. This, combined with some satisfying gameplay and top-notch character writing, has made it one of Rockstar’s most successful games and the face of AAA quality in the 2010s.

7

‘Portal 2’ (2011)

A robot jumping between portals in Portal 2 — Portal 2

Building upon the already exceptional first-person puzzle mechanics of the original Portal, Portal 2 ups the ante and the scale with more intricate puzzles, more dynamic storytelling, and some of the best writing in any video game. The sequel really didn’t need to do a lot to live up to the stature of the original, as simply having more engaging portal puzzles was enough to satiate gamers looking for more Portal greatness.

However, between the exceptional writing of new characters like Wheatley (Stephen Merchant) and Cave Johnson (J.K. Simmons), new puzzle mechanics like the various gels, and a fleshed-out co-op multiplayer mode, Portal 2 stands tall as the definitive Portal experience and one of Valve’s best games. There’s a deep passion and quality inherent to every second of the game that has helped it sustain an impactful legacy as one of the very best puzzle games ever made and a true feat of video games as an art form.

A warrior roaring while holding a shield in Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls franchise, one of the largest and most prominent faces in the world of high fantasy video games and action RPGs, reached massive new heights following the success and impact of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The game completely revolutionized the action RPG genre, with its wide array of content and ways to go about the vast world of Tamriel making it one of the most expansive and infinitely replayable single-player video game experiences of all time.

The game delivers exactly what one wants out of a high-fantasy action RPG, with great expression and possibilities in terms of what type of character you want to play as and how they navigate and interact with the world. No two playthroughs of the game feel the same, making it one of the most timeless and well-crafted game experiences that not only defined the decade, but would define the entire genre in the wake of its success.

5

‘Undertale’ (2015)

Two characters kneeling down in the video game Undertale — Undertale-Video-Game

Indie games were certainly prominent before the 2010s, but increased ease of access for small developers to be able to create games led the way for many exceptional indie games to be released and become major hits that stand toe-to-toe with and surpass AAA experiences. While many great indie games would define the 2010s, the very best and most influential is arguably Undertale, the brilliantly crafted, self-aware RPG that mixes bullet hell gameplay with RPG mechanics and oodles of charm and comedic wit.

Toby Fox‘s love letter to quirky RPGs of the past became an overwhelming icon of indie gaming as a whole, with its incredibly memorable characters and layered meta storytelling and themes making it one of the must-play experiences of the 2010s. Its distinct type of humor and charm has given it an overwhelming fanbase over the years, as well as an overwhelming influence on indie games and especially indie RPGs.

4

‘The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’ (2017)

Link aiming a bow and arrow in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild — Link holding bow and arrow

Each generation of gaming manages to have a legendary Zelda game that helps revolutionize and pave the way for adventure games as a whole, with the unmistakable Zelda masterpiece of the 2010s being The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This massively acclaimed video game masterpiece helped usher in a new era of success for Nintendo following the diminishing returns of the Wii U era in the early 2010s.

This exceptional open-world adventure game helped massively popularize the prospects of creating a vast, expansive open world in combination with other genres and styles of game. In combination with sheer versatility and choice in how the player goes about the progression of the game, this made it one of the most influential games of the era and of all time. The game has now become the face of what the Zelda franchise is for many people, ushering it into a new era in glorious execution.

3

‘Dark Souls’ (2011)

A knight under the rain aiming a sword at the camera in Dark Souls — A still from Dark Souls

The Soulsborne games have proven to be massively influential icons of modern hardcore gaming, with their overwhelming difficulty and demand for pinpoint execution making for some of the most satisfyingly cathartic video game experiences imaginable. While each Soulsborne game is iconic and effective in its own right, the original Dark Souls is arguably the best of the 2010s offerings and is easily the most influential and impactful in terms of wider video game history.

The brilliance inherent to the design of Dark Souls is that, while it is infamous for its harsh difficulty, it is far from the only thing that defines the game’s strength. There is a rich world of mythos, a multitude of different gameplay styles that allow the player to adapt and choose their own personal playstyle, and a truly special dark fantasy design that makes each enemy that much more striking.

Source link

Entertainment

“Drag Race” icon Kori King reacts to Blac Chyna’s mom, Tokyo Toni, using anti-gay slur amid impersonation: ‘All bets are off’

Published

1 hour ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Kori tells EW “if [Toni] wants war, I’m ready” to impersonate the reality TV star again, as her “Drag Race” season 17 cast members also replied to Tokyo’s homophobic rant.

Source link

Entertainment

Lovely Brown And Velour Kirk Go Off With Runway Moments

Published

1 hour ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

IKTR! Lovely Brown And Velour Kirk Have The Internet Obsessed With Their Runway Moment (VIDEOS)

Y’all! Tiny trendsetters are proving that style clearly runs in the family. From confident runway walks to adorable red carpet moments, Lovely Brown and Velour Kirk recently stepped into the spotlight and had social media loving every second as the celebrity kiddos showed they might already have the fashion game on lock.

RELATED: Co-Parenting Goals! Chris Brown & Diamond Celebrate Their Daughter Lovely’s Birthday Alongside Nia Guzman (PHOTO + VIDEO)

Lovely Brown Hits The Runway In Style

In videos making the rounds online, Lovely Brown, the daughter of Chris Brown and Diamond Brown, looked right at home on the runway. The little fashionista rocked a white puffer jacket layered over a blue hoodie with dark pants, a striped shirt, white sneakers, plus a hat and sunglasses to complete the cool-kid look. During one walk, Lovely confidently strutted down the runway, flashed a peace sign to the crowd, then turned around while surrounded by other stylish kids. In another clip, she took the catwalk solo, smiling from ear to ear as she made her way down the runway.

The sweet moments didn’t stop there. Another video showed Lovely posing alongside her proud mom, Diamond Brown, on the red carpet. Diamond kept it chic in black capri pants, a sheer long-sleeve top, light curly hair, and kitten heels as she smiled beside her daughter before the pair posed for photos together.

Velour Brings Big Energy To The Catwalk

Lovely wasn’t the only celebrity kid stealing the show. Velour Kirk, the daughter of DaniLeigh and DaBaby, also hit the runway with plenty of confidence. Rocking a matching pink outfit with white socks, sneakers, a pink purse, and two puff ponytails, Velour served up a playful look that matched her personality. As she walked the runway, she flashed a peace sign and confidently strutted down the catwalk like she owned it, proving she’s already got star power of her own.

The Internet Couldn’t Handle The Cuteness

One Instagram user @latricia_brewer said, “Such a cutie! 😍✨”

This Instagram user @kathyspri added, “Go lovely🔥🔥🔥🔥.We see you babygirl. Keep shining💕”

And, Instagram user @blesseddjesss commented, “Velour is adorable”

Meanwhile, Instagram user @mama_of_superheroes wrote, “Velour is so gorgeous!”

While Instagram user @themikexdiamond shared, “Goooo lovelyyyy woohoooo😍🫶🏾🤎🤎🤎🤎”

Finally, Instagram user @breezyluver4life said, “Awww so cute❤️”

RELATED: Chris Brown Reportedly Fires Back After Diamond Brown Seeks Sole Custody Of Daughter Lovely

What Do You Think Roomies?

Source link

Entertainment

Lil Kim And Royal Reign Pop Out At Amazon Kids Runway Show

Published

1 hour ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Lil' Kim Royal Reign Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show Rookie Kids

Lil Kim supported her daughter Royal Reign at the Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show in New York City on Wednesday, July 30. Twelve-year-old Royal walked in the runway show, and a video of the mother-daughter duo has gone viral.

RELATED: Get It! Chris Brown’s Daughter Lovely Brown And DaniLeigh’s Daughter Velour Kirk Slay Their Runway Debuts (VIDEOS)

Lil Kim Supports Royal Reign In Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show

Lil Kim popped out in New York City to attend the Amazon Kids Back-To-School Runway Show by Rookie Kids on July 30. Video of the rapper with her daughter at the show was viewed more than two million times on Instagram, and footage of Royal on the runway is also going viral. Several celebs were in attendance with their children, including DaniLeigh and her daughter Velour. The women posed for several pics together with their daughters on the red carpet.

Royal Struts Her Stuff On The Runway

The annual children’s fashion show featured the brands Converse, Nike, Levi’s, Lacoste, Converse and Hurley, and Royal walked the runway in style as her mother looked on.

Royal walked the runway sporting a pair of blue Levi’s and a white T-shirt with red print. In addition, she wore a gray one-piece ensemble in the show, and video is going viral.

Lil’ Kim’s daughter Royal Reign stuns at Fashion Week’s Back to School 😍😍😍😍 pic.twitter.com/bEVDbRB84H
— LIL KIM VIDEOS (@LilKimVideos2) July 31, 202

Roomies React To Mother-Daughter Photos

Folks could not contain themselves complimenting the adorable mother-daughter duo after photos were shared on TSR’s Instagram page.

User @diamond227 wrote, “I love when kids look like kids and you can tell the mother from the daughter 😍😍😍😍.”

@0bigbri added, “I loveeeeee love love kimmyyyyy.”

@aniciad0ll_ noted, “Kim’s daughter is so pretty!!! Giving younger Kim.”

User @0.zeee added, “Omgggg she’s literally lil Kim’s twinnnn🥹🥰.”

User @msprettyricki wrote, “Queen Bee Jr, so caute 😍😍😍.”

@mrjerometrammel noted, “Lil’ Kim daughter be booked for these fashion shows! Serving! ❤️.”

@nikkiskitchenatl noted how much Royal has grown. “Wayment! Lil Kim Baby Girl got so big!!”

User @truly.rare added, “Kim setup just like me 😂, my 13 year old is taller than me.”

@xo.tiaa__ agreed. “Time flies! Kim’s daughter is so big now!🫶🏾 gorgeous.”

RELATED: Photoshop Where? Social Media Reacts After Lil Kim Makes SPICY Commentary While Showing Off Her Face Card (VIDEO)

What Do You Think Roomies?

Source link

Entertainment

Mel Gibson’s Most Divisive Movie Officially Returns With New 2026 Release

Published

2 hours ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Whether it’s entirely behind the camera on the religious-themed World War II movie Hacksaw Ridge or as director, producer, and star of the multi-Academy Award-winning Braveheart, Hollywood icon Mel Gibson is never far from an epic feat of filmmaking. In 2004, the headline-maker delivered the most controversial film of his career so far with The Passion of the Christ, which fueled widespread debate due to graphic violence and even accusations of antisemitism from those who believed the film blamed Jewish authorities for the crucifixion.

Despite this controversy, or perhaps even powered by it, The Passion of the Christ was an enormous box office hit, even becoming the highest-grossing biblical and Christian-themed movie of all time. In total, against a reported production budget of just $25 million, the film returned an eye-watering $622 million worldwide. Now, 22 years later, The Passion of the Christ is officially returning to theaters between September 10 and September 17, courtesy of Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment.

The film is newly remastered in stunning 4K with Dolby Atmos sound, and features a new color pass supervised by original Academy Award-nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. This chronicle of the final hours of Jesus’ life rocked a generation of moviegoers more than two decades ago, and now an entirely new group of viewers will have the chance to see this moment in cinema history on the big screen. It has now been announced that tickets for this special return to theaters are officially on sale, with purchase available via this link.

A ‘Passion of the Christ’ Sequel Is Also on the Way

The Passion of the Christ re-release will also feature a special treat for theatergoers in the form of a sneak peek at The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One, the first half of Gibson’s ambitious sequel to the controversial 2004 original. Originally scheduled for release on March 26, 2027, the sequel was postponed to May 6, 2027, with Day Drinker, an action thriller marking the headline Hollywood return of Johnny Depp, taking its place. The sequel is being described as Gibson’s “most ambitious filmmaking achievement” and “the largest faith film ever brought to the screen.”

The Passion of the Christ is officially returning to theaters, with tickets available to purchase now. Make sure to stay tuned to Collider for more stories.

Release Date: Advertisement

February 25, 2004
Runtime: 127 Minutes

Source link

Entertainment

Spider-Man Producer Asked Tom Holland and Zendaya Not to Date

Published

2 hours ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Zendaya and Tom Holland s Relationship Timeline

Spider-Man: Brand New Day producer Amy Pascal confirmed she asked Tom Holland and Zendaya not to date when they took over the iconic roles of Peter Parker and MJ.

“Tobey [Maguire] and Kirsten [Dunst] dated. Andrew [Garfield] and Emma [Stone] dated,” Pascal said while speaking with BBC News in an Instagram video shared Thursday, July 30. “MJ and Peter just always fall in love. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

Holland, 30, and Zendaya, 29, joined the superhero universe in 2017 with the premiere of Spider-Man: Homecoming. Rumors quickly swirled that a romance was brewing between the pair off camera. The costars initially kept their relationship private before it was confirmed with PDA photos in 2021.

Four years later, news broke that Holland and Zendaya were engaged after the actress was seen wearing a diamond ring on her left hand at the 2025 Golden Globes. The couple quietly tied the knot — a secret that was spilled by Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach earlier this year.

“The wedding has already happened. You missed it,” he teased to Access Hollywood in March. “It’s very true.”

Holland finally addressed the wedding rumors during an Esquire UK profile published in June. When asked if he had to explain anything to his family about the viral AI-generated photos of him and Zendaya at a wedding, the actor quipped, “No, because they were all there.”

The Impossible star previously opened up about why the pair prefer to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, telling The Hollywood Reporter in 2023, “Our relationship is something that we are incredibly protective of and we want to keep as sacred as possible. We don’t think that we owe it to anyone, it’s our thing, and it has nothing to do with our careers.”

Since tying the knot, the couple — and frequent costars — have shared more rare insight into their lives at home. A second wedding ceremony, however, likely won’t be in the cards.

“I don’t think so,” Roach told Complex in a recent interview. “I think that people should congratulate them. It’s two young, beautiful, successful people that are in love, and they had a private wedding, and they got away with it. And I think people should just, you know, congratulate them.”

Roach further shared his appreciation for Holland and Zendaya’s love story while attending the premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in Los Angeles.

“If these are two people that you look up to or that you love their work, just celebrate them being together and happy,” he said, adding that any rumors about a second wedding are “definitely not true.”

Source link

Entertainment

Cristiano Ronaldo And Georgina Stir Wedding Chatter

Published

2 hours ago

31 July 2026

NewsAdmin

Could Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez be gearing up to walk down the aisle? That is what fans think after a recent social media clue.

The long-time lovebirds, who share a blended family of five kids, are yet to officially say ‘I do’ almost one year after the soccer legend popped the big question in style. However, it seems the time is finally here.

Wedding rumors have been on the rise following Ronaldo’s exit from the recently concluded 2026 World Cup, where rival Messi advanced to the final.

In a recent Instagram update, Rodriguez gave fans a peek at her and Ronaldo’s luxury getaway to Majorca. The numerous slides showed the power couple aboard a mega yacht as they watched the ocean and traveled from location to location in the soccer star’s private jet.

One particular frame, however, caught viewers’ attention. While enjoying a meal aboard the jet, Ronaldo and Rodriguez posed wearing huge matching diamond rings and watches, with her having gold detailing.

For the outing, the model stunned in a low-cut black tank top from her brand that flaunted her cleavage underneath an unbuttoned jacket, paired with blue skinny jeans and black stiletto pumps. She added a pop of color with a bright red baseball cap.

Although the former Manchester United player’s face wasn’t shown in the carousel, he was photographed walking his children to the waiting jet.

In the accompanying caption, she appreciated supporters before adding, “These days I am enjoying a little vacation, inspiring myself and creating with a lot of excitement.”