Meghan McCain is shutting down trolls who called her “old and ugly,” revealing she is aging just like everyone else.

“I am normally an Armadillo-skinned person, and there’s been a lot of commentary about how ‘old and ugly’ I am now,” McCain, 41, said during the Wednesday, July 22, of her and Miranda Wilkins’ “Citizen McCain” podcast.

She fired back, “I’m 41 years old … I’m going to age. I’m going to get older. I am fatter because I’ve had three kids.” (McCain shares daughters Liberty, 5, and Clover, 3, and son Ransom, 6 months, with husband Ben Domenech.)

McCain noted that after a clip from their show of the women speaking about New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani went viral earlier this week, she received an onslaught of negative comments about her appearance from haters who must have never watched them beforehand.

Related: Meghan McCain Claps Back at Body-Shamers 2 Months After Giving Birth

Meghan McCain isn’t here for the postpartum body police. “Keep the fat comments coming because I’m sorry to disappoint so many of you, I will not be going on any of the ozempic shots despite just having my third child,” McCain, 41, wrote via X on Monday, March 9. “No judgment to those that do, […]

The former View cohost went on to explain that change is normal and there’s no shame in aging.

“I look different because I don’t have professional hair and makeup every day,” McCain said. “And sometimes, in the morning, it’s more important for me to get my kids ready, to spend time with them and feed my son, than it is for me to get ready, which is why I don’t always have my hair and makeup done to your liking.”

McCain noted that the comments did catch her by surprise.

Related: Meghan McCain Responds to Sheryl Sandberg After She Condemned ‘Trad Wives’

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Meghan McCain slammed author Sheryl Sandberg after she claimed “trad wives” could be “detrimental to women.” “Shut the f*** up Sheryl Sandberg,” McCain, 41, wrote via X on Wednesday, March 11, alongside a link to Sandberg’s Tuesday, March 10, interview with People. “I don’t even know why you’re still talking given the amount of abject […]

“It is a challenging cruelty to have people have such [opinions],” she confessed. “This is the first time people have reacted, ‘Oh, Meghan looks a lot older.’ I am a lot older.”

Meghan, who is the daughter of late Senator John McCain, pointed out that after growing up in the spotlight, it’s not fair that she’s constantly being compared to past versions of herself.

“I am no longer 5 years old with my dad running for senate. I am no longer 22 years old [with] my dad running for president,” she said. “I’m no longer 32 years old working for The View. I’m almost 42 years old.”

Meghan’s cohost Wilkins chimed in to reveal, “We don’t get Botox, we haven’t had the thread facelift, we’re not on Ozempic.”

Meghan admitted, “It’s tempting, but I’m not [on Ozempic].”

She concluded the episode by saying she plans to keep aging naturally and embracing her appearance.

“One thing I can promise you is I’m going to continue aging. I’m not going to look the way I looked at The View,” Meghan continued. “We are all going to have to collectively come together [and agree] that I’m going to continue aging.”

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Related: Meghan McCain Explains Why She Doesn’t ‘Want’ to Go on Ozempic

Arturo Holmes/WireImage Meghan McCain isn’t giving into pressure to take celebrity-loved weight-loss drugs like Ozempic. McCain, 39, explained her reasoning for not wanting to take the medication – and clapped back at body shamers – during the Friday, May 17, episode of her “Citizen McCain” podcast. “It’s why I don’t like being on camera as […]

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She sarcastically apologized for not being a “facelift, injectable person” who doesn’t have “professional hair and makeup” done on the daily.

“But I can promise you one thing, Miranda and I will continue keeping it very real with you,” Meghan vowed. “This is a real show. We are real people. I may be a motherf***ing nepo baby but I’m a real person. I don’t live like that.”

Meghan ended by poking fun at herself, telling listeners, “I’m going to keep looking like [a] cryptkeeper” and they need to “come to terms with” it.

More than two decades after their final studio album, Destiny’s Child fans have reason to celebrate. The iconic girl group’s 30th anniversary is on the horizon, and according to Mathew Knowles, the milestone will be marked with new music and remixes of their classic hits to honor Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams‘ enduring legacy.

Destiny’s Child officially disbanded 20 years ago. Still, the trio (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams) remain incredibly close and have performed together a handful of times over the years. Now, Mathew Knowles is teasing what the girl group has in store for their 30th anniversary.

Mathew, who managed Destiny’s Child, is teasing what fans can expect for the milestone celebration. He said the group has about 10 to 15 urban and dance mixes of their songs, as well as never-before-heard tracks that have been in a vault. “It’s time to share that,” he told TMZ.

In another interview, he teased that guest rappers will be featured, including Missy Elliott. As for when the songs will be released, Mathew said it can be expected “in the next 30 days.” “We have so much music that hadn’t been put out yet on Destiny’s Child,” he added.

A Destiny’s Child tour isn’t planned at the moment, but Beyoncé’s father isn’t ruling out a few performances here and there.

The Beginnings Of Destiny’s Child

In the early ’90s, Beyoncé and Rowland were part of the group Girl’s Tyme, together with four others: LaTavia Roberson, Támar Davis, and sisters Nikki and Nina Taylor. They joined “Star Search” in 1992, but lost the talent competition. Mathew took over the group’s management duties, and the sextet became a quartet.

LeToya Luckett was added to the group, which included Beyoncé, Rowland, and Roberson, and in 1996, they rebranded as Destiny’s Child. In the next few years, the group changed their lineup due to tensions with the management. The definitive trio was formed in 2000. Beyoncé and Rowland were the only two original members who remained, and Williams became the last addition.

The Girl Group Released Five Studio Albums

Destiny’s Child released five studio albums, dropping chart-topping hits, including “Say My Name,” “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Survivor,” and “Independent Women Part I.”

In the course of their time together, they received 14 Grammy nominations and won three awards: Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song in 2001, both for the song “Say My Name,” and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group in 2002 for “Survivor.”

In 2006, Destiny’s Child received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “We started when we were 9 years old, and here we are getting a Hollywood star. Dreams do come true. So thank you all so much for supporting us,” Beyoncé said at the ceremony.

Destiny’s Child Disbanded To Pursue Individual Careers

The girl group was in the middle of the “Destiny Fulfilled… and Lovin’ It Tour” in 2005 when they announced that they were disbanding. At their performance in Spain that June, Destiny’s Child told the audience of 16,000 that they would be going their separate ways after the tour ended. The final concert took place in Canada that September.

In a statement, Destiny’s Child said, “After a lot of discussion and some deep soul searching, we realized that our current tour has given us the opportunity to leave Destiny’s Child on a high note, united in our friendship and filled with an overwhelming gratitude for our music, our fans, and each other.”

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The Group Reunited At Beyoncé’s Tour

After Destiny’s Child disbanded, each member carved a successful solo career. Rowland scored chart-topping hits, won Grammy Awards, and hosted and judged reality competition shows. Williams found success in gospel music and Broadway, while Beyoncé became a record-breaking global superstar and one of the most influential artists of her generation.

The group has since reunited on stage a few times, including the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2013 and the Stellar Gospel Music Awards in 2015. Rowland and Williams also performed a medley with Beyoncé at her Coachella headlining set in 2018. Their most recent performance was in July 2025, at the finale of Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter Tour” in Las Vegas.

When a movie takes off, it can lead to a long and prosperous life. One film can lead to another, ultimately opening the door to a fully fledged franchise. Then, that franchise goes beyond just the films; it can open the door to other media as it further impacts pop culture. But the sad truth is that all good things must come to an end.

Many epic franchises have had the chance to extend beyond their means, hurting their legacies in the process. Others have ended at just the right moment. The film franchises on this list are a mix of both. Some are ending as their source material has concluded. Some are due to the completion of a trilogy. And then there are some who simply just have no more tales to tell. Let’s celebrate these film franchises one last time before we say goodbye.

1

Dune

Image via Warner bros.

There might not be a bigger sci-fi movie franchise that debuted this century than Dune. Lifting Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel to life, director Denis Villeneuve has taken what has been deemed unadaptable and done the unthinkable. The sweeping sci-fi epic set in a distant future tells the story of a galactic struggle for control of Arrakis, an inhospitable desert planet and the universe’s only source of “spice.” This rare resource is essential for interstellar travel and unlocking superhuman potential, making it the most valuable commodity in existence. The central narrative follows Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), the young heir of the noble House Atreides. When his family is granted stewardship of Arrakis, they are quickly caught in a deadly, politically motivated trap set by their bitter rivals, House Harkonnen, backed by the Padishah Emperor (Christopher Walken). Blending intense space opera action with deep political intrigue, religious prophecy, environmentalism, and the dangers of charismatic leaders, the Villeneuve trilogy arrived at just the right time.

The first two films, Dune and Dune: Part Two, took the world by storm, proving that audiences were eager to see the blockbusters fit for the big screen. Across the three films, the ensemble has been part of the big draw. With a cast that includes Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Zendaya, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Robert Pattinson, among others, why wouldn’t your butt be in the movie theater seats? While Herbert’s original saga spans 3,500 years through six novels with subsequent sequels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, proving there could be more story for film, as of now, the Villeneuve edition is ending this December with Dune: Part Three. Meant to be the icing on the cake, the film operates as the natural and definitive end to Paul Atreides’ storyline. Following the novel Messiah, the books jump centuries into the future and shift away from the surviving characters established in the first two films, thus Villeneuve’s conclusion. Now, the cinematic universe will carry on via a television series with Season 2 of Dune: Prophecy. For now, the three-part film series will have reached its epic end come this winter. ​​

2

Fast & Furious

Image via Universal Pictures 

Just because a franchise has a more than two-decade lifespan doesn’t mean it’s beloved by all. What it does mean is that it has a devoted fan base that has been part of the family since the beginning. That’s a major reason as to why the Fast & Furious film franchise has had such an enduring legacy. A juggernaut in pop culture, the Universal Pictures action series follows street racer Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his tight-knit crew as they evolve from underground car hijackers into a global team of elite operatives. Centered on themes of loyalty and found family, the series has transitioned from local street racing into high-stakes international heists and espionage. The series begins through the lens of undercover cop Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), who infiltrates Dom’s crew but ultimately forms a deep bond with him, allowing him to escape the law. It moved internationally as the team executes massive, physics-defying heists across the globe in locations like Rio de Janeiro and London. Then, they teamed up with government agencies as they face off against cyberterrorists and rogue operatives. A high-stakes, unrelenting thrill ride, Fast & Furious fans will be playing “See You Again” as the mainline franchise will conclude with Fast Forever.

The Fast & Furious franchise popularized street racing culture, championing unprecedented diverse casting long before it became an industry standard. Across the various films, the family has wonderfully expanded, featuring a revolving door of stars including Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Dwayne Johnson, and Jason Statham. The franchise knew the original premise could take it so far, so it pioneered the self-awareness to pivot. By moving into new subgenres, Fast & Furious extended long beyond its means. When the box office continues to deliver, no wonder more movies are always in the cards. As Diesel has stated, it will be the “most amazing finale.” Though it is quite a bit away before the end of Dom’s story, the franchise is set to retain a future in other media and potential spin-offs. Many casual watchers may have come and gone, but Fast & Furious has proven that family extends beyond the screen. While the final film is likely to be stuffed with fan service, the truth is, they deserve it.

3

Jackass

Image via Paramount Pictures

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The fact that there have been as many Jackass films is a discussion of its own. Nevertheless, the cult classic franchise that defined the turn of the century has come to a close. Or at least what the team says. Beginning as a reality slapstick comedy series on MTV, created by Jeff Tremaine, Spike Jonze, and Johnny Knoxville, Jackass featured a compilation of pain-inducing stunts and pranks. As a pinnacle of pop culture, the antics that were too much for television were brought onto the big screen for six outrageous movies. On the big screen, the films featured a close-knit group of daredevils who perform highly dangerous stunts, absurd pranks, and gross-out humor on each other and the public. It functions as a celebration of reckless camaraderie, humor, and long-term male friendship. Though they operate less as traditional narrative stories and more as compilations of comedic segments, each film is just bigger and wilder.

Alongside Knoxville, the Jackass films have featured a plethora of familiar faces, including Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Jason “Wee Man” Acuña, Ehren McGhehey, and Dave England, all of whom willingly subject themselves to physical and psychological challenges. Jackass was not made for everyone. In fact, its niche audience kept the franchise alive. Push back as you might, it revolutionized modern comedy by proving that unscripted, stunt-based, gonzo-style visual storytelling could become a massive global phenomenon. It legitimized pain as art, much to other artists’ chagrin. Jackass, as we know it, has officially ended. Knoxville and the original crew concluded the series with the film Jackass: Best and Last, which was released in theaters on June 26, 2026. Director Tremaine cited the cast’s age and severe injuries as the reason for its end. The final film served as a retrospective farewell, combining new stunts with never-before-seen archival footage and emotional reflections from the cast. The franchise has had false ends before, but this isn’t a hiatus; it’s a genuine conclusion.

4

Jumanji

Image via Columbia Pictures

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In 1995, families were completely taken by the adaptation of the children’s book Jumanji. It served as a definitive film for a generation. Then, two decades later, a new iteration of the story, explored through a modern technological lens, arrived. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle not only worked, but it inspired a newfound film franchise. And later this year, it’s coming to an end. The reboot trilogy shifts the action from a board game into a video game when four high schoolers — Spencer Gilpin (Alex Wolff), Anthony “Fridge” Johnson (Ser’Darius Blain), Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman), and Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner) — in detention, are sucked into Jumanji. They are transformed into adult avatars with distinct strengths and weaknesses — Dr. Xander “Smolder” Bravestone (Dwayne Johnson), Professor Sheldon “Shelly” Oberon (Jack Black), Franklin “Mouse” Finbar (Kevin Hart), and Ruby Roundhouse (Karen Gillan) — and must complete a perilous quest to return home. Filled with chaos through a humorous lens, the Jumanji series offered a refreshing take on a beloved story while remaining respectful.

The reason why the Jumanji reboot didn’t stop with one film lies in the dynamic chemistry of the on-screen quartet. The adult avatars are well written, but each actor elevates the tropes into hilarious, fully realized characters with so much potential. Rather than a direct remake, the film functions as a continuation, even with a touching homage to Robin Williams‘ original character, Alan Parrish. In turn, it bridges the gap between fans of the classic 1995 film and modern moviegoers. The final installment of the reboot, Jumanji: Open World, is set to conclude this December. The twist for this film will see the characters drop the chaos into cities and suburbs. This means large animals and creatures are now loose in populated areas, a touching tribute to the original film. Rather than stretching the storyline indefinitely, this final film was the perfect time to give the beloved adventure a heartfelt and emotional conclusion.

5

The Hunger Games

Image via Lionsgate

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No other young adult novel series took the world by storm quite like The Hunger Games. Originally adapted from Suzanne Collins’ book series for the big screen, the first three books, crafted into four films, served as the ultimate blockbuster event. The original saga tells the story of the wealthy Capitol controlling 12 surrounding impoverished districts and forcing them to send two children as “tributes” to fight to the death in an annual battle royale called The Hunger Games. The story follows teenager Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she survives a deadly, televised government tournament and inadvertently sparks a massive national rebellion. But it didn’t end there, as Collins wrote two prequel stories. In The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, set 64 years before the original films, this story follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blythe) — the future tyrannical president — long before he comes to power, as he mentors a District 12 tribute during the 10th annual games. Now, the last remaining Collins book — Sunrise on the Reaping — will conclude the decade-and-a-half epic on-screen journey.

In Sunrise on the Reaping, set 24 years before The Hunger Games, the story focuses on the Second Quarter Quell, or the 50th Games. It centers on a young Haymitch Abernathy (Joseph Zada) and chronicles his experience surviving a brutal edition of the games in which the Capitol doubled the usual number of tributes. Upon the conclusion of this blockbuster, there simply isn’t any further source material to pull from. When the final film finishes, it will mark a monumental era of the young adult genre. The Hunger Games proved that gritty, female-led dystopian stories could be massive, generation-defining hits. The entire Hunger Games universe paved the way for character-centric stories and bold storytelling. By prioritizing deep political commentary, anti-war themes, and complex world-building over typical romance, the films gave viewers something novel to attach to. There’s no doubt that the media franchise will carry on, but the films have marked its end. ​​​​​​​

6

The Strangers

Image via Lionsgate

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Horror franchises have become a cornerstone of the entertainment industry. There have been horror series that have lasted decades and lingered on for far too long. The Strangers have opted to end following the third film of the reboot (especially since all three films received generally negative reviews). The Strangers franchise is a series of psychological horror films that centers on a trio of masked, psychopathic home invaders who target isolated individuals and couples. The franchise is defined by its nihilistic randomness, as the killers subject their victims to brutal, motiveless violence and psychological torment just because they happen to be home. The reboot trilogy, directed by Renny Harlin, spans three consecutive chapters in which a couple, Maya and Ryan (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez), are forced to spend the night in a remote Airbnb after their car breaks down. It’s there that the masked trio attacks them. Unlike the original, this trilogy explores the aftermath of the attack and attempts to delve into the killers’ origins.

Known for the killers wearing the signature disturbing, toy-like masks, the killings serve as a jarring juxtaposition between childhood innocence and brutal violence. The terror stems from the fact that the killers have no personal vendetta or material greed. They target ordinary, unsuspecting people in remote locations. Though the masked antagonists — Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and Scarecrow (Ella Bruccoleri, Ema Horvath, and Gabriel Basso) — are iconic and intrinsically creepy villains, there remains a strong possibility they could be revisited down the line. However, the reboot’s poor reception may prevent that potential. Especially since the original allure of the mystery of the motives was hidden, further exploration could dilute the future. Since all three films were filmed back-to-back and released in subsequent years, audience burnout was real. Nevertheless, the revitalization of the home invasion horror subgenre is thanks to The Strangers.

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The Strangers: Chapter 1

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Release Date

May 17, 2024

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Runtime

91 minutes

Director

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Renny Harlin

Writers

Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland

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Netflix’s One Piece is still sailing strong. Season 2 hit No. 1 after its March debut with 16.8 million views, while the manga recently crossed a wild 600 million copies in print.

So naturally, the casting discourse is already somewhere deep in Wano.

Susann Alicia, the German content creator known online as LienSue, has turned handmade anime costumes into a seven-figure career and amassed more than 6 million followers across her platforms. Now she’d like to add one more credit: playing Yamato if Netflix’s live-action adventure ever reaches that part of the Grand Line.

“I’ve read the manga, watched the anime and defended Yamato in more comment sections than I can count,” Sue said in a statement. “At this point, I basically am Yamato. Learning the lines would be the easy part.”

For anyone who needs the quick pirate briefing, the role is a big one. Yamato is Kaido’s horned child — a Wano arc powerhouse who idolizes the legendary samurai Kozuki Oden. Fans adore the character, who ranked No. 17 out of more than 1,500 contenders in the midterm results of this year’s global One Piece popularity poll.

Sue isn’t coming to the role cold, either. Her cosplay work has gone viral multiple times across Reddit, Instagram and Twitch since 2022 and even earned coverage from gaming publications.

In 2024, she entered streamer Emiru’s fourth annual cosplay contest as Yamato and placed second in the fan-voted Chat Favorite category, winning $2,500. The contest awarded more than $50,000 to cosplayers overall, with Sue standing out in a field packed with Diablo, Elden Ring, Destiny 2 and Final Fantasy XIV builds.

Still, the OnlyFans model knows winning over the internet in horns and a wig isn’t the same thing as stepping onto a set. “You can’t fake loving Yamato,” she explained. “This fandom would see right through it, which is exactly why I think a cosplayer should at least be in the conversation.”

That idea isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds. Viral cosplayer Jessica Nigri built her name on the convention circuit before landing voice roles in RWBY and Super Sonico. Even the current cast makes Sue’s pitch sound a little less wild. Emily Rudd grew up watching anime, fell hard for One Piece and said she wanted “one shot” at playing Nami. She landed the part from a single audition tape.

The good news for Sue is that she has plenty of time to make her case. Season 3 wrapped production in June and is headed to Alabasta, with Xolo Maridueña joining as Ace and Cole Escola as Bon Clay. In other words, Wano is still a long way down the map. “One Piece fans know how to wait,” she teased. “I’m just making sure Netflix knows where to find me when the story finally reaches Yamato.” 

Frankie Grande wants Kamu Kirk to be removed from the Big Brother house after he made comments about not wanting to do drag.

“Um. What the f*** is this horses***?! Get these homophobic bigots out of the f***ing house IMMEDIATELY. Both of them,” Frankie, 43, wrote via X alongside a clip from the live feeds of a conversation between Kamu, 32, and Rick Devens over the weekend. “Ew this conversation makes me sick to my stomach. I’m disgusted. This better be the biggest thing ever when I wake up tomorrow or I’m flipping a table… f***. Ew. Gross.”

In the clip, which has circulated on social media, Kamu and Devens, 42, were reacting to alliance member Drew Campbell who was wearing a set of unicorn-themed pajamas. Devens, who is the current Head of Household, asked Kamu if “those dudes dressed in women’s clothes.” Kamu confirmed they were which replied he revealed he was asked to participate as well.

“I’m not doing that bro,” Kamu told Devens who laughed and shared he wouldn’t consider participating until Jason De Puy won an HoH competition. (Jason is a professional drag queen who is known outside the house as Salina EsTitties.)

Related: ‘Big Brother 28’ Cast Shows Some Skin in Annual Backyard Group Photos

The Big Brother 28 cast is continuing to bring the heat this season. In Us’ exclusive first look at the season 28’s annual backyard group photo shoot, the cast gathered around the pool in their swimwear — and left little to the imagination. Big Brother 26 alum Angela Murray channeled former costar Makensy Manbeck when […]

Kamu doubled down on his stance stating that as a professional MMA fighter he can’t see himself doing drag.

“I said, ‘Bro, miss me with the drag stuff.’ Miss me. I’m still an MMA guy, and I have an image to uphold,” he told Devens who replied, “That’s tough.”

Kamu’s remarks were not directed at Jason, 35. While Jason told his fellow houseguests that he is a professional drag queen, he omitted the fact that he previously competed on RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Frankie came to Jason’s defense online not only because they are members of the LGBTQIA+ community but because they are friends in real-life. While Frankie initially expressed outrage at both Kamu and Devens, he later walked back his criticism of the Survivor alum.

“Ok. I concede there is not enough info in the clip to understand [Devens’] motivations. Hopefully he was just taping [sic] into Kamu’s energy for game reasons,” he wrote in a subsequent tweet. “Regardless, men behaving in a repulsed or shocked way when a man dresses feminine or in women’s clothing is homophobic. Period.”

After Frankie’s tweets went viral, the social media guru took to X to explain he made a “mistake” with his initial criticism.

“After leaving the show and getting sober, I’ve been nothing but an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. So seeing things like that and seeing people in the house that are definitely homophobic is just hard for me,” he said in a clip shared via X. “It always is. And I should not engage on X.”

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Us has reached out to CBS for comment.

Jason is currently facing eviction from the Big Brother household as Devens put him up alongside Melody Morris and Lyric Medeiros. After Devens won the Power of Veto, he took Lyric off the block and named her showmance Rome Seymour as the replacement nominee. Jason, Rome and Melody will face off in the BB Block Buster competition on Thursday, July 23, where one person will earn safety ahead of the house’s live vote.

Big Brother airs on CBS Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.

Roommates, its double congratulations for Brooke Valentine and Marcus Black. The couple has fans flooding social media with heart-eye emojis after revealing they’re expecting twins.

RELATED: Congrats! Paige Hurd & Royce O’Neale Tie The Knot With Special Tribute To DMX (VIDEOS) 

Brooke Valentine & Marcus Black Open Up About Their Growing Family

Marcus Black and Brooke Valentine confirmed the exciting news to The Shade Room, sharing that they’re getting ready to welcome not one, but two bundles of joy. The couple says they’re overjoyed to enter this new chapter after enduring two miscarriages in 2024. Brooke and Marcus also shared that they are bringing fans along for the journey in their upcoming series, ‘The Blackprint.’

“Our family is beyond grateful and excited to share that we’re expecting twins! After enduring two heartbreaking miscarriages back-to-back in 2024, this blessing means more than words can express. God’s timing is perfect and our hearts are full. Here comes double the love, double the joy, and double the blessings.”

More About Brooke & Marcus

Brooke and Marcus have reportedly been together for nearly nine years. The couple quietly tied the knot in February 2019 before welcoming their daughter, Chi Summer Black, just a few months later in May. Fans first watched their love story unfold during seasons four and five of ‘Love & Hip Hop: Hollyowood.’ Brooke and Marcus previously surprised social media when they announced they were expecting by sharing a sweet Instagram video that debuted Brooke’s baby bump. Although the couple is gearing up to welcome twins, Brooke also has a son from a previous relationship, and Marcus has a daughter from a prior relationship.

Fans Celebrate Brooke & Marcus’ Growing Family

After The Shade Room shared the exciting news, the Roomies filled the comment section with love and congratulations. Plenty of fans looked back on Brooke and Marcus’ journey, with many saying the real ones know Brooke has never played about Marcus.

Instagram user @bombshell.s_ wrote, “Double Blessing ❤️” 

Instagram user @nottinaboebina wrote, “she got them both back omgggg 😍 congratulations!!!” 

While Instagram user @the_fab_foodie18 wrote, “Same thing happened to me in 2024. My twins just turned 2 last week! 🌈 ❤️” 

Instagram user @chauntaevisualsv wrote, “One of my favorite couples 😍😍❤️❤️ so happy for her.” 

Then Instagram user @dajshashanice wrote, “She never played abt Marcus iykyk 😂” 

Another Instagram user @ky_baby_514 wrote, “Let me keep applying the same pressure on my man that she did wit hers 😂😂” 

Instagram user @kajae_speaks wrote, “The same thing Brooke did to get him imma start doing lol 🫣👏🏾👏🏾” 

Then another Instagram user @miamahasinn wrote, “She never played about her man, I love them together, congrats to them❤️” 

While another Instagram user @bree.lenyae wrote, “Lmao since day 1 she said she was gone be his wife and have his kids and look 💍 👶🏾 periooddd 😍” 

Finally, Instagram user @nellie.nellz_ wrote, “The real ‘Angela and Marcus’ ❤️” 

RELATED: Congrats! Fetty Wap Is Now Engaged (PHOTOS + VIDEOS) 

By Jonathan Klotz
| Updated 13 minutes ago

Jason Statham has been in a lot of great B-tier action movies in his career. Most of the time, he’s a retired special forces operative pulled back into duty to roundhouse kick villains one last time. That’s…not going to change with his latest movie, Mutiny. He’s a former cop and a former marine out to board a cargo ship to save his daughter. It’s Die Hard on a boat, and for once, we have an action movie that’s admitting exactly what it is:

For reference, here’s the original post for Die Hard:

Die Hard On A Boat

There’s been too many Die Hard knock-offs to count. Mutiny’s latest poster is a loving homage to the Bruce Willis classic that redefined action movies forever. It’s harder to find a movie that hasn’t been influenced by Die Hard. For example, there was also the Steven Seagal classic, Under Siege where he was a cook on a submarine, that was basically Die Hard on a boat, but this time, Mutiny really is giving us Die Hard on a boat. And let’s be honest, Jason Statham is far more entertaining than Seagal ever was. 

Does the plot of Mutiny really matter? Jason Statham plays Cole Reed, his daughter is on a ship, it’s hijacked, he’s the only one that can save the day, and he does. Haven’t seen the movie, that’s the movie. It’s going to be amazing. 

It’s Okay To Admit You Love Jason Statham Movies

For all of the good-natured ribbing Jason Statham gets over his roles all being basically the same, there’s no denying his success. He turned The Meg into a blockbuster, The Transporter is an action classic, and The Beekeeper was one of the best action movies of the last few years. He’s the king of reliable box office success. Sometimes, he’ll throw a curveball and make a movie like Homefront that’s slower and more character-driven than you’d expect, but nine times out of ten, he’s kicking bad guys in the face. 

The obvious similarities can be forgiven if the movie is fun. Too often movies are being judged by box office, cultural impact, or memes, and what’s being lost is that it’s okay to make a dumb action movie that doesn’t require you to think. There’s no worldbuilding, no connected universe…but how awesome would the Stathamverse be? Simply being entertained is enough. 

Mutiny hits theaters on August 21st. You already know what the whole movie is going to be like, you already know if you’re the right audience for this particular type of entertainment or not. Speaking of connected universes, Jason Statham will be competing with Insidious: Out of the Further, the sixth entry in Jason Blum’s other horror franchise, and The Magic Faraway Tree starring Andrew Garfield.

If you like seeing one man take down a battalion of mercenaries with nothing but his wits, bulging muscles, and a jawline that can cut glass, there’s only one choice for the weekend, even if it’s nothing more than Die Hard on a boat, Die Hard’s awesome, let’s keep making more Die Hards.

Whether you consider it an actual neo-Western or just a Western-inspired crime drama, there isn’t another show out there like Justified. The FX series was a fabulous take on an Old West-style lawman settled in modern times that followed Timothy Olyphant‘s U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylan Givens after he’s transferred from Miami back to his home state of Kentucky. While Graham Yost developed the series, he did so based on “Fire in the Hole” by novelist Elmore Leonard — and you may be surprised to learn just how close to the original material the pilot lands. That said, it was only after Justified moved beyond that initial tale that it grew into something truly spectacular.

‘Justified’ Begins by Directly Adapting Elmore Leonard’s “Fire in the Hole”

Justified begins as a one-to-one adaptation of Leonard’s “Fire in the Hole,” with the first episode lifting every scene (and many lines of dialogue) straight from the source material. Raylan Givens, Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins), and Ava Crowder (Joelle Carter) are all instantly recognizable from their page counterparts, as is Chief Deputy Art Mullen (Nick Searcy). From Boyd’s killing of Oklahoma skinhead Jared (Ryan O’Nan) to his final shootout with Raylan at Ava’s dining room table, it’s all there beat-for-beat. The pilot does embellish elements that Leonard could only reference (such as that opening shootout with Tommy Bucks), and de-ages the main characters by about a decade or so to account for its cast — Boyd, who is a Desert Storm vet on the show, was a Vietnam vet originally, for instance.

A clear respect for Leonard’s original material is certainly one of Justified‘s initial strengths, and the show set a high standard for how page-to-screen adaptations ought to be. Though the FX drama reinterprets the material quite respectfully, Justified elevates it further with high-quality writing and unparalleled performances that add some flesh to already strong bones. In many respects, it’s a rare example of a series that takes such dynamic source material and enhances it by pressing forward. Like all great adaptations, Justified makes Raylan, Boyd, and the rest its own — in fact, in Leonard’s tale, Boyd is shot dead by Raylan, a choice that Graham Yost and the writers rightly reversed to ensure Goggins’ longtime role in the series.

Justified later adapted the author’s other Raylan-centric novels in various capacities. Season 1’s “Fixer” is based in part on the novel Riding the Rap, while Season 3’s “Thick as Mud” pulls directly from the author’s final work, Raylan. The entire Season 1 Miami mafia plotline comes from Raylan’s first appearance in the 1993 novel Pronto, which had previously been adapted as a lesser-known made-for-TV movie. Later, Leonard’s City Primeval (which doesn’t actually feature Raylan Givens) was also the basis for the Justified: City Primeval revival series. But Justified only got better the further it strayed from the author’s work.

‘Justified’ Grew Into Its Own Masterpiece Over Six Impressive Seasons

While the show began as a literal adaptation of Leonard’s text, Justified found its own voice beyond the page. The Western-inspired drama expands quite significantly over the course of its six seasons, with each new overarching plot, character arc, and antagonist only heightening the drama. Olyphant and Goggins deliver standout performances as some of the most visceral and layered characters to be pulled from page to screen in recent years, offering audiences the very best of their respective careers. Due to the limited nature of “Fire in the Hole,” the author didn’t have the time to sufficiently expand the characters, but what’s left unanswered by Leonard is eventually filled in by the series, such as everything involving Winona (Natalie Zea).

Although Justified evolves from a direct adaptation up front to an “inspired by” type of show, it eventually comes back around to pay tribute to Leonard himself. The final moments between Boyd and Raylan in the series finale, “The Promise,” echo their concluding exchange in the author’s original “Fire in the Hole” story. “We dug coal together,” Boyd notes, words that resemble Raylan’s ending remarks about the outlaw on the page. Justified is a fast-paced and perfect neo-Western crime drama that pulls no punches, but it thrived because it was willing to build on Leonard’s original masterpiece rather than be completely defined by it.

We live in particularly exciting times, where Internet trends can become so expansive that they eventually breed entire literary genres. Surfacing on the social media site Tumblr somewhere around the mid-2010s, the dark academia aesthetic blew up in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to teenage bookworms stuck at home yearning for academic escapism. Inspired by elements of Gothic art, classic literature, and social culture at Oxbridge and Ivy League schools, dark academia has evolved from a simple aesthetic into a proper genre with tropes, conventions, and iconography all of its own. Later this month, anyone intrigued by dark academia will be treated to a deliciously twisted new entry into the genre.

The Mortons is not only the first adult novel by My Sister Rosa author Justine Larbalestier, but also her first time co-writing a book with her husband, Scott Westerfeld, of Uglies series and Leviathan trilogy fame. Together, they’ve crafted a morally ambiguous and wickedly dark mystery thriller with all the elements anyone could possibly want to see in a dark academia novel, and then some. It’s the sort of novel that would make for an amazing movie one day. But far from being all aesthetic, no substance, this delectably original and fast-paced story packs more than enough narrative meat on its bones. Twists, surprises, and moments of purely diabolical entertainment make this the sort of book that begs to be read with a bold, sophisticated cocktail at hand.

What Is ‘The Mortons’ About?

Image via Viking

The Mortons centers on the eponymous family, an old-money dynasty that raises all of their children to be ruthless killers. “Homicide is heritage,” reads the book’s chilling tagline, and very early on, one realizes that there’s no better encapsulation of the family’s history than that. The most important foundation of any dark academia novel worth its salt is the actual academic setting of its narrative, and The Mortons‘ is as instantly absorbing as they get. At Helshire College, “legacy” students from historied crime dynasties like the Mortons take off-the-catalog classes where they learn skills essential to their dark practices.

A student at Helshire is Jessica Morton, through whose perspective we discover that the family holds secrets even bleaker than their murderous, manipulative façade suggests. Like the best Mortons, she lacks any semblance of empathy in her heart. At age seven, she completed her mors curae, a Morton tradition where the family’s kids have to raise and protect a rabbit for a whole year and then slaughter it themselves. Whereas many kids give their rabbits silly names, like Mister Fluffernutter, Jessica named hers Rabbit. She has no need for creativity, warmth, or love in her life. Her journey of discovery (both of her family’s secrets and of her own self-identity) then becomes a question of whether someone who has been nurtured into cruelty can find compassion and redemption, or whether some brainwashings are effectively permanent.

‘The Mortons’ Wears Its Influences On Its Sleeve

The Mortons is exquisitely original and deliciously unique in how it depicts violence and cruelty with a razor-sharp sense of humor, but it’s also quite transparent about the giants on whose shoulders it stands. Influences from Donna Tartt‘s The Secret History, one of the best books of the ’90s and the biggest precursor of the dark academia literary genre, are abundantly evident. You also get plenty of the eccentric, deadpan humor that makes Wes Anderson special; the charmingly dark tone of The Addams Family and Wednesday; and the cutthroat, power-hungry family dynamics of The Sopranos. There are also plenty of elements here that leave no room for doubt that Larbalestier and Westerfeld are veterans of the YA genre, from the story’s lightning-fast pacing to Jessica’s coming-of-age story.

But though you can tell The Mortons was penned by two YA masters, it also demonstrates that they were more than ready to make their big splash in the adult novel space. The Mortons‘ Gothic tone and ice-cold depictions of violence aren’t just quirky gimmicks, but the very skeleton of a story that explores genuinely mature themes with a level of depth, grit, and even sexiness not often found in YA dark academia. Its protagonist may be young, but this novel earns its “adult” label through and through. At no point do Larbalestier and Westerfeld force any interpretation of Jessica’s arc or posit any judgment on whether she deserves to be redeemed or not. The charm of The Mortons lies not only in the constant shock of the many deadly, bloody twists thrown our protagonist’s way, but also in wondering just as much as she does if the things she’s done are too much to forgive.

In any other book, the answer would be an immediate yes. After all, the Mortons—Jessica most definitely included—are all cold-blooded killers whose currency is death, betrayal, money, and power for power’s sake. But Larbalestier and Westerfeld wear their influences on their sleeves with such effortless confidence that, from the very first chapter, where Jessica commits an act of murder that would make her instantly detestable in any other kind of story, it’s surprisingly easy to immerse oneself so deeply in her world that such a crime (though shocking) isn’t off-putting. There have been many great thriller books throughout the last 10 years, and The Mortons is one of the boldest in its worldbuilding.

There May Be Mortons for Days

Image via Viking

The Mortons is a real page-turner, blending the breakneck pacing of its authors’ YA instincts with a mystery thriller narrative as twisty as a rabbit’s innards. That makes it all the more delightful that the Mortons world may greatly expand in the future. Larbalestier and Westerfeld are reportedly already working on a companion novel set in the same engrossing world, and they even promise to write nothing but Mortons books for the rest of their careers if possible. The book certainly does end on a note that makes a sequel not only perfectly plausible, but also irresistibly tempting.

In these dark days when empathy is in such short supply, and loyalty is weaponized in favor of power and money, The Mortons feels like a far timelier novel than its wild premise may make it seem at first glance. It strikes the perfect balance between providing enough entertaining escapism to make it a worthy before-bedtime read, and a potent enough reflection of the real world to make its messaging hit even closer to home. It’s elegant, funny, sophisticated, and always goes in a darker direction whenever you think it’s gone as far as it could. As far as crime family sagas and dark academia stories go, it doesn’t get much more worthwhile than The Mortons.