Christopher Nolan‘s Dark Knight trilogy was the defining superhero movie phenomenon of the 2000s. Before the MCU actually took shape, Nolan’s gritty, grimy, hyper-realist take on Batman revolutionized the way we saw superheroes. By turning the Caped Crusader’s gothic tale into a criminal saga, the movies proved that the genre could be so much more than men in tights fighting supervillains, and Hollywood was never the same.
A huge reason behind the trilogy’s success is Nolan’s inspired and instantly iconic adaptation of Batman’s rogues gallery. Taking some of the hero’s most distinct and famous enemies and giving them a new, somber, and realistic coat of paint, the trilogy turned itself into a parade of incredible villainy, the liked of which we seldom see in the superhero genre. But who is the best villain in the Dark Knight trilogy? The top of this list should be easy enough to guess, but every other villain in the series is quite compelling, making the rest of the ranking quite interesting.
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7
Miranda Tate/Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard) – ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures
Poor Marion Cotillard; an actress of her stature deserved much, much better than what she got in The Dark Knight Rises. The last film in the trilogy is inherently flawed, but perhaps its biggest crime is doing Cotillard so damn dirty. The plot sees Christian Bale‘s Batman come out of retirement to face the threat of Bane (Tom Hardy), a terrorist who literally breaks his body in half before sending him to a foreign prison. Bane then holds Gotham hostage with the threat of a bomb.
Cotillard plays Miranda Tate, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises who, to the surprise of absolutely no one, turns out to be Talia al Ghul, R’as’ daughter who wants to finish her father’s work. The reveal is unsatisfying because it’s telegraphed from a mile away (a rare miss from the king of twists), and Cotillard gives a rather weak performance, as if she’s bored with the material — and who can blame her. Talia is a one-note figure without an ounce of characterization, a walking plot device with one of cinema’s goofiest deaths.
Tom Wilkinson as CArmine FAlcone in Batman Begins, holding a gunImage via Warner Bros
Batman Begins has an overabundance of villains and even name-drops a few others. However, only three actually play a meaningful role in the story, and the first is Carmine “The Roman” Falcone. Played by the late Tom Wilkinson, Falcone is a powerful mob boss in Gotham, whose corruption spreads to the city’s highest levels. He’s in cahoots with both Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson) and Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy) in their plan to poison Gotham’s water supply with the fear toxin.
Narratively, Batman Begins deals with weighty themes about fear and the nature of heroism. In this scope, Wilkinson’s Falcone feels like small peanuts, and he should. In broad terms, he’s just a pawn in Ra’s’ larger game, and his presence is a symptom of Gotham’s sickness, not the cause. Wilkinson is doing his best Tony Soprano, and he’s rather good at it. He also shares quite a good scene with what’s supposed to be an early-twenties Bruce, even if the film’s attempts to make Bale look younger are somewhat goofy.
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Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality Quiz Which MCU Hero Are You? Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap
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Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. Will you swing, fly, or thunder your way to glory?
🕷️Spider-Man
😈Daredevil
🤖Iron Man
💀Punisher
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⚡Thor
🛡️Cap
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01
What drives you to do what’s right? Choose the answer that feels most like you.
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02
It’s 2 AM. Where are you? Your answer says more about you than you’d think.
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03
How do you handle a villain who keeps escaping justice? Every hero has a method. What’s yours?
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04
How do you feel about keeping a secret identity? The mask — or the lack of one — says everything.
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05
You’ve lost someone important because of your heroism. How do you carry that? Every hero pays a price. The question is how they pay it.
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06
What’s your role when working with a team? Who you are under pressure is who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line between justice and revenge? The answer defines what kind of hero you really are.
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08
When you’re not saving the world, what does life look like? The person behind the mask is always the more interesting story.
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09
What keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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The battle is lost. You’re outnumbered, outgunned, and exhausted. What do you do? This is your tiebreaker — choose carefully.
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Your Hero Has Been Identified Your MCU Hero Is…
Based on your answers, the Marvel hero who matches your spirit, values, and instincts has been revealed.
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Queens, New York
🕷️ Spider-Man
You carry the weight of the world on shoulders that are younger than they should have to be — funny, loyal, and endlessly self-sacrificing.
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You do the right thing not because it’s easy, but because no one else will.
You understand that responsibility isn’t a burden you choose — it’s one that finds you.
Whether it’s a neighbourhood mugging or a multiverse crisis, you show up.
Peter Parker’s lesson — that great power demands great responsibility — isn’t a slogan to you. It’s the code you live by, even when it costs you everything.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York
😈 Daredevil
You fight in the shadows between law and chaos, guided by a fierce moral compass that refuses to let the guilty walk free.
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You use every tool available — your mind, your body, your faith — to protect those the system overlooks.
You’ve looked into the darkness and chosen not to become it, though the line has never been easy.
Matt Murdock’s duality — champion in the courtroom, devil in the alley — mirrors your own.
Relentless, conflicted, and unwilling to stop. That is exactly you.
Stark Industries, Malibu
🤖 Iron Man
Brilliant, driven, and occasionally insufferable — but always the person who solves the unsolvable problem.
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You lead with your mind and back it up with resources, innovation, and a stubbornness that borders on heroic.
You started out looking out for yourself, but somewhere along the way the world became your responsibility.
Tony Stark’s arc — from ego to sacrifice — is your arc too.
You build, you plan, and when the moment comes, you’re willing to give everything. Because in the end, you’re Iron Man.
New York City
💀 The Punisher
You’ve been through fire that would break most people — and it did change you, completely. What’s left is unyielding, relentless, and operating by a code forged in grief.
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You don’t ask for forgiveness, and you don’t expect gratitude.
You see a corrupt, broken world and you’ve decided to do something about it, consequences be damned.
Frank Castle’s war is born from love twisted by loss — and so is yours.
Uncompromising and unflinching — the world may not agree with your methods, but your conviction is absolute.
Asgard · Protector of the Nine Realms
⚡ Thor
Powerful, proud, and on a lifelong journey to become worthy of the legend you carry.
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You lead with strength but have learned — sometimes painfully — that true greatness comes from humility and growth.
You’re larger than life, yet more vulnerable than you let on.
Thor’s story is one of transformation: from arrogant prince to worthy king, from isolated warrior to beloved protector.
You bring the storm when it’s needed — and the warmth when it matters just as much.
Brooklyn, New York · The Avengers
🛡️ Captain America
You believe in something bigger than yourself — and you fight for it even when the world has moved on and nobody else will.
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You don’t bully the small guy, and you never stop when it gets hard.
Steve Rogers didn’t become a hero when he got the serum — he was always one. So were you.
Your strength isn’t in your fists; it’s in your refusal to compromise what’s right, no matter the cost.
In a world full of people taking the easy road, you’re the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time.
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5
Henry Ducard/Ra’s al Ghul – ‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
Liam Neeson in ‘Batman Begins’Image via Warner Bros.
Next in line is Ra’s al Ghul, the actual main villain of Batman Begins, played by Liam Neeson. Introduced as Henri Ducard, he acts as a mentor and fight instructor during Bruce’s time with the League of Shadows, seemingly in service to Ra’s al Ghul (Ken Watanabe). Ducard reappears at the end of the film, revealing himself as the real Ra’s and hellbent on destroying Gotham by releasing the fear toxin into the water supply and having the city turn on itself.
Neeson is solid in the role, bringing the same stern and dignified behavior he dons in most of his movies. However, the film’s version of Ra’s al Ghul is ultimately less compelling, largely because the twist deprives him of the kind of development he would’ve had if the film revealed his identity from the get-go. There’s also the fact that Nolan whitewashed the character; listen, it was 2005, different time and whatever. Still, it’s jarring to see such a prominent East Asian and Arab character played by an Irishman.
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Bane (Tom Hardy) – ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012)
Image via Warner Bros.
The Dark Knight Rises uses Bane as the main villain for much of the plot before killing him off in the most unceremonious way possible. Tom Hardy’s villain is introduced as a terrorist and self-declared “revolutionary” who was excommunicated by the League of Shadows. Bane is a massive fighter who uses a nuclear bomb to seclude Gotham from the outside world, effectively holding it hostage. The film adapts the famous “Knightfall” storyline, in which Bane literally breaks Batman, cracking his spine and effectively taking him out of commission.
Visually, Hardy’s Bane is as good an adaptation as he can be while still fitting into Nolan’s hyper-realist approach. He also offers a more faithful version of his comic book counterpart, particularly in the intelligence department. For most of the film, Bane is an effective antagonist, even if he lacks much of the panache that previous villains brought to the trilogy. Hardy is great, as he always is, but the voice does become grating midway through the plot. Not a perfect villain, but a solid one.
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3
Harvey Dent/Two-Face – ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
The Dark Knight is the best in the trilogy, largely because of its incredible villains. First, we have Aaron Eckhart‘s Harvey Dent, Gotham’s DA who wants to clean Gotham from all the criminals terrorizing the streets. He seeks Batman and Gordon’s (Gary Oldman) help before eventually succumbing to villainy when the Joker (Heath Ledger) kills his love, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). The explosion also disfigures his face, breaking his mind and turning him into the villain Two-Face.
Eckhart’s Dent is a great adaptation of the character, especially during the film’s first half, when he’s still Gotham’s knight in shining armor. Once he becomes Two-Face, he becomes somewhat less interesting because he plays the character as an angry Harvey Dent rather than a whole new personality combining both light and dark. Still, as far as villains go, this Two-Face is quite an effective one, even if he only acts like one in the last act.
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Jonathan Crane/The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) – ‘Batman Begins’ (2005)
Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane speaking in court in Batman BeginsImage via Warner Bros.
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Batman Begins has an excess of villains, and while Ra’s is the main one, Cillian Murphy’s Jonathan Crane steals the show. In what was his first collaboration with Nolan, Murphy plays the psychiatrist-turned-supervillain with a mix of panache and creepiness. In the film, Crane works at Arkham Asylum and conducts experiments on the inmates, using the toxin produced by Ra’s as the key ingredient in his fear-inducing gas. Crane also works with the Gotham mob to declare Falcone’s enforcers insane so they can be spared from prison and moves to Arkham instead.
In many ways, Jonathan Crane is perfect for Nolan’s version of Batman and should’ve arguably been the film’s main villain. His MO — using fear to weaken his enemies — fits in perfectly with Batman Begins‘ main themes, but the movie doesn’t do nearly as much with him as it could’ve because it needs to set up the bigger plot with the League of Shadows. Murphy excels at playing these types of creepy yet alluring characters, and Crane is no exception. The film’s version of the Scarecrow mask is also quite good, far more comics accurate than most of the trilogy’s other villains.
1
The Joker (Heath Ledger) – ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008)
Joker (Heath Ledger) sits on a floor in an interrogation room with his back against a wall in The Dark Knight.Image via Warner Bros.
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As mentioned in the interview, the top spot on this list was a no-brainer: Heath Ledger’s Joker is the all-time best superhero movie villain, setting an absurdly high bar that no one has been able to match, let alone surpass. In The Dark Knight, the Joker is an anarchist terrorist who seeks to throw Gotham into disarray just for the sake of it. He sees himself as a force for chaos, with Batman as his counterpart and the embodiment of order.
Ledger completely disappears into the role, giving the performance of a lifetime, the type of work that makes legends out of actors. The late Australian redefined the role entirely, turning the Clown Prince of Crime into a fascinating and layered force of nature that is as destructive as he is engaging. For his work, Ledger won a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and his legacy only keeps improving with each passing year.
Lizzo says she has come to terms with her recent album flop, despite initially being saddened by its reception.
The singer previously criticized Atlantic Records for allegedly failing to properly promote the project. However, her apparent explanation for its poor performance has drawn pushback after netizens brought Bebe Rexha’s numbers as an indie artist into the conversation.
Lizzo said that despite the poor performance, the album, titled “B-TCH,” remains some of her “best stuff” to date.
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Lizzo’s fifth studio album, “B-TCH,” did not reach the commercial heights many had expected and has recently made headlines over claims that it underperformed.
Amid the conversation surrounding the album’s performance, the singer offered a “non-PR” response during a recent appearance on the Swiftologist podcast, per NME.
“I was really stressed and really sad for a few days because this is some of my best stuff,” the rapper said on the podcast.
She added, “I had to come to terms with the fact that not only is the music industry different – we need to talk about the radio aspect – but also my relationship and my connection musically with the world is different. And I think I had to mourn that.”
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Fans Question Label Argument After Sales Flop
Lizzo’s comments about her label have only intensified the conversation around her album’s poor performance, with some fans not buying the idea that promotion was the main issue.
On X, one critic brought Bebe Rexha into the debate to challenge that argument, writing, “lizzo tryna blame her album selling 2.6k on the lack of support from her label when bebe rexha just sold 20k as an indie artist.”
The comparison appears to stem from reports around Rexha’s independent album “Dirty Blonde.” While some fans rounded the figure up to 20,000, chart accounts reported that the project debuted with about 19,000 total units on the Billboard 200, after earlier projections placed it near 20,000.
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Responding to a related post on X, one fan said, “Mind you Lizzo missed 200 spots,” while another added, “Not she out selling Lizzo, oh the downfall needs to be investigated.”
SZA Reached Out To Comfort The ‘Juice’ Singer
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Following its release, Lizzo’s latest album failed to enter the UK Top 100 Albums Chart. It also posted a disappointing performance in the United States, her biggest market.
By comparison, her previous album, “Special,” debuted at No. 2 on the U.S. Albums Chart following its release in 2022 and peaked at No. 6 in the UK.
Fortunately for the singer, says she received support from loved ones, including a fellow artist, as she came to terms with the album’s reception.
“Thank God for Solána [SZA], she called me and was like. ‘You’re on my mind.’ I was like, ‘Am I a failure?’ and she was like, ‘Oh my god, no!’ – she’s so sweet,” Lizzo said elsewhere on the podcast.
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Lizzo Addresses Former Employees’ Lawsuit
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In her personal life, Lizzo continues to deal with a harassment lawsuit filed by former employees Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez. Some of the claims in the lawsuit have since been dismissed, including allegations that she fat-shamed the plaintiffs.
Speaking with “Today” host Craig Melvin earlier this month, the four-time Grammy winner said she could have settled the case out of court but chose to fight it because she is “not a woman who’s afraid of the truth coming out.”
“I’m not afraid to fight,” she added. “I’m really excited for all the claims to be dropped and for us all to just move forward.”
Lizzo Says Settling The Case Would Be An ‘Easy Out’
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Last month, Lizzo also discussed her decision not to settle the case while promoting her album during an interview with TV personality Gayle King for “CBS Mornings.”
“I think it is an easy out,” Lizzo said about not settling. “I’m fighting the case because I know that it’s not true.”
What remains now are the sexual harassment claims, which the singer said she is ready to fight. She also said she is prepared to take the stand and testify if her accusers refuse to drop the suit.
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“I would look fabulous while doing it,” the rapper joked. She added at the time, “I’m not afraid of the truth. The truth is less salacious than the headlines.”
Henry Cavill came into the year hard at work filming his long-awaited Highlander reboot, which also features big stars like Russell Crowe and Dave Bautista. The movie is reportedly in the final stages of filming, expected to wrap any day now, but it’s still unclear when it will be released. For Cavill’s first project of the year, he reunited with director Guy Ritchie for In The Grey, the new action thriller co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rosamund Pike from The Wheel of Time. The film opened with mediocre reviews on its way to an underwhelming performance at the box office, but it has since gone on to find at least a small sort of redemption on VOD platforms like Prime Video. It’s even getting a new physical media release later this month.
Cavill’s second film of the year quietly dropped on Netflix yesterday, and fans around the world can’t stop talking about Enola Holmes 3. Cavill plays Sherlock Holmes in the three-part Netflix detective saga, but it’s a more unorthodox take on the story, where the signature detective and his partner, Watson (played by Himesh Patel) take a backseat to Sherlock’s younger sister, Enola. Part of the reason the Enola Holmes movies have become such a sensation is due to the casting of Millie Bobby Brown as the titular character, who is famed for her role as Eleven in Stranger Things. Reviews for Enola Holmes 3 began pouring in yesterday around the same time that the film was released, and it’s officially the lowest-rated movie in the franchise with a 70% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. This might not seem like a low score, but it is when compared to the first two films, which hold scores of 91% and 93%, respectively.
Collider’s David Caballero gave the film a 5/10 in his review for the film, praising the supporting characters but citing the predictable mystery as a massive drawback. ScreenRant’s Molly Freeman aligned with Caballero’s 5/10 review with the same score, but she admits that Millie Bobby Brown’s performance as Enola Holmes has “lost its charm.” She also said it’s a great case for why “Millie Bobby Brown shouldn’t lead her own franchise.” CBR’s Rachel Leishman reviewed the film at an 8/10 clip, saying that the film finally fixed its biggest problem in allowing Enola to take center stage and step out of the shadows of her counterparts.
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Collider Exclusive · Action Hero Quiz Which Action Hero Would Be Your Perfect Partner? Rambo · James Bond · Indiana Jones · John McClane · Ethan Hunt
Five legends. Five completely different ways of getting out alive — with style, with muscle, with charm, with luck, or with a plan so intricate it probably shouldn’t work. Ten questions will reveal which action hero was built to have your back.
🎖️Rambo
🍸James Bond
🏺Indiana Jones
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🔧John McClane
🎭Ethan Hunt
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01
You’re dropped into a dangerous situation with no warning. What do you need most from a partner? The first few seconds tell you everything about who belongs beside you.
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02
You have to get somewhere dangerous, fast. How do you travel? How you get there is half the mission.
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03
You’re pinned down and outnumbered. What does your ideal partner do? This is when you find out what someone is really made of.
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04
The mission is paused. You have one evening to decompress. What does your partner suggest? Who someone is when the pressure drops is who they actually are.
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05
How do you prefer your partner to communicate mid-mission? Good communication is the difference between partners and a liability.
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06
Your enemy is powerful, well-resourced, and has the upper hand. How should your partner approach them? The approach to the enemy defines the partnership.
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07
Things go badly wrong and you’re captured. What do you trust your partner to do? Who someone is when you need them most is the only thing that matters.
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08
What does your ideal partner bring to the table that you couldn’t replace? A great partner fills the gap you didn’t know you had.
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09
Every partnership has a cost. Which of these can you live with? No one comes without baggage. The question is whether you can carry it together.
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It’s the final moment. Everything is on the line. What do you need from your partner right now? The last question is the most honest one.
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Your Partner Has Been Assigned Your Perfect Partner Is…
Your answers have pointed to one action hero above all others. This is the person built to have your back — for better or considerably, spectacularly worse.
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Rambo
Your partner doesn’t talk much, doesn’t need to, and will have assessed every threat in your immediate environment before you’ve finished your first sentence. John Rambo is not a man of plans or politics — he is a force of nature shaped by survival, loyalty, and a capacity for endurance that goes beyond anything training can produce. He will not leave you behind. He has never left anyone behind who deserved to come home. What you get with Rambo is the most capable, most quietly ferocious partner imaginable — one who has been through things that would have broken anyone else, and who chose to keep going anyway. You’ll never need to ask if he has your back. You’ll just know.
James Bond
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Your partner will arrive perfectly dressed, perfectly briefed, and with a cover story so convincing it’ll take you a moment to remember what’s actually true. James Bond is the most professionally dangerous person in any room he enters — and the most disarmingly charming, which is the point. He operates in a world of layers, where nothing is what it appears and every advantage is used without apology. You’ll never be bored. You’ll occasionally be furious. But when it matters — when the mission is genuinely on the line and the margin for error has collapsed to nothing — Bond is exactly the partner you want. He has survived things that have no business being survivable. He does it with style. That is not nothing.
Indiana Jones
Your partner will know the history, the language, the cultural context, and exactly why the thing everyone else is ignoring is actually the most important thing in the room. Indiana Jones is brilliant, reckless, and occasionally impossible — but he is also one of the most resourceful, most genuinely knowledgeable partners you could find yourself beside. He approaches every situation with a scholar’s eye and a brawler’s instinct, which is an unusual combination and a remarkably effective one. He hates snakes and gets personally attached to objects of historical significance, both of which will slow you down at least once. It doesn’t matter. What Indy brings is irreplaceable — and the adventures you’ll have together will be the kind people write books about. Assuming you survive them.
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John McClane
Your partner was not supposed to be here. He does not have the right equipment, the right information, or anything approaching the right odds. He has a sarcastic remark and an absolute refusal to accept that the situation is as bad as it looks. John McClane is the greatest accidental hero in the history of action cinema — a man whose superpower is stubbornness, whose contingency plan is improvisation, and whose capacity to absorb punishment and keep moving would be alarming if it weren’t so useful. He will complain the entire time. He will make it significantly more chaotic than it needed to be. And he will absolutely, unconditionally, without question come through when it counts. Yippee-ki-yay.
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Ethan Hunt
Your partner has already run seventeen scenarios by the time you’ve finished reading the briefing, and the plan he’s settled on involves at least two things that should be physically impossible. Ethan Hunt operates at the absolute edge of human capability — technically, physically, and intellectually — and he brings the same relentless precision to protecting his partners that he brings to dismantling organisations that shouldn’t exist. He is not easy to know and he will never fully tell you everything. But he will carry the weight of the mission so completely, so absolutely, that your job is simply to trust him — and the remarkable thing is that trusting him always turns out to be the right call. The mission will be impossible. He will complete it anyway.
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What Is ‘Enola Holmes 3’ About?
Netflix’s official synopsis for the third and likely final Enola Holmes movie reads as follows: “The latest installment in the adventures of the young detective sees her tackling another mystery, this time on the island nation of Malta. As Enola heads to the altar to wed Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge), she learns the distressing news that Sherlock (Henry Cavill) has been kidnapped. The gumshoe is immediately on the case, all while grappling with her complicated feelings around marriage.” While it’s yet to be confirmed, all signs point to Netflix closing the door on Enola Holmes after three movies. Brown does have a new project coming to Netflix soon, though, when she reunites with her Stranger Things co-star David Harbour for a new spy thriller from the writer of Adolescence.
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Check out all three Enola Holmes movies on Netflix and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Henry Cavill’s future projects.
Taylor Swift is reportedly preparing for one of the biggest personal changes of her life, and it has nothing to do with music.
As anticipation builds around her lavish wedding to Travis Kelce, new details suggest the global superstar plans to embrace a more traditional path after saying “I do.”
While the billionaire singer’s professional identity isn’t going anywhere, insiders claim her private life could soon look very different once the celebrations officially begin.
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Taylor Swift has spent nearly two decades turning her name into one of the most recognizable brands in entertainment. From chart-topping albums and sold-out stadium tours to merchandise and worldwide headlines, “Taylor Swift” has become synonymous with global success.
Despite that, insiders now claim the singer is ready to make a deeply personal change following her marriage to Travis Kelce.
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The couple is expected to tie the knot during an elaborate multi-day celebration at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Festivities are reportedly scheduled to begin with an intimate rehearsal dinner on Thursday, July 2, followed by a larger celebration the following day, attended by roughly 1,000 guests.
According to an insider, Swift intends to become Mrs. Taylor Kelce after the ceremony, though fans shouldn’t expect to see the change reflected in her career.
“Professionally, she’ll always be Taylor Swift. The name has become one of the biggest brands in entertainment, and there’s really no reason to change that,” the insider told the Daily Mail.
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Swift Views The Name Change As A Meaningful Milestone
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Although her public identity will reportedly remain unchanged, sources say Taylor Swift feels strongly about adopting Kelce’s surname in her personal life.
The insider described the Grammy winner as someone who still values tradition despite her modern career, saying the decision carries emotional significance beyond paperwork.
“‘Very traditional’ Swift sees taking Kelce’s name as a ‘very meaningful step’ in their relationship,” the source shared.
They continued, “Personally, it’s a different story. Taylor is very traditional, and when it comes to marriage, she’d love to take Travis’ last name.”
The source also noted that in Swift’s personal life, the idea of taking on her future husband’s last name is something the star looks forward to.
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According to the insider, Swift also believes sharing the same surname represents an important step toward building a future together. “She sees it as a meaningful step, especially knowing it would also be the family name their future children would share,” they explained.
Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce Reportedly Agree On One Family Name
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The insider also dismissed speculation that the couple might combine or hyphenate their surnames after the wedding. Instead, sources claim that Swift and Kelce both prefer to keep things simple by sharing one family name.
“Both she and Travis think there’s something incredibly special and beautiful about sharing the same last name, even if the world will always know her professionally as Taylor Swift,” the insider revealed.
While the prospect of becoming Taylor Kelce may excite the singer personally, industry insiders insist there is no chance she will abandon the name that helped build her record-breaking career.
A second source reinforced that distinction, explaining that her legal identity and professional identity will remain separate.
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“She will take his last name when they wed, but for work she will still go by Taylor Swift. Jennifer Aniston did this when she married Brad Pitt,” they said.
Swift’s Wedding Mystery Appears To Be Solved
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Months of speculation surrounding Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding recently reached a turning point after fresh activity around Madison Square Garden strongly suggested the iconic arena will host the highly anticipated celebration.
According to a report from The Blast, Swift’s longtime security team was spotted outside the venue while production crews, delivery trucks, and event staff continued transforming the building ahead of the rumored festivities.
Additional clues, including temporary street closure permits, heightened security protocols, and large-scale event preparations, only fueled confidence that the couple’s big day is imminent.
Taylor Swift’s Wedding Security Reportedly Comes With A Massive Six-Figure Price Tag
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As the big day draws closer, Swift and Kelce are reportedly taking no chances with security.
As The Blast reported, the wedding is expected to come with a staggering security price tag, with claims that the couple’s police presence alone could exceed six figures.
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According to the report, more than 130 members of the NYPD, including over 70 detectives and more than 50 police officers, are scheduled to work the two-day celebration at Madison Square Garden, with costs estimated to surpass $160,000.
Detectives are said to be working overtime shifts, while additional supervisors are also expected to be deployed, pushing the overall total even higher.
However, it remains unclear whether the celebrity couple will cover the security expenses themselves or if taxpayers will foot part of the bill.
HBO has had a wildly successful year in 2026, with popular new projects coming out to satisfy fans of every possible genre. Due to it dropping just a few weeks ago, one of the first projects that immediately comes to mind is the highly anticipated third season of House of the Dragon, which is firing on all cylinders now after a divisive Season 2 conclusion. House of the Dragon Season 3 isn’t the first project out of the Game of Thrones franchise this year, though — that title belongs to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which takes place between the events of the Targaryen spin-off and the flagship show. HBO also brought back its critically acclaimed medical drama, The Pitt, for its second season. Production on Season 3 is also already underway, assuring that the show will continue to release new seasons on a swift timeline.
Like most of the other big streaming services it competes against, HBO Max has built up a massive subscriber base, not just due to its consistent output of high-quality original movies and shows, but also its vast library of older classics from its own studio and others. HBO Max recently announced another big round of movies coming soon to the platform in July, and one film that has everyone talking is The Long Walk, the harrowing dystopian thriller from 2025 inspired by the novel of the same name by Stephen King. HBO confirmed over the weekend that the film will begin streaming on July 10, meaning fans have to wait just over a week until it arrives on the platform in America next Friday.
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Collider Exclusive · Horror Survival Quiz Which Horror Villain Do You Have the Best Chance of Surviving? Jason Voorhees · Michael Myers · Freddy Krueger · Pennywise · Chucky
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Five killers. Five completely different ways to die — if you’re not smart enough, fast enough, or self-aware enough to avoid it. Only one of them is the villain your particular set of instincts gives you a fighting chance against. Eight questions will figure out which one.
🏕️Jason
🔪Michael
💤Freddy
🎈Pennywise
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🪆Chucky
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01
Something feels wrong. You can’t explain it — you just know. What do you do? First instincts are the difference between the survivor and the first act casualty.
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02
Where are you most likely to find yourself when things go wrong? Setting is everything in horror. Where you are determines which rules apply.
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03
What is your most reliable survival asset? Every survivor has a quality the villain didn’t account for. What’s yours?
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04
What kind of fear is hardest for you to fight through? Knowing your weakness is the first step to not dying because of it.
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05
You’re with a group when things start going wrong. What’s your role? Horror movies are brutally clear about who survives group situations and who doesn’t.
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06
What’s the horror movie mistake you’re most likely to make? Honest self-assessment is a survival skill. Denial is not.
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07
What’s your best weapon against something that can’t be stopped by conventional means? Every horror villain has a weakness. The survivors are always the ones who find it.
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08
It’s the final scene. You’re the last one standing. How did you make it? The final survivor always has a reason. What’s yours?
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Your Survival Odds Have Been Calculated Your Best Chance Is Against…
Your instincts, your strengths, and your particular way of thinking under pressure point to one villain you actually have a fighting chance against. Everyone else — good luck.
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Camp Crystal Lake · Friday the 13th
Jason Voorhees
Jason is relentless, but he is also predictable — and that is the gap you would exploit.
He moves in straight lines toward his target. He doesn’t strategise, doesn’t adapt, doesn’t outsmart. He simply pursues.
Your ability to keep moving, use the environment, and resist the panic that freezes most victims gives you a genuine edge.
The Crystal Lake survivors were always the ones who stopped running in circles and started thinking about terrain, water, and distance.
You think like that. Which means Jason, for all his indestructibility, would face someone who simply refused to be where he expected.
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Haddonfield, Illinois · Halloween
Michael Myers
Michael watches before he moves. He is patient, methodical, and almost impossible to detect — until it’s too late for anyone who isn’t paying close enough attention.
But you are paying attention. You notice the shape in the window, the car parked slightly wrong, the silence where there should be sound.
Michael’s power lies in the invisibility of ordinary suburbia — the fact that nothing ever looks wrong until it already is.
Your spatial awareness and instinct to map every room, every exit, and every shadow before you need them is precisely the quality Laurie Strode had.
You are not a victim waiting to happen. You are someone who already suspects something is wrong — and acts on it.
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Elm Street · A Nightmare on Elm Street
Freddy Krueger
Freddy wins by getting inside your head — using your own fears, your own memories, your own subconscious as weapons against you. That strategy requires a target who can be destabilised.
You are harder to destabilise than most. You’ve faced uncomfortable truths about yourself and you haven’t looked away.
The survivors on Elm Street were always the ones who understood what was happening and chose to face it rather than flee from it.
Freddy’s greatest weakness is that his power evaporates in the presence of someone who refuses to give him the fear he feeds on.
Your psychological resilience — the ability to stay grounded when reality itself becomes unreliable — is exactly the quality that keeps you alive here.
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Derry, Maine · It
Pennywise
Pennywise is ancient, shapeshifting, and feeds on terror — but it has one critical vulnerability: it cannot function against someone who genuinely stops being afraid of it.
The Losers Club didn’t survive because they were braver than everyone else. They survived because they faced their fears together, and faced them honestly.
You ask the questions others avoid. You look directly at what frightens you rather than turning away.
That directness — the refusal to let fear fester in the dark — is Pennywise’s worst nightmare.
It chose the wrong target when it chose you. You are exactly the kind of person whose fear tastes like nothing at all.
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Chicago · Child’s Play
Chucky
Chucky’s greatest advantage is that nobody takes him seriously until it’s already too late. He exploits the gap between how something looks and what it actually is.
You don’t have that gap. You take threats seriously regardless of how they present — and you never make the mistake of underestimating something because of its size or appearance.
Chucky relies on surprise, on the delay between recognition and response. You close that delay faster than almost anyone.
Your instinct to treat every unfamiliar thing with appropriate scepticism — rather than dismissing it because it seems absurd — is the exact quality that keeps you breathing.
Against Chucky, not laughing is already winning. You are very good at not laughing.
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What Is ‘The Long Walk’ About?
The Long Walk is set in an eerie, dystopian future where a group of teenage boys from around the world come together for a contest known as The Long Walk. Once the contestants begin walking, they must stay at three miles-per-hour, lest they be shot and eliminated from the competition. Star Wars veteran Mark Hamill plays a vital role in The Long Walk, but its two biggest stars are up-and-comers Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson. Hoffman is best known for his work in Licorice Pizza from Paul Thomas Anderson, and Jonsson recently headlined the 2024 sci-fi thriller, Alien: Romulus.
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Check out The Long Walk on HBO Max starting next Friday and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Stephen King’s future projects.
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Release Date
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September 12, 2025
Runtime
108 Minutes
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Director
Francis Lawrence
Producers
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Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, Francis Lawrence, Cameron MacConomy
For nearly two decades, Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) has left fans chasing the same feeling; not another elemental fantasy or another coming-of-age adventure, but another story where the action means something. Every bending duel in Avatar reflected a character’s personality, culture, and values just as much as their fighting style. Politics mattered. Family mattered. Even the biggest battles were usually about people before they were about power.
That’s exactly what makes Fonda Lee’s Jade City such an easy recommendation. On the surface, they look very familiar. They have a lot of East Asian influence, and both stories revolve around combatants who first acquire their awesome fighting abilities by years of martial arts training, rather than being naturally endowed with the ability to use magic freely. However, while Jade City draws on these elements, they are not what make it a great story to read, nor is it because it is reminiscent of Aang’s story, but that it realizes that in having power, also come the responsibilities, traditions, and impossible decisions associated with wielding that power, which is also evident in Avatar.
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‘Jade City’ Treats Martial Arts as Culture, Not Just Action
Jade City book coverImage via Fonda Lee
A key aspect of understanding Jade City is that jade not only replaces bending but also enhances the already trained abilities of Green Bone warriors on the island of Kekon; they have their strength, speed, reflexes, and senses increased by wearing jade. However, it is dangerous when used improperly by someone untrained or unable to handle jade, and it is also a very powerful item. Not everyone can safely wear jade, and therefore must undergo years of training or practice to control its use so that it does not overtake them.
That relationship with jade feels remarkably similar to the way Avatar approached bending. Neither content treats extraordinary abilities like flashy superpowers handed out for spectacle. They’re cultural traditions shaped by discipline, history, and expectation. A fight isn’t won because someone unlocks a convenient new ability. It’s won because they understand themselves — and their opponent — a little better than before.
Lee writes combat with the same philosophy. Every duel feels physical and deliberate, whether it’s a clean blade fight between rival Green Bones or a street brawl that erupts without warning. The action is exhilarating, but it’s never there simply to fill pages. Every punch, knife strike, and impossible leap changes relationships, shifts political alliances, or pushes a character closer to becoming someone they never wanted to be.
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The Kaul Family Carries the Same Emotional Weight as Team Avatar
Appa, Momo, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph in Avatar: The Last AirbenderImage via Nickelodeon
For all the praise Avatar receives for its world-building, its greatest strength has always been its characters. Fans fell in love with this show because every member of Team Avatar brought a different perspective on duty, loss, forgiveness, and what it meant to build a better future. Lan assumes a leadership role during a tumultuous time as peace continues to erode; as he leads with compassion, he also has to make hard decisions called for by his current role. His brother Hilo is a famous warrior, and loyalty to his family is both Hilo’s greatest strength and his biggest weakness. Likewise, their sister Shae returns home to avoid clan politics, but finds that family obligations always pull you back in. Anden is also one of the strongest characters in the book, grappling with his identity and sense of belonging.
None of these characters fit neatly into the role of hero or villain. They make mistakes, lash out, and protect each other even when they’re furious with one another. Their relationships evolve naturally, and that’s what gives Jade City its emotional punch. It’s the same reason Zuko’s redemption remains one of fantasy television’s defining character arcs. Growth isn’t presented as inevitable, but it has to be earned.
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One of Avatar‘s smartest decisions was refusing to separate personal stories from political ones. For instance, Ba Sing Se was fascinating because every political decision affected ordinary people living inside the city. Jade City‘s central conflict is a struggle over the future of Kekon itself. Foreign powers want access to the island’s most valuable resource; tradition collides with modernization; old heroes give way to a younger generation that no longer agrees on what their country should become.
If those themes sound familiar, it’s because they’re the same questions ATLA and, later, The Legend of Korra repeatedly asked. How much should a society change? What traditions deserve preserving? When does protecting your culture become holding it back?
Lee never pauses the story to lecture the reader. Those questions emerge naturally through boardroom negotiations, family arguments, gang rivalries, and spectacular martial arts confrontations that always have consequences beyond the fight itself. This story doesn’t attempt to repeat or recreate bending, nor does it introduce another chosen one who will save the world; instead, it gives the characters enough agency and power that they carry the full weight of the narrative, and builds a fantastical world in which, for example, loyalty to one’s family can be as dangerous as a weapon and every victory has a price. This is also how Avatar: The Last Airbender has become an unforgettable animation in its storytelling. Jade City tells the same kind of story, but from a different point in life, and it is an equally compelling narrative.
Taylor Swift’s wedding is already shaping up to be one of the biggest celebrity events in years, and the guest arrivals are proving just how massive the celebration will be.
As famous faces continue pouring into New York from around the world, excitement surrounding the pop superstar’s upcoming wedding to Travis Kelce has reached another level.
From A-list actors and music icons to sports stars, the growing guest list is making the Madison Square Garden ceremony look more like Hollywood’s biggest night than a wedding.
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
The early signs of chaos around the Taylor Swift wedding were already visible at JFK Airport, where guests began arriving in waves ahead of the ceremony.
Swift had once joked during her engagement announcement that she would invite “anyone I’ve ever talked to,” and the arrivals suggest she may have meant it literally.
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The atmosphere around the airport has been described as unusually busy, with international flights bringing in familiar faces tied to music, film, and television.
According to the photos obtained by the Daily Mail, Graham Norton was among the first guests spotted. He arrived alongside his husband Jono McLeod.
The images showed Norton looking exhausted but composed, luggage in hand as he entered New York.
Swift Guest List Grows With Graham Norton Arrival And VIP Friendships
Fred Duval/MEGA
Norton’s arrival is no surprise to those who remember his BBC chat show appearance, where Taylor Swift openly discussed her engagement and the stress of narrowing down her guest list.
It was during that interview that she mentioned inviting “anyone I’ve ever talked to,” a line that has now taken on new meaning as guests continue to arrive.
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Also seen landing was Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who arrived with family in tow. Waller-Bridge has long been part of overlapping social circles with the Grammy winner and has attended several of her major public events, including the Eras Tour in London.
Meanwhile, pop star Dua Lipa was already in the city, adding further weight to the growing lineup of global celebrities converging in New York ahead of the ceremony.
Taylor Swift Hollywood Names And Music Stars Converge In New York
imageSPACE / MEGA
The guest list continues to expand with major names from film and music arriving or being spotted across New York.
Domhnall Gleeson, who once joked on-air about appearing in one of Swift’s videos, ended up starring in her “Opalite” project alongside figures such as Cillian Murphy, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Lewis Capaldi.
That same creative circle is now expected to extend into the wedding, with Swift maintaining close ties with collaborators and friends who have appeared in her music videos and live performances.
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Music industry insiders also point to the presence of Ed Sheeran, who was recently seen dining in upstate New York with producer Aaron Dessner.
Swift has even joked in the past that it would be “hard to stop” Sheeran from grabbing the mic at the reception.
With Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw also reportedly set to perform, the reception could easily become an unforgettable concert featuring some of music’s biggest stars.
Swift Expands Her Wedding Guest List Beyond Hollywood
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Taylor Swift’s invitation list extends well beyond Hollywood and the music industry.
According to reports, she has also invited the five New York Knicks starters who recently helped lead their team to NBA championship glory.
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Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all reportedly expected to attend the ceremony and celebration in Manhattan.
Brunson has previously made no secret of being a devoted Swift fan, making his invitation especially fitting.
Earlier this year, reports revealed that the Knicks players reacted more enthusiastically to Swift attending one of their games than to Donald Trump attending Game Three.
Taylor Swift Madison Square Garden Preparations And Secret NDA Measures
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Behind the celebrity arrivals, extensive preparations have been underway at Madison Square Garden.
An insider previously told the Daily Mail that Swift and Kelce embraced the idea of creating a “spectacle” wedding, selecting the iconic venue for their ceremony.
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Workers have already been seen moving what appeared to be pieces of a fairytale castle, including a massive white staircase, into the arena as construction continues ahead of the celebration.
The secrecy surrounding the event is equally elaborate. Sources shared that invited guests must sign a nondisclosure agreement before receiving full wedding information.
Family members and close friends are also reportedly being asked to sign NDAs, with guests receiving a link to the agreement after confirming their attendance.
Taylor Swift’s wedding is already shaping up to be one of the biggest celebrity events of the decade, but fans may have another reason to stay glued to every update.
Fresh reports suggest the pop superstar won’t walk down the aisle in just one unforgettable bridal look.
Instead, insiders claim she’ll unveil multiple couture ensembles throughout the celebration, with subtle fashion choices from recent months now being viewed as possible clues about the designers she has secretly chosen for her big day with Travis Kelce.
Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA
Taylor Swift is expected to make several fashion statements throughout her wedding festivities instead of relying on a single bridal gown.
According to a Daily Mail insider, the singer has prepared a staggering five separate outfit changes for the celebration.
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Rather than debuting the gowns through a traditional magazine feature, reports suggest fans may see the images first on Swift’s own social media accounts.
With more than 273 million Instagram followers, she has a much larger audience than many fashion publications.
Although stars including Ariana Grande, Sofia Richie, and Jennifer Lopez have introduced their wedding dresses through Vogue, Swift’s close relationship with her devoted fanbase makes a direct reveal seem more fitting.
Swift’s Ralph Lauren History Fuels Wedding Dress Speculation
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Among the biggest names linked to Taylor Swift’s wedding wardrobe is Ralph Lauren, a designer she has worn repeatedly over the years.
Recall that Swift was wearing a striped Ralph Lauren sundress when Kelce proposed on August 10, 2025.
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According to reports, the outfit sold out almost immediately afterward. Now, fans believe that choice may have foreshadowed a future wedding collaboration.
The “Cruel Summer” singer has continued wearing Ralph Lauren in recent months, including a velvet scoop-neck dress during a June outing.
She has also embraced several pieces from the brand’s Olympic-inspired collection, including the Team USA Polo Bear T-shirt, Team USA jacket, and an American flag sweater.
Her connection to Lauren stretches back much further, having worn the label’s classic cashmere knitwear as far back as 2011 before returning to the brand again in 2025.
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Taylor Swift’s Dior Clues Have Swifties Watching Closely
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Another designer generating enormous buzz is Jonathan Anderson, who now leads Dior.
Fans became convinced Swift was quietly dropping fashion hints after repeatedly carrying several of Dior’s signature handbags instead of her usual Louis Vuitton, Chanel, or Saint Laurent accessories.
The 36-year-old’s choice of the Small 30 Montaigne Avenue Top Handle Bag and the D-Journey Bag surprised longtime followers, who viewed the dramatic shift as another carefully planted Easter egg.
Fueling the rumors even further, The Hollywood Reporter cited industry insiders who reportedly identified Dior as the leading contender.
According to the publication, “well-placed sources say the winning dress — the dress that will likely transition Taylor Swift to Mrs. Travis Kelce — is a custom couture gown by Jonathan Anderson of Christian Dior.”
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Some fans have also revisited Swift’s black Givenchy gown from the Songwriters Hall of Fame ceremony, wondering whether elements of that floral design could hint at the direction of her bridal style.
Swift Could Surprise Fans With One Of Her Favorite Designers
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While Ralph Lauren and Dior dominate the conversation, Taylor Swift reportedly has several additional possibilities available for her remaining outfit changes.
Some Swifties believe she could turn to Stella McCartney, whose friendship with the star spans years.
Others have pointed toward Monse after Swift wore a custom design by Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia while performing at Tight End University.
Another favorite among fans is Clio Peppiatt. The Grammy Award winner previously celebrated her 34th birthday wearing the designer’s sparkling Lucina Dress before choosing another Peppiatt creation for New Year’s Eve festivities.
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The dress became so closely associated with Swift that many fans purchased or rented similar designs while attending the Eras Tour.
An ivory bridal version of the Lucina Dress has only added to speculation that Peppiatt may play a role in Swift’s wedding wardrobe.
Taylor Swift And Travis Kelce’s Families Are Preparing For The Big Day
ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA
The attention surrounding the wedding extends well beyond the bride’s wardrobe.
According to another source, longtime stylist Joseph Cassell Falconer has been helping coordinate clothing for both families ahead of the ceremony.
Having worked alongside Swift since the beginning of her Nashville career, Falconer is reportedly overseeing custom fittings while some relatives borrow jewelry specially selected for the occasion.
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Several family members have even traveled to New York for fittings before the celebration. Kelce’s own wedding attire remains a closely guarded secret.
Tommy Hilfiger has emerged as a possible choice after the NFL star previously modeled for the brand, while designer Tom Marchitelli believes another luxury label may ultimately prevail.
“A celebrity wedding of this magnitude has all the major fashion houses battling it out to see who can get their label on the three-time Super Bowl champ,” he explained
He predicts Kelce will choose “bespoke Louis Vuitton” and envisions him wearing “a classic black ‘slightly fuller-cut double-breasted tux, crisp white shirt, and black bow tie, finished off with a diamond lapel pin” as the couple celebrates one of the most anticipated weddings in recent celebrity history.
Fantasy is one of the hardest genres to get right because the audience has to believe in a world that doesn’t actually exist. If the sense of wonder isn’t there, or the world never feels immersive, the entire illusion falls apart, and there’s no coming back from that. The truth is that viewers don’t watch fantasy films simply for the magic, mythical creatures, or epic battles.
They’re watching to be transported somewhere else entirely, and the best fantasy movies know how to create worlds audiences want to return to time and again. That’s exactly why the six fantasy movies on this list practically call for rewatches, so the audience can keep rediscovering the wonder that made them so unforgettable in the first place.
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6
‘The Princess Bride’ (1987)
A wounded Wesley (Carey Elwes) protects Buttercup (Robin Wright) with a sword in the forest in The Princess BrideImage via 20th Century Studios
The Princess Brideis the perfect fantasy film for the whole family. The story follows farmhand Westley (Cary Elwes) and Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright), whose romance is interrupted when Westley is believed to have died at sea. Years later, Buttercup gets engaged to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), only to be kidnapped by a trio that includes Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), swordsman Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and gentle giant Fezzik (André the Giant). However, things take a turn when a mysterious man in black begins pursuing them, which kicks off an adventure filled with sword fights, revenge quests, and plenty of unexpected twists.
The Princess Bride is endlessly rewatchable because the film has so many moving parts. It’s a sincere fairy tale about true love, but at the same time, it pokes fun at common fantasy tropes. The film’s humor is as sharp today as it was back in the 1980s, and every character has only grown more fascinating with time. A simple rescue mission gradually turns into several interconnected character journeys, each with its own emotional payoff. The real magic of The Princess Bride is how effortlessly it balances comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy without ever feeling overwhelming. Very few fantasy movies remain this entertaining and charming every time one revisits them.
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5
‘Stardust’ (2007)
Charlie Cox and Mark Strong as Tristan and Septimus in StardustImage via Paramount Pictures
Stardust is a fantasy adventure based on Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel, and follows Tristan Thorn (Charlie Cox), a young man from the village of Wall who promises to retrieve a fallen star to win the heart of the woman he believes he loves. To do that, he crosses into the magical kingdom of Stormhold, where he discovers that the star is actually a woman named Yvaine (Claire Danes). Unfortunately, Tristan is not the only person searching for her. In fact, a trio of witches led by the powerful Lamia (Michelle Pfeiffer) wants Yvaine’s heart to restore their youth, while the surviving heirs to the throne of Stormhold are also racing to find her for reasons of their own.
All of a sudden, Tristan’s simple quest involves magic, royal conspiracies, sky pirates, and an unexpected romance. Stardust is one of the rare films that actually has a lot of fun with its chaotic fantasy world. The film keeps introducing a string of memorable characters and surprises without losing the core of its central conflict. Robert De Niro nearly steals the entire movie as the unforgettable Captain Shakespeare, and the world of Stormhold feels whimsical yet just dangerous enough to keep the stakes high. Over the years, Stardust has developed a reputation as one of fantasy cinema’s most beloved cult favorites, one that fans just keep coming back to.
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Collider Exclusive · Game of Thrones Personality Quiz Which Game of Thrones House Do You Belong To? Stark · Lannister · Targaryen · Baratheon · Tyrell
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Five great houses. Five completely different answers to the same question: how do you hold power in a world that will take it from you the moment you stop paying attention? Eight questions will determine where your loyalties — and your nature — truly lie.
🐺Stark
🦁Lannister
🐉Targaryen
🦌Baratheon
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🌹Tyrell
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01
Someone powerful is acting dishonourably and everyone knows it. What do you do? In Westeros, the answer to this question has ended more than one great house.
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02
What is the source of your power? Every house endures because of something. What is it for yours?
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03
Who do you truly fight for? Strip away the banners and the words. The honest answer tells you everything.
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04
How do you deal with your enemies? A house’s method reveals its character as clearly as its words ever could.
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05
What kind of ruler do you believe in? Westeros is full of answers to this question. Most of them end badly.
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06
You suffer a devastating loss. How does your house respond? How a house handles defeat tells you more about it than how it handles victory.
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07
Which of these truths about Westeros do you most believe? Every house has a philosophy. This is yours.
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08
The Iron Throne is within reach. What do you do? The answer reveals not just your ambition — but your character.
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The Maester Has Spoken Your House Is…
Your answers point to the great house whose words, values, and way of surviving in Westeros match your own. Bend the knee — or don’t. That’s very much up to you.
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Winterfell · The North
🐺 House Stark
Winter is Coming — and you have always known it. You prepare not out of fear but out of duty, because the people who depend on you deserve someone who takes the long view.
You lead with honour even when it costs you, because you understand that a reputation built on integrity is the only one worth having.
Your loyalty to family and people runs deep — not as sentiment but as a code that doesn’t bend when things get difficult.
The North endures because Starks endure — not by being the cleverest players in the game, but by being the kind of people others are willing to follow into the cold.
You are that kind of person. The pack survives. The lone wolf dies. You already know which one you are.
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Casterly Rock · The Westerlands
🦁 House Lannister
You understand the game — its rules, its exceptions, and exactly when the rules become the exception. You play it without illusions and without apology.
You are sharper than most people realise, and you have learned to use that gap to your advantage.
A Lannister always pays their debts — and you always keep your word, because your word is an instrument of power, and instruments must be kept in working order.
You love your family with a ferocity that sometimes blinds you, and you know it, and you do it anyway.
The lion doesn’t concern itself with the opinion of sheep. Neither, in the end, do you.
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Dragonstone · The Iron Throne
🐉 House Targaryen
You carry a sense of destiny that is difficult to explain and impossible to ignore — the feeling that you are not simply participating in the world but meant to reshape it.
You are capable of extraordinary things, and you know it, and that knowledge is both your greatest strength and your most dangerous quality.
Fire and blood are not just words to you — they are a philosophy about what change requires and what it costs.
The Targaryens at their best were transformative rulers who broke chains and defied the limits of what anyone thought possible.
At your best, so are you. The dragon has three heads. You are one of them.
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Storm’s End · The Stormlands
🦌 House Baratheon
You are a force — direct, powerful, and difficult to ignore when you enter a room or a conflict. You do not negotiate with challenges. You meet them.
Ours is the fury — and yours is a kind of intensity that commands attention, respect, and occasionally fear from those who underestimate what’s behind it.
You value strength and straight dealing. You’d rather know where you stand in a fight than navigate a web of courtly whispers.
The Baratheons built their house on the back of one of the greatest military victories in Westerosi history — and then struggled with what came after.
The lesson of your house is that winning is not the end of the story. Governing is. You are learning that too.
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Highgarden · The Reach
🌹 House Tyrell
You understand that power does not always announce itself — that sometimes it arrives with flowers, good wine, and a smile that doesn’t quite reach the eyes.
Growing strong is your house’s motto, and you live it: patiently, strategically, always investing in the relationships and resources that will matter most when it counts.
You are charming by choice and calculating by nature — a combination that makes you one of the most effective players in any room you enter.
The Tyrells fed King’s Landing and shaped its politics without ever sitting on the Iron Throne — and they were arguably more powerful for it.
You know that the person who controls the food controls the kingdom. And you always know where the food is.
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4
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) in Guillermo del Toro’s film surrounded by other puppetsImage via Netflix
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Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio takes a familiar story and transforms it into something entirely its own. The film takes place in fascist Italy between the two World Wars and follows grieving woodcarver Geppetto (David Bradley), who loses his beloved son Carlo. Years later, in a moment of heartbreak, he carves a wooden puppet whom he names Pinocchio from a tree planted beside Carlo’s grave. Now, when a magical spirit brings the puppet to life, Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) suddenly finds himself thrown into a world he barely understands. The young boy struggles to find his place, and while doing so, he embarks on a journey that forces both him and Geppetto to learn what it truly means to be a family.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio genuinely grows richer with every rewatch because of how much nuance the film is packed with. The filmmaker uses the fantasy genre to explore heavier themes of grief, mortality, and individuality. The stop-motion animation lends itself beautifully to the narrative, and the stunning character design with handcrafted details never gets old. Every frame feels like a work of art, but what grounds it all is the evolving relationship between Pinocchio and Geppetto. It’s no surprise that Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature because it is one of the most personal and imaginative fantasy films in recent years.
3
‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
Dev Patel wearing an armor and looking down in image from ‘The Green Knight’Image via A24
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David Lowery’s The Green Knight is unlike any fantasy film released in the last decade. The story is based on the centuries-old Arthurian poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, and the story follows King Arthur’s nephew, Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), as he accepts a strange challenge from the mysterious Green Knight (Ralph Ineson). After striking the Green Knight with an axe, Gawain learns that he must travel to the Green Chapel one year later and receive the same blow in return. When that day finally arrives, he embarks on a dangerous journey where he encounters thieves, ghosts, giants, and other bizarre hurdles that constantly test his courage.
The adventure is only part of the story, though, because every stop along Gawain’s quest reveals something new about who he is. The film keeps the audience guessing, and its most important moments take on completely different meanings once the viewers finally know where the narrative is heading. The stunning cinematography, haunting score, and dreamlike atmosphere make it easy to get lost in the fantastical world of The Green Knight. Patel delivers one of the strongest performances of his career and grounds the film’s surreal elements with an extremely human portrayal of a young man searching for purpose. The Green Knight proves that fantasy doesn’t need massive battles or complex worldbuilding to be unforgettable.
2
‘Wicked’ (2024)
Actors Cynthia Erivo and Ethan Slater as Elphaba and Boq, standing together in the courtyard of Shiz university and posing for the camera in Wicked.Image via Universal Pictures
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Jon M. Chu’s adaptation of Wickedwas a pop culture moment like no other. The film, based on the first act of the 2003 stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, takes one of the most iconic villains in pop culture and completely recontextualizes her story. The story is set years before the events of The Wizard of Oz and follows Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a young woman ostracized because of her green skin, as she arrives at Shiz University and unexpectedly forms a friendship with the popular and ambitious Galinda, later known as Glinda the Good (Ariana Grande). Their connection begins as a rivalry and gradually develops into a genuine bond, but their paths start to diverge as Elphaba uncovers disturbing truths about the Wizard of Oz and the growing oppression of the Animal population throughout Oz.
Soon enough, political manipulation, personal ambition, and conflicting ideals begin to pull them in opposite directions, and the film reveals how the future Wicked Witch of the West actually came to be. Wicked is a wildly entertaining experience filled with memorable musical numbers. However, beneath all that, it’s an emotional story about friendship, identity, and the way society creates villains. Erivo and Grande’s chemistry is the heart of the story, while the film’s production design transforms Oz into a vibrant world that feels magical and lived-in.
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‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ (2001)
Aragorn, Gandalf, Legolas, Boromir, Samwise, Frodo, Gimli, Merry, and Pippin forming The Fellowship in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingImage via New Line Cinema
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringis the ultimate fantasy film. Peter Jackson‘s epic adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien‘s beloved novel follows Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), a young hobbit who inherits a seemingly ordinary ring that turns out to be the most dangerous object in Middle-earth. When the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) discovers the ring’s true nature, Frodo is forced to leave the safety of the Shire and embark on a dangerous journey to prevent the Dark Lord Sauron from reclaiming it. Along the way, he is joined by an unlikely fellowship consisting of hobbits, men, an elf, a dwarf, and a wizard, all of whom must work together as darkness spreads across the land.
Every aspect of this grand, fantastical adventure feels timeless. The film introduces one of the richest fantasy worlds ever put on screen, yet it never loses sight of the characters at the center of the story. The journey from the peaceful hills of the Shire to the mines of Moria and beyond is packed with unforgettable moments, but the emotional core always remains Frodo’s growing understanding of the burden he carries. The practical effects, breathtaking locations, Howard Shore‘s iconic score, and brilliant ensemble cast come together to create something truly special. More than two decades later, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring remains the gold standard for fantasy filmmaking and the opening chapter of what many still consider the greatest epics of all time.
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A purse can make or break an outfit. Don’t believe us? Taylor Swift made sure her bag wasn’t an afterthought during a recent outing. Her unique accessory, which we’re calling a bracelet bag, brought a cool element to her nighttime look. It didn’t take us long to find an Amazon lookalike, so we can be ready for our next evening affair, too.
Swift just attended a Broadway show in New York City, so that’s just the event and location to wear original-looking pieces. The mega star wore a $3,000 designer handbag, and the hobo style and fun green color look like the Niction Crescent Dumpling Bag on Amazon. With several ways to rock it, the affordable piece will pay for itself after a few wears.
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Get the Niction Crescent Dumpling Bag for $29 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Swift’s bag has a slouchy hobo style, but what really makes it stand out is the handle. It’s a large golden ring, so you can grip it or wear it on your wrist to give a bracelet effect. (See why we called it a bracelet bag?) So, it’s almost like a bag and piece of jewelry in one to spice up a look.
Taylor Swift just made a strong case for upgrading your summer handbag lineup — and this time, it’s all about raffia. The singer leaned into soft, romantic styling with a woven shoulder bag that instantly gave her look that effortless, warm-weather polish. Even better? You can channel the same easy, expensive-looking vibe without touching the […]
The Amazon find is a bit different, but it still has that unique style. While it doesn’t have the golden ring like Swift’s, it has a circular handle that you can wear in hand or around the wrist. Plus, it comes with a removable strap, making it your new favorite crossbody.
We appreciate that the dumpling bag has an exterior zippered compartment and two separate zippered interior compartments. They ensure your phone, wallet and other belongings stay safely inside yet easy to access. The zippers are where you’ll find golden hardware, a nod to Swift’s bag.
The Niction bag comes in a green color to get the Swift vibe, but the black, khaki, beige and dark red are no-fail picks, too. We’re especially impressed with the quality faux leather and under-$30 price tag, as we can see ourselves using this on casual weekends and more dressed-up occasions.
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This is a newer Amazon addition, but early reviews are putting their thumbs up. “The material has a nice texture and looks more expensive than it is, with a structured shape that holds well without collapsing,” one five-star reviewer shared.
Even if you’re not heading out in a velvet midi dress like Swift, this bag style could make a simple T-shirt and jeans look more fun.
Get the Niction Crescent Dumpling Bag for $29 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.
Looking for something else? Explore more bracelet bags here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!
Taylor Swift just made a convincing case for upgrading your summer handbag lineup. While basket bags are a seasonal staple, her soft mint green version offered a playful, polished twist that felt far more fashion-forward than standard neutrals. Even better? You can channel the same expensive-looking vibe without splurging. On May 7, 2026, in London, […]
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