2026 has been a big year for fans of Steven Spielberg, particularly for those who are fond of his work in the sci-fi genre. Spielberg has been on a bit of a hiatus from sci-fi movies since 2018, when he directed the Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke-led blockbuster, Ready Player One. He has since worked on historical epics such as The Fabelmans and West Side Story, but through his production company, Amblin Entertainment, he has a producing hand in dozens of projects every year, even the ones he doesn’t direct. A few years ago, Spielberg worked with his long-time collaborator Tom Hanks on a project that’s still making strides on streaming after all this time — the duo famously worked together on one of the greatest war movies of all time, Saving Private Ryan.

Back in 2024, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks each served as producers on the Apple TV series, Masters of the Air. The series features some big names, including Dune: Part Two and Elvis star Austin Butler, as well as Callum Turner, who is being eyed as a potential favorite to play James Bond. For those who aren’t familiar with Masters of the Air, the best elevator pitch for the series is Top Gun: Maverick, but set during World War II, so there’s little to no surprise why it’s been such a fan-favorite. The series finale of Masters of the Air came out in March 2024, and although it’s been well over two years, the series is still in the Apple TV top 10 in a handful of countries around the world. This comes despite no renewal — the show is a limited series, so there was never a plan for Season 2.

What Is ‘Masters of the Air’ About?

An official synopsis for Masters of the Air, which holds scores of 85% from critics and 73% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, reads as follows:

“Based on Donald L. Miller’s acclaimed book, Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group — the ‘Bloody Hundredth’ — as they risk their lives high above Europe during World War II. Facing brutal odds, mechanical failure, enemy fire, and psychological strain, these American airmen forge unbreakable bonds while carrying out the Army Air Forces’ most dangerous bombing missions.”

Masters of the Air was written and created for TV by John Orloff, who is also known for his work as one of the lead writers on Band of Brothers. Orloff even penned the script for the 2011 conspiracy thriller, Anonymous, starring Rhys Ifans.

Check out all nine episodes of Masters of the Air on Apple TV and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of Hanks and Spielberg’s future projects.

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Release Date

2024 – 2024-00-00

Writers

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John Shiban, John Orloff

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Serena Williams will no longer compete in this year’s Wimbledon doubles draw alongside her sister, Venus Williams.

“I’m heartbroken to have to withdraw from doubles,” Serena, 44, announced via Instagram on Saturday, July 4, alongside a video showing the athlete walking tenderly on her nearly fully-bandaged right leg. “Coming back to compete again has been a gift, and the opportunity to play alongside @venuswilliams once more meant the world to me. I did everything I could to be ready, but unfortunately my knee just isn’t ready to compete.”

The tennis star continued, “I’m especially grateful to tournament director, Jamie Baker, and the entire tournament team for giving me every opportunity to play here. Thank you to the fans for your incredible support and for making this comeback so meaningful…All I can say is stay tuned to a city near you…”

Serena returned to tennis back in June, coming out or retirement to team up with Victoria Mboko in a doubles match against Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez. (Mboko, 19, suffered an injury that forced the pair to withdraw.)

“Queen’s Club feels like the perfect place to begin this next chapter,” Williams said in a statement to The Athletic on June 1. “Grass has given me some of the most meaningful moments in my career, and I’m excited to be back competing on one of the sport’s most iconic stages.”

In her highly anticipated lead-up to Wimbledon, Serena also competed at the Berlin Open alongside Karolina Muchova. (The pair ultimately lost to Guiliana Olmos and Erin Routliffe 6-4, 6-4.)

Serena then made her Wimbledon return in her first singles match in nearly four years against Maya Joint, at which point she tweaked her knee late in the first set of the much-awaited match. (Joint ultimately won the match 6-3, 6-7, 6-3.)

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“It fels so good to be back on the grass at @wimbledon,” she wrote via Instagram following her first-round loss. “I’m incredibly thankful for the wild card — and even more grateful my daughters got to see that it’s never too late to chase something you love.”

Related: Why Zendaya’s ‘Challengers’ Reminds Serena Williams of Roger Federer

Julian Finney/Getty Images Serena Williams was reminded of another tennis icon — Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka — while watching Zendaya’s new film Challengers. In a review of the movie for Vogue, which was published on Friday, April 26, Williams, 42, opened up about seeing the real world of competitive tennis reflected in the […]

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In addition to sharing a video of the athlete struggling to walk on her right knee, Serena also posted photographs of medical syringes filled with fluid taken from her knee and snapshots of what appeared to be a small part of her rehab process.

“The photo of the syringes shows the fluid they drained from my knee after my singles match…yikes!” Serena continued in the caption. “The good news is my knee shouldn’t swell or collect that much fluid again. The bad news is that, as hard as I tried, I just wasn’t able to get it ready for doubles.”

By Robert Scucci
| Updated 18 seconds ago

Have a crappy first draft and want to make it into a better second, third, fourth, and final one? You might want to check out 2020’s Black Bear because the film shows you the process in real time, and I think I just spoiled the entire thing for you. But did I really?

It’s a movie about a woman named Allison (Aubrey Plaza), who’s staying at a beautiful remote cabin to work on a project, either a novel or a film. I think this part is obvious. We get a look at her morning routine, complete with sitting in a red swimsuit on a dock overlooking a foggy lake. We watch her sit down at a table by the window and start writing, occasionally looking up to take in the scenery before putting pen to paper.

We then get what I believe are two “drafts” in the form of acts, and the whole thing spirals from there. While there’s a lot of discussion about what Black Bear is actually about (just check the IMDb reviews, lots of people are rightfully confused), I think the answer is simple: it’s one of those movies about a writer who’s writing something; something that would come off as extremely pretentious in almost any other context.

Because of how open-ended the whole thing is, I could be way off the mark, but you really just need to sit down with Black Bear and enjoy it for what it truly is, no matter what kind of subtext you’re picking up from it: three actors showing an incredible range and crushing every single scenario.

Part One: The Bear in the Road

Before each act in Black Bear, we see Allison go through what appears to be her writing routine. She sits alone in the wilderness, folds up her towel, walks back to the cabin, and gets to work. In the first act, “The Bear in the Road,” we’re introduced to the other characters we’ll be spending time with: the pregnant and unhappily married couple Gabe (Christopher Abbott) and Blair (Sarah Gadon).

Gabe is a former musician who owns a bed and breakfast that he runs with Blair. Allison is a film director who chose to stay at their bed and breakfast so she could find inspiration for her next project. Gabe is secretly obsessed with Allison’s work, and Blair is a problem drinker even though the baby bump is starting to show.

This act ends almost exactly how you’d expect, with Allison and Gabe growing close, and Blair absolutely losing her mind over it. When things truly heat up in “The Bear in the Road,” the screen goes black, and we once again see Allison sitting alone on the dock in a red swimsuit, folding her towel, walking back to the cabin, and opening her notebook, setting up the second part of the movie.

Part Two: The Bear by the Boat House

The second half of Black Bear introduces the same characters but in a totally different context. Here, Allison is an actress who’s married to Gabe, who’s now the filmmaker, and Blair is another actress in the movie he’s working on. The same jilted lover story plays out, but the roles are reversed, and we’re on an actual movie set.

Allison is the unstable woman whose husband is having an affair, and she’s being manipulated by the crew into delivering a powerhouse performance during the final shoot. Blair and Gabe flirt and stage an affair between scenes, pushing Allison over the edge. The whole thing plays like a behind-the-scenes reel of a more developed version of “The Bear in the Road,” as if the first act we witnessed was the rough draft, and what happens here is the result of further refinement.

You see kernels of the original idea play out in “The Bear by the Boat House,” but it has a distinctly different flavor, which all clicks again when the whole thing eventually transitions back to Allison sitting on the dock in her red swimsuit, folding her towel, heading back to the cabin, and starting to write.

A Deconstruction Of The Creative Process

Most of the time, I try to keep my reviews spoiler free. I like to talk about the vibe, the talent, and the themes a film talks about, but breaking down Black Bear without first laying out its mechanics, which effectively spoils the movie, is impossible.

Or, I’ll ask again, is it?

My read on the film is that we’re watching a writer at work, and their ideas coming to life through the vignettes we get to see. The characters across both acts are the same but different in both subtle and not-so-subtle ways. Each act starts with crappy dialogue that eventually becomes more nuanced and intricate. The same can be said for the acting. Both vignettes feel like working drafts where the writer doesn’t quite yet know what story they’re trying to tell, and they’re working through the first few passages so they can figure it out.

I could be completely off base here, but that’s what Black Bear feels like. It’s a moment in the creative process when the creator is still trying to find their voice on a new project.

That said, I can’t say for certain that my assessment is correct here, and I can absolutely see why this film could be frustrating to some. At face value, it’s disjointed, its characters are all over the place, and aside from their names and the setting they occupy, they’re not really the same people. But that’s the point. We’re watching these characters get sketched out in real time by Allison, and we’re just seeing snippets of personality here.

That’s why the characters transition from one-dimensional to complex, with conflicting motives and alliances without any real rhyme or reason. It’s also a testament to everybody’s performance here, because they basically have to act like bad actors when the script is bad, and then up their game every single time (writer) Allison has a creative epiphany that allows the story to improve.

If there’s any reason to watch Black Bear, it’s for everybody’s range. I’m sure there are dozens of other ways to read this film, but I’m satisfied believing what I choose to believe. Maybe the film is actually about a girl named Allison who has amnesia, who returns to a location where she was traumatized, and she’s trying to remember what happened to her. Maybe the Black Bear is the friends we made along the way. Or maybe, just maybe, we’re watching somebody write a novel, or a play, or a movie, and we’re getting to see what happens when an incomplete story gets a full production to show you how important it is to always work past the first draft.

As of this writing, you can stream Black Bear for free on Tubi.

As far as effortless summer footwear is concerned, Madewell has mastered the art. But achieving that laid-back, elevated aesthetic doesn’t mean you have to splurge. The secret is to simply look for shoes with clean silhouettes, rich-looking textures and minimalist details that always feel timeless. As it happens, Walmart is surprisingly full of sandals that check every one of those boxes.

Whether you’re after simple leather-look slides, woven sandals, strappy flats or versatile block heels, these affordable picks capture that same easygoing style Madewell shoppers love. They’re the kind of shoes that pair effortlessly with linen pants, denim shorts, breezy dresses and everything else in your summer wardrobe. Best of all, prices start as low as $9, leaving plenty of room for a matching handbag.

13 Madewell-Inspired Walmart Sandals Starting at $9

1. Anything But Basic: A wide band and clean lines give these simple slides an understated, expensive-looking finish. They’ll become your go-to pair for effortless everyday outfits.

2. Sweet & Strappy: Delicate straps create a barely-there look that’s equal parts elegant and versatile. These sandals pair perfectly with everything from jeans to flowy maxi dresses.

3. Pop of Red: A bold red hue instantly transforms this minimal slide from Madden Girl into the star of your outfit. It’s an easy way to embrace one of the season’s biggest color trends.

4. Easy & Understated: Dainty bow detailing keeps these sandals feeling polished rather than beachy or too casual. They’re subtle enough to wear with just about anything, from sundresses to tailored trousers.

Related: 13 Expensive-Looking Walmart Sandals That Nail the ‘Rich Mom’ Style

Can your summer wardrobe use a dose of elegance? It may be time to take a cue from the rich mom aesthetic. Defined by minimalist silhouettes, neutral hues and quiet luxury vibes, the trend is all about looking polished without appearing like you tried too hard. This season, that elevated style has officially made its […]

5. Timeless Heels: A sleek block heel offers just the right amount of height without sacrificing comfort. Dress them up for weddings or down for dinner on the patio.

6. Day to Night: Slim straps and a cushioned footbed make these as practical as they are stylish. They’ll take you from afternoon errands straight to evening plans.

7. Less Is More: A modern toe-ring silhouette proves simple designs can make the biggest statement. These feel effortlessly cool with linen separates or relaxed denim.

8. Beachy Blue: A woven texture and a stunning blue hue channel seaside style. They’re practically made for vacation outfits and beach days.

9. Lace Up Flats: Wraparound ankle ties give Time and Tru’s sandals a romantic, Mediterranean-inspired feel. Pair them with breezy dresses or cropped linen pants for maximum impact.

10. Striking Studs: Metallic studs add just enough edge without overwhelming the sleek and otherwise minimalist silhouette. They’re an easy way to make simple outfits feel a little bit more fashion-forward.

11. Country Club Ready: A woven upper and shiny buckle deliver that timeless, resort-inspired aesthetic Madewell does so well. They look especially chic with white denim or tailored shorts.

12. Simple Sequins: Subtle embellishments on these chic flats catch the light beautifully without feeling flashy. They add a little extra sparkle to casual summer looks.

13. Made For Walking: A supportive footbed and adjustable slingback strap make these ideal for long days on your feet. They blend all-day comfort with polished, elevated design for shoes you’ll reach for day after day.

Related: 11 Cushioned Summer Sandals That Feel Comfier Than Sneakers

Sneakers may be comfortable, but they aren’t always the right choice to pair with sundresses, linen pants or breezy summer outfits. Luckily, today’s cushioned sandals deliver the same walk-all-day comfort with supportive footbeds, arch support and soft padding — all while looking polished enough for brunch, vacation and everything in between. From celeb-loved pairs to […]

UsNow Summer Sale Alert: These Chic Fashion Finds are over 30% off – Plus Free Shipping

Welcome to summer with our biggest sale of the year. This summer’s chicest dresses, tops and swimsuits are all over 30% + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are married! The massive ceremony, held in New York City at Madison Square Garden, was attended by over 1,000 guests, including family and industry peers. In addition to people such as Bradley Cooper, Gigi Hadid, and Dakota Johnson, NFL superstars were also in attendance, such as George Kittle, Matthew Stafford, Richard Sherman, and Kyle Juszczyk. There was one Kansas City Chiefs alum, however, who didn’t make the invite list, and he joked about his frustration on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Chase Daniel, a now-retired NFL player who won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, posted about Kelce seemingly forgetting to mail his wedding invite. Don’t forget, the pair played together for the Chiefs from 2014-2015 before Daniel moved on to the Philadelphia Eagles. Daniel even threw Kelce his first NFL touchdown (in a preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals) in August 2014.

“Can’t believe my invite to Taylor & Travis’ wedding never came…” Daniel wrote online. “Feels like throwing Travis Kelce his first NFL TD should’ve at least earned me a seat at the kids’ table.”

Daniel even followed it up with a video of the special moment, captioning it, “Proof.”

Daniel’s disappointment about being kept off the invite list to Kelce and Swift’s fairytale wedding is understandable, considering some of the industry’s hottest stars showed up and showed out.

According to ESPN, a plethora of A-listers gathered in NYC for the special event, including Justin Thomas, Baker Mayfield, Cooper Kupp, and Kareem Hunt.

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Ed Sheeran, Jimmy Fallon, Jay-Z, Machine Gun Kelly, Fergie, Zoe Kravitz, Camila Cabello, Benson Boone, Hugh Grant, Mariska Hargitay, and Jason Sudeikis were also among those in the room where it happened.

Travis Kelce Marries Taylor Swift In Custom Christian Dior And Christian Louboutin

While the details regarding Kelce and Swift’s wedding have been kept under wraps, a rep for Swift confirmed to PEOPLE that she and the groom were dripping in fancy pieces.

“The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture. They are designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the Bride and Groom. This is the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity. Their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin and the bride wore Cartier jewelry,” the rep said.

A spokesperson for Dior also confirmed the reports, saying the brand was “delighted” to be part of the special day.

“They have been created in Dior’s ateliers at 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, and designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the couple,” the statement continued.

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Kelce And Swift Got Engaged In August 2025

All eyes have been on Kelce and Swift since they started dating in 2023. They turned heads in August 2025 when they announced their engagement. The photos showed the pair embracing in a floral-filled garden.

Swift uploaded snaps to her Instagram and captioned them, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

The singer even added the track “So High School,” rumored to be about Kelce, to the post for dramatic effect.

Kelce popped the question with a custom-designed Kindred Lubeck of Artifex Fine Jewelry ring featuring an “Old Mine brilliant cut.”

Swift Is Beloved By The Kelce Family

After the engagement, a source told PEOPLE that the Kelces adore Swift, adding that the pop superstar “goes out of her way” to show the entire family how much she cares about them.

“They’re all very, very happy that Travis has Taylor in his life. She’s entirely changed his world in all the best ways, and they’re true partners. Taylor gets along so well with the family and they’re just her biggest fan,” the insider added.

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While the source admitted that Kelce has had to change his lifestyle due to Swift’s global dominance, they added that the NFL star was “totally willing” because of “how special she was.”

They said, “He was determined to make this work.”

No one could have predicted the way Netflix originals would eventually change the television landscape. Suddenly, some of the most talked-about shows in the world weren’t airing on traditional networks. Instead, audiences were binge-watching entire seasons over a weekend and discovering international stories they might never have watched otherwise.

Of course, not every Netflix original has been a success, but the platform’s willingness to take creative risks has definitely paid off. The streamer is currently home to some of the most defining series of the modern era across a variety of genres and continues to deliver stories that audiences can’t stop talking about. These are the very best of them from the last 10 years.

10

‘Mindhunter’ (2017–2019)

Image via Netflix

Mindhunter is one of the greatest shows Netflix has ever produced, one that ended way sooner than it should have. The series is set in the late 1970s and follows FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (Holt McCallany), alongside psychologist Wendy Carr (Anna Torv), as they help establish the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit, which eventually becomes the foundation of modern criminal profiling. Now, the catch is that their work involves interviewing imprisoned serial killers in an attempt to understand how these criminals think and why they commit such horrific acts. Little does the team know, though, that this experiment is not just going to change the world, but also their own lives. Mindhunter is surprisingly patient for a crime drama.

That’s because the series isn’t interested in exploring the blood and gore of violence. Instead, it aims to examine the psychology behind them. The show’s greatest source of tension is the conversations between the FBI agents and the serial killers, many of whom are based on real-life murderers, including Edmund Kemper, Richard Speck, David Berkowitz, and Charles Manson. The show unfolds with a nuance that turns what could have been yet another procedural into a chilling study of human behavior. Despite ending after only two seasons, Mindhunter remains the benchmark for intelligent TV.

9

‘The Queen’s Gambit’ (2020)

Image via Netflix

The Queen’s Gambit had all the makings of a niche miniseries, but it became one of Netflix’s biggest hits. The story, based on Walter Tevis’ novel, follows Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy), an orphaned girl who discovers an extraordinary talent for chess while living in a Kentucky orphanage during the 1950s. As Beth rises through the competitive chess world, she quickly establishes herself as a prodigy capable of defeating opponents twice her age. However, her journey to the top is complicated by loneliness, addiction, and the immense pressure of competing against the best players in the world.

It’s truly remarkable how The Queen’s Gambit makes a game as painstaking as chess feel exhilarating and adrenaline-fueled, even for viewers who know absolutely nothing about it. The matches are filmed with the intensity of action sequences, but the real focus is always on Beth and her personal demons that threaten to derail her success. The production design, costume work, cinematography, and period detail are all exceptional, but what truly elevates The Queen’s Gambit is this strong emotional core. Few Netflix originals have combined style and substance this effectively, which is why The Queen’s Gambit remains one of the streamer’s greatest success stories.

8

‘The Haunting of Hill House’ (2018)

Image via Netflix

The Haunting of Hill House proves that horror can be just as rich and layered as any prestige drama. The miniseries, based loosely on Shirley Jackson‘s classic novel, follows the Crain family across two timelines. In the summer of 1992, Hugh (Henry Thomas) and Olivia Crain (Carla Gugino) moved into Hill House with their five children to renovate and sell the massive mansion. However, strange paranormal events begin to occur inside the house that culminate in a tragedy that continues to haunt the family. All of this comes back up when yet another tragedy brings the Crain siblings together as they finally confront the literal and figurative ghosts of their past.

However, all these supernatural elements are only part of the story. Beneath all that, The Haunting of Hill House tells a deeply moving story about family, grief, trauma, and addiction. The essential horror TV series constantly shifts between past and present to gradually reveal how the events at Hill House shaped each member of the family in different ways. Every revelation adds another layer to the narrative, which makes the emotional payoff just as impactful as the scares themselves. Mike Flanagan‘s direction is exceptional throughout, particularly in the show’s famous long-take sequences and interconnected storytelling. The Haunting of Hill House is beautiful, chilling, and heartbreaking in a way that has completely redefined horror television.

7

‘The Crown’ (2016–2023)

Image via Netflix

The Crown is one of the most ambitious shows on Netflix and does complete justice to its subject matter. The series chronicles the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The story begins with her marriage to Prince Philip and her unexpected ascension to the throne, before eventually spanning multiple decades of British history. Along the way, the show explores major political events, royal scandals, shifting public attitudes toward the monarchy, and the personal sacrifices required of those born into one of the world’s biggest institutions. The show presents this through the lens of Elizabeth as a young woman who has to adjust to an unimaginable responsibility and covers how she gradually evolves into one of the most recognizable and influential figures of the modern era.

The Crown isn’t a fully faithful representation of all this, but the show’s genius lies in the balance between historical events and deeply personal storytelling. The show constantly examines the tension between duty and personal happiness through Elizabeth’s marriage, her relationship with her children, and the many conflicts that emerge within the royal family. As the decades pass, viewers watch these characters evolve alongside the world around them. The Crown keeps replacing its cast as the narrative progresses through the decades, but the transitions never feel jarring. Claire Foy, Olivia Colman, and Imelda Staunton each bring something unique to Elizabeth while still feeling like different stages of the same person, and the same can be said for the supporting cast. Very few shows have managed to tell a genuinely compelling story on this scale with the consistency of The Crown.

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6

‘Bridgerton’ (2020–Present)

Image via Netflix

Bridgerton has to be the most fun period drama on Netflix. The series, based on Julia Quinn‘s bestselling novels, is set in Regency-era London and follows the members of the influential Bridgerton family as they navigate the marriage market. Each season focuses on a different romantic pairing, but the larger world remains interconnected through family relationships, friendships, social rivalries, scandals, and the ever-present gossip columnist Lady Whistledown. Bridgerton is the perfect blend of old and new, which is why the show appeals to a wide range of viewers.

It embraces the elegance and grandeur of a traditional period drama while combining them with a modern energy that makes it feel accessible to a contemporary audience. Even the soundtrack reflects this approach and incorporates orchestral renditions of modern pop songs, which goes to show the creativity that goes into Bridgerton’s overall worldbuilding. Rather than aiming for complete historical accuracy, the series embraces a more diverse and romanticized version of Regency England that gives the story an almost fairy-tale quality. The Netflix original has managed to reinvent an entire genre with its fresh and ambitious take on romance and period storytelling.

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Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz
Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive?
The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars

Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.

💊The Matrix

🔥Mad Max

🌧️Blade Runner

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🏜️Dune

🚀Star Wars

TEST YOUR SURVIVAL →

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01

You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do?
The first instinct is often the truest one.

APull on every thread until I understand the system — then figure out how to break it.
BStop asking questions and start stockpiling — food, fuel, weapons. Questions don’t keep you alive.
CKeep my head down, observe carefully, and trust no one until I know who’s pulling the strings.
DStudy the patterns. Every system has a rhythm — learn it, and you learn how to survive it.
EFind the people fighting back and join them. You can’t fix a broken galaxy alone.

NEXT QUESTION →

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02

In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely?
What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.

AKnowledge. If you understand the system, you don’t need resources — you can generate them.
BFuel. Everything else — movement, power, escape — runs on it.
CTrust. In a world of fakes and informants, a truly reliable ally is rarer than any commodity.
DWater. And after water, information — the two things empires are truly built on.
EShips and credits. The galaxy is big — you survive it by being able to move through it freely.

NEXT QUESTION →

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03

What kind of threat keeps you up at night?
Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.

AThat reality itself is a lie — that everything I experience has been constructed to keep me compliant.
BA raid. No warning, no mercy — just the roar of engines and then nothing left.
CBeing identified. Once someone with power decides you’re a problem, you’re already out of time.
DBeing outmanoeuvred — losing a political game I didn’t even know I was playing.
EThe Empire tightening its grip until there’s nowhere left to run.

NEXT QUESTION →

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04

How do you deal with authority you don’t trust?
Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.

ASubvert it from the inside — learn its rules well enough to weaponise them against it.
BIgnore it and stay out of its reach. The further from any power structure, the better.
CAppear to comply while doing exactly what I need to do. Visibility is the enemy.
DManoeuvre within it carefully. You can’t beat a system you refuse to understand.
EResist openly when I have to. Some things are worth the risk of being seen.

NEXT QUESTION →

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05

Which environment could you actually endure long-term?
Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.

AUnderground bunkers and server rooms — cramped, artificial, but with access to everything that matters.
BOpen wasteland — brutal sun, no shelter, constant movement. At least the threat is honest.
CA dense, rain-soaked city where you can disappear into the crowd and nobody asks questions.
DMerciless desert — extreme heat, no water, and something enormous living beneath the sand.
EThe fringe — backwater planets and busy spaceports where the Empire’s attention rarely reaches.

NEXT QUESTION →

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06

Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart?
The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.

AA tight crew of believers who’ve seen behind the curtain and have nothing left to lose.
BOne or two people I’d trust with my life. Any more than that and someone talks.
CNobody, ideally. Alliances are liabilities. I work alone unless I have no choice.
DA community bound by shared hardship and mutual survival — people who need each other to last.
EA ragtag team with wildly different skills and total commitment when it counts.

NEXT QUESTION →

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07

Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all?
Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.

AI won’t harm the innocent — even the ones who’d report me without hesitation.
BI do what I have to to protect the people I’ve chosen. Everything else is negotiable.
CThe line shifts depending on who’s asking and what’s at stake.
DI draw a long-term line — nothing that compromises my people’s future, even if it’d help now.
ESome lines, once crossed, can’t be uncrossed. I know which ones they are.

NEXT QUESTION →

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08

What would actually make survival worth it?
Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.

AWaking others up — dismantling the illusion so no one else has to live inside it.
BFinding somewhere — or someone — worth protecting. A reason to keep moving.
CAnswers. Understanding what I am, what any of this means, before time runs out.
DLegacy — shaping the future in a way that outlasts me by generations.
EFreedom — for myself, for others, for every world still living under someone else’s boot.

REVEAL MY WORLD →

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Your Fate Has Been Calculated
You’d Survive In…

Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.

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The Resistance, Zion

The Matrix

You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.

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• You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
• You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
• You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
• The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.

The Wasteland

Mad Max

The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.

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• You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
• You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
• You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
• In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.

Los Angeles, 2049

Blade Runner

You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.

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• You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
• In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
• You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
• In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.

Arrakis

Dune

Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.

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• Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
• You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
• Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
• In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away

Star Wars

The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

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• You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
• You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
• You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
• In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.

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5

‘Baby Reindeer’ (2024)

Image via Netflix

Baby Reindeer is one of the most uncomfortable yet emotionally honest shows Netflix has ever released. The miniseries is based on Richard Gadd‘s real-life experiences and follows struggling comedian Donny Dunn (Gadd), whose life takes a dark turn after a lonely woman named Martha (Jessica Gunning) grows dangerously obsessed with him. It all begins when Donny shows a seemingly harmless act of kindness to Martha, which gradually spirals into a dangerous fixation that starts taking over every aspect of Donny’s life. Martha’s behavior gets more invasive and unpredictable as the story progresses. As a result, Donny finds himself forced to confront painful experiences from his own past, which include traumas he has spent years trying to bury.

The deeper he digs into those memories, the more he begins to understand the complicated reasons he remains trapped in an extremely messy situation with his stalker. Baby Reindeer is an extremely nuanced take on this subject matter. The show doesn’t frame Donny as a flawless victim, nor does it present Martha as a one-dimensional villain. In fact, the series explores the complicated psychological reasons behind both of their behaviors to tell a deeply human story about shame, self-worth, and the lasting impact of abuse. Every uncomfortable moment in the show serves a purpose and forces the audience to sit with emotions that most other stories would avoid.

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4

‘Dark’ (2017–2020)

Image via Netflix

Dark is one of the few shows that genuinely rewards the audience for paying attention. Netflix’s first-ever German-language series begins with the disappearance of a young boy in the small town of Winden, but it quickly becomes clear that the story is far more complex than just a missing-person mystery. As families search for answers, long-buried secrets begin to emerge, and the investigation gradually uncovers connections between different generations of the town’s residents, all of which lead back to a wormhole hidden beneath Winden that allows people to travel through time. The local tragedy soon evolves into an intricate mystery spanning multiple decades, where actions in one era have consequences in another.

Now, all of this could have easily become extremely convoluted and difficult to follow, but Dark carefully constructs its world and gives importance to every character and conversation. The series constantly challenges viewers to piece together an increasingly complex puzzle, yet it never feels complicated just for the sake of it. Instead, each revelation recontextualizes everything that came before it and makes the audience see things from an entirely new perspective. The show’s time travel mechanics aren’t presented as a gimmick but as the very center of the entire story. Despite its enormous scope, though, Dark never loses sight of the characters at its center. By the time the series reaches its final episodes, every storyline converges in a way that feels both surprising and totally inevitable.

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3

‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)

Image via Netflix

Stranger Things has been a defining show, not just for Netflix, but for pop culture in general. The series, created by the Duffer Brothers, is set in the small town of Hawkins in the 1980s and delivers on nostalgia like no other. The story begins when a young boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) mysteriously vanishes without a trace. His friends, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), begin searching for him. However, their lives completely change when they encounter a mysterious girl known only as Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), whose supernatural abilities point them toward a terrifying secret hidden beneath their town. The story then expands into a web of government conspiracies, secret experiments, and parallel dimensions that put all of Hawkins at risk.

Stranger Things effortlessly balances all this spectacle with a genuinely heartwarming coming-of-age story, which is the show’s greatest strength. Over several seasons, the audience grows to care for the core characters, which makes every victory and sacrifice feel all the more meaningful. Even as the scale of the story expands, the emotional core of Stranger Things remains rooted in friendship and family. The series also deserves enormous credit for creating one of television’s most recognizable worlds. The Upside Down, the Demogorgons, and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) have become part of mainstream conversations in a way that very few modern shows can claim. By the time the final season concluded in 2025, Stranger Things had evolved far beyond its original premise and cemented itself as one of the biggest TV events of the streaming era.

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2

‘Squid Game’ (2021–2025)

Image via Netflix

Squid Game is one of Netflix’s most-watched series, and it’s not hard to understand why that is. The Korean thriller follows financially struggling chauffeur Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who accepts an invitation to participate in a mysterious competition alongside hundreds of other desperate contestants. These people have to compete in a series of children’s games for a life-changing cash prize. However, the players and viewers soon discover that losing a game results in instant death.

That’s when Gi-hun and the other contestants are forced to decide how far they are willing to go to survive and take the money home, all while being trapped on a remote island and surrounded by masked guards. There’s no denying that Squid Game is a gripping survival story, but it grounds all this gore, violence, and suspense with sharp social commentary. It’s easy to empathize with almost every contestant in the game, given the circumstances that brought them there in the first place. That’s exactly what makes every death feel truly devastating and keeps the audience invested long after the initial shock value wears off.

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1

‘Adolescence’ (2025)

Image via Netflix

Adolescence is one of Netflix’s biggest recent hits, but it’s so much more than its viewership numbers. The series begins when thirteen-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a female classmate, which sends shockwaves through his family and local community. The show spends the first episode following Jamie’s arrest and the immediate aftermath, which places the audience in the same position as his family. Like them, viewers desperately want to believe there has been some kind of mistake. However, the episode ends with the revelation that the police had proof of Jamie’s heinous crime all along. After that, the show moves to Jamie’s school, where investigators attempt to understand the environment he grew up in and the influences that may have shaped his worldview.

The series then shifts gears again in its third episode and focuses on a tense psychological evaluation between Jamie and his assigned psychologist. The final episode turns its attention to Jamie’s family and explores the emotional fallout of the crime and how it continues to affect their lives. It’s remarkable how much ground Adolescence covers in such a short span of time. The show’s iconic one-take format only heightens the tension and realism, which makes everything feel immediate and deeply personal. Owen Cooper delivers a jaw-dropping performance in his breakout role, while Stephen Graham is equally devastating as a father struggling to process something he cannot fully comprehend. Adolescence is a conversation starter that forces viewers to confront difficult realities about the modern world, and it already feels like a show that will be praised for decades to come.

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Adolescence

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Release Date

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March 13, 2025

Network

Netflix

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Directors

Philip Barantini

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