Tom Holland has recalled a failed attempt by Jon Bernthal to get him to embrace method acting.
The story dates back to the duo’s time filming “Pilgrimage,” where Bernthal’s character was mute, and Holland tried to help him stay in character while they were off-set.
The pair have since reunited on two major projects, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “The Odyssey.”
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Appearing on “Hot Ones,” Holland recalled his time filming “Pilgrimage” with Bernthal, who fully committed to method acting by refusing to speak off camera because his character was mute.
Before production began, the “Punisher” star told Holland, “I’m going to go full method… I’m going to need your help.” Holland agreed, but the experiment soon became awkward, especially whenever they went out to eat.
“For like two weeks, not a peep out of him,” Holland recalled. “And we all know Jon Bernthal. We all love Jon Bernthal. My man loves to talk. So, we’re sat at restaurants, and he’s writing down his food, and these are regular restaurants in Ireland.”
According to Holland, the awkwardness of the situation forced him to explain Bernthal’s unusual behavior to confused staff, joking, “I’m sorry about my friend. He’s just a pretentious actor.”
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A Salmon Order Ended Bernthal’s Method Acting Streak
Bernthal’s commitment to method acting came to an abrupt end during one of their restaurant visits in Ireland.
After weeks of communicating only through written notes, he asked Holland to request some lemon for his salmon. However, the waitress misunderstood and dropped the lemon into Bernthal’s glass of water instead.
The mix-up proved too much for the actor to endure in silence. Recalling the moment, Holland said Bernthal immediately blurted out, “All right, f-ck it. I’m talking again,” bringing his self-imposed vow of silence to an end.
Tom Holland And Jon Bernthal Reunited For Two Major Projects
Jon Bernthal & Tom Holland together in ‘The Odyssey’ & ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’.
After starring together in “Pilgrimage” in 2017, Holland and Bernthal did not share the screen again until recently, when they reunited on two back-to-back projects.
In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” the duo plays superheroes, with Holland reprising his role as Spider-Man while the film marks Bernthal’s big-screen MCU debut as the Punisher after years of portraying the character on television.
The two also appear together in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which debuted in cinemas on July 17. Holland plays the more prominent role of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, portrayed by Matt Damon. Meanwhile, Bernthal stars as Menelaus, the King of Sparta, who appears in only a few key scenes.
Tom Holland Is ‘Absolutely Loving’ His Latest Press Tour
Holland’s appearance alongside Bernthal is just one of several promotional stops he has made while supporting the release of his latest films.
Although balancing both projects has kept his schedule packed, the actor said he is relishing the busy period because he is immensely proud of both productions.
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“I’m absolutely loving it. When you’re doing press for movies you’re really proud of, it’s really easy,” the actor said during an appearance on the “Dish” podcast.
He added, “Because when they ask you questions about why people should go and watch this movie, you’re not lying to anyone. You really think people should go see it. I’ve had experiences before when people say, ‘Why should you see this movie?’ And in the back of your mind, you’re like, ‘You shouldn’t, because it’s sh-t.’”
‘The Odyssey’ And ‘Spider-Man’ Chase Major Box Office Milestones
Despite facing early criticism before its release, “The Odyssey” has enjoyed a strong start at the box office.
The film grossed more than $264 million during its opening weekend, with ticket sales split almost evenly between domestic and international markets. Now in its second week, “The Odyssey” is on course to surpass the $500 million mark worldwide, putting it on track to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Meanwhile, “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is set to arrive in cinemas on July 31 and is already predicted to post record-breaking box office numbers, given the success of Holland’s previous Spider-Man films. Two of the earlier installments surpassed $1 billion at the global box office, while the third still earned an impressive $880 million worldwide.
Patrick J. Adams in The Bombing of Pan Am 103Image: Netflix/World Produc
Many countries globally have been scarred by the horrors of terrorism. Ideology-driven attacks have been inflection points in many nations’ histories, as what is supposed to be a normal day turns into one of the worst. One of the worst ones is the September 11 attacks that saw the Twin Towers in Manhattan collapse after Al-Qaeda terrorists flew passenger planes into them. The United States is typically a major target for terror groups, and even when it’s not, its citizens find themselves in the middle of other terror attacks. In 1988, a major terrorist attack on a flight killed all 259 passengers and crew aboard, as well as 11 other people on the ground. 190 of those were American citizens.
It was December 21, 1988, and Pan Am Flight 103 was en route from London to New York when a bomb went off over Lockerbie, Scotland. It became the deadliest terror attack in British history. An investigation was underway soon after, and it was determined that the bomb was concealed inside a cassette player in checked luggage that had been transferred from a connecting flight. The investigation connected the attack to Libyan intelligence operatives, and one of their officers was convicted in the Netherlands. It wasn’t until 23 years later that the Libyan government under Muammar al-Gaddafi formally accepted responsibility for the attack.
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This devastating story is now coming to Netflix in the 6-part miniseries titled The Bombing of Pan Am 103. The scripted drama series is based on the testimony of those who were present. It explores how a small town became connected to one of the biggest mass murder stories and how it affected everyone, especially the families. As Scottish and American law enforcement collaborate to unravel this mystery, the world is left hopeful but fearful that they will never get answers — and another attack could be imminent. This series is making its international debut on Netflix on July 30 after airing on the BBC in the UK last year.
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Collider Exclusive · James Bond Personality Quiz Which James Bond Actor Are You Most Like? Connery · Moore · Dalton · Brosnan · Lazenby · Craig
Six actors. Six completely different visions of the same man — dangerous, charming, complicated, and almost certainly wearing a very good suit. Only one of them shares your particular way of moving through the world. Eight questions will figure out which Bond you really are.
🏴Connery
😄Moore
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🎭Dalton
✨Brosnan
🤵Lazenby
💠Craig
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01
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How do you carry yourself when you walk into a room? Bond is always the most interesting person in the room. The question is how he makes you feel it.
02
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How do you handle a dangerous situation? Every Bond faces it differently. What does your version look like?
03
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How do you charm someone you need on your side? Bond always gets what he needs. The method varies considerably.
04
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How do you handle your emotions on the job? Every Bond deals with this differently. Most of them not particularly well.
05
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How would your colleagues describe your working style? MI6 has opinions about all of its 00s. What are theirs about you?
06
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How do you feel about operating within the rules? The licence to kill comes with terms and conditions. Not everyone reads them.
07
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What is your relationship with love? Every Bond has a different answer. None of them have found it easy.
08
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When the mission is over, how do you want to be remembered? The name is Bond. The rest is entirely up to the man behind it.
The Name Has Been Determined Your Bond Is…
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Six actors. One role. Your answers point to the Bond who shares your presence, your method, and your particular way of carrying the weight of being the most dangerous person in the room.
Dr. No — You Only Live Twice · 1962–1967
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Sean Connery
You are the original — and you carry that fact without needing to announce it. There is an authority in the way you occupy a room that others spend careers trying to replicate.
You don’t explain yourself, justify yourself, or soften yourself for anyone’s comfort. The confidence is structural, not performed.
Connery’s Bond established everything — the tone, the danger, the cool — because Connery himself had the innate presence to make something that had never existed feel inevitable.
You share that quality: the sense that you were always going to end up exactly here, doing exactly this.
The name is Bond. In your case, it always was.
Live and Let Die — A View to a Kill · 1973–1985
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Roger Moore
You understand something that more serious people miss: that wit is its own form of intelligence, and that making people laugh is not a retreat from danger but a way of mastering it.
Moore’s Bond is underrated precisely because the effortlessness looks easy — and effortlessness is the hardest thing to manufacture.
You have the same quality: a lightness that disarms people before they realise how sharp you actually are.
The raised eyebrow, the perfectly timed quip, the refusal to be rattled — these are not affectations. They are a philosophy about how to move through a world that would like to take itself too seriously.
You have never let it.
The Living Daylights · Licence to Kill · 1987–1989
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Timothy Dalton
You took the role seriously when everyone wanted you to coast — and that refusal to take the easy version of anything is the most defining thing about you.
Dalton’s Bond has genuine moral weight: he feels the cost of what he does, he has lines he won’t cross, and he is not interested in the version of himself that pretends otherwise.
You share that intensity. You push harder than the situation technically requires, because you have a standard and you hold yourself to it.
He was ahead of his time — the Bond the franchise wasn’t quite ready for yet, arriving exactly when he was meant to.
You know what that feels like.
GoldenEye — Die Another Day · 1995–2002
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Pierce Brosnan
You are the complete package — and you know it, which is part of what makes you so effective and occasionally so infuriating to the people around you.
Brosnan arrived at the role looking exactly like Bond was supposed to look, and he delivered on that expectation with a professionalism that made it seem effortless.
You have the same quality: a smooth competence, a charm that operates like a precision instrument, and the ability to make even difficult things look like they weren’t.
His era was the most commercially successful in the franchise’s history. There is a reason for that.
The reason is that some people simply fit their moment perfectly. You are one of those people.
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service · 1969
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George Lazenby
You stepped into something enormous with less preparation than anyone around you thought was sufficient — and you delivered something genuine anyway, which is the more impressive achievement.
Lazenby’s single outing is, by many measures, one of the finest Bond films ever made — and he is not a small part of why.
You share his quality of raw authenticity: less polished than the alternatives, more honest for it, capable of something real that technique alone can’t produce.
He was underestimated, and then he wasn’t, and then history caught up with him.
You are the kind of person history catches up with. Give it time.
Casino Royale — No Time to Die · 2006–2021
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Daniel Craig
You stripped everything back and found what was underneath — and what was underneath was harder, more honest, and more human than anyone expected.
Craig’s Bond is the franchise’s most psychologically complete: a man doing a brutal job, carrying its costs imperfectly, capable of love and loss in ways that can’t be dismissed.
You share that depth. You don’t hide behind the role or the charm or the suit — you let the work show what it actually costs.
He was controversial from the moment he was announced and definitive by the time he was finished. The sceptics became the believers.
That arc — of being underestimated and then undeniable — is one you know intimately.
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Who Is Behind ‘The Bombing of Pan Am 103?’
The series is co-created by Jonathan Lee and Adam Morane-Griffiths. It features characters of multiple nationalities after nearly a dozen countries lost citizens in the attack. Connor Swindells has left the world of Sex Education behind as he stars in this series playing an investigating officer. Patrick J. Adams wears a different kind of suit as he represents the bureau bent on finding answers for the public. Other cast members include Tony Curran, Merritt Wever, Eddie Marsan, Peter Mullan, and Kevin McKidd, among others.
The Bombing of Pan Am 103 arrives on Netflix on July 30. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Television drama has established itself as the pinnacle of long-form storytelling in the 21st century, but a series doesn’t necessarily need to be that long to be great. While many shows have used upwards of five seasons to present epic, sprawling stories that have enthralled the masses year-after-year, there have also been an abundance of outstanding titles that only graced the screen for half a decade, if that long.
Given that HBO has been the defining brand in small-screen excellence throughout what has come to be known as television’s golden era, it is little surprise that the premium network has produced a number of hit series that were succinct, ceaselessly brilliant, and smart enough to not outstay their welcome. Even with miniseries not being considered, HBO’s catalog of shows that ran for five seasons or fewer flaunts not only the dedication to excellence that has long defined the network, but the incredible variety and boldness it has long exhibited as well.
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10
‘Succession’ (2018–2023)
The cast members looking somber in the pew of a church in Succession episode Church and State.Image via HBO
One of HBO’s biggest hits in the past decade, Succession captivated millions the world over with its meticulous marriage of high-octane corporate-world scheming and acidic black comedy that brilliantly lampoons the rich and powerful. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” its four-season run unfolds as three siblings find themselves in a squabble for power, favor, and opportunity when their aging father signals he may soon be stepping down as the CEO of his multimedia conglomerate empire, Waystar RoyCo.
Combining boardroom politics, confronting family drama, and absurd yet precisely targeted comedy all while running at frenetic breakneck speed, Succession is a skewering and ceaselessly entertaining insight into the unbridled chaos that lurks behind the veneer of company professionalism and wealth. Written, performed, and directed with absolute perfection, the series doesn’t present a single bad episode as it marries razor-sharp satire with energized tension and cutting character drama.
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9
‘Six Feet Under’ (2001–2006)
Image from Six Feet Under’s pilot released in 2001 of people standing at a graveside service.Image via HBO
A sadly overlooked gem of the impeccable catalog of series HBO was producing in the 2000s, Six Feet Under is a masterclass in dark comedy and poignant drama that boldly bolsters its focus on family dysfunction with inflections of surrealism and spirituality. It revolves around the Fishers, a family in Los Angeles that begins managing their late father’s funeral home only to constantly run into issues regarding the logistics of running a business, the continuous clashing of their personalities, and each family member’s own personal dilemmas.
With all the subplots and tangents unfolding in proximity to the series’ central focus on mortality, Six Feet Under excels at combining concise and concentrated drama with an air of grandeur through its thematic exploration of existentialism and death. Its reputation is only bolstered by the HBO series’ exceptional series finale, which brings the five-season run of the show to a rewarding resolution that complements its meticulous attentiveness to character development perfectly.
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8
‘Boardwalk Empire’ (2010–2014)
Steve Buscemi as Nucky Thompson in ‘Boardwalk Empire’Image via HBO
HBO has always had a penchant for extraordinary crime drama, be it in the form of gangster shows like The Sopranos or riveting cop dramas like the first season of True Detective. With its confronting intensity, captivating characters, and awe-inspiring period production, Boardwalk Empire is entrenched among the network’s finest forays into the genre, even if it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. Set in Prohibition-era America, it follows Enoch Thompson (Steve Buscemi), the treasurer of Atlantic City, in his political dealings and criminal endeavors as his prominence attracts the attention of federal agents.
While the series can be cyclical at times, it ultimately overcomes its pitfalls with its stunning and immersive realization of 1920s New Jersey and its litany of sublime performances, particularly from Buscemi in the lead role. Blending its historical intrigue with challenging character studies, Boardwalk Empire is a dazzling triumph of HBO and one of the more impressive television series of its decade.
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7
‘Treme’ (2010–2013)
Image via HBO
Impressive in its ability to blend cultural celebration, character-driven drama, and scathing critiques of natural disaster relief, Treme presents a vibrant immersion into New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Brought to the screen by David Simon and Eric Overmyer—two of the architects of The Wire—the criminally underrated series begins three months after the devastating disaster, operating with a palpable sense of realism and striking depth as it follows residents trying to rebuild their lives, a community re-capturing its cultural identity, and the systemic, bureaucratic struggles of urban reconstruction.
Methodically paced, Treme subverts the television standard of rapid-fire storytelling to instead deliver a slow-burning and often appropriately frustrating approach that brings visceral depth to the incremental steps of recovery and growth in the wake of the destruction of Hurricane Katrina. Also finding brilliance in its ensemble cast, grounded writing style, and the way it invests in the music and culinary scenes of the city, Treme shines as a powerful and underappreciated deep-dive into the heart of New Orleans and the unpleasant crux of real issues in modern America.
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6
‘Carnivále’ (2003–2005)
Justin stands next to a tattooed man in Carnivale.Image via HBO
Sadly, not all of HBO’s shorter series were intended to be so short. Carnivále was created by Daniel Knauf with a vision of a six-season run, but due to dwindling viewership numbers and the mounting production costs of its period-set production, it was axed after its second season. Still, it offers 24 episodes of rich mythological intrigue as it combines the grimy aesthetic of the Depression-era Dust Bowl with biblical concepts of good and evil and elements of Masonic lore.
Following the converging paths of a young man with healing powers who joins a traveling carnival and a Methodist preacher capable of bending others to his will, Carnivále soars off the back of its strong performances and creative writing to be a forgotten gem of small-screen fantasy entertainment. Even with its premature cancellation, the series still manages to deliver a rewarding conclusion to its major arc, ensuring it endures as a cult gem of the medium that can still be enjoyed when revisited today.
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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
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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
🏜️Dune
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🚀Star Wars
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01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
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02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
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03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
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04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
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05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
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06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
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07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
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08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
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Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
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The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
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.
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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.
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.
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Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
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.
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Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
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.
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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.
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
‘Rome’ (2005–2007)
Julius Caesar played by Ciaran Hinds on Rome.Image via HBO
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Another HBO series that was axed after just two seasons due to production expenses despite intentions of a much longer run, Rome presents one of the most stunning period productions television has ever seen. Exploring historical events from the perspective of everyone from key political figures to ordinary soldiers and their families, it depicts the shifting nature of Ancient Rome as the republic collapses and the grandeur of the Roman Empire is born.
Straying away from mythic and romanticized notions of Ancient Rome, the series revels in its gritty authenticity, with the production embracing a dirty and grimy aesthetic that complements its strong historical basis and gripping human drama quite perfectly. By focusing not only on the bloodthirsty and treacherous nature of Ancient Rome’s political machinations, but on the impact the turmoil had on its citizens, Rome wields a ceaselessly compelling dramatic fervor that endures even as its second season is forced to compact its story significantly.
4
‘Westworld’ (2016–2022)
Evan Rachel Wood as Dolores and James Marsden as Teddy standing by their horses in Westworld Season 1 Episode 1Image via HBO
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Westworld is one of the more interesting series HBO has produced, especially in the past decade. A re-iteration of the 1973 movie of the same name, it initially revolves around a Western-themed amusement park in the future that is populated by life-like robots and where wealthy visitors can live out any desire or fantasy they have with impunity. However, when the android “hosts” begin malfunctioning, the balance of power begins to shift.
The first season received rave reviews for its thematic repurposing of the ‘70s movie premise, allowing for it to emphasize such ideas as autonomy, morality, and the nature of humanity. While the ensuing seasons—which pivot away from ‘Westworld’ following a robot uprising that sees the hosts enter the real-world—did garner a more mixed response, Westworld remained a masterclass in thematic pointedness, production value, and philosophical depth. Enhanced by its ceaselessly exceptional performances and narrative dare, the four-season series marks an impressive mixture of sci-fi spectacle and themes, Western allure, and bleak dystopian drama from start to finish.
3
‘Deadwood’ (2004–2006)
Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) and Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) stand outside a building in Deadwood.Image via HBO
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While its abrupt ending at the closing of Season 3 may have blemished its legacy somewhat, there is no denying that Deadwood was one of HBO’s flagship series in the 2000s. The gripping Western drama has aged flawlessly too, with its intense tone meshing with its profanity-laden yet Shakespearean dialogue, gritty and morally ambiguous characters, and its immersive period production design to conjure one of the greatest and most enthralling visions of the Old West to have ever graced the small screen.
Set in the titular South Dakotan gold mining town in the 1870s, it unfolds as the lawless encampment evolves into a crime-riddled society as the population booms with masses of people hoping to find a fortune. Adept at capturing the muddy and confined candle-lit grime of the era while presenting a host of characters—both historical and fictional—who embark on intriguing arcs, Deadwood is one of HBO’s finest ever series.
2
‘The Leftovers’ (2014–2017)
Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon in The Leftovers (2014)Image via HBO
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By emphasizing a meditative and emotionally charged exploration of grief and trauma rather than running with traditional, high-stakes post-apocalyptic thrills, The Leftovers delivers one of the greatest and most thought-provoking series HBO has ever produced. It begins three years after the “Sudden Departure,” an inexplicable event in which two percent of the world’s population vanished. In the aftermath, extremist cults have arisen, the masses continue to mourn their loved ones, and many walk a treacherous line between maintaining a sense of normality and dealing with their own unresolved issues.
Written with astonishing depth, and powered by a litany of faultless performances and Max Richter’s richly evocative score, The Leftovers avoids simply wallowing in a world of sorrow by prying into the complex psychology of its characters with nuance, conviction, and remarkable clarity. Across an incredible three-season run that spans from Mapleton, New York to Melbourne, Australia, The Leftovers presents an utterly perfect and poignant exploration of heavy thematic ideas that is always anchored by a potency and realism that makes the series entirely captivating.
1
‘The Wire’ (2002–2008)
Wendell Pierce as Bunk Moreland and Dominic West as Jimmy McNulty in an episode of The Wire.Image via HBO Max
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The greatest HBO series with five seasons or fewer, and perhaps the finest show the network has ever produced, The Wire thrives as an all-encompassing and palpably realistic descent into the drug trade of Baltimore, the inner workings of the city’s police department, and the bureaucratic issues that befall everything from the public school system to the efficiency of city hall. With each of its five seasons shifting focus to a new aspect of crime and law enforcement, the series brilliantly examines the interconnected landscape from street-level drug dealers to the mayor’s office.
Also buoyed by its invigorating moral ambiguity that refuses to treat any character as an outright hero or villain, The Wire embraces a scope that is more epic and novelistic than many other shows on television even today. It remains one of the greatest and most important series the medium has ever seen, not only as a compelling plunge into the grit of modern-day organized crime, but as a skewering exposé on the deeply flawed nature of America’s most important social institutions.
Ernest R. Dickerson, Ed Bianchi, Steve Shill, Clark Johnson, Daniel Attias, Agnieszka Holland, Tim Van Patten, Alex Zakrzewski, Anthony Hemingway, Brad Anderson, Clement Virgo, Elodie Keene, Peter Medak, Rob Bailey, Seith Mann, Christine Moore, David Platt, Dominic West, Gloria Muzio, Jim McKay, Leslie Libman, Milcho Manchevski, Robert F. Colesberry, Thomas J. Wright
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star Mayci Neeley made a conscientious decision to stop featuring her children on social media.
“I had slowly been taking them offline a year prior to the show coming out,” Mayci, 31, wrote via her Instagram Stories on Sunday, July 26, referring to Mormon Wives’ season 1 premiere. “I was just seeing the negative side effect of having kids online that I just didn’t understand before. Kids aren’t content, and I guess I didn’t grasp that when I was first doing social media.”
Mayci, who worked as a social media influencer before landing a spot on Hulu’s hit reality TV series about young Mormon moms, is a mother of three. The MomTok star shares daughters Harlow, 5, and Charli, 12 months, with husband Jacob Neeley, in addition to son Hudson, 10, with late ex Arik Mack, who was killed in a car accident during her pregnancy at age 19.
Before marrying Jacob, 30, Mayci worked as an analyst with Goldman Sachs. She eventually pursued her passion for content creation full-time, well before Mormon Wives was greenlit. Hudson and Harlow would occasionally be featured in Mayci’s early uploads.
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“I never forced my kids to do anything, but kids should not be the focal point of the content in my opinion,” Mayci stated on Sunday. “I just thought it was fun and silly, and I loved making videos until I started seeing that there were predators online.”
She continued, “I guess, being naive, I didn’t realize that there were creeps online probably watching the content.”
Mayci further realized that an onslaught of “haters came” in the wake of Mormon Wives’ highly-anticipated 2024 series premiere.
“I got some really nasty DMs about my kids and some weirdos were making fun of the way that they looked, which was absolutely vile and disgusting,” the Told You So author claimed. “In that moment, I was, like, ‘I’m done done.’ I also started seeing more about AI and [pedophiles] using kids’ faces specifically for explicit material, and that freaked me out.”
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Courtesy of Mayci Neeley/Instagram
Overall, Mayci stressed that she opted to keep her kids offline out of “safety and privacy” concerns.
“I don’t want people coming up to my kids or recognizing them,” she said, acknowledging that she “still [needs] to go through” her old Instagram posts and delete the family photos. “I’ll be working on that [in] the next month or so, it just sucks because I LOVE sharing my kids and I kinda wish I could because they bring me the most joy.”
Mayci concluded, “They are my greatest accomplishment, and I just want to share some of the amazing moments. That’s why I still share them in a muted capacity. They are my world and the biggest part of my life, so it would also feel weird not sharing anything about them or sharing photos that they are in that I love.”
Roommates, Usher has performed some of the most memorable moments in R&B history, but one recent concert moment had fans talking for a completely different reason. During a steamy part of his set, the singer noticed something wasn’t quite right with a fan who joined him on stage — and his reaction quickly caught the crowd’s attention.
Usher Reacts After Fan Gives “Not Interested” Energy
Now, Usher, known for his signature onstage performances during his more sensual records, found himself in an unexpected moment while performing during the ‘R&B’ tour at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee. During the show, a fan was brought onstage to participate in one of his iconic concert segments — but the interaction didn’t unfold the way fans may have expected.
While Usher performed shirtless with the fan seated on a bed as part of the segment, she appeared uncomfortable and less engaged than previous audience members during similar performances. The singer seemingly picked up on her reaction and slowly pulled away before telling the crowd, “I don’t think she wants to be on stage.” Usher then waved her off and appeared to signal for security to assist her away from the segment. It remains unclear whether another fan was chosen afterward or if the performance moved on to another song.
The Comments Section Was Ready For Usher
Fans quickly flooded The Shade Room’s Instagram comment section with their reactions to the viral moment, and opinions were all over the place. Some people felt the fan shouldn’t have went on stage if she wasn’t going to match the energy. While others joked that’s exactly how they would want their woman acting if Usher ever pulled them on stage. Meanwhile, a few fans gave the singer credit for handling the awkward moment smoothly and keeping the performance moving.
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One Instagram user @thecarlosking_ said, “Usher is such a Libra 😂cause we never beg if you don’t wanna be there nie 🤸🏾♂️”
This Instagram user @_droop_ added, “He played it perfectly at the end.”
And, Instagram user @faithdonna.z wrote, “Sis looked like she accidentally accepted the Terms & Conditions. 💀”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @dielit4e joked, “That’s how I need my shi to act at them damn concerts 😒😂😂😂😂😂”
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While Instagram user @nessacary claimed, “She couldhv just declined the offer and not took her a** up there lol 🤦🏽♀️”
Lastly, Instagram user @big.don.vito commented, “This is a great example of LIKE WHO LIKES YOU!”
Breezy Didn’t Have To Question The Energy Though
Meanwhile, Breezy is showing fans exactly what they came to see — and unlike some recent viral concert moments, nobody seems to be looking uninterested. Chris Brown previously gave fans a preview of what they can expect from his joint ‘R&B’ tour with Usher, sharing a steamy clip of himself bringing a fan on stage for a performance of ‘Take You Down.’ The singer danced closely with the woman while giving her the full VIP treatment, and she appeared fully locked into the moment as Breezy showed off his signature moves and took his shirt off. Chris captioned the spicy preview, “This what yall wanted?” and fans are making it clear that when it comes to Breezy’s onstage chemistry, they’re not seeing any complaints.
The superhero genre witnessed a major tonal shift with Christopher Nolan‘s epic The Dark Knight trilogy. After decades of colorful adventures, superheroes were presented in a grounded reality that captured the mood of the times. Similarly, Nolan put his stamp on the fantasy genre with his latest film, The Odyssey, based on Homer‘s Greek epic. Earlier, movies based on the Greek myths featured plenty of monsters and mayhem, but Nolan’s version revolved around themes such as post-traumatic stress, guilt, and human agency. That said, Nolan admitted that he was inspired by Ray Harryhausen‘s cult classic 1981 movie, Clash of the Titans, which was remade in 2010 by Louis Leterrier.
The Clash of the Titans remake starred Sam Worthington, fresh off the success of Avatar, in the role of Perseus. The movie defied poor reviews to gross more than $490 million worldwide against a reported budget of $125 million. It nearly outgrossed the genre’s biggest hit, Troy, which made $497 million worldwide against a reported budget of $185 million in 2004. Incidentally, Nolan nearly directed Troy as his first large-scale project, but was replaced by Wolfgang Petersen and was handed the reins to the Batman franchise instead. Clash of the Titans was successful enough to spawn a sequel, which was released in 2012 to equally poor reviews and a lower box-office haul.
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Collider Exclusive · Middle-earth Quiz Which Lord of the Rings Character Are You? One Quiz · Ten Questions · Your Fate Revealed
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The road goes ever on. From the green hills of the Shire to the fires of Mount Doom, every soul in Middle-earth carries a destiny. Ten questions stand between you and the truth of who you are. Answer honestly — the One Ring has a way of revealing what we most want to hide.
💍Frodo
🌿Samwise
👑Aragorn
🔥Gandalf
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🏹Legolas
⚒️Gimli
👁️Sauron
🪨Gollum
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01
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You are handed a responsibility that could destroy you. What do you do? The weight of the world falls on unlikely shoulders.
02
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Your closest companion is heading into terrible danger. You: True loyalty is revealed not in comfort, but in crisis.
03
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Enormous power is within your reach. Your instinct is: Power corrupts — but only those who reach for it.
04
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What does “home” mean to you? Where we long to return reveals who we truly are.
05
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When a battle is upon you, your approach is: War reveals what we are made of — whether we like it or not.
06
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Someone comes to you for advice in their darkest hour. You: Wisdom is not knowing all the answers — it’s knowing which questions to ask.
07
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How do you see yourself, honestly? Self-knowledge is the most dangerous kind.
08
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Which of these best describes your relationship with the natural world? Middle-earth speaks to those who know how to listen.
09
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You encounter a wretched, pitiable creature who has done terrible things. You: How we treat the fallen reveals the height of our character.
10
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When the quest is over and the songs are sung, what do you hope they say about you? In the end, we are all just stories.
The Fellowship Has Spoken Your Place in Middle-earth
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The scores below reveal your true character. Your highest number is your match. Even a tie tells a story — the Fellowship was never made of simple people.
💍 Frodo
🌿 Samwise
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👑 Aragorn
🔥 Gandalf
🏹 Legolas
⚒️ Gimli
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👁️ Sauron
🪨 Gollum
You carry something heavy — and you carry it alone, even when you don’t have to. You were not born for greatness, and that is precisely why greatness chose you. Your courage is not the roaring, sword-swinging kind; it is quiet, stubborn, and terrifying in its refusal to quit. The Ring weighs on you more than anyone can see, and still you walk toward the fire. That is not weakness. That is the rarest kind of strength there is.
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You are, without question, the best of them. Not the most powerful, not the most celebrated — but the most essential. Your loyalty is not a trait; it is a force of nature. You would carry the person you love up the slopes of Mount Doom if it came to that, and we both know you’d do it without being asked. The world needs more people like you, and the world is lucky it has even one.
You were born to lead, and you have spent years running from it. The crown is yours by right, but you know better than anyone that right means nothing without the will and the worthiness to back it up. You are tempered by loss, shaped by long roads, and defined by a code of honour you hold to even when no one is watching. When you finally step forward, the world shifts. Because it was always waiting for you.
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You have seen more than you let on, and you say less than you know — which is exactly as it should be. You are a catalyst: you do not fight the battles yourself, you ignite the people who can. Your wisdom comes not from books but from an age of watching what happens when it is ignored. You arrive precisely when you mean to, and your presence alone changes what is possible. A wizard is never late.
Graceful, perceptive, and almost preternaturally calm under pressure — you see things others miss and act before others react. You do not need to make a scene to be remarkable; your presence speaks for itself. You are loyal to those you choose to stand beside, and that choice is not made lightly. You have lived long enough to know that the most beautiful things in this world are also the most fragile, and that is why you fight to protect them.
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You are loud, proud, and absolutely formidable — and beneath all of that is one of the most fiercely loyal hearts in Middle-earth. You don’t do anything by half measures. Your friendships are forged like iron, your grudges run as deep as mines, and your courage in battle is the kind that makes legends. You came into this fellowship suspicious of everyone and ended it willing to die for an elf. That is not a small thing. That is everything.
You think in centuries and act in absolutes. Order, dominion, control — not because you are cruel by nature, but because you have decided that the world left to itself always falls apart, and you are the only one with the vision and the will to hold it together. You were not always this. Something was lost, or taken, or betrayed, and the version of you that stands now is the answer to that wound. The tragedy is that you’re not entirely wrong — just entirely too far gone to course-correct.
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You are a study in contradiction — pitiable and dangerous, cunning and broken, capable of both cruelty and something that once resembled love. You are defined by loss: of innocence, of self, of the one thing that gave your existence meaning. Two voices war inside you constantly, and the tragedy is that the better one sometimes wins, just not often enough, and never at the right moment. You are a warning, yes — but also a mirror. We are all a little Gollum, given the right ring and enough time.
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Watch the Critically Panned Greek Mythological Movie on Peacock
The movie in question, of course, is Wrath of the Titans. Directed by Jonathan Liebesman, the movie features a returning Worthington alongside Liam Neeson as Zeus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, and Danny Huston as Poseidon. New cast members included Bill Nighy, Rosamund Pike, Toby Kebbell, and Édgar Ramirez. Wrath of the Titans grossed just over $300 million worldwide against a reported budget of $150 million, falling short of its predecessor’s haul despite a larger budget. It is now sitting at a 26% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Its 3D effects are an improvement over its predecessor’s, but in nearly every other respect, Wrath of the Titans fails to improve upon the stilted acting, wooden dialogue, and chaos-driven plot of the franchise’s first installment.” Because of the film’s underperformance, a third installment, tentatively titled Revenge of the Titans, was shelved. You can watch Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans on Peacock starting August 1. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Actor Ryan Gosling is ready to join another blockbuster franchise. Shortly after joining Shawn Levy‘s “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which hits theaters in May 2027, Marvel boss Kevin Feige announced that the “Project Hail Mary” actor will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider at the San Diego Comic Con panel held on Saturday night. It’s a role the actor has always wanted to play, but it also has a surprising connection to his partner, Eva Mendes.
3Spread Pictures / MEGA
On Saturday, July 25, fans gathered at Marvel’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic Con to see who would be the next actor to portray Ghost Rider. Marvel boss Kevin Feige announced that Ryan Gosling, fresh off the success of “Project Hail Mary,” would take over the role in an upcoming standalone movie.
The announcement was met with cheers from the audience. “As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a long time,” Gosling told the crowd.
How Eva Mendes Is Connected To His Ghost Rider Role
Ghost Rider was previously portrayed by “National Treasure” actor Nicolas Cage in the 2007 film. The movie also featured Gosling’s longtime partner Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson. Although Cage reprised his role in the 2011 sequel, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” Mendes did not return for that movie.
The 2007 film was not well received and has only a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Scott Huver of Hollywood.com called it “the worst adaptation of a Marvel Comics hero yet,” while Mike Barnard of Future Movies UK said that “Cage needs to produce something special next to make up for crimes against cinema.”
However, not all critics hated the movie. Megan Basham of WORLD said, “This strange amalgamation of Texas Ranger lore, NASCAR bravado, and the-Devil-and-Daniel-Webster trickery keeps the campy fun revving just enough that you can’t completely hate it.”
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This New Ghost Rider Will Be Directed By Shawn Levy
Shawn Levy, who directed the 2024 Marvel movie “Deadpool and Wolverine,” will be directing the new Ghost Rider film. He previously worked with Gosling in “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which will be released in theaters in May 2027.
During the Marvel panel at SDCC, Levy took the stage alongside Gosling and Feige. “I’m having the greatest flashback vibes here, because I was here two years ago when we showed Deadpool & Wolverine,” he told the crowd.
“I’ll never forget that night, because I was introduced to the greatest fans. Gosling is the absolute sh-t. I say that with tremendous respect,” he continued. “We spent a lot of time last year making Starfighter, and the opportunity as Ryan started talking about this character, I was like, ‘Bro, let’s ride.’ We’ll see you in 2028!”
No release date has been scheduled for the new Ghost Rider movie.
Although she starred in films such as 2003’s “2 Fast 2 Furious” and 2005’s “Hitch,” Eva Mendes has remained largely out of the public eye for quite some time. However, as The Blast previously reported, that may all be about to change.
One insider told Star Magazine that she is eager to explore new opportunities in the entertainment industry and let Gosling stay at home with the kids for a change. “She’s leaning on Ryan to pick up the slack at home and slow down his usually packed schedule,” the source shared. “Eva needs the free time to meet with filmmakers and studio executives and really see what is out there for her.”
Will She Appear In ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’?
There are rumors that she may be making an appearance in “Star Wars: Starfighter,” alongside her husband. There is also speculation that she might appear in “Fast Forever,” the next installment in the “Fast and Furious” franchise.
Even though her appearance in “Starfighter” has not been confirmed, the source said that working on the movie has reignited her love of acting. “Eva rediscovered her taste for acting while making ‘Starfighter’ last year,” the insider divulged. “Now she wants to be in more films that her kids and their friends will actually enjoy and talk about.”
Mendes and Gosling met while filming “The Place Beyond the Pines” in 2012. They share two daughters together, but have remained fairly private about their relationship and their family life.
Roomies, Lira Galore has the internet doing double takes after she popped out for Miracle Watts and Tyler Lepley’s pre-wedding celebration with her mom. Fans couldn’t stop saying Lira definitely “gets it from her mama,” while others said her mom is aging like fine wine!
Lira Galore’s Pop Out With Her Mom Has Fans Doing Doubles Takes
Recently, Lira Galore and her mom had timelines buzzing this weekend after sharing videos from Miracle Watts and Tyler Lepley’s pre-wedding celebration. Lira took to her Instagram Story to show off Momma Galora, and chile, the internet immediately started joking and saying that her mom is the real baby because of her youthful glow. Lira shared clips from Miracle and Tyler’s all-white boat party, where her mom stunned in a white mini dress and Lira turned heads in an off-the-shoulder look.
The Internet Is Calling Lira’s Mom The REAL Showstopper
Once The Shade Room shared the clips of Lira and her mom, the comment section instantly filed up with heart-eyes and fire emojis. Fans couldn’t stop saying that Lira and her mom are twins, while others reminded everyone that Momma Galora has always been tea and her face card never declined!
Instagram user @candisgrace wrote, “Such a gorgeous Mommy & Daughter Duo 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 Like Beyond !!”
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Instagram user @carolinetania wrote, “Her mom always been Her ❤️”
While Instagram user @rell09 wrote, “Oh she definitely get it from her mama! 🔥”
Then Instagram user @saygrac3 wrote, “MUVA GALORE IS FINE FINE‼️🥰”
Another Instagram user @kea.wunofakind wrote, “Mz. Galore Been HER 🥵 IYKYK 💖”
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Instagram user @triviamonroe wrote, “😍😍😍😍 How my daughters and I will be. (this gym going to get me right 🦾)”
Then another Instagram user @iambrooklyn_1 wrote, “The mama is the baby 😍”
While another Instagram user @ms._toya2u wrote, “Baby listen the 40 plus crew ain’t playing none!”
Finally, Instagram user @viewsfromindia_ wrote, “& her mommy BEEN fine since back in the dayssssssss. She not aging 😍😍😍😍😍”
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Miracle Watts & Tyler Lepley Tie The Knot With Beautiful Wedding Ceremony
Lira Galore and her mom kept the looks coming after popping out for Miracle Watts and Tyler Lepley’s wedding celebration and ceremony. Lira gave fans a glimpse of the beautiful day on her Instagram Story, which reportedly went down in Los Cabos, Mexico on Saturday, July 25. Miracle and Tyler celebrated their love surrounded by their closest family and friends. Videos also showed the newlyweds sharing their first dance.
Video games are the most successful medium in the world, and that is because they evoke a range of emotions and offer a variety of escapist fantasies. From the immersive Wild West in Red Dead Redemption 2 to the grand sense of adventure and wonder in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, video games are versatile and engaging.
However, one feeling video games capture perfectly is dread, with some of the darkest stories coming from this medium. That is why this list will rank the ten darkest video games of all time based on aspects such as mature content, themes, imagery, narrative, originality, fan opinion, and overall quality. A good game is said to change someone, but these games will only do that in a bad way, traumatizing the players forever.
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10
‘Inside’ (2016)
Light focused on a boy walking in a line of people in InsideImage via Playdead
Playdead is an iconic game studio, but fans are still waiting for their next entry, especially since their last one, Inside, is one of the best indie games. When players escape a mysterious facility, they must make their way through the dark laboratory that seems to be experimenting on people. But more dangers await players the further they go into the facility.
Indie companies are usually the ones delivering the darkest games since major companies don’t want something so polarizing attached to their name. But Inside doesn’t care. This game is a masterclass in design, using its lighting as a tool to facilitate guidance. However, it proves to be a dark and eerie masterpiece through its eerie vibe and environmental storytelling.
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9
‘Spec Ops: The Line’ (2012)
Adams and Walker sitting on the sand, looking depleted in Spec Ops: The LineImage via Darkside Game Studios
Shooter games are some of the most popular, but in the FPS genre lives Spec Ops: The Line, which doesn’t glorify war unlike many other games. Gamers play as Captain Martin Walker, the leader of a Delta Force trio who makes their way to Dubai to find a missing unit. However, what starts as a standard rescue mission devolves into a hallucinatory battle.
This anti-war video game uses its mechanics against the players, admonishing them for blindly following orders and getting themselves into trouble. Spec Ops: The Line has players committing a handful of war crimes and battle atrocities, bringing it to a profound discussion on PTSD and cognitive dissonance, proving why it is one of the best shooter video games.
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8
‘This War of Mine’ (2014)
A young boy with a red jacket looking out the window in This War of MineImage via 11 bit studios
A lot of games use fictionalized historical events to accentuate the darkness, and one game that did this was This War of Mine. Inspired by the Siege of Sarajevo, players control a group of characters who must navigate the crossfire and scavenge for supplies in order to survive the depressing state of the city.
Sometimes the dark reality of the world is worse than what games can achieve, and This War of Mine played into that by making the real-life atrocities even bleaker. Gamers are forced to make tough survival decisions where they weigh the balance between survival and ethics. This forceful design makes players question themselves about what many people actually had to go through.
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7
‘SOMA’ (2015)
A robot glitching the screen in SomaImage via Frictional Games
Frictional Games is an incredible gaming studio with multiple classics, such as SOMA. After suffering a severe injury in a car crash, the protagonist, Simon Jarrett, decides to undergo an experimental brain scan. However, he wakes up a hundred years later in an underwater facility. Only he and biomechanical monstrosities are left, with him needing to descend deeper to find a digital utopia.
The biomechanical monsters are terrifying, and their tragic concept only adds to the overall sense of gloom. However, the true darkness of SOMA reveals itself through the suffocating sense of dread in the narrative and philosophical themes. This game takes a psychological toll on the players, building into a heavy weight of darkness when the credits roll, proving to be one ofthe scariest modern video games.
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6
‘Pathologic’ (2005)
pathologic-2Image via Ice-Pick Lodge
While there are a couple of sequels, nothing beats the original Pathologic and the darkness that players experienced. When a mysterious airborne plague ravages a small town, players take on the role of a doctor. Within 12 days, players must survive, learn about the town’s mysterious history, and find a cure for the plague; otherwise, everyone dies.
Pathologic is designed to intentionally be frustrating, creating a nearly impossible challenge that highlights the gravity of the situation. Gamers can’t save everyone, and those choices will weigh on their souls as they must decide what and who to prioritize. Pathologic emphasizes its darkness with its rigid rules and bleak world.
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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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5
‘Silent Hill 2’ (2001)
silent-hill-2-image1Image via Konami
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The remake is just as good as the original, but it is hard to beat the classic in terms of darkness since it established the story. Silent Hill 2 follows James Sunderland, who travels to the titular town in order to learn the mystery behind a letter he got from his deceased wife. Desperate for answers, he continuously searches the decaying town while avoiding its monstrous inhabitants, including the horror icon, Pyramid Head.
Silent Hill 2 is arguably the best horror game of all time, focusing on an internal fright that possesses the most brilliant narrative in horror history. The environment and monsters are all manifestations of the protagonist’s subconscious and all his problems, proving the story is just as compelling as the gameplay. Silent Hill 2 is a masterpiece and has a bleak ending to boot. Known for delving into psychological terror and human trauma through its challenging gameplay, emotional worldbuilding, and heavy tone, it is no surprise that this is a dark game.
4
‘Manhunt’ (2003)
A man running away from three muggers in ManhuntImage via Rockstar Games
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Rockstar Games is a prolific game studio best known for its works like Grand Theft Auto, which is violent, but is nothing compared to its darkest and least-known video game, Manhunt. While death row inmate James Earl Cash avoids the death penalty, he suddenly wakes up in a decaying city where he is forced to participate in snuff films by hunting down gang members.
It has mostly been debunked that video games cause violence, but if there was one game where that isn’t true, it might just be Manhunt. This game gets players as close to the gore as possible, creating a disturbingly intimate view of murder that will make anyone feel uneasy. By designing it so players are rewarded for more graphic kills, Manhunt is obscenely unsettling.
3
‘LISA: The Painful’ (2014)
A man surrounded by dead people in LISA: The PainfulImage via Dingaling Productions
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2D games are often very expressive, but LISA: The Painful takes that to a very different place. When an apocalyptic event kills all the women in the world, a drug addict named Brad finds a baby girl. But when she is kidnapped, he fights through a world of desperate lunatics to get her back and save her.
Fans shouldn’t let the innocent 2D aesthetic fool them; this game is bleak beyond belief. LISA: The Painful forces players to make dark decisions that have serious repercussions. Whether they choose to sacrifice a party member or lose their own limbs, players are permanently affected, and that is just the beginning of a long and winding road of misery.
2
‘Fear & Hunger’ (2018)
fear-and-hunger-game-key-art (1)Image via Miro Haverinen
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Most of the games on this list are rather unknown, but one of the biggest cult classics featured is Fear & Hunger, which is critically acclaimed and has a dedicated fanbase. But that doesn’t mean anything for its quality, as players consider it one of the best survival horror RPGs. Players choose one of four characters who travel through an anachronistic dungeon in search of the mercenary leader.
Fear & Hunger doesn’t follow a dedicated story, but that allows players to experience the emergent darkness on their own, not knowing what awaits them in the depths. Each descent into the unknown is a new tale for players to craft as their decisions slowly build a messed-up scenario with worldbuilding implications and twisted discoveries. The eerie art style perfectly fits the vibe and tone of the game, not to mention the character designs and moments are next-level gruesome and dark.
1
‘I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream’ (1995)
AM from ‘I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream’Image via Cyberdreams
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Based on Harlan Ellison‘s short story of the same name, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream expands on the story through a point-and-click adventure. Set during the Cold War, a sentient supercomputer wipes out all of humanity, only leaving a handful of survivors alive. He keeps them immortal to torment them out of his own spite for humanity.
It may not be the most influential video game ever, but I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is a cult classic that many fans love for its terrifying villain. This game features pretty much every dark theme fans can think of, combining them to create a game where survival is hopeless. Forced to confront their flaws, I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream is a dark game that thrives on existential dread and powerlessness.
Steven Knightis renowned for his work on Peaky Blinders, but it’s not the only crime epic he has worked on. Knight has written several other shows and films that look at gangster enterprises throughout history, and in many ways House of Guinness is the culmination of his entire career. House of Guinness is based on the remarkable true story of the Guinness brewery, a family business that became a powerful empire in the 19th century, expanding throughout Ireland and into New York City. While it’s hard not to think about Peaky Blinders when seeing another dynamic historical thriller about a closely-knit family of morally dubious characters, House of Guinness also shares a lot in common with Successionbecause of its sharp, ruthless sibling dynamics. Given that the series has been renewed for Season 2, there’s no better time to watch one of the most purely entertaining shows Netflix has made in years.
House of Guinness takes place in the aftermath of the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, who left his fortune to his children on the stipulation that they work together to maintain it. The Guinness siblings, consisting of Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anna (Emily Fairn), and Benjamin II (Fionn O’Shea), are reluctant to take on their father’s legacy, but they’re aided in the transition by the family’s most loyal foreman, Sean Rafferty (James Norton). Even if a brewery might seem like a low-stakes MacGuffin compared to the life-and-death stakes in Peaky Blinders, it’s representative of generational wealth fiercely protected by a family targeted by enemies from across Europe. House of Guinness doesn’t sanitize a family history filled with debauchery, but it does put it into context during a dark period in European politics.
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‘House of Guinness’ Is a Rousing Historical Epic
Peaky Blinders grew more epic in scale over time, but House of Guinness takes place on a massive stage, speeding through years of history to encapsulate the gravity of the Guinness company and its sphere of influence. While this could have been too overwhelming for a show to tackle so much material to begin with, that’s also part of the point that Knight is trying to make. The four Guinness children don’t understand the extent to which their decisions will impact the economy and society, and the process of handling their father’s duties is far more complicated than they initially imagined. While the feuds between the siblings are frequent and often quite funny, House of Guinness shows the importance of family loyalty to retain a legacy. The Guinness family name isn’t just one that represents business interests, but something that embodies a level of power that not even governments can topple.
House of Guinness has a fantastic ensemble cast, and the characters immediately feel like an actual family. Boyle is a fascinating actor whose performance as Arthur makes for a unique depiction of a gay character, especially for a historical drama; there are far too many instances of the outdated repressed gay man trope in media, but Arthur is a charismatic, intelligent leader within the family. On the flipside, O’Shea gives a remarkable breakthrough performance as Benjamin, who struggles with severe mental health issues that make him a target for rivals. The stigma against those who deal with anxiety and depression is heightened, given the lack of understanding within this era in history, and O’Shea delivers a truly heartbreaking performance that doesn’t reduce Benjamin to the totality of his symptoms.
‘House of Guinness’ Is Everything a Crime Drama Should Be
As is the case with his role on House of the Dragon, Norton is an absolute scene-stealer in House of Guinness because Rafferty is a commanding character who serves as the bridge between the lower class and the wealthy. Although he isn’t of noble birth and doesn’t seek power for himself, Rafferty is such a master of deception that he becomes an important ally to the family, one who represents a connection to their departed father. While Norton crafts an impenetrable persona, as Rafferty is both hilarious and quite intimidating, he offers a few hints about subtextual issues that will likely be explored further in Season 2. He’s not the only Westeros veteran who has a standout performance in House of Guinness; Jack Gleeson, best known for playing Prince Joffrey, has a great part as the much more likable character Byron Hedges, a distant cousin of the Guinness siblings who strategizes the brewery’s expansion into America.
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House of Guinness is an old-fashioned, thrilling crime drama, but it doesn’t feel derivative of Knight’s previous work because the stylized, energetic approach is far different than that of Peaky Blinders. Rarely has a show been able to tackle such important issues as labor disputes, familial conflict, and economic suppression while also being so entertaining, using history to tell an engaging fictionalized account. There’s a tremendous amount of potential for the future of what House of Guinness could become, but the eight episodes that have already aired are nothing short of tremendous.
Paramount+ is known for being the home of Taylor Sheridan‘s Yellowstoneuniverse, as well as many of his other best shows. Most recently, the tale of Rip (Cole Hauser) and Beth’s (Kelly Reilly) new life in South Texas in Dutton Ranchhas dominated the Paramount+ charts, even scoring as high as third almost 20 days after its July 3 finale. The likes of Lioness and Landman also currently occupy the top ten, with other favorites finishing just outside in the latest ranks.
The most surprising current competition for Sheridan’s army of streaming favorites is a series most commonly associated with Prime Video, as one of the streamer’s most popular shows. Cross, the Aldis Hodge-led detective series, quickly became a favorite on Prime following its 2024 debut, reaching 40 million viewers globally in its first 20 days of release. That paved the way for a hotly anticipated second season, with the addition of Matthew Lillard in a key role, helping the show garner 613 million viewing minutes in its Season 2 premiere week.
Collider’s Nate Richard called Season 2 “entertainingly paced” in his official review and was particularly pleased with Hodge’s lead performance, commending his “unmatched charisma, vulnerabilities, and, of course, kick-ass stunt abilities” in every episode. Prime Video subscribers have known about the best of Cross for some time, and now it seems Paramount+ subscribers do too. According to FlixPatrol, Cross is one of the ten most-streamed shows on Prime Video in the U.S., at the time of writing, a list topped by UFC Fight Night, Criminal Minds, and Dutton Ranch.
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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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10
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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When Does ‘Cross’ Return?
Expected to premiere on Prime Video in spring or early summer 2027, Cross Season 3 is sure to be even more unmissable than the previous two installments. Production on Season 3 began in April in Toronto, Canada, with eight episodes ordered. The cast is expanding once again, with the great Ron Perlmanjoining the cast as Herschel Zamora, a police officer who is referred to Dr. Cross for therapy. Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson, Samantha Walkes as Elle Monteiro, Alona Tal as Kayla Craig, Johnny Ray Gill as Bobby Trey, and Juanita Jennings as Regina “Nana Mama” Cross are all also expected to return.
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Cross is one of the ten most-streamed shows on Prime Video in the U.S. Stay tuned to Collider for the latest streaming stories.
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