Entertainment
Viola Davis Rejects Target’s Apology, Alleges ‘Dehumanization’
Viola Davis is making it clear that sorry does not erase the damage done, especially when it is one that brings to mind a painful chapter in history.
Following Target’s release of a children’s Halloween outfit, all has not gone down well for them. The idea has since drawn backlash, as many believe it evoked minstrel show and blackface imagery.
While the company has apologized for its wrongs, it has done nothing to help the situation. The “Woman King” actress has now weighed in, rejecting their show of remorse.
The “How To Get Away With Murder” actress did not hold back, noting that the evil of the retailer’s actions has far outweighed any statement of regret. She reshared a post highlighting Target’s response and expressed her thoughts.
“Target, I do not accept your apology, and I do not believe that you understand the impact… the pain… the dehumanization of the above,” Davis wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.
“These images laid the foundation and the ideology for every atrocity that has been committed against my people.” She added, “We MATTER!! You have shown us that you are not on OUR side.”
In the brand’s statement, they revealed that they had pulled down the offensive clothing, admitting it should never have been included in its product lineup.
They acknowledged that the mistake was particularly hurtful to Black customers, employees, and partners and promised to ensure there won’t be a repeat of this incident.
“As a company, we got this wrong, and we are deeply sorry,” they wrote, according to Us Weekly.
Other Reactions To Target’s Offensive Clown Outfit
While Davis has slammed the organization’s apology, the design itself has since drawn criticism from all corners.
Comedian LaTrez Anderson reacted in the comments of a now-deleted Instagram Reel, writing, “Target, for real? I’m not surprised, but this is a new low.” Another social media user expressed disappointment with those responsible for approving the concept.
According to PEOPLE Magazine, the controversial design showed a young Black child in clothes marketed as Kids’ Glows Under Blacklight Circus Clown. The ensemble included a black-and-orange patterned bodysuit, a matching hood, an oversized grin design, and a small top hat.
The child posed raising one arm and one leg as if waving, which critics have claimed echoes racist imagery associated with the Jim Crow era and historical caricatures of Black people.
Target Previously Cut DEI Programs
This is not the first time the retailer has received heat over decisions involving race and inclusion. Less than a year ago, the brand scaled back several of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Since announcing those changes, the company has faced boycotts and criticism from some consumers.
At the time, Anne and Lucy Dayton, daughters of one of Target’s founders, publicly condemned the move, describing it as a “betrayal.”
Target Shares Dropped After Product Recall
As outrage surrounding the controversy continues, the fallout has extended to the stock market. According to TradingView, Target’s shares fell by as much as 5% after it pulled the product from shelves.
The incident has also drawn scrutiny from investors. Shareholder advocacy group SOC Investment Group described it as yet another example where the company has “lost trust” of its customers.
This is concerning because its business model is built around shoppers choosing to spend on optional items, making brand reputation and customer sentiment especially important.
Morningstar analyst Brett Husslein noted that the market’s reaction highlighted how vulnerable Target’s competitive position can be when consumer trust is shaken.
Viola Davis Previously Condemned Donald Trump’s Depiction Of The Obamas As Apes
Davis’ response to Target is not the first time she has used her platform to address racial issues. When Donald Trump reportedly shared a now-deleted manipulated video showing Michelle and Barack Obama with ape bodies, the “Widows” star publicly spoke out.
As The Blast reported, Davis shared a heartfelt video of Michelle Obama on Instagram and used the caption to celebrate the former First Lady.
She reminded followers that when racism seeks to demean a woman of color, the appropriate response is to uplift and honor her.
The EGOT winner also reflected on the state of the nation, emphasizing that a true home should never diminish anyone’s humanity and must continue supporting all of its people.
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Kylie Jenner is clearing the air after viral speculation that she is expecting another baby.
“I think that I’m so used to people creating their own narrative that I actually have to just laugh about it and I really don’t care,” Jenner, 29, said on the Wednesday, August 26, episode of the “Better Half” podcast. “I just assume people will figure it out eventually, which is what they always do. Like, people think I’m pregnant right now. At least I saw some things.”
Jenner, who shares two children with ex Travis Scott, further explained why she doesn’t feel compelled to publicly dispel every rumor about herself.
“I’m not going to address everything ‘cause it’s, like, I’m going to be in a bikini somewhere or I’m going to be out and the rumors will be squashed,” she stated. “I, kind of, just don’t feel the need to say anything ever.”
Kylie Jenner is sharing rare insight into her romance with boyfriend Timothée Chalamet — and teasing the possibility of having more children. “In the last years of my 20s, I want to focus on just me, my businesses, my work, traveling with my kids, enjoying my kids, and then …” Jenner, 28, said in a […]
The Kardashians star added, “I can’t, like, talk [or] comment on everything. So, I just laugh about it and join in on the party.”
While Jenner has not shared whether she plans to expand her family further, the makeup mogul has been in a relationship with Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet since 2023. Jenner and Chalamet, 30, keep their relationship relatively private — with the expectation of rare public outings at the likes of award show red carpets and New York Knicks games. (Chalamet is a longtime superfan of the NBA team, often inviting his girlfriend to join him courtside for game dates.)
“I never was into it unless it was, like, someone was married or dating someone and then I would watch it,” Jenner said of her basketball history. “It wasn’t until I went to my first Knicks game that I fell in love, like, there’s something about the energy in the stadium and [in Madison Square Garden] and being there. It was so much fun, and then I followed them for those two seasons. For them to win, I mean, I’m the luckiest Knicks fan ‘cause I feel like I am a new Knicks fan … and I got to see them win!”
Kylie Jenner showed off her toned tummy while modeling jeans. Jenner, 26, subtly slammed rumors that she’s expecting her first baby with boyfriend Timothée Chalamet while posing in a number of low-waisted jeans on Thursday, April 25. In the clip, which she shared via her Instagram Story, Jenner rocked a pair of Classic Low-Rise pants […]
While joining Chalamet courtside at Knicks games, Jenner has dressed to impress in spirited orange-and-blue designer outfits.
“I have a whole section in my archive closet of just orange and blue things,” Jenner teased of her game day wardrobe. “I have all the old Chanel, like, all every orange and blue thing that they’ve done. I have custom things. … I just keep making things, and I’ll just save it in my closet.”
There have been plenty of Wonder Women throughout DC history. Diana Prince might be synonymous with the name, but everyone from her mother Hippolyta to Artemis of Bana-Mighdall has carried the mantle. After quite a long time, though, we’ve finally got our new Wonder Woman following months of speculation, and this time, DC’s latest addition is considerably more sinister.
Next Level: One Shot #1 has officially introduced an evil clone of Wonder Woman, alongside similarly twisted copies of Batman and Superman, with the three part of a mysterious group known as the Drones, genetically engineered superhumans created using the DNA of DC’s most powerful characters. The new Wonder Woman retains Diana’s immense strength and speed, while sporting black markings around her eyes and a spiked variation of her traditional armor.
DC’s New Wonder Woman Has a Disgusting Superpower
Written by Gerry Duggan with art from Fernando Blanco, Next Level: One Shot #1 follows Deadshot as Rick Flag reveals the Drones and their connection to a new incarnation of Cadmus.
The organisation has been creating bespoke superhumans that can be sold to the highest bidder, even combining abilities from different characters. Deadshot encounters one particularly horrifying example possessing the powers of both Man-Bat and King Shark.
The Drones have an even stranger ability: versions of the mind-controlling alien Starro are concealed inside their stomachs, which they can vomit onto another person and use to create a copy of them. Deadshot discovers this when the trio scan him to create another duplicate.
However, the Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman Drones aren’t necessarily villains. They appear to have rebelled against Cadmus and intend to destroy its hidden army of clones, despite expecting the mission to kill them. Wonder Woman’s Drone subsequently describes the group as “the last Suicide Squad.”
The Drone conspiracy is going to be the key that connects all of DC’s new Next Level titles. In those, Rick Flag suspects that Vixen, Etrigan, members of the Bat-Family, Teen Titans, Doom Patrol and Red Hood could secretly have been replaced. It’s very similar to Marvel’s Secret Invasion arc, when Skrulls infiltrated the superhero community by impersonating our beloved heroes. In the story, Deadshot is also given technology capable of detecting the Starro creatures inside Drones, potentially making him crucial to uncovering the conspiracy.
And with Cadmus capable of cloning Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman — or combining different characters’ powers — there’s no telling how far its infiltration has spread.
Next Level: One Shot #1 is available now from DC Comics.
- Release Date
-
June 2, 2017
- Runtime
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141 minutes
- Director
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Patty Jenkins
- Writers
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Allan Heinberg, William Moulton Marston, Zack Snyder, Jason Fuchs
- Producers
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Charles Roven, Geoff Johns, Richard Suckle, Stephen Jones, Zack Synder, Deborah Snyder, Jon Berg, Wesley Coller, Steven Mnuchin
Pennsylvania police shot and killed a 22-year-old college student over the weekend. Now, his dad is shedding more light on the case. Cops were responding to a possible burglary, while Glenwood Pysher IV had just realized he was at the wrong home. The 22-year-old was waiting for friends to come get him when police shot him, his father said Wednesday (August 26).
RELATED: Atatiana Jefferson’s Family Reportedly To Receive $11.25M Settlement Nearly 7 Years After She Was Killed By Police Officer
Details About The Pennsylvania Police Shooting
Police in Upper Pottsgrove Township, northwest of Philly, responded around 12:30 a.m. Sunday (August 23) to a 911 call about a possible break-in attempt, according to the Montgomery County district attorney’s office. The office said in a statement that police found Glenwood Pysher IV at the rear of the home. Ultimately, he was shot and killed.
Pysher’s father, Glen Pysher, said his son and his friends had visited several bars earlier in the evening. They were splitting up to spend the night in two homes when his son took a wrong turn in the woods. Based on what he has been told by his son’s friends, Pysher believes his son mistakenly tried to enter what he thought was his friend’s house. His son wasn’t carrying any weapons. The dad said all Glen had was a phone and a backpack containing clothing and a few beers.
“He tried to open the doorknob and obviously startled the homeowner,” he said. “From what we understand, he announced, ‘Hey! Open the door!’ because he thought he was at his friend’s house.”
Pysher then sat down on the back porch and contacted his friends, who realized he was in the wrong place and set out to find him. But minutes later, they saw Pennsylvania police and emergency vehicles. They figured their friend would be arrested for public drunkenness. Instead, he was shot.
“At 12:32 a.m. my son was on a FaceTime call with his friends that were coming to get him,” he said. “We were told that my son was shot at 12:35 a.m. So what kind of encounter could have ensued? What kind of communication could that officer have given him?”
Police Declines To Release Names Of Officers Involved
Meanwhile, a Montgomery County Department of Public Safety dispatch record shows police were dispatched at 12:30 a.m. and arrived at 12:34 a.m. However, Upper Pottsgrove Township Police Chief Al Werner declined to release any information, including the names of any officers involved, until the investigation is complete. The Montgomery County Detective Bureau is investigating the shooting, the district attorney’s office said.
College Student’s Dad Speaks On His Character
Glenwood Pysher IV was about to begin his senior year at Saint Elizabeth University in New Jersey, where he planned to play baseball. His goal was to become a high school history teacher and coach after graduation. His father described him as a kindhearted, loving kid who could be a “knucklehead” but enjoyed helping others.
Since the Pennsylvania shooting, former teammates, coaches and others have been texting his father to share their memories of him.
“One young man in particular texted me and said, ‘I was going through a lot of really difficult things in my life. I was going the wrong way. And your son is the one who helped me put my life on track,’” the father said. “He will be sadly missed in his community.”
Pysher said police have given the family almost no information. On Wednesday, he called asking whether he could retrieve his son’s favorite pair of black shoes to bury him in. A rep told him that it could be arranged, but it didn’t happen.
“Then I got a call back saying they have to think about it,” he said. “They don’t know if they can give them to me.”
RELATED: Prayers Up! Montana Man Kills 8 Relatives, Including 4 Kids, At Sunday Dinner Before Setting Home On Fire
Associated Press writers Holly Ramer and Kate Brumback contributed to this report via AP Newsroom.
What Do You Think Roomies?
It’s not like Batman is a character whose time has been spent in sunshine and rainbows, but the newest take on the Caped Crusader is going considerably darker than most. More than three decades after Bane famously broke the Bat, Knightfall is finally receiving the adaptation fans have been waiting for, and audiences haven’t wasted any time finding it.
Just one day after it was released on August 2, Batman: Knightfall Part 1 climbed to No. 3 on the Apple TV/iTunes movie chart, trailing only Nine to Five and Pixar’s Toy Story 5. That’s an impressive start for an R-rated animated superhero movie, particularly before it even gets a physical release and it’s proof that people will always turn up for Batman.
The movie is a multipart animated event bringing to life one of the most iconic and beloved runs in the rich history of Batman comics. In Part 1, when the mysterious behemoth known only as Bane frees Batman’s entire Rogue’s Gallery from Arkham Asylum, the Caped Crusader is pushed to his mental and physical breaking point.
The cast includes Anson Mount (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) voices Bruce Wayne/Batman, with Michael Mando (Better Call Saul) as Bane, Pablo Schreiber (Halo) as Jean-Paul Valley/Azrael and Jack Giffin as Tim Drake/Robin. The adaptation remains faithful to the original comics by using Tim as Robin. Screenwriter Jeremy Adams previously teased: “It’s an old-school Tim. He’s so good in it.” Jeff Wamester directs from Adams’ screenplay, with Jim Krieg and Kimberly S. Moreau producing.
Why Is ‘Knightfall’ Rated R?
The R rating gives Knightfall greater freedom to capture the brutality of its source material. Beginning in 1993, the original storyline sees Bane systematically exhaust Bruce Wayne by freeing Arkham Asylum’s inmates and forcing Batman to battle villain after villain.
It culminates in one of the most iconic moments in Batman history, with Bane breaking Bruce’s back across his knee. Bruce’s injuries eventually lead Jean-Paul Valley to inherit the Batman mantle, only for Azrael to adopt a considerably more violent approach to crime-fighting.
Batman: Knightfall Part 1: Knightfall is available digitally now, with its 4K Blu-ray release scheduled for September 8.
- Release Date
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August 25, 2026
- Runtime
-
79 minutes
- Director
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Jeff Wamester
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Teddy bears have traditionally been a gift for kids, but one artist is giving an extra reason for adults to embrace the “kidult” plush. Fancy Teddy is a handmade teddy bear collection created by contemporary artist Jeffrey Men. But what really makes them stand out is what they’re infused with.
You can shop adult-geared plushies infused with healing crystals. We know! We didn’t realize this was a thing, either. Each bear is hand-stuffed by the artist himself with organic kapok, a light, fluffy, plant-based fiber. They’re infused with three crystals, such as amethyst for clarity and calm, citrine for wealth and positive energy, quartz for healing and energy amplification and lapis lazuli for wisdom and deep spiritual awareness.
Get The Honey Fancy Teddy at Fancy Teddy!
The imperfect teddy bears are half the appeal. Combine that with the infused healing crystals, and it’s no wonder fans are calling it ‘the teddy with good vibes.’ According to the artist, Jeffrey Men, “I always loved the idea of each one being different,” he said. “We are all imperfect, and I wanted to highlight that in each individual unique Teddy.”
Take The Honey Fancy Teddy, which is a special-edition collaboration with BeeKeeper’s Naturals Superfood Honey, for example. The nostalgic option is handmade with German mohair, genuine pebble leather and silk velvet, along with a custom oversized cotton tee that says “Fancy.” The healing crystals are inside, so you can bring good vibes to whatever space needs it most.
Not only has Fancy Teddy garnered nearly 30,000 Instagram followers, but it has also gained celebrity fans, including Ariana Madix and Lindsay Hubbard. Even more impressive, the brfand has been recognized by the Orange County Museum of Art.
There are five other Fancy Teddy offerings, including the Original, Midnight, Bubblegum, Arctic and Cosmic. There are also Mini Original, Mini Bubblegum and Mini Cosmic. The small sizes come with a clear clip-on zipper bag pouch, so you can keep it with you for positive energy throughout the day.
When you consider the fact that they are not mass-produced by a machine, feature high-end materials and include thoughtful crystals, you’re really getting something different than anything you can find in a store.
To make your plush addition feel extra special, it comes with a custom display box and birth certificate of authenticity. Each teddy is one of a kind, so it’s truly a special piece that you’ll keep forever.
Get The Honey Fancy Teddy at Fancy Teddy!
Reacher Season 4: Sydelle Noel’s wildest stunts pushed the actor through heights, injuries, fight choreography, and one accidental punch that sent a stunt performer to the ground.
In this Collider interview, Noel, who plays Tamara Green in Prime Video’s Reacher Season 4, breaks down the physical demands of working alongside Alan Ritchson. She recalls hanging from a building despite being afraid of heights, pulling her hamstring during her very first day of running scenes, and learning how punches have to be exaggerated specifically for the camera.
Sy’Rai Smith, the daughter of singer Brandy, has folks up in arms following an interview on Tuesday, August 25. Smith sparked an online frenzy after she shared her love for the reality TV show ‘Baddies.’ And spoiler alert: her fans are not having it!
RELATED: Okay?! Brandy Sings The Theme Song For ‘A Different World’ Reboot And Fans Are Shook (VIDEO)
Sy’Rai Smith Has Fans Hollerin’ Over Love For ‘Baddies’
Sy’Rai Smith teased her fans while noting her love for ‘Baddies’ during an appearance on ‘Way Up With Angela Yee.’ The artistwas promoting her new album, ‘Cold War,’ and her comments during the interview have the internet weighing in. ‘Baddies’ has a reputation for folks frequently throwing hands, and Smith surprised her fans when she joked about appearing on the show.
After Yee asked Smith if she would ever do reality TV, a voice off camera noted that the ‘Late Night’ singer “loves Natalie,” seemingly a reference to the show’s producer and cast member, Natalie Nunn.
“Sign me up,” replied Smith. “I want to do baddies. I feel like I’m going to get my a*s whooped.”
Smith was asked if she knew how to fight, and she said that she did not. However, she was not opposed to doing a celebrity boxing match similar to her uncle, Ray J.
“No. I would get sued,” she joked. “I would be in freaking jail… I cannot fight. Never have.”
After it was suggested that she be a judge on ‘Baddies,’ Smith replied: “Oh, I would do that audition,” she joked before adding, “I would do like a match like how my uncle did it.”
Fans React To Smith’s ‘Baddies’ Confession
Fans cut up after seeing the video, and many were in stitches over Smith’s comments while others issued warnings to the 23-year-old about joining ‘Baddies.’
User @_suckafreesi wrote, “Your mom was the first Black Cinderella don’t let me hear you mention Baddies again and I’m not playing…. Matter fact where’s my belt 😭.”
@lusciouss_rahh wrote, “ABSOLUTELY NOT LIL GIRL!”
@dontedvone added, “😂😂😂 She play too much. The Norwoods will not allow that lol.”
User @candacexskin noted, “She’s so sweet. If anybody ever try to fight her you’re just a bully.”
@exthetargaryen added, “Girl your mom is Cinderella, no.”
User @itsdenalinova agreed. “😂😂😂 Not with Cinderella as your mama lil sister!!”
User @vannamama joked, “When your mom is Cinderella And your Uncle is Ray J …. balance 😂❤️.”
@its_jadaamore wrote, “SyRai, please. Your mama is Brandy and you actually got talent. Girl just sing😭😭😂😂.”
@jlpipkin wrote, “Brandy, come get your daughter!”
@syraismith chimed in after all the hoop-lah to add, “Yall relax lol go get my new album tomorrow haha ❤️.”
Ray J Wins Celebrity Boxing Match Against Orlando Brown
Ray J fought Orlando Brown in a celebrity boxing match at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The celebrity fight was before the Claressa Shields–Kaye Scott match, Zeus Network aired the match. The three-round fight resulted in a win for Ray J, who was knocked-out by Supa Hot Fire earlier this year, and former pro-boxers Floyd Mayweather and Terence Crawford congratulated the singer for the win.
RELATED: Sibling Love! Brandy And Ray J’s Reunion Has Fans In Their Feels (VIDEO)
What Do You Think Roomies?
Entertainment
Apple TV’s New Ryan Reynolds Movie Is Officially “One of the Year’s Best” Ahead of 2026 Release
Ryan Reynolds stars in one of the year’s best-received action movies…and he’s not doing it from the form-fitting confines of his Deadpool costume. Reynolds is in the cockpit for Mayday, a new 1980s-set action comedy extravaganza that hits Apple TV next month. The first reactions from critics are in, and it looks like the film has scored a direct hit.
Mayday stars Reynolds as Troy “Assassin” Kelly, an SR-71 Blackbird pilot who has to bail out over the Russian wilderness after a mission gone wrong. He has the good fortune to encounter Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), a former KGB agent with a deep-rooted love of America and its culture. The two men have to work together to get Kelly out of the country before the Red Army can find him, or else the Cold War is going to get very hot, very fast. The film also stars Maria Bakalova (The Apprentice), Marcin Dorociński (The Queen’s Gambit), David Morse (The Last Thing He Told Me), and Clark Johnson (Daredevil: Born Again).
So far, it seems that the film has achieved its goal of emulating the jocular action thrillers of the 1980s, with many critics likening it to the Robert De Niro–Charles Grodin classic Midnight Run. Critic Zach Fox deems the film a “fantastic throwback to the kind of action buddy comedies we just don’t get enough of anymore,” while Variety‘s Courtney Howard calls it “gripping, compelling & hilarious.” US Weekly‘s Jonathan Sim praises the chemistry of the film’s central pairing: “Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh are a perfect duo with phenomenal chemistry.” You’ll be able to see for yourself when Mayday touches down on Apple TV on September 4.
Who Are the Creators Behind ‘Mayday’?
Mayday is written and directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the duo behind well-received action comedies Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. They’re next set to tackle the challenging Kobayashi Maru assignment of rebooting Paramount’s moribund big-screen Star Trek franchise, a decade after the Enterprise crew last warped into theaters. At a panel moderated by Collider’s Steve Weintraub at last month’s San Diego Comic Con, they revealed that the new Trek film will feature all-new characters and a future time period, separating it from the previous films of the franchise.
Mayday will be released exclusively on Apple TV on September 4. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
- Release Date
-
September 4, 2026
- Runtime
-
110 minutes
More than 25 years after Band of Brothers first aired, Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks’ World War II masterpiece remains an almost impossibly high benchmark for television. We’ve seen plenty of attempts to recapture its magic, including its own companion series The Pacific and Masters of the Air, but one of the most acclaimed WWII shows of recent years came from Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight instead and audiences have now stumbled across one of the best series around.
SAS: Rogue Heroes is absolutely soaring Prime Video. Originally premiering on BBC One in 2022, the series currently has two seasons under its belt, with a third already confirmed. The series follows David Stirling, an eccentric, bored and hospitalized young officer. Convinced that traditional commando units don’t work, he creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines.
The cast is led by Connor Swindells (Sex Education) as David Stirling, Jack O’Connell (Sinners) as Paddy Mayne and Alfie Allen (Game of Thrones) as Jock Lewes, alongside Sofia Boutella (Rebel Moon), Dominic West (The Crown), Theo Barklem-Biggs (The Inbetweeners), Corin Silva (The Bay) and Jacob Ifan (A Discovery of Witches).
‘SAS: Rogue Heroes’ Has a Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Score
The show’s critical reception makes its newfound streaming success even more impressive. Both released seasons of SAS: Rogue Heroes currently hold perfect 100% scores on Rotten Tomatoes, while their respective audience scores stand at 89% and 83%.
Its reception puts the series among the most acclaimed World War II television dramas of the 2020s. For comparison, Apple’s Masters of the Air received an 85% critics’ score, while Netflix’s All the Light We Cannot See sits considerably lower at 28%. And the story isn’t finished yet. SAS: Rogue Heroes has already been renewed for Season 3, meaning its arrival on the Prime Video charts comes at a pretty convenient time for anyone looking to catch up.
SAS: Rogue Heroes is streaming now on Prime Video.
- Release Date
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2022 – 2025-00-00
- Network
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BBC One
- Directors
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Tom Shankland, Stephen Woolfenden
- Writers
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Steven Knight
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Connor Swindells
David Stirling
-
Jack O’Connell
Paddy Mayne
26 years ago, as human civilization stepped into another new century, the world of literature expanded in exciting new directions. Creators of both fiction and non-fiction saw the new world through new lenses. Some told the old stories through new perspectives, and some found stories that were never told before. From fictional tales packed with emotions to revelatory non-fiction themes, the last 26 years have seen some phenomenal works in literature around the world.
In the last couple of decades, we’ve seen seminal non-fiction books that address significant questions about human existence, as well as fiction sensations ranging from sci-fi masterpieces like The Three-Body Problem to phenomenal thrillers like Gone Girl and everything in between, each breaking new ground with their originality and vision. While it would be criminally unfair to select just a handful of books to define the new era, here’s our ranked selection of some of the greatest books of the last 26 years.
8
‘Gone Girl’ (2012)
The third novel penned by American author Gillian Flynn, this psychological crime thriller is easily her most successful and acclaimed work to date. Gone Girl revolves around Amy Dunne, who mysteriously disappears on her fifth marriage anniversary, leaving her husband, Nick, and everyone around them in shock. When the police discover seemingly damning evidence in Amy’s personal journal, Nick becomes the main suspect, triggering a huge public spectacle. Told from Nick and Amy’s respective POVs, the book unfolds competing and often contradictory perspectives on their lives, marriage, and the events that led to Amy’s vanishing.
A dark and twisted tale about a complicated marital relationship, Gone Girl is a deliciously thrilling read with dual unreliable narrators. A literary phenomenon of the 2010s, the crime fiction novel was uniquely groundbreaking in the way it flips the classic missing-person tropes and takes readers in completely unexpected directions. Gone Girl has since been widely praised for its ingenious writing and remains an icon of 21st-century thriller literature.
7
‘Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind’ (2011)
Written by military historian Yuval Noah Harari and based on his series of lectures, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind is a popular science and popular history nonfiction book that surveys the history of Homo Sapiens. The account blends natural science, anthropology, and macro-history to survey the entire journey of human existence, beginning in the Stone Age and ending in the 21st century. The book covers four major turning points: the Cognitive, Agricultural, and Scientific revolutions, and the unification of humankind.
When first published, the book became a New York Times bestseller and earned global recognition, winning the National Library of China’s Wenjin Book Award for the best book published in 2014. While critics have acclaimed Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind for making complex timelines, biology, and anthropology easy to understand, there is also substantial scholarly criticism of the same. However, the book became a publishing phenomenon and is widely considered one of the best books of its decade.
6
‘Brief Answers to the Big Questions’ (2018)
Stephen Hawking’s final literary work, Brief Answers to the Big Questions, is a popular science book that examines the greatest mysteries of the universe. Described as “a selection of the most profound, accessible, and timely reflections” from Hawking’s personal materials, including essays, lectures, and speeches, the book addresses four main subjects: “Why Are We Here?” “Will We Survive?” “Will Technology Save Us or Destroy Us?” and “How Can We Thrive?” The book also includes a foreword by Eddie Redmayne, who won an Academy Award for portraying Hawking in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything.
Published just a few months after Hawking’s death, Brief Answers to the Big Questions re-establishes the respected physicist’s deep faith in science and how essential it is in solving humanity’s biggest problems. The book came to be noted for making several striking predictions and warnings about the future of humanity, including topics of gene editing, artificial intelligence, and religion, and how those changes could impact the trajectory of human civilization. While the book did not win any major awards, it ranks among the top nonfiction titles of the 2010s and was widely praised as Hawking’s poignant final message to humanity.
5
‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ (2005)
An international bestseller written by Swedish author Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first book of the Millennium series. The novel follows Mikael Blomkvist, a disgraced journalist who is hired by a wealthy businessman to search for his niece, who disappeared 40 years earlier. Mikael takes the help of a skilled but deeply troubled hacker named Lisbeth Salander and dives into the family’s dark secrets to uncover the truth.
Published in 2005, a few months after Larsson’s death, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo broke all the conventions of contemporary crime fiction with its atypical heroine, stark Nordic realism, and social critique. The novel became globally popular and remains Larsson’s most famous work, winning Sweden’s Glass Key Award and a British Book Award. The novel’s success set new trends for Nordic crime noir in mainstream art and culture, prompting highly acclaimed film adaptations in both Sweden and America.
4
‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ (2015)
A Japanese magic realism novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi, Before the Coffee Gets Cold tells the story of people in a small basement café in Tokyo called Funiculi Funicula. The café allows its customers to travel back in time, but they must return to their present before their cup of coffee gets cold, or they will get trapped as a ghost. Their presence and actions in the past have no bearing on their present, and the travelers can only meet those people who have visited the café.
Before the Coffee Gets Cold is a charming, emotionally resonant meditation on how we perceive time, and a beautiful and hopeful reminder that though the past cannot be changed, the future holds possibilities of doing things differently. The book was an instant success in Japan when it was published in 2015, followed by the English translation by Geoffrey Trousselot published in 2019, which became a trending topic on social media. Before the Coffee Gets Cold was followed by five sequels, with the latest being Before I Knew I Loved You, published in 2026.
3
‘The Kite Runner’ (2003)
In his debut novel, Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini pens one of the most powerful novels of 21st-century literature. The Kite Runner is set against the backdrop of the Afghan conflict of the 1970s and focuses on the Soviet–Afghan War and the exodus of Afghan refugees, as well as the rise of the Taliban regime. Growing up in a tormented nation, Amir and Hassan develop a bond that breaks on Amir’s act of transgression, leaving him to atone for two decades.
Deeply moving and often startling, The Kite Runner offers a raw window into the modern political and social history of Afghanistan, depicted through the story of two childhood friends and a father-son relationship. With themes of guilt, redemption, loyalty, and how they are impacted by classism, The Kite Runner is gut-wrenching and inspiring at the same time. The book became a global bestseller, earned widespread acclaim, and has since been adapted into several stage performances, a graphic novel, and a 2007 film by Marc Forster.
2
‘The Underground Railroad’ (2016)
Written by Afro-surrealist novelist Colson Whitehead, The Underground Railroad is an alternate-history novel that reimagines the historical titular underground network used by enslaved people to escape to the abolitionist North. Set in the 19th-century Antebellum South, the story centers on Cora, a young woman enslaved at a brutal Georgia plantation, who escapes using the titular route while being hunted down by a ruthless slave catcher. The novel depicts the titular escape network as a literal subterranean railroad system with safe houses and secret passages, tracking Cora’s escape state by state.
The Underground Railroad was massively successful at the time of its publication, winning several prestigious literary awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the National Book Award for Fiction, and the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Reviewers and critics have since praised the novel for its commentary on American history. Bold, imaginative, honest, and painful, The Underground Railroad turns a historical metaphor into a remarkable commentary on the past and present of America.
1
‘The Three-Body Problem’ (2008)
A Chinese hard science fiction novel by Liu Cixin, The Three-Body Problem is the first book in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy and is followed by The Dark Forest and Death’s End. The 2008 novel explores a fictional past, present, and future of Earth, where people encounter an alien civilization from a nearby star system with three Sun-like stars orbiting each other, defining the titular problem of astrodynamics. The book started in 2006 as a serialized story in Science Fiction World.
The Three-Body Problem became a sci-fi sensation and China’s most successful full-length novel of recent decades, earning endorsements from literary legends like George R.R. Martin and inspiring multiple adaptations. Liu Cixin’s work has been compared to that of Arthur C. Clarke and heavily praised for its mind-bending combination of hardcore physics, grand cosmic horror, and a distinct non-Western historical perspective on global affairs. The original edition won the Galaxy Award for Chinese science fiction, while the 2014 English translation by Ken Liu became the first novel by an Asian writer to win a Hugo Award for Best Novel.
- Release Date
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March 21, 2024
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Minkie Spiro, Jeremy Podeswa, Derek Tsang Kwok-Cheung, Andrew Stanton
- Writers
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David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Alexander Woo, Madhuri Shekar, Rose Cartwright
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