Editor’s note: The below interview contains major spoilers for the House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere.

Originally, the devastating sequence known as the Battle of the Gullet wasn’t meant to serve as House of the Dragon‘s Season 3 premiere. Based on how the second season wraps up, with Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Aegon’s (Tom Glynn-Carney) respective armies advancing on the stretch of sea between Dragonstone and King’s Landing, fans may have expected one more episode depicting what is arguably the bloodiest naval conflict in the so-called Dance of the Dragons — yet it never came. Showrunner and executive producer Ryan Condal later admitted that the decision to push the battle to Season 3 was made in an effort to “rebalance the season” with an ultimate destination in mind, citing a lack of “infinite time and resources” while reiterating that the series’ creative team wanted to give this highly anticipated event “the time and the space that it deserves.”

Any lingering concerns that House of the Dragon wouldn’t deliver on what Condal also described as “arguably the second most anticipated action event” of author George R.R. Martin‘s Targaryen chronicle, Fire & Blood, will likely be put to rest after tonight’s episode. Clocking in at over an hour of runtime, “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood,” written by Condal and directed by Loni Peristere, is the culmination of two years’ worth of preparation and design efforts, as well as months of actor training, to make it appear as if everyone onscreen was actually navigating the real Gullet.

Condal has also previously revealed that the sequence was shot mostly “in camera,” relying heavily on practical effects outside the obvious moments when a dragon or two was involved — and unfortunately, when the dragons do show up this time, the devastation they leave in their wake will undoubtedly have very personal consequences for Rhaenyra’s side of the Targaryen civil war. Before the Season 3 premiere, Collider spoke with several House of the Dragon cast members about the experience of filming the Battle of the Gullet and its most devastating losses.

Sharako Lohar Pursues Her “White Whale” Corlys Velaryon — at a Deadly Cost

The Battle of the Gullet, as depicted in House of the Dragon‘s Season 3 premiere, is best broken up into two sections — what plays out in the Gullet itself, between Corlys Velaryon’s (Steve Toussaint) ships and those of the Free Cities’ Triarchy, and what transpires in the skies above. While Corlys’ prowess as a mariner overseeing a great navy has earned him both a formidable reputation and the moniker of the Sea Snake, viewers haven’t really been able to see him in his element yet, so to speak. For Toussaint, getting to portray this long-awaited aspect of his character, which included both filming on a ship and swordfighting with pirates, was an absolutely “joyous” experience. “You’re a kid on the playground, but you’ve just got these incredibly expensive toys, and that’s what it felt like. All the stuff that I did when I was a child on the playground.”

If there is one regret that Toussaint does have from filming, it’s that he didn’t have the opportunity to duplicate one of his personal favorite moments from a much-beloved epic war movie. “On Master and Commander — and I know that the actor did this, that the actor suggested this — there’s a moment when the ship’s going through the whatever, and Russell Crowe is on the bow of the ship.” Toussaint even goes as far as to mime the scene in question, letting his hand trail into an imaginary sea. “He’s sort of hanging off like that, and he puts his hand in the water.”

Toussaint’s enthusiasm is readily echoed by his co-star Abigail Thorn, who first joined House of the Dragon last season as Admiral Sharako Lohar, an unashamedly brash pirate who also commands the Triarchy’s fleet. “It was the most fun I’ve ever had,” she says, citing the “months and months of prep and training” that went into bringing the Battle of the Gullet to life. Onscreen, their dynamic is significantly less complimentary, but the truth about Lohar’s intentions doesn’t come to light until she’s already agreed to pledge her ships to Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall) and the Greens.

Once the Sea Snake’s banner is directly in her sights, Lohar informs Tyland that she’s sailed across the Narrow Sea not to help turn the tide for Aegon, but to seek revenge on Corlys for the devastation he previously inflicted on her people. Not only does she plan to direct her fleet to sack High Tide, the official seat of House Velaryon, but she’s also going to hunt down Corlys personally — even if it means throwing Tyland and other armored men overboard to make her ship light enough to close the gap. From Thorn’s perspective, Lohar’s actions aren’t a consequence of sudden tunnel vision, but the pursuit of an incredibly important mission of vengeance.

“I think it does outweigh everything else. She’s Captain Ahab in this episode. I studied every version of Moby-Dick I could get my hands on: both the original novel and also the Gregory Peck performance as Ahab, I went into it a lot,” Thorn says, before citing another character she drew further inspiration from: Ricardo Montalbán in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. “Khan has that charm and that fun on top, but then there’s the brutality and the vengeance underneath it. I think Corlys is her white whale, and she is willing to risk everything and sacrifice her own men, her relationship with Tyland, and ultimately her own life, just to get a chance to be right in close and look in his eyes when he dies.”

By the time Lohar and Corlys’ ships finally collide, anticipation for their ultimate confrontation has risen even higher, and Thorn reveals that she and director Loni Peristere had discussions about how to approach the characters’ knockdown, drag-out fight: “We called that the Captain Ahab moment, because that is kind of, ‘From hell’s heart, I stab at thee. For hate’s sake, I spit my last breath.’” One version of the scene, which wound up on the cutting room floor, saw Thorn embracing that quote more literally. “There was a take that we did that we didn’t end up using where I do, in fact, spit at Steve. I remember we did that take, and I was like, ‘Steve, would you mind if I spit at you?’ And he went, ‘You do what you got to do.’”

Both parties land several devastating hits on each other, but what takes Corlys out of the fight occurs completely by chance. One moment, he’s standing on the deck, ready to deliver the final blow, and the next, he falls into the sea as the ship runs aground, his fate ultimately left unknown by the episode’s conclusion. Yet that’s not where the fight ends, because Corlys’ right-hand sailor and secret bastard son, Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim), is ready to tag in where his father left off. After previously stripping off the armor that was weighing him down, Alyn launches himself at Lohar, believing her responsible for Corlys’ death, and the two tumble off the ship into waist-deep water.

According to Salim, the original version of Alyn and Lohar’s fight to the death was intended to be “flashy,” but once cameras started rolling, what was planned as a more choreographed stunt sequence was changed into something much more visceral. “On the day, as we were in this water, we’d taken into consideration everything that had happened, the sheer brutality, these people being absolutely exhausted, and it just became brutal and just horrible. Actually, that fight, I think we did it in two or three days because it was so… not necessarily simplistic in its nature, but simplistic in its intention, of just to kill or be killed.”

While the actors’ approach to the overall fight may have been more straightforward, Thorn says she found more nuance in smaller reactions that exposed Lohar’s range of emotions while the character is fighting for her life. “That sequence was such a delight for me because, on the page, it’s very simple. It’s just two sentences, like, ‘They’re fighting, and she’s killed.’ So I got to choose throughout every single moment of the fight how she feels about each moment, and I got to decide the exact moment where she realizes she’s going to die and how she feels about that.”

Despite Lohar’s fate being written, it’s unclear, at first, who’s going to triumph — but then Alyn holds her underneath the water, never allowing her to take a full breath, and then hoists her above the surface to finish the job with a literal twist of a knife he plucks right off her belt. Thorn confirms that Lohar’s death is likely her most illuminating scene, but the actor is only willing to divulge so much about the history she personally crafted for the character. “This isn’t Sharako the Storm, the fighter — I know in my head what her real name is. In the final moment, she’s just this scared little girl.”

Salim is quick to praise his scene partner for her willingness to wholly commit to the sequence that reveals so much about both Corlys’ biggest foe and his most reluctant heir. “Abigail is, again, such a trooper because she threw her all in every single take, and so it almost forced me to really throw my all into every single take. It was an interesting sequence to see how it evolved, especially taking into consideration just what these two characters have been through the whole time.”

Thorn also notes that the version of Lohar’s death that made it into the final cut of the episode speaks to some of House of the Dragon‘s most important themes, chief among them the reminder that this battle is going to be only one of many that exacts a terrible toll on the characters. “There was this amazing, lucky moment where, as he lifts me out of the water, all the blood and grime washes off her face, and… you see the woman she could have been were it not for Corlys, if he hadn’t done what he did, and I have the answer to that in my head, too. If he hadn’t done that, we see what she could have been, and it’s this beautiful moment that says so much about the whole season, actually, and the cost of war and of vengeance.”

An Unexpected Clash of Dragons Ends in a Devastating Loss

Meanwhile, as the battle continues to rage, the arrival of dragons might initially be seen as a point in Rhaenyra’s favor, especially since their riders are firmly on the side of Team Black. Yet the audience also knows that by this point, Rhaenyra’s oldest son, Jacaerys (Harry Collett), has taken his mother’s place at the Gullet against her objections, locking her in her room in an effort to protect her. Initially, it seems as though Jace has everything under control, especially since he and his dragon, Vermax, are reluctantly accompanied by his betrothed, Baela Targaryen (Bethany Antonia), on her own dragon, Moondancer. Yet neither of them could have predicted what viewers have already learned — that Baela’s sister, Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell), has just successfully bonded with a wild dragon in the Vale named Sheepstealer and is already flying to High Tide.

Campbell, who finally became a card-carrying member of House of the Dragon‘s most unique club this season, likens the experience of filming the show’s dragon riding scenes to “the best kept secret on-set,” and at first, Rhaena and Sheepstealer’s bond (which does serve as another distinct change from Fire & Blood) seems to be off to a good start, including a scene where Sheepstealer obligingly spits up and barbecues a goat to feed his desperately hungry rider. But any viewers who thought they were in for a heartwarming sequence à la How To Train Your Dragon are in for a rude awakening, especially once Rhaena and Sheepstealer officially join the battle. Initially, the presence of another dragon seems like it’ll give Rhaenyra’s side an advantage over their enemies, but Sheepstealer is entirely untrained and completely unpredictable — and what’s worse is that he can’t tell the difference between friend and foe.

Naturally, when Jace and Baela notice another dragon indiscriminately burning ships, they leap into action, but Antonia points out the obvious detail that prevents either of them from really recognizing that Rhaena is the rider desperately trying to regain control of her new mount. “All they can see in the war is this huge beast of a thing in the air. The size comparison is so hard to even describe, but Rhaena looks like the tiniest little figure in the distance.”

Sheepstealer changes tactics to target Baela and Moondancer instead, much to Rhaena’s horror, so Jace and Vermax fly to their aid — which enables him to get close enough to make out his own cousin as the rider, but his approach has also turned them into Sheepstealer’s new target. When Jace directs Vermax to fly lower in an effort to evade the wild dragon, the consequences are tragic for both of them. Although they were previously able to survive an attack from Lohar herself thanks to Baela’s quick action, a second strike is what ultimately proves fatal. As Vermax slowly sinks toward the water, Rhaena is left reeling, gasping out Jace’s name while Sheepstealer retreats. “I think she feels the entire weight of responsibility of Jace,” Campbell admits, when teeing up how their character will be grappling with her role in events as Season 3 continues to play out. “I think, rightly so, she feels dreadful, and she knows that because of her appearance into the fight, that is the reason that has caused all this, and that doesn’t pass her by.”

The episode’s conclusion is slightly different than what’s recorded in the pages of Fire & Blood; there, Vermax is hit by a grappling hook and crashes into a burning ship, but in House of the Dragon‘s version, fans are forced to watch as the dragon is slowly dragged down into the sea while Jace tries, with all his might, to get Vermax up in the air again. Reflecting on the scene, Collett confirms that his character isn’t necessarily considering that he’ll meet his end in this moment. “In Jace’s mind, there’s always a way out of everything. He is quite smart, so to speak.” In the same breath, the actor acknowledges that the show’s changes to Vermax’s fate are intended to convince the audience that survival is still possible. “I think it makes it 10 times more tense, as well, because you see him try to unbuckle everything. He’s trying to get the dragon up. It just makes people want to scream at their TVs and go, ‘Just get up!’ or whatever they’re feeling at that point in time.”

Even after Jace is able to unbuckle himself from Vermax’s saddle, there’s no indication that this is truly the end for him, Collett adds. “Because even before he gets hit, he grabs onto a piece of wood in the sea. There are boats around. He can wave someone down.” Any remaining hope is instantly extinguished, however, when the first arrow from a nearby ship carrying Triarchy pirates hits its mark — and then a second, and then a third, delivering a major blow to both the series and Rhaenyra herself, who currently has no knowledge of the fact that she’s just lost another son. As far as Collett is concerned, though, Jace was more than aware of the danger that awaited him when he chose to fly to the Gullet so that his mother wouldn’t have to. “I think it was a true shock when he got hit by that first arrow, and it’s sad, really. But he knew he was going into battle.”

New episodes of House of the Dragon Season 3 premiere Sundays on HBO.

Dwayne Wade is always in Gabrielle Union‘s corner—and the same is true for her. In a new interview, the 3x NBA champion boasted about his wife and shared the one thing she does that can “arouse” him.

Speaking with PEOPLE at the Fragrance Foundation Awards in New York City in early June, Wade praised his wife, Union, and opened up about the little things she does that typically turn him on. “I love that she will mix different scents and different lotions,” he said.

According to Wade, Union “knows” what he likes, and she usually leans in to that. “She knows what I like to smell. She knows like the scents that kind of arouse me a little bit,” he said.

Wade, who married the “Bring It On” actress in 2014, said he loves it when his wife shows up and has that special smell about her.

“I love when I smell it, I know that it’s going to be a good night for us. Like we’re going to go out to dinner, we’re going to have a good night, and she got that scent on she knows I love, and I can’t keep my hands off of her,” said Wade.

Dwayne Wade Wants More Men To Embrace Fragrances, Says It’s For ‘Stylish’ People

Wade’s comments about Union’s scent come amid his tenure as global ambassador and face of Intuition—a men’s fragrance line by Aramis.

Wade takes his role seriously and said his goal is to help men feel more confident wearing the product. He also shared who the fragrance is for.

“You want that person to be stylish, you want that person to be confident,” he said. “You want that person to be someone that can move throughout the day and understand that the scent follows them.”

In his post as ambassador, Wade said he wants to encourage more men to use fragrance to avoid smelling “musty.” He added, “It’s actually smelling really, really good and being really, really fresh.”

Fragrance Has Always Been Part Of Dwayne Wade’s Routine

This isn’t the first time Wade has discussed the importance of fragrance. In a 2025 interview with W Magazine, the father of five said that his journey into fragrances and scents felt natural to him.

“As a young boy, you’re very impressionable. And I was impressed by my father and my uncles growing up,” he said, adding that he used to wear his dad’s cologne as a kid.

As a grown man, Wade said he knows what types of fragrances he likes to wear and what’s most important to him when choosing one.

“I need my fragrance to move throughout the day with me. When you put on certain fragrances, it is right there in your nose, and that’s all you smell—you can smell nothing else. I don’t like that. I normally go for softer fragrances, some that smell fresh or clean. You can reapply them and not smell like you work at a fragrance store,” he explained.

Wade Talks ‘Self Care’ And How His Mindset Has Shifted Over The Years

Being a scent connoisseur, Wade said that surrounding himself with potent fragrances, such as lavender, is essential to his well-being and part of his “self-care” routine.

He went on to say that he usually douses his bed and pillows with the scent when he’s getting a massage, adding that it puts him in a relaxed state of mind.

And speaking of self-care, the athlete opened up about how his mindset surrounding the topic has shifted as he’s aged.

“Growing up, you associate certain things with: this is what women do, and this is what men do. And as you get older, you become more secure in who you are, more secure in your manhood. Then you realize that [women] have had the cheat code the whole time, and we’ve been tripping,” he said.

The One Thing Wade Does With His Wife To Keep Himself Looking Fresh

Now that Wade is embracing a different side of himself, the Miami Heat star said that, in addition to massages, he’s been getting facials with his wife.

“How I show up is important to me. My wife and I, we have a cadence of getting facials,” he said, adding that he’s learned how to care for his body since retiring from the NBA.

“Humidity is not great for my skin, I break out a lot. And I was in Miami for 16 years, in the thick of it. If you go back and look at my photos, you’ll see I have bumps on my face—on my forehead, in my beard. Now I understand, as an adult, that it wasn’t great for my skin,” he finished.

Tom Holland‘s unforgettable performance of Rihanna‘s “Umbrella” may have done more than break the internet. According to a new report, it also played a major role in winning over his future wife, Zendaya. A source claimed the actress was completely captivated after watching Holland’s now-iconic 2017 appearance on “Lip Sync Battle,” where the actor stunned audiences by performing in fishnet tights, black shorts, and a corset-inspired outfit while dancing through a rain-soaked rendition of the hit song.

The performance has remained one of the most talked-about celebrity television moments in recent memory, but according to a source cited by the Daily Mail, it held special significance for Zendaya. “It’s not just sexy, but it shows how amazingly talented he is,” the source said. “It takes a lot of confidence for a straight guy to pull off drag.”

During the performance, Zendaya could be seen reacting from the audience, appearing visibly shocked as Holland fully committed to the elaborate routine. “When he was announced as Spider–Man, people were taken aback because he’s slightly wimpy,” the source continued. “But what he lacks in stature he more than makes up for in talent.”

The insider went on to suggest that the performance left a lasting impression on the actress. “You can see the shock on her face but then the admiration,” the source added. “I’m sure it’s something they will show their kids one day.”

Holland’s ‘Umbrella’ Performance Became An Instant Viral Sensation

Holland first delivered his now-legendary rendition of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” during an episode of “Lip Sync Battle” that aired in May 2017. What started as a fun television appearance quickly became a pop culture phenomenon.

After opening with a performance of Gene Kelly’s “Singin’ in the Rain,” Holland surprised the audience by emerging in fishnet tights, black shorts, and a corset-style top before launching into Rihanna’s hit song beneath a shower of artificial rain.

The performance immediately went viral and remains one of the most-viewed clips in “Lip Sync Battle” history. Across YouTube, social media platforms, and reposted clips, the routine has amassed hundreds of millions of views over the years, with fans continuing to share and celebrate it nearly a decade later.

Romance Rumors Began Shortly After ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’

Not long after Holland’s viral “Lip Sync Battle” performance, reports began circulating that the actor and Zendaya had taken their off-screen chemistry beyond the set of “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” In July 2017, a source told PEOPLE that the pair had quietly started dating while filming the Marvel blockbuster.

“They started seeing each other while they were filming Spider-Man,” the insider said. “They’ve been super careful to keep it private and out of the public eye but they’ve gone on vacations with each other and try and spend as much time as possible with one another.”

Another source suggested the relationship worked so well because of the similarities between the two stars. “They’re both really ambitious and they challenge each other, but, most importantly, they make each other crack up,” the insider explained. “They seem to have a really similar sense of humor and love joking around together. They have great banter back and forth.”

Tom Holland Recently Confirmed He And Zendaya Are Married

The report comes shortly after Holland appeared to confirm months of speculation that he and Zendaya had quietly tied the knot.

During a recent interview with Esquire, the actor was asked about AI-generated wedding images that circulated online. “No, because they were all there,” Holland replied when asked whether he had to explain the photos to family members, before adding, “That’s all you’ll get on that.”

The actor also spoke candidly about his relationship with Zendaya. “She’s my best friend, and I’m the happiest I have ever been when I’m with her,” Holland said. “But I have also never felt so supported and safe, ever. Period.”

The Couple’s Romance Began During Their ‘Spider-Man’ Days

Holland and Zendaya first sparked romance rumors in 2017 while filming “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” though they kept their relationship largely private for several years. The pair eventually confirmed their romance in 2021 and have since become one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples.

Marriage rumors intensified earlier this year when Zendaya was spotted wearing a simple gold band instead of her engagement ring during a public outing. Shortly afterward, her longtime stylist, Law Roach, appeared to confirm the speculation. “The wedding has already happened,” Roach said during an interview at the SAG Awards. “You missed it. It’s very true.”

While the newlyweds continue to keep most details of their relationship private, fans now have a new piece of lore to add to their love story: according to one insider, it all started with a pair of fishnets, a Rihanna song, and a performance no one has forgotten.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s reported plans to return to the United Kingdom with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are raising eyebrows, particularly given Harry’s repeated concerns about security in his home country. Multiple reports have suggested the Sussexes are preparing for a rare family trip to Britain in July, potentially marking the first time their children have visited the UK in several years. The reports have sparked renewed discussion because Prince Harry has spent years publicly expressing fears about bringing Meghan Markle and their children back to Britain without enhanced security protections.

The reported visit represents a notable shift from Harry’s previous comments regarding his family’s safety.

In 2022, Harry’s legal team argued in court that the duke “does not feel safe when he is in the UK given the security arrangements that were applied to him in June 2021 and will continue to be applied to him if he decides to come back.” The issue remained a sticking point for years.

Speaking to ITV in 2024, Harry said, “It’s still dangerous,” while discussing media scrutiny and security concerns. He added, “And all it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read.”

He continued, “And whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me. It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”

More recently, after losing a legal challenge related to his security arrangements, Harry told the BBC in May 2025, “I can’t see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the UK at this point.”

Harry’s Security Concerns Make The Reported Visit All The More Surprising

Because of Harry’s long-standing position on security, reports of a family visit have prompted questions about what may have changed behind the scenes.

According to reports, speculation that King Charles would personally fund security for the Sussexes is inaccurate. However, there have also been reports suggesting Harry and Meghan may have been offered accommodations during their visit, though no official details have been confirmed.

The possibility of a meeting between Harry and King Charles has also generated interest as the father and son continue to navigate a fractured relationship that has played out publicly in recent years.

Notably, there has been little indication that Prince William would be involved in any potential reunion.

Meghan Markle’s Alleged UK Homecoming Raises Questions About Her Motives

The reported trip has also fueled debate among royal commentators, some of whom question whether the visit signals a genuine attempt at reconciliation or something else entirely.

For years, both Harry and Meghan have spoken openly about their difficulties with royal life, while also participating in interviews, documentaries, podcasts, and other projects that detailed their experiences within the monarchy.

As a result, some royal watchers remain skeptical about whether a return to the UK would represent a fresh start or simply another chapter in the ongoing saga between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle’s Financial Future

The reports of a possible UK return also come amid renewed speculation about the Sussexes’ finances and whether Prince Harry could eventually seek support from King Charles.

Since stepping back as senior working royals in 2020 and relocating to California, Harry and Meghan have built a life centered around high-profile media projects, speaking engagements, and business ventures. The couple now reside in a sprawling Montecito mansion with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

However, several of their major deals have faced challenges in recent years. Meghan and Harry’s partnership with Spotify ended prematurely, while reports have suggested their relationship with Netflix has evolved since the blockbuster success of their initial documentary series.

Mounting Financial Pressures Continue To Spark Questions

Royal author Tom Bower has previously argued that maintaining the couple’s lifestyle comes with high costs, including security expenses, staff salaries, and upkeep on their Montecito estate. According to Bower, the Sussexes would likely need to generate millions of dollars annually to sustain their current standard of living.

At the same time, Harry has reportedly faced challenges connected to one of his most cherished projects, the Invictus Games. Recent reports noted concerns after funding issues impacted Invictus Australia and a key trustee stepped down, adding to questions about the long-term financial stability of organizations connected to the duke.

For now, Buckingham Palace has not publicly commented on the reports, leaving observers waiting to see whether the visit, and any potential family reunions, actually come to fruition.

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 11 seconds ago

Because I had heard some bad things about it from fellow geeks that I trust, I didn’t immediately watch Devil May Cry on Netflix. However, I played the heck out of the original games on my trusty PlayStation 2, and I eventually caved in and checked out the show. To my surprise, Season 1 absolutely blew me away. At its best, the show is an action extravaganza, delivering all the thrills of your favorite ‘80s and ‘90s movies rolled into one. At its worst, Devil May Cry is a bit like your favorite fast food: way too greasy and overly indulgent, but a fulfilling, guilty pleasure nonetheless.

While I’m now all-in on this anime, it still took me a hot minute to get to Season 2. The longer I waited, the more I worried that the new season would fully embrace the excesses of Season 1 and become a hot mess. To my delight and surprise, though, Season 2 is better in every way. It’s got more action, more cool lore, and more moments that make you want to stand up and cheer. Most of those moments are tied to killer songs, which brings me to my favorite part of Devil May Cry: thanks to its endless needle drops, it’s like one long music video aimed squarely at millennials.

Hellish Sibling Rivalry

The premise of Devil May Cry Season 2 is that demons are real and that America is in the midst of a full-blown war with Hell. The country’s strongest fighter is Dante, a half-demon, half-human mercenary who speaks violence as a second language. But he may prove to be no match for Hell’s own soldier: Vergil, the brother that he thought had died long ago. What starts out as a straightforward war between worlds quickly becomes a game of intrigue and backstabbing between a series of mysterious players, each with equally mysterious agendas. As for Dante, his agenda is quite simple: to save the world and get the girl.

Even more so than the first season, Devil May Cry Season 2 has plenty of moments for old-school gamers to get excited about. This includes the full-blown introduction of Vergil (one of the most compelling characters in the show) and plenty of extended lore about Mundus, the Big Bad of the entire show. We also get the fun introduction of Ebony and Ivory, Dante’s signature handguns from the very first game. While most of the gamer-centric content pertains to DMC, the show occasionally takes inspiration from other franchises. For example, it’s impossible to watch American soldiers invading Hell in the first episode and not think about Doom, the greatest Boomer shooter of them all.

Millennials Will See Themselves In This Anime

Devil May Cry is most certainly at its best when Dante is hacking and slashing his way through endless waves of demonic foes and getting into death-defying duels with his brother. Fortunately, the show’s quieter moments are still compelling because of the various political intrigues between over-the-top characters. It’s really great to watch everyone react to Arius’s smug monologues, and it’s quite fun to see hardline zealot Baines bouncing off Hopper, the would-be cowboy president. What I enjoyed most, though, was the growing relationship between Dante and “Lady.” Trust me: if you were ‘shipping these two in the first season, you’re going to be eating good with Season 2.

Also, if you happened to play the Devil May Cry games when they came out, you’ll love Season 2’s peak millennial soundtrack. An emotional moment between two of our most important characters hits that much sweeter once “My Immortal” from Evanescence starts playing. Action scenes, meanwhile, hit that much harder to the tune of Korn’s “Freak On a Leash” and Drowning Pool’s “Bodies.” We also get tunes from Papa Roach and GUNSHIP, my favorite retro-flavored band. Incidentally, if you have any doubt the soundtrack was chosen to serve as millennial catnip, just wait until you get the most unexpected needle drop of them all: “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne. 

Music Video: The Anime

That brings me to the best and worst thing about Devil May Cry Season 2: it sometimes feels less like an epic fantasy story and more like a series of really cool music videos strung together with cheesy dialogue. If you’re looking for something a little more substantial (like the apocalyptic vibes of Devilman Crybaby or even the gender-bending exploits of Ranma ½), then you are likely to be disappointed. However, if you’re mostly here for relentless action scenes and silly one-liners, you’ll find DMC a particularly tasty buffet of B-movie schlock. For me, a guy who was mainlining anime music videos well before YouTube, this season really hit the sweet spot.

While the entire voice cast does a great job (Scout Taylor-Compton perfectly embodies both silk and steel as Lady, and Ian James Corlett is a solid replacement for Kevin Conroy as Baines), the glue holding Devil May Cry together is Johnny Yong Bosch. He gives Dane such joyful irreverence that it’s tough not to get caught in the chaotic swirl of his charm. This is doubly impressive because Dante is often written as an arrogant and downright annoying guy. Thanks to Bosch, however, this character has all the charisma of your cool older brother and your youngest, dumbest sibling, all rolled into one.         

Care to see what the fuss is about? Want to see humanity face down the forces of Hell amid a sibling rivalry that crosses two worlds? Maybe you just want to rock to the songs you enjoyed back in high school? Devil May Cry has all of this and more. It’s currently streaming on Netflix, where you can jump right into Season 2 or stream this quirky classic from the beginning. Maybe warn your friends and family before you start, though, because you’re going to be cracking bad jokes and jamming out to butt rock long after the credits roll. 

DEVIL MAY CRY SEASON 2 REVIEW SCORE

For the longest time, Halo existed as Xbox‘s killer app that almost single-handedly made the argument to go with green instead of blue. In its war with Sony, from the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox console to the modern PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, only one side had Master Chief and the epic sci-fi military FPS action he brought with him, which completely redefined what a shooter with online multiplayer could be on consoles. Since the release of Halo: Combat Evolved in 2001, the series has racked up over 81 million copies sold and become a gaming icon to the point that John-117 is forever associated with Microsoft and their gaming line. Recent years have been rockier for both the franchise and its console, though, with Halo Infinite having a less-than-stellar release and concluding “major” updates back in November despite a ten-year plan.

Still, the Halo brand has continued to expand. Novels have helped flesh out the war-torn world, while the Paramount+ series attempted to capture the sheer sci-fi scale of Master Chief and his fellow Spartans’ fight to less-than-stellar results. The Chief has even leaped into Fortnite, and Helldivers 2 introduced a collaboration tied to Halo: ODST and its titular shock troopers. A full-fledged Halo game releasing on their rivals’ system once seemed like an impossibility, but between Xbox’s increasing willingness to branch out and the port of the original Gears of War to Sony’s console last year, it began to feel like an inevitability. Sure enough, the moment finally arrived when a modern remake of the first game, Halo: Campaign Evolved, was unveiled from Halo Studios back in October.

The newest Halo will be the first time the franchise has been available to play on a PlayStation, and it won’t even be a timed exclusive. It’s due to release on all modern platforms, save for the Nintendo Switch 2, just over one month from now on July 28, but those who pay extra for either the Premium Edition or Collector’s Edition will get five days of early access starting on July 23. Described as “a faithful yet modernized remake of Halo: Combat Evolved‘s campaign” in Unreal Engine 5, the game will offer players on both sides of the aisle, and PC, the chance to re-experience Master Chief’s original battle with the genocidal alien military alliance of the Covenant after crash-landing on the Halo ring-world. The option to play through the campaign cooperatively is back and expanded, now allowing play with up to four players online. Weapons, mechanics, and enemies from newer entries will be folded into the original missions to refresh the experience, alongside a staggering 42 skulls to modify gameplay. The only thing missing, as the title implies, is online PVP multiplayer.

‘Halo: Campaign Evolved’ Expands the Story With a Prequel

The biggest change from Combat Evolved to Campaign Evolved content-wise is the addition of three new missions in an arc called Operation Meteorite, set before the first time players are introduced to Master Chief in-game. While Halo: Reach ventured earlier in the series timeline to show humanity’s greatest defeat leading into the events of Combat Evolved, John’s history is relatively unexplored in the games themselves. Taking place one year earlier in 2551, the missions primarily focus on the relationship between the Chief and one of his closest allies throughout the original Halo trilogy and a longtime fan-favorite, Sgt. Avery Johnson, during a mission to retrieve data on the location of the Covenant home world. It’ll be packed with new environments and, as shown in preview footage, even a massive space battle.

Senior franchise story lead Jeff Easterling detailed to GameInformer in an extended preview how Operation Meteorite was designed to retrofit the Chief and Johnson’sdynamic into the original game, with help from veteran Halo novelist Troy Denning. The goal was to make it feel natural to the story of Combat Evolved while also demonstrating a clear connection to what comes next in Halo 2 and 3.

“A couple of Troy’s most popular [novels] were dealing with the early dynamics of the relationship of Sgt. Johnson and The Chief. We always felt like, Sgt. Johnson, we want to spend more time with him, and in the original [Combat Evolved], I think people forget that Sgt. Johnson actually doesn’t play a huge role. It really is only in Halo 2 and 3 where he becomes the Johnson that we know in our minds, and we try to ‘retro’ that into CE, but we’ve done some interesting things with Campaign Evolved and these three missions being paramount to elevating Johnson into the Johnson that we remember. Troy was an easy pick to be involved with that.”

Halo: Campaign Evolved is available to pre-order now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC ahead of release on July 28. Check out the cinematic story trailer in the player above.

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Release Date

2022 – 2024

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Network

Paramount+

Showrunner

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Kyle Killen

Directors

Jonathan Liebesman, Craig Zisk, Dennie Gordon, Roel Reiné, Debs Paterson

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Writers

Justine Juel Gillmer

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Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky‘s marriage is seemingly facing hurdles as sources say both of their “busy” schedules make it difficult for them to stay “connected.”

The actor has previously admitted to struggling with balancing work and home life, but things looked to be on a better path when reports emerged suggesting he was looking to scale down with work.

Chris Hemsworth also recently gave a peek into his life as a father, revealing that he tried to sneak their son on a flight with his daughter’s passport, which resulted in all of them being barred.

Chris Hemsworth And Elsa Pataky’s ‘Busy’ Schedules Make Connecting ‘Very Hard’

Hemsworth and Pataky are two very successful Hollywood actors who have featured in several blockbuster movies. However, it appears the price for success is taking a toll on their marriage as sources say their “busy” schedules have made it “very hard to stay connected.”

The 42-year-old actor has several projects in the pipeline, including “Subversion” and “Extraction 3,” while Pataky is also set to star in the upcoming spy thriller, “The Mark,” alongside Jessica Alba and Tom Hopper.

Their full calendars mean they hardly get to spend quality time together, with sources expressing shock at how Hemsworth has latched onto more work despite reports suggesting he planned to scale things down.

“In a lot of ways, they really are the couple that has it all, but it does not come easy, and the more time they spend apart for work, the tougher it gets,” an insider told Star Magazine. “It’s a bit of a shock to see Chris ramping up his work schedule like this because the last few years he’s been saying his plan was to slow things down so he could have more time for his wife and kids.”

The Marvel Star Admitted That He Struggled To Balance Work With Family Life

Hemsworth and Pataky are regarded as one of Hollywood’s most rock-solid couples, having been married since 2010.

Together they share three children, a daughter named India Rose, whom they welcomed in 2012, and twin boys, Sasha and Tristan, born in 2014.

The actor previously admitted to GQ Australia that he struggles to balance work with family life, noting that Pataky would like him to “step back and be at home with the kids more.”

He added at the time that he wants that too, but in terms of work, she has “certainly given up more” than he has since they became parents.

Chris Hemsworth’s New Busy Schedule Feels Like A ‘Big Step Backwards’ For The Couple

According to Star, Hemsworth and Pataky seemed to have a good understanding when it came to balancing work and family time.

A source noted that a major issue in their marriage has always been their busy careers, and with Hemsworth agreeing to scale back on the number of jobs he took, Pataky felt happier.

But now, the actor is reportedly signing up for multiple projects, which has left his wife concerned again.

“Elsa was thrilled when he agreed to dial work back because the pressure of their busy careers has always been the biggest factor in any of their fights over the years,” the insider noted.

They added, “It seemed like they were in a good groove, so it does feel like a big step backwards for Chris to suddenly be signing up for all this time away.”

Elsa Pataky Has Held Them Down With Her ‘Honesty’

It remains to be seen how Pataky and Hemsworth bridge the supposed gap caused by their “busy” schedules, but the “Thor” star recently shared that Pataky has been actively involved in keeping their relationship going.

In an interview with People Magazine alongside his wife, he shared that the secret to their nearly 2-decade-long marriage is her “honesty.”

“There’s an honesty, the north star of truth, that you’re going to get with Elsa. I can show something to a bunch of other people, and they might be like, ‘Oh, great work,’ but Elsa will tell me if it sucks,” he said.

“I’ll tell him, ‘That’s actually not funny. It doesn’t work,’” Pataky added.

According to the actor, this “critical sort of assessment” works perfectly and is key because his Pataky “knows who I am, and we know what each other can do.”

Chris Hemsworth Shares Funny Fatherhood Blunder

Hemsworth recently shared a cheeky peek into his life as a father, revealing that he once tried to sneak one of his twin sons on a flight with his daughter’s passport, but the immigration officials caught him.

The “Rush” actor explained in a Harper’s Bazaar Arabia interview alongside Pataky that he got the document mixed up and thought that his daughter’s passport could pass for the boy, but his efforts proved futile.

“I actually went to the airport once, and I had my daughter’s passport instead of my son’s passport… They kind of look the same,” Hemsworth began, to which Pataky simply replied, “They don’t.”

“I said, ‘Oh, yeah, this is her.’ And they were like, ‘That’s a boy. No,’” he stated. “So, yeah, that didn’t work.”

Pataky then revealed that Hemsworth and their son “couldn’t fly” because of the error.

Cinema’s spidey senses are tingling as we’re now just over a month away from Peter Parker’s return. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled to swing into theaters on July 31, and Tom Holland’s friendly neighborhood hero will have to face a world that has forgotten him entirely, following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although anonymity comes with its perks, it also means he has been forgotten by those closest to him, including Zendaya and Jacob Batalon‘s MJ and Ned.

It’s not just the husband-and-wife team of Holland and Zendaya who are gracing the latest MCU project. The ensemble also features Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/The Punisher, Michael Mando as Scorpion, and Marvin Jones III as Tombstone. But most fan excitement is held for Stranger Things favorite Sadie Sink, whose identity in the movie is as-yet-unknown. However, most expect her to be portraying Jean Grey, the powerful telekinetic from the X-Men franchise, ahead of their return in this December’s Doomsday.

Last week, a brand-new trailer for Brand New Day was released, and it earned over 3.4 million views in just two days. This follows in the footsteps of Sony’s official trailer launch back in March, which generated 718.6 million views globally in just 24 hours, making it the most-watched trailer launch of all time. In anticipation of Brand New Day‘s theatrical debut, Netflix is helping people get in the mood by taking subscribers back to where it all began next month. Starting July 1, you’ll be able to watch Spider-Man: Homecoming on Netflix, alongside the rest of the streamer’s stacked catalog.

Could ‘Brand New Day’ Mark the End of an Era?

This latest Spider-Man movie is expected to usher the character into a new era, as he transitions from adolescence to adulthood, regaining his identity and shaping it for a new chapter, just as most of us do. However, director Destin Daniel Cretton recently hinted that this could be the final chapter of Holland’s Spider-Man, saying that “Everyone should go to this (movie) as if it’s the last Spider-Man.” Of course, this has come at a similar time to comments from Holland himself about his successor, calling Adolescence breakout star Owen Cooper an “awesome” option.

Spider-Man: Homecoming is streaming on Netflix starting July 1, 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more stories.

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Release Date

July 7, 2017

Runtime

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133 minutes

Producers

Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Matt Tolmach, Patricia Whitcher, Stan Lee, Victoria Alonso, Amy Pascal

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Chris Brown previously told fans the dad bod wouldn’t be in the building during his ‘R&B’ tour with Usher, and it looks like he meant it. Breezy has been locking in on his fitness and just dropped a photo to show his progress. The now-viral flick has the ladies going WILD and ready to see what his gains will look like once the tour kicks off this month.

RELATED: Okay, Breezy! Chris Brown Sparks A FRENZY After Sharing “PSA” For The Ladies About His Upcoming Tour (WATCH) 

Chris Brown Goes Viral After Dropping Shirtless Fitness Update Ahead Of Tour

Breezy isn’t playing any games when it comes to getting in shape for his upcoming tour with Usher. He recently gave fans a lil’ progress update on his Instagram Story, posting a photo of himself posing in what looked like a backyard while rocking a black beanie and grey sweatpants. He said he snapped the pic at the end of week three and told fans they’ll just have to wait and see the final results at show time. Chris’ photo instantly had the ladies dropping heart-eye and fire emojis, with plenty saying they can’t wait to see the full glow-up.

Fans Can’t Get Enough Of Breezy’s Shirtless Post-Workout Photo

Reactions kept flooding The Shade Room’s comment section, with fans saying Chris Brown has always been fine and aging real well.

Instagram user @_shesoclazzy_ wrote, “Well damn Zaddy!!!😩😍😍🔥🔥🔥” 

Instagram user @rasheedasimone wrote, “Chris been looking good for 20 summers straight. 🔥❤️ 😮‍💨” 

While Instagram user @shortfunnygirll wrote, “I just licked my phone 😌” 

Then Instagram user @teamlove1always1 wrote, “FOREVER and ALWAYS My Man Breezy ALWAYS and FOREVER boo and FOREVER and ALWAYS My Family ALWAYS and FOREVER boo!😍💞” 

Instagram user @tarory1 wrote, “he stays fine❤️” 

Another Instagram user @davoiic3bree wrote, “Damn if “Henny & a 🍯 honey PACK” was a person… ❤️ ouuu. Come through thick CB “RBBULLKing”😝🔥😎🐂 It’s almost Showtime….✨” 

Instagram user @_theyhatemoe wrote, “Aging so well 😍😍😍🔥” 

Then another Instagram user @loveprettyki wrote, “Christopher 😍😍😍😍🔥” 

While another Instagram user @_shesalllthat wrote, “Look at my man tryna get fine for meeee!!! SEE YOU 10/9! 🤎🤎🤎” 

Finally, Instagram user @ p_themuseee wrote, “🫦 There goes my babyyyyyyyy. ‘Usher voice.’” 

Chris Previously Told Fans That Shirts Would Be Off At The Tour

Recently, Chris dropped a video telling fans that he was trying to get “as sexy as possible for the tour” and he’s focused on one thing only which is “trying to get right.” He also told Team Breezy that the shirts are definitely coming off and when they do he wants to hear the crowd go crazy. “No dad bod situations goin’ on. No honeybuns […] So, hell yeah… when I do my 1,2 go on and scream a little louder.” 

RELATED: Social Media Users Are Cuttin’ UP After Chris Brow Announced The “Clothing Theme” For His & Usher’s Upcoming Tour 

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 7 seconds ago

There are few things that make me more nervous than television revivals. Unfortunately, I’ve been burned by more than one revival that’s so bad it makes me wonder why they brought it back in the first place. The Frasier revival removed everything fans loved about the show except for Kelsey Grammar, and the result was a painfully unfunny trainwreck. Star Trek: Picard turned the optimism of The Next Generation into a grimdark slog of depression and grief. As for the X-Files revival, it was so freaking awful that it retroactively ruined the entire tangled mythology of the original show.

That’s why I started sweating when I heard that Mike Judge was bringing Beavis and Butt-Head back. The original series was a riotously raunchy staple of braindead ‘90s television, one that freaked out parents and teachers even as it enthralled an entire generation. How could a revival possibly capture the anarchic spirit and unabashedly edgy humor of the original? To my delight, though, Judge’s dimwitted duo is funnier than ever, taking swings at everything from escape rooms to the afterlife. With a new season now streaming on Netflix, now is the perfect time to dive back into the raunchiest and most irreverent cartoon ever made.

Somehow, Beavis And Butt-Head Returned

There isn’t any real ongoing story to Beavis and Butt-Head. The title refers to a pair of idiotic teenagers who live together in the same rundown house. When they aren’t failing one high school assignment after another, they are just chilling at the house and joking about whatever comes on the TV. As with the original show, the boys spend a fair amount of time waxing philosophic about music videos. 

However, in a fun twist, they now watch YouTube videos, and there’s something wonderfully surreal about watching Beavis and Butt-Head reacting to bizarre viral videos. Another fun twist is that the newer show also features stories of the boys all grown up, and while age hasn’t made them any wiser, it has made some of their exploits (watch Butt-Head try to become too fat to get evicted!) that much more amusing. Maybe Judge took a page out of Mac’s book from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; sometimes, fatter is funnier.

They Want Their MTV

The genius of Beavis and Butt-Head was always that it was much smarter than it appeared. It’s easy to dismiss the show as dumb dreck because the titular duo spends all their time obsessing over sex and bodily functions. However, all of this is part of Mike Judge’s insanely sharp satire. Beavis and Butt-Head is an echo of his thesis in Idiocracy: namely, that the country is in a constant race to the bottom, fueled by brainless teens chasing their next bit of stimuli. Beavis and Butt-Head are not meant to be outliers or outcasts; instead, they represent what modern teenagers become if everything they learn comes from a screen and not a book.

In another creator’s hands, Beavis and Butt-Head would be a very mean-spirited satire, one that served as a prolonged excuse to rant about kids these days. But Judge clearly has great affection for his wayward television sons, and he revels in putting them through a series of misadventures. In a weird way, every episode feels like a What If…? version of a teen drama. The challenges the boys face are always low stakes, like dealing with a bully or trying to flirt with girls. But everything is filtered through a central question: “what if a complete idiot were trying to do this?” The answer is, of course, complete hilarity.

Cramming In Plenty Of Laughs

There’s honestly not much more to say about Beavis and Butt-Head. The new show will easily appeal to fans of the original; after all, it retains all of the biting humor while sporting better animation and, shockingly enough, better animation. But even if you didn’t watch the old show, this series will appeal to anyone who loves down-to-earth animation. There’s none of the unhinged zoomer humor of shows like Smiling Friends and none of the tangled, overcooked lore of Rick and Morty.

It’s just funny situational humor featuring two of the stupidest characters in TV history, and watching a few episodes feels like hanging out with your dumbest high school friends. You know, the ones who always knew exactly how to make you laugh. Want to get that feeling back? Well, unless you’re gonna score tonight, all you need to do is put down the nachos, grab the remote, and stream Beavis and Butt-Head on Netflix.

BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD REVIEW SCORE