It's already October, and with Amazon officially kicking off its second Prime Day — dubbed Prime Big Deal Days — of the year tomorrow, we're getting closer and closer to the start of the holiday season. And as with other shopping events, it's an excellent time to pick up some Lego sets at generally very good prices.

Prime Big Deal Days, which runs from October 6 through October 7 for Prime members, will be ripe with discounts, but the party has started a bit early. Whether you're after savings on Lego Star Wars or Botanicals, Apple's AirPods Pro 3, the new Mac mini, or TVs of varying types and sizes, discounts are already available.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Now, as TechRadar's resident Lego expert, I've been perusing Amazon's early deal section and the shopping giant at large for discounts on iconic Lego bricks. There are the expected discounts on the Botanicals theme, which are adorable flowers and plants that you won't need to water, as well as Star Wars, Technic, and even Ideas sets.

One surprise, though, is the first sizable discounts on Lego's first-run Smart Play sets, including the Star Wars one, which we found to be pretty, pretty fun. We even spoke with Mark Hamill about them.

So ahead, I am sharing my top picks for Lego deals this Prime Big Deal Days.

Today's best Lego deals under $10

Today's best Lego Star Wars deals

Today's best Lego Botanicals deals

Today's best Lego Technic deals

Today's best Lego Disney deals

Full spoilers immediately follow for Lanterns' season 1 finale.

Lanterns episode 8 is out now on HBO Max. And, after weeks of engrossing storytelling and a surprising amount of meme-able content, it's brought the increasingly popular show's debut season to an end.

As the dust settles on Lanterns' season 1 finale, I suspect you want answers to your most burning questions. It's a good job, then, that I'm here to provide them. Just make sure you've watched this week's chapter, titled 'Dirt and Stars', before you proceed, for the purposes of spoiler avoidance!

Who murdered Hal Jordan in Lanterns?

It's only been eight weeks since Lanterns episode 1 dropped the bombshell that someone had killed Hal Jordan in its 2026 storyline, but the wait to find out the identity of his murderer has felt longer.

Well, we finally have an answer — and, after correctly guessing the individual in question in my Lanterns pre-season 1 finale predictions piece, I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself right now.

But, enough posturing: the person responsible for Hal's demise is none other than Sheriff Kerry Kane.

Truth be hold, Hal's death was more akin to manslaughter than pre-meditated murder. After all, the only reason Kerry shot the former Green Lantern — and man she was in a romantic relationship with, no less — was to protect her son Noah after Hal learns a game-changing secret about him. I'll get into the weeds of that later in this article.

So, yes, after weeks of speculation, it turns out the most unlikely candidate of all was behind Hal's death.

Does John Stewart become a Green Lantern?

Strictly speaking, yes. Prior to the release of 'Dirt and Stars', some viewers were convinced that John would become the DCU's first Yellow Lantern, but the sci-fi crime drama's latest entry dispelled that fan theory.

That said, John isn't a legitimate member of the Green Lantern Corps., aka the space cop organization set up by the Guardians of the Universe whose agents patrol the wider cosmos.

Guy Gardner, who watches over Sector-2814, is Earth's one and only official Green Lantern because our world falls under his jurisidiction. However, after John charges Hal's old ring with the Lantern Battery made by Sinestro (more on this in a moment) and comes up with his own Lantern Corps. oath, he's technically a Green Lantern, albeit an independently contracted one.

Ironically, the only way that the DC Universe's (DCU) John Stewart becomes a Lantern is because of Hal's villainous former mentor Sinestro. Want more information on him? Read my Sinestro in Lanterns explained article.

But, I digress. As we learn in 'Dirt and Stars', Sinestro was broken out of his space prison cell by none other than Noah (I'm getting to him, don't worry), marooned on the dead world of a major alien genocide, and tasked with making a Lantern Battery for Noah. Long story short: Sinestro successfully crafts said Lantern, which is charged with Fear and Will energy owing to the toxic fear gas and planet's remaining water supply.

Sinestro tries to individually manipulate and tempt John and the Hal-O-Gram (the latter being a digital back-up of Hal's consciousness) with respective promises to help them become a Lantern and be brought back to life. However, the pair reject his offers and head back to Earth, leaving a chained-up and furious Sinestro to presumably live out his days on this barren world.

Fast-forward to the end of the HBO Max show's eighth episode, and John uses Hal's ring, the Lantern Battery, and reciting of his self-made oath to become a Green Lantern.

Unsurprisingly, Guy, who's summoned by John before the latter does that, isn't exactly pleased to hear John's plan — one which John says will allow Guy to continue patrolling Sector-2814 while John only watches over and protects planet Earth. Guy is also convinced the Guardians will be angry at this rebellious development, so it'll be interesting to see if a second season of Lanterns picks up and runs with this story beat.

Anyway, John's plan means the Hal-O-Gram will be permanently erased from Hal's ring once he recites his oath. Incredibly sad though I am to see Kyle Chandler's portrayal of Hal for what could be the final time, at least there's an incredibly touching goodbye between he and Aaron Pierre's John.

Unfortunately, while we get to finally see John fly, we don't get to see him in his full Lantern super-suit. I guess we'll have to wait for his next DCU appearance for that...

Is Noah Macon a Manhunter?

Yes. Another fan theory to emerge in recent weeks, Lanterns episode 8's arrival on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services, revealed that Noah is a Manhunter.

As Kerry tells Hal prior to the latter's death, she mysteriously fell pregnant after Zoe, who appeared to be the sole remaining Manhunter, used her advanced medical technology to grow Kerry a new pinky finger. Remember, in episode 5's flashback to 2007, we learn that, at Zoe's suggestion, Kerry removed that digit on her right hand to give to the criminals chasing her to 'prove' to their mob boss that they'd caught and killed her.

Clearly, during the process of growing Kerry's new pinky finger, Zoe used her alien android tech and Manhunter blood to also make Kerry pregnant. That way, in the even that Zoe died, the Manhunters wouldn't become extinct. And, prior to Zoe's death at John's hands in episode 5 during the 2016 storyline, she tells Noah not to forget everything she's previously told him, which must mean she informed him of his true nature.

Fast-forward to the present, and Noah ambushes John when the latter returns from the dead world that Sinestro is marooned on.

Taking Hal's old ring and the Lantern Battery, Noah says he can use them alongside his Manhunter abilities to enact revenge on the Guardians for what they did to his race.

However, as evidenced by him saving Hal from that near-fatal house fire, Noah's humanity is constantly at odds with his Manhunter conditioning. And, after finding out that John mercy-killed Zoe because she was tired of her immortality and never-ending guilt over what she did to Antaan's people, Noah asks John to do the same for him.

Long story short, John decides not to mercy-kill Noah. However, the possibility of Noah's Manhunter conditioning winning out some day and threatening humanity as a whole is what pushes John to fulfil his destiny and become a Green Lantern in the DCU Chapter One TV series.

Does Lanterns have an end credits scene?

No. So, if you were hoping that Lanterns had a mid-credits or post-credits scene to stick around for, you'll be severely disappointed.

Has Lanterns season 2 been announced?

Not yet, but it's only a matter of time before Lanterns season 2 is officially given the *ahem* green light.

Indeed, Lanterns' glowing viewing figures and the assembly of a writers room have given fans hope that it'll be renewed for another season. Add in comments made by DC Studios co-head James Gunn that 'Dirt and Stars' was only the season 1 finale, not the full series finale, and things look even *double ahem* brighter for one of the most popular DCU projects so far.

How does Lanterns episode 8 set up James Gunn's Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow?

It doesn't. Okay, while we already knew that Aaron Pierre will return as John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, there's a point to be made about the fact that he'll be a Green Lantern in the follow-up to 2025's Superman movie.

Even so, Lanterns' season 1 finale doesn't tell us anything about Stewart's role in Man of Tomorrow, nor that film's wider plot. We'll just have to wait until the Gunn-directed comic book flick's first trailer to get a sense of how Stewart fits into its narrative, and/or how Lanterns sets up its story.

For now, find out everything we know so far about Man of Tomorrow, including its current release date and confirmed cast.

Ted Lasso season 4 has entered injury time at the end of its second half. Indeed, there's just one episode left of the soccer comedy-drama's latest season — and there's no telling how it'll end.

How will AFC Richmond Women react to Mae's death following their promotion to the English Women's Super League? And will they be further impacted if (or, rather, when) Zelda Stanton's hostile takeover of the club takes place? I can't answer either of those questions, but I can tell you when its season 4 finale will be released, so read on to learn more.

What is the launch time for Ted Lasso season 4 episode 10?

Titled 'The Departing Lass', Ted Lasso season 4 episode 10 is expected to premiere in the US and Canada at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Tuesday, October 6.

If you're a regular around these parts, you'll know I've often said that Apple is supposed to release the next episode of its new and returning shows every Wednesday at 12am PT in North America.

That's the company's public line, anyway. In reality, new chapters of Apple TV Originals like Ted Lasso have aired on Tuesday evenings at the previously mentioned times. With all nine episodes of Ted Lasso 4 doing just that, there's no reason to suspect that its 10th and final entry won't do likewise.

As for the rest of the world, this week's installment will still make its debut on one of the best streaming services on Wednesday, October 7. Check out the list below to see what time it'll come out near you:

• US — Tuesday, October 6 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Tuesday, October 6 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Wednesday, October 7 at 2am BST
• India — Wednesday, October 7 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore — Wednesday, October 7 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Wednesday, October 7 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Wednesday, October 7 at 1pm NZST

Has Ted Lasso season 5 been announced yet?

No. However, there have been murmurings that a fifth season of Ted Lasso is in early development. Filming could also begin in January 2027 (per 9to5Mac and Apple Insider).

Speaking to ScreenRant earlier this year, Apple TV senior vice president Eddy Cue said he hoped that more seasons would get made and that Ted Lasso is "certainly good enough" to warrant at least one more run-out.

It seems there's an appetite for more from viewers, too, after Variety reported that Ted Lasso season 4 had the biggest premiere in Apple TV history when it launched in mid-August.

Of course, its audience share could've tailed off significantly since then. Right now, though, it seems there's still a market for more Richmond-based adventures, so don't be surprised if Ted Lasso season 5 is officially given the greenlight in the days or weeks ahead.

While Frankie (Johnny Flynn) has kidnapped Bella (Lara Pulvey), rode up to the hostage meet-point on a scooter and ruined Kevin's (Paddy Considine) workplace for good, he's not even what surprised me most on last week's episode of MobLand season 2.

Eddie's (Anson Boon) relationship with grandmother Maeve (Helen Mirren) has always been unusual, but it's now progressed to uncomfortable levels. Eddie's now staying in a London flat occasionally used by Conrad (Pierce Brosnan), and wanting Gina (Teddie Allen) gone, Maeve's is making more than one kind of move on him.

Maybe that'll calm down this week... right? And when does MobLand season 2 episode 4 arrive on Paramount+?

What time can I watch MobLand season 2 episode 4 on Paramount+?

MobLand season 2 episode 4 will drop on one of the world's best streaming services in the US and Canada on Friday, October 9 at 12am PT / 3am ET.

Here's when it will be released in other nations globally:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 5pm AEST
• New Zealand – 7pm NZST

When do new episodes of MobLand season 2 come out?

MobLand season 2 will have a total of 10 episodes, with new entries airing weekly. That gives us the following schedule:

• Episode 1: out now
• Episode 2: out now
• Episode 3: out now
• Episode 4: October 9
• Episode 5: October 16
• Episode 6: October 23
• Episode 7: October 30
• Episode 8: November 6
• Episode 9: November 13
• Episode 10: November 20

One of the best-known facets of the Harry Potter world is Hogwarts, and its houses. Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw; you know the animals, the colors, the characters, the traits. You've probably even been sorted yourself, or have self-prescribed a house.

But which really are you? No, I don't mean which do you want to be, or even which one another tool like Pottermore has sorted you into. There's an even more reliable system, which exceeds even the Sorting Hat in its prescience and accuracy.

That's right: a personality quiz. Not any old personality quiz, but a tech one — this is TechRadar, after all — which will sort you into your accurate Hogwarts house. It's like you're living through the events of Harry Potter, but all based on whether you prefer Windows, MacOS or Linux, or what kind of robot vacuum you'd buy.

We've sorted questions into three batches. First up, we'll start with some simple buying decisions. Then, we'll investigate how you make such buying decisions. Finally, we'll put you into some real-world scenarios, to see how you'd act in certain tech situations.

All of these will help you know once and for all: which Harry Potter Hogwarts house do you belong to? Or, at least, which house do your tech habits point you towards?

Big fan of the franchise? We've also got a 30-question Harry Potter quiz, to prove it. And if you need to use your tech decisions as a horoscope to further refine your personality, we also have a Beatles personality quiz to see which member of the famous band you're in.

Or, you could stick to Harry Potter, and find a way to enjoy the franchise more:

The wait is almost over, horror fans, because Mike Flanagan's anticipated Carrie adaptation arrives on Prime Video this month. I've been excitedly counting down the days, as a long time fan of Flanagan's work.

His take on Carrie is set in the modern era, meaning social media plays an important part in the bullying that our protagonist faces, eventually leading up to the iconic and deadly prom scene we all know and love.

Summer H Howell is stepping into the shoes of Stephen King's Carrie White for this adaptation, which arrives on our screens in early October. She's joined by a great cast including Scream's Matthew Lillard and Samantha Sloyan, who starred in Flanagan's Netflix series Midnight Mass.

Here's everything you need to know about when and where you can watch Carrie.

What time can I watch Carrie on Prime Video?

Carrie arrives on Prime Video on Wednesday, October 7, just in time for your Halloween celebrations, alongside this month's new horror movies.

Usually new releases hit the platform at midnight Pacific Time, so based on that, here's when Carrie is expected to release around the world.

US – Wednesday, October 7 at 12am PT / 9pm ET

Canada – Wednesday, October 7 at 12am PT / 9pm ET

UK – Wednesday, October 7 at 8am BST

India – Wednesday, October 7 at 12:30pm IST

Singapore – Wednesday, October 7 at 3pm SGT

Australia – Wednesday, October 7 at 5pm AEDT

New Zealand – Wednesday, October 7at 8pm NZDT

When do new episodes of Carrie come out?

I have good news for binge watchers, because all eight episodes of Carrie will drop at the same time on October 7. You can also check out the episode titles for the upcoming series below.

Here's what to expect from Prime Video's Carrie.

Episode 1: First Period – October 7, 2026

Episode 2: Foreign Language – October 7, 2026

Episode 3: Social Studies – October 7, 2026

Episode 4: Dramatic Arts – October 7, 2026

Episode 5: Physical Education – October 7, 2026

Episode 6: Home Economics – October 7, 2026

Episode 7: Romantic Literature – October 7, 2026

Episode 8: AP Physics – October 7, 2026

Lanterns have almost reached the finish line. Only one episode remains of the HBO TV original's debut season, so it's nearly time to say goodbye to Aaron Pierre's John Stewart and Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan.

Before we do, the Green Lantern TV show's season 1 finale has got a lot of storylines to wrap up, so how successful will it be in concluding them all? I don't know, but what I can tell you is when and where Lanterns episode 8 will premiere. So, depending on where you live, here's the release date and launch time you need to know about for the hit sci-fi crime drama's eighth chapter.

When does episode 8 of Lanterns come out?

Titled 'Dirt and Stars', the comic book-inspired TV series' eighth installment will air in the US and Canada on Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

Just like the previous seven episodes, it'll make its bow a day later in other countries, so the vast majority of you will have to wait until Monday, October 5 for it. Here's a quick rundown of the dates and times for the DCU Chapter One show's season 1 finale:

• US — Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Sunday, October 4 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Monday, October 5 at 2am BST
• India — Monday, October 5 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore — Monday, October 5 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Monday, October 5 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Monday, October 5 at 1pm NZST

Where can I watch Lanterns episode 8?

So far, every episode of Lanterns has dropped on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services. Its eighth and final entry will do the same in nations that the platform has launched in.

Unfortunately, HBO Max isn't available worldwide, so some of you will have to find another TV network or streamer to watch the final episode of DC Studios' latest small-screen venture. Luckily for you, I've rounded up every place you can stream it, so read on for more details:

• US — HBO and HBO Max
• Canada — Crave
• UK — HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and Now TV
• India — JioHotstar
• Singapore — HBO Max
• Australia — HBO Max
• New Zealand — HBO Max

Has Lanterns season 2 been announced?

Not yet. However, fan hopes are growing over Lanterns season 2 due to the show's impressive viewership and a report that four new individuals to come up with ideas for Lanterns season 2.

That said, there's no guarantee that Lanterns will get a second season. Indeed, earlier in September, HBO boss Casey Bloys made me fear the worst for Lanterns season 2 when he indicated that only one DCU TV show — Superman spin-off The People v Gorilla Grodd — was the only one in active development.

Hope springs eternal in the form of comments made by showrunner Chris Mundy and DC Studios co-head James Gunn, though.

Indeed, speaking to Vanity Fair in February 2025, Mundy said he hoped that he hoped "more seasons" would be made. Meanwhile, Gunn recently confirmed (via Threads) that 'Dirt and Stars' is this season's finale, rather than the show's final-ever episode. With Lanterns also amassing an average 19 million viewers per episode during its season 1 run (per Variety), it's a case of when, not if, the DCU program is renewed for another outing.

For now, we know that John Stewart will make his next DCU appearance in Man of Tomorrow, aka Gunn's Superman sequel. While you're here, find out more on what we know so far about Man of Tomorrow and then get the full lowdown on The People v Gorilla Grodd.

We've officially entered the final three months of 2026. And, while it feels like we've collectively blinked and missed half of the year, we can console ourselves by watching one or more of the new movies and TV series that have debuted on the world's best streaming services.

Just like our September 18 streaming round-up, this week's recommendations list is predominantly populated by new shows. Top of my watch-list are a new period drama starring Florence Pugh, and a joint HBO-Sky drama with Sienna Miller and Dominic West that seems like it'll be the talk of the town for the next few weeks.

Want to know what our other top five picks are? You'll need to read on to learn more, so hop to it! — Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

East of Eden (Netflix)

I'll watch anything that Florence Pugh is in — and, if that means I have to sit through Netflix's new period drama (they're not usually my kind of thing) to see her latest powerhouse performance, I'll do just that.

To be fair, East of Eden might actually be worth streaming. For one, it's based on John Steinbeck's best-selling 1952 novel of the same name — and, while there's no guarantee that this TV adaptation will do justice to this utterly absorbing story, its star-studded cast and experienced crew suggest it'll be, at the very least, a very good watch.

All seven episodes are out now on Netflix, so Pugh fans like myself have got their weekend binge watch sorted. — TP

• Watch East of Eden on Netflix

War (HBO Max)

I did a double take when I saw how many times War's trailer had been viewed on YouTube. Sure, it looks like another must-see HBO TV Original that's brimming with star power. As I said about East of Eden, though, that doesn't mean this HBO Max program will be any good.

And yet, based on the 117 million (!) views its official trailer has accrued just two weeks before War premiered, it's clear that many of us will be seated for this explosive legal drama. Story-wise, it'll pit two prestigious law firms against each other as part of a messy divorce case involving a wealthy tech entrepreneur (Dominic West) and his film star wife (Sienna Miller).

Also available to watch on Sky/Now TV in the UK, new episodes of War will come out every week until November 19. If it's half as good as other prestige TV shows on HBO, such as Succession, we're in for a whale of a time. — TP

• Watch War on HBO Max

Scrubs season 2 (Hulu/Disney+)

Need some prescribed laughs after the long work week? I'd advise you to check back into Sacred Heart and catch up with its lovable and goofy crew for the Scrubs revival's second season.

Out now on Hulu and Disney+, this season's two-episode premiere picks up numerous threads from last season's finale, including — spoiler warning — J.D. continuing to treat Doctor Cox's recently discovered autoimmune disease.

If I've learned anything from watching this medical comedy-drama since it first aired in September 2001, it's that we can expect plenty of tears to go alongside the laughs. In short: have a box of tissues handy because you never know when Scrubs will emotionally sucker punch you. — TP

• Watch Scrubs season 2 on Hulu and Disney+

Evil Dead Burn (HBO Max)

One of many new horror movies to arrive in time for spooky season, Evil Dead Burn is all you'll need to watch if you're in the mood for lots of blood and gore.

Evil Dead Burn follows a grieving widow who fights for survival when her late husband's family turns into Deadites, aka the franchise's iconic demonic creatures, which seriously disrupts her plans to grieve in a peaceful setting.

It's a relentless, blood-soaked entry but, in my Evil Dead Burn review, I noted that it seems to prioritize jump scares over a good story. The grizzly set-pieces are highly entertaining, though, if you can look past its basic narrative. — Lucy Buglass, senior entertainment writer

• Watch Evil Dead Burn on HBO Max

Kill Jackie (Prime Video)

Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as wealthy art dealer Jackie Price in Prime Video's new TV Original, which is adapted from the Nick Harkaway novel The Price You Pay.

In it, Jackie's seemingly normal life is turned upside down when she realizes she's the target of a lethal squad of hitmen. Across eight episodes, this Amazon project follows the titular character as she refuses to run, instead relying on her dark web connections and her own ingenuity to hunt down the killers one by one in a revenge plot where she hopes to make it out alive.

Now that Reacher season 4 is over, this could be your next action-packed binge watch. — LB

• Watch Kill Jackie on Prime Video

The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part (Netflix)

Netflix's latest true crime docufilm focuses on Thomas Randolph, a Las Vegas man whose wives kept dying under mysterious circumstances. Although one death might not be suspicious, four is certainly cause for concern.

Of Randolph's six wives, only two of them survived, resulting in him eventually being convicted of murder. But, the journey to that point was complicated, prompting Dateline's Dan Slepian to make a documentary exploring this shocking case, as he works alongside filmmaker Chris Smith and local detectives to create The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part. True crime lovers won't want to miss this. — LB

• Watch The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part on Netflix

Africa: Earth's Wild Home (National Geographic/Disney+)

Africa: Earth's Wild Home follows conservationists, scientists, and local communities as they fight to save the future of the animals living in the continent.

Shocking stats show that over the last 50 years, Africa’s wildlife population has dwindled by nearly 80%, which has been a call to action for those passionate about saving the natural world.

Animals such as the armored pangolin, frequently hunted for its scales, appear in this documentary where scientists have found ways to help save the species. It's a glimmer of hope amid a world where many animals are endangered, and you'll learn a lot about ongoing conservation efforts, too. — LB

• Watch Africa: Earth's Wild Home on National Geographic and Disney+

• Lanterns' weekly viewing figures have been revealed
• On average, 19 million people have tuned in to each episode on HBO and HBO Max worldwide
• A rumored writers' room update also suggests a season 2 renewal could be imminent

Lanterns is truly shining on the world stage.

According to audience measurement experts Nielsen (via Variety), HBO's Green Lantern TV show has been a huge hit with viewers across the globe. Indeed, per Nielsen's internal data, each episode of the sci-fi crime drama's first season has been watched by an average of 19 million people across HBO and its streaming sibling HBO Max. Of that figure, 12 million are in the US alone.

Impressive numbers though they are, Lanterns' global viewership is arguably even bigger than what Nielsen has reported. Indeed, because HBO and HBO Max aren't available in some world regions, Lanterns is also available on other streaming platforms. The chances are, then, that its audience share is even greater than we realize.

To put an even bigger spotlight on its stunning performance, Lanterns' debut season has, on average, drawn in more viewers per episode than The Pitt season 2. Considering how popular the aforementioned multi-award-winning medical drama is, it's to Lanterns' credit that it's outperforming The Pitt's most recent outing.

Given its success, it's more likely than ever that Lanterns will get a second season on HBO and some of the world's best streaming services, right? As a huge fan of the Aaron Pierre- and Kyle Chandler-fronted program, I certainly hope so.

I'll readily admit I feared the worst for Lanterns season 2 after comments made by HBO boss Casey Bloys in mid-September. However, with Lanterns posting nearly 20 million average views per chapter, and DC Studios co-head James Gunn confirming (via Threads) that its eighth episode is only its debut season's finale, rather than a series finale, I'm starting to convince myself that it's a matter of when, not if, the DC Universe (DCU) TV show will get another run.

That growing confidence is helped by recent speculation that a full writers' room has been assembled to thrash out a potential plot for the DCU Chapter One show's sophomore season.

As reported by Nexus Point News, five writers have joined showrunner and co-creator Chris Mundy to come up with a compelling storyline for another season.

Vanessa Baden Kelly, who penned two of this season's eight entries, has returned, while new faces in Chris Cantwell, Nakkiah Lui, Zack Whedon, and Selwyn Seyfu Hinds have also come on board.

I should point out that the assembly of a writers' room doesn't guarantee that Lanterns season 2 has been greenlit internally. It's still possible, then, that Gunn, Mundy, and company won't move ahead with what I'd expect to be another eight-part installment.

Still, there's clearly an appetite from Lanterns' cast and crew, as well as its growing audience, for another season. Let's collectively hope that this season's finale, which airs Sunday (October 4) in the Americas and Monday (October 5) everywhere else, ends with confirmation that season 2 is officially in development.

In the meantime, check out my six big predictions for Lanterns' season 1 finale. Once you're done, see if you're brave enough to tackle my tricky Lanterns season 1 quiz.

• A new trailer for VisionQuest has been released by Marvel
• It confirms Paul Bettany's Vision could face four villains in the Disney+ show
• The sci-fi TV series will debut with a two-episode premiere in mid-October

Marvel has unveiled the official trailer for VisionQuest — and it appears to tease that Paul Bettany's Vision will face off against four different villains.

Released yesterday (October 1), the new teaser arrives just two weeks shy of the sci-fi comic book show's arrival on Disney+. For those who don't know: VisionQuest will make its worldwide debut with a two-episode premiere on Wednesday, October 14.

Anyway, as I mentioned, it seems that Vision will have something of a mini rogues gallery when his partly self-titled drops on one of the world's best streaming services. And, while it was patently obvious from the outset that one of that quartet would be Ultron, who'll once again be played by James Spader, the other three foes won't be known to anyone except the biggest Marvel comic book fans.

Jocasta, Paladin, and Coat of Arms in VisionQuest explained

Full spoilers follow for WandaVision and Avengers: Infinity War.

So, who are the seemingly nefarious individuals that, alongside Ultron, will be gunning for Bettany's synthezoid in this Marvel Phase 6 project?

The first villain we see is Paladin. Reportedly played by Todd Stashwick in this show, Paladin made his Marvel Comics debut in Daredevil #150 in January 1978.

A semi-superpowered mercenary in the source material, it seems Paladin will be sent to kill or simply incapacitate Vision, so whomever Paladin's power broker is can re-utilize his incredibly advanced technology for malicious purposes. If it's the latter, could we see the return of S.W.O.R.D and/or its disgraced head of operations Tyler Hayward, who was responsible for reanimating Vision's lifeless body in WandaVision following his death at Thanos' hands in Avengers: Infinity War?

After a few clips of Ultron threatening to continue where he left off before his apparent demise in Avengers: Age of Ultron — hey, genocidal androids are gonna genocide — the next antagonist we see is Coat of Arms.

Real name Lisa Molinari, she first appeared in Dark Reign: Young Avengers #1 in May 2009. Formerly a street artist, Molinari turns to a life of crime when she comes into contact with a mystical garment called Tiboro's Coat, which grants her an additional four arms, and allows her to use myriad magical weapons hidden within the enchanted jacket.

Of all of VisionQuest's antagonists, I'm most intrigued to see how Coat of Arms — who's expected to be played by Lauren Morais — will factor into its plot. After all, it seems she's been repurposed as a technologically advanced robot of some kind, so I'm curious to see if any of her magical abilities have also been retained for her live-action form.

Lastly, we come to Jocasta, who's said to be portrayed by T'Nia Miller.

Debuting in The Avengers #162 in August 1977, Jocasta is an android originally created to be Ultron's bride from the brainwaves of Janet van Dyne. However, she ultimately rebels against Ultron and now operates as a superhero, both individually and sometimes collectively alongside Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Based on what VisionQuest's trailers have teased, I wouldn't be shocked if, once Ultron breaks out of Vision's mind prison, he builds Jocasta to help him conquer the world. However, I think she'll inevitably turn on him, and either side with Vision or become something of an anti-hero before the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV show ends.

"Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponise him, has been in hiding," the program's plot brief reads. "Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron.

"His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepherd, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron's influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive."

For more on the Bettany-led live-action series. find out everything we know so far about VisionQuest. Once you're done, see if you can achieve 100% in my tricky VisionQuest quiz.

The best streaming services are full of horror movies in October to celebrate the spookiest time of year, so you're certainly spoiled for choice this month.

With a mix of new arrivals and horror classics headed to the streaming giants, I guarantee you won't be bored this month. Most of the new titles arrive early in the month too, so you don't have to wait very long for your frights.

Here are seven horror titles that caught my eye in October 2026.

Barbarian

Where: Hulu (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)
When: October 1

With Zach Cregger's Resident Evil in theaters, now is the perfect time to check out his first horror hit, Barbarian. Even though I've attached the trailer, I personally recommend going in knowing as little as possible, because it shocks you in the best possible way.

The movie follows a woman who arrives at a rental house, only to find its been double-booked and a man is already occupying it. With few options due to the late hour, she reluctantly agrees to stay the night. Barbarian was a huge surprise, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Hereditary 

Where: Hulu (US); rent or buy (UK); Stan (AU)
When: October 1

Ari Aster's Hereditary features one of Toni Collette's finest performances, and it really is a shame she didn't win any awards for it. This is undoubtedly a movie that will stay with you for a while, and it's perfect for those who like their horrors with a side order of pure dread.

Hereditary follows a woman as she is tormented by supernatural occurrences following the death of her mother. She begins to uncover disturbing secrets about her, and her husband and children soon end up in danger too.

Hush

Where: Netflix (US); Shudder (UK, AU)
When: October 1

It's just not Halloween without Mike Flanagan. There are so many of his titles I could've chosen, but when I saw that Hush was on Netflix, I knew I had to shout about this one.

This home invasion horror follows an author who is deaf and mute, who must try and survive when a serial killer enters her home. It's nail-bitingly tense and uses silence in a very clever way, resulting in some of the best editing I've seen in a movie. If you enjoy this, Flanagan's series Midnight Mass (also on Netflix) adapts the book we see in Hush, and it's equally good.

Lake Placid

Where: Netflix (US); rent or buy (UK); 10 (AU)
When: October 1

A silly creature feature is a staple for horror fans, and Lake Placid ticks all the right boxes. The movie is about a giant, 30-foot crocodile that terrorizes a quiet lake in Maine, which has an unfortunate name as it turns the lake is not placid at all.

Indeed, this horror comedy is a must-watch in October despite its poor reviews. It's become a 90s cult classic with a devoted following of horror fans, myself included. It's the perfect blend of scares and laughs and great to watch with friends now it's on Netflix.

Evil Dead Burn

Where: HBO Max (US); rent or buy (UK, AU)
When: October 5

The most recent entry into the Evil Dead franchise is coming to HBO Max in the US, but sadly those in other territories will have to wait. If you're in the mood for gore, carnage and plenty of scares, then Evil Dead Burn should be right up your alley.

The new movie received mixed reviews from fans, making it one of the most divisive of the series. It follows a grieving widow who seeks comfort with her late husband's family at a secluded home, only for them to transform into demonic Deadites. So she doesn't quite get the comfort she was looking for...

V/H/S/Mixtape

Where: Shudder (worldwide)
When: October 9

Found footage sensation V/H/S/ is back with a new entry, which will be streaming exclusively on Shudder this month. This time around, we're focusing on sound, rhythm, and audio, so make sure you watch V/H/S/ Mixtape with a good sound system for best results.

The anthology includes stories about a mysterious puppet show, urban exploration gone wrong, and a sound engineer who goes off on a quest following instructions from their father. So we can expect a lot of different tones here, no pun intended.

Hunting Matthew Nichols 

Where: Shudder (worldwide)
When: October 31

Finally, on Halloween Shudder is dropping a new movie called Hunting Matthew Nichols. Filmed partially in a found footage documentary style, the movie centers around a woman who is documenting the disappearance of her brother.

During the filming, she uncovers some unsettling things, and fans of supernatural tales like The Blair Witch Project should enjoy this one. It's the directorial debut for Markian Tarasiuk, and I'm keen to see what he does next.

Full spoilers follow for Lanterns episodes 1 through 7.

Lanterns is about to wrap its first season on numerous TV platforms — and what a ride it's been.

From premiere shocks and weekly fan discussions, to comic book call-backs and memes aplenty, HBO's Green Lantern TV show has delivered in more ways than one. And, with this season's eighth and final episode, titled 'Dirt and Stars', set to air shortly, viewers are hoping it sticks the landing.

Ahead of the sci-fi crime drama's season 1 finale airing worldwide, I've got thoughts on what'll happen, too. Here, then, are my 6 predictions for 'Dirt and Stars', and how it'll conclude Lanterns' debut run on some of the world's best streaming services.

1. Sinestro will create the first Yellow Lantern ring...

Given what we learned in Lanterns episode 7, and what this season's finale trailer teased, this seems inevitable — and there's plenty of evidence to back it up.

The factory/manufacturing plant that Sinestro is holed up in, his comments about fear being the most powerful force in the universe, the terror-inducing gas that was inflicted on this alien world's populace that forced them to kill each other... it all points towards the creation of the inaugural Yellow Lantern ring.

For the uninitiated: in the comics, the Yellow Lanterns — also known as the Sinestro Corps. — are powered by the emotion fear, which is represented by the color yellow on the DC Comics' emotional color spectrum.

If further proof was needed that Sinestro — potentially with the help of John Stewart and Hal Jordan's digital back-up — will use this forge, Hal's decommissioned ring, and the lingering fear gas to create a new ring, then, Lanterns' source material provides it in spades.

2... And John Stewart will use it to become a Green Lantern

Following the release of Lanterns' seventh chapter, a new fan theory concerning the fate of John Stewart spread across the internet. And no, it's got nothing to do with him dying, because we already know that Aaron Pierre will return as John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, aka the follow-up to James Gunn's Superman sequel.

Instead, a section of the DC Universe (DCU) fanbase hypothesized that Sinestro will gift his newly-manufactured ring to Stewart. Furthermore, they think Sinestro will also convince Stewart to become the first-ever Yellow Lantern.

I'll admit I was initially convinced by this possible story beat. However, the more I've sat with it, the more I believe Stewart will take the Yellow Lantern ring, and actually use it to fulfil his destiny and become a Green Lantern.

Okay, there's previous form for Stewart being a Yellow Lantern in the comics as part of the Green Lantern: Earth One series. So, while it would be a massive narrative swing if he did likewise in this live-action show, it wouldn't a complete shock.

That said, there's also the possibility that this won't happen.

For starters, in Lanterns' 'weeks ahead' teaser, we see Sinestro furiously shouting at — or after — the Hal-O-Gram, aka Hal's digital consciousness. This scene is definitely taken from Lanterns' season 1 finale so, if Stewart and the Hal-O-Gram had shockingly decided to join forces with Sinestro, why would the latter be angrily calling out to Hal's digital back-up?

Then there's the episode 8 teaser showing Stewart wearing Hal's old ring and the Hal-O-Gram telling him "you're taking a very big risk". What if that "big risk" is Stewart deciding to not only become a Green Lantern without the Guardians of the Universe's consent, but also doing so with Hal's decommissioned ring that could now be fueled by fear?

Will Stewart be able to override its new function with the sheer force of his will alone — and, by proxy, confirm another fan theory that he's a living Lantern Battery? The latter would explain how he kept that bird construct alive in episode 2 without a ring, and why he can summon the Hal-O-Gram at any time.

The first part of this question would also tie into Guy Gardner's warning that a mysterious "he" is set to "send an army to hunt" down Stewart and/or the Hal-O-Gram. Could that "he" be Sinestro? If he's been wronged by Stewart and Jordan's digital back-up, yes. As far as we know, though, Sinestro has no allies yet, so this individual could be anyone.

Regardless, expect Stewart to finally assume the superhero mantle he's been training for since he was five years old before Lanterns season 1 ends.

3. It'll confirm that Hal Jordan is officially dead in the DCU...

A lot has been written about Hal Jordan's death since it was revealed during the 10-year time jump in Lanterns episode 1.

Indeed, from fans believing he's actually gone and those hoping he'll be brought back to life via some Manhunter cloning technology, to speculation about who actually murdered him (more on this shortly), and more, Hal's demise has been one of Lanterns' biggest talking points.

Like the Stewart Yellow Lantern fan theory, I originally believed that Hal would be brought back to life. Now, I don't think he will.

Indeed, my reading of the 'Dirt' part of episode 8's title refers to the fact that Hal Jordan will be re-buried, after Stewart exhumed his resting place in episode 6's final scene. Sure, dirt can have many connotations but, given the circumstances, this feels like the best fit to me.

Additionally, I think it's far more likely that Hal will have already cheated death prior to shuffling off his mortal coil.

Again, the episode 8 trailer shows Jordan's Rushville home being set ablaze by an unknown assailant. Then, we see him lying on the floor with the same mark on his arm that Stewart had after he was fully healed by Zoe's Manhunter technology in episode 5.

Is Jordan severely injured in the aforementioned arson attack before his life is saved by a mysterious individual who happens to know their way around the Manhunter tech? I believe so. As such, I can't see Jordan surviving two assassination attempts, so the HBO Max show's eighth episode might mark Kyle Chandler's final appearance as Earth's first Green Lantern.

4. ...and Sheriff Kerry Kane was the one who killed him

It would be a soul-crushing reveal if the person charged with protecting Rushville's population, and the only person Jordan was romantically involved with, was responsible for his murder. Right now, though, all signs point towards Kelly Macdonald's Kerry Kane being the one who pulled the trigger.

Yes, there are other candidates. Jordan could have committed suicide like his dad and grandfather, but I'd like to think his demise isn't that simple. Kerry's son Noah (more on him shortly) is another option, but he seems to be the person standing over Jordan after the latter's encounter with the Manhunter healing tech, so I think we can rule him out.

Then there's Maggie, aka the diner employee who's blackmailing Stewart. Outside of this subplot, her role in the 2026 storyline feels a bit superfluous, so she could have sought revenge on Jordan for the death of her father a decade earlier. If that was the case, though, surely Maggie would also want to kill, rather than extort, Stewart.

As we've seen throughout season 1, Kane is a complicated character who has no issues keeping secrets. The fact that she's apparently one of only three people who knows Jordan is dead, and indicated that nobody witnessed the crime, are other red flags. I hope I'm wrong, but I can't see who else to point the finger at.

5. Noah Macon will be revealed as a Manhunter

A fan theory that's run for weeks now, it feels inevitable that Lanterns will reveal that Noah is actually a Manhunter.

Think about it. In episode 5, Kane told Jordan that Zoe gave her a "miracle" — the implication being that Kane and her ex-husband Billy couldn't have kids, so Zoe made one. Alternatively, Zoe could be Noah's real mom, but Kerry and Billy secretly raised him as their own.

In the same episode, Zoe also tells Noah not to forget everything she's taught him. At the time, it seemed like an innocuous throwaway line; but what if she'd informed him of his true heritage and, in the event that Zoe dies, how to use the alien android's advanced tech? That would explain how Jordan's life is saved if he's severely injured in the previously mentioned house fire, because who else would know how to not only operate the Manhunter medical equipment, but use their synthetic blood — like Zoe did with Stewart — to heal Jordan's wounds?

Furthermore, in the 2026 storyline, Noah has displayed traits characteristic of Zoe and other Manhunters. His natural charisma is not only disarming, but draws people to him (look at how many were excited to learn which college he'd chosen to attend). Throw in his mom calling him a "natural born leader", plus his apparent aspirations to become a US Senator and, potentially, President, and Noah is displaying all the ambitious hallmarks of how Manhunters infiltrate communities and eventually install themselves as a populace's power broker.

6. Lanterns episode 8 will set up something significant for Man of Tomorrow

Stewart's role in Man of Tomorrow notwithstanding, we have no idea how Lanterns will impact the sequel to last year's Superman movie.

Nevertheless, speaking about the DCU's initial lineup reveal in January 2023, DC Studios co-chief James Gunn, who's also directed Man of Tomorrow and its predecessor, hinted that Lanterns' story would be a "terrifying mystery that ties into our larger story of the DCU".

Unless those wider narrative plans for DCU Chapter One, also known as Gods and Monsters, have changed over the last three-and-a-half years, then, Lanterns' season 1 finale could have big implications for Man of Tomorrow and this cinematic franchise as a whole. 'Dirt and Stars' has got a lot of ground to cover, but let's pray it gives us some idea of what Gunn and studio co-head Peter Safran's overall plan is. In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about Man of Tomorrow.

• 4K HDR available now in the ESPN app for iOS and tvOS
• Coming to more platforms before the Super Bowl
• Will also roll out to pay-TV providers

ESPN and ESPN2 are getting 4K HDR streaming support in the US for events including Monday Night Football, NBA and NHL, plus selected live college football games, US Open tennis and big events such as the Super Bowl, the streamer has announced (via FlatpanelsHD).

"This update will deliver clearer edges, sharper colors and smoother movement — all critically important for delivering a richer and more immersive viewing experience for sports fans," ESPN says. The update is available now in the ESPN app for Apple's iOS and tvOS products, including the Apple TV 4K.

The rollout is coming to other platforms later this year, as ESPN explains: "The ESPN App on iOS and tvOS will be the first to support the new experiences, with additional connected TV platforms to follow, as well as on Disney+ in the U.S. to ESPN Unlimited subscribers."

Why isn't ESPN rolling out 4K HDR to every platform today?

The rollout is taking time because it's not just a change of video codec: as ESPN puts it, the introduction of 4K HDR "marks an important milestone to modernize ESPN’s content distribution pipeline from the ground up. Delivering 4K HDR full-time on ESPN and ESPN2 required coordinated investment across every stage of the signal chain" from capturing live events with sufficient resolution and dynamic range to decoding the data in the app to show on your screen.

ESPN says it'll also be able to deliver 4K HDR through pay-TV providers, including both traditional and digital ones, and that it will have rolled out higher quality streaming to more platforms before Super Bowl LXI. As yet, there are no details of which platforms are next on the to-do list, though we'd assume Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, LG and Samsung will all be fighting for prominence.

The rollout will continue this Fall, and you'll begin to see 4K HDR badging on your streaming devices and in the mobile app. However, Disney hasn't announced any plans to extend the rollout beyond the US.

That suggests it's going to focus on US consumers first before rolling out the upgrades in other parts of the world. "This new foundation sets the stage for us to deliver best-in-class experiences across both linear and streaming distribution — serving our sports fans. Anytime. Anywhere," ESPN says.

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If you ever need a sign that AI is coming for Hollywood then it must be that Jeffrey Katzenberg, the veteran Hollywood executive who co-founded Dreamworks, has just announced that he’s launching an AI-focused studio.

Crucially, he told The Wrap that AI output was “slop” until very recently, but that in the last couple of months something has changed. Now he wants to make feature films and TV with AI, arguing that falling production costs will mean more films and new forms of storytelling.

At the same time The Gifted, an AI-generated trailer, has just won a competition that puts $2.5m towards turning it into a proper feature film. Future Vision XPRIZE is one of the world's largest film competitions for hopeful and optimistic science fiction filmmaking that answers the question: what does a future worth building actually look like?

You can watch the trailer for The Gifted here.

Unfortunately, the industry focus on AI seems to be happening at exactly the same time that the audience is being turned off by it.

Filmustage, a movie production planning platform, analyzed Google Trends data and found searches rising on both sides of the AI debate. It found that the phrase “movies with no AI” was up 345% in the past month, while “movies made with AI” was up 112% in the same period.

Google Trends percentage increases can often be massive, so we shouldn't read too much into the numbers themselves, but the overall trend is upwards. The motivations behind those searches may be very different, but both suggest audiences increasingly want to know one thing before they watch: was AI involved?

I don't think it's hard to understand why. You only have to look at an AI film to understand why people have reservations.

You can judge the trailer for The Gifted yourself, but while it may be a stunning technical achievement that AI has made this three-minute video, if I’m judging it as a movie trailer… then I don’t want to watch the movie.

The flaws are obvious. AI is clearly very good at spectacle: lightning, explosions, collapsing buildings and impossible camera angles. Not to mention lead characters who look almost like famous actors you know, but not quite. (Is that Amy Adams in The Gifted's poster? No, it's not quite Amy Adams.)

The harder test is whether it can sustain believable characters, performances and emotional continuity for two hours rather than three minutes. If it does, then it's going to need much better dialogue than what's presented here.

I remember watching the pure-AI film Hell Grind in a theater recently, and that just about kept my attention for its 90-minute duration, but I was ready for it to be over by the end. It also played to AI’s strengths, by not trying to make its world look ‘real’. It's when AI pretends to be real life that I think it falls down the most.

Pure AI films... still look like AI

Actors, perhaps seeing a future in which their skills are not as widely appreciated, are famously against AI, but even they seem to have accepted the overall trend towards it now.

As Deadline reports, Tom Cruise earned spontaneous applause for a six minute speech during a recent BAFTA “Life in Pictures” conversation in London. Cruise talked about how AI “is coming”, but “people want to see real things”.

“There is nothing like human” said Cruise, citing a summer of blockbuster films as proof that “people want human experience.”

From what I've seen of AI movies, I'd say Cruise is exactly right. AI still can't produce an experience that looks human and the connection to the audience that goes along with that. But with even Tom Cruise acknowledging that AI is coming, and executives like Katzenberg jumping on board, AI movies seem almost inevitable now, especially with the saving in production costs that they bring with them.

But while AI might be economical, it definitely has its problems, and if people are already searching for “movies with no AI” then Hollywood has a branding problem before the AI movie era has even properly begun.

AI as another tool for filmmakers

But perhaps before we assume that AI in films means the end to human actors and an influx of AI slop, let’s talk to one of the AI studios making waves at the moment, Utopai Studios, who creates original films and television series using their own proprietary PAI software.

I talked to Kevin Chong, Chief Operating Officer at Utopai Studios.

“We don’t think of AI films as a separate genre”, explains Chong. “AI is another tool filmmakers can use to tell stories, just as visual effects, digital cinematography and virtual production became part of the filmmaking process. It can help filmmakers create worlds, achieve a level of scale that might otherwise be difficult or prohibitively expensive, and give creators more choices.”

And what about the end of human actors? “At Utopai Studios, we don’t see AI as a replacement for human actors, and that isn’t the future we’re building toward”, Chong explains. “There may be stories where a completely synthetic character makes sense creatively, just as animation has always created characters that don’t physically exist. But that is very different from saying audiences are going to stop wanting human performances.

“Performance is one of the most human parts of filmmaking”, Chong continues. “Actors bring interpretation, emotion, instinct and life experience to a character in ways that are fundamental to storytelling. AI can become another part of the filmmaking toolkit — including helping extend performances, create environments or enable things that would be difficult to achieve traditionally — but the creative decisions still need to come from people.”

Tom Cruise is right: there is nothing quite like human, but perhaps there will be a way for humans and AI to coexist in the future of movies after all.

• Avengers: Secret Wars might not make its December 2027 release date
• Various leakers suggest filming on the Marvel movie won't begin in late 2026
• Any delays would have a knock-on effect for future MCU projects

Avengers: Secret Wars might not make its December 17, 2027 launch date amid claims that its shooting schedule has been delayed by two months.

According to multiple insiders, the cameras won't start to roll on 2027's only Marvel movie until next January. X/Twitter user Apocalyptic Horseman, who has a very reliable track record when it comes to breaking comic book movie-specific news, was the first industry insider to warn fans to brace themselves for a filming delay announcement. Other leakers with more spotty track records, including DanielRPK and Alex P, quickly jumped on the bandwagon to say they'd heard the same.

In a follow-up post, Apocalyptic Horseman expanded on what they'd heard to say that a release date delay was not inevitable.

However, according to the same leaker, filming wouldn't likely wrap until late April/early May next year, meaning post-production would have to be completed in a seven to eight month timeframe if Secret Wars is to make its current December 17, 2027 launch date. With reshoots on its forebear Avengers: Doomsday being prioritized ahead of its December 18, 2026 release, I get the feeling that Secret Wars' shooting schedule and launch date will be pushed back.

I've approached Marvel and Disney for comment on this rumor, and I'll update this article if I receive a response.

Why an Avengers: Secret Wars delay would be really bad news for Marvel

If the rumors are true, Secret Wars wouldn't be the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie or Disney+ show to suffer a production and/or release date delay. Indeed, myriad other projects from the comic book giant have endured similar problems, especially in recent years.

Ordinarily, production and/or launch delays wouldn't be a bad thing for Marvel. Sure, fans have been disappointed to learn about such issues. However, if it means that a production's cast and crew aren't being run into the ground, and forced to crunch, to get it over the line to meet a set release deadline, you won't hear me or many others complaining.

That said, any delay to the sixth Avengers flick would be problematic for two major reasons.

For starters, pushing Secret Wars out of its late 2027 release slot would be a huge blow. Not only would Marvel miss out on being the biggest movie of next year's holiday season, but it would also only be the third time in the comic titan's history that it hasn't released a single movie in a calendar year — the other instances being 2009 and 2020.

There's also the inevitable knock-on effect that Secret Wars' release delay would have on future MCU films.

If the final Marvel Phase 6 movie is pushed into 2028, fans would be forced to wait around 18 months for the concluding chapter of the Marvel Multiverse Saga. That would have a significant impact on Ghost Rider, X-Men, and Black Panther 3, all of which are lined up to premiere in 2028.

So, does Marvel give Avengers: Secret Wars the breathing room it deserves to bring the Multiverse Saga to a close, and move the aforementioned trio into 2029, thereby delaying the start of MCU 2.0? Or, does it only allow fans to take stock of Secret Wars — and the last 20 years of MCU storytelling — for a few months before officially kickstarting Marvel Phase 7 in late 2028?

Admittedly, all of these 'what if?' scenarios are based on some online conjecture that Marvel and Disney have yet to officially comment on, so your guess is as good as mine. If Secret Wars has suffered production and release setbacks, though, I'm sure we'll get a proper announcement sometime soon.

In the meantime, find out everything we know so far about Avengers: Secret Wars. Then, get the full lowdown on Avengers: Doomsday ahead of its late 2026 debut.

It's almost time to wave goodbye to Lanterns. Over seven weeks after its premiere, the hit show's season 1 finale is ready to wrap up the stories of John Stewart and Hal Jordan.

Before the final episode of HBO's Green Lantern TV series, titled 'Dirt and Stars', lands on some of the world's best streaming services, I want to know who among you is the ultimate Lanterns fan.

Think it's you? If that's the case, you'll want to test your knowledge of the sci-fi crime drama's debut season by taking on my challenging quiz about the DC Universe's (DCU) latest TV series.

Below, you'll find 36 questions about the show's first seven episodes that'll put your memory to the test.

So, if you think you know your John Stewart from your Hal Jordan, your Guardians of the Universe from your Sinestro, and more besides, I dare you to see if you can achieve 100% by tackling my definitive Lanterns exam.

Lanterns season 1's eighth and final chapter will be released on HBO Max this Sunday (October 4) in North and South America, and next Monday (October 5) everywhere else.

In short, then, you don't have long to see if you've been paying enough attention to be crowned the DCU Chapter One TV series' number one fan. So, hop to it!

Once you're done, post your final score in the comments. That way, I can see who deserves to be crowned the biggest Lanterns fan.

Be sure to check back in with me once this season's final chapter has aired, too, because I'll have plenty more Lanterns coverage to bring you as the dust settles on what's likely to be a shock-filled finale.

If you're British, you're automatically a Maxine Peake superfan — regardless of your age or generation. From Silk to the hugely overlooked The Bisexual on Channel 4, she's starred in banger after banger.

Now, she stars as delusional wife Jenna in gripping Australian Apple TV thriller Last Seen, which follows emergency dispatcher Ian (Patrick Brammall) trying to find his missing daughter after a mysterious phone call suggests she's alive years after going missing.

It's a gripping watch from start to finish, but I can't help wishing that Peake had more screen time. Did that stop me blurting out "I love you" during a Zoom call about the series? Absolutely not.

More than anything, I wanted to know what Peake recommended that fans should watch next, whether that was continuing the same vibe or finding something completely different to decompress.

She went with the latter not only by choosing my favorite British comedy series of 2026, but by picking something that isn't going to cost you a dime to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Maxine Peake is a huge fan of Ann Droid on BBC iPlayer — and I don't blame her

"I would go to the BBC and I would watch Ann Droid with Diane Morgan," Peake tells me. "It's another side of some Boltonian joy."

I'd completely forgotten that this is where both Peake and Morgan come from, but even without the geographical link, it's an excellent shout. if you've not yet seen the hit comedy series, Morgan plays Linda, a secondhand AnnDroid Z58/100 Basic Eldercare Robot gifted to widow Sue (Sue Johnston) by her son Michael (Kevin Ready).

Basically, it's like Channel 4's Humans meets a Royale Family and Motherland reunion that we weren't expecting, and it's nothing short of glorious. Clearly, everybody else who's watched thinks the same thing, as season 2 was renewed shortly after all six episodes of season 1 were released.

Morgan is truly the most talented, authentic and unique voice in Western comedy at the moment, but even those, this is huge praise from Peake. Why? her first job out of drama school was snarky Twinkle in Dinnerladies, the classic Victoria Wood sitcom.

Despite only running for two seasons, it's a cornerstone of British sitcom culture, a baton that Morgan has picked up and run with. It's unexpected, but the more I think about it, I'm not sure a that a better TV pairing is possible.

If you're under the age of 30 and think of the name Celia Imrie, you likely think of the woman who farted in a log cabin during an episode of The Celebrity Traitors season 1.

Obviously you'd be factually correct, but this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of just how iconic Imrie actually is. From Acorn Antiques and Dinnerladies to Calendar Girls and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, if there's been a worthwhile British drama, she's been there to improve it.

Now, the same can be said for War on HBO Max (international) and Sky TV (UK). Following two legal firms as they represent a spouse in a high-profile divorce trial, Imrie plays Budgie, a freelance barrister working for the newly established Taylor & Byrne.

From watching the trailer below, you might have assumed, like me, that Imrie was to play the High Court Judge overseeing the trial. According to Taylor and Byrne themselves, James McArdle and Phoebe Fox, Imrie had those onset so fooled by her power, that their opening scene in episode 1 had to be entirely reshot.

'She has such inherent power'

"She is such an incredibly charismatic woman and has such an inherent power," Fox tells me. "Originally, she just turns up and is in the office with us having a scene — but they actually had to reshoot her entering the office because everyone who watched it thought that she ran the company.

"We're the bosses, but that wasn't clear, apparently. She's a dream woman to work with."

And water is wet. This news doesn't surprise me in the slightest... but what I didn't realise is that Celebrity Traitors was airing at the same time as War was being filmed, which must have been like striking gold for any other cast members with a penchant for reality TV.

"While we were filming, Traitors was on," McArdle adds. "It was really hard for the director to get me to concentrate because I just kept trying to get spoilers out of Celia and Nick (Mohammed). Celia and I knew each other from way before, so I thought she would tell me... but she never did."

Oh, didn't I mention that there's also a Celebrity Traitors reunion within the cast too? More on that later this week. For now, set your clocks ready to watch War this Friday (October 2).

September was a surprisingly stacked month for horror. I was spoiled for choice when putting together this month's horror movie recommendations, and I've got a real mixed bag to cover here too.

Most notably, September saw new entries into the Creep and Silent Hill franchises. This means there's some familiarity here for fans keen to dive into these well-established horror worlds. But, as always, Shudder had a good helping of new originals to keep us entertained too.

I spent much of this month with the following three titles, and here's what I thought of each one.

TV — The Creep Tapes season 3

Where to watch: Shudder, AMC+
Lucy's verdict: Scream

Mark Duplass can do no wrong, in my opinion. After making an appearance in the hugely successful Backrooms this year, he's gone back to his original horror roots. Indeed, The Creep Tapes season 3 is the latest installment in his found footage nightmare, and it's incredibly good.

If you're keen to deep dive into Peachfuzz's character, season 3 does exactly that. Josef's (Duplass) serial-killer alter ego is front and center here, and this feels like it's going back to the Creep we know and love. We're uncomfortably up-close to Josef here, seeing many things from his point of view, making for an effective third season which might sit with you for a long time.

It's well worth checking out the first two Creep movies if you haven't already, which are available on Prime Video in the US and Netflix in the UK.

Movie — Parasomnia

Where to watch: Shudder
Lucy's verdict: Skip

Shudder's new movie Parasomnia has an interesting premise, but it ultimately didn't do enough to keep me engaged. The movie follows a woman who has recurring night terrors — and each time they happen, awful things happen around her in the real world.

When she struggles to keep these terrors at bay, a threat emerges and terrorizes her, which makes up much of the movie's 85-minute runtime. Unfortunately, Parasomnia suffers from an over-reliance on jump scares teamed with some predictable narrative beats, so I wasn't a huge fan of this movie.

It is on the shorter side, so you may want to try it anyway, or check out the line-up of new Shudder releases to find something new.

Game — Silent Hill: Townfall

Where to play: PS5, PC
Lucy's verdict: Scream

Silent Hill has a new spin-off game starring Welcome to Derry's Jovan Adepo. It's set in the coastal town of St. Amelia, and I spent my weekend getting lost in this creepy new world.

It's important to note that Silent Hill: Townfall is separate from the main storyline, so you won't find well-known characters like Pyramid Head here. Instead, you play as newcomer Simon in a slow-burn narrative that encourages you to explore in first-person. Despite a few initial glitches like the map not loading in, I did settle nicely into Silent Hill: Townfall, and I was particularly impressed by the central location, which is modeled off a quiet Scottish town.

Silent Hill: Townfall is a relatively short game which is easy to complete in a weekend, and I recommend giving it a go.

• The teaser for Lanterns' eighth and final episode has been posted online
• It's sparked a major new fan theory about John Stewart and Sinestro
• It appears to have ties to the show's name and title card

Full spoilers immediately follow for Lanterns episode 7. Potentially huge spoilers are also discussed for Lanterns episode 8.

The trailer for Lanterns' season 1 finale has sparked a major new theory among fans — and it's got nothing to do with the central mystery surrounding Hal Jordan.

HBO's Green Lantern TV show has been a hot topic of conversation since it premiered in mid-August. Indeed, ever since Lanterns episode 1 dropped the bombshell that Hal Jordan had been murdered in its 2026 storyline, fans have, among other things, been trying to solve events surrounding this shocking moment.

With just one chapter, titled 'Dirt and Stars' remaining, many are hoping that Lanterns will explain all before its end credits roll for the final time. However, viewers are also now wondering about John Stewart's fate in the HBO Max show following the release of the forthcoming finale's teaser — and I'm starting to believe that what they're predicting might come to pass.

Is John Stewart going to become the DC Universe's first Yellow Lantern?

I'll preface what follows by saying I haven't seen 'Dirt and Stars'. I watched the first seven episodes for my spoiler-free Lanterns review, but HBO and DC Studios don't want anything from this week's chapter to leak online ahead of time. As such, members of the press won't see it prior to its debut on October 4/5, which means I have no insider information on how the season 1 story will be wrapped up.

But, I digress. With Stewart and the Hal-O-Gram — the latter being a digital back-up of Jordan's consciousness, which lives inside Jordan's Green Lantern ring — traveling off-world and crossing paths with Sinestro in episode 7, the stage is set for a dramatic season finale.

The debuting of Lanterns episode 8 teaser has only further raised our collective excitement levels. More than that, though, it's sparked a new fan theory that, as this article's sub-header acknowledges, Stewart might be getting set up to be the DC Universe's (DCU) first Yellow Lantern.

I covered the creation of the Yellow Lanterns, otherwise known as the Sinestro Corps., in my Sinestro in Lanterns explained article. Essentially, though, this antagonistic faction wield Lantern rings fueled by fear, rather than willpower, which powers Green Lantern rings.

With Yellow Lanterns being required to understand and control fear, it's not a leap to suggest that the DCU's Stewart is a prime candidate for this role.

After all, he's been trained to be fearless since the age of five, so he'd make for a perfect Yellow Lantern if the manipulative Sinestro can persuade Stewart to join his cause — something Sinestro is clearly trying to do by telling Stewart: "The Guardians [of the Universe] think fear makes you weak. They couldn't be more wrong. Fear can be the most powerful force in the universe."

Some fans are convinced that, while Stewart might not fully help to form the Sinestro Corps. in the DCU Chapter One project, he's set to become a Yellow Lantern instead of a Green one, too.

"Is it just me, or are they setting up John as a Yellow Lantern?" Reddit user MrMojoRising422 mused. "John's gonna be a Lantern.. but Green? not 100% sure," FlashyClaim also pondered, before fmalk wrote: "Maybe he's only meant to be a Lantern in [James Gunn's Superman sequel] Man of Tomorrow? After this episode 7, I wouldn't bet 100% on him been Green."

"Yeah, the finale is gonna be about Sinestro tempting John with becoming a Yellow Lantern," Maleficent-Choice254 suggested, while ArcadianBlueRogue asked: "Are....are they gonna have the balls to have John have to pick between the Green and Yellow rings?"

There's evidence to suggest this fan theory might not be so wild, either.

For one, Lanterns' title card seems to have been foreshadowing this since the show began, with its green hues subtly being replaced by a brighter yellow as the weeks have gone on. If that's not a big clue that Stewart's allegiance might switch from the Greens to the Yellows, I don't know what it is.

Additionally, Lanterns' tagline of "only one can wear the ring" implies that there can only be one Green Lantern on planet Earth. Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner is the current holder of that title so, unless Stewart finds a loophole that allows Earth to have two Green Lanterns, becoming a Yellow Lantern might be the only option available to him.

Then there's Redditors Elegant_Positive5768 and M00reC, plus X/Twitter user OlinOnBull, who've reminded us that DC Studios co-head James Gunn shared a very specific image of John Stewart when Lanterns was announced as part of the original DCU Chapter One line-up in January 2023. The picture in question? Stewart wielding a Yellow Lantern ring.

Another sign that gives legs to this hypothesis is the Hal-O-Gram telling Stewart "you're taking a very big risk" in the episode 8 teaser.

Is he warning Stewart that he's taking a major gamble by trusting Sinestro and/or becoming a Yellow Lantern, which would infuriate the Guardians? If so, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Guardians send Guy Gardner, aka Earth's current Green Lantern, to forewarn Stewart about the potential pitfalls of doing this.

The season finale's teaser confirms Gardner will show up. Furthermore, at the 1:31 mark of Lanterns' official trailer, we see Gardner telling someone that an army is going to be sent to "put you down". That trailer was edited in a way to make it seem like he was talking to Jordan, but what if it's actually Stewart who he's speaking to?

As the above X/Twitter user points out, we already know Aaron Pierre will return as John Stewart in Man of Tomorrow, but there's no word on whether he'll be a Green Lantern in one of next year's most exciting new movies.

I'll readily admit it'll be a massive — and likely controversial — swing from Lanterns' creators and wider writing team if it ends with Stewart being a Yellow Lantern rather than a Green Lantern. But hey, I'm all for narrative surprises if it's not to the detriment of a character's overarching journey. So, if all roads have been leading Stewart to become a Yellow Lantern (even if it's temporary), I'm all for it.

But, what do you think: will Stewart end season 1 as a Green or Yellow Lantern? Let me know in the comments.

I've been waiting impatiently to watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 on BBC iPlayer... and finally, the wait is almost over.

Our new cast heading to the Scottish Highlands is as follows:

• Amol Rajan, Journalist and Broadcaster
• Bella Ramsey, Actor
• James Acaster, Comedian and Podcaster
• James Blunt, Singer/Songwriter
• Jerry Hall, Model and Actress
• Joanne McNally, Comedian
• Joe Lycett, Comedian
• Julie Hesmondhalgh, Actor
• King Kenny, Content Creator
• Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Singer/Songwriter
• Maya Jama, Broadcaster and Entrepreneur  
• Michael Sheen, Actor and Presenter
• Miranda Hart, Actor and Author
• Myha’la, Actor
• Professor Hannah Fry, Broadcaster and Mathematician
• Richard E. Grant, Actor and Author
• Rob Beckett, Comedian
• Romesh Ranganathan, Comedian
• Ross Kemp, Actor and Presenter
• Sebastian Croft, Musician and Actor
• Sharon Rooney, Actor

As ever, we've got to expected the unexpected, and the below trailer teases that host Claudia Winkleman definitely has some new tricks up her sleeve.

But when will The Celebrity Traitors season 2 episodes 1 and 2 be arriving on BBC iPlayer?

What time can I watch The Celebrity Traitors season 2 episodes 1-2 on BBC iPlayer?

There are no batch uploads to BBC iPlayer this year! The Celebrity Traitors seasons 2 will have two episodes dropping this week as follows for UK fans:

• Episode 1: October 1, 8pm BST
• Episode 2: October 2, 8pm BST

Fans in the US, Australia and other international territories will have to wait for another designated streaming service to pick up episodes at a later date (e.g. Peacock in the US, or Paramount+ in Australia).

If you're a BBC licence-fee payer, you can use one of the best VPNs to stream iPlayer from anywhere in the world — check out our How to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad guide for more information.

When do new episodes of The Celebrity Traitors come out?

New episodes release on Thursdays and Fridays each week until the season 2 finale, giving us the below series schedule:

• Episode 1: October 1
• Episode 2: October 2
• Episode 3: October 8
• Episode 4: October 9
• Episode 5: October 15
• Episode 6: October 16
• Episode 7: October 22
• Episode 8: October 23
• Episode 9: October 29
• Episode 10: October 30

The most anticipated Netflix series — and perhaps the most awaited TV series of the entire year — is finally here, with East of Eden arriving later this week.

The new adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel stars Florence Pugh, Mike Faist and Christopher Abbott in its main roles, with events taking place between the 1860s and the build-up to World War I.

It's a cross-generational story that essentially retells the biblical story of Cain and Abel through the intertwined lives of two families in California's Salinas Valley; and it's epic in every sense of the world.

East of Eden is set to be a binge-watch for the ages, but exactly when does it arrive on Netflix?

What time can I watch East of Eden on Netflix?

East of Eden drops on Thursday, October 1.

As for the time, it should be the standard 12am PT / 3am ET release time that practically every other Netflix TV Original has.

For fans who don't live in North America, here's when you'll need to tune in:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 6pm AEST
• New Zealand – 8pm NZDT

When do new episodes of East of Eden come out?

All seven episodes of this season will be released at the same time. Unlike weekly drops on the likes of Prime Video, Apple TV, and Disney+, then, you won't need to wait around for new installment of East of Eden.

As this is a standalone book adaptation, there won't be a second series.

• Spider-Man 4's digital release date has been revealed
• It'll be available to watch at home in early October
• The record-breaking Marvel movie is the highest-grossing film in US history

Update: Sony has officially confirmed that Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be available to rent and/or buy at home starting Tuesday, October 6.

Additionally, it'll go on physical sale on Tuesday, December 14, with 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, and DVD options available to purchase.

Original story follows.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is set to swing onto premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms very soon.

That's according to the ever-reliable WhenToStream website, whose sources have indicated that the record-breaking Marvel movie will be available to rent or buy on October 6, 2026.

Currently, digital stores, such as Amazon, Fandango, and Apple TV, have placeholder webpages for the latest Spider-Man film, but they make no mention of an impending release date, or simply say that its digital launch is "coming soon".

Nonetheless, WhenToStream has a fantastic track record when it comes to movie-based PVOD launch date announcements, so there's no reason to doubt the aforementioned at-home release date for Brand New Day.

I've approached Marvel and Sony Pictures for comment on what WhenToStream has reported, and I'll update this article if I receive a response.

SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY (2026)Streaming: October 6, 2026PVOD (Apple, Amazon, Fandango, etc.)#SpiderManBrandNewDaywhentostream.com/spider-man-b...

— @whentostream.bsky.social (@whentostream.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-09-29T13:37:51.426Z

Whenever Spider-Man 4 makes its PVOD debut, every rental or permanent purchase will only add to the eye-watering amount of money it's already made.

At the time of writing, the Marvel Phase 6 flick has made a staggering $2.495 billion at the global box office. $950 million of that figure has been in the US alone, which is enough to make it that nation's highest-grossing movie of all-time. Star Wars: The Force Awakens had been the holder of that particular mantle, with the seventh Star Wars film making $936.6 million in the US between December 2015 and early 2016.

How long will that record last? It's hard to say. The iconic webslinger's latest big-screen adventure, which sees A-listers (and married couple) Tom Holland and Zendaya star in their fourth Spidey movie, has been lauded by pretty much everyone.

I wasn't as big on it as many others were — read my Spider-Man: Brand New Day review to find out why. Nevertheless, there's no denying that the aforementioned pair's star power, plus Spider-Man's enduring popularity, helped it to swing to unprecedented new heights.

Still, with the Marvel Cinematic Universe's (MCU) highly-anticipated next team-up film in Avengers: Doomsday set to hit theaters on December 17, it'll be fascinating to see if Spider-Man 4 can hold of its fellow comic book-inspired flick and retain its position as the biggest money-spinning movie in US history.

When might Spider-Man: Brand New Day be released on Netflix?

That's another tough question to answer, especially in light of the new 'Pay-1' worldwide agreement that Netflix and Sony announced in January 2026.

Currently, Sony-developed movies typically premiere on one of the world's best streaming services around four months after their initial theatrical release. Using that as a barometer, Brand New Day wouldn't come out on Netflix until late November, which would be an incredibly timely, well, time to arrive, as it coincides with Thanksgiving in the US.

However, things are more complicated than that. For one thing, Sony has various licensing agreements with numerous streamers that means its films have different streaming homes in different parts of the world.

For instance, Spider-Man: No Way Home, aka Brand New Day's predecessor, has regularly been available on Starz in the US. Overseas, the Spider-Man movies have come to Sky and Prime Video in the UK, and Stan and Binge in Australia. Further complicating matters is that the live-action Spidey flicks have occasionally joined Disney+ in multiple territories.

Things won't be that way for much longer, mind you. As I mentioned above, a new 'Pay-1' deal between Netflix and Sony means the latter's films will exclusively stream worldwide on Netflix following their theatrical and digital releases.

Per Netflix's blog announcing the agreement, the streaming titan said that "the new global Pay-1 arrangement will roll out gradually starting later this year as individual territory rights become available, with full global availability on Netflix in early 2029."

What does that mean for Spider-Man: Brand New Day? Theoretically, it could make its Netflix debut in the US and other countries before the end of the year.

Sure, much will depend on when Sony's current licensing deals with other streamers expires in certain parts of the world. Given Netflix's wording above, though, I wouldn't be surprised if Netflix users in multiple nations suddenly see Spider-Man 4 appear on their home page before 2026 is over, whenever that date will be.

For now, read my Spider-Man: Brand New Day ending explained piece for more on its biggest talking points. Once you're done, see why Spider-Man 4's post-credits scene might not mean what you think it does.

There aren't many episodes left of Ted Lasso season 4. In fact, only two more, including this week's chapter, remain, so there's not much time left for it to find a match-winning goal.

AFC Richmond Women will have to do so without their star striker Gemma following the potentially serious knee injury she suffered in last week's entry. Who, if anyone, will step up and try to get the team promoted? We'll have to wait for this week's installment to arrive, so read on to find out when it will.

What is the launch time for Ted Lasso season 4 episode 9?

Ted Lasso season 4's penultimate episode should come out in the US and Canada at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Tuesday, September 29.

Publicly, Apple has always stressed that new episodes of its first-party shows premiere every Wednesday at 12am PT in North America. However, every episode of the hit soccer comedy-drama's latest season has arrived on Tuesday evenings at the times listed above. Barring an unexpected launch date and time change, I'm confident season 4 episode 9 will do likewise.

As for the rest of the world, this week's entry will air on Apple TV, aka one of the world's best streaming services, on Wednesday, September 30. Read on to see what time it'll be released near you:

• US — Tuesday, September 29 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Tuesday, September 29 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Wednesday, September 30 at 2am BST
• India — Wednesday, September 30 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore — Wednesday, September 30 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Wednesday, September 30 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Wednesday, September 30 at 1pm NZST

When is the final episode of Ted Lasso season 4 set to come out?

The 10th and final episode of the Apple TV show's fourth season will kick off on Tuesday, October 6, in North and South America. Meanwhile, viewers on other continents will have to wait until Wednesday, October 7 to catch the series' latest finale.

What'll happen in it? Its story will be dictated by what goes down in its predecessor — i.e. season 4 episode 9. So, be sure to tune in to Ted Lasso's next chapter to see what it'll set up ahead of this season's last hurrah.

It's probably wrong to fall in love with villains, but Harry's (Tom Hardy) new arch-rival Frankie (Johnny Flynn) is exactly what MobLand season 2 needed.

Somewhere between the third Gallagher brother and a so-called "prick on a scooter," Frankie's unnervingly mundane tone is only just beginning to do some serious damage... not that it would be too hard to impact the fractured Harrigan family.

With Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) and Kevin's (Paddy Considine) feud reaching new levels and Seraphina (Mandeep Dhillon) trying to strike out on her own, absolutely everybody is playing into Kat's (Janet McTeer) hands.

But, can things be salvaged in time? And, more importantly when does MobLand season 2 episode 3 arrive on Paramount+?

What time can I watch MobLand season 2 episode 3 on Paramount+?

MobLand season 2 episode 3 will drop on one of the world's best streaming services in the US and Canada on Friday, October 2 at 12am PT / 3am ET.

Here's when it will be released in other nations globally:

• US – 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada – 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK – 8am BST
• India – 12:30pm IST
• Singapore – 3pm SGT
• Australia – 5pm AEST
• New Zealand – 7pm NZST

When do new episodes of MobLand season 2 come out?

MobLand season 2 will have a total of 10 episodes, with new entries airing weekly. That gives us the following schedule:

• Episode 1: out now
• Episode 2: out now
• Episode 3: October 2
• Episode 4: October 9
• Episode 5: October 16
• Episode 6: October 23
• Episode 7: October 30
• Episode 8: November 6
• Episode 9: November 13
• Episode 10: November 20

It's almost time to enjoy the final Marvel TV show of 2026.

VisionQuest, starring Paul Bettany as the titular android, will make its Disney+ debut in mid-October — and to celebrate its impending release, I've put together a tricky quiz that covers the superhero's story so far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Set some time after WandaVision's finale, the third and final project of the Wanda- and Vision-fronted TV trilogy will reunite us with the rebooted synthezoid who, "having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding," according to an official press release.

"Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron," the Marvel Phase 6 TV show's synopsis continues. "His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron's influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive."

Think you have what it takes to be crowned the ultimate Vision fanatic? I challenge you to put your MCU knowledge to the test by taking on my 20-question quiz below. Once you've completed it, post your score in the comments section to see how you did against your peers.

VisionQuest will drop on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services, on October 13/14, depending on where you live.

Before it comes out, be sure to learn everything we know so far about VisionQuest, and then read up on how to watch the Marvel movies in order if you plan on rewatching every MCU film and TV show Vision's in.

Calling NFL Week 3 crunch time might seem a touch dramatic, but since 1990 only 38 of 288 teams that have got off to a 0-2 start have gone on to make the playoffs. Three of them – the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants – went on to win the Super Bowl.

The Buccaneers, Texans and Colts are three of eight teams staring down the barrel of an excruciatingly long season, and unlike many of the other five, Tampa Bay, Houston and Indianapolis held serious Vince Lombardi Trophy aspirations at the start of the campaign.

Scroll down for our pick of the top five NFL Week 3 games – and who's showing them.

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Bengals vs Steelers

• Sunday, 1pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US) | FREE on TVNZ+ (NZ)

Things could get real ugly at Acrisure Stadium, as the Steelers, who failed to score a touchdown in a 3-20 defeat by the Patriots last week, host their AFC North rivals the Bengals, who shut out the Texans in a 20-6 beatdown. The Black and Gold defense might actually give Joe Burrow a few problems, but will Aaron Rodgers be able to capitalise? Pittsburgh's offense ranks dead-last in the NFL for points scored, and he's already been sacked six times.

Texans vs Colts

• Sunday, 1pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US)

Both the Texans and Colts entered the campaign with playoff expectations, but the AFC South rivals are yet to win a game between them. Although Houston squeaked in despite getting out to a 0-3 start a year ago, Indianapolis missed the cut despite an 8-2 start. That effectively makes this an early do-or-die clash, and although CJ Stroud still looks way off it, Indy rank dead-last in the NFL in total defense. He's got to hand the reins to David Montgomery.

Vikings vs Buccaneers

• Sunday, 4.05pm ET, Fox/Fox One (US)

The Vikings are 2-0 and the Buccaneers are 0-2 and coming off a humiliating defeat by the Browns, but Kyler Murray's impending return has the potential to stall Minnesota's momentum. How Murray will fit into Kevin O'Connell's system was the subject of endless speculation in the offseason, and we're yet to get any answers because he suffered a concussion minutes into his debut. This could be the slice of luck Todd Bowles so desperately needs.

Ravens vs Cowboys

• Sunday, 4.25pm ET, CBS/Paramount+ (US) | FREE on 5 (UK) & Virgin Media Play (IRE)

We don't know what it is about Brazil, but NFL International Series games in the land of samba almost always turn into shootouts, and we're expecting the Ravens' meeting with the Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro to be another high-scoring affair. Even if Zay Flowers' hamstring isn't up to scratch, Baltimore should have the edge seeing as Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are the worst matchup imaginable for one of the most hapless rush defenses in the league.

Rams vs Broncos

• Sunday, 8.20pm ET, NBC/Peacock (US)

The Rams bounced back from their horrorshow Down Under by destroying the underhanded Giants, but the Broncos represent a step up in competition. Bo Nix and Jaylen Waddle hit things off in an impressive victory over the Jaguars last weekend, and with home-field advantage at altitude, there's a real possibility the preseason Super Bowl favourites fall to 1-2 for the season under the Sunday Night Football lights.

Use a VPN to watch NFL Week 3 live streams

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. One of our favourites is IPVanish – it does everything and comes with up to 83% off.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

There's meta, and then there's Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

We've been following awkward comic book owner Stuart (Kevin Sussman), who accidentally triggered a multiverse Armageddon after breaking a device supposedly built by Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki).

Did we see the latter two appear in any of season 1's 10 episodes? No. Does the fact that many of The Big Bang Theory cameos and a season 2 renewal mean we should hold out hope for the future? Absolutely.

However, absolutely nothing is guaranteed in this HBO Max show. Given that the core concept shifts between universes, creators Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady could come up with literally anything they wanted, and it makes canonical sense.

This leaves us with the biggest TV guessing game of all, so let's try and work out what Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2 will look like together.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2 release window predictions

We've currently got no idea when season 2 could start production or be released, but we do know that episodes are pretty quick to film. If you think of production in sitcom format, episodes could be turned around as soon as six months' time.

However, my best guess would be that we'll likely see new episodes in summer 2027. Chuck Lorre is a busy man with a lot of plates spinning, after all.

“We’re delighted with how this hilarious, genre-bending show from Chuck, Zak, and Bill has connected with the audience, both devotees of The Big Bang Theory and new fans alike,” Amy Gravitt, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series, said when the renewal was announced in August.

“Along with everyone else, we can’t wait to see the worlds they conjure for these beloved characters next season.”

Writing has begun for new episodes, though, so stay tuned.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2 trailer: is there one?

Don't be silly. It took us until the end of June 2026 to get one for season 1, so expect the first full trailer to arrive around two weeks before the second season does.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2 cast

We can expect the below awesome foursome to return for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2:

• Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom
• Lauren Lapkus as Denise
• Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler
• John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke

Obviously, season 1 had a lot of surprise cameos, meaning any of the below could also be eligible to return in an unspecified alternate form:

• Kunal Nayyar as Alternate Raj
• Wil Wheaton as Alternate Wil Wheaton
• Mayim Bialik as Alternate Amy Farrah Fowler
• Kaley Cuoco as Alternate Penny
• Melissa Rauch as Alternate Bernadette
• Christine Baranski as Herself
• Riki Lindhome as Ramona Nowitzki

We can also expect new cast members to be announced, though we likely won't find out who until closer to the show's release... and given how many surprises there were in season 1, possibly not even until episodes air.

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2 plot predictions

For once in my life, I've got no idea what to put here. Obviously, the core concept of Stuart, Denise, Kripke, and Bert landing in a different universe in each episode will stay firm, but what that will look like is anybody's guess at this stage.

While writing for new episodes is underway, there's still no big master plan for the future. "It would be great if I had the big picture," Lorre told TechRadar shortly before season 1 was released. "Wouldn't that be swell? I don't. There's no big picture. This is just chasing what seems to be fun to do... the big picture would require a bigger person."

Penn added, "We purposefully wrote ourselves into corners. We like doing that and then saying, 'How are we going to get out of this?' That was definitely part of the design of how the team writes and how they wanted to approach it. It makes it more fun not really knowing where we were going to be and how we were going to get there.

"Eventually, we figured some stuff out and came up with an ending. But [the show] was never designed to be 'Oh, we know where all of this is going.'"

For now, I'm continuing on with the perhaps-delusional belief that I could find myself in the season 2 writers' room within a matter of months. So, I pitched the team two ideas for future storylines.

The first is addressing the really big picture: use Stuart Fails to Save the Universe to address the existing problem of George Cooper being dead, and bring him back to life through an alternate universe. That way, Young Sheldon fans get the ending they really wanted.

"We'll definitely keep your ideas in mind," Penn says. "There are an infinite number of universes within this universe, so the universe that you're looking for is going to exist by definition. Whether it makes it to TV is another question."

So far, so good. But I hammer this home with another idea: explore the episode 2 universe that reveals film and TV's Christine Baranski is an AI overlord.

Bill Prady responds, "We'll have to see how the rebellion goes and what happens afterwards. What do they do to her afterwards?"

"She'd be tried," Lorre agrees. "Well, there we go — there's something we can do if we get a second season."

It's that time of year again — and the world's best streaming services are up to their usual tricks.

Indeed, with fall (or spring, if you live south of the equator) upon us once more, the entertainment giants of the world are ready to demand more of your hard-earned money by jacking up the prices of their various streaming-platform plans.

So far, four of the world's leading streamers have passed increased costs onto consumers, with three doing so in the US — and they're only getting more brazen with when they announce these price hikes and how much they're now charging.

Just look at Apple TV raising its monthly and annual fees by $2 and $20 respectively in late August. Then there's the 2026 Disney+ and Hulu price rise, which came into effect a whole month earlier (September 23) than in 2025 (October 21), and now asks new and returning users to pay an extra $0.50 to $3 per month for the plan they want to sign up for. And don't get me started on Netflix's recent UK price hike, which saw its cheap, ads-based plan rise by an eye-watering 34%...

Admittedly, Disney has frozen the price on three of its streaming bundles, including its cheapest ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle. While that's worth applauding, especially for those on a budget, it's scant consolation for anyone subscribed to one of the House of Mouse's more expensive, ad-free, standalone plans or bundles.

Those higher fees will be an even more bitter pill to swallow amid Disney's claims that they're necessary to improve the user experience on their streaming platforms. Try telling that to Disney+'s worldwide user base, which was left fuming over reports — ones that have since been proved false — that Disney+ would soon show ads on its ad-free plans, and UK and European users after they temporarily lost 4K and HDR support on Disney+ in late July.

Netflix, Disney, and Apple are far from the only culprits, mind you.

Rival streamers including Prime Video and HBO Max have also bumped up the price of their plans in recent years. At the time of this article's publication, there's no word on when they or other subscription video on demand (SVOD) platforms will announce their latest — and inevitable — annual price increases. Mark my words, though: it's coming.

Predictably, all of this begs an obvious question: how long will we continue to put up with these now-yearly price hikes?

If you listen to some users on myriad social media platforms, the straw has already broken the camel's back. Dive into any Reddit thread, or search for terms like 'Netflix price hike' on X/Twitter or the ResetEra forums, and you'll find numerous examples of people who have already voted with their bank cards and canceled their subscriptions.

Unfortunately, the number of users who have closed their accounts is a mere drop in the ocean for the globe's entertainment titans. With a reported 260 million subscribers worldwide, Netflix simply doesn't care if a handful of paying patrons walk away because it doesn't even dent their bottom line.

That said, the tide may be turning. Per Yahoo Finance, Netflix's stock has recently taken an almighty beating. The reason? A change in viewing habits that's seen people flock to YouTube and TikTok to watch more short-form video content. Add to the mix the constant cancellation of fan-favorite shows, less unmissable content worth streaming, and certain features being locked behind expensive tiers, and why would people pay for Netflix, Disney+, and company when they can get visual content for free elsewhere?

Is that enough to make the world's leading streamers sit up and take notice? Probably not. In my view, the only way Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, or any other SVOD service will listen is if tens of millions of users suddenly and collectively ended their subscriptions — and, frankly, that's almost never going to happen.

However, if people really want a sea change in the industry from a subscription cost standpoint, a major user revolution is required. Until we collectively say "enough is enough" and hit these companies where it hurts (i.e., their income streams), the streaming service spending scam will continue — and the price hike bubble will never, ever burst.

Spoilers for MobLand season 2 episode 2 ahead

It's official: the season 2 episode 2 ending is my favorite scene in all of MobLand history so far… and that's not just because Firestarter by The Prodigy is used as its epic soundtrack.

As we get officially acquainted with Kat McAllister's (Janet McTeer) new henchmen Frankie (Johnny Flynn), he makes his first movie on the Harrigan family. Kat has deduced that the best way to get to Harry (Tom Hardy) is through his friendship with Bella (Lara Pulvey), leaving her hugely at risk.

Well, risk is an understatement. In the episode's final scene, Frankie arrives at Kevin (Paddy Considine) and Bella's home and attacks her while Kevin is away. Masked men come tearing into the house, scrapping with the Harrigan's own security before finding Bella cowering at the back of the house.

Episode 2 is left with Frankie pulling a gun on her, but only making the sound "bang" rather than shooting. Is she dead, or alive and a hostage? Only next week will tell.

It's all enough to give us a heart attack while watching, but the episode, now streaming on Paramount+, actually left Flynn himself terrified, he tells me… and for good reason.

'It was my first day on the job'

"That was my first day, so I was terrified," Flynn tells me about the episode 2 scene.

"It's really fun. I always wanted more to do with Lara because we've crossed over in other places and thought it would be fun for these two quite sharp-tongued characters to have more of a showdown. I worked with Lara's husband on a film and it was really nice to get to hang out.

"She was so nice to me on my first day… really put me at ease. I was really terrified, because coming into something like MobLand with these really amazing actors that you admire so much and something with such energy — knowing that you have to provide a lot of energy for that particular character, this kind of agitator. It was intense. Guy's [Ritchie] sets are like machines."

Intense is truly the name of the game when it comes to MobLand, and even two seasons in, the action hasn't let up once. Frankly, Frankie's rough-and-ready introduction is more exciting because of where he could go in the future. If things are already this bad, what on Earth is to come?

He's pretty close to being the third Gallagher brother, that's for sure. "That was that was a thing for me," Flynn adds about Noel and Liam being a reference point.

"There wasn't a lot on the page in terms of what Frankie looked like, so with the with the costume designer [Rebecca Hale], I talked about what he could be in terms of his references being that mid-90s feel. The pageboy cut, the sheepskin jacket… it was a fun thing to lean into because it allowed me to have that swagger."

More "prick on a scooter" vibes in every episode from this point on are needed, if you ask me.

We're only a few days from Lanterns' second-to-last episode. Indeed, with the hit sci-fi crime drama's next chapter due out shortly, we don't have much longer to see John Stewart team up with the Hal-O-Gram — aka the digital back-up of Hal Jordan's consciousness — to continue investigating the real Hal's apparent murder.

So, will John get on better with this version of Hal than the real thing? What lies in store for them in the DC Universe (DCU) show's seventh entry? And, most importantly, when will it premiere?

I'm not at liberty to answer the first two, but I can tell you more about episode 7's release date and launch time. So, read on to learn more.

When does episode 7 of Lanterns come out?

HBO's Green Lantern TV show will return for its next installment, titled 'The Jordan Boys Legacy', in the US and Canada on Sunday, September 27 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

Just like every episode before it, this week's chapter will come out a day later outside of North and South America. Viewers in other territories, then, will need to wait until Monday, September 28, to see the DCU Chapter One TV series' penultimate entry. Check out the list below to see what time it'll drop where you live:

• US — Sunday, September 27 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Sunday, September 27 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Monday, September 28 at 2am BST
• India — Monday, September 28 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore — Monday, September 28 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Monday, September 28 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Monday, September 28 at 1pm NZST

Where can I watch Lanterns episode 7?

All episodes of Lanterns — including this week's entry — air on HBO Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services, in nations that the platform is available.

For some reason, HBO Max hasn't launched in every world region, so some of you will need to go elsewhere to stream the DC comic book TV series. Alternatively, you could just make things easier for yourself and read the below list:

• US — HBO and HBO Max
• Canada — Crave
• UK — HBO Max, Sky Atlantic, and Now TV
• India — JioHotstar
• Singapore — HBO Max
• Australia — HBO Max
• New Zealand — HBO Max

Lanterns full release schedule: when do new episodes come out?

Unfortunately, only two more episodes of the Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler-led show remain.

As long as HBO doesn't suddenly change the launch date for the final two chapters, they'll continue to air on Sundays in the Americas and Mondays on other continents. There's no reason to suspect that an unexpected release schedule alteration will happen for the forthcoming finale, either, so I'm confident it'll be released at the same time that its forebears were.

Anyway, here's a quick breakdown of when the remaining entries will come out:

• Lanterns episode 1 — out now
• Lanterns episode 2 — out now
• Lanterns episode 3 — out now
• Lanterns episode 4 — out now
• Lanterns episode 5 — out now
• Lanterns episode 6 — out now
• Lanterns episode 7 — September 27/28
• Lanterns episode 8 — October 4/5

For more on the hit series ahead of its next episode, check out what Lanterns' midseason trailer tells us about its final two chapters. Then, read up on why I'm fearing the worst for Lanterns season 2.

I probably shouldn't have told Dominic West that he plays punchable characters incredibly well when I interviewed him a few weeks ago, but it's painfully true. From The Affair to his Nationwide adverts (sorry, but that guy needs a slap), West has the sub-genre ingeniously sewn up.

As of October 2, we can add War to the list. Streaming on Sky TV (UK) and HBO Max (internationally), we follow the high-profile divorce of British celebrities Morgan (West) and Carla (Sienna Miller) after Carla sets up a honeytrap to expose Morgan's infidelity throughout their marriage.

They're not the only two who have beef, though. Morgan's law firm, Cathcarts, is a stalwart of the legal world, with Carla's firm, Taylor & Byrne, co-founded by an old Cathcarts employee who was refused partnership. Think old money meets nouveau riche, if this was a reality TV show.

What we're left with is the kind of delicious legal drama that only the unique complexities of British culture could pull off this well. The legal system, our consumption of popular celebrity culture and our continued fascination with people's private lives are eviscerated at every turn, and I frankly love being reminded that collectively, we're getting so much wrong.

But nobody is real here, so we can happily get stuck into berating them — and by God, do they give us a lot of ammunition. From Carla and Morgan's sneaky manoeuvres behind closed doors to new legal assistant Johnny (Archie Renaux), who thinks he's outwitting everyone around him when he's really ten steps behind, there's something for every armchair gossip.

War is the ultimate game of celebrity tennis — with no winners

Not only is the above trailer possibly one of the strongest of the year, but it aptly sets the scene for our modern Shakespeare tragedy without giving too much away. Unsurprisingly, Miller and West are our focal points, and as punchable as West makes Morgan, I'm actually floored by how much the pair is able to give these roles.

When you take a step back, the level of public scrutiny both Carla and Morgan receive is incredibly true to life. Both are mercilessly hounded by the press through relentless front-page tabloid articles, uncomfortable questions at events, and even lawyer-up red carpet premieres. It's a situation that I can vividly remember both actors being in before, and I applaud their remarkable level of personal and professional separation.

If it were me, I'd have had a major chip on my shoulder having to fictionally revisit the things that made me the most miserable over the last few decades of my life. But that's the beauty of good actors — being willing to put themselves on the line to allow viewers to engage as critically as possible. Trust me... I think you'll learn a lot from its premise.

The structure, overall, has one fatal flaw. From War's opening seconds, we're booted into the trenches of doomed marriage with such severity that we could collectively get a headache. But fast-forward seven episodes and the stakes are exactly the same. Think of the eight-episode season as a flatlining heart monitor... It's not a good result for a patient on The Pitt, and not entirely successful for us, either.

Celia Imrie and Nina Sosanya, take a bow

But when things are good, they're golden (with the exception of the very underwhelming theme song). Biting, cutting, and scheming at every turn, War is a British legal drama at its best. None of this is possible without a cracking ensemble cast, of course, and there are two standouts in particular.

The first, which shouldn't be surprising, is Celia Imrie. From the trailer, you'd have guessed that she plays the High Court Judge overseeing the trial, but she's actually "freelance lawyer" Budgie working under Taylor & Byrne. I'm wording that generously, seeing as the minute she enters the room, all decisions pay deference to her presence. That's exactly how it should be, and if anyone was going to represent me in court, I'd want it to be Imrie.

After her epically infamous fart on The Celebrity Traitors season 1, I'm glad that Imrie's back on the international stage, proving that she's always been a world-class esteemed performer, don't you know. Seth Rogen's reference to her at the 2026 TV BAFTAs annoyed me endlessly... Calendar Girls was my favorite film at eight years old for good reason, man.

Then there's Nina Sosanya, a woman I have been parasocially in love with for decades. I can guarantee that you'll recognise her immediately thanks to her quiet commitment to making TV shows and movies infinitely better just by turning up in them. As head Cathcart's lawyer Bea, she's the Miranda Priestly of the British legal world, and her razor-sharp tongue provides lashings of delectable dialogue. Let's get her on Celebrity Traitors season 3, BBC.

With shortcomings so small, you'd be a fool to miss out on War next month. Even better: it's an anthology series, so expect a gripping defamation case to hit our screens in the future.

Fall — or spring, if you live in the southern hemisphere — has arrived. And, while that means the nights are about to get longer or shorter for you, some things will stay the same — including the release of new movies and TV shows on the world's best streaming services.

After last week's top-heavy TV series round-up, its follow-up has done a complete 180 and delivered a bonanza of new films to enjoy, including two of the biggest hits of 2026 on Disney+ and HBO Max. So, what are you waiting for? Scroll on to find out more. — Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

Toy Story 5 (Disney+)

I'm going to be frank: Toy Story 5 doesn't have a friend in mine. Indeed, as I said in my Toy Story 5 review, it's not terrible, but it's certainly a "a few Lightyears away from the Disney film series' best entries".

Still, if you're a sucker for a new Toy Story project, or any Pixar film for the matter, you can check out the multi-billion dollar-spinning movie franchise's latest outing on Disney's primary streamer. This time around, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, and company have to contend with the prospect of being replaced by high-tech toys and devices, so it's a timely albeit predictable fifth outing for the fan-favorite toys. — TP

• Watch Toy Story 5 on Disney+

Backrooms (HBO Max)

Did you know Backrooms filmmaker Kane Parsons was only 20 years old when he made his feature film directorial debut? It's all that most outlets could talk about before his much-anticipated adaptation of the viral internet phenomenon hit theaters.

Well, nobody's talking about his age now, because Backrooms, which has arrived on HBO Max, was a major hit for A24 earlier this year. I enjoyed it up to its final act (I don't think it stuck the landing), but my colleague Lucy Buglass ended her Backrooms review by giving it five out of five stars, so it comes highly recommended from one of us!

I could tell you about its plot, but the less you know about this one, the better, believe me. — TP

• Watch Backrooms on HBO Max

Unabomber (Netflix)

What happened to that tiny little boy from Room? Well, he grew up to play domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski for a Netflix movie, that's what.

Jacob Tremblay stars as the self-titled Unabomber, who was behind a series of mail bombs that killed its recipients in 1994. However, instead of following the man as each fatal moment unfolds, Unabomber takes us back to his Harvard days in 1958 and examines what led him to becoming the infamous domestic terrorist.

It's really answering the question that we're endlessly dying to know: what makes someone kill another? In this case, it's a mix of bullying and becoming the subject of severe psychological experiments. Oof. — Jasmine Valentine, entertainment reporter

• Watch Unabomber on Netflix

Brothers (Apple TV)

What would you do if you took a long-standing rumor and decided to run with it? If you're Apple, you fully lean into the fact that Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson are related, and create a TV show titled Brothers.

The famously close friends, who some observers believe are half-brothers, play fictionalized versions of themselves in this new Apple TV comedy series that — yep, you guessed it — plays along with the fact that they may be blood relatives.

Obviously, the whole thing is played for laughs, but I suspect Brothers will do little to dispel the gossip that the A-listers might be closer than everyone, including themselves, initially thought. Will we ever find out for sure? If an incredibly reluctant McConaughey ever takes a DNA test, sure, but don't gets your hopes up... — TP

• Watch Brothers on Apple TV

The Love Hypothesis (Prime Video)

Prime Video isn't loosening its grip on young adult romantic drama just yet. The Love Hypothesis , which is based on Ali Hazelwood's book namesake, is the latest in line of its banging 2026 genre content.

In a nutshell, Olive (Lili Reinhart) is a third-year biology PhD candidate at Stanford researching early pancreatic cancer detection. In order to convince her best friend Anh (Rachel Marsh) that she has completely moved on from a crush, Olive impulsively grabs and kisses Adam (Tom Bateman) in the lab hallway.

The two make a mutually beneficial agreement to fake date each other... though that fakeness doesn't last for long. Personally, I think the strongest love story here is between the two besties, but the new movie ticks all of the rom-com boxes that it needs to. — JV

• Watch The Love Hypothesis on Prime Video

Jackass: Best and Last (Paramount+)

How many times can you put explosives in your butt, dangle on a wire over a pool of alligators, or get slapped to the ground by a giant mechanical hand? 11, if you count all the movies, which sign off with Jackass: Best and Last.

Expect more of the same idiotic vibes with a touch more sentimentality. Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and the rest of the gang return for more outrageous and hilarious stunts, and my jaw is still on the floor after all of these years.

What you really won't expect is how strangely moving the whole thing is. Do I really believe this is the end? No. Surely these guys will be the Cher of final farewell tours, but what do I know? Well, apart from the fact it's out on Paramount+... — JV

• Watch Jackass: Best and Last on Paramount+

A Different World (Netflix)

This 10-episode series feels worth watching purely because one of its main characters is called Dwayne Wayne. Hilarious names aside, A Different World is Netflix's revival of the hits 1990s sitcom of the same name, and follows a freshman and her ride-or-die crew juggling school, romantic drama, and family legacy at a historically Black college.

Can the 2026 version live up to the huge shoes it has to fill? Time will tell. But, with multiple original cast members returning to the new show, I'm more than willing to give it a shot. — JV

• Watch A Different World on Netflix

Spoilers for MobLand season 2 episode 2 ahead.

Start talking, copper. That's the delicious line we were left on last week, as MobLand season 2 episode 1 gave us our first look at the new villain, Frankie (Johnny Flynn).

He's been picked by Colin (Toby) as a "knight in shining armor" to ride into battle on behalf of Kat McAllister (Janet McTeer), allowing her to take control of London from the Harrigans without ever being directly involved herself.

At the moment, Conrad (Pierce Brosnan) is too busy fighting with Kevin (Paddy Considine) and paying no attention to Harry (Tom Hardy) to be able to fully recognize this. Even Kevin doesn't understand what's coming, with Harry describing Kat as "Her mob has eight trillion in cash and the world's biggest nuclear arsenal."

This week, they're in for a nasty wake-up call. MobLand season 2 episode 2 is now on Paramount+, so let's dig a little deeper into what's actually happened.

Jan has a suspicious car accident while Conrad's health worsens

We start episode 2 following Gina (Teddie Allen) and Eddie (Anson Boon) as they party the early hours away and arrive back at their flat with their bodyguards, with Harry watching them from a car further down the road.

Jan (Joanne Froggatt), meanwhile, is at a spin class, ignoring Harry's "urgent" calls as she begins to drive back home. Before she gets there, her bumper is hit from behind by another car, with the American driver incredibly apologetic. Jan, infuriated, is having none of it, and the pair exchange numbers before she angrily drives away.

At the same time, Colin visits his local library only to get a call from Kat as he's checking a book out (see, even gangsters think it's cool to utilise public services). She gives him the go-ahead to spring Frankie into action, telling Colin to "show her what he's got."

We've really got a lot of plates spinning at once, as Conrad goes to see a doctor. The doctor tells him that Conrad is showing signs of focal atrophy, meaning that his sense of instinct, strategy, and restraint is diminishing to allow any natural sense of anger and aggression to take over, unchecked. Conrad tells him to forget that the appointment ever happened, adding, "I'm f**ing fine."

Outside, Conrad threatens a parking ticket officer with a gun when a fine is left on his car window. Maeve (Helen Mirren) calls from home, suggesting that they should invite Seraphina (Mandeep Dhillon) out to dinner to "bury the hatchet." Zosia (Jasmine Jobson) is revealed to have been tailing Conrad the entire time at Harry's request.

Kavanagh works out a mole is in the force

At the police station, DCI Kavanagh (Ophelia Lovibond) assembles the few officers she feels she can trust to run through the events of episode 1. With the waiter witness recanting his statement after being threatened by Harry, Kavanagh is convinced that there's a mole in the force leaking information to him.

Not only is she right, of course, but she's also correct in assuming that Finch (Warren Brown) is among the potential suspects, leaving him out of the meeting. Her plan? Feed the rest of the team false information to make Harry think that the Harrigans are in the clear before they pounce.

The American driver, who we now know is called Jamie, calls Jan and offers to give her £5,000 directly, as his insurance company is saying they'll take months to process the claim. Jan barters for £6,000, to which Jamie agrees. He tries to take her out to dinner to do the handover, but Jan pushes back by suggesting a morning coffee instead.

Harry phones and Jan finally picks up, telling her that he's found Gina. The pair meet in a local park, where Harry tells her about Gina's YouTube shakedown scheme and that she's living with Eddie. Harry remains convinced that he can pull her back from the brink of being involved in organised crime, but Jan thinks the moment has passed. "You see yourself as the antidote, but you're the poison," she tells him.

At the Harrigan's house, Maeve tries to get Conrad's dogs put down, for no appropriate reason, without telling him. Paul (Emmett J. Scanlan) refuses to phone the vets without Conrad's knowledge, so Maeve organises a home visit. The doctor confirms that both dogs are in good health, leaving Maeve to unsubtly find out how to do the job herself (spoiler: with antifreeze).

Frankie is told about the Harrigan's as Seraphina squeals to Kat

Colin arranges to meet Frankie in a nail salon, where the latter is already getting a pedicure. Colin begins to tell him about the Harrigan's empire, and how the drugs and other criminal enterprises are "there for the taking" because the family itself is spiralling into chaos. The way to get to them, obviously, is through Harry.

In an unnerving power move, Frankie decides to give Colin a pedicure himself. He asks what would happen if he was to say no to "f**king Harry up," with Colin responding that he's got enough evidence on Frankie to "get him locked up for the rest of his life." Frankie responds with a thinly-veiled threat concerning Colin's wife.

We get another history lesson from Colin when Frankie asks about the best way to get to Harry, this time about the French Catholic who assassinated King Henry IV of France in 1610, François Ravaillac. Ravaillac's execution was to be tied to four horses who each pulled his limbs in different directions, implying that the Harrigan's have four horses that would have the same metaphorical impact on Harry.

Conrad invites Seraphina to dinner, who is immediately suspicious of Maeve's intentions. She reluctantly agrees, but immediately phones the number Kat gave her in episode 1 to reveal Conrad's plans. The voice on the other end of the phone is revealed to be Jamie, Jan's car accident stranger.

Gina and Jan meet, with Gina laying on the success of her YouTube shakedowns thick. Jan tells her about the divorce, with Gina trying (badly) to hide how much her family's dysfunction has been affecting her. Eddie arrives to meet Gina, immediately getting feisty with Jan, who mildly threatens him in return.

Colin correctly guesses that Bella will be the best way to get to Harry

While Colin is at home watching TV with his wife, Frankie rings to ask who Harry's four horses might be. Colin lists off the Harrigan's who are most likely to crack, while also telling him about Jan and Gina. However, he guesses that Kevin's wife Bella (Lara Pulvey) will be the best bet... and he's right.

As luck would have it, Harry makes his way to see Bella to discuss what Gina and Eddie have been up to together. They have a stilted conversation about parenthood, with Harry opening up about Jan asking for a divorce. Bella thinks that Kevin would feel insecure if he were to know that Harry was there with her alone, despite nothing going on between them.

As he leaves, we see Jamie and Jan meet up for coffee. Jamie gives her £7,000 in a white envelope, which is even more than she asked for. Jamie tries to get to know her and ask about her life, but Jan immediately leaves once she's got the money.

We also see Eddie take a call from Maeve to ask if he's got rid of Gina, which was her request in episode 1. Eddie says that he doesn't want to, claiming that the pair work well together as a team.

Frankie leaves Bella for dead — and makes sure Conrad knows it

Jamie rings Seraphina as she gets ready to meet Maeve and Conrad, and tells her not to go to the restaurant. He doesn't say why, but claims it's important... and she obliges.

Then, a lot of things happen at once. We see Maeve and Conrad arrive at the restaurant, with Maeve remarking that Seraphina is "rude" for being so late. As more time passes, Conrad is inclined to agree, but he's then called away when a waiter says there's a call for him on the main phone. He's confused as to how anyone would know he's there, but we know it's not Seraphina — she's tried calling Conrad's phone, which Maeve declines.

At the same time, Paul and Fergus (Jack Archer) go for a drink outside a nearby pub. As Fergus admits that he's worried about his family's safety now that he's working in organised crime, Paul heads in to get another drink at the bar. While he does, a man in a van arrives as asks Fergus for directions to the nearest A-road. As Fergus approaches, the van door opens and a masked man shoots Fergus point-blank in the head.

Also at the same time, Harry tries to leave Jan a voicemail about moving abroad for a fresh start as Kevin calls Bella to check on her. Harry is sitting outside Gina's flat, shooting a bunch of masked men arriving nearby. He checks that the pair aren't hurt before leaving.

Bella, meanwhile, isn't so lucky. Masked man shoot down the outside security before storming the house, leaving Bella to make a run for the basement while still on the phone to Kevin. Kevin says that he's on his way, but it's too late... Frankie, who appears once the rest of the men have gone in, gets to her first.

As Conrad reaches the restaurant phone, Frankie finds Bella cowering in a downstairs bathroom, pointing a gun with a silencer directly at her. Conrad answers the phone, as Frankie picks up his to say just one word: "Bang."

• A new trailer has been released for DC Studios' Clayface
• The body horror movie will take shape in theaters worldwide this October
• It features a really cool Easter egg that's renewed hope over a Batman cameo

DC Studios has release one final trailer for Clayface — and it contains a specific Batman reference that's set tongues wagging among comic book fans.

Revealed yesterday (September 24), the movie's latest teaser offers a fresh look at its body horror vibes, slick cinematography, and Matt Hagen's tragic villain origin story. Thankfully, the DC Universe (DCU) film's latest round of footage doesn't reveal the titular character's final, grotesque form, meaning audiences will have to check it out in theaters if they want to see Clayface in all of his gruesome, malleable glory.

The comic book flick's new trailer arrives five months after Clayface's first "super freaky" teaser. Two months later, Clayface trailer #2 was unleashed upon the world and left fans with many, many questions — the most pressing of which was whether the shapeshifting villain's primary foe Batman would appear.

Even if the Caped Crusader does show up in the DCU Chapter One movie, Clayface's cast and crew are doing their best not to give away what would be one of the film's biggest surprises. That said, fans have spotted a very specific Batman Easter egg in Clayface's final trailer that's sparked new hope that the Gotham City-based vigilante will make an appearance — even if it's just as a silhouetted cameo — in the James Watkins-directed feature.

Why a musical motif in the new Clayface trailer has excited Batman and DC Comics fans alike

So, what's this big Batman reference that some DC fans noticed in Clayface's newest teaser? Skip to the 1:30 mark of the trailer and you might recognize a very familiar motif that plays as the forthcoming film's title card appears on the screen.

Batman fanatics won't need me to explain this Easter egg to them. For those not in the know, though, the brief musical snippet we hear is an exact replica of Clayface's theme from fan-favorite 1990s TV show Batman: The Animated Series (B:TAS), which you can watch right now on HBO Max.

Now, this doesn't give any indication that the Dark Knight will have a walk-on part in DC Studios' next big-screen offering. After all, despite reports that studio co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have cast an unlikely star as the DCU's Batman, the pair have consistently denied that anyone has been hired to play Bruce Wayne and his superhero alter-ego in their nascent cinematic franchise.

Nevertheless, the use of Clayface's theme from B:TAS has captured some fans' imagination — and with good reason. Clayface's story is heavily inspired by 'Feat of Clay', a two-part tale from B:TAS that's viewed as some of the best storytelling in the beloved cartoon's four-season run.

If nothing else, fans are excited about this musical nugget because, if Clayface is half as good as 'Feat of Clay' is, it could be the best DCU movie so far. Throw a Batman cameo into the mix, though, and it'll generate even more headlines than many of us expected when it's released on October 23.

For more on the upcoming comic book film, find out everything else we know so far about Clayface.

Spoilers for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 10 ahead.

We've finally arrived at the end of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (SFtStU) and episode 10 certainly didn't let us down. In fact, it's the closest to The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) that we've been since 2019.

Although Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) don't appear in the finale — remember, they built the multiversal machine that Stuart (Kevin Sussman) has been responsible for breaking, this season's finale takes us back to where it all began in a different way.

Indeed, as Kevin, Denise (Lauren Lapkus), Kripke (John Ross Bowie), and Bert (Brian Posehn) arrive in yet another alternate universe, they're confronted with others versions of themselves filming the HBO Max show in front of a live studio audience.

Aside from Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage, creators haven't used a sitcom studio multicam format since TBBT itself.... but the Easter eggs don't stop there.

For Posehn and Bowie, the entire thing was "surreal," but could it indicate more of what we can expect to see in the future, including the already greenlit SFtStU season 2?

'It felt like the old show but wildly different'

"Episode 10 definitely felt the most surreal for me," Posehn told me.

"It was interesting because it was the only time during the entire run of this show that we had a studio audience there," Bowie added. "It felt like a real mix of being like the old show, but also feeling wildly different."

"We were back on that same stage, weren't we? Stage 25," Posehn continuds. "That's our old stage, so that was really weird."

You heard correctly. As the gang point out, while leaving the live studio audience behind, they've been plopped onto Stage 25 on the Warner Bros. studio lot in Burbank, California. The stage was named lot is officially named "The Big Bang Theory Stage" in honor of the aforementioned sitcom's 10-season run.

Fun fact: Stage 25 is one of only five stages on the entire lot to be named after a show, with the other four being The Ellen DeGeneres Show, E.R., Friends, and Two and Half Men. Stage 25 is part of the public lot tour, but that's the closest we've been to reviving its TBBT spirit, until now.

"The whole thing was just extremely trippy and fun," Bowie agreed.

I hope more of these incredibly obvious tributes to the original series are made in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 2, purely for the fun and whimsy of it. I don't massively mind if Sheldon and Leonard never turn up, but I do want Chuck Lorre to bring George Cooper back to life... but that's another story.

Oh Netflix, you have a lot of apologizing to do.

Its latest reality game show, Wonka’s Golden Ticket, hasn’t even been on the platform for 24 hours, and it's already found itself in the midst of scathing criticism for, you guessed it, its controversial use of AI.

To put it into context, the show takes inspiration from the beloved 1971 movie musical with Gene Wilder, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. In the game show, a group of contestants is thrust into a series of themed challenges filmed on elaborate sets based on the original movie’s fantastical aesthetic.

The first seven episodes are available to stream now, and the final two episodes will be released on September 30 where the champions will be revealed.

From its first teasers, I knew the show had already begun its downward spiral before it even saw the light of day. For me, Netflix game shows are nothing more than money-grabbers and devoid of any quality, and to those who held out hope for the show’s survival, you were very naïve indeed.

It was over before it started

When the best streaming service announced the show in the summer, it wasn’t just its cheap and gaudy attempt at resurrecting the movie’s familial charm that had viewers concerned. It was when Netflix unveiled that the show’s host would be an off-screen AI-generated recreation of Wilder’s voice — yes, the OG chocolatier — that the boycott really took shape.

What’s shocking is that, surprisingly, Wilder’s estate actually granted Netflix the right to use an AI recreation of his theatrical Wonka voice. Even so, we thought this decision was going too far. I was particularly upset; the original movie is a childhood staple of mine.

As you can imagine, the AI-generated voiceover is by far the most criticized aspect of the show. In addition to an eye-watering 20% score on Rotten Tomatoes, major outlets such as Variety and The Guardian haven’t taken well to the AI host, with the latter saying ‘it sounds stilted, indefinably wrong somehow’. That’s tame compared to what viewers are saying.

Despite the legal permission Wilder’s estate gave to Netflix, it’s still unfathomable to some that it was given a pass in the first place — including this user on X, who called Netflix "disgusting".

Equally, Reddit is full of posts featuring the same level of revulsion. One user was left asking, ‘Does Netflix do anything decent these days?’, to which another user replied, "[Netflix] has always been quantity over quality". My thoughts exactly.

A sickly streaming experience

I’ve never committed to any of Netflix’s game shows, but in the case of Wonka’s Golden Ticket, I streamed the first episode to see how much it lived up to its car crash reviews. The only thing I’ll say is, don’t waste your time.

It’s clear that Netflix has spent quite a bit of money on the production (the prize money alone equates to roughly $3 million, not to mention its sets and engineering must’ve also cost a fortune), but money doesn’t buy everything — not even a near-accurate AI version of Gene Wilder.

While there’s a slightly replicated cadence, the uncanny valley-ness of it all leaves you feeling rather sickly. It’s emotionless, robotic, and completely lacking the bold infectiousness that Wilder brought to the original role. It’s not just that; the structure and overall approach are just as disjointed.

Unlike the original five children who first stepped into the chaotic world of the chocolate factory, Netflix introduces 12 pairs of contestants, totalling 24 players, of which remembering all their names and relationships is a chore in itself. But the icing on the cake is the roster of false and unnatural reactions that are played to the camera during both the challenges and confessional segments. This isn’t The Traitors, this is a chocolate factory. It’s not that serious.

Since 1998, we've been enjoying the feature films and TV shows of one Guy Ritchie. A man who arguably defined the British gangster sub-genre, cult hits like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels have stood the test of time.

Fast-forward to 2026, and streaming hits like Netflix's The Gentlemen and Paramount+'s MobLand are all anybody wants to talk about... and rightly so. And that's all without scratching the surface of the projects Ritchie has worked on in between.

But can you fill in the gaps? I've created the ultimate quiz for any and all Guy Ritchie fans, focusing on his feature-length movies and TV shows over the last three decades.

I didn't say it was going to be easy, though... so do your worst.

Of course, all of this is up to the time of writing — we already know that we've got plenty more Ritchie projects to look forward to.

Young Sherlock season 2, The Gentlemen season 3 and MobLand season 3 have all either been greenlit or are in development. There's a few more titles to add to this list... but that would be giving away the quiz questions.

Much like Ritchie-style gangster, I'm just not that nice.

• Disney has confirmed new price hikes for Disney+ and Hulu in the US
• However, the cost of three bundles has been frozen
• Fans in the UK, Europe, and Australia won't be affected for the time being

Disney has confirmed price hikes for all but three of its standalone Disney+ and Hulu plans, and bundles including both platforms, in the US — but there's no word on when other nations might be hit by similar rises.

Yesterday (September 23), Bloomberg reported that the entertainment giant was about to increase the cost of signing up for a subscription for the sixth time in as many years.

Per Bloomberg's sources, the biggest markup would see the Hulu-Disney+ Premium (ad-free) bundle go up by 13% to $21.49 per month. That means new and current users would have to pay an additional $2.50 every 30 days. Meanwhile, the cost of numerous other standalone tiers and bundles would go up by as little as $0.50 or as much as $3.00.

Approached by TechRadar for comment, Disney acknowledged that Bloomberg's report was factual.

However, the studio was keen to stress that three of its bundles, including its cheapest offering — the Hulu-Disney+ bundle (with ads) experience — would not be subject to price increases.

Disney added that, compared to its rivals raising the cost of their standalone ads-based tiers by 13%, it had only done so by 4%. Finally, the House of Mouse attributed the price hike to investing in the user experience by way of new technology, features, and back-end improvements.

For reference, here's a full breakdown of every price rise or freeze across Disney's myriad streaming service offerings in the US:

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle (with ads) — staying flat at $12.99
• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium (ad free) — increasing +$2 to $21.99
• Disney+ and Hulu standalone plans (with ads) — increasing +$0.50 to $12.49
• Disney+ and Hulu Premium standalone plans (ad free) — increasing +$2.50 to $21.49
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle (with ads) — increasing +$2 to $21.99
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium (ad free) — increasing +$3 to $32.99
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle (with ads) — staying flat at $35.99
• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium (ad free) — staying flat at $44.99

Why the UK, Europe, and Australia is immune to the Disney+ price hike — for now

Crucially, UK and European subscribers appear to be temporarily immune to these price increases.

Responding to a separate request for comment from TechRadar, Disney also stated it didn't have anything to say about potential price rises in the UK and Europe.

However, in previous years, UK and European fans have seen the cost of Disney+ climb just weeks after their US counterparts were slapped with the now-annual price hike. I wouldn't be stunned, then, if account holders in these regions are forced to pay more for two of the world's best streaming services in the weeks ahead [Update: according to Cord Busters UK, the cost of Disney+ in the UK will go up in October].

Australian Disney+ users were hit by a price hike in April, so it's unlikely — but not completely out of the question — that they'll experience another one in due course.

Regardless of whether you've been hit by this latest price hike, it's been a rough few days for Disney+ users all around.

The week began with Disney having to placate furious fans over inaccurate reports that its ad-free Disney+ tiers would start showing ads. The dust hadn't settled on that story before fans learned that Marvel TV show Daredevil: Born Again would end after its forthcoming third season on Disney+, too.

I'm not superstitious but, as the saying goes, bad news comes in threes. Let's hope that this is the third and final piece of unwelcome news that Disney fans have to deal for a while, then.

All six episodes of The Split Up are now on BBC iPlayer and, in the best possible way, it feels a world apart from main series The Split. Both are about families involved in divorce law, but the shape of their family dynamics look entirely different.

The new spin-off follows the Kishan family firm, with Aria (Ritu Arya) poised to take over leadership from her father Dhruv (Sanjeev Bhaskar). However, the death of Aria's mother six months prior causes Dhruv to hesitate.

Add in a workplace love triangle, complicated siblings, and a messy divorce trial walking through their doors every week, and you've got a pretty delicious watch. But, I quickly wondered whether viewers would become preoccupied with the show's (excellent) South Asian representation — so much so that it overshadowed what actually happens in each episode.

Based on press and public reactions to its opening weekend, I was right. The Daily Mirror has reported that fans have "switched off" in droves, while comment section of the YouTube trailer (which you can catch up with below) is sporting exactly the kind of racist rubbish you'd expect from the internet.

However, before any episodes were released, I asked the cast how they felt about others making The Split Up's focal point its representation — and, as expected, their answers were even more insightful than I could have expected.

'The Split Up goes beyond representation'

"Ursula [Rani Sarma, writer] beautifully said that The Split Up goes beyond representation, and there's a universality in how we all feel human," star Arya told me. "I couldn't agree more. It's all about how we bring our authentic selves to the table... I find that a lot more interesting to talk about."

I love how simple yet effective this answer is, but it's Bhaskar's take that I'm the most interested in. Long-time fans of his will know that he was the star and co-creator of the 2001 comedy chat show The Kumars at No. 42, which followed a British Indian family supporting the fictional Sanjeev's dreams to be a TV presenter.

More than two decades on, I still can't believe that Meera Syal, who later married Bhaskar, was the woman playing his grandmother.

"I've got some experience in terms of representation versus family because of The Kumars at No. 42," he said. "That did pretty well around the world even though it was about a British Asian family interviewing guests in their London home. The reason for that was because it was a family... and everyone understands that.

"In terms of people tuning into The Split Up, if they decide to look at representation, that's more of a political issue. Most people will see a family and see themselves reflected in that. The Split did so well, and at no point did I watch it and think of it as a matriarch having nothing to do with me. I watched it as a drama. I think people who will enjoy this will not be thinking about representation."

I couldn't have said it any better myself — and trust me, The Split Up is a drama not to be missed.

Not only did we have the season finale of Reacher season 4 hit Prime Video last week, but all eight episodes of spinoff series Neagley were released at exactly the same time.

Understandably, most fans hopped straight from one to the other, despite the two storylines contrasting in the most jarring way possible. While Reacher season 4 has followed a length political espionage plot, Neagley took the Amazon TV franchise back to its roots, exploring the mysterious death of a young man in the heart of Chicago.

If you asked me, I'd say that the two seasons are neck and neck. The pair is flawed for different reasons, yet feel like exactly the same show... especially as Alan Ritchson's Jack Reacher features heavily in both.

But, if you were to ask fans, there's a clear winner. In fact, Neagley is so "superior" to Reacher season 4 that, based purely on Reddit, Amazon should look to greenlight Neagley season 2 immediately.

'I'm always happy when a spinoff turns out to be better than the original'

"Neagley is superior to Reacher season 4 in nearly every way," one fan posted. "You can clearly see where the energy went from the overlapping schedules."

A second fan doubles down, writing: "Not nearly. Literally every way." But, what is it about the spinoff that makes it the better watch?

"I love the supporting characters and that they’ll continue working with Neagley. I really hope we get a season 2," one fan weighs in, which another adds, "Reacher 4 was all over the place. Too many characters. They should go back to the basic of season 1. Reacher in a small setting uncovering some nefarious activities."

"To me Neagley just felt overall better with the pacing and supporting actors, I even enjoyed the plot line more," a poster in a second thread agrees. "Maybe it’s just because it’s something fresh. We didn’t get to know too much about Neagley and I was intrigued by her past and seeing a badass female led role always makes me happy!"

Not only is Maria Sten's return to the titular role near flawless, but Neagley gets the IP basics right in a way that the already confirmed Reacher season 5 needs to pivot back to. Think smaller stakes, bigger impact.

Surely it's just a matter of days before we get the news we're waiting for. In the meantime, don't panic — ideas are already being formed.

"We have so many great action sequences in this show, and if we get another season, I want to build on that... make it even bigger. Continue to develop these characters, get them into trouble, and get them to face the consequences of their emotional problems," Sten told TechRadar.

• New details about Avengers: Endgame Encore's post-credits scenes have been shared online
• Descriptions of four end credits stingers show how it'll directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday
• The footage has also leaked now

Fresh details about Avengers: Endgame Encore's new post-credits scenes have leaked online — and they show how elements will directly lead into Avengers: Doomsday.

For those who don't know, Avengers: Endgame Encore is a re-released version of the 2019 Marvel cultural phenomenon that made over $2 billion at the worldwide box office.

The updated film, which arrives in theaters this Friday (September 25), is being promoted as a direct prequel to Avengers: Doomsday ahead of the penultimate Marvel Phase 6 flick's own theatrical debut on December 18, 2026. As such, Endgame Encore includes never-before-seen footage — scenes believed to total an additional six minutes — that'll position it as an immediate predecessor to Doomsday.

That way, fans who fell off the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) bandwagon after Endgame's initial launch won't need to watch every single film and Disney+ show that's been released since. That said, Marvel has created a Disney+ watchlist of 15 must-see MCU projects to catch you up on the franchise's main storylines heading into the next Avengers movie.

But, I digress. With Endgame Encore's own launch fast approaching, fans have wondered what new footage will be included in the re-release that'll directly tie it to Avengers 5. As it happens, Endgame Encore has already premiered in South Korea, and some lucky fans have taken to various social media platforms to share what they saw at their showings.

Now, there's no leaked footage to speak of, so we can't verify the following descriptions (Update: footage of all four scenes have leaked online, but I'm not posting them here).

There's also some confusion over the order in which these end credits scenes were shown and people's interpretations of said clips. Nevertheless, potentially huge spoilers immediately follow for Endgame Encore, so click away now if you don't want the experience ruined before you see it yourself. Even better, go and find out everything we officially know so far about Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Endgame Encore's end credits scenes show a Doom-Hulk meeting, Loki visiting Steve and Peggy, and the multiverse collapsing

According to Reddit user ARST_ARSW, Endgame Encore has three post-credits scenes. The first sees Loki visit Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter in the alternate timeline that Steve (aka Captain America) stayed in after he returned the Infinity Stones to their original timelines, before Loki tells them he can help them with… something.

Then, the second round of footage reunites us with Bruce Banner. He's in solitary confinement after the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and is experimenting with a new way of controlling his gamma irradiated alter-ego. However, his tests are suddenly interrupted by Doctor Doom, who apparently says "I'm here to adapt you" before appearing to absorb Hulk's superhuman abilities.

Lastly, the final end credits stinger takes us to the Time Variance Authority (TVA), and shows O.B. say "the Multiverse is collapsing" as he watches numerous realities collide with one another.

So, how accurate are the above Redditor's descriptions? According to X/Twitter use and semi-reliable leaker SukunaOnFN1, the Hulk-Doom meeting isn't entirely correct.

Indeed, SukunaOnFN1 has claimed that the Hulk-Doom scene is the first one we see at the end of Endgame Encore. Furthermore, they said that we only hear Doom speak (i.e. he doesn't appear on the screen), and actually tell Banner "I've come to collect you". Then, we hear Hulk, well, hulk out, and see a flash of green light before the camera pans down to some Latverian symbols burned into the ground.

But wait, there's more. On r/LeaksandRumors, another fan in brewstew07 says the TVA scene was shown first in their screening, and that the Hulk-Doom one appeared after it. Brewstew07 doesn't mention the Loki, Steve, and Peggy scene at all.

Thankfully, another Redditor in KostisPat257 has rounded up all of the available information on not three, but four end credits stingers.

Where the Loki scene — which is the first one that most viewers seem to have seen — is concerned, KostisPat257 says Peggy and Steve are dancing, before a knock at the door spooks them and forces Steve to go hide. Peggy answers the door and asks someone "Can I help you?", with the latter replying "No, but I can help you". Steve emerges from his hidey hole and is stunned to see Loki standing in front of him.

Scene 2, aka the Hulk-Doom one, plays out exactly as SukunaOnFN1 says it does. Meanwhile, the third round of footage shows flashes of Doom making his mask interspersed with the sound of Tony Stark's hammer hitting metal when he created his super-suit in 2008's Iron Man.

The fourth and final scene, i.e. the TVA one, sees Ms. Minutes reminding its employees to prevent people from traveling outside of their universe. Mobius is then informed by Casey that Earth-10005 (the FoX-Men one) and Earth-1127 are about to collide.

As Mobius asks why this didn't make the report he read, the two realities start firing missiles at each other. As a shocked O.B. says they're trying to destroy each other, the camera pans to other TVA monitors that show multiple universes have already been destroyed, including Earth-400083 (the Eric Bana Hulk-Verse), Earth-15886 (the 2015 Fantastic Four-Verse), and Earth-82111 (the What If...? Universe).

With Endgame Encore out now in some parts of the world and set to debut everywhere else by the end of this week, I suspect leaked footage will be widely shared across the internet in the days ahead. Until they do — and, let's be frank, they will leak online — the above descriptions are all we have to go on in terms of knowing how the aforementioned film will set up the plot of Doomsday and its sequel Avengers: Secret Wars.

What do you think of these post-credits scenes? And will you be seeing Endgame Encore? Let me know in the comments.

Whether it's at work or with my family, all I've been talking about recently is shocking six-part ITV crime drama The Blame.

Led by Michelle Keegan and Douglas Booth, it follows the murder of a teenage skater, which not only draws detectives down a dark, treacherous path, but also forces them to investigate their own team.

The call is coming from inside the house, as the kids say. DI Emma Clare (Keegan) is not just the only member of the force to work out what's really going on, but she's the only person brave enough to call out (the fictional) Wakestead police force on its biggest issue: misogyny.

I won't lie to you, it's a really difficult watch. The Blame's approach to its subject matter is incredible heavy-handed, but I think it needs to be. However, if you need some time out — or to swap to a crime drama that doesn't feel as bitingly real — I've got you covered.

In fact, Keegan and Booth are the ones that have you covered. If you're looking for more of the same vibe, they've got the perfect recommendation for you to stream next. Not only can you watch it for free, but there's a hidden link between the two shows.

The Blame on ITV is secretly linked to BBC's Happy Valley — and it's what you need to stream next

"That's a hard question," Booth responded, before he added: "Just because it's my favourite one and Nicola [Schindler] produced it, Happy Valley, but they're obviously very different. It has another great female lead at the heart of it."

To me, that's an understatement. The UK market is flush with cimpeccable crime dramas, but Sally Wainwright's Happy Valley might just be the best of the 21st century so far (at least, it is according to me).

Available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer or on Netflix internationally, we follow West Yorkshire police sergeant Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) as she balances local crime in Calderdale with her fierce pursuit of Tommy Lee Royce (James Norton), the violent criminal she holds responsible for her daughter's suicide.

It's fast-paced, quintessentially Yorkshire, and gritty at every turn — to the point where it's almost unbelievable what one woman can physically and mentally endure.

What's even better is the hidden link that Happy Valley has with The Blame.

"We had Lisa Farrand, who was a police advisor," Keegan explained. "She was with us for the interrogation and investigation scenes, where we were out looking for the body, things like that. She was brilliant. Very matter of fact, and if something wasn't working, she would pull it up straight away, speak to the director, and sort of steer us and help navigate the scene.

"She worked on Happy Valley and actually Catherine Cawood was loosely based on her. She's a real character... a tough cookie."

If Catherine Cawood herself isn't a good enough sign of a crime drama being unmissable, I don't know what is. Maybe give yourself some breathing space in between them both, though.

• Daredevil: Born Again will end with its third season
• Marvel has wielded the ax on its longest-running live-action Disney+ show
• Its showrunner has also left with the final season deep into post production

Daredevil: Born Again will end with its third season after Marvel called time on the Charlie Cox and Vincent D'Onofrio-led TV show.

Rumors first emerged in the US morning yesterday (September 21) when X/Twitter user HablemonsdecineX claimed it had been canceled. Almost instantly, numerous industry insiders with spotty track records quickly jumped on the bandwagon to insist they'd heard similar things.

TechRadar approached Marvel and Disney for comment on its supposed axing, but didn't receive an immediate response. However, a few hours after Hablemonsdecine's original post, The Hollywood Reporter (THR) published its own piece indicating Daredevil: Born Again season 3 would be the show's last hurrah.

A Disney spokesperson has since told me that THR's article is accurate, so Born Again season 3, which will air on Disney+ sometime in March 2027, will be its final outing.

Why was Daredevil: Born Again canceled after three seasons?

Outside of Marvel headquarters, nobody knows for sure — but there's one major reason why it's likely been consigned to the scrap heap.

Indeed, the show's second season suffered a significant drop in viewership compared to its debut outing on Disney+. Per audience measurement experts Luminate, Born Again season 2 accumulated 4.5 million views across its first five weeks in March. Compare that to the 8.4 million that season 1 accrued across the same time period in early 2025 on one of the world's best streaming services, and the Marvel Phase 6 program's audience share fell by a seemingly unrecoverable 47% in the space of 12 months.

For all intents and purposes, Born Again season 2's dramatic drop in viewers didn't appear to spook Marvel executives. That's because its third — and now final — season was not only greenlit prior to its forebear's release, but also entered full production mere days before season 2 premiered on Disney+.

Furthermore, it seems that the decision to throw the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) TV show in the trash was only just made. According to Deadline, its cast and crew were informed of its cancellation on the same day that said news broke. It's unclear if Marvel's top brass spent months deliberating over the show's future before culling it, or if it was more of a spur-of-the-moment decision.

One thing that might have fast-tracked its demise is the departure of showrunner Dario Scardapane.

Per THR, Scardapane, who was brought on to rescue Daredevil: Born Again following reports that Marvel wanted to rework the entire show in late 2023, is said to have parted ways with the comic giant. Scardapane's exit comes with the show's third season deep into its post-production phase, too, thereby leaving the Born Again team without its creative figurehead. There's no word on who, if anyone, will fill the void and get the series' final installment over the line.

Why Daredevil: Born Again's cancellation couldn't have come at a worse time

With Born Again's time coming to an end, Marvel now has a two-fold problem on its hands.

For one, season 3 was seemingly set to herald a new dawn for the street-level corner of the MCU. Indeed, with the likes of Luke Cage and Iron Fist set to join the eponymous vigilante, Wilson Fisk, and Jessica Jones in making the leap from the Netflix Marvel-Verse to the MCU, fans had hoped that more gritty and grounded MCU stories would branch off of Born Again's forthcoming season.

Admittedly, that could still happen. However, if Marvel no longer has confidence in its longest-running live-action series, what hope do we have of seeing a Jessica Jones TV revival or — whisper it quietly — a Heroes for Hire project?

The other major issue Marvel has to contend with is actively promoting Daredevil: Born Again season 3.

New York Comic-Con (NYCC) has been used to market and/or announce many of the comic titan's forthcoming Disney+ offerings. And, with NYCC 2026 due to take place between October 8 and 11, it's highly likely that Marvel will hold its usual panel to reveal more details about its 2027 TV line-up.

With Born Again season 3 confirmed to be the show's last entry, will Marvel show and/or tell us anything significant about it? Or will it shift its focus to its animated programs, such as X-Men 97 season 3 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man season 2, and subsequently ignore the giant Daredevil-shaped elephant in the room? I guess we'll find out in a few weeks' time.

For now, catch up on everything else we know so far about Daredevil: Born Again season 3.

While everyone else at school was dreaming about their future spouse and white wedding, I was dreaming about my future friends. I didn't have the platonic relationships I was told I would have by popular 2000s kids TV shows like The Sleepover Club, with my friends and I braiding each other's hair and spilling all of their secrets.

Watching The Love Hypothesis on Prime Video brought the romance of that childhood dream flooding back. In fact, I think the new movie has got the love story at its core all wrong — this isn't a passionate affair between PHD student Olive (Lili Reinhart) and "evil" Doctor Adam (Tom Bateman), but an example of enduring connection between friends Olive and Anh (Rachel Marsh).

Of course, I get why the former route has been taken. Not only is the film an adaptation of the popular Ali Hazelwood novel of the same name, but Amazon is on a roll with its abundance of young-adult romantic dramas. You can't tune into a streamer that's developed bangers like Off Campus, Stirling Point and Every Year After and expect it to take a different tack here.

Is this taking the safe option? Probably. Does The Love Hypothesis tick the rom-com boxes it needs to? Undoubtedly. But while I don't think fans of the book will be disappointed, I can't help feeling that The Love Hypothesis has missed fully exploring its most enriching love story.

The Love Hypothesis is far from the greatest love story ever told — but it's fun

In a nutshell, Olive is a third-year biology PhD candidate at Stanford researching early pancreatic cancer detection. In order to convince her best friend Anh that she has completely moved on from a crush, Olive impulsively grabs and kisses Adam in the lab hallway. The two make a mutually beneficial agreement to fake date each other... though that fakeness doesn't last for long.

You can see, and correctly guess, all of the story beats just from me writing that short synopsis. There are no surprises, and things will end exactly where you expect them to. For some people, this is what they'll want — a reliable, sexy and giving rom-com in these desolate times? I get the appeal. Just don't expect anything that will blow your wind.

Even though Adam is barely tolerable for the majority if The Love Hypothesis, the ensemble cast is clearly at home in the genre. We want to be Olive as she wrestles between her head and heart, attending cool house parties and industry mixers. We want to shout at the characters who do her wrong, and we truly feel like her ride or die through the process.

The highly-anticipated hotel room scene, I can confirm, is hot. It's not the most explicit or sexiest moment in a movie I've ever seen, but you can't deny the natural chemistry sizzling between our two leads. Take everything you felt during the split second teaser in the above trailer and amplify it by 1000.

Yes, The Love Hypothesis largely plays it safe, with its direction, narrative and unbelievably underwhelming soundtrack all evidence of that. But the journey from start to finish is fun, understanding, and convincingly sincere. It's tough work being a woman as it is, let alone a talented woman in STEM.

This should really be a love story between two best friends

But enough about textbook love... let's talk about friendship. My heart bursts for the love between Olive and Anh, and their unrelenting willingness to go above and beyond for each other. I mean... Olive is fake dating someone just so her bestie feels comfortable enough to pursue the man she likes without crossing a boundary. That's a girl's girl alright.

Neither of them compromise on their smarts, or dedication to their future careers, let a man come between them, or change who they are to fit in with their university's social norms. They are fully themselves at all times, allowing their value and worth to shine through in every aspect of their lives.

If anything, this is what I hope viewers will take away from the new Prime Video movie. At the end of the day, there are no greater romances than your friendships, and those of us that have such friendships are incredibly lucky to have such invaluable wells of support and love in their lives.

The Love Hypothesis might be marketed as a standard enemies-to-lovers romance, but strip back the tropes and you'll find a love letter to friendship — and this, for me, is the mark of a job well done.

For Stuart Fails to Save the Universe viewers who have been waiting for things to feel exactly like The Big Bang Theory... your moment has arrived.

Sure, we've had a whole host of cameos from the original show (though three notable faces have yet to turn up), but zipping from unhinged universe to unhinged universe has been a world away from the science sitcom we know and love.

But what if I said that there's a key reason why this week's episode could be straight out of 2007? And when does Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 9 arrive on HBO Max?

What time can I watch Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 10 on HBO Max?

For US viewers, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 10 will drop on Thursday, September 24 at 6pm PT/9pm ET.

Internationally, you're looking out for these times:

• US – Thursday, September 24 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada – Thursday, September 24 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK – Friday, September 25 at 2am BST
• India – Friday, September 25 at 6:30am IST
• Singapore – Friday, September 25 at 9am SGT
• Australia – Friday, September 25 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand – Friday, September 25 at 1pm NZST

When do new episodes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe come out?

New episodes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will make landfall every Thursday in the US and on Fridays everywhere else. Here are the all-important dates you need to know about:

• Episode 1: out now
• Episode 2: out now
• Episode 3: out now
• Episode 4: out now
• Episode 5: out now
• Episode 6: out now
• Episode 7: out now
• Episode 8: out now
• Episode 9: out now
• Episode 10: September 24

Spoilers for Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 episode 1 ahead.

Outlander: Blood of my Blood season 2 has officially kicked off on Starz (US) and MGM+ (international)... and boy, is it off to an explosive start.

Alongside some great Easter eggs (IYKYK), we've picked the action back up with Claire and Jamie's parents: Brian (Jamie Roy), Ellen (Harriet Slater), Julia (Hermione Corfield), and Henry (Jeremy Irvine).

The lovers are separated once again as the Scottish Highlands are split in two by the 1715 Jacobite Rising in season 2, with Julia and Henry split when their plan to travel back to the 1920s goes wrong at the last minute.

It was brutal, but somehow Henry has found himself in a psychiatric asylum in 1924, while Julia stays trapped in 1715... with no idea what's happened or how to fix it.

We see Henry undergo electric shock therapy after it's revealed that he was found on the street by a local policeman, incoherently babbling about time travel enough to cause concern.

It's a brutal scene to watch, but how was it to film? Irvine gives us a full breakdown... and it might actually have been worse than it looked.

'It really jumps in at the deep end'

"It's great. I got to do a load of research into something that I didn't know much about," Irvine tells me. "I'd watched some footage of people having it done, and that was a good excuse to sort of really jump in at the deep end... go for quite a big performance and um, see if we got away with it."

If you ask me, it certainly does. As I tell Irvine, season 2 episode 1 largely feels less like Outlander and more like an episode of American Horror Story or Ratched. For the tonal shift alone, I'm hooked — there's nothing like keeping us on our toes right from the get-go.

"I remember it being exhausting to film," he continues. I think I basically had a seizure for two days on a gurney. I really enjoyed the wacky way they went inside Henry's mind. I think that it's the part of the character that I enjoy playing the most, his fragile mental state and his warped view on reality.

"It's a great obstacle for him to have to try and work through. It's unsettling for me to watch back, which I think is a good, good thing."

If you've been following my Blood of my Blood coverage since season 1, you might remember that Irvine told me shortly after starting production that season 2 would be "wildly not what we expect." But now that we're all seeing it, were the actors as surprised when the drama picked back up?

"I remember before I read the scripts, I went for a costume fitting and had a vicar's outfit and a straitjacket to try on... that's when my suspicions were first aroused," Irvine adds. "For Henry, it's a completely different world to go into, which is great.

"We filmed episode 1 in that first month, which was nice because you don't always get to film in order. It was great to see how everybody just came back and hit the ground running pretty much from that first step."

But if you think this means that things are slowly down from episode 2 onwards, think again.

For years, major governments around the world have routinely conducted wargames and simulation exercises to test their military readiness, crisis response, and supply chain resilience. For the first time ever, we're about to see how one plays out.

Based on its hit 2025 podcast of the same name, Sky TV has developed four-part docuseries The Wargame, which explores how a fictitious UK cabinet — made up of former MPs from multiple parties — could responded to completely made-up threats and eventual attack from Russia.

Here's how it works. Our cabinet (listed below) will face an escalating simulated crisis, beginning with the suspicious murders of two RAF soldiers. While the Russian side, and any international players, are being given instructions by producers, every decision we see from the UK side is being made in the moment.

With four episodes dropping nightly on both Sky and NOW from September 21, I won't sugar coat it: The Wargame is an absolutely terrifying watch. If you've ever seen anything like Threads, When the Wind Blows or the BBC 1966 film The Wargame, it's the same sense of impending dread... just from the other side of the table.

But, don't get me wrong — this might just be the most important piece of television of the 21st century. As the UK's War Book is being redrafted in real time to advise the public on how best to be prepared, consider that Sky TV is granting us an important head start

We can no longer bury our heads in the sand over just how unprepared the UK is, and artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the main reasons we'll be able to realize this.

The Wargame is the most important TV show you'll stream in your lifetime — just be prepared

Before we drill deeper into what you'll soon see, here's our full list of players and their assigned roles:

• ● Prime Minister: The Rt Hon. the Lord Gove PC
• ● Deputy Prime Minister: The Rt Hon. Nicola Sturgeon PC
• ● Defence Secretary: The Rt Hon. Dame Penny Mordaunt DBE PC
• ● Home Secretary: The Rt Hon. the Baroness Harman KC PC
• ● Foreign Secretary: The Rt Hon. Jim Murphy PC
• ● Attorney General: The Rt Hon. the Baroness Warsi PC
• ● Director of Communications: The Baroness Hazarika MBE
• ● Chief of Defence Staff: General Sir Richard Barrons KCB CBE
• ● National Security Adviser: The Rt Hon. the Lord Kim Darroch KCMG
• ● Intelligence Chief: Christopher Steele
• ● Nato Secretary General: The Rt Hon. the Lord Robertson KT GCMG PC
• ● US Secretary of State: Anthony Scaramucci

As you can see in the above trailer, Sky has been incredibly upfront about its use of generative AI visual effects to create scenes showcasing Russian missiles hitting numerous UK targets. This is normally the part where I'd do my "AI is unnecessary in the creative arts, why couldn't they have just used CGI instead?" tirade, but actually, I'm glad that this decision was made.

Why? Not only is there a poetic irony of using AI to depict missile attacks mere weeks after the global public was told that there's a 10% that AI could kill us all within the next decade, but its use feeds into a wider point that The Wargame is trying to make. We've become so used to a certain type of 'peacetime life' and concerned ourselves with other issues (such as AI) that we've lost any kind of resilience we've ever had since World War II.

While the exact military capabilities of the UK are made up, seeing just how weak and unprepared we are if direct conflict was to strike our shores will hopefully be a wake-up call to anyone watching. As Sturgeon tells us, these choices are often like picking between "bad and worse," and it's nice to see our politicians slightly more humanized, even if the docuseries doesn't fill me confidence as to how international conflict could be handled.

With a fake COBR-style boardroom, military ops room, and press room all in use, it does feel as though this is the closest we'll ever get to an all-politician version of Big Brother. But, fake TikTok clips from real-life influencers capturing their reactions to the fictional breaking news brings the effects straight back home.

What do our players hope we take away from watching? "Governments have to, of course, hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. And that's not just about defence spending," Sturgeon said at the show's launch event. "There's a whole debate about preparedness of the population and some really basic things that we're just not at the races of, in terms of being prepared for even a fraction of this unfolding.

"So, getting rid of the optimism bias that this won't happen, to starting to think seriously about the prospect of this possibly happening." Deep breaths, people.