Where can four of the Twilight movies now be streamed?
The Twilight Saga: New Moon, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 have all found a new streaming home, as they’re now all available to stream on HBO Max.
The first Twilight movie, meanwhile, is available to rent or purchase on digital streaming services such as Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.
The series stars Kristen Stewart as Bella, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black, Billy Burke as Charlie Swan, Peter Facinelli as Carlisle Cullen, Elizabeth Reaser as Esme Cullen, Ashley Greene as Ashley Cullen, Kellan Lutz as Emmett Cullen, Nikki Reed as Rosalie Hale, and Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale.
The Twilight movies were hugely popular, as they collectively grossed over $3.3 billion worldwide. The first movie was directed by Catherine Hardwicke, while Chris Weitz helmed New Moon. David Slade directed Eclipse, while Bill Condon then made Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Breaking Dawn Part 2. All five movies were distributed by Summit Entertainment.
There’s been some talk about rebooting the Twilight franchise, with Lionsgate Television having announced that a TV show is in early development in 2023. There hasn’t been much news about the project since then, however, though it is worth noting that Lionsgate and Fathom Entertainment recently released all five Twilight movies in theaters this past fall.
SPOILERS: This post contains details about the Heated Rivalry, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’
With the conclusion of Heated Rivalry‘s rookie season, writer/director/creator Jacob Tierney is taking a breath before hitting the ice again with the wildly popular LGBTQ hockey drama series.
Ahead of the highly anticipated Season 1 finale ‘The Cottage’, which is now available to stream on Crave and HBO Max, Tierney teased that despite the satisfying closure of the episode, Season 2 and beyond “will always be centered around” Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov’s (Connor Storrie) love story, with author Rachel Reid’s final book in the series, The Long Game, serving as the basis.
“But we have a whole universe here, and so there’s loads of other things that we’re thinking about and that we’re gonna explore and that we’re gonna start to take more seriously now that we know that there’s an audience for it,” explained Tierney, following the show’s Season 2 renewal. “And that’s pretty exciting, so I’m looking forward to really digging into this world.”
Taking LGBTQ and female audiences by storm with its bold depictions of gay sex and romance, Tierney revealed that his favorite intimate scenes were in the finale.
“What I was committed to was making sure that we watch this relationship evolve through the sex, because it’s one thing to just make smut—which I’m thrilled to be doing. No shame in that game,” he said. “But it would be numbing and boring to watch the same f*ck scene over and over again. Who cares at a certain point? We are certainly not starved for sex, as viewers.”
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in the ‘Heated Rivalry’, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’
Tierney added, “That’s why I love the sex in episode 6 so much, because it’s both incredibly sweet and then incredibly playful and funny. And I like those two juxtapositions. That’s when I feel like they’re a real couple, like when you’re giving somebody a blowjob to annoy them. That’s what a boyfriend does.”
Read on about the Heated Rivalry, Season 1 finale’s sex scenes, why the show’s depiction of LGBTQ fame appealed to him and what’s ahead for Season 2.
DEADLINE: Are you surprised that the show has taken off on this level, outside of Canada?
JACOB TIERNEY: No, this is exactly what I expected—yes, I’m very surprised. We’re all a bit overwhelmed by the reaction to the show. Obviously, it’s very gratifying and it’s very nice, but it’s certainly not anything you can expect, and then coupled with, plan for anything like that. It’s crazy.
DEADLINE: And it was awesome seeing the fan reaction to the Scott [François Arnaud] and Kip [Robbie GK] kiss in the last episode. It was such a good wrap-up for that episode.
TIERNEY: It was very moving to see all those reactions. It was very, very moving for me.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in the ‘Heated Rivalry’, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’ (Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max)
DEADLINE: And now, all of the gays and the girls are super excited for ‘The Cottage’.
TIERNEY: I’m telling you, no Canadian’s that excited.
DEADLINE: Was the pressure on to bring that part of the book to life? Because I’ve seen a lot of people are really anticipating it.
TIERNEY: I mean, I made the show. I didn’t think anybody was gonna care this much. I’m relieved that I made it the way that I did. I mean, there was pressure for me internally to end the show well. And I think that the thing that I was aware of, though it might not seem that way on the surface, it’s a big swing cause it’s a two-hander essentially. To go from an episode like 5, which is so big and epic, into ‘The Cottage’, which is relatively tiny—I think 38 of the 52 minutes are the two of them alone in a cottage. That’s kind of a big structural and narrative swing to pull off, or to attempt, I suppose. But I just wanted to continue to do right by this relationship, these characters, and to give their journey the kind of last push that I thought it needed to successfully finish the book.
DEADLINE: And I really appreciated the scene with Shane’s parents because coming out was obviously such a big fear for him, and just seeing how perfectly they handled it. Tell me about bringing something that gay kids really need to see to the screen like that.
TIERNEY: Yeah, it’s a big part of the book, so I certainly didn’t invent it whole cloth. But yeah, that stuff is very important, and it’s always been an interesting distinction between Shane and Ilya. And I think it’s quite stark when Ilya—it’s a small line that he says in episode 5, but he says that about his father, “I wish he could have known me.” And I think that’s what he means, and I think that Ilya’s very aware. Part of the reason that he’s kind of gently probing Shane in that episode and being like, “Do they know about you?” And he’s like, “No, about you. Who f*cking cares about me? Do they know you? If they don’t, you’ll regret it at a certain point. You need to take this leap.” And it’s scary as those of us who’ve come out to parents [know], which is most gay kids at this point, or queer people in general. It’s very scary and it’s a big deal, but it’s something that’s pretty important in that journey. And what was important to me throughout the show was to make sure that we had sophisticated and complicated relationships with parents going on here. It was why it was so important for me to keep Skip’s dad in the show, to see somebody be supportive like that, to see somebody whose love cup is endless. And I think that to see Yuna [Shane’s mom, played by Christina Chang] is such an important part of this show, and she’s such an important part moving forward, especially. And I think that in these moments, you see that her and Shane are so similar, and they have very similar limitations, and that it was really important to me for the two of them to have a moment together beyond what was already in the book and what was already in the story. It felt very important to me that these two have—I don’t think it’s a reckoning, but that they have their own moment of intimacy where they can clear things up for one another. Because I think they’re both the kinds of people that build things up in their heads, and when you say things out loud, I think you can kind of take the air out of them, and it suddenly becomes a lot more manageable than whatever you’ve created in your brain. And it helps to have two very, very good actors there to do the heavy lifting for me.
Christina Chang as Yuna and Dylan Walsh as David Hollander in the ‘Heated Rivalry’ Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’ (Sabrina Lantos/HBO Max)
DEADLINE: And one thing that’s really tragic, even though it was such a great finale, just the fact that Shane wants to just keep their relationship a secret until they retire. And it kind of struck me how it’s almost like art imitating life, or vice-versa, with the pressure and speculation that the actors are facing. Was that exploration of fame in the back of your head when you were making this?
TIERNEY: I mean, I’ve been an actor my whole life. I know what that’s like. I’ve known loads of actors in the closet. I’ve known loads of actors who have come out. And I do think that part of the reason that this story appealed to me is because I can relate to it. I can understand that pressure, especially when you come up at a young enough age that you don’t know, that you don’t know what an answer to a question like that would be, but you certainly live in a world where you got a lot of people telling you not to talk about it, and that if you want the things you want, you’ll kind of keep toe-ing a line. And I think that’s also part of what makes the story resonate with so many people is that we’re not pretending we live in a world without homophobia, and we’re not pretending we live in a world where coming out is easy. I think that’s part of the beauty of what Scott does is so brave, and it’s so big, and it does crack something open for other people, but I think what it cracks open for them is just allowing them to know that they are allowed to be together. The rest of it, they can figure out at a later date—and the fans of the book know how this is gonna go—but I think that part of what is interesting and different and unique about Shane and Ilya’s story is that this journey that we’re watching them go on in this first book, in this first season of TV now, is a journey to just understanding that they love each other. And that’s such a hurdle for them. That’s hard enough for them, that to then add in the rest of the world, I think will take a whole other season of television. So, that’s kind of part of the journey that will be explored down the road. But I have a lot of empathy and I have a lot of time for Shane’s journey with that stuff. It’s not easy. It’s hard, and I do think that there’s actors, a lot of professionals, especially people who begin their professional journey at 12 years old. There’s so much baked in, and there’s so much built in around you that you can often lose yourself. I think it’s quite easy to do that, and again, I’ve seen it happen with so many actors that I came up with.
DEADLINE: Speaking of which, I just recently discovered that you were in Are You Afraid of the Dark?, which was such a big part of my childhood.
TIERNEY: I am a campfire kid forever.
DEADLINE: I love that. Were there moments on Heated Rivalry where you had to compromise your vision or the story?
TIERNEY: Sure, there were moments along the way … my execs at Crave were so f*cking amazing about that. There were people along the way. But my execs, they didn’t want it toned down at all.
Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander and Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in the ‘Heated Rivalry’, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’
DEADLINE: Well, it’s great to see such a fearlessly queer show, especially when GLAAD recently released their study that almost half of LGBTQ characters are disappearing. So, it just feels very needed right now, and I love it.
TIERNEY: We added a bunch, so at least there’s that. It’s not a great time for stuff like that, and I think, unfortunately, the more there’s consolidation among broadcasters and streamers too, it’s not gonna get a lot better, I don’t think. But it is nice to be a part of a show that is doing something like this, that’s reminding people that there’s loads of audiences here and that they can be queer and queer adjacent, our allies, our friends, our families. If this was just gay people watching this show, we wouldn’t be talking about it right now, let’s be real. So, the fact that it’s gotten to this level of conversation in the culture is because there are people that want to watch this, and they don’t care if it’s two men in a love story, or maybe even want that specifically. And then even more so, it’s just such a pleasure to be involved in a show that’s making people happy and that is providing joy. I still read people being like, “I know that this show is gonna end on a cliffhanger.” And I keep wanting to shout it from the rooftops, “It won’t! I don’t want to do that to you, that’s not what we’re doing here.”
DEADLINE: Honestly, I had that thought too, watching it. It’s such a good ending, and then they get in the car. I’m like, “Oh, they’re about to get into a car accident or something. I just know it.”
TIERNEY: You know what’s really funny, is that if I let that footage just run and run and run, because we shot that in the studio, my producing partner Brendan [Brady] will run out in front of that car and get hit by it. So you will see our straight producer dying. Does that help? Is that the secret twist that nobody saw coming?
DEADLINE: That’s the one we want.
TIERNEY: There you go. That’s it.
DEADLINE: Another thing I thought was funny, I’m reading a lot of the social media reactions, and you’ve introduced a lot of viewers to frottage.
TIERNEY: Frottage at the cottage, baby!
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in the ‘Heated Rivalry’, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’
DEADLINE: Yeah, exactly. So that’s cool, it’s really opening a lot of eyes to queer sex. And I’ve also seen some people talk about how very accurate the sex scenes are to the book, and I’m wondering if you were very committed to maintaining accuracy to those scenes.
TIERNEY: Some of them are super accurate to, or close to the book, and some of them go different ways. But what I would say I was committed to, that Rachel and I are both committed to, was kind of using this sex to tell their story, that this is not separate from their story. The sex isn’t like, “And then they fuck! Let’s put it in a new room or do it on a kitchen counter.” Their sex is the way that they understand each other, and it’s the way that we understand them as a couple. So, what I was committed to was making sure that we watch this relationship evolve through the sex, because it’s one thing to just make smut—which I’m thrilled to be doing. No shame in that game. But it would be numbing and boring to watch the same f*ck scene over and over again. Who cares at a certain point? We are certainly not starved for sex, as viewers. You can go watch sex wherever you want to. So, what would have to keep this interesting, is to watch it evolve and to watch their intimacy change. That’s why I love the sex in episode 6 so much, because it’s both incredibly sweet and then incredibly playful and funny. And I like those two juxtapositions. That’s when I feel like they’re a real couple, like when you’re giving somebody a blowjob to annoy them. That’s what a boyfriend does. That’s annoying. That’s great. That’s what I want to see.
DEADLINE: Another thing I loved, as great as the sex scenes are, I noticed that episode 5, there’s not as many sex scene.
TIERNEY: There’s none.
DEADLINE: But there’s a lot of more emotional intimacy, and it made it feel so earned and real. Like when Ilya tells Shane “I love you” in Russian.
TIERNEY: I think that’s part of the evolution too, it’s a story. It was really important to me that you have to earn these moments. That’s why episode 3 is where it is, and that’s why 5 ends the way it does. This stuff, it has to imprint on you, and then, you get that those big feelings like that. And I don’t think you get those big feelings that you get in 5 if you haven’t sat through how painful 4 was for them, or the ending of 2, where you’re like, “Oh God, will these two ever f*cking learn to talk to each other?” And then when they do in 5, it’s in two different languages. I think that’s also part of what’s amazing when romance works, that you’re just endlessly watching two people bypass each other. When they hit, you’re like, “No, wait! It’s not that.” And that aching. Yeah, it’s been so fun to see people react to that.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in the ‘Heated Rivalry’, Season 1 finale episode ‘The Cottage’
DEADLINE: Where are you at with Season 2, or are you just kind of letting it ruminate?
TIERNEY: It’s all gonna be underwater. It takes place in the lost city of Atlantis—no, listen, Season 2 will be based around The Long Game. I don’t have details. I have not started writing, so I’m not just trying to be evasive. I genuinely don’t know yet. I’m so lucky to have a whole world of books here to grab things from, to use, to add color, to add context, to add story. I can tell you I’m really excited to get back to writing. I’m excited to get back into this world with them, and I’m looking forward to it. I guess, here’s what I can say too, is that Heated Rivalry will always be centered around Shane and Ilya, this show. But we have a whole universe here, and so there’s loads of other things that we’re thinking about and that we’re gonna explore and that we’re gonna start to take more seriously now that we know that there’s an audience for it. And that’s pretty exciting, so I’m looking forward to really digging into this world.
The year 2025 was jam-packed with must-see genre entertainment. io9 covered an extensive range of pop culture across film and television, including major releases from Marvel Studios, DC Studios’ big Superman arrival, Netflix heavy hitters like Stranger Things, and awesome anime.
Beyond the screen, io9 kept you updated on the latest in theme parks and immersive experiences, as well as the latest in collectibles, toys, books, games, and comics.
To close out 2025, we’ve compiled our staff picks, highlighting our most treasured stories and sharp coverage that defined the world of genre entertainment this year.
The Director of Good Boy on Creating Horror From a Dog’s Point of View
By Cheryl Eddy
Most dog owners can recall at least one instance where their pup has reacted to a seemingly invisible presence. Are they picking up a sound pitched higher than our hearing? Sniffing out the memory of a dropped piece of food? Or perhaps… using their canine super-senses to detect something supernatural?
Good Boy, the feature debut of director and co-writer Ben Leonberg, takes that idea and runs with it, following Indy (played by Leonberg’s own dog) and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), as they move into the former home of Todd’s late grandfather. It’s a gloomy, dark, isolated place, and—as Indy soon realizes—it appears to be teeming with unquiet spirits. [Read more]
The Superman We Need Right Now: A Report From the Set of James Gunn’s New DC Film
By Germain Lussier
When Superman started kissing the football on a stick, it all clicked together. The day was June 24, 2024, and io9 was in Cleveland to watch the filming of James Gunn’s Superman. At the end of a giant battle over the streets of Metropolis, the Man of Steel knelt down to kiss and profess his love to an inanimate object that special effects would later transform into his dog, Krypto. That little dash of heartfelt weirdness, in the middle of a massive action scene, did a near-perfect job of showing what the film’s cast and crew had been trying to articulate all day: this is not just a unique, new Superman, it’s James Gunn’s Superman. [Read more]
In Sinners, Honesty Leads to Freedom
By Justin Carter
Sinners is the type of movie where nearly every scene could be considered a standout moment on a technical, writing, or performance level. For me, there’s two moments—one utterly sincere and raunchy, the other delightfully meta—that speak to one of the film’s core themes.
In the first, burgeoning blues guitarist Sammie (Miles Caton) is getting intimate with singer Pealine (Jayme Lawson) and proceeds to get on his knees. He’s about to employ the advice his older cousin Stack (Michael B. Jordan) gave to him about pleasuring a woman earlier in the film, and just as Pearline’s about to politely decline, Sammie looks up at her and says: “You’re beautiful, and I want to taste it.” He’s clearly taken with her, and says this with the earnestness of someone who believes in what he’s saying. [Read more]
What’s the Story Behind Tron: Ares? Our Report From the Set
By Germain Lussier
“I have to ride a lightcycle.” That was my first thought last year when the invite arrived to visit the set of Disney’s new sequel, Tron: Ares. It seemed like a logical request. When you think of Tron, you think of lightcycles. They’re a huge part of both 2010’s Tron: Legacy and 1982’s Tron. And yet, I had to wonder, were there even lightcycles in this movie? What exactly WAS this movie? Coming out 15 years after the last one, with basically a whole new cast, it seemed any concept of what the film could or would be was entirely up in the air. I had questions. I wanted answers. And, perhaps, a ride on that lightcycle. [Read more]
I Love the Moment That Everything Changes in Gundam GQuuuuuuX
By James Whitbrook
The latest entry in the Gundam franchise, GQuuuuuuX, is built around one of the most fascinating premises a mainline Gundam show has had in years. To get there, we’re asked to cast our minds back over 45 years to the original 1979 anime—and in doing so, we’re also asked to consider a pretty hilarious idea.
The vast majority of Gundam GQuuuuuuX—as covered in its prequel/compilation movie GQuuuuuuX Beginning, out in American theaters today for a limited run—is predicated around the fact that the show is in fact set in an alternate version of Gundam‘s “Universal Century” timeline. The primary timeline of the original Gundam and its direct successor series, among others in the franchise, GQuuuuuuX‘s version of events asks us to consider another outcome. What if the antagonistic forces of the original series, the secessionist space colony Zeon, actually managed to win the war against Earth? [Read more]
7 Reasons Why The Nightmare Before Christmas Is Not a Halloween Movie, 4 Reasons Why It Is
By Sabina Graves
Every year, it seems that Halloween creeps in earlier than before, and with it, its Pumpkin King, Jack Skellington.
Take the Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland; it’s a haunted house with ghosts that, as soon as Halloweentime arrives at the Disneyland resort at the end of summer, becomes inhabited by Jack and the people of Halloweentown. However, they’re not there for Halloween; they’re there to make Christmas. There’s the rub, because the once cult and now very mainstream holiday staple from the mind of Tim Burton and director Henry Selick is about one holiday taking over another. [Read more]
Bryan Fuller Reveals the Inspirations for His Dark Fairytale Feature Debut
By Sabina Graves
He’s best known for his acclaimed genre TV shows, but Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies) is making his feature film directorial debut with Dust Bunny, a coming-of-age storybook fantasy with his signature twist.
The film reunites the Hannibal series creator with star Mads Mikkelsen. He plays a hitman hired by a young girl named Aurora (Sophie Sloan), who wants his help to hunt the mysterious and monstrous Dust Bunny tormenting her apartment.
In a recent conversation with io9, Fuller talked about how the feature got the big screen treatment after previously being pitched as an episode of the Steven Spielberg-produced Amazing Stories series for Apple TV, and what it was like working on it with genre great Sigourney Weaver. The cult-fave creative mind also opened up about how he feels in regards to some of the projects he’s been attached to that have fallen through—as well as his excitement for a project yet to be announced. And yes, we even got a few details about his potential Silence of the Lambs limited series. [Read more]
Birds of Prey Deserved Its Full, Chaotic 15 Minutes of Fame
By Justin Carter
It always sucks when something that’s pretty good and was clearly well made just doesn’t hit the way it seems like it should’ve. This is particularly true when it comes to movies; think of a film you saw that was surprisingly enjoyable and how it didn’t really get a fair shake for whatever reason.
Plenty of examples come to mind for me, but one of the first is Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey. Originally released on February 7, 2020, under its initial (and funnier) title, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), the film’s a bit of a tangled knot. You may remember it first seemed like a solo vehicle for Margot Robbie’s Harley post-Suicide Squad 2016, then somewhere along the line, it also may have become something for the popular, usually women-starring B-list superhero team, and then ended up being… kind of both? [Read more]
Castlevania: Nocturne Writers Talk Religion, Revolution, and Black Representation
By Isaiah Colbert
Castlevania: Nocturne returns with its second season on Netflix, sparking online discussions about video game references, animation enthusiasts sharing their favorite action clips, and Alucard babygirl posts in its wake. However, a new season also brings the resurgence of pearl-clutching and Gamergate-adjacent rhetoric concerning Black representation, which should be celebrated in the Powerhouse Animation series instead.
To address and preempt criticisms from those who deride the inclusion of Black characters in the video game series as “woke,” we talked to Black Castlevania: Nocturne writers Testament and Zodwa Nyoni, and executive producer Clive Bradley, about how they enriched Konami’s fantastical source material setting with real-world events and the Black experience. [Read more]
How Fionna and Cake Reflects the Legacy of Adventure Time
By Sabina Graves
Season two of Fionna and Cake has arrived on HBO Max, taking Adventure Time fans into a new world—and it’s one that’s finally established as its own universe, thanks to Prismo breaking the rules and making the Ice King’s fan fiction real.
The first season’s ending metatextually had Fionna and friends fight to make their world canon, and there’s now more to explore in its earned existence and how it might cross over into Adventure Time‘s Land of Ooo.
But don’t get the premise twisted, Fionna and Cake isn’t just fan service to sneak back into Adventure Time territory completely. In a conversation io9 had with producer Adam Muto, we discussed how the creative teams aim to make their beloved character variants stand on their own and, yes, sometimes stand with the legacy faces to take on new interdimensional threats. [Read more]
A Love Letter to Cobra Kai, One of the Greatest Sequels Ever
By Germain Lussier
When I first watched Cobra Kai, I stopped it five minutes in. This is a true story. I started the first episode and was so absolutely blown away by what I was seeing, I almost didn’t believe it was real. Since I was about five years old, I’d been a massive fan of The Karate Kid franchise, and here I was in my 30s watching the same actors from those movies tell this dynamic, awesome, follow-up story. There was no way this show was this good. It was impossible. [Read more]
Tony Gilroy Looks Back on Taking Shit Seriously in Andor
By James Whitbrook
Tony Gilroy is a man with a vision. That vision guided him from the extensive reshoots of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story all the way to a Disney+ series about one of that film’s heroes, Cassian Andor—and finding in it a critical acclaim unlike anything the galaxy far, far away had seen in a generation.
He’s also a very frank man who knows when that vision can potentially turn on a dime—as it did one day while filming the series in Scotland, when the writer, director, and showrunner realized that his grand plan for Andor wasn’t going to work. [Read more]
Andor‘s Tony Gilroy and Genevieve O’Reilly Break Down Mon Mothma’s Pivotal Dance
By Sabina Graves
During io9’s interview with showrunner Tony Gilroy and star Genevieve O’Reilly, who plays Mon Mothma, the duo broke down the last moments of the third episode of this week’s drop. Gilroy also discussed how framing these pivotal years as three-episode mini-movies came about. [Read more]
Andor‘s Finest Hours Just Delivered a Huge Gut Punch
By Sabina Graves
What it takes to sustain a rebellion is brought into question in this week’s episode arc of Andor, which covers what happens two years before the main events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and the original Star Wars saga. Thematically it’s time for the rebels to figure out if they want to just fight or actually win, as tensions come to a head on Ghorman in what’s probably the most gut-wrenching watch of the series, and perhaps even Star Wars as a whole. [Read more]
Who Was Syril Karn?
By James Whitbrook
“Who are you?” is the question that haunts Syril Karn for his entire life. From the moment we met him, prim and proper security uniform modified to be just so, a sense of purpose in a vast and uncaring universe has been at the core of understanding what makes Syril tick. The journey that took him across the galaxy reached a climactic moment in Andor‘s penultimate arc this week, and raised that haunting question once more. But the answer is more complicated than mere villain in Andor‘s narrative, doubting or otherwise. Because even as the hero of his own story, the man we know Syril to be, until the very end, is shaped less by himself and more by the systems and structures that made a tool of him. [Read more]
They Just Gave Kleya a Goddamn Gun
By James Whitbrook
There’s a scene in the ninth episode of Andor‘s second season where Vel Sartha, inspecting a table full of requisitioned weaponry at the Rebellion’s Yavin base, picks up a blaster and asks whose it is. Except, that’s not what she asks, raising the pistol into the air in front of a crowd of new recruits. What she actually says is “Who belongs to this?”
I was thinking a lot about that line an episode later, when, as she infiltrates a hospital in a desperate attempt to end the life of the man who saved hers as a child, Kleya Marki, one of Andor‘s standout characters, slips a tiny blaster with one hell of a kick out of her purloined nurse’s scrubs and calmly executes an ISB tactical officer. And then does it again. And again. It’s the climactic, tense moment of an episode that builds up to this singular moment of emotional and dramatic release as she tearfully turns off Luthen’s life support. In many ways, Kleya’s whole life, one torn apart by the Empire, and rebuilt out of her hatred of it, is leading to this moment, and this moment of infiltration and execution is just the final flourish. [Read more]
Vinland Saga Creator Makoto Yukimura Looks Back on Writing His Pacifist Viking Epic
By Isaiah Colbert
Anime and, by proxy, manga are typically viewed through a lens where violence begets violence, and the only hero is one with attention-grabbing hairdos, the ability to power up, and the capacity to punch things even more brilliantly. Very rarely is the traditional hero’s journey, whether in shonen or its older brother genre, seinen, predicated on having its hero question the nature of violence as a catch-all solution, rather than a spoke that keeps the cycle spinning. Then again, not every manga series challenges that notion so brilliantly as Vinland Saga. [Read more]
Revolutionary Girl Utena Is as Lynchian as Shojo Anime Has Ever Been
By Isaiah Colbert
Over the years, critics and everyday people have come to identify media as “Lynchian,” in reverence for how video games, movies, and TV shows evoke the dream-like quality of the late auteur David Lynch. Although most media described as Lynchian takes its inspiration from seminal works like Twin Peaks through referential nods, no show completely embodies the ephemeral vibe of Lynch’s opaque-yet-piercing style of storytelling quite like the similarly influential shojo anime series Revolutionary Girl Utena. [Read more]
Deep Space Nine Understood the Fantasy of Spies—and Their Reality
By James Whitbrook
In just under a week, the next Star Trek project arrives in the form of Section 31, a streaming movie starring Michelle Yeoh diving into the titular black ops organization—one that, at least in all the footage we’ve seen so far, puts an emphasis on the glitz and glam of secret agent work. There’s action, there’s dazzling costumes, there’s even, perhaps most surprisingly in the context of it all, direct Federation oversight, like a co-worker with a stick up their ass who’s here to stop you from having fun. [Read more]
The Leftovers Is Still One of TV’s Great Miracles
By Cheryl Eddy
Losing a loved one brings pain no matter the circumstances. Not knowing what happened to them only adds more agony. That grief and confusion is what propels The Leftovers, but on a global scale—leading to three fascinating, thought-provoking, audacious, cigarette-filled, and often miraculous seasons of TV.
At the start of the first episode, it happens: two percent of the world’s population vanishes into thin air. The amount of missing isn’t huge, but it’s significant. The people who lost someone dear are personally wounded, but nobody escapes being touched in some way by the event, which leaves humanity with an infuriating array of mystical questions. Why did those who left get “chosen”—and why were those who didn’t go get left behind? Was God or some other cosmic being involved? Where did they go? Will they ever come back? And will it happen again? [Read more]
The 6 Biggest Moments in the Shocking Foundation Season 3 Finale
By Cheryl Eddy
Foundation season three has come to an end, but it still feels like there’s so much story left to tell. Thank goodness Apple TV+ confirmed just yesterday that season four is on the way! But before we ponder what’s next, we must discuss the season finale.
“The Darkness” was… well, a lot sure did happen, didn’t it? [Read more]
Stranger Things Lets It Rip to Kick Off Its Final Season
By Sabina Graves
The conclusion to Netflix and the Duffer Brothers’ pop culture phenomenon Stranger Things begins with an epic first volume that’s now streaming for your binging pleasure.
Action and horror propel the return to Hawkins in volume one as our heroes race to find Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), hoping to vanquish him once and for all. In the time since the Upside Down ripped open in season four, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) has been training with Hopper (David Harbour) to strengthen her powers. Seeing Eleven’s growth into a strong as hell young woman from her early days throwing bullies off her friends is such a joy. Clearly, that’s thanks to Eggo waffles. [Read more]
Why Gainax’s Gunbuster Pose Is More Than Anime Rule of Cool Reference Fodder
By Isaiah Colbert
Anime of the late ’80s has an undeniable impact that extends beyond the medium into movies, TV shows, and video games. Many of the homages are to 1988’s Akira, which existed before Western culture had a grasp of what anime really was or could be. The “Akira slide”—an iconic shot of Kaneda sliding sideways on his bike in the 1988 movie adaptation of Akira—has become an icon of anime culture, referenced over and over in numerous cartoons and films, western and Japanese, ever since, including Jordan Peele’s Nope, Tron: Ares, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, amid an ocean of other Akira nods.
While Akira references are rife in new media like Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic, letting fans know that the creators are aware of its rule of cool, it’s hard not to feel a bit like the buck stopped at aping aesthetics for easy internet referential brownie points over carrying over its core narrative themes. Although most pop culture nods (Scavengers Reign aside) borrow Akira‘s surface style without echoing its thematic depth, every homage to fellow 1988 anime film Gunbuster‘s iconic arm-cross pose endures as a timeless gesture of steeled resolve wrapped in a badass stance. [Read more]
Meet Freddy Fazbear and Friends at Halloween Horror Nights’ Five Nights at Freddy’s House
By Sabina Graves
Take a look inside the Five Nights at Freddy’s house at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights. It looks like a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location right out of the mind of game creator Scott Cawthon and Emma Tammi’s cinematic adaptation.
io9 was invited to a behind-the-scenes walkthrough of the Hollywood attraction based on the video game and Blumhouse film franchise, opening at HHN ahead of December’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2. Creative director John Murdy took us through to highlight the incredible work done between Horror Nights, Cawthon, and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. [Read more]
How Science Fiction Became the Key to This Year’s Most Buzzed About Concert
By Germain Lussier
2001: A Space Odyssey. Star Wars. Star Trek. Tron. Blade Runner. Akira. The Fifth Element. Interstellar. Superman. Flash Gordon. The Matrix. That sounds like a list of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, but actually, it’s a list of the films mentioned during a discussion about the inspirations behind the Backstreet Boys’ popular new residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This past July, one of the biggest boy bands of all time celebrated 20 years of their iconic album, Millennium, at the technologically advanced venue, with two months of sold-out shows that generated a ton of buzz and interest. As a result, two more months of shows were recently added, and io9 spoke to Baz Halpin, CEO and founder of Silent House, about it. [Read more]
KPop Demon Hunters and Expedition 33 Are Having a Moment
By Justin Carter
Have you watched KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix or played Clair Obscur: Expedition 33?
Chances are the answer is “yes,” and if not, you’ve certainly heard of them: both were released earlier this year to fairly glowing reviews (if not outright critical acclaim) and performed very well commercially. The latter, a turn-based RPG from newcomer Sandfall Interactive, will likely pick up some awards at year’s end, while Netflix is planning to go all in on KPop. Along with talks of sequels and an ever-growing wave of merchandise, the streamer submitted the mid-movie song “Golden” for Academy Award consideration. Both may also wind up jumping to live-action; Expedition had a movie announced months before the game’s release, while Netflix is reportedly mulling over a remake with human actors. [Read more]
Epic Universe’s Monster Lore Gives Us the Best Possible Dark Universe
By Sabina Graves
When you visit Epic Universe’s Dark Universe, you get hints of a story that’s so mysterious you’ll want to keep coming back to learn more. In Darkmoor Village, where monsters and humans co-exist—barely—the relationship between the villagers, the mad scientist in her castle with her monsters, and the vampires below is a very fragile menagerie of the macabre.
When io9 visited Darkmoor during Epic Universe’s opening week, we couldn’t help but wonder if the dense canon introduced would offer some insight into Universal’s abandoned Dark Universe film franchise. It turns out that some elements in the attractions, details in the land offerings, and immersive interactions echo what was once supposed to herald an Avengers-like assembly of the Universal Monsters on the big screen. [Read more]
Death Stranding 2 Is Hideo Kojima’s Most Refined and Relentless Vision Yet
By Isaiah Colbert
When Hideo Kojima—the man fashioned into a video game auteur out of his work on Metal Gear Solid—launched his debut title under the newly formed Kojima Productions in 2019, Death Stranding arrived shrouded in mystery and hype. Every Death Stranding trailer was full of cryptic imagery and spectral apparitions, and its stacked cast featuring Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Mads Mikkelsen set expectations sky-high. It was also the first title to come from the creator following a messy and public exodus from Konami. Would Kojima once again rewrite the rules of game design?
Upon release, Death Stranding didn’t disappoint so much as it defied prediction. At its core, it was an immersive, slow-burning post-apocalyptic courier simulator. Players took control of Sam Porter Bridges, a pulp comics-esque naming convention of a protagonist suffering from aphenphosmphobia, an extreme fear of being touched, tasked with completing a herculean cross country trek across haunted landscapes by plagued eldritch horrors with the help of a baby in a container on his chest—avoiding environmental hazards and balancing parcels on every available piece of real estate on his body to “reconnect America.” Reductively, Death Stranding is regarded in gaming circles as a “triple-A” indie game, with a weird (but not overly confusingly dense) world-building serving as the connective tissue propelling every careful footstep on Sam’s odyssey. What Death Stranding lacks in conventional thrills, it made up for with sheer conceptual weight. [Read more]
Walt Disney Returns as a Surreal Animatronic for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary
By Sabina Graves
As of this week, Walt Disney returns to his original Magic Kingdom, with a little help from the magic-makers at Imagineering.
Through the audio-animatronics technology Walt Disney introduced when he opened Disneyland 70 years ago, the evolution of the show robots has gone from static positioning with some movements, as first seen on the singing birds in the Enchanted Tiki Room, to a roaming animatronic of Uncle Walt. Stationed in the Main Street Opera House, the (m)animatronic is the crown jewel of the Walt Disney – A Magical Life show, where he, along with the help of Disney CEO Bob Iger as the program’s narrator, gets to sit and stand front and center to share his story in his words. [Read more]
Ghost of Yotei Is a Stronger, Self-Assured Sequel
By Justin Carter
There was a moment early on in Ghost of Yotei where I knew it’d won me over. As Atsu, I wasn’t hunting down the Yotei Six who killed my family and left me for dead back in my youth; I was taking on a simple bounty who’d managed to get the better of me. I was all set to watch him plunge his katana in my back and restart the swordfight. Instead, a wolf jumped in out of nowhere, biting him and granting me full health so I could get back up and resume the fight and get my bounty. [Read more]
The Best Disney Park Ride Overlays, and Where to Find Them
By Sabina Graves
Seasonal and promotional ride overlays are now ways to draw in more people to revisit beloved attractions at Disney’s parks or give passholders a reason to come back over and over. Over time some have had more longevity than others, as the most popular overlay continues to be Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Holiday, which has Jack Skellington and friends take over the West Coast haunt with his spooky Christmas shenanigans. Meanwhile, the haunted version of Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy seems to have exorcised its spirit—it just might have been a tad too scary, while Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain stays beating out the rest. [Read more]
Mass Effect 2 Helped Change What Being an RPG Meant
By Justin Carter
The Mass Effect series has always held a special, and often divisive spot in fans’ hearts. BioWare’s sci-fi RPG saga blew up with its first game back in 2007, and its sequel took the franchise to bigger, more mainstream heights. In the years since that game’s release, it’s cast a long shadow—not just over its own franchise and creator, but the larger RPG space, particularly those from western developers. [Read more]
Back to the Future Returns to Universal Studios Hollywood With an Incredible Immersive Experience
By Sabina Graves
With Back to the Future: Destination Hill Valley, Universal delivers on the promise of bringing you into the movies in a new, impactful way. The immersive experience is a triumph and you won’t want to leave.
You get on the studio tour and it becomes a time traveling tram that drops you into the moment that Marty McFly arrives and through the events of Back to the Future on the courthouse square where the Robert Zemeckis film was shot. Through roaming actors portraying George, Lorraine, Biff, and Doc, we get to see iconic moments recreated and be a part of them. I got to chat with my childhood crush George McFly and turned into a total shy mess as he asked if I was going to the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance. The storytelling propels forward as you are able to encourage him to ask Lorraine to go with him and help with his writing before we see the hilarious hijinks of Lorraine hitting on Marty, her future son who she wants to go to the dance with. Biff shows up and causes mayhem while fans spectate and quote along. [Read more]
Deus Ex Did Good Work, and I Wish It Could Do More
By Justin Carter
For as many long-running franchises were born during the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 era—your Assassin’s Creeds and Borderlands, to name a few—some old series tried making a return. Among those was Deus Ex, a series of cyberpunk role-playing games which just turned 20 years old and had an unfortunately short-lived return with a duology that under better circumstances, would’ve been a trilogy. [Read more]
Books, Art, and Toys
The full package – Regal Reobot
The Story Behind the Funniest Indiana Jones Prop Replica You’ve Ever Seen
By Germain Lussier
Indiana Jones is always on the hunt for rare antiquities. He’s found the Golden Idol, Ark of the Covenant, Holy Grail, and so much more. All of which makes prop replicas of those things rather obvious. But, for the Indiana Jones fan who wants to be like their favorite adventuring archaeologist and get something more rare and specific, how about a clothes hanger? [Read more]
For Sale: One Book of the Dead, Slightly Used
By Cheryl Eddy
That little getaway in the woods sure would have been much less eventful if Ash Williams and his pals hadn’t decided to read passages out of that creepy old book someone left behind. But we’re so glad they did—thereby awakening the forces of darkness, sparking the events of The Evil Dead and its sequels, launching Bruce Campbell into the goofy action hero pantheon, and giving horror fans endless delights over the past 40-plus years. And now, you can own the actual prop that started it all! [Read more]
You Have to Check Out These Insanely Detailed Pop Culture Sculptures
By Germain Lussier
Play-Doh is not generally considered a pathway to a career in art, but it was exactly that for Brad Hill. Years ago, the aspiring artist was gifted the popular children’s toy and, as a thank you, molded some of it into a head. “I was like, ‘Oh wait. That’s kind of fun,’” Hill said. “Every day, I’d just wake up and sculpt a head out of Play-Doh. And I thought, ‘Well, this isn’t sustainable.’” He was wrong. Fifteen years later, Hill’s work has gone all over the internet, and this week he’s having a retrospective art show featuring not just brand new work, but pieces from throughout his still blossoming career. [Read more]
Being a Manga Letterer Is More Than Having a Fun Job
By Isaiah Colbert
When people read manga, they often focus on the Instagram caption-worthy one-liners and larger-than-life illustrations that fill their pages. What usually goes unnoticed in picking up a manga is the work that goes into its lettering and graphic design, done by the folks who pour their craftsmanship into typesetting popular Japanese manga for Western audiences.
We spoke with professional letterers Brandon Bovia (The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All, Dragon Ball Super, Kaiju No. 8), Evan Hayden (Battle Angel Alita, Land of Lustrous, Akira), Sara Linsley (Kamudo), Aidan Clarke (Otaku Elf, Neo Faust, Les Miserable), Barri Shrager (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?), Kyla Aiko (Dandadan, Gokurakugai, RuriDragon), and Finn K. (Shinobi Undercover, Dear Anemone) about the challenges of typesetting the best manga in the world. [Read more]
How the Grinch Stole Modern Christmas
By Sabina Graves
He’s a meme one, Mr. Grinch, or at least that’s the current pop culture identity of the iconic Dr. Seuss creation.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the beloved illustrated Seuss book that many of us first experienced as a story read to us as children, initially became a cultural phenomenon thanks to its timeless themes about how Christmas can be found not only in gifts but also in the hearts of all—even the grumpiest of green meanies. [Read more]
HBO Max’s TV and movie release schedule for December 22 to December 28, 2025, includes Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, Guy’s Grocery Games Season 40, Happy And You Know It, and Junk or Jackpot?, Season 1.
On December 22, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025) drops on HBO Max. The action-adventure film focuses on an Aztec boy who escapes to Tenochtitlan after his father is killed by Spanish conquistadors. Soon, he undergoes training in the temple of the bat God and decides to seek revenge for his father’s death using a new weapon.
Further, Guy’s Grocery Games Season 40 will arrive on the streaming platform. The reality show follows Guy Fieri challenges chefs with an interesting challenge. However, they need to prepare dishes using ingredients from the grocery store while following Fieri’s instructions.
Also, coming to HBO Max is Happy And You Know It. The documentary explores the underestimated popular genre of kids’ music. Moreover, it throws light on how technological advancements and AI are reshaping this genre.
Additionally, Junk or Jackpot? Season 1 will be available on the streaming platform. It focuses on Bobby, who helps people sell items like toys, dolls, and collectibles.
New HBO Max releases for December 22-28, 2025
Below are all the new TV shows and movies being added to HBO Max from December 22-28, 2025.
Monday, December 22
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025)
The Last Captains, Season 1 (Discovery)
Tuesday, December 23
“The Exorcists,” The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (CNN Original)
In a series of photos released late Wednesday by WBD, the Netflix co-CEOs practically announced “we are Greg and Ted and we are your future,” to paraphrase that killer quip from Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. If not going full on Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter from the 1989 metalhead comedy, Sarandos and Peters did look a lot like guys about to get the keys to their new digs.
Getting some very touristy shots in with Zas in front of the WB water tower, between the sound stages and chatting with the troops, the near matching white kicks wearing executives’ appearance in Burbank had all the hallmarks of a big staged F.U. to WBD bid rivals David Ellison and Paramount.
Neither WBD nor Netflix had a comment about the Hump Day get together. However, the images did come with a caption of “today, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav welcomed Netflix Co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters to the historic Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank to meet with leaders across the company.”
In point of fact, Sarandos and Peters met around 400 members of WBD’s leadership (some of whom are going to be very very very well compensated if the deal between the iconic studio and the streamer goes through) in the lot’s Ross Theate. Hosted and, to some degree, MC’d by Zas, the co-CEO asked and took questions from the crowd. In the conversation, Sarandos and Peters offered assurances that they were interested in growing the business and had no interested in shuttering theatrical release — which WB has scheduled out until 2029 right now.
Really though it was a lot of optics for a corporate buddy movie that just over two months ago, Peters openly scoffed at and almost everyone in town thought was a de facto done deal for David Ellison and his second richest man on the planet and Donald Trump whisperer Larry Ellison.
Look at the smiles on their faces, look at the hope in their eyes …it’s just looking all wine, blue blazers and roses.
Of course, even with the WBD board’s latest no thanks to Paramount and recommendations to shareholders to say the same, David Ellison still wants his second studio. No matter that Zas and gang have thrown serious shade on the Ellisons’ backstop promises and money on the table, everyone expects David and his father are going throw more money at WBD to get it before the January 8, 2026 deadline they set.
While all that plays out, can we get some consensus here on if Greg Peters’ really is the Bill to Sarandos’ Ted? Asking for a friend…
(L-R) Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter at 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey Hollywood Premiere (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
The Warner Bros streaming sibling revealed the news Monday about the streaming date, which comes a day before the pic premieres on the HBO linear channel. HBO Max will also stream an ASL version.
Related Stories
The pic, a mash of crime and political action thriller and dark comedy, centers on DiCaprio’s washed-up revolutionary Bob, who exists in a state of stoned paranoia and survives off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis (Sean Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and Willa goes missing, Bob scrambles to find her, battling the consequences of his past.
Benicio Del Toro, Regina Hall and Teyana Taylor also star.
The pic, which opened September 26 and has surpassed $200 million at the global box office, has already been named Best Picture by the New York and Los Angeles critics groups and the National Board of Review and won the Best Feature honor at the Gotham Awards. It is up for 14 Critics Choice Awards and leads all films with nine nominations for the Golden Globes.
One Battle After Another is produced by Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Anderson, with Will Weiske executive producing.
HBO Max’s TV and movie release schedule for December 15 to December 21, 2025, includesThe Bold Type Seasons 1-5, Truck U Season 21, Teen Titans Go! Season 9F, and Ne Zha II.
On December 15, The Bold Type Seasons 1-5 drops on HBO Max. The comedy-drama series follows the adventures of three friends who work for a popular women’s magazine. Together, they deal with both personal and professional challenges.
Further, Truck U Season 21 arrives on the streaming platform. It showcases monster truck expert Matt Steele and mechanic Bruno Massel dealing with projects to improve the performance of trucks.
Also coming to HBO Max is Teen Titans Go! Season 9F. The animated series witnesses the life of the fan-favorite group of superheroes, the Teen Titans. However, things change when they stop fighting for the world.
Additionally, the fantasy film Ne Zha II will be available on the streaming giant this week. It follows a young boy, feared by the gods due to his unusual birth. He must rise and be a hero by saving the world from destruction by an ancient force.
New HBO Max releases for December 15-21, 2025
Below are all the new TV shows and movies being added to HBO Max from December 15-21, 2025.
Monday, December 15
Assassination in the Valley of the Kings (Discovery)
The Bold Type, Seasons 1-5
Tony Shalhoub Breaking Bread (CNN Original Series)
Truck U, Season 21
White House Christmas (HGTV)
Tuesday, December 16
The Secrets We Bury (ID)
“MisinfoNation: White Genocide,” The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper (CNN Original)
Wednesday, December 17
Obsession: The Murder of a Beauty Queen (HBO Original)
Thursday, December 18
Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately? (HBO Original)
Saving Yellowstone with Dennis Quaid, Season 1 (Animal Planet)
Last week’s cutesy, comedy-less rom-com was all good and well — a little something for the moms watching — but thank god we’re finally back to the story between Ilya and Shane that got us invested in this show in the first place. Their long-distance, slow-burn situationship is well portrayed through a montage at the beginning of the episode that spans 2014 to 2016. We see them continue to text, Ilya partying and Shane shooting brand deals, and both checking their calendars for the next game they have against each other. Those games are intercut with glimpses of the sex they’re having afterwards, and after Shane wins two cups, Ilya texts him, “The only cup you’ll have next year is the one I’ll take off with my mouth.”
But naturally, over this long stretch of time, people are asking about their respective romantic lives. During a trip to the aquarium with Hayden and his four kids, who only appear off-screen (saving production money that they can then spend on body oil), he asks about an ex of Shane’s, and tries to set him up with one of his wife’s friends. Even Shane’s parents try to set him up with a Swedish princess — a brief break from their usual focus on his brand deals. Even Ilya gets pressed by Svetlana about whether he’s dating, and she asks about the mysterious “Jane” he’s texting. But neither of them seems open to any romantic prospects outside of one another.
Finally, the pair meet again at Ilya’s place, and waste no time kissing right there in the entryway, where Ilya lifts Shane up onto the counter. We then cut to Shane riding him in bed like a Zamboni, before getting spun around in a smooth position switch. Afterwards, when Shane suggests that he should go, Ilya asks him to spend the night, adding, “I’m not done with you.” Even hotter than the bare asses.
It’s also a marked shift from what we’re used to seeing between them, especially from Ilya. In the first two episodes, their relationship was predominantly physical, but naturally, over such a long stretch of time, a personal connection has grown. Amongst other things, a-yo! What happens when Shane stays is far more intimate and vulnerable than anything we’ve seen thus far — they cuddle, Ilya asks if Shane’s ginger ale is cold enough, and even offers to make him a tuna melt. A tuna melt! Get a room, you two, Jesus. But with this evolution comes confusion. Purely sexual or fully romantic are much easier connections for someone to wrap their head around than this grey, in-between area on that spectrum.
For example, when they’re sitting on the couch, Ilya mentions sleeping with Svetlana and dating women, which Shane seems to bristle at. In turn, Shane says he likes girls too, even though Ilya hasn’t seen any proof of this. “I like girls, but I also like you,” Ilya tells him. “Not as a person, of course. But you have a good mouth.” The barb points out the elephant slowly wandering into the room — are they just mouths (and butts), or are they people in each other’s lives? While the first half of this conversation points to the former, the next part, in which Shane asks if Ilya’s father is okay after overhearing a tense phone call, suggests the latter. “Oh, you speak Russian now?” he asks, to which Shane replies, “I know the word for father.” Yeah, I bet he knows the Russian word for daddy, too.
Cuddling on the couch quickly turns to Shane getting on top of Ilya yet again, this time jerking them both off. But post-completion, Shane suddenly has a change of heart and quickly decides to leave, saying, “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.” It’s like he’s reading off that Post-It note Berger left for Carrie Bradshaw. That grey area might just be too much for him to wrap his head around.
Later in the episode, Shane gets invited to a party where the show essentially presents him with his two potential paths. First, when he orders a drink, a seemingly flirtatious male bartender gives it to him for free — so that’s what’s available behind Door Number One. But behind Door Number Two is the actress Rose Landry (played by Yellowjackets’s Sophie Nélisse). Impossible to say which is the gayer choice: gay sex or hanging out with Young Melanie Lynskey. Ultimately, he chooses the latter. She’s in town shooting a new “X-Squad” movie, and being that she grew up in a family of hockey fans, the pair naturally hit it off.
But what’s really driving this connection? A high profile relationship would make sense if Shane was facing questions about his sexuality from the public, but any pressure to date has really just come from his close friends and family. There’s also the possibility that he’s actually into Rose. But the timing of this is interesting, with it happening right after Ilya mentioned sleeping with women himself. Is this some kind of competitive bi-off? Or maybe he’s scared that his connection with Ilya is beginning to shift more toward the romantic than the physical, and this is an attempt to run or course-correct.
In any case, the relationship soon goes public. Paparazzi photos of the pair are taken, Rose wears his jersey to a game, and they quickly become the hot celebrity/sports couple — like Travis and Taylor. Ilya, being the Karlie Kloss in this situation, is, of course, disgruntled by the coverage.
Two weeks later, they’re playing against each other again, and per usual, Shane is on his phone before the game. But this time it’s Rose he’s texting, who wants him to go out to the club with her afterwards. Old habits die hard, though, and we see him check his messages with Ilya…but nothing. Maybe that’s why they both end up underperforming in what turns out to be a dud of a game, though we do at least get one quick glimpse of Ilya throwing Shane up against the glass out on the ice. Oh, I didn’t realize this was an exhibition match.
After the game, Shane meets up with Rose as planned, and despite being exhausted, agrees to dance with her at the club. But guess who also decided to go to what seems to be Montreal’s only club after the game? Ilya, who watches on after spotting hockey’s new it-couple together across the dance floor. But two can play at that game, so Ilya finds a girl of his own and ups the ante by making out with her in front of Shane. I can already picture the fan edits of this scene set to “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn. But since this is a Crave Original, that of course isn’t the song actually playing, it’s “All The Things She Said” by (fittingly) Russian duo t.A.T.u.
But quick sidebar: what’s the deal with Rose’s friend Miles? He’s actively flirting with Shane at their table, makes eyes at Ilya at the bar, and then, in the strangest move of all, joins Shane and Rose on the dance floor and not only grinds up behind Shane, but kisses his neck like they’re in Challengers? And it goes completely unacknowledged by everyone. What the fuck is that about?
Perhaps because the club refused to play Robyn’s music, both of our hockey players soon leave. Shane has sex with Rose, which feels a little like watching a dog walk on its hind legs, whereas Ilya is left to jerk off alone in the shower. But as we cut back and forth between their respective completions, it feels like the moment they’re both actually still in is the brief eye contact they made on the dance floor.
• 12:34: Shane’s butt in motion, grinding as he rides Ilya. Classless.
• 12:50: A rear shot of him walking toward Ilya in bed, fully nude. Tasteful.
• 41:28: Ilya’s hockey butt narrowly avoids shattering the glass as he jerks off in the shower. Christmas came early and so did he.
SPOILERS: This post contains details about the Heated Rivalry episode ‘Rose’
Never has hockey been more important to LGBTQ audiences than in the wake of Heated Rivalry‘s meteoric success, presenting many physical demands for the show’s stars—on and off the ice.
Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who star in the Crave/HBO Max show as closeted hockey pros Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, recently explained to Deadline why they would “rather [film] the sex scenes” than hockey sequences.
“Because the hockey scenes—my feet hurt and then I cramp and I’m not that good, so I have to be very diligent with making sure I don’t look like a phony,” explained Williams. “But with the sex scenes, we rehearse them so heavily and we knew what we were gonna do going in, that they’re also a lot of fun.”
Storrie echoed his co-star’s sentiment, noting, “The hockey stuff is not easy. I mean, it’s hard to believe yourself as an NHL player at the top of your craft. … It’s very physically demanding. It’s also, being on the ice for so long is almost nauseating. I don’t know, just the lights, it’s cold. It’s so not easy.”
Fortunately for the show’s devoted fans, this week’s episode ‘Rose’ features multiple intimate moments between Ilya and Shane. Meanwhile, the stars are aware of the fan speculation that’s grown around their own sexual orientations, which Williams notes is “just the nature of celebrity.”
‘Heated Rivalry’s Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams
Glenn Garner/Deadline
Williams said, “I think there’s never a question for me, when I would dream of becoming in the public eye, that I would want just a level of privacy. But of course, I agree. I want queer people telling queer stories, but also, there’s the element of Connor and I—we’re best friends, and we love expressing that physically.”
For Storrie, with “so much energy coming at us,” he explained, “It’s important for me to have a little bit of separation from the character in the show.”
Based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers novels, the Jacob Tierney-created series follows the affair between Ilya and Shane as they begin to fall in love over several years, sneaking away to see each other when their teams are playing.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov and Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in ‘Heated Rivalry’
Sabrina Lantos
The episode ‘Rose’, now available to stream, sees Ilya and Shane trading in their usual discreet hotel rendezvous for Ilya’s mansion. Despite the casual nature of their dynamic, the pair sticks around after their latest hookup for some cuddling and tuna melts. But when things start getting a little too real for Shane, he bolts, only to spark romance with famous actress Rose Landry (Sophie Nélisse).
Read on about the latest episode of Heated Rivalry.
DEADLINE: I know everybody on social media is loving Heated Rivalry, and I also saw that you guys went to Hi Tops last night. What was it like seeing the fan reaction in person?
CONNOR STORRIE: It’s so overwhelming. We did some fan events before the show came out, and that felt a little easier because it wasn’t so much about us. It was more about the story, but that was so weird to be around people, because it became not just about, “I love this story, I love these characters,” but like, “I love you on the show,” and it’s like, oh, I can’t accept that.
HUDSON WILLIAMS: Yeah, I almost just wish they didn’t give us mics and they just sent us into the crowd, because I can do person-to-person, but when they’re like, “say something,” and it’s like “What do you want me to say in front of everyone? Everyone’s looking at you and filming you, but it’s still grea. After the mics went down, we just got to meet these people, taking selfies, and they’re just saying how much it means to them. That is really special.
Connor Storrie as Ilya Rozanov in ‘Heated Rivalry’
Sabrina Lantos
DEADLINE: And obviously, the sex scenes have been incredibly popular. But I have to wonder what is more physically demanding, the intimate scenes or the hockey scenes? which would you rather spend the day filming?
WILLIAMS: I’d rather do the sex scenes because the hockey scenes—my feet hurt and then I cramp and I’m not that good, so I have to be very diligent with making sure I don’t look like a phony. But with the sex scenes, we rehearse them so heavily and we knew what we were gonna do going in, that they’re also a lot of fun.
STORRIE: Yeah, it’s a dance. I totally agree with that. The hockey stuff is not easy. I mean, it’s hard to believe yourself as an NHL player at the top of your craft. I mean, those people, they work their entire lives for that. So, getting in those skates, being next to these guys who have been doing this for like 20 years, you’re like, “I’m OK.” It’s very physically demanding. It’s also, being on the ice for so long is almost nauseating. I don’t know, just the lights, it’s cold. It’s so not easy.
DEADLINE: I loved this episode because we’ve seen Shane just really putting his heart on his sleeve, but now we’re starting to see Ilya kind of give in a little bit. But then on top of that, we’re seeing Shane pull away. Tell me about tug of war and how you guys brought that to the screen.
STORRIE: For me, it’s always just moment to moment. I don’t really think of things in like arcs or plot or, “Oh this is so different from what we’ve done before.” I think we just kind of know these characters really well, and then it’s easy to kind of take that bass and plug and play it. I always look at Ilya as his own thing, and then I think if I’m really solid on that, then it naturally will provide whatever needs to be happening in the plot of the story. And then we have someone like Jacob who knows the story like the back of his hand and is willing to be like, “No, I think at this point, we need a little more of this, we need a little less that.” So, it’s just really knowing the person, and then you can plug that into any element of the story.
Hudson Williams as Shane Hollander in ‘Heated Rivalry’
Sabrina Lantos
WILLIAMS: Yes. To that point, knowing Shane, it felt like, of course he’s running. This is almost like when you go to pick up something you think is heavy and then it goes light, it’s almost like that moment where it’s like, “Oh my God.” He is like it, it looks like boyfriends. It looks like a partner, and it hasn’t up to this point. And that’s sort of terrifying. And [calling him by] the first name, it’s a lot of things that are just sort of scaring him in that moment, that it’s hard just to take that.
STORRIE: Right. There’s so many new things that you can’t help but feel altered or different.
DEADLINE: I also love the addition of Rose in this episode. What was it like bringing her into the fold? Because it’s kind of giving Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.
WILLIAMS: Right. I’m not too familiar with them, so I can’t speak to that. But working with Sophie, it was fantastic, and the Rose character is also very interesting because, obviously Shane is in love with Ilya, but Rose, her character in a way adds pressure to who he’s meant to be or what he thinks he should look like. But then again, she’s a confidant and she’s someone who’s open and accepting and makes him feel really safe. And up to that point, it was really only Ilya who could provide that, and his emotions weren’t always handled with care, so it’s a super interesting connection.
STORRIE: Yes, another true connection.=-=[]aq
DEADLINE: And just being able to step out in public and have paparazzi take pictures of them—
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I think that’s the sort of tragic element for Shane is, because he’s able to do this with someone who he doesn’t feel truthful that this person he’s in love with in that same way, but it’s being celebrated in a way that he feels they never would be.
DEADLINE: GLAAD recently released a report that nearly half of LGBTQ characters are disappearing from television this year. What does it feel like to be part of a show that’s just so unapologetically queer and a lot of people are seeing themselves represented?
STORRIE: Yeah, it feels great. I think that this community that it really speaks to, is so culturally impactful, now more than ever, and I think that this is really showing people just how much this does resonate with the world, in and outside of that community. I just want people to know that we’re so enthusiastic about these people and we relate to them so much, and we love this form of love.
WILLIAMS: And we love this story.
DEADLINE: And I feel like anytime there’s a big queer project like this, it seems inevitable that people are going to be speculating about your sexuality.
WILLIAMS: Of course, it’s just the nature of celebrity as well too.
DEADLINE: Or just accusing you of gay baiting. How does it feel having to separate your personal from the professional?
WILLIAMS: I think there’s never a question for me, when I would dream of becoming in the public eye, that I would want just a level of privacy. But of course, I agree. I want queer people telling queer stories, but also, there’s the element of Connor and I—we’re best friends, and we love expressing that physically. You see people who infer or assume, and you kind of have to let that go. But then again, I never wanna stop expressing the love I have for Connor physically, and I’m never really going to, and I think multiple things can be true at once. We want queer people telling queer stories. There’s an element of, also you can’t ask that in an audition room. But I think what Jacob said really sums it up the best, which is, you have to gauge how enthusiastic they are about the story. And they could have paid me $10 and just fed me, and I’m doing the story. I really thought I was gonna get nothing for this, and I just loved the story so much, and I want to be a part of that. And Connor as well, I’m sure feels the same. So, I think that’s the only thing you can gauge.
STORRIE: Totally. I think there’s so much energy that is coming at us with the rise of this show, and for me, at least, I think it’s important for me to have a little bit of separation from the character in the show. All I can really say is that I love Ilya, I love the community that this is a part of and that this caters to. I think that’s so much more interesting and valuable than doing just another run-of-the-mill, straight story. Who I date, who I sleep with, who this, that, whatever, I’m gonna keep that to myself. But regardless, I think this is super important, and I think also on top of that, it’s just really cool.
Streaming deals come and go throughout the year, but they are most abundant around Black Friday. It’s been a testy year for streaming services to say the least, and one big manifestation of that has been continuously rising prices. Disney+ and HBO Max were just a couple of the streaming services that bumped up prices, which means it’s more important than ever to subscribe if and when you can get a discount. These are the best Black Friday streaming deals you can get this year, many of which will also become the best Cyber Monday streaming deals you can get. Just note, though, that most require you to be either a new subscriber to get the deal, or a returning subscriber who hasn’t been a paid customer in a hot minute.
Best Black Friday streaming deals
Disney+
Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.
HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max’s Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you’re getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max’s website or, if you’re a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.
Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange’s more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.
Paramount+ — two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month.
Audible — three months for $3 + $20 Audible credit: For literally $1 per month, you can get access to Audible’s enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It’s only three months, after which you’ll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days.
Starz — one year for $12: Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $50 off a Stars annual subscription. There’s a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don’t want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads.
MasterClass — up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Black Friday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams.
Plex — lifetime pass for $150: Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection — imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It’s also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices, so now’s your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost.
Fubo TV — up to $30 off your first month: Fubo is arguably the best live TV streaming service for sports, and now new subscribers can save up to $30 on their first month. You’ll get that discount if you subscribe to the Elite plan, which normally costs $95 per month and provides access to 325 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, and it includes ESPN Unlimited as well. If you’re looking for a more affordable plan, the News + Sports tier has a $10 discount for new subscribers.
DirecTV — starting at $50/month for one month: All of DirecTV’s signature packages are up to $45 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base “Entertainment” package, you’ll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You’ll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app.
Streaming deals come and go throughout the year, but they are most abundant around Black Friday. It’s been a testy year for streaming services to say the least, and one big manifestation of that has been continuously rising prices. Disney+ and HBO Max were just a couple of the streaming services that bumped up prices, which means it’s more important than ever to subscribe if and when you can get a discount. These are the best Black Friday streaming deals you can get this year; just note, though, that most require you to be either a new subscriber to get the deal, or a returning subscriber who hasn’t been a paid customer in a hot minute.
Best Black Friday streaming deals
Disney+
Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.
HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max’s Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you’re getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max’s website or, if you’re a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.
Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange’s more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.
MasterClass — up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Black Friday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams.
Audible — three months for $3 + $20 Audible credit: For literally $1 per month, you can get access to Audible’s enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It’s only three months, after which you’ll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days.
Plex — lifetime pass for $150: Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection — imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It’s also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices, so now’s your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost.
Fubo TV — up to $30 off your first month: Fubo is arguably the best live TV streaming service for sports, and now new subscribers can save up to $30 on their first month. You’ll get that discount if you subscribe to the Elite plan, which normally costs $95 per month and provides access to 325 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, and it includes ESPN Unlimited as well. If you’re looking for a more affordable plan, the News + Sports tier has a $10 discount for new subscribers.
Starz — one year for $24: Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $40 off a Stars annual subscription. There’s a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don’t want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads.
DirecTV — starting at $50/month for one month: All of DirecTV’s signature packages are up to $45 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base “Entertainment” package, you’ll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You’ll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, StyleCaster may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
With more movies premiering online instead of in theaters, more and more people want to know if HBO Max has a free trial to watch Euphoria, House of the Dragon, and more shows at no cost.
HBO Max launched in May 2020 as a streaming service for HBO shows and other WarnerMedia programs, such as Friends, Sex and the City and Game of Thrones. As of December 2020, HBO Max has had more than 37.7 million paying subscribers, and with the service releasing original programs, such as The Flight Attendant and Selena + Chef, and that number is only expected to grow. Since its launch, HBO Max has also seen several blockbuster films premiere on the site including Wonder Woman: 1984, Tom and Jerry and Godzilla vs. Kong.
HBO Deals at a Glance
There’s no doubt that HBO Max is one of the premier streaming services today. However, with so many streaming services on the market (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Disney Plus—the list goes on), it’s understandable why viewers want to know about HBO Max’s free trial to test out the site before subscribing. So does HBO Max have a free trial? Read on to find out how to watch HBO Max for free before you commit to a subscription.
Image: Courtesy of HBO.
How much does HBO Max cost?
Without any deals, HBO Max costs $9.99 per month for its ad-supported plan and $15.99 per month for its ad-free plan. Both plans also offer yearly subscriptions. The ad-supported plan costs $99.99 per year (which saves users about $20 or 16 percent from the monthly price), and the ad-free plan costs $149.99 per year (which saves users about $30 or 20 percent from the monthly price).
Does HBO Max have a free trial?
No, unfortunately, HBO Max doesn’t have a free trial. But there are still ways to watch HBO Max for free. Read on for the little-known ways to stream your favorite HBO Max shows and movies at little cost.
HBO Max
-$2.99 a month -Offer ends Dec. 1
On Sale 77% off
HBO Max (previously Max, and before that, er…HBO Max) is offering their Black Friday deal for $2.99 on their site. If you have Prime Video, it’s going for the same price as an add-on.
If you’re new to Prime Video, the Amazon streamer has a 30-day free trial, and for Black Friday, you can include an HBO Max add-on for $2.99 per month for 12 months.
DirecTV is currently offering new subscribers two months of HBO Max when they join the platform for the first time. DirecTV gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $49.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterwards).
Best Bundle Deal
Hulu + Disney+ + HBO Max
You can bundle Max with Hulu and Disney+ for $16.99/month for ad-supported streaming on up to two devices at once and $29.99/month for ad-free streaming.
What’s on HBO Max?
HBO Max offers more than 2,000 movies and 580 TV shows. Its library includes both original HBO movies and TV series like Euphoria, Mare of Easttown, The Undoing, and The White Lotus, as well as Warner Bros. Pictures films and content from third-party distributors. HBO Max also includes more than 50 original TV shows and movies including The Flight Attendant, Station Eleven, Peacemaker and the Gossip Girl reboot. HBO Max has also streamed new movie releases like Dune, The Matrix Resurrections and King Richard the same time the films were released in theaters.
Read on for a list of HBO Max’s original programs.
HBO Max has rolled out a limited-time, one-year subscription deal, offering a chance to stream HBO originals and Warner Bros. blockbusters at a lower cost. The platform has reduced pricing to $3 per month for one year, bringing the final cost down to $36 for the year. With many streaming services increasing their rates, this short-term offer lets you catch up on hit shows and new releases without committing to a full year. You can sign up via HBO Max’s website or, if you’re a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.
HBO Max has one of the best libraries of content in the streaming market, combining HBO’s acclaimed originals with Warner Bros. theatrical releases, Discovery content and live sports. The service now runs across three main plans. The Basic With Ads plan, the one included in this deal, allows streaming on two devices in full HD and costs $11 a month at full price. The Standard plan adds offline downloads, more live sports coverage and better device flexibility for $18.49 per month. The Premium plan increases quality to 4K with Dolby Atmos sound (where available), four simultaneous streams and up to 100 downloadable titles for $23 monthly.
HBO Max
This HBO Max Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of the ad-supported plan down to $3 for one year, instead of the usual $11.
While the feature differences matter, the real appeal of HBO Max is its library. Subscribers get access to the full catalog of HBO originals, including House of the Dragon, The White Lotus, The Last of Us and Euphoria, alongside recent Warner Bros. theatrical hits like Dune: Part Two and Barbie. The addition of Discovery content brings in reality favorites such as Fixer Upper: The Hotel and 90 Day Fiancé, while sports coverage through TNT and TBS channels includes NHL, NASCAR, college football and more.
It’s worth noting that live sports are still limited to certain tiers and regions and 4K availability varies by title. But compared with other premium services that have recently raised prices or limited simultaneous streams, HBO Max’s current setup offers strong flexibility across its plans.
If you’re considering which streaming platform gives the best range of new shows, live events and cinema releases, our guide to the best streaming services compares HBO Max with other major options. For now, this one-year subscription offer provides a straightforward way to explore HBO’s latest hits and a wide catalog of content at a lower upfront cost.
Being Eddie — Did you know that Shalimar Seiuli, the trans hooker Eddie Murphy was caught with in 1998, died a year later, after falling five stories down the face of her apartment building? Don’t expect to hear that fun factoid in this official retrospective of the legendary comedian’s career. But maybe we’ll get to see “James Brown’s Celebrity Hot Tub Party” again. (Netflix)
A Merry Little Ex-Mas — On the cusp of their divorce, Alicia Silverstone and Oliver Hudson have plans to spend one final holiday together. But when his new girlfriend shows up, even that humble aspiration becomes a tall order. See, this is why it’s always better to make a clean break, like the Murdaughs did. (Netflix)
Premieres Thursday:
The Beast in Me — Afflicted by writer’s block since losing her son, an author (Claire Danes) gets interested in life again when a suspected murderer moves in next door. And why shouldn’t she? In the best-case scenario, she could get a whole new novel out of it. Especially if she can figure out how to outsource the adverbs to ChatGPT. (Netflix)
Tiffany Haddish Goes Off — The irrepressible comic actor and some of her childhood buddies take a wacky girls’ trip to South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania. No Nigeria, though, because a Signal chat they’re all on said some shit is about to go down. (Peacock)
Premieres Friday:
Come See Me in the Good Light — Documentary cameras follow married poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they navigate Gibson’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer. This doc won the Festival Film Favorite Award at this year’s Sundance, just five months before Gibson passed away. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame want you to know they could be just as punctual if this country would get off its ass and standardize Daylight Saving Time. (Apple TV)
The Creep Tapes Season 2 — David Dastmalchian is among the guest stars as the found-footage series profiles new victims of the insidious Peachfuzz. Coincidentally, “the insidious peach fuzz” is what Usha has been calling JD ever since he started coming home smelling like Erika Kirk and White Claw. (Shudder and AMC+)
Malice — It’s Saltburn without the whacking off, as a vengeful nanny (Jack Whitehall) plots the destruction of an upper-class British family headed by David Duchovny. Wait a minute, if it’s Fox Mulder we’re talking about, this is probably more like BRIGHTburn. WITH whacking off. (Prime Video )
Nouvelle Vague — Richard Linklater dramatizes the filming of Godard’s Breathless in what Variety called “an enchanting ode to the rapture of cinema.” In their spare time, they all break into Barnes & Noble together and lick the Criterion Collection. (Netflix)
The Seduction — The umpteenth riff on Les Liaisons Dangereuses is a prequel series that has roles for Anamaria Vartolomei, Diane Kruger and Vincent Lacoste. Not to be outdone, Disney+ has placed an eight-episode order for Cruel Intentions Babies. (HBO Max)
Premieres Sunday:
Landman — High-profile cast additions in Season 2 of the Texas big-oil drama include Colm Feore, Andy Garcia and Sam Elliott. Wait a minute, you’re telling me Sam Elliott wasn’t already in this thing? I thought SAG had a rule that you have to hire him if your show is set west of New Orleans and there’s a role for Dennis Weaver with pharyngitis. (Paramount+)
Premieres Monday:
Epic Ride: The Story of Universal Theme Parks — This glorified ad for the Universal family of parks has now been delayed two times since its promised launch last July. The problem is that they keep having to update it every time somebody snuffs it on Stardust Racers. (Peacock)
The Mighty Nein — While you wait for the fifth and final season of The Legend of Vox Machina, enjoy the same cast of Critical Role principals in this stopgap animated show set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Or you could just visit your local comic shop on whatever day of the week everybody’s mom cleans out the basement. (Prime Video)
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy — The Tejano sensation’s short but groundbreaking career is recapped in a doc that also won big at year’s Sundance, this one in the category of Archival Storytelling. The runner-up in that category: “The Inspiring Life and Brilliant Future of Andrew Cuomo.” (Netflix)
Related Stories
Plus everything else premiering on Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock and Disney+ this week
All the streaming shows debuting this week on Netflix, Apple TV, Prime Video and the rest
Plus a schlock-doc about the racialized 2023 Ocala shooting and the return of ‘Loot’ on Apple TV
Orlando’s daily dose of what matters. Subscribe to The Daily Weekly.
Tim Robinson’s latest quirky comedy-drama series, The Chair Company, premiered on October 12, 2025. The show has been getting a lot of positive acclaim from the audience. Here is when and where you can watch the workplace drama.
Plotline of The Chair Company
The Chair Company follows the story of William Ronald Trosper, played by Tim Robinson. William undergoes an embarrassing incident at his workplace. Following the incident, he begins to investigate a peculiar and quirky conspiracy theory.
Why should you watch The Chair Company
The Chair Company offers a fresh and new way of delivering comedy by having the perfect blend of absurdist humor as well as workplace paranoia. The show is a satire on the current workplace culture, commenting on how even the most mundane tasks can feel chaotic, filled with paranoia, and absurd due to the complexities of office life. It is a must-watch for everyone who likes absurdist comedy or is simply tired of their office life.
When was The Chair Compan released
The surreal workplace comedy-thriller premiered on October 12, 2025. The show is designed to have 8 episodes in total, with the last one being released on November 30, as reported by Variety.
Where to watch The Chair Company
The show is being released on HBO Max. For Indian viewers, the show can be seen on JioHotstar. Each new episode of the show is released on Monday at 7:35 AM.
The Chair Company fan reviews
The show has captivated the audience like anything. Fans have labelled the show as one of the best shows of the year. A fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his opinions regarding the show and said, The Chair Company is one of the best shows of the year. “Tim Robinson is truly one of a kind (sic).
The Chair Company cast and crew
The Chair Company was made by Tim Robinson and Zach Kanin. The directors for the four episodes that have already been released include Aaron Schimberg and Andrew DeYoung. Andrew has helmed 3 episodes so far, while Aaron has directed 1 of them.
The Chair Company cast and crew
The cast of the show includes Tim Robinson, Zuleyma Guevara, Carole Denise Jones, Eileen Noonan, and more. Ashley Connor has taken upon the role of the director of photography for the show, while Gayle Keller is the casting director. The music for the show is given by Keegan DeWitt.
Don’t Miss Out on the Latest Updates. Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today!
On Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver called out Donald Trump for continuing to blame the shutdown on Democrats as he went to a Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago before his administration froze the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Nov. 1.
“Yeah, not only is that pretty insulting,” he said. “I’m guessing it’s also pretty infuriating to whatever exhausted high school freshman just wrote a 4,000-word essay about Great Gatsby as a grim meditation on the disillusionment of the American Dream, only for CNN to tell them, ‘You know what? It’s really just a book about rich people partying.’”
Oliver continued, “And for what it’s worth, the actual theme of that event was, and I quote, ‘A Little Party Never Killed Nobody.’ And I guess that is true. Although, it is also true, that as we are all finding out right now, a ‘grand old party’ is capable of killing a whole lot of people, and unfortunately, they don’t seem to give a single marble and gold-encased shit about that.”
The suspension of SNAP benefits to over 42 million Americans by the Trump administration on Nov. 1 has proved to be a political lightning rod during a pretty low-key shutdown. In some of the ugliest examples of the MAGA mindset, the Department of Agriculture has determined in October it can’t use the billions in contingency funds long set aside for SNAP, due to legal considerations.
That decision has led to a series of court challenges by states, cities and others amidst an expected surge at food banks.
Two federal judges this week ruled the administration has to tap into the $6 billion available. However, despite Trump posting late Friday it would be his “honor to provide the funding, just like I did with military and law enforcement pay,” the administration is demanding the courts provide guidance on how to pay out — a process that will still delay SNAP recipients from receiving benefits for weeks in the very best case scenario.
HBO’s genre dramas are often a big deal, and so far, Welcome to Derryis no exception.
Per the Hollywood Reporter, the first episode of the It prequel amassed 5.7 million cross-platform viewers over three days. It’s the third-biggest series debut in HBO history, coming behind the pilots for 2022’s House of the Dragon andThe Last of Us in 2023. In their first days alone, Dragon had nearly 10 million viewers, while Last had 4.7 million viewers and gained plenty more over the three-day period. (The finale to Last’s first season alone almost reached the same numbers as Dragon’s premiere.)
Most Welcome to Derry viewers caught onto the premiere after its initial Sunday night airing. Despite the show’s solid reviews, the episode itself caught attention online with its bloody ending, and it helped that it premiered shortly before Halloween. That twist took a lot of people by surprise—including HBO, as it turns out—and will likely get seats in butts for the remainder of the season.
Since Halloween fell on a Friday this year, the second Derry episode launched on HBO Max ahead of usual Sunday timeslot. HBO also released the show’s intro, made by production studio Filmograph. In a separate THR interview, executive producer/director Andy Muschietti called the title sequence a “descent into dread” as it features Pennywise luring in kids or observing chaotic events throughout the town’s history. The sequence “reflects our desire to show the big catastrophic events” referenced in Stephen King’s novel, continued Muschietti, and further leaned into Derry being “a place that’s seemingly wholesome, but there’s something dreadful under the surface.”
You can read more about the sequence’s creation here, and it’ll play before new episodes of Welcome to Derry every Sunday.
Emma Thompson in ‘Down Cemetery Road’ Credit: courtesy of Apple TV
Premieres Wednesday:
Ballad of a Small Player — Filmmaker Edward Berger (Conclave) casts Colin Farrell as an inveterate gambler and swindler living under an assumed identity in China. The Wall Street Journal called it “a failed attempt to wring laughs out of this abundantly awful man.” That was on page B25, directly opposite a full-page profile of Peter Thiel. (Netflix)
Down Cemetery Road — Emma Thompson plays a private investigator whose search for a missing girl uncovers a shocking secret: Vast numbers of Britons who were believed dead are secretly still alive and well. “How does a guy get in on that?” asks Keir Starmer. (Apple TV)
Hazbin Hotel Season 2 — With the forces of Heaven vanquished, Charlie finds her infernal hostelry overrun with new guests who see no need to renounce their evil ways. See, God? This is what happens when you think you’re putting Charlie Kirk somewhere where he can’t do any more damage. (Prime Video)
Ink Master — The prize is not only $250,000 but recognition for one’s origins in Season 17, which carries the theme “Hometown Heroes.” That’s a significant departure from the previous 16 seasons, the theme of which was “hepatitis.” (Paramount+)
Selling Sunset — Season 9 adds new realtor Sandra Vergara, who just so happens to be Sofia Vergara’s cousin. And also her adoptive sister. How does that work, you ask? Forget it, Jake, it’s Sunset! (Netflix)
Star Wars: Visions — Season 3 of the animated anthology hearkens back to Season 1 by once again focusing entirely on anime. I don’t know, do we think that genre is really bankable yet? (Disney+)
Colin Farrell in ‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Credit: courtesy of Netflix
Premieres Thursday:
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers — Archival footage and interviews with survivors paint a documentary portrait of the criminal psychopath who made living in Central Florida a waking nightmare in the late 20th century. And here you thought everyone had forgotten Glenda Hood! (Netflix)
Amsterdam Empire — Famke Janssen takes on the role of a former Europop star who tries to ruin her husband’s cannabis business as revenge for his infidelity. I never thought I’d say this, but J.Lo’s inability to find true and lasting love suddenly seems kind of trivial. (Netflix)
Hell House LLC: Lineage — The fifth and final installment in the franchise about a cursed haunted attraction is the first one that isn’t based on found footage. Which I’m assuming means it was stolen. (Shudder)
Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will — Four documentary episodes retrace the remarkable career of the flamboyant Mexican balladeer, who became a gay icon despite having fathered six children with three different women. In related news, my strategy of hanging around the Parliament House for four years is due to put me up to my neck in it any minute now. (Netflix)
Son of a Donkey — The Australian YouTube duo known as Superwog launches a new series that explores the lighter side of modern challenges like road rage, online scams and failing kidneys. It must be nice to live in a country where those are your biggest problems. Some of us would gladly give up a kidney to be that close to Kylie. (Netflix)
The Witcher Season 4 — The eagerly anticipated penultimate season finds Liam Hemsworth taking over the title role from Henry Cavill. But don’t worry, Henry fans: You’ll be able to see him soon enough, in … oh, I’ll think of something. (Netflix)
Premieres Friday:
Bad Influencer — A single mother with a special-needs child to take care of runs afoul of the law when she conscripts an aspiring influencer to help her sell phony handbags. And she might have gotten away with it, if Kim Kardashian hadn’t spotted the unauthorized knockoff of her pubes. (Netflix)
Breathless — The Joaquín Sorolla Hospital has gone entirely private as Season 2 begins, forcing our already taxed resident physicians to make some tough choices. For example, when they have to tell a cancer patient that insurance won’t cover her treatment, do they do it through the portal or as a Zoom puppet show? (Netflix)
The White House Effect — Return with us now to the complicated days of Bush 41, when warring factions of the Republican party problematized the administration’s response to climate change. Nowadays, the warring factions are the ones who want to ignore it and the ones who want to ignore it while wearing blackface. (Netflix)
Premieres Monday:
Crutch — This spinoff from the CBS series The Neighborhood has Tracy Morgan as a Harlem businessman who’s having to do a lot of recalibrating now that his grown son and daughter have moved back in with him. In the hilarious third episode, the son comes out as gay and Tracy stabs him to death with a kitchen knife. (Paramount+)
In Waves and War — Follow the healing journey of three Navy SEALs who had to travel overseas to be prescribed psychedelics for their PTSD. Meanwhile, ICE want you to know they’re going to shoot you in the face if you try to charge them for that vanilla latte. (Netflix)
Premieres Tuesday:
All’s Fair — And speaking of Kim Kardashian, she’s been cast in the lead role of a divorce attorney in Ryan Murphy’s new legal drama. Supporting parts go to Glenn Close, Naomi Watts and Sarah Paulson, who might be stars themselves someday if they can just get their muffs on Candies. (Hulu)
Leanne Morgan: Unspeakable Things — Taking a momentary step away from her Netflix sitcom, the Tennessee comedian fills us in on everything that’s been going on in her life, like adjusting to success and trying gummies. As opposed to Pete Davidson, who’s adjusting to gummies and thinking about trying success. (Netflix)
Squid Game: The Challenge — The spinoff competition show stays married to the bit in Season 2, pitting another 456 contestants against each other in pursuit of $4.56 million. High concept, right? Now give me my two tickets to Tucson, because my flight is boarding at Gate 2 in two minutes. (Netflix)
Related Stories
Plus a schlock-doc about the racialized 2023 Ocala shooting and the return of ‘Loot’ on Apple TV
Plus everything else debuting on Netflix, HBO Max, Peacock and the rest
Plus everything else debuting this week on Prime Video, Shudder, AMC+ and the rest
Fans of Stephen King’s IT as well as the two film adaptation installments will be excited to return to the world of Pennywise the clown in prequel series IT: Welcome to Derry.
Developed for television by filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti (IT, IT Chapter Two, The Flash) and Jason Fuchs (IT Chapter Two, Wonder Woman, Argylle), the series expands the universe established by Andy Muschietti in the two films. Muschietti directed multiple episodes of the show.
For all the details around IT: Welcome To Derry’s release schedule, read on.
When does IT: Welcome to Derry premiere?
The prequel series arrives Sunday, October 26 at 9 p.m. ET and PT.
How many episodes are in IT: Welcome to Derry?
There will be eight episodes in the show.
Will new episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry premiere weekly or all at once?
New episodes — following the premiere — will arrive weekly on Sunday nights through December 14 when the finale launches. Find the dates of the rollout below:
Sunday, Oct. 26: Episode 1
Sunday, Nov. 2: Episode 2
Sunday, Nov. 9: Episode 3
Sunday, Nov. 16: Episode 4
Sunday, Nov. 23: Episode 5
Sunday, Nov. 30: Episode 6
Sunday, Dec. 7: Episode 7
Sunday, Dec. 14: Episode 8 (FINALE)
Who is in the cast of IT: Welcome to Derry?
The Pennywise prequel series stars Jovan Adepo, Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, and Bill Skarsgård.
What is IT: Welcome to Derry about?
Set in the titular Maine town in 1962, the show’s trailer teases Leroy (Adepo) and Charlotte Hanlon’s (Paige) move to the “normal” town of Derry after Leroy’s stints on base in the military. The clip then hints that the small town is anything but, with disappearances of children, creepy creatures and more lurking in its past and haunting the present.
If there’s one thing streaming services love more than a rebrand or a bundle, it’s a price hike. Over the past few months, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and even humble BritBox have raised their subscription rates. Asking customers to shell out more each month has been a part of the streaming business going back to the early days of Netflix, when it incrementally increased prices on certain tiers on an almost annual basis, and since more services began popping up to compete with the service in the past five or six years, they’ve been predictable additions to your streaming bills, some notable exceptions aside.
To illustrate their ubiquity, we’ve rounded up as many as we could below — focusing on the major streamers’ so-called “standard” paid monthly subscriptions with and without ads. For ease of comparison, we omitted bundles and tiers like Netflix “Premium” and Hulu + Live TV, as well as any services which haven’t been around for at least two years or haven’t had some sort of price increase. We’ll update this story with more services, too — and with the inevitable new price hikes when they roll out in a quarter or two.
A few insights we noticed as we browsed the numbers:
➼ The prices for plans at Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Peacock have more than doubled since their respective launches. ➼ Hulu’s ad-supported rate actually dropped at one point — very much an anomaly. ➼ Since launching in 2019, The Criterion Channel has never raised its prices.
Since launch, Netflix has dramatically expanded its original and licensed programming, expanded to new global markets, and introduced live sports and video games to their service, so beyond inflation, it’s had overhead to account for over the years. Users may wonder why the ad-supported price introduced in 2022 was lower than what ad-free users were paying for Netflix in 2011; that’s because Netflix reasoned that it could make more revenue per user on the ad-supported plan even if it was less than half the cost of the standard ad-free plan, and priced it accordingly. Plus, as it also started cracking down on password sharing, it wanted to make sure folks unwilling to finally pay for their own full-price account had an affordable alternative to consider before walking away completely.
Hulu’s 2019 adjustment to its ad-supported plan was a rare price drop — at the time a hedge against users rebelling that the cost of its live TV service would be going up. More recently, the $4 hike between 2022 and 2024 has been designed to prompt users to switch to the Disney Bundle, which offers both Hulu and Disney+ at a deep discount.
Like other services that launched the heyday of the early streaming wars, Disney+ was priced to move — a bet that $7 per month was a nice carrot for families and older fans of Star Wars and Marvel alike. Five years, one pandemic, a long Hollywood strike season, and two Bobs later, that $7 looks quaint by comparison. As for the relatively huge hikes to the cost of the ad-free plan, chalk that up to a the same thinking about the aforementioned Disney bundle, plus the industry-wide push to get people to watch ads again.
HBO Max/Max/HBO Max’s pricing has gone up incrementally compared to its competitors in part because started out a higher price point than any other post-Netflix streamer, thanks to the HBO of it all. But in that same time, Warner Bros. Discovery and CEO David Zaslav have become known for axing content across the service, from classic HBO shows to Sesame Street. Will the departure of Discovery content (once WBD’s breakup and/or sale is finalized) drop the price? Don’t hold your breath.
• 2016: Launched at $9 • 2024:$12
• 2024: Launched at $9
Prime Video doesn’t call its “ad-free” option here another stand-alone plan, but customers can pay an additional $3 per month to remove ads. Otherwise, strikingly, Prime Video’s rate remained the same until it began rolling ads onto its platform. Of course, many folks haven’t even clocked how stable the base rate for Prime Video has remained because the most common way they get Prime Video is through Amazon’s much broader (and somewhat pricier) Prime subscription service, which offers everything from “free” package delivery to discounts on gasoline.
• 2021: Launched at $10 • 2023: $12 • 2024:$13
• 2021: Launched at $5 • 2023: $6 • 2023: $8
With its 2023 hike, Paramount+ also added Showtime to its ad-free plan and did away with Showtime’s standalone streaming service. On the bright side, it hasn’t added a special surcharge for Taylor Sheridan series — yet.
At one point, Peacock was literally giving itself away for free — sort of, anyway. That’s no longer the case of course, but it’s another streamer, like Disney+ and Apple TV+, that learned from the Covid era that it couldn’t underprice its offerings forever. What’s more: The NBA is coming to Peacock, wrested away from David Zaslav in the last rights negotiation for an annual bill of $2.45 billion. Now both of Peacock’s standard plans cost more than Netflix’s. Plus, John Tesh wasn’t going to let NBC and Peacock use “Roundball Rock” for free. Somebody had to pay up.
A service without a robust licensed library that focuses mostly on originals would not have been appealing for $13 a month in 2019, but to be honest, it’s not too shabby in 2025. Apple has established itself with enough hits like Severance and The Morning Show and Ted Lasso to make the price point work, and even feel like a modest value compared to other major players like HBO Max or Peacock.
• 2020: Launched at $9 • 2024:$10
• 2023: Launched at $5 • 2024:$7
You’re not just getting AMC’s programs and live feed with this service; the streamer also bundles in content from horror-rific Shudder plus indie movies from Sundance and IFC, along with a sample of stuff from sister streamer Acorn TV (see below.) If the ad-free tier still seems a bit expensive, that’s in part because cable operators would freak if AMC offered it too cheaply.
