Ross Duffer, one of the creators of Stranger Things, revealed that a specific scene in Season 5 was inspired by Star Wars. He based Vecna’s dramatic entrance through the MAC-Z gate on how Darth Vader appears in the film Rogue One. Duffer explained they wanted Vecna’s arrival to be a truly impactful moment, and modeled it after Rogue One to immediately establish his power and how frightening he is.
While the original Peter Pan story is freely available for anyone to use, the movie Hook cleverly drew inspiration from Disney’s 1953 animated Peter Pan without having to formally acknowledge or pay them. This was a smart strategy by Amblin and TriStar, allowing them to utilize a well-known Disney story while avoiding licensing fees. Recently, there’s been growing criticism of Disney’s live-action remakes, with many viewers finding them uninspired and repetitive – films like Pinocchio, Lady and the Tramp, and Snow White didn’t resonate with audiences. Although some remakes, such as 2019’s The Lion King and this year’s Lilo & Stitch, have been successful, Disney could benefit from looking at Hook as an example and taking more risks with their less prominent properties to achieve greater success.
It’s easy to think of mecha anime as simply shows about giant robots, but that would be a simplification. The most powerful mecha possess amazing abilities – some rivaling those of popular superheroes, and others reaching god-like levels, with the power to warp reality itself.
According to the source, the anime series on this list were released from 1972 to 2021. Some titles are still popular today, while others are beloved classics from the 80s and 90s. The selection includes a diverse range of genres, such as historical dramas, cyberpunk sci-fi, fantastical adventures, and even psychological thrillers with magical-girl themes. You can find Crunchyroll’s full top 10 list below.
Over time, many once-forgotten animated shows have gained a dedicated following, becoming beloved by fans who found them through streaming, online clips, TikTok, or late-night television. These series – whether they were creatively daring, too unusual for mainstream children’s programming, or just didn’t get the support they needed – now have a special place in animation history. They range from spooky seafaring stories to humorous takes on superheroes and unique Disney projects that deserved more attention, and have all become cult favorites.
The new show has a similar feel to Succession, according to a summary from Deadline. It focuses on Galinda, the youngest of four children from a once-wealthy family who is both spoiled and overlooked. While Galinda excels at dance and hopes to win competitions, she doesn’t notice the growing anger of local business owners who dislike her family’s methods. Meanwhile, her father skillfully avoids traps set by his rivals as he tries to keep the family afloat.
HBO’s True Blood demonstrated that fantasy stories could attract a sophisticated television audience, and Netflix shows like The Witcher proved that adaptations of books and comics can succeed, especially after the popularity of Game of Thrones. What’s great about fantasy TV is that each show creates its own distinct world and offers a fresh perspective on the genre, and the best ones truly stand out.
Judi Dench recently shared with ITV News that she’s been unable to work on stage or in films due to vision loss from macular degeneration. She discussed her condition alongside her former co-star, Sir Ian McKellen, who she worked with on Macbeth.
Season 5 of Stranger Things introduces several new characters who play important roles. These include Mike’s sister, Holly, who is central to the storyline, and Derek Turnbow, an unexpected helper. Their teacher, Ms. Harris, also makes a significant appearance, noticing Holly’s habit of seemingly talking to things others can’t see. Hope Hynes Love plays Ms. Harris, and the Duffer brothers revealed she was a real-life influence from their own high school days.
Sophie (Candace Cameron Bure) and Sam (Cameron Mathison) first fell in love in the 2024 Great American Family holiday movie, Home Sweet Christmas. Their romance continued on TV in 2025 with Another Sweet Christmas, where they tied the knot. Now, in A Sweet Christmas Anniversary, the couple is heading to Europe – and the movie will be filmed there on location! Candace Cameron Bure shared her excitement about the project with US Weekly, saying: