• Hulu's hit reality TV series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" is back for season two.
• The series finale of the "Star Wars" spin-off "Andor" aired this week on Disney+.
• "Murderbot" and "Overcompensating" are among the shows that are new to streamers.

MomTok has survived for season two.

Hulu's hit reality TV series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" returned this week, once again addressing the group's infamous 2022 "soft swinging" scandal while also chronicling friendship and relationship fractures within the group.

If reality TV isn't your cup of tea, there's plenty more to check out on streamers, like the R-rated action movie "Novocaine," the college-set coming-of-age series "Overcompensating," and the series finale of the "Star Wars" spin-off "Andor."

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

Jack Quaid plays an average guy with an uncanny ability to not feel pain in "Novocaine."

Jack Quaid, known for playing an unlikely vigilante in the superhero satire series "The Boys," portrays a different kind of action star in "Novocaine."

In the 2025 film, Quaid stars as Nathan Caine, an introverted everyman who works at a trust credit union. When his coworker, whom he has a crush on, gets kidnapped, Nathan uses his inability to feel pain to fight and try to rescue her.

Streaming on: Paramount+

The '70s-set drama series "Duster" follows a getaway driver and a rookie FBI agent.

"Lost" star Josh Holloway plays Jim, a getaway car driver who teams up with Nina (Rachel Hilson), the first Black female FBI agent, to take down a crime syndicate in the Southwest.

The eight-episode series is co-created by J.J. Abrams, and new episodes release weekly, leading to the finale on July 3.

Streaming on: Max

"Better Man" offers a fresh take on the typical biopic.

The 2024 musical film follows the highs and lows of UK pop star Robbie Williams' life with a twist — he's portrayed by a CGI monkey.

Streaming on: MGM+

See Adrien Brody's Oscar-winning performance in "The Brutalist."

If the lengthy runtime and intermission deterred you from seeing "The Brutalist" in theaters, you can now watch the film at home.

The movie stars Adrien Brody as László Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish Holocaust survivor and accomplished architect who immigrates to America post-WWII to rebuild his life.

Streaming on: Max

For a coming-of-age comedy series, check out "Overcompensating."

Actor and comedian Benito Skinner, known for his internet persona Benny Drama, brings his humor to Hollywood as the creator and writer of Prime Video's raunchy college series "Overcompensating."

In the show, he plays Benny Scanlon, a closeted freshman trying to keep up appearances while also figuring out who he really is.

The eight-episode first season dropped all at once this week, featuring cameos from celebrities like Charli XCX and Megan Fox.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Watch "Matteo Lane: The Al Dente Special" for more laughs.

Comedian and cookbook author Matteo Lane jokes about conversations with white women, Uber etiquette, and more in his stand-up special.

Streaming on: Hulu

"Andor" came to an end this week.

The final three episodes of "Andor" were released this week, concluding Cassian Andor's pre-"Rogue One" storyline.

Streaming on: Disney+

Alexander Skarsgård stars as a rogue robot with free will in "Murderbot."

The Apple TV+ series adaptation of Martha Wells' bestselling book series "The Murderbot Diaries" fuses comedy and thrills as it follows a security construct with an artificial body.

After hacking his system and gaining free will, Muderbot (Alexander Skarsgård) tries to maintain his cover while on assignment with a team of researchers when really, he'd rather just watch soap operas.

Streaming on: Apple TV+

Season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" brings more drama.

The new season kicks off with the surprise arrival of Miranda McWhorter, the former best friend of star Taylor Frankie Paul and one of the original MomTok members. After distancing herself from the group amid the swinging scandal, McWhorter is back to repair her friendships and possibly rejoin MomTok.

All 10 episodes are streaming now.

Streaming on: Hulu

"Untold: The Liver King" chronicles the rise and fall of a health influencer.

Remember the raw organ-eating influencer who touted an "ancestral lifestyle" and unconventional health practices? Netflix's new documentary "Untold: The Liver King" unpacks the life of the disgraced internet star known as Liver King, aka Brian Johnson, and the steroid scandal that caused backlash.

Streaming on: Netflix

True crime fans can check out "Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story."

The three-episode limited series tells the story of married couple Fred and Rose West, notorious UK serial killers who committed horrific crimes against their own kids and other young women and children.

Streaming on: Netflix

Season seven of the scripted sports drama series "All American" is now streaming.

The rivalry between the Beverly Hills and Crenshaw crews intensifies in season seven of "All American."

After recently airing its season seven finale on The CW, all 13 episodes are available to stream online.

Streaming on: Netflix

For unscripted sports, watch the new season of "Welcome to Wrexham."

Season four of "Welcome to Wrexham" continues to document the journey of Wrexham AFC, the oldest English football club in Wales that made waves when it was purchased by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney a few years ago.

Streaming on: Hulu

Or "Vini Jr."

Netflix's latest sports documentary focuses on Brazilian soccer star Vinícius Júnior, aka Vini Jr., and how the sport changed his life.

Streaming on: Netflix

Season 50 of "Saturday Night Live" ends this weekend.

Scarlett Johansson returns to host "SNL" for a seventh time and will be joined by musical guest Bad Bunny.

Streaming on: Peacock

• Miranda McWhorter joins season two of Hulu's "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."
• Miranda and her then-husband, Chase McWhorter, were involved in the 2022 "soft swinging" scandal.
• Miranda appears on the show to clarify her role in the scandal and reconnect with MomTok.

One of the original MomTok members is entering the fray in season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."

Hulu's reality TV show about eight Mormon mom influencers debuted in September 2024 and quickly became the most-watched unscripted season premiere on the streamer that year.

The concept for the show had its roots on TikTok, where influencer Taylor Frankie Paul confessed in 2022 that she and her then-husband, Tate Paul, were divorcing after "soft swinging" within their friend group got messy.

Most of the "Mormon Wives" cast members denied being involved in the viral scandal, but another key player was missing from the reality TV series: Miranda McWhorter, 26, Taylor's former best friend.

After sitting out season one, Miranda is ready to clear the air in season two, now streaming on Hulu.

"Taylor's a very vocal person and everybody has heard her side of the scandal. But I'm finally here to tell mine," Miranda says in the season two premiere.

Here's everything to know about her.

Miranda McWhorter shares 2 kids with her ex-husband, Chase McWhorter

Miranda and Chase met after she graduated from high school. They married in 2017 and welcomed their first child, a son named Brooks Wesley McWhorter, two years later. Their second child, a daughter named Cohen Roo McWhorter, was born in 2021.

Miranda and Chase revealed in 2024 that they had divorced after seven years of marriage.

In August of that year, during an appearance on Josie Van Dyke's podcast, "Weekly Trash," Miranda said that her and Chase's reasons for splitting stemmed from issues that arose prior to the swinging scandal.

"That might have not helped for sure, but it definitely did not play a part in the decision-making process," she said.

Chase, for his part, told Us Weekly that they got married "a little prematurely" but continue to be cordial coparents.

Miranda and Chase initially denied their involvement in the 'soft swinging' scandal

Chase eventually detailed his connection to the incident two years after the scandal, during his 2024 interview with Us Weekly.

Chase said that the parties where swinging took place began during COVID-19. He said that couples they were friends with would hang out, "get trashed on alcohol," and play games like spin the bottle.

Chase said that he and Miranda participated in some of the games, but "it was never predetermined that we were going to be doing, like, swinging."

"That's what we always thought was a little bit misrepresented in Taylor's story, as she presents it," he said.

Miranda and Taylor hash out what constitutes 'swinging' in season 2

Miranda's unexpected appearance at an influencer event that the start of the season surprises Taylor and the other women because she left MomTok after the scandal exploded.

Now single and at a different point in her life, Miranda says she hopes to repair her friendships and perhaps rejoin MomTok. But her version of the scandal contradicts Taylor's claims, leading to confusion. Plus, some of the women suspect Miranda may want to rejoin the group to take advantage of the lucrative brand deals that come with MomTok fame.

"The height of what I was ever involved in was playing spin the bottle and kissing other people," Miranda tells them. "And so it was very jarring for me for Taylor to come out and say everyone was hooking up with everyone, because that was simply not the case at all."

"No one had sex ever, period." Miranda says, adding, "I will go to my grave."

In episode two, Miranda says that she lied about not being part of the swinging controversy because she wasn't ready to own up to her actions.

In the following episode, Miranda and Taylor discuss the specifics of what actually occurred in a one-on-one conversation.

While Miranda insists that she only went as far as kissing other people, Taylor says in the confessional that it was more complicated than that.

According to Taylor, they participated in other things too, like the couples having sex in the same bed at the same time. Other times, she said they were blindfolded and tried to guess which husband they were kissing. Taylor also recalls a night when she and Miranda got so drunk that they made out while people filmed it.

In a confessional, Miranda says that a lot of embarrassing things happened, and she felt out of control and wronged when Taylor spoke out on TikTok.

"I wish that I would have come out with what really happened rather than denying everything," Miranda says. "That probably did make her feel worse and look worse, and that wasn't my intention. It was very much, 'I'm terrified and I have a reputation as a Mormon to uphold.' And I regret that."

Miranda seems to be on friendly terms with the MomTokers

Nowadays, Miranda's social media presence includes sponsored content and videos about single life.

In the lead-up to the season two premiere, she's has been posting videos that include some of the MomTokers. Members of the group have also been commenting on her TikTok videos.

In April, MomToker and fellow cast member Layla Taylor joined Miranda and her friends at the country music festival Stagecoach. That month, Miranda also posted a TikTok featuring Taylor, Layla, Mayci Neeley, Mikayla Matthews, and Jessi Ngatikaura.

In response to a video Miranda posted about having fears about being a single mom, Taylor commented, "Right there with you mama."

Most recently, Miranda posted a TikTok with Taylor, making fun of her "bestie" for outing her for being a "swinger."

"i love that i can self deprecate over this now actually lmao @Taylor Paul #momtok #slomw #secretlives," she captioned the video.

All 10 episodes of season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" are now streaming on Hulu.

• Cassie is a singer and actor, best known for her top-10 hit single "Me & U."
• She met Sean Combs, aka Diddy, in 2006 and signed to his label Bad Boy.
• She filed a lawsuit against him in 2023 and is a key witness in his criminal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial.

Cassie burst onto the music scene in 2006 with an irresistible blend of pop and R&B.

Although the singer, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, withdrew from the spotlight in the ensuing years, she's still beloved by fans of 2000s club jams.

In 2023, she filed a lawsuit against Sean "Diddy" Combs, alleging abuse throughout their relationship, including rape. An attorney for Combs denied the allegations to Business Insider. Cassie is now a key accuser in Combs' criminal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial, which began on Monday.

Here's everything to know about Cassie's career, her connection to Diddy, and what her life is like today.

Cassie broke out with the club hit 'Me & U'

Before launching her music career, Cassie had done some modeling for brands like Delia's.

In 2006, when she was 19 years old, she released her debut single "Me & U." It became her first hit, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 3 on the Hot 100.

"Me & U" set the tone for her self-titled debut album, which was praised by critics for its "hypnotic groove" and "flippant playfulness." Rolling Stone later described the album as "the most brilliantly minimalist R&B album of its era."

In a positive review for Slant, Sal Cinquemani also said, "'Me & U' has single-handedly revived his ailing Bad Boy imprint," referring to Combs, then known as Diddy.

Cassie signed to Bad Boy Records in 2006

An archived feature from 2008 said that Combs heard "Me & U" in a club and felt inspired to help Cassie's career.

Combs teamed up with Ryan Leslie, who wrote and produced the song, to record Cassie's album.

In 2008, she announced her plans to release her sophomore album.

"I guess I grew up a lot but I'm still in essence the same person," Cassie, then 21, told Billboard. "Lots has changed in my life, stuff that has made me think about things differently. I'm more vulnerable and you can hear my vocals better this time around. There's real emotion and a much realer connection with my fans."

At the time, Combs praised Cassie's musical development, which he said was reflected in the album.

"We pulled out, we took our time, we developed her for like, a year-and-a-half," he told Billboard in a 2008 interview. "People are just going to see her there and be like, 'Wow, she's really cocooned into a butterfly.'"

However, the album was delayed several times. She didn't release new music until 2012, when she surprise-dropped a set of three mixtapes. She continued releasing singles sporadically in the years following.

Cassie has dabbled in acting

Cassie played Sophie in the 2008 film "Step Up 2: The Streets," and has also appeared in "The Perfect Match" and on several episodes of "Empire."

Additionally, she appeared in the 2022 TV movie "Hip Hop Family Christmas Wedding."

Cassie was in a tumultuous relationship with Diddy for over a decade

Prior to her lawsuit, gossip news sites reported that Cassie and Combs maintained an on-again, off-again relationship. They reportedly started dating in 2007 and broke up in 2018.

Cassie's 2023 civil lawsuit accused Combs of serious allegations, painting the music mogul as an extremely violent and angry ex-partner.

It details several instances when the music mogul physically and mentally abused Cassie, as well as used intimidation tactics to keep her in the relationship. Combs quickly settled the suit shortly after it was filed.

Combs has been accused of sexual assault, rape, drugging, and other forms of violence in more than 50 civil lawsuits. He was arrested in September following a grand jury indictment and has denied the charges against him and all other allegations of sex abuse.

Combs' criminal sex-trafficking and racketeering trial began on Monday. Cassie, the prosecution's key witness in the case, took the stand on Tuesday and Wednesday to testify against Combs.

Cassie married Alex Fine in 2019 and now has two children, with a third on the way

Following her split from Combs in 2018, Cassie began a relationship with Alex Fine, a professional bull rider, model, and personal trainer.

In June 2019, the singer revealed that she and Fine were expecting their first child together. The couple tied the knot in a small, surprise wedding in September of that year in Malibu, California. Their daughter, Frankie Stone, was born in early December.

Cassie and Fine welcomed their second child, a baby girl named Sunny Cinco, in March 2021.

In February 2025, Cassie revealed that she's pregnant with their third child, a son.

Libby Torres contributed to an earlier version of this story.

• "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" follows a group of Mormon mothers and TikTokers.
• The show introduces the women in the aftermath of a "soft swinging" scandal, though many denied being involved.
• Here are all of the couples on the show.

Buckle up: the MomTok swinging scandal isn't over yet.

Three years after Mormon mom influencer Taylor Frankie Paul publicly announced that she and her then-husband were divorcing after "soft swinging" within their friend group led to her catching feelings for another friend's husband, she's a full blown reality star. So are her friends from MomTok, the collective of Mormon mom influencers she caused a rift within when she went public with the scandal.

That rift resulted in a TV deal, and season one of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" was a hit, becoming Hulu's most-watched unscripted premiere of 2024. But while season one of the series saw seven of the eight MomTok influencers deny involvement in the swinging scandal, the arrival of Taylor's former best friend Miranda McWhorter in season two brings some new revelations.

Here's a rundown of all of the couples involved in the show, and what they've said about the swinging scandal.

Taylor Frankie Paul and Dakota Mortensen

The swinging scandal kicked off after Taylor announced on social media that she and her then-husband, Tate Paul, were divorcing after "soft swinging" within their friend group. The two share two children, Indy and Ocean.

Taylor is currently in an on-again, off-again relationship with Dakota Mortensen. They have one child together, Ever True, and Taylor documented her pregnancy during season one of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives." She describes Dakota in the series premiere as a recovering addict.

Taylor also opens up in the series premiere about the fallout after the swinger drama.

"What was frustrating though was all of the moms coming at me crying like, "This is ruining our lives, take it down, blah blah blah,' and then they're joking about it on their TikToks," Taylor says. "I'm like, 'This ruined your life and now you're joking about it? I'm confused.'"

During a season two confessional, Taylor gives more detail on the swinging parties, saying that the swinging went beyond just kissing people who weren't their partners.

She says she and another woman had sex with their respective husbands in the shower at the same time, and had sex in the same bed at the same time. Taylor also says that while in bed, they played a game in which the wives were blindfolded and had to guess which husband they were kissing.

Whitney Leavitt and Connor Leavitt

Whitney and her husband Connor share three children together: daughter Sedona and sons Liam and Billy. Whitney documented her third pregnancy on social media and on season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."

In the "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" premiere, Whitney opens up about a 2022 incident in which Connor was secretly on Tinder. She says that he had been on Tinder for their whole marriage, but he told her that he had never met up with anyone from the app, though he would exchange messages and photos with women. He later told Whitney he had a porn addiction.

Whitney says that she and Connor temporarily left Utah for Hawaii because of the Tinder incident, rather than to flee the MomTok swinger drama. She's denied being involved in the swinging.

Layla Taylor

Layla Taylor is divorced and shares two sons with her ex-husband.

"Divorce isn't something that's encouraged in our church," she told Today. "We're definitely taught to keep our families together. Families are forever. It's not something that I think they love, but I'm all for and I'm an advocate for making yourself happy."

Layla told Today that she and her ex-husband agreed that their sons would not appear on screen in season one of the show.

Demi Engemann and Bret Engemann

Demi and Bret Engemann have what she calls "a bit of an age gap." In the series premiere, she was 29 years old, while he was 46. They each have children from previous relationships: Brett has two sons, and Demi has one daughter, Maude.

"The father of all fathers to his two sons," Demi said of Brett in a Father's Day post. "I've never seen a dad so involved or love their kids harder, the most devoted step-dad to Maude, and future father to our own children one day."

In the series premiere, Demi says that she had been at some parties where the swinging was happening, but she was completely unaware. She said that her husband, Brett, had "picked up on the vibe" from some of the other husbands in the group.

Demi says in a confessional that she and Brett "do not share," but that Taylor told her that she thought it would have been fun to swing with them.

Jessi Ngatikura and Jordan Ngatikaura

Jessi married Jordan Ngatikaura after divorcing her previous husband. They have three children: Jagger, Peyton, and Jovi.

In the series premiere, Jessi denies that she and her husband were involved in the swinging scandal.

"I'm way too busy and tired," she says. "By the end of the night I barely want to have sex with my husband half the time. I just don't know if I could handle, like, four other guys."

Jen Affleck and Zac Affleck

Jen said in an Instagram post that she and Zac met when she was 18. People magazine reported that Jen and Zac Affleck were married in 2019. They share two children, Nara and Luca, and Jen is pregnant with their third.

Despite Jen's claims in season one that Zac is the actor Ben Affleck's cousin, it's not true.

The couple addresses the confusion in season two, with Zac explaining that he's not related to Affleck, but it's been a running joke, and Jen ran with it.

Jen says in a season one confessional that she was not a part of the swinging.

Mikayla Matthews and Jace Matthews

Mikayla met Jace when she was 16 and he was 21, and became pregnant before they were married. At the beginning of the series, they had been married for six years. They have three children together: Beckham, Haven, and Tommy.

Mikayla and Jace are expecting their fourth child, and she's been documenting her pregnancy on social media.

Mayci Neeley and Jacob Neeley

Mayci told the Mirror in 2022 that she met her husband, Jacob Neeley, while she was raising her son Hudson as a single parent following the death of his father, Arik Mack. They were married in 2018 and share a daughter, Harlow.

In February, Mayci revealed that she's pregnant with her second child with her husband.

In a May 2022 TikTok, Mayci posted a video "clearing my name" amid the swinging drama.

Miranda McWhorter

Miranda used to be best friends with Taylor and is one of the original members of MomTok.

Miranda and her then-husband, Chase McWhorter, initially denied being part of the swinging scandal when Taylor's story went viral in 2022. But in 2024, Chase revealed in an interview with Us Weekly that he and Miranda attended hangouts with other couples, which involved drinking a lot of alcohol and playing games like spin the bottle.

Miranda and Chase, who share two children, announced their divorce in 2024 and have said that the scandal wasn't one of the reasons for their breakup.

Miranda, now a single mom, appears in season two of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" and comes clean about the role she played in the swinging scandal.

In the season two premiere, Miranda says that she played spin the bottle and kissed other people, but maintains that "no one had sex ever."

Miranda later says that she regretted denying Taylor's claims, but at the time, she was focused on protecting her reputation as a Mormon.

Palmer Haasch contributed to a previous version of this story.

• FX's "The Bear" returns for season four on Wednesday, June 25.
• All 10 episodes will be released at once on Hulu.
• Contrary to reports, seasons three and four weren't filmed back to back.

FX will be serving up more episodes of "The Bear" soon.

Season three of the Emmy-winning series, centered on chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto's (Jeremy Allen White) mission to transform his family's beef shop into an upscale fine-dining restaurant, was released in June 2024. The 10-episode season ended with a title card that reads, "To be continued."

After a year, "The Bear" will be back this June to address that cryptic cliffhanger ending.

Here's everything we know so far.

Some scenes for season 4 were already filmed in 2024

In March 2024, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline reported that the show was quietly renewed and that seasons three and four would be filmed back to back. The publications reported that this production change was meant to keep the show's release timeline intact and accommodate the cast's availability.

However, during a season three virtual press conference attended by Business Insider, the cast hedged when a reporter asked if seasons three and four were filmed back to back.

"We did something like that," White said.

"Yeah, a little version of it, sort of. But not exactly," cast mate Ayo Edebiri added.

Days later, The Playlist reported that season four wasn't filmed in its entirety because the scripts weren't ready.

FX confirmed to the publication that seasons three and four weren't filmed back to back uninterrupted, but some parts for the next installment were shot.

Season 4 will release all at once on June 25

All 10 episodes of season four of "The Bear" will be released on Hulu on Wednesday, June 25, at 8 p.m. ET. The new season will also be available internationally on Disney+ at the same time.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

• TV shows like "Poker Face" and "NASCAR: Full Speed" are back for new seasons this week.
• The dramedy "Nonnas" and the teen comedy "Summer of '69" are among the movies debuting on streamers.
• Netflix's new series "Forever" puts a fresh spin on Judy Blume's novel of the same name.

Ready to binge? Well, we've got you.

This weekend, you can tune into the season two premiere of Peacock's mystery-of-the-week show "Poker Face," see how Colombian singer Karol G became a global superstar, and get wanderlust from Conan O'Brien's travel series.

"Nonnas," a new Netflix movie about honoring family members through food, has also arrived just in time for Mother's Day.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

Netflix's new documentary "The Seat" shows how Kimi Antonelli became the third-youngest rookie ever in Formula 1 history.

The most recent season of Netflix's popular docuseries "Drive to Survive" featured an abbreviated version of how Formula 1 racing team Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS selected Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton following the seven-time F1 world champion's surprising exit.

"The Seat," a 40-minute documentary sponsored by WhatsApp, gives a more detailed look at the behind-the-scenes conversations that went into giving Hamilton's coveted spot to a teenager who had never driven in F1.

Streaming on: Netflix

NASCAR fans can check out season two of "Full Speed."

The five-episode season follows the 16 NASCAR Cup Series drivers during the high-stakes 2024 playoffs.

Streaming on: Netflix

"Karol G: Tomorrow Was Beautiful" chronicles Grammy winner Karol G's rise to global superstardom.

The documentary gives fans an intimate look into the life of the Colombian singer's obstacles and accomplishments, including being the first Latina to headline venues like the MetLife Stadium and the Gillette Stadium during her Mañana Será Bonito Tour.

Streaming on: Netflix

Food and family are at the heart of the dramedy "Nonnas."

Vince Vaughn plays a grieving son who honors his late mom by opening an Italian restaurant with a group of local grandmothers as the chefs, allowing them to share their traditional dishes with others.

The film is loosely based on the true story of Joe Scaravella, who opened the Staten Island restaurant called Enoteca Maria after his mother's death and employed several grandmothers from different parts of Italy to cook regional food.

Streaming on: Netflix

Conan O'Brien embarks on more globe-trotting adventures in season two of "Conan O'Brien Must Go."

In season two of the Emmy-winning travel series, comedian and former late-night host is joined by familiar faces like Taika Waititi and Javier Bardem as he immerses himself in the cultures of New Zealand, Spain, and Austria.

The three-episode season premiered on Thursday. The remaining two episodes will be released weekly, culminating in the season finale on May 22.

Streaming on: Max

Actor and comedian David Spade's fourth comedy special, "David Spade: Dandelion," has arrived.

Three years after his last stand-up special, Spade is back. This time, he jokes about the evolution of porn, being served Pepsi instead of Coke at a casino, and a near-tussle at a McDonald's in Hollywood that inspired the name of his special.

Streaming on: Prime Video

"Poker Face" returned for season two this week.

The series, created by "Knives Out" writer and director Rian Johnson, is back for another season, starring Natasha Lyonne's casino worker and crime-solver Charlie Cale, who has a knack for detecting lies.

Cynthia Erivo, John Mulaney, John Cho, Katie Holmes, and Giancarlo Esposito are among this season's long list of guest stars.

Streaming on: Peacock

"Summer of '69" follows an awkward high school senior trying to seduce her longtime crush before graduation.

Comedic actor Jillian Bell's feature film debut stars "That '90s Show" actor Sam Morelos as Abby, a high schooler who sets out to reel in her newly single crush named Max (Matt Cornett). Lacking sexual experience, she turns to an exotic dancer named Santa Monica (Chloe Fineman) to be her mentor.

Streaming on: Hulu

"Forever," Judy Blume's best-selling 1975 novel about young love, is reimagined in a new series.

The coming-of-age show is set in Los Angeles in 2018 and follows two Black teens, Keisha (Lovie Simone) and Justin (Michael Cooper Jr.), who fall in love and navigate relationship milestones together.

Streaming on: Netflix

Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan becomes a leading man in "Love Hurts."

Ke Huy Quan, known for supporting roles in "Everything Everywhere All at Once" and season two of Marvel's "Loki," takes center stage in this 2025 action comedy.

The actor stars as Marvin Gable, a top-selling real estate agent whose dark past as a hitman comes back to haunt him when his brother sends assassins to hunt him down.

Streaming on: Peacock

"A Deadly American Marriage" investigates a love story gone wrong.

"A Deadly American Marriage" focuses on the gruesome death of Jason Corbett, who was killed by his wife, Molly Martens Corbett, and her father, Thomas Martens, a former FBI agent, in 2015.

Molly and Thomas, who said they acted in self-defense, were convicted of second-degree murder in 2017 and sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison. The verdict was overturned after an appeal, and the pair were granted a retrial. In 2023, they accepted a plea deal on charges of voluntary manslaughter. Molly and Thomas were released from prison in 2024 after serving four years total.

The true-crime documentary explores the different perspectives on the murder and features interviews with people affected, including Molly, Thomas, and Jason's kids from his first marriage, Jack and Sarah.

Streaming on: Netflix

For a reality TV fix, watch the "Vanderpump Villa" season two reunion special.

Lisa Vanderpump's staff on season two of "Vanderpump Villa" reunite to hash out their drama in the reunion special hosted by VIP guest Stassi Schroeder.

Streaming on: Hulu

• Marvel has been struggling with superhero fatigue — or fans being bored of the genre — for years.
• Marvel changed up its marketing for its latest film, "Thunderbolts*" to appeal to cinephiles.
• It's kept up its quirky new marketing strategy for its upcoming films, too.

Marvel Studios has a new strategy for combating superhero fatigue: appeal to cinephiles.

Although Marvel is still the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time, it has struggled to maintain its popularity over the past four years.

A trend of diminishing box office returns and fans and critics complaining that Marvel projects are declining in quality has resulted in the narrative that audiences are tired of superhero movies.

While the billion-dollar-grossing 2024 movie "Deadpool & Wolverine" indicated fans were still willing to turn up for Marvel event movies, this year's "Captain America: Brave New World" grossed $414 million — mediocre compared to the studio's other releases.

By marketing its latest blockbuster, "Thunderbolts*," in a way that emulates the industry darling A24 and other huge franchises like "Mission Impossible," Marvel Studios seems to be aware it needs to take a new direction if it is to survive.

It's too early to tell if the gamble paid off at the box office — "Thunderbolts*" grossed less domestically and internationally in its opening weekend than "Brave New World," which came out in February. But "Thunderbolts*" earned an 88% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, the highest for a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie since 2021's "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Fans are saying that Marvel is "so back."

Referencing A24 in a 'Thunderbolts*' trailer signals to fans it's a good movie

When Marvel first announced "Thunderbolts*" — a film about a ragtag group of antiheroes who form an unlikely alliance — in 2022, it marketed it like past movies. The only difference was an unexplained asterisk at the end of the title when production began in 2024.

But after "Brave New World" received disappointing reviews and meager box office results, Marvel took a gamble with "Thunderbolts*."

Florence Pugh, who reprises her role as Yelena Belova in the film, described "Thunderbolts*" as a "quite badass indie, A24-feeling assassin movie with Marvel superheroes" in a March interview with Empire, referring to the studio that has earned a reputation as the "cool kid" on the block.

Marvel jumped on this and the next day dropped an A24-esque trailer for "Thunderbolts*" titled "Absolute Cinema," which showcased the cast and crew, including Pugh, who have been part of projects produced or distributed by the indie studio.

The trailer title could also have been a nod to a popular meme of the director Martin Scorsese with his hands raised up and accompanied by the phrase "absolute cinema." Scorsese famously called Marvel movies "not cinema" in a 2019 interview, while other legendary directors such as Quentin Tarantino have also criticized the quality of Marvel and superhero films.

"Thunderbolts*" director Jake Schreier recently told The Hollywood Reporter that the A24 trailer idea was a joke between himself and an assistant, but the Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige liked it and asked the marketing department to make it.

To Paul Hardart, a professor at New York University Stern School of Business, the trailer signals to fans: "this isn't your father's Marvel, this is a Marvel film for today. They're saying this is a high-quality film from a cinema standpoint."

Then in April, Marvel released a featurette that gave a behind-the-scenes look at how Pugh executed jumping from the world's second-tallest building, the 2,227 feet-high Merdeka 118 tower in Malaysia. This gestured to Marvel relying less on CGI and harking back to stunt-heavy blockbusters like "Mission: Impossible."

A representative for Marvel Studios did not immediately respond to a comment request from BI.

Finola Kerrigan, a professor of marketing and deputy dean of the University of Birmingham's business school, UK, told BI she believes the A24-style trailer that highlights the cast and crew's quality work is part of an attempt to attract new audiences to the MCU, while trying to lure back dissatisfied fans.

"We can't be cynical about the film audience, so you have to keep delighting them and challenging them," Kerrigan said.

Marvel did then revert to its traditional style of marketing, but is still using quirky tactics now "Thunderbolts*" is out, by rebranding it as "The New Avengers," which is the group's name at the end of the movie, on social media and select posters.

Marvel is using quirky marketing for 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' and 'Avengers: Doomsday'

After Marvel's previous failed attempts at appealing to film fans with 2022's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and 2021's "Eternals," both directed by auteurs but seen as disappointments, "Thunderbolts*" may mark a watershed moment.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, told BI that after "Captain America" saw a 68% drop in ticket sales between its opening weekends after a "lukewarm critical and audience reaction," the second weekend of "Thunderbolts*" will more clearly indicate whether it has been a success.

But Marvel is already adopting its new strategy for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," out on July 25, and "Avengers: Doomsday," billed for May 2026.

For the latter, Marvel has generated buzz by announcing part of the cast during a five-and-a-half hour livestream.

Meanwhile, since February, the "Fantastic Four" X account has shared the same clip of Pedro Pascal's character, Reed Richards, at 7 p.m. on Sundays, when his family has dinner — then seemingly forgetting to on April 14.

At 7:44 p.m. that day, the X account released a new clip of Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) telling Reed and Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) that they're late for dinner, teasing a new trailer for the movie.

Hardart said Marvel should adopt the "fun" and "creative" elements of these marketing strategies for "Avengers: Doomsday," the next "Avengers" film.

But clever marketing can only do so much. Ticket prices aren't cheap, and fans want to know that they're watching movies that are worth their time, money, and attention.

"I think at the end of the day, they recognize there's no proxy for quality," Hardart said, referring to Marvel Studios. "So if the next 'Avengers' movie is really good, people are going to want to see it."

• "Thunderbolts*" is Marvel's new movie about a group of assassins who team up to save the day.
• The film includes many callbacks and references to previous and future films in the MCU.
• John Walker recites a famous Marvel phrase, and a familiar tune plays in a key scene at the end.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Thunderbolts*."

Marvel's latest movie,"Thunderbolts*," assembles an unlikely crew of assassins.

"Thunderbolts*," directed by Jake Schreier, follows antiheroes Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) as they fall prey to a trap set by CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).

After escaping, the group, with the help of Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour) and Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), embarks on a mission to rescue a mysterious new character named Bob (Lewis Pullman) while facing their own inner demons along the way.

Here are all the callbacks, Easter eggs, and nods to the Marvel Cinematic Universe you might have missed.

The opening Marvel title card teases the reveal of Sentry and the Void.

Every Marvel movie starts with a studio title card showing comic panels flipping across the screen.

For "Thunderbolts*," all of these panels are related to the comic book character Robert "Bob" Reynolds, also known as Sentry.

It's a teaser that Pullman's Bob will become Sentry later in the film.

As the animation continues, darkness trickles over the comic pages until it completely covers the Marvel logo. This foreshadows the Void, the dark side of Sentry, who takes over Bob's mind in the film's final act.

There are other moments that foreshadow the Void's appearance in the film. For instance, Yelena describes her depression and loneliness as a void in the opening scene.

Yelena's first fight sequence is purposely shadowy to lean into the film's premise.

"Thunderbolts*" opens with Yelena, a Russian assassin, completing an assignment for her employer, Val, at a lab in Malaysia.

To infiltrate the lab, Yelena expertly fights several armed guards in a sequence reminiscent of the corridor fight scene in "Oldboy."

"Thunderbolts*" director Jake Schreier hasn't said if he drew inspiration from the 2003 Park Chan-wook movie. However, other Marvel creatives have previously said they were influenced by the iconic fighting sequence.

The fight scene's visuals also feel like a nod to the Void's power to spread darkness that turns people into shadows.

Valentina Allegra de Fontaine's OXE group is run by a clone of Valentina in the comics.

"Thunderbolts*" introduces a new secret organization within the MCU known as the OXE group, which Valentina founded with the aim of creating a superhero who can protect the world.

A similar group also exists in the Marvel comics, but it was coincidentally first introduced in a 2023 "Thunderbolts" comic series months after the cast for the movie had been announced.

Valentina also heads up the OXE group in the comics. However, a robot clone of Valentina takes charge of the organization and uses it to help a new Thunderbolts team.

John Walker uses Steve Rogers' signature "on your left" catchphrase.

Early in the film, when Yelena, John, and Ava are trying to escape Val's trap, they locate an independent power source blocking Ava's ability to move through solid objects.

"On your left," John tells Yelena as he reaches the power source and smashes it with his shield.

The phrase dates back to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." It was used by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) every time he passed Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) while running in Washington, DC.

Sam memorably said the line back to Steve in "Avengers: Endgame," when he and all the heroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe arrived through portals to help defeat Thanos and his army.

The final act of "Thunderbolts*" takes place in the same location as the showdown in the first "Avengers" movie.

Many aspects of "Thunderbolts*" mirror the 2012 movie "The Avengers."

Both films are about a group of misfits brought together by a spy boss who try to kill each other before deciding to work together to save New York from a major threat.

The destination of the final showdown in "Thunderbolts*" also calls back to the ending of "The Avengers."

The Thunderbolts confront the main villains, Val and Sentry, in the Watchtower, which is the same place Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) confronted then-antagonist Loki (Tom Hiddleston).

The Thunderbolts also work together to save civilians outside Grand Central Terminal, where the original Avengers previously fought the Chitauri in "The Avengers."

But the final fight in "Thunderbolts*" contrasts with its predecessor. In "The Avengers," the titular heroes face off against an alien invasion, while in "Thunderbolts*," the villain is a man-made experiment gone wrong.

A familiar Marvel melody starts playing during the New Avengers press conference.

At the end of "Thunderbolts*," Val tricks the team into appearing at a press conference where she introduces them as the New Avengers.

After the New Avengers moniker is name-dropped, composer Alan Silvestri's iconic "Avengers" theme discreetly starts playing.

The credits pay homage to well-known pieces of pop culture history.

The first part of the credits shows multiple magazine covers featuring the New Avengers.

Many of these covers recreate iconic posters and images, including the "We Can Do It!" poster produced by J. Howard Miller during World War II, featuring Yelena, instead of Rosie the Riveter. Another recreates the "Washington Crossing the Delaware" painting by Emanuel Leutze. In another, the team poses as the band Queen in the style of the cover of their second studio album, "Queen II."

This is intended to show the extent of the Thunderbolts' newfound fame following their formal introduction as the New Avengers.

The logo for the New Avengers is inspired by the comics.

After the main credits, the "Thunderbolts*" logo switches to "The New Avengers" in a bright yellow bolded font.

It's the same logo seen in the Marvel comics, right down to the crossbar in the capital "A" doubling as a right-pointing arrow.

The second end-credits scene introduces the Fantastic Four team.

"Thunderbolts*" has two end-credits scenes. The first one is inconsequential, but the second teases Marvel's next movie, "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," which is set to be released in theaters on July 25.

In the scene, the New Avengers are interrupted by an alert about an extradimensional ship entering the atmosphere.

That spacecraft turns out to be one belonging to the Fantastic Four, as indicated by the retro style number 4 on the exterior. Michael Giacchino's theme music for the upcoming "Fantastic Four" reboot plays in the background as the ship soars through space.

The second post-credits scene was filmed on the "Avengers: Doomsday" set.

Jake Schreier, the director of "Thunderbolts*," told Comicbook.com in a video published on Thursday that he did not film the second end credits scene.

Schreier said the specifics of the second end credits scene were decided "quite late," and it was filmed only recently.

"I was there when it was filmed and I can say that it comes from the set of a production that might be starting production right around now," Shreier said, seemingly referring to "Avengers Doomsday," which began production in March.

• "Another Simple Favor," starring Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, is new to streaming this week.
• Tina Fey's Netflix series "The Four Seasons" is an adaptation of the 1981 film of the same name.
• Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan are back for season two of "The Walking Dead: Dead City."

A juicy, twisty, campy follow-up to Paul Feig's "A Simple Favor" has arrived after seven years.

"Another Simple Favor," now streaming on Prime Video, reunites Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick as frenemies Emily Nelson and Stephanie Smothers, respectively, for an extravagant wedding in picturesque Capri.

For a different kind of getaway, watch six old friends reunite in Tina Fey's new Netflix series "The Four Seasons," based on Alan Alda's 1981 rom-com of the same name.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

The French-language series "Carême" focuses on the real-life celebrity chef Antonin Carême.

While waiting for season four of "The Bear" to premiere, Apple TV+ has released its own racy, drama-filled show to fill the void for foodies.

"Carême" follows world-class French chef and spy Antonin Carême (Benjamin Voisin) as he rises to fame during Napoleon's reign in Europe. The first two episodes are now streaming, and new episodes will be released weekly through June 11.

Streaming on: Apple TV+

For more food-centric entertainment, watch "Chef's Table: Legends."

The Emmy-nominated series "Chef's Table" has returned with a spinoff focused on four culinary icons who shaped the industry: Jamie Oliver, José Andrés, Alice Waters, and Thomas Keller.

Streaming on: Netflix

"Another Simple Favor" delivers on laughs, crime, and plot twists.

The "Simple Favor" sequel is set five years after suburban mom vlogger Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) exposed enigmatic PR director Emily Nelson's (Lively) past and got her sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Now, Emily's out of the slammer, heading to Italy to get married, and has another simple request for Stephanie.

Streaming on: Prime Video

The 2004 classic "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" shows how two characters cope with their breakup.

The critically acclaimed movie stars Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey as Clementine and Joel, who undergo a procedure to erase unpleasant memories after their relationship ends.

Streaming on: Max

Celine Song's "Past Lives" zooms in on two childhood sweethearts who reconnect in adulthood.

Celine Song's semi-autobiographical film, which stars Greta Lee and Teo Yoo, received Oscar nominations for best picture and best original screenplay at the 2024 awards show.

Streaming on: Netflix

"The Four Seasons" gets a modern-day update in an eight-episode Netflix comedy series.

The show, which stars Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Colman Domingo, centers on three married couples who have been friends for 30 years. One of the pair's divorces complicates their relaxing weekend getaway.

"The Four Seasons" is co-created, written, and executive produced by Fey, who also serves as the co-showrunner alongside Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield.

Streaming on: Netflix

"The Righteous Gemstones" concludes with its season four finale.

The series is created and written by Danny McBride, who also stars as Jesse Gemstone, a member of the titular codependent televangelist family. The series ends with its season four finale, which will air on HBO on Sunday night and be available to stream on Max.

Streaming on: Max

"Twilight" is now streaming on Netflix.

Seventeen years after the first film adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's hit movie made vampires cool again, "Twilight" remains a pop culture touchstone.

If you're a Twihard, rewatch Catherine Hardwicke's iconic film starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, and the four sequels on Netflix. If you missed out on the supernatural craze in the noughties and 2010s, now's your chance to see what all the hype is about.

Streaming on: Netflix

For sci-fi thrills, watch the Argentine series "The Eternaut."

The six-episode show is an adaptation of the Argentine sci-fi graphic novel "The Eternaut" ("El Eternauta"), written by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and illustrated by Francisco Solano López.

The series is set in motion by a rare, toxic snowfall that kills everything it comes in contact with, wiping out the majority of the population in Buenos Aires. In the aftermath, the survivors band together to stay alive amid an alien invasion.

Streaming on: Netflix

For another apocalyptic adventure, catch the season two premiere of "The Walking Dead: Dead City."

Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), and Negan's trusty barbed-wire baseball bat named Lucille are back for season two, returning on Sunday night.

Streaming on: AMC+

Conan O'Brien is honored for his contributions to comedy in "Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor."

The TV special, premiering on Sunday, features comedians like John Mulaney, Adam Sandler, and Will Ferrell celebrating late-night icon Conan O'Brien.

Streaming on: Netflix

• Marvel's "Thunderbolts*," directed by Jake Schreier, is now playing in theaters.
• The movie follows a ragtag group of characters who've previously played supporting roles in the MCU.
• The film has a 88% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

"Thunderbolts*" is the latest addition to the growing Marvel Cinematic Universe, and critics are calling it a step in the right direction.

The movie is directed by Jake Schreier and centers on a group of antiheroes who previously appeared as supporting characters in past Marvel projects: Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell), Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko).

After CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) lures several of them into a trap to destroy evidence that could lead to her impeachment, they escape and embark on a mission to save the mysterious Bob (Lewis Pullman), a man whose inner demons get amplified by an experimental lab procedure.

It's no secret that Marvel Studios has struggled to consistently deliver quality movies since the Infinity Saga concluded with the 2019 ensemble film "Avengers: Endgame."

Recent years have produced a mix of critical flops ("Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania") alongside some successes ("Deadpool & Wolverine") that have given fans hope that the studio conglomerate might be able to overcome its superhero slump.

Critics say that "Thunderbolts*" falls into the latter category.

At the time of publication, the film has a critics score of 88% based on 212 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the highest-rated MCU films of the 36 released so far.

Here's what critics are saying about "Thunderbolts*."

One of the movie's biggest strengths is ditching typical superhero spectacle for a more grounded, emotional story.

"It's a film about its characters, not about its universe, and it's more concerned with the protagonists' lives and what their actions mean than about sequel set-ups and cameos." — William Bibbiani, TheWrap

"It also pulls back on the massive visual effects extravaganzas the Marvel movies have turned into, instead using Hollywood magic when it narratively makes the most sense and embracing a more traditional action-movie feel with characters who 'punch and shoot' a lot." — Brian Truitt, USA Today

"It's a team-up superhero movie that's ballsy enough to set aside the usual labyrinthine weave of subplots and dig into mental health, childhood trauma and domestic abuse — and do it with feeling." — Phil de Semlyen, Time Out

"'Thunderbolts*' always feels like an intimate story about a real person, even as it inches the gargantuan Marvel Cinematic Universe toward its next series of massive crossover films." — Matt Singer, ScreenCrush

"That the final act of the movie is essentially set in a headspace, rather than above a threatened metropolis, is a testament to the interiority (not a word that often comes up in Marvel movies) of 'Thunderbolts*,' a film that finds vivid comic-book imagery to render authentic real-life emotions." — Jake Coyle, The Associated Press

Florence Pugh is the standout star and glue of the film.

"Pugh, in particular, gives the movie an emotional tangibility that makes it feel realms more solid than the last few years of Marvel product." — Alison Willmore, Vulture

"She's a superhero performer, easily navigating the tricky balance between cheeky Marvel-brand humour and genuine pathos." — Radheyan Simonpillai, The Guardian

"Perfectly balancing guilt and ennui without ever being too cute about it, the 'Black Widow' alum becomes the nucleus of the ensemble comedy that forms around her, none of which would work if Yelena didn't so credibly appeal to the better angels of the people around her." — David Ehrlich, IndieWire

"She's utterly natural in a story of wholly unnatural things, a rare and difficult feat. The film has given her an actual emotional arc to play, and she finds interesting variations within it." — Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair

"It's not just Pugh's screen presence, her sense of commitment or her penchant for making weapons-grade snark work, but her determination to mine mother lodes of psychological and emotional turmoil that gets you invested in this rollicking blockbuster past the usual franchise box-ticking." — David Fear, Rolling Stone

MCU newcomer Lewis Pullman deftly plays the complicated facets of his character Bob, who's at the center of the film's narrative about mental health.

"Pullman is also excellent, finding complex notes in a role that could have just been CGI-enhanced gobbledygook." — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

"Beautifully played by Pullman as a sweet-natured, broken man struggling to outrun his troubled past, Bob is a complex figure through which the movie explores mental instability and the fight between light and darkness." — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

"Bob is a character with several sides to him, and Pullman knocks every one of them out of the park. Whether he's timid and trying to stay out of the way or greedy with power, Pullman turns Bob into a beautifully well-rounded character that we care for regardless of what state he's in." — Ross Bonaime, Collider

But in a crowded cast, Hannah John-Kamen's Ava Starr/Ghost doesn't get much character development.

"Ghost remains more of a neat gimmick than an interesting character…" — Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

"Ghost is so woefully underwritten that John-Kamen can't make much of an impact…" — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

"Unfortunately, Hannah John-Kamen's Ghost, while absolutely an improvement over where we last saw her in Ant-Man and the Wasp, doesn't have much to do here. While the other characters have an opportunity to reckon with their darkness, Ghost is mostly relegated to pointing out details we already gleaned from her previous film." — Ross Bonaime, Collider

The muted coloring aligns with the subject material, but the movie could benefit from punching up its tones.

"It's also missing a bit of colour — literally, in the washed-out palette and CG shadow-threat that dominates the latter half of the film — and figuratively, in its subject matter." — John Nugent, Empire

"Schreier's drab aesthetics may be in tune with his villain but by not providing a vibrant visual contrast, the film doesn't totally hit the highs it seeks." — Nick Schager, The Daily Beast

"At times, the drab filmmaking feels thematically resonant. But there are more visually creative ways to do it than the ones employed by the incredible cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo ('The Green Knight'), who falls victim to the paint-by-numbers approach to these films (and the only paint colors he has are brown and browner)." — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

"Thunderbolts*" may be a small building block in the Multiverse Saga, but it's still worth checking out.

"Although it's hard to shake the sense that on a practical level this studio is just scraping the bottom of the barrel, desperately hoping their minor characters can be converted into headliners, they've done a damn good job of it." — William Bibbiani, TheWrap

"'Thunderbolts*' by no means reinvents the superhero movie and its pacing isn't as consistent as it could be. But at a time when Marvel fatigue has taken a bite out of more than one fizzled blockbuster, it's a relief to watch a comic-book movie in which the smug wisecracking is dialed way down and the characters are given interior dimensions beyond their powers, including a certain emotional fragility." — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter

"'Thunderbolts*' recaptures some of the magic of the early Marvel productions, when they felt like some alchemical phenomenon of corporate entertainment, and not just slop." — Alison Willmore, Vulture

"'Thunderbolts*' is good. Not 'single-handedly save the Marvel cinematic universe' good, but enough to make those self-declared victims of 'superhero fatigue' reconsider that it might not be the genre itself that's tapped out, but merely the focus on telling stories versus marketing future sequels and the sickly shimmer of nostalgia." — Clarisse Loughrey, The Independent

• Marvel's "Thunderbolts*" has two end-credits scenes.
• The first is an inconsequential scene featuring Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian at a grocery store.
• The second directly sets up "Fantastic Four: First Steps," the next Marvel movie.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Thunderbolts*."

If you head to the theater to watch Marvel's "Thunderbolts*" this weekend, you'll want to stick around until the very end after all the credits have rolled.

"Thunderbolts*" brings together a dysfunctional group of characters previously introduced in other Marvel films and TV shows: Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko).

After getting into a death trap purposely set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), the ragtag crew minus Taskmaster, who is killed by Ghost, narrowly escapes. Then, they embark on a mission to rescue Bob (Lewis Pullman), a man who has gained unparalleled powers because of an experimental lab procedure called Project Sentry. As his own inner darkness, known as the Void, tries to take over, the Thunderbolts support Bob and remind him that he's not alone.

Once the Thunderbolts have prevented Bob from succumbing to the Void, they try to chase down Val, who has another trick up her sleeve.

In the final scene, Val leads the group into a press conference, where she claims that she's been working behind the scenes for years to develop a new kind of protection: the New Avengers, aka the Thunderbolts crew — hence why the movie's title contains an asterisk at the end.

The attendees cheer and clap, while the Thunderbolts look on confused. Then Yelena whispers to Val, "We own you now."

The film ends with a close-up of Yelena smiling, and the Avengers theme can be heard playing faintly.

After the main credits are shown, the Thunderbolts* logo switches to "The New Avengers" in a bold yellow font, ushering in a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The mid-credits scene features Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian enjoying his fame

Early in the movie, Alexei tells his adoptive daughter Yelena that he was truly happy when he was serving his country, saving people, and being adored like a god.

The mid-credits scene is a playful extension of that, showing his delight at being part of the revamped Avengers.

In the scene, Alexei approaches a mother who's in the cereal aisle of a grocery store.

"Wow, so many choices," Alexei says before highlighting the boxes of Wheaties featuring the New Avengers on the packaging.

"That's me on the box," he says.

The woman, not interested in buying the cereal, takes the box from Alexei anyway, pushes her shopping cart, and leaves the product behind on a shelf before scurrying away.

The scene ends, and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship plays as the film's full credits roll.

The end-credits scene teases the arrival of the Fantastic Four

The end-credits scene is set 14 months later, with the Thunderbolts at what appears to be their new headquarters. They primarily talk about how Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), who took over the mantle of Captain America with Steve Rogers' (Chris Evans) blessing, has filed for a copyright for the Avengers.

Yelena says that she's confused because if Sam is assembling his own version of the Avengers, but the Thunderbolts are the new Avengers team, who are the real Avengers?

Alexei then proposes a workaround — calling themselves the Avengerz — to avoid getting sued. He shows the team a new, colorful, but tacky-looking superhero suit that he says is as smooth as a baby seal.

Yelena mentions a "huge space crisis," and Bob, who's chosen to keep his powers at bay to prevent another disaster, is reading a book in the corner of the room.

"I did the dishes, though," Bob says, reminding them that he's still of use.

They're interrupted by a beeping alert indicating that an unidentified aircraft is entering orbit. Then the team looks at a massive screen and sees an extra-dimensional ship flying through space with the number 4 on it — aka the Fantastic Four. Michael Giacchino's "Fantastic Four: First Steps" main theme song also plays.

The scene ends with text that reads: "The New Avengers and Bob will return."

The scene also sets up 'Avengers: Doomsday'

The "Thunderbolts*" end-credits scene doesn't really break new ground, but it's slightly more satisfying than the scene featured at the conclusion of "Captain America: Brave New World."

As the MCU has expanded with a mix of films and TV shows, some connective tissue has been missing. Now, as Marvel Studios has scaled back its sheer volume of projects, it's a lot easier to see the direction the vast universe is headed in.

The end-credits scene directly sets up the next and final MCU movie releasing this year, the reboot of "Fantastic Four" starring Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/Invisible Woman, Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing.

It also indicates that Marvel's First Family is entering the main MCU timeline. The Thunderbolts* team's talk of who gets the title of the Avengers is a subtle way of alluding to who will be part of the next big team-up film: Avengers: Doomsday.

The movie is set for release on May 1, 2026 and stars returning Marvel superstar Robert Downey Jr., ditching his Iron Man suit to play the iconic villain Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom.

Marvel recently revealed the partial list of cast members joining Downey via a five-hour livestream stunt. Among them are "Thunderbolts*" stars Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, Florence Pugh, Lewis Pullman, David Harbour, and Hannah John-Kamen.

Another ensemble film, "Avengers: Secret Wars," will be released on May 7, 2027. Both "Avengers" movies, which are part of the Multiverse Saga, will be codirected by sibling duo Joe and Anthony Russo.

"Thunderbolts*" is now playing in theaters.

• Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick return as Emily and Stephanie, respectively, in "Another Simple Favor."
• The Italy-set "Simple Favor" sequel ends with a scene that teases a third movie in the franchise.
• Another movie hasn't been announced yet, but director Paul Feig said there's more to explore.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for "Another Simple Favor."

Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick are back for Paul Feig's "A Simple Favor" sequel, which features more biting one-liners, a picturesque setting, and, of course, martinis.

"Another Simple Favor" takes place five years after mom vlogger Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) exposed Emily Nelson's (Lively) past and got her sentenced to 20 years in prison. Thanks to some high-powered lawyers, Emily is out of prison on parole and has another simple favor to ask Stephanie: will she be her maid of honor at her wedding in Capri?

Concerned that this is an elaborate ruse to ensnare her and get revenge, Stephanie reluctantly agrees, hoping to find out what Emily is really up to.

Here's what to know about the movie's twists and turns, and how it culminates in a final scene that teases a possible third "Simple Favor" movie.

Emily's identical sister, Charity, is revealed to be alive and part of a con

One of the major twists in the first film is that Emily, whose real name is Hope McLanden, is a triplet. Emily stages her death by drowning her sister, Faith, in a lake to collect the life insurance money and start a new life. Meanwhile, the third sibling, Charity, is believed to have been stillborn.

But as it turns out, Charity is alive — and central to the events of "Another Simple Favor."

Aunt Linda (Allison Janney) delivered Margaret's (Elizabeth Perkins) triplets, and when Charity seemingly emerged stillborn, Linda whisked the baby away before Margaret could see her. Linda then raised Charity herself and roped her into her cons as she grew up.

Emily, meanwhile, didn't know that Charity survived until her long-lost sister showed up in Capri as part of Linda's latest scheme.

Linda knew another one of Emily's secrets from her past and wanted to blackmail her and her mafia boss fiancé, Dante Versano (Michele Morrone), for $20 million.

It's revealed that Dante was in a secret 15-year relationship with Matteo Bartolo (Lorenzo de Moor), who was part of a rival mob. Emily was the only person he confided in about the romance, and he married her so that he could maintain his cover and prevent a mob war. In exchange, Dante's lawyers got Emily out of prison.

Charity assisted Linda by killing Emily's ex-husband Sean Townsend (Henry Golding). Then, Charity drugged Emily and posed as her at the wedding. About an hour after the ceremony, Emily shot Dante and killed him.

With him out of the picture, Linda wanted Charity to pose as Emily, take his place at the head of the family, and ensure Linda was set for life financially.

In the movie's climactic scene, Stephanie and Emily rush to a popular cliff in Capri, where Linda and Charity are holding Nicky (Ian Ho), Emily and Sean's son, hostage.

Linda wants Stephanie, who's already been accused of murdering Dante, to be killed. Then, "Emily" will take Stephanie's dead body to the Versano family to prove her loyalty to them.

But for the plan to work, Emily has to die, too, and Charity is not on board with that because she's in love with her sister and believes they're soulmates who are meant to live together forever.

There's a tussle, and Linda threatens to kill all three of them: Stephanie, Emily, and Charity. Linda points the gun toward Emily and Stephanie. Then, Nicky hits Linda with his drone, and Charity shoots her before shoving her off the cliff to her death.

Charity then pulls the gun on Stephanie, and Emily kisses her sister to distract her enough so Stephanie can sneakily take the weapon out of her hand.

Afterward, "Emily" (who's actually Charity) is arrested and makes a complete confession for the murders of Sean, Dante, Linda, Margaret (who Linda suffocated to death with a pillow), and an FBI agent. Her lawyers have also abandoned her appeal for the previous murders of her dad, Stanley, and her sister, Faith. If convicted, she'll serve multiple life sentences.

'Another Simple Favor' ends with Emily agreeing to do a favor for someone else

After the events in Italy, Stephanie returns to her life in the suburbs and appears on CNN to talk to real-life news anchor Jake Tapper about her latest best-selling book, "Dying for Love: A Killer in Capri."

While taking care of Nicky and her son Miles (Joshua Satine), Stephanie gets a call from Emily, who's in hiding because the world thinks she's locked up in prison for life.

Emily asks Stephanie for a "simple favor for old time's sake" — raise her son Nicky well until the next time she sees him.

Emily is shown sitting near the famous Trevi Fountain in Rome with a glass in hand. She's approached by Dante's mom, Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci), who says that she knows what Emily did and that her name is really Hope. Portia says that deep down, she knew Emily wouldn't hurt Dante, and she'll keep her secret. In response, Emily says that Dante was a good friend and she loved him.

But Portia reminds Emily that Dante is dead because of her. Now that Emily is part of her family, she expects a lot from her in return. Portia pulls a small white envelope out of her purse and tells Emily she has a simple favor to ask.

"How simple?" Emily asks, accepting the envelope and handing Portia her drink.

The movie ends with them clinking the glass and envelope, leaving fans with a cliffhanger.

A sequel hasn't been officially announced yet, but Feig isn't ruling it out.

"It would be fun," he told Variety in March. "We're definitely set up for one. There's more fun stuff to be done with these characters."

"Another Simple Favor" is streaming on Prime Video.

• The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.
• It features a glamorous, star-studded red carpet where celebrities showcase high fashion.
• Stars like Kim Kardashian, Blake Lively, and Zendaya are regulars.

Ah, the Met Gala — one of the biggest star-studded events of the year. Unless you're an A-list celebrity or fabulous designer, chances are you will never know what it's like to attend the "Oscars of the East."

But thankfully, enough celebrities and guests have spoken about the event that we have a glimpse of what it would be like to actually get into this storied ball.

From pricey tables to celebrity interactions, here's what it's really like inside the Met Gala.

What is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala serves a purpose — to raise money for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

Also known as the Costume Institute Benefit, the Met Gala has become a high-fashion arena for designers and celebrities.

It's hosted by the chairwoman of the gala, Vogue's editor in chief, Anna Wintour, with famous faces usually co-chairing the event. The 2025 Met Gala co-chairs will include Lewis Hamilton, Pharrell Williams, Colman Domingo, and ASAP Rocky.

Previous Met Gala co-chairs have included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya, Bad Bunny, and Chris Hemsworth.

Though the gala has existed since 1948, Wintour took over as chairwoman in 1995, and ever since then, it has transformed from a philanthropic event to the "Oscars of the East."

The Met Gala takes place every year on the first Monday in May (obviously the inspiration behind the title of the documentary, "The First Monday in May," about the event).

It's not only the launch of the Costume Institute's annual exhibit but a time to recognize the East Coast's influence on celebrity and culture.

The 2025 Met Gala will be hosted on May 5, celebrating this year's theme of "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." The menswear-inspired dress code has been labeled "Tailored for You," which Vogue has said is open to interpretation but will likely highlight Black dandyism.

What do celebrities do inside the Met Gala?

In addition to a red carpet spectacle, guests can expect a cocktail hour and formal dinner inside the Met Gala.

Guests arrive at the bottom of the Met's famous staircase and walk up the red carpet. The tent is filled with flashing bulbs and screams from pedestrians cramming in to try to glimpse the stars and their dresses.

Between 600 and 700 people attend the event, ranging from A-list stars to designers to employees from Vogue, the Met, the Costume Institute, and some brand sponsors.

The guests are led inside and around the museum, typically through the Costume Institute's coming exhibit. They are also allowed to mingle for a cocktail hour. They're then privy to exclusive performances and state-of-the-art dinners.

Though the decor and setting change yearly, the Met Museum's Temple of Dendur room has become a recent favorite. Lizzo graced a stage set in 2023, performing classical flute pieces and singing her own tracks.

In 2024, Cynthia Erivo joined Ariana Grande to perform covers and hits like "Into You."

But one of the best parts about attending the Met Gala is the celebrity interactions that wouldn't take place anywhere else. Olivia Rodrigo chatted with Kendall Jenner while Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo danced together in 2022. And in 2023, Anne Hathaway looked shocked to discover that Jared Leto was beneath the costume of Karl Lagerfeld's cat, Choupette, creating one of the best Met Gala moments seen on the event's red carpet.

You're also likely to see new romances forming — Swifties credit the Met Gala with linking Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn in 2016. Wintour also helped fuel rumors that she was dating actor Bill Nighy when they walked the carpet together in 2023. However, his rep later said they were just "great friends."

Can anyone go to the Met Gala, including non-celebrities?

Sorry — if you're not an "it" actor, celebrity, musician, sports superstar, or designer, you'll have to shell out, big time.

The cost to attend the Met Gala can range from $75,000 for a single ticket to $350,000 for a table. Sometimes, designers can get a table discount depending on the brand's size and relationship with Vogue.

That money goes to the Costume Institute — nearly $22 million was reportedly raised in 2023.

Oh, and just in case you thought you could save for it, Wintour is said to have a say over every invitation.

How do celebs get invited to the Met Gala?

While it's unclear how exactly celebrities are chosen to attend the Met Gala, attendees are often in the midst of major career moments and/or recent fashion campaigns with attending brands.

The invites are just as classy as the event itself. Obviously, Wintour wouldn't settle for a generic e-vite, so guests get gorgeous invitations featuring the Met Gala's theme for the year, typically with an artistic flair such as a Richard Avedon photograph or a Man Ray painting.

There was never an age restriction at the Met Gala until 2018, when it was deemed "not an appropriate event for people under 18."

This means young Hollywood faces like Ariana Greenblatt and Iain Armitage aren't eligible to attend. However, there is an exception to the rule. Guests under 18 are allowed to attend if their parents chaperone them. 

Do celebrities pay for their outfits?

If you do get to attend the Met Gala, you must dress to the nines. Guests go all out when it comes to what they wear. Since the Met Gala is associated with a museum show, guests typically dress thematically — sometimes the show will honor a designer, like 2023's theme honoring Karl Lagerfeld, or perhaps it will have a broader directive, such as "Manus x Machina" or "Model as Muse."

The 2024 dress code was "The Garden of Time," which allowed celebrities to wear everything from vintage pieces to custom looks that embraced technology and nature.

Designers typically court celebrities to wear their custom looks, from dramatic and daring dresses to accessories. Sometimes, it backfires — think Madonna's risqué Givenchy look in 2016 — but more often, it wows, like Rihanna's robe designed by Chinese couture designer Guo Pei in 2015.

On occasion, attendees purchase their outfits, like Zendaya did last year with her historical Givenchy piece.

If you dislike any Met Gala look, you might have Wintour to blame. Journalist Amy Odell, who has written a biography on the Vogue editor in chief, says all outfits are pre-approved by Wintour before celebrities step onto the red carpet.

It's unclear what happens to Met Gala outfits after the event. It's rumored that most garments are returned to designers, but it's likely a case-by-case scenario.

The most valuable Met Gala outfits throughout history are also a mystery. However, Dua Lipa wore $10 million worth of jewelry in 2023, and the Marilyn Monroe piece that Kim Kardashian wore in 2022 has been described as "the most expensive dress in the world."

Why is the Met Gala controversial?

Some celebrities dislike the Met Gala. Gwyneth Paltrow famously said she had no fun. "I'm never going again. It was so un-fun. It was boiling. It was too crowded. I did not enjoy it at all," the Goop maven said.

Amy Schumer similarly hated the event, calling it a "farce" to Howard Stern and saying the entire event was like a "punishment." 

Demi Lovato also said one star treated her so terribly that she felt like drinking alcohol, so she left early to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. 

And then there was Lena Dunham, who drew intense backlash after criticizing not only the Met Gala but Odell Beckham Jr., the famous wide receiver she was seated next to.

Some Met Gala themes have also faced scrutiny. Many took issue with the Karl Lagerfeld theme in 2023, as the late designer often expressed offensive views throughout his life, like criticizing women with curves and saying he was "less keen" on same-sex couples adopting children.

Who is banned from the Met Gala?

Much like the secretive approach to Met Gala invites, who isn't allowed at the annual event is also unclear.

Tim Gunn has said that he was once disinvited from attending, and "Riverdale" star Lili Reinhart said in 2022 that she doesn't believe she'll be allowed back after criticizing Kim Kardashian's extensive efforts to fit into small clothing for the event.

But the only star Wintour has confirmed to be excluded from future fundraising festivities is US President Donald Trump, though he has attended in the past, as have his family members.

Celebrities including Meryl Streep, Ryan Gosling, and Adele have surprisingly never attended the Met Gala, though it's not because they've been banned.

Fans are just patiently waiting for them to make their first appearances.

Michelle Mark contributed to an earlier version of this post.

• Dwayne Johnson is playing MMA and UFC fighter Mark Kerr in the biopic "The Smashing Machine."
• Johnson looks unrecognizable in the movie, appearing to wear a wig and prosthetics.
• "The Smashing Machine," written and directed by Benny Safdie, releases in theaters on October 3.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's signature tattoos and bald head are nowhere to be seen in the first trailer for A24's upcoming biopic about a legendary athlete.

In "The Smashing Machine,"Johnson transforms into mixed martial arts (MMA) and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter Mark Kerr, seemingly with the help of a wig and facial prosthetics.

The film, written and directed by Benny Safdie, has been in development since 2019 and was officially announced in late 2023. Now, it's gearing up for a fall release: October 3, 2025.

Here's what to know about the movie and the real-life UFC legend Johnson is portraying.

Mark Kerr is known for his no-holds-barred fighting style

Kerr, born in 1968, is a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and a World Vale Tudo Championship tournament winner. Kerr's no-holds-barred fighting style earned him the nickname "The Smashing Machine."

His career was previously chronicled in the HBO documentary "The Smashing Machine: The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr."

The documentary gives fans an inside look at Kerr's triumphs as a fighter, his relationship with now-ex-wife Dawn Staples, and his addiction to painkillers, which led to an overdose that he recovered from.

'The Smashing Machine' has been in the works for 6 years

In addition to Johnson portraying Kerr, "The Smashing Machine" stars Emily Blunt as Staples.

Johnson told Variety that he and Safdie connected about the biopic in 2019, when Seven Bucks Productions, the production company co-founded by Johnson and Dany Garcia, acquired the rights to Kerr's story.

The project was put on hold due to pandemic-related delays and other commitments, but eventually, Johnson and the director reconnected thanks to mutual acquaintance Blunt, who filmed "Oppenheimer" with Safdie and previously starred alongside Johnson in "Jungle Cruise."

Nowadays, Johnson is known for roles in action movies like the "Fast & Furious" franchise, the "Jumanji" films, and Disney's "Moana" movies. But the actor knows a thing or two about being in the ring.

Before becoming a bankable Hollywood star, Johnson followed in his father Rocky Johnson's footsteps and became a professional wrestler. Johnson largely stepped back from WWE superstardom in 2004 and pivoted to a career as an actor.

"The Smashing Machine" marks a departure from Johnson's past work. In the biopic, he ditches superhero suits and musical tunes for a more emotional performance as Kerr, who struggled with an addiction to painkillers during his career as a professional fighter.

Johnson told Variety that he's not abandoning blockbusters, but he's eager to try something different.

"I'm at this point in my career where I want more," he said. "And I don't mean I want more box office. I mean I want more humanity. And that is why Benny Safdie is the perfect, collaborative, hungry partner for me."

"The Smashing Machine" hits theaters October 3.

• "You" star Charlotte Ritchie, who plays Kate Lockwood, spoke to BI about the fifth and final season.
• Ritchie reacted to Kate's fate and said she was "on the fence" about what should happen to her.
• The actor also gave her opinion on how Joe's story ends.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season five of Netflix's "You."

The final chapter of Netflix's hit series "You" has arrived, and star Charlotte Ritchie is (mostly) thrilled that her character, Kate Lockwood, made it out alive.

The fifth season of "You," released on Thursday, picks up three years after Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) and Kate move back to his hometown of New York City at the end of season four. Everything is going well for the now-married power couple, but Joe's dark side can only be suppressed for so long, and once it reemerges and reinvigorates him, their relationship becomes fraught.

Ritchie told Business Insider that Kate has known all along that this is who Joe is — she's just been in denial about it. This season is "a real lesson in accepting the reality of your situation," Ritchie said.

When Kate finally sees clearly, she decides that the only way to stop Joe is to kill him.

"She is genuinely afraid of him and what he can do," Ritchie explained. "I think she just sees how this man consistently gets away with everything, and she's like, 'He has to not exist anymore for us to be safe. There's no system in the world that could keep him from us.'"

Kate recruits Joe's season three love interest Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle) and season four character Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman) to help her. This is one way the final season weaves together loose ends from the series and provides closure for other fan-favorite characters.

"What I love about this series is that they really lean into the genre. They really lean into the history of the show," Ritchie said. "I think it does the whole narrative justice."

In one dramatic moment in the penultimate episode, after getting into a physical altercation, Kate and Joe end up on the floor of Mooney's basement as the bookstore goes up in flames.

Resigned and more truthful than ever and thinking they've both reached their end, Joe admits that he killed Kate's dad and murdered Love. Relieved, Kate reveals that she secretly recorded Joe's confession and will be sending it to the authorities.

"You got me," Joe says. "You can die happy."

It's a scene that, like many in the show, finds the humor in unconventional moments.

"I love that that's in there, just Kate and Joe both quite dryly commenting on how absurd it is and how sad that they're both going to die," Ritchie said. "I just think it's a great scene. I think it's really well written."

Neither Kate nor Joe dies in that moment, and Ritchie has complicated feelings about her character escaping the fire.

"I was so happy because I've grown to really love this character, and I found it was so fun to get to be right in the midst of getting him," Ritchie said. "But I also felt like if there's ever a poetic justice in death, there was some justice in Kate going down with him."

"I really don't believe in people dying because they've done bad things, but in the world of the justice of this show, there's such a redemptive element to Kate's demise that it would've been OK," she added.

With Joe locked up for life in the finale, Ritchie said she's happy that Henry has a consistent and stable parent. But still, Kate's not innocent.

"She's done some pretty dastardly things and she's got herself into scrapes and been responsible for a lot of people's downfalls," Ritche said. "So yeah, I was on the fence as to what should happen to her, but I was obviously really pleased that she comes through."

"You" co-showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo previously told BI that they are prepared for fans to have varying reactions to Joe's fate in the finale and their choice to put him behind bars. Ritchie, too, is still grappling with that conclusion.

"I feel so mixed about it," she said.

After multiple seasons of seeing Joe do terrible, gruesome things, she's not sure what ending could adequately bookend his story.

"There is no fate that matches a life like that," Ritchie said. "But I do feel like the isolation is a good punishment for him. The thing is, I just don't get any sense that he's going to reflect or grow. It's not going to be a formative or spiritual experience for him. Broadly, it isn't for people. As far as I can tell, solitary confinement just seems to wear people down, except for some kind of amazing exceptions."

Case in point: in the final scene, Joe reads a creepy fan letter and says that maybe the problem isn't him — perhaps it's society.

"I do find the letter-writing thing quite an interesting twist, and his ability to turn it back onto his admirers and these women who have been asking to be involved with him," Ritchie said. "He'll never accept responsibility."

As the press tour for season five winds down, Ritchie already misses the cast and crew, including her frequent scene partner Badgley.

"I love Penn," Ritchie said. "I think he's such a decent and thoughtful and committed actor. He's such a lovely friend. He's very funny. And he commits to that role in a way that means that when you are working with him, you can do the same."

After seeing Kate go from closed-off and cold to blossoming in the final season, Ritchie is going to miss exploring more sides of her.

"And I'll miss the outrageous scenarios that are constant. Like, the nonstop drama, the daily, different high-octane situations where people are constantly about to extort somebody or about to kill somebody," she said. "That kind of level of high drama, I'll miss."

Season five of "You" is now streaming on Netflix.

• The TV show "You" came to an end this week, while "Andor" returned for season two.
• Films like the erotic thriller "Babygirl" and the action movie "Havoc" are new to streaming.
• Tennis fans can check out Netflix's new three-part docuseries about superstar Carlos Alcaraz.

Goodbye, "You."

After five seasons of Netflix's hit psychological thriller series, the final chapter of Joe Goldberg's story has arrived. This week also marks the return of the "Star Wars" spin-off series "Andor."

If you're looking for something brand new, watch the drama series "Étoile" from "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino or the action thriller "Havoc" starring Tom Hardy.

Here's a complete rundown of all the best movies, shows, and documentaries to stream this weekend, broken down by what kind of entertainment you're looking for.

Reality TV fans can tune into the return of "Vanderpump Villa" this week.

Lisa Vanderpump and her hospitality crew head to an Italian countryside castle, aka "Castello Rosato," in season two. All 10 episodes are now streaming on Hulu, with the reunion set for release on May 8.

Streaming on: Hulu

See how Joe Goldberg's story ends in the fifth and final season of "You."

Penn Badgley reprises his role as a serial killer one last time for season five, which is filled with twists, turns, and new characters. After binge-watching the 10-episode season, read Business Insider's spoiler-filled interview with co-showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo.

Streaming on: Netflix

The critically acclaimed "Star Wars" series "Andor" returned this week.

Diego Luna returned as Cassian Andor and Adria Arjona reprised her role as rebel fighter Bix Caleen in the second season of the "Star Wars" spin-off series, set five years before the events of the 2016 film, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

Streaming on: Disney+

Fans of "Gilmore Girls" and "Bunheads" can check out the new series "Étoile."

The eight-episode series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, follows two world-renowned ballet companies in New York and Paris as they swap their top talent in hopes of reviving their institutions.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Oscar winner "Conclave" is timelier than ever.

The political thriller "Conclave" is based on Robert Harris' 2016 novel of the same name. It centers on the assembly of the College of Cardinals and the election, known as the conclave, to decide who will become the new pope after the previous one dies of a heart attack.

The movie was nominated for eight awards at the 2025 Oscars and won best adapted screenplay.

Streaming on: Prime Video

Nicole Kidman plays a powerful CEO who has an affair with her much younger intern in "Babygirl."

In writer-director Halina Reijn's 2024 erotic thriller, Nicole Kidman plays Romy Mathis, a CEO, wife, and mom who risks her personal and professional life in pursuit of pleasure with an intern named Samuel (Harris Dickinson), who chooses her to be his mentor.

Streaming on: Max

For high-octane thrills, watch "Havoc."

The action movie stars Tom Hardy as Walker, a detective in the crosshairs of a criminal underworld who's tasked with rescuing a politician's estranged son from a drug heist.

Streaming on: Netflix

The Netflix docuseries "Carlos Alcaraz: My Way" takes fans behind the scenes of tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz's life.

The three-episode docuseries follows Carlos Alcaraz, who holds the record for being the youngest world No. 1 player in men's tennis history, during his eventful 2024 season.

Streaming on: Netflix

Comedian and "Ted Lasso" star Brett Goldstein has jokes aplenty in his comedy special, "Brett Goldstein: The Second Best Night of Your Life."

Brett Goldstein, known for playing the grumpy but lovable Roy Kent in the Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso," stars in his first HBO Original comedy special, premiering on Saturday night. The British comedian cracks jokes about everything from sex and relationships to why he thinks "Sesame Street" character Cookie Monster is an addict.

Streaming on: Max

For more laughs, watch "Jessica Kirson: I'm the Man."

In her new stand-up special, comedian Jessica Kirson jokes about TikTok girls, Sephora makeovers, and having four daughters with two different women.

Streaming on: Hulu

Brush up on "The Accountant" starring Ben Affleck before checking out the sequel in theaters this weekend.

In the 2016 crime drama, Affleck plays Christian Wolff, an accountant with autism who operates within the criminal underworld. The movie turned out to be a surprise hit for Warner Bros., earning $155 million worldwide on a reported budget of $44 million.

Now, "The Accountant 2" is in theaters, and director Gavin O'Connor has expressed interest in a third installment.

Streaming on: Max, Prime Video

• The fifth and final season of "You," starring Penn Badgley, is now streaming on Netflix.
• Co-showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo spoke to BI about giving fans a satisfying ending.
• Foley said that Badlgey wanted fans to see Joe at his "most horrific" in the finale.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season five of Netflix's "You."

Joe Goldberg got the ending that he's long deserved.

Netflix's hit thriller series "You," which stars Penn Badgley as Joe, a romantic at heart with a penchant for repeatedly murdering in the name of love, released its final season on Thursday.

The 10-episode fifth season is a culmination of years of Joe narrowly escaping real consequences for his actions. But now, he's finally locked up for good thanks to the efforts of a new character named Louise Flannery (Madeline Brewer), a woman who dupes Joe into falling in love with her through a carefully curated persona known as Bronte.

In a spoiler-filled discussion with Business Insider, co-showrunners, executive producers, and writers Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo explained Joe's fate and why death would be "too easy" a conclusion, why Badgley wanted audiences to see Joe at his "most horrific" in the bloody finale, and the "cheeky" way the last scene winks at fans' complicity.

Business Insider: Penn Badgley has lived with this character for so many years. Was there anything specific that he brought to the final season in terms of giving suggestions for lines or moments? How closely did you work with him?

Michael Foley: Penn always gets an early draft and gives us his thoughts and sometimes jumps on the phone with us. He's very communicative on set in prep about the episode that he's filming. Obviously, he has such a great handle on his character that it is really just about honing in on things.

But in this final season, the goal, as you hopefully witnessed in the finale, was that we see Joe Goldberg at his worst. And that was really important to Penn, that he was at his most horrific. He wanted to help us in our mission to have everybody stop and see him be so horrific that we all have to question what we just co-signed for all this time and sort of burst the delusion that he's a rootable hero.

So, that was really important to him. That's why he's in his boxers in the rain and that's why he's punching a woman for the first time. We usually cut away from the violence. We just wanted it to get really nasty and awful. And he was very much leading the charge in that regard. He's like, do not pull punches with this guy. I want him in the end to just be a monster.

Episode seven is when people finally start turning on him a bit, and we see characters from his past come out of the woodwork, like Annika, Ethan, and Paco. Who else was on your bucket list of people that you wanted to bring back, but it didn't work out?

Justin W. Lo: I'm trying to think who else we wanted. I think we got mostly everyone we wanted to be in that montage. We did this thing in the writer's room where we put a list of people who would be pro-Joe, against Joe, and sort of neutral, and then we brainstormed what they would be saying about him. One of our favorites was Paco, of course, because Paco is pro-Joe, but what he says ends up screwing Joe over in a major way. So, that was one of our favorite discoveries.

I was surprised not to see Jenna Ortega's character, Ellie. I feel like she would've been such a fun fit in there. Was she one of the people that you tried to get?

Foley: That was complicated by the fact that she's doing "Wednesday" in Ireland and it just seemed like a non-starter. We just couldn't figure out a way to make it work.

If Ellie was in that montage, what side would she have been on?

Lo: Oh, pro-Joe [laughs]. Well, I think... hmm. It's a good question. It could have gone either way. You could make an argument for pro-Joe, because he was there for her during a very difficult time in her life. But you could also say, I think Ellie's very smart and she probably knows that he had something to do with her sister's death, even though it was Love. So she could have turned against him as well.

Who came up with the idea for Bronte to shoot Joe in the penis, and what does that add to the punishment that Joe deservedly got in the final season?

Lo: Greg Berlanti came up with the idea for the dick shot, and it was symbolic. Everybody, Penn, the showrunners, Greg, Sera [Gamble], we all wanted to make sure that Joe was taken down and no longer a romantic or sexual icon. And so that is the best way to do that. Couldn't get more pointed than that.

In that moment when Bronte pulls the gun on him and he begs her to kill him, was he genuinely OK with dying at her hands in that moment, or was he just bluffing?

Foley: She's suggesting that he's going to have to face what he really is, and that means he's going to sit in a courtroom, he's going to hear testimony of people who lost loved ones to Joe Goldberg, and that would break the delusion that he's a white knight and a good guy, and he couldn't handle that.

So he was actually in that moment choosing death and hoping for death. And both Louise and we, the writers, thought that death was too easy, that we needed to put him in a veritable cage, and he needed to live on without knowing the feeling of a lover's touch, without his freedom, et cetera.

How long has that been the game plan for Joe, him ending up in prison with loneliness being his ultimate form of punishment?

Foley: The specifics of it, in terms of him being in prison and living, were things that we worked out pretty late in the final season.

But in terms of him A) not getting away with it, B) not being redeemed, C) facing loved ones or people who he wronged, all of that was known early on, going into the season, if not a season or two earlier. We just didn't know the actual shape it would take.

What was the conversation like with Penn when you mapped out the specifics of that final scene and his ending?

Foley: There's a single line that Louise says to him, which is that "the fantasy of a man like you is how we cope with the reality of a man like you." That's the most important line this season for us, if not in the series, and he was a big fan of that line. He liked that it was the closest we were going to come to just sort of really stating our message, if you will. So yeah, we were all completely on the same page about Joe's condemnation, Joe's end.

In the final scene, Joe's reading a creepy letter and he's still delusional and putting the blame on other people. It kind of felt like a little nod to the fans who thirsted over Joe this whole time, despite him being a murderer. What was the message you were trying to convey in that scene?

Lo: We were trying to convey that Joe will never take responsibility for anything that he's done, that he always has to blame someone, and in this case, it's society, and he's speaking to us.

It's a cheeky way to show that we have been complicit and he's turning against us in this one moment. We have been with him, in his voiceover part of his thought processes, in the whole series. And in this moment, he turns against us and blames us, the society, for creating him and for loving him.

In the past, the female leads of the show have not fared well, but Louise, Kate, and Marienne all get their happy endings. Why was it important for the series to end with these women not being casualties?

Foley: The entire run of the series, yes, there is Joe getting what Joe needs to get, in terms of killing for love. And then sometimes the killing can just seem bleak, and we want to entertain, and we don't want to lose our audience. And so it felt like with Kate, she had earned her absolution and her redemption, being willing to die by going back down to the basement to kill Joe. That's why we kept her alive, but it just didn't feel additive to kill. We don't want to kill people just for killing's sake.

I would just say that Louise, in the end, keeping her alive was very important to us because we wanted the show to end with a woman's voice. Like, yes, we add this coda with Joe where he says, "It's not my fault, it's yours." But the real ending of the show is a woman having a voice and having agency, and Louise walking out of that bookstore and saying, "Joe Goldberg is not going to write my story. I'm going to define who I am." That was very important to us.

Beck is such an important part of this whole season, and it brings the show full circle. What was it like pitching that to Elizabeth Lail and getting her back for a couple of scenes?

Lo: The Beck storyline always brings tears to my eyes because it is so deep. And I say that Beck really got a raw deal in season one and she didn't do anything to deserve what she got. And she has been that symbol of innocence that got marred this whole series, really.

So, it felt fitting to be able to give her justice. And that's why I think that the connection to Bronte was so powerful. You can feel it all through the season as soon as we learn the connection between them in that fifth episode.

[Elizabeth] loved it. She was so excited to be part of the final season and she loves this character, too. So it was very meaningful for her to be able to be such a big part of the end of Joe Goldberg's story.

Do you think the show could have gone on for another season, or did it need to end with the fifth season?

Foley: I think it would've started to get repetitive and we would've been going to this same well in many ways, narratively. I don't know a single person in the writer's room who felt like, "Oh, if only we had one more season, we could tell this story or that story."

I think we are really happy that we brought it full circle. Rarely do TV writer-producers get to finish the story. And we got to, we did it in a satisfying way, we got to bring it back to New York. So as a viewer and as a writer, I don't have an appetite for more, but it's only because I'm so sated. I'm very satisfied with how this story was told.

How do you think fans are going to feel about the finale?

Lo: I hope they're very satisfied. I see a lot of stuff online about like, "This show will have to end with Joe either in prison or dead." A lot of people are saying that, and so I'm really curious to see what they will think of the ending, which is, of course, he's not dead, but he is shot. And I guess there are some people who want him to get away with it. I am excited to see what they have to say the most, because we did not let him get away with it.

Foley: We won't escape unscathed, and that's fine. People really hated that the character Love had to die. And guess what? I loved writing that character. I loved being on set with Victoria Pedretti, who's incredibly talented, but what was best for the story was where the story went.

So, hopefully, if people can be objective, they could say this was the right way and the best way to end it. And if not, then all the power to 'em.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Season five of "You" is now streaming on Netflix.

• Netflix's thriller "You," starring Penn Badgley, concluded with season five, released on Thursday.
• The final season definitively wraps up Joe Goldberg's story.
• Not every character makes it out of season five alive.

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season five of Netflix's "You."

Joe Goldberg's story has finally come to an end.

The fifth and final season of Netflix's "You" picks up three years after the events of the season four finale. Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) and Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie) have settled into their life as a couple in New York, with Joe playing the role of the loyal, doting husband.

But he can only repress his dark side for so long. As Joe becomes entangled with a new, mysterious woman named Bronte (Madeline Brewer), his life unravels. It all culminates in an action-packed finale that wraps up the saga and gives Joe the conclusion he deserves.

Here's where all of the major characters end up in the "You" series finale.

After evading real consequences for five seasons, Joe Goldberg is finally imprisoned for life.

In a full-circle moment for the series, Joe ends up in a different kind of cage: a prison cell.

During a violent confrontation in the woods with Bronte, who had been deceiving him all season long, Joe is captured by the police and is forced to take accountability for his wrongdoings in a messy trial.

He's convicted of the murders of Guinevere Beck (Elizabeth Lail) and Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti). Joe is also charged with first-degree murder and is sentenced to life without parole for the murders of season one characters Benji Ashby (Lou Taylor Pucci) and Peach Salinger (Shay Mitchell).

"One thing's clear, Joe Goldberg will never be free again," Bronte says.

The last scene of the series finale shows Joe behind bars, wearing an orange jumpsuit with his hair buzzed. Of course, his literature choice is on-the-nose: Norman Mailer's Pulitzer Prize-winning book "The Executioner's Song."

"So, in the end, my punishment is even worse than I imagined," Joe says in the narration. "The loneliness. Oh, my God. The loneliness. No hope of being held. Knowing this is forever."

But even in jail, Joe is still deluded and refuses to take responsibility, saying that it's unfair to place all the blame on him. It also doesn't help that he gets validation from creepy fan letters written by people who believe him and want to act out their sexual fantasies with him.

"Why am I in a cage when these crazies write me all the depraved things they want me to do to them?" Joe wonders as he lays back on his prison cot and reads his latest unsettling fan mail.

"Maybe we have a problem as a society," Joe concludes. "Maybe we should fix what's broken in us. Maybe the problem isn't me. Maybe… it's you."

Bronte, Joe's season five love interest, is instrumental in getting him behind bars.

Bronte initially seems like a naive, unassuming woman who falls for Joe's charming persona. But as the season progresses, it's revealed that Bronte has been playing Joe the entire time. Her real name is Louise Flannery, and she's a dental hygienist from Ohio. But more importantly, Beck was her college teaching assistant.

After learning about Beck's death and searching online for closure, Bronte found that lots of people had questions about her murder and suspected that her then-boyfriend, Joe, was the killer.

Along with some internet friends, Bronte devised a plan to return to New York, get close to Joe, and catfish him by acting like a woman who needed to be saved.

Her plan encounters some hiccups, but Bronte is ultimately successful in duping Joe.

After Bronte rescues Joe from a fire at Mooney's bookstore in episode nine, he proposes to her, and she says yes. In the finale, they leave the city for a remote cottage. Joe is delighted to start their new chapter together, unaware that Bronte is still intent on taking him down.

Joe and Bronte end up physically fighting inside the cottage, and it escalates into the woods as Bronte tries to call 911 for help. The police catch up to the pair, seconds after Bronte shoots Joe in the groin, and Joe is arrested.

Bronte also gets justice for Beck. Joe's contributions are pulled from Beck's posthumous book, and a new, redacted version is released.

In a voiceover near the end of the finale, Bronte says that in Beck's honor, she's going to make the most of her life and won't let her existence be defined by Joe. Although Bronte isn't sure who she wants to be in the world, she's eager to figure it out without the weight of Joe looming over her.

Kate Lockwood survives a near-death experience and rediscovers her love of art.

Kate spends much of season five trying to do good through her position as the CEO of Lockwood Corporation and make amends for her past actions.

Unfortunately, Bob Cain (Michael Dempsey), Kate's chief operating officer and father figure, leaks sensitive information to a reporter about the pipeline that she helped get approved years ago. He planned to initiate a no-confidence vote and get Kate booted from the company. Bob also dug into Kate's time in London, knew that she helped cover up the murder of Rhys Montrose (Ed Speleers), and threatened to release that information to ruin her reputation further.

With Kate's green light, Joe murders Bob. But killing Bob reawakens Joe's lethal side, and he and Kate fail to see eye-to-eye. While Joe relishes murder and feels no remorse, Kate is haunted by what happened to Bob. She also learns new things about Joe's time in Madre Linda and discovers his present-day affair with Bronte.

Kate teams up with season four character Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman) and Joe's season three love interest Marienne Bellamy (Tati Gabrielle) in the hopes that they can take Joe down once and for all by killing him in his own cage at Mooney's.

But Joe, already steps ahead, digs a spare cage key out of his arm and frees himself.

Kate and Joe tussle in the basement while Kate's sister Maddie Lockwood (Anna Camp) sets Mooney's on fire. Joe shoots Kate in the stomach, and she knocks him out by hitting him with a mallet.

While Kate and Joe are both on the floor, injured and exhausted, he admits that his first wife, Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), didn't die in a fire — he poisoned her and started the fire to get rid of the evidence. Kate, relieved, reveals that she secretly took an audio recording of Joe's confession to hand over to the police.

In response, Joe tells Kate that she can die happy now. She closes her eyes and seemingly dies, but in the finale, viewers learn that Kate survived the fire.

Kate leaves the C-suite life behind and returns to her love of art, championing Marienne's work. She also becomes a full-time parent to Joe and Love's son, Henry (Frankie DeMaio).

Teddy Lockwood, Kate's half-brother, becomes the CEO of the TR Lockwood Corporation and turns it into a nonprofit.

For most of his life, Teddy has been an outsider in the Lockwood family because he's the product of Tom Lockwood's (Greg Kinnear) affair. Teddy became loyal to Kate because she hired him as her chief of staff and gave him a voice.

The finale shows Teddy and Kate celebrating, toasting him for transforming the family company into a nonprofit.

Reagan Lockwood-Jacobs is killed by her twin sister, Maddie.

Reagan (Anna Camp) is Kate's snarky half-sister and Lockwood Corporation's CFO. She's jealous of Kate's position at the company and accuses Kate of being a killer, citing Bob's "convenient" death. She also threatens to dig into Kate's life and figure out what dirt Bob had on her.

Joe, wanting to protect his family, takes matters into his own hands and plots to kidnap Reagan, interrogate her in his cage in the basement of Mooney's, and kill her. But his plan hits a major snag when he kidnaps the wrong twin in episode two.

Then, in episode four, Reagan tells Kate that she knows Joe killed Rhys in London and that Kate framed Nadia Fareedi (Amy-Leigh Hickman) for his murder.

Joe arrives at the conclusion that blackmail isn't enough to stop Reagan, so she needs to be killed. He abducts Reagan, puts her in the cage with Maddie. Joe tells Maddie to kill Reagan with her insulin pen, because it's the only way he can be assured that she won't go to the authorities and snitch on him. If she doesn't comply, he'll just kill both twins.

Maddie is reluctant to murder Reagan, but after her sister repeatedly taunts and disrespects her, she does the deed.

In the finale, after Joe is caught by the authorities and put on trial, it's revealed that Maddie gave Reagan a $2 million Viking funeral in the Long Island Sound.

Maddie Lockwood avoids serving jail time and lives happily ever after.

Madison "Maddie" Lockwood is Reagan's more timid twin sister. She works in PR, has a reputation as a party girl, and is a three-time divorcée. Oh, and she's been secretly hooking up with Harrison Jacobs (Pete Ploszek), Reagan's husband.

Years prior, Reagan also bullied Maddie into being her surrogate because she didn't want to deal with the physical changes associated with having a baby.

After Joe kidnaps Reagan, he manipulates Maddie into impersonating her sister, promising that she'll be with Harrison forever if she complies.

But Joe turns on Maddie in episode nine, framing her and Harrison for Reagan's murder. Furious that he betrayed her trust, Maddie sets Mooney's on fire, with Joe locked in the basement.

In the finale, Harrison's charges for the murder of Reagan are dropped. Maddie was tried for arson and conspiracy to commit murder, but didn't serve jail time because of the circumstances. Instead, she went to rehab for her pill addiction.

Maddie gets the happy ending she was promised with Harrison and Gretchen, Reagan's daughter whom she gave birth to. Maddie and Harrison are also expecting twins.

Clayton, Bronte's "ex," is killed by Joe.

Clayton (Tom Francis) is presented as Bronte's ex, until it's later revealed that he's the son of therapist Dr. Nicky Angevine (John Stamos), who was framed for the murder of Beck.

Clayton listened to the recordings from Beck's sessions with Dr. Nicky and suspected that Joe killed her. He also figured out that Joe was seeing Dr. Nicky as a patient under a false identity.

Clayton, Bronte, and their internet friends Dominique (Natasha Behnam) and Phoenix (b) spent years combing the internet trying to find evidence to expose Joe for being a killer.

Their initial plan was to get close to Joe to monitor him. Once Bronte met Joe and realized that he was a romantic with a white knight complex, she came up with the idea to get Joe to fall in love with her. Clayton played the part of the toxic guy that Joe could rescue her from.

As time wore on, Clayton started losing perspective and became solely focused on getting vindication, regardless of Bronte putting her life in danger.

Clayton was convinced that Joe had a pattern of killing all the women he fell in love with, so he wanted to use Bronte as bait. His plan was for Joe to think that Bronte got back with her toxic ex, and get so angry that he'd track Bronte down at a beach house and be ready to kill her. He intended to have the moment captured on camera.

But once he arrives, his confrontation with Bronte turns violent, and he shoves her to the ground. Joe fights Clayton and slams his head against the floor, killing him. Seconds later, Bronte and Clayton's friends, Dominque and Phoenix, enter the house, livestreaming Joe in a compromising position. Their viral livestream has a snowball effect, leading the public to turn against Joe.

Although Clayton doesn't make it out of the season alive, his dad's conviction is vacated.

Dominique and Phoenix vow to use their platform and resources to take down more people like Joe.

Dominique and Phoenix are Bronte and Clayton's friends who met through the internet.

Throughout the season, they work with Bronte and Clayton to ensnare Joe. Dominique and Phoenix also use TikTok to reveal the findings of their yearslong investigation into Joe, publicly accusing him of the murders of Candace Stone (Ambyr Childers), Benji, and Beck.

In the finale, they're seen participating in a podcast interview and teasing what's next.

"We didn't do it alone," Phoenix says, thanking Bronte, Joe's survivors, and the internet sleuths. "And we're not done."

"Yeah, not to shock you, but there are other Joes out there," Dominique adds.

• The final season of Netflix's "You" brings back past characters for cameos in episode seven.
• Jenna Ortega's season two character Ellie Alves doesn't pop up in season five.
• The co-showrunners told BI that they were unable to make it work due to season two of "Wednesday."

Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season five of Netflix's "You."

Characters from seasons past return for the fifth and final installment of "You" — but there's one key character missing.

After getting away with murder for four seasons, Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) is finally exposed for his crimes in season five.

Episode seven, titled "#JoeGoldberg," shows the public turning against Joe after an incriminating video taken seconds after he murdered Clayton (Tom Francis), the son of season one character Dr. Nicky Angevine (John Stamos), goes viral.

Dominique (Natasha Behnam) and Phoenix (b), two internet vigilantes who livestreamed the shocking moment, continue their takedown of Joe in episode seven as they accuse him of being a serial killer and post videos discussing the evidence they've found from years of research.

Suddenly, Joe becomes a hot topic in the news, with his name trending online and his face plastered across newspapers with headlines that question if he's a "homicidal maniac."

"Leave it to social media to be my downfall," Joe says in the narration, as he scrolls through TikTok and sees people from his past sharing their thoughts on him.

Dottie Quinn (Saffron Burrows), Annika Atwater (Kathryn Gallagher), Sherry Conrad (Shalita Grant) and Cary Conrad (Travis Van Winkle), Paco (Luca Padovan), and Ethan Russell (Zach Cherry) are among the characters who make cameos. But season two's Ellie Alves (Jenna Ortega), a social-media-savvy aspiring filmmaker, is noticeably absent.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, season five co-showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W. Lo explained that Ortega's commitment to season two of the Netflix series "Wednesday," in which she stars as Wednesday Addams, prevented her from reprising her role in "You."

"That was complicated by the fact that she's doing 'Wednesday' in Ireland and it just seemed like a non-starter," Foley said. "We just couldn't figure out a way to make it work."

If Ortega was able to return to "You," the storyline would have involved Ellie being a benefactor to Dominique and Phoenix. But ultimately, that storyline was scrapped.

"That was a thought that I'm sure when we were putting things together, we felt like maybe we could make this work, and we just simply couldn't," Foley said.

Ortega joined "You" in season two, as Joe moved from New York to Los Angeles for a fresh start. Ellie, a 15-year-old cinephile who lived in the same apartment complex as Joe, was one of his closest acquaintances whom he was protective of.

After Ellie's older sister, Delilah (Carmela Zumbado), is murdered by Love Quinn (Victoria Pedretti), Ellie relocates to Florida using money that Joe gives her.

Although Ellie doesn't appear again in the show, Joe is shown still sending her money in season three, and he references her at the start of season four.

Sera Gamble, the previous showrunner, told IndieWire in 2023 that there was a desire to bring Ortega back for season four, but she was committed to season one of "Wednesday."

If Ellie did come out of the woodwork to share her opinion online in season five, Lo said that perhaps the character would voice her support of Joe, or maybe she'd have a completely different opinion in the time that's passed.

"You could make an argument for pro-Joe because he was there for her during a very difficult time in her life," Lo said. "But you could also say, I think Ellie's very smart and she probably knows that he had something to do with her sister's death, even though it was Love. So she could have turned against him as well."

Season five of "You" is now streaming on Netflix.

• Netflix's thriller "You" returns for its fifth and final season on Thursday.
• The season five cast includes Anna Camp, who plays twin sisters Reagan and Maddie Lockwood.
• "The Handmaid's Tale" actor Madeline Brewer plays Bronte, Joe Goldberg's new love interest.

All eyes are on Joe Goldberg as he returns to New York City in the fifth and final season of "You."

After marrying Kate Lockwood (Charlotte Ritchie) at the end of season four of the Netflix thriller series, Joe (Penn Badgley) is back in his hometown and enjoying his life as a doting husband in the public eye — until he's tempted by an alluring stranger.

Ahead of the release of "You" season five on Thursday, here's a rundown of who's in the cast and where you might recognize them from.

Penn Badgley is back as Joe Goldberg.

The official trailer for season five of "You" hints at Joe once again struggling to stay loyal in his relationship and failing to suppress his dark side and murderous tendencies.

Before playing Joe, Badgley was widely known for starring as outsider Dan Humphrey in the CW series "Gossip Girl" and playing the endearing love interest to Emma Stone's Olive Penderghast in the movie "Easy A."

Charlotte Ritchie reprises her role as Kate Lockwood.

The final season follows Kate as she tries to do good as the CEO of the T.R. Lockwood Corporation, while also clashing with Joe over their differing beliefs on murder.

Aside from "You," Ritchie is known for playing Alison Cooper in the show "Ghosts," and appeared as Oregon in the 2010s series "Fresh Meat" on Channel 4 in the UK. Most recently, she costarred with Elizabeth Olsen in the sci-fi thriller "The Assessment."

"The Handmaid's Tale" star Madeline Brewer stars as Bronte, Joe's new love interest.

Bronte is described as "an enigmatic and free-spirited playwright who comes to work at Joe Goldberg's new bookstore."

Brewer rose to fame through roles in the TV shows "Orange Is the New Black" and "Hemlock Grove." In 2021, she earned an Emmy nomination for her supporting role as Janine in Hulu's TV series adaptation of "The Handmaid's Tale."

"The Flight Attendant" actor Griffin Matthews joins season five as Teddy Lockwood, Joe's brother-in-law.

Matthews played Shane Evans in "The Flight Attendant," a two-season Max series starring Kaley Cuoco.

He's also had roles in shows like "The Carrie Diaries," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Dear White People," and "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law."

"Pitch Perfect" star Anna Camp pulls double duty as twin sisters Reagan and Maddie Lockwood.

Camp is perhaps best known for playing Aubrey, a controlling Barden Bellas member, in the "Pitch Perfect" films and cult leader Sarah Newlin in HBO's "True Blood." Most recently, she starred in the Peacock horror-comedy series "Hysteria!"

Pete Ploszek, who voiced Leonardo in the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movies released in 2014 and 2016, plays Harrison.

Aside from "TMNT," Ploszek guest-starred in a season five episode of "Parks and Recreation" and played "Teen Wolf" character Garrett Douglas, a teacher at Beacon Hills High School who also happened to be part wolf, part lion.

The actor also had a small role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Bret Johnson, a United States Air Force officer, in "Captain Marvel."

"The Girls on the Bus" star Natasha Behnam portrays Dominique.

Behnam played a journalist named Lola Rahaii in the political drama series "The Girls on the Bus," which costarred "Supergirl" actor Melissa Benoist.

She also played characters in "American Pie Presents: Girls' Rules" and the "Sons of Anarchy" spinoff "Mayans M.C."

The actor known as b plays a new character named Phoenix.

The nonbinary actor, who uses they/them pronouns, graduated from The Juilliard School in 2021.

They've since appeared in shows like "WeCrashed" and "Elsbeth."

Tom Francis, who's known for playing Joe Gillis in West End and Broadway productions of "Sunset Boulevard," appears in season five as Clayton.

"You" marks Francis' TV debut. The British actor and singer is primarily recognized for his theater work in plays like "Rent," "Hair," and "Sunset Boulevard."

Nava Mau, an Emmy nominee for her performance in the Netflix series "Baby Reindeer," plays Detective Marquez in "You."

Mau starred as Teri in "Baby Reindeer." Prior to that, the actor played Ana in the Max coming-of-age series "Generation."