Technology

Updated on Sept. 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET — iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, and visionOS 26 are available now as free software updates. Keep reading for our original story on these launches.

'With the launch of the iPhone 17 and the Apple Watch Series 11, it's officially update season for Apple fans. While iOS 26 has received most of the attention, the entire Apple hardware family is getting a new operating system refresh. So, even if you don’t buy the latest gadgets from Apple’s ‘Awe Dropping’ event, you still have some fresh stuff to enjoy, including the Liquid Glass makeover. 

Apple has updated its OS naming scheme to make sure the OS version numbers match one another, which will make everything a lot simpler for consumers moving forward. Thus, we have iOS 26, watchOS 26, tvOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe, and visionOS 26. If you own one of the devices that will get those updates, here are all the compatible devices and release dates.

How to download watchOS 26

The latest rendition of watchOS comes with a Liquid Glass design, new features, and four new watch faces. It launched to the public on Sept. 15, 2025. Per Apple, it's compatible with every Apple Watch from the Series 6 onward, along with all models of the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE 2 and 3. 

You may receive a notification to install the update when it finally drops. If not, follow these steps:

• On your iPhone, open the Apple Watch app. 

• Head to the General section and then Software Update.

• The app will check for the update manually. You may need to enter your iPhone or Apple Watch passcode. 

• From there the update will download and install. 

• Note: You’ll want to keep your Apple Watch on the charger or have it charged to at least 50%. 

How to download iPadOS 26

iPadOS 26 is very similar to iOS 26 in that many of the same features will be around, including the Liquid Glass design. In addition, Apple has invented something called “Windows” that allows your iPad to run apps in windowed form. In any case, this update landed on Sept. 15 as well and is compatible with the following devices. 

SEE ALSO: Review: iPadOS 26 finally made me an iPad person

• iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and later)

• iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and later)

• iPad Air (3rd generation and later)

• iPad (8th generation and later)

• iPad mini (5th generation and later)

• iPad Pro M2

• iPad Pro M4

• iPad Air M2

• iPad Air M3

• iPad (A16)

• iPad mini (A17 Pro)

And here’s how to install it:

• Go to your iPad’s settings menu.

• Navigate to General, and then Software Update.

• From there, your iPad will check manually for updates. 

• Once the watchOS 26 prompt appears, hit “Update Now.”

• After that, the update will download. Once done, tap “Install Now.” You’ll have to input your passcode to continue. 

• Note: Keep your iPad on a charger or have it mostly charged first. 

How to download macOS 26 Tahoe

As with the other updates, macOS 26 Tahoe includes Apple’s Liquid Glass design along with a slew of other cool features. As with the others, macOS 26 Tahoe was released on Sept. 15 as a free update. The update is compatible with the following Macs. 

• MacBook Air with Apple silicon (2020 and later)

• MacBook Pro with Apple silicon (2020 and later)

• MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019 model)

• MacBook Pro (13-inch model from 2020 with four Thunderbolt ports)

• iMac (2020 and later)

• Mac mini (2020 and later) 

• Mac Studio (2022 and later)

• Mac Pro (2019 and later)

And here are the installation instructions:

• Click the Apple Menu button in the top corner of your screen. 

• Select System Settings.

• Once the window opens, tap General in the left sidebar. 

• From here, you’ll see the Software Update option in the main window. 

• Tap the Update Now button to begin your installation process. You’ll have to enter your admin password before it’ll actually install. 

• The update will download and install. 

• Note: Apple advises not to close the lid on your MacBook or let your Mac go to sleep. Just leave it and let it update. 

How to download tvOS 26

Like the others, tvOS 26 comes with plenty of updates, including Liquid Glass and the ability to use your iPhone as a microphone during karaoke night. It also launched on Sept. 15. In terms of compatibility, all Apple TV models are getting this update. However, some of the features, like the Liquid Glass UI, will only appear for the 2nd and 3rd generations of the Apple TV 4K.

Here’s how to install it:

• Go to the Settings menu.

• Navigate to System and then Software Update.

• The device will check for updates. If there is one, hit “Download and Install.”

• Your Apple TV will download and install the update. 

• Note: Apple says to leave your Apple TV plugged in and on during this process. 

How to download visionOS 26

Finally, we come to visionOS 26. Apple has struggled to move these futuristic gadgets off of store shelves, with the huge price tag being the main culprit. In any case, for those few who do have it, the update arrived on Sept. 15 with plenty of cool goodies to look forward to. As you may have guessed, it is compatible with the only Vision Pro that Apple currently sells. 

And the installation instructions are as follows:

• Open your Settings menu. 

• Navigate to General and then Software Update. 

• It’ll check for updates and display the visionOS 26 update. 

• When you’re ready, tap the “Download and Install Now” button. You may need to enter your Apple Vision Pro passcode at this step. 

• Once the update is ready, you’ll be told by the Vision Pro to remove the headset.

• From here, the update progress can be seen on the front of your device. 

Updates galore are coming soon

Those with a lot of Apple devices will have a busy Monday ahead of them. Most of these updates are bringing the same general redesign with platform-specific features, so there’s a ton to look forward to. Good luck with those installs.

Not to be confused with the dog in a haunted house movie also titled Good Boy, this English thriller brings dark humor to a setup that is absolutely the stuff of trashy true crime shows. 

Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough star as a married couple who, at a distance, might seem to have a blissful life in rural England. On their remote estate, a strong metal gate keeps the mad modern world at bay. Their big home has room enough for a master bedroom with a towering canopy bed, space for their young and lovely son nicknamed "Sunshine," a guest room for a live-in maid, and a roomy basement, perfect for doing laundry and crafting special projects. However, what former cop Chris and his fragile wife Kathryn are working on in the basement is anything but charming. 

Helmed by Polish filmmaker Jan Komasa, Good Boy has plot points in common with Pedro Almodóvar's disturbing psychological thriller The Skin I Live In, with the comedic cheek of a midnight movie. The result is something gnarly, but not quite great.

Wait, what's Good Boy about? 

As teased in the film's first promo image (up top), Good Boy follows the rehabilitation efforts Chris and his family inflict on Tommy (Anson Boon), a 19-year-old hooligan who's been exposing his reckless exploits on social media with no apparent consequence. 

Before we meet Chris' cozy and unconventional family, Good Boy thrusts us into Tommy's chaotic lifestyle. Across a night of partying, the blonde party boy indulges in clubs, drugs, public sex, and violence with a devil-may-care attitude that's less exhilarating and more nauseating. As he limps home, wobbly from embracing damn near every vice, a car lurks behind him, and someone dashes out to grab him. 

From there, Good Boy leaps to another figure who'll fall into this family's realm. An immigrant from Macedonia, Rina (Monika Frajczyk) is considering taking a cleaning job at Chris' home, even though his questions for her include whether or not she has any "distinguishing marks."

A flash in her eyes acknowledges this red flag, but her willingness to brush over it suggests she's got little other choice. From the moment she arrives at Chris and Kathryn's home, she becomes the audience surrogate, guiding us through the house and its more curious aspects, like the boy chained up by his neck in the basement.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Anson Boon is fascinating as the eponymous good boy. 

There's a trace of Trainspotting in Tommy, specifically his "choose life" attitude that embraces debauchery over civility. Though chained up like a bad dog, he won't make it easy on his captors. Where Rina could be an ally, he's quick to spook her, which sparks a stern talking to from Chris. 

Who Tommy is to Chris and Kathryn is not immediately made clear. Their mission, however, is to break the boy until he's "good." Their methods range from the horrific to the comical. Sometimes Tommy's training involves watching videos about good etiquette created by Chris and his Sunshine (Kit Rakusen). Other times, violent means like a stun gun are brought into play. Acting as if he's being electrocuted is just the edge of the physicality demanded by Boon's role. And he gives every moment a feral intensity.  

As the family grows to trust in Tommy's slow but steady progress, they begin to literally lengthen his leash. This means Boon is sometimes battling the bondage, and other times finding ways to make it work for him. There's an alertness to his eyes that reveals he's not yet broken, even when he's playing nice to appease his captors. Tommy is ferociously alive, and through this, he influences all in the house to embrace something wild in themselves, be it rediscovering their sex drive, their joy, or their curiosity of a world beyond the gates. 

Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough make an odd couple forged in hell. 

Graham is a fantastic bit of casting, as the English actor has played an array of tough guys in productions like Gangs of New York, This Is England, Public Enemies, and A Thousand Blows. More recently, however, he wowed critics and audiences by playing the heartbroken and volatile father in Netflix's harrowing crime mini-series Adolescence. Now, in Good Boy, Graham is doggedly gentle — until he's not. 

Chris certainly prefers the carrot to the stick when it comes to discipline. But the very casting of Graham warns the audience that wielding the stick is inevitable. This threat of violence is echoed in the trembling eyes of his son, whose cheerfulness can snap to terror like a light switch. What's happened in this house before Tommy's arrival may not be spoken, but through the interactions of father and son, it's clear enough. 

Yet Riseborough's role is even more unnerving. At the film's start, she has a boy in her basement and a young woman cleaning her family's mess while she stares out a window, silent and dressed like a Victorian ghost in long, silky white nightgowns. But as Tommy progresses, she blooms like belladonna, donning more modern attire, speaking up, and even delivering her own brand of parenting in soft but stinging tones. 

So, none of this sounds all that funny, right? Well, Good Boy's sense of humor is determinedly dark. Its laughs come mostly from where the absurdity of Chris' plan collides with Tommy's no-fucks-to-give attitude. On the whole, the film's more funny as in strange than funny as in humorous. 

This becomes a bit of an issue as Komasa approaches the film's wild resolution. The ending, while properly disturbing, feels frustratingly unearned, perhaps because the restrained approach to its visual style doesn't support such an outrageous outcome.

The wardrobe and look of the family and their house are tweaked slightly from standard to seem almost a caricature of a happy family. Chris' hair is meticulously combed, his shirt buttoned, jeans pressed, glasses unsmudged, even as he's just directing the delinquent in his basement. Kathryn's attire, meanwhile, gives a sense of Grey Gardens without the funky whiff of decay. Subtle visual clues hint that this family is freaky. But if Komasa had pushed their strangeness more in visuals, his twisted ending might have felt better suited, instead of a bit of a cheat. 

Still, if you're seeking funky and fucked-up entertainment, Good Boy should scratch that late-night movie itch. 

Good Boy was reviewed out of its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. 

Americans love the story of a charming con man. From Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to The Talented Mr. Ripley, Paper Moon to Catch Me If You Can, there's an undeniable appeal to witnessing a man make a fortune by outsmarting others. Underneath the surface of these seductive stories is the sly suggestion that the American Dream is rigged, far easier to achieve if you have money to begin with. And so inherently, the con-man story is one of an underdog who survives by his charm and wits alone. 

What is Derek Cianfrance doing making a con-man comedy? The American writer/director has built his career with daring dramas, like the brutal breakup movie Blue Valentine, the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines, and the romantic offering The Light Between Oceans, starring serious leading men like Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender. Yet his latest is a romantic comedy starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst that is inspired by a real-life con man and convicted criminal whose crime spree coverage labeled him "Roofman." 

SEE ALSO: 11 best true crime docs about scammers, con artists, and deadly deceptions

The issue is not that such a switch-up in genre is unexpected from Cianfrance, though it is. It's that Roofman is utterly confounding in its execution. After days of mulling it over following the film's Toronto International Film Festival premiere, I can't decide if Cianfrance has failed in making a con-man comedy that stands up to the greats, or if he's succeeded in creating a shrewd entry in the genre that condemns its core concept. 

Roofman reveals the true story of serial cat burglar Jeffrey Manchester. Credit: Paramount Pictures

Between 1997 and 2005, the former U.S. Army Reservist turned his attention to a spree of robberies of fast food places and big retail stores, breaking in through their roofs. Through voiceover, Jeffrey (Tatum) confesses he'd hit 45 McDonald's before he was arrested. But in the film's opening robbery, he's not just an armed robber; he's a nice armed robber.

Before forcing three McDonald's employees into the walk-in, where they will be held captive until police arrive, he suggests they put on their coats. Hell, he even lends one to the shift manager (Tony Revolori in a nothing role), because the poor guy didn't plan on being held hostage in a fridge that day! 

Through voiceover, Jeffrey pleads his case to the audience — he was doing all this to support his ex-wife and three young kids — coolly glossing over the trauma that even a nice intruder with a gun might cause his victims. From there, Roofman practically races the first act of Jeff's arrest, conviction, and first few years in prison. The inciting incident of the film is when he breaks out of jail in an admittedly amusing escape sequence that involves gumption, cleverness, and some criminal crafting (needle, thread, and spray paint). From there, he's a fugitive, considered armed and dangerous. So naturally he breaks into the roof of a Toys "R" Us to hole up for months.  

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

It's a preposterous premise that's mostly true. Also true: While on the lam, Manchester made new friends, including a church-going girlfriend who knew him under the alias John Zorn. Cianfrance, who writes and directs Roofman, therefore channels the second act into firm romantic-comedy territory. An attractive and nonthreatening leading man woos a beautiful and kind woman — in this case, single mother of two Leigh Wainscott (Dunst). They share clumsy but cute flirtations, good sex, and heart-to-hearts about what it means to be a good parent and a good person. But in this story, something sinister slithers. 

Is Roofman absolving or evaluating Jeffrey Manchester? Credit: Paramount Pictures

With his goofy smile and ease with physical comedy, Tatum is a smart choice to play Manchester. Beloved for roles in everything from Magic Mike to Logan Lucky and 21 Jump Street, he's generally cast as the good guy, who, even when he's doing wrong, has his heart in the right place. For much of Roofman's runtime, an affable Tatum plays that part. As John, Jeffrey easily charms Leigh, her daughters, and her group of church friends, which includes a very out-of-his-niche Ben Mendelsohn as a cheery pastor and Uzo Aduba as his chipper wife. But much of what Jeffrey says to win them over includes outright lies about who he is, what he does for a living, and, naturally, where he lives. 

Of course, plenty of rom-coms dating back to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night have a lie exposed as the low point sure to threaten a happily-ever-after. But few of those rom-com lies involve glossing over a 40+ string of violent criminal offenses.

As Roofman chugged along, I grew increasingly uneasy about Jeffrey's superficial charm and how he'd rationalize away his lies and crimes by insisting he's a good guy at heart. The way his actions impacted others was not something his dialogue or voiceover touched on. Instead, within the film, he tries to create a balance by donating toys (that he stole) to a charity or stealthily changing things around the toy store to help out his oblivious girlfriend. As I watched, I wondered what Cianfrance was trying to tell us about the real Manchester, and by extension, our own American fascination with the con man. Could this Jeffrey be redeemed? Or would he be exposed as a liar so good he fooled even himself? 

Roofman takes a dark turn that fans of the bouncy ad campaign won't see coming.  Credit: Paramount Pictures

For much of the second act, the romance with Leigh suggests that all Jeffrey needs is a second chance to make the right choice. But reconnecting with an old criminal pal (LaKeith Stanfield) and tracking the movements of the cranky Toys "R" Us manager (Peter Dinklage) suggests that Jeffrey might just go on the run again.

The cops are closing in. Time is running out. So Jeffrey makes a decision that can't be so easily written off as nice and is instead vicious and selfish. A prolonged climax fitting Cianfrance's reputation for breath-snatching drama tears down the con-man facade of the "polite" robber. And yet, Roofman's resolution seems to backpedal with something softer as Leigh resurfaces.  

As I left the theater, I wondered if Cianfrance got into an artistic battle with producers about how dark this star-fronted crime comedy could get. Was the end a feel-good compromise that muddled the writer/director's intentions? Or was this weirdly warm resolution meant to excuse the character's crimes in the name of a good time, as so many con-man movies have done before?

After much reflection, I think it might be a third, more complicated option, inspired by the churchgoers represented in Roofman. 

Over the film's end credits, Cianfrance includes footage of the real Leigh and the real pastor, among others, talking about the John Zorn they knew. Within these brief clips, the lines between sin and crime get blurred, and a message not so much about redemption but about forgiveness arises. Perhaps, while Jeffrey is the center of this movie, he's not its hero as much as the focus of its fable.

Credit: Paramount Pictures

If so, Cianfrance uses the con-man conceit much as Jeffrey uses John Zorn, as a ruse to lure people in so he might pursue another agenda. Roofman is not another tale of a crafty and enviable slippery con man who gets off scot-free, generally to the excitement of the audience. Instead, this intriguing filmmaker muddies the narrative by exploring the hopeful perspective of redemption alongside a frank depiction of how such an ideal might be abused.  

In the end, Roofman is not a charming romantic comedy or the winsome crime caper promised by its trailer and sunny yellow posters. It's something darker, more mercurial and dense. What it has to say about con men in general or Jeffrey Manchester specifically is left in the hands of the viewer, as Cianfrance himself rejects giving this twisty tale of crime, love, and big choices a simple conclusion. Which is to say, Roofman is a frustrating watch, refusing to fit into the genre expectations. But that might be precisely the point. 

Roofman was reviewed out of its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. The movie will open in theaters Oct. 10.

In a remote part of the galaxy, a giant young star is firing off two streams of hot gas in opposite directions at hundreds of thousands of miles per hour.

The star, known as S284p1, is about 10 times the mass of the sun and still growing. Its jets span roughly 8 light-years across — about double the distance between the sun and the next-closest star system. Astronomers spotted S284p1 with the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint partnership of NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts. 

Though hundreds of baby stars' beams — aka "protostellar jets" — have been seen before, they're mainly powered by small stars. Observing such large jets coming from an enormous star is rare and suggests the scale of the jet correlates with the size of the developing star, scientists said. 

The discovery provides new insight into how giant stars take shape — and how similar processes may have worked in the early universe. The new findings have been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal.

"We didn’t really know there was a massive star with this kind of super-jet out there before the observation," said Yu Cheng, lead author of the paper, in a statement. "Such a spectacular outflow of molecular hydrogen from a massive star is rare in other regions of our galaxy."

SEE ALSO: How rare runaway dead stars are tricky clues for a cosmic mystery The new observations may mean that these stars can grow in calm and orderly ways, even in harsh conditions. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

S284p1 sits at the edge of the Milky Way about 15,000 light-years from Earth. As superheated gas falls onto the star, it gets redirected as narrow beams, confined by powerful magnetic fields. The jets shoot outward — 180 degrees apart — into surrounding dust and gas. 

Not only are the jets surprising, but the star's location adds to the intrigue. S284p1 lies in Sharpless 2-284, a region brimming with dense gas clouds and clusters of young stars. But the area contains few elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. Many scientists had predicted that giant stars developing in this environment would form in a sloppy manner because heavier elements help gas cool and clump together. 

That doesn't seem to have held back this star.  

"I was really surprised at the order, symmetry, and size of the jet when we first looked at it," said Jonathan Tan, a co-author from the University of Virginia and Chalmers University of Technology, in a statement.

Scientists didn't expect to find such signs of smooth star formation: Heavier elements are known to be instrumental to the process, helping gas cool, break apart, and collapse. In the absence of those materials, experts have thought the process should look much different, perhaps happening in sporadic bursts. The new observations may mean that these stars can grow in calm and orderly ways, even in harsh conditions.

Most of the chemicals in the universe come from exploded stars, so scientists have long thought that the very first stars were made almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, the primitive material that emerged from the Big Bang. 

Over time, as stars died, they blasted out heavier elements, which astronomers refer to as "metals." Those supernova dispersals seed new generations of stars and planets, but scientists admit they still have much to learn about how it works.

Massive stars like S284p1 have important influences on the evolution of galaxies that scientists want to better understand, said Cheng, who works for the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. 

"We can use this massive star as a laboratory to study what was going on in earlier cosmic history," Cheng said. 

TL;DR: An exclusive StackSocial deal gets you lifetime access to Babbel Language Learning (14 languages, 10,000+ hours) for $159 (MSRP $299).

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$299 Save $140 Get Deal

If you’ve ever thought about learning another language (or 14), there’s no better time to start. Thanks to a limited-time StackSocial promotion, you can get lifetime access to Babbel Language Learning (all languages) for less than the regular cost. A one-time payment of just $159 (reg. $299) gets you a lifetime of learning.

Unlike no-name apps that promise fluency without substance, Babbel was developed by over 100 expert linguists and backed by researchers from Yale University. It’s designed to help you actually speak a new language with confidence — whether you’re prepping for a trip abroad, connecting with family, or hoping to boost your career.

SEE ALSO: Google Translate is using AI to help users learn languages

You’ll get access to 14 languages and 10,000+ hours of high-quality content. Lessons are short and made to fit into even packed schedules — just 10 to 15 minutes — and available on desktop or mobile, with progress synced across devices. You can even download lessons to practice offline, whether that’s on a flight or in a WiFi dead zone on the subway.

Here’s part of what makes Babbel a standout:

• Real conversations: Lessons focus on practical topics like dining, shopping, transportation, and more.

• Speech recognition: Built-in tools help you perfect pronunciation and avoid awkward slip-ups.

• Personalized learning: Whether you’re a beginner or advanced, you’ll find lessons that match your level.

• Expert design: A proven method that emphasizes conversational skills over rote memorization.

And with lifetime access, you’re free to hone in on one language or explore all 14 — on your schedule, forever.

Pick up a lifetime Babbel Language Learning access for $159 (reg. $299) with this limited-time exclusive offer from StackSocial using code LEARN through Oct. 2.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Deep in the crevices of sports TikTok, hiding in a spider hole, is a new trend that you've perhaps come across. Thinking back on heartbreaking games of the past, have you ever thought, "Wow, that guy absolutely terrorized my team"?

With both the NFL and English Premier League back in action, fans are dredging up painful memories of players who have ruined their weekends time and again. This genre of meme has an unofficial name — "football terrorist" — and it’s being made literal in the kind of darkly absurd memes only TikTok could deliver.

These SportsTok edits splice together lowlight reels of those players with clips of former Iraqi president and dictator Saddam Hussein.

Yes, this is very real. The edits don’t just splice in Saddam clips — they’re also set to a nasheed called "Al Qawlu Qawlu Sawarim" by Abu Ali, released back in 2000. Nasheeds are traditional Islamic a cappella-style chants, and this one, based on translations, was meant as a battle hymn. Sports TikTok has reimagined it as the soundtrack to your team’s worst nightmares.

The "football terrorist" label generally falls into two buckets. First are the athletes or teams who inflict pain through sheer incompetence — think Eli Apple getting burned in coverage, Andre Onana gifting goals at Manchester United, or the eternal misery of Cleveland Browns fans. Then there are the players so dominant against certain opponents that they might as well own them: Aaron Rodgers torching the Bears, Tom Brady steamrolling the AFC East for two decades, or the entirety of Alabama college football from 2008-2023.

And this isn’t just football. The NBA got its own taste during the 2024 playoffs when Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers went on a Cinderella run powered by comeback wins and last-second daggers. NBA Twitter christened him "The Haliban," complete with inappropriate memes with a turban photoshopped onto his head. Even coaches aren’t immune — Baltimore Ravens’ John Harbaugh was meme’d into Osama Bin Laden after coughing up a 34–19 lead against the Bills on Sunday Night Football.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Given that we’re nearly 24 years removed from the start of the U.S.’s so-called "War on Terror," it’s not exactly shocking that its cast of characters — Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, even George W. Bush — have drifted into the surreal meme-space of sports TikTok. What was once deadly serious geopolitical imagery has, in certain corners of fandom, been reworked into gallows humor.

It also speaks to how the culture of the early 2000s, when Islamophobia was normalized (and often played for laughs in mainstream media), has curdled into something stranger amid our Y2K cultural revival. For younger fans who didn’t live through the 9/11 era, the imagery feels like a detached artifact rather than real history. Thus, remixing it into a meme about a placekicker ruining your Sunday or a striker blowing an easy save. It's absurd, offensive, and — depending on who you ask — really, really funny.

Case in point, one comment under a Tom Brady X Saddam edit reads, "As a kid growing up in NY during the 2000s, these two were considered equally evil men back then."

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year (save $15) Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month (save $30) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months (save $50.95) Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 3 months (save $99) Shop Now

There are a number of really interesting matchups in Week 3 of the new college football season, including Georgia Tech vs. Clemson. The Yellow Jackets have lost the last nine games against the Tigers, but they're coming into this contest with a lot of confidence. Could this be their moment to end that painful run of defeats?

If you want to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Georgia Tech vs. Clemson?

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson takes place at 12 p.m. ET on Sept. 13. This game takes place at the Bobby Dodd Stadium.

How to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson for free

Georgia Tech vs. Clemson is broadcast on ESPN. Fans can live stream this game on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $29.99 per month, but for the first year, new subscribers can secure a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for the same price.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $40 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a seven-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Georgia Tech vs. Clemson from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

So you've found yourself longing for some sinister cinematic intentions. You've caught yourself daydreaming about erotic rides of the rollercoaster sort. That's right, you're in the mood for a psychological thriller, and who could blame you? Looks like dangerous women in red dresses and the men who love them and/or turned them dangerous in the first place are on the movie menu tonight. 

Narrowing down all the psychological thrillers now simmering across all the streaming platforms was a challenge. But we've sorted out just the stuff for when you want to turn the lights down low and live vicariously though bad people with even worse intentions. After all, it's best to scratch this kind of itch before it gets out of hand — you could be kidnapping people like Anne Hathaway or robbing banks like Tony Leung any minute if you don't submit. And take my advice: It's good to submit to Harris Dickinson whenever possible.

Here are 10 of the best psychological thrillers now streaming, and how to watch them. 

Babygirl Credit: A24

Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) has it all. She's the high-powered, silk-bloused CEO of a robotics company in New York City. She's married to a hunky and loving theater director (Antonio Banderas). And she has as many wonderful daughters as she does multi-level homes (two!). And yet something's not quite getting her there — and by "there," we mean "to an orgasm," of course. Enter Samuel (Harris Dickinson), a new intern at her company who saves her from a street dog attack and immediately begins whispering sultry, inappropriate somethings into her ear at the office. What's a woman in charge to do but jump right on that?

SEE ALSO: 'Babygirl' finally shows us what subspace feels like

Dutch actress turned director Halina Reijn (who worked with Paul Verhoeven in Black Book and therefore knows all about how hot under the collar moral quandaries can get) coaxed one of Kidman's greatest performances out of the always-great actor in this 2024 thriller that blurs the line between business and pleasure. Deeply vulnerable while also thrumming with barely repressed desires that she has no idea what to do with, Kidman's Romy is, in the words of David Byrne, a real live wire. And Dickinson is just the right man — excuse me, just the right babygirl — to tap that. 

How to watch: Babygirl is now streaming on HBO Max.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

The Cell

Making the "psychological" in "psychological thriller" literal, this sumptuous cinematic feast from writer/director and visual fabulist Tarsem Singh (Immortals, The Fall) takes us inside the outrageously avant-garde dreamworld of a serial killer in order to save his next would-be victim  in this 2000 chiller. Jennifer Lopez stars as an empathetic psychologist named Catherine who's mastered the ability to use a new technology that allows two people to share brain space – basically, she can beam straight into their subconscious and, like a mechanic, treat their mental issues from the inside. 

Then the cops come a-knockin' (led by Vince Vaughn) after another girl gets kidnapped by a killer named Carl Rudolph Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio). See, Carl's unfortunately fallen into a coma before they could get her whereabouts, so it's up to Catherine to step inside his haunted palace of a mind and somehow find the clues to save the girl. That's a lot of plot to describe a movie that's 100% about the visuals, and my God, what visuals. Borrowing from modern surrealists like Damien Hirst and Odd Nerdrum, Singh delivers a (excuse the pun) mind-blowing phantasmagoria of scary unreality for Lopez to wander through, all while wearing one extraordinary costume designed by the legendary Eiko Ishioka after another. 

How to watch: The Cell is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video.

Watcher Credit: Courtesy of IFC Midnight. An IFC Midnight release.

Actor and low-key scream queen Maika Monroe continued her roll of picking exquisite thrillers to star in (see also: It Follows, The Guest, Longlegs) with 2022's Watcher, the most underrated and dare I say best of the entire Maika bunch. In writer/director Chloe Okuno's feature-length film debut, Monroe plays Julia, an American who's just moved to Bucharest with her distracted husband, Francis (Karl Glusman), for his job. 

Unable to speak the language and feeling lost and purposeless, Julia begins wandering about the city aimlessly — when she's not sitting at home staring at the enormous wall of windows across the street, anyway. And like Rear Window before her, a load of trouble comes raining down when Julia spots somebody over there watching her back. Awash in icy atmospherics and a strain of tension that slowly closes around your throat, Watcher truly does the term "Hitchockian" justice. 

How to watch: Watcher is now streaming on Netflix and Shudder.

Eileen

An adaptation of Ottessa Moshfegh's delicious 2015 novel, Eileen stars Thomasin McKenzie as Eileen, a mousy secretary at the local prison in 1965 who spends her downtime taking care of her alcoholic asshole of a retired cop dad (Shea Whigham). Dreary doesn't come close to covering it. And so when a pop of color in the form of prison psychologist Rebecca St John (Anne Hathaway, chewing the scenery with camp aplomb) sweeps into the same slushy Massachusetts burg, Eileen becomes obsessed — as do we all.

As Rebecca discovers there may be more to one inmate's story than initially thought, a fire is lit in her belly to find justice for the wrongly imprisoned man. Dragging Eileen into a scheme that Eileen can't embrace fast enough, everything goes spectacularly sideways real fast, well beyond Rebecca's wildest imaginings. Like the seedier cousin to Todd Haynes' Carol, Eileen is the full-on lesbian noir that Haynes only flirted with; Eileen director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth) fully embraces the pulpiness, and all of his actors are committed to the high melodramatic wavelength. A nastily under-appreciated little gem. 

How to watch: Eileen is now streaming on Hulu.

Compliance

Before his work became synonymous with Kate Winslet saying "wooder" in Mare of Easttown, director Craig Zobel gifted us with 2012's Compliance, the movie that turned Ann Dowd from notable character actress to full-on name recognition. Based on a real-world incident that happened in 2004, Dowd plays Sandra, the manager of a fast-food restaurant who receives a phone call one day from a man claiming to be a police officer. He tells her that one of her employees has stolen from a customer, and it's Sandra's job to detain said employee until the cops can arrive to arrest them. 

Using the vague information the officer tells her, Sandra quickly surmises the person at fault has to be young employee Becky (Dreama Walker). And thus begins a nightmare for Becky, as Sandra and the other employees decide it's their duty to do whatever this stranger's voice on the telephone tells them to do, even as each demand becomes more and more disturbing. (Look out for a profoundly upsetting turn from Philip Ettinger, later from First Reformed, as one of Becky's co-workers tasked with "security." Shudder.) A horrific fable about our blind faith in institutions and how easily weaponized our self-assuredness can be, Compliance couldn't be more timely as we watch our own neighbors' intentions curdle around us.

How to watch: Compliance is now streaming on Netflix.

Infernal Affairs

Before Martin Scorsese remade it into his Oscar–winning film The Departed, there was Andrew Lau and Alan Mak's 2002 crime saga masterpiece Infernal Affairs.  And if we're being honest, we might even think it's better than what Marty came up with. 

On one side you've got Andy Lau as Lau Kin-ming, a criminal who gets sent to become a mole in the police department. And on the other, you've got Tony Leung as Chan Wing-yan, a cop who's gone undercover in the same crime syndicate Lau's from. Neither is aware of the other at first, but over the course of the film it becomes their job to sniff the other out. And before long, our idea of who's the good guy and who's the bad guy couldn't get more twisted. What follows is a tightly wound aria of suspicion and Hong Kong action wizardry — it simply doesn't get any better than this. (And the two sequels are pretty great too!)

How to watch: Infernal Affairs is now streaming on HBO Max.

Femme Credit: Fantasia International Film Festival

Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping's fleet, 99-minute thriller begins with Jules (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) being brutally beaten by a gang of drunken homophobic thugs one night after performing in drag at a club. Soon thereafter, once he's recovered physically if not mentally, Jules bumps into the leader of the aforementioned thugs when they're both cruising a gay sauna. His attacker's name is Preston (George MacKay), and he doesn't recognize Jules out of drag, and so Jules seizes onto the opportunity. 

Unfortunately, what that opportunity is and what Jules wants from it becomes as confused as Preston's own closeted ass. As the two tumble into a rough (and, it must be said, extremely hot) sexual relationship, Femme benefits from the fact that it's never clear where the film is going. Not until it gets there, and even then it's all twisted up. Jules and Preston's murky desires, exquisitely rendered by both actors, make the both of them into two of the most complicated and deeply realized queer characters put on-screen this past decade. 

How to watch: Femme is now streaming on Hulu.

Red Rooms

Calling Red Rooms a "courtroom drama" doesn't even come close to capturing how incredibly disturbed and disturbing this 2023 movie is, even though on its surface it is mainly just that. From Quebecois director Pascal Plante, it stars Juliette Gariépy as a fashion model named Kelly-Anne who's obsessed with the ongoing criminal trial of an accused serial killer. In Gariépy's truly unforgettable performance, Kelly-Anne begins camping out early every day so she can sit in the courtroom and listen to the gruesome details of the case, which seem to have very little effect on her. Instead, she seems more intent on staring the creep directly in the eyes. 

But for what reason? Gariépy gives away very little and the film follows suit, so Kelly-Anne's icy fixation becomes the movie's true horror show the longer that we're forced to stare at it. Befriending another serial killer obsessive (Laurie Babin) and harassing one of the victim's mothers is just the beginning of Kelly-Anne's slide into psychological sadism. Red Rooms is a truly provocative take on the true crime genre.

How to watch: Red Rooms is now streaming on Shudder.

Fair Play Credit: Sergej Radovic / Courtesy of Netflix

A throwback to the heyday of '90s thrillers about sexual politics like, well, anything that starred Michael Douglas for about a decade, writer/director Chloe Domont's 2023 film stars Alden Ehrenreich and Phoebe Dynevor as Luke and Emily, a pair of cutthroat hedge-fund analysts who've been having a secret affair when they go home at night. Although "secret affair" makes it sound more diabolical than it appears in practice — really, they've just been keeping their romance to themselves since it's not 100% in compliance with HR  to be dating a co-worker.

They find out why that's the case when Emily gets the big promotion that Luke had been gunning for, as his bruised ego leads to everything at home and in the office having a spectacular unraveling. Ehrenreich and Dynevor each turn in terrific work, weaving through the thorny complexities of male-female power imbalances in the wake of #MeToo, especially Dynevor, who keeps finding ways to muddy up our inclination to root for Emily in this situation she's found herself in through no real fault of her own. Fair Play turns out to be an incisive excavation of the hetero here and now.

How to watch: Fair Play is now streaming on Netflix.

Saltburn

At Oxford on a scholarship, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan in a naked-dancing, bathtub-water-slurping, star-making turn) wants everything that popular rich and beautiful Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) has. It's not hard to see why; Felix is a 6-foot-5-inch, aristocratic stud with an estate the size of a small country. Luckily for Oliver, worming his way into the entire Catton family — which includes  Rosamund Pike as mother Elspeth Catton, Richard E. Grant as dad Sir James, and Alison Oliver as sis Venetia — proves riotously easy. As Six Degrees of Separation taught us, all rich people want is a fancy pot of jam. And Oliver is fancy jam incarnate.

SEE ALSO: 'Saltburn' seduces us with '00s nostalgia. Why does it affect us so much?

One of the funniest and meanest black comedies to be gifted to us in recent years, writer/director Emerald Fennell's follow-up to Promising Young Woman ruffled as many feathers as did her debut. Nobody seemed to be able to suss out Saltburn's intentions: Was it a class satire made by a member of the upper class? To say Fennell delights in smashing all her hands on all our buttons at once is the understatement of the century. But when it makes for this much horny, hateful fun, I say smash, smash away. 

How to watch: Saltburn is now streaming on Prime Video.

Whether you're a Stephen King fan or not, chances are you're familiar with his work.

It's pretty hard not to be. Even if you've never read any of the horror author's stories, you'll almost certainly have stumbled across some of them on screen, particularly considering there are so damn many of them (somewhere around a hundred when you lump in movies, sequels, and TV shows together).

For this list, we've focused solely on ranking every Stephen King movie adaptation, and specifically originals and remakes (no sequels, because frankly the Children of the Corn franchise alone is long enough for its own list).

Some of these films are terrible, some are masterpieces. Some you'll have seen before, some you won't. Some you'll know straight away are Stephen King movies (hello, The Shining), some you may never even have realised were adapted from the author's work.

From forgettable '80s B-movies to films that have left a permanent mark on movie history, here's every single Stephen King film adaptation ever made, from the very worst to the very best — including his latest, The Monkey, The Life of Chuck, and The Long Walk.

53. Creepshow 2 (1987)  Credit: New World Pictures / Kobal / Shutterstock

Several horror anthology movies have been made from King's work. Yet despite an adapted screenplay by zombie-horror legend George A. Romero, this one sits at the bottom of the barrel. Three King short stories ("Old Chief Wood'nhead," "The Raft," and "The Hitchhiker") are transformed into grisly vignettes by Tales from the Darkside TV director Michael Gornick.

They're garishly gory, which could have made for schlocky fun. Except these stories are more crass than creepy, relishing in racist depictions of indigenous Americans and gleeful misogyny that leers at women's bared breasts before ripping them to shreds. Simply put, this one's a gross stain on both King's and Romero's filmographies. — Kristy Puchko, Deputy Entertainment Editor

52. Thinner (1996)  Credit: Bruce Birmelin / Spelling International / Kobal / Shutterstock

Based on King's 1984 novel of the same name, Thinner follows Billy Halleck (Robert John Burke), a pompous and plump lawyer whose wish to lose weight becomes an actual curse.

This movie has aged incredibly poorly. Beyond the fat-shaming premise, the cursed plotline plays into racist "gypsy" stereotypes, which paint the Romani people as vicious, vengeful, and deceptive. On top of all that, there's a decadent slathering of misogyny, which portrays women as sinister seductresses and hideous crones. Trust us, this one is better off left forgotten. — K.P.

51. Children of the Corn (1984) Credit: New World / Angeles / Cinema Group / Kobal / Shutterstock

King has spawned plenty of "creepy kids" stories, but none have been quite as prolific as Children of the Corn. Despite being based on a short story, this Fritz Kiersch-directed horror film has yielded nine sequels and a straight to DVD remake in 2009.

The first film centers on a city-slicker couple that stumble into a rural town overrun by murderous children, who worship a vengeful god that stalks the cornfields. While John Franklin is memorable as the glowering child-prophet Isaac, Children of the Corn pales in comparison to its King siblings, like Carrie, Firestarter, and Pet Sematary (both versions). Over the decades, its slow-burn feels more stale and boring, despite splashes of blood and religious horror. — K.P.

50. Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) Credit: Paramount Pictures

Though a better anthology than Creepshow 2, this one is less of a Stephen King movie. Born from the success of George A. Romero's Tales from the Darkside TV series (1983-1988), the film features horror shorts from various writers, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. King's entry, an adaptation of the short story "Cat from Hell," is unnerving fun, focusing on a hitman (David Johansen) hired to kill a vengeful cat. However, the most thrilling segment was penned by Beetlejuice writer Michael McDowell. "Lover's Vow" taps into Japanese folklore for an entry as spooky as it is seductive.

Among the most star-studded of King anthologies, Tales from the Darkside boasts appearances by Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Rae Dawn Chong, Christian Slater, and Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry. —K.P.

49. Dolan's Cadillac (2009) Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

Not even the presence of a big name like Christian Slater is enough to save this one. Adapted from a short story and very much feeling like an idea stretched awkwardly into a full length movie, Jeff Beesley's screen version of Dolan's Cadillac follows a man intent on revenge after his wife is killed by a human trafficker. The method of vengeance is creative enough to add some originality, but the characters are flat and the tension never really gets there. — Sam Haysom, Deputy UK Editor

48. Mercy (2014) Credit: Blumhouse

Anyone who's read King's short story "Gramma" will know that it's an incredibly creepy and effective tale which may well be up there among the author's scariest works. Peter Cornwall's Mercy adaptation, however, is a bloated mess.

There's nothing wrong with the direction itself, and screenwriter Matt Greenberg has made a valiant effort of expanding the story for the big screen, but unfortunately the whole thing just feels too stretched. The end result loses the creepy immediacy of the original tale, and replaces it with a fairly long-winded (and not particularly scary) movie about a little boy whose grandmother may be possessed. Just watch Hereditary instead. — S.H.

47. The Dark Half (1993) Credit: Orion / Kobal / Shutterstock

Not all Stephen King stories are created equal, and The Dark Half is, in my opinion at least, not one of the horror master's best. So it's perhaps not such a surprise that the movie adaptation falls so far down in this ranking. Following a writer who kills off his pseudonym only to find it coming to life to exact revenge, George A. Romero's The Dark Half has an entertainingly gruesome start before going sharply downhill. You'll find better King adaptations about troubled writers further down this list. — S.H.

SEE ALSO: The best Stephen King books to read depending on your mood 46. The Mangler (1995) Credit: New Line Cinema

Let's be honest: Making a good film about a possessed laundry machine was never going to be easy and, sure enough, Tobe Hooper's adaptation of this silly King short story is about as terrible as you'd expect.

Making a good film about a possessed laundry machine was never going to be easy...

The Mangler sees officer John Hunton (Ted Levine) investigating the strange goings-on in an industrial laundry, following the death of an elderly worker after she gets pulled into the titular machine and crushed. The story is incredibly dumb, the special effects are ropey and dated, and there's a scene in which Hunton shoots through his own coat in order to free himself from the clutches of the Mangler after it almost gets hold of him, which should go some way to giving you a sense of just how ridiculous this one is. — S.H.

45. Needful Things (1993) Credit: New Line Cinema

Needful Things is a long, sprawling novel with multiple characters and a complicated series of inter-locking connections and relationships. It was always going to be difficult to turn into a movie. W.D. Richter's screenplay, in fairness, does a decent job of streamlining the bulky story, which is all about mysterious character Leland Gaunt (played by an undeniably charismatic Max von Sydow), who arrives in a small town and opens up a store that offers people their heart's desire — for a price. It's an intriguing premise, but there's too much going on here with too many underdeveloped characters that are difficult to care about. — S.H.

44. The Night Flier (1997) Credit: New Line Cinema

There are plenty of Stephen King ideas that, when condensed into a single sentence, sound nothing short of ridiculous. The Mangler is one, and The Night Flier — a tale about an ancient vampire that flies about in a tiny plane killing people — slots comfortably into the same category.

Writer/director Mark Pavia has done a decent enough job expanding the original short story into a feature length film, but unfortunately his starting point is so silly there's only really so much he can do. The Night Flier is the kind of movie that you could probably enjoy with a group of friends if you're not taking it too seriously, but otherwise it's one to skip. — S.H.

43. Maximum Overdrive (1986) Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

The first and only movie King directed himself (!) is, somewhat predictably, not all that great. But it's maybe not quite as terrible as the 15 percent Rotten Tomatoes score would suggest, either. Based on the author's short story, Trucks, about people who get trapped in a gas station during a machine-themed apocalypse, Maximum Overdrive sees Emilio Estevez and Laura Harrington attempting to escape a parking lot full of murderous 18-wheelers while an AC/DC-heavy soundtrack thrashes in the background. The movie is predictable, hammy, and dated, but the story doesn't take itself too seriously and there are more than a few fun moments. — S.H.

42. Riding the Bullet (2004) Credit: MPCA

Somewhere in Riding the Bullet, buried not too far below the surface, is a poignant story about grief and coming to terms with the death of a parent. The problem is it gets lost in all the other stuff.

Based on a King short story of the same name, Mick Garris' adaptation follows troubled college student Alan (Jonathan Jackson) as he hitch-hikes home to visit his sick mother (Barbara Hershey) in hospital. David Arquette has a cameo as George Staub, the strange man who picks him up and gives him a disturbing ultimatum. There are some moving moments in the movie, and the final five minutes are particularly powerful, but unfortunately it's not enough to rescue the drawn-out (and not at all scary) plot. — S.H.

SEE ALSO: 13 of the best Stephen King short stories you've never read 41. Firestarter (2022)  Credit: Universal Pictures

Based on King's 1980 novel, Firestarter follows a father-daughter duo on the run because of their extraordinary abilities. He (Zac Efron) has the power to bend people's will with his mind; she (Ryan Kiera Armstrong) can set fires telekinetically. So, naturally, they're viewed as unchecked weapons by a sinister organization.

In short, this tale of coming-of-age carnage has no spark.

Admittedly, the 1984 adaptation, which starred a young Drew Barrymore in the title role, wasn't all that great to begin with, so a remake shouldn't have been such a bad idea. Regrettably, screenwriter Scott Teems and director Keith Thomas don't bring anything explosively new or all that thrilling to their spin on King. In my review for Mashable, I called it "more pointless than perturbing." In short, this tale of coming-of-age carnage has no spark. —K.P.

40. The Dark Tower (2017) Credit: Columbia Pictures

So much wasted potential. The Dark Tower obviously isn't the worst King adaptation out there, but — particularly for anyone familiar with the books — it may be the most frustrating. The thing is, the author's Dark Tower series is his self-proclaimed magnum opus. It makes The Stand look like a short story. The series is eight books and one novella long, telling the tale of a sprawling battle between good and evil that takes place across multiple worlds, with a huge cast of awesome characters, one of the best endings King has ever written, and the mysterious Dark Tower at the very centre of it all.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the best Stephen King book endings

Nikolaj Arcel's movie dips its toe into this world, but that's about all it does. The story feels rushed, and not even the acting might of Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, and a strong turn from young star Tom Taylor can rescue it. The key problem is The Dark Tower tries to work in its own right as a standalone movie. But, like the multiverse at the heart of the novels, it's far too vast for that. — S.H.

39. Graveyard Shift (1990) Credit: Graveyard Linc / Kobal / Shutterstock

For the most part, adapted short stories get a hard time of it on this list. Graveyard Shift is no exception, with John Esposito's screenplay taking a brilliantly gory King tale about workers clearing the basement of a rat-infested textile mill and stretching it awkwardly into a full-length movie. But the film is not without its gruesome charm, and although the set-up feels a tad cluttered and the character development isn't great, the action builds to an impressively unpleasant crescendo as the core group goes exploring in the mill's hidden sub-basement (extra points for a fight that takes place in a literal bone pit, and the awesomely grotesque monster itself). — S.H.

38. Dreamcatcher (2003) Credit: Shutterstock

On paper, this one has all the ingredients of a good King adaptation. Co-written and directed by Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back writer Lawrence Kasdan and starring Morgan Freeman and Damian Lewis, Dreamcatcher is an IT-style story that sees childhood friends reuniting as adults after something strange happened to them in the past. Only this time instead of killer clowns, we have an alien parasite. It should be fun, but somehow the story isn't particularly memorable and the characters all feel a little underdeveloped. — S.H.

37. In the Tall Grass (2019) Credit: Netflix

King co-wrote In the Tall Grass with his son, writer Joe Hill, and it's easy to see why Cube director Vincenzo Natali was keen to work on the adaptation: Set almost entirely in a seemingly endless field of grass that traps passers-by, In the Tall Grass is a fun idea that was presumably relatively easy (and cheap) to shoot. The problem is, a fun idea is about as far as this one goes. Once you get beyond the claustrophobic concept, the movie is a little repetitive. Although there are some creepy and disturbing moments, the ending isn't satisfying enough to excuse the film's other issues. — S.H.

36. 1922 (2017) Credit: Netflix

Set in — you guessed it — 1922, Zak Hilditch's adaptation of King's novella of the same name follows a Nebraskan farmer who convinces his own son to help him murder his wife, with the aim being to stop her selling the farm and moving the family away to the city. Yep, it's a cheerful one. The adaptation captures the same bleakness as the source material, but unfortunately it downplays the creeping presence of rats, one of the story's more disturbing — and intriguing — elements. What's left is a dark, gory tale where the characters are all as difficult to like as they are to care about. — S.H.

35. Cell (2016) Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

OK, so Cell doesn't quite qualify for "hidden gem" status, but you could certainly make a case for it at least being a bit overlooked. Despite its A-list cast (Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack star) the film has been largely forgotten, most likely due to the wildly bad reception it received from both critics and the public.

But does it really deserve such an awful Rotten Tomatoes score? I would argue no. It's not a great film but it's certainly not terrible by any means, taking the fun idea of a cell phone-induced apocalypse and creating more than a few tense sequences as our main characters struggle to survive the plague's rabid victims. The characters are a little underdeveloped, sure, and the film loses its way in the third act, but for a casual weekend watch you could do far worse. — S.H.

34. The Lawnmower Man (1992) Credit: New Line / Kobal / Shutterstock

There are probably many things people say to Pierce Brosnan when they spot him in the street and ask for a selfie, but "I loved you in the 1992 classic The Lawnmower Man" is most likely not one of them.

Even calling The Lawnmower Man a King adaptation feels like a bit of stretch, because the movie is so far removed from the original short story it barely even feels like they bothered using the source material (King actually won a lawsuit against New Line Cinema to have his name removed from the movie's advertising, arguing it bore little resemblance to his original short story). The thing is, though, despite the author wanting little to do with it, the movie isn't actually as terrible as its reviews might suggest, telling an entertaining enough Frankenstein-style sci-fi story about a scientist who uses virtual reality to expand his subject's intelligence. — S.H.

33. Firestarter (1984) Credit: De Laurentiis / Paramount / Kobal / Shutterstock

In this incendiary escapade, Baby Drew Barrymore is basically Eleven from Stranger Things way before the Netflix show landed. For the 100 percent fine 1984 adaptation of King's Firestarter, she plays eight-year-old Charlie McGee, whose pyrokinetic abilities come from her parents (David Keith and Heather Locklear) — they, in turn, developed their own nosebleed-inducing telepathic abilities after saying yes to a hallucinogenic trial. Of course, a government agency called The Shop gets wind of Charlie’s fiery powers and wants to use them for their own gain. Like Carrie, Charlie just wants to be treated nicely by society, but it seems the world only sees her as a monster.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

It’s an utterly OK narrative helped by clever fire and fan-heavy special effects and a solid cast including tiny Barrymore setting cinder blocks and agents ablaze, Martin Sheen in his second King film after The Dead Zone as the head of The Shop, Shaft's Moses Gunn as Dr. Pynchot, Starsky and Hutch star Antonio Fargas as the taxi driver (!), and George C. Scott as diabolical assassin John Rainbird. If nothing else, it's all about that synth-fuelled Tangerine Dream score. — Shannon Connellan, Mashable UK Editor

32. Cujo (1983) Credit: Taft / Kobal / Shutterstock

Given the fact dogs in Hollywood usually come in the form of happy, waggy-tailed companions that may or may not eventually break your heart (looking at you, Turner and Hooch), you'd think a murderously rabid St. Bernard might have been something of a tough sell.

You'd think a murderously rabid St. Bernard might have been something of a tough sell.

But in Cujo, it works. Or at least, it does up to a point. Centred around Donna (Dee Wallace) and her son Tad (Danny Pintauro), who become trapped in a sweltering hot car while said murder-hound stalks outside it, Cujo the movie borrows from the claustrophobia and tension that made King's novel such a classic. The problem is it doesn't borrow quite enough of it, and the dog – no matter how good a job makeup may have done – just isn't quite as scary onscreen (the movie is almost 40 years old, of course, so it's bound to look a little dated nowadays). Still pretty fun, though. — S.H.

31. Silver Bullet (1985) Credit: De Laurentiis / Kobal / Shutterstock

He may be an excellent prose writer, but it's probably fair to say that King's screenwriting record is somewhat patchier (hello, Maximum Overdrive). For a werewolf flick that gives off strong b-movie vibes, though, Silver Bullet (based on King's novella Cycle of the Werewolf) is actually pretty entertaining.

The story follows a brother and sister (Corey Haim and Megan Follows) on the trail of a small-town monster wreaking havoc through the local community. Gary Busey plays their quirky Uncle Red, Everett McGill and Terry O'Quinn have cameos, and despite the not-so-great-by-2020s-standard special effects, you might have a decent time sitting down to watch this one on a Friday night. — S.H.

30. Cat's Eye (1985) Credit: De Laurentiis / Kobal / Shutterstock

Fun fact: Cat's Eye marks King's first credit as a screenwriter. Tying together the short stories Quitters, Inc., The Ledge, and General, this is one of the better horror anthologies in his filmography, in part because it's darkly bonkers.

Named for a framing device that follows a stray cat through three twisted stories, Cat's Eye begins with James Woods playing a family man who tries to quit smoking through the mafia and their notorious tactics. (Bad news for his unsuspecting wife!) Embracing the very corniest of '80s-era visuals, his internal struggle with addiction is a terrifically nightmarish ride, conducted by a madcap Alan King as a grinning mob boss. The other two stories boast vengeance, more violence, a creepy critter, and Drew Barrymore in her second King role, following 1984's Firestarter. Funky and frightening, this one's a weird, good time. Plus, it's sprinkled with Easter Eggs from the King films that precede it. — K.P.

29. A Good Marriage (2014) Credit: Screen Media Films

Before working on this list I thought that the vast majority of King movie adaptations could be easily grouped into the great or the terrible. But it isn't that binary, and films like A Good Marriage are proof.

Based on one of the author's more unpleasant novellas of the same name, Peter Askin's adaptation follows Darcy (Joan Allen), a wife and mother who one day discovers her husband is hiding a horrible secret. The direction, acting, and script are all solid, but A Good Marriage lacks some of its source material's tension as we don't burrow quite as deep into Darcy's fears and anxieties as the book takes us. There are also other movies out there, like The Clovehitch Killer, that arguably do a better job of telling a similar story. — S.H.

28. IT Chapter Two (2019) Credit: Warner Bros.

The second part of Andy Muschietti's IT revival (more on the first part later) is also the slightly weaker movie, at least in my personal opinion. It may well be subjective though, because the sections of the novel I always enjoyed the most were those set in the past, during the main characters' childhoods, and the two movies split these sections up entirely, with IT Chapter Two focussing solely on what happens to the Losers' Club as adults.

This tale of friends reuniting to combat an old evil is still a lot of fun, though, with some excellent performances from James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader, another disturbing turn from Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, and an almost show-stealingly grouchy cameo from Stephen King himself. — S.H.

27. Salem's Lot (2024) Credit: New Line Cinema / Max

IT writer Gary Dauberman has a solid take on King's classic vampire novel of the same name, immersing us in a mid '70s world of small towns, drive-in theatres, and the arrival of a vampire hell-bent on turning the population into his personal zombie horde.

"Salem's Lot pays homage to the source material and mini-series (hello, nightmarish window sequence), but it's when the film branches out and does its own thing that it really excels," I wrote in my review for Mashable. "The best example of this is the finale, which — without going into spoiler territory — is a thrillingly chaotic sequence that makes creative use of sunlight and a classic '70s setting to give the movie a fresh and bloody sendoff." — S.H.

26. Christine (1983) Credit: Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock

If the car in Titane had a less lusty, more murderous origin story, it would probably be Christine. King's 1983 automobile horror novel saw a John Carpenter-directed film version out the same year, and sees a possessed 1958 Plymouth Fury wreaking all sorts of homicidal havoc on its unsuspecting passengers.

The famous "show me" scene in which Christine repairs herself is exceptional, weirdly lascivious, and frankly terrifying screen magic.

The legendary Halloween director’s ability to weave tension and fear from seemingly standard car functions — the radio turning on, the headlights blaring, the engine revving  — is characteristically outstanding, taking King’s wild high-concept premise and scaring the wheels off you. The famous "show me" scene in which Christine repairs herself is exceptional, weirdly lascivious, and frankly terrifying screen magic. — S.C.

25. The Running Man (1987) Credit: Tri-Star / Kobal / Shutterstock

This one is an odd fit among the rest of King’s screen adaptations. It’s based on a novel the author didn’t even publish under his own name, and just about the only thing the movie has in common with the book is that it’s about a guy named Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) trying to escape from a dystopian murder game show.

I don’t really care about the movie’s accuracy to the source material and neither should you. Instead, you have to appreciate it for its defiance of traditional standards, as almost everyone in the cast is famous for something other than acting, including NFL legend Jim Brown, a bunch of pro wrestlers, and '70s game show host Richard Dawson. Every single one of them kills it, thanks to the kind of campy, absurd action filmmaking Schwarzenegger was the face of in the late '80s. Dawson deserves extra credit for turning on his Family Feud energy to schmooze with old women in the audience while being an abusive nightmare to his crew backstage.

The Running Man may not be a cinematic standard-bearer, but it’s still a whole lot of fun to watch Arnold choke a sadistic hockey player out with razor wire before remarking that he was a “pain in the neck.” — Alex Perry, Tech Reporter

SEE ALSO: Books, TV shows and movies recommended by Stephen King 24. Hearts in Atlantis (2001) Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

OK, we're going to go out there and say this one qualifies for "hidden gem" status. It's a long way from being the best King movie adaptation, sure, but Scott Hick's coming-of-age mystery still packs a heavy punch of nostalgia and features some great acting turns from Anthony Hopkins, Hope Davis, and a young Anton Yelchin. The story follows a lonely 11-year-old boy, Bobby (Yelchin), who befriends a man (Hopkins) who moves into the apartment above him — only to learn he has unusual abilities and appears to be on the run from some shadowy figures.

A side note if you were wondering about the title: The filmmakers presumably went with Hearts in Atlantis because it's the title of the book, but the book itself is actually a collection of five linked stories, the second of which is titled Hearts in Atlantis and is all about college students addicted to the card game Hearts. The movie, on the other hand, is a straight adaptation of the first story in the book, which features absolutely no mention of either Hearts or Atlantis whatsoever. Confusing titles aside, though, this one is worth a watch. — S.H.

23. Secret Window (2004) Credit: Columbia Tristar / Kobal / Shutterstock

Featuring an impressively dead-eyed turn from John Turturro as the villain, Secret Window sees writer Mort Rainey (yeah, we know, Johnny Depp is in this) attempting to find solace from his recent divorce in a remote lake house — only for a stranger to show up on his doorstep accusing him of plagiarism. What follows is an unpleasant, escalating cat-and-mouse game which is equal parts horror and psychological thriller, with writer/director David Koepp keeping the tension and dread mounting until the movie's twisty conclusion. — S.H.

22. Apt Pupil (1998) Credit: John Baer / Pheonix / Columbia Tristar / Kobal / Shutterstock

It's difficult to separate Apt Pupil from its own disturbing legacy. The movie was directed by Bryan Singer, who has since faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct including the allegation that he sexually assaulted 13-year-old extra Victor Valdovinos on the film's set in 1997.

As hard as it is to do, I've tried to assess Apt Pupil here solely on the movie's own merits. The film sees high school student Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro) discovering the real identity of an elderly man in his neighborhood, Arthur Denker (Ian McKellen), a Nazi war criminal in hiding, before proceeding to blackmail him with demands to hear his firsthand accounts of the concentration camps. Like the novella it's based on the film is disturbing, and its characters dark and complex, but the central performances from Renfro and McKellen alone make it worth watching, as does the way the tension builds and builds and builds. — S.H.

21. Carrie (2013) Credit: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Carrie is a King novel so enthralling that it's been adapted repeatedly. Director Kimberly Peirce translated King's '70s-set tale of a tormented telekinetic teen to the 2010s, adding cyberbullying to the high school horrors that Carrie endures before her bloody breakdown at prom. Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore bring gravitas to the lead roles of the terrifying mother-daughter duo. Advancements in visual effects allow for a third act filled with carnage, gore, and fire. However, while solidly scary, Peirce's remake still can't hold a candle (much less a flaming gas station) to Brian De Palma's Academy Award–nominated 1976 version. — K.P.

20. Pet Sematary (2019) Credit: Paramount Pictures

Coming out a full 30 years after the first adaption of Pet Sematary (more on that one in a moment), Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer's version of King's early creepfest stars Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz as Louis and Rachel, a couple who've just made the terrible mistake of relocating to rural Maine only to discover there's something deeply odd about the forest behind their house. If you're looking to be scared and disturbed this one's a good choice, as what it occasionally lacks in character development it more than makes up for in jump-scares and suspense. — S.H.

19. Dolores Claiborne (1995) Credit: Castle Rock Entertainment / Kobal / Shutterstock

Not Kathy Bates' finest outing in a King adaptation (you'll see why shortly), but a fine outing nonetheless. Steering more into psychological thriller territory than horror, Dolores Claiborne follows a widow who's been accused of murdering the elderly woman she was caring for, and her tense relationship with her estranged daughter, Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh), that's played out via flashbacks.

It's a well-told, well-acted story, but be warned — it's also a dark and disturbing one with monsters that are all too human. — S.H.

18. The Long Walk (2025) Your feet WILL hurt after watching. Credit: Murray Close / Lionsgate

The first book King ever wrote comes to the screen in The Long Walk, about a deadly competition where 50 young men walk until only one is left standing. Director Francis Lawrence (who helmed every Hunger Games film but the first) nails the bleakness of King's novel, immersing viewers in a nightmare of bloodied feet, fraying psyches, and a military dystopia that doesn't feel that far out of reach. While the storytelling can feel thin at times — most of the characters have no personality between "young" or "stoic" — The Long Walk's young cast elevates it, especially Cooper Hoffman and a scene-stealing David Jonsson. Check this one out if you want to ruin your day. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

17. The Monkey (2025) Tatiana Maslany in "The Monkey," with blood running out of her eyes Credit: NEON

Director Oz Perkins has made his name in horror with twisted thrillers like Longlegs, The Blackcoat's Daughter, and I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House. But he took his scares to the next level with this adaptation of a King short story.

Theo James stars as twin brothers whose family has been cursed by an evil toy monkey. Whenever the mechanized monkey beats its drum, someone dies. And how they die becomes increasingly outrageous. King himself called the movie "batshit insane," which is high praise from this master of menacing murders. But along with bonkers kills, The Monkey also offers some truly dark comedy, along with a cameo from the director that's grimly hilarious. —K.P.

16. Pet Sematary (1989) Credit: Paramount / Kobal / Shutterstock

When we talk Classic King, this is what we're talking about: a quiet small town in Maine, the kind of place that should be peaceful, yet its community end up being ripped asunder by creeping supernatural forces.

When we talk Classic King, this is what we're talking about.

In this case, the Creed family move away from the big city to watch their children grow up happy and healthy. When that dream is shattered, a grief-stricken father (Dale Midkiff) takes to a burial ground steeped in local legend, searching for solace. The results are gutting, sometimes literally. With a creeping camera and nightmarish practical effects, director Mary Lambert brought King's creepy prose to grisly life (and even directed the decently disturbing sequel, Pet Sematary Two). Thanks to her, a generation of King fans clung to this creepy cautionary tale that warns, "Sometimes, dead is better." —K.P.

15. Creepshow (1982) Credit: Warner Bros / Kobal / Shutterstock

What do you get when you take a collection of King's short stories and hand them over to the godfather of the modern zombie, George A. Romero, to direct for the big screen? The all-time classic horror anthology, Creepshow.

Horror is made for anthology films and this one is the standard bearer. The five shorts written by King, in what is also his screenwriting debut, are brilliantly woven together throughout the film via animated scenes portraying a comic book that carry the tales on its pages.

Even if you haven't seen Creepshow, there's a good chance you're familiar with iconic scenes from the film: Leslie Nielsen — yes, the Leslie Nielsen of Naked Gun and Airplane! fame — neck deep in sand awaiting his death in Something to Tide You Over. An undead Jon Lormer rises from the grave and surprises his (remaining) family members with a severed head dressed up with candles and presented like a cake as he exclaims "Happy Father's Day!" And, of course, King himself stars as a dull farm boy who sees his farm and eventually his own body overtaken by an alien mosslike lifeform in The Lonesome Death of Jordy Verrill. — Matt Binder, Tech Reporter

14. The Boogeyman (2023) There's something lurking in the shadows. Credit: 20th Century Studios

Originally published in a 1973 issue of Cavalier magazine, "The Boogeyman" was a King short story that centered on a haunted man, Lester Billings, unfurling a tale of woe, child death, and a titular beast to therapist Dr. Harper. However, for A Quiet Place screenwriters Scott Beck and Bryan Woods along with Black Swan scribe Mark Heyman, this premise served as a jumping-off place, putting the whole of Billings' story in the film's first act. From there, they carve out a sort-of sequel to the short story, focusing on a pair of sisters (Yellowjackets' Sophie Thatcher and Vivien Lyra Blair) who are plagued by a creepy creature that lives in the shadows. Unfortunately for them, this paranormal parasite was brought in by a distressed patient of their father, Dr. Harper (Chris Messina).

While the setup is clever, the execution of this adaptation is even better. Rob Savage, who awed horror lovers with the zoom seance hit Host, creates sequences of scares and suspense that will give you goosebumps and shiver your spine. Part of the film's success comes from Thatcher and Blair playing the Harper sisters, not as precocious or naive, but as brave and pissed off. They fight hard against the dying of the light and the thing that feeds on it, bringing an exhilarating energy through hellish scenarios. But best of all might be a creature design that is absolutely the stuff of nightmares.

While the movie's plot might be thin — and in some major regards, may feel like a Babadook imitator — The Boogeyman is nonetheless a stupendously scary treasure in the ever-expanding King collection. — K.P.

13. Doctor Sleep (2019)  Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

King famously loathed Stanley Kubrick's movie adaptation of The Shining. So, modern horror auteur Mike Flanagan (Hush, The Haunting of Hill House, The Haunting of Bly Manor) had a lot to prove with a sequel that would integrate the 1980 psycho-thriller and the 1977 novel's follow-up, titled Doctor Sleep. Some fans have bristled at the changes from the book, but others have cheered how Flanagan translated the mood of King — if not the exact story — into an ambitious, bloody, and deeply unnerving next chapter.

SEE ALSO: 'Doctor Sleep' isn't 'The Shining' and that's the highest compliment

Ewan McGregor stars as the grown-up but still haunted Danny Torrance. However, the real stars of this film are Kyliegh Curran, as a brave young girl with "the shining," and Rebecca Ferguson as the evil, sexy, and enviably stylish child-killer, Rose the Hat. — K.P.

12. 1408 (2007) Credit: Dimension Films / Kobal / Shutterstock

Yes, we know there’s another, way more famous haunted hotel movie on King's lineup, but don’t forget to pack your bag for the Dolphin Hotel too. You actually can’t check in any time you like to the titular room number 1408, but if, like haunted hotel reviewer and book author Mike Enslin (a superbly cynical and slowly unhinged John Cusack), you force your way in despite the manager’s warnings (an effortlessly foreboding Samuel L. Jackson), you can never leave.

Director Mikael Håfström does some truly scary things with special effects in this adaptation of King’s short story, and they even shot three different endings, all different to the author’s original. But the real winner of this film is Cusack, whose performance mostly contained to the hotel room itself is unrelentingly compelling. — S.C.

11. IT Chapter One (2017) Credit: Warner Bros.

The IT remake seemed to come at the perfect time, riding high on the coattails of Stranger Things-induced '80s horror nostalgia (Finn Wolfhard even stars) and tapping into the nightmarish memories of a generation who grew up terrified by both the old TV series and the book. As a big fan of the latter, I remember being nervous going into this one, but was pleasantly surprised by how Andy Muschietti's adaptation of this tale of small-town evil turned out.

Muschietti's film taps into the awkward highs and lows of adolescence that King's book expertly portrayed.

The scares are there, yes (helped along by Bill Skarsgård's theatrically creepy take on Pennywise the Clown), but Muschietti's film also taps into the awkward highs and lows of adolescence that King's book expertly portrayed. — S.H.

10. Gerald's Game (2017) Credit: Netflix

How do you turn a story that's set almost entirely in a single room into a watchable film? Well for a long time, with Gerald's Game at least, you didn't.

The novel came out in 1992, and it was only a full 25 years later that Mike Flanagan's adaptation finally made it to Netflix. King himself previously admitted he thought the book was "unfilmable" when he first read it in college, and it's easy to see why: The story follows Jessie (Carla Gugino), who gets trapped in a remote lake house handcuffed to a bed after her husband unexpectedly dies of a heart attack. Much of the story takes place in her head, but Flanagan's direction — which makes use of flashbacks and imaginary conversations — brings Jessie's internal nightmare effortlessly to life. — S.H.

9. The Mist (2007) Credit: Dimension Films / Kobal / Shutterstock

While two of writer/director Frank Darabont's King adaptations have risen to the lofty heights of all-time greatest film lists (more on them later), The Mist has flown largely under the radar. It has a decent enough Rotten Tomatoes audience rating, and positive enough reviews, but it appears to have been mostly lost in the shadow of Darabont's earlier work. It's an ill-deserved legacy.

Following a father and son who get trapped in a gas station store with a group of strangers as a weird fog envelops their town, The Mist takes an intriguing premise and spins out a tense popcorn-muncher of a film that's equal parts fun, jumpy and harrowing. It's not a perfect movie – some of the special effects look a little dated here and there – but it's still leagues ahead of most monster movies, and comes complete with a chilling human antagonist and a convincing analogy of the dangers of fundamental religion. — S.H.

8. The Dead Zone (1983) Credit: Dimension Films / Kobal / Shutterstock

It’s hard to imagine that either Stephen King or David Cronenberg would have known how unsettlingly timely The Dead Zone would feel in 2022. The 1983 adaptation of the author's 1979 novel introduces us to Johnny Smith (Christopher Walken) — a provincial school teacher about to marry his sweetheart. After a car accident that almost kills him, Johnny wakes up with the psychic ability to see people’s past and future. It will take him a while to understand that his powers are not just about seeing the future, but about being able to change it. The psychological thriller becomes political when a Trump-like figure is introduced halfway through the film. Add some nuclear anxiety and seen today, The Dead Zone seems here to tell us that we still haven’t learnt our lessons.

SEE ALSO: This 1979 Stephen King novel is a chilling prediction of Donald Trump's rise

But there’s much to be enjoyed about the film outside its political relevance. Starting with the award-worthy performances by Christopher Walken and Michael Sheen, and adding Mark Irwin’s stunning cinematography, Cronenberg’s adaptation is a cinematic feast. To experience The Dead Zone in all its glory, look for the film’s digital restoration. — Teodosia Dobriyanova, Video Producer

7. The Shining (1980) Credit: Warner Bros / Hawk Films /Kobal / Shutterstock

Stanley Kubrick's The Shining occupies a strange place in movie history. The film has long enjoyed praise from critics, it sits comfortably in the IMDb top 250 movies of all time, and it's probably one of the most famous horror movies ever made. On the other hand, King himself isn't a fan. Yep, really. The author hasn't been shy with his opinions of the movie over the years, describing it as "cold" and calling Shelley Duvall's character Wendy "one of the most misogynistic characters ever put on film."

...the twins in the hallway, the river of blood, "Herrrreeeee's, Johnny!"...

So, does he have a point? Well, you could certainly argue that the characters in Kubrick's adaptation are nowhere near as three dimensional as King's; Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) doesn't unravel like he does in the book (he's already unravelled to begin with), while Duvall's character comes across as far more helpless on screen. But despite this, The Shining remains undeniably quintessential cinema — it's disturbing, genuinely scary, and features imagery (the twins in the hallway; the river of blood; "Herrrreeeee's, Johnny!") that will burn themselves forever into your brain. — S.H.

6. Carrie (1976) Credit: United Artists/Kobal/Shutterstock

The word "iconic" gets thrown around cavalierly, but Brian De Palma's Carrie truly earns this distinguished adjective. Those who shudder at the very idea of watching a scary movie may not have seen Carrie, but they know the image of a girl in a pretty prom dress, draped in pig's blood. They recognize the howl of Margaret White: "They're all gonna laugh at you!"

Sissy Spacek stars as the titular telekinetic teen girl, a sheepish misfit mocked for her awkwardness and her zealot mother (Piper Laurie). But an act of kindness from a popular girl (Amy Irving) could prove a turning point for Carrie — and on prom night no less! Of course, King isn't much for happy endings. And De Palma's adaptation delivers when it comes to chills, screams, and haunting imagery. It's little wonder Spacek and Laurie each earned Academy Award nods for their riveting and unnerving performances, streaked with agony, ecstasy, and resentment. — K.P. 

5. The Green Mile (1999) Credit: Ralph Jr Nelson / Castle Rock / Warner Bros / Kobal / Shutterstock

It's not easy to make a three-hour movie fly by, but Frank Darabont's prison-set thriller is so incredibly tense, emotional, harrowing, and beautiful, that it easily feels half that length.

Taking place in a death row penitentiary in 1935 Louisiana, The Green Mile sees prison guard Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) and his colleagues coming to terms with the miraculous gifts of new inmate John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan), a giant of a man who has been sentenced to death for the murder of twin girls. Pretty much every character in The Green Mile is memorable in their own right: there's Paul's towering best friend Brutus (David Morse), their snivellingly sadistic colleague Percy Whitmore (Doug Hutchison), troubled prison warden Hal Moores (James Cromwell), and nightmarish inmate "Wild" Bill Wharton (Sam Rockwell). Saying that a movie is a rollercoaster of emotions feels clichéd, but in this case it fits. The story has the ability to shock, and make you laugh, disturb, and – ultimately – bring a tear to the eye. — S.H.

4. The Life of Chuck (2025) Credit: TIFF

First, he delivered the kinky terror of Gerald's Game, then the child-slaughtering horror of Doctor Sleep. For his third adaptation from King's creepy bibliography, heralded horror auteur Mike Flanagan tackled The Life of Chuck, a 2020 novella with a very different tone than his previous films. Sure, there are scares, death, and even some ghostly business within this curious offering, which won wild praise out of its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. But at its core, this is a magnificent movie about the joys in living.

Beginning at what seems like the end of the world as we know it, The Life of Chuck follows a school teacher (Chiwetel Ejiofor) as he grapples with an onslaught of worrisome news, including natural disasters, societal breakdown, and the tragedy of the internet going out for good. Yet he is most mystified by the billboards going up around town of a smiling, bespectacled Charles Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), who appears to be retiring after "39 great years." Who is this mystery man? The Life of Chuck will unfurl his story with wonder, whimsy, grief, and a rousing dance number that makes it a total crowd-pleaser. Co-starring Flanagan collaborators like Mark Hamill, Karen Gillan, Jacob Tremblay, Rahul Kohli, and Kate Siegel, this is a deeply poignant film, and one of the very best King adaptations yet.  — K.P.

3. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) Credit: ITV / Shutterstock

It was always going to be near the top of the list, wasn't it? Frank Darabont's adaptation of King's novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption has topped so many all-time greatest movie rankings — including its famous number one spot above The Godfather on the IMDb top 250 — that it would've been ridiculous for us not to include it up here. Its place in movie history is well deserved, too. I enjoyed King's novella like I do most of his work, but this is probably one of the rare instances where the film surpasses its source material.

Probably one of the rare instances where the film surpasses its source material.

Tim Robbins is perfect as Andy Dufresne, a man who suddenly finds himself behind bars for a murder he claims not to have committed, while Morgan Freeman gives a legendary performance as his prison mate-turned-friend Red. There's some truly unpleasant supporting roles from Mark Rolston as violent inmate Bogs and Clancy Brown as brutal prison guard Captain Hadley. It's a film that'll be watched and studied for decades to come. — S.H.

2. Misery (1990) Credit: Castle Rock / Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock

Is Annie Wilkes, played with terrifying (and Oscar–winning) intensity by Kathy Bates, the greatest female movie villain of all time? Very possibly.

Telling the nail-biting tale of best-selling writer Paul Sheldon (the late James Caan), who gets rescued from a car crash by his "number-one fan" only to be held hostage, Misery is a horribly tense film that'll have you sweating every time Wilkes leaves the house and Sheldon embarks on yet another doomed escape attempt. There are truly classic moments of dialogue ("You dirty bird!") and some scenes (you know the one) that will probably never leave your head once you've seen them. All in all, Misery is an excellent thriller, one of two powerhouse King adaptations from Rob Reiner, and one of the greatest suspense movies ever made. — S.H.

1. Stand By Me (1986) Credit: Columbia / Kobal / Shutterstock

Although some of King's lengthier tomes (i.e. IT) have made excellent movies, you could make a pretty convincing case that it's his shorter novels and novellas that work best on screen. Stand By Me is the perfect example of this.

"I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12...Jesus, does anyone?"

Screenwriters Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans took the author's novella The Body — a coming-of-age tale about four friends who go hunting for a dead teenager while evading the local bullies — and squeezed out every drop of the story's poignancy and humour. It's a tear-jerking snapshot of the anxieties, friendships, highs, and lows of childhood. The novella packed a powerful punch of nostalgia and Rob Reiner's direction channels this in its own way, placing the boys' friendships front and centre, then considering them through a thoughtful adult lens. "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12," the grown up narrator (Richard Dreyfuss) writes at one point. "Jesus, does anyone?"

SEE ALSO: Every single Stephen King novella, ranked

Keep an eye out for a young Kiefer Sutherland as the brilliantly unpleasant Ace Merrill, Wil Wheaton as budding writer Gordie Lachance, Corey Feldman as the bold Teddy Duchamp, a young Jerry O'Connell as the sweet Vern Tessio, and of course, the exceptional River Phoenix as Gordie's best friend, Chris Chambers. Their performances, like the movie itself, have a well-deserved place in cinematic history. — S.H.

UPDATE: Sep. 12, 2025, 12:59 p.m. EDT This list was first published on July 8, 2022. It has been updated to reflect the latest King adaptations.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A foolish person.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

NINNY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Winded.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CURVY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A collection.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GROUP

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A large animal found in Alaska.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

MOOSE

Final Hurdle hint

Where one lives.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

HOME

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

We're getting closer to the New Moon, and soon there'll be days where we hardly see any moon at all. We're now on day 21 of the lunar cycle, a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

Let's find out what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 13.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Saturday, Sept. 13, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous, and it is 60% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

So, what can we spot tonight? Without any visual aids spot many things, including the Mare Vaporum, the Tycho Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum.

If you have binoculars, you'll also see the Grimaldi Basin, Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Humorum. Add a telescope to your line up and you'll see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Caucasus Mountains, and the Reiner Gamma.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

We all love our dogs but you can't be with them 24/7. Perhaps you have to work late, or your dog sitter has called in sick. And it can be tough to be separated from man's best friend — particular if their bowl is empty and that doggy tummy is rumbling.

Fortunately there's one thing we can do to help make life a little bit better for them: Get them on a regular feeding schedule with the help of an automatic feeder.

An automatic feeder can dish out their doggy dinner at specific times, helping you maintain a feeding schedule and healthy diet even when you're not around. But which feeder is best for you and your dog? Here's a quick guide and a round-up of the best automatic dog feeders available right now.

What is an automatic dog feeder?

In the most simplistic terms, an automatic dog feeder is a clever contraption that you fill with dog food and set to dispense the food at specific times.

There are four main types of dog feeders: Gravity feeders, programmable models that release a set amount of food at a set time, plate feeders, and smart feeders that can be controlled from your phone. We've left gravity feeders out from this list because they're not technically automatic. This type of drop-down feeder keeps the bowl full at all times, refilling whenever your pup eats. It's essentially a recipe for overfeeding.

Programmable models with a timer allow you to select the amount of food and dispensing time. Plate feeders require you to portion out the food into multiple compartments (which gives you control over the exact amount) and then they rotate to reveal one section at a time. Smart feeders give you full remote control, allowing you to set feeding times, portion sizes, and more through a smartphone app.

Are automatic feeders good for dogs?

Eating at the same time every day is healthy for your dog. Regular schedules also help prevent pet obesity because it allows you to control their caloric and nutritional intake every day. Regular eating also helps you notice if something is wrong with your dog’s health because often the first sign that your pup is sick is a lack of appetite.

This is where automatic dog feeders come in handy. They allow you to maintain a routine, regardless of whether you’re home or not to give them their favourit food. Plus, some dog feeders allow for portion control, so you can decide exactly how much or how little pet food gets dispensed. If your dog tends to eat too quickly, you can also program a smart auto feeder to dispense food in small increments to make sure they don’t gobble down their meal too quickly.

Do automatic dog feeders use wet or dry food?

It depends on what kind of automatic dog feeder you’re using. Most pet feeders can dispense dry food and round or small-ish treats with no issue. However, programmable plate feeders can also serve wet food to your pup because they have lids that seal the plate of food until feeding time. You’ll have to remember to fill these plate feeders each morning before you leave the house though.

If your dog won’t touch dry food, then you’re better off with a plate feeder because it can seal off and keep wet food fresh. But if your dog is all about the kibble, a programmable feeder might be better for them.

Can an automatic feeder help my dog lose weight?

It certainly can if you use it in conjunction with a healthy, disciplined diet. But you'll need to buy the right model. An automatic pet feeder that portions food out by itself isn't the best option. Many feeders tend to release a bit more than the programmed amount, so it's easy for a dog to eat more than the recommended serving size. The solution to an automatic feeder that allows you to pre-portion your dog's food.

What is the best automatic dog feeder?

Whether you’re just looking for help to keep your dog fed every day or you want something special that delivers more, there are plenty of options out there. We've lined up the very best models for you to choose from.

These are the best automatic dog feeders in 2025.

TL;DR: Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The best international teams in the world of women's rugby are heading to England to compete over the next few weeks in the Women's Rugby World Cup. We're expecting a fascinating tournament with plenty of electric performances from the sport's most exciting stars.

England are favorites to become world champions, but the likes of New Zealand, Canada, and France will be hoping to overturn the odds. And the good news for fans is that it's possible to follow all the action without spending anything.

If you want to watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Women's Rugby World Cup?

The Women's Rugby World Cup is the rugby union world championship organised by World Rugby. 16 international teams are organized into four pools, followed by knockout rounds and the final scheduled to be held at Twickenham Stadium.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2025 US Open online for free

New Zealand are the defending champions. New Zealand have also won the most titles (six).

When is the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup?

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is the 10th edition of the competition. This year's tournament takes place from Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England.

How to watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free

The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to England, but anyone from around the world can access this site with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in England, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Rugby Championship by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in England

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch most games before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport for free, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including England

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. Like dominoes, the tiles are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 13, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 13, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 13 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add to 6. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Less than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 13 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

Greater than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Greater than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Less than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 13 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this red space must add to 2. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, place horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this dark blue space must add to 2. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this green space must add to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this light blue space must add to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this dark blue space must add to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add to 18. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this purple space must add to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for September 12, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Racket moves

• Green: Sports films

• Blue: University connections

• Purple: Same second word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Tennis shots

• Green: Hockey movies

• Blue: Live college mascots

• Purple: ___ baseball

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #355 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Tennis shots - BACKHAND, DROP, SLICE, SMASH

• Hockey movies - MIRACLE, MYSTERY, ALASKA, SLAP SHOT, THE MIGHTY DUCKS

• Live college mascots - BEVO, SIR BIG SPUR, SMOKEY, UGA

• ____ baseball - BACKYARD, FANTASY, INSIDE, MAJOR LEAGUE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

TL;DR: Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship is available to live stream for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Australia have surprised a lot of people with their performances in the 2025 Rugby Championship. Fresh from beating South Africa in the opening round, they've now secured a victory over Argentina. Can they do the double over Los Pumas?

If you want to watch Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. Argentina?

Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship starts at 2.30 p.m. AEST on Sept. 13. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. Argentina for free

Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone from around the world can access this site with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch Australia vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to Australia vs. Argentina without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch top fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport for free, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Australia vs. Argentina in the 2025 Rugby Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

The best deals for watching the Emmys live without cable: Best overall Paramount+ Premium annual subscription $59.99 for your first year (save $60) Get Deal Best for students Paramount+ Premium for students $6.49 per month (save $6.50 per month) Get Deal Best for Walmart shoppers Paramount+ Essential free with Walmart+ membership (save $59.99 per year) Get Deal BEST NON-STREAMING OPTION Best Buy Essentials digital antenna $24.99 Get Deal

From returning favorites like Severance and Andor to new gems The Pitt and The Studio, 2025 has been another excellent year for TV. And those shows are just the tip of the iceberg.

Severance is Mashable's number one show of the year (so far) and the Television Academy apparently agrees. It racked up the most Emmy nominations of any show this year with more than two dozen. Other shows we loved have also received high praise from the Academy. Which series will take home the biggest awards at the 2025 Emmys? You'll have to watch to find out — here's how you can watch the Emmys live with or without cable in 2025.

When are the 2025 Emmys?

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, and will air live at 8 p.m. ET. This year's awards will be hosted by Grammy-nominated comedian Nate Bargatze. For those with cable or over-the-air TV, you can tune your TV to your local CBS station, watch online via CBS.com, or log into the CBS app with your pay TV service provider.

No cable access? No worries; we've rounded up the best ways to watch the Emmys live without cable below.

Who are this year's Emmy nominees?

While FX shows dominated last year's Emmys, this year the major awards are Apple TV+'s to lose. Both Severance and The Studio are poised to win big; the former with 27 total nominations and the latter with 23, tying The Bear's 2024 record of the most nominations for a comedy series in a single year. Other major contenders include The White Lotus (23 nominations), The Last of Us (16 nominations), Hacks (14 nominations), and The Penguin (24 nominations). See a full list of the 2025 Emmy nominations at the Television Academy website.

How to watch the Emmy Awards live without cable Credit: CBS

This year, CBS is broadcasting the Emmy Awards live, which means its streaming counterpart, Paramount+, will also simulcast the ceremony. Only Paramount+ Premium subscribers will be able to stream the awards live; Paramount+ Essential subscribers can only watch the show on demand the day after it airs.

On the flip side, you can also use a digital TV antenna, a one-time purchase that will unlock all the local networks — ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC — within range. We'll leave the decision up to you.

If you're new to Paramount+, you're in luck. The streaming service is offering a fall promotion through Sept. 18 that saves you money on your plan. We've rounded up all the best deals for signing up below.

Best Paramount+ streaming dealsBest overall: 50% off annual Premium subscriptions Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ Premium annual subscription $59.99 for your first year (save $60) Get Deal

New subscribers can sign up for an annual Paramount+ Premium plan for only $59.99 through Sept. 18. That's half the price of a usual annual plan and the same price as the Essential plan on a regular day. That means you can catch the Emmy Awards live, then enjoy ad-free viewing, the entire Showtime library, the ability to stream new episodes of Big Brother and FBI live as they air, and much more all year long. While you won't get a free trial, the savings are definitely worth it in the long run. Essential subscriptions are also half price — just $29.99 through Sept. 18 — but you won't be able to watch the awards live.

Best for students: 50% off monthly Premium subscriptions Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ Premium for students $6.49 per month for 12 months (save $6.50 per month) Get Deal

Students who want to watch the Emmy Awards can score a Paramount+ Premium subscription for only $6.49 per month (for one year) instead of $12.99 per month. That's 50% cheaper than a typical subscription, and you can cancel whenever you want. You'll just have to verify your student status to unlock the deal.

Best for Walmart shoppers: Free Paramount+ Essential with Walmart+ Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart+ / Paramount+ Paramount+ Essential annual subscription free with Walmart+ membership Get Deal

A Walmart+ membership is the gift that keeps on giving. Like Amazon Prime, subscribing comes with many perks beyond free shipping. Walmart+ members can also enjoy Paramount+ Essential for free with their subscription. You won't be able to watch the Emmy Awards live, but you can watch the broadcast after it airs on your Essential account. New subscribers can also score a 30-day trial to kick things off.

Another option for watching live: Get a digital antenna Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Best Buy Essentials digital antenna Get Deal

For those who live decently close to your local TV station broadcast towers, a digital antenna is the best way to access broadcasts live and for free. These indoor antennas can be placed on your wall and hide behind your TV and offer — at the very least — your local CBS, FOX, NBC, and ABC stations. Just be sure to check the distance and range before making a purchase.

The closer you are, the clearer your local broadcasts will come through. Our friends at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) have a few recommendations, including this basic one from Best Buy that retails for just $24.99. It's reversible to match your decor, multidirectional, and has a range of 50 miles.

SAVE $20: As of Sept. 12, get the Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set for $39.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.98. That's a discount of 33% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set $39.98 at Amazon
$59.98 Save $20 Get Deal

Do you have a set of projects that need doing around the house? No tools to complete them with? This Amazon deal can get you together with some of the tools you need to finish up, whether you're working on home maintenance like plumbing or general repairs or some automotive tasks. Plus, it's on sale for a great price.

As of Sept. 12, get the Craftsman Mechanics Tool Set for $39.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.98. That's $20 off and a discount of 33%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The best humidifiers for a healthier home

This 61-piece tool set comes with 3/8-inch drivers, with a low-profile 72-tooth ratchet. The ratchet head is about 25% thinner than some of Craftsman's other models. You also get a variety of 6-point sockets and drive tools for better grip on fasteners. It's a good selection of options that can help you accomplish a wide spectrum of tasks. Plus, it all comes in a handy case to keep it all organized.

Should you run into any issues, Craftsman also offers a full lifetime warranty on this tool set, so you'll be covered if something doesn't work the way it should or you have a faulty tool that gives out on you. That way you can feel good about buying, even if this is a lower end set of tools that won't break the bank.

Be ready to tackle all your DIY projects this fall while you're hanging out around the house and save some serious cash while doing it.

GET A FREE ITEM: As of Sept. 12, when you purchase $800 worth of qualifying EcoFlow items at Amazon, like the Delta 2 Max solar generator on sale for $999 (reg. $1,699), you'll get a free benefit item.

EcoFlow Delta 2 Max solar generator $1,399 at Amazon
$1,699 Save $300 + Get a free EcoFlow item Get Deal

Getting a hefty discount on a big purchase is always a win, but scoring a free gift on top of it feels like hitting the jackpot. For a limited time, Amazon is running a promotion on select EcoFlow products that does just that. If you're in the market for a serious power station, you can snag one on sale and get a second piece of gear for free.

SEE ALSO: Amazon is giving away free Bluetti portable solar generators — here's how to qualify for the deal

As of Sept. 12, the promotion applies when you spend $800 or more on qualifying items. One example is the EF EcoFlow Delta 2 Max solar generator, which is currently on sale for $999, a $700 discount off its $1,699 list price. Since that purchase is over the $800 threshold, you qualify for the free "benefit item."

To get the deal, you first need to use the "Qualifying item(s)" filter on the promo page to add at least $800 worth of products (like the Delta 2 Max) to your cart. Next, click the "Benefit item(s)" filter to view and add your free gift to the cart. The discount should be applied automatically at checkout, making the benefit item free.

The Delta 2 Max offers 2048Wh of storage and a 2400W output, which is enough to run a mini fridge for over 29 hours or power 15 devices at once. It’s ideal for home backup during an outage or for powering a campsite. One of its best features is the lightning-fast charging, reaching 80 percent in just 43 minutes when using both a wall outlet and solar panels.

Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim" programming block gave us so much groundbreaking TV, and we're still feeling the effects of it today, as creators who got their big break with Adult Swim moved on to create other iconic media.