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The Fantastic Four: First Steps presents its titular super team with a nightmarish trolley problem.

Galactus (Ralph Ineson) promises to spare Earth from total annihilation, but only if Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal) and Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) give up their newborn baby Franklin.

SEE ALSO: 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps' game-changing mid-credits scene, explained

Of course, Reed, Sue, Ben Grimm/the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm/the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) refuse these terms. They're not going to sacrifice a family member! Plus, they've got superpowers and brilliant minds. Surely they can find a way to save both the Earth and Franklin.

However, Reed and Sue's decision not to give up their baby goes over terribly with the denizens of Earth. They protest outside the Fantastic Four's headquarters in the Baxter Building, decrying their heroes as selfish.

Pedro Pascal, Ada Scott, and Vanessa Kirby in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Credit: Marvel Studios

Oddly enough, that perception of the Fantastic Four as selfish seemed to spill over into the real world as I watched the movie. A few audience members at my screening let out exasperated sighs or threw their hands up in frustration every time Reed or Sue made the very understandable point that no, they weren't just going to hand their baby over to a cosmic entity whose whole job is eating planets. I guess that instead of wanting to see superheroes struggling with moral quandaries and finding a way to save everyone, they'd rather the Fantastic Four had taken the utilitarian way out, thus ending the movie 40 minutes in.

SEE ALSO: You can now pre-order the 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' Galactus LED popcorn bucket, which sold out in seconds

The "save Franklin or save Earth" dilemma is fascinating enough on its own, but it's crucially not the only instance of massive summer film and TV titles having life-or-death beef with babies.

In Superman, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) holds Metamorpho's (Anthony Carrigan) baby son Joey hostage, promising to kill him if Metamorpho doesn't comply with his demands. In 28 Years Later, Spike (Alfie Williams), his mother Isla (Jodie Comer), and Swedish soldier Erik (Edvin Ryding) witness a woman infected with the Rage Virus give birth to a seemingly uninfected baby girl. Terrified that the baby will become a monster like her parents, Erik threatens to kill her, along with Alfie and Isla if they stand in his way.

Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer, and Ralph Fiennes in "28 Years Later." Credit: Miya Mizuno / Sony Pictures

But the award for Most Baby-Hating Characters of 2025 goes to the players in Squid Game Season 3. (The Fantastic Four: First Steps' protestors come in at a close second.) Halfway through the season, pregnant player Jun-hee (Jo Yuri) gives birth, only to die soon after. The Front Man (Lee Byung-hun) and the VIPs, being the sick freaks they are, decide to keep Jun-hee's daughter in the game in her mother's place, making her the new Player 222.

SEE ALSO: Pedro Pascal is king of the trolley problem

Do the remaining players try to protect the baby from the hellhole of the games? No way! For them, that baby's death means they get an extra chunk of the prize pot, so they are champing at the bit to murder her. Only Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) tries to help baby 222, spending the season's final episodes swaddling her while fending off a crowd of players baying for her blood.

A baby competes in "Squid Game." Credit: Netflix

The Squid Game scenario is by far the darkest of all of 2025's "babies in peril" plotlines, but in essence, it's similar to both The Fantastic Four: First Steps and 28 Years Later's baby plots. People like the game players, the Fantastic Four protestors, and Erik envision the baby as an obstacle to the needs of a larger group. In Squid Game, that group is the players who want more money. Look, advocating for the death of a baby any time is inexcusable, but this is absolutely the most despicable — dare I say, evil — instance of it in film and TV this year.

SEE ALSO: How to stream all the Fantastic Four movies

Then we have 28 Years Later, where Erik speaks for survivors who don't want to deal with a growing population of infected. His fear of infection may be understandable, but the baby isn't infected at birth, suggesting that the same goes for all other infected offspring. Once again, trying to kill a baby? Bad!

Finally, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, the anti-baby group is the entire population of Earth, who don't appreciate their collective lives being weighed against that of one child. Even Reed acknowledges that giving up Franklin would be an "ethical" solution. But that still doesn't make the possibility of sacrificing your child to a space god any less awful, nor does it rid Reed, Sue, Ben, and Johnny of the emotional baggage of that choice.

Thankfully, all these babies, including Superman's Joey, survive their dangerous circumstances, with 28 Years Later's baby and Squid Game's baby getting the last laugh and outliving their would-be killers.

Saving babies in film and TV is nothing new — remember when 2023's The Flash stuck a baby in a microwave to protect it? (I wish I could forget.) It's a surefire way to get audiences on a hero's side. After all, babies are the ultimate innocents, deserving of total protection. (In 2022, donkeys, of all things, occupied a similar role in three awards season contenders.)

But the focus of these scenes in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Squid Game Season 3, 28 Years Later, and, to a lesser extent, Superman isn't just on heroes saving babies. It's on people trying, horribly, to justify the theoretical deaths of these babies for the greater good, and the protagonists stepping in to prove their undeniable good and humanity.

In the case of characters like Galactus, Lex Luthor, and Squid Game's game heads, VIPs, and the more bloodthirsty players, audiences already know they're bad guys. Throw a baby in the equation, though, and you're drawing an even clearer line in the sand between heroes and villains. Sure, it's not subtle — in Squid Game in particular, it feels like you're being hit over the head with a hammer — but it immediately raises your hackles and makes every bone in your body think, "That's wrong, and I need to see someone put a stop to it." And guess what? Someone does exactly that in all four of these major summer titles. But next summer, I'm really going to need film and TV to cut these newborns some slack!

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now in theaters.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac $42.99
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If you’re a Mac user who’s tired of juggling cloud logins or monthly fees just to open a spreadsheet, this one’s for you. Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac is now available for just $42.99 — and it’s a lifetime license.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (i5 2GHz, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $474.97
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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $14.97
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Buying sheets for a twin bed can feel like settling. Most are stiff, thin, or weirdly scratchy right out of the package. But this bamboo blend sheet set? It’s the kind of bedding you’ll actually look forward to crashing into — no matter what size your mattress is. This one also comes in other sizes and colors.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Luxury Home Bedding Super-Soft 1800 Series Bamboo Blend Sheet Set $29.99
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From The Last of Us to The Mandalorian, Pedro Pascal has become Hollywood's go-to actor for playing father figures. Need a dad? Pascal's your guy!

Yet that privilege comes with a terrible burden, because everyone keeps asking Pascal's characters to make a nightmarish choice: Save your child, or save the world?

SEE ALSO: Babies can't catch a break in film and TV this summer

The first instance of a Pascal character facing this dilemma comes in the Season 1 finale of The Last of Us. Joel (Pascal) learns that the Fireflies can cure the Cordyceps fungus (yay!), but only if they kill Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to get access to her brain (boo!).

Then, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pascal) discovers that Galactus (Ralph Ineson) will spare Earth from total annihilation (yay!) on the condition that he and Sue Storm/the Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby) give up their newborn son Franklin (boo!).

Each dilemma puts a twist on the trolley problem, an ethical thought experiment first posited by philosopher Philippa Foot. (The actual term "trolley problem" was later coined by philosopher Judith Jarvis Thomson.) In the experiment, a runaway trolley is barreling towards five people, certain to kill them. If you pull a lever, you'll divert the trolley to a different track, killing one person instead. Do you do nothing and let five people die, or take action and doom one person yourself?

SEE ALSO: Does Pedro Pascal die in this? We'll tell you!

The Last of Us and The Fantastic Four: First Steps dial the stakes of the trolley problem way, way up, both in terms of scale and emotional involvement. After all, on one set of trolley tracks, we have the entire world. But on the other trolley tracks, we've got Ellie and Franklin, children who mean the world to Joel and Reed. Over the course of The Last of Us Season 1, Ellie becomes a daughter figure to Joel, an especially poignant connection after he lost his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) at the start of the series. Meanwhile, Franklin is Reed's only child. In the opening scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, he and Sue even discuss how they'd long given up hope of having a kid, making Franklin a miracle baby (even without the whole resurrection powers thing).

So, how do each of Pascal's characters face down these eerily similar conundrums? Extremely differently, to say the least, but totally in keeping with the theme and tone of their respective projects.

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in "The Last of Us." Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

Take a look at The Last of Us. Between the game and the show, there's already been years' worth of discourse over Joel's choice to save Ellie and massacre the Fireflies. Should we condemn him for robbing the world of a cure, even if he saved someone he loved? Would a cure have been possible given the minimal resources the Fireflies have? And what would Ellie have wanted?

These are all external factors that could have influenced Joel's decision, but the truth of the matter is, it all boils down to him doing what he did throughout Season 1: fight to protect the person he cares most about in the world. There's not even a question of considering the millions of people who lay on the other trolley track, because there's no world in which Joel doesn't choose Ellie. Like the entirety of The Last of Us Season 1, his choice is pretty brutal, but it's rooted in the love and connection that managed to surface in a desolate apocalypse. Any parent would do the same. Still, the consequences are severe — and we've got a whole gut-wrenching Season 2 to prove it!

SEE ALSO: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ review: One of the best MCU films in years

In The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Pascal's Reed takes a wildly different approach to the trolley problem the film presents him with. Reed is adamant that he and Sue won't give Franklin to Galactus, but that doesn't mean he hasn't thought about it. He even declares sacrificing Franklin to be ethical and mathematical, which understandably upsets Sue. Way to put your foot in your mouth, Reed! (Although I'm sure that with your super-stretchy abilities, that's really not that hard to do.)

Pedro Pascal, Ada Scott, and Vanessa Kirby in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Credit: Marvel Studios

Of course, it's in Reed's nature to overthink every possible scenario. That means an ethical conundrum like a trolley problem is, to borrow some lore from another summer superhero release, his Kryptonite.

But there are two things the trolley problem doesn't account for, and those are superpowers and super-advanced teleportation technology. That's right: Reed reasons that he, Sue, Ben Grimm/the Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm/the Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) don't even have to choose between trolley tracks. Instead, with the combined help and resources of the whole world, they can just teleport those tracks (aka the Earth) to another part of the universe, leaving the Galactus-trolley to continue unimpeded. At least, until he finds another planet to add to his galactic buffet. Sure, why not?

If the track teleportation fails, there's always another option for solving the Franklin versus Earth trolley problem: Teleport the Galactus-trolley itself by luring it to a teleporter in Times Square! That's the kind of lateral thinking Foot and Thomson surely didn't anticipate when creating and naming the problem.

Reed and the rest of the Fantastic Four's approach of protecting everyone on Earth from Galactus — including would-be sacrificial lamb Franklin — is in keeping with The Fantastic Four: First Steps' overall feeling of optimistic heroism. Here, everyone deserves to be saved. (The same goes for Superman, which sees Clark Kent/Superman (David Corenswet) helping humans and squirrels alike.) It's not a matter of choosing which track the trolley should barrel down; it's a matter of moving the tracks entirely so no one get hurt.

As a lone wolf with no superpowers stuck in a post-apocalyptic world, The Last of Us' Joel simply doesn't have Reed's trolley-problem-altering resources. He still does the best he can, but no offense to him, I know which Pascal character I'd call to help me out if I'm ever faced with a trolley problem of my own. Reed had better keep those teleporter gates handy.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now in theaters.

The Last of Us is now streaming on HBO Max.

Nothing has just dropped a new smartwatch, and it’s making us seriously question why we ever spent more than $100 on a running watch. The CMF Watch 3 Pro retails for just $99 (it's already on sale) and packs in features you’d normally expect from far more expensive models. The CMF Watch Pro 3 replaces last year’s CMF Watch Pro 2, and while that model was already impressive for its price, this new version seriously levels up.

With built-in dual-band GPS, AI-powered tracking, and over 130 sports modes, it’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting budget fitness trackers in years. As someone who loves any product that makes sport more accessible without skimping on performance, this one feels like a win.

But is it worth the upgrade?

What I love about the CMF Watch 3 Pro

Honestly, at this price, there's not much to complain about. But let's dig a little deeper.

The CMF Watch 3 Pro might just be one of the most advanced smartwatches I've seen at this price point. It's feature-rich and puts health and fitness tracking at the very center of everything it offers. When it comes to fitness tracking, users get over 130 workout modes with real-time insights powered by GOMORE, which tracks aerobic vs. anaerobic performance, training load, and recovery. It also automatically recognizes seven types of movement, so if you forget to press "start," you don't miss out on tracking your workout. L1+L5 Dual Band GPS also makes an appearance, giving you extra accuracy for outdoor workouts.

Is sure does look good on a bike, but won't someone think about the runners? Credit: Nothing

Further advanced tracking features include a four-channel heart rate sensor, 24/7 monitoring, and SpO₂ tracking — all things you'd expect in a much (much!) pricier watch. The sleep tracking is also at a level that you would expect from a premium model. It gives you insights into your sleep stages and also monitors your stress levels

Some standout features for me include the hydration and posture reminders, and women's health tools, including tracking of menstrual cycles — a feature that is very often locked behind premium subscriptions.

Beyond fitness, the CMF Watch 3 Pro has incredible lifestyle features that I honestly can't believe we're getting for $99. It has built-in bluetooth calling with AI noise reduction, and new gesture controls let you operate the watch with one hand. There’s even ChatGPT integration, voice notes with automatic transcription, and a surprisingly long list of smart features like morning briefings, music control, and personalized fitness coaching.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs. Whoop: A fight of the best fitness trackers

The battery life won't let you down either. Users get up to 13 days on a single charge, which is pretty incredible for a smartwatch with an AMOLED display, built-in GPS, and 24/7 health tracking. Design-wise, I continue to be impressed. It is visually aesthetic, and benefits from that aforementioned AMOLED display, something you normally have to pay well over $100 for.

Seriously, how is this watch $99?

What the CMF Watch Pro 3 doesn't have

There's one thing the CMF Watch Pro 3 lacks that is usually commonplace in more advanced trackers: an altimeter. An altimeter is a sensor that measures elevation, essentially how high you are above sea level. In fitness trackers, it helps count how many floors you’ve climbed or tracks the elevation you've gained in hikes or runs. The altimeter is especially important for trail runners, where tracking elevation is important. GPS can monitor the elevation to an extent, but it's nowhere near as accurate. This is a desirable feature for a lot of runners, but for $99, it doesn't put me off this watch. Not by a long shot.

SEE ALSO: The internet's obsession with run clubs is ruining running

And if we're being nitpicky, there's some safety features missing that we'd like to see. Fall detection and emergency SOS features are pretty commonplace these days, and would have made it more appealing to safety-conscious runners. However, for $99, once again, we're willing to let this slide.

Should you upgrade?

The CMF Watch Pro 3 is unbelievably impressive for its price, even without an altimeter and some safety features that will be important to some runners out there. If your current watch is similar in spec to a Fitbit Charge 6, we think this one tops the scale ever so slightly. And who can say no to an upgrade when it's priced this low?

Where to buy the CMF Watch Pro 3

The CMF Watch 3 Pro is already on sale at Nothing and Amazon. Nothing lists the retail price at $99 and offers a $20 discount, and now Amazon has matched that price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20 Shop Now

PRE-ORDER: On July 26, you can pre-order the Fantastic Four: First Steps Galactus LED popcorn bucket from AMC, Regal, and Cinemark for $79.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: AMC 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' Galactus LED Popcorn Bucket $79.95 at AMC
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Fantastic Four: First Steps is now in theaters, and that means there's a ridiculous new popcorn bucket in town. For this major Marvel release, it's shaped just like the head of the world-eater himself, Galactus. The buckets went on sale on July 25 at theater chains across the country as well as online, but they ended up disappearing in seconds like Thanos had snapped them due to incredible demand. Lucky for you, you've got another chance to secure one.

On July 26 at 10:00 a.m. ET, you can pre-order the Fantastic Four: First Steps Galactus LED popcorn bucket from AMC, Regal, and Cinemark for $79.95.

SEE ALSO: How to stream all the Fantastic Four movies

This will mark the final production run of the popcorn bucket, so it's your last chance to snap one up from the source instead of heading to third-party sellers. Shipments will begin in early December, so you can plan on giving a bucket as a gift to the superfan in your life.

This massive popcorn bucket is an incredibly detailed recreation of Galactus's head, complete with glowing LED eyes. It's a huge 20 inches wide (9.6 inches without horns), 17.5 inches tall, and 9.6 inches deep. It can hold 361 ounces, so if you want to share popcorn or snacks with the whole family, this enormous container totally makes it doable.

If you plan on getting one of your own, you're going to want to set your alarm and wake up. There's no way this second run won't sell out as well, so if you want to hoover up snacks like a world eater, this is your chance.

DJI drones in stock at Amazon In Stock Now DJI Neo Mini 4K $199 Get Deal In Stock Now DJI Mini 4K $299 Get Deal

DJI is one of the biggest names in the drone game. They can help create buttery-smooth aerial shots and work fantastically with must-have wireless mics, which makes the brand something of a go-to for TikTokers, YouTubers, and filmmakers alike.

That popularity has a downside, though. It's nearly impossible to find DJI products in stock, even at the official DJI online storefront. During Prime Day, two of the brand’s most in-demand drones, the DJI Neo Mini 4K and DJI Mini 4K, topped sales charts. Now, they’re barely available outside of third-party sellers. DJI’s own site lists most of its bestsellers as sold out, and even creator favorites like DJI wireless mics are backordered across major retailers.

It's also worth noting that President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at helping the U.S. drone industry and shoring up protections against malicious drone activity. The measures stop short of ordering a full ban on Chinese-made drones, but talk of a ban on DJI drones has been circulating for more than year. That uncertainty could well be further boosting sales.

Right now, you can still find these popular drones available at Amazon. So if you're looking to add them to your creative tool kit, now is the time to lock them in while you can.

Why are the DJI drones so popular?

There’s a key reason the DJI Mini 4K and DJI Mini 4K Neo were two of the most talked-about drones during Prime Day, and why they're still selling out just as fast: These compact drones offer crisp, stabilized 4K video in lightweight packages that are beginner friendly but powerful enough for serious creators. They're also very affordable when compared to other models in the space.

With foldable designs, intuitive controls, and features like QuickShots (automated flight paths that make your drone footage look cinematic with zero editing), they’re a good choice for just about anyone, even if you're just getting started out.

If you do spot them out there in the wild, it's a good idea to act fast and pick them up.

DJI Neo Mini 4K Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Neo Mini 4K $199 at Amazon
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We named the DJI Neo 4K one of the best drones for beginners, as it's the most affordable you can get from the best name in consumer drones. It's small, easy to maneuver, and it can be conrolled by way of app or controller. You can also opt to use voice controls to get it up into the air. And if you end up losing it, there's automatic return to home function to find its way back to you. It offers 4K video, QuickShot modes, subject tracking, and a variety of other features that make it great for drone photography. If you're looking for a good entry point when it comes to drones, this is a very safe (and our favorite) bet.

DJI Mini 4K Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mini 4K $299 at Amazon
Get Deal Why we like it

An equally beginner-friendly drone, the DJI Mini 4K is full of features that can help you get into the air and stay there fast. It has one-tap takeoff options if that's the part of flight that's the shakiest for you, and a return to home function. But perhaps most importantly for content creators or anyone wanting to get into photography or drone footage, it offers a 3-axis gimbal and 4K quality as well as advanced wind resistance and extended battery life. It's a step up from the DJI Neo Mini 4K that we think is worth the extra cash.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe may have begun in 2008 with Iron Man, a billionaire playboy genius and philanthropist who fights injustice. But over the course of 17 years and 37 movies, the MCU has not only brought scads of comic book heroes and villains to theaters, it also changed the landscape of Hollywood releases as we know it.

Looking back, it's dizzying to recall all the details of the adventures and disasters of Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Panther, the Hulk, Doctor Strange, Ant-Man, Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel, Deadpool, the Fantastic Four, and their ever-expanding ensemble. But whenever you want to delve into a rewatch, we've got your back with this guide to the good, great, and the ugly.

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps now in theaters, we've updated our ranking of the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, factoring in epic action, crackling comedy, wowing star power, and harrowing disappointments.

Here are the MCU movies ranked worst to best.

37. Iron Man 2 (2010) Credit: Marvel

A tepid followup to the sleek brilliance of Iron Man, the sequel gives us a sinister yet funny Mickey Rourke but does the franchise no favors with its creative decisions. We meet Black Widow, but not without some classic 2010 misogyny, which is the root problem with Iron Man 2. The first film was all about Tony's growth as a person, and the second doesn't let him mature nearly as much. There's still a long road before this is the Tony we see in Endgame, but it's too slow on that path. — Proma Khosla, Entertainment Reporter

36. The Incredible Hulk (2008)

Sure, it's part of the MCU canon, but The Incredible Hulk was so aggressively meh that its title character got recast and was only made palatable by The Avengers. Since it's not an origin story, we don't get to watch Edward Norton as Bruce Banner becoming the Hulk; he already is. We don't watch him fall in love with Betty (Liv Tyler), because he already is. What we do get is a lot of the big green guy getting angry, which may have been cool in 2008 but pales compared to the visual effects that followed. — P.K.

SEE ALSO: How 'She-Hulk' beat its toxic haters by making them the villains 35. Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

Ultron has a lot of good moments but is not overall a good movie. It's sloppy and it drags, even with ambitious action sequences in Sokovia, and it struggles to build Ultron's disdain for humanity. The main Avengers have a fun dynamic — look no further than the party scene at Stark Tower — but the new characters don't fit in (especially since X-Men: Days of Future Past basically owns Quicksilver). Black Widow, at the time robbed of a solo movie, gets a disproportionate consolation prize of becoming Hulk's girlfriend and a woman defined by her biology. — P.K.

34. Thor: The Dark World (2013)

The Dark World brings back Natalie Portman as Jane, yet even as the physical host of a literal Infinity Stone, she's somehow underutilized. There's a lot of levity, particularly between Thor and Loki, and a surprising amount of gravity in Loki's "death" — which is once again undone before the movie ends. Oh, and some dude named Malekith is mad... Don't worry about it. — P.K.

33. Eternals (2021) Credit: Marvel Studios

With no familiar faces and little connection to the wider MCU, Eternals had a gargantuan task set forth from the start. Helmed by Oscar–winner Chloé Zhao, the film introduces no less than a dozen new characters, a rushed history of their cosmic presence on Earth, an apocalyptic threat in the form of Earth becoming a Celestial, and an explanation for how the entire Marvel Universe was created. It's sometimes slow, sometimes muddled, and a little too enthralled with its white male antihero — but it's also a visual feast, a huge victory for representation, and a banger of a soundtrack. — P.K.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know before watching Marvel's 'Eternals' 32. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) Credit: Marvel Studios

The third installment of the Ant-Man movies committed the crime of forgetting to be funny. Instead, the wackiest Avenger (Paul Rudd) was wedged into a convoluted plot and pounded with eyesore CGI by Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), a MCU villain who fell far short of dazzling us with his dastardliness. Not even Michelle Pfeiffer as a badass superheroine could save this stinker. As I wrote in our review, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has big stars, quirky cameos, action sequences, world-building, and even — on rare occasions — punchlines. But it's barely a movie, pulling threads together for a grander scheme of merchandizing and cross-promotion over character-based storytelling." — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

31. Captain America: Brave New World (2025) Credit: Marvel Studios

Following the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) finally shoulders the mantle of Captain America on the big screen. But it was a big miss. Astonishingly, Marvel Studios built this political thriller on a foundation of forgotten characters and plot details from two of their least popular movies: The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. Making matters worse, director Julius Onah seemed to have no idea what to do with screen legend Harrison Ford, even in Hulk mode. Overall, the film felt like a collection of mismatched puzzle pieces with nothing to say. — K.P.

30. Doctor Strange (2016)

Iron Man minus the charisma, it took five years for Marvel to retread this territory and make Strange interesting in time for Phase 4. Benedict Cumberbatch is great, but he's always great, so let's not give out free brownie points. Strange received appropriate flack for whitewashing Asian characters and lore for the story, and tragically sidelines Rachel McAdams in every way. Visuals: Yes. Everything else: Meh. — P.K.

29. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)  Credit: Marvel Studios

Writer/director James Gunn returns to the helm of the spin-off film series he began with 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy. But post-Snap, these rock-loving rascals who race through the universe on misadventures have become way less fun.

In Vol. 3, once-plucky Star-Lord (Chris Pratt) is in mopey, drunken mourning. Wise-cracking Rocket (voiced by Bradley Cooper) is out of commission after an assault from newcomer baddie Adam Warlock (Will Poulter). Meanwhile, the rest of the crew must drag their captain around on a series of heists to save their ailing furry friend. Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) offer solid laughs, and big bad The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji) brings a vivacious villain into play. However, Gunn has bogged down his plot with bummer elements, including eugenics, genocide, and a shocking amount of animal abuse and gore. If you're seeking humor and rollicking fun, keep looking. As I wrote in our full review of the film, "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 is a major disappointment." — K.P.

28. Thunderbolts* (2025) Credit: Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel 2025

Florence Pugh leads an antihero ensemble in Thunderbolts*, the MCU's answer to Suicide Squad. And the results were woefully underwhelming. Sure, a cast that includes David Harbour as Red Guardian, Sebastian Stan as Bucky "The Winter Soldier" Barnes, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as the ever-scheming Valentina Allegra de Fontaine has some fun to it. But bizarrely, screenwriters Eric Pearson and Joanna Calo opted to turn Pugh's mischievous mercenary Yelena Belova into a brooding bore. That, plus a plotline that turns depression into a literal supervillain, makes for a grim outing that's never as thrilling as the premise had us anticipating. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: 'Thunderbolts*' review: Florence Pugh can't rescue this flop from MCU's worst impulses 27. Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) 

Writer/director Taika Waititi and leading man Chris Hemsworth made magic with Thor: Ragnarok, leaning into the God of Thunder’s lovable himbo vibe to create a rock 'n' roll romp. But when they reteamed for this fourth installment of the Thor franchise, the fun was sacrificed to a grim plotline of kidnapping, god-killing, and cancer.

On the plus side, Thor: Love and Thunder brought Natalie Portman back to the MCU as a brawny female Thor, cast Christian Bale in a grizzly villain role that he giddily sunk his teeth into, and tossed in a rowdy Russell Crowe for good measure. But amid the screaming goats and rumbling action sequences, Love and Thunder had an overstuffed plot that undercut its emotional moments, some notable wasted opportunities, and a happy ending that was far more forced than feel-good. It’s not Dark World bad, but it sure ain’t good. — K.P.

26. The Marvels (2023)

Directed by Candyman helmer Nia DaCosta, this sequel to Captain Marvel brings together that eponymous heroine (Brie Larson), Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani), and WandaVision's Captain Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) for a star-trekking quest to save the universe from yet another rampaging alien conqueror (Zawe Ashton). Worlds and tones collide, making for an uneven romp through action sequences, far-flung planets, and a winsome duet featuring K-drama star Park Seo-joon. Plus, there's a fleet of cuddly, creepy space cats. But for all the fun these treats and rising star Vellani brings, The Marvels feels too rushed, wonky, and fitfully brooding to be truly stellar. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: 'The Marvels' mid-credit scene features two extra special cameos 25. Thor (2011)

Thor isn't a top Marvel movie, but it's a classic fish-out-of-water story that teases how much fun this character will be in time. The film also gives us our first dose of Loki, one of Marvel's best villains to this day. It's easy to forget the magnetism and subtlety of Hiddleston's original performance, and Thor is one of Loki's best arcs: The sensitive sibling growing up in Thor's shadow and coming to terms with the truth about his past.

(Also, Chris Hemsworth's eyebrows are blonde, and it's terrible.) — P.K.

24. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) Credit: Ben Rothstein / Marvel Studios

In some ways, Ant-Man and the Wasp is more even-keeled and sure-footed than its predecessor. It delivers zippy action, tons of laughs, and the nicest cast of characters we've ever seen in the MCU. Mostly this movie is just so sweet, whether it's Scott bending over backwards to impress his darling daughter or Hope and Hank going to great lengths in memory of Janet. Oh, and speaking of Hope, she more than holds her own as the MCU movies' first true leading lady. — Angie Han, Deputy Entertainment Editor

23. Iron Man 3 (2013)

Iron Man 3 lets Tony get vulnerable as he faces his post-Avengers PTSD. The film gives ample time to guest stars Rebecca Hall, Guy Pearce, and Ty Simpkins, all the while remaining true to Tony's internal struggle and getting in a few CGI battles. The Mandarin reveal is fun (more fun as of 2021), even if Killian is still a boring baddie. — P.K.

22. Captain Marvel (2019) Credit: Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel Studios

Even with the weight of Avengers: Endgame on its shoulders, Captain Marvel is primarily an origin story, and the MCU does those damn well, even if this isn't the best one. We meet the staggeringly powerful Carol Danvers, a Kree warrior with the ability to save the universe. Brie Larson and a fabulous cast make Marvel’s first solo female superhero outing one for the ages — a film that also doubles as the Nick Fury origin story we didn't know we needed, and a star-making debut for Goose the "cat." — P.K.

SEE ALSO: Why I love, love, love 'Captain Marvel' and everything it stands for 21. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) 

This sequel to the stupendous 2018 hit Black Panther had a massive challenge in that the untimely death of its would-be leading man, Chadwick Boseman, demanded a script overhaul. Set in a Wakanda still grieving the loss of King T'Challa, Black Panther 2 smartly wove the weight of grief into its story, exploring mourning and legacy while setting up a thrilling new foe and sea-salty adventure. Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, and Danai Gurira reprise their roles, while Dominique Thorne and Tenoch Huerta join the cast as kid genius Riri Williams and underwater overlord Namor.

By bringing in big emotions alongside big action, co-writer/director Ryan Coogler and company do right by the franchise Boseman once shouldered. So, while this MCU offering satisfies on stunts and spectacle, it'll also leave you teary-eyed. And we're not mad at that. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: #RecastTChalla campaign is not what you think 20. Black Widow (2021) Credit: Jay Maidment / Marvel Studios

Marvel's unexpected two-year movie draught ended with a long-overdue solo outing for Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) that takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. After years of grand-scale alien battles and CGI battle set pieces, Black Widow was a welcome throwback to human beings just beating the heck out of each other, with nary an alien, wizard, or android in sight. Natasha's surrogate family (Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, and an utterly charming Florence Pugh) leave a lasting impression in a film worthy of the MCU's first heroine. — P.K.

19. Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) Credit: Jay Maidment / 20th Century Studios / MARVEL

The first Deadpool movie since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox — and with it, much more Marvel IP — Deadpool & Wolverine teased a showdown comic book fans have been craving for ages. (Or at least since X-Men: Origins: Wolverine shit the bed in a disastrous fashion.)

Directed by Shawn Levy (Free Guy), this sequel saw the worlds of Deadpool 2 and Logan collide, bringing in familiar faces and new additions, like the vicious Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) and the diabolical Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). But best of all was the reunion of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the titular twosome. While the movie wasn't as daring as we hoped for a Deadpool movie, this threequel was still undeniably a deranged blast, packed with bonkers action, wild jokes, and jaw-dropping surprises. — K.P.

18. Avengers: Infinity War (2018) Credit: Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel Studios

For years, it all led up to this: Almost every Marvel hero you can think of joining forces against the biggest threat this universe has ever faced. Infinity War is enormous in scope and spirit, with the budget to match its astronomical ambitions. And in its final moments, it packs a punch worthy of Thanos' golden-gloved fist. If we have one complaint, it's that this feels like half a movie — and many of us had to wait a year until Endgame. — A.H.

17. Ant-Man (2015)

Kudos to this film for bringing us Paul Rudd in the MCU, the thing you didn't know you needed. Rudd lends dimension and heart to his performance as Scott Lang, a reformed criminal and father to an adorable little girl. His chemistry with Evangeline Lilly crackles (even if they saved her good stuff for the sequel), and Scott's everyman persona makes him an irresistible addition to the hero roster. Michael Peña shines as Scott's best friend, and Corey Stoll seems born to be a villain, even though it's Michael Douglas as Hank Pym who steals the show with his embittered quest for revenge. — P.K.

16. Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony

Far From Home officially ends the Infinity Saga with a smaller-scale story about Peter Parker finding his place in a post-Tony Stark world. Highlights include Tom Holland hitting yet another Spidey performance out of the park, Jake Gyllenhaal as a pitch-perfect Mysterio, and the best trippy CGI battle yet seen in the MCU (sorry, Doctor Strange). It’s not the best solo Marvel movie ever, but Far From Home does a lot of good work by closing one door and opening a new universe of possibilities. — P.K.

15. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The most ambitious team-up since Avengers: Endgame sees Peter Parker tangling with space and time, only to have Doctor Strange unleash a spell that accidentally rips open the multiverse. Spider-Man fans received an unimaginable treat, with resurgent villains from Sam Raimi's early 2000s trilogy and Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man movies — as well as previous incarnations of the heroes themselves reprising their web-slinging roles. It's not higher on this list because of some glaring plot holes, but it's where it is because everything else sticks the landing.

SEE ALSO: The best 'No Way Home' surprise had nothing to do with Spider-Man

Despite the spectacle of returns and reunions, No Way Home is an emotional powerhouse, its great responsibility resting on the shoulders of Tom Holland but shared with Zendaya’s MJ, Marisa Tomei's May, and both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as older, wiser Peters. Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin is a standout, and while the movie's stakes are a little questionable, the ending undoubtedly raises them for Peter Parker’s MCU future. — P.K.

14. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Credit: Marvel Studios / Disney

Fans didn't have any exorbitant expectations of GotG Vol. 2, especially when low expectations yielded such joy for the first film. Here we get Peter meeting his biological father Ego, fighting with his friends over said father's intentions, and mocked by those same friends for his crush on Gamora, as exposed by Mantis. We also get loads of Baby Groot, who thawed many a stone-cold heart, and the surprise emotional gut-punch of Yondu at the end. — P.K.

13. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." Credit: Disney / Marvel

Fifth time's a charm? The MCU rebooted their first family with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, bringing the star power of Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Joseph Quinn, and the Internet's favorite person, Pedro Pascal. But this kitschy revamp from director Matt Shakman has more than just oodles of charm.

Set in an alternate timeline with a retro-futuristic aesthetic, The Fantastic Four: First Steps shakes off the trauma doldrums that's plagued the MCU since Thanos snapped out half of existence. This is a tale of a family coming together to save the day — and bringing the world in on the effort! Boasting a cutesy robot butler, a scene-stealing Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser), and plenty of family shenanigans, this superhero movie brought plenty to the screen beyond loads of CGI, action, and Big Bad mayhem. While tonally, the film is a bit all over the place and arguably overearnest (YMMV), that's refreshing and fun compared to the achingly stern predecessors of Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts*. — K.P.

12. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)  Credit: Marvel Studios

Long before Iron Man hit, Sam Raimi was shaping the superhero genre with his wacky and wild Spider-Man trilogy. So, it was frightfully fitting that this pioneering helmer returned to take Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to bizarre new universes. Embracing the strange, this outrageous sequel offered goopy monsters, a bonkers buddy-cop vibe, kooky cameos, a fun eff-you to fan service, a vicious villain turn, and a magical cloak made of damned spirits, worn by an undead Doctor. This one polarized critics, with some celebrating Raimi bringing his weirdness to the MCU machine, while others fretted this massive franchise tamed the Evil Dead director’s aesthetic. But fans were freaking out over the devious delights of Raimi's brand of horror and havoc, like ripping a beloved character to ribbons and finally bestowing on Elizabeth Olsen the meaty Scarlet Witch twist she'd been begging for. The result may be chaotic, but amid all the mayhem, there's plenty of madcap fun. — K.P.

SEE ALSO: The maddest things in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,' ranked 11. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) Credit: Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Cynics expected Marvel’s first theater-exclusive film in over two years to fail. It introduced brand-new characters as well as a dense mythology and an unknown lead. Not to mention, a good chunk of it is in Mandarin. The movie ended up shattering box office records and being one of the best MCU stand-alones in a long time, with huge stakes, rich characters, and transfixing family drama. Its jaw-dropping action sequences flex some of the best fight choreography in the MCU and Hollywood at large (bus battle, anyone??). Simu Liu belongs in the MCU, and we can't wait to see more of him in future phases. Can we find a way to get more Tony Leung too? — P.K.

10. Captain America: Civil War (2016) Credit: Marvel Studios

Civil War could be a tighter movie, but it's doing a hell of a lot. Picking up with the fallout of Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this movie thoroughly interrogates the toll of our heroes' adventures and divides them harshly on how to move forward. Black Panther and Spider-Man make epic MCU debuts, while secondary Avengers like Vision, Scarlet Witch, and Ant-Man still get their moments. The final fight is brutal as Cap and Tony come close to actually killing each other, and don't even reconcile before the credits roll. — P.K.

9. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The final chapter of the Infinity Saga and of three phases, 22 movies, and 11 years of the MCU stuck the landing and made it look easy. We might spend years griping about time travel or lamenting the last moments between Steve and Bucky, but the simple facts are that Endgame hit an impressive number of emotional beats, including near-perfect conclusions for multiple O.G. Avengers. It's a heist, a love story, and everything magnificent about the MCU, and we love it 3000. — P.K.

SEE ALSO: A cheat sheet for Marvel newbies about to see 'Avengers: Endgame' 8. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

It's crazy to think that early trailers of Guardians looked silly when its rock 'n' roll comedy thrill ride model is now the template for action movie promos. We didn't expect much from Guardians in any capacity; we had our avengers, our non-MCU Spider-Man reboot, yet here was this group of ragtag space trash in a movie that was so much better than it had any right to be. Chris Pratt may have debuted his six-pack, but more importantly, he and the cast set a new standard for comedy and chemistry in the MCU and all superhero movies. — P.K.

7. Iron Man (2008)

As both the dawn of the MCU and the second coming of Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man shocked audiences who forgot superhero movies could be good (this was a year after Spider-Man 3). Downey is the perfect hubristic Tony Stark, an arrogant billionaire sobered by becoming a prisoner of war. It was a fun version of 2005's Batman Begins, with sex and expensive gadgetry to supplant the mask and the brooding, and it holds up. — P.K.

6. Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) Credit: Marvel / Paramount / Kobal / Shutterstock

The Star-Spangled man with a plan was once a scrappy kid from Brooklyn, until a biological experiment made him swole extremely strong. With the help of Peggy Carter, Abraham Erskine, Howard Stark, and his day-one pal Bucky Barnes, Steve becomes the kind of hero people remember for decades, even while he's off literally cooling his heels in the Arctic. From Red Skull to the Howling Commandos to Bucky's heartbreaking fall and that adrenaline-fueled first kiss, The First Avenger hits all the right marks. — P.K.

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Credit: Marvel Studios / Sony

After introducing Tom Holland as the MCU's Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, this Peter Parker got to standout in his first solo movie, and it was an absolute delight. Co-writer/director Jon Watts combined the low-stakes high school drama of crushes and crushing embarrassment with a high-stakes battle against Michael Keaton's blue-collared supervillain, the Vulture. Add in Marisa Tomei, Jacob Batalon, Donald Glover, and Zendaya in charismatic supporting turns, and you've got a coming-of-age movie that is as charming as it is pulse-pounding. — K.P.

4. Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Credit: Jasin Boland / Marvel

It took the better part of a decade (and the disaster that was Thor 2), but Marvel finally figured out who Thor was with Thor: Ragnarok. Director Taika Waititi puts Chris Hemsworth's considerable comedy chops to good use, resulting in a version of the character that feels fresher and looser than anything we've seen before.

Toss in some stellar work by Jeff Goldblum, Cate Blanchett, and Tessa Thompson, plus the return of Tom Hiddleston as Loki and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, and you've got the most entertaining Thor movie yet. — P.K.

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) Credit: Zade Rosenthal / Marvel

The MCU had S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrated by Hydra and completely changed the game for the Avengers' alliance. Winter Soldier sets the stage for Cap and Iron Man's feud in Civil War, and for Steve and Bucky's love affair renewed friendship. It charmingly and skillfully introduces Falcon and has no less than four fighting female characters, none of whom functions as a love interest. Winter Soldier isn't trapped in one genre; it's a spy thriller disguised as a superhero movie and all the better for it. — P.K.

2. The Avengers (2012)

With this team-up, the MCU cemented itself as a force to be reckoned with.

The combined star power of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Tom Hiddleston was dazzling. But this rousing narrative also showcased the complicated dynamics of the Avengers, their distinctive strengths and weaknesses, as well as the glory of Loki. The Marvel movies would go on to struggle to create a villain whose charms stood up to their dashing heroes, and the fan fervor for Hiddleston's spin on the god of mischief was so intense he'd not only be resurrected (repeatedly) but also would get his own spin-off series. From heroes to foes, The Avengers has been epic entertainment for over a decade and counting. — K.P.

1. Black Panther (2018) Credit: Film Frame Marvel Studios 2018

Even the worst MCU movies are kind of good, which means that the best ones are truly exceptional — none more than Black Panther.

Ryan Coogler, along with his talented cast and crew, crafted a film that has something to say, that feels distinctive in its style and point of view – while also delivering on the usual superhero movie goods, like lovable heroes, exciting action, and a compelling villain. Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa feels fittingly regal, surrounded by admirable supporting players like Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, and Danai Gurira. Though it took far too long for Marvel to bet on a Black superhero at the box office, it paved the way for the kind of representation we want and need in future phases. — P.K.

Angie Han, Alison Foreman, and Proma Khosla contributed to this article.

UPDATE: Jul. 25, 2025, 4:38 p.m. EDT Originally published Nov. 11, 2017, this list has been updated to include the latest MCU releases.

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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

Played in nursing homes.

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

BINGO

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Water.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 26, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

HYDRO

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Comical.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 26 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 26, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FUNNY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To spin.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for July 26 Hurdle Word 4 answer

TWIRL

Final Hurdle hint

Used at barbecues.

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

GRILL

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

The moon is becoming a little bit brighter each night as we work through the phases of the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is 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. 

See what's happening tonight, July 26.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Saturday, July 26, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. There's still not much to see tonight, with only 4% of the surface visible to us on Earth (according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation).

It's the second day of the lunar cycle, and with such limited visibility, there's nothing for you to spot on the moon's surface tonight, not even with binoculars or a telescope.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on August 9. The last full moon was on July 10.

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.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. 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 today's 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?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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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.

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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's The Mini crossword answers for July 26 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Used to season food

• Green: Similar colors

• Blue: To walk

• Purple: Found overseas

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

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

• Yellow: Herbs and spices

• Green: Shades of green

• Blue: Travel on foot

• Purple: Starts of European capitals

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 #776 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Herbs and spices: ANISE, DILL, MACE, SAGE

• Shades of green: BOTTLE, HUNTER, KELLY, PEA

• Travel on foot: HIKE, MARCH, TRAMP, TREK

• Starts of European capitals: COPE, LUXE, SARA, WARS

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 26

Are you also playing NYT 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.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 26 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 26 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's been a while

The words are group-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are associated with coming together.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Reunion.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for July 26

• Convene

• Gather

• Assemble

• Reunion

• Muster

• Congregate

• Meet

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for July 26 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for July 26, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To spook.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter H.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

HAUNT.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 26

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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 Wordle.

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