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Content warning: suicide, self-harm.

By no means a light watch but an important and timely one, Mission sees a young man struggling to feel connected to society, contemplating dying by suicide but giving himself one week to convince himself to stay alive.

Written and directedy with disorientating flair by Scottish director Paul Wright (Arcadia), this BBC-produced film explores the personal and social reasons behind suicidal behaviour through the experience of Dylan (a phenomenal George MacKay). It's not a sensational, generalised depiction of mental health, but instead a splintered, chaotic endeavor to visually render one person's complex perspective. 

SEE ALSO: 21 reasons to keep living when you feel suicidal

MacKay, who starred in Wright's For Those in Peril back in 2013, gives a mercurial performance as a man vehemently trying to find meaning in a world he feels alienated from. Dylan yearns for the reality of his younger self, free of inhibition and full of wonder, and he scorns conformity. But where is the line between uninhibited whims and total anarchy? Dylan will test both his own and societal boundaries in a week-long crusade, which sees whimsy and transgression at either end of a slippery slope.

Mission is as much a film about death as it is about life. Rosy McEwen as Claire in "Mission." Credit: BBC

Dylan's "mission" is to live, in every sense of the word, through experiences he's never allowed himself to have. Feeling stuck in his waiter job and overwhelmingly lonely and rudderless, he struggles to find a sense of purpose. Here, MacKay imbues Dylan's physicality with monotonous, mechanical movements and blank stares, flicking lights on and off, and internalising his rage over incessant phone vibrations and drilling outside his apartment.

Through voiceover, we gain insight into Dylan's inner turmoil as if we're reading his diary: "I don't know how to live in this world the way it is," he says, longing for a way to connect. He's buoyed by two people, his friend and co-worker Becky (Bridgerton's Emma Naomi), whom he clearly has feelings for, and his sister Claire (Scarpetta's Rosy McEwen), whose connection with Dylan has deep roots. Through sweet home video flashbacks (and adorable performances from youngsters Oliver Boyd and Matilda Thomson), Wright weaves Dylan and Claire's relationship as one of childhood magic, silliness, and creative expression. Their bond, though changed in adulthood, becomes the true heart of the film.

Dylan's turning point occurs during a routine check-in interview with his boss, James (Emun Elliott), that sees Dylan move from parroting corporate speak to admitting his hatred for the job as "soul-destroying." From here, he quits, slowly obsessing over James, an initially amiable but eventually contemptible representation of everything Dylan hates. 

Retreating to an abandoned shack on the edge of a lake, Dylan ideates ending his life. However, he gives himself one week to find a "reason to go on." He begins a quest of total ecstasy, commanding himself to "do something," whatever euphoric act comes to mind. "Embrace the random. No longer be afraid. Connect to the forgotten parts of yourself," he declares in voiceover, setting out the rules of his manifesto. But there's a difference between singing karaoke in front of strangers and more harmful acts, as Dylan's increasingly extreme choices simmer with anarchy. 

George MacKay is fearless in Mission. George MacKay in "Mission." Credit: BBC

Fresh off miraculous performances in Rose of Nevada and The End, MacKay truly leans into physicality with Mission. The actor builds a character so erratic, interior, and determined that it's hard to know whether we're barracking for Dylan or, frankly, fearful of him. Every turn sees him plunging into bacchanalian excess and self-harm, making unbridled decisions that could cause others or himself harm. So, while we're along for this life-affirming ride, we're almost becoming complicit in something malevolent, with no ability to change anything.  

Seeking solace in childhood unpredictability, Dylan yearns for a time when "everything was possible," seeing random acts as a form of resistance. He sees his alienation from society as a license to disturb, to provoke. Going from the embodiment of mechanistic drudgery to a man of sheer glee, convulsing and writhing with animalistic expression and chaotic energy, MacKay pushes himself to the absolute limit.

McEwen is superb as Dylan's sister Claire, whose practicality sees her struggling to understand her brother's pain and acting as his anchor in the mayhem. "Everyone's just trying to live their life," she says, unable to see how a simple sentence could be so complicated for Dylan. However, one particular scene between the two proves one of the most quietly powerful conversations I've seen on screen, with MacKay and McEwen showing pure talent.

Mission relishes in punk cinematography, editing, and sound.

In order to explore Dylan's frame of mind, Wright leans into the disorientated style of his documentary Arcadia, a celebrated work of juxtaposition and montage. With meticulous, energetic editing from Jennifer Mackie and Michael Aaglund, Mission splices Limbo and Bring Them Down cinematographer Nick Cooke's stunning shots with frenetically edited footage of current events, abstract visuals, home footage, and MacKay's voice-over.

Roly Porter's hypnotic score is a constant companion to Dylan, with The Unheard composer finding poignancy and care in the protagonist's darkest moments. And as a sum of its parts, Mission becomes an intense, sobering experience, one that aims to get us inside Dylan's deepest thoughts.

Ultimately, Mission pulls us under with Dylan, rattled and contorted into his high-stakes "experiment" without the ability to connect with him ourselves. Through MacKay's fearless performance, Wright's discombobulating style, and a timely theme, the film wrestles with existence and connection, balancing darkness and light, despair and hope. It's a haunting watch, but one with an all-important glimmer of hope.

Mission was reviewed out of its premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival. International release dates TBC.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

Before there was Donald Duck or Goofy or even Mickey Mouse, there was Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.

And now Oswald is finally getting his very own TV miniseries.

At this year's D23 fan event, Disney announced that Oswald the Lucky Rabbit will star in a live-action animated three-part TV miniseries on Disney+.

The "Oswald" miniseries is written, directed, and executive-produced by Jon Favreau. The cast includes an all-star comedy lineup, including Albert Brooks, Amy Sedaris, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Martin, Al Madrigal, Ravi Cabot-Conyers, Mykal-Michelle Harris, and Ryder Allen.

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The road to his own Disney series was a long one for Oswald.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit was first created in 1927 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks for Universal Pictures. Oswald starred in more than two dozen theatrical short films in the late 1920s, animated by Walt Disney Studios. However, in 1928, Universal took control of the Oswald character from Disney, prompting the latter to create a replacement known to audiences as Mickey Mouse.

The rest is history. Mickey soon became more popular than Oswald, who faded into obscurity after a few final appearances in the 1950s.

In 2006, Disney gained the rights to Oswald in a bizarre trade with NBCUniversal. Disney received the Oswald trademark and rights to the Disney-era animated films, and in exchange, NBCUniversal was able to have play-by-play announcer Al Michaels' services for NBC Sunday Night Football. Since then, Oswald has made cameo appearances in animated shows, Disney theme parks, and video games like Epic Mickey.

Now, Oswald is finally set to receive his very own Disney miniseries, which will mix hand-drawn 2D animation with live-action.

The miniseries comes to Disney+ in Feb. 2027.

Marvel Studios debuted the first trailer for its Disney+ series VisionQuest at D23 in Anaheim, California, offering the clearest look yet at Paul Bettany's return as the sentient AI hero Vision.

SEE ALSO: Marvel unveils X-Men cast: Adam Driver, Inde Navarrette, and more set for May 2028 film

The trailer finds Vision living in hiding and grappling with an existential crisis after essentially being resurrected in WandaVision. As part of his search for answers, Vision converses with several other artificial intelligences drawn from his own programming, including FRIDAY (Orla Bradley), DUM-E (Henry Lewis), JARVIS (James D'Arcy), and Ultron (James Spader). Much of Ultron is shown in human form in the footage, and the other Tony Stark-created AIs appear less than thrilled to have him around. An understandable reaction, given that Ultron nearly wiped out humanity in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, VisionQuest will serve as the final installment in what he's calling the "Wanda trilogy," following WandaVision and Agatha All Along. It's also expected to be Marvel's last live-action Disney+ series for the foreseeable future, part of a broader pullback from television that multiple outlets have reported in recent months. That shift already led to the cancellation of Wonder Man, which drew backlash from fans after the show was scrapped just months after being renewed for a second season.

VisionQuest premieres on Disney+ on Oct. 14.

One of the few hit Pixar films without a sequel is finally getting one.

At its D23 fan event in Anaheim, Disney unveiled what the company has been working on for its Coco 2 sequel.

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Disney announced that the original Coco director, Lee Unkrich, will be returning to direct alongside co-director Adrian Molina. In addition, Benjamin Bratt will return to reprise the role of Ernesto de la Cruz, which means that Ernesto de la Cruz will be returning in the Coco sequel, too. In fact, it appears that Ernesto de la Cruz will play a major role in the upcoming film.

SEE ALSO: Kingdom Hearts' first-ever anime TV series coming to Disney+

"To some, Miguel is a little menace who ruined a career and destroyed a legacy," Bratt said onstage at the event. "Ernesto de la Cruz is back for revenge, sending Miguel on an adventure back to the Land of the Dead. Proving fate has a sense of humor, Miguel must team up with a handsome superstar: me."

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Based on what Bratt had to say, it seems Coco 2 will take Miguel back to the land of the dead, where he'll have to join forces with Ernesto de la Cruz, the music superstar who was revealed as a fraud that killed Miguel's great-great-grandfather Hector in the first film.

Speaking of Miguel, Disney provided a first look at the upcoming Coco 2, which seemingly will star Miguel as a teenager.

Coco was a big success for the company when it was released in 2017. The film grossed more than $800 million worldwide and won two Academy Awards, one for best animated feature and another for best original song, "Remember Me."

Disney CEO Bob Iger previously shared that a Coco sequel was in the works in March of last year.

Coco 2 is currently scheduled to hit theaters in November 2029.

The next time Kingdom Hearts is on your television screen, you might not be playing it as a video game but watching it as an anime TV series.

A slew of Disney-related movies and TV shows have been announced over the past 24 hours as part of D23, the company's annual fan event, which is currently taking place in Anaheim, California. Disney announced that an anime TV series based on the Kingdom Hearts video game franchise will debut soon on Disney+'s streaming platform and the Disney Channel.

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Kingdom Hearts is a massively popular video game series by Square Enix, the gaming developer behind hit franchises such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest. The series follows a young boy named Sora as he goes on adventures alongside Donald Duck and Goofy. Numerous Disney characters have recurring roles and make appearances throughout the game series, including Mickey Mouse and various Disney Villains.

SEE ALSO: Marvel unveils X-Men cast: Adam Driver, Inde Navarrette, and more set for May 2028 film

According to Disney, the anime series "reimagines the iconic adventure with a brand-new story that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world."

The show will be developed by Disney in partnership with video game creator Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix.

“Kingdom Hearts has captivated gamers everywhere with its unique blend of adventure and imagination,” said President of Disney Kids & Family Ayo Davis. “There’s something really exciting about taking a world fans have spent years exploring through the games and bringing it to life in a completely new way. And with a creative team that is working closely with the legendary Tetsuya Nomura, our new series will be unmistakably Kingdom Hearts, while giving fans a whole new way to experience the world they love.”

There was some Kingdom Hearts video game news at D23 as well, with the next installment in the series, Kingdom Hearts 4, receiving a "late 2027" release date. In an article posted on Disney's investor website right before the announcement, Disney unveiled that Kingdom Hearts is now a billion-dollar franchise.

Disney has not yet announced a timeline for the Kingdom Hearts anime TV series.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips 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 on to 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 with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, 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 August 15, 2026

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 August 15, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 15 Pips

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 15 Pips

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 15 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (16): Everything in this space must be greater than 16. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 4-0, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched baseball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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. The sports 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 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 before 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: No chips

• Green: Working at the country club

• Blue: Seen in KC

• Purple: Spelled like a W team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Teams to Never Win a World Series

• Green: Jobs at a Golf Course

• Blue: Kansas City Teams

• Purple: Anagrams of WNBA Teams

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 #691 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Teams to Never Win a World Series: BREWERS, MARINERS, PADRES, ROCKIES

• Jobs at a Golf Course: CADDIE, GREENSKEEPER, STARTER, SUPERINTENDENT

• Kansas City Teams: CHIEFS, CURRENT, ROYALS, SPORTING KC

• Anagrams of WNBA Teams: CASE, MADRE, RIFE, SWING

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

Marvel surprised the crowd at its D23 panel Friday night with new footage from Avengers: Doomsday, offering fans an exclusive look at the upcoming film.

In the clip, Sue Storm of the Fantastic Four tells the assembled Avengers that Victor Von Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) wasn't always the villain they're facing now, hinting that the character's turn followed the loss of everything he held dear, presumably including his wife and child. The footage cuts between close-ups of the ensemble cast as the moment lands.

The footage arrived just as Marvel unveiled the cast of its X-Men reboot, and the ensemble glimpsed in the Doomsday clip includes several of the franchise's Fox-era mutants, including Cyclops, Professor X, and Magneto.

The footage also delivers a jolt of action, showing RDJ's Doom shrug off a direct hit from Thor before summoning what appears to be a full army of Sentinels — the towering, mutant-hunting robots known for their flight capabilities and energy-blast attacks. Bad news for the good guys.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters Dec. 18, 2026.

SPOILER WARNING: This piece references plot details from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, including Sadie Sink's role in the film.

Marvel unveiled the cast of its long-awaited X-Men reboot at D23 on Friday night, assembling a notably younger ensemble than the mutant team audiences have known from two decades of Fox films.

Disney and Marvel revealed that the new lineup includes Sadie Sink (Stranger Things, The Whale) as Jean Grey, Kit Connor (Heart Stopper Forever, Elden Ring, Warfare) as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott (Wolfman, Girls, Sanctuary) as Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving (Ready or Not, Over Your Dead Body) as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette (Obsession) as Rogue, and Broadway performer Maya Boyd as Storm, with Adam Driver (Marriage Story, Girls, House of Gucci) joining as the villain Mr. Sinister.

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The cast appeared onstage alongside Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, with Driver joining via video. Feige said the actors had only just met backstage for the first time, and cautioned that the roster revealed Friday isn't the complete lineup. Driver, for his part, said he and Feige had discussed him joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe for years before they "found something perfect with characters I feel very deeply about."

SEE ALSO: Ryan Gosling to star in MCU's 'Ghost Rider' film

The younger cast marks a deliberate departure from the X-Men most audiences already know. A number of actors from the 2000s Fox films — including Patrick Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellen as Magneto, James Marsden as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, and Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler — are set to return this December in Avengers: Doomsday. Channing Tatum's variant of Gambit is also set to appear, with the character formally appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine after a decade of the purported film being stuck in developmental hell.

Notably absent from Friday's announcement was any casting for Wolverine, but Hugh Jackman did tease that he and Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool could appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

Some of the cast announcements have been known for a few weeks. Connor's role as Cyclops and Weaving's as Emma Frost had previously been reported, and the Hollywood Reporter had exclusively reported the prior week that Abbott was a strong contender for Professor X. Navarrette recently broke out in the summer hit Obsession, while Boyd is best known for leading the Broadway production of & Juliet.

The film is set for release on May 5, 2028.

SAVE $549: As of Aug. 15, the Anker Solix S2000 portable power station is down to $649.99 from $1,199 at Amazon — a 46% discount and one of its best prices yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix S2000 $649.99 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $549.01   Get Deal

Anker's Solix S2000 portable power station just dropped to one of its best prices yet.

It's on sale for $649.99 at Amazon — down from $1,199. A big selling point here is fridge backup — Anker says it'll keep your fridge running for 35 hours on a full charge. That's because the unit barely draws power while idle, so more of the battery goes toward keeping your food cold rather than being wasted.

The battery itself is an LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery, which means it's built to last longer than a typical lithium-ion battery. Anker rates it for 10,000 charge cycles, which works out to about 15 years of regular use before you'd need to think about replacing it.

SEE ALSO: I tried the Jackery FridgeGuard portable power station: It's both functional and pretty

Despite holding almost 2,000Wh of power, it's smaller and lighter than most power stations in this category, weighing under 36 pounds. It puts out 1,500W continuously (3,000W at peak), enough to run about 99% of typical home appliances, though that'll depend on exactly what you're plugging in.

You've got six ways to recharge it, including solar, a wall outlet, your car, or a generator, so you're not locked into one option. It's got eight outlets split between the front and back, keeping things easy to reach instead of crammed together, and if the power cuts out while you're working, it switches over in under 10 milliseconds, fast enough that you probably won't even notice.

Blackout-proof your kitchen while it's actually affordable. Grab the Anker Solix S2000 portable power station on Amazon before it returns to full price.

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in August 2026: Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get 6 months for $11.99/month Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

Whether you're looking to jump into the latest superhero saga or journey to a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ is the streaming service for you.

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more, Disney+ offers a library stuffed with shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained. With Disney+, you can watch Pixar's latest movie Hoppers, season two of X-Men '97, the upcoming third season of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and much more.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but you're unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. Right now, the streamer is offering six months of its ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle for only $11.99 per month (which renews at $12.99 per month after six months), or six months of its ad-free plan at $17.99 per month (which will return to $19.99 per month after the six-month promotional period).

SEE ALSO: Tom Holland and the 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' cast reveal what they'd forget with Doctor Strange's memory spell

There's also the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package, which is a great investment for those who already use the other two streaming services but want to cut costs. We've detailed all available bundle deals below, along with basic information on Disney+ plans if you just want the House of Mouse's service on its own.

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get 6 months of Disney+ and Hulu (With Ads) for $11.99/month, then $12.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

For those interested in the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, the streamer is offering deals on both its ad-supported and ad-free plans. For the plan with ads, new and eligible returning subscribers can lock in for six months at $11.99 per month before it returns to $12.99 per month. And if you're interested in going ad-free, the Premium plan is down to $17.99 per month for six months, then returns to $19.99 per month.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — $11.99 per month for six months, then $12.99 per month

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $17.99 per month for six months, then $19.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is one of the best available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, you can have three excellent streaming services right in the palm of your hand. The $19.99 per month option is for the With Ads plan, but if you'd prefer to watch your favorite content without ads, the No Ads plan costs $32.99 per month. Compared to what you'd pay for each of these on their own, you're saving 42% with the ad-supported plan and 41% with the ad-free plan.

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best ESPN bundle Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN to your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+."

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Best Disney+ monthly plans

Disney+ offers two standard plans if you just want the service on its own. The Disney+ ad-supported plan comes to $11.99 per month, while the ad-free Disney+ Premium plan will set you back $18.99 per month or $189.99 per year if you'd rather pay annually.

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $11.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium (No Ads) — $18.99 per month, $189.99 per year

Disney+ has also created an "extra member" plan for people using your account who live outside of your household, as they crack down on password sharing. If you're looking to add another person to your account, you're only allowed one extra profile and can choose from the following add-on plans:

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $6.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $10.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $11.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $14.99 per month

There's a wealth of shows and films to check out on Disney+ after you sign up. If you want some help finding something to watch, check out our roundups of the 12 best TV shows for adults on Disney+ and the 20 best movies on Disney+ to start building out your watchlist.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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 mistake.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SNAFU

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Ways information is relayed.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

MEDIA

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To destroy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 15, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BREAK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Like an apartment.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CONDO

Final Hurdle hint

An area without light

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

UNLIT

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

When Nobel Laureate John C. Mather used to give talks about the James Webb Space Telescope, he would often use an impressive analogy — that the observatory was so sensitive, it could detect the heat of a bumblebee as far away as the moon.

That's because Webb, a collaboration of NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, was built to detect the faintest, most ancient light in the universe — galaxies and stars that formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

But there's an irony to having the world's most powerful infrared telescope in space: While Webb is exceptional at seeing unfathomably distant things, it struggles to take pictures of objects in our own cosmic backyard, like Mars and Saturn.

Because the planets in our solar system are so bright, they flood the telescope's sensors with more light than they can handle. To get these shots, astronomers have had to use dark filters — akin to wearing solar eclipse glasses — to avoid blinding the camera.

Now, telescope operators have a workaround, and it doesn't require astronauts visiting the spacecraft a million miles away for maintenance. Instead, engineers are sending a software update from the ground that will let Webb photograph bright planets without throwing away useful data.

SEE ALSO: New space object masquerades as a star the size of our solar system

The new readout method, called "superstripe," should allow Webb to safely photograph targets that are 100 or more times brighter than it could handle before, said Bryan Holler, a scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

Even Holler, who took Jupiter photos with Webb in 2022, admits those first images were a blurry mess. That's because the camera took several seconds to read the whole image while the planet's fast‑moving clouds shifted. Those test images were intended to assess how much unwanted stray light Webb would see as Jupiter moved onto the camera detector.

Left: Early images of Jupiter and its moon Europa were blurry and overexposed, highlighting the James Webb Space Telescope's challenges taking images of bright solar system objects. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / B. Holler / J. Stansberry Right: Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / B. Holler / J. Stansberry

Webb later produced more photogenic Jupiter images by using shorter exposures and more selective settings. 

"The nicer Jupiter images that are out there from people who really know how to do image processing, they were able to actually deblur some of those images using the data," Holler told Mashable.

But sharpening software can't rescue light that was never recorded in the first place. Until now, scientists have tried to solve the problem by cropping the camera's view down to a tiny box to limit the incoming light. The new superstripe technique is an upgrade: Instead of taking one picture, the camera scans the planet in thin slices, stealing many rapid glances.

Because the camera captures each individual slice in a fraction of a second, it doesn't get dazzled by the glare. Plus, the quick snaps mean there's little time for changes in extraterrestrial storms or auroras to blur the shot. Afterward, the software stitches the slices together into a single crisp picture.

Although Webb wasn't built to look at our solar system, many astronomers are eager to use it to study nearby worlds anyway. Webb's biggest advantage is its location: It can look out into the cosmos without Earth's air getting in the way.

Advanced sharpening software can vastly improve Webb's bright and blurry solar-system pictures, but image processing can't recuperate light that was never recorded. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Ricardo Hueso / Imke de Pater / Thierry Fouchet / Leigh Fletcher / Michael Wong / Joseph DePasquale

"A lot of that tends to come back to this pesky atmosphere," Holler said. "It's fine for breathing and everything, but when you really want to study surfaces or atmospheres, you have to leave [our] atmosphere."

Even giant telescopes on the ground have trouble seeing through Earth’s blanket of air, which absorbs certain types of light before they can reach the telescopes’ lenses.

Researchers say this new software could open the door to new discoveries. The stripe-style camera trick could catch rare moments, like when a giant planet, one of its moons, or even its rings briefly block a background star, giving scientists cleaner measurements of their sizes and atmospheres.

It will also allow astronomers to observe exoplanets orbiting ultra-bright stars outside our solar system, such as 55 Cancri e, a scorching-hot lava world 41 light-years away.

The superstripe readout capability is scheduled to roll out with Webb's next observing cycle, which begins next July. For the rest of us, just sit back and relax: Sharper views of our own cosmic neighbors are on the way.

Over the past few years, Prime Video has become the ultimate destination for young adult and new adult shows.

The Summer I Turned Pretty whipped the world into a frenzy over the Team Conrad versus Team Jeremiah debate. Maxton Hall served up swoon-worthy enemies-to-lovers angst. Off Campus proved an irresistible addition to TV's hottest new subgenre: hockey romance.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Aug. 14, 2026)

These shows and more — We Were Liars, Elle, Every Year After — are all part of Prime's push to court Gen Z. Its latest hit, Sterling Point, is no exception. Created by Megan Park, the director of exceptional coming-of-age films The Fallout and My Old Ass, the series is another entry in Prime's robust YA library. It's also its most refreshing standout.

Sterling Point follows New York teen Annie (Ella Rubin) as she visits the Canadian island she and her twin brother Connor (Keen Ruffalo) inherited from the grandfather they never knew. Plot-wise, the show doesn't reinvent the wheel. In fact, it has quite a few elements in common with several other Prime YA hits. The Canadian lake setting of Every Year After. The family secrets of We Were Liars. The love triangle of The Summer I Turned Pretty. The class divide of Maxton Hall. Many of these are standard teen drama tropes, and Sterling Point isn't afraid to dig into others: magical summers, messy birthdays, grief over losing loved ones. Yet despite this familiarity, Sterling Point manages to set itself apart, and in doing so becomes Prime's most exceptional teen drama.

For starters, Sterling Point is a completely original entry in Prime's adaptation-heavy slate. Unlike The Summer I Turned Pretty, Maxton Hall, Off Campus, Every Year After, and We Were Liars, it's not based on a book series. And unlike Legally Blonde prequel Elle, or the cancelled Cruel Intentions, it has no ties to prior films.

SEE ALSO: I would like 'Elle' better if it wasn't a 'Legally Blonde' prequel

This is not a knock against adaptations. YA novels, especially YA romances, have huge audiences who deserve to see their beloved stories leap off the page. That kind of built-in fandom is also a TV network's dream, so no wonder Prime is pursuing adaptations in such intense fashion. (Other streamers have pulled similar moves: Netflix with My Life with the Walter Boys, Forever, and the now-concluded Heartstopper, and Hulu with the now-concluded Tell Me Lies.)

However, like any good TV lineup, Prime's younger-skewing collection needs variety. That means original shows to balance out its host of adaptations. Benito Skinner's college-set Overcompensating fills this niche on the comedy front, but on the teen drama front, Prime has yet to find that kind of success with an original. (It canceled 2025 teen drama original Motorheads after just one season.) Sterling Point, which took the number one spot on Prime Video's chart and which has generated huge buzz across social media, may very well be the Prime YA original with staying power.

Sterling Point's status as an original already makes it a major outlier in Prime's teen drama catalog. But what truly sets it apart is its tone, which remains grounded and naturalistic even as its story takes its fair share of soapy turns.

Of Prime's teen dramas, Sterling Point is the first one I watched that genuinely captures how young people talk. Other offerings like The Summer I Turned Pretty or We Were Liars have more affected dialogue, with voiceovers often narrating directly from the book. The effect is one of glossy drama, but Sterling Point strips the gloss away in favor of natural pauses and overlapping dialogue. Characters ramble and apologize for rambling. They interrupt one another and apologize for that, too. Nothing feels like a mimicry of conversation: It just is conversation. That even extends to Sterling Point's occasional use of slang, which avoids the trap of feeling forced. At one point, Connor calls a plate of spaghetti "gas," and the moment is as lived-in as it is silly.

That same natural feeling is present across Park's prior projects. The former star of a teen drama herself, having appeared in The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Park has emphasized the importance of writing dialogue that sounds like a teen would actually say it. She also encouraged the actors to improvise, creating a sense of messy realness that highlights the strengths of her young cast. Several exchanges feel drawn from a mumblecore movie, which only feels fitting given that Jay Duplass — a key figure of the mumblecore genre, along with his brother Mark — stars as Annie and Connor's father.

The majority of Prime's YA series offer up lovely fantasies of romance and self-discovery, and Sterling Point certainly indulges in these fantasies as well. But its dialogue makes them feel more down-to-earth, all without ever diminishing the big life changes its characters are experiencing. It's a show that manages to have that timeless teen drama quality, earning comparisons to classics like Dawson's Creek and The O.C. in a way that Prime's flashier YA shows haven't. Yet even though it boasts a throwback quality (the lack of phone service around Sterling Point helps), it remains rooted in the now. Thanks to that, out of all Prime's moves to woo Gen Z, Sterling Point is the series that's closest to actually getting them right.

Sterling Point is now streaming on Prime Video.

TL;DR: Pay $69.97 once for lifetime access to 1min.AI’s all-in-one business platform — but only through Aug. 16.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $69.97
$540 Save $470.03   Get Deal

AI subscriptions aren’t cheap, but it’s manageable if you only use one model like ChatGPT. However, if you need tools for generating images, writing copy, analyzing documents, or translating between languages, a platform like 1min.AI is a more viable option. 

1min.AI gives you lifetime access to some of the most popular AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral, and many others. It’s also only $69.97 for a lifetime subscription right now (reg. $540).

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

1min.AI runs in your browser and pulls a ton of everyday work into one place. You can research keywords, draft blog posts, rewrite and shorten text, generate social posts, and keep a consistent brand voice across projects.

There are tools to summarize or translate documents, chat with multiple PDFs at once, and spin up slide presentations. For visuals, you can generate images from prompts, upscale low-resolution pictures, remove backgrounds, extend edges, or turn rough sketches into cleaner artwork.

Here’s a small sample of the AI models you’ll get access to:

• GPT-5.5 Pro

• Claude 4.1 Opus and Claude 4.5 Sonnet

• Gemini 3.1 Pro

• Llama 3

• Mistral models

The Advanced Business Plan includes 4,000,000 credits each month, plus the chance to earn up to 450,000 more through daily logins and other tasks. Credits are shared across writing, images, audio, and video, so you can lean harder on whichever tools you need that month.

The plan supports up to 20 members, with shared workspaces, an unlimited prompt library, unlimited storage, and unlimited brand voices. If you don’t use all your credits, they just roll over, so you aren’t missing out if you have a lighter month.

It’s currently only $69.97 to get a 1min.AI lifetime subscription, but only if you order through Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Serie A for free on SportyNet. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

What do you look for when watching elite football? Do you need the speed and physicality of the Premier League? Do you yearn for the technical ability of La Liga? Or perhaps you love spotting young talent in Ligue 1?

If you are passionate about tactical discipline and defensive organization, Serie A is the league for you. Some of the world's best players have competed in this competition, including Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Paolo Maldini. The league isn't the powerhouse that it once was, but it still offers fascinating matchups week after week.

If you want to watch Serie A for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is Serie A?

Serie A is a professional football league in Italy and the highest level of the Italian football league system. The league is contested by 20 clubs, with each team playing 38 fixtures. Serie A is home to some of football's most successful clubs, including Juventus, Napoli, Inter Milan, and AC Milan.

The defending champions are Inter Milan.

When is Serie A?

The 2026-27 Serie A season will start on Aug. 22. The season will end on May 30.

How to watch Serie A for free

Select Serie A fixtures are available to live stream for free on SportyNet.

SportyNet is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of Serie A from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of Serie A by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 Brazil

4. Visit SportyNet

5. Watch Serie A fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 Serie A without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Serie A?

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 Brazil

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 80% 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 $12.99 (with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream Serie A for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Get 5 years of flowkey Classic for $67.99 (reg. $899) through Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Flowkey flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription) $67.99
$899 Save $831.01   Get Deal

If learning piano is one of those goals that keeps getting pushed to the bottom of your “things I want to do” list, flowkey offers a way to practice without committing to a traditional lesson schedule. Flowkey’s interactive piano learning platform combines guided courses with songs you can learn at your own pace, and a five-year Classic subscription is currently $67.99 (reg. $899) through Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The app listens as you play and provides real-time feedback on your notes and chords, helping you catch mistakes as you practice. Its Wait Mode can pause your progress until you hit the correct notes, while slow-motion playback and looping let you spend extra time on difficult passages. You can also practice each hand separately and follow synchronized sheet music while watching video lessons from professional pianists.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The song library includes more than 1,000 classical and public-domain pieces, with music from composers including Bach, Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven, Mozart and Liszt. Arrangements are available across beginner, intermediate, advanced, and pro levels, so you can choose versions that match your current abilities rather than jumping straight into something that’s above your skill level.

Aside from individual songs, flowkey Classic includes courses covering music theory, chords, sheet music and foundational techniques such as hand positioning, playing with both hands and basic rhythms. The subscription works across laptops, phones, and tablets, and the platform is available in 11 languages!

This deal is worth a look if you’re more interested in building a consistent piano habit rather than squeezing in lessons through a short trial period. Whether you’re starting from scratch or getting back to an instrument you haven’t played in years, the five-year subscription gives you the time you need to learn lessons and songs at your own pace.

For a limited time, flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan is available for $67.99 (reg. $899) through Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Pay $39.97 for a 5-year AdGuard VPN subscription and lifetime access to the AdGuard Family Plan (reg. $439.39) — but only through August 16.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard VPN + Ad Blocker Family Security Suite $39.97
$439.39 Save $399.42   Get Deal

Nobody wakes up excited to manage another digital subscription. This AdGuard bundle offers a simpler setup: Pay $39.97 once for five years of AdGuard VPN and lifetime access to the AdGuard Family Plan. Regularly $439.39, the bundle is available at this price for just one more day.

AdGuard VPN encrypts your internet connection to help keep browsing activity and transferred data more private, particularly when using unfamiliar networks. Its zero-logging policy means the service says it does not collect browsing activity or internet traffic.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The VPN supports up to 10 simultaneous device connections, making it practical for a household with phones, tablets, and computers. Subscribers receive unlimited data and access to servers across more than 60 locations, with apps available for major platforms, including iOS and Android.

The second half of the bundle tackles everyday browsing clutter. AdGuard blocks banners, pop-ups, video ads, and other interruptions while helping limit tracking by activity analyzers. It also warns against potentially harmful or phishing websites.

Parents can use the included controls to restrict access to inappropriate content, while the family license extends coverage across multiple personal devices. That combination can make browsing cleaner for adults and more manageable for children without piecing together several separate tools.

Order through Aug. 16 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get this AdGuard VPN and Ad Blocker bundle for just $39.97 (reg. $439.39).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

Waking up in a stranger's moving vehicle is anybody's idea of a nightmare, and it's exactly how we meet Lena (Dakota Gorman) in Hellcat. But it's not where we leave her.

Writer/director Brock Bodell's feature film debut careens through 90 minutes of nail-biting threats, leading to a wild conclusion that will have you howling. The spoiler of it all has had critics finding ways to describe the film without giving anything away.

"Over and over, critics danced around the secret at the heart of the film, but none would reveal it," Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko writes in her spoiler-free review. "Now, having seen Hellcat, I understand not only the secret it keeps but also why my friends and colleagues kept mum."

SEE ALSO: 'Hellcat' review: Abduction horror gets sensationally hairy

But now, the film is out on Shudder, and we can talk about it. What happens at the end of Hellcat, and what does it all mean? We recommend watching the film first, then coming back here for the analysis. Because major spoilers ahead.

What is Hellcat about? Dakota Gorman as Lena in "Hellcat." Credit: Shudder

In a truly horrific scenario, Nashville woman Lena finds herself trapped in the trailer of a man who introduces himself — through an intercom embedded in a taxidermied coyote head — as Clive (Todd Terry).

"You've been infected," Clive says, and he's right. Lena has a wound on her upper arm, and from it spreads black veins indicating infection. He insists he's a "good" and "honest man" who found Lena wounded at her campsite, bandaged her wounds, and confined her in his trailer. Lena doesn't remember what brought her to this place, so all she has to go on is Clive's narrative and what she finds in the camper.

Featured Video For You Willem Dafoe talks 'Late Fame' and how he approached his viral photo shoot

Investigating her moving prison, Lena finds raw, bloody meat and syringes full of sedative in the fridge. She discovers a locked room fitted out with a blood-stained bed, thick shackles, and bars on the windows, and in the bed is another woman (Liz Atwater). Every last awful discovery suggests Clive to be a sadistic villain.

SEE ALSO: 'Hellcat' clip gives a creepy clue about the movie's spooky secret Who is the other woman in Clive's trailer? Liz Atwater as Holly in "Hellcat." Credit: Shudder

Early on while she's exploring the trailer, Lena finds a photo of a woman holding a little girl. Through the intercom, Clive reveals that's his wife and their daughter, Holly. It's Holly who was locked up in the back, though Lena won't realize this until the final act. What Clive tells her is that his daughter was "attacked" when she was at college. "She don't see eye to eye with her old man these days," he says. "Things just… changed between us."

This reflects Lena's strained relationship with her own father, who doesn't know how to talk to her after the passing of her mom. But the bigger change between Clive and Holly is that the latter is a werewolf. After she was bitten in college, her dad began locking her up and sedating her during full moons to keep her from hurting herself or anyone else. When he failed and Lena got bit, he abducted her too. And he doesn't tell Lena the truth about Holly, because he's trying to protect his daughter above all else.

However, as Holly is moved from the rolling prison to the passenger seat of her father's pick-up truck, she pushes back against his plan. She says, "I know you want to help, but it can't be this way."

What's Clive's plan? "Hide the silver." Credit: Shudder

Knowing the infection spreads fast, Clive is headed to a specialist, one Dr. Jancowski, who is "the top research physician at Stanford, who lost his license because some Berkley nutjobs didn't like him testing on animals." They've been driving for four hours across Tennessee, from Nashville to Knoxville, where Dr. Jancowski is said to be a veterinarian at the dinner show at amusement park Golly World, and their only hope of helping Lena. Clive insists, "He's as legit as they come."

Clive is a big believer in cryptids and the paranormal. His camper is littered with such literature, including Celestial Delights sci-fi comics, books on alien abductions, and a book on werewolves titled The Bite That Drips, written by Jasper Deville. He's even self-published his own book, Transformance, which Lena also finds in the trailer. So, when seeking some advice after Lena bites Clive, he turns to an expert, calling to Deville's (James Austin Johnson) midnight radio show, We’re Out There.

This is how Clive first heard about Dr. Jancowski. But when he tells Deville, "I've got a were," the broadcaster's confident on-air persona shudders. And unfortunately for Clive, the host breaks the news to him off-air that Dr. Jancowski is fictional. "I kind of thought you knew what we were all doing here," Deville says. "This ain't exactly NPR."

Before the show's over, a new threat enters in the form of another caller, who claims he's spotted Clive's trailer on the road and recommends to Lena "hide the silver."

What happens at the end of Hellcat? Hold onto something, Lena. Credit: Shudder

Urged by Holly, Clive lets Lena loose in the middle of nowhere. There, she flags down a cop (Jordan Mullins) and asks for a ride to the hospital. However, the officer's intentions are far from noble. He soon reveals he’s the creepy caller from the radio show — and he’s a big fan of Clive's writing on werewolves, showing Lena his own copy of Transformance.

The cop calls into We're Out There, announcing he's "got the were in my cruiser" and is "going to take care of this." Clive, of course, is tuning into his favourite show at this very moment, which is convenient for Lena, as her former captor becomes her only hope. When Clive and Holly catch up to the cop, a battle ensues. Lena escapes the cruiser, Clive is shot, and the cop is killed.

It's not over though, as the full moon rises, and Clive guides Lena through sudden, blood-boiling labour. It’s pure horror, cut with shots of the full moon, as Lena gives birth to a tiny little werewolf. It seems the infection impacted her unborn child, not Lena.

Lena and Clive have a moment, in which he explains he "didn’t mean to scare" her, before passing out, in what looks like his final breath. With her baby in her arms, she wanders back to the road, where Holly pulls up in her dad's truck.

Forming an unlikely little were-family of three, Lena, Holly, and the cub have "no earthly idea" where they’re going. We’re left to watch them drive away, with only the trailer’s license plate, "HELLCAT," to reflect on.

Is Clive dead? Or...

But hark! What's this? Hellcat cuts to Clive, sitting by the lake in the morning light, seemingly sleeping instead of dead. We hear the sounds of a ukulele, crashing waves, and happy giggling, the sound of a memory perhaps. And it's interrupted by a horrible gasp, like a monstrous awakening.

Earlier in the film, Lena managed to bite him in an attempt to escape. Since then, Clive has feared that might turn him too. Does this final gasp mean not only that Clive is not dead but also that he and Holly now have something more in common?

We'll keep an eye out for confirmation, or at least news of Hellcat 2.

Hellcat is now streaming on Shudder.

If it wasn't already obvious from politics and entertainment, the Baby Boomers, born between the years 1948 and 1964, aren't ready to go quietly into retirement or give up the pursuits of youth. In fact, many of them are rekindling their romantic flames: a whopping 20 percent of them have tried dating apps, according to Pew research, and they spend just under 40 minutes a day testing their luck like the rest of us.

Don't expect to find the Baby Boomers on Tinder, though. For long-term dating, the Boomers are more likely to use age-appropriate dating services like OurTime or SeniorMatch, or larger, more general-purpose dating sites like eharmony, according to Axios. 

But there's an entire cohort of older daters who aren't focused on the search for a long-term partner but still want to connect, and they're increasingly doing so on retro dating directories like AdultFriendFinder. 

Opens in a new window Credit: AFF AdultFriendFinder   Learn More

Here's why these services are winning back the Boomers:

No swiping games

Senior citizens aren't immune to swipe fatigue. In fact, according to research by Forbes Health, roughly 69 percent of Baby Boomers are experiencing app burnout, with the primary reason given being "inability to find a good partner." 

But what happens when you ditch the swiping mechanic entirely? The AdultFriendFinder experience doesn't rely on a matchmaking system, even though it does offer one as well. Instead, AdultFriendFinder creates organic communities in chat rooms, discussion boards, story comment sections, and webcam rooms, where you can initiate a conversation with someone who catches your eye or impresses you with their writing, or you can be the one attracting others.

For Boomers tired of endlessly swiping with minimal results, retro dating directories are a phenomenal alternative.

Large Boomer representation

Dating sites and apps typically cater to a younger crowd, for the obvious reason that younger people are more likely to be single, but that can make life tough for older daters looking to match with people in their age range or generation. 

Retro dating directories like AdultFriendFinder, which has been around since 1996, when the youngest Boomers were in their early 30s, have managed to retain or recapture a larger cohort of older singles, which means you'll actually get results when you set your age filter to 55+, especially if you live in a city.

AdultFriendFinder has been tight-lipped about its exact user demographics, but my current Online Now page gives a good representation of what you can expect to find in a large metropolitan area in North America: out of 12 featured profiles, six are over the age of 40, four are over the age of 50 and two are over the age of 60. 

Bare naked honesty

One major gripe about dating apps, across all age groups, is how difficult it is to accurately assess other people's intentions. In a landmark article from earlier this year titled "Dating Burnout: Why the Apps Exhausted Everyone," the authors identified "evaluation labor" as a major causal factor. Does the person you're talking to really like you? Do they really want "something serious" or are they secretly chasing something casual?

If you've spent any time on Hinge, Bumble, or any of the popular dating sites like eharmony or PlentyOfFish, you know that this kind of questioning is pretty much unavoidable in these contexts. People aren't always fully honest about their intentions, or, even worse, they don't always know what they want. 

But AdultFriendFinder is a major exception. On this platform, people feel free to be totally transparent, so much so that it's entirely common to come across full frontal nudity in profile photos, or extensive lists of kinks and turn-ons. And for the generation that basically invented the Summer of Love and letting your freak flag fly, there's a lot of appeal in this naked honesty. 

Paid memberships filter out unserious daters & bots

The free dating apps definitely have a lot to recommend them, but there's a sneaky benefit to using a paid dating service like AdultFriendFinder: it's easier to filter out fake accounts or unserious daters. 

Sure, it's free to create an AFF account, but if you actually want to talk to people one-on-one, you need to upgrade to a paid subscription, and that extra step filters out a lot of half-committed daters or would-be scammers. And considering approximately one in six Boomers has fallen victim to an online romance scam, this built-in filter adds some serious peace of mind.

In the end, the Baby Boomers are just as susceptible to swipe fatigue as the rest of us, and they're actively looking for a more community-based approach to online dating.