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TL;DR: Iniu has launched its all-new Rugged 10,000mAh Power Bank for $54.99 on Amazon, with an exclusive $49.99 introductory price on the Forest Camo version at Target. It packs 45W fast charging, dual USB-C ports, IP67 waterproofing, and built-in emergency lighting into a trail-ready 6.9-ounce frame.

Opens in a new window Credit: Iniu Iniu Outdoor Rugged 10,000mAh Portable Charger $54.99 at Amazon
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Portable chargers are great until you get caught in an unexpected downpour or find out the hard way that dust ruined your charging port.

Iniu has debuted its Rugged 10,000mAh Power Bank, built specifically for day hikes, cycling routes, and weekend camping trips. This trail battery cranks out 45W fast charging from a lightweight 6.9-ounce shell wrapped in thick silicone armor.

It carries an IP67 dustproof and waterproof rating to survive full submersion and muddy campsites, plus military-grade drop protection for falls up to 3.9 feet. A sealed rubber flap keeps grit out of the dual USB-C ports, which deliver enough juice to give an iPhone 17 roughly 1.7 charges.

What makes this power bank practical on a trail is how effortlessly you can mount it to your gear. It comes with a detachable carabiner so you can clip it onto your backpack straps for easy access on steep climbs. If you are on a bike, there is an integrated 1/4"-20 tripod thread built into the frame, letting you screw the battery straight onto handlebar mounts to feed continuous power to a GPS unit or bike light during long rides.

Credit: Iniu Credit: Iniu

Iniu also tossed in an integrated emergency LED flashlight on the side with three distinct settings: a steady white beam for searching inside your tent, a steady red light to preserve your night vision, and a flashing red beacon for emergency signaling.

Snag the Iniu Rugged 10,000mAh power bank and upgrade your next hike with reliable, trail-tested power.

If you grew up in Spain or know your arts, you'll likely know Federico García Lorca. If not, be seated. The iconic, Granada-born 20th century poet and playwright — a friend of Salvador Dalí, and a gay man — lived during the Spanish Civil War, a time when political violence was rife and queerness was persecuted. 

Lorca began writing the play La Bola Negra in 1936, the first year of the war between Republicans and Franco's fascist Nationalists — and the same year he was murdered by the latter. And it's this piece of unfinished theatre that lies at the heart of Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi's extraordinary 2026 film, a magnificent epic that draws threads between Lorca's work and the Spanish men connected to it. 

SEE ALSO: 'Behemoth!' review: Pedro Pascal's cellist drama is (mostly) music to our ears

It's a devastating film that will leave you heartbroken, for sure, but it's a vital, transcendent experience. With exemplary performances, transfixing cinematography, and a non-linear narrative fuelled by a family mystery, La Bola Negra brings lost pages of queer, literary, and political history to life. And we won't be forgetting that musical appearance from Penélope Cruz anytime soon, either.

La Bola Negra humanises history, drawing threads from the Spanish Civil War to the present.

A film of three contexts, La Bola Negra connects gay men across time within Spain: Carlos in 1932, Sebastián in 1937, and Alberto in 2017. Here, Calvo and Ambrossi, with fellow screenwriter Alberto Conejero, run parallel to Mascha Schilinski's Sound of Falling, with both films weaving a complex tapestry of characters across time. But here, thanks to editor Alberto Gutiérrez, these men's stories are directly connected, and it's the puzzle of the film to bring them together.

We first meet Sebastián (an exceptional debut from Álvaro Lafuente Calvo, aka musician Guitarricadelafuente), who is forced into the Nationalist army. We meet this gentle trumpet player in a shocking opening scene in which his northern Spanish village in Cantabria is destroyed by Italian forces. It's a sequence visually reminiscent of Pablo Picasso's 1937 masterpiece Guernica, the nearby site of similarly devastating Civil War violence (and painted in the same year as Sebastián's storyline). Horses run in terror, homes burn, children mourn slain mothers, and soldiers surround the village, as Raül Refree's haunting choral score sounds.

Forced into the ranks of fascists, Sebastián is assigned to a Nationalist army hospital near key battleground Santander, where truckloads of wounded bodies arrive daily, very few alive. He's ordered to guard injured Republican lieutenant colonel Rafael Rodríguez Rapún (a wonderful Miguel Bernardeau), a prisoner of war peeled from the pile. No hate in his heart, Sebastián feels drawn to this beautiful stranger, supposedly the enemy. As for Rafael, he holds the key to the whole triptych, the heart of La Bola Negra itself.

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Second, we meet the young Carlos (talented newcomer Milo Quifes) in pre-war Granada, rejected from an aristocratic casino because of his homosexuality. Third, with a rattling cut to modern smartphone technology, we meet Alberto (an excellent Carlos González) in the near-present, a historian and playwright whose casual Grindr dalliances are interrupted by an unexpected family inheritance. Such a mystery sends him on a quest into the past — and into uneasy conversations with his chaotic mother (a flawless Lola Dueñas). 

How these three storylines connect is the true magic of La Bola Negra, with each tale shedding light on the other, and building a powerful portrait of queer identity across decades.

La Bola Negra weaves queer desire through decades.

Like Glenn Close's historian character in the film (she's in it!), La Bola Negra is more concerned with the people between the historical events, especially those of the LGBTQ community, existing surrounded by violent heteronormativity and political chaos. Each storyline simmers in the Spanish heat, with all three mainly set in the height of summer in Granada, Santander, and Madrid.

A profound, steamy connection in the aftermath of violence, the forbidden love story between Sebastián and Rafael simmers with longing, melancholy, and inevitability, with director of photography Gris Jordana exquisitely crafting a glimmer of desire in a hopeless place. In the film's sparkling musical highlight, a dazzling Penélope Cruz plays Nené Romero, a cupletista who performs for the rowdy Nationalist troops and opens Sebastián's perspective to the queer experience. (This performance feels deeply linked to Marlene Dietrich's performance in Witness for the Prosecution as the military crowd grows more and more aggressive). 

In Granada, the socially rejected Carlos finds solace with fellow outcasts in sweaty tavernas with his friends, the openly queer Lorenzo (Mario Silva) and painfully tempting Enrique (Hugo Welzel). And in the 2010s, Alberto's queerness is inextricable from his everyday existence, living a full life in Madrid with his beloved Juan Pablo (a wonderful appearance from Problemista's Julio Torres), a historian hesitant to investigate his own story.

And while you're figuring out the connection between all three storylines, and surviving the tragedies within them, the film thrives from some of the most jaw-dropping production design you'll see onscreen.

La Bola Negra boasts exquisite historical (and surreal) production design.

Giving you a complicated glimpse into Spain during the Civil War, art director Roger Bellés and costume designer Ana López Cobos have crafted something truly staggering — particularly within the two storylines set in the 1930s. The bloody halls of wartime in Sebastián's narrative are set against cocktail-abundant Granadan casino parlors in Carlos' story, the spilt blood and festering wounds of the army hospital contrasting with pure pre-war decadence. The film also plays with surrealism through some stunning sequences, particularly in Carlos' storyline.

And beneath all of this, Lorca's poetry and prose burns, the inspiration for such an ambitious triptych. In La Bola Negra, Calvo and Ambrossi not only pay tribute to the Spanish icon, but examine common threads through queer history, ask important questions of inheritance and secrets, and craft a love story so real and devastating you'll be unlikely to forget it. It's probably best expressed by Lorca himself, who makes an appearance in the film courtesy of the magnetic Alberto Cortés. "This country has too many love stories buried in the fields," he says of Spain, but really, you could be anywhere. 

La Bola Negra was reviewed out of BFI London Film Festival. It will open in NYC and L.A. on Oct. 16.

Jordan Firstman has forged his reputation in comedy with a spiky and unapologetically queer sense of humor, as seen in his writing for Search Party, and his performances in Sebastián Silva's dark comedy Rotting in the Sun, and Rachel Sennott's chic satire I Love LA. Firstman stays strongly on brand with his directorial debut, Club Kid. But this New York City story is also a hopeful fairy tale about growing up and getting your shit together. 

Smartly cast and full of energy, Club Kid is a feel-good movie that doesn't fall into the trap of being overly sentimental. It's far less broad that Big Daddy, Mr. Mom, or Three Men and a Baby, and exponentially more queer. But reflective of the film itself, it's the throbbing heart at its core that suggests Firstman's perspective is growing as his hero is. 

Club Kid is a comedy for the fuck-ups. Jordan Firstman and Reggie Absolom co-star in "Club Kid." Credit: A24

Imagine someone made a movie about your messiest friend. And if you are that friend, brace yourself to be seen. (We listen, and we do judge a little!) 

Written, helmed, and starring Firstman, Club Kid centers on Peter Green, a flailing party promoter who's spent the last decade or so doing hard drugs, staying out all night, and hooking up with untold men in Manhattan (and perhaps some of the cooler outer boroughs). 

Now in his thirties, this lifestyle isn't as cute as it used to be. Crashing on his couch is Nicky (Eldar Isgandarov), a surly twink who fancies himself a "low-key philosopher." Thrashing his business is his inability to resist the coke and ketamine that he's selling on the side of party planning. Showing up sloppy high to a sales meeting puts him on the outs with his ferocious business partner (Cara Delevingne), who feels smugly superior for being able to handle a bump before lunch. 

It's into all this chaos that Arlo (Reggie Absolom) is dropped. Kirby Howell-Baptiste, in an explosion of British party girl charisma and comedic outrageousness, turns up as Edison, who drops a bomb with a smile. Ten-year-old Arlo is Peter's son, spawned from a forgotten threesome a decade ago. His mom, a Brit he knew as "Innit babes," went back to London, had the kid, got abused by her boyfriend, and ultimately died by suicide. So, Edison reasons, Arlo belongs to his bio dad now. 

Peter is so bad at adulting he can't even begin to make sense of this. But he does give the kid a place to stay and begins to grow attached. They bond over music. And being raised by a mom addicted to the party scene, Arlo is familiar with Peter's world in some vague way, and so quickly wins over a clutch of overgrown club kids, including a beguiling trans DJ called Saffron (Saturn Risin9). 

Meanwhile, Peter sees himself in a new light through Arlo's eyes. Could he be more than a dealer and an aging addict? Could he be a responsible dad? Could he abstain from casual sex and hard partying and settle into a loving relationship with Arlo's therapist (Diego Calva)? Club Kid paves a path where this could be possible, but not without some logical bumps along the way. 

Club Kid shows Firstman has a distinctive vision as a director.  Jordan Firstman directs "Club Kid." Credit: A24

As you might expect of a New York City-set movie premiering at NYFF, Club Kid depicts the city with an authentic intimacy. For starters, the film begins inside an Uber, where the stoic driver (Jamil Zraikat) speaks gently on the phone in a foreign language, before his car is overrun with tweaking club kids who crank up house music and sing along, while their bodies shimmy in feathers, sequins, sweat, and glitter.  

Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra follows Peter from the cab into a club, where the lights are a bleeding purple neon, and the music blares so loud the theatrical audience might be tempted to cover their ears. Yet, it's clear from Firstman's onscreen thrall that Peter feels at home in this cacophony. Later, after Arlo becomes part of his life, the lights are red, blurring more features, and the handheld camera that once expressed enthusiasm turns panicked. A strobe light that bursts white in a relentless pulse throws the audience into a desperate search to make out what's on screen, reflecting Peter's panic as he seeks a missing Arlo. 

In calmer moments, the static camera captures everyday New York events with awe, like flipping through the bins of a vintage record shop, chatting on a park bench with a friend, or moving a gifted piano up an unwelcoming staircase. The use of 35mm enhances the romance of the city, imbuing each frame with the familiar grain distortion many generations still associate with cinema. Firstman and Newport-Berra create a terrific balance of the beauty and unpredictability of New York. So, when Arlo speaks simply of his affection for the city, there's a flush of comfort in knowing he gets it. 

Club Kid is brilliantly cast.  Jordan Firstman writes, directs, and stars in "Club Kid." Credit: A24

First up, Firstman wrote a role for himself that's strategic and well-suited. He gets to deliver the kind of snarky jokes his fans might expect. But then, the plot probes deeper, giving him the chance to earnestly portray vulnerability, worry, adoration, and desperation. This is not a vanity project, as Peter is a bit of a clown. 

Beyond him, casting director Carmen Cuba has selected a superb array of supporting players to build out Peter's chosen family. Delevingne, who has her own reputation as an eccentric socialite, strides smoothly into the role of a party monster. Howell-Baptiste is a one-woman show as the human tornado that is Edison, beaming and enchanting while delivering darkly hilarious dialogue. Risin9 is a standout in the party posse, radiant, warm, and mischievous, like that cool cousin we all aspired to be. Isgandarov is terrific as Nicky, swiftly capturing a familiar queer archetype, then plunging in with jubilant spontaneity. He's perfectly paired with Colleen Camp (Clue), who plays Peter's downstairs neighbor Evelyn, a kind of chosen godmother who has money, scads of style, and a big heart exploding with tough love. 

And then there's Arlo. Absolom, who some might recognize from The Other Bennet Sister, is simply terrific. He offers a open stare that comes off not as naive but knowing. And in that, there's a bit of tragedy. But this child is fueled by hope, hope that tomorrow will be better than the yesterday he's seen. He hopes Peter can be his real dad. He hopes he can weave himself into the club scene, in part because he has a true love of it from his mom's influence, and in part — it seems — so he can ingratiate himself to his newly revealed father. In moments of tension, you see this façade of maturity crack as Absolom and Firstman make sure the audience sees past the precociousness to the simple truth: He's just a kid. He needs a security that he's never known. And the film grows slower and more meditative as Peter grapples with what that means. 

In the end, Club Kid gives an ending that is happy and earned. Firstman doesn't abandon the path in favor of a Hollywood ending that will have audiences cheering. Instead, he delivers something more realistic, but still hopeful and aspirational. It's a happy ending the way New York City understand them, and that's a hard-won gift. 

Club Kid was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival. It opens in theaters on Nov. 6. 

TL;DR: 1min.AI Advanced Business is just $69.97 for life through Oct. 11 during this Deal Days sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $69.97
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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.

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Lifetime 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan access is just $69.97 (reg. $540) through Oct. 11 for deal Days.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Give your PC a fresh set of tools with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows, on sale now for just $49.97 (reg. $249.99) through Oct. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime License $49.97
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You probably don’t need an introduction to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, because you’ve been using them all for years… but you might need a fresh license for your PC. Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows equips your PC with six tools to tackle personal and professional tasks.

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Whether you’ve been living without Microsoft Office for a while or you’re simply sick of paying to use the apps monthly, this Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus license comes in clutch. It works on your PC as a non-binding key, which means it links to your device and not your Microsoft account. This makes it more affordable, allowing you to pay once and enjoy it for life.

This Microsoft Office license comes with six productivity apps, some you’ve known for decades and others that may be new to you. It gives your PC permanent access to Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, OneNote, and Access.

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Some films hold your face right up to the world’s worst horrors and refuse to let you go for hours, days, even weeks after you’ve viewed them. Such is the case with NAZA, the latest documentary from Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The pair previously co-directed 2024’s Oscar–winning No Other Land, alongside Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal.

SEE ALSO: NYFF 2026 preview: 14 films you'll want to see (and how)

The film is made up almost entirely of interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence officers, conducted by Abraham at night on the rooftops of Tel Aviv. As the skyline twinkles behind them and the nighttime hum of the city occasionally filters through their conversations, they tell Abraham how the Israeli military employs AI and high-tech surveillance systems to target and kill Palestinians. Following NAZA’s premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Special Jury Prize, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to strip Abraham and Szor of their citizenship. 

Each section of NAZA breaks down a specific system Israel uses to bomb Palestinians. “Lavender” is an AI program that creates a kill list of potential targets with links to Hamas. According to reporting from +972 Magazine, Local Call, and NAZA producer The Guardian, upon which the film is based, that list targeted up to 37,000 people based on their phone activity, be that regularly changing a cell phone or operating in proximity to known militants. The AI is imprecise: At one point, an interviewee recalls using Lavender to target a bakery owner who served militants, yet who wasn’t one himself. Another system discussed is “Where’s Daddy?” which monitors the texts of militants’ family members to learn when they will be home. When the texts indicate that the target has arrived at home, Israeli forces know they can bomb the home, killing their target as well as everyone who lives with him.

The Israeli military has come up with a term for the number of additional lives lost when carrying out a strike: NAZA, an acronym for the Hebrew phrase nezek agavi, meaning collateral damage. If they know that 15 people will die in an operation, they do not say that 15 lives will be lost. They say “15 NAZA.” The term is a chilling example of the Israeli military’s dehumanization of Palestinians. With each utterance of “NAZA,” you hear disregard for human life. As interviewees sketch out diagrams of how these systems work, you see how clinical the approach to these operations is.

Abraham and Szor do not show any footage of the horrors these systems wreak in Gaza until the film’s devastating final moments. The effect is not one of concealment, but of accountability: It forces all the attention onto the interviewees, each of whom lays out the facts of their work clearly and precisely. There is no hiding from their words or their broader implications about the large-scale killing taking place mere miles from the interview sites. There is also no hiding from the tactics they use to justify their work. Some interviewees think using a machine to find targets is better than leaving the decision to humans, as it removes the emotion from the killing. One of the architects of Lavender does not see himself as having blood on his hands. Other interviewees reiterate they were just following orders, one saying they’re just a “small cog” in a larger machine.

While the interviewees do occasionally show remorse, witnessing them alienate themselves from the horrors time and again is staggering. Their compartmentalization, as well as Abraham and Szor’s insistence on keeping viewers removed from Gaza, recalls the complicity on display in 2023’s The Zone of Interest, about the day-to-day lives of a German commandant and his family living in the shadow of Auschwitz. (The Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer and producer James Wilson serve as producers on NAZA.) That film is both an indictment of one of the greatest atrocities in human history and a warning cry to not let something this evil happen again. 

NAZA is living proof that it is.

NAZA was reviewed out of the New York Film Festival. It is now playing in select New York theaters and expands across the U.S. Oct. 9.

2026 is full of scary times. But if you like your horror confined to the screen, we've got you covered with a selection of the best that this year has had to offer so far.

Mashable's entertainment team has an insatiable thirst for all things horror. As such, we've not only seen the big flashy releases like Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Kevin Williamson's Scream 7, Nia Dacosta's 28 Year Later: Bone Temple, Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride!, and Sam Raimi's Send Help, but also indie offerings like Backrooms, Obsession, Iron Lung, and Hokum.

Whether you like to shiver for zombies, cackle for horror comedy, gleefully gag over gross-out scares, get goosebumps over serial-killer thrillers, or dream of surreal twists that'll ensure nightmares, we've got you covered.

Here are the best horror movies of 2026 so far.

15. Iron Lung

Horror has a rich tradition of trapping characters in claustrophobic spaces and making them suffer, and Iron Lung cranks that premise up to 11. The film follows Simon (Mark Fischbach, aka YouTuber Markiplier), a convict in a post-apocalyptic future forced to trade prison for an exploratory mission down to the bottom of a blood ocean on an alien moon. The stuff of nightmares? Yes! And Markiplier (who also directs) amps up the tension with juddering submarine noises and occasional creepy X-ray photos taken by the submarine of its unpleasant surroundings.

This movie isn't perfect — at over two hours, it feels longer than it needs to be, and the characters aren't particularly fleshed out — but it's worth watching for one sequence near the end alone, which is cosmic horror at its most terrifying and blood-spattered. — Sam Haysom, General Assignment Editor, UK

Starring: Mark Fischbach, Caroline Kaplan, Troy Baker, Elsie Lovelock, Elle LaMont, Mick Lauer, Seán McLoughlin, and Isaac McKee

How to watch: Iron Lung is available to rent or buy on YouTube.

14. Cold Storage

Fungal horror gets the chills in Cold Storage, an infectious film that knows its lineage. Directed by Jonny Campbell (Am I Being Unreasonable?), and written by Jurassic Park co-scribe David Koepp based on his 2019 novel, Cold Storage takes a real event (NASA's Skylab falling out of orbit in 1979) and makes it the catalyst for gruesome events within a U.S. storage facility. Stranger Things' Joe Keery and Barbarian's Georgina Campbell as chatty employees investigating strange noises are a delight. And thanks to the genius of special makeup effects designers Lou and Dave Elsey (the team who brought you the corpiscle of True Detective: Night Country), Cold Storage is full of grisly, festering gore. As I wrote in my review, "Unlike its hazardous fungus (or Koepp's original book), Cold Storage isn't that deep. Instead, the film is a fun body horror comedy that grows on you — or might result in projectile vomiting?" — S.C.

Starring: Georgina Campbell, Joe Keery, Sosie Bacon, Vanessa Redgrave, Lesley Manville, and Liam Neeson

How to watch: Cold Storage is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

13. Primate

From Johannes Roberts, helmer of the uniquely scary shark thriller 47 Meters Down, comes a creature feature that should have you thinking twice about treating a wild animal as a pet.

Set in a remote mansion in Hawaii, Primate begins with college student Lucy Pinborough (Johnny Sequoyah) coming home to her younger sister (Gia Hunter), her hard-of-hearing dad (Troy Kotsur), and their pet chimpanzee, Ben. For added fun (and a higher body count), Roberts and co-writer Ernest Riera loop in some college friends and a couple of hot guys looking to party. What could have been a night of booze and sex becomes one of blood and death because Ben has contracted rabies, and so goes from pet to predator.

It's not deep or remotely sophisticated. But if you seeking something gnarly, Primate has got bite. — K.P.

Starring: Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Gia Hunter, and Troy Kotsur

How to watch: Primate is now available on demand.

12. Obsession

Audiences went feral for writer/director Curry Barker's ultra-creepy Obsession. The film turns rom-com expectations on its head by presenting a lovelorn protagonist named Bear (Michael Johnston), who might seem like a nice guy but is actually the movie's villain.

Obsessed with his friend Nikki (a riveting Inde Navarrette), he makes a wish that she'll not only notice him, but will love him more than anyone else. In the way of the mythic monkey's paw, this wish goes horribly wrong, transforming Bear's dream girl into a nightmare. Obsession is thoroughly chilling, especially thanks to Navarrette's harrowing performance. But Barker's exploration of sexual politics ultimately feels juvenile because of a flubbed final act. As I explained more in-depth in my review, "This makes the finale of Obsession unnerving — not so much for what it shows, but for the empathy it ultimately lacks." — K.P.

Starring: Michael Johnston, Inde Navarrette, Cooper Tomlinson, Megan Lawless, and Andy Richter

How to watch: Obsession is now streaming on Peacock.

11. Undertone

This slow-burn horror story is about the things that go bump in the night. Written and directed by Ian Tuason, Undertone centers on an isolated podcaster named Evy (Nina Kiri), who becomes fixated on a series of mysterious audio clips. As she goes down the metaphorical rabbit's hole on what they could mean, the world around her seems to shift, forcing her to face a horrid reality.*

Trapping audiences in a deteriorating house where Evy is caring for her dying mother, Undertone offers a claustrophobic atmosphere that is enhanced by a spooky soundscape of strange noises and stranger children's songs. It's a terrific concept, and Tuason puts a lot of care into each detail. However, as spooky as this one gets, it never had me full-on scared. — K.P.

Starring: Nina Kiri and Adam DiMarco

How to watch: Undertone is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

10. Thrash

I don't want to hear it. Nope. Not a bad word will be said here about Thrash, one of the most rudely welcomed movies on Netflix. Writer/director Tommy Wirkola (Violent Night, Dead Snow) delivers a proper nail-biter of a shark survival movie here, the 24-hour tale of a hurricane that becomes a tsunami that becomes a bona fide shark invasion of a South Carolina small town. It's glorious! We've got nightmarish cinematography; increasingly flooded sets; strong performances from Djimon Hounsou, Whitney Peak, and Phoebe Dynevor; and one wildly foreshadowed shark-infested water birth. The simple task of getting from A to B in this film? Good luck.

The Thrash production team, led by production designer David Ingram, built an entire town and utterly destroyed it with flash flooding, savage marine predators, and director of photography Matthew Weston's unrelentingly stressful camera work, and that's not enough for you? Did you see that bull shark kitchen scene? Well, you have your right to an opinion. This is mine: "If you like shark movies, Thrash is a solid survival thriller with a talented cast and visuals that had me locked in. Wirkola's ability to balance horror, action, and comedy remains a praise-worthy feat. Dive into it." — S.C.

Starring: Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, and Djimon Hounsou

How to watch: Thrash is now streaming on Netflix.

9. The Bride!

As writer and director, Maggie Gyllenhaal took a big swing with The Bride!, a dizzying reimagining of the Universal monster from Bride of Frankenstein. Critics were mixed on it, and despite starring Academy Award winners Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as the Bride and her monster mate, this epic horror offering tanked at the box office.

But the world is wrong. Set in 1936 Chicago, The Bride! offers up a gangster's moll (Buckley) who is fatefully possessed by Frankenstein author Mary Shelley, who's long dead but still has things to say. So begins a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style crime spree with a besotted creature who loves movie musicals. The result is fitful, deranged, and uniquely beautiful.

Apparently, The Bride! is not for everyone. But to me, it was sensational. As I wrote in my review, "Gyllenhaal and her cast don't just dust off a classic tale for a safe money grab. (Looking at you, Disney live-action remakes!) They tear various Frankenstein iterations to bits, then create an exquisite corpse of the pieces, festooning it with elements from other films about violence, revolt, and violation. The result is a film that is utterly electrifying, sure to spark something in hearts young and old." — K.P.

Starring: Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz

How to watch: The Bride! is now streaming on HBO Max.

8. Backrooms

The concept of the Backrooms began with a 4chan post, which then-teenager Kane Parsons masterfully expanded into a series of extremely viral short horror films. Backrooms is his full-length feature adaptation, and it's about a bitter furniture shop owner (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who discovers the doorway to another world in the basement of his store. So, does Parsons manage to land the jump to feature? For the most part, yes. Backrooms uses uncanny spaces and an ominous soundscape to chilling effect, dragging us into a world that's as unsettling as it is endless. The movie's only real issue is its third act, which loses some tension after we see the face of the thing that's been chasing the characters through this hellish labyrinth.

"Despite this, Backrooms is still well worth a watch. The ending isn't enough to spoil what came before," I wrote in my Mashable review. "If anything, Parsons has managed to prove himself as an incredibly talented emerging filmmaker while also establishing the first chapter in what will surely end up becoming a brand-new horror franchise." — S.H.

Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell

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

7. Exit 8

Months after escaping from Exit 8, I remain ensnared in it. Genki Kawamura's haunting adaptation is more than an ode to Kotake Create's acclaimed 2023 game; it's an impeccable thriller that will have you actively participating in its labyrinthine puzzle. You'll genuinely root for Kazunari Ninomiya as a frantic man trapped in a nightmarish looping subway hallway beneath Tokyo, his only chance of escape being his ability to identify "anomalies" within this wretched corridor. A rare triumph among video game adaptations, Exit 8 is a masterpiece of production, from the meticulous sets to the dynamic cinematography and nerve-racking sound design.

As I wrote in my review, "While video game adaptations come in a range of sublime to mediocre, Exit 8 is a triumphant realisation and expansion of the original concept. Kawamura's punctilious direction and his incredibly talented cast and crew amplify this contained hallway in satisfying, chilling ways. You'll remain in this hallway long after you've left the cinema — we're all still staring blankly at that Exit 0 sign." — S.C.

Starring: Kazunari Ninomiya, Yamato Kochi, Naru Asanuma, Kotone Hanase, and Nana Komatsu

How to watch: Exit 8 is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

6. Scream 7

Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, and Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson reunited for Scream 7, marking the highest-grossing sequel this franchise has seen.

With Williamson at the helm and co-writing with Guy Busick (Scream V & VI), this sequel dove into nostalgia. Ghostface is back in action, killing at Stu Macher's house and chasing Sidney around a charming suburb. For good measure, he's also threatening to kill Sidney's eldest kid, who was named after her high school best friend, Tatum!

Critics largely panned this one. But we found it fun. In my review, I cheered, "As someone who has long counted Scream as the best of the batch, I yearned for a sequel that recaptured that feeling of discovery but also shared in my affection for the first film. Scream 7 does that, paying homage without being beholden to audience expectation or constrictive lore. Incredibly, Williams gives us a hearty dose of nostalgia and Easter eggs while providing new ideas, weird reveals, and fresh chills." — K.P.

Starring: Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, Joel McHale, Mckenna Grace, Michelle Randolph, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor, Sam Rechner, Ethan Embry, Timothy Simons, and Mark Consuelos

How to watch: Scream 7 is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

5. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come

Samara Weaving reteams with Ready or Not filmmakers Radio Silence for a star-studded sequel to their 2019 hit.

Recently widowed by some devilish intervention, newlywed Grace (Weaving) wants nothing more than to light a cigarette and walk away from the bloody mess of the late Le Domas family. But it's time to level up her hide-and-seek skills, as a cabal of the evil and affluent join forces to hunt her down for round two. This time, however, she'll have her estranged sister (Kathryn Newton) at her side, for better or worse.

Ready or Not 2 had a tough act to follow, but Radio Silence satisfies by offering comically quirky caricatures of privilege, eye-popping slaughter scenes, and a pair of vicious twins played by '90s icons Sarah Michelle Gellar and Shawn Hatosy. As I wrote in my review, "Not all of these gambles pay off. Yet Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is a winner when it comes to being a totally batshit good time." — K.P.

Starring: Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Néstor Carbonell, Kevin Durand, Olivia Cheng, David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood

How to watch: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is streaming on Hulu.

4. Send Help

Some movies are just so weird that it feels like a miracle they exist at all. Send Help is such a wonder, as it pairs A-list actress Rachel McAdams with much, much, much, much glop.

Directed by Sam Raimi, Send Help is a genre mash-up that combines tropes from adventure and romance, horror comedies, and survival thrillers with an eat-the-rich edge. McAdams stars as a mousy office worker whose hotshot boss (Dylan O'Brien) treats like a pimple that needs to be popped. But when they end up stranded on a desert island, the power dynamics are dramatically flipped. There will be blood. And vomit, and muck, and more blood. And it will be hilarious.

As I declared in my review, "It's also a rip-roaring, no-fucks-to-give good time." — K.P.

Starring: Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien

How to watch: Send Help is now on Hulu.

3. Apex

Kayaking solo in the Australian outback already sounds scary enough, but when you throw a sociopathic serial killer into the mix, it reaches a different level entirely. This is the situation that rock climber Sasha (Charlize Theron) finds herself in in Baltasar Kormákur's Apex when she encounters an initially quite charming ranger named Ben (Taron Egerton). The result is a cat-and-mouse survival thriller that's equal parts violent and tense.

"Apex is a relentless, exciting, and nerve-rattlingly scary thriller, wherein Theron and Egerton bring their very best to a brutal face-off," wrote Mashable's Kristy Puchko in her review. "It'll be a fun watch at home, hooking audiences on its gnarly twists and gore. But I pity those who won't get to see the vistas and violence Kormákur has captured on a big screen, where their wonders and horrors can truly overwhelm you." — S.H.

Starring: Charlize Theron, Taron Egerton, and Eric Bana

How to watch: Apex is now streaming on Netflix.

2. Hokum

To date, the scariest movie of the year is Hokum. The latest from Irish filmmaker Damian McCarthy (Caveat and Oddity) stars Adam Scott as a misanthropic American novelist who falls down a rabbit hole of folklore and horror.

You see, Ohm Bauman (Scott) has traveled to a remote hotel in Ireland for some grim business, including scattering the ashes of his deceased parents. But when a bartender who was kind to him goes missing, Ohm can't resist the urge to find her, even if he thinks the talk of a witch plaguing the hotel's honeymoon suite is "hokum."

In my review, I called Hokum "a seriously scary masterpiece," explaining, "It's a nerve-shredding, bone-rattling, scream-pulling good time, and an absolute blast to see in a theater." And in case you're on the fence, know this: This movie made me scream myself hoarse while watching it. — K.P.

Starring: Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Michael Patric, Will O'Connell, Brendan Conroy, and Austin Amelio

How to watch: Hokum is now streaming on Hulu.

1. 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

One of the great crimes against cinema of 2026 is that 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple flopped at the box office.

Critics went wild for Hedda director Nia DaCosta's bold and brilliant sequel to Danny Boyle's resurrected zombie thriller. But audiences didn't turn out in the droves this heady blend of horror, heart, and heavy metal deserved.

SEE ALSO: Nia DaCosta and Jack O'Connell on that epic 'Bone Temple' musical number

Picking up the story of runaway Spike (Alfie Williams), The Bone Temple plunged us deep into the cult of Jimmy Crystal (Jack O'Connell), whose bizarre introduction at the end of the last film had fans freaking out with theories. A self-styled Satanist with a fixation on torture, Jimmy Savile, and the Teletubbies, Jimmy was an instant icon in horror. But even he was awed by the uncanny stage presence of Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes). The gentle doctor spent most of the movie getting stoned with the Alpha undead Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry), in sequences that were tender and funny. But the climax of this movie had theaters cheering, as Kelson embraced his inner demons with a fiery performance of Iron Maiden's "The Number of the Beast." And it was one of the most riveting and surprising things I've seen in a movie, ever. It was magical, chaotic, and unforgettable.

As I cheered in my review, "This horror offering — like its prequel and also like 2025's other smash horror hit, Sinners — transcends the grimier aspects of the genre to unearth something gnarly and sublime." — K.P.

Starring: Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry

How to watch: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is now streaming on Netflix.

UPDATE: Oct. 7, 2026, 4:34 p.m. This feature was first published on June 5, 2026. It has been updated to reflect streaming availability.

Apple just announced its "Welcome home," October 13 event, where it's likely to launch its smart home hub, as well as a new HomePod mini. But the company is reportedly planning a second even in late October, with plans to launch its first-ever touchscreen MacBook, as well as a new iPad mini.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the launch is scheduled for "on or around" Tuesday, October 27. And just like the HomePad (potential name for the smart hub) launch, it will be an actual event, with an online video stream to tune into.

In terms of products, we're getting quite a few new ones. First, there's the first-ever touchscreen MacBook. Potentially called the MacBook Ultra, it will come in two sizes – 14 and 16 inches – and have a touchscreen OLED display with a Dynamic Island.

The laptops will be powered by Apple's new M6 chips, and so is the new iMac, which will also be unveiled at the event.

Gurman claims the new products will be geared toward "creative professionals who work in video production, photo editing and music production."

SEE ALSO: New iPad mini to come with A20 Pro chip and landscape camera, report says

If accurate, this would be a second big update to the MacBook family following the MacBook Neo launch in March, and the first major update to the high-end MacBook lineup in five years, ever since the company introduced the new 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in 2021.

Then there's the new iPad mini. We've heard quite a bit about it already; rumors say it'll be powered with Apples' A20 Pro chip, a landscape camera, a new speaker system and, possibly, a slightly larger OLED display.

There’s a lot of tech on the movie slate this fall, and the founders are getting almost as much attention as their inventions. With new films about Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Elizabeth Holmes arriving in theaters, it’s also a good time to revisit some oldies but goodies for context.

Whether you follow every development in Silicon Valley or just want to know more about the people and technologies behind your daily scrolling, here are nine movies and documentaries to add to your fall watchlist.

SEE ALSO: Hollywood's tech movie boom has arrived The Social Reckoning (2026)

Facebook has changed quite a bit since The Social Network, and writer-director Aaron Sorkin is returning to the story with some questions about what it became. As Sorkin told the Associated Press, "'The Social Network' was about the invention of Facebook, 'The Social Reckoning' is about what it’s become and, in particular, Facebook’s role in the rise of extremism and divisiveness."

Jeremy Strong plays Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, while Mikey Madison portrays former Facebook employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen. Jeremy Allen White plays Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, whose reporting helped bring the company’s internal research into public view through the newspaper’s "Facebook Files" investigation.

The film follows the disclosures behind that investigation, shifting the focus from Facebook’s creation to the consequences of its growth. If you’re interested in what social platforms know about their effects on users, and what happens when employees speak up, this belongs on your list.

How to watch: In theaters Oct. 9.

The Social Network (2010)

Naturally, we have to go back to The Social Network. Director David Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin’s take on Facebook’s founding stars Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg, Andrew Garfield as co-founder Eduardo Saverin, and Justin Timberlake as Napster co-founder Sean Parker.

If it’s been a while, consider a rewatch before The Social Reckoning. There’s something strange about revisiting Facebook’s college-campus beginnings when you know how big it would become. But the fights over friendship, credit, and money still make for real good drama.

How to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video.

Musk (2026)

You’ve probably seen plenty of headlines about Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Filmmaker Alex Gibney’s documentary Musk takes a longer look at his business empire and political influence, following a story that stretches across electric vehicles, space exploration, social media, and government.

Gibney, whose films include Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room and Going Clear, sought to interview Musk for the film, but Musk declined. Musk has nevertheless made his opinion clear, calling it "a hit piece that misses, and makes the fatal sin of being boring for 4 hours" on X.

So, don’t expect an authorized portrait. If you’re curious about how Musk built his influence and how those different parts of his life connect, this is one to make time for. Whether you agree with his assessment of the runtime is up to you.

How to watch: In New York and Los Angeles theaters Oct. 9, expanding nationwide Oct. 16.

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist (2026)

Depending on whom you ask, AI will solve some of humanity’s biggest problems or create problems we’re completely unprepared for. (I cover both sides of the spectrum.) If you’re struggling to make sense of those competing predictions, that uncertainty is the starting point for The AI Doc.

Co-directors Daniel Roher and Charlie Tyrell follow Roher as he prepares to become a father and tries to understand the world his child will inherit. He speaks with people developing AI and people warning about its risks, exploring the promises and fears surrounding the technology.

For Roher, these questions hit closer to home because he’s about to become a dad. He wants to know what kind of world his child will grow up in, and what all these promises and warnings about AI could actually mean for their lives.

How to watch: Stream on Netflix or Peacock.

SEE ALSO: Review: 'The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist' is a panic attack, in a good way The Altruists (2026)

The tech drama extends to TV this fall, with Netflix’s The Altruists taking on the rise and collapse of cryptocurrency exchange FTX. Anthony Boyle plays FTX co-founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, while Julia Garner portrays former Alameda Research CEO Caroline Ellison. Inspired by New York Magazine reporting, the eight-episode limited series follows their ambitions, relationship, and involvement in the financial scandal that brought down the business.

For anyone who remembers the FTX headlines but struggled to keep track of the people involved, the series puts those relationships at the center. Expect a dramatized account of the empire’s collapse, rather than a step-by-step lesson in cryptocurrency (thank gosh).

How to watch: All eight episodes arrive on Netflix Nov. 19.

You Can See Everything (2026)

If you watched The Dropout, you’re already familiar with the promises that helped Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes sell her blood-testing startup. You Can See Everything picks up after those promises unraveled.

Directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim document Holmes’ life in the 34 days before she reported to prison for defrauding investors. Fielder joins her at home, bringing together two people with very different relationships to carefully constructed public personas.

Anyone familiar with Nathan for You or The Rehearsal knows that Fielder can make an ordinary conversation deeply uncomfortable. Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko called You Can See Everything "a masterwork of interrogation, not only of the whole Holmes situation but of documentary as a form itself." And if that sounds a little academic for you, her reaction gives you a better idea of what to expect. "Personally, I gasped, shouted, laughed, and even gagged."

What will Holmes reveal, and how much of what we see is the version of herself she wants to present? You'll have to see it to believe it.

How to watch: In theaters Oct. 16.

SEE ALSO: Does 'You Can See Everything' live up to the hype? The Social Dilemma (2020)

After watching the founders build their empires, The Social Dilemma brings the story back to the phone in your hand. You open an app to check a message, stick around for a video, and keep scrolling. Director Jeff Orlowski’s documentary explores the decisions that help turn a quick check-in into a much longer visit, and why that extra time is valuable to a company.

Former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris and former Twitter product executive Jeff Seibert are among the insiders explaining how that business works. Their interviews sit alongside fictional scenes following a family’s social media use, connecting the industry’s priorities to what happens at home. It’s worth watching if you want to understand how familiar features can shape your habits and relationships. You may know you spend longer on these apps than you intended; the film gives you a clearer sense of what keeps you there.

How to watch: Netflix.

Steve Jobs (2015) and Jobs (2013)

You have two options if you want to revisit Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ story, depending on how much ground you want to cover.

Directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin (of The Social Network/Reckoning), Steve Jobs stars Michael Fassbender and unfolds backstage before three product launches, from the Macintosh in 1984 to the iMac in 1998. Before each launch, Jobs faces conflicts with colleagues and family, which get as much screentime as the products he’s preparing to unveil.

For a broader account of his career, director Joshua Michael Stern’s Jobs stars Ashton Kutcher and follows Jobs from his college years through Apple’s growth and his eventual return to the company. Both films dramatize his life, but they take different approaches. Choose Fassbender for Sorkin’s incredibly tense conversations, or Kutcher for a more traditional origin story.

How to watch: Rent or buy Steve Jobs through the Apple TV Store. Search your preferred digital rental service for Jobs.

Artificial (2026)

Andrew Garfield is back in a Silicon Valley power struggle. After playing Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin in The Social Network, he’s taking on OpenAI co-founder and CEO Sam Altman in director Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial.

Written by Simon Rich, the film dramatizes Altman’s 2023 firing and return to OpenAI just days later. That boardroom fight raises a question that matters well beyond the company’s employees — who gets to make decisions about technology that could change how everyone else works and lives?

Watch this if you use ChatGPT but know little about the people behind it...or if you know too much and need to see Garfield take on Altman's mannerisms. It arrives a little after fall, so you can carry this watchlist into December. Happy holidays!

How to watch: In theaters Dec. 25.

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HBO is making a Crazy Rich Asians series, reuniting the original cast and creative team from the hit 2018 romantic comedy. Officially announced on Thursday, the co-production between HBO and Warner Bros. Television will see Constance Wu, Henry Goulding, and Ronny Chieng all reprise their film roles as series regulars, with Michelle Yeoh recurring.

"Bringing everyone back together feels like coming home," the film's director Jon M. Chu wrote in a statement on his Instagram stories. He will now serve as an executive producer on the series. "Finally, I get to answer the question I've been asked almost every day for eight years: 'When are we getting the sequel?' Well… bok bok bitch. We're back."

Based on Kevin Kwan's 2013 novel, Crazy Rich Asians follows Chinese American professor Rachel (Wu) as she travels to Singapore with her boyfriend (Goulding) to attend his friend's wedding. Upon arriving, she soon discovers that Nick's family are incredibly wealthy, and that his mother (Yeoh) has strong opinions on whether she belongs.

The new HBO series will also be based upon Kwan's book series, which includes 2015's China Rich Girlfriend and 2017's Rich People Problems. It will consist of eight hour-long episodes, with production scheduled to start next year.

"We finally get to make the sequel the world [has] been clamoring for, but instead of one more movie, we'll have EIGHT EPISODES OF CRAZY RICH MAGIC," the film's co-writer Adele Lim posted on Instagram. Lim is also an executive producer, as well as the new series' showrunner.

Notably absent from the returning cast announcement are Gemma Chan and Harry Shum Jr., who respectively played Nick's cousin Astrid and her romantic interest Charlie. While Shum only appeared briefly during Crazy Rich Asians' mid-credits scene, a sequel film was initially planned which focused on the couple's love story.

Well, this is all getting a little bit confusing, isn't it?

Inter-dimensional travel that spawns multiple versions of the same person is all very well and good, but it doesn't half make things a bit hard to follow. As we get towards the end of Dark Matter Season 2, most of the main characters are now split up and entangled with other versions of themselves. As usual, episode 7 left us with a lot of questions. We've done our best to unpack the bigger ones below.

SEE ALSO: 'Dark Matter' Season 2, episode 5 is the best kind of filler episode Who does Charlie see in Laurel's house?

At the end of episode 6, Charlie (Oakes Fegley) makes the ill-advised decision to go into the box in an attempt to track down his twin brother Max, who died in his own world when he was just four years old. After experiencing the usual mixture of first-solo-box-voyage terror, he closes his eyes and asks for help, before ending up inside the home of a woman named Laurel (Margo Martindale).

Laurel seems friendly enough — she even has a little welcome sign — and she shares her advice with Charlie about how he might be able to find Max. Then, right at the end, a door into the room clicks open. We see Charlie turn and look at someone off-screen, then stand up with an uncertain expression on his face. "It's okay," Laurel says. We don't see who Charlie sees. Next thing we know he's back in the corridor, on his way to find Max. So, who is it that enters the room?

Well, the short answer is we don't know. But it's clearly someone Charlie recognises; we can tell that much from his expression. Some other version of his mom or dad, perhaps? Given how strong his reaction is, this seems the most likely possibility. But we'll have to wait until next week's episode to know for certain.

Laurel helps Charlie on his journey to find Max. But who else is in her house? Credit: Apple TV Is Amanda dead?

Elsewhere, Amanda (Alice Braga) and Ryan (Jimmi Simpson) stage an escape from the plague-infected world where they were captured in episode 6, with some help from Leighton (Dayo Okeniyi). It's all going well until the last minute, when Amanda catches an arrow in the stomach just as they're running back into the box. The episode ends with Ryan injecting her with the serum so they can travel to a new world, but it's unclear whether she's alive or not. So, will she survive?

Well, a good rule of thumb in TV shows is that a character usually isn't dead unless we actually see them die. The death of a major character like Amanda would probably get a more drawn out, heartfelt moment, so our best guess is that Ryan will likely get her to another world and save her just in the nick of time...

Dark Matter Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping every Friday.

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2026 has been the year of Avatar: The Last Airbender, boasting both the continuation of Netflix's live-action adaptation and the first film from Avatar Studios, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender. While it's almost always a treat to return to a world of intricate bending and epic adventure, both these projects trod familiar ground. Netflix's series is nothing more than a drab retelling of the original. Avatar Aang boasted eye-popping action, exciting new lore, and a nostalgic return to our Gaang faves, but it also rehashed an airbender resurrection storyline that viewers had already seen before (and done better) in Avatar: The Legend of Korra.

That's why it's such a relief that Avatar: Seven Havens, the next TV series in the Avatar cycle, blows everything up.

If The Legend of Korra brought the world of Avatar into a more modern, industrialized era, then Seven Havens sends it screaming into a hazardous, post-apocalyptic future unlike anything we've seen before, headed up by an Avatar unlike any other. It's the boldest move the series could make, and it winds up being just what the franchise needs to move forward.

SEE ALSO: 2026 fall TV preview: Every show you should know about Avatar: Seven Havens ends the world, then rebuilds it spectacularly.

Seven Havens throws us headfirst into what feels like an alien landscape, by Avatar standards. Shimmering aurorae, once limited to the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, now fill the skies over a vast desert. Crystal clusters and tree-like rock formations burst from the sand. A more synth-heavy score from Avatar composer Jeremy Zuckerman emphasizes the strangeness of this environment, while vivid colors from new Avatar animation studio La Chouette Compagnie prove an eye-popping contrast from the prior two series. From these opening moments, one thing's for sure: We're not in the Four Kingdoms anymore.

That's because they no longer exist.

The world of Avatar as we know it was destroyed in an apocalyptic event known simply as "the cataclysm," which led humanity to hole itself up in secure cities known as Havens. Among these Havens is Ellora, a vast metropolis tucked away in a series of canyons. With its massive walls and aqueducts, and a crystalline fortress at its center, it gives Ba Sing Se a run for its money.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' reveals fourth series, this one based on Avatar Kuruk

Lurking on the fringes of Elloran society is Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan), a 9-year-old girl who lives alone with her cat monkey, Geet (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker). Pavi is a resourceful survivor: She's fashioned her own prosthetic leg, and she's built herself and Geet a comfortable home in what's basically a hole in the ground. She's also hiding a deadly secret: She's the Avatar.

In prior Avatar series, that would have been cause for celebration. Not in Seven Havens. According to Elloran history, Avatar Korra brought the cataclysm on the world. Now, she and any Avatar who may follow in her footsteps are despised. How can Pavi bring balance to a world that doesn't even want her?

Like everything else about the world of Seven Havens, the choice to have Korra be the reason for the apocalypse is a striking one. It feels like original series creator Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, working with executive producers Ethan Spaulding and Sehaj Sethi, are blowing up The Legend of Korra's legacy entirely. Yet Seven Havens also hints that there may be more to the story than the institutions of Ellora would have you believe.

SEE ALSO: 'Avatar: Seven Havens' renewed for Seasons 3 and 4 on Paramount+

Thanks to the mystery shrouding the cataclysm, Seven Havens becomes more of an overt puzzle box than its predecessors. But even more puzzling than the question of "What broke the world?" is that of "Who is Pavi, really?" She has no memories of her life beyond the past three years, and she knows nothing about her family. That all changes when a chance encounter brings Pavi face to face with her surprise twin, Nisha (voiced by Aishu Devan), and the pair set out to unravel their mysterious past together.

You will fall in love with Avatar: Seven Havens' Pavi and Nisha. Credit: Paramount+

Pavi and Nisha are the irresistible pairing at Seven Havens' heart. Both have spent their whole lives — at least, what they can remember of them — thinking that they're alone. Finding out they have a sister unlocks a new chapter in their lives, and a new chapter for the show to explore.

As 9-year-olds, Pavi and Nisha are balls of energy who greet their newfound sister status with gleeful screams and a readiness for troublemaking that puts fear in the hearts of Nisha's guardian, Commander Karthik (voiced by Akshay Khanna), and the pair's airbending soldier friend, Jae (voiced by Major Curda). Their youthful joy contrasts with Karthik and Jae's serious concerns about keeping Pavi's Avatar status hidden while still protecting Ellora. As the haven weathers severe storms and attacks from bandits known as the Faceless, the last thing Karthik and Jae need is to worry about Nisha and Pavi getting trampled underfoot.

Just because Pavi is the youngest Avatar we've met yet doesn't mean Seven Havens loses sight of the gravity (and occasional darkness) that set both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra apart. The threats facing Ellora are genuinely frightening, and Seven Havens makes no secret of the destruction that awaits it should its defenses fail. As resources dwindle and bender birth rates decrease, the situation within Ellora feels more and more helpless. Seven Havens artfully stokes the city's desperation, spinning up paranoia and conspiracies that recall The Last Airbender's claustrophobic Ba Sing Se arc.

Yet throughout the first six episodes sent to critics, Pavi and Nisha maintain their childlike joy, even if the weight of the world is on their shoulders. The pair make compelling foils. While Pavi follows Korra in the Avatar cycle, she feels more like a spiritual successor to Aang: an animal-loving goofball with a pacifist streak who treats reuniting a bug with its family just as seriously as saving a human's life. Nisha, on the other hand, takes after early Korra. She's a hot-headed, battle-ready warrior who wants nothing more than to break free of her sheltered upbringing.

The resulting dynamic is irresistible, as is the rest of Seven Havens. The series captures the original magic of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, from powerful bending action to adorable animal companions. (I would die for Geet.) But it also fashions an incredible new take on the world we've come to know and love, one that's part-Mad Max, part-Jean "Mœbius" Giraud. It's an incredible sandbox for Seven Havens' tale of finding connection in a dire time, and a reminder that change is truly the Avatar franchise's greatest superpower.

The first three episodes of Avatar: Seven Havens are now streaming on Paramount+. New episodes premiere every Friday through Oct. 30.

The U.S. government is planning to livestream the Fort Hood shooter's execution by firing squad. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed the plan on Thursday, which would revive public executions in the U.S. for the first time in 90 years.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI updates Department of War deal after backlash

U.S. Army major Nidal Hasan was convicted of murder after he shot and killed 13 people at Fort Hood, a military post in Texas, in 2009. Due to be carried out by a firing squad, Hasan's execution will now be made available for the public to watch via livestream.

"We'll make sure that people are able to watch it, that it's public, because people need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things," Hegseth said in an interview on Thursday.

Hasan's execution by firing squad is scheduled for Dec. 3, 1 p.m. CT / 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT at Fort Hood. If the livestream goes ahead, he will be the first person to be publicly executed in the U.S. since 1937. It will also be the first military execution since 1961.

Hasan was initially to be executed by lethal injection. However, in an X post on Monday, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell revealed that Hegseth had recommended Hasan be killed by firing squad instead, and that President Donald Trump had approved it. Hegseth stated on Thursday that this method of execution was a "no brainer" to him, and that it was "as it should be."

YouTube, Twitch, X, TikTok: Who will livestream Hasan's execution?

Details on exactly how Hasan's execution will be livestreamed have not yet been released. Streaming platforms often have policies prohibiting graphic violence, which on the face of it would appear to include a firing squad execution. 

Twitch's community guidelines specifically ban users from showing "use of weapons to physically… kill others," and warns that any accounts which do so will be suspended indefinitely. YouTube generally doesn't allow shocking violence and gore either, including "corpses with massive injuries," while TikTok typically prohibits content showing "the moment of someone's death, or the shooting of an individual."

However, YouTube states that such violent content may still be allowed if it "is in the public's interest." Similarly, TikTok carves out exemptions for "graphic footage of events that would otherwise violate our rules but are in the public interest to view," though such videos are age-restricted and excluded from the For You feed.

Elon Musk's X is an outlier in that it allows graphic content provided it is properly labelled, not "excessively gory," and doesn't threaten, incite, or glorify violence. It's unclear whether a U.S. government execution would be considered glorifying violence. X only prohibits footage of the moment a person dies if a representative of their family requests that it be taken down.

Mashable has reached out to Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, X, and the U.S. Department of War for comment.

Trump is famously a prolific and longtime user of X, many of his officials also having adopted the platform. The Trump administration is no stranger to other streaming platforms either. Last month, the U.S. government launched the 24/7 YouTube livestream "Trump TV" after it banned journalists from the White House. Earlier this year, multiple government departments launched official TikTok accounts, joining preexisting accounts belonging to the White House and Trump himself. The U.S. Army previously livestreamed esports on Twitch as well, though retreated from the platform in 2020 following criticism for its ostensible gaming giveaways that actually directed people to recruitment forms.

It might not look like it, but there's actually still a small crescent of Moon visible in tonight's sky. It's the night before the New Moon, so don't expect to spot anything on its surface, but keep reading to find out what tonight's Moon means.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Friday, Oct. 9, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waning Crescent phase, with 2% of its surface visible.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes an orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During that time, its position changes relative to the Earth and Sun, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible to us. This produces the familiar lunar phases, beginning with a thin crescent and progressing through the quarter phases before reaching a Full Moon. The sequence then repeats as the Moon continues its orbit. According to NASA, the phase visible from Earth is determined by the Moon's changing position in relation to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

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. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last 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.

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 9, 2026 Channel meaning

A passage, route or medium through which something flows, travels or is transmitted.

Input meaning

Any resource, data, energy or signal put into a system or machine.

Power meaning

The capacity, ability or authority to act, influence, or direct people, events and physical systems.

Volume meaning

The degree of intensity, fullness or audibility of a tone or sound from an audio device.

Blowout meaning

An easy, one-sided victory or defeat where one team or candidate wins by a very large margin.

Romp meaning

To achieve a quick, effortless victory in a game, race or competition.

Rout meaning

A complete and crushing defeat of an opponent in a battle, sports game or election.

Sweep meaning

To clean a surface using a broom or brush.

Highlights meaning

The best, most interesting or most important parts of an event.

Recap meaning

To give a brief summary or review of the main points from a previous story, discussion, meeting or event.

Scores meaning

The total number of points, goals, or runs earned in a game, match or test

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Stats meaning

Short for statistics, meaning numerical data or facts.

Conditioner meaning

A moisturizing hair care product applied after shampooing to improve the texture, softness and manageability of hair.

Guitar meaning

A stringed instrument with six strings.

Kiss meaning

An act of affection by touching one's lips to another person.

Quotes meaning

A repetition of exact words.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a sports fan.

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 Pips hints, answers for October 9, 2026 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: Big win

• Green: Tech settings

• Blue: ESPN clips

• Purple: Atmosphere

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Decisive victory

• Green: Controlled by a TV remote

• Blue: Features of a sports show

• Purple: Air ___

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 #1215 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Decisive victory: BLOWOUT, ROMP, ROUT, SWEEP

• Controlled by a TV remote: CHANNEL, INPUT, POWER, VOLUME

• Features of a sports show: HIGHLIGHTS, RECAP, SCORES, STATS

• Air ___: CONDITIONER, GUITAR, KISS, QUOTES

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're hard to convince.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 9, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: That can't be right

The words are related to absurdity.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ridiculousness.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Unbelievable.

NYT Strands word list for October 9

• Hooey

• Nonsense

• Drivel

• Unbelievable

• Rubbish

• Bladerdash

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a big deal.

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 hints today: Clues, answers for October 9, 2026 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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

It's huge.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

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...

MAJOR

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Wordle.

One of the most anticipated panels at New York Comic Con 2026 was Marvel's "Up Next From Marvel Television and Marvel Animation" panel, and for good reason. Marvel announced new series, teased upcoming seasons of popular shows, and even surprised attendees with the entire first episode of VisionQuest.

Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel Television and Marvel Animation, took the stage with moderator Brandon Davis to unleash a whole host of announcements, including projects stretching until 2029. From more Daredevil: Born Again to a sneak peek of X-Men '97 Season 3, here's everything Marvel Television and Marvel Animation announced at NYCC 2026.

SEE ALSO: We watched 'VisionQuest's first episode at New York Comic Con. It's a trip. Zodiac Credit: Marvel Television

Winderbaum revealed the logo for a new live-action spy thriller, Zodiac, set for a 2028 release. Winderbaum was tight-lipped about the show's plot and casting, but revealed that Zodiac would begin shooting in London this spring. He did urge fans to pay attention to the logo, saying: "If you're a fan of the comics, there is a lot hidden in that logo."

How to watch: Zodiac hits Disney+ in 2028.

Marvel Zombies

If you want more of Marvel's gory animated series Marvel Zombies, you're in luck. Winderbaum revealed that audiences are in for three new two-part specials of Marvel Zombies over the next three years, each premiering on Halloween. 2027's installment is titled Marvel Zombies: The Winter Soldier, all about Bucky Barnes. 2028's installment is Marvel Zombies: The Fist of Khonshu, hinting at a Moon Knight connection. Finally, 2029's installment is Marvel Zombies: The Last Guardian.

"I won't tell you who the Last Guardian is, but it's very, very exciting," Winderbaum said.

How to watch: Marvel Zombies is now streaming on Disney+, with new installments slated for Halloween of 2027, 2028, and 2029.

X-Men '97

Marvel's animated TV party continued with a teaser for X-Men '97 Season 3, which revealed that anti-mutant sentiments are at an all-time high.

In the teaser, a young mutant tries to cross a heavily guarded border, but she's denied entry due to not having papers. As she tries to find an alternate route, Sentinels attack her. Thankfully, she's saved by a group of mutants, but they're not the X-Men.

"We're the Brotherhood," they tell her.

The clip also showed Professor X and Storm driving to Rogue and Gambit's lavish Central Park wedding. On the way there, they talk about how President Graydon Creed has taken drastic anti-mutant measures that they'll have to fight tooth and nail against.

However, the atmosphere is much lighter at the wedding party, which featured cameos from Deadpool, She-Hulk, Daredevil, and many more.

How to watch: The first two seasons of X-Men '97 are now streaming on Disney+. Season 3 premieres in 2027.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2

Marvel couldn't make a New York appearance without talking about Queens' own Spider-Man, right? Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man showrunner Jeff Trammell took the stage to tease Season 2, saying that if Season 1 was about "setting the board," then Season 2 is about "playing the game."

Trammell revealed a poster as well as an extended clip, which introduced a fancy gala attended by Harry Osborne. First, he encounters gossip reporter Eddie Brock, aka Venom. Then, he's taken hostage by Dr. Otto Octavius, aka Doc Ock. Spider-Man shows up soon after and the two engage in a quippy fight that takes them out of the gala and into the New York skyline. After the clip, attendees watched a trailer for the upcoming season, which included appearances from Gwen Stacy and Daredevil, as well as a look at Peter Parker getting taken over by the alien symbiote.

How to watch: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man Season 2 hits Disney+ Jan. 13.

Daredevil: Born Again Season 3

Another New York Marvel hero got his moment on the NYCC stage this year, as Charlie Cox arrived to promote the third and final season of Daredevil: Born Again.

Cox didn't arrive alone, as the panel also acted as a reunion for Marvel's The Defenders. Krysten Ritter, who plays Jessica Jones, and Finn Jones, who plays Danny Rand, aka the Iron Fist, joined Cox onstage to hype up their roles in Season 3. Mike Colter, who plays Luke Cage, was unable to attend NYCC, but he will also appear in the season.

Cox, Ritter, and Jones also unveiled the trailer for the upcoming season, which offered an action-packed look at Matt Murdock's (Cox) time in prison. At one point, he tears up his prison jumpsuit to make a new mask, then proceeds to beat down every other prisoner in his vicinity in what looks to be another standout Daredevil set piece.

When asked about what he hoped fans would take away from these final episodes, Cox emphasized that he didn't think this would be the end. "All I'll say is that I imagine the Save Daredevil campaign will be gearing up for round 2," he said.

How to watch: Daredevil: Born Again Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Disney+. Season 3 is set for release in 2027.

VisionQuest

Marvel closed out its panel with a look at its next high-profile series, VisionQuest. The show concludes the WandaVision trilogy that kicked off with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along.

Showrunner Terry Matalas and series stars Paul Bettany, James Spader, Emily Hampshire, and Ruaridh Mollica took to the stage to discuss the mind-bending series, which sees synthezoid Vision (Bettany) undergoing a serious identity crisis. It also sees the return of Avengers: Age of Ultron villain Ultron (Spader), now appearing in a human avatar.

When asked about his experience returning to the MCU, Spader summed it up succinctly: "Fun."

Mollica also discussed his role as Vision and Wanda Maximoff's son, Tommy.

"Tommy Maximoff finally reunites with his father — and his grandfather!" he added, ribbing Spader.

As for what WandaVision questions fans could hope to see answered in VisionQuest? "Pretty much all of them," Matalas said.

The group showed off a trailer for the series, but that was small potatoes compared to what came next: a surprise screening of the whole first episode. For more specifics on that, you can read our reaction here.

How to watch: VisionQuest premieres Oct. 14 on Disney+.

There are several reasons why the fast-food chain In-N-Out Burger is a cult favorite, including immaculate restaurants, an affordable menu, secret items, and made-to-order burgers.

The insistence on serving fresh double-doubles, fries, and shakes is the reason In-N-Out doesn’t participate in online food delivery services like DoorDash or GrubHub. But, as reported by L.A. Material, a thriving Black Market exists for delivered In-N-Out, courtesy of Facebook Marketplace. The website found numerous drivers across Southern California who were willing to bring In-N-Out to one's doorstep, usually for an additional fee ranging from $20 to $50.

Some drivers demanded cash up front, which is far from ideal when purchasing goods on Facebook Marketplace.

SEE ALSO: Burger King Royal Perks members get Walmart+ for 40% off: How to claim this clever Peacock hack

When L.A. Material placed an In-N-Out order with someone named (or claiming to be named) Adrian Vazquez of Glendora, California, a far-flung suburb of Los Angeles, the purported driver demanded $50, with half of that upfront. The reporter sent the $25 via Zelle — and then was ghosted by the "driver."

In-N-Out — a private company primarily on the West Coast, and with a growing presence in the South — never responded to L.A. Material's request for comment on the Black Market burgers.

In-N-Out owner and CEO Lynsi Snyder recently reiterated her opposition to online ordering: "Part of what makes In-N-Out and the experience so special is the interaction and customer service we're able to give. And so the mobile ordering will definitely take a piece of that away."