New Photo - Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland were jealous of Zendaya on The Odyssey set

Christopher Nolan was quite taken with the &34;Euphoria&34; star's performance. Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland were jealous of Zendaya on The Odyssey set Christopher Nolan was quite taken with the &34;Euphoria&34; star's performance. By Derek Lawrence :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/derek160e1b72b3389c74b8ca03743731e346949.jpg) Derek Lawrence Derek Lawrence is a former associate editor at . He left EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines May 21, 2026 6:56 p.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/THEODYSSEYMattDamonZendayaTomHolland052126366b78a284d24e8fa02b3d10fd0d9f0e.

Christopher Nolan was quite taken with the "Euphoria" star's performance.

Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland were jealous of Zendaya on The Odyssey set

Christopher Nolan was quite taken with the "Euphoria" star's performance.

By Derek Lawrence

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Matt Damon, Zendaya, and Tom Holland in 'The Odyssey'

Matt Damon, Zendaya, and Tom Holland in 'The Odyssey'. Credit:

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures (2); Universal Pictures

- Matt Damon says that he and Tom Holland were jealous of Zendaya on *The Odyssey* set.

- Christopher Nolan handed out unexpected levels of praise to the *Euphoria* actress.

- The filmmaker is calling her "an incredible actor."

Matt Damon is still hunting for the type of compliments that his *Odyssey* costar Zendaya received from Christopher Nolan.

The Oscar-nominated actor is the lead of the director's upcoming epic, his third collaboration with Nolan, but he says that he and costar Tom Holland were constantly jealous of the level of praise Nolan dispensed to Zendaya on the *Odyssey* set.

“Chris is known for being very circumspect. So when you do a take, it’s not like he says, ‘That was great.’ He’ll go, ‘Yep, good. Okay.’ And that is the equivalent of the greatest praise you could ever get,” Damon explained to *ELLE*. “Zendaya, on the other hand — there were takes where she did one thing, she did this amazing scene, and he said, ‘Cut.’ And then he went, ‘Perfect.’"

Damon continued, "Literally, Tom and I were obsessed with this. She got a ‘perfect’? I’ve never even gotten a ‘great.’ She got a ‘perfect’? He and I b----ed about it for the entire rest of the film. ‘Did you get anything today?’ ‘No, I got a 'good' — moving on.’ ‘Yeah, me too.’"

Matt Damon and Zendaya in 'The Odyssey'

Damon and Zendaya in 'The Odyssey'.

Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Studios

Damon is the face of *The Odyssey* as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, whom the film follows on his 10-year trek home following the Trojan War. Zendaya stars as Athena, the goddess of wisdom, who protects Odysseus throughout his adventures. And Zendaya's fiancé, Holland, plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who, in Homer's original literature, eventually leaves Ithaca to seek information about his father's whereabouts and fate.

“We would be in the maddest, craziest situations, just all of us fighting the elements, tearing our hair out, all these things going on, and she would sort of parachute in from her other job with this sense of true grace and poise," Nolan said of the perfect actress. “I mean, she’s literally playing a goddess; it’s a tall order. She’s a true movie star, but also an incredible actor.”

Everything we know about Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey': Release date, trailer, and more

Matt Damon as Odysseus in 'The Odyssey'

Matt Damon slimmed down to his high school weight for 'The Odyssey'

Matt Damon in 'The Odyssey'

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Releasing on July 17, the star-studded adaptation also features Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, and Robert Pattinson.

"I can tell you that it is an absolute masterpiece, and I’m taking myself out of that equation," Holland recently declared. "It’s unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before. I think when I saw the movie, I found myself asking a question that I haven’t asked about a movie for a long time, which is, 'How did you do that?'"

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Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland were jealous of Zendaya on The Odyssey set

Christopher Nolan was quite taken with the &34;Euphoria&34; star's performance. Why Matt Damon and Tom Holland were jeal...
New Photo - Universal reveals 'truly terrifying' Sinners haunted house that will take fans 'even deeper' into...

The Oscarwinning film's Halloween Horror Nights house will &34;push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be&34; and include &34;new ways to scare&34; that &34;we’ve never attempted.&34; Universal reveals 'truly terrifying' Sinners haunted house that will take fans 'even deeper' into Ryan Coogler movie The Oscarwinning film's Halloween Horror Nights house will &34;push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be&34; and include &34;new ways to scare&34; that &34;we’ve never attempted.&34; :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/JoeyNolfiBiophotof93a23298bdd47ba9c13f53815fc469b.

The Oscar-winning film's Halloween Horror Nights house will "push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be" and include "new ways to scare" that "we’ve never attempted."

Universal reveals 'truly terrifying'* Sinners* haunted house that will take fans 'even deeper' into Ryan Coogler movie

The Oscar-winning film's Halloween Horror Nights house will "push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be" and include "new ways to scare" that "we’ve never attempted."

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'Sinners' haunted house heading to Universal Halloween Horror Nights; Michael B. Jordan in 'Sinners'

'Sinners' haunted house heading to Universal Halloween Horror Nights; Michael B. Jordan in 'Sinners'. Credit:

Universal Studios; Warner Bros. Pictures

- Universal Halloween Horror Nights will open *Sinners* haunted houses in California and Florida.

- "Its world, characters and intensity will translate into a relentless haunted house," Universal creative said in a statement.

- "We are reinventing the haunted house and creating new ways to scare our guests that we’ve never attempted."

If you keep dancing with the devil, one day he's gonna follow you to Universal Halloween Horror Nights. At least that's the case this year, as the world's premier Halloween haunt experience has announced a pair of upcoming walkthrough houses themed to Ryan Coogler's Oscar-winning horror hit *Sinners*.

The annual Halloween Horror Nights event's bicoastal 2026 edition will roll out with houses based on *Sinners* at both the Universal Studios Florida and the Universal Studios Hollywood parks. Universal creatives promise a "truly terrifying" experience that will take fans "even deeper" into the world inhabited by twins Smoke and Stack (Michael B. Jordan in dual roles) amid a bloody vampire takeover in 1930s Mississippi.

Both houses will transport guests into the Club Juke locale seen in the blockbuster film, and picks up as a vampire trio led by Remmick (Jack O'Connell) descends on attendees. Characters lifted from the film will also appear throughout the experience as the vampires attempt to feed on and convert guests, including Sammie (Miles Caton), Mary (Hailee Steinfeld), Annie (Wunmi Mosaku), Pearline (Jayme Lawson), and Cornbread (Omar Benson Miller) — all against the backdrop of an overarching conflict between Smoke and Stack.

“At Halloween Horror Nights, we push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be,” said John Murdy, the executive producer leading the HHN event in Hollywood, in a statement. Murdy promises that, just like how *Sinners* reinvented the horror genre, "we are reinventing the haunted house and creating new ways to scare our guests that we’ve never attempted and are thrilled to bring this amazing story to life in a truly terrifying and fully immersive way."

Mike Aiello, senior director of entertainment and creative development at the Universal Orlando Resort, added in a statement of his own that *Sinners* is "an undeniable fit" for HHN, which celebrates its 35th edition this year.

"It’s rare for a film to fully satisfy hardcore horror fans while also inviting new audiences into the genre — and that’s exactly what *Sinners* does. Its world, characters and intensity will translate into a relentless haunted house. We can't wait for our fans to step inside," he said.

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In a joint statement, *Sinners* producers Ryan and Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian promise that "partnering with Halloween Horror Nights gives fans the chance to step even deeper into the world of the film — to feel the music, the atmosphere and the tension all around them."

The *Sinners* house joins the previously announced Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control haunted house, which will reunite fan-favorite "icons" (or, fictional characters who serve as the overseer of each year's ceremony) Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow for an epic duel.

'Sinners' haunted house heads to Universal Halloween Horror Nights

'Sinners' haunted house heads to Universal Halloween Horror Nights.

Universal Studios

More houses are expected to be announced in the near future. Last year, the Halloween Horror Nights event hosted houses adapted from other popular intellectual properties, including *Five Nights at Freddy's*, *Terrifier*, *Fallout*, and the *Friday the 13th* films.

*Sinners* joins Universal's roster after a monumental run at the box office and on the awards trail. The film earned rave critical reviews upon its April 2025 theatrical bow, which led to $370 million in global ticket sales. The film went on to shatter the record for most Oscar nominations for a single movie, with 16 overall nods. It won four Oscars, including Best Actor for Jordan.

Universal Halloween Horror Nights begins Aug. 28 at Universal Studios Florida and Sept. 3 at Universal Studios Hollywood. See the *Sinners* haunted house image above.

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Universal reveals 'truly terrifying' Sinners haunted house that will take fans 'even deeper' into...

The Oscarwinning film's Halloween Horror Nights house will &34;push the boundaries of what a live horror experience can be...
New Photo - Penn State miss out on former O-line commit

Penn State miss out on former Oline commit Christopher Sheppard, Nittany Lions WireMon, May 18, 2026 at 7:19 PM UTC 0 Penn State miss out on former Oline commit While the Nittany Lions lost Layton Von Brandt earlier in the recruiting cycle and were not the favorites to land him again, many expected him to sign with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, after moving up his commitment date to today, he went a highly unexpected route. Instead of following several other four star Olinemen to South Bend, Von Brandt committed to the Auburn Tigers.

Penn State miss out on former O-line commit

Christopher Sheppard, Nittany Lions WireMon, May 18, 2026 at 7:19 PM UTC

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Penn State miss out on former O-line commit

While the Nittany Lions lost Layton Von Brandt earlier in the recruiting cycle and were not the favorites to land him again, many expected him to sign with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. However, after moving up his commitment date to today, he went a highly unexpected route. Instead of following several other four star O-linemen to South Bend, Von Brandt committed to the Auburn Tigers. While Penn State will be disappointed that he did not stick with his early intentions, it somewhat feels like a win after Penn State lost out on many players to the Fighting Irish on the recruiting trail.

For now, this leaves the Nittany Lions without a four star lineman amongst their class, but still enough talent at the position to get by. With local recruits in David Tarawallie and Ryan Robbins, Campbell could have two bookend tackles of the future. They also have some interior talent with Jon Sassic and Owen Reilly. However, Notre Dame being spurned is the bigger takeaway as they looked to continue to stockpile at the position. Auburn's win is perhaps a testament to their persistence in recruiting him and both Penn State and Notre Dame landing other commits at the position, thus losing focus on Von Brandt.

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Now all eyes will be on another prospect, this time three star Lucas Rhoa, who locked down an official visit. For now, the sting of losing Von Brandt hurts just a little less than potentially expected.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Penn State miss out on former O-line commit

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Penn State miss out on former O-line commit

Penn State miss out on former Oline commit Christopher Sheppard, Nittany Lions WireMon, May 18, 2026 at 7:19 PM UTC 0 Penn State ...
New Photo - Tech boss sacks HR team for ‘creating problems that didn’t exist’

Tech boss sacks HR team for ‘creating problems that didn’t exist’ Chris PriceThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:14 AM UTC 2 Ryan Breslow founded Bolt in his Stanford dorm room in 2014 Fortune A tech boss has sacked his company’s entire HR team after they created “problems that didn’t exist”. Ryan Breslow, the chief executive of US payment company Bolt, said he had axed the department to combat the “sense of entitlement” across the company. Mr Breslow, who founded the business in his Stanford dorm room in 2014, left the company in 2022 but was reinstated as the chief executive in March last year.

Tech boss sacks HR team for ‘creating problems that didn’t exist’

Chris PriceThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:14 AM UTC

2

Ryan Breslow founded Bolt in his Stanford dorm room in 2014 - Fortune

A tech boss has sacked his company’s entire HR team after they created “problems that didn’t exist”.

Ryan Breslow, the chief executive of US payment company Bolt, said he had axed the department to combat the “sense of entitlement” across the company.

Mr Breslow, who founded the business in his Stanford dorm room in 2014, left the company in 2022 but was reinstated as the chief executive in March last year. Bolt axed 30pc of its staff last month in an effort to turn around its fortunes.

“We had an HR team, and that HR team was creating problems that didn’t exist,” Mr Breslow told Fortune’s Workforce Innovation Summit this week. “Those problems disappeared when I let them go.”

Mr Breslow has criticised HR, writing on LinkedIn last year that he wanted staff to be “more focused on efficiency and less focused on fluff”.

He initially rebranded the HR department to “people ops”, saying it had the “wrong energy, format, and approach”.

“People ops empowers managers, streamlines decision making, and keeps the company moving at lightning speed,” he said.

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Bolt saw its valuation soar to $11bn (£8.8bn) in 2022 before falling to around $300m two years later – a decline of nearly 97pc. Mr Breslow criticised the culture that had developed at the company in his absence.

He said: “There’s a sense of entitlement that had festered across the company, and people who felt empowered, felt entitled – but weren’t actually working hard.

“And this is the number one thing that I had to battle. Ultimately, most of those people just had to be let go.”

He added: “We need a group of people who are very oriented around getting things done, and there is just a culture of not getting things done and complaining a lot.”

It comes amid a widening backlash against the HR industry, which employs more than 500,000 people in Britain. Critics say the ballooning industry – which has grown by 83pc since 2011 – is slowing down businesses and creating meaningless busywork. HR departments have also been criticised for becoming increasingly political.

Tanya de Grunwald, the host of the This Isn’t Working podcast, says the profession is “constantly being filled with young, Left-leaning, middle-class graduates”, who are “motivated by their own clear views on how to make the world a better place”.

Last year, Whitehall documents released under the Freedom of Information Act revealed that 200 HR events and meetings were held across seven government departments during working hours in May 2025 alone.

These included “listening circle for trans colleagues and allies”, “sapphic sound” music sessions and two-hour-long diversity, equity and inclusion sessions.

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Published: May 22, 2026 at 04:18AM on Source: MORNING MAG

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Tech boss sacks HR team for ‘creating problems that didn’t exist’

Tech boss sacks HR team for ‘creating problems that didn’t exist’ Chris PriceThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:14 AM UTC 2 Ryan Breslow fou...
New Photo - Japan's core inflation hits 4-year low, rebound eyed on energy shock

Japan&x27;s core inflation hits 4year low, rebound eyed on energy shock By Leika KiharaFri, May 22, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC 0 Pedestrians make their way through a shopping district in Tokyo, Japan November 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim KyungHoon By Leika Kihara TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) Japan&x27;s annual core inflation slowed to a fouryear low in April due to the effect of subsidies on fuel and education, data showed on Friday, though analysts expect surging ‌fuel costs from the Middle East war to accelerate price growth in coming months.

Japan's core inflation hits 4-year low, rebound eyed on energy shock

By Leika KiharaFri, May 22, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC

0

Pedestrians make their way through a shopping district in Tokyo, Japan November 21, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

By Leika Kihara

TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) - Japan's annual core inflation slowed to a four-year low in April due to the effect of subsidies on fuel and education, data showed on Friday, though analysts expect surging ‌fuel costs from the Middle East war to accelerate price growth in coming months.

While government measures are offsetting ‌some of the price pressure from the energy shock, Bank of Japan policymakers are dropping hawkish comments signalling the chance of an interest rate hike ​in June as they focus on broadening inflation risks.

Japan's core consumer price index (CPI), which strips away the effect of volatile fresh food costs, rose 1.4% in April from a year earlier, much slower than a 1.8% rise in March and falling short of the median market forecast for a 1.7% gain.

The increase was the slowest since March 2022, with a 10.6% drop in education fees weighing ‌on service-sector inflation and offsetting steady increases ⁠in a range of other items including food, the data showed.

A separate index excluding the effect of volatile fresh food and fuel, which is closely watched by the BOJ as a better gauge ⁠of demand-driven price moves, rose 1.9% in April from a year earlier after a 2.4% gain in March.

"Although inflationary pressures eased in April, they will pick up again before long. Accordingly, we still think the Bank of Japan is likely to resume its tightening cycle ​sooner ​rather than later," said Abhijit Surya, senior APAC economist at Capital ​Economics.

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The data is among factors the BOJ will scrutinise ‌at next month's policy meeting, where the board is widely expected to raise its short-term policy rate to 1% from 0.75%.

Markets have been rattled after the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about a fifth of global oil and gas flows, driving up crude oil prices and the safe-haven dollar against the yen.

The war has complicated the BOJ's rate-hike plan by adding to inflationary pressure, while weighing on an economy heavily reliant on fuel imports from the Middle ‌East.

Wholesale inflation, a leading indicator of consumer prices, accelerated in April at ​the fastest pace in three years as the Iran war boosted oil ​and chemical goods prices, bolstering the case for a ​near-term rate hike.

BOJ board member Junko Koeda said on Thursday she was scrutinising the speed and ‌magnitude of the pass-through from wholesale to consumer inflation, ​in gauging the pace and timing ​of future rate hikes.

"I believe it's reasonable to raise the policy interest rate at an appropriate pace to address high inflation while also considering the trade-offs for the economy," Koeda said, warning that the energy shock could ​push underlying inflation above the central bank's ‌2% target.

BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda is likely to deliver a speech on June 3, which will be scrutinised ​for any hints on whether the central bank would indeed hike rates at the June 15-16 policy meeting.

(Reporting ​by Leika Kihara; Editing by Sam Holmes and Kim Coghill)

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Japan's core inflation hits 4-year low, rebound eyed on energy shock

Japan&x27;s core inflation hits 4year low, rebound eyed on energy shock By Leika KiharaFri, May 22, 2026 at 12:51 AM UTC 0 Pe...
New Photo - Joseph Duggar Has Not Communicated With Kids in 2 Months, Can't Visit His Properties Due To Proximity to Accuser: Court Docs

Joseph Duggar Has Not Communicated With Kids in 2 Months, Can&x27;t Visit His Properties Due To Proximity to Accuser: Court Docs Chris SpargoThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:01 PM UTC 0 Joseph DuggarCredit: Washington County Sheriff's Department Joseph Duggar has filed two motions seeking modifications to the no contact order issued by the judge who granted his pretrial release One of those motions states that Joseph has "been unable to communicate with his own biological children" since he made his initial court appearance in Florida on March 31 Joseph revealed in jail phone calls obtained by PEOPLE t...

Joseph Duggar Has Not Communicated With Kids in 2 Months, Can't Visit His Properties Due To Proximity to Accuser: Court Docs

Chris SpargoThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:01 PM UTC

0

Joseph Duggar
Credit: Washington County Sheriff's Department -

Joseph Duggar has filed two motions seeking modifications to the no contact order issued by the judge who granted his pretrial release

One of those motions states that Joseph has "been unable to communicate with his own biological children" since he made his initial court appearance in Florida on March 31

Joseph revealed in jail phone calls obtained by PEOPLE that he had also been unable to contact his children in the weeks before that following his arrest in Arkansas on March 18

Joseph Duggar is seeking a second modification to the no contact order issued by a Florida judge as part of the conditions of his pretrial release.

A motion filed by his attorney Albert J Sauline III and obtained by PEOPLE seeks to amend a provision of the order than bans Joseph from visiting a number of land parcels that he owns due to their proximity to the home where his alleged victim resides with her family.

Joseph is seeking this modification because the alleged victim and her family "have abandoned their residence, no longer residing at the previously listed address," according to the motion.

This comes on the heels of a motion filed by Joseph earlier this week that revealed he has not been able to communicate with his four children for almost two months.

Joseph and Kendra Duggar
Credit: Joseph and Kendra Duggar/Instagram

The no contact order prohibits Joseph from visiting six of his properties, the motion states, rendering him unable to perform tasks including: mowing, landscaping, painting, repairs and removing an "old dilapidated shed and its contents."

This is now the second motion filed this week that seeks to change the conditions of Joseph's no contact order, and Sauline tells PEOPLE that both are set to be argued in court on June 20.

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Related: Joseph Duggar Skips Court but Fights No Contact Order That Prohibits Him from Spending Time Alone with His Kids

The first motion sought to modify the provision which bans Joseph from having any unsupervised contact with children under 18, asking for an exemption to be made for his own children.

The motion states that Joseph has "been unable to communicate with his own biological children" since he made his initial court appearance in Florida on March 31.

He had been unable to communicate with the children prior to that, too, when he and his wife Kendra Duggar were arrested on unrelated charges in Arkansas.

Kendra was able to reunite with the children in mid-April but the current order "is creating a hardship for the family unit," the motion says.

Joseph is facing two charges of lewd and lascivious behavior in Florida and is out of jail on a $600,000 bond. He and Kendra are also charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree and four counts of false imprisonment in the second degree in Arkansas.

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Joseph Duggar Has Not Communicated With Kids in 2 Months, Can't Visit His Properties Due To Proximity to Accuser: Court Docs

Joseph Duggar Has Not Communicated With Kids in 2 Months, Can&x27;t Visit His Properties Due To Proximity to Accuser: Court ...
New Photo - “Send Help” ending explained: What is Linda hiding?

“Send Help” ending explained: What is Linda hiding? Brianna ZiglerThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:03 PM UTC 0 Dylan O'Brien and Rachel McAdams in 'Send Help'Credit: 20th Century Fox Sam Raimi returned to the director’s chair with a vengeance this year. After more than a decade of producing genre flicks like Crawl, Don’t Breathe, and Umma, the legendary director of The Evil Dead and SpiderMan trilogies helmed his first original feature since 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful (note: we are choosing to overlook Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness).

“Send Help” ending explained: What is Linda hiding?

Brianna ZiglerThu, May 21, 2026 at 10:03 PM UTC

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Dylan O'Brien and Rachel McAdams in 'Send Help'
Credit: 20th Century Fox

Sam Raimi returned to the director’s chair with a vengeance this year.

After more than a decade of producing genre flicks like Crawl, Don’t Breathe, and Umma, the legendary director of The Evil Dead and Spider-Man trilogies helmed his first original feature since 2013’s Oz the Great and Powerful (note: we are choosing to overlook Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness).

Send Help stars Rachel McAdams as hapless corporate strategist Linda Liddle, whose long-awaited promotion is passed over by her new boss, Bradley Preston (Dylan O’Brien), the nepo-baby offspring of her former boss. Bradley is cruel to Linda due to her perceived unattractiveness and annoying personality, but the tables turn when a business trip becomes a fight for survival.

The script — an original idea cowritten by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift — is a terrific blend of survival horror and comedy. Raimi’s eccentric filmmaking style is on full display, feeling so fresh that it’s as if the director never really left us. Read on as we unpack Send Help’s blood-soaked twist ending — and the fates of Linda and Bradley.

How do Linda and Bradley get stuck on the island?

After Linda stands up to Bradley’s workplace abuse, he finds himself impressed by her chutzpah. She is invited to join him and his fratty tech-bro buddies on a business trip to Bangkok, but their private plane encounters violent turbulence during a storm. When the engine fails, the aircraft spirals into into the ocean.

Bradley and Linda survive the crash and wash up on what appears to be a deserted island. With no one to depend on but each other, a shift in power occurs. A devoted Survivor fan, Linda quickly becomes the alpha in their relationship, as she's the only one with any practical survival skills.

Badly injured, Bradley initially fails to grasp the gravity of his situation and continues to mistreat Linda. He learns his lesson the hard way after she leaves him to fend for himself for two days.

Do Linda and Bradley learn to get along?

Rachal McAdams as Linda Liddle and Dylan O'Brien as Bradley Preston in 'Send Help'
Credit: 20th Century Fox

Sort of… kind of… but also not really.

While Bradley does eventually accept the role reversal between himself and his lowly subordinate, it feels more like Stockholm syndrome than anything else. Linda wields her absolute power over Bradley like a cudgel, exploiting his helplessness to emotionally abuse and manipulate him. (Not like he doesn’t deserve it, though.)

As Bradley recovers from his injuries, he appears to grow less resentful of Linda’s status. She begins teaching him practical skills so he can hunt and gather himself. On one particular night, the pair bond over a fire and share some homemade wine. It’s here Linda makes a startling personal confession: She once allowed her abusive ex-husband to drive drunk and get himself killed.

Bradley seems sympathetic to Linda’s story, and in return he offers to cook a meal for her. Little does Linda realize that Bradley has poisoned the meal with deadly berries. Their friendship was all a lie in order for Bradley to gain her trust and take advantage of it. While Linda seizes, Bradley makes a break for it on a makeshift raft.

Unfortunately for Bradley, he’s still a novice when it comes to his survival skills, as his raft is almost instantly swallowed by powerful waves. Linda, meanwhile, survives the poisoning due to Bradley's misjudgment on the dosage.

She later gets her revenge on Bradley, paralyzing him with an octopus toxin and pretending to castrate him.

Rachal McAdams as Linda Liddle in 'Send Help'
Credit: 20th Century Fox

While Linda is certainly a sympathetic character, we come to learn that she’s no angel.

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In a twist that feels somewhere between Misery and Triangle of Sadness, it's revealed that Linda has not only hidden the true nature of the island from Bradley, but has intentionally impeded them from getting help. If she leaves the island, she loses the status and power she's built there.

In addition to ignoring an early rescue boat while exploring the island, Linda kills both Bradley’s girlfriend, Zuri (Edyll Ismail), and a boat captain (Thaneth Warakulnukroh) who arrive to save them. Linda pretends she’s leading them to Bradley, but instead lures them to a dangerous cliff, where she orchestrates their deaths.

But that’s not the only thing Linda has been hiding. Earlier, she brought Bradley to that same cliff and warned him never to venture to the far side of the island because it was too dangerous. In reality, the island is home to an opulent beachfront estate, from which Linda has been secretly stealing food and supplies to aid in their “survival.”

What happens at the end of Send Help?

Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle in 'Send Help'
Credit: 20th Century Fox

After Linda returns to camp, she allows Bradley to go hunt by himself. While doing so, he discovers Zuri’s remains buried in the sand and confronts Linda about it. What ensues is an all-out jungle brawl between the two of them, with Linda stabbing Bradley and Bradley gruesomely injuring Linda’s eye.

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It’s during this altercation that Bradley stumbles upon the mansion, where the final showdown between him and Linda takes place. There, Linda reveals that she has known about the mansion for most of their time on the island.

She threatens Bradley with a gun while he pleads for his life, claiming that he actually loves her and wishes to remain on the island with her forever. Linda is too astute to be made into a patsy, though, and she quickly spots Bradley’s concealed weapon. But not quickly enough: Bradley lunges for Linda’s shotgun. When he discovers that the weapon is unloaded, Linda goes in for the kill with a devastating golf swing.

One year later, Linda has reinvented herself as a celebrity, exploiting a false narrative as the sole survivor of the plane crash. At a celebrity golf tournament, she promotes the upcoming movie adaptation of her memoir and announces her plans to write a self-help book. Something something, absolute power corrupts absolutely, something something.

Is Sweetie okay?

Rachel McAdams as Linda Liddle in 'Send Help'
Credit: 20th Century Fox

At the beginning of the film, viewers are treated to a brief glimpse of Linda’s quiet home life, consisting mostly of nights spent watching Survivor and tending to her pet cockatiel, Sweetie.

Discerning viewers may wonder what became of Linda’s poor bird while she was stranded on an island for weeks. Was the bird all alone and starving to death? Was he staying with a friend or a pet sitter?

Thankfully, while Linda may be a sadistic and vindictive sociopath, she proves herself to be a responsible bird owner. Sweetie was clearly being taken care of while Linda was elsewhere “fighting for her life.”

In the film’s final scene, the little bird can be seen happily perched in his cage, accompanying Linda as the pair drive off together in her twisted happily ever after.

Where can I watch Send Help?

Send Help is currently available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.

on Entertainment Weekly

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Entertainment"

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Source: Entertainment

Published: May 22, 2026 at 01:36AM on Source: MORNING MAG

#ShowBiz#Sports#Celebrities#Lifestyle

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